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  <row Id="1" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7" CreationDate="2014-06-17T19:22:29.860" Score="8" ViewCount="1071" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to most sources, a soul stays in &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; until it concentrates enough &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; to get yet another rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I failed to find any sources explaining if this process is eternal. In other words, what happens if a soul has committed so many sins that it's unable to accumulate enough &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;? Or, in other words, is there a &quot;dead end&quot; when no more rebirth is possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T17:21:25.590" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T17:21:25.590" Title="Is there an equivalent of heaven and hell in Buddhism?" Tags="|karma|samsara|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6" CreationDate="2014-06-17T19:52:56.243" Score="26" ViewCount="1734" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a westerner that self-identifies as Buddhist, I have struggled to understand the role of belief in Buddhist practice. In my culture, we are more familiar with the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) for which what one believes is central to the religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what if I choose to believe that nobody can be enlightened, therefore the Buddha was not enlightened? This question goes for other Buddhist concepts like karma too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:12:38.177" LastActivityDate="2018-06-18T09:49:21.260" Title="Role of belief in Buddhism" Tags="|karma|enlightenment|belief|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:00:09.400" Score="-1" ViewCount="1637" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was baptized into Orthodox Christianity in childhood. During recent years, I've been living in Thailand, attending worship in temples, offering alms to monks, and participating in other ceremonies on occasional basis. I was never thought it might compromise Christianity in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently I met a highly religious person from my country who told me this would be unacceptable. I tried to figure out some arguments, but they failed to provide me with any, repeating that it's simply a wrong thing (well, that's probably why it is called &lt;em&gt;Orthodox&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I live in another country, I think it's a good thing to become a part of local society, and attending Buddhist ceremonies and rituals seems to be a good thing to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found many articles about this topic for &lt;em&gt;Catholic Christianity&lt;/em&gt;, but could not actually find anything about &lt;em&gt;Orthodox&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the optimal strategy for me to keep attending Buddhist ceremonies and not be blamed by those who say I must keep worshipping only my religion from back home?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-17T22:03:44.443" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T01:50:53.310" Title="How to combine Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|christianity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="9" ClosedDate="2014-06-19T00:04:40.513" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:07:44.870" Score="26" ViewCount="1016" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that in the early days of Buddhism, it was for men only. To practice, you had to be a monk, and to be a monk, you had to be a man. Perhaps this reflects the attitudes of the time, but today, my experience of Buddhism has been as something that welcomes men and women equally, even when that's still in a segregated way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically, when did this change come about, and what first triggered it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="15" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T02:09:00.293" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T21:50:14.577" Title="When were women first welcomed into Buddhist orders?" Tags="|history|gender|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:08:05.953" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are approximate equivalent realms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although, one thing to keep in mind is that the Buddha taught his followers not to speculate on cosmology, soul, or eternalism, since such speculation increases our suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My best guess is that the stuff about other realms was added after the Buddha's death, as there was a lot of contact with Hindu/Vedic practices in the centuries that followed, moreso in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T20:08:05.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:12:42.463" Score="40" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't &lt;em&gt;need&lt;/em&gt; to believe anything in Buddhism, but a little faith can give you a boost in your practice. It would certainly be difficult to progress if you had no sense that the people teaching you knew what they were talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the end, a good teacher will just tell you &quot;This is the path to enlightenment&quot;, rather than &quot;I am enlightened&quot;, and leave it up to you to discover the veracity of their claim.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly, once you practice according to the Buddha's teaching, you will gain understanding about reality that will allow you to verify that karma and enlightenment are very real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T20:12:42.463" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:18:03.157" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no sense of accumulating sins, per se; your karma (actions) change who you are; there is also no sense that it can ever be too much to recover from (eventually). Eventually, your karma will catch up with you, sending you to heaven or hell, and making it more difficult to accumulate further good or bad karma, until you usually wind up right back where you started, somewhere in the middle. Something like the law of diminishing returns; the better or worse your rebirth, the harder it is to make further corresponding karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate, given the infinitude of samsara, there is no such thing as too late; if there is time to accumulate good or evil, there is also time for its effects to wear off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See the Assu Sutta, SN XV.03:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning&#xA;  point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered&#xA;  by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-17T20:34:22.683" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T20:34:22.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:20:34.937" Score="22" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the texts (Cv 10), after the Buddha returned to visit his father in Kapilavatthu, his aunt and step-mother, Mahapajapati Gotami, followed him back to Vesali and eventually ordained her using the eight garu dhammas as her higher ordination. He then gave the injunction that the male monks were to ordain the female monks, which was the beginning of the bhikkhuni sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. Now Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and bowed down before him, and stood respectfully on one side. And, so standing, Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī spake thus to the Blessed One: 'What course, Lord, should I pursue towards these women of the Sākya clan?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One taught Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī and incited her, and aroused her, and gladdened her with religious discourse; and she, so taught, incited, aroused, and gladdened, bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on net right hand as she passed him, she departed thence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, in that connexion, delivered a religious discourse, and said to the Bhikkhus, 'I allow Bhikkhunīs, O Bhikkhus, to receive the upasampadā initiation from Bhikkhus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. Now those Bhikkhunīs said to Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī: 'Neither have you received the upasampadā initiation, nor have we; for it has thus been laid down by the Blessed One: &amp;quot;Bhikkhunīs are to be initiated by Bhikkhus.&amp;quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī went to the venerable Ānanda, and [repeated their words to him]. And the venerable Ānanda went to the Blessed One, and [repeated them to him].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'In that moment, Ānanda, when Mahā-pajāpatī the Gotamī took upon herself the Eight Chief Rules, that was to her as the upasampadā initiation.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Cv 10.2 (Rhys-Davids, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T18:13:37.770" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:28:24.967" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt; is the cycle of birth and rebirth. Within this cycle there is an unceasing flow of consciousness - not to be identified with a person, though - that passes from existence to existence. The only way out of &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt; - this is your &quot;dead end&quot;. To reach this state all accumulation of new &lt;em&gt;karman&lt;/em&gt; has to stop and all accumulated &lt;em&gt;karman&lt;/em&gt; has to be extinguished. Unless &lt;em&gt;nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt; is attained at some point, the samsaric existence is without end. Without beginning, it is anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, at the end of one existence, the flow of consciousness - &lt;em&gt;vijñāna-srotas&lt;/em&gt; - is thought to enter the womb of the mother to form a new being, if rebirth takes place in the human sphere. other than the human sphere, there are five other spheres of rebirth. They are galled &lt;em&gt;gati&lt;/em&gt; - more or less &quot;gait&quot;, but also &quot;way&quot; or &quot;station&quot;, sometimes, in Mahāyāna also &lt;em&gt;loka&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;world&quot;. These are the spheres of: gods, demons, animals, hell-beings and hunger-ghosts. Check here for more: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_realm&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_realm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not hundred percent sure, but this seems to be rather a mahayanic conception. Note also, that salvation - escape from the cycle of births - is only possible in the human sphere, since for example gods are just to blissful, to feel a need to stop this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get back to your question, in popular Buddhism there may well be a hell or different hells, where people are also thought to be punished according to their deeds. To confirm this, there is the famous Wewurukannala temple in Sri Lanka, called the hell temple, which is full of rather gruesome pictures of these hells, see, for example, here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://lanka-houses.com/sightseeing/wewurukannala-hell-temple.html&quot;&gt;http://lanka-houses.com/sightseeing/wewurukannala-hell-temple.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist doctrine would rather explain these hells as painful states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T20:28:24.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:38:46.433" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the scriptures of the Pali &lt;em&gt;Tipiṭaka&lt;/em&gt; the Buddha quite frequently talks of &lt;em&gt;saddhā&lt;/em&gt;, Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;śraddhā&lt;/em&gt;, which means &quot;faith, trust, confidence&quot; and a host of other things. This is sometimes identified with the first link of the Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;em&gt;sammā diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;, Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;samyagdṛṣṭi&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The interpretation goes mostly in this direction: since ignorance is a condition of the samsaric life, people who are not enlightened have difficulty seeing the path to enlightenment, since all kinds of attachments interfere. Therefore, a being may put its trust in the teaching of the Buddha and start on the Noble Eightfold Path. From a certain stage onwards, indeed, with increasing insight in to the true nature of things, this initial trust is no more needed and that being can by itself discern the truth, the &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;, the teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note, that &lt;em&gt;śraddhā&lt;/em&gt; is already a Vedic terminus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T20:38:46.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:52:36.407" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, for the purpose of providing an answer, I've gone to this site:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.antiochian.org/whatorthodoxbelieve&quot;&gt;http://www.antiochian.org/whatorthodoxbelieve&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which, correct me if I'm wrong, seems to present the views of the Eastern Orthodox church, from their POV.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing I can see as being a problem, would be the phrase, taken a bit out of context from Timothy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From such withdraw yourself' (1 Timothy 6:5). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;said to refer to cults. The actual passage (KJV) is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, it is up to the person doing the interpreting as to whether or not Buddhism is &quot;destitute of the truth&quot;, and whether that would then be enough to require you to &quot;withdraw thyself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, your question is actually about strategy, so, given the assumption that you don't really care what the church has to say as long as you aren't subject to their censure, I imagine it would be enough to just not speak about it to them. I don't assume you'd be found out otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's really the best, I think; speech that is unpleasant, e.g. telling a devout Christian that you are participating in what they view as a cult, should only be delivered with care. (See the Abhaya Sutta, MN 58, for a discussion of unpleasant speech).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, td;lr: unless you think you can convince your fellow Christians that you are not really committing sin by participating in Buddhism, best would be to just avoid mentioning it. Or, you know, leave Christianity and become Buddhist ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T01:50:53.310" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T01:50:53.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:56:08.887" Score="16" ViewCount="1473" Body="&lt;p&gt;What exactly is the theory of jhana, how does it come about and how does it relate to the buddhist practice and everyday life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;feel free to answer in depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:04:09.037" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T13:12:10.683" Title="What exactly is Jhana?" Tags="|enlightenment|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T20:59:09.377" Score="14" ViewCount="525" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm struggling hard to make final sense of the chain of &quot;dependent origination&quot;. In the oldest texts in Pali and Sanskrit, already, there are different explanations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Mahānidānasutta&lt;/em&gt;, where the chain has just nine links, the general formula is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;x-paccayā y&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;meaning&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;through the condition of x, y (is).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the question arises, what kind of condition this is thought to be: a sufficient condition? A necessary condition? Or both of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part, states quite clearly, that if x is not there, then y is also not there, implying necessity of x for y.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a general rule (e.g. Majjhima Nikaya 38, 19) states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imasmiṃ sati idaṃ hoti, imassuppādā idaṃ uppajjati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which translates as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If that is, this is, through arising of that, this arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also consistent with a parallel in the Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;Catuṣpariṣatsūtra&lt;/em&gt; but not with the view, that we are dealing with mere necessary conditions. They need to be sufficient, for this general statement to apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now here things become even more complicated, since another general rule, actually a seemingly extended version of the former states (MN 79, 7, also in SN and Udana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imasmiṃ sati idaṃ hoti, imassuppādā idaṃ uppajjati; imasmiṃ asati idaṃ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṃ nirujjhati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which now means&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that is, this is, through arising of that, this arises; when that is not, this is not, with cessation of that, this ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;implying biconditionality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are the different versions explained? What is, in the end, the relation between the links? What can be thought to be the Buddha's original version and intention?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T17:03:25.103" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T13:18:49.800" Title="What exactly is the logical relation between the links in the twelvefold chain of Pratītyasamutpāda?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|paticcasamuppada|dependent-origination|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12" CreationDate="2014-06-17T21:09:05.747" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhāna, in Theravada Buddhism, refers to the act of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The (popular etym -- ) expln of jhāna is given by Bdhgh at Vism 150 as follows: &quot;ārammaṇ' ûpanijjhānato paccanīka -- jhāpanato vā jhānaŋ,&quot; i.e. called jh. from meditation on objects &amp;amp; from burning up anything adverse (PED, p. 286)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Pali commentaries, it can be of two types:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ārammaṇūpanijjhāna - meditation on objects&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;lakkhanūpanijjhāna - meditation on characteristics&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The former refers to tranquility (samatha) meditation which takes a specific, conceptual object as its focus. The latter refers to insight (vipassanā) meditation, which takes ultimate reality as an object, focusing on cultivating understanding of impermanence, suffering, and non-self (the three universal characteristics) as a vehicle to disenchantment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The topic of the jhānas is discussed in depth and hotly debated around the Buddhist universe. Check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&amp;amp;t=4597&quot;&gt;the great jhana debate on dhammawheel.org&lt;/a&gt; as an example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note, I'm not sure if such a broad, open-ended question is really appropriate for this sort of site. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T01:42:37.160" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T01:42:37.160" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2014-06-17T21:21:37.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada, the actual conditionality is more complicated even than is explained by PS. For a true understanding of conditionality (apart from attaining Buddhahood), a study of the Mahapatthana is probably more enlightening, intellectually speaking, since it outlines 24 types of conditionality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hetupaccayo , ārammaṇapaccayo, adhipatipaccayo, anantarapaccayo, samanantarapaccayo, sahajātapaccayo, aññamaññapaccayo, nissayapaccayo, upanissayapaccayo, purejātapaccayo, pacchājātapaccayo, āsevanapaccayo, kammapaccayo, vipākapaccayo, āhārapaccayo, indriyapaccayo, jhānapaccayo, maggapaccayo, sampayuttapaccayo, vippayuttapaccayo, atthipaccayo, natthipaccayo, vigatapaccayo, avigatapaccayoti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading the Paccayaniddeso, it seems clear that the type of conditionality depends on the link in question. For example, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;rūpāyatanaṃ cakkhuviññāṇadhātuyā taṃsampayuttakānañca dhammānaṃ ārammaṇapaccayena paccayo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, forms share conditionality with the eye by virtue of being their object, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not an expert in Theravada Abhidhamma by any means, but it certainly doesn't seem like one can give a categorical answer or take PS as a strictly literal chain of linear causation; it seems much more an exegetical teaching meant to summarize the nature of samsara. In Theravada it is further complicated by the idea of relating to three lives. Read the article by P.A. Payutta for explanation of that concept (and for more insight into PS in general):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/B%20-%20Theravada/Teachers/Ven%20Payutto/Dependent%20Origination/Dependent%20Origination%20The%20Buddhist%20Law%20of%20Conditionality.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/B%20-%20Theravada/Teachers/Ven%20Payutto/Dependent%20Origination/Dependent%20Origination%20The%20Buddhist%20Law%20of%20Conditionality.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Here's a source that compares PS and Patthana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://stylomilo.com/files/mv/YMBADip/Abhi/Patthana%20naya%20-%20LTY.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://stylomilo.com/files/mv/YMBADip/Abhi/Patthana%20naya%20-%20LTY.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It points out the difference in style between PS and Patthana; as I said, PS is conventional and Patthana is dealing with ultimate realities. It also states that Patthana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;examines in greater detail cause and effect, as PS does not explain how&#xA;  the cause becomes the effect, or the relationships between cause and&#xA;  effect. For example, no single cause can produce an effect and a cause&#xA;  does not produce only a single effect. Therefore, it is a collection of&#xA;  causes which produces a collection of effects. PS looks at the chief causeand the prominent effect only&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems like the article is worth reading, but I just found it on Google, so no assurances :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-17T21:28:45.217" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T21:28:45.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17" CreationDate="2014-06-17T21:36:46.240" Score="8" ViewCount="92728" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Chinese and especially Japanese Buddhism, the statement 天上天下唯我独尊 (Japanese &lt;em&gt;tenjou tenge yui ga dokuson&lt;/em&gt;; not sure about the Chinese transliteration), which is typically translated as &quot;On heaven and earth, I alone am honored&quot;, is considered to be a well-known statement of the Buddha, spoken when the Buddha first emerged from his mother's womb. The quote is sometimes truncated to just the latter half 唯我独尊 &quot;I alone am honored&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have done a fair bit of searching for a Sanskrit/Prakrit source from which this quote could have been translated into Chinese, but have had no success so far. What text serves as the origin of this quotation? Did it only first appear after the spread of Buddhism into China?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T18:56:48.190" LastActivityDate="2021-02-16T09:59:58.937" Title="Where is the Buddha originally quoted as saying &quot;On heaven and earth, I alone am honored&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:10:27.010" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali version isn't quite as strong. According to Malalasekera:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Immediately after birth the Bodhisatta stands firmly on his feet, and having taken seven strides to the north, while a white canopy, is held over his head, looks round and utters in fearless voice the lion's roar: &amp;quot;Aggo 'ham asmi lokassa, jettho 'ham asmi lokassa, settho 'ham asmi lokassa, ayam antimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo” (D.ii.15).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/buddha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/buddha.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meaning of the phrase is &amp;quot;I am the highest in this world; I am foremost in this world; I am the best in this world; this is the last birth; there is no further becoming here.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing I've found specifying heaven and earth; it also doesn't seem proper for the Bodhisatta to have said &amp;quot;I alone am honoured&amp;quot;, since it is patently untrue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T22:10:27.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:29:07.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit, Siddhāttha Gotama in Pali) lived from 563 to 483 BCE&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; in the North of India. At age 35 he discovered the '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;' and attained enlightenment. Thus he became &quot;the Buddha&quot;, the awakened or enlightened one. Gautama started to teach what he had learned and over the centuries these teachings evolved into what we now call Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been said that there were other Buddhas before Gautama, but since we know little about earlier Buddhas Gautama is usually refered to as 'the Buddha' or 'Gautama Buddha'.&#xA;A lot of other names are used for him as well, the most common alternative is 'Sakyamuni' (Pali, Shakyamuni in Sanskrit) which means the wise of the Sakya clan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use this tag for questions about the Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) as a person - his life, sayings, actions, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1) Most historians use these dates, but the exact date is uncertain and there are alternatives. More info &lt;a href=&quot;http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic138396.files/Buddha-Dates.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:25:39.997" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:25:39.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:29:07.100" Score="0" Body="For questions about the Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) as a person - his life, sayings, actions, etc." OwnerUserId="28" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T13:47:12.423" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T13:47:12.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:41:01.973" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-06-17T22:41:01.973" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T22:41:01.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:41:01.973" Score="0" Body="For questions about Buddhism in the past, and how it has developed since then." OwnerUserId="28" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:30:49.813" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:30:49.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-17T22:44:53.020" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the above answers, although it is not direct answer, you could find very profound teaching around the same area in &quot;Kalama sutta&quot;. The people in the city Kalama asked Buddha, what to believe and who to believe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha stated don't go by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering', then you should abandon them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T22:44:53.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="23" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="25" CreationDate="2014-06-17T23:01:16.630" Score="19" ViewCount="4310" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do the different groups/sects of Buddhism view attaining enlightenment and living a common life? In other words, do they think it is possible to be a common person and achieve enlightenment? Even for someone who has a family, friends and coworkers that aren't Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T23:35:17.067" LastActivityDate="2020-12-03T18:04:29.553" Title="Do you have to follow a monastic lifestyle to attain enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="24" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T23:32:08.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adding to @qweilun answer, on the subject of non-cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although, one thing to keep in mind is that the Buddha taught his followers not to speculate on cosmology, soul, or eternalism...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara, death and rebirth can be seen by a &lt;em&gt;metaphorical&lt;/em&gt; perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Within this cycle there is an unceasing flow of consciousness - not to be identified with a person, though - that passes from existence to existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can look at you past and see how many different people you already were. That child of some decades ago don't exist anymore. That adolescent also now exists only as a memory. In a metaphorical sense we die, rebirth and cycle countless times through a single life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, back to the main question, heaven and hell also can be seen in a metaphorical sense. For example, when you achieve something important you can feel yourself in heaven; now when you think everything is going wrong with your life, it would feel like hell. Someone can be in the heaven in the morning, then feel in hell in the night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; can be seen as an accumulation of thoughts, certainties or feelings that makes you change, and propel the wheel of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; implies, the cycle of phenomena keeps turning, it doesn't stop with a dead end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-06-17T23:32:08.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="25" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-06-17T23:47:42.630" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you have to follow a monastic lifestyle to attain enlightenment? At first approximation, the answer is: &lt;em&gt;yes&lt;/em&gt; in Theravada, &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; in Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since probably as early as Milindapanha (~100 BCE) and most certainly by the time of Vissudhimagga (~430CE), the orthodox (~Theravada) position was, you must be a monk to attain &lt;em&gt;Nirvana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since you asked about &lt;em&gt;Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;, I should point out that Enlightenment is the goal of Mahayana, while in Theravada, the final goal is usually called Nirvana (Nibbana in Pali), not Enlightenment (Bodhi in Pali). In Mahayana, Enlightenment can be attained by a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are &quot;official&quot; positions (as much as we can talk about official positions in such a heterogeneous conglomerate of teachings as Buddhism). Informally, in my own understanding, what &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; Mahayana schools call &quot;Enlightenment&quot; is what Theravada schools call mere &quot;stream-entry&quot;. Other Mahayana schools however have this notion of multiple levels (bhumi), in which what Theravada calls &quot;stream-entry&quot; is level 1 of 10, with Final Enlightenment counted as 11th. It kinda gets complicated from &quot;stream-entry&quot; onward, because the boundaries of &quot;self&quot; no longer apply, so it is difficult to talk about Enlightenment with no subject to tie it to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, from practical perspective, the point is, it is extremely difficult to make any meaningful progress towards Enlightenment/Nirvana if most of your focus is on pursuing material ends (success, wealth, entertainment, helping your relatives achieve the same). In order to get pretty close to X while leading a semi-normal life, one's top priority must be spiritual practice, followed by family and everything else. This basically means, squeezing study of Buddhist philosophy here and there, making meditation part of your daily routine, and, most importantly, deliberately utilizing your family &amp;amp; work situations as shootingrange for Dharma practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-01-01T19:24:32.460" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T19:24:32.460" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="26" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="38" CreationDate="2014-06-17T23:53:32.987" Score="53" ViewCount="45525" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta is often described as &quot;not-self&quot; which I understand to mean that our identities are illusions.  But it's also described as &quot;soullessness&quot; which I think implies that there is no mind other than the brain itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But many Buddhists believe in rebirth.  If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T20:22:33.027" Title="If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth?" Tags="|anatta|rebirth|self|" AnswerCount="18" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="27" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-17T23:53:45.117" Score="10" ViewCount="283" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, at each given instant there is a consciousness that arises and ceases completely before the next consciousness arises. Each consciousness is only aware of the present moment (just an instant and only that instant) and therefore cannot know about previous instants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how is it possible that we have a sense of the flow of time? How do we know that there was a past? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="48" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T18:59:28.443" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:44:31.647" Title="How do we sense the flow of time?" Tags="|philosophy|abhidhamma|impermanence|time|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="28" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-18T00:02:56.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Belief, as considering something you can't perceive as existent, isn't taught in Buddhism. I would risk myself saying that it just creates illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is something similar - &lt;em&gt;faith&lt;/em&gt;. But in Buddhism it is more to trust in a teaching, than believing. We are used to use thought to solve all problems, so sometimes we need a &quot;leap of faith&quot; to take an action instead of keep fiddling on thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I prefer it as &lt;em&gt;determination&lt;/em&gt;, an attitude that bypasses thought and creates action (even if it is in the mind level).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T00:02:56.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="29" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="37" CreationDate="2014-06-18T00:08:21.910" Score="7" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview.&#xA;  -- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html&quot;&gt;&quot;Our Faith in Science&quot;, The New York Times&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is all very well, but are there formal mechanisms in any Buddhist institutions that explicitly allow Buddhist principles to be reconciled with the findings of science?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:16:07.827" Title="Are there formal mechanisms in any Buddhist institutions that explicitly reconcile Buddhist principles with science?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="30" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T00:23:52.393" Score="9" ViewCount="1004" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently learned about an episode of Chinese history when relics associated to the Buddha were relocated to China and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Yu&quot;&gt;Han Yu&lt;/a&gt; writes to the Chinese Emperor in a text titled &quot;Memorial Discussing the Buddha's Bone&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.history.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/2%20Han%20Yu%20-%20Buddha%27s%20Bone.pdf&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt;), expressing his disagreement with the Emperor's decision to pay his respects to the relics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't quite understand the significance of this event, because I don't understand the role or significance of relics in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What was the role or significance of relics for 9th century Chinese Buddhists and what role do relics play in contemporary Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="40" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:54:44.563" Title="What is the role of relics in Buddhism?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="31" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-06-18T00:27:22.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of Buddhism is that you can attain enlightenment provided you devote yourself to the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path.  I have met enlightened people from time to time and not all of them were monastics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're new to Buddhism and the above concepts are unfamilar to you, there are some concise summaries of basic concepts at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/Buddhism/What-should-everyone-know-about-Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What should everyone know about Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T00:27:22.523" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="32" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T00:55:18.773" Score="19" ViewCount="1355" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a hugely amateurish question, for which I apologize, but: are Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism the same thing? If not, how are they related? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In particular, does the term &quot;Tibetan Buddhism&quot; refer to a specific school of Buddhist thought and practice, or does it just generically refer to any sort of Buddhism that is practiced in Tibet? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia treats the two as separate entities, but some other sources (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.patheos.com/Library/Vajrayana-Buddhism.html&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;) treat them as effectively the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T11:59:31.610" Title="Are Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism the same thing?" Tags="|vajrayana|tibetan-buddhism|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="33" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="36" CreationDate="2014-06-18T01:01:11.637" Score="8" ViewCount="1702" Body="&lt;p&gt;My first exposure to Buddhism was watching &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Years_in_Tibet_%281997_film%29&quot;&gt;Seven Years in Tibet&lt;/a&gt; in my German childhood. Most memorable were the following two scenes of Buddhist monks in orange robes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the one scene, some monks were carefully making a large picture out of coloured sand in a room with large windows. Upon completion (after one year of labour), the monks would simply open the window to let the wind carry the picture away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the other scene, monks were very carefully turning soil. Apparently the monks had to be especially careful not to harm any earthworms, because, according to their belief, &lt;strong&gt;their mothers would be reincarnated as earthworms&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Needless to say, I found it very arbitrary at best that &lt;em&gt;mothers&lt;/em&gt; should be reincarnated as &lt;em&gt;earthworms&lt;/em&gt; and was troubled by this first impressions for the next decade or so. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to solve this mystery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is, as it has been for many years, is there any connection between &lt;em&gt;mothers&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;earthworms&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="40" LastEditorUserId="40" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T01:27:34.153" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T13:46:02.100" Title="Buddhism, mothers and earthworms" Tags="|doctrine|rebirth|non-violence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="34" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-06-18T01:10:53.177" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The principle of not-self is not saying &amp;quot;No self&amp;quot;, it's saying a specific kind of thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, feeling is not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, perception is not-self...&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upon the greater question of &amp;quot;does some kind of self other than the aggregates exist&amp;quot;, the Buddha refused to answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, 'Come, Malunkyaputta, live the holy life under me,&#xA;and I will declare to you that...&#xA;'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And did you ever say to me, 'Lord, I will live the holy life under the Blessed One&#xA;and [in return] he will declare to me that...&#xA;'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared,&#xA;and what is declared by me as declared.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;And what is undeclared by me?...&#xA;'The soul is one thing and the body another'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says &amp;quot;when there is the view, 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, &amp;amp; distress whose destruction I make known right in the here &amp;amp; now.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T01:33:44.077" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="36" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="33" CreationDate="2014-06-18T01:58:52.760" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm pretty sure the belief is not that earthworms become mothers, it's that every earthworm has most likely been your mother &lt;em&gt;at some point&lt;/em&gt; in the past, as per the mata sutta (SN 15.14-19):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: &amp;quot;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. A being who has not been your mother at one time in the past is not easy to find... A being who has not been your father... your brother... your sister... your son... your daughter at one time in the past is not easy to find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the point is that the love and care we have for our mothers should really extend to all beings, since we are all intimately related - a corollary is that your boy/girlfriend has also probably been both your mother and your father at one point :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T01:58:52.760" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="37" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="29" CreationDate="2014-06-18T02:36:07.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The general claim in Buddhism, or at least in Theravada Buddhism, is that a Buddha is omniscient. That makes it difficult to question what the texts claim the Buddha himself said. In a couple of places this seems to put science and Buddhism at odds (e.g. causes of earthquakes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest we have to what you are suggesting is an act of the sangha; after the Buddha passed away, we have record of a Buddhist council where they discussed whether to revoke the minor monastic rules as the Buddha had allowed them to do, and they decided as a group not to. Later sangha councils edited the canonical texts but would never have redacted something that they thought the Buddha had said in error.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think, at the very least, unlike faith-based religions, Buddhism doesn't rely on absolute statements of truth, but rather practices that lead to self-realization; so it doesn't matter as much if statements in the canon like the causes of earthquakes and the size of the universe, etc., are accurate. What matters is if the path leads to the goal, and that is to be verified by oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, you find more marginalizing of problematic teachings, rather than striking them out. First of all, because the Buddha was said to be infallible, but second of all because we know that we are not. The fear of wrongly striking a teaching out of ignorance is too great. But, we can always ignore troubling passages, I guess similar to how Jewish people ignore Leviticus for the most part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, no, there isn't really such a mechanism, afaics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T02:36:07.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="38" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-06-18T02:48:35.790" Score="37" Body="&lt;p&gt;When most people think of &quot;self&quot; they think of some abstract core that is the subject of all experience and the agent of all actions. Buddha taught (and modern cognitive science tends to agree) that upon careful examination there is no such single core. Instead experiences result from interactions of multiple perceptory functions. Similarly, our actions are performed by a conglomerate of functions, without a single agent responsible for all choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the notion of individual rebirth exists as an unexamined belief, it depends on this unexamined notion of &quot;self&quot; as its necessary foundation. Once practitioner is free from illusion of self (in practice, not just conceptually), the notion of individual birth/death/rebirth no longer applies. From this perspective, rebirth is a byproduct of attachment to a (substantial) self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But because karma at large still continues to function, the infinitely forking/joining threads of causation that once were the subject of attachment continue to participate in activity and serve as causes for subsequent effects. In this sense, rebirth &lt;em&gt;as principle&lt;/em&gt; goes on continuously whether we posit an individual or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give this a more practical spin, instead of worrying about rebirth, we practitioners should focus on working towards deconstruction of self by reducing the strength of the illusion through practice of altruism and non-attachment, first and foremost at the microscopic level of thought-to-thought intention and reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T13:10:41.473" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T13:10:41.473" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="39" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T02:52:22.287" Score="6" ViewCount="2552" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every Buddhism believe in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternity&quot;&gt;Eternity&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra&quot;&gt;Samsara&lt;/a&gt;. So, how can I imagine of &lt;strong&gt;Samsara&lt;/strong&gt;?. What is the starting of it ?&#xA; Any suggestions would be really appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="65" LastEditorUserId="65" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T02:06:47.407" LastActivityDate="2021-08-20T17:29:32.013" Title="What is the starting of Samsara?" Tags="|belief|samsara|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="40" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12" CreationDate="2014-06-18T03:17:04.827" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;Originally in Hindu yoga and Jainism, Jhana/Dhyana was deliberate thinking on a given topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word seems to share its root with Sanskrit verb &quot;dhyayati&quot; (pronounced JAH-YA-TEE), that supposedly means &quot;to think over&quot;, &quot;to imagine&quot;, &quot;to visualize&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jains, the primary contenders for a honorary title of &quot;precursors to Buddhism&quot;, used to recognize four types of Dhyana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Artta Dhyana -- serious mulling over problems and issues coming from one's duties and responsibilities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rudra Dhyana -- cruel mulling over evil plans&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dharma Dhyana -- rightful mulling over virtuous subjects&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shukla Dhyana --  pure mulling, non-conceptual concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, Buddha's first teacher, Arada Kalama, taught Shukla Dhyana through visualizing oneself in the center of progressively empty context (village --&gt; empty field --&gt; empty sky --&gt; nothingness), culminating in a state of thoughtless concentration with no content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Buddha's second teacher, Udraka Ramaputta, supposedly taught him a different practice, that of deliberately thinking the opposite thoughts (so-called &quot;antidotes&quot;) to the ones the mind was dominated by, the target state being one of perfect ambiguity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha famously mastered and then rejected both target states, instead proposing his own progression of dhyana themes, targeted at achieving first a disgust of this body with its lowly interests, then, once the poisons of worldly desires were destroyed by the antidote of disgust, at generating a joyful mind (first with discursive support, then directly), followed by a calm-and-positive mind, and finally an unfettered mind that sees things as they are (tatha). He subsequently replaced &lt;em&gt;disgust of this body&lt;/em&gt; with &lt;em&gt;mindfulness of breathing&lt;/em&gt; as the object of meditation he recommended to entry-level students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A state of having mastered an ability to freely enter into and maintain the first of these states (joyful mind with discursive support) is called &quot;the first jhana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A state of having mastered an ability to freely enter into and maintain the second state (joyful mind without discursive support) is called &quot;the second jhana&quot; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case the word &quot;jhana&quot; has a more specialized meaning of &quot;level of mastery of Buddhist meditation&quot; rather than &quot;meditation&quot; in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-03-07T14:15:11.970" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T14:15:11.970" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="41" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="32" CreationDate="2014-06-18T03:31:25.173" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;No they are not the same, Tibetan Buddhism is a broader concept that subsumes Tibetan Vajrayana. Also, there's non-Tibetan Vajrayana, some still practiced in e.g. Japan. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To some degree all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and particularly Karma Kagyu, recognize three yanas (Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana) as subsequent stages on an individual's path to complete enlightenment. These days many teachers tend to have their student jump straight into tantra right after Ngondro (preliminary stage of Vajrayana training), but traditionally, the student is supposed to master the foundational theory, discipline, and meditation of Hinayana before proceeding to Mahayana, then master Mahayana's practice of subverting one's ego, and attain realization of nonconceptual emptiness, and only then proceed to tantric practices of working with Yidams (generation/completion), the Vajrayana proper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T11:59:31.610" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T11:59:31.610" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="43" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="27" CreationDate="2014-06-18T03:44:56.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Past is a conceptual construct that only seems solid in the absence of careful examination. But if you look closely you will see that Past is assembled by the mind from multiple cues (as is Present by the way).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The experience of second-to-second flow of time is a byproduct of chitta-vrtti, the associative cycle, when each subsequent dharma (~thought) comes by association with the previous one. The sense of relatedness of the two dharmas is what creates the illusion of flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Disclaimer: this answer represents my own experience and understanding and is not meant to reflect an official position or to be consistent with views of any Buddhist school.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T13:59:59.583" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T13:59:59.583" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="44" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="30" CreationDate="2014-06-18T03:53:36.200" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;After The Buddha's death, his ashes are said to have been divided into eight portions. &lt;strong&gt;Source:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_associated_with_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause of arising of the Buddha’s relics was from the desire of our Lord Buddha before his Parinibbāna (the Great Decease of the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally, the Buddha who lived a long life to settle the Buddhist Legend, had his own relics in a piece of natural golden bar, which could not be shared among the people in their Buddha period and could not be placed anywhere. Hence the construction of the Buddhist sanctuary was required to be done in one place only. Our present Lord Buddha (Sakyamuni Buddha) considered that his teaching period was only 45 years which he thought not too much compared with the previous Buddhas. He also thought that his instructions were not expanded enough and taught to those who were not yet born on time in his legend. Anyone who received his relics for respecting would get a lot of Puñña (the accumulation of good blessing, fortune or well-being) so he wished that his relics be scattered to all directions except 7 pieces (1 frontal bone, 4 teeth and 2 collarbones).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above mentioned information was presented identically such as in the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī, Paṭhama Sambodhi Kathā by the Supreme Patriarch Kromphra Paramānujitajinorasa, Mulasāsanā Scripture, Jinakalamalipakaranam by Ven. Ratanapañña Thera and Phrachaolieplok Scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Source:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddharelics.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/the-history-of-the-arising-of-buddha%E2%80%99s-relics-2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The history of the arising of Buddha’s relics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know more depth details, Please read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eight portions there were of the relics of him, The All-Seeing One, the greatest of men. Seven in Jambudipa are honored, and one In Ramagama, by kings of the Naga race. One tooth is honored in the Tavatimsa heaven, One in the realm of Kalinga, and one by the Naga kings. Through their brightness this bountiful earth With its most excellent gifts is endowed; For thus the relics of the All-Seeing One are best honored By those who are worthy of honor — by gods and Nagas And lords of men, yea, by the highest of mankind. Pay homage with clasped hands! For hard indeed it is Through hundreds of ages to meet with an All-Enlightened One!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="67" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T03:53:36.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="45" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2014-06-18T03:58:49.737" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand, the relationship is that of &lt;em&gt;mutual implication&lt;/em&gt;. This meaning is reflected in the name pratitya-samutpada, that is often translated as &quot;dependent co-arising&quot; and such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mutual implication means one of the categories serves as context for the other and the other way around. Top is defined against bottom and vice verse. Life is defined against death and vice verse. This (upclose) is defined against That (far). Subjective is defined against Objective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The twelve nidanas are meant to explain the emergence of the notion of Death by implication from Birth, of Birth by implication from Identifying with Separate Being, of Identifying with Separate Being by implication from Goal-making, of Goal-making by implication from Temporal Projection, of Temporal Projection by implication from Sensation as Result, of Sensation as Result by implication from Contact, of Contact by implication from Doors onto the world, of Doors onto the world by implication from Objects, of Objects by implication from Recognition, of Recognition by implication from Imprints, of Imprints by implication from Ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T13:38:17.630" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T13:38:17.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="47" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-06-18T06:53:45.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is &lt;strong&gt;who will get enlightened, the body or the mind&lt;/strong&gt;? The answer is obvious, the mind. So when it is only the mind that gets enlightened all the external things are just auxiliary. So the answer to your question is both yes and no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;YES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actions directly affect the mind. So by following a monastic life your actions will be limited to only those set of activities that help in controlling the mind and getting enlightened. Enlightenment will be quicker and easier because you will have to involve less in material activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because mind is what matters, if you can keep an ascetic attitude and mentality even when living a material life, you can certainly attain enlightenment. But it will be difficult to maintain a balanced mindset for a beginner this way because material actions will always be affecting his mind. So if mind can not be controlled while living in &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; then a monastic life should be preferred, otherwise it's not mandatory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an enlightened person it doesn't matter whether he lives in a monastery or in &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; as his mind becomes equipoised. But until that state of mind is achieved a monastic life should be preferred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="82" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T06:53:45.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="48" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="52" CreationDate="2014-06-18T07:25:04.500" Score="11" ViewCount="1527" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am listening through the talks and guided meditations from the retreat at Amaravati &lt;a href=&quot;http://amaravati.org/teachings/audio_compilation/2265&quot;&gt;Just One More: Dependent Origination and the Cycles of Addiction Retreat&lt;/a&gt;, where there are a number of references to the teachings, and using them in meditation. However, although I've found many websites referencing the Paṭiccasamuppāda, I've been unable to find study materials for learning how to practically use the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not having any teacher nearby, I have been looking online for materials. Wikipedia mentions the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt;, but that resource is mostly fact oriented, which is not what I am looking for. Can anyone direct me towards any online materials (website, pdf, audio, video) that help develop techniques in this area?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt; for clarification. There are many writings on the subject, and many try to explain the concepts of dependent origination. However, this question is regarding &lt;strong&gt;finding practical instructions to applying the teachings in meditation&lt;/strong&gt;. In other words, instead of focusing on acquiring some intellectual &quot;understanding&quot; of the teachings, I am following the &quot;see for yourself&quot; approach, by not taking anyone's word for granted. Instead, using the teachings to access the wisdom they describe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, it's like being thirsty, and finding a sign saying &quot;water this way -&gt;&quot;. You have the choice to walk the path leading to the water, and drink, or study the sign, which won't leave you any less thirsty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T09:02:34.507" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T04:26:37.063" Title="Learning materials for Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) in Theravada Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|pratityasamutpada|learning-materials|dependent-origination|paticcasamuppada|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="49" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-06-18T08:14:40.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to be very careful when you find teaching materials on the internet specially for Paṭiccasamuppāda. It is core of Buddhism (someone had name it &lt;strong&gt;The Theory of Everything&lt;/strong&gt;). The problem is lot of authors had been expressed their personal perspectives than to root of Lord Buddha's teaching so you may get confused when you compare each of them, Good luck!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.academia.edu/4990731/Two_Doctrines_of_Conditionality_in_Theravada_Tradition_Paticcasamuppada_and_Pathana-Naya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.academia.edu/4990731/Two_Doctrines_of_Conditionality_in_Theravada_Tradition_Paticcasamuppada_and_Pathana-Naya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/dhamma/paticca_samuppada.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.dhammadana.org/dhamma/paticca_samuppada.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="67" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T08:14:40.160" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="50" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-06-18T08:43:44.027" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an excellent question. Karma is well accepted in Buddhism, but not the existence of the soul. This inconsistency raises the question of remnant reaction. Consider the following argument.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the system of karma we know that a person who does the action will be the same person who will experience the reaction, not any one else. Suppose a person dies, then what will happen to the inexperienced remnant reactions? It can't just go away, can it? No, and we know from system of karma that the same person will born again to experience the pending reactions. So here is the question, &lt;strong&gt;what is common in both the persons that you say the new born one is the rebirth of the old deceased one?&lt;/strong&gt; If the two persons are identical then there has to be something common in them, isn't it? So what is that fundamental unit that is common to both? It can't be the body, nor can it be the mind (as memory, tendencies, qualities, etc. are different). So what is the common element? The answer is soul. I have to keep it brief so can not go elaborate more but the short answer is soul exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why did not Buddha acknowledge the existence of soul?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mission and objective of Buddha was to ward of suffering of the people which is primarily caused by attachment. So He didn't acknowledge the existence of soul. But just because He didn't acknowledge its existence, it doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist. He didn't acknowledge the existence of soul because it will create attachment to an eternal self. And where there is attachment suffering will undoubtedly follow. During His time in India people were doing Vedic sacrifices, &lt;em&gt;yanjya&lt;/em&gt;, rituals, etc. to place there self in heaven etc. As they believed in the eternal soul, they were attached to it and hence putting effort to place it in heaven and higher realms by animal sacrifices in &lt;em&gt;yanjya&lt;/em&gt; and rituals. So He didn't acknowledge the existence of soul to free followers from attachment towards an eternal self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you go into more deep then you will find that the soul exists in such a way that its existence can be safely overlooked. So even if you deny the existence of the individual soul you will not be completely wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="82" LastEditorUserId="82" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T05:06:27.713" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T05:06:27.713" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="51" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="58" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:03:40.267" Score="15" ViewCount="854" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever I examine the concept of rebirth in Buddhism, I cannot help it but feel great skepticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put it in my own clumsy words, we have many fears and one of the greatest is to cease to exist. The solution that I have found in Buddhist teachings is to outgrow that fear in particular and fear as whole, while you're at it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to that, religions commonly introduce some concept of life after death. Which I think is a just a very comfortable delusion, self-induced to cope with this primordial fear and with the loss of loved ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What strikes me is that &quot;Buddhists&quot; talk quite a lot about rebirth and will actually give extremely precise and concrete responses to questions on rebirth, that can quite obviously not be challenged by the examining mind. It is my (limited) understanding though at its very core (if such a thing exists) Buddhism generally denies to answer any questions that cannot actually be challenged and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions#Fourteen_questions&quot;&gt;particularly denies to answer this question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel that much is to be gained from the concept of rebirth if explored as a metaphor, but it is my impression that believing it literally is diverting attention from the here and now and more practical aspects of Buddhist practice, thus ultimately being harmful. It seems to me like failure to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot;&gt;remove the poisoned arrow&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time it makes me nervous that I cannot see any truth in more physical and concrete notions of rebirth, because it's far more likely that I am just blind, rather than everybody else being deluded. So: what is it that I am missing? &lt;strong&gt;What do I gain if I embrace the belief that &quot;I&quot; will roam this world in a new body once this one dies?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="97" LastEditorUserId="97" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T11:38:28.093" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T22:34:08.877" Title="What's the value or harm of a literal belief in rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="52" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:22:12.803" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a few of resources from our tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/dependentorigination.html&quot;&gt;http://www.aimwell.org/dependentorigination.html&lt;/a&gt; - a book by the Mahasi Sayadaw, one of Burma's greatest meditation teachers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_llBSCXt6c&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_llBSCXt6c&lt;/a&gt; - a video by me, some monk from the Internet&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/practical-dependent-origination/&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/practical-dependent-origination/&lt;/a&gt; - a written piece based on the above video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll find a lot of stuff centring on the debate over three-life/one-life, which is terribly unhelpful, IMO. Here's a piece I appreciated from one of Thailand's top scholar monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: here's something I wrote about practical application of PS:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2009/07/three-teachers-or-buddhist-addiction.html&quot;&gt;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2009/07/three-teachers-or-buddhist-addiction.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T20:14:28.153" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T20:14:28.153" CommentCount="4" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="53" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:38:50.503" Score="18" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anatta is often described as &quot;not-self&quot; which I understand to mean that our identities are illusions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, in fact, the meaning of not-self, as others have pointed out, is that the object in question is not self :) The Visuddhimagga offers some good explanations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All that [materiality] is “not-self in the sense of&#xA;  having no core.” In the sense of having no core because of the absence of any core of self conceived as a self, an abider, a doer, an experiencer, one who is his own master; for what is impermanent is painful (S III 82), and it is impossible to escape the impermanence, or the rise and fall and oppression, of self, so how could it have the state of a doer, and so on? Hence it is said, “Bhikkhus, were materiality self, it would not lead to affliction” (S III 66), and so on. So this is also not-self in the sense of having no core. Accordingly, there is one kind of comprehension in this way too, but it is effected in eleven ways. [611] The same method applies to feeling, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are twenty-five kinds of contemplation of not-self by taking the following five in the case of each aggregate: as alien, as empty, as vain, as void, as not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But it's also described as &quot;soullessness&quot; which I think implies that there is no mind other than the brain itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absolutely not! The five aggregates are non-self, four of which are outside of the domain of the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There isn't in fact any such thing as rebirth, in ultimate reality. Nothing is truly reborn, ever. Every experience that is made up of the five aggregates arises and ceases without remainder. That is true death. Rebirth is a concept used to describe the change between one artificial framework of experiences (e.g. a human life) to another. The ultimate reality is that the mind simply arises and ceases at the last moment of life and then a new mind arises at the first moment of rebirth based on the last one, very similar to as has been occurring throughout one's life, except this time there is no old physical phenomena for it to be based on, so it is based solely on one's final state of mind in the last life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's something that might help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XClIR19eufc&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XClIR19eufc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T17:49:33.030" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T17:49:33.030" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="54" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:42:51.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit:प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद; Pali: पटिच्चसमुप्पाद paṭiccasamuppāda) is commonly translated as dependent origination or dependent arising. A central concept in the Buddhist tradition that all things arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions.&#xA;The term is also used to refer to a specific application of this general principle — namely the twelve links of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of pratītyasamutpāda (in both the general and specific meanings) is the basis for other key concepts in Buddhism, such as karma and rebirth, the arising of dukkha (suffering), and the possibility of liberation through realizing no-self (anatman). The general principle of pratītyasamutpāda (that everything is interdependent) is complementary to the concept of emptiness (sunyata).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Source:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:42:09.247" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:42:09.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="55" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:42:51.867" Score="0" Body="Pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit:प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद; Pali: पटिच्चसमुप्पाद paṭiccasamuppāda) is commonly translated as dependent origination or dependent arising. A central concept in the Buddhist tradition that all things arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions.&#xD;&#xA;The term is also used to refer to a specific application of this general principle — namely the twelve links of dependent origination." OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T13:47:24.037" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T13:47:24.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="56" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="78" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:46:09.587" Score="10" ViewCount="14836" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is considered by many religions the pinnacle to strive for.  What do I need to do to achieve Nirvana?  Are there different perceptions of the requirements held by different sects? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastActivityDate="2022-01-27T06:58:54.490" Title="What is required to achieve Nirvana in Buddhism?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="57" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:46:39.363" Score="5" ViewCount="4413" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question basically says it all, but I'll try to elaborate a bit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there differences in terms of the concepts used in each of these branches?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Are there differences in the practices of each of the branches?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or are the differences between each of the branches simply explained in terms of historical or geographical factors?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="109" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:27:02.003" Title="What are the main differences between the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana branches of Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|vajrayana|mahayana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-06-19T14:54:10.800" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="58" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="51" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:48:47.417" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're right to question the importance of rebirth; the Buddha himself didn't seem to dwell on the concept, though remembering one's past lives does have obvious practical benefits - lots more experience to draw upon :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote a couple of things about the subject you might find interesting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_06.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Without Rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_46.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Does Rebirth Make Sense?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he says in the first link,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we suspend our own predilections for the moment and instead go directly to our sources, we come upon the indisputable fact that the Buddha himself taught rebirth and taught it as a basic tenet of his teaching. Viewed in their totality, the Buddha's discourses show us that far from being a mere concession to the outlook prevalent in his time or an Asiatic cultural contrivance, the doctrine of rebirth has tremendous implications for the entire course of Dhamma practice, affecting both the aim with which the practice is taken up and the motivation with which it is followed through to completion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've talked about the subject before myself, and the conclusion I make is that it's not that Buddhists believe in rebirth, it's that we don't believe in death - the latter being merely a concept referring to the change from one set of experiences to another. True death only occurs either at every moment or at the experience of nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, as useful as rebirth may be in reminding us of what's really at stake in our dhamma practice, far more useful is an understanding of the present moment, something that really has little to do with past or future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T22:34:08.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T22:34:08.877" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="59" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="64" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:50:59.813" Score="4" ViewCount="380" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is the concept of rebirth or reincarnation handled in Buddhism? Does it occur? Will everyone be reborn? Are people always reborn as people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:29:34.517" Title="Does rebirth or reincarnation occur in Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="60" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T10:56:46.223" Score="37" ViewCount="3994" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for some book(s) that are generally regarded as a good introduction to Buddhism. I know very little about Buddhism, having only read one book on it so far (&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590305701&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;What Makes You Not a Buddhist&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzongsar_Jamyang_Khyentse_Rinpoche&quot;&gt;Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;). I found the book entertaining, but I'm not sure it was the best introduction for someone completely ignorant on the matter.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are western takes on Buddhism - or at least books on Buddhism by western authors - a good way to start?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or should one jump right into books like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo_Thodol&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tibetan Book of the Dead&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are some books generally regarded as good for a general introduction on Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="109" LastActivityDate="2019-08-17T20:11:39.090" Title="Introductory books to Buddhism" Tags="|learning-materials|reference-request|" AnswerCount="20" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="61" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:07:16.970" Score="28" Body="&lt;p&gt;First off, I wouldn't recommend Tibetan Book of the Dead, since it's not exactly a primer in Buddhism, I don't think. There are lots of introductions from various traditions; the perennial favourite is What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. He's also written pieces on the difference (or lack thereof) between the various schools, so he's pretty unbiased that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indian Buddhism by A.K. Warder is a great in-depth look at how Buddhism evolved, though like everything by the author it is terribly dense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi is another modern author who has some good resources; his introductions to the nikayas, e.g. in The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, are well-done. He also has an audio series on-line about the same that seems well-received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I'd be careful about modern sources either from the West or East as an introduction, since without a solid background, it will be easy to become swayed by skewed teachings. Reading the words of the historical Buddha himself would most likely help to provide such a background. Again Bodhi's translations are a good choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:07:16.970" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="62" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="51" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:13:20.110" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are into Vipassana meditation, you must have noticed that experiences rise and cease one after the other. When one experience ceases, another will arise. It doesn't stop! Likewise, death is also another experience in reality. It doesn't prevent the next experience from arising as long as the causes for arising haven't been eliminated.&#xA;I recommend you to go through the &quot;rebirth/reincarnation&quot; Q&amp;amp;A section at &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org&quot;&gt;http://video.sirimangalo.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some questions are unanswered in Buddhism for several reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It doesn't lead to end of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The question is based on a false hypothesis. So the question itself becomes meaningless or false.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Only a fully enlightened Buddha can realize the truth of it.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Becoming one with the world&quot; can be misleading as it can imply the Hindu concept of the universal soul. The Buddhist teaching is that you are just another process of causes and effects which are impermanent, subjected to suffering and devoid of any self or inherent value. Just like everything else in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:13:20.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="63" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="59" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:20:18.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answers for last three questions as far as I know,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it occur ? Yes it is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will everyone ? Yes until someone attain Nibbana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;always as people ? No, it can be any(animals/human etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the first question is too broad to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find more details in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/reincarnation.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; about recantation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simple explanation for recantation as according to that article,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reincarnation is not a simple physical birth of a person; for&#xA;  instance, John being reborn as a cat in the next life. In this case&#xA;  John possesses an immortal soul which transforms to the form of a cat&#xA;  after his death. This cycle is repeated over and over again. Or if he&#xA;  is lucky, he will be reborn as a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="86" LastEditorUserId="86" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T11:25:29.653" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:25:29.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="64" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="59" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:29:19.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;: My answer to this will be non-exhaustive. My answer will be scoped as close to that of the question as possible. (General). I will also answer your question (which is actually 4) piece by piece.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You asked:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does reincarnation/rebirth occur in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it does. The concept of rebirth and reincarnation in Buddhism is complex and can differ slightly or largely from tradition to tradition however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You asked:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will everyone be reborn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every sentient being (people, animals, etc) is in a cycle of rebirth. They will all be reborn after death. The only exclusion to this will depend on the tradition. Most traditions, in a general sense, state that one may leave the cycle of rebirth if they attain enlightenment or nirvana. This is only possible when you are a human, though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You asked:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are people always reborn as people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is no. Please see next section of this answer for elaboration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You asked:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is rebirth/reincarnation handled in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there exists the concept of &lt;em&gt;Samsara&lt;/em&gt;. This is the continuous cycle of rebirth throughout six different realms. These realms include the realm of Gods, Titans, Hungry Ghosts, Hell, Animals, and Humans. One may be considered more preferable to another, for example Gods to Hell, yet all are imperfect and involve some level of suffering. Depending on past lives and karma, one will move from realm to realm during each rebirth. The Human realm is generally considered to be the best because it is the only one in which one may obtain enlightenment and exit from this wheel of Samsara and therefore end the cycle of rebirth and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information, you may find &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/Six-Realms-of-Existence.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;this article&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Side Note:&lt;/strong&gt; My professor of Eastern Religions once told me that being in this cycle of rebirth can be a great source of anxiety, hence one source of motivation to exit from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:29:19.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="65" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:35:06.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a starting point to a circle? Just like that, there's no starting life to Sansara. But you can break this circle at 2 points. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is when you attain Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:35:06.757" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="66" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1385" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:40:57.187" Score="8" ViewCount="632" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard of and seen sand mandalas in Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a picture:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iBfTY.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Sand Mandala&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have two questions, which are related:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that upon completion they are erased to represent transience. Is this what the erasure represents?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What other spiritual significance does the mandala have in Tibetan Buddhism. I seem to remember something relating to a spiritual journey being represented in the mandala yet I am unsure. I would like clarification on this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T16:25:36.340" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T16:25:36.340" Title="The spiritual significance of the sand mandala in Tibetan Buddhism" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|mandala|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="67" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="57" CreationDate="2014-06-18T11:53:54.427" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question, indeed, requires a whole book in order to be answered completely. Let me address only Theravada and Mahayana here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In two words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The most important aspect&lt;/strong&gt; is that Theravada is focused on your &lt;em&gt;own&lt;/em&gt; liberation from suffering, while Mahayana is targeted to &lt;em&gt;all sentient creatures&lt;/em&gt;;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There are many consequences here:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada assumes that you have to practice &lt;em&gt;for yourself, while others can only suggest you&lt;/em&gt;. Mahayana says that you can (and have to) &lt;em&gt;share your experience&lt;/em&gt; and accomplishments with others, thus making followers for yourself;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada suggests to seek enlightenment &lt;em&gt;for yourself first&lt;/em&gt;; Mahayana is up to &lt;em&gt;delaying breaking off Samsara&lt;/em&gt; in order to help others;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada practices are mostly silent and very personal while in Mahayana it is more often &quot;wrapped&quot; in some &lt;em&gt;collective&lt;/em&gt; rituals like chanting;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In Theravada, the final goal for a Bodhisattva is nirvana. In Mahayana, prominence is important by itself;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Each teaching is more or less localized, e.g. at a certain country/territory there's usually only one;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you'd like to read scriptures in original language, you should be aware that Theravada is written in Pali (Pali Cannon) while Mahayana is written in Sanskrit (Sutras);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, there are also big differences in texts, ritual, etiquette, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/comparative.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This Comparative Study&lt;/a&gt; between two traditions provide with greater details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T11:53:54.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="68" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="84" CreationDate="2014-06-18T12:10:31.520" Score="8" ViewCount="1038" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen Zen monks in meditation, usually with one monk supervising. The monk supervising usually carries a wand of some sort. Every once in a while he would rest the wand on the shoulder of one of the monks and then respectfully hit his shoulder. It did not seem very forceful yet I found this confusing because to me it seemed as if it may be a method of harm or violence. I would like clarification on this practie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does the supervising monk do this to the meditating monks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:51:44.430" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:51:44.430" Title="What is the purpose of using a wand to hit a monk in Zen meditation?" Tags="|zen|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="69" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T12:24:05.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it doesn't teach about a soul staying somewhere or going from one place to another. No stay at any place is forever. But you can get stuck in hells for a long time if you commit 1 of 5 weighty bad Karmas like Matricide, Patricide etc. On the good side, you can attain &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ar%C5%ABpajh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arupa Jana&lt;/a&gt; and get stuck in heavens for a long time. But the closest you get to a deadend is being stuck in Sansara(cycle of birth and death) because of your clinging to certain serious false views. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T12:24:05.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="70" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2014-06-18T12:35:56.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure about many religions. I think Hinduism and Jainism have concepts of Nirvana. But they are different from the Buddhist teaching of Nibbana. Anyways, it's so simple in Buddhism. You only need to eliminate craving to attain what Buddhists mean by 'Nibbana'. Read about the &quot;Four Noble Truths&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T12:35:56.923" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="71" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2014-06-18T13:13:05.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana can defined as a peaceful state of mind that is free from craving, anger and mental suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So answer for, What is required to achieve Nirvana is eliminate all the above things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="86" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T13:13:05.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="72" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="51" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:02:28.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I understand your question correctly, maybe the following notes may be of concern:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism as a philosophical current or religion evolved out of an ascetic movement that was very much concerned with personal salvation, the so-called &lt;em&gt;śramaṇa&lt;/em&gt;-movement. Apart from buddhism, the relics of this movement is the Jaina religion and historically a religion/philosophy called &lt;em&gt;Ājīvika&lt;/em&gt;, which died out only about a thousand years ago. But also the mainstream orthodox Hindu schools of philosophy owe very much to this movement. Stories of wandering ascetics questioning the Buddha about his doctrine, arguing with him or stories of the Buddha, who at the sight of ascetics warns or teaches to his followers abound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this movement, rebirth was more or less totally taken for granted (some exceptions, the materialists for example, exist), it was common sense. That is why in Buddhism you can find the same attitude. People critized and attacked the Buddha on grounds of his specific doctrines (most notably rebirth without soul - &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt;) but they hardly ever or never doubt rebirth as a concept. Since the Buddhist scriptures very much reflect the philosophical discussions of the time of the Buddha (and after), there was just no need, to give reasons, explanations, proof for rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Samaññaphalasutta&lt;/em&gt; a lot of rival views are examined by the Buddha, you might check there, if the materialists are quoted denying rebirth and what the answer of the Buddha was and whether he actually defended the concept of rebirth in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be summed up by quoting from Yuttadhammo's answer: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it's not that Buddhists believe in rebirth, it's that we don't believe in death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concerning the unanswered questions, I guess the one in concern would be, whether the &lt;em&gt;tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; lives on after death. This, though refers to an enlightened being, someone who has attained &lt;em&gt;nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt; and so has left the cycle of rebirth. So, strictly speaking, it is not a question about rebirth. And by the way, as far as I understand the scriptures, the Buddha denied to answer these questions or simply remained silent, when asked, because the question cannot be answered correctly in words. Other questions were refused to answer, because the Buddha did not intend metaphysics or anything that was not considered conducive to salvation, liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to conclude, the notion of rebirth is totally central to Buddhism, since Buddhism essentially is a response to the perceived fact of rebirth, that has, as has all life, the characteristic of being laden with (within the bounds of the samsaric cycle) unescapable sorrow. Essentially, the Buddha didn't teach a happier mode of life, but that all life is bound to be miserable and the way out is the way out of life (which in this case does not mean death, but &lt;em&gt;nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T14:02:28.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="73" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:04:43.017" Score="13" ViewCount="2205" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my readings of Buddhist commentary there is a distinction drawn between rebirth and reincarnation. But to me it is unclear what is the difference between rebirth and reincarnation--the explanations are rather abstruse. Is there a simple one-sentence explanation of this difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2020-12-18T22:33:25.883" Title="What is the difference between rebirth and reincarnation?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="74" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="147" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:05:56.353" Score="9" ViewCount="1264" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist doctrine there is always the problem, that for the sake of understandability, certain concepts are being presented in a solid, substantial way, while actually, one has to keep in the back of one's mind, that by the central tenet of &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt; these concepts are &lt;strong&gt;actually&lt;/strong&gt; not like that. The same applies to &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;, which can be presented as &lt;strong&gt;something&lt;/strong&gt; that a being accumulates and carries with itself in this life and to the next and the ones following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, actually, there is nothing substantial that transmigrates from one life to the next, as is clear from the similes that are used to explain rebirth without soul: a candle that lights another, an echo, a mirror image, the imprint in wax of seal. In these cases, though there is some link between the two sides, nothing actually goes from one to the other (the case with the echo should maybe be reconsidered according to the old Indian theories of sound and the echo). So, what is &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;? How does it stick to the individual?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To take this question one step further, if we admit now that &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; is near-identical with the concept of &lt;em&gt;saṃskāra&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;saṃkhāra&lt;/em&gt;, and therefore with volitions and &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;, as in this quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/06/an06-063.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cetanāhaṃ bhikkave kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and that by karmic unwholesome action the consciousness &quot;leans towards&quot; unwholesomeness, then how are these leanings supposed to look, how are they thought to be transported from one conscious moment to the next?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:04:32.117" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T05:58:02.133" Title="What, precisely, is kamma/karma?" Tags="|karma|terminology|consciousness|conditionality|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="75" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="105" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:09:08.843" Score="8" ViewCount="251" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the ten things that Bodhisattva Samathabhadra says that a person on the Bodhisattva path should do is to request the Buddhas to continuing teaching instead of entering parinirvana. Given that a Buddha is fully compassionate and omniscient, he or she would want to teach if doing so is beneficial to sentient beings and would also be aware whether teaching is indeed beneficial to sentient beings. For example, the historical Shakayumni Buddha wanted to enter parinirvana because some of his sangha was becoming complaent that they would always have  the Thus Come One as their teacher. As such, it would seem that a Buddha would be able to decide well the timing of his parinirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the above, I wonder how would it is appropriate for one learning to walk on the Bodhisattva path to request the Buddhas to continuing teaching. Is such an action for the benefit of the practioner to generate a wish of englightment and to take refuge in the Buddha? Does a Buddha need to enter parinirvana at a certain time, otherwise it would become harmful to him or herself or to the community at large? Is a Buddha unable to stay longer to teach if practitioners do not make requests? (Sorry that I am unable to phrase a precise question, but I hope I conveyed my gist and my confusion clearly enough.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user126" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T02:33:36.327" Title="Is it harmful to the Buddha when we request he or she to continue teaching instead of entering parinirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="76" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="92" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:26:53.850" Score="7" ViewCount="1093" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read somewhere that Arhats (people who attained Nirvana) do not sleep like normal people do. Instead they just stay calm in a suitable position to give the rest required for the physical body, but their mind is always alert...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="72" LastEditorUserId="109" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T14:43:53.710" LastActivityDate="2019-02-01T10:35:15.740" Title="Do Arhats sleep?" Tags="|arhats|sleep|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="77" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:42:51.090" Score="5" ViewCount="1553" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every major religion has several different belief systems (sects) that have the same general core belief, but have a significant enough different to have be separated from each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the major (3-10) sects of Buddhism?  How are they different from each other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T20:07:47.667" Title="What are the major sects of Buddhism?" Tags="|sects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="78" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:43:30.720" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question let me draw an analogy. What is required to become a professor?&#xA;According to Wikipedia, &quot;A professor is a highly accomplished and recognized academic, and the title is in most cases awarded only after decades of scholarly work to senior academics&quot;. Being a professor is not a concrete state, it is a label they put on years of hard work, culminating in &lt;em&gt;professional realization&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, Nirvana is not a concrete state, it is a common name for the condition of a highly accomplished spiritual practitioner. This condition is not something you can contrive knowing the requirements, it is a result of years of personal transformation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana can be characterized as condition of having transcended suffering &amp;amp; death. The requirement for this is said to be a complete cessation of Attraction (obsessing over something as desirable), Rejection (obsessing over something as undesirable), and Ignorance (mistaken understanding of how everything works). One of the key components of Ignorance is a deeply lying conviction in existence of &lt;em&gt;substantial self&lt;/em&gt; and a tangle of reflexes that grow around that. Much of Mahayana practice is targeted at destroying this belief, not just at conceptual level, but at the level of basic day-to-day instincts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we could simplify the requirement for becoming a professor to &quot;complete cessation of ignorance in the field of study one specializes in&quot;, we could perhaps make a stretch and define Nirvana as &quot;complete cessation of ego complex, along with negative experiences and behavioral tendencies it generates&quot;. As any simplification, this is not entirely accurate: just as becoming a professor requires tons of practical skill and experience outside of the primary field of study, attaining Nirvana requires cessation of all mental and emotional obscurations, a tendency to get stuck on anything, not just on self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, for the purposes of this discussion I'm equating Nirvana with Enlightenment, which depending on a school may or may not be the right thing to do. Specifically in Mahayana, Nirvana is considered a conceptual projection (a shadow of ego so to speak) that has to be transcended as part of awakening to Self-Existing Buddha Nature (=Enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T14:51:19.273" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T14:51:19.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="79" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="76" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:45:17.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is reported not to have slept, but teaching ceaselessly and just entering a state of meditation for two hours per day/night. I don't have any scriptural evidence for this and am rather sure, that none such evidence exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T17:33:43.097" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T17:33:43.097" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="80" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="77" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:48:21.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The three major sects would be Hīnayāna - the small vehicle/path; Mahāyāna - the great vehicle/path and Vajrayāna - the diamond vehicle/path. For differences compare this thread: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/57/what-are-the-main-differences-between-the-theravada-mahayana-and-vajrayana-bran&quot;&gt;What are the main differences between the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana branches of Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T14:48:21.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="81" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="83" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:50:40.670" Score="12" ViewCount="1496" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodoxy&quot;&gt;Orthodoxy&lt;/a&gt; in Christianity is the holding to the oldest beliefs.  It is of course impossible for the religion not to evolve at all as new questions and there answer have to addressed. The &quot;Orthodox&quot; version is often considered to be the least evolved sect of a religion.  Does the concept of Orthodox apply in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastActivityDate="2022-10-12T03:48:24.527" Title="Is there an Orthodox Buddhism?" Tags="|sects|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="82" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="114" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:50:52.300" Score="15" ViewCount="1575" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the steps needed to attain enlightenment, a practitioner of Buddhism needs to abandon the wrong philosophical views that they acquired due to either wrong teaching or wrong study. In this sense, a practitioner that is less educated need only remove his or her sense of self or ego and the afflictions due to his or her present body. However, a practitioner that is educated would also have to remove the philosophical views acquired through wrong learning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As paradigms in science have historically been replaced by new paradigms &lt;em&gt;a la&lt;/em&gt; Kuhn, this means that science is necessarily a wrong view. For instance, a person living in Newton's time would have studied the absoluteness of time and space, but that view was displaced by Einstein's relativistic paradigm. Whatever science we are learning now, whether it be quantum physics or evolution or species, given the historical record, would be a wrong view and replaced by a more correct paradigm in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even mathematics have proven to be contradictory through history. At first, set theorists believed in unlimited comprehension till Russell's paradox showed the need for bounded comprehension, in the fateful saga of Russel and Whitehead's &lt;em&gt;Principia Mathematica&lt;/em&gt;. Pythagoras's theorem was thought to be unconditionally true, but now it is true in only one of the three absolute geometries and physicists now believe our world to be non-Euclidean, in which Pythagoras's theorem fails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After one is reborn in another world, the physics or mathematics of that world would likely be very different, and one's body would also likely be very different. This probably indicates the impermanent nature of the science and mathematics of our current society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you also of the opinion that the learning mathematics and science causes a person to acquire wrong views? Would this lead one further away from enlightenment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user126" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T20:16:42.237" LastActivityDate="2021-05-24T14:30:14.283" Title="Does studying mathematics or science lead to a practitioner of Buddhism acquiring wrong philosophical views and mental afflictions?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="83" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="81" CreationDate="2014-06-18T14:57:35.590" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, Theravada is often argued to hew most closely to the original teachings of the Buddha. See, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/59.htm&quot;&gt;&quot;Two Main Schools of Buddhism&quot;&lt;/a&gt; for a very brief overview of this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, this has much to do with the fact that Theravada is the oldest of the extant Buddhist schools of thought, predating Mahayana by a few centuries. Theravada practice is also more localized to geographic regions nearer the birthplace of Buddhism (that is, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia), and never strayed far from it; this is thought to have contributed to the &quot;orthodoxy&quot; of the school - it mixed less with other intellectual and spiritual traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, Theravada Buddhists draw primarily on the Pali Canon (the Tripitaka), whereas Mahayana Buddhists draw primarily on Chinese sources. These Chinese sources are relatively more distant from the original teachings of the Buddha in terms of both time and language. As a byproduct of this, the Pali texts are often more &quot;authentic&quot;.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, the term &quot;Orthodox&quot; has no specific meaning in the context of Buddhism, i.e. there is no such school as &quot;Orthodox Buddhism&quot;. There are only lowercase-o &quot;orthodox schools of Buddhism&quot;, and what counts as &quot;orthodox&quot; will probably differ depending on who you ask. I should add that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-sectarian_Buddhism&quot;&gt;pre-sectarian Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is almost definitionally the most &quot;orthodox&quot; school of Buddhist thought. The only problem is that, well, it doesn't exist anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; See, e.g. Rupert Gethin's &lt;em&gt;The Foundations of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;, p. 44: &quot;it is likely that [it] is generally the case [...] that the traditions [the Pali recension] preserves are [...] the oldest and most authentic available to us&quot; (elisions/etc because the original sentence was inverted)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T22:29:50.250" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:29:50.250" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="84" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="68" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:06:46.333" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Supposedly it is used to help meditator fight drowsiness. It is said that drowsiness comes from stiffness, from meditator trying to artificially restrict their micro-movements and to severely narrow their scope of attention. While right concentration is said to feel open and flexible, with body actively balancing in meditation posture and attention wide open (but not engaged nor scattered). When supervising monk sees somebody nodding, he reminds meditator of the need to expand their awareness, by gently &quot;massaging&quot; the shoulder with the stick :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T15:02:15.137" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:02:15.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="85" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:14:34.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From objective perspective, Samsara is a beginningless round of deaths and rebirths the beings are stuck in. &amp;quot;Beginningless&amp;quot; means it has no beginning. The question you may ask: if Samsara has no beginning, and I am in it, how did I come to exist? This seems like a real puzzle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another piece of the puzzle is Buddha's suggestion that despite being beginningless, Samsara has an end. The end of Samsara is attainment of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The usual superficial understanding of these is to assume that one can escape Samsara, stop the round of deaths-and-rebirth, and effectively spend the rest of eternity in a state of perpetual lack of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such answer though would omit a very important construct of Buddhism, one of &amp;quot;Three Marks of Existence&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddha, existence inevitably has the characteristics of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Impermanence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Selflessness (nonsubstantiality)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which means, a state of perpetual lack of suffering would contradict the fundamental law of the universe (as presented in the Three Marks). How could it be perpetual given the impermanence? How can suffering cease, given that suffering is an intrinsic characteristic of existence? How can I spend the rest of eternity in this state if &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; (self) does not exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems like a serious contradiction. And yet Buddha insists, there is a way to solve this conundrum, there is a way to attain Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without giving too much away, I would like to hint at the direction the answer lies in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara begins when subject and object separate from each other. Samsara ends when subject and object are no longer separated. The answer lies in the realm of phenomenological experience, including experience of suffering, life, and death. Good luck with your quest!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorDisplayName="user17652" LastEditDate="2021-08-20T10:30:52.013" LastActivityDate="2021-08-20T10:30:52.013" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="86" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="57" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:27:02.003" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As @bytebuster said, this could take an expert a book to answer. But in the spirit of constructive collaboration, let me throw in my two cents:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, the focus is on escaping from Samsara to Nirvana, mainly through attaining perfect control of your mind, which in day-to-day life manifests as practice of minimalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, the focus is on transcending the dichotomy of Nirvana/Samsara, and realizing the Buddha Nature, mainly through deconstructing the ego; in day-to-day life this manifests as practice of altruism and non-attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana, the focus is on liberating the mind from mental and emotional obscurations so that it can fully enjoy the Natural Perfection that does not need to be attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:27:02.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="87" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="107" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:35:32.040" Score="37" ViewCount="17774" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first precept goes something similar to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I understand that, for instance, eating meat is allowed, but what about, for instance, killing vermin which might damage food or cause disease (such as mosquitos in places where malaria is common)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is killing justifiable then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T08:46:50.453" LastActivityDate="2020-02-17T20:34:15.300" Title="Is killing vermin and insects justifiable?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|killing|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="88" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:46:50.943" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Study of mathematics or science in and of itself is orthogonal to practice of Buddha-Dharma. But a side effect of study can often be a sense of pride based on the false conviction that one now knows everything there is to know about the way the world operates. This could be a serious barrier for entry into Buddhism and a source of misinterpretation of what Buddhism is actually about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:46:50.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="89" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:47:07.913" Score="7" ViewCount="2516" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why should we worship Lord Buddha statues with flowers, lights and food, even when we know Lord Buddha is not alive and does not exist? Did Lord Buddha instruct us to do so or is there any other reason?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-01-05T12:00:36.143" LastActivityDate="2020-11-05T04:36:19.620" Title="Why should we worship statues of Lord Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|iconography|worship|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="90" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="75" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:51:00.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I understand your question(s) fully; however, since you seem to be coming from a Mahayana background, do remember that the &lt;em&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/em&gt; reveals Buddha's entering parinirvana is merely an &lt;em&gt;expedient device&lt;/em&gt;. He &lt;em&gt;merely appears to enter parinirvana&lt;/em&gt; to &quot;motivate&quot; people, as it were. According to that Sutra, which claims to be the ultimate and true teaching of the Mahayana, the Buddha doesn't enter parinirvana but instead eternally abides in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:51:00.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="91" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="30" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:54:44.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot answer for &quot;9th century China&quot; specifically, but in the Lotus Sutra it is clearly evident that the only Buddha relic is the Dharma itself. The Lotus Sutra and other Mahayana texts &lt;strong&gt;are&lt;/strong&gt; the Buddha relic. Within those texts are the real bones of the Buddha. Each character of the Sutra is a bone of the true Buddha-body. If one clings to Buddha's bodily form, one can never see Buddha's true form (Dharmakaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher of the Dharma, chapter 10&#xA;(scripture 53)&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;You need not enshrine my relics&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T15:54:44.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="92" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="76" CreationDate="2014-06-18T15:57:02.437" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the teachings I received, once the practitioner attains certain level of mastery in meditation, their sleep acquires a character of meditation. It's not like they don't sleep at all, but they do retain certain level of deep awareness during their sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, when they see a dream, they know it's a dream. They remain aware of their body lying down on the bed. They remain aware of the content of their consciousness no matter how disjointed it gets during a deep sleep. If something happens around them, they wake up easily to provide their help if needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T17:54:14.030" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T17:54:14.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="93" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:01:15.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Five Precepts (Pali: pañcasīlāni; Sanskrit pañcaśīlāni[1]) constitute the basic code of ethics undertaken by upāsaka and upāsikā (&quot;lay followers&quot;) of Buddhism. The precepts in all the traditions are essentially identical and are commitments to abstain from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Undertaking the five precepts is part of both lay Buddhist initiation and regular lay Buddhist devotional practices. They are not formulated as imperatives, but as training rules that lay people undertake voluntarily to facilitate practice.[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, in the Theravada schools of Buddhism, the bhikkhuni lineage died out, and women renunciates practicing Theravadin Buddhism have developed unofficial options for their own practice, dedicating their life to religion, vowing celibacy, living an ascetic life and holding eight or ten precepts. They occupy a position somewhere between that of an ordinary lay follower and an ordained monastic and similar to that of the sāmaṇerī. In Thailand, they are called maechi[3][4] (Thai: แม่ชี, IPA: [mɛ̂ː tɕʰiː]); in Sri Lanka, they are dasa sil mata; the Burmese thilashin are also now found in Nepalese Theravadin Buddhism as well; and in South East England, the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery founded by Ajahn Chah has siladhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Five Precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:36:10.860" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:36:10.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="94" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:01:15.603" Score="0" Body="The Five Precepts constitute the basic Buddhist code of ethics, undertaken by lay followers of the Buddha Gautama in the Theravadan as well as in Mahayanan traditions." OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorUserId="131" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T20:17:12.143" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T20:17:12.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="95" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:02:33.467" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The true Buddha is the Eternal Buddha revealed in the Lotus Sutra. It is not a normal human being. The statue serves as a tool for remembrance, but it's actually an inferior symbol, because it depicts the bodily form of the Buddha. A scroll with written characters is better. A Sutra (text) is more similar to the true Buddha-body than a statue of Siddharta Gautama. The true Buddha-body cannot be expressed or depicted so it expediently reveals itself in ways that are understandable to our feeble minds - such as &quot;infinite buddha&quot; (amitabha) etc. Since the true buddha is formless, it cannot be depicted or potrayed. But since it compassionately discloses itself to ignorant beings, it allows to be depicted in such a way. It's simply a useful device. It's dangerous though, because someone might cling to that body and believe a Buddha's body can decay, break or die. That's not possible according to the Nirvana Sutra - the Buddha's body is permanent &amp;amp; eternal. - To answer your question: what we really worship is the Buddha-nature that is present in every sentient and even insentient being. It's in you &amp;amp; me too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:02:33.467" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="96" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="68" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:04:42.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a remedy for sleepiness. Nothing special. It's a little pat on the back to keep you awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:04:42.603" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="98" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:13:20.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you choose to believe nobody can ever be enlightened, like you said, then it's impossible to walk the Buddhist path. Can you at least &lt;em&gt;allow for the possibility&lt;/em&gt; that enlightenment &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; exist? Just allowing that possibility is enough to start with. But if you dogmatically assert that enlightenment &lt;em&gt;cannot&lt;/em&gt; exist, then there's no point to practice. It's like saying &quot;There is no God - can I still be a Christian?&quot; - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith in Mahayana Buddhism has a central role:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say that unsurpassed awakening [bodhi] has faith as its cause. &lt;strong&gt;The causes of awakening are innumerable, but if stated as faith, this covers everything.&lt;/strong&gt; (Nirvana Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But faith has to be balanced with understanding and insight (otherwise it can become blind fanaticism):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a person does not possess faith and insight, such a person increases his ignorance. If a person possesses insight, but not faith, such a person will increase [his or her] distorted views. ... A person who has no faith will say, out of an angry mind: &quot;There cannot be any Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:13:20.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="99" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="29" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:16:07.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The goal of science is most complete and accurate description of the world. The goal of Buddhism is to clearly realize relationship between mind and experienced reality and to transcend the limits of any single description of the world. So in a way, Buddhism lives in an infinity of higher order than the one science lives in. If anything, it is science that should reconcile with Buddha-Dharma, by becoming aware of inherent Emptiness of all views, not the other way around :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:16:07.827" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="68" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:23:06.860" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;During a weekend retreat I attended at a Zen monastery, the explanation I heard was that the sensation provides a point of focus for meditation.  At this monastery (or at least at this retreat, which was for beginners), receiving a hit from the wand was voluntary; I don't think they used it to wake up participants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other sources (including other answers to this question) have suggested that waking up a dozing meditator is another use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T15:31:49.710" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:31:49.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="33" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:27:41.763" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question assumes frame of reference different from the one Buddhism operates in. The point of teachings is to produce a certain state of mind, that will affect your behavior in certain way, that will eventually lead to better results, up to and including Enlightenment for you and the rest of the sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, the image of mother is used as an epitome of unconditional love. By visualizing your mother and generating the feeling of love to her, you generate a certain emotion. Then, you learn to project this emotion on other sentient beings. In actual practice you start with the people who are naturally close to you, like your friends and relatives, and slowly expand it until all beings are included. The movie uses the worms scene to vividly illustrate to the audience the sheer depth that Buddhist compassion/love goes to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Worms are not your mothers :) Everything is your mother. Everything is sacred. Everything is love!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-04-04T13:46:02.100" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T13:46:02.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="75" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:41:19.197" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I pointed out &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/101/43&quot;&gt;in my answer to &quot;are earthworms our mothers?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;  these kind of questions often assume incorrect frame of reference. The reason we request Buddha (or our local teacher as Buddha's substitute) to continue teaching instead of entering parinirvana, is not because it can literally make Buddha (or teacher) change their mind and stay. The idea is to create a mental context in which A) the teacher feels motivated to continue teaching because he sees the teaching is in demand, B) the students stay aware of the fact that existence of the teaching in this world depends solely on Buddha and then generations of teachers passing it to one another, and now to the students, and C) the student clearly realizes that the teacher could very well leave this place but is instead making effort to stay and teach solely out of compassion for the students. When this context is established the teaching can happen effectively, because both the sides will engage actively and with no resistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Granted these are entry-level practices, but they are very important to establish as foundation. Otherwise what happens if you skip straight to advanced teaching, the student may get as arrogant as to metaphorically grab the teacher by the hair and swing around. Needless to say, it hurts the student first and foremost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:50:40.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="106" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="119" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:44:44.400" Score="11" ViewCount="304" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference in karma of giving someone $ 1 and giving someone $ 1000, or its same for anything given?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference in karma of killing a small animal (like mosquito or small fish) and killing an big animal (like a cow or an elephant), or the karma is same for all killings ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is a difference what makes the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T12:44:27.857" Title="Are there any differences in karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:46:27.380" Score="33" Body="&lt;p&gt;The beauty of the precepts is that they are impossible for ordinary human beings to fully observe.  The precept against killing is an example of this. My body's immune system kills all lifeforms that it doesn't recognize.  I step on and crush innumerable microorganisms.  But the first precept asks us to minimize the amount of harm we do in the world.  In the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, the precepts are trainings, not commandments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T16:46:27.380" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="108" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="162" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:48:06.197" Score="5" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is not reincarnation.  How then does the karma of an individual affect their rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reincarnation, an individual's karma results in a better or worse next life for their soul. But in rebirth, there is no soul. So why should we care about our karma regarding our rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorDisplayName="user50" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T18:14:39.440" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:42:51.387" Title="What is the role of karma in rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:52:24.073" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are an &lt;em&gt;absolute entry-level teaching&lt;/em&gt; that is designed to help the practitioner master basic discipline of self-control and self-reflection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abstaining from killing, stealing etc. implies basic ability to watch one's mind for harmful thoughts and emotions, and to prevent them from getting acted out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of the above, the no-killing rule should not be understood literally, as an absolute law, but as a guideline for training the mind. It is not acceptable to &lt;em&gt;hurt&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;harm&lt;/em&gt; any creature (big or small) out of anger, out of competitiveness, or out of ignorance. This is what this rule is about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T15:24:29.723" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T15:24:29.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="106" CreationDate="2014-06-18T16:59:17.497" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there is a difference, and it is in the intent of the action. If you kill a frog out of cruelty, that's a much worse karma than when you kill a snake to protect someone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T13:06:10.670" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T13:06:10.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="106" CreationDate="2014-06-18T17:09:15.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not same as giving someone $1 and giving someone $1000. Similarly it is not same as killing a small animal and killing a big animal. Of course the action is the same, but the resulting emotion or the experience created in the object that is acted upon is not same. Hence, the magnitude of karma varies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you give a man $1 he may not feel that happy or grateful to you, but if you give him $1000 then he will feel more grateful and happy. He will feel indebted to you and this will create a stronger karmic link. For real life scenario just think which person will like to help you more, the one you gave $1 or the one you gave $1000? What makes the difference? The experience of the emotion created in their mind through your action. Hence, if you give a person $1 who is starving without food will create more positive karma than if you give $1000 to a rich person like a millionaire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you kill small animals like a mosquito the resulting effect is less because the suffering they feel is less. The developed the consciousness and self identification of an animal is, the more suffering it is likely to feel at its death. For example, a mosquito will hardly think of its family and children while dying compared to a mammal animal like an elephant or a human.  Since apart from physical pain mental suffering and experience of the object also matters, the more the animal feels the combined pain, the greater the karma involved will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="82" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T17:09:15.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T17:22:40.137" Score="11" ViewCount="341" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been reading Mahayana philosophy. &#xA;It proposes non-self and that self does not exist in the 5 aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the self/atman does not exist, what is that is re-incarnated? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt; reincarnate ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:12:47.103" Title="What is it that is re-incarnated ?" Tags="|rebirth|self|mahayana|anatman|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-06-19T02:56:46.963" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2014-06-18T17:38:15.813" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for enlightenment you should be concerned of not being attached to these studies, or averse to what you disagree. The same fits to Buddhism itself, you should't become absorbed, or obsessed, to the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All philosophies are mental phenomena, &lt;em&gt;they aren't either good or bad in themselves&lt;/em&gt;. But they can hinder your search for enlightenment if you are too concerned about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Math and science share a side of problem elaboration and solving. So it would contradict Buddhism if you enjoy or think it is meaningful to be worried about all those problems. Over-thinking about anything and having a heavy attitude over theories or facts are opposite to the practice of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of meditation is to not being absorbed to mental elaborations. So there is no sense to think all over a sitting session. Then this extends to daily life, &lt;em&gt;there is no sense to have a sharp and clear mind when meditating and daydream in the rest of the time&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For short, the point &lt;strong&gt;isn't what&lt;/strong&gt; phenomena you engage, but it's &lt;strong&gt;how you engage&lt;/strong&gt; to phenomena. If you can elaborate on any philosophy in a detached way it wouldn't be a problem at all. So the practice would be to &lt;em&gt;think while being present and aware&lt;/em&gt;. (yes, this one is quite paradoxical)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T17:38:15.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-18T17:39:23.330" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the classic introductions to Zen is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590308492&quot;&gt;Zen Mind, Beginners Mind&lt;/a&gt; by Shunryu Suzuki.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhante Gunaratans's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861719069&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Plain English&lt;/a&gt; is widely cited as an excellent introduction to Vipassana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T17:39:23.330" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="116" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="120" CreationDate="2014-06-18T17:48:37.813" Score="9" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I have read, Buddhism seems provide a practical path to follow in everyday life for a commoner to lead a life with lesser Dukkha and a rigorous path aimed at Monks seeking nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But do any Buddhist teachings prescribe rules for nation building and politics? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in Hinduism (Sanathana Dharma), there is Arthashastra which gives a Dharmic way to engage in politics and run the country. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since there are nations whose state religion is Buddhism (Cambodia, Bhutan, etc), does Buddhist teaching have anything about laws for governance (like the Sharia law in Islam)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T02:54:17.630" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T00:20:21.193" Title="Buddhist teachings on nation building &amp; politics" Tags="|laws|sutras|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="118" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1354" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:01:41.090" Score="4" ViewCount="1373" Body="&lt;p&gt;A while back I was at a workshop by a Yungdrung Bön abbot who taught Guru Yoga using a visualization of the Master with a crystalline body where you visualize being purified first by fire, then wind, then water followed by beams of light radiating from the Master's brow-to-your-brow, throat-to-your-throat, and heart-to-your-heart.  When this happens and at several other points there are specific prayers and syllables that are prescribed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found a similar version in &lt;em&gt;Healing With Form, Energy, and Light&lt;/em&gt; by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche which gives the ritual there, but without the strictly Tibetan elements. It clearly has the same bones (which is not surprising), but it doesn't contain the prayers or syllables. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: Does someone know the full version with the syllables and words intact (in any version, recognizing that there may be several variations) and/or a lead on where I might find it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T20:44:09.560" Title="Syllables and Prayers During Guru Yoga" Tags="|bon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="106" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:03:49.663" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference will always be the mental state of the person performing the action. Giving is dependent on one's state of mind while giving; the amount is intrinsically inconsequential (though obviously a poor person will feel more strongly about giving $1000 than giving $1). As Sakka, king of the devas of Tavatimsa says in the Vimanavatthu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Natthi citte pasannamhi, appikā nāma dakkhiṇā;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Tathāgate vā sambuddhe, atha vā tassa sāvake&amp;quot;ti. (vi. va. 804);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is not, when the mind is confident, such a thing as a small gift,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;In regards to a Tathagata, fully enlightened Buddha or, furthermore, his disciples.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving to the Buddha is considered to be of greater merit, not because of the benefit to the Buddha, but because of the ability to inspire faith and confidence in the giver.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for killing, the mental state involved in killing large animals is generally more intense; also the sense of the weight of the act is greater, so the mind will be more strongly affected by it. Killing virtuous people, parents, etc. is even worse, because it sets one squarely against virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is no hard and fast rule here either; if you obsess over killing a single mosquito buzzing over you at night, you may cultivate more unwholesomeness than a single act of killing a larger animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, karma isn't a single act of killing; it may be cultivated every moment; every thought concerning a moral or immoral act is karmically potent, so it's imprecise to ask if x or y is good or bad, better or worse, since karma is only a single thought moment at a time, and thus the potency depends upon the nature of the individual mind states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T14:05:55.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="116" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:13:13.343" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The clearest example of this that I can think of is in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN 16) where the Buddha was asked (obliquely) by the brahman Vassakara on behalf of King Ajatasattu whether he had a chance at killing off an enemy nation. The Buddha replied with the seven &amp;quot;Conditions of a Nation's Welfare&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At that time the Venerable Ananda was standing behind the Blessed One, fanning him, and the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ananda thus: &amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;have frequent gatherings, and are their meetings well attended?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that this is so.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;assemble and disperse peacefully and attend to their affairs in concord&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;neither enact new decrees nor abolish existing ones, but proceed in accordance with their ancient constitutions&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;show respect, honor,&#xA;esteem, and veneration towards their elders and think it worthwhile to&#xA;listen to them&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;refrain from abducting&#xA;women and maidens of good families and from detaining them&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they refrain from doing so.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;show respect, honor,&#xA;esteem, and veneration towards their shrines, both those within the&#xA;city and those outside it, and do not deprive them of the due&#xA;offerings as given and made to them formerly&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do venerate their shrines, and that&#xA;they do not deprive them of their offerings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;be expected, not their decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis &lt;strong&gt;duly protect and guard the&#xA;arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so,&#xA;and those who have already come might live there in peace&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;be expected, not their decline.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides being one of the few examples of the Buddha offering advice on how to run a nation (he was the one who taught the Vajjis these conditions), it also shows how the Buddha never did take sides in political struggle; rather than chastising Ajatasattu, he just taught the dhamma as he always did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:13:13.343" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="113" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:16:37.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forget death! Nothing goes from this moment to the next, even when you are alive. Hold one end of a spoon with your left hand and tap at the other end with your right.Your left hand will feel the vibrations as you tap. Now, do you think you felt it because the atoms at the right side of the spoon travelled to the left? Or is it because the particles at where you tapped vibrated 1st and caused the adjacent particles to vibrate as a result and that caused the next set of particles to vibrate and so on? Likewise, life/death/rebirth are just causes and effects. Nothing goes from preset to the future.&#xA;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T18:49:05.380" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:49:05.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="113" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:16:44.980" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is neither not self nor self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates; form, sensation, perception, mind formations and consciousness; disperse at death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is life-force. By itself it is without physical form, all types of mental habits, thoughts, ideas, prejudices, compulsions, decisions, familiarity and judgement as to whether an object is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stream of consciousness passes from one life to another; during this process it is not entirely the same nor entirely different. With the cessation of consciousness samsara ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:16:44.980" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="123" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="127" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:23:19.317" Score="10" ViewCount="10099" Body="&lt;p&gt;All these 3 philosophy/religions are born across Tibet/Nepal/India and they all share numerous concept and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some points of connections could be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Noble Eightfold Path are very similar to Yamas in Yoga&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concept of Reincarnation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation approach as technique to reach enlightenment  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation positions: actually the lotus posture, usually used in Buddish for meditation, is a yoga asana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yantra&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mudras&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More in general:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hinduism and Yoga are almost on the same line, they born in the same time and are based on same concepts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism, instead is more &quot;modern&quot;, Buddha is dated between 563 BCE to 483, Hinduism/Yoga are thousand of years older, and in someway it is a consequence of the first two:&#xA;it is born in an environment where Hinduism/Yoga concept were the basement of the culture.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the main difference is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism doesn't speak about God but speak about &quot;life and how to live&quot; or better how to stop to suffer. ( so it is basically the oldest psychoanalytic method known )  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I believe that the reason behind this (non speaking about God) is because Buddha is like saying &quot;Before speaking about God, you need to be ready and stable and find your self&quot; or better &quot;you don't need to speak about God, you have to find it and the shorter and safer path is inside you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Main Point of the question:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Define a relationship between the above entities as they are strictly related and so point out the elements of difference that Buddhism philosophy introduces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this can be helpful to anyone that is approaching to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="137" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T17:50:40.263" LastActivityDate="2021-11-22T07:46:10.723" Title="Relationship between Buddhism, Hinduism and Yoga?" Tags="|philosophy|hinduism|comparative-religion|yoga|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="124" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:24:25.210" Score="7" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Vedic/Hindu deities are recognized as being part of Buddhist cosmology. For example, Indra, who is the chief god of the Vedic pantheon, is syncretized into Buddhism as Śakra, which is another epithet of his. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, the exploits of Indra are described in doctrinal texts like the Vedas and the Puranas, as well as in literary texts like the Mahabharata. But Buddhists (of any school) don't accept these texts as part of their canon, right? So, my question: in what Buddhist (canonical) texts would the doings of syncretized Hindu deities like Indra/Śakra be described? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:42:10.343" Title="What Buddhist texts describe the doings of syncretized Hindu deities?" Tags="|hinduism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="108" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:25:27.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's the same reason why you eat good food instead of spoilt food. Because spoilt food gives you a stomach ache. It's a simple matter of causes and effect. There's no soul involved at any place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:25:27.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="124" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:30:35.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/dic_idx.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Malalasekera's Dictionary of Pali Proper Names&lt;/a&gt; is a great place to find this sort of information; for instance, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/sakka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the entry on Sakka&lt;/a&gt; has a whole list of sources for info on the entity, both canonical and commentarial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, I can't think of any other divine beings that have been expropriated in the same way as Indra; in fact I'm not sure expropriation is the proper term, since Indra just means &quot;chief&quot;, and so it could just be the Buddha using the Hindu name to describe Sakka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: Yama shows up in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.130.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devaduta Sutta (MN 130)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T18:42:10.343" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:42:10.343" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:32:11.537" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hinduism &amp;amp; Yoga aren't 2 different things. They are the same. &#xA;Yoga is one of the 6 main Darshanas of Hinduism. I.e it provides it's own path for liberation. Other Darshanas(Advaita, etc) too use Yoga as a valid means but not the only valid means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can't really say Buddhism is modern. It evolved along with Yoga both of which can be traced to around 4th century BCE. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Hindu Darshanas &amp;amp; Buddhism evolved influencing each other. For example Advaita borrowed some of it's elements from Nagarjuna. Tibetan Buddhism incorporated Tantra which is considered 'Hindu'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism has it's own version of Yoga called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trul_khor&quot;&gt;Trul khor&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence to answer your question, they all belong to the same family, the Dharmic family and have influenced each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:32:11.537" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:34:41.083" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not too sure about Yoga. But I believe the core teachings of Hinduism are based on Nithya, Sukha, Athma. Which is the exact opposite of Buddhist teachings. So they are fundamentally very different. Hinduism is much more similar to Christianity and Islam at the core. Just that Christians and Muslims believe in one almighty God/Allah who takes care of everything, whereas in Hinduism the powers are distributed among at least 3 Gods: Maha brahma, Shiva, Vishnu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T18:41:34.620" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T18:41:34.620" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T18:54:32.970" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not justifiable even if the killing is for self or others protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If killing of an animal fulfills below five conditions it will give bad results (akusla karma vipaka)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There should be a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowing that its a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intention of killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Act to kill&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Animal is killed by the act&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: &#xA;&lt;em&gt;Even If someone kills an animal which is suffering from unbearable pain (like with an injury), with the intention of releasing it from the pain. It will give Akusala Karma vipaka.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastEditorUserId="132" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T19:05:57.630" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T19:05:57.630" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:01:02.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I stopped killing mosquitoes long time ago and started using nets and mosquito repellent lotion. You really don't have to kill them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T19:01:02.257" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:09:09.800" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism God is irrelevant. His existence or non existence doesn't affect the suffering that a being experiences here. Suffering is the problem that is caused by desire and attachment. Mind being the place where suffering is experienced, both Buddhism and Hinduism give the solution of controlling the mind through meditation to get rid of suffering and mental afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yoga is just a process of ceasing the mental activities (&lt;em&gt;yogaḥ citta-vṛtti nirodha&lt;/em&gt; - patnjali yoga sutra 1.2). It is only when the mind is active and thinking that any  feeling of joy or suffering arises. So through yoga and meditation the objective of calming and stilling the mind is achieved. Although Yoga was developed and preached by Vedic (Hindu) sages like Patanjali, it being just a physical process also practiced by Buddhists, just like we use cars or computers developed by scientists of other religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a historical chronology then undoubtedly you can place Yoga system of Hinduism ahead of Buddhism. If you go through Vedic texts like Upanishads and Gita, which were available before the formation of Buddhism, then you will find mention of Yoga, meditation and other related practices. But in course of time both have influenced one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the relation between Buddhism and Hinduism my personal belief is Buddhism is Hinduism unnecessary parts casted out. While Buddishm primarily focuses on making life free of suffering here in the present life, Hinduism takes into account both here and the hereafter. Hence, while there are many &lt;em&gt;yanjya&lt;/em&gt; and sacrifices prescribed in the Vedic religion for the hereafter, there are none such in Buddhism. The Upanishadic portions of the Vedas has teachings that are to some extent similar to the teachings of Buddhism. Both prescribe meditation as the mean to attain liberation. In fact message of Upanishads, Gita and other Vedic scriptures state that one who desires real benefit should not pursue sacrifices, &lt;em&gt;yanjya&lt;/em&gt;, etc. as they provide temporary fruits in the after life and doesn't offer permanent liberation from material existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the point is Yoga not being a philosophy (about which people can have different opinions) but being a physical solution to the problem of suffering is common and practiced both by followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. However, the point to note is that basically the meditation portion of Yoga are practiced by both, not the yoga &lt;em&gt;asans&lt;/em&gt; or postures. Yoga postures and &lt;em&gt;asanas&lt;/em&gt; are primarily practiced in Hata Yoga system which belongs to Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="82" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T19:09:09.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:11:52.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lets say the Buddha was alive today and you offered Dana to the Buddha. But what if the Buddha does not accept it? Will you still not get the merits for your good intentions and the effort you put into preparing the Dana for the Buddha? It's about the quality of your thoughts throughout the time you spent on it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T19:24:59.490" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T19:24:59.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="133" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="139" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:36:36.400" Score="8" ViewCount="222" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if anyone could help to clearly explain the phenomenology of what happens in this passage from Mahasi's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, specifically the bolded section:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;12. Insight Leading to Emergence  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, through knowledge of equanimity about formations, which is endowed with many virtues, blessings, and powers, he notices the formations as they occur. When this knowledge is mature, having become keen, strong, and lucid, on reaching its culmination point, it will understand any of the formations as being impermanent or painful or without self, just by seeing their dissolution. &lt;strong&gt;Now that act of noticing any one characteristic out of the three, which is still more lucid in its perfect understanding, manifests itself two or three times or more in rapid succession. This is called &quot;insight leading to emergence.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am interested in all the phenomenology but I am especially interested in the part that says &quot;two or three times or more in rapid succession&quot;. Does this refer to mind moments or what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T20:50:04.813" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:37:41.120" Title="Nibbāna in The Progress of Insight" Tags="|nirvana|stream-entry|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="75" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:36:55.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Buddhas are masculine. No, it is not harmful to invite the Buddha. In fact, the Buddha mentioned several times that a person who has perfected &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sathara Iddipada&lt;/a&gt; can live the maximum life span of a human at that time. It was about 120 years back then. So he could've stayed another 40 years had he been invited. Venerable Ananda had several opportunities to invite the Buddha. But it's said that Mara(the evil god) prevented him every time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T19:36:55.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2014-06-18T19:45:21.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism basically deals with the present. Dwelling the mind on past or future unnecessarily creates mental vexation. Hence, concepts like God, origin, etc. are not dealt in Buddhism. &lt;strong&gt;It doesn't matter why or how the &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; came into existence, what matters is that &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; does exist.&lt;/strong&gt; Now when &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; exists and we exist, our effort should be eradicating problems that give rise to suffering. For example, because you are thinking about the origin, you are to some amount troubled by the question. So as per Buddhism you should not focus your mind on such irrelevant questions as they unnecessarily create suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you are really looking for answers then you should consider studying the philosophy of other religions. If you do, then you will find the answer to be God. Then the question of starting point of God will arise in your mind. If you look into science, it says Big Bang is the starting point. But in my view, Nothing is the starting point. &lt;strong&gt;Only that which has come to exist can have a starting point. How can that which doesn't even exist have a starting point?&lt;/strong&gt; I know this sounds ambiguous, but it's hard to explain here in few words. You can check the following link if you like, but my findings there is based on Vedic scriptures: &lt;a href=&quot;http://shunyavada.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://shunyavada.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="82" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T19:45:21.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="136" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="164" CreationDate="2014-06-18T20:03:51.930" Score="5" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most days when I sit in a five-point meditation posture on a cushion there isn't a problem when sitting for the duration of a meditation session, but for particularly long sessions or on some days, sporadically, my left hamstring will start to feel uncomfortable tight to the point where I will not be able to continue meditating through it. Usually when this happens can't even mindfully adjust to a position where it won't dominate the session from that point onward. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pain is sharp and gradually builds until about all I can do is stretch it out and leave it that way. It appears to be muscular in nature. There are no medical conditions that I have that I am aware of that would lead to this problem, and there don't appear to be any circulation issues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are some of the elements I can ensure, adjust, do beforehand, or do regularly to try to keep this from happening or mitigate the problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:55:38.143" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:55:38.143" Title="Hamstring issues when in a five-point-meditation posture" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="137" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="154" CreationDate="2014-06-18T20:50:15.860" Score="7" ViewCount="374" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many non-Buddhists do not understand the appeal or the benefits of becoming a monk. They may not be able to understand why one would want to live such a simple life, and they may not take the decision seriously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are some of the &quot;selling points&quot; for ordination (particularly as a young person just over 18) that a non-Buddhist would understand? Are there any organizations or resources for non-Buddhist families or friends of Buddhist monks (aspiring or otherwise)? How can one help a non-Buddhist loved one understand one's desire to be ordained?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="142" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T15:44:10.850" LastActivityDate="2017-10-06T17:52:53.000" Title="How to help non-Buddhists understand a young person's desire to be ordained as a monk?" Tags="|monk|ordination|parents|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="133" CreationDate="2014-06-18T21:18:30.643" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This passage is according to the abhidhamma treatment of the attainment of nibbana. The two to three mind moments (yes, that's what it means) are called anulomañāṇa (&amp;quot;anuloma~naa.na&amp;quot;) - knowledge of conformity, the twelfth stage of knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga (XXII.128) describes this according to the abhidhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;128. As he repeats, develops and cultivates that equanimity about&#xA;formations, his faith becomes more resolute, his energy better&#xA;exerted, his mindfulness better established, his mind better&#xA;concentrated, while his equanimity about formations grows more&#xA;refined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;129. He thinks, “Now the path will arise.” Equanimity about&#xA;formations, after comprehending formations as impermanent, or as&#xA;painful, or as not-self, sinks into the life-continuum. Next to the&#xA;life-continuum, mind-door adverting arises making formations its&#xA;object as impermanent or as painful or as not-self according to the&#xA;way taken by equanimity about formations. Then next to the functional&#xA;[adverting] consciousness that arose displacing the life-continuum,&#xA;the first impulsion consciousness arises making formations its object&#xA;in the same way, maintaining the continuity of consciousness. This&#xA;is called the “preliminary work.” Next to that a second impulsion&#xA;consciousness arises making formations its object in the same way.&#xA;This is called the “access.” Next to that a third impulsion&#xA;consciousness also arises making formations its object in the same&#xA;way. This is called “conformity.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Path of Purification)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next thought moment arising after these three takes nibbaana as an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: In plain terms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the gradual understanding that all formations are impermanent, suffering, and non-self, the meditator attains an absolute certainty of one or another of the three characteristics and this leads to a release based either:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;signlessness&lt;/strong&gt; - based on impermanence, that there is no telling what will happen in advance; e.g. the rising and falling of the abdomen suddenly speeds up;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;desirelessness&lt;/strong&gt; - based on suffering, that there is no benefit to clinging to any formation; e.g. the rising and falling of the abdomen suddenly feels unbearable;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;emptiness&lt;/strong&gt; - based on non-self, that all formations are void of self and there is no relationship of ownership or control in regards to all formations; e.g. the rising and falling of the abdomen appears to proceed automatically without interference from the meditator.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This realization lasts two to three thought moments, during which the mind realizes the truth of suffering and discards the truth of the cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next thought moment is an experience of cessation, where there is no arising of sense experience (including mental sense experience). This is the realization of path consciousness (the noble truth of the path) because it has the power to destroy fetters and therefore lead to freedom from suffering. It takes nibbāna as an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:37:41.120" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="140" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="187" CreationDate="2014-06-18T21:25:50.710" Score="12" ViewCount="28786" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen pictures online of young children dressed in monks robes in Buddhist countries. Does someone make the decision on behalf of the child that they will become a monk? Do they eat only one meal a day as adult monks do? Are very young monks also called Venerable Sir? Thanks for helping a western mind to understand this matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:36:48.700" Title="Can someone explain about children monks?" Tags="|ordination|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T21:44:05.993" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;First rule (of layperson) is actually includes &lt;em&gt;intentional&lt;/em&gt; killing of any animals down to even insects. See for reference &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec2&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life.&quot; Here the&#xA;  word pana, meaning that which breathes, denotes &lt;em&gt;any living being that&#xA;  has breath and consciousness. It includes animals and insects&lt;/em&gt; as well&#xA;  as men, but does not include plants as they have only life but not&#xA;  breath or consciousness. The word &quot;living being&quot; is a conventional&#xA;  term, an expression of common usage, signifying in the strict&#xA;  philosophical sense the life faculty (jivitindriya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you will not be expunged from being buddhist if you violate that, you just stain karma, accumulate demerit, and lose protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T22:14:06.783" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:14:06.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="113" CreationDate="2014-06-18T22:12:47.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Instead of relations of beings by constant &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;, as in some other religions, in Buddhism the relation is &lt;em&gt;causal&lt;/em&gt;. So, new being's birth is &lt;em&gt;causally&lt;/em&gt; related with past lives. What is carried on to new life is merit and demerit of past actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, in Mahayana's philosophy of Yogacara there is additional consciousness, called &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt;, which support transmigration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:12:47.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="143" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="149" CreationDate="2014-06-18T22:19:57.333" Score="15" ViewCount="443" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even as I find peace and contentment in observing the 5 precepts and following along the 8 fold path, I realize I sometimes unintentionally benefit from those who don't live in this manner. For example  a friend takes something that wasn't freely given and shares it with me or a nearby person kills the insect flying around that I was trying to ignore. If I have not encouraged people to do such, should I be concerned about their actions or remain concerned only with my own intentions and actions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2018-04-23T19:21:19.880" Title="How concerned should Buddhists be with the actions of others?" Tags="|five-precepts|wrongview|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="81" CreationDate="2014-06-18T22:23:34.597" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no Orthodox Buddhism, there is &lt;em&gt;Traditional Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;. Most modern &lt;em&gt;traditional&lt;/em&gt; branches of Buddhism &lt;em&gt;with monkery&lt;/em&gt;, root in some or other ancient school. Theravada is not more Orthodox or ancient than most other &lt;em&gt;traditional&lt;/em&gt; schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:23:34.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-18T22:28:30.487" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel like sometimes the &quot;plain&quot;, most obvious meaning of the rule (e.g. don't kill people) is taken to extremes (e.g. killing mosquitoes that spread diseases which kill you, killing a bear which is eating you), and the very intuitive repulsion the mind feels regarding the extreme is used to sow doubt in the rule itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think the Buddha taught by going to extremes like this. How about start off by not killing people, for any reason. This, at least, is pretty straightforward, how the hate and lack of compassion required for killing people is damaging to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, examine the ways in which you'll sometimes casually kill insects and set it within the context of kamma and rebirth. Does it seem unskillful? If it does, then abandon it. Next, examine how you'd feel if something were trying to kill you. Do these actions of your mind reacting against the assailant seem unskillful? If they do, then abandon it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of it like taking your mind to progressively more subtle forms of self-examination to abandon more and more forms of unskillful behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way of thinking in the original post is more like taking the prohibition on killing to an extreme and then allowing the mind's repulsion against the extreme case to take over and turn you against the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the mind that hasn't gone beyond suffering &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; the problem. You have to be careful how you let it make decisions about these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are instances where the Buddha says a question should be answered with a yes/no response and others where the answer should be qualified by re-defining the question.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/an/04_fours/an04.042.than.ati.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/an/04_fours/an04.042.than.ati.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First the categorical answer,&#xA;  then the qualified,&#xA;  third, the type to be counter-questioned,&#xA;  and fourth, the one to be set aside.&#xA;  Any monk who knows which is which,&#xA;      in line with the Dhamma,&#xA;  is said to be skilled&#xA;  in the four types of questions:&#xA;      hard to overcome, hard to beat,&#xA;      profound, hard to defeat.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;He knows what's worthwhile&#xA;      and what's not,&#xA;  proficient in (recognizing) both,&#xA;  he rejects the worthless,&#xA;      grasps the worthwhile&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  He's called one who has broken through&#xA;      to what's worthwhile,&#xA;         prudent,&#xA;      wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-18T23:25:37.913" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T23:25:37.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-06-18T22:33:56.840" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only &quot;eternal, unchangeable, and happy&quot; Soul (which is called &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;) is denied in Buddhism. And such monistic Soul is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; required for re-birth to function. When being disintegrate it is &lt;em&gt;causally&lt;/em&gt; condition birth of new being. Thus, even though there is no constant Soul, two beings are related to each other &lt;em&gt;causally&lt;/em&gt; by means of &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;. So, instead of Soul (and re-incarnation) we have Karma (and re-birth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T22:33:56.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2014-06-18T23:05:13.703" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two main interpretations of how &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; is accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sarvastivada branch of philosophy, past actions can be directly related to new consequences, because fundamentally &quot;everything exists&quot; and only the modus of time changes. As things aren't losing the status of existence, they can cause new things. There is a special additional property (called &lt;em&gt;prapti&lt;/em&gt;) to relate or un-relate action to the stream of consciousness. So when you perform an action it doesn't need anything else to be able to cause karmical fruit. (Of course it requires other conditions to work.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sautrantika branch of philosophies, actions are accumulated by means of traces (&lt;em&gt;bija-vasanas&lt;/em&gt;) in some sort of storehouse consciousness (&lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt;). It works similarly to when you plant the seed of a tree into the ground; the seed &lt;em&gt;disappears&lt;/em&gt; but the tree still contains the ability to ripen into certain fruits. Thus, action could be accumulated in something completely different from the action itself. So when you act, you actually change yourself as a whole in a way that accumulates the potential to acquire karmic fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, intention is kamma, but there are two types of kamma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.145.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.145&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;em&gt;old kamma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;new kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Where &lt;em&gt;new kamma&lt;/em&gt; is intention (as thinking) and what-is-after-intention (actions of speech and body), while &lt;em&gt;old kamma&lt;/em&gt; is your body as whole (i.e. the totality of all organs). In that way you have your &lt;em&gt;old kamma&lt;/em&gt; always with yourself in your body (including all organs of perception and intellect).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T15:44:39.483" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T15:44:39.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="77" CreationDate="2014-06-18T23:29:37.090" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana is not a sect at all; it is a &lt;em&gt;vehicle&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Major &lt;em&gt;traditions&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism are usually country or region related. We can distinguish three major branches of Buddhism in the World by what they keep as canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tibetan, Mongolian, and Russian Buddhism share &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanjur&quot;&gt;Tibetan canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Buddhism share &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhist_canon&quot;&gt;Chinese canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, etc share &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot;&gt;Pali canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some countries mix several aforementioned branches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T20:07:47.667" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T20:07:47.667" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="143" CreationDate="2014-06-18T23:33:00.673" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to quote Jack Kornfield's &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1590308328&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Living Dharma&lt;/a&gt;, specifically the interview portion with Achaan Chaa, excerpt from the question of &amp;quot;If putting everything together in our bowls is important, why don't you as a teacher do it yourself?&amp;quot; (page 42 to 43 of my edition):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom is for yourself to watch and develop. Take from the teacher what is good. Be aware of your own practice. If I am resting while you must sit up does this make you angry? If I call the color blue red or say that male is female, don't follow me blindly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[…] If you watch others at most ten percent of the time and watch yourself ninety percent, this is proper practice. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking outside the self is comparing, discriminating. You will not find happiness that way. Nor will you find peace if you spend your time looking for the perfect man or the perfect teacher. The Buddha taught us to look at the Dharma, the truth, not to look at other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say that, based on this, the lesson here is to remain focused on your own intentions and actions, but to strive to fully notice your own reactions to what happens. If someone else kills the insect and you benefit, how does that make you feel? How do you respond to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would argue that goes even if you &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; encouraged them not to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T23:33:00.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2014-06-18T23:46:24.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beginning of Samsara is stated by Buddha as &lt;strong&gt;not knowable&lt;/strong&gt; for ordinary beings. Knowing rightly would be to not imagine in regard of its beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually Samsara is imagined as round of re-births in the six realms, or much more detailed view as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bhavacakra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-18T23:46:24.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="151" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="240" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:00:51.793" Score="11" ViewCount="342" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this all comes from the Visudhimagga's explanation of jhana. I'm not sure there's any references to a term similar to &quot;advert&quot; in the Canon, but I keep running into the term advert without any further explanation in plain English of what that means, and it's a rare kind of word to begin with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Following this the meditator should try to acquire five kinds of mastery over the jhana: &lt;strong&gt;mastery in adverting&lt;/strong&gt;, in attaining, in resolving, in emerging and in reviewing.[16] &lt;strong&gt;Mastery in adverting is the ability to advert to the jhana factors one by one after emerging from the jhana, wherever he wants, whenever he wants, and for as long as he wants&lt;/strong&gt;. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition of advert:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1: to turn the mind or attention —used with to &amp;lt;adverted to the speaker&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2: to call attention in the course of speaking or writing :  make reference —used with to &amp;lt;adverted to foreign-language sources&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mastery in adverting means mastery in turning your mind to the jhana factors? So the first step of jhana mastery is the ability to turn your mind to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;applied thought,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sustained thought,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rapture,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;happiness and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one-pointedness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--after you've emerged from jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So after I emerge from jhana, I have to turn my mind to applied thought, then to sustained thought, then to rapture, etc. when and for as my mind wants to, no matter where I am.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T00:34:34.313" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T13:24:33.017" Title="What does it mean to 'advert' to the factors of jhana after emerging from jhana?" Tags="|theravada|jhana|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:02:43.053" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure we should worship statues itself as that would be some sort of idolatry. Buddhists worship Buddha, and statue or other image is just &lt;em&gt;symbol&lt;/em&gt;, something that bring into our memory good qualities of Buddha. It's mindfulness of Buddha. Statue is a symbol, and &lt;em&gt;symbol&lt;/em&gt; is communication which &lt;em&gt;states&lt;/em&gt; about its subject, Buddha in our case. Thus, showing respect &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; statue should be directed to Buddha as Jewel, and not to statue. Mindfulness and respect to the Saint and Teacher is good action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Btw, Buddha is not disappeared, he stated that he will remain in his Teaching (Dharma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:02:43.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="59" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:29:34.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is the concept of rebirth or reincarnation handled in Buddhism?&#xA;  Does it occur? Will everyone be reborn? Are people always reborn as&#xA;  people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strictly speaking there is &lt;strong&gt;no&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;reincarnation&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism, but &lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt; is. 'Reincarnation' imply idea that some constant Soul &lt;em&gt;incarnates&lt;/em&gt; into being, which 'rebirth' does not imply. Moreover, Buddhist teaching deny existence of such constant Soul. After death, new being is born, who causally related to past being and carry on actions of past births. Everyone, except who attained final Nirvana, rebirths in almost any place in the Cosmos &lt;em&gt;depending&lt;/em&gt; on his/her past actions (karma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:29:34.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="137" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:30:01.133" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Selling Points&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha's teaching in the Samaññaphala Sutta (DN 2), there are a whole host of benefits to the life of a samana (i.e. a monk). In brief:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Freedom from requirement to engage in secular society (social engagements, civic duties, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Freedom from requirement to engage in secular employment (living as a mendicant means no need for money, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A blissful state in the here and now (through a moral code, sense restraint, and tranquility meditation)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom and understanding about reality (through insight meditation)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Supernatural mental abilities (astral travel, reading minds, remembering past lives, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Freedom from mental defilements of greed, anger, and delusion (through the attainment of nirvana)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that about sums it up better than I ever could :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Resources&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally a monastery would be the best source; often for Westerners intending to traverse the globe to ordain, that isn't as easy as it should be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Internet has some resources on monkhood for lay people, at least in the Theravada tradition. Here's a couple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/layguide.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/layguide.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Coming To Terms&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For my parents, actually practicing the teachings themselves helped somewhat; once they understood the benefit of meditation, they were better able to accept what I was doing. Of course, it was only once I'd ordained and they saw how it wasn't really a brainwashing cult that they really opened up and actually appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T00:48:39.847" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:48:39.847" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:33:29.177" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro says in many places that the act of respect develops hand-in-hand with learning the path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In their eyes, &lt;strong&gt;the religious attitude of respect is needed for any philosophical understanding to grow&lt;/strong&gt;. And as far as they're concerned, there's no conflict between the two. In fact, they're mutually reinforcing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/respect5.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Opening the Door to the Dhamma: Respect in Buddhist Thought &amp;amp; Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The veneration of statues with flowers and so on should be a natural expression of your development of the path. The act of putting flowers next to a statue doesn't save anyone or develop anything, but it's an expression of your faith that what the Buddha taught is really worth learning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Respect is the attitude you develop toward the things that matter in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:33:29.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="140" CreationDate="2014-06-19T00:42:58.083" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who decides:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often they are coerced into doing it for a short period of time; other places poverty drives them to ordain. In rare cases they do it of their own volition because of some wholesome supporting condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Eating:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks can eat technically eat two meals as long as it's in the morning hours from dawn to noon. Most monks fall into that schedule. Samanera (novice monks, usually under 20 years of age) often break this rule, eating in the evening, even though it's against the rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How they are called:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the country. In Sri Lanka, some samanera never actually become bhikkhus (fully ordained), so there is a tendency to call them all by the same honorific. In Thailand they are called &quot;nen&quot;, as opposed to &quot;pra&quot;, and they only wear two robes instead of three. I don't think there is a case of a samanera being called Bhante, which would be the equivalent of &quot;venerable sir&quot; in the Pali. From a monastic point of view, they are still considered unordained, and they only keep ten rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T00:42:58.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="73" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:01:46.007" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reincarnation implies a soul that takes a body; rebirth does not, so it is preferred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that neither term has a widely used cognate in the Pali texts, perhaps because the concept of &quot;re-&quot; anything implies the continuation of an entity. Buddhism tends to talk about birth and death in a more linear fashion; rather than being reborn, it's &quot;being born again&quot; (e.g. dukkhā jāti punappunaṃ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the focus in Buddhism is on individual mind states and ultimate reality rather than the conceptual reality of birth and death, so it's not really a core teaching. Death is a concept; at the moment of a being's death, one body/mind experience ceases and the next one arises, just as it did through the entire life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:01:46.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="73" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:02:09.527" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reincarnation involves a soul that transmigrates. A soul is the five aggregates minus physical form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is like lighting one candle with another candle. The stream of consciousness, a.k.a life force, continues from one existence to another but the remainder of the five aggregates; form, perception, sensations and mental formations (which would stay together during a reincarnation of a soul); dissipate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:02:09.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="108" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:12:04.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I've said elsewhere (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/58/18&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/157/18&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), death is just a concept. The reality is that the mental and physical aspects of experience arise and cease incessantly, and are governed by complex laws of cause and effect (i.e. karma). Since this process isn't categorically affected by conceptual death, you should be as concerned about how your karma will affect your next life as you are about how it affects this life (or unconcerned, as the case may be). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one proviso to that, of course; death &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a profound experience that resets much of the nature of one's experience, leaving one without much familiar to cling to; it is thus a time of vulnerability, where one is more prone to cling to past karma and be reborn according often to a seemingly random mind state that just happened to pop into your head at the moment of death. Dangerous for those without mental clarity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:12:04.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="108" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:17:45.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in rebirth, there is no soul&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha didn't say there was no soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with saying there is a self or there is &quot;no self&quot; requires a view which the Buddha said was incompatible with the practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... a certain monk said to the Blessed One: &quot;Which birth, lord? &lt;strong&gt;And whose is this birth&lt;/strong&gt;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Not a valid question,&quot; the Blessed One said.&#xA;  If one were to ask, 'Which birth? And whose is this birth?'&#xA;  and if one were to ask,&#xA;  'Is birth one thing, and is this the birth of someone/something else?'&#xA;  both of them would have the same meaning,&#xA;  even though their words would differ.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;When there is the view that the soul is the same as the body, there isn't the leading of the holy life.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;And when there is the view that the soul is one thing and the body another, there isn't the leading of the holy life&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata points out the Dhamma in between: From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.035.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.35&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He didn't say the one thing (there is a self) or the other thing (there is no self), he said the thing in the middle, which is that with certain phenomena as a requisite condition, other phenomena arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He didn't answer the big question of what does and does not exist, he answered the small question about how a thing arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some reading: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;No-self or Not-self?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So why should we care about our karma regarding our rebirth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing that the Buddha consistently affirmed, though, is the efficacy of action and the results of kamma. He would go out of his way (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html%5d&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 101&lt;/a&gt;) to refute ideas that personal action had no consequences or was totally predetermined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He just didn't link together action and an individual's identity through multiple lifetimes or say that they weren't linked. Either view prevents the living of the holy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing action as efficacious and producing results is the thing that is necessary; understanding the arising of phenomena is necessary. Talking about souls is not necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T01:24:28.497" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:24:28.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:29:32.603" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt; there are actually &lt;em&gt;eleven&lt;/em&gt; links, as each causal link occurs &lt;em&gt;between&lt;/em&gt; one of twelve states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relation is described as &quot;&lt;em&gt;yā tatra tathatā avitathatā anaññathatā idappaccayatā&lt;/em&gt;&quot;—“&lt;em&gt;that wherein is reality (tathatā), not unreality (avitathatā), not otherness (anaññathatā), specific conditionality: [that is called dependent origination]&lt;/em&gt;”, and in detail is explained as this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;B&lt;/b&gt;ecause particular states are produced by particular conditions,&#xA;  neither  less nor more, it is called reality (suchness, &lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt;).&#xA;  &lt;b&gt;B&lt;/b&gt;ecause once the conditions have  met in combination there is no&#xA;  non-producing, even for an instant, of the states  they generate, it&#xA;  is called not unreality (not unsuchness). &lt;b&gt;B&lt;/b&gt;ecause there is no arising&#xA;  of one state with another state’s conditions, it is called not&#xA;  otherness.  &lt;b&gt;B&lt;/b&gt;ecause there is a condition, or because there is a total&#xA;  of conditions, for these  states beginning with ageing-and-death as&#xA;  already stated, it is called specific  conditionality. (Visuddhimagga)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this is both &lt;em&gt;sufficient&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;necessary&lt;/em&gt; conditions. But, it's important to know that &lt;em&gt;pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt; is a &lt;em&gt;brief&lt;/em&gt; explanation, almost enumeration, and not all conditions are named, only so-called &lt;em&gt;representative cause and fruit&lt;/em&gt;. The most detailed explanation of the &lt;em&gt;paticcasamuppada&lt;/em&gt; you can read in Visuddhimagga (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pdf&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T20:27:52.803" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T20:27:52.803" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="108" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:42:51.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In reincarnation, an individual's karma results in a better or worse&#xA;  next life for their soul. But in rebirth, there is no soul. So why&#xA;  should we care about our karma regarding our rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no Soul, but still there is &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. All suffering we are experiencing now  (in this life) is caused by past unwholesome deeds. So why cause suffering for future life? Yes, that person will not know about us, but still his consciousness will be in our stream of consciousness, related to ours, and even though we will not know why, we will suffer (or enjoy fruits of wholesome deeds).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different argument. Basically, consciousness in our current life is &lt;em&gt;as changing&lt;/em&gt; as between the lives. So, from this point of view, there is no difference when to suffer (or enjoy) - in the future of &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;next&lt;/em&gt; life. If you don't want to suffer in &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; life why would you cause suffering in the &lt;em&gt;next&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:42:51.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="163" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="165" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:45:33.350" Score="13" ViewCount="1294" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand Buddhists don't technically worship, but pray to the Buddha or meditate (apologies for any mistakes). My question is: do Buddhists have a certain number of times a day to worship/pray/meditate? And is there a certain day/days out of the week they congregate together to worship/pray/meditate?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="148" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T11:30:17.813" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T11:30:17.813" Title="Days of Worship" Tags="|holidays|worship|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="136" CreationDate="2014-06-19T01:49:42.757" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe the desire to adhere to a particular meditation posture is the problem. If someone got it into their head that to meditate properly, one needed to hold a headstand position, then there's sure to be lots of discomfort to get in the way of the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the posture is to reduce bad mental qualities that get in the way of meditation, things like back pain from slumping and not sitting up straight; things like lethargy that comes from lying down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet you need some kind of relaxation to prevent giving the mind food for discursive thought. You can't really meditate while driving because there's too much to be responsible for, not enough room for the mind to calm down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how comfortable do you need to be before you can settle down? Is it a distracting thought or a legitimate injury you're doing to yourself? If your legs hurt when you sit down, then just stretch them out and go back to the breath. Yet if you find there's a constant, never-ending stream of uncomfortable things that you need to keep &quot;fixing&quot;, then that points to a mental discursiveness that you need to stop following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gives ways of dealing with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/y2007/070731%20Distractive%20Thoughts.mp3&quot;&gt;Distractive Thoughts&lt;/a&gt;. If all else fails, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and batter through your mind's urge to &quot;fix&quot; parts of your posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Re: closing the question, I think there are perfectly Buddhist ways to answer a question like this--these are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel021.html&quot;&gt;distractive thoughts&lt;/a&gt;, although one needs to discern the difference between a mere thought and an potential injury which is yours to prevent. I've read stories of people injuring their knees because their teacher told them to keep sitting in tight postures, ignoring their pain.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T01:49:42.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="163" CreationDate="2014-06-19T02:06:03.303" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot;&gt;Uposatha&lt;/a&gt; days, wherein one makes increased effort at following precepts (either being more conscientious of the five precepts or temporarily adopting the eight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I gather that there is often more deliberate meditation or study as well on these days, in addition to precept following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is usual for lay people to go to the local monastery and to spend all day and night there&lt;/strong&gt;. In different monasteries, of course, the way they spend their time will not be the same and much depends on which aspect of the Dhamma is stressed there: study or practice. Where there is more study, they will hear as many as three or four discourses on Dhamma delivered by senior bhikkhus and they will have books to read and perhaps classes on Abhidhamma to attend. But they are quite free to plan their own time with meditation, discussion of Dhamma with the bhikkhus and so on. In a meditation monastery lay people will get less instruction and that will be about the Practice of Dhamma, while most of their time will be spent mindfully employed — walking and seated meditation with some time given to helping the bhikkhus with their daily duties. &lt;strong&gt;So the whole of this day and night (and enthusiastic lay people restrict their sleep) is given over to Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html#uposatha&quot;&gt;Lay Buddhist Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there are other various &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm&quot;&gt;holidays and festivals&lt;/a&gt;. I'm not sure if any of the other holidays involve increased practice or not. Some seem like they would just involve paying respect to the Buddha (Vesak) or monks (Kathina Ceremony).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T02:11:46.900" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T02:11:46.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="166" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="168" CreationDate="2014-06-19T03:44:22.607" Score="7" ViewCount="947" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/137/how-to-help-non-buddhists-understand-a-young-persons-desire-to-be-ordained-as-a&quot;&gt;How to help non-Buddhists understand a young person's desire to be ordained as a monk?&lt;/a&gt;, one of the &quot;selling points&quot; listed was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) Supernatural mental abilities (astral travel, reading minds, remembering past lives, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could someone explain this is more detail? I had thought this was more of a pop culture point rather than what seems to be a core concept.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do such &quot;abilities&quot; actually exist, and if so what is their implication in the practice of Buddhism or proceeding in one's daily life? Do monks or others actively practice them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="57" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T05:29:41.220" Title="What are &quot;Supernatural mental abilities&quot; in relation to Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2014-06-19T04:31:43.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thomas [Aquinas] defined a miracle as &quot;whatever God does outside and beyond the order commonly determined or observed in nature&quot;. Buddhism would agree with this definition except that it would replace the word 'God' with the word 'mind'. The development and purification of the mind through ethical and meditational training can unleash powers not normally apparent which would usually be described as miraculous. The miraculous powers (&lt;em&gt;abhinna iddhi&lt;/em&gt; / &lt;em&gt;siddhi&lt;/em&gt;) often mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures, and sometimes manifested by the Buddha himself, include being able to multiply oneself, fly through the air, hear things over a long distance, read other people's minds, remember one's former lives and know how to destroy the defilements of the mind. Only the last three of these is considered to be important. There is little doubt that the Buddha had a cautious attitude to these and other miraculous powers. He pointed out that they could simply be due to magic or fraud rather than genuine spiritual accomplishments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd63.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Dharma Data: Miracles&quot; at BuddhaNet&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When asked to perform a miracle in order to impress and thereby convert people, he refused saying that &lt;strong&gt;education was the greatest of miracles&lt;/strong&gt;. So from the Buddhist perspective, the ability to perform miracles is not proof of holiness and it need not have a spiritual value although it may be used for the benefit of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_26lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Attitude to Miracles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Miracles of Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt; on Wikipedia&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="67" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T21:10:53.283" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T21:10:53.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2014-06-19T05:57:01.057" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is slightly broad and asks about several different facets.  I'm going to focus on &quot;Do monks or others actively practice them?&quot;  The answer to this is &quot;yes, some do.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a variety of beliefs and practices in a wide array of different Buddhist traditions which could be considered to be &quot;Supernatural&quot; in some way, shape, or form. They could also be considered wholly &quot;natural&quot; depending on your point of view of the mechanics behind what is happening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are practices such as &lt;em&gt;tummo&lt;/em&gt; which have received &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0058244&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;some amount of study&lt;/a&gt; that allow for increasing the core body temperature.  This may or may not count as &quot;supernatural&quot; but it would certainly seem that way to an outside observer with no experience in the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a belief among some practitioners of certain sects that there is a literal &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rainbow body phenomena&lt;/a&gt; wherein the body releases light and, sometimes, shrinks (my source on this is a conversation with a monk, if someone knows of something written down I'd be interested).  It is believed that this can be attained through the practice of &lt;em&gt;dzogchen&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Information on belief in various forms of an &quot;energy body&quot; or &quot;subtle body&quot; are everywhere in various Buddhist traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a practice called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dream yoga&lt;/a&gt; which includes something that could very well be considered &quot;astral travel,&quot; though it is notoriously difficult to take a classification system derived from one system and apply it to another, so whether you count it as &quot;astral,&quot; &quot;illusory,&quot; or &quot;supernatural&quot; or just something related to what others call that may be tricky. These practices certainly have been used historically for divination (as described by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche), among other purposes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't even getting into the phenomena of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;emanations&lt;/a&gt; and other such beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically: There are certainly beliefs and practices, engaged in by both monks and non-monks, that can be interpreted this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="183" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T20:50:12.867" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T20:50:12.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="163" CreationDate="2014-06-19T06:21:30.377" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, in your question, &quot;but pray to the Buddha&quot; is not technically correct, as we cannot &quot;pray&quot; (assuming the meaning of the &quot;pray&quot; as praying to external being ie, god) to Buddha (He is no longer here to listen to the prays). We pay respect to Buddha (, Dhamma and Sanga). However in a way I agree with you that some people actually &quot;pray&quot; to Buddha. I don't think it will result in any benefit, though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, about the questions, according to my understanding and experience: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists have a certain number of times a day to worship/pray/meditate?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The answer is NO&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a certain day/days out of the weak they congregate together to worship/pray/meditate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The answer is Quite NO&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, during the full moon day (in countries like Sri Lanka), we observer &quot;Uposatha sil&quot;. In some cultures, this happens every week accordance with the four phases of the moon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, in practice, when it comes to daily routine, we like to start the day by paying respect to Buddha, Dharma and Sanga and end the day by doing meditation at least for 5-10 minutes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, when it comes to actual meditation, I think you can do it with most of your daily activities. You could do &quot;breath meditation&quot; when you are waiting to the bus, or do some walking meditation, when you are walking to your work etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T01:39:18.703" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T01:39:18.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="170" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-19T06:39:30.873" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T06:39:30.873" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T06:39:30.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="171" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-19T06:39:30.873" Score="0" Body="Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of meditation techniques that aim to develop mindfulness, concentration, supramundane powers, tranquility, and insight." OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorUserId="131" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T22:06:15.123" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T22:06:15.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="172" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="182" CreationDate="2014-06-19T07:41:26.913" Score="14" ViewCount="4699" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article &quot;Arhat&quot;&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, an &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Arhat&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; [...] is a &quot;perfected person&quot; who has attained &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I saw somewhere that one is not allowed to say one is an Arhat. So my question is: how do you identify a person/monk who has achieved Arhatship?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="86" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T21:11:09.403" LastActivityDate="2019-03-29T21:12:14.297" Title="Is it possible to recognize a person who has achieved Arhatship?" Tags="|arhats|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2014-06-19T08:25:26.110" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe I've heard a number of stories (no reference sorry) whereby the person that cooks the rice in the Zen monastery is actually enlightened. I appreciate this is a different tradition from Theravada but it points to a similar thing, maybe. So on that basis one might be tempted to say no, you can't tell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt; openly states that he is an Arhat. So on that basis yes - if they tell you. Which again perhaps doesn't seem helpful - but raises the notion of why an admission of attainments such as these is seen as taboo - in my experience anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a personal note - I saw the Dalai Lama give a talk in Manchester (different tradition again sorry). Initially he came across as fairly unimpressive but myself and several others were completely lit up after the talk. It felt like quite a strange experience - so on that basis I would maybe say that you would definitely be aware of something about that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not a straight forward answer but maybe give you a few thoughts and a reflection. Interested to hear others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T16:49:35.113" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T16:49:35.113" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2014-06-19T08:30:26.790" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The person who became Arhat, he doesn't have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;He also removed &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kleshas&lt;/a&gt; so his existence no longer valid cos there is no &quot;I&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="67" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T08:30:26.790" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="175" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-19T09:15:00.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist tradition, nirvana is described as the extinguishing of the fires that cause suffering. These fires are typically identified as the fires of attachment (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidya). When the fires are extinguished, suffering (dukkha) comes to an end. The cessation of suffering is described as complete peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The state of perfect peace that comes when craving is eliminated is&#xA;  Nibbāna (nirvāṇa), the unconditioned state experienced while alive&#xA;  with the extinguishing of the flames of greed, aversion, and delusion&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Theravada Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;, Nirvana is achieved after a long process of committed application to the path of purification (Pali: Visudhimagga) taught by the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the disciplined way of life he recommended to his students (dhamma-vinaya) is a gradual training extending often over a number of years. To be committed to this path already requires that a seed of wisdom is present in the individual. This wisdom becomes manifest in the experience of awakening (bodhi). Attaining nibbāna (nirvana), in either the current or some future birth, depends on effort, and is not pre-determined. Nirvana is the result of following the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana also plays a role in &lt;strong&gt;Mahayana Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;, but is not regarded to be the final goal, nor to be different from samsara. The tathagatagarbha-literature gives a positive interpretation of Nirvana. A &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bodhisattva&lt;/a&gt; must achieve full liberation as part of the process of achieving Buddhahood as defined by the Mahayana. On the Bodhisattva-paths, the 8th bhumi or 8th ground is equivalent to the Theravada attainment of Arhatship or Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;See also:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:14:20.607" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:14:20.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="176" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-19T09:15:00.440" Score="0" Body="Nirvāṇa (Sanskrit: निर्वाण; Pali: निब्बान nibbāna ; Prakrit: णिव्वाण) literally means &quot;blown out&quot;, as in a candle. In the Buddhist context nirvana refers to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been extinguished." OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T00:25:34.247" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T00:25:34.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-19T09:23:36.727" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I give a shout out for Jack Kornfield's excellent &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Path-Heart-Jack-Kornfield/dp/0712657800&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Path with a Heart&lt;/a&gt;. I think it can be profitably read by a beginner or someone who has been practicing for many years. I've read it a couple of time I have every intention of reading it again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's also good to get into the actual original texts. Bhikkhu Bodhi is very good as said by yuttadhammo and he has an anthology &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddhas words&lt;/a&gt; which might be a bit less daunting than the Middle Length Discourses. Well it will be certainly easier to lift.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't like 'best ofs' or compilations then the Dhammapada is accessible for an actual text. My current favourite is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1586380206&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Eknath Easwaran&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway good luck with your reading&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T09:30:59.923" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T09:30:59.923" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="118" CreationDate="2014-06-19T10:00:00.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Vajrayana practitioner and Guru Yoga is our core practice. It has nothing to do with 'yoga'. It translates as ‘Meditation on the Lama’ (Skt. Guru Yoga, Tib. Lami Naljor) and its goal is to realize the nature of mind through identifying with the Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a profound practice and I am not sure whether it is appropriate to share the details publicly. Normally one should receive explanations in person from a teacher or some experienced practitioner. I can imagine there are many variants of Guru Yoga as there are plenty of lineages and people have connections to various Lamas. The most important is to trust the Lama that he indeed represents perfect qualities which we want to identify with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to practise this meditation, the best would be to find a Buddhist centre from Vajrayana tradition and try to receive the explanations there. Please note that some forms of Guru Yoga can only be practised after completing Ngöndro (preliminary practices) which can take a couple of years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T10:00:00.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="179" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-19T11:15:52.540" Score="13" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;We have a lot of feral foxes in Australia which decimate the local wildlife. Foxes are not native to Australia but where introduced by humans. Local wildlife is not adapted to these predators and are an easy prey for foxes. What is the Buddhist view on killing an invasive alien species destroying the local environmental life cycle? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="159" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T18:17:19.353" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T02:47:41.000" Title="Can environmental degradation be used as a justification for the culling of an invasive alien species?" Tags="|karma|killing|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="180" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="183" CreationDate="2014-06-19T12:06:12.177" Score="7" ViewCount="444" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the Seven Factors of Enlightenment understood to happen as specific phases in a linear progression in one's journey or are they understood to happen in a circular manner with ever deepening understanding? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T16:16:41.593" Title="The Seven Factors of Enlightenment" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2014-06-19T12:15:10.913" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that the most efficient way would be to follow the advice given in the early texts because in my experience the advice given there is morally irreprehensible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I would heed the advice given in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1260&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.8, To Sajjha (Sajjha Sutta)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=417&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 47, The Inquirer (Vīmaṃsaka Sutta)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (For ease of comprehension, I'd change the word &quot;states&quot; for &quot;behaviors&quot; or &quot;conduct&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.192, Traits (Thana Sutta)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Not directly related to an Arahat but the advice is coherent)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bear in mind, that this advice does not guarantee one finds an Arahat but are good indicators. There are more indicators in the texts but these seem to be the most direct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T21:16:46.217" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T21:16:46.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2014-06-19T12:17:08.903" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gave some specific advice about this. In the Canki Sutta (MN 95):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is truth discovered? Here a bhikkhu lives near some village or town. Then a householder or his son goes to him in order to test him in three kinds of ideas, in ideas provocative of greed, of hate, and of delusion, wondering, &quot;Are there in this venerable one any such ideas, whereby his mind being obsessed he might not knowing, say 'I know,' unseeing, say 'I see,' or to get others to do likewise, which would be long for their harm and suffering?&quot; While thus testing him he comes to find that there are no such ideas in him, and he finds that, &quot;The bodily and verbal behavior of that venerable one are not those of one affected by lust or hate or delusion. But the True Idea that this venerable one teaches is profound, hard to see and discover; yet it is the most peaceful and superior of all, out of reach of logical ratiocination, subtle, for the wise to experience; such a True Idea cannot be taught by one affected by lust or hate or delusion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.nymo.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.nymo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Vimamsaka Sutta (MN 47) he even provides means of testing a Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, by the bhikkhu who could examine the thought processes of another the Thus Gone One should be examined on two things. On things cognisable by eye consciousness and ear consciousness. Are defiled things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness evident in the Thus Gone One or are they not? When examining he knows. These defiled things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness (*1) are not evident in the Thus Gone One. Then he should make a further examination: Are mixed things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness evident in the Thus Gone One or are they not? When examining he knows. These mixed things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness (*2) are not evident in the Thus Gone One. Then he should make a further examination: Are pure things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness evident in the Thus Gone One or are they not? When examining he knows. The pure things cognisable by eye and ear consciousness (*3) are evident in the Thus Gone One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/Tipitaka/read.php?id=81&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammaweb.net/Tipitaka/read.php?id=81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, in the Thana Sutta (AN 4.192):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's through living together that a person's virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's through dealing with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's through discussion that a person's discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a story Mahasi Sayadaw told about how when asked by his attendant whether he was enlightened, an arahant himself said, &quot;It's difficult to know whether one is enlightened. Even a monk attending on an arahant wouldn't know it.&quot; Or something like that; it was an oblique means of telling his student that he was enlightened. Can't find the story, sorry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is, it is difficult to tell whether someone else is enlightened. It is much easier to tell whether someone is unenlightened, because if they get angry, greedy or deluded, you can be sure they are not enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T12:17:08.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="180" CreationDate="2014-06-19T12:27:58.623" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to teach them as linear, but it's not really that simple. The Buddha said (SN 46.53) that when the mind is agitated you should cultivate the last three (tranquility, concentration and equanimity), and when the mind is sluggish, the second through fourth(investigation of dhammas, effort and rapture):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;At such times, monks, as the mind is sluggish, that is the wrong time to cultivate the enlightenment-factor[265] of tranquillity, the enlightenment-factor of concentration, the enlightenment-factor of equanimity. What is the reason? A sluggish mind is hard to arouse by these factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, when the mind is agitated, that is the wrong time to cultivate the enlightenment-factors of investigation-of-states, of energy, of rapture. Why? An agitated mind is hard to calm through these factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness, the Buddha notes, is to be always cultivated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But as for mindfulness, monks, I declare that it is always useful.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel318.html#passage-58&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel318.html#passage-58&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T12:27:58.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="184" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="192" CreationDate="2014-06-19T12:39:54.997" Score="8" ViewCount="7472" Body="&lt;p&gt;In two schools of Buddhism, an important part of the practice is the repetition of special mantras which sound like simple expressions of honor or gratitude to those of us outside of the sects, but which have profound meaning to the practitioners. Is it possible to explain the deeper meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (&quot;Homage to the Lotus Sutra&quot;) as Nichiren Buddhists understand it or Namu Amida Butsu (&quot;Homage to Amida Buddha&quot;) as Jodo Shinshu Buddhists understand it or must these thing be understood only through experiencing them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T22:34:37.330" LastActivityDate="2020-03-01T17:35:05.050" Title="What is meant by Namu Amida Butsu and also Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?" Tags="|mahayana|pure-land|nichiren|shin-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="163" CreationDate="2014-06-19T13:15:10.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Speaking from my experience with Western Buddhist communities: There is usually a day (or more) in the week where members of the sangha can meet and meditate together. But that is not a specific day, just when it is convenient for the organisers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user163" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T13:15:10.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="186" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="193" CreationDate="2014-06-19T13:21:36.083" Score="9" ViewCount="846" Body="&lt;p&gt;Avatars are a Hindu concept as far as I know, but I have noticed that many of these religions (from places like India) have similar things in common, whether they be symbols, names, beliefs, or whatever.  My question is, does Buddhism have a concept of avatars? Or reworded, does Buddhism have a concept of avatars that is the same as or similar to the concept of avatars in Hinduism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="148" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T17:50:05.313" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T11:16:09.920" Title="Does Buddhism have a concept of avatars?" Tags="|hinduism|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="140" CreationDate="2014-06-19T13:33:18.640" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Thailand, male novices (called &lt;em&gt;nen&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;samanera&lt;/em&gt;) are a fairly common sight.  Very often they have taken vows only temporarily.  They may do it during the &lt;em&gt;phansa&lt;/em&gt; (rainy season) period, during summer holidays from March to May, or just for a few days in order to make merit when a parent or grandparent has passed away.  The latter motivation is in a sense repayment of a debt owed to family members for being under their care as a young child.  According to Thai wikipedia, novices should be no younger than 8.  A temple website states that they follow only 10 precepts.  A Thai friend of mine told me that one motivation on the part of parents is that since the boys learn the basics of meditation practice, they are more mature and exhibit fewer behavioral problems when they come out.  I recall reading something like this in a biography of one well-known Thai monk – it might have been Buddhadasa bhikkhu.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding language, my friend said that some of the special monastic vocabulary (like &lt;em&gt;chan&lt;/em&gt; for ‘to eat') is used when speaking to novices as well as monks, but that the overall politeness level is less formal (e.g. novices are not addressed as ‘venerable’.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Burma I have seen young girls (&lt;em&gt;samanerī&lt;/em&gt; or the Burmese equivalent) in pinkish robes out on alms rounds, perhaps later in the morning than monks.  You wouldn’t see that in Thailand though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Donald Swearer discusses additional motivations for ordaining as a teenager in his book ‘The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia’ (1995), p. 48:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Thailand one of the principle reasons for being ordained is to acquire an education.  Among poorer families often children cannot afford to attend school.  Ordination as a novice provides for their material needs as well as a basic education.  Indeed, if a boy is bright and highly motivated he may complete secondary school as a novice or monk, graduate from a monastic college, and then earn an advanced degree from a university in another country, such as India.  After teaching in a monastery school for several years or serving as an administrator in a larger provincial monastery he will probably disrobe and take a responsible and respected secular job.  Although such exploitation of the monastic educational structure siphons off able leadership, it has become standard practice and bears little or no social stigma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have known several university teachers who followed this career path - they were all from the relatively poor northeastern region of Thailand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Swearer goes on to suggest that in an earlier era, ordaining at the age of puberty was a kind of rite of passage that all males went though.  Monks in fact lead rather comfortable lives and for a child from a poor family, being a monk would mean raising one’s economic and social status.  Given the traditional link between education and the sangha, it should be no surprise that males ordain at a young age and that this is encouraged by local cultural norms.  In comtemporary Thai society the link has been weakened with the advent of universal secular education, but elsewhere in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos and Burma) it is likely still quite strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastEditorUserId="64" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T14:08:51.213" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T14:08:51.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="188" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="191" CreationDate="2014-06-19T14:32:58.150" Score="12" ViewCount="579" Body="&lt;p&gt;While meditating, one might try to be aware of their surroundings, to be present in the moment. But how can we become aware of it without &lt;em&gt;thinking&lt;/em&gt; that we are aware? &#xA;Another example is when one can &lt;em&gt;listen&lt;/em&gt; to sounds or silence, and even if one is not trying to put &lt;em&gt;stories&lt;/em&gt; behind the sounds, one might find oneself &lt;em&gt;thinking&lt;/em&gt; about the wave of the sound, or its variations, its length, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="167" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:52:24.080" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:52:24.080" Title="How can I know that I am clear of thoughts while I am meditating?" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="188" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:14:54.847" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being aware of ones surroundings during meditation is a passive behaviour, not an active one. My monk friend has instructed me to do so not by &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;trying&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, as you stated. The world that surrounds us is fresh and being in the moment brings us back to a natural state of mindfulness. Again I stress that this is passive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said to me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anything that pops into your mind when you meditate, label it as thinking and quietly let it go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The type of meditation that this was related to was called &lt;em&gt;placing focus on the breath&lt;/em&gt; (not &lt;em&gt;keeping&lt;/em&gt; focus on the breath). I found that placing the focus on the breath eventually lead to a quiet state in which I was aware of my surroundings, truly being in the moment where everything was fresh. I did not think about being aware, I just simply was (here I mean I just simply existed). This was the natural return to a natural state of mindfulness. The only active effort that I had to do was to place my focus on my breath repeatedly and peacefully allow any thinking to depart from my mind. After some time I would start thinking again and repeat the process. This is very beginners level meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize that this may seem paradoxical or difficult to understand.  You may need to experience to fully understand it. I have described what my monk friend instructed me and my experience of it. Yours may be different. I suggest seeking meditation instruction from a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:14:54.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="190" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:18:48.757" Score="6" ViewCount="2735" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of the western religions have evil spirits like devils and demons.  Does the concept or belief in evil spirits occur in Buddhism?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T10:42:46.590" Title="Does the concept of evil spirits occur in Buddhism?" Tags="|evil|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="188" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:19:11.187" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple kinds of mental phenomena, not all of which can be classified as thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First and the crudest kind, are visualizations, cravings, and replays. This is when we mentally leave here and now, and are experiencing what basically is a (short or long) daydream about the subject our mind is concerned or agitated about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second kind are mental chatter. This is when we think in words, silently saying them in our head. If you look carefully you will notice how the muscles of the tongue and lips are slightly engaged as you &quot;pronounce&quot; your inner speeches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third kind is conceptual thinking. This is when we mentally follow a chain of logical relationships between objects or concepts. These are still thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth kind is labeling. This is when we mentally recognize phenomena we experience and identify them with a category or attribute that makes them distinct, given the context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fifth kind is registering. This is when we make a mental note of experience without labeling it to any category. For the purposes of this answer, these are the borderline between thoughts and non-conceptual experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth kind is non-conceptual perception. This is when we experience (see, hear, smell) or feel (a bodily sensation or emotion), without labeling, acknowledging or noting it in any way. Famous technique used by Zen masters to awaken one to this level is to make a sudden noise in the middle of long meditation session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seventh kind is perception of energy. This is when we feel chakras and meridians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eighth kind is samadhi. This can't be described in words and must be experienced to be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we say &quot;my thinking has stopped&quot;, we usually mean levels 1-4, while levels 6-8 can still function. This said, it is not like in meditation our goal is to stop thinking. Rather, it is to open ourselves to levels 6-8. As we get better at this, thinking can go on &quot;in the background&quot; without affecting our meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T11:31:05.717" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T11:31:05.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="184" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:19:30.763" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is from the Shin perspective, I'll let someone else answer for Nichiren. Indeed you're right in saying that there are &quot;two&quot; meanings of Namu-Amida-Butsu - and that for the &lt;em&gt;person of faith&lt;/em&gt;, it has a special meaning. However, in Shin, Namu-Amida-Butsu is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; a mantra. It is understood within an entirely different framework from that of Esoteric mantras. For a person without the mind of faith (jp.: shinjin), &quot;Namu-Amida-Butsu&quot; is an effort of calling to Amida for salvation. As you probably already know, the Original Vow of Amida is that people who will sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to Amida and call upon his Name, they will be saved and will be reborn into the Pure Land. So for a person without shinjin (which means having no doubt whatsoever about Amida's Vow), &quot;Namu-Amida-Butsu&quot; might still be a practice like others in Buddhism, an effort of self-power. For such a person, calling Namu-Amida-Butsu is a willingness to rely on the Other-Power of Amida (on his practice of saving sentient beings). But from the perspective of a person of shinjin, a true person of faith, chanting or reciting &quot;Namu-Amida-Butsu&quot; thinking that &lt;strong&gt;this is what will get you to the Pure Land is still caught within the logic of calculating mind&lt;/strong&gt;, calculating merit (&quot;the more you say it, the more chance you will have to be reborn in the Pure Land&quot;). This mind that &quot;does religious deeds&quot; is the very mind of self-attachment! For a person of shinjin - for Shinran - this logic has to be absolutely abandoned. &quot;Namu-Amida-Butsu&quot; is then understood entirely differently: &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; as something &lt;strong&gt;we do&lt;/strong&gt;, not as &lt;strong&gt;our own practice&lt;/strong&gt;, but as &lt;strong&gt;an embodiment of Amida's practice&lt;/strong&gt;. Another way to put it, once one totally abandons the idea that it's possible to &quot;save yourself&quot; through enough effort, one totally relies on Other-Power and so there is nothing to practice anymore on our part. There's just an absolute passivity of &quot;deep listening to the Dharma&quot;. One realizes that Amida already accomplished &lt;strong&gt;all practices&lt;/strong&gt; so there's nothing to do on our part except to listen to this truth and to rely on it fully. This reliance is true faith, the diamondlike mind, and &quot;Namu-Amida-Butsu&quot; is just the verbal expression thereof. It's the &quot;linguistic embodiment&quot; of our &lt;strong&gt;already-having-been-saved&lt;/strong&gt; by Amida. One is then only a &lt;strong&gt;witness&lt;/strong&gt; of this salvation event, not someone who is practicing to achieve one's own salvation. To practice anything after the salvation-event is to not understand that event. Practising anything after having been saved by Amida would be like looking for a job after you've already won $10 million in the lottery, to give a mundane example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize I didn't do a good job at explaining this here ... it's hard to do it in this format, but I hope that at least it became clear that the Pure Land Way of Master Shinran has nothing to do with Esoteric Buddhism or Mantrayana / the Way of Mantras. It's a wholly different paradigm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="133" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T15:30:05.813" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:30:05.813" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="186" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:34:42.487" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism denies the notion of &quot;self&quot; it does not have a concept of Avatar, as someone literally being a reincarnation of e.g. Ananda (Buddha's favorite student).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism does have a notion of Tulku though, which is similar. Tulku is a new person that &lt;em&gt;inherits&lt;/em&gt; the life stories and responsibilities of a previous person. This is done through teaching this person to deliberately identify with their predecessor, to learn predecessor's history, and to carry on his or her work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the new person's life is so heavily influenced and inspired by the predecessor, we can say that the new person is an embodiment of the abstract energy of the previous one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T15:34:42.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="143" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:43:00.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Robin111, this is a great question and a turning point from &quot;Hinayana&quot;-type-mentality to &quot;Mahayana&quot;-type-mentality (note: I'm not speaking about the &lt;em&gt;schools&lt;/em&gt; Theravada and Mahayana, as both of these two &lt;em&gt;types of mentality&lt;/em&gt; can be found within both Theravada and Mahayana schools).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of transcending one's ego involves continuously reflecting upon one's actions and choices to see if they are biased with ego perspective. As this practice is refined, you may find yourself finding egoistic motives in seemingly egoless choices and vice versa. This is normal and &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt;. Keep going until the end ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T15:14:36.393" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T15:14:36.393" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2014-06-22T15:14:36.393" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="195" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-19T15:45:57.587" Score="11" ViewCount="1041" Body="&lt;p&gt;In recent years in &quot;Western&quot; culture, teachings derived from Buddhist practices have been increasingly common.  These teachings are often of a secular nature and are about compassion, meditation and mindfulness.  However, some of them expressly bring out teachings about dharma, dukha, metta, etc.  Some of these teachers charge significant sums for retreats, which may have dozens or even hundreds of people attend. It's obvious that a lot of money is being made.  While I don't begrudge someone making a living - even a comfortable one - in a few cases, I know that these teachers are living very well: driving expensive cars, living in the most expensive neighborhoods/suburbs of their cities, etc.  Am I misunderstanding something, or does this go against the Buddha's teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: For clarity's sake, let me elaborate on the type of teacher I'm discussing.  I'm NOT referring a monastery charging a fee to cover operating costs for retreats, classes, etc.  What I'm asking about are people who have best selling books, charge $100 for 1 day retreats with 100 people attending, and who have observable significant wealth in that they live in neighborhoods where the houses cost millions of dollars and drive cars that are a hundred thousand dollars or more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-12T07:45:04.523" LastActivityDate="2019-06-11T09:54:40.117" Title="Should Buddhist teachers get rich?" Tags="|ethics|right-livelihood|money|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2014-06-19T16:20:08.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the suttas, samsara has no beginning. There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID:9;NB:1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=beginning%20point%20not%20evident&amp;amp;sa=Search&amp;amp;siteurl=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many references&lt;/a&gt; to this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="172" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T16:20:08.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-06-19T16:35:59.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. I still have the book to this very day, but I still haven't finished reading it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why, because I have been taking my time on it. And it has been years since I first acquired it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to share what I experience by reading the book and so hopefully you could take pieces from here and there and piece them towards your solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, I have not finished reading it, but one thing I do know:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't follow affixed on the words, the physical practices or forms it may mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole practice is supposed to be a guide, words are guides as well as forms may it be bodily, mindfully or expressively, for every of these should be abandoned at the end (beginning) when one is &quot;awoken&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, may I suggest, if it teaches us this way as mentioned, we shall convey it to others likewise. It is not about the type of incense we burn, the body must not have to be perfectly sat down with legs equally crossed, music needn't be of certain type and the most important of all - words and meanings (doctrine) needn't be studied word for word when one is stuck at certain chapter / point. Let it rest, come back to it later. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, all words and wordings are guides and should be abandoned eventually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Buddhism, I often find that the best teaching and learning experience is when one doesn't feel or make others feel &quot;special&quot; or &quot;different&quot; than others during the journey of teaching / learning. If not, ego is therefore proven to still exist and with this as attachment, understanding is still not acquired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T16:35:59.590" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="190" CreationDate="2014-06-19T16:41:38.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Checkout the &quot;States of Deprivation&quot; under the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;Beings there are not necessarily evil. Rather they were born there because of evil deeds. But we do have an evil god called the Mara. He lives in the heaven called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Paranimmita-Vasavatti&quot;&lt;/a&gt; Whoever holds the title 'Mara' is always evil as long as he holds that title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T16:47:50.050" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T16:47:50.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-19T16:43:16.273" Score="30" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to understand this issue, we have to understand morality according to Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism, morality is completely based on the effect that an act has on the mind of the actor. Hence, eating meat need not be karmically negative, yet killing Hitler to &quot;save&quot; others from suffering need be, since it requires defilement to take the life of another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not considered immoral to do something just because it has negative consequences for others, nor does a positive effect for others constitute a sufficient condition for morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for all this is that Buddhist morality is defined by its potential to lead to focus/concentration and eventually wisdom. One eats meat, knowing that the act is harmless, and so one's mind remains calm and the nourishment supports meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reasons behind killing our less evolved brothers and sisters - insects, spiders, foxes, etc., are inconsequential. Even if killing a single mosquito would end all cases of malaria in the world for ever, the (Theravada) Buddhist philosophy would be to abstain from killing the mosquito. Acting to prevent suffering can actually considered to be an unwholesome act, since it generally requires aversion to said suffering. In (Theravada) Buddhism, we act to prevent unwholesomeness, not suffering, since suffering does not lead to suffering, but unwholesomeness always leads to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T16:43:16.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="200" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1266" CreationDate="2014-06-19T16:45:51.737" Score="12" ViewCount="1313" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment (aka craving or greed) is one of the Three Poisons.  Why is attachment to Buddha not a poison?  Perhaps it's related to the Tibetan Buddhist lojong &quot;Don't make gods into demons&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T22:56:20.450" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T21:11:10.457" Title="Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?" Tags="|the-buddha|attachment|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2014-06-19T17:07:06.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is immoral to sell the Dhamma. But meditation retreats might accept donations as it takes money to make the facility available in certain areas. When you say 'teachers', if you are referring to monks, there's nothing in the Vinaya that prevents them from living in expensive suburbs. Rich people need to hear the Dhamma too. Although, I'm not sure if monks are allowed to drive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T17:07:06.287" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2014-06-19T17:12:20.263" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is a definite answer to this question. Bear in mind that Buddha did not give any commandments in form of 'do' and 'do not'. He rather gave guidelines and various methods that are suited for various types of people.&#xA;The fact that one style goes against your preferences, does not mean that someone else cannot benefit from that. To practise Buddhism one should try not to judge others and focus on his own development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be clearly said, however, that generosity is the first Paramita (&lt;em&gt;liberating action&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;perfection&lt;/em&gt;). Through practising the 6 Paramitas, one can break the cycle of samsara and offering goods to the Dharma teacher is though to be a great act of generosity and it creates lots of merit in practitioner's mind. Bearing that in mind, I can think of the following reasons why there is a lot of wealth around some teachers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a teacher has a very generous and rich sponsor who made promises to always provide for his teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a city where the teacher lives is not the safest one and the Sangha (community of practitioners) donated money so that the teacher stays in a safe environment. They also want the teacher to be healthy and have a long life, so they will always cook the best food for him and will call for the best (usually most expensive) doctors.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;expensive cars means that they are reliable and won't break a lot so that the teachers can travel safely to spread the teachings. Same for expensive computers and phones.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it is also an act of generosity to give others opportunity to pay money towards the Buddhist teachings. It is better if people pay hundreds of dollars for the teachings rather than in a casino.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem arises when the teacher abuses generosity of his students but we are not the ones to judge them. If they use Dharma to get rich, be sure there will be some karmic consequences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I am not attracted to teachers who charge a lot for teachings. I trusted a teacher who is low-profile so I can relax and donate as much money as I want and can afford. Other people, however, prefer developing with their teacher in a palace and if it works for them, we can only be happy that the Dharma spreads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T17:12:20.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-19T17:23:52.837" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is insulting the Buddha and the Dhamma, and you become hurt, you are poisoned!  But if you feel neutral (Uppekha) or compassionate (Karuna) towards the person, you are fine! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T22:44:22.337" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T22:44:22.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-19T18:18:52.023" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the Buddha taught that we should not attach ourselves to him or his teachings.  If we find that his teachings don't work, then we should feel free to leave them behind and pursue other paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, there is also the idea that some attachments are better than others.  For example it is probably better for an alcoholic to replace their attachment to alcohol with an attachment to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.  Likewise, it would be better for someone who is attached to suffering or causing suffering in others to replace that with an attachment to the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T18:18:52.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="188" CreationDate="2014-06-19T18:29:43.520" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a way to develop concentration. This would stop the mind from wandering, thinking and developing stories about the objects chosen for the focus of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using mindfulness of breathing as a specific example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus attention on the breath. Eventually the mind will start to wander; at this point the mind can start to create a myriad of thoughts. When this happens recognize it (a moment of mindfulness) and return to the focus to breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can take many hours of practice before getting to a level where recognizing that attention has shifted happens immediately. Eventually after getting to this point it can take many more hours to keep attention from shifting at all. These different levels are called mental abidings, in all, there are 9:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Placement of the mind occurs when the practitioner is able to place his attention on the object of meditation, but is unable to maintain that attention for very long. Distractions, dullness of mind and other hindrances are common.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Continuous attention occurs when the practitioner experiences moments of continuous attention on the object before becoming distracted. According to B Alan Wallace, this is when you can maintain your attention on the meditation object for about a minute.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Repeated attention is when the practitioner's attention is fixed on the object for most of the practice session and she or he is able to immediately realize when she or he has lost his mental hold on the object and is able to restore that attention quickly. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche suggests that being able to maintain attention for 108 breaths is a good benchmark for when we have reached this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Close attention occurs when the practitioner is able to maintain his attention throughout the entire meditation session (an hour or more) without losing their mental hold on the meditation object at all. In this stage the practitioner achieves the power of mindfulness. Nevertheless, this stage still contains subtle forms of excitation and dullness or laxity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tamed attention, by this stage the practitioner achieves deep tranquility of mind, but must be watchful for subtle forms of laxity or dullness, peaceful states of mind which can be confused for calm abiding. By focusing on the future benefits of gaining Shamatha, the practitioner can uplift his mind and become more focused and clear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pacified attention is the stage during which subtle mental dullness or laxity is no longer a great difficulty, but now the practitioner is prone to subtle excitements which arise at the periphery of meditative attention. According to B. Alan Wallace this stage is achieved only after thousands of hours of rigorous training.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fully pacified attention, although the practitioner may still experience of subtle excitement or dullness, they are rare and he can easily recognize and pacify them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Single-pointed attention in this stage the practitioner can reach high levels of concentration with only a slight effort and without being interrupted even by subtle laxity or excitement during the entire meditation session.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attentional Balance, the meditator now effortlessly reaches absorbed concentration and can maintain it for about four hours without any single interruption.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using your example of sounds as the object of focus instead of breath: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus attention on the sound chosen as the object of focus. Eventually the mind will start to wander (what you described as putting stories behind the sounds). Simply realize this is happening and return your focus back to the object itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silence would be more difficult than breath or a certain sound. Breath and usually sounds have subtle flow while silence is static. Subtle flow can help to keep attention focused because it more closely resemble the mind, which has subtle flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple instructions combined with the inability for most practitioners to master them instantly can result in the belief that the instructions were wrong or that they are not complex enough. The process just takes patience and perseverance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-19T23:05:35.507" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T23:05:35.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-06-19T18:47:05.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best and most detailed explanation of &lt;em&gt;paticcasamuppada&lt;/em&gt; I know of is in Buddhagosa's &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;. There is an English translation by Bh. Nanamoli in the book &lt;em&gt;The Path of Purification&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://bps.lk/olib/bp/bp207h.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;free pdf&lt;/a&gt;, look at chapter XVII: Dependent Origination).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:02:59.920" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:02:59.920" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="188" CreationDate="2014-06-19T18:57:33.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The longer my answer, the more it would make you think while mediating, so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine yourself as someone else, who is thinking of you (you as this other person thinking of / imagining what this another person - you - is doing at that moment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way I would like to share: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when you still can't for a period of time, &#xA;let it pass. Try it again next time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's ok.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T18:57:33.137" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-06-19T19:18:55.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing is never justifiable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He cares not to step on an ant while walking, but did once while not paying attention. He walked on and he has learnt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She likes the rose and plucks it and get stung by the thorns. She doesn't afterward try to get a tool to cut it to prevent another cut or step on it as retaliation. She looks, instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;such as mosquitos in places where malaria is common&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;would be the same as someone who cusses at you for no reason, makes you angry, a cause arises in the sense, which in turns justifies your retaliation ad urges you to do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the arising of cause in the sense, it draws a line for you &quot;right&quot; and &quot;wrong&quot;, &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot;, &quot;kind&quot; and &quot;evil&quot;, put your feeling in one of them, urges you to counter the opposite of the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T19:18:55.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-19T19:30:36.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Belief is important in Buddhism. There is good dharma for belief called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;shraddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, and there is bad dharma opposite to belief, which is &lt;em&gt;doubt&lt;/em&gt; in the right teaching, it's called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikicch%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;vicikitsa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people will tell that you don't need to believe in Buddhism in anything. This is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We &lt;strong&gt;can not&lt;/strong&gt; directly know &lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt; or working of &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;, but this knowledge is important basic &lt;em&gt;right view&lt;/em&gt;. We can only uphold this &lt;em&gt;right view&lt;/em&gt; with belief. If we don't uphold this view, this is &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;, and it's unwholesome deed (and cause of other bad deeds) resulting in accumulation of demerit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from gnoseological point of view, &lt;em&gt;belief&lt;/em&gt; is important mental factor in learning. You need to believe teacher to learn, it can not be otherwise. You can not be skeptical (or otherwise dislike given knowledge) to learn in in a good way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Difference with Abrahamic religions is that you should not just rely on single belief as most important thing, you need also to learn and acquire direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T18:21:11.190" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T18:21:11.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="190" CreationDate="2014-06-19T20:24:11.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it were, it would be the same as saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am a Buddhist, you are not, you do the opposite of what I do and &quot;believe in&quot;, hence I am good and you are wrong, hence you are devil.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my humble opinion, it is only about being able to going back to null and &quot;see&quot; things around as they are and those who don't (haven't).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And those who don't (haven't) are not evils, for they haven't understood and therefore they are still bind to pleasures, attachments, ego and the &quot;I&quot; that drive them to perform what they do. They haven't been able to &quot;unshell&quot; themselves from these &quot;qualities&quot; through compassion and dis-attachment of the aforementioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T20:24:11.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-19T21:23:48.747" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a &quot;kayak&quot; (a guide) that takes one from the endless sea of sufferings to find a harbor. What would one do in order to commence and land on the harbor? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leave the kayak - Buddhism - and disembark. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, one is attached to the kayak. Still at sea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sea of sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T21:23:48.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2014-06-19T22:21:34.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the buddhist teaching isn't dogmatic it is not generally forbidden to live such a life. But you are totally right that it goes against the buddhist goal of not clinging to physical wealth. I actually wouldn't trust &quot;teachers&quot; who don't consequently follow their own teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="142" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T22:21:34.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2014-06-19T22:32:15.567" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravadan tradition you need to gain Insight through Vipassana meditation in order to attain Nirvana. That's all! Everytthing else just makes the path to Enlightenment easier or has other benefits like Samatha meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="142" LastActivityDate="2014-06-19T22:32:15.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="215" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-19T22:52:30.330" Score="6" ViewCount="3723" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prior to around the 1st century CE, Buddhist art tended not to depict the Buddha himself, instead preferring to depict relics/symbols of the Buddha, such as his footprints, or the Bodhi tree. That period (the so-called &quot;aniconic&quot; period) yielded works like these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha-Footprint.jpeg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/V3wlUm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;footprint of the Buddha&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MaraAssault.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FgYu8m.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;empty throne of the Buddha&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, after around the 1st century CE, we have depictions of the Buddha in human form from all over the Buddhosphere (so to speak). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What changed around the 1st century CE that led to creators of Buddhist art starting to depict the Buddha in human form? Was this change accompanied by a related change in doctrine or belief, e.g. declaring that it was now permissible to depict the Buddha as a human?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This question is sect-agnostic, as far as I know, since I am not aware of any sect-specific differences in the way art was produced c. the 1st century CE.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T08:18:19.793" Title="Why did physical representations of the Buddha only start to appear a few centuries after his death?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|art|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="216" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="232" CreationDate="2014-06-20T00:35:24.453" Score="33" ViewCount="21484" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a person becomes a stream enterer/Sotapanna, I understand they no longer have the first 3 fetters of belief in a self, doubts about the Buddha, his teachings or the noble sangha, or attachments to rites and rituals. But what's not clear to me is the mechanics of it. Does a person have a glimpse of Nibbana in a moment of true mindfulness and the three fetters drop away? Or does a person work at eradicating the first 3 fetters and if successful have a taste of Nibbana? Or can it happen either way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2021-04-21T18:56:24.873" Title="How does stream entry occur?" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="217" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="245" CreationDate="2014-06-20T00:52:51.487" Score="16" ViewCount="2971" Body="&lt;p&gt;One hears a lot about the benefits of meditation; everything from calming yourself and lowering your blood pressure to working towards purifying your mind and finding freedom from suffering. Even as a newer meditator, I feel a better sense of physical and emotional well being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm interested to know if experienced meditators and teachers know of a down side to meditation either physically or mentally. Does so much time spent in one position lead to physical problems such as circulation problems or back issues or even mental breakdown during intense periods of meditation? And if so, are there things one can do to avoid such issues that might interfere with continued meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T13:02:51.727" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T13:02:51.727" Title="Health Risks of Meditation?" Tags="|well-being|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2014-06-20T00:57:47.207" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I experienced what I would call stream entry without knowing anything about Buddhism other than a typical, ignorant, western perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was meditating and in my minds eye I saw a radiant white pearl with smaller discolored pearls floating around it (in many ways like a solar system). As I began to investigate the discolored pearls, I realized they were my wants and desires. I realized, &quot;these are not me&quot;; they began to fall away until all that was left was the white pearl. In that moment I realized that the &quot;white pearl&quot; is within us all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next I experienced a feeling of death overwhelming me. I knew I was dying; it was the most fear filled experience I have ever had. Then I felt reborn. In that moment I was only a body and a stream of consciousness. After that, all that was left was a feeling of love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can not say from experience but I believe that the same insight could come from persistent determination to remove the three fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To clarify, this can be seen as reverting the 12 link chain, experiencing cessation and then being reborn &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T04:06:14.240" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T04:06:14.240" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-06-20T01:32:02.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that sitting in full lotus can harm areas of the legs. Also that sitting too long can cause blood clots. This is avoidable; walking meditation and even meditating during menial tasks (e.g., washing dishes, showering, painting, etc.) are practical approaches. Eventually a practitioner can meditate during any and all activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a certain sense, mental breakdown, is a beneficial result. I have never heard of a negative mental breakdown from meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T01:32:02.257" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="220" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="222" CreationDate="2014-06-20T02:11:58.477" Score="13" ViewCount="237" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I understand correctly, the Buddha never wrote anything but some Buddhist texts quote him by describing meetings or situations where he was present. Is there a comprehensive list of all scripts where he is directly and textually quoted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="174" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T16:59:16.217" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T16:59:16.217" Title="What are the texts that contain words which can be attributed directly to the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|sutras|texts|canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="215" CreationDate="2014-06-20T06:21:06.343" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that recent scholarship on Buddhism, at least outside the field of art history, has tended to downplay this change.  Donald Lopez has written, in a chapter called “The Idol” in his &lt;em&gt;From Stone to Flesh: A Short History of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (pp.37-8):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Art historians have observed this absence [of early Buddha images] and inferred that the Buddha, or his immediate followers, had forbidden the making or worship of his image.  And they have speculated that the practice of representing the Buddha in human form – which, depending on one’s perspective, might be termed the making of images or the making of idols – had, in fact, been introduced from abroad – from the West, specifically by Greeks in the region of Gandhara (in what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This view that the Buddha prohibited the worship of his form is consistent with the later nineteenth- and early twentieth-century view of the Buddha as a rationalist who never would have condoned idol worship; the practice could have entered his tradition only from abroad as a concession to the masses in the centuries after his passage into nirvana.  We might note as well that a century after this aniconism theory was proposed, &lt;strong&gt;no proscriptions against making images of the Buddha have been located in what scholars would regard as an early Buddhist text, nor have any prescriptions for his representation been found;&lt;/strong&gt; such prescriptions become prevalent in some of the Mahāyana sutras that date from the first centuries of the Common Era.  The so-called aniconism debate has persisted, though[.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the introduction to an edited volume on a related issue, &lt;em&gt;Embodying the Dharma:  Buddhist Relic Veneration in Asia&lt;/em&gt; (pp. 10-11), Kevin Trainor writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some respects, we can see a parallel between the theory that sangha members were explicitly prohibited from participation in the relic cult and the widely accepted hypothesis that there was for centuries a prohibition against representing the body of the Buddha in paintings and images, what is generally called the “aniconic” period in early Buddhism.  Here again &lt;strong&gt;part of the evidence is negative&lt;/strong&gt;:  no images survive from the first several centuries of the Buddhist movement.  This, coupled with early representations that depict the Buddha’s physical presence through symbols such as a royal umbrella or his throne of enlightenment, led to the widely accepted assertion that early Buddhist were prohibited from representing his bodily form out of respect for his nirvanic status.  As with the dubious assertion that early Buddhist monks and nuns were initially prohibited from participating in relic veneration, however, the theory of an aniconic period is &lt;strong&gt;driven more by presumed doctrinal ideals than by compelling material evidence&lt;/strong&gt;.  Indeed, when the centrality of the practice of relic veneration during this period is taken into account, the existence of a prohibition against representing his physical body seems even less likely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The portion of Lopez’s text that I have highlighted suggests that the answer to the second question is no:  the making of images was neither forbidden nor explicitly called for at first.  Trainor (in the highlighted sections) implies that “negative evidence” and assumptions colored by an implicit bias against “superstition” and “idolatry” are a weak foundation for any theory.  Still, it seems to me that that since we don’t have any early images, no definitive refutation of the aniconic view is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Lopez and Trainor cite another study which would be worth consulting:  Klemens Karlsson, &lt;em&gt;Face to Face with the Absent Buddha:  The Formation of Buddhist Aniconic Art&lt;/em&gt; (Uppsala, Sweden:  Uppsala University Library, 1999).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T12:50:13.690" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="220" CreationDate="2014-06-20T07:41:01.620" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon (Pali: Tipitaka) is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It was composed in North India, and preserved orally until it was committed to writing during the Fourth Buddhist Council in Sri Lanka in 29 BCE, approximately four hundred and fifty four years after the death of Gautama Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt; on Wikipedia, also called the Tripiṭaka or Tipitaka, meaning &quot;Three Baskets.&quot; I would recommend these books as a good reference to access original Buddhism. &#xA;Here is an example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mulapariyaya Sutta, Majjima Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; section of the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Ukkattha, in the shade of a royal Sal tree in the Very Blessed Grove. There he addressed the monks, &quot;Monks!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord,&quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;Monks, I will teach you the sequence of the root of all phenomena [or: the root sequence of all phenomena]. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, sir,&quot; they responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an example of how each &quot;Sutta&quot; starts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T00:53:07.473" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T00:53:07.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-06-20T09:56:37.850" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of meditations - &lt;em&gt;calm  abiding&lt;/em&gt; (Tib.: Shine, Skr.: Shamata) and &lt;em&gt;insight&lt;/em&gt; meditation (Tib.: Lhaktong, Skr.: Vipassana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditation of calm abiding directs mind towards one location to calm it and techniques involve focusing on an object (a stone or a Buddha form) or a formless breath. Practitioners learn not to follow one's thoughts and after some training the mind can become undisturbed like a surface of a lake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the mind is calm, one can practice insight meditation which is directed at recognizing the nature of one's mind. In Vajrayana tradition insight meditations involve visualising vivid energy forms of Buddhas, receiving lights from them and melting with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm abiding meditation is suited for everyone. The insight one, however, should not be practised by people who suffer from mental diseases and take psychoactive drugs. As said earlier, to practice insight meditation one should already have a bit of stable mind. One can compare it to the physical workout. If you got injured, first focus on bringing your body back to its stable state before embarking on a strenuous preparations for a marathon. If you disregard your injury, the marathon preparations will damage your body further and even seemingly simple actions like walking will become difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there is no hard rule, by psychoactive drugs I mean prescribed medications used in psychiatric treatments. I've heard of a person with some anxiety disorder who tried to visualise a vivid Buddha form and receive lights from it. It was too intense and fearful experience for him as there was too much sudden stimulation. Clearly it was harmful for him and probably now he has rather negative connotations about Buddha. Recreational use of some psychoactive substances is also usually frowned upon. Insight meditation is a profound practise and best if learned from a teacher or some experienced practitioner. One should always have a chance to discuss the details and openly ask the teacher whether a given meditation is suited to his/her condition. On the internet or books one can find general guidelines, but the most important one - individual advice, is always received in person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the physical health, the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;prostrations&lt;/a&gt; can cause some damage if done improperly or in too many numbers per day. Again, if one already has knee of back problems, it is probably better not to them at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T09:16:16.200" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T09:16:16.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2014-06-20T12:03:11.410" Score="35" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stream-entry is very simple, there is nothing supernatural about it. Stream-entry is when the practitioner has fully understood the vision &lt;em&gt;behind&lt;/em&gt; Buddha's teaching, has fully assembled the puzzle, and now has no doubts about what Buddha &lt;em&gt;meant&lt;/em&gt; when he said certain things or &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; he said them. Having a clear vision of what Buddha was &lt;em&gt;referring to&lt;/em&gt; includes clearly seeing the reality &lt;em&gt;behind&lt;/em&gt; Three Marks of Existence and the actual mechanism &lt;em&gt;behind&lt;/em&gt; the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because most of us are so dominated by our preconceptions about the world, and about Buddha-Dharma, stream-entry is difficult or virtually impossible to attain from mere theoretical study of sutras, or from one super-successful meditation session, when one gets a &quot;glimpse of Nirvana&quot;. Instead, stream-entry requires an effort consistently applied over a long period of time, targeted at putting Sat-Dharma to practice in day-to-day life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason it's called &quot;stream&quot;-entry, is not because one enters some magical stream, but because one finally sets foot on the &lt;em&gt;unquestionably right&lt;/em&gt; road towards Nirvana, having really understood the whole thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, what he subsequently called stream-entry (attaining a clear understanding of Three Marks of Existence and Four Noble Truths -- and therefore cutting all doubts) was attained by Buddha at time of his Bodhi, but because he had already liberated his mind from most of the other asavas by then, he effectively achieved full Nirvana at once. But in case of Buddha's students (and ourselves), because we do have the advantage of teaching available to us, we can assemble the puzzle while still having residual mental/emotional obscurations. Hence the need to have a separate name for this stage, distinct from &quot;bodhi&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how exactly stream-entry occurs. It occurs through exhausting samsara. In order to exhaust samsara you must exhaust ego. In order to exhaust ego you must explore all corners where Enlightenment might hide, until you know you couldn't have possibly missed it. Then it finds you :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T01:24:03.563" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T01:24:03.563" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="190" CreationDate="2014-06-20T12:45:28.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In mainland Southeast Asia, indigenous spirits have been incorporated to a greater or lesser degree into Buddhist belief systems.  I believe this is known as &lt;em&gt;syncretism.&lt;/em&gt;  In Burma these spirits are called &lt;em&gt;nats&lt;/em&gt;, in Thailand &lt;em&gt;phǐ.&lt;/em&gt;  Thai &lt;em&gt;phǐ&lt;/em&gt; can be benign, like house spirits, or they can be malevolent “ghosts”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can see a variety of Thai ghosts in this TV ad for light bulbs (the slogan is “in the bright light, no one is afraid”).  The family is having a picnic within the grounds of a temple (an odd thing to do), and the father tells his son the name of each ghost.  The huge emaciated type, which is called a &lt;em&gt;preta&lt;/em&gt; or hungry ghost, you might say is more “Buddhist” than the others because it often appears in depictions of Buddhist hells.  The &lt;em&gt;preta’s&lt;/em&gt; mouth is just a tiny hole, so it can’t eat properly, which might be punishment for greed in a former life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmb0rtCdwog&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thai light bulb ad&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T12:45:28.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="226" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="231" CreationDate="2014-06-20T13:51:29.957" Score="21" ViewCount="4203" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fairly regularly people ask me to pray for them or their family members. In my understanding, Buddhist don't generally pray for things to be different than what they are. But it never seems appropriate to mention this to a person who might be upset so I just say &quot;of course&quot; and leave it at that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the truth is, outside of metta for everyone, I don't pray for such things as my neighbor's uncle's knee replacement operation or for my co-worker's daughter to advance in the state championship for soccer. So I'm lying to someone and that's uncomfortable and not a good mind state to be in.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, is my understanding that Buddhist don't generally pray for things to be other than what they are wrong view? And if not, what might be a better way to handle prayer requests?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2020-12-25T10:09:01.957" Title="How should Buddhists handle prayer requests?" Tags="|karma|five-precepts|wrongview|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="227" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="233" CreationDate="2014-06-20T14:33:40.157" Score="7" ViewCount="4033" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/140/can-someone-explain-about-children-monks/156#156&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, user yuttadhammo described that monks are only permitted two meals per day during the morning hours, from dawn to noon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What type of Buddhist monks are permitted only two meals per deal? Why are theseBuddhist monks only permitted two meals a day in this time period?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T02:57:57.390" Title="What type of Buddhist monks are only allowed to eat two meals per day and why?" Tags="|monk|food|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="226" CreationDate="2014-06-20T14:59:42.470" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism one takes a Bodhisattva Vow which in essence means that one practises in order to liberate all the sentient beings as their well-being is more important than one's own. Thus, if asked for help, those who took the vow will try to offer some sort of help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I took the vow and renew it at least once a year. When people ask me for prayers, I reply that I will make lots of &lt;em&gt;good wishes&lt;/em&gt; for them and that I will keep them in my heart while meditating or repeating mantras. I never make detailed wishes though. Most people, including myself, have no idea what is good to them so I just wish that the &lt;em&gt;best possible&lt;/em&gt; will happen to people so they can reach lasting happiness. Sometimes the best for their development is passing an exam, sometimes it is actually failing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that way, I do not have to lie, I do make wishes for individual people (along with my everyday wishes that &lt;em&gt;all the sentient beings&lt;/em&gt; reach enlightenment) and people feel a relief that someone cares about them. And after some time one of my friend stopped using a word 'prayer' and now asks me for good wishes:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T14:59:42.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="227" CreationDate="2014-06-20T15:27:59.950" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, in Pali Canon, Buddha suggests to his students to only eat &lt;em&gt;one time&lt;/em&gt; a day, before noon. Among the reasons he provided, the three I remember are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because eating required begging, not eating in the evening meant not begging at dark, which could be both dangerous for the beggar and, more importantly, scare the householders by generating all kinds of ambiguous situations (that could be interpreted as intention to steal, or rape, etc.) resulting in bad reputation for the sangha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Apparently, some students were begging too much and then hid their food in holes they dug in the ground. This was promoting anti-sanitary conditions and cases of monks stealing each other's food. Eating once a day reduced the need to store food.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not eating too much, especially in the evening, supposedly helped the students feel better both mentally and physically.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After Buddha's death, many of these rules, originally meant for the wondering mendicants, were carried over to monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T17:46:52.770" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T17:46:52.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="227" CreationDate="2014-06-20T15:57:22.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The legend goes in such a way that Siddartha came from a position of abundance and instant gratification, then stopped eating altogether, until he nearly starved and was offered food. Realizing that neither way released him from suffering, he started the &quot;middle way&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So food restriction is a form of the middle way: enough to survive, but not so much that it would cultivate gluttony. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="7" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T17:18:28.893" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T17:18:28.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="226" CreationDate="2014-06-20T16:13:44.103" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a great question, certainly understandable. I don't think it's right to say that prayer as an activity goes against the Buddha's teaching; certainly prayer that stems from desire is unwholesome, but prayer that stems from kindness and purity of mind, in the sense of being an expression of one's attitude towards all beings, as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sukhino vā khemino hontu sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā &amp;quot;May all beings be happy and secure, with a heart full of happiness!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Karaniya Metta Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is proper, since it leads to tranquility of mind and an outlook based on purity of intention. The problem is only when prayer is based on a sense of need for things to be other than what they are, rather than an outlook that informs one's life (i.e. acting, speaking and thinking for benefit rather than harm)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another &amp;quot;wrong&amp;quot; regarding prayer, according to Buddhism, would be the localization of the prayer as depending on an external entity (i.e. God). Obviously if by prayer one means the beseeching of an external entity to intervene, that is likely based on both desire and wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in brief, when someone asks you to pray for them or someone else, by all means, say you will if you want; just be clear that to a Buddhist, prayer is simply an expression of &amp;quot;May so and so be happy and well.&amp;quot; That's all anyone wants, is for people to be thinking kindly of them, and it is certainly a means of cultivating harmony and peace, both internally and externally. Just don't succumb to desire for change or expectation of outside intervention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T16:13:44.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2014-06-20T16:48:37.030" Score="33" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a person have a glimpse of Nibbana in a moment of true mindfulness and the three fetters drop away?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, this is the correct explanation. The path of purification is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The meditator undertakes the practice of morality, specifically guarding the mind from unwholesomeness (sīlavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Guarding the mind, the meditator cultivates focus, gaining clarity of mind based on the objects of experience (cittavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having a clear mind, the meditator cultivates an understanding of the nature of experience as composed of impersonal physical and mental constituents (diṭṭhivisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Observing the physical and mental phenomena, the meditator cultivates an understanding of the causal interactions between the physical and mental phenomena (kaṅkhāvitaraṇavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Through the understanding of positive and negative causal relationships, the meditator cultivates an understanding of what is an what is not the path (maggāmaggañāṅadassanavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Through an understanding of the path, the meditator cultivates the right path (paṭipadāñāṅadassanavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Through cultivating the right path, one attains knowledge and vision of the noble path and fruition (ñāṅadassanavisuddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sotāpanna occurs upon attainment of the seventh stage. The right path (#6) is the gradual understanding that all formations are impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Once this realization becomes all-encompassing, the meditator attains an absolute certainty of one or another of the three characteristics and this leads to a release based either on knowledge of signlessness (based on impermanence - that there is no telling what will happen in advance), desirelessness (based on suffering - that there is no benefit to clinging to any formation), or emptiness (based on non-self - that all formations are void of self and there is no relationship of ownership or control in regards to all formations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This release leads to an experience of cessation, where there is no arising of sense experience (including mental sense experience). This is the realization of nibbāna, and this is what leads to the eradication of the first three fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view is eradicated because one can never believe that anything could be permanent, satisfying or controllable, having seen them all cease without remainder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attachment to wrong practice is eradicated because one can never be confused about the practice that leads to nibbāna after seeing nibbāna for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Doubt about the Buddha, Dhamma or Sangha can never arise, because one knows what the Buddha taught to be true with complete certainty, and the results that one attains having followed said teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some source quotes from the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, while every sign and occurrence appears to him as an&#xA;impediment,when conformity knowledge’s repetition has ended,&#xA;change-of-lineage knowledge arises in him, which takes as its object&#xA;the signless, non- occurrence, non-formation, cessation,&#xA;Nibbāna,—which knowledge passes out of the lineage, the category, the&#xA;plane, of the ordinary man and enters the lineage, the category, the&#xA;plane, of the Noble Ones,—which, being the first adverting, the first&#xA;concern, the first reaction, to Nibbāna as object, fulfils the state&#xA;of a condition for the path in six ways, as proximity, [673]&#xA;contiguity, repetition, decisive-support, absence, and disappearance&#xA;conditions,—which is the culminating peak of insight,—which is&#xA;irrevocable&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The abandoning of the states beginning with the fetters by the&#xA;noblepath knowledge in such a way that they never occur again, like a&#xA;tree struck by a thunderbolt, is called abandoning by cutting off.&#xA;With reference to this it is said: “Abandoning by cutting off comes&#xA;about in one who develops the supramundane path that leads to the&#xA;destruction [of defilements]” (Paṭis I 27).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Both from Nyanamoli's translation of Vism XXII)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T11:03:40.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="227" CreationDate="2014-06-20T17:03:34.177" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those monks who follow the pātimokkha (Sk. Prātimokṣa), either Mahayana or Theravada, keep this rule (or, in certain cases, a rule to eat only one meal per day). The rule is simply:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;37. Should any bhikkhu chew or consume staple or non-staple food at the wrong time, it is to be confessed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wrong time is generally understood to mean outside of the morning hours between dawn and noon. So, technically, one could eat ten meals during this time if one so desired. The Buddha himself enjoined a single meal, as stated in the Bhaddāli Sutta (MN 65):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I eat at a single session. By so doing, I am free from illness and affliction, and I enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, bhikkhus, eat at a single session. By so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Bodhi, trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, the monks were concerned about eating rice soup in the morning, thinking (I assume) that it would be considered a second meal. The Buddha enjoined them to partake of it, citing physical benefits (can't find the source right now, will try to add it later). So, it is generally understood that one should eat a single meal before noon, but may partake of something light at first light of dawn as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many monks these days stretch or even break these rules, drinking milk, soya milk, etc. or even eating in the evening, but those who follow the rules, in both Mahayana and Theravada, will generally stick to one or two meals per day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eating once per day is actually specified as an optional (dhutanga) practice, meaning one would forgo even rice soup in the morning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T02:57:57.390" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T02:57:57.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="226" CreationDate="2014-06-20T17:54:09.170" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apart from doing Metta, Buddhists have a practice called 'Saccakiriya'. It basically uses the power of true speech. But it has to be something strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never lied in my life! If that is true, may XYZ happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never stolen in my life! If that is true, may XYZ happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never killed in my life! If that is true, may XYZ happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Buddha instructed Venerable Angulimala to invoke his Saccakiriya to help a pregnant lady.&#xA;This is what he said: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection.html#app1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Since I was born of Aryan birth, O sister, I am not aware of having intentionally deprived any living being of his life. By this asseveration of Truth may you be well! May thy unborn child be well!&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also chant the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and wish someone well.&#xA;Or you can venerate the Bodhi tree and wish someone well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T18:11:23.663" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T18:11:23.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="190" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:09:13.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Buddhism has evil spirits :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Canon, in Jatakas, and in Tibetan Buddhism poems (for example &quot;100,000 songs of Milarepa&quot;) there are numerous references to spirits and demons, both good and evil. Many of them are metaphorical depictions of various psychological forces taking possession of a person (e.g. Mara, the spirit of doubt and confusion, that famously challenged Buddha by suggesting he wasn't really enlightened). Others are personifications of the &quot;spirit&quot; (energy, mood) of a certain place (e.g. a haunted forest). There are also Rakshas, (former) people so completely possessed by evil forces that they are no longer considered &lt;em&gt;people&lt;/em&gt;, e.g. the jungle cannibals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From modern perspective, the concept of demon is not necessarily a superstition, but more like a poetic way to talk about real phenomena taking place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T05:38:28.063" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T05:38:28.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="236" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="248" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:33:58.737" Score="7" ViewCount="1783" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a number of Buddhist traditions, each with different teachings and practices. What are the daily practices lay people normally live by? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For instance, living by five or eight precepts, in the Theravada tradition, or just daily meditation practice.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do the different Buddhist traditions compare, in terms of daily practices? What is common among different traditions, and what varies?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Revised question&lt;/strong&gt; Since many people ask about choosing a tradition on Buddhism.SE, the purpose of this question is to gain clarity about the differences (and similarities) between the traditions. There appears to be a clinging to the known tradition(s) among many, and rejection of other traditions (as &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;bad&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a few examples. I am looking for some more insightful comments from those experienced with more than one tradition, since these are merely what Google provided:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Kantipalo&lt;/a&gt; (1995) from the Theravada tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivation of calm and insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice giving (dana) according to their faith.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make an effort to keep the precepts (sila) pure.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop the mind in meditation (bhavana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Undertake the five precepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=221&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;: (source offline when writing this, &lt;a href=&quot;http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3awww.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=221&amp;amp;oq=cache%3awww.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=221&amp;amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i58.1726j0j4&amp;amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;amp;es_sm=93&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cached&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking refuge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prostrations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mandala offerings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vajrasattva mantras&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samaya vajra&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dorje Khadro (burning offering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Water bowl offerings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Guru Yoga&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Making tsa-tsas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Thubthen Chodron &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thubtenchodron.org/DailyLifeDharma/practicing_buddhism_in_daily_life.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;highlights&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Affirmations upon waking up&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morning meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivation of mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SGI members are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/buddhism/sgis-buddhist-practice/daily-practice.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;encouraged&lt;/a&gt; to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Believe in the teachings of Nichiren&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as well as to explain Nichiren's teachings to others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Study and understand the Buddhist teachings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Found this about Zen practice on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zenki.com/index.php?lang=en&amp;amp;page=Masunaga01#Daily_life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;zenki.com&lt;/a&gt; (unsure of the authority, since I'm unfamiliar with Zen)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:12:15.870" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:12:15.870" Title="What practices are included in (daily lay) life for a Buddhist?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|traditions|daily-life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2014-06-24T00:36:02.327" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:34:40.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, supernatural abilities are metaphors for various mental/psychological skills. This seems to accord well with Chogyam Trungpa's interpretation of Six Worlds as psychological states, and his other teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading minds is a metaphor for a highly refined ability to read person's hidden intentions/judgements from context, background info, and non-verbal queues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remembering past lives is a metaphor for clearly understanding the patterns of behavior that carry on from generation to generation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So-called Heavenly Eye is a metaphor for being able to see things objectively, without a personal bias.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ancients were rather rational people, but they had their way of talking about things, which may look weird to a modern person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T16:20:49.420" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T16:20:49.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="215" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:40:21.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;During King Kanishka's period ( 78 AD to 151 AD),  images of the Buddha made based on 32 physical signs. This is regarded as one of the first place where human form of Buddha appeared in art.&#xA;Source {&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanishka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanishka&lt;/a&gt;}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T18:40:21.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="220" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:48:28.537" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within Buddhism there is the notion of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt; which is the word of the Buddha i.e. those world traditionally attributed to the Buddha. A lot of the Pali Canon does start with an attributation directly from the Buddha e.g. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; sutra begins&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is what I heard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, the Buddha&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; was living near the town of Rajagaha&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  at a spot in the Bamboo Grove called the Squirrel's Feeding Place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But some other parts of the Pali canon doesn't read like that. The Dhammapada which is a good candidate for the original word of the Buddha in a historic sense doesn't read like that at all e.g. from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Twin Verses&lt;/a&gt; section at the beginning (brilliant incidentally) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all&#xA;  mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And other later words do start with a direct attribution to the Buddha but one would need to be very willing to accept the supernatural aspect of Buddhism if you were to believe that these represent actual historical events e.g. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; begins&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is what I heard. At one time the Buddha was in.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a lot of texts are attributed to the Buddha in a religious sense (the White Lotus sutra) but aren't actually good candidates for the historic word of the Buddha. Historically the Pali Canon is the best bet for that (like senshin says) but the word of the Buddha can be given a looser interpretation - or if you like a more devotional aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="198" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T20:50:10.110" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T20:50:10.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="151" CreationDate="2014-06-20T18:49:53.823" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this context &quot;advert&quot; would mean to recall a cue that produces the desired effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in second jhana, to produce rapture and happiness without the use of applied/sustained thought, one may turn attention to the muscles of the face, temples, neck, shoulders, diaphragm, chest -- and recall the sensations they experience when feeling happy and joyful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In first jhana, it would be recalling a particular idea (e.g. the happy fact that one is now separated from unskillful mental qualities due to having realized the Path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. I would not take &quot;after emerging&quot; literally. &quot;After emerging&quot; aka &quot;post-meditation&quot; generally means one's day-to-day practice outside of formal meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-21T13:24:33.017" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T13:24:33.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="226" CreationDate="2014-06-20T19:09:02.747" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's say there are two ways of dealing with this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your friend says: &quot;Please, pray for me... I hope everything will be OK.&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say: &quot;Such a poor person... I hope and I pray that he will make it through and ...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has nothing to do with the physical and ceremonial praying part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It stems from Compassion and Kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of which cases as mentioned above, your Compassion would reflect your action, not just towards the person who, before your eyes, is in need, poor, and in unfortunate situation, who you &quot;directly&quot; help (pray for).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't mean you would heal him or solve his problem at an instance (i.e. you become a doctor and heal him).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, it goes further than that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your Compassion would be reflected in every little action that you have towards those in need, even if they may be trivial - it may be as simple as a smile; sharing your meal and bringing it to the neighbor, whose immobility affects his ability to cook / buy food; taking a little time even after a long day at work to speak with someone who is sick but has no-one to talk to but you take a little time even after a long day at work to speak with him; etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Along the journey, one might learn something from it as well and acquire more Compassion; a funny example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You decide to go do some errand for this poor neighbor of yours, who is immobile due to sickness. At this supermarket, you happen to see some people standing outside of it, talking loudly and bothering passersby with their words. You are infuriated, and as strong as you are you could physically harm these &quot;bad&quot; guys with your might and teach them a lesson. But you didn't. Why? If it suddenly occurs to you that harming these people would put them in a situation just like your poor neighbor, your Compassion channels through, namely more than just caring for the neighbor - your Compassion becomes vast and endless and unbiased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through these actions, you part gradually from the &quot;self&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is your problem, why me praying for you, for your karma?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Hey, I will try my best, but you gonna do your part&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the above reactions are no longer present in your mind as you help, your Compassion has arisen purely and it is no longer about &quot;I&quot; and &quot;you&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the experiences of helping others though Compassion, one may learn as well - one would learn how to observe unbiasedly over time, and because of this, one's help to others would become selfless and truly beneficial to those in need. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not just because &quot;I feel great and better as a person, because I help.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because if we do, it would be about our ego. The help to others would be about us, ourselves.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T21:05:59.160" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T21:05:59.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="226" CreationDate="2014-06-20T19:37:54.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe in talking with people in the vocabulary that they understand and what we do in metta meditation is like prayer, so I would say, &quot;Of course, I will meditate for you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in my compassion meditation I would include them in the appropriate circle in my compassion meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May you be happy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be healthy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be safe&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you live with ease  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for the circles of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;myself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;people I have positive feelings about&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;people I have neutral feelings about&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;people I have negative feelings about&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;everybody&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorDisplayName="user50" LastEditDate="2014-06-20T22:28:57.570" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T22:28:57.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="244" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10976" CreationDate="2014-06-20T19:52:18.023" Score="6" ViewCount="343" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Abhidhamma Pitaka there are four Ultimate Realities (paramattha dhammaa) mentioned, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Citta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cetasika&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rupa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nibbana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any variations in these realities in other traditions of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T15:09:18.093" Title="Differences of Ultimate Realities in different traditions" Tags="|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-06-20T20:01:45.960" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a physical problem: &lt;strong&gt;Knee injury from sitting postures without requisite hip flexibility&lt;/strong&gt;. This applies to almost any floor-sitting posture, depending on the meditator's hip flexibility. This is based on my own experience injuring my knees in sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knee injury occurs when insufficient hip flexibility causes the knee joint to rotate laterally. Lateral, in anatomical terms, means away from the body in a left/right direction.&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dAvlW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Medial and lateral rotation&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The knee is a very simple joint mechanically, and is only designed to flex and extend. It is damaged by rotating medially/laterally. The lateral rotation required for sitting postures should come from the hip.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4m3rH.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full lotus position (each foot on top of opposite thigh) and half lotus position (one foot on top of opposite thigh) are the most dangerous positions for this case since they cause a lot of lateral rotation in the knees, if there is not sufficient hip flexibility. Burmese position (one foot in front of opposite shin) is much less dangerous, but might still injure a person with tight hip ligaments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the key is that we need flexible hips if we want to sit on the floor easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although full lotus and half lotus position are discussed more in Yoga, and not in the context of Buddhist meditation, I feel this advice still applies since I injured my knees by sitting in half lotus. Now I protect my knees by avoiding lateral rotation, keeping my hips flexible, and only using Burmese position for sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video by KinoYoga shows how to prepare for lotus position safely, and can help to clarify by providing visual instruction.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdVHk5C0L8U&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdVHk5C0L8U&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this page has many stretches I have found useful to loosen the hip for safer sitting:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be well and take care of your knees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T19:04:02.327" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T19:04:02.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="236" CreationDate="2014-06-20T20:03:07.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is the five precepts on normal days and 8 precepts on Poya days. Apart from that, do meditation and good deeds whenever there's an opportunity. Or simply come up with plans to avail opportunities to do good deeds. Just like how we normally plan or devise ways to gain sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T20:03:07.893" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="247" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-20T20:08:20.620" Score="6" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually,  the word enlightenment is not directly understandable; a newcomer might understand incorrectly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Visuddhimagga (Path to Purification, p. 6), Nibbana is illustrated as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Herein,  purification should be understood as Nibbana, which being&#xA;  devoid of all stains, is utterly pure.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On page seven it is further explained as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Formations are all impermanent: When he sees thus with understanding&#xA;  And turns away from what is ill, That is the path to purity&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are enlightenment and Nibbana the same?  If so, does enlightenment mean achieving purity? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T01:07:00.750" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:35:18.687" Title="Does enlightenment mean achieving purity?" Tags="|enlightenment|nirvana|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="236" CreationDate="2014-06-20T20:45:37.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/threefold-way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;threefold path&lt;/a&gt; is quite a useful model. So&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ethics - some form of ethical practice. Typically deriving from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation - i think that most practictioners would have a (semi) regular meditation practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom - some continuing engagement with the Dharma whether self -study, study group or just an appreciation of the 4 noble truths and eightfold path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically membership of some kind of sangha. Maybe contraversial but without this I think it is difficult to maintain a practice. The other things would then flow from this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T20:45:37.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="163" CreationDate="2014-06-20T21:28:16.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/triratna/parinirvana-2013&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parinirvana&lt;/a&gt; day is celebrated in my Sangha (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) and I believe some East Asian Buddhist communities. It's the full moon that is nearest to the time of the Buddha's death or parinirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tradition goes that the Buddha attained enlightenment or nirvana when he was a youngish man (around thirty). He elected to continue as part of the world spreading the Dharma for another 50 years only achieving final release on his death - his parinirvana. I find this very evocative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway for us it's an opportunity to re-engage and deepen our practice. To really get stuck in - with the other members of the community&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T21:28:16.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-06-20T21:44:15.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that even Shamata meditation can be counterproductive in certain phases of mental illness (i am not any kind of health professional though)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance meditation is now regarded as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/feb/26/mindfulness-meditation-depression-nhs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beneficial for depression&lt;/a&gt;. However in the acute phases of depression it might not be as effective or even counterproductive. To quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wildmind website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As one experienced meditator said, “Meditation while clinically&#xA;  depressed can result in intensification of feelings of despondency,&#xA;  hopelessness, and negativity generally. The metta practice is&#xA;  theoretically a good thing, but in practice it can be a nightmare if&#xA;  all you feel is self-hatred!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would always be tempted to learn under a teacher rather than be tempted to go it alone. Any kind of specific health issues (mental or otherwise) can be discussed with them. Just to be on the cautious side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T21:44:15.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="244" CreationDate="2014-06-20T22:32:40.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are those traditions that disregard pursuing an &amp;quot;ultimate reality.&amp;quot; In &lt;a href=&quot;http://theravad.in/tools-of-perception&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tools of Perception&lt;/a&gt; (and &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammatalks.org/Archive/y2009/090615%20Tools%20of%20Perception.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mp3&lt;/a&gt;), Thanissaro says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a point where the perceptions have done their work and you put them aside. That's the correct use of all the different ideas and concepts that we pick up from the study of the dhamma. &lt;strong&gt;The incorrect use is to say there is an ultimate view of reality and there are conventional views of reality and what we're trying to do is get the ultimate view which describes things as they really are&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so you latch on to those ideas: okay, this is ultimate reality and you hold on to it as if you could hold reality in words. But &lt;strong&gt;if you hold on to it with words, what are you doing with it&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His point being that even if you found an &amp;quot;ultimate&amp;quot; reality, what use is it compared to what your actions are? What use is having a mental description of something when the mind has not gone beyond suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we're not trying to get to an ultimate description of reality, we're trying to get to an end of suffering--two very different things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T21:56:37.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="143" CreationDate="2014-06-20T23:02:35.747" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; no benefit to accrue to anyone except personal actions that lead to the ending of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone killing a pest doesn't &quot;benefit&quot; you, it gives you some short-term sensual pleasure--the pleasure of being outside and feeling a cool breeze without a determined gnat landing on your face. Or the pleasure of eating food/drink without having to pay for it. But these are certainly not permanent pleasures, nor ultimately fulfilling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of worrying about who did what action and what pleasure resulted, try thinking about why you think superficial pleasures like these are beneficial? So long as a mind thinks these are good things worth pursuing, it will pursue them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for the comment underneath you, also about killing insects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I felt awful because I'd inadvertently caused hundreds of deaths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something to think about: if you can't accept the death of an ant, how will you deal with your own death, when it comes? Think about the hatred or egotism that causes a person to kill ants and how it should be abandoned, don't think about how awful death is and how it should be avoided. Nothing anywhere is avoiding death and it's happening on a much grander scale in nature than it is with cans of Raid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-20T23:02:35.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="253" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1256" CreationDate="2014-06-21T00:12:04.530" Score="6" ViewCount="1769" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe I understand the basics of karma as the effects of our intentions and actions (good &amp;amp; evil) which will play some role in this and future lives. But how does merit making affect karma? If a person has done something evil in the past can making merit improve one's karma? Is merit gained even for insincere actions such as when people do something good but are motivated by gaining reputation or status? Or is merit not a real thing but just a concept which functions to encourage people to do more good deeds so they'll have less time or inclination to do bad deeds? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-03T17:33:27.047" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T18:07:12.580" Title="How does making merit affect karma?" Tags="|karma|merit|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="253" CreationDate="2014-06-21T01:23:30.343" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is action which produces results, which could be called &quot;merit.&quot; It's like seeds planted in a field, no one knows for sure when they will ripen, but if they were planted, they will ripen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as when seeds are not broken, not rotten, not damaged by wind &amp;amp; heat, capable of sprouting, well-buried, planted in well-prepared soil, and the rain-god would offer good streams of rain.&#xA;  Those seeds would thus come to growth, increase, &amp;amp; abundance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the same way, &lt;strong&gt;any action performed with greed ... performed with aversion ... performed with delusion — born of delusion, caused by delusion, originating from delusion: wherever one's selfhood turns up, there that action will ripen&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  Where that action ripens, there one will experience its fruit, either in this very life that has arisen or further along in the sequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.033.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.33&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insincere actions are those performed with greed or delusion. There's no &quot;tricking&quot; kamma; if you do a greedy action, the consequences are automatic, like how a person can't indulge in sensual pleasures without also becoming accustomed and attached to them in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If evil has been done in the past, performing good actions now doesn't cause it to become unplanted, but developing good qualities of mind here and now means that when things ripen, you can lessen their effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, someone who meditates and keeps in mind the impermanence of all things will be less likely to be driven into rage and depression if a flood comes in and destroys their home, because this is a perfect example of that impermanence they keep reminding themselves of. They might even see the positive side that it re-affirms to them the principle of impermanence. If you don't develop good kamma right now by developing the mind, you're more likely to lose it when bad things happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T01:23:30.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1254" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1288" CreationDate="2014-06-21T01:55:30.420" Score="7" ViewCount="708" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Buddhism is a general theory of understanding the cycle of attachments, is it possible that any other 'wise' enough creature could achieve the same thing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Visuddhimagga English translation,  a creature who can understand this theory is called 'a wise man'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Visuddhimagga Sinhalese version,  a creature who can understand this theory is called as a creature with 'Trihethuka Pratisandi'. i.e. Tri (three) + hethuka (caused by factors) + Pratisandi (birth): 'A birth caused by three factors' (Pali: tihetukapa.tisandhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T12:13:15.077" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T17:34:25.630" Title="Is it only humans who can understand Buddhism?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="247" CreationDate="2014-06-21T01:56:58.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are four stages of enlightenment (as described in the Anapanasati Sutta), Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant; stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner and Arahant; respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stream enterer: A stream-enterer reaches arahantship within seven rebirths upon opening the eye of the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...with the wasting away of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once-returner: Both the stream-enterer and the once-returner have abandoned the first three fetters. The stream-enterer and once-returner are distinguished by the fact that the once-returner has weakened lust, hate, and delusion to a greater degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...with the wasting away of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion, are once-returners, who — on returning only once more to this world — will make an ending to stress...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Non-returner: The non-returner, having overcome sensuality, does not return to the human world, or any unfortunate world lower than that, after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...with the wasting away of the five lower fetters, are due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, destined never again to return from that world...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arahant: The fourth stage is that of Arahant, a fully awakened person. He has abandoned all ten fetters and, upon death will never be reborn in any plane or world, having wholly escaped saṃsāra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...who are arahants, whose mental effluents are ended, who have reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, laid to waste the fetter of becoming, and who are released through right gnosis...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Individuals may experience nirvāna as an object of mental consciousness. Certain contemplations with nibbana as an object of samādhi lead to the level of non-returning. At that point of contemplation if the individual realizes that even that state is constructed and therefore impermanent, the fetters are destroyed, arahantship is attained, and nibbāna is realized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to nirvana, a distinction is made between a person's experience of nirvana during their life and after their death. These two aspects of nirvana are described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana during life (nirvana with remainder) - indicating the experience of someone who has experienced nirvana in their lifetime but still remains in their physical body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana after death (nirvana without remainder) - indicating the experience of nirvana for someone after their death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T01:56:58.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="253" CreationDate="2014-06-21T02:01:03.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a simile which give some insight around this question. It goes like this. Suppose that you have a big bag with black and white pebbles. The black pebbles are the bad &quot;Karma&quot; and white are the good &quot;Karma&quot; which you have done in your past. When you do an act of merit, you add one white pebble to your bag. Add a black pebble for unwholesome acts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you can fill the bag with lot of white pebbles (wholesome acts), there is a high chance that you would get a white pebble (good karma) from your bag. In other words you import your good karma by doing the good acts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think when it comes to karma, the basic idea is &quot;chetana&quot; is the most important aspect. I hope you have heard the quote &quot;chetanaham bhikkawe kamman wadami&quot;. So with the insincere actions, there can be some good karma from the action, but as the &quot;chetana&quot; is not pure, the power of karma is lesser, according to my understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T06:59:02.870" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T06:59:02.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2014-06-21T02:29:50.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only humans and the beings in the higher realms can attain enlightenment. Except for the ones in certain Brahma realms.  Some beings in the lower realms may hear the Dhamma, memorise it and be born in higher realms as a result. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T02:29:50.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-06-21T02:55:20.640" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Anapanasati Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring clear knowing &amp;amp; release to their culmination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Buddha says mindfulness alone and the affects it arouses are enough for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T23:54:23.617" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T23:54:23.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1259" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-21T06:23:37.253" Score="12" ViewCount="8322" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhist texts and teachings make a distinction between absolute and relative truth. Please explain the difference and give some examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="187" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T06:27:38.140" Title="What is the difference between relative and absolute truth in Buddhist philosophy?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1260" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1272" CreationDate="2014-06-21T06:41:41.907" Score="11" ViewCount="695" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that Hinayana as a term is generally pejorative when referring to Theravadin practitioners. Where is the use of the term Hinayana proper, and why is it still used if it's considered offensive to Theravadin practitioners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that the term Hinayana is mainly used in the context of displaying &quot;faulty&quot; logic by earlier schools of Buddhist philosophy than the Madhyamikas. Can you say more about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="187" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T20:50:15.943" LastActivityDate="2017-08-31T02:02:47.070" Title="Please explain when and where to use the terms Theravada and Hinayana" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="190" CreationDate="2014-06-21T10:28:34.473" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not always as clear as 'good' or 'evil'. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Shugden&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Angry, vengeful spirits&lt;/a&gt; also exist in forms of Buddhism. Sometimes also seen as protectors, they can be a source of controversy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More common is one's own belief in (or, more practically, fear of) something that is indefinitely, and irreparably, sinister or evil. We subscribe to all sorts of interesting notions as children, some things tend to persist. Ultimately, it's what your mind manages to trick you into into feeling; there are plenty of Christians that don't believe that demons exist so it really does depend on the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &lt;em&gt;yes&lt;/em&gt; to the concept (with emphasis on what neubau &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/225/83&quot;&gt;mentions about indigenous spirits&lt;/a&gt;), but belief is a little more complicated; belief coupled with a healthy dose of ambivalence can be quite common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For children, I think the boogeyman is rather universal :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="83" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T10:42:46.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-06-21T10:54:12.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lesser-known, non-monastic tradition in Tibetan Buddhism: a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngagpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ngagpa&lt;/a&gt; may marry and have children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user163" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T10:54:12.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:24:13.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, you need to be human. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha even made the famous simile of the turtle in the ocean that comes up for air once every century and, when it does, happens to put its neck through a yoke floating around in the same ocean. He said that that's how lucky you are for having been born a human, so you shouldn't waste this opportunity to work towards enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're another kind of sentient being, you'd better hope that you're reborn as a human in your next incarnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastEditorUserId="114" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T11:32:32.050" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T11:32:32.050" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1260" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:30:56.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is the same as yours. &quot;Hinayana&quot; is a not-very-complimentary term that is applied to Theravada Buddhism, to point out that its goal is only to enlighten the practitioner, whereas the Mahayana bodhisattva vows to work for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it used if it's a pejorative term, you ask? The answer is sad: because not all Buddhists are above using pejorative terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T11:30:56.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="236" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:40:20.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the tradition. Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana and their myriad &quot;flavors&quot; recommend different practices for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a general rule, Crab Bucket's answer seems like a good place to start, including the part about joining a sangha of some kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon also includes the Sigalovada Sutta, where the Buddha gives some practical (though not geared towards reaching enlightenment) advice on how to lead a householder's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T11:40:20.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:45:47.560" Score="22" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sez who?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment to Buddhism and to Buddhist philosophy is a very serious problem, which every practitioner should be careful about, since it's so seductive: it's easy to be perceived as progress, whereas it's the very opposite of progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To counter this hazard, some Zen schools recommend that &quot;if you come across the Buddha on the road, kill him!&quot; (Not to be taken too literally.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T11:45:47.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1267" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1284" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:48:00.207" Score="22" ViewCount="605" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm located in the West, and, in my local area, there are several Buddhist groups. I would like to join one of them to be more formal in my commitment to learn about Buddhism. My question is, how do I assess the quality of a local Buddhist group in terms of how close they are to the original teachings of the Buddha? How can I assess if a local Buddhist group, or school, has or hasn't deviated from the original spirit of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T07:48:03.117" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T05:13:42.157" Title="How can I assess the quality of a local Buddhist group?" Tags="|teachers|learning|sangha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1268" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1274" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:53:51.837" Score="4" ViewCount="5378" Body="&lt;p&gt;In quite a few depictions of the Buddha in artwork, he appears androgynous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this represent something significant in terms of a Buddhist message or ideal, or is this just an artistic style?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/v5dpc.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/v5dpcm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Example One&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cyy7i.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cyy7im.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Example Two&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T00:30:37.550" LastActivityDate="2020-07-16T01:32:36.833" Title="Why does the Buddha appear androgynous in some depictions?" Tags="|the-buddha|art|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2014-06-21T11:56:44.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One shouldn't get rich by teaching Buddhism for several reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Buddhism says that you shouldn't sell the Dharma because of the Elasticity Curve of Economics: if it costs more, fewer people will acquire it. Basically you're turning people away from the Dharma. (Like others have mentioned, of course this does not apply to a center trying to cover operating costs that do not include huge salaries.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Jesus maybe put the second reason best: &quot;it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God&quot;. If you hoard money while other people are in need of it, you can't be a very kind person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) How can you expect a money-loving teacher to teach you about non-attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2016-03-31T22:35:08.270" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T22:35:08.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-21T12:54:48.920" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do the teachings of the Buddha cause you suffering? If not, perhaps it's ok to hang on to them for a little while longer on this journey. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find Buddhism refreshing in this manner as the teachings of some other religions actually do cause suffering for their followers. For example people who are excluded from participating fully in their chosen houses of worship due to sexual orientation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T12:54:48.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1260" CreationDate="2014-06-21T13:36:37.713" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term Hinayana's usage is confused at best. It's mostly used now as a synonym for Theravada along with some other early Buddhist schools, but some people think Theravada needs to be specifically excluded from that group. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=FCReAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA1&amp;amp;lpg=PA1&amp;amp;dq=Frank+J.+Hoffman+and+Deegalle+Mahinda,+P%C4%81li+Buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=VLZ6mlia7v&amp;amp;sig=TCyLUOwIHVNZfHSDLxYmHZ7yDwk&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=2JOlU8HLEMuhqAaDtYCICg&amp;amp;ved=0CDcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=hinayana&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;Pali Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, Hoffman/Mahinda:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It has been a repeated mistake to identify Hinayana with Theravada.&#xA;  But at this juncture the denial of the absolute and independent dharmas itself&#xA;  testifies to the fact that Theravada is neither Yogacara nor Hinayana.&#xA;  Some scholars continue to make the mistake of identifying Hinayana with Theravada.&#xA;  The Theravadins themselves never call their religion &quot;Hinayana.&quot;&#xA;  Therefore, it is inappropriate for anyone to dub them with derogatory names.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;A few Buddhist schools, such as Sarvastivadins, claimed the existence of&#xA;  independent dharmas and mainted the pluralistic realism in the early history of Buddhism.&#xA;  Theravadins were not among them.&#xA;  All in all, Theravada is not Hinayana, and Hinayana is not Theravada;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  therefore, the criticism of Hinayana does not fall upon the Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the idea here being that the term Hinayana arose as a point of doctrinal criticism, one which Theravada did not practice, so it's not valid to use here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But somehow I'm willing to bet no one but scholars views the term Hinayana so narrowly within its historical context. I think the term has evolved past its original scope.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinayana is mentioned in Robinson/Johson's &lt;a href=&quot;http://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/the-buddhist-religion-a-historical-introduction_-robinson.pdf&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At any rate, because Buddhist monastics were wandering the length and breadth of India,&#xA;  the anti-Abhidharma partisans eventually joined forces with the new Buddhist savior cults and other like-minded&#xA;  factions to grow into a widespread movement calling itself the Mahayana&#xA;  (the Great Course or Great Vehicle--yana: a going, a course, a journey; a vehicle).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was in contrast to the Hinayana (the Inferior Course),&#xA;  the new movement's pejorative term for those conservatives who did not accept the new doctrines as truly Buddhist.&#xA;  Because the conservatives answered the Mahayana propaganda largely with silence,&#xA;  they did not adopt any name for themselves as compared with Mahayana.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Consequently, modern scholars have given them the name their adversaries gave them, Hinayana,&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;although without implying any deprecation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Modern Theravadins do not like being called Hinayanists--who would?--but&#xA;  there is no other current term that designates the whole set of schools that arose between the first and the&#xA;  fourth centuries after the Parinirvana and continued after the rise of Mahayana.&#xA;  The term Nikaya Buddhism, for instance, accurately applies to these schools before the rise of Mahayana,&#xA;  but not after, as Mahayana formed a subgroup within each of them.&#xA;  Continued usage of the name Hinayana may expunge all derogatory connotations of the term.&#xA;  Quaker, Mormon, and even Christian similarly started out as labels sarcastically attached by outsiders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel it's probably true that only some portion of the people throwing around the term Hinayana actually intend it to cause damage, the rest use it because what other term could you use? You can't just use &quot;Theravada&quot; for everything non-Mahayana and non-Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find myself coming around to the view expressed at the end, of viewing the term without the derogatory baggage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because people often translate Hinayana as &quot;inferior&quot; vehicle, and of course that was the original intent, but I believe it literally means &quot;smaller&quot;, which doesn't have to be an insult. The Buddha's concern in the Pali Canon does seem to be individuals, personal action and personal liberation from suffering, not the grand salvation of the universe, extraterrestrial Buddha fields, cosmic Buddhas, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is indeed a smaller vehicle by comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T14:30:59.873" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T14:30:59.873" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1268" CreationDate="2014-06-21T14:48:28.953" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's an artistic style. The impression of androgyny is arising in the mind of the viewer (not necessarily every viewer), and part of its cause is our arbitrary cultural standard of how men and women should look.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T14:48:28.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1260" CreationDate="2014-06-21T14:50:03.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a misunderstanding that Theravada Buddhism only supports attaining enlightenment by becoming an Arahath. Here in Sri Lanka we have several Theravada monks who are cultivating Paramithas to become Buddhas/Pacceka Buddhas in the future. They are well respected. Theravada Buddhism supports all 3 Bodhis. So the word is still inappropriate, even if one does not mean it as an insult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T14:50:03.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-06-21T14:51:27.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Identifying with something doesn't necessarily mean you're attached to it, especially if that something is just your way of living. I identify best with Zen Buddhism, but I'm not &lt;em&gt;attached&lt;/em&gt; to it any more than I'm attached to my own consciousness; it's just become how I think, which dictates how I feel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachments are bad because if you lose them, you suffer.  I can't 'lose' Zen without completely losing myself, which is going to happen to all of us one day or another :) Preference is also commonly confused with attachment. I &lt;em&gt;prefer&lt;/em&gt; a certain knife in my kitchen drawer for slicing tomatoes, but I wouldn't be at all upset if it wasn't there one day, I'd simply replace it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A part of daily meditation can be imagining losing that which you value the most, so you've experienced it when it ultimately happens, which softens or even mitigates the suffering that might otherwise ensue. If you can't &lt;em&gt;do that&lt;/em&gt; with something, then it's probably not something you could become attached to, but more just a part of your being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="83" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T14:51:27.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2014-06-21T14:58:40.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Study the Tipitaka, the Commentaries and see if what they teach is consistent with the books. Usually if someone is criticizing Abhidhamma in order to accommodate his/her views, it's a good indication that they have deviated from the original spirit of Buddhism. Regarding the Commentaries, a teacher might say &quot;This is what the commentary says regarding this incident, but this is my personal view&quot;. That is reasonable. But if he degrades venerable Buddhagosa or other authors of the commentaries, that's a good indication to look for a new teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T15:37:31.940" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T15:37:31.940" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-21T15:13:16.157" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll offer a controversial option, simply because it's the one that got me started (and in fact after reading it I don't believe the controversy is deserved). It's &lt;em&gt;&quot;Mastering The Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (or &quot;MCTB&quot; by its fans) by Daniel Ingram .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the main reason it is controversial is because Ingram gives himself the title &quot;Arahat&quot; on the cover of the book, and that is a decided no-no in many if not most Buddhist circles. However, I &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; encourage people to look past that. Ingram was doing it specifically to raise a controversial aspect, and even he says he has since had second thoughts about choosing to do it. The most important thing though is, the content of the book is utterly independent of his &quot;arahat&quot; claim. If you can see past that initial single word and actually read the book, you will find he is centered on pretty mainline, orthodox Mahasi Sayadaw style meditation practice, but also offers a broad and fairly deep understanding of other styles of Buddhist meditation too. Overall, I think the book is superb, but I'll offer three caveats for those who do decide to look past the arahat thing and read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the book is a bit too biased (in my &lt;em&gt;non-expert&lt;/em&gt; opinion), on the Wisdom and Concentration aspects of the Eight-Fold Path, and doesn't pay enough attention to the Ethical conduct aspects. To be clear, he actually talks about ethics first, so in that sense he doesn't ignore it. But the bulk of the book is about how to meditate, and having now learned a lot more since I encountered MCTB, I think there's a danger of running into what B. Alan Wallace says in his Tsongkhapa commentary, &quot;Balancing the Mind&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Without a sufficient store of spiritual power [which comes from ethical conduct], meditation, such as training in quiescence and insight may arise as little more than barren, mental gymnastics that transform neither the heart nor the mind&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second caveat: because the book is &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; good at explaining meditation in depth, there's a danger one could get &quot;attached&quot; to the attainments one may experience as one advances in practice. So instead of just sitting and noting, one could just get frustrated at apparent lack of progress. I believe that some teachers purposely do &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; give students too much advanced knowledge too early, precisely to avoid this problem. So if you're reading the book, be aware of this. Take your time, and don't fret too much about the fact you don't attain fourth jhana by day four!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third caveat, and this is the most serious (much more of an issue than the &quot;arahat&quot; thing), is Ingram's focus on what he calls the &quot;dark night&quot;. This refers to a subset of the stages of insight as described by Mahasi Sayadaw and others. I believe (I'm not that attained so I don't know) that what he is talking about is correct and it's very useful to know. But I also believe it is &lt;em&gt;hugely&lt;/em&gt; over-emphasized. To be fair, it may be that it is Ingram's readers who create most of the over-emphasis, in various internet forums, but it's still a concern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that said, despite those caveats and the &quot;arahat&quot; thing, I still very much recommend this book. You can infer from that, that the good parts are &lt;em&gt;very&lt;/em&gt; good (since they compensate for the caveats).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T15:13:16.157" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2014-06-21T15:23:38.717" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a tough and important question with no easy answers. If there were some guaranteed system for definitively determining whether some group or teacher is going to lead people to liberation that would make life a lot easier!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to look for in a group is, do the longtime members seem kind? Don't get distracted by whether they seem smart or businesslike or polished or well organized; none of those things necessarily matter. In America we want everything to be slick and new and polished but that attitude won't get you far with the dharma. But do look for senior students who are kind and generous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another trap to watch out for is, don't judge a sangha based on their adherence to contemporary liberal political correctness. While I personally think it's good to do things like recycle and drive a Prius and eat vegetarian and so on, the historical Buddha Shakyamuni did not do any of those things so it's not a valid basis for judgement of a sangha or set of teachings. In fact, I would say that anyone who is nasty and judgmental about such things is not very far along in dharma practice, because they are putting abstract principles ahead of actual kindness. And a sangha primarily composed of such people may have a poor quality of instruction overall. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember kindness, that's the short version of my answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T15:23:38.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1268" CreationDate="2014-06-21T16:30:40.577" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A young lady named Kisa Gotami, seeing prince Siddhartha in the street, uttered: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Nibbuta nuna sa mata - Nibbuta nuna so pita&#xA;Nib buta nuna sa nari - Yassa’ yam idiso pati.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Peaceful is the mother who has such a son.&#xA;Peacefull is the father who has such a son.&#xA;Peaceful is the wife who has such a husband.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can imagine how the artwork should look like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;India's first prime minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru once wrote in his writings, that, while he was in prison, he hung a photograph of the Buddha, and he stated that this particular Samadhi Buddha statue(in Anuradhapura) photograph brought him much happiness and solace when he was in the cell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also study the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;32 major and 80 minor physical characteristics of the buddha&lt;/a&gt; to get an idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T17:37:02.537" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T17:37:02.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2014-06-21T17:26:10.937" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just in case you are more of a beginner: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would think that all of the sects that make up Buddhism consider their own teachings to be original and genuine, regardless of what others think. So if you don't yet have a working understanding of the various sects within Buddhism, that would be a great place to start to see if there is one that you are drawn to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You didn't mention if these are lay groups or temple groups, but either way, trust your gut if something doesn't seem right such as someone being too interested in receiving a donation or membership fee from you too early on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even if everyone is super kind and wonderful, your own growing understanding of the Buddha's teachings may prompt you to change groups/sects in the future; so maybe don't get too attached. Good luck. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T00:12:40.587" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T00:12:40.587" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2014-06-21T19:19:26.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll talk about remembering past lives specifically, but first I want to comment more generally on the &quot;supernatural&quot; in the question. It creates a small problem in that it implies there is a &quot;natural&quot; and then something else (the &quot;super&quot; version). The reason that's problematic is that if we're not careful it could lead us to unwittingly assume something that Buddhist practice is intended to dissolve -- i.e. the illusion that we unenlightened dudes are victims of. Too much to go into here, but I just wanted to point to something to take care of in the question itself. Onto remembering past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've no idea if the concept is in any way true, but I have no problem believing it is. More than that, it seems to me exactly what I'd expect to be the case, given what I have figured out so far (not much) about Buddhism. In fact, for me the question is not &lt;em&gt;&quot;Can people remember past lives?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; but rather &lt;em&gt;&quot;How come I &lt;strong&gt;cannot&lt;/strong&gt; remember my past lives?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (to which the answer is, &lt;em&gt;&quot;'Cos you're still asleep!&quot;&lt;/em&gt; :-) )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why is it relevant to (my) practice? It encourages me to keep going, that's why. Based on my slow progress, my general struggles in this life, and the overall suckiness of humanity (a.k.a. dukkha) I find it a source of hope that I don't just have 75-ish years to get myself sorted out. If I thought I had only one shot, and if I hadn't made it by the end ... well that would &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; suck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, to be clear, I don't know that the remembering past lives thing is factual, but I'm increasingly of the view that it makes sense. I have an analogy I use to help myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I exist, always and forever, outside of time. But I am asleep. (Care needed here, since that word &quot;I&quot; is problematic too. But allow me some leeway.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While I'm asleep, I have a serious of dreams, some pleasant, some neutral, and some downright nasty nightmares. Time itself is part of that being asleep. Also, and crucially, &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt; is part of being asleep&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Each dream corresponds to what we sleepers call a &quot;lifetime&quot;, but that in itself is just part of being asleep. The &quot;real&quot; me (again, careful, even the idea of &quot;me&quot; is subject to illusion), is merely &quot;having&quot; the dreams, but I also affect them too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What we sleepers call &quot;death&quot; is merely the moving from one dream to the next, without waking up in between. But death is therefore not &quot;real&quot; any more than the dreams themselves are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At one point, based (for reasons I don't yet understand) on my actions within my dreams, I will wake up. At that point, I'll remember all my dreams (i.e. my &quot;past lives&quot;), everything that happened in between dreams, what dreams are all about -- the whole shebang basically. And, crucially, I will be free from suffering (because suffering is nothing more than a function of sleep)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As I get towards the last few dreams in the sequence, before I wake up completely, I may get a glimpse of past dreams -- not hard to believe because &quot;in reality&quot;, it's the same &quot;I&quot; (again, danger, anatta alert!) or &quot;mindstream&quot; that has been having all those past dreams.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall I find that an immensely hopeful view of the nature of things and spurs me on to practice. I confess it's frustrating that I'm stuck in the sleep state, but wonder of wonders, some dude from about 2,500 ago appears to have figured out how to wake up. Awesome! (If it's true.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-06-21T19:32:24.970" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T19:32:24.970" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1286" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-21T20:26:55.123" Score="12" ViewCount="843" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every morning I set aside one hour for meditation -- primarily just counting breaths, but occasionally abdominal noting. My overall aim is to achieve some kind of basic tranquility so I can then decide if I should move onto something else. That is, I'm doing &quot;samatha meditation&quot; as preparation for &quot;vipassana meditation&quot;. (Although I have asked about that apparent dichotomy in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1287/in-meditation-should-one-pursue-tranquility-first-prior-to-looking-for-insight&quot;&gt;another question&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, although I reserve a whole hour, at the moment I'm only doing 20 minutes (built up slowly over some weeks from 10 minutes). My current plan is to keep to that gradual build, but sometimes I wonder if I should just &quot;go for broke&quot; and sit for an hour at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason I don't is the same reason I wouldn't start out by running for an hour. Instead, I'd start with a shorter period, and build it up. But I don't know if my concern is valid for meditation. There are clear physiological reasons for not building up &lt;em&gt;physical&lt;/em&gt; exercise too quickly. Muscles and tendons need time to build strength and flexibility, so even if I felt like running for an hour, I wouldn't. I'd force myself to increase only slowly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But does the same thing apply for &quot;mental&quot; exercise -- i.e. for Buddhist samatha meditation of the kind I describe? Should I &quot;hold back&quot; even though I'm keen to do more? Is it possible in any way to &quot;injure&quot; oneself by over-training when it comes to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note, I'm specifically interested in the mental/spiritual aspects. Im pretty sure it's possible to &lt;em&gt;physically&lt;/em&gt; overdo it by, for example, trying to sit in full lotus too long in the early stages (or, in my case, ever).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:31:47.833" Title="Is it possible to &quot;over-train&quot; in samatha meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1287" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-21T20:51:53.720" Score="11" ViewCount="1133" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the one hand this question has been asked to death on the internet (and yuttadhammo's videos even try to handle it). On the other hand, I personally still don't feel I have a clear answer (and I don't &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; that's because I'm an idiot.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my overall reading, the commonest answer seems to be that while the primary aim in meditation is insight, it is not only useful, but advisable (and maybe even &lt;em&gt;essential&lt;/em&gt;) that one first achieves some degree of tranquility or quiescence &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; moving on to insight. Specifically, it is advised that one attain at least access concentration, if not full-blown first jhana, before moving to insight work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there appears to be an important exception to that rule, coming from (at least) the Mahasi tradition, wherein the idea of &quot;bare insight&quot; arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the existence of those apparently different positions, I am confused in two ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First: if the bare insight thing is valid -- i.e. if it is possible to go straight to Vipassana without going via Samatha -- then why wouldn't everyone just do that? Insight is The Point, after all, (isn't it?) so why waste time with what seems to be mere training wheels?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second: OK, suppose access concentration or first jhana is necessary, but is also &lt;em&gt;sufficient&lt;/em&gt; a level of samadhi as preparation for vipassana. Then, again, why would anyone then continue on to &quot;samatha&quot; jhanas 2 through 4? My understanding is that while those jhanas may be cool and blissful, not only are they not The Point, they carry the danger of attachment. So why bother with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To pre-empt any &quot;it doesn't matter&quot; style answers, I really think it does. There are several apparently good teachers out there whose approach is, to paraphrase, &lt;em&gt;&quot;No, don't note yet. We're not doing that until we've got a bit of focus&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, while there are others who get you noting from day one. So overall it may not matter, but it matters to beginners (like me) as part of deciding on a teacher (and on how to meditate &lt;em&gt;while&lt;/em&gt; I look for a teacher).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:56:14.750" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T09:03:44.767" Title="In meditation, should one pursue tranquility first, prior to looking for insight?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2014-06-21T21:22:12.110" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the restriction has nothing to do with being a human; it has, as the Visuddhimagga notes, everything to do with the rebirth-linking consciousness (patisandhi). Nor does it relate to &quot;understanding Buddhism&quot; per se, but rather attainment of samatha jhana and nibbana. Only a being who is reborn with all three of the wholesome roots - non-delusion (amoha), non-greed (alobha), and non-anger (adosa) can attain absorption (jhana), the path (magga) or fruition (phala).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Types of beings that may be born with these three roots are humans, angels (deva) and gods (brahma). Animals, ghosts and hell beings are not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information, here's a good summary of the types of rebirth based on number of roots:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3181.html&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3181.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T21:22:12.110" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1289" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1293" CreationDate="2014-06-21T21:25:13.447" Score="4" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is Japanese Shingon Buddhism different from other forms of Buddhism such as Zen?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T16:29:21.310" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T16:29:21.310" Title="What distinguishes Japanese Shingon Buddhism from other types?" Tags="|shingon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1290" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-21T21:40:56.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: kamma) is a Sanskrit term that literally means &quot;action&quot; or &quot;doing&quot;. In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to future consequences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those intentions are considered to be the determining factor in the kind of rebirth in samsara, the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:26:24.390" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:26:24.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1291" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-21T21:40:56.117" Score="0" Body="For questions about ethically potent action (karma) and its effects." OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T12:32:27.017" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T12:32:27.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1286" CreationDate="2014-06-21T21:41:24.027" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, physically, you're probably always going to cause some pain by sitting in a strict posture unless you've been doing it since you were young. So if a person had just started meditation and did so with a great deal of zeal, I could see them causing some pain and stress in the body by doing too much at once. They might even cause some permanent damage if, in their zeal to do it right, they won't sit in anything other than full lotus, even when they're causing pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bigger issue though is that, mentally, there's the danger of getting burned out. Thanissaro mentioned in one of his talks he had friends who would go out into retreat alone for long periods and the problem they would run into is making no progress. Weeks and weeks of no progress in their meditation. It must be tough to become a monk, have one goal, do nothing but practice toward that goal and end up making no progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's universal: your practice will have ups and downs. There are times where the mind becomes more and more focused, it lets go of all discursive thought, the precepts become easier to follow, and then there are times when it seems you're sliding backwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, the real danger, if there is any, of overtraining is this mental burn out, because when you sink a huge amount of time and energy into something, you want to see short-term progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether it would be better to do less sitting than more, I'm not sure. Are you the kind of person who takes on new projects easily and then gives up easily when you encounter difficulty? I suppose the more short-term oriented a person is, the more I'd recommend they just take things slow and steady so that they don't run into a patch of doldrums, get frustrated and give it all up entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-21T21:41:24.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1289" CreationDate="2014-06-22T02:29:51.760" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shingon is a tantric Buddhism, which makes it rather dissimilar to Zen and a close relative of Tibetan Vajrayana. Unlike Theravada and Mahayana, both of which rely on discipline, study, and meditation for achieving Enlightenment, tantric systems work by putting a student inside a carefully crafted mandala, and having him or her interact with its energies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before the student can be introduced to his mandala, he needs to establish a deep relationship with the teacher. Once teacher has learned student's natural inclinations and energy profile, he picks a suitable tantra, tweaks it to match the student, and introduces the student to various deities and energies. As mandala begins to emerge, student works with it by participating in empowerment ceremonies, performing various rituals, and doing visualizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If teacher sees student making good progress, he will upgrade him/her to a higher tantra, and the whole process repeats until the student attains complete vision of Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T02:29:51.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1294" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-22T03:21:25.353" Score="5" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;We already have some questions about enlightenment, but this is going to be a bit more... esoteric. What I would like to know is what enlightenment entails in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shugend%C5%8D&quot;&gt;Shugendo&lt;/a&gt;, which is a particularly syncretic variety of Japanese Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What with Shugendo being strongly syncretized with the native animistic practices of Japan (i.e. Shinto), it appears that the notion of enlightenment has somehow become intertwined with the idea of &lt;em&gt;kami&lt;/em&gt; (spirits/deities). Specifically, it appears (from some basic reading) that a practitioner of Shugendo (a &lt;em&gt;shugenja&lt;/em&gt;) attains enlightenment when he &quot;becomes one&quot; with the &lt;em&gt;kami&lt;/em&gt; in some sense. This is quite unlike many other varieties of Buddhism - after all, in most cases, there are no &lt;em&gt;kami&lt;/em&gt; to begin with!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, this is all very vague, so I was hoping somebody could clear this up for me - what, exactly, does enlightenment entail in Shugendo?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="28" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T01:07:09.500" Title="What does enlightenment actually entail in Shugendo?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2014-06-22T11:25:45.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kôdô Sawaki said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All creatures are Buddha already, but it is the human alone which&#xA;  needs to express his Buddhaship every day&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if this originate in a teaching of Gautama Buddha or if it is Sawakis interpretation alone. However I understand it like all humans are Buddha by default, as all other animals. But humans might &quot;lose their way&quot; and so its their practice alone to return to the Buddhaship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That for me also means that animals do not need to understand Buddhism, because they are already Buddha. Understanding also would mean to try thinking about it. I doubt animals do that, and if they could, I doubt they see any benefit of trying to understand anything which is &quot;just there&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We humans try to understand Buddhaship, as we can loose this state of mind. Bodhidharma once said, we do no need to understand Buddhism, because we would never understand as long as we want. Instead we just need to practice Buddhism, which will make you understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I am practicing Zen, thats why my response might be from a view from the Zen angle)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="98" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T11:25:45.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2014-06-22T11:32:38.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Take your time. Usually you can stay with a Buddhist group for a long time without any commitment: Go to the meditation and teaching sessions, see what kind of people there are and what they are doing, even for months and years, until you come to a conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(That is what I did. I stayed with one group for about four months, then with another one for three years, until finally taking refuge. It can be a slow process, and that is no problem.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user163" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T11:32:38.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1297" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1298" CreationDate="2014-06-22T12:09:33.983" Score="29" ViewCount="10293" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I remember rightly the Buddha is quoted as saying something along the lines of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what text(s) of the Buddhist cannon is this quoted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T16:58:48.583" LastActivityDate="2019-10-12T01:47:05.583" Title="Where is the Buddha quoted as saying do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1297" CreationDate="2014-06-22T12:41:35.817" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've searched the Internet, and found a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fakebuddhaquotes.com/believe-nothing-no-matter-where-you-read-it/&quot;&gt;website&lt;/a&gt; claiming that the quotation in question is a bad translation of a fragment from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which in original goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness’ — then you should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha says that common sense and logical thinking is not enough to determine the truth. Only through his/her own experience or the experience of &lt;em&gt;the wise ones&lt;/em&gt; one can be sure what to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T12:41:35.817" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:15:32.803" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will try to answer from my point of view as a Vajrayana practitioner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been taught that one needs to have a &lt;em&gt;relatively&lt;/em&gt; stable mind in order to practice insight meditation. But this doesn't mean that one has to spend years in Samatha meditation before trying Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition too much tranquility and so-called 'inert peace' is considered as an obstacle on the way since it is not a full enlightenment and it can easily prevent a practitioner from pursuing next stages of realisation. To avoid that, practitioners can take a Bodhisattva Vow to remind them that they want to pursue happiness not only for themselves but mainly for all the sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One Vajrayana Lama was asked whether we need to calm down and bring our energy down in order to practise insight meditation. He replied that we don't have to calm down at all, we just have to &lt;em&gt;transform&lt;/em&gt; this energy into something useful. I found it very liberating, since, personally, I found it somewhat boring to sit in peace for hours. When I got introduced to insight meditations which involved visualising Buddha forms and receiving lights from them, I liked them straight away. Then I met some more experienced practitioners and indeed, they weren't particularly calm, rather lively, very joyful and stable at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say that choosing the right practice and teacher is very individual. If you already think that attachment to blissful state might be an obstacle for you, maybe it is a sign that you are ready for insight meditation. It seems that you know enough theory so it is high time to put it into practice. Try not to overthink, just give it a try and when meeting a teacher or other practitioners, just ask yourself - do I want to become like them? Do I want to behave like them in 5 years time? If your answer is an honest one, soon you should find the right teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T14:15:32.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1300" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:18:39.337" Score="8" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;On Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha&quot;&gt;Buddha&lt;/a&gt; redirects to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot;&gt;Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, but there is also a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas&quot;&gt;List of the twenty-eight Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was Buddha a single human man? Or is Buddha a concept or maybe a spirit often reborn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T15:32:44.193" LastActivityDate="2019-07-13T14:43:58.873" Title="Was Buddha one man?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:24:19.867" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meeting other practitioners or teachers, always ask yourself - do I want to become like them? Do I want to look and behave like them in 5 years' time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they represent qualities you would like to master, stay with them. If you think you can trust them and learn something useful from them, stay with them until you feel you can't learn anything else. If they seem too stiff or wild to you, keep searching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T14:24:19.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1297" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:35:39.873" Score="26" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote comes from Kalama Sutra (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.65&lt;/a&gt;) and is often taken out of context, hence misunderstood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People of Kalama found themselves bombarded by tens of spiritual teachers, each claiming authority and expertise in spiritual matters. These teachers' doctrines were rather different from each other, but each was presented as The truth. Each teacher seemed quite certain of himself and was able to articulate the teaching logically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Buddha on one of his tours around the country arrived at Kalama and presented &lt;em&gt;his&lt;/em&gt; teaching, the citizens honestly told him, that what he posits as The truth, to them looks like yet another teaching. &quot;Is there any way&quot; they asked, &quot;that we can figure out which of these teachings is real?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that's when Buddha gave his famous answer, the point of which:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is by its results that a teaching should be evaluated.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A teaching can be elaborate and logical, with precise definitions. According to some people's preconceptions, these are the marks of a true teaching.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A teaching  could be profound, deep and mysterious. Some people assume, if chasm is deep and they can't see the bottom, there must be something in there.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A teaching could match student's view of the world, e.g. the scientific worldview, or a spiritual worldview, or both. Many people interpret Kalama Sutra this way, that they should not believe a teaching unless it matches &quot;common sense&quot;. They don't seem to realize that what they assume as &lt;em&gt;common&lt;/em&gt; sense is in fact the very tangle of preconceptions that holds them in Samsara. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A teaching could go against student's preconceptions and introduce a completely new theory of everything. Some students are very excited about such esoteric teachings and their eyes glaze over teachers that, in their opinion, profanate Dharma by assuming it speaks about our everyday lives.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A teacher can look confident and speak well, or be soft-spoken and funny, like Dalai Lama. Many people find it hard to relate to a teacher who mismatches their archetype of Sage or Wise Old Man.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddha, all these are secondary factors, that can't be used as identifying markers of Sat-Dharma (True/Eternal Law/Tradition). Instead, it is by the effects it brings out, both in student's psyche as well as in the world, that a teaching should be measured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sat-Dharma is famously good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Good in the beginning&lt;/strong&gt; means, even the outermost layer of Dharma, the one seen by non-Buddhists, has good influence on people. Even the laypeople who don't really practice, but are merely guided by basic Dharma principles, benefit from it. They find that Dharma not only happens to match their highest secular moral and wisdom, but that while secular moral is often too flexible, the compass of Dharma never wavers. When followed at large, True Dharma must lead to reduced suffering and increased harmony in daily lives of common people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Good in the middle&lt;/strong&gt; means, when someone practices a slightly superficial version of Dharma, without fully understanding it yet, it greatly reduces amount of suffering one generates inside and around. Student learns to watch his mind and recognize its state, learns to stay mindful of the body and notice arising emotions, learns to not let harmful thoughts and emotions control him, learns to let go of attachments and preconceptions. This leads to increased quality of life, as the student can now stay cool through various life challenges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Good in the end&lt;/strong&gt; means, one eventually arrives at Liberating Realization, whereby one is no longer dominated by arbitrary formations, but can instead juggle formations freely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some kind of &quot;Good in the end&quot; is obviously the goal of all alternative teachings, it is &quot;Good in the middle&quot; and &quot;Good in the beginning&quot; that is a characteristic mark of True Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when Gotama said, &quot;do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself&quot; (or however you want to put it), this is what he meant. He did not mean we should reject a teaching unless it matches our preconceptions. He meant we should evaluate a teaching by its effect on our lives. The proof is in the pudding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T19:40:25.157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T19:40:25.157" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1303" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:46:25.573" Score="26" ViewCount="16707" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fifth precept most directly guides us to abstain from alcohol. Coffee is a stimulant and probably so is tea. Drinking either beverage affects our mental calm and makes us behave in ways that we would not do so without having drunk it. In this sense, drinking coffee and tea is not that different from drinking alcohol. Does drinking coffee or tea is considered against the fifth precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Asia, many people, including monks, drink tea. Does this indicate that drinking tea is at least not against the fifth precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user126" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:48:04.803" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T14:04:01.053" Title="Is drinking coffee or tea against the fifth precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1300" CreationDate="2014-06-22T14:47:39.363" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Buddha was a one human. There were previous humans who attained the same knowledge and understanding before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama was the recent Buddha's name. He was born between c. 563 BCE to 483 BCE ( roughly) and lived for 80 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1300/who-was-buddha-one-man&quot;&gt;History of Buddhas&lt;/a&gt; has a brief summary of the event when Gautama Buddha talked about previous Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Venerable Særiputta asks the Buddha when it was that he first resolved to work for attainment of the Buddhahood and what pæramis (virtues towards perfection) he had fulfilled to achieve his goal of Perfect Enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Buddha described:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How as Sumedha the hermit, being inspired by Deepankara Buddha, he makes the resolution for the attainment of Buddhahood and how the Buddha Deepankara gives the hermit Sumedha his blessing prophesying that Sumedha would become a Buddha by the name of Gotama after a lapse of four asankya and a hundred thousand kappas (world cycles).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T14:56:55.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1303" CreationDate="2014-06-22T15:21:24.263" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are an entry-level practice that is designed to help practitioner master basic discipline of self-reflection and self-control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abstaining from killing, stealing etc. implies basic ability to watch one's mind for harmful thoughts and emotions, and to prevent them from getting acted out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of the above, the no-killing rule should not be understood literally, as an absolute law, but as a guideline for training the mind. It is not acceptable to hurt or harm any creature (big or small) out of antipathy. This is what the no-killing rule is mostly about, countering the first poison, usually translated Anger or Hate but really meaning Aversion/Antipathy/Negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the no-stealing rule is mainly about countering another of Three Poisons, that of Obsessive Attraction or Desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, the no-intoxication rule is meant to counter the habitual mind-state of Ignorance (obscurity, confusion). Many people prefer to get drunk or stoned as a way to anesthetize themselves. They don't seem to see the connection between the dimmed mind and the causes of suffering. The no-intoxication rule is meant to guide people out of their comfortable haze and towards lucidity of enlightenment. In this vein, watching TV or playing videogames, is too a form of intoxication and should be minimized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Drinking tea or coffee does not produce haze and therefore is not subject to the fifth precept. That said, &lt;em&gt;being addicted&lt;/em&gt; to e.g. coffee is not much different from any other addiction in that produces a state of &lt;em&gt;obsessive desire&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-02-16T14:04:01.053" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T14:04:01.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1303" CreationDate="2014-06-22T15:41:18.527" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;A more literal interpretation is, for example, from &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec2.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fifth precept reads: &lt;em&gt;Suramerayamajjapamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coffee &amp;amp; tea, not being fermented or distilled intoxicants wouldn't break the 5th precept I wouldn't think. Of course limiting caffeine &lt;strong&gt;and sugar&lt;/strong&gt; and lots of other stuff will help keep your mind calm and makes sense for good health and meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-02-16T14:03:34.177" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T14:03:34.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1303" CreationDate="2014-06-22T15:49:05.057" Score="25" Body="&lt;p&gt;The literal meaing there is avoiding &lt;strong&gt;fermented&lt;/strong&gt; drink that causes &lt;strong&gt;heedlessness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sura_%28alcoholic_beverage%29&quot;&gt;Surā&lt;/a&gt;-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā&lt;/strong&gt; veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to avoid [that big long word]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Big long word happily rendered as &quot;beer-cider-carelessness-intoxication-condition&quot; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=37052#p37052&quot;&gt;Kare&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is talking specifically about fermented things like beer, wine, etc. Neither coffee nor tea are fermented, nor do they cause heedlessness. I've heard of monks drinking tea. (I've heard of monks smoking too, which I think isn't forbidden by &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; rule, although perhaps by others)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's all well and good to look past the behavior prohibited by the precepts to see what further kinds of attachments you have that can be abandoned, but not, I think, at the cost of going back to change the meaning of the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I do occasionally see attempts at redefining the precepts to be stricter than they are. Take &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kyotojournal.org/the-journal/heart-work/the-engaged-buddhism-of-sulak-sivaraksa/&quot;&gt;Sulak Sivaraksa's reinterpretation of the five precepts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sulak reinterprets the five classic Buddhist precepts for the modern day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Individuals may not be killing outright, but they must examine how their actions might support wars, racial conflict, or the breeding of animals for human consumption.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Considering the second precept of abstaining from stealing, Sulak questions the moral implications of capitalism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stopping exploitation of women is a natural extension of the third precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And vowing to abstain from false speech would naturally bring into question how mass media and education promote a biased view of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the fifth precept to avoid intoxicants deals with international peace and justice because, “the Third World farmers grow heroin, coca, coffee, and tobacco because the economic system makes it impossible for them to support themselves growing rice and vegetables.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All good points and things worth thinking about, but these are going beyond the five precepts. The precepts are intended to take you to a point where you can examine all of your behavior to see what is skillful, what leads to affliction, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the precepts shouldn't be redefined to also include these new things. This would only lead to divisiveness between people as one person preaches getting rid of coffee and others disagree. Remember the Buddha refused to make vegetarianism mandatory for the sangha, even though the killing involved in eating meat can easily be seen to pertain to the first precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of coffee, I could see a person getting riled up by it and possibly being less able to control their mind, being quicker to anger, etc. If this is the case, then it should certainly be examined, and perhaps that behavior should be abandoned, but this is not covered by the fifth precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T15:49:05.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1300" CreationDate="2014-06-22T17:17:57.280" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Buddha&quot; is a title, not a name. It means &quot;awake&quot; or &quot;enlightened&quot;. Usually, when one mentions &quot;the Buddha&quot;, one is referring to Gautama Sidharta, who lived about 2600 years ago and founded what is now called Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some traditions, however, say that he was just one in a long line of Buddhas, who come into the world whenever the dharma is forgotten by the people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="114" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T17:17:57.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1294" CreationDate="2014-06-22T17:34:55.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well it is the same exact Enlightenment as in other schools, just expressed differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kami are the spirits or energies of the universe. These are things of the same nature as devas and maras of Pali Canon and deities of Vajrayana and Shingon. In Greek paganism they were called daemons. Jung called them complexes. In our times we could call them memes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because in Theravada and more so in Yogacara the world is made out of phenomena of mind, external entities having their own existence are not posited. Still, what animalistic schools would call &quot;mastery of spirits&quot; is practiced in phenomenological schools as &quot;mastery of phenomena&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When seen at universal scale, kami are made out of Musubi, the creative power permeating the universe, which refers to the same principle that is invoked by the concepts of Mahavairocana of Shingon, Tao of Taoism, Buddha Nature of Mahayana, Shunyata of Madhyamaka, Three Marks of Existence of Theravada, Dang energy of Nyingma and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the goal of Shingon is the realization of one's nature as identical with Mahavairocana, and the goal of Taoism is unity with Tao -- the goal of Shugendo is becoming one with kami.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should not be understood primitively, as expanding one's &quot;I&quot; to the size of the universe (an interpretation sharply criticized by Gotama), but rather, as deconstructing &quot;I&quot; completely and practically, while attaining effective insight into one's own nature being an interplay of formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The naive experience of non-duality (&quot;I am the universe&quot;), which is sometimes mistakenly equated with bodhi, is what Buddha called “the state of Brahma”. It is just one of the experiences that practitioner has along the way, and may both happen before bodhi and be intentionally generated after bodhi. In addition to the state of Brahma, Buddha enumerates the following liberation-related states (AN 4.190):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The state of a deva — ability to intentionally generate rapture, pleasure, bliss, and equanimity in one’s body-mind at one of the four jhana levels.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The state of Brahma – development of loving-kindness (really, the four immeasurables) culminating in the experience of unity with the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The state of imperturbability — ability to maintain one of the four formless absorptions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The state of an arya (&quot;noble&quot; / &quot;civilized&quot;) — the state of having first-hand experience and direct realization of the validity of the four noble truths, the principle of this/that conditionality, and the three marks of existence. More broadly, the state of arya entails deep understanding of practical implications (benefits, drawbacks and limitations) of any conceptual construct, as well as the virtual nature (aka &quot;shunyata&quot;) of all modes of phenomenal existence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T01:07:09.500" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T01:07:09.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2014-06-22T19:37:21.243" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine&quot;&gt;the Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; states, there are types of truth: conventional truth (sammuti-sacca) and ultimate truth (paramattha-sacca).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two types of truth are not exactly the same as relative and absolute truths. Rather than focusing on the universality or specificity of the scope of the truth, they focus on the intrinsicness of the truth - i.e., whether an object agrees with a truth by its inherent nature, or whether it is simply said to agree with it by external convention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of conventional, extrinsic truth is in a fist. When you close your hand, a fist appears, almost by magic. When you open your hand again, the fist disappears. There was never anything intrinsic about the object that made the fist appear; only convention and recognition gave rise to the truth or falsehood of the arising of a fist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of ultimate, intrinsic truth is in the pain felt when a fist connects at high velocity with a face. The fist and the face are only conventional descriptions of the reality, but the pain is intrinsic to the experience and thus said to be ultimately real. Also ultimately real are the vision of the fist coming towards the face, the feeling of the hardness of the fist and the softness of the face, and the sound of the fist connecting with the face.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, conventional reality refers to entities, while ultimate reality refers to the building blocks that make up reality (i.e. experience). So, the entities of fists and faces are conventional, but the sights, sounds, and feelings associated with the experience are ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The importance of this doctrine is in establishing a proper paradigm for understanding reality. Because conventional truths are based on mental formations, they cannot aid in an understanding of reality. A permanent, satisfying, controllable convention can be conceived of, but it will never exist in ultimate reality. By delineating that which exists in ultimate reality, one can limit one's observation to those objects that will provide an understanding of how reality works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, focusing on the concept of food as you eat, you will never come to see the nature of reality as arising and ceasing incessantly, because you are focused on something that is constant (but not really existing) - i.e. the food. As a result, you will easily conceive of it as good or bad, me and mine. If you focus on the experience of tasting and feeling as you chew the food, you will notice that you don't actually taste or feel the food always, your mind flitting between tasting, feeling, liking, disliking, thinking, etc., and you will come to understand the nature of reality, which in turn will allow you to let go of your attachments to good an bad experiences as you see that there is nothing truly desirable or undesirable about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is based on the teaching of the Buddha while he was alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relative and absolute truth, I believe, are more a part of the Mahayana claim that the teachings of the Buddha during his life were only meant to be taken in the context of the audience's limited ability to understand higher truths. Such teachings, it is claimed, can therefore be disregarded or at least superseded by later teachings that were kept secret until a time when beings could understand the higher truths they contained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, an example of a relative truth would be the teaching of dependent origination and the four noble truths; ultimate truth would be seeing that even those teachings are emptiness, and therefore meaningless. The point is that in order to understand the ultimate truth of emptiness, one must first realize the conventional truths as stepping stones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if I haven't done the Mahayana view justice, but I don't subscribe to it myself; there is nothing in the original teachings of the Buddha to suggest that they are only relatively true, or that there is anything absolute beyond them. But, I guess I'm biased :)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T19:46:21.957" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T19:46:21.957" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="247" CreationDate="2014-06-22T19:55:58.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially, the practice does involve &quot;purification&quot; (of mind from mental and emotional toxins or stains or obscurations) but on advanced stages the dichotomy of purity-vs-impurity itself is considered an impurity and has to be &quot;purified away&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether Enlightenment is Nirvana or not is a difficult technical question. According to one definition, Nirvana dependently-coarises with Samsara as its inverted projection, while full Enlightenment is transcending both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For beginner it is Ok to assume that Nirvana and Enlightenment are the same and is achieved by purification, from attachments and preconceptions. Once you get closer it will become clearer what is what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T20:04:44.797" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T20:04:44.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1313" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1324" CreationDate="2014-06-22T20:11:30.967" Score="16" ViewCount="996" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been struggling with this one for quite a while now. The fourth foundation of mindfulness is called 'dhammānupassana' - vision in regards to the dhammas. The old translation I was given when I started meditating was &quot;mind objects&quot;, which I'm pretty sure is not at all correct in this context, since it doesn't get at the distinction between the fourth set and the first three.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase &quot;mind object&quot; is a translation of &quot;dhammarammana&quot;. According to Nina Van Gorkom, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammarammana comprises all objects which are not included in the first five classes. These can be experienced only through the mind-door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/nina-abhidhamma/nina-abhi-16.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/nina-abhidhamma/nina-abhi-16.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &quot;mind object&quot; is a specific subset of reality in a specific context. The first five indriya and the first three elements that comprise rupakkhandha are not a part of this subset, and yet they appear in the section on dhammanupassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary says relating the the fourth satipatthana, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and now in order to speak of even the laying hold of the aggregates of perception and formations, he said &quot;And, how, o bhikkhus,&quot; and so forth.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the emphasis is supposed to be on these two aggregates (even though the five aggregates themselves are under this heading).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Thai, the meaning is given as &quot;that which holds (dhareti) the meditator from falling into evil&quot;, which is a definition of the truths (dhammas) taught by the Buddha. That seems appropriate, but it is still curious that there are only a limited number of subsets of the Buddha's teaching in the satipaṭṭhāna sutta, certainly not all of the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have a proper explanation as to why the fourth set is called &quot;dhammas&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T01:24:03.497" LastActivityDate="2019-07-24T12:11:53.223" Title="What is the meaning of &quot;dhammā&quot; in the context of the four satipaṭṭhāna?" Tags="|mindfulness|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2014-06-22T20:26:57.933" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As @Yuttadhammo pointed out, relative and absolute truths are a Mahayana construct. In Pali Canon, Buddha does not declare such duality (all he does is caution his students against taking his metaphors literally).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana standpoint, the phenomenal world, consisting of subject and its objects as well as relationships between them, is relative truth. Any description of reality is necessarily in the realm of relative truth as it depends on arbitrary axioms posited against each other. The ultimate truth (&quot;what really IS&quot;) is therefore ineffable, but can be tapped in practice through deconstructing all (relative) constructs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference between Relative and Ultimate truths becomes important for understanding Mahayana concept of Enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana perspective, the Path to Nirvana an individual walks belongs firmly in Relative Truth. However, because ultimately no separate &quot;individual&quot; exists apart from the interacting mental-and-physical factors, there is no entity that achieves Nirvana. Instead, when Three Marks of existence are fully realized as Emptiness of Interbeing, the notion of Nirvana is no longer applicable and Self-Existing Enlightenment can finally be realized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reality is an interpretation we make. Our everyday world, with its &quot;I&quot; and &quot;others&quot;, birth and death is one such interpretation. The world of Buddhist practitioners, with its skandhas, samskaras, dharmas, and nirvana is another interpretation, adopted temporarily as a stepping stone from the first. Regardless of where one is on the Path, Ultimate Truth remains the ground reality underlying all worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-22T22:26:07.530" LastActivityDate="2014-06-22T22:26:07.530" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1315" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-22T21:53:46.657" Score="10" ViewCount="585" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/172/is-it-possible-to-recognize-a-person-who-has-achieved-arhatship&quot;&gt;another question&lt;/a&gt;, it was discussed whether it's possible to recognize if someone is an arahat. I'm interested in something slightly less formidable, namely the &quot;attainments&quot; that may lead to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, if I want to choose a Buddhist meditation teacher, with an expectation that I will, under their guidance, attain some or all of the jhana absorptions, and also the various stages of insight, is it appropriate to ask them how much of them they themselves have achieved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason I think this could be useful is that I am very well aware that there is a difference between knowing about those attainments -- and maybe even knowing great detail about how they are achieved -- versus actually having achieved them. I, myself, have read around the topic a lot, and could pass for a teacher to someone who knows nothing. But other than possibly access concentration, I am an unattained noob. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it worth asking others, so I can avoid a blind leading the blind situation? (Of course, there's the additional problem of knowing if someone who &lt;em&gt;claims&lt;/em&gt; they have attained something is telling the truth. But at least by asking I could identify &lt;em&gt;honest&lt;/em&gt; unattained noobs)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, I recall a story of a very early teacher who in fact was highly effective and led many people to enlightenment without himself first being enlightened. (The story ends well in that finally he got there, but it may be a counter to the argument that to help someone to attainment X one must onesself &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; attainment X).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:56:45.763" Title="Is it useful (and polite) to ask a potential meditation teacher about their attainments?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1313" CreationDate="2014-06-22T23:30:37.423" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd go with &quot;the contents of mind&quot;, as opposed to the overall condition of mind (the point of the third &quot;foundation&quot;, as is evident from the elaboration: attraction, aversion, doubt, agitation, sloth etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to assume that the first three foundations are all ultimately objects of mind, but I don't think that's a perspective taken here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matrika seems to be a simple progression from coarse phenomena to more refined ones. First, there is the body with its sensations (&lt;code&gt;vedana&lt;/code&gt;), then there is the mind, with its contents (&lt;code&gt;dhamma&lt;/code&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;code&gt;dhamma&lt;/code&gt; literally means &quot;that which is held&quot;. In phenomenological context, it means &quot;that which is held &lt;em&gt;by the mind&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. So in case of satipatthana, &lt;code&gt;dhamma&lt;/code&gt; means &quot;objects of mind&quot;, or &quot;contents of mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T19:58:24.910" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T19:58:24.910" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="244" CreationDate="2014-06-23T00:06:33.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you asked about &quot;other traditions&quot; I could not go by without mentioning Prajna-Paramita, a movement within early Mahayana that emerged as a reaction against Abhidhammists (personified by Sariputta) allegedly reifying dhammas as ultimately real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Prajna-Paramita, the view of dhammas as having independent self-existence (despite Buddha explicitly declaring &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; as a characteristic of all conditioned phenomena without exception!) is yet another hindrance in the mind, leading to fear, confusion, and preventing awakening to (self-existing, unconditioned) Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the only ultimate reality is said to be Shunyata, unity of form and emptiness, an umbrella term for Three Characteristics of Existence plus Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T00:59:06.647" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T00:59:06.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="253" CreationDate="2014-06-23T01:04:44.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I asked this question, I did not have a good understanding of how fundamental making merit is to Buddhist practice. So it was interesting to look further into it myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of all the concepts central to Buddhism, merit (puñña) is one of the least known and least appreciated in the West. This is perhaps because the pursuit of merit seems to be a lowly practice, focused on getting and &quot;selfing,&quot; whereas higher Buddhist practice focuses on letting go, particularly of any sense of self. Because we in the West often feel pressed for time, we don't want to waste our time on lowly practices, and instead want to go straight to the higher levels. Yet the Buddha repeatedly warns that the higher levels cannot be practiced in a stable manner unless they develop on a strong foundation. The pursuit of merit provides that foundation. To paraphrase a modern Buddhist psychologist, one cannot wisely let go of one's sense of self until one has developed a wise sense of self. The pursuit of merit is the Buddhist way to develop a wise sense of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Merit: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (quoted above) lists three activities that lead to merit; dana (giving), sila (virtue), and bhavana (meditation). This is followed by around 71 pages of sutta passages, dhammapada verses and notes that mention various aspects of merit and how important it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my original question which was cynical and hinting at the fact that our motives for doing anything are rarely pure, is simply overshadowed by the fact that making merit is clearly important and holds great benefit for practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-03T17:29:45.177" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T17:29:45.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1319" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1333" CreationDate="2014-06-23T01:36:31.457" Score="2" ViewCount="801" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wgTus.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wgTusl.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Buddha statues for days of week&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thaismile.jp/FotoGallary/ThaiPics/e_ThaiPhoto_MaeHongSon_WatChongKamChongKlang.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Image courtesy of ThaiSmile.jp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visiting Buddhist temples, I often notice several statues of Lord Buddha. As far as I understand, they represent different Boddhisattvas. However, these statues are often attributed to different days of the week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to ask Buddhist people why this is so, and they have answered me that this is because each Boddhisattva has had some important event in their life (and in Lord Buddha's life as well), and that event has occurred on a corresponding day of week. But I still can not figure out why these events have never clashed and occurred precisely on different days of week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can it be? In other words, why have two or more events &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; happened on the same day of the week? Can it be that such attribution only has metaphoric sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T22:23:11.470" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T09:07:29.100" Title="What is the reason for attributing Lord Buddha's statues to days the of week?" Tags="|art|temples|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1320" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1331" CreationDate="2014-06-23T02:44:41.203" Score="6" ViewCount="1306" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are any Buddhist holidays associated with gift giving? If so, which holidays and what types of gifts are customarily given?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T11:24:01.523" LastActivityDate="2018-12-28T23:38:32.963" Title="Buddhist Holidays &amp; Gifts" Tags="|traditions|holidays|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2014-06-23T03:52:19.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my own understanding of the Maha-Assupura Sutta, after abandoning the five hindrances the practitioner enters Jhana. After having obtained Jhana the practitioner works on insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On abandoning the five hindrances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Seeing that they [the five hindrances] have been abandoned within him, he becomes glad. Glad, he becomes enraptured. Enraptured, his body grows tranquil. His body tranquil, he is sensitive to pleasure. Feeling pleasure, his mind becomes concentrated...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On entering Jhana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On insight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, the monk directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are mental fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T03:52:19.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="244" CreationDate="2014-06-23T03:53:31.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of classifications of &lt;em&gt;paramartha dharmas&lt;/em&gt;. In (most) expanded form they also known as &lt;em&gt;dharma lists&lt;/em&gt;. There is many variations in these lists between traditions. Sometimes traditions differ in content (if some element should be included in the list or not), sometimes in status of elements in there. Probably all four categories have difference in some or another tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T03:53:31.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1315" CreationDate="2014-06-23T04:11:03.713" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Worrying about whether something is polite or not is a hindrance. I am sure some practitioners would find it offensive but if they are offended that probably tells you all you need to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have yet to obtain the Jhanas then there are probably others who are still more advanced than you who have not yet obtained them either. The way I see it, anyone who is beyond you can be a good teacher and anyone who you are beyond can be a good student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Thana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's through living together that a person's virtue may be known, and then only after a long period...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's through dealing with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's through discussion that a person's discernment may be known, and then only after a long period...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't really know simply by asking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T23:23:45.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1313" CreationDate="2014-06-23T05:56:20.867" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the following perspective on all four &lt;em&gt;satipatthanas&lt;/em&gt; will help in understanding the  meaning of the fourth one. The four &lt;em&gt;satipatthanas&lt;/em&gt; are supposed to counter the four &lt;em&gt;vipallasas&lt;/em&gt; (perversions) which are: &lt;em&gt;permanence, happiness, self&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;beauty&lt;/em&gt;. So, mindfulness of the body counters the &lt;em&gt;beauty&lt;/em&gt; perversion; mindfulness of feelings (and the fact that all &lt;em&gt;vedanas&lt;/em&gt; are included in &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) counters the &lt;em&gt;happiness&lt;/em&gt; perversion; mindfulness of mind (which is &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;) counters the &lt;em&gt;permanence&lt;/em&gt; perversion; and, finally, mindfulness of the &lt;em&gt;dhammas&lt;/em&gt; counters the &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;) perversion. Thus, one reviews &lt;em&gt;dhammas&lt;/em&gt; to realize &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. To view four perversions would be inappropriate attention (&lt;em&gt;ayoniso-manasikara&lt;/em&gt;), but the four &lt;em&gt;satipatthanas&lt;/em&gt;, would be training in &lt;em&gt;appropriate&lt;/em&gt; attention (&lt;em&gt;yoniso-manasikara&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, overall, I think the meaning of &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; in this context is exactly what they are: analytical properties of experience, ultimate phenomena, and everything else that apply to dhammas (mind objects, matikas, dhamma lists, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T19:45:35.130" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T19:45:35.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2014-06-23T07:00:17.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Two truths&lt;/em&gt; is not just Mahayana development, it's Abhidharma (Abhidhamma) development, and exists in Theravada too (check this (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.skb.or.kr/down/papers/094.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pdf&lt;/a&gt;) excellent article of prof. Karunadasa). But &quot;relative and absolute&quot; is really misnomer, properly said it's &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ultimate&lt;/em&gt; truths (skt. &lt;em&gt;samvriti &amp;amp; paramartha satya&lt;/em&gt;). Their distinction is like between naïve language (convention) and scientific analytical discourse. When language is used in its common sense it's &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt;, and when it express Buddhist teaching it's &lt;em&gt;truth&lt;/em&gt;. When reality &lt;em&gt;as it is&lt;/em&gt;, is analysed into &lt;em&gt;dharmas&lt;/em&gt; and expressed in special dharma-discourse (adhidharma), it is &lt;em&gt;ultimate truth&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Typical example is: when Buddhist teaching talks about &lt;em&gt;beings&lt;/em&gt; it's &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt; truth, when it talk about &lt;em&gt;skandhas&lt;/em&gt; it's ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T07:00:17.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1315" CreationDate="2014-06-23T07:46:46.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's like asking what's your ATM security key. You might share it with a family member because they are your family and you trust them. Just like that, an Ariya Puggala might discuss his attainment with the Buddha or with Arya Sangha. But they wouldn't discuss it with ordinary lay people. You could observe the teacher's behavior for a while and see if he becomes angry or afraid. If he does, then at most he could be a Sakadagami. But even if he doesn't show his anger, he could still be getting irritated inside. So it's difficult to tell if one has attained a certain stage of enlightenment. But it's easier to tell whether one is not an Arahath. One of the methods I use is to see if my level of understanding, appreciation and confidence of the Triple Gem improves after listening to a sermon from a teacher. Sometimes you might listen to a teacher who might have memorised a lot from Tipitaka and the Commentaries, but when interpreting the meanings, he might make you doubtful of the Triple Gem. Sometimes you see certain teachers even going to the extent of insulting the authors of commentaries and questioning the authenticity of Abhidhamma to prove their point. That's a clear indication that you should look for a new teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With meditation, you can practice it and observe your mind to see if your defilements are subsiding and being eliminated. If they do, the technique works and the teacher is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, an unenlightened teacher with a sharp knowledge can still make someone else enlightened by giving a good sermon. But it's still won't be as good as having instructions from an enlightened person. Even with an enlightened teacher, you may not be able to be successful. Even the chief disciple most venerable Sariputta thera couldn't help a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thisismyanmar.com/nibbana/vasava03.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;certain meditation student&lt;/a&gt;. Only after taking him to the Buddha, was he able to attain enlightenment. Only the Buddha can give you the instructions that will suit your personality 100%. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd stop focusing too much on finding the teacher's attainment and observe myself to see if the practice works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T18:20:07.180" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T18:20:07.180" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1320" CreationDate="2014-06-23T08:13:41.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here in Sri Lanka we have Dansal(alms giving stalls) on poya days. Just like how Anathapindika used to do in Buddha's time. Anyone and everyone can come and take as much as they like. I had free ice-cream on last Poson poya day. Usually they give away food items. But recently some have even started giving away phone reloads. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T08:13:41.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2014-06-23T09:27:14.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a Vajrayana practitioner and this is how the two truths were explained to me in &lt;em&gt;very simplified terms&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a relative level, which describes our every day experience, dualistic and conceptual thinking prevails and one feels separated from others. On the absolute level, however, there is no duality, and  object, subject and action are the parts of the same totality. On the absolute level everything is &lt;em&gt;empty of intrinsic existence&lt;/em&gt;. This should not be confused with nihilistic thinking that things are hollow or not-existent - they do appear but they are interdependent and have no lasting properties. A great Indian Yogi Saraha phrased that in the following way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who think that things are real are as stupid as a cow;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who think things are not real are even more stupid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding emptiness and thus the absolute truth is difficult and that is why the relative truth is employed to learn about the nature of mind. On the absolute level, there is exactly the same Buddhahood in a sacred temple as in a bathroom, but because of our habitual likes and dislikes, our meditation is deeper in a temple. A highly realised Lama has the same Buddha Nature as a criminal but on a relative level there is much more benefit to trust the Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the emptiness is understood, the veils of ignorance disappear and a great joy is being discharged. Understanding the nature of the mind is indeed the lasting happiness and there is no greater joy than that. The following short poem nicely captures that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since everything is but an illusion,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perfect in being what it is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having nothing to do with good or bad,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acceptance or rejection,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might as well burst out laughing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T09:27:14.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1315" CreationDate="2014-06-23T11:18:52.117" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it's a monk they are forbidden from discussing attainments with lay persons due to some monks at the time of the Buddha using their attainments and powers unskillfully with lay persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise it's still not something you ask the person directly, although it appears to happen quite often as I've seen it on many Dhamma talk videos and in person at retreats. Usually the person says flat out no or redirects the question in some way or another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may also be useful to observe your desire to have a teacher that matches your criteria and the judgments, expectations, and issues that arise from that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T11:27:03.013" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T11:27:03.013" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1320" CreationDate="2014-06-23T12:34:39.980" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, there are two holidays I can think of that are related to giving: the kathina robe making and the day after the rains is over, called in Thailand &lt;strong&gt;devorohana&lt;/strong&gt; (descending of the lord).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kathina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kathina refers to the frame used to make a robe in the time of the Buddha. After the rains, the monks would gather together cloth they had found or received as a gift and give it to a specific monk; any monk who has a worn or tattered robe is an eligible candidate to receive the kathina robe cloth or, if no such candidate exists, the robe may be given to any monk who is skilled in the making of the robe. Once it is determined who will receive the robe cloth, the community gathers together and offers the cloth. They then have twenty-four hours to complete the making of the robe. If they succeed in the communal effort, the entire community receives certain privileges that last for the next four months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information about &lt;a href=&quot;http://archive.today/a0XxY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kathina&lt;/a&gt; can be found here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Devorohana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the Buddha spent the rains in the Tavatimsa heavenly world teaching the Abhidhamma, he is said to have descended to the city of Samkassa on a mystical staircase. In celebration of this event (and the ending of the rains retreat), a ceremonial alms-giving with a Buddha statue leading the way is often performed on this day, often descending from whatever staircase happens to be handy. E.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sdvaJ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Alms round descending from staircase&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that, pretty much all Buddhist holidays (Theravada, anyway) are traditionally seen as occasions for special attention to charity as well as morality and mental development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-12-28T23:38:32.963" LastActivityDate="2018-12-28T23:38:32.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1332" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-23T13:24:52.680" Score="5" ViewCount="364" Body="&lt;p&gt;Building from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/77/what-are-the-major-sects-of-buddhism&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, I'd be really interested in seeing an overall view of the Buddhist taxonomical system. I don't mean the actual names &quot;Therevada&quot;, &quot;Mahayana&quot; and so on, or &quot;Soto&quot;, &quot;Rinzai&quot; etc. I mean, what is the overall system into which those names fit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, what is meant by words like: school, sect, lineage, vehicle, branch, tradition, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt there will be anything as robust as you'd see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomic_rank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, but a rough guide would be nice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T22:10:06.510" Title="What is the overall Buddhist taxonomy?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1319" CreationDate="2014-06-23T14:03:53.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bytebuster, as a fellow Bangkokian I’m happy to try to answer this question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This arrangement of images in various postures according to the days of the week is a Thai Buddhist practice, and it doesn’t seem to be very old, dating from the early Bangkok Period (post 1780s).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let’s consider them from an artistic perspective first.  According to Jean Boisselier:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;gestures and attitudes&lt;/em&gt; of a Buddha image permit identification of a particular moment in the Buddha’s career, even when there is no other narrative context for the figure.  They are fully intelligible only to Buddhist worshippers or to those with adequate knowledge of the main events in the Buddha’s life. [...] It should be emphasized here that the frequently employed term &lt;em&gt;mudrā&lt;/em&gt; has no real meaning except in the context of Mahāyāna, where each &lt;em&gt;mudrā&lt;/em&gt; is, in the strictest sense, the mark of a particular Jina and thus a means of differentiating the Buddhas who, by nature, are all alike.  The &lt;em&gt;mudrās&lt;/em&gt; do not suffice to represent all the great miracles, and in the Theravāda – especially in the iconography of Thailand – the term &lt;em&gt;mudrā&lt;/em&gt; is not used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So each posture is meant to show an event in the historical Buddha’s lifetime, they do not identify different bodhisattvas.  Rāma III, a king who ruled from roughly 1825 to 1850, had a list of 40 postures compiled which became the standard for Thai art.  Artists during earlier dynasties sometimes innovated new postures, an example being the graceful “walking Buddhas” of the Sukhothai period (13-15th centuries).  Besides a posture for each day, there are postures assigned to the twelve months and the twelve years under the Thai calendar (a cycle similar to the Chinese year of the horse, tiger etc.)  While these monthly and yearly postures are not as well known, you might find them represented in temple art if you looked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here’s a list of the days and postures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunday – Gazing at the bodhi tree (standing, with hands crossed over the thighs)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monday – Restraining the kinsmen (standing, left hand down and right hand raised, palm open as if repelling something)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tuesday – Reclining (on right side with head on hand).  This is also interpreted as “asking Rahu to return the sun and moon which he has swallowed” – maybe a more astrological reading?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wednesday morning – Carrying the alms bowl (standing, holding the bowl with both hands)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wednesday afternoon – In the Pālileyyaka Forest (sitting as if on a chair, with hands on knees, right hand palm upward).  Here a monkey and an elephant are offering food, the Buddha having retreated to the forest to escape a quarrel among his followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thursday – Meditating (seated with folded legs, both hands in lap with palms upward)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Friday – Reflecting (standing, with hands crossed over the breast)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saturday – Meditating, sheltered by the nāga Mucalinda.  The Palelai Forest Buddha may appear on this day rather than Wednesday, it seems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that some very common and meaningful postures, like the abhayamudra or subduing Māra, seated with right hand touching the ground, are not part of this set.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s true that these day-images are mainly for laypeople, and it may be frowned upon for monks to occupy themselves with something you might regard as superstition.  Often when the images are arranged in a row with candles in front, people pay respect to each one in turn by pouring oil on the candles, rather than focusing on their day only.  There are always more prominent images (and murals) in the assembly hall in any case.  More generally, we shouldn’t be tempted to think of Thai Buddhists as solely concerned with protective magic and astrology.  King Mongkut, who succeeded Rāma III, had been a monk for over 20 years.  As king, he founded the Thammayut order partly because he wanted the sangha to concentrate on textual study rather than magical practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, let me point out that Burma has something similar to this. The Buddha images at each day’s station (arrayed around the central stupa) don’t vary, but there are different animals for each (a tiger for Monday and so on).  Take a look at the wiki page for the Shwedagon Pagoda for details, as well as a picture of Barack Obama “pouring water over the shoulder of the Friday Buddha”!  For the Burmese, the day of your birth also can influence the name you are given, one example being the 1950s prime minister U Nu, whose memoir was entitled “Saturday’s Son”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note:  The quote here is from Jean Boisselier, &lt;em&gt;The Heritage of Thai Sculpture&lt;/em&gt; (Asia Books 1975) p. 202.  For information in Thai, look for titles like พระพุทธรูปปางต่างๆ.  ปาง (paang) is the Thai word for posture here.  In English there is K. Matics, &lt;em&gt;Gestures of the Buddha.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T14:03:53.157" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2014-06-23T16:20:56.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In accordance with my understanding of the Buddha's teachings I offer the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First: if the bare insight thing is valid -- i.e. if it is possible to&#xA;  go straight to Vipassana without going via Samatha -- then why&#xA;  wouldn't everyone just do that? Insight is The Point, after all,&#xA;  (isn't it?) so why waste time with what seems to be mere training&#xA;  wheels?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta seems to make an analogy similar to training wheels, while at the same time apparently saying that jhāna is required for enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana... the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness. I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception...&#xA;&quot;Suppose that an archer or archer's apprentice were to practice on a straw man or mound of clay, so that after a while he would become able to shoot long distances, to fire accurate shots in rapid succession, and to pierce great masses. In the same way, there is the case where a monk... enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, &amp;amp; consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[1]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Second: OK, suppose access concentration or first jhana is necessary,&#xA;  but is also sufficient a level of samadhi as preparation for&#xA;  vipassana. Then, again, why would anyone then continue on to &quot;samatha&quot;&#xA;  jhanas 2 through 4? My understanding is that while those jhanas may be&#xA;  cool and blissful, not only are they not The Point, they carry the&#xA;  danger of attachment. So why bother with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Pasadika Sutta, Budhhist monks &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; 'attached' or 'addicted' to the jhānas, which &quot;...conduce to utter unworldliness, to passionlessness, to cessation, to peace, to insight, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text continues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If then it happens, Cunda, that Wanderers teaching other doctrines should declare : The Sakyan recluses live addicted and devoted to these four modes of pleasure, to them ye should answer Yea, Rightly would they be speaking of you, nor would they be misrepresenting you by what is not fact, by what does not exist.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistlibraryonline.com/index.php/dighanikaya/pathikavaggapali/pasadika-sutta/72-pasadika1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[2]&lt;/a&gt; {&lt;strong&gt;note:&lt;/strong&gt; translation/grammar mistakes were left untouched}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Suttas in which there are apparently good reasons to think that jhāna is important are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;...jhāna monks [i.e., monks who practice jhāna] are...amazing people, hard to find in the world, i.e., those who dwell touching the deathless element with the body.&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.046.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[3]&lt;/a&gt; {&lt;strong&gt;note:&lt;/strong&gt; this seems to imply that jhāna is connected to the 'deathless element'.}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the Cula-hatthipadopama Sutta, the four jhānas are called 'footprint[s] of the Tathagata' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[4]&lt;/a&gt; {&lt;strong&gt;note:&lt;/strong&gt; the jhānas are said to be evidence that indicates a Buddha might be around; however, in the text, the Buddha cautions the questioner about drawing a definite conclusion until the reality itself, that is, the Buddha, is seen. It seems reasonable to identify this with The Dhamma or Unbinding itself.}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At AN 4.123, jhāna is described as leading either to rebirth in heavenly realms or to Nibbāna. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[5]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jhāna is often referred to as 'a pleasant abiding here and now.' E.g., here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/majjhima/008-salleka-sutta-e1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[6]&lt;/a&gt; {note: this sutta also makes the point that although jhāna is a pleasant abiding, it should not be mistaken with 'purity'}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha's last act before he died was to enter all of the attainments and he passed away directly after arising from the fourth jhāna. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[7]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jhāna is called the 'highest gratification of feelings...[which is] freedom from affliction'; when one enters jhāna, &quot;On such an occasion he does not choose for his own affliction, or for another's affliction, or for the affliction of both.&quot; It is further stated that for one who does not fully understand the gratification of feelings, fully understanding feelings or instructing others so that they would come to fully understand feelings is impossible. [MN 13, Bodhi, In the Buddha's Words (full citation later; also look &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for an alternate translation]. {&lt;strong&gt;note:&lt;/strong&gt; The full understanding of feelings is threefold: (1) the gratification; (2) the danger; (3) the escape. Implicitly, even the pleasant feelings of jhāna are dangerous and an escape from them should be sought. The escape is to remove desire for feelings, including, implicitly, the desire for fine-material feelings; i.e., jhāna.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T16:20:56.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1335" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-23T16:27:27.967" Score="9" ViewCount="18188" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha is traditionally regarded as having a noble body with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_32_Signs_of_a_Great_Man&quot;&gt;32 signs of a Great Man&lt;/a&gt; and one of those signs are deep blue eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I came across many online discussions about Buddha's ethnicity where some stated that Buddha's family - Sakya - was from Scythian descent. I also met some Ukrainians claiming that Sakyas were precisely from the land that now belongs to Ukraine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone answer the question providing &lt;em&gt;reliable&lt;/em&gt; sources or evidence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2021-09-14T22:24:54.100" Title="What was the historical Buddha's ethnicity?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1336" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-23T17:34:26.013" Score="6" ViewCount="1518" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of S.N. Goenka's method for learning Vipassana meditation is that the student is introduced to meditation in a 10 day retreat in which he or she sits in silent meditation for almost all his or her waking hours. This seems  a daunting way to introduce meditation to a newcomer. Also, for many people, it could be difficult to arrange for 10 days without family or work obligations. Thus, I ask: What does the student gain by through an introduction to meditation via a &quot;marathon&quot; retreat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T21:06:05.983" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T20:19:14.013" Title="What is gained by learning Vipassana meditation in long retreats?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|beginner|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-23T19:30:36.970" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;An answer to this would be just as the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can &quot;wake up in the morning with full energy, eat when you feel hungry, be able to pass the bowels when needed and sleep when the night falls and when you feel tired&quot; - you would have understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might say, &quot;What are you talking about? aren't those what we do every day?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not really.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We wake up in the morning thinking of yesterday, when someone said something unpleasant to us, something that should have been finished, how much did you pay for the meal in a restaurant where the waiter was rude (or nice, that you must come back), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We eat thinking of work, the co-worker who we need to pay attention to because he might be doing something ulterior, the &quot;for-loop&quot; the fails from time to time, etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We sleep thinking of tomorrow or next week, our holiday plans, what to wear, &quot;how humiliated I was, when that Jack pulled a trick on me trying to impress the girl I try to get a date with&quot;, etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what is the role belief? As mentioned, one doesn't need to believe in anything.&#xA;There is no form. It is not the incense you burn or the perfectly cut rose wood that you set up in your home that make you a Buddhist, or how much you argumentatively &quot;win&quot; in a conversation with others about life or how many temples you have visited, etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As time goes by, and when the understanding is obtained, you lose the sense of &quot;self&quot; and thus &quot;you&quot;. You mentioned Western and so I would take the freedom on making a comment correspondingly - in western culture, the &quot;I&quot; is huge, the &quot;form&quot; is more important and the &quot;steps&quot; must be followed sequentially (science) and the &quot;things&quot; must be studied and proven by mathematics and seen under the microscope; this is the only barrier I have experienced when one is learning to walk the path towards Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I have learnt is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observing. Learn how to observe yourself and the nature. If one can do something that is truly beneficial to other beings and livelihood that is not based on &quot;self&quot;, it would be a good first step attained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T19:30:36.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2014-06-23T20:15:45.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the answer page cannot be linked, I reproduce here the entry in Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/&lt;/a&gt;) for the word &lt;em&gt;śaka&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Name of a particular white-skinned tribe or race of people (in the legends which relate the contests between वसिष्ठ and विश्वामित्र the शकs are fabled to have been produced by the Cow of वसिष्ठ , from her sweat , for the destruction of विश्वामित्र's army ; in Mn. x , 44 , they are mentioned together with the पौण्ड्रकs , ओड्रs , द्रविडs , काम्बोजs , जवनs or यवनs , पारदs , पह्लवs , चीनs , किरातs , दरदs , and खशs , described by Kull. as degraded tribes of क्षत्रियs called after the districts in which they reside: according to the VP. iv , 3, king सगर attempted to rid his kingdom of these tribes , but did not succeed in destroying them all : they are sometimes regarded as the followers of शक or शालि-वाहन , and are probably to be identified with the Tartars or Indo-Scythians [Lat. Sacae] who overran India before the Aryans , and were conquered by the great विक्रमा*दित्य [q.v.] ; they really seem to have been dominant in the north-west of India in the last century before and the first two centuries after the beginning of our era) AV.Paris3. Mn. MBh. &amp;amp;c&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can't read the Devanagari, comment on the part of the article which seems enlightening regarding your question and I will give you the transcription.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;śākya&lt;/em&gt; is a simple derivation (patronymic) of the word &lt;em&gt;śaka&lt;/em&gt;, meaning someone descended from the &lt;em&gt;śakas&lt;/em&gt;. One of the names of the Buddha, &lt;em&gt;śākyamuni&lt;/em&gt;, simply means the sakya sage. So this is why the Buddha is supposed to be of Scythian descent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, I wouldn't give too much on the &lt;em&gt;mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇas&lt;/em&gt;, the signs of the great man, since these are evidently a later addition from a time of inflationary claims to buddhahood and arhatship to somehow regulate the distribution of charismatic authority. That the Lakkhana Sutta (DN 30) is a late sutta is already evident by linguistic features, metre for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T15:31:21.533" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T15:31:21.533" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1332" CreationDate="2014-06-23T21:28:54.997" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can only &lt;em&gt;propose&lt;/em&gt; taxonomy. Plus there is many misuse of the terms. This is how I view things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;school&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;vada&lt;/em&gt;) - It's supposed to be &lt;em&gt;school of thought&lt;/em&gt;, so school adherents should share common philosophical view. Probably in ancient times they was. But in modern practice, frequently, any group united by common root is called a school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sect&lt;/strong&gt; - sometimes people divide whole Religion into sects, but sometimes they call schools sects. Plus, term inherited from Christianity some negative connotations of heresy. Thus, sometimes word 'sect' is not liked at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;branch&lt;/strong&gt; - just &lt;em&gt;general division&lt;/em&gt; which is not loaded term as a &lt;em&gt;sect&lt;/em&gt;. For example, we can split whole Buddhism into branches (Tibetan, Chinese, etc), but also we can split some tradition into branches (Tibetan into Gelug, Kagyu, etc., or Kagyu into Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, etc.) It's general classification word like 'part', 'subdivision', etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;tradition&lt;/strong&gt; - what is survived (or evolved) to modern day from ancient ages. It's probably region based. But in practice interchangeable with sect or school too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;vehicle&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;yana&lt;/em&gt;) - some &lt;em&gt;theoretical&lt;/em&gt; division of the Teaching, used by Buddha in some texts. It's more &lt;em&gt;abstract division&lt;/em&gt; than real historical entity. Only historical we have about vehicles is attribution of some texts to vehicles and acceptance or not by some schools of these texts as canonical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;lineage&lt;/strong&gt; - supposedly unbreaked personal inheritance of some teaching, or student-teacher relationships, from ancient to modern teacher (frequently lineage goes up to the Buddha himself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;vinaya lineage&lt;/strong&gt; - historically is more important than adherence to philosophy, it's unbreaked succession of ordinance into Sangha by the rules for particular vinaya. Currently &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya#Traditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;only three vinaya lineages&lt;/a&gt; are survived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-06-23T22:20:59.913" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T22:20:59.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1343" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1366" CreationDate="2014-06-23T23:08:44.373" Score="5" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it considered better practice to stick to a strict schedule of walking/sitting meditation even if doing so will involve trying to settle into meditation while being plagued with hindrances (pañca nīvaraṇāni)? Or just wait until things are calmer and conditions are better even if that isn't until the next day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e., is there value to just forcing yourself (as people sometimes have to do to engage in physical exercise regularly) or would the poor mind state negate your efforts anyway?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I practice vipassana meditation if that makes a difference.) Thanks for any help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:57:20.500" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:57:20.500" Title="Scheduling Formal Meditation" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1344" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1390" CreationDate="2014-06-23T23:41:32.503" Score="13" ViewCount="5030" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been to a nice restaurant (pictured below) where the bar was decorated with statues of the Buddha. Given the 5th precept and all; this seemed a bit odd. Would it be correct to surmise that the 5th precept is understood in different ways among Buddhists? &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bb7OO.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:45:49.797" LastActivityDate="2023-11-14T15:30:25.700" Title="Do all Buddhists abstain from alcohol?" Tags="|five-precepts|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1343" CreationDate="2014-06-23T23:51:51.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Maha-Assapura Sutta a practitioner abandons the hindrances before working on insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice samatha meditation until the five hindrances dissipate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing that they [the five hindrances] have been abandoned within him, he becomes glad. Glad, he becomes enraptured. Enraptured, his body grows tranquil. His body tranquil, he is sensitive to pleasure. Feeling pleasure, his mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After abandoning the five hindrances work on vipassana. Some days you may use your entire meditation working on calming and removing the five hindrances through single point meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, the monk directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are mental fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to work both samatha and vipassana rather than skipping samatha and waiting for days when vipassana is easier and feels more natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-23T23:51:51.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-06-24T00:51:12.107" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is oftentimes an intensely debated precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the fifth precept is understood differently by different people, i.e., sometimes people interpret it to mean abstaining from all drugs or all intoxicants. It usually always includes abstaining from intoxication and heedlessness from alcoholic drink though; some people may interpret this as allowing them to drink in moderation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I had to guess, the person that was responsible for putting those Buddha statues in that bar thought they were cool and has no idea about the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T00:51:12.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1343" CreationDate="2014-06-24T00:51:55.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, vipassana should not be forced at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forcing oneself belongs to samatha, targeted at developing pliancy of mind.&#xA;However, according to instructions I received, even samatha should not be forced as much as to develop antipathy towards meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luckily, vipassana (unlike samatha) is a kind of meditation that can be done &quot;in action&quot;, without sitting. So even resisting meditation can be turned into meditation, by paying close attention to the experience of resistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T00:51:55.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1348" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1420" CreationDate="2014-06-24T00:57:31.640" Score="4" ViewCount="1566" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, if you promise something to someone and don't keep it, it is equivalent to lying. But what if the promise is to myself and I don't keep it; is it violating the precept on lying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the lying precept apply to oneself, i.e not lying to yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta / Vinaya references would be very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I meant one vowed/ promised with honest intention at the time did it, but later change mind and don't want to keep it anymore&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="218" LastEditorUserId="218" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T03:05:58.693" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T10:02:37.533" Title="Does not keeping a promise violate the precept on lying? What if I promised myself?" Tags="|five-precepts|theravada|right-speech|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1348" CreationDate="2014-06-24T03:23:58.317" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the way I understand the fourth precept is: lying to myself is still lying. However, in my view, breaking the promise is only lying if done deliberately. If at the moment of making the promise I believed I would do it, then it was simply a case of ignorance on my part. Ignorance is Ok, as long as we learn from mistakes. To people who made serious mistakes in their past, Buddha suggested to admit their faults and stop feeling remorse but concentrate on being more skilfull from now on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T03:23:58.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2014-06-24T04:32:31.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding, the goal of the meditation is to see the ultimate reality of the world and understand the world as it is. So both of the techniques are required to understand the reality and &lt;strong&gt;they are inter related&lt;/strong&gt;. Although the purpose and the results of Samatha(tranquility) and Vipassana(insight) meditation are different, we need both to reach our final goal. I think as a beginner we can start with any technique based on the status of our mind as at the beginning of the meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example there are some days, that our mind is so peaceful, calm, and focused. So we can directly start the &quot;Vipassana&quot; meditation. In the other hand if the mind is restless and unsettled, we can start the meditation with &quot;Samatha&quot; and continue it to &quot;Vipassana&quot;. I think this is the answer for your question one:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer the second question I would like to quote the below passage from one of the article from Ven Ajan Chandako. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Jhána empowers mindfulness. Both samatha and vipassaná are based on developing continuous mindfulness in the present moment, but mindfulness alone doesn't have the ability to enlightment. Even dogs and cats have some mindfulness, an awareness of their surroundings, but it is not focused and directed in a way which will free their minds. Jhána gives the mind strength, so that when we contemplate something our understanding has the ability to deeply penetrate to its essential nature. Practicing vipassaná on it's own, the mind tends to merely skim around on the surface of reality without penetrating. Or it's like trying to shave or put on make-up in an airplane toilet while the plane is bouncing with turbulence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There's no jhana for one with no discernment, no discernment for one with no jhana. But one with both jhana &amp;amp; discernment: he's on the verge of Unbinding. Dhp 372&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally I highly encorage you to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Ajahn_Chandako_Samatha_and_Vipassana_in_Harmony.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; article which gives a very good explanation about Samatha, Vipassana and Jhána. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could find some nice explanations from below links : &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Ajahn_Chandako_Samatha_and_Vipassana_in_Harmony.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Ajahn_Chandako_Samatha_and_Vipassana_in_Harmony.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/vipassana-meditation/d/doc1330.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/vipassana-meditation/d/doc1330.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDDY4gOexVA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDDY4gOexVA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T21:20:03.097" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:20:03.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-06-24T07:33:46.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's disrespectful to use buddha statues for decorative purposes in bars or anywhere else. It creates bad Karma for the person who does it. &#xA;Yes, the 5th precept covers both drugs and alcohol consumption for non medicinal purposes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T07:33:46.253" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1348" CreationDate="2014-06-24T07:49:54.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;VIJJA -CARANA SAMPANO&quot; is a quality of the Buddha. He says as He acts and He does what He says. Only a fully enlightened Buddha can keep to his word 100% all the time. So breaking a promise is not a lie, unless you had the intention of lying when you made the promise. In that case, you have already lied, even before breaking the promise. Lying to oneself is not technically possible as you always know what you are upto.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four conditions must be met to &#xA;break this precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The statement must be untrue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be an intention to deceive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) An effort must be made to deceive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T21:55:25.887" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:55:25.887" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1353" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1355" CreationDate="2014-06-24T07:54:06.503" Score="8" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know Buddhism stresses the importance of being a content person, but I can't help thinking that any action such as walking or even shifting my foot is a form of dissatisfaction for current moment. Why would I change anything if I am content? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:17:57.530" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T02:58:05.833" Title="Is action a form of discontent?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="118" CreationDate="2014-06-24T08:13:34.630" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just the prayer and syllables in question, not the surrounding prayers and other elements of the practice (e.g., the refuge prayer), but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.colobon.orionroyer.com/Daily-Chants_FINAL.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this is the prayer&lt;/a&gt; that I was thinking of (བླ་མའི་རྣལ་འབྱོར, called the &quot;&lt;em&gt;lamai naljor&lt;/em&gt; prayer&quot;, also transliterated as &quot;lamé naljor&quot;, or translated as &quot;Guru Yoga prayer&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;སྤྱི་གཙུག་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ།&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  དྲིན་ཆེན་རྩ་བའི་བླ་མ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས།&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  སངས་རྒྱས་སེམས་སུ་སྟོན་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ།&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  རང་ངོ་རང་གིས་ཤེས་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས།&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transliterated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Chi tsuk dé wa chen pö po drang du&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Drin chen tsa wé la ma la söl wa dep&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sang gyé sem su tön pa rin po ché&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Rang ngo rang gi shé par jin gyi lop&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been translated as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the crown of my head, in a palace of great bliss&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Benevolent root lama, I pray to you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Precious one that reveals that my own mind is Buddha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bless me to recognize my own true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have &lt;a href=&quot;http://yungdrung-rignga-ling.forums-free.com/guru-yoga-from-the-ma-gyu-t301.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;also seen it translated&lt;/a&gt; a little more poetically:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the crown of my head, palace of great bliss,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I pray to you, benevolent root lama.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  O precious one, grant me the blessings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To recognize my own true nature as a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a version of this practice found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559392460&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Opening the Door to Bön&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.olmoling.org/contents/lhatri_nyima_drakpa_rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Latri Khenpo Geshe Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;, in the 5th preliminary practice, &quot;Connecting With the Teacher&quot;, which provides a virtually identical prayer with a slightly different transliteration and another translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also includes a lot of the surrounding details, visualizations, and prayers. This version of the practice is subtly different from the one that I learned, but the bones are very similar if not identical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three syllables are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;AH – White, Forehead&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;OM – Red, Throat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;HUNG – Dark Blue, Mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are Bön-specific seed syllables and other branches sometimes use variations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't own the book and so can't speak to its contents in any great detail, but &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilgo_Khyentse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; has written a book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559391219&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Guru Yoga: According To The Preliminary Practice Of Longchen Nyingtik&lt;/a&gt; would seem to cover the practice from a different angle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T20:44:09.560" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T20:44:09.560" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1353" CreationDate="2014-06-24T08:32:27.463" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that Buddhism does not promote the importance of being a contented person, especially by suppressing any feelings, perceptions or other parts of experience. Instead, by learning to know dissatisfaction (suffering, dukkha) very well, we notice that the discontentment is separate from the experience (i.e. pain is pain, sickness is sickness, it's our minds that adds dissatisfaction on top of that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By practicing to recognize dissatisfaction, we can then learn to put that dissatisfaction aside, and simply experience each moment as it is (painful, pleasurable or neutral). Once we are able to put dissatisfaction aside, contentment naturally arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to stress that Buddhism does not promote &lt;em&gt;becoming a contented person&lt;/em&gt; - this holding on to &quot;me as a person being contented&quot; is also a cause for discontentment, since it is certain to change. Once the situation changes (&quot;me&quot; no longer being content), there's dissatisfaction - my view of myself being contented does not fit with the experience I am having.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking or shifting your foot is not inherently dissatisfactory. It is what it is, what you experience are the sensations of lifting the foot, changes in pressure on the footsole, and so on. The experience can be pleasurable, neutral or unpleasant, &lt;em&gt;but that does not have to equal dissatisfaction&lt;/em&gt; in that moment. Our minds add that on to it. Once we're able to let go of the added layer of judging the experience as satisfactory or unsatisfactory (&lt;em&gt;it shouldn't be this way&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;this is great&lt;/em&gt;), contentment is with us, here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T08:32:27.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1356" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-24T10:08:26.733" Score="2" ViewCount="211" Body="&lt;p&gt;If realizing the true nature of mind is the ultimate goal that drives us to enlightenment, constant blizz and the end of suffering, what would be the interest of developing technology?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technology makes life easier and helps us live longer, but why would this be of benefit if happiness comes from within ourselves regardless of the life conditions surrounding us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put the question within a context, imagine a different setting from that of today. Go back in the past to a point far away from the industrial evolution and the invention of complex machinery. Otherwise it wouldn't make sense if we ask the question within today's context given that we live in an era of great technological advancement. There is no interest on going back (or at least I think so).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technology has driven many advances that have considerably improved our daily life, but at the same time it is technology that has driven a society of consumerism. Besides, technological development comes from people who are &quot;thirsty&quot; of knowledge, the main root of dukkha (one of those words difficult to translate, but that it is often translated as &quot;suffering&quot;). So the main root of technology may be also the main root of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question arises from a personal thought: If the humanity had been composed of good Buddhists seeking enlightenment from the &quot;beginning of intelligent human kind&quot;, we would still be living a simple life in the jungle and perfectly happy as happiness is within ourselves and should not be conditioned by the outer world. All of this without great technological advancements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="95" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T16:35:13.877" Title="Would a world full of good Buddhists seeking enlightenment would never have developed technology?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-06-24T17:21:55.930" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-06-24T11:29:40.360" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's an interesting question and certainly different people have different views. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan#cite_note-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Royokan&lt;/a&gt; the Japanese Zen poet wrote about getting drunk amongst his writings about being a dedicated zen practitioner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I send one of the children to buy some country wine/ And after I'm&#xA;  drunk, toss off a few lines of calligraphy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(referenced from the same &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan#cite_note-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wiki article&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that anyone would doubt Ryokan's commitment with or without a glass of sake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T11:29:40.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1353" CreationDate="2014-06-24T12:56:33.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a nice Zen saying: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, the view and motivation is the key. We need to accept that we have a conditioned body and it is actually very wise to sometimes walk into the kitchen to eat or use the bathroom from time to time!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana tradition, practitioners take the &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva Vow&lt;/em&gt; and they promise they will not reach enlightenment until they help to liberate all other sentient beings. With that motivation, they will view their actions as means to benefit others. They will nurture their bodies so they can have good health and long lives and will engage in various activities to bring people happiness. There is an infinite number of acts of kindness we can do to our relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues or even strangers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T12:56:33.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1353" CreationDate="2014-06-24T13:56:00.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intentional bodily movements could generate Karma for an unenlightened person. But not for Arahaths. Read about &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/kiriya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Kiriya Citta&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T14:12:06.257" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T14:12:06.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1353" CreationDate="2014-06-24T15:07:12.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The discontent goes the other way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not how much you own and can still keep them in possession that makes one content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not that you have a beautiful wife, who at that moment is not&#xA;  arguing with you on certain things, and the children that you have who&#xA;  are, at that moment, still obedient to you that make you happy /&#xA;  content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not the car that you have and is still in very good condition&#xA;  that makes one content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because the above can be one day lost. Let say your wife decided to&#xA;  leave, your kids, who you love so much, decided to do something&#xA;  opposite what you expected them to, the car broke down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until then, you become discontent. So in the Buddhist view, it is about trying not to &quot;acquire / own&quot; so much, to which one eventually forms a attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not about being able to own them and be content because they are still in your possession / returning you the amount of &quot;love&quot; you expect / and are still in good condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above, except the car (but even still can be possible) are required that they &quot;love&quot; you back for the contentedness to take place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The car can't speak or feel, but one would usually form this &quot;imaginary&quot; reciprocals for the car itself - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Hey, washed you up nicely yesterday, in and out, spotless, oil&#xA;  changed, and you run like a champ. Good, I love you&quot; as if the car&#xA;  returned your TLC by &quot;running good&quot; itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to the foot:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is discontent or irritated, it is normally shown in his actions, facial expressions and body movements. The eye twitches, a sudden fist pump, the foot moves, hugging the head etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But isn't doing all that a form of discontent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How many times do we see others, who in a very uncomfortable situation, still cast a smile on his face, but when in fact he is affected by the situation and thus discontent? Yes, they are there everyday. And are they content, just because he still smiles when he normally shouldn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is not about the fact that you decided to go for a walk or move a foot that shows that you are discontent - because they might be of another forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some go play basketball, when he is discontent.  Some go lift weights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some call up their girlfriends and after a couple rounds of drink,&#xA;  decided to fly to Vegas out of the blue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or, some just simply sit there and pretentiously smile and shred tears&#xA;  within. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or, some start picking a fight with someone for no reason or&#xA;  try to find a reason to argue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the signs / the reactions here is &quot;detrimental&quot; and secondary.&#xA;It is rather about what being content is and otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Owning less. Acquire less. Require thusly less. The less the attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is different. One doesn't attach to it, but is still doing things that is benefitting the other(s) and beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T15:12:58.820" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T15:12:58.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2014-06-24T15:53:38.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've done 6 days of the 10 day Goenka course after which I left due to irreconcilable philosophical disagreements both with Goenka and with the teacher.  Nevertheless, I found the course to be a powerful way to improve my meditation.  After meditating for 12 hours a day with no distractions, I found it very easy to meditate for an hour a day with the usual daily distractions.  10 days of meditation is what led Siddartha to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T15:53:38.013" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1356" CreationDate="2014-06-24T16:35:13.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The minimum standard of a good Buddhist would be someone who has taken refuge in the triple gem and keeps to the 5 precepts. Such a person wouldn't necessarily lack enthusiasm to develop technology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T16:35:13.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-06-24T17:23:58.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://vivo.brown.edu/display/wbritton&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dr Willoughby Britton&lt;/a&gt;, a research and clinical psychologist, is doing a lot of work at Brown University on the so-called &quot;dark side&quot; of meditation. More information is here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://cheetahhouse.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://cheetahhouse.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also some videos (same site) of her interviewing Daniel Ingram talking about the same thing, and specifically that subset of the stages of insight that Ingram named &quot;The Dark Night&quot; (alluding to experiences very similar in appearance reported by some Christian mystics -- e.g. John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Britton's emphasis is not so much on anything inherently health-risky in meditation; overall she is positive, and I think is a practitioner. Rather she works on what appears to be not uncommonly encountered difficulties associated with making progress in insight. Ingram -- also a medic, albeit not a specialist like Britton -- is the same, although Daniel draws too much attention to it for my liking. The aim of both is to help people deal with the tougher side of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a video by Shinzen Young on Youtube where he mentions this same idea. I can't find it, but I mention it as worthwhile because Shinzen gives a good balance to Daniel. Daniel scares the bejeezus out of you (on purpose, although, as I say not ideally) but Shinzen downplays it (to, I think/hope, the right level), saying that although difficulties can be encountered, they're not common, are rarely &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; severe, and are typically easily worked through provided you have a good teacher who knows what they're seeing -- i.e. usually the dukkha-nanas -- when they see them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T17:23:58.313" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1364" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1382" CreationDate="2014-06-24T18:09:12.990" Score="7" ViewCount="27946" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have visited a local group of Karma Kagyu practitioners once, hearing a Dharma talk and participating in the mantra, rituals, and meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this occasion, the members of the Sangha greeted one another by touching foreheads with each other. I didn't ask why at the time, and haven't been able to find a description of that tradition online. Could someone shed some light on this custom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-29T05:08:22.070" LastActivityDate="2020-05-02T21:11:13.990" Title="Significance of touching forheads in Tibetan Buddhism (Karma Kagyu)?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|traditions|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1365" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1368" CreationDate="2014-06-24T18:19:38.420" Score="31" ViewCount="10767" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most if not all Buddhists I know are vegetarian or vegan. Thinking about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot;&gt;precepts&lt;/a&gt; this is not surprising - one should abstain from killing. However is this universally true in all Buddhist traditions? Are there some Buddhist traditions that emphasize vegetarianism more than others? For instance I believe the Tibetans were originally pastoral farmers which wouldn't lend itself to vegetarianism naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is Buddhist vegetarianism universal, specific to tradition or culture, or a lot more flexible than that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T09:21:39.473" LastActivityDate="2020-02-17T20:38:51.533" Title="Are all Buddhists vegetarian?" Tags="|five-precepts|food|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1343" CreationDate="2014-06-24T18:32:00.567" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would view the answer to this through the lens of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right effort&lt;/a&gt;. Your practice should aim to be formal enough so that you stick to it and fluid enough that you don't just end up going through the motions. That said I would err on the side of regular times and being a bit stricter with yourself - particularly if one is just starting out (not certain that applies to you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as hindrances go I wouldn't let that stop from either meditation practice. I've been advised to use the hindrances as an object for meditation so could potentially led to some interesting insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, at various points I have been give various advice to help maintain an effective practice. So in no particular order&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Find a particular time of day that is better for you to practice. Typically this would be early mornings or late evenings but doesn't have to be&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get a place for meditation. Set up a shrine if that helps but have a spot. Keep your cushions set up so you can just slide onto them when the time for meditation is there &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's better to meditate for 5 minutes than not at all. Sometimes you can just sit and connect with yourself and others as best you can. It's enough.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you can't meditate one day don't beat yourself up about it. Be very kind and patient with yourself. It's a long journey.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally it's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;middle way&lt;/a&gt; which seems easier said than done. But that's the middle way for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T18:32:00.567" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1367" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1371" CreationDate="2014-06-24T18:55:31.220" Score="18" ViewCount="13152" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 3rd precept is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to avoid sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this precept explained? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Marriage is defined differently in different cultures, so are the commonly accepted rules in a given society considered as non-misconduct? If not, how should one determine the scope of misconduct according to the precept? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T02:08:18.123" LastActivityDate="2023-04-25T06:16:41.037" Title="How is sexual misconduct explained in regards to the five precepts?" Tags="|five-precepts|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-24T19:16:25.890" Score="32" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very much not the case, so long as you don't engage in a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman&quot;&gt;No true Scotsman&lt;/a&gt; fallacy and say that they aren't &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; Buddhists unless they are also vegetarian. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some traditions it is common for a begging monk to eat whatever is put in their offering bowl, mixing it together first (see the interview with Achaan Chaa in &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590308328&quot;&gt;Living Dharma&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For laypeople the provision is against engaging in the &lt;em&gt;business of meat&lt;/em&gt; as it says in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta, AN 5:177&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business.&#xA;  Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in&#xA;  meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the five types of business that a lay follower should not&#xA;  engage in.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's little that I am aware of, at least from the Pali Canon, that addresses meat eating for laypeople. Even monks get a pass in some circumstances on this as well, as it says in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules: A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha did allow bhikkhus to eat meat and fish[88] except under&#xA;  the following circumstances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;If a bhikkhu sees, hears or suspects that it has been killed for him,&#xA;    he may not eat it.[89] (M.I,369)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is clarified with footnote 90 with the following cited quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The flesh of animals which have been slaughtered to sell as meat for&#xA;  the people, however, is called 'flesh which exists already.' [It] has&#xA;  been slaughtered for their meat to be used for food by one person or&#xA;  by a group of people, apart from fellow Dhamma friends, or specially&#xA;  for the butcher himself… If people cook such meat and offer it to a&#xA;  bhikkhu, [it] will not be an offence to accept and eat it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citing &lt;em&gt;The Entrance to the Vinaya, (Vinayamukha)&lt;/em&gt;, volume 2, pages 131—133.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be emphasized that these are predominantly guidelines for monks, not for lay practitioners. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This gets further modified depending on the specific tradition. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rinpoche.com/teachings/nomeat.htm?page_id=52&quot;&gt;His Holiness 17th Gyalwang Karmapa&lt;/a&gt;, simply try to lessen the amount of impact or the amount of meat eaten, and I have seen quite a few Vajrayana practitioners eat meat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many other sects have de-emphasized the need for vegetarianism depending on the local conditions and the history of that specific sect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically: Even among monks the following of vegetarianism is not absolute and it isn't even clear that restrictions on that order exist for lay followers in a lot of different Buddhist traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T19:16:25.890" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1367" CreationDate="2014-06-24T20:04:04.663" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short, sexual misconduct means performing any sexual act that will be harmful to yourself and/or others. Just because the act is consensual does not necessarily mean it won't hurt someone, as example in the case of adultery, the two people performing the act may consent to it, but it hurts another person and family. If the spouse consents and/or participates(like swinger couples for example), then it is not considered misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha advised against sexual activity with those who are &amp;quot;under the protection&amp;quot; of their family(minors), a promised or engaged person, dhamma(monks/nuns) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He avoids unlawful sexual intercourse, abstains from it. He has no&#xA;intercourse with girls who are still under the protection of father or&#xA;mother, brother, sister, or relative; nor with married women, nor&#xA;female convicts; nor lastly with betrothed girls.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are all situations that can cause much wide ranging trouble beyond the couple engaged in the act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This link may be helpful for learning more about the 3rd precept, as there is much more to this precept then sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel225.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Sex&lt;/a&gt; by M. O'C. Walshe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What precisely, then, does the Third Precept imply for the ordinary&#xA;lay Buddhist? Firstly, in common with all the other precepts, it is a&#xA;rule of training. It is not a &amp;quot;commandment&amp;quot; from God, the Buddha, or&#xA;anyone else saying: &amp;quot;Thou shalt not...&amp;quot; There are no such commandments&#xA;in Buddhism. It is an undertaking by you to yourself, to do your best&#xA;to observe a certain type of restraint, because you understand that it&#xA;is a good thing to do. This must be clearly understood. If you don't&#xA;think it is a good thing to do, you should not undertake it. If you do&#xA;think it is a good thing to do, but doubt your ability to keep it, you&#xA;should do your best, and probably, you can get some help and&#xA;instruction to make it easier. If you feel it is a good thing to&#xA;attempt to tread the Buddhist path, you may undertake this and the&#xA;other precepts, with sincerity, in this spirit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, what is the scope and purpose of this precept? The word kama&#xA;means in Pali &amp;quot;sensual desire,&amp;quot; which is not exclusively sexual. It is&#xA;here used in a plural form which comes close to what is meant by the&#xA;Biblical expression &amp;quot;the lusts of the flesh.&amp;quot; Greed for food and other&#xA;sensual pleasure is also included. Most people who are strongly&#xA;addicted to sexual indulgence are also much drawn to other&#xA;sense-pleasures. Though we are here only concerned with the sexual&#xA;aspect, this point should be noted. For those with any grasp at all of&#xA;Buddhist principles, the basic reason for such an injunction should be&#xA;immediately obvious. Our dukkha — our feeling, of frustration and&#xA;dissatisfaction with life — is rooted in our desires and cravings. The&#xA;more these can be brought under control, the less dukkha we shall&#xA;experience. It is as simple as that. But of course, that which is&#xA;simple is not necessarily easy.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2023-04-25T06:16:41.037" LastActivityDate="2023-04-25T06:16:41.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1367" CreationDate="2014-06-24T20:38:19.507" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 41&lt;/a&gt; (and elsewhere), the Buddha describes sexual misconduct as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is given over to misconduct in sexual desires: he has intercourse with such (women) as are protected by the mother, father, (mother and father), brother, sister, relatives, as have a husband, as entail a penalty, and also with those that are garlanded in token of betrothal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Ñanamoli, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary explains this passage as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Māturakkhitātiādīsu&lt;/strong&gt; yaṃ pitari naṭṭhe vā mate vā ghāsacchādanādīhi paṭijaggamānā, vayapattaṃ kulaghare dassāmīti mātā rakkhati, ayaṃ &lt;strong&gt;māturakkhitā&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. Etenupāyena &lt;strong&gt;piturakkhitādayopi&lt;/strong&gt; veditabbā. Sabhāgakulāni pana kucchigatesupi gabbhesu katikaṃ karonti – ‘‘sace mayhaṃ putto hoti, tuyhaṃ dhītā, aññattha gantuṃ na labhissati, mayhaṃ puttasseva hotū’’ti. Evaṃ gabbhepi pariggahitā &lt;strong&gt;sassāmikā&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. ‘‘Yo itthannāmaṃ itthiṃ gacchati, tassa ettako daṇḍo’’ti evaṃ gāmaṃ vā gehaṃ vā vīthiṃ vā uddissa ṭhapitadaṇḍā, pana &lt;strong&gt;saparidaṇḍā&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. Antamaso mālāguṇaparikkhittāpīti yā sabbantimena paricchedena, ‘‘esā me bhariyā bhavissatī’’ti saññāya tassā upari kenaci mālāguṇaṃ khipantena &lt;strong&gt;mālāguṇamattenāpi parikkhittā&lt;/strong&gt; hoti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rough translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case where the father is gone, or the mother provides support such as food and clothing, the mother guards [her] thinking &amp;quot;I will give [her] to a good family when she comes of age.&amp;quot; This is called &amp;quot;protected by the mother&amp;quot;. By the same means &amp;quot;protected by the father&amp;quot;, etc., should be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When families come together and, even when the fetuses have just reached the womb, make an agreement - &amp;quot;If I have a son and you a daughter, let there be no getting to go to another; let her be for my son.&amp;quot; Even in the case of a fetus that is protected thus, it is called &amp;quot;having a husband&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Whoever goes to a woman of such and such a name, such a penalty is for him.&amp;quot; Thus, a penalty is established by a village or a house, or a street; this is called &amp;quot;as entail a penalty.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Even to the extent of those who are garlanded&amp;quot; - to the last extreme of all, with the perception that &amp;quot;This woman will be my wife&amp;quot;, by tossing some garland over her head, there is &amp;quot;those that are garlanded&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Soooo, it doesn't seem all that culturally dependent. Some points of note are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Polygamy&lt;/strong&gt; isn't included in the precept at all;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;State-condoned prostitution&lt;/strong&gt; doesn't seem to be considered immoral either. Illegal prostitution is considered wrong, but only because of the penalty it brings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Infidelity&lt;/strong&gt; doesn't appear either; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; however, the Buddha says that a wife is to be attended to &amp;quot;by being faithful to her&amp;quot;. It seems likely, therefore, that the reverse of the description here is to be considered as implied; if you are in any one of the protected situations yourself, engaging in a breach, even with a woman who is not so guarded, would be immoral.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, the point is that breaching an existing relationship, including parental guardianship, is a breach of the precept. It doesn't seem likely that this would be affected by cultural norms; as the Buddha notes, as long as there is a claim and it is breached, it is wrong sexuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's worth noting, of course, that in (Theravada) Buddhism all intentional sexual activity is inherently immoral; this precept just attempts to lay down some general principles for those unable to commit to celibacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T00:17:44.220" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-24T20:39:10.793" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Devadatta, a relative of the Buddha, at one point attempted to cause a schism in the sangha by asking the Buddha to implement 13 ascetic rules for all monks, one of those rules being vegetarianism. The Buddha in his wisdom decided against forcing these rules on all monks and instead stated that any monk who wished to take on these rules for their practice may do so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also nothing in the precepts that state anything about eating meat or vegetarianism, although I have been told that in the Mahayana they do add that as part of the precepts and the Bodhisattva vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In those days, and also in at least the Theravada tradition, the monks had to eat whatever was given to them as they were/are totally dependent on the laity for support. Today if you wanted to feed Venerable Yuttadhammo and gave him noting but Oreo Cookies, he is bound to eat such food. The one exception being explained in the other post about if an animal is killed just for the monks, then a monk can refuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two links should be very helpful in the discussion regarding Buddhism and vegetarianism: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T20:45:58.540" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T20:45:58.540" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-24T20:59:29.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vegetarianism is mostly practiced in Mahayana Buddhism I believe. It's probably because of the Hindu and Jain influence.&#xA;Theravada tradition follows the word of the Buddha. i.e. It's totally up to the food preference of the individual.&#xA;Ironically, Devadatta is the one who demanded from the Buddha that all monks should be vegetarian. I believe Hitler was vegetarian too. But didn't he kill 1000s of humans?&#xA;1st precept is what the lay people have to keep to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Following conditions have to be met for it to be broken.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The being must be alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be knowledge that it is a living being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) There must be intention to cause its death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) Action must be taken to cause its death &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;v) Death must result from such action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all these conditions are fulfilled, then the precept has been &#xA;broken. &#xA;Buying meat products from a shop doesn't break any of these, let alone all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-24T21:28:22.107" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:28:22.107" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2014-06-24T21:10:58.327" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to a discussion just two nights ago on this subject and the comment , from a very experienced meditator was that Goenka's medutation does not have samadhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user229" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:10:58.327" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-24T21:15:00.160" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I forgot where I heard this, because it has been many years ago:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One becomes a monk, not just to be vegetarian&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're not forced not to have meat, but if you decide to devote yourself and stay in a temple, meat isn't what is served daily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other words, what if you sneaked out and have meat and get caught?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At certain temple, they don't punish you by expelling you, but most would, if not expel, warn you. Or you would be &quot;punished&quot; and be isolated / assigned to certain task where you carry out the work and at the same time &quot;reflect&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to why some of the monks still eat meat, smoke, drink alcohol etc:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can't say all; but what I have seen is when I was backpacking in&#xA;  Thailand: In Thailand, when one graduates from high-school, students&#xA;  are required to either take part in military or in a temple becoming a&#xA;  monk for around 6 months (exact time I have forgotten). Many chose to,&#xA;  as was told to me, to become a monk at a temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, those who send themselves to the temple after high school are not&#xA;  really those who really would like to follow Buddhism. For what I have&#xA;  seen there, some of them smoke, belong to a gang, were involved in&#xA;  unlawful activities, etc etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another reason I was told is: some know what they do are bad, those&#xA;  who take part in gangs, etc etc, so out of this reason, they &quot;hope&quot; to&#xA;  repent and feel &quot;protected&quot;. But afterward, they mostly remain where&#xA;  they were before they became a monk after high school. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The above is only what I have seen then and was told to me by the&#xA;  locals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what it is about becoming a vegetarian being a monk / Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do so gradually, through practice and reading (addendum: please don't be affixed on words and their meaning; they are meant to be guides / guidance). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a saying: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;refrain the mouth from meals (meat), but fail to do so at heart (you&#xA;  still crave for it; you have to force yourself not to have it)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not what this is about; you don't have to force yourself in / into doing anything in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through practice and observance and patience, when one has attained eventually understanding, you would stop eating meat or other' being's flesh. It is meant to be a normal transition, if one finally understand &quot;the way&quot; of Buddhism, which involves time, patience, observance, reading / meditating / reflecting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes to you normally and will so eventually, though the practices mentioned above, when one finally understand it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was told the following saying many years ago, which I still remember to this day:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In Buddhism, it is about Destiny, if you so approach it in your&#xA;  lifetime, it is Destiny; you choose to believe it and follow it, it is&#xA;  Destiny; and if you choose to leave it and betray it, no-one would&#xA;  send you out the door, for you are welcome to depart, because no-one&#xA;  has held you in it at the first place - it is also Destiny.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:15:00.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1376" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1916" CreationDate="2014-06-24T21:46:00.867" Score="4" ViewCount="1366" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I heard the terms Buddha-fields and Dharma-fields.  It was explained as a place to do good deeds for gaining good karma.  However, I'm not sure about the explanation or what it means.  What are Buddha-fields and Dharma-fields?  What role do they play in Buddhism?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T05:33:04.983" Title="What are Buddha-fields and Dharma-fields in Buddhism? What roles do they play in various lineages?" Tags="|the-buddha|karma|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-24T21:50:03.890" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among my own school (Nyingma from Tibetan Buddhism), encouraging vegetarianism is a relatively recent trend, mostly grounded on the teachings of Patrul Rinpoche, who lived in the 19th century and was a vegetarian. Still, the main reason for encouraging his students to become vegetarians was mostly because he was often horrified at how teachers and self-proclaimed 'great practitioners' spent all their time gobbling meat. His descriptions on &lt;em&gt;The Words of My Perfect Teacher&lt;/em&gt; are quite vivid and graphical — bordering on 'gore'. He certainly pointed that as one of the worst possible examples to set for others to follow — being more worried about one's next (meat) meal instead of worrying about one's practice. So the focus was set much less on 'vegetarianism' (as a form of ideology as it is popular today) but more in 'don't worry &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; much with your food; worry instead about your practice'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetans, in their vast majority, are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; vegetarian — because you simply cannot grow many vegetables in the vast frigid plains of Tibet (technically 'deserts'), but the naturally-growing grass there would lend itself to raising goats. Nevertheless, because of the strong influence that many Mahayana schools have world-wide (specially Zen), which are more strict about vegetarianism, many leading Vajrayana teachers are slowly becoming vegetarians and encouraging their students to do the same. Again, the focus is not strictly about 'eating killed animals' (although that is certainly one of the strong arguments in favour as well), but much more about 'worrying about the practice, not about tasty meals'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HH the Dalai Lama, for example, has a medical condition that disallows him to be a strict vegetarian. Nevertheless, he attempted at least twice to become one — finding more important to abstain from meat than to worry about his own health — with the consequence of almost dying from that. So his doctor currently forces him to continue to eat meat with some regularity, which he grudgingly does, against his wishes — because he also understands that keeping his health in order to teach and help more people during a longer period is more important than following a strict vegetarian diet just because vegetarianism is popular as an ideology and as a precept to refrain from getting more animals killed (I understand that he has been reducing his meat consumption to a bare minimum, at levels that don't interfere with his health).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue is really very complex. Among my main five teachers, two are strict vegetarians (one of them since birth, for cultural reasons — he was born in India in a region where vegetarianism is the norm. The other made a decision to become a vegetarian, following Patrul Rinpoche's guidelines). Two others are 'strict carnivores' — they refuse to eat anything with vegetables in it (seriously!), which is always a reason for plenty of laughing when someone tries to offer them some vegetarian dish. And a fifth one, probably my main teacher, is often a vegetarian for several years, then goes back to a more mixed diet for another few years, and back to vegetarianism. Since all of them are most excellent teachers, and explain Dharma in absolutely the same way, obviously this is a clear case where it becomes much more a 'personal' choice than a rigid precept that has to be followed no matter what. I specially like the attitude of my closest, main teacher. I think that his lesson to me is that we shouldn't be attached to ideologies — neither vegetarianism, nor anti-vegetarianism — and that's why he switches from one side to the other, to make his students think about what is &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; important in their lives. Most of the retreats he organises are strict vegetarian, even if he is not in a 'vegetarian' phase. But sometimes they're not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, not being a teacher myself, I would certainly encourage vegetarianism to anyone who finds the thought of having animals killed for the pleasure of their meals, and who truly understand the importance of being a vegetarian &lt;em&gt;for the right reasons&lt;/em&gt; — not to 'preach'; not to feel 'superior' to others (because you can abstain from meat, while others, poor weakly-minded, deluded beings, cannot); not to blindly 'follow orders'; much less to 'please' a teacher or 'impress' a group of practitioners; but because you can turn your vegetarianism option into practice (or because vegetarianism helps you in your practice, by focusing on the thought that billions of animals — from insects to whales — die every day). If you're doing exactly that, and it is really helping your practice, then please, stick to vegetarianism!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also claim that — unfortunately — beginners will have a lot of misconceptions about Buddhism, so a new teacher who is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; a vegetarian might be thought of being 'fake'. Instead of long-winded discussions about vegetarianism vs. non-vegetarianism, I can imagine that a good teacher would be truly unattached to what he or she eats — and they might simply opt for vegetarianism because, that way, they will earn the respect of more students who happen to think that 'all Buddhists are vegetarians'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T21:50:03.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1367" CreationDate="2014-06-24T21:53:35.273" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of third precept is that one's actions must never be &lt;em&gt;motivated by desire of sensual pleasure&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali text for third precept says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kāmesumicchācāra veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi&lt;/code&gt; is a standard phrase that means &quot;I undertake the training rule to abstain from ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key therefore is &lt;code&gt;Kāmesumicchācāra&lt;/code&gt;, or, parsed out, &lt;code&gt;Kamesu-Micchacara&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Kam-e-su&lt;/code&gt; is usually translated as &quot;sexual&quot; and &lt;code&gt;Miccha-cara&lt;/code&gt; as &quot;misconduct&quot;. Such a translation, however, is severely misreading a simple literal phrase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Miccha&lt;/code&gt;, the antonym of &lt;code&gt;samma&lt;/code&gt;, generally means &quot;wrong&quot;, &quot;low quality&quot;, &quot;sloppy&quot; and literally &quot;opposite&quot;, &quot;contrary&quot;. &lt;code&gt;Cara&lt;/code&gt; means &quot;conduct&quot;, or literally &quot;going about&quot;, &quot;walking&quot;. So far so good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Kama&lt;/code&gt;, the root of &lt;code&gt;kamesu&lt;/code&gt;, is often translated &quot;lust&quot; or &quot;sensual pleasure&quot; but its more precise meaning is &lt;em&gt;fondness&lt;/em&gt; (combining such elements as &lt;em&gt;love&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;desire&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;taking pleasure in&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;em&gt;for an object of material senses&lt;/em&gt; -- in other words &quot;sensual fondness&quot; -- not sexual but &lt;em&gt;sensual&lt;/em&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key to understanding this phrase though is &lt;code&gt;-e-su&lt;/code&gt; in &lt;code&gt;Kam-e-su&lt;/code&gt;, which gives it the meaning of &lt;strong&gt;&quot;out of&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Together, the phrase reads &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Misbehaving out of sensual fondness&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; (or &quot;Going astray out of ...&quot;). This gives it a very different meaning than &quot;sexual misconduct&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is, when one's mind is obsessed by an object of sensual pleasure, one's ability to reason about results and side-effects of one's acts gets severely impaired. One is then prone to making bad decisions, creating suffering for oneself and others. Instead, one should never act out of mere &quot;sensual fondness&quot;! One should act out of right understanding, out of compassion etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T11:24:17.120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T11:24:17.120" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1332" CreationDate="2014-06-24T22:10:06.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if Buddhism can ever be fitted so neatly in such labels and boxes as you would like it to fit. Still, some traditions are sticklers to labeling, and I certainly was encouraged by my teacher spent many hours trying to memorize the names of the original eighteen schools, how they evolved into the main schools of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, how each was split in several subschools, and so forth. The main reason to study all those classifications was to understand how Buddhist philosophy has evolved, and what major questions have been debated and discussed at each stage, and how each understanding of the Dharma can help certain kinds of beings more than others. Thus, a good teacher might be aware of a vast diversity of teachings from different vehicles, schools, sub-schools, and individual monasteries, and teach them according to the ability of the students to understand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, to be honest, I would say that the only important 'classification' that a Buddhist practitioner should worry about is what their lineage is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T22:10:06.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1364" CreationDate="2014-06-24T22:16:52.450" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;My main teachers have a lineage coming from both Nyingma and Kagyü, so their explanations might differ slightly from 'pure' Karma Kagyü teachings, but I was told that touching foreheads is a gesture of very endearing closeness. Good old friends might touch their foreheads as a recognition of their proximity. Similarly, teachers feeling a strong bond with some students will touch their foreheads with them when the students thank them for a teaching received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was also told that it would be very impolite to 'demand' that a particular teacher touches their forehead with us, to somehow publicly recognize a closeness that doesn't truly exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specially gentle, kind, and compassionate teachers will often never discriminate among students — they will always insist to touch their foreheads after a teaching is giving. HH the Dalai Lama also often does that to complete strangers (with some eyebrow-raising from his entourage!). The point here is that a Bodhisattva truly never discriminates among sentient beings — he or she will feel close to everybody!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T22:16:52.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1348" CreationDate="2014-06-24T22:39:30.163" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my own tradition — Nyingma school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism — vows/promises made to oneself are definitely binding, and, as @Sankha Kulathantille has explained, if those four conditions were present, that would certainly break the vow. And, of course, breaking the vow has a consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I think that there is quite a lot to be said about this particular instance of 'making vows to oneself'. As @Sankha Kulathantille has stated so clearly, only a Buddha can keep their vows 100% of the time. For us beginners in the path, we have purification practices, where we remember our vows (yes, even those made to ourselves), notice which ones have been broken, understand the circumstances why they were broken, apply an antidote (if we promised to do X but never did it, then we strive to do X), and make a new promise to ourselves to refrain from breaking the vow in the future. Of course, that doesn't give you the 'right' to break the vow over and over again, in the hope of purifying it — that doesn't work (it would be just hypocrisy — to ourselves!!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as @zvolkov has pointed out, it's pointless to feel remorse all the time for having broken a promise to ourselves. Instead, we just have to recognize that we're not yet Buddhas and do our best to stick to our promises from now on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other side of the coin, it's also pointless to make a vow to oneself without having the intention, or the ability, to keep it. It's far better to reflect on that vow, very seriously, and work with yourself so that you come closer and closer to the point where taking that vow will not be seen as a 'burden', but something you do with pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T22:39:30.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1367" CreationDate="2014-06-24T22:56:28.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sīlabbata-parāmāso is a fetter. Sīlabbata-parāmāso means, morality based on conformity to a social or religious standard of behavior. Based on this I would not compare the precept to &quot;the commonly accepted rules in the society&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Combing two other answers, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In short, sexual misconduct means performing any sexual act that will be harmful to yourself and/or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meaning of third precept is that one's actions must never be motivated by desire of sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two go hand in hand. When an individual is motivated by desire or sensual pleasure it can often be at the expense of hurting themselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T19:13:48.717" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T19:13:48.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="66" CreationDate="2014-06-24T23:53:14.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gomang.org/mandala.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When finished, to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists, the colored sands are swept up and poured into a nearby river or stream where the waters carry healing energies throughout the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In general, all mandalas have outer, inner, and secret meaning.  On the outer level they represent the world in its divine form; on the inner level, they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into the enlightened mind; and on the secret level, they predict the primordially perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and the clear light dimension of the mind.  The creation of a sand painting is said to affect purification and healing on these three levels.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-24T23:53:14.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1386" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1393" CreationDate="2014-06-25T00:24:18.070" Score="7" ViewCount="20400" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the understanding that there are many different traditions and cultures within Buddhism, I wonder if it is possible to describe what a newcomer might encounter if they went to a temple service and also what might be some handy things to know about before going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, what is considered appropriate attire? Should one bring an offering and if so, what type? What occurs during the service? Chanting? Meditation? How long does a service usually last? Other than common courtesy, are there things that would be important to know to show proper respect? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks and also it would be helpful if tradition/country might be noted along with any descriptions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:20:05.707" Title="What would one encounter at a Buddhist temple service?" Tags="|traditions|temples|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1387" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1396" CreationDate="2014-06-25T00:33:07.457" Score="8" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are kung fu monks and all related Hollywood stereotypes based on any actual historical connection between Buddhism and martial arts? Or is it just a fun movie concept? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:11:58.790" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:11:58.790" Title="Is there a historical connection between Buddhism and martial arts?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1386" CreationDate="2014-06-25T00:53:57.987" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It varies hugely across different types of Buddhism. For example, I visited a Tibetan temple (in Europe) and entered the main room near the back during the &quot;service&quot;. It was just as if I'd walked into a Catholic church, although far more ornate than even the funkiest western church I'd ever seen. Monks at the front facing the people, one important-looking one talking. The people were mostly in regular casual clothing, sitting on cushions or, near the back, chairs, and listening. No one bothered when I (or others) came in and sat down, nor when a few people left early.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I've been to zazen and kinhin a few times at a Zen center (they'd not call it a &quot;temple&quot;). It was totally different. It was very precise, no talking, lots of bowing, and the bulk of the time everyone sitting facing the walls (it was Soto zen) in silence. That said, after the second zazen session, we all shuffled towards one end and there was chanting, and other ritualistic stuff. I just followed along until I got roughly the hang of it. Although there were a lot of places to get stuff wrong, which I did, no one seemed to mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's just two. I imagine there are &lt;em&gt;many&lt;/em&gt; more, with lots of differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only advice (&quot;handy thing&quot;) I'd offer is, in the case of a western Zen center, look for a beginner's session. Lots of them seem to offer such sessions, and they may well include some etiquette talk (e.g. how and when to bow).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. Shoes off and left outside in both cases&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T00:53:57.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1389" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1407" CreationDate="2014-06-25T01:05:27.960" Score="7" ViewCount="578" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three Pure Land sutras contain descriptions of a beautiful and serene place with trees, ponds, and palaces all made of jewels and surrounded with heavenly music and fragrance. How is this Pure Land understood by followers of Pure Land schools? Is it thought of as a place one will literally go after this life or is it more of an inspiration or source of imagery for meditation? Or something else entirely? Thank you for helping me to understand this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T09:34:38.290" LastActivityDate="2019-02-04T23:54:15.267" Title="What is the Pure Land?" Tags="|mahayana|bodhisattva|pure-land|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-06-25T01:09:36.483" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, the 5th precept is interpreted mostly as 'do not get intoxicated by alcohol and drugs' for non-ordained practitioners, meaning that it's up to you to know how much you can drink without affecting your mind. Ordained monks are still supposed to take the literal interpretation of the 5th precept and fully abstain from alcohol and mind-intoxicating drugs (except on the bi-weekly purification ceremony known as Tsog).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, many people really don't &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; exactly how much they can consume until their minds get affected. That's why the more literal interpretation of the 5th precept is recommended: put it simply, if you don't know how your mind gets affected by alcohol/drugs, then abstain from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note that the whole point of the 5th precept is not to impose any kind of 'puritan morality'. It's just because if your goal of becoming a Buddhist practitioner is to train your mind, it's a bit pointless to consume anything that makes you &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; aware, &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; mindful, and pay &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; attention. Morality is not the point here!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the 'right' or 'wrong' way of using Buddha statues as decoration, that's a really tough question. If the bar owners are beginning practitioners, I would say that they should take their refuge vows a bit more seriously and refrain from using representations of the Buddhas as 'decoration'. If they are enlightened beings, then I would say this would be just a very clever trick to get people interested in Buddhism: by looking at the statue of a Buddha, someone without any connection with Buddhism might ask what the statue is about and get interested in the Buddhadharma — so forging a connection with the Dharma that way. They whole point of having representations of the Buddha all over the place is not to remind existing practitioners, but to get non-practitioners interested in asking more questions about it and eventually developing an interest in the Dharma :) But, to be very honest, I would be wary of using that argument to place Buddha statues in a bar...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the bar owners are not practitioners at all, then, well, I'd say the same applies. Somehow they made a connection with the Dharma — somehow the Buddha statue appealed to them. And somehow this very weak connection with the Dharma will endure — if not in this life, then in the next. So I'd be happy to see that someone who is not a Buddhist at all to pick, among millions of different choices, a statue of the Buddha as a worthwhile 'decoration'. There will be &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; benefit to them :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T01:09:36.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1391" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1392" CreationDate="2014-06-25T01:22:58.330" Score="6" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, so-called &quot;radical Buddhists&quot; like the monk Wirathu from the 969 Buddhist Nationalist movement in Burma, incited unrest and preached violence against minorities like Muslims. (See, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/27/us-myanmar-969-specialreport-idUSBRE95Q04720130627&quot;&gt;Special Report: Myanmar gives official blessing to anti-Muslim monks&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any part of Buddhist teaching or literature that supports these views or is it like a &quot;wolf in sheep's clothing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="61" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T05:27:00.647" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T05:27:00.647" Title="Is what is taught under the term &quot;Radical Buddhism&quot; consistent with Buddhist values?" Tags="|belief|teaching|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1391" CreationDate="2014-06-25T02:20:18.817" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding (in Theravada tradition) and with the context of your question (Violence in the context of &quot;radical Buddhism&quot;), there is no room for any form of violence. Buddhist teaching does not encourage violence by any means even in solving human conflicts and social problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in Dhammapada there are several verses discourage the violence acts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 129:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All are afraid of the stick, all fear death. Putting oneself in another's place, one should not beat or kill others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 130: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All are afraid of the stick, all hold their lives dear. Putting oneself in another's place, one should not beat or kill others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 131: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who seeks his own happiness by oppressing others, who also desire to have happiness, will not find happiness in his next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 132:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who seeks his own happiness by not oppressing others, who also desire to have happiness, will find happiness in his next existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact Buddha teach that the sensual desire is the main cause for creating dispute and violence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=129&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=129&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/12/Deegalle.pdf&quot;&gt;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/12/Deegalle.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T02:45:22.963" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T02:45:22.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1386" CreationDate="2014-06-25T02:45:07.657" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;You'd be shocked at how much different each ceremony is — even inside the same temple/centre — because there are a multitude of completely different ones, most of which would be completely incomprehensible for someone who came to them for the first time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing is for certain: no matter how outrageously strange the 'ceremony' looks like, it's almost always one of two kinds: either a teaching or a meditation session (one could also see a teaching as a meditation session, of course). The important thing to have in mind is that 'meditation' just means 'training the mind' — mostly to be more mindful, more aware — but there are a &lt;em&gt;lot&lt;/em&gt; of completely different types of training! Traditionally, it is said that just Siddhārtha Gautama taught 84,000 different types of training! (But there are many more)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you'd drop out of the blue into a Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist temple in the middle of a purification ceremony held twice per month, for example, you'd be seeing a very formal-looking temple, but exotic and garish-looking, with &lt;em&gt;very strange&lt;/em&gt; images. Caught in the middle of it, you might be seeing a group of practitioners, old and new, some in loose clothing, some in formal red robes, some in more complicated attire, all laughing, singing (not necessarily 'sacred' chants, just popular contemporary songs), dancing, telling rude jokes, while drinking and eating meat. Dogs would be howling, cats would be sitting on people's laps, and children might be running around making a lot of noise. You'd run quickly away thinking that these people were all crazy or simply not 'serious', but just pranksters...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in fact each and very one of those people there (except perhaps for the cats, dogs, and children) would be practicing a very complex and advanced form of meditation, using all senses — smell, taste, sound — during one of the most important purification ceremonies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously this would require &lt;em&gt;a lot&lt;/em&gt; of explaining! And even for a very experienced practitioner of a different tradition, such a ceremony would be utterly incomprehensible (at least without a thorough understanding of what that training is supposed to be accomplishing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Come in on the next day, and you might see the exact same people just sitting on the ground in perfect and complete silence for endless minutes, looking quite serious about it — and then come out of the temple, laughing, joking, making trivial conversation, having fun together, even with the presiding teacher. Again, that completely opposite behaviour might startle many people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm obviously pointing out the extremes. Like @Tommy suggested, the best is to start with some introductory class for beginners. These will often be relatively short, perhaps half an hour to an hour, and there will be a mix of easy-to-understand explanations about easy meditation techniques (easy in the sense that they are very simple to follow — but have profound effects!), followed by short sessions of silent meditation of a few minutes, then back to a few more explanations, and so forth. As the vision of that particular school or tradition is better explained, you might feel more encouraged to attend to the more esoteric practices, and not feel they're completely insane and alien — because you've learned to understand what they are all about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few tips should be common to every session you attend. Shoes are off and remain outside in all cases (socks are fine). The same applies to any head gear — hats, baseball caps, scarves. It's customary to stand up when the teacher enters the room (like during Grammar School!), wait for him or her to sit down, and only then take a seat. In less formal environments the teacher will greet the students, and greeting the teacher back is naturally good etiquette. Although Buddhism seriously encourages questions about anything we don't understand (the only stupid question is the one we don't ask), it's customary to leave questions for the Q&amp;amp;A session, and let the teacher speak without interruption unless he or she asks for something specifically to you (like your name!). The reason for that is not merely to 'show respect'. It's actually a training! You're supposed to be learning to pay attention to what is being taught, and, when having questions, remember them until the end of the teaching session — that way, you're both training in paying attention and training your memory (that's why a 'teaching session' is also simultaneously a form of meditation — in this case, training your mind to pay attention and remembering things). Good teachers will always ask students, before they engage into so-called formal meditation practice (what is usually known in the West as 'silent meditation'), if everybody has understood the instructions correctly. At this point it's very desirable to ask questions if there are any doubts about the instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although teachers are supposed to answer &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt; (and most will do so gladly), it's good manners to only ask questions &lt;em&gt;about what is being taught&lt;/em&gt;. You might read from many transcripts of teachings given by the Dalai Lama that people, during Q&amp;amp;A, ask His Holiness about pretty much everything, even if completely unrelated to what he has been saying. This is impolite. If you have very pressing questions about any other subject, it's better to approach the teacher for a private session. Most will gladly concede those, depending on their availability and time. It's also far less disruptive for the group. On the other hand, allowing the teacher to explain everything without interruption most often will allow them to actually answering your question further on — you'll see that happens quite a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More traditional (even if informal!) meditation sessions will start with a short recitation, and end with another one. This is part of the session itself; it's not a 'waste of time' by 'going religious' or 'superstitious'. Again, you might ask the teacher — at the end, when the session is over — why they recite things at the beginning and at the end. They will gladly explain it thoroughly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, at least in Vajrayana Buddhism, more experienced practitioners will also offer prostrations to the teacher. It is &lt;em&gt;very important&lt;/em&gt; that you do &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; imitate them — unless you know &lt;em&gt;exactly&lt;/em&gt; why they're doing that! In Buddhism, nothing is pointless; everything is practice; everything has a very specific meaning and a purpose, and it can rationally be argued and discussed. So, if you are a beginner, you should just sit down after the teacher does, let the other practitioners do their things, and just remain silent. Sitting down in silence is not a form of disrespect; a teacher will know you're new and eager to learn; and he or she will most definitely be glad to explain you what's the whole point in those rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Offerings are not necessary, but obviously they're also welcome. Again, they have a very specific meaning, and — yes, you've guessed it! — they are also a form of meditation, a form of training your mind. In this case, it's a training in generosity — letting go of your attachment to money and other goods. Anything really can be offered, but the important thing is that you're not really offering anything to gain some benefit, get something in return, or just by blindly showing some respect. The practice of generosity is mostly for your own benefit: to learn the importance of letting go of attachments. I remember that I offered my first teacher — before he formally was my teacher — a jar of pickles, because I had heard he liked spicy foods :) So what exactly is offered is irrelevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually such offerings are made in a way that nobody else is seeing. The purpose here is not to 'show off'. If you can't give anything to the teacher while everybody's watching, you can just leave your gifts anywhere in the centre or temple. Don't worry if they get stolen or not, or if the teacher doesn't get your things for some reason; the whole purpose is for you to practice generosity. Once given away freely, your deed is done. What happens afterwards with your gifts is not your concern. This is often misunderstood, because one thinks that one should have some form of 'control' to what is being done with one's gifts! I have seen teachers who take money, for instance, thank you, and almost immediately afterwards give it to someone else. That even happens with way more precious gifts — golden watches or statues or jewelry. Remember, teachers are practitioners as well, and they also practice generosity towards others!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are planning to ask for a private meeting with the teacher, where you will be able to ask any question, it is customary to bring a special offering just to him or her personally. This is a sign that you understand perfectly that these teachings will have a profound meaning in your life: you will learn to be more alert, pay more attention, become a better person. And because that's so precious to you, you wish to show how thankful you are for this kind teacher to be able to spend some time with you. Traditionally, in Tibet, it's customary to offer some sticks of incense, which the teacher can always use for his or her own practice (be careful not to pick Indian incense, though, because it often contains animal fats which are not appropriate as an offering — animals had to be killed to produce that incense. If you're unsure, just ask in the temple or centre for appropriate incense to be given as offerings to a teacher) and something that you know that the teacher likes to eat — biscuits are typical, perhaps some chocolate, or something like that. In the case of a private meeting, offerings are usually given at the very beginning, before you start with your questioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the session ends, students stand up immediately before the teacher does the same. There are a few conventions which vary slightly. Some teachers assume that if the students don't get up, they wish to learn more, and so the teacher will continue. Others, when seeing all students suddenly stand up, might interpret that as dismissing the teacher, which might be slightly offensive. Teachers well acquainted with Westerners will often say good-bye first, so everybody knows that it's time to stand up, and they will rise slowly, to allow everybody to stand up just in time. Prostrations are never made at the end, but it's customary to remain standing, slightly bowed, hands palms touching, always turning towards the teacher, until the teacher leaves the room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism has its roots in Indian culture, some things might sound silly to us Westerners, but the traditions are kept. You should never turn your back to a representation of the Buddha — or to a teacher. That shows disrespect. That doesn't mean that you need to walk backwards all the way (and risk stumbling!) if you leave a temple with some statues, but you can definitely do that for a few backward steps (safety first! tradition next!). If your teacher comes from the Far East and is not acquainted with Western traditions, it is rude to stare them directly in the eyes (by contrast, a Western teacher, or an Eastern teacher well-acquainted with our traditions, will understand that staring directly in their eyes is a sign of paying close attention to what they're saying, which would be a sign of respect in our culture). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pointing your feet to the teacher and/or any Buddha statues is also considered very rude. For the Indian tradition, the feet, because they are touching the mud and filth on the ground, are considered 'dirty'. So pointing them at objects worthy of respect is very impolite. If you really need to stretch your legs, do it sideways, so that your feet are not pointing to anyone. In the winter it's sometimes easier, temples might distribute some blankets, and so you can cover your feet that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're a beginner, and you cannot stay cross-legged for a long period, it's fine to ask for a chair if one is available. Sitting cross-legged is not even an 'Eastern' thing. Chinese, for instance, use chairs. The Japanese 'sit' by kneeling down. So there is no fixed rule for what 'has' to be done when attending ceremonies or teachings. However, Vajrayana Buddhism has some very advanced meditation techniques which require sitting down cross-legged, which will be explained to you why — in due time. In the mean time, in the West, many temples might have some chairs, and it's neither rude, nor impolite, to ask to be allowed to sit there. In fact, if you can sit down and remain still in your chair, it's far better than be constantly stretching legs, arms, back, etc. because you cannot (yet) remain still cross-legged. It's also far less disturbing for others. When sitting down, you should &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; cross your legs, nor play with them, sit sideways, etc. The appropriate way is to sit down with both legs parallel to each other, feet well planted in the ground, your back straight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inside the centre or temple, it is very rude to speak of anything futile or trivial (except on those very exceptional occasions mentioned at the beginning!), but Buddhists are supposed to be happy, easy-going people, so they just have their fun &lt;em&gt;outside&lt;/em&gt;. It's not 'hypocrisy' to 'behave well' inside and be a jokester outside — it's only important to understand that, one one hand, Buddhists take their practice very seriously, but the result of that practice is a way of happiness — so being too serious, too worried, too stressed, too stiff is definitely not a good sign! Buddhists are easy-going and certainly behave that way outside the centres or temples! Just look at the Dalai Lama, he's always smiling, laughing, telling jokes, amusing himself with silly things, and pretty much spreading that easy-going nature of his to everybody around him. But inside a temple he's serious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good teachers, however, will also teach in an informal way. This is specially the case in the Nyingma and Kagyü schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It's not unusual for a teacher to tell jokes, illustrate a complex point of doctrine with a hilarious anecdote, and, in general, make the students relaxed and in a good mood. Of course, visiting teachers who come for the first time to a specific temple will be much more formal, because they might not know what the reaction of the audience will be. You can certainly see that a teacher who has come to a centre often — or who is a resident at that centre — will most certainly have a much more informal way of teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a Vajrayana temple, all objects and images you see there are 'special', in the sense that you have to be given special teachings to understand their purpose. You're still welcome to ask about &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt;, but please refrain from &lt;em&gt;touching&lt;/em&gt; anything. In particular, you should not touch anything belonging to the teacher — or to other practitioners. Vajrayana temples have musical instruments around, but, again, they're not toys, and their purpose is not really just making musical sounds — there are far more profounder meanings in the music — and they are not to be handled unless you have been given special instructions and explanations about them. This sounds a bit crazy and secretive, but you can imagine how you would feel if a visitor to your place would start opening the drawers and look at your underclothing and ask strange questions. Of course, if that visitor happens to be your sweetheart or someone very close to you, you would share a certain degree of intimacy, and then you'll let them do that to your home easily. Vajrayana Buddhism is a bit like that: once you have some 'intimacy' with the whole philosophy and the whole point of the practice, then, yes, slowly, you'll be able to touch everything, do everything... and, in fact, it will even be a &lt;em&gt;requirement&lt;/em&gt;. In many Vajrayana temples, new visitors might be shocked that suddenly one of the other practitioners start to do the practice without a supervising teacher, or even teach some meditation techniques, etc. There is no real 'dividing line' between 'student' and 'teacher'. A teacher becomes a teacher when their own teacher tells them to do so! So, every time you see someone who is dressed just like you, very casually, all of the sudden leading a meditation session or more complex ceremony on their own, you can rest assured that they have been given explicit permission from their own teachers to do so. In fact, they're practicing to become teachers one day. And the first thing that they all learn is how to do &lt;em&gt;everything&lt;/em&gt; — because teachers will die some time, and who will continue their work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Books with recitations or anything related to the teachings of the Buddha should never be touched or handled without permission, and never ever placed in the ground. You should also never place anything on top of them — not even your glasses (if you use glasses to read). The reason for that is that these books contain the precious instructions that will teach you how to train your mind, to become more functional, a gentler being, a better person. Even if they're just photocopies of something scribbled down in a hurry, they're the most precious things you can find. As such, they are to be handled respectfully. If, before a meditation session, they handle out some plain printouts of the recitations, or some instructions, don't place them on the ground. They might look very simple and plain, but they're nevertheless very precious. And, for practical purposes, it also means that you are not spoiling them, making them dirty and unreadable, thus contributing that the next person who gets them to read can benefit from them as well. Not all Buddhist groups are wealthy enough to be constantly printing out things!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most groups will also not give you their books or photocopies of the recitations, etc. This is not due to a lack of generosity of their part! One difference from Buddhism to other religions and philosophies is that you cannot learn anything from a book — just from a teacher. Books are just memory aids — things to remind you what you're supposed to do. But without a teacher to explain you what is meant, they're worthless — to anyone who doesn't understand them. As such, they're not easily given away. Instead, you should always ask the teacher for permission to get a copy. A teacher will know if you really intend to practice those instructions seriously, and, if that's the case, he will be most glad to give a copy or allow you to buy them. But if he's not sure yet that you intend to follow the practice as he instructed, then he will politely decline to allow you a copy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many teachers practice generosity towards their students. Some teachers are really not wealthy and give away everything; so the slightest gift is very important, and also a form of test. For example, it's rude not to accept something to eat or drink from a teacher. When he offers you food or drink, he or she is symbolically offering you the teachings of the Buddha — this is the most generous offer he or she can make to you. So even if you're full from your last meal, or even ill with some stomach disease, accept at least a tiny morsel of what the teacher is giving to you. This will give the teacher confidence in you: if you're willing to accept food from him or her, you will very likely be willing to accept teachings from them as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last, but most definitely not least, but rather the contrary: Buddhism is a very thorough philosophy/way of life/religion/science of the mind with a vast amount of literature. Over 2,600 years of discussion and debate have been recorded by millions of teachers. As a result, it's profoundly logical and rational at every level. While &lt;em&gt;externally&lt;/em&gt; there might be some rituals and some rules to observe, all of them have some logic behind you. So, the beginner's mind should be a questioning mind. Question everything. Be skeptical, but open-minded enough to ask everything. Think the answers over: do they make sense to you? Are the arguments rational and well-presented? If so, accept the answers, and turn them as if they were your own. If they don't make any sense to you, reject them. Siddhārtha Gautama himself said, quite clearly, that nobody should take his words for granted, just because he is called the Buddha. Instead, you should think them over very carefully and see if they make sense. If not, and you're still curious about Buddhism, ask away — ask as much as you can to see if you can clear away each and any doubt you have. Be wary of 'teachers' who refuse to answer your questions, or come up with some technical mumbo-jumbo which might sound impressive but really doesn't make any sense. Buddhist teachers do not try to 'impress' students, or 'convert' them. Instead, they describe methods and techniques, and expect students to ask them 'why does this work?' — but also that they are willing to experiment those techniques and see if they work for themselves. It's a very experimental philosophy: it makes little sense to read about Buddhism — except if you wish to put it into practice, which is the whole point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh, I forgot to say: make sure you get a qualified teacher to ask your questions. A qualified teacher is someone who has been asked by their own teachers to teach. And you're certainly allowed to ask any teacher, 'who told you that you're allowed to teach?' Any serious, qualified teacher will have absolutely no problem in answering that question truthfully — and you're quite welcome to check if it's true!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I, for sure, am &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; a qualified teacher :) But I try to help when asked to the limit of my abilities; all I know was what my poor memory retained from the words of my excellent teachers. So all mistakes I make are only mine — not a flaw of the teachings of the Buddha, and most certainly no flaws from my own teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="232" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T17:20:05.707" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:20:05.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1387" CreationDate="2014-06-25T04:58:47.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A short answer is NO. In the history of Buddhist foundations, there is nothing to do with martial arts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, these kind of monks in China are real. They have adapted and created their own way to train their minds (and bodies) by applying some &quot;part&quot; of Buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="237" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:53:13.320" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:53:13.320" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1395" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1450" CreationDate="2014-06-25T06:15:29.670" Score="5" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no Theravada monastery in the country I live in. I just read a short brief about lay people going together and forming a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.skogskloster.no/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;forest monastery in Norway&lt;/a&gt;, and was wondering about how a monastery is established?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who initiates the process and who makes the decision (lay people, monastics, both in combination, or either)? Thinking in terms of whether it's just monastics moving back to their home country to spread the Dhamma, or if lay people gather support and invite monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not so much about the religious or practical considerations, just looking for a helicopter view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T10:57:58.100" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T10:57:58.100" Title="How is a Theravada Buddhist monastery established?" Tags="|theravada|monk|monasticism|laity|monastery|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1387" CreationDate="2014-06-25T06:46:03.933" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a legend that Bodhidharma instructed the monks at the Shaolin Monastery in ways to increase their physical fitness. These exercises later became the Shaolon kung fu.  As one of the documents involved seems to be a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_Jin_Jing#Modern_Scholarly_Research&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;forgery&lt;/a&gt;, scholars now doubt this connection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma_at_Shaolin#Bodhidharma_at_Shaolin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Kung_Fu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8D_%28Way%29#Buddhist_interpretations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Do&lt;/a&gt; has influenced many japanese martial arts, changing the &lt;em&gt;craft&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jutsu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(-jutsu)&lt;/a&gt; of fighting to a &lt;em&gt;way&lt;/em&gt; (-do) of fighting (e.g. karate-do, ken-do)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:56:50.133" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:56:50.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1397" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1410" CreationDate="2014-06-25T07:07:49.710" Score="5" ViewCount="1475" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist teachings tell that all intentional killing is negative karma. So, what about bacteria? Are bacteria considered to be sentient beings? Is using antibiotics negative karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to reborn as a bacterium?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user238" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:02:12.480" Title="Buddhism and bacteria" Tags="|karma|rebirth|killing|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1398" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-25T08:58:18.297" Score="5" ViewCount="463" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of having more than one life in Buddhism is regarded not  just as a theory but  a truth that can be experienced and verified If this is so, what was the technique used by the Buddha to recollect past lives? What is the exact technique that leads to remembering one's past lives according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="245" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:58:56.073" LastActivityDate="2022-10-17T16:11:08.947" Title="Buddhism and past lives?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1399" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1400" CreationDate="2014-06-25T10:48:59.927" Score="7" ViewCount="1353" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that Gautama Buddha was an ascetic until shortly before his enlightenment and several Dhammapada verses reflect a moderate attitude toward food, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 7: He who keeps his mind on pleasant objects, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in his food, and is lazy and lacking in energy, will certainly be overwhelmed by Mara, just as stormy winds uproot a weak tree. source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=007&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=007&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it's unlikely he looked much like the image below. But the statue pictured below is often referred to as a &quot;laughing Buddha&quot;. What is the story of the laughing Buddha? &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qS0A8.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T10:56:23.623" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T10:56:23.623" Title="Who is the laughing Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|art|traditions|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1399" CreationDate="2014-06-25T10:55:59.790" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;His name is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai&quot;&gt;Budai&lt;/a&gt; and many people in the West mistake his image as being Gautama Buddha. Budai is usually identified with or seen as an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T10:55:59.790" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1401" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1439" CreationDate="2014-06-25T11:51:38.957" Score="11" ViewCount="557" Body="&lt;p&gt;Semchen is typically defined as a sentient being.  What does this mean?  What is sentience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1397/buddhism-and-bacteria&quot;&gt;killing bacteria&lt;/a&gt; indicates bacteria are not sentient, but I distinctly remember a guru say dust mites are sentient.  Am I imposing my evolution-based viewpoint onto a ladder of sentience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="59" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T10:05:58.980" Title="How is semchen (sentient being) defined?" Tags="|vajrayana|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1402" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1436" CreationDate="2014-06-25T12:04:13.470" Score="14" ViewCount="2484" Body="&lt;p&gt;While other religions seem to have a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/abortion_1.shtml&quot;&gt;definition position on abortion&lt;/a&gt; I've never come across the Buddhist view on this. From a naive perspective I would imagine that Buddhists would be prolife rather then prochoice - the abstain from killing precept seems to be the relevant one. But I would imagine it would also depend on when Buddhist believe that life begins or becomes sentient. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any pointers to the ethics of abortion in the scriptures (pali canon, mahayana etc..) or perhaps guidance/opinions from more contemporary teachers. I feel that the real position could be quite nuanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks for any/all thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2020-11-11T03:58:46.600" Title="Are Buddhists against abortion?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1402" CreationDate="2014-06-25T12:14:31.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists believe that life begins at conception(as told in the pali suttas) and therefore it technically is the breaking of the 1st precept/training rule for the non harming of beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it is also illegal in buddhist countries like  Sri Lanka.  That being said however there is a right mindset in dealing with those who choose abortion.  I like what Ajahn Brahm has to say about it,  compassion,  not judgment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.diydharma.org/buddhist-response-euthanasia-abortion-ajahn-brahm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.diydharma.org/buddhist-response-euthanasia-abortion-ajahn-brahm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may also be helpful :&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books7/Ajahn_Brahm_When_Does_Human_Life_Begin.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books7/Ajahn_Brahm_When_Does_Human_Life_Begin.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T12:45:08.230" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T12:45:08.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1402" CreationDate="2014-06-25T12:21:31.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would not know about the Buddhist community as a whole, but Dalai Lama once  said that it is generally bad to kill even the fetus. He did give some room for context and circumstances though, for example if the mother is in danger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an answer, and from other sources I have seen, I would say that this is a pretty divisive subject, easier understood when we think of a Buddhist as a person that understands the difference between theory and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the situation, really.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="248" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T15:00:43.370" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T15:00:43.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1402" CreationDate="2014-06-25T12:29:02.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard that one contemporary teacher suggests that a couple can give up a baby for adoption directly after birth. He highlighted that nowadays there is a growing number of couples &lt;em&gt;trying and failing&lt;/em&gt; to conceive a baby so it is rather sad that other couples next door abort new lives. In some countries it is possible to choose new parents before the child birth so the biological mother can be sure that her baby goes to good home. But overall the teacher admits that such decisions are very difficult and it takes lots of courage and maturity to choose this option.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T12:29:02.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1406" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1408" CreationDate="2014-06-25T13:19:29.453" Score="6" ViewCount="5624" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lots of Buddhist words have two different spellings (kamma/karma) because one is the Pali version and the other is the Sanskrit version; but the meaning is the same. My understanding of Bodhisatta and Bodhisattva though, is that they have different meanings. Can anyone elaborate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T12:24:00.640" Title="What is the difference between a Bodhisatta and a Bodhisattva?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1389" CreationDate="2014-06-25T13:31:31.570" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the school and/or the tradition a Buddhist chooses to follow. Just so you are aware, Pureland is really only a &quot;school&quot; in Japan. Everywhere else in Mahayana, a kind of Pureland practice is usually taken for granted, or at least not treated as its own separate practice, like in Chinese Ch'an, for instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The majority of the Buddhists who aspire to be reborn in any Pureland (there is more than one) usually believe it to be a literal place you go after you die if you aspire to be reborn there. Others use thoughts of Pureland as grounds for meditation and/or prayer. Others take it upon themselves in their Bodhisattva practice to make this realm a pureland. None of these are mutually exclusive either--all three practices can be undertaken by any given person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="253" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T07:02:57.810" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:02:57.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1406" CreationDate="2014-06-25T13:53:58.267" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodhisatta is &lt;em&gt;Pali&lt;/em&gt;, Bodhisattva is &lt;em&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/em&gt;, they have the same basic meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a &lt;strong&gt;bodhisattva&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;Sanskrit: बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva; Pali:&#xA;  बोधिसत्त bodhisatta)&lt;/strong&gt; is an enlightenment (&lt;em&gt;bodhi&lt;/em&gt;) being (&lt;em&gt;sattva&lt;/em&gt;).&#xA;  Traditionally, a bodhisattva is anyone who, motivated by great&#xA;  compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to&#xA;  attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. According&#xA;  to Tibetan Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is one of the four sublime states a&#xA;  human can achieve in life (the others being an Arhat, Buddha, or&#xA;  Pratyekabuddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;Theravāda Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;, the term &quot;bodhisatta&quot; (Pāli language) was used by the Buddha in the Pāli canon to refer to himself both in his previous lives and as a young man in his current life, prior to his enlightenment, in the period during which he was working towards his own liberation. In later Theravāda literature, the term &quot;bodhisatta&quot; is used fairly frequently in the sense of someone on the path to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahāyāna Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; is based principally upon the path of a bodhisattva. Mahāyāna Buddhism encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vows are an expression of &lt;em&gt;bodhichitta&lt;/em&gt;, the desire to realize enlightenment for the sake of others. The exact wording of the Bodhisattva vows varies from school to school. The most basic form is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahāyāna schools like Zen, Nichiren, Tendai, and others use vows translated as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beings are numberless, I vow to save them&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Desires are inexhaustible, I vow to end them&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dharma gates are boundless, I vow to enter them&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha's way is unsurpassable, I vow to become it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:04:45.657" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:04:45.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1406" CreationDate="2014-06-25T13:58:18.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nope! They are exactly the same. There's also 'Maha-Bodhisatta'. That term is specifically used for a being who has gotten the confirmation from a fully enlightened Buddha that he is also going to become a fully enlightened Buddha in the future. ex: Mathree Bodhisatva who is in Tāvatiṃsa heaven at present will become the Maithree Buddha in the future. He will be the 5th and the final Buddha to appear before the world ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T13:58:18.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1397" CreationDate="2014-06-25T14:02:12.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I pointed out in my answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/101/43&quot;&gt;&quot;are earthworms our mothers?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;  these kind of questions often assume incorrect frame of reference, different from the one Buddhism operates in. The point of teachings is to produce a certain state of mind, that will affect your behavior in certain way, that will eventually lead to better results, up to and including Enlightenment for you and the rest of the sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Five Precepts (no killing, stealing, speaking nonfactually, letting sensual pleasure control you, getting intoxicated) are an entry-level practice that is designed to help practitioner master basic discipline of self-reflection and self-control. Abstaining from killing, stealing etc. implies basic ability to watch one's mind for harmful thoughts and emotions, and to prevent them from getting acted out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of the above, the no-killing rule should not be understood literally, as an absolute law, but as a guideline for training the mind. It is not acceptable to hurt or harm any creature (big or small) out of antipathy, obsessive desire, or ignorance. This is what Five Precepts are mostly about, countering the Three Poisons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For reference, the Three Poisons are three basic moods afflicting the mind, impairing one's judgement and goal-making abilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anger/Hate/Irritation/Aversion/Antipathy/Negativity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lust/Desire/Attraction/Obsession&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance/Confusion/Sloth/Torpor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:02:12.480" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1398" CreationDate="2014-06-25T14:23:57.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my teachers (Korean Zen and Tibetan Vajrayana), because Buddhism explicitly denies existence of soul (see &lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt;), the concept of rebirth does not refer to reincarnation of the same person, but rather to propagation of information from one life to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recollection of past lives then is not to be understood literally but as a metaphor for &lt;em&gt;clearly seeing&lt;/em&gt; patterns of karma acting out from one generation to another. This requires shedding an irrational belief in existence of &quot;I&quot; as a solid entity, subject of experience, and independent agent of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The technique for achieving this level of insight is known as &lt;code&gt;vipassana&lt;/code&gt; or &quot;special insight meditation&quot;, to be preceded by &quot;calm abiding meditation&quot;, &lt;code&gt;samatha&lt;/code&gt;, in order to attain the necessary clarity of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T14:52:01.347" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:52:01.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12" CreationDate="2014-06-25T14:51:33.353" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jhāna&lt;/em&gt; is the Middle-Indian form of Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;dhyāna&lt;/em&gt;, which is a simple derivation from the verbal root &lt;em&gt;dhyā&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;dhyai&lt;/em&gt;, meaning &amp;quot;to think of, contemplate, recollect&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In early Buddhism there seem to be two contending theories of the path of enlightenment. The first one is the noble eightfold path, which is quite well known, I suppose. The second is a more technical instruction on meditative stages. The first four of these stages are called the four &lt;em&gt;dhyānas&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;jhānas&lt;/em&gt;. These stages can be found in DN 2 and 3, as well as in MN 27 and 38:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Having abandoned these five hindrances — imperfections of awareness that weaken discernment — then, quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, brahman, is called a footprint of the Tathagata, a scratch mark of the Tathagata, a tusk slash of the Tathagata, but a disciple of the noble ones would not yet come to the conclusion, 'The Blessed One is rightly self-awakened; the Dhamma is well-taught by the Blessed One; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced rightly.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, with the stilling of directed thoughts &amp;amp; evaluations, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of composure, one-pointedness of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, too, is called a footprint of the Tathagata, a scratch mark of the Tathagata, a tusk slash of the Tathagata, but a disciple of the noble ones would not yet come to the conclusion, 'The Blessed One is rightly self-awakened; the Dhamma is well-taught by the Blessed One; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced rightly.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, &amp;amp; alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters &amp;amp; remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous &amp;amp; mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, too, is called a footprint of the Tathagata, a scratch mark of the Tathagata, a tusk slash of the Tathagata, but a disciple of the noble ones would not yet come to the conclusion, 'The Blessed One is rightly self-awakened; the Dhamma is well-taught by the Blessed One; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced rightly.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, too, is called a footprint of the Tathagata, a scratch mark of the Tathagata, a tusk slash of the Tathagata, but a disciple of the noble ones would not yet come to the conclusion, 'The Blessed One is rightly self-awakened; the Dhamma is well-taught by the Blessed One; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced rightly.'&#xA;(MN 27, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four stages are equated with the eigth element of the Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;em&gt;Samyaksamādhi&lt;/em&gt;; they are the direct prerequisite for the liberating insight. The texts go on to explain that with this state of mind, the Tathagata-to-be then consecutively directs his mind to his former existences, passing away and arising of beings, the knowledge of the destuction of impurities, whereby finally he attains the realization of the four noble truths and is freed from further births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four more meditative &amp;quot;ranges&amp;quot; are prominent in the scriptures, these are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;ākāśānantyāyatana&lt;/em&gt; - the range of infinite space&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;vijñānānantyāyatana&lt;/em&gt; - the range of infinite consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;akiñcanyāyatana&lt;/em&gt; - the range of nothing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana&lt;/em&gt; - the range of neither ideation nor non-ideation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These meditative &amp;quot;places&amp;quot; were obviously taught by the upanishadic teachers of the Buddha and of ascetics of the time of the Buddha. The way into these is from the corresponding (first, second, ...) &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;. (cp. MN 8, should also be there in DN 1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T15:05:19.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1398" CreationDate="2014-06-25T14:53:07.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically, the memory of past lives requires the four meditative stages to be accomplished. See my answer to this thread: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12/what-exactly-is-jhana/1414#1414&quot;&gt;What exactly is Jhana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T14:53:07.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1406" CreationDate="2014-06-25T15:10:36.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Bodhisatta&lt;/code&gt; is a Pali term, usually used in Theravada (&quot;orthodox&quot; Buddhism), while &lt;code&gt;Bodhisattva&lt;/code&gt; is Sanskrit term, more often used in Mahayana (either &quot;degenerated&quot; Buddhism, or Buddhism &quot;upholding the true spirit of the teaching above its letter&quot;, depending on your perspective ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although both terms are local versions of the same basic word (that means &quot;awakened being&quot;), the two branches use the word in very different sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, &lt;code&gt;bodhisatta&lt;/code&gt; is primarily used in &lt;code&gt;Jatakas&lt;/code&gt; (didactic tales targeted at lay audience of the times) to refer to a person on his way to Buddhahood, depicted at different stages of his spiritual growth. This person is usually understood to be the same individual that eventually became Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, &lt;code&gt;bodhisattva&lt;/code&gt; is an advanced practitioner who renounced entering Nirvana indefinitely, helping the rest of sentient beings achieve Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T15:10:36.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1417" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1421" CreationDate="2014-06-25T15:37:37.947" Score="7" ViewCount="1835" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a short sentence in the suttas where the Buddha said lay people should not involve themselves in the weapons business, but it seems this is not as serious as the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, how much is considered weapons business? For example, is getting involving in the armor business considered weapon business? What about selling weapons designs, technologies, intellectual property, etc., but not selling weapons themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if someone is only skilled in weapons/war and cannot make a living off of other professions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="218" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T18:23:14.520" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T05:40:09.390" Title="Can lay people be involved in the weapons business?" Tags="|karma|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-25T16:33:44.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most famous living Buddhist, Dalai Lama &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Dalai_Lama#Diet_and_animal_welfare&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eats non-vegetarian&lt;/a&gt; dishes. The reasoning for this is he had said there's not much vegetables grown in Tibet. So to be specific Buddhism does not encourage killing animals, but on specific occasions (Ex: there is no food other than meat) it is permitted as food, though they are not supposed to waste any meat. Buddhist monks have to travel from place to place and have to take up whatever available for their living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="261" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T16:33:44.767" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2014-06-25T18:17:15.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The historical Buddha Siddhartha Gautama was probably Indo-Aryan. &#xA;He lived in what is today the Democratic Republic of Nepal. Nepal's ethnicity today comprise mixed race people of Indo-Aryan &amp;amp; East Asian ethnicities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is believed He spoke old &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magahi_language&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Magadhi&lt;/a&gt; language. He belonged to the Ksyhtriya Varna of the Solar or Ikshvaku dynasty and Gautama &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotra&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gotra&lt;/a&gt;. Before his enlightenment he was a practitioner of what is today called Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sakhya is derived from the Sanskrit word śakya which means capable, able &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;[1]&lt;/a&gt;. Sakhyamuni just means a muni(renunciate) from the Sakhya tribe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdictionary.com/?q=%C5%9B%C4%81kya&amp;amp;iencoding=&amp;amp;lang=en&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary&lt;/a&gt;, 2 of the meaning out of many others for the word sakya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;śākya m.   Name of a tribe of landowners and kṣatriya - s in kapila&#xA;  -vastu - (from whom gautama - , the founder of Buddhism, was descended)        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;śākya mfn.     derived or descended from the śaka - s (= śakā abhijano 'sya - )    gaRa śaṇḍikādi  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the tribe of the Buddha is not given as decedents of Sakas(Scythians) since a distinction is made between Buddha's tribe and the Sakas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theory that Sanskrit speaking Aryans came from Southern Russia has been controversial and is disputed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1]: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="135" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T19:59:00.867" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T19:59:00.867" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1348" CreationDate="2014-06-25T18:18:20.950" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to answer this sort of question, you have to be clear on what the precepts are and what they are not. They are a set of intentional statements of will to keep a finite set of basic moral precepts. They are &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; an all-encompassing treatise on morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the fourth precept, as Sankha Kulathantille says in his answer, relates to a specific type of speech; it does not include all types of wrong speech, it only refers to speech that is intended to deceive another person, as per the Cunda Sutta (AN 10.176) for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where a certain person engages in false speech. When he has been called to a town meeting, a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives, his guild, or of the royalty [i.e., a royal court proceeding], if he is asked as a witness, 'Come &amp;amp; tell, good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I know.' If he does know, he says, 'I don't know.' If he hasn't seen, he says, 'I have seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I haven't seen.' Thus he consciously tells lies for his own sake, for the sake of another, or for the sake of a certain reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, your premise,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if you promise something to someone and don't keep it, it is equivalent to lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is not in accordance with a strict Buddhist understanding of lying, since there need not be at any time during the change of heart an intention to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether breaking a promise is wrong, Thanissaro has a discussion of this in his BMC:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Mahavagga (III.14.1-14) imposes a dukkata on the act of making a promise with pure intentions but later breaking it. Since the texts make no mention of any circumstances beyond one's control that would exempt one from that penalty, a bhikkhu should be very careful of how he states his plans for the future. A special instance of breaking a promise -- accepting an invitation to a meal but then not going -- is treated under Pacittiya 33.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, the Mahavagga passage in question does use the word for lying (musāvādā): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nanu mayā, moghapurisa, anekapariyāyena musāvādo garahito, musāvādā veramaṇī pasatthā?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Has not falsehood been reproved, and abstinence from falsehood been praised by me in many ways?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the Buddha only charges him with a dukkata rather than a pacittiya (which would be the case in a true lie), so a distinction is clearly made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, first point to make:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Breaking a promise is wrong, but outright lying is worse. Breaking a promise does not, therefore, break the first precept as it is understood in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, on to your question :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Lying to oneself&quot; would literally mean knowing something to be false and yet telling yourself that it is true, with the intention that you should believe it to be true. Psychologically, it is certainly possible that over time you could come to convince yourself of something, but only if you let yourself believe it to be true, in which case you would no longer simultaneously know it to be false. This sort of self-deception goes on all the time in our world, of course, but is it lying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, the five precepts all require physical or verbal acts to be broken; morality in its conventional form always refers only to physical and mental commissions or omissions; mental immorality is considered a lapse of concentration, not morality. (I don't have a reference for this, but if I can find one, I'll pass it along). So you'd have to actually tell yourself out loud, knowing that what you were saying is false, intending to make yourself believe something to be true. I guess that is theoretically possible, but in most cases I think it would be difficult to convince yourself that you were seriously capable of such deception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More common, I'd say, would be the simple intention to cultivate a belief in what is false; rather than trying to deceive yourself, per se, you simply want to cultivate a distorted belief; e.g. believing that a loved one is still alive, because it's too difficult to acknowledge they are dead. The difference here is there is no breach of trust; you are accepting that something is a lie, but deciding to believe it anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A similar situation would be in the case of hypnosis, where a hypnotist tells the patient to imagine themselves in certain situations, or helps them convince themselves they were never afraid of something, etc., e.g. &quot;You have never been afraid of spiders.&quot; The patient allows the hypnotist to make them believe something that is false; the hypnotist cannot be considered guilty of lying to the patient, as the patient knows it is false but simply wants to change their belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, &lt;strong&gt;lying to yourself, while it may be damaging, can't be considered truly lying, since it doesn't involve a breach of trust or an act of deceptive communication. Self-deception is voluntary and occurs after the 'lie' has already been told.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T18:18:20.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2014-06-25T19:07:41.113" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, the passage you mention (AN 5.177):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the five types of business that a lay follower should not engage in.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tika provides a bit of clarity on this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;satthavaṇijjā&lt;/strong&gt; ti āvudhabhaṇḍaṃ katvā vā kāretvā vā kataṃ vā paṭilabhitvā tassa vikkayo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Business in weapons&quot; means, having made instruments used as weapons, or having had them made, or having obtained them already made, the selling of those [instruments].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, again it appears to be limited to the activities of a merchant. On the other hand, the entire sutta only describes the activities of a merchant (vanijja), so it doesn't actually make allowance for other ways of making money off of weapons manufacture and/or war. It is my guess that this is to be used as a guide on which to judge the morality of more indirect forms of martial employment (similar to manufacturing poison, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think one should simply draw the line at commerce and say that any other war-based employment is okay. Instead we should ask what is wrong with selling weapons and apply the same principle to other similar activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One interesting exemption seems to be related to transportation and care of weapons. The commentary to Dhp 124 tells a story of a woman who cleaned and prepared weapons for her husband to catch and kill animals. She was a sotapanna and the Buddha said she was blameless:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monks began to discuss the matter, saying, “So Kukkuṭamitta has a wife, and when she was a mere girl she obtained the Fruit of Conversion; yet she married this hunter and by him had seven sons. Furthermore, during all this time, whenever her husband said to her, ‘Bring me my bow, bring me my arrows, bring me my hunting-knife, bring me my net,’ she obeyed him and gave him what he asked for. And her husband, taking what she had given him, went and took life. Is it possible that those who have obtained the Fruit of Conversion take life?” Just then the Teacher approached and asked, “Monks, what is it that you are sitting here now talking about?” When they told him, he said, “Monks, of course those that have obtained the Fruit of Conversion do not take life. Kukkuṭamitta’s wife did what she did because she was actuated by the thought, ‘I will obey the commands of my husband.’ It never occurred to her to think, ‘He will take what I give him and go hence and take life.’ If a man’s hand be free from wounds, even though he take poison into his hand, yet the poison will not harm him. Precisely so, a man who harbors no thoughts of wrong and who commits no evil, may take down bows and other similar objects and present them to another, and yet be guiltless of sin.” So saying, he joined the connection, and preaching the Law, pronounced the following Stanza,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;124. If in his hand there be no wound,&#xA;  A man may carry poison in his hand.&#xA;  Poison cannot harm him who is free from wounds.&#xA;  No evil befalls him who does no evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's easy to see how this is different from actually helping to create weapons, but it does show that, as always, the mind is most important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your final question, this is never a very good defence; it's like a butcher saying he has to kill because he has no other way to make money. While that might mitigate the evil, it doesn't make it categorically different from any other act of murder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another story in the Jataka (JatA 31) that exemplifies the Buddhist view on this sort of situation. When Magha was reborn as Sakka, king of the angels of the thirty-three, three of his wives were also born in heaven due to their meritorious deeds. His fourth wife was born as a crane, and Sakka admonished her to keep the five precepts, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But Highborn, having performed no act of merit, was reborn as a crane&#xA;  in a grotto in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There's no sign of Highborn,&quot; said Sakka to himself; &quot;I wonder where&#xA;  she has been reborn.&quot; And as he considered the matter, he discovered&#xA;  her whereabouts. So he paid her a visit, and bringing her back with&#xA;  him to heaven shewed her the delightful city of the Devas, the Hall of&#xA;  Goodness, Thoughtful's Creeper-Grove, and the Tank called Joy. &quot;These&#xA;  three,&quot; said Sakka, &quot;have been reborn as my handmaidens by reason of&#xA;  the good works they did; but you, having done no good work, have been&#xA;  reborn in the brute creation. Henceforth keep the Commandments.&quot; And&#xA;  having exhorted her thus, and confirmed her in the Five Commandments,&#xA;  he took her back and let her go free. And thenceforth she did keep the&#xA;  Commandments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A short time afterwards, being curious to know whether she really was&#xA;  able to keep the Commandments, Sakka went and lay down before her in&#xA;  the shape of a fish. Thinking the fish was dead, the crane seized it&#xA;  by the head. The fish wagged its tail. &quot;Why, I do believe it's alive,&quot;&#xA;  said the crane, and let the fish go. &quot;Very good, very good,&quot; said&#xA;  Sakka; &quot;you will be able to keep the Commandments.&quot; And so saying he&#xA;  went away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dying as a crane, Highborn was reborn into the family of a potter in&#xA;  Benares. Wondering where she had got to, and at last discovering her&#xA;  whereabouts, Sakka, disguised as an old man, filled a cart with&#xA;  cucumbers of solid gold and sat in the middle of the village, crying,&#xA;  &quot;Buy my cucumbers! buy my cucumbers!&quot; Folk came to him and asked for&#xA;  them. &quot;I only part with them to such as keep the Commandments,&quot; said&#xA;  he, &quot;do you keep them?&quot; &quot;We don't know what you mean by your&#xA;  'Commandments'; sell us the cucumbers.&quot; &quot;No; I don't want money for my&#xA;  cucumbers. I give them away,--but only to those that keep the&#xA;  Commandments.&quot; &quot;Who is this wag?&quot; said the folk as they turned away.&#xA;  Hearing of this, Highborn thought to herself that the cucumbers must&#xA;  have been brought for her, and accordingly went and asked for some.&#xA;  &quot;Do you keep the Commandments, madam?&quot; said he. &quot;Yes, I do,&quot; was the&#xA;  reply. &quot;It was for you alone that I brought these here,&quot; said he, and&#xA;  leaving cucumbers, cart and all at her door he departed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Continuing all her life long to keep the Commandments, Highborn after&#xA;  her death was reborn the daughter of the Asura king Vepacittiya, and&#xA;  for her goodness was rewarded with the gift of great beauty. When she&#xA;  grew up, her father mustered the Asuras together to give his daughter&#xA;  her pick of them for a husband. And Sakka, who had searched and found&#xA;  out her whereabouts, donned the shape of an Asura, and came down,&#xA;  saying to himself, &quot;If Highborn chooses a husband really after her own&#xA;  heart, I shall be he.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Highborn was arrayed and brought forth to the place of assembly, where&#xA;  she was bidden to select a husband after her own heart. Looking round&#xA;  and observing Sakka, she was moved by her love for him in a bygone&#xA;  existence to choose him for her husband. Sakka carried her off to the&#xA;  city of the devas and made her the chief of twenty-five millions of&#xA;  dancing-girls. And when his term of life ended, he passed away to fare&#xA;  according to his deserts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A true follower of the Buddha would not kill to save their own life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T20:35:17.783" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T20:35:17.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2014-06-25T19:09:40.130" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Under the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, the first precept reads&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of all sentient beings.  I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Right Livelihood component of the Noble Eightfold Path says not to work in a job that violates the precepts. I think that's a pretty clear answer. No work in the weapons business or the killing business. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T19:09:40.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1389" CreationDate="2014-06-25T20:18:12.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; many, many Buddhas, Arhants, Bodhisattva's are introduced. Each Buddha or Buddha to be has their own pure land which is described in very evocative language. For instance &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sariputta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shariputra&lt;/a&gt;, one of the Buddha's main disciples in the Pali Canon, is predicted to become the Buddha 'Buddha Flower Grow' in future lives. This Buddha will have a pure land called 'Free from Stain'. The land will be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;level and smooth, pure and beautifully adorned, peaceful, bountiful&#xA;  and happy. Heavenly human beings will flourish there. [...] Beside&#xA;  each road will grow rows of seven jewelled trees which will constantly&#xA;  flower and bear fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote taken from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lotus-Sutra-Translations-Asian-Classics/dp/0231081618/ref=la_B001IR1RMY_1_5?s=books&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1403727370&amp;amp;sr=1-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Burton Watson translation&lt;/a&gt; (pp 52 in my copy)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this text every Buddha has a pure land and every pure land is mind bendingly amazing. The sutra as a whole does a good job of bending the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in a less mythic sense, I have heard the pure land as pointing to a sense of letting go. Maybe a quality of surrender or other power. They can be understood in a variety of different ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T05:32:59.003" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T05:32:59.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2014-06-25T20:22:25.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These questions require deep thought about the wider implications. At first blush armor seems like a good thing, but while it is a defense against weapons it can also make a soldier/weapon stronger and therefore an even more efficient killer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course someone can use a hammer to kill, and I seriously doubt the maker of the hammer is responsible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="265" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T20:22:25.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2014-06-25T20:41:43.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to modern research, Aryans most likely came from Iran. Where they came from &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; that, remains the favorite subject of most glorious speculations, as evidenced by many answers here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, while Buddha was &quot;an arya&quot; (noble) by upbringing, he was probably not an Aryan ethnically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sidhartha was born around 600 BCE, &lt;strong&gt;in a rural province of Koshala kingdom&lt;/strong&gt;, located to the east of a small river, Achiravati, on a road half way between Kapilavastu, the main town of the Shakyas (the family of the father) and Devadaha, the main town of the Kolyas (the family of the mother). This place is now known as Lumbini in modern Nepal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Koshala was a non-Aryan kingdom&lt;/strong&gt;. The closest ethnically Aryan kingdom was Panchala, to the west. Shakyas and Kolyas  both were non-Aryan ethnicities and remote relatives of a non-Aryan dynasty that ruled Koshala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Jain texts, Gotami was his mother's last name, which he used as an alias when he became a bhikshu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2019-12-06T15:46:09.277" LastActivityDate="2019-12-06T15:46:09.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1398" CreationDate="2014-06-25T20:59:16.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Visuddhimagga&quot; Chapter XII can be used as the reference. It begins with&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, in order to perfect those kinds of direct-knowledge the task must be undertaken by a meditator who has reached the fourth jhána in the earth kasióa, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here it describe 5 kinds of &quot;direct- knowledge&quot;. The 4th one is the knowledge of recollection of past lives;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the text the technique is quite lengthy (hence not going to past here) and very well described.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, I have read /listened to various &quot;Dhamma&quot; talks regarding this subject. According to those, it is required to have a deep state of &quot;samadhi&quot; to begins with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you can train your mind to remember the past. You could start with remembering things backwards. For example, what was I doing before now, then before that, then before that... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you got stuck, just come back to the meditation, develop the &quot;samadhi&quot; again and try training again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please have a look at these could of videos as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlcz5hMHPXw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlcz5hMHPXw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-06-25T21:29:20.077" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T21:29:20.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2014-06-25T21:39:23.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's take some of the natural forms as an example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A tree is not a weapon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Metals are not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A horse feeds on grass, loves to run and stay within the herd.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The black powder burns when in contact with heat and fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The dolphin swims.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sense arises, an attachment forms, the desire thus forms, the intention / purpose (thought) merges. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A tree can then be chopped down and the wood is attached to the barrel&#xA;  of a rifle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The metals can be refined and mixed and processed and become the case&#xA;  the holds the gun power in a bullet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The horse is &quot;trained&quot; / forced to take the soldier to the front, who&#xA;  stabs the enemy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The black powder can be either used as entertainment - firework - or&#xA;  become the force the drives a bullet in weapons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The dolphin is attached bombs and is trained to swim towards the&#xA;  bottom of a ship and then the bomb It carries is triggered to explode&#xA;  (because It has been conditioned to do so, so that It will receive&#xA;  food as reward).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this is what knowledge between the one we are so used to and the one mentioned in Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge means, as we are so conditioned / taught since birth, to &quot;create&quot; and &quot;invent&quot;. By - observing nature and beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The knowledge, on the other hand, mentioned in Buddhism, means&#xA;  otherwise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The knowledge we gain by &quot;un-shelling&quot; ourselves and then being able&#xA;  to see things and beings around the way they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then: through practice and patience, we foster our compassion over&#xA;  time, with which we benefit beings and things without the &quot;self&quot; and&#xA;  by doing so, the compassion, received by the one who benefits from&#xA;  you, can be further shared and spread.  A cycle that wheels through&#xA;  compassion, hopefully, indefinitely onward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to someone who is skilled in weapons/war etc:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The very instant when one decides to drop the butcher knife, is the instant he can become to be a Buddha&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is not that his skills are &quot;bad&quot;. It is the &quot;sense&quot; (intention) and creates the cause (weapons and war).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How about applying his &quot;war&quot; skill in learning chess or becoming a&#xA;  farmer, who knows exactly when famine comes and how to prepare before&#xA;  one occurs, so that beings would have enough to eat. And he is so&#xA;  skilled in planning (formation / tactics) that he would be able to&#xA;  foresee weather and move herds to an area where there is enough water&#xA;  and grass to feed on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Weapons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How about applying his skills - being safe, being able to know exactly&#xA;  the &quot;tools&quot; he has in his hand how they function and how they might&#xA;  fail in certain situation - to let's say simple house tools, the&#xA;  equipments that can alleviate the hard work of some animals (such as&#xA;  cow farming, etc), etc etc?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we could see here, all these skills can take another form that benefits others and other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But would one make as much? But as far as cultivating compassion goes, one can &quot;earn&quot; so much that the compassion he invests in other beings and others with his skills would never depreciate - it keeps on and on. It benefits not just himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And going back to how much &quot;involved&quot; would he be counted as &quot;not involved&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is some thing to think of, I think he knows the answer already. But it is good he does so, because he shows that his does have compassion and he is just standing in a crossroad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope he makes the choice that could turn his marvelous skills into something that benefits beings and others and alleviate their sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T21:39:23.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2014-06-25T23:56:14.850" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is not something one accumulates; this question gets asked so often because, as you say, there is a misconception of it being a 'a solid, substantial' entity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is volition (intention is a bad translation, IMO), or in abhidhamma, the seven &lt;em&gt;javana citta&lt;/em&gt; present in an ordinary mind process (i.e. every moment of experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this means is that every experience you have has the potential to affect future experience in some way; the fact that karma produces a result in kind is indicative of how natural the process is - karma is simply the law of causality that moulds our lives according to our actions. That this should continue after death is not a problem for Buddhism since, as I've noted several places here already, death according to Buddhism is just a concept. The mind states continue to arise and cease according to the law of causality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to how one mind can affect the next, I really have no answer besides that through the practice of meditation you can verify for yourself that it is indeed the nature of reality; why it is this way is somewhat irrelevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-25T23:56:14.850" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1398" CreationDate="2014-06-26T00:07:32.923" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Assapura Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a practitioner works on The Three Knowledges, one of which is recollection of past lives, after obtaining all four Jhanas..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure and stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither-pleasure nor stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T00:07:32.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1432" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1462" CreationDate="2014-06-26T00:50:36.333" Score="6" ViewCount="609" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the Buddha teaching for 45 years before he passed into parinibbana, what is known about the methods and practices used to keep his teachings alive until they were written down? Do we know how many people were involved in this effort? How was such an extensive collection of teachings categorized?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2018-11-20T09:48:20.140" Title="What is known about the years of oral tradition of the Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1433" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1444" CreationDate="2014-06-26T00:53:24.687" Score="6" ViewCount="2055" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the function of incense and candles to a meditation practice? Are they used in all types of meditation or only some types? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:58:17.093" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T11:35:51.470" Title="How important are incense and candles to a meditation practice?" Tags="|traditions|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-06-26T01:42:04.187" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two most interesting pieces of analysis I found are &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nanavira Thera's &lt;em&gt;Notes on Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nanavira.org/notes-on-dhamma/paticcasamuppada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nanavira.org/notes-on-dhamma/paticcasamuppada&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhadasa's &quot;Practical Dependent Origination&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasociety.com/online-books/buddhadasa-bhikkhu-paticcasamuppada-21-2#TOC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhasociety.com/online-books/buddhadasa-bhikkhu-paticcasamuppada-21-2#TOC&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books6/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Paticcasamuppada.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books6/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Paticcasamuppada.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a decent bibliography can be found at the end of Dhivan Thomas Jones' &quot;New Light On The Twelve Nidanas&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.academia.edu/2593517/New_Light_on_the_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.academia.edu/2593517/New_Light_on_the_Twelve_Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T17:05:58.970" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:05:58.970" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1435" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1437" CreationDate="2014-06-26T01:47:47.640" Score="11" ViewCount="5409" Body="&lt;p&gt;Together they refer to one's mental processes as a whole. Separately, what are they and how are they different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T11:30:24.793" LastActivityDate="2019-06-17T15:51:01.377" Title="What is the difference between Vijñāna, Manas and Citta?" Tags="|terminology|phenomenology|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1402" CreationDate="2014-06-26T01:56:55.520" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of those questions that is complicated by that in the United States the conversation around abortion looks and feels very different than it does from other countries in the world. It is also made complex by the interaction of the ideology and the &amp;quot;situation on the ground,&amp;quot; where things are usually quite complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sandiego.edu/cas/theo/faculty/biography.php?ID=296&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma Lekshe Tsomo&lt;/a&gt;'s excellent article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fnsa.org/fall98/tsomo1.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prolife, Prochoice: Buddhism and Reproductive Ethics&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a primary guiding principle for ethical decision-making is the relief of suffering. It is clear that both abortion and restrictive abortion laws can cause great suffering for both mother and fetus. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, most Buddhists recognize the incongruity that exists between ethical theory and actual practice and, while they do not condone the taking of life, do advocate understanding and compassion toward all living beings, a lovingkindness that is nonjudgmental and respects the right and freedom of human beings to make their own choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to start with, we need separate &amp;quot;pro-life&amp;quot; (in the sense of being opposed to abortion) and &amp;quot;pro-choice&amp;quot; (in the sense of believing the state should restrict it). There are certainly Buddhists who are both pro-choice and anti-choice regardless of whether they are also &amp;quot;pro-life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is widely recognized in a variety of sources that, in the traditional Buddhist sources, the ensoulment occurs at conception. Bhikkhu Bodhi mentions in the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; that consciousness (or perhaps more precisely &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt;) begins &amp;quot;from the moment of conception,&amp;quot; though I don't know where precisely in the texts this is defined to be the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see that this translates to a &amp;quot;pro-life&amp;quot; and sometimes &amp;quot;anti-choice&amp;quot; attitude in the Theravada countries. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4894/abortion-law-sri-lanka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; allows abortion to preserve the life of the woman but not for any other reason. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4884/abortion-law-myanmar&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Myanmar&lt;/a&gt; is similar. Thailand &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/5138/abortion-law-thailand&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;is slightly more permissive&lt;/a&gt;–especially since it allows for health of the mother under some circumstances and includes mental health–while still generally banning it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Peter Harvey's &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0521556406&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics&lt;/a&gt; we see analysis that indicates that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear, at the very least, that the great majority of Buddhists agree that abortion is killing a human being, and is an evil that should be avoided, other things being equal. A crucial issue, though, is &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; evil it is and what 'other things' can come to outweigh this evil, so that abortion comes to be seen as a 'necessary evil' in certain circumstances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that in some cases these laws were only written after contact with European societies (details in links, Peter Harvey indicates as well that, pre-colonial times, Burma/Myanmar &amp;quot;abortion was not liable for punishment&amp;quot;). It is also the case that, even where it is banned, the laws do not appear equivalent to murder.  There's also a great deal of individual variation outside of the state laws, especially in Thailand, where 95% of the population is Buddhist but there's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rhm-elsevier.com/article/S0968-8080(02)00020-4/abstract&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;some popular support for more lenient abortion laws&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can tell, Tibetan Buddhism is similarly strongly opposed to the practice, but there's still some nuance around treating it, with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama saying in an interview with the NYT&lt;/a&gt; (from the above BBC article examining Buddhist views on abortion):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Japan (and Korea per Harvey) it is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4876/abortion-law-japan&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;much, much less restricted&lt;/a&gt; and the Japanese Buddhists are much more accepting of it. This was examined in the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0691029652&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism and Japan&lt;/a&gt;.  It is notable that both US Buddhists and Japanese Buddhists tend to be much less opposed to abortion than other Buddhist groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This issue is explored further in Michael G. Barnhart's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/abortion.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and the Morality of Abortion&lt;/a&gt;, which notes that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as Keown points out, (92) the cases dealt with involve women seeking abortions for questionable, perhaps self-serving, reasons including &amp;quot;concealing extramarital affairs, preventing inheritances, and domestic rivalry between co-wives.&amp;quot;  In short, if these are the paradigm examples of abortion, then the case is heavily biased against the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion: We can say that, in general, Buddhism is opposed to abortion and believes that it incurs a significant karmic burden, especially Theravadan and Tibetan practice. Individuals and subgroups, meanwhile, especially in Japan and the United States, fall all along the spectrum with respect to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The degree of problem.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What factors help to balance and to what extent they balance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What precisely the state should do about it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless, the person who has had an abortion should be treated with compassion–not moral judgement–and it should be understood that the decision is pretty much universally a difficult one with a lot of complications and nuances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T01:56:55.520" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2014-06-26T01:58:18.030" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Citta' (the C is pronounced as ch in cheetah) is a generic word for mind, including thoughts as well as emotional state. When the Chinese translated Buddhist texts they often used 'shin', the heart-mind, to indicate citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Manas' (both As are pronounced as in Adam) is the &quot;inner eye&quot; that can see thoughts, memories, and one's state of mind (citta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Vijnana' (jna is pronounced as jnya - i.e. with soft n) is experience of reality that arises from mind's ability to recognize and interpret new stimuli by relating and comparing them with memories of past experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-07-22T00:59:32.870" LastActivityDate="2018-07-22T00:59:32.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1438" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-26T03:49:49.010" Score="9" ViewCount="288" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are military generals as lay people and stream enterers in the suttas. And there is no clear prohibition to a military career. There are some suttas that criticize the karma of soldiers on the battlefield.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, since being a military general is acceptable livelihood, what should he do? Could he planning for war, making war, or just sit there and do nothing since both of those actions could lead to indirect killing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he does nothing, that can lead to catastrophic results and even more people maybe get killed. Is that right livelihood if other people rely on him and he has the responsibility to use military force to protect people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="218" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T11:03:57.897" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T12:23:04.920" Title="Can a military career be ethical?" Tags="|karma|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1401" CreationDate="2014-06-26T03:59:17.737" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the school. Thich Nhat Hanh writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Diamond Sutra teaches us that it is impossible to distinguish between sentient and non-sentient beings... In Buddhist monasteries, we chant, &quot;Both sentient and non- sentient beings will realize full enlightenment.&quot; The First Precept is the practice of protecting all lives, including the lives of minerals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/precepts/precept-1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/precepts/precept-1.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T03:59:17.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1440" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1506" CreationDate="2014-06-26T04:10:49.980" Score="5" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vajrayana Buddhism is esoteric, in the sense that the transmission of certain teachings only occurs directly from teacher to student during an initiation or empowerment and cannot be simply learned from a book. Many techniques are also commonly said to be secret, but some Vajrayana teachers have responded that secrecy itself is not important and only a side-effect of the reality that the techniques have no validity outside the teacher-student lineage.&#xA;  (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana#Esoteric_transmission&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana#Esoteric_transmission&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in my travels through the Buddhist landscape, I find that teachers are human: some good, some mediocre.  How do I find the right teacher?  Are there tests that the student can apply to the teacher?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T16:40:05.090" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T21:14:12.977" Title="Vajrayana Buddhism relies on a teacher-pupil relationship. What in tradition or the literature explains how to find the appropriate teacher?" Tags="|vajrayana|teachers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1441" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1442" CreationDate="2014-06-26T04:35:41.397" Score="11" ViewCount="3282" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may seem like a question that is far too modern for an ancient tradition, but when I traveled in Thailand I learned that katoeys (male-to-female) are a legal gender in Thailand.  What does Buddhism say about the folks who experience discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it becomes less dangerous for transgender folks to change, I am finding out that several of my friends are transgender and I would like to know what Buddhism offers them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:11:33.900" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T22:04:58.447" Title="What does Buddhism literature and tradition say about transgender folks?" Tags="|philosophy|sexuality|gender|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1441" CreationDate="2014-06-26T04:40:47.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This link may be helpful. &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.com.au/2009/12/transgendered-people-and-buddhism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Transgendered People And Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Shravasti Dhammika:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tipitaka mentions several different types of transgendered states and individuals – the man-like woman (vepurisika), sexual indistinctness (sambhinna), one having the characteristics of both genders (ubhatovyanjanaka), etc (Vin.III,129). The interesting thing is that such states and individuals are taken for granted in the scriptures with little or no moral judgments being attached to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the &lt;strong&gt;International Transgender Buddhist Sangha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://transgenderbuddhism.blog2blog.nl/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;International Transgender Buddhist Sangha&#xA; blog&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Vinaya Pitaka, the ancient Buddhist texts that define the rules for Buddhist monks and nuns, record two incidences of sex change that a monk and a nun had gone through. A group of monks and nuns bring the two incidences to the Buddha’s notice. The Buddha accepts their changed status. He allows the former male disciple who became a female to live with female disciples, and the former female disciple to live with males. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These episodes indicate the Buddha’s open-mindedness toward transsexual persons. He accepted their bodily changes even though some in his society attributed such changes to the influence of bad Karmas. [...]  There is every reason to believe that the Buddha accepted all kinds of people irrespective of any differences they had undergone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/groups/49057723378/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Facebook group of the International Transgender Buddhist Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="12803" LastEditDate="2018-01-23T12:46:13.917" LastActivityDate="2018-01-23T12:46:13.917" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1443" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1489" CreationDate="2014-06-26T04:47:20.103" Score="8" ViewCount="4448" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is Shambhala Buddhism as founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and continued by folks like Pema Chodron different from traditional Tantric Buddhism such as that practiced by the Dalai Lama?  Does Shambhala rely on the same texts as Tibetan Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T20:15:36.547" LastActivityDate="2018-10-11T02:12:04.150" Title="How does Shambhala differ from traditional Vajrayana Buddhism as it is practiced in Asia?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|vajrayana|chogyam-trungpa|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1433" CreationDate="2014-06-26T05:22:44.703" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Incense and candles are not essential to a meditation practice. They can aid in concentration, but they can also become an emotional crutch if we become attached to them. I did the ritual of lighting candles and incense during my practice for a few weeks, and quickly got tired of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing vipassana (a.k.a insight meditation) as opposed to samatha (a.k.a tranquility meditation) then it's really not necessary to create that kind of environment. In fact in vipassana we want to become free from external dependencies, so creating a certain type of environment might actually be counterproductive to the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm one of Venerable Yuttadhammo's students, and he teaches vipassana in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. Check out his videos and/or book if you haven't already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I can't comment on samatha practices, as I haven't been taught in that area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T05:22:44.703" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1432" CreationDate="2014-06-26T05:38:28.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a pretty broad question, so this is an attempt at a broad, but not very deep answer. Hopefully someone else will lend a hand with sources and/or corrections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the oral tradition (of memorizing and repeating long texts) was solidly established in ancient India before the Buddha's time, as a way of becoming authoritative in a field of knowledge. You can still see this in other extant Indian religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the number of people, several hundred monks were present at the Buddha's death, and from the very beginning of his ministry the Buddha told his best students to go off in different directions and teach. So we can assume there were thousands upon thousands of monks participating in the oral tradition throughout ancient India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But anyway, the Pali Canon itself was written down in Sri Lanka. I wish I could remember where I read this. Other canonical texts, such as the Chinese texts have a lot in common with the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings are categorized into three baskets: Training rules (Vinaya Pitaka), Doctrine (Sutta Pitaka), and Metaphysics (Abhidhamma Pitaka), with the Doctrine basket being further categorized by length. You can see this categorization scheme at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka is the most relevant section to laypersons looking to inform their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T05:38:28.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1446" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-26T05:50:49.790" Score="7" ViewCount="644" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why does Buddhism have so many variations, like Zen, Nembutsu, True world, Nichiren Buddhism, etc.? Why is Buddhist philosophy not uniform? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="274" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T12:24:31.453" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T05:48:22.077" Title="So many Buddhist schools!" Tags="|philosophy|nirvana|zen|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-26T06:39:42.680" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism changes as it goes into different cultures and adapts and is influenced by local and preexisting culture. It changed when it went from Indian into China and again into Japan and again into Tibet. I believe it is changing still as it goes into the West. For instance my group the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Community&lt;/a&gt; is an explicit attempt to bring Buddhism to the West in an ecumenical way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To follow on from that, the Trirantna's founder &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangharakshita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sangharakshita&lt;/a&gt; identified the act of &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/going-refuge&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;going for refuge&lt;/a&gt; (to the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha) as the central act of all Buddhist schools and the principle that can (and does for us) underpin any Buddhist movement. So our interpretation is that all schools have the same principle so are not as divergent as one might think at first glance. Of course I'm not banging the drum for that specifically here and people are obviously more than welcome to agree or disagree on that interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also does change within a culture by reacting to the Buddhist school before it. The most notable example I guess is the growth of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahayana&lt;/a&gt; as a reaction against the perceived ossification of the Hinayana (though this term is derogatory) schools. Parallels can easily be seen in other religions such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Protestant Reformation&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cathars&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lollardy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lollards&lt;/a&gt; etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I might quibble with the premise of the question itself. I'm not convinced that Buddhism does have a particular high amount of branches as compared to other religion. It's just that we are not used to the religion. Also if we don't identify culturally with any particular branch we see them all. I think that Christianity has a lot of sub divisions - Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Methodist, Church of England etc.. Also having listened to Peter Adamson's excellent podcast of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.historyofphilosophy.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;history of philosophy&lt;/a&gt;, I find the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_schools_and_branches&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;branches of Islam&lt;/a&gt; bewildering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is probably a bit &lt;strong&gt;TR;DR&lt;/strong&gt;. Sorry&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T13:25:23.577" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T13:25:23.577" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1441" CreationDate="2014-06-26T06:56:07.820" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokitesvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avalokitesvara&lt;/a&gt; can be seen as having an indeterminate gender. Quoting from this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/45363/Avalokiteshvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;website&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One interpretation of this development contends that the bodhisattva&#xA;  is neither male or female but has transcended sexual distinctions&#xA;  [...] the flowing drapery and soft contours of the body seen in&#xA;  statues and paintings have been intentionally combined with a visible&#xA;  moustache to emphasize the absence of sexual identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the issue of gender can take on a more flexible interpretation with some more Mahayana aspects of Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2020-01-27T21:36:56.763" LastActivityDate="2020-01-27T21:36:56.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1406" CreationDate="2014-06-26T07:27:13.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not a Pali scholar, so can't quote line and verse, but I understand that a Mahayana Bodhisattva can take rebirth as several people, each representing a different characteristic of the predecessor.  The Theravada Bodhisatta is the simple continuation of the principle being destined for eventual enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T12:24:00.640" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T12:24:00.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1395" CreationDate="2014-06-26T08:08:10.700" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially, it is the invitation of the laity to the Sangha, who then satisfy themselves that the support is adequate for their needs.  A lay community invites a Bhikkhu that they find particularly inspiring.  He finds a quorum of Bhikkhus to accompany him so as to maintain the Vinaya discipline. Lay communities often set up some kind of a committee so as to oversee and organise a physical accommodation, suitable for practice and religious observations: this varies considerably from one monastery to another.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T08:08:10.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-26T08:31:23.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Historical Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Three_Turnings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;turned the Wheel of Dharma&lt;/a&gt; three times. In each turnings he gave different teachings. During the first turn, he taught about the Four Noble Truths, during the second one - emptiness and the last one - ultimate Buddha Nature (some schools may categorize it slightly differently).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, Buddha left a vast amount of teachings with one wish - that they will help people to reach lasting happiness. The variety of teachings (and nowadays schools) reflect the abilities of us, learners. Buddha was teaching simple farmers, philosophers and kings and he knew that all of them need different approach. Buddhist teachings can be compared to a pharmacy - there is a lot of medicines, but a pharmacist will dispense to you only the ones which are suited for your illness. Taking other medicines might be unnecessary or even harmful. At the end we want all the customers to be healthy regardless of the means they used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T08:31:23.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-26T08:48:42.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answers above give good cover to a complex phenomena.  In the West, monastic Buddhism, either Zen, Tibetan or Theravada, seems to be showing a certain Christian flavour.  Lay groups seem to be showing a post &quot;sixties&quot; flavour of new age, psychological, neo pagan or yoga influence, no doubt after reading the Calama discourse, so called charter of free enquiry.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practitioners will always benefit if the four noble truths are dominant in these respective offerings; dependent origination; fourfold setting up of mindfulness; a simple acquaintance with a version of the life of the Buddha; evolution of the Sangha and Vinaya, particularly the Ovada Patimokkha and Parinibbana admonitions.  In this sense, all schools are pretty much the same, leading to the same goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T08:48:42.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1433" CreationDate="2014-06-26T09:17:17.003" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;Incense&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incense sticks, especially sandalwood ones are good cleansers. They cleanse the entire room or the surrounding area, preparing the area for a peaceful meditation or prayer. Not only for prayer, burning incense in rooms used by patients or emotionally affected places also helps in cleaning the energy in those areas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;Candles or Lamps&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While incense is used for cleansing, candles, lamps and other lights energize the surrounding area. Lit lamps are considered a symbol of enlightenment in many traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both of these when used in a meditation hall provides the perfect environment for a peaceful and fruitful meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this answer helps you. &lt;strong&gt;:)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="280" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T12:26:38.990" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T12:26:38.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-26T12:22:10.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer directly on the question why buddhist &lt;em&gt;philosophy&lt;/em&gt; is not uniform: it was not the Buddha's intention, to teach a complete and uniform system of philosophy, quite on the contrary, the historical Buddha refused to answer questions, which he did not think conducive to liberation. I will provide two scriptural passages which underline this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Cūḷa-Māluṅkya-Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, (MN I.63), ven. &lt;em&gt;Māluṅkyāputta&lt;/em&gt; complains to the Buddha, that his preaching leaves out some of the deepest and most important questions, such as whether the world is eternal or confined in time, whether the &lt;em&gt;tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; lives on after death and so on. The Buddha in turn asks him, whether he has ever claimed that he was going to answer these questions or whether &lt;em&gt;Māluṅkyāputta&lt;/em&gt; had agreed to follow the Buddha on the condition that he would answer these. Both of them are answered in the negative. With a simile the Buddha then goes on to explain, that knowledge of these things are not conducive to the Buddha's goal, the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN V.437f the Buddha asks while in a forest, grabbing a hand full of leaves, whether the leaves in his hand are more numerous or those still up in the trees. Receiving the obvious answer, he states, that similarly what he has taught is much less than what he has chosen not to teach. That, which he has taught is just what is conducive to the aforementioned goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the early monks were not furnished with a complete system of philosophy and moreover the Buddha, since he was not &lt;em&gt;discussing philosophy&lt;/em&gt; in the first place, but &lt;em&gt;preaching&lt;/em&gt;, adapted his sermons to the varying listeners. So not only the system was not complete, it also seemed to contain contradictory statements, such as ignorance as the root of suffering in one place (for example in &lt;em&gt;pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/em&gt;) and in another thirst (like the noble truths) and suchlike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not saying that there are more differences in philosophy in Buddhism than in any other religion, but this is precisely why they are there in Buddhism. The early followers were engaged to reconcile seeming contradictions and to furnish the teaching with a sound philosophical base, such as ontology, epistemology, metaphysics. The intellectual climate in India in that time being very liberal, there were lots of different answers, that were accepted and rejected, discussed and disseminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, some scholars (for example Bronkhorst) insinuate, that maybe not only had the teaching to be safe in an inner-Indian competition, but that also the presence of Greek philosophy in the outskirts of India (Iran, Bactria) very much encouraged a philosophical development of the teaching. This is suggested by the fact, that the Sarvastivadin branch of Buddhism, which was situated mostly in the northwestern regions, shows the &quot;most philosophical&quot; development, trying to fathom the philosophical implications of such teachings as &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note, that this refers to &lt;em&gt;early&lt;/em&gt; buddhist schools of philosophy, but accounts also in a certain way for the appearance of Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T13:55:42.477" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T13:55:42.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1438" CreationDate="2014-06-26T12:23:04.920" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is this section on being a warrior regarding right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Livelihood : samma ajivo&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Considering becoming a soldier? You may want to reconsider...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Yodhajiva the headman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: &quot;Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A second time... A third time Yodhajiva the headman said: &quot;Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you. When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, &amp;amp; misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist.' If others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is thus striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this was said, Yodhajiva the headman sobbed &amp;amp; burst into tears. [The Blessed One said:] &quot;That is what I couldn't get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I'm not crying, lord, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but simply because I have been deceived, cheated, &amp;amp; fooled for a long time by that ancient teaching lineage of warriors who said: 'When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 42.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T12:23:04.920" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1456" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1457" CreationDate="2014-06-26T13:39:57.453" Score="18" ViewCount="2584" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone be a wholehearted Buddhist practitioner if they entirely reject rebirth? Or is anyone that follows the Buddhist path while not subscribing to rebirth only getting half the story? Or is the non-rebirth believer deluding themselves if they follow the Dharma under that circumstance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the principle of rebirth lacking emphasis in some traditions perhaps? Or is it perhaps something that was culturally prevalent at the time of the Buddha but now can be safely disregarded? Or is it central to the enlightenment experience? Certainly the Buddha reports seeing clearly all his past lives on the occasion of his enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short is a belief in rebirth a necessity for Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T00:24:21.303" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T08:20:07.147" Title="Is a belief in rebirth a necessity for Buddhist practice?" Tags="|rebirth|belief|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-06-26T13:55:48.780" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;No tradition, except maybe Secular Buddhism, rejects literal rebirth, it is a core part of the dhamma. I will say though that there is evidence the Buddha was never &quot; believe in rebirth or else.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably the most famous Sutta for Western Buddhism is also the most over rated, misquoted and misunderstood. That being the Kalama Sutta. It is most famous for its paragraph talking about not going by reports or because someone says something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is much more profound, and more important imo, is the lesser known section towards the bottom of the sutta, where the Buddha says... ok what IF there is no rebirth and kamma.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is, Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. One who is a&#xA;  disciple of the noble ones — his mind thus free from hostility, free&#xA;  from ill will, undefiled, &amp;amp; pure — acquires four assurances in the&#xA;  here-&amp;amp;-now:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'If there is a world after death, if there is the fruit of actions&#xA;  rightly &amp;amp; wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good&#xA;  destination, the heavenly world.' This is the first assurance he&#xA;  acquires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;'But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of actions rightly &amp;amp; wrongly done, then here in the present life I look&#xA;  after myself with ease — free from hostility, free from ill will, free&#xA;  from trouble.' This is the second assurance he acquires.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now does the Buddha in multiple places basically say that believing there is no next world, no fruit, etc, is wrong view? yes he does, but as you can see he is never &quot; thou shalt believe in rebirth... or else!&quot; He is much more focused on your practice here and now bringing benefits and teaches to the level of the person, from basic generosity and giving up to kamma. I think that western people today get really hung up on intellectual pondering regarding topics like rebirth when they should be practicing, here and now is the most important place and time, in this precious human birth, where we can practice dhamma and free ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as a quick personal addition to this if I am allowed. I am a practicing Buddhist, have been for 6 years. I'm also close to getting on the path to renunciation and becoming a monk. I cannot say I BELIEVE in rebirth and that has never been a hindrance to me in Theravada. No monk has scolded me,judged me, or held me back in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am an agnostic and keep an open mind. I have also through my practice proven the Buddha to be dead on accurate about many things, so at this point I have enough confidence and faith in the dhamma to say &quot;hmm.. if the Buddha was right about all this.. why not that?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T08:20:07.147" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T08:20:07.147" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1458" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1460" CreationDate="2014-06-26T15:14:43.353" Score="5" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;And where are they found in the Pali Canon? I realize that this is a Straw Man question for the group but I would like to raise our visibility on  the Web and perhaps start our community wiki.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T15:37:23.680" Title="What are the Five Precepts?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1459" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-26T15:16:12.227" Score="5" ViewCount="323" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his philosophy, Nagarjuna uses the Pratityasamutpada to prove, that everything is empty and without reality. In the end, however he proves not only the emptiness of that very Pratityasamutpada but he also somehow leaves the law (of dependent arising) intact and working. Does anyone understand his point, especially in what concerns Pratityasamutpada?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T05:59:35.660" Title="What is the relevance of Pratityasamutpada in Nagarjunas system?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|nagarjuna|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1458" CreationDate="2014-06-26T15:37:23.680" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the start of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.039.than.html&quot;&gt;Abhisanda Sutta (AN) 8:39&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, there are these five gifts, five great gifts — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life.  In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, abandoning taking what is not given (stealing), the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking what is not given. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, abandoning lying, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from lying. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, abandoning the use of intoxicants, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking intoxicants. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. […]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the &quot;five precepts&quot; or &lt;em&gt;pañca-sikkhāpada&lt;/em&gt;. They are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Pali_training_rules&quot;&gt;frequently stated in English as&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to avoid sexual misconduct.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which you can see along with the Eight Precepts at &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/the-five-and-eight-precepts.html&quot;&gt;The Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T15:37:23.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2014-06-26T15:49:42.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Manas&lt;/em&gt; is past mind, &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is future mind, and &lt;em&gt;vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is present mind. Sometimes it's also said that &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; is fore-running, &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; far-going, and &lt;em&gt;vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is birth-relinking activity of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; is supporting (subsequent) and thinking/contemplating aspect of mind, &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is accumulating and diversity aspect of mind (it's increase with defilements or cease without them), and &lt;em&gt;vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is cognizing aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Yogacara &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is equated with &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; (storehouse consciousness), &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; with &lt;em&gt;klista-manas&lt;/em&gt; (defiled mind), and vijnana with &lt;em&gt;pravritti-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; (functioning mind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T15:49:42.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1432" CreationDate="2014-06-26T15:50:33.910" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally the original source of the teachings is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda&quot;&gt;Ananda&lt;/a&gt;. Ananda was the Buddha's cousin and primary attendant during a lot of his life up to the Buddha's death. Being &#xA;so close to the Buddha, he heard at first hand the Buddha's teaching and was able to commit them to memory. Shortly after the Buddha's death the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot;&gt;First Council&lt;/a&gt; was convened and Ananda was prevailed upon to recite all the Buddha's teachings he could recall. Fortunately for us he could recall a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why many of the Pali Canon sutras begin with 'Thus have I heard'. It is Ananda speaking and recalling the Buddha's teachings from his own experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.5.nara.html&quot;&gt;Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Exalted One was dwelling at&#xA;  Anathapindika's monastery, in Jeta's Grove, near Savatthi. Now when&#xA;  the night was far spent, a certain deity whose surpassing splendor&#xA;  illuminated the entire Jeta Grove, came to the presence of the Exalted&#xA;  One and, drawing near, respectfully saluted him and stood at one side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T16:00:15.457" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T16:00:15.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:08:34.377" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is more a question of the meaning of words than of doctrine or practice per se. If one defines &quot;Buddhism&quot; to include a belief in re-birth, then you can't have the former without the latter. But if not, then otherwise. The problem is, there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; no precise, universally accepted definition of &quot;Buddhism&quot;. As Jayantha points out, so-called &quot;secular&quot; Buddhism doesn't tend to have a belief in re-birth. Now some people would reply that in that case &quot;secular&quot; Buddhist's aren't actually Buddhists -- the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman&quot;&gt;No True Scotsman&lt;/a&gt; position (because, as I said, there is not a universally accepted definition), but that's just begging the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy could be to ask if someone could be a Christian without believing in the divinity of Christ. The majority of people calling themselves Christian would say you cannot, but Christadelphians would say you can. Again, many Christians would then say, as a result, that Christadelphians are not &quot;real&quot; Christians. Again; question begging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is it possible to meditate without believing in re-birth? Yes.&#xA;Without believing in re-birth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...is it possible to practice and develop compassion? Yes. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...is it possible to hold the Buddha's teaching in high esteem, but to see&#xA;&quot;re-birth&quot; as simply a metaphor? Yes. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...is it possible to achieve a&#xA;high level of &quot;attainment&quot; -- advanced samadhi, highly developed&#xA;insight and so on? Yes, apparently so.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, is a person missing something significant if re-birth is true but they don't see that and act accordingly? I'd say, absolutely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I result, personally I concur with @Jayantha's approach -- currently I don't know but I have an open mind. I'm also taking care to understand what the Buddhist view of &quot;re-birth&quot; actually &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;. It's widely misrepresented (as is, to go back to my analogy, the exact nature of Christ's alleged &quot;divinity&quot;). The more I look at Buddhism, the more I realize that the popularized ideas often vastly oversimplify what are actually very deep and subtle concepts, with far more scope for being true and consistent with my mainline western-science-based upbringing than I had at first thought when viewing them from a distance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T16:08:34.377" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1464" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1470" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:08:42.673" Score="5" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am amazed at how quickly folks on this SE find detailed quotes from the canon.  Are folks using a concordance?  (That's what Christians call it for the Bible--it's a dictionary of topics cross-referenced to the source text so that it's easier to look up passages by subject.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is a concordance for the Pali Canon, where can it be found?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorDisplayName="user50" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T16:29:30.643" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T20:08:39.873" Title="What concordances are there for the Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1465" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1469" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:11:39.697" Score="10" ViewCount="1497" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are they?  Where are they found in the literature?  Are there any significant differences in them among the traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T16:39:39.173" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T01:42:33.790" Title="What are the Four Noble Truths?" Tags="|philosophy|pali-canon|fundamentals|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1459" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:12:35.903" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I took a university course in Asian Philosophy and my professor explained emptiness this way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna makes the claim that an essence (a list of essential qualities that make a thing what it is) can only be stated in reference to other things. This is a way of saying that all things are defined in relation to other things, including samsara and nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of doing this, supposedly, is to help us realize that this means enlightenment and samsara are defined in terms of each other: Without samsara we can't define enlightenment, and without enlightenment we can't define samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically according to this professor, Nagarjuna makes the argument that &amp;quot;We're all in this together&amp;quot; and we should be helping each other reach enlightenment and not strive for it by ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also stated that Emptiness is a flashy re-packaging of the teaching of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, the concept of Emptiness makes sense, but I don't really see how it's useful above and beyond the teachings in Early Buddhism. If anything, an enlightened person is more able to help others, so there shouldn't be a problem in striving towards enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T02:14:53.723" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:25:44.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (SN 56.11), supposedly the earliest occurence of the FNT in the Canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[beginning skipped]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[ending skipped]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T03:49:07.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:32:20.323" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a version from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/four-noble-truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna site&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All existence is dukkha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The cause of dukkha is craving &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The cessation of dukkha comes with the cessation of craving &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a path that leads from dukkha - &lt;em&gt;(The path most commonly associated with this is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eightfold path&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is commonly translated as suffering but the translation that I find more useful is unsatisfactoriness. The original meaning comes from an ill fitting chariot wheel. A bumpy ride if you will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The formulation is related to a medical diagnosis e.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The illness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The etiology (cause)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The prognosis&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The cure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I am aware the 4 Noble Truths are a central teaching in Buddhism perhaps comparable to the divinity of Christ for Christian's (controversial comparison maybe). I have not heard of any significant variations. I would be very interested to hear if they were any.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T16:38:25.313" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T16:38:25.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1464" CreationDate="2014-06-26T16:56:01.337" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a list of terms in the Pali Canon that can be used to quickly find particular suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T16:56:01.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1376" CreationDate="2014-06-26T17:45:30.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddha-Field is another word for a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_land&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pure land&lt;/a&gt;, a realm associated with a Buddha. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pure Land Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; followers chant to a Buddha such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amitabha&lt;/a&gt; in order to be reborn in his pure land where enlightenment is guaranteed thereafter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest I'm not seeing much about Dharma-Fields when I look. But if you are seeing the term used in the same context as Buddha-Field I'm going to go out on a limb and say they mean the same. I'd be interested if someone else knows otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1389/what-is-the-pure-land&quot;&gt;pure lands&lt;/a&gt; give more information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that helps some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T18:13:58.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1472" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1556" CreationDate="2014-06-26T18:11:10.217" Score="6" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where is the Noble Eightfold Path found in the Pali Canon?  Are there significant differences among the traditions in its interpretation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2022-10-05T16:12:11.367" Title="What is the Noble Eightfold Path?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1473" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1477" CreationDate="2014-06-26T18:29:06.697" Score="8" ViewCount="1241" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also known as the Four Noble Dwellings or the Buddhist Virtues or the Brahmaviharas.  Where in the Pali Canon are these described?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T14:03:46.057" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T01:09:52.183" Title="What are the Four Immeasurables (aka Four Noble Abodes)?" Tags="|philosophy|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-26T19:02:49.473" Score="4" Body="&lt;h2&gt; 1. What are they?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are the diagnosis, description, prognosis &amp;amp; prescription for emotional suffering, distress and dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Where are they found in the literature?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most succinct &amp;amp; direct description is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&lt;/a&gt; (SN 56.11, Dhammacakkappavattana-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the most detailed description is found in one of the sections of the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html#mental5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Greater Discourse on Establishing Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; (DN 22, Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourse on the Dissection of the Truths&lt;/a&gt; (MN 141, Saccavibhaṅga-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though these discourses are the most explicit, the four truths are found throughout the whole &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pāḷi Canon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Are there any significant differences in them among the traditions?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Thich Nhat Hanh, craving as a cause for suffering is just an abbreviation for a list of causes, craving being the first cause in the list:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Another common misunderstanding of the Buddha's teaching is that all of our suffering is caused by craving. In the Discourse on Turning the Wheel of the Dharma, the Buddha did say that craving is the cause of suffering, but he said this because craving is the first on the list of afflictions (kleshas). If we use our intelligence, we can see that craving can be a cause of pain, but other afflictions such as anger, ignorance, suspicion, arrogance, and wrong views can also cause pain and suffering. Ignorance, which gives rise to wrong perceptions, is responsible for much of our pain. To make the sutras shorter and therefore easier to memorize, the first item on a list was often used to represent the whole list. The word &quot;eyes,&quot; for example, is used in many sutras to represent all six sense organs and &quot;form&quot; is often used to represent all Five Aggregates (skandhas). If we practice identifying the causes of our suffering, we will see that sometimes it is due to craving and sometimes it is due to other factors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings&lt;/em&gt;, Thich Nhat Hanh. Ch. 5: Is Everything Suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T01:42:33.790" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T01:42:33.790" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1476" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-26T19:44:03.733" Score="15" ViewCount="4306" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a large number of religions, 'good' and 'bad' are defined by some all-powerful diety who either sends a representative or himself to tell us about what exactly they want us mortals to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, instead an enlightened individual basically worked it all out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the basic question is - why does that happen? What decided that killing (even if your intentions are good*1) will cause something negative ? What about the other actions? There is no 'final judge' to confirm or deny we've followed a particular path - so why does the universe (?) act this way? And what makes us sure that we're correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*1 - It's an impression I got from reading some other answers, if I'm wrong on this please do correct me)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T18:04:02.837" LastActivityDate="2018-09-07T21:28:50.910" Title="What determines whether actions are good or bad?" Tags="|philosophy|karma|ethics|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1473" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:00:16.570" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; the Four Noble Abodes are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness (Pāli: mettā, Sanskrit: maitrī) towards all: the hope that a person will be well; &amp;quot;the wish that all sentient beings, without any exception, be happy.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Compassion (Pāli and Sanskrit: karuṇā): the hope that a person's sufferings will diminish; &amp;quot;the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Empathetic joy (Pāli and Sanskrit: mudita): joy in the accomplishments of a person—oneself or another; sympathetic joy; &amp;quot;the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity (Pāli: upekkhā, Sanskrit: upekṣā): learning to accept loss and gain, good-repute and ill-repute, praise and censure, sorrow and happiness (Attha Loka Dhamma), all with detachment, equally, for oneself and for others. Equanimity is &amp;quot;not to distinguish between friend, enemy or stranger, but regard every sentient being as equal. It is a clear-minded tranquil state of mind—not being overpowered by delusions, mental dullness or agitation.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Metta Sutta, Shākyamuni Buddha held that cultivation of the four immeasurables has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a Brahma realm (Pāli: Brahmaloka)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are found in the Pali Canon in Digha Nikaya 13:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Basic Passage on the Four Sublime States from the Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;II. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with compassion, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with compassion, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;III. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IV. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with equanimity, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with equanimity, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T20:10:34.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:16:29.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Four Truths of The Nobles&quot; are a formulaic summary of Buddha's Awakening. They are easier understood in context of Three Characteristics of Existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whatever is compound (consists of multiple pieces coming together), will fall apart. Same way, whatever is conditional (depends on multiple factors coinciding together), is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nothing is solid, everything is made of pieces or depends on conditions. This includes &quot;I&quot; which cannot possibly be a solid/independent entity. Since &quot;I&quot; is really just a compound phenomena, it is not independent and too is subject to conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Because of the above, there is no (and there can't be!) such thing as permanent &lt;code&gt;Sukha&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;ease&quot;, &quot;comfort&quot;) . &lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;wrongness&quot;, &quot;trouble&quot;) is an inevitable part of existence at large.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, instead of being a helpless victim caught in this universal trap, let us take master's stance, as was Buddha's habit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever comes together, can be &lt;em&gt;broken apart&lt;/em&gt;. Therefore, whatever is conditional (depends on multiple factors coming together), can be controlled. Because all subjective experiences are conditional, they can all be controlled. This includes experience of &lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;wrongness&quot;, &quot;trouble&quot;), which is a conditional phenomena and therefore can be controlled. All we need is 1) analyze Dukkha 2) identify factors comprising Dukkha 3) pick a factor in our control that we can remove, thereby disbanding the entire compound Dukkha 4) work towards removing that factor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is &lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, this life is not without &lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;wrongness&quot;, &quot;trouble&quot;). Dukkha must be understood. Dukkha comes from superposition of &quot;that&quot; and &quot;this&quot;. &quot;That&quot; is a desirable possibility, object of unsatisfied thirst. When a desirable &quot;that&quot; emerges in the mind, &quot;this&quot; co-emerges as undesirable, Dukkha. From emergence of &quot;that&quot; comes emergence of &quot;this&quot;. When &quot;that&quot; does not exist, &quot;this&quot; does not exist. From cessation of &quot;that&quot; comes cessation of &quot;this&quot;. Dukkha has been understood.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha depends on factors, is not without its factors. The key factor of Dukkha is &quot;Thirst&quot; -- unrealistic clinging to &quot;that&quot;, or irrational attachment to &quot;this&quot;. The Thirst must be let go. The Thirst has been let go.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha is subject to disbanding of its factors, is not immune to disbanding of its factors. With disbanding of factors of Dukkha comes cessation of Dukkha. Cessation of Dukkha must be realized. Cessation of Dukkha has been realized.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is Path to cessation of Dukkha, cessation of Dukkha is not without a path. Path must be actualized. Path has been actualized.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T13:53:34.883" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:53:34.883" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1472" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:17:18.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. What is the Noble Eightfold Path?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; is the prescription, made known by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, for emotional suffering, distress &amp;amp; dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha&lt;/em&gt;: I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? &lt;strong&gt;Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/strong&gt; That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging &amp;amp; death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging &amp;amp; death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging &amp;amp; death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging &amp;amp; death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name-&amp;amp;-form... consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.65, Nagara-suttaṃ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;(For details about what constitutes the path see the reference provided in the next answer.)&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Where is the Noble Eightfold Path found in the Pali Canon?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is described in many places throughout the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Canon&lt;/a&gt; but one detailed example is the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourse on the Dissection of the Path&lt;/a&gt; (SN 45.8, Maggavibhaṅga-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Are there significant differences among the traditions in its interpretation?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, but as a related side-note, the path culminates with two additional stages, Right Knowledge &amp;amp; Right Release, making it tenfold, as is stated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.078.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 78, Samaṇamuṇḍika-suttaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, an individual endowed with which ten qualities is one whom I describe as being consummate in what is skillful, foremost in what is skillful, an invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments? One endowed with the right view of one beyond training, the right resolve of one beyond training, the right speech... the right action... the right livelihood... the right effort... the right mindfulness... the right concentration... the right knowledge... the right release of one beyond training. An individual endowed with these ten qualities is one whom I describe as being consummate in what is skillful, foremost in what is skillful, an invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T21:44:09.157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T21:44:09.157" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:24:36.190" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Entire books have been written on the topic, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B002GKC456&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Compassion&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is a good one to start with-- it is written from the pro-vegetarian standpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Buddhists are all vegetarians. This is in part because the Bodhisattva vows from the Brahma Net Sutra, which are the vows and precepts that replaced the Indian precepts, explicitly forbids eating animals on several grounds-- for example, if reincarnation happens, then after enough time all animals you might eat at one point in the past were your mother or father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Japanese system, during a period of modernization and anti-Buddhism, attempted a reform to try to bring down the monks in prestige a few notches-- explicitly legalizing monks to eat meat and marry. These reforms stuck, even though they were implemented as part of a larger reform that was hostile to Buddhism.  So the Japanese forms of Buddhism we got from Japan, we'll see that Zen isn't pro-vegetarianism, unless you read about the life of the founders of the sects, who all were vegetarian. So anyhow, the movement away from vegetarianism is driven by Meiji politicians, not monks. Personally, I'll take my direction from Nichiren or Dogen before I give a lot of weight to the Japanese imperial bureaucracy's opinion on the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inebnetwork.org/thinksangha/tsangha/tomatsusec.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meiji edict of April 1872&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;American Buddhism is a mix of various traditions. Chinese Buddhism, the most strongly vegetarian form of Buddhism, is in general under represented in the US. It's because of this accident of which sects are most visible that makes Buddhism look less vegetarian that it might otherwise be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that said, about half of US Buddhist I know are vegetarian. That is 25 times higher than the national rate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T20:44:56.617" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T20:44:56.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:36:35.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering/samsara is &quot;bad&quot;. The end of suffering/nirvana is &quot;good&quot;.&#xA;Therefore, whatever is conducive to enlightenment is &quot;good&quot;, while whatever leads one away from it is &quot;bad&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="290" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T20:36:35.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:42:34.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Part of what makes an action good or bad is the intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actions taken with unwholesome intentions such as these from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Roots of Good and Evil&quot;&lt;/a&gt; can be considered bad actions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Greed — liking, wishing, longing, fondness, affection,&#xA;  attachment, lust, cupidity, craving, passion,&#xA;  self-indulgence, possessiveness, avarice; desire&#xA;  for the five sense objects; desire for wealth,&#xA;  offspring, fame, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hatred — dislike, disgust, revulsion, resentment, grudge,&#xA;  ill-humour, vexation, irritability, antagonism,&#xA;  aversion, anger, wrath, vengefulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Delusion — stupidity, dullness, confusion, ignorance of&#xA;  essentials (e.g. of the Four Noble Truths),&#xA;  prejudice, ideological dogmatism, fanaticism,&#xA;  wrong views, conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actions taken with wholesome intentions such as these, from the same book, can be considered good actions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Non-greed — unselfishness, liberality, generosity; thoughts&#xA;  and actions of sacrifice and sharing; renunciation,&#xA;  dispassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Non-hatred — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathy,&#xA;  friendliness, forgiveness, forbearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Non-delusion — wisdom, insight, knowledge, understanding,&#xA;  intelligence, sagacity, discrimination,&#xA;  impartiality, equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However there is also a factor of the end result. Some actions taken with good intentions can lead to suffering while some actions taken with bad intentions can turn out actually well for someone. So in another sense, actions which lead to suffering are bad actions and actions which lead to freedom from suffering are good actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T23:56:33.450" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T23:56:33.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1483" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:46:37.813" Score="4" ViewCount="687" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any meditation techniques that we can used to manged Bad Temper. As I know it is possible to manage angers by observing it as &quot;feeling angry.., feeling angry!&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the problem is with the bad temper, sometime it is little bit too late to observer the anger. Any tips to improve the mindfulness to minimise the time gap?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:57:57.087" LastActivityDate="2023-05-09T13:39:45.460" Title="Anger management - How to manage bad temper?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|defilements|anger|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-26T20:55:39.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saccavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translated by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the noble truth of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Now what, friends, is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;      &lt;p&gt;And what are the five clinging-aggregates that, in short, are stressful? The clinging-aggregate of form, the clinging-aggregate of feeling, the clinging-aggregate of perception, the clinging-aggregate of fabrications, the clinging-aggregate of consciousness: These are called the five clinging-aggregates that, in short, are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the noble truth of the origination of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, friends, is the noble truth of the origination of stress? The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the noble truth of the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, friends, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress? The remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, friends, is the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress? Just this very noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tittha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, the second and third noble truths are related to the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the noble truth of the origination of stress? [the second noble truth]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then old age &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the noble truth of the cessation of stress? [the third noble truth]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;From the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness. From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form. From the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then old age &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T03:28:22.903" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T03:28:22.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1483" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:15:15.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha calms the mind and its formations. This leads the practitioner to abandoning the five hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just note that your mind has wandered as soon as you realize it has happened. With enough practice you will immediately recognize when the mind has wandered to one of the five hindrances. With even more practice the mind will stop wandering. Eventually a practitioner will develop Jhana, the culmination of samatha practice, where they can attain a tranquil state instantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It just takes practice and patience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T21:29:09.243" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T21:29:09.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1472" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:26:38.513" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what, is the Noble Eightfold Path? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the stopping of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the stopping of stress&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right resolve&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right speech&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abstaining from lying, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from abusive speech, abstaining from idle chatter&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right livelihood&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii)He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii)He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv)He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, aware, &amp;amp; mindful — putting away greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) He remains focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, aware, &amp;amp; mindful — putting away greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) He remains focused on the mind in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, aware, &amp;amp; mindful — putting away greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) He remains focused on mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, aware, &amp;amp; mindful — putting away greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right concentration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) With the stilling of directed thoughts &amp;amp; evaluations, he enters &amp;amp; remains in the second jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation — internal assurance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, &amp;amp; alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters &amp;amp; remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous &amp;amp; mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) With the abandoning of pleasure &amp;amp; pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation &amp;amp; distress — he enters &amp;amp; remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp;amp; mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T21:26:38.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1487" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1492" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:30:39.677" Score="16" ViewCount="2569" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the many schools and traditions, what core teachings are shared by all Buddhists? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2020-04-30T10:41:26.947" Title="What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vajrayana|teaching|doctrine|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1488" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1899" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:45:32.317" Score="4" ViewCount="2240" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not really expecting a short summary, but I'd be happy to get one. This is a 1600 page sutra in English (and cost over $100 on Amazon). It gets reference a lot in the Brahma Net Sutra and Huayan Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that, what is the best way to dig into this... is there a Cliff Notes version?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is the Avatamsaka Sutra prescribing its readers to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T11:23:46.163" LastActivityDate="2019-01-09T06:33:22.793" Title="What is the Avatamsaka Sutra about?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1443" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:49:14.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the editor's preface of my copy of Trungpa's 'Shambhala - The Sacred Path of the Warrior' it is claimed (and I do well agree with that), that the Shambhala teaching is &quot;a major departure&quot; from Trungpa's earlier, popular but quite orthodox Tibetan Buddhist books. This is further elaborated, saying that the outlook is rather secular than religious and in the broadest possible way universally-human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This fits quite well with my personal impression of the teaching, that it tries to avoid anything too specifically buddhist, too 'sectarian', too foreign (for westerners), too 'exotic', but rather attempts to - if I may say so - lead westerners (that unmistakably are the audience talked to) back to a common human source of dignity rather than providing yet another foreign source of 'spirituality' to draw from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also means, that it does not rely on any scriptural source, rather - in a rather unimportant and personal way - it relies on the tradition of the Shambhala kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T10:12:18.307" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T10:12:18.307" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1490" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2166" CreationDate="2014-06-26T21:50:56.687" Score="4" ViewCount="1068" Body="&lt;p&gt;Torma are sculpted butter and flour cakes set on mandalas and on altars during Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know what the story is with Torma and why are we doing offerings anyhow? Is there anything that is distinctively Buddhist about them, or is this really a syncretic tradition (i.e. is this just Hindu sacrificial rituals, but without the Hinduism)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone talks about offerings as if the internal mental model for offerings is obvious. As largely a secular Buddhist, I want to understand, but I don't have a lot to go on here. Offerings in a Christian church is money donated to the institution to fund the minister, etc. This isn't that sort of offering. Is this an offering to goose a Buddha or Bodhisattva or other diety or demi-god into doing something for us? The dieties don't actually eat the torma, so do the just appreciate the gesture, i.e. it's the thought that counts? Does this work via depriving oneself of something of value, a sort of austerity? Are these intended to more like a symbol to carry meaning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T14:10:03.717" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T18:53:01.610" Title="What is the motivation for Torma?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1487" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:05:50.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd say nothing, there are so many sects, that you can find any Buddhism that lacks one element or the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation (less common, matra and mudra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Historical Buddha. In some forms of Buddhism, the historical Buddha is not so important.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monasticism and renunciation. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Philosophical bent that cares about topics like identity, change and it's application towards dealing with suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But right off the top of my head, Shin de-emphasizes meditation, SGI deemphasizes monasticism, the Buddha of, say the Lotus Sutra, isn't really the same guy as the Buddha of the early Pali texts, and traditional lay Buddhism doesn't involve much philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase that comes to mind when I'm reading about yet another sect or school of Buddhism, is &quot;recognizable Buddhism.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T22:05:50.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1487" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:11:33.673" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an existent reference to the similarities between &lt;em&gt;Theravāda&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;Mahāyāna&lt;/em&gt; which I will cite:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sup&gt;(I think it also applies to &lt;em&gt;Vajrayāna&lt;/em&gt; although I may be wrong in this regard.)&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Whatever our sects, denominations or systems, as Buddhists we all accept the &#xA;  Buddha as our Master who gave us the Teaching. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We all take refuge in the Triple Jewel: the Buddha, our Teacher; the Dhamma, his &#xA;  teaching; and the Sangha, the Community of holy ones. In other words, we take &#xA;  refuge in the Teacher, the Teaching and the Taught. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Whether Theravada or Mahayana, we do not believe that this world is created and &#xA;  ruled by a god at his will. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Following the example of the Buddha, our Teacher, who is embodiment of Great &#xA;  Compassion and Great Wisdom, we consider that &#xA;  the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without &#xA;  discrimination and to work for their good, happiness and peace; and to develop &#xA;  wisdom leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We accept the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha, namely, Dukkha, the fact &#xA;  that our existence in this world is in predicament, is impermanent, imperfect, &#xA;  unsatisfactory, full of conflict; Samudaya, the fact that this state of affairs is due &#xA;  to our egoistic selfishness based on the false idea of self; Nirodha, the fact that &#xA;  there is definitely the possibility of deliverance, liberation, freedom from this &#xA;  predicament by the total eradication of the egoistic selfishness; and Magga, the &#xA;  fact that this liberation can be achieved through the Middle Path which is eight-&#xA;  fold, leading to the perfection of ethical conduct (sila), mental discipline &#xA;  (samadhi) and wisdom (pañña).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We accept the universal law of cause and effect taught in the Paticcasamuppada &#xA;  (Skt. pratityasamutpada; Conditioned Genesis or Dependent Origination), and &#xA;  accordingly we accept that everything is relative, interdependent and interrelated &#xA;  and nothing is absolute, permanent and everlasting in this universe. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We understand, according to the teaching of the Buddha, that all conditioned &#xA;  things (samkhara) are impermanent (anicca) and imperfect and unsatisfactory &#xA;  (dukkha), and all conditioned and unconditioned things (dhamma) are without self (anatta). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We accept the Thirty-seven Qualities conducive to Enlightenment &#xA;  (bodhipakkhiyadhamma) as different aspects of the Path taught by the Buddha &#xA;  leading to Enlightenment, namely, &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Four Forms of Presence of Mindfulness (Pali: satipatthana; Skt. smrtyupasthana); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Four Right Efforts (Pali. sammappadhana; Skt. samyakpradhana); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Four Bases of Supernatural Powers (Pali. iddhipada; Skt. rddhipada); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Five Faculties (indriya: Pali. saddha, viriya, sati, samadhi, panna; Skt. sraddha, virya, smrti, samadhi, prajna); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Five Powers (bala, same five qualities as above);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Pali. bojjhanga; Skt. bobhyanga); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Eight-fold Noble Path (Pali. ariyamagga; Skt. aryamarga).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There are three ways of attaining Bodhi or Enlightenment according to the ability &#xA;  and capacity of each individual: namely, as a Sravaka (disciple), as a &#xA;  Pratyekabuddha (Individual Buddha) and as a Samyaksambuddha (Perfectly and &#xA;  Fully Enlightened Buddha). We accept if as the highest, noblest and most heroic &#xA;  to follow the career of a Boddhisattva and to become a Samyksambuddha in order &#xA;  to save others. But these three states are on the same Path, not on different paths. &#xA;  In fact, the Sandhinirmocana-sutra, a well-known important Mahayana sutra, &#xA;  clearly and emphatically says that those who follow the line of Sravaka-yana &#xA;  (Vehicle of Disciples) or the line of Pratyekabuddha-yana (Vehicle of Individual &#xA;  Buddhas) or the line of Tathagatas (Mahayana) attain the supreme Nirvana by the &#xA;  same Path, and that for all of them there is only one Path of Purification &#xA;  (visuddhi-marga) and only one Purification (visuddhi) and no second one, and &#xA;  that they are not different paths and different purifications, and that Sravakayana &#xA;  and Mahayana constitute One Vehicle One Yana (eka-yana) and not distinct and &#xA;  different vehicles or yanas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We admit that in different countries there are differences with regard to the ways &#xA;  of life of Buddhist monks, popular Buddhist beliefs and practices, rites and &#xA;  rituals, ceremonies, customs and habits. These external forms and expressions &#xA;  should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.noblepath.info/buddhist_articles_essay/one_vehicle_for_peace.pdf&amp;amp;embedded=true&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;One Vehicle for Peace&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Walpola Sri Rahula, (December 1–7, 1981)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T09:10:07.397" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T09:10:07.397" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:11:51.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very good question -- I find myself pulled in two different directions in answering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, my reaction is &quot;well why would we expect it to be otherwise?&quot;. All religions branch, so of course Buddhism does too. Branching is a function of the humans who interpret and pass on the teachings through the generations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then I think, well why doesn't &lt;em&gt;science&lt;/em&gt; branch? Where religions seem to diverge, scientific understanding converges (with occasional bumps here and there). To the extent that Buddhism is essentially a science of reality, the expectation that it &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; branch is a reasonable one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My conclusion is that Buddhism, like all other similar systems of thought/practice, branches to the extent that we overlay the underlying &quot;science of reality&quot; with distorting human constructs and artefacts. But to the extent we can remove those -- c.f. Aldous Huxley's &quot;Perennial Philosophy&quot; -- we will see convergence. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIjW1z-ZAX8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a superb talk&lt;/a&gt; proposing a view that we are nearing the end of a paradigm (a la Thomas Kuhn) in which that underlying science has indeed been overlaid with cruft. I'd even offer that the very existence of buddhism.SE is an example of that ending! :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T22:11:51.157" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1494" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1907" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:21:39.837" Score="1" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for an explanation for my wife about what happens during the dying-death-rebirth cycle according to Buddhist teachings as well as any background readings we can locate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was explaining the mourning period after the death of a loved one being based on the average time before rebirth (49 days in Vietnamese tradition), and she had made reference to some reading she had been doing that mentioned the phases that must be passed before a rebirth takes place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also recall a teaching by Thich Nguyen Tang that explained the 6 possible states in which a person can be reborn (heaven, human life, asura, hungry ghost, animal, hell).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a unified explanation that exists between the various traditions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="291" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T12:33:44.073" Title="The hidden cycle: dying, death, rebirth" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2014-07-04T20:16:14.580" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1483" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:36:47.080" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to have a problem with anger.  I have found that mindfulness meditation (in my case, part Samatha and part Vispasana) works well but that the most powerful tool is compassionate meditation, also called Metta meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's an example from &lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/Meditations/equanimity_compassion_meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://viewonbuddhism.org/Meditations/equanimity_compassion_meditation.html&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visualise in front of you three persons: at the left a good friend, in the middle a stranger, to the right an enemy or someone you cannot stand.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Concentrate on the friend in front and examine your feelings towards him or her.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Now concentrate on the stranger and examine your feelings towards him or her.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Now concentrate on the enemy and examine your feelings towards him or her.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Return to the stranger and realise that this person can easily become your friend or enemy in the future.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Next, look at the friend and realise that this person may become your enemy in the future when cheating or hurting you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Now, look at the enemy and realise that this person may become your friend in the future when helping you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Again look at your friend and try to strongly feel love and appreciation.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Now look at the stranger and try to hold this feeling towards this person.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Again look at your friend and try to strongly feel love and appreciation.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Now try to hold this feeling while looking at the enemy; is it really impossible to feel some love and compassion for this person?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - Try to realise that all three, friend, stranger and enemy are completely equal in trying to become happy and trying to avoid suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I personally do is use a Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May you be happy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be healthy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be safe&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you live with ease  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First I focus on a loved one.  Then a friend. Then someone I feel neutral about.  Then someone I dislike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the moment if someone is verbally attacking me or being otherwise disquieting I think to myself, &quot;This person is suffering. They think that what they are doing now will ease their suffering. But it won't.&quot;  And then I do the LKM silently to myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And at all times when I am in danger of losing my equanimity I focus on my breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I forgive myself if I fail and get angry.  I am not enlightened, I am just another traveler on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T22:36:47.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1483" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:41:46.587" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Loving kindness or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt; meditation is the one recommended to counter anger. What you are talking about is a Vipassana meditation. Both work! But you need to keep practicing. The more you practice, the quicker you can observe. For me personally, observing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; nature of anger helps to dissipate it fast. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;sometime it is little bit too late to observer the anger&quot; - Even here you can notice Anatta. You are late to notice it, because it came into your mind without your consent. And you can't make it go away just by wishing. It means anger is not a part of you. Because it doesn't behave according to your liking. So, if it has nothing to do with you, why react? Furthermore, anger isn't even it's own self. Because anger cannot arise on it's own. If you saw someone and got angry, that required a functional eye, light hitting the eye, presence of a mind at that moment. Anger couldn't have arisen if any of the 3 was missing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T06:44:11.403" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T06:44:11.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1343" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:43:29.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally have found that if I don't schedule sitting meditation into my busy busy life, I fail to do it as often as I should.  What's more, I have to schedule it daily in the morning to be certain I won't be weak and procrastinate until it's too late.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also practice meditation any time I have to wait for something.  For a delightful introduction to momentary meditation see &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/F6eFFCi12v8/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;How to Meditate in a Moment&quot;&gt;How to Meditate in a Moment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T22:43:29.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2014-06-26T22:53:12.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'roots', also called hetu, are those conditions which through their presence determine the actual moral quality of a volitional act, and the consciousness and mental factors associated therewith, in other words, the quality of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 6 such roots, 3 karmically wholesome and 3 unwholesome roots, viz.,: greed, hate, delusion (lobha, dosa, moha), and greedlessness, hatelessness, undeludedness (alobha, adosa, amoha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/muula.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Read more...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T23:08:09.390" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T23:08:09.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1440" CreationDate="2014-06-26T23:25:37.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Jewel Ornament of Liberation&quot; by Gampopa describes different levels of teachers and their qualifications. Some rely on the 31st chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra (also known independently as the &quot;Sutra of the Ten Bhumis&quot;) which describes a set of criteria on which to judge someone as a Mahayana teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: it occurs to me that you may have been wondering about &lt;em&gt;specifics&lt;/em&gt;, not just where you can find it talked about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some basics would be: have they taken the Bodhisattva Vow? Do they have demonstrable knowledge of the Mahayana path? Are they patient while teaching? Do they make sure people understand? Do they seem to get discouraged or disappointed with students? Can they speak to you at &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; level of understanding?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course standard things like ethical behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastEditorUserId="60" LastEditDate="2014-06-26T23:30:48.517" LastActivityDate="2014-06-26T23:30:48.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-06-27T01:30:44.983" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's a row of Chinese Buddha's and Bodhisattva's, so this appears to be a Chinese restaurant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monastics have always been held to the strictest standards-- there was a very concrete, this-worldly consequence for breaking the precepts-- you would be kicked out of the sangha (or more likely punished by some other means).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where the rules are less straight forward is for lay followers. Upasaka are encouraged to follow the five precepts, but if they can't then they are urged to follow just 4, if not, then 3, and so on. And if they can't follow any precepts, lay followers are urged to at least take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. I take this to mean that ethics in Buddhism is a practice where you start where you are and over time you get better, as opposed to ascribing to all the rules and following them rigorously on day one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for if this is offensive, depends on where you are. I would guess this is offensive in Sri Lanka and Thailand. As a US convert, it doesn't bother me at all, this restaurant didn't do this with the intention of offending old ladies in Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the US, I give them credit for actually being aware of customs regarding home shrines-- it is not uncommon to see suggestions that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas be put in the highest place in the house. This makes me think the person who put them there is a believer and not just decorating with curios.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T01:30:44.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1502" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T01:33:19.573" Score="4" ViewCount="19669" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the teachings of the Buddha about aliens or other planets that have lives? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this the only place that can have life or human beings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to be born a Buddha in some other universe or planet?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="283" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T11:46:14.777" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T12:54:33.497" Title="What did the Buddha teach about aliens?" Tags="|the-buddha|science|teaching|realms|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1502" CreationDate="2014-06-27T01:39:50.903" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha talked about the &quot;world Systems&quot; and other humans in them. This is a fascinating topic for myself as someone interested in astronomy. Here are some links speaking about world systems and related topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is sort of like the laws of mathematics and physics that govern this universe, universal to all sentient beings, everywhere. This is why we spread our metta out into the universe. I usually go one step further and spread metta out to the multi-verse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhists Believe&#xA;Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera: Other World Systems &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/300.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/300.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Concept of World&#xA;Bhikkhu T. Seelananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/resource/the_buddhist_concept_of_world/&quot;&gt;http://bhavanasociety.org/resource/the_buddhist_concept_of_world/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha once explaining the world system said, ” Monks, as far as sun and moon revolve and illuminate all directions by their radiance, so far does the thousand-fold world system extend. And in that thousand-fold world system, there are thousand moons, a thousand suns, inhabited planets…. This thousand-fold world system is called culanikā-loka-dhātu or Minor World-System, which is the smallest unit in the universe (But all these change takes place, transformation takes place. When seeing this the instructed noble disciple is disenchanted, dispassion..)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also find this sutta fascinating in which the Buddha appears to be speaking about a black hole..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.046.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.046.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Andhakara Sutta: Darkness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;There is, monks, an inter-cosmic[1] void, an unrestrained darkness, a pitch-black darkness, where even the light of the sun &amp;amp; moon — so mighty, so powerful — doesn't reach.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T01:45:26.100" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T01:45:26.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1502" CreationDate="2014-06-27T01:55:10.260" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The traditional Mahayana cosmology allowed for multiple parallel universes, each with at most one Buddha at a time, six realms each.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the pure land system, a pure land is like a parallel universe where you can be re-born, so yes, you can be re-born in a different world, far from Earth, in the traditional cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The various Mahayana sutras often go on at length at the great number, size, tininess and so on of the various places and inhabitants of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://online.sfsu.edu/rone/Buddhism/maudgalyayana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahā-maudgalyāyana&lt;/a&gt; has a science fiction feel to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T12:54:33.497" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T12:54:33.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1443" CreationDate="2014-06-27T02:15:00.250" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Original Shambhala as founded by Chogyam Trungpa was not supposed to be Buddhism at all, it was supposed to be a secular teaching loosely based on Buddhist principles intended to heal society from its insanities, toward Enlightened society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Shambhalian practices focus on using mindfulness/awareness meditation as a means of connecting with one's basic sanity and using that insight as inspiration for one's encounter with the world.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shambhala_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Shambhala Buddhism&quot; is an unfortunate (IMHO) attempt of Trungpa's son to bring Shambhala back into familiar territory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T16:18:07.587" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T16:18:07.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1440" CreationDate="2014-06-27T02:16:29.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Words of My Perfect Teacher&quot; by Patrul Rinpoche has a chapter (Ch. 6) on how to choose, test and follow a &quot;spiritual friend&quot; (teacher):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pure, never having contravened any of the commitments or prohibitions (Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva's Vow, Secret Vows of Secret Mantrayana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unstained by negative emotions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;learned, not lacking in knowledge of sutras, tantras and shastras&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;heart suffused with compassion, loves each being like his only child&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;well-versed in vast array of rituals and ceremonies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not merely verbal but by putting the meaning of teaching into practice has actualized in himself the achievements of riddance and realization&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;generous, completely free of attachments&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;language should be pleasant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teaches each according to person's needs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;acts in accordance with what he teaches&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teachers to avoid:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Like a millstone made of wool (high lamas by birth but have not studied and practiced seriously enough for the above qualities to arise)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Like the frog that lived in a well (with very limited exposure to true depth and breadth of Practice, having never seen a genuine spiritual master)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mad guides (loose in discipline, strong in emotions, overemphasizing the esoteric and transcendental)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Blind guides (don't know what they are talking about)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Treasury of Precious Qualities&quot; by Jigme Lingpa has several pages (in Ch.5) on fully qualified masters vs. false teachers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(repeats most of the above and adds the following)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Good teacher must have few activities, exclusively preoccupied with Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;His presence has transforming effect, inspiring all who meet him to seek for liberation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Must have an unconfined view, having realized the equality of nirvana and samsara&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having direct experience of the above, he is the source of his own freedom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Has been ripened by empowerments that came down to him in an uninterrupted lineage.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T13:58:48.913" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:58:48.913" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1507" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1508" CreationDate="2014-06-27T02:31:05.133" Score="3" ViewCount="447" Body="&lt;p&gt;To refresh your memory, the Eight Worldly Winds are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Praise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Blame&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fame&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ill-repute&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T02:59:22.300" Title="Where are the Eight Worldly Winds and how to deal with them described?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1507" CreationDate="2014-06-27T02:59:22.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mentioned in both the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lokavipatti Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in the Pali Canon, and in verse 29 of Nagarjuna's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level6_study_major_texts/suhrllekha_letter_friend_nagarjuna/letter_friend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Letter to a Friend&lt;/a&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer on how to deal with them is: see them for what they are. Transient sources of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T02:59:22.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1446" CreationDate="2014-06-27T05:48:22.077" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lack of uniformity within Buddhism or Buddhist traditions should not be surprising at all, when you consider the dharma teaching on impermanence.   A tradition requires the practitioners to share with each other over many generations to survive.   As environments change those changes affect how practitioners pass along their traditions from one generation to the next.  After reading exerts from “In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon” by Bhikku Bodhi, it is easy to see how the various Buddhist traditions developed in reaction to individuals’ interpretations of his words based on their current circumstances.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T05:48:22.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1510" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-27T06:04:11.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen (Chinese: 禪; pinyin: Chán, Middle Chinese: dʑjen) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty as Chán. It was strongly influenced by Taoism, and developed as a distinguished Chinese style of Buddhism. From China, Chán spread south to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and east to Japan, where it became known as Japanese Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen emphasizes rigorous practice (meditation, performing ceremonies and manual work), insight into Buddha-nature, and the expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the benefit of others. As such, it deemphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine and favors direct understanding through zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of Zen include a large body of koans, essays, recorded dharma talks and various sources of Mahāyāna thought, especially Yogācāra, the Tathāgatagarbha Sutras and Huayan, with their emphasis on Buddha-nature, totality, and the Bodhisattva-ideal. The Prajñāpāramitā literature[10] and, to a lesser extent, Madhyamaka have also been influential in the shaping of the &quot;paradoxical language&quot; of the Zen-tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastEditorDisplayName="user10515" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T12:59:16.530" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T12:59:16.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1511" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-27T06:04:11.037" Score="0" Body="Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasising practice." OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorDisplayName="user10515" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T12:58:44.060" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T12:58:44.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1494" CreationDate="2014-06-27T06:06:56.993" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, when one dies, he/she is reborn immediately. There's no gap between death and birth. I think this confusion comes becauses of the stories about people floating around, looking for a suitable womb, after death. But those beings who float around can still see and hear. That means they have a body with functional senses. So they are born already into a new existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T06:06:56.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2014-06-27T07:04:50.110" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the concepts of good and evil do not exist as in other religions (no being is inherently good or evil). No deity tells you what to do. There are the teachings of the Buddha, that we can &lt;em&gt;make use of&lt;/em&gt;, as opposed to believing in a doctrine (such as &quot;Ithe authority tells you this, therefore you should obey*&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is still a distinction between the helpful and harmful, skillful and unskillful - in the context of the path (to &lt;em&gt;liberation, nirvāṇa, nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;). In terms of karma (&lt;em&gt;actions, kamma&lt;/em&gt;), there are the wholesome and unwholesome, but these are useful in terms of the actions we choose to avoid and to act on, in each given moment (now).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mara&lt;/strong&gt;, as mentioned in the Pali Canon, is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;referred to as evil&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (in the English translation), but &lt;em&gt;even he will be enlightened&lt;/em&gt; one day. In other words, noone is inherently evil (or good) - no deities, ghosts, humans or other, in Buddhism. For instance, Maha Moggallana, disciple of the Buddha, mentioned to Mara at one point that in a previous existence, he had been Mara, and (the current) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch9&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mara had been his nephew&lt;/a&gt;. Strikingly, despite having been the &quot;embodiment of evil in the world&quot;, a number of lifetimes later, he was one of the prominent disciples of the Buddha (Gotama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An excerpt from the story: (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch9&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first Buddha appearing in our &quot;fortunate aeon&quot; (bhadda-kappa) with&#xA;  five Buddhas, was Kakusanda. He lived when the lifespan of man was&#xA;  40,000 years and when the first darkening of the golden age became&#xA;  evident because of a king's lack of concern and the occurrence of the&#xA;  first theft. Because of that, man's vital energy became reduced to&#xA;  half. At that time, Moggallana was Mara, chief of demons, lord of the&#xA;  lower worlds, and his name was Mara Dusi. He had a sister by name of&#xA;  Kali whose son was to become the Mara of our age. Hence Moggallana's&#xA;  own nephew was now standing in front of him at the door post. While&#xA;  being the Mara of that distant time, Moggallana had attacked a chief&#xA;  disciple of the previous Buddha by taking possession of a boy and&#xA;  making him throw a potsherd at the holy disciple's head so that blood&#xA;  was flowing. When the Buddha Kakusandha saw this, he said: &quot;Verily,&#xA;  Mara knew no moderation here&quot; — because even in satanic actions there&#xA;  might be moderation. Under the glance of the Perfect One the astral&#xA;  body of Mara Dusi dissolved on the spot and reappeared in the deepest&#xA;  hell. Just a moment ago he had been the overlord of all the hellish&#xA;  worlds and now he himself was one of hell's victims. A moment ago he&#xA;  had been the greatest torturer and now he himself was undergoing one&#xA;  of those terrible torments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether we believe in the details of the stories in the Pali Canon is up to each of us. However, important to note, is that we all have the ability and opportunity to choose a wiser path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your questions (in shuffled order):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is &lt;strong&gt;no final &quot;judge&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. No being (God or otherwise) controls our existence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha (through long practice) awakened to (discovered, if you will) the way things are, how this existence functions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upon awakening, the first inclination of the Buddha was that &quot;noone will ever understand this&quot; - that it's impossible to teach. However, he was persuaded that some beings could be helped, and so he decided to teach others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Briefly explained, words are inadequate to explain the way things function (karma, and so on), so instead of preaching something to believe in, the Buddha pointed the way for each of us to find out.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So noone &lt;em&gt;&quot;decided that killing is negative&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (nor did anyone decide the effects of other actions). However, Buddhists will gladly help you on the path to finding out for yourself, to discover the effects of karma (your actions). Regarding being &lt;em&gt;&quot;sure we're correct&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, don't just take anyone's word for it. Try it out, &lt;strong&gt;see for yourself&lt;/strong&gt;, do the methods and teachings from Buddhism work for you. Only then can you find certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T07:04:50.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1514" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2046" CreationDate="2014-06-27T07:53:59.803" Score="0" ViewCount="428" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does Dependent Origination relate to Vipassana meditation as taught by different schools / interpretations of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly how do you break the links of dependent origination as per the meditations techniques taught by different schools / masters? What is the strategy that the cycle will break at the given link? Many meditation manuals do not relate to the development of understanding dependent origination. So how do the practice and theory of this issue relate? Also how does the practicing according to the tradition lead up to the understanding of dependent origination through self-realisation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T19:45:55.543" LastActivityDate="2021-02-20T21:54:41.493" Title="How does Dependent Origination relate to Vipassana Meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|pratityasamutpada|dependent-origination|paticcasamuppada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1515" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1516" CreationDate="2014-06-27T08:12:47.393" Score="1" ViewCount="466" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do you recognise the different factors associated with Jhana and the level of Jhana you are in? (Not necessarily when you are in Jhana.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly how do recognise the factor of applied thought as such, factor of sustained thought as such, factor of rapture as such, factor of happiness as such and factor of one-pointedness of mind as such. How does the experience and correlate with the named factor such that it can be properly ascertained that this is infact this factor, and that factor has arisen and not something else or miss evaluation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T13:04:36.617" LastActivityDate="2017-09-24T21:41:07.647" Title="How do you identify the 5 factors associated with Jhana?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1515" CreationDate="2014-06-27T08:31:18.360" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Referring to the five component factors: &lt;em&gt;applied thought, sustained thought, rapture, happiness and one-pointedness of mind&lt;/em&gt;. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html#ch3.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is about identifying these factors while in a Jhana - I would suggest that there is no room for such thoughts while in a Jhana. Instead, evaluate the experience once you come out of it - what worked, and what was what (identifying). Thinking &lt;em&gt;&quot;is this that?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;&quot;am I in a Jhana?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; are sure ways of getting out of the Jhana. Instead, just be with the experience (in the &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt; moment) and evaluate it afterwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T08:31:18.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1517" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1524" CreationDate="2014-06-27T08:45:43.497" Score="6" ViewCount="5053" Body="&lt;p&gt;For each of the Four Noble Truths, there are three aspects. The three aspects for each Noble Truth follows a pattern of Recognition (understanding it), Encouragement (what is to be done), and Realization (what has been done). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please elaborate on the twelve aspects - are they the same in all traditions? In what ways are they helpful towards realizing the Path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T11:19:03.783" Title="What are the twelve aspects of the Four Noble Truths?" Tags="|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1518" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1528" CreationDate="2014-06-27T08:52:26.747" Score="15" ViewCount="1187" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that some teachers do not teach the Jhanas, others do. Yuttadhammo &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14/18&quot;&gt;mentions&lt;/a&gt; the &lt;em&gt;great debate&lt;/em&gt; about Jhanas. What is the controversy about? Whether they are useful towards realizing Nibbana/Nirvana? Is the debate relevant to all Buddhist traditions, only some, or are traditions split up in their views about Jhanas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T19:31:40.887" Title="Why are Jhanas controversial?" Tags="|jhana|controversy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-06-27T09:13:32.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rejecting rebirth is part of &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Rejecting rebirth hence is also an unwholesome deed. But, being 'agnostic' you don't need to reject rebirth, you may just put this belief on hold. I don't see, though, how can you understand and appreciate karma at full without belief in rebirth. If there is no rebirth it may reasonably follow that you can avoid results of unwholesome deeds if you are astute enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From other point of view, I think, from Abhidharmic perspective, if we strictly follow dharmical analytical view, then belief in rebirth is not that important, because in that perspective 'being' and 'death' are not real existents and just conventional truth, there will be just indefinite long stream of consciousness (santana) where karma fruits will necessarily appear for every action (cetana). From the same perspective we can presume that we are already rebirthing &lt;em&gt;every moment&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T09:37:40.670" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T09:37:40.670" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2014-06-27T10:24:15.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actions are considered as having &lt;em&gt;beginning&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;middle&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;end&lt;/em&gt;. And determinant is their &lt;em&gt;end&lt;/em&gt;, sometimes called &lt;em&gt;fruit&lt;/em&gt; (phala) or &lt;em&gt;result&lt;/em&gt; (vipaka). I.e., wholesome (or good) actions in Buddhism are these that lead to pleasant or happy experience as their final result, and unwholesome (or bad) actions are these that lead to pain and suffering. Action that is unpleasant at the beginning still could lead to happiness and thus considered wholesome. Example is unpleasant meditation. Action that is pleasant at the beginning, easily could lead to the suffering as final result. To determine results of action need some sort of &lt;em&gt;knowledge&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;wisdom&lt;/em&gt; (prajna). Otherwise action is conditioned by &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; (vipaka-avidya) and commonly lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good detailed article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/ethic_psy/004-tnt-kusala.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kusala and Akusala as Criteria of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/a&gt;, Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T10:24:15.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1523" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T10:56:52.403" Score="3" ViewCount="1721" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are dark night problems a common thing? It worries me that if I practice they might happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-dark-knight-of-the-souls/372766&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-dark-knight-of-the-souls/372766&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="302" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T13:01:28.513" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T13:01:28.513" Title="Are dark night problems a common thing? It worries me that if I practice they might happen" Tags="|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1517" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:19:03.783" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The actual terms for the three aspects (&lt;em&gt;parivaṭṭa&lt;/em&gt;) are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sacca&lt;/strong&gt; - the truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kicca&lt;/strong&gt; - that something must be done&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kata&lt;/strong&gt; - that the kicca has been done&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aspects for each truth are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suffering (dukkha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sacca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that suffering is suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kicca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that suffering must be fully understood (&lt;em&gt;pariññeyya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kata&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that suffering has been fully understood (&lt;em&gt;pariññāta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Cause of Suffering (dukkha-samudaya)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sacca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that craving (&lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;) is the cause of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kicca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that craving must be abandoned (&lt;em&gt;pahātabba&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kata&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that craving has been abandoned (&lt;em&gt;pahīna&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Cessation of Suffering (dukkha-nirodha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sacca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that the remainderless cessation of craving is the cessation of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kicca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that cessation must be realized (&lt;em&gt;sacchikātabba&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kata&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that cessation has been realized (&lt;em&gt;sacchikata&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Path to the Cessation of Suffering (dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sacca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that the eight-fold noble path is the path to the cessation of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kicca&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that the path must be cultivated (&lt;em&gt;bhāvetabba&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kata&lt;/strong&gt;: the knowledge that the path has been cultivated (&lt;em&gt;bhāvita&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realization of the four noble truths in these twelve aspects constitutes the attainment of Buddhahood; it is probably not necessary that a student come to full realization of these things, since they only need to do what needs to be done, rather than fully understand the nature of what they have done. Only fully-enlightened Buddhas understand the truths intuitively enough to teach them; even private-buddhas are not able to teach them to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to their practicality, since they constitute the core of Buddhism, understanding them intellectually is of great importance. It will help ensure that your practice is in line with the Buddha's teaching; especially the first and last truths. The first truth reminds us that our intent is not to run away from suffering but to actually study it, so that we stop clinging to it. The last truth should be studied in detail, to understand all eight aspects of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether they differ between traditions, I doubt the understanding as to what the Buddha taught in his first discourse differs much between the Pali and the Chinese, but the interpretation of what they mean may differ, along with their place in one's practice (since Mahayana seems to see them as only 'relatively' true).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're interested, Mahasi Sayadaw's book on the first discourse is interesting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/wheeld01.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/wheeld01.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wrote a (shorter) piece on them as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/simple-truth/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/simple-truth/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T11:19:03.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1525" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1760" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:36:12.227" Score="2" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;And as a follow up, what institutions are charged with expanding the list of canonical works, if any?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T15:38:40.307" LastActivityDate="2018-01-06T03:33:20.510" Title="What are the canonical texts for the Buddhisms of the world?" Tags="|sutras|texts|canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1523" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:44:54.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As hinted to in the article, they are perhaps not a common thing. However, such issues highlight the benefits of having a teacher that can help with moving on from a place where you are experiencing difficulties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's not helpful to avoid meditation because of the view of a single source claiming there are dangers. Skillful meditation practice works with reducing fears, such articles tend to increase fears. &lt;em&gt;Fear, in Buddhism, is a prominent cause of suffering&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are not experiencing these &quot;dark nights&quot;, worrying about them will do no good. If you are experiencing them (I interpret your question as you aren't), then seek help from a qualified teacher - don't run away from them, even if that should be your first inclination.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The benefits of Buddhist meditation are many and the popularity of meditation spreading in the West, testify to that. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Difficulties will certainly arise - in meditation as in life in general. Buddhism provides methods and (thousands of) techniques to deal with difficulties. Since there are so many teachings, it's usually best to have a teacher help guide you on the way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;the main delivery system for Buddhist meditation in America is&#xA;  actually medicine and science, not Buddhism.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By going to a Buddhist teacher (i.e. monastic), there may be better chances of dealing with such experiences, skilfully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting Shinzen Young from the article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Almost everyone who gets anywhere with meditation will pass through&#xA;  periods of negative emotion, confusion, [and] disorientation. …The&#xA;  same can happen in psychotherapy and other growth modalities. I would&#xA;  not refer to these types of experiences as 'dark night.' I would&#xA;  reserve the term for a somewhat rarer phenomenon. Within the Buddhist&#xA;  tradition, [this] is sometimes referred to as 'falling into the Pit of&#xA;  the Void.' It entails an authentic and irreversible insight into&#xA;  Emptiness and No Self. Instead of being empowering and fulfilling … it&#xA;  turns into the opposite. In a sense, it's Enlightenment's Evil Twin.&#xA;  This is &lt;strong&gt;serious but still manageable&lt;/strong&gt; through intensive … &lt;strong&gt;guidance&#xA;  under a competent teacher&lt;/strong&gt;. In some cases, it takes months or even&#xA;  years to fully metabolize, but in my experience the results are almost&#xA;  always highly positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So again, don't worry, find a good teacher, and just try it. See if it's helpful. Don't make a problem of it unless it occurs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T11:44:54.557" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:48:16.453" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Boddhisattva vows, which were both a monastic and lay code had a prohibition on keeping weapons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;10. On Storing Deadly Weapons A disciple of the Buddha should not&#xA;  store weapons such as knives, clubs, bows, arrows, spears, axes or any&#xA;  other weapons, nor may he keep nets, traps or any such devices used in&#xA;  destroying life. (53)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a disciple of the Buddha, he must not even avenge the death of his&#xA;  parents -- let alone kill sentient beings! (54) He should not store&#xA;  any weapons or devices that can be used to kill sentient beings. If he&#xA;  deliberately does so, he commits a secondary offense.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnstext.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnstext.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other specific Buddhist leaders at time to time have been coopted by their governments to say things in favor of the war of the moment which would sometimes be fought by lay Buddhists. Despite this, it's hard to not say that Buddhism has a huge pacifist streak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T11:48:16.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1518" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:52:56.177" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;The debate centres around the Theravada commentarial interpretation of the suttas along with the teachings in the &lt;em&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Patisambhidamagga&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, there are two schools of thought, one which subscribes to the above teachings and one that rejects them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings in question are those that describe two potential paths: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;jhānalābhi&lt;/strong&gt; - one who obtains at least the first jhāna&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sukkhavipassaka&lt;/strong&gt; - one who only obtains momentary concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Herein, “purification of view” is the correct seeing of mentality-materiality. One who wants to accomplish this, if, firstly, his vehicle is serenity, should&#xA;  emerge from any fine-material or immaterial jhāna, except the base consisting of&#xA;  neither perception nor non-perception, and he should discern, according to characteristic, function, etc., the jhāna factors consisting of applied thought,&#xA;  etc., and the states associated with them, [that is, feeling, perception, and so on]. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But one whose vehicle is pure insight, or that same aforesaid one whose vehicle&#xA;  is serenity, discerns the four elements in brief or in detail in one of the various ways given in the chapter on the definition of the four elements (XI.27ff.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Path of Purification, pp. 609-10)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who reject this split point to various teachings to support the idea that the samatha jhānas are necessary for attainment of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article that looks interesting from an academic point of view (I only read the abstract) is here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tkwen.theravada-chinese.org/A%20Study%20of%20Sukkihavipassaka%20in%20Pali%20Buddhism_final.pdf&quot;&gt;http://www.tkwen.theravada-chinese.org/A%20Study%20of%20Sukkihavipassaka%20in%20Pali%20Buddhism_final.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the abstract:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This thesis reveals that the concept of arahants who lack the first form-sphere jhāna is accepted not only by the Theravāda but also by the Sarvāstivāda, the *Satyasiddhisāstra, and the Yogacārabhūmiśāstra. Since various Buddhist schools in India unanimously advocate the idea that there are arahants who have not achieved the form-sphere jhāna, this research concludes that the dry-insight meditative approach and dry-insight arahants are not an invention by Theravādin commentators, but a common heritage which was most probably handed down from the time of the Buddha and then shared by various Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine reading through the thread I linked to in the other question would give you a good idea of the controversy. There was a heated debate many years back between a Burmese and a Sri Lankan monk on the topic that was highly academic, but still a fun read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Satipatthana%20Vipassana%3a%20Criticisms%20and%20Replies.htm&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Satipatthana%20Vipassana:%20Criticisms%20and%20Replies.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T14:09:23.337" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T14:09:23.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1529" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T11:56:34.517" Score="5" ViewCount="6808" Body="&lt;p&gt;Despite communism as practiced (as opposed to what Marx might have had in mind) being the source of some of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Buddhists#Persecution_under_Communism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;largest slaughter of lay and monastic Buddhists ever&lt;/a&gt; (except maybe the Imperial Chinese)... are the principles of Buddhism and communism (or socialism) compatible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2017-08-23T10:51:57.897" Title="How compatible are Buddhism and Communism?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1440" CreationDate="2014-06-27T12:05:07.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Disclaimer: This is not a &lt;em&gt;Vajrayāna&lt;/em&gt; approach so feel free to discard it but I'd say the advice is useful nonetheless.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;To find a skillful teacher, one could approach the matter prudently by trying to get the &lt;em&gt;most&lt;/em&gt; points checked from the following list:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't accept any money, especially for teaching.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Has the qualities mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.073.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.73&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.192&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't show traces of greed, hatred or delusion in their behavior.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditates frequently and for lengthy periods.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eats once a day before noon.&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is content with very little.&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is bent on solitude &amp;amp; seclusion.&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note that these points are just &lt;strong&gt;good guidelines&lt;/strong&gt; and should be taken as a supplement to one's own discernment&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further references, you might want to read some early discourses concerning this:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.12.0.than.html#sorts3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Teachers that are worthy &amp;amp; unworthy of criticism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html#mire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 8&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: The whole discourse is worth reading but I linked to the specific section about instruction called &quot;Quenching&quot;.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/20401/209&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: This discourse addresses the issue head-on.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/21501/725&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.100&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Teachers being covered up by their pupils.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/21501/773&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Five qualities a teacher should set up.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.12.than.html#dhp-158&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhp 158-159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Two verses about teachers.    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Footnotes:&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/21501/773&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has five qualities a teacher should set up. The fourth one is that he will not speak for the purpose of material reward.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/20401/273&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 65&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a good reference about the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;'s thoughts concerning this issue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/21501/414&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.27&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a good reminder about contentment with the bare minimum but I wouldn't advocate it as a necessary guideline.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 8.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has the qualities that make-up the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;'s teaching and one of them is solitude\seclusion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T12:27:17.767" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T12:27:17.767" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1531" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1549" CreationDate="2014-06-27T12:19:36.663" Score="4" ViewCount="5949" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have always wondered if insects belongs to the animal realm in Buddhism, and I have yet to read stories about rebirth as an insect, such as a butterfly, a mosquito, or a praying mantis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T12:38:32.417" LastActivityDate="2019-02-06T18:19:43.380" Title="Can one take rebirth as an insect?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1523" CreationDate="2014-06-27T12:29:57.777" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &quot;Dark Night&quot; stuff is my biggest problem with dharmaoverground.org (which is in general interesting and useful). I mentioned it &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/217/health-risks-of-meditation/1363#1363&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. My complaint is that it acts as a lens  -- on dharmaoverground.com you'll often hear people refer to themselves as &quot;dark night yogis&quot; -- through which these negative aspect get focused with the result that it feeds our built-in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cognitive bias&lt;/a&gt; to overestimate the probability of certain things occurring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at Yuttadhammo's response. He's a monk and an experienced teacher, and he doesn't appear to even have heard of the thing. (Sorry Y. if I'm reading into your question). If the thing was that common, you'd think he'd have heard about it. And when the Dalai Lama met with Willoughby Britton to hear about her work (again, video link &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/217/health-risks-of-meditation/1363#1363&quot;&gt;in my another thread&lt;/a&gt;), he seemed not to have encountered it much either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's Shinzen Young again (link also in that other post): &#xA;&lt;em&gt;&quot;In my entire career of teaching, ... I have encountered this in students only a few times.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I first read about it (in Dan Ingram's book, &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;, which I do recommend), I was scared too. But since broadening my reading I've decided that I'm glad to know about DN stuff, in the same way that I know about the oxygen masks in a plane. But I don't really expect to have to use either of those pieces of information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T12:29:57.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1531" CreationDate="2014-06-27T12:46:54.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know of any stories about rebirth as an insect, but for some evidence of insect consciousness there's always the hilarious &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn17/sn17.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pilahaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, and its unspoken &quot;these worldly goods and fame are all just dung...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="247" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T12:46:54.113" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:15:49.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say not at all, but in all honestly I bet any of us can take our own perspective and pick the Buddhas words to make our argument. Seems to be from my perspective that the Buddha mostly stayed out of politics with the rare exception of counseling kings who came to him and even then the advice was mostly about the ruler themselves performing skillful actions just like the rest of us, not about grand political maneuvers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I actually wonder if the scope of this question is even appropriate for this website, considering it is a basic Q&amp;amp;A about Buddhism and this could turn into a political debate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:15:49.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:16:45.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, the Buddha did not envision an ideal human society, but the end of human society or rather: the end of everything human, which means suffering in the first place. Therefore, except for the rules that govern the life and community of monks and nuns for the time being, i.e. until enlightenment, there is no social teaching in the original word of the Buddha. So here, in the social sphere, my answer would be a straight no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In later Mahayana Buddhism, though, the focal point shifts away from individual enlightenment, the new ideal being no more the Arhat, who achieves enlightenment for himself, but the Bodhisattva, who postpones his own enlightenment and strives to help and enlighten all other beings first. So in this stage, there is a social teaching, which does not contradict communism, I guess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But maybe it would be useful, if you could specify exactly which tenets of communism/marxism you are having in mind, since for example quite obviously, there is no arguing on an economic basis in Buddhism. I guess, you did expect that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two more things which come to my mind. First of all, again for early Buddhism, it denied the reality of class boundaries, which were in this specific context, the caste boundaries. The hierarchy within the order was based on age of service, i.e. time elapsed since ordination and there are stories from early Buddhism where hierarchies were turned upside down, the former low-caste dark-skin servant of some high-class person being all of a sudden his preceptor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other is a point where Buddhism is maybe much better compatible with marxism than any other religion could ever be: Buddhism denies the existence of the soul, of an all-powerful creator-god, rather it emphasizes cause and effect and a scientific approach to reality. This is not totally clear to me, but maybe even the mind can be seen as material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:16:45.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1536" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:18:08.123" Score="3" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Buddhist perspective, is there an inherent conflict between being a believer in a theistic religion and a practitioner of Buddhist meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="260" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:54:25.597" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T16:54:25.597" Title="Conflict between theistic religious belief and Buddhist practice?" Tags="|belief|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1531" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:28:29.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I can tell the &quot;Animal realm&quot; includes insects. It is a sentient being and I don't see why they wouldn't be a part of samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:28:29.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1536" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:33:06.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some theistic beliefs could contradict with Buddhist views. For example, if you believe that God is only savior, that is contradiction of belief in &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;. Or, if you believe that God &lt;em&gt;judges&lt;/em&gt; your experience, that contradicts with &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; again. Or, if you believe that teaching given by God is best, that is contradiction with refuge in Buddha as best teacher of gods and men. When you deny, in such a way, &lt;em&gt;right view&lt;/em&gt; and Buddhist &lt;em&gt;refuge&lt;/em&gt;, you probably not practice Buddhist meditation correctly. But, if you just practice wishing of happiness to all beings (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;), that's not necessarily contradict with some God is Love idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T17:03:11.320" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:03:11.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1473" CreationDate="2014-06-27T13:44:53.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is also in the Kalama Sutta, AN 3.65:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, Kālāmas, that noble disciple, who is thus devoid of longing, devoid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending, ever mindful, dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness … with a mind imbued with compassion … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="219" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T13:44:53.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-27T14:01:46.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, yes he did. Principles of Buddhism and Communism are definitely compatible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On what basis do I say this? - I have not gone through material originally written in Pali or Sanskrit or Tibetian etc. I have not studied &quot;tripitak&quot;. I have tried to study &quot;Dhammapad&quot; but that too in Marathi (one of the local Indian languages) - a translated work. But I have read work on Buddhism and its philosophy, message by others like P. Lakshumi Narsu, Dharmanand Kosambi, Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar, Sangharakshit etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book by Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar is major source of my answer - &lt;em&gt;Buddha and His Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;.Dr. Ambedkar was student of Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar has written a separate book on the issue - &lt;em&gt;Buddha and Karl Marx&lt;/em&gt; . If you are interested I can post the links here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I came across &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.unipune.ac.in/snc/cssh/ipq/english/IPQ/6-10%20volumes/10%2003/PDF/10-3-1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THIS&lt;/a&gt; article. Though is not written to address the issue mentioned in the question, while talking on something else, it also speaks about relationship between Marxism (Communism) and Buddhism. I am not expressing my personal opinion about the article. Just posting it for adding more information to carry on this useful discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="208" LastEditDate="2014-12-01T09:59:47.247" LastActivityDate="2014-12-01T09:59:47.247" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1541" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1609" CreationDate="2014-06-27T14:44:29.783" Score="4" ViewCount="4323" Body="&lt;p&gt;And maybe to save two related questions, why does Samantabhadra ride an elephant and Majursri ride a lion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was meditating with Kwan Yin statute and that was the main distraction, I had no idea why Kwan Yin is on a sea turtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q4yEL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T17:10:33.100" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T16:06:47.103" Title="Why is Kwan Yin riding a sea turtle?" Tags="|mahayana|iconography|kwan-yin|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-27T14:46:22.647" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Marxism is strictly materialistic. It builds on the idea that if you distribute all goods evenly, people will stop suffering. That was a reasonable assumption to make when the vast majority of the population suffered from uneven distribution of goods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism on the other hand does not regard changing the outer conditions as being important in overcoming suffering. More precisely, it suggests that transcending the outer conditions is the key to overcoming suffering, so in essence it denies the core question that Marxism seeks to give an answer to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say that they are pretty much orthogonal. Buddhism could probably act as a formidable complement to the Marxist theories when trying to build a society. But to individual Buddhists, Marxism is not necessarily useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="97" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T14:46:22.647" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1531" CreationDate="2014-06-27T14:54:28.970" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes insects are also a kind of animal. In buddhism it is mentioned that one can rebirth as any kind of animal accordiing to the deeds whom has done. I am a buddhist and please note these points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accordiing to the buddhism, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing you take to the next birth is what you have done when you were alive ( &lt;strong&gt;called Meritorious Deeds&lt;/strong&gt;) .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth as a human is a rare incident. (&lt;strong&gt;onece budda has mentioned that it is like the amount of the sand which you can get from the land to your thumb vs the rest of the sand in tha land Ex: Universe&lt;/strong&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 20.2: &lt;strong&gt;Nakhasikha Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;: The Tip of the Fingernail&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Staying at Savatthi. Then the Blessed One [Lord Buddha], picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, “What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?”&#xA;“The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn’t even count. It’s no comparison. It’s not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.&#xA;“In the same way, monks, few are the beings reborn among human beings. Far more are those reborn elsewhere. Thus you should train yourselves: ‘We will live heedfully.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;End Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must have a lot of good deeds to have all the confrot in a life.&#xA;Buddihism does not accept to leave everything to past which means accepting everything as a result of the past and leave them. budda once mentined that if you have the courage you can even change the effects of your bad deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finaly keep in mind life is short do good things and improve your capability to get close to Nirvana. (the event or process of the extinction of the fires of attachment (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidya).In the Buddhism, when above fires are extinguished, one is released from the cycle of rebirth (samsara) and suffering (dukkha) comes to an end.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="307" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T16:51:25.137" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T16:51:25.137" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1473" CreationDate="2014-06-27T14:58:21.493" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The four Brahmaviharas are four moods to be deliberately generated as antidotes against certain negative states of mind (longing, covetousness, ill will, malevolence, conceit, distress, enmity, negativity -- towards the world).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving-kindness. According to Chogyam Trungpa, as well as my current teacher, this is directed at self and is a foundation of compassion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion. An attitude of good king toward his subjects -- lack of harshness despite their shortcomings. Bodhisattva understands that people are different only because of their different backgrounds and experiences. In principle, there is nothing substantial that makes Bodhisattva &quot;better&quot; than others, beside the luck of having encountered, and benefited from, the genuine teaching. Even though Bodhisattva realizes Emptiness, s\he sees that other sentient beings still suffer because they assume things to be real. Bodhisattva understands that the subjective experience of each sentient being is basically the same, and therefore can relate to everybody's &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Empathetic joy. Feeling glad when seeing others succeed. Antidote for jealousy and competitiveness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity. A mood that comes from an objective impersonal point of view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cultivation of Brahmaviharas culminates in the &quot;state of Brahma&quot; -- direct experience of unity with the world (AN 4.190).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T01:09:52.183" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T01:09:52.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1525" CreationDate="2014-06-27T15:10:17.703" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Theravada there is the Tipitaka: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This consists of the &quot;three baskets&quot;  of the vinaya pitaka,  the rules for monastics,  the sutta pitaka aka the sutta teachings,  and the abidhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is generally accepted that the oldest and most core part of the Tipitaka that is closest to what the buddha said,  are the four Nikayas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digha Nikaya (long discourses) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya ( middle length) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samyutta Nikaya (grouped discourses) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anguttara Nikaya ( numbered discourses) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the Khuddaka Nikaya which is a collection of &quot;little texts&quot;.  This is where the famous dhammapada  and Sutta Nipāta reside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T15:24:06.717" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T15:24:06.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1547" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-27T15:12:47.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:39:16.193" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:39:16.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1548" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-27T15:12:47.030" Score="0" Body="Vajrayāna is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Way or Thunderbolt Way. According to Vajrayāna scriptures &quot;Vajrayāna&quot; refers to one of three vehicles or routes to enlightenment, the other two being the Hinayāna and Mahayana." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T00:11:19.367" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T00:11:19.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1531" CreationDate="2014-06-27T15:51:54.957" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, rebirth can take one of four types:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Opapatika - spontaneous rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsedaja - born or arisen from moisture&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Andhaja - born in an egg, oviparous&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jalabuja born from a womb, viviparous&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most insects belong to the andhaja group, I think. But yes, as others have mentioned, insects are considered a potential realm of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples from the texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Queen Upari (Ubbari)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Persons favored by fortune enjoying privileges of wealth, family, education, rank, physical beauty etc., are prone to exhibit haughtiness in their dealings with others. Shrouded in their own vanity and self-esteem, they become neglectful in their performance of meritorious deeds. Humility plays no part in their make-up. The Blessed One had taught in the Cūḷakammavibhaṅga sutta that such vain-glorious, haughty persons are liable to land up in lowly inferior re-births. On the other hand, unpretentious persons who show humility and pay reverential respects to those deserving of homage will be reborn in noble families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Queen Upari of our story was extremely beautiful and being the chief queen of the ruling monarch was of very high status in life. She had her head turned by these pre-eminent qualities and looked down with contempt on those she should have shown her respects. For such unwholesome attitudes and actions, it may be presumed she was reborn a lowly female cowdung-beetle. On hearing this account of rebirth of his beloved queen as a female beetle, King Assaka promptly rejected it, saying &quot;I don't believe it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hermit replied, &quot;I can show you the female beetle and make her talk too.&quot; The king said, &quot;All right. Please do and make her talk too.&quot; The hermit using his supernatural powers of abhiññā made a vow for both the male and female beetles to make their appearance before the king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the male and female beetles emerged from the heap of cowdung into the presence of the king, the hermit said, &quot;Oh King, the female beetle which is following from behind was your chief queen Upari devi. Having abandoned you, she is now trailing the male cowdung-beetle wherever it goes. Oh King, have a good look at the female beetle who was lately your chief queen Upari.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king refused to believe the hermit. &quot;I can't believe that such an intelligent being as my queen Upari was reborn as this female beetle&quot;, said the king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;True, for those who do not quite believe in the laws of kamma and its resultant effect, who do not understand the principles of conditionality or causal relationship, as explained in Paṭiccasa-muppāda, it would be difficult to accept that a being of the human world should have gone down so low as to become a mere beetle. Even in these days of sāsanā when Buddha's teachings are widely prevalent, there are some people holding the view that &quot;when man dies, he cannot descend into an existence inferior to that of a human being&quot;. So it is not surprising that during the dark ages when Buddha's dispensations were yet unheard of, such stories of incarnation were received with scepticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ven. Tissa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tissa.-An Elder of Sāvatthi. He once received a length of coarse cloth as a gift and handed it to his sister to be made into a robe. She had the cloth pounded and spun into fine yarn and made of it a soft robe-cloth. At first Tissa would not accept it but was prevailed upon to do so and had it made into a soft robe by skilled robe-makers. He died on the night it was finished and, as a result of his fancy for it, was reborn as a louse in the robe. After his death, the monks wished to divide the robe but the louse started shouting. The Buddha, hearing this by his power of divine audience, asked the monks to lay the robe aside for seven days. At the end of that period, the louse was reborn in the Tusita world. DhA.iii.341ff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/t/tissa.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/t/tissa.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T02:29:23.030" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T02:29:23.030" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1515" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:29:58.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Applied thought&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;sustained thought&lt;/code&gt; are not the factors that you &lt;em&gt;recognize&lt;/em&gt;, they are the factors that you &lt;em&gt;generate&lt;/em&gt;. You know when you have them, because you are doing them!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you use &lt;code&gt;applied&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;sustained&lt;/code&gt; thought properly, the factors of &lt;code&gt;joy&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;ease&lt;/code&gt; (what you called rapture and happiness -- the translations I don't find precise) will emerge. These are very easy to recognize, because you will feel joyful and at ease! ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:29:58.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1551" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1573" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:43:06.003" Score="10" ViewCount="7303" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen many ways to address a bhikkhu, and I'm wondering about the proper way to address a bhikkhu, in writing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T01:18:39.360" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:31:27.390" Title="Proper way to address a bhikkhu?" Tags="|theravada|traditions|bhikkhu|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:43:40.970" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, believe in literal rebirth is not necessary, as long as you don't subscribe to the other extreme -- that of complete annihilation at the time of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, Buddha greatly appreciated the concept of rebirth as a practical motivator. He compared fear of unfortunate rebirth with fear of punishment that stops a potential criminal from committing a crime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of my teachers (an ordained Korean Zen master) did not assert literal rebirth, stating instead that rebirth happens every moment. My other teacher explicitly said that rebirth/karma is a metaphor for information carried on from one life to another through natural means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:43:40.970" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1473" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:44:03.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way that I explain it to folks is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Virtues (The Four Immeasurables)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Compassion: The intention and capacity to relieve the suffering of oneself and all other living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Loving Kindness:  The intention and capacity to bring joy and happiness to oneself and all other living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Empathetic Joy: Rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of another living being&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity: Accepting loss or gain, praise or blame, success or failure with detachment.  Regarding all living beings equally. Being clear-minded and tranquil but not dull.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:44:03.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1465" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:56:45.147" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I explain the Four Noble Truths to non-Buddhists is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Life means suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The origin of suffering is attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is possible to end suffering through...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...The Eightfold Path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:56:45.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1536" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:58:32.693" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Dalai Lama (targeting general public), if Buddhist ideals appeal to you, but you are already a member of another religion and worried about compatibility, you can (and should!) stay with your religion. From his perspective, all religions declare the same basic values of compassion etc. and if you practice your religion well, there is no point for you to switch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Chogyam Trungpa however (targeting serious practitioners), there is a fundamental difference between theistic religions and Buddhism. Theistic religions posit a notion of Other Power (God) that you have to appeal to for your salvation. While the nontheistic teaching has practitioner depend on his own power (with Guru's help). From this perspective, the notion of God as an external entity must be transcended before the practitioner can fully reconnect with his/her &lt;em&gt;fundamental sanity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pure Land Buddhism practitioner initially depends on Other Power (Buddha Amitabha), which starts as an external entity, but eventually, through a change of perspective, is identified as one's true nature. So we could say, on advanced stages the notion of external God is transcended there as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:58:32.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1472" CreationDate="2014-06-27T16:59:47.460" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I explain The Path to non-Buddhists is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right View (The Four Noble Truths)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Intention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Renunciation: &#xA;Resistance to desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Goodwill: &#xA;Resistance to anger and aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Harmlessness: &#xA;Compassion, &#xA;Don't think or act cruelly, violently or aggressively&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Speech&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tell the truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't gossip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't use offensive or hurtful language&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Action (The Precepts)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't harm other living beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't take things not freely given&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't engage in sexual misconduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't engage in false speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't abuse drugs or alcohol&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Livelihood&#xA;Don't work in a job that violates The Precepts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Create, preserve and increase healthy states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prevent, eliminate or decrease harmful states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See things clearly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Foundations of Mindfulness&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Be mindful of:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;state of mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;phenomena      &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Concentration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration on healthy thoughts and actions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T16:59:47.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-27T17:12:40.800" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha did preach on tenfold virtue of the ruler but this cannot be taken as endorsement of any particular system of politics though people may try to argue as so which they have freedom to do. So references by later authors should be examined in the context of the scriptures to see if they are accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:12:40.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1523" CreationDate="2014-06-27T17:14:34.733" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, passing through what you called &quot;dark night&quot; is a prerequisite for Enlightenment.&#xA;The term refers to existential crisis experienced around the time of fully realizing Emptiness and the Three Marks of Existence. In Vajrayana tradition this is also referred to as the death of the ego. As Chogyam Trungpa said, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is ego's ultimate disappointment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(On a separate note, I would not blindly believe anything I read on dharmaoverground.org -- that community does not seem to be grounded in genuine teaching.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:14:34.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1541" CreationDate="2014-06-27T17:44:31.083" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are parts of later concepts and cultural development. To understand true Buddhism you have to try to develop understanding in the original Suttas and then put them to practice. This has little relevance to Buddhists than it being part of a cultural significance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Higher understanding will come through your practice. Practice of the Dhamma and self realisation is the main aspect of Buddhism. So it would be best to set aside some of the question you might have for a while and than later revisit them through deeper knowledge you would have gained through meditation. As for the above these are cultural and later theological developments which have not weighting in the core practice and also some what difficult to answer in a definite way. So these kind of questions should be left aside for a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T18:03:13.927" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T18:03:13.927" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2014-06-27T17:45:22.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever identifies that specific monk. That's the purpose of a name. I tend to use only their monastic name or, if they teach, I use 'teacher' in their local idiom. Keep things simple &amp;amp; respectable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for a &quot;proper way&quot;, there are as many answers as there are people, I guess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:45:22.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1518" CreationDate="2014-06-27T17:57:08.080" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also if you stick to the instruction mainly in the Tripitaka most of the Suttas on meditation contain reference to them hence they are important. As the Ven. Sir mentioned the controversy arises due to interpretations in the Visuddhimagga and commentaries. The organisation that you do it through Jhana and or without are also mainly later developments. If I remember right there is only one Sutta where there was any reference of a person getting liberated without gaining psychic abilities (I am not sure if this implies the absence of Jhana) but still the Tripitaka does not give a distinction as two ways to achieve it. This also has led to debate on the relevance of Jhana. If you take the Tripitaka as your source then there is no controversy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T17:57:08.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1562" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1565" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:05:36.390" Score="7" ViewCount="1058" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, and perhaps others, monastics take a new name when becoming bhikkhus/bhikkhunis. Where does this tradition come from, and what is its significance? Others don't - what's the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T00:54:08.017" Title="Why do monastics in certain Buddhist traditions take new names?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|traditions|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1562" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:12:49.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this relates to the fact you are starting a new life when you get ordained. This does not seem to be the case in the Buddha's time but more of a later development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The name changing practice refer here is more perticulaly in referece the practice in Sri Lanka where a monk takes the name of the village or area he is from followed by a new name he would be addressed by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T20:43:09.373" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T20:43:09.373" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1564" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:29:06.957" Score="5" ViewCount="1230" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've found this to be an interesting question with highly respected monastics falling on both sides of the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:55:03.280" LastActivityDate="2020-07-05T04:46:56.713" Title="Is Jhana Required For Awakening?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1562" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:44:05.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of monks getting a Dharma name upon ordination is very old and widespread. (It would be interesting to know the flip side question- is there any Buddhist order than doesn't involve Dharma names? I can't think of one)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article discusses the modern practice in Zen of giving Dharma Names where in he mentioned that this is an Indic tradition that probably pre-dates the historical Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://hardcorezen.info/dharma-names/2733&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://hardcorezen.info/dharma-names/2733&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the renunciates were renunciating family and householding, it is not surprising that they took on a new name, which makes it perfectly clear to the surrounding community that you don't plan to carry on the Jones family name by having kids, you aren't going to take advantage of the hereditary titles that go with the Jones family nor keep the Jones family estate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we're lucky someone familiar with the history of the early vinaya might know more about this, since the practice of Dharma names would have been promoted in the vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-06-27T20:49:23.750" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T20:49:23.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1566" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1567" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:44:30.170" Score="3" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;Uposatha (a.k.a. Poya Day) is the traditional Buddhist observance day. Observances vary but one traditional pattern is to celebrate this day on the lunar calendar on each of four moon events; the new moon, full moon, and quarter moons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those living in traditional Buddhist countries or communities, there may be opportunities to visit a monastery. But how do those in non Buddhist countries celebrate the holiday? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T11:24:23.867" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T11:24:23.867" Title="How is Uposatha practiced in non Buddhist countries?" Tags="|traditions|holidays|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1566" CreationDate="2014-06-27T18:52:37.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Uposatha day is the day when the vinaya is recited. The vinaya is of course the list of all the rules that monastics follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Asia, there are well defined community practices. For example, people go to the local temple that day, or in Mahayana Buddhism, you might fast (i.e. eat vegetarian) that day, or make a stronger effort to follow the five precepts or maybe follow all &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;8 precepts&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out here in the west, not a lot of community practices visible to me. I personally try to make up for it by re-reading my favorite list of rules, the &quot;Brahma Net Sutra&quot; on Uposatha days, which is the same thing that real life east Asian Buddhist monks do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose a lay follower who wants to keep to the spirit of the holiday, but didn't want to read or recite a particular moral code, might do a sort of &quot;Weekly Review&quot; like you see in system of personal productivity, except with a Buddhist theme, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://lifehacker.com/5908816/the-weekly-review-how-one-hour-can-save-you-a-weeks-worth-of-hassle-and-headache&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://lifehacker.com/5908816/the-weekly-review-how-one-hour-can-save-you-a-weeks-worth-of-hassle-and-headache&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T18:52:37.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1564" CreationDate="2014-06-27T19:01:57.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, I think there is a reason why the path is eightfold and not sevenfold. The &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi Canon&lt;/em&gt; is full of encouragements, made by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, to practice &lt;em&gt;jhānas&lt;/em&gt;. It would be stretching the texts a lot to say it isn't necessary. I wouldn't argue over it though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The sage, the withdrawn chief bull,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; who awakened to &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the One of Broad Wisdom has found&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the opening amid confinement.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1318&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.42, Confinement (Sambādha-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/Connected_Discourses_of_the_Buddha(Samyutta_Nikaya).Vol.I.pdf#page=71&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 2.7, Pañcālacaṇḍa (Pañcālacaṇḍa-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'There's no &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; for one with no discernment,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  no discernment for one&#xA;  with no &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  But one with both &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; discernment:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he's on the&#xA;  verge of Unbinding.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.25.than.html#dhp-372&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhp v372&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T21:12:51.617" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T21:12:51.617" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1569" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3996" CreationDate="2014-06-27T20:11:12.280" Score="5" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For the person who transgresses in one thing, I tell you, there is no&#xA;  evil deed that is not to be done. Which one thing? This: telling a&#xA;  deliberate lie.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The person who lies, who transgress in this one thing, transcending&#xA;  concern for the world beyond:     there's no evil     he might not do. — Iti&#xA;  25&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm mainly concerned with the part that says &quot;there is no evil deed that is not to be done&quot;. I kind of agree with this, however, the people to which I've shared this, think it's somewhat exaggerated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it exaggerated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:09:06.473" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:09:06.473" Title="The danger in lying" Tags="|pali-canon|ethics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1569" CreationDate="2014-06-27T21:44:00.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For most of human history your word truely was your bond.. It was everything, and to lie was to put the reputation of your house, your family, and yourself in danger to the point where you became an outcast or worse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days things are different in many ways,  our words are not necessarily connected to our social and physical survival,  but they are still important. When trust is lost it is not so easily gained back. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So do i believe anyone who lies will also kill people and do horrible things?  Most likely not,  but deliberate lieing is a dangerous thing that is unskillful and not beneficial to yourself or others. It puts us back along the path and is to be avoided at all costs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-27T21:44:00.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2014-06-27T21:54:02.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If its Theravada you can never go wrong either just the name &quot; yuttadhammo bhikku&quot; or Bhante. In Thai you can say Ajahn,  a word basically similar to bhante. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally just use Bhante(means teacher) ,  its quick,  easy,  and used from ancient times. In fact i am in email communication with a bhikkhu at the place im going to hopefully ordain,  and i start emails with Bhante. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhante (Pali; Nepali; Burmese: [pronounce-ဘန္ေတ] [write-ဘေႏၲ] Burmese font used - Zawgyi-one font, pronounced: [bàɴtè], Sanskrit: vande and vandanā ) is the polite particle used to refer to Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition. Bhante literally means &quot;Venerable Sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T15:49:21.737" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T15:49:21.737" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2014-06-27T22:28:05.223" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bhante&lt;/strong&gt; is the preferred mode of address if you are addressing the bhikkhu respectfully; note that it is masculine, so for bhikkhunis, &lt;strong&gt;Ayye&lt;/strong&gt; is correct (mostly they use ayya, but I don't think that is technically correct). In English, &lt;strong&gt;Venerable x&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Reverend x&lt;/strong&gt; would also be suitable expressions of respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are addressing them as an equal or as an outsider to the religion, &lt;strong&gt;Venerable x&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Reverend x&lt;/strong&gt; would still be proper, I think, but even &lt;strong&gt;Brother x&lt;/strong&gt; would be okay. In Pali, words like &lt;strong&gt;bho&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;ayasma&lt;/strong&gt; were also used, meaning something like &quot;good sir&quot; or &quot;friend&quot; by those who didn't hold the bhikkhus in any special esteem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In writing, using the nominative endings (e.g. &lt;code&gt;o&lt;/code&gt; for &lt;code&gt;-a&lt;/code&gt; stem names) is not technically correct when addressing the bhikkhu in the second person, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dear Venerable Yuttadhamm&lt;strong&gt;o&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;should really be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dear Venerable Yuttadhamm&lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Thailand this distinction has been pretty much lost, whereas in Burma and Sri Lanka they prefer the &lt;code&gt;a&lt;/code&gt; endings for all references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali, when referring to someone in the third person, you would use the nominative endings, but in the case of corresponding in English, the dictionary stem form is certainly acceptable, as it is with 'buddha', nibbana', etc. Just as we don't say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddh&lt;strong&gt;o&lt;/strong&gt; was staying in Savatthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we really shouldn't be saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Venerable Yuttadhamm&lt;strong&gt;o&lt;/strong&gt; was staying in Florida.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for regional honorifics, e.g. Ajaan (Ajarn, Ajahn) in Thai, Ashin in Burmese, Hamuduruvo in Sinhala, Lakhun in Khmer, etc., I would suggest they only be used by members of the specific ethnic community; I wouldn't think them appropriate for non-members to use to refer to members (e.g. Westerners calling Thai monks Ajaan) unless speaking in the language from which the word comes. In practical usage, however, Ajaan for example has become so widely used by Thai people (even for monks who clearly aren't their or anyone's teacher) that they often insist that non-Thais use it to refer to Thai monks, which of course would be the wise choice when among such people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T10:46:24.043" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T10:46:24.043" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1574" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-27T23:50:14.480" Score="5" ViewCount="461" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, there are a few ways to follow the not-eating-after-noon precept. Here are what I know of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two meals per day + juice/sugar water: breakfast and lunch, juice or sugar water for dinner.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two meals per day: breakfast and lunch, nothing but plain water after noon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One meal per day: lunch only. Plain water only before and after lunch.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a layperson working in an air-conditioned office. In my experience of method 1, I can do with normal amount of breakfast and lunch. But for method 2, sometimes I need more amount of lunch, say 1.5 times of a normal lunch. Never did try method 3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish those who have experience can share their thought on the appropriate amount of food, and also the ways of following it. I believe Buddha had suggested to have moderate amount of food, but how much is considered as moderate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T21:57:50.537" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:50:41.500" Title="How much should one eat when following the not-eating-after-noon precept?" Tags="|food|precept|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1562" CreationDate="2014-06-28T00:44:33.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It’s worth remembering here that general naming practices in different Asian cultures often differ from our own.  In traditional Thailand (before 1935 or so), government officials received a new name when they took up a new rank in the hierarchy, besides the actual rank title.  For example, there is a scholar of Thai culture who is now known as Phraya Anuman Rajadhon (1888-1969).  Phraya was his official title, the rest is the name he took when he received the title.  (His descendants use A-R as their family name.)  Earlier in his life, he had other names:  since his family was Chinese, he was born Li Kuang-jung, and in Thai he was known as Yong Sathienkoset.  When people have multiple names like this, each used in a different context or life phase, another name taken when ordaining would seem perfectly natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also: in Thailand today, parents seeking a name for a new child will often go to a monk for suggestions.  And a person who wants change his or her given name for luck or some other personal reason will also usually consult a monk.  It may be that this is “not Buddhist,” but anyway it’s common practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T00:44:33.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1576" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T02:52:41.550" Score="4" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any beings on earth that are samsedaja (born or arisen from moisture)? Are bacteria samsedaja?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T23:48:27.833" Title="What is the equivalent scientific term for samsedaja? What kind of beings on earth are born from samsedaja?" Tags="|samsara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1579" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1580" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T05:50:42.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1581" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T06:04:57.197" Score="11" ViewCount="2048" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, many Buddhists believe in multiple gods. Doesn't this contradict the idea that the world is governed by the law of karma? Is praying to gods allowed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="314" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T23:16:15.310" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T14:40:02.577" Title="Do Buddhists believe in gods?" Tags="|philosophy|belief|god|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1582" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T07:51:33.220" Score="8" ViewCount="465" Body="&lt;p&gt;When performing the Nine Purification Breaths (I have it from a separate source, but it is close to the one described by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in &lt;em&gt;Healing with Form, Energy, and Light&lt;/em&gt;) the position of the energy channels depends on whether the individual is male or female. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In women the right channel is red and the left is white. In men the right channel is white and the left is red.  The central channel is blue in both men and women.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process first removes obstacles linked with male potencies and then obstacles linked with female potencies, breathing in through the red channel first and out through the white, then in through the white and out through the red.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several people I know identify as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Agender&quot;&gt;agendered&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Genderfluid&quot;&gt;genderfluid&lt;/a&gt;, or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bigender&quot;&gt;bigendered&lt;/a&gt; or otherwise &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Genderqueer&quot;&gt;genderqueer&lt;/a&gt;. I also know several people who are various forms of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex&quot;&gt;intersex&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For these individuals, is there a good way to adapt the practice (along with similar practices)? Alternatively are there adaptations for other practices that might be applicable (such as alternations made for &lt;em&gt;ubhatovyanjañakas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;paṇḍakas&lt;/em&gt;) or good rules of thumb for approaching these issues?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T18:31:27.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T09:28:48.720" Title="Nine Purification Breaths and Channels in Genderqueer and Intersex Individuals" Tags="|gender|bon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1574" CreationDate="2014-06-28T08:00:11.600" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It will depend on the amount of physical work one does, but since you've said you work in an office, I would say one meal a day is enough for maintaining the body healthy if you have no digestive problems. I started having one normal-sized meal per day 2 years ago and I've had no problems. I'd recommend seeing what fits for you by making gradual adjustments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bear in mind that the following quotes are &lt;em&gt;directed at monks&lt;/em&gt; but, depending on one's health &amp;amp; working conditions, laymen are also capable of following the advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And how does a bhikkhu observe moderation in eating? Here, reflecting&#xA;  carefully, a bhikkhu consumes food neither for amusement nor for&#xA;  intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness,&#xA;  but only for the support and maintenance of this body, for avoiding&#xA;  harm, and for assisting the spiritual life, considering: ‘Thus I shall&#xA;  terminate the old feeling and not arouse a new feeling, and I shall be&#xA;  healthy and blameless and dwell at ease.’ It is in this way that a&#xA;  bhikkhu observes moderation in eating.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an4.37&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.37, Non-decline (Aparihāniya-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I eat at a single session. By so doing, I am free from&#xA;  illness and affliction, and I enjoy lightness, strength, and a&#xA;  comfortable abiding. Come, bhikkhus, eat at a single session. By so&#xA;  doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will&#xA;  enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn65&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 65, To Bhaddāli (Bhaddāli-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how, bhikkhus, should the nutriment edible food be seen? Suppose a&#xA;  couple, husband and wife, had taken limited provisions and were&#xA;  traveling through a desert. They have with them their only son, dear&#xA;  and beloved. Then, in the middle of the desert, their limited&#xA;  provisions would be used up and exhausted, while the rest of the&#xA;  desert remains to be crossed. The husband and wife would think: ‘Our&#xA;  limited provisions have been used up and exhausted, while the rest of&#xA;  this desert remains to be crossed. Let us kill our only son, dear and&#xA;  beloved, and prepare dried and spiced meat. By eating our son’s flesh&#xA;  we can cross the rest of this desert. Let not all three of us perish!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then, bhikkhus, the husband and wife would kill their only son, dear&#xA;  and beloved, prepare dried and spiced meat, and by eating their son’s&#xA;  flesh they would cross the rest of the desert. While they are eating&#xA;  their son’s flesh, they would beat their breasts and cry: ‘Where are&#xA;  you, our only son? Where are you, our only son?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What do you think, bhikkhus? Would they eat that food for amusement&#xA;  or for enjoyment or for the sake of physical beauty and&#xA;  attractiveness?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Wouldn’t they eat that food only for the sake of crossing the&#xA;  desert?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that I say the nutriment edible food&#xA;  should be seen. When the nutriment edible food is fully understood,&#xA;  lust for the five cords of sensual pleasure is fully understood. When&#xA;  lust for the five cords of sensual pleasure is fully understood, there&#xA;  is no fetter bound by which a noble disciple might come back again to&#xA;  this world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.63&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.64, Son's Flesh (Puttamaṃsūpama-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T11:40:47.840" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T11:40:47.840" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1584" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1599" CreationDate="2014-06-28T08:51:07.867" Score="15" ViewCount="2522" Body="&lt;p&gt;A claim which is often heard in connection with Buddhism is that it is not a religion. From a scientific point of view, is it a religion, or is it not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T16:16:03.273" LastActivityDate="2017-08-22T01:12:16.893" Title="Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?" Tags="|philosophy|belief|religion|" AnswerCount="16" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1585" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T08:55:15.470" Score="6" ViewCount="1150" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a source which I don't remember any more (some rather scientific book on Buddhist philosophy) I have made a note, that the psyche in Buddhism is seen or can be seen (by certain schools?) as material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To clarify this point for me, I wonder what the general treatment of mind and matter in Buddhism is, whether they are generally seen as two distinct spheres, how they interact, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2021-07-19T13:49:15.997" Title="Dualism of mind and matter in Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2014-06-28T09:42:28.327" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now this answer is about the historical development of Buddhism. In the mid of the last millenium BC there was a general movement in India, the so called &lt;em&gt;Śramaṇa&lt;/em&gt;-movement. Cp. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sramana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sramana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was an ascetic movement whose adherents strove to find liberation from this world and the cycle of rebirths by themselves and aside from the Vedic-brahmanic religion of sacrifice. The first literary witnesses of this movement are certain &lt;em&gt;Upaniṣads&lt;/em&gt;, some of which the Buddha was also taught by the two teachers mentioned in the canon. One of the most important literary witnesses is the &lt;em&gt;Sāmaññaphalasutta&lt;/em&gt; of the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot, actually most of the philosophical base of Buddhism was common sense of this movement. Even such a &quot;totally Buddhist&quot; doctrine as the Pratityasamutpada springs from this common source as can be shown by parallel structures (far less important and far less developed) in the Jaina canon and in the &lt;em&gt;Manu-Bṛhaspati-Saṃvāda&lt;/em&gt; in the Mahabharata epic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to answer the question, apart from the person of the Buddha, there is IMO just one thing which singles out Buddhism as a movement of its own from the common ground of the &lt;em&gt;Śramaṇas&lt;/em&gt; and that is precisely the theory of &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;. Up to the &quot;mahayanic revolution&quot; each and every philosophical development in Buddhism is already foreshadowed by this theory and these developments can quite consistently be seen as a fathoming of the hidden implications of that single tenet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A note on dates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is quite well agreed that the oldest portions of the Vedic Literature are not older than 2000 BC or 1800 BC, rather younger.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first Upanishads date from not before 800 BC, rather starting from around 600 BC&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddhas Parinirvana took place somewhen between 545 BC and 400 BC&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patanjalis Yoga-Sutras cannot reliably be dated, but it is unlikely, he lived before the second century BC&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes Yoga younger than Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, this was for the time, when Buddhism first developed. Until the time, that Buddhism nearly completely vanished from the scene in India, there were of course various influences from and to Buddhism, as has been pointed out in other answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T09:42:28.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-06-28T10:12:39.277" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Disclaimer: Bear in mind this is just a way of seeing things, I have no interest in discussion since it belongs in the chat &amp;amp; this question is very much opinion based. Anyone can argue in which ever way they want and still be supported by references and\or experience.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it have to be one or another? Can't it be both?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me it seems a bit of both and I would also add psychology.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Religion means 'reconnect' and is usually associated with belief, faith &amp;amp; charity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Psychology is the study of mental &amp;amp; behavioral phenomenon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Philosophy means 'love for wisdom' and is usually associated with understanding, reasoning &amp;amp; the intellect.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning stages of the path, it looks more like a religion because trust (or faith), giving (or charity) &amp;amp; virtue (or morality) are emphasized. These are qualities that 'reconnect' people.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further along, it integrates psychology because one makes effort for preventing unwholesome thoughts &amp;amp; developing wholesome ones with the help of mindfulness which then evolves into concentration. These are qualities developed for testing &amp;amp; studying the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further along, philosophy is integrated because, by now, one knows his own mind very well and so understands which causes give rise to distress &amp;amp; which don't. This is where the path culminates by integrating all three with the complete understanding &amp;amp; realization of the four truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T16:43:38.987" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T16:43:38.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1588" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1626" CreationDate="2014-06-28T10:22:57.237" Score="8" ViewCount="479" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even before the Buddha, the wheel of birth and death was a common teaching in India, with the six stages or realms. This is something that has passed down into Buddhism (even today). What did the Buddha add to this traditional teaching, and how does the Buddhist conception of samsara differ from this older teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="15" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T11:03:43.527" Title="How did Buddha's teachings about samsara differ from earlier Indian tradition?" Tags="|history|samsara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1576" CreationDate="2014-06-28T11:15:28.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Conception in moisture-laden media such as moss etc. (sansedaja), represents the coming into existence of some larva etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this view, the larva seems to be seen as an embryonic stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nina Van Gorkom says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Queen Padumavati was conceived in a lotus blossom and Queen Veluvati in the hollow of bamboo plant. Cincamana who slandered the Buddha took rebirth in a tamarind tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3179.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3179.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These allusions are to cases where a human being was born miraculously outside of the womb; somewhat apocryphal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She also says most insects are samsedaja, but that doesn't seem technically correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for bacteria, I'm only going to state as an opinion that given that stem cells are not sentient, I'm not convinced that bacteria are either. There seems to have to be a higher level of organization for sentience to be possible. At any rate, there is no reason to assume that just because something is alive and reproducing that it is also sentient; unless the mind takes hold of the organism, there will be no sentience even in the case of a fertilized egg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T23:48:27.833" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T23:48:27.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-28T11:30:34.967" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists believe in some form of &quot;higher&quot; being; brahmas, devas, etc. It is not an orthodox Buddhist practice to pray to these deities, but people are people. Ordinary Buddhists from most, if not all, traditions, tend to succumb to the allure of prayer and supplication; most monasteries are now called &quot;temples&quot;, monks are often called &quot;priests&quot;, statues of Ganesha and other mythical gods are popular in these places. Some Sri Lankan monasteries actually have dedicated areas for deity worship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can they? Well, Buddhism doesn't demand complete adherence to Buddhist principles. I recently taught meditation at a Catholic college to priests and they seemed to gain benefit from it; one of them is planning on coming to do an intensive meditation course with me. So, the question of whether it is &quot;allowed&quot; doesn't really apply. Deity-worship is not &lt;em&gt;recommended&lt;/em&gt;, since it promotes delusion and dependency, both of which are antithetical to Buddhism practice. Someone who clings to external support, real or imaginary, will not likely take full responsibility for their future, most likely becoming complacent and clinging to positive experiences as divine intervention (and therefore worth clinging to).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it contradict the theory of karma? Yes, and more importantly it goes against observations; praying to gods doesn't produce any observable change except in the mind of the believer. That in and of itself might be reason to promote prayer, since faith can have beneficial, uplifting effects on the mind, if it weren't misplaced and therefore promoting delusion and clinging as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is allowed simply because we don't disallow things (except for monks who have strict rules - a monk who encourages theistic worship should be subject to reprimand, I think), but it is (or should be) discouraged because of its relationship to delusion and clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, to show how tolerant the Buddha was, in the Ratana Sutta he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O beings, listen closely. May you all radiate loving-kindness to those human beings who, by day and night, bring offerings to you. Wherefore, protect them with diligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T23:25:59.230" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T23:25:59.230" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1591" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T14:51:27.877" Score="7" ViewCount="1314" Body="&lt;p&gt;Certain Buddhist schools perform rituals to offer food to hungry ghosts. And I've heard and read stories that psychic mediums at the rituals saw hungry ghosts came eating the food. Some also reported that they saw Buddha and Bodhisattas accompany the hungry ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really wonder and would like to know if Theravada believes in these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T19:02:13.513" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T07:01:48.523" Title="Does Theravada believe in feeding food to hungry ghosts?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1592" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T15:09:41.870" Score="12" ViewCount="2436" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any definition for 'Mara' in Buddhism? Islam has a concept called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_%28Islam%29&quot;&gt;Shayṭān&lt;/a&gt;. They explain it as the devil inside a human (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhIeLXrwGGQ#t=493&quot;&gt;Islam explanation&lt;/a&gt;). There is something like this in Christianity too. Does Mara represent the bad side of humans or is Mara understood differently in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T17:18:23.423" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T11:05:36.783" Title="What/Who is 'Mara' in Buddhism?" Tags="|belief|evil|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-28T15:41:16.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think 'Shradda' can be easily misunderstood by many people. As an example, I think it is the belief you acquire by understanding something. As an example, if you understand Newton's first law, you start believing it. That is the shardda on Newton's first law. I believe you need to have a very 'CLEAR MIND' when you start to learn a Buddhist theory. Thus,  you will understand and start believing it. That is the right way of acquiring 'Shradda'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="176" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T20:03:55.663" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T20:03:55.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:11:00.443" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;(Vajrayana) Buddhism is an non-theistic teaching. All deities, yidams etc. are understood to be expressions of one's own nature, one's own mind. At the same time, it is clearly understood that &quot;one's own&quot; mind is not really &quot;one's own&quot; -- because there is no such independent entity as &quot;I&quot;, the mind does not have boundaries between outer and inner. From this perspective the energies, deities and other inhabitants of the noosphere can indeed be considered &quot;independent&quot; agents (subject to caveat of universal Emptiness). As part of working on a tantra, practitioner interacts and communicates with the deities, participates in rituals etc. that may look like deity worship but are in fact psychoenergetic exercises. When involved in tantra though, we must clearly see that all these experiences are 100% real, otherwise they will not produce the intended effect on the mind. Because reality is an interpretation we make, being able to sincerely switch between alternative interpretations (materialistic, phenomenological, energy-centric, animalistic) is an important skill to be acquired towards complete mastery of the mind-made reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T16:11:00.443" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1591" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:11:17.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, this tradition exists (existed?) among the Therevada as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Petavatthu is a Theravada Buddhist scripture, .... It is composed&#xA;  of 51 verse narratives describing specifically how the effects of bad&#xA;  acts can lead to rebirth into the unhappy world of petas (ghosts) in&#xA;  the doctrine of karma.[1] It gives prominence to the doctrine that&#xA;  giving alms to monks may benefit the ghosts of one's relatives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They stand outside our dwellings, at our windows, at the corners of our&#xA;  streets; they stand at our doors, revisiting their old homes. When&#xA;  abundant food and drink is set before them, by reason of the past sins&#xA;  of these departed ones, their friends on earth remember them not. Yet&#xA;  do such of their kinsmen as are merciful bestow upon them at due&#xA;  seasons food and drink, pure, sweet and suitable. Let this be done for&#xA;  your departed friends, let them be satisfied. Then, gathering together&#xA;  here, the assembled spirits of out kinsmen rejoice greatly in a&#xA;  plentiful repast. “Long,” they say, “may our kinsmen live through whom&#xA;  we have received these things: to us offerings are made and the givers&#xA;  are not without reward” for in the land of the dead there is no&#xA;  husbandry, no keeping of flocks, no commerce ad with us, no&#xA;  trafficking for gold: the departed live in that world by what they&#xA;  receive in this.  As water fallen upon a height descends into the&#xA;  valley, so surely do alms bestowed by men benefit the dead. As the&#xA;  brimming rivers fill the ocean, so do alms bestowed by men benefit the&#xA;  dead. Let a man consider thus—” Such a one gave me this gift, such a&#xA;  one wrought me this good deed; they were my kinsmen, my friends, my&#xA;  associates.” &lt;strong&gt;Then let him give alms to the dead, mindful of past&#xA;  benefits.&lt;/strong&gt; For weeping and sorrow and all manner of lamentation are of&#xA;  no avail, if their relatives stand thus sorrowing it benefits not the&#xA;  dead. But this charity bestowed by you, well secured in the&#xA;  priesthood, if it long bless the dead, then does it benefit them&#xA;  indeed. And the fulfillment of this duty to relatives to the dead is a&#xA;  great service rendered, to the priests a great strength given, by you&#xA;  no small merit acquired (Petavatthu, Khuddaka pátha XII-XIII, trans.&#xA;  R.C. Childers)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://esoterx.com/2013/03/20/hungry-ghosts-the-diet-of-the-dead-among-the-grigori-preta-yidak-gaki-and-egui/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://esoterx.com/2013/03/20/hungry-ghosts-the-diet-of-the-dead-among-the-grigori-preta-yidak-gaki-and-egui/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T18:14:28.610" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T18:14:28.610" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1597" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12850" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:14:49.800" Score="6" ViewCount="1877" Body="&lt;p&gt;Repentence is often mentioned in Mahayana texts. Outside of my knowledge of the meaning of the English word, which is colored by Christian concerns, I'm not sure what's involved. What is done during repentance? Is it just a matter of feeling sorry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorDisplayName="user611" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T09:15:42.310" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T16:51:37.673" Title="How do you repent in Chinese Buddhism?" Tags="|chinese-buddhism|repentance|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:30:37.897" Score="26" Body="&lt;p&gt;It really depends which definition of religion you go for. For instance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human recognition of superhuman controlling power and particularly of&#xA;a personal God [..]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oxford English Dictionary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism is not a religion based on this definition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any specific system belief or worship, often involving a code of&#xA;ethics and a philosophy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Websters New World Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism is a religion based on this definition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Both quotes are taken from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-World-Until-Yesterday-Traditional/dp/0141024488&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jared Diamond's the world until yesterday&lt;/a&gt; pp 327)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism certainly is in a grey area with definitions. But then so are other philosophies/religions. Confucianism was considered a religion a few decades ago whereas now it is definitely seen as a philosophy (Jared Diamond again). &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shintoism&lt;/a&gt; is simliar in the grey area. Going further back then &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicureanism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Epicurianism&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stoicism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoplatonism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Neoplatonism&lt;/a&gt; all have something about the religious to them but are always (in my reading) spoken about as philosophies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would contend that the philosophy/religion divide is a continuum and owes something to the prevailing cultural climate. Nobody would say &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Marxism&lt;/a&gt; is a religion but there is certainly a religious attitude (controversial final point!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Footnote&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well not quite the final point. Again Jared Diamond - he has 16 definitions for religion on pp 327 of World until Yesterday. It's an interesting exercise to go through them all and see if Buddhism fit's into each definition. It varies quite a bit. For instance just to give one more&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Durkheim&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Émile_Durkheim&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to&#xA;sacred things, i.e., things set apart and forbidden--beliefs and&#xA;practices which unite in one single moral community called a Church,&#xA;all those who adhere to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well maybe, maybe not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T10:41:56.233" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:33:38.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All religions have their philosophies (as metaphysics), so Buddhism is not an exception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Views are sometimes divided into &lt;em&gt;naive, religious&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;philosophy&lt;/em&gt;. Where philosophy is  &lt;em&gt;scientific&lt;/em&gt;, as opposed to the other two. In that sense, Buddhism is not strictly philosophy because it is not opposed to &lt;em&gt;religion&lt;/em&gt;. On the other hand, for ancient people religion was science, and even more for ancient India where &lt;em&gt;pandita&lt;/em&gt; was synonym for scholar. Thus, in that sense Buddhism is science and &lt;em&gt;includes&lt;/em&gt; philosophy, ethics, soteriology, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, basically, this question is about splitting intersecting notions. They may be &lt;em&gt;equated&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;distincted&lt;/em&gt; by different criteria, depending on context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T12:08:31.603" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T12:08:31.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1592" CreationDate="2014-06-28T16:55:26.037" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mara is seen as a tempter in some Buddhist texts perhaps personifying cravings and hindrances on the path. Perhaps I'll just highlight two references to Mara I am familiar with that point to this &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Enlightenment of the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the Buddha's enlightenment Mara came to question, tempt and generally shake Siddhartha's (soon to be Buddha) confidence - sending women, firing missiles etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally he questioned Siddhartha's right to site on the spot under the Bodhi tree. The Buddha touch the earth as his witness and authority to sit there - put a bit more poetically &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/eightauspicioussymbols/a/earthwitness.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mara challenged Siddhartha--who will speak for you? Then Siddhartha&#xA;  reached out his right hand to touch the earth, and the earth itself&#xA;  roared, &quot;I bear you witness!&quot; Mara disappeared&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the Buddha is often seen touching the earth in pictures, rupas etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Dhammapada&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reference that points to Mara being more of a tempter rather than anything more comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.04.budd.html&quot;&gt;flowers verses&lt;/a&gt; int the Dhammapada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;. Realizing that this body is like froth, penetrating its mirage-like&#xA;  nature, and plucking out Mara's flower-tipped arrows of sensuality, go&#xA;  beyond sight of the King of Death!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is notable (and evocative) that Mara is described as having flower tipped arrows. They are temptations that fly at you - more remeniscant of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid&quot;&gt;Cupid&lt;/a&gt; to my reading here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So generally though I would hesitate to conflate Mara with evil (as in Satan) but maybe as own own internal obstacles and a personification of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T17:02:48.720" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T17:02:48.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-06-28T17:04:45.147" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've struggled with this question myself. My opinion is that the problem stems from the fact that the notions of religion and philosophy are purely Western concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Religion, for instance, is term which originated in the Roman Empire, and was used by state powers to legitimize practices such as Judaism and later Christianity (Islam had not developed at the time). Conversely, other practices (e.g. pagan practices, animistic belief systems) lacked such endorsement and were legally open to persecution. In a way, the word &quot;religion&quot; can be seen as the particular superstition which is endorsed by the state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_the_Roman_Empire#Jews_in_Rome_and_Romans_in_Jerusalem&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Julius Caesar formulated a policy of allowing Jews to follow their&#xA;  traditional religious practices,a policy which was followed, and&#xA;  extended, by Augustus, first emperor of Rome, reigned 27 BC - 14 AD.&#xA;  This gave Judaism the status of a &lt;em&gt;religio licita&lt;/em&gt; (permitted religion)&#xA;  throughout the Empire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be interesting to see a similar treatment with the word Philosophy, but I'm not informed on that topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, I'm in agreement with CrabBucket that Buddhism is in a gray area. Buddhism has a strong resemblance to both religion and philosophy, with elements of both, but not adhering strictly to either one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, in modern times people use the word &quot;religion&quot; in the sense of world religions. In this case, the word describes practices that are similar, but which do not share essential qualities that somehow make them religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T17:04:45.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1585" CreationDate="2014-06-28T17:13:42.687" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha of Pali Canon held an evidently pragmatic position, never explicitly defining his view as idealistic or materialistic. He does speak of &quot;this body&quot; as &quot;composed of the four properties, born of mother &amp;amp; father, fed on rice &amp;amp; porridge, subject to inconstancy&quot;. He also speaks of consciousness as &quot;dependent on body&quot; and therefore impermanent, something a non-returner has fully realized. At the same time, for what looks like soteriological purposes, Buddha takes a fully phenomenological stance, speaking about &lt;em&gt;skandhas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dhammas&lt;/em&gt; as constituting &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; of the (phenomenal) world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After Buddha's death, this phenomenological perspective was a subject of abuse (IMHO) by generations of Abhidharmists indulging their analytical instincts. Their unchecked tendency to reify dharmas (assigning them the status of substantially existing) has led to emergence of Prajna-Paramita movement, the main point of which was assertion of philosophical relativism as fundamental principle underlying cognition. From this perspective, primacy of mind or matter is a matter of choosing a point of reference and has nothing to do with ontological state of affairs, which by its very nature is ineffable and is not subject to assertions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, it looks to me like most Buddhist schools deny substantial dualism and either assert primacy of mind (Yogacara) or philosophical relativism (most of the rest of Mahayana). Theravada is a special case, torn between pragmatism and idealism, because it historically sees itself as results-oriented and not metaphysics-oriented, and at the same time carries on the legacy of Abhidharmic phenomenology. Vajrayana, being ultra-pragmatic liberation methodology, does not concern itself with such mundane affairs as mind/matter interaction, but we can say its position remains an extension of general Mahayana nondualism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of this sedimentary layer of orthodox doctrines, lies a huge ocean of skilfull means, folk beliefs, and anecdotes, most of them implying naive dualism of crude matter and some kind of soul/mind substance, a perspective sharply criticised by many prominent teachers. For one example of the latter, see Dogen's &quot;Soku Shin Ze Butsu&quot; (Mind Here and Now Is Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T18:46:22.517" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T18:46:22.517" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1597" CreationDate="2014-06-28T17:14:26.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Platform sutra&lt;/em&gt; describes 'non-symbolic repentance' as including &lt;em&gt;sincere promise&lt;/em&gt; to never repeat faults in the future, and &lt;em&gt;acknowledgement&lt;/em&gt; of our past faults, that are caused by defilements of mind (ignorance, pride, and envy), which we decide to clean off our thoughts for good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T17:14:26.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1562" CreationDate="2014-06-28T17:18:05.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhists&lt;/a&gt;. For us the renaming of a person symbolises &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/spiritual-death&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;spiritual death&lt;/a&gt; e.g the passing away from an old life/way of existence. Fortunately this is followed by &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/spiritual-rebirth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;spiritual rebirth&lt;/a&gt; or it would be all a bit bleak.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full process (system of meditation) is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Integration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Positive Emotion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spiritual Death (new name)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spiritual Rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just responding to @MatthewMartin. Though it isn't a Buddhist order as such - the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation Society&lt;/a&gt; doesn't rename as far as I'm aware. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jackkornfield.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; is still Jack Kornfield irrespective of his commitment and progress on the path (both formidable I'm sure)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T17:18:05.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1606" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1610" CreationDate="2014-06-28T18:00:54.900" Score="5" ViewCount="268" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently heard the term Vajrasattva and wondered if that is another term for a Bodhisattva?  How does the Vajrasattva path differ from the path of a Bodhisattva? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T18:56:30.367" Title="What is a Vajrasattva?" Tags="|vajrayana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1607" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T18:17:48.493" Score="6" ViewCount="493" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should western practitioners approach the sutras? What are the most important sutras from the main Buddhist traditions for westerners to study? When studying the sutras should that be considered a form of meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T18:56:59.277" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T18:56:59.277" Title="Sutras in Western Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vajrayana|sutras|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1541" CreationDate="2014-06-28T18:46:44.983" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, I did my own research and here is what I've come up with so far. Interestingly, the artist is making a reference to this Pali suttra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water,&#xA;  and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from&#xA;  the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east.&#xA;  A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would&#xA;  push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would&#xA;  come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you&#xA;  think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every&#xA;  one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle,&#xA;  coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his&#xA;  neck into the yoke with a single hole.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state.&#xA;  It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy &amp;amp; rightly&#xA;  self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence&#xA;  that a doctrine &amp;amp; discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the&#xA;  world. Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy &amp;amp;&#xA;  rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine &amp;amp;&#xA;  discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore your duty is the contemplation: 'This is stress...This is&#xA;  the origination of stress...This is the cessation of stress...This is&#xA;  the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://uwf.edu/wmikulas/webpage/leaves/website/canon/samyutta/sn56-48.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://uwf.edu/wmikulas/webpage/leaves/website/canon/samyutta/sn56-48.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Bodhisattvas and Buddhas are often described as riding a particular animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samantabhadra is explicitly described as riding an elephant in his sutra. Samantabhadra's elephant appears to be another awe inspiring flourish. (At least from my reading of the excerpt of Samantabhadra Meditation Sūtra in Wikipedia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia says of Manjusri and his lion: &quot;Mañjuśrī is often depicted as riding on a blue lion, or sitting on the skin of a lion. This represents the use of wisdom to tame the mind, which is compared to riding or subduing a ferocious lion.&quot; Wikipedia doesn't explain why the lions, but elsewhere it's suggested that lions were sort a family symbol of the Sakyas, or it's just a reference to the pali sutra about &quot;The lions Roar&quot;, ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel390.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel390.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakyasimha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakyasimha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-02-01T16:06:47.103" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T16:06:47.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1606" CreationDate="2014-06-28T18:56:30.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrasattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vajrasattva&lt;/a&gt; is a specific bodhisattva, not another word for &quot;bodhisattva.&quot; In esoteric traditions Vajrasattva is invoked as a counter measure to unwholesome actions. Esoteric traditions, and Tibetan traditions in particular, have elaborate explanations for the mechanics of karma+vipaka, and Vajrasattva is used as one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_powers&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;opponent powers&lt;/a&gt; of confessing misdeeds. The general idea is that strong enough opposition to harmful deeds performed can circumvent the ripening of &quot;bad karma&quot; and prevent the formation of harmful habits and lower rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T18:56:30.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1592" CreationDate="2014-06-28T19:31:43.967" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 5 kinds of Maras in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khandha Māra - The five aggregates of clinging&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kilesa Māra - The defilements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abhisankhāra Māra - The Karmic force&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maccu Māra - The death itself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Devaputta Māra - The god Mara who leads a faction in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paranimmita-Vasavatti&lt;/a&gt; heaven.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T11:05:36.783" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T11:05:36.783" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-28T19:39:09.140" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Multiple gods are just living beings, and &lt;em&gt;god&lt;/em&gt; (or &lt;em&gt;deva&lt;/em&gt;) is type of &lt;em&gt;good birth&lt;/em&gt;. So, believing gods is easy—it is just more fortunate world, or life form, than ours. • It does not contradict idea of &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; because beings rebirth as gods because of their own wholesome deeds. • Praying to gods is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; forbidden as general act, but this is not Buddhist practice. Even though this is not Buddhist practice this does not necessarily contradict the Dharma, it would hugely depend on practitioner attitude and views. But if you pray for &lt;em&gt;salvation&lt;/em&gt; or to &lt;em&gt;clean sins&lt;/em&gt; this would contradict with &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T19:39:09.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-28T20:02:00.597" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Quick First Read&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/What%20the%20Buddha%20Taught_Rahula.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt; by Walpola Rahula&lt;/em&gt; &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodquestiongoodanswer.net/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Good Question, Good Answer&lt;/a&gt; by S. Dhammika&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introductions to the Early Texts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomexperience.org/product/buddhas-words/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Life-of-the-Buddha-The--PDF-eBook_p_1412.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Life of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; by Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bd_students.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-Dhamma for University Students&lt;/a&gt; by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Comprehensive Introductions to All Traditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/The%20Foundations%20of%20Buddhism_Gethin_1998.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Foundations of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Rupert Gethin&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/The%20Buddhist%20Religion%20A%20Historical%20Introduction_%20Robinson.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction&lt;/a&gt; by Richard H. Robinson&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://b-ok.cc/dl/2064435/a430ef&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices&lt;/a&gt; by Peter Harvey&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2019-08-16T15:57:59.513" LastActivityDate="2019-08-16T15:57:59.513" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1569" CreationDate="2014-06-28T20:28:30.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lie is directly supporting &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;. And an ignorance is directly supporting all defilements (it's present in all of them), which directly supporting all type of evil deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's usual that weight of deeds is greatly misperceived by common people in compare to Buddha. Mental deeds are most important in consequences. And deliberate lie, &lt;em&gt;probably&lt;/em&gt;, does most damage to a mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's said that Bodhisatta in previous lives could do all evil, except lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In certain cases a Bodhisatta may destroy life, take what is not given&#xA;  him, commit adultery, drink strong drink, but he may not tell a lie,&#xA;  attended by deception that violates the reality of things.&#xA;  (Harita-jataka, JA 431).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T20:28:30.303" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1607" CreationDate="2014-06-28T20:57:43.477" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhists&lt;/a&gt; which is an explicit attempt to bring Buddhism into the Western context. It is ecumenical so brings in all traditions so for me this question is very interesting. For us the sutras that are particularly studied are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pali Canon&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Middle Length Discourses generally but more specifically from the pali canon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Udana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Diamond Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Light_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Golden Light Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Guide_to_the_Bodhisattva%27s_Way_Of_Life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0140193502&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Life of Milarepa&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list isn't exhaustive by any means but I think represents the ones that are referenced most frequently. However a lot of others come up particularly from the Pali Canon such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gotami Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and even outside of Buddhism altogether such as the poetry of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rumi.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rumi&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T20:16:45.690" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T20:16:45.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-06-28T21:00:36.360" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answer is greatly depend on what &lt;em&gt;communism&lt;/em&gt; is. There is many opinions on communism, and in the course of history it have appropriated many unfortunate misconceptions (like vulgar atheism and dialectical materialism). I would define &lt;em&gt;communism&lt;/em&gt; as &lt;em&gt;idea of scientifically improving humanity&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;society&lt;/em&gt; as a whole and each &lt;em&gt;person&lt;/em&gt; in particular). This most &lt;em&gt;general&lt;/em&gt; idea does not contradict with Buddhism. Improving society is barely touched in Buddhism, but improving persons is. Alas, actual communist traditions have accepted ideas that really contradict Buddhism. For example, Leninism state that 'everything that is good for working class &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; moral'. That is directly contradictory to Buddhist discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, curious quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/im-a-marxist-says-dalai-lama-but-agrees-capitalism-has-helped-china/story-e6frfku0-1225869459169&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Still I am a Marxist,&quot; the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader said in New&#xA;  York, where he arrived today with an entourage of robed monks and a&#xA;  heavy security detail to give a series of paid public lectures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;(Marxism has) moral ethics, whereas capitalism is only how to make&#xA;  profits,&quot; the Dalai Lama, 74, said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Midway through the conversation, His Holiness, much to their surprise,&#xA;  told them &quot;as far as socio-political beliefs are concerned, I consider&#xA;  myself a Marxist ... But not a Leninist,&quot; he clarified. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one student asked if this didn't contradict the Dalai Lama's&#xA;  philosophy, he replied: &quot;Marx was not against religion or religious&#xA;  philosophy per se but against religious institutions that were allied,&#xA;  during Marx's time, with the European ruling class.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T21:00:36.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2014-06-28T21:15:40.120" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The role of belief is that you should be believe in the practice enough to give it a fair trial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not believe in the technique to at least some extent you will not practice it seriously to get results. Or even try it out at least. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you see the results your faith in the technique is re enforced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the belief should be resultant of seeing the results for your self and not out of blind faith. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is faith should be balanced with wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T05:41:39.533" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T05:41:39.533" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1591" CreationDate="2014-06-28T21:37:52.323" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada tradition believe in the transferring of merit to the deceased in case they are in need of merit. If born in a relm where you can sence and rejoice in the meritorious deeds performed you can gain merit. This does not imply that these beings are fed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Ancient India and Sri Lankan practice in doing leaving food for the Petas but this doesn't relate much to Buddhism. Ratana Sutta does mention harantia balin. So the Buddha did not reject it but I don't think this should be taken as an endorsement also by the Buddha. Hence this practice is outside Buddhism where Buddhism don't accept or reject the social practice at that time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-06-28T21:43:19.997" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T21:43:19.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1607" CreationDate="2014-06-28T22:15:10.173" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the question is broad my answer is opinionated towards the Theravada tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main aspect of Buddhism is that your practice should cover the 8 fold path (which is part of Bodhipakkhiyādhammā). Out of which a major part is meditation but ethics / morality is important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your choice of study ideally should cover the Bodhipakkhiyādhammā, Dependent Origination, and 4 Noble Truths. You should pick a set of Suttas covering these areas which suits your temperament. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T22:15:10.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-06-28T22:30:34.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Above recommended books are very good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can compliment the above list by adding books by Thanisaro Bikku who has done some good translations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main thing is to always cross check with the source as the Venerable Sir points out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T22:30:34.713" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1621" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-28T22:44:47.217" Score="8" ViewCount="808" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said, Buddhist missionaries made it to Alexandria Egypt and else where in the Mediterranean circa 200 BCE.   Have any scholars and/or archeologists found any evidence of Buddhism being practiced in the Eastern Mediterranean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:49:18.373" Title="Buddhism in the Middle East" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1588" CreationDate="2014-06-28T22:45:19.657" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;One main distinction is that Buddha pointed out that the Devas and Brahma has a finite life where at that time some were aiming to be born in these relms believing that these planes are eternal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another main distinction is that many believed in a eternal soul which is transmitted on death. Buddha rejected the existence of an everlasting soul travelling through Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T22:45:19.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1569" CreationDate="2014-06-28T22:45:47.807" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my current teacher, good character is an important prerequisite for Enlightenment. Key qualities of good character are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Honesty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Integrity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Responsibility&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Responsibility depends on Integrity. Integrity depends on Honesty. If there is no Honesty, there is no Integrity. The person without Integrity can do anything if it is in their interest, they can't be trusted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who tells lies &lt;em&gt;deliberately&lt;/em&gt; has a corrupted value system. If they went as far as to warp reality to cover up their fault or to advance their case, there is no guarantee whatsoever as to what they may do under pressure. Hence &quot;there is no evil deed that is not to be done&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-28T22:45:47.807" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1562" CreationDate="2014-06-29T00:54:08.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In India, during the time of the Buddha, the vast majority of monks and nuns didn't change their names. Notable exceptions are &lt;strong&gt;Sariputta&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Moggallana&lt;/strong&gt;, whose original names were &quot;Upatissa&quot; and &quot;Kolita&quot; respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not clear why the Buddha chose to call Upatissa by the fact that he was the son (putta) of Sari, or Kolita by the name of his village. The Mahavagga calls them by these names before they met the Buddha, so it may have been that they took these names earlier. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other examples that may also have been acquired earlier are Kundala-Kesi, Bakkula, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cases of adding a descriptive to the name are common, e.g. Kumara Kassapa, Lakuṇṭaka-bhaddiya, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One case stands out, that of Angulimala, who actually had his name changed by the king:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the king's fear, his terror, his hair-standing-on-end subsided. He went over to Ven. Angulimala and said, &quot;Are you really Angulimala, lord?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, great king.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is your father's clan? What is your mother's clan?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;My father is a Gagga, great king, and my mother a Mantani.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then may Master Gagga Mantaniputta delight [in staying here]. I will be responsible for your robes, almsfood, lodgings, &amp;amp; medicinal requisites for curing illness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from all this, the biggest reason for later name changes is simply because names in other languages don't work for the Pali recitation required for ordination, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ayaṃ Noaho āyasmato Tongassa upasampadāpekkho&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;doesn't really work, so giving monks Pali names is considered appropriate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ayaṃ yuttadhammo āyasmato sirimaṅgalassa upasampadāpekkho&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that early on there was a tradition of naming monks after arahant disciples of the Buddha, so we get various Moggallanas and Sariputtas throughout the ages. In modern times, there seems to be some greater variation in the practice, and choosing a name for a monk has taken on significance that pretty clearly wasn't there in the time of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My name, for example, is chosen because I was born on a Wednesday - in fact, I was given the wrong name, because one monk thought that me being born in the morning in Canada meant that he should give me a Wednesday night name (it having been night in Thailand when I was born). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What's in a name? That which we call a rose&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;By any other name would smell as sweet;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Retain that dear perfection which he owes&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Without that title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T00:54:08.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1625" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T01:43:00.390" Score="6" ViewCount="817" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1430/135&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; answer points out that Karma is not something which is accumulated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence considering karma as just cause &amp;amp; effect, if I undergo suffering now, like disease, disability, etc, will my future births be better since the cause has yielded a result and that cause is exhausted and will not influence my future births any more. So more suffering I undergo now, more causes I am exhausting ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T06:19:43.020" Title="If I undergo suffering now, will my next birth be better?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1588" CreationDate="2014-06-29T01:47:16.547" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I’m not sure what you mean by six stages here.  Actually, it seems that the rebirth/samsara concept was not that old when Buddhism came on the scene.  Gananath Obeyesekere is an anthropologist who wrote a book about rebirth across a range of cultures.  He begins by trying to situate the Buddhist idea of ethical rebirth in the history of Indian religion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will begin with Hinduism and the problem of origins.  The association between karma and rebirth is not at all clear in the earliest texts and discourses on Indic religions.  There are &lt;strong&gt;virtually no references to rebirth&lt;/strong&gt; or to an ethical notion of karma in the &lt;em&gt;Vedas&lt;/em&gt; or in the &lt;em&gt;BrāhmaNas&lt;/em&gt;, the oldest texts belonging to the Hindu tradition.  The first significant references appear in an early Upanishad, the &lt;em&gt;BRhadāraNyaka UpaniSad&lt;/em&gt;, probably composed sometime before the sixth century BCE, followed by the &lt;em&gt;Chāndogya&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;KauSītaki&lt;/em&gt;.  A hundred years or more later these theories appear in full bloom in the so-called heterodox religions – particularly in Buddhism and Jainism – that have karma and rebirth at the center of their escatological thinking.  Soon afterward these ideas surface in mainstream Hinduism itself and become an intrinsic part of the eschatological premises of virtually all Indic religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma in the Vedas and karma in Buddhism are different:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word karma, which etymologically means “action,” has the meaning of “ritual action” in Vedic (pre-Buddhist and pre-Upanishadic) thought, where it is &lt;strong&gt;neither fundamentally ethical nor related to rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;.  By contrast, in Buddhism &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; refers to intentional ethical action that determines the nature and place of rebirth, and this definition of &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; has influenced the many Hinduisms that came after.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;The Wonder that was India&lt;/em&gt;, A. L. Basham writes about “transmigration” as a new development in Indic religion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Āryan culture pressed further down the Ganges it absorbed new ideas about the after-life.  In the Rg Veda the fate of the dead seems to have been finally decided when they died – they went either to the “World of the Fathers” or to the “House of Clay”, where they remained indefinitely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basham cites the same Upanishad text as Obesekere as the first appearance of the rebirth doctrine, but in a “primitive” form.  In this text, he points out,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;this doctrine [...] is put forward as a rare and new one, and was not universally held at the time of the composition of the UpaniSad.  Even in the days of the Buddha, transmigration may not have been believed in by everyone, but it seems to have gained ground very rapidly in the 7th and 6th centuries BC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s impossible for us to know if the rebirth concept came from some other tradition within India, since no texts have survived.  Anyway, it seems to have been “in the air” during the Buddha’s lifetime.  Probably the intellectual appeal of the concept, the justification it gives to ethical behavior, helped Buddhism spread and establish itself.  Also, the whole point of Obeyesekere’s book is that this idea is not unique to India – you also find it in Native American cultures, for instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sources (bold text is my emphasis):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gananath Obesekere, &lt;em&gt;Imagining Karma:  Ethical Transformation in Amerindian, Buddhist and Greek Rebirth&lt;/em&gt; (U. of California Press, 2002), pp. 1-2.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A.L. Basham, &lt;em&gt;The Wonder that was India&lt;/em&gt;, (Rupa 3rd ed., 1967), p. 242.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastEditorUserId="64" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T01:54:47.693" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T01:54:47.693" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1627" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1682" CreationDate="2014-06-29T01:50:24.970" Score="3" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, I'm well familiar with the regular Bodhisattva vows from the Brahma Net Sutra. That set of vows is open to both lay and monastic followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just found another set on Dharma Realm Buddhist Young Adults and I can't figure out where they come from (which sutra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full text linked below. It has 6 major and 28 minor precepts. It has precepts like, 21st-- pay your taxes and 27th-- don't raise silk worms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a modern set of precepts or does it have a older origin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.drby.net/attachments/035_The%20Bodhisattva%20Precepts%20for%20Laypeople%20-%20English.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.drby.net/attachments/035_The%20Bodhisattva%20Precepts%20for%20Laypeople%20-%20English.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Above PDF came from this link: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.drby.net/index.php/Events/Lay-Bodhisattva-Precepts-Transmission.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.drby.net/index.php/Events/Lay-Bodhisattva-Precepts-Transmission.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T17:45:33.360" Title="What is the source of these &quot;Lay Bodhisattva Vows&quot;?" Tags="|chinese-buddhism|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1628" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T01:59:31.513" Score="12" ViewCount="2200" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm often interested in the history of Buddhist texts and, being a Theravadan, I'm not very familiar with the Mahayana texts. Please help to educate me in this manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-07-10T13:09:16.363" LastActivityDate="2018-07-10T13:09:16.363" Title="What is the oldest text/sutra of the Mahayana tradition?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|history|texts|canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1629" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T02:22:01.040" Score="14" ViewCount="13006" Body="&lt;p&gt;Questions in the title. What is the significance of this term and how it is used by the Buddha in the suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:32:31.543" LastActivityDate="2023-06-06T03:09:34.967" Title="Why does the Buddha call himself the Tathāgata?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2014-06-29T02:36:18.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If an individual is suffering because they are overcoming the five hindrances than probably. If a person is suffering because they are indulging in the five hindrances than probably not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I eat a big plate of my favorite food every night I will suffer from it because there will be times when I am not eating it, there are times I will feel sick from too much of it and many other ills associated with the indulgence. This suffering (unless it leads to the eventual cessation of desire in regards to this food) will not help my future births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am addicted to eating my favorite food every night and I realize how foolish it is to indulge in it, and I decided to stop, I will suffer during the process of overcoming this attachment. This suffering will help my future births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards to OP's comment: A person who recently got a disease would not have any more inherent suffering in their life than someone who did not have a disease given that they are clear of the hindrances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering is compounded when the individual desires feeling good and healthy (sensory desire), or is worried about death or further illness (worry), or is angry that they are sick when someone else they know deserves it more (ill-will), etc, etc.... That type of suffering, the same as in the example regarding food, will not help; overcoming attachments to these hindrances can incur a lot of suffering (I am not my good health, I am not worried about &quot;death&quot;, no one deserves anything, etc, etc...; respectively) and that suffering can help future rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T06:40:36.690" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T06:40:36.690" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1628" CreationDate="2014-06-29T02:44:17.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's quite a broad question, I certainly can't give it justice, but here are some starter points while we wait for better answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana Texts are preserved either via the Chinese Canon or the Tibetan Canon and certain of them were probably written outside of India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These text were not memorized, these almost certainly were composed-- they are just too long to have been memorized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are in a completely different style-- attempting to imbue a sense of awe and wonder. I can't say it always works for me, some texts can get rather tedious in their &quot;better than infinity plus one&quot; exaggerations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They tend to follow a pattern-- it starts out describing the Buddha getting ready to deliver a teaching, describes who is in attendance, and so on.  The often include large sections about the merits of making copies of the sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thematically, I definitely don't have time to do them justice, they cover a lot of different themes. Some describe mantras and their benefits. Some describe Bodhisattva's-- their previous lives as monks and the various heroic vows they made.  Some of them are philosophical discussions, sort of like Plato's dialogs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tantras sometimes get included in the broader category of Mahayana texts, but I haven't tried to read the tantras yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T02:44:17.483" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1628" CreationDate="2014-06-29T02:46:20.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;While there is no commonly recognized single oldest Mahayana sutra (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_s%C5%ABtras#History_and_background&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; for general treatment of the topic), many scholars &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; practitioners believe some of the Prajnaparamita-series sutras to be very old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, &lt;em&gt;Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines&quot;) is believed to be written as early as 1st century BCE -- the earliest date I have personally seen anywhere for a Mahayana sutra. This sutra exists in two versions, one in verse and one in prose. As per Edward Conze, &quot;for early Mahayana sutras that was quite a normal procedure.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verse version is known as &lt;em&gt;Prajnaparamita-Ratnagunasamcayagatha&lt;/em&gt; or simply &quot;Ratnaguna&quot;. Based on linguistic analysis, Ratnaguna is thought to be the earlier of the two. According to Edward Conze, Ratnaguna's first 41 stances, known separately under the name of &quot;Arya Prajna-Paramita Carya Gatha&quot;, are the earliest core. This makes Arya Prajna-Paramita Carya Gatha a good contender for a honorary title of the earliest Mahayana sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Astasahasrika.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here as part of Edward Conze's complete translation of Ratnaguna&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/texts/practice-of-holy-transcendental-wisdom.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here translated by a committee under guidance of 16th Karmapa&lt;/a&gt;. Here I am posting my amateurish translation of the first 8 verses from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Hybrid_Sanskrit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BHS&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Super-loving-dear-grate-ful mood having established,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having stopped sustaining the blinding emotions (avarana-klesha),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Listen carefully, oh the best of having gone forth&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  after Transcendental Wisdom, sages.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any rivers flowing here in Jambu-dvipa (India)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Fruits-and-flowers, trees-and-grasses grow from which,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- of the Mountain Dragon are running tears,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To his womb's grace this realm owes its existence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any Dharma declaring students of Victor,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Illuminating logically, cohesively, also elaborately,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And other people, fruit of happiness, through that work, attaining&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- of all these the producer is Tathagata.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What came from Victor, having spoken the guidebook of Dharma,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Following those instructions the best students acquire,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And from direct experience, as have seen, proclaim:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The state of Buddha is not a state of supermanly powers.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In it there is no acquisition of &quot;Transcendental Wisdom&quot; (Prajna-Paramita),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Also, no &quot;Bodhisattva attainment&quot;, no &quot;Enlightenment&quot; of the mind.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- This having heard but not confused nor panicking,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bodhisattva engages in wisdom of the Lucky Ones (sugatas).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Also, not of body, nor feelings, nor thoughts, nor volitions,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nor of consciousness, position even a little do not bother him.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus, to all dharmas not getting stuck, not getting caught into traps of abstractions (aniketacari)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Not clinging, he attains awakening of the Lucky Ones.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As venerable Shrenika the wandering beggar,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Understanding acquired, without precisely grasping the &lt;em&gt;skandhas&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Just so bodhisattva, intuits real nature of things (dharmas).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And does not seek cessation (nirvritti) but abides in wisdom.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having stopped again and again wavering searching for wisdom,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Whence?&quot;, &quot;Why?&quot; -- of such dharmas empty,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having stopped getting upset, caught up, or scared,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Soon he can reach awakening, such Bodhisattva.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T15:20:48.087" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T15:20:48.087" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1633" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1656" CreationDate="2014-06-29T02:47:49.797" Score="0" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I get into a habit of fighting to defend &quot;my self&quot; is it reasonable to say that getting into a fight and getting beat up is karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How similar is karma to the idiom &quot;you reap what you sow&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T11:37:56.043" Title="How closely related are the concepts of Karma and Pavlovian conditioning?" Tags="|karma|conditionality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="32" CreationDate="2014-06-29T03:02:56.850" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana was practiced in China, Vietnam and Korea. This is often called esoteric Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kukyo brought esoteric Buddhist to Japan and founded the Shingon sect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Russia (well, Kalmykia and Buryatia now) Buddhism was essentially Mongolian Buddhism, which in turn came from Tibet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the US, we have modern formulations of Vajrayana like Shambhala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it would be more accurate to say that these are all forms of Vajrayana rather than forms of Tibetan Buddhism.  However, Tibetan Buddhism certain has the most mindshare, the most widespread institutional bases (monestaries and centers established all over the place), so Tibetan Buddhism is the elephant in the room when it comes Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T03:02:56.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2014-06-29T03:16:37.400" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;From an academic perspective the wikipedia article &quot;Tathāgata&quot; has good information. According to wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word's original significance is not known and there has been speculation about it since at least the time of Buddhaghosa, who gives eight interpretations of the word, each with different etymological support, in his commentary on the Digha Nikaya, the Sumangalailasini:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who has arrived in such fashion, i.e. who has worked his way upwards to perfection for the world's good in the same fashion as all previous Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who walked in such fashion, i.e. (a) he who at birth took the seven equal steps in the same fashion as all previous Buddhas or (b) he who in the same way as all previous Buddhas went his way to Buddhahood through the four Jhanas and the Paths.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who by the path of knowledge has come at the real essentials of things.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who has won Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who has discerned Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who declares Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He whose words and deeds accord.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The great physician whose medicine is all-potent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Modern scholarly opinion generally opines that Sanskrit grammar offers at least two possibilities for breaking up the compound word: either tathā and āgata or tathā and gata. Tathā means thus in Sanskrit and Pali, and Buddhist thought takes this to refer to what is called reality as-it-is (yathā-bhūta). This reality is also referred to as thusness or suchness (tathatā) indicating simply that it (reality) is what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Buddha or an arahant is defined as someone who &quot;knows and sees reality as-it-is&quot; (yathā bhūta ñāna dassana). Gata &quot;gone&quot; is the past passive participle of the verbal root gam &quot;go, travel&quot;. Āgata &quot;come&quot; is the past passive participle of the verb meaning &quot;come, arrive&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus in this interpretation Tathāgata means literally either “the one who has gone to suchness” or &quot;the one who has arrived at suchness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another interpretation, proposed by the scholar Richard Gombrich, is based on the fact that that, when used as a suffix in compounds, -gata often loses its literal meaning and signifies instead &quot;being&quot;. Tathāgata would thus mean &quot;one like that&quot;, with no motion in either direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Theodore Stcherbatsky, the term Tathagata has a non-Buddhist origin, and is best understood when compared to its usage in non-Buddhist works, such as the Mahabharata. Stcherbatsky gives the following example from the Mahabharata:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Just as the footprints of birds (flying) in the sky and fish (swimming) in water cannot be seen,&#xA;    Thus (tātha) is going (gati) of those who have realized the Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha uses the term to refer to himself rather than saying, I, me or myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T03:16:37.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1636" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1668" CreationDate="2014-06-29T04:04:03.017" Score="6" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I can gather (from wikipedia) there are four methods:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Twelve Nidānas are explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa, the central text of the Mahāvihāra commentarial tradition. Buddhaghosa recounts four methods to interpret the Twelve Nidanas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working from &quot;bottom to top&quot;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working from the &quot;middle to the top&quot;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working from &quot;top to bottom&quot;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working from the &quot;middle to the source&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first method begins with ignorance and proceeds to sickness, old age, and death. The second method begins with attachment and proceeds to birth. The third method begins with birth and proceeds back to ignorance. The fourth method begins with attachment and proceeds to ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given these different approaches, how can an individual decide which they are most suited to follow in order to revert the chain and where in the suttas can each approach be found?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T22:11:43.140" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T22:11:43.140" Title="How does someone decide from what direction to approach the twelve-Nidānas?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|dependent-origination|paticcasamuppada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1628" CreationDate="2014-06-29T04:58:49.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Keeping dependent arising in mind.  The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandh%C4%81ran_Buddhist_texts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gandharan Buddhist texts&lt;/a&gt; according to scholars contain samples of ancient Mahayana texts and teachings from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmaguptaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharmaguptaka school&lt;/a&gt;, the discovered texts have been dated to the 1st century CE.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/feature/whose-buddhism-truest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Whose Buddhism in Truest?&quot;&lt;/a&gt; an article written by Linda Heuman in Tricycle Magazine provides insightful information regarding these early texts and possible ramifications regarding the development of Buddhist traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T04:58:49.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1621" CreationDate="2014-06-29T05:06:26.650" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading about this because of the famous &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Panha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Milinda Questions&lt;/a&gt;. They are a set of questions asked by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menander_I&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; Indo-Greek king Menander I (Pali Milinda) of Bactria&lt;/a&gt; from a 'Arhath' monk. Therefore it is possible that this &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Greek_Kingdom&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indo-Greek Kingdom&lt;/a&gt; probably had relations with both India and Mediterranean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T05:06:26.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1640" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T05:07:18.867" Score="8" ViewCount="11019" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the Buddhas of the ten directions?  What are the applications of this teaching in the Buddhist traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="253" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T13:48:52.303" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T15:42:12.870" Title="Buddhas of The Ten Directions" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|pure-land|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2014-06-29T05:07:26.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Tathagata is one who is neither coming or going. That is neither going to the other side or coming back. Because there are no longer sides. Just what is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user319" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T05:07:26.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1642" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T05:17:28.583" Score="15" ViewCount="62188" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen the same monk in two different color robes and am wondering why. They were dark red and of course orange. Ihave also seen brown, but that was zen, and if any other colors have relevance i would like to hear about them as well. I practice Theravada if that helps with referencing or relevance issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-05T18:08:51.687" LastActivityDate="2021-06-09T17:40:44.577" Title="What is the meaning behind different robe colors?" Tags="|theravada|monk|bhikkhu|monasticism|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="51" CreationDate="2014-06-29T05:39:09.117" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said never to accept something just because it was said, but to seek an answer to these questions yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't know for sure either way. There is no need to believe anything either way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user319" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T05:39:09.117" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1646" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T06:20:54.560" Score="8" ViewCount="2104" Body="&lt;p&gt;In other words, by not conceptualizing sensations of physical pain, do fully enlightened people still experience unpleasantness and simply not label it as such, or is the experience fundamentally without anything that an unenlightened mind would label as unpleasant, so that the degree of pain becomes like pitch in music?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="320" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T01:15:43.940" Title="Is there any extreme of physical pain that a fully enlightened person would find unpleasant on any level?" Tags="|enlightenment|nirvana|samsara|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1646" CreationDate="2014-06-29T06:34:01.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not referencing any suttas for this answer, it comes from my own experiences (I am not an arahat). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who has obtained nirvana can choose whether or not to experience pain and can choose the level of suffering that is associated with that pleasure or pain. Having obtained nirvana an individual has the ability to reside beyond pleasure and pain and it also gives them complete understanding of pleasure and pain and things can not be understood without being experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some research, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sakalika Sutta: The Stone Sliver&lt;/a&gt; talks about how buddha cut his foot and endured the physical pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed within him — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — but he endured them mindful, alert, &amp;amp; unperturbed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T07:33:19.470" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:33:19.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:06:32.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is of course accumulated. But other factors play &lt;em&gt;much more important role&lt;/em&gt; in it's ripening than exhausting of accumulations. Our actions in this life and (impossible to control) thoughts at the last moments of life are usually much more determinant to next birth than expiration of karma or merit. See quotation from &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmasamuccaya&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;A being is accompanied by many actions. In this case, what is the&#xA;  order of results of maturation?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i) First to produce its results is the most serious action;&lt;sup&gt;190&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii) next, the action that appears at the moment of death;&lt;sup&gt;191&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii) then, that which was habitually done previously;&lt;sup&gt;192&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv) finally, that which was done earlier in a past lifetime.&lt;sup&gt;193&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(footnotes):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[190] Pradhan’s restoration: audārika-karma. But very probably&#xA;  guru-karma. Cf. Kośa, IX, 297. In Pali also it is garu- or&#xA;  garuka-kamma. [191] Āsanna- or maraṇāsanna-kamma in Pali. [192] In&#xA;  Pali ācinnaka- or bahula-kamma. [193] This refers to kaṭakka-kamma in&#xA;  Pali . These four actions produce their results in this order. Serious&#xA;  action has priority over the others. If there is no serious action,&#xA;  then an action which presents itself to the mind at the moment of&#xA;  death produces its results. If no particular action presents itself to&#xA;  the mind at the moment of death, then the action most frequently done&#xA;  produces its results. If none of these three actions has the&#xA;  opportunity of bearing results, then an action done in a past lifetime&#xA;  will produce its results. See Kośa, IX, 297.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To rely on expiration of karma is probably even &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;, because it is conductive to lack of &lt;em&gt;right effort&lt;/em&gt; to do wholesome actions that actually improve karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, without &lt;em&gt;right effort&lt;/em&gt; you'll continue to produce bad karma so there is no exhaust in this case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:06:32.123" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1376" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:15:32.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They may have been referring to &quot;fields of merit&quot;--our parents, our sangha, the poor, etc. Basically, they are wherever we have the opportunity to do good deeds (meritorious actions) so we produce good karma (merit) for the benefit of ourselves and others, living or dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a small booklet (PDF) outlining how to reap and sow these &quot;fields&quot; through meritorious action:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/nyanadassana-ebooks/ten%20ways%20of%20making%20merit.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/nyanadassana-ebooks/ten%20ways%20of%20making%20merit.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Giving or generosity (Dāna-mayaŋpuñña-kiriya-vatthu) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Moral conduct or virtue (Sīla-mayaŋ........................... ) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Meditation or mental development (Bhāvana-maya .... ) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Respect or reverence (Apaciti-sahagataŋ....) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Service in helping others (Veyyāvacca-sahagataŋ.... ) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Transference of merit (Pattānuppadānaŋ ..................) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Rejoicing in other’s merit (Abbhanumodanaŋ ......... ) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Expounding or teaching the dhamma (Desana-mayaŋ .....) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Listening to the dhamma (Savana-mayaŋ.................) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Correcting one’s views (Diññhijjukammaŋpuñña-kiriya-vatthu)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This text is Theravadin, and I mostly practice Mahayana, but there isn't any contradiction between the two schools of thought on this matter as far as I can tell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="253" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T07:25:22.520" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:25:22.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1621" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:27:14.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to find archaeological evidence on this especially in the ME due to current situations. Also many might have been destroyed as Buddhism was there very early on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But references like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suna paranthe&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yantatta Yonaka Pura Muninoca Padan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ashoka's Dhammaduta routes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attendees of Dhamma Sangayana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Point to some direction on this in literature. Evidence needs to be found though as I am not aware of any. (Perhaps some one can elaborate on this aspect.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T07:49:18.373" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:49:18.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1646" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:30:47.517" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's said that enlightened person feels single pain (only physical), while not enlightened feels two pains (physical with mental pain).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/a&gt;, Sallatha Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The discerning person, learned, doesn't sense a (mental) feeling of&#xA;  pleasure or pain: This is the difference in skillfulness between the&#xA;  sage &amp;amp; the person run-of-the-mill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T07:30:47.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1652" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1659" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:41:52.760" Score="4" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the stages of knowledge before stream entry mentioned in the suttas? How does this correlate with the Visuddhimagga? E.g. sabba-kaya-patisamvedi (in some interpretations) may directly relate to bhanga-ñāṇa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T10:51:52.773" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T23:18:50.713" Title="How do the stages of insight before stream entry relate to the suttas" Tags="|sutras|vipassana|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1653" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T07:46:21.583" Score="4" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can see how one can develop, through one's practice, a very high degree of confidence in the truth of emptiness through inferring from the conditioned nature of phenomena, their impermanence, their dependence on a perceiving consciousness, and on the need for memory and intelligence in order to recognize them as existent, but is it possible to ever be 100% certain? Who's to say the Higgs Boson isn't the fundamental, truly existent building block of matter that can never be further reduced, even if quantum physics tells us it's in superposition when not interacting with an observer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="320" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T08:56:33.993" Title="Can the substantiality of phenomena ever be conclusively ruled out through Buddhist practice?" Tags="|self|phenomenology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1653" CreationDate="2014-06-29T08:11:33.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist equivalent of the Higgs Boson is Atta Kalapa. Though the practice of Vippassana you will be able to start seeing the arising and passing away of such particles. There is vast emptiness between the particles which we call ourselves. (There may be other doctrines of emptiness.) There particles arise and passes away. (Hence there is some substance through there seam to be energy and matter duality.) These particles are not under our control as we cannot manipulate this process at this lowest level through will hence we cannot associate ourself with such process which we have not mastery or control over and trying to do so out of ignorance result in misery. Since our metal image of our self and any sense of ownership of such rapidly changing cluster of phenomena over which we do not have absolute control would entail that there will be many occasions where there is a gap with our metal image and reality resulting in unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observation of these phenomena is possible by sharpening your mind. For this you should be passive with respect to the process of observations. But active and ardent in the methodology and practice of observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Revisiting the energy and matter duality: Some times phenomena are vibrating and gaseous, sometimes they are like liquid in nature with more cohesion and flowing, sometimes they tend to be solid and less vibrations and even more cohesive, also the presence of heat alters state of phenomena and vibrations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T08:11:33.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1653" CreationDate="2014-06-29T08:56:33.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment happen when knowledge is &lt;em&gt;certain&lt;/em&gt; (such knowledge is usually called &lt;em&gt;jñāna&lt;/em&gt;), so practice is &lt;em&gt;supposed&lt;/em&gt; to provide result as 100% certain knowledge, in regard to what is also required to cease defilements and suffering. Knowledge about 'everything in the World' is not included in that. (Maybe Buddha knows all that, though.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who's to say the Higgs Boson isn't the fundamental, truly existent&#xA;  building block of matter that can never be further reduced, even if&#xA;  quantum physics tells us it's in superposition when not interacting&#xA;  with an observer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Higgs Boson is a &lt;em&gt;concept&lt;/em&gt;. And, as with any concept, we can invent into concepts any idea whatsoever, with any property we can imagine. What is &lt;em&gt;constructed&lt;/em&gt; (and thus empty) in Higgs Boson is it's &lt;em&gt;conceptuality&lt;/em&gt;, the way &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; that knowledge is reached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T08:56:33.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1633" CreationDate="2014-06-29T09:11:31.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While habits are part of the workings of karma, it is not reasonable to say that what you described (habit to fight leads to beating) is Buddhist notion of karma. It may be correct other way around, though—some unwholesome karma is ripening while you exercise habit to fight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; similar to idiom &quot;&lt;em&gt;you reap what you sow&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;strong&gt;but&lt;/strong&gt; with some added complexity. What you will reap is not need to be &lt;em&gt;the same&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;feel the same&lt;/em&gt; as what you sow. In Buddhist concept of karma, unwholesome actions, when sown, will certainly reap into unwholesome fruits. What will be reaped is not &lt;em&gt;mirror&lt;/em&gt; of what is sown, but it is &lt;em&gt;consequence&lt;/em&gt; of what was sown. So when you sow action that &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; result in suffering, you will reap suffering for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T09:11:31.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1652" CreationDate="2014-06-29T09:35:27.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Into the Stream&lt;/a&gt; is A Study Guide on the First Stage of Awakening by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The contents include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Way to Stream Entry&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Introduction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The practices leading to stream entry are encapsulated in four factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Association with people of integrity is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Listening to the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Appropriate attention is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Association with People of Integrity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he was seated to one side, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: having admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; colleagues.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Having admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; colleagues is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; colleagues, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Listening to the True Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these five rewards in listening to the Dhamma. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[1] One hears what one has not heard before. [2] One clarifies what one has heard before. [3] One gets rid of doubt. [4] One's views are made straight. [5] One's mind grows serene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the five rewards in listening to the Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Appropriate Attention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With regard to internal factors, I don't envision any other single factor like appropriate attention as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who attends appropriately abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practice in Accordance with the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;this is what accords with the Dhamma: that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to form, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to feeling, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to perception, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to fabrications, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to consciousness. As he keeps cultivating disenchantment with regard to form... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, he comprehends form... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness. As he comprehends form... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, he is totally released from form... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness. He is totally released from sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, &amp;amp; despairs. He is totally released, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stream Entry &amp;amp; Its Results&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Introduction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Arising of the Dhamma Eye&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Three Fetters&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Character of a Stream-enterer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rewards&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the study guide Thanissaro Bhikkhu links each sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T09:35:27.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2014-06-29T10:02:59.307" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. Why does the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; call him self &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would be better than showing the man's own words?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whatever in this world — with its devas, Maras, &amp;amp; Brahmas, its&#xA;  generations complete with contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, princes &amp;amp; men —&#xA;  is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by&#xA;  the intellect, that has been fully awakened to by the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;. Thus&#xA;  he is called the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From the night the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; fully awakens to the unsurpassed Right&#xA;  Self-awakening to the night he is totally unbound in the Unbinding&#xA;  property with no fuel remaining, whatever the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; has said,&#xA;  spoken, explained is just so (&lt;em&gt;tathā&lt;/em&gt;) and not otherwise. Thus he is&#xA;  called the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; is one who does in line with (&lt;em&gt;tathā&lt;/em&gt;) what he teaches,&#xA;  one who teaches in line with (&lt;em&gt;tathā&lt;/em&gt;) what he does. Thus he is called the&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this world with its devas, Maras, &amp;amp; Brahmas, its generations&#xA;  complete with contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, princes &amp;amp; men, the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  is the unconquered conqueror, all-seeing, the wielder of power. Thus&#xA;  he is called the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than.html#iti-112&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 4.13, Discourse on the World (Lokasuttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to the above, &lt;em&gt;DN 29&lt;/em&gt; provides one more definition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'If &quot;the past&quot; refers to what is not factual, not true (&lt;em&gt;atathā&lt;/em&gt;), to what is&#xA;  not of advantage, the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; makes no reply. If it refers to what&#xA;  is factual, true (&lt;em&gt;tathā&lt;/em&gt;), but which is not of advantage, the&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; makes no reply. But if &quot;the past&quot; refers to what is factual, true (&lt;em&gt;tathā&lt;/em&gt;), and which is of advantage, then the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  knows the right time to reply. The same applies to the future and the&#xA;  present. Therefore, Cunda, the &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt; is called the one who&#xA;  declares the time, the fact, the advantage, the Dhamma and the&#xA;  discipline. That is why he is called &lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;em&gt;DN 29, Delightful Discourse (Pāsādika-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. What is the significance of the term?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Wikipedia states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Modern scholarly opinion generally opines that Sanskrit grammar offers&#xA;  at least two possibilities for breaking up the compound word: either&#xA;  tathā and āgata or tathā and gata. Tathā means thus in&#xA;  Sanskrit and Pali, and Buddhist thought takes this to refer to what is&#xA;  called reality as-it-is (yathā-bhūta). This reality is also referred&#xA;  to as thusness or suchness (tathatā) indicating simply that it&#xA;  (reality) is what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Buddha or an arahant is defined as someone who &quot;knows and sees&#xA;  reality as-it-is&quot; (yathā bhūta ñāna dassana). Gata &quot;gone&quot; is the past&#xA;  passive participle of the verbal root gam &quot;go, travel&quot;. Āgata &quot;come&quot;&#xA;  is the past passive participle of the verb meaning &quot;come, arrive&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus in this interpretation Tathāgata means literally either “the one&#xA;  who has gone to suchness” or &quot;the one who has arrived at suchness&quot;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gata&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tathāgata Wikipedia Page&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it appears these two meanings can be derived from the word. I think some light can be shed by seeing the word used in another context in which there can only be one meaning due to the nature of it's context (simile):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In ancient times when seafaring merchants put to sea in ships, they&#xA;  took with them a bird to sight land. When the ship was out of sight of&#xA;  land, they released the bird; and it flew eastward and westward,&#xA;  northward and southward, upward and all around. And if the bird saw no&#xA;  land, it returned to the ship; but if the bird sighted land nearby, it&#xA;  was truly gone (&lt;em&gt;tathāgatakova&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.054.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.54, Discourse about Dhammika (Dhammika-suttaṃ)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.054.olen.html#fn-2&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;footnote nº2&lt;/a&gt; of the above discourse is also worth reading to get a better grip on it's meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. How is the term used by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; in the &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As user70 pointed out, the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; usually uses the term to refer to himself. Above, I quoted a number of prosaic contexts that reveal how he uses the term, so I'll leave a poetic reference for this answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    Just this&#xA;    is the path&#xA; - there is no other -&#xA;to purify vision.&#xA;    Follow it,&#xA;and that will be Mara's&#xA;    bewilderment.&#xA;&#xA;Following it,&#xA;you put an end&#xA;to suffering &amp;amp; stress.&#xA;I have taught you this path&#xA;having known&#xA; - for your knowing -&#xA;the extraction of arrows.&#xA;&#xA;It's for you to strive&#xA;    ardently.&#xA;Tathāgatas simply&#xA;point out the way.&#xA;Those who practice,&#xA;absorbed in jhana:&#xA;    from Mara's bonds&#xA;    they'll be freed.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.than.html#fn-275&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhp v275-276&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T10:12:02.063" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T10:12:02.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1652" CreationDate="2014-06-29T11:32:41.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sixteen stages of knowledge are taken for the most part from the &lt;em&gt;Patisambhidamagga&lt;/em&gt;, a treatise attributed to Sariputta. They are also enumerated in the &lt;em&gt;Abhidhammatthasangaha&lt;/em&gt;. Some are specifically mentioned in the suttas, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;udayabbaya&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo passato udayabbayaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhp. 113&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nibbida&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā'ti yadā paññāya passati&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Atha nibbindati dukkhe esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhp. 277&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ādīnava&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disvā ādīnavaṃ loke ñatvā dhammaṃ nirūpadhiṃ,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Ariyo na ramatī pāpe pāpe na ramatī suci.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud. 5.6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowledges are also closely related to the seven visuddhis from the Rathavinita Sutta (MN 24), again attributed to Sariputta (and Punna Mantaniputta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T23:18:50.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1633" CreationDate="2014-06-29T11:37:56.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is a natural law.&#xA;Pavlovian conditioning is men-made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The habit to fight is, by the way, not necessarily a Pavlovian conditioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T11:37:56.043" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2014-06-29T11:57:54.980" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I never really understood this view, but it seems to have been held by the Niganthas. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 101&lt;/a&gt; for a detailed argument against this sort of reasoning (too long to quote here).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, though, it is like saying that if I have taken poison, I should take more poison so I feel the poisoning more quickly and thus somehow work out the result of the original poison quicker. Isn't that a ridiculous idea?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I have performed karma X in the past that has result A in the future, performing other karmas Y and Z that also have result A doesn't do anything (except perhaps coincidentally - e.g. cutting off my arm means I can't experience pain in my hand) to affect karma X.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another fallacy here is the idea that experiencing suffering leads to future happiness (in a way that pleasure doesn't). Really, to be objective, your question would have to include pleasure, in which case it would be, &quot;If I undergo pleasure and pain in this life, will my next rebirth be better?&quot; to which the answer is of course no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important concept to always keep in mind, according to the Buddha's teaching, is that &lt;strong&gt;pleasure and pain don't lead to pleasure or pain, it is good and evil that lead to pleasure and pain&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T11:57:54.980" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1662" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T12:27:00.760" Score="5" ViewCount="415" Body="&lt;p&gt;How did this practice originate and what is the meaning/purpose for it's use?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-05T18:08:42.217" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T18:08:42.217" Title="What is the origin and purpose of the alms bowl used by monastics?" Tags="|monasticism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2014-06-29T12:32:52.080" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe initially the robes were mostly yellow as this was a color of renunciation in the locality at the Buddha's time. As the Dhamma-Vinaya spread the different robe colors occurred due to the local dyes monastics used in their respective localities being different shades and colors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do know that in the Theravada tradition at least in Thailand and Sri Lanka there is a differentiation in colors between forest monks and city monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be helpful : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/robe_txt.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/robe_txt.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The robe dye is allowed to be obtained from six kinds of substances: roots and tubers, plants, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits. They should be boiled in water for a long time to get the dun dye. Saffron and ochre (from the jackfruit's heartwood) are the most prevalent colours today. Though there is a tendency amongst forest monks to wear ochre and city monks to wear saffron, but this is not always the rule.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T12:32:52.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2014-06-29T12:51:28.993" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my research it looks like the reason that original &lt;em&gt;kasayas&lt;/em&gt; (stitched robes, made from leftover pieces of fabric and clothes found on trash piles, taken off corpses etc. - basically the discards of civilization) were ochre or brown-red, is because they were washed with red clay, used as a cleaning agent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ochre was the most available color of clay around the area Buddha lived and practiced at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this, we can extrapolate and assume that different colors originally derive from different types of clay available in whichever region Buddhism spread to. Later, the colors were standardized by schools and various different dyes were employed beside clay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T16:13:57.390" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T16:13:57.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2014-06-29T13:04:18.343" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Tatha&lt;/code&gt; means &amp;quot;truth&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;reality&amp;quot; or literally &amp;quot;so&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;such&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;gata&lt;/code&gt; is often translated as &lt;code&gt;gone&lt;/code&gt;, however from my research it looks like it is a suffix that means &amp;quot;firmly grounded in&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;rooted in&amp;quot; -- as in &lt;code&gt;kayagata smrti&lt;/code&gt; &amp;quot;mindfulness rooted in the body&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Together this would make Tathagata mean &amp;quot;Firmly established in reality&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally associate this word with two other terms: &lt;code&gt;sugata&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;duggata&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Sugata&lt;/code&gt; is a person who fared well, a lucky one, and therefore an optimist.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;code&gt;Duggata&lt;/code&gt; is an unfortunate person, a loser, and therefore a pessimist.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;code&gt;Tathagata&lt;/code&gt; would then mean neither a pessimist nor an optimist, but &lt;em&gt;realist&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2023-06-06T01:11:49.440" LastActivityDate="2023-06-06T01:11:49.440" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-29T13:17:14.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you pet a cat it will like you. If you respect a king he will reward you. Similarly for Devas. Buddha mentioned Deva Bali offering to the Devas in the context of how to spend what you have earned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of Deva in Buddhism is that they are just another form of life as mentioned previously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T13:17:14.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1646" CreationDate="2014-06-29T13:31:15.190" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person feels the sensation corresponding to pain, but it does not feel as pain, rather as pure (informational) sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher taught me an exercise thanks to which I had this experience first-hand. It is called &lt;code&gt;kuem chok&lt;/code&gt; in Korean (I'm probably misspelling it badly). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;kuem chok&lt;/code&gt; is performed by taking one of especially designed postures, &quot;eagle posture&quot; or &quot;sleeping tiger&quot; and others, which are inconvenient enough to generate bodily pain, but simple enough to maintain for a long time. The idea is to &quot;go through&quot; pain by exercising willpower, by not succumbing to the feeling of self-pity, until the experience of pain toggles and becomes something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After I was holding my posture for about 15 minutes, and had all my body shaking with pain, the sensation toggled, and instead of pain I felt heat and lightness. I could effortlessly maintain the posture and was surprised it felt difficult to me in the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This only happened once, and now the teacher moved on to a more difficult posture, &quot;sleeping tiger&quot;, with which I was not able to switch yet. Needless to say, if I were you I would not try this at home without a guidance from qualified teacher, otherwise you may hurt yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T13:31:15.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1636" CreationDate="2014-06-29T13:40:40.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because I believe I understand twelve nidanas, I suggest you approach them &lt;em&gt;from the bottom up&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, each next nidana &lt;em&gt;up&lt;/em&gt; will be the &quot;cause&quot; (or, more precisely, the ground or the context) for the one below it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/45/43&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, I believe the relationship between nidanas is that of implication. Be sure to check out &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/48/learning-materials-for-dependent-origination-pa%E1%B9%ADiccasamupp%C4%81da-in-theravada-bud/1434#1434&quot;&gt;the thoughts of Nanavira Thera and ven. Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt; for useful hints. I do not agree with &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; of their conclusions but they are on the right path, as far as I can see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T13:40:40.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2014-06-29T14:02:38.720" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the historical significance of the color of the original robes explained by other posters, I'll just add a color chart to identify what regions different colors are mostly associated with today; keeping in mind there are exceptions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spice colored robes (shades of curry, cumin, paprika, saffron) - Southeast Asia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bright yellow - China&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Black, brown, gray - Japan &amp;amp; Korea&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maroon - Tibet region and diaspora&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;White or pink - Theravada women wherever they may be located; although it is noted fully ordained Theravada nuns are rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some differences in style as well; more detail at source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/thefirstbuddhists/a/robes.htm&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/thefirstbuddhists/a/robes.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T14:08:16.160" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T14:08:16.160" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1662" CreationDate="2014-06-29T14:16:20.297" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Disclaimer: I'm going to answer this pragmatically and straightforwardly without any reference since I think it doesn't require any. There may be memorable stories about the bowl but I don't think they are really necessary to explain it. Feel free to discard the answer.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The alms-bowl serves the purpose of helping one carry the food &amp;amp; prevent spoiling it with external dirt. If you went on alms-round with your hands it wouldn't be helpful for yourself or for the lay people as it would create hygiene problems. It also helps one measure the amount of food to accept, whether it's only for himself or also for others with whom he shares the food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;(As the comments below show, the next paragraph is not applicable, since monks should hide their bowls under their robes until they know someone intends to give.)&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Additionally, it helps other people identify readily what the person with the bowl wants, food. In other words, if one carries a bowl around, instead of a hat or any kind of cloth, it is more straightforward what he wants. If one carries a hat or any kind of cloth, it is easier to perceive that he wants money or something else apart from food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for it's origin, if I wanted food I would also use a bowl. Why would I use anything else? With this I mean that the origin is not necessarily something special or traditional, it's just a pragmatic tool that anyone who wants food would use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T08:30:43.820" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T08:30:43.820" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1671" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1749" CreationDate="2014-06-29T14:18:24.003" Score="4" ViewCount="470" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the origination of the mind-stream continuum? What are the basic elements that make up the mind-stream continuum?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T11:13:33.643" LastActivityDate="2020-06-21T12:59:24.750" Title="Mind-Stream Continuum's Origination?" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|mind-and-matter|consciousness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2014-06-29T14:52:18.740" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Devadaha Sutta (MN 101) linked to by @Yuttadhamo is the right sutra to consider, that fully covers this topic. As you can see in MN 101, the Jains too held position that &quot;burning&quot; past karma through exertion and austerity can lead to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he interrogates Jains, Buddha makes following points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not all pain comes from causes in the past. Some pain obviously comes from fierce striving, fierce exertion performed in the here-and-now. (As my first teacher used to say, sometimes pain comes from dental crowns and not from karma.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unfortunately, we can't really see how much negative karma we have accumulated, and how much karma has been exhausted so far.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If we saw that, then in theory we could talk about removing karma through exertion, similarly to how surgeon removes a poisoned arrow, producing pain short-term, but stopping it long-term.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unfortunately, that is not possible, because: &#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unfruitted karma that is to fruit &lt;em&gt;in one way&lt;/em&gt;, cannot be converted to fruit &lt;em&gt;in another way&lt;/em&gt;, through striving &amp;amp; exertion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unfruitted karma that is to fruit &lt;em&gt;in the future&lt;/em&gt;, cannot be converted to fruit &lt;em&gt;in the present&lt;/em&gt;, and vice versa, through striving &amp;amp; exertion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unfruitted karma that is to bring result &lt;em&gt;of one size&lt;/em&gt;, cannot be converted to bring result &lt;em&gt;of another size&lt;/em&gt;, through striving &amp;amp; exertion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, according to Buddha's teaching in MN 101, liberation from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; is achieved by &lt;strong&gt;&quot;abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&amp;amp;-now&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, &quot;skillful mental qualities&quot; refer to 1) &quot;exertion of fabrication against a cause of dukkha&quot; which leads to &quot;dispassion due to the fabrication&quot;, and to 2) &quot;looking with equanimity at the cause of dukkha&quot;, which leads to &quot;dispassion through the development of equanimity&quot;. In other words, cessation of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; is attained through 1) deliberate control of one's perspective, and through 2) equanimity that comes from philosophical attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example of typical dukkha-pattern, Buddha tells a story of unshared love, with the protagonist suffering from &quot;sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair&quot; due to being &quot;in love with her, his mind ensnared with fierce desire, fierce passion&quot;. The protagonist then wilfully abandons &quot;desire &amp;amp; passion for that woman&quot; (an effort that serves as &quot;exertion of fabrication against a cause of dukkha&quot;) and as a result attains dispassion &quot;due to the fabrication&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With all of the above in mind, Buddha still admits to importance of pushing oneself and overcoming one's limits -- to avoid regress due to indulgence -- but only inasmuch as to have &quot;unskillful qualities decline&quot; and &quot;skillful qualities increase&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So he exerts himself with stress &amp;amp; pain, and while he is exerting&#xA;  himself with stress &amp;amp; pain, unskillful qualities decline in him, &amp;amp;&#xA;  skillful qualities increase. Then at a later time he would no longer&#xA;  exert himself with stress &amp;amp; pain. Why is that? Because he has attained&#xA;  the goal for which he was exerting himself with stress &amp;amp; pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A monk, when not loaded down, does not load himself down with pain,&#xA;  nor does he reject pleasure that accords with the Dhamma, although he&#xA;  is not fixated on that pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T18:36:25.583" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T18:36:25.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1640" CreationDate="2014-06-29T15:00:23.347" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, what are the 10 directions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Specifically, the ten directions are the eight directions of the&#xA;  compass—north, south, east, west, northwest, northeast, southeast, and&#xA;  southwest—plus up and down.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgilibrary.org/search_dict.php?id=2245&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sgilibrary.org/search_dict.php?id=2245&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, sutras that attempt to list and describe the 10 buddhas.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tientai.net/teachings/dharma/buddha/10directions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tientai.net/teachings/dharma/buddha/10directions.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional cosmology imagined that there could only be one Buddha in the world at a time. By imagining more universes, there could be more than one Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the particular phrase is one of the rhetorical flourishes you see a lot of in Mahayana-- it's a nice way to say all the Buddha's, everywhere.  The various names of the realms and 10 Buddhas mentioned in the Dasabhumika (realms like &quot;Without Distress&quot; or &quot;Skillfulness&quot;) and Buddha's name &quot;Virtue of Goodness&quot; and &quot;Practicing the 3 vehicles&quot; are reminders of what the goals of Buddhism are and what is worth emulating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T15:00:23.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1674" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T15:16:37.007" Score="6" ViewCount="2208" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the actual words or at least the structure of of the ceremony/ritual?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested from the Mahayana East Asian standpoint (Chinese/Korean/Vietnamese/Japanese) However, I don't speak or read any of those languages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may or may not be relevant, but I have a Samantabhadra, Kwan Yin, Medicine Buddha and a Shakyamuni statue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T05:57:50.947" Title="How does one do an &quot;eye opening&quot; for a new statue?" Tags="|mahayana|east-asian-buddhism|statue|rituals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-29T15:29:23.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question doesn't mention which sect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern secular Buddhists are atheists and agnostics. Stephen Batchelor is probably the most famous speaker for this group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The historical Buddha, may or may not have been a theist. He appears to have been singularly uninterested in Gods, made jokes about them, and saw the whole Hindu enterprise as a distraction from the real problems of existence. Glen Wallis's &quot;Basic Teaching of the Buddha&quot; makes a plausible case for this historical Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There isn't just one historical Buddha. The historical Buddha is a modern construct made up of half forgotten memories and text filtered through a lot of people. So for the Mahayana crowd, especially devotees of the Lotus Sutra, the historical Buddha was and is, a almost god like being of long life and powers we can't comprehend, who is still alive and an active force in our world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the Adibuddha and Vairocana, the primordial Buddha or the Buddha from which all other Buddha's are an emination of. This particular Buddha sounds a lot like a Judeo-Christian god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Buddhism isn't just what the founder may have said. It's a syncretic tradition that absorbed bits of Hinuism, Bon, Chinese Ancestor worship, Japanese emperor worship, and now in the west it is absorbing new age and Christian elements.  This is possible in part because the concerns of the historical Buddha were somewhat orthogonal to the concerns of a devotional religion.  The eightfold path is much the same regardless to if you are also engaging in a devotional religion. This differs from say, monotheism, where there are explicit rules about participating in other religions. (Not to say that Buddhism didn't acquire similar rules-- for example Chinese Buddhist text often warn about following outer paths, i.e other religions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T15:29:23.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1676" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T15:30:42.930" Score="8" ViewCount="2340" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reference: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot02.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot02.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very last row talks about Buddha Nature. According to this page, Buddha Nature is not taught in Theravada Buddhism, and to my understanding, Buddha Nature is the potential for a being to become Enlightened. Is there any reason why the potential to become Enlightened isn't taught? It seems - to me - to be common sense that anyone can find their way to become Enlightened. After all, the Buddha is an example of what all beings could become. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is my understanding of Buddha Nature wrong or is there more to this than I'm seeing regarding how Theravada Buddhism incorporates this in their teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="323" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T21:57:39.193" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T15:24:25.617" Title="What is taught about Buddha nature in Theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1640" CreationDate="2014-06-29T15:42:12.870" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The notion of Buddhas of the 10 directions is used to depict the first Jewel - Buddha - in some refuge trees. (In the picture below on the left one can see a circle of 10 Buddhas) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thangkagallery.org/static/thg_org/itemimages/padam-lama_KK_refuge_tree-main.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Some refuge trees&lt;/a&gt; instead of 10 might have 3 Buddhas which in turn will depict Buddhas of the three times - Past, Present and Future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taken together, one can come across a phrase 'Buddhas of three times and ten directions' which will signify that the Buddhahood potential encompasses the whole spacetime we reside in. Wherever you go in space or in time, there is always a Buddha you can take refuge in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/grGHN.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Refuge tree of Karma Kagyu Tradition&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T15:42:12.870" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2014-06-29T16:06:38.540" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since there are great answers already, I won't be answering. So consider this not as an answer but as an appendix that might help you discern the details of the answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=188&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 14, The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering (Cūḷadukkhakkhandha-suttaṃ)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=407&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 45, The Shorter Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things (Cūḷadhammasamādāna-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;sup&gt;*&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=410&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 46, The Greater Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things (Mahādhammasamādāna-suttaṃ)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;sup&gt;*&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=829&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 101, To Devadaha (Devadaha-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;* These discourses seem to answer the question directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T21:08:11.887" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T21:08:11.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1676" CreationDate="2014-06-29T17:03:24.263" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Theravadan ive made the mistake of thinking Buddha Nature is just &quot;everyone's ability to become awakened&quot;.  There is apparently more to it then that but im in no way qualified to explain that as I have much to learn about it myself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Theravada it is true as far as I have seen in my years of study and practice that &quot;buddha nature&quot; is not taught.  However the Buddha says many times in the suttas that everyone has the ability to become awakened bases on their own effort and practice in this very life,  so in that sense everyone has a &quot;buddha nature&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it may be important to note the differences between arahants and buddhas between the traditions.  In Theravada the only difference between a buddha and an arahant is that a buddha finds the path on their own when it has been lost,  there is no difference between a buddha and an arahant in terms of wisdom/ability etc in Theravada,  not so in Mahayana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T17:03:24.263" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1680" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-29T17:05:00.667" Score="9" ViewCount="2754" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm well aware that there are many different types of Buddhism, so I'm looking for the fortune-cookie sized description of the various kinds of induction/process/rituals/ceremony involved for the lay follower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T12:56:42.247" LastActivityDate="2022-03-24T03:39:32.350" Title="How does one become a lay Buddhist?" Tags="|laity|beginner|conversion|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1680" CreationDate="2014-06-29T17:19:14.763" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Theravada and some Mahayana traditions becoming a lay Buddhist is as simple as taking refuge in the Triple Gem of the Buddha,  Dhamma, Sangha and taking the 5 precepts. This is usually at a ceremony and &quot;given&quot; by the monks however the true taking  of refuge is something done in the mind,  not recited or given.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are in short taking refuge, showing trust in the Buddha and his awakening,  the dhamma as the truth,  and the sangha as the keepers of that path,  more specifically the aryan(awakened)  Sangha and also all monastics.  Then you attempt to live a more skillful life that is beneficial to yourself and others by following the precepts to the best of your ability. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ceremony usually involves a recitation in the Pali for Theravadan or the cultural language for the Mahayana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This link to Bhikkhu Bodhi's article on the subject is great for further reading on the subject. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going for refuge,  recited x3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddham saranam gacchami&#xA;I go for refuge to the Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammam saranam gacchami&#xA;I go for refuge to the Dhamma;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sangham saranam gacchami&#xA;I go for refuge to the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the training rule of abstaining from taking life;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the training rule of abstaining from taking what is not given;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the training rule of abstaining from sexual misconduct;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) the training rule of abstaining from false speech; and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) the training rule of abstaining from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T17:36:24.930" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T17:36:24.930" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1627" CreationDate="2014-06-29T17:45:33.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay I found the answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's from the &quot;Sūtra of the Upāsaka Precepts&quot; (Shansheng Jing). It was translated into Chinese in the 5th century. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutra has similarities to the older Sigalovada Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Ref comparing the UPS and Sigalovada: &quot;Buddhism and Peace&quot;, chapter 10)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T17:45:33.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1680" CreationDate="2014-06-29T18:02:47.980" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice within the Triratna Buddhist community. For us someone becomes a lay follower when they become a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lbc.org.uk/about3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mitra&lt;/a&gt;. The requirements for this are fairly light really. Self identity as a Buddhist to some extent, be working on the five precepts and be wanting to practice in the triratna context for a bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ceremony itself is always described as a simple ceremony when I attend. The new mitra presents a flower, candle and some incense to the shrine. Because we are quite a talky movement the simple ceremony normally lasts for over two and a half hours and I miss my train.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T18:02:47.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1684" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1723" CreationDate="2014-06-29T18:11:08.523" Score="11" ViewCount="485" Body="&lt;p&gt;All enlightened beings since the first Arahant have confirmed the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path to be true through their own experience. So there is a community of Ariya Sangha who accept them to be the truth. Isn't this better than the peer review evaluation used in the &quot;Scientific Method&quot;? Many findings that were previously accepted under the scientific method as scientific knowledge have since been rejected, but no enlightened being has ever changed his mind to say that the four noble truths or the noble eightfold path are false.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T12:11:04.847" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:11:04.847" Title="Isn't Buddhist insight practice more scientific than the so-called scientific method?" Tags="|enlightenment|truth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="35" ClosedDate="2014-07-01T21:25:18.350" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1685" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1703" CreationDate="2014-06-29T18:38:41.147" Score="10" ViewCount="802" Body="&lt;p&gt;The image of the Buddhist Monk &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_%C4%90%E1%BB%A9c&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thich Quang Duc&lt;/a&gt; committing suicide by self-immolation is a hugely iconic image of the 20th century. But bearing in mind the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/theprecepts/a/firstprecept.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first precept&lt;/a&gt; against taking life, can this be considered an ethical act in the context of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that as a political act it was brave and significant. Since Thich Quang Duc was a committed Buddhist I would imagine that he was pretty certain it was in keeping with Buddhist ethics. What was his line of reasoning? Is there precedent in scripture for this kind of act?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/26IpA.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T01:56:18.620" Title="Is self-immolation an ethical act?" Tags="|five-precepts|suicide|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1685" CreationDate="2014-06-29T18:52:16.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jakata tales often use the literary device of the main character giving a piece of their body to someone hungry, or who otherwise can make use of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra describes the Medicine King drinking scented oils,&#xA;  wrapping his body in an oil-soaked cloth, and burning himself as an&#xA;  offering to the Buddha. His body flamed for 1,200 years, he was&#xA;  reincarnated, burned off his forearms for 72,000 years, which enabled&#xA;  many to achieve enlightenment, and his arms were miraculously&#xA;  restored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-immolation#History&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if this is a 1st precept violation-- it depends. Motivation seems to play a role. Suicide as a way out of a terminal and painful disease is okay, not taking care of yourself and dying is not okay, suicide as a means of helping others is okay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T18:52:16.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1676" CreationDate="2014-06-29T18:53:37.733" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider this: Theravada posits Nirvana as a &lt;em&gt;remote&lt;/em&gt; goal, while Mahayana posits Buddha-Nature as &lt;em&gt;self-existing&lt;/em&gt; state of affairs. This is the key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason Gautama Buddha declared Nirvana, is because he was modeling the Path after his own quest. Because he achieved his Enlightenment after having gone through numerous trainings and realizing Three Marks of Existence, Twelve Nidanas and Four Noble Truths, he saw that all students must go through similar experiences in order to achieve the same Liberation. Indeed, for someone without basic discipline, critical thinking skills, and capacity for self-reflection, attaining Buddha-Eye is outright impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time of Mahayana though, because Buddhism became very popular and the essence of Teaching was somewhat lost in the noise of speculative philosophy and esoteric speculation, many new students would become obsessed with the &lt;em&gt;idea&lt;/em&gt; of Nirvana, and instead of training the skilfull qualities of mind required for Enlightenment, would engage in fruitless search of Transcendental Realization. Out of compassion for future seekers, Bodhisattvas established the notion of Buddha Nature, openly declaring that Enlightenment is not something remote you have to attain, but rather one's innate nature to be recovered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Buddha-Nature is basically Nirvana or Enlightenment, except now you know you already have it, and only need to open your eyes, instead of running around the world seeking it. That said, you still have to work on dropping all attachments, deconstructing the ego, and becoming the master of your mind/emotions before you can take legal ownership of your rightful possession :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-07-17T15:24:25.617" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T15:24:25.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1685" CreationDate="2014-06-29T19:00:05.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple straight up answer has to be no,  since its a direct breach of precept of non-harming of beings and suicide as a monk is an offense in the vinaya,  granted not a grave one but still.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the answer will vary by tradition.  People can bring out parts of the pali suttas where an awakened(emphasis on awakened..) being committed suicide for some reason or another and the Buddha considered it appropriate.  It  also appears to be a much more accepted and condoned in mahayana traditions so im sure many would not agree with my assessment,  and thats fine.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a common question in buddhist discussion forums. I struggle to see the point in killing yourself to make a point...  ESPECIALLY when we are part of a religion that espouses non-violence in all we do.  I feel its a waste of monk who could be helping others and it holds no valid part in any kind of non-violent resistance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T19:10:27.503" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T19:10:27.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1564" CreationDate="2014-06-29T21:39:14.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, a point that is not well understood is that, among those who follow the Pali canon, there is no controversy over whether &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; jhāna is necessary; the answer is in all cases yes. The controversy is really over &lt;em&gt;which&lt;/em&gt; jhāna is necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three types of jhāna in total:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;samatha-jhāna&lt;/strong&gt; - jhāna based on a conceptual object that, due to its conceptual nature, cannot lead to the realization of the nature of reality.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The colour should not be reviewed. The characteristic should not be&#xA;  given attention. But rather, while not ignoring the colour, attention&#xA;  should be given by setting the mind on the [name] concept as the most&#xA;  outstanding mental datum, relegating the colour to the position of a&#xA;  property of its physical support. That [conceptual state] can be&#xA;  called by anyone he likes among the names for earth (pathavī) such as&#xA;  “earth” (pathavī), “the Great One” (mahī), “the Friendly One”&#xA;  (medinī), “ground” (bhūmi), “the Provider of Wealth” (vasudhā), “the&#xA;  Bearer of Wealth” (vasudharā), etc., whichever suits his manner of&#xA;  perception. Still “earth” is also a name that is obvious, so it can be&#xA;  developed with the obvious one by saying “earth, earth.” It should be&#xA;  adverted to now with eyes open, now with eyes shut. And he should go&#xA;  on developing it in this way a hundred times, a thousand times, and&#xA;  even more than that, until the learning sign arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/private/4.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Path of Purification, IV.29&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. &lt;strong&gt;vipassana-jhāna&lt;/strong&gt; - jhāna based on ultimate reality that allows one to see the three characteristics and thus attain nibbana. As the Mahasi Sayadaw states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The tranquillity that occurs while one contemplates various phenomena is called momentary concentration, the concentration that lasts momentarily during contemplation. No insight is possible without this momentary concentration. The meditator who has no basic [samatha] jhānic experience and relies on insight meditation alone develops insight through momentary concentration and attains the noble path. This concentration for insight is not confined to a single object. The meditator practising it notes all the mental and physical phenomena that arise. However, at the moment of noting, his mind is fixed on the object and free from distraction. This is obvious to the meditator who practises effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/sallekha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.aimwell.org/sallekha.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3. &lt;strong&gt;lokuttara-jhāna&lt;/strong&gt; - jhāna that takes a supermundane object (nibbana), and is equivalent to attaining the noble path and fruition. According to Bhante Gunaratana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But the four jhanas again reappear in a later stage in the development of the path, in direct association with liberating wisdom, and they are then designated the supramundane (lokuttara) jhanas. These supramundane jhanas are the levels of concentration pertaining to the four degrees of enlightenment experience called the supramundane paths (magga) and the stages of liberation resulting form them, the four fruits (phala).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/jhanas/jhanas01.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/jhanas/jhanas01.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this third type of jhāna that everyone agrees is necessary. The problem is with deciding which type of jhāna the Buddha is talking about in specific contexts. Since these three types of jhāna are not enumerated in the sutta pitaka, the debate centres around whether lokiya (mundane) samatha jhāna are necessary, since that is the only type of jhāna recognized by certain Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This too can be seen as a misunderstanding, since samatha jhāna according to those who hold that it is not necessary is not exactly the same as jhāna according to those who hold that lokiya jhāna is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to those who say lokiya jhāna is necessary, they seem to believe that lokiya jhāna is a practice which allows for the realization of insight, in which case it cannot be samatha jhāna as understood by those who believe that samatha jhāna cannot lead directly to insight, unless the former group actually believes that jhāna based on a conceptual object can allow for the realization of insight into reality, which I'm pretty sure is not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the debate is really not all it is cracked up to be, unless there are people who believe meditation based on a non-real conceptual object is sufficient for attainment of understanding of reality, in which case they are in contradiction with the sutta pitaka, not to mention the abhidhamma and commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose there could still be room for debate over whether samatha jhāna based on a concept must be cultivated prior to Vipassana; the yuganaddha sutta probably shows this to be false:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded by insight. As he develops tranquillity preceded by insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it &amp;amp; pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course for anyone actually adhering to the Theravada (I.e. the commentaries, patisambidhamagga, and abhidhamma), there isn't much room for controversy. Most of the debate is over whether to follow the existing commentaries or create one's own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T01:59:20.163" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T01:59:20.163" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1690" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1693" CreationDate="2014-06-29T21:41:27.043" Score="6" ViewCount="713" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is different about being a Buddhist than an atheist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can tell, &quot;western&quot; thought is a mix of different philosophical approaches that can be applied to life with a dose of common sense: ethics, rationalization, self, society, abstraction, belief, existence, nature... there's place for everything in &quot;western&quot; thought, one just needs to look in the right places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard good things about Buddhism, but everything I've read about until now is just a different way of saying something that I've heard elsewhere. Different words, a different language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does Buddhism recommend itself as the best approach to reach enlightenment, or can this fulfillment be achieved outside of Buddhist schooling?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or more subjectively: Why should a person follow Buddhism instead of something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="325" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T19:47:35.520" Title="What is the difference between learning the Buddhist way and simply learning from life?" Tags="|philosophy|learning|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-29T22:03:59.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists believe in rebirth, gods, ghosts, hells, heavens, Karma. Atheists don't!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paticca Samuppada, the Four Noble Truth and the Noble Eightfold Path are not taught in other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different religions have different concepts of enlightenment. What Buddhism teaches as 'Nibbana' can only be achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path and realizing the 4 Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is the deathless element. It is a permanent, peaceful state which is soulless. I don't think you get that definition in other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T22:03:59.403" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-29T22:28:58.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha probably thought buddhism was the best approach, or else he would have spent his time promoting something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;learning from life&quot; makes me think of learning based on the rules of the society a person is born into. Most societies are deluded. It is more unlikely to just have an epiphany one day and realize this than it is to follow a set of instructions that have helped people have this realization for thousands of years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way of approaching life and escaping delusion exists without &quot;Buddhism&quot;; someone can figure out to follow the same approach as a Buddhist without ever knowing that Buddhism existed. This is why individuals can escape samsara even when the teachings have been lost. In the same sense, a person could rediscover algebra... but think how much easier it would be to just go to school and be taught algebra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T22:28:58.510" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-29T22:50:57.510" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main difference is time. Buddha shows the way in simple instructions, so that you don't have to discover the path to enlightenment by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="328" LastEditorUserId="328" LastEditDate="2014-06-29T23:20:55.200" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T23:20:55.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-29T23:23:39.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a complex question, with a lot of components needed for a complete answer. I'll offer just one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fundamental difference between Buddhism and &quot;western thought&quot; (as you call it), is that word &quot;thought&quot;. A key part of Buddhism is you have to &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; it; it's not just a set of ideas to believe or reject. If your knowledge of western philosophy extends to the phenomenology of Husserl and Heidegger, think of Buddhism as, in part, &lt;em&gt;applied&lt;/em&gt; phenomenology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Analogy time. You can read all you like about weight training, cardio, diet, stretching and so on, but merely reading about them won't build your muscle mass or your endurance. In that sense, the bias in western thought makes it like reading about those things; Buddhism is more about doing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh, and in that context, the Buddhism/atheism thing is probably a false dichotomy. I don't necessarily agree with him, but see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.stephenbatchelor.org/index.php/en/stephen/publications&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stephen Batchelor's&lt;/a&gt; &quot;Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist&quot; and &quot;Buddhism Without Beliefs&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-29T23:23:39.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1662" CreationDate="2014-06-29T23:52:53.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Origin:&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I know the origin goes, before the Buddha's enlightenment. According to the legend,&#xA;Siddhartha Gautama in seeking Enlightenment sat under the spreading bowers of a giant Nuga Tree lying close to the bank of river Neranjana. Then the daughter to the village chief name &quot;Sujatha&quot; offered a bowl filled with rice, thinking he was the divinity of the tree (You could read the full story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2009/08/09/spe10.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Collect alms for one or more than one monk. For instance if another monk is too sick to go on alms rounds&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Server as a kind of suitcase, specially for the forest monks. They can keep all the robes inside the bowl and keep it away from the rain or the small animals(Insect, Mice)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Very practical object a symbol&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T00:05:11.027" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T00:05:11.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1696" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1739" CreationDate="2014-06-30T02:12:18.123" Score="7" ViewCount="837" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Siddhārtha Gautama left his home to become an ascetic, he left a wife, son, father and step mother. His achievement of enlightenment and subsequent teachings of the 4 Noble Truths and 8 Fold Noble Path has brought obvious benefit to the world for the potential of the cessation of suffering. But what is known about the suffering of the Buddha's personal family due to his leaving? As the Buddha, did he ever speak of this matter? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2018-05-31T16:15:38.330" Title="Did the Buddha ever talk about his family?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1698" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-30T03:12:51.417" Score="23" ViewCount="11266" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a clock, it just is distracting having to look at it every few minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:29:39.493" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:29:39.493" Title="How to determine the end of a meditation session without a clock?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1696" CreationDate="2014-06-30T04:08:56.677" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you familiar with the Vessantara-jātaka?  As the last tale in the Jataka series, it is basically the story of the Buddha’s incarnation immediately preceding his life as Shakyamuni (so you could say it’s rather significant!)  Be that as it may, what happens to the Buddha-figure's immediate family is rather shocking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vessantara-jātaka is supposed to illustrate the virtue of dāna, or generosity.  The main character is a prince who goes into the forest (in effect becomes a renunciant) in order to save his father’s kingdom.  His wife and two children go with him.  At one point an old Brahmin whose wife needs a personal slave comes to Vessantara and asks him to give up his children, and he does.  Later he also gives away his wife, but luckily it is the god Sakka who receives her.  Later everything is reversed, Vessantara becomes king and riches rain down on his palace from the sky, so he is able to practice the dana virtue in an unlimited way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Jataka has a prominent place in Thai Buddhism – everyone knows the story, it was used for teaching and is often recited at temples as an exercise in merit-making.  Charles Keyes wrote that it was historically one of three core texts in Thai popular Buddhist practice, along with the Traiphum, a work of cosmology, and the story of Phra Malai, which contains a lesson about the future Buddha Maitreya.  (By the way, neither of the latter texts appears in the Tripitaka at all.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thais are disturbed about the seemingly anti-family message of the Vessantara-jātaka.  (Other, less well-known jatakas can be disturbing too.  There is one where a male hermit lets his female companion, also a renunciant, starve to death – she is just too weak to follow the path.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s all about ridding oneself of attachments, of course.  One of the most difficult things about becoming a monk must be to do this, although in practice the severing of ties is not absolute – family members may continue to feed the monk by donating food on his morning rounds, for instance.  The Vessantara-jātaka has a message for both laypeople (how virtuous it is to give) and for monks (a model for renouncing worldly ties.) That may account for its popularity - who knows really?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here’s a good summary of the Vessantara story – the full version is very long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/vy/vessantara_jat_547.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The tale of Prince Vessantara&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="64" LastEditorUserId="64" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T04:14:35.220" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T04:14:35.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-30T04:44:48.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The key difference is Detachment from the Event that you are learning from. Your life is a series of events, both good and bad. Through observing the &quot;self&quot; using Buddhist techniques such as Vipassana, you can witness your own emotional reactions to events almost as a third person. This helps create a balance in how you respond to events, promotes equanimity and empathy towards yourself. It takes the learning beyond what you would see through the lens of your emotions. For example, you will stop blaming yourself or someone else, and learn that an event was the natural transition from circumstances that were unavoidable. This philosophy of learning is also referred to as &quot;Mindfulness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="332" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T04:44:48.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T05:37:28.040" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have a smartphone, consider using a meditation timer app for keeping track of sessions. Simple ones like &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nwalex.meditation&quot;&gt;Meditation Helper&lt;/a&gt; (Android) or Meditation Timer (iPhone) are free and do the simple job of keeping the time, ringing a bell when finished. This cen perhaps let you just focus on the meditation for the entire session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note: I only have experience with the Android Meditation Helper, which is why the link is provided. It has reminders and a log, quite simple.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt; regarding the use of timers and bells:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using a meditation timer can be beneficial, especially for beginners, where hearing repeated bells at intervals (starting out as frequent as 2 minutes, increasing to 5, then 10, and so on) can work as a reminder to gently return to the meditation object. However, there is a point where the bells become a hindrance, where they may disturb a deeper meditation, so the recommendation is to phase out the use of the bells. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Meditate for as long as you can&lt;/em&gt;, each time. Only if you have limited time for a setting, then use the bell as a reminder. The app works well for this, where you can first set the bells at intervals, then to end the session. If you only look at the meditation timer (locking the screen during meditation) after the meditation session has ended, you can use it to evaluate the session. You may find that sometimes a 30 minute meditation can be challenging, and other times you're surprised to find that an hour and a half passed while in deep meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T09:29:01.003" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T09:29:01.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T06:23:22.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use the meditation timer app and its very useful!&#xA;I usually have meditation time set for an hour, and a mild bell to ring every five minutes, every few bells or so ill switch to walking or sitting. I'm still trying to solidly make it a full five minutes of absolute mindfulness without drifting off or zoning out but... maybe next time... hah.&#xA;but yeah, after it goes off a few times you'll lose track and then its just a reminder and/or starting point or you can set it to go off anywhere from every one minute to 2, 3,4,5,6... etc all the way to 24 hours (or not to go off until the time is up)&#xA;so yeah, i second that recommendation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:23:22.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1685" CreationDate="2014-06-30T06:29:35.007" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no simple answer, since it will always depend on the context. However, in most cases, it would go agains the first precept: &lt;em&gt;to abstain from killing&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there could be situations where the act is interpreted in different contexts. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Nh%E1%BA%A5t_H%E1%BA%A1nh&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt; once wrote (a few years after the incident in the picture):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Vietnamese monk, by burning himself, says with all his strength&#xA;  and determination that he can endure the greatest of suffering to&#xA;  protect his people. What he really aims at is the expression of his&#xA;  will and determination, not death. To express will by burning oneself,&#xA;  therefore, is not to commit an act of destruction but to perform an&#xA;  act of construction, that is to suffer and to die for the sake of&#xA;  one’s people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a more recent interview (with Oprah Winfrey), Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that there were a lot of killings (by the government of its citizens) in the country at the time, and that the monk that chose this action saw it as a peaceful action to put an end to the violence (protesting with a non-violent action to create attention, instead of violence that would cause more violence). In other words, the action to save many lives was an act of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-immolation#History&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; regarding sacrificing the body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The act of sacrificing one's own body, though not by fire, is a&#xA;  component of two well-known stories found in the ancient Buddhist text&#xA;  known as the Jataka tales, which, according to Buddhist tradition,&#xA;  gives accounts of past incarnations of the Buddha. In the &quot;Hungry&#xA;  Tigress&quot; Jataka, Prince Sattva looked down from a cliff and saw a&#xA;  starving tigress that was going to eat her newborn cubs, and&#xA;  compassionately sacrificed his body in order to feed the tigers and&#xA;  spare their lives. In the &quot;Sibi Jataka&quot;, King Śibi or Shibi was&#xA;  renowned for unselfishness, and the gods Śakra and Vishvakarman tested&#xA;  him by transforming into a hawk and a dove. The dove fell on the&#xA;  king's lap while trying to escape the hawk, and sought refuge. Rather&#xA;  than surrender the dove, Śibi offered his own flesh equivalent in&#xA;  weight to the dove, and the hawk agreed. They had rigged the balance&#xA;  scale, and King Śibi continued cutting off his flesh until half his&#xA;  body was gone, when the gods revealed themselves, restored his body,&#xA;  and blessed him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A much discussed topic, and the answer is that it depends on the context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:29:35.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1680" CreationDate="2014-06-30T06:30:00.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice, study... then more practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as far as Theravada is concerned (which i personally recommend) Yuttadhammo has a WHOLE lot of great insight and info on his youtube account! and also at Sirimangalo.org &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada is very straight forward and doesnt delve too deep into any mysticism or guesswork.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:30:00.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1684" CreationDate="2014-06-30T06:39:45.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;yeah... it depends who you ask.&#xA;research conceptual truth vs ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:39:45.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T06:43:03.870" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having to look at a clock every few minutes really defeats the purpose!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever tried telling yourself to wake up at a certain time before you sleep? I can tell you from personal experience that it works. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditation teacher asks us not to use any clock. She asks us to train ourselves to emerge from meditation at specified time without external help. I haven't really tried it yet (except for waking up from sleep), and the teacher will always ring the bell in our group sitting despite her advice :).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all, one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Aspects_of_jhana_mastery&quot;&gt;jhana mastery&lt;/a&gt; is the ability to remain in jhana for exactly the pre-determined length of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A meditator should first master the lower jhānas, before they can go into the higher jhānas. There are five aspects of jhāna mastery:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mastery in adverting: the ability to advert to the jhāna factors one by one after emerging from the jhāna, wherever he wants, whenever he wants, and for as long as he wants.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mastery in attaining: the ability to enter upon jhāna quickly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mastery in resolving: the ability to remain in the jhāna for exactly the pre-determined length of time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mastery in emerging: the ability to emerge from jhāna quickly without difficulty.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mastery in reviewing: the ability to review the jhāna and its factors with retrospective knowledge immediately after adverting to them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T06:43:03.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1708" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1721" CreationDate="2014-06-30T07:01:26.167" Score="8" ViewCount="2605" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is broth and vegetable juice allowable? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am preferably looking for an answer by an experienced monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T15:38:02.693" LastActivityDate="2019-09-06T15:38:43.557" Title="What are any and all of the exceptions to eating after noon if you've taken 8 precepts?" Tags="|theravada|precept|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1709" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1710" CreationDate="2014-06-30T07:53:10.720" Score="6" ViewCount="2205" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wonder if there is an English version of the Abhidhamma, in its entirety?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T15:11:10.223" Title="Is there an English translation of the Abhidhamma?" Tags="|theravada|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1709" CreationDate="2014-06-30T08:50:35.597" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, there is no single compiled translation of all the volumes of the &lt;em&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; but they are separately translated by several people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find an index of these translations in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ATI's Abhidhamma Page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that, although no English translation of the &quot;The Book of Pairs&quot; (&lt;em&gt;Yamaka&lt;/em&gt;) is mentioned in the above link, there is one. You can find Vol.1 &lt;a href=&quot;http://tinyurl.com/ltk4ar3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma.com&lt;/a&gt; also has useful material available for download, including &quot;The Book of Pairs Vol.2&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T12:57:34.127" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T12:57:34.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1708" CreationDate="2014-06-30T09:02:51.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I know the followings are allowed after the noon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Water.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Strained fruit and vegetable juices are allowable in the afternoon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ghee, oil, butter/cheese, honey and sugar.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Drinks like tea, herbal infusions, ginger, cocoa and coffee.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T09:02:51.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1709" CreationDate="2014-06-30T09:26:52.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a  global non-profit initiative aiming at translating the whole &lt;a href=&quot;http://84000.co/facts-and-figures-about-kangyur-and-tengyur&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kangyur and Tengyur&lt;/a&gt; (Abhidhamma is a part of Tengyur) into modern languages - &lt;a href=&quot;http://84000.co/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;84000&lt;/a&gt;. You can browse their website to see how they work, what is their vision and which texts has been already translated into English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, there is not much translated at the moment but they hope that within 10 years a substantial amount of texts will become publicly available in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T09:26:52.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-30T10:48:21.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being an atheist you always deal with conceptual thinking even though you can be a very good person. But any happiness you get out of impermanent things is impermanent and thus is not absolute. It cannot be preserved when old age, sickness, death and loss come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a buddhist you decide and work to reach a state of mind that is beyond any conceptions and that brings you to the state of absolute happiness. And out of that state you can also be best possible help for others. For that you take refuge (decide that it is most important for oneself) in the goal (Buddhahood), the way (Dharma, Buddha's teachings) and the friends on the way (Sangha). So it is about practicing Buddhas instructions to reach the state of a Buddha. Also being a buddist means you don't just believe in what Buddha said, but you try, practice and see if those instructions work in your case. It's about experience, not about belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="334" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T10:48:21.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T11:35:05.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use a wind-up kitchen timer. Because it is low-tech, it works better for me than a smartphone app, which has a subtle distracting effect due to being an open-ended device. I do make sure to have no clocks in sight. In the zendo we used to have a giant pendulum clock, which ticked loudly and chimed every 15 minutes. That had its charm too :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to keep time is to count breaths on phalanges of hands, with the thumb. 3 phalanges times 4 fingers makes 12. 12 on one hand times 12 on the other makes 144 (breaths). This is about 25-30 minutes, depending how you breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T20:45:48.103" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T20:45:48.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1715" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-06-30T11:51:09.093" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon (Pali: Tipitaka) is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the first known and most complete extant early Buddhist canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was composed in North India, and preserved orally until it was committed to writing during the Fourth Buddhist Council in Sri Lanka in 29 BCE, approximately four hundred and fifty four years after the death of Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon falls into three general categories, called pitaka (from Pali piṭaka, meaning &quot;basket&quot;, referring to the receptacles in which the palm-leaf manuscripts were kept). Because of this, the canon is traditionally known as the Tipiṭaka (Sanskrit: Tripiṭaka; &quot;three baskets&quot;). The three pitakas are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vinaya Pitaka (&quot;Discipline Basket&quot;), dealing with rules for monks and nuns&#xA;Sutta Pitaka (Sutra/Sayings Basket), discourses, mostly ascribed to the Buddha, but some to disciples&#xA;Abhidhamma Pitaka, variously described as philosophy, psychology, metaphysics, etc.&#xA;The Vinaya Pitaka and the Sutta Pitaka are remarkably similar to the works of other early Buddhist schools. The Abhidhamma Pitaka however is a strictly Theravada collection, and has little in common with the Abhidhamma works recognized by other Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:52:53.100" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:52:53.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1716" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-06-30T11:51:09.093" Score="0" Body="The Pāḷi Canon is a compilation of scriptures that preserve the earliest record of the teachings attributed to the Buddha in the Pāḷi language. It is also called the Pāḷi Tipiṭaka since it is divided in three sections (tipiṭaka, &quot;three baskets&quot;) of teachings, such as, the  Discipline Basket (Vinaya Piṭaka), Discourse Basket (Sutta Piṭaka) &amp; Higher Teachings Basket (Abhidhamma Piṭaka)." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T00:11:03.283" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T00:11:03.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T11:52:49.440" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way I've heard to a) keep track of time b) without a clock (or timer) was related to me by my 91-year-old teacher who said in the old days they used to use incense sticks; once the incense stick was finished, they would switch from walking to sitting. For shorter sessions, you could cut the sticks in half, etc. Of course, it still means you need to open your eyes every so often during sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often suggest meditators just to look at the clock every so often; it's not really that big of a deal with insight meditation, since the concentration is momentary anyway. It can be a good exercise in patience watching how often your mind wants to check and see if you're finished yet :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, as someone said, your mind can estimate pretty well how long you've been sitting and you'll find yourself checking the clock (or incense stick) just when it's time to finish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T11:52:49.440" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1709" CreationDate="2014-06-30T12:01:37.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the abhidhamma pitaka has been translated by the PTS:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tipitaka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tipitaka.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translations are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics - Dhammasaṅgaṇī&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The Book of Analysis - Vibhaṅga&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Discourse on Elements - Dhātukathā&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Points of Controversy - Kathāvatthu&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Designation of Human Types - Puggalapaññatti&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Conditional Relations - Paṭṭhāna&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only one that is missing is the Yamaka, for which I see there are a couple of partial translations as mentioned in another answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T12:22:37.850" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T12:22:37.850" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-30T12:03:02.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could say that Buddhism provides methods to use life as a lesson, every moment is a learning opportunity. That's why the texts and talks are called 'teachings' - by learning to change our perspective on life, we can deal with it more skilfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism recommend itself as the best approach to reach enlightenment, or can this fulfillment be achieved outside of Buddhist schooling?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism contains teachings that are singularly designed to help human beings get out of this endless wheel of suffering (in Buddhism called Samsara). By learning to see things from the perspective that &lt;em&gt;There is suffering&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Suffering is caused by craving/clinging&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;There's a way out of suffering&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;The path to end suffering is detailed [in eight 'components']&lt;/em&gt; we can skilfully reduce our suffering/anxiety/dissatisfactoriness of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Most importantly, the Buddhist teachings were not designed to be believed in. The were designed to be used.&lt;/strong&gt; So we can choose to learn the doctrine like any other religion, and believe it or not, or we can &lt;strong&gt;put the teachings to practice&lt;/strong&gt;. Only then will they have an impact on your life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of Buddhism (&quot;being a Buddhist&quot;), involves taking on five (or more) precepts, similar to other religions. These include &lt;em&gt;refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants&lt;/em&gt;. However, to practically train the mind, &lt;strong&gt;meditation&lt;/strong&gt; is an essential component of the Buddhist training. There are thousands of techniques that can be put to use, most helpfully aided by an experienced teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is different about being a Buddhist than an atheist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question does not entirely apply, but suffice to say that atheists reject that there is any god that &quot;rules the world&quot; - Buddhist teachings include the existence of deities, heavens and hells (all plural), but that none of them &quot;rule the world&quot;, that there is no one entity that decides over this existence. &lt;strong&gt;Important is to note that these deities are not worshipped as if they are above humans, and Buddhists have compassion for those in the hell realms&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NOTE: This is a very simplified answer in response to your questions. In summarizing this way, inaccuracies may have crept in, unintentionally. I encourage hearing more from a Buddhist, in person (ideally a monastic), to get a better understanding. (opposed to just reading about Buddhism)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T12:03:02.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1720" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-30T12:11:20.523" Score="5" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;Between the time of the historical Buddha and state support by emperor Ashoka, were Buddhist monks evangelical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, did Buddhism spread through enthusiastic recruitment by the sangha, or did it spread more due to state support or something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;This personally occurred to me after living a life as a crypto-Buddhist. There were not many Buddhists around me and no one knew I was a Buddhist. This is despite nominally believing in the Bodhisattva vow, which to my ears, sounds rather evangelical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm trying this question out on Stack Exchange to see if it fares better than it did on a forum, where pretty much people only could agree that they really didn't like Christians knocking at the door and that just about any form of promoting the Dharma to someone not already inclined towards Buddhism (or possibly already a self identifying Buddhist) was a grave violation of respect for autonomy, i.e. &lt;em&gt;forcing&lt;/em&gt; one's religion on someone else. And that sentiment sounds like the value system of contemporary ex-Christians in the US more than whatever the earliest Buddhists might have thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T16:21:20.083" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T13:56:30.497" Title="Were the oldest Buddhists evangelical?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1708" CreationDate="2014-06-30T12:22:03.780" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to understand the precept for lay people, it is useful to look at the rules for monks. For monks, there are four types of edible requisites, according to their lifetime:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;Yavakalika&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Solid food; including milk, soya milk, rice milk, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type can only be taken during the morning hours and may not be stored beyond noon of the day it was received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. &lt;strong&gt;yamakalika&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most types of uncooked, pulp-free fruit, vegetable, flower, root, or leaf juice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type can be taken any time of day, but only kept until dawn of the day after it was received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3. &lt;strong&gt;satthahakalika&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medicinal tonics: ghee, oil, butter/cheese, honey and sugar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type can be taken any time of day by a monk who is sick in a way that will be assuaged by taking the tonic (usually stomach upset or hunger due to inability to keep food down). These may be kept for seven days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4. &lt;strong&gt;yavajivaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything normally considered as a medicine, within reason (any fruits, roots, flowers, bark, salts, etc. that are considered medicine by the world) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type can be taken any time of day provided there is a compelling reason (i.e. a sickness that is ameliorated by taking the medicine). They may be kept one's entire life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth precept probably follows the same pattern as the monastic practice (leaving aside the part about how long items may be kept), so unless one is sick, the only thing that can really be taken outside of the morning hours is uncooked, pulp-free fruit or vegetable juice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tea, coffee, ginger, etc. are medicine and should only be taken if they are known to ameliorate a sickness one currently has.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the five tonics can be useful for people unable to otherwise keep eight precepts due to health concerns. I once had an elderly student who was afraid to keep the eight precepts, and I suggested she try and if unable to take some butter. She was against the idea of taking butter due to its high cholesterol content, but I convinced her to try anyway. In the night, she sent a request for food so I had someone send her back a small butter pot. In the morning she came back all smiles, astonished at how well the butter worked to protect her stomach and feeling no adverse effects of keeping the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T17:02:28.320" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T17:02:28.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1676" CreationDate="2014-06-30T12:22:09.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is because the main goal of Theravada practice is the state of Liberation (Arhathood), being free from first of the two veils (the veil of disturbing emotions). But reaching full Enlightenment (realizing Buddha-nature), when both veils are removed (the second veil is stiff ideas), becomes a topic only in Mahayana. That is because Bodhichitta, the great motivation for the sake of &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; beings, is an integral part of Buddha-nature and it is not stressed in Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="334" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T12:22:09.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1684" CreationDate="2014-06-30T13:51:01.740" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like this question (I've cleaned it up a bit for clarity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, what it's asking is whether Buddhist practice should be considered more or less scientific than the scientific method. I've tried to make this argument before - most recently in &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/diraudio/Yuttadhammo/Talks/140626_science_buddhism.mp3&quot;&gt;a talk at the University of South Florida&lt;/a&gt;. The concepts are still a bit vague, but I think the argument is sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is in defining what constitutes valid scientific inquiry, and what is meant by knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In material science, the frame of reference is an interpersonal environment where the requirement for evidence is third-person verifiability. A theory is only considered scientific if there is some means of impersonal falsifiability (i.e. can it be disproved by a third person through experimental means). Observations should be made by an impartial third party (preferably a double blind where the observer and the administer are two different people) reproducible by others undertaking the same experiments as the original observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In insight meditation, the frame of reference is internal and so any observations must be made by the individual themselves. Thus, their observations are seen as unreliable by the modern scientific community. Within the context of an interpersonal frame of reference, this makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An argument in defence is that the frame of reference in Buddhism is not interpersonal - i.e. it doesn't matter whether I &quot;really&quot; made observation X; what is important is that I perceived it as being observation X. Using this premise as a basis for investigation, I think it is still possible to separate objective observations from subjective ones, though it is of course more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difficulty I've found is in explaining Buddhist insight practice as objectively objective; how can one prove that the act of reminding oneself &quot;seeing&quot; actually allows oneself to be completely objective? I think there is some logic behind the fact that reminding oneself of the inherent nature of the observation creates objectivity, but it is still an uncertain hypothesis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer lies in the expected outcome; we would expect experimentation A to be objective if it brought about consistent, reproducible (again, only by the individual) results in all situations. Subjective experimentation would lead to inconsistent results. Objective experimentation would also be expected to lead to clear definition of the nature of the objects of observation (i.e. object X appears to invariably display property A).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such principles could then be verified between experimenters; interviewing individual meditators could potentially lead to patterns of observations of the sort mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of all this is that there is &lt;em&gt;at least&lt;/em&gt; a quasi-scientific aspect to personal meditation; it need not be discarded as purely subjective, especially since it is acknowledged that the mind does seem to follow orderly principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where this all gets interesting is at the level of enlightenment, where a meditator actually claims to be certain of their observations, due to overwhelming personal evidence of its truth. Obviously such certainty is useless in an interpersonal frame of reference, but for the meditator themselves, such statements can perhaps be examined and differentiated between. For example, a meditator may come to a certainty through faith, in which case it will be of a specific quality that must be different from that arrived at through overwhelming evidence. The former would be subject to alteration in the face of further observation (or even over time), whereas the latter would only be confirmed through further observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the frame of reference of the individual, then, it wouldn't matter what anyone else said about the subjectivity or invalidity of their claim; since their every observation reaffirmed the certainty of their conclusion, they would feel their claim to be scientifically arrived at, and it would be impossible to shake them of that conviction without resorting to tactics like brainwashing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, once a meditator attains nibbana, even brainwashing would be unable to shake their conviction, since their very being would be changed by the realization; not clinging to body and mind, they would be impervious to all attempts at subversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point here is that they would regard their certainty as scientifically gained; i.e. through what they felt to be objective observation. The obvious criticism is that anyone can claim such objectivity, even in the case of those under the influence of subjective partiality. Again, this is only important in the case of an interpersonal frame of reference. Within one's own mind, it is completely up to the individual to critique their own observations, since it is indeed only they who can possibly determine whether an observation is objective or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We therefore place the onus on the individual to critique themselves, and assume that there is indeed a means by which one can distinguish a subjective state from an objective one. Defining criteria by which one could undertake such discernment would assumedly look a lot like the Buddha's own methodology of separating experience out into constituents parts and subjecting each aspect to rigorous inspection to determine natures of each aspect and relationships between aspects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, then, the idea would be that the meditator would be able to cultivate an increasingly objective outlook on their own experience, eventually culminating in a paradigm shift from subjective partiality to objective observation, at which point they would intuitively understand the nature of observable phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of this would be a heightened level of &quot;knowledge&quot; (i.e. certainty) about a given claim, e.g. &quot;no experience is worth clinging to&quot;. The idea here is that such knowledge would be weaker without such cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question, then, is whether such knowledge is superior to material scientific knowledge. Obviously, it is inferior in the sense that it cannot be directly shared with others, but given the premise that anyone can undertake the same practices, with the claim that they will achieve the same level of knowledge, even this is a poor argument. Equally obvious is the superiority in the sense of the level of individual certainty which, according to an arahant themselves, would be absolutely and eternally unshakable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only really valid criticism is as to whether such certainty can be in any way distinguished from simple brainwashing. The defence against this criticism, I think, lies in the ability of an individual to distinguish between states of knowledge; in fact, there is the sense that brainwashing is not knowledge in any real sense of the word, since the certainty would go against one's own experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is another key point (sorry for my meandering thoughts) - that there are two levels of observation - the conceptual and the ultimate. Whereas the nature of and relationship between concepts can be changed, those of the building blocks of experiential reality are immutable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, an experimenter may administer an experience to trick the subject into finding a correlation between stimulus A and result X where there wouldn't naturally be one (e.g. A Clockwork Orange). What the experimenter cannot do is affect the perceptions of the individual itself. So, while it is possible to brainwash someone into believing that violence is a cause of nausea, it is not possible to alter their observations of the experience of the violence and the nausea, because the building blocks that make up the experience cannot be changed, nor can their relationships. This seems like a reasonable premise, one which allows an individual to potentially discriminate between brainwashing and true knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, since there is no potential for peer review, such discrimination is extremely unlikely to occur in the average individual, hence the esteem given to the Buddha; still, this doesn't invalidate the claim that it is technically possible, given the right tools and determination. The important point is that it is not only possible, but absolutely preferable given the inherent strength of such knowledge, even over peer-reviewed material scientific knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or something like that :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T13:51:01.740" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1724" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1742" CreationDate="2014-06-30T14:22:57.453" Score="9" ViewCount="1080" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I've been a Buddhist since around 2007, but I've never been to a temple. I don't think I've ever actually met another Buddhist. I just go by what I read in Bodhi's translations and Thanissaro's lectures and practice on my own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few months ago, I started working in Raleigh, NC, and my drive home now goes right by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddharaleightemple.org&quot;&gt;this Dhammayut temple&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://goo.gl/maps/UkvYp&quot;&gt;map&lt;/a&gt;). It's only something like 8 minutes out of my way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had called their number a few years ago and asked if--I forget what I said specifically--something like do you have any services? (I may have said &quot;Sunday services.&quot; Ack.) The response was something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aah.. uh, no... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sort of like a &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/FshkO8HqQ10&quot;&gt;Consuela &quot;no.. no..&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. It didn't seem that the person spoke English very well, although I think he understood my question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time I had figured that a Thai temple is probably just not very interested in westerners. (I've noticed typical western converts to Buddhism don't tend to wholeheartedly buy into one tradition or another, they might read books on Zen, listen to lectures by the Dalai Lama and also watch videos by Ajahn Brahm. They often totally disregard the idea of rebirth. I can see how some of this might be off-putting to conservative Theravadins.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I figured their interest is just in attending to the Thai community there, and/or they may have few or no people that speak English well enough to teach in that language. Since then I've sort of alternated back and forth between this view and thinking maybe I ought to pursue it further. Now that I'm so close to the temple, I'm thinking more about trying to attend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So my question is does anyone here have first-hand experience with Thai temples in the United States and how those tend to handle westerners wanting to attend?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm really only interested in practice. I'm only interested in devotion-based actions (e.g. veneration of Buddha statues, kathina ceremonies) insofar as they inspire practice, because I can imagine a scenario where the only thing being done is offering of incense, giving robes and alms to monks and maybe listening to Pali chanting, with little or no meditation or English-language talks. If that's the case, it might not be worth it. (Although this is a Dhammayut temple, so I would tend to think they would certainly be doing meditation there?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm specifically interested in anyone who's Thai and attends Thai temples in the United States, especially a Dhammayut temple like this one, and could give me some insight as to how they operate, what practices they do and how useful it would be to someone who's interested primarily in practice, less in ritual..&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T16:55:27.860" LastActivityDate="2018-01-06T02:04:02.597" Title="Usefulness of attending a Thai temple in the United States" Tags="|theravada|temples|thai|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1720" CreationDate="2014-06-30T14:26:16.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Go forth, o bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, for the good, for the happiness of gods and men. Let not two go by one way. Preach the doctrine that is beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, and beautiful in its ending. Declare the holy life in its purity, completely both in the spirit and the letter.&quot; ~ Mahavagga, Vinaya Pitaka.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd imagine it spread much the same way as other religions. In many cultural centers of the ancient world you would have places where multiple beliefs congregated to talk to those who walked by about their faith.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine going to the mall today and in center court you had a Christian,  Hindu, Buddhist,  Jewish, Muslim, and taoist all speaking of their doctrines?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You get a glimpse in the Kalama sutta of the time of the Buddha being one where teachers and traditions were numerous and they wandered about teaching their doctrines. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, &quot;Lord, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound &amp;amp; glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, &amp;amp; disparage them. And then other brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound &amp;amp; glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, &amp;amp; disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain &amp;amp; in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is obvious that Buddhism was spread much the same way as other traditions in ancient times.  What makes Buddhism mostly different is that there are almost no examples of buddhism involving forced conversation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no doubt that king Asoka did for Buddhism what King Constantine did for Christianity hundreds of years later.  Once it became a religion of the dominant Kingdom its spread was assured as it went from one of many doctrines to the official state doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="538" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T13:56:30.497" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T13:56:30.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2014-06-30T14:31:55.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists pray to devas, or gods. Some because of filial piety, particular devotion, family tradition, or any combination of the three (or more) reasons. People also pray to Bodhisattvas and Buddhas in a way that is pretty much indistinguishable from prayer to devas. In Chinese Buddhism, it is a pretty common practice to repent of wrongdoings with Buddhas/Bodhisattvas as witnesses of the promise to do better as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas are still subject to karma, since the heavenly realm is still within samsara. They can be benevolent, malevolent (although this would cause them to be reborn in a lower realm), or indifferent. They are still powerful, and can protect people. The typical logic is that a person has good karma if for any reason a particular deva takes a liking to them and helps them. In Siddartha's previous lives, he had such good karma that he was protected by devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devotion and supplication to Buddhas and Boddhisattvas may be considered &quot;safer&quot; because they are more consistent with their compassion, while devas have different personalities, which can make them more or less &quot;fickle&quot;. Even &quot;wrathful Buddhas&quot; are called so because they are fierce protectors of the dharma and dharmic people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Institutional Buddhism still respects the individual native devas of particular regions. In one essay contained in the book &quot;Living in Amida's Universal Vow&quot;, it was pointed out that some of the earliest &quot;Code of Conduct&quot; rules in Jodo Shinshu temples contained the rules &quot;Do not disparage other Buddhas [besides Amida]&quot; and &quot;Do not disparage the kami [&quot;devas&quot; of Japan]&quot;. I do not have the book with me at the moment, but when I find the exact essay I will be more than happy to edit this post with the correct citation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T14:31:55.677" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1724" CreationDate="2014-06-30T15:13:29.057" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry not Thai.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a westerner (black American) who attends a Thai Forest temple, and they were welcoming to me since the beginning. Honestly as someone who has been attending for a while, the &quot;Sunday service&quot; question would have been strange to me too. We have chanting and meditation open to laypeople once in the morning and evening. Of course, visitors are welcome all day, and there are regulars who also make lunch for the monks, and offer other food, medicine, and other donations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not good to make decisions based on your imagination. For example, your assessment would be incorrect if applied to our temple. Offering robes formerly is mostly only done once a year for Vesaka. Also, donations, chanting, and meditation go hand-in-hand. Offering food, taking refuge, praising the Three Jewels, practicing gratitude for things we do not normally think about (food, shelter, clothing), and spreading loving-kindness is the basis for a healthy meditative life. At my temple, they speak both Thai and English, and if you can find an English version of the Pali chanting book they use (technically their books are already in &quot;English&quot; as far as using transliterated Roman script), it is easy to pick up on the keywords that let you know what you are chanting at any given moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Buddhists in our temple are comfortable with going to Mahayana-based temples as well, and &quot;doing as the Romans do&quot;, which includes more incense offering and devotional aspects like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying that, the Dhammakyut orders formed from a movement that basically Protestantized Buddhism in that region, so you have to take in account how Thai Buddhism is practiced in &lt;em&gt;modern&lt;/em&gt; times when considering practicing Thai Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is really like any other new place. You just go in and check it out, without expectations, meet it on its own terms, then decide whether the temple is for you or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T15:13:29.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T15:39:32.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can only say what helps me. I usually have recorded tracks of music playing (like chanting to Quan Shi Yin, Amitabha, or loving-kindess chanting) and I stop when the track is over. I have tried using a bell, but, for me, often the anticipation of the bell might as well be as distracting as looking at a clock.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="253" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T15:46:24.583" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T15:46:24.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2215" CreationDate="2014-06-30T15:46:02.500" Score="8" ViewCount="1875" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across a gallery of&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.stupabenalmadena.org/en/stupa/around_the_world/&quot;&gt; Stupas from around the world&lt;/a&gt; and it made me wonder why some of them differ in shape considerably. Do they express different aspects of Buddhism or is the source of difference rather cultural/historical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am aware that in Tibetan Buddhism there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupa#Tibetan_stupas&quot;&gt;9 types of Stupas&lt;/a&gt; and they have a rather uniform shape. What I am interested in is why the ones found in, for example, Sri Lanka or India, have a much different shape and style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T14:06:52.800" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T13:13:15.750" Title="Why do Buddhist Stupas have various shapes?" Tags="|history|art|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T16:23:47.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At first I did what you are trying to avoid and checked the clock on the wall.  Then I used an electric kitchen timer; this was effective, but the alarm was  unpleasant.  Thus I switched to the pre-installed timer on my Android device for a while and did fairly well, but it does not have the ability to set up multiple meditation periods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I'm using an Android app called &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.gaffga.android.zazentimer&amp;amp;hl=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zazen Meditation Timer&lt;/a&gt;.  I chose it because it required no special permissions, where all the others I investigated required permissions which I did not think a meditation timer needed and which I did not want to grant.  It allows the user to set up different meditation &quot;sessions&quot; (e.g. weekday 20 minute sit, weekend hour &amp;amp; one half sitting and walking).  Each session can have different periods (e.g. 30 minutes sitting, 15 minutes walking, 30 more minutes sitting).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some sources sell dedicated meditation timers.  Many can be easily found on the World Wide Web via the search engine of your choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit to mention a couple things I initially forgot: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also have a CD I got during a retreat.  It features gongs, bells, and other summoning sounds, followed by a starting bell.  There there are 20 minutes of silence, followed by a bell to mark the end of a 20 minute meditation period.  It has other chants, gathas, etc. and then another 20 minute meditation period, followed by some ending chants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, while a lot of the things you'll find searching for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;meditation&quot; on Youtube&lt;/a&gt; are lengthy musical pieces that may be more appropriate as background music, there are guided meditation sessions, if that's what you're seeking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T19:30:32.377" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T19:30:32.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1736" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-30T16:50:27.820" Score="6" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am mostly interested in how a Tibetan Buddhist funeral is carried out in the West, i.e. in countries where Buddhism is not a leading religion. Are there any particular practices or ceremonies that family and friends should perform?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T17:03:34.540" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T19:08:54.510" Title="What are the funeral rites for Tibetan lay Buddhists?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|rituals|laity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1724" CreationDate="2014-06-30T17:03:43.007" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been to only one temple in the West and it wasn't Thai. A very traditional one. They had no website, not spacious, the interior &quot;design&quot; - there's none - just traditional set up, no music, occasionally filled with smoke from burning incense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is only generally spoken; it is not a rule, but:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An irrelevant, however, funny example, would be Asian restaurants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one has some friends from Asia or even himself has travelled there in Asia, one would notice that most of them would dine at this restaurant that is totally below par to the &quot;western&quot; standard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One asks why, he would usually reply: &quot;It is the food that is superb here; am not here for service or decoration.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One replies: &quot;What about the one over there? It looks nice and comfortable. And clean.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He replies: &quot;Restaurants like these know how to hire good interior designers, but good cook? No.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it turns out that they are right about this, speaking from experience traveling there. Food is in fact more traditional and tastier at those run-down restaurants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in Asia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And they are certainly not an attraction to Westerners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, relating this to Asian Temples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often find that one could really learn something and get to experience what one initially intends going to an Asian Temple by visiting a temple that is not &quot;commercially-motivated&quot; nor has its target towards Westerners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tough part one usually feels initially is language barrier and thusly the misunderstanding one might experience at these places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What I have learnt is: patience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially, your eagerness would be lessened by not having the feeling that you are being &quot;attended&quot;, sometimes your questions are not answered (language barrier), you might feel ignored (again, as in the example regarding restaurants, they are not &quot;good at&quot; pulling off a good Facade (interior design, service in restaurants) but it doesn't mean they hate you (i.e., they can cook good food. Speaks: they welcome you at heart, but fail to give you a &quot;welcoming&quot; that you expect according to your standard and habits of feeling well-received)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what is wrong with going to Temples that are more &quot;Westerners-friendly&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nothing's wrong in that. But:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one wants to learns Buddhism, one might want to learn first to &quot;un-do&quot; what we are used to like a newborn, born naked, without having (losing all) pre-cognitions / conditions / perceptions / judgements and learning everything from scratch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Temple has its target towards Westerners, it would usually tries to &lt;strong&gt;&quot;suit&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; your behavior and ways rather than taking the initiative to &lt;strong&gt;&quot;correct&quot; / teach&lt;/strong&gt; you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, again, patience is the key, if one so happens to take part in Temples that do not have their &quot;target&quot; towards Westerners. As times go by, one would find himself having conversations with them, the language barrier and misunderstanding would slowly dimmish (if people really would like to communicate, they will find a way. Body language, drawing etc..).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, one is not tied to take part in only one Temple. One could participate in the ones I have mentioned here and at the same time others that are more &quot;Westerners-friendly&quot; as well, just to initially experience and learn from both sides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And like the other answerer has said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps some day when you have &quot;mastered&quot; this, you could guide others in the West regarding Buddhism and share with them your experiences so that their starting path would be easier. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who knows, perhaps by that time you will have learn a bit a new language, too, by taking part in these Temples and with your translation ability, you could help other beginners even better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And when meditating with others, there is no language or cultural&#xA;  barriers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T17:03:43.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1736" CreationDate="2014-06-30T17:13:40.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing that comes to mind is reading aloud the Tibetan Book of the Dead. When one of my Buddhist friends died I read it for him and I felt it helped both of us attain piece of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who are not familiar with Tibetan Book of the Dead, it is meant to be recited for the deceased by a lama (or the most spiritual person available in the absence of real lama). The text addresses the deceased directly, walking him or her through various post-death experiences and relating them with Buddhist Teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Chogyam Trungpa tells in &lt;em&gt;The Mishap Lineage&lt;/em&gt;, since its discovery by Karma Lingpa in 14th century, Tibetan Book of the Dead was preserved in Surmang Monastery and passed down the line of Trungpa Tulkus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T19:08:54.510" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T19:08:54.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1696" CreationDate="2014-06-30T17:20:47.430" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha praised princess Yashodara's virtue by dispensing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Canda-Kinnara-J%C4%81taka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Channakinnara Jataka&lt;/a&gt; when he visited her at Kapilavatthu. Yashodara has never been a wife to another man since the life when Bodhisatva received the confirmation from Deepankara Buddha to become a Buddha in the future. The Bodhisatva was always her husband.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the Bodhisatva and his family have spent plenty of time together as family in many a previous life. If that didn't take away their suffering, what's the point of doing more of the same?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take an analogy. If your family is suffering from a mortal illness and if you alone have the capability to go find the cure, wouldn't you leave them behind to get the cure instead of lingering there to give them false comfort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T17:20:47.430" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-06-30T18:46:31.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you burn incense sticks, you can train your mind to pick up the smell of cold ashes when the stick has finished burning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="337" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T23:51:48.240" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T23:51:48.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1690" CreationDate="2014-06-30T19:47:35.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would probably take a book to adequately answer such a question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of us would say there are different ways to the same understandings. And that understanding in such a context is not merely about philosophical insight, but involves the human condition in its totality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But imagine a person trying to negotiate a maze. There are different ways of understanding the maze. The maze as it is experienced by someone trying to seek the exit and a transcendent perspective in which the maze is seen in its greater context. e.g. another person has a map.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are different perspectives of the maze. However what should be understood? The maze, is only one aspect of this experience, another part is understanding the experience of being lost in the maze, of coping with such situations, and thus being able to empathise with others experiencing the maze.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus to really understand the maze different perspectives are helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But note, the person who is lost in the maze may come to understand the maze eventually and create their own map, and thus come to understand the maze and find their way out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus transcendence can inform immanence, but likewise immanence can inform transcendence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Western understanding has tended to focus on the intellect and thinking, whereas in the East there has always been an understanding that thinking and intellect had to in some way be transcended in order to find a greater comprehension. But it is equally recognised that such an Eastern approach requires a fairly single-minded concentration on the search for &quot;reality&quot; or whatever, something which people with busy lives are unlikely to pursue.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some would push one way at the expense of the other.I would say they are simply different approaches, and people gravitate to the approach that suits them in their life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user319" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T19:47:35.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1724" CreationDate="2014-06-30T20:54:11.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember going to my first Theravada Vihara years back and thanking them for coming to teach westerners. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk there made a great point in response,  they came because the area had a population of Sri Lankan people who requested them to come,  not for some grand vision to bring dhamma to the west. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very few monastics,  at least in the Theravada,  came out of a desire to spread dhamma in the west. they came as their laity moved west.  We are the secondary beneficiaries of that movement.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ive been to that Vihara many times and it is obvious that while they do teachings in English,  their man focus is there laity from Sri Lanka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now there is at least one person who has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to bringing dhamma to the west,  and that's Bhante G(author of mindfulness in plain English) who created Bhavana Society.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While most Viharas are places for Sri Lankans to come and socialize,  Bhavana Society is a no nonsense meditation center that people visit from across the world.  This is the kind of place a westerner wants to be and is fully part of the community. This is the type of place to find. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T20:54:11.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1743" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-06-30T21:36:15.457" Score="1" ViewCount="2916" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard rumors of this happening and am curious if there is anything (especially textually according to the canon) on what practices may lead to this as i would like to see for myself if it is true or not. Please include references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example being ESP or other psychic phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes i know it is beside the point of practice and telling me that is not an answer to my question. Neither is the cop-out of &quot;inappropriate question&quot; so please refrain from posting such opinions!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="22" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T13:02:21.053" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T13:02:21.053" Title="How does one practice to develop super-mundane powers through meditation?" Tags="|meditation-effects|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1743" CreationDate="2014-06-30T21:58:10.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Part of Daniel Ingram's &quot;thing&quot; is to speak more openly and frankly about this kind of topic than &quot;traditional&quot; Buddhists are sometimes willing to do. So you could have a look at his &quot;Mastering The Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; which I think mentions some of these phenomena. Also, the site he started, dharmaoverground.org has an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/category/72617&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;entire sub-forum&lt;/a&gt; dedicated to discussion of such things. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/318001#_19_message_319167&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here's Ingram himself&lt;/a&gt; in that sub-forum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have to add, for completeness -- and I'm not criticizing your question -- that I personally look on all that stuff askance. I'm not saying it's not real (although the meaning of the word &quot;real&quot; seems to take a bit of a beating on those discussions), but it's not why I got and remain interested in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-06-30T22:07:53.417" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T22:07:53.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1684" CreationDate="2014-06-30T23:41:51.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a potential false dichotomy here in distinguishing between the two types of knowledge. There has always been a respectable line of thinking -- not universally accepted, but respectable nonetheless -- that all knowledge is subjective. The rise of Quantum Mechanics in the early 20th century merely gave us some experiments that made that possibility even more obvious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &lt;em&gt;seems&lt;/em&gt; different, at first sight, about science (specifically, Physics) is that it is, to use Bernard d'Espagnat's term, &lt;em&gt;inter&lt;/em&gt;-subjective. In other words, when I view photons coming through slits I collapse their waveforms in just the same way that you do when you view them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, crucially, those are &lt;em&gt;two separate&lt;/em&gt; experiments and observations. You are not confirming, when you see an interference pattern (or otherwise) that &lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; saw what I saw. One consciousness simply cannot, as far as we can see, experience another consciousnesses experiences. That privacy of observation is, on one account, precisely what it means to &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; a consciousness. As a result, science is not &lt;em&gt;objective&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given all of that, I still find it hard to see why observations in Physics are, in principle, any more reliable than those in Vipassana. In practice, of course, there's a difference. I can set up our double slit experiments in ten minutes, and we can both be comparing notes five minutes thereafter. To set up our respective Vipassana &quot;experiments&quot; can take many years. (Of course, the same can be said, in the realm of Physics, with the amount of time it takes to build up the expertise needed to run advanced experiments).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-06-30T23:41:51.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1747" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1764" CreationDate="2014-07-01T02:09:56.103" Score="7" ViewCount="2699" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Golden Buddha, officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon, is the world's largest solid gold statue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the justification for such a statue? By justification I mean, what reasons would the Buddhists who created/use the statue give to explain why keeping gold (often seen as a sign of wealth and power) as a statue is right; as opposed to using the money from melting it down and selling it to buy meals for the homeless or others in need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T18:33:31.927" LastActivityDate="2018-06-04T08:51:31.833" Title="What is the reasoning for making a buddhist statue out of gold?" Tags="|art|statue|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1743" CreationDate="2014-07-01T02:30:51.577" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Through practicing samatha and vipassana meditation. After abandoning the five hindrances and after mastering the Jhanas a practitioner turns their attention to and attains Insight Knowledge, Supranormal Powers, Clairaudience, Mind Reading, Recollection of Past Lives, The Passing Away &amp;amp; Re-appearance of Beings, The Ending of Mental Fermentations and Conversations with the Gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Assapura Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the passing away and re-appearance of beings. He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta: To Kevatta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the divine ear-element. He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the modes of supranormal powers. He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the awareness of other beings. He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a restricted mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T02:30:51.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1671" CreationDate="2014-07-01T02:45:26.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama never described an origin. Whether existence had a beginning or end was never defined. Some traditions have taken to saying &quot;beginningless.&quot; So &lt;em&gt;if&lt;/em&gt; mindstreams have a beginning, the Buddha never said so. The asker was either told that the answer was irrelevant to liberation (hence not worth answering) or that the question did not apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon relies on dependent origination for explaining where minds come from, but does not describe mindstreams themselves. Later commentators, such as Asanga and and Vasubandhu of the Yogacara school of thought would expound on additional &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;layers of conciousness&lt;/a&gt;. From my experience, most talk of mindstreams take their source as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses#.C4.80layavij.C3.B1.C4.81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/a&gt;; itself a term that has been mentioned by some contemporary Theravadin monks (Ajahn Geoff and Ajahn Sujato).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the orthodox Theravada response would be the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;parable of the poison arrow&lt;/a&gt;, and Mahayana responses would depend on the proclivities of the instructor. A Yogacarin would describe the features of the alaya-vijnana and a Madhyamika (in a Tibetan tradition) would conclude that mindstreams simply &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; (in conventional terms at least; illusory &quot;like a city of gandharvas&quot; in an ultimate sense).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no set &quot;Buddhist&quot; answer here, unfortunately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T02:45:26.860" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1743" CreationDate="2014-07-01T06:32:03.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for supernatural powers, Samatha meditation practices are what you are looking for. Read the Visuddhimagga. It has detailed explanations on how to attain various powers. But make sure to find a good teacher who has experience with Samatha meditation. Trying to do it without guidance can be dangerous! &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kktanhp.com/kundalini.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;They say you can go crazy.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T21:48:46.327" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T21:48:46.327" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1752" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-01T08:21:23.897" Score="3" ViewCount="322" Body="&lt;p&gt;When is the right time for seclusion? When is the wrong time for seclusion? How much time should be spent in seclusion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:33:11.573" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T12:51:37.193" Title="What is the right time for seclusion?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1753" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1755" CreationDate="2014-07-01T08:49:30.113" Score="7" ViewCount="808" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a first 10 day vipassana meditation course I did almost continuous intensive meditation for 7 days ,I felt a strange calmness such that I could almost not feel the weight of my body , this feeling lasted till 2-3 days and then I stopped doing it, So what is that feeling called and is it common after meditation? Also after I resumed the meditation then I could not get back the same feeling (nor was I seeking for it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="346" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:51:12.550" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:51:12.550" Title="Sense of calmness in meditation, what is it?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1753" CreationDate="2014-07-01T09:04:14.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sensation of the body 'feeling heavy', very relaxed, 'numb' or almost as if it's disappearing is quite normal. When there is nothing new happening, sort of, when bodily sensations don't change, the mind 'loses interest' and kind of &lt;em&gt;deactivates&lt;/em&gt; those sense inputs. This can be beneficial for focusing on the mind experience, since there are no longer as many body sensations impinging on the attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going looking for the same sensations again can get you stuck instead of moving forward, so it sounds like a good idea not to seek it, as you mention. More likely, you may experience different types of calmness and other experiences, when you let go and are not chasing an experience you've had, previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The calmness you are referring to, sounds like &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; - a deep calmness brought about by &quot;single pointedness of mind&quot;. In deepest samadhi, absorption is so complete that all sense of &quot;self&quot; disappears, and subject and object are completely absorbed into each other. However, there are many kinds and levels of samadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T09:13:33.163" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T09:13:33.163" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1753" CreationDate="2014-07-01T09:17:20.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it is accompanied by tingling limbs, tingling lips or minor headache it can be a sign of hyperventilation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can also be a feeling associated with detachment and depersonalization. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2191357&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is a scientific study, albeit with only 6 participants, that confirms meditation can induce depersonalization. It talks about treatment for depersonalization but personally I do not consider it a bad thing and instead part of the meditation experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a .pdf that is more in depth: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijps/article/viewFile/6837/6422&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Circumplex Structure of Depersonalization/Derealization&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T09:17:20.200" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1753" CreationDate="2014-07-01T09:23:00.230" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;(Disclaimer: Take this answer as a -&lt;em&gt;means&lt;/em&gt;- to explore further and -&lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt;- as a definitive answer since the range of descriptions of meditative experiences varies quite a bit from person to person.)&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;1. What is that feeling called?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what you are describing, I would say it is the ease (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) that comes from a rapturous (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pīti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) meditative experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Is it common after meditation?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, I would say it is common and advised by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; to keep developing it. (You may want to see &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; for more information.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T09:39:51.803" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T09:39:51.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1747" CreationDate="2014-07-01T09:40:20.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is more of a cultural thing and corruption in teachings of Buddha, Buddha himself had strictly prohibited symbolism which causes attachment to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;eg: Taliban demolished a similar structure then it caused resentment and grief even to the Buddhist community which shows their attachment to the symbol\Idol completely defeating the core teaching of deattachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude there is no justification of such a statue rather a hindrance to the teachings of Buddha , hence should be dismantled ,melted to bullion and sold of and distribute the proceed to the poor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="346" LastEditorUserId="346" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T09:50:50.480" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T09:50:50.480" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1758" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-01T10:38:08.507" Score="3" ViewCount="345" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was glad to read in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1565/15&quot;&gt;MatthewMartin's answer&lt;/a&gt; to another question that he'd be interested to know if dharma names are common to all Buddhist groups/schools/sects, or if there are any that don't give monks new names on ordination. This is something I've also been curious about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, I believe the usual practice is for the teacher to select the name for his newly ordained pupil, which might represent a lesson to learn, or an encouragment, or a trait to focus on during the new monk's future growth. So my question is whether this practice is universal amongst Buddhists, or if there are any schools that follow a different tradition or refrain from dharma names completely,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="15" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T01:20:59.010" Title="Do all Buddhist schools give dharma names upon ordination?" Tags="|ordination|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1758" CreationDate="2014-07-01T10:42:51.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just copying through my response at the bottom of MatthewMartins question where I give a response&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though it isn't a Buddhist order as such - the Insight Meditation Society doesn't rename as far as I'm aware. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jackkornfield.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; is still Jack Kornfield irrespective of his commitment and progress on the path (both formidable I'm sure)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T10:42:51.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1525" CreationDate="2014-07-01T12:08:32.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll add the other part of the answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetans take the Kanjur to be canonical. It's is a huge list of documents. New documents are added as new terma are discovered. Terma are roughly teaching left long ago to be discovered today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chinese Buddhist canon was compile a long time ago. It also is a hug list of documents. As far as I know, there isn't an institution to expand it. I would guess the natural role would be the Chinese Imperial Government, which doesn't exist at the moment, or at least is hostile to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon, as mentioned by Jayantha is a huge set of documents and as far as I can tell, there isn't any institution that is attempting to add more text to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T12:08:32.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1761" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3065" CreationDate="2014-07-01T12:10:39.170" Score="8" ViewCount="2063" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that the Pali word for mindfulness is sati as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; but I've also heard that there is more than one word for mindfulness that is used throughout the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot;&gt;Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone give a list of the different words used and perhaps point out the differences in emphasis or exact meaning? For instance, do all the words mean exactly the same or do particular ones emphasise a different quality of mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="172" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T21:36:00.680" LastActivityDate="2020-03-11T05:53:41.360" Title="What are the Pali translations for mindfulness?" Tags="|pali-canon|mindfulness|satipatthana|pali-language|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1762" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1773" CreationDate="2014-07-01T12:56:47.533" Score="5" ViewCount="631" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, I checked wikipedia. That article is low quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 10 Bhumis are part of the 53 stages of liberation as set out in the Avatamsaka sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 10 Bhumis for me are completely bemusing. In a path of liberation, I'd expect to find a description of what to do, but the titles of the Bhumis seem to describe results or suggestive adjectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T15:59:34.017" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T15:59:34.017" Title="What are the 10 Bhumis?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1684" CreationDate="2014-07-01T13:31:06.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to begin with the all important question : why does this matter? ;) I don't think that we must or can agree to a better path of anything. Especially when often times it might be a sad excuse for an ego trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we look at knowledge from the perspective of emptiness,  every thought concept is a created one. This implies that to follow any means of written knowledge or personal realization, we must have a certain level of faith. &#xA;Science is the dropping of the self in order to have a modeled version of reality. This selfless evaluation is otherwise called an objective perception. How can we give importance to anything we find, when we don't know what we are? Of course this is not a valid question to ask, because we are using words. Words are just another form of conventional thinking that we created in order to limit the ineffable. Questioning their integrity is a pointless task. Especially since one would question it outside of its perceptual frame. This is the opposite of considering. It's a shunning of knowledge based on the fact that if you take a perspective that is incompatible with the knowledge itself, you will conclude that it is wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said science and all forms of shared knowledge, are conventions that allow for utility in our world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has the opposite original goal as compared to science. It is going into this self and seeing the meaning behind our senses (including the 6th Buddhist sense: the mind)*. It is trying to give meaning behind what we are and what we can know. This yields many similar conclusions as science does. But in the end, all the written texts in Buddhism are conventions that we can state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist conventions share a common thing with all other conventions; utility in our world. The main difference, lies in what aspects of the human world experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's the material, and the spiritual. Saying that one is more valuable than the other, is pointless because we must take the opposite view in order to prove our point which is a redundant way of making enemies. ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science points to us how we can use the world. Buddhism points to us how we can use the self. &#xA;Both of them being important, but different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end it really depends on if you can trust yourself, or if you can trust others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The funny thing is that ultimately the teachings are compatible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*this is again, only a convention. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="348" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T13:31:06.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1747" CreationDate="2014-07-01T13:53:12.917" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practically, religious images are made using precious medals to prevent decay, so that the image can be available to venerate for many generations to come. From a more devotional aspect, choosing materials that we think of as beautiful shows a great reverence for the person that image represents. Religious images often &quot;open and lift our minds&quot; to higher ideals, including dharma practice, which is why, for example, people can be better practiticioners just by being in the temple's main hall, where the main images usually are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose a good analogy is showing respect for your boss and co-workers by coming to work in what best represents the workplace's business casual dress code, not just in a T-shirt with holes. Or, having enough respect for yourself to attend to your basic hygiene before leaving your home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Precious metals and stones are frequently used in religious imagery. For example, in the Larger Pureland Sutra (Verse 54), we have: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, throughout that land are trees made of the seven gems. There are trees of gold; trees of silver; trees of coral; trees of amber; trees of agate; trees of ruby; and trees of lapis lazuli. Then there are trees of two precious substances, trees of three, four, up to all seven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some gold trees have silver leaves, flowers and fruits. Some silver trees have gold leaves, flowers and fruits. Some coral trees have leaves flowers and fruit of amber. Some amber trees have leaves flowers and fruit of coral. Some agate trees have leaves, flowers and fruit of ruby. Some ruby trees have leaves, flowers and fruits of agate. Some lapis lazuli trees have leaves, flowers and fruit of all sorts of jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are trees with red gold roots, white silver trunks, coral branches, amber twigs, agate leaves, ruby flowers and lapis lazuli fruits. There are trees with white silver roots, coral trunks, amber branches, agate twigs, ruby leaves, lapis lazuli flowers and red gold fruit. There are trees with coral roots, amber trunks, agate branches, ruby twigs, lapis lazuli leaves, red gold flowers and white silver fruit. There are trees with amber roots, agate trunks, ruby branches, lapis lazuli twigs, gold leaves, silver flowers and coral fruits. There are trees with agate roots, ruby trunks, lapis lazuli branches, gold twigs, silver leaves, coral flowers and amber fruit. There are trees with ruby roots, lapis lazuli trunks, gold branches, silver twigs, coral leaves, amber flowers and agate fruit. There are trees with lapis lazuli roots, gold trunks, silver branches, coral twigs, amber leaves, agate flowers and ruby fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general understanding is that even the most beautiful objects we have on earth still pale in comparison to the beauty of the dharma, and this is just our feeble attempt to reflect that, and, like Jyothi said, offer our best to the Supreme One, who gives us a much more valuable gift.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit - user70 clarified:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the justification for such a statue? By justification I mean, what reasons would the Buddhists who created/use the statue give to explain why keeping gold (often seen as a sign of wealth and power) as a statue is right; as opposed to using the money from melting it down and selling it to buy meals for the homeless or others in need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, a lot of institutions do both. At my Thai Forest (Theravdin) sangha, there are golden images, and we also give to charity, and obviously we do not charge for any services. The retreats, and even the Thai language classes, are completely donation-based. We do not shame anyone who cannot donate anything, and people with means donate more than enough to make-up for it. So we make sure that nothing keeps people from learning, not even lack of funds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone will probably agree with this, but I propose that artistic beauty is an intrinsic good. This is why we continue to promote the arts in the secular world--I can't eat a beautiful painting, but it can nourish my mind, even if only in the moment I am looking at it. In my experience with working and feeding homeless people in a religious setting, many liked that we were providing them with food and warm shelter in the cold, as well as a beautiful setting to just appreciate our art. I don't know if many of us who have an almost unlimited access to beautiful images through internet searches can fathom living a life where all you saw was ugly, dark decay. It does not make for a healthy mind, which goes hand-in-hand with a healthy body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question, in the real world, it does not have to be an either/or decision (between beauty/charity), nor is it a zero-sum game where charity is sacrificed for art. When there are greedy people heaping up image after image for greed's sake, perverting the purpose of Buddhist imagery--which is to communicate the dharma--there should be accountability. The presence of art wouldn't hinder the advocacy of accountability. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="253" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T15:35:06.627" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T15:35:06.627" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1765" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1768" CreationDate="2014-07-01T13:55:08.013" Score="5" ViewCount="23640" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen Buddha statues in western pop culture that portray an obese man as the Buddha. During my experience with Buddhism I have seen many more statues of the Buddha as a slim man, usually with one hand up, palm out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Two pictures to illustrate:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Western pop culture portrayal:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/m8QQK.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Popular Culture portrayal of Buddha statue&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More typical eastern portrayal:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lfBr5.png&quot; alt=&quot;Eastern portrayal of Buddha statue&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I seek an explanation as to the reason for the difference in portrayal, if they are even of the same person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T15:40:36.667" Title="Popular culture portrayal of Buddha statues" Tags="|art|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2014-07-13T01:59:25.280" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1766" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1771" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:01:42.503" Score="17" ViewCount="22898" Body="&lt;p&gt;While researching forms of meditation involving concentration specific to the Tibetan school of Buddhism, the meditation instruction tells one to touch their tongue to the roof of their mouth when meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently, I have been reading a book on Taoism and energy flow, which also instructs the same thing yet for the purpose of completing an energy pathway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose of touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth when meditating (in concentrated meditation in Tibetan Buddhism)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also welcome some answers/comments about other schools of Buddhism related to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="116" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:53:38.597" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T12:25:38.973" Title="Purpose of touching tongue to roof of mouth during meditation" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1767" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1770" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:12:52.433" Score="4" ViewCount="247" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I heard a Tibetan nun Venerable Robin Courtin mention on a video that a meditator saw a green light while meditating.   She mentioned it was associated with Green Tara.   What is the green light for the Green Tara about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dd5gv.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/green-tara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;gardenofthefareast&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T02:18:49.513" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T02:18:49.513" Title="Green Tara Light?" Tags="|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1765" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:15:43.163" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first statue is not Gautama Buddha (commonly referred to as &quot;the Buddha&quot;), but is Budai, a depiction of a loving and jovial Chinese monk, who is often considered a depiction of Maitreya, the next Buddha who will come into the world eons from now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even some of the &quot;skinny&quot; Buddha statues may or may not be an image of Gautama Buddha. It mostly depends on the mudras (position of the hands) and the symbols used in the depiction. For example, usually Gautama Buddha has at least one palm facing inward with his fingers pointed towards the ground, but often today, commercialized statues sold in the west depict him in any kind of way because they do not understand the mudras and symbolism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T14:15:43.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1765" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:16:45.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Budai&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Pu-Tai&lt;/em&gt; (Chinese: 布袋; pinyin: Bùdài), or &lt;em&gt;Hotei&lt;/em&gt; in Japanese, &lt;em&gt;Bố&#xA;  Đại&lt;/em&gt; in Vietnamese, is a Chinese folkloric deity. His name means &quot;Cloth&#xA;  Sack,&quot; and comes from the bag that he is conventionally depicted as&#xA;  carrying. He is usually identified with or seen as an incarnation of&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Maitreya&lt;/em&gt;, the future &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, so much so that the &lt;em&gt;Budai&lt;/em&gt; image is one of&#xA;  the main forms in which &lt;em&gt;Maitreya&lt;/em&gt; is depicted in East Asia. He is&#xA;  almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in&#xA;  Chinese, the &lt;em&gt;Laughing Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (Chinese: 笑佛). &lt;strong&gt;Many people in the West&#xA;  mistake the image of Budai as being Gautama Buddha.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Budai&lt;/a&gt; from Wikipedia&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as it seems, it's a misattribution of western culture.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Top one is &lt;em&gt;Budai&lt;/em&gt;, the bottom one is &lt;em&gt;Gotama Buddha&lt;/em&gt;. But the bottom one is also depicted incorrectly, since the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pāḷi Canon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; portrays the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; as &lt;a href=&quot;http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/30/the-buddha-was-bald/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bald&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;muṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;bald-shaven man&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T14:45:10.627" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T14:45:10.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1767" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:29:58.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the theory of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Dhyani_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Buddha Families&lt;/a&gt;, green light is associated with Karma-family, which is where Green Tara comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The family of Karma-Buddhas, green, in its neurotic aspect stands for a tendency to see imperfections everywhere, to get stuck in analysis-paralysis, to overestimate one's game skills while staying on the sidelines, to feel like one is missing out or falling behind on all the myriad things going on in the world. In its enlightened aspect the same energy manifests as all-accomplishing compassionate action: clearly seeing what needs to be done, and doing it on the spot with no hesitation, without worrying about other things one &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Chogyam Trunpa explained, the point of generation-stage meditation is not as much to visualize the deity's external form, as it is to generate the mood of the deity. In this sense, green color would stand for the mood of compassionate action, either healing/protection or destroying, depending on whether it is the peaceful or the wrathful form that we're generating. Because Tara is a peaceful form, in this case green would represent the soothing energy of protecting from danger and repairing the damage, similar to what a good nurse projects at a panicking patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T15:31:30.207" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T15:31:30.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1766" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:36:44.213" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;As it was explained to me, the purpose is rather mundane. During some kinds of meditation, esp. when one penetrates lower chakras, there is lots of saliva generated, swallowing which can be quite a distraction and interfere with abdominal breathing. Raising the tongue makes most of saliva flow back into the throat instead of filling the mouth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. in a commentary to ancient Chan text &quot;Lung Chung&quot; (The Brief Precepts) it says that pressing the tongue to the roof of the mouth eliminates the objects of discursive (speech-type) thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T23:18:26.310" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T23:18:26.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1762" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:45:29.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This was getting a bit long to be a comment on your question. I'm not sure this is really adequate for an &quot;answer.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article could be better. If you scan through doing a search on &quot;perfection,&quot; it shows that the first six bhumis follow the 6 paramitas. Reading the section on the seventh Bhumi claims that someone at the 7th can practice all the perfections at once. This &lt;em&gt;implies&lt;/em&gt; that each bhumi beforehand is the stage at which individual traits are perfected; suggesting someone at the 1st bhumi has perfected generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the practice manual for reaching each bhumi would be the same as any practice manual or instructions as the Mahayana paramitas. For that, I would point you towards your favorite Lamrim text, as the paramitas are the path of sutra. I'm a fan of Gampopa's &quot;Jewel Ornament of Liberation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T14:45:29.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1762" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:47:30.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ten Bhumi are stages of enlightenment post initial breakthrough or satori (what I personally equate with stream-entry). As such they are not meant to be comprehensible or serve as instructions for those who did not make it to the first Bhumi yet. They speak about practitioner's relationship with the world as he or she transitions from student's perspective to that of a buddha and teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get to the first Bhumi, the student must accomplish non-conceptual (experiential) realization of Emptiness. This in its turn requires disbanding the ego -- the main purpose behind the six paramitas and various &quot;humiliating&quot; experiences teacher drives student through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T15:09:16.783" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T15:09:16.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1674" CreationDate="2014-07-01T14:58:15.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer refers to Tibetan Buddhism, I am not sure whether the same applies to other traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eye opening ritual is the final stage of a statue filling ritual. A newly bought statue is hollow inside and its base can be opened with a tool. If one sells an already filled statue, it is a good practice to ask in what circumstances it has been filled. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the statue filling ritual the face of the Buddha is covered. Traditionally, the face wasn't even painted before the statue has been filled. In this case the eye-opening ceremony involved adding the actual eyes to complete the statue. Nowadays it is difficult since many statues are acquired in Asian countries to be sold in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To fill the statue one needs a special transmission to do so. In the West various local Buddhist centres organize statue filling events so that people can bring their own statues and have them traditionally filled. You can see a photo relation from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sravastiabbey.org/gallery/2011/mar11statues.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one of such events&lt;/a&gt;. I have never heard of anyone filling the statue without receiving special instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I own a two statues. One has been bought and filled in Germany and the second one was bought in Kathmandu and filled in a local monastery. I uncovered the eyes only when it safely arrived to my home and I placed it on my altar. I've been told it is a good practice to cover the eyes of the Buddha during the travel and open it only when you can place the statue at it's final destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T14:58:15.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1765" CreationDate="2014-07-01T15:40:36.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I second the answers already given;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with many other spiritual teachers, I.E.: Jesus, Mohammed. No resemblance was made during their lifetime. According to some sources the first statues where made in the first century and second century in what is now called Afghanistan and Pakistan. So nobody really knows what he looked like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd35.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd35.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the same site, the sitting version of the statue (the second one you posted), was meant to resemble a bodhisattva called: &quot;Maitreya&quot; and not necessarily Siddhartha Gautama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd28.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd28.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly I want to add that the Buddha has also been incorporated within Hinduism, as one of the reincarnations of Vishnu. So some of the visual representations of the Buddha or not Buddhist at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T15:40:36.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-07-01T16:24:10.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the practitioner.  For me personally, Buddhism is a philosophy and a way of living in harmony with the Dharma.  For others it is a deeply held faith that takes precedence over science.  (See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1684/is-knowledge-gained-through-buddhist-practice-considered-more-reliable-than-that&quot;&gt;Isn&amp;#39;t Buddhist insight practice more scientific than the so-called scientific method?&lt;/a&gt;).  There is room for both sorts of people in Buddhism.  Buddhism is like Judaism in that both rely on a source text but the interpretation and practice of the lessons in that text are entirely up to the sangha (Buddhist) or minyan (Jewish), although there is much commentary from learned spiritual people.  Neither has a Pope. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T16:24:10.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1777" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1824" CreationDate="2014-07-01T16:32:45.067" Score="4" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a question formed from an anecdotal experience, if this means that it is unsuitable for this format, I have no problem with it being removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, after seeing the news about a mass shooter, shooting out of jealousy; I felt a temporarily release from any jealousy I had myself. Can this be actual insight according to Theravada sources?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T13:50:15.163" Title="Can personal experience generate buddhistic insight outside of meditation?" Tags="|theravada|doctrine|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1777" CreationDate="2014-07-01T17:00:12.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's similar to going to a funeral, seeing the dead body and realizing that your turn is coming too. Jealousy is a subset of aversion. Aversion is 1 of the 3 evil roots that causes suffering. So if you realized that and got rid of your jealousy, that's inline with Buddhist insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T17:00:12.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1779" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1790" CreationDate="2014-07-01T18:34:26.553" Score="5" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I have read it seems the different branches seem to treat the subject quite different. While Mahayana texts seem to avoid directly touching the subject and only describe the effects, the Theravāda tradition seems almost obsessed with Jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there really such big differences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T00:27:42.627" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T00:27:42.627" Title="Jhāna in the different branches of Buddhism" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1777" CreationDate="2014-07-01T19:03:11.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, people are known to reach enlightenment and even full liberation without any knowledge of Buddhism or use of teachers and guides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, thinking, &quot;What I practice is the only way,&quot; is a form of pride and a way for people to hold themselves above others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T19:03:11.263" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1684" CreationDate="2014-07-01T19:35:38.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because things are accepted as truth does not necessarily mean that they are. As the Buddha would say, figure it out for your self, do not rely on others to give you the answers. Since I am not liberated, and I do not believe you claim to be, it is hard for either of us to know who actually is other than the Buddha himself; this is meant to emphasize the Buddha's idea that we should figure things out for ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An argument could be made that given science is willing to admit mistakes that it is a better source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T19:35:38.953" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1782" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1784" CreationDate="2014-07-01T19:48:12.097" Score="7" ViewCount="3851" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to a &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/freebuddhistaudio&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;podcast&lt;/a&gt; a while ago and it stated that Buddhism worldwide is in decline. I found that surprising. Is that true? Does anyone have any references or better still statistics to prove or disprove that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:50:49.480" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T20:48:50.217" Title="Is Buddhism in a worldwide decline?" Tags="|modern-world|demographics|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2014-07-01T20:10:56.007" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the commentaries, Buddha Sasana will last 5000 years. That means about another 2400+ years.&#xA;In the 1st millennium, there were Arahaths with special Jhanic powers. In the 2nd millennium, there were Arahaths with no specials powers. In the 3rd millennium, i.e. at present, it's said that there are only Anagami Sangha at most. In the 4th millennium, there will be Sakadagami Sangha at most. In the 5th, there will be Sothapanna Sangha at most. At the end, monks won't even be wearing robes. They will wear ordinary clothes and will just use a yellow string to indicate that they are monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T20:10:56.007" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2014-07-01T20:50:01.513" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found several interesting Wiki pages: &lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This one gives a basic idea about the growth as a comparison between 1910 and 2010. &#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_of_religion&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_of_religion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the List of religious population.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This one gives the population groth rates &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_growth_rate&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_growth_rate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By briefly analysing all of the above, I feel like Buddhism is decline according to the statistics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further found this article which gives a projections for the Next 200 Years : &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wnrf.org/cms/print_next200.shtml&quot;&gt;http://www.wnrf.org/cms/print_next200.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to it from 1900 to 2025 Buddhist world wide % changed ( and will be change) from 7.8% to 5.7%. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it sound like depressing, please think as a Buddhists this is quite expected and all align with Buddhist teaching. Going forward, It is quite clear that world is not going be a better place than today. As people moving more towards to materialism, consumerism they tends to distract from the reality. So be mindful and practice the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-01T21:37:16.090" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T21:37:16.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2014-07-01T22:01:53.010" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the other answers, I believe there is a global decline in many major religions as you can see in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=buddhism%2C%20christianity%2C%20judaism%2C%20hinduism&amp;amp;cmpt=q&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Google trends graph&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/b4TXu.png&quot; alt=&quot;Google trends graph showing global decline in major religions&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would argue that especially in the western countries choice and interest of religion is subject to change, e.g., due to trends and/or major events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="354" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T22:01:53.010" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1786" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-01T22:18:13.943" Score="6" ViewCount="501" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometime when I started to meditate (eyes closed) I can see some waves of colors (yellow, blue, gray). Is this a good meditation object to concentrate one those colors?. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel like it is quite easy to concentrate on the color than another object (Breath, feelings, etc). Is this a bad practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T14:22:53.117" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T14:22:53.117" Title="Meditation object: Use color seeing when eyes are closed" Tags="|personal-practice|samatha|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1787" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1851" CreationDate="2014-07-01T22:35:10.823" Score="5" ViewCount="912" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been off and on following the writings &lt;a href=&quot;http://speculativenonbuddhism.com/why-non-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Glenn Wallis, et al&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am honestly bemused at what they are driving at. I don't mind that there are critical of something about various parts of modern Buddhism-- it's good to read criticism and write apologia, but much of it is couched in a certain, I don't know, &quot;grad school&quot; style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is non-buddhism? Is it some sort of pro-Buddhist Buddhist reform movement, or more as atheism is to Christianity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T03:13:57.343" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T03:13:57.343" Title="What is non-buddhism?" Tags="|academic-buddhism|non-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="12" ClosedDate="2014-07-06T17:31:43.173" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1761" CreationDate="2014-07-01T22:50:57.520" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the only good translation I can think of for the English &quot;mindfulness&quot; is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajañña&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;em&gt;sam&lt;/em&gt; = full, &lt;em&gt;pa&lt;/em&gt; = full, &lt;em&gt;jañña&lt;/em&gt; = knowledge (or awareness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another potential candidate is &lt;em&gt;yoniso&lt;/em&gt; (to the source) &lt;em&gt;manasikara&lt;/em&gt; (minding).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is pretty clear is that &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; translate to mindfulness. &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; comes from the root /sar, which means to remember or recollect. It doesn't mean to be mindful; translations like &quot;mindfulness of the Buddha&quot; show this to be a silly choice. &quot;remembrance&quot; is probably a better one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Bhikkhu Bodhi notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even the word sati, rendered mindfulness, isn’t unproblematic. The word derives from a verb, sarati, meaning “to remember,” and occasionally in Pali sati is still explained in a way that connects it with the idea of memory. But when it is used in relation to meditation practice, we have no word in English that precisely captures what it refers to. An early translator cleverly drew upon the word mindfulness, which is not even in my dictionary. This has served its role admirably, but it does not preserve the connection with memory, sometimes needed to make sense of a passage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inquiringmind.com/Articles/Translator.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.inquiringmind.com/Articles/Translator.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there is a good article on Theravadin that I think agrees with the above both on sati and sampajañña:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By now you will wonder how the term sati became so established as “mindfulness”. Well, mindfulness will be a result of ones practice of noting, especially during the noting…during the seeing. However, the best term translated as mindfulness is in fact a separate pali word called “sam-pajanna“, lit. ‘to know together with’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://theravadin.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/mindfulness-is-not-sati/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://theravadin.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/mindfulness-is-not-sati/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-01T22:50:57.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1789" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1793" CreationDate="2014-07-01T23:59:19.073" Score="7" ViewCount="1870" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've notice people on Instagram are getting tattoos of Mahakala and other Buddhist deities.  Are there any cultural or religious guidelines to consider when getting a tattoo of a Dharmapala or any other Buddhist religious deity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T01:08:27.637" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T03:13:36.673" Title="Are there any cultural or religious guidelines for Buddhist tattoos?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vajrayana|shin-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1779" CreationDate="2014-07-02T00:19:09.173" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word jhāna is Pali, so it stands to reason you wouldn't hear about it directly in other traditions. What you should be looking for are the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanskrit: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot;&gt;dhyāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Ch%C3%A1n&quot;&gt;Chán&lt;/a&gt; (simplified Chinese: 禅; traditional Chinese: 禪)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Japanese: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Zen&quot;&gt;Zen&lt;/a&gt; (禅)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as differences go, I'm not sure which you are referring to, but I once skimmed through a collection of modern Buddhist writings on &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; and found that none of the authors seemed able to agree on what meditation or jhāna meant. It differs from monastery to monastery, let alone tradition to tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T00:19:09.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1791" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1947" CreationDate="2014-07-02T00:44:23.873" Score="5" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Even the good person attains birth in the Pure Land, how much more so the evil person.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I understand the reasoning here-- if practice isn't effective, then the evil person, who doesn't practice or I suppose, do anything good, isn't planning on getting to the Pure Land by his own means, he's going to have to rely on someone else to get him there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, after this, if one's goal is to get to the pure land, what is the rationalization for ethical behavior?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Let me emphasize I'm not trying to imply a suitable reason for being ethical isn't there, I just haven't gone in depth far enough into Shin Buddhism to know what the answer is, and I find it bemusing) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T11:47:43.187" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T20:55:42.927" Title="How do ethics work in Shin Buddhism?" Tags="|pure-land|shin-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:09:24.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddhism, &quot;Next Birth&quot; is not the person who lives in this birth. In the next birth, there is a person determined by the previous &lt;code&gt;Karma&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For certain concepts to be describe in particular in &lt;code&gt;anicca&lt;/code&gt; it is needed to believe reincarnation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of what we are ends with this birth. Only goodness and evil are taken to the next birth. So there is need to believe it for this reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For instance, If we are having good wealth and satisfaction through&#xA;  all the ways, we may think life is so happy and funny. But it is due&#xA;  to the meritorial deeds you have done in your past births. The effects&#xA;  of those good merits will end in one day. At the end of this birth or&#xA;  in future births. No one will be a good person all over his &lt;code&gt;Sansara&lt;/code&gt;.&#xA;  So one day comes where you have to encounter sadness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastEditorDisplayName="user359" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T07:33:53.030" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T07:33:53.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1789" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:14:33.527" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Japan&lt;/strong&gt;- tattoos are taboo in general, since the assumption only criminals, prostitutes and other low class sorts have tattoos. I think it would be hard to distinguish a religious from a classist objection in Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sri Lanka&lt;/strong&gt;- recently a tourist was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-27107857&quot;&gt;ejected from the country&lt;/a&gt; for having a Buddhist themed tattoo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thailand&lt;/strong&gt; - Buddhist themed tattoo are very common among lay Buddhists. Called Yantra, also practiced in other SE Asian countries, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Cambodia.  Ironically, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/02/thailand-ban-tourist-buddha-tattoos_n_870237.html&quot;&gt;Thailand seems to want to ban Buddhist tourist tattoos (or tourists with tattoos or both)&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantra_tattooing&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantra_tattooing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;- No problem, but put sacred symbols up high on your body, &lt;a href=&quot;http://thelostyak.com/2012/04/21/how-not-to-tattoo-a-tibetan-mantra/&quot;&gt;not on feet or ankles&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chinese Buddhism,&lt;/strong&gt; quote from Brahma Net Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;44. Failure to Honor the Sutras and Moral Codes A disciple of the&#xA;  Buddha should always .. receive, observe, read and recite&#xA;  the Mahayana sutras ... &lt;strong&gt;He should copy the sutras and&#xA;  moral codes onto bark, paper, fine cloth, or bamboo slats and not&#xA;  hesitate to use his own skin as paper&lt;/strong&gt;, draw his own blood for ink and&#xA;  his marrow for ink solvent, or split his bones for use as pens....  Hence, if he does not make offerings to the sutras and&#xA;  moral codes, in accordance with the Dharma, he commits a secondary&#xA;  offense. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So either A- this is just hyperbole, or B- using your skin for sutras is fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Americans&lt;/strong&gt; seem to be split on the idea from for arguments I've seen, but I would say that the tattooed are highly overrepresented (i.e. more Buddhist tattooed than tattooed people in the general population).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T14:24:34.153" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T14:24:34.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1787" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:22:28.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Non-buddhism is an attempt to unleash the force of x-buddhist (or Buddhisms--plural) thought. The critique sees in all forms of buddhism a refusal to honor its most basic pledge: abetment of liberation. &quot;Buddhism&quot; names a particular means of shoring up the radical potential of Buddhist thought. But it--non-buddhism--wants to avoid becoming just another x-buddhism; hence, its difficult style. By the way, MatthewMartin, all the non-buddhist writers are staunch enemies of all forms of postmodernism. Their critique is serious enough that it will have to be dealt with at some point by x-buddhists figures. And also by the way, the critique does not come out of academia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="360" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T01:22:28.367" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1795" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:27:04.353" Score="5" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;When studying the sutras should that be considered a form of meditation, if so what are the guidelines for sutra meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:01:59.123" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:30:39.433" Title="Sutra Study as Meditation?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|sutras|vajrayana|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1796" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:29:04.833" Score="10" ViewCount="666" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Posted based on a requested edit to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1684/in-terms-of-reliability-of-understanding-reality-how-does-the-so-called-scienti&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; question&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The modern &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;scientific method&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, perhaps as espoused in Karl Popper's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Logic_of_Scientific_Discovery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Logic of Scientific Discovery&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, is seen today by many, especially in the West, as the &quot;gold standard&quot; for reliable investigation into the nature of reality. However, Buddhism -- in particular insight practices -- appears to propose an alternate approach to a similar goal. How do these methodologies compare, in terms of approach and reliability?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T15:36:25.067" Title="In terms of reliability of understanding reality, how does the scientific method compare with Buddhist insight practice?" Tags="|science|insight|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="10" ClosedDate="2014-07-06T19:58:24.597" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1795" CreationDate="2014-07-02T01:56:00.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nichiren&lt;/strong&gt;. Nichiren gongyo, or daily practice, involves changing the title of the Lotus Sutra, but also large chunks of the sutra itself. Since it's usually chanted in Japanese, followers may not actually understand it. So it works like a dharani, a mantra that you don't know the meaning (as opposed to mantras, which have some meaning that is clear, or at least clear after it's translated from the Sanskrit)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chinese&lt;/strong&gt;. Chinese monks chanted entire sutras. A leader would hit a drum shaped like a wooden fish. Nowadays this shows up in the service manuals of modern Chinese Buddhist organizations. Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXANaWTsE-Q&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;youtube vid&lt;/a&gt; where you can get a feel for the pace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhaweekly.com/reciting-sutras-why-its-important/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This guy&lt;/a&gt; confirms my idea that meditative sutra chanting isn't necessarily about reading comprehension:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some of the keys to retaining the conscious mind’s engagement with&#xA;  sutras is to recite them, rather than read them. To recite them in&#xA;  your native language rather than the original language will also keep&#xA;  the mind engaged. Some teachers, however, would argue that allowing&#xA;  the mind to become disengaged is the point. As with mantra practice,&#xA;  repeated sutra recitation in Tibetan, Sanskrit or Pali, ultimately&#xA;  from memory, can allow the conscious mind to detach, one of the goals&#xA;  of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I couldn't find a reference, but I wouldn't be too surprised if the chanting came from the tradition of memorizing and reciting Pali suttas.  (Majursri's mantra, for example appears to be a mnemonic for remembering parts of a sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T01:56:00.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1796" CreationDate="2014-07-02T02:41:01.927" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main focus of this question is on &amp;quot;understanding reality&amp;quot;, which is the domain of science. So, the first question is whether Buddhist insight meditation practice even qualifies as a science (i.e. a means of understanding reality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science (from Latin scientia, meaning &amp;quot;knowledge&amp;quot;) is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. In an older and closely related meaning, &amp;quot;science&amp;quot; also refers to a body of knowledge itself, of the type that can be rationally explained and reliably applied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the criteria for calling something science (at least by Wikipedia standards) are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it is systematic&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it builds and organizes knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it relies on testable explanations and predictions as a basis for knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it takes the universe as its frame of reference&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it can be rationally explained and reliably applied&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist insight practice fits all of these criteria; insight meditation is entirely systematic, it builds and organizes knowledge (more on knowledge later), its explanations and predictions are testable, it takes the universe (from a phenomenological POV) as its frame of reference, and it can be rationally explained and reliably applied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Buddhist insight practice can at least be considered scientific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than focus on &amp;quot;which is better&amp;quot; (and get close-voted again), maybe we can agree to compare the two systems of &amp;quot;investigation into the nature of reality&amp;quot; objectively:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Approach&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist insight takes as its paradigm a form of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology_(philosophy)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;phenomenology&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenography&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;phenomenography&lt;/a&gt;, wherein:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there is only one world, one that is ours, and one that people experience in many different ways&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenography&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is therefore understood to be a means of understanding the nature of so-called &amp;quot;subjective&amp;quot; reality, i.e. one's own realm of phenomenological experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The modern scientific method, on the other hand, generally takes a stance of philosophical &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;materialism&lt;/a&gt;, wherein:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all emergent phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is therefore understood to be a means of understanding the nature of impersonal material qualities from an &amp;quot;objective&amp;quot; (i.e. impersonal) point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reliability&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's where the controversy arises, so hopefully we can avoid it to some extent by comparing the individual claims of reliability (somewhat) objectively and leaving the reader up to their own conclusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Material science relies upon quantity and quality of empirical data that is independent of an individual frame of reference (i.e. it must be reproducible in all circumstances, not affected by experimenter or subject bias). The certainty of its claims are therefore dependent on the perceived likelihood of the objectivity of the data supporting them. For all intents and purposes, this provides a fairly good understanding of the nature of reality; the ability to build upon and modify prior understanding has allowed for incredible breakthroughs in our ability to interact with the material world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The potential downside to this reliance on impersonal data is that it can and often has led to dogmatic refusal to accept new methodology or even evidence (e.g. Einstein's refusal to accept quantum mechanics).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also has as a limitation its own ability to perceive the universe as a whole (so far, for example, it can't).  This sort of limitation is what Rupert Sheldrake gets at in his discussion of scientific dogmas. He lists ten dogmas currently held by the modern scientific community that may very well turn out to be false:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That nature is mechanical.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That matter is unconscious.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The laws of nature are fixed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The totally amount of matter and energy are always the same.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That nature is purposeless.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Biological inheritance is material.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That memories are stored as material traces.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mind is in the brain.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Telepathy and other psychic phenomena are illusory.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mechanistic medicine is the only kind that really works.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailygrail.com/Fresh-Science/2012/8/Biologist-Rupert-Sheldrake-Explains-the-Ten-Dogmas-Holding-Science-Back&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dailygrail.com/Fresh-Science/2012/8/Biologist-Rupert-Sheldrake-Explains-the-Ten-Dogmas-Holding-Science-Back&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point here is that the modern scientific method has led us to many of these dogmas through its locality - i.e. it can't say anything about the universe as a whole, except by inference, which may and often is proven wrong as new evidence is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A third point is that the modern scientific method tends to confuse data with truth and thus discard data that doesn't fit with a theory as statistical errors, etc. This is very well-documented (if somewhat outdatedly so) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_the_Damned&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Book of the Damned&lt;/a&gt;, written in 1919. The author points out quite well the difference between what is commonly held as scientific knowledge and what is absolutely true, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is our expression that the flux between that which isn't and that which won't be, or the state that is commonly and absurdly called &amp;quot;existence,&amp;quot; is a rhythm of heavens and hells: that the damned won't stay damned; that salvation only precedes perdition. The inference is that some day our accursed tatterdemalions will be sleek angels. Then the sub-inference is that some later day, back they'll go whence they came.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By damned, he means facts that have been ignored because they don't fit with contemporary scientific theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, practically speaking, the potential non-universality of modern scientific knowledge is inconsequential; for all practical purposes, it works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist insight knowledge, on the other hand, is in a sense terribly &amp;quot;impractical&amp;quot;, since it can only ever be &amp;quot;known&amp;quot; by the individual. As the Buddha said, the dhamma is &amp;quot;paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi&amp;quot; - to be realized by the wise for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also obviously unable to say anything about impersonal phenomena, since such entities are outside of its realm of observation and thus considered mental concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, it claims to provide a certainty of knowledge that material science does not (material scientists consider such certainty meaningless, since their frame of reference is impersonal). For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When endowed with five qualities, monks, in no long time a monk penetrates and intuits the Unshakeable. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is one who has attained discrimination of meanings, is one who has attained discrimination of principles, is one who as attained discrimination of language, is one who has attained discrimination of the illuminating qualities (of knowledge), and he reflects upon the mind as liberated. When endowed with these five qualities, monks, a monk in no long time penetrates and intuits the Unshakeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.095.niza.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN. 5.95 Akuppa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, from a Buddhist point of view, insight meditation is preferable in the sense that it is not subject to alteration. The reason for this is it is also considered to be universal (from a point of view of one's own experience) - i.e., it is understood to be applicable to all entities in the universe (one's own universe of experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone pointed out in the earlier question, the two types of investigation are fairly non-competitive; material science focuses on material, Buddhist mental science focuses on the mind. The former is more useful for conventional purposes like curing disease and blowing stuff up. The latter is only useful for limited purposes like freeing oneself of all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T23:11:15.907" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1799" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1936" CreationDate="2014-07-02T02:43:56.920" Score="5" ViewCount="1235" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/4&quot;&gt;When were women first welcomed into Buddhist orders?&lt;/a&gt; we learn that woman have been becoming monks for a long time.  In modern times (&lt;em&gt;circa 2014 CE&lt;/em&gt;) what percentage of monks are female? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T07:12:38.297" Title="In modern times what percentage of monks are female?" Tags="|monk|gender|demographics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1800" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1801" CreationDate="2014-07-02T02:45:48.237" Score="9" ViewCount="744" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the sort of question I'd find really useful to get an answer on; I'm looking for a rough chronology of the 45 years of the Buddha's (not the Bodhisatta's) life, year by year. I know there is some orthodox-approved order, I just can't find it yet. Does anyone know where it can be found, or even better can post it here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T18:30:26.087" Title="What was the chronology of events in the Buddha's life?" Tags="|history|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1800" CreationDate="2014-07-02T03:28:29.340" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is from Hajimi Nakamura's &quot;Gotama Buddha&quot; vol. 1&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sorry about the quality...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zKn7n.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Buddha&amp;#39;s retreat sites by year - part 1&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3G2oH.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Buddha&amp;#39;s retreat sites by year - part 2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VOwmf.png&quot; alt=&quot;Buddha&amp;#39;s retreat sites by year - part 3&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1st         36      varanasi                migadayavana&#xA;&#xA;2nd         37      Vulture Peak            Veluvana&#xA;&#xA;3rd         38      Vulture Peak            Veluvana&#xA;&#xA;4th         39      Vulture Peak            Veluvana&#xA;&#xA;5th         40      Vesali                  Mahavana&#xA;&#xA;6th(1)      41      Mount Mankula           Makula mountain&#xA;&#xA;7th         42      Heaven of 33 [Gods]     Tavatimsa&#xA;&#xA;8th(2)      43      realm of Yakkhas        grove of Tesakala&#xA;&#xA;9th(3)      44      Kosambi                 Kosambi&#xA;&#xA;10th        45      Cetiyapabbata           Palelayaka&#xA;&#xA;11th(4)     46      realm of Yakkhas        Dakkhinagiri monastery&#xA;&#xA;12th(5)     47      Magadha                 Veranja&#xA;&#xA;13th(6)     48      realm of Yakkhas        monastery near Tsalia&#xA;&#xA;14th        49      Anathapindika’s Park    Jetavana monastery&#xA;&#xA;15th        50      Kapilavatthu            Nigrodha monastery&#xA;&#xA;16th        51      Kapilavatthu            Alavi&#xA;&#xA;17th(7)     52      Rajagaha                Veluvana&#xA;&#xA;18th(8)     53      Rajagaha                monastery near Tsalia&#xA;&#xA;19th        54      Mount Calika            Veluvana&#xA;&#xA;20th        55      Rajagaha                Jetavana&#xA;&#xA;21-24(9)    56-59   Mount Calika&#xA;&#xA;25-43rd     60-78   Savatthi&#xA;&#xA;44th        79      borders of Vajji&#xA;&#xA;45th        80                              Veluvana&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha moved from Vaisali to Sravasti, where he spent the sixth retreat. At the end of the retreat he moved to Rajagrha (H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism IStrassburg: Verlag von Karl J. Triibner, 1896], p. 31). As can be seen below as well, Kern makes conclusive statements about the chronology, perhaps based on a South Asian tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kern states that the eighth retreat was held at Crocodile Hill (Simsumara-giri), a hill in Deer Park of Bhesakalavana in the country of Bharga (Kern, Manual, p. 34).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to one Southern tradition, the Buddha spent the ninth retreat in Ghositarama in Kausambi (P. Bigandet, The Life or Legend of Caudama, vol. 1 (Rangoon) American Mission Press, 1855], p. 234). However, see Kern, Manual, p. 34.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;During the eleventh retreat, the Buddha stayed near Rajagrha (Kern, Manual, p. 35).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Concerning the twelfth through fourteenth retreats, see Bigandet, Life or Legend, pp. 240—41; Kentoku Hori, Bijutsujé no Shaka (Sakyamuni in art; Tokyo: Hakubunkan, 1910), pp. 208—9. During the twelfth retreat, the Buddha stayed at a place near Veraﬁja (Kern, Manual, p. 36).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The thirteenth retreat was spent at sravasti and Calika (Kern, Manual, p. 36).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha went from Alavi to Rajagrha, and spent the seventeenth retreat in the Bamboo Grove there (Kern, Manual, p. 37).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The eighteenth retreat was spent on a hill near calika, the nineteenth at Venuvana, and the twentieth at Jetavana (Kern, Manual, p. 37).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Concerning Mount Calika, Shinko Mochizuki, “Buddha jodé shijﬂgonen ni okeru agon no chiten” (The places of vassa during the forty-five years of enlightenment) (Bukkyé kenkyu 1, no. 2 [July-August 1937], p. 8) says: “If we consider calika to be in Savatthi because it was located nearby, this would mean the Buddha spent a total of twenty-five years at Savatthi.” Akanuma does not refer to the mountain in his dictionary.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T04:23:51.660" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T04:23:51.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1799" CreationDate="2014-07-02T04:42:34.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been reading a lot about Bhikkhuni issues in Theravada and the number I saw quoted was approximately 1000 Bhikkhunis being ordained since the original ordination in 1996. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Here it is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Today there are more than 1,000 bhikkhunis, mainly in Sri Lanka and it is the only traditional Theravada country that has welcomed this new phenomenon.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://snfwrenms.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/the-revival-of-bhikkhuni-ordination-in-the-theravada-tradition/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://snfwrenms.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/the-revival-of-bhikkhuni-ordination-in-the-theravada-tradition/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T13:09:21.387" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T13:09:21.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1795" CreationDate="2014-07-02T04:46:32.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Theravada sutta study is considered part of the overall practice. It is an important part that goes along with practicing Sila and meditation. So I'm not sure if it is considered &quot; a meditation&quot; but it is a large part of the practice which includes more than just meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Across time and location meditation has been stressed over sutta knowledge, or sutta knowledge stressed over meditation, but there is one Sutta I am failing to find in which the Buddha basically shows that one who listens to dhamma(aka learns the suttas) and practices is one who is developed in dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is a monk one with a sense of Dhamma? There is the case where a monk knows the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events, question &amp;amp; answer sessions.[1] If he didn't know the Dhamma — dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events, question &amp;amp; answer sessions — he wouldn't be said to be one with a sense of Dhamma. So it's because he does know the Dhamma — dialogues... question &amp;amp; answer sessions — that he is said to be one with a sense of Dhamma. This is one with a sense of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on delusion, he places conviction in him. With the arising of conviction, he visits him &amp;amp; grows close to him. Growing close to him, he lends ear. Lending ear, he hears the Dhamma. Hearing the Dhamma, he remembers it. Remembering it, he penetrates the meaning of those dhammas. Penetrating the meaning, he comes to an agreement through pondering those dhammas. There being an agreement through pondering those dhammas, desire arises. With the arising of desire, he becomes willing. Willing, he contemplates [lit: &quot;weighs,&quot; &quot;compares&quot;]. Contemplating, he makes an exertion. Exerting himself, he both realizes the ultimate meaning of the truth with his body and sees by penetrating it with discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these five rewards in listening to the Dhamma. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;[1] One hears what one has not heard before. [2] One clarifies what one has heard before. [3] One gets rid of doubt. [4] One's views are made straight. [5] One's mind grows serene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the five rewards in listening to the Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T23:30:39.433" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:30:39.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1795" CreationDate="2014-07-02T06:14:23.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Contemplate sutras and you are doing vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Vipassana meditation is the form of meditation Lord Buddha preaches we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blindly reciting sutra's might lead to miccha ditti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T06:14:23.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-07-02T06:22:01.313" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is more of a right view (samma ditti) and a noble truth (arya sathya) rather than a religion or philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It explains how to understand things that were created due to a reason and how to attain nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T06:22:01.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1809" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1813" CreationDate="2014-07-02T07:05:05.140" Score="5" ViewCount="889" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Visuddhimagga, on the topic of &lt;em&gt;virtue&lt;/em&gt;, there is a reference to the ten courses of action (kamma):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, virtue as volition is the seven volitions [that accompany&#xA;  the first seven] of &lt;strong&gt;the [ten] courses of action (kamma)&lt;/strong&gt; in one who&#xA;  abandons the killing of living things, and so on. Virtue as&#xA;  consciousness-concomitant is the [three remaining] states consisting&#xA;  of non-covetousness, non-ill will, and right view, stated in the way&#xA;  beginning, “Abandoning covetousness, he dwells with a mind free from&#xA;  covetousness” &lt;em&gt;(D I 71)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know the quote is taken out of context from the chapter, but I was just wondering about the ten courses of action (kamma), and their reference and significance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T21:01:51.850" Title="What are the ten courses of action (kamma)?" Tags="|theravada|karma|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1809" CreationDate="2014-07-02T07:53:42.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the textbook Grade 11 Buddhism, Published by the ministry of education of Sri Lanka, they are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Kamma from Mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Abhidya - Wish of &quot; May others property become mine&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Viyapada - Wish of &quot; May other (or I) suffer or die&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mithyadrushti - Wrong beliefs ex: there is no effect of kamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Kamma from words&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lying&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Bitter words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Columny&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Telling bare words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Kamma from deeds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Stealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sexual actions other than wife&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To fulfill the Kamma there should be 4 things to complete&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1. There should be a victim of it (Self or other)&#xA;2. There should have will to commit it&#xA;3. Should have made planning to do it&#xA;4. Commit it&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one of above not is there, Kamma was not been done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T14:34:18.300" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T14:34:18.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1811" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T09:04:31.263" Score="3" ViewCount="1553" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Gautama Buddha really intend to create a new religion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was it because he was disillusioned with the prevalent religious practices, rituals and teachings of his time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="346" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-07-06T06:35:05.660" LastActivityDate="2021-07-06T06:35:05.660" Title="Did Gautama Buddha really intend to create a new religion?" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1812" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T09:18:33.543" Score="9" ViewCount="4785" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hear the Buddha rejected the cultural gods when he achieved enlightenment and made statements that seem to reject gods, is this true? If not, what kind of God did the Buddha believe in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="346" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T23:16:18.150" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T05:20:40.293" Title="Did Gautama Buddha believe in God?" Tags="|the-buddha|belief|god|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1809" CreationDate="2014-07-02T09:43:15.500" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. What are the ten courses of action &amp;amp; their significance?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are unwholesome and wholesome behaviors that lead people to live unhappily or happily now &amp;amp; in the future.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unwholesome Course&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bodily Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. Killing &amp;amp; harming living beings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. Taking what is not given.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. Sexual misconduct.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Verbal Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. Lying.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. Slandering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;6. Harsh talk.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;7. Useless Idle chattering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mental Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;8. Covetous thinking.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;9. Hateful thinking.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;10. Seeing distortedly with wrong view.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wholesome Course&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bodily Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. Abandoning killing &amp;amp; harming living beings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. Abandoning taking what is not given.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. Abandoning sexual misconduct.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Verbal Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. Abandoning lying.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. Abandoning slandering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;6. Abandoning harsh talk.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;7. Abandoning useless idle chattering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mental Conduct&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;8. Abandoning covetous thinking.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;9. Abandoning hateful thinking.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;10. Seeing undistortedly with right view.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;(You can find details about them in the references provided below.)&lt;/sub&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. What are their references?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find them in many discourses throughout the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāḷi Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, specially in the 10th book of the Numerical Discourses (&lt;em&gt;Aṅguttara Nikāya&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two examples are: &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1518&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.176, Cunda (Cunda-suttaṃ)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 41, Brahmans of Sala (Sāleyyaka-suttaṃ)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T21:01:51.850" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T21:01:51.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1795" CreationDate="2014-07-02T09:54:40.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;OK this is an answer based on personal experience of study of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/study/yearthreefiles/Students/Year%20Three,%20Module%204%20-%20The%20Drama%20of%20Cosmic%20Enlightenment,%20White%20Lotus%20Sutra.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutra itself is highly repetitive and plays with concepts of time and space throughout. Although there are parables (for instance the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/buddhism/parable_burning_house.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;burning house&lt;/a&gt;) throughout which can be easily seen as teaching points the suta as a whole seems to be something else. I believe it is the sutra itself that is the practice and the boredom, aggrevation and frustration with it is part of that. I felt it was more like a very long koan. The point wasn't to understand it as such just to bear with it almost and see what comes up in your own experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often hear people complain about Mayahana sutras as been too long, too mystical, too rarified, too religious maybe or just ridiculous. But if the sutras as seen as a (meditation) practice rather than a guidebook that i think that goes a long way to understanding what they actually are and understanding how to work with them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just my experience as I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T09:54:40.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1812" CreationDate="2014-07-02T10:11:52.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gauthama buddha wanted to find the &lt;code&gt;Ultimate Truth&lt;/code&gt;. He has undederstood it. A person who understand it born in for periods of &lt;code&gt;kalpa&lt;/code&gt;(For billions of years)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gods are also under that truth. No one can escape it. The prime &lt;code&gt;Anicca&lt;/code&gt; cannot be bypassed even for gods. They also ends-up their powers as gods one day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain &lt;code&gt;Seela&lt;/code&gt; or customs protected by Bhikkhus can only be protected by humans. So it is told that gods worship for those people who protect advanced customs. So gods worships and believe in Triple Gems(Buddha, Dhamma, Sanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T10:11:52.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2014-07-02T10:14:42.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha wanted to understand the &lt;code&gt;ultimate truth&lt;/code&gt; and he understood it. He tried to find it through other religions but couldn't. So by meditation he was able to find it by himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditorDisplayName="user359" LastEditDate="2021-06-15T16:01:01.300" LastActivityDate="2021-06-15T16:01:01.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1752" CreationDate="2014-07-02T10:39:48.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with Triratna Buddhists so for us solitary retreats are seen as an important part of practice. So much so that if one wanted to become ordained (as many do) then the expectation is of at least one solitary retreat. So if I can have a go at your questions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right Time&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have been practicing for at least 6 months and have attended at least one group retreat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How much time&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends. The people that I know usual do a week but many start off with a few days. Ultimately people can and do spend months on solitary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wrong Time&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone saying a wrong time except with the above caveats. I guess as ever you should kind to yourself on these things. Even though it is solitary it is  up to you how you spend the time. It doesn't have to be 8 hours meditation a day if that isn't appropriate for you at that point. Many people for instance have spent some of their time writing (about the dharma) and have found that beneficial for them at that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Confession&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never been on solitary retreat so this is all second hand. I do believe it is a valuable practice though so would like to at some point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T10:39:48.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1812" CreationDate="2014-07-02T10:44:07.653" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;As mentioned in another thread by @catpnosis, in MN 100: Sangarava Sutta: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, atthi devā”ti?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How is it then, good Gotama; are there divine beings?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“ṭhānaso metaṃ, bhāradvāja, viditaṃ yadidaṃ — adhidevā”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;With reason it is known by me, Bhāradvāja, that there are higher divinities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, what do you mean by belief? If you mean believe to have existed certain beings who were believed to be divine, omnipotent, eternal, etc., then yes, it is quite clear the Buddha not only believed in such beings but, according to the texts, had direct experience interacting with them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mean actually believing that such beings were omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, etc., then no he clearly had no such belief in regards to said beings. Reading the Brahmajala Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;) should be enough to dispel that idea. He does give a nice explanation as to where such belief comes from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;39. &quot;There comes a time, bhikkhus, when after the lapse of a long period this world contracts (disintegrates). While the world is contracting, beings for the most part are reborn in the Ābhassara Brahma-world.[7] There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long, long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;40. &quot;But sooner or later, bhikkhus, after the lapse of a long period, there comes a time when this world begins to expand once again. While the world is expanding, an empty palace of Brahmā appears. Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;41. &quot;Then, as a result of dwelling there all alone for so long a time, there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation, (and he yearns): 'Oh, that other beings might come to this place!' Just at that moment, due to the exhaustion of their life-span or the exhaustion of their merit, certain other beings pass away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arise in the palace of Brahmā, in companionship with him. There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long, long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;42. &quot;Thereupon the being who re-arose there first thinks to himself: 'I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. And these beings have been created by me. What is the reason? Because first I made the wish: &quot;Oh, that other beings might come to this place!&quot; And after I made this resolution, now these beings have come.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And the beings who re-arose there after him also think: 'This must be Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. And we have been created by him. What is the reason? Because we see that he was here first, and we appeared here after him.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;43. &quot;Herein, bhikkhus, the being who re-arose there first possesses longer life, greater beauty, and greater authority than the beings who re-arose there after him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;44. &quot;Now, bhikkhus, this comes to pass, that a certain being, after passing away from that plane, takes rebirth in this world. Having come to this world, he goes forth from home to homelessness. When he has gone forth, by means of ardor, endeavor, application, diligence, and right reflection, he attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his immediately preceding life, but none previous to that. He speaks thus: 'We were created by him, by Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. He is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, and he will remain the same just like eternity itself. But we, who have been created by him and have come to this world, are impermanent, unstable, short-lived, doomed to perish.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jataka commentary also has a nice passage about god and the godly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These greedy liars propagate deceit,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And fools believe the fictions they repeat;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who has eyes can see the sickening sight;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does not God set his creatures right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If his wide power no limits can restrain,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why is his hand so rarely spread to bless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are his creatures all condemned to pain?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does he not to all give happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do fraud, lies, and ignorance prevail?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why triumphs falsehood,—truth and justice fail?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I count your God one th’ injust among,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Who made a world in which to shelter wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j6/j6009.htm&quot;&gt;Jāt. 543&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T10:44:07.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2014-07-02T11:22:12.140" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of kamma or deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1).Meritorious deeds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are described as deeds which generate peaceful pleassure in mind.&#xA;  Effects are given as peaceful pleassures with less attempts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2).Demeritorial deeds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are described as deeds which generate harsh and suffering in mind&#xA;  even at the moment of kamma. Effects are given as suffering with no&#xA;  results even with hard attempts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T11:22:12.140" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2014-07-02T11:27:38.957" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, creating a Sasana is one of the main occupations of a fully awakened Buddha. If he didn't want to introduce a religion to the world which people can follow and attain enlightenment, he wouldn't have preached the Vinaya pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T12:56:22.187" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T12:56:22.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1786" CreationDate="2014-07-02T11:58:52.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/three/progress&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wildmind website&lt;/a&gt; does list seeing colours as one of the signs of progress. So you should obviously find that encouraging. However it does caution&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But it’s best not to pay much attention to those lights or they will&#xA;  turn into a distraction and slow your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This accords with my own experience. While various strange things during meditation is fascinating, too much fascination will mean that you are not focusing on whatever your object of meditation actually is (breath, visualisation etc...). Absolutely dig around in them and have a little investigate but ultimately return to the practice you are doing. Just my experience of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T11:58:52.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1787" CreationDate="2014-07-02T12:13:02.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, I'm going to take a stab at my own question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonbuddhism is a type of &quot;Critical Buddhism&quot; reminiscent of Japanese &quot;Critical Buddhism&quot;. It appears to be a reform movement that is highly critical of a variety of elements in modern Buddhism. Unlike the Japanese version of Critical Buddhism, nonbuddhists (or at least Glenn Wallis) seem uncertain if anything will be left of value after removing the objectionable parts. The Japanese &quot;Critical Buddhists&quot; on the other hand, seem to want to remove a particular set of ideas they find unbuddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another distinctive part of the approach is mixing in modern Western philosophers. The name non-Buddhism is from Laruelle, who describes philosophy in a sort of &quot;shadows on the wall&quot; metaphor, where all philosophies are a project of what philosophy really is (which Laruelle confusingly calls non-philosophy). So non-Buddhism appears to be trying to recover what Buddhism really is from examining all the other Buddhisms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Glenn Wallis previous wrote what were scholarly, mostly secular Buddhist books (and by secular, I mean, in the same family as Stephen Batchelor, pali centric and not interested in the reincarnation, karma, etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tom Pepper is a Shin Buddhist, whose ideas overlap with Glen Wallis, but also clearly wants to integrate a Marxist viewpoint into Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anyone can fix up my answer by posting their own, that would be great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Okay, I'm going to try to include the content of some of the other answers here, since some of those answers are getting self deleted and downvoted for, what I suspect is their combative tone and obscurantist literary style. Not saying it's bad, just calling spades spades.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-Buddhism is a sort of methodology. The proponents aren't so much as coming up with a new list of orthodox beliefs but a means for people to transform the existing materials of Buddhism into something better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-Buddhism entails a sort of particular dialectic, in the sense that to find truth, people should take up propositions and defend them vigorously, dispensing with social niceties, especially Buddhist social niceties. What comes to mind from the Buddhist tradition are the stories of eccentric Zen masters breaking arms and killing cats to make a point, or Shambhala style &quot;crazy wisdom&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-Buddhism entails an ontology that roughly says, things are irreducibly complicated, the topics under discussion can't be simplified. Despite this, they don't seem to be arguing for a Mahayana view that certain parts of Buddhism are beyond (ordinary) comprehension, just that Buddhism requires what looks to me to be about a graduate degree to accurately work with Buddhist ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T14:15:07.280" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T14:15:07.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1777" CreationDate="2014-07-02T13:07:06.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems appropriate to turn my comments into an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the problems that confounds religious practice in all major traditions is the attachment to words.  Words are both the barrier to understanding and the only tools available to teachers (for the most part) to point people towards awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight is defined as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially &#xA;  through intuitive understanding&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insight&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dictionary.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing as &lt;em&gt;Buddhistic Insight&lt;/em&gt; (how does one know if their insight is &lt;em&gt;Buddhistic&lt;/em&gt;?)  If insight depended on the teachings of Buddha or anyone else, then Buddha would've been unable to attain insight; Christ would not have come to know what he did; etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha, Christ, and any other teacher (no names spring to mind) of their caliber and effectiveness found a way of creating a teaching &lt;em&gt;in the language of their era&lt;/em&gt; that &lt;em&gt;resonated with the existing social and religious beliefs of their era&lt;/em&gt;.  I think this is a critical distinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha spoke about reincarnation as he built his teaching in a part of the world where almost all people already had a view of the world that included reincarnation - and many were likely attached to that understanding. As far as I know, Christ never mentions reincarnation - at least not in any form that remotely resembles the Buddhist or Hindu view of reincarnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha found a way to use the already existing teaching as a vehicle to point people towards the Self.  (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;skillful means&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christ did the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to the original question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One need not necessarily depend on the words of the ancients, but must only think of what is really true. - Dogen &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about the paradox of your question.  You experienced something you call &lt;em&gt;temporarily release from any jealousy I had&lt;/em&gt;.  That's awesome!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the validation you were likely looking for with your question will probably do nothing other than serve as a barrier to your understanding.  You will have a new '&lt;em&gt;idol&lt;/em&gt;' to worship:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; had a &lt;strong&gt;genuine&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhistic insight.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the above quote from Dogen in relation to this: What is true is, you can and will never know.  Why carry the insight along with you?  The insight will be valuable to the degree you use it - or let it use you.  What is it you got when you felt the jealousy dissipate?  Did you suddenly see the vanity and stupidity of human actions in a clearer light?  That is what there is to meditate on; to consider.  Who cares where it came from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is great wisdom in your insight, and there is no bottom to it.  The deeper your insight penetrates, the deeper your understanding will be.  Genuine mastery is never a place one arrives but a place one comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy your insights but never cling to them.  Yesterday's insight is today's ego trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T13:50:15.163" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T13:50:15.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2014-07-02T13:29:44.570" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Ven. Yuttadhammo said, this question definitely generates more opinions then answers. I will attempt to show what the Buddha himself talks about the goals of his creation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For the Blessed One, O Lord, spoke these words to me: '&lt;strong&gt;I shall not&#xA;come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and&#xA;bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples —&#xA;wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma,&#xA;living according to the Dhamma, abiding by the appropriate conduct,&#xA;and having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach&#xA;it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and&#xA;make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able&#xA;to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and&#xA;liberating Dhamma.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For the Blessed One, O Lord, spoke these words to me: &lt;strong&gt;'I shall not&#xA;come to my final passing away, Evil One, until this holy life taught&#xA;by me has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular, and&#xA;widespread, until it is well proclaimed among gods and men.' And this&#xA;too has come to pass in just this way. So, O Lord, let the Blessed One&#xA;come to his final passing away, let the Happy One utterly pass away!&#xA;The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we can see the concept of a thriving fourfold assembly (Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, Lay disciples of both genders) was an important goal of the Buddha's wandering for 40+ years. In this section above Mara is trying to get the Buddha to renounce his final body and exit stage left, years before the Buddha told him he would not do this until the holy life and the fourfold assembly are prosperous and now towards the very end they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now did the Buddha want to create the &amp;quot;ism&amp;quot; that is Buddhism? That is where personal debate comes in and goes beyond the scope of this question. Personally I think much of the &amp;quot;ism&amp;quot; today is far from the original teachings and vision of the Buddha, other's may think differently. I personally don't think of my dhamma practice as &amp;quot;Buddhism&amp;quot;.. I like to use what the Buddha himself called his practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The name the Buddha gave to the spiritual path he taught was &amp;quot;Dhamma-vinaya&amp;quot; — the Doctrine (Dhamma) and Discipline (Vinaya)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-06-15T16:16:55.483" LastActivityDate="2021-06-15T16:16:55.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2014-07-02T13:41:28.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;On a more historical note, thinking about this religion or that religion is a very modern view. Brahmanism of that area was part of law, medical science, culture etc. So the only thing one can say with confidence was that he challenged the status-quo and provided an alternative. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T13:41:28.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1796" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:01:07.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.alanwallace.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;B. Alan Wallace&lt;/a&gt; writes extensively on this subject. See especially &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.alanwallace.org/?q=node/1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. He initiated the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shamatha.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;International Shamatha Project&lt;/a&gt; to deploy applicable scientific methodologies to the study of Buddhist meditation. More to the point, he argues that Buddhist meditation, especially Vipassana, &lt;em&gt;itself&lt;/em&gt; constitutes a science. In that, he follows William James, along with modern western philosophers such as Husserl, and even, to some extent, Wittgenstein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A core point of Wallace is that the wholesale exclusion from rigorous study of internally observed events is: inappropriate; denying us of an extensive range of rigorous and repeatable observations of potentially profound use to humanity in understanding the nature of reality; and, perhaps most ironically, an example itself -- the exclusion -- of an unscientific approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wallace doesn't &lt;em&gt;ignore&lt;/em&gt; the problems of subjectivity, but he argues that in the same way that an expert physicist (say) is a different animal from the amateur with interest in science because typically the physicist undergoes extensive multi-year training after which the rest of the community can put some trust in their statements (e.g. sufficient trust to make it worthwhile attempting to repeat them), similarly expertly trained Vipassana (etc) practitioners are a different animal from amateur meditators, and because of their extensive training, we can put trust into &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; statements (again, sufficient trust to repeat them, and codify, and so on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically on this question, my personal experience is that while insight meditation has as its purpose an attainment of knowledge and experience of the fundamental nature of reality, natural science has two commonly held purposes, depending on who you ask. Most scientists today would say that it is the same purpose as Vipassana -- i.e. to figure out how things really &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; -- and, typically, that it is superior to Vipassana in that respect. A small subset including, for example, the physicist &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_d%27Espagnat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bernard d'Espagnat&lt;/a&gt;, author of &quot;Veiled Reality&quot; (among several other books), argues that the fundamental nature of reality is essentially hidden (veiled) from us, the observer, and that all science can do is analyze and codify the inter-subjective &lt;em&gt;interaction&lt;/em&gt; between whatever reality actually &quot;is&quot; (although at this stage the word is clearly richer and more subtle than at first sight), and whatever we, the observer, are. In other words, by contrast with the first (admittedly majority) group, the second group says that natural science is not really about figuring out how things &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; but rather is -- &lt;em&gt;and can only ever be&lt;/em&gt; -- about how things &lt;em&gt;appear&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I'm with Wallace and d'Espagnat (and Wittgenstein, and Hume, and Husserl, and Kant, and Scruton, and Ricard, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJbASTsjxE8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hossein Nasr&lt;/a&gt;, and Nagarjuna, and even, on at least one point, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-mystery-of-consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Harris&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T15:02:30.357" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T15:02:30.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1829" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:10:36.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravāda (Pali, literally meaning &quot;doctrine of the elders&quot;) is the oldest of the two big branches in Buddhism. Theravāda tries to follow the original teachings of Gautama Buddha as closely as possible. Theravāda's canon, the Pali canon, uses Pali as its liturgical language, not Sanskrit, as is the case with Mahayana's sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravāda is sometimes also called Buddhism of the South since the countries where Theravāda is practiced mostly are located south of India where Buddhism originated. These countries are Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two other names that are sometimes (wrongly) used for Theravāda. The first is Hīnayāna (meaning small vehicle) which is actually a derogative term, often used in  contrast to the other large branch in Buddishm which is &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/mahayana&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;mahayana&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;mahayana&lt;/a&gt; (meaning big vehicle). The second wrongly used term is Sthaviravāda, which is the ancestor school of Theravāda but has brought forth several other schools so cannot be regarded as being the same as Theravāda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access to Insight - Readings in Theravāda Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:24:23.767" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:24:23.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1830" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:10:36.233" Score="0" Body="The oldest of the two big branches in Buddhism. Theravada tries to follow the original teachings of Gautama Buddha as closely as possible" OwnerUserId="44" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T12:40:41.527" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T12:40:41.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1831" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:14:18.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahāyāna (Sanskrit: महायान mahāyāna, literally the &quot;Great Vehicle&quot;) is one of two (or three, under some classifications) main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. The Buddhist tradition of Vajrayana is sometimes classified as a part of Mahayana Buddhism, but some scholars may consider it as a different branch altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the teachings of Mahāyāna traditions, &quot;Mahāyāna&quot; also refers to the path of the Bodhisattva seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, also called &quot;Bodhisattvayāna&quot;, or the &quot;Bodhisattva Vehicle.&quot; A bodhisattva who has accomplished this goal is called a samyaksaṃbuddha, or &quot;fully enlightened Buddha.&quot; A samyaksaṃbuddha can establish the Dharma and lead disciples to enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhists teach that enlightenment can be attained in a single lifetime, and this can be accomplished even by a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahāyāna tradition is the largest major tradition of Buddhism existing today, with 53.2% of practitioners, compared to 35.8% for Theravāda and 5.7% for Vajrayāna in 2010.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the course of its history, Mahāyāna Buddhism spread from India to various other Asian countries such as Bangladesh, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Malaysia, and Mongolia. Major traditions of Mahāyāna Buddhism today include Zen, Chinese Chán, Pure Land, Tiantai, and Nichiren. It may also include the Vajrayāna Buddhist traditions of Shingon, Tendai and Tibetan Buddhism, which add esoteric teachings to the Mahāyāna tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:29:03.103" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:29:03.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1832" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:14:18.847" Score="0" Body="One of the two major vehicles of Buddhism." OwnerUserId="44" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T14:25:41.347" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T14:25:41.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:18:52.753" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To understand correctly anattā teachings, we have first to determine what exactly is &lt;strong&gt;Something&lt;/strong&gt; according to Buddha and Buddhism. &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Something&lt;/strong&gt; , or positive value, according to Buddhism is 5 skandhas, 12 Āyatanas or 18 Dhātu, i.e. - all &lt;strong&gt;perceivable&lt;/strong&gt; reality - and that is indeed what doesn't reborn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is here inline with Upanishadic teachings on Ātma - which defines: &quot;Ātma is naught&quot; , &quot;Neti, neti&quot; - &quot;Nor this nor that&quot;, &quot;Only naught exists&quot; - it is nothing which could be included in our empirical perception, but still it exists, or otherwise - you cannot tell exactly not that it exists, not that it doesn't...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly enough there are many misconceptions on this subject today among people - since there would be different experiences of those clearly perceiving the inner light and those living in ignorance...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding Karma I agree with what was said earlier - on one hand - Karma is vasanas or impressions in the consciousness, or Alaya-vijnana, created by the our Activities - Wrong action, speech or thought - since the word &quot;Karma&quot; itself means Action, Activity in a wider sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On the other hand, from the absolute viewpoint of realization of Buddha-mind - those impressions in the mind are as much &quot;real&quot; for the Liberated as the reality of Anatta or ego itself, as much real as all 5 skandhas perceived by the ego, who is not real actually.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So - from the Absolute viewpoint &quot;only naught exist&quot; - nor mind, nor karma, nor Ātma nor perceptions, nor feelings, nor categories have a real being.... They are just a mud hiding from us the ever shining Buddha mind, alas god in other religions... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No wonder in Sanskrit both - Buddha and incarnations of God - are addressed equally - Bhagavān - translated by Buddhist authors - as Lord - and translated by Krishnaits - as &quot;The Divine Personality of Godhead&quot;:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But let's remember - for ordinary people, who are not reached the absolute Liberation yet, not all affections and ignorance is cleared yet - &quot;Everything exists&quot; - meaning all 5 Skandhas exist, and they are quite &quot;real&quot; for an ordinary citizen and cloud their perception and intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the definition - that &quot;Karma is intention&quot; - I would remind the old simile of Buddhist Arahants - in their answer to the quetion - &quot;How did god create this universe - with intention or without?!&quot; - The answer, according to tradition was - &quot;If he had an intention - he was selfish, he got some selfish motive. And since - he would not be regarded as an Absolute. In case - he didn't had any intention or motive - we say: he is probably playing as a small kid...&quot;:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="367" LastEditorUserId="367" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T15:03:13.257" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T15:03:13.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1834" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1859" CreationDate="2014-07-02T14:27:09.090" Score="5" ViewCount="274" Body="&lt;p&gt;I quite fancy reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1928706010/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;colid=3R5RRJFOX1U9R&amp;amp;coliid=I2GOCWLBUOMD4N&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; at some point. I have heard good things about it. However I'm aware that it is a commentary on the Pali Canon and that has put me off starting it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much of the Pali Canon would one need to read before you could profitably read the  Visuddhimagga. All of it (daunting), none of it or some. If it is some then which some. What are the parts of the Pali Canon that it would be best to read before the Visuddhimagga?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T14:40:09.600" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T01:37:13.747" Title="Does understanding the Visuddhimagga require a knowledge of the Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1835" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1848" CreationDate="2014-07-02T16:01:11.907" Score="26" ViewCount="18233" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any historical third-party evidence that the Gautama Buddha actually existed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there historical third-party evidence that Prince Siddhartha or the Gautama Buddha existed outside of the writings of Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:45:51.963" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T12:45:51.963" Title="Did Gautama Buddha exist?" Tags="|the-buddha|academic-buddhism|sceptic|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1836" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T16:13:37.723" Score="9" ViewCount="1263" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've encountered many ideas about the identity of God, ranging from the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent as in Judeo-Christian cultures, to that of one who has reached enlightenment. Is it suggested that Buddha is God or that Buddha is one who has attained enlightenment, leaving breadcrumbs behind for others to follow and that another being is God. Or does Buddhism reject God? Or something else that I'm missing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="372" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T23:16:08.340" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:34:54.947" Title="How does Buddhism describe God?" Tags="|philosophy|god|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2014-07-02T16:35:06.783" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess for something that happened such a long time ago you would struggle to prove it categorically. However I read that a shrine was &lt;a href=&quot;http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/25/world/asia/buddha-birthplace-buddhist-shrine/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;uncovered at Lumbini&lt;/a&gt; (one of the candidates for the Buddha's birthplace) which dates to around the Buddha's time. This is taken to provide some kind of corroboration to the Buddha's life story. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the early texts do reference people who have been confirmed independently as existing such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;King Bimbisara&lt;/a&gt;. This again is taken as lending weight to the events described in the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some people would take the oral tradition and subsequent Pali Canon as historical evidence in it's own right of the existence of Buddha the man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to answer you question directly I'm not aware of any direct writings on the Buddha by (relatively - in the light of OP's comments) independent observers (as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus_on_Jesus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Josephus did for Jesus&lt;/a&gt;). Interested to see if anyone can come up with something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T09:18:48.433" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T09:18:48.433" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2014-07-02T17:40:50.170" Score="5" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;The sacred Tooth relic of the Buddha&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Dru1G.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindus consider the Buddha as an &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avatar of Vishnu&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahavamsa.org/mahavamsa/original-version/01-visit-thatagatha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahawamsa the great Chronicle of Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; gives an account of the Buddha's 3 visits to Sri Lanka. &#xA;Apart from those, we have the sacred &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sridaladamaligawa.lk/About&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tooth relic of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; in Kandy. We also have the sacred footprint of the Buddha at the top of &lt;a href=&quot;http://sripada.org/dhammika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mount Siripada&lt;/a&gt;. Also, lord Buddha's relics are placed inside many Stupas around the country. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruwanwelisaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ruwanwelisaya&lt;/a&gt; is the main stupa among them. We also have the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaya_Sri_Maha_Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jaya Sri Mahabodhi&lt;/a&gt; at Anuradhapura. It is the southern branch of the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T18:03:57.717" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T18:03:57.717" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2014-07-02T18:01:07.713" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have tried to show the similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism (i am not talking about Yoga as I have not studied it much comparing to other two subjects. And also because I am doubtful about if it can considered as separated philosophy or religion.). In doing that you have talked about time period ( and similarities due to that) and about philosophical similarities - similarities in teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of similarities of teaching we need to be little careful. There can be confusion due similarities of words. I will give just one eg. - you have talked about Karma. But Karma in Buddhism and Karma in Hinduism is very different. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/04_02.html#02_01&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plz refer to Buddha and His Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of time period you are in other words saying that Buddhism is nothing but something build ed up on Hinduism. Again I have some doubts. This is mainly due the reason that Hinduism as such is very modern concept. There was Vedic time. But at that time various other philosophies were also present which were not strictly Vedic. And yes, as far as I understand Buddha derived lot from them as he was master in all those philosophies. It is surely different from considering Hinduism as base of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of differences, yes differences regarding presence of God are true. But we can not miss a major difference - Hinduism is highly dependent up on Varna system where as in Buddhism there is no such system, in fact, Buddhism is against any such system of gradation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With all this, I have expressed my concerns regarding mixing Buddhism with Hinduism or reverse or saying that they are on same lines. For me Buddhism shares adverse relationship with Hinduism. It it the great religion of &quot;&lt;em&gt;Maitri&lt;/em&gt;&quot; which is against any division between human beings on the basis of there birth. It is this aspect that a person who is approaching to Buddhism (especially from Hindu fold) should know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thankful to you for raising such important topic that helped me to express. Looking forward for further discussion on the points I have mentioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T18:01:07.713" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1834" CreationDate="2014-07-02T19:17:47.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Currently reading the &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;, although only up to 1/8 of it, so I cannot answer for the work in its entirety. However, from reading so far, partly from reading the &lt;em&gt;long&lt;/em&gt; introduction by the very skilled translator, and from reading the start of the book, I see no indication that knowledge of the Pali Canon is required. The Visuddhimagga is almost like a &lt;em&gt;manual&lt;/em&gt; itself, although I wouldn't say that reading that would be a requirement for reading the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite heavy text, one needs a clear mind when going through it, to take in all the details. Each topic is turned over a multitude of ways (and times), it appears very thorough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T19:17:47.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2014-07-02T19:37:37.627" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's emperor Ashoka (304–232 BCE), who after a war in which a lot of people were slaughtered, decided to endorse Buddhism, having realized that what he did was wrong. He erected a bunch of columns (The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillars_of_Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pillars of Ashoka&lt;/a&gt;) on which several inscriptions (The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Edicts of Ashoka&lt;/a&gt;) are to be found with his view on Buddhism. These were erected after about one century after the Buddha's death, not that much time. The monks of the sangha would be the &quot;second generation&quot;, some maybe even the very first generation who were taught by the Buddha directly (although I don't know that for sure, obviously). My answer was partly inspired by a thread on Reddit I remembered seeing. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/1qh7zx/in_your_opinion_was_the_historical_buddha_a_real/cdcrncc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thread link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to stress that I am by no means an expert on this field, but I can see that this is fairly well documented, and that the wikipedia page contains proper references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="44" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T20:03:19.623" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T20:03:19.623" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2014-07-02T19:40:50.623" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are lot of archaeological evidence align with Buddha's life story. I think those can be considered as the most trusted third party evidence. &#xA;Here I am listing some of the web search findings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence of a structure at the birthplace of the Buddha dating to the sixth century B.C. This is the first archaeological material linking the life of the Buddha — and thus the first flowering of Buddhism — to a specific century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could find the full story from &lt;a href=&quot;http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/25/birth_of_buddha/&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dannyfisher/2013/11/do-archaeological-discoveries-at-lumbini-really-change-the-estimated-date-of-the-buddhas-birth/&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, king Ashoka built Pillars at Buddhist monasteries, many important sites from the life of the Buddha and places of pilgrimage. This was done around 200 -300 years after the Buddha parinirvana. During that time those important sites and monasteries should have left some sort of evidence to support Buddhas existence that convince King to build the pillers. So it also can be considered as good indication. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The records which we can find in the Buddhist countries where people received Buddhism a few hundred years after the Buddha's passing away such as Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Tibet, Nepal, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos show unbroken historical, cultural, religious, literary and traditional evidence that there was religious Teacher in India known as Gautama the Buddha. Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dhammananda/17.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T18:27:29.553" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T18:27:29.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2014-07-02T20:50:17.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So in short is a belief in rebirth a necessity for Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After going through all the responses above I was very much satisfied with what &lt;strong&gt;Jayantha&lt;/strong&gt; has said. &#xA;I would like to add something to this discussion - &#xA;I think rebirth is part of Buddhist doctrine. But the real question is &lt;strong&gt;rebirth&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;of what? and rebirth of whom?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha, there are four elements of Existence which go to compose the body. They are (1) Prithvi; (2) Apa; (3) Tej; and (4) Vayu. Question is, when the human body dies, what happens to these four elements? Do they also die along with dead body? According to The Buddha they join the mass of similar elements floating in (Akash) space. When the four elements from this floating mass join together, a new birth takes place. This is what the Buddha meant by rebirth, as I have understood it. It must be noted that the body dies. But the elements are ever-living. This is the kind of rebirth in which the Buddha believed. Great light is thrown upon the subject by Sariputta in his dialogue with Maha-Kotthita. The Buddha was not an absolute annihilationist. He was an annihilationist so far as soul was concerned. He was not an annihilationist so far as matter was concerned. (I think Andrei Volkov is also saying the same point when he is talking about &quot;complete annihilation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another concern here. It is about rebirth of Whom? Does the same dead person take a new birth? Did the Buddha believe in this thesis? The answer is, &quot;Most improbable.&quot; The answer depends upon the elements of existence of the dead man meeting together and forming a new body; then the possibility of the rebirth of the same sentient being is possible. If a new body is formed after a mixture or the different elements of the different men who are dead, then there is rebirth but not the rebirth of the same sentient being. This point has been well explained by sister Khema to King Pasenadi. Where she ends up saying 'The Tathagata exists after death...exists not after death', does not apply.&quot; (Again we can match Jayantha's write up regarding Kalama Sutta.)&#xA;I have drawn lot from Buddha and His Dhamma &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/04_02.html#01_02&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Book 4, Part 2, section 1, sub section 2&lt;/a&gt;. Hoping for further discussion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="208" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T21:30:24.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T21:30:24.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1796" CreationDate="2014-07-02T21:43:26.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's explicitly define the terms in the OP's question &quot;In terms of reliability of understanding reality, how does the scientific method compare with Buddhist insight practice?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reliability&lt;/strong&gt;:  the extent to which an experiment, test, or measuring procedure yields the same results on repeated trials  (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliability&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliability&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliability&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reality&lt;/strong&gt;:  the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The scientific method&lt;/strong&gt;: The shortest and clearest explanation is from Dr. Richard Feyman:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In general, we look for a new law by the following process: First we guess it; then we compute the consequences of the guess to see what would be implied if this law that we guessed is right; then we compare the result of the computation to nature, with experiment or experience, compare it directly with observation, to see if it works. If it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong. In that simple statement is the key to science. It does not make any difference how beautiful your guess is, it does not make any difference how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is — if it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/05/11/richard-feynman-key-to-science/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/05/11/richard-feynman-key-to-science/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/05/11/richard-feynman-key-to-science/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  So first, are the results from insight practice reliable by the definition above?  The answer is that they are not.  Different people have different experiences of insight meditation. Even a single person's experience of insight meditation will vary from session to session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Insight Meditation reveal reality under the above definition?  The answer is that it may.  On the other we may simply imagine it, since it is a subjective experience.  In my personal practice, I have subjective evidence from people who know me from before and after I started meditation that it has positively affected my behavior and mood.  In addition, I have objective evidence in that I very rarely now have insomnia whereas before it was a weekly or even nightly event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scientific method is the simplest and most reliable way that we have to understand reality.  I must emphatically separate the scientific method from the culture of scientists.  The scientific method is organized skepticism and works whether you believe in it or not.  It is capable of error and refuses to accept hypotheses can cannot be disproved.  Falsifiability is a key criteria of scientific investigation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    -- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user50" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T21:43:26.393" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2014-07-02T21:48:41.480" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your very simple question very simply: there is no contemporary evidence for the Buddha, or for Jesus, or Muhammad, or Moses, or Zoroaster.  This does not mean that these people did not exist, it just means that there is no confirmation of their existence in contemporary sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="380" LastEditorUserId="380" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T21:55:35.330" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T21:55:35.330" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1849" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1850" CreationDate="2014-07-02T22:12:17.120" Score="11" ViewCount="825" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that Jainism is one of the oldest Indian traditions, that Buddhism somewhat derived from it and that at some time they rivaled (I'm not sure if this was a political thing). Can you explain what are the connections between this two in terms of philosophy and practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="38" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T17:49:40.147" LastActivityDate="2022-02-25T18:11:16.953" Title="Relation to Jainism" Tags="|philosophy|history|comparative-religion|jainism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1849" CreationDate="2014-07-02T22:23:08.603" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Jains were already established and flourishing when the Buddha came on to the scene. There are many places in the suttas where the Buddha debates with Jains and discusses their teachings. There are definite similarities, most likely due to being from the same general area with similar culture, but there are also major differences. In the Suttas they are called the Niganthas, as Ven Thanissaro will speak of below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he&#xA;interrogates the Niganthas, he makes the point that if all pleasure&#xA;and pain experienced in the present were determined by past action,&#xA;why is it that they now feel the pain of harsh treatment when they&#xA;practice asceticism, and no pain of harsh treatment when they don't?&#xA;If past action were the sole determining factor, then present action&#xA;should have no effect on their present experience of pleasure or pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In this way, the Buddha points to one of the most distinctive features of his own teaching on kamma: that the present experience of&#xA;pleasure and pain is a combined result of both past and present&#xA;actions.&lt;/strong&gt; This seemingly small addition to the notion of kamma plays&#xA;an enormous role in allowing for the exercise of free will and the&#xA;possibility of putting an end to suffering before the effects of all&#xA;past actions have ripened. In other words, this addition is what makes&#xA;Buddhist practice possible, and makes it possible for a person who has&#xA;completed the practice to survive and teach it with full authority to&#xA;others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The second important point touched on in this sutta — how to put an end to pain and suffering — relates to the first. If the cause of&#xA;present suffering were located exclusively in the past, no one could&#xA;do anything in the present moment to stop that suffering; the most&#xA;that could be done would be to endure the suffering while not creating&#xA;any new kamma leading to future suffering. Although this was the Jain&#xA;approach to practice, many people at present believe that it is the&#xA;Buddhist approach as well. Meditation, according to this&#xA;understanding, is the process of purifying the mind of old kamma by&#xA;training it to look on with non-reactive equanimity as pain arises.&#xA;The pain is the result of old kamma, the equanimity adds no new kamma,&#xA;and thus over time all old kamma can be burned away.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In this sutta, however, the Buddha heaps ridicule on this idea. First he notes that none of the Niganthas have ever come to the end of&#xA;pain by trying to burn it away in this way; then he notes that they&#xA;have based their belief in this practice entirely on their faith in&#xA;their teacher and their approval of his ideas, but neither faith nor&#xA;approval can act as guarantees of the truth. As he illustrates with&#xA;his simile of the man shot with an arrow, only a person who has&#xA;succeeded in going beyond pain would be in a position to speak with&#xA;authority of the method that actually puts an end to pain. (What is&#xA;not mentioned in this sutta is the Nigantha idea that the practice of&#xA;austerities, to succeed completely in burning away old kamma, must&#xA;culminate in a suicide by starvation. Thus there could be no living&#xA;person who would be able to vouch for the efficacy of their method.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dhamma wiki also has a page that may be informative with a nice graph showing similarities: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Jainism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Jainism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which came first?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jainism is clearly older than Buddhism if we just go by the&#xA;archeological and historical records. Both religions claim that their&#xA;founders, Mahavira and Buddha rediscovered the teachings after they&#xA;had died out from a previous era. The Buddhist scriptures clearly&#xA;refer to Jainism as if it is an already entrenched religion. And there&#xA;is reference made to a previous Jain teacher born at least a couple of&#xA;centuries before Buddha. Both religions maintained an oral tradition&#xA;and did not have their teachings put to writing for hundreds of years.&#xA;The Buddhist Tipitaka was put to writing around 100 BCE. However, the&#xA;Jain sutras did not get put to writing until the 6th century CE&#xA;(Mahesh Jain, 2004) which is about 600 years after the Buddhist&#xA;scriptures. The scriptures also have numerous parallels, including&#xA;some of the same stories and same formats. There is even a numerical&#xA;section of the Jain sutras similar to the numerical lists found in the&#xA;Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya. Considering this, it can be argued that the&#xA;Jain writers copied some material or at least the format off the&#xA;Buddhist scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are marked differences in the definitions of kamma and nibbana&#xA;(karma and nirvana) and the Buddha was practicing asceticism prior to&#xA;enlightenment. In light of these facts it is possible that both&#xA;Mahavira and Buddha were practicing some form of&#xA;Jainism/Shramana/asceticism and the Buddha got it right (and was the&#xA;actual new enlightened one to teach the masses, not Mahavira) in&#xA;regard to nibbana and kamma but both were insistent on ahimsa and many&#xA;other teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T23:44:20.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1787" CreationDate="2014-07-02T22:50:06.600" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;OK, I'll have a go, based on my (re-)reading of Wallis himself at his &quot;What Is Non-Buddhism?&quot; page. First, I have to say that one possibility is, it's an elaborate joke or hoax. The page says almost nothing substantial, except to offer analogies with non-Euclidean geometry or Laruelle. He says mostly what non-Buddhism is &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; and what it is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt;, but very little about what it actually is. But giving the benefit of the doubt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His point seems to be that the label &quot;Buddhism&quot; &lt;em&gt;may&lt;/em&gt; be attacheable to something valuable but that &quot;x-Buddhism&quot; -- i.e. all the &quot;regular&quot; forms of Buddhism, its types and sects and lineages, and their thought, practice, culture, and so on -- sit within a framework that pretty much makes it impossible to get to that something valuable. Therefore, in order to investigate the heart of the matter, you have to stand outside the x- stuff, and take a view from there. It's an attempt to apply Laruelle's &quot;non-philosophy&quot; specifically to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the one hand it could be much ado about nothing. It's not completely false, but to the extent that it's true it seems kinda obvious. On the other hand, it certainly is possible for there to be deep, undetected aspects of human discourse and culture that, despite being undetected, have significant impacts on our way of life, and sometimes those impacts can be limiting and negative. So it may not be as obvious as I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's an analogy. Once upon a time, Aristotle codified logic. It was cool, and helped us figure out if arguments were valid. But it wasn't powerful enough to handle certain kinds of argument. Fast forward 2000 years, and in comes Frege. He produces a much more powerful form of logic, and also helps us understand what math is. But he makes a crucial mistake. So in comes Russel, and he fixes Frege's mistake. Or, at least he thinks he does. Then in comes Wittgenstein to show not only that Russel's fix wasn't complete, but that the whole thing just wasn't fixable at all. A few years later, Goedel belts the final nail in the coffin of a specific portion of the problem, but in such spectacular fashion that everyone sits up and says &quot;WTF!?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is, Wittgenstein and Goedel spotted that not only were prior systems broken, but that they were &lt;em&gt;so fundamentally&lt;/em&gt; broken they were simply not fixable from inside those systems. To give Wallis etc the benefit of the doubt, I think they're arguing something similar (I'm stretching my analogy very thin now) about Buddhism. It's &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; busted that to fix it they have to step outside it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T23:28:27.977" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T23:28:27.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1852" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1858" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:07:43.473" Score="4" ViewCount="290" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is earth the ideal condition to achieve Nirvana; advanced enough for a being to discover and teach the universal truth of reality but not so advanced that beings won't care enough to strive for it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-07-02T23:30:42.157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T01:14:46.367" Title="Is it easiest to pursue/attain Nirvana as a human?" Tags="|nirvana|samsara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1853" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:09:28.810" Score="2" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know there are a lot of practices in many different traditions. Can you redirect me to some source where different types of practice are somewhat classified? I'm not clear how this could be done, but maybe something in the lines of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sbinstitute.com/node/219&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this book&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="38" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:28:32.030" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:28:32.030" Title="Practice taxonomy" Tags="|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-07-06T19:43:58.903" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1854" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1880" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:27:36.513" Score="9" ViewCount="1257" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the three marks of existence and where are they found in the canon? Is there any fundamental differences in interpretation among the different traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:33:54.330" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T08:19:51.433" Title="What are the three marks of existence?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1855" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1882" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:31:11.817" Score="5" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;By dream yoga I mean the practices intended to attain lucid dreaming, and then using that ability to realize that the world as we know does not exists as perceived (as in a dream) so one can reach the fully awake condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="38" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:50:50.220" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:50:50.220" Title="Is there some scripture reference to dream yoga?" Tags="|reference-request|sleep|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1855" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:36:19.803" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html#livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta: To Kevatta&lt;/a&gt; it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such lowly arts as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;interpreting dreams;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that, I do not think it is an endorsed approach within Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-07-02T23:36:19.803" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-02T23:44:48.597" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anicca - Everything ends in one day or in a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha - When things end (property, loved ones, life, etc.) all beings sense it as sad.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anatta - The ending of things cannot be controlled by ourselves or others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T00:04:59.930" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T00:04:59.930" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1852" CreationDate="2014-07-03T01:05:38.227" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddhist cosmology, a human being has the best advantages to become enlighten.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not intrinsically marked by extremes of happiness or suffering, but all the states of consciousness in the universe, from hellish suffering to divine joy to serene tranquility can be experienced within the human world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For being in the lower realms: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Among the lower realms, Pretas (aka hungry ghosts), and dwellers in the Narakas (Buddhist hell(s)) are gripped by pain and fear, and can only endure their lot but cannot better themselves. Animals are intellectually unable to understand the Dharma in full.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For being in the upper realms: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most of the Brahmas and Devas simply enjoy reaping the fruits of their past actions and think that they are immortal and forever to be happy and so they don't try to practice the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in addition, when the Dhamma teaching is no longer available in the human world, some of the upper realms may still abundant with being knows Dhamma and still possibly attend nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T01:14:46.367" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T01:14:46.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1834" CreationDate="2014-07-03T01:37:13.747" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like much of Buddhism, your understanding of the text is probably relative to not only your familiarity with Buddhist concepts and theory, but also your own cultivation of the practices themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We went through some of the Visuddhimagga in Winnipeg last year, and I had to explain and elaborate on a lot of the technical aspects of the book using the canon and commentaries. But much of it is easily accessible to the neophyte, especially the first two sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absolutely, reading the entire tipitaka would be the best way to prepare for the Visuddhimagga; go for it! If you can't handle the dauntingness of such a task, beware, because a partial read of the dhamma can give you a lopsided understanding. That's what texts like the Visuddhimagga are for, to give you an overview.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good way to get a fairly solid overview is to read a single collection, like the Digha or the Majjhima nikaya. Read both if you can, but read them in their entirety, so you get a broad look at the types of things the Buddha taught. The MN can be read one sutta at a time - you can make a chart and check off every time you finish one sutta (there's 152 of them). Bodhi's translations are good. Check out &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yuttadhammo.buddhisttexts&amp;amp;hl=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yuttadhammo.buddhisttexts&amp;amp;hl=en&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice meditation too; samatha if you want to understand the samadhi niddesa aspect, vipassanā if you want to understand the paññā niddesa. In fact, don't read the tipitaka unless you're meditating as well; I would imagine it difficult to understand (or easy to misunderstand) without actually practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the end, what's to worry about? It's all good stuff, tried, tested, and trusted by meditators around the world for thousands of years. Good luck :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T01:37:13.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1860" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1867" CreationDate="2014-07-03T03:01:43.527" Score="26" ViewCount="52612" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1367/how-is-sexual-misconduct-explained-in-regards-to-the-five-precepts&quot;&gt;this &lt;/a&gt; answer, it seems like masturbation is not considered sexual misconduct or breaking the third precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the whole point (in general) of keeping the precept is to make good kamma both in mind and body. Masturbation alters the mind state and creates bad mind-made kamma. So ideally, shouldn't it also be considered as sexual misconduct and breaking the third precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2023-09-23T13:13:01.920" Title="Masturbation: Does it break the 3rd precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|sexual-misconduct|sexuality|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-07-03T03:44:33.037" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple answers in the link you posted that explain what sexual misconduct is and masturbation cannot be considered among the ranks of actions named sexual misconduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you MAY have a case if you use the word sensual misconduct as the translation, then actions like over eating and excessive masturbation could be considered abuse of the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masturbation does not alter the mind state. If you look deep enough, masturbation is done BECAUSE of a mind state. Masturbation is only an issue for monastics, and is not something the laity need to go fret too much about, at least until such time as the practice starts to show them the futility of sexual actions, then it naturally falls away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T03:44:33.037" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-07-03T05:33:20.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an issue you really have to investigate for yourself whilst being mindful of what has been said elsewhere. Masturbation should be meditated upon and an attempt made to analyse what you are doing. Partly that is also about the rights and wrongs of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a man sees a woman who is a complete stranger to him during the day and is aroused, or sees an online picture, and later masturbates by bringing the image of her into his mind. Having never had the opportunity to have met the woman and found out if she resonated with him on other levels of being such as the emotional, is this then really just pure lust for her physical form? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all suppose they actually met face to face. Perhaps they would have nothing in common, didn't actually like each other etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It helps to consider the reality that the form is just one aspect of the woman, and that relationship with her in reality would not just involve the form that is known about, but those other aspects of her being which are not known about. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the woman is considered in her totality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore relationship in reality is a two - way thing. In reality she just might not be interested in the least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It helps to try and draw reality into the created fantasy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I think I've given a flavour of the kind of considerations that might be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user319" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T05:33:20.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-07-03T10:40:45.790" Score="29" Body="&lt;p&gt;Argumentation is a tricky thing; it's easy to skip a step and before you realize it, you've got an argument whose premises don't actually necessitate their conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Premise&lt;/strong&gt;: The whole point (in general) of keeping the [third] precept is to make good kamma both in mind and body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Premise&lt;/strong&gt;: Masturbation alters the mind state and creates bad mind-made kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;: [Masturbation should] also be considered as sexual misconduct and breaking the third precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if you actually meant that the point of keeping the precept&lt;b&gt;s&lt;/b&gt; in general is to make good kamma, or just the third, but either way, whether this premise is true or not, it doesn't necessitate the conclusion. We can see this by substituting the word &quot;masturbation&quot; with &quot;consensual sex&quot;, &quot;gambling&quot; or even &quot;dancing&quot; - just because an act is unwholesome doesn't mean it violates any of the precepts, let alone the third.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might have a better argument if your second premise pointed out that masturbation created bad karma relating to sexuality; we can maybe assume this was implied as obvious. Still, if masturbation is breaking the third precept, why is not consensual sex, or even romantic kissing or fondling? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third precept does not cover all unwholesome activity relating to sexuality, just as the first precept does not cover all acts of violence. They are specific rules designed to keep people from breaking a basic moral code that would otherwise lead them to be reborn in the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ANSWER: So, while masturbation may be unwholesome (and a cause of addiction), it does not by any means break any of the five precepts. It does violate the eight and ten precepts, and is a major offence against the vinaya for a bhikkhu.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="14050" LastEditDate="2020-02-15T19:33:09.707" LastActivityDate="2020-02-15T19:33:09.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-07-03T11:26:42.003" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I've heard, masturbation or fantasizing about people other than your partner won't break the 3rd precept. But it weakens it. Just like harming animals doesn't break the 1st precept until you actually kill. But it will weaken any merits you get by keeping to the 1st precept apart from creating lot of bad Karma for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-08-19T05:10:26.667" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T05:10:26.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1488" CreationDate="2014-07-03T11:39:30.497" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to a page on About.com ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Avatamsaka Sutra is a Mahayana Buddhist scripture that reveals how reality appears to an enlightened being. It is best known for its sumptuous descriptions of the inter-existence of all phenomena.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The content:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/fas1/fas_contents.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cttbusa.org/fas1/fas_contents.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cliff note version (?):&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/Avatamsaka_Sutra.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/Avatamsaka_Sutra.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure this is what you are looking for though. Good luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T11:39:30.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-03T11:55:41.037" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are the general characteristics of (or elaborations on) the Truth of Suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha-sacca&lt;/em&gt;), and consists of: impermanence (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;), suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), and non-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;). They are found in many places in the canon as this is one of central concepts of the Dhamma. For example, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.134&lt;/a&gt; for them together, or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt; for just one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably, there is no &lt;em&gt;fundamental&lt;/em&gt; differences between traditions, but there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; differences: elaborations, different scholastic interpretations, and other details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T11:55:41.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-03T11:58:25.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would add the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca = &#xA;Impermanence.&#xA;Everything changes. Nothing can be maintained in a stable position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha = &#xA;Unsatisfactoriness.&#xA;Nothing is truly satisfying and will bring you everlasting happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta = &#xA;Not-Self.&#xA;Body and mind are processes. There is no &quot;I&quot; or &quot;Self&quot; to be found in these processes. The processes have their own lives so to speak and run based on different conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T14:29:46.067" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T14:29:46.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2014-07-03T12:28:33.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot has already been said about the intention part of what kamma is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just want to add something on how 'things' get transported to the next mind moment.&#xA;If you want to know how that works you really have to dig into the different paccayo's as discribed in the Patthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case the&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/d/doc1843.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma Paccayo&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Important to remember is that there is never just one paccayo at work. There are always several paccayo's working in a moment having impact on the object or the next mind moment or...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T12:28:33.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1873" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1874" CreationDate="2014-07-03T13:01:13.373" Score="7" ViewCount="161" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1440/vajrayana-buddhism-relies-on-a-teacher-pupil-relationship-what-in-tradition-or&quot;&gt;similar question&lt;/a&gt; from the &lt;em&gt;Vajrayāna&lt;/em&gt; stand-point in which I gave an answer that was partially off-topic since it wasn't from that tradition's texts. So I thought it could be useful for newcomers to know what the early texts say on this matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note: Since one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2011/07/its-ok-to-ask-and-answer-your-own-questions/&quot;&gt;explicitly encouraged&lt;/a&gt; to answer his own questions for the sake of sharing his knowledge, I've also answered the question below.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:59:50.563" Title="Which early canonical references help one find a skillful teacher?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|teachers|chinese-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1873" CreationDate="2014-07-03T13:01:13.373" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Disclaimer: Bear in mind that this answer is structured for the purpose of providing references. This structure is entirely my own way of putting the answer together. I'd emphasize taking the references on their -own terms- without giving too much importance to this structure.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To find a skillful teacher, one could approach the matter prudently by investigating the teacher for the following points:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't accept money, especially for teaching.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't show traces of greed, hatred or delusion in their behavior.&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditates frequently and for lengthy periods.&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eats once a day before noon.&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is content with very little.&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is bent on solitude &amp;amp; seclusion.&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note that these points are just &lt;strong&gt;good guidelines&lt;/strong&gt; and should be taken as a supplement to one's own discernment. A skillful teacher doesn't need to fulfill &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; of the points, but if he does, great, stick with him.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further references, the following discourses might be of great aid:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.12.0.than.html#sorts3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Teachers that are worthy &amp;amp; unworthy of criticism.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html#mire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 8&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: The whole discourse is worth reading but I linked to the specific section about instruction called &quot;Quenching&quot;.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=417&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: This discourse addresses the issue head-on. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.073.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.73&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Qualities of a person of integrity. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.192&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Shows how one finds a person's virtue, purity, endurance &amp;amp; wisdom. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=725&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.100&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Teachers being covered up by their pupils.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=773&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Five qualities a teacher should set up. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Recommended)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.12.than.html#dhp-158&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhp 158-159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Two verses about teachers.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1. &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=773&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 5.159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has five qualities a teacher should set up. The fourth one is that he will not teach for the purpose of material reward.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=1142&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 150&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; mentions that recluses without greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion are those that should be respected, venerated &amp;amp; honored.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/stream/DialoguesOfTheBuddha-Part3/DialoguesOfTheBuddha#page/n129/mode/2up&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 29&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; mentions that buddhist recluses live addicted to the pleasure of meditation.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses(Majjhima_Nikaya),Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf#page=544&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 65&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a good reference about the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;'s thoughts concerning this issue.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=414&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.27&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a good reminder about contentment with the bare minimum but I wouldn't advocate it as a &lt;em&gt;necessary&lt;/em&gt; guideline.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;6. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 8.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has the qualities that make-up the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;'s teaching and one of them is solitude\seclusion.&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:59:50.563" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:59:50.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1875" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1883" CreationDate="2014-07-03T13:25:14.117" Score="4" ViewCount="2179" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would you say are the basic requirements to become a Vipassana teacher?&#xA;I don't necessarily refer to attainments. More to basic knowledge and skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I can think of would be for instance:&#xA; - knowledge of the 5 precepts;&#xA; - knowledge of the 4 noble truths;&#xA; - knowledge of the 8-fold path;&#xA; - be able to listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Just to name a few.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastActivityDate="2021-02-15T05:08:35.740" Title="What basic knowledge and skills are required to become a Vipassana teacher?" Tags="|vipassana|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-03T13:36:29.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three marks of existence (Pali: tilakkhaṇa; Sanskrit: trilakṣaṇa), are these three characteristics &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; (Anicca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suffering&lt;/strong&gt; or unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-self&lt;/strong&gt; or not-self (Anatta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a central teaching in Buddhism - completely understanding these three leads to the liberation of Nirvana/Nibbana. All sentient beings experience these marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;Anicca&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt; refers to the impermanence, uncertainty or inconstancy of existence in this conditioned realm. Conditioned meaning &lt;em&gt;dependent on conditions&lt;/em&gt; - all conditions are in a state of change, not constant, unsteady. All parts of experience - all things and experiences - are dependent on causes and conditions, coming into being, ceasing to be. Nothing is everlasting. More on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt; is often translated as suffering or unsatisfactoryness (dissatisfaction), or stress. Here meaning that nothing (physical nor mental phenomena) can ever bring lasting happiness (or a deeper satisfaction). Holding on to (or craving for, clinging to) impermanent conditions as if they were permanent is a frequent cause for &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/dukkha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;Anatta&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt; refers to the 'self', often translated at not-self or non-self. Often misunderstood as &lt;em&gt;&quot;non-existence&quot;&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;&quot;no-soul&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, this teaching refers to that no phenomena are 'self', in a 'self' nor owned by a 'self'. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Discourse on Non-Self&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of material on these topics, much too much to cover here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T13:36:29.443" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2014-07-03T13:36:29.443" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1878" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-03T14:20:31.440" Score="8" ViewCount="882" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the salient differences between the &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi Nikāyas&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; Chinese &lt;em&gt;Āgamas&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm looking specifically for a &lt;strong&gt;comprehensive&lt;/strong&gt; list of discourses that are unique in the &lt;em&gt;Āgama&lt;/em&gt; collection and differences between parallel discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T09:24:03.697" LastActivityDate="2022-06-23T08:52:46.957" Title="What are the salient differences between the Pāḷi Nikāyas &amp; Chinese Āgamas?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|chinese-canon|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1761" CreationDate="2014-07-03T14:28:03.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to TamilCube: appamāda, paṭisaṅkhāna&#xA;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.tamilcube.com/pali-dictionary.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dictionary.tamilcube.com/pali-dictionary.aspx&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user321" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2020-03-10T18:21:28.747" LastActivityDate="2020-03-10T18:21:28.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-03T15:27:19.167" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three characteristics of existence are part of the core teaching of the Buddha and found throughout his teachings. In essence every single compound (i.e. made of the 5 aggregates and/or the four elements) thing has these characteristics inherent in their very existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one realizes with their own experiential knowledge that all things we have attachments and aversions to have at their core these three characteristics, then there is nothing to cling to, nothing to run from, there is just peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We understand that everything, from the universe itself down to ourselves and our loved ones &lt;strong&gt;are subject to change and decay(impermanence)&lt;/strong&gt;. We understand that every compound thing is subject to and can be part of the cause of &lt;strong&gt;Dukkha(unsatisfactoriness/suffering)&lt;/strong&gt;. Because of our attachments and aversions, nothing created can bring lasting happiness. And Thirdly we understand that &lt;strong&gt;there can be found nothing that we can truly identify as &quot;self&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. What we take to be self is not-self. There is no inherent permanent self/identity in anything created, the &quot;self&quot; we take to be us is merely a coming together of the 5 aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness), processes that come into being, and eventually decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know( and I'd love to be proven wrong on this if anyone can link it) there is no one grand sutta solely on this specific topic, but it is inherently at the core of all of the teachings and therefore pervades the whole cannon. I agree with what Catpnosis said about there being no fundamental differences, but differences in interpretation and usage as part of the various paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a few Suttas regarding the three characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma-niyama Sutta: The Discourse on the Orderliness of the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas, this property stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma: &lt;strong&gt;All processes are inconstant.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas, this property stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma: &lt;strong&gt;All processes are stressful.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas, this property stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma: &lt;strong&gt;All phenomena are not-self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maggavagga: The Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;277&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;All conditioned things are impermanent&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;All things are not-self&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this passage from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; speaks volumes about understanding impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Then, when the Blessed One had passed away, &lt;strong&gt;some bhikkhus, not yet freed from passion, lifted up their arms and wept; and some, flinging themselves on the ground, rolled from side to side and wept, lamenting: &quot;Too soon has the Blessed One come to his Parinibbana!&lt;/strong&gt; Too soon has the Happy One come to his Parinibbana! Too soon has the Eye of the World vanished from sight!&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But the bhikkhus who were freed from passion, mindful and clearly comprehending, reflected in this way: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Impermanent are all compounded things. How could this be otherwise?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course Dukkha is all over the teachings.. heck it's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first noble truth&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of dukkha: Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair are dukkha; association with the unbeloved is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; not getting what is wanted is dukkha. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And about not-self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, form is not-self. Were form self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.' And since form is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, feeling is not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, perception is not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, determinations are not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-01T08:19:51.433" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T08:19:51.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1796" CreationDate="2014-07-03T15:36:25.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ok so I've read some of the comments. Here are my thoughts. Science strives to discover a truth that lies 'out there' independent of yourself. I don't think 'truth' in Buddhism means the same thing. And as far as I know there aren't any explanations in Science. Just descriptions. Might be the same in Buddhism, I do not know. Someone quoted Feynman above regarding his definition of the scientific method. In reality this is not how it happens. Sometimes theories are held on to even when they contradict observations. The best example of this is Newtons law of gravitation. There are new philosophical theories about how science actually work.(Sorry I cannot point you to any one in particular).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="394" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T15:36:25.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1855" CreationDate="2014-07-03T15:43:14.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This depends somewhat on how you define &quot;scripture.&quot; It's important to emphasize that &quot;scripture&quot; to a Buddhist doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as &quot;scripture&quot; to a Protestant Christian, despite the similar language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Rabbit references there is a document titled the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559392568&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Six Yogas of Nāropa&lt;/a&gt; (ན་རོ་ཆོས་དྲུག་, &lt;em&gt;Narö chö druk&lt;/em&gt;).  Naropa himself was &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naropa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no small figure&lt;/a&gt;, at least for certain traditions, and a lot of the teachings in the Six Yogas are widely practiced among certain sects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That, by itself, might count as a &quot;scriptural reference&quot; if that's what you are going for. This has been taught as stemming from the Gautama Buddha's statements about the illusory or dream-like nature of reality. It is an established document that is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_Yogas_of_Naropa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;well known&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, as far as I can tell it isn't listed–at least commonly–as part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhist_canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Buddhist canon&lt;/a&gt; or any of the other major canons. That having been said, there are a great many Buddhist texts that cover a wide variety of different practices that are not found in in those specific texts that doesn't lessen their value. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question comes down to what, exactly, you consider &quot;scripture&quot; and why you are looking to know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T15:43:14.237" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1875" CreationDate="2014-07-03T16:10:47.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I imagine this varies from tradition to tradition. In my tradition, the Thai version of Mahasi Sayadaw's teaching, anyone can pass on the teachings, so in a sense anyone can be a teacher. What this means is that there is no governing body going to reprimand you if you go out and teach others as you have been taught. This seems in line with the Buddha's way himself; the only requirements as far as being a teacher is concerned relate to fulfilling a role as a monastic teacher (i.e. regarding monastic discipline).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, to become recognized as a teacher in my tradition, one generally has to undergo training both theoretically and practically - and of course, it goes without saying that one must have previously completed basic training in insight meditation (at least one month of intensive practice, preferably more). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theoretically, one must have studied and/or been taught about the sixteen stages of insight knowledge as found in the commentaries and Visuddhimagga, along with the sort of &quot;symptoms&quot; to look for in someone going through each of the stages. A basic knowledge of Theravada Buddhism (usually through the Thai Dhamma exams) is also understood as a given. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically, one would be required to first listen in on another teacher's interviews with meditators (I spent a year doing this, every day for about five hours including ceremonies) and then eventually teach yourself under the guidance of a qualified teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is generally no certificate given, though there is a standard course in Thailand now for monks that lasts 40 days and gets one a certificate of sorts. Since there is very little practical experience in teaching involved, it doesn't seem quite complete as a teacher training, more of a basic requirement that one should then use to undertake further practical study of the art of teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T19:15:33.677" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T19:15:33.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1884" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-03T16:52:48.280" Score="11" ViewCount="4581" Body="&lt;p&gt;Non-self (&lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;) and emptiness (&lt;em&gt;śūnya&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;śūnyatā&lt;/em&gt;) are very similar &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=Sixteen_Aspects_of_the_Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;aspects of the Truth of Suffering&lt;/a&gt;. So similar that they are hard to distinguish apart. What is the &lt;em&gt;difference&lt;/em&gt; between them? (Or what is purpose to have them as separate characteristics?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update&lt;/strong&gt;: I did not specified that answers should be from Mahayana perspective, assuming that Theravada have the same list of &lt;em&gt;16 Aspects of Noble Truths&lt;/em&gt;, but it seems that Theravada list is quite different (see Visiddhimagga). And for some reason most answers was from Theravada perspective. I don't want to disregard Theravada explanations, and welcome them. But in Theravada, it seems, that &lt;em&gt;suññata&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; are never enumerated in the same list. Thus they don't imply distinction, and it's is quite possible that they are just synonyms (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1885/145&quot;&gt;as pointed out by Unrul3r&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will quote &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmasamuccaya&lt;/em&gt; for more context:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the general characteristics of suffering?&lt;/strong&gt; They are the&#xA;characteristics of (1) impermanence (anitya), (2) suffering (duḥkha),&#xA;(3) emptiness (śūnya) and (4) non-self (anātma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus it's established that these are different characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further Asanga provides some elaborations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) &lt;strong&gt;What is the characteristic of emptiness (śūnyatā)?&lt;/strong&gt; It is the&#xA;non-existence (abhāva) of a certain thing, there. To see&#xA;(samanupaśyanā) in this way is emptiness. Again, it is the existence&#xA;(bhāva) of another thing, there. In this way there is true knowledge&#xA;(yathābhūtajñāna). This is called emptiness perceived by penetration&#xA;(avatāra). True knowledge denotes the informed meaning. What is the&#xA;meaning of the non-existence of a certain thing, there? It is the&#xA;non-existence in the aggregates, elements and spheres of a self or&#xA;anything whatsoever belonging to a self of permanent, durable,&#xA;eternal, immutable nature. In this way is their emptiness. What is the&#xA;meaning of the existence of another thing, there? It is the fact that&#xA;there is non-self in the aggregates, elements and spheres. It is the&#xA;nonexistence of the self, and the existence of the non-self. It is in&#xA;this sense that the Blessed One has said: ‘Existence is the true&#xA;knowledge of an existent thing; non-existence is the true knowledge of&#xA;a non-existent thing.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) &lt;strong&gt;What is the characteristic of non-self (anātma)?&lt;/strong&gt; It is the&#xA;non-existence in the aggregates, elements and spheres of the&#xA;characteristics postulated in the theory of the self (ātmavāda) as a&#xA;result of the nonexistence of the characteristics of a self in the&#xA;aggregates, elements and spheres. This is called the characteristic of&#xA;non-self. For this reason the Blessed One said: ‘All things (dharmas)&#xA;are without self.’122 Furthermore, the Blessed One has said: “(i) All&#xA;of that is not mine, (ii) nor ‘I am’ nor my self”.123&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in light of this, what is the &lt;em&gt;difference&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T00:10:21.297" Title="What is the difference between non-self and emptiness?" Tags="|anatman|sunyata|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-03T17:17:25.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. What is the difference between them?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, there is no difference. The world is said to be &lt;em&gt;empty of self&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;what belongs to self&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One … and said to&#xA;  him: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘Empty is the world, empty is the&#xA;  world.’ In what way, venerable sir, is it said, ‘Empty is the world’?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is, Ānanda, because it is &lt;strong&gt;empty of self and of what belongs to&#xA;  self&lt;/strong&gt; that it is said, ‘Empty is the world.’ And what is empty of self&#xA;  and of what belongs to self? The eye, Ānanda, is empty of self and of&#xA;  what belongs to self. Forms are empty of self and of what belongs to&#xA;  self. Eye-consciousness is empty of self and of what belongs to self.&#xA;  Eye-contact is empty of self and of what belongs to self…. Whatever&#xA;  feeling arises with mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant or&#xA;  painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is empty of self and&#xA;  of what belongs to self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is, Ānanda, because it is empty of self and of what belongs to&#xA;  self that it is said, ‘Empty is the world.’”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/sn35.85&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 35.85, World Emptiness (Suñña­ta­loka­-sutta)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mogharaja:&lt;/em&gt; Twice now, O Sakyan, I've asked you, but you, O One with&#xA;  Eyes, haven't answered me. &quot;When asked the third time, the divine seer&#xA;  answers&quot;: so I have heard. This world, the next world, the Brahma&#xA;  world with its devas: I don't know how they're viewed by the glorious&#xA;  Gotama. So to the one who has seen to the far extreme, I've come with&#xA;  a question: One who regards the world in what way isn't seen by&#xA;  Death's King?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha:&lt;/em&gt; Always mindful, Mogharaja, &lt;strong&gt;regard the world as empty,&#xA;  having removed any view in terms of self&lt;/strong&gt;. This way one is above and&#xA;  beyond death. One who regards the world in this way isn't seen by&#xA;  Death's King.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.15.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sn 5.15, Mogharaja's Question (Mogharāja-māṇava-pucchā)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not the only meaning of emptiness in the early texts though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T17:33:48.063" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T17:33:48.063" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1886" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-03T18:09:05.193" Score="22" ViewCount="3051" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am specifically interested in the attitude of Theravadan Buddhism toward homosexuality (if it has one at all.) I don't recall ever seeing any references to homosexuality in the suttas...I do recall seeing some non-normative sexual activity discussed in the Vinaya (or its commentary) but am not as familiar with the Vinaya. If anyone can speak to the Vinaya on this topic that would be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems right to assume that homosexual activity would not be treated any differently than heterosexual activity, but the fact that I do not recall seeing it ever discussed, along with general cultural attitudes expressed (e.g., statements by the Buddha (as I recall) that there is nothing more attractive to a man than a woman and vice versa) makes me wonder if I am missing something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if anyone has any contextual information about the culture in India at that time that would point to why there would be no discussion of homosexuality--e.g., it was absent--that would be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-04T01:09:03.197" LastActivityDate="2022-03-24T02:59:18.107" Title="What is the attitude toward homosexuality in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|sexuality|vinaya|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-03T19:11:59.190" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are not the same. But Suñña is one aspect of Anatta.&#xA;Suñña can mean devoid of any inherent value, goodness or a soul.&#xA;Anatta means not under one's control.&#xA;Something that is Anatta isn't always Suñña. ex: Nibbana.&#xA;Nibbana is peaceful, devoid of suffering and permanent. So there's goodness to it. But it's still not a self or a soul since it's not under your control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 40 meditative objects described in Patisambidhamagga under Vipassana meditation.&#xA;Ten kinds from the view-point of anicca; &#xA;twenty-five kinds from the view-point of dukkha; &#xA;five kinds from the view-point of anatta. &#xA;Suñña is one of those 40.&#xA;The detailed explanations are in Visuddhimagga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T19:39:49.817" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T19:39:49.817" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-03T19:27:07.143" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would add to this, that in the reception of these two terms, there is a difference. While the two terms are possibly used synonymously in the second sermon of the Buddha (compare the answers already given for this), the &lt;em&gt;terminus technicus&lt;/em&gt; in early buddhism is &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt;, being as one of the three marks of existence a claim of the Buddha which marks the uncoupling of Buddhism from the philosophical mainstream of that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word(s) &lt;em&gt;suñña/śūnya&lt;/em&gt; have acquired a more refined philosophical sense, since they were to a great extent 'popularized' by Nagarjuna and the &lt;em&gt;Śūnyatāvāda&lt;/em&gt; school of early Mahayana. In his main work &lt;em&gt;Mūlamadhyamakakārikā&lt;/em&gt; Nagarjuna does in a (philosophically) much more thorough way than was done by the Buddha dissect certain supposed elements of existence, &lt;strong&gt;proving&lt;/strong&gt;, that they are empty. By and large this is in response to the rival buddhist ontologies (Sarvastivada and Sautrantika) and in the end more or less re-states what the Buddha had already stated: &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt;, but on a much more sound philosophical and argumentative basis. (By the way: it reiterates also the Buddha's contempt for metaphysics)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short: In discourse, &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt; makes one think of Buddhism and the Buddha, while &lt;em&gt;suñña/śūnya&lt;/em&gt; incites more special associations to Nagarjuna and his school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please note, that the adjectives used in comparison of the words of the Buddha and Nagarjuna in no way constitute value-judgements. They just indicate, that Nagarjuna responded to different needs and not, that what he said is worth more.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T21:17:08.707" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:17:08.707" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1886" CreationDate="2014-07-03T19:53:25.117" Score="25" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the reason you only find references to homosexual activity in the vinaya is BECAUSE the vinaya is the only place where there is a need to be specific regarding sexual acts... Oral sex is still oral sex whether it's performed by a man or a woman, an animal or even yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Suttas, the teachings, it doesn't matter if you are attracted to the opposite sex, same sex, etc. it's all about craving,clinging, desire, attachment, and aversion all underpinned by ignorance. These come from the mind and go far deeper then sexual identity and attraction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Homosexuality and the Theravada tradition, buddhanet.net strikes again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/homosexu.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/homosexu.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As homosexuality is not explicitly mentioned in any of the Buddha's discourses (more than 20 volumes in the Pali Text Society's English translation), we can only assume that it is meant to be evaluated in the same way that heterosexuality is. And indeed it seems that this is why it is not specifically mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T19:59:23.740" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T19:59:23.740" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1891" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1894" CreationDate="2014-07-03T20:14:18.677" Score="15" ViewCount="12561" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is focusing in on one specific aspect of what was asked here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1854/what-are-the-three-marks-of-existence&quot;&gt;What are the three marks of existence?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often hear &quot;anatta&quot; explained as being an expression of the non-existence of the self. However, various places add an adjective first. For example, I've heard it said that anatta refers to the non-existence of a &quot;permanent&quot; self, or a &quot;material&quot; self, or a &quot;separate&quot; self (or some combination of those and others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems clear to me that it cannot mean the non-existence of a self &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;, because such a statement -- &quot;There is no self&quot; -- would be auto-refuting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So exactly what is meant by anatta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2020-07-14T03:35:19.133" Title="What is the precise meaning of anatta?" Tags="|anatta|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1892" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1893" CreationDate="2014-07-03T20:19:33.840" Score="5" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A) Nibbana is the destruction of the defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;B) Nibbana is merely the destruction of defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;C) Nibbana is an existing reality that is subjected to the mind totally free of defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;D) Nibbana is an existing reality that destroys the defilements in the mind as a result of being the object of Samma Samadhi(Right Concentration) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;E) Nibbana is an existing reality that is subjected the mind free of certain defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;F) Nibbana is an existing reality that is subjected to the mind when the defilements are subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is said to be uncaused. So it should be already existing, even before the defilements are removed. That makes the statement 'B' invalid in my opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-05T18:06:56.147" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T18:06:56.147" Title="Which of the following statements about Nibbana/Nirvana are true?" Tags="|nirvana|defilements|samadhi|reality|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1892" CreationDate="2014-07-03T21:05:26.697" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is actually best understood as &lt;em&gt;the cessation of suffering&lt;/em&gt;. The lakkhanadicatuka for nibbana is as follows (minus proximate cause because it is uncaused):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It has peace as its characteristic. Its function is not to die; or its function is to comfort.  It is manifested as the signless; or it is manifested as non-&#xA;  diversification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Path Of Purification XVI.66&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationship between nibbana and the defilements is not direct; it is the noble path that destroys the defilements, not nibbana itself. Even though the suttas say that nibbana is destruction, this is not technically true:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;69.[Q. 5] But is not Nibbāna destruction, because of the passage beginning,“That, friend, which is the destruction of greed … [of hate&#xA;  … of delusion … is Nibbāna]?” (S  IV 251).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[A.] That is not so, because&#xA;  it would follow that Arahantship also was meredestruction. For that&#xA;  too is described in the [same] way beginning, “That, friend, which is&#xA;  the destruction of greed … of hate … of delusion … is Arahantship]” (S&#xA;  IV 252).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Path Of Purification XVI.69&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is that nibbana itself is not destruction, but the attainment of nibbana (and arahantship) brings about the destruction of the defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So A), B), and D) are technically incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for C), E), and F), nibbana is an existing reality, but it is not subjected to anything, even the mind. The mind takes nibbana as an object during an experience of cessation, but this too has nothing directly to do with the defilements, which have been abandoned from the first moment of cessation (path consciousness). Therefore, if I am understanding these three statements correctly, they too are not correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-03T21:34:25.350" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:34:25.350" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2014-07-03T21:32:41.740" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta is used in an adjectival sense, as a characteristic of something (all things including nibbana, in fact). So it doesn't have anything to do directly with a philosophy that &quot;there is no self&quot;. This doesn't by any means suggest that the Buddha encouraged belief in a self. The best refutation of such an idea that I know of is in the Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;23.“Bhikkhus, you may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who&#xA;  clings to it.262 &quot;&quot; But do you see any such doctrine of self,&#xA;  bhikkhus?”—“No, venerable sir.”—“Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any&#xA;  doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  grief, and despair in one who clings to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;25.“Bhikkhus, there being a self, would there be for me what belongs to a self?” —“Yes, venerable sir.”—“Or, there being what belongs&#xA;  to a self, would there be for me a self?”—“Yes, venerable&#xA;  sir.”—“Bhikkhus, since a self and what belongs to a self are not&#xA;  apprehended as true and established, then this standpoint for views,&#xA;  namely, ‘That which is the self is the world; after death I shall be&#xA;  permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change; I shall endure&#xA;  as long as eternity’—would it not be an utterly and completely foolish&#xA;  teaching?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What else could it be, venerable sir, but an utterly and completely&#xA;  foolish teaching?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Bodhi, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what does anatta mean, then? According to the Visuddhimagga, it means specifically that the item in question has no core (asāraka), as per the third stage of insight knowledge:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Materiality, whether past, future, or present, is impermanent in the sense of destruction, painful in the sense of terror, &lt;strong&gt;not-self in the sense of having no core&lt;/strong&gt;,’ is knowledge of comprehension. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification, XX.6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The explanation of having no core means having none of the four kinds of self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sāmi attā&lt;/strong&gt; - controlling self&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nivāsī attā&lt;/strong&gt; - continuous self &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kāraka attā&lt;/strong&gt; - active agent self &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vedaka attā&lt;/strong&gt; - experiencing self &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four types of self are explained in the Mahasi Sayadaw's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mahasi-anat/anat01.htm&quot;&gt;discourse on the anatta-lakkhana-sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Briefly, according to the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the sense of having no core because of the absence of any core of&#xA;  self conceived as a self, an abider, a doer, an experiencer, one who&#xA;  is his own master; for what is impermanent is painful (S III 82), and&#xA;  it is impossible to escape the impermanence, or the rise and fall and&#xA;  oppression, of self, so how could it have the state of a doer, and so&#xA;  on? Hence it is said, “Bhikkhus, were materiality self, it would not&#xA;  lead to affliction” (S III 66), and so on. So this is also not-self in&#xA;  the sense of having no core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Path of Purification XX.16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga goes on to give five characteristics of the five aggregates that make them each non-self (the entire list of 40 characteristics is worth reading, but the rest have to do with the other two main characteristics):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as &lt;strong&gt;alien&lt;/strong&gt; because of inability to have mastery exercised over them, and&#xA;  because of intractability;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as &lt;strong&gt;empty&lt;/strong&gt; because of their emptiness of the lastingness, beauty,&#xA;  pleasure and self that are conceived about them; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as &lt;strong&gt;vain&lt;/strong&gt;  because of&#xA;  their emptiness, or because of their triviality; for what is trivial&#xA;  is called “vain” in the world; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as &lt;strong&gt;void&lt;/strong&gt; because devoid of the state of&#xA;  being an owner, abider, doer, experiencer, director; as not-self&#xA;  because of itself having no owner, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as &lt;strong&gt;not-self&lt;/strong&gt; because of itself having no owner, etc.;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Path of Purification XX.19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking, what does all this mean? Not a whole lot, since the point is not to understand intellectually the concept of non-self, but rather to experience it. From a point of view of experience, non-self is understood through observing that the five aggregates (i.e. the aspects of experience) conform to the explanations above. This understandling comes naturally through objective observation of the four foundations of mindfulness, so it's not really something to ponder over or doubt about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:32:41.740" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2014-07-03T21:33:25.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The buddhist concept of &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt; is IMO only fully understandable when seen against the background of mainstream Indian soteriology/liberation theory of the Buddha's time. This background, against which &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt; is shaped is the &lt;em&gt;upaniṣadic&lt;/em&gt; theory of an eternal, imperishable, immutable, indestructible and ultimately inalterable self as the core of existence and that-which-is-reborn. The further elaboration of this is in brief: by good and bad actions particles (sometimes thought of as material, sometimes not) of good and bad &lt;em&gt;karman&lt;/em&gt; stick to this self and create the illusion of this very self to be identical with the body or certain mental characteristics of the person in question. Liberation then means the insight of this very self, that it is not the body and not identical with the person who is incorporated in this body in this existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, accordingly, the simplest possible explanation of the buddhist concept of &lt;em&gt;anattā/anātman&lt;/em&gt;, which I believe to be its absolute core, is the denial of &lt;strong&gt;exactly this self with this particular properties&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;upaniṣadic&lt;/em&gt; theory of the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really get though, what you mean by it being auto-refuting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-07-03T21:33:25.540" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-04T00:32:04.637" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the reality that we cannot control the nature of &lt;code&gt;Anicca&lt;/code&gt; and the&#xA;  result of it(&lt;code&gt;Dkkha&lt;/code&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That mean nothing could gain from it. That hasnt any advantage towards&#xA;  the way of &lt;code&gt;Nibbana&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T00:32:04.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2014-07-04T00:36:36.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my earlier answer regarding the term &quot;karma&quot; I slipped into the notion of &lt;strong&gt;Anatta&lt;/strong&gt; as well. Hope that helps:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand correctly &lt;strong&gt;anattā&lt;/strong&gt; teachings, we have first to determine what exactly is Something according to Buddha and Buddhism. Something , or positive value, according to Buddhism is 5 skandhas, 12 Āyatanas or 18 Dhātu, i.e. - all perceivable reality - and that is indeed what doesn't reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is here inline with Upanishadic teachings on Ātma - which defines: &quot;Ātma is naught&quot; , &quot;Neti, neti&quot; - &quot;Nor this nor that&quot;, &quot;Only naught exists&quot; - it is nothing which could be included in our empirical perception, but still it exists, or otherwise - you cannot tell exactly not that it exists, not that it doesn't...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly enough there are many misconceptions on this subject today among people - since there would be different experiences of those clearly perceiving the inner light and those living in ignorance...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding Karma I agree with what was said earlier - on one hand - Karma is vasanas or impressions in the consciousness, or Alaya-vijnana, created by the our Activities - Wrong action, speech or thought - since the word &quot;Karma&quot; itself means Action, Activity in a wider sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, from the absolute viewpoint of realization of Buddha-mind - those impressions in the mind are as much &quot;real&quot; for the Liberated as the reality of Anatta or ego itself, as much real as all 5 skandhas perceived by the ego, who is not real actually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So - from the Absolute viewpoint &quot;only naught exist&quot; - nor mind, nor karma, nor Ātma nor perceptions, nor feelings, nor categories have a real being.... They are just a mud hiding from us the ever shining Buddha mind, alas god in other religions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No wonder in Sanskrit both - Buddha and incarnations of God - are addressed equally - Bhagavān - translated by Buddhist authors - as Lord - and translated by Krishnaits - as &quot;The Divine Personality of Godhead&quot;:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But let's remember - for ordinary people, who are not reached the absolute Liberation yet, not all affections and ignorance is cleared yet - &quot;Everything exists&quot; - meaning all 5 Skandhas exist, and they are quite &quot;real&quot; for an ordinary citizen and cloud their perception and intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="367" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T00:36:36.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1886" CreationDate="2014-07-04T00:37:43.553" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;code&gt;Paarajika&lt;/code&gt;, where a Bhikku lost his state of Bhikku, it is described that homosexuality is one of the reason to lost the state of Bhikku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If other monk is accidently falls over another Bhikku while sleeping, the Bhikku should stay without shake his body. The Bhikku who shake his body will loose the state of Bhikku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user359" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T00:37:43.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1488" CreationDate="2014-07-04T03:45:58.010" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;During the beginning of the 4th century CE, Buddhist scholars began composing a new series of Sūtras with the purpose of synthesizing and organizing concepts from earlier Mahāyāna Sūtras, a task which the authors viewed as the &lt;em&gt;third turning of the wheel of Dharma&lt;/em&gt;.  Three Sūtras from this period left a major impact on the intellectual endeavor of Mahāyāna monastics: the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;Lankāvatāra Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;, and the &lt;em&gt;Sandhinirmocana Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;.  The underline theme found in these three Sūtras, including the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; is the experience of the universe formed by consciousness detailed within epic narratives.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tofugu.com/2014/02/06/the-real-japanese-monks-guide-to-buddhism-in-japan/&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; is also know for expounding the  teaching about the ever-abiding Buddha-nature that constitutes ultimate reality.&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00DU88MWC&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;  However, some scholars believe the &lt;em&gt;Avatamska Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; was composed earlier between 200 BC and 200 CE and played a major formative role in the development of  Buddhist thought.&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00DU88MWC&quot;&gt;3&lt;/a&gt;   Nonetheless the Sūtra played an important role in the formation of Mahāyāna Buddhist teachings, which cannot be down played.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Flower Garland Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; was translated into&#xA;  Chinese by Buddhabhadra between 408 and 410 CE.  It gives a very&#xA;  detailed account of Shakyamuni/Vairochana’s quest for enlightenment,&#xA;  and offers the view that existence is the combination of individual&#xA;  identity and interdependence, a crucial theme in the development of&#xA;  Indian Buddhist thought.  The &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; became influential in&#xA;  the late sixth and seventh centuries through the works of monks such&#xA;  as Fashun (557-649 CE) and Zhiyen (602-668 CE), and later was the&#xA;  central text of the semi-esoteric Huayen order in China, which is&#xA;  known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tofugu.com/2014/02/06/the-real-japanese-monks-guide-to-buddhism-in-japan/&quot;&gt;Kegon in Japan&lt;/a&gt;.”&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mandala principle found in the &lt;em&gt;Avatamasak Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;, “conveys the most extraordinary visions that engage the audience in creating a setting and developing a receptivity that makes it possible for them to receive the Universal Vehicle teaching of the profound freedom and magnificent destiny of all living beings.” &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;5&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An example of this found in the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;,  &quot;the Buddha is&#xA;  surrounded by an enormous host of visitors, many from other universes,&#xA;  who sit in flower towers thousands of miles high, flown at more than&#xA;  warp speed across the reaches of space from worlds beyond as many&#xA;  worlds as there are grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges riverbeds.  The&#xA;  towers are arranged in the cardinal directions, intermediate quarters,&#xA;  and at the zenith and nadir in a classical mandala formation.  During&#xA;  the teaching, Shakyamuni Buddha now and then transforms himself into&#xA;  the sapphire-blue Vairochana, radiating magic light rays from his&#xA;  forehead that temporarily bestow on each member of the audience the&#xA;  intensely accelerated vision of all their past life experiences and&#xA;  all their future life attainments, up to and including attainment of&#xA;  perfect buddhahood in a future universe and performance of buddha&#xA;  deeds for the sake of all beings.  At the end of the teaching, the&#xA;  Bodhisattva Maitreya introduces the hero of the tale, the&#xA;  pilgrim-seeker Sudhana, a banker’s son, into the magical tower of&#xA;  Vairochana.  There Sudhana beholds the entire evolutionary history of&#xA;  Maitreya from a self-centered, unenlightened being to a functioning&#xA;  buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the same time, the panorama unfolds in infinite resonant variations&#xA;  in every atom of the universe, each containing infinite&#xA;  micro-universes, which contain infinite worlds where infinite living&#xA;  Sudhanas enter infinite Vairochana towers and behold infinite&#xA;  evolutionary panoramas of infinite living Maitreyas.”&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Avatamasak Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; utilizes a narrative mandala principle for the reader, in which Buddha transports his audience into a new dimension of consciousness exploring the potentialities of their possible destiny.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00DU88MWC&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction&lt;/a&gt; page 91&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00DU88MWC&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction&lt;/a&gt; page 182&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;Manadala The Architecture of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; page 32&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;Manadala The Architecture of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; page 23 &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;Manadala The Architecture of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; page 135&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1585678503&quot;&gt;Manadala The Architecture of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; page 135&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T03:45:58.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="106" CreationDate="2014-07-04T06:09:13.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even the earthly law (as in courts) doesn't operate this literally. And the Karmic law is a whole lot wiser. It's a mistake to think of the Karmic law as a tit for tat. The intention as well as the state of the doer matters. The same action may have a different Karmic consequence based on the state of the doers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving $1 to someone may be a very hard thing for a poor man to do while Giving $1,000 to someone may be a very easy thing for a rich man to do. Additionally, one may be giving with the intention of sating their ego - to feel good about oneself - while the other may be doing it due to genuine goodwill. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many more such factors would be taken into account by the Karmic law. So, yes, there is a difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="398" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T06:09:13.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1901" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-04T08:42:07.837" Score="5" ViewCount="1365" Body="&lt;p&gt;Christians have &lt;em&gt;The Holy Bible&lt;/em&gt;, Muslims have &lt;em&gt;The Noble Quran&lt;/em&gt;, Hindus have &lt;em&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/em&gt; and many more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists have sacred scripture(s) to read?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-09T17:04:45.650" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T17:04:45.650" Title="Do Buddhists have sacred scripture to read?" Tags="|belief|texts|scripture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1901" CreationDate="2014-07-04T08:59:17.053" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically the answer is YES, OF COURSE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The oldest completely available set of scriptures is the Pali canon, the so called &lt;em&gt;tipiṭaka&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;three-basket&quot;. It contains the &lt;em&gt;vinaya-piṭaka&lt;/em&gt; on the rules of monkish life, the &lt;em&gt;sutta-piṭaka&lt;/em&gt; which contains by and large the words of the Buddha as collected by disciples and fixed on a number of councils, and last but not least the &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma-piṭaka&lt;/em&gt;, which is hardest to translate or explain in just a word. Maybe &quot;basket of systematics&quot; for a start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In different schools, vehicles, sects of Buddhism there are also different canons current, some of these schools have perished and so parts or most parts of their canons are lost. As pointed out here, there are basically three different canons: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/77/what-are-the-major-sects-of-buddhism/80#80&quot;&gt;What are the major sects of Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when I read your question, I was not hundred percent sure, whether it also somewhat refers to these scriptures being considered as &quot;holy words&quot;. If yes, I guess this would be a matter of discussion and elaboration, but the words of the Buddha (&lt;em&gt;sutta-piṭaka&lt;/em&gt;) are if I dare say, at the very least auspicious to be heard and read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T08:59:17.053" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1903" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-04T11:52:45.997" Score="4" ViewCount="546" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every statue of the Buddha I have seen depicts him as having long ears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha really have long ears? If so, why and how did he get long ears?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-04T17:20:05.280" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T12:11:59.723" Title="Did the Buddha have long ears?" Tags="|the-buddha|iconography|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1903" CreationDate="2014-07-04T12:37:03.977" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;UPDATE:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The earlobes are elongated, partly to indicate the Buddha is&#xA;  all-hearing and partly as a reminder of the heavy earrings that&#xA;  weighed them down before Siddhartha renounced material things to seek&#xA;  enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2714/why-do-statues-of-buddha-have-long-earlobes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2714/why-do-statues-of-buddha-have-long-earlobes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ah ha, the Ears reference comes from the 80 minor marks:&#xA;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://news.fjnet.com/english/abcOfBudd/200606/t20060626_30901.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://news.fjnet.com/english/abcOfBudd/200606/t20060626_30901.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(credit to  yuttadhammo for solving the mystery)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that the Buddha or a Buddha has 32 marks or physical qualities popped up in Buddhism and iconographers followed this list, but long ears isn't on that list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/initial_scope/safe_direction/thirty_excellent_signs_major_marks_.htmlo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/initial_scope/safe_direction/thirty_excellent_signs_major_marks_.htmlo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-04T14:17:05.357" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T14:17:05.357" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1905" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1906" CreationDate="2014-07-04T12:46:56.467" Score="5" ViewCount="995" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assuming the result of enlightenment is attainment of Nirvana, and assuming Dalai Lama is enlightened, why does he keep on getting reborn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could it mean that Nirvana means something else, for example a state of egolessness while still a person on planet Earth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="177" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T15:01:47.923" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T15:01:47.923" Title="If Dalai Lama is enlightened, why he keeps coming back?" Tags="|mahayana|enlightenment|nirvana|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1905" CreationDate="2014-07-04T13:53:15.503" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a fundamental premise of Mayayana, that the goal is not to be extinguished and leave samsara like an Arhat, but to stick around until everyone is enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the zen formulation of the Bodhisattva Vow (couldn't find the Tibetan version)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Beings are numberless; I vow to save them. Delusions are&#xA;  inexhaustible; I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to&#xA;  enter them. Buddha's Way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for where one is upon enlightenment, there are more lots of formulations, I don't have a good idea on how to summarize them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T13:53:15.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1494" CreationDate="2014-07-04T16:58:16.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali scriptures there are two theories of the process of re-birth with differing prominence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The standard view is an elaboration of the chain of dependent origination &lt;em&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda/Paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt;, where this process happens according to most stand-points, including the abhidhammic, between the elements 2 and 3 - &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;viññāna&lt;/em&gt;. Three conditions need to come together for a woman to become pregnant and bear a child:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;her womb&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the semen of a man&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the consciousness of a dying person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Combined these three result in the consciousness of a new person and then (number 4) also in a psychophysical entity (still in the womb). Compare for this the Mahanidanasutta of DN.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other view is that of something of a spirit of the deceased, called &lt;em&gt;gandhabba&lt;/em&gt;, that wanders around searching for a locus of rebirth. This is a more 'popular' conception of rebirth and it seems to lie behind the prescribed number of days you mention. I don't recall the scriptural reference for this, it would be great, if anyone could supply that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to mix things up, the states you mention are the six gatis, realms of rebirth, compare my answer here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1/is-there-an-equivalent-of-heaven-and-hell-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;Is there an equivalent of heaven and hell in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt; for more information and a source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More or less there should be these two conceptions in all of the traditions, the first one being more scientific, the second one more popular and - if I may add - in this form totally not to be reconciled with 'scientific Buddhism'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: The &lt;em&gt;Pudgalavāda&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Vatsīputrīya&lt;/em&gt; school of &lt;em&gt;Hīnayāna&lt;/em&gt;-buddhism claimed that when a person dies, this very person becomes some sort of &quot;intermediate being&quot; - &lt;em&gt;upapāduka sattva&lt;/em&gt; - until that person is reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T12:33:44.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1908" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-04T20:12:34.480" Score="5" ViewCount="2730" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the nature of a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thangkagallery.org/static/thg_org/itemimages/padam-lama_KK_refuge_tree-main.jpg&quot;&gt;refuge tree(s)&lt;/a&gt;?  How does one incorporate a refuge tree(s) into their practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2018-03-09T18:07:32.977" Title="What is a refuge tree?" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|refuge|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2014-07-04T20:57:27.627" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Buddhism, If you define God as someone who created the world, God does not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you define the God as someone who is superior to other beings, then god exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, such a god exists only for a period of time, then one day the god will go down to another level (I mean rebirth) as an angel or human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha is not a God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tripitaka, there is a lesson about how the world is created and how god came to exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="404" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-04T21:46:59.520" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T21:46:59.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-07-04T21:06:10.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you hold the 5 precepts, it will not break the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise it breaks the 3rd of 8,10 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if others give you, that will break all the 3rd of 5,8 and 10 precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="404" LastActivityDate="2014-07-04T21:06:10.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1913" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-04T22:46:33.790" Score="8" ViewCount="1375" Body="&lt;p&gt;And in particular, is it eternal, unchanging and like any other formulation for a soul that we might have seen, in say Christianity or Hinduism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This particular idea, that ālaya-vijñāna is like a permanent self, is mentioned in &quot;Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist&quot;, by Stephen Bachelor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2020-06-18T13:01:47.417" Title="How does an ālaya-vijñāna work?" Tags="|self|soul|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2014-07-04T22:59:01.640" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, the gods are less important, and if they exist, are subject to all the same problems we are, being mortal, petty, flawed, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mayahayana, the Buddhas have a lot of the qualities you mentioned. But a Christian might also object to the Mayahana goal which is to become a god (if a god is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent). This is a huge difference with say Christianity, where people in heaven don't get their own pure land or become a god themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana, many Hindu deities were imported (many were imported into Theravada and Mahayana) but were give larger roles (and a Buddhist twist).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you don't find in Buddhism in general, except for maybe Shin Buddhism and some of the other Pure Land Buddhisms, is an all powerful, intercessionary God, that mostly is an object of devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T01:38:48.517" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T01:38:48.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1376" CreationDate="2014-07-05T05:33:04.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term Buddha-field is a literal translation of a compound Sanskrit word Buddhakṣētra, which is composed of two words Buddha (literal meaning: awakened one) and kṣētra (literal meaning: field, area, or tract of land).  The term Buddha in Buddhism may referred to someone who has realized enlightenment or to Siddhartha Gautama,  however these meanings are not necessarily mutually exclusive from each other and the emphasized meaning is based on context.  Kṣētra is used to denote a sacred space or precinct where a temple, shrine, or place where a sacred person is held or an event occurred in that particular location commemorating religious or historical importance.   The term &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirtha_and_Kshetra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kṣētra&lt;/a&gt; may generally be used to mark a physical location with religious significance associated with pilgrimage, yet it may also be used to indicate abstract phenomena of conscious realizations independently or simultaneously associated with a physical location, a narrative, sacred art (like a yantra or mandala), or another dimension in space and time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term Buddhakṣētra or Buddha-field may be applied to a multitude of conventional understandings within the context of Buddhist traditions such as Pure Land, Merit Field, Refuge Tree, and Mandala just to name a few.  Yet all these terms all have the same underline meaning of a sacred space in which a sentient being encounters a buddha through the practice of the dharma in a physical environment, an abstract environment or simultaneously in an environment conjoining the physical and abstract.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relatively the Buddha-field may be experience in the present moment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During a recent seminar, Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje had the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karmapa.org/news/hong_kong_13/hongkong_08.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;following to say&lt;/a&gt; about Pure Lands or Buddha-fields:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I’m just using the term “Pure Land” to interest you all, but&#xA;  basically I will be talking about the same old Buddha dharma…   All&#xA;  the great, extremely wonderful descriptions of the Pure Land are&#xA;  mentioned so that the practitioner will do whatever is necessary to&#xA;  develop a clear and well-structured mindset.  But once we have such a&#xA;  mindset then the Pure Land is very much right here and now..”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest known references to a Buddha-field may be found in the avadānas that associate religious practices associated with events held at  stūpas.  “The avadānas (Pali: apadānas) added three important ideas associated with the Buddha-field: (1) the Buddha-field surrounding a relic of the buddha is equally fertile to that surrounding a living Buddha; (2) there are innumerable Buddha-fields in every direction beyond the limits of our cosmos; and (3) a Buddha-field is absolutely necessary to the path of Awakening, for only by planting a merit-seed in such a field can one embark on the path of Awakening at all.  Thus the Buddha-field becomes the ground from which further awakened beings will grow.”&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirtha_and_Kshetra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In India during the early development of Buddhism, the practitioner would make vows and leave gifts at a stūpa to plant the seeds of merit for a future rebirth to reach nirvāna, which for the practitioner was an encounter with a Buddha-field both physically and meta-physically.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karmapa.org/news/hong_kong_13/hongkong_08.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;   These early acts of devotion inspired by avadānas teachings laid the framework for further elaboration of Buddhakṣētra found in one form or another in Theravādin devotionalism, Mahāyāna teachings, Pure Land Buddhism, and Vajrayana devotionalism and teachings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0534558585&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction First Edition&lt;/a&gt; pg 70&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0534558585&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction First Edition&lt;/a&gt; pg 71&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T05:33:04.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1917" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-05T10:23:13.547" Score="1" ViewCount="262" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of any good Asubha sites?  Am interested in suitable objects for contemplation for the overcoming of lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T16:38:15.220" Title="Does anyone know of any good Asubha sites?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1286" CreationDate="2014-07-05T10:28:27.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I aim to sit for an hour in the early morning and an hour in the evening.  I find samatha meditation more difficult and sometimes I break the sit before the hour is completed.  When I do noting, I experience impatience less and therefore I am more likely to complete the whole hour.  If impatience does arise, it can simply be noted as impatience, impatience, impatience, until it passes away.  Often I begin with samatha for say 10 minutes and then when I feel that my concentration is strong, I shift to vipassana.  I sit in the classical meditation position with my legs folded under.  I find that I can hold myself totally still for an hour or more in this position, though in the colder months my knees get abit achy by the end of the sit.  I can't sit in any lotus variation for very long.  I found that I began to get better results once I was able to sit for longer periods of say 40 minutes to 1 hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="407" LastEditorUserId="407" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T05:20:55.060" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T05:20:55.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1919" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1920" CreationDate="2014-07-05T12:58:57.850" Score="5" ViewCount="381" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Flanagan&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Owen Flanagan&lt;/a&gt; in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/03/26/episode-53-buddhism-and-naturalism-with-guest-owen-flanagan/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;podcast&lt;/a&gt; argued while Buddhism has an extremely well developed notion of compassion, it doesn't have a significant notion of justice. He contrasts this with ancient Greek philosophies which he states have a strong notion of justice and weak or absent notion of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is this correct? Does Buddhism really not have decent (or any) notion of justice. Can anyone perhaps provide examples of justice from the texts (Pali Canon, Mayahana etc..). Or is Owen right - no justice in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T09:32:04.843" Title="Does Buddhism have a significant notion of justice" Tags="|mahayana|philosophy|pali-canon|justice|compassion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1919" CreationDate="2014-07-05T13:10:42.423" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I can relate to this somehow, it overlooks one striking and most basic fact of Buddhism: that justice is a law of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to Greek thought, this means, that the Greeks, since their concept of &quot;the world&quot; or &quot;the universe&quot; was rather empiro-scientific and unrelated to moral (=human) values, had to look for &quot;human&quot; justice or even &quot;define&quot; justice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism (and India in general), the very law of nature is a moral law, the law of &lt;em&gt;kamma/karman&lt;/em&gt;. Consider for example the &lt;em&gt;Paṭiccasamuppāda/Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/em&gt;, which can be viewed as a formulation of the Buddhist law of nature or the kosmos, the universe etc.: everything here is treated as subject to cause/condition and effect, without beginning and end. The important thing to notice is that causation is &lt;strong&gt;moral causation&lt;/strong&gt; by good and bad deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude: since the kosmos is just and takes care of retribution, the religio-philosophical thinkers did not have to elaborate differing visions of justice. It is not the humans, that have to take care of it. Seen from this angle, justice is (implicitly maybe) at the very core of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T13:10:42.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1917" CreationDate="2014-07-05T14:30:30.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;See and memorize dissected cadavers. Blood filled bodies after accidents. Imaginate the stools and think that they from inside the body are good points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="409" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T14:30:30.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1908" CreationDate="2014-07-05T14:52:38.030" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of a refuge tree is a visual representation of a lineage of a particular school of Buddhism. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_tree&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the lineage of gurus and transmission of teachings is depicted in&#xA;  visual form as a visual mind map&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance I practice with the Triratna Buddhist community and we have our own &lt;a href=&quot;http://fwbo-news.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/new-image-of-western-buddhist-orders_10.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;refuge tree&lt;/a&gt; (shown below). At the bottom is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sangharakshita.org/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangharakshita&lt;/a&gt; winding its way to his teachers (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhardo_Rimpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhardo Rimpoche&lt;/a&gt;) and up to more historical figures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuin_Ekaku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hakuin&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milarepa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milarepa&lt;/a&gt;) and into the mythic (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amitabha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratnasambhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ratnasambhava&lt;/a&gt;) up to the Buddhas past present and future (Shaykamuni, Dipankara, Maitreya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zq123.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We study it to find inspiration and guidance in other teachers and other times. Because the movement is electic it means something to us to study a Zen figure (Hakuin) and then a Tibetean (Milarepa) and draw out the underlying themes. More pragmatically and politically the Triratna Community has been &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triratna_Buddhist_Community#Spiritual_lineage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;criticised for lacking a proper lineage&lt;/a&gt; so we (over)compensate by having a refuge tree that we study and refer back to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-05T14:59:28.820" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T14:59:28.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1853" CreationDate="2014-07-05T15:20:20.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The book that I  have read that comes closest to a comparative study of meditation practices is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26326.The_Meditative_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditative Mind&lt;/a&gt; by Daniel Goleman. It compares meditation techniques from a variety of different religions and non-religious traditions. Obviously there is a lot of information about Buddhist techniques (Zen. Tibetean etc..) but it goes into Hindu techniques, Sufism, Christian and secular such as Transcendental Meditation. It covers the dhyanas and the differences between concentration and insight practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was out of print when I bought it but it's easy to pick up a used copy - a quick google picks up loads. It's been a while since I read it but I remember liking it. Flicking through it again now is tempting me to read it again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry - I've noticed that you have asked for practices in general not meditation practices. But I'll leave this answer standing as perhaps part of the answer. It is still a good comparative study&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-05T15:55:28.170" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T15:55:28.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1905" CreationDate="2014-07-05T15:32:28.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I can add just a little more detail - the Dalai Lama is an emanation of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt;, the Bodhisattva of compassion. As @MatthewMartin said - Avalokiteśvara will continue to come into the world as long as there are unenlightened beings to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly Avalokiteśvara also eminates as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karmapa&lt;/a&gt; and other Tibetan lamas so presumable can co-exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T09:24:19.487" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T09:24:19.487" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1925" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1927" CreationDate="2014-07-05T15:43:24.983" Score="5" ViewCount="812" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading that both the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa&quot;&gt;Karmapa&lt;/a&gt; are both rebirths (emanations) of the Bodhisattva &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt;. Also there are other lamas who are also emanations of Avalokiteśvara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is Avalokiteśvara reborn into more than one body and if so is every being that is Avalokiteśvara the same in some way? Or is that just different Tibetan traditions? Generally is rebirth restricted to one body or can it be split across more than one? I appreciate that this will be different across branches of Buddhism so can I restrict my question to Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2018-04-01T13:53:38.603" Title="Can a being be reborn into more that one body in Tibetan Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|tibetan-buddhism|dalai-lama|avalokitesvara|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1761" CreationDate="2014-07-05T18:06:11.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to answer my own question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;appamāda as @Medhini says. This having the quality of heedfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;atappa giving the sense of ardency&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both these I've got from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness#Sampraja.C3.B1a.2C_apram.C4.81da_and_atappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; to be honest but I just wanted to complete all the possible translations that I could recall to complete the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T18:06:11.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1925" CreationDate="2014-07-05T20:58:14.723" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism is invoking the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;trikaya&lt;/a&gt;. These &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;special rebirths&lt;/a&gt; are nirmanakayas willed into being by enlightened beings or they are the chosen rebirth of an accomplished yogi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's closer to the Hindu idea of an avatar. For the majority of people, not particularly accomplished, rebirth functions as normal. Those others aren't being &quot;reborn&quot; because the source of their form-body hasn't died.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="60" LastActivityDate="2014-07-05T20:58:14.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1853" CreationDate="2014-07-06T00:40:49.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As has been pointed out, this is a &lt;em&gt;vast&lt;/em&gt; question, and I doubt it's answerable in anything other than a pile of doctoral theses and then some, but I'll make a small attempt at a piece of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll point you to one comparative study that could maybe act as a lead in your search. It is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/documents/pwj3-14/06Lindahl.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Self-transformation According to Buddhist Stages of the Path Literature&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Jared Lindahl. In it Lindahl compares in some detail the path described by Buddhaghosa in &quot;The Path of Purification&quot; (the &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;), with an ostensibly different path described by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal in &quot;Mahāmudrā: The Moonlight&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously this is very far from a complete taxonomy as you were asking, but it at least shows that a comparison/contrast can be done. All you have to do now is repeat what Lindahl has done, for every known practice area, and voila! Let us all know when you're done ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. Dan Ingram talks about connections between the different practice &quot;maps&quot; (as he calls them), in his &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;. Ingram himself says his primary influence is Therevadan practices, especially those taught by Mahasi Sayadaw, but he seems to know enough to be able to make linkages between various attainments outlined on that path and similar attainments on other paths. So that book is (with my usual &quot;don't get too caught up in the Dark Night panic&quot; caveat) is worth a look.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T00:40:49.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1929" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1937" CreationDate="2014-07-06T01:06:18.780" Score="6" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha126.htm&quot;&gt;Walpola Rahula&lt;/a&gt; on this, and so I think I already understand that the frequently held view that the Bodhisattva concept is far less a part of Theravada than Mahayana, etc. is at best an over-simplification and at worst simply wrong. But I'd really like to hear it from the horse's mouth -- i.e. a knowledgeable, practicing Theravadin (hint hint, calling Canada, calling Canada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple fact is, even a slightly more than superficial reading of Tibetan practices (for example) places the Bodhisattva way front and center of all practice. Developing compassion for all beings isn't just a practice off to the side; it seems to permeate everything they do. With Theravada, OTOH, it really does seem to have a different (i.e. lower) emphasis. It's not &lt;em&gt;unimportant&lt;/em&gt;, it just seems to be something that tags along, alongside the core meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm pretty sure that is &lt;em&gt;incorrect&lt;/em&gt;, but how? How exactly, if at all, is the daily life of a Theravada practitioner influenced by compassion for others and, again if at all, by the Bodhisattva way as exemplified by, for example, Shantideva in the &lt;em&gt;Bodhicaryavatara&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T03:23:10.203" LastActivityDate="2019-04-12T15:51:42.407" Title="How much does the Bodhisattva way influence Theravadan practices?" Tags="|theravada|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1930" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-06T02:46:33.737" Score="4" ViewCount="2619" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many forms of meditation found in Buddhism.  Zazen is possibly the most well know form of meditation in the West.  However, in there are many different types of mediation.   In Vajrayana there appears to be many different types and stages of mediation as well.  One form is called &quot;generation stage meditation&quot; or also known as utpattikrama.  What exactly is &quot;generation stage meditation&quot; and how is it practiced?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:50:01.470" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:50:01.470" Title="What is Generation Stage Meditation also known as Utpattikrama?" Tags="|vajrayana|meditation-classification|tantra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1931" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-06T03:01:45.353" Score="5" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana there appears to be many different types and stages of mediation. One form is called &quot;completion stage meditation&quot; also known as nispannakrama.  It appears to be associated with something called Anuttarayoga Tantra. What exactly is &quot;completion stage meditation&quot; and how is it practiced?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:49:28.280" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:49:28.280" Title="What is Completion Stage Meditation also known as Nispannakrama?" Tags="|vajrayana|meditation-classification|tantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1787" CreationDate="2014-07-06T05:12:58.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This site is poorly laid out for discussing anything niche or controversial. People who are actually familiar with non-Buddhism get voted down while the dross rises to the top because it is easy, wrong, and confirms the group thought (see 'affective decision'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-Buddhism is an operation on x-Buddhist Material, a critique originating out of the conviction that Buddhism in its various forms becomes an anti-liberative practice. NB seeks to elaborate some of the mechanisms that make it so and to, perhaps, induce aporetic inquiry, anchoric loss, and cancellation of the warrant of x-Buddhism. Once this is done, it is possible to re-visit the x-Buddhist well to see what principles in the Gotamic calculus survive Decimation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is absolutely a sort of Non-Buddhist MadLibs, and I make no apologies for it. x-Buddhism stands accused of anti-intellectualism, a conviction in its own Sufficiency, and belief in imaginary plenitude - a transcendent enlightenment that 'solves' life, leaving the x-Buddhist able to enjoy bliss while remaining ignorant of the causal, dependent situation of their life (the horrors of capitalism, etc.). Refusing simple answers is an act of frustrating these tendencies and an attempt to induce thought, work, and change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The refusal to give a clear, palatable answer to this question is also an acknowledgement that we live under the Terror of the Equals Sign, where foreign thoughts and practices are &lt;em&gt;so readily&lt;/em&gt; exchanged for familiar ones, assuming that clear substitutions can and should be made. Yet, if we understand ourselves as contingent structures with understandings established by our history, we see that simple translation cannot bring about a change in structure and that change is necessary to understand something new. Liberating praxis is something to undergo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this is an invitation for the curious, for those experiencing aporetic dissonance, or for those interested in becoming subjects to the Truths of a Decimated Gotamic Calculus to &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nonbuddhist.com/wiki/index.php?title=Glossary&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dive in&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="405" LastEditorUserId="405" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T06:47:37.647" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T06:47:37.647" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1286" CreationDate="2014-07-06T06:24:05.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend a relaxation exercise before beginning any meditation e.g. you focus your attention first on the feet and gradually work up the body consciously relaxing each part in turn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user319" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T06:24:05.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-06T06:25:09.910" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re: James Jenkins question, &quot;Is there a date to go with this occurrence?&quot; - the answer depends upon when we date key events in the Buddha's lifetime. There is some scholarly debate about this question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &quot;Bhadda Kapilani Theri Apadana&quot;, one of the chapters of the Theri Apadana book of the canonical Pali-text Khuddaka Nikaya collection, the Buddhist Bhikkhuni Sangha was established and it became possible for women to enter the Buddhist monastic community five years after the establishment of the Bhikkhu Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist tradition, this event is commemorated on the lunar calendar on the full moon of September.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the reckoning of the Thai Buddhist Era, the full moon of September 2014 CE will be the 2597th anniversary of the foundation of the Buddhist Bhikkhuni Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that some monastic scholars, i.e., Bhikkhu Sujato, speculate that there may have been bhikkhunis, such as Bhadda Kundalakesi, prior to that date.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="413" LastEditorUserId="413" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T16:45:46.197" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T16:45:46.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2014-07-06T06:51:28.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhamma wrote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhante is the preferred mode of address if you are addressing the bhikkhu respectfully; note that it is masculine, so for bhikkhunis, Ayye is correct (mostly they use ayya, but I don't think that is technically correct).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To comment briefly on this - i have learned of &quot;Bhante&quot; as the vocative contraction of &quot;Bhadanta&quot;--an &quot;expositor&quot; [of the Dhamma], used for &quot;master&quot; teachers. Buddhist historians say that early on, in the Buddhist monastic Sangha, only the Buddha was addressed as &quot;Bhante&quot;.  Later, after the Buddha's parinibbana, other monastic teachers came to be addressed as &quot;Bhante&quot; as well. But were they all men? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Epigraphically, in donative inscriptions from the Indian subcontinent, we find at least one reference to a bhikkhuni teacher with the title &quot;Bhadanta&quot;.  In the vocative, she should be addressed as &quot;Bhadante&quot;, or by the contraction &quot;Bhante&quot;.  There are comparatively numerous donative inscriptions in which we find the honorific &quot;Ayya&quot; prefixing bhikkhus' names; in hypothetical example: &quot;Ayya Yuttadhamma Bhikkhu&quot;.  This could be translated as: &quot;the noble bhikkhu Yuttadhamma&quot;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When and how it happened that &quot;Bhante&quot; came to be used only for men and &quot;Ayye&quot; only for women, or at least generally so, as we find much of the time in the Pali texts is not known to me.  We do several times find bhikkhus addressed as &quot;Ayya&quot; in the Pali-text canon. In example, in the bhikkhuni ordination proceedings from the Pali-text Vinaya, the new bhikkhuni when coming to the Bhikkhuni Sangha to request the confirmation and completion of her full ordination as a bhikkhuni is to address the Bhikkhu Sangha as &quot;Ayya&quot; (here in the masculine plural vocative).     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="413" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T06:51:28.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1799" CreationDate="2014-07-06T07:12:38.297" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reply to &quot;what percentage of Buddhist monks are female?&quot; -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Korea, the number of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis is very similar.  In Taiwan, the numbers of bhikkhunis now substantially surpass the number of bhikkhus.  I am not sure about Vietnam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia, with the Bhikkhuni Sangha in the early stages of a revival and not yet State supported, the numbers of bhikkhunis are growing, but still much less than the numbers of bhikkhus. In Sri Lanka, there are now more than 2000 Theravada bhikkhunis, far more than anywhere else in the world.  In Thailand, there are less than 200 bhikkhunis, as compared to around 200,000 bhikkhus. In Theravada Buddhism in &quot;the West&quot; (in Australia, the United States, Canada and Germany combined), there are also less than 200 bhikkhunis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here in Northern California, there are more Theravada bhikkhuni viharas than in any other state or region in North America.  In this region there are ~60 Theravada bhikkhu temples (at last count) and 4 Theravada bhikkhuni viharas and hermitages. That's a 400% increase in bhikkhuni viharas in the past 5 years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="413" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T07:12:38.297" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1929" CreationDate="2014-07-06T10:49:26.147" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Compassion and the Bodhisatta path are two different things; compassion is a quality of mind, the Bodhisatta path is a determination.  The latter is based, one could say, on a high level of compassion, but it is not equivalent to compassion. It is the determination to not enter into freedom from suffering until one is able to (in Theravada Buddhism) become a fully-enlightened Buddha, one who can teach others without having been taught oneself. From the Jataka Commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;62.   Then loosened I my matted hair,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And, spreading out upon the mud&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;My dress of bark and cloak of skin,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I laid me down upon my face.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;63.   &quot;Let now on me The Buddha tread,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;With the disciples of his train;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Can I but keep him from the mire,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;To me great merit shall accrue.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;64.   While thus I lay upon the ground,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Arose within me many thoughts:&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;&quot;To-day, if such were my desire,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I my corruptions might consume.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;65.   &quot;But why thus in an unknown guise&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Should I the Doctrine's fruit secure?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And be a Buddha in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;66.   &quot;Or why should I, a valorous man,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;The ocean seek to cross alone?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And men and gods convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;67.   &quot;Since now I make this earnest wish,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;In presence of this Best of Men,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience sometime I'll achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And multitudes convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;68.   &quot;I'll rebirth's circling stream arrest,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Destroy existence's three modes;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I'll climb the sides of Doctrine's ship,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And men and gods convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits001.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits001.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion, on the other hand, is just a mind state that can be cultivated by anyone; we say a Buddha has great compassion because of his sacrifice, but anyone can cultivate it as a meditation practice. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia on Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why karuṇā is considered a side practice is because it cannot itself lead to enlightenment, taking as it does concepts (living beings) as its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, zeal consisting in desire to act is the beginning of all these things. Suppression of the hindrances, etc., is the middle. Absorption is the end. Their object is a single living being or many living beings, as a mental object consisting in a concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification, IX.102&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the best it can lead to directly is worldly absorption (lokiya samatha jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the goal of Theravada Buddhism is enlightenment here and now, meditation based on concepts takes a back seat role to meditation on the five aggregates, four foundations of mindfulness, etc., which take ul&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;karuṇā can play an important role in quelling cruelty in the mind, which is a hindrance on the path, just as metta can play an important role in quelling anger. They are useful practices, just not enough to lead to understanding of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Bodhisatta path itself, Theravada Buddhists in general tend to favour not reinventing the wheel; the path has been opened, why not walk it and encourage others to walk it as well? The only way the path will stay open is if people continue to practice and follow it to its goal; once everyone decides its better to wait until one can become a fully enlightened Buddha, the path will be effectively closed; the question then arises, what was the point of becoming a fully enlightened Buddha in the first place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana, if I'm not mistaken, gets around this quandary of everyone wanting to lead and no one to follow by suggesting that the arahant is not actually enlightened and still has further to go. Or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while there are many notable examples of Bodhisattas in Theravada Buddhism (the king of Thailand, I think, may have hinted at it), for the most part the idea is to keep the path that is already open open long enough to get as many people across to safety as possible. This seems preferable to waiting countless more eons and letting those people undergo untold suffering before the path can be opened again (assuming one is successful in attaining Buddhahood at all).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T10:49:26.147" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1938" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1942" CreationDate="2014-07-06T12:06:47.907" Score="13" ViewCount="1632" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've always been told that there is no such thing as a bad meditation. No matter what happens it is OK. In fact the meditator is a bad judge of the effectiveness and efficacy of any sit even if those concepts did have meaning. However I was reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/551592.Everyday_Zen&quot;&gt;Everyday Zen&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joko_Beck&quot;&gt;Charlotte Joko Beck&lt;/a&gt; and she said that she encounters people who have been meditating who are frankly wasting their time. She says they may as well have been practicing their golf swing for 20 years. Ooohhhh harsh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what's going on here? Is there really no such thing as a bad meditation and every sit is just grist for the mill. Or is it possible to waste your time and potentially waste years. Is 'there is no such thing as a bad meditation' just something you tell beginners to motivate them - a kind of expedient means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:49:18.063" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:49:18.063" Title="Is there any such thing as a bad meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1913" CreationDate="2014-07-06T12:31:22.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In no way &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is &quot;&lt;em&gt;eternal, unchanging&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. This is Buddhism after all and nobody will posit totally non-buddhistic concepts which could contradict basic teachings of Buddha. Unenlightened beings may &lt;em&gt;mistakenly&lt;/em&gt; perceive &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; as Soul, but they may perceive so about any &lt;em&gt;skandha&lt;/em&gt;. (One interpretation of why skandhas are five is that it's five assumptions of Self.) Standard analogy for &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is violent current of a river (&lt;em&gt;udakaugha&lt;/em&gt;), it may be perceived as solid (from a far) but it's highly changing (if looked closer). &lt;em&gt;Alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt; is only remains to the end of &lt;em&gt;sansara&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T12:31:22.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1938" CreationDate="2014-07-06T12:47:56.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically, the answer is No, all practice is positive. Even if you experience disturbing images or strong emotions. Just pay attention to whatever happens. Also pay attention to the flat periods where boredom seems to take hold. Just note the characteristics of whatever happens. This is what boredom feels like. This is what a strong emotion feels like. This is what fear feels like. And so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Mindfulness practice, which is basic to Buddhist practice. Can't get enough of it. The more one practises the deeper and more steady in the practice one becomes. The potential negatives the question implies are both remote and rare. The negatives I've encountered have all arisen from panic, taking the emptiness of phenomena as substantial and thus falling into delusional thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have an experienced meditator to act as a mentor, someone to talk to about what happens in your meditation sessions, finding one would be a good idea, for orientation and reassurance if nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="415" LastEditorUserId="415" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T22:38:48.310" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T22:38:48.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1938" CreationDate="2014-07-06T13:32:11.810" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the context of Buddhist teaching answer is &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt;, but in general answer is &lt;em&gt;yes&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually, only good thing is called 'meditation'. But if we look at concepts of 'concentration' or 'development' there is posible to have 'wrong concentration' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;miccha-samadhi&lt;/a&gt;) and to develop wrong qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong concentration could be any concentration which is not in the context of Noble Path. For example, as I see it, concentration on wrong object, based on wrong attention (&lt;em&gt;ayoniso-manasikara&lt;/em&gt;), or on something that contradicts Noble Truths, Right View. Wrong development (as in &lt;em&gt;bhavana&lt;/em&gt;) seems possible too; isn't it's possible to send &lt;em&gt;hate&lt;/em&gt; to all beings instead of love as in a Metta? If meditation increases unwholesome qualities (defilements) it's probably done wrong. Even reflection on impermanence is possible to be done in a wrong way. Also it's possible that you meditate on an authentic subject but one which is not suitable for your personality (&lt;em&gt;carita&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T13:48:20.530" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T13:48:20.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1938" CreationDate="2014-07-06T13:47:16.477" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Gopaka-Moggallana Sutta (MN 108), Ananda points out that the Buddha didn't speak in praise of all types of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The Blessed One, brahmin, did not praise every type of meditation, nor did he condemn every type of meditation. What kind [14] of meditation did the Blessed One not praise? Here, brahmin, someone abides with his mind obsessed by sensual lust, a prey to sensual lust, and he does not understand as it actually is the escape from arisen sensual lust. While he harbours sensual lust within, he meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates. He abides with his mind obsessed by ill will, a prey to ill will … with his mind obsessed by sloth and torpor, a prey to sloth and torpor … with his mind obsessed by restlessness and remorse, a prey to restlessness and remorse … with his mind obsessed by doubt, a prey to doubt, and he does not understand as it actually is the escape from arisen doubt. While he harbours doubt within, he meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates. The Blessed One did not praise that kind of meditation.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Bodhi, Trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems like an obvious answer; just because something is called meditation doesn't make it wholesome. A hunter may spend his time meditating on how to catch a deer (pre-meditated murder), or one may spend an entire sitting meditation fantasizing about sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common example of this is the case where a meditator gets stuck on the ten vipassanupakilesa (imperfections of insight), like visions, rapture, quietude, etc., and mistakes them for the path. As a result, as you have read, a meditator can spend years basically going nowhere, just using meditation as an escape into these pleasant but meaningless experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What isn't so clear cut, perhaps what you are really asking, is whether there is any condition that arises in meditation that one should avoid when cultivating wholesome meditation (proper samatha or vipassana). In this case, the answer is generally &amp;quot;yes&amp;quot; for samatha and generally &amp;quot;no&amp;quot; for vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In samatha meditation, where the object is absorption, one should avoid a great number of things; anything that is an obstruction to calm. Noises, pain, sickness, even indigestion, can all get in the way of your attainment of calm. Sitting in the wrong position can be an impediment, so the Buddha recommended the full-lotus with one's back perfectly straight. When one's mind enters into unwholesome thoughts or emotions, one should avoid such mental activity, replacing it with its opposite or coaxing the mind back towards wholesomeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As catpnosis points out, one should also not practice samatha against one's character type; a person of angry character should avoid asubha (loathsomeness) meditation, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana, where the object is insight into reality, almost every experience is a valid meditation object; almost, because there may be cases where an experience may be physically harmful to the meditator (e.g. dangerous situations or physical injury) or a cause for cultivating unwholesomeness (e.g. getting caught up in obsessive thoughts or emotions). In some cases it is necessary to change one's posture from sitting to walking or vice versa to deal with these situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T13:47:16.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1943" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-06T14:30:58.933" Score="7" ViewCount="1637" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of Patikulamanasikara, or loathsomeness of the body has intrigued me for quite a while but I was always uncertain of how to do it right. So, here goes: How do I know if it would be a right meditation for me and how does one start? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, I can find the sequence of words: Hairs of the head, hairs of the body..etc. But does one first memorize the whole section or is possible to meditate while using notes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:01:25.780" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T12:05:19.577" Title="When and how should someone practice Patikulamanasikara meditation (reflections of replusiveness)" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1917" CreationDate="2014-07-06T16:38:15.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think these might be helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2JroFk5Ke8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2JroFk5Ke8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgDHJzBt-YU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgDHJzBt-YU&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found it more helpful in daily life to be more aware of and look more at old people. I find it also develops helps develop a sense of respect towards fellow humans around. Old people are worthy objects of respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need then for so much blood and gore. Or I have not seen the advantage of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it all depends from where one works. A sense awareness that there is the same awareness in the object, being bound to this existence, growing old, sick and dying, from my experience, is a very powerful support. More than looking at dead bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Might be different for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that one incident, where I looked at a woman like this, because &quot;fallen in love&quot;, could not maintain such enamoured state, because somehow it was demeaning, my thought was I wanted to disappear into the forest and only look at my own mind, to find freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then looking at any woman at all I was not inclined to have any sexually motivated perception or fantasy anymore for months on end. Feeling very light and freed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this sense, that we are all imprisoned here, going to die. Developing this at the &quot;living object&quot;, developes some kind of compassion that one would not be able to have sexual thoughts about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a bit gone of-topic, because just I find some other ways to be more useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just some not so professional ideas. Hope it may help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;_/_&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="416" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T16:38:15.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1945" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2087" CreationDate="2014-07-06T16:52:48.117" Score="3" ViewCount="819" Body="&lt;p&gt;The list of 13 Buddhas (which is actually Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Wisdom Kings) plays a role in Shingon gongyo and funerary rites.  What accounts for why these particular 13 are set aside for special attention?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fudo (Acala)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shaka (Sakyamuni)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monju (Manjushri)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fugen (Samantabhadra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jizo (Ksitigarbha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Miroku (Maitreya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kannon (Avalokitesvara)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Amida (Amitabha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ashuku (Akshobhya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dainichi (Vairocana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kokuzo (Akasagarbha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Minor update: I did some googling on this, it appears that lists of Buddhas, sometimes very &lt;a href=&quot;http://jadeturtlerecords.blogspot.com/2011/12/infinite-buddhas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;long lists of Buddhas, occur throughout the Mahayana cannon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-06T20:14:29.650" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T18:04:25.440" Title="What explains the membership of Shingon's 13 Buddhas list?" Tags="|mahayana|bodhisattva|shingon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2014-07-06T18:23:52.253" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to one hypothesis, the Three Marks of Existence are Buddha's sarcastic response to Hinduism's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satcitananda&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sat-Cit-Ananda&lt;/a&gt;, the three characteristics of Brahman experienced by an awakened yogi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sat&lt;/em&gt; -- true and timeless, not subject to change.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chit&lt;/em&gt; -- self-aware.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ananda&lt;/em&gt; -- blissful or happy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supposedly, when yogi becomes one with Brahman, he perceives Himself as infinite and timeless self-aware Universe. From this moment on, all of yogi's experiences are marked with perpetual bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Buddha awakened to &lt;em&gt;the way things are&lt;/em&gt;, he realized that the above description was rather misleading, because it made the practitioner seek permanent bliss, something impossible &lt;em&gt;in principle&lt;/em&gt;. Out of compassion for future seekers, he offered a more realistic description of the same Universal vision:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whatever is compound (consists of multiple pieces coming together), will fall apart. Same way, whatever is conditional (depends on multiple factors coinciding together), is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nothing is solid, everything is made of pieces or depends on conditions. This includes &quot;I&quot; which cannot possibly be a solid/independent entity. Since &quot;I&quot; is really just a compound phenomena, it is not independent and too is subject to conditions. What we call &quot;consciousness&quot; is too an interplay of conditions and not a substance or entity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Because of the above, there is no (and there can't be!) such thing as permanent Sukha (&quot;ease&quot;, &quot;comfort&quot;). Dukkha (&quot;wrongness&quot;, &quot;trouble&quot;) is an inevitable part of existence at large. (&quot;At large&quot; is the key word here. As to &lt;em&gt;personal&lt;/em&gt; liberation from suffering, Buddha addressed this question in his Four Truths of The Nobles.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha criticized simple naive non-dualism of Brahmins, as returning to the same limiting concept of &quot;I&quot; they supposedly wanted to escape. He compared &quot;I&quot; to a stick their mind was tied to, going around but never completely departing. This said, Buddha still held &quot;the state of Brahma&quot; (experience of non-dual unity with the world) as a useful intermediate realization (AN 4.190). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an interesting twist, my present teacher, who comes from a Taoism-influenced non-sectarian tradition, speaks of Three Gates To Enlightenment, the &lt;em&gt;experiential&lt;/em&gt; realizations one must &lt;em&gt;go through&lt;/em&gt; on one's way to Completion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pain&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Suffering&lt;/em&gt;. One must realize that life is painful and accept pain as necessary condition for one's growth. This involves dropping &lt;em&gt;resistance&lt;/em&gt; that comes from seeing pain as important factor of one's decisions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Impermanence&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Transience&lt;/em&gt;. One must fully accept that nothing is permanent in one's life, and admit the inevitability of death. This involves dropping &lt;em&gt;attachments&lt;/em&gt; to what one holds as dear.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nothingness&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Voidness&lt;/em&gt;. One must &lt;em&gt;go through&lt;/em&gt; the realization that life is pointless and has no meaning in the absolute sense. This involves dropping fundamental &lt;em&gt;preconceptions&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;imperatives&lt;/em&gt; about the purpose of one's life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T00:36:29.170" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T00:36:29.170" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1791" CreationDate="2014-07-06T20:55:42.927" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The founder of Shin Buddhism, Shinran, assumed that a person of shinjin (grounded faith) would naturally be inclined to refrain from harmful actions. These quotes are all from various letters that Shinran wrote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...When people come to have faith in the Buddha deep in their heart, they genuinely renounce this life, they lament their transmigration in Samsara, they have deep faith in Amida's Vow, and they delight in saying Amida Buddha. If these people truly desire not to commit the evil deeds that they may be inclined to do, it is an indication of their renunciation of this world...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...thinking of the Buddha's benevolence, devote himself to the Nembutsu in order to respond with gratitude for that benevolence, and should hope for peace in the world...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Do not take a liking to poison just because there is an antidote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not really a rationalization, since ethical behavior in Shin Buddhism isn't done to gain something, even though it generally results in a more peaceful, happy life. It is more like a result of the transformative power of shinjin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference: &lt;em&gt;Living in Amida's Universal Vow&lt;/em&gt;, &amp;quot;Ethics in American Jodo-Shinshu: Trans-ethical Responsibility&amp;quot;, pg. 201&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T20:55:42.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1948" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-06T20:57:02.347" Score="4" ViewCount="156" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my area, there are many Buddhists centers referring to themselves as centers, meditation centers, or monasteries.  These all seem to be various expressions of a Buddhist Sangha.  However, being in the Mid-West one tends to expect the Sangha to be modeled on or similar to a church or synagogue.   What are the proper expectations to have about being part of a Sangha?  Should Westerns expect a sangha to conform to the Western notion of religious institutions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T09:23:42.857" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T09:23:42.857" Title="What are proper expectations to have about a Sangha?" Tags="|sangha|refuge|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1948" CreationDate="2014-07-06T21:18:08.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on which Buddhist tradition that particular temple belongs to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid rampant anti-Japanese racism in America stemming from the 1940s, when Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps, Japanese Buddhist branches like Jodo Shu and Jodo Shinshu conformed themselves to a more western model of creating religious spaces when they settled in America. This is why the American branch of Jodo Shinshu is called &quot;Buddhist Churches of America&quot;. They often have pews, a minister speaking from the pulpit, youth groups, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Temples from other traditions usually don't model their space after western religious models. The sangha's &quot;mode of operation&quot; depends on the tradition, which school of thought that sangha follows within it's own tradition, and of course, the Buddhists themselves. So when visiting, these sanghas should be understood on their own terms as much as possible, leaving expectations at the door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T21:18:08.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1878" CreationDate="2014-07-06T21:57:12.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if this helps, but since you asked for a list of discourses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an appendix at the end of &quot;Buddhist Religions&quot; (5th Ed.) by Robinson, Johnson, and Thanissaro, entitled &quot;An Overview of the Three Major Canons&quot;, which lists the Pail Tipitaka, the Chinese canon, and the (or a) Tibetan canon. It's just lists though -- no commentary or comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T21:57:12.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1948" CreationDate="2014-07-06T22:10:20.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The proper expectations are to have are no expectations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking mostly from the Theravada perspective I will say there will often be a large difference between a meditation center and a Vihara(monastery). A monastery can be a meditation center, but not all meditation centers are monasteries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visit the website and call ahead to see if they have any events open to the public. There may not be regular public &quot;Sunday service&quot; type activities and showing up out of the blue might not be the best depending on the size of the place. Visit when you are able, meet people, learn about how they practice, and join along if you feel it's right for you. You may experience some culture shock, you may not, it is a learning process and the least amount of expectations you have the more you are open to the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="121" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T00:46:00.483" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T00:46:00.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1931" CreationDate="2014-07-06T22:38:51.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to what I understood from explanations given to me in one of the temples in New Kadampa Tradition, completion meditation is an antidote to potential sideeffects of generation meditation. If practitioner gets too attached to (image of oneself as) one's yidam, they are prescribed certain exercises designed to help them let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T22:38:51.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1930" CreationDate="2014-07-06T23:50:18.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generation stage meditation is meditation targeted at transmuting ones neurotic traits into aspects of enlightened mind. It is done through visualizing (and on more advanced stages through identifying oneself with) a specifically selected yidam deity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generation stage meditation is similar to the first jhana, in the sense that it involves deliberate generation of certain mindset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-06T23:50:18.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1938" CreationDate="2014-07-07T00:33:49.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, yes, there is such thing as wrong/harmful meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, meditation performed with objective of stopping one's thoughts, is wrong and harmful, in my opinion. It is wrong because it does not lead to jhanas and liberation, and it is harmful because it generates frustration that gets one even deeper into samsara. I have heard of (OCD-type?) people wasting years in this kind of meditation, until finally breaking through, out of sheer desperation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T00:33:49.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-07T01:45:59.220" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand, Mahayana's &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt; (noun, because &lt;em&gt;shunya&lt;/em&gt; is adjective) includes all Three Characteristics of Existence, as well as Nirvana (sometimes counted as the fourth!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense, Shunyata is the all-encompassing view, and as close as it gets to Ultimate Truth, while Anatta is but one aspect of this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T20:21:44.073" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T20:21:44.073" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1925" CreationDate="2014-07-07T02:09:21.763" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism denies independent existence of substantial &quot;self&quot;, it does not posit literal reincarnation, as in someone literally being a come back of e.g. Ananda (Buddha's favorite student).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism does have a notion of Tulku though, which is similar. Tulku is a new person that inherits the life stories and responsibilities of a previous person. This is done through teaching this person to deliberately identify with their predecessor, to learn predecessor's history, and to carry on his or her work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the new person's life is so heavily influenced and inspired by the predecessor, we can say that the new person is an embodiment of the abstract energy of the previous one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense, multiple people could embody the same predecessor. In fact, it is more often  than not a case with Great teachers, that they have multiple &quot;emanations&quot; (usually, of mind, of speech, and of enlightened activity) -- because a regular limited person can't give justice to all of that greatness, so declaring one Tulku would not be appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T15:45:56.590" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T15:45:56.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1959" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-07T02:40:18.040" Score="4" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;In several places–for example, in texts around the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1582/nine-purification-breaths-and-channels-in-genderqueer-and-intersex-individuals&quot;&gt;Nine Purification Breaths&lt;/a&gt;–I've seen references to either masculine or feminine &quot;obstacles linked with potencies&quot; that are described as being &quot;masculine&quot; or &quot;feminine.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the obscurations and &quot;obstacles linked with potencies&quot; that are &quot;masculine&quot; or &quot;feminine&quot; and what are their characteristics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T23:26:32.777" Title="Masculine and Feminine Potencies" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|gender|bon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1961" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-07T12:29:14.733" Score="23" ViewCount="7330" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I understand it correctly, Nirvana is the liberation from the endless cycle of rebirth, thereby terminating all sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Nirvana a goal which every Buddhist must achieve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any other things more important than attaining Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T16:13:04.163" Title="Is Nirvana the goal for all Buddhist?" Tags="|nirvana|doctrine|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-07-07T12:39:55.093" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the grand scheme of things, ending suffering and with it the endless cycle of rebirth is the ultimate goal of all forms of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, while Theravada Buddhism focusses on personal enlightenment, other forms like Mahayana focus on the Bodhisattva ideal: Postponing enlightenment until all other lifeforms are free from suffering. In the Theravada tradition this Bodhisattva is postponing enlightenment until one can become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your questions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;yes, Nirvanna is a goal which every Buddhist strives to achieve.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In certain schools, enlightening others is more important (has more priority) than attaining Nirvana yourself. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T22:29:23.600" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T22:29:23.600" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1963" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-07T12:42:36.343" Score="23" ViewCount="26815" Body="&lt;p&gt;After attaining Nirvana, what happens to the person(conscious) after death? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the person cease to exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, does the person go to some peaceful place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="399" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T13:12:30.920" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T16:24:44.857" Title="Where does a person go after attaining Nirvana?" Tags="|belief|nirvana|doctrine|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2014-07-07T13:40:07.773" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was no person existing in the 1st place to cease to exist. What you mistake as a person is just the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt; of clinging. They are just natural processes of causes and effects. Once you attain Nibbana, the causes for continuation of the 5 aggregates are removed. Hence no continuation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T14:29:19.903" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T14:29:19.903" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-07-07T14:41:54.263" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. If your goal is to attain enlightenment you've gotten it all wrong and I would recommend Brad Warner's book, Hardcore Zen. It is much more important to act appropriately. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'd been doing zazen for for over a decade by then and was pretty&#xA;  miffed that I had yet to reach enlightenment...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let me give you a little background. In a nutshell, there are two&#xA;  major schools of Zen in Japan: Soto, to which Nishijima belonged, and&#xA;  ... my teacher Tim McCarthy had studied and taught; and the Rinzai&#xA;  school... The difference between them is this: the Rinzai shcool&#xA;  believes in enlightenment and the Soto school does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He goes on to explain why simply having the goal of attaining enlightenment will pretty guarantee you will not reach Nirvana. Attaining enlightenment is a selfish goal. The selfish can not, by definition, attain enlightenment. It is a catch-22 type paradox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't buy that, then at least you should be aware that is a school that not only does not have a goal of attaining enlightenment, but they don't even believe in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="426" LastEditorUserId="426" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T15:14:41.157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T15:14:41.157" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-07-07T14:47:28.833" Score="22" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, Nirvana is not the goal of all Buddhists. According to Sakya and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Buddhist liberation methodologies can be divided in three major classes, corresponding to sentient being's &lt;em&gt;mental capacity&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;students of lower capacity seek pleasant living conditions and personal happiness. For these beings the teaching focuses on fundamental principles such as karma, and posits the goal of better rebirth (and better luck in this life). When a being is born to conditions more favorable for deeper study and practice, or in the same life its interests raise beyond basic day-to-day existence, it is now considered as one of the&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;students of middling capacity, who seek spiritual realization. For them the teaching focuses on personal transformation through removal of mental and emotional obscurations and posits the goal of Nirvana. Once the student removed enough obscurations to have a glimpse of how things really are (&lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt;), he or she realizes that both Samsara as well as Nirvana are two sides of the same equation, and a projection of one's &lt;em&gt;Thirst&lt;/em&gt; due to one's mind having been intoxicated with &lt;em&gt;The Three Poisons&lt;/em&gt;. At this point they find themselves on the level of:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;students of higher capacity, who practice Natural Great Perfection. For them the teaching focuses on manifesting unhindered compassionate action, union of wisdom and skillful means, and does not posit any goals.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three capacities model should not be confused with the three yanas model (Hinayana/Mahayana/Vajrayana) which can be seen as three levels spanning the second and third capacities, nor with the three schools model (Theravada/Mahayana/Tibetan Buddhism) which are three alternative paths, with beings of all three capacities found in each school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another model defines goals according to one of the Six Worlds the being finds itself in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Hell realm the goal is defined as Escape from Suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Animal realm the goal is defined as Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Preta realm the goal is defined as The Only Possession of Real Value&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Human realm the goal is defined as Liberation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Asura realm the goal is defined as Perfection of Excellence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For beings in Heaven realm the goal is defined as Protection from Impermanence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a nine-yanas model that provides a finer classification of enlightenment contexts, with a slightly different provisional goal utilized in each. Please note that all models exist solely for their explanatory value and are vastly simplifying reality, which is a lot less pigeonholed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your second question, is there any other thing more important than attaining Nirvana, this is like a school student asking, is there any other thing more important than finishing school. For the school student to finish the school is the most important thing. Nothing else can happen until then.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-07T23:59:08.260" LastActivityDate="2014-07-07T23:59:08.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2014-07-07T16:03:44.940" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one sense he continues just as we do. Once he attained nirvana under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha carried on teaching for another 50 years. It was only on the death of his physical body that he underwent &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;parinirvana&lt;/a&gt;, that is to say final release. However this just pushes the question on from nirvana to parinirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of what happens to an enlightened being after death is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avyakata&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt; i.e. does the Tathagata (Buddha) exist after death. The Buddha refused to address metaphysical issues such as these. He teaches one thing and that thing is liberation. He views other issues such as this, the nature of the universe, the nature of the 'soul' as a distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not to say that this isn't a good question but it is one that is deliberately unanswered by the Buddha. As such I'm probably not going to be able to do it either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the answer of no answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NOTE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer is based on Theravada teachings and is not the stance of all Buddhist schools. Other answers here will be from different perspectives and should be considered along with this answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-12-20T11:26:06.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T11:26:06.877" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1969" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-07T23:02:16.783" Score="15" ViewCount="751" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is confusing to me that what what the goal of zazen is (and is not), as proposed by various people with more or less authority on the subject, varies so greatly. Some say no goal, and others identify various goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rationally speaking, no goal makes sense. It is a form of non-dualism. If there is a goal, then there is an attachment to becoming something which one is not. But no goal is also nonsense. If there is no goal, then there is no goal to end suffering. The Four Noble Truths become descriptive, and the Eightfold Path is unimportant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is as far as my thinking has gotten. I conclude with some verifiable examples of what the goal of zazen is said to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;remove wrong perceptions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the practice of meditation, the practice of looking deeply, has the purpose of removing wrong perceptions from us&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationplex.com/zen-meditation/thich-nhat-hanh-nirvana-suffering/#sthash.ymYgRbuO.dpuf&quot;&gt;“What is Nirvana and How Does It End Suffering?” by Thích Nhất Hạnh at &lt;em&gt;MeditationPlex&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;see ourselves&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Zazen deliberately tries to remove all entertainment and distractions from our minds so we can see ourselves as we really are&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/a/wildblue.net/laughingteabowl/Home/zazen&quot;&gt;The Laughing Teabowl Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;there is no goal&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no starting point nor goal, nothing to attain&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;–&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_Mind,_Beginner%27s_Mind&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind&lt;/em&gt; by Shunryu Suzuki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;grasp enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the only way to grasp enlightenment is through a calm and settled mind&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zenguide.com/practice/zazen_guide.pdf&quot;&gt;Zen Guide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;engage with reality (not to make your life better)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The real practice of Zen is to engage directly with reality, not to use it as a method to improve your health or make your life better&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chzc.org/posture.htm&quot;&gt;“Zazen Posture” by Josho Pat Phelan at &lt;em&gt;Chapel Hill Zen Center&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;not to learn&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don’t think of practice in terms of “eventually”&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhismnow.com/2014/02/19/zazen-not-step-by-step-harada-roshi/&quot;&gt;“Zazen is not step-by-step learning meditation” by Harada Sekkei Roshi at &lt;em&gt;Buddhism Now&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;compassion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the purpose of zazen is compassion&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;—&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.upaya.org/2013/10/norman-fischer-10-05-2013-beyond-thinking-dogens-teachings-on-zazen-part-4/&quot;&gt;“Beyond Thinking: Dogen’s Teachings on Zazen” by Norman Fischer at &lt;em&gt;Upaya Zen Center&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="434" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:48:49.763" LastActivityDate="2024-02-12T21:12:05.740" Title="Is zazen practised for its own sake, or as a means to end suffering? Experts seem to say different things" Tags="|zen|meditation-zazen|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1970" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-07T23:49:42.180" Score="4" ViewCount="325" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does one take refuge into the concept of Buddhahood or refuge into Gautama Buddha?  What about Vairocana Buddha or Amitābha Buddha for that matter? I've heard various things from taking refuge in a cosmic Buddha principal to the actual Gautama Buddha over the years from various Buddhist teachers.   Perhaps taking refuge into the Buddha is a relative subjective experience.  Which Buddha do Buddhists take refuge in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T20:08:51.650" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T12:36:33.407" Title="Which Buddha do Buddhists take refuge in?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vajrayana|the-buddha|refuge|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1969" CreationDate="2014-07-07T23:58:04.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Joshu Examines a Monk in Meditation&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joshu went to a place were a monk had retired to meditate and asked&#xA;him: `What is, is what?' The monk raised his fist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joshu replied: `Ships cannot remain where the water is too shallow.'&#xA;And he left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few days later Joshu went again to visit the monk and asked the same&#xA;question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk answered the same way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joshu said: `Well given, well taken, well killed, well save.' And he&#xA;bowed to the monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mumon's Comment: The raised fist was the same both times. Why is it&#xA;Joshu did not admit the first and approved the second one? Where is&#xA;the fault?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whoever answers this knows that Joshu's tongue has no bone so he can&#xA;use it freely. Yet perhaps Joshu is wrong. Or, through that monk, he&#xA;may have discovered his mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If anyone thinks that the one's insight exceeds the other's, he has no&#xA;eyes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Borrowed from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ibiblio.org/zen/gateless-gate/11.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ibiblio.org/zen/gateless-gate/11.html&lt;/a&gt; I added the emphasis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The point being that it's not one way or the other. It's both and neither.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="426" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T00:06:41.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1972" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-08T00:00:09.810" Score="12" ViewCount="530" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many years ago, a Zen Roshi said in a class that &quot;nobody else is your boss except for you.  Only you can make the decision and apply yourself to practice, nobody else can.&quot;  So, I've heard this many times from various Buddhist traditions.  However, Buddhism also has this idea of &quot;taking refuge&quot; in various things.  If you are responsible for yourself what is the point of &quot;taking refuge?&quot;  What is the proper understanding of &quot;taking refuge&quot; in Buddhism?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T01:45:48.073" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:31:23.057" Title="What is the proper understanding of &quot;taking refuge&quot; in Buddhism?" Tags="|refuge|dilemma|fundamentals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1969" CreationDate="2014-07-08T00:14:53.293" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the answer is very simple: meditation is practiced to achieve &lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt; (suchness), which is a state of realization of the Third Noble Truth. Because tathata involves cessation of aversion to any &quot;this&quot; and of longing for any &quot;that&quot;, its attainment requires a mindset without a goal. It would be more precise to say that no-goal is a &lt;em&gt;method&lt;/em&gt; of meditation, but that would risk leaving some subtle shadow of goal in practitioner's mind, hence the official statement that meditation has no goal. Because Buddhism aims at liberation from (among other things) deep-lying stereotypes/assumptions and implicit conceptual boundaries it necessarily involves tricks like this. Another corollary of the above, is that it's never enough to reason about these things intellectually, one needs to take them on as actual frame of reference for them to have an experiential effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This point is well illustrated by Dutiya Anuruddha Sutta (AN 3.128 or 3.130 or 131 depending how you count) -- the below amateurish translation is mine &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.4-Arahatta-Anuruddha-S-a3.128-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;but here is another one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then venerable Anuruddha came to venerable Shariputra and&#xA;  said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- As much as I, friend Shariputra, try and look at things with purified Heavenly Eye, try and see things with thousandfold-superhuman&#xA;  vision, train in confidence unmovable, in awareness undimmable, in&#xA;  tranquillity imperturbable, and in focused mind unscattered, still I&#xA;  can't &quot;having stopped maintaining intoxication, achieve liberation of&#xA;  mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- All these thoughts, friend Anuruddha, of the kind &quot;I try and look at things with purified Heavenly Eye, I try and see things with&#xA;  thousandfold-superhuman vision&quot; -- this is your conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the thoughts of the kind &quot;I train in confidence unmovable, in&#xA;  awareness undimmable, in tranquillity imperturbable, and in focused&#xA;  mind unscattered&quot; -- this is your pathologic restlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the thoughts of the kind &quot;still I can't &quot;having stopped&#xA;  maintaining intoxication, achieve liberation of mind&quot; -- this is your&#xA;  remorse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You'd better, friend Anuruddha, these three dharmas abandon; To these&#xA;  three dharmas not attending, the deathless aspect assemble with mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here &quot;the deathless aspect&quot; (amrita-dhatu) refers to Nirvana, in this context also described as &lt;em&gt;vajradhatu&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;the indestructible space that accommodates everything, samsara and nirvana. Nothing can challenge this space. In spite of its clarity, or discriminating wisdom, it is still indestructible.&quot; (Chogyam Trungpa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;see ourselves as we really are&quot;, &quot;engage directly with reality&quot; and &quot;grasp enlightenment&quot; -- all refer to the same thing. This is when &quot;compassion&quot; happens naturally. In order for this to happen, one has to &quot;remove wrong perceptions&quot;, &quot;remove all entertainment and distractions&quot; -- which includes removing the notion of goal or attainment, hence &quot;no starting point nor goal, nothing to attain&quot; without any trace of &quot;eventually&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-10-16T08:21:43.307" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1972" CreationDate="2014-07-08T01:14:20.313" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditional refuge formula goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Buddha for refuge I go.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To Dhamma for refuge I go.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To Sangha for refuge I go.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to dictionary, &quot;sarana&quot; means &lt;em&gt;den&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;lair&lt;/em&gt;, but also more broadly, &lt;em&gt;shelter&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;refuge&lt;/em&gt;. Apparently, at the time of Buddha, &quot;sarana&quot; meant being under political protection of someone. For example, when a peasant acknowledged becoming a subject of, say, king Bimbisara, he would say &quot;Maharajam Bimbisaram saranam gachami&quot; -- literally, &quot;To great king Bimbisara for refuge I go&quot;. This would serve to indicate that A) the peasant accepts no other lord and won't pay taxes to anyone else and B) the peasant now expects the king to provide military protection from bandits and other neighboring lords.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same way, when beginner Buddhist goes for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, he or she A) promises to accept no other religious or philosophical authority as higher than Buddhism and B) expects to find protection from worldly troubles in Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, this idea of taking up a &quot;provisional boss&quot; (my play on your words, not theirs) is said to be a temporary measure employed for the duration of training, until one gets to the ultimate protection, the luminous mind of Bodhicitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is my own understanding, at the same time I really like explanation given by Chogyam Trungpa, which directly dismisses your dilemma about the notion of refuge contradicting Buddha's imperative of one being one's own island:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By taking refuge, in some sense we become homeless refugees. The point&#xA;  of becoming a refugee is to give up our attachment to basic security.&#xA;  We have to give up our sense of home ground, which is illusory anyway.&#xA;  We are suspended in a no-man's land in which the only thing to do is&#xA;  to relate with the teachings and with ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The refuge ceremony represents a final decision. The ceremony cuts the&#xA;  line that connects the ship to the anchor; it marks the beginning of&#xA;  an odyssey of loneliness. Still, it also includes the inspiration of&#xA;  the preceptor and the lineage. Acknowledging that the only real&#xA;  working basis is oneself and that there is no way around that, one&#xA;  takes refuge in the Buddha as an example, in the dharma as the path,&#xA;  and in the sangha as companionship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- basically, he defines taking refuge as becoming a (metaphorical) mendicant, which refers to letting go of one's stereotypes about oneself and reality, and the false sense of security they provide. As one thus becomes truly placeless (radically open-minded), the extent to which one takes comfort in Buddha is only as inspiration of predecessor having made the same path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that particular point, the energy, the power, and the blessing of&#xA;  basic sanity that has existed in the lineage for twenty-five hundred&#xA;  years, in an unbroken tradition and discipline from the time of&#xA;  Buddha, enters your system, and you finally become a full-fledged&#xA;  follower of buddhadharma. You are a living future buddha at that&#xA;  point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T02:42:25.737" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T02:42:25.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1972" CreationDate="2014-07-08T02:39:06.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge is not about taking on a boss, far from it. The Buddha says many times in the Pali suttas that only you can put in the work to free yourself. Taking refuge can be seen in the same way as when someone may take refuge from a storm, looking for help and protection. The Triple Gem can be that refuge in the storm of life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Andrei rightly pointed out in the other answer traditionally you take refuge by reciting the words &quot;I go to the (buddha/dhamma/sangha) for refuge&quot;. This is often put together with the precepts for the ceremony to &quot;become&quot; a Buddhist. There is much more to it though, as seen in this wonderful treatise on going for refuge by Bhikkhu Bodhi: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But what is the going for refuge? At first glance it would seem to be the formal commitment to the Triple Gem expressed by reciting the formula of refuge, for it is this act which marks the embracing of the Buddha's teaching. Such an understanding, however, would be superficial. The treatises make it clear that the true going for refuge involves much more than the reciting of a pre-established formula. They indicate that beneath the verbal profession of taking refuge there runs concurrently another process that is essentially inward and spiritual. This other process is the mental commitment to the taking of refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will say that in my own experience I took the ceremony of refuge a few years before I had advanced in my practice and confidence of the triple gem to really mentally take refuge. The Refuge of the Triple Gem becomes powerful when you understand the reality of things enough to see how important the practice is and how full of truth the dhamma is.I view the triple gem as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha: The Buddha is the &quot;awesome dude&quot; whom I often call &quot;Sid&quot;. I take refuge in him because he was just a regular guy like myself who did an amazing thing, found a way out of samsara and endless suffering to show us how to make our lives better. He became awakened, and that is something I'd like to work on myself so I take refuge in him and all the awakened ones of past and future who are the embodiment of dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma: Straight up truth, the reality of life, the way things actually are, not how we perceive or want them to be. Of all the triple gem, Dhamma is the most important, this is why the Buddha called what he taught &quot; dhamma-vinaya&quot; and said the Dhamma should be our master. How can you not take refuge in truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sangha: Specifically the Aryan(awakened) Sangha and the to a lesser extent the rightly practicing monastic sangha. These men and women are the keepers of dhamma. They have been making sure the Dhamma found by Sid 2600+ years ago survives today for us to practice. Rightly practicing monastics are the heart of the teaching and in supporting them you not only get a refuge, but you ensure the triple gem itself survives to provide refuge to all beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With confidence in your own practice you have confidence in the triple gem, which leads to more confidence in your own practice as you begin to prove right what the Buddha taught. At first it is just something you say because &quot;thats what buddhists do&quot; but it becomes so much more than that. Then there is no real point to taking refuge in anything else, because anything else you can take refuge in cannot bring you lasting happiness, it is a shoddy refuge at best, prone to fall apart in the weakest of storms, but when you protect the dhamma, and are protected by the dhamma, that is a refuge not even death can penetrate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="121" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T23:31:23.057" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:31:23.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="1977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-07-08T05:21:57.993" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;None whatsoever. As Thanissaro says, any real insight is always a surprise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="436" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T05:21:57.993" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-07-08T06:04:15.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It means literally accepting the Buddha as your refuge. Like how a child feels about his loving parents. When he gets into trouble, he will go to his parents. When he needs advice, he will look for his parents. He never doubts his parents or try to do DNA tests to verify if they are his true parents. :) Just like that, one should put his full faith in the Buddha in person and in his enlightenment to accept him as the only teacher who can show you the way to everlasting peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T06:04:15.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1981" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1986" CreationDate="2014-07-08T10:59:29.713" Score="15" ViewCount="1150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I looked around and found a couple of questions and answers on the site that discuss atheism in Buddhism, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1690&quot;&gt;What is the difference between learning the Buddhist way and simply learning from life?&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1581&quot;&gt;Do Buddhists believe in gods?&lt;/a&gt; it looks like belief in a supreme being may not be a requirement for being a Buddhist.  Strictly speaking it is possible for a person to identify as an agnostic or atheist and also identify with any mono or polytheistic church.  Though most (&lt;em&gt;all?&lt;/em&gt;) of those actual religions do not support disbelief in their God(s), so they are not actually compatible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the concepts of agnostic or atheist believers compatible with Buddhism? Does the entire belief system or specific sects require the belief in any or a specific supreme being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T12:07:05.950" Title="How compatible are the beliefs of atheists and Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|learning|atheism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-07-08T11:05:01.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer to your two questions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Nirvana a goal which every Buddhist must achieve? &lt;strong&gt;Yes.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Ending the suffering is the ultimate goal of a true budhist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any other things more important than attaining Nirvana? &lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this more, All budha's sutta and all teachings point to how to attain nibbana nothing else. In order to attain nibbana only thing you have to do is look into yourself and your sitha how thoughts come and go every second. Trick is not to attach to any of it because its impermanent. But if you get attached to these thoughts and feelings karma cycle begins in another words life begins at that moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at the Four stages of enlightenment and first step most important Sotapana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates are: (excerpted from Wikipedia for better explanation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-view - The speculative view that a so-called self exists in the five aggregates (physical forms, feelings/sensations, perception, mental formations and consciousness) is eradicated because the Sotāpanna gains insight into the selfless nature of the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skeptical Doubt - Doubt about the Buddha, his teaching (Dhamma), and his community (Sangha) is eradicated because the Sotāpanna personally experiences the true nature of reality through insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha’s teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals - Eradication of the view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals (animal sacrifices, ablutions, chanting, etc.) or adhering to rigid moralism or relying on a god for non-causal delivery. Rites and rituals now function more to obscure, than to support the Right View of the Sotāpanna's now opened dharma eye. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sotāpanna realizes that deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="439" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T11:05:01.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1983" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1989" CreationDate="2014-07-08T11:48:46.067" Score="6" ViewCount="2367" Body="&lt;p&gt;My general observation about religions is that they have this fundamental assumption of fear of something. For example, fear of punishment or getting into hell is present in many religions. Buddhism too has this fear of rebirth in lower realms, but also a fear of getting into sadness (dukkha?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days people of modern outlook tend to discount such fears as childish and practically useless. While a philosophy that distinguishes between harmful and beneficial will still be valid to a general society even after religions disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can Buddhism be helpful to a secular society that does not have any irrational fear of hell or getting into sadness? Additionally, how can Buddhism be useful to a practical society concerned with real harm and benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T16:53:05.260" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T14:16:48.990" Title="Is Buddhism a fear-based religion?" Tags="|religion|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-08T12:32:38.630" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very new to Buddhism, but the way I understand it thus far is as follows. I dont think there is a fear within Buddhism of hell or being sad, rather its recognizing the reality of this sadness and misery forming part of our daily lives. What Buddhism provides are various methods to cope with this fear and to rather see the truth behind the sadness, fear or whatever emotion it is. When you see the true nature of a situation, you realize that there is no need for fear or sadness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least, that is how I understand it, as I said, I am a complete novice, and this is my first post :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="441" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T12:32:38.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2014-07-08T12:41:50.983" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say compatible. There is a significant &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; movement based on agnostic, humanist and skeptical values. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Batchelor_%28author%29&quot;&gt;Stephen Batchelor&lt;/a&gt; is a notable proponent of this school for instance in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90557.Buddhism_without_Beliefs&quot;&gt;Buddhism without Beliefs&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think you need to go the whole way to Secular Buddhism though to appreciate the Buddha's pragmatic approach to the Dharma. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot;&gt;Cula-Malunkyovada sutta&lt;/a&gt; he refuses to answer a whole list of metaphysical questions regarding them as a distraction for instance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, '[...] that 'The cosmos is&#xA;  eternal,' or 'The cosmos is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,'&#xA;  or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same,' or&#xA;  'The soul is one thing and the body another,' or 'After death a&#xA;  Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' or&#xA;  'After death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist,' or 'After&#xA;  death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot;&gt;arrow sutta&lt;/a&gt; he insists that the thing to do is engage in the practice and not to be put off by useless questioning. To paraphase if you are struck by an arrow don't concern yourself about who made it, where it came from, what direction it was fired from - just pull it out. So if you are experiencing suffering, don't worry about rebirth, the gods, ritual etc.. just pull the arrow of suffering out. Engage with the Dharma as soon as you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T12:41:50.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-08T13:00:48.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I hope I understand your question properly, as I try to answer it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path of that cessation. So it's useful to those that do not want to suffer in the Buddhist sense of the word, and believe that the path of Buddhism can relieve them of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear is not a requirement, one does not have to fear suffering, hell or bad karma, one simply has to see that it is suffering and decide that is not the way life is best lived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way one does not have to fear prison to not commit a crime, but simply to understand the crime is wrong and decide that is better not to live like that, to use a simile.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that Buddhism can offer specific practices that are useful without having to be Buddhist to profit from it: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Secular Meditation (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.news-medical.net/health/Meditation-Secular-Practices.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.news-medical.net/health/Meditation-Secular-Practices.aspx&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on empathy (&lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2012/11/21/what-is-metta/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://secularbuddhism.org/2012/11/21/what-is-metta/&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;-&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T13:14:24.420" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T13:14:24.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1988" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-08T13:45:46.357" Score="6" ViewCount="557" Body="&lt;p&gt;There have been claims that some people can remember their previous life, their life before they are reborn. I can't say these are true or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to remember our previous life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, is there any method to help us remember our previous life through meditation or any other means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:48:06.743" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:48:06.743" Title="Is there a way to help us remember our previous life?" Tags="|rebirth|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-08T15:54:03.883" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada Buddhism, fear is based on anger. As per the Visuddhimagga-Tika:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;na bhāyati&lt;/strong&gt; ñāṇassa bhāyanākārena appavattanato. paṭighacittuppādavasena hi bhāyanaṃ, ñāṇaṃ pana bhāyitabbavatthuṃ bhāyitabbanti yāthāvato jānāti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It doesn't fear&lt;/strong&gt; - because of the non-occurrence of the condition of fearing in this knowledge [knowledge of fearsomeness]. For, fearing is through the influence of a mind of aversion, but this knowledge knows, of a thing to be feared, merely: &quot;it is to be feared&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vism-Tika 21.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga itself (quoted above in bold) provides a good explanation of the difference between knowledge and fear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But does the knowledge of appearance as terror [itself] fear or does it not&#xA;  fear? It does not fear. For it is simply the mere judgment that past formations have&#xA;  ceased, present ones are ceasing, and future ones will cease. Just as a man with&#xA;  eyes looking at three charcoal pits at a city gate is not himself afraid, since he&#xA;  only forms the mere judgment that all who fall into them will suffer no little&#xA;  pain;—or just as when a man with eyes looks at three spikes set in a row, an&#xA;  acacia spike, an iron spike, and a gold spike, he is not himself afraid, since he&#xA;  only forms the mere judgment that all who fall on these spikes will suffer no&#xA;  little pain;—so too the knowledge of appearance as terror does not itself fear; it&#xA;  only forms the mere judgment that in the three kinds of becoming, which resemble&#xA;  the three charcoal pits and the three spikes, past formations have ceased, present&#xA;  ones are ceasing, and future ones will cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification, XXI.32&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important distinction here is that fear itself is unwholesome, so Buddhist practice is for becoming free from fear. Unfortunately, apart from never being subject to that which is fearsome, the only way to become completely free from fear is to practice so that one is no longer afraid of that which is fearsome (i.e. by freeing oneself from attachment to the objects about which one is afraid).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, rather than practicing religious practices to avoid situations of which one is afraid, the point of Buddhism is to practice in a way that allows one to remove one's fear of such situations. The premise is the same; namely that one is afraid of certain situations. The difference is in how one relates to this fact. In regards to &lt;em&gt;bhayañāṇa&lt;/em&gt; (knowledge of fearsomeness), the expectation is that the knowledge will help one to let go of one's fears, once one realizes that there is no real, lasting escape for one with fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The claim that non-religious people can somehow be free from fear without such practice depends in a large part on whether there is indeed life after death; still, it is most certain that those who scoff at the fears of hell and the afterlife would still experience great fear in this life if they were to meet with what is truly fearsome (disaster, danger, etc.) and so they have not really accomplished the goal by simply discarding fear of that which they don't believe to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the criticism that Buddhism uses fear as a means of encouraging proper practice, I suppose this might be true conventionally; a person who does something not knowing the consequences of that act ought to be reminded of the danger. In a conventional sense, that may bring fear to the individual. But the individual need not be afraid, they should simply avoid the activity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your additional questions, fear of hell is only irrational if there is no hell. Fear is always detrimental, though, and in fact a prime reason for being reborn in hell; only those with minds inclining towards anger will suffer from fear. Buddhism helps one become free from anger and thus fear; whether there is an afterlife or not, this is surely a beneficial thing to modern society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T23:59:40.417" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T23:59:40.417" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-08T16:02:45.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm relatively certain any Zen master or Buddhist monk you might talk to would say &quot;No&quot;.  In Buddhism, hell is [generally] not thought of as a physical place - it a condition caused by ignorance, hatred and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the concept: &quot;If you kick a puppy, you'll go to hell.&quot;  From a Christian perspective, God will send you to hell for kicking the puppy.  From a Buddhist perspective, the action (karma) of you kicking the puppy will trigger a social backlash, guilt, and a chain of other negative events that may put your mind in a hell state.  Because of your hatred (at the puppy), ignorance (that kicking a puppy will have consequences) or attachment (to the rug the puppy peed on), you may end up suffering because of this action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how can a society behave with no concept of going to hell or external judgment?  In short, any attempt to answer that question will fail.  Humans are imperfect.  They will always be imperfect, under an all-seeing god or under a Buddhist philosophy.  The difference, I think, is that theistic religions rely on faith for cause and effect to be dealt, while Buddhism says that cause and effect is directly observable at all times.  Through discipline, you can gain some level of freedom from the suffering that comes from it.  But if you choose not to, then that's ok too - good luck!  (Though, we'd prefer if you at least didn't do harm)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="444" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T16:02:45.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1988" CreationDate="2014-07-08T16:06:56.193" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga provides a pretty comprehensive explanation of how one obtains this and all the other psychic powers mentioned by the Buddha. Briefly, the method is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obtain the four rūpa-jhānas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Exit the fourth jhāna and remember the last thing one did before one sat down.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;remember the last thing before the thing remembered in the last step. If at any time, one is unable to remember a given experience, one should revert to step one, and after leaving the fourth jhāna attempt to continue where one left off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;repeat step 3 until one is able to remember the first moment of conception.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attempt to remember the last moment before conception (i.e. the death moment).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point, the Visuddhimagga says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;25. But the mentality-materiality in the previous existence has ceased without&#xA;  remainder and another has arisen, and consequently that instance is, as it were,&#xA;  shut away in darkness, and it is hard for one of little understanding to see it. Still&#xA;  he should not give up the task, thinking, “I am unable to remove the rebirth-linking and make the mentality-materiality that occurred at the death moment&#xA;  my object.” On the contrary, he should again and again attain that same basic&#xA;  jhāna, and each time he emerges he should advert to that instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;26. Just as when a strong man is felling a big tree for the purpose of making&#xA;  the peak of a gable, but is unable to fell the big tree with an axe blade blunted by&#xA;  lopping the branches and foliage, still he does not give up the task; on the&#xA;  contrary, he goes to a smithy and has his axe sharpened, after which he returns&#xA;  and continues chopping the tree; and when the axe again gets blunt, he does as&#xA;  before and continues chopping it; and as he goes on chopping it in this way, the&#xA;  tree falls at length, because each time there is no need to chop again what has&#xA;  already been chopped and what has not yet been chopped gets chopped; so too,&#xA;  when he emerges from the basic jhāna, instead of adverting to what he has&#xA;  already adverted to, he should advert only to the rebirth-linking, and at length&#xA;  he removes the rebirth-linking and makes the mentality-materiality that occurred&#xA;  at the death moment his object. And this meaning should also be illustrated by&#xA;  means of the wood cutter and the hair-cutter as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification (XIII.25-26)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know a man who undertook this practice without really mastering the four jhānas, and he claims to have remembered bits and pieces of what he thinks was a past life. Not really reliable, but interesting nonetheless. Maybe you can let us know how it goes!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T17:55:22.607" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T17:55:22.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1992" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="1996" CreationDate="2014-07-08T16:24:39.060" Score="9" ViewCount="908" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada, within the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.14.budd.html&quot;&gt;Buddhavagga&lt;/a&gt; section, the Buddha is described as being trackless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range,&#xA;  whose victory nothing can undo, whom none of the vanquished&#xA;  defilements can ever pursue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range,&#xA;  in whom exists no longer, the entangling and embroiling craving that&#xA;  perpetuates becoming?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find the notion of the Buddha being trackless very evocative. But at the same time I'm not sure exactly what it points to. Can someone help me unpack that a little. What qualities of the Buddha does trackless point to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T12:52:16.107" Title="Why is the Buddha described as trackless?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1992" CreationDate="2014-07-08T17:01:34.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What qualities of the Buddha does trackless point to?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer to this question seems to require extrapolation, so here goes my take on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say that, as the second verse mentions, the quality is the absence of craving. The full absence of craving implies the absence of the conceit &quot;I am&quot;. With this in mind, if the Buddha himself doesn't identify with anything (&quot;I am this, that, better, worse, equal, etc.&quot;), how can one find him? One can't, hence he is trackless. If something isn't there, then it's impossible to find it or it's tracks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T17:01:34.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1994" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-08T17:37:12.670" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T17:37:12.670" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T17:37:12.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1995" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-08T17:37:12.670" Score="0" Body="A body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T18:19:23.617" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T18:19:23.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1992" CreationDate="2014-07-08T17:39:40.980" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is actually a mistranslation of the verse; Buddhist Legends by Burlingame is a bit better:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, unlimited in power, the trackless.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;By what track can you lead him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to understand this verse, it might help to see the context; the Buddha is using poetry and imagery. Here's the Pali leading up to the verses in the commentary (it's about Mara's daughters):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;puna māradhītaro “uccāvacā kho purisānaṃ adhippāyā, kesañci kumārikāsu pemaṃ hoti, kesañci paṭhamavaye ṭhitāsu, kesañci majjhimavaye ṭhitāsu, kesañci pacchimavaye ṭhitāsu, nānappakārehi taṃ palobhessāmā”ti ekekā kumārikavaṇṇādivasena sataṃ sataṃ attabhāve abhinimminitvā kumāriyo, avijātā, sakiṃ vijātā, duvijātā, majjhimitthiyo, mahallakitthiyo ca hutvā chakkhattuṃ bhagavantaṃ upasaṅkamitvā “pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti āhaṃsu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi yathā taṃ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimuttoti. atha satthā ettakenapi tā anugacchantiyo “apetha, kiṃ disvā evaṃ vāyamatha, evarūpaṃ nāma vītarāgānaṃ purato kātuṃ na vaṭṭati. tathāgatassa pana rāgādayo pahīnā. kena taṃ kāraṇena attano vasaṃ nessathā”ti vatvā imā gāthā abhāsi —&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Burlingame translates this as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Said the daughters of Māra again, “Many and various are the tastes of men. Some like maidens, others like women in the prime of life, others like women who have reached middle life, while still others like women who have passed middle life. We will tempt him in various forms.” So one after another, they assumed the forms of women of various ages, creating by supernatural power each a hundred female forms. And in the guise of maidens, women who had not yet given birth to a child, women who had given birth to one child, women who had given birth to two children, women who had reached middle life, and women who had reached old age, they approached the Exalted One six times and said to him, “Monk, we would be your humble slaves.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But neither did the Exalted One pay any attention to that, but remained free, even as though the elements of being had been utterly destroyed. [197] But when, after that, they did not retire, the Teacher said to them, “Depart; what do you see, that you strive thus? Such actions as these should be performed before those who have not rid themselves of the lusts and other evil passions. The Tathāgata, however, has rid himself of the lusts and other evil passions. Why will ye try to bring me into your control?” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's answer in the verses includes the following statement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;taṃ buddhamanantagocaraṃ,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;apadaṃ kena padena nessatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual literal translation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That Buddha whose pasture is limitless;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;pathless, by which path will you lead?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The line is in regards to the imagery of a creature not limited by fences, thus with unlimited &lt;em&gt;gocara&lt;/em&gt; (lit. pasture). Such a creature cannot be led anywhere, since it is not possible to contain them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the mistranslations are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;gocara&lt;/strong&gt; should be &amp;quot;pasture&amp;quot;, not &amp;quot;range&amp;quot; (it loses the imagery, if nothing else) and certainly not &amp;quot;power&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nessatha&lt;/strong&gt; should be &amp;quot;lead&amp;quot;, not &amp;quot;trace&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, what is the actual meaning?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kena padenāti&lt;/strong&gt; yassa hi rāgapadādīsu ekapadampi atthi, taṃ tumhe tena padena nessatha. buddhassa pana ekapadampi natthi, taṃ apadaṃ buddhaṃ tumhe kena padena nessatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By what path&lt;/strong&gt; - whereas those for whom there is even one path out of [all path] starting with the path of lust, them you may lead by that path. But for the Buddha there is not even one path; that pathless Buddha - by what path will you lead?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meaning is clear; while it is possible to lead ordinary worldlings on by means of the carrot or the stick of defilements, there is no leading on of enlightened beings who have no such defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A creature with a defined pasture can be led because of fences and ropes. A creature with a limitless pasture (like the Buddha) cannot be so led. The idea is then of not being drawn by defilements and thus with no definable path that mara can limit or goad one down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, it's just poetry (ancient poetry at that), and should not be taken literally. A proper understanding of the use of the word pada might require a knowledge of Maghadese colloquialisms 2500 years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T21:44:44.087" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2014-07-08T17:42:20.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my perspective as a Soto Zen follower, Buddhism is extremely logical.  The only faith required is that Buddhism as a system has merit and is worth investigating.  Most of the &quot;supernatural&quot; elements are artistic embroideries to help shake people out of a common way of thinking, or are inherited from other religions that were more supernaturally focused.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Buddhist texts talk of &quot;hell&quot; and &quot;nirvana&quot;, which people in a theist society equate to the Christian heaven and hell.  But that isn't the intent of what the Buddhists are saying.  Both hell and nirvana are mental states, and are not externally imposed.  If you say something you regret to your spouse, you'll likely enter a hell state (regret, shame) for a little while until you burn off that karma (action). If you are coding something awesome and you lose all track of time and your surrounding to where only you and the code exist... no mind, no thoughts of the past, no thoughts of the future, just connection with the code - that's nirvana.  Like a hell state, it's temporary.  You spill coffee on your computer, and boom, you're now in a different state.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a single day, you'll live millions of lives in millions of states.  Thus reincarnation can be considered the act of dying and starting over, or it can be interpreted within the course of a single life.  I'm not the person I used to be, and in the future, I'll be someone else.  That is a form of reincarnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short, I think Buddhism can be very compatible with Atheism.  It's just a matter of overcoming all of the mystical sounding labels and getting to the true essence of the teaching - which I am over-simplifying, btw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="444" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T17:42:20.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1998" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2477" CreationDate="2014-07-08T18:16:04.970" Score="11" ViewCount="1412" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am having trouble maintaining concentration for long periods of time. &#xA;I make my breath slightly hard and then pull my mind back to it and then carry on as normal. But it's quite hard to have a long sustained period of breath observation. &#xA;Once maintained I try to move from head to feet taking large body parts such as head, abdomen, arms and legs. Do this for a while and then the mind wanders away again and come back to breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At times the mind wanders for long periods of time until I realise it's wandered away. I haven't been able to penetrate and observe smaller, subtler sensations since a year now. &#xA;I know it's harder to do this at home than at a retreat but I am wondering if this has something to do with my Silas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although they are not the most perfect I do try my best to maintain them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone stuck in similar phases and overcame it? Suggestions are welcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ps. I am a Goenka student and very faithful towards it and have never tried anything else and don't intend to as I am very happy with the results this technique has brought me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:06:13.647" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:06:13.647" Title="Problem concentrating during Vipassana meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|samatha|pratityasamutpada|samadhi|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="1999" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-08T19:20:46.630" Score="14" ViewCount="2328" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what the Buddhist tradition might say about the following state of being. Firstly a bit of background, explaining how I got there and how it felt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practiced (what I understood to be) mindfulness meditation for six months through a simple book that came with a CD of guided meditations. It improved my life immeasurably. I got everything everyone says they do from the practice: More control of my life, less stress, more happiness, better resilience to the bad things that happen to us all. Even though I don't practice it anymore, I have taken this knowledge and understanding with me, and continue to apply it as best I can, without the aid of meditation itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I stopped meditating is because of a series of events that pretty much left me temporarily unable to work (I'm absolutely fine now!). I experienced an incredibly intense emotional explosion in my chest during one meditation, and in my daily meditations after that I experienced what can only be described as immediate and overwhelming bliss. My meditations were shorter, but extremely powerful (and actually became the highlights of my day).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately after a meditation of such power, I also found myself in a state of mind that was unable to work. I felt as if my ego wasn't quite ready to deal with the complexities of modern life, and rather than help my daily existence, this new state of mind became a hindrance. Talking to my clients on the phone, fielding their complicated questions, suddenly became a daunting task. And the part of my brain that allowed me to program websites (which is what I do for a living) was struggling to focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was worrying. I didn't feel as though I was in control of these feelings, or sometimes, even myself (I remember one time talking to a friend about these new experiences, and being unable to stop myself from talking -- I literally kept interrupting him with my &quot;insights&quot;, very unlike me).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite beginning as bliss, it quickly became a worrying experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reluctantly stopped meditating and, after a few weeks, thankfully returned to my normal self (perhaps even better than I was before).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this experience have a name in Buddhist tradition? I have read about &quot;Spiritual Crises&quot;, and indeed it appears that what I experienced matches the symptoms of that, but what IS that? I'm guessing in thousands of years of Buddhist study that there are answers? (Although, I must ask that if you're just guessing loosely, that you don't attempt to answer. Thanks.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/223/446&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; mentions the differences between two types of meditation: &lt;em&gt;Calm abiding&lt;/em&gt; (Tib.: Shine, Skr.: Shamata) and &lt;em&gt;insight&lt;/em&gt; meditation (Tib.: Lhaktong, Skr.: Vipassana), stating that the first is &quot;safe&quot; for everyone, while the latter could be damaging to certain individuals in certain situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, as a side question, can someone who has experienced such a thing learn how to avoid re-experiencing it in the future and continue meditating? Or is that, as my girlfriend asserts, just playing with fire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user446" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user446" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T03:01:31.813" Title="Overwhelming states of being reached through meditation" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-07-08T19:52:22.303" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think both interpretations should be somewhat intertwined and doesn't need to be clearly distinguished. See, you'll not say 'I only take refuge in Gautama Buddha, but not Buddhahood', or 'I will take refuge only in Buddhahood, but not Gautama Buddha', both of these sounds weird. Buddha Gautama &lt;em&gt;represents&lt;/em&gt; Buddhahood, so we can not separate Him from Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Abhidharmakosa-bhasya&lt;/em&gt; of Vasubandhu explains taking refuge in Buddha like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They who take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the factors&#xA;  (dharma) of the perfected being (arhat) that constitute a Buddha&#xA;  (buddhakāraka), the factors that are the causes of the designation&#xA;  “Buddha” [buddhaprajñaptihetūn], i.e., the factors due to which, as a&#xA;  principal cause, a certain person is called Buddha; or else the&#xA;  factors through the acquisition of which a certain person,&#xA;  understanding all entities, is called Buddha. These factors are (1)&#xA;  the cognition of exhaustion (kṣayajñāna), (2) the cognition of&#xA;  non-arising (anutpādajñāna), and (4) right view (samyagdṛṣṭi) (vi. 50,&#xA;  67), (4) with the factors that accompany (parivāra) these cognitions&#xA;  (jñāna), i.e., with the five pure aggregates (skandha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for the material body (rūpakāya) of the Buddha, it is not&#xA;  subject to modification through the acquisition of the status of&#xA;  Buddha. Thus, one does not take refuge in the material body of the&#xA;  Buddha, which is, in fact, the material body of the Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Question:] – Does one take refuge in all the Buddhas or in one&#xA;  Buddha? [Answer:] – According to the nature of entities [lakṣaṇatas],&#xA;  and in the absence of an explicit declaration (kaṇṭhokti), [one takes&#xA;  refuge] in all the Buddhas, for the Buddhas have always followed the&#xA;  same path, (1) a mundane (laukika) path and (2) a supramundane&#xA;  (lokottara) path (vii. 34).  [&lt;em&gt;Lodrö Sangpo translation.&lt;/em&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T19:52:22.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1998" CreationDate="2014-07-08T20:10:44.320" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Firstly&lt;/strong&gt; to my understanding &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt; is very important part of a meditation practice. It purify the morality and ready your for the meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have troubles with the meditation, I think the fist step is to start with Sila. Try to keep five precepts or the ten precepts. Without Sila, you cannot success with your meditation practice as it is the first step of the threefold training. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Secondly&lt;/strong&gt; I think it is not a good idea to force yourself to keep the mind from wandering, if you try this you will find that over and over again the mind will wander. Be kind to the mind and let it to settle down. When you found it is wondered, just notice it accept it and bring it back to the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T21:10:07.523" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T21:10:07.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2002" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-08T22:38:45.497" Score="1" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have always wondered how long does it take for one to remember a past life in a sitting, an immediate previous life for example, does it take just a few minutes, or hours or maybe days? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1991/125&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; briefed the following way to remember past lives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obtain the four rūpa-jhānas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Exit the fourth jhāna and remember the last thing one did before one sat down.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember the last thing before the thing remembered in the last step. If at any time, one is unable to remember a given experience, one should revert to step one, and after leaving the fourth jhāna attempt to continue where one left off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Repeat step 3 until one is able to remember the first moment of conception.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attempt to remember the last moment before conception (i.e. the death moment).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at step 3, you have to remember the previous thing, and previous, and previous... Wow, how long would it take? Do we need to skip some huge steps (maybe 10 years of one's childhood) ? Or maybe the mind work lightningly faster when you are in that recollecting mode?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:47:41.770" Title="How long does it take for one to remember a previous life in a sitting?" Tags="|rebirth|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-07-08T22:43:35.363" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many times, especially when responding to speculative questions, the Buddha announced that he teaches just two things — the universality of suffering and the path to the ending of suffering. That's what Buddhism is all about, no matter which of the many traditions. The Buddha taught the cause of suffering is clinging. This becomes a particular problem when one clings to the notion of a self or to a goal, such as the question implies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One compounds the suffering if one announces to the world one is seeking the end of suffering. Thus the arising of the Mahayana, the first major division among the disciples of the Buddha. Mahayana pointed out the contradiction. They proposed an ideal of helping all others towards their ending of suffering, through compassion and generosity — the Bodhisattva ideal. Vajrayana derives from Mahayana and thus includes the Bodhisattva ideal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern Theravada teachers frown on announcing whether one has become enlightened. Only those who had ended their concept of a self to be clung to, having achieved complete selflessness, would know whether the speaker had achieved complete selflessness. This takes the issue of Enlightenment off the table. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end all Buddhists seek the end of suffering. Some use the Bodhisattva vow to do it. Others seek it quietly. But all paths lead to the same end. At the end of the day, to be a Buddhist is to seek the ending of clinging. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="415" LastEditorUserId="415" LastEditDate="2014-07-08T22:51:05.633" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T22:51:05.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2002" CreationDate="2014-07-08T22:53:30.850" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personally I do not have any experience (I also like to have it though). Anyway according to my understanding the most difficult part is not step 3, it is step 1. Obtain the four rūpa-jhānas. If you can do it, I think the 3rd step is relatively easy compared to the 1st one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you somehow managed to go back to your previous life, then going backward from there is considered as relatively easy. Moving this life to previous one is the difficult task (As I have heard). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard several &quot;Dhamma&quot; talks around this topic and according to them if you are a good meditator and if you can practice the meditation most of the time, it is suggested a couple of years (it pretty much depends on you and your past Kamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, generally Buddhist meditators do not practice meditation focusing on getting these abilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-09T14:28:31.043" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T14:28:31.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-08T23:44:07.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: I'm not a Buddhist but I do study religions out an interest in evolutionary psychology as it applies to human culture. I know rather a bit about the evolution of different religion across time and throughout the world.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All religions are based on the premise some sort of supernatural consequence for moral choices which no human can escape. Buddhism is no exception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All religions have a stick of inescapable supernatural punishment for selfish behavioral choices and most provide a counterbalancing carrot of guaranteed supernatural reward for unselfish behavioral choices. The supernatural consequences provide a governing system on human behavior that functions independent of the individuals belief in their ability to gain materially or to escape the material consequences of their moral choices. Beggars and Kings alike face the same supernatural consequences. Worldly power will not protect one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the primary mechanism of consequence is Karma, a sort of automatic moral physics in which every moral action is reflected back on the individual in their next incarnation. Any harm that one causes in this life, is automatically inflicted in ones next life. Conversely, the good that one does in this life automatically improves one's fate in the next incarnation. Karma is clearly a carrot and stick moral enforcement mechanism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, Buddhism employs the ideas of reward in post-death supernatural states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana, the state of eternal existence without self-awareness and thus desire and suffering, is the ultimate goal of all Buddhist. If one is faithful to Buddhist practices, one will eventually obtain enlightenment, understand the illusion of existence and escape, permanently, the wheel of reincarnation and suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One makes Nirvana harder/further to obtain by acts of selfishness, the stick, and makes Nirvana easier/closer to obtain by acts of unselfishness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition Buddhism since the earliest days, has held the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Naraka&lt;/a&gt;, which in the West is usually interpreted as a Buddhist hell or purgatory. It is an after life in which one is tortured for a vaguely long time, usually thousands of years, as a consequence of one's actions in material life. Clearly a stick. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pure Land Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; the predominate sect of Buddhism in the Far East, is so named because of its belief in heaven-like afterlife. Clearly a carrot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the contemporary West, the Buddhist heaven and hell analogs are downplayed or dismissed altogether even though they have ancient roots in the religion, and have concentrated almost exclusively on Karma.  Even so, a sincere contemporary Buddhist will still moderate their negative impulses out of a fear of inescapable Karmic consequence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were describing the emotions of a contemporary Western Buddhist making a moral decision, it would be far to say the Buddhist makes unselfish decisions because he fears the Karmic consequences of making a selfish decisions. This is functionally identical to Christian making a decision out of a hope for heaven or a fear of hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="449" LastActivityDate="2014-07-08T23:44:07.743" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2014-07-09T00:50:03.537" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new here, thus have not acquired enough points to add my comments above, so I'll do so here. But I agree with the thrust. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll sharpen my answer by saying right off the top there is no difference between non-self and emptiness. They are one and the same thing. To comprehend emptiness you will already comprehend non-self, just different ways of looking at reality. Different vantage points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness is the key concept in Buddhism. It lies behind everything in Buddhism. If a thing is empty it has no permanent substance. Why? Because it is always in transition, is in the midst of change, is not immutable. If it is in constant change it cannot satisfy, is therefore dukkha, suffering. We the observer are also in the midst of constant change, and therefore share the same characteristic this discussion began with — we are also empty. (Despite all appearances to the contrary.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three are the three characteristics of all phenomena. Everything is not only subject to change, but that change is constant. Anicca. Everything ultimately cannot satisfy. Dukkha. There is no permanent reference point, no self. Anatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questioner makes an almost inevitable error. He/she assumes the puzzle of emptiness can be understood analytically, rationally. That by breaking it down into its parts and coming to understand each in turn, assemble a comprehensive understanding. It can't be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way is to confront it all at once, as a whole. Proceed by looking at what changes. I say that includes anything and everything. Am I right or am I wrong? Can you identify anything that is lasting? Perhaps a rock or a mountain. But these change as well, although not rapidly. Even a mountain is rising and/or falling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everywhere you turn there is impermanence. Everything is in process. Everything IS process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll respond in your comments to the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="415" LastEditorUserId="415" LastEditDate="2014-07-09T01:13:44.730" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T01:13:44.730" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1943" CreationDate="2014-07-09T01:28:21.633" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practise these contemplations when advised by an experienced meditator, a mentor. (Do you have one?) Otherwise proceed with caution. The point of these meditations is not to develop self-loathing, rather the opposite, to reduce possible fascination with the body and self-identication with the body. To help you see the body as a process, which it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However these meditations are also a good ground for building concentration and mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="415" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T01:28:21.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-09T01:34:34.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it is. I'm not one for religions anyway as they sect based and that's not what the Buddha taught. His techniques of meditation are &quot;practised&quot; to overcome fear and other defilements. If we don't overcome them then the other option is be unaware of things happening around. Why sleep when you can be awakened to inner reality and hence find complete peace and develop compassion. Just my opinion from personal practice. So no it's not based on fear but yes does use fear as a tool to liberate oneself amongst other defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T01:34:34.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2014-07-09T02:04:25.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not equipped to answer this, but I can maybe give you some pointers to people who can, and maybe allay your fears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Effects such as you are describing have been described in quite some detail by Daniel Ingram, Willoughby Britton (from both a practice and academic/clinical point of view), and others. If you don't get a good answer here (and even if you do), I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmaoverground.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharmaoverground.org&lt;/a&gt;, especially &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/category/103268&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sub-forum&lt;/a&gt;, where people are willing to offer guidance. Try to get answers specifically from Dan himself, and also Nikolai (there are several on there who seem to know this stuff, but those two do seem to be especially experienced).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also look for Willoughby's stuff at Cheetah House (she specifically mentions the work difficulties you describe). And look for Dan's podcast interviews on Buddhist Geeks (several years ago now). Willoughby also speaks there. Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2011/09/bg-231-the-dark-side-of-dharma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first&lt;/a&gt; of her two part interview.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bottom line is, from what I read, what you've experienced seems to be not uncommon (some of the dharmaoverground folks seem to think it is &lt;em&gt;inevitable&lt;/em&gt; if following a particular practice path, but I can't find broader support for that view), is almost always able to be worked through, but your best bet is to find a good teacher who either has experience of this kind of thing, or has been trained by someone who has.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the answer I gave &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/217/health-risks-of-meditation/1363#1363&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;CAVEAT: Don't trust the internet any further than you can kick it -- and that includes dharmaoverground, this SE site, and indeed this post. Always cross reference, triangulate, and always &lt;em&gt;always&lt;/em&gt; keep your common sense switched on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T19:51:44.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-09T02:34:09.483" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will be surprised, but Buddhism &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; that very same &quot;philosophy that distinguishes between harmful and beneficial&quot;. The notions of &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; (good, skilfull, healthy, conducive to comfort) and &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; (bad, incompetent, unwholesome, conducive to trouble) are central to Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Abandon what is unskillful (&lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;), monks. It is possible to abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I&#xA;  would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because it is&#xA;  possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, 'Abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful.' If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive&#xA;  to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful.' But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is&#xA;  conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Develop what is skillful (&lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt;), monks. It is possible to develop what is&#xA;  skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would&#xA;  not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because it is possible&#xA;  to develop what is skillful, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'&#xA;  If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and&#xA;  pain, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because&#xA;  this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and&#xA;  pleasure, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'&quot; &lt;em&gt;-- Kusala Sutta AN 2.19&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, Buddhism is so &lt;strong&gt;radically&lt;/strong&gt; practical (much more radically than other philosophies) that it does not shy away from using tricks, like the fear of hell etc. because they too are &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt;, conducive to benefit. Such tricks are called &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;skilfull means&quot;). This is similar to how parents use tricks to protect their very young children who don't yet understand reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But just like upbringing the children is not limited to tricks, there is a lot more to Buddhism than &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;. What do we teach children? Proper behavior, Deep knowledge, and Hard work. Why do we teach them this? Because it will help them in their life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, in Buddhism, we don't just scare people with hell. We teach them how to control their mind. Why? Because it helps them with their life! When mind is untrained, it gets easily obsessed by ideas. When mind is obsessed by ideas, it gets inflamed with emotions. Getting inflamed with emotions, one does not know what's good / what's bad. Then one starts acting based on this confused understanding of good and bad. And then one hurts oneself and others! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And vice versa, when mind is trained, it is not easily obsessed ==&gt; not blinded with emotions ==&gt; it clearly sees what's good / what's bad ==&gt; and therefore it can act well. Very practical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why they say Buddhism is good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end. When naive people follow it as religion, without understanding why, it protects them from harm -- this is good in the beginning. When people practice it seriously, taming their mind, it helps them handle all kind of life problems and increases social harmony -- this is good in the middle. Finally, when they solve the problem of Life-and-Death and achieve Completion -- this is good in the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how do you tame the mind? First, by watching it continuously, every second of every minute of every hour, and identifying any sign of pathological clinging. Clinging to material possession, clinging to relationships and respect, clinging to comfort, well-being, stability, clinging to principles and ideals, clinging to fairness, clinging to skills, talents, intellect, success, control, clinging to plans for the future, clinging to spirituality, clinging to Buddhism, and even clinging to not-clinging! When you make anything all-important, you lose it and get very upset -- that's pathological clinging. As soon as you notice clinging, you must let go ASAP, otherwise it will get you in trouble. The feeling when you let go of clinging is like you are sobering up from liquor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, mind is tamed by watching it for any signs of ego-motivated behavior. Whenever you notice yourself doing something seemingly right, but secretly (even from yourself) showing off, or defending your fault, or retaliating -- this is ego-motivated behavior. As soon as you notice even a little flavor of that, you need to surrender your ego to the world, which is acting as your teacher at that moment. This feels scary, similar to skydiving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you train like this very carefully, stalking yourself and keeping your mind free from even the smallest clinging or ego-motivated thought, within 5-10 years you will notice a huge positive difference in your life. This is basic training, this is how my teachers taught me -- as you see, it is very practical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to address the last part of your question, about &quot;fear of getting into sadness&quot; -- yes, Buddhism very much depends on the fact that people don't want to be sad, that people are afraid of suffering. This is how Buddhism defines good and bad, or kusala and akusala: good is what leads to happiness, and bad is what leads to suffering. This basic difference serves as the gasoline for the engine of Buddha-Yana (vehicle of awakening). One thing that Buddha was strongly against is nihilistic philosophy that denies distinction between good and bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, Buddhism can be very useful to a modern practical society, but we need to go deeper, beyond the tricks of &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt; and into the real practice of liberating the mind from pathological clinging and egoistic neuroses, and train it to not get obsessed with ideas and blinded with emotions, so it can clearly see what's good / what's bad for oneself and for everybody.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-09T12:17:00.810" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T12:17:00.810" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2012" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2013" CreationDate="2014-07-09T09:19:32.763" Score="5" ViewCount="579" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where does the ideology of afterlife in Buddhism and Hinduism come from and why are they different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="177" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T11:53:33.160" Title="Afterlife in Buddhism and Hinduism" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2012" CreationDate="2014-07-09T09:38:58.580" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hinduism teaches about a permanent soul that goes from life to life until it reunites with the universal soul called the Mahabrahma.&#xA;Buddhism says there's no soul going even from this moment to the next, let alone from life to life. Both mind and body are processes of causes and effects. There's nothing permanent within you that can qualify as a soul. Read about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot;&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhism also rejects the belief of a universal soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T09:38:58.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2014" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2039" CreationDate="2014-07-09T09:57:52.183" Score="15" ViewCount="3370" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read some books and web resources that deal with reaching access concentration and from there the first Jhana. They all used &lt;em&gt;mindfulness of breathing&lt;/em&gt; and mentioned but never described 'other methods'.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Methods I have found mentioned were &lt;em&gt;body scanning&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;metta/loving-kindness meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now for the question: What other methods are there? And even more important: How to practice them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-07-09T15:35:07.633" LastActivityDate="2024-01-26T20:15:32.603" Title="Methods for reaching Jhana" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2015" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-09T10:47:58.887" Score="14" ViewCount="870" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that the three Theravada countries Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar all three have their own version of the Tripitaka.&#xA;I've also read that in 1956 they held the Sixth Buddhist convention with the goal of creating one standard edition of the Tripitaka, called the Buddha Jayanti-edition. The Dutch version of the Wikipedia page on the Pali canon claims that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha Jayanti-Edition, however, was composed by the most distinguished monks of the three main Buddhist countries and is considered the most correct version &#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;(original wiki page &lt;a href=&quot;http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali-canon#Moderne_versies&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, English translation &lt;a href=&quot;https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=nl&amp;amp;tl=en&amp;amp;js=y&amp;amp;prev=_t&amp;amp;hl=nl&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fnl.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FPali-canon&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if this is true. How do they know that the Buddha Jayanti-edition is the most correct version? What exactly are the differences between the 3 Tipitaka versions and how did the monks resolve them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-02T15:13:01.863" LastActivityDate="2020-12-09T12:39:11.137" Title="How was the Buddha Jayanti edition of the Tripitaka derived?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2016" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2037" CreationDate="2014-07-09T11:55:47.727" Score="14" ViewCount="2399" Body="&lt;p&gt;Growing up in the Roman Catholic tradition, we were encouraged to go to confession (penance) on a regular basis for reconciliation and to be absolved of sins. In Buddhism, the only mention of confession I've seen is in regard to a practice for monks prior to the reciting of the patimokkha. I understand there is no idea of absolving sins in Buddhism, but why is it considered benefical or useful for monks to confess but not for lay people to do the same? I'm assuming there is some sense of unburdening in the confession process and wondering what serves that function for lay people? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorDisplayName="user611" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T09:15:56.190" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T02:45:13.643" Title="Confession in Buddhism" Tags="|laity|rituals|repentance|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2017" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2043" CreationDate="2014-07-09T12:10:06.010" Score="16" ViewCount="5015" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.alanwattspodcast.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;podcast featuring Alan Watts&lt;/a&gt; and he stated that Buddhism was Hinduism stripped for export. He also says it at more length in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60547.Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism the Religion of No Religion&lt;/a&gt;  ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hinduism [..] is a religious culture. Being a Hindu really involves&#xA;  living in India [...]. You cannot be a Hindu in the full sense living&#xA;  in the United States or India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism is Hinduism stripped for export. The Buddha was a reformer in&#xA;  the highest sense: someone who wants to go to the original form or&#xA;  reform it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a sense here of Hinduism being a culturally specific religion and Buddhism being it's universal equivalent. Is there any sense in which that is true or is 'Buddhism is just Hinduism stripped for export' just a pithy soundbite that actually doesn't mean very much?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-20T16:57:38.660" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T02:31:51.750" Title="Is Buddhism just Hinduism stripped for export?" Tags="|hinduism|alan-watts|beatnik|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2014-07-09T12:57:14.577" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think at least some of the Mahayana writers were self conscious atheists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from the Fudo-Myo Sutra and is one of my favorite quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He is the markless Dharmakaya, identical with [all-encompassing] space&#xA;  itself, thus he has no dwelling. &lt;strong&gt;His only dwelling is in the minds and&#xA;  thoughts of living beings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=The_Sutra_Spoken_by_the_Buddha_on_Arya-Acalanatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=The_Sutra_Spoken_by_the_Buddha_on_Arya-Acalanatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even in a system of Bodhisattvas, there is a subset of people who are skeptical about all the supernatural and see the Bodhisattvas (and all the other being unsubstantiated by evidence) as role models, pedagogical tools, rhetorical devices and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not change the fact that there is a huge group of lay followers and historical monastics who clearly took the celestial Buddhas, Pure Lands, the realms, a semi-sentient Karma and a permanent, rebirthing soul as literal truths and true on account of faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Basic Teachings of the Buddha, by Glenn Wallis (his old work that predates his current project), the author at points argues that the historical Buddha was an atheist and a nihilist that had no choice but to speak in the theological terms of the culture around him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own analogy is this-- it's like if you wanted to explain how evolution worked to a theist Christian, but didn't really care if the audience was atheist or not. Such a hypothetical teacher might teach about evolution as designed by God. In the same way the historical Buddha used the language of Karma, Dharma, Rebirth, Brahma to discuss a program of morality, restraint as part of a program to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T12:57:14.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2014-07-09T15:24:10.813" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, Crab Bucket is correct that this is a question to which an answer is never given. I will contribute some source and try to flesh out this answer a bit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.051.than.html&quot;&gt;Avyakata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha says that holding a viewpoint about what happens to an enlightened one after death is 'anguish' [Pāli: 'vippatisara'] and that well-instructed, noble disciples don't declare an answer to it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-63-culamalunkya-sutta&quot;&gt;Culamalunkya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha does not declare any of the ten 'speculative views' about the cosmos, the soul/body, or parinibbāna:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Why have I left that undeclared? Because it is unbeneficial, it does&#xA;  not belong to the fundamentals of the holy life, it does not lead to&#xA;  disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct&#xA;  knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is why I have left it&#xA;  undeclared.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha says that he doesn't declare an answer to the question and that the four positions (does exist, doesn't exist, both does and doesn't exist, neither exists nor doesn't) are a 'thicket of views'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then uses an analogy to illustrate why these positions don't apply to him, namely, to try to describe him after death would be like trying to pin down a fire that has gone out--where did it go? Where is it now? He then uses another simile, describing himself as 'deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea.' The second simile may be intended to prevent the development of an annihilation view. (cf. Bodhi, 320, 2005)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhi, B. In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pāli Canon, 2005.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T15:24:10.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-09T20:48:27.283" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't believe Watts's view would withstand much scrutiny from either Hindu or Buddhist scholars. Clearly Buddhism arose in a broader Hindu context, but I don't see any evidence of the former being merely an export-ready version of the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english_5.php&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, a fundamental difference between Hinduism and Buddhism, is that while both have extensive concentration practices, Buddhism adds insight practices. In fact, a key feature of the &quot;middle way&quot; of Buddhism is that it does not rely on austerity-driven concentration (one of the two other &quot;ways&quot;, with respect to which Buddhism is the &quot;middle&quot;). Instead, it sees samatha and its resulting samadhi, both of which were already understood in Hinduism, as at most a preparation for the enlightenment-targeted vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T20:48:27.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2016" CreationDate="2014-07-09T21:12:21.547" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The experience I have of confession within Buddhism is mostly within the context of a ritual. I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; and in one of our more &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/study/foundationfiles/Part%205/Foundation%20Year,%20Part%205,%20Week%207%20-%20The%20Sevenfold%20Puja.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lengthy rituals&lt;/a&gt; we have a section on  confession of faults part of which goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The evil that I have heaped up &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through my ignorance and foolishness – &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Evil in the world of everyday experience, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As well as evil in understanding and intelligence  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All that I acknowledge to the Protectors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ritual is based on the Bodhicaryavatara an 8th century Mahayana text by Santideva. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryavatara&lt;/a&gt;  has a section on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lotsawahouse.org/indian-masters/shantideva/bodhicharyavatara-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;confession of faults&lt;/a&gt;. This goes on at greater length on the same themes for example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Overwhelmed by ignorant delusion,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I celebrated the harm that was done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But now I see it all was done in error,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And before the buddhas, sincerely I confess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the notion of recognising on and confessing faults does exists within Buddhism. I'm not an expert on comparative religion but I know that the concept of sin doesn't really exist in Buddhism. Actions are skillful (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html#kusala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kusala&lt;/a&gt;) or unskillful (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html#akusala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;akusala&lt;/a&gt;) rather than sinful or not. Also it's less clear who you would be confessing to. So any notion of confession would be necessarily different in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a personal note, it has been suggested to me that the proper course of action when one has done something unskillful is go sit at your shrine, light a stick of incense and try not to be so thoughtless in future. Maybe that's the nearest equivalent in my own experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-09T21:20:58.160" LastActivityDate="2014-07-09T21:20:58.160" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2014" CreationDate="2014-07-09T21:57:58.707" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on how you understand the first and second jhanas. If, like me, you take them as glorified descriptions of being able to get yourself in a joyful mood deliberately, then there are bunch of methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;first, as Buddha himself suggested, by thinking through good discursive sequences. Specifically, if your practice of &quot;guarding the gates&quot; is going well, and your life is all setup in accordance with the eightfold path, and you understand the Three Marks of Existence and the Four Noble's Truths, then you are in good position to reflect at how your mind is now perfectly shielded from negative states. This theme makes for a great topic of vitakka/vicara and is what Buddha himself used.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;second, as other teachers taught me, by remembering a place you felt good/strong at and coming back to it in your thoughts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;third, as I did several times, through meditating on love to all humanity (past, present and future!) or on love to God (it does not matter whether God exists, taking it as object of meditation still works).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fourth, as my present teacher teaches me, through dancing to music, while improvising and feeling the rhythm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fifth, through special yoga poses, like Eagle Posture and Lion Posture.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sixth, supposedly through sexual tantric practices.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seven, once you learn to feel your chakras and deliberately activate them at will, through direct intent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the methods that come to mind. Now, keep in mind that First and Second jhanas, while useful, are traps on the way to Ultimate Realization. So don't get too hung up on always being in a joyful mood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-10T03:01:58.183" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T03:01:58.183" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-09T22:13:26.993" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkIaBJtUqYc&quot;&gt;interesting talk&lt;/a&gt; given by Bhante Sujato regarding this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This is a very brief overview and I highly encourage you to view the full talk)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Ven. Sujato, there are several reasons why Buddha/Buddhism is not Hindu/Hinduism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the best archaeological history and evidence during the time of the Buddha, Hinduism (as we would call it today) either did not exist or it wasn't part of the major tradition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultural and language references in the Suttas and Vinaya located the duration and area.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The idea that &quot;ancient India has always been Hindu&quot; became a mainstream idea during the British rule and is incorrect.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I haven't listened to the podcast and don't have any idea on what basis Mr Watts bases his argument about Hinduism for export, but the above is Sujato's argument)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-07-10T03:05:29.367" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T03:05:29.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-09T23:02:06.183" Score="3" ViewCount="692" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kusala/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; the same word, 'kusala', can mean 'wholesome', 'skillful', 'good', or 'meritorious'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In English, these words have very different meanings or connotations, especially in different cultural contexts, e.g., in cultures that have religious ideas of sin. For this reason, I am wondering if anyone can provide more information about the Pāli term, the connotations it had, and the subtleties of its meaning in the context of Buddhist teachings (generally or in specific contexts, i.e., specific suttas). Does it carry a moral sense with it (in the sense of sin)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T18:20:00.497" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T18:20:00.497" Title="Does 'kusala' (skillful) also mean 'wholesome' and 'morally good'?" Tags="|ethics|pali-language|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2024" CreationDate="2014-07-10T01:18:26.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conceptually, Buddhist ethics is very simple and elegant, at least in my limited understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The state of Buddha (Nirvana) is taken as the gold standard of all the best.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;While Samsara, and within Samsara the hell realm particularly, with its absolute &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, is taken as the worst possible condition. Psychologically, subjectively, Hell is defined as state &quot;everything is wrong&quot; -- and Nirvana as &quot;everything is right&quot;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good and bad then are defined in relation to these two extremes. Whatever is conducive to psychological suchness is considered good (kusala). And whatever is conducive to psychological wrongness, to staying in or getting deeper into Samsara, is considered bad (akusala).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Buddhism the connotation of kusala/akusala is not a moral quality but the effect in terms of propelling us one way or another. Researchers of pre-Buddhist sources suggest that kusala originally meant &quot;wise&quot;, &quot;clever&quot;, &quot;intelligent&quot;, &quot;expert&quot; -- and later &quot;blameless&quot;. As in, if you act wisely, you won't be blamed. My favorite choice of translation, is one that Thanissaro Bhikkhu settled on: &quot;skilfull&quot;. On one occasion I translated akusala as &quot;pathological&quot; -- kinda the opposite of &quot;healthy&quot;, which is another connotation of kusala. Although in informal speech I simply say good (as in &quot;drinking milk is good for you&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add more depth and color, both long term and short term effect must be considered. While achieving harmony of short term and long term is said to be a sign of a high skill (e.g. enjoying pleasant being in the here and now, &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; at the same time making progress towards Nirvana), sometimes the two cannot be reconciled at which point long term becomes more important than short term. All this follows from Buddha's explanations in Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, both personal as well as global result must be considered. Again, harmonizing the two is a sign of class, but in case of conflict -- Mahayana folks close your ears -- personal result wins. Buddha is very explicit about this. It does not mean it is Ok to achieve personal bliss at the expense of the world, vampire style. It just means, if oxygen masks jump out, first put on yours, and then help your neighbor. This is my understanding of course, but I swear I did not make this up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one distinction that Buddha usually drew and that is between the good that leads to worldly happiness vs. good that leads to Liberation. The two match pretty closely in most basic scenarios (like adhering to five precepts in day to day behavior, which both helps social harmony AND involves taming one's mind), but may diverge on more advanced stages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Now, I say that right view is twofold. There is right view that has&#xA;  cankers, that is on the side of merit, that ripens unto cleaving to&#xA;  new birth. There is right view that is ariyan, cankerless,&#xA;  super-mundane, a component of the Way...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how it basically is... What else... To answer your question directly, if there is anything like &quot;sin&quot; in Buddhism, it would only be so because of its correlation with bad effect, getting one further from Nirvana and closer to &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;. Buddhism is a very practical framework, and because it grounds itself in first-hand experience it's kinda hard to to argue with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more professional take on the topic, check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/ethic_psy/004-tnt-kusala.htm&quot;&gt;this piece by Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu&lt;/a&gt;. There is also tons of research on this topic in buddhological academia, but I would be very careful with putting my trust in research that does not come from a practicing Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude on a practical note, in case you have doubts as to whether it is in our power to develop kusala and abandon akusala here is some encouragement from The Man Himself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Abandon what is unskillful (akusala), monks. It is possible to&#xA;  abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But&#xA;  because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you,&#xA;  'Abandon what is unskillful.' If this abandoning of what is unskillful&#xA;  were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what&#xA;  is unskillful.' But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is&#xA;  conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Abandon what is&#xA;  unskillful.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Develop what is skillful (kusala), monks. It is possible to develop&#xA;  what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful,&#xA;  I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because it is&#xA;  possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, 'Develop what is&#xA;  skillful.' If this development of what is skillful were conducive to&#xA;  harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But&#xA;  because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit&#xA;  and pleasure, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'&quot; -- Kusala&#xA;  Sutta AN 2.19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;......&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;not really, as &quot;everything is right&quot; would be the god's realm. Nirvana achieves &quot;everything is right&quot; in a funny way, by transcending the axis of psychologically agreeable/disagreeable, which makes everything right even when it's wrong, but that goes beyond our present discussion. For practical purposes let's pretend Nirvana is a simple &quot;everything is right&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-10T02:55:53.167" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T02:55:53.167" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2014-07-10T07:57:04.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Athma or soul gives life to the Body. A body is simply a tool for achieving the duties of an Athma, or Karma. Every time when someone or something is born, it is to do a set of duties.  Salvation or nirvana is attained once and forever when a soul completes all its duties and free itself of its responsibilities. When a person fails to do its duties and roles, he is reborn and the circle of life, death and rebirth goes on till the soul achieves the same. The athma is assigned a new body and a new set of duties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attaining eternal salvation/nirvana the soul joins a circle of souls called pithru-athmas. Meaning athma of forefathers. The reason why the souls stand or sit in a circle is because among souls, nobody is greater or smaller, just like a circle has no end or beginning. Once the salvation is achieved the soul takes its rightfully earned position among the Pithru-athmas. Peace. :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user384" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-10T10:22:36.570" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T10:22:36.570" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2028" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-10T08:34:16.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhāna (Pali, Dhyāna in Sanskrit) refers to the 8 stages of meditation that were taught by Gautama Buddha. The word Jhāna stems from jhayati which means 'think' or 'meditate'. These 8 states of altered consciousness, which can arise can during periods of strong concentration, are also simply called 'the Jhānas'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jhānas are mentioned in the Pali Canon, but not all Buddhist traditions regard them as important. In Theravada Buddhism the Jhānas are considered an important means to obtain wisdom and ultimately to reach Nirvana. Some other traditions however consider the Jhānas as dangerous because they are not an insight practice and one can become attached to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-10-05T19:20:41.850" LastActivityDate="2018-10-05T19:20:41.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2029" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-10T08:34:16.797" Score="0" Body="Jhāna generally refers to the 8 stages of tranquility (samatha) meditation taught by Gautama Buddha and mentioned in the Pali Canon.&#xD;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:20:25.920" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:20:25.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2024" CreationDate="2014-07-10T08:55:20.100" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Normally, the word does not have any moral sense as some &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; indicate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;Suppose an elephant hunter were to enter an&#xA;elephant forest and were to see there a large elephant footprint, long&#xA;in extent and broad in width. A &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; elephant hunter would not yet&#xA;come to the conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that?&#xA;Because in an elephant forest there are dwarf female elephants with&#xA;big feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So he follows along and sees in the elephant forest a large elephant&#xA;footprint, long in extent and broad in width, and some scratch marks&#xA;high up. A &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; elephant hunter would not yet come to the&#xA;conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that? Because in an&#xA;elephant forest there are tall female elephants with prominent teeth &amp;amp;&#xA;big feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So he follows along and sees in the elephant forest a large elephant&#xA;footprint, long in extent and broad in width, with some scratch marks&#xA;and tusk slashes high up. A &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; elephant hunter would not yet come&#xA;to the conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that? Because in&#xA;an elephant forest there are tall female elephants with tusks &amp;amp; big&#xA;feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 27, The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant Footprint (Cūḷahatthipadopama-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, prince, I will ask you a counter-question. Answer as you&#xA;see fit. What do you think: are you &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; in the parts of a&#xA;chariot?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord. I am &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; in the parts of a chariot.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what do you think: When people come &amp;amp; ask you, 'What is the name&#xA;of this part of the chariot?' does this line of reasoning appear to&#xA;your awareness beforehand — 'If those who approach me ask this, I —&#xA;thus asked — will answer in this way' — or do you come up with the&#xA;answer on the spot?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Lord, I am renowned for being &lt;strong&gt;skilled (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; in the parts of a chariot. All&#xA;the parts of a chariot are well-known to me. I come up with the answer&#xA;on the spot.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 58, Discourse to Prince Abhaya (Abhayarājakumāra-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it also acquires a &lt;em&gt;moral sense&lt;/em&gt; because it is also applied in moral contexts. The next excerpt is an apt example of this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily\verbal\mental behaviour is uncensured by&#xA;wise recluses and brahmins?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any bodily\verbal\mental behaviour that is &lt;strong&gt;wholesome (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;, great king.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily\verbal\mental behaviour is &lt;strong&gt;wholesome (&lt;em&gt;kusalo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any bodily\verbal\mental behaviour that is blameless, great king.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily\verbal\mental behaviour is blameless?&#xA;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any bodily\verbal\mental behaviour that does not bring affliction, great king.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily\verbal\mental behaviour does not bring&#xA;affliction?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any bodily\verbal\mental behaviour that has pleasant results, great king.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily\verbal\mental behaviour has pleasant&#xA;results?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any bodily\verbal\mental behaviour, great king, that does not lead to one's own affliction,&#xA;or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both, and on&#xA;account of which &lt;strong&gt;unwholesome states (&lt;em&gt;akusalā dhammā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; diminish and &lt;strong&gt;wholesome states (&lt;em&gt;kusalā dhammā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;inscrease. Such bodily\verbal\mental behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and&#xA;brahmins, great king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, venerable Ananda, does the Blessed One praise only the&#xA;undertaking of all &lt;strong&gt;wholesome states (&lt;em&gt;kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Tathagata, great king, has abandoned all &lt;strong&gt;unwholesome states (&lt;em&gt;akusaladhamma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; and possesses &lt;strong&gt;wholesome states (&lt;em&gt;kusaladhamma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://librarum.org/book/20401/364&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 88, Discourse about a Cloak (Bāhitika-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Note: I would change the word 'states' for 'behaviors' or 'conduct'.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this answer is enough to meet the question's requirement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this reason, I am wondering if anyone can provide more information&#xA;about the Pāli term, the connotations it had, and the subtleties of&#xA;its meaning in the context of Buddhist teachings (generally or in&#xA;specific contexts, i.e., specific suttas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, let me know. I can find some more references if you need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T12:04:04.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2031" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2033" CreationDate="2014-07-10T08:57:59.347" Score="11" ViewCount="2124" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Hindu, but I like Buddhism. How does that work? Does one need to convert to practice Buddhism? If so, how does one convert to Buddhism? Can anyone convert to Buddhism? Or can I just practice without converting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="448" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T03:58:08.187" LastActivityDate="2020-09-24T00:51:39.063" Title="How does conversion work in Buddhism?" Tags="|belief|conversion|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-07-10T10:41:54.950" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, there isn't one agreed upon definition about when you are truely a Buddhist. Some people say you are a Buddhist if you consider yourself to be one, others say you need at least several years training from an acknowledged Buddhist teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I like the view of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzongsar_Jamyang_Khyentse_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; who has written a book on the topic called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590305701&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Makes You Not a Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It’s whether you agree with the four fundamental discoveries the Buddha made under the Bodhi tree, and if you do, you can call yourself a Buddhist (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/what-makes-you-a-buddhist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to mark your decision to become a Buddhist you can '&lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;take refuge&lt;/a&gt;'. This ceremony or commitment can be found in many Buddhist traditions. More info also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1972/408&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can become a Buddhist or you can just practice without any formal conversion. You do not need to give up Hinduism. To quote Khenpo Kartar Rinpoche:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... it is not necessary to give up any religious affiliation to practice Buddhism unless that religion demands actions that contradict Buddhist principles. .... Also, it is not generally necessary to change your diet, dress or relationships, though some people choose to do so. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigdzindharma.org/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T20:27:41.617" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-10T11:45:44.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something that doesn't seem to have been covered so far.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a perfectly legitimate fear or terror that comes right out of a practice that has made some progress in the development of mindfulness.  It is the result of developing clarity into the transient nature of phenomena and thus an encouraging result.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The deluded mind is a mind that identifies with whatever is currently running through it: &quot;I think, therefore I am&quot;.  As clarity develops, this fundamental assumption is seriously undermined - an identity crisis - and the result is pure terror.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the good news is that as clarity develops further, this terror gives way to a kind of extreme excitement, something akin to rock climbing or sky diving etc.  As clarity develops furthermore, it becomes simply good fun, and further still becomes nothing special: just the way things are, in and of themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastEditorUserId="277" LastEditDate="2014-07-10T11:50:46.850" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T11:50:46.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-07-10T11:50:11.150" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ceremonially, you can take Refuge. In many traditions, this is the entry or acknowledgement of being dedicated to being a better person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kagyu.org has this very nice talk from Kalu Rinpoche about what taking Refuge is and the Three Jewels:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/bec/bec04.php&quot;&gt;http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/bec/bec04.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It finishes with this wonderful thought:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It should be understood that the taking of refuge is not a process whereby the Buddha takes those who appear to have devotion to him and leads them to his side. Through taking refuge, one begins a process oneself which, going through various stages, will lead to one's own realization of the same state, the same experience as the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I believe Buddhism is open to all, with some gray areas around the insane and mentally handicapped.  If you are not in &quot;your right mind&quot;, it is difficult to understand deeply what Buddhism is.  That is probably a different question though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="59" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T11:50:11.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2036" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2040" CreationDate="2014-07-10T14:11:07.413" Score="10" ViewCount="26501" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few days ago, I came across an article on Buddhism primarily about &quot;Nirvana.&quot;&#xA; After I read the article, I started to wonder because &quot;Nirvana&quot; sounds similar to Hinduism's &quot;Moksha.&quot;  Does anyone know about possible parallels between the two concepts?  Are &quot;Moksha&quot; and &quot;Nirvana&quot; essentially the same?  If they are not similar, what are the differences between the two religious teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question was already asked on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/1980/the-differences-between-nirvana-in-buddhism-and-moksha-in-hinduism&quot;&gt;Hinduism Stack Exchange Site&lt;/a&gt;, but it is not currently receiving any positive responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="448" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:12.470" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T11:26:35.320" Title="What are the differences between &quot;Nirvana&quot; in Buddhism and &quot;Moksha&quot; in Hinduism?" Tags="|nirvana|belief|comparative-religion|religion|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2016" CreationDate="2014-07-10T14:20:55.453" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a good question; if the monks can confess their &quot;sins&quot;, why can't lay people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the one hand, monastic confession is a product of the rigidity of monastic practice, which requires some formal means of realignment. But on the other hand, reaffirming one's determination to keep precepts is a great practice for all Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The standard practice for lay people in Theravada Buddhism to correct a broken precept is to simply retake the entire set of precepts (five or eight). There are standard religious formulae for this, so that might be a similar concept to a confession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beyond that, though, I think there is less need for Catholic confession since there is less sense of &quot;sin&quot; in evil deeds; since our concept of morality is utilitarian in the sense of &quot;it's evil because it brings suffering&quot;, there isn't the sense of intrinsic &quot;sinfulness&quot; of a deed, and hence there seems to be less of the shame and guilt associated with evil in Catholicism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the practical equivalent to confession in our tradition is probably just talking with a teacher about your problems; e.g., rather than confessing you drank alcohol, you would discuss your alcohol addiction or your view that alcohol brings happiness.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-10T14:20:55.453" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-07-10T14:42:03.427" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conversion into Buddhism from a Zen Buddhist perspective, initially requires the initiate to take refuge into the “Triple Jewels” in a formal ceremony headed by a religious leader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The “Triple Jewels” consist of three things: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1972/what-is-the-proper-understanding-of-taking-refuge-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; on Buddhism Stackexchange explores the nuances of “taking refuge” into the “Triple Jewels” from various Buddhist perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Zen Buddhism, which includes the Mahayana Buddhist traditions of East Asia the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Gems&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;following vows&lt;/a&gt; for taking refuge are used:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I take refuge in the Buddha, wishing for all sentient beings to&#xA;  understand the great Way profoundly and make the greatest resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I take refuge in the Dharma, wishing for all sentient beings to delve&#xA;  deeply into the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutra Pitaka&lt;/a&gt;, causing their wisdom to be as broad&#xA;  as the sea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I take refuge in the Sangha, wishing all sentient beings to lead the&#xA;  congregation in harmony, entirely without obstruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the initial ceremony, the initiate follows the basic tenets of Buddhism by applying them to their circumstances along with various forms of meditation.  However, the Zen Buddhist tradition generally considers the terms: Buddhist, Buddhism, and Triple Jewels as methods to help the initiate along the path to enlightenment but are not an end in themselves.&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1972/what-is-the-proper-understanding-of-taking-refuge-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;  So, converting to Buddhism from the Zen Buddhist tradition is more about starting a life long process rather than being a member of an &lt;em&gt;in-group&lt;/em&gt; versus an &lt;em&gt;out-group&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0767903323&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism Plain and Simple&lt;/a&gt; by Steve Hagen&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T04:39:18.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2014" CreationDate="2014-07-10T16:11:41.303" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada tradition recognizes forty meditation types for obtaining at least access concentration, found scattered throughout the Tipitaka and organized in the commentaries, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1-10: The Kasinas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These all lead to the four jhānas; they are practiced by creating a disk and focusing on it, while repeating, e.g., &quot;earth, earth...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. Earth&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;2. Water&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;3. Fire&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;4. Air&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;5. Blue&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;6. Yellow&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;7. Red&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;8. White&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;9. Light&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;10. Space&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;11-20: Foulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These lead to the first jhāna; they are practiced by contemplating a corpse in various states of decay&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;11. Bloated&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;12. Livid&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;13. Festering&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;14. Cut Up&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;15. The Gnawed&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;16. Scattered&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;17. Hacked and Scattered&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;18. Bleeding&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;19. Worm-infested&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;20. a Skeleton &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;21-30: Recollections&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Body and Breathing bring jhāna (body only brings the first jhāna, breath brings all four); the other eight bring only access concentration; they are cultivated by reflecting on the object, e.g. &quot;Buddha, Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;21. Buddha&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;22. Dhamma&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;23. Sangha&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;24. Morality&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;25. Generosity&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;26. Angels&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;27. Death&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;28. Body&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;29. Breathing&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;30. Peace&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;31-34: The Divine Abidings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The first three bring about the first three jhānas; the fourth brings about the fourth jhāna; they are cultivated by taking beings as an object, e.g. &quot;May all beings be happy&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;31. Love &#xA;&lt;br/&gt;32. Compassion&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;33. Joy &#xA;&lt;br/&gt;34. Equanimity &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;35-38: The Immaterial States&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These bring about the fourth jhāna; they are cultivated by using the fourth jhāna as a base, then expanding and refining the object&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;35. Limitless Space&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;36. Limitless Consciousness&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;37. Nothingness&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;38. Neither Perception Nor Non-perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;39. Perception of Repulsiveness in Nutriment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This brings about only access concentration; it is practiced by reflecting on food as one collects and eats it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;40. Defining of The Elements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This brings about only access concentration; it is practiced by breaking the body up into the four elements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All forty meditation subjects are described and taught in detail in the Visuddhimagga; highly recommended for those interested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T13:56:14.863" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T13:56:14.863" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2036" CreationDate="2014-07-10T18:21:10.267" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Moksha and Nirvana are the same in that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The cycle of live, death and rebirth is broken&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;once attained, one is free from Samsara&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's attainable through practise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation techniques are employed in attaining both&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They differ in that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Moksha tends to explained as a merger with Atman, or Brahma which Buddhist don't believe.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their main philosophical difference is found in the wiki quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana, a concept common in Buddhism, is the realization that there&#xA;  is no self nor consciousness; while moksha, a concept common in many&#xA;  schools of Hinduism, is acceptance of Self, realization of liberating&#xA;  knowledge, the consciousness of Oneness with all existence and&#xA;  understanding the whole universe as the Self. Nirvana starts with&#xA;  the premise that there is no Self, moksha on the other hand, starts&#xA;  with the premise that everything is the Self; there is no&#xA;  consciousness in the state of nirvana, but everything is One unified&#xA;  consciousness in the state of moksha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-01-19T21:53:47.320" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T21:53:47.320" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2014-07-11T05:16:18.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may have experienced the first Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you master it you will be able to enter and exit it at will. Getting stuck in it is not uncommon. The same goes for choosing to stay in it because it is pleasant, which is seen as a hindrance to final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking the dhamma or keeping 'noble silence' is also part of the Jhanic experience. This sounds similar to what you described. You struggled to talk about work but once you were able to share your experience you could not stop talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fighting against our lifelong programming, like you described, can make this experience seem negative. If you want to keep trying to master Jhana, while still continuing to work and continuing to fit in nicely with society, I recommend finding a teacher. Otherwise you might continue to experience this state for extended periods while attempting to master it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T07:13:04.397" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T07:13:04.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2014-07-11T13:55:22.630" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, I think your question has gotten worse at explaining your condition through your edits (sorry!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, and really I think I speak for all of Buddhism when I say, the object is to understand reality as it is. This means you actually have to understand the experience before you can &amp;quot;fix&amp;quot; it. Actually, it means once you understand the experience, there will be no need to fix it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saddhāya tarati oghaṃ appamādena aṇṇavaṃ,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Viriyena dukkhaṃ acceti paññāya parisujjhatīti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With confidence one crosses the flood, with vigilance the ocean;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;With effort one overcomes suffering, with wisdom one is purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 10.12&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, first you need to purify your understanding. What is it you are exactly experiencing? What is really happening? The Buddha reminded us that understanding reality means breaking experience up into its constituent parts and seeing them just as they are (called Yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana). For example, in the Bahiya Sutta (Ud 6):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṃ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṃ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṃ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṃ bhavissatī&amp;quot;ti. Evaṃ hi te bāhiya, sikkhitabbaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In what is seen, there will be only what is seen; in what is heard, there will be only what is heard, in what is sensed, there will be only what is sensed, in what is thought, there will be only what is thought.&amp;quot; Just so indeed should you train, Bahiya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explained that to the extent that Bahiya could train himself in this simple teaching, &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;tato tvaṃ, bāhiya, na tena&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; - &amp;quot;therefore, Bahiya, there will arise no 'you' because of that,&amp;quot; which means that there would be no misinterpretation of the experience as &amp;quot;me&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;mine&amp;quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;To the extent,&amp;quot; the Buddha continued, &amp;quot;that there arises no self,&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;tato tvaṃ, bāhiya, na tattha&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; - &amp;quot;to that extent, Bahiya, there will arise no 'you' in regards to that object.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;To that extent,&amp;quot; the Buddha concluded, &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;nevidha na huraṃ na ubhayamantarena. esevanto dukkhassa.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; - &amp;quot;there will be neither here nor there or anything in between. This indeed is the end of suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, let's examine what exactly you experienced, based on your words, in order to try and see it for what it is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I experienced an incredibly intense emotional explosion in my chest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, emotions are not in your chest, they are mental. What you experience in your chest is a physical symptom, maybe accompanying emotion, maybe not. It should be understood as it is (in our tradition, this means reminding yourself &amp;quot;feeling, feeling...&amp;quot; until it goes away).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, &amp;quot;incredibly intense&amp;quot; is a judgement - not bad in itself, but indicative of some emotional reaction to the experience. That too should be seen as it is (&amp;quot;disliking&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;upset&amp;quot;, for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I experienced what can only be described as immediate and overwhelming bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bliss is either mental or physical (or both); either way, it is a feeling (vedana) and should be understood as it is (&amp;quot;happy, happy&amp;quot; or even &amp;quot;feeling, feeling&amp;quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditations were shorter, but extremely powerful (and actually became the highlights of my day).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This indicates some degree of attachment, which is a cause for addiction and should be understood as it is to stop it from escalating (&amp;quot;liking, liking&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I felt as if my ego wasn't quite ready to deal with the complexities of modern life, and rather than help my daily existence, this new state of mind became a hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This as well is a judgement, probably indicative of aversion. Even though a state may be objectively &amp;quot;bad&amp;quot;, disliking just aggravates the condition. This should understood as it is (&amp;quot;disliking, disliking&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Talking to my clients on the phone, fielding their complicated questions, suddenly became a daunting task. And the part of my brain that allowed me to program websites (which is what I do for a living) was struggling to focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes struggling to focus on worldly things simply means you are unable to care about what has no intrinsic benefit; you may have to in that case force yourself to stop practicing in order to carry out the worldly duties as you see fit. In this case, though, it sounds like you probably have too much concentration and not enough effort. If the mind is unwieldy, inflexible, it will have trouble keeping up with reality and thus interacting with daily life. Insight meditation that focuses on mundane reality should help. If you truly are distracted (in the sense of the mind flitting to many different objects at once), then it probably has less to do with the meditation practice and more to do with your reactions to it that have led to anxiety, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was worrying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;States can't be worrying, you can just worry about them. Which is unwholesome and should be understood as it is to avoid escalating it (&amp;quot;worried, worried&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't feel as though I was in control of these feelings, or sometimes, even myself (I remember one time talking to a friend about these new experiences, and being unable to stop myself from talking -- I literally kept interrupting him with my &amp;quot;insights&amp;quot;, very unlike me).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the world of non-self :) The Buddha said that aspects of experience are non-self, including nibbana. We simply fool ourselves into thinking we are in control, when in fact the most we can do is react (or not react, which would be better).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interrupting your friend, on the other hand, is a sign of too much energy - probably accompanied by faith, and, as you say, insight. Energy, faith and insight can all become hindrances or imperfections of insight (vipassanupakkilesa) if you follow them without being self-aware and letting them go. It is important not to cling to any positive states that may arise; as you have learned, they can lead to problems in your daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this at least gives you some guide as to how you can better pinpoint what exactly you experienced; if you want help, you will need to be able to express what is happening on a momentary experiential basis; the present moment is just one moment, and it is the only moment that is of true importance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let one not go back to the past, nor worry about the future, for the&#xA;past is gone and the future unreached; but which phenomena arise here&#xA;and now, let one see clearly into them all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is unconquerable, this is unshakeable; knowing thus, let one so&#xA;devote oneself. Today, indeed, should one strive at the task; who&#xA;knows whether death comes tomorrow? There is no bargain to be made&#xA;with him, Death with his great army, But one who dwells thus ardently,&#xA;day and night untiringly, is said by the peaceful sage to have had a&#xA;blessed night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- The Buddha (MN 131)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T13:55:22.630" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-11T15:43:59.237" Score="23" Body="&lt;p&gt;While &quot;Buddhism&quot; is already quite a difficult terminus, since there is a host of sects, schools, vehicles and apart from that another host of indigenous practices that infiltrated Buddhism in places it went to, &quot;Hinduism&quot; is even more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just an overview: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Vedas&lt;/em&gt; are the oldest scriptures of India, dating back to somewhen between 1800 BC and say 1000 or 800 BC. The Vedic Religion is a religion of sacrifice. These are important in so far as practically all Hindus consider the &lt;em&gt;Vedas&lt;/em&gt; as holy scriptures and their religion based on it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By the end of the Vedic Era, maybe 800 or 700 BC the first &lt;em&gt;Upaniṣads&lt;/em&gt; began to appear and with them the ideas of an eternal individual soul (&lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt;) opposed to an all-encompassing world-soul (&lt;em&gt;brahman&lt;/em&gt;), rebirth in an endless cycle (&lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt;) determined by the deeds of an individual (&lt;em&gt;karman&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;From about 700 or 600 BC onwards there was a movement of people who tried on their own, to find a way out of the cycle of rebirth by meditative and ascetic practices, the so-called &lt;em&gt;Śramaṇa&lt;/em&gt;-movement. Theoretically this movement was heavily indebted to to the &lt;em&gt;Upaniṣads&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism ultimately developed out of this heterodox movement (the &lt;em&gt;Śramaṇa&lt;/em&gt;-movement) and except for the person of the Buddha and the theory of no-soul/not-the-soul (&lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;) shares almost all of the common features of this movement, namely denial of Vedic authority and rejection of the caste-system. The &lt;em&gt;Samañña-phala-sutta&lt;/em&gt; gives a good idea of views held in this movement and the relation of Buddhism to these views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as it comes to Hinduism, &quot;classical Hinduism&quot;, if such a thing exists, surely did not exist in that time. In Hinduism there are six orthodox systems of philosophy, the first of which, &lt;em&gt;Sāṃkhya&lt;/em&gt;, developed alongside with Buddhism, maybe a little earlier, maybe a little later. All the other orthodox systems (&lt;em&gt;Yoga, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Mimāṃsā, Vedānta&lt;/em&gt;) developed later and &lt;strong&gt;under more or less heavy influence from Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give just on example: &lt;em&gt;Nyāya&lt;/em&gt; is classically the school of logic in Hinduism. It was the theory of &lt;em&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/em&gt;, that generated a need for a deeper understanding of causation, conditionality and logic, which in turn gave rise to a development in logic in India and ultimately to &lt;em&gt;Nyāya&lt;/em&gt;. Similar indebtedness has also been claimed for &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; Hindu philosopher &lt;em&gt;Śaṃkara&lt;/em&gt; to maybe &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhist philosopher &lt;em&gt;Nāgārjuna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, &lt;em&gt;Śaṃkara&lt;/em&gt; is also responsible for the Hindu renaissance in India and for the final i-dot on the Vedanta-system. What Hindus believe in today is in no mean way shaped by his thinking (although we should always keep in mind, that it is impossible to point to that which &quot;Hindus believe in&quot;) and therefore ultimately by Buddhist ideas and developments in refutation of Buddhist arguments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting back to the question. It is very true, that Hinduism cannot or can hardly be exported, it is bound to a priestly class which in turn is bound to India (Brahmins not being allowed to defile themselves by leaving India), it does not or does hardly convert (sects like Hare Krishna disregarded here), the gods reverred are rather local deities without universal appeal and so on. And on top of that: missionary zeal is rather foreign to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism on the other hand had this &quot;missionary zeal&quot;, though not to be compared with the Abrahamic religions, right from the beginning, embodied in the Buddha's wish and urge to teach the truth he had found. So what is true in Watts is that Buddhism is much more universal(ly appealing) than Hinduism. But the quote of Watts somehow implies two more things, both of them being wrong:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That Buddhism is some sort of Hinduism. That this is wrong should have been shown by the above historical sketch.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That Buddhism was designed to be exported. This is wrong since Buddhism was not designed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The equally polemic counter-attitude to Watts would be that Hinduism is just Buddhism flavoured with some archaic elements (reverence of the &lt;em&gt;Vedas&lt;/em&gt;) and stripped of anything too hard to understand for common people (like &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;) and anything that might offend a priestly elite (like &quot;equality of men&quot;). Like Watts statement it is basically wrong with a pinch of truth in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T19:11:33.527" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T19:11:33.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2044" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2053" CreationDate="2014-07-11T18:16:54.283" Score="15" ViewCount="2594" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may be primarily for the Tibetan style practitioners. Also, my question assumes that &quot;rebirth&quot; etc are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; metaphors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since non-human animal existence is lower down in the six realms, why wouldn't killing them (painlessly) be considered a good thing, since it then allows the being rebirth and maybe it will be reborn as a human? For example, in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/33/buddhism-mothers-and-earthworms&quot;&gt;Seven Years in Tibet&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, earthworms were saved from death. Isn't that in some sense cruel, since saving an animal prolongs the time it has to spend &lt;em&gt;as&lt;/em&gt; an animal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; I know the answer; namely, that karmic effects need to be worked out and if we kill an animal prior to that point, then it's simply going to be reborn as another animal until it's paid whatever &quot;karmic debt&quot; is involved. Therefore, killing an animal &lt;em&gt;doesn't&lt;/em&gt; serve to give it a chance of a higher rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's a guess. Any ideas? (And again, I know some people think the whole &quot;rebirth&quot; thing is just a metaphor. Fine. But this question is predicated on that not being the case, so in this particular case, please keep yer metaphors to yerself :-) )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2018-05-16T14:48:21.173" Title="Why not kill animals to hasten their rebirth?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|ethics|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2045" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2070" CreationDate="2014-07-11T18:56:12.420" Score="4" ViewCount="7906" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a companion question to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1782/is-buddhism-in-a-worldwide-decline&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in the West. Is that true? Does anyone have any statistics to support or refute this? It seems that this wouldn't be right in absolute terms but might be true in percentage growth for some countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that many people find the term 'The West' unsatisfactory. However for this could we use the definition from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world#Cultural&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cultures that are directly derived from and influenced by European&#xA;  cultures&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so this include be Europe, North American plus Australia and New Zealand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T11:47:49.833" Title="Is Buddhism the fastest growing religion in the West" Tags="|demographics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1514" CreationDate="2014-07-11T19:16:28.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can probably give this an answer if I take it in the context of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;12 nidanas&lt;/a&gt; as a significant application of the principle of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way that I have been taught this (within the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist movement&lt;/a&gt;) is that the nidanas can and do break at the point between feeling and craving. So to give the chain at that point &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With Contact as condition, Feeling arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With Feeling as condition, Craving arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With Craving as condition, Clinging arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And around we go....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for most of us most of the time when we have a feeling then the reaction is craving - each time, round and round. But with spiritual practice is is possible to break the cycle at this point and not have craving. It is at this point that liberation can start. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that up to here is will not be that controversial. But in Triratna we talk a lot about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/progress-is-natural.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;spiral path&lt;/a&gt; at this point which spirals up to enlightenment - a kind of positive formation of the 12 nidanas. This is taken from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.audtip.org/home/sn/sn12/sn12-023&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upanisā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But OPs question is about the Vipassana techniques around this. Although we have a system of meditation, the practice most relevant to this would be a just sitting or a noting practice where we notice the feelings arise and try to see that just as that - feelings. In that way we can see again and again that feelings are just feelings and of themselves do not have craving or desire as a neccessary part of them. Thus one day, with faith and perseverance the cycle breaks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way into this might be with a mindfulness practice relating to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  particularly with reference to the section on feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T19:23:44.963" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T19:23:44.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-11T19:27:25.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists we accept the precept to refrain from killing. So killing would be bad karma for us and also introducing more bad karma into the world. To follow the line of thinking of your question &quot;why not kill an animal to give them a chance at a better rebirth&quot; well...why stop with animals? Why not kill people who are currently messing up their lives with evil deeds to spare them the further effects of their own ever growing bad karma? And then there is the whole ecology/interdependence of all beings issue. Kill earthworms for better rebirth and now birds are starving, etc. We don't control the world with our own value judgments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T10:51:02.723" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T10:51:02.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-11T20:21:37.413" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do we know exactly that a &quot;no pain method&quot; of killing is painless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because he / she / it wouldn't get a chance to scream, shout, weep, cry and twitch due to the fact that the nervous system is first shut off before vital organs are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And: if so, would you do that to yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not only the screaming, crying, suffering from pain, etc that show the fear of death, but that moment when &quot;you are not in control and forced to leave your body into the unknown&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a kid is disallowed by his parents to have chocolate after 6pm (regardless the reason), would then be OK if he melted the chocolate and make a hot cup of chocolate instead?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, why would painless killing not be a killing? Your &quot;intention&quot; (thought / sense) is unaltered - to kill, &quot;different&quot; only by a method with which you justify yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It &quot;is&quot; not about whether or not a being would become human through re-birth by being the judge yourself, it is about you accumulating the &quot;debt&quot; and ending a life that has its &quot;duties&quot; and its destiny through re-births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let just make a very rough example that a cow was re-birthed from someone in the previous life that had done vicious crimes and deeds. So it, in this life, has to farm all day, subjected to torment such as being milked daily and forced to see its own newborns (calves) being taken away and slaughtered. And in the end, without getting a chance to &quot;rest&quot;, it itself got slaughtered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You come along and take this cow in, without making it to do all of the above and treat it pretty well until its time is up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would then be &quot;clearing&quot; its debt and at the same time you produce a good cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is all this is about and that is - Compassion. The fundamental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is hard to grasp for others, because they got so used to of thinking of &quot;profit and margin&quot; - I do something good, I earn a point in my Karma Bank with interest. I did something bad, I lost Karma points and thus the interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and Karma is unlike capitalism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone has it - Compassion, but it is &quot;covered&quot; by our senses (desires: taste, lust, selfishness, touches, perceptions), thoughts (judgements, clinging, biases etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And once one finally grasps it, one would try to benefit all beings without the &quot;self&quot; and without thinking of Karma before or after doing something beneficial to other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T20:34:30.887" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T20:34:30.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-11T21:11:05.560" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What makes you think that they will even be born at least as animals again? It's very difficult to get into higher realms once you go down. An animal can very rarely have a thought devoid of craving/lust, aversion and ignorance. So whether you kill an animal or let it die naturally, there's very little chance for it to get a better birth. There's a reason why the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;hells&lt;/a&gt; are called the great houses of Sansara. Once a being sinks below the human realm, it usually keeps sinking further down as it'll be mostly creating bad karma. Unless some good deed from a past life comes forward at the time of death, there's very little chance for it to escape hells. There are also rare instances of some animals listening to the Dhamma and being able to be born in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;higher realms&lt;/a&gt;. So if you are really interested in helping them, make them listen to the Dhamma and hope at least 1 in a million would be able to make use of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breaking the 1st precept with such a false belief would probably make you join them instead of saving them :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-11T21:50:18.050" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T21:50:18.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2012" CreationDate="2014-07-11T21:25:45.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism rebirth comes from the concept of mind.  The mind is a formless continuum.  Each moment of mind arises from the previous moment then subsides to give rise to the next.  Mind has a connection to the body but is separate.  It does not arise from the body.  Death is when the mind and the body's connection is severed.  At that point the mind does not cease but rather gives rise to other appearances.  First the bardo, the intermediate state, and then rebirth in a new life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be understood by analogy to dreams.  When we sleep the appearance of our waking life dissolves.  Latter in the night a dream world appears.  That lasts for some time then dissolves and another dream world may arise.  Each appears real and we relate to them.  Then we wake and our waking life appears.  Going from life to life is much like going from dream to dream.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="466" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T21:25:45.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="179" CreationDate="2014-07-11T21:40:31.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a complex question to which there is no right answer.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is created by our intention.  The intention with which we engage in an action.  You can look at your intention.  Are you engaging in it for your own convenience or a well considered belief that it will ease suffering?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you know enough to make a decision about the situation?  Will the suffering of foxes you kill be less than the suffering of the native animals?  Do you know that the environment should be restored or is that just your own attachment to how things should be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I consider situations like this and the questions that arise it becomes clear the world we live in is messy and there are situations for which there is not a right answer.  Purity within samsara is not possible.  What I can do is work to purify negative karma, accumulate good karma, and develop wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, killing is killing and most of us have ignorance of self-grasping.  Killing invasive foxes with self-grasping ignorance creates its own karma.  Very strong conviction that it was the best course of action would be required before I took on such karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="466" LastActivityDate="2014-07-11T21:40:31.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2052" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-12T01:38:52.577" Score="10" ViewCount="1824" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've noticed there are a lot of YouTube video lectures on &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/IJs7R2B6zaw&quot;&gt;Nagarjuna&lt;/a&gt;. It seems he was a very prolific writer on Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy. Which of his works would be appropriate to get an introduction to his expositions on śūnyatā, the two truths, or relativity?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorDisplayName="user611" LastEditDate="2014-08-06T09:49:30.070" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T04:19:48.213" Title="Which book by Nagarjuna provides an introduction to his teachings?" Tags="|mahayana|texts|learning-materials|nagarjuna|sunyata|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-12T02:14:19.513" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is clear that some Buddhist realized there was something unfair and unethical about the realms and that something should be done about it. Off the top of my head, I can't remember any that suggest killing as a solution.**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayanists realized that the hell realm was unfair and imagined &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksitigarbha&quot;&gt;Ksitigarbha&lt;/a&gt;, who vows to empty the hells, not by visiting hell and killing everyone, but by more conventional means, like merit-transference (doing deeds for good karma, but transferring it to others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also the main theme of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullambana_Sutra&quot;&gt;Ullambana Sutra and the Hungry Ghost Festival&lt;/a&gt; (O-Bon)-- getting people out of the Hungry Ghosts realms by making merit here and transferring it to those in the Hungry Ghost realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the Brahma Net Sutra, specifically mentions a way to get animals out of their current realm:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;45th minor precept. Failing to Teach and Transform Sentient Beings &#xA;      “Buddha-Sons, one should always invoke the mind of great compassion. When one enters a city or home, one should say to people,&#xA;  ‘You should take the Three Refuges and accept the ten [Bodhisattva]&#xA;  precepts.’ &lt;strong&gt;When one sees animals, such as cows, horses, pigs, or&#xA;  goats, one should speak one’s mind, saying to them, ‘You animals&#xA;  should activate the bodhi mind.’ When a Bodhisattva crosses mountain&#xA;  forests, rivers, or wilderness, he should enable all sentient beings&#xA;  to activate the bodhi mind.&lt;/strong&gt; If a Bodhisattva fails to teach and&#xA;  transform sentient beings, it is a minor sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, there is a Jataka tale somewhere about crows overhearing monks preaching the 12 links of dependent origination and then are later reborn in a better state and primed to use the knowledge they gained as crows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** as a side note, there is that Jataka tale about a ships captain killing pirates to save the more numerous passengers. I find that story, and really all the Jataka tales, to be not very Buddhist, or no more Buddhist than the fairy tales of any other randomly selected country. I think the Buddhists monks saw it as axiomatic that killing and death couldn't be a solution to a problem, so I'll have to keep looking for examples of why they thought killing couldn't be a solution to a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T02:14:19.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="179" CreationDate="2014-07-12T02:47:41.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st precept has already been covered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is another interesting Buddhist angle to this, which is samsara.  Western Buddhists generally don't take samsara very seriously-- our life &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; comfortable and it's hard to convince us otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If samsara is a real thing, then the world we are in problematic and can't be solved with technical solutions. Interventions to improve the world by adding, say starlings to the US, rabbits to Australia, or the nutria to Louisiana-- all of these attempt to improve things were disasters. Someone who takes samsara seriously would expect the solution of slaughtering all these starlings, rabbits and nutria to be a disaster as well. An example waiting to happen is the suppression of disease with vaccinations (the equivalent of wiping out a problematic species). It works, but we only need public health to lapse for a short for a generation or so, and I imagine the death toll will be huge as we aren't no longer protected by the old fashion defense of darwinian survival of people with selective genes. I'm not advocating stopping vaccinations, just trying to illustrate how samsara is sort of a &quot;damned if you do, damned if you don't&quot; situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist system, the solution to samsara is nirvana, we stay and suffer or we exit the whole realm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the monks I like to read clearly does take samsara seriously and is highly skeptical of modern attempts to improve samsara from within it. Personally I hope he is too pessimistic, but I have to admit his line of reasoning is very Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://indrajalapatha.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-violence-behind-non-violence.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://indrajalapatha.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-violence-behind-non-violence.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://indrajalapatha.blogspot.in/2013/08/the-failure-of-eco-piety.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://indrajalapatha.blogspot.in/2013/08/the-failure-of-eco-piety.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T02:47:41.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-12T06:15:24.833" Score="3" ViewCount="1153" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to tradition, there were &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;27 Buddhas before Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Gautama Buddha the greatest Buddha out of all the 28 Buddhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T18:24:41.880" LastActivityDate="2018-02-17T15:45:07.253" Title="Is Gautama Buddha the greatest Buddha who ever existed?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha-nature|gautama-buddha|buddhas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-12T06:16:21.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Crab bucket. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... I'm interested in the relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism and I though this might be a good entry point. See how it goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if this was your intention then, I think yes, its serving its purpose!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To comment on the same point - if you are interested in this relationship please do read Dr. Ambedkar. Authors like Com. Sharad Patil, P. Laxmi Narsu, Pro. Dhammanand Kosambi etc. are also helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case anything said by Mr. Watts, I will not go in details of it because @ MatthewMartin @ zwiebel and @ samnish have already talked about it in very much detail and I am of the same opinion regarding it. Just add one point to it saying that as far as my knowledge goes Buddha was not reformer but revolutionary. He did not reformed the Vedic religion. He abandoned it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T06:16:21.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2057" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-12T06:41:58.793" Score="1" ViewCount="1126" Body="&lt;p&gt;After finishing the last meal before attaining enlightenment, the Ascetic Gautama threw the golden bowl into the river and said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If I am to succeed in becoming a Buddha today, let this bowl go&#xA;  upstream, but if not, let it go downstream.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/15lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama was not yet a Buddha and I don't think he had psychic powers to make the bowl go upstream. Even if he had the power, it seems he was not doing it by himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was Gautama expecting some divine being to answer his request? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did a Deva or god make the bowl go upstream? If not, how did the Golden Bowl go upstream?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T16:39:42.110" LastActivityDate="2022-02-27T16:06:53.630" Title="What caused the Golden Bowl to go upstream?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha-nature|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2057" CreationDate="2014-07-12T07:15:29.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's called Saccakiriya. It basically uses the power of true speech. But it has to be something strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never lied in my life! If that is true, may this happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never stolen in my life! If that is true, may this happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never killed in my life! If that is true, may this happen!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Buddha instructed Venerable Angulimala to invoke his Saccakiriya to help a pregnant lady. This is what he said: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection.html#app1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Since I was born of Aryan birth, O sister, I am not aware of having intentionally deprived any living being of his life. By this asseveration of Truth may you be well! May thy unborn child be well!&quot;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this scenario it's a true statement about the future. There was no Deva involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T07:40:02.310" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T07:40:02.310" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2055" CreationDate="2014-07-12T11:08:22.773" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;No! All Sammasambuddhas are equal in their attainment of Buddhahood. They are all omniscient, equal in virtue, concentration and wisdom. However the time they take to cultivate Paramitha might vary from Bodhisatva to Bodhisatva. There are three classes of Bodhisattvas, namely; Intellectual Bodhisattvas (Pannadhika), Devotional Bodhisattvas (Saddhadhika) and Energetic Bodhisattas (Viriyadhika). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The minimum time it takes to become a Buddha after getting the confirmation from another Buddha is called &quot;Sara Asankya Kalpa Lakshaya&quot;. Intellectual Bodhisattas take the minimum time. Our Buddha was an intellectual Bodhisatta. Saddhadhika Bodhisattas take double that time. Viriyadhika Bodhisattas take 4 times the minimum time required. Buddha Maitreya who will appear in the future is said to be a Viriyadhika Bodhisatta. But after attaining Buddhahood they are all equal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, there are 30 similarities and 8 dissimilarities. The dissimilarities are not directly related to Buddhahood. Ex: The tree under which they attain enlightenment, the life span, parents, wife, chief disciples, whether there's a Vinaya pitaka etc.&#xA;Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/MinGunSayadawGyi/MinGunSayadawGyi-TGC-V1P2.pdf&quot;&gt;Buddhawamsa&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T11:37:23.647" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T11:37:23.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2060" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2062" CreationDate="2014-07-12T12:08:02.867" Score="6" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you look at the countries where Theravada Buddhism has historically taken hold (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar/Burma) they are all in fairly close proximity to each other in the southern part of Asia. Countries where Mahayana Buddhism has historically taken hold tend to be considerably more widespread geographically in Asia and include the northern regions of Asia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember reading on the internet (so it must be true! ;-)) that the reason for this was that in the Theravada tradition it was required that robes be made in very specific ways and made of cotton. Cotton not being suited to colder climates impeded monks from traveling north. The article continued that Mahayana had more flexible interpretations of robes so robes were simply made of wool and other heavier materials as monks moved north to spread the Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this explanation considered true and accurate or is there another explanation for the historical movement of Theravada Buddhism to areas south of India and Mahayana Buddhism to areas north of India? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T12:49:10.333" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T02:06:03.990" Title="Were robes a factor in the spread of Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2061" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-12T16:50:47.430" Score="7" ViewCount="2339" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I discovered in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt; there is a text titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavamsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt; that describes the lives of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;28 Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;.  Now, I am familiar with the significance of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maitreya Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, however not the previous 27 Buddhas.  I am curious, what is the religious significance of the previous 27 Buddhas for teaching  the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharma&lt;/a&gt;?  How does reflecting on the 27 or 29 Buddhas help one reach enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DR9o7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist men at the Sule Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, paying homage to the 28 Buddhas described in Chapter 27 of the Buddhavamsa. Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas#mediaviewer/File:28Buddhas-01.JPG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DiverDave&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T12:47:17.937" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T12:47:17.937" Title="What is the significance of the 28 Buddhas within Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2060" CreationDate="2014-07-12T16:55:25.583" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, robes may be made of six types of material, including linen, cotton, silk, wool, jute, or hemp (Mv.VIII.3.1). I've got a wool robe myself and it works fine in Canadian winters, so that shouldn't be a factor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may have been other geographic-based reasons, though; other aspects of monastic discipline might have made it difficult to practice the strict vinaya of the Theravada in colder climates, e.g. alms round, not-storing or cooking food for oneself, etc. Or, it may have been just by chance - kind of a &quot;you go left, I'll go right&quot; kind of thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason for Mahayana Buddhism spreading quicker might be the fact that it is generally-speaking easier to adapt to, since the focus is less on monastic discipline and more on engaged practice; in Zen Buddhism, for example, monks can drink alcohol and have wives, so much less adaptation is required for new practitioners. Tibetan Buddhism has spread mostly due to the humanitarian issues surrounding Tibet and the charisma of the Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason would probably be the Theravadin focus on attaining liberation in this life, a goal not easily accessible to the masses; the Bodhisatta path, while orders of magnitude more difficult in theory, can be relatively easy in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T02:06:03.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T02:06:03.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2063" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-12T17:41:01.897" Score="7" ViewCount="2685" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a practice question. I know both Mahayana buddhists and Vajrayana buddhists use mudras. In the former they show up in inconography, and hand resting positions while meditating, in the later it's part of elaborate rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are mudras used in lay and monastic practice in Mahayana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside of being a step in larger rituals, how are mudras used in lay and monastic practice in Vajrayana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:05:55.073" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:05:55.073" Title="How do Buddhists use mudras?" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|mudra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2064" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10814" CreationDate="2014-07-12T18:22:31.147" Score="6" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra&quot;&gt;Diamond Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra&quot;&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Astasahasrika.pdf&quot;&gt;Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 8000 lines&lt;/a&gt; and others are grouped together as Prajnaparamita (perfection of wisdom). Why is this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are they seen as a coherent collection? Are they thematically similar or is the link because they were written at a particular geographic and historical period? Are they maybe linked because of they a reaction against other schools of Buddhist thought at that time? Should they be linked together at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T20:43:44.890" Title="Why are the Perfection of Wisdom sutras seen as a coherent collection?" Tags="|mahayana|texts|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2061" CreationDate="2014-07-12T19:07:13.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a quick answer, I think we can think about how rare it is to have a Buddha and his teachings. It took so many &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_%28aeon%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalpas (aeon)&lt;/a&gt; for 28 Buddha to appear. So we can reflect on this and think how urgently we need to practice the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-12T21:34:55.353" LastActivityDate="2014-07-12T21:34:55.353" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2066" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-13T00:36:38.423" Score="3" ViewCount="2865" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist iconography the figures are illustrated or depicted with various hand gestures.  The symbolic hand gestures are called mudras.  What is the significance of a Buddhist mudra? What are the various meanings for different popular mudras?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zDwPO.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pinterest.com/pin/558939003722937255/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jordan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZLDWg.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda#mediaviewer/File:Astasahasrika_Prajnaparamita_Avalokitesvara_Bodhisattva_Nalanda.jpeg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asia Society&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T18:48:31.157" Title="What is a Mudra and what do they mean?" Tags="|vajrayana|art|iconography|mudra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2066" CreationDate="2014-07-13T01:12:14.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Dr. Robert Thurman:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mudra “is a sacred gesture symbolically expressing inner wisdom,&#xA;  or, in tantra, a female consort for yogic practices that harness&#xA;  sexual energies to the path.  Some of the main gestures we see in&#xA;  Tibetan images are &lt;em&gt;abhaya&lt;/em&gt;, the gesture of fearlessness, the right&#xA;  hand held in from with open palm raised up: &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;, the gesture of&#xA;  giving, the right hand held open and downward;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;dharmacakrapravartana&lt;/em&gt;, the teaching gesture, each hand held with thumb and index fingers touching and the other three fingers upraised,&#xA;  the two hands touching each other in front of the heart center;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;dhyāna&lt;/em&gt;, contemplation gesture, either one or both hands held flat in the lap; &lt;em&gt;trisharana&lt;/em&gt;,  the Triple Refuge gesture, similar to the&#xA;  teaching gesture, with the emphasis on the three upraised fingers,&#xA;  representing the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; &lt;em&gt;tarjanī&lt;/em&gt;, threatening&#xA;  gesture, with either hand held forward in a fist, the index and little&#xA;  fingers raised up; &lt;em&gt;varada&lt;/em&gt;, boon-granting gesture, just like the&#xA;  giving gesture; and &lt;em&gt;vitarka&lt;/em&gt;,  analytic or fine discernment gesture,&#xA;  like a one-handed teaching gesture, one hand held up with thumb and&#xA;  index finger forming a circle, the other three fingers raised up.” &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WnBux.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abhaya Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WnBux.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://poetrysdays.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/introduccion-a-los-mudra/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acerca de Ernest Cappa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dana Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jpe8G.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pinterest.com/pin/195202965072119688/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Angela Wheeler on Ink me&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The righthand is in the dana mudra gesture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dharmacakrapravartana Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TGQho.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://poetrysdays.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/introduccion-a-los-mudra/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acerca de Ernest Cappa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhyāna Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qxUgR.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of eric_m #dhyanamudra - Instagram&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tarjanī Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/0FIfD.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of erinhosfield #tarjanimudra - Instagram&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Varada Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/88qvi.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tumblr.com/search/vitarka+mudra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;buddhabe #vitarka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right hand in varada mudra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vitarka Mudra:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GHDQL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tumblr.com/search/vitarka+mudra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;buddhabe #vitarka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1570622973&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; by Leidy and Thurman pg 168&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T03:36:37.870" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T03:36:37.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1969" CreationDate="2014-07-13T02:04:11.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen teachings can be likened to &quot;the finger pointing at the moon.&quot;  Based on my experience at &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafield.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Field&lt;/a&gt; in Minneapolis, MN.  They always mention &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zazen&lt;/a&gt; and the other &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; practices are just fingers point at the moon.  It is important not to get caught by the form of zazen but to utilize the practice for your own practice.  The practice methods are tools to be used to help the practitioner with their daily meditation practice.  As the following image and koan help explain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TdNoA.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://happyhaiku.blogspot.com/2005/06/koan-and-haiku-02.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HappyHauiku&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The nun Wu Jincang asked the Sixth Patriach Huineng, “I have studied&#xA;  the Mahaparinirvana sutra for many years, yet there are many areas i&#xA;  do not quite understand. Please enlighten me.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The patriach responded, “I am illiterate. Please read out the&#xA;  characters to me and perhaps I will be able to explain the meaning.”&#xA;  Said the nun, “You cannot even recognize the characters. How are you&#xA;  able then to understand the meaning?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Truth has nothing to do with words. Truth can be likened to the&#xA;  bright moon in the sky. Words, in this case, can be likened to a&#xA;  finger. The finger can point to the moon’s location. However, the&#xA;  finger is not the moon. To look at the moon, it is necessary to gaze&#xA;  beyond the finger, right?”&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://happyhaiku.blogspot.com/2005/06/koan-and-haiku-02.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HappyHauiku&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seemingly inconsistent points of view on zazen are generally utilized to help the practitioner's meditation from leaning too heavily in one direction or another.  It is basically a corrective process to mentally stay on the middle path, not going off one tangent or another. &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafield.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0061143294&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation Now or Never: Steve Hagen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T02:04:11.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2014" CreationDate="2014-07-13T02:18:19.413" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The book, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, is not a book on Buddhism, but it lists feeling the energy field of the inner body, witnessing and accepting one's incoming and outgoing thoughts without getting attached to them, conscious breathing and focus on space (vast emptiness) or silence as different portals or methods to entering the Now. When one has entered the Now, the mind stops endless thoughts about the past or the future, and one enters a blissful state. The &quot;pain body&quot; also gradually gets dissolved as one enters the Now more often. The book also spends a lot of time discussing the workings of the mind, &quot;pain body&quot;, ego and similar topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel that when The Power of Now discusses &quot;entering the Now&quot;, it is really talking about reaching the first Jhana (at least). And dissolving the &quot;pain body&quot; could be part of Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Eckhart Tolle is not a Buddhist teacher, he certainly has experienced Jhana IMHO and has then taken the time to write it out in his own articulate way with his own terminologies, and tries to get the people at large to enter the Now as well. At least, this is the intention of his first book, The Power of Now. How did he reach the Now in the first place? Through a great crisis or turbulence of mind that made him suicidal and then he asked himself a question, that catapulted him to this state. Since then, he has found other ways to enter this state and remain in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, Buddhism with its four Rupa Jhanas and four Arupa Jhanas has definitely exceeded the teachings of Mr. Tolle. However, for the vast majority of people, reaching the first Jhana itself may be difficult enough. Hence, they could make use of Mr. Tolle's book in addition to Buddhist meditation and mindfulness techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This webpage also seems to be good: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/enterjhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/enterjhana.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T03:40:23.200" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T03:40:23.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2045" CreationDate="2014-07-13T04:05:57.850" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Buddhism the fastest growing religion in the west? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well according to &lt;em&gt;Asian Tribune&lt;/em&gt;, an internet daily newspaper, in a story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/10418&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism fastest growing religion in West&lt;/a&gt; from April 7, 2008.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism is being recognized as the fastest growing religion in Western societies both in terms of new converts and more so in terms of friends of Buddhism, who seek to study and practice various aspects of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be noted this article did not contain demographic numbers. It was a report on a public lecture given at All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Hall Colombo and &quot;was delivered under the auspices of the Buddhist and Pali University, All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress and the Buddhist Times Trust&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Demographic numbers, were however available at &lt;em&gt;Pew Research-Religious &amp;amp; Public Life Project&lt;/em&gt; dated December 18, 2012 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Global Religious Landscape &amp;ndash; Buddhists&lt;/a&gt; give an overall look at Buddhist demographics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This project noted that while 7% of the world's total population is Buddhist, 99% of these Buddhists live in the Asia-Pacific region. All other areas including North America, Latin America, and Europe have 1% or less of their populations identifying as Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If only 1% of Western populations are Buddhist, what is the remaining makeup? (At this point I had to narrow the question to the US as I was unable to find comprehensive info for the west in general.)&lt;br&gt;But for the &lt;strong&gt;US&lt;/strong&gt;, for example, according to Pew Research Center, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/04/u-s-doesnt-rank-high-in-religious-diversity/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;U.S. doesn't rank high in religious diversity&lt;/a&gt; Americans are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christians - 78% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Unaffiliated - 16% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Jews - 2% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Buddhist - 1% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Muslims - &amp;lt;1% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Hindus - &amp;lt;1% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Folk Religion &amp;lt;1% &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Other Religion &amp;lt;1% &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But these figures are far from static. According to the most comprehensive Pew Research document I found, &lt;a href=&quot;http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report-religious-landscape-study-full.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;U.S.Religious Landscape Survey&lt;/a&gt;, a full 28% percent of Americans have changed their religious affiliation since childhood. (This does not include changing from one type of Protestantism to another; it would be 44% if that was included.) So what are they converting to? Lots of things including Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;• In sharp contrast to Islam and Hinduism, Buddhism in the U.S. is primarily made up &#xA;  of native-born adherents, whites and converts. Only one-in-three American Buddhists &#xA;  describe their race as Asian, while nearly three-in-four Buddhists say they are converts to &#xA;  Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;72% of American Buddhists are converts as compared to 27% originally born Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting fact is that the report states that only 50% of those raised as Buddhists in the US, still consider themselves Buddhist. So Buddhism in the US has simultaneously one of the highest rates of conversion from other religions to it and one of the lowest rates of retention of those born into it. (Lots of folks looking for something new I guess!)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But these American Buddhists tend to be satisfied with their personal lives. In a survey question (from the Pew Landscape report) asking &quot;All in all, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in your personal &#xA;life?&quot; 90% of Buddhist respondents stated satisfied; the highest percentage of any religious group. Only 8% reported &quot;dissatisfied&quot;; the lowest of any religious group. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'll wind it up with the observation from the Pew Landscape report that all religious groups in the US are continually gaining and losing members at all times. With the US Buddhist population being 72% converts, the half of the originally born Buddhists who leave Buddhism still leave it in a net gain category (based on &quot;Childhood Versus Current Affiliation of U.S. Adults&quot; on page 24 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report-religious-landscape-study-full.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;U.S.Religious Landscape Survey&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddist gains are .3%. That sounds small until you look at all mainstream groups which are in the negative. In fact, the only groups that have a higher percentage gain are &quot;unaffiliated&quot; which is not a religion and &quot;other faiths&quot; which is the very small group of religions so small they are not broken out separately. So in that sense, you could perhaps say Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in the US. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T15:44:08.970" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T15:44:08.970" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2071" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-13T07:22:38.793" Score="22" ViewCount="18580" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is attacking you to kill you should you defend yourself? Would it be ethical to kill an intruder coming into your home? If not, how did the bushido  samauri warriors justify it? We're they wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="472" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T09:01:26.507" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T01:56:53.877" Title="Can or should a Buddhist defend themselves physically?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|non-violence|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2072" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-13T07:28:50.247" Score="4" ViewCount="658" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since we have the law of karma then there should be no need for laws or prisons? The law of karma will issue out punishment automatically. So if you murder someone there will be equal consequences regardless. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="472" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T09:20:30.330" LastActivityDate="2023-08-27T05:53:42.250" Title="If we have the law of karma, why do we need other laws, or do we?" Tags="|karma|laws|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2072" CreationDate="2014-07-13T08:48:18.007" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even in a world where the law of karma is real and in effect, one needs laws and punishment for a few reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma doesn't &quot;issue&quot;, and its effects are not &quot;punishment&quot;; in Buddhist view it's a blind process of cause and effect and the effects of karma are not to be known or speculated about. This is one of the four imponderables:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ 22.    &quot;These four imponderables are not to be speculated about.&#xA;  Whoever speculates about them would go mad &amp;amp; experience vexation.&#xA;  Which four? The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers&#xA;  a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha]... The jhana-range&#xA;  of one absorbed in jhana [i.e., the range of powers that one may&#xA;  obtain while absorbed in jhana]... The results of kamma... Speculation&#xA;  about [the first moment, purpose, etc., of] the cosmos is an&#xA;  imponderable that is not to be speculated about. Whoever speculates&#xA;  about these things would go mad &amp;amp; experience vexation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html#causes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html#causes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not known when the effect of karma comes to fruition, in what way, or if they come to fruition at all. If karma comes to fruition, one doesn't necessary realize: &quot;This is because of my bad karma, I should change my ways.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the concept of karma doesn't:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;repel those who want to commit crimes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;remove those who commit crimes (temporarily) from society&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rehabilitate those who have been found guilty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which, in an ideal justice system, laws and prisons do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T11:47:08.430" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T11:47:08.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-07-13T09:05:58.700" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are two question here with different answers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Should a Buddhist defend themselves physically&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would argue not. I believe that Buddhist teaches radical pacifism. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Prece&quot;&gt;first precept&lt;/a&gt; explicitly states &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which points to non-violence. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot;&gt;Kakacupama Sutta: The Parable of the Saw&lt;/a&gt; in the Pali Canon goes further&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with&#xA;  a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at&#xA;  heart would not be upholding my Teaching. Monks, even in such a&#xA;  situation you should train yourselves thus: 'Neither shall our minds&#xA;  be affected by this, nor for this matter shall we give vent to evil&#xA;  words [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even if you are being rendered limb from limb, one should still not practice violence. In a more modern day setting, I read of Tibetan monks held and tortured by Chinese officials whose greatest concern was that they would lose the capacity for compassion towards their tormentors. The compassion response is still possible even under such &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wiseattention.org/blog/2012/04/01/palden-gyatso/&quot;&gt;extreme circumstances&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Can Buddhism be ever used to justify violence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes unfortunately it can. To give an example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra_Tantra#Prophesies_on_Holy_War&quot;&gt;Tibetan Kalachakra Tantra&lt;/a&gt; has got anti-Islamic passages in it which can be used as a justification for violence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Chakravartin shall come out at the end of the age, from the city&#xA;  the gods fashioned on Mount Kailasa. He shall smite the barbarians in&#xA;  battle with his own four-division army, on the entire surface of the&#xA;  earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some Japanese Zen Buddhists were supportive of the second world war which is closest to your samurai point. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; gives more detail on this point which I won't copy through here. One quote from Harada Daiun Sogaku is illustrative &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[If ordered to] march: tramp, tramp, or shoot: bang, bang. This is the&#xA;  manifestation of the highest Wisdom [of Enlightenment]. The unity of&#xA;  Zen and war of which I speak extends to the farthest reaches of the&#xA;  holy war [now under way]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So just to summarise the answer, Buddhism is vast, so it's unsurprising that some group, determined enough, can dig out something to justify violence. However the overwhelming majority of the texts and practices say precisely the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T12:21:08.030" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T12:21:08.030" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-13T10:39:07.537" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is killing of any kind effects the mind and causes the mind to be impure. It's not the action of killing or hurting another being but what that action does to our own mind and every decisions we make in our life is effected by that action of killing. To be able to reach enlightenment one must achieve purity of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T18:01:23.977" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T18:01:23.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-07-13T11:01:02.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the idea is preserving and guarding the mind is more important then preserving the body because the body is viewed as impermanent therefor one should not cling to it. If one take up arms in defense of the body there by killing or harming another being, then the mind becomes impure and one can not reach enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T18:00:48.470" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T18:00:48.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-07-13T12:08:13.583" Score="14" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone is attacking you to kill you should you defend yourself? ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think yes, you may. Our religion has never stopped us from doing that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would it be ethical to kill an intruder coming into your home?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you may stop an intruder &lt;strong&gt;forcefully&lt;/strong&gt;. Our religion has never stopped us from doing that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for me, being Buddhist, the answer will not end there. Both (two above lines) questions are based on teaching of Ahimsa (not to injure). If it is so then it is important to know how we interpret this teaching. Following are some of the points we can consider- &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism is a religion of principles and not rules. (yes there are rules as code of conduct, but it is not religion of rules). It teaches you basic principles and you are expected to make the decision on basis of that according to the context.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism is religion with &quot;Metta&quot; (unconditional love). You even are expected to love your enemy. But you are not prohibited from defending yourself. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ahimsa in Buddhism is not the same as it is in Jainism. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the points in short based on which I said you can &lt;strong&gt;physically defend&lt;/strong&gt; and you are not stopped by Buddhism from doing so. I don't want to say that you should (or even you can) kill. But you may defend. Dr. Ambedkar's discussion on Ahimsa is very enlightening in this regard. You can find it here -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/sectionmap.html&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Dhamma, Book 4, Part II, Section 3&lt;/a&gt;. It is a good read and the best part is it covers the whole debate in two pages. I also found &lt;a href=&quot;http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=336612&amp;amp;rel_no=1&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; interesting discussing the same point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T12:08:13.583" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2078" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2347" CreationDate="2014-07-13T12:29:55.283" Score="7" ViewCount="1118" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/629.Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/a&gt; by Robert M. Pirsig a few years ago and really enjoyed it. However I'm not convinced it's got anything to do with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen&lt;/a&gt;. From what I remember the protagonist spends a lot of time fixing his motorbike and contemplating the notion of quality. But does the text link into Buddhism generally and Zen specifically? If not, why has it got Zen in the title?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T07:29:43.703" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T21:36:28.550" Title="Has Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance got anything to do with Zen?" Tags="|zen|literature|beatnik|books|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2055" CreationDate="2014-07-13T12:39:30.110" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratyekabuddhas&lt;/a&gt; or a private Buddha. This is a being who achieves enlightenment on their own and then does not go on to spread the Dharma as Gautama Buddha did during his 50 year ministry in Northern India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in the sense of spreading the Dharma, this being would be seen as less great than the Buddha's proper. Certainly in texts such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, the Pratyekabuddhas is spoken about in lesser terms than the vast array of Buddhas and Bodhsattvas that populate that  text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T12:39:30.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2066" CreationDate="2014-07-13T13:21:25.137" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I can give an answer with reference to 5 Buddha mandala as I think it draws together the iconography into a satisfying whole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it's name suggests the 5 Buddha mandala 5 Buddhas at each compass point with one at the center. Each Buddha displays their own mudra. Each mudra points to a quality of that Buddha and thus to a quality of the enlightenment experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xYxbY.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Aksobhya The blue Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudra is the bhūmisparśa or earth touching mudra. The hand touches the earth. This points to the imperturbable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Wew7k.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Ratnasambhava - the yellow Buhha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudra is the dana or giving mudra. The hand points downward and out (shown by NeilD). This points to generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Amitabha - the red budda&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudra is the meditation or dhyana mudra. Hands together (show by NeilD). This obviously points to contemplation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Amoghasiddhi - the green buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudra is the fearlessness or abhaya mudra. Hand is up and poitn forward (shown by NeilD). This is self explanatory I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Vairocana - the white buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudra is the wheel-turning or Dharmacakrapravartana mudra (again shown by NeilD). This which fits his central place in the mandala, bringing all the other qualities together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T18:48:31.157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T18:48:31.157" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2081" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2082" CreationDate="2014-07-13T14:44:17.670" Score="9" ViewCount="2683" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have asked this considering the importance of Pali in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to learn Pali.&#xA; I want to learn it individually on my own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any relatively simple way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone suggest me anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any free learning sites will be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T04:32:38.380" LastActivityDate="2020-07-08T18:54:39.330" Title="A good source to learn the Pali language?" Tags="|learning|pali-language|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2081" CreationDate="2014-07-13T15:47:32.010" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;(Bear in mind, I don't have mastery over the language but I've been swimming in it continuously for the last two years. The following advice is based on this experience.)&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a whole list of books about learning &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi&lt;/em&gt;. Some of them you can find &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pali.pratyeka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. I suggest applying the grammar that you learn from them, in Yuttadhammo's &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digital Pali Reader (DPR)&lt;/a&gt; which will help you learn the vocabulary. DPR has an easy-to-use interface, dictionaries &amp;amp; various helpful tools including one of the grammar books mentioned in the first link.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the resources I use and I complement them with the available translations on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;ATI&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SC&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; in secondary literature. I also confer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/webtc5/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; Sanskrit dictionary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this information will be useful. Good luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T15:53:58.433" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T15:53:58.433" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2081" CreationDate="2014-07-13T16:20:01.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The techniques for learning Pali are much the same for learning any language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something unusual about Pali as a language of Buddhism is that the language is a little different from country to country, especially with respect to pronunciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Flash cards, although sometimes boring, are the most effective way to learn enough words in a language to become proficient in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/7151/pali-flashcards&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/7151/pali-flashcards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because people don't like flash cards, there are a million and one other techniques for learning a language, this is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;website with lots of people with good advice&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T16:34:17.143" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T16:34:17.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2084" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-13T16:36:02.470" Score="7" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;There have been studies showing that meditation can help dealing with depression, stress and anxiety. But are there meditation techniques that help with ADD and ADHD problems? And if there are, which ones?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since three of the unwholesome mental factors seem to coincide with ADD/ADHD symtoms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Muṣitasmṛtitā - forgetfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asaṃprajanya - non-alertness, inattentiveness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vikṣepa - distraction, desultoriness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:47:20.540" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:47:20.540" Title="Could meditation help with reducing memory and concentration problems? As with ADD or ADHD?" Tags="|science|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1758" CreationDate="2014-07-13T16:43:25.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An interesting twist is that at least one school of Buddhism does not have monastics but does give Dharma names to lay followers at a ceremony called &lt;em&gt;Affirmation&lt;/em&gt;. For example, from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://bffct.org/bff/resources/shin-buddhism-in-a-nutshell/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://bffct.org/bff/resources/shin-buddhism-in-a-nutshell/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Shin religion, there are no monastics, monks or nuns, but there are teachers both ordained clergy and certified lay instructors. They are not seen as above everyone else or holding the secret keys to spiritual liberation, but are ordinary people, both men and women, who are just more learned or experienced spiritual seekers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the particular American group referenced above, lay followers are invited to participate in an &lt;em&gt;Affirmation ceremony&lt;/em&gt; upon completion of a number of requirements including general Buddhist studies and participation in a retreat. The lay follower selects their own Dharma name from a Zen tradition list such as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ciolek.com/wwwvlpages/zenpages/ZenNames.html#H&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ciolek.com/wwwvlpages/zenpages/ZenNames.html#H&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The names range from lovely to self deprecating, which might be desirable for someone who wanted to keep the idea of humility close to heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw some scattered informal references to laity in Zen traditions receiving Dharma names (not sure of the extent of this practice) and even a mention of the deceased receiving a Dharma name in Japan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Japan, other than the standard usage of dharma names for monastics and laity, it is also tradition for the deceased to receive a dharma name (戒名, kaimyō; lit. &quot;precept name&quot;) written in Kanji from the priest. This name supposedly prevents the return of the deceased if his name is called. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name#cite_note-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name#cite_note-3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T16:49:01.197" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T16:49:01.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2086" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2089" CreationDate="2014-07-13T17:37:10.680" Score="3" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha's knowledge or Wisdom which cannot be achieved by his disciples comprises six kinds. They  are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/brahmaviharas/bvd073.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saya Asadharana Nana&lt;/a&gt;. Did the Buddha attain them at the same moment he attained Nibbana? If so, are they part of Nibbana and are they considered as Asankara as well? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-13T17:50:21.197" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T23:05:25.457" Title="Are &quot;Saya Asadharana Nana&quot; part of Nibbana?" Tags="|nirvana|buddhas|nana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1945" CreationDate="2014-07-13T18:04:25.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mR68J.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;13 Buddhas&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pinterest.com/pin/200832464606459705/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brian Gentz&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The list of 13 Buddhas used in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/jusanbutsu.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shingon funeral rites&lt;/a&gt; is based on the chief Buddhist deities found on two important mandalas used by Shingon practitioners in ritual practices: the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womb_Realm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taizokai (Womb World) mandala&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Realm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;KongoKai (Diamond World) mandala.&lt;/a&gt;  It is understood the deities assist the living and the deceased by guiding them into the realm of enlightenment.  Depending on the anniversary date of the deceased, a memorial service associated with the deity is held for the deceased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each deity on the list plays an important part at different levels of the two mandalas in assisting the initiate reach enlightenment.   These mandalas are aggregates of additional mandalas from the early Vajrayana tradition.  The mandala principals for the illustrations and placement of the deities roles are found in early Vajrayana texts: the Womb World Mandala is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavairocana_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahavairocana Tantra&lt;/a&gt;, and the Diamond World Mandala is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrasekhara_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajrasekhara Tantra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;List of 13 Buddhas and the dates for the corresponding memorial services:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/fudo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fudo (Acala) - The Immovable Radiant King, 7th day&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/shaka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shaka (Sakyamuni) - Sage of the Shakya Tribe, 14th day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/monju.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monju (Manjushri) - Bodhisattva of Beautiful Splendor, 21st day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/fugen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fugen (Samantabhadra) - Bodhisattva of Universal Beauty, 28th day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/jizo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jizo (Ksitigarbha), - Bodhisattva Storehouse of the Earth 35th day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/miroku.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miroku (Maitreya), - The Benevolent Bodhisattva 42nd day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/yakushi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru), - Buddha of the Master of Medicine 49th day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/kannon.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kannon (Avalokitesvara), - Bodhisattva of Compassion 100th day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/seishi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta), - Bodhisattva Who Proceeds With Vigor 1st anniversary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/amida.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amida (Amitabha), - Buddha of Infinite Life and Life 2nd anniversary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/ashuku.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ashuku (Akshobhya), - The Immovable Buddha 6th anniversary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/dainichi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dainichi (Vairocana), - The Great Buddha of Universal Illumination 12th anniversary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/kokuzo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kokuzo (Akasagarbha), The Storehouse of Space Bodhisattva 32nd anniversary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Garbhadhatu Mandala (Womb World Mandala)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cdbBd.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Garbhadhatu Mandala&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womb_Realm#mediaviewer/File:Taizokai.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Peehyoro Acala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajradhātu Mandala (Diamond World Mandala)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WmzCu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Realm#mediaviewer/File:Kongokai.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Peehyoro Acala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T18:04:25.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2084" CreationDate="2014-07-13T18:27:41.407" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the problems you're going to find with answering this is that most published studies focus on short duration meditation -- 4 to 8 weeks and the like. I personally have an ADHD diagnosis (although I'm not convinced it's a real pathology), and an issue I've faced is that my ADHD (if that's what it is) is an obstacle to actually getting a practice underway for any length of time; i.e. for &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt; than 4 to 8 weeks at a time. Therefore, if benefit is to be had, but it arises only in the longer term, then few if any of the studies would see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, there was some work done at UCLA, and a lead in that direction could be &lt;a href=&quot;http://lidiazylowska.com/about/dr-zylowska/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lydia Zylowska&lt;/a&gt;. A few pubs are mentioned at the bottom of &lt;a href=&quot;http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=48&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T19:34:29.657" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T19:34:29.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2086" CreationDate="2014-07-13T23:05:25.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the Buddha attained each of these knowledges at the moment of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, the knowledges are mundane, and thus &lt;em&gt;sankhata&lt;/em&gt; (formed). They are a by-product of the Buddha's specific enlightenment, not qualities of nibbana itself, which has only three qualities, viz. voidness, signlessness, and desirelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-13T23:05:25.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2090" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T02:25:33.540" Score="5" ViewCount="1555" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one aspired to being a samma sambuddha, how would the Theravadan tradition advise them to proceed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am familiar with some of the canonical references, (e.g., about getting a prediction from a Buddha) but what steps should one take that would advance that goal in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2021-11-02T00:11:15.637" Title="How to become a samma sambuddha (Theravada)" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-07-14T04:08:01.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In ancient China, areas were just plain dangerous to be on account of banditry and so on. This fact even showed up in the Brahma Net Sutra and the Upasaka Precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;37th minor precept: When practicing the austerities, the Buddhist&#xA;  disciple should avoid dangerous areas, unstable kingdoms, countries&#xA;  ruled by evil kings, precipitous terrains, remote wildernesses,&#xA;  regions inhabited by bandits, thieves, or lions, tigers, wolves,&#xA;  poisonous snakes, or areas subject to hurricanes, floods and fires.&#xA;  The disciple should avoid all such dangerous areas when practicing the&#xA;  austerities and also when observing the summer retreat. Otherwise, he&#xA;  commits a secondary offense.&#xA;  ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.purifymind.com/BrahmaNetSutra.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.purifymind.com/BrahmaNetSutra.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the first part of the rule was to avoid getting into situation that called for defense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shoot, I have to unwrite what I just wrote-- as it turns out, the origins of the Shaolin (Chan) monks and Kung Fu are sort of lost to time.  We don't really know if Buddhist martial arts came about because a monastery was a big institution and estate that eventually sprouted warrior monks, like ones in Japan did, or if monks needed to defend themselves in a way that was consistent with their values, i.e. unarmed combat and doing as little damage as possible to your enemy. Or maybe the martial arts were a side effect of austere exercises, like standing in horse stance for hours, which created very strong legs and made it literally hard to push monks around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, if one is looking for inspiration for how to defend oneself while remaining consistent with your value system-- then I think Judo and Aikido seem to be the best example of applying the Buddhist ideal of ahimsa to self defense (although I'm not sure that they are explicitly related to Buddhism anymore)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh this question has a part 2-- How do lay Buddhist soldiers justify their actions? Well it's easier than the monastic soldiers (they did exist!)-- the monastics took vows, the lay Buddhist soldiers did not**. Lay Buddhist soldiers were more likely practice a devotional Buddhism, where you seek this and after worldly support from celestial Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In that system, if you are good enough, you are reborn in a Pureland where you don't have to made difficult decisions about if you should let a bandit walk all over you, if you should let the local Shogun draft you into an unfair and unjust battle, or other quandaries. Once one is in a Pure Land, you can practice more conventional morality and reach enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, even in modern times in things like an informal book club, you quickly learn that often times people are not participating in Buddhism because they want to follow the precepts-- they are there for other reasons, family tradition, for the benefits of meditation, and so on. So there isn't a strong cause to call hypocrisy if they on lay Buddhists who happen to work as Samurai. (Warrior monks is a different story altogether)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** Even when lay followers take the 5 precepts, they aren't expected to follow them with the rigor that monastics are expected to as the rules on sex make clear-- no sex at all for monks, no impropriety for lay followers. So I imagine a solider shouldn't kill in a socially unacceptable manner, while a monk is trying not to kill anything, or at least not be involved in socially unacceptable killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T04:08:01.353" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2081" CreationDate="2014-07-14T07:43:48.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be better to enroll yourself and learn Pali from any university or institute but if you feel that you can manage to do it on your own then you'll have to depend on reading and understanding books etc.. Apart from that you'll need to be in contact with a Pali teacher who may guide you step by step, which will be fruitful.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="480" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T09:48:02.273" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T09:48:02.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2269" CreationDate="2014-07-14T07:51:51.590" Score="13" ViewCount="2886" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me it is rather hard to breathe naturally while doing Samatha meditation. It makes it harder to concentrate because I'm always controlling my breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you have any suggestion how to overcome this problem? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a normal problem for a beginner in Samatha meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:46:48.127" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:46:48.127" Title="Why is it hard to breathe naturally when meditating?" Tags="|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2093" CreationDate="2014-07-14T11:51:25.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try focusing on the breath that might help I think but it's normal to want to control breathing at first but if you try focusing on the breath then it becomes a concept. It's always difficult in the beginning but it gets easier. The mind is always jumping around so we have to give it something to focus on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T17:58:56.577" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T17:58:56.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2012" CreationDate="2014-07-14T11:53:33.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where does the ideology of afterlife in Buddhism and Hinduism come from...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism it comes from Vedas and Upanishadas and belief in that. Buddhism is way of life. It is not much about 'what after life?' It shows us better way to live. Nothing in Buddhism comes from blind faith on scriptures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...why are they different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are different because both the religions are basically different. Buddhism is not just different from Hinduism but is essentially against Caste based discrimination which is core of Hinduism. Rebirth and after life are the central concepts in Hinduism. It is Brahminical religion which believes not on deeds but on birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I have tried to answer the question. Would like to know if I am wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T11:53:33.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2014-07-14T12:10:32.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To look at it simply....Fear based religion usually serves someone behind it that gains from your fear.  Buddhism only serves you because you are the only one that can be your salvation.  You are responsible for your own suffering.  You are the only one with the power to end your own suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T12:10:32.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T12:24:07.850" Score="8" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a copy of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/080483248X&quot;&gt;The Iron Flute&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; that I use to study individual kōans, and read the analysis provided.  I feel like this provides me with some good insight, but it also feels... backwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are kōans used in modern Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they intended as teaching aids, where the explanation illustrates one or more principals, or are they intended as puzzles that only sufficiently advanced students should be able to figure out?  Or can either strategy (or altogether different strategies) be employed to gainful effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="203" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T15:21:29.690" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T15:21:29.690" Title="What is the role of kōans in contemporary Buddhism?" Tags="|zen|koans|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2098" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T13:47:44.690" Score="11" ViewCount="1966" Body="&lt;p&gt;My son will be four soon.  I would like to introduce him to Buddhist philosophy, and some meditation practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, stillness is, at this point, completely foreign to his personality :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My wife is Christian, and has taken him to church a few times, but not regularly, or recently.  She and I are okay with sharing our differing beliefs with our son.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not active (or aware of, really) any local Buddhist groups, and, unfortunately don't even meditate regularly anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I think meditation, and an understanding of the philosophies, would be very helpful to my son, and I'd like to get him involved as soon as is practical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I best introduce him, both to meditation and Buddhist philosophy?  At what age is he likely be ready for either?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="203" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:57:11.897" LastActivityDate="2019-02-26T01:39:22.093" Title="How and when should a child be introduced to Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|teaching|meditation-recommendation|parents|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-07-14T14:14:05.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All most all above answers are helpful in getting rid of confusions regarding rebirth. Still I will say something in this regard as I think it will be an answer in quite &lt;strong&gt;simple&lt;/strong&gt; words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am pasting my answer to other question regarding rebirth. That question also has another link. This link will take you to the original text based on which I have tried to answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully that answer is suitable and in very 'easy words'. -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1846/208&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1846/208&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with a suggestion I have copy pasted the whole ans. - &#xA;I think rebirth is part of Buddhist doctrine. But the real question is rebirth of what? and rebirth of whom?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha, there are four elements of Existence which go to compose the body. They are (1) Prithvi; (2) Apa; (3) Tej; and (4) Vayu. Question is, when the human body dies, what happens to these four elements? Do they also die along with dead body? According to The Buddha they join the mass of similar elements floating in (Akash) space. When the four elements from this floating mass join together, a new birth takes place. This is what the Buddha meant by rebirth, as I have understood it. It must be noted that the body dies. But the elements are ever-living. This is the kind of rebirth in which the Buddha believed. Great light is thrown upon the subject by Sariputta in his dialogue with Maha-Kotthita. The Buddha was not an absolute annihilationist. He was an annihilationist so far as soul was concerned. He was not an annihilationist so far as matter was concerned. (I think Andrei Volkov is also saying the same point when he is talking about &quot;complete annihilation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another concern here. It is about rebirth of Whom? Does the same dead person take a new birth? Did the Buddha believe in this thesis? The answer is, &quot;Most improbable.&quot; The answer depends upon the elements of existence of the dead man meeting together and forming a new body; then the possibility of the rebirth of the same sentient being is possible. If a new body is formed after a mixture or the different elements of the different men who are dead, then there is rebirth but not the rebirth of the same sentient being. This point has been well explained by sister Khema to King Pasenadi. Where she ends up saying 'The Tathagata exists after death...exists not after death', does not apply.&quot; (Again we can match Jayantha's write up regarding Kalama Sutta.) I have drawn lot from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/04_02.html#01_02&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Dhamma Book 4, Part 2, section 1, sub section 2. &lt;/a&gt; Hoping for further discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T14:24:24.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2100" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T14:52:08.263" Score="6" ViewCount="3392" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing Buddhism since a child, about twenty years.  Throughout my adult life I have been trying to combine my practical life with my Buddhist beliefs.  In some situations, however, I am not seeing how Buddhist principles apply to decision making.  For example, how do I apply Buddhist ideals in deciding which college to go to, what profession to do, and what job opportunity to pursue?  These are the mundane but unavoidable decisions for the layman.  Of course, I'd not pursue a career in military or defense industry due to my beliefs, but there's not always a clear choice between other professions, jobs, etc based on Buddhist beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="483" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T08:44:21.307" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T08:44:21.307" Title="How to make a decision based on Buddhist principles?" Tags="|philosophy|ethics|right-livelihood|laity|dilemma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2090" CreationDate="2014-07-14T14:54:08.447" Score="7" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the Buddhist literature, there are 10 perfections (in pali, Paramis) for one to develop to become a samma sambuddha. Everyone who wishes to attain Buddha-hood has to practice these perfections to a specific length of time. Our Gautama Buddha, for instance, had to willingly fulfill the ten perfections in his many existences for an innumerable period of time before being born as &quot;Siddhartha Gautama&quot;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The ten perfections are as follows:&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of generosity giving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Renunciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Tolerance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Truthfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Strong Determination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Loving-kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Indifference towards all beings or Equanimity &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everyone seeking for Buddha-hood has to fulfill willingly all or most of these perfections, each in three different ways, in his every life for a very long period of time until he has already fully possessed all these ten qualities finally leading to Buddha-hood in his rebirth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;However, the time taken to develop these Paramis can vary from Bodhisattvas to Bodhisattvas. There are three types of Bodhisattvas, namely, Intellectual Bodhisattvas Devotional Bodhisattvas and Energetic Bodhisattvas. Intellectual Bodhisattvas take the least amount of time and Energetic Bodhisattvas the most. Our Gautama Buddha was an Intellectual Bodhisattva.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="482" LastEditorUserId="482" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T07:22:34.083" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T07:22:34.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-07-14T14:57:13.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started practicing meditation and Buddhism since 7.  I am now just past 30.  I am not sure what the best ways for introducing Buddhism to a child is.  But my own experience has taught me that the parents' support is the most important.  My interest in Buddhism did go through lots of ups and downs.  I've always come back to it, but it think my parents' support has been very important, in addition to Buddhism's own attractiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="483" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T14:57:13.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2072" CreationDate="2014-07-14T16:20:56.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Since we have the law of karma then there should be no need for laws or prisons? The law of karma will issue out punishment automatically. So if you murder someone there will be equal consequences regardless. Is this correct?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I essentially agree with your conclusion. The ones inflicting any sort of suffering will be &quot;punished&quot; by karma. This includes all who think they are inflicting &quot;justice&quot;, another sort of suffering. No &quot;justice&quot; will take the place of one's karma. (This is how I understand the issue. Logic must fail eventually when speculating on these physical issues.) I also agree that, since we have, by Buddhist definitions, lived for countless lives, any attempt to enumerate or figure out anyone's karma will be unsuccessful. The cravings for all of these actions seems to be the driver so it is only through mindfulness, it seems, (and meditation) where one can change the basis for future events. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite easy to have compassion for a victim (whose karma has caused his suffering). It is quite difficult to have compassion for those who are harming the victim (due to karma's result) also and those who think they must inflict justice (also due to karma's result). IF the idea of karma is true, then All suffering is from the result of previous actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as another answer notes, logic is only good up to a point. Beyond that point, only meditation can show one the truth of life (or their truth, perhaps). Speculation (even when using logic) is a product of the physical side of life and will, by definition, always fall short of the ultimate truth. So, all &quot;answers&quot; only &quot;point&quot; to the ultimate answer, which you (all of us) must find within you. (My &quot;answer&quot; so far, anyway.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T16:20:56.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-07-14T16:38:49.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being a buddhist i would like to mention you one thing. &lt;strong&gt;Meditation is not only worth &#xA;for buddhists&lt;/strong&gt;   .It is for anyone who seek inner peace. so i would say your son is more &#xA;than capable of practicing meditation. Teach him anapanasati meditation and practice it &#xA;for ten to fifteen minuets daily. So this will pave the way to teach him buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="307" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T16:38:49.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2014-07-14T17:14:05.110" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;answer&quot; seems to be more like a glass of water being taken from a river and then being  poured back into the river. Can the exact same glass of water ever be drawn from that river? Possibly, but extremely improbable, but another glass of water may be drawn from the river, a river that has been influenced by the actions of the first glass of water. Analogies never take in all angles but I like this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T17:14:05.110" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2090" CreationDate="2014-07-14T17:27:01.767" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically you don't follow the teachings of one Sammasambuddha to become another Sammasambuddha. You have to do it all by yourself. Even if you do Samatha/Vipassana meditation, you won't be able to go pass the Jhanas. Usually people who don't understand the enormity of the task are discouraged to have such aspirations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all started for our Bodhisatva when he swam seven days in the ocean to rescue his mother, carrying her on his back. It is said that when the Mahabrahma saw this, he thought to himself that a being of such courage, energy and determination is worthy of aspiring for only one goal. That is to become a Sammasambuddha. So he planted the thought in the Bodhisattas mind through his mother. When they reached the shore, his mother's heart overflowed with happiness and gratitude and told the Boddhisatva &quot;May you become a Buddha one day my wonderful son!&quot;. That is when the thought first entered his mind. From that point onwards, he thought about becoming a Buddha over a period of &quot;Sath(seven) Asankya Kalpas&quot;. During that time he saw &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.net/Charts/Paramitha-_Ver_4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;125,000 Sammasambuddhas&lt;/a&gt;. After that he not only thought about it, but also spoke about his intentions of becoming a Sammasambuddha over a period of &quot;Nava(nine) Asankya Kalpas&quot;. During that period, he met &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.net/Charts/Paramitha-_Ver_4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;387,000 Sammasambuddhas&lt;/a&gt;. So in total, he spent 16 Asankya Kalpas just thinking and speaking about it. Only after such a long time, he met the Buddha Deepankara and got the confirmation to become a Buddha in the future. Then he had to perfect the &lt;a href=&quot;http://infoinform.blogspot.com/2009/10/ten-perfections-dasa-parami.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dasa Paramitha in three ways&lt;/a&gt; over a period of &quot;Sarasankya Kalpa Lakshaya&quot;. During that period he saw 27 Sammasambuddhas. So from the life he started thinking about it, he spent a total of (20*Anankya*Kalpa + 100,000*Kalpas) to attain Buddhahood. The next and the final Buddha who is going to appear before the end of the world is Buddha Maitreya. After him, there will be a period of vast number of Kalpas without any Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you are thinking of becoming a Buddha, you will have to wait a very very long time. It is said that Pacceca Buddhas are a result of those who aspire to become Buddhas but never get the confirmation from another Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all of the above doesn't discourage you and if you think you are a person capable of great deeds like swimming for seven days to rescue your mother, start by cultivating Dasa Paramita. :) There's a detailed explanation about Paramitha in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/MinGunSayadawGyi/MinGunSayadawGyi-TGC-V1P2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhawamsa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T17:47:55.923" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T17:47:55.923" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2107" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2117" CreationDate="2014-07-14T17:50:14.533" Score="3" ViewCount="2021" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the characteristics of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotàpanna person (Stream Enterer)&lt;/a&gt;. Can Sotàpanna person live at a home with a family (married life) without going to a monastery and stay without being a monk...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="132" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T02:27:17.680" Title="Characteristics of Sotàpanna person (Stream Enterer)" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2108" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T18:04:18.203" Score="2" ViewCount="485" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abortion is a much-debated topic, and religion frequently plays a role in any such discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does abortion fit into Buddhist faith?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it considered negative karma by definition, or perhaps negative karma, depending upon the situation (e.g. in a family that cannot afford to properly support and raise a new child, or in the case of an abortion to save the life of the mother)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there definitions of when human life begins tied with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="203" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T09:01:01.333" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T09:01:01.333" Title="How does Buddhism define abortion?" Tags="|karma|philosophy|five-precepts|ethics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2014-07-15T02:19:18.467" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2108" CreationDate="2014-07-14T18:14:53.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, life starts at the moment of conception. So abortion breaks the 1st precept and causes bad Karma no matter how you try to justify it. Even if the husband's intention is to save the wife(mother), it still causes bad Karma. To give you an analogy, let's say a bear captured your wife and is about to kill her. Say you have a gun with you. You can shoot the bear and save your wife, but it still breaks the 1st precept and causes bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T19:52:45.760" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T19:52:45.760" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2100" CreationDate="2014-07-14T18:41:42.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samma Ajiva - the third and the last member of the morality group of the Noble Eightfold Path is what you want to read about. The Right Livelihood means abstaining from any of the forbidden modes of living. Five kinds of livelihood are discouraged : trading in animals for slaughter, dealing in weapons, dealing in slaves, dealing in poison and dealing in intoxicants. So select a job which doesn't require you to do those.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which college to go to? If you are looking for additional criteria apart from academic facilities, select a college where Buddhism and Vipassana meditation is taught. Select a place where you have a high chance of meeting &quot;Kalyana Mittas&quot;. In other words, a place where you can make friends with people who learn and practice the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T18:41:42.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2111" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-14T19:09:01.353" Score="4" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been searching about this for a while, I have been looking for historical rulers who based their way of governing off Buddhist principles. But haven't been able to find a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:25:25.063" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:53:34.153" Title="What are some examples of Buddhist rulers?" Tags="|history|ethics|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2100" CreationDate="2014-07-14T19:54:48.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To me, this is not really how Buddhism works. I think of it this way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation practice can help you to have clarity (among other things). Tonglen can help you to find compassion. And other practices can help with find other things. All those things may be useful to you when making a decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But generally, aside from some very specific items, Buddhism doesn't care which choice you make. Buddhism doesn't know anything about what college is best. Your practice might help you to recognize that certain choices might have unskillful outcomes, but I don't suspect you'll have much luck looking to Buddhism for specific decisions about non-Buddhist related topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, Buddhism CAN help you to be present and mindful while you use other means to decide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="223" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T19:54:48.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2100" CreationDate="2014-07-14T20:04:20.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the context to buddhism, it would discourage worldly pursuits. Things like college, ambitions and future plans all lead to becoming, becoming leading to rebirth. You are generating more Karma by following these pursuits. I think the question would be more &quot;Why has 20 years of practicing meditation and buddhism not lead me to the path?&quot; :-). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="487" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T20:04:20.440" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-07-14T20:14:15.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can introduce by reading the Jathaka stories to him. I think there's a kid's version of it. You can also start teaching about the 5 precepts. At least the 1st, 2nd and the 4th. I would also recommend you to go through the videos under the 'children' section at &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Angels east; Angels west. North and South. Just/please do your best, to guard and watch her while she rests.... Amen&quot;. Replace that or similar prayers with taking refuge in the Triple Gem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Replace saying grace at the food table with offering Buddha puja or chanting the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;virtues of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T04:08:18.153" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T04:08:18.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2111" CreationDate="2014-07-14T21:05:36.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good example is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asoka&lt;/a&gt; who ruled most of the India subcontinent  between 269 BCE to 232 BCE. He converted to Buddhism after witnessing the slaughter at Kalinga, a slaughter that he was responsible for. A rock inscription made at the time details this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His Majesty feels remorse on account of the conquest of Kalinga&#xA;  because, during the subjugation of a previously unconquered country,&#xA;  slaughter, death, and taking away captive of the people necessarily&#xA;  occur, whereat His Majesty feels profound sorrow and regret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asoka went on to rule for forty years on Buddhist principle and was one of the main people responsible for the initial spread of Buddhism out of the Indian mainland. He sent monks to many places throughout Asia and beyond including Mongolia, Burma, Afghanistan, Persia even as far as Turkey and Italy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such is his enormous repute they even made a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C5%9Boka_(2001_film)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bollywood film&lt;/a&gt; about him. I have to confess that I've never seen it. I would be interested to know if it is worth the watch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional Note&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BBC radio have just done an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0511tm1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;excellent program on Asoka&lt;/a&gt; as part of the (also excellent) In Our Time series. Very much worth a listen if anyone is interested in this part of Buddhist history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T22:53:34.153" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:53:34.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-07-14T21:25:04.817" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a daughter who is nearly 4 now. I first took her to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://leedsbuddhistcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;local Buddhist Centre&lt;/a&gt; when she was about a year old on a family day that we organised. The Buddhist practice involved running around the shrine room and shrieking. Someone said at the time though that bring her at such a young age was auspicious and I'm enought of a romantic to lap this up. I took here again a few months ago and her Buddhist practice is much the same - running and shrieking. But we all enjoyed it and she's had a positive experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as meditation goes. Mmmmmmmm, She decided to have her first meditation a week ago. I think I timed 5 seconds. Better than I thought it would be. I have to say my local centre doesn't really teach meditation to people younger than 16 but I think that more of a guardianship issue rather than the impossiblity of younger children meditating. I've been in meditation sessions in festivals with 12 year old and they seem to get on fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really have much more advice - just my own experience. I have to say though I agree with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312813/Richard-Dawkins-Forcing-religion-children-child-abuse-claims-atheist-professor.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Dawkins&lt;/a&gt; (though i have to say not in such strident terms) in that children should be old enough to chose the religion they belong to - not just inducted into it. However I believe that Buddhist ethics, Buddhist stories and a little bit of an understanding that's its OK just to be a little be quiet now and then, would be good for any child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally being kind to yourself and kind to others is what I want my daughter to know and if that's in a Buddhist framework then fantastic. We are going to go on a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhafieldnorth.org.uk/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist family retreat&lt;/a&gt; in North Yorkshire (UK) so we'll see how it all goes there. Wish us luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T08:15:54.290" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T08:15:54.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2107" CreationDate="2014-07-14T21:41:37.697" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon definition of a stream entrant is one who have abandoned the first three fetters namely&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self View&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skeptical Doubt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(There are 10 fetters, all of which must be broken before enlightenment)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So quoting from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, in this Teaching that is so well proclaimed by me and is plain,&#xA;  open, explicit and free of patchwork, those monks who have abandoned&#xA;  three fetters, are all stream-enterers, no more liable to downfall,&#xA;  assured, and headed for full Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps more helpfully it's been described to me as the point at which a someone cannot fall back on the path. Forward is the only direction they will go. It is like reaching escape velocity. Until you get out of the gravity well of samsara there is always the possibly of falling back to Earth. The stream entrant no longer feels that gravitational pull so will not fall back (apologies to Newton for the analogy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More poetically reaching stream entry has been been described as the turning about in the deepest seat of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding family life and being a stream entrant - there is no obligation to join a monastery or be a bhikku or monk. There are apparently &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Lay_arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3000 lay stream entrants&lt;/a&gt; named in the Pali Canon. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangharakshita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sangharakshita&lt;/a&gt;, the founder of the Buddhist group that I belong to says that stream entry is a realistic aim for anyone seriously engaged in the spiritual life irrespective of lifestyle. Not to say that it wouldn't take a great deal of commitment of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T21:51:01.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T21:51:01.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2100" CreationDate="2014-07-14T22:05:16.200" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A book by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula, Ph.D entitled &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity At Home, At Work, and in the World&lt;/em&gt; devotes a chapter to &quot;The Buddha's View on Decision Making&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have seen no other cause than the presence of false views to block the origination of right thoughts in the mind and to corrupt the right thoughts already present in the mind. I have seen no other cause than the presence of correct view to inspire the right thoughts already present in the mind. ~ The Buddha, &lt;em&gt;The Numerical Discourses&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Dr. Rahula, outlines 10 kinds of fallacies in reasoning (from several suttas including the &lt;em&gt;Kalama, Bhaddiya, Canki&lt;/em&gt; and others) that if one were to believe to be true could create such false view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fallacy 1. Reported information is true &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 2. Traditional values, beliefs, and practices are actual truths&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 3. Social truths are actual truths&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 4. The texts are true&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 5. Logical reasoning is always correct&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 6. Reasoning based on imagination and speculation is correct&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 7. Hypothesized reasoning is correct&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 8. One should accept a view because it is compatible with one's own way of thinking.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 9. One's persuasive skill validates the message&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fallacy 10. Individual authority is a dependable criterion for making decisions&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the fallacies is explained in detail and the following chapter details &quot;Correct Reasoning, Right Decisions&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you understand that this action is right, harmless, blissful, beneficial, and admirable, take that action and follow it. ~ The Buddha, &lt;em&gt;The Numerical Discourses&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four forms of correct evaluation (from the &lt;em&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;) are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Evaluation 1. Wrong motivations lead to wrong decisions &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right Evaluation 2. Absence of wrong motivation leads to right decisions&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right Evaluation 3. Consequences of a decision make it right or wrong&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right Evaluation 4. Attention to the views of qualified people lead to right decisions.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the Buddha spoke of the correct way to make decisions on many occasions. Due to the way discourses are categorized, it's not easy for the average person to pick out the teachings of the Buddha on such practical matters in any sort of an easy way. This book has done that and combines an easy to read style with the expected references to the suttas from which the information is taken. It's available from Wisdom Publications if you are interested in reading it in full. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-14T23:30:18.250" LastActivityDate="2014-07-14T23:30:18.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2119" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T00:17:16.330" Score="7" ViewCount="11052" Body="&lt;p&gt;A friend of mine was practicing zazen for many years.   They started to get discourage with their practice and started to explore transcendental mediation.  Now, they claim their progress with TM is far better in a matter of weeks when compared to zazen.  I was wondering if there is an equivalent to TM in any of the Buddhist traditions?  If so, what are the basics and framework of the parallel type of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:48:54.687" LastActivityDate="2022-01-08T03:56:20.463" Title="Which Buddhist Meditation is comparable to Transcendental Meditation?" Tags="|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2120" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T01:26:22.120" Score="6" ViewCount="1399" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to Buddhism. I was familiarizing myself with the &quot;Four Seals&quot; in  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=3025&quot;&gt;This Article&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article connects the first truth, that all compounded things are impermanent, to charity. He said that giving our things to others is a good way to practice coming to terms with the fact that all things don't last. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if time is included as one of those &quot;things&quot; that we should disconnect ourselves from and give to others? Is time a &quot;compounded thing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="453" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-16T11:42:48.650" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T18:55:53.650" Title="Should Buddhists give their time to helping others?" Tags="|philosophy|belief|four-noble-truths|time|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-07-15T01:56:28.847" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The typical cut off for meditation class at a meditation center is about 4 (just checked google).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditional Buddhists said a child could become a monk if he was old enough to scare crows away, which worked out to be about 7. I don't advocate that, ordination so young has lots of problems. And you weren't considering anything like that. But it is a vivid example how young kids have been asked to rise to the occasion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's it for fact. Now on to my opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My son is 18 months. We do altar maintenance-- recite a repentance phrase, a vow, do a mudra, a mantra and feed the Bodhisattva statues.  I'm a secular Buddhist, so as a practice, this doesn't do much for me. I do mental gymnastics to reassign meaning to the action to keep from feeling silly.** But my toddler thinks it's great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I plan to try to take advantage of teachable moments, like when he's angry, to get him to be introspective and pay attention to the breathing and tension in his muscles when he's upset and misbehaving, rather than what I would have done previously-- rewards and punishments and explanations about why this or that isn't a good thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I plan to teach meditation through chanting first. I first learned to meditate by counting breaths, which is sort of a mantra (1,2,4...10,..repeat).  Mantra based meditation is simple and teaches concentration. This provides the foundation for other types of mediation, like metta, koan, or analytic meditation. (Or depending on your sect, mantra practice is the sole practice)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding meditation-- I decided to put my meditation cushion in the most visible place possible, right in the entry way. I wanted my religion to be obvious. My kid can't see the thoughts in my head, so the physical symbols of religion will have to help him gauge that there is a religion and it's important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding what texts, I plan to use those books that summarize world religions for kids, and pay special attention to the Buddhist chapter. The Jataka tales, for me, often seem more fairy tale than Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** From a secular standpoint, the daily review of what we did wrong (repentance) and making heroic goals (vows), is a potentially good practice. The statues are personifications of ideas I believe in, but by no means do I feel like I'm sacrificing as a quid pro quo with celestial super beings, or expressing my devotion or gratitude to super beings who are taking care of my liberation for me.  I worry that my toddler will go through a phase of thinking just that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T14:27:41.103" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T14:27:41.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2122" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2123" CreationDate="2014-07-15T02:41:30.543" Score="12" ViewCount="1875" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a limited understanding of Buddhism, but let me first explain my perspective. More traditionally, Buddhism is concerned with achieving enlightenment and ending the rebirth process. From a more modern perspective, Buddhism is primarily concerned with ending suffering. I realize that it is much more nuanced than this, but I am speaking in gross generalities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question really only applies to the working, modern interpretation of Buddhism. If the goal is to end suffering, why don't Buddhists simply kill themselves? I suppose this pertains to how they see themselves after death. If they believe in some shade of &quot;nothingness&quot; after death, I would think all Buddhists would commit suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I apologize for this question being so broad. I also understand that different sects of Buddhism will probably have different answers. I am mostly curious as to what modern, practicing Buddhists believe--particularly those that reconcile Buddhism with modern science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is really a segue for me to understand the existential beliefs of Buddhism. I can read about the teachings of Buddhism, but I do not understand the &quot;why&quot; behind it all. If I can understand why Buddhists do not commit suicide, I hope to gain a greater understanding into how they view the meaning of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="490" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T15:14:18.567" LastActivityDate="2021-05-11T10:34:20.163" Title="Secular Buddhism and Suicide" Tags="|suicide|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2014-07-15T03:15:06.673" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to think much the same thing. I thought that the main problem according to Buddhism is suffering. But the Buddhist resolution to suffering isn't extinction or happiness, but is more like an in between peace.  The bit about nirvana, is the historical Buddha attempting to explain his program of ending suffering, by using a word that sounded a lot like moksha. Re-using the language of his time (karma, reincarnation, brahma, etc) actually makes it more difficult for modern people to understand the core message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, the central solution in Buddhism isn't re-evaluating one's desire, but a realization about who one is, in particular, we aren't a permanent, easily identifiable thing or soul, we're a temporary collection of things, and we can reframe our sense of self as being everyone. So the problems of suffering that anyone has is our problem too. So in with a Mahayana sense of how anatman (selflessness) works, to &amp;quot;solve&amp;quot; the problem with suicide, we'd have to kill everyone.  This particular argument works regardless of whether we think we rebirth or reincarnate or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, with everyone dead, they aren't happy, unhappy or anything. Which brings us back to the goal, which is to chart the path between seeking pleasure (by working on your dad's farm, serving in the provincial Maghadan government) and asceticism (doing without) and living a life without suffering, but instead something close to &amp;quot;peace&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;equilibrium&amp;quot;.  The Dalai Lama had a good quote about this, he usually uses the word &amp;quot;happiness&amp;quot; to indicate the goal of Buddhism, but noted that the English isn't quite right, Buddhist happiness means neither clinging to pleasurable thing, nor pushing away from things that make us suffer, leaving us in between. (Ah, I found it, it's in the video: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/11/the-dalai-lamas-guide-to-happiness-and-farting/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/11/the-dalai-lamas-guide-to-happiness-and-farting/&lt;/a&gt; ) &amp;quot;Happiness is a neutral experience that can bring a deep satisfaction&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I won't go into why traditional Buddhists thought suicide wouldn't work, except they said people who commit suicide would go to Buddhist hell. For a Buddhist extinctionalist (one who believes we do not reincarnate), then suicide is an uninteresting solution. It brings no peace, it brings something entirely different, like asking for a cake and getting the color blue-- not even in the same category)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-07T14:03:45.507" LastActivityDate="2021-05-07T14:03:45.507" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2014-07-15T03:30:22.457" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;All misbeliefs are basically said to be variations of 2 types of misbeliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Uchcheda Vada - Nihilism&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sasvatha Vada - Eternalism&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has repeatedly rejected both of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Believing that it all ends after death falls under &quot;Uchcheda Vada&quot;. So if you believe in that, you can't be considered as a Buddhist. Any conclusion you come to or any action caused by having such a misbelief has nothing to do with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T03:35:35.087" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T03:35:35.087" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T13:19:43.223" Score="3" ViewCount="7579" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some major religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism have a &lt;em&gt;Creation Story&lt;/em&gt;, which describes how God created the universe. These stories describe how a deity created the earth and then the first man and woman, who are regarded as the father and mother of all mankind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism also have a similar &lt;em&gt;Creation Story&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="399" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T14:59:10.030" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T11:22:19.257" Title="A Creation Story in Buddhism?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2127" CreationDate="2014-07-15T13:40:07.207" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The creation or non-creation of the universe is among of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt; of the Buddha i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the world eternal?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...or not?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...or both?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...or neither?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is not to concern yourself with such matters. The Buddha teaches one thing and that thing is liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly there is a creation myth in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta#The_Beginning_of_Life_on_Earth&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. But it don't think it should be taken too seriously as I believe it is a satire on the caste system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T13:40:07.207" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2072" CreationDate="2014-07-15T14:02:53.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because other laws serve their &lt;em&gt;purpose&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;karma law&lt;/em&gt; is law of &lt;em&gt;nature&lt;/em&gt;. So, to acquire our goals we establish our laws. With established laws we don't try to &lt;em&gt;replace&lt;/em&gt; law of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So if you murder someone there will be equal consequences regardless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Degree of consequences is not established by the law of karma, only &lt;em&gt;wholesomeness&lt;/em&gt; of them. Check this fine sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.99&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain&#xA;  individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same&#xA;  sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the&#xA;  here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T03:46:33.870" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T03:46:33.870" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2131" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T14:39:41.190" Score="14" ViewCount="4240" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I found out there is a new branch of Buddhism called the &lt;em&gt;Navayana&lt;/em&gt;.  I read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana&quot;&gt;article on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; but it did not say too much.  What is &lt;em&gt;Navayana Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; and what type of practices does it follow like meditations, sutras, or tantras?  How does a &lt;em&gt;Navayana Buddhist&lt;/em&gt; relate to Buddhist of different schools?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:32:04.550" LastActivityDate="2020-05-30T08:47:23.330" Title="What is Navayana Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2127" CreationDate="2014-07-15T14:43:30.107" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply, Buddhism does not have such kind of Creation story since it rejects the concept of Creator God. Instead, in  the &lt;strong&gt;Aganna Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;, the Buddha tells the story of how the human beings came to dwell on Earth. The Buddha told that sooner or later, after a very long time, there would be a time when the world shrinks. As the universe shrinks, many of its inhabitants would die. Of these deceased creatures, some were born again (due to good karma) in the Heavenly realm of Abbhasara (Lucid Light). There, they floated for a very - very long time, as a bodiless, radiating extreme light. They don’t eat or drink, as they nourish themselves from pure spiritual joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is how the scholars drew a conclusion that the Buddha's Anganna Sutta corresponds very closely to the scientific view. &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Buddha seems to present a model of cosmology wherein the universe expands and contracts over extremely long periods of time, this description has been found by some to be consistent with the expanding universe model and Big Bang. The Buddha seems to be saying here that the universe expands outward, reaches a stabilising point, and then reverts its motion back toward a central point resulting in its destruction, this process again to be repeated infinitely. Throughout this expanding and contracting process, the objects found within the universe undergo periods of development and change over a long stretch of time, according to the environment in which they find themselves. Following this passage above, the Buddha goes on to say that the “beings” he described in this paragraph become attached to an earthlike planet, get reborn there, and remain there for the duration of the life. As a consequence of this, physical characteristics change and evolutionary changes takes place. This is often interpreted as a very rough theory of evolution. Furthermore, the Aggañña Sutta presents water as pre-existent to earthlike planets, with the planet forming with water and the life moving from the water onto the earth. Buddha does not talk about a specific earth, but about earthlike planets in general.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="482" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T14:43:30.107" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2133" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T15:59:28.380" Score="1" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are at least two possibilities, and no doubt many more besides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one turns around the Cartesian dictum, &quot;Cogito ergo sum&quot;, &quot;I think therefore I am&quot;.  René Descartes got off to a brilliant start and then promptly took a wrong turn, completely missing the point of his inadvertent discovery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He turned right, taking the very 'doubt' that he took as evidence of his 'existence', making it the keystone of his entire intellectual edifice.  Instead, he should have turned left and investigated it.  So as to realise it's causal factors, thereby realising it's true nature, &quot;... thus I am simply the result of that thought&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second possibility considers the two Grail Legend questions.  &quot;What does it mean?&quot; and, &quot;Whom does it serve?&quot;  The first investigates the object of attention.  The second investigates the subject himself, using the same principles, in the same way, to find the same answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could also think of a teaching given to Carlos Castaneda, Don Juan's &quot;second attention&quot;: though others might not agree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="277" LastEditorDisplayName="user635" LastEditDate="2014-08-21T00:35:47.490" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T11:34:41.253" Title="How can one relate Buddhism epistemology of Thought and Attention to its Western counterpart?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|controversy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-08-20T11:38:46.507" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2135" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T17:37:58.163" Score="17" ViewCount="2624" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing mindfulness of breathing for some time. But I am having doubt regarding my practice. When I focus on a single point on nostril and keep attention there, and note natural breathing. It breaks attention. It seems like there are two objects to concentrate. feel on nostril or breathing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What am I doing wrong? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He breathes in experiencing the whole body, he breathes out&#xA;  experiencing the whole body&quot;: that is, with well-placed mindfulness,&#xA;  he sees the beginning, the middle and the end of the two phases, the&#xA;  in-breath and the out-breath. As he practices watching the in-breath&#xA;  and the out breath with mindfulness, he calms down and tranquilizes&#xA;  the two functions of in breathing and out-breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html&quot;&gt;Meditation on Breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:56:38.550" LastActivityDate="2020-10-12T22:43:12.010" Title="Anapanasati: Mindful Breathing Concentration Point" Tags="|mindfulness|anapanasati|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2127" CreationDate="2014-07-15T17:42:45.330" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When looking for the creation of things, we are wanting the answer. If you are looking for the answer, you are seeking again something. When you are seeking something you are a materialist. Let's say we need not be looking for anything, lets say we do not need beliefs, beliefs imprison us. Body like the mountain, breath like the wind, mind like the sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user489" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T17:42:45.330" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2072" CreationDate="2014-07-15T17:58:20.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all we have to keep in mind that the karma is a activity which is based on reason and result theory (Pratītyasamutpāda). in karma reason is the cetanā( intention of the doing). Result of the doing which has done with cetanā(intention) depends on the nature of cetanā. if someone did something with good intention he will have good results and if someone did something with bad intention he will have bad results. But anyone except the Load Buddha cannot say the time taken to give the result. But all karma can be categorized into 4 types according to the time they will give the result,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ditta dhamma wedaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upapajja wedhaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aparapariya wedaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ahosi karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's consider them one by one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ditta dhamma wedaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ditta dhamma wedaniya karma means the results will definitely be given in the same &amp;quot;Bhawaya&amp;quot;(Bhawaya refers to the time period from birth to die in one life). This is the situation where if someone can apply the karma as a law. But without the capability of determine the time of result-back it is useless to apply as a law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upapajja wedhaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma that will give the result definitely in next life. in other words, immediate next Bhawaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aparapariya wedaniya karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma that will give the result in between the third Bhawaya and before Nirvana call as Aparapariya wedaniya karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ahosi Karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma That will cancel due to the inability of giving the result is called as Ahosi karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now anyone can decide the practical issue of using karma as a Law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="24967" LastEditDate="2023-08-27T05:53:42.250" LastActivityDate="2023-08-27T05:53:42.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2138" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3084" CreationDate="2014-07-15T18:14:49.497" Score="1" ViewCount="404" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that only the Buddha, a fully awakened one, knows everything. I'm not sure if there's a name for that wisdom. So the Buddha got that wisdom and used (all-knowing-wisdom) to see the eight noble paths and attained nirvana or is it the other way round?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T18:30:58.460" LastActivityDate="2019-08-06T16:32:28.637" Title="How does the Buddha attain nirvana?" Tags="|enlightenment|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-15T18:38:40.403" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can feel anyone of them, but you have to use one of them for whole your meditation.  I prefer breath. First you have to notice that you are inhaling when inhale and you have to notice that you are exhaling when you exhale.  When you do that you may feel lot of things: pain in legs, scratches, mosquito bite like feelings.  Just ignore them at once and make sure before you start meditation you are in a position that will be less trouble some for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make sure you keep your righthand on the lefthand and keep them on the lap after sitting down the proper way.  Don't get too comfortable with a cushion or too uncomfortable with hard floors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now concentrate on your breathing, focusing your thoughts only on the breaths.  Then you will feel the larger breaths will slowly give way to short lighter breaths. But continue to concentrate on your breathing. Don't loose your attention. Then you will feel so comfortable with your mind because your mind is entering a state of concentration. But don't pay attention to the comfort because it will also break your concentration.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="233" LastEditDate="2014-07-16T04:55:19.800" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T04:55:19.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2138" CreationDate="2014-07-15T18:45:18.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Drikung Kagyu Buddhist (Tibetan) has the answer I most think I understand. Each sentient being has &quot;Buddha Nature&quot;, like gold undiscovered underground. When the &quot;dross&quot; or accumulated defilements that cause samsara are removed, only the &quot;gold&quot; or enlightenment remains. This unpolluted nature (sometimes called the &quot;natural&quot; nature) is &quot;nirvana&quot;. Another analogy is like a glass of dirty water. When the dirt in a glass of water settles, the pure water allows a pure view. The teachings, such as the eight noble paths, etc., are &quot;skillful means&quot; of bringing beings to liberation (understanding the their buddha nature, etc.) in this realm. In other realms, other teachings might be used. (One sutra in Tibetan Buddhism, whose name I do not recall, notes that beings in another realm were being taught by a local bodhisattva through the sense of smell, rather than the sense of sight and hearing, as most teachings are in this realm. Hope that helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T18:45:18.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-15T19:27:09.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it breaks your attention you might be better off if you concentrate on whole body/natural breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citing from &quot;The Experience Of Samadhi&quot; by Richard Shankman:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&#xA;  If practiced with proper intention and guidance, many meditators discover that through mindfulness of the breath at one place, such as the nose, the awareness naturally opens up to include all the experiences of the body, as well as the mind and heart.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We have many examples of meditation masters attaining profound degrees of insight and liberation through a variety of practices and techniques, and instructions regarding attending to the breath vary from the nose, to the chest, to whole-body breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T19:59:10.643" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T19:59:10.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2142" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T20:39:50.780" Score="1" ViewCount="646" Body="&lt;p&gt;This post was submitted to reddit and I thought it might be interesting to re-post it here. I will now copy and paste the body of text the original poster submitted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It seems like so many people who use psychedelics are drawn to the Eastern way of thought. I could probably count on one hand the amount of people in the world who took LSD and became a supporter of Hobbes' argument for the sovereign or any other western way of thought (save, perhaps, existentialism). Conversely, almost any forum for psychedelic drug users will have lots of discussions of meditation, buddhism, taoism, and so forth, especially when discussing how the drugs have changed the individual using them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it about psychedelics and eastern thought that causes this? Why is this correlation exist?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;re: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/2aqzgw/why_do_users_of_psychedelic_drugs_tend_to/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/2aqzgw/why_do_users_of_psychedelic_drugs_tend_to/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:46:19.077" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:46:19.077" Title="Why do users of psychedelic drugs tend to gravitate toward Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies?" Tags="|philosophy|enlightenment|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2014-07-16T14:13:27.163" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2142" CreationDate="2014-07-15T21:02:41.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. From what I've read, I've heard many people say their ego had dissolved when taking psychedelics and found a great peace in this. This probably causes them to re-evaluate the nature of their existence and be open to Buddhism as it's a major part of the Buddhist teaching.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="487" LastEditorUserId="487" LastEditDate="2014-07-15T22:46:32.237" LastActivityDate="2014-07-15T22:46:32.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2144" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-15T22:44:59.350" Score="3" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;After a 'bad trip' a big hindrance of mine is doubt and the idea that all is just a dream that we have no control over. This brings up terrifying ideas, concepts and images for me. That this may all just be nonsense, even buddhism. I'm aware these are concepts and mental activities, but the panic that they bring on can really deter me and interfere with my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I fear that the Dhamma may just be a temporary fabrication of this reality that I'm in etc. The fact that I suffer and endure loneliness allows my mind to go astray. I'm not a member of any sangha and I dont get any support to continue to practice. I've suffered with misery most my life and this fact brings up many fatalistic fears. I'm wondering how I can try to start overcoming this and progress in the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="487" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T11:04:35.717" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T11:04:35.717" Title="How can I work with doubt and existential concerns?" Tags="|philosophy|belief|five-hindrances|doubt|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2142" CreationDate="2014-07-16T00:00:37.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also, interestingly, in Ram Dass's book, &quot;Be Here Now!&quot;, which I just recently read (though it came out in the late 70's, I think), prior to visiting India, and finding his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, he and Timothy Leary did a LOT of LSD, and drugs. His personal finding was that the drugs were awesome in giving him a different view of mind, etc., but he always had to &quot;come down&quot;. He turned to Hinduism, (and Buddhism, often) for a way to never have to &quot;come down&quot;. The rest is history, so to speak. Just my 2 cents. Take care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T00:00:37.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2133" CreationDate="2014-07-16T00:18:40.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I. &quot;I think therefore I am&quot;. In Buddhist and Hindu Meditation, thought is simply one more aspect of samsara. Thought is ultimately realized to be a hindrance. The goal is to &quot;go&quot; beyond thought and beyond no thought to one's &quot;natural self&quot; (Hinduism) or &quot;dharmakaya&quot; (Buddhism). One realizes the ultimate truth. (I.e., thinking is part of awareness. In meditation, moving past awareness into realizing one's natural self, or dharmakaya, is possible.) (There is something past or beyond &quot;thought and no thought&quot;. There are (seem to be) many alive today in that state of Liberation. )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, your statement, &quot; I am simply the result of that thought&quot;, does make sense. No thought, no &quot;I&quot;, but something is still there. Meditation helps you learn what that is/you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;II. Different strokes, etc. This question actually divides certain Tibetan Schools of Buddhism. Well, seems to. It's more like there seem to be many Buddhist Traditions, and &quot;schools&quot; within those traditions. If everyone thought the same way, only one tradition, indeed only one religion would be needed. My experience has shown me that I am the type that prefers to investigate the subject, &quot;me&quot;, as I seem to have more success in that type of meditation. (And don't get me started on Carlos Castenada. I was so disappointed that his books turned out to be fiction. Never read another word after that revelation. Was a fun read up to then, though.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T00:18:40.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2144" CreationDate="2014-07-16T00:36:25.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is the key to beginning to understand your mind. The thoughts, images, indeed all mental activities are not &quot;you&quot;. Meditation (in just about every system, religious and not) is about discovering the truth about your self. (The word &quot;self&quot; has many completely different meanings depending on the context of the word so don't get too hung up on the word.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suffer from depression. It is my experience that depressive episodes come and go. And I remain. Fear comes and goes. And I remind. So, meditation on who I am (and am not) is more helpful than meditation (or attention) on that which comes and goes. As you practice meditation, the mental noise will decrease. (Thankfully.) At worst, you give your mind some rest. Try it. It works. One day at a time. Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T00:36:25.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2148" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2149" CreationDate="2014-07-16T01:47:23.560" Score="14" ViewCount="3589" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I learn Vipassana meditation or other Buddhist meditation techniques like Shamatha on my own using books and online videos? &#xA;This is because it is sometimes hard to find good genuine teachers. &#xA;Or do I definitely need to seek a teacher? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:56:07.047" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:56:07.047" Title="Can one learn meditation on their own?" Tags="|vipassana|samatha|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-07-16T03:17:05.313" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding you can learn and start meditation (Samatha or Vipassana) using books and online videos. Of course there are some meditation practices which will be better to learn with a real teacher. Apart form that specially when you have any practical questions or troubles with the meditation or the practice, it is really helpful to get some advice from an experienced teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, when you learn by yourself make sure to refer some credible resource (books or online videos) as there are a lot of verities available nowadays. Hope this helps.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-07-16T07:51:59.720" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T07:51:59.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-07-16T05:40:40.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No matter what else, it will come from within. If you can learn it at all, a path already exists that may be found even by accident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each and every possible &lt;em&gt;teacher&lt;/em&gt; you might find would have to have an unbroken link back to the &lt;em&gt;Original Teacher&lt;/em&gt; if it wasn't possible. And the &lt;em&gt;Original Teacher&lt;/em&gt; had to learn from within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether innumerable missteps might be avoided easier with a teacher is a different question, but even missteps can teach valuable lessons if you choose to learn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="500" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T05:40:40.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-07-16T05:41:52.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've attended courses run by my local Rigpa group - perhaps there is one near you that you can try out? &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpa.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.rigpa.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have also benefited greatly from the Headspace app &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.headspace.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.headspace.com/&lt;/a&gt; -- I think Andy is a great teacher for the on-line medium!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps - good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="501" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T05:41:52.530" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2152" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-16T09:03:12.680" Score="7" ViewCount="4998" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some evidence that plants are 'sentient beings' and can communicate (e.g. see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-01-09/new-research-plant-intelligence-may-forever-change-how-you-think-about-plants&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_perception_(physiology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this wikipedia page&lt;/a&gt;). However Buddhists believe eating meat is wrong because of killing a living entity, what about plants? If this is true what can you eat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="502" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T23:31:23.747" LastActivityDate="2019-10-24T15:26:39.820" Title="Plants may be sentient beings like animals so how do you decide what to eat?" Tags="|ethics|science|killing|food|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2119" CreationDate="2014-07-16T10:16:13.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation techniques are, ultimately, all variations on one theme, liberation: see the films &quot;Spiritual Liberation&quot; and &quot;With One Voice&quot;, which are documentaries of the practice of meditation in most of the world's religions, including Christianity, Hinduism, Sufism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc. (available for free on GaiamTV &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gaiamtv.com/video/spiritual-liberation-fulfilling-your-souls-potential&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gaiamtv.com/video/one-voice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, and for rent on Amazon Instant Videos, or any video rental or sales service). Both movies concentrate on the similarities of the world's meditative practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;TM is very similar (I think) to Sri Ramana Maharshi's &quot;Who Am I?&quot; meditation, which is very similar to the Mahamudra meditation of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Yeshe, founder of the FPMT, also was a proponent of the subject, 'you', being the object of meditation. They all take the mind (or the &quot;I&quot; thought in the mind) as the object of meditation. Progress, meaning advancement to where one understands why one is practicing and can see the progress and its positive results, is quite quick, depending on the time and effort spent on the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practice the Mahamudra practice as taught by the Drikung Kagyu school, a &quot;soup to nuts&quot; approach. My favorite two books on the subject are &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861712994&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahamudra, The Moonlight, The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, and &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559390727&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gelukpa/Kagya Tradition of Mahamudra&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, by HH the Dalai Lama. The first is more of a handbook, while the second is more of a scholarly treatment. A great online guide is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamudracenter.org/MMCMemberMeditationGuide.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Meditation Guide For Mahamudra&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T00:03:33.117" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T00:03:33.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2155" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2159" CreationDate="2014-07-16T11:13:50.100" Score="10" ViewCount="10136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over the last few months I've started meditating late on a night (as well as my usual morning practice). I'm finding that I am sleeping less but not feeling tired because of it. Is there any information around about how mediation may or may not affect sleep patterns? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt;, the Indian housewife and meditation teacher was up at 4.00 am every morning to meditate for a few hours presumably finding that perfectly OK. That said &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Margaret Thatcher&lt;/a&gt; only slept for 4 hours a night and I would hesitate to call her a Buddhist meditation master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:53:02.367" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T15:06:45.243" Title="Can meditation cause you to sleep less?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|well-being|sleep|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2014-07-16T12:54:03.713" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhists (Tibetan, SE Asian) and Japanese Mahayana Buddhists are not vegetarian. So if you don't want to be a vegetarian, there are plenty of traditions that don't bother with this rule. And as for rules, there are plenty of traditions that de-emphasize rules altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that leaves East Asian Buddhism. The traditional arguments for vegetarianism are based on the traditional cosmology, which makes a distinction between plants and animals. Sentient beings can be born as animals but not plants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we don't believe in the traditional cosmology, the distinction between sentient and insentient remains. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to wikipedia, some sects see plants as sentient being-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; (Japanese and Tibetan, which aren't vegetarian). In Tien Tai, the founder suggested plants and even the insentient can attain enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not a radical non-dualist, but arguing that everything the same, (plants, animals, rocks) and that all states are the same (living, dead) is a typical radical non-dualist argument. The problem with nondualism applied to ethics is that it makes it easy to justify what ever you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the &quot;science&quot; sounds like bunk. My computer feels pain when it overheats and ice cubes feel pain when they crack-- but only as a metaphor. My computer and the ice in my freezer (and the grass under my feet) has never had an original thought or even a thought. They don't have nervous systems of a sort that I'm familiar with (by my own experience of having a nervous system.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For there to be a scientific grounding for the idea that plants (and maybe rocks) are sentient, you'd have to demonstrate that they have something similar to a nervous system and can react in the same way that a thinking, feeling creature can.  I admit a scientifically grounded interpretation of sentience still has edge cases-- for example, nematodes only have a few neurons, so they are borderline insentient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T02:31:20.753" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T02:31:20.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2157" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2165" CreationDate="2014-07-16T12:54:08.713" Score="23" ViewCount="51973" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since converting to Buddhism, I've been unsure how to express condolences when people pass away. Everything familiar that I might say comes from a Christian perspective such as &quot;being in a better place&quot; or &quot;with the Lord now&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply letting the family know that I'm thinking of them works. But I'm wondering what is typical or traditional in Buddhist countries (or among experienced Buddhists in the west) where teachings of impermanence and rebirth may change the mindset regarding death. What is the typical way to express condolences among Buddhists?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2019-08-12T03:08:15.543" Title="How do Buddhists express condolences?" Tags="|traditions|death|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2157" CreationDate="2014-07-16T14:53:41.867" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most buddhists knows the process of death and that understanding would be preceeded by their feelings of loss, so most do not mourn the way other cultures might.  Most buddhist would wear white clothing during this time to show mourning. Just let them know you're there for them if you should need you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/funeral1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article from BuddhaNet&lt;/a&gt; deals directly with this, discussing funeral arrangements, ceremonies and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T17:55:47.677" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T17:55:47.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2155" CreationDate="2014-07-16T15:07:04.837" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason the body do not need as much sleep when one do a lot of meditation is because while we meditate, we are getting some rest that the body needs. Meditation increases the production of melatonin in our bodies. Melatonin is a hormone known for creating restful sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/require-less-sleep-with-meditation-460/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article might help&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T18:00:22.143" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T18:00:22.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2014-07-16T16:03:39.557" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some URLs for some good info on Nagarjuna and his teachings. Some great sites below, too. Dr. Berzin (Fulbright Scholar, etc.) was a translator for HH the Dalai Lama for a while and the late Ven. Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche, a teacher of HH the Dalai Lama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I. &quot;Biography of Nagarjuna&quot;, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/teachers/lineage_masters/biography_nagarjuna.html]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/teachers/lineage_masters/biography_nagarjuna.html]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;II. &quot;Course on Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend&quot;, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/media/audio/en/podcast-hi/letter/]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/media/audio/en/podcast-hi/letter/]&lt;/a&gt; This was Nagarjuna's letter to a local King, which essentially lays out the graduated path to enlightenment. So, here is the foundation, the middle, and the end, so to speak, of Sutra-based teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T16:03:39.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2120" CreationDate="2014-07-16T16:11:18.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To evaluate this question correctly, it is essential to look at the difference of Theravada and Mahayana, since answers given by people from these differing traditions are bound to be slightly different also. It appears to me, the four seals are a mahayanic equivalent to the (not-only) theravadic three marks of existence. Also the Theravada/Mahayana-difference is also highly relevant to the question of time being compounded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially this difference consists the ideal that people strive after, which is the &lt;em&gt;Arahant&lt;/em&gt; in case of Theravada - someone who destroys all bondages and gains enlightenment for himself and the Bodhisattva in Mahayana - someone who strives to enlighten all beings before attaining Nirvana himself or herself. (I'm being very brief here.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The interpretation you refer to, charity as the answer to impermanence of things sounds to me to be typically mahayanic or vajrayanic (Vajrayana developed out of Mahayana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About time: this is one of the trickiest subjects of Buddhist thought. Thinking over the Buddha's denial of ultimate ontological status for compounded entities (like &quot;the person&quot;), Buddhist thinkers tried to find out, what in the end has this ultimate ontological status, things that are uncompounded - &lt;em&gt;asaṃskṛta/asaṃkhata&lt;/em&gt;. One of the perished schools of Buddhism - the &lt;em&gt;Sarvāstivāda&lt;/em&gt; was especially noted for the theory of uncompounded, sort of atomic entities called &lt;em&gt;dharmas&lt;/em&gt;, time being also made out of minimal time-quantums that all exist simultaneously in the present (past and future as well).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nāgārjuna&lt;/em&gt; is supposed to be the first, definitely the greatest early Mahayana-teacher and his teaching polemicizes precisely against this theory of uncompounded smallest entities, claiming, that they do not exist, that really everything, including &lt;em&gt;Nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/em&gt; and time &lt;strong&gt;is compounded&lt;/strong&gt;. His teaching can also be read (thereby being truly mahayanic) as a rejection of self-centered hunger for enlightenment and thirst for &lt;em&gt;Nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, at least according to Mahayana the answer to your questions are yes, time IS compounded, we SHOULD disconnect ourselves from it, from clinging to it and we SHOULD freely spend it on others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: replaced &lt;em&gt;Hinayana&lt;/em&gt; by &lt;em&gt;Theravada&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2015-03-07T18:55:53.650" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T18:55:53.650" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-16T16:22:13.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All of the previous answers have good points. However, it is hard to find much difference between the Advaita Hinduism and the Kagyu Mahamudra Buddhist meditation practices. I do feel like Buddhism's Compassion practice is more structured than the Hindu practices, but that's just my opinion. Whatever works. If you are concerned about what is happening outside your meditation practice, you are wasting time and energy, both yours and that of others. Please focus on your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T16:22:13.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2014-07-16T18:14:44.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The guys over at Partially Examined Life have done a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2010/10/10/episode-27-nagarjuna-on-buddhist-emptiness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;podcast&lt;/a&gt; on Nagarjuna. The format of the podcast is that they recommend a basic reading to accompany the show. The reading for this one was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/nagarjuna.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this by Dr Peter Della Santina&lt;/a&gt; so this might be a good way into Nagarjuna and his work on emptiness. Bear in mind though that the guys over at PEL read Kant for fun so basic for them might not be all that basic. I think though someone with a working knowledge of Buddhism should be OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note - the podcast is very worthwhile if only to listen to their struggle as these clever guys twist around the mind bending stuff from Nagarjuna. Sadly the show has recently gone behind a paywall but if you read the PDF it might be worth while to spend a small amount of money getting the audio. You can preview for nothing to see if it suits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T18:14:44.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-07-16T18:15:48.853" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree that Buddhism is Hinduism stripped for export.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha didn't really invent a religion out of thin air. His philosophy was an extension of and a reaction to Hindu philosophy. He retained a large amount of meta-physics from Hinduism - Dharma, Karma, Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For both &quot;Liberation&quot; is the ultimate goal and the cause of human condition is delusion. The difference is just in the path to the ultimate goal. It is here that the meta-physics starts to differ. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism's social structure which was intertwined with its philosophy made it difficult(but not impossible) to export. Before Buddhism, Hinduism did reached South East Asia and recently a 4000 year old Vishnu statue was discovered in Vietnam. Buddhism just made it very easy for export by removing certain aspects of the Hindu social structure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism and Hinduism have evolved influencing each other and thus contain elements of each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many practices which Buddha taught was what he learnt from his Hindu masters. Belgian Indologist Dr.Koenraad Elst says this in his essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://koenraadelst.blogspot.com/2013/08/when-did-buddha-break-away-from-hinduism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;When did the Buddha break away from Hinduism?&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He was a late follower of a movement very much in evidence in the&#xA;  Upanishads, viz. of spurning rituals (Karmakanda) in favour of&#xA;  knowledge (Jnanakanda). After he had done the Hindu thing by going to&#xA;  the forest, he tried several methods, including the techniques he&#xA;  learned from two masters and which did not fully satisfy him,-- but&#xA;  nonetheless enough to include them in his own and the Buddhist&#xA;  curriculum. Among other techniques, he practised Anapanasati,&#xA;  “attention to the breathing process”, the archetypal yoga practice&#xA;  popular in practically all yoga schools till today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly Adi Sankara whose is known for Advaita philosophy was influenced by Buddhist teachings, especially of Nargarjuna in such a way that his contemporary critics called his Advaita as Buddhism in disguise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tantra which is an important part of Tibetan Buddhism was originally considered a Hindu tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be unfair to totally isolate Hinduism and Buddhism as being totally unrelated and disconnected. &#xA;Many Hindus consider Buddhism as being an Hindu sect only and revere Buddha as being an Avatar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="135" LastEditDate="2014-07-16T18:21:31.720" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T18:21:31.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2157" CreationDate="2014-07-16T18:31:21.983" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here in Sri Lanka, we typically say &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_43.html&quot;&gt;Anicca Vata Sankhara&lt;/a&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot;&gt;Vaya-dhamma Sankhara&lt;/a&gt;&quot; in the bereavement notices. When you meet the family members, you put your hands together and greet without smiling. You are not expected to say anything unless you are giving an eulogy. When you talk to people, you are expected to talk quietly and not to gossip. You can either inquire about funeral arrangements or engage in a Dhamma discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose in the West, it's customary to say something. So you can probably say &quot;May he/she attain Nibbana soon!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-16T20:56:53.677" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T20:56:53.677" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1490" CreationDate="2014-07-16T18:53:01.610" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found an interesting introductory article, &quot;On Torma Offering&quot;, at &lt;a href=&quot;http://shambhalatimes.org/2009/03/15/on-torma-offering/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://shambhalatimes.org/2009/03/15/on-torma-offering/&lt;/a&gt;. These tormas are &quot;given&quot; generally in rituals by monastics who own nothing and usually have just about that much to give so the more important aspect of the ritual is the intent or motivation, the mental attitude. Indeed, appearances are absolutely deceiving so an open mind in all aspects is very helpful. For example, in the six realms, (god, demi-god, human, animal, hungry ghost, &amp;amp; hell realms), every physical thing thing is said to be exactly the same with just relative views and reactions by the beings in those realms as they &quot;see&quot; from their own point of view. (One example given often in sutras is the river that is seen as nectar of immortality by the gods, water by the humans, and pus and the like by the beings in the hungry ghost realms.) I often think all six variations are demonstrated, relatively, right here in our world, all the time.   So, very little given with little to no attachment and great compassion for the receiver(s) (like the widow with 2 pennies and a monk or nun without attachment) can be quite an amazing gift. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-16T18:53:01.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2167" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2169" CreationDate="2014-07-16T20:09:06.670" Score="11" ViewCount="3327" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've searched through the web and also Wikipedia regarding Kasina meditation and could not find detailed information. Can the meditation object be anything? (Say anything green or blue for those Kasina meditations?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one concentrate on the object? Any thought or mental note (like green green? Earth?) Is the breath watched like in Anapanasati? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T17:26:18.727" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T14:23:22.900" Title="Details for Kasina Meditation" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-07-17T00:14:40.537" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/hLvU7ppM4vE?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Meditation: How To Meditate&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;For me, I find these videos very helpful.  There are many other videos that Bhante have on his site that talks about meditations.  You can also down load book from this site as well. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user473" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T17:58:31.040" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T17:58:31.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2167" CreationDate="2014-07-17T02:21:48.907" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here in this answer I am going to give some resources I found in the web and not going to copy and past anything here as the process is quite lengthy and detailed. You could learn about Kasina meditation from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga (Path of purificaiton)&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. If your refer page 117 and onwards describe the details about &quot;Earth kasióa&quot;. If you need a shorter version please refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://hudsoncress.net/hudsoncress.org/html/library/buddhism/The%20Pali%20Line/course/files/bit-61_earth_kasina.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further you could refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://hudsoncress.net/hudsoncress.org/html/library/buddhism/The%20Pali%20Line/course/files/earth_kasina.htm&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; page which describe how the create &quot;Earth Kasina&quot;(object) and describe how to do the meditation in details. Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T06:47:40.543" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T06:47:40.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2170" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2173" CreationDate="2014-07-17T10:38:22.723" Score="14" ViewCount="6035" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy says that we shouldn't get attached and try to form bonds with something and desire or crave it because everything is essentially impermanent and this will lead to suffering. But how can you raise a child without being attached? Wouldn't that make you lousy parent? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course the older a child gets, the more you'll have to let go. Every child needs to find his/her own way in life, but that doesn't take away the fact that, especially in the early years, there is a big attachment to your children. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps I am misunderstanding the concept of attachment? Or is there another explanation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T15:44:19.443" LastActivityDate="2019-07-22T12:42:36.493" Title="How to combine Buddhism with being a parent?" Tags="|philosophy|attachment|relationship|parents|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-07-17T12:14:09.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While you have attachment, you also have love for your children. Attachment is the cause for wanting to do things that you think will make you happy. (And ultimately will not.) Love is the cause for wanting to do things that make others happy.  Buddhism (and most, if not all, religions) makes the case that there is no greater compassion then that of parents, especially mothers, who work so hard and endure so much pain (and poop!) for the sake of their children. Love will make mistakes but we don't know the result of all of our actions so, if you are acting with Love, and trying to act with as much wisdom and compassion as you possibly can, I think you are doing good stuff! You, a future Buddha, are raising children, future Buddhas themselves. That's pretty awesome. (My twins graduated from college in 2013. Sweet! and Whew!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastEditorUserId="486" LastEditDate="2014-07-17T17:45:02.740" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T17:45:02.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2119" CreationDate="2014-07-17T13:48:37.340" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;TM is  mantra meditation. You're given an &quot;unique&quot; mantra in TM. Of course there's nothing unique about it.  They use tables like &lt;a href=&quot;http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TVY1pkN3NUk/UCGWaWkoMiI/AAAAAAAAHSo/9VzH_pG4hMo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-08-07+at+3.27.21+PM.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt; to &quot;calculate&quot; your unique mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something comparable is therefore to be found in Vajrayana Buddhism (Tibetan or Shingon or others), arguably also Nichiren (their mantra &quot;Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most popular mantra in Buddhism is probably &lt;em&gt;Om mani padme hum&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana is also called Mantrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T17:20:41.440" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:20:41.440" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-07-17T15:31:56.093" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love and attachment are only incidentally related. Of course that depends on how you define love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would propose that love can be crudely understood as the act of giving. Naturally &quot;investing&quot; yourself in any &quot;thing&quot; particular will cause attachment to that particular &quot;thing&quot;. And when we give, we have a tendency to at least subconsciously perceive that as an investment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can however rid yourself from these reflexes. You can give without expecting. Without succumbing to remorse if your feel your gift is non accepted or squandered. Children have a talent for giving parents that feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that I am not saying that you should not have any expectations towards your children. I believe you should. But you should not think of these goals as the desired fruits of your love. You should love unconditionally and independently set these goals in terms of what you genuinely believe will make your child happy. You will need a certain level of detachment/distance to make that assessment. You will even need to accept that your child (or anybody that you love) may reject the goals and head straight for something that makes them unhappy. If that is so, it is an experience they must be allowed to learn from (at least to the extent that the resulting harm to them is not devastating). Not expecting anything in return for your love will make it a lot easier for you to give it even then.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try seeing the child not as &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; child, but the child that &lt;em&gt;you choose to love regardless of the outcome&lt;/em&gt;. That is love without attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="97" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T15:31:56.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-07-17T17:30:30.547" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;Parents are supposed to practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; towards children. Attachment doesn't benefit them in any way. What benefits them are kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. Attachment or clinging just makes you sad and afraid. Lord Buddha had no attachment. But he still preached the Dhamma, Vinaya and created a system which benefited many beings. Sometimes he would travel a great distance to help people attain enlightenment. He advised the Arya Sangha to do the same. Even after 2500 years, millions of people around the world still benefit from it. All that good work is done because of compassion. Not because of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You provide for your children because of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot;&gt;Metta (friendliness)&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;When they get sick, you take them to the doctor because of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot;&gt;Karuna (compassion)&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;When they study well and get into good positions in the society, you become happy because of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot;&gt;Muditha (sympathetic joy)&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;When they get married and leave you or when they get busy in life and don't visit you as much as they used to, you stay calm because of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot;&gt;Upekkha (equanimity)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment doesn't do any of that. It only makes you sad &amp;amp; afraid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T15:39:06.080" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T15:39:06.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2014-07-17T18:39:56.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When someone is facing to killing(The victim), always feel fear, sad and angry. Those minds become bad karma to the victim and they will go down to the realm hierarchy. Then even if they are suitable to go up, after the death due to the killing, they will go down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when someone killing, killer also collect points to do to the down. then the killing process make both parties down. Then why intelligent people choose that path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you have lot of options if you really want to make creatures up, and help creatures. &#xA;first you have to identify which creatures you can help. Keep in mind that there are infinite creatures in the worlds. First most valuable creature is our self. Because we are also in the samsara and in very dangerous possibility of going down of realm hierarchy. That's can only done by attain Nirvana. After attain nirvana you can help lots of creatures to attain Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;while attain nirvana people has to practice donation, Śīla , meditation and other goodwill to collect good karma and keep up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T18:39:56.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-07-17T19:43:32.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many teachings to consider in buddhism's appx. 3000 year history. Today, the prescribed practice of buddhism for the modern age allows any individual to better understand and experience one's own enlightenment, without undergoing the austerities that Shakyamuni had to prescribe based on the people's capacity to understand at that time.  Obviously, there are many transient things that would be considered &quot;normal&quot; necessities in any time period, such as food, shelter, clothing, etc. In reality, it is those very needs and desires that propel us to strive for bigger and better ideals and goals. &#xA;Although on the surface, the teachings of Buddhism might be interpreted as implying that we should rid ouselves of all attachments, which would be impossible, the true intent of the teachings is that we should not allow our life to be ruled by attachments. In the complete picture, our ultimate mission as humans is to relieve the sufferings of others.  Being a parent is another vehicle that gives us the opportunity to manifest our innate enlightenment.  Embrace your children, encourage them to always do their best, and live your life fully so they can learn by example. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="519" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T19:43:32.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2167" CreationDate="2014-07-17T19:50:42.127" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 10 Kasina meditations. They are categorized due to the object that meditater concentrate in meditation. Meditation method cannot be anything. If you use non-kasina object, it is just loose the time and you will never be able to concentrate. Anapanasathi is not included into Kasina Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you select meditation method, it is better to meet a teacher. Best option is Sangha. Those Kasinas are here because of a reason. Meditation is like medicine. Those Kasinas are prescribed due to the characteristic of the student. Those color Kasinas are suitable for people who have angry. Other Kasinas are suitable for anyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically first you should follow Śīla with at least five percepts for some time(depends on person) before start the meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Those 10 Kasinas are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patawi Kasina (Concentrates on Solids)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aapo Kasina (Concentrates on Liquid, best option is water)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thejo Kasina (Concentrates on Heat)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wayo Kasina (Concentrates on Air)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nila Kasina (Concentrates on Blue color)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pitha Kasina (Concentrates on Yellow color)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lohitha Kasina (Concentrates on Red Color)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Odhatha Kasina (Concentrates on White Color)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aloka Kasina (Concentrates on Light)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Awakasa Kasina (Concentrates on Space)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Patawi Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That method is the method that has translated as Earth Kasina. But the correct meaning is the solid. During the meditation the meditater use self created Solid object. Usually we use clay(which use to make Bricks). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Aapo Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use water as the liquid. normal way of doing the meditation is done with looking at natural lake or tank filled with water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Thejo Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here meditater concentrates on heat. the heat must not be unbearable and very low. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.Wayo Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This concentrates on air. hence air cannot be seen, meditator can use the breeze or waving leaves in a tree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5-8 Nila, Pitha, Lohitha and Odhata Kasinas&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those Kasinas represents Blue, Yellow, Red, White respectively. Here use Wide single colored image as the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9. Aloka Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the light Kasina. use candle light or oil lamp light as the object. Don't use electric bulbs,LEDs  and other powerful light sources. because they will harm to your eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10. Awakasa Kasina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here we targets on empty space around us. (The free space in between objects)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is better to make your object by yourself before meditation when needed. As a example there is no need of make Awakasa Kasina. you have to just find a good place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these Kasinas are to enter the samadhi. first we look (or feel) at the object with continually concentrate the object in mind. when we do light Kasina, we say(Think) Light, Light, Light, Light............ until we can imagine the object with mind for long time.&#xA;then we should meditate with the imagined object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;please make sure that you meditate targeting vipassanā Meditation. vipassanā targets on understanding true nature of ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T19:50:42.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-07-17T21:16:08.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1638839&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;interesting thread&lt;/a&gt; on this a few years back at Dharma Overground, where Stefanie Dunning gave &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1638863&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a parental viewpoint&lt;/a&gt;. The &quot;Actual Freedom&quot; she mentions is some kind of modern very hard to understand (that's not a criticism; I just find them opaque) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.actualfreedom.com.au&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;branch of contemplative practice&lt;/a&gt;, but I think her comments can apply to the Buddhist practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T21:16:08.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-07-17T21:21:59.777" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can learn meditation with books and videos but it will be very difficult to find the truth and answers to your problems. So a better way is to find a teacher. Try to find a Sangha who teaches meditation. If you can't find one then try with books and others. Anyway my dear friends, never stop the meditation even if you can't find a teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an order to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samatha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sila is following precepts with at least five for considerable time(it depends on person). &#xA;Without Sila, samatha cannot be mastered. If someone try to use Samatha without Sila, they will understand that they are just wasting their time with increasing the tension. But with Sila you can feel the real cool nature of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha meditation has 40 categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kasina - 10&#xA;Asuba - 10&#xA;Anussathi - 10&#xA;Brahma Wihara - 4&#xA;Arupa - 4&#xA;Ahara prathikula Sagna - 1&#xA;Chathu Dhathu Wawaththana - 1 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kasinas&lt;/strong&gt; concentrate on physical characteristics like color, heat and light.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Asubhas&lt;/strong&gt;  concentrate on dead human bodies&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Anussathis&lt;/strong&gt; concentrate on reminding. &lt;strong&gt;Anapanasathi&lt;/strong&gt; is reminding breath, &lt;strong&gt;Budhhanussathi&lt;/strong&gt; is reminding characteristics of Lord Buddha, &lt;strong&gt;Kayagathasathi&lt;/strong&gt; is concentrating about our body etc..&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Brahma Viharas&lt;/strong&gt; concentrates on Metta (friendliness with everyone), Karuna, Mudhitha and Upekka. &#xA;others are not recommended without better knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to select one category according to your characteristics. After having a progress in samatha you can step in to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation method is only included in Buddhism and first introduced by Lord Buddha. In this meditation method, we concentrates on three facts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anicca/Anitya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhukka&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anatta &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Anitya&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My dear friends, Anitya is the theory that says everything which is generated from a reason(s) will be destroyed due to the destruction of the reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Dhukka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we make desire to objects(not only physical) that generated with a reason then we have to expect sadness after the destruction of the object due to the destruction of the reason (helped to exist of the object)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of how I love the shine of my car. Shine exist due to the paint and smoothness. If paint or smoothness are both gone, then shine will also disappear. Then because I loved the shine I will feel sad. &#xA;Even when someone's car corroded completely I will not feel sad because I didn't like it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this logic Lord Buddha said that sad generates due to the craving towards something(Thanha) and not because of a God(s) or fate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Anatta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with this Lord Buddha has said there is no thing called a soul in us. instead we have a mind. The mind is not a thing that exist the same all the time. It is born, exist and dies very, very quickly. So there is a time that the mind doesn't exist. At the time there was not a measurement to describe about the speed of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a Arhat Bhikkhu make a example to a king; think about 12 carts filled with rice seeds. You arrange all the seeds in a single line one after another. Then you can count all the seeds. Sir, there are more minds in a time of blink born, exist and dies. &#xA;There are one and only one mind exist at once. Due to the massive speed you feel it as a one single mind. When this mind takes signals from the body and send signals to the body you feel the whole process as a soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the process we are going to understand in Vipassana meditation. Then can you imagine the power of samadhi you need to maintain to understand that rapid changes? You can do it. The path is not simple. but it is not impossible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Budhhaya..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T15:05:57.673" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T15:05:57.673" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2157" CreationDate="2014-07-17T23:47:23.303" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy teaches you to act with sincerity and not to speak for the sake of speaking. Given that, I don't think you need any particular line for expressing condolence. A simple &quot;I'm sorry for your loss&quot; or letting them know you are available to talk/listen should suffice as long as you mean it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that there is nothing you can say to end their grief. Your condolence/compassion is (ideally) expressed through your behaviour and intent to act for their long term good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="522" LastActivityDate="2014-07-17T23:47:23.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2182" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-18T01:17:48.603" Score="27" ViewCount="4789" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering what main stream Buddhism think of Jesus, was he a buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone tell me where Jesus fits into Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="523" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T01:17:20.363" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T00:12:05.970" Title="Is Jesus considered to be a buddha?" Tags="|buddhas|comparative-religion|christianity|" AnswerCount="17" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-18T02:41:23.220" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I'm writing this in the spirit of providing a factual answer instead of preaching how people should strive to get along by seeing similarities in religions that may or may not be there.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. That's a different religion. We search for commonality amongst world religions so we don't have to hate on each other, but the religions are different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote two relevant paragraphs from Donald Lopez &amp;amp; Robert E. Buswell:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many think of Buddhism as a tolerant religion, one that recognizes the&#xA;  value of all religious traditions. In recent years, there have been&#xA;  growing numbers of Buddhist-Christian dialogues and Buddhist-Jewish&#xA;  dialogues. The Dalai Lama has even commented on the gospels. This&#xA;  might suggest that Buddhism holds that all religions are one, that all&#xA;  spiritual paths lead to the same mountaintop. Nothing could be further&#xA;  from the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhists have never proclaimed the unity of religions. Early Buddhist&#xA;  texts are filled with accounts of non-Buddhist masters claiming to&#xA;  have achieved enlightenment when in fact they have, at best, only&#xA;  achieved rebirth in the higher heavens of the immaterial realm&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/blog/one-way-nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tricycle.com/blog/one-way-nirvana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you specifically have in mind the syncretic Christian-Buddhist sangha in Baltimore, MD I've read about, then I imagine they have integrated the Buddha and Jesus into a common framework. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T22:32:58.110" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T22:32:58.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2184" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-18T03:11:59.367" Score="10" ViewCount="2578" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested in if there is any evidence in the sutras (or commentaries or anything old) that explains this peculiar list of transgressions (the Ānantarika-karma):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;patricide&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;matricide&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;killing an arhat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;injuring a Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;creating schism in the saṅgha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 &amp;amp; 2 &amp;amp; 3 are already against the first precept. 3 &amp;amp; 4 are hard to do even if you wanted to for lack of suitable arahats and Buddhas to kill or injure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've come to suspect that this is just a formula for expressing that schism is &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; bad. But this formula appears in many places, often without much other reference to schism. (for example ordination, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T12:08:13.187" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T08:18:46.390" Title="What is the motivation for the list of 5 deadly sins?" Tags="|killing|evil|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-18T05:38:55.427" Score="35" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that all misbeliefs(beliefs that block the path to Nibbana) are variations of 2 fundamental misbeliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassatavada&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sasvatha Vada&lt;/a&gt; - Eternalism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha263.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uchcheda Vada&lt;/a&gt; - Nihilism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Jesus preached falls under Sasvatha Vada. Hinduism and Islam are also in the same category. So he couldn't have been even an average Buddhist teacher, let alone a Buddha. Besides, the next Buddha to appear is Maitreya Buddha, the last Buddha of this aeon. After that many aeons will come to pass without even a single Sammasambuddha. So there won't be another Buddha for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-09-15T06:04:53.150" LastActivityDate="2017-09-15T06:04:53.150" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-18T11:15:10.170" Score="7" ViewCount="278" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came to this question from a comment made on an answer to a question about belief in rebirth. The comment read: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A view that rebirth does not exist is a wrong view. You cannot realize Nibbana with this wrong view.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I wanted to reply that suspending judgement is a form of avoiding wrong view, but then I realized I'm not really sure; which bothered me. I suspend judgement about a lot of things even to the point of whether Buddhist enlightenment is real. So is suspending judgement proper, or does one on the Buddhist path eventually have to make choice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T11:09:08.650" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T11:09:08.650" Title="Is suspending judgement a way to avoid wrong view?" Tags="|theravada|belief|wrongview|doubt|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2187" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2188" CreationDate="2014-07-18T17:47:22.130" Score="5" ViewCount="1116" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering this definition of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy&quot;&gt;blasphemy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for a&#xA;  God, to religious or holy persons or things, or toward something&#xA;  considered sacred or inviolable&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have this kind of concept of blasphemy in the canonical texts and associated commentaries. I appreciate that there are now &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-27107857&quot;&gt;cultural sensitivities in certain countries&lt;/a&gt; around Buddhism and Buddhist iconography but I'm interested in references from the texts about this rather than modern interpretations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T20:21:56.107" Title="Does Buddhism have a concept of blasphemy?" Tags="|belief|texts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2187" CreationDate="2014-07-18T19:07:32.747" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a few sources that suggest the importance of reverence for holy persons. It seems, however, that in the Buddhist context the sense of 'inviolability' usually attached to the idea of blasphemy in Western culture is not present in the same way. That is, all of the passages explicitly link the action to a negative result, either in future existences or, as in the final example, in the here and now; it is the fact that they cause suffering for oneself which makes them wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Reviling the Noble Ones' is part of a list of actions that are associated with rebirth in lower realms--i.e., animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms. The opposite, not reviling the Noble Ones, is listed as one of the elements associated with favorable results:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp;&#xA;  mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions&#xA;  under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad&#xA;  destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were&#xA;  endowed with good conduct of body, speech, &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile&#xA;  noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the&#xA;  influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,&#xA;  have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few texts where this can be found are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.130.than.html&quot;&gt;Devaduta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&quot;&gt;Potaliya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (from which the above passage is taken), and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot;&gt;Sekha-patipada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also some texts that discuss the results of not being respectful: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is obdurate and haughty; he does not&#xA;  pay homage to whom he should pay homage, or rise up for whom he should&#xA;  rise up, or give a seat to whom he should give a seat, or make way for&#xA;  whom he should make way, or &lt;strong&gt;worship him who should be worshipped, or&#xA;  respect him who should be respected, or revere him who should be&#xA;  revered, or honor him who should be honored&lt;/strong&gt;. Due to having performed&#xA;  and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after&#xA;  death, he reappears in a state of deprivation... If instead he comes&#xA;  to the human state, he is low-born wherever he is reborn. This is the&#xA;  way that leads to low birth, that is to say, to be obdurate and&#xA;  haughty, not to pay homage to whom he should pay homage, nor rise up&#xA;  for..., nor give a seat to..., nor make way for..., nor worship...,&#xA;  nor respect..., nor revere..., nor honor him who should be honored. -- from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot;&gt;Cula-dammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.002.than.html&quot;&gt;Garava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, even a Buddha would suffer because of not having appropriate reverence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly&#xA;  Self-awakened, he was staying at Uruvela on the bank of the Nerañjara&#xA;  River, at the foot of the Goatherd's Banyan Tree. Then, while he was&#xA;  alone and in seclusion, this line of thinking arose in his awareness:&#xA;  &quot;One suffers if dwelling without reverence or deference. Now on what&#xA;  brahman or contemplative can I dwell in dependence, honoring and&#xA;  respecting him?&quot; (&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;According to the text, the Buddha determines that there is no one more worthy/accomplished than he and so resolves upon revering the Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps somewhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T19:07:32.747" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2186" CreationDate="2014-07-18T19:13:25.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think suspending judgement on doctrinal issues that you find difficult is a totally legitimate way to practice Buddhism. The Buddha himself was no stranger to suspending judgement in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;12 unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;. With regard to questions of doctrine the Buddha does present both sides when discoursing with the Kalamas in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'If there is a world after death, if there is the fruit of actions&#xA;  rightly &amp;amp; wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good&#xA;  destination, the heavenly world.' This is the first assurance he&#xA;  acquires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of&#xA;  actions rightly &amp;amp; wrongly done, then here in the present life I look&#xA;  after myself with ease — free from hostility, free from ill will, free&#xA;  from trouble.' This is the second assurance he acquires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've seen this taken as saying that the Buddha does not subscribe to rebirth. I feel that's a misinterpration but I do think it points to a willingness and acceptance that judgement can be suspended on these kinds of matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a personal perspective I think it would be a great shame if someone didn't engage with the Dharma because they had difficulties with element(s) of doctrine. John Cottingham (not a Buddhist) is on an excellent &lt;a href=&quot;http://philosophybites.com/the_meaning_of_life/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;podcast&lt;/a&gt; where he talks about engaging in the practice (praxis in his words) of religion before subscribing to all the doctrinal elements. I found that very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Note&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate I have probably answered the question in a very Western orientated way. I really do understand that there are other interpretations of Buddhism that have a different attitudes towards these matters as evident by the comment quoted in OP's questions. I think that these interpretations are obviously really valid and in many ways I wish I could just take them on. But coming from an atheist background I do have to suspend judgement otherwise I would never practice - and i think practice is the important thing really. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-18T19:21:39.323" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T19:21:39.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2190" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2193" CreationDate="2014-07-18T20:08:03.383" Score="7" ViewCount="930" Body="&lt;p&gt;Animals are sentient beings and therefore are also bound to the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, animals are far less intelligent than humans, and are certainly not smart enough to follow a particular code of conduct, or take decisions which are against their nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Karma and rebirth work differently for animals? Or are animals pretty much doomed to remain animals (or worse) because their nature, for instance, causes them to kill?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="131" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T07:43:15.187" Title="Do the same rules of Karma apply to animals?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2186" CreationDate="2014-07-18T20:14:31.277" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#doubt&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicicicca(doubt)&lt;/a&gt; is one of five mental factors that hinders progress in meditation. &#xA;Reserving judgment might sound like a neat trick. But Vicicicca is already there and your mind is already corrupted to start with. So the natural tendency of the mind is to lean towards doubt. Because most of your thoughts are tainted with ignorance. Accepting Nibbana with faith shuts off one major avenue for Vicicicca.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be hard to keep to any path without faith, unless you know by direct experience that the path is right and it leads to the intended destination. It's the same with Nibbana. If you have no faith in the path or the destination, you wouldn't even bother to follow it. Even if you do, the slightest setback can make you give up on it. But if you have faith, you'd be more inclined to look at your own shortcomings instead of doubting the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How many times we put our faith in regular people on a daily basis? When a doctor gives you medicine, even when your life's dependant on it, you don't do any in depth analysis of the drug before using it. When you buy food, you don't lab test it 1st to see if it's completely safe. You just go by the reputation and put your faith on the quality assurance certifications. You don't know any of those by direct knowledge. When you fly, you put your life in the hands of the pilot and the airliner. Will you still take the flight, if you can't make up your mind about the safety of the plane? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compared to all that, having faith in Nibbana shouldn't be a hard thing to do. And it is also the wise thing to do since it keeps doubt at bay and prevents you from getting discouraged easily. It is the same case with believing in rebirth. For those who have trouble believing in that, the natural tendency of the mind is to lean towards nihilism. That is harmful for the progress in the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T16:42:26.797" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T16:42:26.797" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2192" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-18T20:29:47.907" Score="20" ViewCount="15682" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the main sources of bad kamma in Buddhism is doing wrong to your parents and not taking care of them. Buddha said it is very very hard to repay your parents, however how should one behave if he or she has bad parents? Maybe a parent that was an alcoholic or didn't take care of him properly, abandoned him, banned from his house or maybe stole from him? There are countless possibilities, what to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T05:41:26.117" LastActivityDate="2022-07-18T05:30:21.380" Title="Relationship with bad parents (kamma and issues)" Tags="|karma|relationship|parents|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2190" CreationDate="2014-07-18T20:43:43.210" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is a universal law. It works the same for all beings. Whether you are a god, human or an animal, what matters is the strength of craving, aversion and ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, if you sink below the level of humans, it's pretty difficult to come back. That's why the hells are called the great houses of Sansara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T20:43:43.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-07-18T20:55:15.777" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question, but I think it doesn't really matter. Only in the west a person can claim to be a religious person and live just like everybody else, like going to the temple and do bad things after it, or even praying to God to punish other people (seems odd). In the east a truly religious person lives his religion day by day, hour by hour, so in this sense I think living the teachings is the only thing that matters. Focus on the dhamma!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course there is more to debate if you think in terms of Mahayana and Theravada. One may look more like a traditional religion than the other, but I rather not bring this up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T13:04:40.810" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T13:04:40.810" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2190" CreationDate="2014-07-18T21:00:29.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is exactly why we call it the &quot;precious human life&quot;, because we can learn the dhamma and create a lot of merit. Animals don't have this opportunity. It is very hard to create good kamma as an animal... so use your precious human life wisely :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T13:04:06.383" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T13:04:06.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2192" CreationDate="2014-07-18T22:02:52.910" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even if your parents abandoned you the day you were born, you still owe them. The only way to repay them fully is to make them understand the Dhamma. If your parents are alcoholic, take them for rehab. If they steal money, don't keep money where they can find. Likewise, address each issue accordingly. Advice them with the Dhamma and show them the right path without getting angry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T04:31:56.783" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T04:31:56.783" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-18T23:15:33.350" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you believe in Shakyamuni Buddha the answer is No, because Buddha was clear about the previous Buddha Kassapa and the next Buddha Maytreia, but many people debate about Jesus being a boddisatva or an enlighted being, but it is just impossible for us to answer that, just keep in mind that both are great religions but they dont share 100% of their views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T23:15:33.350" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1525" CreationDate="2014-07-18T23:31:20.110" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just bear in mind: Different traditions will give you different answers, theravada and mahayana traditions have different suttas, the same thing goes for the commentaries and the importance of later works... Nevetheless most of the suttas and the Vinaya are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I always use tipitaka as a reference and I like to read the 4 nikayas (Im a lay person)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;metta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-18T23:31:20.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2200" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2204" CreationDate="2014-07-19T01:29:50.523" Score="2" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vasubandhu is known to be the teacher of Dignāga. When did he live? What are the sources that say so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="536" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T08:36:39.567" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:48:36.837" Title="When did Vasubandhu, the teacher of Dignāga, live?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-19T01:40:59.830" Score="28" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a preliminary, there are two issues to deal with first that can hinder a search for linkages between Jesus and Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, it's important to note that the religion associated with Jesus -- Christianity -- is just as forked and complex as the &quot;religion&quot; commonly known as Buddhism. To insiders in both, there are many differences, both significant and otherwise, but to outsiders each one they can look like a single monolithic block (that's why we have a single name for each). In this respect, the last line of the question is a good one because it asks about &lt;em&gt;Jesus&lt;/em&gt; and Buddhism, rather than about &lt;em&gt;Christianity&lt;/em&gt; and Buddhism. Still, if we're looking for possible links, we can certainly look at the faiths themselves, provided we take care to look inside them and not just at each as a single whole (because in fact, they're &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; single wholes). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second issue is that Christianity (I was a Christian, for over 30 years -- still may be one for all you know :-) ) does have a tendency to attack dissent. Catholicism is particularly prone to that. As a result, some groups may be considered &quot;Christian&quot; by outsiders, but insiders may respond &lt;em&gt;&quot;no, they're heretics, they're not Christians&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. For example, if one was to point to the work of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meister_Eckhart&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meister Eckhart&lt;/a&gt; as being similar to some aspects of Buddhism, one risks falling foul of very orthodox Catholics who would point out that Eckhart came under scrutiny by the Inquisition. And references to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quietism_(Christian_philosophy)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quietism&lt;/a&gt; would get an even bigger slap down. Even today, many calling themselves Christian would not consider Mormons or Jehovas Witnesses to be Christian. In fact, some don't believe Roman Catholics to be Christian. But those critiques are critiques from the &lt;em&gt;inside&lt;/em&gt;. For people looking objectively from the outside, a more dispassionate approach is probably wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that light, here are some connections I personally find interesting and even potentially profound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a talk by the late &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayya_Khema&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayya Khema&lt;/a&gt;, where she suggests a possible connection between some of the Buddhist meditation absorptions and the seven &quot;mansions&quot; mentioned by St Teresa of Avila in her &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interior_Castle&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Interior Castle&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. The talk was on YouTube until very recently but has been taken down for copyright reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also clear similarities between the experiences recounted in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_the_Cross&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;St John of the Cross&lt;/a&gt;'s &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Night_of_the_Soul&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dark Night of the Soul&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, and some of the stages of insight as described in the Visuddhimagga, especially as further described by Daniel Ingram in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several ostensibly Christian works deal with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_mysticism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;contemplative side&lt;/a&gt; of that religion, and include &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cloud_of_Unknowing&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Cloud of Unknowing&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and more recently works such as those by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Merton#Contact_with_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thomas Merton&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Keating&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fr. Thomas Keating&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there's an interesting BBC-produced documentary (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY0Ib3aPG6Y&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;available on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;) that speculates about a possible link between Jesus and Buddhism. A point I found particularly interesting was their theory on who the &quot;Three Wise Men&quot; of Christian fame actually were. The documentary speculates they may have been Buddhists searching for the reincarnation of a prior leader or holy man.** The documentary is not all about the potential Buddhist link, but the main points it makes in that context are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are reasonable arguments to be made that Jesus didn't actually die on the cross; instead he survived and escaped&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are major missing years from all accounts of Jesus' life, and those could well correspond to a training time (further East)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Three Wise Men thing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The significance of compassion and selflessness in Jesus' teachings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, broadening out from Christianity to the contemplative sides of other religion -- e.g. Jewish Kabbalah, Muslism Sufism -- Aldous Huxley's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Perennial_Philosophy_(book)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Perennial Philosophy&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is a good argument on how once the societal trimmings are stripped away, the contemplative aspects of numerous religions seem to be plumbing precisely the same well. B. Alan Wallace talks about that book, as a follow on in his reading from Evan-Wentz's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo_Thodol&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) in his videos on his &quot;Buddhist Journey&quot; (three parts on YouTube, starting &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBEiMCW94Ss&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My overall conclusion is that it is credible that Jesus had developed an advanced capability in meditation/contemplation/prayer/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, and in compassion, and also had the charisma, ability, and timing to represent an effective teacher of those things. There are then several possible reasons we don't see that easily today. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe he had simply achieved high levels of samadhi but hadn't gone further onto insight, and so hadn't experienced enough to override, or at least re-interpret, his default monotheistic Judaism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe he had gained some insight, but got waylaid by views of higher heaven realms, thinking those were the final deal. Had he gone further, maybe he'd have realized that the Deva realm wasn't the final goal. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe he did go the full way -- &lt;strong&gt;maybe he was an arhat&lt;/strong&gt; -- but subsequent political events, such as, initially, the influence of Roman Emperor Constantine or maybe just the interpretations of St Paul, but later on the politicization of Catholic Christianity as it spread, not to mention the defensive posture taken by Christianity in the face of the advance of modern science, have smothered the core teachings of Jesus and what we have today is a highly adulterated form.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** That said, the facts that a. the most commonly seen examples of searches for reincarnations are in Tibetan Buddhism, and b. Tibetan Buddhism didn't arise until several centuries after the time of Christ, make less credible the theory that the three wise men were Buddhist. And in fact the most commonly accepted current view is that they were Zoroastrians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="10863" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T14:47:24.967" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T14:47:24.967" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2111" CreationDate="2014-07-19T02:19:50.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asoka. But we know so little about what he did. His pillars say he introduced Buddhist-influenced, incredibly progressive public policies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emperor Wu of Liang- But I'm having a hard time finding good sources, I guess they didn't keep great records in 500CE It sounds like many of the stories about him were embellishments.&#xA;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://khyentsefoundation.org/2011/02/patron-kings-part-xii-emperor-wu-of-liang/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://khyentsefoundation.org/2011/02/patron-kings-part-xii-emperor-wu-of-liang/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Empress Wu- She wasn't a very nice person though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lamas of Tibet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these leaders were old time leaders who presided over a state that did mean things. I think people care about this question because they want to know if a Buddhist government has ever been for the better. To know for sure, we'd need the counterfactual, of what would Tibet have been like if Buddhism didn't appear? If it weren't for Buddhism, would Asoka have done anything different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T02:19:50.180" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-07-19T02:47:59.430" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a &lt;em&gt;framework&lt;/em&gt; implemented by religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my Mac's dictionary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;framework |ˈfreɪmwəːk|&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  noun&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  • a basic structure underlying a system,&#xA;  concept, or text : the theoretical framework of political sociology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd add to that, that the main difference between a philosophy and a framework is that a framework provides or suggests tools/methods based on its philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism the &lt;em&gt;framework&lt;/em&gt; is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, a collection of observations and logical conclusions (the first 3 &quot;truths&quot;) with the methods/tools supplied in the 4th Noble Truth. To accept/follow/implement the 4 Noble Truths is what makes something &quot;Buddhist&quot; - not just for a person but for any system of thought, including religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several religions have incorporated this and become Buddhist religions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hinduism + Buddhist framework == Indian Buddhism (the historical &quot;original&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Daoism + (Indian) Buddhism == Ch'an (or Chinese Buddhism).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shinto + (Ch'an) Buddhism == Zen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bon + (Indian) Buddhism == Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm being a tad simplistic in the depiction of the flavours of Buddhism, but the main thing is, it works as an explanation. Once you know to separate out the framework from the religion it's easy to see why it gets confused as a philosophy by some and a religion by others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="538" LastEditorUserId="538" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T18:34:49.343" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T18:34:49.343" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2200" CreationDate="2014-07-19T07:25:52.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem is that in the oldest known source (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/vasubandhu/#H1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paramartha's &quot;Life of Vasubandhu&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, compiled around 550 CE) conflicting dates are mentioned. This has lead to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/vasubandhu/#H5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;several different theories&lt;/a&gt; about the exact dates that mark Vasubandhu's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasubandhu#Biography&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; Vasubandhu lived in the 4th century CE. For this information they refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/yogacara-part1.htm#one&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; where it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is known that he was a contemporary of Emperor Candragupta I. Ramashankae Tripathi, History of Ancient India (Delhi 1942), gives the dates 320 to circa 335 AD for the reign of Candragupta I, and c. 335-375 for that of his militant successor Samudragupta. This situates the life of our Vasubandhu between 290 and 370 AD. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in 1951 Erich Frauwallner, a professor in Buddhism, wrote an article called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.nl/books/about/On_the_date_of_the_Buddhist_master_of_th.html?id=j6TXAAAAMAAJ&amp;amp;redir_esc=y&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;On the date of the Buddhist master of the law Vasubandhu&lt;/a&gt;&quot; in which he posted a theory that there were 2 Vasubandhus;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the first Vasubandhu was the co-founder of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogacara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yogācāra school&lt;/a&gt; and lived  from 320-380 CE, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and a second Vasubandhu, the author of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharma-kosa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidharma-kośa&lt;/a&gt;, who lived from 400-480 CE. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This view has been criticized and doesn't seem to be widely accepted. More info in these papers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/articles/intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dan Lusthaus - What is and isn't Yogacara&lt;/a&gt; (against the two Vasubandhu-theory)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since the progression and development of his thought, however, is so strikingly evident in these works, and the similarity of vocabulary and style of argument so apparent across the texts, the theory of Two Vasubandhus has little merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.indologica.com/volumes/vol15-16/vol15-16_art19_MEJOR.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Marek Mejor's - The problem of the two Vasubandhus reconsidered&lt;/a&gt; (in favor of the two Vasubandhu-theory)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T11:48:36.837" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:48:36.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2192" CreationDate="2014-07-19T11:06:39.057" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a aspect of Buddhism which actually views difficult people (including parents) as being helpful and we should be grateful to them. Forbearance (kṣānti) is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Mah.C4.81y.C4.81na_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;six perfections&lt;/a&gt;. To illustrate let me quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt;, Perfection of Forebearance (verse 107)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, since he helps me on the path to Awakening, I should long&#xA;  for an enemy like a treasure discovered in the home, acquired without&#xA;  effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we should be grateful to difficult people even if they are, well, difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But realistically we aren't all able to do this, certainly not in the initial stages of practice. Also difficult relationships with parents particularly colour our lives and are difficult to get past. When I have had difficult relationships (not with parents admittedly) then sometimes the only thing to do is take yourself out of that situation until such time as you are better able to cope positively with it - and if that time never comes well at last you are out of that situation and maybe better able to practice positively generally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhist teachers like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jackkornfield.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; actively recommend counselling to go alongside Buddhist practice and the two work side by side. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/psymed1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; illustrates Jack Kornfield's position which I'll quote a brief section&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are many areas of growth (grief and other unfinished business,&#xA;  communication and maturing of relationships, sexuality and intimacy,&#xA;  career and work issues, certain fears and phobias, early wounds, and&#xA;  more) where good Western therapy is on the whole much quicker and more&#xA;  successful than meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However bear in mind that....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this mean we should trade meditation for psychotherapy? Not at&#xA;  all. Therapy isn't the solution either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, when things come up in meditation practice, why not use every facility that is available to you to come to terms with it? I appreciate might be a controversial view. People are obviously welcome to disagree with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T11:11:55.867" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T11:11:55.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2187" CreationDate="2014-07-19T11:31:52.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since posting the question I've read a verse in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt; that seems pertinent to this question. In the perfection of forbearance section when discussing anger (verse 64) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And my hatred to those who damage sacred images and stupas or abuse&#xA;  the true teaching is inappropriate, since the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas&#xA;  are not distressed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Santideva (the author) explicitly says there is no blasphemy possible. Damage the sacred if you will - the Budhha is undisturbed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I very much appreciate Adamokkha answer though and I think this goes side by side with it. There are many references to reverence and respect and yet at the same time one shouldn't be angry when this fails to happen - certainly in the view of the above quote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T11:31:52.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-19T12:01:24.283" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think when discussing this kind of thing it is to start seeing connections where there are none. However I would like to give a more positive response to the question. If I can address this side of the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can anyone tell me where Jesus fits into Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt; wrote a lovely book about the parallels between the Buddha and Jesus called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73184.Living_Buddha_Living_Christ&quot;&gt;Living Buddha, Living Christ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we meet someone overflowing with love and understanding [..] we&#xA;  know that they are very close to Buddha and to Jesus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this doesn't point to an exact relationship between Buddha and Christ, it does draw our attention to a commonality between them, certainly in the opinion of Thich Nhat Hanh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the parallels are more evident the nearer one comes to the original Christianity. For instance when I read parts of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html&quot;&gt;Gospel of Thomas&lt;/a&gt; (an early Christian Gnostic text) parts of it resonated more than I thought it would - for instance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rather the Kingdom is inside of you and it is outside of you. [...]&#xA;  When you come to know yourself, then you become known and you will&#xA;  realise that it is you who are the children of the living Father&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the introduction to the Living Buddha, Living Christ, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels#Buddhism_and_Gnosticism&quot;&gt;Elaine Pagels&lt;/a&gt; the historian of early Christianity states&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Experienced meditators] will surely notice in those early Christian&#xA;  sources many more resonances [between Christianity and Buddhism], than&#xA;  I can mention here. Comparative study of Buddhism and early (Gnostic)&#xA;  Christianity has barely begun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think generally if Elaine Pagels and Thich Nhat Hanh find it profitable to look for similarities between the two religions then I would be inclined to think there is actually something there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T17:12:51.133" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T17:12:51.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2208" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2209" CreationDate="2014-07-19T12:06:01.940" Score="4" ViewCount="2409" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the notion of our future being the result of our actions in the past, is there any room for the concept of unfairness in Buddhist philosophy? What is the right/skillful view one should take when witnessing suffering in a loved one? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, one should be compassionate towards the person and keep a calm mind as much as possible, but at the same time I find discomforting the idea that somehow, the present condition of a loved one has to do with his/her past actions, specially when considering more extreme examples of suffering without any apparent reason (e.g. childhood traumatic events, such as sexual abuse).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="540" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T00:37:23.797" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T00:37:23.797" Title="What is the Buddhist perception of injustice, considering the law of Karma?" Tags="|karma|justice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2208" CreationDate="2014-07-19T12:42:57.417" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's certainly been seen as a difficult question for Buddhists. I've heard it termed the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Hoddle#Dismissal_from_England_job&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Glenn Hoddle question&lt;/a&gt; after an ex-footballer used karma type arguments to explain disability - to quote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You and I have been physically given two hands and two legs and&#xA;  half-decent brains. Some  people have not been born like that for a&#xA;  reason. The karma is working from another lifetime&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was sacked as England coach. However it is a difficult question and I will attempt a decent answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma isn't cause and effect&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma isn't just cause and effect - there is more going on. To quote the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now when these ascetics and brahmans have such a doctrine and view&#xA;  that 'whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or&#xA;  neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is caused by previous action,'&#xA;  then they go beyond what they know by themselves and what is accepted&#xA;  as true by the world. Therefore, I say that this is wrong on the part&#xA;  of these ascetics and brahmans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not as if someone lies in one life then is reborn as with a disability in the next. Sometimes the fruits of karma (action) are immediate, sometimes they are delayed, sometimes the fruits don't come to pass at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is more going on than Karma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in Buddhism there is the concept of Niyamas which explains outcome dependant origination (the underpinning of reality). These being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma niyama: (&quot;action&quot;) consequences of one's actions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;utu niyama: (&quot;time, season&quot;) seasonal changes and climate, law of non-living matter&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bīja niyama: (&quot;seed&quot;) laws of heredity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;citta niyama:(&quot;mind&quot;) will of mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dhamma niyama: (&quot;law&quot;) nature's tendency to perfect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above list is taken from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. So karma would only explain a fraction of someones present conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma isn't blame&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the other thing to point out is that there is no concept of blame in any of this. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/karma.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;audio&lt;/a&gt; here is very interesting - a Buddhist nun discusses this exact issue with someone with seeing difficulties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if someone's unfortunate circumstances were caused directly by their actions (which is no means as simple as that) then this wouldn't stop us feeling compassion for them. This would be true in this life or the next. If someone was run over because they didn't look both ways before crossing the road then it is a normal human response to feel compassion for them - Buddhist or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I say though a difficult and interesting question. I hope that helps some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T16:37:07.597" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T16:37:07.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2208" CreationDate="2014-07-19T14:32:15.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, kamma and its consequences (vipaka) may not happen at the same time or even in the same life, it is hard to predict when it will create its results because it depends on other conditions, that is why people can be born with serious problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: Imagine a murderer, he creates terrible kamma, but if he lives with several bodyguards he may protect himself from being murdered, this kamma will not rippen in this life because there is cause but there are no conditions, so this kamma will go on into the next life (probably in a much worse plane)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it helps: When someone is facing a problem at least think that he or she is puryfing some bad kamma, at least this kamma will be gone and if the person has created merit, good things are on his way!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T14:32:15.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2208" CreationDate="2014-07-19T19:09:37.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Future is the result of our actions in the past, present, future and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;other 4 Niyama Dhammas&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was there any room for the concept of unfairness when the Tsunami killed about 150,000 people in 2004? Was there any room for the concept of unfairness for all those kids born deformed after Hiroshima &amp;amp; Nagasaki bombing? Is there any room for fairness when earthquakes kill thousands of people? Just like that, Karma is also a law of nature. Is it fair to get burnt, if a kid puts his hand in the fire, not knowing it burns? Is it fair to get sick when mosquitoes bite you? The concept of fairness or unfairness doesn't have anything to do with the laws of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Past Karma is most definitely a cause for child rape. But nothing happens by a single cause. Everything has multiple causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nature or life is fair in only one way, i.e. if the right causes are present, it gives you the appropriate result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-19T21:57:47.403" LastActivityDate="2014-07-19T21:57:47.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2213" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-19T23:01:15.110" Score="4" ViewCount="187" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some suttas and the dhammapada contain stories with things not very easy to verify, such as people flying, living 8.000 years, teletransportation, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of those are related to the psychic powers of the Buddha and that is easier to believe as he was an enlightened being; however some are not related to that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha always encouraged us to verify and contemplate things. Will having doubt about Buddhist stories and legends interfere with Buddhist practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T12:38:22.933" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T12:38:22.933" Title="Do we need to believe in Buddhist stories to be a real Buddhist?" Tags="|sutras|dhammapada|legends|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2327" CreationDate="2014-07-20T01:28:43.733" Score="3" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have any modern Buddhist organization adopted the Gregorian calendar for celebrating Buddhist holidays?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last time I tried to find something simple as Vesak or some of the other common Buddhist Holiday's, they are celebrated on a lunar calendar and differ from country to country, ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak#Dates_of_observance&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak#Dates_of_observance&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not affiliated with any particular organized sangha, so I have two challenges-- deciding which holidays to celebrate, and even after that, there isn't a lot of agreement on how to calculate the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T21:05:31.230" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T21:05:31.230" Title="Does any modern Buddhist tradition use a Gregorian holiday schedule?" Tags="|traditions|holidays|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1733" CreationDate="2014-07-20T03:21:16.920" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &amp;quot;Buddhist Art &amp;amp; Architecture&amp;quot; by Robert E. Fisher, the stupa is one of three main types of Buddhist buildings. (The other two are the residence hall (vihara) and the hall of worship (chaitya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early stupas were solid inside and patterned after Hindu burial mounds. They were typically a dome set upon a low platform with a single pillar emerging from the top which had 3 umbrella-like discs covering the pillar. The pillar and it's umbrellas would be surrounded by a small fence; a miniature version of the fence that surrounded the stupa itself. The pillar represented the &amp;quot;world mountain&amp;quot; or &lt;em&gt;axis mundi&lt;/em&gt;; the pivot of the universe. The 3 umbrellas came to symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddhism. (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) Inside, the stupas were arranged into geometric, magical designs and generally housed sacred relics. Buddhist worship included circumambulation (moving clockwise) around the stupa and the sacred object contained inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism, the practice of circumambulation was not prevalent (with Mahayanist Buddhists) as sacred items were placed in the worship hall and worshiped from the front only as the back of the hall would be blocked off for secret rituals. Robert E. Fisher notes the following regarding a change in style of stupa at Ajanta, India:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stupa continued to be the focal point of the worship hall, and was now embellished and extended with carvings and additional motifs in keeping with the increased complexities of Mahayana worship. The body of the stupa, the &lt;em&gt;anda,&lt;/em&gt; is moved upwards and the base extended to accommodate a large image of the Buddha. The figure is placed between richly carved pillars and surrounded by subordinate figures and elaborate, decorative motifs, typical of the Gupta taste. The pillar and umbrella at the top also gain in complexity, assuming greater prominence, nearly doubling the stupa's height in Cave 19. The once simple, earthbound stupa has evolved into a complex of images and symbols, not only attached to the earth, but also extended vertically. The older empasis upon the historical, earthly Buddha is giving way to the celestial, mystical realms of esoteric belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Sri Lanka was established as a stronghold for Theravada Buddhism, a change in stupa shape (from the original Indian stupas) was noted, as in the stupa in Anuradhapura, in that the body of the stupa became bell shaped and the traditional spire became enlarged and was compared to the graceful tower of a medieval Hindu temple. Robert E. Fisher writes that &amp;quot;according to some&amp;quot; the enlargement of the traditional spire was an effort by Singhalese builders to join two symbols, the pillar of the world and the heights of Mt. Meru.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Fisher writes regarding the Sri Lankan style:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similar proportions, the dominant bell-shaped &lt;em&gt;andas&lt;/em&gt;, prominent &lt;em&gt;harmikas&lt;/em&gt; (small platform with railing) and tapered spires are retained in later stupas in Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhism, with its more limited pantheon and emphasis upon direct action, unlike the salvationist beliefs and spectacular heavens of the Mahayana is perfectly served by the clean, uncomplicated forms and geometric harmonies of the Sri Lankan stupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book notes across Asia, the stupa assumed a variety of regional forms. Thai and Burmese stupas were tall and graceful. In Vietnam and Cambodia, separate stupas rarely appeared as temples were built into mountainsides; but sometimes small &amp;quot;votive&amp;quot; style stupas were build inside those temples. In Java, small stupas decorated the terraces of the temples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book does go on in quite a bit more detail regarding changes in the look of stupas including the change to open, wooden stupas in the Far East, where they were called pagodas. It was also noted that later styles of stupas typically did not contain sacred relics and were not always built inside walled enclosures. They became more decorative and less sacred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this sheds some insight. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T13:13:15.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2216" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2283" CreationDate="2014-07-20T07:06:27.860" Score="11" ViewCount="39597" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed when I look at Buddhists, or Buddhist monks, that they have shaved heads. Is there any significance to that?  If so, then is it an obligation for Buddhists, or at least Buddhist monks to shave their heads?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="148" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T11:01:17.573" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T12:19:37.473" Title="Is there any significance to shaving the head?" Tags="|monk|traditions|monasticism|bhikkhu|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2213" CreationDate="2014-07-20T08:28:06.803" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should not believe all the stories to become a Buddhist dear friend. Instead you should believe Noble Eightfold Path and taking refuge in the triple Gems (Load Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha). Taking refuge doesn't mean that the person has to pray for them or looking forward until they do something for you. We have to believe Lord Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha then we have to follow the path which is showed by them. They are guides and helpers so followers have to follow the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone loose their courage to follow the path due to the stories that is the best enmity one can do for him/her self. First clarify everything about Noble Eightfold Path and follow it. Then when you gaining wisdom due to the follower, you will be able to identify whether the stories are true or false.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when talking about teleportation, we are in a era of quantum teleportation. even now with the existing technology we can perform teleportation on quantum particles like photons. but the problem is on the communication channels. if we divide our body into quantum particles and begin to teleport them, it will take millions of years to complete. If scientists develop a mechanism to build high speed communication channel with using quantum entanglement, we will have a teleportation era in near future. So don't categorize stories just as fairy tails or believe at once. Remember stories and follow the path then you will find facts do decide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T20:45:39.553" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T20:45:39.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2014-07-20T14:39:19.227" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe they shave their heads because they don't want to have attachments to the body or self image. They also don't use cosmetics, perfumes and so on... This is a very old practice, including the robes they wear, since the time of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay people don't have to do it, only monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-07T16:34:46.577" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T16:34:46.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-20T14:56:43.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In response to OP's request for personal experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had a similar issue with mindful breathing meditations for a long time. Concentrating on the breath as a whole was OK but one-pointed concentration on the breath leaving and entering the nostrils was very forced and unnatural. Also the transition between them felt bizarre - almost like a video game transitioning. It felt very disconnected and forced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;TBH there wasn't anything immediately I could do with this. Instead I just left the one-pointed meditations for a while and concentrated on feeling the whole breath in the body. Also feeling the arising and passing away of thoughts and feelings was useful during that time. I think I left one-pointedness for 6 months maybe more. In fact I just mentally disregarded it and I almost need to become reacquainted with it to practice again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But more recently I have gone back it it and it feels a lot more relaxed and integrated. I no longer feel like I'm transitioning into it by forcing concentration onto ever smaller parts of my body. It more feels like I flow into it. I also still get kicked out but it seems a lot less jarring that it did and the practice itself feels helpful rather than a horrible struggle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This really is just one man's experience so take or leave as useful. For me a central consideration of practice is right effort and trying to work with what that may or may not be. The struggle with one-pointedness for me for symptomatic of a wider struggle with right effort and just been too wound up and forcing in the practice in general. I personally needed (and still need) to kick back more and just experience things without kicking back so much that the entire thing unravels. Getting too goal driven for me is extremely unhelpful and one-pointedness just became another thing to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway good luck with it all and I hope it works out for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T14:56:43.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2220" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2227" CreationDate="2014-07-20T15:27:16.090" Score="11" ViewCount="966" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've started my practice as a Buddhist.  Currently, I've read a few books about Buddhism particularly the Theravāda lineage for myself it seems more appropriate. While reading about kamma one thing started to bug me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said rebirth is conditioned by kamma. Which implies my good deeds may lead me to be born as human for example, while bad ones as mosquito. Homo Sapiens are on Earth for circa 200 000 years. Does that mean more than 1 million years ago no one could reach Nibbana, since there were no modern humans?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="547" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:46:56.850" LastActivityDate="2021-11-08T07:25:37.797" Title="Does Human Evolution Disprove a Kamma Based Rebirth?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|evolution|sceptic|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2131" CreationDate="2014-07-20T15:29:28.970" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Navayana is a proposed fourth major branch of Buddhism after Hinayana (sorry not a great term), Mahayana and Vajrayana. I believe it is a term claimed by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement&quot;&gt;Dalit Buddhist movement&lt;/a&gt; which I am most familiar with in the context of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar&quot;&gt;Dr Ambedkar&lt;/a&gt; - in fact I recently have heard the movement is called Ambedkerism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Centre that I practice with is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Centre&lt;/a&gt;. Like Ambedkerism it sees itself as a reforming movement tailored to the concerns of modern society. The definition of the movements aims is very similar to our own (quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement#Distinctive_interpretation&quot;&gt;here)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Ambedkerism] espouse an eclectic version of Buddhism, primarily based&#xA;  on Theravada, but with additional influences from Mahayana and&#xA;  Vajrayana. On many subjects, they give Buddhism a distinctive&#xA;  interpretation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover the Indian branches of the Triratna movement see themselves as continuing the work of  Dr Ambedkar. One of the major Triratna charities, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karuna.org/&quot;&gt;Karuna Trust&lt;/a&gt;, was set up to support this work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is this - I practice in a context explicitly linked to Ambedkerism and therefore according to Wikipedia in a Navayana context. However I haven't heard of this term used but I do believe the concept has meaning and merit so I'm basing my answer on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key point to Triratna/Ambedkerism and therefore Navayana is a return to the roots of Buddhism and a distillation of the previous yanas to potentially create a new form of Buddhism. Though radical, I don't think this should come as surprising or shocking because ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When Buddhism comes into contact with a new culture it changes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a. Buddhism + Tao = Ch'an. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b. Buddhism + Bon = Tibetan. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;c. Buddhist + (Western?) liberal humanism = ????&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is the first time in history when all the scriptures, commentaries etc.. are easily available. The work isn't finished but new stuff is coming into the Western domain all the time. That's new - so is something new going to happen?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's work in progress so what it looks like in the end is still up in the air. There are a lot of people doing new things and revisiting Buddhism generally - some of them hang around on this site. &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.co.uk/&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt;'s taboo busting, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engaged_Buddhism&quot;&gt;Engaged Buddhism'&lt;/a&gt;s social activism, Triratna synthesis of Theravada with Mahayana and Vajrayana, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insight_Meditation_Society&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation Society&lt;/a&gt; - lots of things are happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if this answers the questions but I feel it's changing, will continue to change and let's see what happens next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T08:12:51.417" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T08:12:51.417" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-20T15:52:53.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are very good answers here so I will not take long, just one thing I wound like to highlight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is ok to lose focus and return to the nostril, everytime you do that you improve your concentration a little bit, the mind wanders and this is normal, the more you try the better your concentration will be, so just to relax and keep doing it might be a good strategy, progress in meditation is not very fast and this is ok, dont worry :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are losing focus too often and you think it is too much, maybe your mind is very busy, maybe you are facing big problems or very anxious about something, in this case I would recommend more time for meditation, the more nervous you are the more it takes for the mind to relax and concentrate!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T15:52:53.323" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2220" CreationDate="2014-07-20T15:53:21.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; enlightenment isn't restricted to human beings. The  &lt;a href=&quot;https://fallingintowonderland.wordpress.com/tag/dragon-kings-daughter/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;daughter of the dragon king&lt;/a&gt; (nagas) became enlightened when she was a young girl in that text. In fact she became enlightened extremely fast......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Her meditation, in front of the whole group, allowed her to grasp&#xA;  deep Buddhist doctrine and immediately reach a level of no regression.&#xA;  Throughout this transformation, she remained half human and half&#xA;  dragon—and a girl.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I see the Saha World clearly now,” she told her father and the&#xA;  others. “We must look within for the true way. Each one of us&#xA;  possesses a priceless jewel within the confines of our earthly bodies.&#xA;  We must polish that jewel and help others do the same.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally I don't think Buddhism has a problem with dealing with concepts such as a planet a long time ago in a galaxy  far, far away. A browse of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia entry&lt;/a&gt; of Buddhist cosmology gives a flavour of the vastness of the enterprise for instance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A collection of 1,000,000 solar systems are called “Divi Sahashri Loka&#xA;  Dhatu”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The largest grouping which consist of one Trillion solar systems are&#xA;  called “Thri Sahashri Loka Datu”/Thrisāhasra-Mahāsāhasra-Lokadhātu or&#xA;  &quot;great trichiliocosm&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ouch - that's pretty big. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If space wasn't enough then there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kalpas&lt;/a&gt; for time. The Dharma is seen as spanning many kalpas. One definition of a kalpa is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imagine a huge empty cube at the beginning of a kalpa, approximately&#xA;  16 miles in each side. Once every 100 years, you insert a tiny mustard&#xA;  seed into the cube. According to the Buddha, the huge cube will be&#xA;  filled even before the kalpa ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ooohh- that's a long time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in general Buddhism is comfortable with the non-human, other worlds, and vastness of time. I don't think the Dharma would be seem as redundant by the trifling matter of the absence of human beings, 200,000 years ago on one planet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T16:00:17.770" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T16:00:17.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2220" CreationDate="2014-07-20T16:16:32.383" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Humans aren't the only ones who can attain Nibbana. Gods and Brahmas also attain Nibbana. In fact, there are five Brahma realms called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suddavasa(pure abodes)&lt;/a&gt; which are reserved only for Arahath and Anagami Aryans. Sahampathi Maha Brahma who invited the Buddha to preach the Dhamma to the world is from one of those realms. He was already an Arahath at the time. Human realm is said to be the best place to work for Nibbana as the balance between pleasure and pain is ideal to realize the four noble truths. Also, the Buddhas appear only in the human realm. Beings below the human realm cannot attain Nibbana as it requires a birth caused by a ti∙hetuka(triple rooted) kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, Buddhists don't believe in the Homosapien theory or evolving from some sea creature. Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aganna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; to know about the origins of humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T16:29:45.267" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T16:29:45.267" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2225" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-20T16:29:02.803" Score="3" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2220/does-human-evolution-disprove-a-kamma-based-rebirth&quot;&gt;companion question to this&lt;/a&gt; I want to ask if Buddhists believe in the theory of evolution by natural selection. The aforementioned question makes me think that the answers might be different depending on which tradition you are coming from. I'm interested in canonical scriptures and more modern commentaries and reinterpretation of the texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T14:26:37.830" Title="Do Buddhists believe in Evolution?" Tags="|belief|science|evolution|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-09-25T18:29:21.470" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-07-20T17:15:42.450" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agganna sutta&lt;/a&gt; is accepted in most traditions. Here's some of what it says about the origins of the humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘There comes a time, Vasettha, when, sooner or later after a long&#xA;  period this world  contracts. At a time of contraction, beings are&#xA;  mostly born in the Abhassara Brahma  world. And there they dwell,&#xA;  mind-made, feeding on delight, self luminous, moving  through the air,&#xA;  glorious—and they stay like that for a very long time. But sooner or&#xA;  later,  after a very long period, this world begins to expand again.&#xA;  At a time of expansion, the  beings from the Abhassara Brahma world,&#xA;  having passed away from there, are mostly  reborn in this world. Here&#xA;  they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous,  moving&#xA;  through the air, glorious—[5] and they stay like that for a very long&#xA;  time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So most Buddhist traditions wouldn't agree that humans evolved from some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usefulcharts.com/science/human-evolution-timeline.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sea creature&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;But the sutta says that humans looked much different compared to how they appear today. It also goes on to explain how they changed over time. So there's a similarity. But this change occurred due to the change in the mental states and due to the different types of food they consumed over time. Humans were intelligent beings at the start. Not single-celled organisms. And they didn't share any common ancestor with other species.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T11:03:23.837" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:03:23.837" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2220" CreationDate="2014-07-20T17:41:50.717" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, evolution does not do that. But this is a hard question to answer succinctly, because of the layers of concepts involved. I'll have a try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, consider one of the core notions in Buddhism: that our normal view of reality suffers from three illusory aspects. We don't normally see that the thing we usually call &quot;real&quot; -- tables, chairs, electrons, our brains, the evolving of species of organisms through natural selection, etc -- are impermanent, do not satisfy our desire to be free of suffering, and do not comprise that entity we call &quot;self&quot;. A major point of Buddhism is to get to understand and experience the &quot;true&quot; nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, so far so enigmatic. The point is, according to Buddhism what we see (feel, smell, etc) &quot;out there&quot; is not &quot;real&quot; -- it is merely the way whatever it is that &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; real appears to us. A well-used but very good analogy is the movie The Matrix. We are, in a very true way, in a Matrix. There actually is a &quot;reality&quot;, but what we experience is not It. What we experience is just how It appears. And that idea isn't unique to Buddhism or even to religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now within that set of experiences -- the things &lt;em&gt;inside&lt;/em&gt; our Matrix -- are matter, energy, time, and so on; in other words, all the things of which a materialist scientist would say &quot;that's all there is to reality&quot;. But in Buddhism, the insight is, no, that's &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; &quot;all there is&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to your specific question. The reason evolution -- and 200,000 years of the homo genus -- doesn't disprove kamma is because evolution is a concept &lt;em&gt;inside&lt;/em&gt; the Matrix. Kamma, on the other hand, sits outside it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's another analogy. Imagine you're a player of an online video game, like Call of Duty. Within each specific match, you can increase your score, gain points, get better weapons. Those are all like evolution. They happen inside one specific match. But you also have an overall ranking, or &quot;experience points score&quot; (I forget if that's what CoD actually calls it, but the idea is accurate) that lasts from game to game. That's like kamma. So asking if evolution disproves kamma is like asking if the fact that the current match has only been running for 5 minutes proves that no one can have a total &quot;experience point score&quot; of 10,000. The answer is, no, of course not. One is a concept within a game-match/samsaric-existence-instance; the other is a concept outside or &quot;across&quot; game-matches/samsaric-existence-instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One last way of thinking. Modern physics allows the possibility of multiple universes within a multiverse. So our current universe's 200,000 years worth of humans-able-to-attain-nibbana may be only one of billions of examples of such instances of human species across the multiverse, and maybe rebirth happens &lt;em&gt;across&lt;/em&gt; universes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, again, no. The fact that we have a localized phenomenon called Darwinian evolution (which I accept, as far as it goes) really says nothing about the &quot;global&quot; (all-of-reality-scale) nature of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(See, I told you I'd find it hard to be succinct!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T17:41:50.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-07-20T18:19:50.317" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This will not answer your question, but maybe it can help a lot:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Thia samyutta is organized around questions that the Buddha left unanswered. Most of the discourses here focus on questions in a standard list of ten that were apparently the hot issues for philosophers in the Buddha's day: Is the cosmos eternal? Is it not eternal? Is it finite? Is it infinite? Is the body the same as the soul? Is the body one thing and the soul another? Does the Tathagata exist after death? Does he not exist after death? Both? Neither?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 72 lists the reasons why the Buddha does not take a position on any of these questions. In each case he says that such a position &quot;is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, &amp;amp; fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full awakening, Unbinding.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These reasons fall into two categories. The first concerns the present drawbacks of taking such a position: It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever. The second category concerns the effects of such a position over time: It does not lead to awakening or Unbinding. AN 10.93 further explores the first category of reasons. MN 63 further explores the second.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the discourses in this samyutta explore a third category of reasons for why the Buddha does not take a position on any of these questions: Such a position is based on attachment to and misunderstanding of the aggregates and sense media. When one sees these things for what they are, as they're actually present, the idea of forming them into any of these positions simply does not occur to one.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source:Introduction to the Avyakata Samyutta&#xA;(Undeclared-connected)&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T18:19:50.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2213" CreationDate="2014-07-20T19:42:31.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A real Buddhist is a person who takes refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Dhammapada, along with it's stories are a part of the Dhamma. So if you reject the stories and still claim to be a Buddhist, you are essentially saying that you don't accept those stories as a part of the Dhamma. But it's a bad practice for a person to start deciding what parts of the Tipitaka or commentaries belong to the Dhamma. Especially someone who's neither enlightened nor omniscient. Because that habit can leak into much more important teachings as well. Like questioning if there's rebirth or Nibbana. Because you don't yet know them by direct knowledge, just like psychic powers. So you are taking them on faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a way to attain psychic powers and it's explained in the text. Just like the way to attain Nibbana. So why not take psychic powers on faith too? It's not like you can disprove them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#doubt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vicicicca(doubt)&lt;/a&gt; is one of five hindrances obstructing the path. You are rejecting the stories because of your Vicicicca. Not because of your direct understanding that the stories are false. So you are actually empowering a mental state which is harmful to the path instead of gaining any real knowledge about the authenticity of the stories. On the other hand, if you can simply accept them on faith, Vicicicca has little room to enter your mind. That'll also make you less distracted when you listen to the Dhammapada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T22:40:48.220" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T22:40:48.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2230" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-20T20:29:54.637" Score="3" ViewCount="274" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally Vipassana meditation is taught in a 10 day retreat. I have been trying to participate in one of those, but there is only one place where I live that offers this course, it is almost always fully booked, so it is very hard to match their availability with mine as I work pretty hard. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing meditation for some time (different types) and went to a retreat in Asia, but I never had the chance to practice Vipassana in a traditional course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will keep trying to join the retreat, because this is important for me, but in the meantime is there anything one could try at home? Some glimpse of Vipassana perhaps?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T02:26:38.647" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T07:53:09.490" Title="Is vipassana outside a ten day retreat possible?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1724" CreationDate="2014-07-20T20:45:01.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you posted this question a few weeks back, I was in a very similar situation. I had recently found out there is a Laotian temple not too far from me. The temple did not have a website and my phone call to them turned out pretty much exactly like yours! But secular Buddhist activities don't have great appeal for me and I really wanted to visit a Theravada monastery/temple. Today was the day and it went well. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prior to today, I took a scouting visit there to see if I could find out any information. There was no one around at the time, but a sign on the door said that the public was welcome and a few rules were listed. Take your shoes off, sit on your legs, don't point your feet at the Buddha statue or anyone else and the monks should be called Ajahn. (I'm including this because I think Lao and Thai customs are similar.) But there was no indication of &quot;when&quot; the public was welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I went home and did a deep google search of the Temple's name and ended up finding things people had posted in their blogs or on facebook and it did sound like services were held on Sundays; but not every Sunday. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I took a chance to show up this Sunday at 9:45am and indeed people were arriving for services. It was clear I was a first timer and a nice family invited me to sit with them and guided me through everything. I recognized the Taking Refuge and 5 precepts easily because it was in Pali and it was cool to be able to participate in that publicly for the first time. Here is a link in case you don't have the words to Taking Refuge in Pali yet. &lt;a href=&quot;http://refuge.sirimangalo.org/#precepts5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://refuge.sirimangalo.org/#precepts5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also recognized paritta chanting because I've listened to it so many times on youtube as I find it beautiful and soothing. Ex. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj4pOcsYsGA&amp;amp;feature=share&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj4pOcsYsGA&amp;amp;feature=share&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was no meditation during the services but I was told they sometimes have all night meditation on Saturday nights and I put my name on a mailing list to find out about upcoming events and services which are held about once a month. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today was a special ceremony that included filling the monks alms bowls and after the monks ate, everyone else did. I was made to feel very welcome to participate even though I hadn't known to bring anything. I'm vegetarian, but in the spirit of being appreciative of everyone's hospitality, I just tried a bit of everything anyway and it was delicious. My favorite was a bamboo dish with tiny pieces of hot pepper. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I couldn't understand the Dhamma talk of course, but it was a good time to do a listening meditation and just relax and take in the beauty of the temple. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I hadn't gone; I'd have kept wondering about it. I'm glad I went. Everyone was very welcoming and a couple of people actually thanked me for coming; which was unexpected. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was just a nice experience. I'll definitely go back next time. If you decide to go, I hope you have a good experience as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T21:26:25.350" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T21:26:25.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1724" CreationDate="2014-07-20T21:16:58.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can relate to your question. I'm from Brazil and it is very hard to find Buddhists here and when I did I found only New Kadampa Tradition and FPMT (both Tibetan Mahayana). I do like FPMT very much and went to a great retreat in Nepal with them, but I'm currently more interested in the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what I do: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When I have the chance to go to Asia, I return with lots of books and audio CDs from Theravada monks. Last time I went to a Theravada temple was in Kuala Lumpur and the reception was great (they gave me everything for free, of course I did some donation to compensate, but it was really optional).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I use internet a lot; videos, discussion forums like this one and ebooks. I can recommend the &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;videos from Venerable Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry if you are not physically close to a Sangha. Use the tools you have available and when you can (holidays) go for a retreat :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;hope it helps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T07:57:45.207" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T07:57:45.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1743" CreationDate="2014-07-20T22:09:19.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the aim of meditation is not to attain super powers, as Venerable Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu once said: &quot;Super powers are a kind of byproduct of the process&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we must always remember why we practice meditation and keep the right motivation, this is more important, trying to attain super powers might lead to attachment to such powers or desire... it is more beneficial to use meditation for insights that lead to disenchantment, deattachment and so on&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-20T22:35:28.793" LastActivityDate="2014-07-20T22:35:28.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-21T01:13:04.793" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;According my understanding Anapana Sati meditation is consists of several steps depending on your level. Found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; page written by Most Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera (who is one of the best meditation teacher according to me) could be helpful to you. It is quite lengthy one, but please read through for better understanding. In the article Ven Ariyadhamma address your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Experiencing the whole body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, what is meant as &amp;quot;the whole body&amp;quot; is the entire cycle of breathing in and breathing out. The meditator should fix his attention so as to see the beginning, the middle and the end of each cycle of in-breathing and out-breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This point is very important.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beginning, middle and end of the breath must be correctly understood. It is incorrect to consider the tip of the nose to be the beginning of the breath, the chest to be the middle, and the navel to be the end. If one attempts to trace the breath from the nose through the chest to the belly, or to follow it out from the belly through the chest to the nose, one's concentration will be disrupted and one's mind will become agitated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the answer:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beginning of the in-breath, properly understood, is the start of the inhalation, the middle is continued inhalation, and the end is the completion of the inhalation. Likewise, in regard to the out breath, the beginning is the start of the exhalation, the middle is the continued exhalation, and the end is the completion of the exhalation. To &amp;quot;experience the whole body&amp;quot; means to be aware of the entire cycle of each inhalation and exhalation, keeping the mind fixed at the spot around the nostrils or on the upper lip where the breath is felt entering and leaving the nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Couple of Similes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a gatekeeper examines each person entering and leaving the city only as he passes through the gate, without following him inside or outside the city, so the meditator should be aware of each breath only as it passes through the nostrils, without following it inside or outside the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a man sawing a log will keep his attention fixed on the spot where the teeth of the saw cut through the wood, without following the movement of the teeth back and forth, so the meditator should contemplate the breath as it swings back and forth around the nostrils, without letting his mindfulness be distracted by the breath's inward and outward passage through the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T02:33:04.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1988" CreationDate="2014-07-21T08:26:09.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.nl/books?id=T4Wk7mY1zU8C&amp;amp;pg=PT73&amp;amp;lpg=PT73#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Chapter 7 - Kamma and Rebirth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We also may get the idea to use each day to its fullest advantage. That means growth - spiritual, mental, emotional growth. It doesn´t mean rushing about and doing as many things as one can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a far more important aspect of rebirth than thinking about one´s next life. What will happen next time is completely dependent upon what we are doing now, therefore only ´now´is important. ´Now´ is the cause, next life is the result. &lt;strong&gt;It´s also much more imprtant than trying to figure out what happened in one´s former birth. That is all over. That most of us can´t remember past lives has a good reason. We experience enough dissatisfaction in this life without having to resurrect the sufferings from earlier lives. A mind still battling with its present defilements is incapable of dealing with such double suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Our rebirth this very morning can bring us that feeling of urgency which is an important ingredient of the spiritual life. Urgency arises when one knows true suffering, the urgency to do it now and not to wait.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="177" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T09:35:16.243" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T09:35:16.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1905" CreationDate="2014-07-21T10:50:00.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayanas say that if you ask your teacher to come back, he can choose to come back out of compassion, he doesnt have to, he does to help sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T10:50:00.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-07-21T10:54:06.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the standpoint of secular Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism there has been a focus on teachings as practical guidelines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting the Dalai Lama that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain&#xA;  claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of&#xA;  science and abandon those claims.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;― Dalai Lama XIV, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way combining both Buddhism and Science, using each for it's strength's;&#xA;seeing Buddhism as source on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the mind, meditation and morality and seeing &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;freeing suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;philosophy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And seeing Science as the expert on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The natural sciences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mathematics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;History&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Engineering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Architecture &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Edit, adding interpretation of Aganna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One the more skeptical interpretations of Aganna Sutta has been of Prof. Gobrich.&#xA;That is was never to be taken literally, but as parody to the cosmology in the Veda, and trying to get across that both language and the caste system was of not divine origin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He came to this conclusion because the Buddha had always been reluctant to posit a cosmology. Source Used:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/buddhas-universe-vs-western-science&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/buddhas-universe-vs-western-science&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Original Source: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Richard Gombrich, Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo. Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1988, page 82-85.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T11:31:40.180" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:31:40.180" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-07-21T11:24:58.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;theory of evolution by natural selection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is two things. Plain idea of &lt;em&gt;'evolution'&lt;/em&gt; supposes progress and positive development of species. Buddhists probably should not hold such position, as species could &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.26.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;regress&lt;/a&gt; as result of bad karma. And about &lt;em&gt;'natural selection'&lt;/em&gt; part, why not? Idea of &lt;em&gt;selection&lt;/em&gt;, natural or not, doesn't coincide or contradict idea of karma. Idea of genetic engineering either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:24:58.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2220" CreationDate="2014-07-21T11:42:55.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There could be other habitable planets or even Universes too. So even though nobody could birth as human on the Earth (or Mars), they could birth in other places. Also, fact that somewhere somebody (or everybody) could not reach &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; does not disprove &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhas are rare, and other beings need Buddha to learn &lt;em&gt;Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:42:55.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1988" CreationDate="2014-07-21T11:48:20.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I try a scientific approach?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear for me that this is not a simple task and it must change one's life, one thing that would borrow me in the moment is: How can I know if this is a past life memory or just my unconscious mind playing a movie with some hidden stuff that I heard or read many years ago?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unconscious mind is extremelly powerful and it knows much more than we think, including blocked memories from this life. I guess the key here is probably checking this past life, do some detective work, if you are able to find who you were it can significantly increase the chances of being a real memory from a past life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T11:48:20.377" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2213" CreationDate="2014-07-21T13:33:36.447" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Faith is for fools and advanced practitioners. That sort of practice is called &quot;guru yoga&quot; in Tibetan Buddhism. There they require you be an advanced practitioner before initiating you into that practice. And, in the past for the monastics, the guru then was responsible to provide food, shelter, and teachings for the person taking the vow. There is nothing wrong with being a &quot;fool&quot; for a particular religion (or more probably a particular teacher) but,if one is going to do that, one had better make sure that one is placing one's faith in the right teacher. I don't find &quot;blind faith&quot; useful in my practice. If Buddhism has truth (as I think it does), I don't think it needs its practitioners to practice blind faith. If blind faith is necessary, I will probably wander off somewhere else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trust is built on verifiable statements or personal experience. The &quot;Western&quot; students seem to respond better to examples of holiness, rather than descriptions of holiness. (If this method really works, then there ought to be examples existing today. And there are. Just really hard to find, for some reason.) Actual meditation practice, like fitness, seems to follow the &quot;you get out of it what you put into it&quot; policy. &quot;Personal Experience&quot; is only applicable to the one having the experience, but is no less useful. Ultimately, it's all about what works for you. Buddhism has quite a few traditions (and sub-schools). One of them may be for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T13:33:36.447" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2014-07-21T15:34:09.480" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said that we could eat meat under a few conditions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot kill the animal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot ask for someone to kill a specific animal for you to eat, or suspect the animal was killed for you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot see the animal being killed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot hear the animal being killed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Buddha also said that we should not eat certain types of meat like elephants (because they belong to the king)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is nice to be a vegetarian, really a beautiful thing to do, but you dont need to be one in order to be a Buddhist in most traditions, the Buddha himself ate meat, even HH Dalai Lama eats meat, on the other hand most mahayana monasteries dont serve meat, its a matter of choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: Ven Dhammavuddho Thero&#xA;book &quot;only we can help ourselves&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-21T21:04:15.153" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T21:04:15.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2243" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-21T17:42:22.803" Score="8" ViewCount="246" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am an ordinary western man willing to start learning Buddhism, for now - just for curiousity. I have a B.Sc as for education (if the field DOES matter, that is either economics or computer science, because there are actually two of us, and we both are willing to learn). I do not have any previous knowledge of Buddhism besides pop culture references which are what Buddhism looks like to absolute most of people living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also do not want to learn about Buddhism based on online videos and random texts. I think there is some academic treatise on the topic. And there should be - science of religion should be interested in it. It is religion, learning about religion from random sources is potentially devastating. Any misconception that was just sounding appealing to a not so educated mind could ruin his worldview. I know these misconceptions could also arise from reading academic texts. But to a much lesser extent and only if you have exceptionally rich imagination - academic texts do not look to convert or convince you, just to educate you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be so glad if someone, and preferably one who holds  a university degree from a science of religion course could share some of titles on topic and explain why they are so good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am also aware about this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/60/introductory-books-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;Introductory books to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;but the author seems to seek for books on Buddhism for a different purpose and never insists on &quot;academicity&quot; of text. I do. It would better be not so insightful about the meaning of life but rather about what Buddhism is taught like to students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="553" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:37:59.530" Title="Beginner academic text recommendation" Tags="|learning|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2245" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2256" CreationDate="2014-07-21T20:55:35.973" Score="20" ViewCount="17485" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm familiar with the concept of the middle way and how Buddhism is neither Eternalism nor Nihilism. Not being Eternalism seems straightforward to me - all things are impermanent. However Buddhism not being Nihilism takes a bit more thought, for me anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So can anyone state for us why Buddhism is not Nihilism? When we start to get into concepts like voidness and emptiness it can start to seem like it is edging towards it. When I practice it seems like anything but Nihilism. However I think I would struggle to write down why that is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to clarify the question could we take the existential view of nihilism so &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism&quot;&gt;quoting from wiki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="13525" LastEditDate="2019-03-09T22:21:07.567" LastActivityDate="2019-03-09T22:21:07.567" Title="Why is Buddhism not Nihilism?" Tags="|philosophy|middle-way|nihilism|" AnswerCount="22" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2014-07-21T21:35:20.337" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe it all comes down to the way one sees reality. One could argue that as everything has been changing since the beginninless time, everything is &quot;Eternal&quot;, it is just changing shapes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the point regarding the middle way is how things exist:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eternalism suggests things exist as they are. The chair is a chair, it has a &quot;chair-nature&quot;, it goes against the dependent origination. Also the name 'chair' is just a convention, nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nihilism as we know it is a recent phenomena. The name has a Latin origin, so in the time of the Buddha Nihilism didn't exist like today. It was more related to ascetic practices of thinking that the world is a illusion and nothing exists at all. So the Buddha was trying to explain that things DO exist, but not as we think. There IS a chair, but it does not own a chair-nature. It is something transitory, impermanent with a dependent origination that we perceive with the eye-consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T11:14:21.890" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T11:14:21.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2243" CreationDate="2014-07-21T21:41:09.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can come to Sri Lanka, you can follow a diploma or a post graduate diploma in Buddhism at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bpu.ac.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka.&lt;/a&gt; In the mean time, you can get a good start with books like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/nutshell.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism in a Nutshell&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada thera. Or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/contents1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;life of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T21:41:09.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2014-07-21T21:45:00.183" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;(Since the question seems to be referring to Annihilationism and not Nihilism, I suggested an edit to it. I'm responding with this change in mind.)&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plainly, Annihilationism assumes a self that is destroyed after death. Buddhism doesn't assume a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For references, see &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 1, Brahma­jāla-sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, especially the &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1#m15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Annihilationism&lt;/a&gt; section and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1#v.-the-round-of-conditions-and-emancipation-from-the-round&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ending&lt;/a&gt; section. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T21:45:00.183" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2243" CreationDate="2014-07-21T22:25:57.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want academia and Buddhism, here are some great resources. They all have done numerous introductory and advanced books on Tibetan Buddhism. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Robert Thurman [&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Thurman]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Thurman]&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, holding the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He also is the co-founder and president of the Tibet House New York&quot;. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jeffrey Hopinks [&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hopkins]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hopkins]&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;American Tibetologist. He is Emeritus of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia, where he taught for more than three decades since 1973.[1] He has authored more than twenty-five books about Tibetan Buddhism,&quot;, or&#xA;&lt;P&gt; His Holiness the Dalai Lama, my favorite teacher, on my favorite teaching &quot;Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=398&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=398&lt;/a&gt;), a &quot;stepped path&quot; (literally) of teachings that are designed to take one to enlightenment. (Also a great site for all levels of teachings.)&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy! There are so many more online now in the many Buddhist traditions. Lucky us!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-21T22:25:57.033" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2250" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-21T23:07:34.387" Score="6" ViewCount="1626" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know the concept of kamma-vipaka and that we should strive and create the causes of our happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand the Buddhas only point the way, they teach the Dhamma and we are responsible for walking the path. In this context, why it is so commom for Buddhists to pray? For example, does prayer in Buddhism have a different meaning when compared to for example Christianity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can understand why praying is so important in religions with a creator God, because that is the way you ask for all sorts of blessings, but in Buddhism it is not so clear, does praying have a different meaning or purpose?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T01:05:47.073" LastActivityDate="2015-05-12T13:19:02.827" Title="How is prayer different in Buddhism when compared to theistic religions?" Tags="|karma|prayer|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2251" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-22T00:10:53.610" Score="-1" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there anything I can do to avoid sleep paralysis? Has this got anything  to do with astral projection?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="554" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T00:57:32.763" Title="Why is it that I always experience sleep paralysis (suffocating) very often?" Tags="|sleep|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2014-07-22T02:50:37.723" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2251" CreationDate="2014-07-22T00:57:32.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once read that meditation, yoga etc. can help to get a deeper breath and to switch more to belly breathing instead of breast breathing. Thus, those practices may potentially support your condition. Nevertheless, I think you won't find the reason or cure for it in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="556" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T00:57:32.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2253" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2257" CreationDate="2014-07-22T04:01:57.947" Score="7" ViewCount="621" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the questions &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2044/why-not-kill-animals-to-hasten-their-rebirth&quot;&gt;Why not kill animals to hasten their rebirth?&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2190/do-the-same-rules-of-karma-apply-to-animals&quot;&gt;Do the same rules of Karma apply to animals?&lt;/a&gt; and others, it in part discusses how animals have a very difficult time to be reborn as humans, and stuck endlessly in a cycle as animals. As I understand it, because they are not capable of Meritorious Deeds on there own.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it seems to be possible for humans to transfer some good Karma to them, which may improve their chances of a higher rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is possible, how is this accomplished? Take this case:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say there is a housefly in my house. Of course I could just grab a fly swatter and kill it. However, I choose to take 15 minutes to wait for it to fly to the screen door and then let it out.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this provides some good Karma for me, can it be transferred to the fly which may be helpful upon its rebirth? Or am I the only beneficiary of saving it (or at least for not killing it)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="57" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T08:30:24.010" Title="Question on the possibility of higher rebirth for animals" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2243" CreationDate="2014-07-22T05:04:50.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just read &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;, and it is pretty solid. It's from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, so it should meet the requirement that it be an academic text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend also reading the suttas (source texts), many of which are available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and simply reading them critically. A third option is to buy a text such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; which has suttas as well as commentary from a prominent Buddhist scholar, Bhikku Bodhi (Although he is Buddhist).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason why I would personally urge caution when reading anything without having the source texts is that they can be easily misrepresented. For example, one modern position that is not uncommon is that the teaching of rebirth was a metaphor or was simply a cultural belief. If one reads the source texts (the suttas) thoroughly however, it is very difficult to defend this view as the Buddha claims to have direct, personal knowledge of rebirth (e.g., in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhaya-bherava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps. Best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T05:04:50.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2250" CreationDate="2014-07-22T07:21:18.140" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a practicing Buddhist in Theravada tradition from Burma(Myanmar), as far as I know the praying in Buddhism can be either one of the 2 things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reciting the tachnings of Buddha or others great teachers in tradition probably to remind oneself of tachings and for tranqulity of mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Actully asking for some blessing but not from Buddha but from benovelent dieities (who may or may not help) in witness to your merit or virtue&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T07:21:18.140" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2014-07-22T08:35:47.840" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the confusion comes from the fact that Nihilism in philosophy has two meanings.&#xA;The most used in philosofic discussion is defined as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the&#xA;  belief that life is meaningless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nihilism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nihilism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within this framework nothing has meaning, no wortwhile goals or useful morals exists. Friedrich Nietzsche is probably the most famous philosopher accusing Buddhism as being Nihilistic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On its face Buddhism shares some of the ideas with this philosophy in the sense that mundane things are in an eternal sense not valuable, but it differs in the way that it has a form of morality and sees spirtual goals as wortwhile. Both Friedrich Nietzsche and Schopenhauer knew about Buddhism and wrote about it, and have arguably been influenced by it, but ultimately rejected it in favour of their own rather pessimistic worldview.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Eternalism vs Nihilism stance tends to be more of a discussion whether the soul is eternal, and whether things exist in an ultimate sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way konrad01 is describing Buddhism holds the middle between the two, seeing objects as real but dependently originated, not self and unsatisfactory. Seeing mundane life as meaningless but reconizing spiritual goals as meaningfull.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nietzsche on Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.nl/books?id=wZt7AAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA66&amp;amp;lpg=PA66&amp;amp;dq=nietzsche+movie+on+buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=6tb66KX1m8&amp;amp;sig=8JTpz5pXw2eHnBKLtircejx38lE&amp;amp;hl=nl&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=6nYUVMfhE8iPOLWxgJgD&amp;amp;ved=0CE8Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=nietzsche%20movie%20on%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://books.google.nl/books?id=wZt7AAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA66&amp;amp;lpg=PA66&amp;amp;dq=nietzsche+movie+on+buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=6tb66KX1m8&amp;amp;sig=8JTpz5pXw2eHnBKLtircejx38lE&amp;amp;hl=nl&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=6nYUVMfhE8iPOLWxgJgD&amp;amp;ved=0CE8Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=nietzsche%20movie%20on%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://marmysz.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/nietzsche-and-buddhist-philosophy/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://marmysz.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/nietzsche-and-buddhist-philosophy/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Schopenhauer on Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Wheels/wh_144_146.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Wheels/wh_144_146.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T16:57:08.723" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T16:57:08.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2253" CreationDate="2014-07-22T09:47:26.520" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, you can't transfer merits to animals. You can only do that with a class of Petas(hungry ghosts) called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://writing.wikinut.com/Transference-of-Merits-to-the-Departed/1zmg6w6y/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'Paradattupa-jivi'&lt;/a&gt;. Animals at best might hear some Dhamma, memorise it and as a result be born in a better place next life. But that is extremely rare. Animals don't get stuck endlessly in the animal realm. They can easily sink lower and get into more extreme states of suffering. Once their bad karma has been exhausted, a past good Karma may come forward to give them a better life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm#4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;There is a classification of Karma, according to the priority of effect:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;WEIGHTY (GARUKA) KARMA.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;PROXIMATE (ASANNA) KARMA OR DEATH-PROXIMATE KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;HABITUAL (ACCINA) KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;RESERVE OR CUMULATIVE (KATATTA) KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Katatta Kamma are usually the Kamma done in past lives. So if #1,#2,#3 are missing, Katatta Kamma will get a chance to result in the next birth. But that is highly unlikely as animals mostly have habitual and proximate Kammas. So the chances are that they will keep sinking lower. But once you get into the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Niraya&lt;/a&gt;, you probably won't be creating any new significant Kamma. Because you will be in a constant state of agony throughout the lifespan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T17:29:03.640" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T17:29:03.640" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2014-07-22T10:15:04.080" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not Nihilism because it does not reject values, morals, and religious truth. Buddhism is not Annihilationism because it establish idea of &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. inheritance of actions). Actions are not destroyed at death and inherited in next birth. Thus, it is &lt;em&gt;useful&lt;/em&gt; to do wholesome deeds and practice Teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T10:15:04.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2250" CreationDate="2014-07-22T10:58:01.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether &quot;it is so common for Buddhists to pray&quot; is unclear as there does not appear to be non-subjective evidence to support that claim. It could be said that the emphasis given to prayer in theistic religions is generally given to meditation in Buddhism. Some forms of meditation, such as metta (sending thoughts of universal friendliness) have a prayer like quality to them.   But surely some Buddhists do pray and to whom these prayers are sent is spoken about in the book &quot;The Energy of Prayer&quot; by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and prolific author.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But when we recite these lines, we are not just handing this desire&#xA;  over to the Buddha. We are gathering our strength from within and&#xA;  combining it with the strength that lies outside us.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote from this book is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;the one who prays and the one prayed to are two realities that cannot&#xA;  be separated from each other. This is basic in Buddhism, and I'm quite&#xA;  sure in every religion there are those who have practiced for a long&#xA;  time and have this understanding. They can see that God is in our&#xA;  heart. God is us and we are God.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that is one interpretation from zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-12T13:19:02.827" LastActivityDate="2015-05-12T13:19:02.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2253" CreationDate="2014-07-22T11:01:21.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said that you can transfer merits to hungry ghosts or give them food/clothes by burning it to then, a type of offering. as Kulatha said, you cannot transfee merits to animals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to add: There is a famous story when the Buddha said: Imagine a turtle living inside the ocean, in this vast ocean there is a small piece of wood floating, this turtle comes to the surface to brieth once in every 100 years, the chance of this turtle hits the wood when coming to the surface is higher than getting a human rebirth if you are in the low planes, animals cannot keep moral precepts, meditate or make donations, therefore they shall only return when they clear almost all negative kamma as Kulatha pointed out&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T11:01:21.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2250" CreationDate="2014-07-22T12:30:36.103" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why is it so common for Buddhists to pray?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, before going into the specifics of Buddhist practice, people pray because they are looking for a support, because they want to be happy and free from suffering; they pray when things are out of their control, in order to help bring about desired results. Ordinary Buddhists are just people looking for a good future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As in all things, one can't judge a religion by what is &quot;common&quot; among its followers; it stands to reason that the majority of practitioners in any religion will  not be serious about their religion and practice it only insofar as it supports their worldly pursuits. Hence the popularity of prayer over say meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's attitude towards theistic supplication is well-summarized in the Jaataka commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These greedy liars propagate deceit,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And fools believe the fictions they repeat;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who has eyes can see the sickening sight;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does not God set his creatures right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If his wide power no limits can restrain,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why is his hand so rarely spread to bless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are his creatures all condemned to pain?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does he not to all give happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do fraud, lies, and ignorance prevail?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why triumphs falsehood,—truth and justice fail?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I count your God one th’ injust among,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Who made a world in which to shelter wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j6/j6009.htm&quot;&gt;Jāt. 543&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also implicitly pokes fun at the concept of supplication in the Ratana Sutta, acknowledging the prevalence of prayer and encouraging higher beings to respond positively:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O beings, listen closely. May you all radiate loving-kindness to those human beings who, by day and night, bring offerings to you. Wherefore, protect them with diligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does prayer in Buddhism have a different meaning when compared to for example Christianity?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, the word used is &lt;em&gt;adhiṭṭhāna&lt;/em&gt;, which means &quot;determination&quot; or &quot;resolution&quot;, in the sense of setting one's mind (ṭhāna) firmly (adhi) on something, e.g. &quot;May I be free from suffering&quot;. Though the translation makes it sound like a request, it is actually just a means of reaffirming one's commitment to something - one's own happiness, the happiness of others, the attainment of enlightenment, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of a core Buddhist determination, one made by the Buddha himself, is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up on my body, but my energy shall not be relaxed so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, manly energy, and manly persistence.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 70 (Bodhi, trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other Buddhist traditions, prayer may actually be used as a means of supplication, e.g. to a bodhisatta or even a presumed Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T12:30:36.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2262" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-22T12:37:11.080" Score="7" ViewCount="2796" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have already seen different answers to that question, but I don't know which one is based on the suttas. I would appreciate the source of the answer for this specific topic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think the answer is &quot;No&quot;, could you please write about how far a lay person can get? Just a higher rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T18:59:09.943" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T09:54:01.013" Title="Can a lay person become an Arahant according to the Suttas?" Tags="|theravada|laity|arhats|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2262" CreationDate="2014-07-22T13:03:37.377" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard: A lay person can become an Arahath, but he will enter the Sangha within a week or he will enter Parinibbana. If it's a Pacceca Buddha, he will leave the lay life to dwell in the forest since there's no Sasana in the world. Also, if an Anagami lay person dies, he will be born in one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pure abodes&lt;/a&gt;. There he will attain Arahantship and won't be entering the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T13:03:37.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2262" CreationDate="2014-07-22T15:22:49.310" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what one of the &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta asked the Blessed One:&#xA;“Master Gotama, is there any householder who, without abandoning the&#xA;fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made an&#xA;end of suffering?”&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Vaccha, there is no householder who, without abandoning the fetter of&#xA;householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made an end of&#xA;suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Master Gotama, is there any householder who, without abandoning the&#xA;fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has gone to&#xA;heaven?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Vaccha, there are not only one hundred or two or three or four or&#xA;five hundred, but far more householders who, without abandoning the&#xA;fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body have gone to&#xA;heaven.”&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.pt/books?id=BN8ORQsvxX0C&amp;amp;pg=PA588&amp;amp;dq=%22Vaccha,%20there%20is%20no%20householder%20who,%20without%20abandoning%20the%20fetter%20of%20householdership,%20on%20the%20dissolution%20of%20the%20body%20has%20made%20an%20end%20of%20suffering.%22&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=imXOU-KkFcqc0AXq_IDwDg&amp;amp;ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=%22Vaccha%2C%20there%20is%20no%20householder%20who%2C%20without%20abandoning%20the%20fetter%20of%20householdership%2C%20on%20the%20dissolution%20of%20the%20body%20has%20made%20an%20end%20of%20suffering.%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 71, To Vacchagotta on theThreefold True Knowledge (Tevijjavaccha-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; (Post-canonical texts:) MA explains “the fetter of householdership”&#xA;(gihisamyojana) as attachment to the requisites of a householder,&#xA;which MT details as land, ornaments, wealth, grain, etc. MA says that&#xA;even though the texts mention some individuals who attained&#xA;arahantship as laymen, by the path of arahantship they destroyed all&#xA;attachment to worldly things and thus either went forth as monks or&#xA;passed away immediately after their attainment. The question of lay&#xA;arahants is discussed at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe36/sbe3605.htm#fr_244&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miln 264&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;Disclaimer: Taking only this discourse into account (without post-canonical works), the following is what I find reasonable. If there are other suttas which also shed light on this, I'd be glad to know.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it seems a householder &lt;em&gt;cannot&lt;/em&gt; make an end to suffering on the dissolution of the body &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; being free of the &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot;. Since this applies to the furthest case of &amp;quot;on the dissolution of the body&amp;quot;, it would be safe to assume that it also applies before. If this is correct then the answer depends on the meaning of &amp;quot;householder&amp;quot; &amp;amp; &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot;. Since the meaning of &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot; is not, as far as I know, explicit in any of the discourses, I'll lay out two cases:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;If &amp;quot;householder&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;living in a house&amp;quot; &amp;amp; &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;owning a house&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Then, the answer is &lt;strong&gt;yes&lt;/strong&gt;, since one can live in a house without being it's owner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;If &amp;quot;householder&amp;quot; &amp;amp; &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot; mean the same thing as &amp;quot;living in a house&amp;quot;,&#xA;Then, the answer is &lt;strong&gt;no&lt;/strong&gt;, since the problem is living in a house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since &lt;strong&gt;Case 2&lt;/strong&gt; seems absurd (because of it's implications) and &lt;strong&gt;Case 1&lt;/strong&gt; is suggested implicitly by the possibility of there being householders who &lt;em&gt;-have-&lt;/em&gt; abandoned the &amp;quot;fetter of householder-ship&amp;quot;, I would say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, a lay person -without- the fetter of householder-ship can become an arahat&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is understandable &amp;amp; helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T15:17:44.173" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2250" CreationDate="2014-07-22T15:25:41.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does praying in Buddhism have a different meaning or purpose as compared with religions with a creator God?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various points of view, depending substantially on the intent or state of mind of the person praying. I'll give you three of those points of view (POVs)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From the POV of the typical Christian&lt;/strong&gt;, it absolutely has a different meaning. For example, in Catholic Christianity, prayer is &quot;&lt;em&gt;the uplifting of the heart and mind to God&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (from the Catechism). Prayers are typically done to, through and &quot;in the name of&quot; Jesus, one of the three &quot;persons&quot; in the single tri-une God. God -- the personal, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent creator of everything -- is front and center of Christian prayer. If God is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; front and center then best case it's not prayer, and worst case it may even be seen as downright dangerous and at risk from the influence of evil spirits. The primary purpose of Christian prayer is to bring the creature into union with the Creator (worship, praise, and also intercession are all components in that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From the POV of the typical praying Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;, there is no such &quot;fully featured&quot; God, so again the meaning is clearly different. A common purpose is, as with meditation (which is very like, although not identical to, some contemplative forms of prayer), to help train the mind as part of the path to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;However, finally, from &lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt; POV&lt;/strong&gt;, I think it is hard to overlook the marked similarities between Christian prayer and Buddhist prayer and meditation, if you see past the difference created by the (excessive) anthropomorphizing of the concept of God. For example, the first time I participated in a chanting session in a Zen center, I was struck by how similar it felt to the many times in my childhood when I attended a Catholic Rosary service. Many Catholics, especially post Vatican 2, have tried to stress the importance of saying prayers in one's own language and in understanding and &lt;em&gt;meaning&lt;/em&gt; the actual words. But via Zen, I came to see the value in the almost mantra-like quality of the high-speed Rosary, and of prayers and hymns in languages other than my own. This Latin, for example, is beautiful to my ears, and spiritually uplifting: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYxyiUB1L0s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYxyiUB1L0s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For another example, look at this extract from the Eighth Letter in the 17th Century &quot;The Practice of the Presence of God&quot; by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...concentrate on keeping your mind in the presence of the Lord; if it&#xA;  sometimes wanders and withdraws itself from Him, do not let it upset&#xA;  you; confusion serves rather to distract the mind than to recollect&#xA;  it; the will must bring it back calmly; if you persevere in this way,&#xA;  God will have pity on you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me that bears a striking resemblance to instructions for Buddhist meditation. The main difference -- the idea of God -- &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a difference only if, as I say, you take very literally the typical anthropomorphic view of &quot;God&quot;. But if you see past that -- and surely whatever God is, if indeed God &quot;is&quot;, then &quot;he&quot; is certainly not an old white dude with a long beard sitting up in the clouds -- my view is that there is often actually very little difference between Buddhist prayer and Christian prayer. This is, of course, a minority view! (Which doesn't, on the other hand, make it wrong.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T15:25:41.373" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2262" CreationDate="2014-07-22T15:32:56.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is Yes. Please look through &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Lay_arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If a layman attains arahant-ship, only two destinations await him; either he must enter the Order that very day or else he must attain parinibbàna&quot; -- Milindapanha III.19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-07-22T16:08:14.707" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T16:08:14.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2093" CreationDate="2014-07-22T16:00:37.147" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the beginning one tends to control the breath out of habit. The moment we think about the breath we tend to take it over. Even going as far as trying to even it out, make it pleasant, make it smooth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sticking with it long enough one can realise that the breath is not completely controllable or always pleasant. Realising this one can think that the meditation is not done right, as if the mediator is failing, however this is part of the practise. Seeing your habit of clinging, of trying to control and seeing that it doesn't work, you slowly and momentarily let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my suggestion is to simply sticking with it and you'll find yourself slowly letting the breath rise and fall, rather than trying to control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T16:00:37.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2253" CreationDate="2014-07-22T16:27:41.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like Wiki mentioned; Karma means action, work or deed. You actually have to take good action to achieve good Karma. Basically, you cannot transfer Karma. Even Preta need to express   sadhu (appreciation) to get good Karma after someone do good Karma and share it for them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, you can provide good environment for them (can be human/animal) to do good Karma. For example; some children/animal, they do not really understand what are Dhamma talks/chanting. If they listen and feel good somehow in it, at least they gain some good Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T16:27:41.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2093" CreationDate="2014-07-22T17:13:58.967" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it is very normal, just try to remember that we meditate to let things go... let go of control, let go of stress, just be there concentrated in one single point&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see yourself thinking too much on how you are breathing, remember to repeat to yourself &quot;thinking, thinking, thinking...&quot;, you need to remind yourself not to follow thoughts, pain or control things, for tranquility meditation you need to let it go, your body knows how to do it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep trying! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T17:13:58.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2270" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-22T17:55:21.223" Score="14" ViewCount="4402" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has spoken many times about giving up bad friends, we can find it in the Dhammapada, in the beautiful Maha Mangala Sutta and many other places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My first point is: If we abandon bad friends, how will they improve? What role compassion plays here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My second point is: It is very hard these days to completely abandon bad friends, we have social networks, professional networks, smartphones etc., we are connected like never before, it is very hard for a lay person to live only with good friends around, except if maybe he/she becomes a recluse, so what should one do? Just set limits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:00:11.440" LastActivityDate="2017-10-12T09:52:51.847" Title="Giving up bad friends" Tags="|relationship|well-being|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2271" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2396" CreationDate="2014-07-22T20:30:25.607" Score="7" ViewCount="508" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm aware that using the term Hinayana isn't ideal as it has derogatory undertones - being coined by the Mahayana school to differentiate themselves from what had gone on before. The implication being that the Greater Vehicle of the Mahayana is better than the lesser vehicle of the Hinayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is there another term that can be used? I have often heard Theravada being used interchangeably. I'm not convinced that's right since I'm sure there are other 'Hinayana ' schools that aren't Theravadan, particularly considering ancient schools that don't exist now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:03:53.797" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T16:07:22.483" Title="Is there a better term than Hinayana?" Tags="|theravada|history|mahayana|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2272" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2290" CreationDate="2014-07-22T20:37:47.643" Score="8" ViewCount="6555" Body="&lt;p&gt;The number 108 is a sacred number in Buddhism, but in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/108_(number)#Religion_and_the_arts&quot;&gt;other religions as well&lt;/a&gt; (Hinduism, Jainism). &#xA;What exactly is the origin of 108 being a sacred number in Buddhism? Is there anything about it in the ancient scriptures? Did the Buddha say anything about it? Or is it more likely that this was incorporated from other older beliefs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T06:42:59.493" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T19:51:16.467" Title="What's the origin of 108 being a sacred number?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2270" CreationDate="2014-07-22T20:43:52.007" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friends are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;important&lt;/a&gt; in buddhism. Good friends (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalyana-mitra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;kalyana-mitra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;) are &lt;em&gt;Buddhist teachers&lt;/em&gt;, not just some pleasant companions. From this I &lt;em&gt;derive&lt;/em&gt; that bad friends (&lt;em&gt;papa-mitra&lt;/em&gt;) should be not just some non-prefect associates, but really evil company (like gangsters, thieves) or wrong teachers (of some evil, for karma, teaching).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-22T20:43:52.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2272" CreationDate="2014-07-22T20:49:49.053" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The origin of 108 in the ancient buddhist scriptures seems to be from the total number of feelings classified in different ways by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, I will teach you a one-hundred-and-eight exposition that is a&#xA;Dhamma exposition. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As you say, lord,&amp;quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;And which one-hundred-and-eight exposition is a&#xA;Dhamma exposition? There is the exposition whereby I have spoken of&#xA;two feelings, the exposition whereby I have spoken of three&#xA;feelings... five... six... eighteen... thirty-six... one hundred and&#xA;eight feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the two feelings? Physical &amp;amp; mental. These are the two&#xA;feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the three feelings? A feeling of pleasure, a feeling of&#xA;pain, a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. These are the three&#xA;feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the five feelings? The pleasure-faculty, the&#xA;pain-faculty, the happiness-faculty, the distress-faculty, the&#xA;equanimity-faculty. These are the five feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the six feelings? A feeling born of eye-contact, a&#xA;feeling born of ear-contact... nose-contact... tongue-contact...&#xA;body-contact... intellect-contact. These are the six feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the eighteen feelings? Six happiness-explorations, six&#xA;distress-explorations, six equanimity-explorations. These are the&#xA;eighteen feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the thirty-six feelings? Six kinds of household&#xA;happiness &amp;amp; six kinds of renunciation happiness; six kinds of&#xA;household distress &amp;amp; six kinds of renunciation distress; six kinds of&#xA;household equanimity &amp;amp; six kinds of renunciation equanimity. These are&#xA;the thirty-six feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And which are the one hundred and eight feelings? Thirty-six past&#xA;feelings, thirty-six future feelings, and thirty-six present feelings.&#xA;These are the one hundred and eight feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the one-hundred-and-eight exposition that is a&#xA;Dhamma exposition.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 36.22, Discourse on One-hundred-and-eight (Aṭṭhasatasuttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a reference to 108 Craving-verbalizations in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.199.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.199, Discourse on Craving (Taṇhā-suttaṃ)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T12:56:38.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2275" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-23T01:48:21.667" Score="7" ViewCount="1164" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this article &lt;a href=&quot;http://aeon.co/magazine/world-views/logic-of-buddhist-philosophy/&quot;&gt;http://aeon.co/magazine/world-views/logic-of-buddhist-philosophy/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosopher/Logician Graham Priest talks about some of the differences that Western logic has with Buddhist logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quickly said: Western/Aristotelian logic doesn't tolerate contradictions (principle of non-contradiction) and everything has to be either true or false (principle of the excluded middle), but Buddhist logic follows a system called the catuskoti which implies that statements can be true, false, true and false, or neither true nor false. Tibetan philosopher Gorampa even included the 'ineffable'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is this: &#xA;In buddhist logic, where does &quot;hey man, that's illogical!&quot; fit in? I mean, it pretty much seems everything can be valid in Buddhist logic, and there's just no place for the illogical, which pretty much points to the inefficacy of that system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T11:25:03.910" LastActivityDate="2019-03-31T11:00:11.357" Title="Buddhist logic and Nagarjuna" Tags="|philosophy|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2250" CreationDate="2014-07-23T01:50:36.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short, most Buddhisms are not devotional and their religious recitations (prayers-- a very Christian work) are not devotional. Old school lay Buddhism in many places is very devotional, monastic Buddhism is less so, modern western secular Buddhism isn't devotional at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not speaking of Pure Land (someone else should address that because I suspect it would have interesting similarities to theistic prayer), there are many things that Buddhist say that are not of the same sort as theistic prayer, but could be depending on how it's worded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Repentance&lt;/strong&gt;. Repentence is saying what you did wrong and promising to stop doing wrong. Said that way, it's not a prayer. If it involves getting a supernatural being to purify you of your bad Karma, then it's prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meal Gatha&lt;/strong&gt;. A meal gatha (a gatha is a verse), is all about reminding you who brought the food to the table (workers and donors) and how you ought to be practicing hard to be worth it. If you are saying thanks to supernatural beings for providing your food, then it's theistic prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Manra&lt;/strong&gt;. In the Indian world, there was a belief that the spoken world created reality. This evolved into mantras. So mantras essentially work like Harry Potter magic.  Who cares, for the moment, if mantras work. They work by ones own power. Unless they are like Nembutsu, which every explicitly works via other power (Amida's grace)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dedication of Merit.&lt;/strong&gt; This is just disavowing credit for your own good deeds and possibly magically transferring your good karma credits to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vows.&lt;/strong&gt; These are often heroic goals that you plan to implement yourself. Some of the vows are made by Buddhas and Boddisattvas, vowing to take care of other people-- get them to a Pure Land, make them healthy again and so on. I think if people just read the vows and wait for the celestial Buddha's to deliver on their promises, that's devotion. If you read or recite the Medicine Buddha's vows and think that these are good vows that everyone should make, then that's not so devotional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Praise.&lt;/strong&gt; There is a lot of praise going on in Mahayana texts. If it is reminding people of what the goal is, namely to some day, some kalpa to become a Buddha, then it serves the purpose of focusing your attention on the goal and the merits. If the praise is a quid pro quo to get the celestial beings to reward you, help you and so on, it's devotional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T01:50:36.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2270" CreationDate="2014-07-23T02:38:30.633" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is quite complex area and we cannot have correct or incorrect answers. anyway I am trying to give my opinion here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you refer the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the first advice is related to this topic. It goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not consorting with fools, consorting with the wise, paying homage to those worthy of homage: This is the highest protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here &quot;fools&quot; refers to those lacking in wisdom and live unskillfully. This is essentially those who lead ignoble lives that contradict basic moral values and decency and/or takes one away from the correct Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the other hand &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By keeping the above teaching in mind I am trying to address your points. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Point one: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;If the &quot;bad friends&quot; is a person like someone, describe as fools in the &quot;mangala Sutta&quot;, I think first step is keep our ground and not allow him/her to drag us down. We can have compassion and kindness to the &quot;bad fried&quot; and let him/her know about your position. If he/her is a really friend, he/she will understand it treat you with respect. Further, it also help them to think about themselves. However if they still trying to drag us down, my personal feeling is to avoid them. Otherwise it will do a great harm for us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second Point: &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Although it is quite easy to have friends in these days, I do not think that we have enough real fried (As mentioned in the &quot;Upaddha Sutta&quot;). We can keep contact with any person through social media very easily. Keeping the contacts and having a real fired is totally different thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway to conclude this I would like to give two &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.23.budd.html#dhp-329&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verses:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;329: If for company you cannot find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, then, like a king who leaves behind a conquered kingdom, or like a lone elephant in the elephant forest, you should go your way alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;330: Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. Live alone and do no evil; be carefree like an elephant in the elephant forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="29" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T19:52:02.233" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T19:52:02.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2270" CreationDate="2014-07-23T03:04:50.707" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It won't be a problem as long as you are being the example and the inspiration to them. You can be one of four types of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.island.lk/2007/10/25/features3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalyana Mittas&lt;/a&gt; and guide them to the right path. It will only become a problem, if you start emulating them and start taking their advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T03:22:50.670" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T03:22:50.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2014-07-23T04:05:47.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nihilism is even worse than eternalism. Because eternalists can still do good deeds and reach heavens. Nihilists are said to be destined for hells. There's also a version of nihilism which is said to be even worse than the Ananthariya Karmas(matricide, patricide etc.). It is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://theeyeofdhamma.blogspot.com/2013_07_01_archive.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Niyatha Micca Ditti&lt;/a&gt;. It is said that they won't be able to escape even when the world ends. They will be born in a hell called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3201.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lokantarika Naraka&lt;/a&gt;,  which is located at the center of where 3 universes meet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Key beliefs of the person with Niyatha Micca Ditti are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No benefit in offering alms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No purpose in caring for parents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no merit or demerit in deeds&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There aren't any ascetics who preach the Dhamma with direct knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no rebirth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No spontaneous becoming i.e. becoming of gods, brahmas and hungry ghosts etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T04:24:57.940" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T04:24:57.940" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2280" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-23T08:03:26.153" Score="5" ViewCount="419" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first precept makes it clear that we should refrain from killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However let's say you have an animal (or worse, a human) who is going to die anyway (say from being attacked by another animal, or some incurable disease). He can either die on his own in agony, or you could end his life quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intention is not to end his life out of hate or anger, but out of love and compassion - and anyway, nothing you or anyone will do will change that their going to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking through the other questions on the topic, it's clear that you're going to get bad karma for killing something, even if it's (in your head) justified by self-defence or whatever - but in those cases you have a choice of killing vs something bad happening , while in this case you have a choice of killing vs watching die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="131" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T09:00:40.910" LastActivityDate="2018-02-22T19:22:34.137" Title="Euthanasia and Buddhism" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|killing|right-intention|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2072" CreationDate="2014-07-23T08:12:54.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prisons (and the laws that put people in them) serve two purposes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a punishment for criminals (with the goal of rehabilitation) and a deterrent would-be criminals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To protect the public from people who are likely to re-offend and cause harm to others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially in the second case, we can see incarceration of dangerous people as an act of compassion towards potential future victims, to protect them from harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an ideal world, society would be structured in such a way that individuals would be able to act according to their impulses, without the danger of causing harm to others.  (Imagine if everyone had a 100% efficient robot bodyguard.)  But until we reach such a state, laws act as a way to guide our behaviour and protect people from real danger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider other laws pertaining to food safety (hygiene) and safety in the workplace.  These prevent potential accidents which would harm not only the victims but also the people who created the danger (saving them from feelings of guilt and loss of karma).  So these laws can be seen as compassionate towards both parties!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="507" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T08:12:54.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2271" CreationDate="2014-07-23T08:57:14.530" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is one commonly-accepted alternative name, but I did find some interesting suggestions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Hinayana#Substitute_terms_for_Hinayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;Of all the listed suggestions IMHO these three are best:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikaya_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nikāya Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;; coined by Professor Masatoshi Nagatomi of Harvard University especially for the purpose of avoiding the use of the term Hinayana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-Mahayana Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T08:57:14.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2014-07-23T10:36:45.947" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, lay Buddhists are not required to shave their heads, only the monks and nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In most Buddhist traditions it is a custom/rule that when you become a monk or nun (a.k.a. Bhikkhu) you have to shave your head.&#xA;There are also monastic rules that say that a Bhikkhu is not allowed to grow hair beyond a certain length or time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hair of the head should not be worn long. It should be shaved at least every two months or when the hair has grown to a length of two fingerbreadths — whichever occurs first, says the Commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beard should not be grown long, although — unlike the hair of the head — there is no explicit maximum length, unless the two month/two fingerbreadth rule is meant to apply here as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/index.html#bmc2&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source: page 14 and 15 of the Buddhist Monastic Code II&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several reasons have been given as to why these rules exist:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the first things Gautama Siddhartha (who became the Buddha) supposedly did when he left his palace and started looking for a way to defeat old age, sickness and death, was to shave off his hair and beard. Bhikkus show their commitment by doing the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaving our head symbolizes cutting off confusion, hostility, and attachment (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thubtenchodron.org/YouthAndDharma/that_lady_has_no_hair.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shaving your hair removes the risk of vanity and allows you to focus on more important things than combing and fixing your hair every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hygienic reasons&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;By looking less attractive, celibacy (another monastic rule) becomes easier (at least that's what &lt;a href=&quot;http://kinesthetictiger.com/becoming-a-buddhist-monk&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this author&lt;/a&gt; claims, I'm not sure about the validity of this myself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T10:36:45.947" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2270" CreationDate="2014-07-23T10:52:14.490" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to this question may also depend on the individual and how advanced they are in Buddhist practice. If a person is solid in faith and regular in practice and can truly be that good example for friends that may help lead those friends to the Dhamma that is one thing. If the individual is newer to Buddhism and the keeping of precepts and right speech and needs lots of time to themselves to establish a regular meditation practice and learn about their new path then friends and social activities can be a distraction. In fairness, a person in the second scenario should explain to their friends why they can't be as available as they've been in the past, or why they are no longer willing to participate in certain activities. Good friends will understand and give you that time you need. Bad friends may not respect your commitment and may continually try to persuade you back to your old ways. It's not compassionate to yourself or even the bad friend to accommodate that. Leaving a bad friend with more time on their hands (because you are not around) may give them more time to think and may be the wake up call they need. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as socializing in real life and online, you have to set limits and priorities or the days and weeks and months will simply fly by aimlessly. As a practical suggestion, I find Airplane mode on the my phone very handy when I want to use my phone based meditation timer but not be distracted by texts and notifications. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T10:52:14.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2275" CreationDate="2014-07-23T12:03:17.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Originally the &lt;em&gt;Catuṣkoṭi&lt;/em&gt; or Tetralemma was just an indication of all possible combinations of two predicates, and obviously, if these two predicates don't contradict, there is no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the Buddha himself does make seemingly contradictory statements, like when he refuses to answer the questions of &lt;em&gt;Vacchagotta&lt;/em&gt; in SN 44.10, who asks first whether there is a self, then whether there is no self. Questioned by Ananda as to why he did not answer, the Buddha effectively claims, that both answers would have been wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, since there is only one predicate (and its contradiction), there do arise logical problems. The only attempt, to solve these kinds of problems I am aware of is in the article &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Klaus Butzenberger: Einige Aspekte zur catuskoti unter besonderer Berücksichtigung Nagarjunas, in: Synthesis Philosophica 1990, 567–580.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you know German, then go read it. If not, let me summarize that it attempts to solve these problems in three ways: by classical logic, non-classical logic and thirdly by admitting its insolubility, but Butzenberger admits, that each of these attempts at solution does remain unconvincing to fruitless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might - now here comes my 50 cents - be due to the case, that the Tetralemma is used by a great number of authors in Indian logic and they do not handle it the same way. In the case of the Buddha's refusal to answer, it might be conjectured, that the Buddha is talking in two different levels of truth: a conventional truth and an absolute truth. So in order to remain truthful on the absolute level, we may have to accept contradictions on the conventional level, if - what the Buddha sometimes blames questioners for - the question is posed in a wrong way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T12:03:17.113" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2275" CreationDate="2014-07-23T12:05:37.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to comment on a few points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are hundres of places in the suttas where the Buddha said that something was wrong or didn't make any sense, it is not that &quot;anything goes&quot;, not at all, sometimes he did that using examples, a nice one was when the Buddha came across a trible, in this trible when someone dies, they used to turn the person facing the skies and call his name, screaming, they believed this way the person would see Heaven and go up there, the Buddha said: &quot;Suppose I throw a stone in a river and scream &quot;come to the surface!&quot; will it come? In the same way the person you go up and down according to kamma, not because someone is calling him&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism may not be so imperative or black and white as other religions, take the precepts for example, Buddha said we should refrain from doing A, because the consequence B will lead you to suffering, in other religions you will probably read: you shall not do that, end of story. I'm noy saying buddhism is better or worse, just different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Nagarjuna was a great buddhist, but his texts have different weight in different traditions, meaning we all deeply respect him and Milarepa for example, but the level of devotion changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T12:05:37.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2287" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2295" CreationDate="2014-07-23T13:57:39.207" Score="15" ViewCount="5941" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started to meditate half a year ago with my first Vipassana retreat in Bodhgaya. I'm trying to meditate every day since then. Around two months ago I started to practice mindfulness and try to bring meditation into my daily life and not to be mindful only on the cushion. Last week I was getting some strange results. I feel like almost all I do is automatic. I don't feel that it's me who is doing it. When I talk to people, going to work, riding on the bus. I feel like I'm watching the movie. Two days ago I was watching my breath on the bus and when the bus stopped I couldn't move for two minutes. It felt like my will was totally gone. Before, during my day I felt that I wasn't present. Now I feel present but detached, and not in a good way. Am I doing something wrong? Or it is only a stage of the practice that I must go through? Thank you for your answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="563" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:30:57.593" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:30:57.593" Title="Strange feelings after meditation and mindfulness practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2287" CreationDate="2014-07-23T14:32:15.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the amount of change depends on where you were, you may feel a big impact if you used to be a very anxious or greed person for instance, very focused on work, money, career, selfimage etc.. what meditation can do is realign your priorities, it makes you give up or at least not care as much for wordly concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just try not to mistake the feeling of &quot;this is not so important&quot; for &quot;I'm now a robot&quot;, because you will realize that a few things are really not so important and this can shake you up a little bit, but as I said it doesn't mean you are a robot, it is just that your priorities are changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to that, meditation calms the mind, so if you do a lot of meditation you can feel more relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope it helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T14:58:06.097" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T14:58:06.097" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2289" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-23T16:49:17.407" Score="6" ViewCount="524" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is easier to define &quot;right livelihood&quot; in the time of the Buddha when compared to our modern society. I would like to know if this situation can be considered wrong livelihood and if it creates bad kamma or not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine someone that works for a company, just a regular employee, maybe from HR, finance or the legal department, this person provides a service and gets paid for it, but what happens if the company sells alcohol or maybe other product that damages people's health or even if the company sells meat or products to kill insects, plagues and so on... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest a great part of the companies these days either damages the environment or the public health, others may have practices not very ethical regarding labour or tax payments, it is not easy to find a 100% &quot;clean&quot; business.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have tried to find an answer in the suttas and dhammapada and the closest thing I found was a story about the wife of a hunter, she used to help her husband by cleaning his weapon, the traps and cooking the dead animals, the Buddha said she was not guilty and was not creating bad Kamma, only the hunter who was actually killing animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there better references than this one? In my example, is it wrong livelihood? Does it create bad Kamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T16:50:30.603" LastActivityDate="2020-12-29T10:33:54.233" Title="Kamma and right livelihood in a modern business environment" Tags="|karma|modern-world|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2272" CreationDate="2014-07-23T16:51:50.197" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The number 108 comes from the Vedas&lt;/strong&gt; - so it predates Buddhism by at least a millennium. I did a lot of research on the topic last year, and found that there were two major numerological memes in Asia: 7/21 and 27/108. The latter goes back to Vedas and the earlier seems to be of Chinese origins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interaction of two memes is reflected in design of Zen mala, which has 108 beads but positions marker beads at 7 and 21. Looks like Zen mala was designed by people who already had 7 as their sacred number by the time Buddhism came to them. For them reciting prayers 7 times, doing prostrations 7x3 times etc. felt very natural, so they thought that adding numbers 7 and 21 to the foreign 108-bead Buddhist mala was a great convenience feature. For these people, number 108 remained somewhat alien and less important than their traditional number 7. (The Japanese still celebrate 7th day after baby's birth, mourn the 7th day after death, recognize 7 spring herbs and 7 lucky gods. The Chinese increment person's age on 7th day of the year, eat 7 good luck dishes, their version of Valentine's day is on 7th day of 7th lunar month etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two traditions must have existed independently in different parts of Asia, until Buddhism started spreading outside of India, carrying Hindu memes on its back (mantras, rituals etc) -- so in countries other than India number 108 became identified with Buddhism exclusively, while in India it remains a generic lucky number until this day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-09-19T19:51:16.467" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T19:51:16.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2289" CreationDate="2014-07-23T18:33:02.487" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me, at this moment, right livelihood has two components&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is ethics of the business compatible with your current understanding and relationship to Buddhist ethics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the nature of the work allow you to have an effective Buddhist practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would (and have) argued that both these components need to be addressed for something to be termed right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can give a personal example. I was a school teacher a few years ago. I was spending my time working towards a societal good. So was this right livelihood for me at that moment? No - because I was so overworked and stressed I couldn't even imagine having an effective practice. I could barely look up. Now I am a software developer which scores lower on point 1 but is a far more agreeable occupation. So now I have a (reasonably) effective Buddhist practice. So that is the right livelihood for me right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm aware that there is the danger of justifying your own decisions with this. Also I think as time goes on you will move into roles that are more compatible with your ethics.Your understanding of ethics, of others, of the world and it's interconnections will increase over time. Your understanding of right livelihood will develop with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you will go part time and leave yourself lots of time for practice. I know a lot of people who have done just that. That's right livelihood too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-23T20:59:33.823" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T20:59:33.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2280" CreationDate="2014-07-23T18:40:27.427" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been to a lecture in which a Tibetan Buddhist monk (specifically, a nyingmapa) was asked the same question by a teenage girl. Basically, his answer was, such killing would both end some existing suffering and create some new suffering. Because regular person does not see all complexity of karma network spanning multiple lives, his or her acts are very likely to make the karmic situation even worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to that monk, compassionate killing should be left to either dakas/dakinis (the crazy yogis capable of &quot;eating icecream and shit at the same time&quot; -- i.e. skilfully dealing with consequences of the bad karma they take on) or omniscient buddhas who can grant liberation at the time of killing, or at least create a favorable karmic condition in subsequent lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T18:40:27.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2289" CreationDate="2014-07-23T20:37:11.800" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what services you are providing to the company. If you are just helping them to balance accounts, it'll be similar to the hunter's wife cooking the meat. But if you are actually involved in poison making or marketing of the product, it won't be a right livelihood. Even as an HR officer, if you are hiring people to make poison or butcher animals, it's not a right livelihood. As a lawyer, if you are helping the company to get away with environmental damage, tax fraud, public health concerns, it's not a right livelihood. Yes, it creates bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T20:37:11.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2287" CreationDate="2014-07-23T20:53:59.313" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think you are alone in this. Susan Blakemore in her excellent book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11229142-zen-and-the-art-of-consciousness&quot;&gt;Zen and the Art of Consciousness&lt;/a&gt; describes almost this exact situation. She paid attention in her everyday life just as you have done and found it very illuminating. However after two weeks of this she reach a point when she couldn't cross the road. She was paralysed as you were. She abandoned this 'experiment' and went back to her meditation and retreats the results of which she details in the book. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hesitate to give advice in your case as I am woefully unqualified to do it. However it does seem you are having trouble integrating you experiences, you might even be have a kind of alienated awareness experience where you are very aware but not emotionally connected. I think with all these practices wisdom and compassion need to be balanced. I would be tempted to back off a little and engage with some metta type practices - kindly awareness towards yourself and others. But please disregard this - it's only what I would try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-23T20:53:59.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-24T02:02:36.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps. I retrieved from this ebook. The ebook can be downloaded from &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/PaAuk/TeachingAndTrainingAtPaAukforestMonestery-BhikkhuMoneyya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing (ānāpānasati)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This samatha subject can be developed up to all four jhānas. Mastery of the four ānāpāna jhānas greatly facilitates the development of all other samatha practices, as well as the subsequent analysis of materiality and mentality. &lt;strong&gt;To practice mindfulness of breathing, you focus on the breath at the entrance to the nostrils. Try to maintain your awareness of the breath as it both enters and leaves the nostrils. Every time your mind wanders, you must bring it back to the breath.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uOqy2.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T05:01:12.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2297" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-24T03:32:32.333" Score="11" ViewCount="4065" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have any recommendation for particular time of day for meditation? &#xA;Can I meditate before going to sleep at night if I don't feel drowsy before I go to bed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any Sutra which talks about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:48:32.917" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T05:58:57.730" Title="What is the recommended time of day for meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2297" CreationDate="2014-07-24T08:14:31.173" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;No such recommended time. Especially if you are doing Vipassana meditation, you are advised to practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/&quot;&gt;Samma Sati&lt;/a&gt; all the time. But early morning(just before dawn) is said to be a good time for meditation since the world is still sleeping and the mind is very clear and less distracted. So you can easily attain Samadhi. You'll find that it's a very good time to study as well. You can easily memorise things. All the Buddhas have attained enlightenment just before dawn as I've heard. Yes, you can do meditation before going to bed. If it's Vipassana meditation, drowsiness won't be a problem as you can meditate on the drowsiness. Some people with insomnia try meditation at nights to help them fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T08:28:26.390" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T08:28:26.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2299" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2300" CreationDate="2014-07-24T09:37:04.850" Score="11" ViewCount="9589" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading a work that claims Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:The_Necessity_of_Atheism_%28Brooks%29.djvu/272&quot;&gt;&quot;was born of the Virgin Maya&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. What Buddhist works address the birth of Buddha? Do any support or conflict with a virgin birth for Buddha?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="113" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T09:41:05.893" LastActivityDate="2020-09-04T04:41:40.587" Title="Was Buddha born of a Virgin?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2299" CreationDate="2014-07-24T10:13:18.570" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;This refers to a dream that Queen Maya had after trying for many years to have a baby with her husband. The reality is, they wrote that he was born to a woman who had been married for twenty years,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Blog will help to clear your idea. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rightreason.org/2009/the-virgin-birth-of-buddha/&quot;&gt;http://www.rightreason.org/2009/the-virgin-birth-of-buddha/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="570" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T10:13:18.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2299" CreationDate="2014-07-24T10:15:04.180" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know Queen Maya is not described as a virgin anywhere in the Pali canon, but she was believed to be sterile by most Burmese Buddhists. The account of the Buddha's birth is derived from Acchariyabbhuta dhamma Sutta of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/123-acchariyabbhutta-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastEditorUserId="559" LastEditDate="2014-07-29T02:44:54.600" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T02:44:54.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2297" CreationDate="2014-07-24T11:56:47.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can answer based on the retreats I've done, this is not an universal rule or something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We used to Meditate twice a day, first before dawn with empty stomach for 30 or 40 minutes and then after bedtime again 30 or 40 minutes. It is important not to have a full stomach when meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if you go to a retreat focused on meditation you will meditate much more than that. At home I try to meditate at least 20 minutes per day, but I don't think this is enough, I'm trying to increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T14:18:08.887" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T14:18:08.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2303" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2490" CreationDate="2014-07-24T13:50:08.993" Score="9" ViewCount="375" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many religions have period or specific practice including fasting. I'm aware of the eating prescriptions of monks, but are there traditions or practices involving fasting for Lay-people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not in scripture, are there in culturally Buddhist countries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T15:39:54.413" LastActivityDate="2018-09-15T06:45:14.563" Title="Is there a tradition or practice involving fasting in Buddhism or Buddhist countries?" Tags="|history|traditions|fasting|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2303" CreationDate="2014-07-24T14:30:25.990" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you said, the monks should not eat outside the morning hours, lay people should also not eat outside the morning hours when they are keeping the eight precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say you should also meditate with empty stomach, a tea is fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not aware of anything else for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T14:30:25.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2305" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2306" CreationDate="2014-07-24T15:28:02.223" Score="7" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;This individual has been belligerent in the past causing a lot of grief to myself. I've felt a great deal of animosity towards this individual in the past but after some time forgave them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The forgiveness felt cleansing, but I still avoid contact. I feel that the spirit of forgiveness should be like starting from a &lt;em&gt;tabula rasa&lt;/em&gt; but am concerned about a repetition of the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should I react according to the precepts of Buddhism ? I feel that if I avoid the person, I have not truly forgiven them in my heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T18:24:47.513" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T13:55:56.217" Title="Does avoiding a person mean I have not truly forgiven them?" Tags="|relationship|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2305" CreationDate="2014-07-24T15:54:27.980" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe forgiving and avoiding are two different things. It is important to forgive people for your own peace of mind. Let go of anger and resentment, this will be good for both you and the other person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding may be important if this person is dragging you down somehow, continuously doing bad things. You can find it several times in the Buddha's teachings. However if this person is not doing bad things anymore and you still feel bad around him because of the past, the issue is in you. You haven't let it go completely, you are still attached to your image/bruised ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditate and let go of the ego if that's the case. I know it is not easy, but it is the best thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T19:34:57.623" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T19:34:57.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2307" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2309" CreationDate="2014-07-24T17:49:26.723" Score="14" ViewCount="11602" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some religions, marriage is perceived as eternal and is a bond that can not be broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe I have read that marriage in Buddhism is not a formal or well-defined institution as it is in Christianity or other religions, but I am not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, is divorce permitted between lay people ? Is it frowned upon ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T11:00:54.043" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T11:37:03.400" Title="What is Buddhism's view on divorce?" Tags="|modern-world|belief|relationship|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2014-07-24T19:28:09.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am answering this in a general sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of us perceive &quot;to love&quot; and &quot;being loved&quot; as good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, without going into talking about Karma, it is an&#xA;  attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You love someone, more or less on the condition that, this person must love you back. If not, what would happen and how many relationships have ended up in tragedy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, am not going into the Karma part of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just speaking in terms of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do we love someone. Again, very generally speaking, first comes into play is the &quot;sense of perception&quot; (i.e. &quot;She is beautiful&quot;, &quot;He is just gorgeous, look at his body&quot;, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, based on that, you conjure up thoughts and feelings that favor and fulfill that &quot;sense of perception&quot; (&quot;No, no, no, he is not bad, I still think he is a good person&quot;, &quot;I dunno why, even though she lied to her own mother and has stolen some money in the past, I still think she was just mistaken; deep inside, I think she is a good person. She is just lost and having a bad time in the moment. I think she is nice. Give her a chance&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, speaking very generally, you would do whatever to please her /&#xA;  him, doing things that you wouldn't normally do - that's one suffering&#xA;  (a debt, if you will).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then just to please her, you try to lavish her with items you don't normally buy.&#xA;For example, a leather bag, leather shoes, a gorgeous diner, etc etc. Think of these actions, behind these, someone / thing had to suffer / die for you, for your fulfillment of pleasing her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, putting Karma aside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let say you are normally a very calm person, knowing how to avoid conflicts and ease things. But since you are with a girl now, you need to become / become &lt;em&gt;competitive&lt;/em&gt; and more &lt;em&gt;aggressive&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. if she complains that a guy at the train station is looking at her, you would need to stare at his guy back, when normally if you were being stared at, you had your own way to avoid conflict and stay calm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attachment stacks up, likewise sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so, let say you still decided to do all of the above and is OK for you, then if one day she so happens to do something that doesn't please you back, all of what you have done for her rush at you in thoughts and your anger arises (&quot;You know I love you, how much have I done for you?, I I I, did this; when I was sick, I still went to you and I I I&quot;. And she also &quot;I I I&quot;.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From now from, it cycles further. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, at the very very last thought before you decided to leave her, your first sight (the beauty of her) comes to &quot;conciliate&quot; your decision of leaving this relationship. And it goes on like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let say somehow it turns out OK and you and her have kids. It is another attachment stacked up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to raise them. The stress, etc etc, forces you to do something you don't normally do and against your will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, putting aside Karma and be very general:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to fulfill your kids' needs (food, toys, clothes, iPad?). And now you need more money. Normally you work and that's it, but suddenly money is important and thus your job and a raise; so, you start office politics and ooze out some co-workers, who you think might &lt;em&gt;endanger&lt;/em&gt; your position). Sufferings to all parties including yourself. Debts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It goes on and on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your kids, who you tried so hard to put into Stanford, turn out to be someone who smokes and drinks on the streets with a guitar, living day by day by stealing. Another attachment that causes sufferings here - your &quot;kindness&quot; to your kids are not reciprocated. You disown them, and they in turn off and on shout at you, etc etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or: they turn out to be graduates from Stanford. But not visiting you enough afterwards, not saying to you enough &quot;thank you, papa&quot; and your anger arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these are &quot;binary&quot; - your love depends on the others', the others' yours.&#xA;It will be payed out and must be re-payed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above begin with one perception (re-cap: &quot;He is gorgeous&quot;, &quot;She is so fine, so pretty&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The cycle &quot;cycles&quot; onwards for generations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you are already in a relationship and would like to know if a &quot;divorce&quot; would be frowned upon, the answer is, all has already begun from the &quot;first perception&quot; that led into &quot;loving&quot; and &quot;wanting to be loved&quot; with this person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the thought &quot;why is loving another so 'bad'?&quot; or &quot;I think loving and being loved is a most beautiful thing!&quot;, then please re-visit my answer here someday in the future as you continue your path with Buddhism and I hope to hear from you then.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not saying / defining here some thing is bad; rather: not to attach oneself or get attached to that something is good enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roses grow, fish swims, but we don't need to pluck the roses or catch the fish and put it into a tank. Let them be where they are and you so likewise.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T19:28:09.710" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2014-07-24T20:28:36.490" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is frowned upon in cultures influenced by Buddhism depending on the situation. If you are abandoning your family because of your sexual desire or craving towards wealth, fame, power of another person, it's frowned upon. If you are getting divorced simply to get away from responsibilities, it's frowned upon. If you are leaving the lay life to become a monk or a hermit, it's accepted. If you want a divorce because you don't get along well with your partner, you are first expected to try to correct yourselves. Be more tolerant of the differences and resolve your problems according to the Dhamma. There's very good advice on how to lead a successful marriage life in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot;&gt;Singalovada sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no 'soul-mate' concept among Buddhists as they don't believe in a soul. But the general advice is to stay celibate until you get married and limit yourself only to one partner afterwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no encouragement to get divorced in Buddhism. You can make a case with the verse in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Balavagga&lt;/a&gt; which says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let him&#xA;  resolutely pursue a solitary course; there is no fellowship with the&#xA;  fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's for finding friends in general. In case of marriage, it should be applied in the first place, when you are looking for a partner to get married to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T20:48:15.560" LastActivityDate="2014-07-24T20:48:15.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2310" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-24T23:12:41.620" Score="7" ViewCount="1359" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always thought that in order to be light, darkness must exist, in order for us to appreciate a beautiful sunshine, rainy days must exist, for a food to be good, bad food must exist and so on, if you have only good things you will not appreciate or feel happy about it. (this is the common mundane view)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of thought clearly doesn't fit with the concept of Nibbana, where there is only Happiness and no suffering at all, so Happiness in Nibbana is not relative, it is something absolute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain what is wrong with the thought that sees happiness as something relative, that needs to be compared with other things? Is Happiness in Nibbana a different thing that has more to do with peace and stability?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-24T23:39:47.350" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:06:44.380" Title="How can there be Happiness without suffering?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2311" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2322" CreationDate="2014-07-25T00:52:14.890" Score="7" ViewCount="549" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I talk of sankharas, I mean the pattern of the mind and the way in which the sanna recognizes an object. After prolonged Vipassana and remaining equanimous to the body sensations, Many of my thought patterns have changed and I can practically see a link there. But theoretically I am still unaware as to how remaining equanimous to body sensations has anything to do with the deepest habit patterns of the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now my question is if one stops Vipassana meditation for a sufficient period of time. Is there a way for these sankharas to develop again? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2022-03-19T21:47:03.087" Title="Sankharas, once eliminated. Do they have a chance of coming back?" Tags="|samatha|abhidhamma|satipatthana|defilements|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-25T06:28:16.660" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism always teaches us to take the middle way (not the happy end nor the sad end). So you are correct about &quot;to end your suffering, you may need to lose your happiness too&quot;. But for the billions of years over which you have lived (reincarnation) you have felt both sad and happy from time to time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know you are on a non-ending journey of life with happy, neutral, and sad feelings. According to the overall picture you always tend to end with suffering. So if you can end (stop) this non-ending journey somehow, you will not born (exist) as any kind of life again and there you are free from suffering (but no one exist as you when you come to this state call Nibbana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="570" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-07-25T21:03:04.373" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T21:03:04.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-07-25T06:43:45.780" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;simply answer is No, Jesus is considered as son of God. Buddha was a human his parents are all human and he never reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All Buddhas have certain features that are directly used to differentiate a Buddha from others. Those features will clear out your doubts. And the &quot;Buddha&quot; is a kind of designation, not a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found a great answer here but its written in Sinhala. Can someone help me with translating this to English. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/muduna/posts/699269543482977:0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/muduna/posts/699269543482977:0&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is a nice read at &lt;a href=&quot;https://tibettalk.wordpress.com/2007/09/01/the-lost-years-of-jesus-in-tibet/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://tibettalk.wordpress.com/2007/09/01/the-lost-years-of-jesus-in-tibet/&lt;/a&gt; where it says Jesus learned Buddhism &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="570" LastEditorUserId="570" LastEditDate="2017-09-25T04:05:34.547" LastActivityDate="2017-09-25T04:05:34.547" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-25T07:30:06.370" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Light vs darkness is a better analogy to wisdom vs ignorance than happiness vs suffering. What you describe as happiness and suffering are just experiences. They belong to the Sankhara group in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot;&gt;five aggregates of clinging&lt;/a&gt;. Nibbana exists independently of the five aggregates. All experiences, whether they are pleasurable, painful or neutral, fall under the first Noble truth. So they all have the inherent nature of Dukkha. Nibbana is non-experiential and devoid of Dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-07-25T10:44:12.953" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T10:44:12.953" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-25T09:44:36.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order for there to be light, darkness must exist is one way to look at the reality. But you can look at it another way for example there is only light and darkness is the absence of light. If you look at the reality this way the permenent absence of suffering is what Buddhists call Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T09:44:36.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2078" CreationDate="2014-07-25T09:59:38.753" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word Zen is derived from Pali word Jhāna which means concentrated or absorbed state of mind. So whenever I see the word Zen outside of Religious work I assume it just refered to absorption . Therefore I would assume in your case it would refer to absorption into art of motorcycle repairing :).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T09:59:38.753" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-25T12:04:38.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To say it very simply, I think that you don't eradicate suffering from your life but you just change your perception of it, as well as you change your perception of good feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I love this metaphor : it's like if you live floating on the surface of the ocean during your entire life, putting up with waves, winds and rain that make you suffer, and then one day you just dive into the ocean. And the deeper you dive the less those things affect you, but you will always see them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="580" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T12:04:38.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2320" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-25T13:06:44.453" Score="2" ViewCount="60" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been listening to free buddhist audio (FBA) podcast and have watched some videos about buddhism but i would like to see some introductory literature. Where to start?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="582" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T13:06:44.453" Title="What is the basic literature for becoming a buddist?" Tags="|learning-materials|beginner|literature|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2014-07-25T15:51:50.273" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2305" CreationDate="2014-07-25T13:55:56.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my Vajrayana teacher, avoiding is perfectly fine. It might mean that you still hold some grudges but you simply don't have to deal with them immediately. If in the current situation you don't feel strong enough to face them, avoiding is the best solution to remain calm and eliminate the chances to create further bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of meditating my teacher suggests that one should make lots of good wishes for that person in order to clear the connection between the two. You can even wish that person all the happiness and success but far away from you. Imagine this person as a happy and fulfilled being possessing all the best qualities. In that way you will generate lots of compassion and realise that there is no reason to feel bad towards them and that in essence you want this person to be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T13:55:56.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2311" CreationDate="2014-07-25T18:48:35.700" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Lists_of_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;ten fetters&lt;/a&gt; eliminated in Vipassana meditation. Elimination does not occur before you reach the Sothapanna(stream enterer) state. Until then, fetters are only subdued. Once a fetter is eliminated, it's gone for good. Refer to the table below to know the fetters eliminated at each stage of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9BrCk.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, if you stop doing vipassana short of attaining Sothapanna, your mind can fall back to an ordinary corrupted state again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T18:53:56.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2324" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2348" CreationDate="2014-07-25T21:38:44.440" Score="6" ViewCount="746" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a lot of images of the wheel of life there are Buddha figures in each of the realms. You can see them in the image below of the full wheel of life and I've also put in a close up of the hell realm with the Buddha figure clearly visible. So a Buddha is in hell, animal, hungry ghosts, human, heaven and titan realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who are these Buddhas and what are they doing in each of the realms. What is their significance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wheel of Life&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/d90Gr.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hell Realm with Buddha on the right&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7AV6r.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-25T21:45:18.170" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T04:32:36.893" Title="Who are the Buddhas on the Wheel of Life?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|iconography|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2297" CreationDate="2014-07-25T21:55:37.400" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thought I total agree that there isn't a particular time of day for meditation I personally think it is important to have a time of day of your choosing that you aim to meditate. So if that's morning then great or late of an evening then also great. However the important thing is that there is a time and you make an attempt to stick to it (without beating yourself up if you miss it). With a structure you will be more likely to have a regular meditation practice. Without a structure my experience is that things will slip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, I think there are times when it's going to be harder to meditate. I've always found after lunch particularly difficult. You are naturally more sleepy then, so sloth and torpor will be pronounced hindrances. Still even an after lunch meditation is possible particularly something like a walking meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T21:55:37.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2324" CreationDate="2014-07-25T21:57:42.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The wheel of life is full of symbolisms as you probably know, I believe the Buddhas are not actually Buddhas living in those realms, but just a way of showing that the Buddha could see all the realms and also go beyond them, like one who can visit the realms, know the realms and teach about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T21:57:42.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2214" CreationDate="2014-07-25T22:17:26.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've had a look around and I can't see actual Buddhist holidays that follow a Gregorian calendar. They all seem to shift around with lunar cycles. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_solar_calendar&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thai national calendar&lt;/a&gt; is a renumbered Gregorian calendar but the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Thailand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist festivals within that&lt;/a&gt; are lunar&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist community&lt;/a&gt; in the UK and we have over a number of years celebrated 'Gregorian' festivals. For instance we have a lovely Buddhist ritual on winter solstice and then again on New Years Eve. I'm not sure if this quite answers your question and I appreciate that this isn't traditional or even standard but I think it's interesting that we are repurposing these days as Buddhist festivals just as Christians repurposed pagan festivals for Christmas and Easter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps there are no Gregorian festivals (that I know of) right now but 'Western' Buddhist communities will be busily repurposing existing Gregorian festivals just like we are. Just a thought really. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-25T22:17:26.470" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2328" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2330" CreationDate="2014-07-25T22:55:40.457" Score="6" ViewCount="1014" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to have a detailed list of the steps in Mindfulness of Breathing meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is a good suggested duration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="582" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:32:16.213" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:32:16.213" Title="What are the steps in Mindfulness of Breathing meditation?" Tags="|anapanasati|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2324" CreationDate="2014-07-26T00:17:42.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is famous for being the Buddha who rescues those in hell.  The other important personage is King Yama (Yamadevaloka), who is sort of a judge of the dead.  These two are a big deal in East Asian Buddhism, I would suppose the Tibetans were aware of them as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ksitigarbha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ksitigarbha Sutra&lt;/a&gt;. I now determine to relieve the sufferings of the beings in the six&#xA;  realms of suffering and sorrow, skillfully leading them to salvation&#xA;  through innumerable kalpha, before I myself attain Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T00:17:42.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2328" CreationDate="2014-07-26T02:32:39.677" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Steps differ by every teaching lineage. But a basic outline would look like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on the breath and recognize it as breath, without the thought, this is me, this is mine, this is what I am, this is good, this is bad, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the mind wanders from the breath, acknowledge the thought in some system of categorizing objects that arise in the experience. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; outlines a neat and tidy system for categorizing such objects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Return to focusing on the breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Repeat 1-3 for duration of practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for duration of practice, do what your body and mind can handle, and work upwards from there. Start with 5 minutes, and if that's easy, try 10 or 15. Try 30 or 60 minutes. But there's no substitute for having a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a meditation course, my teacher had me practice 50 minutes of walking meditation, then 50 minutes of sitting meditation, repeating indefinitely. Back in the ordinary world I tend to keep it at 30 minutes (15 walking, 15 sitting).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you study under a teacher, you will find that every teaching lineage has their own specific steps. For example in the Mahasi Sayadaw school we don't just focus on the breath. We start with rising and falling of the abdomen, and then as skill develops we include recognition of sitting, and then recognition of various points on the body. Out of respect for the teachers I don't want to go into too much detail as I am not a meditation teacher, just a practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/theravada&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;theravada&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;theravada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/satipatthana&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;satipatthana&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/mahasi&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;mahasi&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;mahasi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/breathing&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;breathing&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T02:32:39.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2331" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-26T07:00:02.107" Score="3" ViewCount="453" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you recommend any good autobiographies of Buddhist teachers and monks? I'm currently reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/9460900054&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Getting Off, A Portrait of an American Buddhist Monk&lt;/a&gt; and I find it very interesting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="563" LastEditorUserId="563" LastEditDate="2014-07-26T10:28:55.787" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:47:04.333" Title="Autobiographies of Buddhist masters" Tags="|history|texts|teachers|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2331" CreationDate="2014-07-26T10:24:12.740" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can thoroughly recommended &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenBookReviews/DipaMa_The_Life_and_Legacy_of_a_Buddhist_Master.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma-The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master&lt;/a&gt;, a short biography of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt;, She was an housewife, mother and highly developed Buddhist teacher living in Calcutta. I think it's inspirational, particularly for people interested in how to practice Buddhism in the modern world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I've been personally recommended &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3995627-wild-ivy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wild Ivy&lt;/a&gt; which is an biography of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuin_Ekaku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hakuin&lt;/a&gt; the 18th century Japanese Zen master. I haven't personally read this but I have attended study groups when we have been taking reading from this and it is excellent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10211707-gautama-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of The Awakened One&lt;/a&gt; is a well recommended recent biography of the original Buddhist teacher. I have received a fair few personal recommendations that this is a good one even if you think you are very familiar with the story of the historical Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T10:24:12.740" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2078" CreationDate="2014-07-26T10:46:13.253" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the answer is not much. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance&quot;&gt;Robert Pirsig states that&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual&#xA;  information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very&#xA;  factual on motorcycles, either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The title itself is apparently a play on the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_in_the_Art_of_Archery&quot;&gt;Zen and the Art of Archery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However to say it isn't about Zen doesn't mean it's nothing to do with the enlightenment experience. The guys over at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/02/03/episode-50-pirsigs-zen-and-the-art-of-motorcycle-maintenance/&quot;&gt;Partially Examined life when discussing&lt;/a&gt; don't talk about Zen but do talk about enlightenment. In the pivotal point of the book the protagonist undergoes a physiological break. Pirsig himself refused to say whether the experience was a physiological/psychotic break or a genuine enlightment experience&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-07-26T11:12:45.980" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T11:12:45.980" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2230" CreationDate="2014-07-26T11:06:48.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to say that Vipassna or insight is possible outside of the 10 day retreat. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt; was wonderfully inspiring when working with the enlightenment experience in everyday life. One of her first students was a nursing mother. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma#Teaching_students_where_they_are&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;account goes&lt;/a&gt; that this student achieved the first level of realisation (i.e. stream entry) by mindfully noticing the sensations of her sulking infant. No ten day Vispassna retreat for her - she never left the house. However I'm going to guess that you aren't a nursing mother (you might be!) so this isn't probably immediately and practically useful to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on which sangha you are with (if any) they may be more or less willing to instruct you on Vipassna. I'm with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist community&lt;/a&gt; and my local centre has no problem discussing these techniques with people that have been around a while. It is all based on personal relationships within that setting though. I think there would be a lot more reluctance to go down that route with people who have just walked through the door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the caution is that these techniques are strong and certainly within Triratna people are required to have a very good grounding in samatha practices before hand. There are resources that you can look at yourself. Daniel Ingram in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;freely available book&lt;/a&gt; is very specific and I was also recommended this set of talks about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?ser=X32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati practice&lt;/a&gt; as a route into insight practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T11:06:48.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2311" CreationDate="2014-07-26T11:17:39.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice usually eliminate &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt;, not consequences. If you eliminated some &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;, it will naturally re-appear when &lt;em&gt;conditions&lt;/em&gt; of its appearance are meet. Unless you destroyed bad &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; In a way &lt;em&gt;arahants&lt;/em&gt; destroy &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;, but that's difference case, I suppose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T11:17:39.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2336" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2345" CreationDate="2014-07-26T11:41:46.567" Score="6" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apologies for the term Hinayana but this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/231/is-there-a-better-term-than-hinayana-that-we-should-be-using&quot;&gt;question is borne out of those discussions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So - is Theravada Buddhism the only modern representative on Hinayana Buddhism or are there another current branches of Buddhism, no matter how minor, that could also be termed 'Hinayana'. Or in other words would Theravada be completely synonymous with 'currently existing Hinayana Buddhism'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2019-02-04T03:14:47.153" Title="Is Theravada Buddhism the only modern representative of Hinayana Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|hinayana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2299" CreationDate="2014-07-26T13:04:24.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answer to the question &quot;Was Buddha born of a Virgin?&quot; &lt;strong&gt;is No&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was born as other normal humans are born into the world. Bodhisattva's who became Buddha in next immediate life are looking for 5 facts before they born into this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable Land&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable Country&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable Cast&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable Mother &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Mother should have various characteristics but here relevant factor is she should be &lt;strong&gt;biologically available&lt;/strong&gt; (That means connection of Mother and Father as all of us know). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Load Buddha is not half god- half human but he has accepted him as a Normal human in lot of places. The Best location is &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Dhrona Sutta&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; where Load Buddha has accepted he has born as a normal human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described in Dhrona Sutta, While Load Buddha was walking in between Udeni and Sawath towns, Load Buddha has met a Brahmin called Dhrona. Dhrona had seen special foot prints with various unusual symbols and marks and decided the owner of the foot prints cannot be a human and followed them.  Finally he has met Load Buddha at the end of footprint line and asked,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you a God?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Load Buddha said No.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then he asked following questions and got the same answer no. &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Are you a Devil?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Are you a Gandharwa (half god- half human)?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Are you a human?&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then he has asked as everyone of us would ask, then who you are?&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Load Buddha has answered &quot;Drona, I was born as a normal human, lived as a normal human but I have destroyed all the klesha (desires, lust and angry). So I am a extreme human. Most suitable name to identify me is &quot;Buddha&quot;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally Sidhhartha Gauthaama became Load Buddha &lt;strong&gt;not because of god has selected&lt;/strong&gt; him to be a Buddha, Instead he has &lt;strong&gt;tried himself&lt;/strong&gt; continually for very very long time to become a Buddha in his previous lives with fullfilling generally 10 facts (descriptivly 30) called Paramitha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="496" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T00:45:36.823" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T00:45:36.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2338" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-26T16:10:05.023" Score="10" ViewCount="17917" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know it is very common these days to associate Chakras with Buddhist meditation, but I couldn't find anything that supports that in the suttas. (I haven't read all suttas)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha himself taught about Chakras or has it been incorporated later in some parts of the world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:53:06.987" LastActivityDate="2018-09-21T04:11:15.590" Title="Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha's teachings?" Tags="|history|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2336" CreationDate="2014-07-26T16:15:37.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhism is not a representative of Hinayana. Just because some choose to call a derogatory term to certain traditions, doesn't make them representatives of the term. ex: If someone calls you a peasant, does it make you a representative of the word? Even if one does not mean it as an insult anymore, it's technically incorrect to use the word as Theravada Buddhism clearly recognizes and supports attaining enlightenment through all &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahindaramatemple.com/e-library/dasaparamita.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three Bodhis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T16:15:37.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2338" CreationDate="2014-07-26T16:23:22.413" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far a I know only the Vajrayana school of Buddhism includes chakras within it's teaching. This being a school heavily influenced by Tantric/Yoga practises, so it's mostly practised in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and Mongolia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not a part of the other schools and doesn't feature in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T11:45:28.807" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T11:45:28.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2341" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10853" CreationDate="2014-07-26T18:39:20.950" Score="4" ViewCount="1812" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I've heard, Mahayana Buddhists aspire to become Buddhas themselves in the future or want to become followers of a future Buddha like Buddha Maitreya. So, are Mahayana Buddhists discouraged from attaining enlightenment within the Gautama Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81sana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sasana&lt;/a&gt;? If yes, wouldn't that be limiting the scope of enlightenment compared to Theravada Buddhism? Wouldn't that also make the taking refuge in the Triple gem meaningless, as they do not want to follow the teachings of the Gautama Buddha to attain enlightenment.? If the answer to the first question is 'no', any links to Mahayana specific texts which encourage one to attain Nibbana within this Sasana would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T13:26:38.047" LastActivityDate="2021-05-13T17:18:12.460" Title="Does Mahayana Buddhism discourage attaining enlightenment under the Gautama Buddha Sasana?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2341" CreationDate="2014-07-26T22:42:11.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Non-Mahayana Theravada Buddhists&lt;sup&gt;*&lt;/sup&gt; aspire to become &lt;em&gt;arahants&lt;/em&gt;. So, are they  discouraged from performing wholesome karma to accumulate merit (&lt;em&gt;puñña&lt;/em&gt;)? Probably not. Lay-following is not discouraged while there is still higher goal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana distinctive feature is acceptance of all teachings of Buddha. So from Mahayana perspective non-Bohisattva teachings and practices are integral part of Dharma and possible for some types of personalities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;But, if person aspire to become &lt;em&gt;budhisattva/buddha&lt;/em&gt; he probably should abstain from intent of leaving &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt;, but not from intent of reaching enlightenment (&lt;em&gt;bodhi&lt;/em&gt;). He may wish to become &lt;em&gt;enlightened&lt;/em&gt; bodhisattva, or even buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;__&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;*&lt;/sup&gt; I assume that Mahayana Theravadin is possible, who don't deny Mahayana canon and/or aspire to become &lt;em&gt;bodhisatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T22:42:11.177" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2336" CreationDate="2014-07-26T23:26:32.427" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hinayana&lt;/em&gt; is complicated &lt;em&gt;philosophical&lt;/em&gt; term, sometimes it refer to lower motivation, sometimes to some misunderstanding of Teaching, sometimes to smaller knowledge, or restricted acceptance of Buddha's Teaching, and sometimes it's &lt;em&gt;misnomer&lt;/em&gt; for early schools. I want to stress, that term is &lt;em&gt;philosophical&lt;/em&gt; from just a few of Mahayana sutras. It is not a simple thing as school, (and Mahayana is not a &lt;em&gt;school&lt;/em&gt; too).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinayana as &lt;em&gt;type of motivation&lt;/em&gt; (lower than reaching Buddhahood) is acceptable lower motivation in Mahayana schools for some types of personalities. So, in that sense Hinayana is &lt;em&gt;survived&lt;/em&gt; inside of any Mahayana school, which accepts such notion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sense of &lt;em&gt;non-Mahayana&lt;/em&gt;: many Mahayana schools accept and their canons contain non-Mahayana teachings. All traditional Mahayana schools actually have survived &lt;em&gt;vinaya&lt;/em&gt; lineages of early schools, not related to Mahayana doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Theravada developed &lt;em&gt;bodhisatta&lt;/em&gt; practices and philosophical concepts which thought by some to be distinctively mahayanistic. It just don't generally accepts Mahayana canon, but don't officially denies either. So it's personal choice to accept it or not. Some Theravada scholars studied Mahayana, for example famous Walpola Rahula, he even wrote dissertation on &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmasmuccaya&lt;/em&gt; with parallels to Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-26T23:26:32.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2230" CreationDate="2014-07-27T00:34:15.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having personally sat three days and served one ten day and many more short courses. I can vouch for the technique. It really does have this no BS approach towards dealing with your impurities/negativities/ defilements whatever you want to call it. YES. There is a rigorous schedule to follow for and a first timer you'll feel a tinge of discomfort but it's all worth it in the end if you don't let your discomforts overpower you. I would recommend you to go to the centre on day 0 because in my experience there always are a few cancellations and they mostly never refuse a student. Refusing Dhamma is like refusing water to the thirsty. &#xA;You might find the rules and regulations overwhelming but everything in place there is with a good purpose. It will most certainly help your meditation if you follow them. &#xA;Going in with a clean slate would definately help you. For the period of ten days please forget everything you have learnt about meditation or all other intellectual acrobatic exercises. Although do have a nature of inquisitiveness within you about the technique. Smart questions to the teacher will yield smart answers. Talks about suttas and other traditions, not so much. All this coming only from experience so please do not mind this answer. It's actually one of my first ones on here. I really hope this helps and may you benefit on the path of liberation. Metta. &#xA;Rohit&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T00:34:15.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2336" CreationDate="2014-07-27T01:18:10.693" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are comparing apples and oranges. Theravada is not Hinayana. Some of Theravada practitioners are at Mahayana level, and some Tibetan buddhists are at Hinayana level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one's understanding of (and attitude towards) Buddha-Dharma is very simplistic and literal, we say such person is a Hinayana-level practitioner. On Hinayana level we get indoctrinated with basic concepts like Samsara and Nirvana, learn to follow basic discipline, like Five Precepts and overall minimalism, and establish basic meditation skills, like Samatha meditation on breathing. At this level everything is cut and dry, all instructions are well defined, there is no room for hesitation or sloppiness anywhere. One's focus is on one's practice, and on overcoming one's pathological habits, esp. the habit to give in to random impulses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one has established the foundation, one can either get stuck on this precise well-defined formulaic black-and-white level, and remain a (childish) Hinayana ascetic forever, or go onto more advanced aspects of Buddhism -- more subtle and fuzzy when you speak about them, but much more direct in terms of actual experience. Again I emphasize, this happens even in Theravada! At this level, one's focus shifts from self to others, and from overcoming impulses to overcoming aversions. At the same time, as one keeps on applying Dharma to one's daily life, one's realization slowly matures to the point when one no longer needs formulaic instructions and can handle issues with a sense of wisdom. This is so-called Mahayana attitude to Buddha-Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T03:13:10.693" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T03:13:10.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2341" CreationDate="2014-07-27T02:42:48.703" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re: &quot;Mahayana Buddhists aspire to become Buddhas themselves in the future&quot; -- if I can speak for &quot;Mahayana Buddhists&quot;, they say that in order to correctly follow the teaching of Gautama Buddha, one must fully understand what Gautama Buddha meant when he spoke his teaching, which means one must clearly see what Gautama Buddha saw under the Bodhi tree (if not all infinite depth, at least its main essence). When one attains the same vision that Gautama Buddha attained, and completely realizes in practice the same practice that Gautama Buddha realized, one effectively becomes equivalent to a buddha, and for all practical purposes we can call such fully realized student &quot;a buddha&quot;. It is in this sense that &quot;Mahayana Buddhists aspire to become Buddhas themselves in the future&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;or want to become followers of a future Buddha like Buddha Maitreya&quot; -- if next Buddha comes here tomorrow, wouldn't you want to become a follower and get the teaching from the first hands?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;So, are Mahayana Buddhists discouraged from attaining enlightenment within the Gautama Buddha Sasana?&quot; -- this is an incorrect conclusion you drew from an incorrect understanding of two assumptions above. Mahayana Buddhists do not reject Gautama Buddha dispensation, quite the opposite, they aspire to be the best students of Gautama Buddha, to the point of equating their teacher in vision and realization one day; they also put the true spirit of the teaching above the letter of the teaching, which is why they prefer live tradition whenever possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2018-05-17T17:29:42.410" LastActivityDate="2018-05-17T17:29:42.410" CommentCount="22" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2078" CreationDate="2014-07-27T03:43:01.640" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main idea is pretty Zen yes. The premise of the book is that Western philosophy made a wrong turn at Aristotle, who placed (conceptual) Truth at the top of the hierarchy of all knowable, thereby subsuming the Good (aka Quality aka Beauty) as a byproduct of Truth. Through this sleight of hands the conceptual has falsely acquired status of universal, while the experiential from being the mother of conceptual became its slave and hostage. Instead, argues the author, the (preconceptual) Good exists in the sphere of direct experience, and can be known directly. According to author, true understanding of Quality, Beauty and Ethics is possible only through such direct nonconceptual contact with the principle of Good. At which point Good is reinstated to the throne of knowable and Truth becomes merely one of alternative ways of attaining Good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This very much parallels Zen Buddhism's interpretation of Buddha-Dharma, according to which Self-Existing Enlightenment is not to be understood through analytical reasoning, but is awakened to through direct experience. Meditation, koan work, interviews with Zen Master, calligraphy, tea ceremony etc. are all means of getting in touch with this direct experience, which in Zen Buddhism is emphasized over analytical study of texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion it would not be too much of a stretch to equate book author's direct insight into Good/Quality with Enlightenment as it is understood in Zen Buddhism. Although technically, Zen Buddhism goes further in that it gets one into direct contact not just with Good, but also with the very Emptiness itself. So strictly speaking the author falls short of full-scale Enlightenment, but still does a good job illuminating the trap of strict rationality and the primacy of direct experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T21:36:28.550" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T21:36:28.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2324" CreationDate="2014-07-27T04:20:56.020" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;@konrad01 got it pretty close, the Buddhas symbolize various ways Dharma is presented in each of the six realms, expressed so as to match mental disposition of the realm's beings. If you look carefully, on most depictions of Bhava-Chakra the Buddha in each realm holds a different object in his hands. That is the key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Hell realm Buddha holds a cup of water, because for Hell beings the point of Dharma is to Escape from Suffering. This is the only seed of positive thinking that exists in their otherwise 100% negative mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Animal realm Buddha holds a book, because for Animals the point of Dharma is to acquire Wisdom (and through wisdom, control and power -- which is what they secretly crave despite their laziness and inertia).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Preta realm Buddha holds treasury, because for Preta mind everything looks very desirable from a distance but once they get it they realize that it is empty, so Dharma for them is the best hope to finally get something of Real Value that won't turn out to be yet another lie.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Human realm Buddha holds the begging bowl, which stands for compassion and generosity. Because in Human realm the main feature of mind is obsession with quasi-valuable (such as the &quot;I&quot;), developing compassion/generosity is the best way to liberate mind from egoistic tendencies and obsessions, something required for Enlightenment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Asura realm Buddha holds vajra I think, or some kind of sharp weapon, symbolizing Perfection of Excellence. Because Asuras are very sharp and competitive, they are incurable perfectionists, so Dharma is presented to them as a way to perfect their excellence, until they eventually realize that the highest perfection is to transcend their perfectionism and thus attain liberation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Heaven realm Buddha holds flower as symbol of impermanence. Because life in Heaven is so perfect, the only potential problem Gods have is entropy finally kicking in. Impermanence is presented to Gods to remind them of their vulnerability/susceptibility and Dharma is presented as ultimate Protection from Impermanence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T04:32:36.893" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T04:32:36.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2349" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-27T14:38:52.257" Score="5" ViewCount="2266" Body="&lt;p&gt;I moved to France, Paris recently. I am seeking any meditation centres vipasana, zen, Insight etc., where I can also communicate in English, since I don't speak much French. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone here who knows about any such places or websites please let me know?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="569" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T13:10:27.927" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T08:12:43.127" Title="Buddhist Centres in Paris?" Tags="|vipassana|zen|meditation-recommendation|insight|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-27T15:07:20.590" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. First, let's get our terms straight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Dukkha&lt;/code&gt; is not &quot;suffering&quot;, it is the painful feeling of wrongness, experienced at the time of trouble, but also when craving for unsatisfied expectations, as well as mulling over inevitable looming dangers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Sukha&lt;/code&gt; is not &quot;happiness&quot; (as in a joyful rapturous feeling we experience having attained a difficult goal), rather it is a quiet feeling of ease and comfort we experience when our existence is not burdened by troubles and emergencies.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At first approximation, when Third Noble Truth promises cessation of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, it hints at attainment of everlasting &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;. Indeed, once you drop your attachments (as per Second Noble Truth), including positive ones (desires, expectations) as well as negative ones (aversions, clinging to something inevitably transient etc.) then the feeling of wrongness is no longer generated. In effect, all experience becomes agreeable, resulting in a permanent experience of &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we look deeper though, we can notice Buddha's emphasis on Three Marks of Existence: Impermanence, Corelessness and Dukkha as universal unconditional characteristics of existence-at-large. Because things are transient and lack a stable absolute point of reference, Dukkha is inevitably generated as mind in its modeling activity always lags behind reality. So even someone who fully understood the mechanism of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, is never 100% free from occasional experiences of &quot;wrongness&quot;, as fluctuations of mind over long time invariably generate mismatches between &quot;is&quot; and &quot;should&quot;. So in all truth Nibbana is not and can't be a sterile ease, but rather a philosophical appreciation of things as they are (&lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt;) in all their complexity. Instead of being everlasting &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; Nibbana goes beyond &lt;code&gt;sukha/dukkha&lt;/code&gt; by transcending the dichotomy altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This understanding is reflected in the succession of &lt;code&gt;jhana&lt;/code&gt; stages in which the practitioner &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;generates &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; tinted with rapture, born of withdrawal from attachments and therefore from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, with help of discursive thinking.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;generates &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; tinted with rapture, born of unification of mind (lack of inner conflict), directly with no help of discursive thinking.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;establishes and maintains &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; tinted with rapture, born of equanimity (seeing things as they are with no segregation into agreeable/disagreeable)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;goes beyond &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; and indeed beyond dichotomy of sukha and dukkha, resulting in pure nonjudgmental awareness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, Buddhist practice initially focuses on reducing and ceasing &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, then on generating &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;, and finally on transcending &lt;code&gt;dukkha-sukha&lt;/code&gt; altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question directly, because experience of &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; relies on &quot;what is&quot; matching &quot;what should be&quot;, (just like experience of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; relies on the two mismatching) it still belongs in the category of conditional experience. In this sense the experience of &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; always has a shadow of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; looming over it, like you correctly supposed. Like you said, right and wrong co-imply each other, and Impermanence connects the two, guaranteeing that any &quot;right&quot; condition will not last forever. It is that feeling of being unable to fully enjoy vacation because of the need to return to work eventually. So your original premise is correct, by its very nature &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt; always has a seed of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; in it, due to it being conditional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thankfully, Buddha-Dharma does not leave us at that. To build on vacation metaphor, Buddhism solves the problem of having to return to work by dissolving the essential difference between vacation and work. Nibbana-as-permanent-vacation is just a provisional motivator (&lt;code&gt;upaya&lt;/code&gt;) utilized on initial (Hinayana) stages, before the student progresses enough to appreciate the full-scale teaching. When our mind is fully integrated, and we always do our best, then our creative spirit is shining continuously wherever we are and whatever we do. This fully integrated (and therefore unconditional!) experience is known as &lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt; and the one who realized it is called &lt;code&gt;tathagata&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T16:13:35.203" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T16:13:35.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-07-27T16:03:29.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happiness without clinging is happiness without suffering!&#xA;The Four Foundations of Mindfulness teach us that every mental and physical formation is nothing more than an experience, a phenomena, which is subject to the Three Universal Characteristics ( Impermanence,suffering and non-self). The Four Noble Truths show us and teach us the difference between an ignorant mind( a mind with wrong-view) and a mind with right-view, a mind that understands true reality, an experiential-reality, a reality without preferences, a reality without clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-07-28T08:32:46.737" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T08:32:46.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2352" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-27T16:20:50.863" Score="9" ViewCount="1614" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all I will apologize because it will be hard to put that as a clear and simple question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a person decides to enter the Buddhist path, it becomes clear that one should avoid engaging in romantic relationships as impermanence will definitly create suffering for this person (either by changing or ending the relationship), also a relationship can reduce time for meditation and dhamma study. We can understand why monks are not married.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using the same logic a person should avoid having a child, as it will create strong attachments and dramaticaly reduce the time for other activities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, we still find lots of Buddhists that decide to have this &quot;normal life&quot;, marriage, sons, career, etc... even though they practice the Buddha's teachings, meditate and understand anicca and emptiness. They believe in Samsara, rebirth and Nibbana, but they still make choices that will probably keep their minds tied to this plane. It must be a very hard moment in life, to decide what to do when there is a &quot;conflict&quot; like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm facing such challenges in my life, because soon I will have to decide about marriage, sons etc. I will create strong bonds and attachments, anyone that passed thought the same thing could help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T15:00:37.037" LastActivityDate="2019-11-04T15:02:44.483" Title="Buddhist path X Romantic Relationships and Sons" Tags="|theravada|samsara|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2352" CreationDate="2014-07-27T16:47:44.510" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer boils down to difference between Hinayana (~beginner's) and Mahayana (~advanced practitioner's) attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In beginner's mind, there is a strong conflict between Samsara of day-to-day life, and the peace of Nirvana. Buddhist practice is seen as a mean of cutting the fetters that keep reengaging one in the endless cycle of Samsara with its pointless activities and endless frustration. The challenges of day-to-day life are taken as nuisances or obstacles distracting one from study and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an advanced practitioner's mind though, Samsara is seen as an inverse projection of attachments, and Nirvana is understood as a fully integrated experience free from conflict between desirable and undesirable, not a place apart of Samsara. For such practitioner, all activity becomes dharmic practice, with glimpses of Nirvana hiding in the here and now, behind the curtain of dualistic mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone who's been married for 19 years, and a practicing Buddhist for about the same time, I can say that married life provides endless possibilities for overcoming one's pathological habits, dropping one's hang-ups, surrendering one's egoistic facades, and sacrificing one's petty personal goals in the name of the higher good. As long as one operates in the right context, basically that growth requires overcoming the ego, married life becomes the best dharma school one could ask for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, whether romantic relationship is a form of attachment, it again depends on one's attitude. One can take romantic relationship as a candy designed to satisfy one's urge for the sweet, and cry when it is taken away. This is the egoistic perspective. Or one can take romantic relationship as a learning opportunity: to expand and enrich one's relationships with the world, to learn to improvise the dance of life beautifully, to be open and impartial, unfettered by petty desires and hangups like jealousy etc., to stay ever joyful despite the normal challenges. And when impermanence takes over, one can take &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; as a learning moment as well, and accept it with sobriety and detachment. This is a perspective of the warrior. Or one can take romantic relationship as a chance to enrich the other's life, help the other overcome their wounds and neuroses, and to grow. This is a perspective of Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same applies to other forms of engagement with the world. As long as we take them as exercises helping us grow, transcend our ego, and achieve harmony and enlightenment, they are dharmic tools. The moment we make any one of them as all-important in and of itself, and place above the fundamental value of universal existence, we are in for trouble and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T17:20:29.063" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T17:20:29.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2352" CreationDate="2014-07-27T17:07:21.230" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are mixing up the monk's life with lay life. Lay people are only expected to follow the five precepts on regular days and the eight precepts on Poya days. So they can still get married and have children. You can still attain enlightenment while being a lay person. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_4lbud.htm&quot;&gt;Visaka&lt;/a&gt; was a Sothapanna. But she married and had many children. A monk's life is more congenial to the practice. But the choice is up to you. Buddha never said that all should become monks. Not everyone has the mental fortitude to leave the lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T17:07:21.230" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2349" CreationDate="2014-07-27T18:08:18.700" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had success with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt; when looking for local communities. In fact, this is how I found my last Zen Master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a direct link to Paris page, there are 13 centers registered: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/province.php?province_id=761&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/province.php?province_id=761&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T18:08:18.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2243" CreationDate="2014-07-27T20:25:49.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a general introduction, I heard good things about &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0521676746&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices&lt;/em&gt; by Peter Harvey&lt;/a&gt; of Cambridge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you by chance would like to taste a way Buddhism is taught to students within the tradition itself then you will do good to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590307119&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Treasury of Precious Qualities&lt;/a&gt; (in two volumes) by Kangyur Rinpoche, studied as a review text at the end of a comprehensive course of study Tibetan monks take towards their Geshe degrees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T23:37:59.530" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:37:59.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2357" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2366" CreationDate="2014-07-27T21:43:14.720" Score="4" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to understand the Buddhist view of Dāna better. I've read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vaccha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and it seems to say that gifts are best given to the most worthy. By comparison, in Christianity, the idea seems to be that one should do &quot;for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25:31-46&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I understanding correctly that the Buddhist view and Christian view of giving are very different? Is there a general concern for the (unworthy) poor in Buddhism? Thank you for helping me to understand this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T17:53:26.147" LastActivityDate="2019-06-20T08:26:59.947" Title="Right understanding of Dāna" Tags="|comparative-religion|merit|dana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2358" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-27T21:46:26.357" Score="3" ViewCount="584" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the taking of a Bodhisattva vow a &lt;em&gt;requirement&lt;/em&gt;(1) in Mahayana, or is it merely an &lt;em&gt;option&lt;/em&gt; (or maybe at most a recommendation)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if it's not a requirement, then for someone who decides not to take it, what if anything is the difference, in terms of the overall aim(2), between the Mahayana approach and the Theravada approach?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) By &quot;requirement&quot; I'm invoking the usual idiomatic use of that word -- i.e. pointing to an action and its consequences. For example, &quot;if you want to build muscle, you are required to lift weights&quot; or &quot;if you want to avoid rebirth in a hell realm you are required to refrain from murdering your parents&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Clearly there are differences in practice formats, but I'm thinking more of the end point. In that context, without the vow to continue as a Bodhisattva, Theravada and Mahayana seem like one and the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T22:02:24.687" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:06:28.103" Title="Is a Mahayana Buddhist *required* to take a Bodhisattva vow?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|arhats|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2358" CreationDate="2014-07-27T21:56:46.417" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing that is very particular in Buddhist, is its approach regarding what should one do. In Buddhism, we don't say: You must do A, B or C, instead we say: If you do A the consequences will be X.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the preceps for example, you should &quot;refraing from killing&quot;, this is different from: You shall not kill. The difference may be subtle, but is there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to answer your question I think you don't need to take any vows in order to practice the Dhamma, the bodhisattva vow is something that you do if you wish to become a Buddha (most likely a private Buddha) in a future life, if you seek liberation, if you wish to become an arahant, there is no need for such vows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T23:27:00.033" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:27:00.033" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2360" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-27T21:56:46.640" Score="8" ViewCount="991" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a sister question to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2358/is-a-mahayana-buddhist-required-to-take-a-bodhisattva-vow&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose a Theravada practitioner decided they wanted to take a Bodhisattva vow, could they (and remain Theravadin)? I guess there are a few of components to this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does Theravada have scope for individuals to even make the Bodhisattva choice at all when the time comes? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even if it does, does it then allow for individuals to make a promise, in advance -- i.e. to vow -- that they will make that choice at that time? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finally, even if Theravada sees both choice and vow as being possible, does it regard people who make that vow as remaining as Theravada practitioners, or would they be seen has having moved into Mahayana?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T14:11:09.173" Title="Is a Theravada Buddhist permitted/able to take a Bodhisattva vow?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2357" CreationDate="2014-07-27T22:02:38.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the merit created is greater if you give food to a monk when compared with giving to a prisoner for example, it doesn't mean you should not help the prisoner, it means that you create more merits by helping pure and enlighted beings to survive, there are many stories on the dhammapada about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think as if you are helping the Sangha to survive, so they can benefit inumerous beings, the impact in the world is bigger and so the merit earned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T23:28:19.097" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:28:19.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2358" CreationDate="2014-07-27T22:50:45.633" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding, formal taking of Bodhisattva vow (with ceremony and all) is not a hard requirement, as long as one eventually internalizes the core message of the vow: that one must surrender the hope of ever attaining Nirvana and get very comfortable with the idea of staying in Samsara for a long, long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a version of the vow we chanted, after every meditation session:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sentient beings are numberless; we vow to save them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Desires are inexhaustible; we vow to end them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Dharmas are boundless; we vow to master them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha's Way is incomparable; we vow to attain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See those adjectives -- numberless, inexhaustible and so on? Reciting them again and again makes you question what you're really up to ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this trick only works in conjunction with perfectly realizing the rest of six paramitas. Staying in Samsara is an act of murdering the ego, not of easing into worldly pleasures. Murdering the ego is the main prerequisite for Enlightenment, from Mahayana perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-27T23:02:42.620" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:02:42.620" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2331" CreationDate="2014-07-27T23:47:04.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Specifically of &lt;em&gt;auto&lt;/em&gt;-biographies, I enjoyed &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0385527071&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Confession of a Buddhist Atheist&lt;/em&gt; by Stephen Batchelor&lt;/a&gt; and of course &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1570627142&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Born In Tibet&lt;/em&gt; by Chogyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of biographies, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0143106228&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Life of Milarepa&lt;/a&gt;, even if mythical, remains an inspiring life story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:47:04.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2358" CreationDate="2014-07-27T23:55:36.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some traditions, schools, teachers, could &lt;em&gt;incite&lt;/em&gt; you to take bodhisattva vow(s) as sort of basic thing. But this is their particular teaching and &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; general Mahayana requirement. Because Mahayana suppose diversity of teaching for different types of personalities. Mahayana, I repeat, is not some unified school, but very very broad notion including any and all types of Buddha's teaching for any types of beings. Some personality may not have courage to have bodhicitta intent and of course she/he will not be pushed out from vehicle of maha-yana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-27T23:55:36.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2360" CreationDate="2014-07-28T00:24:08.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The bodhisattva vow came from the Shakyamuni Buddha, he made the vow to become a Buddha under the Buddha Kassapa. therefore no school of Buddhism should decline a student just because he/she wants to make such vow, the point with Mahayana is that the main goal in that school is to attain Buddhahood, therefore the vow is very important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Theravadins the main goal is to become an Arahant, therefore the vow is not crucial. Don't forget that the next Buddha to teach the Dhamma (Maytrea) will only come after 2.500 years once the current Sasana ends, so we are talking about a Paccekabuddha (Private Buddha), a lone Buddha that does not teach the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-07-31T11:28:08.420" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T11:28:08.420" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2357" CreationDate="2014-07-28T01:02:38.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, it's important to understand, that it is not logically follows that if something is more worthwhile than lesser goal is discouraged. Acquiring lesser merits &lt;em&gt;is not&lt;/em&gt; discouraged. Only bad deeds are discouraged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, motivation is also play very important role, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 7.49&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yes, merit (positive karmic fruits) of the action is also dependent on its nature, and merit of giving depend on the object of that giving, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 9.20&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Giving&lt;/em&gt; is meritorious deed, so helping poors is still meritorious deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T01:02:38.983" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2360" CreationDate="2014-07-28T02:38:05.080" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;theravāda&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; means &quot;doctrine&quot; (&lt;em&gt;vāda&lt;/em&gt;) of the elders (&lt;em&gt;thera&lt;/em&gt;). It generally refers to the teachings found in the Pali Canon, commentaries, and sub-commentaries. Anything laid down as doctrine in this large body of literature should be considered as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;theravada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does Theravada have scope for individuals to even make the Bodhisattva choice at all when the time comes?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not, as far as the theravada goes (and as far as I'm aware), teach his followers to become Buddhas, since his focus was on leading beings to freedom from suffering as soon as possible. It is acknowledged as a valid path, however, since that is obviously the only way a Buddha can arise. In many places the Buddha talked about how great was the arising of a Buddha in the world, for the benefit of many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Even if it does, does it then allow for individuals to make a promise, in advance -- i.e. to vow -- that they will make that choice at that time?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, there is no doctrinal teaching on the matter; the closest you'll get is in the Jataka commentary, translated in Buddhism in Translations, which talks about the perfections and characteristics of a Bodhisatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Finally, even if Theravada sees both choice and vow as being possible, does it regard people who make that vow as remaining as Theravada practitioners, or would they be seen has having moved into Mahayana?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theravada doesn't recognize the term &quot;Mahayana&quot;; it recognizes three paths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sammā-sambuddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - one who becomes enlightened by themselves and is able to teach others to become enlightened due to their limitless knowledge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pacceka-buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - one who becomes enlightened by themselves but is unable to teach others to become enlightened due to their limited knowledge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sāvaka-buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; one who becomes enlightened through the teaching of a sammā-sambuddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While thus I lay upon the ground, &lt;br/&gt;Arose within me many thoughts:&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;&quot;To-day, if such were my desire, &lt;br/&gt;I my corruptions might&#xA;  consume.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But why thus in an unknown guise &lt;br/&gt;Should I the Doctrine's fruit&#xA;  secure? &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve, &lt;br/&gt;And be a Buddha in&#xA;  the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or why should I, a valorous man, &lt;br/&gt;The ocean seek to cross alone?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve, &lt;br/&gt;And men and gods convey&#xA;  across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since now I make this earnest wish, &lt;br/&gt;In presence of this Best of&#xA;  Men, &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience sometime I'll achieve, &lt;br/&gt;And multitudes&#xA;  convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I'll rebirth's circling stream arrest, &lt;br/&gt;Destroy existence's three&#xA;  modes; &lt;br/&gt;I'll climb the sides of Doctrine's ship, &lt;br/&gt;And men and&#xA;  gods convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits001.htm&quot;&gt;The Story of Sumedha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T02:38:05.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2368" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-28T12:06:36.837" Score="7" ViewCount="2050" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question came to me from over thinking the &quot;Angulimala&quot; story. He had to &quot;repent&quot; to some extent for the murders he committed, by being scolded an hit by stones. However, the effect of the karma seems to be quite mild for 999 murders and even the intention to kill the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is this: Does your karma have to be neutral or positive to become enlightened?&#xA;And if not, what happens to the negative karma after attaining enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2017-08-27T08:22:57.177" Title="Does (bad) karma have to be depleted to be able to attain enlightenment?" Tags="|karma|enlightenment|justice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2368" CreationDate="2014-07-28T12:38:19.070" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, you don't need to deplete all your good or bad kamma to become enlightened, it does happen with &quot;remaining&quot; kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding Angulimala, there is a beautiful simile the Buddha gave that might help you understand:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine you take some salt with your hands and put it in a glass of water, the water will be salty, terrible to drink&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now imagine you take the same amount of salt and throw it in the river, the water in the river will not taste bad. The salt is the bad kamma and the water the good kamma, so if you do a lot of good kamma, that will positively impact your future even if you have lots of bad kamma, Angulimala became a monk and did a lot of good kamma, neutralizing (at least partially) the impacts of his terrible bad kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T16:24:52.680" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T16:24:52.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2368" CreationDate="2014-07-28T12:43:28.650" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;While &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; of the past karma may fruit as obstacles to liberation, &lt;strong&gt;not all karma has to fruit before liberation&lt;/strong&gt;, as even Buddha himself famously experienced results of his past karma &lt;em&gt;after&lt;/em&gt; his enlightenment (e.g. when Devadatta wounded the Buddha's foot with a rock).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1672/43&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1672/43&lt;/a&gt; Buddha rejected the theory of intentionally &quot;burning&quot; past karma through exertion and austerity. Instead, liberation is achieved by &quot;abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&amp;amp;-now&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, Buddha's advice to people of difficult backgrounds has usually been to leave the past in the past, and focus on the choices to be made and the state of mind to be maintained from now on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T12:43:28.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2371" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-28T15:15:10.070" Score="2" ViewCount="1036" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've noticed in several places about a coming of another Buddha in the future and a kind of apocalyptic teaching about space and time.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have an apocalyptic cosmology of space and time?  Will Maitreya Buddha usher in a cosmological transformation of the universe?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-07-31T23:56:24.783" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T08:28:51.830" Title="Does Buddhism teach an apocalyptic cosmology?" Tags="|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2299" CreationDate="2014-07-28T15:36:02.500" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Was Buddha born of a Virgin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Tathagata Buddha was born as normal human being. He was named &quot;Siddhartha Gautama&quot;. His birth is elaborated in some details over &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/01_1.html#03&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the reference which you have given, the source from where you &quot;got&quot; this information - in my opinion this source is dangerous and is against Buddhist vision itself. It equates Krishna and Rama with Buddha! This is blunder. As I was Hindu (those who worship Krishna and Rama), I know that their message is nowhere close to Buddhist message. The whole things is conspiracy and in the Indian context it is called Brahminical conspiracy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2017-07-12T09:20:12.660" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T09:20:12.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-07-28T16:17:32.860" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism, I highly recommend the book by Reginald Ray titled, &lt;em&gt;Secret of the Vajra World&lt;/em&gt;. He even covers a brief overview of other forms of Buddhism at the beginning, then dives into the Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very clearly written and covers a wide variety of the aspects of Tibetan Buddhist (Vajrayana Buddhist) practice and masters who teach and have taught it. In Vajrayana Buddhism, the lineage and the masters are an important part of the practice, via a practice known as guru yoga, where one learns to emulate the ideal of a buddha by practicing with one's teacher as an example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book is known as (marketed as?) a second volume in conjunction with the first (which is titled, &lt;em&gt;Indestructible Truth&lt;/em&gt;) that covers other forms of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, however I found that the short intro to the Theravada &amp;amp; Mahayana in &lt;em&gt;Secret of the Vajra World&lt;/em&gt; covered enough of that for me and that the other volume, though I read it, wasn't absolutely necessary, unless you are looking for a lot more detail on those earlier schools (and given your original question here, that first volume is probably in a LOT more detail than you'd like, for an introductory text).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, I cannot recommend highly enough Reggie Ray's book, &lt;em&gt;Secret of the Vajra World&lt;/em&gt; as a &quot;standalone&quot; introductory text to Tantric Buddhism, if you're looking for an understandable and comprehensive introduction to a frankly, pretty complicated development of Buddhism, which is the Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="187" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T16:17:32.860" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2374" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-28T16:31:16.577" Score="9" ViewCount="876" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main difference (I know) between Buddhism and Hinduism is that the first defends &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot;&gt;Anātman&lt;/a&gt; theory whereas the second defends &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_%28Hinduism%29&quot;&gt;Ātman&lt;/a&gt; theory.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the main arguments in favor of the Anātman view over the Ātman view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="402" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T11:40:09.433" Title="What are the main arguments in favor of the Anātman view over the Ātman view?" Tags="|philosophy|hinduism|anatman|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2374" CreationDate="2014-07-28T17:23:18.060" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of Atman tends to be defined as having three characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;permanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;controllable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;satisfactory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it is any of those things, it can be seen as Atman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha explains that neither form, feeling, determination and consciousness have those characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, form is not-self. Were form self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.' And since form is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&quot;&#xA;  — &quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent painful&#xA;  or pleasant?&quot; — &quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is&#xA;  impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be&#xA;  regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&quot;? — &quot;No,&#xA;  venerable sir.&quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;note: I've translated it as: &quot;Unsatisfactory vs satisfactory&quot;; the quoted text translated it as &quot;Painful vs Pleasant&quot; and I've also seen &quot;stress-full vs stress-less.&quot; I hope the point is clear.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also something that becomes apparent after meditating and following the path, when the Buddha asks Annanda, what the 10 perceptions gained by mindfulness of in - and out-breathing are, he answers pertaining to non-self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the perception of not-self? There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'The eye is not-self, forms are not-self; the ear is not-self, sounds are not-self; the nose is not-self, aromas are not-self; the tongue is not-self, flavors are not-self; the body is not-self, tactile sensations are not-self; the intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self.' Thus he remains focused on not-selfness with regard to the six inner &amp;amp; outer sense media. This is called the perception of not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a more secular note, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/taming-the-mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sam Harris&lt;/a&gt;, who has been inspired by Buddhism and tried meditation, talks about this realisation as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Occasionally, a breakthrough did occur: In a moment of seeing, for instance, there would be pure seeing, and consciousness would appear momentarily free of any feeling to which the notion of a “self” could be attached. But then the experience would fade, and I couldn’t get back there at will. There was nothing to do but return to meditating dualistically on contents of consciousness, with self-transcendence as a distant goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that those are the main argument in favour of the Anatman view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) understanding that experience is changing , uncontrollable and unsatisfactory&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Seeing in meditation that when one is mindful, no sense of self arises.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thus concluding that there is nothing that one can say about: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This is me, This is mine, I am this.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-07-28T19:24:56.590" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T19:24:56.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2374" CreationDate="2014-07-28T21:03:47.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are right in that &lt;em&gt;anatman&lt;/em&gt; is a view, not just a doctrine. Anatman is &lt;em&gt;phenomenological&lt;/em&gt; view, where phenomena are &lt;em&gt;dharmas&lt;/em&gt;. Once you properly acquire that ultimate view, you just don't see a place for &lt;em&gt;Atman&lt;/em&gt; to be. Because everything is covered by dharmas. And the view by itself is sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In comparison to phenomenological &lt;em&gt;anatman&lt;/em&gt; view, view of &lt;em&gt;atmavada&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;metaphysical&lt;/em&gt;. It is based on imagination and doubtful inference. Which is not sound base for views and actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, from methodological perspective, atmavada leads to unwholesome deeds and, thus, suffering. So it's not useful and not profitable to hold such a view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-28T21:03:47.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2371" CreationDate="2014-07-29T01:36:30.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another Buddha -- Metteyya (Maitreya) -- will gain Awakening, his&#xA;  monastic Sangha numbering in the thousands&#xA;  Digha Nikaya 26 ref- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.basicbuddhism.org/index.cfm?GPID=29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.basicbuddhism.org/index.cfm?GPID=29&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had to look up apocalypse, &quot;the complete destruction of the world.&quot; That doesn't seem to be a theme in the Buddhist cosmologies where the universes have no beginnings and no ends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(EDIT: Hmm, looks like I'm wrong-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology#Temporal_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the universe periodically falls to pieces and then rebuilds itself&lt;/a&gt;.  But it isn't immanent-- a Mahakalpa is a long time from now, and a new universe rebuilds itself every time.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Ages_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mappo&lt;/a&gt;, the time when the Dharma is forgotten and no longer taught is a Buddhist catastrophe, but more of a moral one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digha Nikaya 26 ag&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, a time will come when the children of these people will have a&#xA;  life-span of ten years.  And with them, girls will be marriageable at&#xA;  the five years old.  And with them, these flavours will disappear:&#xA;  ghee, butter, sesame-oil, molasses and salt.  Among them,&#xA;  kudrusa-grain will be the chief food, just as rice and curry are&#xA;  today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And with them,  the ten courses of moral conduct will completely&#xA;  disappear, and  the ten courses of evil will prevail exceedingly:  for&#xA;  those of a ten-year life-span there will be no word for &quot;moral&quot;,  so&#xA;  how can there be anyone who acts in a moral way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those people who have no respect for the mother and father,  for&#xA;  ascetics and Brahmins, for the head of the clan,  will be the ones who&#xA;  will enjoy honour and prestige.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as it is now the people  who show respect for mother and father,&#xA;  for ascetics and Brahmins,  for the head of the clan, who are praised&#xA;  and honoured,  so it will be with those who do the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mappo also leads to interesting consequences for current times, such as questions on if traditional forms of practice are effective anymore if we don't have a Buddha in the world. This is a big theme in Nichiren Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Maitreya Buddha returns he is a like the historical Buddha, but in some accounts, much better. For people who care about the future Buddha, it is sort of like Pure Land Buddhism, where you wait to be reborn in a universe with an active, living, teaching Buddha. In Maitreya's case, that happens to be the same universe as our own. By the logic of Pure Land Buddhism, it seems like it would be more expedient to be reborn in the next life in the Amitabha's Pure Land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also interestingly, Maitreya played a big role in the White Lotus Rebellions, a political-religious movement in ancient China that lasted several hundred years that predicted Maitreya was returning right now. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Lotus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Lotus&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-08-01T01:23:19.443" LastActivityDate="2014-08-01T01:23:19.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2378" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-29T09:28:49.787" Score="2" ViewCount="222" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my readings on Buddhism it doesn't accept the notion of soul or Atman, but at the same time it accepts the law of Karma. &#xA;How does Buddhism explains rebirth and law of Karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T11:46:36.820" Title="How does Buddhism explains rebirth and law of Karma?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2014-07-29T22:12:25.847" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2378" CreationDate="2014-07-29T11:07:53.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Kamma can be understood as a seed in put in your mind, what goes to the next life according to Buddhism is the mind, not a soul, the mindstream does not stop when the body dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a great video on Kamma by Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu on youtube, I recommend you watch it, it is full of details and at the same time easy to understand, I will paste the link:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ih0moT0bvgM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ih0moT0bvgM&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-07-29T11:18:13.257" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T11:18:13.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2378" CreationDate="2014-07-29T11:12:43.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All of our experiences in life ( The Five aggregates) are subject to the Three Universal Characteristics, one of these Characteristics is Impermanence. Every mental or physical phenomena ( Four Foundations of mindfulness) we experience through our six senses is constantly fleeting, in a state of change, this is &quot; rebirth&quot; or more precisely,this is &quot; Birth&quot;. It is one experience changing into the next. Without impermanence, there would be no rebirth or birth of a new experience, in fact there would be no existence of anything!!. So...we all can validate this teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Karma, i feel the teaching on Dependent Origination and The Noble Eightfold Path helps to see and understand &quot; cause and effect&quot; Our actions expressed through our thinking, speech and bodily actions condition the next moment, and in doing so, creates the possible conditions for our Karma to manifest from our previous or past actions ( whether that be this life or many others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you study and understand the above teachings i have mentioned, you will see, experientially, the correlation between a wholesome action and its corresponding wholesome result, also you will see the corresponding result of an unwholesome action. This is universal law. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha said, you don't have to believe anyone's word, you can see all of the Buddhas teachings for yourself!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T11:12:43.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2378" CreationDate="2014-07-29T11:46:36.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can considerate the fact that Siddharta Gautama was a person born in an Hindu environment, in which the rebirth principle is heavily present. Therefore his teaching is in the continuation of the education he could have during his childhood, just like Jesus was born as a Jewish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some believe that he truly believed in reincarnation, but in my opinion, we can take this aspect off the core of his thoughts that revolve around the personal experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="580" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T11:46:36.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2382" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-29T14:39:03.390" Score="3" ViewCount="1027" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that the Buddha attained Nirvana after his death. But how do we know that it is true?  Are there any physical signs to recognize?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-29T23:21:02.297" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T11:20:56.477" Title="Has Buddha attained Nirvana after death?" Tags="|the-buddha|nirvana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2383" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-29T15:02:44.663" Score="10" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the exact difference in Buddhist meditation and meditation in other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:31:41.677" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:31:41.677" Title="Difference in Buddhist meditation and meditation in other religions" Tags="|comparative-religion|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2383" CreationDate="2014-07-29T15:49:40.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will try to give you a simple answer without talking about higher states of mind, Vipassana and Jhanas: Meditation in Buddhism can enable lots of incredible things for advanced meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation in Buddhism, let's say for beginners, is a very important tool to help us with the following points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tranquility / &#xA;Understanding of the Buddha's teachings /&#xA;Contemplation /&#xA;Insight /&#xA;Understanding of feelings, body and mind /&#xA;etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lots of people use meditation for well being, tranquility and health benefits.There is nothing wrong with that, but Buddhists use it as a very important tool for a higher goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-08-01T23:46:36.897" LastActivityDate="2014-08-01T23:46:36.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2385" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-29T17:47:27.120" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-07-29T17:47:27.120" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T17:47:27.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2386" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-29T17:47:27.120" Score="0" Body="The acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof. It can also be trust, faith or confidence in (someone or something)." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:37:12.617" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:37:12.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2387" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-29T17:57:13.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, the term is commonly applied to the historical Buddha before his awakening but is also used for any being that intends to awaken. In Mahayana, Bodhisattva is an awakened being who vowed to work for the awakening and liberation of all sentient beings as long as Samsara persists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T13:35:19.280" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T13:35:19.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2388" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-29T17:57:13.933" Score="0" Body="A being on the spiritual quest (Theravada) or an awakened being who vowed to indefinitely stay in Samsara for the sake of others (Mahayana)." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T13:35:19.280" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T13:35:19.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2389" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-07-29T18:05:19.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:28:02.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:28:02.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2390" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-07-29T18:05:19.810" Score="0" Body="The study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind and language. It can also be a theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour." OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:33:10.627" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:33:10.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2383" CreationDate="2014-07-29T18:20:53.393" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the key aspects of meditation in Buddhism is that there are, very broadly**, two different kinds (or styles or methods or purposes or ...). One kind is intended to train the person's ability to focus their attention, and to calm their mind. That kind is called samatha (or shamatha) meditation; its aim being various forms of samadhi. The aim of the other kind of meditation is to gain insight into -- that is, to understand and experience -- the fundamental nature of reality, specifically the three characteristics -- i.e. that, contrary to the normal view reality: is impermanent, does not provide freedom from suffering, and does not contain any specific permanent thing that we can call &quot;self&quot;. This form of meditation and its aim have the same name -- vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first of those two kinds is not specific to Buddhism, and can be found throughout Hinduism and other religions. &lt;strong&gt;Buddhism's unique offering to the world is the second kind, Vipassana.&lt;/strong&gt; That said, it's not clear that it's &lt;em&gt;entirely&lt;/em&gt; unique to Buddhism in the sense that there are practitioners of other religions who appear to have achieved the outcomes that vipassana is intended to achieve. For example, it's arguable that St Teresa of Avila, a Catholic Christian nun, was describing stream entry (one of the major attainments in vipassana meditation) in her seventh mansion in her &quot;The Interior Castle&quot;. Of course that may be because Christianity, especially contemplative/mystical Christianity, was being influenced by the earlier Buddhism. Regardless, the point is that in practice a style of contemplation (meditation, prayer, etc) leading to fundamental insight does exist today outside of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** It can be argued that there aren't two different kinds at all, but in typical &quot;western&quot; discussions, that's how it's spoken of. It's not, as far as I can see, a gross error to speak of it like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-08-07T01:07:02.613" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T01:07:02.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2382" CreationDate="2014-07-29T19:30:57.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no physical signs of that and we can not verify it. Probably only enlightened beings (such as other buddhas) can verify this, so until we are enlightened we can't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Btw, he also attained Nirvana &lt;strong&gt;before&lt;/strong&gt; his death too. So-called &lt;em&gt;nirvana with remainder&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-07-29T19:30:57.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2382" CreationDate="2014-07-29T22:06:41.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is a loss of form. The &quot;Nirvana with remainder&quot; is an apparent loss of form. While the absolute Nirvana is the eternal fact that the form has always been an imputation, and such nuisances as birth and death can in no way affect this global situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we die, we lose the form in the literal sense, and for Buddhas this is called Maha-Pari-Nirvana (the great and final loss of form). In other words, Maha-Pari-Nirvana is when the apparent Nirvana perfectly coincides with the absolute Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;It is said that the Buddha attained Nirvana after his death. But how do we know that it is true? Are there any physical signs to recognize?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Buddha attained &quot;Nirvana with remainder&quot; during his life, his death is parinirvana, by definition. No signs necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-02T11:20:56.477" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T11:20:56.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2395" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-29T23:49:55.753" Score="6" ViewCount="205" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know this is very common among Mahayanas, specialy in Tibet where they search for their old teachers (Lamas) all call them Rinpoche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this also a practice in Theravada Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T20:02:12.553" Title="Do Theravada monks search for reincarnation of teachers?" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2271" CreationDate="2014-07-30T00:54:32.110" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the Introduction in &quot;&lt;em&gt;Buddhist Religions&lt;/em&gt;&quot; by Robinson, Johnson, and Thanissaro (5th ed.), one option could be to use &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81vakay%C4%81na&quot;&gt;Śrāvakayāna&lt;/a&gt;. Those authors discuss Buddhism as being more like three (at least) religions within a single family, than one single religion. Those three are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Theravāda&lt;/strong&gt; tradition, centered on the Pali Canon, and dominated by the Śrāvakayāna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;East Asian&lt;/strong&gt; tradition, centered on the Chinese Canon, and dominated by the Mahāyāna, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Tibetan&lt;/strong&gt; tradition, centered on the Tibetan Canon, and dominated by the Vajrayāna &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They note that the mention of each of those three &quot;yāna&quot; (vehicles or courses) as dominant influences doesn't mean that they were the only influence, and that in fact each tradition contains influences from all three vehicles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T00:54:32.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2395" CreationDate="2014-07-30T01:34:16.993" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. We do not have this practice. At lease not in my country, Myanmar. Let Karma handles reincarnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T01:34:16.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2107" CreationDate="2014-07-30T01:46:35.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To build upon Crab's answer, stream enterer is simply one that &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; gets the teaching of Buddha. As in, clearly sees what Buddha meant and why: what Enlightenment is, what Nirvana is, how karma works, how suffering originates and ceases, sees how the three marks of existence are true, sees how pratitya-samutpada is true, etc. (When I say &quot;clearly sees&quot; I mean the direct experience of how these things manifest in the world, in front of their eyes, not just as analytical understanding of structured explanations.) Because they clearly see all this, they obviously don't have the self view anymore, have no doubts about Buddha's teaching, and clearly see to what extent the rites and rituals work, hence have no irrational clinging to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, they may not have perfectly &lt;em&gt;realized&lt;/em&gt; (=mastered in practice) what they see yet, and that's the main difference between stream enterer and an arahant. They may still get caught up in emotions once in a while (although not in strong ones, and not for a long time), they may still have some confusions as to some subtleties of Buddha's teaching, most definitely they still have some clinging to &quot;I&quot; at the subconscious level, even though they don't subscribe to the self-&lt;em&gt;view&lt;/em&gt; anymore. But in any case, because they &quot;got it&quot;, they are not nearly as confused as they used to be before stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T02:55:29.180" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T02:55:29.180" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2271" CreationDate="2014-07-30T02:52:18.327" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I was just explaining in a comment to one of my answers, the term &quot;Hinayana&quot; is widely used by Tibetan Buddhism teachers to refer to basic/elementary/foundational (and because of this often simplified) aspects of Buddha-Dharma. If you'd go to their lectures, you'd hear this notion of Hinayana-understanding vs. Mahayana-understanding discussed in almost every other lecture. Amongst tens of books written by the teacher I consider my Root Guru, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a recently published 3-volume set has its first book, of 680 pages, dedicated to Hinayana, with this word used on almost every page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, to emphasize, &quot;Hinayana&quot; is not used to refer to Theravada at all. Rather, it is used in two senses: one, to refer to a primitive interpretation of Buddha-Dharma (by a member of any school, and of any standing, but usually a beginner, or a &quot;senior junior&quot;) and two, to refer to the first phase of Buddhist upbringing, during which the student is introduced to the most basic discipline and doctrines, that serve as the foundation for subsequent education &amp;amp; practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine two teachers discussing their students with each other: &quot;I have 3 Hinayana-level students, 2 Mahayana-level, and 1 Mahamudra&quot; or &quot;This guy is stuck at Hinayana level, perhaps I should try Kriyayogatantra...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whoever thinks the term is derogatory misses the point. The term is indeed used to refer to &quot;primitive&quot; or &quot;elementary&quot; level of Dharma. But we don't consider &quot;elementary education&quot; a derogatory term, do we? Or perhaps, in countries where Parliament comes in two houses, we don't consider The Lower House of Parliament a derogatory term? And when the rental cars come in three classes: economy, business and luxury -- we do not insist that the use of the term &quot;economy&quot; should be discouraged because it hurts the feelings of lower-income people etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;Hinayana&quot; is an important term, used by thousands of gurus over thousands of years to teach their students a very important point: that Dharma, &lt;em&gt;like any other non-trivial area of human activity&lt;/em&gt; goes far beyond simple logic, and requires depth, sensitivity, ability to compromise, to go beyond black-and-white view of the world, to juggle multiple contradicting needs, to understand different perspectives, and in general to not get stuck at the level of mechanical application of formulaic if-then-else rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides the negative connotations (&quot;black-n-white understanding of the beginner&quot;), the way it was presented by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche I feel &quot;hinayana&quot; also has positive connotations like &quot;fundamental basic teaching&quot; and &quot;spartan discipline&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's how Trungpa praised hinayana in his famous short talk, Never Forget Hinayana (edited for readability):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Good evening. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a very profound time and profound experience for us to realize how important is the hinayana teaching.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hinayana teaching should not be regarded as something that you can just carry out and then get rid of, or discard. The hinayana teaching is the life force that carries our practice and discipline, which goes on continuously. From that point of view the hinayana should be regarded as life’s strength.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is [important] for us to understand that basic life [force], that basic strength. It is very important to us, and inseparable from our lives and our existence as individuals. It is the life force that carries [you] on whether you are going through the hinayana, mahayana, or vajrayana [levels]. It is our substance and our sustenance.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;NEVER FORGET HINAYANA!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T16:07:22.483" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T16:07:22.483" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2014-07-30T03:00:45.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend to concentrate on the diaphragm, and carefully watch the psychosomatic sensations arising around the moment when the breath reverses its direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T03:00:45.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2368" CreationDate="2014-07-30T08:31:17.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to deplete all your Karma giving rebirth in the 4 lower realms to gain the 1st stage of sainthood. To be a fully enlightened person you have to deplete all Karma leading to rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean you deplete all Karma. Some Karma are only effective after rebirth can remain as a residue but all Karma which would give a rebirth should be removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process of Vippassana is the process of un working of Karma / removing fabrications where by which you remove the effects of Karma. The Karma surfaces as a sensation and passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note there 5 grave offences which will always give result in the next life. As Angulimala has not committed such Karma the others will pass away through the practice of Vippassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T03:11:15.837" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T03:11:15.837" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2338" CreationDate="2014-07-30T08:46:15.703" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are indirect references although this concept doesn't exist in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. in Anapana many Theravada traditions teach to keep your attention around the mouth or base of the nose and upper lip (Ledi Sayadaw and student's interpretations). This area is pretty sensitive when you start looking deeply into the touch sensations. There is also some advice on other points like the chest, pallet, breast bone (Thai Forest tradition as taught by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo)  or stomach (Mahaisi Sayadaw Linage, Thai Forest Tradition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thai Forest Tradition (as taught by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo) focuses different nerve centers, much more than any other Theravada traditions. The interpretation here is not they are chakras put nerve centers which help anchor your concentration. May of these point bear physical proximity to where chakras are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-03T13:34:34.417" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T13:34:34.417" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2403" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-30T12:33:15.543" Score="13" ViewCount="6915" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism having a rebirth is itself a origin of all the Dukhhas. Doesn't it imply that Buddhist laymen who are married should not have children to stop this cycle of rebirth. This leads to a more generic hypothetical question as to what happens if all people in the world stop having children? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to have the answer in the Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T21:53:24.197" LastActivityDate="2018-04-29T14:25:43.447" Title="Should a Buddhist have Children?" Tags="|rebirth|teaching|parents|children|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2403" CreationDate="2014-07-30T13:05:27.880" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the child standpoint:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A human life is considered very precious in Buddhism as it provides a great opportunity for liberation, the human realm is the best of all realms to practice Dhamma, the Buddha attained enlightment in this realm. Dukkha is found in all realms with different intensities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Buddhist (parents) standpoint, there is a related question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2352/buddhist-path-x-romantic-relationships-and-sons&quot;&gt;Buddhist path X Romantic Relationships and Sons&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T13:35:30.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2403" CreationDate="2014-07-30T13:18:33.737" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;rebirth is itself a origin of all the Dukhhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not quite. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.020.than.html&quot;&gt;Birth has a requisite condition as well&lt;/a&gt;. It's not the case that our birth was the ultimate origin of our suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Doesn't it imply that buddhist laymen who are married should not have children to stop this cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not having children will not stop those beings from being reborn. There are plenty of other organisms to be reborn as on Earth and there are other realms like the Deva world as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what happens if all people in the world stop having children?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire population of humans could all die and be reborn as insects today and it wouldn't appreciably increase their overall number: adding six billion to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/bugnos.htm&quot;&gt;10 quintillion&lt;/a&gt; doesn't even amount to a tenth of a percent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So removing the human path as a rebirth target does nothing in the way of removing suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-07-31T13:52:36.187" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T13:52:36.187" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2338" CreationDate="2014-07-30T14:01:22.387" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing supernatural about chakras. They are psychosomatic phenomena; they exist only in the subjective world of a person. That's why you can't photograph a chakra, or measure its &quot;field intensity&quot; with some kind of device.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you inspect your subtle tactile perceptions, you will surely notice feelings in and around your chest, stomach, forehead, eyes, hands, wrists, feet etc. Subjectively, these feelings are not located on the surface of, or inside the body, but rather &quot;in the air&quot; around it.  They are not produced by a contact with an external object, and they are not as sharp as itching or pain. What are they then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chakras are somatic projections of our emotional state onto the internal map of the body. They are indicators of what goes on inside our brains, below the threshold of awareness. Some of the emotions most often accompanied by chakra sensations are worry, urge, longing, resentment, irritation but also the positive ones e.g. love, fondness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Mahayana, Buddhism is often taught in combination with Tai-Chi, Qi-Gong, and other forms of &quot;energy management&quot; exercises focused on developing one's psychosomatic skills. The Chinese (also Korean, Vietnamese, etc.) recognize three main chakras: lower &lt;em&gt;dantian&lt;/em&gt; (lower abdomen), middle &lt;em&gt;dantian&lt;/em&gt; (chest) and upper &lt;em&gt;dantian&lt;/em&gt; (head). The Indians  recognize more chakras, but if you think about it, these are just alternative ways to emphasize some of the most important locations in person's subjective space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though Buddha did not mention chakras directly, his various mindfulness practices are essentially chakra exercises. Specifically, kayagata-sati (mindfulness rooted in the body) involves paying constant attention to feelings around throat, chest, solar plexus, lower abdomen, and feet. Similarly, anapana-sati (mindfulness of breathing) involves paying attention to the diaphragm, esp. the sensations experienced around the moment when the breath reverses its direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to answer your question directly, no, Buddha of Pali Canon did not speak about chakras, these and other practices (yoga, tantra) were incorporated later, as people realized their affinity with Buddhism's goal and methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T14:09:21.790" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T14:09:21.790" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2371" CreationDate="2014-07-30T14:38:42.923" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism generally utilizes the Hindu Cosmology, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_cosmology#Buddhism]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_cosmology#Buddhism]&lt;/a&gt;, except where it doesn't. Buddhist and Hindu Cosmologies posit an infinite number of universes (and infinite beings). &#xA;&lt;P&gt;It also has in its list of the 1000 Buddhas[&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=1002_buddhas_of_this_Fortunate_Aeon]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=1002_buddhas_of_this_Fortunate_Aeon]&lt;/a&gt; that will rise in this Age, of which 3 have already lived and died prior to Buddha Shakyami. Maitreya (See Matthew's links.) would be the #5 Universal Buddha. Mahayana Buddhist Sutras also has further legends of &quot;future&quot; Buddhas, such as Chinrezig, Padmasambhava, Lama Tsonghapa, etc., that would be born in India, Tibet, etc., in the 2 centuries after the Buddha's death. (I don't find all of these cosmologies useful, but each to his or her own.) Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T14:38:42.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2097" CreationDate="2014-07-30T14:46:43.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think they are intended to be quite exactly the opposite of the way you are using them. How does one study &quot;one hand clapping&quot;? The concept, I believe, is to get past conceptual thought and lack of conceptual thought. How do you use the mind to get past the mind, since it is part of the problem? The koans are avenues to trick the mind (or perhaps a more useful term is the &quot;Gross Mind&quot;) into getting the heck out of the way. Something that is NOT the Gross Mind might then be experienced. That experience might be hard to hold so one may lose the experience. If so, one then uses the meditations (and koans) one has learned to learn how to stabilize that experience. (The more I type, the less this answer makes sense. Sounds like a koan, huh?) Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T14:46:43.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2097" CreationDate="2014-07-30T15:09:35.013" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way my Zen Master used them (as much as I can pretend to have understood my Zen Master at all!) is to essentially give the person a hint about a particular pathological pattern the person was stuck on. So the koan would always match the elephant in the room that the student was working hard to ignore. The student could then resort to analysis, or simply mull over the koan while going along with the daily activities. In any case, solving the koan required getting an insight into oneself and one's fundamental relationship to the world, as opposed to figuring out some new external fact or gaining an analytical understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T15:20:53.123" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T15:20:53.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2411" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-30T15:18:00.683" Score="11" ViewCount="814" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've had a regular morning meditation practice (15 minutes or so, longer when I can) for about 12 months now, and I have a question about the sixteen contemplations as explained in the anapanasati sutta. The interpretation I have read is from the excellent Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation by Larry Rosenberg. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is really around how (or even if) I should be applying these sixteen contemplations in my daily practice. Should I be trying to work through each of them, using each contemplation as a basis for the meditation? Or is it more of an organic process than that (i.e. I will progress through them naturally with time)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="593" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:57:41.783" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:24:05.130" Title="Application of sixteen contemplations in the anapanasati sutta" Tags="|mindfulness|anapanasati|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2411" CreationDate="2014-07-30T17:00:01.067" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;As it was explained to me, we must master the coarse before we can master the subtle, and we must master the subtle before we can attain first-hand direct vision of Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this vein, during a single meditation session we must first work with the body, then work with the feelings, then work with the mind, and only then the insight meditation can happen naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So first as we sit down our body is usually disturbed and tense. The goal at this phase is to relax and calm down the body so it can sit comfortably (as opposed to forcing it to sit still).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the body physically calms down to a sufficient degree, we should start paying attention to the breathing. The breathing can be noisy or stuck or gasping etc. Our goal at this phase is to calm down further, using the breathing as our feedback indicator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we work with the breathing, we may start noticing that the problem is really with the emotions. At this point we should scan the area around the body for psychosomatic projections of emotions (tense or painful feelings in chest, abdomen, veins, forehead etc.). We should identify the blockages, etc. and release them by letting go of the subconscious will to sustain them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We proceed in this manner, as to get very comfortable. Our goal at this phase is to make ourselves feel very good, what they call &quot;rapture&quot;. To achieve that we can employ a combination of letting go of bodily and emotional blockages, as well as intentionally generating a joyful mood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Rapture&quot; is the cruder kind of good mood, while &quot;bliss&quot; is a deeper and more subtle variety of the same. Our goal is to generate rapture first, then let it deepen and stabilize to become bliss. At this point our attention should include physical, breathing, emotions, and subtler psychosomatic projections, all joined into one &quot;energy map&quot;. Our job is to fabricate deliberate effort in order to purify this whole thing, and make it transparent and energized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we succeed in the above, we can notice that the quality of our mind is also connected with the overall energy structure. If the mind is shaky or jumpy or viscous or sleepy etc. it will affect our ability to fine-tune the system into its perfect state. So we must condition the mind to get into a perfectly open/transparent/upright state, just like we did with our body, emotions, and psychosomatic energy before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By performing this practice again and again, first not so well, and then better and better, we can't help but get plenty of insights into the way the mind functions. As we start getting those insights, many of Buddhist theories we've read before will stop being mere theories and will become first-hand experience. This is the phase when we will find ourselves contemplating suffering, cessation, impermanence etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if you re-read the Anapanasati Sutta with the above commentary in mind, it should hopefully make more sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-30T17:31:19.130" LastActivityDate="2014-07-30T17:31:19.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2371" CreationDate="2014-07-31T05:20:18.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the universe goes through a cycle of expansion and collapse. The collapse is not the end of everything but part of a cycle like the waves in the ocean. So this might not fit into the traditional sense of an apocalypse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See Wikipedia Entry on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology#Temporal_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Cosmology&lt;/a&gt; for further details on the cycles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T05:20:18.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2382" CreationDate="2014-07-31T05:35:33.430" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not something that can be directly answered or rationalized through the way to find the answer is there. This is by walking the 8 fold path and getting deep penetrating insights through Vipassana, where by attaining at least the 1st stage of sainthood which would result in this doubt is broken as you have verified for your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A loose analogy can be it is difficult to describe a hidden city / exotic treasure chest you have not being there perfectly to someone else but you can be told the route to get there so you can get there and see for yourself. If the route leads you to the particular city you know that the person has gone there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T05:35:33.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2415" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-07-31T06:32:08.353" Score="6" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that the Buddha could remember his past life. Does this means that the memory of a person lasts across different life times? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="579" LastEditDate="2014-08-01T10:45:58.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-01T10:45:58.877" Title="Does memory persist across different births of an individual?" Tags="|rebirth|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2415" CreationDate="2014-07-31T08:09:05.437" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just knowledge (jnāna or vidhyā). Anyone who acquired that knowledge can remember his past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please see Buddha's awakening &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha's awakening&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and page 63 of &quot;On Being Buddha: The Classical Doctrine of Buddhahood&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and I retrieved the text below from page 571 of &quot;Agama Aura Tripitaka: Eka Anusilana&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prodigy of Memory of Earlier Births (Pϋrva-nivāsa-anusmrti-jnāna):&lt;/strong&gt; The monk endowed with this prodigy remembers many kinds of earlier births. He can remember many periods of duration of dissolution, creation and destruction-cum-origination of the universe. He remembers that at that time, he was in a particular place, state of birth, species, destinity and state of knowledge. I was in a specific state of birth. I had this name, lineage, life-span, food and experience of pleasure and pain. I was born in a specific place after death from there where I had this…etc. After death there, I am born here in this Ksatriya or Brahmin family. The heretics remember their earlier births upto 40 Kalpas (a unit of time equivalent to 20 Antar-Kalpas). The natural votary remembers earlier births upto 100 or 1000 Kalpas, the great/senior votaries remember earlier births upto 80 lacs of Kalpa years, the self-enlightened one remembers the earlier births upto two innumerable lacs of Kalpa years and the Buddha remembers the earlier births upto a period without measure.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T08:09:05.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2417" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2424" CreationDate="2014-07-31T11:57:14.097" Score="4" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is prompted by reading the 23rd Minor Precept in the Brahma Net Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After my passing, if a disciple should, with a wholesome mind, wish to&#xA;  receive the Bodhisattva precepts, he may make a vow to do so before&#xA;  the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and practice repentance before&#xA;  these images for seven days. If he then experiences a vision, he has&#xA;  received the precepts. If he does not, he should continue doing so for&#xA;  fourteen days, twenty-one days, or even a whole year, seeking to&#xA;  witness an auspicious sign. After witnessing such a sign, he could, in&#xA;  front of images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, formally receive the&#xA;  precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the modern moment, the normal advice regarding dreams and visions is to ignore them. So while I appreciate the concern, I'm not mainly trying to get advice about what to do about dreams and visions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I see, in the above text is a positive perspective on dreams and visions, but the author assumes the reader knows what he's talking about when he says &quot;vision&quot;-- is this a reference to dreams, near-hallucinations during meditation, or &quot;signs&quot; like seeing something remarkable like crows listening to a dharma talk?  Is this a reference to dream yoga that I hear about in Vajrayana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T22:56:24.133" Title="How were dreams and visions seen in the context of Chinese Buddhism?" Tags="|mahayana|chinese-buddhism|dreams|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2374" CreationDate="2014-07-31T12:21:50.527" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me put the it in other perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On asking if about the existence of Atmaan Buddha simply doesn't answer. What he says that the answer won't solve the main issue of Dukhha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can only speculate about his stance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T12:21:50.527" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2415" CreationDate="2014-07-31T12:44:35.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I explain in simple way ,When we see it out of the box even though it is like our memory is saved in somewhere it is not like that..&#xA;Once we improved our mind using bawana ,widharashana ,...etc we would be able see this world in ever most realistic way..That is really strengthen of the ultimately well improved mind.It is called &quot;nyana&quot; ,once Buddha acquire his goals he was gain mainly three special &quot;nyana&quot;.&#xA;Using them he was be able to see past of animals(all sort of lives) ,as well as future of animals and there is other one. Really that's why we address he is &quot;Buddha&quot;there is nothing to realize beyond his understanding in this world ever.&#xA;As we are not having such a biggest improve in our mind, worldling scopes are very narrow .Ex: think about  human eye, human would be able to see withing specific spectrum(between range of frequency)beyond this spectrum there are a lot of things.But we can't see.But sometimes other animal can see different things due to that they belong to different spectrum.&#xA;As same as our mind is like that.But the special thing is, if we can improve our mind we would be able to expand this range unless eye,ear or other part of our body.&#xA;That's what Our Buddha ultimately retrieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="571" LastEditorUserId="571" LastEditDate="2014-07-31T12:50:16.973" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T12:50:16.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2417" CreationDate="2014-07-31T12:53:41.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. Most Buddhist teachers do advise us to try to ignore dreams and visions. Hard to do, sometimes. Still, in some places, they do place credence on dreams. During the Kalachakra Initiation, a 2 or 3-day affair, after the first day's teachings, the student is advised to try to remember his dream from that night.  [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/n.html_554862326.html]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/n.html_554862326.html]&lt;/a&gt; The common factor between your question and the above, perhaps, is that a Boddhisatva or a Buddha is presemed to be giving the initiation, and perhaps the dream, too. There is also a Dream Yoga practice in the &quot;Six Yogas of Naropa&quot; practices. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga]&lt;/a&gt;. In the advanced practice of the Completion Stage of the Mahamudra, the Six Yogas are practiced. One of them is the Dream Yoga practice, which is, again, only useful for advanced practioners. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/advanced/mahamudra/karma_kagyu_mm/commentary_aspiration_prayer_definitive_meaning_mm/mm_prayer_commentary_02.html?query=six+yogas+of+naropa]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/advanced/mahamudra/karma_kagyu_mm/commentary_aspiration_prayer_definitive_meaning_mm/mm_prayer_commentary_02.html?query=six+yogas+of+naropa]&lt;/a&gt; Hope that helps.&#xA;ps. I tried to make a comment on your Brahma Net Project site, but for some reason the FaceBook login does not work on the network where I work. And I can not figure out how to get an account on your site. Maybe you need an &quot;how to get an BNP site account for dummies page&quot; there. Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T12:53:41.323" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2352" CreationDate="2014-07-31T13:00:57.483" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to add to the answers you've received by addressing your comment that having a child will dramatically reduce your time for other activities; presumably Buddhist practice. I answer this from the perspective of having raised four sons. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was younger and had far fewer responsibilities, I had lots of time but there was no urgency to use that time wisely. I chatted with friends for hours, watched tv, went shopping just for the fun of it, and had a purist attitude about lots of mundane things that they should only be done this way or that way regardless of how much time was wasted in the process. The books about serious subjects that I always meant to read sat there, unread. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fast forward to my years raising four sons and working a full time job (40+ hours per week in this part of the world). This was when I learned that in order to do anything worthwhile you must narrow your focus to what is truly important and discard anything that doesn't bring you closer to your truly important goals. So it's an interesting practice in humility and allowing your own ego to begin to melt to realize you cannot keep up. You cannot keep up with anything trendy, music, politics, the news, what the experts are saying, or any sense of purist ideals that mundane things should be done this way or that way regardless of how much time is wasted. You can make sticky rice by soaking it for 24 hours and steaming it to perfection or by soaking it for 30 minutes and putting in the microwave for 10 minutes. Either way, it's good. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My priorities changed a lot too as I realized the better job I had previously wanted would leave me with even less time; the bigger house, the nicer clothes, and all the rest of the material &quot;wants&quot; would also only serve to take time away from important things and I gave up that way of thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be accurate, I was not Buddhist during this time. Buddhism simply hadn't entered my life yet. But I found time for everything that was important to me at that time and if I had known enough to have had a meditation practice during that time; I would have meditated probably after everyone was asleep or before everyone was awake. (Which is actually what I do these days anyway so I can have more time.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the point is, not to get married or have a child because you think you are supposed to or because your family or society expects it of you. But if you have good reasons for wanting to get married or have a child or adopt a child (I'm both a biological and adoptive mom and it's been a very enriching experience both ways.) don't be concerned that the fact that you have &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; time will mean that you won't have time for meditation or Buddhist study. You will if you make the time; especially if you are willing to give up some sleep. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck with your decision. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T13:00:57.483" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2403" CreationDate="2014-07-31T13:16:44.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also the Buddhist perspective that everything that will happen (physically) in your life has already been determined by your past actions. Your question is not a simple question. It indirectly invokes the questions of free-will, determinism, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists believe in neither absolute free will, nor determinism. It preaches a middle doctrine, named pratitya-samutpada in Sanskrit, which is often translated as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will#In_Buddhist_philosophy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Inter-dependent arising&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_Origination&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level4_deepening_understanding_path/rebirth_karma/analysis_free_will_versus_determinism/analysis_free_will_vs_determinism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Analysis of Free Will versus Determinism&lt;/a&gt; (by Alex Berzin, one of my favorite teachers.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &quot;dependent arising&quot; and &quot;interdependent arising&quot; mean the same thing. Funny. Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T20:17:19.397" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T20:17:19.397" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2064" CreationDate="2014-07-31T15:33:17.210" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;All of these sutras are on the subject of wisdom, or &quot;voidness&quot;, &quot;sunyata&quot;, or the &quot;emptiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Śūnyatā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_2018097652.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Meditation on Voidness (Emptiness)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many good teachings on the concept; here's one: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/advanced_scope/voidness_emptyness/advice_studying_voidness/transcript.html?query=emptiness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Advice for Studying Voidness (Emptiness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every school has its own teachings on the subject. Indeed, all of them (I think) advocate meditation on the concept at some point. One form of Mahamudara meditation advocates using it from the beginning: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chagchen.com/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahamudra Meditation Manual&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good stuff!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-15T20:43:44.890" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T20:43:44.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2417" CreationDate="2014-07-31T20:36:26.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, dream yoga is rather different. Dream yoga is about using the dreams as settings for spiritual practice. For example, because I used to be a relatively shy person, I was afraid of confronting/challenging difficult people directly. So for a period of time, my dream yoga was to yell at, and even fight with, the characters of my dreams, as to go through the mental/emotional block. Just one of the more straightforward examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The visions they are talking about above, are simple hints from the world of spirit/energy/information filtered by your subconscious, such as when you see Buddha's profile on a rock under your feet, or overhear a phrase that speaks directly to your problem etc. It could even be an actual vision in a dream, but the principal difference from dream yoga is that visions come spontaneously, while dream yoga involves deliberate action on your side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, both rely on the same mechanisms behind the scenes. At the end of the day, it's all about setting up your intent to engage the subconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not like I'm a real expert in the above, but I've done enough practice with the both over the years to at least have some idea of what is what...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-07-31T22:56:24.133" LastActivityDate="2014-07-31T22:56:24.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2415" CreationDate="2014-08-01T06:37:58.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lets take our current life to stat with. We do not remember everything. We have few memories of what we did as a toddler. Next to none of our 1st year and when we were in the womb. Our memory fades. Very few people just remember their past life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By shaping our mind we can start to see back into the future remembering more of things, especially if you develop Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since at the point of death and rebirth there is a strong break from the material body remembering things beyond is difficult without Jhana through there are some who can do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-01T06:37:58.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2382" CreationDate="2014-08-01T22:02:18.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha attained &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nibbana&lt;/a&gt; under the Bodhi tree at the age of 35. He entered &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.org/Sutras/DHARMA/Tripitaka/parinibbanaSutta1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parinibbana&lt;/a&gt; at the Mallas' Sala Grove, in Kusinara at the age of 80. We don't use the word 'death' as Nibbana is deathless. He fully experienced Nibbana from the day he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Those are just technical terms used to identify whether there's a remnant of the five aggregates or not. We use the term &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thisismyanmar.com/nibbana/nibbana4.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sa-Upadisesa Nibbana&lt;/a&gt; to refer to the Buddha's Nibbana while he is still living and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thisismyanmar.com/nibbana/nibbana4.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anupadisesa Nibbana&lt;/a&gt; to refer to his Parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-01T22:02:18.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2371" CreationDate="2014-08-01T22:52:44.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read the Saptha Suriyuggamana Sutta and the Agganna Sutta. Unlike other beings, humans life span is said to be variable. It's said to be on the decline now. One day, it is going to fall down to 10 years. Then the apocalypse will happen by one of three ways. If hatred is prominent  in the societies, weapons will bring about the apocalypse and most of those who die will be born in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Niraya&lt;/a&gt;. If craving is more prominent in the societies, famine will cause the apocalypse and most of those who die will be born in the Peta(hungry ghost) realm. If ignorance is more prominent, epidemics will cause the apocalypse and most of those who die will be born in heavens due to the compassion towards the sick. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After a while, those who had left civilisations and hid in the forests and caves come back to see the destruction caused. They realize hatred, craving and ignorance caused the near extinction of humans. So they start to become virtuous, start to keep to the five precepts. Then the life span slowly increases again. It will increase up to an Asankya(10^140). Having such a long life span is also not a good thing. People start to think that they are eternal as they don't see death. Then the defilements start entering the minds again. As a result, the life span starts to go down over time. When it drops down to 80,000 years, Maitreya Buddha will appear in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saptha Suriyuggamana Sutta goes on the explain in detail, how the world ends when the Seven Suns appear in the sky. This happens after a long time, even much long after the Maithree Buddha Sasana ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T08:28:51.830" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T08:28:51.830" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2428" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2433" CreationDate="2014-08-02T11:46:10.660" Score="6" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is inspired by a comment on this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/235/157&quot;&gt;meta post&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the Pali Canon the only canon in Buddhism as it currently stands today? So would the term canon be completely synonymous with Pali Canon in the context of Buddhism? If that is true then what is the status of texts such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt; which aren't in the Pali canon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T18:08:59.823" Title="Is the Pali Canon the only canon in modern Buddhism?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-08-02T12:22:22.653" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no official stance towards Jesus as far as I know, in any tradition. The reason is that these traditions were established well before Christianity's existence was even known. Christianity took thousand of years to reach East Asia, for instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But from my personal point of view (which is a Japanese Pure Land point of view) I will say that I believe Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light, takes on many forms to reach people with the message that the fundamental reality is wisdom-compassion or love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I see all buddhas and bodhisattvas as discrete manifestations of Amida Tathagata. I consider Jesus Christ to be a discrete manifestation of Amida because he taught joy and faith and relying on love. However, as a Pure Land Buddhist, I still think that Christianity is not yet completely Other-Power faith, and so is still rooted in self-power (and therefore ego-attachment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the monergistic forms of Christianity such as Calvinism that teach sole reliance on Other-Power still lack universal salvation. God chooses specific people to save, based on his arbitrary will. This is not the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism. In Mahayana all sentient beings (and in some readings, even insentient beings) will ultimately achieve full Buddhahood, without exception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this spirit of universal salvation is the reason I think Christianity isn't the ultimate and why it is &quot;not far from Buddhahood&quot;, yet still not fully there, as in the following story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A university student while visiting Gisan asked him: &quot;Have you ever&#xA;  read the Christian Bible?&quot; &quot;No, read it to me,&quot; said Gisan. The&#xA;  student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: &quot;And why take ye&#xA;  thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.&#xA;  They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even&#xA;  Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these...Take&#xA;  therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought&#xA;  for the things of itself.&quot; Gisan said: &quot;Whoever uttered those words I&#xA;  consider an enlightened man.&quot; The student continued reading: &quot;Ask and&#xA;  it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be&#xA;  opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that&#xA;  seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.&quot; Gisan&#xA;  remarked: &quot;That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from&#xA;  Buddhahood.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gisan Zenkai (儀山 善来　1802–1878) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source:  &lt;em&gt;Zen Flesh, Zen Bones&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T12:22:22.653" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2352" CreationDate="2014-08-02T16:08:55.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even though it's a later answer I can't resist putting in something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's fair to say that if you have children then you won't be able to meditate as much as you once did. Maybe not at all. Also you know that big shelf of Dharma books that you have, well you might not be reading many of those. That 10 day vipassana retreat you wanted to go on, well unless you have a very sympathetic partner you probably won't be going this year. Or the next. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However (in my experience) when you look at your children you know what it means to felt compassion, to feel metta, to feel sympathetic joy and to feel a profound connection with something that isn't you. When you meet other people with children you will feel that again. People generally open up. What seemed like a cold hard world might start to seem more soft and open. You might realise that you have been very wrapped up in yourself and this is an opportunity (a necessity) to leave yourself behind a little.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess what my point is that on the face of it having children might seem the absolutely last thing a serious spiritual practitioner would want to do. The foundational story (myth??) of Buddhism has the Buddha to be upping sticks and leaving his wife and son. But the actual experience might be very different and your experience of it surprising. It might not be and you might regret doing it but practice in the midst of the everyday is a powerful thing. If you want a lesson in lack of attachment - just wait to see the things that you are giving up and your response to that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an aside - I was just talking to an order member in my tradition and he said that he could only commit properly to the Dharma (and then subsequently become ordained) after he got married. Before that he couldn't commit - to anything, a relationship, children, the Dharma, nothing. He needed the experience of commitment before he could commit to Buddhist practice in a real way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T16:08:55.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2431" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2434" CreationDate="2014-08-02T16:24:25.820" Score="11" ViewCount="1560" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question leads on from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2412/157&quot;&gt;comments on this post&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the minimum amount of time that one could productively sit in meditation? For instance if I only had five minutes to sit should I do it or would the time be so short that I should just not delude myself with the pretense of a 5 minute meditation. What about 10 minutes does this change it? Or the other extreme could I sit for a minute - would it be worth it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be interested if anyone could give references from established teachers past or present on recommended guidelines, practices around this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2018-04-01T01:09:43.280" Title="What is the minimum amount of time needed for a productive meditation sit?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2184" CreationDate="2014-08-02T16:25:19.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that our current situation is the result of our karma collected over countless of lifetimes. That means that many of old-forgotten deeds &lt;em&gt;sowed the seeds which ripened only after many lifetimes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 deadly sins are listed separately to highlight the fact the the results of those action will be &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;immediate&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - killing a parent will definitely prevent one from reaching an arhat state in this life and the person will surely be reborn in a lower realm straight after death and will spend a long time over there. (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anantarika-karma#cite_note-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;third  and fourth reference&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been already stated in one &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2368/does-bad-karma-have-to-be-depleted-to-be-able-to-attain-enlightenment&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; that in order to attain enlightenment one does not need to purify all the bad Karma. Indeed, one of the greatest Yogis of all time, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milarepa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milarepa&lt;/a&gt;, before finding his spiritual teacher killed 35 people and some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.headbutler.com/reviews/life-milarepa/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sources&lt;/a&gt; even claim that all of them were his relatives. Regardless of those deeds, with the help of his guru he achieved full enlightenment in the same lifetime. If he had killed his parent though, this would have never taken place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T16:25:19.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2428" CreationDate="2014-08-02T17:37:45.153" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. Is the Pali Canon the only canon in modern Buddhism?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Additionally, as far as I know, there are also many versions of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhist_canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chinese Canon&lt;/a&gt; which contain the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Āgamas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (parallels of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nikāyas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suttapiṭaka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt;), &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana_sutras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahāyāna sūtras&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esoteric_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vajrayāna sūtras&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There is also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhist_canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Canon&lt;/a&gt; which contains the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangyur&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kangyur&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (material which is similar to the Chinese Canon) and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengyur&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tengyur&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Commentarial works, &lt;em&gt;Abhidharma&lt;/em&gt; and additional treatises).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. So would the term canon be completely synonymous with Pali Canon in the context of Buddhism?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bearing in mind what was said above, no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. What is the status of texts such as Bodhicaryāvatāra which aren't in the Pali canon?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That text is present in the Chinese Canon&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://terebess.hu/zen/szoto/Map-of-the-Taisho.pdf#page=15&amp;amp;search=%22Bodhicaryavatara%22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; &amp;amp; Tibetan Canon&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/pdf/?type=pdf&amp;amp;book=true&amp;amp;path=/web/x/prn/p.html_1487505749.html&amp;amp;__locale=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T12:54:25.173" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T12:54:25.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2431" CreationDate="2014-08-02T18:55:55.337" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is based on oral transmission from Vajrayana teachers and thus I am unable to provide references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been told that &lt;em&gt;every&lt;/em&gt; meditation, however short, will bring about positive results and the only worthless meditation is the one you never did. Imagine that over a period of a month one could sit only for one minute a day but never did thinking that it is worthless. If they actually sat down, they would have done 30 minutes of meditation in total, which, admittedly, is nothing particular, but they would also form a great habit by doing one thing 30 days in a row. It means that 30 times they stopped doing their worldly activities and sat down to change something in their life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping a meditation session short is actually a common advice for beginners. Meditation should not be perceived as a difficult duty but rather as the best gift one can give to oneself. If one starts off too ambitiously, after a week they would connect 'meditation' with 'sore back', 'confusion', 'uncontrollable thoughts', 'drowsiness' etc. To prevent this, it's better to sit for a few minutes and finish the session while still feeling fresh. Then one will form positive connotations about meditation and will willingly sit down next time and possibly won't be bothered too much with prolonging the sessions step by step. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, one is not interested in immediate results as following Buddha's teachings is a long journey and many lifetimes might pass before one reaches enlightenment. One should do whatever is possible in the current situation and everything that is done with the motivation to follow Buddha's path should be considered productive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practising meditation is a very individual issue and coming up with a universal minimum value wouldn't help anyone. Everyone meditates as much as they can and want. If one can only do one minute a day due to a busy schedule, all they can do is to possibly make wishes that soon their conditions will change and they will be able to find more time. There are cases, however, that the reason why people meditate only a little lies elsewhere. They are again busy, but this time with things like browsing Internet, meaningless chatting, gossiping, napping etc. My point is that there is no use making a hard rule about meditation time, rather one might reflect on why they meditate that amount of time and not any more. Checking one's motivation and contemplating on impermanence might help in deciding whether one wants to meditate more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T18:55:55.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2395" CreationDate="2014-08-02T20:02:12.553" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teachers consciously reincarnate because they took &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva vow&lt;/em&gt;. They promised they will be taking rebirth until they liberate all sentient beings. Because in Theravada one typically does not take the vow, tulkus are not searched for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can also argue that in order to be consciously reborn, one should master advanced tantric practices from the level of Mahayana/Vajrayana. One of such practices is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phowa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Phowa&lt;/a&gt;, also called 'the practice of conscious dying' or 'transference of consciousness at the time of death'. The idea is that the practitioner learns how to work with energies at the moment of dying and after leaving the body instead of being at the mercy of their karma, they can consciously choose the next rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-02T20:02:12.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2436" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-02T21:17:03.793" Score="8" ViewCount="2794" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism chanting mantras is one of the core practices and each mantra is associated with a certain Buddha form (yidam).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since in Theravada Buddhism there is no meditations on yidams (or am I wrong?), I'm wondering what is the role of mantra chanting. Are there secret mantras which can be recited only after receiving the transmission from the teacher or can the mantras be shared publicly and used by anyone? And finally, are prayer beads (malas) commonly used?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:59:34.470" LastActivityDate="2021-01-11T13:50:20.843" Title="Is chanting mantras a common practice in Theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|mantra|chant|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2436" CreationDate="2014-08-03T07:29:43.270" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is chanting of Pirith. This is not done as a meditation but sometimes advocated to be done when sloth and torpor is preventing you from meditating to raise energy levels. So in a way it can be used as part of your meditation sitting through not exclusively doing this but use it when needed to progress your meditation siting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T07:29:43.270" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2431" CreationDate="2014-08-03T07:33:06.370" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Longer the better as more you rub two sticks together then you can get fire. But for people to watch out for is if you are putting too much effort. So if you feel mentally or physically wore out or tired after a session you are doing it too long and perhaps you should reduce the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening / night is good enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:49:58.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-08-03T07:47:12.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The book Jesus Lived in India speculated Christ was a disciple of Buddha but current form of teaching in the bible there is much divergence to believe this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is the case and considering how he behave at the cross we can speculate that Christ might have been a Bodhi Sattva. This is speculation though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one Buddhist era there can only be one Buddha and the next is Mitriya. Thence, no Christ is not a Buddha but perhaps at most (if we were to speculate) a Bodhi Sattva or just a disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T14:16:34.197" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T14:16:34.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2230" CreationDate="2014-08-03T07:53:09.490" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is possible but anything less than 10 days for you 1st sitting may not give you visible results for an average novice. Also anything shorter may not have the critical push to give results. This is the reason the courses are organised in such away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some continuity or length of practice takes you deeper and give better results. Just when you practice playing a game, more frequently you do it better you become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T07:53:09.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2184" CreationDate="2014-08-03T08:18:46.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The people who have done the most for you are your parents. Also if you take a Buddha he has done lot of work in fulfilling the Paramis for our sake. Hence any actions against such a person from you have benefited would mean we should generate a lot of negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha and Arahat are enlightened hence their mind is pure and full of compassion to others. With regard to parents also this is the case when it comes to children. Hence going against someone who loves you and is compassionate towards you generates a lot of bad karma. In this case something we cannot overcome in this life time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has put in lot of effort to create the Sasana so doing anything incremental to this  generates a loot of bad karma as we are going against the will of one of the purest minds and decrementing the possibility of other getting benefit from the efforts of the Buddha. Like wise schism generates a lot of negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T08:18:46.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2428" CreationDate="2014-08-03T11:40:37.803" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the main source for Theravada Buddhism, but other schools seem to have their own. Some historic version are not available anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least from a Theravada perspective, this is the closest to Buddha's original teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user635" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T18:08:59.823" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T18:08:59.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2303" CreationDate="2014-08-03T11:46:19.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha has advised to be moderate in eating. This should not be taken as fasting. One of two meals a day in enough to sustain the body with allowance to take any fluids like tea, herbal drinks and water but not milk. Also you can take Chatu Madura out side morning hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T11:46:19.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2287" CreationDate="2014-08-03T11:59:58.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being mindful will help you in your day to day activities and to avoid mishaps. Being mindful alone is not the right mindfulness. If you practice right mindfulness much of the complications are avoided. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness in a Buddhist meditation perspective is to be mightful of the 4 Satipatthana and Anapana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be observing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Body posture through sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations arising due to mental states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations arising due to metal contents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see for the importance of sensation in practising:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Importance-of-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Importance of Vedana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Importance-of-Vedana-and-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt; (See introduction: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel#23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedanā in the Practice of Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should place special attention to sensations as it is due to sensation that craving arises and in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to your in ability to move. It is more likely some level of concentration. This slows down your body and moving is not possible. Also may be some level of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sloth&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;torpor&lt;/a&gt; (a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrance&lt;/a&gt;) arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-17T10:35:37.767" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T10:35:37.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2014-08-03T12:06:27.730" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One reason with hair is you can use it for beautification like having a hair style. Monks are not allowed to use mirrors or look at once face unless it is for medical reasons or contemplating of aging and impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long hair was the style many people had during Buddha's time some this prevents any styling and beautification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T12:06:27.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2311" CreationDate="2014-08-03T12:14:45.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unless you are fully liberated you create new Sankara. The old Sankara you eliminated through practice Vipassana is Ahosi (or rendered in effective)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: This is answered in the context of interpretations of the Ledi Sayadaw lineages as I see the question seams to be from some one looking at it from this perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T12:14:45.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2357" CreationDate="2014-08-03T13:29:03.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma in giving is the product of the state of the mind of the giver and the recipients. If we give something in earnest and the recipient is not then the merit is diminished similarly when we do not have a strong volition but the recipient is overjoyed. The most merit results when the giver has strong volition and the recipient also has great appreciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also pure and focused the mind greater the volition and appreciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So people in need getting something they need is means the recipient will appreciate it more and would result in better results. Rich or poor you should help at the hour of need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also helping people with pure mind like meditators will give better results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha spent was amount of time to set establish the Sasana so anything inline with the Buddhas efforts and will brings great merit hence that is why donation to the Sangha is more meritorious than the personal donation to a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T13:29:03.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2014-08-03T13:30:17.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is an act of renunciation of the beauty or attractiveness of the human body or human appearance (Four Foundations of Mindfulness). Once a person sees and understands the suffering caused by societies obsession towards outer perfection (whatever that is) then shaving ones head is not a big deal!!&#xA;The act of shaving ones head is very profound and liberating. It's a statement made by the individual. that they no longer wish to be part of such worldly ignorance!!&#xA;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T13:30:17.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2045" CreationDate="2014-08-03T13:45:57.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer will focus on Europe mainly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the published studies, the fastest growing religion in Europe is Islam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the table below one can notice that between 1990 and 2010 the number of Muslim increased by 48.9% and it is estimated that the increase will continue. (see the whole article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-europe/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qgP3e.png&quot; alt=&quot;pic&quot;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may argue that those numbers reflect the ongoing immigration, but those immigrants will mostly stay in Europe, settle down and have families so there is no point in excluding them in the statistics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's take a closer look at &lt;strong&gt;England and Wales&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/resources/religioninfographicfinal_tcm77-311222.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(see the lengthy charts here)&lt;/a&gt;. In 2001 Muslims made up 3% of population and in 2011 - 5%. Interestingly, 47% of Muslims were born inside the UK and Islam was the most ethnically diverse religion (68% - Asian/Asian British, 8% - white).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we look at the age breakdown, one can immediately notice that in the age group &amp;lt;25 Islam is the leading religion and only in the ageing group (&gt;50) Christianity is still the biggest one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Buddhism, one can see that the 'other religions' including Buddhism did not change &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/resources/sctrfigure3_tcm77-290499.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the overall percentage much&lt;/a&gt; between 2001 and 2011. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can also make a comparison between the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/detailed-characteristics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rpt---religion.html#tab-Religion-by-country-of-birth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;UK-born and non UK-born citizens&lt;/a&gt;. Well, 60% of Buddhist are non UK-born (Muslims - 53%, Christians - 11%) which suggests that Buddhism seems to be a bit more popular among immigrants rather than among UK-born citizens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, the data above suggests that it is Islam that takes the lead in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T15:33:21.383" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T15:33:21.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:00:57.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the world we do not have idealistic situations. Permanent fairly tail love does not exist other than story books. This is is also subjected to unsatisfactoriness like everything else. Also at some point one of the partners will have to die hence get separated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this Buddhism highlights duties and practices for a harmonious marriage. Much of the issues we see today are due to issues like fidelity and lack of respect each other. Also not doing thins which might increase the harmony like at least exchanging presents on the anniversary b'days etc. Buddhism says you should at least do something like this once a year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has nothing against divorce but practicing morality and other advice of the Buddha may certainly prevent it as your marriage will be happy, content and fulfilling. If you want to part or go your own ways it is up to the individuals to resolve this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:00:57.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:06:38.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you meditate there are sometimes &quot;storms&quot; or big mental disturbances that happen. So it is generally advise to have a guidance of a teacher through this is not necessary. What generally happens is you react and worsen the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter what you should not loose the balance of your mind. You should be always equanimous. If you can do this there then you are fit to do meditation through books and other sources without a guidance of a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:06:38.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2452" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:08:08.477" Score="12" ViewCount="2478" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism is growing in the west, we see this &quot;conflict&quot; a lot. In Asia I met some Buddhists-Hindus, Buddha, Shiva and Ganesh were equally important to them. Here in the west there are some Christian-Buddhists, people who believe in the Dhamma, but cannot stop Praying to Jesus. Let me add here that according to the Bible if you stop believing in God, you will go to hell no matter what, it is a serious offense for Christians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I live in an almost 99% Christian country. You only find churches here, you don't find stuppas, temples or monks. It also contributes to the &quot;Christian-Buddhist&quot; phenomena as there is no strong Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha's teachings you should give up rituals, believe in the Buddha's enlightenment and follow the Dhamma, but on the other hand many people are claiming the Dhamma is more a &quot;way of living&quot; than a religion, so it could be adapted to another friendly religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can a person follow the Dhamma and be a Christian at the same time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T15:06:16.197" LastActivityDate="2018-01-06T02:29:44.193" Title="Can a person live by the Dhamma and have another religion as well?" Tags="|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2055" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:19:04.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are infinite Buddha's. The 27 referenced above are the ones our Buddha got definite prophecy of Buddhahood. Though Buddhas are similar in their Morality, Mastery Over the Mind and Wisdom they do have differences arising from the length of Parami and and store of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's who have longer Parami times generally are long lived and have loner Sasanas. Also their teaching style and and frequency of teaching changes. E.g. a Buddha who was Pannadhika during Paramis generally preach more often and while other Buddhas may through example and perhaps less frequently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:19:04.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:26:44.197" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saying there is no self is a bit of a mistranslation or abbreviated translation. A better translation would be &quot;there is nothing you can take as me, mine or self, which is permanent, non changing and persistent;&quot; though this is more verbose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user635" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T14:53:19.900" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T14:53:19.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:35:57.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is by practice. There is no conversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you take refuge in the Triple Gem you take refuge in the qualities of Buddha, Dhamma and Sanga through this now has turned into a ceremonial outlook.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can call your self a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc. but still practice Buddhism as at the core of the Buddhist practice is Vipassana. This can be done by any one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:35:57.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1972" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:47:11.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By taking refuge you are aspiring to build the qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha in your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:47:11.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2014-08-03T14:50:52.080" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is compatible as there is no notion of an almighty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism revolves around the practice of Morality, Control over the Mind and Wisdom. So it is compatible regardless of what you call your self. May it be a Atheist, Christian, Muslim, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T14:50:52.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2014-08-03T15:03:46.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism revolves around the practice of Morality, Mastery over the Mind and Wisdom. Regardless of what you call your self you can practice buddhism since any religion or belief system worth its name cannot have anything against Morality, Control of your mind and Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T15:03:46.010" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2459" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21406" CreationDate="2014-08-03T15:09:53.047" Score="3" ViewCount="5324" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing it and it seems to work well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that I can explain this in terms of nash equilibrium. I tend to see it that all of us are already physically able to achieve much and paying attention to some topic will subconsciously allow us to manifest what we want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_attraction_(New_Thought)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_attraction_(New_Thought)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that there are laws that govern human nature. There are laws of living objects. There are laws of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the law of attraction one such law?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, I tend to see Buddhism as a way to understand life instead of as a religion. I am not Buddhist but I see that there is some truth in what Buddha taught. So that's my background.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="400" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T15:13:34.887" LastActivityDate="2022-02-16T02:21:48.783" Title="What is the Buddhist point of view of the Law of Attraction?" Tags="|new-age-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2459" CreationDate="2014-08-03T15:30:28.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of the Law of Attraction is that it is a way to affect what happens to you by thinking about what you want to have happen. If you want to receive money; you think about receiving money. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the goal is to understand reality as it is. Understanding reality as it is, involves accepting reality as it is. Manipulating circumstances to provide material benefits for oneself would not really be a part of this. The teachings of the Buddha would guide one to giving up many desires rather than chasing after them; as I understand it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing in Buddhism that &lt;em&gt;might&lt;/em&gt; be similar is when some Buddhists take a vow to become a Boddhisatta/Boddhisatva. This vow sets their mind and intentions upon becoming a future Buddha . But my understanding of the Law of Attraction is that it is more in the here and now while a vow to become a future Buddha might have to be kept for many, many lifetimes to come to fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-08-03T17:00:43.520" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T17:00:43.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2459" CreationDate="2014-08-03T16:32:40.583" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Law of Attraction seems to take certain Buddhist teachings out of context in order to make worldly life more comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, especially in Mahayana and Vajrayana, there are teachings on illusory or dream-like nature of our everyday experiences. Everything that happens to us takes place essentially in our mind as outside of the mind there are no appearances. The idea is that if we master our mind, we master everything. But it doesn't mean that once we master the mind we can create our reality as we wish. Rather, we will understand the emptiness of all phenomena and thus will get rid of our attachments and aversions towards things around us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Law of Attraction seems to advocate that by the power of your mind (thoughts) one can attract things what will make you happy. And this statement already goes against what Buddhism teaches. Instead of learning that all things are essentially empty, one uses thoughts to attract one thing and repulse the other. So in essence one creates even more desires, attachments and aversions which sadly, are seeds for future sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T16:32:40.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2459" CreationDate="2014-08-03T16:40:07.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Law of attraction seems to create and stimulate attachments, people crave for things and think about them constantly, concentrating the mind on different desires, in that sense I think it is hard to mix it with Buddhism, because in Buddhism we try to let go of attachments instead of trying to fulfill the desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you learn that you don't put an end to a desire by having what you want, instead it will create an even stronger desire as everything is unsatisfactory (Dukkha), the way to liberation is by letting it go, seeing things as they really are, be grateful for what you have, for that you need to cultivate wisdom and work on the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T16:40:07.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2014-08-03T16:46:24.297" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The (not as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.mediamass.net/people/leonard-cohen/deathhoax.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;recently departed as I thought&lt;/a&gt;) Leonard Cohen was a very serious Zen practitioner but never renounced his Jewish faith. He's &lt;a href=&quot;http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/leonard-cohen-on-judaism-zen-and-destiny/?_php=true&amp;amp;_type=blogs&amp;amp;_r=0&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;quoted as saying&lt;/a&gt; to Allen Ginsberg when challenged on this point&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Well, for one thing, in the tradition of Zen that I’ve practiced,&#xA;  there is no prayerful worship and there is no affirmation of a deity.&#xA;  So theologically there is no challenge to any Jewish belief&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate your question focused around Christianity but I think is is instructive to look at how an adherent to Buddhism and another Abrahamic religion justifies (or merely describes) their position. Perhaps more directly relevant, Thích Nhất Hạnh's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73184.Living_Buddha_Living_Christ&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Living Buddha Living Christ&lt;/a&gt; looks specifically at the intersection Christianity and Buddhism. I don't think it's too much of a plot spoiler to reveal that Thích Nhất Hạnh is very respectful of Christianity and sees a lot of commonality between the two faiths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally my feeling is that there wouldn't be too much of a conflict from the Buddhist side of things but other monotheistic religions might have more of a problem with the spiritual 'dual citizenship' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-03T18:28:24.280" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T18:28:24.280" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2014-08-03T17:16:47.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following the Dhamma is about treating ourselves and others in a manner that will bring more peace and happiness throughout the world, it's about becoming the light among the darkness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jesus said, the most important teaching to understand and follow was, to treat others as we would like to be treated!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see a perfect coexistence between Buddhism and a deity based religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T17:16:47.900" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2411" CreationDate="2014-08-03T18:43:26.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could I be so bold as to recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?ser=X32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;these series of talks&lt;/a&gt; taken from an anapanasati retreat. The talks are available for free download from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Free Buddhist Audio site&lt;/a&gt; - though the site runs purely on donations so they do ask to consider donating if you find them useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was recommended these as a companion to reading the Larry Rosenberg book. These talks have more specific advice than the book and complement it well. Also they provide a good basis for extending the practice into its vipassana aspect. Viveka, the speaker, is a pleasure to listen to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In with the talks is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=OM766&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;40 minute guided meditation and another 20 minutes reflection&lt;/a&gt; which cover the contemplations of the sutra - so you might find it useful to see a model of covering the depth of the sutra in reasonably timed sits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-03T18:43:26.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2014-08-04T02:05:12.163" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I want to emphasise that it is extremely important for practitioners to sincerely believe in their respective religions. Usually, I say that it is very important to distinguish between &quot;belief in one religion&quot; and &quot;belief in many religions&quot;. The former directly contradicts the latter. Therefore, we should resolutely resolve these contradictions. This is possible only by thinking in contextual terms. A contradiction in one context might not be the same in the other. In the context of one person, a single truth is closely associated with a single source of refuge. This is of extreme necessity. However, in the context of society or more than one person it is necessary to have different sources of refuge, religions and truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I am understanding this correctly, His Holiness is saying that an individual should stick to one &quot;source of refuge&quot; but our society should be hospitable to many religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/religious-harmony&quot;&gt;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/religious-harmony&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhist practitioners, we understand there is no deity that will hurl bolts of lightening at us for believing parts of other religions. But it may simply be a matter of whether it's practical to attempt to reconcile differing viewpoints in one's own mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T02:20:18.663" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T02:20:18.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2467" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-04T07:41:57.893" Score="4" ViewCount="1186" Body="&lt;p&gt;What kind of meditation can help one to have a higher concentration; maybe lasting for hours or days? I am a Buddhist, specifically Theravada, and I am trying to keep my mind on one thing. Buddha kept his meditation in the dushkara kriya (self mortification) period for more than 4 years. So is there any way we can apply that concentration technique in our lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:52:56.507" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:52:56.507" Title="Meditation for higher concentration" Tags="|the-buddha|meditation-recommendation|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2467" CreationDate="2014-08-04T09:48:55.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you are looking for tranquility meditation, Try reading Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T10:09:40.413" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T10:09:40.413" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2436" CreationDate="2014-08-04T10:09:12.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Burmese flavour of Theravada Buddhism, mantras as Sacred utterance with Magical Powers, although believed and practised by many, are not the core part of the teachings. But if you mean mantras as mental notes or chants - they are commonly used to build concentration and the same goes for the prayer beads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no secret teachings in Theravada Buddhism, any teachings that are not aligned with The Pali Cannon are regarded as non-Theravadan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T13:22:55.560" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T13:22:55.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2470" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2480" CreationDate="2014-08-04T11:14:15.603" Score="10" ViewCount="475" Body="&lt;p&gt;What type of meditation is proposed by the Buddha for attaining self realization? Is it Vipassanna medition? Is Mindfulness meditation the same as Vipassanna? Which scripture mentions these techniques? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:31:03.737" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:31:03.737" Title="Meditation technique proposed by the Buddha" Tags="|vipassana|the-buddha|mindfulness|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2467" CreationDate="2014-08-04T11:14:55.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Best is to take a course in meditation or seek guidance of a teacher. Following site has many centers arround the world where you can take a course: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;. There are other centers also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to keep your mind on any object is sustained application to start with until a point where you mind stays without this effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. when doing Anapana for each breath be mindful of the whole (start, middle and end) in and out breath and a small pause in between. At each phase make sure your mind is with the breath. At the end evaluate it if you mind wonders off at any point and also the nature of the breath. Do this until you do not need to make an effort to keep your mind on the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other type of meditations you can do for concentration. They also follow the same method of sustained attention to start with and when you mind stays with the object drop the extra effort. There are centers which teach this also but you might have to go to a country which has a this type of center as there are only lesser number.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T06:08:33.070" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T06:08:33.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2472" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-04T12:36:54.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassanā (Pāli, Vipaśhyanā in Sanskrit, Lhagthong in Tibetan) is a form of insight-meditation and one of the two meditation techniques that supposedly were taught by the Buddha (the other meditation type being &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/samatha&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;samatha&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;samatha&lt;/a&gt;). Literally, the word Vipassanā means &quot;to see things as they really are&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassanā meditation one uses mindfulness of breathing and techniques like contemplation, introspection, or observation of bodily sensations for example, to cultivate insight into one's mind and into the true nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Useful links:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia page on Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to meditate on Vispassanadhura.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/about/vipassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana courses in the tradition of S.N. Goenka on Dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:23:29.967" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:23:29.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2473" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-04T12:36:54.840" Score="0" Body="Vipassanā (Pāli, Vipaśhyanā in Sanskrit, Lhagthong in Tibetan) is a form of insight-meditation and one of the two meditation techniques that supposedly were taught by the Buddha " OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T16:44:26.373" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T16:44:26.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1972" CreationDate="2014-08-04T13:27:11.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before talking about Buddhist refuge, it is useful to recognize that all people everyday are taking refuge in various things. Let me explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone wants to be happy and avoid suffering. People engage in various activities because they hope it will give them some sort of happiness and security. They go to universities to gain knowledge, they work in companies to earn a lot of money, they find partners and set up families or they spend most of their time pursuing some hobby. They do it because they believe this is what will give them happiness and this is something they can rely on. So in other words they take refuge in it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All those things are great and can give lots of happiness indeed but the problem is that they are not permanent. One can easily lose a job or a partner and even if one has a seemingly perfect life, illness and death will inevitably come one day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha deeply understood impermanence - that everything conditioned would eventually fall apart so he persistently searched for something unconditioned, permanent and unbreakable, something that can give lasting happiness. And this unconditioned thing is Buddhahood - enlightened state of mind or one can say - true nature of our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge in Buddha means opening up to &lt;em&gt;impermanent&lt;/em&gt; and perfect qualities of our mind. Buddhahood is our goal. The methods which will bring us there is the Dharma and friends, our helpers on the way, is the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge in Buddha is actually a great responsibility - we stop hoping that others will make us happy or thinking that the source of our suffering is current political situation or neighbours. We admit that the only lasting happiness is to understand the nature of our mind and it will depend only on us whether we succeed in it or not. Dharma and Sangha are there to assist us but it is entirely up to us whether we use it or not. After all, we are the bosses and everyday we are free to decide what we want to take refuge in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T13:27:11.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2470" CreationDate="2014-08-04T13:41:43.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Popular belief is that the Buddha taught two types of meditation; samatha and vipassana. There are several texts that refer to this, but there has been debate whether these references qualify as 'teaching' them or if the Buddha just mentioned that 'tranquility' and 'insight' can be beneficial (e.g. see &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditationasheville.blogspot.nl/2011/09/what-kind-of-meditation-did-buddha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&amp;amp;t=1210&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this discussion&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;Monks, Sariputta is wise, of great discernment, deep discernment, wide... joyous... rapid... quick... penetrating discernment. For half a month, Sariputta clearly saw insight[1] into mental qualities one after another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes [1] &amp;quot;Clearly saw insight&amp;quot;: In Pali, this is vipassanam vipassi, which could be translated literally as &amp;quot;clearly saw clear seeing&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;insighted insight.&amp;quot; &lt;sub&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source: Anupada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As for the individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, his duty is to make an effort in establishing ('tuning') those very same skillful qualities to a higher degree for the ending of the (mental) fermentations. &lt;sub&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.094.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source: Samadhi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These two qualities have a share in clear knowing. Which two? Tranquillity (samatha) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When tranquillity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Passion is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Discernment is developed. And when discernment is developed, what purpose does it serve? Ignorance is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Defiled by passion, the mind is not released. Defiled by ignorance, discernment does not develop. Thus from the fading of passion is there awareness-release. From the fading of ignorance is there discernment-release.&amp;quot; &lt;sub&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.030.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source: Vijja-bhagiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A list of other references to vipassana in the scriptures can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#vipassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, and to samatha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T13:49:03.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2467" CreationDate="2014-08-04T14:21:31.127" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the term for what you are describing is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt;. On the Wikipedia page, you can find the &quot;Nine mental abidings&quot;, a description of the process. There are also Zen teachings such as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Bulls&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Ten Oxherding Pictures&lt;/a&gt;&quot; that describe the process. Most of these teachings follow the idea of meditating &quot;with support&quot;, using a focus (such as the mental image of a Buddha). There is also a practice of meditating &quot;without support&quot;, as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chagchen.com/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Essence Mahamudra of the Kagyu School&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was also interested to see this in the above Samatha page: &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... samatha is not a strictly Buddhist meditation. Samatha in its single-pointed focus and concentration of mind is cognate with the sixth &quot;limb&quot; of aṣṭanga yoga', rāja yoga which is concentration (dhāraṇā). For further discussion, see the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a note: Advaita (Hinduism) Meditation practice is very similar to the Buddhist Mahamudra practice. Since this is a Buddhist Q&amp;amp;A site and the question does not seek similar practices in other religions, I won't post Advaita links here. When one gets &quot;stuck&quot; in one's practice, I think it is sometimes a good idea to see how other practices  approach similar problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T15:18:19.253" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T15:18:19.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1998" CreationDate="2014-08-04T15:23:27.267" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you breath be mindful of the start to end of the in and out breath. For each breath in and out breath be mindful of whether your mind wandered away during this time. Also note the length of the breath in and out breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When scanning the body keep your concentration anchored on the breath and sensation on the base of the nose as well. If your mind wanders away bring it back to Anapana and then continue the scanning. For each in and out breath see if your mind has wondered away for that period. Also note the sensations that arise when your mind wanders to an alternative object and the sensation when it is with the chosen object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some parts stay for a while (but not too long) also focusing on the breath. Sometimes this helps sharpen the mind to see clearly the sensation arising and passing away in the particular section of your body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-10T08:01:01.670" LastActivityDate="2014-12-10T08:01:01.670" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2063" CreationDate="2014-08-04T17:14:56.417" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since this question has sat for 3 weeks without anyone attempting an answer, I will try to add something that may perhaps point the questioner in a good direction. Mudras seem to be used mainly by the monastic and professional (dance, art, etc.) communities to convey symbolic messages to the Buddhas and those participating in or viewing the ceremony (practice, puja, sadhana, initiation, etc). Mudras can represent offerings to the Buddhas that are given mentally. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tibetanbuddhistaltar.org/offering-mudra/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tibetanbuddhistaltar.org/offering-mudra/&lt;/a&gt;) (Pictures of the same mudras: &lt;a href=&quot;http://chantamantra.com/index.php/prayers-a-rituals/64-mudra-for-8-outer-offerings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://chantamantra.com/index.php/prayers-a-rituals/64-mudra-for-8-outer-offerings&lt;/a&gt;) It is stated elsewhere that giving the whole of the physical universe, were it possible, would not be as great an offering to one's guru or the Buddhas as a few minutes of meditation. It is helpful, I think, for questions like these to remember that the original monastic community was very poor. Mental offerings given with a good heart and good motivation are no small thing. Here also is the Wikipedia page on Mudras (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra&lt;/a&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(My opinions follow.) Mudras seem to be like mantras for the body. I think use of mantras is meant to overcome the tendencies of the gross mind, and give the practitioner some mental space for positive practice. It seems to me mudras are meant to give the body a practice or physical focus that assists the mind in its meditation practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T17:14:56.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2479" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11110" CreationDate="2014-08-04T18:14:16.347" Score="5" ViewCount="744" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the formulation of Pratītyasamutpāda (dependent arising)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is, that is. &#xA;  From the arising of this comes the arising of&#xA;  that. When this isn't, that isn't. From the cessation of this comes&#xA;  the cessation of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this essentially the same as the mundane understanding of cause and effect e.g. I hit a ball and the ball moves? If it isn't (as I strongly suspect) then what is it about the formulation that makes it more than this. In fact so much more than this, Pratītyasamutpāda being one of the central teachings of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T12:33:23.433" Title="Is Pratītyasamutpāda just cause and effect?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|science|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2470" CreationDate="2014-08-04T18:39:00.613" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we take the Pali Canon as been the closest we have to the word of the Buddha then there isn't a wealth of specific meditation advice in there when compared to other types of advice such as ethical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However there are two sutras that do give specific advice these being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutra&lt;/a&gt; (Mindfulness of breathing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutra&lt;/a&gt; (The Way of Mindfulness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both these sutras encapsulate samatha and vipassana practices. For example the Anapansati Sutra begins with body contemplation but end up in the forth tetrad contemplating the very stuff of existence &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating impermanence   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating fading of lust&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating cessation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating relinquishment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satipatthana sutra also start with calming practices but ultimately the practioner is asked to comtemplate the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#four&quot;&gt;four noble truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands: 'This is suffering,'&#xA;  according to reality; he understands: 'This is the origin of&#xA;  suffering,' according to reality; he understands: 'This is the&#xA;  cessation of suffering,' according to reality; and he understands:&#xA;  'This is the road leading to the cessation of suffering,' according to&#xA;  realty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't get much more vipassana than that!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can also take the opportunity to recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/satipatthana_the_direct_path_to_realization&quot;&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Analayo&quot;&gt;Analayo&lt;/a&gt;. This is a tremendous book for anyone interested in really drilling into the Satipaṭṭhāna sutra and getting to grips with meditation as the Buddha taught it. It's heavy on the footnotes and is more of a heady read other Dharma books but I've read it once and it's certainly on my list to go through again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-04T21:04:50.713" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T21:04:50.713" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2063" CreationDate="2014-08-04T18:41:13.620" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana every practice is done on 3 levels - on the level of body, speech and mind. We work with the mind through visualising the Buddha forms, the speech centre is exercised through mantra repetitions and the body - through keeping the posture, using prayer beads (mala) and through the use of mudras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Vajrayana practitioner I can think of a few cases when I use mudras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First case is while doing the practice of prostrations. A person stands straight and brings their hands together in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_(Buddhism)#Vajrayana_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;'lotus bud' mudra&lt;/a&gt; and places them in the crown of the head, then to the throat and then heart. Then the person kneels down and slides their body on the floor with arms stretched out towards the front. Then hands should meet to form lotus bud mudra again and then the person can stand up to perform another prostration. Touching the head represents purifying the body, touching throat - the speech centre and touching heart - purifying the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People also touch their head, throat and heart centre when standing in front of the Stupa or Buddha statue. When meeting a great teacher or receiving blessing from him people usually hold their hands together and place them on the heart centre. All these gestures signify opening up the mind, speech and body to receive the blessing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example when I use mudras is while attending a recitation of Mandala Offering text. It usually takes place before the teachings or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empowerment_(Vajrayana)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;empowerments&lt;/a&gt; given by high Lamas. During rituals it is usually the teacher who does the recitation and mudra sequences, however during the Mandala Offering, all students use a special mudra shown on the picture below. One beautiful addition to this mudra is placing rice and flower petals inside the palms and throwing them in the air as soon as the recitation is finished. As for the the meaning of the mudra itself, the arrangement of fingers symbolizes the simplified depiction of the universe one mentally creates and then offers to the Buddha - upright fingers in the middle represent Mount Meru and the 4 pairs around - four continents (if you're interested in details, look &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Thirty-seven_Point_Mandala_Offering&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). Mandala Offering is a third part of so-called preliminary practices &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngondro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ngöndro&lt;/a&gt; and it is done to purify attachment, generate merit and create lots of positive impressions in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Yjguq.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T18:41:13.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2479" CreationDate="2014-08-04T20:49:04.327" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding, Pratityasamutpada is not about simple cause-and-effect chaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Starting from a name: &lt;em&gt;pratitya&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;based on&quot;, &quot;in dependence on&quot;, &lt;em&gt;sam-&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;co-&quot; or &quot;together&quot; and &lt;em&gt;utpada&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;arising&quot; or &quot;coming forth&quot;. Together Pratityasamutpada means &quot;arising in dependence on each other&quot; or &quot;dependent co-arising&quot; or &quot;interdependent origination&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent co-arising is closely related with &lt;em&gt;Idaṃpratyayatā&lt;/em&gt; (Pali &lt;em&gt;Idappaccayatā&lt;/em&gt;) or &quot;this/that conditionality&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;                                  AN 10.92&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the noble method that is rightly seen and rightly ferreted&#xA;  out by discernment? There is the case where a disciple of the noble&#xA;  ones notices:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is, that is.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the arising of this comes the arising of that.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  When this isn't, that isn't.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I explained in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13/what-exactly-is-the-logical-relation-between-the-links-in-the-twelvefold-chain-o&quot;&gt;What exactly is the logical relation between the links in the twelvefold chain of Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, the relationship is that of &lt;strong&gt;mutual implication&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mutual implication means one of the categories serves as context for the other and the other way around. When affirmation takes place, the implicitly negated complement simultaneously arises. Top is defined against bottom and vice verse. This (upclose) is defined against That (far). Subjective is defined against Objective. Nirvana is defined against Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As (Buddha's Chinese near-contemporary) Lao-Tzu beautifully puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;                              Tao Te Ching #2&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When beauty is recognized as beauty, therein is ugliness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  When goodness is affirmed as goodness, therein is evil.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Therefore, being and non-being are mutually posited in their emergence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Difficult and easy are mutually posited in their complementariness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  High and low create each other in their positions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Long and short formulate each other in their contradiction.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Nanavira Thera rightly assumes in his &quot;Notes on Dhamma&quot; and Buddhadasa correctly postulates in his lectures, the twelve nidanas are meant to explain how the problem of Life-and-Death and indeed the very Enlightenment hinges on the notion of Substantial Independent &quot;I&quot;, and how this &quot;I&quot; itself comes forth as a result of an &lt;em&gt;atemporal&lt;/em&gt; chain of logical implication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, if we think about Death not in terms of its natural causes, but in context of its emergence from non-duality, it will become clear that Death and Birth indeed depend on each other in their juxtaposition. In this sense the &lt;em&gt;notion&lt;/em&gt; of Birth could be seen as the cause of the &lt;em&gt;notion&lt;/em&gt; of Death. Following the same principle, Birth is not just something that happens for natural reasons, it is a &lt;em&gt;phenomena&lt;/em&gt; that depends on delineation of a separate living being, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, Pratityasamutpada goes on defining Separate Being by implication from clinging/sustaining (basically, acting out of craving), defining the clinging/sustaining by implication from craving etc. all the way until Ignorance (of Pratityasamutpada) as the root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-04T20:49:04.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1849" CreationDate="2014-08-04T21:19:59.910" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Notions of Karma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe one of the central differences between Jainism and Buddhism is in their respective interpretations of Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Jains Karma is a primarily a matter of external behavior or action. It is physical conduct that leads to Karma and the objective is to free the sould from its karmic accretions. This leads to a practice of inaction and extreme measures such as sweeping the floor before walking to avoid harming life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Buddhist karma is more of a matter of underlying intention. So unconsciously inhaling insects would be less of a problem for Buddhists than it would be for Jains as the intention to harm isn't present. The mind has primacy rather than the bodily actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/Tipitaka/read.php?id=90&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upali Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha debates these points with the Jain Upali. Uplai maintains that bodily actions carry most karmic weight whereas the Buddha states that it is mental ... to quote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I declare three actions for doing demerit and its perpetration. They&#xA;  are bodily, verbal and mental actions.’ [...] ‘Friend, Gotama, of&#xA;  these three actions that are different and dissected, which one does&#xA;  good Gotama declare as most blameworthy? Is it bodily, verbal or&#xA;  mental actions?’ ‘Friend Tapassi, of these three actions, I declare&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;mental action as the most blameworthy&lt;/strong&gt;, not so much bodily or verbal&#xA;  action.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Notions of soul&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another notable difference between the faiths is which being have a persistent soul. If I could just bring in Hinduism to illustrate the point&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hindus believe that humans and animals have a persistent soul &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jains believe that humans, animals, plants, rocks, fire and a whole wealth of 'non-living' (to us) objects have soul. If you light a match then the flame has a soul. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhists believe that nothing has a permanent soul or more accurately fixed self.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T16:30:35.150" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T16:30:35.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2014-08-05T04:54:53.577" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short: no, you can't. Even cursory knowledge of the teachings of the Buddha and the dogmas of Christianity (or any other religion) will prove enough to realize these are irreconcilable. Just to give a quick example, take the Buddhist belief (one of the &quot;Four Seals&quot;) that all things/phenomena are empty and devoid of self: this is enough to negate the whole of Christian dogma at once! There is no doubt that the view that Buddhism can be seen as simply a &quot;way of life&quot; stems from a profound ignorance of the teachings and practice of Buddhism, usually based on a feel-good, watered down version of the teachings that doesn't even come close to trying to get to grips with understanding something as essential as impermanence, interdependence, and emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: The above comment is not meant in any way to insinuate that non-Buddhists cannot greatly benefit from studying the dharma—far from it, especially when most Western Buddhists come from a (at least vaguely) Christian upbringing. It was only meant to express that truly abiding by the Buddha's teachings entails a worldview that is not fully compatible with that of the major religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastEditorDisplayName="user611" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T16:19:00.743" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T16:19:00.743" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2479" CreationDate="2014-08-05T05:57:33.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short this is the chain of cause and effect which keeps up in misery or Samsara. This is in direct relation to our cognitive process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation is to understand this and break the chains in the vicious circle of misery, thus coming out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be other cause and effect relationships which do not directly relate to misery (cognitive process) and the way out of it thus not covered in the dependent origination. In the ball analogy there is no misery involved unless you are hitting the ball as part of a sport. In 1st case it is pure physics. If it is as a part of a game the effects of this is our happiness or misery due to our attachment to the outcome as we evaluate it thus effecting our cognitive process. (E.g. the ball go hit into the goal, the goal was missed, a 6 was hit, the ball got hit in the air and was caught, etc. All this relate to the cognitive process which causes misery in Samsara)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think Dependent Origination generalised outside the Cognitive Process (Nama Rupa Process), as the general context of it is in this aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T06:24:42.880" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T06:24:42.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2459" CreationDate="2014-08-05T06:17:26.730" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;See the links &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; more particularly:&#xA;With Contact as condition, Feeling arises&#xA;With Feeling as condition, Craving arises&#xA;With Craving as condition, Clinging arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So attraction happens when you get a feeling to which you analyze and give an evaluation as good and bad followed by clinging to it. At the sub conscious level this is happening millions and millions of times. When a meditator develops the insight knowledge of Arising and Passing Away you get a glimpse of how fast this is happening through it may not be a clear or full understanding. (At full understanding you have taken the a dip into one of the stages of sainthood.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the extent of clinging fabrication starts. This is not perfect but but some of your expectations can materialize. But most often not exactly as you expect it to be. Also note only a few materialize. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this aspect is covered in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhitthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adhitthana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chitta Niyama&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 Niyama on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;). Having a strong mental desire for an out come can influence the possible outcome through the process of conditioning / fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is not advised to have strong desire for a particular outcome as this might lead to covetousness which is a bad Karma. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammapatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kammapatha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-11T14:03:59.170" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T14:03:59.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2489" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2491" CreationDate="2014-08-05T13:55:33.873" Score="1" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pranayama seam to have some similarities with Anapana. What is the relationship between the two. Was this derived from Anapana? What is it's historic development? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:47:57.267" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:47:57.267" Title="Can Pranayama Be Derived from Anapana?" Tags="|theravada|history|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2303" CreationDate="2014-08-05T13:57:17.480" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism there is a special practice called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/buddhist-fasting-practice-1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nyungne&lt;/a&gt;. Essentially it is a practice on Thousand-Armed Chenrezig who is the embodiment of loving kindness and active compassion (the &lt;em&gt;active&lt;/em&gt; aspect is represented by his standing not sitting posture, see the picture below).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice is done in retreat settings usually for 2,5 - 3 days. From the day one the practitioners refrain from talking and from the day two they fast and do a number of meditation sessions per day, all focused on Chenrezig. I've been told that it should done with someone who has a direct transmission on this practice and who can give fine details about it. Overall, I know many Western practitioners who took part in such retreats so it is definitely not an old-forgotten, exotic ritual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, Nyungne is a purifying practice on the level of body, speech and mind and helps to nurture compassion and loving kindness towards all the sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dDyfd.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-08-06T11:16:47.080" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T11:16:47.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2489" CreationDate="2014-08-05T15:00:41.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it certainly got some similarities. Yeah buddhism originated in India and there were 27 buddhas before the Gauthama Buddha so there are some techniques remianed from others. But it certainly is the same. &#xA;In Pranayama there is a rhythm of exhale and inhale. But in Anapansathi. Which is &quot;Ana-(inhale)-pana-(exhale)-sathi(concentration)&quot; This just keep concentrating on the Exhale and inhale in a little while you feel calmness you never felt before and slowing things down. &#xA;This is the last meditation technique Buddha has done before the Enlightnement. &#xA;There are 4 other meditation techniques to support like Mithree Meditation where we bless ourselves and all animals and everything we can see and cannots including our enimies.&#xA;This all comes under Samatha Meditation. So if you want to goto Anapanasathi which is under Vipassana Mediation. You have to follow the Samatha meditation to get a relief for body and mind. I guess you get the answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T15:00:41.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2470" CreationDate="2014-08-05T15:56:48.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a simple answer.&#xA;There is only 2 Main Techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samatha Meditation Technique&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana Meditation Technique&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha Meditation Technique&#xA; This is the base to all meditation. According to buddhas teaching this will make the path for vipassana Meditation Technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana Meditation Technique&#xA; This mainly include Anapanasathi. For Enlightnment and Ultimate truth this is the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the simplest answer I can give. If you have questions leave a Comment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T15:56:48.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2493" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2494" CreationDate="2014-08-05T17:07:25.917" Score="8" ViewCount="1208" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism we can see various artistic expressions: Thangka and Songs of Milarepa in Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese art also were influenced heavily by Buddhism. Is there any forms of art practiced by Theravada monks? Do you know of any monks who were painters or poets?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="563" LastEditorUserId="563" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T17:16:12.837" LastActivityDate="2019-07-22T11:09:17.013" Title="Theravada Buddhism and Art" Tags="|theravada|art|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2493" CreationDate="2014-08-05T18:35:04.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/what-is-buddhist-art/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The arts&lt;/a&gt;—be it painting, sculpture, architecture, calligraphy, etc.—have certainly flourished in the Theravada communities of the Southern Buddhist countries (Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia). See, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_art#Southern_Buddhist_art&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this section&lt;/a&gt; of the Wikipedia article on Buddhist art or &lt;a href=&quot;http://theravadaciv.org/enlightened-ways-the-many-streams-of-buddhist-art-in-thailand/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this chapter&lt;/a&gt; of the book &lt;em&gt;Enlightened Ways: The Many Streams of Buddhist Art in Thailand&lt;/em&gt;. And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.terragalleria.com/pictures-subjects/theravada-buddhist-temples/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here is a gallery&lt;/a&gt; of pictures that might be of interest. With regard to poetry, be sure to check out the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theragata&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Therigata&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastEditorDisplayName="user611" LastEditDate="2014-08-05T18:44:15.803" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T18:44:15.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2495" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2498" CreationDate="2014-08-05T20:00:11.413" Score="4" ViewCount="345" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are any of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt; (unwholesome roots) of greed, hatred and delusion considered stronger or more difficult to break than the others. Or are they all seen as equally difficult to break, perhaps only differing in strength depending on the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in teachings from any of the schools of Buddhism about this. I'm not really asking for personal perspectives but rather specific advice from established teachers of the Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T05:11:27.270" Title="Are any of the three poisons considered stronger or more difficult to break than the others?" Tags="|texts|kleshas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2493" CreationDate="2014-08-05T20:23:41.887" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are pictures I took at the Laotian temple (in the US) I've been attending. I'm told the monks make the decorative parts of the buildings and the statues. I thought this was very interesting so I looked it up and apparently these traditional artistic skills are passed down among the Theravada monks in Laos.&#xA; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.unescobkk.org/index.php?id=2485&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;more information&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xLSDg.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Pnq8F.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ydrpd.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/CMtU9.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GwvDS.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pyDUs.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-08-05T20:23:41.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2495" CreationDate="2014-08-05T23:29:08.960" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per Buddha of Pali Canon (AN 3.68, thanks to @Unrul3r for the reference):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion (aka anger, aka hatred) has much blame, but is quick to fade away;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Obsessive desire (aka greed, aka lust) has little blame, but is slow to fade away;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Confusion (aka delusion) both has much blame, and is slow to fade away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained in commentary on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.4-Akusalamula-Annatitthiya-S-a-3.68-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharmafarer.org&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Anguttara Commentary to AN 3.68 explains that “has little blame” means “both by way of worldly blame and by way of its (karmic) results”, that is, both in the worldly and the spiritual senses. It goes on to show that lust (lobha) “has little blame”by the fact that there is no social stigma to marriage, although it is rooted in sexual desire (that is, if lust remains within the moral limits). Such lust would not in itself lead to a painful rebirth in lower states. As such, it is less blameworthy in regard to karmic consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This statement may appear strange in&#xA;  view of the fact that greed (lobha) is one of the roots of the unwholesome or evil and that it also falls under the wider-ranging term of Craving, the fundamental cause of suffering. Yet greed is “less blameworthy” than hate in all those instances where the gratification&#xA;  of lust does not violate basic morality and is not harmful to others, as, for instance, the enjoyment&#xA;  of delicious food, sex gratification within the bounds of the Third Precept, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lust, however, is “hard to remove” as it has deep roots in human nature, and is “as hard to remove as oily soot, and a particular attachment might follow a person even through two or three lives”. In a single moment the roots of lust can sink deeply into man’s heart; its fine hair roots of&#xA;  subtle attachments are as difficult to remove as the great passions, or even more so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Anguttara Commentary similarly says that “much blame” means “both by way of worldly blame and by way of its (karmic) results,” that is, both in the worldly and the spiritual senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hate (dosa) is more blameworthy than lust and delusions because the results of a hateful act are often&#xA;  immediate apparently, widespread and protracted. Hate is almost always behind killing, acts of violence&#xA;  and life-threatening deeds. As such, hate is greatly blameworthy. However, people often quickly forget&#xA;  such violent acts when they are distracted by other pursuits, especially those concerning living needs,&#xA;  comfort and pleasure: in other words, they are more easily distracted by the drive of lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Delusion (moha) is both greatly blameworthy and hard to abandon. It is always at the root of the&#xA;  motivation in the breaking of the precepts, indeed in any evil unskillful act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both hate and delusion are regarded as blameworthy in society and have negative karmic results, as both may lead one to rebirth in painful states. Hate, however, is an unpleasant state of mind, and as beings naturally desire happiness, they will generally wish to abandon it. Moreover, by asking for forgiveness from those one has wronged through anger, it is easier to nullify the negative effects of anger in oneself and in others. Delusion, however, is usually deeply rooted in craving, wrong view and conceit, and as such will be as hard to remove as lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T02:47:48.100" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2495" CreationDate="2014-08-06T01:10:07.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually in Tibetan Buddhism, in the centre of the wheel of life, they teach that ignorance creates attachment that creates anger, that is why they put so much effort in realizing emptiness, because emptiness can put an end to ignorance and break the cycle, so ignorance would probably be the worst poison, the one that requires more effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I follow Theravada tradition, but spent sometime with Tibetan Monks, so they are the source of this answer!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T01:10:07.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2014-08-06T02:59:32.167" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;introduction&quot; may be out of place, but anyway his most important work would be the &lt;em&gt;Mūlamadhyamakakārikā&lt;/em&gt;. A translation, along with an extensive commentary, is available in &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=54kV38QYrvoC&amp;amp;lpg=PP1&amp;amp;pg=PP1#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; by Jay Garfield (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Nagarjuna/Dependent_Arising.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is a previously published commentary of chapters 1, 2 and 24). Bear in mind that this is a very, very difficult text to understand, even with the (indubitably necessary) help of commentators. Toward that end, let me point out &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=rJ2qasKWbrYC&amp;amp;printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;Nāgārjuna's Madhyamaka: A Philosophical Introduction&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; by Jan Westerhoff, which provides a synoptic overview of the arguments in Nāgārjuna's corpus concerning different philosophical problems with the aim of presenting an account of the whole of his philosophy (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=24486&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is a helpful review of the book).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T02:59:32.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2500" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2505" CreationDate="2014-08-06T03:45:49.843" Score="4" ViewCount="482" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the best translation of Anatta &quot;non-self&quot; or &quot;there is nothing that you can take as me, mine, self or non-changing everlasting controllable part which can be identified as me, mine or everlasting core&quot; or something else based on the interpretation of different lineages?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-10T21:16:27.760" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T21:16:27.760" Title="What is the best translation of Anatta into English?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|teaching|pali-language|anatman|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2495" CreationDate="2014-08-06T03:53:54.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The other two arrise and exist due to Moha or lack of Panna. Hence this is the the hardest. You break this and the other two will break away. You cannot break any or both of the other two while you have Moha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T03:53:54.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2383" CreationDate="2014-08-06T04:20:13.170" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main difference would be the goal. In Buddhism this is done to develop wisdom and mastery over the mind. But in other systems it can be to get a pleasant experience, concentration, psychic powers, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the meditation instruction in Buddhism are ones that were already there but refocused and modified towards gaining wisdom in the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T04:20:13.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2495" CreationDate="2014-08-06T05:11:27.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes there are difficulty levels in that. In one occassion Buddha him self said that if any one can give up greed he is one step behind the Nirvana. Most of the steps in buddhism is about greed your right without the right vision we can't see greed. Pain is a form of greed. We try to satisfy our selves with many thing may be massage or sex what ever thing is a form of greed. If you think that this body we have can we do what ever we like with it. Can we stop growing old or stop growing nails. Yeah we can't so this don't belong to us. So we have to see  this is as a pain or a greed. We apply many things eat what ever we like this all is greed. The english term greed doesn't give the whole meaning out here. Falling in love with family, wife this is also going under greed. If there is no greed or a task there is no reason for you to exist. If you wish your beloved wife or mom in next birth there you have a reason to exist.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;So the exact term for this is A CONNECTION&lt;/strong&gt;. We have to break all connections. &#xA;In Hinduism or Yoga there is something called Kundalini in there to complete all levels we have to open a chakra in middle of the head. So the step to do that is to remove all you love from mind. After you do that there is no concern for anything anymore. &#xA;If you get psychic powers from the Kundalini you don't have a reason to use it. You don;t like showing off and you don't want any connection in the 1st place. So you will stay calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T05:11:27.270" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2504" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2506" CreationDate="2014-08-06T11:20:13.623" Score="20" ViewCount="1588" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been meditation using Mindfulness of Breathing mediation. I will continue for a while, while increasing the duration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When can I say that I &quot;master&quot; a type of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there a natural next type of meditation after Mindfulness of Breathing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="582" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:32:47.257" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T04:46:37.903" Title="What is the next meditation type after Mindfulness of Breathing meditation?" Tags="|anapanasati|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2500" CreationDate="2014-08-06T12:24:21.893" Score="9" Body="&lt;h1&gt;CORELESSNESS&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before we can pick a translation we must understand what it is that we are translating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prefix &lt;code&gt;an-&lt;/code&gt; is a simple negation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hindu concept of Atman should not be confused with Aham (the simple reflexive &quot;I&quot;, &quot;ego&quot; or &quot;self&quot;) nor with Jiva (the vitality that makes an animate being an animate being). Atman means &quot;inner spirit&quot; or &quot;core&quot; and refers to what is supposedly the unchanging subject of experience, also known as &quot;The Knower of the Field&quot; (Purusha), and the source of its own activity. Basically, Atman is that fictitious little &lt;em&gt;boss&lt;/em&gt; that sits in our head, looks through our eyes and decides what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pali ending of &lt;code&gt;-tta&lt;/code&gt; often corresponds to English &lt;code&gt;-ness&lt;/code&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-tta: expresses the state, nature or quality of being that which is denoted by the adj. or noun: puthujjana, a common man +tta=puthujjanattaṃ, the state of being a common man; buddha, a buddha +tta=buddhattaṃ, Buddhahood; atthi he is +tta=atthittaṃ the state of &quot;he is&quot;, existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From these three, the word can be translated as &lt;code&gt;no-spirit-ness&lt;/code&gt;, or in proper English &lt;code&gt;spirit-less-ness&lt;/code&gt; -- but such rendering is misleading. First, because in English &quot;spiritless&quot; has connotations of weak, demotivated and barely alive. And second, because Buddhism does not exactly deny &quot;spirit&quot; as an abstract aspect of relationships and interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another option is to take Atman as &quot;subject&quot; and render &lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt; as &lt;code&gt;subjectlessness&lt;/code&gt;. This choice sounds true to the original meaning, but directly contradicts the western understanding of experience as comprised of subject and object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A philosophically more correct option IMO would be &lt;code&gt;core-less-ness&lt;/code&gt;. This matches both a simple understanding of &lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt; as an absence of substantial independent self in sentient beings, but also the wider Madhyamika philosophy which postulates that all entities are contextually defined imputations lacking any kind of self-identical ontologically existing core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. In western philosophy the notion of corelessness is sometimes identified with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundle_theory&quot;&gt;Bundle Theory of David Hume&lt;/a&gt;. Also, the relationship between observation and delineation of entities is one of the major topics of &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0231084811&quot;&gt;Hierarchy Theory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-07T17:15:07.563" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T17:15:07.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2504" CreationDate="2014-08-06T13:07:14.107" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation should be perceived as a &lt;em&gt;tool&lt;/em&gt; to achieve some goal. We don't meditate to be good at meditation, rather, we use it because we want some results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice is based on three pillars - Right View, Meditation and Action. We need to know some Buddha's teachings, we need to meditate and finally, we need to apply the results of the practice into our daily life. What is the point of meditating for hours if straight after the session we harm our friends by our inconsiderate behaviour?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is always good to ask or remind ourselves why we meditate. If we want peace of mind, we keep checking whether we are able to remain calm in stressful situations. If we want to get rid of our ego - we check how we react when people offend or criticize us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I never did a regular breathing practice on its own. I met Mahayana/Vajrayana masters and got attracted to the possibility of realising our Buddha Nature by applying certain methods. So I use those methods to realise my full potential in order to help other beings (Bodhisattva vow). In everyday life I keep checking (among others) whether I remain stable and joyful in difficult situations and whether I can feel compassion to all the beings no matter what they do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some may say that the next stage after Breathing meditation is &lt;em&gt;insight&lt;/em&gt; meditation (Vipassana). However, before starting a new practice, you should very honestly check your motivation and goals - what exactly do you want to realise? Also make sure the new practice can indeed bring you closer to your goals. In general, keep checking whether your current meditation practice brings some positive changes into your everyday life and if you feel that there is something more you want to realise - try to find a new practice that will help you achieve that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T13:07:14.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2016" CreationDate="2014-08-06T17:09:43.437" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Vajrayana, confession is a specific part of the so-called &quot;preliminary practices&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%B6ndro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ngöndro&lt;/a&gt;). It is one of the &quot;inner&quot; or &quot;extraordinary&quot; preliminaries, and consists in removing negative actions or &quot;obscurations&quot;, namely karmic obscurations; the obscurations of negative emotions; conceptual obscurations; and the obscurations of habitual tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The removal of obscuration is done through the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Meditation_and_Recitation_of_Vajrasattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meditating on the Teacher as Vajrasattva&lt;/a&gt; and reciting his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Hundred_syllable_mantra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mantra&lt;/a&gt; (in the context of ngöndro, this is supposed to be done 100,000 times). In what is widely considered the most important commentary on the preliminary practices, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrul_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patrul Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;'s &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=40i38mGQ6aAC&amp;amp;lpg=PA264&amp;amp;ots=a6Q_HjPhoI&amp;amp;dq=%22purification%20only%20takes%20place%20when%20you%20confess%20sincerely%20in%20the%20right%20way%22&amp;amp;pg=PA263#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Words of My Perfect Teacher&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Altamira Press, 1998), one reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no harmful act that cannot be purified through confession.&#xA;  (...) However, purification only takes place when you confess&#xA;  sincerely in the right way, using the four powers as antidotes. (1998,&#xA;  p. 264)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four powers are the essential elements in the practice of confession: &lt;em&gt;the power of support&lt;/em&gt; &quot;is provided by taking refuge in Vajrasattva and cultivating the intention and application aspects of bodhicitta&quot; (1998, p. 265); &lt;em&gt;the power of regretting having done wrong&lt;/em&gt; &quot;comes from a feeling of remorse for all the negative actions you have done in the past&quot; (ibid.); &lt;em&gt;the power of resolution&lt;/em&gt; &quot;means to remember the faults you have commited and to resolve never to commit them again&quot; (1998, p. 266); and &lt;em&gt;the power of action as an antidote&lt;/em&gt; &quot;involves accomplishing as many positive actions as you can, as an antidote to your past negative actions&quot; (ibid.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further reading on the subject, I recommend Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang's &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com.br/books?id=TWcmAS2h3YMC&amp;amp;lpg=PP1&amp;amp;dq=khenpo%20ngawang&amp;amp;pg=PT210#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guide to The Words of My Perfect Teacher&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (Shambhala Publications, 2004), part 2, chapter 3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T17:09:43.437" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2504" CreationDate="2014-08-06T20:23:22.227" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt;. Alongside Mindfulness of Breathing practice we also do a &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/loving-kindness-meditation&quot;&gt;Metta Bhavana&lt;/a&gt; practice (kindly awareness practice). In this we bring to mind ourselves, a good friend, a neutral person and a person we are finding difficult and wish them well. It's not easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had periods of solely doing mindfulness of breathing meditation in order to become 'better' at it. Honestly, for me, that was counterproductive and it the end my meditations become pretty arid. I personally need a compassion based practice to run alongside whatever practice I'm doing just to keep me emotionally connected. I don't find it obvious where compassion comes out of the mindfulness of breathing (it's my own personal koan) so an explicit compassion type visualisation fits well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as vipassana goes then perhaps a just &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/just-sitting&quot;&gt;sitting style practice&lt;/a&gt; (zazen) might be useful. Again it's what I do (if that is any recommendation at all). However I really think the Mindfulness of Breathing and Metta Bhavana practices can be a rich field for insight. Generally I wouldn't be too quick to declare any practice mastered. I've alway been a believer of pick one (or a small number) of practices and stick to them. If you get bored of them - great that probably shows that something is happening. Stick with it and see what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T20:23:22.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2504" CreationDate="2014-08-06T21:19:11.267" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, mindfulness of breath alone leads to full liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring clear knowing &amp;amp; release to their culmination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T21:19:11.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2504" CreationDate="2014-08-06T22:14:43.670" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with @Rabbit -- what to do next depends on what you are trying to achieve (and what you already have achieved). For example, while doing mindfulness of breathing, how well developed has your concentration become? Have you attained the state known as access concentration, or even the first of the four samatha jhanas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you have attained at least access concentration, what do you want to happen next? More tranquility, tighter focus, more one-pointedness? Or something else? If you're specifically pursuing a Buddhist approach then I'm guessing you're looking for something more than just tranquility/samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, I'd suggest, if you haven't already done so, to at least have a look at the instructional writings of Mahasi Sayadaw for guidance on next steps. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasit1.pdf&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasit1.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, look at Yuttadhammo's book (AFAIK he's from the Mahasi &quot;lineage&quot;): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course your answer to the &quot;what do you want&quot; question may be &quot;I dunno yet&quot;, in which case I'd suggest you keep your meditation simple (e.g. just stick with breathing) for a bit longer, and while you're doing that broaden your reading so you can see where Buddhist practice can take you and thereby what your options are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-08-06T22:14:43.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2512" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-07T00:09:34.023" Score="32" ViewCount="58178" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a certain interpretation of the 5th precept and I'm curious about it, the person said that for lay people the 5th precept means &quot;not drinking alcohol to the point you get intoxicated or lose control of your actions&quot;, therefore it would be ok to drink a glass of wine having dinner for instance. On the other hand, once you start drinking it becomes very hard to know your limits, most of the people don't have this ability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a limit or something regarding drinking alcohol according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T09:00:14.737" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T21:00:33.557" Title="Is moderate drinking acceptable in Buddhism?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|intoxicants|well-being|" AnswerCount="18" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T01:57:16.007" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;The application of the fifth precept is a matter of controversy even within specific traditions, so there is no simple yes/no answer to this question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan tradition famously &lt;em&gt;incorporates&lt;/em&gt; alcohol in the bi-monthly ceremony known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Tsok&quot;&gt;tsog&lt;/a&gt; (see Lama Thubten Yeshe's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasvillage.com/teachings/ly_tsog.htm&quot;&gt;&quot;What is Tsog?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;). Lama Palden Drolma's opinion on the matter seems to summarize well the thinking in the Tibetan tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To refrain from taking intoxicants is one of the primary vows that&#xA;  laypeople may take and that monastics have to uphold. One of the main&#xA;  reasons for not becoming intoxicated is that this can—and often does—&#xA;  lead to breaking other vows or straying from one’s integrity. Another&#xA;  reason for not becoming intoxicated is that for many, intoxication&#xA;  obscures the clarity of mind— the clarity to understand and rest in&#xA;  one’s true nature moment to moment. If one’s mind has stabilized in&#xA;  true nature to the extent that its clarity is never obscured, then it&#xA;  makes no difference whether one takes in substances or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the point of view of the dharma training I was given, it is&#xA;  permissible, even having taken this vow, as a layperson, to enjoy a&#xA;  glass of wine occasionally. A distinction is made between&#xA;  intoxication, where one’s clarity is compromised, and simply enjoying&#xA;  partaking of a substance. I also do not feel that occasionally&#xA;  utilizing a substance for transformational work is an obstacle to&#xA;  awakening. It may be helpful—but honest discernment and consultation&#xA;  is needed if one engages in this way, so that one does not fool&#xA;  oneself and go astray. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/quotable/fifth-precept&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T01:57:16.007" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T02:34:05.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No drinking alcohol at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am given two glass of water; one with poison and one without, I will avoid drinking of both. In other words, I will not take that action. Similarly, If I am in doubt about certain action might or might not break a precept, I will avoid doing that action. In the end, I gain nothing from it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general; As seen in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaṇīyamettā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, (Karaṇīyam, &quot;(This is what) should be done).&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do not do the slightest thing that the wise would later censure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@Suminda Sirinath Salpitiko also pointed out that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;As for the use in some buddhist traditions &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Second Buddhist council&lt;/a&gt; since some monks started drinking beverages which were in the process of fermenting. This has been rejected by the Theravada branch of monks in the 2nd council though the other sect also did have their Council. So not drinking at all is the best interpretation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastEditorUserId="503" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T01:40:24.213" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T01:40:24.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2515" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-07T03:22:34.633" Score="5" ViewCount="1766" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha appeared centuries after his death (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/215/why-did-physical-representations-of-the-buddha-only-start-to-appear-a-few-centur&quot;&gt;this related question&lt;/a&gt;). Buddhist art then was &quot;aniconic&quot;, insofar as the Buddha was only represented through symbols such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_footprint&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha's footprint&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmacakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma wheel&lt;/a&gt;. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism#The_anthropomorphic_representation_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Wikipedia article on Greco-Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, there is a hint as to why this might be so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The] reluctance towards anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha, and the sophisticated development of aniconic symbols to avoid it (even in narrative scenes where other human figures would appear), seem to be connected to one of the Buddha’s sayings, reported in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digha_Nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digha Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;, that discouraged representations of himself after the extinction of his body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This assertion isn't, however, accompanied by a reference to the relevant portion of the Digha Nikaya, and it is contradicted in Donald Lopez's latest book, &lt;em&gt;From Stone to Flesh: A Short History of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (University of Chicago Press, 2013): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[N]o proscriptions against making images of the Buddha have been located in what scholars would regard as an early Buddhist text, nor have any prescriptions for his representation been found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there actual textual basis for the claim that the Buddha discouraged antropomorphic representations of himself (in the Digha Nikaya or other early Buddhist texts)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2019-07-22T11:11:06.013" Title="Did the Buddha discourage antropomorphic representations of himself?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|art|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2504" CreationDate="2014-08-07T03:34:19.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on individual temperament and circumstances. If it is working for you then there is no need to look for another as this will take you to the final goal but generally if you are a lay person with a lot of responsibilities or not reaching concentration through Anapana it is best to which to Satipatthana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good read on who you use Breath Meditation to reach the final goal, go through: Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author), Santikaro Bhikkhu (Translator)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T04:46:37.903" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T04:46:37.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2515" CreationDate="2014-08-07T03:59:50.800" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Early artists did not make statues of Buddha so as not to make mistakes in representing the features and characteristics of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The statues came later as a tool of worship to develop faith in the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not encouragement or discouragement of this from the Buddha or in the ancient texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-09T08:50:31.957" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T08:50:31.957" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2518" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2524" CreationDate="2014-08-07T04:05:09.010" Score="11" ViewCount="1357" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the interpretation of parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems to have different interpretation and translations? What are the different interpretations and translations and what might be the most correct interpretation according to different line of practice? How is the particular interpretation rationalised?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-08-17T04:26:05.607" LastActivityDate="2023-07-14T05:18:53.463" Title="What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?" Tags="|pali-canon|pali-language|anapanasati|satipatthana|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2521" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3852" CreationDate="2014-08-07T05:55:13.137" Score="7" ViewCount="913" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the interpretation of the Pali phrase &quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami... passasissamiti sikkhati...&quot; this seems to be interpreted differently by different lineages. What are the different interpretations? What is the rationale behind the interpretation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is the word &lt;code&gt;Sabbakayapatisamvedi&lt;/code&gt; interpreted by the tradition, and what is the rationale behind it? How is it interpreted in the context of different meditation types (Kamatahan)? Is it connected to any stage of Insight Knowledge as per the interpretation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to one among many of the numerous occurrences of this phrase, the canonical text summarizing the 16 steps of Anapanasati meditation has the following passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long';&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short';&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [3] He trains himself, 'I will breath in sensitive to the whole body.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ---&gt; (sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breath out sensitive to the whole body.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ---&gt; (sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati;)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [4] He trains himself, 'I will breath in calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breath out calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again this is only one occurrence among many, hence do not bias or limit the answer to the context of Anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T23:27:34.727" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:08:29.007" Title="How is the Pali Phase &quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami... passasissamiti sikkhati...&quot; Interpreted as per Different Linage?" Tags="|pali-canon|vipassana|pali-language|satipatthana|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2523" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2525" CreationDate="2014-08-07T06:06:53.567" Score="4" ViewCount="754" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there an interpretation of the 12 nidanas (shown on the outside of the wheel below) that is compatible with a lack of belief in rebirth. For instance in the 12 nidanas there are the links &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Becoming -&gt; Birth -&gt; Aging and Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even though this explicitly names rebirth is there an interpretation of the cycle that occurs just over one lifetime (or reoccurs many times over one life). Or are the concepts of the nidanas so bound up with rebirth that they have no value or sense to practioners who are more agnostic about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pTFLz.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-07T11:49:41.843" LastActivityDate="2018-07-05T20:21:04.010" Title="Is there an interpretation of the 12 nidanas that occurs just over one lifetime?" Tags="|rebirth|pratityasamutpada|nidanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2518" CreationDate="2014-08-07T10:35:37.653" Score="10" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What are the different interpretations and translations and what might be the most correct interpretation according to the different lines of practice? How are they rationalized?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/voc/parimukham.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Etymology&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pari-&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a prefix used with the connotation of around, about, all over, or that of completeness. Thus &lt;em&gt;dhāvati&lt;/em&gt; means&#xA;  'to run' and &lt;em&gt;paridhāvati&lt;/em&gt; means 'to run about'; &lt;em&gt;vajati&lt;/em&gt; - 'to go/&#xA;  proceed' becomes &lt;em&gt;paribbajati&lt;/em&gt;, 'to wander about', ie. 'to live the life&#xA;  of a religious mendicant'; &lt;em&gt;carati&lt;/em&gt; - 'to walk' becomes &lt;em&gt;paricarati&lt;/em&gt; - 'to&#xA;  walk around, ie. to serve, honour'; &lt;em&gt;gaṇeti&lt;/em&gt;, 'to count' becomes&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;parigaṇeti&lt;/em&gt; - 'to calculate'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; means primarily and literally 'mouth', by extension 'face' and&#xA;  figuratively 'entrance', 'opening', 'brim', then in a more abstract&#xA;  meaning 'the front', 'the foremost' and finally 'that which is an&#xA;  entrance into something', ie. 'a mean', 'a cause'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Strictly from the point of view of semantics (ie. neglecting&#xA;  contextual information), the following meanings could reasonably be&#xA;  derived from the juxtaposition of these two components: around the&#xA;  mouth, all over the mouth, completely on the mouth, around the face,&#xA;  all over the face, completely on the face, around the entrance, all&#xA;  over the entrance, completely on the entrance, around the front, all&#xA;  over the front, completely on the front&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: The above link also has references to commentaries &amp;amp; later &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi&lt;/em&gt; literature.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html#fn-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&#xA;  To the fore (&lt;em&gt;parimukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;): The &lt;em&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; takes an etymological&#xA;  approach to this term, defining it as around (&lt;em&gt;pari-&lt;/em&gt;) the mouth&#xA;  (&lt;em&gt;mukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;). In the &lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt;, however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4)&#xA;  where it undoubtedly means the front of the chest. There is also the&#xA;  possibility that the term could be used idiomatically as &quot;to the&#xA;  front,&quot; which is how I have translated it here.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Satipatthana/Satipatthana-02.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānandajoti Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Parimukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt; means at the front, or perhaps, around the mouth, i.e. it&#xA;  is a vague area, not meant to be confined to one particular spot or&#xA;  place, which would have been easy to designate if that is what was&#xA;  meant (like specifying &lt;em&gt;oṭṭha&lt;/em&gt;, the lip). It is of course the&#xA;  mindfulness that is important in the practice, not the breathing as&#xA;  such, which only provides a basis for the mindfulness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/direct-path.pdf#page=142&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anālayo Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&#xA;  Once the posture is set up, mindfulness is to be established “in&#xA;  front”. The injunction “in front” (&lt;em&gt;parimukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;) can be understood&#xA;  literally or figuratively. Following the more literal understanding,&#xA;  “in front” indicates the nostril area as the most appropriate for&#xA;  attention to the in- and out-breaths. Alternatively, “in front”&#xA;  understood more figuratively suggests a firm establishment of &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; being mentally “in front” in the sense of meditative composure&#xA;  and attentiveness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/do/history-of-mindfulness.ocr.pdf#page=109&amp;amp;search=%22parimukha%22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sujato Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&#xA;  In the gradual training, &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;upatthana&lt;/em&gt; occur together in the&#xA;  common idiom &lt;em&gt;parimukhaṃ satim upatthapeti&lt;/em&gt;. Here the term &lt;em&gt;parimukha&lt;/em&gt; is&#xA;  one of those simple words that is so hard to interpret. It modern&#xA;  renderings usually use something vague like 'in front'. However the&#xA;  phrase frequently occurs in contexts outside of &lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;, making&#xA;  the interpretation 'at the nose-tip', or any literal spatial&#xA;  interpretation, unlikely. The &lt;em&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/em&gt; has a different reading,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;pratimukha&lt;/em&gt;. This has many meanings, among which are 'reflection' and&#xA;  'presence'. Both of these would be appropriate in meditative context.&#xA;  But the word usually, as here, occurs in close conjunction with&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;upatthana&lt;/em&gt;, which also means 'presence'. I think here we have another&#xA;  example of that common feature of &lt;em&gt;Pali&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/em&gt;, a conjunction of&#xA;  synonyms for emphasis: literally, 'one makes present a presence of&#xA;  presence of mind', or more happily, 'one establishes presence of&#xA;  mindfulness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: The awareness is established around the mouth,&#xA;  the entrance to the nostrils: &lt;em&gt;parimukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;. Certain traditions&#xA;  translate this as &quot;in the front,&quot; as if the awareness is imagined to&#xA;  be in front of the person, but this sets up a duality. Actually you&#xA;  have to feel the breath coming and going around the mouth, above the&#xA;  upper lip, which is parimukhaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional References:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.4nt.org/anapana/parimukham&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Parimukhaṁ&lt;/em&gt; article&lt;/a&gt; with &lt;em&gt;Āgama&lt;/em&gt; references  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf#page=10&amp;amp;search=%22Parimukha%EF%83%97%22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Footnote 55&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;em&gt;Piya Tan's&lt;/em&gt; Study of &lt;em&gt;Kāyagatāsati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://palidictionary.appspot.com/browse/p/parimukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dictionary entries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T13:42:53.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2523" CreationDate="2014-08-07T11:38:39.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All factors of the &lt;em&gt;pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt; occurs in &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; lifetime. Just from different causal rounds of it. And of course, there is much more relations between the &lt;em&gt;nidanas&lt;/em&gt; than just sequential enumeration of 12 states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or are the concepts of the nidanas so bound up with rebirth that they have &lt;em&gt;no value&lt;/em&gt; or sense to practioners who are more agnostic about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you deny just one link, that should not make other 10 links of &lt;em&gt;no value&lt;/em&gt; even for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Sarvastivada&lt;/em&gt; school there is also instantaneous (&lt;em&gt;ksanika&lt;/em&gt;) interpretation of &lt;em&gt;pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt;. Quoting &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmakosa-bhasya&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Question:] – How is dependent origination momentary? [Answer:] – When&#xA;  persons who are a victim of the defilements commit murder, the twelve&#xA;  members are realized in the same moment:&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;1.&lt;/strong&gt; their delusion (moha) is ignorance (avidyā);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;2.&lt;/strong&gt; their intention (cetanā) is the formations (saṃskāra);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;3.&lt;/strong&gt; their distinct perception of a certain object [vastuprativijñapti] is consciousness (vijñāna);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;4.&lt;/strong&gt; the four aggregates co-arisen with the consciousness are name-and-form (nāmarūpa);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;5.&lt;/strong&gt; the sense-faculties abiding in name-and-form are the six sense-spheres (ṣaḍāyatana);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;6.&lt;/strong&gt; the functioning [abhinipāta] of the six sense-spheres is contact (sparśa);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;7.&lt;/strong&gt; to experience [anubhava] contact is sensation (vedanā);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;8.&lt;/strong&gt; greed (lobha; LVP: attachment [rāga]) is craving (tṛṣṇā);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;9.&lt;/strong&gt; the envelopments (paryavasthāna) associated with craving are grasping (upādāna);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;10.&lt;/strong&gt; bodily or vocal action [kāyavākkarma] that proceeds [from sensation or craving] is existence (bhava);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;11.&lt;/strong&gt; the emergence (utsarjana; LVP: unmajjana = utpāda = arising) of all these factors is birth (jāti);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;12.&lt;/strong&gt; the maturity (paripāka) of these factors is old age (jarā); and the breaking down (bhaṅga) of these factors is death (maraṇa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T11:38:39.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2523" CreationDate="2014-08-07T11:55:16.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no single &lt;em&gt;accepted&lt;/em&gt; one-lifetime interpretation of pratityasamutpada in modern Buddhism. There have been multiple attempts to come up with such an explanation though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) A decent summary of this question and the various approaches to it is Dhivan Thomas Jones' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.academia.edu/2593517/New_Light_on_the_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;New Light On The Twelve Nidanas&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, published in Contemporary Buddhism journal in 2009.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jones discusses Nanavira Thera and Buddhadasa Bhikkhu both of whom independently came up with their slightly different this-lifetime interpretations of the Twelve Nidanas of Pratityasamutpada. He also summarizes Bhikkhu Bodhi's polemics with the two, defending the 3-lifetimes interpretation from the traditionalist point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Bhikkhu Analayo in his study of Goenka meditation, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://host.pariyatti.org/treasures/The_Development_of_Insight.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Development of Insight –&#xA;A Study of the U Ba Khin Vipassanā Meditation Tradition as&#xA;Taught by S.N. Goenka in Comparison with Insight Teachings in&#xA;the Early Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, touches upon the topic of 12 nidanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Pāli canon, the Paisambhidā-magga has as its predecessor the Vibhanga, the second and perhaps earliest book in the canonical Abhidharma collection of the Theravāda tradition. Regarding the topic of dependent arising, the Vibhanga presents an alternative mode of interpretation, which applies each of the twelve links of dependent arising to a single mind-moment. The Vibhanga explains that, when considered from this viewpoint, the reference to 'birth' in the context of the twelve links can be understood to refer to the arising of mental states. A similar&#xA;  interpretation can be found in the Mahāvibhāsā of the Sarvāstivāda tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to Vibhanga, Analayo also quotes &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmakosa-bhasya&lt;/em&gt; 3.25 proclaiming that &quot;all twelve links can be found in a single moment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) The Shambhala tradition founded by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche follows his (Tantric) interpretation of 12 nidanas as describing the process of psychological development of the feeling of &quot;otherness&quot;, solidification of &quot;thingness&quot; that culminates in the I-making. Trungpa says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; ... symbolizes old generation giving birth to further generations, while remaining fundamentally blind. [Perpetuating the] concepts and ideas about how the world should be... [Ignorance is] the basic intelligence that stirs endless clusters of solidified thought and crowded energy. ... The energy begins to see itself. [Ignorance is] the clumsy discrimination ... with its quality of thingness, or solidified space. ... It is the beginning of self-consciousness, which is based on clinging to intangible qualities as if they were solid.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samskaras&lt;/strong&gt; represent the process of impulsive accumulation ... again and again shaping ... conceptual mind, forming itself into certain patterns. It is the point at which karmic creation begins.  ... That activity takes place constantly. Basically, karma is created by ... the sense of I-ness and the sense of other. By means of [action based on these two] we make ourselves into something. As [the cycle] goes on and on, it produces further speed.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Things slowly escalate that way. ... When an object has a conceptualized name, it becomes significant. ... &lt;strong&gt;Names and forms&lt;/strong&gt; serve as ... philosophical reinforcement. For instance ... you think that the title should fit the person.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Contact]&lt;/strong&gt; At this point, you can no longer simply exist alone without relating with the rest of the world. ... [You have] made your situation very solid and clear ... you ... make it into a solid thing, you develop personality ... self-respect ... foreign relationships.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Vedana]&lt;/strong&gt; is the first real perception of &quot;this&quot; [- the self] and &quot;that&quot; - the world outside. ... It is like feeling alive, feeling that you are really living in this world.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the same time, you experience a natural self-indulgence, a &lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt; for more milk and honey.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Upadana]&lt;/strong&gt;. With this nidana, there is a tendency to do whatever you feel like doing. [Objects of desire] are very definite, lumpy, and satisfying.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Becoming]&lt;/strong&gt;. In this nidana, you have finally been caught. ... Instead of dancing around ... you have been captured by this life.  ... You are taking life more seriously, adopting a somewhat more defined form. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Death]&lt;/strong&gt;. Having had so much fun playing with phenomena ... that was exhilarating, but that excitement has become questionable. The many objects you have created ... the situation of having too many things to manage ... becomes [an image of] the charnel ground. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my perspective based on years of studying and practicing this stuff... Trungpa's explanation is definitely the right one (even if a bit unclear &amp;amp; incomplete). It seems clear to me that this is what Buddha had in mind when he originally taught it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-07-05T20:21:04.010" LastActivityDate="2018-07-05T20:21:04.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2479" CreationDate="2014-08-07T12:01:25.810" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is different level of &lt;em&gt;depth&lt;/em&gt; and scientifical &lt;em&gt;strictness&lt;/em&gt; in understanding of even mundane causal relations. One of main differences of &lt;em&gt;pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt; from causality &lt;em&gt;in general&lt;/em&gt; is its phenomenological context. &lt;em&gt;Pratityasamutpada&lt;/em&gt; work between the &lt;em&gt;dharmas&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning of teaching of &lt;em&gt;pratitaysamutpada&lt;/em&gt; according to Asanga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The real meaning of conditioned production is the fact that there is&#xA;  no creator (niḥkartṛkārtha), the fact of causality (sahetukārtha), the&#xA;  fact that there is no being (niḥsatvārtha), the fact of dependency&#xA;  [relativity] (paratantrārtha), the fact that there is no directing&#xA;  mover (nirīhakārtha), the fact of impermanence (anityārtha), the fact&#xA;  that everything is momentary (kṣaṇikārtha), the fact that there is an&#xA;  uninterrupted continuity of causes and effects&#xA;  (hetuphalaprabandhānu-pacchedārtha), the fact that there is a&#xA;  correspondence between cause and effect (anurūpahetuphalārtha), the&#xA;  fact of the variety of causes and effects (vichitrahetuphalārtha) and&#xA;  the fact of the regularity of causes and effects&#xA;  (pratiniyatahetuphalārtha).&quot; (&lt;em&gt;Abhidharmasamuccaya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T12:01:25.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T12:24:27.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Intoxicated&quot;, i.e. 'affected by toxic/poison', seems to me to denote a medical state and amenable to a medical/social/scientific definition (doesn't need a specifically Buddhist definition); for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's a legal limit to much you are allowed to drink before you drive a car: i.e. one or two standard drinks, and in some countries no alcohol at all if you're &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduated_driver_licensing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a young/new driver&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Similarly there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recommended_maximum_intake_of_alcoholic_beverages&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;recommended maximum weekly limits&lt;/a&gt; above which you should fear long-term health ill-effects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Allowing yourself one drink, sometimes (not every day), seems to me to be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relatively harmless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not incompatible with the Middle Way (neither extreme austerity nor extreme self indulgence)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may also be unnecessary; different Buddhists might suggest different limits, one of the limits sometimes suggested is &quot;none at all&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore I read the precept as &quot;avoid intoxicants&quot;. IMO it's not just a matter of how much you drink: it's also a matter of how much your companions drink; avoiding intoxicants may imply avoiding intoxicated people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T12:24:27.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2529" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-07T13:35:56.817" Score="13" ViewCount="3612" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I find some buddhist ideas intriguing - mainly using meditation to find insights in oneself - I'm also quite irritated, why so many traditions are so full of dogma, i.e. things you just have to believe or do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's exactly this way of thinking which always bugged me with religions. Buddhism (at least in it's &quot;westernized&quot; form) seemed to be different: Don't believe in anything except the insights you got from your own meditation practice. At least I thought, that this was one of the core teachings of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why is it, that most established traditions treat Buddha almost like a god, which you have to worship or errect statues for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or put another way: Would he be happy if he would see what became of his teachings today, especially in regard to the personality cult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only answer I could come up with is: People can't let go of gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But isn't this foiling the main idea that the historical Gautama was teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="624" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-07T16:39:00.697" LastActivityDate="2017-09-13T08:02:04.267" Title="Why is Buddha almost treated like a God in most Buddhist traditions?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-07T14:19:22.917" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Like a God&quot; is a very broad notion. God is usually treated with &lt;em&gt;respect&lt;/em&gt;, so we could strip out the specific mention of &quot;God&quot; from your question, and rephrase it instead as '&lt;em&gt;why is Buddha treated with respect&lt;/em&gt;'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha is treated with respect because treating a sage in that way is regarded as a &lt;em&gt;good deed&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to good karma, an image of the Buddha may be placed on show because such images can serve as &lt;em&gt;reminders&lt;/em&gt; of the great sage and his teaching. Mindfulness of Buddha is a good mental action too. It inspires, and brings to mind other related good objects and habits, as a result leading the mind in a good direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or put another way: Would he be happy if he would see what became of&#xA;  his teachings today, especially in regard to the personality cult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Worshipping something worthless would of course be bad, or at very least simply useless. But respecting a wholesome object is not the same thing. You would probably not treat with the same level of respect the words of an enemy or foolish person as you would the words of a good friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is nothing inherently wrong in respecting something or someone. It all depends on whether the object of worship is worthy of that respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T12:30:38.230" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T12:30:38.230" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-07T14:25:23.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In your question, you say &quot;almost&quot; and that is the correct term which should be used! The Buddha isn't a God, in fact He even claimed to be only human, and that people shouldn't attach to him, just as people shouldn't attach or cling to anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the Core teaching of the Buddha that any attachment or clinging will bring suffering, but.....as to why people worship the Buddha &quot;almost&quot; like a God is simple!! The Buddha didn't have to teach His realizations to anyone, even in teaching others it clearly was hard work, hard work which the Buddha didn't have to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So....not only did the Buddha pass His wisdom on, the Dhamma itself is freedom from suffering, there is no other path where one can gain insight, wisdom and mindfulness to understand the full workings of the universe (experientially) and free ourselves from suffering. That statement within itself should be enough to show the complete and ultimate respect and gratitude to the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel otherwise then i would suggest you meditate even more. Anyone who has realized even one of the Buddhas core teachings will agree with my response to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T14:25:23.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-07T14:43:41.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think what you are seeing here is cultural differences. My Vietnamese friends have alters in their homes of their grandparents. This does not mean they are worshiping them as much as they are paying their respects to them. Showing respect is very different in Eastern culture than it is in Western culture. Do not be caught in your own perspective when viewing the traditions of others. Perhaps it is the dogma of &quot;worship&quot; and &quot;Eastern vs Western&quot; than needs to be let go of? May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T14:43:41.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2533" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-07T14:48:14.290" Score="5" ViewCount="274" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is mainly covered in the Anapanasati Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these instructions (perhaps additional instructions) are also written elsewhere: for example in the Anapana Samuthiya, Girimananda Sutta, the Sattipattana Suttas, Kayagatasati Sutta, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the additional instructions or variations covered elsewhere, not covered in the Anapanasati Sutta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that answers will do one or more of the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reference suttas (apart from the Anapanasati Sutta) which include Anapanasati instructions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Quote the instructions, examples or guidance which are different or which are additional to that given in the Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it already given in the Anapanasati Sutta without variation, no need to quote or mention.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Comparison with Sanskrit and Tibetan text is also welcome.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T11:36:11.680" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T02:03:45.957" Title="What other suttas instruct how to do Anapanasati, apart from the Anapanasati Sutta?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T16:51:42.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I can just answer from the perspective of my experience practicing with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt;. We are quite fond of reframing the 5 precepts as their &lt;a href=&quot;http://triratna-nyc.org/buddhist-ethics/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;positive counterparts&lt;/a&gt;. So the fifth precept of &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake to abstain from taking intoxicants that dull the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;viewed positively becomes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are not hugely keen on beating ourselves up about not sticking to the negative precepts. If we fail in them then pick yourself up and try it again. However we are very very keen indeed in living the positive precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never heard of anyone being berated for having a glass of wine. I've even been in study groups where highly committed dharma practitioners speak of occasionally having too much to drink with friends (admittedly not common but again no-one berates them - they know what they are doing and it's up to them). But I have been in many many groups and ceremonies where the ideal of clear and radiant mindfulness is spoken of again and again and again. The positive ideal is preferred and spoken about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T16:51:42.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T18:08:48.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any alcohol is an intoxication of the mind. So no, you can't even drink one drop of alcohol. &#xA;There is no reason at all to drink alcohol, unless you desire it. When you want just one drink, ask yourself: why do you want to drink the alcohol and not a glass of water? ( i'm thinking it's because you like it, you desire the effects of the alcohol) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you are trying to develop Mindfulness every minute of every day. If you consume any alcohol you will impair, even slightly, your mindfulness. And this is why alcohol is unwholesome, it effects the minds ability to function rationally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is plenty of science fact that shows the prefrontal cortex (rational thinking) is more and more bypassed the more intoxicated one becomes, and the amygdala( emotion response) becomes more active.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alcohol is completely contradictory to the practice of mindfulness, even one drop!!!&#xA;What do you want more, freedom from suffering? or a poisonous beverage? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T17:48:19.083" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T17:48:19.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-07T21:07:14.383" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wanted to include an addendum on to this part of kukkuripa's answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A distinction is made between intoxication, where one’s clarity is compromised, and simply enjoying partaking of a substance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alcohol is banned in Olympic shooting events as a performance enhancing drug. Alcohol in small doses helps the shooter remain calm under pressure, focused and even slows their heart rate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, if competitors consume too much alcohol their balance, steadiness, reaction time and motor skills become impaired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all comes down to dosage. Being sober or drunk is not a binary relationship. There are degrees and a continuum to everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2014-08-07T21:07:14.383" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-07T23:48:25.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is a fair question. There are people that pray for Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Dharma protectors and other entities in some Buddhist traditions. We should keep in mind that Buddhism mixed with local traditions when spreading through Asia many years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddha is now in parinibbana, he cannot hear us praying and as Buddha said: The Dhamma is our teacher now, so we must walk the path. Only we can help ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know a Theravada monk in Malaysia who is building a monastery without any Buddha image, just like it was back in the days Buddha walked on this earth. He has great respect for the enlightened one, but he chose not to show it by using statues or images.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it doesn't mean we should not have a statue or pay respect to the Buddha. It is a good practice, I personally do that, but there is a clear line between respect and &quot;please help me, I need to be cured&quot;. All these requests for help go against the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma-vipaka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-09T11:37:49.527" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T11:37:49.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2515" CreationDate="2014-08-08T02:08:35.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A direct quote from the Digha Nikaya that explicitly expresses a prohibition or even a discouragement concerning his antropomorphic representations has not been found yet, as far as I know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Religions of the Silk Road&lt;/em&gt; (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1996), Yuvraj Krishan maintains that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aniconism_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the aniconic period&lt;/a&gt; is due to a &lt;em&gt;Vedic&lt;/em&gt; heritage: Vedism was aniconic because it considered the highest gods as ultimately transcendent and formless. His contention is that when Buddhism was in its infancy, those who were faithful to the growing tradition were careful to act within to the Vedic tradition to avoid any normative displacement. So it should not surprise us that the earliest representational art appears at the geographical fringes of the Indian subcontinent (Sri Lanka and Gandhara). The earliest source for this thesis that I know is John C. Huntington's 1977 paper titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/jchArticles/5_14%20Origin%20of%20the%20Buddha%20Image.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The origin of the Buddha image&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there seems to be no known explicit doctrinal injunctions against the representation of the Buddha in anthropomorphic form, there is an  oblique statement in the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins (first called attention to by Arthur Waley) which may be interpreted as a prohibition and consists the only textual source I have found to this effect. In this passage, which deals with the decoration of monasteries, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anathapindika&lt;/a&gt; asks: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;World-honoured one, if  images  of yours  are  not allowed  to be made, pray  may we not at least  make images  of Bodhisattvas in attendance  upon you? (&lt;em&gt;apud&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-MEL/waley.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Waley, 1931/2&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this statement addresses the theme of iconic representation of Buddha, it is an isolated case and cannot really be construed as a prohibition. Therefore, Huntington's theory that the aniconic representation of the Buddha in early Buddhism was a result of Vedic traditions and not specific doctrinal prohibitions seems to be the best explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further reading: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/1001780/Inquiries_into_the_origin_of_the_Buddha_image_a_review&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rob Linrothe, 'Inquiries into the origin of the Buddha image: a review', &lt;em&gt;East and West&lt;/em&gt; 43, 1/4 (December 1993), pp. 241-256.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user611" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T02:08:35.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2539" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2541" CreationDate="2014-08-08T02:32:56.340" Score="3" ViewCount="204" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you consolidate the instructions from the Tripitaka and other sources what would be the variations and additions to the instructions given in the Maha Satipatthana Sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:18:33.540" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:47:48.403" Title="If you Consolidate the Satipatthana Instruction from the Tripitaka what would the additions and variation in Comparison to Maha Satipatthana Sutta" Tags="|vipassana|satipatthana|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-08T08:13:20.977" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply I can tell you this. When Buddhism was invented in certain countries, it mixed with their culture and believes. So if you want to filter what Buddha really said, you have to refer The Pali canon. Actually in &quot;Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Maha vagga - Digha Nikaya)&quot; before The Blessed one passed away, when gods and humans are worshiping him and paying their last respect, the Blessed One stated that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is not the real way (by offering flowers etc) that you can pay respect for me. I appreciate the disciple who pay his respect by following my teachings (Prathipaththi Pooja).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However most people have forgotten these words of the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T08:44:21.870" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T08:44:21.870" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2539" CreationDate="2014-08-08T08:58:18.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are four comparison tables that expose the similarities and discrepancies in  &lt;em&gt;satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/em&gt; discourses from the &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi Nikāyas&lt;/em&gt; and Chinese &lt;em&gt;Āgamas&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;From &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; by Tse-Fu Kuan, &lt;a href=&quot;https://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/mindfulness-in-early-buddhism_kuan.pdf#page=185&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;p.166-169&lt;/a&gt;. Click the images to enlarge.&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4oRNj.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4oRNj.png&quot; width=&quot;325&quot; height=&quot;487&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GAQDG.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GAQDG.png&quot; width=&quot;325&quot; height=&quot;487&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4i6xY.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4i6xY.png&quot; width=&quot;325&quot; height=&quot;487&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NPahG.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NPahG.png&quot; width=&quot;325&quot; height=&quot;487&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:47:48.403" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:47:48.403" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-08T09:21:55.650" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consuming alcohol or any kind of drug for pleasure and with the intention of being intoxicated will break the 5th precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T13:45:41.887" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T13:45:41.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-08T12:15:26.530" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many different views on the 5th precept. I'll sum up the 3 main views that I've encountered most:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec2.5&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; Bikkhu Bodhi explains that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The taking of intoxicants is defined as the volition leading to the bodily act of ingesting distilled or fermented intoxicants.[10] It can be committed only by one's own person (not by command to others) and only occurs through the bodily door. For the precept to be violated four factors are required: (1) the intoxicant; (2) the intention of taking it; (3) the activity of ingesting it; and (4) the actual ingestion of the intoxicant. The motivating factor of the violation is greed coupled with delusion. No gradations of moral weight are given. In taking medicines containing alcohol or intoxicating drugs for medical reasons no breach of the precept is committed. There is also no violation in taking food containing a negligible amount of alcohol added as a flavoring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, no alcohol. The only exceptions are when the alcohol is part of medication, or if one was drinking it unknowingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trading or selling alcohol goes against the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_Precepts#Sets_of_Precepts&quot;&gt;5th Boddhisattva precept&lt;/a&gt; so that is a major offence. &#xA;Drinking alcohol still is an offence, but a minor one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Less strict views&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The less strict views on alcohol usually follow the reasoning that rules themselves do not lead to enlightenment and/or that the Buddha meant that for the 5th precept one should look at the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of the person that is drinking. If the intent is to dull the mind or become drunk then it is an offence, otherwise it's ok.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 2 less strict views I'd like to mention explicitly here because I find them interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;- Mindful drinking&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan Shambhala tradition apparently there is something called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Buddhism/2004/08/Awareness-In-Every-Sip.aspx&quot;&gt;mindful drinking&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;once a meditator has developed basic Buddhist discipline ... the practitioner is ready to incorporate Vajrayana teachings, where the simple prohibitions outlined in the Sutras are re-evaluated. When a meditator reaches this point, which often takes a number years in the Shambhala tradition, a dangerous substance like alcohol is viewed as a potential aide for the practitioner. Within the context of strong discipline and clear intention, alcohol holds the possibility of no longer acting as a conventional escape, but instead being a tool for loosening the subtle clinging of ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;- Strict rule only for monks&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people have suggested that the &quot;no alcohol&quot;-rule only applies to monks, and for lay people it's more of a guideline or warning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the six dangers inherent in heedlessness caused by intoxication: loss of immediate wealth, increased quarreling, susceptibility to illness, disrepute, indecent exposure, and weakened insight.&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot;&gt;source Digha Nikaya III, 182&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be seen as &quot;nothing more than a warning&quot;. Also in the story of Svagata in the Divyavadana the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, there are these and other transgressions involved in drinking alchol. That is why monks should not drink or distribute alcohol.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.nl/books?ei=nLHkU6TqM8H0OfS1gNgJ&amp;amp;hl=nl&amp;amp;id=RlMWSM2enLwC&amp;amp;ots=oBQEWXC9d7&amp;amp;q=that+is+why+monks+should+not+drink#v=snippet&amp;amp;q=%22monks%20should%20not%20drink%20or%20distribute%20alcohol%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was after the monk Svagata appeared before the Buddha intoxicated, before that all monks were allowed to drink. The author of &lt;a href=&quot;http://huayanzang.blogspot.nl/2012/03/why-did-buddha-prohibit-alcohol.html&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; suggests that via interpretations of this story and the Buddha's teachings, later this monastic rule was changed into the 5th precept for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T08:29:08.430" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T08:29:08.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-08T12:50:37.400" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Drinking alcohol (whisky) and eating meat was a part of Tantric empowerments that I was lucky to attend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teachings on emptiness tell us that on the absolute level all things have no intrinsic existence, everything is perfect and pure as it is and has nothing to do with good or bad. Perceiving alcohol as poison is definitely useful but ultimately we should know that it is only a concept which one day we will have to abandon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is of course wrong to use the above explanations to justify our excessive drinking. Such teachings are really advanced and for most of us it is better to still perceive alcohol as something to be careful with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practise Vajrayana and my masters (who drink &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; alcohol themselves) taught me that one should not lose face or behave in a bad style because of alcohol and that life is too short for a hangover. If you can have a bottle of whisky and at the same time behave nicely and in the morning you still can do a meditation session before work, do it. I know myself well enough and I stop drinking after a pint. In that way I still behave in a civilized way and my non-Buddhist friends don't get offended because I refused a drink from them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T15:12:47.470" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T15:12:47.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-08T13:57:59.403" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many interpretations of that precept. It makes sense to try to understand the &lt;em&gt;spirit&lt;/em&gt; of the precepts, rather then the &lt;em&gt;letter&lt;/em&gt; only. The precepts are not the arbitrary will of Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have a function. They protect us from  bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is to not get &lt;em&gt;intoxicated&lt;/em&gt;. Intoxication leads to heedlessness. When we're intoxicated, we do not think clearly and our moral judgments are hampered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's the harm of sipping a little sparkling wine when celebrating? I don't see any harm if it doesn't result in intoxication. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I avoid even that celebratory sip. The reason is that I know myself and I noticed that if I drink even just a little, it creates a desire in me to want to drink more. I don't know why I am that way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I avoid it altogether. But I acknowledge there are different, more disciplined people, in whom the desire to get drunk doesn't arise. For those people I would say, there's no need to obsess over that precept. When I reflect upon it, I think the precepts were made exactly for weak people like me who are unable to control themselves and be disciplined. I find that for such people, it is best to follow the precepts á la lettre. Not because they're commandments, but because I see they are protecting me with motherly kindness, protecting me from myself, from my blind passions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="133" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T14:03:11.597" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T14:03:11.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-08T14:24:19.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Almost&quot; like a god? But it's the other way around. You should ask people who worship gods: &quot;Why do you praise your gods, almost as if they were enlightened Buddhas?&quot; - That would make more sense, because the Buddha is portrayed in the suttas / sutras as a teacher of the gods, and superior to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this isn't the statement of some late Mahayana Sutras. It's right in the earliest strata of the Pali Canon:  &quot;many thousands of deities have gone for refuge for life to the recluse Gotama&quot; (MN 95.9)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think your question comes more from the idea that the Buddha &quot;was just a wise teacher&quot;. This idea has nothing to do with Buddhism, but with Western preconceptions and prejudices, which are rooted in the European Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Buddha was asked if he was a human, he replied &quot;No.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is not a god, not a human. The buddha is a buddha - &lt;em&gt;sui generis&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The only answer I could come up with is: People can't let go of gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if it's not the Asian, but the Westerner, who can't let go? Let go of preconceived ideas that function exactly the same as &lt;em&gt;idols&lt;/em&gt; that prevent the Westerner from understanding Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don't believe in anything except the insights you got from your own&#xA;  meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what does that mean? It's from the popular &lt;em&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/em&gt; ... that &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; is the most misunderstood of all! Bhikku Bodhi warns us:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the basis of a single passage, quoted out of context, the Buddha&#xA;  has been made out to be a pragmatic empiricist who dismisses all&#xA;  doctrine and faith, and whose Dhamma is simply a freethinker's kit to&#xA;  truth which invites each one to accept and reject whatever he likes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that is a Western fantasy that has nothing to do with the Buddha-Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that Buddha is Eternal is not a &quot;cultural&quot; distortion as some have mistakenly suggested. It is in the Mahayana Sutras. It is in the &lt;em&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;Nirvana Sutra&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sutra&lt;/em&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if some say this &quot;supernatural&quot; Buddha is a &quot;later&quot; addition or invention by Mahayanists ... in the &quot;early&quot; (Nikaya) Buddhism, it is just the same: if Buddha was just a guy who taught some interesting stuff, how are we to explain that he was able to recollect his past lives, recollect even the beginnings of the universe(s)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tathagata recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth,&#xA;  two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty&#xA;  births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a&#xA;  thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of&#xA;  world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of&#xA;  world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a&#xA;  clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my&#xA;  experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away&#xA;  from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of&#xA;  such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my&#xA;  experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away&#xA;  from there, I reappeared here.' Thus with their aspects and&#xA;  particulars he recollects his manifold past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Majjhima Nikaya 12, Samyutta Nikaya 12)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="133" LastEditDate="2014-08-08T14:29:51.360" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T14:29:51.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2529" CreationDate="2014-08-08T14:42:24.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practise Vajrayana, I have Buddha statues in my flat and I did plenty of prostrations in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. And Buddha is not a person, it is the enlightened state of mind. It is the Buddha Nature which we all have inside us. So when I see a Buddha statue, I don't see a god, I see perfect qualities which I want to discover within me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So imagine, you have a Buddha Nature, you are already enlightened but you haven't realised that yet. The simplest way to make you realise that is to put a mirror in front of you so you can see it yourself. But of course, if you look at the mirror now, you see your physical, not quite perfect, body. In fact, you don't see yourself at all, you just focus on some impermanent body through your habitual thinking fuelled by your disturbing emotions like jealousy ('I wish I looked like Brad Pitt') or pride ('Oh, I'm so sexy'). So the trick is to put various Buddha forms in front of you which will shout at you - hey you, look at me, I am your mirror, I am perfect, joyful and strong. Hey, melt with me, there is absolutely no difference between you and me!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you ask me, I would rather expose in my room a depiction of my perfect qualities (Buddha statue) than a picture from my sister's wedding or some souvenir from Peru. I also happily donate money to my local Buddhist Centre because this is where I might get closer to my goal and, admittedly, I use their facilities there - hot water, electricity and toilet paper!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetans prostrate in front of the statues and their teachers, I prostrated as a part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%B6ndro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ngondro&lt;/a&gt;. It is a fantastic practice to purify your body and to work with pride. Plus, it strengthens your back muscles so later you can seat in meditation for hours. In principle, if you perceive Buddha as your perfect qualities, what's wrong with bowing in front of your perfect self? Through prostrating you also pay respect to those who gave you methods to realise your Buddha Nature. If somebody gave you the best gift you can ever imagine how do you show your gratitude? Is 'Cheers, mate' all you can do? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, our Buddha Nature is represented in a human form because we are humans and it is easier for us to relate to other humans rather than to some abstract ideas. It is a &lt;em&gt;method&lt;/em&gt; which apparently works. If you like the method, you follow it, if you don't like the method, you go somewhere else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the theory. In practice it may seem that some individuals or cultures got carried away and think that paying respect to Buddha alone will solve their problems. But it is a mistake to judge them as we don't know what exactly is their motivation and capabilities. Also, you judge them according to your definition of 'god' and most Asians probably wouldn't agree with your definition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave different teachings to various people with different capabilities and problems. There is no universal method that would fit all. Having that in mind, it is a bit childish to be irritated by someone else's practice. Maybe they are doing the right thing, maybe they are making some mistakes. So what? Let's wish them happiness and let's focus on our own practice and let's pay attention so that we don't make any mistakes on our own spiritual path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T14:42:24.207" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2431" CreationDate="2014-08-08T15:31:17.853" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One minute of mindfulness is better than none. Just remembering to sit and be mindful IS being mindful. I once read from Sharon Salzberg that she knew a man who always sat on his mat at least once a day. Even if he did not have the time for sitting meditation he at least sat down on his cushion daily if even just for a minute. Forgetfulness can be a hindrance to practicing mindfulness. The act of remembering to be mindful of the present moment IS mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I sit in zazen for 30 minutes at a time. However if I have 10 minutes or less to spare I will often sit for less. For instance, I was microwaving a baked potato at home, and went and sat in zazen and focused on my breathing. It sure beat standing in front of a microwave just waiting for the &quot;ding&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T15:31:17.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-08T17:26:44.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The final goal of any Buddhist is to live every moment in Mindfulness.i.e. to live fully aware of every single thought  &amp;amp; deed. That and only that stage can prevent the accumulation of defilements which will bind you to the Samsara, the cycle of rebirth.&#xA;Alcohol can only cause to deteriorate one's awareness. Therefore, although it is not a Sin, it causes Delay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="632" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T17:26:44.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2431" CreationDate="2014-08-08T18:30:12.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Aside from the meditative benefits of short sits -- i.e. even if there weren't any, which I don't think is the case -- one other benefit is that they can help build a habit of regular meditation eventually leading to &lt;em&gt;longer&lt;/em&gt; sits. See here for example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-08-08T18:30:12.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2551" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2602" CreationDate="2014-08-08T20:54:00.300" Score="2" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/04/06/ep54/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Partially Examined Life podcast&lt;/a&gt; one of the presenters stated that Zen is an extreme form of Mahayana. Is that true in any sense? Are there elements of Zen that could be classified as extreme? Or is the statement entirely wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T15:06:26.940" Title="Is Zen an extreme form of Mahayana?" Tags="|mahayana|zen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2552" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3137" CreationDate="2014-08-08T20:59:35.800" Score="3" ViewCount="773" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/04/06/ep54/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Partially Examined Life podcast&lt;/a&gt; the presenters stated that when Buddhism moved into Chinese it naturally was influenced by the pre-existing Taoist philosophy which is uncontroversial. However they then when on to make this stronger claim that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it was the influence of Taoism that was responsible for the&#xA;  development of Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is quite a claim and obviously the real position is more complex. However is there any truth in that statement? Was Taoism instrumental in the development of Mahayana Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T16:53:41.003" LastActivityDate="2019-03-10T06:54:16.527" Title="Was the influence of Taoism on Buddhism responsible for the development of Mahayana?" Tags="|mahayana|taoism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2553" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2581" CreationDate="2014-08-09T00:08:35.977" Score="7" ViewCount="4626" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was having a conversation with a non buddhist about consciousness I was struggling to define some key aspects and it kind of led into not self,  but I was looking for a concise simple definition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T18:36:13.083" Title="a good definition of consciousness" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2014-08-09T02:01:09.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness in English has a different semantic range than it has in Pali. Westerners have spent a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lot of ink writing about consciousness&lt;/a&gt;, so I think there is a nontrivial risk of talking about biscuits (British cookies) and biscuits (American little round bread thingies).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the relevant Pali jargon words are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;viññāṇa- awareness, especially the sort that is like a chain reaction starting with the physical senses of sight, touch, etc that leads to thoughts of other things. Sometimes translated as consciousness.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#Overlapping_Pali_terms_for_mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#Overlapping_Pali_terms_for_mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T02:01:09.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2014-08-09T02:41:36.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Best is to use Adhitthana. Initially this might not be perfect but over time it becomes accurate. When you sit make a strong determined though that you will meditate for a particular time period. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-09T02:58:00.107" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T02:58:00.107" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2014-08-09T07:43:20.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhas teaching on the Five Aggregates will help you perfectly explain the consciousness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a passage from the link below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But physical elements by themselves are not enough to produce experience. The simple contact between the eyes and visible objects, or between the ears and sound cannot result in experience without consciousness (Vijnana). The eyes can be in conjunction with the visible object indefinitely without producing experience. The ears too can be exposed to sound indefinitely without producing experience. Only the co-presence of consciousness together with the sense organ and the object of the sense organ produces experience. In other words, it is when the eyes, the visible object and consciousness come together that the experience of a visible object is produced. Consciousness is therefore an indispensable element in the production of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/funbud14.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/funbud14.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do practice formal sitting meditation, you will experientially see this. When you focus on the rising and falling of the stomach, once the mind wanders to a different experience, you no longer are aware of the stomach, this is because you no longer have the physical and mental duality, so there is no experience of the stomach, there is no existence, but..when the mind returns to the stomach, once again you have contact between the mental and physical, and once again the sensation of the stomach is realized! (just a side note: The changing experience is &quot;rebirth/birth)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-08-09T07:58:55.403" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T07:58:55.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2558" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2566" CreationDate="2014-08-09T13:04:40.407" Score="5" ViewCount="3919" Body="&lt;p&gt;The breath is such an important part of meditation. Will a decreased lung capacity decrease the depth I can achieve in meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:45:57.940" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:45:57.940" Title="Will smoking cigarettes permanently hinder meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2560" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2563" CreationDate="2014-08-09T14:25:22.343" Score="6" ViewCount="486" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it good practice in meditation to focus on having no thoughts? A purely empty mind. Whenever a thought arises, it is cast off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:59:01.553" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T16:59:01.553" Title="Meditation through clearing the mind of all thoughts" Tags="|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2560" CreationDate="2014-08-09T15:43:44.767" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the viewpoint of Theravada Buddhism, we definitely do not teach this way. It's impossible to empty the mind. Thoughts pop up all the time. We can, however, train ourselves not to follow these thoughts. In other words, we want the mind to become stable and free of dependencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a basic outline of the method of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasi_Sayadaw&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, a prominent 20th-century meditation teacher:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on the rising and falling of the abdomen during the process of&#xA;breathing. Focus on only one thing at a time, and make an honest effort to&#xA;focus well.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a thought arises—besides the thought, &quot;rising... falling...&quot;—focus on the act of thinking itself. In other words, shift from &quot;I wonder how much that car will cost me&quot; to &quot;thinking... thinking...&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If pleasure or pain is experienced, focus on the pleasure or pain itself. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar for liking, disliking, drowsiness, distraction, doubt.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When these objects disappear or become uninteresting, return to rising&#xA;and falling.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate goal of this practice is to bring about the insight into the nature of reality. This means understanding—not by thought, but by having seen the truth for oneself—that all experiences are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anicca—Impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha—Unsatisfying&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anatta—Uncontrollable, not part of oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, a beginner should have the guidance of a skilled teacher. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate&quot;&gt;Here is a meditation manual in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition&lt;/a&gt;, by the Venerable Sir Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T15:43:44.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2564" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2569" CreationDate="2014-08-09T16:27:31.983" Score="6" ViewCount="3741" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I know some of these, but the rest are a translation muddle. The west seems to &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; attempt to translate nirvana, sangha, dharma, mantra, mudra, buddha, bodhisattva (and probably a few more) and that for me is actually helpful. I expect that some of these correspond to multiple Pali/Sanskrit words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;. In English, it is an anachronistic reference to the European age of Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;. This word predates the west's contact with Buddhism. I have no idea what non-Buddhist baggage it brings along.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving-kindness&lt;/strong&gt;. This sounds like Christianity projected on Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Soul&lt;/strong&gt;. Seems like this is atman, but everyone seems determined to call it something like &quot;self,&quot; which is for a man-in-the-street just a reflexive pronoun. (Does the self exist? Well, as much as any other pronoun, like &quot;he&quot; or &quot;they&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reincarnation/rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;. Synonyms in man-in-the-street's English, but I've seen people argue passionately how Buddhism believes one but not the other, sort of like believing in leasing but not renting (which are synonyms).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Repentance&lt;/strong&gt;. I know for sure this is a big deal in Chinese Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pure/Purity&lt;/strong&gt;. Means scrubbed clean of earthly dirt. I know this is a metaphor, but somehow, after 2000 years it falls as flat as if I tried to use a computer metaphor to explain to a 500BC farmer how the brain and cellular DNA works. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Heaven/Pure Land&lt;/strong&gt;.  Sukhāvatī comes to mind, but I'm not sure if this is a specific pure land, or the jargon for pure lands in general. Again, 'pure' makes it sound either homogenous or really well scrubbed, like a hospital. I'd rather just use whatever jargon word the originators used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Deity&lt;/strong&gt;. This in man-in-the-street English mean a god, or God, just like the one's the Christian's pray to. In Vajrayana, people seem to argue that yidams are something else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-11-08T07:50:29.133" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:50:29.133" Title="What are the Pali or Sanskrit words for these things?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2564" CreationDate="2014-08-09T17:53:00.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/RC7D5.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many synonyms to the words given in the table. Only mentioning some of the popular words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-10T20:40:58.207" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T20:40:58.207" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2558" CreationDate="2014-08-09T18:08:55.687" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a form of intoxicating addictive substance. Any such substance will hinder your meditation and quality of life. Things like unhealthy food (some foods induce the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt;) and drinks also have a similar effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when meditating you should be both mentally and physically fit. The addiction will reduce your metal fitness and the health effects will reduce your physical fitness. So your lung capacity also will play a role.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean which you should not attempt meditation as a smoker. Perhaps you should take a residential course where you do not get the chance to smoke / drink, as to get results you need to have mental and physical well being. Then you can leverage on the meditation to slowly get you out of addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-10T03:43:29.687" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T03:43:29.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2014-08-09T18:41:04.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is simply ability to know or, more complicated, it's property to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentionality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;have object&lt;/a&gt;. Pali commentaries define consciousness (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) in three ways. &lt;b&gt;A&lt;/b&gt;gent definition - &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is what cognizes an object (&lt;em&gt;arammanam cinteti ti cittam&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;b&gt;I&lt;/b&gt;nstrument definition - by means of which mental factors (&lt;em&gt;cetasika&lt;/em&gt;) cognize the object. &lt;b&gt;A&lt;/b&gt;ctivity definition - nothing other than cognizing (or knowing) the object. Third definition is considered to be ultimate definition, while first two is provisional definitions, all of them are supposed to refute view that these functions are performed by Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably consciousness could be hard to define in mechanistic-materialistic view (or standpoint), it's because such view &lt;em&gt;eliminate&lt;/em&gt; consciousness. So, how to define thing that is fundamentally eliminated? To correct this we should recognize that consciousness is of fundamental (phenomenal) nature and does not need to be reduced to matter or derived from matter. For all of us consciousness is basic fact (phenomenon).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T18:41:04.907" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2568" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2578" CreationDate="2014-08-09T19:12:00.733" Score="5" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Dhamma(afaik), there are three types of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;heavenly beings&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Devas - Gods(male)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Apsara/Divyangana - Angels(female) who accompany the gods.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Brahmas(Rupa/Arupa) - ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can use the word 'god' or 'higher-god' to refer to brahmas, but that doesn't clearly separate them from Devas who belong to the sensual world. Is there a better English word?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. I'm inclined to think that there's no proper English term because the Western world did not have the practice of attaining &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhanas&lt;/a&gt;. Thus no concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahma realms&lt;/a&gt; or non-sensual realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:21:58.883" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T19:21:58.883" Title="Is there a proper English word to call Brahmas?" Tags="|terminology|god|brahma|deva|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2564" CreationDate="2014-08-09T19:55:59.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enlightenment - &lt;em&gt;bodhi&lt;/em&gt; (awakening), &lt;em&gt;vimokṣa&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;vimukti&lt;/em&gt; (liberation).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation -    &lt;em&gt;bhāvanā&lt;/em&gt; (cultivation), &lt;em&gt;samādhi&lt;/em&gt; (concentration), &lt;em&gt;śamatha&lt;/em&gt; (calmness), &lt;em&gt;samāpatti&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dhyāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving-kindness - &lt;em&gt;maitrī&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Soul - as permanent entity which doesn't exists is &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt;. Soul as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;psyche&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; or mind is &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt;, or as life force is &lt;em&gt;jīvita-indriya&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reincarnation - is uncommon in Buddhist discourse. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rebirth - &lt;em&gt;pratisaṃdhi&lt;/em&gt;. Where birth is &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;bhāva&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pure - &lt;em&gt;śubha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heaven - &lt;em&gt;deva-loka&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Repentance - 懺 (ch'an) which is &lt;em&gt;kṣamā&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pure land - &lt;em&gt;buddha-kṣetra&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deity - &lt;em&gt;devatā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="145" LastEditDate="2014-08-09T20:01:48.327" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T20:01:48.327" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2568" CreationDate="2014-08-09T23:16:46.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's safest to leave them in the Pali or Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Angels sounds very Christian. It creates a &quot;don't think about polar bears&quot; situation to hear these Christian words. If you try not to think about polar bears, &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; you can think about is polar bears. If you hear the word Angel and try not think about guys with wings that do Gods bidding and sometimes rebel and turn into princes of darkness, then all you'll be able to think about is that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-08-09T23:16:46.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2573" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-10T04:25:43.647" Score="10" ViewCount="1226" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, bad Kamma begins with a bad intention. What can we say about animals, let's say a tiger or a lion that kills other living beings by instinct? They don't have the same understanding as we do as human beings and they simply cannot become vegetarians: so are they creating bad Kamma that might ripen in a next life? For instance, if I used to be a lion will I suffer bad Kamma consequences in this human life because I killed and ate living beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T01:39:53.963" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T09:32:13.630" Title="Do lions create bad kamma for their next life when they kill?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2573" CreationDate="2014-08-10T05:29:37.087" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a lion sets out to kill a pay, 1) it knows it is a living creature, 2) it has the intention to eat (kill) it, 3) it chases after to kill it (method) and 4) finally catches it and kills it. So the Karma regarding killing is complete and would give results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get a animal life you are forced to do bad Karma thus you are trapped in the lower realms for an extremely long time. Also there is always agitation (in fear, lack of food, killing for food) so the metal state generated are most of the time very bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further see my answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12990/295&quot;&gt;Do the same rules of Karma apply to animals?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T07:29:40.917" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2575" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-10T07:51:55.023" Score="1" ViewCount="352" Body="&lt;p&gt;After the Buddha is said to have achieved Nirvana, there were subsequent Buddhist Councils that were held. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some years ago I came across an article that said that it was in one of these Councils that it was made official for Buddhists that there is no creator-god and no Day of Judgment. Which council was that? I think it was the Fourth? But I just can't find that information again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="637" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T10:50:06.350" Title="Which Buddhist council included the conclusions that there is no creator-god and no day of judgment?" Tags="|theravada|god|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2575" CreationDate="2014-08-10T09:17:15.850" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is incorrect that this is later development. From the onset in the Buddhism teaching did not have the teaching of a Creator God or Judgement Day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist notion of a creator is the stained mind or conditioned mind or unliberated mind. We keep creating our next moment due to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kleshas&lt;/a&gt;. This is further explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Links of Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;. This is evident from the Udana &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vimokkha.com/enlightenment.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'Anekajati samsaram sandhavissam'&lt;/a&gt; in which refers to the creator as Ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aneka jati samsaram,&#xA;  Sandhavissam anibbisam;&#xA;  Gahakarakam gavesanto,&#xA;  Dukkha jati punappunam.&#xA;  Gahakaraka ditthosi,&#xA;  Puna geham na kahasi;&#xA;  Sabba te phasuka bhagga,&#xA;  Gahakutam visankhitam;&#xA;  Visankharagatam cittam,&#xA;  Tanhanam khayamajjhaga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Udana uttered by the Buddha after His enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So many births I have taken in this world, seeking in vain the bui1der of this house; in my search over and over, I took new birth, new suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Oh! house builder, now I have seen you, you cannot make a new house for me; all your beams are broken, the ridge pole is shattered; my mind is freed from all the conditionings of the past, and has no more craving for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ The 'house builder' referred to above is avijja (ignorance). 'house' or 'new house' referred to above is nama-rupa (the mind-matter continuum) which is infact the 5 aggregates (pancakkhanda)-matter or body (rupa) and the 4 parts that constitute the mind, consciousness (vinnana) perception (sanna), sensation (vedana), reaction or conditioning (sankhara).]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This has been discussed in more depth later on under &quot;cause-effect (paticca-Samuppada)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above extracted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/bvk_study/bvk212a.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/bvk_study/bvk212a.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-10T09:50:07.667" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T09:50:07.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2014-08-10T10:00:47.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimate happiness is when the mind is unconditioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is unbalanced due to craving or ill will this creates suffering. This is due to Ignorance of a conditioned mind. When the mind reaches a stage of being unconditioned then you reach ultimate happiness. Any other state is always unsatisfactory as conditioned states are not permanent and you do not exercise control over them to make them last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So suffering is the motivator to find happiness which is by practicing Vipassana Meditation to make your mind reach the unconditioned state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T10:00:47.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2568" CreationDate="2014-08-10T11:54:14.077" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always use &quot;angel&quot; to refer to devas, and &quot;god&quot; to refer to brahmas; though the terms have a different connotation in Judeo-Christian tradition, the relationship the terms have with each other is similar, since devas are really just angelic, whereas brahmas are in a sense godlike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T11:54:14.077" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2575" CreationDate="2014-08-10T12:44:27.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To state such judgement would be to intentionally &lt;em&gt;contradict&lt;/em&gt; with Christianity. I believe there is no internal (teaching needs) nor external (societal) need for such judgement. Thus, it's highly &lt;em&gt;doubtful&lt;/em&gt; that any &lt;em&gt;big&lt;/em&gt; council would make such statement, and even more doubtful that it will be 'official for &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; Buddhists'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No council can prescript official opinion obligatory for &lt;em&gt;all Buddhists&lt;/em&gt; of Earth. Because Buddhist community is not centralized/autocratic but &lt;em&gt;pluralistic&lt;/em&gt;. Any council that will try to enforce dogma will just split community on who accept it and who is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T12:44:27.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2580" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-10T14:21:27.790" Score="5" ViewCount="385" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can a person be abstinent and overcome all sexual urges including self-gratification in accordance with the Buddhist tradition ? What prescription do the teachers give to get over such obstacles ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="638" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T02:38:57.560" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T02:38:57.560" Title="How can a person be abstinent?" Tags="|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2014-08-10T14:37:35.580" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically, consciousness (viññāṇa) is that aspect of the mind that is aware; it is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualia&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;qualia&lt;/a&gt; of modern Western philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Colloquially, it is used to refer to the entire mental ensemble that includes sensation (vedanā), recognition (saññā), processing (saṅkhāra), and awareness (viññāṇa). This is because the other three aggregates are always accompanied by awareness. Just as water has colour, temperature, etc., so too, consciousness has sensation and other mental concomitants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doctrinally, it is a cornerstone of Buddhist philosophy, which takes an experiential paradigm as the basis of reality (as opposed to the temporospatial paradigm of modern science). Each conscious qualia constitutes an atomic entity in the complex matrix of multi-perceptional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cittena nīyati loko, cittena parikassati.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;cittassa ekadhammassa, sabbeva vasamanvagūti.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the mind the world is led, by the mind is it carried away.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Of the mind, the one thing, all indeed go according to its power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN 1.62&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T19:06:23.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2580" CreationDate="2014-08-10T14:54:09.223" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any such urge gives rise to feelings. What you should do is look at the feeling equanimously and objectively so that cravings for sensual pleasures do not arise. This is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially the success would be very limited with only a few seconds of success, but as you go on the duration would increase and at one point you would be able to continuously be equanimous. To be able to do this you have to do Vipassana Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person the general recommendation is to abstain from sexual misconduct. You do not have to go to this extent, but this would become natural when you become &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagami&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anāgāmi&lt;/a&gt; which is one &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stage of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-10T19:54:48.677" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T19:54:48.677" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2583" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-10T15:08:03.580" Score="5" ViewCount="5009" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a relation between Buddhism and Astrology? Is Astrology present in all Buddhist traditions? Did the Buddha or his disciples make use of Astrology?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2020-12-01T14:35:58.440" Title="What is the relation between Astrology and Buddhism?" Tags="|traditions|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2573" CreationDate="2014-08-10T17:18:21.640" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bad Karma are caused by the three evil roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lobha&lt;/a&gt; - Craving/Lust&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dosa&lt;/a&gt; - Aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Moha&lt;/a&gt; - Ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing something bad without knowing it is bad falls under ignorance. Ignorance is there in all bad Karmas. But in the case of a lion killing a deer, it is stronger compared to a human killing a deer, given that he knows it is wrong. So the lion has strong ignorance on top of strong aversion and craving. That makes the Karma worse. One thing you have to understand about the law of Karma is that it is a law of the nature. It is not a god. So there's never a question of whether it is fair or not. Is it fair for children to get burnt if they touch fire without knowing it burns? Probably not! But the fire doesn't have a conscious to decide whom to burn or not to burn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T07:48:18.183" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T07:48:18.183" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2580" CreationDate="2014-08-10T17:45:14.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt; is a special meditation recommended for lustful personalities. Back in the day, in India, they used to wrap dead bodies in robes(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pansukula/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pansukula&lt;/a&gt;) and throw to a designated land without burying or burning. These places are ideal to do this kind of meditation as you can observe the rotting bodies. Nowadays, it's pretty difficult to get access to a corpse, unless you work in the morgue. Although you could google for pictures and videos of decomposing bodies. Better to start it under the guidance of a teacher. At some point, you will have to turn the meditation in to Vipassana, if you are looking for a lasting solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T17:45:14.483" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2583" CreationDate="2014-08-10T19:06:12.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, Buddhism doesn't have an overlap on Astrology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In astrology, it is said that the planets and stars can affect on us and our future can be predicted according to that. So they also provide some remedies to survive from disasters as well. As for their explanation, astrology is an extended version of mathematics which uses the placements of planets to predict about people's behaviors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in Buddhism, it is said that everything that happens is based on what is being previously done/happened. So the people make their own fate from the things they do and the choices they make. It may be hardly depending on some planets and stars far far away. But it never says that astrology is false.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I have seen incidents where astrological predictions became true. And many cases where it haven't. But Buddhism, it is true. It's only a matter of fact how far you're gonna believe and understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="639" LastActivityDate="2014-08-10T19:06:12.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2587" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2594" CreationDate="2014-08-11T04:05:14.007" Score="1" ViewCount="1346" Body="&lt;p&gt;Works like Visuddhimagga covers 40 types of meditations. I am looking for the original source of these meditations within the Tripitaka. Ideally with complete bibliographical references to the occurrences within the Tripitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:30:23.727" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:30:23.727" Title="What are the verses relating to meditation in the Tripitaka? And to what type of meditation does it relate to?" Tags="|pali-canon|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2588" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-11T04:35:21.347" Score="2" ViewCount="839" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the 7 Purifications in laymans terms and how is this practiced in daily life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:58:22.837" LastActivityDate="2021-10-11T06:29:32.577" Title="How are the Seven Purifications (satta-visuddhi) practiced in daily life?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|visuddhimagga|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2589" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-11T11:20:39.567" Score="4" ViewCount="73" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2459/what-is-the-buddhist-point-of-view-of-the-law-of-attraction/2487?noredirect=1#comment3190_2487&quot;&gt;What is the Buddhist point of view of the Law of Attraction?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/295/suminda-sirinath-salpitikorala&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/295/suminda-sirinath-salpitikorala&lt;/a&gt; says that law of attraction is part of citta niyama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where can I learn more about it? How come thinking about something affect the outcome that I am thinking about? I know of many ways actually. However, are there complete listings on how this come to be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="400" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T16:12:55.197" Title="Where can I learn more about cita niyama?" Tags="|laws|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2583" CreationDate="2014-08-11T12:48:18.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I come from a Japanese Zen background and currently practice in a Engaged Buddhist sangha under Thich Nhat Hanh. I have never heard of a connection with Zen Buddhism and astrology. That is not to say there is none though. And even if there is no historic connection between the two, if one is mindful they can see the dharma in all things. I do not have knowledge in astrology, but I would bet that if one looked at astrology with mindfulness that you could find the dharma there as well. May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T12:48:18.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2580" CreationDate="2014-08-11T12:52:35.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check out the Third Mindfulness training listed here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sourceoflightmonastery.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/Five%20Wonderful%20Mindfulness%20Trainings%20Commentary%20by%20Thich%20Nhat%20Hanh.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mindfulness Trainings&lt;/a&gt; (Page 8). These are the precepts written by Thich Nhat Hanh. I am not going to summarize his commentary, but hopefully his writing can help shed light on what you are looking at. May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T12:52:35.040" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2583" CreationDate="2014-08-11T13:12:22.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of horoscopes, it is definitely not a Buddhist practice to explain one's future or decisions based on some external forces (planets). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, phases of the Moon have some importance in Buddhism. Many significant events in Buddha's life coincided with the Full Moon - birth, giving first teachings or death, to name a few. Full Moon is also considered to be the Amitabha Buddha Day (Buddha of Limitless Light and the principal Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_sect&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pure Land Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;). One can find full lunar calendars where different Moon phases are associated with various Buddhas, practices etc. One example of observance days based on the lunar calendar is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha#Names_of_Full_Moon_Uposatha_Days&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha&lt;/a&gt; when practitioners intensify their practice and make conscious effort to keep the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may wonder why bother with the Moon. In the simplest terms, the reasoning behind it is that our body is mostly composed of water and just like the oceans, the body (with its energy channels) does react to the Moon phases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main point is that the Moon phases are not used to predict one's future but rather to mark favourable or auspicious days for specific practises. One could coordinate one's practise with the Moon so that in different days one could focus on specific Buddha forms or teachings. So the Moon should be considered as a support and not an oracle of some sort. It might be helpful but it is not necessary to follow it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T13:12:22.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2589" CreationDate="2014-08-11T13:57:46.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following is a link to the Niyama Dhammas in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;. Following is a translation from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/texts/the-five-Fold-niyama.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali Sources&lt;/a&gt;. Also this is a text by &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahajana.net/texts/kopia_lokalna/MANUAL04.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw called &quot;THE NIYAMA-DIPANI: The Manual of Cosmic Order&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have the power of deep &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt; and make a strong &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;determination&lt;/a&gt; (which is part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perfections&lt;/a&gt;) then there is a possibility that the something similar desired outcome materialises based on the power of your mind (depending how deep the absorption &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt; is). This can be done to a more limited extent without Samadhi also as this moment influences the next as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this is not recommended as this may generate bad &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma&lt;/a&gt; as this practice can lead to covetousness. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammapatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kammapatha&lt;/a&gt;. Also such use of Samadhi will not be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Samashi&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Matter of clarification, these are two concepts but there are much similarities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps. Comment if you want more information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-11T16:12:55.197" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T16:12:55.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2587" CreationDate="2014-08-11T14:41:36.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The excerpt given below provides some references but in the pages following this one, the meditation subjects are explained and many more references are given. With this in mind, I suggest going to the link provided at the end of the excerpt and read these pages to extract the additional references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;§75 FORTY CONCENTRATION EXERCISES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are forty concentration exercises (kammatthana) leading to the tranquility of the&#xA;absorptions. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I. Ten kasina exercises&lt;/strong&gt;: (1) earth kasina, (2) water kasina, (3) fire&#xA;kasina, (4) wind kasina, (5) blue kasina, (6) yellow kasina, (7) red&#xA;kasina, (8) white kasina, (9) light kasina, (10) space kasina. The&#xA;older suttas replace the light kasina with the consciousness kasina,&#xA;as at &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an10.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10:29&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;II. Ten perceptions of loathsomeness (asubha-sañña)&lt;/strong&gt;: a swollen-up&#xA;corpse, a bluish discoloured corpse, a festering corpse, a split&#xA;corpse, a gnawed corpse, a scattered corpse, a dismembered and&#xA;scattered corpse, a blood-stained corpse, a corpse full of worms, a&#xA;skeleton. More or less identical with these exercises are the nine&#xA;cemetery contemplations in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/mn10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/dn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 22&lt;/a&gt;, and the contemplation in&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an4.14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4:14&lt;/a&gt;, quoted below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;III. Ten contemplations (anussati)&lt;/strong&gt;: (1) on the Buddha, (2) the&#xA;Doctrine, (3) the Community of Noble Disciples, (4) morality, (5)&#xA;liberality, (6) heavenly beings, (7) death, (8) body, (9)&#xA;in-and-out-breathing, (10) peace. While 1-6 are mostly explained in&#xA;one and the same sutta, (7)—(10) are described each separately in&#xA;different suttas, e.g. (7) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an8.73&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8:73f&lt;/a&gt;. (8) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/mn119&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 119&lt;/a&gt; (but not as in&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/mn10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt;, while in Vism the meditation refers to the thirty-two parts of&#xA;the body); (9) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt;; (10) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an9.52&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9:52&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an9.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;61&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an10.26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;10:26&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;IV. Four divine abodes (brahma-vihara)&lt;/strong&gt;: (1) all-em bracing kindness&#xA;(metta), (2) compassion (karuna), (3) altruistic joy (mudita)), (4)&#xA;equanimity (upekkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;V. Four immaterial spheres (arupayatana)&lt;/strong&gt;: (1) sphere of boundless&#xA;space, (2) sphere of boundless consciousness, (3) sphere of&#xA;nothingness, (4) sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;VI. Perception of the loathsomeness of food.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;VII. Analysis of the four elements.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neighbourhood concentration may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;III&lt;/strong&gt; 1-7, 10; &lt;strong&gt;VI&lt;/strong&gt;; and&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;VII&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The first jhana may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;II&lt;/strong&gt; 1-10 and &lt;strong&gt;III&lt;/strong&gt; 8.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The first three jhanas may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;IV&lt;/strong&gt; 1-3.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The four jhanas may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; 1-10 and &lt;strong&gt;III&lt;/strong&gt; 9.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The fourth jhana may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;IV&lt;/strong&gt; 4.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The immaterial attainments may be reached by &lt;strong&gt;V&lt;/strong&gt; 1-4.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The acquired image (uggaha-nimitta) and counter-image&#xA;(patibhaga-nimitta) will arise only on realizing &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; 1-10; &lt;strong&gt;II&lt;/strong&gt; 1-10; &lt;strong&gt;III&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;8, 9: hence in twenty-two exercises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a full explanation of these forty exercises, see Vism III—XI.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;For further details about jhana, etc., see Fund. &lt;strong&gt;IV&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shanyoma.org/yoma/The-Buddhas-Path-to-Deliverance.pdf#page=89&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Path of Deliverance, p.75&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanatiloka Thera&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T14:41:36.893" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2127" CreationDate="2014-08-11T15:12:54.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Crab Bucket rightly states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The answer is not to concern yourself with such matters. The Buddha&#xA;  teaches one thing and that thing is liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were to refer to a theory of Creation in the time of the Bhudda, the closest occurence of it would be the dualist cosmology of the Samkhya. For philosophy was the leading current of thought at the time (rationalization &amp;amp; systematization of the metaphysical, religious and ritualistic Brahmanism;) and Samkhya was its leading philosophy, before Buddhism perfected it.&#xA;The Samkhya sees creation as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://milim.byethost7.com/Files/SAMKHYA/Samkhya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samkhya system&lt;/a&gt; espouses dualism by postulating two irreducible, innate and independent realities: Purusha (the Cosmic Being(s)) or Self(ves,) and Prakriti (the phenomenal realm of Nature). &#xA;Two monads: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Purusha: the “controller” is intelligent, indifferent and inactive, yet pervasive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prakriti: has all the powers (latent, potential and actual) and is active and cloddish. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When these two distinct principles meet, there is creation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rXZw2.png&quot; alt=&quot;Creation - Samkhya&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism (as in Samkhya,) liberation consists in getting rid of the influence of the gross elements, the organs of action and senses, the mind, and the Ego; so as to reach the Awakening and enter the states of the unmanifested/avyakta (which differ slightly among the different Indian philosophies and religious beliefs, but remain, for all of them, in the phenomenal realm of Nature.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As far as going back to the Self (Purusha,) Buddhism does not seem to be concerned with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding the inverse process of creation (liberation) that these philosophical schools (Samkhya, Bhuddism and Yoga) teach, allows people to better understand the process of creation, that is pretty much the same for all the Indian philosophies (including Brahmanism, in its purely religious form.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user635" LastEditorDisplayName="user635" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T11:22:19.257" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T11:22:19.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2596" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2604" CreationDate="2014-08-11T15:44:47.177" Score="3" ViewCount="2074" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to list out the section of the Tripitaka summarizing what areas they cover.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2019-07-13T17:33:28.073" Title="What are the sub divisions of the Tripitaka and what do these areas cover?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:09:42.603" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually Buddha stated in his suttas after following the Eight Fold Path to attain Nibbana, you should give up the path when you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana. It is something like this; think that you wanna cross a river. There's no boat near by. So you collect wood and creepers and finally build a small boat and you cross the river using it. After crossing the river, will you carry the boat with you where ever you go thinking &quot;this boat helped me to cross the river&quot;? No. You'll leave the boat by the river and you'll go where you need to go. Buddha state that similarly one should give up the eight fold path after perfectly attaining the supreme bliss of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T18:09:42.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:13:43.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now we are spending the era of Gauthama Buddha. So we should take refuge on him. Vairocana and Amithabha are Bodhisattas(to be Buddhas). They haven't attain Buddhahood yet. So the Buddha we should take refuge on is The Sakyamuni Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T18:13:43.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:18:07.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is a misunderstanding here. Buddha was not a Buddhist, he was not attached to the previous Buddha (Kassapa) and still the attained the maxium goal. Becoming a Buddha or an Arahant does not require attachment, on the contrary, it requires deattachment and equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't think about Buddhism as a tradicional religion, it is more like an analysis of the laws of the universe (both inside and outside), Buddha was simply explaining how things work, what the mind is, the best path to take and the consequences of good and bad deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T18:18:07.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2601" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:41:51.547" Score="7" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are gandhabbhas belongs to gods or demons? I tried to find details about them. But couldn't solve my problem. According to the Buddhas Teachings, I want to know whether Gandhabbhas are divine people or evil people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastEditorUserId="631" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T15:03:36.880" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T15:03:36.880" Title="Who is a Gandhabbha?" Tags="|pali-canon|pali-language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2600" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:48:55.127" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gandhabba/index.html&quot;&gt;A class of semi divine beings&lt;/a&gt; who inhabit the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;Catummaharajika&lt;/a&gt; realm and are the lowest among the devas. They are generally classed together with the Asuras and the Nagas. Beings are born among them as a result of having practised the lowest form of sila. They are said to be able to receive merits from humans. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T18:48:55.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2551" CreationDate="2014-08-11T18:51:11.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Extreme means &quot;furthest from the center or a given point; outermost.&quot; Zen comes from Japan, which came from Chan in China which came from Mahayana in India. Thus Zen is far removed from the origin in India making it more extreme. I am a Zen practitioner in Florida of the United States. Here it is even more of an extreme since we are even further from the center point of origin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;the extreme south of Florida&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or look at it this way, your arm is an extremity of your body. Zen is an extremity of Mahayana buddhism. One could say the arm and the body are one. And one could also say the arm is an extremity of the body. Both view points are correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen in Japan has a lot of added texts and stories. Check out the book &quot;Zen Flesh, Zen Bones&quot;. The &quot;Gateless Gate&quot; is in that book. The Shōbōgenzō written by Dogen is a Japanese Zen text. These are texts native to Japanese Zen that you will not find in the Chinese/Indian/Tibet texts. As far as practice, meditation on a Koan is a good example of a specific Japanese Zen practice that you will not see in Indian mahayana buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="625" LastEditDate="2014-08-11T20:24:25.237" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T20:24:25.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2558" CreationDate="2014-08-11T20:23:06.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check out the Fifth Mindfulness training listed here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sourceoflightmonastery.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/Five%20Wonderful%20Mindfulness%20Trainings%20Commentary%20by%20Thich%20Nhat%20Hanh.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mindfulness Trainings&lt;/a&gt; (Page 19). These are the precepts written by Thich Nhat Hanh. I am not going to summarize his commentary, but hopefully his writing can help shed light on what you are looking at. May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-11T20:23:06.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2596" CreationDate="2014-08-11T21:24:57.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since I don't know how deep in the &lt;em&gt;Tipiṭaka's&lt;/em&gt; structure you want the answer, I'll try to give the most in-depth answer. I'll present the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;structure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in a tree chart and, beneath it, I'll refer to an article with an in-depth analysis of the canon which provides the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;summaries&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Structure&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Click to enlarge)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/I2YXI.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/I2YXI.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; title=&quot;Click to enlarge&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Summaries&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summaries are provided in &quot;Chapter I: Textual Analysis of the article &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh217_Webb_Analysis-of-the-Pali-Canon.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Analysis of the Pāḷi Canon&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by &lt;em&gt;Russell Webb&lt;/em&gt;. It also contains an excellent index of the canon, and an extensive bibliography.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2019-07-13T17:33:28.073" LastActivityDate="2019-07-13T17:33:28.073" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2605" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-11T23:15:59.900" Score="2" ViewCount="161" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism the same good or bad deed has different results depending on who you are and the person being affected by your action, a few examples:&#xA;Giving food to a Buddha x Giving food to an ordinary person.&#xA;Lying and cheating if you are a monk x if you are a lay person.&#xA;Killing your parents x Killing ordinary people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, it does make sense, but the question is: Is there a simple logic behind it? Depending on the impact in the world per haps?! And what kind of force understands that you are doing the good/bad deed against a different (not ordinary) being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T04:35:39.057" Title="Special types of Kamma Vipaka" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2606" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T01:02:00.780" Score="3" ViewCount="4353" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen different answers to that question, so I assume it varies from school to school, is it right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not talking about donations to the Sangha as a whole, like a fund, but giving cash to a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2019-07-28T03:07:09.860" Title="Is a monk allowed to receive money?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2607" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T01:14:21.177" Score="1" ViewCount="417" Body="&lt;p&gt;Allow me to give the exemple of meat eating for this question: In the suttas we can clearly see (many times) that eating meat is accepted in Buddhism under a few conditions. We cannot kill, ask someone to kill or hear/see the animak being killed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition some meats should not me eaten (human flesh, elephants etc...), but most of the meat we eat today is clearly accepted in the suttas, still there are people that look down on you if you eat meat, mixing personal views with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a sort of &quot;main stream&quot; Buddhism with things clearly not coming from the suttas, in this case, should we correct them? Or should we respect other peoples view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T05:39:37.100" Title="Should we correct Buddhist wrong believes or respect it?" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="9" ClosedDate="2014-08-12T15:12:22.327" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2606" CreationDate="2014-08-12T03:29:07.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, a monk still can receive money but he should not be holding it. A good practice is that when you make donation to a monk, always treated like donation to the Sangha as a whole as you mentioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read great explanation from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#wealth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BHIKKHUS AND WEALTH&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and it's also good to know about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#steward&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A BHIKKHU'S STEWARD&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T03:29:07.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2605" CreationDate="2014-08-12T04:35:39.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The karma is a product of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mind of the person doing the action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mind of the person subjected to the action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the person who is subjected to the result of the action has a pure mind then the results are applied may it be good or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I give to a Buddha (very pure mind) with great piety the results would be great. If I do the same for a animal the results will not be that great since the results are not &quot;amplified&quot; due to a lower state of mind the animal has.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has made great sacrifice to create the Sasana. So if we do something in line with the Buddha's will and intentions then the results would very much greater than any other action. Similarly if we go against it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T04:35:39.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-08-12T05:17:58.017" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should have confidence and gratitude towards the Buddha. If this becomes a strong attachment this will hinder your progress on the path. The story of Vakkali is a good example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are dealing with Buddhism as a phylosophy then you are dealing with matters at a conceptual level. This is feeding into your perception than helping towards the cessation of perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T12:27:46.167" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T12:27:46.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2607" CreationDate="2014-08-12T05:28:15.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For this question you can get clear answers by reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. In Kalama Sutta The Buddha said;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&quot; — then you should abandon them.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T05:28:15.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2607" CreationDate="2014-08-12T05:33:33.580" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those rules you have mentioned are only for monks. They do not apply to lay people. Lay people can consume any type of meat even if the animal is killed for them, as long as they don't break the 1st precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, you can try to explain to people who look down on you, saying that being vegetarian is merely a food preference in Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism seem to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_vegetarianism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;recommend a vegetarian diet&lt;/a&gt; by default. But that is not an excuse to look down on someone. You might also come across some confused Theravada Buddhists who follow vegetarianism like a religion, even putting it above what's said in the Suttas. Such practices usually fall under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Silabbata-paramasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Silabbata-paramsa&lt;/a&gt;. One gives up on that when one becomes Sotapanna. Trying to correct them might push them away from the Dhamma. You can always practice Upekkha alongside Metta in such cases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T05:39:37.100" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T05:39:37.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2606" CreationDate="2014-08-12T06:25:37.933" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Monk's Sila, they can not accept money, since money is related to sensual pleasures. Therefore when monks have to deal with money, it's better to take help of a lay follower. In Sri Lanka, in the past and even nowadays in some places, there's a lay follower called &quot;abittiya&quot; is residing in the temple or the monastery to intervene in actions like dealing with money in order to help monks. In some occasions the chief donater of the temple too engage in such activities to help monks. So it's better if someone can help monks in such actions because it's a great help and also a meritorious act since it help a monk to protect his Sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastEditorUserId="631" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T09:58:52.130" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T09:58:52.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2614" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2617" CreationDate="2014-08-12T09:00:32.357" Score="2" ViewCount="699" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone outline the 3 lifetime interpretation of the 12 nidanas. To me there only seems like there are at most two lifetimes in there. One goes from ignorance to becoming then the other goes from becoming to death. I know this is a misunderstanding so I would appreciate anyone clearing this up for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T11:05:38.583" Title="What is the 3 lifetimes interpretation of the 12 nidanas?" Tags="|karma|nidanas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2615" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2623" CreationDate="2014-08-12T09:20:10.960" Score="4" ViewCount="80" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to the introductory podcast from the Buddhist Geeks series. The guys presenting are of the younger demographic i.e. in their twenties. They felt that this was unusual and most Western Buddhist practioners were older - baby boomer generation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any surveys or statistics that analyse self identified Buddhists in the West by age? Do they tend to be older? Or is the age range pretty much similar to the population at large?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T08:27:49.460" Title="Are Western Buddhists generally older?" Tags="|demographics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2575" CreationDate="2014-08-12T10:50:06.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Points to take note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is TRUE that a number of Buddhist Councils were held after the mahaparinirvana (nirvana-after-death) of the Buddha. Not during Buddha's life time nor just after Buddha attained nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is NOT TRUE that any Buddhist Council concludes or makes official something that not part of Buddha's teaching for Buddhists. In other words, Buddhist Councils were held just to preserve the entire Buddha's sayings and rules. No changing or amending.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since day one from Buddha's teaching, there is NO Creator, God or Judgement Day. Therefore, Buddhist Councils never have to conclude or make official for such things.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T10:50:06.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2614" CreationDate="2014-08-12T11:05:38.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt from the source of the three life-times interpretation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;287.&lt;/strong&gt; The past, the present and the future are its three times. Of these, it should be understood that, according to what is given as&#xA;  such in the texts, the two factors ignorance and formations belong to&#xA;  the past time, the eight beginning with consciousness belong to the&#xA;  present time, and the two, birth and ageing-and-death, belong to the&#xA;  future time.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf#page=658&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Path of Purification (&lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;), p.600&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;img src=&quot;https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp102s-files/OEBPS/Images/10Main03-4-wheel.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For additional information, I suggest reading the entire page from which the above excerpt was extracted and the pages that succeed it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-10T09:42:42.223" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T11:05:38.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2619" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T11:54:47.487" Score="6" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we have several people with different understanding of Buddhism, how should we decide who is right? Debate is very tempting in Buddhism, but on the other hand, we must respect other people's views and not create conflicts in the Sangha, so what should we do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes Buddhists cannot agree with each other, especially if these Buddhists come from different schools or traditions. An idea that is considered correct in one linage may be considered wrong in another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach how to handle these situations? How were these disagreements handled in the past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(See also: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8182/what-are-the-famous-debates-in-canonical-buddhist-texts&quot;&gt;famous debates in canonical Buddhist texts&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS by @Yeshe Tenley:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under what conditions is it proper? Under what conditions is it improper? Is it a bad thing? Can it be a good thing? What is the proper motivation to do so? What are improper motivations? What is skillful? What is unskillful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming it is desirable to show respect while debating, how should this respect be manifested? What are examples of disrespectful debate and how can the line be drawn? What's the difference between debate and proselytizing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and references to dharma teachings, historical events, or opinions/literature of noted teachers also welcome and encouraged!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-05-18T13:42:44.307" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:28:06.427" Title="To debate or not to debate? and When to debate? and How to debate?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vajrayana|debate|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2014-08-12T11:59:16.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one calls oneself a Buddhist, one has already missed the point.&#xA;---  from a teacher my daughter had.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="644" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T11:59:16.997" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2621" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3135" CreationDate="2014-08-12T12:37:42.687" Score="2" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is the mind matter process described and explained according to the Buddhist teachings? How does it related to Cognitive Psychology? How is the next moment created from the current? What is the mechanism behind it? How does this process sustain its self? What are the variation with regard to this if any?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T12:44:36.550" LastActivityDate="2021-02-11T07:41:41.780" Title="How is the Cognitive Process described according to Buddhism? How does it relate to modern Cognitive Psychology?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2615" CreationDate="2014-08-12T14:58:35.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am 32 and I live in Florida. Florida is full of older people and they outnumber us 20s and 30s year olds. As for Buddhism, the ratio stays pretty consistent to the overall demographic. In my sangha of over one hundred, and I maybe one of three people under 40 years old. Our local university often sends students to experience the sangha for extra credit, but they rarely stay past the assignment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I have started a wake up sangha for people in their 20s and 30s (www.wkup.org) here in Fort Myers, and the wake up sanghas do seem to be growing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T14:58:35.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2626" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2635" CreationDate="2014-08-12T15:26:22.160" Score="2" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm still struggling with the concept of good karma, bad karma, and both good and bad karma.  If all actions are one of the above- and, as I understand it, mostly the latter, it seems as if we will always be generating bad karma.  Is following the 8-fold path going to insure only creating good karma or will we still be generating both as we struggle on the path? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T09:09:27.707" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T09:09:27.707" Title="Understanding the mix of karma" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2627" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T15:58:47.893" Score="5" ViewCount="16193" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you believe in Shakyamuni Buddha the answer is No, because Buddha&#xA;  was clear about the previous Buddha Kassapa and the next Buddha&#xA;  Maytreia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's the case, then buddha must be very few in numbers. Why so many want to be a buddha and reach nirvana if only very few would win the lotery?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard that there are many buddhas. Sidartha is buddha sankyamuni. That there are many buddha that are simply less famous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's the case, is there any living buddha in the world now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="400" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-08T09:27:46.517" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T13:03:04.653" Title="How many Buddhas are there?" Tags="|buddhas|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2628" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11147" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:06:20.743" Score="13" ViewCount="1540" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some drugs, like ecstasy, help build empathy and help our mind see things from a different point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about if meditation is the obsolete ways to see enlightment and perhaps drugs are the easier ways?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="400" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T17:55:58.960" LastActivityDate="2020-09-23T14:53:37.030" Title="Can we reach enlightentment with recreational drugs?" Tags="|enlightenment|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:09:42.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It will vary according from school to school, in Theravada tradition there are 6 Buddhas, 4 before Shakyamuni Buddha, Himself and Maytrea (Next Buddha). This is what Buddha saw when he contemplate this world and past lifes while meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism they talk about 35 Buddhas, Chinese Buddhism will probably give you a different number and so on, but answering strictly from a Suttas' perspective I believe 6 is the answer, at least that is what Shakyamuni was able to see we cannot know if Maytrea will look into the future and see more Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bear in mind I am talking about full enlighted Buddhas that teach the Dhamma, not private Buddhas, most of Buddhas are private Buddhas and they can go on unnoticed by regular people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T16:09:42.013" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:20:53.107" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the perspective of the 5th precept then the answer would be no. The fifth precepts states&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that&#xA;  causes heedlessness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I've often seen this rendered as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from intoxicating substances&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the fact that it breaks the precept might leave you unconvinced these precepts are viewed as training principles i.e. it is the best way to achieve liberation or enlightenment. So in many traditions intoxicants are not seen as an aide to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the point of the Buddhist path is to see things as they really are. It's difficult to see how one might see things as they really are when one's mental processes are been influenced by recreational drugs of any sort. Reality is difficult enough as it is without dulling, altering or confusing the six senses (I'm including mind here as one of the senses).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The founder of the the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot;&gt;sangha that I practice with&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangharakshita&quot;&gt;Sangharakshita&lt;/a&gt;, has taken psychedelic drugs on a couple of occasions to see if there are commonalities with the Buddhist path. From his perspective there wasn't though I believe he found the experience interesting. I have to say this was a controversial action by an often controversial figure. I have never heard any recommendations from him to try this approach so this would be another reason that I would personally discount recreational drug use as an insight practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an aside, the beatnik guru &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts&quot;&gt;Alan Watts&lt;/a&gt; (another contraversial figure) had a more sympathetic attitude to this approach. The most famous quote (which I will include with a little context) is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Psychedelic experience is only a glimpse of genuine mystical insight,&#xA;  but a glimpse which can be matured and deepened by the various ways of&#xA;  meditation in which drugs are no longer necessary or useful. &lt;strong&gt;If you&#xA;  get the message, hang up the phone&lt;/strong&gt;. For psychedelic drugs are simply&#xA;  instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The&#xA;  biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope,&#xA;  he goes away and works on what he has seen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even Alan Watts wasn't a whole-hearted proponent of this approach. He saw them as a tool at best and in no way replacing meditation or other traditional insight methods. Just to be clear though - Alan Watts wasn't a traditional Buddhist if he was one at all so this comment though interesting has probably limited relevance to this site. Please see it as a footnote to this answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T12:44:28.837" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T12:44:28.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2626" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:27:28.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The process of creating Karma will only stop when you are liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the mean time what you can do is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do good Karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reduce bad Karma as much as possible&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to reducing bad Karma is the be mindful and equanimous with respect to all sensations you experience. If you look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, there is a link between feeling (sensation) and craving. So once you get a pleasant, unpleasant or neutral feeling you have to be equanimous with the knowledge that it is impermanent. Then momentarily craving does not arise. When you manage to do this continuously you are not generating any new Karma. Then all you old stock of Karma will start manifesting themselves as pleasant, neutral and unpleasant sensations and pass away once they have given result as a sensation. Once you maintain equanimity and all your Karma that can lead to rebirth in lower realms has passed away you will experience a dip into sainthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When all the seeds of bad karma giving rebirth in lower realms have are passed away you are not creating any new Karma taking you to lower realms, you mind is ready to take the 1st dip into the 1st stage of Sainthood as interpreted by Ledi Sayadaw linage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T16:27:28.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:45:51.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that this is the on and only way for enlightenment hence recreational drugs will not help in this aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another Sutta which give guarantee of Enlightenment, if practiced in the right way, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above meditation are generally called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. When practiced you will get the Knowledge of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is the Path and Not the Path&lt;/a&gt; with other &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Insight Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;. Then it is when you will know for sure. But until then you could take the description in the scriptures at face value, that chemicals may really give you enlightenment, and path to enlightenment is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; and the practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; until you find out for yourself by verification through your pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T16:45:51.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2633" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3390" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:46:28.773" Score="4" ViewCount="3513" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've just &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2630/157&quot;&gt;answered a question&lt;/a&gt; referencing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alan Watts&lt;/a&gt;. I'm aware he isn't a straightforward figure though I've always found him provocative and interesting. At one point I though he was a Buddhist having written books such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Way_of_Zen.html?id=tmk1XPE31p8C&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Way of Zen&lt;/a&gt;. I'm pretty sure that isn't the case now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question is what kind of relationship did Alan Watts have to Buddhism. Was he a practitioner at any point in his life or did he just use the ideas in a kind of heady new age type of mix that he was pushing at the time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2019-03-24T23:15:24.553" Title="Was Alan Watts a Buddhist?" Tags="|teachers|beatnik|alan-watts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2014-08-12T16:58:04.330" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There had been infinite number of Buddhas before and there will be many more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)&quot;&gt;Kalpa&lt;/a&gt;, We already have four Buddhas and there will be one more Buddha. That's why this Kalpa is called Bhadda-kappa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extracted it from &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhists.org/history-of-buddhism/kalpas-in-the-buddhist-religion/&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the current kalpa, it is said we are fortunate to have experienced&#xA;  five Buddhas. Kusanda Buddha, Konagamana Buddha, Kasyapsa Buddha and&#xA;  Buddha Shakyamuni. The Buddha of the future is called Maitreya Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read more about Bhadda-kappa from &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/MinGunSayadawGyi/MinGunSayadawGyi-TGC-V1P1.pdf&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. At Page 12 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T16:58:04.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2626" CreationDate="2014-08-12T17:10:48.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think its helpful to bear in mind the different between Karma and it's fruit (or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vip%C4%81ka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vipāka&lt;/a&gt;). An action may have a karmic effect if it has ethical or volitional weight but it's fruit doesn't occur immediately. It might occur years later, in another life or it might fizzle out before it ever occurs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relevance of this is that a person might generate a whole lot of 'bad' Karma but this karma might only bear fruit well after the person has undergone a tremendous amount of spiritual progress. So 'bad' Karma storing up to bear fruit won't stop them on the spiritual path. They might however have to deal with the effects of that bad action when they are an entirely different sort of person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good example of this (from the Pali Canon so this has a Therevadan focus now) is the story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angulimala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala&lt;/a&gt;. He was a notorious bandit and murderer who encountered the Buddha and then became the Buddhas disciple. His 'bad' Karma didn't stop him ultimately becoming a ahrant. However he still had to deal with the fruits of his bad conduct well after his conversion. At one point his was seriously attacked by resentful villagers while on his alms round. Even though he was no longer a murderer he still had to deal with the consequences of his 'bad' Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So just to summarise, your previous bad Karma won't necessarily stop your progress on the spiritual path. But it's likely that you will at some point have to deal with the fruits no matter how spiritually adept you may become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T17:10:48.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2014-08-12T17:17:23.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one Buddha Sasana period there can be only one Buddha. Buddhas are indeed few if you look at the gap between Buddhas. But time into the past is infinite hence there are infinite number of Buddhas. Our Buddha got definite prophecy from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;28 Buddhas&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%ABpankara_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipankara Buddha&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T17:17:23.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2637" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T17:23:55.070" Score="4" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who are the Buddha's who have got definite prophecy of Buddhahood? What is the description we have about them, their parents, family, disciples and sasana? What are the sources?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T17:30:46.457" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:56:05.307" Title="Who are the Buddhas Yet to Come and what Information do we have about them as per Theravada standpoint?" Tags="|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2638" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2778" CreationDate="2014-08-12T17:26:29.550" Score="11" ViewCount="916" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has anyone got a good idea which benefits of mindfulness meditation have got decent scientific evidence supporting them. It would be great it someone could point to good publicly available research or authoritative sites and maybe summarise the research and perhaps the people/organisations doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm personally convinced of the benefits due to my own personal experience but I'm interested what the scientific community is saying. I'm sure there is a lot of research out there but I find distilling it overwhelming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:33:29.333" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:33:29.333" Title="What are the scientifically proven benefits of mindfulness meditation?" Tags="|science|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2573" CreationDate="2014-08-12T18:10:17.657" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within Karma it is the intention or volition behind the action that is important not the action itself. So if we assume that an animal (lion etc..) acts primarily out of instinct then I would say that animals don't have volition (they can't help it) therefore they don't generate bad Karma. However they don't generate good Karma either so they are stuck. The previously accumulated bad Karma will eventually fizzle out be that might take a while, a long long while. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leads directly to the notion of the preciousness of human life in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://nalandatranslation.org/offerings/translations-and-commentaries/four-reminders/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four reminders&lt;/a&gt;. Once you are in a lower realm then it is hard to get out so birth as a human (the only place where enlightenment is possible) is very very rare. If OP has been lucky enough to be born as a human then make the best of if. It might not happen again for a long while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/PYYgy.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also worth noting that in the Tibetan wheel of life there is the notion of other power. In each realm, including the animal one, there is a Buddha figure as shown above. The figure is there to do whatever they can to assist the beings (animals) to get out of their situation. Sometimes it;'s just so hard to do it yourself that another power is required. This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2348/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; to another post gives some good further detail on that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T18:32:12.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2638" CreationDate="2014-08-12T18:11:03.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_stress_reduction&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)&lt;/a&gt; initiative where Mindfulness has been used for its therapeutic benefits in a scientific environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T18:11:03.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2641" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-12T18:16:42.293" Score="1" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;What references do we have in canonical texts on historical Buddhas and Pacceka Buddhas? Ideally including information beyond the commonly referenced &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twenty-eight_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;28 Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T04:23:41.047" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T01:13:41.393" Title="Who are the past Buddhas mentioned in the Canonical Works?" Tags="|pali-canon|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1925" CreationDate="2014-08-12T18:43:19.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Andrei has said the Tulku system can give rise to multiple rebirths. The maximum number of rebirths is five which correspond to the following manifestations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;speech &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mind &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;karma &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;guna (quality)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However even in the event of a multiple rebirth, one of the manifestations will be seen as the primary one. In  Bernardo Bertolucci film the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Little Buddha&lt;/a&gt; a Tibetan lama is reborn into 3 Western children. The rebirths are separate manifestations of his body, speech and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the interest of correct referencing, this information comes from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/exploring_karma_and_rebirth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Exploring Karma and Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; by Nagapriya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T18:43:19.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2619" CreationDate="2014-08-12T18:56:24.763" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think we should be afraid of debating with people who have different views to our own. The Buddha himself was very happy to do just that. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.093.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assalayana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha has a full and frank exchange of opinions with a young Brahmin. Just to give a flavour of the discourse&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you think, Assalayana? Is it only a noble warrior who — taking&#xA;  life, stealing, engaging in sexual misconduct, telling lies, speaking&#xA;  divisively, speaking harshly, engaging in idle chatter, greedy,&#xA;  bearing thoughts of ill will, and holding wrong views — on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the plane of&#xA;  deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell, and not a&#xA;  brahman? Is it only a merchant...? Is it only a worker [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And again in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1849/relation-to-jainism/2483#2483&quot;&gt;Upali sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha debates with a Jain about points of doctrine. Again another flavour of the robust debate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Dighatapasssi said to the Blessed One: ‘Friend Gotama, how many&#xA;  punishments do you declare for doing demerit and its perpetration?’&#xA;  ‘Friend, Tapassi, it is not the practise of the Thus Gone One to say&#xA;  punishment, it is the practise to say,action.’‘Friend Gotama, how many&#xA;  actions do you declare for doing demerit and its perpetration?’.&#xA;  ‘Tapassi, I declare three actions for doing demerit and its&#xA;  perpetration. They are bodily, verbal and mental actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say that debate is squarely in the Buddhist tradition, certainly as understood by the Theravadans. However as other posters have said this needs to be done with the context of a metta-ful response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T18:56:24.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2644" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-12T19:06:51.603" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T19:06:51.603" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T19:06:51.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2645" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-12T19:06:51.603" Score="0" Body="The comparison of the practices and doctrines of a given set of religions. In the context of this site this would be a comparison of an aspect of Buddhism with one or more other religions." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T14:56:05.567" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T14:56:05.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2646" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-12T19:09:43.930" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-12T19:09:43.930" LastActivityDate="2014-08-12T19:09:43.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2647" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-12T19:09:43.930" Score="0" Body="The practical aspects of Buddhism. This includes meditation, ethics and ritual and cultural aspects such as holidays and festivals." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T14:55:58.033" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T14:55:58.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2014-08-12T19:29:08.623" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Mahayana text the Lotus Sutra, the number of Buddhas are innumerable. In fact a significant proportion of the text is spent emphasising just how many Buddhas (and Bodhisattvas) there are and just how many world systems they cover.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just from the introduction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and the nun Yasodharâ, the mother of Râhula, along with her train;&#xA;  (further) with eighty thousand Bodhisattvas, all unable to slide back,&#xA;  endowed with the spells of supreme, perfect enlightenment, firmly&#xA;  standing in wisdom; who moved onward the never deviating wheel of the&#xA;  law; who had propitiated many hundred thousands of Buddhas; who under&#xA;  many hundred thousands of Buddhas had planted the roots of goodness,&#xA;  had been intimate with many hundred thousands of Buddhas, were in body&#xA;  and mind fully penetrated with the feeling of charity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text goes on for another twenty eight chapters drilling that message home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NOTE - even though it is highly repetitive I love this text. If you want a flavour of the cosmic vastness of Mahayana Buddhism then I recommend. It's a mind blowing read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T13:03:04.653" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T13:03:04.653" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2638" CreationDate="2014-08-13T04:33:56.277" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The USA's NIH has an NCCAM page for meditation with links to up-to-date research on the benefits of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation&quot;&gt;http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking for scientific proof is a bit misguided, I think, and in the case of meditation it's difficult to obtain even conclusive evidence. Many of the studies are suggestive at best, but the topics studied include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Smoking Cessation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reducing Risk of Suicidal Thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Treating Ulcerative Colitis&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effecting Genetic Changes (esp. prostate)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Treating Acute Respiratory Infections&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reducing Severity of IBS in Women&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effecting Structural Changes and Improving Information Processing in the Brain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Coping With Stress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Improving Cell-Level Processes Related to Disease&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivating Empathy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T04:33:56.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2014-08-13T12:28:52.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is based on the teachings I got from Vajrayana teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is useful to use a metaphor of a mirror or a screen. Our mind is a perfect mirror and all our experiences are the reflections on that mirror. In our everyday life we habitually focus on and identify with those reflections - when something nice is appearing, we are happy, when something disturbing pops up - we are sad. With the help of Buddhism we want to understand the mirror itself - our perfect mind that is aware and able to experience everything. Enlightened Buddha is not disturbed by negativity around him because he has a full understanding of the nature of things around him - everything is empty in its essence and has nothing to do with good or bad. He is also not disturbed when something beautiful disappears - impermanence is all-pervading, whatever has a beginning will eventually has an end as well. The only lasting thing is the perfect, indestructible mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now let's look at drugs. They indeed can change our perception and allow us to experience extraordinary states of mind. But do they help us to recognize the mirror? Not really, they only change the reflections on the mirror. We don't like our grey everyday life so we take some drugs to add some colours to the movies reflected on our mirror. As soon as the drugs stop working, the colours bleach out and we suffer because we get attached to those more vibrant images and handling grey everyday reality becomes harder. So in a way drugs can make us attached to fascinating experiences which, sadly, are not permanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of a movie theatre - there is a modern screen and advanced sound system. Spectators can enjoy watching various movies and if they pay extra (drugs taking), the advanced technology is turned on so they can have breathtaking experiences while watching the latest 3D HD sci-fi movies. But the screen is also capable of screening dramas, thrillers and really violent and disturbing images. Spectators have their likes and dislikes so they will be demanding only nice and fascinating movies, but sometimes they would buy a ticket and will be disappointed that the movie they've just seen wasn't as great as they expected. Buddhism invites you to become the owner of the cinema - to learn how the screen works and understand that the pictures are just reflections on your awesome screen and the technologies you have in your theatre are fantastic. You won't be bothered by the type of the movie or the ugly/annoying actors. Rather, you would say - wow, this theatre is capable of this, how fascinating!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T12:28:52.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2638" CreationDate="2014-08-13T14:31:50.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend to take a look at the website of &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation-research.org.uk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation and Mindfulness Research Group&lt;/a&gt; at Liverpool John Moores University. They not only present the results of various studies but also explain those in simpler, not-too-scientific terms. In their research blog they discuss &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation-research.org.uk/2014/03/meditation-and-neuroplasticity-five-key-articles/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;neuroplasticity and meditation&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation-research.org.uk/2013/02/neural-mechanisms-of-attentional-control-in-mindfulness-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation-research.org.uk/2013/01/cognition-and-emotion-in-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cognition and Emotion in Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, to name a few.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/feeling-it/201309/20-scientific-reasons-start-meditating-today&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; also seems to nicely sum up the effects of meditation with links to the peer-reviewed articles. The author groups the effects of meditation in the following categories:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It boosts your health&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It boosts your happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It boosts your social life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It boosts your self-control&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It changes your brain (for better)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It improves your productivity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It makes you wiser&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there are also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/magazine/breathing-in-vs-spacing-out.html?smid=fb-share&amp;amp;_r=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;claims&lt;/a&gt; that there are serious &lt;em&gt;drawbacks&lt;/em&gt; of mindfulness meditation. Mind focusing is seen as an opposite of mind wandering which tends to stimulate one's creativity. Thus, it is claimed that too focused mind can lead to decreased creativity. Another drawback is related to decreased ability to perform implicit learning: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;implicit learning - the kind that underlies all sorts of acquired&#xA;  skills and habits but that occurs without conscious awareness. In the&#xA;  study, participants were shown a long sequence of items and repeatedly&#xA;  challenged to guess which one would come next. Although supposedly&#xA;  random, it contained a hidden pattern that made some items more likely&#xA;  to appear than others. The more mindful participants were worse at&#xA;  intuiting the correct answers (...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/NewsUpdate/viewarticle/1246/Yes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; you can see the response of another scientist who researches mindfulness meditation who, in short, does not agree with the drawbacks mentioned above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, the research on meditation started only recently and it is too early to state any definite answers. There are also signals that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-meditation-overrated/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;methodology of most of the studies&lt;/a&gt; is flawed and much more funds and trials are needed to obtain more reliable results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="104" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T11:51:17.883" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T11:51:17.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2654" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-13T14:49:31.280" Score="5" ViewCount="742" Body="&lt;p&gt;My family is helping two people from Nepal to come to the United States to study, and their family will be visiting us temporarily.  I was told that their family practices Buddhism, but I find myself somewhat lacking in knowledge on the religion/philosophy/culture that surrounds Buddhism.  I don't wish to offend them or to put them into awkward situations, are there any significant things I should know?  I've been reading online and I seem to get the impression that Buddhists do not eat beef.  But do they eat meat at all?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a little statuette of the Buddha that a friend gave to me as a gift once when I was going through a phase with eastern philosophy,  due to an inside not quite joke that I share with this friend she had drawn a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesica_piscis&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;geometrical symbol&lt;/a&gt; on the belly of the statuette.  Would this be something they would find offensive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up my question:  What do I need to know about Buddhism to interact with Buddhists from Nepal in a way that is respectful of their beliefs? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="652" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T19:59:40.533" Title="I have some people coming over who practice Buddhism, what should I know?" Tags="|philosophy|religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-13T14:56:03.047" Score="5" ViewCount="695" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am interested in Buddhism and the book Tao Te Ching, written by Lao-Tzu in c. 600 BC. Is there common ground between these two Eastern philosophies?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOHcE5vmUWg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link to audio of &lt;em&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user640" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-08-21T10:35:46.293" LastActivityDate="2019-03-11T03:46:44.690" Title="Is there common ground between the Tao Te Ching and Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|belief|beginner|taoism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2654" CreationDate="2014-08-13T15:26:16.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Floridian Zen Buddhist, it is not the Buddhism that I would be concerned with. I would be more mindful of Nepal culture and cultural and language differences. Buddhism is buddhism really wherever you go, but cultural practices and cultural identity varies. Or in other words, Buddhism morphs and adapts to the culture and environment it is in. I do not know anything about Nepal, but perhaps googling Nepal culture or Nepal culture in America might be more beneficial than just Buddhism as a whole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T15:26:16.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2654" CreationDate="2014-08-13T17:11:40.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can erase the symbol and keep the statue in a high(respectable) place. Don't use it as a decorative item. Buddhist(Theravada) lay people are allowed to eat any type of meat. But your friends might be vegetarian due to personal preferences. They might also prefer spicy food since they are from South Asia. Avoid swearing and telling religious jokes. Buddhists don't say grace at the dinner table. So don't be surprised if they start having the meal immediately after sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T17:44:23.290" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T17:44:23.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2654" CreationDate="2014-08-13T17:35:30.687" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been to Nepal on a retreat, it is a Hindu country, but there are many Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main Buddhism there is Mahayana by far, with a large influence from Tibet (monks who escaped after the situation with China).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of them do not eat meat (I spent days without eating meat there), but they used to eat eggs. You should ask, they will not be offended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists take seriously how we treat a Buddha statue, so do not put it on the ground, do not put it on the bathroom or too close to shoes, treat it and buddhist books with basic respect, as if it were a guest in your house. Incenses are very common in Nepal, if you want to be extra nice you can put some together with the statue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Nepalis I met (not monks) were very curious about technology and other cultures, internet there is very bad and slow, also it is a very, very poor country, so most of them dont know much about America, they will probably appreciate a visit around the city with some background stories :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-13T21:19:53.100" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T21:19:53.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1387" CreationDate="2014-08-13T20:53:42.490" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just one more good example on how Buddhism mixed with local culture, Buddhism began in India and spread through Asia, in many countries it incorporated local practices and believes just like all main religions have done, things like Martial arts, Astrology, Tantra, etc were local additions, I'm not saying this is right or wrong, good or bad, but it didn't come from the original teachings and practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T20:53:42.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2661" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-13T20:57:51.007" Score="0" ViewCount="40" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do Mahayana and Theravada monks wear different robes (colours)? I understand the colour of Theravada robes represent the colour used in the time of the Buddha. What is the meaning of the yellow/red in mahayana Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T20:57:51.007" Title="Different Robes (colours)" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2014-08-14T07:40:01.863" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2662" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2676" CreationDate="2014-08-13T22:13:40.563" Score="8" ViewCount="791" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I found a rather interesting quote of HH Dalai Lama XIV, which he said in Bodhgaya interviews, 1981:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Buddhists believe in rebirth. But suppose through various investigative means, science comes one day to a definite conclusion that &lt;strong&gt;there is no rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;. If this is definitely proven, then &lt;strong&gt;we must accept it&lt;/strong&gt; and we will accept it.”&lt;/em&gt; — &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/private/flanagan_lectures/Science_for_Monks.pdf&quot;&gt;see, for example, here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, it's worth mentioning that this phrase seems to be one of the most progressive thought I have ever seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I would like to know, &lt;strong&gt;how exactly the Buddhist community will behave&lt;/strong&gt; in case if, indeed, scientific method proves some day that one of key concepts of Buddhism (not necessarily, rebirth) is not correct. Obviously, it's impossible to rewrite sacral books, rethink important consequences of a mentioned concept, restructure rituals, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, many people are &lt;em&gt;happy&lt;/em&gt; with current paradigms, and such discovery may have disastrous effect on many of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:48:38.270" Title="What if there is no rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|science|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-13T22:35:49.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there is no rebirth, then there is no rebirth, the point with the Buddha's teachings is that they are useful not only for the next life, but for this one! That is exactly why there are many debates about Buddhism being a religion or a way of life, that is also why Buddhism can be used by people from other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice the Buddha's teachings at least you will leave good things behind (in case there is no rebirth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you don't put to much focus on your next life, your focus should remain here and now. In the practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-13T22:35:49.140" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2664" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-13T23:18:04.357" Score="6" ViewCount="838" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once in a Dhamma talk I heard a Theravada Monk saying he did not believe in such stories, because some of them contradict the Buddha's teachings (suttas), I don't know if that was his personal opinion or a general view in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T10:57:50.350" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:10:47.957" Title="Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2641" CreationDate="2014-08-14T01:13:41.393" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Historical&quot; is fact established by historical science. Even historical existence of Shakyamuni is debated. There is no other &lt;em&gt;historical&lt;/em&gt; buddhas besides Shakyamuni. That is other buddhas are present to us only as &lt;em&gt;mythological&lt;/em&gt; characters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T01:13:41.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-14T01:56:10.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will try to rescue the question from speculative paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not a stretch to see the Dalai Lama's words expressing the buddhist original commitment to what is real. But the question underneath is about how one's faith (or the faith of a community) is confronted with a different reality. Yet, the canon has quite a few teachings and warnings about faith (of the &quot;kind&quot; talked about here), and the insistent plea for direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The discovery of false claims no doubt diminish our trust in the texts and may interfere with our commitment to try its suggestions. But it is worth noting that the tone of these texts is not &quot;take it as I say&quot;, but of &quot;come and try [and at this point, here is what I expect you to have seen]&quot; -- exercises followed by a map, with evaluation cues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, in its original form, is not alone in its careful attitude towards foreign propositions not tasted by one's mouth. Science has similar flavor (though much more loose in regard to one's direct experience, and much more strict in regard to communication and &quot;observability&quot;), with a community reasonably aware of its stance. Thus, one could reasonably argue that what ultimately survive from both science and buddhism (in its essence) are not the factual assertions made therein (they may as well be discovered to be otherwise). However, its &lt;em&gt;goal&lt;/em&gt;, its &lt;em&gt;method&lt;/em&gt; and its &lt;em&gt;evaluation strategies&lt;/em&gt; are something to preserve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the map is wrong. In science, often it is. Yet, trained scientists cherish the system above any temporary result. The system reinforces how to approach itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A buddhist could say exactly the same thing about the canon. &quot;why are you clinging to beliefs you did not investigate and could cause you misery?&quot; it asks directly of the reader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T02:02:42.670" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T02:02:42.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2664" CreationDate="2014-08-14T02:49:08.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of Theravada is that it only accepts the Pali Canon as canonical and any other teaching that is in conflict with the Pali Canon is rejected. As the Jataka stories are actually part of the Pali canon, it can be said that Theravada Buddhism accepts the Jataka stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T11:17:32.857" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T11:17:32.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2664" CreationDate="2014-08-14T03:26:30.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales,_Jataka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jataka Tales&lt;/a&gt; appear in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khuddaka_Nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;. Some later compositions on the Jataka Tales expand upon the original stogies hence some parts in these works might be fictitious or exaggerated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T03:26:30.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1531" CreationDate="2014-08-14T05:11:58.047" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are the whole you are the nature. You are the truth everything is connected with you.You cant die you can just change your body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="654" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T05:11:58.047" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2664" CreationDate="2014-08-14T06:02:09.110" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it is not a general view. Theravada tradition does accept the Jataka stories. It is a part of Khuddaka Nikaya. But it is not unnatural for someone to doubt any part of the Tipitaka at any given time. Doubt can appear in the mind at any time. Apart from that, some teachers might opt to leave the Jataka stories out when they preach to western audiences as it may not be appealing to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T06:02:09.110" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-14T06:31:47.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The final goal in Buddhism is to overcome rebirth, as all misery (old age, sickness, company of people you do not like, parting from loved ones) starts with birth as explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you reach full liberation you have no more rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T06:31:47.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-14T06:43:45.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lets say science proves that there's no rebirth. What does scientific proof really mean to you? It means you are putting your faith on the scientists who supposedly prove it. It is not your direct knowledge. Rebirth is already proven within the Buddhist community. Proven by Lord Buddha and the Ariya Sangha who can see the past and future lives. Even a non-Buddhist who attains the knowledge of seeing past births through perfecting the Jhanas sees the process of rebirth. So Buddhists don't have a problem in accepting rebirth on faith.  Because we take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha instead of scientists. Furthermore, what is proven in Buddhism can be known by direct knowledge. Scientific proof is not known by direct knowledge. It's always a hypothesis. Otherwise, it can't change from time to time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If this is definitely proven&quot; is the key phrase in what Dalai Lama has said. Proven according to science or proven according to Buddhism? In other words, proven by hypothesis(which again may change in the future) or proven by direct knowledge? Such sayings are typically targeted at audiences with materialistic views. If it gets them to be more interested in the practice of Dhamma, it serves the purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T14:18:10.880" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T14:18:10.880" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-14T15:12:15.533" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes an apparently well-formed question can suffer from a &quot;category error&quot;, such as in &lt;em&gt;&quot;Is the present King of France bald?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;&quot;What noise would the programming language Pascal make if you dropped it on the floor?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; In such cases, an appropriate way to &quot;answer&quot; the question is to point out the category error, instead of just saying, for example in the previous examples, &lt;em&gt;&quot;No&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&quot;'CLANG!' (although some authorities argue &quot;SPLAT!&quot; is more accurate)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. This Buddhism question isn't &lt;em&gt;completely&lt;/em&gt; prone to this problem, but one aspect of it might be. So I'm going to attempt that kind of answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I'm &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html?pagewanted=all&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;with the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; in that if science proves something in Buddhism to be wrong, then Buddhism would have to adjust. &lt;strong&gt;However&lt;/strong&gt;, it's important to understand that there are certain kinds of true things that science simply &lt;em&gt;cannot&lt;/em&gt; prove wrong. That's not because, as with many things in the past, our science just isn't advanced enough yet. It's because the scope of science doesn't cover everything important we might want to say. This goes against the modern prevailing view, sometimes called, often by its detractors, &quot;scientism&quot;, which is really a modern version of positivism. However, it is not difficult to see that such scientism isn't obviously true.++&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, take the law of gravity, and in particular the component that says that &lt;strong&gt;&quot;the gravitational force between two masses varies inversely with the square of the distance between them&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. That is very deeply established in science, and has been for centuries. If it were proved wrong, it would shake things up &lt;em&gt;a lot&lt;/em&gt;. But science could indeed prove it wrong. In fact, there is already some evidence, surprising though it is, that in certain situations, the inverse square law isn't exact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But now take the proposition &lt;strong&gt;&quot;2+2=4&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. Philosophers would refer to that as a &quot;necessary&quot; truth. Science cannot ever prove that statement wrong because science &lt;em&gt;relies&lt;/em&gt; on that statement and, more to the point, science does not deal with such truths. They are important truths that lie outside of science (in fact the existence of such statements doesn't break positivism which is broader than scientism, but it does constitute something that science cannot disprove).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another one: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;people typically experience &lt;em&gt;redness&lt;/em&gt; when looking at tomatoes&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. Now science could certainly show that the frequency of light reflected off tomatoes corresponds not with red light but with blue light, but that doesn't change the fact that we &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; redness. Science would probably come up with a theory as to &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; we experience redness when exposed to blue light (for example, perhaps we'd discover that tomatoes emit a certain gas that confuses our brain's color recognition system, leading us to experience redness instead of blueness), but as I say that would explain &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt;, it would not disprove &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; we experience redness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what about something like &lt;strong&gt;&quot;there is no rebirth&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. Well to me that is clearly a statement that lies outside the scope of science, certainly of science as we usually use the word. To be a &quot;scientific&quot; statement typically means in practice that we can construct some kind of experiment capable of allowing us to make observations confirming the statement's truth and, even more important, observations confirming the statement's falsehood. But scientific observations are observations of the natural world and it's not clear that &quot;rebirth&quot; is posited as a phenomenon within the natural world. Now it's possible to argue, or at least to claim, that there is nothing &lt;em&gt;but&lt;/em&gt; the natural world, but that's just begging the whole question. A claim that &quot;natural science is all there is&quot; is itself not a statement of natural science, so where does that leave it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't mean, of course, that there's &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism that science couldn't disprove, but it does exclude a whole bunch of things from being disproven in that way. For example, I'd say that the entirety of the Four Noble Truths lies outside the scope of science. I'm not saying that they are necessarily true, nor that they couldn't be shown to be false. But &lt;em&gt;science&lt;/em&gt; cannot do that, any more than gardening or cookery can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;++ Note that I'm not saying that scientism argues that science can know everything. Even the scientistic view allows that some things may simply never be known. I'm making the point that scientism typically argues that if something is knowable, science will eventually, in principle, figure it out; and that if science cannot eventually, in principle, figure something out, then nothing else will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T17:03:54.177" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T17:03:54.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-14T16:01:25.983" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=LOC1925&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;freely available talk&lt;/a&gt; by Vessantara, an order member in the sangha I practice with (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) that addresses this kind of issue. If one entirely rejected rebirth (or if it were proven to be untrue) then what would this do to the Dharma? My previous opinion was rebirth was a cultural accretion not a core teaching so if rebirth wasn't true the Dharma would remain essentially the same. There might be some reframing and reemphasising but the essentials would be the same. However Vessantara disagrees. The following parts of the Dharma would be shaken, possibly irreparably damaged (list not exhaustive)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva Ideal. It is difficult to see how one could hope to aim for the enlightenment of all beings in one lifetime. It's not going to happen&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha enlightenment experience. A central part of this was his visions of previous rebirth. Are we saying that this is not true. What other parts of his enlightenment experience are also not true&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Death proximate Karma. There is no rebirth so the powerful karmic effects at the point of death are unreal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The niddanas. There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2523/157&quot;&gt;one lifetime interpretations&lt;/a&gt; of these admittedly but other interpretations (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2614/157&quot;&gt;3 lifetimes&lt;/a&gt;) would be thrown out&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment as the deathless. This is common imagery in texts such as the Dhammapada. Without rebirth what could deathless mean? It's unclear (to me)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana as 'blowing out'. Enlightenment as the concept of stepping off the wheel of samsara. Without rebirth there is no endless round so what are we stepping off from.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could go on (i won't). I was just impressed with the talk and I think it's an interesting exercise to see where a rejection or disprove of rebirth might end up. I'm certainly not banging the drum for rebirth, in fact I remain at best agnostic. I know that rebirth-less interpretation of each of the six points are available but the question is - are we twisting the Dharma completely out of shape? This talk argues that we would be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a footnote an alternative view is available from another order member, Nagapriya in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.windhorsepublications.com/exploring_karma_and_rebirth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Exploring Karma and Rebirth&lt;/a&gt;. This book takes the opposite to Vessantara and argues that all rebirth-less interpretations are valid and do not lose their meaning. The talk and the book taken together give excellent (and opposing) views - companion pieces almost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T16:27:59.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2677" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-14T17:26:41.973" Score="4" ViewCount="422" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been to different temples/centers/monasteries from different schools, most of them I would return regularly, but in a few I found things that didn't agree with some personal views. I must say 100% of the time I found people with nothing but good intentions, but not always I agreed with the methodology, practices or some core believes, for example: Having a &quot;cult style&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, I would like to ask: What are the main &quot;warning signs&quot; (if any) we should look for when going to a temple for the first time? (I'm not talking about a simple visit, but Dhamma talks, classes and meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question aims to help beginners, it is very hard to identify &quot;unusual practices&quot; when a person is just starting with Buddhism and have no idea what is Vinaya or the Suttas for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-08-16T13:36:38.290" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T13:36:38.290" Title="What are the main warning signs in a Buddhist centre?" Tags="|traditions|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2677" CreationDate="2014-08-14T17:29:41.457" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;All authentic practices of the Buddha carry within them three essential teachings called the Dharma Seals. These three teachings of the Buddha are: impermanence, no self and nirvana. Just as all-important legal documents have the mark or signature of a witness, all genuine practices of the Buddha bear the mark of these three teachings.&quot; -Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=1647&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=1647&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T17:29:41.457" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2677" CreationDate="2014-08-14T19:11:01.427" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is a very important question, but I can't see any way that a beginner who is unfamiliar with the Dharma can figure it out without essentially moving at least a little off the beginner's position. There's really no way to &quot;bootstrap&quot; yourself into trusting teachers without doing some upfront work yourself. So the main advice I'd give on that front is, go study the Dharma! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But perhaps there are some general rules of thumb that could also be useful. For example, to begin with perhaps a newbie should stick with the more established traditions: Theravada, Zen, mainline Tibetan, etc. That would necessarily exclude things like Soka Gakkai International (for example), but it's not at all arguing that SGI etc are bad. Rather it's simply to say that until someone finds their feet and understands what all the styles of Buddhism have in common, it's probably best to stick with more established styles, and then as one comes to understand things decide if moving to a newer or less well known approach is right for the person concerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another general principle is to watch out for the &quot;cult style&quot; as the OP mentioned. Some good pointers in that direction are to be found around the net -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayanti-tamm/the-c-word_2_b_848340.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for example. So if they're demanding unreasonable amounts of money, or seem to be highly dependent on the personality of the teacher, it's worth putting those on the list of &quot;reasons for possible concern&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A third point is perhaps more controversial, but I'll offer it anyway being based on my own experience. I confess that to some extent I am a newbie in this situation. I have studied quite a bit, and have established a basic meditation practice, but I still haven't yet decided on a teacher, tradition, and so on. I consider that to be a very important part of my practice right now. And one of &lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt; considerations is to look at the life of the tradition's founder and those of its major figures. For that reason, I find myself a bit hesitant to engage with, for example, Shambhala. I still find myself trading off the huge contributions they have made, in terms of publication and teaching, and also some of their ideas, with the lifestyles and actions of the founder Chogyam Trungpa and his successor Ösel Tendzin. This is a very personal thing, and as I say I'm not rejecting Shambhala outright, but I suggest that observing the correspondence between the actions and teachings of major figures in the organization is a useful test. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T19:11:01.427" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2677" CreationDate="2014-08-14T19:19:52.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's quite hard to make generalizations about Buddhist practices due to the wide range of practices acceptable within different schools. My understanding is some schools don't use the vinaya and the suttas most emphasized can be different by school as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone were to have a strict interpretation of the 5th precept and not be aware that alcohol is used in a limited way in some rituals in Tibetan Buddhism, they might jump to the conclusion that those rituals were not proper Buddhist practice and perhaps even that the temple was a bad place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the most important &quot;warning&quot; for any beginner is that Buddhism is such a rich and varied religion and it can look so different from one tradition to another that the most important thing may be to simply see, hear, and experience without judging as one visits different centers and learns more about Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually new people find the tradition that suits them best; but that will be different from one person to the next. What a great Western* problem to have; so many choices! =) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*I'm assuming most new Buddhists would be western but perhaps I shouldn't be so judgmental. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-08-14T19:31:28.710" LastActivityDate="2014-08-14T19:31:28.710" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2681" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2688" CreationDate="2014-08-15T02:29:55.713" Score="8" ViewCount="3837" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not normally distracted by noise, touch, smell or taste when I meditate. But I do keep looking and looking and looking. Sometimes I'll fixate on a crack between the spars of wood on the floor, sometimes something of more soteriological value like a statuette.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the advantages/disadvantages of meditating with ones eyes open or ones eyes shut?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:45:16.983" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:45:16.983" Title="What are the advantages/disadvantages of meditating with eyes closed?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2681" CreationDate="2014-08-15T03:54:34.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a beginner it is best to keep your eyes closed to be free from distractions. When you can concentrate better it is advisable to slightly open your eyes to let some light in if you are feeling drowsy or if it is in the early in the morning or late in the night. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have your eyes open you can get distracted but sometimes having them slightly open to get some light in it might help fight drowsiness. And vise versa if your eyes are closed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T06:40:22.583" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T06:40:22.583" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2677" CreationDate="2014-08-15T05:26:01.977" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Best is to do some reading of the main Suttas, such as: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and see if what the center in question teaches corresponds with the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see if the operations / techniques adhere to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should ideally be run by donations and not by charging a fee&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should not be cultish&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should allow free thought and inquiry &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should not have practices which harm oneself or make oneself agitated or do the same for others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last point you can only know when you have practiced the techniques taught at the place and found out you are are at peace and also cordial with others. Now if you do find a lack of peace and cordiality, it may be there is something wrong with how or what you practice. However, you should then take care -- and it is easy to misjudge this -- that you are indeed following their instructions. If you do that, and rule out the possibility that you haven't followed their instructions (in which case, maybe you're just doing your own thing and &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; is the problem), then there is a good chance there is something wrong with what you have been taught at the particular center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes certain traditions may not encourage practices outside the tradition (including reading). In that case you have to look at the motivation behind it. Is it trying to have a grip or hold over the person? Or is it concern that undesired results may be brought about by mixing different techniques? Or is it concern about not being able to handle dangerous results of an unfamiliar technique? Many traditions are geared towards preserving the techniques exactly as handed down through generations and due to this, variation may hamper the results/benefits. This is why you have to be very careful and try to look at it without prejudice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T15:47:35.453" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T15:47:35.453" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2684" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2745" CreationDate="2014-08-15T07:57:45.313" Score="2" ViewCount="247" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://himalayancollections.commons.yale.edu/exhibits/show/economic-and-urban-development/commercial-tourism-and-thangka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; the author discusses the problems of the commercialization of creating thangkas. Nowadays thangkas are created quickly and sold to tourists in shops in the streets of Lhasa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering, what exactly makes a Tibetan Buddhist painting a genuine thangka? I know that traditionally thangkas are made according to a ritualistic process and have to follow strict iconography rules. But what exactly is this process? And where can I find information about these rules?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the article the author gives an example of a iconography rule that apparently is formalized somewhere: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist texts dictate that the Ghanta is at the left hip and the Dorje in the right hand.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know there are books available on this (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559392576&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;). However, I'm not sure if the information in there is correct and complete. I'd prefer more original sources (translated scriptures) if that's possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T10:32:27.020" Title="Rules for creating thangkas?" Tags="|art|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2677" CreationDate="2014-08-15T12:08:07.880" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Health warning - this is a answer based on particular personal experience but I hope it's got some value in answering the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practice with a sangha (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) which has been accused of cultish behaviour in the past. There is a decent sized &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triratna_Buddhist_Community#Controversies_and_criticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article on wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; about these allegations. But to summarise the concerns have been around lack of proper lineage, sexual misconduct from the founder and particular centres developing a cult of personality leading to exploitation of newer members. This sounds dreadful and alarming particularly as I write it down. In fact they have changed their name since then from FWBO to Triratna. They never publicly admitted to this but I suspect that part of the reason was to put some distance between the organisations controversial past and the more positive present. So why on earth do I practice with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that you can only judge a centre through contact with your local group. For instance these are the questions that I have asked myself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the group seem welcoming to newcomers?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are I comfortable with the practices?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the people who have been around for a while like? Do they seem like regular sane people?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Am I comfortable with how money is been asked for? I like beginners course&#xA;to be just chargeable at a reasonable rate just as if I am signing up&#xA;for a night class. It might be different to for you.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the  centre supportive of people with families. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there events that welcome non-Buddhists  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there a well structured supportive program for beginners&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can the centre cope with descenting opinions and views from alternative teachers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there reference or study of traditional canonical texts e.g. Pali&#xA;Canon, White Lotus Sutra etc...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as Buddhist practice goes in my humble opinion so long as they are teaching the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path then I would say this is Buddhist enough to engage with them. If further down the line they seem to be veering off then you can always try elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an interesting and challenging question for me because I have chosen to spend 7 years practicing with a Buddhist group that has has a controversial past (although it has been received a lot more positively in the last 30 years or so). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can end with why I chose to go there in the first place&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I had a personal recommendation from someone I trusted  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The centre was near to where I worked &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The didn't seem to do a lot of chanting/ritual which I couldn't get on with at the time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they great reasons to commit to a particular centre? Probably not - maybe I just lucked out because I've had a very postive 7 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T12:37:50.823" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T12:37:50.823" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2681" CreationDate="2014-08-15T12:27:06.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the practices I do is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/just-sitting&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;just sitting practice&lt;/a&gt;. I think it is the same as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zazen&lt;/a&gt; practice but we (Triratna Buddhists) don't use that terminology. For this practice we are encourage to keep our eyes open as the practice is just being with whatever is. This includes all 6 senses so our sight is part of that and should be brought into the meditation practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said I rarely do this. I find the sight sense overwhelming and I find it much easier to do this with just hearing, touch and bodily sensations. I think sight is our dominant sense so it's not surprising to me that it's hard to experience to world as it is when you are looking at it. I find sight and the sense of self is so close that it's difficult to untangle it. We are often told that it's impossible to do 'just sitting' wrongly. However if it were possible to do it wrong I'm sure I would be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As other answerers have said eyes open is a good technique to guard against the sloth and torpor hindrance. I've actually have been recommended the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmasambhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Padmasambhava&lt;/a&gt; stare as an antidote (the great man himself is shown below doing it). Open you eyes as wide as you can and go for the full stare. It actually works - you feel less tired. The downside is that you look ludicrous. However that shouldn't matter as hopefully everyone else is meditating with their eyes shut!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9n6It.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T12:27:06.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2689" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2696" CreationDate="2014-08-15T12:50:55.350" Score="8" ViewCount="1126" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; details the use of the sloth and torpor hindrance as an object for mindfulness meditation. Does anyone have any practical advice, either of a personal nature or from an established teacher, about how this might be achieved. Whenever I am suffering from this hindrance it completely negates any attempt at meditation of any sort. So I am interested about advice how tiredness could be used as grist for the meditation mill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:51:55.150" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:51:55.150" Title="How to use Sloth and Torpor as an object for meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2690" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-15T12:55:30.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances (Sanskrit: pañca nivāraṇa; Pali: pañca nīvaraṇāni) are identified as mental factors that hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. In the Theravada tradition, these factors are identified specifically as obstacles to the jhānas (stages of concentration) within meditation practice. Within the Mahayana tradition, the five hindrances are identified as obstacles to samatha (tranquility) meditation. Contemporary Insight Meditation teachers identify the five hindrances as obstacles to mindfulness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five hindrances are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensory desire (kāmacchanda): the particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda): all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject, feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth-torpor (thīna-middha): heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): the inability to calm the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doubt (vicikicchā): lack of conviction or trust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:03:24.147" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:03:24.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2691" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-15T12:55:30.437" Score="0" Body="Mental factors that hinder progress in meditation. The five hindrances are sensual desire, ill will, sloth/torpor, anxiety and doubt" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T14:23:40.073" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:23:40.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2692" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-15T13:00:50.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the evolving consciousness (Pali: samvattanika-viññana) or stream of consciousness (Pali: viññana-sotam, Sanskrit: vijñāna-srotām, vijñāna-santāna, or citta-santāna) upon death (or &quot;the dissolution of the aggregates&quot; (P. khandhas, S. skandhas)), becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new aggregation. The consciousness in the new person is neither identical nor entirely different from that in the deceased but the two form a causal continuum or stream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In traditional Buddhist cosmology these lives can be in any of a large number of states of being including the human, any kind of animal and several types of supernatural being. Rebirth is conditioned by the karmas (actions of body, speech and mind) of previous lives; good karmas will yield a happier rebirth, bad karmas will produce one which is more unhappy. The basic cause for this is the abiding of consciousness in ignorance (Pali: avijja, Sanskrit: avidya): when ignorance is uprooted, rebirth ceases. One of the analogies used to describe what happens then is that of a ray of light that never lands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:29:52.863" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:29:52.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2693" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-15T13:00:50.513" Score="0" Body="The coming into existence of another being based on conditions arising from a previous existence. This is commonly confused with reincarnation. Reincarnation is the passing of a soul or spirit into a new body. Buddhism denies the concept of a soul, spirit or permanent self therefore in Buddhism rebirth occurs but there is no-one who is reborn." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T14:23:44.130" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:23:44.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2694" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-15T13:07:26.020" Score="6" ViewCount="262" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the old game, Afterlife (Lucas Arts), there is a song that features a chant. The song is the most peaceful of the soundtrack, in my opinion, and I have always wondered what the chant was. The song can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/g3bXez65Fx0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://youtu.be/g3bXez65Fx0&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that the song is Buddhist or Hindi inspired. It is similar to the chant played when founding buddhism in Civilization IV. A video of that chant can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/rUGH7x-i6ww&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://youtu.be/rUGH7x-i6ww&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anyone can help me figure out what the mantra/chant of the song is, I would be eternally grateful. I cannot find an answer via Google.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="659" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:30:31.873" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T18:30:31.873" Title="Buddhist chant from video game" Tags="|modern-world|chant|media|mantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2694" CreationDate="2014-08-15T13:51:35.253" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I puzzled out a similar problem on the Thai Angulimali soundtrack which did turn out to be Pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you say, there seems to be two chants; one at the beginning, and another at 1:44. The on at the beginning sounds familiar; I bet it's Tibetan, maybe even &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum&quot;&gt;Om Mani Padme Hum&lt;/a&gt;. I'm pretty sure you'd hear it on one of the movies about Tibetan Buddhism like Kundhun, Little Buddha, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second one sounds vaguely Indic, but nothing rings a bell. The best I can sound it out to be is something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;asabha savana namehe&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MobyGames (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mobygames.com/game/afterlife&quot;&gt;linked&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterlife_(video_game)&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;) says a man named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.petermc.com/&quot;&gt;Peter McConnell&lt;/a&gt; did the music for Afterlife. His email is info@petermc.com. Probably the best lead. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T14:17:52.157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:17:52.157" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2689" CreationDate="2014-08-15T14:01:15.683" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is an experience, like any other, so you have to face it and recognize it clearly as it is. In our tradition we describe the experience of catching up the fatigue in one's awareness and reminding oneself &quot;tired, tired&quot;; if one's mindfulness is sharp, it will either disappear completely or, if the body needs sleep, one will fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Mahasi Sayadaw describes this process:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Make a mental note of drowsy, when drowsy, and sleepy, when sleepy.&#xA;  After you have gained sufficient concentration in contemplating you&#xA;  will be able to overcome drowsiness and sleepiness and feel refreshed&#xA;  as a result. Take up again the usual contemplation of the basic&#xA;  object. Suppose you are unable to overcome a drowsy feeling, you must&#xA;  then continue to contemplate until you fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed041.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed041.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the commentary to the Satipatthana sutta has a number of ancillary techniques for overcoming sloth and torpor:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#sloth&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#sloth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:01:15.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2697" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-15T14:04:29.340" Score="4" ViewCount="928" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard both interpretations, for me it would make more sense to be something from the mind as there is no creator God or its opposite in Buddhism, the image of a &quot;temptator creature&quot; like Satan sounds strange when we think about impermanence, on the other hand, some suttas that mention Mara may fit better with the concept of an external creature, I know this interpretation is questionable, so I'm making the question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T09:19:18.917" Title="Is Mara a real being or something internal, produced by our own minds?" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2664" CreationDate="2014-08-15T14:10:47.957" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada accepts the Jataka stories as commentarial literature; they are not canonical, but are considered a reliable account by a learned Buddhist scholar. What are canonical are the verses that accompany the stories, as that is how 547 of the latter were easily remembered. Number of verses per varies; some have a single verse, others have over 100, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not uncommon for modern Theravada Buddhists to question the authenticity of the stories, especially given their often fantastical content. Probably, though, it is more common for Theravada Buddhists to accept the stories far more at face value than they really should, again given their content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:10:47.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2697" CreationDate="2014-08-15T14:30:08.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maras&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism. One of them is a Deva. Other others being death, conditioned existence, and unskillful emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:30:08.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2662" CreationDate="2014-08-15T14:48:38.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If science were to prove literal rebirth wrong, then Buddhists would have to accept the fact that literal rebirth does not exist, and begin to examine the possibility that the Buddha meant moment to moment rebirth and we were interpreting the teaching incorrectly. I don’t know how science would do this but since the practice asks you to look and see for yourself, if you were to somehow discover this truth (that rebirth was not literal) the practice would dictate that you acknowledge it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T14:48:38.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2702" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-15T16:16:29.613" Score="5" ViewCount="7792" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is he considered a great leader? an unusual leader? Does he represents Buddhism? Are his books largely accepted as Buddhist books?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I asked is that Osho is (whether you like it or not) very popular in the west, and many people associate him with Buddhism. Once my grandpa came to me saying, &quot;I finally read a book on Buddhism!&quot;, showing a book by Osho. So, before giving my personal view I would like to understand the point better. (some of his books are sold in Buddhist libraries!) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-18T10:12:54.347" LastActivityDate="2018-08-22T17:26:13.933" Title="How is Osho seen in the Buddhist community?" Tags="|teachers|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2702" CreationDate="2014-08-15T19:13:47.880" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least in the Theravada community in Sri Lanka many do not even know who he is. Anyway, he does not have any direct relevance to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you take his teaching, there is some element of &quot;love&quot; and material aspects like his use of Rolls Royces, Expensive Watches and Private Jets which is tied to Raga. This is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; that prevent you from liberation. Also if you go through some of his talks like &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K2e7TTdeMo&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Osho on Fuck&lt;/a&gt;, this does not adhere to the spiritual norms of the Buddhist tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-15T20:35:07.563" LastActivityDate="2014-08-15T20:35:07.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2704" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-15T20:11:05.967" Score="8" ViewCount="334" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna's ideas are considered to represent the historical starting point of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Can his ideas be considered a clarification of the philosophy presented in the Pali canon? And if so, what are the specific ideas in Nagarjuna's thought that are important for that clarification? Or, am I completely wrong in my assumption that Nagarjuna actually contributed anything significant to Buddhist thought? (I'm not afraid of criticisms of my pronouncements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="662" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T20:12:13.903" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T20:12:13.903" Title="What were Nagarjuna's seminal contributions to Buddhist philosophy?" Tags="|mahayana|philosophy|history|nagarjuna|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2697" CreationDate="2014-08-16T01:58:39.210" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two snippets from suttas refering to Mara as an entity/position:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 115:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But, venerable sir, in what way can a bhikkhu be called skilled in what is possible and what is impossible?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu undersands [...]: &amp;quot;It is possible that a man might occupy the position of Māra [...]&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 50:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The venerable Maha Moggallana saw him [Māra] standing there and said: &amp;quot;I see you there too, Evil One. Do not think 'He does not see me.' You are standing against the door bar, Evil One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It happened once, Evil One, that I was a Māra named Dusi [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta where a disciple directly asks what is Māra (SN 23.1):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Venerable sir, it is said, 'Māra, Māra.' In what way, venerable sir, might Māra be?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When there is form, Radha, there might be Māra, or the killer, or the one who is killed.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are from Nanamoli/Bodhi translations. Bhikkhu Bodhi also writes in a note of the Majjhima Nikaya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The name means &amp;quot;the Corrupter&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;the Corrupted One&amp;quot;. In the Buddhist conception of the universe, the position of Mara, like that of Maha Brahma, is a fixed one that is assumed by different individuals in accordance with their kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T01:58:39.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2697" CreationDate="2014-08-16T09:19:18.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Using the Three Universal Characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self, you can see that &quot;mara&quot; is a creation of the mind, this is why &quot;mara&quot; is in or attached to everything!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is only a cultivation of wisdom ( The Noble Eightfold Path) which can defeat mara, but also one needs mindfulness in each and every moment, as the experience changes from rebirth to rebirth via one of our six senses!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T09:19:18.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2655" CreationDate="2014-08-16T12:32:06.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is common ground. But there is common ground between Christianity and Buddhism, too. So...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A commentator of the Taoist philosopher Guo Xiang's work and a Taoist himself, I forget his name now (I can look it up) once wrote that - I paraphrase from memory - Buddhism and Taoism are diametrically opposed, because one seeks detachment from all existence, while the other seeks attachment to all existence. One seeks liberation by detaching from all phenomena, while the other seeks liberation by becoming one with all phenomena. The two paths seem to be the same, but really they are opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is broad, and so it's hard to answer. There are just too many sects... some Chinese ones like Huayan were influenced by Taoist philosophy so there is more common grounds... and then there are Taoist sects that were significantly influenced by Buddhism, like the Quanzhen School...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pure Land tradition, the great patriarch Tan-Luan, was initially a Taoist teacher. He wanted immortality but couldn't achieve it. Then he met the Indian Bodhiruci who gave him the Infinite Life Sutra, and Tan-Luan was so delighted by this sutra that he burned all his Taoist texts and followed Buddhism alone. If this story is true, then we can say at least one person didn't think the two were compatible. Tan-Luan sought immortality, but it occurred to him that when Taoism speaks of immortality, it does so from a point of view of attachment to existence, while Buddhism's ultimate point is nirvana which is neither-existence-nor-nonexistence (suchness). Something far removed from existence and non-existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="133" LastEditDate="2014-08-16T12:43:58.977" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T12:43:58.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2702" CreationDate="2014-08-16T12:48:13.390" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is he considered a great leader?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does he represents Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He doesn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are his books largely accepted as Buddhist books?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They aren't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's really not much more to say.  Why would you even think Osho was considered a great leader by the Buddhist community? He wasn't even a Buddhist. He lived a luxurious lifestyle and wrote in an eclectic, typically New Age-y way, mixing all kinds of influences and traditions that shouldn't be mixed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T12:48:13.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2710" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-16T15:19:01.487" Score="6" ViewCount="372" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once heard we should pay homage (bending, prostrating or some similar) to our parents on their birthday. If that is correct, for who else should we pay homage/bend to? Monks and parents only?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-16T16:30:34.997" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T01:25:32.610" Title="Should a Buddhist pay homage/bend to his parents?" Tags="|parents|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2710" CreationDate="2014-08-16T16:49:14.377" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Therevada perspective, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Pali Canon) the Buddha says to Silaga that parents should be worshiped. He doesn't actually specify monks in this sutra as at this point the Buddhist monastic community wouldn't have taken shape. However he does specify teachers and also ascetics and brahmans so we can maybe take this as the nearest equivalent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In total he advocates the worship of 6 groups of people corresponding to the 6 directions so &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Parents as the East  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teachers as the South &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wife and children as the West &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Friends and associates as the North&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Servants and employees as the Nadir &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ascetics and brahmans as the Zenith&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have to say though he doesn't restrict the homage to their birthdays only. Sigala is portrayed as doing a daily practice of homage in the six directions to which the Buddha is responding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Mahayana perpective, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/ullambana.html&quot;&gt;Ullambana sutra&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha advocates paying homage to parents   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every year, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so this would be at least annual homage which is nearer to your question. In addition there is also the &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20110415093752/http://venchinkung.com/the-filial-piety-sutra&quot;&gt;Sutra of Filial Piety&lt;/a&gt; which goes on at length about the trouble your parents have gone to to raise you (which is fair I guess - they have gone to a lot of effort). This is probably as influenced by Confucianism as much as Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more of these type of sutras in Mahayana traditions but I'm already past my level of expertise so I'll leave those for other people to detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-16T17:00:45.120" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T17:00:45.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2712" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2813" CreationDate="2014-08-16T17:10:18.137" Score="8" ViewCount="3343" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the Zen term Satori the same as enlightenment or does it have different nuances or emphasis over what is commonly meant by enlightenment in non-Zen texts. If it is the same then why is used at all. Is its usage just a cultural thing and enlightenment could equally be substituted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T16:27:33.010" LastActivityDate="2019-10-19T03:19:25.547" Title="Is Satori the same as Enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|zen|terminology|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2712" CreationDate="2014-08-16T18:15:04.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems it is the Japanese translation of the Sanskrit &amp;amp; Pali word &lt;em&gt;&quot;bodhi&quot;&lt;/em&gt; meaning &lt;em&gt;awakening&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;understanding&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satori (悟り) is&#xA;  a Japanese Buddhist term for awakening, &quot;comprehension;&#xA;  understanding&quot;. It is derived from the verb &lt;em&gt;satoru&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Zen Buddhist tradition, satori refers to the experience of&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensh%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kenshō&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;seeing into one's true nature&quot;. Ken means &quot;seeing,&quot; shō means&#xA;  &quot;nature&quot; or &quot;essence.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satori and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensh%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kenshō&lt;/a&gt; are commonly translated as enlightenment, a word&#xA;  that is also used to translate bodhi, prajna and buddhahood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satori&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satori (Wikipedia)&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satoru (さとる, サトル) is a Japanese verb meaning &quot;to know&quot; or&#xA;  &quot;understand&quot;. It is a common masculine Japanese given name. In Zen,&#xA;  Satoru is the root to the Zen Buddhist word, Satori (悟り&#xA;  enlightenment).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satoru (Wikipedia)&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not too familiar with Zen literature so I do not know if the term has any additional nuances (Hence the Wikipedia answer. Maybe someone else can jump-in if the term has further subtleties).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the question though. I didn't know this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T18:15:04.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2714" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-16T18:16:32.297" Score="2" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come across a contradiction in my practice. In truth you have no control of the mind, things arise and cease based on extremely subtle influences by defilemets at the roots. Yet the dammapada says to be the master and control your mind/volitions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also asked this on radio.sirimangalo site but not sure which you use for monk radio now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="664" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:44:56.490" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T17:59:57.383" Title="Controlling your own volitions?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2714" CreationDate="2014-08-16T23:34:44.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to strengthen a muscle, you need to know where it is and what it moves if you're going to understand the exercises that target it. Only then can you perform them efficiently. In the same way, you have to understand the anatomy of the mind's suffering if you want to understand how meditation is supposed to work. You'll find, for instance, that the Buddha explained how ignorance shapes the way you breathe, and how that in turn can add to your suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is the most useful skill you can master. It can bring the mind to the end of suffering, something no other skill can do. But it's also the most subtle and demanding skill there is. It requires all the mental qualities ordinarily involved in mastering a physical skill — mindfulness and alertness, persistence and patience, discipline and ingenuity — but to an extraordinary degree. This is why, when you come to meditation, it's good to reflect on any skills, crafts, or disciplines you've already mastered so that you can apply the lessons they've taught you to the training of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. It is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/strengthtraining.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;extract from Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="667" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T07:37:36.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2681" CreationDate="2014-08-16T23:54:55.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH2sEqrCza4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH2sEqrCza4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here Bhante  explaines really well the best way and why&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;hope it helps&#xA;claudia &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="667" LastActivityDate="2014-08-16T23:54:55.200" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2638" CreationDate="2014-08-17T00:15:04.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This paper provides  a synthesis of&#xA;the empirically supported advantages of mindfulness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;by Dr. Daphne M. Davis and Jeffrey A. Hayes&#xA;Pennsylvania State University&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/Benefits_of_Mindfulness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/Benefits_of_Mindfulness.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="667" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T00:15:04.257" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2714" CreationDate="2014-08-17T01:15:56.773" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As my teacher explained, whether we do or do not have freewill, when we drive the car, we must drive it well. Similarly, regardless of whether meditation is happening by itself, or &quot;I&quot; do it, it must be right meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking, we &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; control our mind, we can choose whether to get angry or to let go, whether to break through our phobias or to give in, whether to tolerate pain or to give up. This is our choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, we do have a choice of perspective: we can think we are sentient beings, having been born and destined to die, or we can generate the mind of nirvana. You always have choice, period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was a huge opponent of the no-free-will-type theories with their tendency to take away motivation to strive for Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now surely meditation is not about rigid control either. It's not about letting your mind run loose, nor is it about following an algorithm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment involves losing the form, true, but it also involves developing tremendous will power. These are &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; two legs we walk on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T17:59:57.383" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T17:59:57.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2720" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2732" CreationDate="2014-08-17T03:15:23.983" Score="5" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;I stumbled across this sutta yesterday (SN 48.58) with a dialogue between the Buddha and Sariputta, which has the following passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering what benefit, Sariputta, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conduct himself in a way that shows supreme honor towards the Tathagata and the Tathagata's teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is, venerable sir, considering as benefit the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathagata and the Tathagata's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far, the question and answer seem a little curious. In the edition I have by Bhikku Bodhi, he added a note pointing out this was puzzling. But there is more. It continues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what, Sariputta, is the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed considers as the benefit when he conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathagata and the Tathagata's teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, venerable sir, a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed develops the faculty of faith, which leads to peace, leads to enlightenment. He develops the faculty of energy [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good, good, Saripputa. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed is, as far as I know, an arahant. Also, even if I were to doubt Bhikku Bodhi's translation, skimming through the pali version (with a dictionary, my pali knowledge is 0) indicated they are not talking about an ordinary bhikkhu (&amp;quot;who has work to be done&amp;quot;), but an arahant -- a &lt;em&gt;khīṇāsavo bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried googling for discussions around this text with no success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my &lt;strong&gt;question&lt;/strong&gt; is: Are there any clues that shed light into this confusion? The confusion of the Buddha approving Saripputa words (and that Saripputa himself would say them, though its not clear if he was already an Arahant himself at the time), which imply that an Arahant still seeks a state of being, devoted to the development of faculties and to reap assiciated benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While on a practical side this mostly concerns arahants (ie. if I'm to clear my doubts, I better become one), I'm also curious to know other (possibly notable) suttas that present problems (inconsistencies, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T00:14:35.327" Title="Sūkarakhata sutta and the &quot;arahants seeking benefits they already have&quot;" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|controversy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2014-08-17T04:51:28.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the self exists in proportion to the 5 aggregates of clinging. The higher the clinging, the higher the sense of self (ego). So, in this sense, the self does exist. But when in 'perfect' mindfulness and concentration, there's no clinging of any kind so the self disappears, albeit temporary. Even the slightest thought will bring about the sense of a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'best' way to reduce clinging is to view dhamma (all worldly phenomena) as 1) impermanent, 2) not satisfactory 3) of no essence (not-self), ie. EMPTY.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Heart Sutta explains it very well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="668" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T04:51:28.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2619" CreationDate="2014-08-17T06:00:13.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, there are many helpful instructions for conduct discussions and exposing the Dhamma. Here are some excerpts from Aranavibhanga Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh269-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 139&lt;/a&gt;, Nanamoli translation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, bhikkhus, how does there come to be over-rating and under-rating and failure to speak only Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a man says “All those engaged in such pursuit of enjoyment, which pleasure is linked to sensual desires, low, vulgar, coarse, ignoble and connected with harm, beset by pain, by vexation, by despair and by fever, and they have entered upon the wrong way,” he thus under-rates some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a man says, “All those not engaged in such pursuit of enjoyment which pleasure is linked to sensual desires, low, vulgar, coarse, ignoble and connected with harm, are without pain, without vexation without despair, and without fever, and they have entered upon the right way,” he thus over-rates some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how there comes to be overrating and underrating and failure to speak only Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And bhikkhus, how does there come to be neither overrating nor underrating but speaking only Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a man does not say, “All those engaged in such pursuit of self-mortification, painful, ignoble, and connected with harm, are beset by pain, by vexation, by despair and by fever, and they have entered upon the wrong way,” and says instead “It is the “being engaged” that is a state beset by pain, by vexation, by despair and by fever, and it is the wrong way,” then he speaks only Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He should not utter covert speech, and he should not utter overt, harsh speech.” So it was said. And with reference to what was this said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, when a man knows covert speech to be untrue, incorrect and harmful, he should on no account utter it. When he knows covert speech to be true, correct and harmful, he should try not to utter it. But when he knows covert speech to be true, correct and beneficial, he may utter it, knowing the time to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, when a man knows overt, sharp speech to be untrue, incorrect and harmful, he should on no account utter it. When he knows overt, sharp speech to be true, correct and harmful, he should try not to utter it. But when be knows overt, sharp speech to be true, correct and beneficial, he may utter it, knowing the time to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in Abhayarājakumāra (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 58&lt;/a&gt;, Nanamoli/Bodhi), the Buddha exposes his own criteria for uttering speeches:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So too, prince, such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect and unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does no utter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct and beneficial, but which is unwelcome and disagreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial and which is welcome and agreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has compassion for beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, in Kosambya (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/048-kosambiya-sutta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 48&lt;/a&gt;) the Buddha exposes principles of cordiality which provides a broader foundation for the specific orientations above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T06:31:46.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2723" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-17T11:53:48.530" Score="6" ViewCount="2887" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism they teach that life is suffering, that it's all about pain (which is true) and that you should try your best to achieve Nirvana and become someone who won't have any more rebirths. This is something that I've learnt since I was young. So I was wondering, if parents love their child, why do they decide to have a child? I mean Buddhist parents. Now think about it. If parents know life is about suffering and pain and it's not the best thing why would they want it for their child? I mean seriously, if they really love their child and they are pure Buddhists, according to Buddhism they should not feel the need to have a child because that will cause the child to experience all the pains, etc. So as a mother or father, who wants their child to be in pain? I just don't understand, correct me if I'm wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a Theravada Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="670" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T14:15:44.630" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T14:15:44.630" Title="Why do Buddhists have children?" Tags="|theravada|parents|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2014-08-17T17:51:29.067" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2723" CreationDate="2014-08-17T12:53:32.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you mix up pain with suffering.&#xA;Pain is something that happens. Suffering you do to yourself, a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;second arrow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from what I understand Buddhists view being born human to be lucky, as you get the chance to have influence on your own fate. You can get the chance to hear about and perhaps understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and start following the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; that leads to an end of suffering (but not pain(1)). And perhaps even an escape to the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Buddhists don't really have a reason to not have children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1)Be happy, you have done the first steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T12:59:19.320" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T12:59:19.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2725" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2727" CreationDate="2014-08-17T13:04:54.477" Score="5" ViewCount="359" Body="&lt;p&gt;Several buddhist/meditation books recommend me to practice &quot;Mindfulness&quot; or living in the present moment alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a married man with a 4 yr old son and wife.I am currently working in one of the top 10 IT company in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On any given time I will have a &quot;list of things to do&quot; which are important and which are pending from my side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I ignore my tasks and &quot;live only in the present moment&quot; it will greatly harm me and my family's life.&#xA;Also how am I supposed to be at peace when all the pending items keep reminding me that they are not yet completed even if I try to calm myself for couple of minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this mean that people with lot of responsibilities should refrain from practicing &quot;mindfulness&quot; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="671" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:44:30.340" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:44:30.340" Title="Is it possible for active people to truly live practice &quot;mindfulness&quot;?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2726" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2739" CreationDate="2014-08-17T14:00:27.123" Score="5" ViewCount="909" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do the pure lands belong to heaven realms? Or a completely different realm from the normal six realms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T06:55:05.207" Title="In Pure Land Buddhism, what realm do the pure lands belong to? Are they outside of the usual six realms?" Tags="|pure-land|six-realms|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2725" CreationDate="2014-08-17T14:01:55.603" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness or living in the present moment is not the same as not having goals or responsibilities. Instead it is about doing everything you do with full attention and without judgement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, an active and not very mindful person would drive a car, look at his watch to see what time it is, and nervously think about everything he still has to do today, all three at the same time. A mindful person would drive the car with full attention. When other thoughts pop-up he would accept it and let them just pass by without giving them too much attention. Only when he has arrived at his destination would he actively think about his next activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that you still can have goals, it's just that you are not (in your mind) busy trying to achieve multiple goals at the same time. Additionally, being mindful also means that you accept whatever happens without judgement. If you accidentally hit another car while driving, you (try to) don't get angry or upset, but instead accept and deal with the consequences of the accident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T14:14:42.417" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T14:14:42.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2728" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2729" CreationDate="2014-08-17T16:11:28.753" Score="15" ViewCount="11364" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone tell me what's wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am extremely new to the art of meditation in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mind, in general, is always cluttered with either office worries or personal worries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I remove my worries slowly via meditation (i.e. emptying my thoughts), I tend to be peaceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, during this state, if I encounter a situation that irks or annoys me, my reaction is much rasher or blunt than if I don't empty my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, after emptying my mind, I saw my son standing in front of the TV, then I grabbed his arm and brushed him aside. I would not have done this if I had not emptied my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I noticed that my attention and concentration is much stronger after emptying my mind, but my compassion or empathy also gets reduced proportionately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="671" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:25:28.853" LastActivityDate="2016-05-08T04:18:38.943" Title="Why is meditation making me more angry?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2014-08-17T16:28:28.737" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not something made to clear our thoughts, it is impossible to do so, thoughts come and go, they will never stop, maybe you can increase the gap between thoughts, that is possible, however this is not the main goal of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you need to do is be mindful of your thoughts, be aware, see than as if you were anothet person, awake, dont judge them, dont cling to them, just see them as they are, arising and then going away, this is the nature of the mind. So, when anger comes just see it as anger, see how your body reacts, see how anger grows, see the triggers, feel the triggers... and understand this is anger, don't force it, its useless, don't try to stop it because it can come back even stronger, once you understand the nature of the thinking process and understand you are NOT your thoughts and they simply come and go, you will have a good insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you may be forcing too much, trying to cover anger, forcing gaps, forcing some kind of emptiness in your mind, I don't think it is the best thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T16:28:28.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2014-08-17T16:36:22.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;People who do meditation encounter this problem often.Do the meditation on loving kindness at least for ten minutes everyday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="672" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T16:36:22.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2014-08-17T17:14:33.253" Score="19" Body="&lt;p&gt;As one Tibetan lama explained in one lecture I attended, this type of anger comes from &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt; to a certain form of &lt;em&gt;clarity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because in meditation you experience clarity born of unification of mind (lack of inner conflict), when in post-meditation a conflict between &quot;is&quot; and &quot;should&quot; arises, attachment to clarity leads to suffering, rejection of which then manifests as anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read up on tanha (craving) and the second noble truth, then watch yourself carefully millisecond-by-millisecond and try to catch the moment just before the anger arises. For this to be possible you may have to establish mindfulness of body first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More broadly, a usual problem with beginning meditators is so-called &quot;spiritual materialism&quot;. If one sees oneself as (secretly) superior to others, one's practice becomes a (secret) way to confirm one's superiority. This leads to irritation due to (projected) imperfections of others. This is likely why your empathy is reduced. You should be stalking and murdering your ego, instead of feeding it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately with increased popularity of direct methods in the West, like meditation and chakras/energy-yoga, problems like yours are bound to get more common. Opening the floodgate of Emptiness without having built a strong foundation of Discipline can only lead to Rudrahood. I personally am a big proponent of at least 5 years of Sila practice before one is introduced to meditation or energy-yoga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T18:08:22.827" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T18:08:22.827" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2720" CreationDate="2014-08-17T17:25:18.773" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/s/suukarakhata_s.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.palikanon.com&lt;/a&gt; has a clearer translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha questions Sāriputta at Sūkarakhatalena as to why a monk who&#xA;  has destroyed the āsavas should revere the Buddha and his teachings.&#xA;  Sāriputta answers that it is because such a monk has secured freedom&#xA;  from the yoke. &quot;What kind of security is it?&quot; asks the Buddha, and&#xA;  Sāriputta explains that it is security obtained by the cultivation of&#xA;  the five indriyas of faith, energy, etc. S.v.233f.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Arahant reveres the Buddha and his teaching not because he/she has anything left to attain, but because the Buddha and the Dhamma are what led him/her to Nibbana. The faculty of faith peaks out when a being attains Arahantship. The closer you get to Nibbana, the more respect and appreciation you will have for the Buddha and his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, venerable Sariputta attained Arahantship by listening to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.074.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dīghanakha (or Vedanāpariggaha) Sutta&lt;/a&gt; at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/s/suukarakhatalena.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sūkarakhata cave&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T17:56:29.690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T17:56:29.690" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2725" CreationDate="2014-08-17T18:02:07.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my perspective mindfulness it isn't as easy as just deciding to be mindful much in the same way as meditation isn't as easy as just calming the mind. There is something very tangible that doesn't want to be mindful. Something that likes the chaos and chatter of an unguarded mind. There is some part of us i think that wants to be distracted, to not be here with whatever this is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance my life is probably quite similar to OP's life in some ways. I have a 4 your old daughter. I hold down a job in an IT company that can sometimes be stressful and maybe even overwhelming. I lead a busy life. I do try to practice mindfulness in the everyday as I believe it is a powerful practice. It's a practice I also find difficult. Here is just some areas I have tried (and often failed) to apply a bit more mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When walking from place to place I try not to habitually put headphones in. As fascinating as the latest podcast is - it isn't the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When waiting for a train I try not to flick idly through the free paper. Just stand on the platform and if I'm thinking then fine. And if I'm not thinking of anything then even better&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When coming how late from work and no-one is around the temptation is almost overwhelming to put the TV on and slump in front of it. I really try (and often fail) to just eat and know that I am eating.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyday mindfulness is a fascinating thing. It fascinates me how often I run away from what is actually happening and why I habitually do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said this answer is borne purely out of my own experience. It perfectly possible that everyone else finds mindfulness stunningly easy. I suspect not though - my difficulties might be on the edge of a spectrum but I'm sure I'm not unique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck with the practice should you decide to take it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T18:02:07.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2734" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2737" CreationDate="2014-08-17T18:07:54.453" Score="3" ViewCount="477" Body="&lt;p&gt;When considering the 5 hindrances I always come across the tiredness hindrance translated as sloth and torpor. Since it is always (in my experience) translated as two words does the sloth and torpor hindrance embody two related but distinct phenomena? Is sloth somehow different to torpor? Is the original Pali two terms or is it just one concept that is just always translated as the two words - sloth and torpor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:48:35.500" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:48:35.500" Title="Is sloth the same thing as torpor?" Tags="|pali-language|terminology|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2735" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-17T19:31:20.050" Score="5" ViewCount="3256" Body="&lt;p&gt;As the Bodhisattva had to leave his wife and son behind to become the Buddha and as the monks do a similar thing (avoiding marriage etc), I would like to know if this is some kind of precondition to enlightment, if a being needs to stay away from his family for a while and avoid new karmic bonds (marriage/children) in his way to enlightment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T20:21:44.757" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T05:27:47.743" Title="Can a person reach enlightment living an average life, married with children?" Tags="|enlightenment|parents|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2014-08-17T19:33:05.907" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation isn't about clearing your mind or finding peace and happiness or love and compassion. Meditation is practiced so you can experientially come to understand the true nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The true nature of reality is the Three Universal Characteristics ( impermanence, suffering and non-self) And the teaching of the Four Noble Truths will again, experientially, allow you to realize why the &quot;ignorant&quot; mind, the mind with wrong-view, will always lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, you have an &quot;ignorant&quot; mind, a mind which believes it can control things, a mind which is going against the natural law of the universe!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this is the reason why you are becoming angry and frustrated, it is because you don't yet see or understand how true reality works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote Eckhart Tolle : &quot;What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? what could be more insane than to oppose life itself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this has helped!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T11:28:28.197" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T11:28:28.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2734" CreationDate="2014-08-17T23:34:30.597" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan tradition torpor (Pali &lt;code&gt;middha&lt;/code&gt;) is explained as heavy sleepiness, while sloth (Pali &lt;code&gt;thina&lt;/code&gt;) is explained as laziness, lack of motivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in case of sloth, you are not drowsy, just don't feel like striving. While in case of torpor, you kinda want to strive but can't, because your mind is so unwieldy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-17T23:39:32.477" LastActivityDate="2014-08-17T23:39:32.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2726" CreationDate="2014-08-18T02:18:50.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About Pure Land of Pure Land Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Upon entry into the Pure Land, the practitioner is instructed by&#xA;  Amitābha Buddha and numerous bodhisattvas until full and complete&#xA;  enlightenment is reached. This person then &lt;strong&gt;has the choice of&#xA;  returning at any time as a bodhisattva&lt;/strong&gt; to any of the six realms of&#xA;  existence in order to help all sentient beings in saṃsāra, or to stay&#xA;  the whole duration, reach Buddhahood, and subsequently deliver beings&#xA;  to the shore of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the Sphere of No Form:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvas ... are never born in the Ārūpyadhātu even when&#xA;  they have attained the arūpadhyānas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the Pure Abodes tier of the  Sphere of Form:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because a Śuddhāvāsa deva will never be reborn outside the Śuddhāvāsa&#xA;  worlds, no Bodhisattva is ever born in these worlds, as a Bodhisattva&#xA;  must ultimately be reborn as a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the rest of the realms of the Sphere of Form the beings continuously dwell in the state of mind corresponding to one of the four dhyanas, and therefore arguably cannot possibly be &quot;instructed by Amitabha Buddha and numerous bodhisattvas&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leaves the Sphere of Desire (kamadhatu) of which the only appropriate place for Pure Lands is the world of gods (aka Heavens). Indeed, the famous Tusita heaven is where the Bodhisattva Natha currently resides, who will later be born as the next Buddha, Maitreya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tuṣita (Sanskrit) or Tusita (Pāli) is one of the six deva-worlds of&#xA;  the Kāmadhātu, located between the Yāma heaven and the Nirmāṇarati&#xA;  heaven.&#xA;  [...]&#xA;  In Mahayana Buddhist thought, the Tuṣita Heaven is where all&#xA;  Bodhisattvas destined to reach full enlightenment in their next life&#xA;  dwell for a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tuṣita is part of the same world-system as Earth, and so is relatively&#xA;  close, whereas the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha is treated as a&#xA;  separate world-system entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From all of the above it follows that Pure Land of Pure Land Buddhism are inside &quot;the usual six realms&quot;, namely they are part of the heaven realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T02:23:56.177" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T02:23:56.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2734" CreationDate="2014-08-18T04:03:21.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;They occur together hence why the words &quot;Thina Midda&quot; appear together and translated as Sloth and Torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T04:03:21.883" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2014-08-18T04:46:14.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Much information is covered in the other answers, hence a small clarification of what is generally belief in Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can become Enlightened while a house holder but you have to ordinate before 7 days after becoming enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T04:46:14.170" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2742" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-18T08:41:05.853" Score="5" ViewCount="1822" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Life of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; (also mentioned among Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miracles of Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt;) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the legends about this birth, the baby began to walk seven steps forward and at each step a lotus flower appeared on the ground. Then, at the seventh stride, he stopped and with a noble voice shouted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I am chief of the world,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Eldest am I in the world,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Foremost am I in the world.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;This is the last birth.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;There is now no more coming to be.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I feel like the legend is far-fetched from the truth. Any comments or alternative views are very welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T06:21:56.043" Title="Is there any truth in the legend about the birth of Siddhartha?" Tags="|the-buddha|legends|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2735" CreationDate="2014-08-18T09:10:28.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sotapatti&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sakadagami&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anagami&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arahant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So It is quite possible that a normal person can attend the Sotapatti state with the normal life style. In fact there were lot of lay people who attended these stages. Found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Lay_arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; wiki page with lot of information about enlightened lay people according to various Suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="29" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T09:10:28.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-18T10:04:48.750" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends what you mean by truth. If you mean did this actually occur then I would agree it does seem far fetched. However if you understand it as a myth then it will have truth. I think sometimes we understand myths as been basically being synonymous with fiction. However myths have a deeper truth that is relevant to the culture or society that it comes from. Authors such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Joseph Campbell&lt;/a&gt; go further and say that myths have a truth that cuts across cultures and societies - a comparative mythology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story above could be understood as a variant of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_mythology#The_structure_of_hero_stories&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hero story&lt;/a&gt; which typically have miraculous or supernatural beginnings. The story of Christ could be understood in the same way (though obviously not everyone would be happy with this interpretation). This kind of comparative mythology can be seen in other places in the Buddha's life story. His enlightenment experience can be seen as occurring on the world navel (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_mythology#Axis_mundi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;axis mundi&lt;/a&gt;) as well as more prosaically under the Bodhi tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joeseph Campbells book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces.html?id=I1uFuXlvFgMC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Hero with a 1000 Faces&lt;/a&gt;, is a good place to start if you are interested in these ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T10:04:48.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2684" CreationDate="2014-08-18T10:32:27.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It should be highlighted that there are two different aspects of thangka painting - iconography and methods. The book mentioned in the question describes the methods only and such knowledge should not be considered as a part of some Buddhist teachings. Iconography, however, is an important aspect of Tibetan Buddhism used in thankgas, statues and visualisation practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not straightforward to get access to texts describing the details of a given Buddha form. Tibetan Buddhism is based on a direct (usually oral) transmission and some texts are allowed to be used only after the authorization from the teacher. For example, I did receive the authorization to practise the meditation on Vajrasattva and I totally agree that the Dorje should be in the right hand of the deity. (Admittedly, this very detail can easily be checked on Google images by typing in 'Vajrasattva' or 'Dorje Sempa'.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Iconography of Yidams (Buddha forms) is very strict and systematic. Every detail of a form has a meaning and thus if one wants to use the thankga (or a statue) for practise purposes, it has to be painted correctly. In practice it means that the artist should have a proper training - possibly a direct transmission from another artist and/or meditation master. I've also heard that the best if the artist is meditating on the Buddha form while he is painting it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know some people who are buying thangkas and statues in Nepal to be later distributed in European Buddhist centres. They said that they never buy ready-made thangkas as most probably they are made for the tourist market that is for the customers that use them as a decoration rather than for a proper Yidam practice. The most reliable way of obtaining a genuine thangka is to find a renowned artist and commission a specific thangka from him. Then one can be sure that it will be done with all the due care as the artist knows that he can spend days or weeks on one painting because he will be paid for his hard work immediately. Afterwards the thankga should be checked by some master who has a transmission on that Buddha form to confirm whether it indeed has been done correctly. One may wonder why it is such a hassle. Well, either one wants to have a nice decoration on the wall or one wants to practise on Yidams. There is nothing wrong with having some Buddha picture on the wall if one finds it inspiring and calm-giving. If the thangka lacks some details, no harm is actually done. If one wants to practise on Yidam, however, the Yidam itself has to be painted with all the fine details. But then it presumably means that one obtained some authorization and explanations from the teacher who is also able to check the quality of the thangka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T10:32:27.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-18T11:04:52.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of different stories regarding the Buddha, some of them became popular, but we know are not true, for example: He escaped in the middle of the night while no one was watching. We know he didn't scape like a prisoner, instead he cut his hair in front of his father, his father knew Siddharta was leaving to a homelessness life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The birth and death of the Buddha have also the same issues with different versions, some say he was born from the arm of her mother, some say he walked before crawing, some say he spoke imeditialy without teeth, well, this is what I think is important: If the story is clear in the sutta pitaka, then you have a good basis to believe in it, if the story is just some popular story, then it is more suspicious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T15:58:03.623" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T15:58:03.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-18T11:53:40.290" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has been taught throughout centuries to people of different cultural backgrounds and intellectual capabilities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Western people with critical minds who spent years at school read some legends with a pinch of salt. But they should accept it that for other people such stories make perfect sense, inspire them and bring them closer to enlightenment. Buddhism is like a pharmacy, we can't get all the teachings in one go, we only need some specific medicine to treat our individual illness. No need to elaborate on what other patients are taking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T11:53:40.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2704" CreationDate="2014-08-18T12:07:09.067" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of Nāgārjuna's main contributions to Buddhist though was the development of the doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nargajuna#Sunyata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sunyata&lt;/a&gt; or emptiness. This was a reaction to the development in the doctrines of the Abhidharma by some of the early Buddhist schools (for instance the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarv%C4%81stiv%C4%81din&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sarvastivada&lt;/a&gt;). In those schools there developed the concept of things (dharmas) that had some form of independent existence i.e were not subject to dependent origination. I will quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhyamaka#Abhidharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; on this point&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Madhyamaka school [&lt;em&gt;Nāgārjuna traditionally seen as founding this school&lt;/em&gt;] has been perhaps simplistically regarded as a&#xA;  reaction against the development of the Abhidharma, especially the&#xA;  Sarvāstivādin. In the Abhidharma, dharmas are characterized by&#xA;  defining traits (lakṣaṇa) or own-existence (svabhāva), whose&#xA;  ontological status is not dependent upon concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nāgārjuna therefore refuted this and insisted that all things are inherently empty and do not have an independent existence. This means everything not just sentient beings. Nāgārjuna is also linked to the Perfection of Wisdom sutras and the Heart Sutra is particularly good on this point (please note I'm using the translation that we use in the Triratna Buddhist Community - scroll halfway down &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fwbo-news.org/resources/Triratna_Resource_Pack_for_Newcomers_texts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this document&lt;/a&gt; for the full version).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, in emptiness, no form, No feeling, thought, or choice, Nor is&#xA;  there consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; No colour,&#xA;  sound, smell, taste, touch, Or what the mind takes hold of, Nor even&#xA;  act of sensing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So nothing in the psychophysical organism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No ignorance or end of it&#xA;  , Nor all that comes of ignorance; No&#xA;  withering, no death, No end of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or ignorance or death/withering (so no &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lakshanas&lt;/a&gt; maybe?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor is there pain, or cause of pain, Or cease in pain, or noble path&#xA;  To lead from pain; Not even wisdom to attain! Attainment too is&#xA;  emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or even no four noble truths or eightfold path. So not much left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So hopefully this giving a flavour of the radical nature of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note this isn't a complete answer. There are other areas of Nāgārjuna's philosophy that I haven't covered such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nargajuna#Two_truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;two truths&lt;/a&gt; largely due to a complete absence of knowledge on my part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T12:07:09.067" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-18T12:54:36.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on how 'far-fetched' your definition of far-fetched is.&#xA;In islamic scripture, Mohamed rides a flying animal (the '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buraq&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;buraq&lt;/a&gt;') to heaven. If you think it makes sense, then it make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="675" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-16T17:44:31.507" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T17:44:31.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1908" CreationDate="2014-08-18T14:43:48.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Refuge tree is a visual representation of the objects of refuge. All the Buddhist schools take refuge in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triratna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Jewels&lt;/a&gt; (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) but in Mahayana and Vajrayana practitioners also take refuge in the teacher - Lama, who in fact unites &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Roots&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Roots&lt;/a&gt; - Blessing (Lama), Methods (Yidams) and Protection (Protectors). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me illustrate the above information with the Refuge Tree of Karma Kagyu lineage shown below. In the middle we have a blue Buddha (Dorje Chang) who represents the Lama, the main refuge in the lineage. To his right, in a circle, we have 10 Buddhas (of ten directions) which represent the first Jewel - Buddha. Behind the tree on top we see a rectangular building which represents the second Jewel - Dharma (Buddha's teachings). To the left of Dorje Chang there is a circle of Bodhisattvas with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chenrezig&lt;/a&gt; in the middle - they represent Sangha, the third Jewel. As for the Three Roots, we have the whole Karma Kagyu lineage above Dorje Chang which represents the blessing of the Lamas. Right below him there are Yidams and below the Yidams there are Protectors (wrathful forms surrounded by flames). If you're interested in details, see this &lt;a href=&quot;http://users.iafrica.com/b/bs/bscases/refugetree/refugetree.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;interactive map&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/RWgxN.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana the Refuge Tree is used in the first part of the preliminary practices (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%B6ndro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ngöndro&lt;/a&gt;) - prostrations. One is visualizing the tree in front of them and is performing the actual physical prostrations in front of it while repeating the Refuge texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T14:43:48.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-18T15:49:36.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Concerning the study of religion, an approach for historical accuracy is irrelevant. Most creation myths/stories contain their own disclaimers. . . its a myth/story. However in context of the religion the story may be evaluated. It does not need to hold to outside standards, but rather internally to the context of the religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One example would be that what was said in your example was not Siddhartha, but the Buddha speaking.  That the transcendent nature of the Buddha allowed him to express his nature and overcome the human limitations.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another approach would be to examine the cultural significance of the reaction and make them a parable of the divine nature of Siddhartha. Many people point out that the 'seven days' of creation can be accepted into science by giving a god a 'cosmic' sense of time.  By attaching meanings to these actions these legends are not meant to carry the numerical truth, but rather a higher truth or knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the question &quot;Did Siddhartha live?&quot; is one of history. The question of &quot;Did [Mythical Religious leader] do [Action]?&quot; becomes very touchy, and are usually studied without asking if they existed, but rather how their existence influenced a religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But with religious figures and the stories of their lives, it is better to separate historical from religious purposes.  So many people feel that adding a historical 'fact' to their beliefs will validate their beliefs.  And yet most people wish to ignore everything we call fact starts from belief in a thing called fact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look into philosophy and religious studies to see how beliefs are handled and keep in mind your beliefs on science are beliefs. Just because you believe in your history and data, does not trump another beliefs no matter how far fetched they are. Nobody has 'proven' gravity, history or even reality. The more you know, the more you are aware of how little we know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="676" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-18T17:16:29.967" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T17:16:29.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2754" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8936" CreationDate="2014-08-18T16:26:57.200" Score="3" ViewCount="337" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many practising Buddhists that I know also have strong ecological concerns. Is this concern for 'green' issues part of Buddhism or do the two things just attract the same kind of people i.e. people that like Buddhism also like green issues. Specifically does concern for the environment have any basis in canonical texts or commentaries or is it a modern development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:57:48.973" LastActivityDate="2022-12-30T15:30:10.083" Title="Are ecological concerns supported explicitly in Buddhism?" Tags="|modern-world|belief|science|texts|ethics|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2755" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-18T17:04:05.800" Score="4" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan book of the dead is very famous and widely known, but how about rebirth in the Theravada tradition? Is there anything similar to an intermediate dimension or does death automatically lead to rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-19T08:08:25.620" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T08:08:25.620" Title="Is there an intermediate state between death and rebirth in Theravada tradition?" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|death|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2756" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2760" CreationDate="2014-08-18T17:44:56.703" Score="4" ViewCount="1775" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some time ago, I found a mala in a shop that I was quite drawn to for reasons I cannot explain. At the time I thought it was wood but as the stain wore off I saw it was bone. This lead me to do some research into Bone Malas and I learned about tantric buddhism and wrathful meditation. This in turn lead me to a mantra I started repeating with the mala 108 times every day. Everything I read said I needed a master or guru to help initiate or guide me. So my question is how dangerous is this? Do I need a guru, and how on earth does one get initiated into a a type of buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="677" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:53:47.913" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:53:47.913" Title="Is Practicing Tantric/Wrathful Meditation Dangerous Without a Guru?" Tags="|personal-practice|tibetan-buddhism|bon|tantra|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2757" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-18T18:36:00.460" Score="3" ViewCount="54" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if the idea of having a council was something suggested by the Buddha, also I would like to know if he had any influence in the way the teachings are currently grouped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T17:16:00.147" Title="Did the Buddha approved the idea of a council or was it a decision made after he passed away?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2063" CreationDate="2014-08-18T20:20:41.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating I was taught to hold my hands in the cosmic mudra as shown below. It's used as a comfortable position to hold one's hands during meditation. The thumbs should be touching but not pressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it's indicative of the mental states encountered during meditation. If the thumbs have become pressed tightly together then the meditator is probably in an anxious or tense state. On the other hand if the thumbs end up not pressing together at all and instead are waggling around in the air then the meditator is probably in a distracted state of mind. I've lost track of the number of times I've 'come round' during a meditation session and my thumbs are pointing in straight up in the air and are not touching at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/O8Q70.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-18T20:20:41.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2756" CreationDate="2014-08-18T23:58:16.853" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is like with children playing doctor: most of the imitation activity they can come up with is going to be harmless, but if they get their hands on &lt;em&gt;real&lt;/em&gt; medications and start &lt;em&gt;actually&lt;/em&gt; taking them at random, then they can get into real trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly with Tantra, as long as all you do is mindlessly repeat some mantras and get a tattoo of a wrathful deity on your arm, you'll be alright. But if you were to read some serious self-visualization guidelines and started imagining yourself as a random yidam, then you might very likely exhaust all your energy and consequently die, or worse, get stuck in a nightmarish realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's nice about gurus, they know what you need to do, and most importantly &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt;. In other words, they see your energy configuration, and they know what the right configuration looks like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The easiest way to get initiated into tantric Buddhism, is to go to a lecture of a local Tibetan lama and sign up for an interview (it is &lt;em&gt;he&lt;/em&gt; who interviews &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;, not the other way around). Based on the interview, if you look serious enough, and most importantly &lt;em&gt;cooperative&lt;/em&gt; enough that the guru won't have to argue with you over every little practice (&quot;why do I have to do 100,000 prostrations?!&quot;) -- then you may get accepted for a Ngöndro course. (Many teachers tend to have all their new students begin NGondro at the same time, so you may hear &quot;Lama such-and-such accepts students for a new NGondro, to start the next spring.&quot;) Ngondro may take anywhere from one to three years during which you will not see anything remotely exciting or interesting. If you have enough diligence to last through Ngondro, and you prove yourself as smart enough to pick up hints and subtleties, but also psychologically stable enough, then you might be accepted into an actual tantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-19T00:31:37.583" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T00:31:37.583" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2757" CreationDate="2014-08-19T00:04:44.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's final exhortation was for his monks to rely primarily upon themselves and their own memory as the means to guide them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my eightieth year, and my life is spent&lt;/strong&gt;. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata is kept going only with supports. It is, Ananda, only when the Tathagata, disregarding external objects, with the cessation of certain feelings, attains to and abides in the signless concentration of mind, that his body is more comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;mdash;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta, DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you tell your followers to be &quot;islands unto yourselves,&quot; can that be construed as &quot;after my death, gather together a council of arahants&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that the Buddha wanted no central authority at all after he was gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-19T17:16:00.147" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T17:16:00.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2762" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-19T00:23:22.870" Score="6" ViewCount="2536" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we are encouraged to make the right choices, make the right effort, keep morality etc. it feels like our future is open. Kamma also points to that direction. The future will be created according to our actions!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, on several occasions, the Buddha spoke about the future as if it were predetermined. A few examples: Person A will become a Buddha, true Dhamma will be replaced, people will live only 10 years, Maitreya Buddha will come etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be confusing! Is the future open? Do we know that some things will happen no matter what? Are they irreversible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-20T11:37:24.443" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T01:18:14.970" Title="Predetermined future vs. Free will in Buddhism" Tags="|free-will|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2755" CreationDate="2014-08-19T00:38:26.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, Vaccha, &lt;strong&gt;a being has laid down this body but has not yet been reborn in another body&lt;/strong&gt;, I declare that it is fueled by craving&lt;sup&gt;382&lt;/sup&gt;. For on that occasion craving is its fuel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;mdash; SN 44:9 &lt;em&gt;The Debating Hall&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn44.9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;, from SuttaCentral)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vaccha, &lt;strong&gt;when a being sets this body aside and is not yet reborn in another body&lt;/strong&gt;, I designate it as craving-sustained, for craving is its sustenance at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;mdash; SN 44:9 &lt;em&gt;Kutuhalasala Sutta: With Vacchagotta&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thanissaro&lt;/a&gt;, from Access to insight)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's Bhikku Bodhi's note #382 in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connected-discourses-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;printed edition of the Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tam ahaṃ taṇhūpādānaṃ vadāmi&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha’s statement seems to imply that a temporal gap can intervene between the death moment and reconception. Since this contradicts Theravāda orthodoxy, Spk contends that at the death moment itself the being is said to be “not yet reborn” because the rebirth-consciousness has not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So on the one hand, there's Theravadin orthodoxy which denies it. On the other, there are passages in the Pāli canon, as above, which could be taken to support it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally take the passage above as literal and that the Buddha says some kind of state between death and birth exists, without being specific as to how long it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other resources I found when searching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/rebirth-and-the-in-between-state-in-early-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth and the in-between state in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Sujato&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&amp;amp;t=1670&amp;amp;start=20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammawheel.com post&lt;/a&gt; on the subject&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JKkPSSkb9kwJ:www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D66%26t%3D4146+&amp;amp;cd=2&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;ct=clnk&amp;amp;gl=us&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Google cache&lt;/a&gt; of a thread on dhammawheel.net discussing the same subject&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this last link, one of the posts as dhammawheel.net mentions, very apropos of Bodhi's comment on Spk:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The main reason the commentaries go to lengths to deny a bardo is because it's inconsistent with the scholastic Abhidhamma framework, and the associated notion of a single moment of rebirth-linking consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T00:38:26.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2756" CreationDate="2014-08-19T00:59:31.530" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;+1 to Andrei's answer. I'd like to add just one thing, which is that yes, it is hard to find someone to play the role of the guru for tantric practice. In America in particular, there's a tendency for ordinary people to fall into one of two extremes: extreme independence, individualism, and mistrust of spiritual authority; or, when one encounters a &quot;guru&quot; who triggers something inside you, extreme devotion and mindless abnegation of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll briefly comment on why I am comfortable with my guru. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the outermost level, I have examined his background and training and I know that he is highly educated in the traditions that I'm interested in, which in my case is all the Tibetan traditions, Buddhist and Bon. At this point I've had enough years to study some of the texts in these traditions, and I recognize that the stuff he seems to know accords and complements with my own readings of the texts. So I trust his intellectual knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;At a more inner level, I've known him long enough to feel that he is kind. You know how some of your friends you trust to bail you out when you really, really need it? They might be jokers or goof-offs, but you know that when push comes to shove, they got your back. Over time and experience, I developed this sense of trust in the guru's compassion for me. This doesn't mean he goes around feeding every single puppy and starving baby in the world until he collapses from exhaustion; if he did, then he wouldn't be much good to me or any of his other formal students. But his kindness for his own circle is certain.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the very subtle or secret level, when I examine the, shall we say, &quot;epic narrative&quot; of my life, my own personal conclusion is that it looks like I was seeking wisdom, and gradually came closer and closer, and eventually developed a stable personal relationship with a teacher. The story plays right with my intuition. I can't explain that more specifically except to say that it was a natural development; it's not like I dropped acid then took off all my clothes and moved to another continent and then said &quot;hey look I found my guru!&quot; I mean, if that really works for you, I'm not judging; my point is simply that this connection arose fairly smoothly and naturally for me (although it took many years).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To round out that general set of principles, a couple other tidbits I think are important are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Andrei says, if you're at a loss for where to start, then a formal Ngondro with a Tibetan lama is a good way to go. Ngondro doesn't require a strict samaya (vows of devotion to the guru), so you can start the Ngondro and still keep your eyes open as you intelligently evaluate the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch out for Westerners who call themselves gurus. At the risk of exoticism, I will say frankly and honestly that although I have encountered many, many Western students of Buddhism who have wonderful hearts and great insight as guides, I have yet to encounter more than I can count on one hand of Westerners who appear (or even who have a reputation for) legitimately having mastered the kind of advanced tantric practices that the OP is asking about. It's just not there yet.  Tantric Buddhism has been available to Americans for what, 30 or 40 years? That's not really that long. It's not a huge strike against us that it hasn't fully taken root yet.  I know that my lama is very clear that his deepest heartfelt desire is to transmit his lineage to his Western students so that the teaching lineage can really take root here, and I imagine that many other Tibetan lamas feel the same way. I honestly don't think they're holding out on us. (Well, maybe some of them are.) But it's a challenging task; the teaching has to happen across a pretty wide gulf of language and culture, and it's no surprise that it would be a slow process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beware of &quot;peak experiences&quot;. Just because someone facilitates a peak experience for you, doesn't mean they're a qualified guru. You might feel amazing in ways you never imagined possible, but trust me, I can give you drugs that will take you even farther, and then when you come back to Earth I'm still just some dude on the internet, so please don't give me all your money and devote your life to me just because I spent time in the rave scene in the '90s when the E was pure.  (Note: I'm referring to the saga of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in Oregon, a noted case of cult-building through drug sacraments. It happens.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T00:59:31.530" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-19T01:11:39.520" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the best answer to this is in the concept of &quot;noble silence&quot; which is often described when the Buddha was asked such questions.  Basically what it comes down to is, are you looking for answers to a lot of philosophical questions? If that's your main interest, then go to grad school in philosophy. On the other hand, if you're looking for guidance in a system of mental (and, sometimes, body) techniques that help you lighten up, not take yourself and your drama so seriously, and be kinder to other people, then buddhism may be able to provide that for you. As with everything else, though, there are no guarantees in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, hopefully that serves as a caveat that there isn't such a thing as a definitive buddhist answer to such metaphysical questions, (or a definitive answer, period) but I'll provide my own best shot at an answer. Free will and determinism don't have to be black and white.  You feel like you could freely choose to walk any direction you want at the next moment, but actually you can't choose to walk straight up or down. There are some choices you get to make, and others that are constrained by causes and conditions. From a buddhist perspective, walking up and down is less important than the inner psychological constraints on your freedom that occur from your own afflictive emotions (klesha). So in some sense, you could say that the purpose of Buddhist practice is to help you move farther towards free will by dissolving or otherwise getting past the inter constraints of karma in your own mind, and in your chain of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T01:11:39.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1988" CreationDate="2014-08-19T01:12:16.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read whereby people meditating on the 12-nidanas (12 links of dependent origination) have remembered their previous lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="668" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T01:12:16.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2014-08-19T01:21:01.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a question is being asked about the precise details of a purported factual event in historical time 2500 years ago, then there is no possible answer other than to say that there is no hope of ever confirming or denying any such thing on that level. There are no video recordings left over from 2500 years ago, and so on. The kinds of evidence that one might take as strictly definitive simply do not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest a &quot;middle way&quot; between two extremes of doubt and credulity. Doubt says, I &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; how the world works; and this doesn't accord with what I know, so it's wrong, wrong, wrong.  Credulity says I'm desperate for something to believe in to make me feel like there's something special out there to hold on to, so I'm going to rabidly defend all the myths against any kind of interpretation or anything short of my own strict literalism. Either one of these extremes are really just manifestations of some kind of neuroticism and suffering. A flexible mind simply must accept that no solid answer is possible.  Conversely, opening up to the uncertainty is a good exercise for making the mind more flexible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another good exercise in flexibility is understanding context.  So probably don't say you believe this story when you are in the context of, say, a job interview for a position as a scientist...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T01:21:01.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2725" CreationDate="2014-08-19T02:24:40.920" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Activities and other people in life demand attention and energy. One may not always be present during periods of exertion. Yet, one will always be in the present whether or not they are conscious of that fact. &quot;Time is an illusion&quot; was an especially favorite phrase I picked up from Eckhart Tolle's book, The Power Of Now. Clock time is very important and is what we measure our progression against. This should not be mistaken to be real, however. All that has been, is, and will ever be is Now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reference:&#xA;Tolle, Eckhart (2004) The Power Of Now. New World Library; 1ST edition.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="680" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T02:24:40.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2014-08-19T07:55:09.337" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;AFAIK there aren't any explicit references in the scriptures to ecological concerns and sustainability. I guess that in the days of the Buddha, there weren't many problems in that area. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_sustainability&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ideas behind sustainability aren't new&lt;/a&gt;, but it wasn't until the second half of the 20th century (the energy crises in the 70s) that they became more prominent and that the growth of the entire human population and increased resource consumption were seen as a potential major problem for mankind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think what makes environmentalism and sustainability so interesting for Buddhists (or the other way around?) is that several main ideas are rather similar, or at least in line with each other. &#xA;For example, the Buddha taught that everything, all life, is connected (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratityasamutpada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;). Also there is no self, the self only exists in dependence upon causes and conditions (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anatman&lt;/a&gt;). This means that if you damage the Earth then you indirectly are also damaging a part of yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also teaches us that we should take the middle way, lead a simple life, don't engage in addictive behavior or excessive consumption, be kind to others. These ideas are also prominent in sustainability. We shouldn't waste resources and should try to improve the living conditions for everyone, not just the rich people living in the Western world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question; I think Buddhism and environmentalism/sustainability just attract the same kind of people. People that really care for the well-being of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, being a protem moderator of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sustainability.stackexchange.com&quot;&gt;Sustainable Living SE site&lt;/a&gt;, I can't resist making at least one reference to that site here. ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T07:55:09.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2014-08-19T08:47:49.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the basic and profound teachings in Buddhism is about the 'precious human body'. Practitioners contemplate on how rare it is to be reborn as a human and how easy it is to lose life. Some may also know 18 qualities of human life (&lt;a href=&quot;http://randrolsramblings.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/first-reminder-precious-human-existence-dc-khandro-rinpoche-study-group/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;8 freedoms and 10 endowments&lt;/a&gt;). A well-functioning body is a great tool that will help us to reach progressive stages of realisation and once we deeply realise that, we will naturally be taking care of our body. Nowadays going 'green' is one of the ways to lead a healthier lifestyle and I suppose that is why many Buddhists choose to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is that some of the ecology-loving people treat the green issues as a &lt;em&gt;goal&lt;/em&gt; rather than a &lt;em&gt;tool&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhists should strive to have clean environment not because it is nice to have it but because such conditions are beneficial on their way to enlightenment. The teachings on emptiness tell us that on the absolute level everything is pure and beyond 'good' or 'bad' so even during the nuclear winter we can still reach enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T08:47:49.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2771" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2772" CreationDate="2014-08-19T13:09:26.473" Score="8" ViewCount="312" Body="&lt;p&gt;How would I know if I was suffering from spiritual materialism as detailed in Chögyam Trungpa's book &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1309515-cutting-through-spiritual-materialism&quot;&gt;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/a&gt;? Would there be signs that I could recognise in myself and if so what would the signs be? Or is it something that is only evident to other people. Would I need to be told of my condition by a teacher or close friend?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T21:31:33.527" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T21:31:33.527" Title="How would I know if I was suffering from spiritual materialism?" Tags="|books|spiritual-materialism|chogyam-trungpa|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2771" CreationDate="2014-08-19T14:57:11.577" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;You absolutely can recognize it in yourself. Not only &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt;, you definitely &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; put effort in doing so -- it makes a huge difference in one's practice (from my own experience being a student).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spiritual Materialism, (or we could call it Spiritual Accumulation or Spiritual Aggrandizement or Spiritual Indulging) is a tendency of samsaric mind to use spirituality (in its general sense, as an antonym of worldliness) as food for one's ego. Until the illusion of ego disintegrates, that is all the way until Enlightenment, ego uses all kinds of tricks to sustain itself, up to and including Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some of telltaling signs you are suffering from S.M. (you don't need to have them all, one is enough):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You surround yourself with Buddhist paraphernalia (tangkas, statues, prayer wheels, bumper stickers, incense, mantra CDs, tattoos, themed handbags) or you despise people who surround themselves with paraphernalia, for being too superficial;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You enjoy Buddhist workshops and lectures as socializing events, or when others enjoy Buddhist workshops and lectures as socializing events, you stay on sidelines, secretly despising everyone for not being serious about Dharma;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are too interested in &lt;em&gt;levels&lt;/em&gt; of realization and how yourself measure up; or you never think about levels of realization, &quot;because advanced practitioners are above that kind of stuff&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are eager to study obscure Buddhist philosophy and feel that understanding technicalities of Dharma makes you a better practitioner; Or you despise people who indulge in Buddhist philosophical speculation and instead take pride in being a Zen or Tantra student.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are snappy and irritated with worldly people with their childish interests; Or you are being a super-nice or super-humble selfless holy Bodhisattva, while secretly enjoying the glow of your halo;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-19T16:21:12.673" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T16:21:12.673" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2735" CreationDate="2014-08-19T15:11:27.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;some kind of precondition to enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing I think of is as lay Buddhist; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pāramitā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, these virtues are cultivated as a way of purification,&#xA;  purifying karma and helping the aspirant to live an unobstructed life,&#xA;  while reaching the goal of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Jātaka tale (whether you want to believe it or not), there are many example of Buddha past life as normal human living with family and still fulfilling Pāramitā to attain enlightenment, and which is also true for many Buddha's disciples. The only story I can find for Pāramitā related Jātaka tales is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessantara_Jataka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vessantara Jataka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional info:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my Theravada understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Sotāpanna and Sakadagami, they may or may not stay with family. Most Sotāpanna that I heard from the text lived with their family. For example; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel334.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anathapindika&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_3lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;King Bimbisara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakha&lt;/a&gt; known to have a lot of great grandchildren. From page 981 of The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Anāgāmi, they will never live as husband/wife&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Arahant, they will never stay with family. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anāgāmi - already overcome sensual desire (kāmacchando) &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fetter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahant - who has eliminated all the unwholesome roots which underlie the fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T15:11:27.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-19T17:10:39.787" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's say you're studying pottery and throwing a vase on the potter's wheel. Your teacher comes over and says &quot;Too thin. This will collapse in the kiln.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher has not predetermined the destruction of your pot, merely used his accrued experience and skill to predict an outcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably the Buddha knew enough to predict who would be a future Buddha, how many future lifetimes they would have, how many centuries the dhamma would last after his death, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T17:10:39.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2638" CreationDate="2014-08-19T17:40:31.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a neuroscience researcher studying meditation and mindfulness, and also a longtime practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.  Experience suggests to me that it's hard enough for &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; scientist to remain unbiased about her/his own work, and that can only be more challenging for a researcher studying something that he has already received enormous personal benefits from—like myself and meditation. So, I have chosen to cultivate an attitude of healthy skepticism about my own field.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of that, I'll echo Rabbit, whose answer states that the scientific field is young and it's too early to have formed any reliable scientific conclusions. I partially agree that the methodology of most of the studies is &quot;flawed&quot;; however, I think it's more fair to say that the methodology of early exploratory studies was necessarily limited, but now that widespread interest has developed higher quality studies are being designed. This is just an inevitable growth process of a field; high-quality human research studies are extremely expensive and that kind of funding is simply not available until after a certain amount of preliminary evidence has accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to understand the scientific literature on this topic, I think it's important to understand a few distinctions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is the distinction between Buddhist meditation and practice as a system designed to reduce suffering and cultivate compassion by softening the mental habit of grasping at a solid sense of self; and &quot;mindfulness&quot; as a broadly used term for a recently fashionable trend in psychological therapy which had its origins primarily in the aforementioned Buddhist tradition, but which has taken on a secular life of its own.  These two categories, secular mindfulness vs. Buddhist practice, are frequently poorly distinguished in the scientific literature, and in general usage of key terms like &quot;mindfulness&quot; and &quot;meditation&quot; is somewhat sloppy overall. Some publications reporting &quot;benefits of mindfulness&quot; are actually looking at comparisons of groups of, say, long-time Tibetan Buddhist practitioners vs. controls, which is a very different thing than, say, inexperienced novices randomly assigned to a MBSR group for eight weeks, which is in turn very different from an individual-differences study where randomly selected people's scores on a mindfulness psychological questionnaire are shown to correlate with some other values of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important thing to understand is the distinction between specific and non-specific effects. This is a big issue in psychology in general; for example, Bruce Wampold has a large body of evidence showing that psychotherapy in general mainly works because of the &quot;therapeutic alliance&quot; between the therapist and patient, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2009/12/wampold.aspx&quot;&gt;the specific type of therapy is virtually irrelevant.&lt;/a&gt; Likewise, our lab has published research showing &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.investigatinghealthyminds.org/cihmScientificPub.html&quot;&gt;no differences between MBSR and another, non-mindfulness-based health and well-being intervention&lt;/a&gt; on a range of general measures (see MacCoon et. al. 2012 and 2014 at that link). This is NOT to say that the interventions in question are &quot;ineffective&quot;; to the contrary, they are &lt;em&gt;quite&lt;/em&gt; effective.  What is missing is scientific evidence regarding how, specifically, one unique technique is effective, and how it might be uniquely different in its effects from the wide range of various things one might do to improve physical and mental health. This is kind of a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it's good news, because it means the science supports the idea that you don't have to worry &lt;em&gt;too much&lt;/em&gt; about doing &lt;em&gt;exactly&lt;/em&gt; the right thing. On the other hand, it's bad news, because in &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; cases it might be important to choose exactly the right thing, and we don't know how to do that yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I'm going to say a few things about what I think might be &lt;em&gt;hinted at but not yet proven&lt;/em&gt; in the scientific literature, with regard to &lt;em&gt;specific&lt;/em&gt; benefits related to &lt;em&gt;Buddhist practice and/or the aspects of mindfulness that are most closely related thereto&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I mentioned briefly above, the more or less uniquely Buddhist practice of suffering-reduction is based on reducing the habit of grasping at a sense of solid and enduring self that is threatened by change and uncertainty. There are a few areas where I &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; (but certainly can't prove yet) that the scientific literature is on the right track for this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One starts with Jon Kabat-Zinn's own early seminal publications on MBSR. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7042457&quot;&gt;first paper published on the topic&lt;/a&gt; states, &quot;the SR&amp;amp;RP [earlier name for MBSR] functions as a 'net' to catch patients who tend to 'fall through the cracks' in the health care delivery system, neither improving in their medical system over time nor feeling satisfied with the results of the traditional medical management of their problem(s)... Many chronic pain patients ultimately receive the verdict that 'you're going to have to learn to live with this.' The SR&amp;amp;RP helps teach patients the &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; of living with chronic pain.&quot; The implication here is that the early clinical successes reported for MBSR were in populations that were receiving it as a last resort. They were highly motivated because all other promises of relief had failed, and they were highly primed by their last-resort status to accept the message of acceptance and non-striving that is part of mindfulness. In other words, the motivation was there to truly let go of something deep about themselves. I would say that this process is necessary for any truly specific effects of mindfulness; and the level of motivation necessary makes it very unlikely that this process will show up in studies with random assignment to groups, or non-last-resort populations. In summary, I think the literature hints that mindfulness has unique and specific benefits for populations who are truly at a last resort and have no choice but to accept acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other regards autoimmune conditions. Among the early MBSR research was also a finding of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9773769&quot;&gt;benefit for psoriasis.&lt;/a&gt; Also, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.investigatinghealthyminds.org/cihmScientificPub.html&quot;&gt;work of Melissa Rosenkranz in our lab&lt;/a&gt; has been steadily closing in on a specific function of mindfulness for fine-tuning the immune system. Note that Dr. Rosenkranz's papers at that link do not &lt;em&gt;yet&lt;/em&gt; fully make that case, but I am hopeful that her work is moving toward putting the pieces together to show that mindfulness, even relative to the active control intervention, has unique benefits in training the immune system to properly distinguish biological &quot;self&quot; from infection, which is the necessary condition for improving autoimmune conditions. This is particularly intriguing given the fundamental role of the psychological &quot;self&quot; in Buddhist practice and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in conclusion, I'd say that there is a lot of evidence of non-specific benefits of Mindfulness, Buddhist practice, etc. There is no conclusive evidence yet of any effects specific to any of the different meanings of the word &quot;mindfulness&quot;. However, there is some evidence beginning to accumulate for some specific beneficial effects, particularly in areas regarding appropriately high levels of motivation, and conditions that are relevant to the uniquely self-related aspects of Buddhism/mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, all that aside, my own personal experience of benefit from my Buddhist practice is a very different story from all that, but that's not really the topic of this question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T17:40:31.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2681" CreationDate="2014-08-19T17:53:36.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditating with the eyes open allows more connection to the sensory experience, while meditating with the eyes closed provides more insulation from distraction. There are advantages and disadvantages either way. With less distraction, it's easier to stabilize the mind; this might be very helpful for some people.  On the other hand, with less sensory input, it's easier to get lost in your own little world, lost in wandering thoughts, lost in experiences of bliss that might arise from strong states of concentration. In addition with long-term practice it's somewhat easier to develop a sense of separation from the world, which is different from &quot;non attachment&quot; and can lead to people acting like they're better than everyone else, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, with eyes open and more sensory input, it may be overwhelming and difficult to stabilize the mind at all. Only a few people are probably capable of doing any kind of meditation while, say, staring at a busy street scene in Manhattan (but some are!) But on the other hand, the meditation practice that does develop will be more ensured to maintain a connection with the senses and the outside world. It is more likely to develop an equanimity and mental stability that is tolerant of the vicissitudes of the outside world, rather than an equanimity that compels one to &quot;run away&quot; to the forest, the mountains, the monasteries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is somewhat of a tendency that traditions emphasizing individual liberation from suffering teach meditation with the eyes closed; while traditions emphasizing first the development of compassion for others teach meditation with the eyes open. (Because of the differences mentioned above.) Nevertheless, in either case, there is some wiggle room for whatever works best for the individual at her/his current stage of development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice with a qualified teacher, someone who is good at deeply perceiving you rather than merely spouting lists of instructions, then they will be able to give you good advice. Otherwise, feel free to experiment, keeping the opposing considerations in mind, and find a good balance for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T17:53:36.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-19T18:01:58.867" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do we know that some things will happen no matter what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed we do! We are all going to die one day, no matter what! Humans and animals age, no matter what! If a person dies with craving/ignorance still present in the mind, he/she will be born again, no matter what! If a person commits one of the 5 great sins, he/she can't attain Nibbana within the same life and will be born in hell the next life, no matter what! If a person becomes Sothapanna, he/she will attain Nibbana within 7 lives, no matter what! The world will come to an end one day, no matter what! Likewise, if a Bodhisattva gets the confirmation from a Buddha that he will become a Buddha in the future, it will happen no matter what!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are irreversible causes present for something to happen, you can't prevent it from happening. But that doesn't mean all causes are irreversible. So for certain things, the future is written in stone. Others you can change or influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T18:01:58.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-19T18:12:56.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lifelong mental rigidity and dogmatism is much more an obstacle to any Buddhist concept of liberation, than a single drop of alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Methexis's answer seems very thoughtful and balanced to me. Methexis understands the limits of dogmatism, and also understands her/his own self well enough to choose intelligently to take on a strict abstinence from alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, those answers who simply state &quot;all alcohol is bad&quot; seem to be missing the point. One drop of alcohol does not impair your clarity of mind more than, say, working a regular job past 2 in the afternoon. For that matter, one whole beer impairs your mind a lot less than many people's average work schedule and sleep deprivation. Does it really make sense to say &quot;ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL!!!&quot; but not even consider other things that could be far worse impairments?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as for the argument that any consumption of alcohol is driven by craving, I think that also completely misses the point.  The whole point of the 12 links of dependent origination is that ALL ordinary actions are driven by craving. We eat food because we crave it. We eat good food instead of the barest survival essentials because we crave it. We go to our job because we crave more than what we would have as beggars. The Buddha and all his early disciples didn't work day jobs, that's for sure! They were all beggars! So are we going to say that Buddhists can't have jobs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many things that can be the object of excessive and destructive craving, but obviously the ancient Buddhist precepts don't list them all.  Any Buddhist who is proud to be abstinent from everything listed by name in the old rules, while still engaging in (for example) compulsive and addictive Facebooking and video game playing, is completely missing the point of Buddhism in general, as well as the precepts themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true, of course, that alcohol and other intoxicating substances are unusually likely to lead to excessive indulgence and loss of clarity. For this reason, a rule of thumb that says &quot;no intoxicating substances&quot; is pretty good, as rules go. But anyone who is more interested in following rules to the letter, than they are in truly understanding how their own mind works and how it actually relates to experience, is not going to get very far in Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="198" LastActivityDate="2014-08-19T18:12:56.393" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-19T20:48:23.150" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is definitely one of those things you'll need to figure out by yourself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there events that happen without cause?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If every event happens due to a cause, can universe be nondeterministic?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is making choices critically important, whether the universe is deterministic or not?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the difference between absolute and relative perspective?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If universe was indeed deterministic why would Buddha still be a vocal opponent of fatalism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 2 &lt;strong&gt;The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Makkhali Gosala said ... There is nothing self-caused, nothing other-caused, nothing human-caused. There is no strength, no effort, no human energy, no human endeavor. All living beings, all life, all beings, all souls are powerless, devoid of strength, devoid of effort. Subject to the changes of fate, serendipity, and nature ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 3.135 &lt;strong&gt;A blanket made of hair&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, ...  of various recluses,&#xA;  Makkhali's view is the most miserable. Bhikkhus, Makkhali the foolish&#xA;  man is of this view: There is no action, there is nothing done, there&#xA;  is no effort.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bhikkhus, a net thrown at the mouth of the river ensnares many fish,&#xA;  to their ill fate, unpleasantness and disaster in the same manner&#xA;  Makkhali the foolish man's net entices many sentient beings, to their&#xA;  ill fate, unpleasantness and disaster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What matters most in Buddhism is not a metaphysical declaration (&quot;there is free will!&quot;, &quot;there is no free will!&quot;), but the practical implications of adopting it. In sutras, Buddha often explains what happens to people who view things one way or another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would happen if we were to absolutely deny free will? Would we even try to improve our condition? Hardly!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would happen if we were to absolutely affirm free will? Would we realize that people sometimes act not because they choose so, but under toxic influence of an emotion? Probably not. Would we understand how our choices are always influenced by the environment, and decide to avoid those influences that are harmful, and to increase exposure to beneficial influences? Unlikely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why in Buddhism, we prefer to avoid making blanket statements like there is or there is no free will. We say: there is karma, our future depends on our past AND on decisions made in the present. If this was not so, we would not be able to end the suffering of samsara. On the other hand, we don't make an error of considering the so-called &quot;subject&quot; an independent entity, either. The world is a continuous network of causes/effects, with no gap between &quot;inner&quot; and &quot;outer&quot;, BUT it is still up to every single practitioner (an &quot;I&quot;) to make choices towards healthier life and cessation of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-20T11:16:17.677" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T11:16:17.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2783" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-19T22:48:47.243" Score="6" ViewCount="1380" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a person ordain at any age? Can he or she have children? In a nutshell, what are the things that will not allow someone to ordain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T11:23:38.830" LastActivityDate="2019-08-16T15:37:13.167" Title="What are the requirements or preconditions for someone to ordain?" Tags="|monk|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2735" CreationDate="2014-08-20T05:27:47.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is Yes. Because enlightenment depends on neither external physical attributes, actions and circumstances nor knowledge and skills and even siddhi, but inner peace that one brings into the world. One's ability to be happy in every little moment and in every new things happening around and personally in one's life is important. Being in the very centre, in the heart of life, doing everything,  whether it is work, family or spiritual service; it's needed to keep staying not involved at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not involved, in terms of not to be completely self-identified with these circumstances in order to keep clean mind, soft heart and good mood always. It's easier to do this when one is sitting in the cave alone, and it's harder and  challenging, and that's why is more valuable, living in the big city. We're born as humans, and humans live in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="599" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T05:27:47.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2014-08-20T07:09:34.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Jesus considered to be a Buddha ?&#xA;When Buddhism was introduced to the west many western teachers engaged in what can only be described as buddhist christianity. Main Christian thinking was blended with Buddhist concepts. The irony here is that Christian thinking and Buddhist thinking are each other opposites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha ascribed the cause of suffering to a way of thinking that he called Papanca. Thanissaro Bhikkhu explains this kind of thinking as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“...papañca begins when your thinking takes you, the thinker, as its object. And as we will see, this object requires other objects in order to survive. This is why “objectification” seems to be the best translation for the word. It’s from treating yourself and the world around you as objects—rather than as events or processes—that the perceptions causing inner and outer conflict derive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Canon contains several lists of these perceptions, and in every case states that they ensnare the mind in conflict and difficulty. For instance, AN 4:199 lists 18 “craving-verbalizations” that derive from this perception, verbalizations by which craving ensnares the mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“There being ‘I am,’ there comes to be ‘I am here,’ there comes to be ‘I am like this’ … ‘I am otherwise’ … ‘I am bad’ … ‘I am good’ … ‘I might be’ … ‘I might be here’ … ‘I might be like this’ … ‘I might be otherwise’ … ‘May I be’ … ‘May I be here’ … ‘May I be like this’ … ‘May I be otherwise’ 3 … ‘I will be’ … ‘I will be here’ … ‘I will be like this’ … ‘I will be otherwise.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 2 lists 16 questions that grow out of the thought, “I am”:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“‘Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?’ … ‘Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?’” (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravada-dhamma.org/blog/?p=9567&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christian, and for that matter western thinking is a pure example of Papanca. So, was Jesus a Buddha or did Jesus practice the Buddha’s teachings? The answer to this question can only be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he couldn’t have been unless he was a very confused student&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="691" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T00:31:54.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2783" CreationDate="2014-08-20T09:18:21.823" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Disclaimer: This is the current knowledge I have on the Theravadin tradition.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Here is a summary that answers your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Becoming a Novice&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first part of the ordination procedure for bhikkhus is known as&#xA;  the Going Forth into Homelessness (pabbajjaa). If it finishes with&#xA;  just that — without going on to the Questioning of the candidate and&#xA;  the Acceptance of him by all the gathered bhikkhus into the Bhikkhu&#xA;  Sa&quot;ngha — the candidate is known as a saama.nera or novice. This is&#xA;  usually the case when the candidate is less than the twenty years of&#xA;  age necessary to become a bhikkhu. A very young boy is not allowed to&#xA;  become a novice either, but the minimum age will vary according to&#xA;  place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A saama.nera wears the 'yellow robe' like a full bhikkhu — except he&#xA;  does not have the sa&quot;nghaa.ti (double-thickness robe) — and leads a&#xA;  very similar life. In some places a period as a novice forms part of&#xA;  the preliminary training to become a bhikkhu, while some men decide to&#xA;  remain saama.nera for various reasons. The saama.nera keeps the Ten&#xA;  Precepts and the 75 Training Rules (sekhiya) and some other rules of&#xA;  the bhikkhu. Later, when he is ready and if he is old enough, he can&#xA;  ask the bhikkhu community for full ordination (upasampadaa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Becoming a Bhikkhu&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Pali texts, when a man decided to become a bhikkhu, he is often&#xA;  quoted as saying: &quot;Confined is the household life, a path of dust; the&#xA;  going forth is open and spacious. Not easy is it living in a house to&#xA;  lead the religious life absolutely fulfilled and purified, as polished&#xA;  as mother-of-pearl. Suppose I were to shave off my hair and beard,&#xA;  clothe myself in ochre robes and go forth from homelife into&#xA;  homelessness?&quot; (HS ch.19)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, anyone wishing to become a bhikkhu must fulfill certain&#xA;  conditions about which he will be questioned during the actual&#xA;  ordination procedure. &lt;strong&gt;The candidate must be male and at least twenty&#xA;  years old. He must never have committed any grievous crimes and, if&#xA;  previously ordained, he must not have been guilty of any Defeater&#xA;  (Paaraajika) offences or have entered some other religion without&#xA;  disrobing first. He should also be of good&#xA;  reputation; fit and healthy enough to carry out the duties of a&#xA;  bhikkhu; not in debt; not subject to government service; and have&#xA;  permission from parents or guardian.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Ordination ceremony requires a prescribed boundary (siima), a&#xA;  preceptor (upajjhaaya) and a quorum of bhikkhus to validate the formal&#xA;  Sangha Act. In the formal procedure the candidate is examined as to&#xA;  the necessary qualities and, if all the bhikkhus are satisfied,&#xA;  they receive him into the Sangha, the Community of Bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is in this way that yet another link is added to the&#xA;  bhikkhu-lineage. Henceforth, the new bhikkhu can participate (and make&#xA;  up the necessary quorum) in future assemblies and help receive other&#xA;  new bhikkhus — as bhikkhus have continued to do for two and a half&#xA;  thousand years. (See EV,I,p.4; OP)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a candidate requests full admission to the Community (after&#xA;  the saama.nera ordination) he does not make any 'lifetime vows' but&#xA;  offers himself for training and instruction under his Preceptor's&#xA;  guidance. At the end of the ordination ceremony, the Preceptor will&#xA;  immediately instruct the new bhikkhu (or arrange that he is properly&#xA;  taught) about the Paa.timokkha Rule and the other principles that all&#xA;  bhikkhus should follow and observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the first five years a bhikkhu is called navaka ('new one') and he&#xA;  must live 'dependent' (nissaya) on a senior bhikkhu — either his&#xA;  preceptor or teacher (aacariya) — training in the ways of a bhikkhu.&#xA;  The preceptor and the new monk should be kind and helpful to each&#xA;  other, in almost a father-and-son relationship. A new bhikkhu who no&#xA;  longer lives under his preceptor must take another senior bhikkhu as&#xA;  his teacher and depend on him instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the next five years after his navaka period, the bhikkhu is called&#xA;  majjhima, ('one in the middle') and he is allowed to live by himself&#xA;  if he is accomplished in certain qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a bhikkhu has completed ten Rains he is called Thera, which can&#xA;  be translated as 'an elder who is worthy of respect.' If he is also&#xA;  accomplished in certain extra qualities, he is allowed to give&#xA;  ordination as preceptor, to be a teacher, and have young monks live in&#xA;  dependence on him.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#novice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules: A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: Requirement of being male is not always necessary and is dependent on the specific monastery in which the ordination takes place.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more in-depth answer, see the chapter on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/TheBuddhistMonasticCode_181215.pdf#page=859&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ordination&lt;/a&gt; in the &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Monastic Code by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a chart of the procedure in some western monasteries (in Asian monasteries the ordination can be immediate):&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DKxiX.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some references:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santi/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/OrdinationProcedureatSanti.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ordination at Santi Forest Monastery&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.stefan.gr/buddhism/books/ordination/angarikas-uk-eu.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;General Information for Potential Anagarikas in UK Monasteries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2019-08-16T15:37:13.167" LastActivityDate="2019-08-16T15:37:13.167" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="2790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1582" CreationDate="2014-08-20T09:28:48.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard of one Tibetan Lama who refuses to give a traditional Buddhist wedding to homosexuals. During the wedding he invokes some Buddha form in union and the bride meditates on the female Buddha while the groom - on the male Buddha. The Lama explained that he cannot tell where is the female and male element in a homosexual relationship so it is not straightforward how to carry on the ritual. He received a detailed transmission from his teacher in a certain form and he doesn't want to alter it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it doesn't answer your question directly, a few things should be said. Techniques involving working with energy channels are very advanced and usually were directly transmitted from teachers to students for centuries. It is rather dangerous to practise those without a guidance and protection from the guru, especially if the female/male energies are supposedly mixed as in the cases listed in the question. It is possible that although one Lama refused to alter the ritual, another one will be able to correctly identify energy channels and will willingly perform the 'individualized' ritual. Having said that, I don't think a general advice can be given. If one wants to practise some advanced technique, a qualified teacher is essential and only he can resolve the issues concerning the practice. The advice from the teacher is individual and should not be broadcast as it can only confuse other people rather than help them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T09:28:48.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2791" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2829" CreationDate="2014-08-20T10:18:49.077" Score="14" ViewCount="3336" Body="&lt;p&gt;The great &quot;religions of peace&quot; like Christianity and Islam had some quite turbulent events that seem in major conflict with their primary commandments, but still in the name of faith - even &quot;within&quot; (like bloody wars between catholics and protestants).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism shuns all violence, but I'm curious how true to this philosophy did the believers remained through ages. Was there ever any major conflict involving violent confrontation, in which Buddhists would fight (violently, not passively) in defense of their religion? Are there any &quot;shameful moments of Buddhism&quot; like there are so many in other major religions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="693" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T05:40:35.413" Title="Did Buddhists ever actively participate in a major violent conflict?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2792" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-20T12:51:20.710" Score="1" ViewCount="702" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that a person can choose to return to samsara to help others after being reborn in Pure Land. But has anyone claimed to be that particular kind of person? I am not talking about those who claimed to have visited Pure Land in meditation or dreams. But those who was a human, rebirthed in a Pure Land, instructed by Buddhas and bodhisattvas in that Pure Land, then chose to rebirth back as human on earth to help other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T02:58:55.640" Title="Has anyone claimed to have reborn in Pure Land, and later returned to earth to help other beings?" Tags="|pure-land|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2793" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2794" CreationDate="2014-08-20T13:43:08.630" Score="4" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Theravada view;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently, I saw the video and I am not sure whether a monk can store food in a refrigerator; From my understanding, a monk cannot store food for next day. I believe this should be in the list of 227 &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rules&lt;/a&gt; but I cannot confirm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another small question: Is this common sight to see a refrigerator in a monk's room in Theravada monastery? Keeping it like a personal one.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="695" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T14:20:35.697" Title="Is Bhikkhu allowed to keep his food in refrigerator for next day or for long period?" Tags="|theravada|food|bhikkhu|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2793" CreationDate="2014-08-20T14:20:35.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is Bhikkhu allowed to keep his food in refrigerator for next day or for long period?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not proper food, only certain types of edibles:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Four Sorts of Edibles&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any nutriment that a bhikkhu puts into his mouth is classified in four&#xA;groups, which specify the time limits during which he can consume or&#xA;store them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(i)&lt;/strong&gt; Food — Limited from Dawn to Noon (Yaavakaalika)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;(ii)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#juices&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fruit juices&lt;/a&gt; — Limited to One Day (Yaamakaalika)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;(iii)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#tonics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Medicinal-tonics&lt;/a&gt; — Limited to Seven Days (Sattaahakaalika)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;(iv)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#medicine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Other Medicines&lt;/a&gt; — For All One's Life (Yaavajiivika)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#edibles4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules: A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also what I've seen in some western monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Is this common sight to see a refrigerator in a monk's room in Theravada monastery?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The few times I've been in a monk's private room, I never saw one. But in the same housing (under the same roof), it's common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T14:20:35.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2791" CreationDate="2014-08-20T14:52:35.583" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suggested reading: Buddhist Warfare - Michael K. Jerryson and Mark Juergenmeyer. A view of the contents:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Making Merit through warfare according to the Arya-Bodhisaattva-upayavisaya-nirdesa-sutra&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sacralized Warfare: The Fifth Dalai Lama and the discourse on religious violence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Soldier-zen in wartime Japan&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists in China during the Korean War&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Onward Buddhist Soldiers: Preaching to the Sri Lankan Army&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Militarizing Buddhism: Violence in Southern Thailand&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T14:52:35.583" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-20T16:21:35.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion as Buddhism accepts the law of karma or 'what you saw is what you will reap' principle, it accepts the notion of free will. Destiny is created by the person himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T16:21:35.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2798" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2812" CreationDate="2014-08-20T18:08:59.393" Score="4" ViewCount="1228" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the scriptural references to working with praise and blame from the Pali Canon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am specifically looking for answers with&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Explanations on the significance of praise and blame, and how they relate to each other. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stories on how to work with praise and blame.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples from outside the Pali Canon are also welcome (other traditions, or non-scriptural), but preference will be given to answers that match the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:05:13.163" Title="How to work with praise and blame?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2798" CreationDate="2014-08-20T18:42:18.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a good way to address that is by tracing back paise and blame, checking were they come from, think about the 2nd noble truth, you will clearly see both come from attachment to reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, instead of fighting praise and blaime it will be more effective to put some effort on solving the root causes of them, your ego, your desire for a good reputation, for hearing praising words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you let go of your ego, you will immeditatly let go of all suffering caused by blame, I know this is not an easy thing to do, that is why we call it a path, you need to make effort, it takes time, but this is the right way. Mahayanas will focus on emptiness as a way to realizing that, Theravadins will have other nice ways of dealing with it like analysing Anatta for example, but at the end of the day it all comes down to attachment to reputation and the &quot;ignorance&quot; we have that creates such attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T18:42:18.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2801" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-20T19:21:27.130" Score="9" ViewCount="8181" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stoic philosophy seems to share a lot with Buddhist wisdom.  Since Zeno of Citium (generally credited as the founder of Stoicism) is said to have lived a couple hundred years after Siddhartha Gautama, it seems possible that some cross pollination of ideas may have influenced the development of Stoic philosphy.  Is there any evidence (other than the similarities in philosophy) that this happened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T11:22:43.673" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T22:29:14.953" Title="Is there evidence of a Buddhist influence on Greek Stoicism?" Tags="|philosophy|history|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2014-08-20T19:29:01.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the Middle Way. The Middle Way is free of the concepts of &quot;free will&quot; and &quot;determinism&quot;. Both are true. Both are untrue. And yes it is confusing, but when one walks down the path of the Middle Way one has to leave their ideas and attachments of labels like &quot;free will&quot; behind. This is highly stressed in Zen. Zen practitioners use koans to help them transcend the unease and confusion of nonattachment to labels and ideas. &quot;What is the sound of one hand clapping?&quot; is one of the most widely known koan. Either way, being confused is a great state to be at. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am studying equanimity (upeksha) right now. My zen teacher calls equanimity &quot;letting go&quot;. &#xA;Upeksha means equanimity, nonattachment, nondiscrimination,even-mindedness, or letting go. Upa means &quot;over,&quot;and iksh means &quot;to look.&quot; You climb the mountain to be able to look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-20T19:29:01.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T03:36:10.347" Score="6" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;How much is known to support, to refute, or to expand upon the following viewpoint?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha shaved his head like all his bhikkhus.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supposed reasons to backup this viewpoint are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are references in the Pali Canon where someone calls Gotama a shaven-headed recluse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are other references, like in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26), where The Buddha explains that he shaved his head when he went forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism arose during an an-iconic period, so depictions of the Buddha were frowned upon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Artistic depictions of the Buddha are relics of the Ghandara Buddha-statues, created long after the Buddha's death.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This representation was spread to other Buddhist regions over time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite curious what can be said about this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T02:57:20.347" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T02:57:20.347" Title="Hair of the Buddha" Tags="|art|worship|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2633" CreationDate="2014-08-21T04:10:47.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;He shares similarities in philosophy to a Zen/Tao outlook in my opinion, seems to know a bit about both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i havent heard that he adheres to anything specifically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T04:10:47.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2806" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T04:18:15.623" Score="2" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It goes without saying that alcohol makes you mindless. Theres debate about pot creating conditions for enhanced mindfulness in SOME individuals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is not &quot;is it okay&quot;. I know what to expect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any specific stories involving Buddha on the subject of someone ingesting an herb or something, specifically to be mindful... and how that is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking for the story or stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:47:43.433" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T05:36:09.293" Title="Are there any specific stories or talks where Buddha discussed using mind altering substances other than alcohol?" Tags="|mindfulness|five-precepts|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2807" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2855" CreationDate="2014-08-21T06:10:05.043" Score="5" ViewCount="2223" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that monatics in many cases sleep as little as 4-5 hours per night. In what way do they train, to reduce the amount of sleep needed for nightly restitution?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there methods of training to remain (increasingly) mindful while sleeping?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T06:11:04.113" Title="Mindfulness during sleep" Tags="|mindfulness|sleep|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2808" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T08:31:18.837" Score="3" ViewCount="1762" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the exact number of original jataka tales? If we look around we see Jataka tales, panchatantra, Esop's fables and many others are all mixed up. Where can I read original Jataka tales online?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-21T09:11:25.860" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T09:11:25.860" Title="What is the exact number of jataka tales?" Tags="|the-buddha|literature|birth-stories|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2808" CreationDate="2014-08-21T09:02:05.710" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What is the exact number of jātaka tales?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khuddaka_Nikaya&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Khuddaka Nikāya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; counts 547 &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_tales&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jātaka&lt;/em&gt; Tales&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Where can I read original Jātaka tales online?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm#jataka&quot;&gt;Sacred Texts&lt;/a&gt; there are 6 translated volumes that contain all of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-21T09:07:59.527" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T09:07:59.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2810" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4001" CreationDate="2014-08-21T11:20:11.117" Score="5" ViewCount="6475" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was brought up in the Theravada tradition and have little knowledge on Mahayana. Recently some of my friends participated in a Mahayana retreat and praised it highly. One of them even claimed that Mahayana is for practical Buddhists and Theravada is for rituals and ceremonies etc. So I got a bit curious about this and started searching on Mahayana. But I couldn't find the answer to my main question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Vipassana meditation is the core of Theravada which finally leads to the end of suffering, can someone tell me if there exists such a meditation technique in Mahayana as well?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T11:07:52.967" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T03:08:04.913" Title="Is there a Vipassana meditation in the Mahayana tradition?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vipassana|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2811" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T11:55:46.663" Score="2" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also, in the ordination rules ceremony slaves are excluded from the possibility of ordaining. &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=HWcxAQAAMAAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PA32&amp;amp;ots=xXOkwEXm9B&amp;amp;dq=ordination%20ceremony%20slave%20bhikkhu&amp;amp;pg=PA32#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=ordination%20ceremony%20slave%20bhikkhu&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt;. Has any modern sangha made a point of allowing current or former slaves to ordain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically landed Buddhist monasteries have owned slaves. &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=VIWC9wCX2c8C&amp;amp;lpg=PA181&amp;amp;ots=INJKkaniHp&amp;amp;dq=tang%20dynasty%20buddhist%20slave&amp;amp;pg=PA181#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=tang%20dynasty%20buddhist%20slave&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt; At least this appears to be over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;: Ancient slavery and modern slavery look different. Modern slavery generally is tolerated, but officially illegal. Example include prostitution in Japan, where immigrant women often can't quit or flee their &quot;employeers&quot; because the police won't assist illegal immigrants or &quot;guest workers&quot; trying to do something else on a guest visa.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a theme in ancient restrictions in joining the sangha was that someone who owed someone something (not necessarily full on slavery) wasn't allowed to join (e.g. need to get permission from parents and spouses). So would a modern sangha turn away a soldier who had deserted or dodged the draft?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or even further down the spectrum of slavery-- what if someone was just heavily in debt to their boss, bank and so on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested in what the modern institutions are doing. I'd google it myself, but I'm mostly find references to how the situation was long ago. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T18:06:21.110" LastActivityDate="2018-01-06T04:58:33.580" Title="Does any modern Buddhist sangha still support slavery?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2798" CreationDate="2014-08-21T13:01:35.203" Score="4" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What are the scriptural references to working with praise and blame from the Pali Canon?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to space, I'll answer with some excerpts but bear in mind that the full texts should be read for a better understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Bhikkhus, when an uninstructed worldling meets with gain, he does&#xA;  not reflect thus: ‘This gain that I have met is impermanent,&#xA;  suffering, and subject to change.’ He does not understand it as it&#xA;  really is. (2) When he meets with loss … (3) … fame … (4) … disrepute&#xA;  … (5) … &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt; … (6) … &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt; … (7) … pleasure … (8) … pain, he does&#xA;  not reflect thus: ‘This pain that I have met is impermanent,&#xA;  suffering, and subject to change.’ He does not understand it as it&#xA;  really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Gain obsesses his mind, and loss obsesses his mind. Fame obsesses his&#xA;  mind, and disrepute obsesses his mind. &lt;strong&gt;Blame&lt;/strong&gt; obsesses his mind, and&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt; obsesses his mind. Pleasure obsesses his mind, and pain&#xA;  obsesses his mind. He is attracted to gain and repelled by loss. He is&#xA;  attracted to fame and repelled by disrepute. He is attracted to &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  and repelled by &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt;. He is attracted to pleasure and repelled by&#xA;  pain. Thus involved with attraction and repulsion, he is not freed&#xA;  from birth, from old age and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  dejection, and anguish; he is not freed from suffering, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But, bhikkhus, (1) when an instructed noble disciple meets with gain,&#xA;  he reflects thus: ‘This gain that I have met is impermanent,&#xA;  suffering, and subject to change.’ He thus understands it as it really&#xA;  is. (2) When he meets with loss … (3) … fame … (4) … disrepute … (5) …&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt; … (6) … &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt; … (7) … pleasure … (8) … pain, he reflects thus:&#xA;  ‘This pain that I have met is impermanent, suffering, and subject to&#xA;  change.’ He thus understands it as it really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Gain does not obsess his mind, and loss does not obsess his mind.&#xA;  Fame does not obsess his mind, and disrepute does not obsess his mind.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Blame&lt;/strong&gt; does not obsess his mind, and &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt; does not obsess his mind.&#xA;  Pleasure does not obsess his mind, and pain does not obsess his mind.&#xA;  He is not attracted to gain or repelled by loss. He is not attracted&#xA;  to fame or repelled by disrepute. He is not attracted to &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt; or&#xA;  repelled by &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt;. He is not attracted to pleasure or repelled by&#xA;  pain. Having thus discarded attraction and repulsion, he is freed from&#xA;  birth, from old age and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  dejection, and anguish; he is freed from suffering, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, the difference&#xA;  between an instructed noble disciple and an uninstructed worldling.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an8.6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.6, Worldly Principles (2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and&#xA;  then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is&#xA;  attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning,&#xA;  not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference&#xA;  to what was it said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss&#xA;  of wealth, or loss through disease, does not reflect: 'That's how it&#xA;  is when living together in the world. That's how it is when gaining a&#xA;  personal identity. When there is living in the world, when there is&#xA;  the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly conditions&#xA;  spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly&#xA;  conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt;, pleasure, &amp;amp;&#xA;  pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through&#xA;  disease, he sorrows, grieves, &amp;amp; laments, beats his breast, becomes&#xA;  distraught. And then there is the case where a person, suffering loss&#xA;  of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, reflects:&#xA;  'That's how it is when living together in the world. That's how it is&#xA;  when gaining a personal identity. When there is living in the world,&#xA;  when there is the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly&#xA;  conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight&#xA;  worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, &lt;strong&gt;blame&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;praise&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  pleasure, &amp;amp; pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or&#xA;  loss through disease, he does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, does not&#xA;  beat his breast or become distraught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and&#xA;  then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is&#xA;  attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning,&#xA;  not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference&#xA;  to this was it said.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.192, Traits&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gain and loss, disrepute and fame,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;blame and praise, pleasure and pain:&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;these conditions that people meet&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;are impermanent, transient, and subject to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A wise and mindful person knows them&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;and sees that they are subject to change.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Desirable conditions don’t excite his mind&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;nor is he repelled by undesirable conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has dispelled attraction and repulsion;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;they are gone and no longer present.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Having known the dustless, sorrowless state,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;he understands rightly and has transcended existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an8.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.5, Worldly Principles (1)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Not to gain or loss&#xA;not to status or honor,&#xA;not to praise or blame,&#xA;not to pleasure or pain:&#xA;      everywhere&#xA;they do not adhere —&#xA;     like a water bead&#xA;     on a lotus.&#xA;     Everywhere&#xA;they are happy, the enlightened,&#xA;everywhere&#xA;un-defeated.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.14.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thag 14.2, Godatta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;He whose doctrine is [judged as] demolished,&#xA;     defeated, by those judging the issue:&#xA;He laments, he grieves — the inferior exponent.&#xA;     &quot;He beat me,&quot; he mourns.&#xA;&#xA;These disputes have arisen among contemplatives.&#xA;     In them are elation, dejection.&#xA;Seeing this, one should abstain from disputes,&#xA;     for they have no other goal&#xA;     than the gaining of praise.&#xA;&#xA;He who is praised there&#xA;     for expounding his doctrine&#xA;     in the midst of the assembly,&#xA;laughs on that account &amp;amp; grows haughty,&#xA;     attaining his heart's desire.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sn 4.8, To Pasura&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;As a single slab of rock&#xA;won't budge in the wind,&#xA;so the wise are not moved&#xA;     by praise,&#xA;     by blame.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.06.than.html#dhp-81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhp 81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T12:11:14.233" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T12:11:14.233" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2712" CreationDate="2014-08-21T14:09:01.363" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, satori is not &lt;em&gt;complete&lt;/em&gt; enlightenment, it is an a-ha moment when the practitioner finally realizes &quot;how things are&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing his own original nature, he discovers that the ground of this&#xA;  nature is innately free of defilement, and that he himself is&#xA;  originally endowed with the non‐outflow wisdom‐nature which is not a&#xA;  hair's breadth different from that of all the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this moment on, one's practice stops being guesswork or imitation and becomes informed by real understanding. In Zen this is known as &quot;sudden awakening, gradual cultivation&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although he has awakened to the fact that his original nature is no&#xA;  different from that of the Buddhas, the beginningless habit‐energies&#xA;  are extremely difficult to remove suddenly and so he must continue to&#xA;  cultivate while relying on this awakening. Through this gradual&#xA;  permeation, his endeavors reach completion. He constantly nurtures the&#xA;  sacred embryo, and after a long time he becomes a saint. Hence it is&#xA;  called gradual cultivation.  This process can be compared to the&#xA;  maturation of a child. From the day of its birth, a baby is endowed&#xA;  with all the sense organs just like everyone else, but its strength is&#xA;  not yet fully developed. It is only after many months and years that&#xA;  it will finally become an adult. (from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.koreanbuddhism.net/master/dharma_talk_view.asp?cat_seq=32&amp;amp;content_seq=116&amp;amp;priest_seq=0&amp;amp;page=1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Secrets on Cultivating the Mind&lt;/a&gt;  by Bojo Jinul)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa also speaks about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having received transmission and having had some kind of realization,&#xA;  you have to follow it up; you have to become liberated. Some people&#xA;  think realization is liberation, but in our case, it is not. When you&#xA;  realize something, you have to practice that realization, and then you&#xA;  are liberated. So realization does not mean you are liberated; it&#xA;  means that you have just touched on the possibility of liberation. Realization is like seeing the first rays of sunshine on the horizon -- you know that the sun is in the sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-02-11T11:25:38.083" LastActivityDate="2018-02-11T11:25:38.083" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2014-08-21T15:25:15.030" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it's called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81#Mah.C4.81y.C4.81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vipaśyanā&lt;/a&gt; and it's employed by several different schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T15:25:15.030" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2804" CreationDate="2014-08-21T15:37:47.687" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the orthodox view is that he cut off his hair with a sword when he went forth and it settled itself into ringlets which never grew back and hence he never needed to shave again; this according to the Nidanakatha of the Jataka commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Next he thought, &quot;These locks of mine are not suited to a monk; but there is no one fit to cut the hair of a Future Buddha. Therefore I will cut them off myself with my sword.&quot; And grasping a simitar with his right hand, he seized his top-knot with his left hand, and cut it off, together with the diadem. His hair thus became two finger-breadths in length, and curling to the right, lay close to his head. &lt;strong&gt;As long as he lived it remained of that length, and the beard was proportionate. And never again did he have to cut either hair or beard.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits006.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits006.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T15:37:47.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2816" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T16:17:23.643" Score="1" ViewCount="176" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some special meditation techniques and/or objects that have been used to develop mental abilities to the point of almost being super powers or super human? Not necessarily  &quot;super-mundane&quot; as ESP but something along those lines. There is a lot of controversy in searches but I can not find any specific references. I could read the suttas myself but I am looking for direct tipitika, Buddha involvement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T13:06:00.540" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T19:59:05.287" Title="What are some special meditation techniques and/or objects that have been used to develop mental abilities?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2818" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-21T17:54:25.490" Score="16" ViewCount="1526" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people that start to meditate and follow the Dhamma become more tolerant, less attached to reputation, more &quot;easy going&quot; and treat all with loving kindness, this can create an opportunity for people to abuse them, miss deadlines, reduce the quality of the work etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, how should a Buddhist behave to balance loving kindness with leadership skills that sometimes requires you to be not so &quot;nice&quot; to get the work done, imagine if you have tried loving kindness before but it did not work, only made the person abuse you more and take advantage of your compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T22:47:46.113" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:47:46.113" Title="Can Buddhists be good workplace leaders?" Tags="|modern-world|right-livelihood|middle-way|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2818" CreationDate="2014-08-21T18:00:43.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never found a &quot;not so nice&quot; leader to be a very good leader. A good leader knows how to lead without having to resort to not being nice to his or her followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great example of a Buddhist leader would be Siddhārtha Gautama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T18:00:43.190" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2818" CreationDate="2014-08-21T18:31:10.873" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a more practical position, here are some reflections. I am sure others have their won approaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, place importance on one's own practice. Kindness can be applied in situations that call for firmness or other actions perceived as unpleasant. Being kind to the person or people one is leading is always possible (even though we all fail at times), and important to distinguish from approval. We can accept the person without approving of their actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another suggestion is to avoid speaking and acting out of anger (or any type of aggression). This is where the practice becomes so important, because the more, the deeper, we practise, the more we are able to accommodate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote the Dalai Lama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As they say, ´Being a pacifist does not mean being a passive-ist´ - there is nothing stopping correction of behavior (coming late, abusing others, and the rest of the long list), but the opportunity is always there to do it with kindness towards the person. Even if you have to fire somebody for not doing their job properly, you can have compassion for them and try to be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should you be presented with anger from the person or people you lead, trying to see their view also helps, especially in discovering the underlying cause of the anger (the attachments, and so on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the practice part, specifically on handling ill-will (anger and other), here is a note from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#ill&quot;&gt;Pali Canon (Access To Insight)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Six things are helpful in conquering ill-will:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Learning how to meditate on loving-kindness; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Devoting oneself to the&#xA;  meditation of loving-kindness; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Considering that one is the owner and&#xA;  heir of one's actions (kamma); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Frequent reflection on it (in the&#xA;  following way): Thus one should consider: &quot;Being angry with another&#xA;  person, what can you do to him? Can you destroy his virtue and his&#xA;  other good qualities? Have you not come to your present state by your&#xA;  own actions, and will also go hence according to your own actions?&#xA;  Anger towards another is just as if someone wishing to hit another&#xA;  person takes hold of glowing coals, or a heated iron-rod, or of&#xA;  excrement. And, in the same way, if the other person is angry with&#xA;  you, what can he do to you? Can he destroy your virtue and your other&#xA;  good qualities? He too has come to his present state by his own&#xA;  actions and will go hence according to his own actions. Like an&#xA;  unaccepted gift or like a handful of dirt thrown against the wind, his&#xA;  anger will fall back on his own head.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Noble friendship; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suitable conversation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Commentary to Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These things, too, are helpful in conquering ill-will:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Rapture, of the factors of absorption (jhananga); &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Faith, of the spiritual faculties (indriya);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Rapture and equanimity, of the factors&#xA;  of enlightenment (bojjhanga).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a summary, I would like to reiterate that we can always have kindness for the person, for the situation, and for our own reactions (they are based on conditions, after all) - allowing for increasing acceptance with more practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T18:31:10.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2014-08-21T20:25:22.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being mindful means being awake to the present moment. When you are sleeping and/or dreaming you are not awake nor are you awake to the present moment. I do not think that there are any monks that are mindful when sleeping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T20:25:22.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2014-08-21T21:54:14.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard about monks that are mindful when they are sleeping but those monks are higly trained.to reduce the number of you sleep,you could increase the length of time you do sitting meditation.people sleep because they want rest and re_energise.in meditation body can rest and re_energise.so longer you do sitting meditation,less sleep you need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="703" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T21:54:14.763" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2014-08-21T22:15:38.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe the point here relates to meditation and the monastic life. We (lay people) deal with so many problems and so many distractions that our minds are overstimulated, more important than that, we don't practice a lot of meditation, therefore our minds require a lot of time to rest, this is easy for one to see, when you are anxious you don't sleep well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk deals with problems and distractions too, but I believe not as many, not with the intensity we deal living in a big city. They study a lot, keep the monastery running, give dhammatalks etc... but the level of stress is different in such activities, also they practice a lot of meditation, so their mind is usually more sharp, calm and focused, requiring less time to rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-21T22:15:38.233" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2825" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2828" CreationDate="2014-08-22T01:17:19.063" Score="6" ViewCount="844" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing and harming are against the first precept. I understand that an important part of the practice is being mindful at the time of death, but do animals have this capacity?  Would it be better to end their suffering if they are dying anyway? I saw an animal suffering on the way home and this came to mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T08:59:52.427" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T08:59:52.427" Title="Euthanasia for animals" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2816" CreationDate="2014-08-22T03:58:00.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In ancient India (mostly in southern parts of India) there are people called &quot;Sittars&quot;. They possess many super-human powers like foreseeing the future (not just predicting it), alchemism (like converting any metal to gold), super-healing abilities. There are many written manuscripts which are still available but many of them of in Ancient Tamil. They have also written about many techniques which if practiced properly will give us super-human abilities.  Do not think of &quot;Wolverine&quot;-like abilities, but the sort of abilities that normal people cannot think of. It is rumored that they still exist in the western ghats of southern India and that they are in a form of light. I do not know how it is linked to Buddha but I firmly believe Buddhism has its core roots and values derived from Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="705" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T09:35:34.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T09:35:34.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2825" CreationDate="2014-08-22T06:51:17.207" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being mindful all the time is an important part of the practice. Not just at the time of death. But if you have a wholesome thought at the time of death, your next birth will be better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether it's human or animal, what makes you think killing will relieve a being from suffering? It could be born in a worse place. Your action is based on a big assumption or at worst, annihilationism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, if killing ended suffering, Lord Buddha would have preached it as the fourth noble truth, instead of the noble eight fold path. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T15:56:45.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:56:45.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2825" CreationDate="2014-08-22T07:03:05.047" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precepts are frequently understood from a a Western perspective as &lt;em&gt;&quot;do not [kill]&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, similar to &lt;em&gt;&quot;thou shalt not ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt; as in Christianity. However, this type of dualist view (either one or the other, right or wrong) is not taught in Buddhism. Therefore, the key in translation of the precepts to &lt;code&gt;&quot;undertake the training to refrain/abstain from [...]&quot;&lt;/code&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1458/what-are-the-five-precepts&quot;&gt;related question&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference may appear subtle, but whereas undertaking the training to abstain from killing means an avoidance whenever possible, the &lt;em&gt;&quot;do not do this&quot;&lt;/em&gt; view can imply &lt;em&gt;don't do it, or else ...&lt;/em&gt; - and if broken, one will be punished or similar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also related to killing oneself (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1685/is-self-immolation-an-ethical-act&quot;&gt;related question&lt;/a&gt;), since each of us is a living being, killing oneself is on par with killing other beings - Buddhism very much equates all living beings (animals, humans, self, other) as just living beings, worthy of compassion and therefore worthy to be kept alive (&lt;em&gt;not killed&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is a practice/training we undertake, and we undertake the intention to act kindly and compassionately towards all living beings. The importance lies in cultivating the wisdom to tell the difference in each moment, and so an action of killing could be performed despite one's full awareness of the resulting karma, simply out of compassion for a living being (ending suffering, would be the supposed intent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although not with animals, but related to the precept, even the Dalai Lama agreed that it was reasonable to kill Osama Bin Laden, saying &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/may/11/buddhism-bin-laden-death-dalai-lama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;if something is serious … you have to take counter-measures&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. We can each have our own view on that (read article), but the point is to apply mindful wisdom and compassion in each situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related writing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/geth0401.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Can Killing A Living Being Ever Be An Act Of Compassion? (PDF)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In summary, undertaking the training to abstain from killing, along with the other precepts, were established by the Buddha to help people &lt;strong&gt;act as the Arahants do&lt;/strong&gt;. Without having attained Arahantship, the best each of us can do is practice to the best of our abilities, in each moment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T07:03:05.047" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2791" CreationDate="2014-08-22T07:07:53.787" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not a major violent conflict like a war or something, but Buddhist monks have been involved in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Burma_anti-Muslim_riots&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;violent anti-muslim protests in Myanmar&lt;/a&gt; and in Sri Lanka in the last few years. An organization called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodu_Bala_Sena&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodu Bala Sena&lt;/a&gt;, which is Sinhalese for 'Buddhist Power Force', has been stirring up and supporting these protests. The organisation was founded by two Buddhist monks with the goal to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;support militancy against minorities to preserve the dominance of the Buddhist majority&#xA;  (source &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21604601-another-minority-under-threat-buddhist-power&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Economist&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, since they left their monastery it is questionable if the founders can still be seen as Buddhist monks.&#xA;More info also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://time.com/3090990/how-an-extremist-buddhist-network-is-sowing-hatred-across-asia/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this recent Time newsarticle&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T05:40:35.413" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T05:40:35.413" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-22T08:27:26.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person who is seriously doing insight meditation/mindfulness will immediately drop the addiction of drinking alcohol. The value of the Buddhist principles like not drinking alcohol, not using intoxicants exc.. can be easily understood by a person who starts to understand the reality through insight meditation/mindfulness and it will no longer be just faith and trust to the conceptual teaching. That is why Buddhism is wonderful and life-changing religion, it's practical and leads people to understand the reality theirselves through direct experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="700" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T08:27:26.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2014-08-22T09:50:27.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are enquiring about the thing that is going to satisfy your desire.Everyone can live without alcohol.Buddha says&quot;Desire is the root cause of misery&quot;.so the answer is simply no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="705" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T09:50:27.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2801" CreationDate="2014-08-22T10:40:42.310" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard to answer these kind of things with a negative but I'm going to be bold and do that with caveats. I haven't heard of Stoicism itself being directly influenced by Buddhism but.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is evidence that Indian Philosophy was influencing Greek philosophy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The founder of skepticism &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrho&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pyrrho&lt;/a&gt; travelled with Alexander the Great into India and was said to have studied philosophy there. One of his subsequent central concerns was  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ataraxia&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;ataraxia&lt;/a&gt; (freedom from worry) which to my mind seems to have parallels with the doctrine of liberation as espoused by Buddhism and other Eastern traditions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A specific example of an advocate of east/west cross pollination of ideas is Thomas McEvilley in his book the &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Shape_of_Ancient_Thought.html?id=Vpqr1vNWQhUC&amp;amp;redir_esc=y&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shape of Ancient Thought&lt;/a&gt;. He contends that modern thought is actually influence by Eastern and Western traditions and there was a rich cross pollination of ideas. He goes right back to the Pre-Socratic and says that with the exception of Thales, these philosophers could (would???) have been influenced by Eastern though as mediated through the Persian Empire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at it the other way, the transfer of ideas certainly happened the other way around. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Panha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Questions of King Milander&lt;/a&gt; detail a dialog between a Buddhist Monk and a Indo-Greek king thought to have been &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/374659/Menander&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Menander&lt;/a&gt;. So it's very evident that a dialog was happening between east and west. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So generally the conclusions could be that there was no direct influnce but if the Pre-Socratics and/or the Skeptics were being infuenced by Eastern thought then Stocism itself would have been influenced by those philosophies. The influences doesn't need to be direct to by present and relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We might not/never know&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We probably lack direct evidence for this kind of transfer from the Stoics in particular. Philosophers such as Aristole do name check their influences in their texts (and then go on to say why their own ideas were so much better). I'm not aware of any direct referencing to Buddhist or other Eastern traditions in Greek texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said the transmission of ancient texts is clearly very incomplete. I find it fascinating that we have lost much (all??) of the work of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysippus&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chrysippus&lt;/a&gt; one of the main Greek Stoic thinkers. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.historyofphilosophy.net/stoics-principles&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;I heard it said&lt;/a&gt; that if his works had have come down to us then Chrysippus would have been a philosopher know to us in the same way as Plotinus or even Plato and Aristole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that said the eveidence of direct influence could well be there. Given that writings of major thinkers in the Stoic tradition are lost it can't be said what else is in there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It might not just be the Stoics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm personally not convinced that the Stoics would be the best candidates for a heavy Buddhist influence. There is a lot in Stoicism such as their logic and physics that I would struggle to fit into this framework. To my (naive) mind the Skeptics have more similarities or even the Neoplatonic thinkers or even the Pythagoreans. I could even make a (bad) argument for Epicuricans if we consider the central place of spiritual community - though that's really pushing it to an almost crazy extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T09:50:09.693" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T09:50:09.693" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2818" CreationDate="2014-08-22T11:14:20.680" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are a couple of assumptions implicit in this question that I would like to respectfully challenge as I answer it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhists are 'nice'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a live issue in the sangha where I practice. Buddhists aim to be compassionate and also they try to align themselves with the world as it really is. That's not necessarily the same think as nice. I've read many stories about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soren-gordhamer/spiritual-life----the-tal_b_528638.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;grumpy and even confrontational Zen masters&lt;/a&gt;. I could also quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa#Controversies&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chögyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt; on this point&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we talk about compassion, we talk in terms of being kind. But&#xA;  compassion is not so much being kind; it is being creative to wake a&#xA;  person up&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So not necessarily nice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leaders are nasty&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again this is a common opinion in the workplace but one I think we need to challenge. When we look at Alan Sugar pointing with (mock) anger at an unlucky a&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(UK_TV_series)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;pprentice on TV and shouting 'You're fired'&lt;/a&gt; there is a tendency to assume that is the only way to get things done. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Honesty, hard work, commitment and talent are the not the preserve of the nasty. I really thinlk that if you are a practicing Buddhist in the workplace it's one of the most amazing thinks you can do to model another way. Think &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aung San Suu Kyi&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Shirley&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dame Stephanie Shirley&lt;/a&gt; not &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Machiavelli&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Art of War&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does Buddhism help?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just from my own experience here's how Buddhist practice has helped me deal with difficult workplace situations and understand people's motivations as you work with them and potentially lead them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You're just a bit less stressed. It's not the point of meditation but it's a happy side effect that it just helps manage stress without resorting to shouting at your colleagues, computer or vending machine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can spot and work with your own reactions. When you become angry you might be able to spot this quicker before you really raise the temperature of a difficult situation. Or even if you do get visibly angry the come down is quicker and it's easier to apologies and make nice. I have had cause to make nice on quite a few occasions rather then descend into self-justification. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You understand people more. Previously I found workplace behaviour baffling. But when I understood that people were defending their own (misguided) sense of self then that made things a lot more tractable. It was illuminating really.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You've a code of ethics. This helps when faced with dilemmas such as perhaps being asked to lie to clients etc... You've got a really useful backstop to prevent you just going down the wrong path. Business is based on trust and you'll find it easier to maintain that trust.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The job isn't everything. You've got another life and set of principles to guide you. If you lose you position or even job then things will be difficult but I really believe that practice will help. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You will be driven less out of fear and more from an authentic connection with the task and the people you are working with. It's easier to make the right decisions in those circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could go on but I won't bore any further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the problem isn't that Buddhists won't make good leaders but they might not want to. From my experience leaders are highly driven people and one of the things that drives them is ego. But if a Buddhist could step up I really think they'd find their practice a real help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T11:21:10.777" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T11:21:10.777" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2835" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-22T13:26:46.697" Score="13" ViewCount="8862" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to have a romantic relationship without attachment? Just based on pure love and with equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T01:35:51.170" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T22:29:11.143" Title="Is it possible to have a romantic relationship without attachment?" Tags="|relationship|attachment|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2014-08-22T13:50:49.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course. True love is full of happiness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Non attachment is a condition of true love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T13:50:49.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2837" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-22T14:32:16.483" Score="5" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;this subject is so controversial i cant get a solid explanation.&#xA;i am retrying an attempt to find better advice on the subject of continuing unorthodox methods that are controversial if they are truly of benefit to the individuals practice. (even if they may commonly be detrimental to others.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T00:41:59.437" Title="If a substance enhanced the ability to stay mindful, and didnt cause intoxication or carelessness, would it still violate the fifth precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2014-08-22T14:48:43.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love is  mindfully enjoying each others company,listening to the each other and being in peace.If he/she suffers then you should take steps to bring peace back and vice versa.The ultimate goal of being in love is to be peaceful.Attachment is out of scope here because it either deals with the future or past.The present moment matters in love.Also there is nothing like true love or false love.Love is simply Love.So it is possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="705" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T14:48:43.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2798" CreationDate="2014-08-22T15:05:13.163" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple, Krishna in Bhagavat Gita says &quot;Do your work,Do not expect the results&quot;.When you are very much mindfully doing a work you would not worry about the results.When you do not worry about the results there won't be any expectations.Normally if you have done a very good job,you would expect an apppreciation(or recogonition).Praise come to picture here.When you have screwed up,then you would try to escape from the blame or try to make things up.The answer is simple.To be in peace with the work you are doing at the present.So that you would not care whether you are praised or blamed.You would be peacefully that you have mindfully enjoy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="705" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:05:13.163" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2837" CreationDate="2014-08-22T15:26:40.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Food substances like Water, Carbohydrates, Fats, Sugar, Protein, Minerals, Vitamins etc. don't violate the 5th precept. They actually nourish the body, if taken in appropriate quantities. That is helpful for the development of the mind as well. Is there anything specific you are referring to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:26:40.073" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2014-08-22T15:27:57.093" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love and attachment are two different things so if you purified all the attachment, you can enjoy the pure romantic love. The problem is that we all still have seeds of attachment and we strongly experience it when the love undergoes some changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha teaches that our natural state is non-discriminative love. In our everyday lives, unfortunately, we don't experience that and it is usually when we fall in love we have a glimpse of that state. When we romantically love someone, all the people are nice, even those nasty neighbors seem approachable, the rain is liquid sunshine and obviously our prince/princess is a perfect Buddha. Loving someone means wishing all the best for that person. True love is not about ourselves, it is about the person we love - we perceive him/her on the highest level and we just want this person to be always happy and satisfied. If the loved one is happy - we are naturally happy as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we are not realised yet and we are full of disturbing emotions, the romantic love can get weaker with time and we start experiencing our everyday problems again. The neighbours are nasty again and our prince is annoying. Then we might also discover that our prince found another lady and he seems to be happy with her. And in this very moment we can ask ourselves - if I really love him I should be happy that he is happy with that woman, right? If your purest emotion towards this person is non-discriminative love, you will happily wish him all the happiness and set him free. If you feel great attachment, you will experience suffering because of that attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:27:57.093" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2837" CreationDate="2014-08-22T15:39:20.110" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that the fifth precept specifically refers to substances that cause &quot;intoxication and carelessness&quot;, such a hypothetical substance would of course not violate it, no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T15:39:20.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2014-08-22T15:46:20.283" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Romantic relationship&quot; implies lust and craving. So the answer is no. If it is just &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt;, it should be called a 'friendship'. Not a romantic relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T16:04:36.030" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T16:04:36.030" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2845" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3209" CreationDate="2014-08-22T16:57:43.787" Score="5" ViewCount="870" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was meditating on the breath recently and I noticed that my breath slowed to a significant extent (not a huge insight admittedly). So this made me wonder if anyone has measured the effects of mindfulness type meditations on the body while the person is meditating. For instance what is the affect on breath rate, blood pressure, heart rate, the hormonal system and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:43:58.167" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:43:58.167" Title="What are the physiological effects of mindfulness based meditation?" Tags="|science|meditation-breath|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2811" CreationDate="2014-08-22T17:13:50.417" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following are some of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;requirements for ordination&lt;/a&gt; which are relevant to this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Must never have committed any grievous crimes. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should be of good reputation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should not be in debt.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not subject to government service.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having permission from parents or guardian.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So prostitutes may not be accepted as they are not of good reputation. &#xA;Immigrant workers who are unable to find other work may not be accepted, if they are just looking for a means of getting free food and easy life. People who are in debt won't be accepted as per conditions mentioned above. A deserter may not be accepted as he can be seen as still subjected to government service or someone who is evading the law of the country. But he might be accepted in a different country. A child will not be accepted without the consent of parents. A wife may not be accepted if she is still legally married to someone and does not have his permission. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist society recognises only four groups. Monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. Lay people can never be slaves to the Sangha as whatever support they provide is alway voluntary. Also, the Sangha would not recommend slavery, even if it's an accepted practice in the society. Ex: Prostitution is an accepted practice in some countries. But not ordaining a prostitute doesn't mean that the Sangha recommends prostitution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-22T20:35:07.390" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T20:35:07.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2847" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2869" CreationDate="2014-08-22T18:38:49.087" Score="35" ViewCount="6078" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a kid I used to download a lot of softwares and movies using torrents. Even if something  illegal is done, it doesn't necessarily mean that it violates a precept. But can this be considered as stealing in Buddhism?&#xA;How can this be explained according to the Buddhist view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T19:08:37.100" LastActivityDate="2020-11-11T15:09:34.523" Title="Does illegal downloading or viewing of copyright material violate the second precept?" Tags="|modern-world|five-precepts|ethics|media|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-08-22T19:17:25.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it does not break the second precept. It's similar to you getting a cheap chinese replica of an iPhone. You didn't steal anything. You just got it from a shop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, whether it breaks the precepts or not, keeping to the law of a country is something that Buddhism encourages as long as it's not immoral. In case of the use of pirated software, the consequences are obvious, if it's illegal in your country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T15:35:05.207" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T15:35:05.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-08-22T19:37:11.600" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;We should not take what has not been given, how does it apply to downloads?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have the TV channel in your house (when you download a tv show) or if you have the CD (when you download a song from that CD), you are not creating a problem for the industry, the songwritters, the actors etc... it is ok to download it, because you paid for the CD or you can watch the show for free in the television.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Problems arise when you start to download things you haven't paid for or has not be given to you for free, for example: A movie that is on theatres or a pirate ebook copy. In these cases you are taking the work of other people and not paying for it, you are somehow taking what has not been given, so this is where we should draw the line. In fact, you may be contributing to destroy an industry you like!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think like this: Would you like someone to steal your hard work? Imagine you spent months or years writting a book and you need to make a living, would you like people to take it for free? So, think about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T19:37:11.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2850" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-22T20:28:19.520" Score="8" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;After I started to practice meditation and the Dhamma, I had some very unusual situation with animals, receiving a lot of kindness from them, I was never very &quot;popular&quot; with cats and dogs and it completely changed, more than once cats (very affraid of strangers) came to me in a lovely way, also I had crazy situations with moths that if someone told me I would probably not believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So 2 questions I would like to ask:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any Buddhist explanation for that? I know Buddha had a special connection with sentient beings, but he was a Buddha!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone had a similar experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T01:50:02.470" Title="Special connection with animals" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2850" CreationDate="2014-08-22T20:57:15.770" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mettanisansa Sutta lists &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamegha.lk/mahamegha-today/benefits-of-metta/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;eleven benefits&lt;/a&gt; of Metta meditation. &#xA;Two of them are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Manussanam Piyo Hoti&lt;/em&gt;: Pleasant to humans&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Amanussnam Piyo Hoti&lt;/em&gt;: Pleasant to non-humans.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you are practicing Metta, it could be the second benefit mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T20:57:15.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-08-22T21:22:18.660" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unless someone is giving away their work then to take it without paying for it does break the precepts. It doesn't matter whether the goods you are acquiring is tangible or intangible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also say that the legality of copyright in your particular country is immaterial. If the person wants to be paid for their work then you should pay even if the country you are in at the time doesn't recognise their right to be paid. The person wants to be paid, you are capable of paying so pay. Or don't take their goods. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this is my interpretation of the precepts. I would say the important thing to do is not follow the precepts slavishly but work out what they mean and why they mean it. They are training principles and your relationship will change with them over time as you practice. If you have doubts about an action then I would say that you probably know already that it is an unskillful action. Stop doing it and see if you feel better about yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T21:22:18.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2014-08-22T21:35:54.997" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dreaming is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo#Six_bardos_in_Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;6 bardos&lt;/a&gt; or liminal states in Tibetan Buddhism. There complete list is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of This Life  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of Meditation  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of Dream&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of Dying  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of Dharmatan (luminosity of the true nature) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Bardo of Existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan tradition it is possible to work with the dream bardo by practicing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dream yoga.&lt;/a&gt; It is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/dream-yoga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;linked to lucid dreaming&lt;/a&gt; but brings a lot more to it. It is perfectly possible to t&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/first-lucid-dream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rain yourself to lucid dream&lt;/a&gt; and I know a few people that have - so it seems very reasonable that advanced practitioners could work with and extend this technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T21:35:54.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2854" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-22T22:02:26.470" Score="4" ViewCount="2052" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the words of Buddha, the world in which we are living is generated as the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, additionally, the following loop is also expounded: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From name-and-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From&#xA;  consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-and-form...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full understanding (awakening) of this knowledge is given through the eight jhanas (particularly the last four Arupa Jhanas;) which relates to what was said precedingly as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the complete transcending of each following states, the bhikku enters &amp;amp; remains in the dimension of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Infinite space&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Infinite consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nothingness, then at last&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neither-Perception-Nor-Nonperception.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question will be about the last two. What are they exactly, the Sphere of Nothingness and the Sphere of Neither-Perception-Nor-Nonperception? How can they be transcended, and what for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user635" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user635" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:42:58.983" LastActivityDate="2021-02-09T15:31:04.430" Title="What exactly are the last two of the Arupa Jhanas? How can we transcend them and for what?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2014-08-22T22:02:36.217" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once the practitioner attains certain level of mastery in meditation and mindfulness, their sleep acquires a character of meditation. It's not like they don't sleep at all, but they do retain certain level of deep awareness during their sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, when they see a dream, they know it's a dream. They remain aware of their body lying down on the bed. They remain aware of the content of their consciousness no matter how disjointed it gets during a deep sleep. If something happens around them, they wake up easily to provide their help if needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my personal experience I can say this has gotten increasingly true for me over the years of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as specific methods, stopping internal dialogue and mental gossip really helps mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-23T02:05:13.770" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T02:05:13.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2850" CreationDate="2014-08-22T22:14:28.627" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a similar experience when I wrote a program that would kind of simulate the experience of past lives that the Buddha talks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It randomly distributes your previous births&#xA;around various kinds of beings into the distant&#xA;past:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;+--------------+------------+------------+------------+&#xA;|    Being     |    Born    |    Died    |    Age     |&#xA;+--------------+------------+------------+------------+&#xA;|    adult     | 1983-07-13 | 2014-08-16 | 31.1 years |&#xA;|     crab     | 1979-08-02 | 1983-07-13 | 3.9 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1975-06-23 | 1979-08-02 | 4.1 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1974-11-12 | 1975-06-23 |  7 months  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1970-05-15 | 1974-11-12 | 4.5 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1969-06-21 | 1970-05-15 | 11 months  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1963-11-23 | 1969-06-21 | 5.6 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1960-01-17 | 1963-11-23 | 3.9 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1959-10-06 | 1960-01-17 |  3 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1958-10-29 | 1959-10-06 | 11 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1957-09-30 | 1958-10-29 | 1.1 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1956-03-17 | 1957-09-30 | 1.5 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1956-02-02 | 1956-03-17 |  1 months  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1951-02-19 | 1956-02-02 | 5.0 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1950-09-03 | 1951-02-19 |  6 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1950-03-03 | 1950-09-03 |  6 months  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1946-02-13 | 1950-03-03 | 4.1 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1945-07-20 | 1946-02-13 |  7 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1944-02-10 | 1945-07-20 | 1.4 years  |&#xA;| invertebrate | 1941-11-27 | 1944-02-10 | 2.2 years  |&#xA;|     fish     | 1937-03-23 | 1941-11-27 | 4.7 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1933-03-01 | 1937-03-23 | 4.1 years  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1928-01-08 | 1933-03-01 | 5.1 years  |&#xA;|     fish     | 1923-05-09 | 1928-01-08 | 4.7 years  |&#xA;|     frog     | 1913-06-21 | 1923-05-09 | 9.9 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1912-07-23 | 1913-06-21 | 11 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1912-03-05 | 1912-07-23 |  5 months  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1908-03-29 | 1912-03-05 | 3.9 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1907-07-22 | 1908-03-29 |  8 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1907-05-01 | 1907-07-22 |  3 months  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1901-11-04 | 1907-05-01 | 5.5 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1897-10-15 | 1901-11-04 | 4.1 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1896-08-27 | 1897-10-15 | 1.1 years  |&#xA;| invertebrate | 1894-07-01 | 1896-08-27 | 2.2 years  |&#xA;|     fish     | 1889-11-05 | 1894-07-01 | 4.7 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1889-06-24 | 1889-11-05 |  4 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1887-07-26 | 1889-06-24 | 1.9 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1887-04-25 | 1887-07-26 |  3 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1887-04-14 | 1887-04-25 |  11 days   |&#xA;|     crab     | 1883-03-29 | 1887-04-14 | 4.0 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1882-06-26 | 1883-03-29 |  9 months  |&#xA;|     fish     | 1877-11-02 | 1882-06-26 | 4.6 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1877-10-11 | 1877-11-02 |  22 days   |&#xA;|     worm     | 1872-05-09 | 1877-10-11 | 5.4 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1869-08-21 | 1872-05-09 | 2.7 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1868-07-29 | 1869-08-21 | 1.1 years  |&#xA;|     worm     | 1862-12-31 | 1868-07-29 | 5.6 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1862-08-05 | 1862-12-31 |  5 months  |&#xA;|     dog      | 1854-09-09 | 1862-08-05 | 7.9 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1850-09-12 | 1854-09-09 | 4.0 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1850-01-26 | 1850-09-12 |  8 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1849-09-19 | 1850-01-26 |  4 months  |&#xA;|     fish     | 1845-01-16 | 1849-09-19 | 4.7 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1844-10-27 | 1845-01-16 |  3 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1843-12-05 | 1844-10-27 | 11 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1843-12-01 | 1843-12-05 |   4 days   |&#xA;|    insect    | 1843-07-31 | 1843-12-01 |  4 months  |&#xA;|     frog     | 1833-09-25 | 1843-07-31 | 9.9 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1832-12-10 | 1833-09-25 | 10 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1832-05-11 | 1832-12-10 |  7 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1831-10-26 | 1832-05-11 |  7 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1831-04-21 | 1831-10-26 |  6 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1831-02-20 | 1831-04-21 |  2 months  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1827-01-19 | 1831-02-20 | 4.1 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1826-04-27 | 1827-01-19 |  9 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1825-07-13 | 1826-04-27 | 10 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1825-03-07 | 1825-07-13 |  4 months  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1824-12-30 | 1825-03-07 |  2 months  |&#xA;| invertebrate | 1822-10-15 | 1824-12-30 | 2.2 years  |&#xA;|     crab     | 1818-10-22 | 1822-10-15 | 4.0 years  |&#xA;|    insect    | 1818-05-01 | 1818-10-22 |  6 months  |&#xA;+--------------+------------+------------+------------+&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what I found was that after considering this table of&#xA;past lives, I would see an insect landing on my face&#xA;(trying to collect water, I guess)&#xA;and I would instantly think&#xA;&quot;this is what I may be born into&quot; rather than&#xA;&quot;what an annoyance this is.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this kind of experience has to do with the Buddha&#xA;wanting you to view every kind of sentient being the same as&#xA;any every other kind of sentient being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is contrary to what we tend to do, which is separate&#xA;beings into various kinds of classes of beings, some of which&#xA;are acceptable to kill with a fly-swatter and others, which&#xA;aren't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2017-10-28T01:50:02.470" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T01:50:02.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2850" CreationDate="2014-08-22T22:27:49.537" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember in Ajahn Maha Boowa's book, &quot;Acariya Mun Bhuridatta A Spiritual Biography&quot; he mentions that tigers weren't harming dhutanga monks in Thai forests while the villagers living nearby were not spared. In one section he mentions that one tiger was protecting a monk in a cave from other tigers during his meditation practice at nights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one of Ajahn Brahm's books he mentions how they had difficulties from mosquitos during their initial stages of practice and later as their meditation developed how the troubles became less and less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-08-22T22:27:49.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2837" CreationDate="2014-08-23T00:36:57.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such a substance already does exist, it is called &lt;em&gt;Camellia sinensis&lt;/em&gt; also known as ... regular tea! This traditional drink of Zen-Buddhist monks stimulates the mind and enhances one's ability to stay mindful, without causing intoxication or carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The biographical tradition is littered with apocryphal tales about&#xA;  Bodhidharma's life and circumstances. In one version of the story, he&#xA;  is said to have fallen asleep seven years into his nine years of&#xA;  wall-gazing. Becoming angry with himself, he cut off his eyelids to&#xA;  prevent it from happening again. According to the legend, as his&#xA;  eyelids hit the floor the first tea plants sprang up; and thereafter&#xA;  tea would provide a stimulant to help keep students of Chán awake&#xA;  during meditation. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-23T00:41:59.437" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T00:41:59.437" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2860" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2861" CreationDate="2014-08-23T16:39:24.640" Score="7" ViewCount="1320" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard of a Buddhist story in which the Buddha just holds up a flower and one monk in the audience understands then becomes instantly enlightened. I believe it is a foundational text for Zen Buddhism. Where does this text originate from? What canon or collection of texts is it from? When was it wrote and which tradition(s) does it derive from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally I would just like to know a bit of background to the history, authoring and authority of the text. I have only ever hear to it referred to in secondary sources and never giving a primary reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2022-04-02T21:29:58.430" Title="Which canon and traditions does the Flower Sermon text belong to?" Tags="|texts|zen|reference-request|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2860" CreationDate="2014-08-23T16:56:34.100" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is some information about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The origin of the Zen school is traditionally traced to Mahakassapa,&#xA;  who was said to have received a direct transmission outside the&#xA;  scriptures. This transmission is illustrated with the evocative story&#xA;  of the Buddha holding a flower silently before the assembled Sangha:&#xA;  only Mahakassapa understood, and smiled. The story is gains special&#xA;  resonance since Mahakassapa is renowned as a curmudgeonly old monk –&#xA;  although his authentic verses in the Theragatha do indeed show a&#xA;  delightful love of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Despite the fame and importance of the story, it is not attested in&#xA;  any Indic scripture, and is a Chinese Chan invention. It’s first&#xA;  appearance is apparently in the compilation of koans, the 無門關&#xA;  (Wúménguān, often rendered in English as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gateless_Gate&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gateless Gate&lt;/a&gt;), compiled&#xA;  by the Chinese Zen master &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wumen_Huikai&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wumen Hui-k’ai&lt;/a&gt; (無門慧開) and first published in&#xA;  1228. The development of the notion of lineages is discussed by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Dumoulin&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dumoulin&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;http://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/05/22/the-date-of-the-flower-sermon/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Date of the Flower Sermon, Sujato Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text is found, as mentioned above, in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gateless Gate&lt;/a&gt;&quot; under the heading &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/glg06.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Twirls a Flower&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T16:56:34.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2862" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2864" CreationDate="2014-08-23T17:09:11.017" Score="6" ViewCount="402" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first precept states&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So does this mean that punching someone in the nose isn't actually against the first precept and the five precepts generally. It really feels like it should be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T08:59:24.873" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T02:30:41.783" Title="Is assault against the first precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2860" CreationDate="2014-08-23T17:14:41.660" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Dhammapada of Kuddaka Nikaya, there is one instance where Buddha helped a disciple of Sariputta to attain arahanthood within one day by creating a lotus flower and meditate on it. The link to that story can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttanta.tripod.com/khuddhaka/dhammapada/dha209.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. This is in Theravada tradition and I don't know if this is what you are looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-23T23:09:16.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T23:09:16.877" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2862" CreationDate="2014-08-23T17:40:23.797" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Pāḷi&lt;/em&gt; word for &quot;killing living beings&quot; is usually &lt;em&gt;pāṇātipātā&lt;/em&gt;. It is composed by &lt;em&gt;pāṇa&lt;/em&gt; + &lt;em&gt;atipātā&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, in this context, is normally translated as &quot;living being&quot;.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;atipātā&lt;/em&gt; is the useful word for answering the question. It can mean &quot;killing, destroying, injuring or attacking&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically, it will depend on how one translates it. Either as killing\destroying or injuring\attacking. However, if one takes into account the entire Buddha's teaching it is evident, at least for me, that it means injuring\attacking, not only killing\destroying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say, yes, assault is against the first precept. However, one should always keep in mind that intention is key. One can injure a baby, for example, by extracting from his throat a swallowed toy. In such cases, I wouldn't consider it as against the first precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-23T18:03:08.123" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T18:03:08.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2862" CreationDate="2014-08-23T18:03:16.967" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following five conditions must be satisfied to break the first precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The being must be alive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be knowledge that it is a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be intention to cause its death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Action must be taken to cause its death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Death must result from such action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So punching someone in the nose does not break the 1st precept. But it weakens it. Since the question is if it's against(not if it breaks) the precept, the answer is yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Weakening here means the merits you acquire by keeping to first precept are reduced or weakened. Also, when it comes to the consequences of Kamma, Killing results in one having a short life span if born as a human again. Just injuring or torturing results in having bad health if born as a human again. killing usually involves inflicting pain or torturing as well. So it can result in bad health too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-23T18:40:40.230" LastActivityDate="2014-08-23T18:40:40.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2866" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-23T20:30:43.770" Score="6" ViewCount="762" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist's perspective, is it wrong to watch such sports on television for example? Of course, I'm talking as a lay person. Monks have a completely different approach regarding entertainment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does watching it create any bad Kamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T17:33:00.780" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T17:33:00.780" Title="Is it wrong to watch fight events like boxing, MMA, judo etc.?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2866" CreationDate="2014-08-23T23:02:42.613" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one instance a head of a group of actors asked from Buddha if his profession is a good one and whether he could go to heaven because he provides entertainment. Buddha refused to answer this question three times. But when he insisted on, Buddha's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; was, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on things inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of delusion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even more delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless — with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of laughter. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh &amp;amp; gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this applies to such sports as well because they are not devoid of passion, aversion and delusion. So technically, any action or intention with desire, anger and delusion should create bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T21:04:43.900" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T21:04:43.900" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2866" CreationDate="2014-08-23T23:11:46.073" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it create bad Kamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can!&#xA;Watching the news, dramas, commercials, musical shows etc. can create bad Kamma. Seeing the no signal screen can create bad Kamma. Doing school work can create bad Kamma. Eating an ice-cream can create bad Kamma. Drinking water can create bad Kamma. Smelling a flower can create bad Karma. Scratching your head can create bad Kamma. Stretching your arms can create bad Kamma.&#xA;Even if you sit in the dark and do nothing, you can still be creating bad Kamma. It depends on whether you have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Sati&lt;/a&gt; or not. Whatever you do can create bad Karma as long as your thoughts are defiled with craving, aversion and ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it wrong to watch sports entertainment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only if you take &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=8_precepts&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the eight precepts&lt;/a&gt;. MMA, Judo, Boxing etc. fall under the 7th precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana&#xA;  mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani&#xA;  sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/em&gt; - I undertake the precept to refrain from&#xA;  dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing&#xA;  garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it will be wrong to watch them on Poya days when you take the eight precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can it still create Karma even if you don't take the precepts? Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T00:05:37.317" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T00:05:37.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-08-24T14:53:36.687" Score="39" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it does not. In order to steal, something has to be misappropriated from the original owner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Copying is not theft, even according to modern jurisprudence; copyright is an artificial &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; granted to the &amp;quot;owner&amp;quot; of a specific intellectual activity to prevent the &amp;quot;copying&amp;quot; of the product of said intellectual activity. &amp;quot;Intellectual property&amp;quot; is likewise an artificial construct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The presumption that someone has a right to restrict the copying of their ideas is suspect at best, but it should not be confused with the right to restrict the use or appropriation of one's physical property, since the latter involves singular, rather than identical, entities. You don't call it stealing if someone breaks into your house, copies down the way you set your table and goes and does it the same in their own home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to understand as well that the question of whether copyright infringement is unethical hinges not on whether the owner &lt;em&gt;doesn't want&lt;/em&gt; you to copy, but on whether they &lt;em&gt;have a right&lt;/em&gt; to forbid you to copy. It is not unethical doing something just because you know someone else doesn't want you to do it; otherwise I shouldn't have become a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The misunderstanding comes from our acceptance of copyright as a tool for monetary gain. We have come to accept that because certain people want to be able to market their ideas, they therefore have a right to do so, whereas it was previously understood that only one's potential at coming up with good ideas (i.e. their value as a person) was marketable. It is not the case that just because someone wants to be able to make money through a certain means therefore they have a right to society's protection in so doing; otherwise, pushing rocks up a hill would have to be paid proportionately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main reason we tend to think that copyright is an actual right stems from the massive propaganda machine of the entertainment industry (and mara, I assume) that has managed to equate people who copy the ideas of others with bloodthirsty sea-faring mercenaries (a.k.a. pirates).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, though it's now outside of the realm of your question, a person's insistence on controlling copyright may be arguably considered unethical from a Buddhist standpoint; it can be seen as selfish (since it costs nothing to allow others to copy one's ideas), invasive (since it is not really any of your business), and hypocritical (since everyone copies just about everything they come in contact with throughout their lives from the time that they're born). Again, just because we want to be able to make a living in a certain way, doesn't mean we should be protected in it. Theft, on the other hand, &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; cost the owner, &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; the owner's business, and expecting protection against it &lt;em&gt;isn't&lt;/em&gt; necessarily hypocritical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tl;dr: copying without permission and theft are two different concepts; whether copying without permission can be considered immoral is suspect at best, but at any rate is not directly related to the second precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q&amp;amp;A&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Doesn't the second precept deal with more than just misappropriation?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, like all the precepts, it really only means what it says. Anyway, if it was interpreted more broadly, where would you draw the line? Copying someone's words without their permission is stealing, but distributing pictures of them without their permission isn't? Or distributing pictures of them is, but looking at them isn't? There is no clear definition available, except the clearly bogus one of &amp;quot;not doing what other people don't want you to do&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Isn't intellectual property the same as real property?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, let's get one thing straight; copyright infringement isn't theft; the law doesn't look at it as theft, the RIAA doesn't look at it as theft, no one considers it to be theft except the public who have been misinformed as a part of ongoing propaganda that it is a kind of theft (or piracy, which is really silly). It is actually more like a kind of breach of contract. To explain: the law doesn't concern itself with the physical entity that houses the information; it concerns itself with the fact that something has been copied against the wishes of the copyright holder. The issue isn't that a new copy exists, it is that a copy has been made. It is the act of copying that is illegal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the question remains, whether the person who has put all the work into creating a piece of intellectual property doesn't have the same rights as a person who puts work into a physical creation. The thing is, intellectual property isn't like other property in that it can't be given, sold, bought, etc. It can only ever be copied. When you tell someone a secret, you have created a copy of the information. When you publish a book, you are not selling the book, you are selling the right to a copy of the information it contains. So when a person makes money off of intellectual property, what they are actually selling (and this is how the industry really understands it, afaics) is a license; you can't actually sell information. So when concerning ourselves with the poor victims of intellectual property theft, what we should ask is &amp;quot;what gives someone the right to license their ideas?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is driven home when you consider that a person who creates a physical item of value is able to sell it once. They are only able to sell it because someone else wants to own it; if there are cheaper versions elsewhere (patent and copyright laws notwithstanding), their customers are free to go elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who holds a copyright over information, on the other hand, holds their creation hostage, pimping it out repeatedly and ever retaining sole ownership over it. They do no extra work for each payment obtained and can, in cases where demand for the information is high, expect to receive payment massively disproportionate to the original work performed to obtain the information (which, incidentally, most likely involved copying information from others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the real question should be, &amp;quot;what exactly do real property and intellectually property have in common?&amp;quot; The answer is: &amp;quot;not much.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Isn't copyright infringement breach of promise?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In cases where you promise a sentient being of something and then break that promise, yes. Clicking on an EULA isn't a promise because you are communicating with a machine. When you buy a book, if you clearly communicate that you promise to use it in a certain way, then yes, you would be breaking your word if you used it in a different way. If you download software from the Internet, you make no such promise at any point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Isn't it a cause for mental defilement to go against the wishes of the copyright holder?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Potentially; the situation is that you are being requested not to do something that is otherwise within your rights to do by the owner of the copyrighted work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to weigh whether that request holds merit or not. If your friend asks you not to performing some action, you have to ask yourself whether performing said action is important enough to upset your friend, keeping in mind there is nothing unethical about performing said action. There is nothing unethical about copying other people's work without their permission (assuming, of course, that you properly attribute the works to the correct author and don't try to take credit for other people's work); there is something potentially problematic about upsetting people, especially friends. By the Buddha's words, we can see that upsetting others should be done carefully, but is not necessarily outside of what is wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether wanton downloading of entertainment is a cause for mental defilement, I don't really think that has anything to do with the argument at hand, since it has nothing to do intrinsically with the matter of permission to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Doesn't copyright infringement hurt a valid industry/artist?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone who thinks this should really brush up on their history of &amp;quot;intellectual property&amp;quot;. Specifically, I recommend reading anything by &lt;a href=&quot;http://craphound.com/content/download/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cory Doctorow&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.free-culture.cc/freecontent/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lawrence Lessig&lt;/a&gt;, or &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Stallman&lt;/a&gt;. At the very least this would give a look at the other side of the propaganda war waged by the entertainment industry. Honestly, a lot of what these guys say sounds more Buddhist than some of the opinions of the card-carrying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I've said above more than once, though, those people dependent on copyright to make a living (really this is only the entertainment industry bigwigs; the majority of content creators could do better if they adopted a more crowd-friendly approach like Cory Doctorow) are suffering from the same problem scribes had when the printing press was created; they were expecting to be rewarded by a system that was no longer necessary to society. Thoreau put it best when he said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not long since, a strolling Indian went to sell baskets at the house&#xA;of a well-known lawyer in my neighborhood. &amp;quot;Do you wish to buy any&#xA;baskets?&amp;quot; he asked. &amp;quot;No, we do not want any,&amp;quot; was the reply. &amp;quot;What!&amp;quot;&#xA;exclaimed the Indian as he went out the gate, &amp;quot;do you mean to starve&#xA;us?&amp;quot; Having seen his industrious white neighbors so well off- that the&#xA;lawyer had only to weave arguments, and, by some magic, wealth and&#xA;standing followed- he had said to himself: I will go into business; I&#xA;will weave baskets; it is a thing which I can do. Thinking that when&#xA;he had made the baskets he would have done his part, and then it would&#xA;be the white man's to buy them. He had not discovered that it was&#xA;necessary for him to make it worth the other's while to buy them, or&#xA;at least make him think that it was so, or to make something else&#xA;which it would be worth his while to buy. I too had woven a kind of&#xA;basket of a delicate texture, but I had not made it worth any one's&#xA;while to buy them. Yet not the less, in my case, did I think it worth&#xA;my while to weave them, and instead of studying how to make it worth&#xA;men's while to buy my baskets, I studied rather how to avoid the&#xA;necessity of selling them. The life which men praise and regard as&#xA;successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at&#xA;the expense of the others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walden, Ch. 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's okay to make baskets, but to force people to buy them when other means present themselves is silly. If your reason for doing something is to make money, then the onus is on you, first and foremost, to ensure that your product is valuable; copyright is just an artificial means of placing a monetary value on something (information) one cannot otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the question remains, whether we would lose valuable content if there were no copyright laws. The answer depends on what you understand as &amp;quot;valuable&amp;quot;. If, by valuable, you mean &amp;quot;marketable&amp;quot;, then of course the answer is yes, we would lose a lot of marketable content. We would also lose a lot of addictive content, since the logical outcome of encouraging and protecting monetary gain through copyright ownership is content that is primarily designed to encourage demand (i.e. addictive). The entertainment industry would stop stooping to the lowest common denominators of sex, violence, and absurdity in bringing pleasure to others. I for one could live without that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If information were free, as it really should be, there would be no powerful incentive to encourage addiction to intellectual property; there would be a reversion to the days when, at worst, one propagated information as a means of promoting one's own value as an individual. Maybe people would stop writing books and making movies on film, but really, haven't we shown already with YouTube and the Internet that these are outdated mediums? It doesn't really cost millions of dollars to create any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T12:04:18.480" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2870" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-24T15:12:11.093" Score="1" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a lot about vipassana just being mindful of what happens to come up, &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; looking for more things to notice. However, if we compare meditation with e.g. lifting weights, when you start, you lift (say) 50, so even though its harder, you add 20 more... Then when you normally just need to lift 50, its way easier because you've been working out with 70. My question is, why not do that with meditation? I'm curious why some people don't think it's the thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As in speed noting, if I can be aware of everything all at one time constantly isn't that being fully aware?  If I can see even the most minute details of the current reality effortlessly through pushing my mental ability during meditation, looking further into things to note more things and staying aware of them all at one time moment by moment till they pass away.  Until you lose track but then try to remember to be attentive to those that remain and notice the new. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is said about mental &quot;exercise&quot; as a developmental practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:51:16.177" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T22:34:25.627" Title="Why not force awareness of things during vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2866" CreationDate="2014-08-24T15:30:25.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Wrong&quot; is highly subjective. I dont see how simply seeing something going on in front of you is inherently &quot;wrong&quot;... It would be detrimental to an attempt to practice the 8 precepts strictly if it is viewed as entertainment and is certainly not necessary for practice. Kammicly it could attach your mind (if you are entertained) to aspects of reality giving them a propensity to bring about a possible good or bad situation really. speculation on that is dubious at best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T15:30:25.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2850" CreationDate="2014-08-24T15:37:19.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Im not sure how &quot;buddhist&quot; my answer is... but animals tend to be more sensitive to environmental factors so any change in you would be likely to have an impact on their reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T15:37:19.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2873" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2877" CreationDate="2014-08-24T17:19:42.380" Score="3" ViewCount="531" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the second precept&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which I am most familiar with its translation as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this precept only apply to cases of theft or can it be extended into more intangible possessions such as someones time or energy? Considering the answers around the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2847/157&quot;&gt;illegal download question&lt;/a&gt; it does seem as if there are interpretation in which it is only theft. I'd particularly like to know interpretations from different schools and the differences (or not) between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this can we take the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definition of theft&lt;/a&gt; as provided by wikipedia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;theft is the taking of another person's property without that&#xA;  person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful&#xA;  owner of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T06:04:45.077" Title="Does the second precept only apply to theft?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-08-24T18:12:08.247" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana perspective, illegally downloading e.g. a movie is definitely a breach of precepts, for three reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because this entails acting out of desire for pleasure, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because this upsets, not gladdens, the minds of whoever conceive themselves as the owners, and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because this involves the parasitic attitude of getting something for nothing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, what counts most in Mahayana is your state of mind. After all, the five precepts are &lt;em&gt;training&lt;/em&gt; rules. They are about taming your mind by suppressing impulses that originate from Obsessive Desire, Aversion, and Confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is my state of mind when I illegally download a movie? I want to &lt;em&gt;please&lt;/em&gt; or entertain myself, to experience pleasant sensations (in this case emotional and mental, rather than physical, but because of non-duality all sensations are ultimately of the same nature). From Mahayana perspective, acting out of desire to experience pleasant sensations is a downfall. Instead, we should be acting for the long term benefit of ourselves and others. And the best benefit to strive for, is &lt;em&gt;attaining complete enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings&lt;/em&gt;. This noble aspiration is known as &lt;em&gt;Bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt;, or the motive of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, we must consider the owner's state of mind. (Whether owner is truly an owner or only &lt;em&gt;believes&lt;/em&gt; to be such, is of no relevance in this context, because all ownership is ultimately a fiction anyway. It is &lt;em&gt;the state of mind&lt;/em&gt; that matters). Would owner be &lt;em&gt;glad&lt;/em&gt; if he knew I downloaded a copy of the product of his effort? Would the Three Poisons subside in the owner's mind as a result of my act, or would they increase? Clearly, the minds of the owners of the movie will not be exalted, if they went as far as to put a restrictive license on their content. They did not want us to take it, they &lt;em&gt;told&lt;/em&gt; us they did not want us to take it, and they are &lt;em&gt;upset&lt;/em&gt; now that we have taken it. How is this not &quot;taking what is not given&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, at the core of the act of illegally downloading a movie, is a perverted attitude of &lt;em&gt;getting something without doing anything&lt;/em&gt;! This is the same attitude as is behind fraud, gambling etc. &quot;I don't want to make an effort to entertain myself through doing something creative. Instead, I want to receive positive emotions for free, by taking advantage of someone else's effort.&quot; -- This is an attitude of a parasite. Even the begging monks back in Buddha's times were paying back their alms (food) by giving Dharma lectures to the lay people! This spirit of &lt;em&gt;making effort towards positive states of mind&lt;/em&gt; is at the core of Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, from Mahayana perspective unauthorized download of copyrighted content is a breach of precepts because it is an activity based on (and therefore sustaining!) wrong motivation, lack of compassion, and perverted attitude -- resulting in a negative long-term effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T19:00:13.623" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T19:00:13.623" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2873" CreationDate="2014-08-24T18:44:06.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we should make it clear, are we talking about Buddhists precepts or about the consequences of our actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are 2600 years old so they will not address modern issues in a very specific way, it will always be a matter of interpretation, for example: Is cybersex, without real touch, considered wrong according to the precepts? I think the answer is yes, but it is open to interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist's precept perspective (downloads) I believe we will not reach a final conclusion and that is alright, I personaly heard monks saying it is wrong and it is ok, so you will have to decide, the debate will go on and on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think in terms of the consequence of your actions, there is not much to debate, it is simple and clear, stimulating pirate CDs and illegal downloads will stimulate the pirate's industry and take money away from the legal industry, you will be creating problems for people that are just trying to make an honest living, we should put ourselves in their shoes and also we should think about what kind of society we want to create.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, it is up to us, it is a personal choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T20:52:57.710" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T20:52:57.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2873" CreationDate="2014-08-24T19:11:17.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it's meaning is far wider even in Theravada, let alone in Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://holybooks.lichtenbergpress.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Buddhist-Monastic-Code-I.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu's compilation of Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;: the cases he lists include &lt;em&gt;dealing with counterfeit money&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;smuggling goods without paying custom duties&lt;/em&gt; -- which clearly goes beyond expropriating someone's property. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of contemporary teachers, e.g. Bro. Chan Khoon San (trained in Myanmar's Theravada) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lists&lt;/a&gt; the following Types of Taking What Is Not Given in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma14/budcourse.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introductory Course on Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The most blatant, involving threats or force, are daylight  robbery, extortion, purse snatching, kidnapping. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The second type is stealing or secretly taking the article without  the owner's knowledge such as housebreaking, burglary and &#xA;  pick-pocketing. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The third type is fraud, laying false claims or cheating by  confidence tricksters to gain someone's possessions. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The fourth type is deceit when dishonest traders cheat their  customers by false weights and measures or supply products of  lower&#xA;  quality than specified. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The fifth type is forgery when people pass counterfeit money as  real or sell counterfeit gold and jewelry. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The last type, though seemingly slight, is very common and  occurs when employees take small items from their company for  their own use&#xA;  without paying for it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly, we should not forget the main purpose of training rules: to help one &quot;curb the grosser forms of defilements&quot; (Bro. Chan Khoon San): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The actions prohibited by the precepts such as killing, stealing,&#xA;  sexual misconduct, false speech and  partaking of intoxicants are all&#xA;  rooted in greed, hatred and delusion and when we succumb to them, we&#xA;  strengthen these evil roots that they become dominant traits. By&#xA;  undertaking to observe the precepts, we weaken the grip of these evil&#xA;  roots by dispelling them with wholesome mental volitions. Each time&#xA;  the precepts are upheld, each time the moral volitions become&#xA;  strengthened, until  eventually morality becomes a habitual trait&#xA;  through the condition  of repetition (&lt;em&gt;asevana paccaya&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sat-Dharma (True Dharma) is famously &quot;good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end&quot;. Among other things this means that Buddhist precepts &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; play their role at supporting social harmony and decreasing anguish at large, AND they propel the practitioner towards Enlightenment. All interpretation of Buddhist precepts must be made in light of their dual purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-24T19:50:14.563" LastActivityDate="2014-08-24T19:50:14.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2880" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-24T23:08:16.670" Score="4" ViewCount="189" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist precept it teaches us to 'abstain' and 'refrain'. How is this abstention is different to suppression? It's good to practice with understanding and wisdom but most people are still practising, some people are naturally good in practising some precepts but not the other precepts. Is it true there is an element of suppression in the practice until we reach the final goal? Why should someone follow and practice the Buddhist precepts (5, 8, 10 or hundreds of precepts) if there is no suppression? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="722" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:53:29.030" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T20:40:25.830" Title="Buddhist precepts and suppression" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2880" CreationDate="2014-08-25T00:20:15.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. How is abstention different from suppression?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not. Suppression means &quot;preventing the development, action, or expression of (a feeling, impulse, idea, etc.); restrain&quot; &lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.pt/search?q=define%20supress&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;, so they are actually synonyms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In case you are referring to the psycho-analytical concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_repression&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;repression&lt;/a&gt;, instead of suppression, then abstinence is indeed different from it since repression is applied in a different context and from a different point of view.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Is it true there is an element of suppression in the practice until we reach the final goal?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say suppression (as defined above) is mostly useful in the initial phases of developing morality. As one progresses, there will be no more suppression since the act of abstaining will be implicit in the use of alternative skillful actions. (For example, instead of just abstaining from punching someone when one gets angry, one may foresee the upcoming situation and take appropriate measures like avoiding or seeking mutual understanding. Technically, one is still abstaining but this type of action is more refined and has no element of stopping a punch from happening when anger has already entered one's mind.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd say, no, it is not true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Why should someone follow and practice the Buddhist precepts (5, 8, 10 or hundreds of precepts) if there is no suppression?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I pointed above, suppression and practicing the precepts are the same in the beginning. After that initial stage the precepts are still being followed but there will be no suppression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leaves this specific question (3rd question) meaningless. If this was not the type of answer you were looking for in this specific question, I suggest clarifying it a bit since I had a bit of trouble understanding it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T08:27:37.627" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T08:27:37.627" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2882" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2883" CreationDate="2014-08-25T00:49:33.630" Score="3" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does the Pali canon, and other respected work, teach about parenting, particularly early fatherhood? In particular the many possibilities for dukkha which arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T14:24:59.110" Title="What does the Pali canon, and other respected work, teach about parenting?" Tags="|pali-canon|teaching|parents|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2882" CreationDate="2014-08-25T02:01:10.487" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It teaches that birth is suffering for the reason that it is like entering into a binding contract:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One goes through all these sufferings simply because one happens to take a new existence. Accordingly, jāti, re-birth, being the foundation of all the miseries of the whole existence, is defined as dukkha by the Buddha. A careful consideration will confirm the accuracy of this definition. Re-birth is really dreadful like signing a document which later will give rise to complications. Thus jāti is dukkha because of its dreadfulness. To summarise, the physical and mental afflictions are occasioned (arise) because of jāti in each existence. Only when there is no more re-birth will there be total release from these inflections. Thus the Blessed One had taught that the very origination of new existence, jāti is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It teaches that children have power over their parents:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are these eight powers. What eight? &lt;strong&gt;(1) The power of children is weeping;&lt;/strong&gt; (2) the power of women is anger; (3) the power of thieves is a weapon; (4) the power of kings is sovereignty; (5) the power of fools is to complain; (6) the power of the wise is to deliberate;&quot;&quot; (7) the power of the learned is reflection; (8) the power of ascetics and brahmins is patience. These are the eight powers.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 8.27 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It teaches that a parent has responsibilities towards their children:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways, young householder, a child should minister to his parents as the East:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) Having supported me I shall support them,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(ii) I shall do their duties,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(iii) I shall keep the family tradition,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(iv) I shall make myself worthy of my inheritance,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(v) furthermore I shall offer alms in honor of my departed&#xA;  relatives.[9] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways, young householder, the parents thus ministered to as the East by their children, show their compassion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) they restrain them from evil,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(ii) they encourage them to do good,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(iii) they train them for a profession,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(iv) they arrange a suitable marriage,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;(v) at the proper time they hand over their inheritance to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In these five ways do children minister to their parents as the East and the parents show their compassion to their children. Thus is the East covered by them and made safe and secure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It teaches that parents are meant to be helpful to their children:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘Brahmā,’ bhikkhus, is a designation for mother and father. ‘First teachers’ is a designation for mother and father. ‘Giftworthy’ is a designation for mother and father. For what reason? Mother and father are helpful to their children: they raise them, nurture them, and show them the world.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 3 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to suggest that children might are an impediment to attainments higher than stream-entry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sitting to one side, the lay follower Dhammadinna then said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, exhort us and instruct us in a way that may lead to our welfare and happiness for a long time.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘From time to time we will enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Venerable sir, it is not easy for us—&lt;strong&gt;dwelling in a home crowded with children&lt;/strong&gt;, enjoying Kāsian sandalwood, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, receiving gold and silver—from time to time to enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness. As we are established in the five training rules, let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma further.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha … in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha.… We will possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T14:24:59.110" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T14:24:59.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2884" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-25T03:56:15.030" Score="2" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;And im looking for a buddhist perspective mainly, preferrably the views of various traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yeah, if i (for example) wanted to be reborn as a bird, would obsessing over and even acting birdlike, practicing a birdlike mentality, living on seed (grain)... even dying with bird thiughts in full swing... stuff like that, would the attachment and desire cause my mind to reform into a bird?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sidenote- i do not want to be reborn as a bird. It is a valid point i am trying to understand in a round about way).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T09:57:10.303" Title="If someone purposefully obsessed over a certain animal how much might it impact their chances of rebirth as that animal?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2885" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-25T04:07:53.850" Score="3" ViewCount="135" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i were to practice some serious brain training regimens for a short period to develop my mundane mental faculties into almost super powers...&#xA;or even to develop Super mundane powers...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- Would that enhance my ability to become fully &quot;Enlightened&quot; (not nibanna or arahantship) faster and/or with more ease?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- Would it help me to help others reach full enlightenment more? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T15:34:24.897" Title="Do meditative &quot;exercises&quot; and &quot;mental workouts&quot; enhance the ability to reach enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2884" CreationDate="2014-08-25T04:58:44.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes and no. Being observed with a bird will increase the probability of you being born as a bird. This does not mean any would be definite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T04:58:44.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2885" CreationDate="2014-08-25T05:08:52.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You become enlightened only when you develop knowledge of Dependent Origination, the 3 characteristics, and 4 Noble Truths. Not when you develop powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhijna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;powers&lt;/a&gt; this might help in teaching (the only permissible use of such powers in Theravada Buddhism). But trying to develop them you might get &quot;lost&quot; as you might get attached to the powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T13:04:23.770" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T13:04:23.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2888" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2928" CreationDate="2014-08-25T06:47:49.450" Score="3" ViewCount="699" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught meditation to develop concentration, calm of the mind to finally experience nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other religions (Hindu yoga, etc) also taught meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in which way Buddhist meditation is different? and leads to end of suffering?&#xA;If I'm not wrong, if someone is absorbed in concentration, whatever religion does not matter. since there is no thought during absorption. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please explain if possible in terms of 7 factors of awakening, 8 foldpath, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:42:19.503" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:42:19.503" Title="How buddhist meditation leads to liberation?" Tags="|theravada|meditation-insight|comparative-religion|meditation-concentration|samadhi|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2014-08-25T08:51:25.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@dmsp - &quot;Mahayana is for practical Buddhists and Theravada is for rituals and ceremonies etc&quot; this statement was misunderstood by you. I was also in that retreat, nobody said something like that. There was a question about how you compare different schools of Buddhism. Though it was not explained w.r.t. meditation aspects, the main difference between schools is the traditions and ceremonies you do. But the core teaching (4 Noble Truths, 8-fold Path, etc.) remains the same. By the way, you also can't say that all teachers in Mahayana/Theravada follow the same way of teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="727" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T11:08:46.657" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T11:08:46.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2884" CreationDate="2014-08-25T09:57:10.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Buddha has answered this question perfectly. You can find the full answer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.057.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. Two people went and asked the same question from Buddha. One of them was practicing like a dog and the other one was practicing like an ox. Here's the answer to the one who was practicing the dog duty by the blessed one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;.. someone develops the dog duty fully and unstintingly, he develops the dog-habit fully and unstintingly, he develops the dog mind fully and unstintingly, he develops dog behavior fully and unstintingly. Having done that, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of dogs. But if his view is such as this: 'By this virtue or duty or asceticism or religious life I shall become a (great) god or some (lesser) god,' that is wrong view in his case. Now there are two destinations for one with wrong view, I say: hell or the animal womb. So, Punna, if his dog duty is perfected, it will lead him to the company of dogs; if it is not, it will lead him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think it's not difficult to deduce what happens to the person who tries to act like a bird.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T09:57:10.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2892" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2898" CreationDate="2014-08-25T12:11:17.967" Score="5" ViewCount="622" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine a person that is very calm, generous, doesn't like to harm others etc. If this person gets a rebirth in the human realm will he/she develop the same characteristcs? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is that Kamma and the last mental state can go on, but according to Anatta I'm not sure about the rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T12:26:06.577" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T11:19:10.467" Title="Does the &quot;nature&quot; of a person move with her to the next life?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-25T12:36:08.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything is impermanent, even one's nature. If you look at the span of your life, your year, your month, or even a single day in your life you will see that your nature is in a constant state of change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T12:36:08.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2888" CreationDate="2014-08-25T12:47:51.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;May of the other systems outside Buddhism do not emphasise Morality, Concentration and Wisdom (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt;) to the extent there is in Buddhism. In many cases it become to develop either morality or concentration. For enlightenment you need all 3 hence Buddhism is the only holistic and balanced systems as per my perspective which can &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;take you to enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In buddhism you use meditation and concentration as a tool to see reality as it is. This includes understanding of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Characteristics&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; and start developing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;37 Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; which include the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 Factors of Awakening&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt; you more towards &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T17:17:44.263" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T17:17:44.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-25T13:08:05.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Agree with @Christopher Lee on this but with a small addition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some strong habits can persist over may lives and even after enlightenment, but in the long run they can also fade away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T13:08:05.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2870" CreationDate="2014-08-25T13:14:48.540" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mental exercise the be able to note everything is developing Concentration and Wisdom. These are tenets covered in the Anapanasati Sutta and (Maha) Satipatthana Sutta according to the Theravada Tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T13:14:48.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2854" CreationDate="2014-08-25T14:24:19.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothingness is transcended by seeing the relative coarseness of perception even of nothingness. By observing the perception repeatedly, one sinks into a state of quasi-perception. As per the Vism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, however, he wants to develop the base consisting of&#xA;  neitherperception nor non-perception, he must first achieve mastery in&#xA;  the five ways in the attainment of the base consisting of nothingness.&#xA;  Then he should see the danger in the base consisting of nothingness&#xA;  and the advantage in what is superior to it in this way: “This&#xA;  attainment has the base consisting of boundless consciousness as its&#xA;  near enemy, and it is not as peaceful as the base consisting of&#xA;  neither perception nor non-perception,” or in this way: “Perception is&#xA;  a boil, perception is a dart … this is peaceful, this is sublime, that&#xA;  is to say, neither perception nor non-perception” (M II 231). So&#xA;  having ended his attachment to the base consisting of nothingness, he&#xA;  should give attention to the base consisting of neither perception non&#xA;  non-perception as peaceful. He should advert again and again to that&#xA;  attainment of the base consisting of nothingness that has occurred&#xA;  making non-existence its object, adverting to it as “peaceful,&#xA;  peaceful,” and he should give his attention to it, review it and&#xA;  strike at it with thought and applied thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification X.40 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transcending the sphere of neither perception nor non perception is not directly accomplished in the same way as the others; it is considered the height of tranquility meditation, there is no further one can go with that type of practice. To transcend it means to switch to insight meditation; since insight meditation is considered higher than tranquility, it can be seen as the &quot;next step&quot;, even though it is in a new category of practice and attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T14:24:19.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-25T14:31:08.647" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; doesn't actually go on. &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; means action, and it is finished after it is performed. Nothing actually goes on from one moment to the next; the effects of one moment are felt in the next, and have potential repercussions far into the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is these repercussions that do indeed create a sense of continuity from life to life; a person who ended their life with a certain nature will be reborn with a similar nature, simply due to the causal nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 19 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T14:31:08.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2885" CreationDate="2014-08-25T15:34:24.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All the abilities you have might work as a tool to benefit others or an obstacle on your way. It really doesn't matter what abilities you have, Buddha gave countless of teachings for people with various capabilities and they all are able to reach enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, years ago I developed really good memory. Many people are astonished that I am able to recall details of events that happened years ago or that I remember long sequences of numbers, words etc. Maybe not a super power, but something I gained while deliberately practising some specific cognitive techniques. Does it help in my Buddhist practice? Well, when reading texts I easily remember many details so I need much less time to read and understand some teachings of my masters. But on the other hand, I also remember lots of bad days of my friends. While others already forgot some unpleasant things, I still keep it and my good memory doesn't want to let it go. This is a real obstacle on my way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to develop great abilities to benefit others, it implicitly means that you feel compassion to other sentient beings. But to benefit others you really don't need super powers, you can simply be kind. Try to smile to strangers, say some nice words to cheer people up, offer some time to your friends so you can listen to them and give some comfort. There is lots of people around us who suffer and very often all they need is someone to offer a little bit of interest and support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your 2 questions directly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;No, super abilities won't enhance the ability to reach full enlightenment. To be fully enlightened you need to get rid of ego and understand the emptiness of all phenomena. You need to embrace the impermanence of all compounded things - your brain is only a tool you can use and one day it will die. The enlightened mind, on the other hand, is a clear space without the limits. To reach enlightenment you will need to give up your ego and brain. So it really doesn't matter if you have to give up a normal ego or super-mundane ego. In terms of ease and time needed to reach enlightenment - it all depends on how much pride, attachments, compassion etc. you have. So better start with working on that.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Super-mundane abilities are only tools so on their own &lt;em&gt;they won't help you to benefit other beings&lt;/em&gt;. Imagine having a knife - you can either cut bread to feed others or you simply can kill them. It all boils down to whether you have more compassion or anger.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one wants to quickly reach enlightenment there is no point developing super-mundane powers. The fastest way to enlightenment is to use techniques to give up ego and understand emptiness. The fastest way to benefit others is to develop compassion and start with being kind to people around us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T15:34:24.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-25T15:54:27.230" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard this issue described as one of the major philosophical problems for Buddhism. How does rebirth make sense in the absence of a fixed self? The problem is akin to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil&quot;&gt;problem of evil&lt;/a&gt; for Christians - how does a good God allow bad things to happen. And as fitting this kind of problem there's been a lot of historic opinion and arguably no definitive answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thoughts and analogies that I have found useful have been&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One position is that there is rebirth but no-one is reborn. I fit this satisfying mystical to be honest.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The analogy of the candle. A new candle is lit from an old one and the flame passes from candle to candle. We can't say it's the same flame but then we can't say that the flames in the candles are unrelated. The contention is that this is an instructive way to think about rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another analogy of a pile of coins versus a string of beads. Reincarnation (with a soul) can be viewed as a string of beads. There is something (the thread/a soul) that runs through all beads. A pile of coins is like rebirth (no soul). There is nothing running in the pile of coins that gives them their location in the pile. However it is the positions of all the previous coins that gives the uppermost coin it's elevated position.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If none of these work then there is always the Buddha's advice about n&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot;&gt;ot worrying about such metaphysical mechanics&lt;/a&gt;. Knowing this stuff won't help you get liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am aware that Tibetan Buddhists will have a far more definite idea about how these things happen. The perspective of this answer is probably more Theravadan but the book that I've sourced this from is more eclectic and even secular (&lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/exploring_karma_and_rebirth&quot;&gt;Exploring Karma and Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; by Nagapriya ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T15:54:27.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2888" CreationDate="2014-08-25T16:20:15.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of those questions that an entire book could be written to answer. Fortunately it already has - the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26326.The_Meditative_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditative Mind&lt;/a&gt; by Daniel Goleman. The book is a comparative survey of mediation across a number of traditions. He takes in Buddhism and Hinduism which one might expect and also brings in Christainity, Judaism, Islam and secular practices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book doesn't give any particular pride of place to Buddhist practices as such although he does reference the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; extensively as a map to meditation. So maybe it is overall looking at it in a Buddhist framework although I think it is more fair minded than this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I had to maybe try to give the main difference I would perhaps say there is a real systematisation of the path to enlightment that is perhaps not as strongly pronounced in other traditions particularly if we are looking a Abrahamic faiths. This is probably best exemplified by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)#Mahayana_Abhidharma_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;51 mental factors&lt;/a&gt; as outlined in the Abididarma and also in maps in the aforementioned Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is also a feeling that Buddhism has emphasis on insight practices but not been an expert in comparative religion I couldn't attest to that. Certainly in the Meditative Mind there is a list of awakened states and this is not exclusive Buddhist at all. Sufism has Baqa, kabbalah has devekut, TM has cosmic consciousness etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T07:05:06.993" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T07:05:06.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2902" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2905" CreationDate="2014-08-25T17:31:24.887" Score="9" ViewCount="3539" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading about Buddhism in Wiki and I just am not able to make out if celibacy is a must for Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="731" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:52:40.830" LastActivityDate="2020-02-17T20:54:52.070" Title="Is celibacy intrinsic to Buddhism?" Tags="|five-precepts|sexuality|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2903" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2907" CreationDate="2014-08-25T18:25:17.777" Score="5" ViewCount="1639" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been watching Buddhist followers for sometime now in India and it made me wonder if austerity is necessary in Buddhism ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like if I wish to become a Buddhist do I need to give up on listening to music, watching tv, using social networking sites, making a livelihood by working in a firm, self- pleasure (read masturbation), have to sleep on floor and beg for a living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't mean any of this questions in an offense way. But most of the people here, at least the common opinion as most of my friends/family have told me is that if you believe in Buddhism you have to live like a &quot;Monk&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="731" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:16:29.240" LastActivityDate="2018-08-21T06:42:01.073" Title="Is austerity necessary in Buddhism?" Tags="|modern-world|daily-life|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1387" CreationDate="2014-08-25T18:35:37.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard many of my relatives tell me this(I am a Indian BTW, so I assume what my relatives tell me has some degree of truth to it cause some of their ancestors might have known the correct answer to this and they passed down their wisdom to these folks) that Buddhist roam around all over the world to preach Buddhism and as required by their travel used to go to all the dangerous places where there is a high probability of them getting mugged ! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So things like karate, kung fu came into being as a self-defense techniques !!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about it, these Buddhists used to frequent the silk route to spread Buddhism which was also frequented by traders carrying insanely precious goods and hence attracted most muggers ! Given the fact that Buddhism just came into being during that time, these muggers couldn't tell a monk from a trader so its not tough to imagine these monks getting attacked frequently by them hoping to find silk, spices, gold or something precious ! So these monks must have invented Kung fu and Karate as a self defence technique which gradually became more than that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="731" LastEditorUserId="731" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T18:59:52.317" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T18:59:52.317" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2902" CreationDate="2014-08-25T19:07:12.217" Score="10" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is celibacy intrinsic to Buddhism?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer depends as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a householder, no, celibacy is &lt;strong&gt;not required&lt;/strong&gt;. It is only required to abstain from improper sexual conduct. And what is improper sexual conduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He gets sexually involved with those who are protected by their&#xA;  mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their&#xA;  relatives, or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail&#xA;  punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html#unskillful10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.176, To Cunda the Silversmith (Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a monastic, yes, celibacy is &lt;strong&gt;required&lt;/strong&gt;. You can get a better understanding of monastic celibacy by reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1037&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; discourse (AN 7.50, which is at the bottom of the linked page).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This distinction, however, is not &quot;set in stone&quot; or &quot;black &amp;amp; white&quot; since householders are encouraged to be celibate if they feel inclined to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:27:30.823" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:27:30.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2902" CreationDate="2014-08-25T19:08:09.637" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you choose a way of a monk - you have to keep your vows so celibacy is a must for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you choose to be a lay Buddhist, you should undertake 5 precepts and one of those is avoiding sexual &lt;em&gt;misconduct&lt;/em&gt;. When two people love and respect each other they can generate lots of happiness through sex. In tantric Buddhism giving sexual pleasure is actually seen as a form of generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the most important practices in Vajrayana Buddhism is meditating on Yidams (Buddha forms). Some of the forms represent male and female Buddhas in union. If Buddhas do it, there must be nothing intrinsically impure in sex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NPcHz.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T19:08:09.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2903" CreationDate="2014-08-25T20:53:07.693" Score="7" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is austerity [as defined above] necessary in Buddhism?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer depends as follows:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a householder, austerity, as you defined above, is &lt;strong&gt;not required&lt;/strong&gt; since it's not part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot;&gt;five essential precepts&lt;/a&gt; prescribed for him.&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; However, this austerity, also know as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot;&gt;8 precepts&lt;/a&gt;, is usually applied during retreats and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Uposatha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; days.&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a monastic, it is &lt;strong&gt;required&lt;/strong&gt; consistently since it will help to develop the meditation practice more effectively by diminishing unwholesome obsessions &amp;amp; available distractions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This distinction, however, is not &quot;set in stone&quot; or &quot;black &amp;amp; white&quot; since householders are encouraged to follow this kind of austerity more consistently if they can and feel inclined to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-08-25T20:53:07.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2908" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-25T21:16:49.907" Score="3" ViewCount="878" Body="&lt;p&gt;I only have knowledge of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tran.htm#tt37&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ñāṇamoli's translation&lt;/a&gt; which is not available for free. Does anyone have knowledge of an English translation available for free?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-25T22:07:29.273" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T18:48:07.053" Title="Is there any freely available English translation of the Peṭakopadesa?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2909" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2932" CreationDate="2014-08-25T21:52:43.150" Score="2" ViewCount="287" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first in the eightfold path talks about having a right view of things. Or as wikipedia puts it, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The purpose of right view is to clear one's path of the majority of&#xA;  confusion, misunderstanding, and deluded thinking. It is a means to&#xA;  gain right understanding of reality. Right view should be held with a&#xA;  flexible, open mind, without clinging to that view as a dogmatic&#xA;  position. In this way, right view becomes a route to&#xA;  liberation rather than an obstacle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't the purest way to interpret reality the way of science ? Can I interpret the first of the eightfold path as scientific fervor ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think things like rebirth would gel well with a scientific view point. Also since there is no scientific evidence to rebirth, would believing in it make my belief dogmatic or narrow minded maybe ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="731" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-27T11:30:37.587" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T01:27:48.967" Title="Can Right View be interpreted as scientific fervor?" Tags="|rebirth|science|right-view|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2910" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-26T00:46:09.677" Score="0" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the lifestory of Shakyamuni Buddha, one can see that there is an evolution, from disciple to boddhisatva until the Buddhahood stage... like a path his mind was following, but we know minds just go around samsara up and down, nothing except seeds of kamma goes along with the mind, no such thing as a soul. So how can one relate that to Anatta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:34:52.047" Title="Evolution of a Buddha vs. Anatta" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2888" CreationDate="2014-08-26T00:47:33.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to see this book..knowing and seeing...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/know-see.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/know-see.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book is a practical version of The Path of Purification.&#xA;This book is also a very good reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="736" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T01:54:39.603" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T01:54:39.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2912" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-26T01:18:18.973" Score="7" ViewCount="303" Body="&lt;p&gt;In stressful days, when I really need to calm down and find some inner peace, is when I find it harder to meditate. A lot of thoughts going in and out and creating intense feelings as a consequence of the events of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any kind of method one can use to meditate in such days?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:41:43.787" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:41:43.787" Title="Meditating in stressful days" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2909" CreationDate="2014-08-26T01:51:43.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's known as &quot;Right View with tincture&quot; (aka expedient Right View) is not similar to Scientific Fervor at all. What's known as &quot;Right View without tincture&quot; (or the resulting Right View) could be similar to Scientific Fervor in some ways and at odds with it in other ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summarizing/extrapolating e.g. MN 117, we can get the following components of the Right View with tincture:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is good (health, peace) and bad (sickness, trouble, suffering) (=no nihilism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have a choice how to act. By acting one way or another we can change our life. (=no fatalism).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The responsibility for our life is ours. (=no victim consciousness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The goal of Buddhism is real and achievable. (= Enlightenment is not a fiction)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;Right View without tincture&quot;, it is defined as &quot;Faculty of discernment and analysis of qualities&quot;. This is similar to Scientific Fervor in the sense of being objective, non-dogmatic, and rational. This is dissimilar to Scientific Fervor, because of Buddhism's radical orientation at practical results, with no affinity to any &lt;em&gt;single&lt;/em&gt; conceptual model of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This last point is a reference to (Mahayana) Buddhism's use of &quot;expedient means&quot; (upaya) -- which is something that has no analogies in the scientific method. To take your example, if thinking in terms of rebirth can help someone make steps towards Enlightenment, rebirth becomes a perfectly legitimate set of training wheels, utilized until the practitioner outgrows it, to adopt a more nuanced understanding of karma, eventually outgrowing karma to adopt the vision of Emptiness etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T17:08:35.690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T17:08:35.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2903" CreationDate="2014-08-26T02:33:49.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Triyana framework as presented by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the first stage of Buddhist training, known as &quot;Hinayana&quot;, involves special emphasis on &lt;em&gt;discipline&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;simplicity&lt;/em&gt;, in essence very similar to what you call &quot;austerity&quot; above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is to reduce the coarse defilements by restricting activities that lead to experiences that sustain the defilements. Metaphorically, &lt;strong&gt;in order to sober up you have to stop drinking.&lt;/strong&gt; Basically, this means saying &quot;no&quot; to indulging, in all its shapes and forms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T02:33:49.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2014-08-26T03:11:53.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best is to do Metta meditation, recollection of past good deeds, recollection of qualities of the Triple Gem, etc. for a while as it calms your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These meditation tend to bring about tranquility and also result in positive Karma. This helps to switch back to Insight Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T05:12:41.853" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T05:12:41.853" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-26T05:20:40.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at it from another angle, what would it mean to be reborn without your nature? In what sense would the reborn being still be you? Rebirth without persistence of nature is indistinguishable from no rebirth at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="737" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T05:20:40.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2910" CreationDate="2014-08-26T05:44:41.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma does not go from life to life. Karma is the volitional action performed here and now. It only lasts a moment. But it can have future repercussions. The consequence is the result of a Karma. Not the Karma itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of if something goes from life to life would not even arise, if you understand what's happening here and now. Lets say now you are thinking about building a house in the future. If you think about it for an hour, does it mean your first thought about it lasted for an hour? No! The first thought moment appeared and vanished then and there. But as a consequence, similar thoughts kept appearing in your mind one after the other. But they all vanished immediately. You might think about the building of the house tomorrow or even months from now. But that doesn't mean your original thought lasted that long. It'll be a new thought, but it can be similar to the thoughts you had today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if nothing goes from this moment to the next, even in this life, how can anything go from life to life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T08:13:20.067" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T08:13:20.067" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2910" CreationDate="2014-08-26T09:23:11.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you've forgotten that anyone who wants to attain nibbana requires to develop the &lt;strong&gt;ten perfections&lt;/strong&gt; (Paramis) in him in each life since the day he decides to go out of this vicious cycle of life and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity (Dāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality (Sīla)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Withdrawal (Nekkhamma)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding (Pañña)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enthusiastic Energy (Viriya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patient Forbearance (Khanti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Honesty &amp;amp; Truthfulness (Sacca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Resolute Determination (Adhitthāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kind Friendliness (Mettā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Imperturbable Equanimity (Upekkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The one who tries to become a Buddha must perfect them in &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three different ways&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those who awaken as disciples = Savaka-Bodhis give all possessions away&#xA;including wife and kids to perfect generosity.&#xA;(Similar level with the 9 other perfections...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those who awaken as Solitary Buddhas = Pacceka-Buddhas  give an&#xA;organ, limb or eye away to perfect generosity.&#xA;(Similar level with the 9 other perfections...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those who awaken as Perfect Buddhas = Sammāsam-Buddhas  give&#xA;even their own life away to perfect generosity.&#xA;(Similar level with the 9 other perfections...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the 10 qualities he inculcates in each life will guide him as positive kamma along the way and will help him until he attains nibbana. As an example let's say you taught someone the dhamma (Dāna the first perfection), and as a result you may reap the benefit of it in the next life as being born among &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kalyanamittata.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;admirable friends&lt;/a&gt; (kalyanamitta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;said&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These few supreme mental qualities, will culminate in complete&#xA;enlightenment.  There is nothing elsewhere beyond them! Be thorough,&#xA;firm and systematic so to complete them all...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:34:52.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2908" CreationDate="2014-08-26T10:44:05.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can try to find it at &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.sutta.org/en_US/canon/sutta/khuddaka/pe%E1%B9%ADakopadesa/suttatthasamuccayabh%C5%ABmi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.sutta.org/&lt;/a&gt; , not sure about the quality of translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="559" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T10:44:05.427" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2892" CreationDate="2014-08-26T11:19:10.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nature doesn't move. Your thinking is moving. You cannot think about your nature, you cannot speak about it, because your thinking is a &quot;product&quot; made from the nature by your tendencies which again raise from your habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We need to perceive our nature to understand it. Not to think about it. It's like to think about meals instead to eat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your nature appears when you stop the mess in your head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Helping others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Congratulations! :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="740" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T11:19:10.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2014-08-26T11:51:47.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some teachers compare meditation with experiments done in a lab where conditions are controlled and manipulated. We use specific meditation techniques to learn about our mind or to generate peace, compassion etc. It is done in a quiet room without distractions, with an altar or other various objects that help us achieve good results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In everyday life we are outside of this safe environment and this is the time to check the results of our meditation. How do we react when we are thrown into difficult situations and bombarded by the unwanted stimuli? Do we rely on our inner peace or are we driven by those external stimuli? What is it that makes us stressed, what exactly knocks us out of our safe settings? Is it our boss, our tasks or some uncertainty? What is the underlying feeling? Fear of failing? Anger? Attachment? By carefully watching and analysing our emotions and reactions on stressful days we can clearly identify the obstacles that keep us away from the inner peace. Maybe not a formal meditation technique, but definitely a powerful tool for watching one's mind. If we identify a single thing that stresses us out, we might also recognize how small and unimportant it is so immediately we can dissolve the stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The type of formal meditation which we can do on stressful days will depend on the meditation we normally do and the school/lineage we follow. I follow Vajrayana so on such days I keep repeating specific mantras and imagine perfect Buddhas above my head and the head of my horrible boss. I do all those things to try to remember that we are all Buddhas, our mind is indestructible and all the powerful emotions, tensions and difficult situations are impermanent - they can last for some time but at some point they will inevitably end. So we can as well relax about them here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final goal of the meditation is to have equally stable mind during the formal meditation and in every day life. Naturally, it takes years or even lifetimes to master it so there is no need to feel bad that we still depend so much on the external settings. If on the next stressful day we feel a tiny little bit less driven by the outside circumstances, it is a great step forward on our way to recognizing one's mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T11:51:47.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2014-08-26T12:13:54.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've also had this problem in the past since I had a small anxiety problem. Before the exam days and presentation days it was at its worst. I tried several techniques which were successful during the peaceful days. Most of them actually didn't work the day before the presentation or the exam. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One technique I had a bit of success was Metta meditation. I would not perform it to all the beings, but I would first do Metta to myself and then the specific people I would meet the next day e.g. my supervisor, teacher. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also had a sleeping problem the day before exams and presentations due to cycles of same thoughts arising mainly due to the fear of failing. Metta meditation on myself helped mostly to get rid of them and have a good sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T12:43:12.017" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T12:43:12.017" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2014-08-26T14:01:54.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best prepration for formal insight meditation is practising mindfulness/being in the present moment in the daily life. All of the little things/activities that usually a person overlook in daily life can be immensely helpful to meditator. Washing the hands, drinking water, walking inside the home or in a street, spending time in a bus, being aware of the feelings exc.. every moment in daily life is a huge opportunity for a person to prepare the mind against the ups and downs of the life. Because in daily life a person faces all kinds of thoughts, emotions, feelings, external events. A person who becomes a master of living mindfully in daily life can easily shift to formal meditation in every situation and even in a stressful day. And If he has free time he can even start practicing intensive meditation, which is meditating all day long with some advanced methods. And as it is mentioned above doing metta meditation can also be a helpful tool to calm the mind before formal meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw's noting method is very helpful for person who is practising mindfulness and formal meditation in daily life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="700" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T14:01:54.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2873" CreationDate="2014-08-26T14:49:53.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with Andrei's answer but would like to add some extra point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of Vajrayana teachers taught that every little action creates some subtle Karma and we should be mindful whenever we reach out for things. For example, when visiting friends we may find out that we forgot our toothpaste so we use the one that is in the bathroom asserting that the friends wouldn't mind us using their paste. Technically, however, we took something that was not given to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of getting paranoid that we constantly create negative impressions, we can twist such situations and use them as an opportunity to generate something positive. We go ask our friends whether they could lend us some paste &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; out of fear of breaking the precept, but rather because we want to offer them a chance to be generous. It is not a big deal to offer some toothpaste to friends, but every, however small, act of generosity creates positive impressions in our minds. It is also a chance for us to express gratitude to our kind friends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T14:49:53.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2014-08-26T15:19:40.303" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my favourite quotes is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://mindfuldiscovery.com/blog/2013/2/24/if-youre-too-busy-to-meditate-read-this&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;old Zen adage&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day - unless&#xA;  you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that both infurating and inspirational at the same time. So on the zen theme, when I am just way too busy I can't do mindfulness of breathing or metta practice. So the one I turn to is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/just-sitting&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;just sitting&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;zazen&lt;/a&gt; type practice. I just sit there and ask - what is it like to be this. It might not be traditional zazen but it helps me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ironically when meditation is going well and seems to be taking off (if that makes sense) then I also do just sitting. It's the beginning and end of practice for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T15:19:40.303" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2909" CreationDate="2014-08-26T15:31:43.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way that I have been taught is that right view forms an entire limb of it's path by itself and the other seven steps form another. Right view provides a glimpse of enlightenment or maybe it's even a glimpse of a glimpse. This then provides the motivation and inspiration to go through the other seven steps. They reinforce each other so that the glimpses of enlightenment become stronger or more frequent as you engage with the other steps of the eight fold path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it has very little to do with scientific fervor. It is a glimpse of things just as they are. While science deals in truths   I wouldn't say it proceeds like this. Also scientific truths are provisional even though they might not seem it. They hold so long as they are not falsified - think Newton vs Einstein (then vs string theory maybe???). The truth from right view isn't provisional (I don't  know what it is in fairness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A note - I don't think this eightfold path interpretation is standard. It is as taught by &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhists&lt;/a&gt; but I don't think it's wildly heretical. It's just a slightly different viewpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T15:31:43.027" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2927" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2933" CreationDate="2014-08-26T18:17:07.253" Score="6" ViewCount="340" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some religions, suffering is seen as a positive thing, some people even see it as a necessary step for growing, however in Buddhism suffering is seen as something that should be avoid or eliminated, we don't invite suffering, we want peace and there is nothing wrong with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is there anything like a positive and necessary suffering in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T01:45:12.537" Title="Is there anything like &quot;positive suffering&quot; for Buddhists?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2888" CreationDate="2014-08-26T18:28:07.390" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The essential difference is that in Buddhist meditation, at some point one uses one's mind to actively examine and investigate one's direct experience and to realize it's nature that way. This is the seventh factor of the Noble Eightfold path, Right Mindfulness, Samma-Sati. It is described in the Sattipatthana Sutta like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, &amp;gt;alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains &amp;gt;focused on feelings... mind... mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; &amp;gt;mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way he remains focused internally on the body etc... in &amp;amp; of itself, or &amp;gt;externally on the body in &amp;amp; of itself, or both internally &amp;amp; externally on the body in &amp;amp; &amp;gt;of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the &amp;gt;body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of &amp;gt;origination &amp;amp; passing away with regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that 'There is a &amp;gt;body' is maintained to the extent of knowledge &amp;amp; remembrance. And he remains independent, &amp;gt;unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains &amp;gt;focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The result of which is that the mediator begins to discern that reality is impermanent, unsatisfying, and non-self. As one realizes this more deeply, one is lead to liberation. This process is described in many places in the Suttas, most famously in the Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with &amp;gt;form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with &amp;gt;fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. &amp;gt;Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, &amp;gt;'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task &amp;gt;done. There is nothing further for this world.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-Buddhist systems of meditation often focus on just developing concentration without this process of analyzing direct experience, and so end up attaining other things, such as mastery of the Jhanas, rebirth into the Brahma worlds etc... There is nothing wrong with these other things, and they can also be a part of Buddhist practice, but they aren't the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T23:02:47.193" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2870" CreationDate="2014-08-26T18:35:47.703" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation isn't about being mindful of as much as possible, but about developing mindfulness to the point where we can clearly see the nature of reality in the three characteristics. It doesn't matter how many or how few things you see, as long as you discern it. If you are able to discern them and maintain it, you can attain enlightenment with even a single object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T18:35:47.703" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2862" CreationDate="2014-08-26T18:43:02.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precepts are usually expressed in purely negative terms, but they are intended to express much broader positive principles. In other words, keeping the precepts is just as much about keeping the spirit of the law as it is the letter. For example, in the case of the first precept, the Buddha gives this description:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is a monk consummate in virtue? Abandoning the taking of&#xA;  life, he abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his rod laid&#xA;  down, his knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the&#xA;  welfare of all living beings. This is part of his virtue.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assault is clearly against the positive principle in the first precept regardless of whether or not it fits within the strict wording of the precept. Hitting someone might not be classified as &lt;em&gt;pāṇātipātā&lt;/em&gt; but it certainly is incompatible with having mercy and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-26T20:19:27.893" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T20:19:27.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2927" CreationDate="2014-08-26T20:31:38.147" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me a sense of dukkha (suffering) is the originator and foundation of my motivation to practice Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's instructive to consider the imagery of the wheel of life in this regard. It is the human realm not the God realm that is seen as the most favourable realm to be reborn in. To some this might seem counter-intuitive but the human realm is the only one where it is possible to get enlightened. The God realm is undeniably great but without the impetus of some suffering there will be no enlightenment. It is only with a moderate amount of suffering within the human realm that we can step off the wheel entirely and into liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think generally I am in an extremely fortunate position and can spend a lot of time in my own personal heaven realm (this won't always be the case of course - old age, sickness and death). So for me a small sense of dukkha is good, certainly to keep me moving with practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-26T20:31:38.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2909" CreationDate="2014-08-26T23:53:34.563" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like Wikipedia is suffering from some Buddhist fervour of its own... ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can I interpret the first of the eightfold path as scientific fervor ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view has nothing to do with fervour; it refers to one's outlook or point of &amp;quot;view&amp;quot;. The word &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; literally means &amp;quot;way of seeing&amp;quot;. As the commentary explains it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sammādassanalakkhaṇā sammādiṭṭhi&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The characteristic of seeing properly is right view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;DN-a 6.5&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, right view is of five kinds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;Right View Regarding Karma (&lt;em&gt;kammassakatāsammādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what is accomplishment in view? Here, someone holds right view and has a correct perspective thus: ‘There is what is given, sacrificed, and offered; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions; there is this world and the other world; there is mother and father; there are beings spontaneously reborn; there are in the world ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.’ This is called accomplishment in view.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 3.117 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha calls this type of right view &amp;quot;affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions&amp;quot; (MN 117)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. &lt;strong&gt;Right View Regarding Insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassanāsammādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how does right view come first? One understands wrong view as wrong view and right view as right view: this is one’s right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary explains that this is the understanding one gains along the path of the three characteristics (impermanence, suffering, non-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Right View of the Path (&lt;em&gt;maggasammādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path? The wisdom, the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor, the path factor of right view in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is taintless, who possesses the noble path and is developing the noble path: this is right view that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 117 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Right View of Fruition (&lt;em&gt;phalasammādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The right view of fruition is the same as the right view of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Right View of Reflection (&lt;em&gt;paccavekkhaṇāsammādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When I knew and saw thus, my mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it was liberated, there came the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ I directly knew: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 4 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This refers to the knowledge that comes after attainment of enlightenment upon reflection of the path and fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, Ven. Sariputta equates right view with knowledge of the four noble truths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, friends, is right view? Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, and knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of suffering—this is called right view.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 141 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Since there is no scientific evidence to rebirth, would believing in it make my belief dogmatic or narrow minded maybe?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However you come to the understanding that rebirth is a fact of life, that understanding is considered right view, insofar as it is in line with the truth. If you believe that at death the mind ceases, or that at death the same mind that existed before death continues on, both of these are wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As according to the quotes above, right view can be &amp;quot;affected by taints&amp;quot; if it is simply belief that happens to accord with reality, or it can be &amp;quot;noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path&amp;quot; if it is acquired through observation and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth really isn't a big mystery; it is simply the fact of existence that is perfectly open to reasonable scientific investigation that everything in the universe arises and ceases, and that certain arisen phenomena spawn further arisen phenomena in an unbroken causal chain. That this ceases at death is wrong view (ucchedaditthi); that this constitutes a lasting, continuous entity is also wrong view (sassataditthi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T00:07:41.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2927" CreationDate="2014-08-27T00:39:20.397" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there is, as mentioned in the Upanisa Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Faith, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does not lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition for faith? 'Suffering' should be the reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(SN 12.23, Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote an article on this sutta here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's declaration that suffering is the supporting condition for faith points to the essential backdrop to the awakening of the religious consciousness. It reveals that spiritual awareness and the quest for enlightenment do not arise spontaneously in harmony with our natural modes of world-engagement, but require a turn &amp;quot;against the current&amp;quot; a break away from our instinctual urges for expansion and enjoyment and the embarkation in a different direction. This break is precipitated by the encounter with suffering. Suffering spurs the awakening of the religious consciousness in that it is the experience of suffering which first tears us out of our blind absorption in the immediacy of temporal being and sets us in search of a way to its transcendence. Whether in the form of pain, frustration, or distress, suffering reveals the basic insecurity of the human condition, shattering our naive optimism and unquestioned trust in the goodness of the given order of things. It throws before our awareness, in a way we cannot evade, the vast gulf stretching between our ingrained expectations and the possibilities for their fulfillment in a world never fully susceptible to domination by our wills. It makes us call into question our schemes of values built upon the bedrock of personal expedience. It leads to a revaluation of all values and a new scale of worth indifferent to the claims of self-concern. And it opens us to confidence in an unseen order of relations and inter-connections, an order in which the values that emerge, so often in forceful opposition to the old, will find their proper justification and reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I'd put it more simply: suffering leads one to put one's faith in spiritual practice because one no longer sees pleasure in mundane existence. It leads one to gain faith in the Buddha's teaching specifically because it teaches that suffering is a fact of life, which one has come to verify.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, suffering is important.  There is another sutta (Padota Sutta) that talks about four types of thoroughbred horses as a simile for humans:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Once more, monks, here we may have a goodly thoroughbred man who neither hears it said... nor yet with his own eyes beholds... nor is his own kinsman or blood-relation afflicted or dead, but he himself is stricken with painful bodily feelings, grievous, sharp, racking, distracting, discomforting, that drain the life away. Thereat he is stirred, he feels agitation. Being so stirred he strictly applied himself. Thus applied he both realizes in his own person the supreme truth, and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom. Just as, monks, that goodly thoroughbred steed on being pierced to the very bone is stirred, feels agitation, even so using this figure do I speak of this goodly thoroughbred man. Of such a sort, monks, is the goodly thoroughbred man in this case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.113.wood.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.113, Woodward, trans&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is definitely the idea that suffering spurs one towards enlightenment, at least in a preliminary way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T00:39:20.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2934" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-27T03:47:01.923" Score="1" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have always been very clumsy, specifically,i am not aware, if that's a correct term,o f where my body is located or how its moving, leading to accidents, over-use of force, hitting things accidentally ,etc.... I have been practicing basic mindfulness meditation,along with zen meditation and it has worked wonders in many aspects of my life. Given that, would there be a specific type of practice which would affect this somewhat disconnected body &quot;syndrome&quot;?, for lack of a better term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="746" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:41:17.017" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:41:17.017" Title="Is there a specific range of meditation styles that could help with extreme clumsiness and disconnected mind-body?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|mind-and-matter|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2935" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-27T06:54:25.737" Score="5" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;Magic used to be a great passion of mine. Performing card tricks etc. Im thinking of picking it up again, but what ive been thinking is if the performance of a trick constitutes breaking the fourth precept(lying)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For exampe saying: &quot;Now the coin is in my hand&quot; even though the hand is empty, then making it dissapear.(Perhaps a bad example but you get the point).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will doing magic for the purpose of entertainment create any negative karma due to the lying and deceptions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what ive understood its all about intent. So if the intent is to entertain is it okay? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="747" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-27T11:35:29.463" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T13:07:37.247" Title="Performing magic breaking the fourth precept(lying)?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2935" CreationDate="2014-08-27T08:47:43.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Performing magic doesn't necessarily break the precept but the kind of methods you use to perform magic may break it. There must be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sobhana.net/meditation/english/reading/med001.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four factors&lt;/a&gt; involved in your action to breach the fourth precept. If I take your example with the four factors here,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An untrue state of affairs&lt;/strong&gt;. - In your case the coin is not in your hand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An intention to deceive&lt;/strong&gt; - Your intention is to deceive the people by saying it's in your hand.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The expression of the falsehood either with gesture, words or body language&lt;/strong&gt;- In your case you are saying that it's in your hand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conveying a false impression&lt;/strong&gt; - The audience is deceived by your words.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, the precept has been &lt;strong&gt;broken&lt;/strong&gt; here. In this kind of situation I think we can use our intelligence to avoid such things from happening. Even if you lie to save someone's life, let alone entertain someone that's still a breach of the precept. From this action, there'll be good results by saving a life and bad consequences from lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-27T11:33:11.227" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T11:33:11.227" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2937" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2940" CreationDate="2014-08-27T12:00:31.963" Score="4" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm currently reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_Mind,_Beginner&amp;#39;s_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Mind Beginners Mind&lt;/a&gt; which I am enjoying. However when I read Zen books I'm always confused about the role of effort in zazen practice. Reading the book it makes it seem like there is no effort involved. In one sense I can subscribe to this. However if zazen was truly effortless then everyone would be doing zazen most of the time. That seems like a flawed conclusion to me. Can anyone help me with how effort relates to zazen please.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:40:39.147" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:40:39.147" Title="What's the relationship between effort and zazen?" Tags="|zen|right-effort|meditation-zazen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2935" CreationDate="2014-08-27T13:07:37.247" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't personally see any problem with it. Although what you are saying is technically untrue, in the case of stage magic the audience knows that the performer is using sleight of hand and that it's just a trick. It's no more deceptive than telling a joke or a fairy tale. Technically the words aren't true, but the listener knows that. Unless you are trying to convince people that you actually do have powers like some fraudulent faith healers do and stuff, I wouldn't worry about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T13:07:37.247" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2937" CreationDate="2014-08-27T14:56:53.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not familiar with zazen since I practice theravada meditation. In theravada there is the idea that you have to make effort to sit and meditate. You also have to make effort to establish the 3 mental qualities which will support the meditation. Those are mindfulness, clear comprehension and ardency (sati, sampajañña and atapi in pali). But having established those qualities the meditator has to let go of all the rest and that translates as non-doing or in other words not effort. If one continues to apply effort at this stage the meditation becomes very tiring with little progress. Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-08-27T14:56:53.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2937" CreationDate="2014-08-27T17:59:04.407" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone who has practiced zazen (in the Rinzai tradition) for many years, I will second Michael's answer.  That very much describes how I meditate.  You have to lift and apply the mind in meditation otherwise, well, otherwise you tend to fall asleep.  ;-)  Too much effort (like forcefully eliminating thoughts and 'crushing' the mind on the meditation object) is also a bad idea.  The approach might be slightly different for the Soto lineage (and the language your book uses seems to suggest a Soto bent).  Still, I highly doubt there's that much difference in how the mind is engaged while sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to remember is that Zen is heavily influenced by Taoism.  You might want to tangentially exploring the concept of non-effort by reading up on the Taoist concept of wu wei.  Sometimes it helps to explore a similar idea from a different avenue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:27:42.430" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:27:42.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2941" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2948" CreationDate="2014-08-27T19:55:01.850" Score="1" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any reference in Buddhism about how our life was before life has appeared on this earth? Were we all in heaven or hell realms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T07:18:20.490" Title="Life before life on earth" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2909" CreationDate="2014-08-28T00:48:00.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of Right View is to see all phenomena according to the 3 laws of existence. All conditioned things are 1) impermanent 2) unsatisfactory and 3) without any permanent essence (not-self). And all the 3 laws are scientifically backed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only reality is the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="668" LastEditorUserId="668" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T01:27:48.967" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T01:27:48.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2943" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2947" CreationDate="2014-08-28T03:52:54.240" Score="1" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious because I have seen documentaries, videos, posts and all kinds of books and literature saying some people are born with knowledge from a past life, I believe I might be such a person as even from a young age I was very knowledgeable about things I've never been exposed to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you see I'm just wondering if this is possible and how would it work? because the laws of Physics state no information is ever lost it just keeps on changing form (entropy) just as Buddhists believe You will keep incarnating infinitely until you learn your lesson and reach that higher state of being. So does this mean that in some fundamental way we get to keep what we have experienced and learned over lifetimes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask this question also out of fear for the thought of being in an infinite void when the brain and mind dies and loses its content. Because to have lived a good life just to have your system wiped would be a big anti-climax.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:33:56.963" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:05:49.367" Title="Will I keep my memories and experience with each passing incarnation?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|death|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2934" CreationDate="2014-08-28T05:05:50.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana)...&#xA;Mindfulness of the body is the main one in western practice already. Transitioning a constant state of awareness of the body into daily life could definately combat clumsiness.&#xA;           During meditation just feel all of your entire body at once... be aware of it, the feeling of it sitting there or better yet do walking meditation more... if something comes up, note it how its experienced by the body, then refocus on feeling the body just being a body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;do that regularly and you'll find yourself more aware of it naturally... then its more difficult to be clumsy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T05:05:50.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2903" CreationDate="2014-08-28T05:28:09.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Practicing&quot; Buddhism typically involves study, meditation, and effort... without, at the very least, some sort of effort you are not practicing anything, and to practice Buddhism is to meditate...&#xA;making &quot;practicing buddhism&quot; an austere act in and of itself. &#xA;so yes, it is a necessary condition to a varying degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T05:28:09.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2941" CreationDate="2014-08-28T05:42:38.687" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suggest you take a look at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; which is part of the Pali Canon if you are interested in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that such questions weren't important. He rather encouraged people to focus on the life here and now. There are a few dialogs in the Pali Canon in which Buddha answers his apprentice's similar question with a metaphor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T08:11:53.667" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T08:11:53.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2943" CreationDate="2014-08-28T06:27:33.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very doubtful but not impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight into past lives is known in a few Buddhist traditions including Mahayana Buddhism. It is not a common practice in Therevada tradition, but certainly not unheard of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once heard of this monk, practicing a teaching in which he tried to see into his past lives by recollecting his memories backwards. From his current age until it's childhood to it was a baby - and so forth while he was in a deep meditative state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I ask this question also out of fear for the thought of being in an&#xA;  infinite void when the brain and mind dies and loses its content.&#xA;  Because to have lived a good life just to have your System wiped would&#xA;  be a big anti-climax&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your brain will lose it's content but you will not experience an infinite void as you state because reality is ultimately created by the mind and that is gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T07:07:41.220" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T07:07:41.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2941" CreationDate="2014-08-28T07:16:37.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the end of a Maha Kalpa, if the world system gets destroyed by fire, all the Brahma, Deva, human and hell realms &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;below Abhassara Brahma realm&lt;/a&gt; get destroyed. But once the earth is reformed, beings come back from the Abhassara Brahma realm to populate the earth once more. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agganna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; hints that the last time, it was destroyed by fire while the Sapthasuriyuggamana sutta says that this time also it is going to be destroyed by fire. The pattern is: 7 times by fire, 1 time by water and at the 64th repetition, it will be destroyed by air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Abhassara brahmas&quot; means Brahmas with streaming radiance. They feed on delight, self luminous and glorious. Abhassara realm is said to be located 5508000 &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yojana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yojanas&lt;/a&gt; away from the human realm. One has to cultivate the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html#j2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2nd Jhana&lt;/a&gt; to the highest degree to be born there. There are two more Brahma realms at the same level. Appamanabha(2nd Jhana- medium degree), Parittabha(2nd Jhana- minor degree).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lifespan of an Abhassara Brahma is 7 Maha-kalpas since the Abhassara realm also gets destroyed at the 8th time. One day there lasts an Asankya(10 to the power 140) human years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 Maha-kalpa = 4 Asankya-kalpa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 Asankya-kalpa = 64 Antah-kalpa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 Antah-kalpa = time period it takes for the human lifespan to increase from 10 to Asankya and drop down to 10 again. The increase or decrease said to happen at a rate of 1 year per every 100 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from them, there are other beings with Nihilistic(no rebirth, no karma etc.) views who refuse to do good deeds and cultivate Jhana to get into higher Brahma realms. They get caught in the destruction of the world and are born in an Asura hell called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahindaramatemple.com/e-library/31planes1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lokantarika Narakaya&lt;/a&gt;. There is no mention as to if they ever get to come back when the new world system is formed. It is said to be situated at the center of three worlds - the human world, the ordinary hells and heavens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the center of these three worlds, there is a dark sea of acid water surrounded by rocky mountains. This sea is covered with eternal darkness; no ray of light can reach this place.  The creatures of the Lokantarika-niraya hang themselves on cliffs like bats. They are tortured by hunger and thirst as there is no food for them. While moving along the cliff they sometimes come across each other.  Thinking that they have come across food, they jump upon each other and start fighting. As soon as they start fighting, they let loose their grip on the cliff and as a result they fall into the sea below and their bodies melt away just like salt melting away in water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T07:18:20.490" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T07:18:20.490" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2949" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2992" CreationDate="2014-08-28T07:16:48.937" Score="5" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/402843.Zen_Mind_Beginner_s_Mind&quot;&gt;Zen Mind, Beginners Mind&lt;/a&gt; Shunryu Suzuki says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;observing the precepts in a Hinayana way is violating the precepts in&#xA;  a Mahayana way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can an one give an explanation of way he is getting at here and perhaps a concrete instance of when that might occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T18:17:57.297" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T03:14:41.007" Title="What is observing the precepts in a Hinayana way or a Mahayana way?" Tags="|mahayana|five-precepts|zen|hinayana|books|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2950" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2981" CreationDate="2014-08-28T07:25:29.293" Score="5" ViewCount="1624" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the main differences between the Rinzai and Soto Zen schools? Is it right that koans are only used in one of the schools? Also are there other Zen schools and if so what distinguishes those schools from the other Zen schools?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2022-03-29T05:37:38.507" Title="What are the main differences between the different Zen schools?" Tags="|zen|books|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2951" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T07:33:42.920" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T07:33:42.920" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T07:33:42.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2952" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T07:33:42.920" Score="0" Body="Questions that are related to books either a question about a particular book or taking it's inspiration from the book. The tag is different to the texts tag as it does not necessary relate to canonical texts, commentary or scripture and can be modern dharma books or literature with a significant dharma theme." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T12:56:59.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T12:56:59.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2955" CreationDate="2014-08-28T10:04:37.643" Score="9" ViewCount="1355" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of people practicing their religion at home (to some extent). But how practical is that for a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question came boiling up when a family-member said that I ultimately have to choose between 'my western life' or becoming a Monk because they think they aren't compatible and to be honest, I don't really know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel myself to become quite less social when I practice Buddhism which is by my knowledge a common reaction when you get to see things as they are. The Vinaya Pitika describes 227 rules to ordained Monks for the sake of becoming enlightened. There are many distractions which keeps you from the right path and you will break 220 on average each day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:52:03.250" LastActivityDate="2019-07-10T18:54:45.680" Title="How compatible are (Theravada) Buddhism and the Western life?" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2954" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3359" CreationDate="2014-08-28T13:50:26.750" Score="4" ViewCount="611" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a Buddhist and I want to know who is a good monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tell me if I'm wrong but I think that monks &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not request money/things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follow the rules&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not bless for to be rich... (Its passion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how do I explain to a non-buddhist how to recognise a good monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="751" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:09:40.667" LastActivityDate="2019-08-06T20:53:30.947" Title="How to know who is a good monk?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2953" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:04:46.470" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I woud say Theravadan Buddhism is compatible with the West because it is already happening. Jack Kornfield studied with Ajahn Chah and then went on to found the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation Centre&lt;/a&gt; which is partially inspired by this practice (though doesn't wholly &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/the-treasures-of-the-theravada/&quot;&gt;identify as Theravadan&lt;/a&gt;). Ajahn Chah's lineage itself has come to the West with the  T&lt;a href=&quot;http://forestsangha.org/history/&quot;&gt;hai Forest Tradition&lt;/a&gt; and to quote from here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They provide centres for monastic training, as well as, teaching and&#xA;  practice for the lay community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you don't need to be a monk to practice. My own group the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhists&lt;/a&gt; are also very influenced by Theravada Buddhism and we have no concept of monks. Even order members are considered to be lay followers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism moves Buddhism changes. As it moves into the West and as Western culture influences into the East then (Theravada) Buddhism will change. But Buddhism will always teach liberation - how could it be any other way. So I would humbly say that yes you can practice but the practice might not be quite as it was before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:04:46.470" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2956" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:17:03.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is the intentional, accepting and non-judgemental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment, which can be trained by meditational practices that are described in detail in the Buddhist tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:32:23.943" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:32:23.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2957" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:17:03.047" Score="0" Body="The practice of paying more attention to the present moment, to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you. This can be during formal meditation or during one's everyday life. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:38:14.193" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:38:14.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2958" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:20:47.377" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:20:47.377" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:20:47.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2959" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:20:47.377" Score="0" Body="A type of literary composition in of varying length. In Buddhism this mostly refers to canonical texts. Sutras is a Sanskrit term however the Pali term sutta is often used by certain traditions. The two terms are equivalent." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:36:45.720" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:36:45.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2960" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:22:26.273" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:22:26.273" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:22:26.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2961" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:22:26.273" Score="0" Body="A broad term referring to canonical, commentary or scriptural compositions of any tradition. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:36:31.477" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:36:31.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2962" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:28:33.447" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:28:33.447" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:28:33.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2963" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:28:33.447" Score="0" Body="Buddhist artistic practices including mandalas, statues and stupas. Buddhist art typically depicts Buddha, Bodhisattvas or other historic or mythic figures. Also includes objects used for ritual such as vajras or bells." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:37:58.353" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:37:58.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2964" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:46:19.750" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:46:19.750" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:46:19.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2965" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:46:19.750" Score="0" Body="A system of thought that organises the world through prediction, observation and experimentation. Scientific truths are provisional and can always be falsified. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:50:39.887" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:50:39.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2966" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:55:00.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:40:49.543" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:40:49.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2967" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:55:00.133" Score="0" Body="A dead Indo-European language indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. It is important to Buddhists and scholars of Buddhism because many of the earliest Buddhist texts are written in the Pali language e.g. the Pali Canon. It is also used during chanting and ritual in some Buddhist traditions." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:53:40.613" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:53:40.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2968" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:58:52.763" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T14:58:52.763" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T14:58:52.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2969" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T14:58:52.763" Score="0" Body="The Pali word for generosity or giving. One of the ten perfections along with virtue, renunciation, wisdom, effort, patience, truth, determination, friendliness, and equanimity." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:53:21.597" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:53:21.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2970" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:03:34.707" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T15:03:34.707" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:03:34.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2971" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:03:34.707" Score="0" Body="The first and primary caregivers, considered important in Buddhism for their service, love, and close karmic relationship to their children." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:55:40.083" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:55:40.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2972" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:06:22.733" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T15:06:22.733" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:06:22.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2973" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:06:22.733" Score="0" Body="The study of terms and their use. Specifically this will include requests for clarification of Buddhist terms and comparisons of terms within or between traditions." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:51:18.003" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:51:18.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2974" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:11:05.800" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T15:11:05.800" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:11:05.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2975" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:11:05.800" Score="0" Body="A Pali word for the foundations (or establishments) of mindfulness. The four foundations are body, feelings, mind and dhammas (mental objects). The tag also refers to sutras on this subject such as the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta in the Pali Canon." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:54:36.043" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:54:36.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2976" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:15:11.270" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T15:15:11.270" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:15:11.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2977" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:15:11.270" Score="0" Body="Requests for resources about Buddhism and Buddhist practice. Also requests for clarification about particular points within a particular resource. Learning resources can be books, video, audio etc..." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T16:55:48.777" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T16:55:48.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2954" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:34:39.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;ask questions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but Monks are essentially people also, Your practice isnt dependent on theirs, same for your progress vs. theirs.&#xA;If you are getting opinions, know that they are simply opinions. if you are getting textual facts... a well studied monk is the place to go. If you are just curious of opinions... this is more appropriate than a Monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but more directly...&#xA;- they dont usually ask for things, so please offer anything you may think could be useful for them.&#xA;- They do live according to the Vinaya Pitaka.&#xA;- What do you mean by bless?... their knowledge is available to all, they dont generally reguard people by economic status and if they do it tends to be focusing on the less fortunate in a helpful way (in my experience). The rich (who are involved) tend to bless them actually...with various things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:34:39.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2954" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:41:42.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two high level qualities you have to look at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Adhere to the Vinaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice meditation regularly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other qualities but the most important of them are the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:41:42.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2950" CreationDate="2014-08-28T15:44:37.363" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most important differences between the two schools have to do with their style of meditation and ideas surrounding the attainment of enlightenment.  Soto takes a more gradual approach - kind of like a flower opening.  Just like a flower coming into bloom, it makes no sense to force anything.  Under the right conditions, and when cultivating tenderly, the mind will open of its own accord.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, Rinzai puts more emphasis on the possibility of sudden enlightenment.  One of the easiest ways to consider how koans work in this process is to think of samsara like a brick wall.  Investigating koans is like knocking a brick out.  A certain amount of light shines through once you see into an individuals koan's 'meaning'.  Eventually, like a brick wall, once you knock enough bricks out, the whole thing just suddenly collapses.  It's kinda like going broke - it happens gradually and then suddenly!  ;-) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, a lot of Zen schools do incorporate elements of both practices.  Sometimes, a school with a more Soto emphasis may assign a student a koan.  It might also go the other way too, but that hasn't been my experience.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T15:44:37.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2982" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2984" CreationDate="2014-08-28T16:42:24.643" Score="7" ViewCount="3018" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precept, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Uccasayana mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in eight precepts suggests that one should abstain from high and luxurious beds and seats. How should one define which bed or seat is not high and which one is not luxurious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can this precept be practiced at home?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:18:57.800" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T18:47:30.690" Title="How can one define luxurious beds and seats in the eighth precept?" Tags="|theravada|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2982" CreationDate="2014-08-28T16:55:39.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try asking yourself the following. Does your home cause others to suffer? Does your bed cause more suffering to others than it needs to? Try to have a home, bed, and chairs that reduce the amount of suffering in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would look at the question, why does this precept exist? Because beds, chairs, and homes cause suffering. This precept exists to help us be mindful of the suffering of others and to take steps to lessen that suffering even in our beds, chairs, and homes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="625" LastEditDate="2014-08-28T17:03:09.363" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T17:03:09.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2982" CreationDate="2014-08-28T17:08:31.297" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's an interesting question; for lay people, I've never been able to well-define this one. I usually translate it as &quot;don't get attached to the pleasure of lying down or sleeping.&quot; But, we should probably go with the Buddha's words for monastics in the Brahmajala Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: 'Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of high and luxurious beds and seats, such as: spacious couches; thrones with animal figures carved on the supports; long-haired coverlets; multi-colored patchwork coverlets; white woollen coverlets; woollen coverlets embroidered with flowers; quilts stuffed with cotton; woollen coverlets embroidered with animal figures; woollen coverlets with hair on both sides or on one side; bedspreads embroidered with gems; silk coverlets; dance-hall carpets; elephant, horse or chariot rugs; rugs of antelope-skins; choice spreads made of kadali-deer hides; spreads with red awnings overhead; couches with red cushions for the head and feet — the recluse Gotama abstains from the use of such high and luxurious beds and seats.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would venture to guess that modern spring beds of all kinds could arguably be included in this list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T17:08:31.297" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2949" CreationDate="2014-08-28T17:46:36.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I've a feeling that the way we are asking about precepts in these questions might not be from a Mahayana perspective&quot; I am a Zen practitioner and I agree that i find many of the other questions you mentioned to be meaningless. To me as a Zen practitioner those questions are all about labels and the dharma is more about letting go and freeing oneself from these labels. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have actually started frequenting these boards less because in my perspective I feel that many of the questions asked skirt around the dharma or at least focus in on the labels and names that have attached itself to the dharma over the years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do know however that this is merely my perspective as a Zen practitioner and many people might disagree with me.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T17:46:36.473" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2941" CreationDate="2014-08-28T18:34:07.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that our goal is to free ourselves from the notions of &quot;life&quot; and &quot;non-life&quot;, from &quot;before&quot; and &quot;after&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;We&#xA;are&#xA;scared&#xA;because&#xA;of&#xA;our&#xA;notions&#xA;of&#xA;birth&#xA;and&#xA;death,&#xA;increasing&#xA;and&#xA;decreasing,&#xA;being&#xA;and&#xA;non-­‐being.&#xA;Nirvana&#xA;means&#xA;extinction&#xA;of&#xA;all&#xA;notions&#xA;and&#xA;ideas.&#xA;If&#xA;we&#xA;can&#xA;become&#xA;free&#xA;from&#xA;these&#xA;notions&#xA;we&#xA;can&#xA;touch&#xA;the&#xA;peace&#xA;of&#xA;our&#xA;true&#xA;nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There&#xA;are&#xA;eight&#xA;basic&#xA;concepts&#xA;that&#xA;serve&#xA;to&#xA;fuel&#xA;our&#xA;fear.&#xA;They&#xA;are&#xA;the&#xA;notions&#xA;of&#xA;birth&#xA;and&#xA;death,&#xA;coming&#xA;and&#xA;going,&#xA;the&#xA;same&#xA;and&#xA;different,&#xA;being&#xA;and&#xA;non-­‐being.&#xA;These&#xA;notions&#xA;keep&#xA;us&#xA;from&#xA;being&#xA;happy.&#xA;The&#xA;teaching&#xA;given&#xA;to&#xA;counteract&#xA;these&#xA;notions&#xA;is&#xA;called&#xA;&quot;the&#xA;eight&#xA;no's,&quot;&#xA;which&#xA;are&#xA;no&#xA;birth,&#xA;no&#xA;death,&#xA;no&#xA;coming,&#xA;no&#xA;going,&#xA;not&#xA;the&#xA;same,&#xA;not&#xA;different,&#xA;no&#xA;being,&#xA;no&#xA;non-­‐being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No&#xA;Death,&#xA;No&#xA;Fear:&#xA;Comforting&#xA;Wisdom&#xA;for&#xA;Life&#xA;by&#xA;Thich&#xA;Nhat&#xA;Hanh&#xA;2003&#xA;pg&#xA;51&#xA;–&#xA;53&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T18:34:07.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2953" CreationDate="2014-08-28T18:40:43.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even in Asia, you have to leave the lay life, if you are to become a monk. Once you become a monk, your culture doesn't matter. You belong to the Sangha. There are many Theravada Sangha in the world with western origins. Ex: Venerable Yuttadhammo, Venerable Bodhi, Venerable Ajahn Brahm. etc. They are hardly anti-social. Look at how many lay followers they have. You don't have to compromise on Vinaya rules to be a benefit to the society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you stay as a lay person, you don't have to kill, steal, sexually misbehave, lie or get drunk to be social.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T05:17:04.563" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T05:17:04.563" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2806" CreationDate="2014-08-28T18:42:04.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. The dharma is about returning to your buddha mind or original mind unaltered. The use of mind altering drugs goes directly against the return to the unaltered mind literally by definition. I would venture to say that Mind Altering things (ie. TV/EGO/DRUGS/External Attachments) are what the middle way and the dharma are trying to be free from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T18:42:04.230" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2989" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="2990" CreationDate="2014-08-28T19:07:43.447" Score="5" ViewCount="345" Body="&lt;p&gt;This weekend I will be attending my first retreat with Zen monks. It is at a camp ground and I will be camping in a tent for the weekend. Does anyone have any advice on attending a retreat for the first time? Is there anything I should expect, or bring that I might not think of? Any advice or experiences with retreats and facing monks for the first time will be appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy. &#xA;Bowing to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:13:37.087" Title="Attending my first Buddhist Retreat" Tags="|zen|monk|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2989" CreationDate="2014-08-28T19:31:10.637" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My guess is that you can probably expect an orientation first.   All the same, it really depends on the group and the nature of the retreat.  If it's a formal sesshin, you've got a lot to expect.  For one, the energy will be amazing.  Zen is sesshin and sesshin is Zen.  There are no words that can describe what the experience is like!  As for the more mundane - there will be no talking.  These retreats are silent, but if you have a question about what you should be doing for a work period or what have you, you aren't violating any rules if you approach a senior student with a question.  Also regarding the talking bit - you will be given a chance to talk to the guy in charge during dokusan.  Try to save your practice related questions for then.  Two, your legs &lt;b&gt;will hurt...a lot&lt;/b&gt;!!!  Expect this from the get go, but don't be afraid of it (easy to say, right??).  Stretching a bit helps purge your muscles of the lactic acid that builds up.  Oh, and during meal times, if they give you a yellowish looking pickle, don't eat it!  You use that to wash your bowl.  You can eat it after.  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, just do the the best you can.  No one sits like a stone on their first retreat.  It takes years of practice to get to that point.  Also, don't expect any earth shattering revelations or anything of the sort.  The world will seem to move a lot faster once you come back home, though.  This will last a couple of days.  It will also be a bit easier dealing with stressful situations, your mind will a bit clearer, and you'll just be kinda happy for no reason.  That should whet your appetite to go back!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T19:31:10.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2991" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-28T21:02:08.457" Score="8" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen some questions on what the scope of right/wrong livelihood is, however most of the questions I have seen only touch on a specific point, so I would like to consolidate these questions and include new ones, so we can have a better view to comment on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I work on a controversial industry (alcohol/weapons/pesticide/tobacco...) but doing a job not directly related to the product, not making, not selling, not marketing it (HR/Finance for instance...). Is that a breach of right livelihood?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I work in a meat business in a simple position, let's say a cashier in mcdonalds selling burgers, is that a breach of right livelihood?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I'm a shareholder of such companies and earn dividends (mcdonalds, brewers, etc) is that a breach?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I work in a controversial business and tried to leave it several times, but couldn't find anything else, and was dependent on it to live, is that right livelihood?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where are the borders drawn for right livelihood in cases like these? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T22:00:51.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T22:00:51.990" Title="Full view on right livelihood" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|lay-buddhism|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-08-30T22:13:58.093" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2949" CreationDate="2014-08-28T21:05:27.840" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;To avoid confusion - I base my understanding of the term 'Hinayana' on Andrei's answers to two different questions - &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2271/is-there-a-better-term-than-hinayana&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2336/is-theravada-buddhism-the-only-modern-representative-of-hinayana-buddhism/&quot;&gt;that&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinayana way (or as Andrei puts it - level) refers to basic/elementary/foundational aspects of Buddhism. On this level precepts are central and students learn to follow basic discipline. The main idea is to work with one's own Karma - having a simple life protects one from difficult situations and clear-cut rules help in achieving that. However, this is not all that Buddhism offers. Once the foundations are understood, one can move on to more advanced teachings which can be called Mahayana-based (as Andrei pointed out, this can also happen in Theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main difference, as I understand it, is that it is the Bodhisattva Vow that is central in Mahayana level. Here, one is no longer worried about one's own Karma (like on the Hinayana level), but recognizes that there are countless beings who suffer and one wants to benefit them in the first place. One does not need a precept to know that killing or lying is bad. In every situation one has to be mindful and decide which action will bring more happiness or suffering to other beings. Sometimes lying is the right way to protect someone's life, sometimes eating enormous amounts of roast beef is the best way to make our auntie happy after she spent the whole day preparing this dish for her beloved family. No clear rules, rather guidelines and constant wish to benefit others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it all boils down to motivation - if you observe the precepts in fear of spoiling your own Karma - it is Hinayana level. If you are mostly interested in benefiting others - it is Mahayana. One view violates the other one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T21:05:27.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2953" CreationDate="2014-08-28T21:41:29.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe first you need to decide if you want to be a monk or keep as a lay buddhist. If you want to follow the lay buddhist path, there is nothing wrong with the west or our modern life, you just have to keep the 5 preceps, not really complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to become a monk, you just need to join a Sangha and that can be in the east or west, it doesn't make much difference these days if you find a serious place to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to complicate a little bit...I used to question myself: If I truly believe in the Buddha why not becoming a monk? It is not the only way, but that was his way, there is clearly something special to be acquired following the Vinaya and everything... so why be satisfied with lay life? it is a hard question, but very, very personal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-28T21:41:29.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2989" CreationDate="2014-08-28T21:45:50.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quick tips:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follow the 5 precepts &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do attend to all classes/discussion groups etc...  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on your meditation practice, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn how to deal with distractions, back pain, etc... &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enjoy inner peace! :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:13:37.087" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:13:37.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2995" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3040" CreationDate="2014-08-29T01:14:01.833" Score="9" ViewCount="248" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing meditation for a while now, basic breathing and mindfulness meditation, and lately I've added some contemplation to my &quot;routines&quot;, usually with music, and the result is absolutely phenomenal. In those 20-30 minutes I literally reach an emotional bliss that is unequal and it has transferred to my daily life and helped me a lot. I literally was suicidal some months ago and awareness and facing my issues with meditation along with Buddhist philosophy literally saved my life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now my problem is if i keep this, please don't take this as arrogance, &quot;Buddha state&quot; ,only connected to my meditation time and broken moments of the day would that not be also attachment?. Is having the ability to at any moment be aware and blissful the desired Buddha state?. Is this something that will come with the more practice than I have or am i missing something that will improve even more my meditation experience? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="746" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:35:03.787" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:35:03.787" Title="Maintaining the emotional state achieved in meditation through the rest of the day" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2995" CreationDate="2014-08-29T02:31:48.113" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This pleasurable state that you are attaining during meditation is simply the result of concentration. These states can be developed in different directions within the Buddhist path, but if their place is not properly understood, they can in time become a hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This bliss isn't enlightenment unfortunately. The goal of Buddhist meditation is to attain clarity of mind and concentration in order to see that reality is impermanent, unable to give us stable and lasting pleasure, and non-self. When these are fully realized, the mediator will be able to at least temporarily let go totally of all attachment and experience the happiness of Nibbana (or Nirvana in Sanskrit), a happiness that is totally distinct from everything else in this world. When this is realized repeatedly, one can eventually become a fully enlightened Arahat, in which one is perfectly happy at all times because has no attachment and is content with whatever comes to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to progress towards this enlightenment you must understand that these states are a step on the path, and that they are a powerful tool, but not a goal in and of themselves. At this stage you have a choice in how to continue in practice. Option one is to continue to practice meditation the way you are (although there will come a point when the music will prevent deeper concentration, but if you really want to, continuing it for now isn't the worst thing in the world). It is possible to develop this into a powerful state of concentration and peace called Jhana in which the perception of the body totally vanishes. A good book explaining how to do this (you might be able to find it in pdf form here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&lt;/a&gt; ) is the book Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm. He has a lot of other books on practicing the Jhanas as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, even with attaining jhanas, you will need to also develop a quality of mind called Vipassana. You can switch over to practicing Vipassana meditation now as well, or you can switch later. There are several different styles of Vipassana meditation. There is the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition of Vipassana meditation, the Goenka tradition, and some of the practices of the Thai forest tradition such as meditation as taught by the Ven. Thannisaro Bhikku can be classefied as Vipassana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the best resources for learning the Mahasi Sayadaw style meditation can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvU7ppM4vE&amp;amp;list=PLAFC00C07636BE277&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvU7ppM4vE&amp;amp;list=PLAFC00C07636BE277&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;It is taught by the Ven. Yuttadhammo, an excellent monk who I can personally attest to as having tremendous wisdom and teaching ability. I consider myself to be a follower of his even though I myself don't practice the Mahasi Sayadaw method, I find his advice to be spot on. I would also highly recommend watching this video of his as well: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjUkzRcNhK8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjUkzRcNhK8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find some writings of Ajahn Thanisarro on that dhammatalks.net site. He can also be quite helpful although he isn't very explicit in talking about vipassana specifically, if you want to continue your concentration style practice this is good because he incorporates both aspects of teaching. He has a book of meditation instructions here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/EachAndEveryBreath_v130117.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/EachAndEveryBreath_v130117.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T02:40:29.140" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T02:40:29.140" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2949" CreationDate="2014-08-29T03:03:18.837" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;(To add to Rabbit's answer, which is almost perfect as far as I can see...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This refers to good old Spiritual Materialism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Observing the precepts in a Hinayana way&quot; while &quot;violating the precepts in a Mahayana way&quot; is refraining from negative action with the egoistic intent of becoming a more spiritually advanced person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, attitude is of utmost importance. Hinayana's attitude of purity is subsumed into Mahayana's attitude of altruism, and then again into Zen's attitude of non-duality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out &quot;Treasury of Precious Qualities&quot; by Jigme Lingpa. Pages 294-316 cover this topic (&quot;Transmutation of vows&quot;) in great details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T03:14:41.007" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T03:14:41.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2995" CreationDate="2014-08-29T05:07:03.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the nature of our self is that we are not in absolute control. Some presentness due to meditation may persist with a higher degree of probability but there is not saying that something or mood will not occur for certainty. Nor there is any technique to prevent them with absolute certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically what you can do is if you are waiting and some times not doing anything make it a chance to do some Breath meditation (without letting others know you are doing it as people might start looking at you funny if they get to know). This will give you a boost to keeping up the presentness with a higher degree of probability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T07:03:02.813" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T07:03:02.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="2999" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3000" CreationDate="2014-08-29T07:47:04.560" Score="9" ViewCount="1273" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that in exerting four right efforts, one should try to replace unwholesome thought with wholesome thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example, one should think of loving-kindness when ill-will thought arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what should one contemplates for mana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T08:15:42.267" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:41:35.410" Title="What is the antidote for conceit (mana)?" Tags="|right-effort|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2999" CreationDate="2014-08-29T08:14:45.403" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What should one contemplate for mana?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's what the early texts say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He should develop the perception of inconstancy so as to uproot the&#xA;  conceit, 'I am.' For a monk perceiving inconstancy, the &lt;strong&gt;perception of&#xA;  not-self&lt;/strong&gt; is made firm. One perceiving not-self attains the uprooting&#xA;  of the conceit, 'I am' — Unbinding in the here &amp;amp; now.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud 4.1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1247&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When a monk's awareness often remains steeped in the &lt;strong&gt;perception of&#xA;  not-self&lt;/strong&gt; in what is stressful, his heart is devoid of &lt;strong&gt;I-making &amp;amp;&#xA;  my-making&lt;/strong&gt; with regard to this conscious body and externally with&#xA;  regard to all themes, has transcended pride, is at peace, and is&#xA;  well-released. If, when a monk's awareness often remains steeped in&#xA;  the perception of not-self in what is stressful, his heart is not&#xA;  devoid of I-making &amp;amp; my-making with regard to this conscious body and&#xA;  externally with regard to all themes, has not transcended pride, is&#xA;  not at peace, and is not well-released, then he should realize, 'I&#xA;  have not developed the perception of not-self in what is stressful;&#xA;  there is no step-by-step distinction in me; I have not arrived at the&#xA;  fruit of [mental] development.' In that way he is alert there. But if,&#xA;  when a monk's awareness often remains steeped in the perception of&#xA;  not-self in what is stressful, his heart is devoid of I-making &amp;amp;&#xA;  my-making with regard to this conscious body and externally with&#xA;  regard to all themes, has transcended pride, is at peace, and is&#xA;  well-released, then he should realize, 'I have developed the&#xA;  perception of not-self in what is stressful; there is a step-by-step&#xA;  distinction in me; I have arrived at the fruit of [mental]&#xA;  development.' In that way he is alert there.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.046.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.46&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in&#xA;  regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external&#xA;  signs, &lt;strong&gt;I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  no longer occur within?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Any kind of form whatsoever, Rahula, whether past, future, or&#xA;  present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior,&#xA;  far or near—one sees all form as it really is with correct wisdom&#xA;  thus: &lt;strong&gt;‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever …&#xA;  Any kind of volitional formations whatsoever … Any kind of&#xA;  consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal&#xA;  or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—one&#xA;  sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: &lt;strong&gt;‘This&#xA;  is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.91&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.91&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.92&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.92&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:41:35.410" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:41:35.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3001" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3038" CreationDate="2014-08-29T08:29:47.857" Score="20" ViewCount="3993" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm aware that Theravada, Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism have a canon of texts. However I have never heard of a canon for Zen Buddhism. Does it have a canon or does it just not bother with such a thing? If it doesn't have a canon of texts then are there texts which can seen as foundational?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T18:59:38.190" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T08:44:53.883" Title="Does Zen Buddhism have canonical texts?" Tags="|zen|texts|reference-request|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3002" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T08:59:11.153" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T08:59:11.153" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T08:59:11.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3003" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T08:59:11.153" Score="0" Body="The goal of the Buddhist path. Can refer to liberation, awakening or the end of suffering but is generally understood as being indescribable to an unenlightened being. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:32:05.627" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:32:05.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3004" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:03:55.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk is a full time religious practitioner living in a dedicated community. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Typically a follower of a monastic lifestyle undertakes an additional set of vows over and above those taken by lay followers. Monastic traditions vary greatly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tag usage&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This tag is gender neutral so can be used to ask questions about monks and nuns regardless of the religion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/bhikkhu&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;bhikkhu&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; tag for questions specifically about male Buddhist monks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/bhikkhuni&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;bhikkhuni&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;bhikkhuni&lt;/a&gt; tag for questions specifically about female Buddhist nuns&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T22:44:25.960" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T22:44:25.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3005" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:03:55.203" Score="0" Body="A full time religious practitioner living in a dedicated community. Typically a follower of a monastic lifestyle undertakes an additional set of vows over and above those taken by lay followers. Monastic traditions vary greatly between Buddhist traditions. This tag refers to monks and nuns so is gender neutral." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:41:34.413" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:41:34.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3006" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:12:29.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Buddhism in Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva, Bhutan, Kalmykia and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, and India (particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim). It is the state religion of Bhutan. It is also practiced in Mongolia and parts of Russia (Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva) and Northeast China. Religious texts and commentaries are contained in the Tibetan Buddhist canon such that Tibetan is a spiritual language of these areas. Tibetan Buddhism preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth century India. Tibetan Buddhism aspires to Buddhahood or rainbow body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan diaspora has spread Tibetan Buddhism to many Western countries, where the tradition has gained popularity. Among its prominent exponents is the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The number of its adherents is estimated to be between ten and twenty million.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:35:52.937" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:35:52.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3007" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:12:29.863" Score="0" Body="A body of Buddhist doctrine associated with Tibet and surrounding central Asian areas. It is popularly associated with Vajrayāna or Tantric Buddhism however it a comprehensive path composed of teaching from all three Buddhist vehicles. Prominent exponents include the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:41:28.427" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:41:28.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3008" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:17:11.670" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:17:11.670" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:17:11.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3009" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:17:11.670" Score="0" Body="Traditions within Buddhist daily life including but not limited to holidays, death rituals, marriage, patterns regular worship and methods of personal address." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:39:50.120" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:39:50.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3010" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:20:19.183" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:20:19.183" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:20:19.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3011" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:20:19.183" Score="0" Body="General questions about teaching methods, doctrinal transmission and emphasis within any Buddhist tradition." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:40:09.610" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:40:09.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3012" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:22:58.910" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:22:58.910" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:22:58.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3013" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:22:58.910" Score="0" Body="Questions regarding general relations and interactions between students and teachers. Also questions regarding specific Buddhist teachers. Teachers can be contemporary or historical." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:39:41.687" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:39:41.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3014" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:25:50.803" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:25:50.803" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:25:50.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3015" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:25:50.803" Score="0" Body="Pali term meaning mindfulness of breathing. Can refer to the meditation practice or texts on the subject such as the Ānāpānasati Sutta within the Pali Canon." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:41:38.907" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:41:38.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3016" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:29:37.723" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:29:37.723" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:29:37.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3017" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:29:37.723" Score="0" Body="The activities or timings of Buddhist holidays or festivals. These can be specific to a Buddhist tradition or culture." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:12:17.357" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:12:17.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3018" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:33:07.763" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:33:07.763" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:33:07.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3019" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:33:07.763" Score="0" Body="Ordained male Buddhist monk. The literal meaning is 'beggar' or 'one who lives by alms', but Buddhist tradition often defines it as one who sees (ikkhati) the danger (bhaya) in samsara. The female equivalent is bhikkhuni." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:41:18.337" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:41:18.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3020" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:41:15.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right livelihood (pi &lt;em&gt;samma ajivo&lt;/em&gt;) is the third factor or the virtue section of the Noble Eightfold Path.&#xA;It deals with the way to maintain ones existence, things like jobs, earning ones needs but also maintaining ones live in regard of other entertainments/sustenance which means to provide one self with certain joy for ones particular existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since livelihood is something one can not easily change and is even caught in such, the Buddha was always where discrete in talking about this issues and stayed merely on a general matter like his definition for right livelihood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right livelihood? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood.&quot; — &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 45.8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but that also gives the certain freedom to correct it as good as possible where ever one is and does not lack on the proper advice even in regard of the most noble livelihood, the life as a Noble beggar (Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni, Mon or Nun), in its fine nuances of right and wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are certain livelihood one, as a follower of the Buddha, should abstain, to gain best possibilities for path-development:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in living beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&quot; — &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 5.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this tag is proper used for all questions in regard of occupation, job, lifestyle, business, behavior as student, trainee, child, being housekeeper and so on, related to the Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T09:05:55.853" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T09:05:55.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3021" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:41:15.603" Score="0" Body="Element of the eightfold path relating to ethical conduct with the context of one's occupation or livelihood. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:40:03.913" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:40:03.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3022" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:45:03.013" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:45:03.013" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:45:03.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3023" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:45:03.013" Score="0" Body="Element of the eightfold path relating to wise states of mind, including non-greed, non-anger, and non-delusion." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:27:23.797" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:27:23.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3024" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:47:58.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The definition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, &amp;amp; from idle chatter: This is called right speech.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 45.8&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access To Insight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T14:41:45.373" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T14:41:45.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3025" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:47:58.477" Score="0" Body="Element of the eightfold path relating to ethical conduct in the context of the spoken word. Covers abstention from lying, abuse, divisive speech and idle chatter." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:25:17.743" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:25:17.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3026" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:51:36.223" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:51:36.223" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:51:36.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3027" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:51:36.223" Score="0" Body="Element of the eightfold path relating to meditation. Covers both the over application and under application of effort within practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:40:17.333" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:40:17.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3028" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:53:44.420" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:53:44.420" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:53:44.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3029" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:53:44.420" Score="0" Body="Element of the eightfold path relating to wisdom as a correct understanding of how things are. This element gives direction and potency to the other seven elements of the path." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:25:03.600" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:25:03.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3030" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:58:22.103" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T09:58:22.103" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T09:58:22.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3031" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T09:58:22.103" Score="0" Body="Buddhist philosopher (ca. 150–250 CE) considered to be the founder of the Madhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Also credited with developing the philosophy of the Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom) sūtras. Reputed to have recovered the these sutras from the nagas or snake-people." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:39:57.857" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:39:57.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3032" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3033" CreationDate="2014-08-29T10:08:45.770" Score="6" ViewCount="1411" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the relationship between Bon and Tibetan Buddhism? My understanding is that Bon is a religion that pre-dates Tibetan Buddhism but is it still an active influence within Tibetan Buddhism? Is still a religion in its own right or is it always found in connection with Buddhism? If it does still influence Tibetan Buddhism how does that influence manifest itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2019-11-30T14:15:14.853" Title="What is the relationship between Bon and Tibetan Buddhism?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|comparative-religion|bon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3032" CreationDate="2014-08-29T11:12:10.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Part of the trouble is that the term Bon has been used historically to refer to several rather different groups and traditions. It is used to refer to the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet which is depicted in the Tibetan histories as being barbaric and based on using evil spirits to defeat their enemies. Traditionally, Padmasabhava, one of the main figures credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet, is regarded as having subdued these spirits, converting them to Buddhism and getting them to act as protectors instead of violent beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously these texts were written by Buddhist scholars and show the pre-Buddhist religion in a quite negative light, so we probably can't rely on them too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bon is also used to refer to another separate religion in Tibet that exists even today that has very strong similarities to Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the old Nyingma school, in that it also has treasure texts which claim to have been secretly written many years ago and then discovered, and also shares the Nyingma teachings on dzogchen, a type of meditation based on direct observation of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are very different from one another, and the influence goes both ways. Old Bon had a strong influence on developing Tibetan Buddhism with many of its figures being appropriated as protectors and many religious folk customs simply being mixed in with Buddhism, and the New Bon essentially drawing its doctrines from Tibetan Buddhism and giving it a new name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:48:29.183" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:48:29.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="186" CreationDate="2014-08-29T11:16:09.920" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some forms of Mahayana Buddhism teach that Buddhas and high level Bodhisattvas are able to send out multiple forms into the world to help people called emanations, and I would say that for all intents and purposes, is basically the same as in Hinduism, although there are major differences. Mostly it is only great teachers and such who are ascribed to have been emanations like that. For example, among Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama is regarded as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, whereas in Hinduism mythical heros are regarded as Avatars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T11:16:09.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2943" CreationDate="2014-08-29T12:05:49.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We do not even keep our memories from moment to moment and day to day. Memories are relative. They have no intrinsic self and are impermanent. Certain memories change over time, or are covered with a lens of delusion. Other memories are completely fictional. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:05:49.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3001" CreationDate="2014-08-29T12:08:21.790" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Gateless Gate. The Heart Sutra. The Diamond Sutra. The Shōbōgenzō. These are the first ones that come to my mind as a Zen Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is more information:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_Sutras&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_Sutras&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="625" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T12:14:03.073" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:14:03.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-08-29T12:16:49.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends. I suggest you study the essential points of Buddhist teaching, especially the teaching on the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self, and the teaching on dependent origination. These teachings are incompatible with some ideas in Hinduism (Hinduism is very diverse, so I don't think there is always contradiction.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main ideas that are common in Hinduism which conflict with Buddhism is the teaching of Brahman, an absolute reality which all of the world derives from. That doesn't fit, and it would also be problematic if you believe that the Gods are eternal beings who have always existed and always will exist. However, if you just have love for the Gods and feel devotion towards them and preform Pujas to them, from a Buddhist perspective there is nothing intrinsically wrong with that. In the time of the Buddha people venerated all sorts of beings, even including Yakshas and Nagas and the Buddha never spoke against it or forbade his followers from it, and in South East Asia today, some Hindu Gods (such as Brahma and Ganesh) are worshiped by faithful Buddhists and no one thinks there's a problem with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't feel a contradiction, by all means, consider yourself to be both a Buddhist and a Hindu. The Buddha himself had lay followers who where Brahmin priests and it wasn't a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:16:49.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3001" CreationDate="2014-08-29T12:29:11.193" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen Buddhism is part of East Asian Buddhism in general and accepts the entire Chinese Canon, although they don't find a lot of it to be relavent to their practice. Zen Buddhism has always been based primarily off of the meditation practice itself combined with oral teaching, but even if Zen isn't purely derived from the Sutras in the way other schools are, the Sutras are still a very important part of Zen learning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Originally the main text for the Zen school was the Lankavatara sutra, but as time went on, this very difficult Sutra became less popular and the Diamond Sutra became a much more central text, along with the Heart Sutra. The Platform Sutra which actually tells the story of Huineng, the sixth patriarch of Zen, and how he rose to prominence also became a primary text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A treatise called the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana was very influential, and the Sutra it was based on, the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment also had a good deal of influence, although it isn't quite as famous these days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next in importance to these canonical texts are the two famous Koan collections, the Gateless Gate and the Blue Cliff record, at least in the traditions where Koan is a major focus. For the Soto Zen School which began to de-emphasize Koan practice, the great classic is the treatise called the Shobogenzo, written by Dogen Zenji, the Soto Schools founder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are all the major zen texts I could think of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Added in later):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few others I forgot about. All of the Sutras that are about Buddha nature (The Tathagatagarbha Sutra, the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Srimaladevi Sutra, and especially the Lotus Sutra were very important in Zen. Also, the Uttaratantrashastra was important although it's a treatise, not a sutra. From very early on, the main slogan of Zen was &quot;See mind, become Buddha&quot; which meant that by directly meditating on the mind, one sees the Buddha nature of the mind and becomes enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T15:33:11.763" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:33:11.763" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2031" CreationDate="2014-08-29T12:46:11.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me personally, things really changed once I joined a sangha. I view the joining of a sangha (Taking Refuge in the sangha) as the moment I became a Zen Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T12:46:11.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2995" CreationDate="2014-08-29T13:01:10.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I can answer this from my personal experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had very strong experiences when I stated to meditate almost immediately. Anxiety seem to shift and I had a great deal of clarity. One day after 6 months of meditating I was sat on a bus and I suddenly achieve an amazing amount of clarity and well-being. I felt very very aware. I remember not being phased by this and thinking &quot;well I guess that's what meditation and Buddhism does&quot;. The state of mind lasted 2 or 3 days and gradually faded. It never came back and things settled down into a more steady (even mundane) set of meditation experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own experience is that when one starts to meditate a lot of things can happen and a lot of things can unwind at once. This was amazing for me and sounds like amazing for you. However I found that these states don't last and are impossible to maintain. Since one of the Buddha's central teachings is impermanence that's not surprising - how could they last? I have always been advised not to get attached to these feelings and states of mind. Attachment to them is still attachment and is a hindrance to the path. They are great though and can be incredibly motivating and inspiring. It's just important to see them for what they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does last is any insights or just feelings into how things actually are. I found it an overwhelming experience that my thoughts are not under my direct control and just arise and pass away. I'm not saying that's an incredible or even valid insight but it's something that is still with me from that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T13:01:10.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2953" CreationDate="2014-08-29T13:20:17.220" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my humble opinion, Buddhism meshes with the nobler aspects of western culture much better than most western religions. Buddhism has a system of ethics for lay people which is based not on appeals to authority but on what leads to true happiness, which is actually identical to the virtue ethics of most ancient Greek schools of philosophy for example, and the Buddha seems to have been a fan of democracy, setting up the Sangha of Monks and Nuns to make decisions by voting in a formal assembly in their communities, and the Buddha even gave a parable which seems to lay out a theory of government based on popular sovereignty in DN 27 ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of it all, Buddhism rejects tradition and scripture as sources of authority, offering people not the all too familiar &quot;Convert or burn in hell&quot; line, but a confident &quot;Don't take our word for it, test the teachings out for yourself!&quot; attitude that fits much better with our much more empirical mindset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite frankly, a lot of the things people point to as being major cultural barriers are quite superficial things like bowing, chanting, and other things which are by their nature supplementary to the teachings anyways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T13:20:17.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3042" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-29T13:21:05.623" Score="4" ViewCount="888" Body="&lt;p&gt;I stumbled upon a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1569/the-danger-in-lying&quot;&gt;question about the danger in lying&lt;/a&gt; and Andrei's answer caught my attention. He claims that '...key qualities of good character are: Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility'. Then it made me wonder - is being politically correct an obstacle on the way to enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the term political correctness I understand 'enforced language, ideas, or policies that address &lt;strong&gt;perceived&lt;/strong&gt; discrimination against political, social or economical groups (&amp;quot;protected classes&amp;quot;)'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lots of public figures no longer say what they really think but they mince their words so as not to offend any of the groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Media doesn't report certain facts/events/results of studies in fear of offending groups which won't feel comfortable with certain facts/events/results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the time it is not based on honesty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly this leads to violated integrity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In everyday life we also seem to be forced into political correctness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Challenging someone's views can be &lt;strong&gt;perceived&lt;/strong&gt; as an attack and more and more jokes are &lt;strong&gt;perceived&lt;/strong&gt; as offending (although it used to be a great virtue to be able to laugh at oneself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be mostly interested in what &lt;em&gt;contemporary Buddhist teachers and masters&lt;/em&gt; think about this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refrain from sharing personal opinion if it's not based on specific teachings. I am looking for advice from Buddhist masters and texts mostly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-11-11T18:45:46.480" Title="Buddhism and political correctness" Tags="|right-speech|truth|daily-life|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3042" CreationDate="2014-08-29T13:36:45.890" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sounds like an issue best analyzed according to the Buddha's teachings on right speech. The Buddha famously expounded how he personally determined how to decide on what to say in the Abhaya Sutta, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;  of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense of the&#xA;  proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has&#xA;  sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, one should consider four factors of truth, benefit, agreeability, and timeliness. The relevant point here is that even if one might say something that is true, if there is no real benefit to be gained from it, then you shouldn't say it. Certainly not all cases of political correctness fall into this, but it isn't dishonest to hold back from saying something if it will lead to no good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T13:36:45.890" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2806" CreationDate="2014-08-29T14:10:45.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question closed... i noticed Soma was a link in Ven.Yuttadhammo's comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently soma is ancient slang for something widely speculated on being either an amphetamine or entheogen.   Its probably both. &#xA;The link Ven.Yuttadhammo shared had an excerpt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;        &quot;The Graeco-Russian archeologist Viktor Sarianidi claims to have discovered vessels and mortars used to prepare Soma in 'Zoroastrian temples' in Bactria. He claims that the vessels have revealed residues and seed impressions left behind during the preparation of Soma. This has not been sustained by subsequent investigations[19] Besides the residue of ephedra, the archeologists discovered the residues of Poppy seeds and Cannabis. The vessels also had impressions created by Cannabis seeds. Cannabis is well known in India as Bhang and sometimes Poppy seeds are used with Bhang to make the ritual drink Bhang Ki Thandai.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So i would imagine it was much like today, different strokes for different folks... or mix and match.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, since it was obviously (which i already basically knew) available... and mentioned... the question is answered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you Ven.Yuttadhammo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadhu Bhante&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T14:10:45.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2999" CreationDate="2014-08-29T15:19:17.850" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conceit doesn't convey the full meaning of 'Māna' in Buddhism. 'Māna' is measuring. You can measure yourself against others in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/meditations5.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three ways&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am better than him &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am worse than him &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am equal to him&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I assume your question is on conceit, so here are some methods discussed &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to tackle conceit, some of them are applicable for mana as well. On a practical aspect, the 4th and 1st methods have been very helpful to me whenever conceit arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Recognize Conceit whenever he pops up and name him. This as readers will remember is the advise given by Nyanaponika Thera in his valuable articles in &quot;Sangha&quot;. Mara, like Satan, hates to be recognized. This practice is doubly effective because it &quot;keeps one on one's toes,&quot; and induces a real dislike of the tendency.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Get back to the first two &quot;steps&quot; of the Noble Eightfold Path&#xA;  (a) Right Understanding of the mental quality or capacity involved: to see according to reality &quot;This (quality) is not mine; I am not this; there is no self in it&quot;&#xA;  (b) Right Aspiration towards the expunging of Conceit.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The method of analysis is also helpful. &quot;I&quot; am being praised for some real or imagined virtue, say generosity. Generosity is non-greed (alobha) one of the Good Roots, and as such appears in the list of dharmas given in the Abhidharma philosophy. According to Mahayana &quot;All dharmas are empty of own-being&quot; — that is to say they are non-existent. Therefore &quot;I&quot; am being praised for something which doesn't exist. This is so absurd that it knocks the bottom out of my conceit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Alternatively &quot;I&quot; am the result of past kamma. My talents are not due to my own virtue, but have arisen on account of the skilled actions performed by vanished personalities whose kammic descendant &quot;I&quot; am. Therefore it is silly of me to be conceited about qualities which are not in any real sense &quot;mine.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T16:21:14.207" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T16:21:14.207" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2982" CreationDate="2014-08-29T15:19:48.083" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that part of the reason for this precept was that high and luxurious seating  has pretty much always existed for the sole purpose of setting the seated personage above those around them (often literally as well as figuratively), and that there is attachment in this kind of luxury.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you examine our most ancient notions about royalty and power, you will find that these are very often associated with some ornate or large furniture.  Etymologically, we say the &quot;seat&quot; of power, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, when attempting to practice this precept at home, ask yourself: &quot;what are my desires and intentions in owning this or that bed or chair?  Do I seek to set myself above others, to project my opulence and status in any small way?  Is the purpose of this furniture strictly functional, or is it decorated and flourished to convey said opulence and status in any way? Do I feel that I deserve this luxury?&quot;  I think, in the answers to these questions (and bearing the Middle Way in mind), you will be able to determine whether you are breaking this precept for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="756" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T15:19:48.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3047" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-29T15:21:51.793" Score="4" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's teachings we learn how to see things as a product of our own mind, for example, if you &quot;fall in love&quot; everything happens in your own mind, the other person is nothing but an external stimulus, so in theory if we tam our mind we can live in this world without suffering wordly consequences of attachments and desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with this deep knowledge, in Buddhism we are encouraged to abandon desires, wealth and go to homeless life (for monks!). So the question is: Is it impossible to tame the mind completely? Is that an utopia? Because if one could tame his mind completely, there would be no need to abandon things as the way he relates to them would be completely free and deattached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If material things have the potential to create problems, does it mean a full tamed mind is impossible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T16:06:22.947" LastActivityDate="2021-01-13T17:49:41.140" Title="Taming the mind and Homelessness" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3048" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3049" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T15:37:05.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2014-08-29T16:08:03.580" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Zen we are not taught to abandon things. Instead we are taught to let go of our attachment to things. The key here is that it is not the things themselves that make us suffer, but it is our attachment to these things that make us suffer. Eliminating the things themselves is different than learning to liberate yourself from your own attachment to these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three men sit in a lions den waiting to be eaten by a hungry lion. The first man hides in the corner trembling in fear of the lion. The second man stands strong ready to face the lion and kill it. The third man is liberated from attachments and is not in fear of the lion, nor does he want to kill the lion. In the present moment the third man is filled with joy and happiness for he is alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning things, is like the man trying to get rid of the lion. At first it may seem like the best choice, but there is a middle way between the first two men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T16:08:03.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3042" CreationDate="2014-08-29T17:46:52.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recent Authoritative Answer - this is from the book &lt;em&gt;At The Feet of The Master&lt;/em&gt; which was written by Alcyone (Krishnamurti when he was a boy, thus about 100 years ago), available in its entirety online: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Everything that you say should be true, kind and helpful, and be needed now.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; I think this summarizes the points others have made, is a direct quote, and is very easy to recall. Putting it to use is another matter : ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user759" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T17:46:52.633" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3052" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:00:33.807" Score="8" ViewCount="1131" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of people, especialy from the west, like to follow the Dhamma (Kamma laws, meditation, metta, etc.), however they worry about taking refuge, because taking refuge is seen as an official entry point in Buddhism, where your old religion should be abandoned, for Christians for example, they feel like if they take refuge they will be turning their backs on Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the questions are: Can a person follow the Buddha's teachings without taking refuge? Can someone attain enlightment without taking refuge?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2019-08-16T16:58:24.290" Title="Following the Dhamma without taking refuge" Tags="|refuge|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2081" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:00:50.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Courses&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://learning.pariyatti.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Partiyatti Learning Center&lt;/a&gt; offers two free online Pāli courses.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/courses/pali-online-school/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pali Online School&lt;/a&gt; at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies is a very intensive 3-week online Pāli course, that involves live instruction by prof. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gombrich&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Gombrich&lt;/a&gt;, a well-known scholar of Theravāda. The aim is to enable students to read original canonical texts in Pāli, with the aid of dictionares and grammars. The course is expensive, but I've taken it and can wholeheartedly recommend it. I doubt there is any other way to learn a good deal of Pāli in such a short time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dictionaries&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/em&gt; (PED) by Rhys Davids and Stede is the most comprehensive fully published Pāli dictionary available to date. It is freely available online, but the search interface has some strange bugs (the anusvara needs to be typed as ŋ instead of the standard ṃ, and the first letter of a headword must be written in uppercase if it contains a diacritic, e.g. &lt;em&gt;Āsana&lt;/em&gt; instead of &lt;em&gt;āsana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Several Pāli dictionaries, including the PED (though not all the entries), are available &lt;a href=&quot;https://palidictionary.appspot.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. The search interface is much more user-friendly, but lacks more advanced features of the aforementioned one (it's not possible to search for words in definitions, words that start/end/contain a particular character sequence, etc.). &lt;a href=&quot;https://palidictionary.appspot.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://palidictionary.appspot.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/dict/Pali-English_Dictionary,1921-25,v1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF version of the PED&lt;/a&gt; is freely available, as well as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/bigfiles/pts_ped.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;text version&lt;/a&gt; in a single big file.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Cone-Margaret_bymfg_657-3-1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dictionary of Pali&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Margaret Cone is an improvement over the PED, with more usage examples, but only volumes I (A-Kh) and II (G-N) have been published (note the different alphabetical order in Pāli).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Books&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Pali Grammar&lt;/em&gt; by Wilhelm Geiger, revised by K.R. Norman&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Describes phonology (the sound system) and morphology (how words are inflected), but has no information about syntax (how words are combined together)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;An Introduction to Pali&lt;/em&gt; by A.K. Warder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;generally regarded as the standard Pāli textbook&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teaches about compounds (samāsa) and about some aspects of syntax and idiomatic language use, that is, the topics that are absent in Geiger's grammar&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;however, according to prof. Gombrich, the book cannot be relied on, because it contains strange mistakes, and sometimes is unclear or misleading&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you follow a tradition that involves chanting in Pāli (by the teacher and/or by the students), it may be useful to take a look at the chanted texts and their translation. In such case you are already familiar with the pronunciation and rhythm of the text, so learning should be much easier. For example, this book may be useful for people who follow S.N. Goenka's tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Gem-Set-in-Gold_p_1457.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gem Set in Gold&lt;/a&gt;, Dhamma Chanting: English Translation with Pali and Hindi&lt;/em&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;General&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/pali.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; provides a list of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/pali.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;resources for learning Pāli&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon and its translations are obviously important learning resources, available on &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;. See also answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5843/where-to-get-the-pali-canon-in-pali&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/3more3more/videos&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is a nice set of well-known Pāli chants on YouTube, with their transcription and translation into English. It's a good starting point for learning Pāli pronunciation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For learning vocabulary, I recommend making flashcards in a spaced repetition program (the most popular one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://ankisrs.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anki&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced_repetition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Spaced repetition&lt;/a&gt; is a general way to memorise things in the long term, and it is tremendously useful for language learning. It is especially useful if you don't read Pāli texts regularly and don't want to forget the words.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T11:16:25.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3054" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3064" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:10:51.417" Score="4" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a book/website that gives an overview of all the Buddhist lists and explains what their elements mean, and shows how the lists are connected to each other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T04:49:09.633" Title="Overview of Buddhist lists" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:19:44.080" Score="8" ViewCount="2556" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between enlightenment/awakening and nibbana/nirvana? And how do these terms relate to parinibbana/parinirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T21:29:52.537" LastActivityDate="2017-12-10T16:20:26.613" Title="Enlightenment vs nibbana/nirvana" Tags="|enlightenment|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:21:56.010" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lay life is not conducive to the practice. Imagine you are studying for an exam and you have 2 places to go to. 1. A quiet library. 2. A stripper club with loud music. In which environment will you be able to study more effectively? One can still study in the stripper club, but it's going to be much difficult and not as effective compared to studying in the library. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If what you are really asking is why someone who becomes an Arahath in lay life gets ordained within seven days, it is because the holy life is what is most natural for a being without defilements. There's nothing in his mind that keeps him tied to the lay life. It's like if you hold down an air bubble underwater using a cup and then when you turn it over, the air bubble will go up and enter the atmosphere. There's nothing that holds it down underwater.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T19:21:56.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3057" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:26:19.090" Score="5" ViewCount="13364" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are differences between these entities? I understand they all are entities that they posses some abilities that normal humans don't have. Are there any other similar entities that might be easily confused?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T09:33:01.150" LastActivityDate="2017-12-02T17:57:39.173" Title="Buddhas vs bodhisattvas vs arhats vs devas vs brahmas" Tags="|buddhas|bodhisattva|arhats|deva|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3058" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7252" CreationDate="2014-08-29T19:36:16.647" Score="16" ViewCount="8425" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any person who is widely believed to be enlightened by Buddhists, and who confirms that himself/herself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T18:10:09.483" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T12:42:43.860" Title="Are there any living enlightened people?" Tags="|enlightenment|modern-world|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3057" CreationDate="2014-08-29T20:30:17.357" Score="8" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha is a completely self-enlightened one (without help from another Buddha, direct or indirect).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bodhisattva (in Theravada) is a being on its way to enlightenment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bodhisattva (in Mahayana) is an awakened being who vowed to indefinitely stick in Samsara for the sake of others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arhat (in Theravada) is a completely enlightened person (thanks to a Buddha's help).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arhat (in Mahayana) is person who has attained Peace (of enlightenment) for him or herself, but not willing to give it up for the sake of others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deva is a non-human being invisible to the human eye.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T20:36:58.777" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T20:36:58.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3057" CreationDate="2014-08-29T20:32:51.107" Score="5" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sammasambuddha - Omniscient and has attained nibbana(enlightenment) on his own without the teaching of another. Preaches the Dhamma and guides other beings to Nibbana. Had cultivated &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebuddhism.net/2012/09/24/paramita-parami-perfections/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paramitas&lt;/a&gt; in three ways for a minimum period of &quot;Sara(4) Asankya Kalpa Lakshaya&quot; as a Bodhisatva. More than one Sammasambuddha cannot exist in the world at the same time. Always male.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pacceka Buddha - Not omniscient. Has attained nibbana on his own. Cannot preach the Dhamma that can guide others to nibbana. Had cultivated Paramitas in two ways for a minimum period of &quot;Dwi(2) Asankya Kalpa Lakshaya&quot;. Many Pacceka Buddhas can exist in the world at the same time only if there's no Sammasamubuddha and no Dhamma in the world. Always male.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arahath - Not omniscient. Attained nibbana under the guidance of a Sammasamduddha and preaches the Dhamma to help others attain nibbana. Had generally cultivated Paramitas for a period of &quot;Eka(1) Asankya Kalpa Lakshaya&quot;. This period may vary depending on if it's a normal Arhahth disciple or one of the 80 great Arahaths. Many Arahaths can exist in the word at the same time. Can be either male or female.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bodhisatva - A being who is still cultivating Paramitas to attain Nibbana through one of the above three goals. Can be either male or female.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Devas - Not omniscient and not necessarily enlightened. They are divine beings who have done good deeds in the past and born in heavens as a result. They usually enjoy a long life span. Unlike humans, they don't get sick and don't deteriorate as they age until the last moment. Can be either male or female except for Brahmas who have no gender. They are born spontaneously.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All Sammasambuddhas, Pacceka Buddhas and Arhanths are similar in enlightenment with the above mentioned differences. There are no other similar entities to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-29T21:10:37.440" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T21:10:37.440" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3061" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3068" CreationDate="2014-08-29T20:37:24.943" Score="14" ViewCount="733" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to David Chapman, &lt;a href=&quot;http://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/zen-vs-the-u-s-navy/&quot;&gt;modern Zen was basically invented by D.T. Suzuki&lt;/a&gt;, and doesn't have much to do with original Zen or even with Buddhism in general. Is this true? Is modern Zen closer to other Western Buddhist traditions than to original Zen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-11T20:55:50.677" LastActivityDate="2017-11-27T01:02:24.130" Title="Modern vs traditional Zen" Tags="|zen|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3055" CreationDate="2014-08-29T20:52:08.920" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment, or Bodhi, refers to coming to a direct realization of the truth. Nibbana is the timeless state of perfect peace and happiness which occurs as a result of attaining Enlightenment, and it will occur immediately after attaining any of the four stages of enlightenment, and can be re-cultivated as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Parinibbana in common usage today refers to when a fully enlightened Arahat (one who has overcome all attachment and will not be reborn) undergoes bodily death. Instead of being reborn, they enter into Nibbana again, only this time they stay that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T20:52:08.920" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1646" CreationDate="2014-08-29T20:57:27.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although an Arahat would not have any mental pain arising with physical pain, that doesn't mean that everything would be just fine. Arahats could still find it burdensome, for example, in that it is constantly pulling on their attention and they wouldn't be able to do much as a result, so pain could still be quite debilitating in that the Arahat wouldn't be able to function by teaching, traveling, or other such things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T20:57:27.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3054" CreationDate="2014-08-29T21:01:29.893" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a matter of fact, yes! Here it is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thedhamma.com/buddhaslists.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thedhamma.com/buddhaslists.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;I highly recommend it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T21:01:29.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1761" CreationDate="2014-08-29T21:26:26.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali word is Sati, which derives from the verb Sarati, which literally means to remember. If you look at how the word is actually used in the texts, there seems to be three distinct senses of the term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first sense is the most general, and it just means memory, or the ability to recall events and information. This isn't a major meaning of the term Sati in the Buddhist texts, but it does show up occasionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a second sense, Sati has a more specific meaning of focusing the mind on an object. This is more commonly used in the form of a suffix, so for example &#xA;Ānāpānasati means setting the mind on the Ānā and pāna, the in-breath and the out-breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the last sense, it has a much more specific meaning. It means the setting of the mind on an object of ultimate reality, meaning setting the mind on direct experience itself, which can be divided up into four categories of body,feeling, mind, and dhammas, meaning physical sensation, the experience of something as pleasant, unpleasant, or neither, awareness, and various mental qualities that occur in the mind such as emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list is called the four Satipatthana, and the correct setting of the mind on them is called Samma-Sati, or right mindfulness, which is the seventh factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. The standard definition found in many places in the Suttas is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains&#xA;  focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains&#xA;  focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of itself...&#xA;  mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. This is&#xA;  called right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other aspects of the definition which the Ven. Yuttadhammo has already mentioned in his answer as well&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-29T21:26:26.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3066" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3067" CreationDate="2014-08-29T21:46:14.530" Score="5" ViewCount="2048" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the currently available historical sources, did Ledi Sayadaw invent his technique of meditation, or did he learn it in the caves of the Sagaing Hills? Is there enough information to tell which possibility is more likely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:40:00.930" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:40:00.930" Title="Did Ledi Sayadaw invent a vipassana technique?" Tags="|vipassana|history|monk|meditation-insight|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3066" CreationDate="2014-08-30T02:42:52.380" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though there is no definite record who his teacher was, it is said he learned it from someone else when he was in the Monywa region in the side of Lak-pan-taung Mountain. Also there is reference that this is the &lt;code&gt;Traditional Burmese&lt;/code&gt; method. This is mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-2&quot;&gt;VRI&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pariyatti.org/Resources/Treasures/VenLediSayadaw/tabid/205/Default.aspx&quot;&gt;pariyatti.org&lt;/a&gt; biography. VRI teachers &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/VRI-Introduction&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; as handed down in the Ledi linage. VRI may be drawing on works by Sayagyi U Ba Khin (E.g. The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck page 71 also makes reference to this.) It the strong belief of this tradition (which I also very much involved and practice) that he learned from a linage handed down from the Sona and Uttara who came as missionaries during &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot;&gt;King Asoka's&lt;/a&gt; time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot;&gt;Wikipedia entry&lt;/a&gt; (originally sourced from &lt;a href=&quot;http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/9290/3151&quot;&gt;On saints and wizards Ideals of human perfection and power in contemporary Burmese Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Patrick Pranke page 461) mentions &lt;code&gt;Ledi Sayadaw learned the technique of Vipassana which had remained being taught in the caves of the Sagaing Hills&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence this was not exactly his creation as per biographical references above. But the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo16744419.html&quot;&gt;The Birth of Insight&lt;/a&gt; in in page 7 says otherwise though. So there is no proper or consistent way to determine what exactly is right,  though previous case may be right. There are parallel of the technique to some extent in other linages too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For eight more years he remained there, teaching and continuing his&#xA;  own scholastic endeavors, until 1882 when he moved to Monywa. He was&#xA;  now 36 years old. At that time, Monywa was a small district center on&#xA;  the east bank of the Chindwin River, which was renowned as a place&#xA;  where the teaching method included the entire Tipiṭaka, rather than&#xA;  selected portions only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To teach Pali to the bhikkhus and sāmaṇeras at Monywa, he came into&#xA;  town during the day, but in the evening he would cross to the west&#xA;  bank of the Chindwin River and spend the nights in meditation in a&#xA;  small vihara (monastery) on the side of Lak-pan-taung Mountain.&#xA;  Although we do not have any definitive information, it seems likely&#xA;  that this was the period when he began practicing Vipassana in the&#xA;  traditional Burmese way: with attention to Ānāpāna (respiration) and&#xA;  vedanā (sensation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pariyatti.org/Resources/Treasures/VenLediSayadaw/tabid/205/Default.aspx&quot;&gt;http://www.pariyatti.org/Resources/Treasures/VenLediSayadaw/tabid/205/Default.aspx&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-2&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-2&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ledi Sayadaw learned the technique of Vipassana which had remained&#xA;  being taught in the caves of the Sagaing Hills, which was honeycombed&#xA;  with meditation caves and dotted with forest monasteries. For how long&#xA;  we do not know. Verbal accounts state that two monks brought the&#xA;  practice of Vipassana to this area at the time of the Buddha. It is&#xA;  just as likely that prior to the eighteenth century in Burma, as&#xA;  elsewhere in the Theravāda world, it was generally believed that it&#xA;  was no longer possible to attain enlightenment and hence nibbāna&#xA;  through vipassanā or any other means during the present age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The earliest known challenger to this assumption is that of a monk&#xA;  from the Sagaing Hills in Upper Burma named Waya-zawta whose movement&#xA;  ﬂourished during the reign of Maha-damma-yaza-dipati (r. 1733–1752). A&#xA;  young scholar-monk named Medawi (1728–1816) began writing vipassanā&#xA;  manuals in the vernacular. Couched in the language of abhidhamma,&#xA;  these are the very earliest ‘how-to’ vipassanā books we possess from&#xA;  Burma. Medawi’s earliest manual was completed in 1754. Ledi's lineage&#xA;  comes from this line, whereby his main teacher was King Mindon’s royal&#xA;  minister U Hpo Hlaing (1830–1883), who was notable for his avid&#xA;  interest in western science and eﬀorts to reconcile this new&#xA;  perspective with abhidhamma. This synthetic approach was passed on to&#xA;  his protégé, the scholar-monk, U Nyana, who later became famous as&#xA;  Ledi Sayadaw, arguably the most signiﬁcant promoter of vipassanā in&#xA;  the modern period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/9290/3151&quot;&gt;http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/9290/3151&lt;/a&gt; (page 461)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T03:28:45.657" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T03:28:45.657" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3061" CreationDate="2014-08-30T02:59:19.683" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Someone else will answer this better than me, but I'll get the ball rolling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chan is the form of Buddhism that came to dominate Buddhist life in China up to the time of the communist revolution. It was a lot of meditation, mixed in with a lot of Pure Land Buddhism, scholarship and the whole gammut of Buddhist practices, including prostrations, repentance, everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chan was then transmitted to Japan via Dogen around the time of the Kamakura era. At this point, Zen is radically simplified, loses the Pure Land component. Dogen is a medieval Japanese monk-- he's a nice guy, but no one is going to mistake him for a modern Oxford or Tokyo University intellectual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also at this time, when Japanese nobles needed to send their kids to school, they would send them up the road to the Buddhist monk, who knew how to read. While they were there, the parents figure the should also learn about calligraphy, tea ceremony and things that upper class Japanese noble kids needed to learn. This created the confusion about Zen's connection to these Japanese cultural arts. (And this confusion was later exacerbated by apologists for Zen, who wanted to appeal to skeptical, but nationalist countrymen in the revival or preservation of Buddhism)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next big event is the Meiji reformations, where the Japanese imperial government, in a policy hostile to Buddhism, initiated reforms allowing (demanding?) that monks marry, eat meat and so on. From this we get the idea that Zen has nothing to do with strict morals, renunciation, vegetarianism, celibacy, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last big event is the educated class in Japan learning pretty much everything that the Europeans knew and being heavily influenced by essentially European ideas. (among them ideas of the age of enlightenment and the protestant reformation) Not bad mind you, as a 3rd party, I could care less if the Indian ideas imported into Japan were being diluted of their Japaneseness by mixing with European ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the person to bring that &quot;pre-westernized&quot; Zen to the US was DT Suzuki. Before anyone had a chance to start mixing up western progressive ideas with Chan (as filtered through Japan), it had already been done.  DT Suzuki Zen removed anything that looked like religion from Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T14:33:34.347" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T14:33:34.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3054" CreationDate="2014-08-30T04:49:09.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Leigh Brasington has a &lt;a href=&quot;http://bit.ly/1pSRn8t&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;good page&lt;/a&gt; on this. ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T04:49:09.633" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3058" CreationDate="2014-08-30T08:03:44.067" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Andrei says in the comments talking about achievements are taboo so it's difficult to know. However &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt; (Theravada practitioner) is a taboo buster about this and openly claims in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core teachings&lt;/a&gt; that he is an ahrat. So basically that he is enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might seem like massive hubris and just in bad taste but if you listen to any talks by him he is massively engaging on the subject and convincing. I recommend listening to an interview with him on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks&lt;/a&gt; podcast (numbers 6, 9 and 11). In that talk he claims that there are a significant number of people either enlightened or well on the way. He names some American monasteries and particularly the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/&quot;&gt;Insight Mediation Centre&lt;/a&gt; as a place that you might bump into these people. He claims that although no-one is going to admit it publicly, if you a a serious practitioner and physically go there with particular issues or experiences of your own then those people will be more forthcoming on their own experiences. This accords with my own limited experience. In a well established relationship with a teacher or more experience practitioner then people will be a lot more forthcoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a further interesting point, Daniel Ingram does say that our models of enlightenment are a mess (he's a provocative kind of person). So when we are casting around and trying to spot who is further down that path then we might just be looking for the wrong kind of things. He particularly says that being enlightened and being a very saintly kind of person wouldn't necessarily be the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a note - I don't think Daniel Ingram still claims he is an arhat (not sure). He has a new edition of his book coming out so it will be interesting to see where he is at. Also I'm not necessarily saying Daniel Ingram is right, but just that he has some very interesting views in this area and I frankly like writing about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T08:15:54.640" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T08:15:54.640" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2615" CreationDate="2014-08-30T08:27:49.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I does seem that Buddhism is more popular among baby boomers in the US, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://approachingaro.org/is-buddhism-just-for-baby-boomers&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://approachingaro.org/is-buddhism-just-for-baby-boomers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as it refers to baby boomers, it looks like it's a US-specific phenomenon, I don't think it applies to Europe or other Western countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T08:27:49.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="217" CreationDate="2014-08-30T09:11:09.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/qanda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Q&amp;amp;A about Goenka-style Vipassana meditation&lt;/a&gt; should provide some answers to your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there anyone who should not participate in a course?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously someone who is physically too weak to follow the schedule will not be able to benefit from a course. The same is true of someone suffering from psychiatric problems, or someone undergoing emotional upheaval. Through a process of questions and answers, we will be able to help you decide clearly beforehand whether you are in a position to benefit fully from a course. In some cases applicants are asked to get approval from their doctor before they can be accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can Vipassana cure physical or mental diseases?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many diseases are caused by our inner agitation. If the agitation is removed, the disease may be alleviated or disappear. But learning Vipassana with the aim of curing a disease is a mistake that never works. People who try to do this waste their time because they are focusing on the wrong goal. They may even harm themselves. They will neither understand the meditation properly nor succeed in getting rid of the disease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How about depression? Does Vipassana cure that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the purpose of Vipassana is not to cure diseases. Someone who really practices Vipassana learns to be happy and balanced in all circumstances. But a person with a history of severe depression may not be able to apply the technique properly and may not get the desired results. The best thing for such a person is to work with a health professional. Vipassana teachers are meditation experts, not psychotherapists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T09:11:09.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2791" CreationDate="2014-08-30T09:37:47.220" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0742539261&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen at War&lt;/a&gt; describes the role of Zen in the Japanese militarism in the 19th and the 20th century. A quote from Harada Daiun Sogaku (after &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[If ordered to] march: tramp, tramp, or shoot: bang, bang. This is the manifestation of the highest Wisdom [of Enlightenment]. The unity of Zen and war of which I speak extends to the farthest reaches of the holy war [now under way].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T09:37:47.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3055" CreationDate="2014-08-30T11:33:51.853" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;[A Mahayana perspective]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two components to Enlightenment: Realization (insight, awakening, Bodhi) and Liberation (unbinding, Nirvana, loss of form).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Very strong and talented people&lt;/strong&gt;, with very few mental/emotional obscurations, determined on becoming Enlightened, and therefore diligently cleansing their minds from even slightest traces of unenlightened tendencies, attain both Bodhi and Nirvana at the same time. We call this &quot;Sudden Enlightenment&quot;. Gautama Buddha and some famous Zen masters of the past belong to this category. When such person dies, we call it Parinirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;People of middling capacity&lt;/strong&gt;(for enlightenment), with predominantly emotional obscurations, determined on unraveling the mystery of Enlightenment, and therefore diligently doing their own independent analysis, but slightly lazy about their practice, attain Realization first. Informed by the insight into the nature of phenomena, they continue working on their Liberation &lt;em&gt;asymptotically&lt;/em&gt;, often for decades. We call this &quot;Sudden Awakening / Gradual Cultivation&quot;. Most of the modern realized teachers belong to this category. When speaking of these we prefer to not use the honorary terms Enlightenment/Nirvana/Parinirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-12-10T16:20:26.613" LastActivityDate="2017-12-10T16:20:26.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1878" CreationDate="2014-08-30T13:57:56.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable Analayo through the University of Hamburg has given online courses in 2012 and 2013 comparing MN suttas and MA sutras. So far not the whole collection has been covered but in the material covered in those courses, as I can recall, there are some minor differences here and there but nothing that would put in question the central teachings as we know better from the Pali Canon. In 2014 there was a course about bhikkhunis, and maybe next year there will be another course about MN/MA. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also want to check &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T13:57:56.540" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3076" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3078" CreationDate="2014-08-30T14:27:04.593" Score="21" ViewCount="1808" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible for i.e. an Arhat to become unenlightened after he reached the state of Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if an enlightened being gets a severe brain injury by some cause leaving him with amnesia.&#xA;Could it affect one's enlightenment in any way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T23:33:28.397" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T11:37:24.953" Title="Is it possible to become UNenlightened?" Tags="|philosophy|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3077" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3081" CreationDate="2014-08-30T16:57:04.170" Score="5" ViewCount="772" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Pure Land Buddhism ever have a Buddha other than Amitābha as the object of devotion? Or is Pure Land Buddhism by definition a devotion to Amitābha and an aspiration to be reborn in his pure land? I'm aware there are a lot of other Buddhas so I just wondered if they were ever the focus of this tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T17:09:42.863" LastActivityDate="2020-02-27T01:58:36.310" Title="Does Pure Land Buddhism ever have a Buddha other than Amitābha as the object of devotion?" Tags="|buddhas|pure-land|amitabha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3076" CreationDate="2014-08-30T17:34:41.207" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;No! Once you attain Nibbana, the defilements are annihilated without the possibility of return. Just like uprooting a tree instead of chopping it down or trimming it. So it can never grow back from roots. Nibbana does not depend on the condition of the body or any other thing. It is uncaused, unborn and permanent. &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2009/12/killing-of-maha-moggallana.html&quot;&gt;Venerable Moggalana was beaten up by thugs&lt;/a&gt; until his bones were pulverized. Still his mind was at perfect peace. One Arahath thero in Sri Lanka was &lt;a href=&quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/110109/Plus/plus_15.html&quot;&gt;thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil&lt;/a&gt; by the order of a King. That even caused a Tsunami in sri Lanka. But he was still at perfect peace when his life ended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a Sothapanna person as an example. He can die 6 times before attaining Arhathship. If death itself is not going to affect his attainment, how can brain damage affect it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T21:10:03.853" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T21:10:03.853" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3077" CreationDate="2014-08-30T17:43:45.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The primary object of devotion in Pureland Buddhism is Amitabha, but there is secondary devotion to some other figures. I'm not sure if secondary devotion to other Buddhas is common, but Avalokitesvara is usually held in high esteem in Pureland.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T17:43:45.593" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3080" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3114" CreationDate="2014-08-30T17:51:04.313" Score="3" ViewCount="348" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently companies such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20560359&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Starbucks&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/19/oecd-tax-reform-proposals-amazon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Amazon&lt;/a&gt; were accused of avoiding paying UK tax. Many people were quite upset about this and people began to boycott those companies involved. From a Buddhist perspective is there any problem with this? The companies are not stealing nor are they breaking any laws - tax avoidance is perfectly legal as opposed to evasion which is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate there are many arguments that could be made against this practice around fairness, justice, social responsibly etc... However I'm interested in the Buddhist angle - perhaps thinking about the precepts or maybe broader concepts such as karma and dependent origination or another aspect of Buddhist thought that I'm not aware of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:51:37.007" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T13:57:45.413" Title="Should Buddhists avoid Amazon and Starbucks out of concerns about tax avoidance?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|daily-life|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3077" CreationDate="2014-08-30T17:55:26.447" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Amitābha Buddha has two attendant bodhisattvas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt; and  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasthamaprapta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāsthāmaprāpta&lt;/a&gt; and they all are present in meditations based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism#Visualization_methods&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;visualisation&lt;/a&gt; used in the Pure Land Buddhism (as well as in Vajrayana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/E7BKp.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T17:55:26.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3082" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-08-30T18:00:14.547" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T18:00:14.547" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T18:00:14.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3083" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-08-30T18:00:14.547" Score="0" Body="Particular issues from the modern world, which relate to or affect the practice of Buddhism. These topics include but are not limited to technological, political and consumer issues that impact on Buddhist thought and practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T16:47:07.063" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T16:47:07.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2138" CreationDate="2014-08-30T18:05:32.883" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some differences of opinion between the different schools on this kind of thing. First of all, the Theravada school doesn't accept the idea that the Buddha has knowledge of everything (which Mahayana schools tend to teach) but instead teach that the Buddha possesses unobstructed knowledge and vision, meaning that the Buddha had the ability to find an answer to any question given time and effort, and even the precise meaning of this isn't quite clear. Confusingly, the term &quot;unobstructed knowledge and vision&quot; is sometimes translated as omniscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This unobstructed knowledge and vision is the result of having cultivated the ten Paramis of generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, honesty, determination, goodwill, and equanimity to perfection as a Bodhisatta, and when he attained Arahatship on the night of the full moon in the month Vesakha, the cultivation of these Paramis came to fruit and he obtained unobstructed knowledge and vision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He attained Arahatship that night by means of the Noble Eightfold Path, just like everyone else, and according to the Pali Suttas, he did so by means of Anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-08-30T18:15:37.827" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T18:15:37.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2792" CreationDate="2014-08-30T18:15:45.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess technically the Dalai Lama be one such person. He is reputedly the manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt;. Avalokiteśvara is the the earthly manifestation of Amitabha who has the Pureland of sukhavati. Amitabha is himself the primary focus of Pure Land Buddhism. I'm not sure if the Dalai Lama would stand up in from of an audience and make that claim but he is an emanation of a bodhisattva who is associated with a pure land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T18:15:45.147" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3080" CreationDate="2014-08-30T18:44:01.257" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to do so as an act of protest against their practices that's a good thing in my view but I don't think you can make it mandatory. It seems to be a general principle in Buddhism (at least in the Theravada school) that an act isn't intrinsically evil unless it involves harm in terms of clearly evident causation rather than in terms of indirect contribution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T18:44:01.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3080" CreationDate="2014-08-30T20:17:59.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism exists because it gained government patronage.  It isn't a system for liberation from the government and it's taxes. Thats relatively recent ideology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Actions of a Bodhisattva in High Places &quot;Good man, if a Bodhisattva&#xA;  has achieved command, becoming the ruler of a great nation, he should&#xA;  treat every one of his subjects like an only son. He should teach them&#xA;  to discard evils and do good dharmas. He may have an evildoer rebuked&#xA;  and beaten, but will not take his life. He levies one sixth of&#xA;  people’s wealth as taxes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the minor precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(21) If an upāsaka who has accepted this precept fails to pay taxes&#xA;  for his business and runs away, he has committed the sin of&#xA;  negligence. Without rising above this impure act, which is conducive&#xA;  to continuing his cyclic existence, [after death] he cannot avoid&#xA;  going down an evil life-path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both quotes from the Upāsaka's Precepts, which is sort of precepts for non-renunciates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So not only does Chinese Buddhism support the of paying taxes, it supports a tax rate of 16%&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are written at a pretty high level, so I'm going to say that they are written to be read as rules to be followed in principle, not as rules that you can carefully nitpick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T20:17:59.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3080" CreationDate="2014-08-30T22:07:20.137" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the answer is No. You can, but due to your personal views and believes, it has nothing to do with Buddhism, from a Buddhist's perspective you should take care of your actions, they will receive the results of their kamma (if any). Focus on what you do and left undone as the Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is that these days almost 99% of the companies do some kind of tax planning that involves similar practices, you just don't know it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an extreme example imagine if someone says: I will not pay taxes because the government is corrupt, that is wrong, as a citizen you should pay taxes and the politicians will face, sooner or later, the consequences of their actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-08-30T22:07:20.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3089" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3090" CreationDate="2014-08-31T00:33:30.523" Score="5" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Siddharta Gautama happen to be the last person to reach Buddhahood?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T23:08:59.877" Title="Is Siddhartha Gautama the last recognized Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3089" CreationDate="2014-08-31T00:57:43.423" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, if you think in terms of a fully enlightened Buddhas. Maytrea Buddha will be the next. However, there are also private Buddhas. Most of Buddhas are private Buddhas. They are enlightened, but they don't teach the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-08-31T07:23:01.220" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T07:23:01.220" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3089" CreationDate="2014-08-31T06:41:33.753" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to @konrad01, private Buddhas don't occur when the dispensation of a Buddha is still there. Hence the last Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T06:41:33.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3092" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3177" CreationDate="2014-08-31T10:21:34.043" Score="3" ViewCount="1727" Body="&lt;p&gt;When someone practices Metta meditation towards a beloved person using a phrase,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;e.g. May xx be be free from enmity and danger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what is the counterpart sign (nimitta) in this method and how does the practitioner identify whether he's reached a Jhana level? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:39:25.613" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:39:25.613" Title="How does one know that he's reached a Jhana level in Metta meditation?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-08-31T11:37:10.750" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. Buddhists can and sometimes even should defend themselves and people around them. However, consider the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you do it out of anger, you will suffer from the results of this anger. The key is to use violence without any negative feelings but out of active compassion (see the next point)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are aware that the attacker wants to kill not only you but also 10 of your companions, less harm will be done if you kill him out of compassion towards your companions rather than if the attacker kills 11 people out of anger and ignorance. You can also feel compassion to this attacker - imagine how much would he have to suffer if he indeed commits those crimes. If we can stop him by defending ourselves, we definitely should do it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you see someone about to commit one of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2184/what-is-the-motivation-for-the-list-of-5-deadly-sins&quot;&gt;5 deadly sins&lt;/a&gt; - you should definitely stop them as the results of such actions will be serious, immediate and long-lasting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are a specialist doctor who can save lots of lives - it is of great benefit that your life is protected. You should defend yourself for the sake of your patients who rely on your expertise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are the just the &lt;em&gt;guidlines&lt;/em&gt; for those who took Bodhisattva Vow. In general, one is trying not to think about one's own good, but try to perceive every situation in a wider perspective. One should always ask oneself - which action will benefit the more people for the longest possible time? Compassion and unconditional love to others is the key. Imagine a mother defending her only child - she loves the child and she really doesn't mind spoiling her own Karma - the only thing she wants is the safety and well-being of her beloved child. She will resort to violence if this is the only way to protect the child. Those who took  Bodhisattva Vow aspire to develop such attitude towards &lt;em&gt;all the sentient beings&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T11:37:10.750" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3095" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-31T13:18:35.090" Score="3" ViewCount="462" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the most prominent way to ordain as a monk? Like who's involved, and how to contact the respective person to ordain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2019-07-10T15:57:29.143" LastActivityDate="2020-09-06T08:32:03.740" Title="How to ordain as a Theravada monk?" Tags="|theravada|monk|ordination|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3096" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-08-31T14:06:40.807" Score="5" ViewCount="183" Body="&lt;p&gt;I ask this question in the context of one who does wrong action and gets right results anyways, which happens a lot. Someone with a pretty good understanding of Kamma but to my knowledge it doesn't usually work like that. &#xA;So, wrong action produces right results regularly, a lot of times ends up on top and in a better situation even through challenging circumstances... practices diligently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is known about this phenomenon? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:51:18.033" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T13:52:35.707" Title="Does practice build good kamma despite wrong action?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3092" CreationDate="2014-08-31T14:15:48.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMO, you are mixing apples and oranges. Metta meditation is practiced towards &quot;the state of brahmas&quot; (AN 4.190 and AN 3.63), not one of the Four Jhanas. The &quot;state of brahmas&quot; (&lt;code&gt;brahmapatta&lt;/code&gt;) is a state of non-dualistic unity with the world. The way to attain it, is through progressively expanding the context of Metta meditation, starting from yourself, to include a closest person (e.g. mom), then friends, then neutral people, then enemies, then all the world. The sign of having reached the state of Brahma are the thoughts like &quot;I am God&quot;, &quot;I am all this infinite Universe&quot;, &quot;I am True Goal of all religions and the Real Meaning of Love&quot; etc. It is a very powerful experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Four Jhanas are much more localized around oneself, esp. one's emotional state. Like you say in your question, The First Jhana can indeed be practiced with a help of a phrase, that helps one focus on the topic of meditation (in case of the first Jhana the topic is one's actual state of successfully having separated oneself from unwholesome dharmas). However, from Second Jhana onward, the target state of rapture/bliss/equanimity must be generated directly, with no help of discursive thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To emphasize one important point: Four Jhanas are &quot;mastered&quot;, not &quot;reached&quot;. They are not states/levels you automatically find yourself in. In other words, you don't practice something &lt;em&gt;towards&lt;/em&gt; Jhana level X &lt;em&gt;and then&lt;/em&gt; &quot;reach Jhana level X&quot;. You &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; Xth Jhana &lt;em&gt;itself&lt;/em&gt;. After having &lt;em&gt;mastered&lt;/em&gt; First Jhana, you then &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; Second Jhana and so on. The sign of having &lt;em&gt;mastered&lt;/em&gt; the First Jhana is ability to successfully do the First Jhana at will at any time, that's it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-08-31T23:09:50.547" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T23:09:50.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3096" CreationDate="2014-08-31T14:35:35.273" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me put it this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you steal, you temporarily get ahead in wealth, but if you get caught you are looking at some jail time and returning what you stole, legal fees and all kinds of other headaches in the process. This would means you are worse off than before on average for thieves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like wise this extends to many other situation where you can temporarily get ahead in life to fall back to worst situations later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some may get away but if you look at the average over a majority you take one step forward and then two steps back in many of these situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T14:35:35.273" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3096" CreationDate="2014-08-31T14:54:19.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing as instant Karma. We sometimes might have an impression that one action directly led to some result but we really cannot know it for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The world we experience now is a result of karmic seeds we planted during countless of lifetimes. Results of some actions ripen for centuries, some ripen for weeks. Imagine you have a Karma to win the lottery - you never played it so there were no conditions for the karmic seed to ripen. You did lots of bad deeds in your current life and one day you decide to play the lottery for the first time. The seed finally ripens and you win the lottery. Then you think that your immoral deeds have some connection with the winning and conclude that you can still be immoral if good things happen to you anyways. The truth is that these things are not connected at all. Every bad deed will plant a seed which will give you suffering in the future. Every good deed will bring something positive. The trick is that we don't know when exactly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T14:54:19.247" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3101" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3110" CreationDate="2014-08-31T19:46:55.160" Score="11" ViewCount="7705" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the time of Tathagat Buddha, Hindu religion in its current form did not exist. However, there were Vedic teachings. These teachings were based on blind belief in the authority of the Vedas. There were many different schools of philosophy &lt;em&gt;opposing&lt;/em&gt; Vedic teaching, e.g. Akriyavada, Niyativada (determinism), Ucchedavada etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, the Buddha opposed Vedic religion. He opened a strong camp against it and freed people from the exploitative teachings of Veda. He expounded equality as opposed to the Vedic teachings which discriminated between different classes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that Buddhism (since time of Buddha) opposed Vedic (and later Brahminical) religion? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="208" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-01T13:47:16.483" LastActivityDate="2024-03-20T02:21:01.327" Title="Did Buddhism oppose Vedic religion?" Tags="|history|hinduism|vedas|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2014-08-31T22:09:05.100" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha disagreed with Vedic teaching in certain respects, but he wasn't opposed to everything. He rejected the idea that there was any sort of intrinsic value to people's Varna, or caste, and he rejected many of the teachings which had some Brahmins of the time had understood from the Vedas (For example, at the time of the Buddha, some Brahmins taught that the creator God Brahma was eternal and all powerful) but that doesn't mean that the Buddha opposed himself to absolutely everything related to the Vedic religion of the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, although he rejected the idea that the Vedic rituals had any bearing on obtaining enlightenment, he never said that it is somehow wrong to preform the Vedic rituals. In fact, the Buddha had lay disciples who were Brahmins, and it seems reasonable to assume that at least some of them were functioning as priests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the Buddha opposed the aspects of Vedic religion which were bad, but didn't really have much of an issue with the more neutral matters of Vedic religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-08-31T22:09:05.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3103" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3104" CreationDate="2014-09-01T00:04:37.773" Score="5" ViewCount="482" Body="&lt;p&gt;what's the distinction between Dharmaguptaka and Mahayana? I know that the former is an ordination lineage with specific vinaya as distinct from Theravada ordination, but I don't understand where Mahayana may encompass Dharmaguptaka, or where Dharmaguptaka may encompass Mahayana, or neither.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be interested in a Venn-diagram type of answer, and similarly for the same question asked of Mulasarvastivada and Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, is Theravada both an ordination lineage and a sect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the question valid?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T12:04:11.870" Title="Distinction between Dharmaguptaka and Mahayana" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|ordination|sects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3103" CreationDate="2014-09-01T01:18:27.280" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dharmaguptaka school was one of the old 18 to 20 early schools of Buddhism that arose before the arrival of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is really just a blanket term we use to refer to groups that started following various new sutras that were written after this period which have an emphasis on Bodhisattva practice and various other new doctrines. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this Mahayana movement started out, it wasn't yet a defined school and didn't have any organization, and its followers were just members of the other early sects who chose to follow these texts. For example, it was common for a period of time for a Saravastivadin monastery to have Mahayana and non-Mahayana monks living and practicing together. Because they followed the same Vinaya, it didn't really matter. Eventually in India however, Mahayana Buddhism developed into distinct schools such as Madhyamika, Yogacara, etc... and all that remained of most of these schools were their canonical texts (which were still upheld as canonical by the Mahayana schools) and their ordination lineages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, for a time, some Dharmaguptakas were Mahayana, and some Mahayana were Dharmaguptaka. Some Sarvastivada were Mahayana, and some Mahayana were Sarvastivada, and the same pattern repeats for almost all of the sects. Eventually though, the only non-Mahayana school to live on as a body of teachings rather than just an ordination lineage and a textual transmission was the Theravada school, and all the non-Theravada lineages were simply absorbed into Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T12:04:11.870" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T12:04:11.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1758" CreationDate="2014-09-01T01:20:59.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although Theravada monks take a Pali name when they ordain, I don't think it's given any spiritual significance in the way that it is in other schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T01:20:59.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3106" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-01T04:13:13.437" Score="7" ViewCount="432" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am currently in my late twenties and I began meditation in my early twenties. I often think that the path that I am on being correct as it is and it has provided it's justification through practice- I am unsure what I will think of me in my thirties or forties I am pretty certain I am making some mistakes that I am not aware now and will be with the passage of time. &#xA;This question stems from the fact that I personally know how my meditation journey began as a yuppie and how I thought more an did less. Also following books and authors without knowing that it's not really my own wisdom but someone else's. Trying to be someone else unconsciously without thinking what I want from my life. Intellectual discussions and tryin to prove a point without having metta for the other person. Learning to accept family as they are without doubting or questioning their motives (still beats me). The list goes on. &#xA;Well I am sure there are many more experienced and mature meditators who can probably provide a glimpse on their twenties. All this only for a healthy comparison as I don't have any friends my age who take meditation seriously. &#xA;Metta &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T12:04:59.290" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T20:05:32.880" Title="What kind of mistakes can a new meditator in his/her early 20's avoid?" Tags="|personal-practice|sangha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3108" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3138" CreationDate="2014-09-01T07:11:41.093" Score="4" ViewCount="1572" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's the history behind this? I am assuming non-Theravada monks eat after noon, and use money. Correct me if I'm wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm not wrong, why do the sects differ in this manner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T20:52:57.493" Title="Are non-Theravada monks allowed to eat after noon, and to use money?" Tags="|food|sects|money|vinaya|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2014-09-01T13:43:22.550" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/great-minds-of-the-eastern-intellectual-tradition.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Great Minds of the Eastern tradition&lt;/a&gt; lecture series Grant Hardy identifies 6 orthodox schools of Indian philosophy (Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshik, Mimāṃsā, Vedanta). He also identified 3 heterodox schools &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cārvāka (materialist) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jainism  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The heterodox schools are those who reject the authority of the Vedas. So based on this then Buddhism was opposed to the Vedic religion.Interestingly the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha came to be seen as an avatar&lt;/a&gt; of the god Vishnu in some forms Hinduism. I guess that it's better to have the Buddha inside the tent chanting out then outside the tent chanting in (or words to that effect).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T08:11:38.143" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T08:11:38.143" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3052" CreationDate="2014-09-01T14:00:55.953" Score="12" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Can you follow the Buddha's teachings (Kamma laws, meditation, metta, etc.) without taking refuge?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absolutely! Whatever elements of Sat-Dharma you can incorporate in your life are going to be beneficial. It does not have to be &quot;all or nothing&quot;. However, the extent to which you follow Sat-Dharma is the extent to which you benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Can someone attain enlightenment without taking refuge?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The world does not care about official ceremonies! :) What matters is your determination. To attain enlightenment, in your heart you have to be fully committed to the spiritual quest. That's the true meaning of taking refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Does taking refuge in the Triple Treasure mean your old religion should be abandoned?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of your cultural background, the spiritual quest has one goal: completion. Taking refuge implies unwavering commitment to &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt;, above worldly quests and goals. The tri-ratna is a further development of this idea, with Buddha taken as an inspiration of someone who successfully made it, Dharma taken as a guidebook, and Sangha as companions. However, despite an instrumental role of tradition, &lt;em&gt;the only real working basis is one's own fundamental sanity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is the main benefit of taking refuge?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like when you lived with a girlfriend for 5 years, and finally you two decided to make it official. If love and commitment were NOT there to begin with, the wedding ceremony can't improve anything, and if love and commitment were there all the time, the ceremony does not change anything. However, in your relationships with external world, you can now firmly say &quot;I am a married man, and she is my wife&quot; -- which makes things simpler and gives you a sort of strength.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T20:09:32.160" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T20:09:32.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3106" CreationDate="2014-09-01T14:04:37.430" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you meditate you get either positive, negative or neutral experiences. Early on in can be very negative and bizarre experiences to a novice meditator. Whatever the case the main and most grave mistake any meditator can make is to loose awareness and equanimity in facing the experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you maintain awareness and equanimity in facing all experiences then nothing can go wrong in your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially you get mainly painful sensations, then it becomes mostly &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;blissful sensations&lt;/a&gt; and then it starts turning to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;neutral sensations&lt;/a&gt;. In the latter case sometimes it might be difficult to keep your &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Equanimity&lt;/a&gt;. In which case you have to try to balance this with Concentration as this it one of the Hindrances (Restlessness) which has come about. The factors to balance the Hindrances are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 Powers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T08:23:27.540" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T08:23:27.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-01T15:25:18.957" Score="4" ViewCount="988" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm interested to see the process broken down into steps preferably using Theravada theory, all in the context of a summarized &quot;how to&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would range from trying meditation, through all the stages of insight, enlightenment, into and through any other stages, and into Buddhahood, assumably hundreds or more lifetimes from now. What are the stages? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-01T18:43:37.117" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T13:09:45.187" Title="How do I become a Buddha, the stages of the path?" Tags="|enlightenment|buddhas|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3080" CreationDate="2014-09-01T15:33:22.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not see why a company should not do proper tax planning. Any sensible person / entity should do it as you should protect your earnings from various elements including the King (Government). As you said tax evasion is the issue as it is not legal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha mentioned you have pay your taxes (Raja Bali) also. This should be within the bounds of the law hence as tax planning is not illegal hence it is acceptable to protect one's hard earned money. In case of a corporation, the shareholder's wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following on &lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/27/fea25.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt; touch based on some of these issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-01T16:32:55.957" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T16:32:55.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2014-09-01T15:47:51.150" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; which is divided into&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mastery over the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot;&gt;Three fold training&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should start by leading a moral life, develop mastery over out mind without being a slave to it, then practice Vipassana gain Wisdom. This intern helps you strengthen you morality and so on and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you have to practice the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot;&gt;Perfections&lt;/a&gt; to become Enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing the Perfections and walk on the Noble 8 Fold Path you will slowly but surely progress towards enlightenment. If you want to be a Buddha the Perfections you have to full fill are greater. Also in practicing Wisdom you have to stop before you reach the 1st stage of sainthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you have to be ware of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot;&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot;&gt;Factors of Awakening&lt;/a&gt;, in order to make you pratice of developing wisdom fruitful and well directed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following book might be also useful as further reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://holybooks.lichtenbergpress.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/A-Manual-of-the-Excellent-Man.pdf&quot;&gt;A Manual of the Excellent Man&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books14/Ledi_Sayadaw-Requisites_of_Enlightenment.pdf&quot;&gt;Requisites for Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; also book by Thanissaro Bhikkhu on the Subject: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/index.html&quot;&gt;Wings to Awakening&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-01T16:31:46.133" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T16:31:46.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3116" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3118" CreationDate="2014-09-01T18:16:35.310" Score="7" ViewCount="10195" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across the concept of Nirodha in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meditative_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Meditative Mind&lt;/a&gt; by Daniel Goleman. I think it's originally from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;. In the book it seems to be placed above Nirvana in the path of insight. I have never heard of this term anywhere else or ever heard of anything being above Nirvana. Does anyone have any details about what this is and why it would be placed above Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T23:47:31.123" LastActivityDate="2021-03-03T23:04:44.653" Title="What is Nirodha?" Tags="|nirvana|terminology|visuddhimagga|books|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2014-09-01T18:22:11.943" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't follow someone else's instructions to become a Buddha. That even goes against the definition. :) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammadownload.com/File-Library/MinGunSayadawGyi/MinGunSayadawGyi-TGC-V1P2.pdf&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt; contains a nice description about Paramitas. You can cultivate the mind according to that, but there's no guarantee that you will reach the goal until your aspiration is verified by another Buddha. Maithriya Buddha is the last Buddha to appear before the world ends. Then many eons will pass by where there will only be Pacceka Buddhas. So you would have to wait for an indefinite long period, if you want to become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T18:22:11.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2014-09-01T18:38:07.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirodha is usually translated as &amp;quot;cessation&amp;quot;, for example (but not necessarily) &amp;quot;cessation of suffering&amp;quot;, the third noble truth. So while its dictionary meaning is just cessation (of anything)  in a more general sense, Nirodha is often used as a synonym of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digging deeper, Nirodha doesn't mean &lt;em&gt;passive&lt;/em&gt; cessation (as in something ceasing by itself), but rather preventing something, making it impossible. For example, stopping a criminal from commuting new crimes by isolating him from society. In modern Hindu, a language descended from Sanskrit + local vernaculars, nirodha is a word for condom. From this we can understand, that cessation of suffering is not an automatic result of the Realization, but a skill one can master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digging even deeper, to the question if there is anything above Nirvana, Mahayana gives a clear answer that Nirvana is really just the other side of Samsara. Somewhere before enlightenment one is supposed to realize that &amp;quot;bodhi and nirvana are hitching posts for donkeys&amp;quot; (to quote Linji, the founder of Rinzai school). In this sense, Nirodha can be seen as true liberation from any form, beyond all duality, including liberation from the very concept of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2021-03-03T20:24:45.860" LastActivityDate="2021-03-03T20:24:45.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2014-09-01T18:56:24.027" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nirodha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a term that is normally translated as 'cessation' or 'stopping'. It's what happens to suffering in the 3rd noble truth, &lt;em&gt;dukkhanirodha&lt;/em&gt; (cessation of suffering) and to all of the other elements of the chain of Dependent Arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The context which you refer to is the state of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Nirodha-Samapatti&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;nirodhasamāpatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (attainment of cessation), &lt;em&gt;saññāvedayitanirodha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; (cessation of perception &amp;amp; sensation) or &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.034.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; (quenching or stilling). It is a state where all sensory, corporeal and incorporeal experience ceases. It is the last of the meditative attainments after transcending the four &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#The_jhanas_in_the_early_suttas&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;jhānas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ar%C5%ABpajh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four &lt;em&gt;arupa āyatanas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (formless spheres).&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-09-01T20:19:37.747" LastActivityDate="2014-09-01T20:19:37.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3120" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3121" CreationDate="2014-09-01T20:30:11.650" Score="8" ViewCount="1183" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a historical perspective where do the concepts of Karma, Nirvana, Dharma and Samsara come from? I'm aware that they predated Buddhism but do they come from the Vedas, Shramanic tradition or somewhere else? I appreciate that Nirvana might have started with Buddhism (maybe?) but this would be based on the concept of Moksha which definitely did predate Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If possible could people please refer to sources or reasonable authoritative sites with the answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T12:38:46.330" Title="Historically, where do the concepts of Karma, Nirvana, Dharma and Samsara come from?" Tags="|history|vedas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3120" CreationDate="2014-09-01T21:09:59.373" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;These concepts all (with the exception of Dharma, which is sort of a Pan-Indian concept that's in all Indian religions) derive from the Shramanical tradition, which is a general term referring to those who became Śramaṇa (Samaṇa in Pali) which simply means an ascetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These ascetics formed a parallel system of religious thought of both the Veidic religion and the local folk religion focused on worshiping local Devas, Nagas, and Yakshas. The Shramanic tradition had a great deal of internal diversity, but the common denominator for most of these groups was a belief in repeated rebirth, Karma, an enlightened state in which one is free from this repeated rebirth, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Shramanical tradition even seems to have a sort of common vocabulary. If you compare the religious terminology of Buddhism and Jainism for example, you can see that often one religion uses as a standard term something that the other religion also uses in its terminology, although non-standard. For example, the Buddhist term for someone who has become freed from defilement and rebirth is the term Arahant, and Jainism occasionally uses the Ardhamagadhi equivalent term Arihant. In Jainism, the standard term for the same thing is Jina, which means &quot;one who has achieved victory&quot; which in Buddhism is a title of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some terms are totally identical. Samsara, Karma, and Nirvana are common to both Buddhism and Jainism and are absent in the Brahmanical literature (e.g. the early Upanishads) from the same period, so logically, the commonality has to stem from their common non-Vedic source, which is their shared ascetic tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see then that when the Buddha uses these terms he is adopting an idea that already existed and we can also see that he often gives them a radically new interpretation. In Jainism for example, Karma is imagined to be almost like an invisible sticky substance that sticks to your soul (called Jiva in ardhamagadhi) and causes suffering, and so the goal of Jain practice is to purge all karma through ascetic spiritual practice after which one's soul would ascend to a formless perfect heaven inhabited by disembodied souls. In contrast to this the Buddha defined the cause of suffering to be craving, and ultimately ignorance of reality, and emphatically insisted quite often:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of&#xA;  body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want some contempraneous sources on what some of the other Shramanical schools thought, the Samanaphala Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) has a listing of six such schools and their teachings. Note that Mahavira, the leader of the Jains, is given the name Nigantha Nataputta. Also, some of those groups believed some pretty far out things that aren't nessisarily representative of what all Shramanas thought, and in all likelihood the most outlandish aspects of their doctrines are stated in the most unappealing way possible so I wouldn't take it as an overly accurate depiction of some of the groups. You do clearly the common elements with some of them though, even in the more outlandish ones in that they were at least considering questions about rebirth and karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T12:38:46.330" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T12:38:46.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3122" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-02T00:25:15.943" Score="12" ViewCount="1813" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can a lay person benefit from this beautiful sutta? It is about being reclusive as a key for good insight and enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this sutta apply for short period of loneliness like Retreats? Or should it be taken literally and is only for monks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Laying aside all violence, respecting all beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   never harming even one of them,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   one should not wish for a son,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   nor neither for any companion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&#xA;   The considerations which exists for sons and wives is like&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   a spreading bamboo entangled, a solid web of bars,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Like a single young bamboo shoot up free, not caught up with others&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khaggavisana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T20:57:13.940" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:20:36.277" Title="Loneliness: Rhinoceros-Horn Sutta from a Lay person's perspective" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3122" CreationDate="2014-09-02T02:25:00.503" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Chogyam Trungpa, loneliness is the heart of Sila, Buddhist discipline. As such, the spirit of loneliness must permeate one's practice, whether one is ordained or not. Critically important at &quot;hinayana-level&quot;, loneliness temporarily steps aside for the Mahayana phase, only to return with Vajrayana, this time to stay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loneliness begins with making commitment to the spiritual quest:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The refuge ceremony cuts the line that connects the ship to the anchor; it marks the beginning of an odyssey of loneliness. We are&#xA;  suspended in no-man's land in which the only thing to do is to&#xA;  relate with the teachings and with ourselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of actual practice, loneliness translates to following guidelines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not looking for entertainment in any shape or form.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving up one's need for companionship, for relationships.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relying on one's own resources, not waiting for help.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking a stance, however suboptimal, without confirming it with an external authority all the time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working towards one's goal (Enlightenment), instead of giving the entropy a free hand.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning to trust one's fundamental goodness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A lonely person could still relate with other people. You could be lonely, alone, and living in the midst of society at the same time. Aloneness does not mean you have to be a mountain hermit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This loneliness -- the feeling that no one is going to descent in a golden chariot to take you to Nirvana, help you, or even acknowledge your existence, and that therefore your Enlightenment is on you and you alone, is solely between you and the universe -- is what eventually develops into wakefulness, or Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T22:40:12.280" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T22:40:12.280" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2014-09-02T03:02:22.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You become a buddha eventually by being yourself, your joyful self. A self that does not tilt between joy and sorrow and that is even. That looks on events passing by, as a bystander stands on the river bank impassively looking at the flow of the river but not flowing with the river. Practice, practice and practice till you become the enlightened one even when being in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="770" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T08:28:57.140" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T08:28:57.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2014-09-02T04:04:37.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While enjoying ever increasing space between thoughts,  experience an unspeakable truth that pervades all that exists. The undivided dimension of reality.&#xA;  Practice a good nights sleep.&#xA;  Show up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="772" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T04:04:37.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2014-09-02T06:28:10.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to both @Unrul3r @Andrei Volkov's answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can break the links of Dependent Origination when you understand it at the experiential level. When enter the Attainment of Cessation you see the links in one direction (contact has ceased followed by ... ) and when coming out the other direction (contact has started followed by ... ). Depending on the clarity you achieve you enter one of the stages of sainthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding of Path Leading Out of Misery and Path of Misery starts at with contact followed by sensation at the experiential level. This becomes clear and the understanding becomes 1st hand when you enter the Attainment of Cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T13:23:28.423" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T13:23:28.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-02T13:35:53.410" Score="5" ViewCount="536" Body="&lt;p&gt;Historically Buddhism, Jainism were just the one of the sects of many sects or philosophical schools in ancient times. When was this separation of religions happened and all other vedic and non-vedic sects are clubbed under Hinduism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T14:53:56.057" Title="When was the Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism marked as separate religions?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3127" CreationDate="2014-09-02T14:53:56.057" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, Buddhism separated itself out as a separate system of thought with the Buddha himself. Jainism must have been a distinct tradition by that time too because the Buddha interacted with the Jains and they are mentioned in the Suttas where they are called the Niganthas. Their leader at that time was Mahavira, who in the Suttas is called Nigantha Nataputta, but they may have existed for quite some time before that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that there may have been a lot of different ascetic groups that had a lot of the ideas of the Niganthas without actually being a part of the movement proper, as it seemed that Jain ideas of karma had diffused into the general religious climate of the ascetics. For example, it seems that when the Buddha was practicing self mortification for six years, he was acting under this sort of general theory of karma as the basis of his practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were other movements and systems of thought as well that would eventually become part of Hinduism, but it is important to remember that at that time they were very much separate traditions that didn't see themselves as part of the same religion or spiritual heritage. They were very diverse and didn't join together as Hinduism until at the very earliest 200 A.D. These traditions are essentially became the six Astika schools of Hindu philosophy, but it is very unclear as to whether or not these groups accepted the Vedas at that particular time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them very likely didn't see themselves as Vedic systems of belief at that time and only subscribed to the Vedas when the schools of philosophy began to see themselves as part of a common heritage. Only the Mimamsa school was explicitly based on the Vedas for example, and some of them, like the Samkhya, Yoga, and Vedanta schools had received a great deal of influence from the various ascetic movements and possibly considered themselves to be part of the ascetic tradition rather than the Vedic tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to these distinctive traditions, you had the general folk religion of the people that was largely unorganized. People would venerate Nagas in caves and the various tree spirits by leaving offerings before them. These devotional customs had nothing to do with the Vedic rituals of the day, but would eventually be incorporated into the devotional practices of Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that gives a good overview.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T14:53:56.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3129" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3418" CreationDate="2014-09-02T14:58:26.187" Score="5" ViewCount="588" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3061/modern-zen-vs-seon-chan-and-traditional-zen&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; there is a clear distinction between the traditional Zen practised in Japan until 19th century and its modern version invented by Suzuki. Is there such a clear distinction within Korean Seon and Chinese Chan? If not, which version of Zen do they correspond to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T00:41:01.783" Title="Modern and original versions of Chan and Seon" Tags="|zen|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3130" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-02T15:49:03.167" Score="7" ViewCount="2127" Body="&lt;p&gt;I keep seeing the following koan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A monk asked Zhàozhōu, &quot;Does a dog have Buddha nature or not?&quot; Zhaozhou said, &quot;Wú&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does this mean and why is it important?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically: Does &quot;Wú&quot; mean &quot;no&quot; in this context, or does it mean &quot;the question doesn't make sense and therefore cannot be answered&quot;? I've seen both interpretations, which one is correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T09:55:30.033" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T00:56:47.083" Title="The Buddha-nature of a dog" Tags="|zen|chinese-buddhism|koans|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2014-09-02T15:55:44.023" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable Prayudh Payutto a distinguished Thai Scholar Monk explains that another way of interpreting nirodha is that the phenomena does not arise because it's cause has been eliminated. In that sense nirodha would not entail the cessation or suppression of something that has already arisen but instead there is no arising at all. Like for example in 3rd noble truth - dukkhanirodha - which means that suffering does not arise because the cause for it's arising has been eliminated.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-02T16:44:47.713" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:44:47.713" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3130" CreationDate="2014-09-02T16:07:04.167" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;We should really have a rule on here not to provide koan answers!  It's so important that you figure them out for yourself!  Written out, the answers become hollow and never approach their true 'meaning'.  That said (and no spoilers follow!)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mu does mean no, but it also can translate as blankness, voidness, or absence.  That should ring a bell regarding the concept of emptiness or shunyata.  The koan really doesn't have anything to do with dogs or whether or not they have a Buddha nature.  It has more to do with this idea of emptiness - what it is and the initial experience of it.  The monk in this koan is all caught up in scholasticism and conceptualism.  He's using his small mind to try and understand a concept that it's just not capable of of apprehending.  Zhaozhou's answer is an attempt to shake that monk out of his smaller way of thinking and point him instead to mu - the true essence of Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:07:04.167" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2621" CreationDate="2014-09-02T16:07:38.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for your second question, the relation between the Buddhist teaching and cognitive psychology is a topic researched by Robert Wright and presented in this course: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:07:38.620" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3108" CreationDate="2014-09-02T16:18:47.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One has to distinguish between monks/nuns that follow a Vinaya and those that do not follow. You may have monks that use such title but cannot be regarded as true monks because they have not been ordained in accordance with, and follow the Vinaya rules. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the pali suttas the Buddha says that he teaches the Dhamma and Vinaya, i.e. the Doctrine and Discipline. So, it is fair to say that a monk or nun who does not follow the Vinaya rules cannot be regarded as a true Buddhist monk or nun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk/nun which follows the Vinaya is not allowed to eat after midday and to handle money. There are some food items allowed after midday but those are specified in the rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:18:47.923" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2621" CreationDate="2014-09-02T16:24:10.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cognitive Process in Buddhism: Paticca-samuppada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern Science: Mental Modules come close to what the Buddha described. It was one of the topics in Robert Wright's course mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:24:10.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2014-09-02T16:33:05.700" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Instead of taking second hand opinions I suggest you got directly to the source, to the instructions given by the Buddha himself. The Dantabhumi Sutta is a discourse with a great narrative and fully outlines the training taught by the Buddha to reach enlightenment. Here it is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.125.horn.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.125.horn.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T16:33:05.700" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2552" CreationDate="2014-09-02T17:04:50.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is hard to assess half a sentence without a wider context, but I would interpret this as &quot;it was the influence of Taoism that was responsible for the development [but not creation] of [some branches of] Mahayana[, more specifically, some of the Chinese ones]&quot;. And in this form the statement is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to interpret it as &quot;it was the influence of Taoism that was responsible for the development of Mahayana [in India, even before it reached the Chinese soil]&quot;. Which is a false statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T17:04:50.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3108" CreationDate="2014-09-02T19:26:06.853" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;They differ for any number of reasons.  For one, there are at least five different 'official' versions of the vinaya - each of which is prominent in different countries.  The rules in each vary slightly - some have more rules, some have less, some place greater emphasis on different things, etc.  A lot of it also has to do with tradition and the culture where Buddhism is practiced.  If there is one thing you say about Buddhism it's that it very much malleable to local custom.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very good example of this is Japan.  Some monks there will accept money such as for funeral services.  Many will eat after noon, despite the injunction not to - it's just called &quot;medicine&quot; instead of a meal!  My own teacher's teacher &lt;i&gt;really&lt;/i&gt; loved his sake despite that being a fairly clear violation of the fifth precept.  Some Japanese monks, believe or not, even get married.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's helpful not to view Buddhism as a monolithic entity.  It really is as complex as the people practicing it.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-02T19:26:06.853" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3106" CreationDate="2014-09-02T23:55:26.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are doing as you should. However,  you must avoid negative acts (whatever they may be), at all costs,  to all living things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make peace with your enemies and allow karma to take it's course. Practice, meditate, and always remain positive. The universe will unfold in your favor as it should. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you shall know when you have achieved enlightenment. But not without great sacrifice and faith...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="778" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T20:05:32.880" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T20:05:32.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1930" CreationDate="2014-09-03T01:19:51.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Generation stage (Utpatti Krama in Sanskrit, Kye Rim in Tibetan) is the first stage in the practice of Anuttara Yoga Tantra, or Highest Yoga Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism. In this stage one engages in the practice of deity yoga. The meditator, after receiving the empowerment into the practice of that particular deity, practices a set meditation ritual called a Sadhana which involves various visualizations such as various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appearing, sending out rays of light, receiving rays of light, different things appearing on multicolored lotuses with sun and moon discs, etc... while preforming various prayers and ritual offerings of things like water, cakes called tormas, and prostrating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This visualization culminates with visualizing oneself in the form of the figure of that practice (for example, if someone was practicing the Sadhana of Yamantaka they would visualize themselves as Yamantaka) possibly surrounded by an entourage or with a consort and they would recite the mantra of that deity, often while visualizing the words of the mantra revolving on the circle of a moon disk in one's heart or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After one has gained mastery over the generation stage, the meditator moves on to a practice called the Completion stage (Sampanna Krama in Sanskrit, Dzog Rim in Tibetan) in which one engages in vizualization practice inside the subtle channels in the body called Nadir in Sanskrit (Tsa in Tibetan) The point of this practice is to manipulate the winds (Sanskrit: Prana, Tibetan: Lung) and drops (Sanskrit: Bindu, Tibetan: Tikle) to move around the body. The goal of this is to bring the winds of the body into the central channel, which is believed in Tantra to cause the arising of the mind of clear light, a state which is direct and pure, and most importantly, is a state of mind beyond concepts, and the purpose of attaining it is to use it to contemplate emptiness using this non-conceptual clear-light mind. Doing so is supposed to be much faster in bringing one to enlightenment than the conceptual realization of emptiness attained using non-Tantric methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different aspects of Completion Stage practice usually include Tummo practice (Also called the Yoga of inner heat) in which one visualizes various drops to bring down the white Bodhicitta from the chakra in the head all the way down to the root chakra by visualizations of flame, and Gyulü (called illusory body) in which one creates a Buddha body out of one's subtle winds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These practices of Generation Stage and Completion Stage are the two main stages of Tantric practice of Anuttara Yoga Tantra in the New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism (that is, the Kagyu, Sakya, Gelugpa, and Jonang schools. The Old translation school (Called Nyingma uses a slightly different categorization scheme.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try to put together a list of reference books and edit them back in here for further reading of anyone interested because I can't remember them right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T02:35:22.750" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T02:35:22.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3143" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3144" CreationDate="2014-09-03T03:22:54.297" Score="13" ViewCount="2420" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it frowned upon in Buddhism to undertake homelessness without ordination? Let us presume that part of this homelessness also includes a focus on meditation, with mind and body able to work for oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="779" LastEditorUserId="10712" LastEditDate="2017-11-18T12:36:42.367" LastActivityDate="2017-11-19T15:13:26.363" Title="Homeless but not a monk" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3143" CreationDate="2014-09-03T04:48:05.007" Score="19" Body="&lt;p&gt;No there are many people who do it. It is accepted by Buddhists with respect. This is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika&quot;&gt;Anagarika&lt;/a&gt;. There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika_Dharmapala&quot;&gt;much respected and famous Anagarika people&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T09:13:37.280" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T09:13:37.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3145" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3146" CreationDate="2014-09-03T05:24:34.533" Score="4" ViewCount="275" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's pretty evident that meditation itself helps you deal with your problems and inner issues, but is it okay for a lay meditator to pay a psychologist/therapist to talk about his or her feelings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then this raises concern if the therapist will see things from Buddhas teachings point of view. Meditation teachers are expert teachers and not necessarily good at listening to stories about what happened in your childhood for example and talking about it. Their answers, even though may be with complete metta, are only in the range of 'just observe' and 'keep trying' which is mostly what you need to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that but sometimes there just doesn't seem to be a link between sitting on a cushion observing breath or sensations when something is bothering you on a daily or recurring basis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:24:16.243" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T09:55:32.253" Title="Is it ok for lay meditators to have counsellors/therapists/psychologists" Tags="|vipassana|modern-world|sutras|samadhi|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2014-09-03T06:31:24.383" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both Mediation and Counselling can help. Talking about something can help you lighten your mind. Similarly meditation can help your reduce stress. But it is best to keep them independent without having spill over from one form of perspective to the other when you meet the respective people / crowd.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is any perspective which contradicts the other, you can evaluate both and decide whether to choose between them or formulate your own perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main idea in Buddhism is to see things as they are. So be prepared to set aside any perspective you build from either advice or your thinking when you see things for yourself through your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following courses also might be of help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Modern Psychology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation and the Modern World&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T07:44:04.140" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T07:44:04.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3106" CreationDate="2014-09-03T08:30:17.130" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Choose the middle between all extreme contrasts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are going too fast, go slower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your meditation you might choose a kind of meditation.&#xA;Then you would try to keep yourself on doing only that one thing you have choosen.&#xA;You would be disturbed by thoughts or feelings and might not keep yourself on one point.&#xA;This is OK. This is meditation: if you come back from things which disturb you, back to point you have choosen. - Many people might think they do not meditate if they can not keep themself on one point - that is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you allready know you need patience, but also there might be a time where a change can help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="774" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T08:30:17.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3148" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3153" CreationDate="2014-09-03T09:22:24.547" Score="7" ViewCount="601" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should one properly handle cases of insults, criticism and discrimination, according to the Buddhist teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:20:09.197" Title="How to deal with criticism?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3148" CreationDate="2014-09-03T09:30:29.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Best is to handle it with Equanimity and Metha. When such an incident happens examine your self to see if you have lost the balance of your mind. In which case you would be having unpleasant sensation in your body and mind and your breath would loose regularity and become longer. If this is the case concentrate on the breath and / or sensation until the breath becomes short and the sensation become pleasant and / or neutral. When you reach this state you regained the balance of your mind. Then you can think clearly and take an action which is proactive opposed to being reactive. Also you can develop Metha towards the person also before any action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T09:35:51.177" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T09:35:51.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2014-09-03T09:46:11.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha encouraged people to contemplate his teachings and see for themselves if they take it or leave it. You have to decide that for yourself, especially in case of contradiction. I don't really see the problem you're facing, it may a bit confusing and all but it won't work counterproductive if that concerns you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you haven't already, maybe take a look at The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; if you are interested in phenomenological psychology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T09:46:11.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3151" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-03T09:47:56.513" Score="7" ViewCount="576" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a recent &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/271/should-we-have-a-policy-not-to-provide-koan-answers&quot;&gt;meta discussion&lt;/a&gt; some people expressed the opinion that giving koan answers may be detrimental to one's practice. In what way, exactly? And if it is so, why did many Buddhists publish koan commentaries for many hundred years?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T14:35:26.230" Title="What kind of harm can koan answers cause to one's practice?" Tags="|zen|koans|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3152" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3154" CreationDate="2014-09-03T09:56:34.583" Score="6" ViewCount="468" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reading about the 4 Satipatthana or about the 5 Aggregates, it seems the first category of each (form) is sometimes called rūpa and sometimes called Kāyā. Are these just two words for the same concept or are there subtle differences? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T11:47:50.277" Title="What is the difference between rūpa and Kāyā?" Tags="|pali-language|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3148" CreationDate="2014-09-03T10:00:22.437" Score="8" Body="&lt;h2&gt;How should one properly handle cases of insults, criticism and discrimination, according to the Buddhist teachings?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's what the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; had to say to the monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For even this external earth element, great as it is, can be seen as&#xA;  impermanent, can be seen as liable to destruction, liable to fall,&#xA;  liable to change; so what of this body, which is clung-to by craving&#xA;  and lasts but a while? There can be no (considering) that as ‘I’ or&#xA;  ‘mine’ or ‘I am.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So then, (thus having seen this element as it actually is) if others&#xA;  abuse and scold and curse and threaten a bhikkhu, he understands thus:&#xA;  ‘This painful feeling born of ear-contact has arisen in me. That is&#xA;  dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact.’&#xA;  Then he sees that contact is impermanent, that feeling is impermanent,&#xA;  that perception is impermanent, that mental formations are&#xA;  impermanent, and that consciousness is impermanent. And his mind&#xA;  enters into that very object (taking it just as an impersonal)&#xA;  element, and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision (herein).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh101-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 28, The Greater Discourse on the Elephant-footprint Simile&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb,&#xA;  with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered&#xA;  even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train&#xA;  yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil&#xA;  words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with&#xA;  no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness&#xA;  imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading&#xA;  the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will —&#xA;  abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill&#xA;  will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, if you attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of&#xA;  the saw, do you see any aspects of speech, slight or gross, that you&#xA;  could not endure?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the saw.&#xA;  That will be for your long-term welfare &amp;amp; happiness.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 21, The Simile of the Saw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Punna, the Sunaparanta people are fierce. They are rough. If they&#xA;  insult and ridicule you, what will you think?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If they insult and ridicule me, I will think, 'These Sunaparanta&#xA;  people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with&#xA;  their hands.' That is what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I&#xA;  will think, O One Well-gone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if they hit you with their hands, what will you think?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very&#xA;  civilized, in that they don't hit me with a clod.'...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if they hit you with a clod...?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very&#xA;  civilized, in that they don't hit me with a stick.'...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if they hit you with a stick...?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very&#xA;  civilized, in that they don't hit me with a knife.'...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if they hit you with a knife...?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very&#xA;  civilized, in that they don't take my life with a sharp knife.'...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if they take your life with a sharp knife...?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are&#xA;  disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and&#xA;  disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but&#xA;  here I have met my assassin without searching for him.' That is&#xA;  what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I will think, O One&#xA;  Well-gone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Good, Punna, very good. Possessing such calm and self-control you are&#xA;  fit to dwell among the Sunaparantans. Now it is time to do as you see&#xA;  fit.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html#sunaparanta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.88, To Punna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, with cases of blame or disrepute, you might want to take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2812/92&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T11:17:06.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3152" CreationDate="2014-09-03T11:27:17.457" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rupa/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt; = external and internal matter or form. Externally, rupa is the physical world. Internally, rupa includes the material body and the physical sense organs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kaya/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya&lt;/a&gt; = the material body and the physical sense organs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T11:27:17.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3152" CreationDate="2014-09-03T11:47:50.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Rupa&lt;/code&gt; is &quot;shape&quot;, &quot;form&quot;, &quot;object&quot;, &quot;appearance&quot;, &quot;image&quot;, usually in the sense of something perceived visually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Kaya&lt;/code&gt; is &quot;body&quot;, both specifically of living being, but also generally a body of a tree (i.e. trunk), a body of a guitar (i.e. sound box), and even a body of a teaching (dharma-kaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although in Theravada there is a tradition of using the word rupa to refer to &quot;material&quot; aspect of a living being, I would say &quot;rupa&quot; is more frequently used in the phenomenological sense (&quot;what is perceived&quot;), while &quot;kaya&quot; has more ontological flavor (&quot;what is&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T11:47:50.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3156" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-03T11:57:13.667" Score="14" ViewCount="2692" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it's possible to do it, how should such practice look like? Will it be inferior to the practice of those who meditate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:52:53.110" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:30:55.893" Title="Can I practice Buddhism without meditating?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2014-09-03T12:08:54.517" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt; or main parts of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mastery over the Mind and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can practice 1 without meditation. But need meditation for to develop the other two. Also if you develop the other two your morality also becomes stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing 1 itself gives benefit but this is much more if you practice all 3 parts of the Training (the latter 2 parts relating to Meditation and mental development) and with the addition of Giving which in part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_(Buddhism)&quot;&gt;bases of merit&lt;/a&gt; with Morality and Meditation being an overlap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate Buddhist goal is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot;&gt;The Path to Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; in which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; plays a great role.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T13:30:29.170" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T13:30:29.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3151" CreationDate="2014-09-03T12:32:25.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to compare Koans with poems, or with jokes. Poems teach us to experience the world directly, unmediated by discursive analytical thinking, as feelings and associations. Getting a joke requires expanding one's context, relating alternative frames of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some professional settings, the experts develop a shortcut way of referring to things they deal with. E.g. in software engineering, you could hear someone saying that a particular design is kludgy, or leaking, or tangled up etc. Not all of these have official agreed-upon definitions, and many are made up ad-hoc, as required for communicating in a particular situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method of Zen is to get practitioner in touch with their immediate experiences (to point them to their own mind). This requires transcending whatever context the person is stuck in, and expanding one's awareness to include &quot;the elephant in the room&quot;. To build on the joke metaphor, the point of Koans is to make you &quot;laugh&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, you can answer your own question: will explaining jokes help you learn how to laugh? Will analyzing songs help you learn how to feel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why did many Buddhists publish koan commentaries for many hundred years?&lt;/em&gt; -- I don't know. Because they are slaves of their minds? Because they think it may be helpful to certain types of practitioners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other problem with explaining Koans is that a Koan (unlike a joke) does not have a single &quot;correct&quot; interpretation. A Koan is always ambiguous, by design. A good koan commentary may help one explore various facets of the theme. Sort of like analyzing poems in school may(!) help one develop artistic sensitivity. But in context of Buddhism S.E. the danger is, someone might read an answer and assume they now &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; what this Koan is about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people don't see until they know what to look for. I may not see a frog under my feet until my wife points it out, even though I've been staring directly at it. What we want to learn in Zen is to &quot;see&quot; before knowing. The more you explain Zen, the further you are from &quot;seeing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T12:44:36.303" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T12:44:36.303" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2328" CreationDate="2014-09-03T12:37:56.053" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada school there are sixteen steps in total:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now how is mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing developed &amp;amp; pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the&#xA;  shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs&#xA;  crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the&#xA;  fore.[1] Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or&#xA;  breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or&#xA;  breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or&#xA;  breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [3] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'[2]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;  [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'[3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'[4] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;  [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I&#xA;  will breathe out steadying the mind.' [12] He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out&#xA;  releasing the mind.'[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion&#xA;  [literally, fading].' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing&#xA;  on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' [16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is how mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing is developed &amp;amp; pursued&#xA;  so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They aren't necessarily purely sequential however. Here's a list of several works by prominent Theravada meditation teachers on how to practice Anapanasati:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books11/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-5.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books11/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-5.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/EachAndEveryBreath_v130123.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/EachAndEveryBreath_v130123.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within classical Theravada the definitive guide to the practice of Anapanasati is found one of the Chapters of the Visuddhimagga, the great manual of Theravada meditation and doctrine. You can find the whole Visuddhimagga here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt; Starting on Anapanasati on Page 317&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a basic introduction to Anapanasati by a Monk in the Ajahn Chah Thai Forest Tradition in a video playlist: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8883E3B0A0F5587A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8883E3B0A0F5587A&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T12:37:56.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2014-09-03T14:18:22.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you do not follow (or know) what the Buddha taught, yet seek and reach enlightenment on your own, you are working on buddhahood. So in a sense yes. Though not meditating can also be a state of not doing the actual practice that the buddha taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering the theory of rebirth even without meditation one can start down the path as they noted above and develop kammic building blocks for the next round.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T14:18:22.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2014-09-03T14:21:11.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Pali canon, stream entry (and possibly even up to once returner - I don't have my notes handy) can be accomplished by the so-called faith follower.  This practitioner would need to command a resolute faith in the triple gem and observe the five precepts (i.e. strictly practice sila).  The higher stages of enlightenment - and definitely the stage of arahant - are only available to those who have some mastery of the meditative absorption of jhana.  The Visuddhimagga also hints that the same higher levels of attainment are available to those who practice &quot;dry insight&quot; (e.g. Vipassana) that isn't &quot;moistened&quot; by the attainment of jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T14:21:11.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2014-09-03T14:43:28.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are talking about 2 different tools that should be used for for 2 different goals, if you need a hammer to do a job it does not make a shovel an useless tool, it is just for a different job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is a tool for enlightment, calm, tranquility and insight into the nature of reality. Meditation is part of a spiritual path in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therapy is a tool for understanding the unconscious mind, useful to deal with traumas, phobias and difficult moments, it is not part of a spiritual path eventhough it can make you a better human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use both at the same time if you need, both work with the mind, they don't repeal each other, they have different goals and create different outcomes. There is nothing in the Dhamma against a good and professional Therapy as far as I'm aware. (as long as your psychologist doesn't give you strong medication for small problems)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: After sometime it is likely that you will replace Therapy for meditation, especially if you have a good meditation teacher and if you put some effort on it, you will see therapy is very useful in the short term, but meditation can give you more powerful insights in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T14:52:59.817" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T14:52:59.817" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3163" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-03T15:18:43.217" Score="8" ViewCount="1605" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Householder_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;lay Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; teach the Dhamma in a dhamma centre? Can a lay person teach just as a monk does? If so, are there any differences (e.g., should they sit on a different level, should the audience pay respect in a different way, etc.)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T02:08:47.907" LastActivityDate="2022-03-25T05:15:26.577" Title="Should Lay Buddhists Teach the Dhamma?" Tags="|monk|teaching|laity|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2014-09-03T15:19:03.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The co-founder the Insight Meditation Society &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kornfield&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; really advocates the use of both psychotherapy and meditation. He has a PhD in clinical psychotherapy and in his (excellent) book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143675.A_Path_with_Heart&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Path with Heart&lt;/a&gt; he devotes an entire chapter on psychotherapy and meditation. To quote the opening chapters&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The best of modern therapy is much like a process of shared&#xA;  meditation, where therapist a client sit together, learning to pay&#xA;  close attention to those dimensions and aspects of the self that a&#xA;  client will be unable to touch on his or her own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also says more &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/psymed1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; about the relationship between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, understanding the nature of the (not?) self is such a demanding task, why wouldn't you use every tool at your disposal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T15:19:03.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3163" CreationDate="2014-09-03T15:31:13.357" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That presupposes a sharp divide between lay and monastic communities within a sangha which isn't always the case. I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt; and while there are members of the order (who take dharma names) their &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/monk-or-lay&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;status is not straightforwardly monastic or lay&lt;/a&gt;. They can elect to live in a retreat centre but often they will be members of the wider community with families just like anyone else. So the people who sit at the front for us are often more of the lay variety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even this though isn't straightforward. We are short of order members in my centre so people who are not order members sometimes take on some teaching particularly talks to beginners. I've done it myself and I think it makes sense. I did something on right-livelihood a while back and I have daily experience (and struggle) with this so I am well placed to say something rather than a full time order member who is employed by the centre. I was asked to do it by an order member so there is some kind of authority there I guess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to summarise here is what order members would definitely teach and where there would be more flexibility&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Study sessions for more advanced students - order members only&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation classes for beginners - order members supported by more&#xA;advanced students&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Retreats - order members supported by more advanced students&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talks and regular evenings - mostly order members but others do get&#xA;involved&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rituals - anyone interested&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Other events - anyone interested&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have to say though we might be very non-standard in this so I would be interested to hear other people's experiences.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-03T17:09:06.357" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T17:09:06.357" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3163" CreationDate="2014-09-03T16:27:44.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism there have been a number of significant lay teachers. Anagarika Dhammaphala was one, although he lived a very monk like life in general so he probably doesn't quite count.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern times the most famous example of this is probably S.N. Goenka, the famous meditation teacher whith the well known 10 day retreat program. Goenka's main teacher, U Ba Khin, was also a prominent lay teacher of meditation. Also U Ba Khin learnt meditation from a lay teacher, Saya Thet Gyi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T12:53:13.083" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:53:13.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3163" CreationDate="2014-09-03T16:46:02.423" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lay practitioner ==&gt; monk is not a one way street. Some monks renounce their vows for various reasons (not always bad). A famous example in Western Tibetan Buddhism is Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche who ordained in 1947 and renounced in 1970, but kept teaching in lay status all the way until 1987. He still sat on a high platform and enjoyed the same honors as an ordained teacher. This is less about your official status and more about your spiritual achievements and realizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddha himself said (AN 5.166),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why should an elder be honored, respected, held in esteem, and venerated? On account of his broken teeth, grey hair, and wrinkled skin?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Possessing five qualities, bhikkhus, an elder is respected and esteemed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Patimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life -- such teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, mentally investigated, and penetrated well by view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He is a good speaker with a good delivery; he is gifted with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressive of the meaning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt; that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this we can see that it is not whether you are a lay person or a monk that is important for you being a teacher, but your spiritual achievements and realizations, plus communication skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T01:06:06.477" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T01:06:06.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3168" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3181" CreationDate="2014-09-03T17:18:02.470" Score="8" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangharakshita&quot;&gt;founder of the Buddhist community I attend&lt;/a&gt; said in an interview that he doesn't meditate anymore. I kind of found this really surprising. If we can say (just for arguments sake) that he is an advanced practitioner - is there any precedence for people once they reach a particular advanced stage in the path stopping meditating? Do people do this? Does it depend on the individual or is he very unusual in this and even potentially doing the wrong thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:58:09.220" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:38:57.300" Title="Would an advanced practitioner ever stop meditating?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|teachers|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2014-09-03T17:52:32.343" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMO meditation is absolutely critical, but not at beginner's stages. I would even go as far as to recommend at least five years of &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; before one tries meditation. What would that practice look like?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Watch the mind for emotions arising due to giving anything high importance. Let go of those.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Watch the mind for signs of behavior targeted at defending or advocating one's ego. Drop that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Watch the mind for indulging. Stop that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Protect your mind from garbage and negative information.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn some Buddhist theory.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First three are effectively meditation in action, every second of every minute of every hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T01:15:04.367" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T01:15:04.367" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3168" CreationDate="2014-09-03T18:20:54.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a Sri Lankan monk named &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda_Ananda_Maitreya_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Balangoda Ananda Maiythreya&lt;/a&gt; thero, and he mentioned in one of his meetings with lay people that he had attained until &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaspread.org/Page431.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankarupekkha-nana&lt;/a&gt; in vipassana meditation and if he had continued further, he could have become a stream-winner. But he didn't carry on from there because he had a wish to become a Buddha. However, he didn't completely abandon his meditation, still practiced samatha meditation and went on to achieve much higher levels in that as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think it is possible for advanced practitioners to stop doing it when they want to achieve much higher goals like Buddhahood once they reached a particular state in vipassana meditation. I don't see a reason for giving up samatha meditation though. Some illness might also be a reason for stopping meditation. There are several examples in literature how monks abandoned their meditation because of lust and also clinging on to wrong views .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T09:21:21.360" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T09:21:21.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3168" CreationDate="2014-09-03T18:54:52.610" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Would an advanced practitioner ever stop meditating?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; his disciples as an example, I would say, no. I would also not see a reason why. In the texts, the &lt;em&gt;jhānas&lt;/em&gt; are referenced as pleasant abidings here-&amp;amp;-now and that is what the &lt;em&gt;arahats&lt;/em&gt; do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects ask you: 'In what dwelling,&#xA;  friends, did the Blessed One generally dwell during the rains&#xA;  residence?'-being asked thus, you should answer those wanderers thus:&#xA;  'During the rains residence, friends, the Blessed One generally dwelt&#xA;  in the concentration by mindfulness of breathing.'&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Those bhikkhus who are arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have&#xA;  lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;  reached their own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, those completely&#xA;  liberated through final knowledge: for them concentration by&#xA;  mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, leads&#xA;  to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and&#xA;  clear comprehension.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-SN 54.11, At Icchanangala&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But having heard that Dhamma, those bhikkhus who are arahants, whose&#xA;  taints are destroyed, who have lived the spiritual life, done what had&#xA;  to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, utterly&#xA;  destroyed the fetters of existence, and are completely liberated&#xA;  through final knowledge, are devoted simply to a pleasant dwelling in&#xA;  this very life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=1254&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.4, Nandaka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how does the disciple of the noble ones obtain at will — without&#xA;  trouble or difficulty — the four jhanas that constitute heightened&#xA;  awareness and a pleasant abiding in the here-&amp;amp;-now? There is the case&#xA;  where, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful&#xA;  mental qualities, the disciple of the noble ones enters &amp;amp; remains in&#xA;  the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied&#xA;  by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. With the stilling of directed&#xA;  thoughts &amp;amp; evaluations, he enters &amp;amp; remains in the second jhana:&#xA;  rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free&#xA;  from directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation — internal assurance. With the&#xA;  fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, &amp;amp; alert, and senses&#xA;  pleasure with the body. He enters &amp;amp; remains in the third jhana, of&#xA;  which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous &amp;amp; mindful, he has a pleasant&#xA;  abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure &amp;amp; pain — as with the earlier&#xA;  disappearance of elation &amp;amp; distress — he enters &amp;amp; remains in the&#xA;  fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp;amp; mindfulness, neither pleasure nor&#xA;  pain. This is how the disciple of the noble ones obtains at will —&#xA;  without trouble or difficulty — the four jhanas that constitute&#xA;  heightened awareness and a pleasant abiding in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 53, The Practice for One in Training&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:38:57.300" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:38:57.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3172" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3173" CreationDate="2014-09-03T19:18:01.680" Score="8" ViewCount="2955" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yoga is a form of mediation which involves physical exertions as well as inward examination.  Is this an acceptable form of meditation for a Buddhist?  Are there any sects of Buddhism which focus on meditations which involve physical exertion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:38:53.360" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:38:53.360" Title="Is yoga an acceptable form of meditation for a practicing Buddhist?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|yoga|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3172" CreationDate="2014-09-03T20:18:59.053" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what your definition of 'acceptable' is.  Will it benefit you?  Absolutely.  For one, a case can be made that yoga is a mindfulness-of-the-body meditation and that it can even go beyond that - incorporating other aspects of sati (mindfulness).  I think it's also safe to say that all five of the hindrances can be temporarily suppressed during intense yoga and may even give rise to access concentration (upacarasamadhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I don't think it's a perfect substitute for the kind of meditation the Buddha taught.  For starters, I wonder whether true jhana is available to someone in an asana other than a variant of the lotus position.  You'll be able to attain some amount of samatha, but the degree will be lessened by the effort it takes to maintain the other asanas.  Outside of lotus, I also don't think you'd be very stable, physically speaking, and that you'd probably just wind up falling over!  But maybe you aren't even looking to attain jhana.  Who knows!  There is precedent that such states aren't a prerequisite to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per 'sects' of Buddhism that use physical excursion, well, there is a rich tradition of doing prostrations, schools like Tendai have their mudras (but I'm guessing that's not the kind of exertion you're talking about), and many martial arts schools with a Zen slant pay strict attention to bodily position - especially Japanese styles like iaido (and come on - meditate with a sword?  How cool is that!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes - beneficial, absolutely.  A true alternative?  Mmmm...probably not.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T20:18:59.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3172" CreationDate="2014-09-03T23:20:58.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you asking whether or not Buddhists can practice Hatha Yoga (i.e. practicing the physical postures) or the yogic meditative practices? I don't see any real problem with Hatha Yoga, but yogic meditation is based on a different set of teachings and is part of a different interpretive framework than Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism rejects the idea of any self that exists other than as a convention and teaches that all of reality arises from causes and conditions without any underlying ground of reality.. Raja Yoga (the proper name for Yoga as a meditative system) is based very much on the exact opposites of these, teaching the existence of a supreme cosmic principle underlying all things called Brahman, and furthermore most teach that this divine Brahman is the true self, or Atman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual meditation methods used in Raja Yoga are effective means of attaining concentration, but the purpose of attaining such concentration is quite different in Buddhism. In Buddhism, concentration is used to clear and prepare the mind for the realization that reality is impermanent, unsatisfying, and non-self, which leads to the attainment of enlightenment, and so concentration is combined with other methods which aim at this goal. In contrast, Raja yoga identifies the attainment of high levels of concentration (i.e. the Jhanas) with the realization of the Atman as being Brahman. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, such an interpretation is wrong view, and especially coupled with the fact that Raja Yoga doesn't have practices leading to the realization of the three characteristics, Raja Yoga isn't a system of practice which one should expect to lead one to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-03T23:20:58.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3108" CreationDate="2014-09-04T00:43:48.663" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkshu Pratimoksha&#xA;As far as I know (and I verified this with a Chinese Malaysian monk), the pratimoksha is what non-Theravada monks follow.  It is more or less the same but has 250 rules over the Theravada 227.  The extra rules however, can be found more or less in the Theravada Culavagga or Mahavagga.  (Generally known, but I did not verify)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rule on money is very basic and part of the 10 precepts.  The same with eating after 12 Noon.  The rule however mentions &quot;gold or silver&quot; as the wording and is defined in the vibhanga as anything dealing with money or trade.  I remember once hearing that Mahayana follows a different interpretation of their rules.  This may be where it might be &quot;allowable.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A long time ago, in Myanmar, I once traveled with a &quot;vinaya&quot; Mahayana monk from Malaysia.  He did not use money.  They had two monks in his monastery including himself.  It was the only one in Malaysia as far as I could remember (I think I asked him).  When we stopped the car to urinate in the forest, he did his business while standing up, which is against the rules.  We must squat.  I remember asking him about this, and that was where I was told that they follow a different commentary.  This commentary seemed to render many of the 250 rules as obsolete.  However, this monk did not use money, so I presume that rule was left intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I welcome a Mahayana monks to edit this post.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T00:43:48.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3092" CreationDate="2014-09-04T00:48:19.790" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mettā jhāna.&#xA;How to know.&#xA;You should have continuous concentration with out any distracting thoughts for starters.  Only after one attains should one reflect if they attained.  Basically that means until you consistently get continuous concentration for one to three+ hours according to your determination at will, then you should reflect on the jhāna factors in the heart area.  The five factors are:&#xA;Applied thought&#xA;Sustained thought&#xA;Joy&#xA;Happiness experience&#xA;One object (repeated one pointedness of mind on one object..no distractions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can see lesson seven in my pdf at &lt;a href=&quot;http://Subhuti.net.tf&quot;&gt;http://Subhuti.net.tf&lt;/a&gt; about the technicalities regarding jhāna.  Although it mentions breath meditation, all jhānas are the same.  The Vissudhimagga actually explains jhāna by using the Earth Kasina as its primary example.  The only difference is the meditation object and whether it is expanded.  Metta has a visual object too and it can be expanded in range or a single person/being or group of beings or direction.  Metta can be quite complex in the numerous ways that one can do it.  Please see The book  &quot;Knowing and Seeing&quot; by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T00:48:19.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3148" CreationDate="2014-09-04T00:55:05.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be happy and silent.&#xA;Happiness is the best reaction.&#xA;However, monks usually thank the one who tell them things and fixes what needs to be fixed even if it does not seem right.  This is the monk way.  Also, consider the criticism to see if it could be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dasadhamma sutta&#xA;“Kacci nu kho me attā sīlato na upavadatī?” ti &#xA;“Can I myself find no fault with my virtue?” &#xA;pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ. &#xA;[4] one who has gone forth should frequently reflect on this. &#xA;“Kacci nu kho maṁ anuvicca viññū sabrahmacārī, &#xA;“Will my wise companions in the spiritual life, after testing me, &#xA;sīlato na upavadantī?” ti &#xA;find no fault with my virtue?”, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="736" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T13:20:09.197" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:20:09.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2014-09-04T01:10:04.630" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Masturbation is unwholesome just like getting angry is unwholesome.  Getting angry is not recommended, but it is not against a precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is confusion with abrahmacariya precept taken with 8 and 10 precepts. This precept replaces the third sexual misconduct precept of regular followers and requires complete celibacy. Abstinence from sensual pleasures are covered in this rule and also in the other higher precepts included in the eight/ten group.  These precepts are taken by serious lay followers and novice monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus must do manata/parivasa (probation) if they do such an act.  It is very serious for a monk to do such a thing and very serious legal act to rehabilitate. Often, separate &quot;prison monasteries&quot; are set up for this purpose in Asia because of the difficulties in the logistics to carry out such a task.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Novice monks ask to do chores (danda kamma) if they break this.  It should be noted that the only difference in precepts of a layperson and a novice monk is the tenth precept of not using the money. As far as the third precept (sexual misconduct) is concerned for the five precept yogi; &quot;It takes two to tango.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="14864" LastEditDate="2019-03-13T22:25:23.517" LastActivityDate="2019-03-13T22:25:23.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2014-09-04T01:21:12.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually the Suttas teach that there are two routes of practice which lead to enlightenment, one of which is based on the practice of the Jhanas, and the other of which is based on the development of insight practices. The most explicit example of this is the following Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.169&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the&#xA;  world. What four? (1) “Here, some person attains nibbāna through&#xA;  exertion in this very life. (2) Another person attains nibbāna &#xA;  through  exertion  with  the  breakup  of  the  body. 855   (3)  Still&#xA;  another  person  attains  nibbāna without exertion in this very life.&#xA;  (4) And still another person attains nibbāna without exertion with the&#xA;  breakup of the body. 856&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1)  “And  how,  bhikkhus,  does  a  person  attain  nibbāna  through &#xA;  exertion  in  this  very  life?  Here,  a bhikkhu  dwells &#xA;  contemplating  the  unattractiveness  of  the  body,  perceiving  the &#xA;  repulsiveness  of  food, perceiving non-delight in the entire world,&#xA;  contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena; and he has&#xA;  the perception of death [156] well established internally. He dwells&#xA;  depending upon these five trainee powers: the power of faith, the&#xA;  power of moral shame, the power of moral dread, the power of energy,&#xA;  and the power of wisdom. These five faculties arise in him&#xA;  prominently: the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness,&#xA;  concentration, and wisdom. Because these five faculties are prominent,&#xA;  he attains nibbāna through exertion in this very life. This is how a&#xA;  person attains nibbāna through exertion in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3)  “And  how  does  a  person  attain  nibbāna  without  exertion &#xA;  in  this  very  life?  Here,  secluded  from sensual pleasures,&#xA;  secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the&#xA;  first jhāna … the fourth jhāna. He dwells depending upon these five&#xA;  trainee powers: the powers of faith … and wisdom. These five faculties&#xA;  arise in him prominently: the faculties of faith … and wisdom. Because&#xA;  these five faculties are prominent, he attains nibbāna without&#xA;  exertion in this very life. This is how a person attains nibbāna&#xA;  without exertion in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This sutta isn't available online as far as I know. You'll have to look it up in the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation of the Anguttara Nikaya. The omitted parts just repeat the same thing but mention the example of someone who only attains Nibbana at the breakup of the body but whose practice is the same.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously you still need both Samatha and Vipassana, but the actual order in which they are developed and the practice you use to do so doesn't matter. For example, in the famous Yuganaddha Sutta the Ven. Ananda said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda said: &quot;Friends, whoever — monk or nun — declares the&#xA;  attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of&#xA;  one or another of four paths. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by&#xA;  tranquillity. As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity, the&#xA;  path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he&#xA;  follows the path, developing it &amp;amp; pursuing it — his fetters are&#xA;  abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity&#xA;  preceded by insight. As he develops tranquillity preceded by insight,&#xA;  the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he&#xA;  follows the path, developing it &amp;amp; pursuing it — his fetters are&#xA;  abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity in&#xA;  tandem with insight. As he develops tranquillity in tandem with&#xA;  insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues&#xA;  it. As he follows the path, developing it &amp;amp; pursuing it — his fetters&#xA;  are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Samatha can be developed first and Vipassana second, Vipassana first and Samatha second, or they can be developed simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T01:21:12.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3168" CreationDate="2014-09-04T02:00:23.287" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is normal and even expected on very advanced stages of Vajrayana. Basically, as your meditation gets non-contrived, and your post-meditation awareness grows strong, the two converge. This is known as meditation of nonmeditation. Check out Lamp of Mahamudra by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T02:00:23.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3168" CreationDate="2014-09-04T04:15:08.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindful living is another form of meditation (typically an advanced one), if one no longer needs to formally sit or walk in meditation... then i guess that would be that. But the way you phrased it, it seems it could be any reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T04:15:08.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3168" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:10:35.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation has the benefit of dissolving fabrications and conditioning. So practicing this even after achieving the goal has advantage in subduing would be bad Karma giving unpleasant results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also an Arahat can enjoy the Fruit of Attainment by meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T09:10:35.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3184" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7556" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:14:05.670" Score="6" ViewCount="5434" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the different between Nirodha Samapatti and Phala Samapatti? Are they the same? What are the distinctions between them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:34:26.247" LastActivityDate="2019-09-26T09:28:48.943" Title="What is the different between Nirodha Samapatti and Phala Samapatti?" Tags="|samadhi|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3185" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5187" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:21:33.923" Score="1" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the differences of Phala Samapatti between each stage of sainthood? The fruit of each stage of Sainthood possibly would be different. Hence there would be some distinction and differences between the stages of sainthood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:24:30.003" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:24:30.003" Title="What are the differences of Phala Samapatti between each stage of sainthood?" Tags="|enlightenment|meditation-insight|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3186" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3189" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:22:03.873" Score="3" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any traditions without an associated monastic community or even where the monastic element is significantly minimised. I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist community&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/monk-or-lay&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;blurring of the monastic and lay elements&lt;/a&gt; is a particular feature. I was wondering if we are very peculiar in that or if there are other traditions, modern or historic, where that also would be the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:02:24.733" Title="Are there Buddhist traditions without monks?" Tags="|laity|monasticism|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3172" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:41:43.293" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asanas are generally acceptable if you leave the ideological side of it and when you do the Asana be aware of the posture and sensation in the body. For timing purposes use the breath and heartbeat. This can be a good physical exercise also converting this to Kayanupassana and Vedananupassana in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you leave out the ideological part behind Pranayama then both are compatible. The distinction between the two are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism: do not regulate the breath but watch the process initially but later slow the process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pranayama: regulate the process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some buddhist tradition sometimes do advice to regulate the breath to overcome being scatterbrained when meditating, being lethargic, and to induce pleasantness / joy. Also there is a view that Pranayama could have been originating or evolution from a Buddhist teaching. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2489/can-pranayama-be-derived-from-anapana&quot;&gt;Can Pranayama Be Derived from Anapana?&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when doing Breath Meditation some traditions mention certain prominent places to rest your attention. If you go by the Suttas only it say to rest the attention in front or around the mouth as some traditions interpret. (See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;Parimukhaṁ&lt;/a&gt;). This can be analogous to Chakras in Yoga. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2338/are-the-chakras-present-in-the-original-buddhas-teachings&quot;&gt;Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha&amp;#39;s teachings?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever you do start with at then end you have to see things as they are. For this you have to reduce the of the breath and develop strong awareness. If you are in regulating the process you lose the chance of being objectively observing and being aware. The awareness you develop would be shallow. This might be a hindrance later on. But if this is not the only techniques you use then it can become a tool. In addition you are creating new fabrication / conditioned existence where the objective was to get out of it. Having said that the path leading to the final goal is actually fabricated / conditioned. Sometimes good conditioning can help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said all this do not give too much prominence of time to Yoga though it can be used for benefit as time is limited but use this as a tool in certain situation like to overcome lethargy, develop energy, overcome pain, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an alternate discussion see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Yoga-as-seen-in-the-light-of-Vipassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoga: as seen in the light of Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.traditionalyogastudies.com/2011/07/a-reappraisal-of-patanjalis-yoga-sutras-by-tandon/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Re-appraisal of Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutras in the Light of the Buddha’s Teaching&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:49:01.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3163" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:45:58.263" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In countries without a Buddhist background the best way to teach is as a lay person. The issues like conversion, unfamiliar customs and outer look will not hinder people from accepting the practice. Once you start practicing you see benefits for you self and the practice will continue, but some cases the initial contact is best done by a lay person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes. Ley people should teach, especially in the West and regions where there is not Buddhist culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T10:19:35.483" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T10:19:35.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3186" CreationDate="2014-09-04T09:58:20.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;SGI, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/buddhism/buddhism-faq.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;describes itself as a &quot;lay Buddhist organization&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I'd want to call it orthodox Buddhist, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally there might have been a split in lifestyle between monastery (and a literate life) and fields (and manual labour). I think I remember seeing a TV documentary with teenagers, monk-candidates, studying texts in a monastery: one said that the (academic) study is difficult/onerous, nervertheless easier (therefore a better career choice) than spending life working in a (agricultural) field.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T09:58:20.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3190" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3212" CreationDate="2014-09-04T10:28:44.593" Score="5" ViewCount="504" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that this happens in close proximity. So it is always referenced together. What happens when you get the knowledge and how do to transition to the Fruit? What happens just before the knowledge of the path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T18:32:25.473" Title="What is the Distinction Between Knowledge of The Path and the Fruit?" Tags="|enlightenment|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2845" CreationDate="2014-09-04T10:59:14.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist teaching revolves around 2 main pillars:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way out of Stress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the psychological effect of practicing mindfulness meditation is that your come out of stress. This in turn would have physical benefits also. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.ted.com/2013/01/11/4-scientific-studies-on-how-meditation-can-affect-your-heart-brain-and-creativity/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 scientific studies on how meditation can affect your heart, brain and creativity&lt;/a&gt; gives reference to some research on the physiological effects of meditation. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/204/slow_down_enjoy_life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Slow down! Enjoy life&lt;/a&gt; touches on both physiological and psychological benefits. Always the physiological and psychological benefits are always interrelated as we are dealing with Namarupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another aspect of Buddhist meditation is that when you do Vipassana, your old fabrication / conditioning / karma surfaces as sensations and then pass away. If the you have a physical illness which is either psychosomatic in nature or Karmic in nature there is a chance that it might be heal by the passing away of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karmic&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;conditioning&lt;/a&gt; which might be causing the disorder. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following additional references also may be of value (This is more on psychology but this has a knock on effect on physiology):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Modern Psychology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation and the Modern World&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T06:08:03.120" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T06:08:03.120" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3186" CreationDate="2014-09-04T11:15:45.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Ddo_Shinsh%C5%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jōdo Shinshū&lt;/a&gt; (Shin Buddhism) has been a lay movement since it was founded in 12th century Japan. The following is from the description on the Facebook page of the North American Shin Buddhist Association. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Total Lay Control&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;NASBA follows the early Shin Buddhist ideal of total lay control of the sanghas with an egalitarian, non-elitist and democratic format. Originally, Shin Buddhism did not have or need religious professionals like monastics or clergy. Spiritual transmission was not passed down from teacher to student but as Shinran Shonin taught, it unfolds as shinjin (true entrusting mind), which manifests directly from the Primal Vow of Buddha Amida. Inspired by the original intent and teachings of Shin Buddhism, this North American association does not follow any spiritual hierarchical or vertical (top-down) organizational format but adheres to a flat or horizontal design. It does not ordain clergy or have any rituals of guru to student transmission. It believes that all spiritual endowments come directly from the inconceivable Great Compassion, symbolized by the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay people can become lay ministers in Shin Buddhism and use the title Reverend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T11:51:24.823" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T11:51:24.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3186" CreationDate="2014-09-04T11:27:33.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another tradition without monks is &lt;a href=&quot;http://arobuddhism.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aro&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Aro teachers are not monks or nuns. They are ordained Tantrikas – whose lives are, in many ways, quite ordinary. They may have conventional jobs, or raise children. Many teach as married couples. Their wisdom is embodied in the ways they live everyday life. Facing the same life challenges as their students, they are able to offer advice that is grounded in personal experience as well as profound religious understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that, like the ones already mentioned, it isn't too orthodox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T11:27:33.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1364" CreationDate="2014-09-04T11:42:38.137" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too am part of the Kagyu lineage, and was told by my partner at the time (who teaches under the Kagyu lineage) that it also known as a 'spiritual kiss'. A blessing as it were. Your 'Sky Eye' or sixth chakra is known for being the holding of enlightenment and is regarded as a wonderful light source. By 'light', I sort of mean knowledge -- an ability to 'see' in a way that takes a lot of meditative practice and devotion. When we touch things to our Sky Eye, it enables another connection and closeness to emerge. A mutual understanding, relationship and insight. My Lama often greets people in this way; gently holding their heads and meeting foreheads with an exchange of great joy. It is an amazing thing to see and be a part of! Connecting with others in this way as a greeting or a blessing can create a very instant, quick mutual bond. Especially when you are both part of the Sangha and therefore hold similar beliefs, or have been undergoing meditative practice for a while which will enable your Sky Eye to be quite 'open'/'aware'. It is also seen as a way of showing that no one is seen as more important, or 'higher' than the other, and that we are all equal (even when this is done by a Rinpoche). Those of higher importance will also touch gifts to their forehead as a way of blessing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="789" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T11:42:38.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3195" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:01:13.917" Score="4" ViewCount="2343" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of people these days will define Happiness as euphoria: A big party with friends, dancing, singing all night (sometimes drinking). From a Buddhist's perspective this is not even close to the true happiness, so how would Buddhism classify this kind of Euphoria? Something good, neutral or bad? Is it an addiction? Ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T20:26:04.423" Title="Happiness vs. Euphoria from a Buddhist's point of view" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3186" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:02:24.733" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a reason that the traditional Buddhist (at least Theravada) orders have Monks and Householders. The monks take the opportunity to practice more intensely  and with a fewer distraction than lay people. Also it is regarded a duty of the householder to support the monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also for the survival of the Dhamma and Practice you need an institution which is the order of monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Theravada perspective when you are enlightened you have to enter the order as a monk hence the order needs to be there. As a householder you cannot survive. E.g. Pukkusati, Bahiya Daruciriya, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the bound of Theravada line of thought you cannot have a Buddhist order with no monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:02:24.733" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3197" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3227" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:02:37.207" Score="1" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why did the Buddha bother to teach? Why does anyone teach today? Is there evidence (a charged word) or scriptural support that it really does any good? I read here many things that accord with my experience, but it also seems to &quot;multiply entities&quot; and so we wind up with lots of words when perhaps fewer would be better. Perhaps it would be more effective to simply have places of teaching, and those who wish to know would go there. A friend was saying to me recently that describing advanced experiences or ideas to family or friends only makes them think that one is deranged, it does not &quot;light the way&quot; for them if they are not looking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user759" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T20:54:12.477" Title="Does teaching Buddhism work?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:06:20.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know this feeling very well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw a whole host of therapists of the years due to childhood stuff, whilst also doing daily practise. As I got older, the more my relationship with certain therapists changed. I was pretty fed up of seeing therapists and was dedicating a lot of time to the Dharma and going to temple whilst juggling a very stressful job. In the end, I thought I'd give therapy another shot and found myself in a very submissive conflict with my therapist. She thought my Buddhist beliefs and ways of dealing with a lot of pain or upset was simply another way of suppressing it all. She saw my religion as a coping mechanism. I agreed to disagree with her and eventually moved away and haven't seen another therapist since, but instead am heavily devoted to my practise and to trust my instincts further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no shame in seeing a therapist as a Buddhist practitioner but be aware of coming up against those who have the somewhat Marxist belief of religion being the opiate of the masses. Even mindfulness therapists sometimes just don't 'get' it. I once saw a Child Regression Therapist and saw through them within the first 10 minutes and didn't go back again -- this therapist was so wrapped up in their own beliefs they wished to project it onto their clients, and I'm sure it worked in most cases, but I just wasn't buying it. However, even if the therapy does not particularly work, yet you find yourself talking things through with others, then in that way, it is working. Sometimes you have to filter through the 'guff' before you begin to be able to let go of it all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if it doesn't work out, you will still gain from it in some way. Being at peace with yourself and battling memories, trauma, and the subsequent self annihilation is one of the hardest things to do, and Buddhism and therapy often does support each other. But it is also very easy to slip into Western therapy ideologies and lose some of the instinctive Buddhist understanding. As long as you remain aware, you will be fine!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="789" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:06:20.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:08:56.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two side to this. The teaching works when there is a eager recipient ready to receive the Dhamma. (Ripened in perfections.) And the recipient practices the Dhamma to reap benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism is a practical religion where you have to practice the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt; to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;reach Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;. As you said the best is that you choose a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meditation center&lt;/a&gt; and star the practice with lesser discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:08:56.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:19:29.973" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interesting question! I like it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel it is not ignorance, quite the opposite in fact. If anything, you experience life more so -- your sensations and emotions are almost 10 fold compared to what they would be usually, except you are slightly better at not being overcome by them. For example, neuroscientists recently discovered a hormone released by our brains that gets stronger and stronger the more we meditate. In turn, this hormone opens up our pathways of being able to empathise more with other sentient beings, or watching a film, or listening to music, or general life experience. From my own experience, I find that when I am practising and also spending a lot of time with my teacher, I am so excited about life that I can't sleep. As my friend calls it, 'joy induced insomnia'. I wouldn't say it means everything is positive and great and happy, because like anyone's life, there is always an element of suffering or sadness. It just means I am able to deal with those things better, and it also means that my senses are heightened and I am able to tune in or pick up these subtle things much quicker and almost feel them myself, quite deeply. Sometimes sadness sits with me after a meditation and I'm not sure why, and by karmic coincidence, something will happen and it all falls into place and I totally understand it. That in itself, is what stems the happiness. When you realise that everything is connected and that there is so much more to explore with this. Especially when you begin to see and meet others who are somehow going through something very similar. That then boosts your happiness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say it's nothing like an epic party, it's more a whole never-ending burst of love. That keeps coming. And awe in absolutely everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="789" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:19:29.973" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3201" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:31:55.467" Score="3" ViewCount="1767" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to hunt far and wide to see if anyone in the internet world has attempted meditating with someone else by connecting your foreheads together?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As discussed in a previous thread about the significance of touching foreheads, the sky-eye, upper dantian, sixth chakra, etc is a hugely powerful aspect of the body and referred to during prostrations and greetings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have only meditated with someone else like this once, in a temple and was certainly aware of the intense connection it could hold before I did it. However, I wasn't sure if anyone else has tried to do this, or does this often, and if so, why? What is your experience? I have also experienced this in dreams, as well as visualised doing this in meditation with someone else who has received it during their own meditation practice too (which I find pretty incredible!). I'd love to hear of any experiences where you have managed to connect with others in meditation too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="789" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:05:28.563" LastActivityDate="2018-09-29T22:02:16.023" Title="Has anybody tried meditating forehead to forehead? Or communicated with others via meditation?" Tags="|meditation-effects|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-04T12:38:47.710" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To use your own analogy, if you were trying to learn how to implement an OO design pattern in JavaScript, would it be more expedient for you to try and figure it out for yourself or to learn it from someone who had already mastered the concept?  Buddhism can be a very technical religion.  There are some problems that will arise (and meditation alone is chock full of them) that you just won't be able to get past without someone there to guide you along.  What's worse, sometimes you don't even know what questions you should even be asking!  You might be doing something totally wrong, but without a teacher there to point it out, you'd never be the wiser.  You likewise might master somethings, but not know where to turn your attention next.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think the importance of a teacher can be overstated.  One of the qualities of the Buddha is that he is an anuttaro purisadammasarathi - an unsurpassed teacher of persons to be tamed!  That wouldn't be in the Buddhanussati Gatha if it wasn't important!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T12:38:47.710" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2014-09-04T13:13:28.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Partying, singing, dancing, and drinking do produce a certain kind of happiness, but it is a happiness based on sensuality, and so it is a fairly limited kind of happiness. Sensual happiness is always at least unwholesome, meaning that in terms of karma it doesn't lead towards future happiness and can impede spiritual progress. Some kinds of sensual pleasure (like drinking, drug use, sexual misconduct, etc...) furthermore produce evil karma which will lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that people should totally avoid those things which produce evil karma, but permits actions which are merely unwholesome for laypeople, encouraging moderation, but always praising wholesome happiness and pleasure (e.g. the happiness of generosity, virtue, wisdom, meditation, etc...) as being superior. In otherwords, it's ok for Buddhists to attend parties (although they shouldn't drink or take drugs, and they probably shouldn't go if these are the main reason people are going) but one shouldn't base their happiness off of a social life by just partying. Happiness needs a firmer foundation than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:13:28.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3201" CreationDate="2014-09-04T13:14:36.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist meditation you have to do it more in seclusion (Sunyagara, under a tree, etc). There may be other techniques outside Buddhism (at least Theravada) where you may have pratices like this, but this practice does not conform to orthodox way meditation is done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the practice of group meditation in certain Centres and Traditions but an healthy distance is maintained between the participants. This can sometimes be beneficial if you are experiencing agitation as near by meditators can influence your peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T13:23:55.850" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:23:55.850" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3201" CreationDate="2014-09-04T13:21:13.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To be quite frank, I don't really see much point in this from a Buddhist perspective. What is the purpose in doing this? Maybe you can have some interesting experiences with different sensations, and for all I know, visions or psychic powers, but in the end these things don't lead towards awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At most, these things could lead to a kind of concentration being developed, but there are other ways of developing concentration that can be used as part of the path. For example, one could develop the jhanas and then use them as a basis for examination. Practicing in that way would probably lead to a lot more pleasure than meditating on the chakras with your foreheads together, and it can be used to gain awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T13:21:13.757" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2014-09-04T14:04:59.427" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Euphoria may result in happiness but this is temporary. Reason being is you have not absolute to maintain the world to your liking. Every good movie or party eventually does come to an end. The base of this happiness is creating temporary pleasant sensation. In the case of a movie it is looking at the story line and playing the concept of the story. In the case of food it is taste from the tongue. All these sensations arise to pass away. Also when the stimulus is not there it does not arise any more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to have lasting happiness if in different to the arising and passing away of sensations and achieving an unconditioned state where you do not need an external stimulus to create pleasantness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T14:04:59.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2014-09-04T14:35:26.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The euphoria you describe (a big party with friends / dancing / singing / drinking) is a form of suffering experienced by samsaric mind. If we look very carefully deep into ourselves we can see how even within so-called pleasant experience there is a seed of unsatisfactoriness. There is always this anticipation of hangover, or feeling that we're missing even bigger fun, or timidity and up-tightness etc. This is due to an element of confusion inevitably present in a non-enlightened mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, happiness (&lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;) is different. There are two kinds of happiness: worldly happiness and happiness of sugatas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Worldly happiness is a quiet feeling of ease and comfort we experience when our existence is not burdened by troubles and emergencies. This is achieved by following common guidelines for good living, first and foremost the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happiness of sugatas is &lt;em&gt;suchness&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt;) rooted in Final Knowledge, transcending all dualities such as desirable/undesirable. This is achieved by following preliminary guidelines for taming the mind, the special guidelines for gradually reducing the clinging, and the secret guidelines for attaining the view of spontaneously self-existing great natural perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T16:22:46.477" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T16:22:46.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3190" CreationDate="2014-09-04T15:27:23.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of the path is simply the first realization of Nibbana as one of the particular kinds of Aryas. In other words, the first time a person experiences Nibbana as a Sotapanna, Sakadagamin, Anagamin, or an Arahat is called knowledge of the path. During the path-knowlege, the fetters are destroyed or greatly weakened . Knowledge of the fruit is the same except that it doesn't cut away at the fetters in the same way so it is classified differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of the fruit occurs automatically after knowledge of the path. You don't have to do anything specifically to make it happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a description of these knowledges from the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here is a simile for this. An archer, it seems, had a target 3  set up at a distance of eight usabhas (about 100 yards), and wrapping&#xA;  his face in a cloth and arming himself with an arrow, he stood on a&#xA;  wheel contrivance (a revolving platform). Another man turned the wheel&#xA;  contrivance, and when the target was opposite the archer, he gave him&#xA;  a sign with a stick. Without pausing after the sign the archer shot&#xA;  the arrow and hit the target.&#xA;  Herein, change-of-lineage knowledge is like the sign with the stick. Path knowledge is like the archer. Path knowledge’s [675]&#xA;  making Nibbána its object without pausing after the sign given by&#xA;  change-of-lineage, and its piercing and exploding  the  mass  of &#xA;  greed,  hate  and  delusion  never  pierced  and  exploded before, is&#xA;  like the archer’s hitting the target without pausing after the sign.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And not only does it cause the piercing of this mass of greed, etc., but it also dries up the ocean of suffering of the round in the&#xA;  beginningless round of rebirths. It closes all doors to the states of&#xA;  loss. It provides actual experience of the seven noble treasures. 4 &#xA;  It abandons the eightfold wrong path. It allays all enmity and fear. 5&#xA;  It leads to the state of the Fully Enlightened One’s breast-born son&#xA;  (see S II 221). And it leads to the acquisition of many hundred other&#xA;  blessings. So it is the knowledge associated with the path of&#xA;  stream-entry, the provider of many hundred blessings, that is called&#xA;  knowledge of the path of stream-entry. The first kind of knowledge is&#xA;  ended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Immediately next to that knowledge, however, there arise either two or three fruition consciousnesses, which are its result. For it is&#xA;  owing to this very fact that supramundane  profitable  [consciousness]&#xA;  results  immediately  that  it  is  said, “And which he called the&#xA;  concentration with immediate result” (Sn 226), and “Sluggishly  he &#xA;  reaches  what  has  immediate  result  for  the  destruction  of  the&#xA;  cankers” (A II 149), and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Visuddhimagga Chapter XXII 12-15, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T15:27:23.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2845" CreationDate="2014-09-04T15:34:51.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a bit technical, but shows the positive effects from meditating in some key hormones we produce related to health and stress. I was discussing it with my girlfriend (she is endocrinologist and not buddhist) and she was quite surprised with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want you can skip to the end of the text to see the conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot; Previous studies of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique as&#xA;  a possible means of countering effects of stress have reported altered&#xA;  levels of several hormones both during the practice and longitudinally&#xA;  after regular practice of this technique. In this prospective, random&#xA;  assignment study, changes in baseline levels and acute responses to&#xA;  laboratory stressors were examined for four hormones-cortisol, growth&#xA;  hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone and testosterone-before and after&#xA;  4 months of either the TM technique or a stress education control&#xA;  condition. At pre- and post-test, blood was withdrawn continuously&#xA;  through an indwelling catheter, and plasma or serum samples were&#xA;  frozen for later analysis by radioimmunoassay. The results showed&#xA;  significantly different changes for the two groups, or trends toward&#xA;  significance, for each hormone over the 4 months. In the TM group, but&#xA;  not in the controls, basal cortisol level and average cortisol across&#xA;  the stress session decreased from pre- to post-test. Cortisol&#xA;  responsiveness to stressors, however, increased in the TM group&#xA;  compared to controls. The baselines and/or stress responsiveness for&#xA;  TSH and GH changed in opposite directions for the groups, as did the&#xA;  testosterone baseline. Overall, the cortisol and testosterone results&#xA;  appear to support previous data suggesting that repeated practice of&#xA;  the TM technique reverses effects of chronic stress significant for&#xA;  health.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9226731/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9226731/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T16:06:19.017" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T16:06:19.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3210" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-04T17:29:49.840" Score="6" ViewCount="877" Body="&lt;p&gt;We know Buddhism doesn't have a creator God like most religions, however there is the law of Kamma, a law we cannot see and also we cannot prove, in other words, a law that requires faith and cannot be measured like gravity or electromagnetism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a Theravada senior monk said that: &quot;Buddhists should not say they don't believe in God, because they believe in the laws of nature and Kamma, it works like a God, a higher force, only not a creator God, not a being we pray to&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Is kamma &quot;like&quot; a god?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T16:26:16.077" Title="Is the force of Kamma like a God for Buddhists?" Tags="|atheism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-04T18:00:50.363" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such a highly dualistic analogy is completely wrong, from non-theistic Mahayana/Vajrayana perspective. His points seem to be that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhists &lt;em&gt;believe&lt;/em&gt; in karma, and this &lt;em&gt;belief&lt;/em&gt; is similar to &lt;em&gt;belief&lt;/em&gt; in God.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma, like God, is a mysterious force that evaluates our actions and gives us our due.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Person is separate from God; Person is separate from karma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in reality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists do not take karma on blind faith. Instead, they know that karma is real, even if somewhat abstract, phenomena that (unlike God!) can be observed, studied, predicted -- and therefore controlled.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Karma is not some kind of transcendental (otherwordly) force. It is a natural tendency of regular action to lead to certain results. Karma does not evaluate our actions against some book of moral rules. Instead, our actions themselves lead to certain results. Our actions IS karma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is not like the acting person is one thing, the world is another thing, and karma is third thing. Person is a result of past karma, manifestation of past karma. Karma is just how the world works, so karma is the world. The world and the person are two sides of the same stick.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no, not at all. Karma is not like God, is not &quot;higher force&quot;. Karma is us and we are karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-04T20:30:31.067" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T20:30:31.067" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3190" CreationDate="2014-09-04T18:32:25.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some suttas which give an indication that there is a time gap between path and fruit meaning that the fruit does not happen automatically following the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Udana 5.5 - Uposatha Sutta: mentions &quot;stream-winners &amp;amp; those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners &amp;amp; those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners &amp;amp; those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants &amp;amp; those practicing for arahantship.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN XXV.1 - Cakkhu Sutta: describes the saddhanusari and dhammanusari - disciples by faith and wisdom respectively. Both are described as following the path - &quot;one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill&quot;, and that &quot;He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry&quot;. It clearly implies a time gap between path and fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.170 - Yuganaddha Sutta: says that &quot;developing tranquility and insight the path is born. He follows, develops and pursues that path, and by doing so his fetters are abandoned.&quot; Again there is a time gap implied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T18:32:25.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3201" CreationDate="2014-09-04T19:26:57.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those things like &lt;code&gt;the sky-eye, upper dantian, sixth chakra&lt;/code&gt; have more to with Qigong/Yoga than Buddhism if i'm not mistaken. Too be honest I've never seen/heard such a thing, and it's i'm not really sure it's connected with the Buddhist teachings in any way. It is practiced among &lt;a href=&quot;http://catsbeaversandducks.tumblr.com/post/6407794161/head-to-head-meditation-only-for-masters-photo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cats&lt;/a&gt; however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T19:26:57.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-04T21:25:23.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's a very common misunderstanding that karma is something that happens to (other) people as a result of actions (they) did, like some sort of embodying force of justice.  Alternately, I might think that things are happening to (me) because of what (I) did and now (I) am being somehow punished.  This is a false conception though.  Nobody deserves to suffer for what they have done and I am not being punished for past wrongs.  There is no judgement, any more than gravity judges the car the drives off the edge of a cliff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that karma is unobservable, it's just that this mind is easily distracted and I have an ongoing habit of missing the obvious.  Meditative practices are one means of working through the distractions and learning how to pay attention.  When I'm paying attention, nothing is especially mysterious.  When I'm not paying attention, I stub my toe and curse the man who built the table.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T21:25:23.593" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-04T23:30:38.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is called the &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;miracle of instruction&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; for a good reason; it is easy to impart information; it is much more difficult to actually teach:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘And what is the miracle of instruction? Here, Kevaddha, a monk gives instruction as follows: “Consider in this way, don’t consider in that, direct your mind this way, not that way, give up that, gain this and persevere in it.” That, Kevaddha, is called the miracle of instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Again, Kevaddha, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, fully-enlightened Buddha, endowed with wisdom and conduct, Well-Farer, Knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, enlightened and blessed. He, having realised it by his own super-knowledge, proclaims this world with its devas, māras and Brahmās, its princes and people. He preaches the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle, lovely in its ending, in the spirit and in the letter, and displays the fully-perfected and purified holy life. A disciple goes forth and practises the moralities (Sutta 2, verses 41 — 63). He guards the sense-doors and attains the four jhānas (Sutta 2, verses 64 — 82); he attains various insights (Sutta 2, verses 83-84); he realises the Four Noble Truths, the path and the cessation of the corruptions (Sutta 2, verses 85-97),236 and he knows: “...There is nothing further here.” That, Kevaddha, is called the miracle of instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 11 (Walshe, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I find this question baffling. Unless you think that Buddhists have gained nothing from the past 2500 years of following the Buddha's teachings, how could one think it not useful to teach?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Admittedly, some people (perhaps like yourself) are able to find the path to enlightenment themselves; a far greater number of people follow the wrong path simply because it agrees with their predisposition, mistaking it for the true path and mistaking a non-enlightened state for an enlightened one. Many such people, upon meeting and conversing with an enlightened Buddha or one of his enlightened disciples were able to correct their practice and attain the right path and final goal. That, in a nutshell, is what teaching is for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate, the Buddha himself seemed to think teaching was a good thing, and that discouraging those who have realized the truth from sharing it was a very bad thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘In the same way, Lohicca, if anyone should say: “Suppose an ascetic or Brahmin were to discover some good doctrine and thought he ought not to declare it to anyone else, for what can one man do for another?” he would be a source of danger to those young men of good family who, following the Dhamma and discipline taught by the Tathāgata, attain to such excellent distinction as to realise the fruit of Stream-Entry, of Once-Returning, of Non-Returning, of Arahantship — and to all who ripen the seeds of a rebirth in the deva-world. Being a source of danger to them, he is uncompassionate, and his heart is grounded in hostility, and that constitutes wrong view, which leads to ... hell or an animal rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 12 (Walshe, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T23:43:43.483" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-04T23:42:43.123" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sure, there is a way that karma could be understood as being &amp;quot;like&amp;quot; a god. It is one of the forces that controls the whole of the universe; it has the world in its power:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;kammunā vattati loko&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The world goes according to karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 98&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense, it could be understood as sharing a similarity with the concept of god. That's about as far as the similarity goes, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The law of karma isn't an entity, it is a regularity of interaction between moments of experience, that certain types of experience (ethically intentional ones) have a creative force, for either good or bad. It is important to remember that the word &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;karma&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; just means &amp;quot;action&amp;quot;. So, in a way you are asking &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are actions like gods?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; which of course is silly. Nonetheless, the law of karma does act a bit like a god would, only a lot more logically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-04T23:42:43.123" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-05T00:41:37.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddha himself said (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.22&lt;/a&gt;), there are three types of people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those who can figure it out themselves, without a teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those who can't get it, even after having received the teaching.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those who &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; get it, but &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; with teacher's help.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is for the sake of the third category, however small, that we teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T00:41:37.457" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-05T01:37:43.590" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is to Buddhism as gravity is to physics: fundamental, inevitable, basic, impartial, all-pervading and so basic it's quite hard to explain. The function of gods in religion centres around intention. Karma, like gravity, is a principle of interaction that is utterly without intent. Nor is it the subject of veneration. Given that many gods are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; all-pervasive, I don't think that karma has &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; qualities that are quintessentially godly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="796" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T01:37:43.590" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-05T03:18:18.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Often intention plays a role in deciding if something is ethical/unethical, has good karmic results, or bad. For example, accidentally killing versus intentionally killing. Outwardly the may look the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If intention matters, then karma would need to be able to reason and know our thoughts. These are exactly the sort of things we attribute to god(s).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is in part why karma was eventually personified by King Yama, the judge of the dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As other answers have already mentioned, there is an entirely naturalistic way to look at karma. In a way, naturalistic karma is a harsher judge-- killing is killing and has consequences, regardless to intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T03:18:18.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3221" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-05T04:25:31.423" Score="3" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;State Administration for Religious Affairs&lt;/strong&gt; (SARA) and the &lt;strong&gt;Buddhist Association of China&lt;/strong&gt; are in charge of regulating religion in China.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far, what effect have they had on doctrine for Chinese (non-vajrayana) Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's already well known that the Chinese government is hostile to the Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Also, as a side note, for those skeptical of any government's ability to regulate belief and practice- some percent of American Zen's doctrine and practice can be traced to Meiji era government initiated reforms)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2021-12-08T03:57:06.980" LastActivityDate="2021-12-08T04:36:12.660" Title="What impact has the Chinese Government had on Chinese Buddhism so far?" Tags="|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-09-05T07:47:41.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is clearly a religion, unless you have a very restrictive definition of religion, such as &quot;belief in a single, omnipotent and personal God&quot;, which excludes a wide range of existing belief systems. There is of course Buddhist philosophy (as well as Buddhist psychology and what not), but there are various aspects of Buddhism that are typical only for religions and not for philosophies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mainstream Buddhists believe in supernatural entities, such as devas, which are organised in a very elaborate taxonomy, without any clear relation to the observable world. They believe in existence of a huge number of worlds and realms, and despite of lack any empirical evidence, they provide very specific information about them, such as their height. They claim to know what happens after a person dies, again without any empirical evidence. I would say those are features very typical for religions, and untypical for philosophies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, we may take a liberal definition of Buddhism and include, say, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Harris_%28author%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sam Harris&lt;/a&gt; among Buddhists. He is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Atheism#Four_Horsemen_of_the_Non-Apocalypse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse&lt;/a&gt;, and explicitly denies beliefs in anything that may be seen as religious. In such case your question doesn't have a good answer other than &quot;it's a religion for some and a philosophy for others&quot;. But I wouldn't go that way, as this kind of reasoning can be done with almost any religion. For instance, there are many people who declare themselves Christians, but say that it is not important whether Jesus rose from the dead or not, it is the moral message that matters. For them, Christianity is effectively a moral philosophy and not a religion. So Buddhism does not differ from other religions in that respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T12:09:07.967" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T12:09:07.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3223" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3233" CreationDate="2014-09-05T08:39:13.227" Score="3" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any good places for meditation retreats in India ? ( Theravada/Vipassana ) Could someone share their personal experience ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:37:52.180" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:37:52.180" Title="Meditation Retreat in India" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-recommendation|monastery|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3224" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3298" CreationDate="2014-09-05T08:56:14.723" Score="4" ViewCount="198" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one intends to ordain, say in Thailand, and one lives in India - would it be right/moral to ask support from one's parents (since one is not yet ready/able to support oneself)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T09:17:09.950" LastActivityDate="2017-10-14T11:29:40.077" Title="Ordination and support from parents" Tags="|parents|ordination|monasticism|sangha|monastery|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3225" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4084" CreationDate="2014-09-05T08:58:46.577" Score="3" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had heard Padmasambhava referred to as a semi-mythic figure. Some of his reputed activities would fit a mythic character. However to what extent is he also a historical figure. What do we know about the historic as opposed to mythic Padmasambhava and what if any historic sources do we have about him and his activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T22:47:09.037" Title="What do we know about the historic Padmasambhava?" Tags="|history|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3224" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:13:12.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yeah, It's not an immoral act to ask for help, especially your parents. You shouldn't become dependent though, but as long as you really &lt;em&gt;need&lt;/em&gt; it, there shouldn't be any problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="32" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T16:36:15.620" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T16:36:15.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:16:17.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's possible worth adding that there is the tradition of direct transmission as evoked by the flower sermon. This is an important sutra within Zen Buddhism stressing wordless insight and perhaps the ineffability of the teaching. In this the Buddha holds up a flower and only Mahakashyapa understands, smiles then laughs. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/flower-sermon.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When at last the Buddha came to his follower Mahakasyapa, the disciple&#xA;  suddenly understood. He smiled and began to laugh. Buddha handed the&#xA;  lotus to Mahakasyapa and began to speak. “What can be said I have said&#xA;  to you,” smiled the Buddha, “and what cannot be said, I have given to&#xA;  Mahakashyapa.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not always the Buddha sitting in front of his disciples exorting then to be a bit more mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to address the question directly, even here (or especially here) the emphasis seems to be on the receptivity of the individual. It's the right word at the right time. I've heard it been compare to being struck by lightening. You got to be on the hill waiting in the thunderstorm and lightening might strike. You could be struck at home (i.e. not really looking for the Dharma) but you are far more likely to the struck if you are out looking and standing on that hill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone isn't interested in the Dharma then they are unlikely to benefit from the teachings. But if someone is (they might have had an real feeling of dhukka for instance) then teaching will benefit them greatly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T09:16:17.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3210" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:22:04.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My work (karma or kamma) or my action is my God for self-realization.i.e., only through my action can I see my God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Buddhist philosophy is stated somewhat differently &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vedabase.net/bg/2/47/en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in Hindu philosophy&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You have the duty and right only to Karma, no special rights for the fruits of action, not even for the privileges. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="802" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-27T16:26:16.077" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T16:26:16.077" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3229" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:26:41.637" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T09:26:41.637" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T09:26:41.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3230" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:26:41.637" Score="0" Body="Buddhist movement started in the 1960s. It is an explicit attempt to combine the teachings of all major Buddhist schools into a form relevant to the modern world. It is most active in the UK and India but also has centres worldwide." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T12:13:14.093" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T12:13:14.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3231" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:31:19.140" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T09:31:19.140" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T09:31:19.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3232" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-09-05T09:31:19.140" Score="0" Body="British born populariser of Eastern philosophy especially Zen Buddhism. Active in the 1950s through to the early 70s. Author of books such as 'The Way of Zen' and 'What is Tao'. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:20:49.217" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:20:49.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3223" CreationDate="2014-09-05T11:58:32.393" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A list of center can be found in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is best not to discuss meditative experiences and many traditions forbid this as individual experiences differ from one person to another since the sum total of your Sankara (conditioning /fabrication) differs. When you discuss experience what happens if people crave for different experiences and your meditation becomes unsuccessful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T11:58:32.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3234" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-05T12:12:07.150" Score="1" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Buddhist Centre close to me that charges circa USD8.00 for Dhamma talks, in one hand I don't like the idea of any religion charging people because poor people will not be able to participate, but on the other hand things are expensive here and they need to pay the bills, my country is not Buddhist at all so running a centre here only on donations must be very hard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, from a Vianaya and Buddhist ethics standpoint, is that allowed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T15:37:35.377" Title="Is it right, according to the Vinaya, to charge for Dhamma classes? (I'm not talking about donations, but a fixed amount per class one has to pay)" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3235" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3239" CreationDate="2014-09-05T12:24:04.427" Score="3" ViewCount="1622" Body="&lt;p&gt;What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into English? When was it translated and by whom? Was it reasonably available to those interested and did it have much of an impact within academic circles and perhaps to the wider culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T12:33:28.080" LastActivityDate="2020-09-02T23:42:47.560" Title="What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into English?" Tags="|history|texts|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3234" CreationDate="2014-09-05T12:56:22.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vinaya only applied to Monks. If it is lay teachers charges may be a possibility but as per my opinion highly not recommended. As for monks I don't think they should do this at all. The trustees (Dayaka Sabawa) may do it but again highly unadvisable as per my opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said this, I do not like the idea of any charge. Buddhism was taught free of charge and has maintained this tradition through out most of history. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddha put much effort to become a Buddha and tough if for free. It is morally wrong to charge for teaching something the Buddha put so much efforts into when we are just teaching what he prescribed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; you will see a lot of centers all run solely by donation through out the world. So the donation model does work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T13:49:32.587" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T13:49:32.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2349" CreationDate="2014-09-05T13:29:37.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you've gone through a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10-day Vipassana course&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;available in France&lt;/a&gt;, but not in Paris), you can take a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schmahi#paris.fr&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1-day Vipassana course for old students in Paris&lt;/a&gt;. They're both in French and English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T13:29:37.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3235" CreationDate="2014-09-05T14:33:01.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of the earliest translations are covered in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Books_of_the_East&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sacred Books of the East&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_M%C3%BCller&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Max Müller&lt;/a&gt; based on a Latin translation by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Fausb%C3%B6ll&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Viggo Fausböll&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Nipata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta-Nipata&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Fausb%C3%B6ll&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Viggo Fausböll&lt;/a&gt;) series by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_M%C3%BCller&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Max Müller&lt;/a&gt; in which some of the books are Buddhist books as per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada tradition&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More notable translation work (in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada tradition&lt;/a&gt;) has been done by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_William_Rhys_Davids&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thomas William Rhys Davids&lt;/a&gt; who founded the  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali_Text_Society&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali Text Society&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T15:55:36.417" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T15:55:36.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3235" CreationDate="2014-09-05T14:51:38.700" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These seem to be the first Buddhist texts ever translated into English, published in 1693:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A48403.0001.001/1:11.1?rgn=div2;view=fulltext&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;THE LIFE OF THEVETAT&lt;/em&gt;, Translated from the Balie&lt;/a&gt; (i.e. Pāli)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A48403.0001.001/1:11.2?rgn=div2;view=fulltext&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;An Explication of the Patimouc, or Text of the Vinac&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information can be found in &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/a-philological-approach-to-buddhism_norman_tbf_1997.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A philological approach to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; by K. R. Norman, p. 4:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simon de La Loubère [...] in 1687-88 went to Siam as an envoy of&#xA;the king of France (King Louis), and on his return wrote a book about the&#xA;Kingdom of Siam, which was published in France in 1691. Two years later an&#xA;English translation was published in England. La Loubère gave a fascinating&#xA;account of many aspects of Siam and Siamese culture, and he also included an&#xA;account of the Siamese religion — Buddhism — and the sacred language of the&#xA;Siamese. He noted the differences between that language, which he called Balie,&#xA;and the Siamese language, and noted, correctly, the relationship between the&#xA;former and Sanskrit. He also gave French translations of a few Buddhist texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the English edition of Loubère's whole book, which contains the above-mentioned texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A48403.0001.001?view=toc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A new historical relation of the kingdom of Siam&lt;/em&gt; by Monsieur De La Loubere ...; done out of French, by A.P. Gen. R.S.S.&lt;/a&gt; London: Printed by F.L for Tho. Horne ... Francis Saunders ... and Tho. Bennet ..., 1693.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other translations that can be regarded as quite early, include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.pl/books?id=7IJVAAAAcAAJ&amp;amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;amp;hl=no&amp;amp;source=gbs_ge_summary_r&amp;amp;cad=0#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The History and Doctrine of Budhism&lt;/em&gt;: Popularly Illustrated: with Notices of the Kappooism, Or Demon Worship, and of the Bali, Or Planetary Incantations, of Ceylon&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Upham&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Edward Upham&lt;/a&gt; (London, 1829): contains translations of some Jātakas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23285051M/The_Catechism_of_the_shamans_or_The_laws_and_regulations_of_the_priesthood_of_Buddha_in_China&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Catechism of the Shamans&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (London, 1831) by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;page=1&amp;amp;rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ACharles%20Fried.%20Neumann&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Charles Fried. Neumann&lt;/a&gt;: contains translation of portions of a Mahāyāna Vinaya from Chinese&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.pl/books?id=VnsAAAAAYAAJ&amp;amp;q=peabody&amp;amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=%22white%20lotus%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fragment of the &lt;em&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; translated from French by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Peabody&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Elizabeth Peabody&lt;/a&gt; in 1844 (Wikipedia incorrectly calls that the first English translation of a Buddhist text)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of these publications seem to have made a big impact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1844 the magazine published Peabody's translation of a portion of the Lotus Sutra from French [...]. The publication ceased shortly thereafter in April 1844.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2020-09-02T23:42:47.560" LastActivityDate="2020-09-02T23:42:47.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3240" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3250" CreationDate="2014-09-05T14:58:11.717" Score="1" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a follow-up to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english&quot;&gt;another question&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into a Western language? (That probably means French or Latin, but other options are also possible)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When was it translated and by whom? Was it reasonably available to those interested and did it have much of an impact within academic circles and perhaps to the wider culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T21:42:29.377" Title="First Buddhist text translated into a Western language" Tags="|history|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3235" CreationDate="2014-09-05T15:32:15.023" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to the first &lt;em&gt;notable&lt;/em&gt; translation, I would give this honorary title to &lt;strong&gt;Max Muller's translation of Dhammappada&lt;/strong&gt;, first published in &lt;strong&gt;1869&lt;/strong&gt;, later included in Muller's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Books_of_the_East&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sacred Books of the East&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; series published around &lt;strong&gt;1880s&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beside Dhammapada, the series included important suttas such as Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion, Mahaparinibbana, and others, all of Sutta-Nipata, most of Vinaya, one of the earliest post-canonical texts Milinda-panha, a Chinese version of the Life of Buddha by Asvaghosa, and some of the most important Mahayana texts such as Heart Sutra and Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arguably this was the most &lt;em&gt;notable&lt;/em&gt; early publication of Buddhist texts into English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2020-09-02T23:35:26.817" LastActivityDate="2020-09-02T23:35:26.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3242" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-05T15:45:54.670" Score="-1" ViewCount="1096" Body="&lt;p&gt;The predominant opinion of people with a lot of experience with practising Buddhism seems to be that there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Buddhism_and_Christianity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;irreconcilable gaps between Buddhism and Christianity&lt;/a&gt; and that it makes no sense to be a Buddhist and a Christian at the same time. On the other hand, they don't seem to have a problem with mixing Buddhism with Hinduism, Bön, Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese folk religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there objective differences between these all these religions on the one hand and Christianity on the other that make Christianity much more irreconcilable with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: It seems that many answerers didn't understand my question. Let me say it again. I'm &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; asking: &quot;Is it possible to reconcile Buddhism with Christianity?&quot;. This is what I &lt;strong&gt;am&lt;/strong&gt; asking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there objective differences between Hinduism, Bön, Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese folk religion on the one hand and Christianity on the other that make Christianity much more irreconcilable with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T21:34:15.617" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:49:44.043" Title="Mixing Buddhism with other religions" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|chinese-buddhism|hinduism|taoism|christianity|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="9" ClosedDate="2014-09-06T22:17:30.967" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3240" CreationDate="2014-09-05T16:05:50.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The Dhammapada: Being a collection of moral verses in Pali (trans. into Latin) (Copenhagen, 1855) by [Viggo Fausböll][1]&lt;/code&gt; seems to be the earliest Theravada text i have found so far. This was the basis of the translation by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_M%C3%BCller&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Max Müller&lt;/a&gt; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Books_of_the_East&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacred Books of the East&lt;/a&gt; series. This question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3235/what-was-the-first-buddhist-text-to-be-translated-into-english&quot;&gt;What was the first Buddhist text to be translated into English?&lt;/a&gt; cites some Mahayana sources also throug restricted to the English language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T16:05:50.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3242" CreationDate="2014-09-05T16:12:33.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism revolves around the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt;. A person of any religion, cast, background, etc. can practice them to start with. Any religion worth the name cannot have anything against Virtue, control over the mind and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you see things for your self you can then strain your views in line with your experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddhist teaching center around stress (psychological misery or unsatisfactoriness) people experience in life and the way out of stress. Where as in Christianity the central teaching revolves around God. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_psychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and psychology&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Modern Psychology&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation and the Modern World&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to reconcile the differences at a philosophical level may not be the most productive way. Best is to realise your self and do the reconciliation keeping in mind there is nothing in Buddhism which a person from any other religion cannot practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T17:25:59.557" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T17:25:59.557" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3242" CreationDate="2014-09-05T16:39:05.263" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to reconcile the Buddha's teachings with the Bible, it will be impossible as the key pillar in Christianity is the creator almight God and He is just not present in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, the most important point is this: Buddhism can make you a better human being, the practice of the Buddha's teachings (Dhamma) can give you valuable tools to improve your life and the life of people around you, meditation is a great example. So, even if you are a Christian you can use Buddhism in your favour, put aside the philosophical differences and focus on the daily practice! Don't bend to the Buddha if you are not comfortable in doing so, but read the books, walk the path, meditate and do good deeds! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T16:39:05.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3246" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3248" CreationDate="2014-09-05T16:45:52.867" Score="5" ViewCount="9842" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I came across a progressive series of workshops working out of the Kusum Rangshar (by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen) where one of the classes revolved around a practice called Thögal (ཐོད་རྒལ་).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Searching for this term to determine what exactly it is has not been particularly fruitful in English-language sources other than to say that it is linked with the practice of dzogchen, so I am wondering if there is a reasonable high-level description of what it is or what it entails? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:29:47.403" LastActivityDate="2015-10-19T23:36:08.740" Title="What is Thögal?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|dzogchen|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3246" CreationDate="2014-09-05T18:13:20.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Bear in mind that I have no knowledge of Dzogchen, this is only what I found through search engines.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is &lt;em&gt;Thögal&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tögal (Tib. ཐོད་རྒལ་, Wyl. thod rgal) — one of the two aspects, along&#xA;  with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Trekch%C3%B6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;trekchö&lt;/a&gt;, of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Dzogchen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dzogchen&lt;/a&gt; practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tögal, translated as ‘direct crossing’, ‘the direct approach’ or&#xA;  ‘leapover’, can bring very quickly the actual realization of the three&#xA;  kayas in this lifetime, and thus is a more rapid way of bringing about&#xA;  the dissolution of the practitioner’s karmic vision. The practice of&#xA;  tögal brings the realization of ‘&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Spontaneous_presence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;spontaneous presence&lt;/a&gt;’ (Tib.&#xA;  ལྷུན་གྲུབ་, lhundrup), and it can only be undertaken by a practitioner&#xA;  who has first gained stability in the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Kadak&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kadak&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Trekch%C3%B6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;trekchö&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sogyal Rinpoche writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Only when the master has determined that you have a thorough grounding in the practice of trekchö will he or she introduce you to&#xA;    the advanced practice of tögal. The tögal practitioner works directly&#xA;    with the clear light that dwells inherently, “spontaneously present,”&#xA;    within all phenomena, using specific and exceptionally powerful&#xA;    exercises to reveal it within himself or herself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Tögal has a quality of instantaneousness, of immediate realization. Instead of traveling over a range of mountains to reach a&#xA;    distant peak, the tögal approach would be to leap there in one bound.&#xA;    The effect of tögal is to enable a person to actualize all the&#xA;    different aspects of enlightenment within themselves in one&#xA;    lifetime. Therefore it is regarded as the extraordinary, unique&#xA;    method of Dzogchen; whereas trekchö is its wisdom, tögal is its&#xA;    skilful means. It requires enormous discipline, and is generally&#xA;    practiced in a retreat environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Yet it cannot be stressed too often that the path of Dzogchen can only be followed under the direct guidance of a qualified master.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=T%C3%B6gal&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tögal&lt;/a&gt; @ Rigpawiki.org&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Is there a reasonable high-level description of what it is or what it entails?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Dzogchen:_Thodgal_%28Leap-Over%29_Instructions_by_Dudjom_Lingpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dzogchen: Thödgal (Leap-Over) Instructions by Dudjom Lingpa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T15:09:52.067" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T15:09:52.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3246" CreationDate="2014-09-05T18:37:19.210" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I'm &lt;em&gt;clearly&lt;/em&gt; out of my depth with this question, let me give you a few pointers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(TL;DR version: Thogal is cultivation of &quot;suchness&quot;, aka &lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, you need to understand what Dzogchen, or Great Perfection, really refers to. Basically, this is the direct realization of the Heart Sutra experience. In other words, you need to clearly see that what you imagined to be the solution, is really a part of the problem. To quote Dogen,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The water is clean, right down to the ground,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Fishes are swimming like fishes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The sky is wide, clear through to the heavens,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;And birds are flying like birds.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, you need to have experienced a glimpse of your &quot;true self&quot; or &quot;true nature&quot;. This is separate from the above, and requires a teacher to push you off &quot;the cliff of your ego&quot;, one way or another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, once you've seen your true nature both ways, you will have no doubts as to why you want to cultivate it, neither at conceptual, nor at experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In my limited understanding,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;code&gt;Trekcho&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;cutting through&quot;) and &lt;code&gt;Thogal&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;transcending the peak&quot;) are two aspects of cultivation of the true nature. &lt;code&gt;Trekcho&lt;/code&gt; is fearlessly cutting through all your B.S., while &lt;code&gt;Thogal&lt;/code&gt; is learning to spread the wings of natural spontaneity, with no sense of observer, no boundaries -- the space is dancing by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give a totally unrelated quote (at risk of getting killed by lightning for messing with the will of gods LOL!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dance like there's nobody watching,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Love like you'll never be hurt,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sing like there's nobody listening,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And live like it's heaven on earth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or to quote Chogyam Trungpa,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[&lt;strong&gt;Trekcho&lt;/strong&gt;]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You need to develop a state of mind that is cutting through fundamental spiritual materialism. Beyond this, there is nothing to cut through.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  At the same time, we see that destroying spiritual materialism is itself a form of spiritual materialism -- and destroying that destroying is spiritual materialism as well. Finally we begin to see that even the idea of cutting through becomes questionable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[&lt;strong&gt;Thogal&lt;/strong&gt;]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mandala practice of Dzogchen is to just experience things as they are, fully and completely. You realize that there is nothing to hold on to, and at the same time, there is no way to make the groundlessness another ground.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You experience the vastness of space and the sense of no boundary. You experience the playful aspect of space, in which there is no hope or fear, pleasure or pain, which is the best dance. And you experience the pragmatic aspect of space: the fact that space is hopeless, and it does not mean anything very much.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This discipline of noncaring is not so much the accomplishment of the path, but rather the style of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, in all truth, I have no idea what I'm talking about. But here are a couple of links that may shed more light on this obscure topic:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dzogchen.org/study/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dzogchen.org/study/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sofiatopia.org/bodhi/dzogchen.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sofiatopia.org/bodhi/dzogchen.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T00:55:01.517" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T00:55:01.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3235" CreationDate="2014-09-05T18:47:30.360" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends somewhat on what you mean by a Buddhist text. The book of “Barlaam and Josephat” is a famous Christian reworking of the life of the Buddha. It was translated from Latin to Middle English in the 15th century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="380" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T18:47:30.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3240" CreationDate="2014-09-05T18:56:12.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are Greek versions of several of Askoka's inscriptions, erected during Ashoka's lifetime. He died in 232 BC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="380" LastEditorUserId="380" LastEditDate="2014-09-05T21:42:29.377" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T21:42:29.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3251" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3276" CreationDate="2014-09-05T22:26:17.963" Score="4" ViewCount="205" Body="&lt;p&gt;This one is for the lay meditators. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although i think there is a component of sloth and torpor involved in the situation. There are other factors too. At times for me breakage of a sila makes it hard for me to sit. And if this cycle is not broken it can take days to come to mindset to start sitting again and to convince myself it's ok to start from scratch. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone else encounter this problem and how do you deal with it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:36:55.280" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:36:55.280" Title="How can one overcome agitation developed by not sitting regularly?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3251" CreationDate="2014-09-05T22:51:50.893" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The effects of meditation are similar to the effects of brushing your teeth: If you don't brush your teeth for one day nothing will happen but if you do for one week... you will suffer the consequences in the dentist, so what I'm saying is that what you lose for not meditating will have a price in the future specially when you face a bad situation, stress and aversion will come stronger, you are losing a precious opportunity of improving awareness and becoming a better and stronger human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make it a priority, meditate for 10 minutes if you don't have much time, but do not let lazyness wins this battle, do it for yourself and your own well being!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T22:51:50.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3235" CreationDate="2014-09-05T23:53:58.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A1ndor_K%C5%91r%C3%B6si_Csoma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sándor Csoma de Kőrös&lt;/a&gt; (Hungarian: Kőrösi Csoma Sándor) was a Hungarian-Szekler orientalist who went to Asia around 1820 looking for the ancestors of Hungarians, but ended up in Tibet instead.  He is well known among Hungarians for his journey and for compiling &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=a78IAAAAQAAJ&amp;amp;dq=csoma&amp;amp;pg=PR1#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the first Tibetan-English dictionary and grammar&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He spent considerable time in Tibet studying Tibetan and Buddhist philosophy between 1827-30. He was declared Boddhisatva in 1933 in Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I do not know if he translated Buddhist texts into English, it is plausible that he may have, as he immersed himself in Buddhism.  Unfortunately it is unlikely that this will be easy to research on the internet, you may need to go to dusty old libraries to get definitive information ;-)  Nevertheless, I thought that this was a good &lt;em&gt;lead&lt;/em&gt; which is worth mentioning (since the dates are similar but a bit earlier than in the other answers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="808" LastActivityDate="2014-09-05T23:53:58.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-09-06T02:29:34.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a pedantic question in the sense that it focuses on definitions rather than reality. That is the cause of the endless debate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plato is usually counted among the philosophers, but &quot;The Republic&quot; is clearly a religious text in key aspects. The line between religion and philosophy disappears at the deeper levels. Those who explore the edges of what seems to be known are always (by definition?) dabbling in both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take mathematics for example. It is the language of science, however it evolved from Hindu, Pythagorean, and may other religions traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell tried and failed to prove the fundamental &quot;truthfulness&quot; of mathematics in &lt;em&gt;Principia Mathematica&lt;/em&gt;. It has since been mathematically &lt;em&gt;proven&lt;/em&gt; that it is impossible to prove the truth of mathematics. This puts all scientific &lt;em&gt;certainty&lt;/em&gt; in doubt. Thus, the foundational language of science must itself be taken on faith. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the scientific faith in the logic of predictability upon which all scientific inquiry is based is scientifically unprovable. Therefore, science itself is a kind of religion based on a solid faith in predictability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of this is meant to equate the scientific method with simplistic, magical belief systems. It is simply meant to highlight religious assumptions at the core of the science method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, with it's emphasis on careful, honest empirical observation, is vulnerable to the same challenge as science. Still, a better method than humble observation does not seem to have been found by humanity, so we bumble along as best we can. To paraphrase Siddhartha Gautama's last words, all we can do is to do our best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user809" LastEditorDisplayName="user809" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T04:34:33.960" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T04:34:33.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3255" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-06T03:02:24.337" Score="0" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain the tradition of releasing balloons with candles inside for Buddha? What is the meaning? Is it a Theravada or a Mahayana tradition? When and why people do it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T08:32:29.013" Title="Beautiful Balloons for Buddha" Tags="|traditions|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2014-09-06T03:31:06.243" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Copyrights:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For stealing to take place we can look at the definitions of pārājika 2 on stealing.  The original edition of the BMC 1 declared copy theft as stealing.  However this has changed in later editions.  Because of this, it is controversial and should be avoided especially if one is a monk. &#xA;The pārājika rule is below: (Ven. Thanissaro)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Should any bhikkhu, in what is reckoned a theft, take what is not given from an inhabited area or from the wilderness — just as when, in the taking of what is not given, kings arresting the criminal would flog, imprison, or banish him, saying, &quot;You are a robber, you are a fool, you are benighted, you are a thief&quot; — a bhikkhu in the same way taking what is not given also is defeated and no longer in affiliation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Vibhaṅga defines the act of stealing in terms of four factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Object: anything belonging to another human being or a group of human beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Perception: One perceives the object as belonging to another human being or a group of human beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Intention: One decides to steal it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Effort: One takes it. &#xA;  Stealing under any circumstances is always an offense. However, the severity of the offense depends on another factor, which is —&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The value of the object. &quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(BMC 1 pg48)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All four factors must be present for there to be theft.  The 5th factor defines strong stealing specific for monks and automatic expulsion.  #1 and #2 are the debatable items for copy theft, and they come together in most cases and that is where the controversy comes.  The issue is on misappropriation and the laws.  Most know it belongs to others, but refuse to recognize this as an object of theft.  There are cases where not paying customs taxes is considered stealing.  While Ajahn Thanissaro argues against using court cases to decide if something is stealing, it is in the pāli rule itself.  It is important because a court of law can cover perception and define it according to the king's law.  Copy theft is defined by law and enforced in the courts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some, monks and communities have considered copyright infringement to be a pārājika (defeat) offense for monks and therefore is stealing since that is what the rule is.  There are two criteria for a pārājika defeat offence.  One is money value, the other is whether a king would fine, imprison, or banish you.  These criteria make a &quot;stealing&quot; a serious &quot;stealing.&quot;. Money value only makes it a serious stealing, but it is still stealing and wrong if it is a small value.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Misappropriation is similar to tax evasion and Visa Fee invasion.  Sneaking into a theatre and crossing a bridge illegally comes to mind.  Some of these cases are mentioned under P2.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have copied misappropriation subheading from &quot;Copyright law of the United States&quot; under &quot;infringement&quot; subheading, wikipedia 2012 kiwix. Zim file.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Misappropriation&lt;/strong&gt; (from Wikipedia )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A copyrighted work may contain elements which are not copyrightable, such as facts, ideas, themes, or content in the public domain. A plaintiff alleging misappropriation must first demonstrate that what the defendant appropriated from the copyrighted work was protectible. Second, a plaintiff must show that the intended audience will recognize substantial similarities between the two works. The intended audience may be the general public, or a specialized field. The degree of similarity necessary for a court to find misappropriation is not easily defined. Indeed, &quot;the test for infringement of a copyright is of necessity vague.&quot;[46] Two methods are used to determine if unlawful appropriation has occurred: the subtractive method and the totality method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The subtractive method, also known as the &quot;abstraction/subtraction approach&quot; seeks to analyze what parts of a copyrighted work are protectible and which are not.[47] The unprotected elements are subtracted and the fact finder then determines whether substantial similarities exist in the protectible expression which remains. For instance, if the copyright holder for West Side Story alleged infringement, the elements of that musical borrowed from Romeo and Juliet would be subtracted before comparing it to the allegedly infringing work because Romeo and Juliet exists in the public domain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The totality method, also known as the &quot;total concept and feel&quot; approach takes the work as a whole with all elements included when determining if a substantial similarity exists.[48] The individual elements of the alleged infringing work may by themselves be substantially different from their corresponding part in the copyrighted work, but nevertheless taken together be a clear misappropriation of copyrightable material.[49]&#xA;  Modern courts may sometimes use both methods in its analysis of misappropriation.[50] In other instances, one method may find misappropriation while the other would not, making misappropriation a contentious topic in infringement litigation.[51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it lying to a machine when the license agreement shows up?&#xA;It is a &quot;lock&quot; set up by the owner.  You are granted entry if you agree.  If you do not agree, it does not let you use the program.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A quote from BMC I (page 45):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Copying computer software. The agreement made when installing software on a computer, by which one agrees not to give the software to anyone else, comes under contract law. As such, a breach of that contract would be treated under the category of &quot;deceit,&quot; described above, which means that a bhikkhu who gives software to a friend in defiance of this contract would incur the penalty for a broken promise. As for the friend — assuming that he is a bhikkhu — the act of receiving the software and putting it on his computer would be treated under the precedent, mentioned above, of the bhikkhus receiving fruit from an orchard groundkeeper not authorized to give it away: He would incur no offense. However, as he must agree to the contract before installing the software on his computer, he would incur a penalty for a broken promise if he then gave the software to someone else in defiance of the contract. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some comments:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I have heard of people getting &quot;busted&quot; from sting operations that trace IP addresses.  The victims of the sting who steal by downloading need to get a real lawyer and pay real fines.  (a monastic friend from Germany had a friend who was fined several thousand Euros.  He was able to reduce it to hundreds with a lawyer).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The original Napster and other sites get banished from the internet and it was a key case in copyright laws and enforcement.  Notice the keyword, &quot;Banished&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;BMC 1 (original edition) declared copyright theft a pārājika.  That has been changed, but it should stand as controversial and warned against.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There were two personal cases listed in Wikipedia where a person went against several cease or desist warnings and again fought his right in court.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two large cases on Wikipedia are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sony BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Capitol v. Thomas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the BMC:  While I have heard of monks stating that copyright does not count as pārājika (defeat),  it is usually classed under &quot;wrong use&quot; and clearly says it is wrong.  It should also be known that the pārājika rule calls for &quot;in the village or forest&quot;  where forest is a place where there are no laws.  It was because of this that Pa-auk follows copyright laws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia lists this under &quot;Fair Use&quot;, under a subheading of &quot;Common misunderstandings&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Common misunderstandings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Noncommercial use is invariably fair&lt;/em&gt;. Not true, though a judge may take the profit motive or lack thereof into account. In LA Times v Free Republic, the court found that the noncommercial use of LA Times content by the Free Republic Web site was in fact not fair use, since it allowed the public to obtain material at no cost that they would otherwise pay for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own opinion is that it is difficult to judge copy theft as stealing or &#xA;not stealing but to present the information that is out there and to &#xA;promote abstinence when coming to copy theft. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I prefer to apply the information below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should follow the King's law and put it as sīla as a factor in addition to the law.  The law comes first.  Whether the king is righteous or not, we need to follow his ways and make it a habit.  A king can make one's life very difficult and destroy a calm mind for most people.  He can torture people all the way up to the death moment.  From there it is likely that a hell realm will be next even though the king was wrong for doing it.  Life is not fair and neither is rebirth.  So it is best to follow the King's law as the top level rule..  Unless of course he has rules that would cause one to kill, etc. like requiring one to participate in the armed forces.  Usually one can get around that legally by doing other services.  Habitual Kamma followed today will also help to be a habit of the future.  This is common sense in the Law of Kamma and cause and effect.  Samsara should always be an issue in doing anything.  This is the proper way of looking at things.  It is the Buddhist way of looking at things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is important for habitual kamma and for one's well being in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore if it is seen as wrong by others one should not do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dasadhamma sutta says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kacci nu kho me attā sīlato na upavadatī?” ti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Can I myself find no fault with my virtue?” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [4] one who has gone forth should frequently reflect on this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Kacci nu kho maṁ anuvicca viññū sabrahmacārī,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Will my wise companions in the spiritual life, after testing me, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sīlato na upavadantī?” ti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  find no fault with my virtue?”, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [5] one who has gone forth should frequently reflect on this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last line for the reflection on food can set a precedent for all craving objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro ca.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [2] and I will carry on, being blameless, and living comfortably. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed is the main factor.  Copy theft is a form of action related to greed.  It also disturbs others who own the intellectual property.  This can cause kamma in the future.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara is so dangerous.  Therefore one should not take chances in acting in greed.  One can do without or settle for open source or creative commons media.  To protest these laws by making freely available media and software is the best solution.  When that happens, other companies will need to compete in a different way.  Ven Yuttadhammo has created some free software and books as a proper way of protesting.  Ven. Thanissaro has done the same with his books.  Someone recently gave a donation so PTS would release a creative commons noncommercial licenses to their entire Mula English Translated Texts.  Ven. Anandajoti arranged donors to help buy back his rights from BPS so he could  publish and give away his book for free.  The last one is not so fair, but he complied with the laws and perceived ownership.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is certainly controversial among monasteries and individual monks.  I have never heard of it being completely free from wrong up until reading an answer here on stack exchange.  I bring up the &quot;change in opinion&quot; of the BMC to show how serious it is.  It can be changed back and then many monks would worry.  However, Ajahn Thanissaro is only a single monk and not a sangha council.  There are things in the BMC or elsewhere that many would not agree with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Co-signing checks, accepting checks, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eating of dark chocolate or cheese, smoking cigarettes and drinking tea as medicines to cure a disease.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The BMC also counts juice as a seven day medicine if it is pasteurised where fresh unheated juice is clearly said to be only allowed for one evening.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patents:&#xA;Patents help a company get exclusive manufacturing rights so they can recoup their investment in R &amp;amp; D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some mention &quot;medicine.&quot;. This is based on patent laws which is different, but also under &quot;intellectual property.&quot;.  I am not sure, but I think most countries allow for personal use of patented stuff.  Commercial manufactures are another story. I think the U.S. has a clause against personal use... certainly for software patents.  That would make VLC and &quot;usable&quot; Linux, like the standard Linux Mint illegal in the U.S. even though it is not copied.  Most other countries allow this but a few others do not like this.  Mint has a special download for US citizens.  Basically, one would need to tolerate such inconveniences and pay Fluendo the patent fees or do without.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks should not teach people to do things that would &quot;upset&quot; another.  This is in the Metta Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha, nātimaññetha katthaci na’ kañci,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  No one should cheat another, nor should he despise anyone wherever he is, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;byārosanā paṭighasaññā nāññam-aññassa dukkham-iccheyya. [6]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ° he should not long for suffering for another because of anger or resentment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should not cause mental or physical suffering especially if society accepts the laws.  Early in 2001, when Pa-Auk was learning about this world view, it obtained a donation of an education version of PageMaker which was a grey area for a monastery with 600 &quot;students&quot; at that time. They were prepared to pay the difference under P2 exceptions ( bhaṇḍadeyya ) while I wrote to Adobe.  I wrote to Adobe and asked them if an education license was considered stealing for a large monastery that &quot;educates.&quot;. I also asked what we should do if it was not OK.  They said it was &quot;stealing&quot; referred me to their piracy web page which said so and also said &quot;they do mind&quot; but gave permission to continue using it.  Pa-Auk took a very strong policy after that letter was received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conclusion:&#xA;One must have a &quot;stealing mind&quot; in order to steal.  One must have all four factors listed at the top of this answer for stealing to occur.  Perception is key, but it seems as though acceptance of the copyright rule is more of the issue.  Acceptance and perception are different and should not be confused.  A person who believes the speed limit should be higher and drives fast anyway may feel he is not &quot;speeding&quot; and justified.  However, he knows what the law is by perception.  Lastly, it is considered wrong whether it is seen as &quot;stealing&quot; or not and the copyright owners usually do mind.  One should ask them to be sure.  One should always take the safe side of controversy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness and respect for the king's laws will always be your friend.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although many suttas are referenced in the context of what bhikkhus should do, one who is not a monk would apply this advice just as well for their own practice, benefit and protection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All pali translations are by Ven. Anandajoti.  All non-vinaya pāli is simply from a daily chanting book.  All vinaya quotes are from the BMC.  Original BMC is not available for quoting. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T21:54:33.077" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T21:54:33.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-09-06T03:41:59.213" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is a very successful enterprise direct sales &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MLM : business owners to provide consumers with detailed product is the direct object &#xA;And sales. These enterprises will be in a variety of media to contact directly with consumers, the traditional trip &#xA;River's marketing model, not through middlemen so that consumers can purchase directly from the original enterprise or become &#xA;Member. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Original founders, just wanted to share the joy of insight, no one thought beings root and qualification is not the same, so it extends eighty-four thousand Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not put the Buddha as a philosophy or religion, True Buddha in your heart, how to play in the idea, the idea off comprehend the true meaning, that is the eternal pure land, hearts can often be, wisdom will grow, perhaps in the process. Many obstacles and difficulties against you, but that is the best way to reverse the cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="810" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T12:22:00.800" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T12:22:00.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3251" CreationDate="2014-09-06T03:50:07.273" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your problems with sitting are due to your body-and-mind not being stable enough; irritability makes even regular activities difficult, let alone sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this time, I suggest you to approach your problem two ways: from physical perspective and from psychological perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Physically, you need to train your body by learning deep breathing through the following exercise. Walk very-very slowly, making one inbreath for about 4 steps / 10 seconds, and one outbreath for the next 4 steps / another 10 seconds.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Psychologically, forcing yourself to sit is not a good idea. Instead, try to develop a habit to sit every day, but not for a long time. Start sitting for only 20 seconds, and slowly add a few seconds every day, so you only sit as long as you really can. Again, the most important is to do this regularly. You must be determined to give up any other activity in favor of your daily sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know what? Habits, habits, it's all about forming a habit. Start small, exercise for six months until it becomes a habit, then practice for 10 years, one life, next life -- and you will have a different temperament.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever requires conscious control in the beginning, becomes natural and effortless once the habit has formed. Eventually, you will be able to set your mind in a natural state -- and you become a Buddha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="810" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T20:05:53.227" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T20:05:53.227" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3197" CreationDate="2014-09-06T04:31:09.003" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What a beautiful and profound question. As a fellow teacher (Middle School) I share your wonder. Can we ever really learn from each other? Can we really ease another's path by sharing what we have learned so far?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some moments when I think I might have made a significant difference in another's life, but it was not solely my doing. I was fortunate enough to be the right person, at the right time, in the right mood, and with the right turn of phrase. That is all. Teachers live for such moments, but they are painfully rare and unpredictable. They can not be engineered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example of the Buddha shows that having a teacher is not essential for learning, and that it is the dedication of the seeker that matters most. In fact, I think there is no hope if this is not true, simply because if having a teacher were essential, then the first teacher would have already needed a teacher, ad absurdum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can see, learning begins when the student is ready, and painful as it may be, would we really want it any other way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user809" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T04:31:09.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3143" CreationDate="2014-09-06T04:55:03.740" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Homelessness is simply freedom from home-boundedness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Homelessness is too negative a term. Those who wander free of homes do have their concerns, such as deciding in which beautiful place to sleep tonight, but this is minor compared to the distractions of 30-year mortgages, ever-growing utility bills, the complexities of adequate property insurance, too many neighbors, the hope of an adequate retirement many, many years from now...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One path is not better than the other, and haughty frowns of judgement may be thrown in either direction. One thing is certain: Do not choose your path based on who may or may not frown at you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A time of homelessness (as the home-bound like to call it) has been an essential period in the lives of many great seekers, the Buddha, Lau Tzu and Jesus being only a few obvious examples. The key is to be homeless with awareness, but this is equally true for the home-bound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user809" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T04:55:03.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3269" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-06T05:37:13.550" Score="1" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone hits you and you even the score, purely to HELP them avoid future bad kamma           (like if your intention is purely that... you want to neutralize their bad kamma... not an excuse, no anger at all, general concern):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would it neutralize the bad kamma for the other individual?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Despite necessary force to subdue the assailant and keep things &lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/even-steven&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;even steven&lt;/a&gt;... would it still be good kamma based on intention?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T09:32:23.397" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T13:01:20.417" Title="Might immediate retaliation or reaction inhibit future bad kamma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3269" CreationDate="2014-09-06T09:53:40.337" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about suffering. And suffering is about attachment. And you question is pretty attached. So you suffer from your imagines. ;)&#xA;If you don't create karma, your action is clear. If your mind is unclean, your action is unclean too.&#xA;Thinking doesn't help here. No common solution for your question doesn't exist. Every situation is unique. Like this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="740" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T09:53:40.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3269" CreationDate="2014-09-06T11:11:20.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the first question the answer is &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt;. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/05/an05-057.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/a&gt; we can see that Buddha has used this phrase,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am my own kamma, I am a heir to my kamma, I am born [in this life]&#xA;  from my kamma, I am the kinsman of my kamma, I am protected by my&#xA;  kamma. Whatever kamma·s I shall do, kalyāṇa·s or pāpaka·s, I shall&#xA;  become their heir.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can't neutralize someone else's bad deeds by your actions. He will eventually reap the results of his actions when all the conditions fall into place. I think it's easy to understand this if we consider kamma as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;natural law&lt;/a&gt; like gravity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four types of kammas with respect to the time of taking effect in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lordbuddhaswords.org/Karma/Abhidhamma%20Teachings%20on%20Karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Immediately effective kamma (Dhitta dhamma vedaniya) - in the present lifetime&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Subsequently effective kamma (Aparapariya vedaniya) - in the immediately following lifetime&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Indefinitely effective kamma (Upapajja vedaniya) - in lifetimes two or more in the future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Defunct (Ahosi) - kamma whose effects have ripened already&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I consider your example of hitting back when someone hits you, we can categorize this as a immediately effective kamma for the person you're hitting back. But we can't still say the power of his initial kamma has weakened. In another life, in several other lives or even in this life he may reap the results of this. If the conditions didn't fall the kamma may never function as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the second question the answer is also &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt;. You may not have have anger at the point you hit him, but your intention is filled with &lt;strong&gt;delusion&lt;/strong&gt;. You are purposefully hurting someone with a wrong view in your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T13:01:20.417" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T13:01:20.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3242" CreationDate="2014-09-06T12:54:40.023" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within my own experience of this, I think it is entirely down to personal opinion. Throughout my upbringing, I was very lucky to be brought up in a country with so many temples and religions that there was hardly any discrimination and a huge encouragement to take part in celebrations. I have always been taught that each religion is equal, and that they mostly aim to reach the same goal: Love and Compassion to alleviate suffering. I think due to modernisation and differing ideologies — e.g. a Westerner's take on Buddhism is rather different to an Asian's take on Buddhism simply due to social and cultural differences — texts have been interpreted in a whole multitude of ways, which therefore causes a whole host of problems. Some will say all religions are very different, others will say they all wish for peace, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mother was brought up Taoist and Buddhist, she does prayer, and goes to the temple every time we are back in our native country. However, she calls herself a Christian. She believes in God, and at no point do I feel I have the right to question any of her beliefs. I also feel it is easy for her to believe in differing religions because our home town embodies the churches, mosques and temples. She happily practices what she believes in, regardless of its religion. Buddhism in itself is a philosophy, like the Tao, and it is wholly accepting of all religions. If my mother is happy, let her be happy, as long as she feels she is living a good life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="789" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T23:49:44.043" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:49:44.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3255" CreationDate="2014-09-06T14:03:01.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Through a search I've found use of releasing lanterns to be common in a few Buddhist areas that host both traditions. In Burma (Myanmar) there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazaungdaing_festival&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tazaungdaing festival&lt;/a&gt;, which is celebrated as a national holiday and marks the end of the rainy season. It also marks the end of the Kathina, during which monks are offered new robes and alms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of them sound like lay practice to me. Many countries traditionally celebrate with balloon lanterns.&#xA;Is there a specific festival you are referring to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T08:32:29.013" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T08:32:29.013" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3274" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3319" CreationDate="2014-09-06T14:21:31.317" Score="10" ViewCount="6223" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the genders male/female a result of Kamma, or is it associated with it in any way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2019-04-28T16:17:04.473" Title="Is gender a result of Kamma?" Tags="|karma|gender|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3234" CreationDate="2014-09-06T15:37:35.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just considering the general point about charging or not charging for classes. In my centre there is a general principle that all payment is donation or dana. So we are often invited to put something in the dana bowl if we want to. This seems very fair as bills have to be paid if the Buddhist centre is to continue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alongside this is the notion of a suggested donation so for a class a donation might be £6/£3 for waged/unwaged but this is only a suggestion. This works very well for me. Firstly it's a genuine offer - it is dana so if you can't pay (or won't) then that is fine. No-one will question that or think any less of the person. But also a lot of people (myself included) want to know what a fair donation is and pay that. I want to be told what to donate. I find it unsettling to be told to pay whatever I feel. I want some guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a very pragmatic point of view, if it is a genuine donation then there are tax rebates that can be claimed. That is not a major consideration - the principle remains that everyone should be able to access the dharma. But it is another angle to it I think. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But generally I just wanted to put this model forward as (our) way of combining dana and universal access to the Dharma with the realities of running a Buddhist centre.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T15:37:35.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3251" CreationDate="2014-09-06T15:44:00.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a common problem. When you are week in Sila you get &quot;Storms&quot; in your meditation due to the bad Karma generated from breaking your Sila surfacing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when meditating you have to keep your balance through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 faculties&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 Strengths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T15:44:00.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2271" CreationDate="2014-09-06T15:54:37.817" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/418423.An_Introduction_to_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Peter Harvey. He uses a geographically based model which I like so&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Southern Buddhism - Theravada (Burma, Laos, Cambodia etc..)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eastern Buddhism - Chinese transmission of Mahayana Buddhism (China,&#xA;Korea, Japan etc..)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Northern Buddhism - heir of late Indian forms where Vajrayana forms&#xA;dominate (Tibet, Mongolia, Some Russian areas etc..)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the model works for describing the major schools of Buddhism today in a way which doesn't have any derogatory overtones&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T15:54:37.817" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3279" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:00:02.147" Score="2" ViewCount="97" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it more likely that a mind with more positive Kamma and closer to the Dhamma will reborn as a son of a couple that follows the Dhmma? Is there like an attraction due to the Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a story that Buddha once told a couple that if they have the same religion, similar dana and sila they may meet again in the next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T19:13:11.283" Title="Will parents full of Dhamma attract good minds for their babies?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3280" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3304" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:00:38.687" Score="4" ViewCount="4178" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the main station of insight before stream entry is &lt;em&gt;bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;. In some explanations this seems to be subdivided further into 1st (paṭhama) and 2nd (dutiya) &lt;em&gt;bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;knowledge of dissolution&quot;). What is the difference between them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:36:34.427" LastActivityDate="2020-10-09T17:34:27.153" Title="In Vipassana, what's the difference between 1st and 2nd &quot;knowledge of dissolution&quot; (paṭhama- &amp; dutiya- bhanga-ñāṇa)" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3279" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:06:19.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is no definiteness in Karma. Since there is not definiteness we can just say there is a higher probability this might happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T16:06:19.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3274" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:08:01.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it's a result of kamma. Being born as a male is considered a result of a higher kamma. In Paramatthajotika by Buddhaghosha thera(can't find the english translation) it is mentioned that being born as a female is due to the violation of the third precept in a previous life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Therigatha 400-470 mentions the story of a Bhikkuni named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/jootla/wheel349.html#part2.12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Isidasi&lt;/a&gt; who lived during Buddha's time who violated this precept eight lifetimes ago being born as a man. The rest of her lives are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefrom deceasing, long I ripened in Avici hell And then found&#xA;  rebirth in the body of an ape. Scarce seven days I lived before the&#xA;  great Dog-ape, the monkey’s chief, castrated me. Such was the fruit of&#xA;  my lasciviousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefrom deceasing in the woods of Sindh, Born the offspring of a&#xA;  one-eyed goat And lame, twelve years a gelding, gnawn by worms. Unfit,&#xA;  I carried children on my back. Such was the fruit of my&#xA;  lasciviousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The next time she was born a calf and was again castrated, and as a bullock pulled a plough and a cart. Then, as the worst of that evil kamma’s results had already ripened, Isidasi returned to the human realm. But it was still an uncertain kind of birth as she was the hermaphroditic child of a slave. That life too did not last long. Next, she was the daughter of a man oppressed by debts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; the definition of the two sexes (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3188.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhava rupa&lt;/a&gt;) is given like this,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sex of a living thing, purisa bhava (male) or itthi bhava (female)&#xA;  is determined at the very beginning of pregnancy. The determining&#xA;  factor is of course, one's past kamma. The female chromosome is called&#xA;  itthi bhava rupa; the male chromosome purisa bhava rupa. These bhava&#xA;  rupas, chromosomes, dispersed all over the body, determine the&#xA;  physique, organs, behaviour and characteristics in the male and female&#xA;  respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T19:38:36.163" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T19:38:36.163" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3283" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9103" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:17:51.297" Score="4" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially some of the writings of Ledi Sayadaw were considered to be controversial and they differed from the commentaries. What were the points that differed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="749" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T18:17:22.467" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T13:38:48.090" Title="Ledi Sayadaw Raised a Few Points in Contrary to the Commentaries. What are They?" Tags="|controversy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3221" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:21:27.177" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen quite a few news reports that focus on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10776023/China-on-course-to-become-worlds-most-Christian-nation-within-15-years.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;huge growth of Christianity in China&lt;/a&gt; so naively I would have expected that this would now have overtaken Buddhism. However &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/100726T-YangChina.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this report&lt;/a&gt; states that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The growth of Christianity is impressive, but Buddhist growth is&#xA;  extraordinary, especially with the country's history of official&#xA;  ideology of atheism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The figures are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;18% identify as Buddhist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;15% identify as Atheist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;3.2% identify as Christian&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering the vigorous supression during the cultural revolution (all monasteries closed, lands confiscated) it's notable that Buddhism has remained a substantial religion within China. However the attitudes of the Chinese authorities does appear to have softened and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/193520.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist are seen as a source of societal good&lt;/a&gt;. The Chinese government is clearly still very capable of suppressing religious movements (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Falun_Gong&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Falun Gong&lt;/a&gt;) and cultures (Tibetan) it finds threatening. Fortunately Buddhism doesn't appear to currently be a focus for this suppression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a reference note: This is a summary of the section on Buddhism in China from An &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/418423.An_Introduction_to_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Peter Harvey (pp 409 - 410 in my copy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T16:21:27.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2655" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:33:09.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that one of the things that Taoism and Buddhism have in common is a sense of the ineffable. The opening lines of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/a&gt; go&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. &#xA;  The name that can be named is not the eternal name&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;meaning perhaps that the Tao is beyond words so everything that you read about it ... well that's not the real thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrast that to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/flower-sermon.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Flower sermon&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha does talk and instead just holds up a flower. When he did this ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The disciples were greatly confused. Buddha quietly displayed the&#xA;  lotus to each of them. In turn, the disciples did their best to&#xA;  expound upon the meaning of the flower: what it symbollized, and how&#xA;  it fit into the body of Buddha’s teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;however Mahakasyapa understood and smiled. The Buddha said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What can be said I have said to you,” smiled the Buddha, “and what&#xA;  cannot be said, I have given to Mahakashyapa.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So again beyond words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it is too much of a stretch to see the Taoist influence within this Chineses Buddhism sutra. Certainly if it isn't a direct influence then it is something that the two religions had in common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T16:33:09.593" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3274" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:39:54.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd say, your overall energy configuration is a result of karma, which in its turn is a product of your predominant state of mind. Outwardly, energy configuration manifests as circumstances, and inwardly, as character. This character includes traits such as a certain balance of masculinity and femininity, but also a bunch of other, harder-to-pinpoint characteristics. Depending on the exact combination of outer and inner factors, you may be a masculine man, a feminine woman, a masculine woman, a feminine man, or anywhere in between.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tracing phenotypes back to their karmic roots is like tracing the ocean water back to the rivers it came from, or to use a modern analogy, like decomposing a product of prime numbers back to its factors. While the opposite is pretty much trivial: if you follow the ocean-bound stream down, you are guaranteed to get to the ocean. What's important is to understand that &lt;em&gt;it is your predominant state of mind that shapes your reality&lt;/em&gt;. As long as you get a feeling of directionality, even a rough idea of what Buddhism calls &quot;right&quot; (&lt;code&gt;samyak&lt;/code&gt;), by cultivating it over a long enough period of time, however imperfectly, you are guaranteed to get to Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T17:24:01.593" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T17:24:01.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3287" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3295" CreationDate="2014-09-06T16:47:10.723" Score="4" ViewCount="1703" Body="&lt;p&gt;Currently when I walk to work I frequently pass Christians of various denominations passing out free books and talking to passers by. I have never heard of a Buddhist group doing the same. I think it is a common perception that Buddhism is not an evangelical religion and Christianity most definitely is. I think this one of the reasons is why people (in the UK) are generally fairly well disposed to Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But are my perceptions correct? Is Buddhism really not an evangelical religion? It is a universal religion like Christianity and in both there are notions of personal salvation (liberation/nirvana) that surely everyone would benefit from. Is there something in the scriptures or teachings that make Buddhist less evangelical? Or is it just something cultural and in a different place and time things might look very different? Or am I just flat wrong and Buddhism wants to spread the word just as much as Christianity but I'm just not seeing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:26:23.637" LastActivityDate="2023-08-19T23:10:40.397" Title="Why is Buddhism less evangelical than Christianity?" Tags="|belief|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3288" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3838" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:01:52.923" Score="3" ViewCount="482" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3272/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; refers to a Tao Buddhist. I've never heard of this term. Is a a definite religious movement or is it just a colloquial term that refers to someone who holds both view simultaneously? In either case, is there any conflict when subscribing to both philosophies at the same time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T00:55:15.960" Title="What is a Tao Buddhist?" Tags="|belief|comparative-religion|taoism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3274" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:20:53.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I know, In Buddha time no one asked that question. Personally I don't think gender is based on kamma but Sankara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="813" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T17:20:53.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3290" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:34:30.053" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T17:34:30.053" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T17:34:30.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3291" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:34:30.053" Score="0" Body="A non-conformist youth movement of the 1950s. The movement was notable for it's interest in religion and Eastern philosophy. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T17:39:04.560" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T17:39:04.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3292" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:39:38.587" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2014-09-06T17:39:38.587" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T17:39:38.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3293" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-09-06T17:39:38.587" Score="0" Body="Questions referring to statistical indicators or a quantifiable measure of some aspect of Buddhism.&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;Examples would be population sizes of various Buddhist communities or analysis of communities by gender, social class or age. " OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:28:35.443" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:28:35.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3279" CreationDate="2014-09-06T18:01:19.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to what Suminda said. What usually happens is, whatever is a &lt;em&gt;hidden&lt;/em&gt; trait in parents, it attracts a child mind with the same trait manifested &lt;em&gt;explicitly&lt;/em&gt;. This works both ways, good and bad. If parents quietly despise imperfect people, they will attract the child mind that &lt;em&gt;openly&lt;/em&gt; hates the whole world and may eventually develop a drug addiction or something. The same way, parents with few attachments will attract a child mind that may be &lt;em&gt;too&lt;/em&gt; unfettered, perhaps to the point of having issues in school etc. So it's not as much bad =&gt; bad and good =&gt; good, as it is inner =&gt; outer and subtle =&gt; explicit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T18:01:19.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3287" CreationDate="2014-09-06T18:05:22.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;SGI is, or was, very evangelical, keen to prosthelytize. In the US, the various immigrant communities, by the fact that they provide service &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; in Thai or Vietnamese or what have you, might be prothelytizing, but it would be invisible to me since I don't speak Thai. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ancient Buddhism was &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; content to wait for people to just magically show up and learn the Dharma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Sangha had grown to 60 in number ..&#xA;  and Buddha sent them out in all directions to travel&#xA;  alone and teach the Dharma. &quot;&#xA;  ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a better quote for this, but I can't find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In China, Thailand, India for a while, Japan, it was a state supported religion. As such, it has a massive advantage in getting adherents. In fact, in Japan, the government would just assign you to the county Buddhist temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, when people talk about growing membership, all they can think about are Jehovah Witnesses at the door with Watchtower trying to do essentially door to door personal sales in a world where nothing is sold that way anymore. Marketing is done with online media, writing books and getting them on book store shelves, getting the military to recognize your religion so it can participate in the chaplain program. All of that is  a million times more effective at getting more members than tacky, pushy person to person sales.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Brahma Net Sutra, there are several precepts obliging precept takers to teach the dharma and to teach it well, which as a side effect may result in more self-identifying Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Buddhist doesn't lack in prothylthizing, what it lacks (other than the example of SGI) is a marketing campaign involving tacking person to person sales. Just about everyone else is working on &quot;growing membership&quot; but by other means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This contrasts to what a lot of atheist think-- that no one should teach anyone, not even children, anything about any religion unless that person spontaneously and enthusiastically asks for it)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-06T18:05:22.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2927" CreationDate="2014-09-06T23:57:03.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two kinds of sufferings in Buddhism: the suffering of Samsara and the suffering of exertion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering of Samsara, is famously defined as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha; sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are dukkha; being together with the&#xA;  unloved is dukkha; being apart from the loved is dukkha; unsatisfied thirst is dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or to summarize, &quot;this world sucks, get me outa here&quot;. As was pointed out by other respondents, this works as motivation for Spiritual Quest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a different kind of suffering in Buddhism, called the suffering of exertion. This happens whenever we go against, and through, our pathological habits; whenever we push ourselves beyond our comfort zone:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(in this translation the code-word for suffering is &quot;stress&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the monk notices this: 'When I live according to my&#xA;  pleasure, unskillful mental qualities increase in me &amp;amp; skillful&#xA;  qualities decline. When I exert myself with stress &amp;amp; pain, though,&#xA;  unskillful qualities decline in me &amp;amp; skillful qualities increase. Why&#xA;  don't I exert myself with stress &amp;amp; pain?' So he exerts himself with&#xA;  stress &amp;amp; pain, and while he is exerting himself with stress &amp;amp; pain,&#xA;  unskillful qualities decline in him, &amp;amp; skillful qualities increase.&#xA;  Then at a later time he would no longer exert himself with stress &amp;amp;&#xA;  pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he was&#xA;  exerting himself with stress &amp;amp; pain. That is why, at a later time, he&#xA;  would no longer exert himself with stress &amp;amp; pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose a fletcher were to heat &amp;amp; warm an arrow shaft between two&#xA;  flames, making it straight &amp;amp; pliable. Then at a later time he would no&#xA;  longer heat &amp;amp; warm the shaft between two flames, making it straight &amp;amp;&#xA;  pliable. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he&#xA;  was heating &amp;amp; warming the shaft. That is why at a later time he would&#xA;  no longer heat &amp;amp; warm the shaft between two flames, making it straight&#xA;  &amp;amp; pliable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the same way, the monk notices this: 'When I live according to my&#xA;  pleasure, unskillful mental qualities increase in me &amp;amp; skillful&#xA;  qualities decline. When I exert myself with stress &amp;amp; pain, though,&#xA;  unskillful qualities decline in me &amp;amp; skillful qualities increase. Why&#xA;  don't I exert myself with stress &amp;amp; pain?' So he exerts himself with&#xA;  stress &amp;amp; pain, and while he is exerting himself with stress &amp;amp; pain,&#xA;  unskillful qualities decline in him, &amp;amp; skillful qualities increase.&#xA;  Then at a later time he would no longer exert himself with stress &amp;amp;&#xA;  pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he was&#xA;  exerting himself with stress &amp;amp; pain. That is why, at a later time, he&#xA;  would no longer exert himself with stress &amp;amp; pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is how striving is fruitful, how exertion is fruitful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, just like in some other religions, there is &quot;positive and necessary suffering&quot; in Buddhism. It is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; pleasant to restrain one's impulses. It is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; pleasant to meditate. It is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; pleasant to go through one's fears and preconcepts. It is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; pleasant to have one's ego die. But this suffering seems to be necessary in order to tame the mind, and, eventually, transcend all suffering forever, as explained in the surgeon parable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's as if a man were shot with an arrow thickly smeared with poison.&#xA;  As a result of being shot with the arrow, he would feel fierce, sharp,&#xA;  racking pains. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would&#xA;  provide him with a surgeon. The surgeon would cut around the opening&#xA;  of the wound with a knife. As a result of the surgeon's cutting around&#xA;  the opening of the wound with a knife, the man would feel fierce,&#xA;  sharp, racking pains. The surgeon would probe for the arrow with a&#xA;  probe. As a result of the surgeon's probing for the arrow with a&#xA;  probe, the man would feel fierce, sharp, racking pains. The surgeon&#xA;  would then pull out the arrow. As a result of the surgeon's pulling&#xA;  out the arrow, the man would feel fierce, sharp, racking pains. The&#xA;  surgeon would then apply a burning medicine to the mouth of the wound.&#xA;  As a result of the surgeon's applying a burning medicine to the mouth&#xA;  of the wound, the man would feel fierce, sharp, racking pains. But&#xA;  then at a later time, when the wound had healed and was covered with&#xA;  skin, he would be well &amp;amp; happy, free, master of himself, able to go&#xA;  wherever he liked. The thought would occur to him, &quot;Before, I was shot&#xA;  with an arrow thickly smeared with poison. As a result of being shot&#xA;  with the arrow, I felt fierce, sharp, racking pains. My friends &amp;amp;&#xA;  companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives provided me with a surgeon... The&#xA;  surgeon cut around the opening of the wound with a knife... probed for&#xA;  the arrow with a probe... pulled out the arrow... applied a burning&#xA;  medicine to the mouth of the wound. As a result of his applying a&#xA;  burning medicine to the mouth of the wound, I felt fierce, sharp,&#xA;  racking pains. But now that the wound is healed and covered with skin,&#xA;  I am well &amp;amp; happy, free, master of myself, able to go wherever I&#xA;  like.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T01:45:12.537" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T01:45:12.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3224" CreationDate="2014-09-07T01:38:18.000" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If they support you then it is OK.  You should ask for support according to their faith and ability.&#xA;Normally supporters and family are the same words in pali.&#xA;It is listed in the Metta sutta as family &quot;kulesu&quot;, often translated as donors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, one should live a modest life and ask for only what one needs.  Asking for sangha needs is much better.  It depends on your family's desire.&#xA;There could be a problem with receiving donations from your parents if you gave them money beforehand.  I am not sure of the exact details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I do not know the exact rule for this, I do remember asking about this with a monk who gave his parents money and then asked for a computer specifically saying, &quot;Use the money I gave you.&quot;. The teacher (Sayadaw U Kovida, paauk) said this would be unallowable. (This transaction never went through, by the way)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid a situation like this, if you do give your parents your money, you should say,&#xA; &quot;This is yours, use as you wish.&quot;&#xA;Or &quot;Do not use this for me or to monks.&quot;&#xA;Then when you ask them for things, whatever they do, it is their money and donations are from their own doings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is actually legal for them or even a bank to have money for you as long as you do not use it.  This is how one ordains temporary in a vinaya tradition.  If you decide to stay full time, things can get complicated with bank accounts (if you are one who cares about vinaya). Some need to temporarily disrobe to handle their affairs.&#xA;According to ratapala sutta, he told his parents to throw the money in the river.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="736" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T21:47:19.397" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T21:47:19.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3287" CreationDate="2014-09-07T12:09:28.607" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is there something in the scriptures or teachings that make Buddhist less evangelical?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing is that Buddhist scripture has some emphasis on teaching 'skillfully'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some explanations of 'right speech' include the requirement that speech be beneficial, welcome, and at an appropriate time; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt; elaborates:[34][35]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue,&#xA;    unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;    say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, yet&#xA;    unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;    say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;    beneficial, yet unendearing and disagreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;    of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue,&#xA;    unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;    say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, but&#xA;    unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;    say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;    beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of&#xA;    the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata&#xA;    has sympathy for living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In every case, if it is not true, beneficial nor timely, one is&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; to say it. The Buddha followed this, for example, when asked questions of a purely metaphysical nature, unrelated to the goal, path&#xA;  or discipline that he taught. When asked a question such as &quot;Is the&#xA;  universe eternal?&quot;, the Buddha dismissed the topic with the response:&#xA;  &quot;It does not further.&quot; (or: &quot;The personal possibilities (goals)&#xA;  assigned you are not furthered by an answer to an ultimate question&#xA;  about the universe's fate.&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, &quot;The gospel&quot; is from a Greek word meaning &quot;Good news&quot;: and the word &quot;news&quot; implies that it's meant to be broadcast? And the Christian &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Sower&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parable of the Sower&lt;/a&gt; seems to me to imply &quot;broadcast&quot; instead of &quot;person-to-person&quot; speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Currently when I walk to work I frequently pass Christians of various denominations passing out free books and talking to passers by. I have never heard of a Buddhist group doing the same.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To some extent some Buddhists do pass out free books: for example I picked up one free book by walking in to a Buddhist temple and looking in the book store.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also seen a &quot;free book&quot; left in a hotel room in Singapore (in the same way that you might find a &quot;Gideon's Bible&quot; there).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T12:09:28.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3301" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3383" CreationDate="2014-09-07T13:10:54.267" Score="12" ViewCount="15405" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is a monk allowed to exercise the body in order to keep it fit and healthy? I reckon both 'healthy' and 'fit' as attachments, but is there an overall rule/teaching that explains this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T20:20:36.673" LastActivityDate="2019-07-10T19:00:11.997" Title="Physical Exercise as a Monk?" Tags="|monk|vinaya|well-being|attachment|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3302" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-07T14:04:56.193" Score="3" ViewCount="253" Body="&lt;p&gt;Religious groups are typically comprised of communities of practitioners who visit the temple/church a couple of times a week and practice together.  Is this true of secular Buddhism?  If so, Where are the largest communities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T11:54:46.370" Title="Are there communities of practicing secular Buddhists?" Tags="|temples|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-08-10T08:32:05.610" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2014-09-07T15:02:02.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the benefits of Walking Meditation is that it is also a form of exercise. Depending on how you want to get your exercise there are may way to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going to a Gym or Swimming may not be very appropriate as you cannot be in robes in public / among people. This might be an issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T15:02:02.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3280" CreationDate="2014-09-07T15:10:45.283" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;knowledge of dissolution&quot; is the first major direct (nonconceptual) experience of Emptiness. Although every practitioner's experience is unique, there are some common themes that can help one recognize the milestones as they are passed. Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/knowledg.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one description&lt;/a&gt; of bhanga-ñāṇa by Patrick Kearney of buddhanet.net, a dharma teacher in the lineage of Mahasi Sayadaw:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What happens next? The meditator’s awareness and concentration continues to develop. As a result, he now sees only the passing away of phenomena. It is as if his awareness is so fast, it is faster than the experiences he is examining, As soon as he places his attention on some aspect of his experience, it disappears. This is the knowledge of dissolution (&lt;em&gt;bhanga-nana&lt;/em&gt;). In a weak aspect, this can take the form of the meditator apparently losing his concentration. It seems like he can no longer focus on anything; his attention keeps sliding off whatever he tries to look at. It can be lie trying to grasp something that slips out of your hand the moment you touch it. In a stronger aspect, it can be like falling into the black hole of Calcutta. Wherever you look, there is nothing - only blackness. The meditator is shocked, because he used to be able to focus on anything. Now, it seems, he can focus on nothing at all. All his good work has dissolved into nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, this and the following several stages are a &lt;em&gt;very&lt;/em&gt; painful experience. It feels like losing your mind, so frustrating it is. You can't even focus on your frustration -- the moment you look at frustration, it slips right through your fingers. This is truly the very bottom of &quot;the dark night of the soul&quot;. All preconceptions collapse. You really see the BS-ness, the emptiness of all mental formations. Up until this moment you were holding onto the hope that &lt;em&gt;something must be real&lt;/em&gt;, but now your ego is exhausted and can no longer maintain yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the distinction between the first and the second &quot;knowledge of dissolution&quot;, when the thought-form you are &quot;looking&quot; at collapses, falls apart, and dissolves right in front of your &quot;eyes&quot; -- that's the first &lt;em&gt;bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, and when, in utter frustration and disbelief, you look at this &quot;looking&quot;, and it itself collapses, falls apart, and dissolves -- that's the second &lt;em&gt;bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you don't believe my first-hand experience ;) here is an explanation by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/jotika.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Sayadaw U Jotika&lt;/a&gt; in his &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mapjourney6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Map of The Journey&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (a transcript of a series of preparatory talks given prior to a meditation retreat held in Australia):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At this stage, every time the meditator is meditating -- no matter what the object is, even the movement, (without paying attention to the shape anymore but to the sensation) - the meditator is aware of the sensation and the very fast passing away one after another very clearly. All the shapes and solidity disappears, which means that you don't pay attention to shape or solidity anymore. You pay attention only to sensations and their passing away very quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seeing the object passing away very quickly is the first bhanga-ñāṇa, &lt;em&gt;paṭhama-bhanga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;. Seeing the wisdom passing away is the second bhanga-ñāṇa, dutiya-bhanga-ñāṇa.&lt;/strong&gt; The two together make the bhanga-ñāṇa complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In any insight there is the beginning and the maturity of insight. In the beginning you see the object passing away very quickly. When this becomes more mature, stronger, you see the passing away of consciousness, vipassana consciousness, and the wisdom also passing away together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You notice one thing, that passes away and&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    &lt;em&gt;that consciousness which is aware of&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    &lt;em&gt;that passing away also passes away.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because of seeing this passing away, passing away, continuously you feel &#xA;  that this process is dangerous; it is passing away so quickly you cannot rely on it. You cannot identify with it. You see that nobody can identify with &#xA;  this and hold on to it and rely on it. There is no reliance. There &#xA;  is nothing reliable in these mental and physical phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As interesting as it is to read about these things, my advice to all practitioners is to forget about these stages/levels &lt;strong&gt;and instead focus on your practice&lt;/strong&gt;. In Buddhism, &lt;strong&gt;knowing stages does not help you get there&lt;/strong&gt;. Buddhist experience cannot be contrived! Once every 5 years you might want to check yet another stages-of-the-path text, congratulate yourself on another achievement, confirm that your intuition was right again -- and then forget about stages for the next 5 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T03:23:39.013" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T03:23:39.013" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3305" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3310" CreationDate="2014-09-07T16:25:47.620" Score="11" ViewCount="23254" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we know, or have a good idea, what language the historical Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama) spoke. I've just assumed it is Pali but a moment's thought tells me this is probably wrong since the Pali canon was written hundreds of years after the Buddha died. If we know what language he spoke do we know if this language had a wide geographical area and if it is likely that he would have preached in this language or would he have used one more associated with religious practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T20:37:03.573" Title="What language did the Buddha speak?" Tags="|history|the-buddha|pali-language|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3306" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3314" CreationDate="2014-09-07T16:32:08.283" Score="5" ViewCount="2116" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravadan Buddhism would the Buddha have been considered an arahant? Is this word synonymous with the title 'the Buddha' or does being the Buddha mean something over and above being an arahant? If the terms 'the Buddha' and arahant are synonymous then why don't we call all enlightened beings Buddhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding was that once someone was an arahant then that was it, they had done what needed to be done. He/she was enlightened and therefore at the exact same level of attainment as the Buddha. Is that correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T16:37:43.367" LastActivityDate="2024-03-10T16:29:03.117" Title="Was the Buddha an arahant?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3305" CreationDate="2014-09-07T16:48:43.450" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is believed to have spoken &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magahi_language&quot;&gt;Magahi&lt;/a&gt;. The relationship to Pali is discussed articles relating to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prakrit&quot;&gt;Prakrit&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhi_Prakrit&quot;&gt;Magadhi Prakrit&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T16:48:43.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-07T16:55:14.657" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The definition of an Arahant in the Theravada school is someone who has totally destroyed the three unholesome roots of greed, hatred, and delusion. The definition of a Sammasambuddha is someone who attains enlightenment without a teacher and teaches the Dhamma to others. By these definitions, the Buddha was the first Arahant of the current Buddha era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T16:55:14.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-07T16:56:02.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anybody who reaches &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; is considered Enlightened / &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arahat&lt;/a&gt;. The Buddha is Enlightened. An Arahat is a word for an Enlightened being. Hence Buddha is also an Arahat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the Nirvana for any person is the same the attainment of Arahatship is the same, though on other aspects the Buddha's faculties, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;powers&lt;/a&gt;, attainments, insights and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;knowledges&lt;/a&gt; are far superior due to his &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paramis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T17:01:51.927" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T17:01:51.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3305" CreationDate="2014-09-07T17:05:23.540" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon was compiled hundreds of years after the Buddha, but we know from comparative studies that the bulk of the material contained in it (and for that matter, the Suttas of the other schools) does go back quite a ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the language, that's a hard thing to answer. From a linguistic standpoint, Pali seems to be a blend of several eastern and western dialects together with some Sanskrit. Some have hypothesized that it is some form of an old trade language, something that people in different parts of northern India would have known how to speak in order to talk with people from other regions, and others think that this mixture of dialects was done later to harmonize the texts. In any case, it's a rather tricky question and rather unclear if it would have really been commonly spoken in that region of India in the time of the Buddha due to the presence of western features in Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever the Buddha spoke it was probably closely related either to the language of Kosala or something related to Magadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T17:05:23.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2014-09-07T17:18:10.440" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;For stream entry to happen you have to go beyond the realm of mind and matter (Nirvana). Momentarily your faculties stop working you enter into Nirodha Samapatti / Phala Samapthi. When going in to this stake you see the links of Dependent Origination in the forward direction and when you come out of it you see it in the reverse direction. Depending on the intensity of your experience you enter into some stage of sainthood. If it the weakest it is stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you enter into Niroda you have to extinguish all Sankara leading you to births in the lower realm through Vipassana. Once you experience Nirvana your mind is at the sate that you cannot do any Karma giving birth in the lower realms (falling away of the 3 fetters) and you have eliminated all your store of Sankara which leads to birth in the lower reams hence you cannot be born in any of the lower realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This is as per interpretation in the Ledi Sayadaw linage.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T18:24:49.373" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T18:24:49.373" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2014-09-07T17:30:26.240" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;To put it succinctly you need to rub two pieces of wood long enough to get fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise you need to meditate continuously for some stretch of time to see results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Goenka says &quot;Continuity of practice is the secret of success&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-04-15T20:19:14.013" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T20:19:14.013" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3305" CreationDate="2014-09-07T17:31:12.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer for this seems debatable, this is what I found in Vinaya, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Khandaka rules&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thanissaro Bhikku page 89,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cv.V.33.1 reports the efforts of two brahman bhikkhus who set the&#xA;  Buddha’s  teachings to meter after objecting to the fact that bhikkhus&#xA;  who had gone forth from  different clans, different nationalities,&#xA;  different families were spoiling the Buddha’s  words by putting it in&#xA;  “own dialect.” The Buddha however forbade that his teachings  be set&#xA;  to meter, and allowed that they be learned by each in “own dialect.”&#xA;  There are two controversies surrounding these two rules. The first is&#xA;  over the  meaning of own dialect. The Commentary insists that it means&#xA;  the Buddha’s own dialect, and that therefore the Dhamma must be&#xA;  memorized in Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the commentary it seems Buddha's dialect is Pali. But Thanissaro Bhikku argues that epigraphic evidence suggests Pali is not Buddha's dialect. It is said to be the dialect of Ven. Mahinda, king Asoka's son, who came to Sri Lanka. So it must be either Magadhi or Pali which are said to have many similarities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-07T17:43:23.807" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T17:43:23.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-07T17:50:37.833" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;According to Theravadan Buddhism would the Buddha have been considered an arahant?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IN SN 22:58 we read the Buddha saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One [...]&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Describing himself as an Arahant, he proceeds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the distinction, what is the disparity, what is the difference between the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and a bhikkhu liberated by wisdom? [...] The Tathagata, bhikkhus, is the originator of the path unarisen before, the producer of the path unproduced before, the declarer of the path undeclared before. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the one skilled in the path&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other characteristics of a Buddha. In MN 115 (*) he declares:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is impossible that two rightfully Enlightened Ones should be born in the same world element at one and same time. [...] It is impossible that a woman should be the perfect rightfully Enlightened One. [...] It is possible that a man should be the perfect rightfully Enlightened One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, MN 12 describes the ten powers of a Buddha (I don't believe these always apply to arahants):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) &amp;quot;Here, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the results of actions undertaken, past, future, and present, by way of possibilities and causes.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the ways leading to all destinations.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the world with its many and different elements.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is how beings have different inclinations.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(6) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the disposition of the faculties of other beings, other persons.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(7) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata understands as it actually is the defilement, the cleansing, and the emergence in regard to the jhānas, liberations, concentrations, and attainments.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(8) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathāgata recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births... Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(9) &amp;quot;Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathāgata sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate... and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(10) &amp;quot;Again, by realizing for himself with direct knowledge, the Tathāgata here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;My understanding was that once someone was an arahant then that was it, they had done what needed to be done. He/she was enlightened and therefore at the exact same level of attainment as the Buddha. Is that correct?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. The difference, it seems, is not of attainment, but of role and skills. Many suttas depict the different skills of arahants, sometimes in contrast with Bhudda's skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi develops this further on:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) While this excerpt exemplifies distinct characteristics of Buddhas, its important to note that the portion about the impossibility of a woman to become a Buddha is absent in the agama version of this sutta. See Analayo's paper &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/Bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bahudhātuka-sutta and its Parallels On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt; and related Q&amp;amp;A &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3322/can-the-buddha-never-be-a-woman&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T04:05:21.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3287" CreationDate="2014-09-07T19:07:19.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Christians believe, based on Matthew 28:18-20, that they &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; spread Christ's message. In other words, if they don't do it, they aren't following Christ's instructions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And one possible reason Jesus himself gave that instruction was because the Christian view of existence is one where this human life is pretty much your one and only chance to get into heaven. If you screw up here, there's no rebirth, no time-limited lower realms, and not even simple extinction -- it's the Bad Fire and the Jaggy Stick Up The Bum Fandango, &lt;em&gt;for eternity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously we can find some sense of urgency in Buddhism too: e.g. the illustration of practising as if one's hair was on fire. But nothing scares the bejeezus (literally) out of people the way the Christian notion of &lt;em&gt;eternal&lt;/em&gt; perdition does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T19:07:19.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-07T20:27:32.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;no an arahant learns from a buddha, a buddha discovers the path on his own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ive also heard that buddhahood has additional powers, its not just nibbana attainment and thats it. i coukd be wrong on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-09-07T20:27:32.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3318" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3320" CreationDate="2014-09-07T23:30:51.363" Score="3" ViewCount="473" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see that in some theravdan traditions woman cannot fully ordain (some thai traditions). But in some burmese and tibetan traditions they can.  From what I understand it is because of the break in  lineage but how do these other traditions justify it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T02:04:51.320" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T02:04:51.320" Title="Nuns and ordination" Tags="|theravada|ordination|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3274" CreationDate="2014-09-08T00:02:34.530" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is a very complicated process. We could in fact say that just about everything affects just about everything else - if a butterfly beats its wings in China, it does probably play some infinitesimal role in causing hurricanes in Florida. If, by karma, you mean any old action whatsoever, then indeed, there are probably certain actions (especially mental ones) that lead one to be reborn as one gender or the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, a man's obsession with women would most likely cause him to be reborn as a woman, and vice versa. This is most likely what happened in the stories we have that have been traditionally interpreted as suggesting that adultery leads to being born a woman. It is far more likely, in my mind, that &lt;em&gt;male&lt;/em&gt; adultery with &lt;em&gt;women&lt;/em&gt; leads to being born a woman, and &lt;em&gt;female&lt;/em&gt; adultery with &lt;em&gt;men&lt;/em&gt; leads to being born a man. The cause being the insane obsession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, of course, is not what is meant by karma and result in a Buddhist sense. Here the fact that one was born a woman or a man was not a &quot;bad&quot; or &quot;good&quot; result, it was just a case of obsession leading to realization of the object of obsession.  If one were insanely obsessed with cats, one would likely be born a cat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, by karma, you are referring to ethical acts, in the sense that, for example, being born gender A is the good result of certain good deeds and being born gender B is the evil result of certain evil deeds, it seems unlikely that one could infer that from the Buddha's teaching - &lt;em&gt;itthindriya&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;purisindriya&lt;/em&gt; are just two of the many aspects of physical being; there is nothing intrinsically inferior or superior between the two, I don't think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, genders are hardly ever equal, physically or socially, in any species of being; in India at the time of the Buddha and when the commentaries were written, for example, being born a human female would have been a bad thing given their inferior social status, and thus could be taken indirectly as a sign of bad past karma. Too, the physiology of a human female is arguably (though not conclusively so) a cause of greater potential suffering than of its male counterpart, forcing one to deal with menstrual cycles, pregnancy, etc., as well as generally inferior strength.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, this need not always be true; nor does it imply that the female faculty itself is inferior to the male faculty, or brought about by bad karma in all cases. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominance_hierarchy#Female_dominance_in_mammals&quot;&gt;Several species of mammal exhibit characteristics of female domination&lt;/a&gt;; the human species itself seems to be heading closer to a level of equality between the genders. Thus, it seems erroneous to suggest that one gender is an intrinsic result of good karma and another the intrinsic result of bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be perfectly clear, in the abhidhamma, karma refers to one's mental volition or motivation, and the result is always expressed in terms of experience - good karma results in good experience, bad karma results in bad experience (viz. of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and thinking). For gender to play any intrinsic role in bringing about the result of good or bad karma, it would have to intrinsically be the cause of specific pleasant or unpleasant experiences. Again, any such relationship seems more related to the evolution of certain species and cultures than the intrinsic nature of the genders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the whole concept of karma is suspect; an arahant performs no karma, good or evil, and doesn't see any experience as either pleasant or unpleasant. In ultimate reality, whether certain experiences are &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; seems largely subjective, and any volition or motivation that leads one to be reborn as either a male or a female of any species is definitely &quot;bad&quot; or &quot;wrong&quot; in an ultimate sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-08T01:08:46.183" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T01:08:46.183" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3318" CreationDate="2014-09-08T00:59:51.483" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wasn't aware of any Burmese traditions allowing for female ordination; in Burma it has always been seen as a terrible heresy, afaik, with one bhikkhuni actually being thrown in jail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gist of the main argument against goes as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;premise&lt;/strong&gt;: whatever it says in the vinaya pitaka has to be followed to the letter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;premise&lt;/strong&gt;: the vinaya pitaka says that female bhikkhuni ordination requires both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus to succeed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;premise&lt;/strong&gt;: the bhikkhuni lineage is extinct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;: bhikkhuni ordination is impossible. Q.E.D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The proponents of bhikkhuni ordination challenge each of the three above premises in various ways, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They advocate breaking certain rules in the bhikkhuni vinaya by ordaining more bhikkhunis than allowed, etc., hence they challenge the idea that the vinaya must be followed to the letter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They deny that the vinaya pitaka requires bhikkhunis in order to ordain bhikkhunis, hence they claim there is no textual backing to the argument against ordination of bhikkhunis by bhikkhus only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They deny that the bhikkhuni lineage is extinct, citing existing bhikkhunis in Taiwan, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I dislike the first of these challenges; it seems dangerous to pick and choose rules, and the broken rules have more to do with the specifics of ordination, rather than the actual ordination itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second challenge is what finally turned me around to supporting bhikkhuni ordination; there really is nowhere in the vinaya pitika where bhikkhunis are explicitly required for ordination. Here's how it actually goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. The Buddha tells the first potential bhikkhuni that in order to ordain she would have to agree to the rule (among others) that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When, as a probationer, a bhikkhuni has trained in the six rules [ cha dhamma ] for two years, &lt;strong&gt;she should seek higher ordination from both orders&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. When other applicants arise, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, I allow bhikkhunis to be ordained by bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3. When applicants for bhikkhuni ordination become too shy to answer questions posed by bhikkhus about their physical health, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, I allow for one who has been ordained to one side, found to be pure in front of the bhikkhuni sangha, to ordain in front of the bhikkhu sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is whether this new allowance supersedes the first allowance. I don't think the original rule agreed upon by Mahapajapati can be taken as law, since it was subsequently broken with the first allowance. Further, the eight rules are worded to be simply a warning of the severity of the rules they would have to follow. Finally, the emphasis in the one quoted above is on the two year probation, not the dual ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to precedence in regards to alternative allowances, we find two distinct patterns in the vinaya pitika:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where a certain allowance is given, then rescinded and a new allowance given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where a certain allowance is given, then a new allowance is given without rescinding the old allowance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of the latter include first allowing clear broth for a sick monk, then allowing thick broth later when the clear broth didn't solve the problem. This seems analogous to the bhikkhuni ordination, in that both cases were brought about not by some danger in the original allowance, but by circumstances where the first allowance was insufficient. It seems therefore reasonable to suggest that just as there is no reason to forbid clear broth now that thick broth is allowed, there doesn't either seem to be any good reason for forbidding bhikkhu-only ordination of bhikkhunis just because dual ordination is now allowed (remembering that it was enacted for the sole reason of allowing shy applicants to answer embarrassing questions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More telling, perhaps, is the best example of the former pattern, where the original allowance is rescinded: the case of bhikkhu ordination. Originally, the Buddha allowed bhikkhus to ordain under him by saying &lt;em&gt;ehi bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; - &amp;quot;come bhikkhu&amp;quot;. Once it became apparent that this wouldn't be sufficient to meet the demand, he allowed other monks to give ordination using the tisaranagamana (going to three refuges).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, it became apparent that greater oversight would be required in the ordination process - i.e. there was an inherent flaw or danger in single bhikkhus ordaining bhikkhus. So, he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yā sā, bhikkhave, mayā tīhi saraṇagamanehi upasampadā anuññātā, taṃ ajjatagge paṭikkhipāmi. anujānāmi, bhikkhave, ñatticatutthena kammena upasampādetuṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, that tisaranagamana ordination which was allowed by me, &lt;strong&gt;that I revoke from this day forward.&lt;/strong&gt; Bhikkhus, I allow one to be ordained by an act with the announcement as it's fourth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, a quorum of monks had to hear the announcement and three declarations, giving them all a chance to reject the ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key passage here, missing from the second bhikkhuni ordination allowance, is in bold above. The fact that it is missing makes the bhikkhuni case categorically different from the bhikkhu case, and no textual based argument can suggest otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tl;dr: the Buddha never revoked the permission for bhikkhus to ordain bhikkhunis, therefore bhikkhus can still ordain bhikkhunis. Q.E.D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the third challenge above (that there are still bhikkhunis in an unbroken lineage), I'm somewhat non-committal. They bhikkhunis in question are certainly not Theravada, so it's a bit of a stretch to suggest they &amp;quot;count&amp;quot;. But there are arguments in favour of allowing them to &amp;quot;convert&amp;quot; to Theravada in order to perform the ordination. The best argument against this challenge is that, like the first challenge, it is unlikely to be accepted by the Theravada at large.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T16:09:50.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3318" CreationDate="2014-09-08T01:02:14.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The issue is that the Theravada vinaya instructs that Bhikkhunis (Fully ordained Nuns) must be ordained by other Nuns and then the ordination is ratified by an act of a group of Monks. When the lineage of Nuns ended then (or so it seemed) there would be no way to ordain Bhikkhunis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least that's the argument that some Theravadins give. In reality, the Theravada line of ordination for Bhikkhunis never totally died out, but was transplanted to China where it was maintained as a lineage of Mahayana Nuns following the Theravada Vinaya. In 1997, this ordination lineage was transplanted back into the Theravada school making fully ordained Bhikkhunis a possibility again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has also been a theory laid out by the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, the great translator, that because the original form of Bhikkhuni ordination was done by Monks and was never formally abolished, the Bhikkhuni order could also simply be restored by having Monks ordain the Nuns if there were no Bhikkhunis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In East Asian Buddhism, they follow (with the exception of most Monks in Japan and some in Korea who follow a non-Vinaya form of ordination) the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya and lineage, and the Dharmaguptaka order of Bhikkhunis never died out. As for Tibetan Buddhism, I think they just used the Dharmaguptaka line of Bhikkhunis to restore it but I'm not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T01:02:14.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3322" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3336" CreationDate="2014-09-08T11:02:53.233" Score="58" ViewCount="16216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it true that the Buddha will never be a woman? If so, why is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be specific, I am particularly asking whether or not the Buddha itself can be female. I am &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; asking whether a woman can become a Buddha in her future life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T17:31:14.500" LastActivityDate="2020-07-08T08:42:31.263" Title="Can the Buddha ever be a woman?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|gender|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3323" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-08T11:31:17.537" Score="0" ViewCount="3224" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma and Sanskara seam to be very much related. How are they related and how are they different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-08T13:29:19.187" LastActivityDate="2021-03-18T03:22:08.437" Title="What is the difference between Karma and Sanskara" Tags="|karma|pali-canon|pali-language|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T11:40:03.813" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;A woman can become a Buddha in a future birth. Gautama the Buddha was once a woman when 1st thought becoming a Buddha was planted in her mind. [p8 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/dhamma-nibbana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Practising the Dhamma with a View to Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;, Ch1 Eminent Buddhist Women by  Karma Lekshe Tsomo]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva and Buddhas are always male so you have to be born in latter lives as a male to complete your Bodhisattva career and become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the definite prediction of future Buddhahood you will always be male. Before that there is a chance Bodhisattva may change between male and female.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though is modern times this might seem controversial &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1a-Bahudhatuka-S-m115-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu Dhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions certain things a woman cannot achieve:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He understands that it is &lt;em&gt;impossible&lt;/em&gt;, there is &lt;em&gt;no chance&lt;/em&gt;, that a &lt;em&gt;woman&lt;/em&gt; would become a &lt;em&gt;worthy&#xA;  fully self awakened one&lt;/em&gt;—this is &lt;em&gt;not possible&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And he understands that it is possible, there is the chance, that a man would become a worthy fully&#xA;  self-awakened—this is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands that it is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman would become a universal&#xA;  monarch—this is not possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And he understands that it is possible, there is the chance, that only a man would become a universal&#xA;  monarch —this is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands that it is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman would attain the state&#xA;  of Sakra—this is not possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more comparative discussion on this matter see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1b-On-womens-inabilities-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bahudhātuka-sutta and its Parallels On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Anālayo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T11:27:34.383" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T11:40:47.720" Score="19" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Can the Buddha never be a woman? If it is true, why can't they?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to MN 115, a woman cannot be a &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; and, as far as I know, the reason is not explained anywhere in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot;&gt;canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a woman could&#xA;  be an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One ― there is no such&#xA;  possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that a man might be&#xA;  an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One ― there is such a&#xA;  possibility.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot;&gt;MN 115, The Many Kinds of Elements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T11:40:47.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T12:07:29.027" Score="26" Body="&lt;p&gt;This reminds me of a Zen story. A North-American female student approaches her Zen master and asks: &quot;Is it true that a woman can never become a Buddha?&quot; Zen master says &quot;yup&quot;. The student gets into a long rant about women discrimination, equal rights, and how deluded the Zen master must be in his culturally-inherited biases. Zen master waits until she runs out of steam and says: &quot;Wait. Are you [=still identifying yourself with] a woman?!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The moral of the story, obviously, is that the serious student must abandon any and all identification, both personal- and group-based, including identification with gender. Identification is a form of attachment that leads to passions, taking sides, arguments, and a whole gamut of problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In AN 7.48 Buddha clearly explains that the person must transcend their gender biases, both masculine and feminine:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is there lack of bondage? A woman does not attend inwardly to her feminine faculties, her feminine gestures, her feminine manners, feminine poise, feminine desires, feminine voice, feminine charms. She is not excited by that, not delighted by that [...] This is how a woman transcends her femininity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A man does not attend inwardly to his masculine faculties, masculine gestures, masculine manners, masculine poise, masculine desires, masculine voice, masculine charms. He is not excited by that, not delighted by that [...] This is how a man transcends his masculinity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN 5.2 a nun named Soma says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      difference&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  does being a woman make&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when the mind's well-centered,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when knowledge is progressing,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  seeing clearly, rightly,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      into the Dhamma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anyone who thinks&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      'I'm a woman'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      or 'a man'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  or 'Am I anything at all?' —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      that's who Mara's&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      fit to address.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-03-19T20:50:09.770" LastActivityDate="2018-03-19T20:50:09.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3327" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3346" CreationDate="2014-09-08T12:30:48.647" Score="7" ViewCount="763" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a beginning meditator, the techniques I typically use are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Counting breaths, restarting at 10 (learned in Japan).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Envisioning, with warm feelings, all of my friends and family around me in a large circle (learned in Florida).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attempting to feel the minute sensations from each different part of my body (learned in Florida). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focusing on identifying as many distinct sounds as possible, particularly when in nature (my own).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any other techniques recommended for beginning meditators?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:36:05.763" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:36:05.763" Title="Meditation techniques for beginners?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3327" CreationDate="2014-09-08T13:07:18.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally will not recommend any in the list other than number 3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use 4 also as long as you don't try to identify the sound. The sound should just make contact and produce a sensation and pass away with equanimity in the mind (no liking, disliking or developing self awareness). You should be very careful as not to have after thoughts or form perceptions which slip past your attention. This is generally very difficult for a novice. At a later stage you will start seeing sound as just quantums of vibrations. But having said this the best way to bring your mind to the present moment, if it has wondered away, is to listen to sound or look at the touch sensation as these are always in the present. In the case of sound, this should be done for a short duration due to reasons above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I would recommend is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you start and end a session just look at the sensation of the touch of your clothes, wind and the ground and what your posture is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then start with breath meditation. To start with just try to see the in out breath. Then the start to finish of the breath. Then note the length of each in out breath from start to finish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you can do that progress to other stages in the Anapanasati Sutta and Maha Sattipattana Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-08T14:41:24.530" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T14:41:24.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3323" CreationDate="2014-09-08T13:38:59.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saṅkhāra refer to all conditioned phenomena. That means everything else apart from Nibbana. Karma refers to volitional acts which is only a subset of Saṅkhāra. All Saṅkhāras come under the first noble truth, i.e. Dukkha. All Saṅkhāras are impermanent. All Saṅkhāras are non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T13:38:59.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T13:51:11.897" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;A woman cannot be a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Samma-sam-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sammasabuddha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pa/pacceka_buddha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacceka Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Brahma&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ma/maara.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devaputta Māra&lt;/a&gt; , god &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakka&lt;/a&gt; or a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/c/cakkavatti.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakkavatti&lt;/a&gt;. Even if a woman aspires to become a Buddha in the future, she won't get the Niyatha Vivarana(confirmation) by another Buddha until she's born as a man. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might not sit well with the modern social standards which are big on gender equality. But that's how it is when it comes to laws of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note, Theravada tradition does not drop/add or change Suttas to fit well with the social standards of the time. That's one reason why it is still the tradition that is closest to the original teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2020-02-16T21:14:27.120" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T21:14:27.120" CommentCount="24" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3331" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3337" CreationDate="2014-09-08T14:26:55.060" Score="15" ViewCount="4150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere that &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; (and jhana) was discovered by the Buddha, but how about &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;? Is there any evidence either way (i.e. suttas)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I'm asking is because I am more proficient at practicing &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; meditation than &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;, but I have some doubt about &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; itself. Perhaps, if there were some proof that this method was founded by the Buddha himself, my doubt would be gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: I would prefer answers based on Theravada suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:52:23.477" LastActivityDate="2017-10-04T13:00:25.770" Title="Was Vipassana discovered by the Buddha (Siddhartha)?" Tags="|vipassana|history|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T14:49:01.963" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose the misunderstanding about this comes from the fact that &quot;man&quot; can mean &lt;em&gt;two&lt;/em&gt; different things, while a &lt;em&gt;woman&lt;/em&gt; can mean only one. The problem is present in virtually &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; contemporary languages - &lt;em&gt;man&lt;/em&gt; can mean &quot;male&quot; or &quot;human being&quot;. As such, my interpretation of MN 115 is simple and consistent with both AN 7.48 and SN 5.2 - only a &lt;strong&gt;man&lt;/strong&gt; (a human being by itself) can achieve higher; being only a &lt;em&gt;man&lt;/em&gt; or a &lt;em&gt;woman&lt;/em&gt;, limited by gender, means you're limited to Māyā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I agree 100% with Andrei on Realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user824" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T14:49:01.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3331" CreationDate="2014-09-08T14:50:04.030" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Suttas there is no distinction between Samatha and Vipassana. When you practice according to the Suttas you develop both either in tandem or one before the other. These were names which were given later to make a discussion between the practice leading to Samadhi and Panna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best is your read the Anapanasati Sutta and Maha Sattipattana Sutta and follow the instructions accordingly. Most of the time each phase is a step so don't miss a word in the Suttas. You should have the right interpretations of the words also. If you miss a word or use a wrong interpretation you can easily miss the results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have seen the results of practising according to the Suttas your doubt will pass away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-08T15:36:56.527" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T15:36:56.527" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3331" CreationDate="2014-09-08T15:20:41.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha didn't ever use the particular term vipassana meditation, but that's because in Pali the word vipassana simply means clear seeing, and technically it isn't an action but a mental quality. The term vipassana meditation doesn't mean &quot;a method of meditation called vipassana&quot;, but means &quot;a type of meditation which developes the mental quality of vipassana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual method of developing vipassana is the practice of Satipatthana, and that is definately something the Buddha talked about explicitly. The very famous Satipatthana Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) is probably the best known sutta on the subject but there is also an entire collection in the Samyutta Nikaya on the subject as well that is worth studying here: (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn47&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T15:20:41.670" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T15:31:59.013" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've wondered about this myself. One way to think about it is that the Karma of a Bodhisattva always leads them to possess the best possible qualities to allow them to teach when they become a Buddha, and in societies with sexism, it would make it harder to teach and be taken seriously by the general public, so therefore, a Bodhisattva would be born as a male in a sexist society in order to be able to teach widely. If this is so, that would mean that the reason that Buddhas aren't women isn't that women are inferior, but because Buddhas always have to approach societies in a way that will allow them to be effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's just my personal interpretation. I also think this principle would only apply in a sexist society, so if by the time the Buddha Metteyya will come it won't be taboo for a woman to be a leader, I think Metteyya might be born as a woman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-08T15:42:55.797" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T15:42:55.797" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-08T15:44:07.787" Score="46" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the (translated into English) Pali text that I have, there's a section titled &quot;The Admission of Women to the Order&quot; within a chapter titled &quot;Stability of Societies&quot;. This section describes Ananda's asking the Buddha whether &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapajapati_Gotami&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Pajapati&lt;/a&gt; could join the order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Ananda asks for the third time, he asks,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord, are women capable, after going forth from the home unto the homeless life under the Norm-Discipline set forth by the Tathagata, -- are they capable of realizing the Fruit of Stream-winning, of Once-returning, of Never-returning, of Arahantship?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the Buddha's reply to that question,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Women are capable ... of doing so, Ananda.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Which is why and how Ananda persuaded the Buddha to allow women to be ordained.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI I did &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Bahudh%C4%81tuka%20Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;a Google search for Bahudhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; -- because that seems to be the one/only basis on which other answers claim that a woman's being a Buddha is impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first search result is this paper, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bahudhātuka-sutta and its Parallels &#xA;On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abstract for this paper says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The present article offers a comparative study of the &#xA;  Bahudhātuka-sutta, based on a translation of one of its parallels &#xA;  found in the Madhyama-āgama preserved in Chinese translation. &#xA;  The study focuses in particular on the dictum that a woman cannot&#xA;   be a Buddha, &lt;strong&gt;which is absent from the Madhyama-āgama version.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its conclusions is (page 166),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the inability of a woman to be a Buddha can still be seen as an expression of leadership conceptions held in ancient Indian patriarchal society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and (page 166)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This tendency can safely be assumed to stand in contrast to the original teachings of early Buddhism, where -- as far as the texts allow us to judge -- gender was not considered to have an impact on spiritual abilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and (page 185)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kajiyama (58) concludes that, regarding the listing of inabilities of &#xA;  women, “it is most likely that the dictum did not exist when the Buddhist&#xA;  Order maintained one and the same tradition, but that it was created &#xA;  after the Order was divided into many schools and was inserted into &#xA;  sūtras of various schools.” However, the suggestion by Kajiyama (70) that&#xA;  “the dictum that a woman is incapable of becoming a Buddha arose &#xA;  probably in the first century B.C.” may be putting things at too late a &#xA;  time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The arguments for why is this is a late addition start in the section titled &lt;em&gt;Comparison of the Parallel Versions of the Bahudhātuka Bahudhātuka-sutta&lt;/em&gt; on page 151 and can be summarized as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Evidence that other parts were added:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Aggregates&quot; seems to be new&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Items were added to the &quot;elements&quot; topic&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore it's possible that an item (the item regarding women) was added to the &quot;impossibilities&quot; section.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The difference between versions could be explained as a later addition (into some versions), or as a later loss (from the other versions); but an addition is more likely.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are various other differences in the &quot;impossibilities&quot; section.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;impossibilities for women&quot; doesn't exist in all versions&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the versions which do include the &quot;impossibilities for women&quot; section, there are differences between versions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's being a woman, or low-caste, would be incompatible with contemporary society (because they wouldn't be respected when alive), which was the reason for the argument that a woman would have to be reborn as a man before she could be the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some versions (not the Pali) say that a woman cannot even be a Paccekabuddha, which is proof that more and more degradation of women's abilities were added over time. (page 164)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's therefore significant that one of the versions doesn't mention it at all (i.e. it implies that it wasn't original)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The addition doesn't fit, wasn't useful in the context of other information which was intended to be practical (page 166)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maybe could better link the transition of the context? (from arahantship being possible to women, to the question at hand)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're asking why my first quote (the Buddha's reply to Ananda's question, which was about &quot;Arahantship&quot;) is relevant to this question, which is about the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paper I linked to above says that, at that time, no-one had the ambition of becoming the future Buddha: perhaps Arahant was synonymous with the highest feasible spiritual attainment, and that women were able no less than men to achieve it (page 163):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here it needs also to be taken into account that the presentation &#xA;  in the Bahudhātuka-sutta and its parallels still stems from a period in the &#xA;  development of Buddhist thought when the idea of aspiring to Buddhahood&#xA;   had not yet become a general option. As pointed out by Kajiyama &#xA;  (64), “the dictum that a woman cannot become a Buddha ... did not have &#xA;  a target to which it could have been directed,” since at that time “no&#xA;  one, neither man nor woman, aspired to Buddhahood.”53 In sum, then, &#xA;  the inability of a woman to assume the position of a ruler on earth, a ruler&#xA;  in various heavenly realms, or a ruler in the field of Dharma reflects &#xA;  leadership conceptions in ancient India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footnote says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;53 Romberg (164) notes that once “the aim was no longer to become an &#xA;  Arhat, but to become Buddha ... this shift made, in fact, the situation for &#xA;  women worse, because a doctrinal foundation was laid for the necessity &#xA;  of changing the sex before being able to become enlightened.” In fact the &#xA;  Bodhisattvabhūmi explains that a woman will not realize the awakening of &#xA;  a Buddha because already an advanced bodhisattva has left behind womanhood&#xA;  for good and will not be reborn again as a female, Wogihara &#xA;  (94,3): na ca strī anuttarāṃ samyaksaṃbodhim abhisaṃbudhyate. tat kasya &#xA;  hetoḥ? tathā hi bodhisattvaḥ prathamasyaiva kalpāsaṃkhyeyasyātyayāt strībhāvaṃ vijahāti bodhimaṇḍaniṣadanam upādāya na punar jātu strī bhavati; cf. &#xA;  also Paul (212 note 7). Harrison (78) concludes that “women ... are generally represented in such an unfavourable light as to vitiate any notion of &#xA;  the Mahāyāna as a movement for sexual equality. Compared with the &#xA;  situation in the Pāli Canon, in which women are at least as capable as&#xA;  men of attaining the highest goal, arhatship, the position of women in &#xA;  Mahāyāna has hardly changed for the better.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-06T17:18:05.467" LastActivityDate="2016-11-06T17:18:05.467" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3331" CreationDate="2014-09-08T16:55:38.027" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;The orthodox view is that &lt;strong&gt;samatha meditation was not discovered by the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; and vipassana meditation was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the origins of samatha meditation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides the fact that other teachers at the time of the Buddha and before were practicing what appears to be samatha and jhana, we have the fact that the Bodhisatta went into the first jhana as a young boy, and the fact that he learned jhana from two teachers before his enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I considered: ‘I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Could that be the path to enlightenment?’ Then, following on that memory, came the realisation: ‘That is indeed the path to enlightenment.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 36 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I considered: ‘It was not through mere faith alone that Rāma declared: “By realising for myself with direct knowledge, I enter upon and abide in this Dhamma.” Certainly Rāma abided knowing and seeing this Dhamma.’ Then I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and asked him: ‘Friend, in what way did Rāma declare that by realising for himself with direct knowledge he entered upon and abided in this Dhamma?ʹ In reply Uddaka Rāmaputta declared the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 26 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The confusion seems to stem from some poorly constructed arguments from proponents of the necessity of practicing samatha meditation that what the Bodhisatta's teachers taught was not jhana, but something else. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some might raise an objection that the teachers Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta preached on Jhana, because the texts state that they taught the Bodhisatta (the Buddha-to-be) the attainment of the state of nothingness and the attainment of the state of neither perception nor non-perception. However, those two attainments could not have been connected to Jhana, because &lt;strong&gt;the Bodhisatta recalled, just prior to sitting under the Bodhi Tree, that the only time in his life that he had experienced any Jhana was as a young boy, while sitting under a Rose Apple Tree as his father conducted the first-ploughing ceremony (MN 36).&lt;/strong&gt; That spontaneous early experience of Jhana had been untaught, unplanned and since forgotten. If that was the only Jhana experienced by the Bodhisatta prior to his experience under the Bodhi Tree, then the two teachers Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta could not have taught Jhana at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Brahm_The_Jhanas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Brahm_The_Jhanas.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with this argument is that it misrepresents the Buddha (the part in bold). I have already quoted above what the Buddha actually said, and he is clearly not suggesting that he only experienced jhana once under the rose apple tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The orthodox view is that the Bodhisatta cultivated samatha meditation countless times in his past lives before finally discovering vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the origins of vipassana meditation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many references to vipassana in the suttas; the word itself is most often used in conjunction with samatha, as in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, these two things pertain to true knowledge. What two? Serenity and insight. When serenity is developed, what benefit does one experience? The mind is developed. When the mind is developed, what benefit does one experience? Lust is abandoned. When insight is developed, what benefit does one experience? Wisdom is developed. When wisdom is developed, what benefit does one experience? Ignorance is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- AN 2.31 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The word for serenity is samatha, and insight is vipassana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is less acknowledged is the frequent use of other forms of the root &lt;em&gt;√pas&lt;/em&gt; with the prefix &lt;em&gt;vi&lt;/em&gt;, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;paccuppannañca yo dhammaṃ, tattha tattha vipassati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what ever dhammas arise in the present, one sees clearly therein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 131&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;andhabhūto ayaṃ loko, tanukettha vipassati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blind is this world; few here see clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 174&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the root √pas is used together with the noun paññā in a way that leaves no doubt as to the meaning being the same as vipassana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya passati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus one sees this as it is with right wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 35&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the question of whether vipassana was something the Buddha taught is easy to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of whether the Buddha &lt;em&gt;discovered&lt;/em&gt; vipassana is a bit more complicated. What do you mean by vipassana? It is a term that means &amp;quot;clear seeing&amp;quot;. If, by clear seeing, you include seeing shapes in front of your eyes, or being able to understand logical arguments, or empathizing with others, or any number of things that are called clear seeing by the world, then of course no, the Buddha didn't discover that for himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clear seeing that the Buddha discovered was in regards to the three characteristics and the four noble truths; this is something he discovered that had been hidden to the world, and was the core of his teaching, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā”ti, yadā &lt;strong&gt;paññāya passati&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'All formations are suffering.' When one sees this with wisdom,&#xA;Becoming thereupon disenchanted in regards to what is suffering, this is the path to purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 278&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice the use of a construct similar to vipassati.  As to the Buddha discovering this fact, we have:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;uppādā vā, bhikkhave, tathāgatānaṃ anuppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ ṭhitāva sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā. sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā. taṃ tathāgato abhisambujjhati abhisameti. abhisambujjhitvā abhisametvā ācikkhati deseti paññāpeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānīkaroti — ‘sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā’ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, whether Tathāgatas arise or not, there persists that law, that stableness of the Dhamma, that fixed course of the Dhamma: ‘All conditioned phenomena are suffering.’ A Tathāgata awakens to this and breaks through to it, and then he explains it, teaches it, proclaims it, establishes it, discloses it, analyzes it, and elucidates it thus: ‘All conditioned phenomena are suffering.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- AN 3.136 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, in relation to seeing the four noble truths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“‘idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṃ udapādi, ñāṇaṃ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'This is the noble truth of suffering.&amp;quot; arose for me, bhikkhus, in regards to previously unheard dhammas; an eye arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- SN. 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of this refers to the type of vipassana that the Buddha realized for himself before anyone else in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T13:05:01.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3338" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7341" CreationDate="2014-09-08T20:15:19.127" Score="7" ViewCount="6517" Body="&lt;p&gt;India is the original land of Buddhism, but it is followed/practiced more outside its country of birth. Are there any reasons for this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="802" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T20:32:00.723" LastActivityDate="2022-10-04T19:30:56.033" Title="Why is Buddhism followed mainly outside of India when it originated there?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3338" CreationDate="2014-09-08T20:46:37.600" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;India (the modern country) didn't exist when the Buddha was born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was born near modern-day &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Conception_and_birth&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Northern India or Nepal&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_the_Indian_subcontinent&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Decline of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[This] refers to a gradual process of dwindling and replacement of Buddhism in India, which ended around the 12th century. According to Lars Fogelin, this was &amp;quot;not a singular event, with a singular cause; it was a centuries-long process.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The decline of Buddhism has been attributed to various factors, especially the regionalisation of India after the end of the Gupta Empire (320–650 CE), which led to the loss of patronage and donations as Indian dynasties turned to the services of Hindu Brahmins. Another factor were invasions of north India by various groups such as Huns, Turco-mongols and Persians and subsequent destruction of Buddhist institutions such as Nalanda and religious persecutions. Religious competition with Hinduism and later Islam were also important factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/india/xdelhisult.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of the Delhi Sultanates&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Between 1160 and 1187, Muhammad al-Ghuri conquered the Ghaznavid Empire; he continued to expand his territory, and in 1192 he razed the Buddhist temple complex at Nalanda to the ground, in effect terminating the history of Buddhism in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It references a student's paper on the The History of Persecution of the Buddhist Faith, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/1112/sbk/sbk2.html#iii14&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;which includes&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the destroyed temples, 2/3 were Buddhists, and this was critical to Buddhism's ability to remain as a formal religion because they had already lost all but a few institutions in Nalanda, Odantapuri, and Vikramasila, over the previous centuries. (20)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Nalanda University, a great Buddhist center of learning, was raided by Turkic Muslim invaders under Bakhtiyar Khalji, a general of the Turkish commander Qutb-ud-din Aybak, in 1193. He committed documented executions, harassed and tortured erudite monks, killing 15,000 scholars and 200 faculty of the University. (21) The campus and invaluable works of art including the images of the Buddha were destroyed and the enormous manuscript library of the University was burned down. He also destroyed the monastries in Vikramshila, which were in modern Bihar, as well as many monastries in Odantapuri in 1197. As he persecuted Buddhism, he supported Muslim missionaries and made the biggest number of converts to Islam under his reign. (22) By the end of the 12th century, many Buddhist monks retreated to Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Southern India. (23)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Persecution of Buddhism was accelerated in this period by Brahmin revivalists who kicked the Buddhist monks out of Buddhist monasteries and temples in order to transform the places into Hindu institutions; they were seeking protection from Muslim invasions by facilitating the installation of Brahmin gods. (24) No less than 1000 Buddhist temples were appropriated by Hindus, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The (numbers) in the quote above are references to various history books etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a Wikipedia article (whose neutrality is currently disputed) titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Buddhists&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Persecution of Buddhists&lt;/a&gt; which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1200 Muhammad Khilji, one of Qutb-ud-Din's generals destroyed monasteries fortified by the Sena armies, such as the one at Vikramshila. Many monuments of ancient Indian civilization were destroyed by the invading armies, including Buddhist sanctuaries[45] near Benares. Buddhist monks who escaped the massacre fled to Nepal, Tibet and South India.[46]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and continues in a similar way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps these are the reasons: i.e. they're historical reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might seem as if it would be interesting to try to answer this question by discussing 'motive' (e.g. &amp;quot;why would people prefer to be Hindu than to be Buddhist&amp;quot;), comparative religious views (e.g. about 'just war'; and about how well the religion is integrated into the broader society at large), and comparative values (which religion is more useful, more attractive, more true) but I expect that would be subjective opinion, off-topic and unhelpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also mention &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/37575/2703&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; to the question, &lt;em&gt;Were Buddhists murdered en masse during the first Muslim conquest of India?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It references a thesis which says that Buddhism declined (not especially violently) during the 200 years or so following the first Muslim invasion -- i.e. in the 8th century AD -- mostly because urban merchants (who previously supported Buddhist monks) converted to Islam for various reasons; whereas the more-Hindu farmers were relatively unaffected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-02-11T13:45:18.147" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3341" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3360" CreationDate="2014-09-08T21:15:32.323" Score="3" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Catholicism/Christianity had the dark ages and the inquisition in which 'heretics' were prosecuted with violence.  One could claim that Islam is currently in a period of high violence.  Did Buddhism ever go through such a period?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastActivityDate="2018-07-23T21:04:22.667" Title="Did Buddhism ever go through a period of relatively high violence?" Tags="|history|non-violence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3338" CreationDate="2014-09-08T22:06:08.597" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the invasions of India cannot be a sufficient reason for the decline of Buddhism. Much more is needed to destroy a religion than the destruction of holy sites (think about the followers!). Apart from that, Hinduism must have been at least as offensive to the piety of Muslim invaders - if not more offensive for obvious polytheistic idolatry - than Buddhism must have been, while Hinduism was not at all destroyed in India by the invaders. Moreover, the conquest of the south of the subcontinent could not happen before the fall of the religiously tolerant Vijayanagara Empire in the 17th century. I think the shortcomings of a monocausal theory of Muslim invaders destroying has been sufficiently shown.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a time stretching from shortly after the Buddhas Nirvana to at the very least the beginning of the Common Era, Buddhism had been the most vigorous social, intellectual and religious movement of India (referring here to the Indian civilization, not to a state-entity). This flourishing opened out into a long decline paired with a &quot;renaissance&quot; of Hinduism (or rather: establishment of Hinduism) and Sanskrit learning paired with an increasingly powerful position of Brahmins in the political architecture of the Indian states. The reasons for this are rather complicated, you can get a not too much in-depth glance of them here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;while if you want to know more in depth, check the sources given there or (maybe) any other academic source on history of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="16" LastEditorUserId="16" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T18:07:36.593" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T18:07:36.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3341" CreationDate="2014-09-08T22:09:26.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, Buddhists countries have had violent periods just as everyone else has, but I can't really think of any major violence committed by Buddhists with a religious motivation, at least not on a large scale. In China there was a rebellion called the Red Turban Rebellion that was caused by a strange breakaway Buddhist group called the White Lotus sect and they managed to overthrow the Yuan dynasty, and one of their military leaders took the throne as the Hongwu emperor. I don't know whether or not their rebellion was motivated by religion or just opportunism though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-08T22:09:26.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:03:49.003" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not an easy question because in one sense the Buddha can never be a man or a woman, because the Buddha is not a physical object. Yet every man and woman is within its core the essence of the Buddha nature.&#xA;The mask we wear is our human identity. What is behind the mask, meditation gives us glimpses of, yet who we really are is always a mystery or uncertain.&#xA;If you are asking can a woman realize the Buddha nature in this lifetime, perhaps we should look at all the nuns that Shakyamuni Buddha initiated. He did not discriminate but freely invited all to drink the wisdom of wonder. &#xA;Sometimes the questions are only answered in the depths of our own meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:03:49.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3327" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:07:33.087" Score="6" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Counting breaths on phalanges (with thumb) - up to 12*12=144.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Tonglen&quot;: breathing in all the suffering of the world, breathing out happiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gladdening one's mind through &quot;noble&quot; posture and facial expression.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Zen-style. Just sitting, no matter what happens. &quot;Don't go with the thoughts, don't go against the thoughts&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy. Identify blobs of emotional energy on and around body and dismiss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Minimizing the amplitude. Watch the diaphragm when breath reverses direction and keep reducing the tension/effort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bowing meditation (aka half-prostration).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bamboo meditation. Stand up with eyes closed and slowly rock back and forth while focusing on the centers of the feet.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dahnmu (energy dance). Stand up with eyes closed and move freely as your body wants expressing yourself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T00:35:13.900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:35:13.900" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3327" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:15:51.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple breathing is recommended by Thich Nhat Hanh. &#xA;I am inhaling, one,&#xA;I am exhaling one,&#xA;Repeat for each number up to ten. If get off count go to one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a simplicity to that that does not invoke mental activity and allows one to go to the counting and breathing when thoughts are faced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Picturing being in the presence of the Buddha and your teacher and all sentient beings can help dedicate your meditation to benefiting all sentient beings and expand beyond the self-centered aspiration for awakening for eliminating one's own suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:15:51.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3348" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3380" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:16:46.673" Score="4" ViewCount="1241" Body="&lt;p&gt;i recently went to a meeting with some bhikkhus, and they served the monks a small dish with butter slices and little chocolate squares... i think it was dark chocolate if that matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So anyway, i was suprised to see it and was wondering other views on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the underlying point to the question... i am obviously looking for loop holes for a snack-ish type thing before bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:18:28.313" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T19:18:28.313" Title="is chocolate an allowable after noon?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3349" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3381" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:29:07.250" Score="3" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I were to have, lets say, a V8 after noon, and it was not cooked... but was pasteurized (heated at a high temp which is considered by the food industry to not be a temperature sufficient to cause it to actually cook... like just under the boiling point)... would this be in keeping with the 6th precept as a daily practice. Like during 7pm tea for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am obviously running under the notion that raw pulp-free vegetable or fruit juice is 100% allowable which was told to me by a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="690" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T06:20:47.603" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T13:49:04.777" Title="Does pasteurization count as cooking in prep of juices for after noon?" Tags="|food|precept|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3338" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:33:43.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every inspired leader lives spontaneously in their life and instills a fresh experience of awakening to any who are ready to be broken open so to speak to this moment.&#xA;What happens after they are gone, too often, is a division into antagonistic camps. This can squash the original innocence of awakening.&#xA;When Bodhidharma brought the buddhist awakening to China it found a fresh environment ready for catching on and flourished.&#xA;Dogen brought the dharma to Japan but was rebuffed initially and lived far away in the mountains until the hungry dharma seekers came to him.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TinmRC2BS00&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TinmRC2BS00&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;The history of Dogen is a fascinating 2 hour long movie not about him but acted out as he and his followers are believed to have lived.&#xA;What really determines where an idea is stopped is where it crashes into the power grid of its day.&#xA;And then sometimes it transmutes again. Is that we are now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:33:43.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3274" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:34:29.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Fifth Method of Dependent Origination, there are five causes and five results.  The five results are the five khandas.&#xA;The five causes are ignorance, craving, clinging, formations, kamma force.&#xA;This is listed in the Vissudhimagga.  Path Of Purification (2011 PDF, p601)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are broken up into two consciousness wholesome and unwholesome for humans who are lucky to have a wholesome factor in their near death moment of the immediate past life.  Humans always have wholesome kamma force and sankhara (formations)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unwholesome is the craving consciousness.  It includes the ignorance mental factor which is part of craving.  Clinging is repeated craving.  So all three are nearly the same type of unwholesome mind.&#xA;Got that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wholesome with unwholesome do not mix together, but the unwholesome mind can &quot;surround&quot; the wholesome mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you did something good in a past life, like something of generosity, you wished to do something (that requires a body) or you wished to become someone (ignorantly).  So someone who is male previously wished for becoming male.  Someone who is female previously wished to be female.  Whether or not one has enough kamma to get that wish is another story.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like a raffle ticket.  Buy more raffle tickets and you have better odds.  Do something once that is really big and many raffle tickets get put into the pot.  Habitual kamma is a good way to get that wish.  Heavy kamma like what Bill Gates did, will also help.  (His is both because of his continued involvement, but he may wish other things).  Bill Gates probably did something similar in a past life and kept wishing to help other people (to do that with a male body).  Then the opportunities (supporting kamma) from other kammas helped support that wish.  Read &quot;Outliers&quot; and you will see it was not chance for him to become so rich.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often people switch sexes and species, but I imagine that most people wish with the same sex perception because they do not imagine otherwise.  I suspect most sex changes happen via the animal realm.  For instance, a dog may want the conditions to have food and whoever feeds him may be the gender resultant next life gender.  There are of course humans who wish for sex changes and even do so even in their current life too!   So it does happen as humans for future births as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a wheel publication by Venerable Nyantiloka called &quot;Fundamental Themes&quot;.  It is not easy to read, but it is correct.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;The Workings of Kamma&quot; by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw explains this too.&#xA;There is a chapter on kamma in Ven. Narada's book..  &quot;The Buddha and His Teachings&quot;. I think a pamphlet was made from that chapter too.  This is a great book for newbies.&#xA;You might be able to find a meditation manual on dependent origination by Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw.  It is called &quot;The Fifth Method&quot;. It is not readable for the average person.  However the first section might be interesting.  It is posted it to my website..unlisted.  The rest should be easy to find for free.&#xA;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will be hopefully writing a readable version of the fifth method in my Abhidhamma Lessons located at &lt;a href=&quot;http://Subhuti.net.tf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://Subhuti.net.tf&lt;/a&gt; .  It is planned for Lesson #9 and cumulative knowledge is assumed from lesson #1 onward.  I am currently writing lesson #8 on mental factors.  My guess is that it will be released sometime in November.  I announce new lessons via gplus or Facebook.  I will try to remember to update this entry when/if it gets finished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:34:29.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3058" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:47:49.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reminded of the saying:&#xA;&quot;Those who know, say not. Those who say, know not.&quot;&#xA;If I say &quot;I am this&quot; or people say &quot;He is this&quot; then I am further bound into the snare of identifying with the human experience.&#xA;If you are aware of your breath and you are in awe of a sunrise, what is to say that you have not awakened in this moment...even if in the next moment there are worries and concerns crowding in?&#xA;That is why the Mahayana school emphasizes seeking the enlightenment or reducing suffering of all so that the yoke of self seeking diminishes.&#xA;As Roshi Shunryu Suzuki says about the practice of meditation, we are both mahayana and hinayana.&#xA;This strikes a chord within me. We seek enlightenment but to whatever degree we experience we dedicate it to the benefit of all sentient beings. Thus we are not trying to attain a goal to go somewhere we are not, but glide on this river of peace effortlessly moving on the river of being back to where we have always been. This feels like a big burden off the shoulders. It does not condone laziness, but the meditation extends beyond sitting and the sitting is something one would not give up for something in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:47:49.457" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2637" CreationDate="2014-09-09T00:56:05.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many schools and teachers in Buddhism. They all contribute to the growing dispersement of Buddhist teaching. The past is full of references to the Buddhas of the past like Shakyamuni Buddha, his closest students, Bodhidharma, Dogen, and all the Buddhist teachers that have come to the west in the last 75 years.&#xA;How can we know what tomorrow's flowers will look like and what scent they will carry when they are only seedlings popping out of rocky soil? Just don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T00:56:05.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2888" CreationDate="2014-09-09T01:19:59.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The method of meditation is &lt;em&gt;learning through play&lt;/em&gt;. You study your mind by trying to make it do things. As you study the mind, you study various aspects of how it generates &quot;reality&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you are drowsy, by trying various mental tricks that might keep you awake, you can learn something about your mind. (I'm not suggesting staying up as a serious practice, just using it as a simplest example.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people erroneously take the goal of meditation to be a state of non-distraction (from the object of meditation, e.g. breath), or even a state of open awareness -- which is pretty cool, but not the goal. The goal is to exhaust samsara. In order to exhaust samsara you must exhaust ego. In order to exhaust ego you must explore all corners where Enlightenment might hide, until you know you couldn't have possibly missed it. Then &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; finds you :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T01:19:59.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3356" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3358" CreationDate="2014-09-09T02:23:55.960" Score="11" ViewCount="10226" Body="&lt;p&gt;How much is the minimal time for practicing Vipassana in daily life for achieving better mindfulness? Is 30 minutes enough?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask this question because I currently have some trouble being mindful, and (I think) it has become the source of many problems. If 30 minutes is not enough, perhaps you can give some suggestion based on your experience or the suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:27:14.713" LastActivityDate="2020-07-26T16:05:09.077" Title="How much is the minimal time for practicing Vipassana in daily life for achieving better mindfulness?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3348" CreationDate="2014-09-09T03:05:58.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For monks it is permissible to have &lt;a href=&quot;https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/dhammamedicine/PmCrk3bO7qA/CwJ_-zuFYREJ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chathu Madura&lt;/a&gt; after noon. I am not sure if the chocolate counts. The correct way to prepare it is in the attachment in the discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May be what you saw as Chocolate would have been &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaggery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jaggery&lt;/a&gt;. Depending on the type it might have a chocolate like appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any way if you meditate intensively looking at the hunger sensation or food craving it will pass away without the need to eat later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T06:24:05.067" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T06:24:05.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2014-09-09T03:16:35.847" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening / night is recommended by Goenka in his teaching. I think this would be a reasonable amount of time to get results though you will occasionally have to complement this with a retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your target is maintaining mindfulness throughout the day, and hence practice 24/7, not only when you are siting on a cushion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:50:25.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2954" CreationDate="2014-09-09T03:18:30.163" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see the original question as been modified when I went online again.  The original question included &quot;hinting/asking&quot;&#xA;I have included this under wrong livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to know who is a good monk is a little more difficult to know than who is a bad monk.  People will judge differently on what factors makes one a good monk.  We can start with morality according to the monks rules which he has an obligation to follow. There are a few easy signs that one is a bad monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he goes out into the village, if he has one shoulder exposed, this is a very clear sign that he breaks most of the rules.  If he has both shoulders covered, that means he follows this rule, but maybe not others.  This is just a quick way to throw out the majority of monks into the bad monk pile.  Unfortunately, most monks in Myanmar break this rule and that also means that most monks break most of the rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks need to follow all of the rules 227 rules and also the rules in the Culavagga and Mahavagga.  Likewise, they need to follow according to the commentaries as well in most cases.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Most Western Bhikkhus do not like the commentaries.  That is where &quot;interpretations&quot; can come.&#xA;Most of the information below, is from the BMC The Buddhist Monastic Code&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary:&#xA;A Bhikkhu cannot use money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bhikkhu cannot point out a kappiya without someone asking, &quot;Who is you kappiya?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bhikkhu cannot accept envelopes presumably with money inside.  It is an asannya offence (in the root text).   Which means, no perception is necessary for it to be unallowable.  That means the monks should not be intentionally ignorant.  The BMC debates and allows the modern use of &quot;checks.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bhikkhu cannot ask for things from &quot;Just anyone&quot;. He needs an invitation from a non-family member ( blood relation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bhikkhu cannot hint to &quot;Just anyone&quot; (as above)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bhikkhu cannot do the above for another bhikkhu(s) either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The BMC says checks are not money but a &quot;promise to pay.&quot;  Sri Lanka and Myanmar Vinaya traditions call this money.  Money is defined as anything accepted as used in trade.  A US dollar is a mere bank note too.  Google &quot;A Life Free From Money pdf&quot;&#xA;The same as above is judged with signing checks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu can ask for a bowl from anyone if it is broken or stolen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu can ask for a single robe from anyone if he is left with only one (of three).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu can go for alms in the evening for &quot;extra items,&quot; usually medicine or oil for light. The donors will offer food and he will refuse.  Then the person may ask, &quot;what do you need?&quot; Then he can say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay people or committees can ask &quot;just anyone&quot; for things or money, etc. for monks if it is their own idea.   This might be what you are seeing on brochures and websites, etc. &#xA;A Bhikkhu cannot ask his helper, committee etc,  to ask others for money for himself.&#xA;A bhikkhu must be invited by a committee or kappiya before he asks them for things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above list is followed correctly unfortunately by a small minority of monks, known as vinaya monks, or forest monks.  Often the other (majority) monks do not know what proper behavior is.  They may memorize the rules, but do not think it is something to be practiced since corruption is so wide spread.  One of my monastic friends told me he cried when he found out that he was never supposed to touch money.   A monk may purify himself at any time.&#xA;Often, they just do not know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditions often have interpretations which makes items seem &quot;allowable.&quot;. Sometimes this is allowed and sometimes one can just be fooling oneself.  In the end it is up to them.  Often bhikkhus do not reflect or question questionable practices in a tradition because of the wide spread use.  Money and medicines are often such topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, strive with heedfulness.  Rare is it that Buddhas arise in the&#xA;  world.  Rare is it that [one] it that [one] obtains a human [birth]. &#xA;  Rare is it to have the good fortune of [being in the right] time [and&#xA;  place].  Rare is it [that one has the opportunity] to take the Going&#xA;  forth.  Rare is it [that one has the opportunity] to listen to the&#xA;  True Dhamma.  Rare is it [that one has the opportunity] to associate&#xA;  with good people.&quot; (c.f. D.32.33 &amp;amp; A.8:29)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BMC I, 2009 ed. pdf&#xA;Monks must also practice right livelihood according to not doing things from the list below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wrong Livelihood The Cullavagga, in a section that begins with the&#xA;  same origin story as the one for this rule (Cv.I.13-16), treats the&#xA;  banishment transaction in full detail, saying that a Community of&#xA;  bhikkhus, if it sees fit, has the authority to perform a banishment&#xA;  transaction against a bhikkhu with any of the following qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) He is a maker of strife, disputes, quarrels, and issues in the&#xA;  Community. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) He is inexperienced, incompetent, and indiscriminately full of&#xA;  offenses (§).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) He lives in unbecoming association with householders. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) He is corrupt in his precepts, corrupt in his conduct, or corrupt&#xA;  in his views.   5) He speaks in dispraise of the Buddha, Dhamma, or&#xA;  Saṅgha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) He is frivolous in word, deed, or both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) He misbehaves in word, deed, or both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;8) He is vindictive in word, deed, or both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;9) He practices wrong modes of livelihood.  This last category&#xA;  includes such practices as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a) running messages and errands for kings, ministers of state,&#xA;  householders, etc. A modern example would be participating in&#xA;  political campaigns. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;b) scheming, talking, hinting, belittling others for the sake of&#xA;  material gain, pursuing gain with gain (giving items of small value in&#xA;  hopes of receiving items of larger value in return, making investments&#xA;  in hopes of profit, offering material incentives to those who make&#xA;  donations). (For a full discussion of these practices, see&#xA;  Visuddhimagga I.61-82.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;c) Practicing worldly arts, e.g., medicine, fortune telling,&#xA;  astrology, exorcism, reciting charms, casting spells, performing&#xA;  ceremonies to counteract the influence of the stars, determining&#xA;  propitious sites, setting auspicious dates (for weddings, etc.),&#xA;  interpreting oracles, auguries, or dreams, or — in the words of the&#xA;  Vibhaṅga to the Bhikkhunīs' Pc 49 &amp;amp; 50 — engaging in any art that is&#xA;  &quot;external and unconnected with the goal.&quot; The Cullavagga (V.33.2)&#xA;  imposes a dukkaṭa on studying and teaching worldly arts or hedonist&#xA;  doctrines (lokāyata). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For extensive lists of worldly arts, see the passage from DN 2 quoted&#xA;  in BMC2, Chapter 10.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BMC I Lists wrong livelihood extensively starting on page 518 PDF ed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Medicines&quot;&#xA;There are some things in the BMC which I think are very misleading, especially concerning, &quot;medicines&quot; and how &quot;Any Reason&quot; is defined (p232).  I could not find any pāli evidence that mentions &quot;hunger and fatigue&quot; as a valid medical reason.  I could be wrong, but I asked a couple of knowledgeable monks to verify this and they also agreed with my findings.  This would exclude many things which are considered medicines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will not cover further with lists of the &quot;medicines.&quot;  Only that there should be a valid reason for taking them and justifying their use after Noon.&#xA;The reflection and criteria are below.  It is in every monastery chanting book and should be chanted every day.  (Nauyana chanting book source)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Medicine Reflection&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever requisite of medicine for treating illness has been used by&#xA;  me today without reflection was only to ward off painful feelings that&#xA;  have arisen, [and] for the  maximum freedom from disease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastEditorUserId="736" LastEditDate="2019-08-06T20:53:30.947" LastActivityDate="2019-08-06T20:53:30.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3341" CreationDate="2014-09-09T03:53:17.230" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism experience some very harsh periods. E.g. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda#Decline_and_end&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The destruction of Nalanda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Decline of Buddhism in India due to many factors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_Magha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalinga Magha's&lt;/a&gt; invasion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Buddhists&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Persecution of Buddhists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism would have gone through some violent times in the Malay Peninsula also as it was predominantly Buddhist before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following may also be interesting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2013/05/24/may-24-2013-decline-of-buddhism-in-thailand/18432/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Decline of Buddhism in Thailand&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/world_today/current_sit_buddhism_world.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism in the World Today&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-07-23T21:04:22.667" LastActivityDate="2018-07-23T21:04:22.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3361" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3375" CreationDate="2014-09-09T03:57:17.433" Score="28" ViewCount="51343" Body="&lt;p&gt;It happens at about 20 minutes every time lately... either in half lotus (a traditional position that I would like to honor), or with one leg laying in front of the other, or Indian style... doesn't matter, my left leg goes numb. Sitting up in a chair doesn't seem conducive to a meditative state, and laying down I just fall asleep. I'd really like to do some intensive and very long blocks of meditation (advice on this would be appreciated also) but I'm not sure how to approach this severe distraction and get past it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditDate="2022-10-24T18:03:33.057" LastActivityDate="2022-10-27T04:10:05.943" Title="Any advice on leg numbing during sitting?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2014-09-09T04:12:47.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the numbing becomes intense. Keep looking at the intense pain (dividing and dissecting) for a while also keeping you mind intensely on your breath and the sensations &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;below your nose and above your upper lip&lt;/a&gt; (philtrum) or columella or subnasal or nasal base or nasal tip. Philtrum is the most recommended as per experience. (Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/publications/WebuSayadawDiscourses.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Keep You Mind on the Spot&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webu_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Webu Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;) This stirs up energy which can help dissolve the pain faster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some traditions do not advice to stay in one place for long time but nevertheless if it is unbearable the best way for it to pass fast is to keep your attention at it for longer until the pain dissolves away. Keep in mind that trying to dissolve it away may make subtle attachment / aversion to the pain. Be mindful of this. Also you might create new conditioning / fabrication in the process which will delay your progress. In may be the reason why it is not advisable. You have to within the possibility of creating new conditioning with the set back due to having to move and loose concentration in this case. Since you cannot objectively measure either you should do it only for intense paints which you cannot beare. Also try to develop equanimity towards the pain in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some related answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T15:32:01.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2014-09-09T04:58:20.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short answer&lt;/strong&gt;: try a seiza bench.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long answer&lt;/strong&gt;: I have tried many approaches myself. I used to practice zazen long time ago, pushing my body to be able to sit properly -- lotus position was no less than a dream. It was very unpleasant, often painful (It is frustrating to realize that, in a way, I didn't actually do much zazen at all during these years, struggling as I was with my body).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yeas later I started studying the suttas and it became &lt;em&gt;much&lt;/em&gt; easier to learn how to evaluate approaches, build some sense of what was important to preserve and what was worth exploring. One &quot;A-ha&quot; moment was learning about hindrances and realizing it is asking too much to want to overcome them (or nurture concentration to investigate them) while at the same time practicing in a way that makes them deliberately stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, I also became thirsty for long periods of meditation.  I kept trying using different supports to sit with legs crossed, but nothing helped: I faced numbness at 20min, too. I heard eating banana was suppose to help, but in any case, at 45-60 min, my back was in pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I tried a few times laying down -- not easy. At some point I meditated for a month in a chair. There was some effort in parts of my legs to keep my body stable, but these were very focused and not as intense as cross legged. I could sit for 1h before starting to feel tired. However, the experience was pleasant, and I wasn't exhausted as I used to be cross legged, which means I could do many 1h sessions in a single day, with small intervals. This is when I had major progress for the first time in years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But still I wasn't satisfied: after a while, the small tensions in my leg became an impediment, and I wanted to be able to explore longer &quot;blocks&quot; of sessions. Then, I remembered the seiza benches in a sesshin I participated, got myself one, and became extremely grateful for the existence of such thing. No numbdness, no pain, no great discomfort. Just work to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-12-27T05:34:20.657" LastActivityDate="2014-12-27T05:34:20.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3364" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3395" CreationDate="2014-09-09T09:29:33.900" Score="4" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;Out of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 recollections&lt;/a&gt; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;40 Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; how is upasamānussati practiced to the level of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:57:17.537" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T16:57:17.537" Title="How is Recollection of peace (upasamānussati) practiced?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3365" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3367" CreationDate="2014-09-09T09:36:37.760" Score="2" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sampajañña&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma vicaya&lt;/a&gt; have an overlap. What is the relationship between the two? What is the differences? Is Sampajañña a result of dhamma vicaya? Do you need Sampajañña for dhamma vicaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:22:32.520" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:22:32.520" Title="Is Sampajañña and Dhamma vicaya related?" Tags="|vipassana|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-09T09:50:13.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the Buddha is considered the first Arahant (Arahath) in this Buddha Kalpa era. The difference is that a Buddha (Sammā Sambuddha is the more accurate term) achieves enlightenment without anyone's teaching, and the term Sammā Sambuddha means he can teach his findings to others. There are three ways to become an Arahant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sammā Sambuddha (The Buddha) - One who attains Nibbāna (Nirvana) by himself but can also show the path of Nibbāna to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Paccekabuddha (Paccēka Buddha) - One who attains Nibbāna (Nirvana) by himself without anyone else's teaching. However, he cannot teach the path to Nirvana to others. It's like someone mute having a dream; he cannot share what he saw with others. Only he knows what he experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāvaka Buddha (Arahant) - Yes, an Arahant is also called a Buddha. The term means he attained Nibbāna (Nirvana) by hearing the path of Nibbāna from the Sammā Sambuddha Sasana (Sammā Sambuddha or one of his followers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="813" LastEditorUserId="813" LastEditDate="2024-02-28T04:14:30.410" LastActivityDate="2024-02-28T04:14:30.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3365" CreationDate="2014-09-09T10:19:38.270" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the stock passage defining Sama-Sati, right mindfulness, sampajanna is mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains&#xA;  focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, &lt;strong&gt;alert&lt;/strong&gt;, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains&#xA;  focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of itself...&#xA;  mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. This is&#xA;  called right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Katamā cāvuso sammāsati: idhāvuso bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati&#xA;  ātāpī &lt;strong&gt;sampajāno&lt;/strong&gt; satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. Vedanāsu&#xA;  vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā&#xA;  domanassaṃ. Citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya&#xA;  loke abhijjhā domanassaṃ. Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī&#xA;  sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā domanassaṃ. Ayaṃ vuccatāvuso&#xA;  sammāsati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus a person who possesses right mindfulness also has Sampajanna. Dhamma Vicaya however, is not so closely related to mindfulness. Dhamma Vicaya is a result of mindfulness, not a part of it. Mindfulness is the first of the seven factors of enlightenment and Dhamma Vicaya is the second, and in the Anapanasati Sutta they are presented in sequence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of&#xA;  itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress&#xA;  with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is&#xA;  steady &amp;amp; without lapse. When his mindfulness is steady &amp;amp; without&#xA;  lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He&#xA;  develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its&#xA;  development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, &amp;amp; comes to&#xA;  a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains&#xA;  mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, &amp;amp; coming to a comprehension&#xA;  of that quality with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a&#xA;  factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it&#xA;  goes to the culmination of its development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T10:19:38.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3368" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-09T10:25:19.877" Score="8" ViewCount="2303" Body="&lt;p&gt;All the answers to the question about the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3058/are-there-any-living-enlightened-people/3352&quot;&gt;living enlightened people&lt;/a&gt; suggest that talking about one's enlightenment is taboo, so if somebody claims to be enlightened, he probably is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why doesn't this reasoning apply to the Buddha? After all, he claimed himself to be englightened (for example, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.harv.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2019-11-30T15:15:43.347" Title="Why do Buddhists believe that the Buddha was enlightened, despite that he claimed it himself?" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2014-09-09T10:29:55.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people may believe so to warring degrees of confidence, but this confidence only becomes unshakable at stream entry. When practicing the Dhamma you start seeing the milestones in the journey your confidence in reinforced and at stream entry it becomes unshakable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddha has shown the path to Nirvana and when you follow it you get there then you can be sure that the person knows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T11:11:31.007" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T11:11:31.007" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3370" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3382" CreationDate="2014-09-09T11:03:38.300" Score="8" ViewCount="1106" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some traditions commentaries are inherent in the daily sermons and books written by monks. But I've noticed that most of the commentaries are not available digitally in English compared to the Suttas and most people don't use commentaries as reference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they not so important or what is the view on commentaries? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T16:40:38.767" Title="What is the significance of Commentaries (Atthakatha) to the Suttas?" Tags="|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3370" CreationDate="2014-09-09T11:09:07.937" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Commentaries are just further explanation of meaning and details of the Suttas. Each explanation is subdivided into more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. If I ask you to come here. This can be the instruction in the Sutta. The commentaries will go on saying if you are facing another direction to 1st turn towards me, then start taking steps towards me, then when you are at a reasonable distance stop. The reason I might have called you and in which situation I would have called out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can understand and follow the Suttas you need not rely in the commentaries. May find it difficult though. Sometimes certain aspects are explained elsewhere in other Suttas. So doing so might require a scholarly understanding of all related material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should take commentaries with a pinch of salt as there can be errors, omissions and miss interpretations like with any other publication / book. Otherwise they can be useful to get and idea of the social customs, background or event leading to the preaching. Also they consolidate from other areas in the Tripitaka too in some cases which can be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing something the final litmus test is to compare with the insight you get at the experiential level. This would help find any inconsistencies. Also some of the later commentaries have correction mentioned about the previous ones. This can be also put to the same test. The errors are very minor though they can be a stumbling block, if you hold on to the belief too strongly. Hence they should be used for additional guidance and information but again being diligent about what you pickup from the source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T16:34:51.193" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T16:34:51.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2014-09-09T11:29:50.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The taboo of talking about or claiming ones own enlightenment is something which has been established by the monastic order. &#xA;Talking about ones own attainments to lay-people or even non-buddhist is considered not done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only monastic rules I could find that resembles such a rule is these two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu who pretends to have experienced jhāna attainments or the&#xA;  ariyā state without having experienced these, commits the pārājika 4.&#xA;  However, if the person whom the bhikkhu is addressing does not know&#xA;  the meaning of these words, he commits a thullaccaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/other_faults.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/other_faults.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not to announce to a layman a realisation that has been achieved. If a&#xA;  bhikkhu announces to a layman or to a sāmaṇera, a realisation&#xA;  partaking with a jhāna nature or with a stage of ariyā, and this&#xA;  realisation has genuinely been achieved, he commits a pācittiya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the other hand, a bhikkhu who makes such a declaration, while&#xA;  knowing it to be false, commits the pārājika 4. A bhikkhu must avoid&#xA;  making his attainments known, even to other bhikkhus. Apart from four&#xA;  exceptions when they can do so, ariyās never unveil their&#xA;  realisations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Under a violent threat.&#xA;Undergoing an oppressive and virulent lack of respect.&#xA;A t the time of passing away.&#xA;To reveal it to his preceptor or to a fellow bhikkhu who does a similar practice.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227/92pa.htm#ch-----8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227/92pa.htm#ch-----8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rule only applies if one lies about attaining such, or isn't aware about what he is in fact claiming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second rule only applies when spoken to lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the Buddhist text and stories the disciples of the Buddha also speak freely about their attainments, powers and even if they have achieved enlightenment.&#xA;The other monks only seemed to protest if they didn't believe the claimant and asked the Buddha to verify, which in most cases he did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the rule that one must never speak of ones own attainments or claim enlightenment seems to be later added and unwritten.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T11:46:05.570" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T11:46:05.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3370" CreationDate="2014-09-09T11:34:35.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Commentaries are very useful when interpreting the Suttas in the Tipitaka. They provide background stories and additional details. It is wrong to assume that when they wrote down the Tipitaka, they included everything the Buddha had preached. The major commentaries were based on earlier ones, which were written down at the same time as the Tipitaka. But even the ones written later shouldn't be treated lightly purely on that basis. It's a bad practice to degrade the commentaries on a whim without solid evidence. But if you have a different opinion on a topic, it is ok to say &quot;this is what the commentary says, but this is what I think&quot;. Then it becomes your own commentary. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T11:44:36.080" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T11:44:36.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2014-09-09T12:31:38.390" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I said &quot;bragging of one's achievements is bad tone&quot; and you turned it into &quot;talking about one's enlightenment is taboo&quot; :) It is very easy to fall into extremes, isn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If somebody claims to be enlightened, he probably is not&quot; -- here is a simple explanation. Among other things Enlightenment involves shedding the mistaken identification with the illusory &quot;I&quot;. So once Enlightenment has been revealed, it seems rather silly to say &quot;I am Enlightened&quot; -- because this &quot;I&quot; is a fiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus, Enlightenment is self-existing, it does not depend on being attained or not. The metaphor for this is sun above the clouds. Once you remove the clouds, you can see the sun, but the sun is always there, before and after. This is another reason why saying &quot;I have attained Enlightenment&quot; is silly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism says that confusion has to be dispelled and that there should&#xA;  be realization beyond confusion. It is based on the idea of&#xA;  transcending the highest ideals of the human mind completely, which is&#xA;  called enlightenment. Once you dissolve, once your particular&#xA;  expectations dissolve, that is liberation or enlightenment. Since&#xA;  enlightenment is based on dissolving the ego and its expectations, it&#xA;  has been said that you cannot watch your own burial, and you cannot&#xA;  congratulate yourself on becoming the first buddha of the age or the&#xA;  first buddha of New York.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha claimed Enlightenment solely in order to help his students gain confidence in his teaching. He knew very well the extent to which the statement &quot;I am Enlightened Buddha&quot; can be true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then why don't &lt;em&gt;modern&lt;/em&gt; teachers claim Enlightenment to help &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; students gain confidence? As I explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2813/43&quot;&gt;Is Satori the same as Enlightenment?&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3074/43&quot;&gt;Enlightenment vs nibbana/nirvana&lt;/a&gt;, most people achieve &quot;sudden insight / gradual cultivation&quot;. With gradual cultivation, you can never claim 100% Enlightenment, because in this case Enlightenment is asymptotic. All we can definitely claim is the insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T13:00:57.510" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2014-09-09T13:46:55.963" Score="25" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel your pain!  That was a huge problem for me for years!  There is a cure, thankfully.  There is some trial and error involved, but if you persist, you'll figure it out.  First, some background.  What you are experiencing usually has to do with how your butt is making contact with the cushion.  There is a big nerve center in either of your two butt cheeks.  They are located just slightly below where the bone pokes out.  When you press on that place for long periods of time, it causes the &quot;pins and needles&quot; feeling.  In fact, your entire leg will usually go numb first - the tingly feeling is the nerve &quot;waking&quot; back up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of ways to overcome this problem.  The take away from any of these methods is that you want to take pressure off that area:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One way people do it is by using a higher cushion.  The idea here is that if you are off the ground a bit more, you are less likely to sink back and onto that nerve center.  You also create a natural incline with your legs.  Your thighs slope up to meet your hips.  Of course, while this will help relieve the nerve pressure in your butt, it will also eventually result in knee pain as your legs are taking more of your weight.  I tried this for a while by stacking two cushions sort of like this  -&gt;  o\  (if that graphic makes any sense).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another way is to lean back a bit.  Actually, you should be doing this anyway (it helps eliminate back pain as you are less likely to lean forward).  Leaning back helps shift the weight more onto your coccyx.  You are going to feel a little weird at first - almost like you are falling backwards.  I think this is because there is a tendency for your chin to raise.  Just make sure you are keeping your neck straight.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The method that worked for me had to do with how I was setting up on the cushion.  A lot of people plop down right in the middle of the zafu.  This is a &lt;b&gt;bad&lt;/b&gt; idea.  You are throwing all of your weight down right on those nerves.  Personally, I set up right at the very edge of the zafu with just my coccyx coming down on the cushion.  Those bothersome nerve centers don't even make contact with the cushion at all.  I also incorporate points 1 &amp;amp; 2.  My cushion is a little higher (maybe about five inches) and I do lean back just a bit to keep my weight coming straight down into the cushion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps!  I know how annoying it can be!!!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T13:46:55.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3306" CreationDate="2014-09-09T14:56:13.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding based on the teachings I have read is that an Arhant is one who walks the path in order to seek enlightenment for their self and does not attempt to help others to do this. Buddha was not the only one to achieve enlightenment but he was unique in the sense that he spent his life showing others the way to enlightenment so that all of us, even now may benefit from his teachings. I think he was the one who encouraged people to become Buddhas by way of the Bodhisattva path rather than the Arhant path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="839" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T14:56:13.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3377" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3490" CreationDate="2014-09-09T15:31:58.243" Score="4" ViewCount="839" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have sometimes heard that Siddhartha Gautama's philosophy was influenced by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C4%81rv%C4%81ka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cārvāka&lt;/a&gt; system of philosophy. Is this true, and if true, to what extent has Cārvāka system influenced Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="840" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T09:05:08.753" Title="What kind of influence did Cārvāka had on Buddha's philosophy" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3377" CreationDate="2014-09-09T15:59:14.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha claims that what he is about to teach is previously unheard of. Hence I double that there were any material influences on the core of Buddhism though he did draw from existing customs and techniques which were appropriate. E.g. Sila, some of the Samatha meditation techniques, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The core being the teaching like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhipakkhiyādhammā&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Nobel Truths&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt;, etc. which are original to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha rejected &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;62 wrong view&lt;/a&gt; of his time. Ucchedavada proposed by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajita_Kesakambali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajita Kesakambali&lt;/a&gt;, one of the earliest &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C4%81rv%C4%81ka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cārvāka&lt;/a&gt; thinkers, was also rejected by Buddha among other. These views arise due to theorising and philosophising without going to the pinnacle of understanding or realisation of the ultimate truth. Hence there cannot be any perceivable influence from this doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T11:13:32.070" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T11:13:32.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3348" CreationDate="2014-09-09T16:24:51.543" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cocoa is a powder made from the seed from the cocoa tree. Since seeds fall into the category of food, it would not be allowed outside of the morning hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chocolate also has narcotic properties, so could potentially be considered a medicine. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate#Health_effects&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt; it may reduce cholesterol and ease diarrhea symptoms, so for people suffering from either of those ailments, it could be used at any time and kept for life, provided that was the reason for use. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite surprising to hear that otherwise strict monks are using it as a refreshment in the evening; I think they consider the natural fatigue and perhaps even hunger in the evening to constitute &quot;sickness&quot; that chocolate &quot;cures&quot;. It is quite clear, however, that the Buddha allowed only fruit and vegetable juice for that purpose and using the oil found in much chocolate for this purpose is an abuse. Sugar might be okay, since it is technically dehydrated juice, but that is still a bit of a stretch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T16:24:51.543" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3349" CreationDate="2014-09-09T16:27:04.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Heating juice is allowed; cooking it is not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I allow reheating.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mv.VI.17.6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T16:27:04.620" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3370" CreationDate="2014-09-09T16:40:38.767" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, much of the commentarial literature is merely providing definitions and etymologies of words, so it only makes sense in the original pali. Besides this, it is so voluminous that any attempt at translating it would be a daunting task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, some of the more accessible and interesting commentaries have indeed been translated into English:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://readingfaithfully.org/book-sources/sutta-pitaka-e-books-epub-mobi-kindle/buddhist-legends-dhammapada-origin-stories-burlingame-kindle-ebook/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada commentaries&lt;/a&gt; (stories only, not verse explanations)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Jataka commentaries&lt;/a&gt; (and &lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bit-2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the introduction&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Commentary to Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel377.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Commentary to Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/PatisambhidamaggapathOfDiscrimination&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patisambhidamagga&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/pos/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Therigatha Commentary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure there are others, but this is a sample.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to their significance, in Theravada Buddhism, they are what defines the orthodoxy; any interpretation of the canonical texts that deviates significantly from the commentaries is considered to be outside of the fold of Theravada Buddhism. In a word, they are the agreed upon correct interpretation or explanation of the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And they have some funny stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T16:40:38.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2014-09-09T17:39:05.460" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Healthy and fit body does not need to be seen as an attachment. If a monk took the Bodhisattva Vow, all his activities will be done with the wish to benefit others. A healthy body is actually a very &lt;em&gt;useful tool&lt;/em&gt; if one wants to help other beings. During a long life free from illnesses one can do much more than during a short life with numerous visits to doctors and hospitals (which are usually costly). Precious human body is also a topic of various teachings (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://diamondway.org/usa/2tsechu_4thts.php&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;amp;id=583&amp;amp;chid=1264&quot;&gt;that&lt;/a&gt;) which invite us to realise how rare it is to obtain a well-functioning human body and how easy it is to lose it. With that in mind, maintaining a healthy body is a very wise thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism one of the main meditation practices involves doing physical  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_(Buddhism)&quot;&gt;prostrations&lt;/a&gt;. In Vajrayana traditions &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; practitioners - monks and lay ones - need to complete at least 100.000 prostrations as a part of preliminary practices. Some practitioners continue to do prostrations on daily basis and even Dalai Lama admitted that he indeed does them &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/biography/a-routine-day&quot;&gt;every day&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="104" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T17:39:05.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3384" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3416" CreationDate="2014-09-09T18:06:08.937" Score="11" ViewCount="523" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing meditation, reading and listening to Buddhist teachings and I undertake the five precepts for about year now. This is the first time that I actually ask a question about my practice. I meditate every morning and then during my daily activities I try to be mindful watching the physical and mental phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can be mindful quite well but as soon as I experience an unpleasant mental state such embarrassment or awkwardness fear and aversion come up and I feel kind of lost. It is like I forget what to do and I am not able to be mindful anymore. This happens even if I am well prepared to experience an unpleasant mental state. It happens when people are around and very fast too and even if I am not scared to experiencing them when they come up, it seems that I lose track and I forget everything. So what can I do in these situations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for my English. I hope that this make sense.&#xA;Thanks for your time, may all beings be happy and free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="844" LastEditorUserId="844" LastEditDate="2014-09-09T20:34:18.717" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T19:06:37.980" Title="Mindfulness in Everyday Activity" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2014-09-09T19:33:44.337" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama takes daily exercise, including walking on a treadmill if it's too wet to walk outside -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/biography/a-routine-day&quot;&gt;http://www.dalailama.com/biography/a-routine-day&lt;/a&gt;. It makes sense to me since given that this human life is very precious in that it gives us an opportunity for moving towards enlightenment, it follows that it's a good thing to keep the body alive for as long is reasonably possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yuttadhammo gives an interesting view on the whole exercise thing here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJifR6EGTb8&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJifR6EGTb8&lt;/a&gt;. He says that physical exercise &quot;doesn't play any part&quot;, certainly for an enlightened being although I think he was also referring to people who want to &lt;em&gt;become&lt;/em&gt; enlightened. But I think his overall point is one of &lt;em&gt;adequacy&lt;/em&gt;. He doesn't deny that it's useful to, for example, eat enough so as to be able to meditate, but his position appears to be that there is no point beyond that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T19:33:44.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3386" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3398" CreationDate="2014-09-09T20:44:43.630" Score="6" ViewCount="1530" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to Buddhism, and I have some trouble understanding some core aspects on meditation. Is Anapanasati considered Samatha or Vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:31:13.227" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:31:13.227" Title="Is Anapanasati considered Samatha?" Tags="|meditation-breath|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3384" CreationDate="2014-09-09T20:57:47.513" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, congratulations on your year of practice. Sometimes we overlook the most basic principles of our practice, as such I am referring to the first noble truth: there is suffering. Note that it is not stated, &quot;I suffer&quot;. By being stated this way it can be understood that suffering is not, &quot;yours&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;. As opposed to viewing these experiences as, &quot;I am embarrassed&quot; or &quot;I am feeling awkward&quot; reflect upon these moments as, &quot;there is embarrassment&quot; or &quot;there is fear&quot;. Know they are not yours but emotions that result from a particular experience. Also, bear in mind that as you reflect upon this experience you are being mindful and in the moment (meditating). Being mindful does not in itself guarantee happiness. Mindfulness combined with skillfulness will move you toward your goal. These principles are found in the Eightfold Noble path. Try noting your experience. Saying to yourself for example, &quot;fear&quot; or &quot;embarrassed&quot; as you would during formal or seated meditation, allowing for the physical response to dissipate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;To let go of suffering, we have to admit it into consciousness. But the admission in Buddhist meditation is not from a position of: &quot;I am suffering&quot; but rather, &quot;There is the presence of suffering&quot; because we are not trying to identify with the problem but simply acknowledge that there is one.&quot; - Ajahn Sumedho&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="688" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T20:57:47.513" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3386" CreationDate="2014-09-09T22:55:28.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on how it is practiced. According to the tradition of the commentaries(I think it comes from the commentary on the Kattavathu, the fith book of Abhidhamma but I'm not totally sure), the distinction between samatha and vipassana meditation lies in what the object of meditation is. In this model, meditation on an object of ultimate reality (that is to say, meditating on that which is experienced directly such as sensations, feelings, etc...) is considered vipassana, and meditating on an abscract concept that is more than just direct experience is samatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T22:55:28.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2908" CreationDate="2014-09-09T22:57:19.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book claims to compare&#xA;The Nettippakarana and Petakopadesa, compared - xiii. 6. Authorship and ... Glossary (Pali-English). 288 ... The book here translated—as it stands, it was perhaps composed ..... The only extra source available is the contents of the two books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;lirs.ru/lib/The_Guide,Nettippakarana,Nanamoli,1977.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a free resource. Hope that is of interest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T22:57:19.773" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2633" CreationDate="2014-09-09T23:12:31.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alan Watts appears to be a renaissance man that is not feeling constrained by any religion or philosophy. You can read general history and maybe get clues to who he was at&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;here is an excerpt&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a&#xA;  British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an&#xA;  interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western&#xA;  audience. Born in Chislehurst, he moved to the United States in 1938&#xA;  and began Zen training in New York. Pursuing a career, he attended&#xA;  Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, where he received a master's&#xA;  degree in theology. Watts became an Episcopal priest then left the&#xA;  ministry in 1950 and moved to California, where he joined the faculty&#xA;  of the American Academy of Asian Studies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Watts gained a large following in the San Francisco Bay Area while&#xA;  working as a volunteer programmer at KPFA, a Pacifica Radio station in&#xA;  Berkeley. Watts wrote more than 25 books and articles on subjects&#xA;  important to Eastern and Western religion, introducing the&#xA;  then-burgeoning youth culture to The Way of Zen (1957), one of the&#xA;  first bestselling books on Buddhism. In Psychotherapy East and West&#xA;  (1961), Watts proposed that Buddhism could be thought of as a form of&#xA;  psychotherapy and not a religion. He also explored human&#xA;  consciousness, in the essay &quot;The New Alchemy&quot; (1958), and in the book&#xA;  The Joyous Cosmology (1962).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Watts proposed that Buddhism could be thought of as a form of psychotherapy and not a religion.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if this is what he thought, he may have not taken an eastern view of making peace with the eternal within as Buddhism proposes. He may have seen Buddhism as a means to a joyous life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, what I think about Buddhism is inconsequential compared to how I practice Buddhism. Not knowing him personally I would not know if his irreverence was a way past dualities that disguised a heartfelt practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It reminds me of the story of the zen master who laughed at 4AM in the morning every morning and awoke the whole sangha. Students would ask him why he was laughing but he would just laugh more. Even approaching his death bed he would not vocalize a reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the master died his students searched through all his papers searching for the reason of his laughter, but no clues. I guess the zen master had the last laugh!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2019-03-24T23:15:24.553" LastActivityDate="2019-03-24T23:15:24.553" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3323" CreationDate="2014-09-09T23:19:44.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that sanskaras are the precursors that lead to karma&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskara&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&quot;In Hinduism sanskaras or samskaras (Sanskrit संस्कार meaning impression; under the impulse of previous impressions) are the imprints left on the subconscious mind by experience in this or previous lives, which then color all of life, one's nature, responses, states of mind, etc.[1] The Dictionary of Common Sanskrit Spiritual Words says, &quot;Whenever an action is performed with the desire for a specific result (whether for oneself or another), sanskara is created for that person. These accumulate and determine the situations with which we will be presented in the future and will influence the scope of future actions.&quot;[2]&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sanskaras are impressions derived from past experiences that form desires and fears that influence future responses and behavior (karma).&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems by being attached to the outcome of an action that karma results. Is that not something we can all agree on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T23:19:44.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1959" CreationDate="2014-09-09T23:26:32.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article on wikipedia discusses some of the kleshas or poisons&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Two_obscurations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Two_obscurations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them appear to be feminine (emotional) and some masculine (intellectual)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two obscurations[edit]&#xA;Mahayana literature often features an enumeration of &quot;two obscurations&quot; (Wylie: sgrib gnyis), the &quot;obscuration of conflicting emotions&quot; (Sanskrit: kleśa-avaraṇa, Wylie: nyon-mongs-pa'i sgrib-ma) and the &quot;obscuration concerning the knowable&quot; (Sanskrit: jñeya-avaraṇa, Wylie: shes-bya'i sgrib-ma).[19]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-09T23:26:32.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3384" CreationDate="2014-09-10T00:28:34.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your English is fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simple breathing is recommended by Thich Nhat Hanh. I am inhaling, one, I am exhaling one, Repeat for each number up to ten. If get off count go to one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a simplicity to that that does not invoke mental activity and allows one to go to the counting and breathing when thoughts are faced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T00:28:34.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2014-09-10T00:38:51.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the most telling story told about the Buddha saying who he was and what his condition was when he responded to the question: &quot;Who are you.&quot;&#xA;The Buddha silently contemplated and then stated &quot;I am awake!&quot;&#xA;It is unfortunate that we must rely on only oral transmissions (or the texts drawn from oral transmissions) of Shakyamuni Buddha so we cannot definitively quote his words in this story or in other texts with certainty.&#xA;If this was a true story of the Buddha, it seems that it would be unlikely for him to claim enlightenment for himself. I don't see evidence that he saw himself as the sole Buddha apart from the people but as one of the people realizing his fullest potential.&#xA;Some say his greatest sermon was holding up the flower. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://kuzanzen.org/2013/02/the-buddha-twirls-a-flower/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://kuzanzen.org/2013/02/the-buddha-twirls-a-flower/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Only one student of his knew the significance. This is an example how important silent transmission of the dharma was to Shakyamuni Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T00:38:51.007" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3364" CreationDate="2014-09-10T00:53:48.967" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One should begin by reflecting on the qualities of nibbana, according to the Buddha's words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, in so far as there are dhammas, whether formed or unformed,fading away is pronounced the best of them, that is to say, the disillusionment of&#xA;  vanity, the elimination of thirst, the abolition of reliance, the termination of the&#xA;  round, the destruction of craving, fading away, cessation, Nibbāna” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A II 34 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice most likely involves a mantra for each quality, for example, &quot;madanimmadano&quot; (disillusionment of vanity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Visuddhimagga, upasamaanussati doesn't lead to aapana samadhi, only upacara samadhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he recollects peace in its special qualities of disillusionment of vanity,etc., in this way, then: “On that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed or obsessed by hate or obsessed by delusion; his mind has rectitude on that occasion, being inspired by peace” (see VII.65, etc.). So when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already described under the recollection of the&#xA;  Enlightened One, etc., the jhāna factors arise in a single moment. But owing to&#xA;  the profundity of the special qualities of peace, or owing to his being occupied&#xA;  in recollecting special qualities of various kinds, the jhāna is only access and&#xA;  does not reach absorption. And that jhāna itself is known as “recollection of&#xA;  peace” too because it arises by means of the special qualities of peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vism VIII.249 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T00:53:48.967" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3396" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-10T06:39:02.620" Score="6" ViewCount="245" Body="&lt;p&gt;These davas are always against Buddha, his Dhamma and those who are practicing.&#xA;Since they also exist in planes of existence, why do they bother others trying to liberate themselves? They themselves might become a monk in next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These devas enjoy sense pleasures created by others for them. Mara,&#xA;  the personification of delusion and desire, lives here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T12:48:43.143" Title="Why mara wants to distract" Tags="|theravada|mara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3396" CreationDate="2014-09-10T07:06:54.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your question itself has an answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These devas enjoy sense pleasures created by others for them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closer a being gets to Nibbana, the less sense pleasure he/she will create for Mara. That's probably why he doesn't like beings attaining Nibbana. But he seems to encourage beings to do general good deeds and aspire for heavenly existences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Paranimmita Wasawarti realm where the Mara is at has a lifespan of 9216000000 human years. So his next life is not going to come for a long time. But when it does, it'll most probably be one of the hells. Not human realm where one can be a monk. He'll probably be around to trouble Buddha Maitreya as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T07:42:29.007" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T07:42:29.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3386" CreationDate="2014-09-10T08:16:35.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my personal opinion. If you concertate of on the flow of air over the sensation (you sense the flow from the touch sensation) a conceptual image of the the air flowing will form in your mind. This way you can get to Samatha. If your focus is more of the fleshy part and the sensation of the body and air this is more tilted towards Vipassana. In either case both develops to some extent. Pure Samatha you can just be mindful of the flow of air as an body of air that goes in and out. As an alternative it is not necessary to look at sensation to make the Vipassana tilt. You can look at the process (in &amp;amp; out) itself. In this method when you progress you start seeing a process of expansion and contraction. Some lineages advice to look around the stomach but it is not necessary. You can experience the expansion and contraction on the sides of your nose or in the whole body it self or part of the body you look at. (This effect happens when you do Kayanupassana also.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main thing is that you should actively be conscious of the start to the end. Be mindful of the length. When the breath starts be very alert. After some time our breath will quickly show down and stop. Then if you keep your stillness of your mind and sharpen your senses you see it has not actually stopped, but jut got finer. Sometimes you can move your attention to you chest area or stomach (do not jump too much or you will loose your stillness). Like vice this cycle goes for some time until it it does actually stop and there is no movement in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing the in breath be mindful of the start middle and end of the in and out breath. Each instance be actively mindful of what stage you are in. At the end of the in or out breath evaluate if your mind wondered away. Do this until it becomes second nature to you and you do not actively have to do it any more. If you breath has stopped just be alert and you will start seeing some movement some where again. Repeat until it actually stops. In between you will feel some lightness and pleasantness in your body and at some point it also will disappear into subtle vibration which is very hard to see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best is to do it will the Vipassana slant so you develop both. If you do the other and get used to it it might be difficult to change later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be warned this this is more of my opinion and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some related answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3362/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3362/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T11:51:41.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3396" CreationDate="2014-09-10T10:21:00.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to @Sankha Kulathantille's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/devaputra-mara/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devaputra Mara&lt;/a&gt; is a being living in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/paranimmita-vasavatti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paranimmita Wasawarti&lt;/a&gt; realm. His appearance and actions are analogous to that of Cupid in Western literature. Since he lives in a sensual sphere he tries to get the others to be like him. It is some one who parties a lot tires to drag his friend in as well. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/guruge/wheel419.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.4-Mara-Tajjaniya-S-m50-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moggallāna was one time a Mara Dusi&lt;/a&gt; (see: Māra Tajjaniya Sutta), but later liberated hin self as a monk and also becoming a chief disciple of the Buddha, in a later life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T12:48:43.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3384" CreationDate="2014-09-10T11:10:02.660" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to the other answers, best is to be always be mindful of the sensations in your body and perhaps if possible the length of your breathing and the sensations around the mouth (below the nose and above the upper lip - also see this: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3362/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3362/295&lt;/a&gt;). This helps maintaining your mindfulness in daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see some related answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5856/how-do-i-integrate-vipassana-practice-into-daily-life&quot;&gt;How do I integrate Vipassana practice into daily life?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3328/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3398/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3398/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T19:06:37.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3401" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-10T14:47:39.210" Score="7" ViewCount="493" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's my understanding that the belief in Tibetan Buddhism is that when a Lama is reborn he (not meaning to be sexist, but I know of no female Lamas - please let me know if I'm wrong) becomes that same Lama again.  From a western viewpoint, it might be said his soul is put into a new body and he returns as the same Lama in the new body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, &lt;a href=&quot;http://news.yahoo.com/dalai-lama-says-no-successor-215550161.html&quot;&gt;recent comments by the  Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; have me wondering about this.  It seems he wants to be reborn in order to continue helping others, but without becoming the Dalai Lama again.  (It has been speculated that there may be political motivation to this, as the Chinese want to designate the next Dalai Lama.)  However, wouldn't the 14th Dalai Lama become the 15th Dalai Lama if he is reborn?  Would a Lama be able to end a series of Lamas even though he is reborn? (I have heard of Lama lines ending, but it's my understanding that the belief is that the Lama chose not to reborn.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is my understanding here completed off base?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T15:56:26.943" LastActivityDate="2022-12-14T07:35:47.707" Title="Within Tibetan Buddhism, are the Lamas always the same &quot;soul&quot;?" Tags="|rebirth|tibetan-buddhism|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3401" CreationDate="2014-09-10T16:20:55.880" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism denies the notion of &quot;self&quot;, it does not have a concept of Avatar, as someone literally being a reincarnation of the same &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism does have a notion of Tulku though, which is similar. Tulku is a new person that inherits the life stories and experiences of a previous person. This is done through teaching this person to deliberately identify with their predecessor, to learn predecessor's history, and to carry on his or her work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the new person's life is so heavily influenced and inspired by the predecessor, we can say that the new person is an embodiment of the abstract energy of the previous one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The case with your specific question, any person, and even multiple people, regardless of status or title or role, could be designated as Tulkus of Dalai Lama, but to truly qualify as such, the person would need to seriously work on their identity as an embodiment of Dalai Lama's heritage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T16:20:55.880" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3404" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3406" CreationDate="2014-09-10T16:55:18.167" Score="9" ViewCount="1482" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used orgasm as an example because it is usually the strongest sensation one can feel due to everything involved and all the chemistry released in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I would say that sexual activity and drinking are probably the two biggest challenges one has to overcome when following the 8 precepts for weeks or months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, can one feel it without attachments?!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:46:33.890" LastActivityDate="2020-03-29T11:51:41.013" Title="Is it possible to experience powerful sensations, such as orgasm, without getting attached to it?" Tags="|attachment|sexuality|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3401" CreationDate="2014-09-10T16:58:39.580" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/753-statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Statement of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on the Issue of His Reincarnation (September 24th 2011)&lt;/a&gt;, which includes a description of &quot;Tulku&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T16:58:39.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2014-09-10T17:26:22.527" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ostensibly, yes, I can't imagine why it wouldn't be technically possible for the body to trigger an orgasm without any kind of mental attachment. Of course, it may be that there is some necessary mental trigger involved, but I doubt that is true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the vinaya there are several cases that seem to suggest involuntary (physical) sexual arousal involving heat and motion; it seems reasonable to suggest that certain conditions could result in an involuntary ejaculation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simpler would be the case where one was intending to bring about an orgasm but then suddenly became mindful, only to find that it was too late (the point being that any attachment created would be in relation to the prior stimulation, not the orgasm itself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, it is important to clarify that &lt;em&gt;intentionally&lt;/em&gt; bringing about an orgasm for the purpose of pleasure invariably leads to the cultivation of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, IIRC, this is one of the issues that led to a split in the sangha, though I can't remember which one. One group thought that the fact that arahants can still experience orgasms meant that they were still not free from defilements; the other claimed that the orgasms were just physical processes with no mental counterpart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T19:31:31.090" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T19:31:31.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3407" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5452" CreationDate="2014-09-10T18:09:33.827" Score="2" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Humphreys&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Christmas Humphreys&lt;/a&gt; founded the London Buddhist society in 1924. Would this have been the first sangha in the West? &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Society&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says of it&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Society of London is one of the oldest Buddhist&#xA;  organisations outside Asia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So were there other groups of western born Buddhists practicing together even earlier than this or would this truly have been the first such grouping?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the sake of this question I am taking sangha to mean any sort of Buddhist community. I appreciate it often refers specifically to a monastic community however I want to use a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha#Sangha_as_a_general_reference_to_Buddhist_community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;broader definition&lt;/a&gt; here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T20:29:05.497" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T09:04:52.080" Title="Was the London Buddhist Society the first Western Sangha?" Tags="|history|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2014-09-10T19:13:51.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To experience an orgasm you need some form of active arousal. If arousal is involved you are attached and goes against the precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is from other causes like bed wetting then it may be OK as long as you don't fantasise. If there is fantasy then again there is attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main thing to remember is sensation is involuntary sometimes but seeking sensations is not without attachments, and seeking sensations can be very subtle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T19:27:53.413" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T19:27:53.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3409" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3415" CreationDate="2014-09-10T20:20:08.583" Score="5" ViewCount="568" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddhist teachings all beings are subject to Samsara and one can escape Samsara as he finds enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if all beings were ultimately to be reborn, with exception of those that reached enlightenment, wouldn't that mean that there is a finite number of beings, which only decrements?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="749" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T21:03:44.927" LastActivityDate="2022-05-07T17:30:36.120" Title="Is there a finite amount of beings?" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3409" CreationDate="2014-09-10T20:35:44.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism there are infinite number of beings. The number of Buddhas are like the grains of the sand in the banks of the Ganges. (Infiniti literally. ) The enlightened beings during a Buddha Sasana in also very large. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because there are infinite being though and infinite of beings have crossed don't reduce the number of beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T20:35:44.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3411" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-10T20:40:14.860" Score="6" ViewCount="660" Body="&lt;p&gt;Curiosity can lead to desire (for knowing something), attachment and therefore suffering. Also, questions based on pure curiosity were left unaswered by the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, curiosity is what makes us evolve, so is it good or bad? How should one sees it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T01:15:20.300" Title="Is curiosity, for non Dhamma subjects, a bad thing?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3411" CreationDate="2014-09-10T21:02:11.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asking questions / being inquisitive can lead to intelligence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this the quest for knowledge can lead to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attachments to per suits of no benefit to this life, after life or liberation hence wasting time and effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attachments to the quest of seeking answers leading to pure study / research or philosophising, this also may not always be time well spent. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are leading a householders life you cannot avoid these always. But your per suits should be fruitful for either:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Next life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Liberation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beneficial to either:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;others, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;both&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your quest is not profitable best is to leave it a side. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-10T21:54:30.223" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T21:54:30.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3407" CreationDate="2014-09-10T21:28:20.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if this fits your definition but the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali_Text_Society&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali Text Society&lt;/a&gt; was older.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T21:28:20.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2014-09-10T21:42:22.340" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to what @to mentions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism differs from Hinduism. Hinduism has the notion of Atman as a central teaching. Buddhism does not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Hindu practices you can reach Samadhi at the most. You cannot achieve Nirvana in the Buddhist sence since it lacks Vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence they are very different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T21:42:22.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3409" CreationDate="2014-09-10T22:12:19.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Learning mathematics, I was warned to beware of logic based on an informal or naive definition of infinity (it is tricky and error-prone, see for example Zeno's paradoxes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia, 4th century BCE Jain mathematicians distinguished between &quot;uncountable&quot; and &quot;infinite&quot; (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematics#Jain_Mathematics_.28400_BCE_.E2.80.93_200_CE.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity#Early_Indian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Surya+Prajnapti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt;) but I'm not sure that other (Buddhist) literature/authors supported a similar, specific, precise, or modern meaning of the word &quot;infinity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt; are questions about infinity: including whether the world is infinitely large, and whether it's eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these two questions were unanswered for good reason, then perhaps your question should be too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T22:12:19.977" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3384" CreationDate="2014-09-10T23:11:18.973" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are experiencing is normal. It's scary, but very much expected. Until we overcome a particular delusion it will keep harming us, so keep going!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practising mindfulness means trying to keep your mind on the object you want to keep your mind on. The reason to practice mindfulness is to overcome the opposite mind of forgetfulness. If we never practised mindfulness, forgetfulness would continue to wreak havoc on our mind without end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we're practising we can experience a strong wave of the delusion we're trying to oppose and feel like we've failed, but actually it's just the delusion doing what it does. That's how harmful they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, sometimes it might feel like you've lost your mindfulness without choice, and this forgetfulness may be too strong to overcome at that time. This doesn't matter because you are training in mindfulness so will eventually be able to remain mindful all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the meantime, you can simply observe the negative effect of forgetfulness and increase your wish to overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="853" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T23:11:18.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2014-09-10T23:52:48.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddhist breathe?&#xA;Does the Buddhist drink water?&#xA;Does the Buddhist eat food?&#xA;Does the Buddhist exercise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all of these needs can be met without attachment, why should sex be any different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sex can be entirely to meet one's biological urges, the way we eat and drink and exercise. I'm not saying it is easy to do so, but it seems to me that clearly the possibility exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="854" LastActivityDate="2014-09-10T23:52:48.353" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3129" CreationDate="2014-09-11T00:41:01.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Korean Seon and Chinese Chan both have distinctive styles and practices.&#xA;Here is a detailed study of Korean Seon that will be selectively quoted to draw conclusions about differences between the two and zen in Japan.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acmuller.net/articles/ogahae-oxford.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.acmuller.net/articles/ogahae-oxford.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...Thus, the well-ingrained custom of interpreting Korean Seon based&#xA;  on the models of Japanese Zen or Chinese Chan has also changed little&#xA;  over time, with Korean Seon regularly being seen through the lens of&#xA;  caricaturized takes of Tang-Song Chan with its radical non-scriptural&#xA;  tendencies and focus on encounter dialog, or a Japanese Sōtō/Rinzai&#xA;  model where textual studies are largely limited to the Shōbōgenzō and&#xA;  Zen poetry, and where meditative practices consist of either&#xA;  shikan-taza (&quot;just sitting&quot;) or a graduated series of hundreds of&#xA;  kōans—and perhaps some sort of cultural admixture with the martial or&#xA;  fine arts. While Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen do have certain&#xA;  fundamental features in common with Korean Seon, the Korean tradition&#xA;  is in significant ways unlike the &quot;meditation schools&quot; of its two&#xA;  neighboring cultures. One of the more interesting distinctive aspects&#xA;  of Korean Seon, especially as compared with Japan Zen, is the&#xA;  character of its core literature.... And while it is true that we can&#xA;  also see in the sermons and private teaching records of many Seon&#xA;  masters through the Goryeo and Joseon periods the typical shouting,&#xA;  striking, and exhortation toward investigation of the hwadu that one&#xA;  would associate with classical Chan, there is at the same time a&#xA;  substantial amount of attention paid to scriptural study, recitation,&#xA;  and exegesis. Nonetheless, this study and exegesis is of a different&#xA;  character than the doctrinal work carried out during the in China and&#xA;  Korea during the Tang and Silla periods in that it has a distinct&#xA;  &quot;Chan&quot; orientation to it both in literary style and in the choice of&#xA;  topic texts.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the above citations begin to outline the differences between Zen, Chan and Seon.&#xA;The question is did these different traditions radically change at a certain point in history like Zen in Japan under Suzuki.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Diamond Sutra is cited everywhere in the Seon teaching records of&#xA;  the Goryeo. Beyond its distinctive thematic orientations, the extent&#xA;  of its influence in Korea also has to do with its central role in the&#xA;  myth of the creation of the Platform Sutra, the story of which&#xA;  provides the source for the very name of the Jogye school.2 The&#xA;  Diamond Sutra also has its own special thematic affinity with Chan&#xA;  practice, as it is seen throughout the Mahāyāna schools of East Asia&#xA;  as the locus classicus of what is arguably the most fundamental&#xA;  teaching/practice of Chan: &quot;non-abiding&quot; (K. muju;Ch. wuzhu).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seon for the most parts goes through fewer changes then either of its &quot;parents.&quot; Now Gihwa enters the scene after centuries of decline in Seon in Korea and tends to revitalize and refocus Seon. Here is a little of his biography.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gihwa (1376-1433)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lifetime of Gihwa (also known by the monastic name Hamheo&#xA;  Deuktong) fell in the midst of one of the most dynamic periods of&#xA;  social, political and religious upheaval on the Korean peninsula. The&#xA;  Goryeo regime, which had endured for over four centuries, but had&#xA;  become corrupt in its latter period, was on the verge of collapse, and&#xA;  as the leading Buddhist figure of his generation, many of the episodes&#xA;  in Gihwa's career had to do with his dealings with the epochal events&#xA;  of this juncture in history.5 Gihwa addressed in his writings a wide&#xA;  variety of Buddhist and non-Buddhist religious themes, but one of his&#xA;  favorite topics was the renewal of Jinul's argument for the&#xA;  essence-function connection of Seon and Gyo, which he addresses&#xA;  primarily within the context of the Oga hae. Besides this commentary&#xA;  on the Diamond Sutra, Gihwa also wrote the major Korean commentary to&#xA;  the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment,6 a commentary on Xuanjue's Yongjia&#xA;  ji7 and an essay on the intrinsic unity of the &quot;three teachings&quot; of&#xA;  Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism that is considered to be a landmark&#xA;  work in Korean intellectual history, entitled Hyeonjeong&#xA;  non(Manifesting the Correct). He also wrote a separate essay on the&#xA;  theme of the Diamond Sutra, entitled Geumgang banyabaramilgyeong yun&#xA;  gwan (&quot;The Penetrating Thread of the Diamond Sutra&quot;), as well as a&#xA;  number of shorter essays and versified works on various doctrinal and&#xA;  meditation-related topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Gihwa did revive some of the traditional methods and warned about the dangers of extremists within Seon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gihwa should be seen as the major reviver of Jinul's argument against&#xA;  exclusivist positions taken by certain members of the meditative,&#xA;  mind-to-mind transmission oriented &quot;Seon&quot; school as opposed to the&#xA;  text-oriented, doctrinal stance of Gyo. While Gihwa was a Seon monk&#xA;  with a strong meditation-oriented perspective to religious&#xA;  cultivation, at the same time he also felt that the denigration of Gyo&#xA;  study methods by Seon extremists was unnecessary, and even harmful. We&#xA;  can see Gihwa's interest in the re-valorization of scriptural study&#xA;  both in direct prose addressing the issue, as well as in the mere fact&#xA;  of his extensive exegetical work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there may be others who revitalized Seon, but in many ways the traditional practices and texts of Seon remained unchanged over a long time. Of all 3 Seon, Zen and Chan, the Korean practice seems the most like a mono culture with a tendency to remaining close to traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cited from: The Oga hae seorui (Commentaries of Five Masters on the Diamond Sutra) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acmuller.net/articles/ogahae-oxford.html#ixzz3CuhRVrTv&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.acmuller.net/articles/ogahae-oxford.html#ixzz3CuhRVrTv&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T00:41:01.783" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2014-09-11T00:41:35.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. All healthy humans are biologically addicted to dopamine. &amp;quot;The brain includes several distinct &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dopamine&lt;/a&gt; systems, one of which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior. Most types of reward increase the level of dopamine in the brain, and a variety of addictive drugs increase dopamine neuronal activity.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dopamine is the hormone that makes you feel good. If you can orgasm without it feeling good then, yes. You can never feel anything good without attachment. Humans are hardwired to like dope just as they do sugar and for the same reason; need. The need to procreate the species and the need to consume calories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="855" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T00:41:35.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3420" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3422" CreationDate="2014-09-11T00:45:57.487" Score="73" ViewCount="10558" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it difficult to assign a meaning to the word 'rebirth'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some hints that rebirth might not be real:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Views regarding one's past and future existence are included in the &quot;62 false beliefs&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those views are ascribed to non-Buddhist ascetics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Views regarding the future of the Tathagata (after death) are in the 10 or 14 &quot;unanswered questions&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddhist doctrine of &quot;anatta&quot; (there is no self?) and &quot;anicca&quot; (self is impermanent?) seem to me to be saying that, if (it is believed that) there is rebirth, that 'rebirth' is fairly meaningless, i.e. it is a rebirth of nothing in particular: why not just call it a &quot;birth&quot; instead of a rebirth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If rebirth happens that seems difficult to prove by personal experience; is it an article of faith, not something one can verify by direct experience? If so isn't that (faith instead of experience) unusual in Buddhist doctrine (isn't doctrine meant to be measurable against one's experience of the world)? Or if it is experience, what kind of experience (of other lives) is it, how are you supposed to know that so-called experience is not just a dream?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/reincarnation.htm&quot;&gt;This web site&lt;/a&gt; (which seems to be Thai) says that rebirth is a &quot;parable&quot; for &quot;simple village folks living during the time of the Buddha&quot;. It says that &quot;Reincarnation is not a simple physical birth of a person&quot; and &quot;This notion of the transmigration of the soul definitely does not exist in Buddhism.&quot; The end of that page suggest that people &quot;lower themselves into hell&quot; or &quot;rise to the Enlightened state of the Buddha&quot; &lt;em&gt;in this life&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I remember reading, sometime in the distant past, than when someone asked the Buddha about the afterlife, he replied &quot;I'm not here to talk to you about the afterlife: I'm here to talk to you about &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it OK to believe, is it OK to say that a belief in rebirth isn't important to Buddhism? Not a big part of the historical Buddha's teaching? That when he mentioned it at all, it was to say that it didn't exist (&quot;anatta&quot; and &quot;anicca&quot;), that he didn't expect to be doing it himself, and that it wasn't worth talking about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And/or is it a non-core part of Buddhism: something which some Buddhists believe and other Buddhists don't, a local/cultural viewpoint?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/59.htm&quot;&gt;Two Main Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The areas of agreement between the two schools are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both accept Sakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Pattica-Samuppada or teaching on Dependent Origination is the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both reject the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A belief in rebirth (even Karma) isn't especially on this list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I agree that the above are essential: that the historical Buddha talked about them, and that they're a necessary part of Buddhist belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that tales of rebirth and of other lives feature in some Buddhist literature, e.g. Mahayana literature seems to have the Buddha being reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know a lot about Buddhism so, please, if you answer with a paraphrase of scripture, please include the name of the scripture you're quoting so that I could look it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:47:20.797" LastActivityDate="2021-07-06T05:08:45.793" Title="Is rebirth a delusional belief?" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|texts|sceptic|" AnswerCount="20" CommentCount="20" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T01:05:39.613" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can their be rebirth or death if what one believes will be born or die turns out to be a deception?&#xA;Being under the influence of karma and this deception of identity is a result of believing in a self that one believes is an aggregate, that is born into form, that grows and changes, that dies and decomposes. Attachment is not to matter, but to a belief that we are matter or we are in matter and must get out of it, or we are somehow under the influence of matter and must get free of that.&#xA;If you have a dream that you are a child lost in the wilderness and you are starving to death, what happens to that child when you wake up? Does it go away or does it disappear because it never had any existence in the first place?&#xA;That is what karma is. Of course there can be seeds from previous interactions. I am not saying that one can just say a magic word and karma has no effect. But when we do not feed it on a daily basis, it withers like a weed that is without water.&#xA;Zen practice of Dogen diminished the role of death as of little importance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T01:05:39.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T04:32:53.350" Score="47" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Views regarding one's past and future existence are included in the &quot;62 false beliefs&quot;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little context: I assume the 62's mentioned above are the same as found in DN 1 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) translated as &quot;The sixty-two kinds of wrong views&quot; by Walshe (MN 102 also develops on these wrong views).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, &quot;wrong view&quot; is understood as either &quot;not according to the damma&quot; or simply &quot;not in accordance with reality&quot;. In this sutta, we read the Buddha say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are, monks, some ascetics and Brahmins who are speculators about the past, having fixed views about the past, and who put forward various speculative theories about the past, in eighteen different ways [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And he proceeds explaining the many ways in which a person may mislead him/herself into concluding something false about the past. The first, for example, is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, monks, a certain ascetic or Brahmin has by means of effort, extortion, application, earnestness and right attention attained to such a state of mental concentration that he thereby recalls past existences -- one birth, two births, ... ten births, a hundred births, a thousand births [...] Thus he remembers various past lives, their conditions and details. And he says &quot;the self and the world are eternal, barren like a mountain-peal, set firmly as a post. There beings rush round, circulate, pass away and re-arise, but this remains eternally. Why so? I have by means of effort, extortion, attained to such a state of mental concentration that I have thereby recalled various past existences...That is how I know the self and the world are eternal&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above he is denouncing the fragile leap of conclusion: a person remembered many past lives [and contractions and expansions of the universe] and without identifying an origin, he/she concludes there is none, &quot;so it is eternal&quot;. Now, the buddha, when confronted with this particular question, simply declares there is no discernible beginning (SN 15:3) -- something very different from &quot;it is eternal&quot; and &quot;it is not eternal&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of misleading conclusion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, a certain ascetic or Brahmin is a logician, a reasoner. Hammering it out by reason, following his own line of thought, he argues: &quot;The self and the world are eternal&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these ways, he alerts about the delicate trap of drawing wrong conclusions based on what one believes to be careful examinations (either by some experience or by some abstract reasoning) but that weren't careful enough. Moreover, he illustrates flaws using as example contemporary theories (eternalism, annihilationism, and the spectrum in between) pushed by other sects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With these things in mind, he did not claim rebirth or views/knowledge of past existence to be false. Quite the opposite, he declares himself to have the ability to recall his past existences (and often describes episodes from them). Finally, exploring this ability is also part of an often-repeated formula for arahantship (and arahants are also described developing this ability). In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 39&lt;/a&gt;, after exposing the Fourth Jhana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, [...], many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recollecting], 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, he used to announce the rebirth of disciples who have died -- though not of the ones who reached the supreme goal &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn44.9&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;(SN 44.9)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Views regarding the future of the Tathagata (after death) are in the 10 or 14 &quot;unanswered questions&quot;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. But it is important to emphasize it is &quot;unanswered&quot;; not a negative or positive. Even if we put aside the fact that this is a question about a Buddha, it is hard to use this to develop a trust on either view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Buddhist doctrine of &quot;anatta&quot; (there is no self?) and &quot;anicca&quot; (self is impermanent?) seem to me to be saying that, if (it is believed that) there is rebirth, that 'rebirth' is fairly meaningless, i.e. it is a rebirth of nothing in particular: why not just call it a &quot;birth&quot; instead of a rebirth?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can tell, in the [pali] canon it is not said &quot;there is no self&quot;. Rather, mostly we read instructions to observe several [conditioned] things in order to directly see &quot;this [the thing] is not self&quot;. Additionally, we read declarations such as &quot;All phenomena are non-self&quot; (&quot;sabbe dhammā anattā&quot; -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.134&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important point to consider is that it appears something very particular is meant by &quot;self&quot; which does not fit well with our common understanding of this word. In SN 22:59:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, form is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, form were self, this form would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of form: 'Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is myself? -- No, venerable sir.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often times, when a challenger debates with the buddha claiming a self/eternalist view, he is debunked with questions such as &quot;if that is so, can you change your form?&quot;. Therefore, I guess we need to, first, understand what is meant by &quot;self&quot; from propositions extracted from such discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;birth&quot; instead of &quot;rebirth&quot;, though it's not clear to our reasoning &quot;what re-borns&quot; (all things above considered), the minimum takeaway of the use of this word in the discourses is that it denotes &lt;em&gt;continuity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;If rebirth happens that seems difficult to prove by personal experience&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Difficult indeed. But the texts support the possibility of personally testify it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;is it an article of faith, not something one can verify by direct experience? If so isn't that (faith instead of experience) unusual in Buddhist doctrine (isn't doctrine meant to be measurable against one's experience of the world)?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess it depends on what you mean by faith. I find it difficult to recall important claims made by the buddha that weren't suppose to be verified by one's effort in this lifetime -- so, as far as my knowledge goes, yes it would be unusual. From the canon alone, I wouldn't say this is a matter of faith in the devotional or &quot;Belief&quot; way, where one just take it as it is and assign a special value to it, often developing an emotional dependency towards it -- the &lt;em&gt;clinging&lt;/em&gt; buddha frequently alerted about. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But faith as in a trust we give to something or someone while we are applying ourselves to personally verify it, I think it fits pretty well with everything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Or if it is experience, what kind of experience (of other lives) is it, how are you supposed to know that so-called experience is not just a dream?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I honestly don't know how I would proceed to scrutinize an experience of recalling my past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;is it OK to believe, is it OK to say that a belief in rebirth isn't important to Buddhism? Not a big part of the historical Buddha's teaching? That when he mentioned it at all, it was to say that it didn't exist (&quot;anatta&quot; and &quot;anicca&quot;), that he didn't expect to be doing it himself, and that it wasn't worth talking about?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing we can see explicitly in the texts is that he discouraged speculations, and this subject draws speculations easily, giving its such a puzzle for reasoning and concerns the mystery of our future. Having said that, I think its safe to say it wouldn't make much sense for him to require listeners to believe and internalize &quot;the fact of rebirth&quot;, to consider it something central to the training (if it was &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; important, he could have made an extra noble truth out of it :). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of aspects of the Dhamma that receive special attention and frequent emphasis. Urging people to believe rebirth as some sort of requirement or at face value is not something I've seen (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 60&lt;/a&gt; illustrates how the buddha approached this specific matter).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to the specific question: from the canon alone, rebirth is important (though, arguably not an urgent concern in the most practical sense). And, to say the least, the Buddha apparently considered worth talking about, so widespread this subject appears in the suttas, fulfilling roles therein, either as an aspect of the Dhamma, providing a broader exposition of our condition, or simply used to inspire and help us take the road to do something about it, etc. In the case of Dhamma, and this is significant, &quot;no rebirth&quot; does feature in &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But again, one thing is saying rebirth is important in buddhism. Other is saying (the belief of) rebirth is important to the practice. Other is saying rebirth is important to some buddhists ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Edited to include a few more references (thank you @Unrul3r) and provide more direct answers to the questions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-10-28T16:56:28.183" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T16:56:28.183" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T04:51:46.743" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a secular Buddhist who takes Mahayana as my starting point. What you are discussing is the cosmology-- the idea that there are six realms, maybe one or more pure lands, and places you can go after you die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Glenn Wallis's book &quot;Basic Teachings of the Buddha,&quot; I think he persuasively argued that the historical Buddha was an extinctionalist and had no use for the hindu cosmology, but everywhere he went, that is what people wanted to talk about and hear about. So he recast his basic teachings in the jargon and images of the religious beliefs around him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a secular believer, I have to look at the various ideas that don't square with science, or as you observe, don't square with a lot of statement you find about Buddhism, an decide  what to do with it. Is it a metaphor? Is it a useful one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The central realization in Buddhism is that we naively think we have a permanent self (or soul) that will always be with us. One re-formulation of reincarnation to illustrate this is that, essentially every second I change and the me of a second ago is dead and gone, but there is a new one, right now. The only connection is the cause and effect of this chain of phenomena that naively looks like a permanent person or soul or self.  So every second I die and am reborn into a new person, somewhat connected to the old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This illustrates some central Buddhist themes but breaks down when we get to the point where we die. At that point, we are just dead. We live on in our actions in the people and world that survive us, but that really is stretching the metaphor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another point to remember about Buddhism is that there are many version of it and within each version you generally can find a sophisticated version, focused on things like philosophical questions (do we have a permanent self, what are the consequences of the answer), mediation, maybe ethics, and there is another for lay consumption, that involves devotion, magic for this worldly benefit and a keen interest in where we go after we die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, this all works for me. I don't have to worry about where I go after I die because the thing I wanted to survive my death (my eternal self, soul or what have you) was an illusion all along. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, there are many forms of Buddhism, which find it mandatory to retain a Hindu-style reincarnation, or literal heavens and hells and sometimes they have very interesting mental gymnastics to square how we can come back to life after we die or make it to a pure land, despite annata being such central theme in historical Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T04:51:46.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T05:05:13.040" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is dependent of the meaning of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking one meaning rebirth happens from moment to moment as one set of Kalapas pass away and a new set of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt; arise. In this context we can reason about it through Vipassana as it all happens within this lifetime. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)#Rebirth_as_cycle_of_consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)#Rebirth_as_cycle_of_consciousness&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it takes the meaning of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/patisandhi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patisandhi&lt;/a&gt; still it is subjected to the same flow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The bhavanga-citta is the same type of citta as the first citta in life, the patisandhi-citta (rebirth-consciousness). When the patisandhi-citta falls away it conditions the next citta to arise which is the second citta in that life. This citta is the first bhavanga-citta in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/nina-abhi-12.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chapter 12 of Abhidhamma in daily life by Nina Van Gorkom&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By understanding mind matter process in this life you can understand it's working over many lives also. So the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha preached was verifiable in this life: Sandiṭṭhiko. Hence for your practice the fact that there is rebirth or not is not very relevant. From the time of birth you would have experienced stress some for or the other as per in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also developing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhijñā&lt;/a&gt; you can verify rebirth by your self. Even this is not perfect hence can lead to wrong views. Many non Buddhist also had these abilities but this lead to wrong views (or a dilutional view in some cases).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not have absolute control over ones rebirth hence Annatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T05:05:13.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3425" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-11T07:22:20.083" Score="7" ViewCount="371" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just stumbled across the article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/25/mental-health-meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness therapy comes at a high price for some, say experts&lt;/a&gt;. Even when mindfulness is practiced correctly, side effects may occur, like feeling lost or disconnected from the world. What could be the cause of the side effects? Do these techniques deviate a lot from the Suttas or orthodox practice? Do the staff have the necessary training and awareness required to give meditation advice (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;)? Can something be wrong with how the clinic administers the training / teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T23:46:53.700" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:46:53.700" Title="What can go wrong in Mindfulness Therapy as used in Clinics?" Tags="|theravada|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T09:46:45.153" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know too little to have an opinion on this matter, but here is an article where Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that rebirth is &quot;an important working hypothesis in following the path all the way to the end of suffering&quot;, that is, that the belief in rebirth is an important part of practising Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T12:51:51.253" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:51:51.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3427" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-11T12:04:02.940" Score="12" ViewCount="824" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of availability of technology, the modern world is very different from the world in which Buddhism arose, and the Buddhist suttas were written As a result, these days, people do things differently from the past, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;performing multiple tasks at once&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;using medication to try to improve attention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;working with headphones on, listening to music or radio&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;constantly using smartphones and tablets&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any consequences of all of this for Buddhist practice? For example, does technology impact meditation and insight? Are we becoming more distracted and therefore adding more suffering to our lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T17:50:52.470" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T04:06:11.693" Title="Is technology making us less mindful?" Tags="|mindfulness|modern-world|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3349" CreationDate="2014-09-11T13:49:04.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For bhikkhus, Some vegetables are not allowable.  Better to do juice and mix with cool water.  The BMC says boiled juices are sugar.  This is only Thai Tradition.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;BMC will list the vegetables and fruits allowable.  Cucumber is not allowable.&#xA;Boiled juices are prohibited by paauk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tea is actually not allowable as a &quot;drink&quot; for this reason of heating.  Leaf juice is allowable, but you cannot add boiling water.  Hence the rule of only warming by the sun's heat.  You should be &quot;sick and have a reason&quot; for any medicine.&#xA;This would outlaw, cold green tea. Aka Snapple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Juice drinks or sugar mixed with water can be taken for any reason, including thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="736" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T13:49:04.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3429" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-11T14:18:53.130" Score="5" ViewCount="961" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm planning to visit Thailand, so I would like to know some simple local &quot;rules&quot; to interact with monks respecting Theravada tradition, I want to avoid behaving like a tourist that (not intentionaly) breaks the protocols, also I want to maximize the experience there, so I will list some specific topics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How to approach to do dana? Can I offer to buy food for them or should I just give the food?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How to interact in temples or centres, can a lay person start a conversation or would it be distracting therefore not a good idea?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should one bend or prostate to the monks? Or make the gesture with the hands (similar to praying)? In what occasions?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any specific advise for women when interacting with Bikkhus? Not touching them? I assume they should avoid some revealing clothes as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any other specific advise?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T23:05:25.903" Title="Interacting with monks in Thailand" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-11T15:39:18.880" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is a metaphor. There is no literal rebirth (of the same person). This hope for literal rebirth is really a hidden attachment to &quot;I&quot;, the desire to continue. Let go. It's Ok, you will die -- and never exist again. In fact, &quot;you&quot; do not exist even now, as a separate being. It is just wrong understanding that is called &quot;I&quot;. The world is continuous global process of matter/energy/information transformation, with no rigid boundaries in space nor in time. The boundaries are imputed by the analytic mind, they are concepts, abstractions, simplifications. It is attachment to concepts that we liberate from in Buddhism. Attachment to concepts is what leads to fear and suffering, because the concepts always fall behind the ever changing world. When your idea of how something is &quot;supposed to be&quot; mismatches your idea of &quot;how it is&quot; -- hereby is suffering. But the world is always there, behind ideas, infinitely more nuanced and multifaceted than any conceptual model.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is a metaphor for the continuity of information and influences. Nothing ever goes away completely. Nothing ever stays the same. Something transforms, something splits apart, something joins with something else, something pushes something. These chains of causes and effects go on like this, infinitely forking and joining. This is what rebirth is. My existence did not start when I was born, it goes way into past. My consciousness did not start when I was born. I inherited it gradually (not in one piece!) from mother and father, from books, from people, -- and they inherited it from each other and from the past. The sea of consciousness goes on like this, having its roots in the basic relationships, of fundamental patterns of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the part of the &quot;rebirth&quot; metaphor that is useful: that things are fluid and have continuity. Crude materialists assume that things completely disappear, like person disappears when it dies. But it does not disappear, it just looses its solidness, its togetherness. The knot unties, but the threads are still here. The truth is, this solidness was mostly a fiction anyway. Did you think you actually were a source of your decisions? Where do you think your desires came from, your preferences came from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When most people think of &quot;self&quot; they think of some abstract core that is the subject of all experience and the agent of all actions. Buddha taught (and modern cognitive science tends to agree) that upon careful examination there is no such single core. Instead experiences result from interactions of multiple perceptory functions. Similarly, our actions are performed by a conglomerate of functions, without a single agent responsible for all choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the notion of individual rebirth exists as an unexamined belief, it depends on this unexamined notion of &quot;self&quot; as its necessary foundation. Once practitioner is free from illusion of self (in practice, not just conceptually), the notion of individual birth/death/rebirth no longer applies. From this perspective, rebirth is a byproduct of attachment to a (substantial) self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But because karma at large still continues to function (after Awakening), the infinitely forking/joining threads of causation that once were the subject of attachment continue to participate in activity and serve as causes for subsequent effects. In this sense, rebirth as principle goes on continuously whether we posit an individual or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-11T16:27:10.687" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T16:27:10.687" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3431" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3435" CreationDate="2014-09-11T16:13:25.937" Score="15" ViewCount="9502" Body="&lt;p&gt;Much of the Theravadan scriptures are written in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt;, so are a lot manuscripts written in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit&quot;&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;, but is there any benefit in learning these languages while the Canon is already translated in other languages i.e. English?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should one learn Pali or Sanskrit first?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should one put effort in learning to speak Pali/Sanskrit (&lt;em&gt;if that is possible&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2020-07-11T10:13:24.503" Title="Is there any benefit in learning Pali or Sanskrit?" Tags="|pali-canon|pali-language|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2014-09-11T16:43:15.497" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have experienced ejaculation without it feeling &quot;pleasant&quot;. When ejaculation does not feel pleasant, it feels more like semi-painful spasms. There is no attachment to this experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that ejaculation has changed, or even that the experience changed. It is my &lt;em&gt;perspective&lt;/em&gt; that has changed. If you look at pleasant sensation very very &lt;em&gt;very&lt;/em&gt; carefully, then you will see it &lt;em&gt;as is&lt;/em&gt; -- and it will loose it's luster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same with pain, if you look at it really close, you will see it as &lt;strong&gt;information&lt;/strong&gt;. No pain, just information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddha taught, we must learn to see pleasant in non-pleasant and non-pleasant in pleasant. When we can arbitrarily control our evaluation of sensory experience, then we are free from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-03-29T11:51:41.013" LastActivityDate="2020-03-29T11:51:41.013" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3411" CreationDate="2014-09-11T16:59:37.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Curiosity is alright, but ego is very tricky! Ego can use anything to lead you away from true dharma. Many things that are not very bad, but not dharma-related (and even some that &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; dharma-related!), are structured in such a way (made up from such concepts) that touching them reconfirms/reinforces the ego. That's why Buddhist discipline must go first, and curiosity second. Otherwise you think you are learning something useful -- and instead you are feeding your ego!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-11T17:06:09.510" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T17:06:09.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3431" CreationDate="2014-09-11T17:13:10.917" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, I would say this is a trap, a side-trail that does not lead to the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It looks attractive to the ego, because it stimulates certain hope in us, a hope to get closer to the Truth -- but this is a false hope. There is a Pali term, &lt;code&gt;papañca&lt;/code&gt;, which can be translated as &quot;conceptual bullshit&quot;. This is the danger here, getting caught up in quasi-intellectual masturbation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Truth is known by realized teachers, this is whom we must seek. Teachers show us how theoretical dharma maps to real life. The only reason to prefer the books over teachers' interpretations, is if you don't trust the teachers. If this is the case, then you should take a good look inside yourself and ask: &quot;why do I assume that no one really understands Dharma? Could it be a projection of my distrust/aversion to this world with its people and values?&quot; Surrendering yourself to a teacher helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, &lt;strong&gt;it is tremendously useful to know the main terminology. So I keep my Sanskrit and Pali dictionary links on my Google Chrome toolbar, and use them all the time. You can learn a lot from understanding the raw meaning, and the story behind, some words.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are people who were able to turn the trap into a blessing. Take Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi for example  (the famous translator of Nikayas into English) - he got caught up in a fly trap, but because he was so determined, he was able to tear through all words, understand the meaning, and get to the nectar -- while benefiting all of us. But unless you are a super-geek like him (I respectfully bow at his feet!) -- your time is much better spent putting dharma to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T12:28:45.213" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T12:28:45.213" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3431" CreationDate="2014-09-11T17:36:30.993" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;There absolutely is value in learning either Pali or Sanskrit (and I'd stick to the one for the lineage you are practicing - Theravada = Pali, Mahayana in general = Sanskrit).  You don't have to become fluent, but it is extremely helpful knowing a good deal of the vocabulary.  There are certain words that just don't translate well into English or just don't have any English equivalent.  I think this is especially true for the meditation terminology - especially mental factors and phenomenology.  To give you an example from Pali, the word pīti is a condition that arises during mediation.  It is often translated as &quot;rapture&quot;, but I don't think this really gets at it (bright joy?  I don't know.  Something like that.)  The point is, if you read that word just as &quot;rapture&quot;, you miss out on the full meaning of the concept.  Translated texts put you at one remove from those subtle nuances.  And really, it's the concepts we're worried about in our practice; poorly translated words lead you away from that core essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't learn to speak it though - that's a total waste of time!      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T17:36:30.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3431" CreationDate="2014-09-11T17:39:28.753" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Learning Pali is indeed beneficial if you have a inclination to be a scholar or to teach. If it is your salvation you are after you are better off spending time practicing. But to teach others the bar is much higher than practicing on your own. This is also a worthy cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T17:39:28.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2014-09-11T17:55:01.313" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;When it comes to developing concentration modern technology is definitely a distraction as devices tend to seek your attention. This leads to being scatter brained. This is the reason many meditation centres don't allow you to have them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also modern life style has a lot of responsibilities, and leaves little time for spiritual practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The society as a whole is becoming materialistic and sensualised. This means that you are always in in the process of getting attached to different products and services as well as the more morally loose life style. This hinders development of insight as it is kāma-taṇhā, or &quot;sense-craving&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mode education and scientific thought has made people to be more inquisitive and skeptical towards traditional or unfamiliar teaching. This is a double edged sword as this can lead to Vichikicha also. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a modern world our quality of life has increased due to these technologies. Hence the onus is on the user to use them for ones benefit. E.g. if there is a kitchen knife and you use it to cook you are getting utility. You can use it for a very negative cause like killing or committing suicide. It is the user who is to blame and not the knife. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T04:06:11.693" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T04:06:11.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3429" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:20:58.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should be mindful of some of the Vinaya rules like not eating after noon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a lady don't meet the monks alone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When sitting in the presence of a monk choose a lower chair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remove foot wear inside the monastery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wear clothes which are modest and cover your self well. No shorts, mini skirts, see through dresses, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T18:20:58.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3439" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3441" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:22:28.633" Score="8" ViewCount="1191" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious what minimal tenets a person must accept in order to be considered a Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example of the type of answer I'm looking for, I'll give you the minimal tenets of Christianity as I know them. A person must...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept that there is only one God and that Jesus, his son, walked the Earth for some time in order to be a model for his followers.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept Jesus/God as their lord and savior. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Recognize that they are born in a state of sin, and that acceptance of Jesus/God is the one and only way to attain a happy eternal life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a similar set of statements that can be made about Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T01:51:55.300" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:16:37.570" Title="What tenets must a person accept to be a Buddhist?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:42:11.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism your should follow the 3 fold training:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Live a life of morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop control over your mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop wisdom towards the working and natural of your mind with a view to eradicate all sources of stress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you should seek inspiration from the Triple Gem and develop confidance / refuge in the Triple Gem with a view towards developing the qualities in the Triple Gem to complete your 3 fold training and come out of stress. Lack of confidence / refuge in the technique and practice would entail you to not practice properly hence not getting out of stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To come out of you should identify stress, the reason behind the stress, that you should overcome stress and the way out of stress which is the 3 fold training. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-11T19:27:33.340" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T19:27:33.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:44:05.357" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sure - the Four Noble Truths:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Life is characterized by anguish,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the thirst for impermanent things is the cause of that anguish,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that this anguish can be extinguished, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is an eightfold path leading to that extinguishing consisting of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T00:05:54.783" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T00:05:54.783" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3411" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:46:52.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan guru Padmasambhava alledgely said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I do not know, I do not have, I do not understand&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;refused to answer questions&lt;/a&gt; on the fate of the universe and what happens after death. From this I would say that curosity about subjects unrelated to liberation isn't going to help you on the Buddhist path. A total fascination with your own mental experiences and the nature of reality might, wondering about the history of Buddhism probably won't. That said being a keen cyclist, building model planes and reading comics won't either. But I think there is something pericious about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3407/was-the-london-buddhist-society-the-first-western-sangha&quot;&gt;excessive curosity about Buddhist related things&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within Buddhism there is the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/tag/near-enemy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;near enemies&lt;/a&gt; that I find extremely useful. It's something that seems like it's helpful but really isn't. Sorrow might seem helpful when faced with suffering but it isn't. It's a near enemy of compassion. Being emotionally shut down is the near enemy of equanimity. I think that studying Buddhism can be the near enemy of practicing Buddhism. It looks like it, you can be convince it is it for years but it isn't it at all. It's an easy thing for me to be sucked into but it is really an obstacle to the path. Not true for everyone I'm sure but can be true for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T18:46:52.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T18:53:39.383" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Main tenets? Here how I see them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is good (health, peace, nirvana) and bad (sickness, trouble, suffering, samsara) -- &lt;em&gt;versus &quot;nothing matters&quot; i.e. nihilism&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By acting a certain way we can change our life, and the lives of people, away from the bad and towards the good. -- &lt;em&gt;versus &quot;everything is predetermined&quot; i.e. fatalism&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;&quot;it's all because of society, I cannot do anything&quot; -- i.e. victim consciousness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enlightenment is real and achievable in one life -- &lt;em&gt;versus &quot;Enlightenment is a fiction&quot; or &quot;It takes 10000 lives to attain&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-11T20:52:24.773" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T20:52:24.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T19:08:42.877" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You just need to take refuge in the Triple Gem sincerely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddham saranam gacchami - I go to the Buddha for refuge. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammam saranam gacchami - I go to the Dhamma for refuge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sangham saranam gacchami.- I go to the Sangha for refuge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refuge here means spiritual refuge. It doesn't mean you reject medicine for physical ailments like in some Christian sects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge will be broken for ordinary people when they die, but this breaking is blameless and does not bring bad results. On the other hand, breaking the taking of the Triple Refuge during one's life is very serious. This is broken whenever a person goes for refuge to a teacher outside the Buddha's Dispensation or when a person is disrespectful to the Triple Gem. Those who are Noble Ones will never break with their refuge. But ordinary people, through ignorance, doubt, and wrong knowledge about the special qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, are susceptible to breaking their refuge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read more at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-triple-refugee/215-how-to-take-the-triple-refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to Take the Triple Refuge.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-11T19:40:07.327" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T19:40:07.327" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3445" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3537" CreationDate="2014-09-11T19:28:46.263" Score="10" ViewCount="1691" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I meditate, I usually sit in what is referred to in the United States as Indian style.  The problem with this position is twofold: 1) It isn't very stable and 2) after ~15 minutes I find myself straining to keep upright.  I have been told that the full lotus position is more stable since the legs are symmetric and both knees are on the ground.  I've tried to get myself into the position, but I am not even flexible enough to get into the half lotus position (one foot on the other knee).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: If I am willing to work at it daily; what is the best way to get my legs flexible enough to sit in the full lotus position?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Tanum%C3%A2nas%C3%AE_en_Meditacion_Loto_Padmasana.JPG&quot; alt=&quot;Picuture from Wikimedia Commons&quot;&gt;&#xA;*Picture from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tanum%C3%A2nas%C3%AE_en_Meditacion_Loto_Padmasana.JPG#mediaviewer/File:Tanum%C3%A2nas%C3%AE_en_Meditacion_Loto_Padmasana.JPG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanumânasî en Meditacion Loto Padmasana&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Jesús Bonilla (Tanumânasî) - Retiros de yoga. Licensed under Public domain via &lt;a href=&quot;//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikimedia Commons&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-10T09:42:42.340" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:30:24.857" Title="How can I build up to being able to get into the full lotus position?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T20:06:49.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not even perfectly sure about your Christian tenets; for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So far as I know, it's only opinion (it's not canonical) that those are the minimal tenets&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's even perhaps a dispute about one of your tenets: a dispute between mainstream Christian churches (Catholic and Protestant) about whether &quot;accepting Jesus&quot; is the way to life (the Catholic church teaches that &lt;a href=&quot;http://carm.org/are-we-saved-faith-alone-or-do-we-need-works-too&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;faith is not sufficient&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several (many) &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one article, titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/59.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Two Main Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, which claims that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The areas of agreement between the two schools are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both accept Sakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Pattica-Samuppada or teaching on Dependent Origination is the same in both schools.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both reject the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these are words which you can easily look up; for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Four+Noble+Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO the central, first, or 'minimal' part of the Christian Bible is the Gospels, which describe the life and words of Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, IMHO the central part of the Buddhist scriptures are the parts which describe the life and words of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most central part of the Buddha's doctrine is perhaps what/everything he taught in his first sermon after he became enlightened, which is called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, a.k.a. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Sermon+at+Benares&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sermon at Benares&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might have noticed that Buddhists like numbered lists: four noble truths, eightfold path, etc. Another is the &quot;triple jewel&quot;, i.e. &quot;the Buddha (himself), the Dharma (his teaching), and the Sangha (his 'church')&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;four noble truths&quot; are, approximately:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering exists (gives various example including poverty, disease, old age, death)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering is caused by desire/attachment/craving (to have what you don't have, or to keep what you can't keep)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's a way which leads to the end of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That way is the eightfold path, which is: Right views; right aspirations; right speech; right behavior; right livelihood; right effort; right thoughts; and right contemplation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that what I listed above is tenets of doctrine (i.e. words or beliefs); but (at least one school of) Buddhism is or requires more than only doctrine or faith: it requires or consists of &quot;right effort&quot;, &quot;right behaviour&quot;, etc. (as listed above and as described/defined/analysed in considerable detail).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T20:06:49.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3447" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-11T21:49:41.673" Score="1" ViewCount="274" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to avoid falling into spiritual bypassing while practicing Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Spiritual bypassing, a term first coined by psychologist John Welwood in 1984,&#xA;  is the use of spiritual practices and beliefs to avoid dealing&#xA;  with our painful feelings, unresolved wounds, and developmental needs. It is&#xA;  much more common than we might think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://realitysandwich.com/74388/spiritual_bypassing/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://realitysandwich.com/74388/spiritual_bypassing/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:28:48.970" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:28:48.970" Title="Is it possible for a Buddhist to develop spiritual bypassing? What are the main traps?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-11T22:12:21.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Zen tradition in which I've practiced, I was taught &quot;Refrain from evil, do good and purify this mind.&quot;  Everything else was guidance about practices (particularly seated meditation) that could help accomplish those goals.  There was not any particular emphasis on 'being' a Buddhist.  It doesn't really matter what I think, imagine or believe; things are what they are.  So, while I would say that there are plenty of useful lists of tenets, ultimately you don't need to believe anything to be a Buddhist or, more to the point, to be a Buddha.  It's about the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T22:12:21.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3429" CreationDate="2014-09-11T23:05:25.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will see the monks in the early morning going on a procession called Pindapata, or Bindabat in Thai (at least I think that's how it's spelled). That is the time  you will want to offer Dana. Approach with the food and they will uncover the alms bowl and let you put the food in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When approaching a monk you should always put your hands together at about heart level facing forwards and bowing your head so your forehead is parallel with your hands. Here is a link that talks about how to do it with a nice picture with three examples. With monks, do the version shown on the far right: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.phuket.com/magazine1/dos.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.phuket.com/magazine1/dos.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Women aren't allowed to have physical contact with monks and when receiving offerings other than food in their alms bowl in Thailand they will lay out a white cloth for you to set the offering on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll edit more in if I think of anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T23:05:25.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3425" CreationDate="2014-09-11T23:30:53.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a real phenomenon and it is discussed in the Visuddhimagga and the writings of the Mahasi Sayadaw. Some of the stages of insight knowledge can potentially manifest themselves in this kind of way. I think for most people these stages are relatively easy, but I suppose for some they could be much more difficult. Just from my own practice I can say that these particular knowledges can be very mild&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really is just the result of seeing impermanence on a direct level. When one has a lot of attachments this is not a fun experience because one is holding onto things while at the same time seeing the suffering involved in clinging. The answer to this is that one needs to accept that this is part of the practice and a part of giving up attachment, and continue to practice. Eventually one will let go and move on and progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is actually one of the reasons why I personally have reservations about practicing mindfulness meditation in a purely secular context. The teacher probably won't know about this and without understanding general Buddhist doctrine it isn't possible to understand how to move on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-11T23:30:53.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2014-09-11T23:55:49.537" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This makes me think of two quotes I once read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that technologies are morally neutral until we apply them. It's only when we use them for good or for evil that they become good or evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-William Gibson&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is as you say, we do things differently than we did in the past. We grow up with technology, it is commonplace. When something is common, it is not uncommon for us to take for granted the advantages and disadvantages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote will capture the essence of what I'm trying to say far better:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking. In that race which daily hastens us towards death, the body maintains its irreparable lead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Albert Camus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="859" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T20:35:22.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3447" CreationDate="2014-09-12T00:20:03.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While reading this morning 9-12-14 MOUNTAIN RECORD OF ZEN TALKS by John Daido Loori pg 187, I was struck how this spoke to the question about bypassing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Zen training, when we get the surface mind quiet, a lot of the&#xA;  deeper stuff that we do not want to think about begins popping&#xA;  up...Little by little, as concentration builds, and joriki, the power&#xA;  of concentration, develops...If the joriki becomes strong enough,&#xA;  samadhi happens...but it can also be a trap. It can also be a way of&#xA;  avoiding dealing with things or tuning them out. In Zen, it is&#xA;  considered &quot;dead-end samadhi&quot; to stop in samadhi. To stop anywhere is a&#xA;  dead end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the big trap. Or stopping anywhere and thinking you have arrived is a trap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author goes on page 188&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Developing concentration and samadhi, sitting in meditation year after&#xA;  year, is like scaling a mountain. You struggle up the slopes...Finally&#xA;  you reach the top, which is like the ground of being...But if you stay&#xA;  there, it becomes just as much a delusion as everything else...You&#xA;  need to keep going down the other side of the mountain, back into&#xA;  everyday life, into the marketplace...in the way we raise a child, grow&#xA;  a garden, drive a car, live our life...Zen has to do with everyday&#xA;  life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I leave the rest of the answer, but you probably do not need to read it. The above really answers the question for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One pathway that steers around bypassing is to meditate to experience your inner suffering without running from it or reacting to it.&#xA;Meditation can be a highly elevated experience that is a tempting way to get out of suffering temporarily, but the human condition is suffering. By running from suffering, the shadow it casts is larger than life and it is constantly chasing us.&#xA;If one could bypass this suffering would that really be a Buddhist practice or would it just be a clever self-deception that would fall at the first test?&#xA;Here is a zen story that illustrates how a true practice and a contrived practice hold up under real life situations.&#xA;&quot;Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.&#xA;Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Come on, girl,&quot; said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. &quot;We monks don't go near females,&quot; he told Tanzan, &quot;especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I left the girl there,&quot; said Tanzan. &quot;Are you still carrying her?&quot;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many sources of this story. this one was found at &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/agoraphobia-discussions/general-support/2027111-muddy-road-a-zen-story&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/agoraphobia-discussions/general-support/2027111-muddy-road-a-zen-story&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point I see is that any self-deception will not stand against the realities of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intention of the practice may be a key factor. If the goal is self-enlightenment all the trickery of the self can hamper real awakening. If the goal is to dedicate all the results of your life and practice to helping all, then where can the tricky appearance of self get a foot hold?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T12:19:01.210" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:19:01.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3445" CreationDate="2014-09-12T00:44:18.057" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yoga is very helpful, especially aspects that deal with opening the hips and stretching the legs. It is best not to force it or you could hurt the body.&#xA;A cushion or zafu under the tail bone and buttocks can elevate the body sufficiently so crosslegged is more comfortable.&#xA;Some people sit Japanese style with legs folded under sitting on your heels and or supported by a zafu.&#xA;Sitting in a chair with a straight back and feet on the ground is a valid method of meditating. The position will open up and be comfortable over years as the practice opens up the locked up sections of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a youtube video that especially works on opening for beginners. Adrienne has many yoga videos. She seems like a meditator as she encourages mindfulness expecially in 2nd video. She is conservatively dressed and friendly in her approach. I find her a helpful teacher that does not provide unneeded distractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;20 minutes complete beginners - very doable sequence.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;40 minute longer more meditative from the preview.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ6NfFIr2jw&amp;amp;list=PLqkIhuaKSFbuaG3i9cBpO7E0dAKnd-MAu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ6NfFIr2jw&amp;amp;list=PLqkIhuaKSFbuaG3i9cBpO7E0dAKnd-MAu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accepting where you are is important. You are right where you need to be. You are opening in a very natural way. Namaste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T00:51:04.630" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T00:51:04.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-12T00:49:49.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No argument with any of the answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what might be called &quot;barebones Buddhism&quot;&#xA;1) follow the breath with awareness&#xA;2) have compassion and understanding for all beings including oneself&#xA;3) dedicate one's efforts and life for the benefit of all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are ways to express that in Buddhist terms, but if you wanted to explain it to a child and hit the major points, that is enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T00:49:49.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2014-09-12T01:03:52.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the neutral tone of the ideas by &quot;the hermit&quot;. We are in this world and we can use technology as we are doing now to awaken ourselves to our real nature or we can use it to increase our sense of personal self.&#xA;What seems apparent is that we cannot make someone practice that feels in their bones the calling to live out their personal sense of life. Nor can we, or would we want to, tear a bikhu from the practice of awakening to the Buddha nature.&#xA;Technology is a tool. We can use it to enhance our understanding and practice, or we can use it to crystallize our self-conceptions and self-deceptions.&#xA;What we cannot change is the inner drive a person feels to reach their destiny in whatever form that is, be it worldly or spiritual. If they feel the spiritual fire nothing will stand in their way.&#xA;Let us not demonize technology or idealize Buddhism. Is this not what having compassion for all is about, acceptance without judgement?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T01:03:52.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3425" CreationDate="2014-09-12T01:08:32.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My main concern about mindfulness, that some describe as meditation without the Buddhism, is that is construed to be a physical tool to make people happier. &#xA;Without the practice of compassion for others and dedication of one life to some degree to helping others, mindfulness can degenerate to a feel good thing.&#xA;But I do not condemn it. It is a start that can lead those with real inner yearnings to a meditation practice.&#xA;It is baby steps, but there are so many babies in the world, it certainly has its place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T01:08:32.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3411" CreationDate="2014-09-12T01:15:20.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple meanings of curiosity.&#xA;Wanting to know the 100 versions of the Diamond Sutra could teach you more about it of it could get you weighed down in facts.&#xA;Looking at a worm crawling across the ground and seeing life as the worm sees it could be an awakening.&#xA;Both are a type of curiosity, but the first is intellectual curiosity that could be helpful or harmful.&#xA;The second curiosity is imbued with innocence like a child. I see only positive outcomes with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T01:15:20.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3409" CreationDate="2014-09-12T01:24:46.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to zen attitude: one could say there are no beings, and also everything is being, and neither are there no beings or everything is being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is uncertainty. When one says something with certainty, there is only one side of the subject. The universe if 96% dark matter and energy of which we have no conceptual understanding except to know it exists. How can we speak of certainties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we must have confession, I am guilty of trying to make things certain too often.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of what I said may be true. Or all of it. Or neither of these. Uncertainty is harder to live with than certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T01:24:46.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3447" CreationDate="2014-09-12T02:07:56.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The guy in the article appears to have this favorite style of psychology and solutions for everyday problems drawn from the world of psychology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing that &quot;spiritual bypassing&quot; is sort of like using religion to solve problems instead of using this guys favorite methodology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the most legitimate trap is to not distinguish between problems that Buddhism is good as solving and which problems are better solved with pharmacology, or one of the many talking cures from the world of psychology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does a really good job of addressing the problems of existential angst-- the who am I and why am I here questions. It isn't especially suited on &lt;em&gt;its own&lt;/em&gt; to deal with marital problems (Dr Gottman is a better expert), or literal delusions (like seeing little green men in the drain of the bath tub), substance abuse, bacterial infections, cancer, stroke, clincial depression and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if some wants to try to deal with their problems using Buddhism instead of Freudian psychoanalysis or any of the other talk cure systems that have since followed and bypass this the article's author's methodology, I wouldn't hold it again them. The various talk cure systems are probably as difficult to prove right or wrong as it is to prove one religion to be better or worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T02:07:56.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3447" CreationDate="2014-09-12T03:38:42.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One main aspect of Buddhism is to deal with reality as it is. Also sensations (Vedananupassana) is a main aspect your meditation. So you are taking the bull by the horns when dealing with pain. So when practicing Buddhism you do not by passing it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T06:19:27.723" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T06:19:27.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="143" CreationDate="2014-09-12T07:14:40.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One aspect of Karma is that it is contagious nature and cumulative in nature. Say you have bad Karma; when the fruit ripens, in many cases some being near you should harm you and be instrumental in the karma giving its fruit. Then the being who is instrumental accumulated bad Karma. In the future some one else (in most cases) must be instrumental in giving a means for the karma to manifest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also due to the liking (or the lack of it) most people tend to be born together in Samsara with a higher degree of probability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence if people around you do negative karma, then there is a possibility that there will be a negative vibe with all associated people due to the complex interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence it is best to encourage your circle to be as positive as then can and avoid negativities but the best extent you can. This give two benefits:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Good Karma for you for doing a good deed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Collective good Karma (or lack of bad Karma) means you would accumulate more positivity through the process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also being collectively good or doing good deeds as a group has better results than just doing as an individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T07:19:49.820" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T07:19:49.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-12T07:43:52.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; there is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no concept of soul&lt;/a&gt;. Life is governed by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;. Hence even the result of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;impermanent&lt;/a&gt;. Hence there cannot be any state which is eternal either positive or negative. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;state where no rebirth is possible&lt;/a&gt;. You have to transcend conditioned existence to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;get to this state&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; does not happen due to having accumulated karma. When you die you naturally get reborn. They happens when you run out of karma sustaining to this birth or the body cannot be retained any more due to decay or damage or end of the natural lifespan of the particular type of being. Your next existence is either due to a strong karma caused by something you did recently, habitual karma or some other mental state that may arise at the moment of death. If your mind is free from imbalance and attachment at the time of death then you'll reach this &quot;deadend&quot; which is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the are multiple planes of existence which are have varying degrees of pain and pleasure. These also are analogous to heavens and hells. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T10:28:57.137" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T10:28:57.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="143" CreationDate="2014-09-12T08:34:04.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't there a rule, about eating meat, something like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't, if the animal would be killed specifically for you (e.g. because you asked for or paid for it)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;OK otherwise (if you're begging for any type of food, and the donor chooses to give you meat)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A moral (i.e. a general lesson) that I read into that rule is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avoid being the cause of suffering&lt;/strong&gt;; for example, don't encourage (pay money to) a butcher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimize the situation which exists in the present&lt;/strong&gt;; if the creature is already dead (through no fault of your own) and meat would benefit your body, then why not (waste not, want not)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I don't know. If for example that &quot;friend or nearby person&quot; were a child of yours, I think you should probably instruct them, to improve behaviour in the future: &quot;Don't steal; I'd prefer you didn't kill; ...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to instruct an adult friend in way that might, I don't know, have negative consequences; so if you were to try to do it you should do so &quot;skillfully&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T09:35:13.963" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T09:35:13.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-12T09:01:49.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have no formal education in Buddhism, and have never been part of a Buddhist community, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but given I didn't feel a deep sense that any of the existing answers were saying what I'd want to share on this topic, here I am, for whatever it's worth....   (Andrei Volkov came close though!) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What follows is a perspective on the core of the Four Noble Truths....  I see Buddhism as a path - motivated by and cherishing empathy and compassion - to improving quality of life. This is completely achievable given the insight that quality of life is a direct function of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lacking attachment/lust/longing/avarice/neediness&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lacking aversion/hatred/fear/disgust/contempt&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;being fully involved in the moment - to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;appreciate whatever enjoyment, empathetic engagement, experience and/or learning is on offer,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;perceive and accept reality, and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;plan and act to guide the future towards increased likelihood of a better quality of life for others and ourselves&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;this despite understanding and accepting (per 1.) that those plans/efforts may not actually pan out; we just need sincerity of intent combined with best effort to make educated decisions, though there's often very subtle and complex ways in which we affect future quality of life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything else - recommended codes of conduct, exercises of breathing and mind - they're tools to help use the moment to better realise and act consequent to an understanding of the three factors above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="863" LastEditorUserId="863" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T09:08:34.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T09:08:34.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3465" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3467" CreationDate="2014-09-12T09:46:36.220" Score="7" ViewCount="4884" Body="&lt;p&gt;In samatha one can judge their progress through the progression of jhana, is there a concrete/measurable way to judge progress in vipassana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:53:38.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:53:38.270" Title="How to judge progress in vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3465" CreationDate="2014-09-12T10:36:47.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;well theres a couple of ways... &#xA;1- you could study more about the stages of insight and enlightenment, and &#xA;2- you could practice with a monk regularly and ask for help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im sure there are other ways (and feel free to explore them) but these are traditionally how progress is made and verified in buddhism to he best of my knowledge and really, if you want to know how you're progressing on a buddhist path... theres only one type of person likely to be qualified to evaluate you (though not all monks are valid choices).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a video my teacher made on the stages of insight through vipassana though for a short run down so you can make a general assessment.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G3u4JEEdK1Y&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G3u4JEEdK1Y&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T10:36:47.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3465" CreationDate="2014-09-12T11:09:42.567" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/AMapOfTheJourney&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;multiple stages of insight&lt;/a&gt; before you reach stream entry. Then there are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 stages of sainthood&lt;/a&gt; which follows which you can judge of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; that remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; into account the main issue leading to the conditioned existence is when we sense any sensations due to, we react with with like or dislike which you try to possess or get rid of. This keeps you rolling in stress and conditioned existence. Once you feel the sensation and you maintain your equanimity then you stop conditioning. Therefore by all means the best measure of your progress is much &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;awareness&lt;/a&gt; you have towards feeling and sensations that arise in different situations. At a more advanced stage when your equanimity is not wavering, the main measure can become how much of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics of existence&lt;/a&gt; you can see. At some point your will start seeing the arising and passing away of phenomena in  any place of your body confirming everything is in a flux of change. You will realise any feeling you get has a finite length. It arrives as cluster of vibrating quantum particles and stays for a finite duration. You have no absolute control over creating, maintaining or the sensation of a particular sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next way you can monitor your progress is through your wellbeing and that of others people around you. You will be less agitated and stressful. This intern makes people around you less agitated and stressful. You become moral. Each time you try to generate negativity you see the process of stress and agitation building in you. This re enforces your morality and cordial interaction with others. You will have a balanced mind thus make the right proactive decisions than emotional reactive decision. This will be profitable for you in this life and the afterlife for you and everyone around you. Also you will experience peace and happiness with in you. As always your 1st measure of progress should be &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; after which is firmly established you can look at the secondary measures. You will &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;actively investigate the phenomena arising and passing away within the framework of your body&lt;/a&gt;. Once well You will feel &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;pleasant&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;relaxed&lt;/a&gt;. Your mind will get &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;focused&lt;/a&gt;. You will have a lot of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;energy&lt;/a&gt; in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to measure your progress is through the level of understanding of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; at the experiential level (Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi). If you were to use another way to investigate your progress you can keep looking at sensation within you. In further investigation you will see that any stress or agitation arises arriving in you. On &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;further investigating&lt;/a&gt; you will see what causes this is your attachment and aversion. You will start seeing if something happens to something you identify as me or mine (things, ideas, thoughts, views, body, friends and foes) you get either agitated or pleased. The lack of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; you &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;grasp&lt;/a&gt; to the feeling that arrised when you sense something. (E.g. your foe losing his job.) You always long for similar incidents as when you &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phassa&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;get to know&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;recognise&lt;/a&gt; this is in deed your foe then you experience the some &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;feeling&lt;/a&gt;. As you practice, you see when your get any volition in your mind, you experience sensations. You see the sensations as not permanent, grasping to them cause resentment and not absolutely controllable. When you are equanimous and mindful in all times you see that this reduces the stress and agitation in you. You will see every time you even think about breaking your morality you get stressed and agitated, more control you exercise over your mind and prevent it going into negative states more positive you feel and when it does go agitation and stress arises, you will see each time you like or dislike towards something (starting with a certain type of feeling) you loose your balance of your mind and craving to create any such sensation or feeling is not under your absolute control, does not last long and since it does not last it is not satisfactory. You see the way out of this is not to react to the sensations you experience but be aware looking at their &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;true characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can always be mindful of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; to see what frequently arices and how intense they are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monitoring progress is has its drawbacks. Proximate cause of looking at progress is striving too hard. You have to leave the results for itself to manifest in due time than be trying to be over mindful of the progress. If you are looking for progress too often then this is a sign of being too attached to the outcome thus losing the balance of your mind and falling behind in your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do occasionally (not too often or not too far paced) have to see how you are doing though. This is to see if you are doing the right practice and on track. If you are not making progress then the this might mean that you have missed some aspects of the practice or doing something wrong. When you do look at progress is that if is like a knife. You cannot see the daily wear and tear but suddenly notice that it has worn out though this was happening little by little over time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T19:00:30.040" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T19:00:30.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3465" CreationDate="2014-09-12T12:02:05.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suminda concludes in another answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you do look at progress is that if is like a knife. You cannot&#xA;  see the daily wear and tear but suddenly notice that it has worn out&#xA;  though this was happening little by little over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would take this thought further. It describes the appearance of awakening. We don't add something, but we wear out something we never had.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The insights are a tool, a horse that trains us to be a good rider. When we get to the ocean we have no need of the horse. We sail on the waters of tranquillity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then what? Go down the other side of the mountain and live what we have discovered as our original mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not concrete in the sense of physical appearance, but when you start &quot;wearing the knife down&quot; there are noticeable changes in clarity of perception. At first they are fleeting, but with continued persistent and compassionate practice, the clarity of perception becomes something we no longer need or want to strive for. But seeking clarity for its own sake or for the sake of personal delight is an impediment. Putting clarity to work as a tool to help all by first clearing our perception and then living as an example of simplicity and awakened joy will speed this part of the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:02:05.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3439" CreationDate="2014-09-12T12:16:37.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What tenets must a person accept to be a Buddhist?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's what the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; had to say about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In what way, Bhante, is one a lay follower?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When, Mahānāma, &lt;strong&gt;one has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma,&#xA;  and the Saṅgha&lt;/strong&gt;, in that way one is a lay follower.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“In what way, Bhante, is a lay follower virtuous?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When, Mahānāma, a lay follower abstains from the destruction of life,&#xA;  from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false&#xA;  speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for&#xA;  heedlessness, in that way a lay follower is virtuous.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.25&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn55-037.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 55.37&lt;/a&gt; (They are both worth reading in their entirety)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what does it mean to take refuge? It means trusting that the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; [as the name implies] awakened, that what he taught is realizable &amp;amp; verifiable for oneself and that his community of followers are worthy of generosity &amp;amp; respect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'We will be endowed with verified&#xA;  confidence in the Buddha: &quot;Indeed, the Blessed One [the Buddha] is&#xA;  worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; conduct,&#xA;  well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled as a&#xA;  trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine &amp;amp;&#xA;  human beings, awakened, blessed.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'We will be endowed with verified&#xA;  confidence in the Dhamma: &quot;The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed&#xA;  One, to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification,&#xA;  pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'We will be possessed of verified confidence in the Sangha: &quot;The&#xA;  Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who&#xA;  have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced&#xA;  methodically... who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html#types4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four types&lt;/a&gt; [of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html#indiv8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eight when&#xA;  taken as individual types&lt;/a&gt; — they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's&#xA;  disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of&#xA;  offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the&#xA;  world.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 41.10, Seeing the Sick&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T12:16:37.570" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3471" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-12T13:09:32.523" Score="10" ViewCount="99325" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation skill level: greater than beginner, less than adept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before I can get to the Electric Feel, we need to come to a mutual understanding on how I get there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a specific technique to my meditation that I have sown together from random scraps of multiple religions(taoism, buddhism, christianity(yes they meditate), Islam and new age stuff). Imagine my technique to be a pyramid that has many levels(plateaus). I must achieve reaching the first level before going to the next. If I am on the third level and stop doing something that was required to reach the first level, then I have to gone down to the first level again and must work my way up from there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first level is Breath... of course. 4 seconds in, and 4 seconds out. The attention is on breath. Continues until this process requires no counting of time and is automatic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second level is muscle relexation over then entire body. The attention is on the entire body in a state of rest. During the first and second levels one must shrug off all thoughts that are worldly worries or thoughts that are hindering your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third level is Electric Feel. I can feel what I would call an energy running circuits through my body. This sensation can be directed through intention: If I want to feel energy coming in through my head and go down my spine, it can happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Levels after 3 are theoretical. But I feel like I can feel my 'Asteral Body'.(when answering you may disregard anything about the Asteral Body if it has no correlation with Buddhism)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is this sensation a normal one for meditation? How can I move past this sensation to deepen meditation? Are my 'levels' accurate to what Buddhism teaches? What level comes after the electric feel? Does Buddhism support the notion of an Asteral Body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:53:14.167" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:57:59.043" Title="That &quot;Electric Feel&quot; body sensation during meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3472" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3484" CreationDate="2014-09-12T13:24:15.907" Score="3" ViewCount="1957" Body="&lt;p&gt;Signlessness is a concept that I was taught about Buddhism in a college course on Buddhism. It was defined as &quot;not taking omens to have meaning, whether the omen was good or bad does not matter.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the same course I learned the mystical means by which the new Dali Lama was found. They see letters in sky telling them to go to Ando Province.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this is right-mindfulness(?): we see things as they truly are in reality and do impose logic onto things were there should not be. Like if I see my lucky number right as I have that really good feeling when I know I am making the right decision. Must I regard seeing my lucky number as just a coincidence and not a sign?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:15:25.500" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T19:15:25.500" Title="Signlessness seems to be contradictory to Buddhism" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2014-09-12T14:09:45.843" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;This feeling is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt;. It is also in sphere of the sensual world hence has the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot;&gt;3 marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;. It arises and passes away. You should try to look at it more and more closely until you see it. At some point this will also disappear and turn into either pain or a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot;&gt;neutral feeling&lt;/a&gt;. When you get the neutral feeling you should be very careful as not to loose the balance of your mind as equanimity is easy in pain and pleasure but hard in this instance. If you examine closely this is also impermanent as you will see things arising and passing. If you see arising and passing of phenomena in each and every part of your body then you are experiencing bhanga-nana. You should see it in remote places in your body also like your earlobes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can result either due to Jhana or that through Vipassana where you have either suspended or eradicated (in case of Vipassana) some of you bad Karma which might give you birth in a lower realm for that stretch of time. (In Jhana there is a temporary suspension of the such rebirth linking karma. If you dies with your Jhana you are born in a higher existence.) This does not mean that you can keep them suspended always in Jhana or other periods where some old residual Karma giving you bad rebirth linking result will not surface in the future in the case of Vipassana. Through Vipassana you can eradicate all rebirth linking Karma starting from the lower realms and progressing to higher realm. When you have eliminated all rebirth linking Karma and mind comes to a state it does not acquire any new rebirth linking Karma then you will enter Nirvana. Even when you enter Nirvana you can still have non rebirth linking Karma. Also the present feeling are associated with Karma which you have done with attachment. &lt;em&gt;(Interpretation as per my understanding according of Ledi Sayadaw linage.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All being said don't get attached to it in any way nor wish for it to pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T10:21:20.963" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T10:21:20.963" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3475" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3478" CreationDate="2014-09-12T14:35:54.490" Score="4" ViewCount="1129" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since lying is not really directed at a person, can it still be harmful? I have had multiple jobs before when the companies I worked for had no issues lying to me(on a organizational level) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can see how lying(when done successfully) can make myself believe I am something I am not and hence inflate my ego but what if this is not the case and the lying is only done with a sense of wanting to get a position and work hard and achieve something? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:25:57.287" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T01:37:03.787" Title="Is lying at a job interview breaking a precept?" Tags="|karma|five-precepts|ethics|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3465" CreationDate="2014-09-12T14:42:35.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The yardstick to measure progress is by sensing your volition to serve other people. If it is increasing you are on the right track. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you are caught in the same situation as you did previously but acted In a calm and balanced manner, for your own benefit and benefit of others, you are on the right track. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you got angry before and it lasted for several hours, has this period reduced? It eventually reduces as you tend to come out of your miseries quicker. Same for lust, hatred, jealousy etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-S.N Goenka (ten day discourses)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T14:42:35.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3477" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3479" CreationDate="2014-09-12T14:44:55.933" Score="4" ViewCount="1461" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does Buddhism explain the creation of everything (universe). Did Buddhism faithfuls believe that universe had always been here and forever, and everything runs by cause-and-effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha have any power of any kind to influence the universe, or it's just teaching? and if so, who rules the universe before Buddha's birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="866" LastEditorUserId="866" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T15:59:38.910" LastActivityDate="2018-04-19T23:32:07.443" Title="How does Buddhism explain the creation of everything (universe)" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2014-09-12T15:06:49.510" Score="21" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Causes of False Speech&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root causes of false speech are greed, hatred and delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Greed is the root cause when false speech is used to obtain &#xA;material gain or status for oneself or someone dear to oneself. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hatred is the root cause when false speech is used to cause loss &#xA;and bring harm and suffering to others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusion is the root cause when it is used neither for one's gain &#xA;nor to cause loss and harm to others, but for the sake of &#xA;enjoyment such as lying for the sake of a joke, exaggeration to &#xA;spice up a story, or flattery to please others, etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lying to get a job falls under the 1st category. So yes, it  does break the fourth precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T15:06:49.510" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3477" CreationDate="2014-09-12T15:11:12.213" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says that the world has no discernible beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That it runs by cause-and-effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That people are able to influence their own state, and have an effect on others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that you shouldn't spend too much attention on theoretical questions, such as &quot;when did the universe begin?&quot;, because there are more important questions such as &quot;how can we help to end suffering?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T15:11:12.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3480" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-12T15:43:01.787" Score="1" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;My interest was caught by an article talking about the mundane and supermundane powers which are mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/docs/samannaphala.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (The Fruits of the Contemplative Life,  DN 2):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first five mundane powers: (&lt;em&gt;can be attained through perfection of samādhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Supranormal powers &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and&#xA;  inclines it to the modes of supranormal powers. He wields manifold supranormal&#xA;  powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes&#xA;  one.  He appears. He vanishes. &lt;strong&gt;He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and&#xA;  mountains as if through space&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clairaudience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and&#xA;  inclines it to the divine ear-element. He hears -- by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human -- both kinds of sounds: divine and human, &lt;strong&gt;whetever near or far&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind Reading&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and&#xA;  inclines it to &lt;strong&gt;knowledge of the awareness of other beings&lt;/strong&gt;. He knows the&#xA;  awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his&#xA;  own awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Recollection of Past Lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and&#xA;  inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. &lt;strong&gt;He&#xA;  recollects his manifold past lives&lt;/strong&gt;, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand,&#xA;  many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many&#xA;  aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recollecting], 'There I had such a&#xA;  name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Passing Away &amp;amp; Re-appearance of Beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and&#xA;  inclines it to &lt;strong&gt;knowledge of the passing away and re-appearance of beings&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One supermundane power (&lt;em&gt;Can be attained through Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Ending of Mental Fermentations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from&#xA;  defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, the monk&#xA;  directs and inclines it to the &lt;strong&gt;knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha emphasized to attain only the last through the realization of Arahatship. It might be unfair to ask for scientific proof, but is there any backup for the first five supposedly attainable powers, any personal experiences maybe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T06:22:49.760" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T06:22:49.760" Title="Are these magical powers real?" Tags="|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-09-12T16:25:37.497" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3480" CreationDate="2014-09-12T15:52:03.140" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of these have been actively researched in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parapsychology&lt;/a&gt;. The Wikipedia link directs you to research efforts around this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are skeptical of what others have to say you can verify your self by developing the Jhanas. Also keep in mind more you long for these powers more further it becomes so your practice should be very diligent with strong sense of equanimity through out the practice. Once you see for yourself (Ehipassiko) your doubts and skepticism will disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T15:52:03.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3477" CreationDate="2014-09-12T16:02:03.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does have an aspect of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cosmology&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;creation and evolution&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;life on earth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But again as @ChrisW mentioned investigating this is not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;profitable for oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;profitable for others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Unless of course you do this for a living.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there are worst problems to worry about like emotional imbalances and stress we go through in daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T16:02:03.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3472" CreationDate="2014-09-12T16:24:37.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; deals with some of the logical aspects mentioned in your question. Much of your experience is governed by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cause and effect&lt;/a&gt;. Omens may have some significance but such significance is highly speculative unless you know the laws of cause and effect to its entirety, thus it is best to concentrate on more pragmatic things like understanding the laws of cause and effect, which intern might give you real insight into the nature of omens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the the laws of cause and effect you have to practice to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nobel 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; organised according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt;. One aspect of this is Right Mindfulness which also appears in many places in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a 1st step you can do a course in meditation throug &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; or any other &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vippasana&lt;/a&gt; Meditation Centure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T03:22:37.473" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T03:22:37.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3472" CreationDate="2014-09-12T16:39:07.427" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, in Mahayana, signlessness (&lt;code&gt;animitta&lt;/code&gt;) has nothing to do with omens. To quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C5%ABmi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Signlessness refers to the fact that phenomena seem to possess their&#xA;  apparent qualities by way of their own nature, but when one examines&#xA;  this appearance one realizes that all qualities are merely mentally&#xA;  imputed and not a part of the nature of the objects they appear to&#xA;  characterize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, signlessness means not getting caught into traps of abstractions. This is based on clear understanding that real world is infinitely more nuanced and multifaceted than any concept, however precise, can ever dream to capture. There is an infinite number of alternative ways of describing the world -- each valid in its own context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The notion of signlessness is related to &lt;code&gt;aniketa-cārī&lt;/code&gt; (usually translated as &quot;wandering without a home&quot; but having a broader meaning in Mahayana) -- the practice of &quot;non-abiding&quot;, or not settling on any single conceptual, metaphysical, or philosophical base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-12T22:12:18.953" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T22:12:18.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3485" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3523" CreationDate="2014-09-12T17:02:39.867" Score="6" ViewCount="501" Body="&lt;p&gt;I meditate first think in the morning and every morning i have to face sloth and torpor.When i face sloth and torpor i make a mental note and i can see how is impermanent and  uncontrollable and after a while  it seams that i overcame it,so then when i go back to the raising and falling i can see it very clear from the beginning until the end and back again without interruptions.Then little by little thoughts and restlessness begin to disturb this clarity of mind,at this point the mind is very energetic and again i make a mental note and it passes away.Is like that there is not balance when the mind is concentrate i have to face Sloth-torpor and in the other hand and when is energetic restlessness come up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before i was forcing to stay with the raising and falling and i began to see how aversion was coming up and i was just dealing with it,little by little i learn to don't force to much.there is not aversion anymore but seams that there is not balance.Is this just normal or i am doing something wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry again for my english and i hope that what i write is understandable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="844" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:52:43.620" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T06:05:28.057" Title="Sloth-torpor-Restlessness-worry" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2014-09-12T17:40:38.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Until_Yesterday&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The World Until Yesterday&lt;/a&gt; Jared Diamond compares traditional societies (i.e. tribal societies in places such as the highlands of Papua New Guinea) with our Western capitalist society. One of the things he noticed about traditional societies was how much they talked to each other. They apparently have a running dialog with each other about achingly trivial things - what they've eaten. how they've slept, what's this, what's that, what's she doing etc... It is a lot more than Western society - we are very quiet by comparison. They didn't spend their time being very very mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to believe that without modern technology we would all be a lot less distracted is wrong (IMO). We would just distract ourselves with other things. Without smart phones, we would watch TV. Without TV we would listen to the radio. Without the radio we would crowd round to piano for a sing and read books. Without any of this we would just talk and talk and talk and distract each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not technology that's the problem it is us. I really think there is something deep inside us that doesn't want to be connected with the present moment and it will grasp at anything to avoid it - smart phones, internet, TV, wittling a piece of wood, anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T17:29:31.787" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T17:29:31.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3485" CreationDate="2014-09-12T18:33:32.793" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should use the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 faculties&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 powers&lt;/a&gt; to balance you mind to dispel some the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;niwarana&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When restless this is because your have become too energetic but lacking in concentration. Best is to do Anapana to increase concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When sleepy this is because you have high concentration but lack energy best is to practice Satipatthana, or instruction in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Capala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have too much faith backed with little wisdom, you accept theory due to faith than at the experiential level, then you should develop your wisdom to see what you have faith in, at the experiential level. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you have lack of faith or doubt the teachings (you have learned too much with little experiential knowledge) you might either get lazy, so develop some confidence to practice by contemplating qualities of the Triple Gem enough to get you to practice and experience in reality the truth of what your have learned&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you have ill will try metta or realise you have will will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you have desire realise it or contemplate on impermanence or realise have desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To realise that the hindrances are arising you have to develop strong mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as a final note with any hindrance or any other mental state there is and associated sensation. This arises and passes away. At 1st you will see it at a gross level as e.g. just sleepy but then you will sense they are made of smaller quantum of smaller sensations arising and passing away. Having said this the feelings and their arising and passing away due to metal factors or content is very difficult to sense. The Vipassana method based on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;    “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;    And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;    Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;    things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;[Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;    &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T06:05:28.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2014-09-12T19:14:05.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of these have been actively researched in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parapsychology&lt;/a&gt;. The Wikipedia link directs you to research efforts around this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These powers are not generally encouraged other than for teaching (Desana Pratihara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T19:14:05.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2014-09-12T19:50:34.517" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;While this may sound similar to the second jhana, I don't think it is. In second jhana the rapture (&lt;code&gt;piti&lt;/code&gt;) is enveloping all body, it may be somewhat more bright around chest, or head, or armpits, but not to the point of being specifically localized. You can move the ball of excitement up and down the spine at will, right? I did this. It is a kind of winds-and-channels yoga they do in Tibetan schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have gotten this far, here is a task for you: can you achieve a permanent state that won't require an effort to maintain, and will stay with you forever post-meditation? Solving this is what made Buddha, Buddha. Anything else is child's play ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-09T21:33:05.483" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T21:33:05.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3377" CreationDate="2014-09-12T21:16:22.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to put a slightly different view to Suminda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha was undoubtedly a hugely original innovator (to say the least) I think it is fair to say that he was also influenced by the philosophical and spiritual environment of Northern India at the time. He would have been influenced by the Jains, The Brahminical traditions, the Sramanas and by other philosophies such as Cārvāka. However the influence of the philosophies could have been as much reacting against as inspired by. In the case of Cārvāka the influence could have run both ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Cārvāka system might have provided the extreme of nihilism (or annihilationism) that the Buddha was reacting against when he proposed the Middle Way. The other extreme of eternalism would have been more characteristic of the Brahminical traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More positively, the Cārvāka system could have influenced the Buddha in his skeptical stance to questions unrelated to liberation i.e. his refusal to answer questions on the fate of the universe or what happens after death. The sort of skepticism shown by the Buddha would have probably been of the weaker kind though - one of suspension of judgement rather than the absolute impossibility of knowing. Interestingly the Greek skeptics could have been influenced by Eastern philosophy through figures such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrho&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pyrrho&lt;/a&gt;. So Cārvāka  might have also influence the Western philosophical tradition either directly or perhaps via transmission through Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as an aside I've written a bit more on the influence of Buddhism on Western philosophy &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2833/157&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. Also this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2245/157&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; goes more into the relationship between nihilism and Buddhism though we didn't mention Cārvāka. Maybe we should have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T09:05:08.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3485" CreationDate="2014-09-12T21:18:14.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before I meditate first thing in the morning, I do stretching of legs and back for 10 minutes so sitting is more comfortable. &#xA;When I sit use pillow so back is straight. Feel like string pulling on head upward and weight on tailbone gently pulling it straight down.&#xA;After establishing breathing you can continue counting breath or do a ceremony.&#xA;Here is one the Dalai Lama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Generating the Mind for Enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For those who admire the spiritual ideals of the Eight verses on&#xA;  Transforming the Mind it is helpful to recite the following verses for&#xA;  generating the mind for enlightenment. Practicing Buddhists should&#xA;  recite the verses and reflect upon the meaning of the words, while&#xA;  trying to enhance their altruism and compassion. Those of you who are&#xA;  practitioners of other religious traditions can draw from your own&#xA;  spiritual teachings, and try to commit yourselves to cultivating&#xA;  altruistic thoughts in pursuit of the altruistic ideal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With a wish to free all beings I shall always go for refuge to the&#xA;  Buddha, Dharma and Sangha until I reach full enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Enthused by wisdom and compassion, today in the Buddha’s presence I&#xA;  generate the Mind for Full Awakening for the benefit of all sentient&#xA;  beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As long as space endures, as long as sentient being remain, until&#xA;  then, may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. In&#xA;  conclusion, those who like myself, consider themselves to be followers&#xA;  of Buddha, should practice as much as we can. To followers of other&#xA;  religious traditions, I would like to say, “Please practice your own&#xA;  religion seriously and sincerely.” And to non-believers, I request you&#xA;  to try to be warm-hearted. I ask this of you because these mental&#xA;  attitudes actually bring us happiness. As I have mentioned before,&#xA;  taking care of others actually benefits you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may have to do with focusing the mind and energy and dedicating it to others, but this focused ceremony helps to energize meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation 30-60 minutes are usually adequate to begin my day. Then I do yoga and other exercises to generate energy and plan activities so I am active. Just sitting all day could easily produce torpor. Having a plan to act in the world is part of walking meditation where you keep meditation or breathing awareness going while you do your job or goal for the day with complete focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-12T21:18:14.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3492" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3495" CreationDate="2014-09-12T21:28:36.810" Score="5" ViewCount="929" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Zen monk &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/whoswhoinbuddhism/a/hakuin.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hakuin&lt;/a&gt; said that 3 things are essential to practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;great faith, great doubt, and great resolve&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can see how faith and resolve would be essential but I don't see why doubt would be? Also wouldn't faith and doubt contradict each other unless they occur separately at different times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:19:55.133" LastActivityDate="2019-08-01T13:27:49.440" Title="The role of doubt in Zen Buddhist practice?" Tags="|zen|teachers|doubt|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3492" CreationDate="2014-09-13T00:49:06.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This doubt is a byproduct of really paying attention to details. As you pick up bits and pieces here and there, some of them don't fit together. So you put them aside and keep going. Then, later, some of them fit together, but others still don't. You have &lt;em&gt;great faith&lt;/em&gt; in three jewels, and &lt;em&gt;great resolve&lt;/em&gt; to walk the path. At the same time you have no choice but to suspend your judgement on some things that don't make sense. The further you go, the more this happens. But only if you &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; pay attention, and only if you don't get discouraged by logical inconsistencies, and only if you are determined to follow through. Somewhere along the way you get unwavering certainty on some points, even if they contradict other, equally authoritative points. Because you are certain about these things, you can give up some other things you would never have dreamt of giving up, even though your heart sinks as you do it. You keep doing it in the name of &quot;no hope, no fear&quot; until you lose all ground and fall through space. This is the great doubt, the flip side of your faith and determination. It's not the goal, it's a thing you have to go through. It's not something that can or should be induced artificially though. As Master Bankei said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What’s worse, they [the false teachers] tell practitioners that unless they can raise a “great ball of doubt” and then break through it, there can’t be any progress in Zen.  Instead of teaching them to live by the unborn Buddha-mind, they start by forcing them to raise this ball of doubt any way they can.  People who don’t have a doubt are now saddled with one.  They’ve turned their Buddha-minds into “balls of doubt.”  It’s absolutely wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So doubt must be natural to be real. That's why even though Master Hakuin is right in listing it as one of three essential things, I now say it is secondary to paying attention &lt;em&gt;properly&lt;/em&gt;, taking note of facts and how they fit together or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T03:12:44.557" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T03:12:44.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2014-09-13T03:20:31.087" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have intention to deceive, you know what you are going to say is false and then say it then it is lying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a job interview you might be asked questions you are not very sure about. Making an intelligent guess in those instances in fine. Not attempting may look negative or as a lack of confidence. Also interviewer will not expect you to know everything but an attempt will be appreciated. Much like in an exam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lying about your experience may not be fine. Also spin doctering / white lies with a intention to deceive is not fine. Otherwise putting a positive spin is fine. Facing an interview is an art in itself which you can master without breaking your ethics and morality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T03:28:32.650" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T03:28:32.650" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3497" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3502" CreationDate="2014-09-13T03:55:16.473" Score="5" ViewCount="9694" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Buddha and Buddhism say about fighting against an enemy who is hell bent on wiping out all buddhists in the name of religion? Should a buddhist actively participate in war against evil? I would like to have an answer both from a buddhist layman and a soldiers perspective. An active resistance to injustice in general. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T13:18:20.960" LastActivityDate="2020-10-25T11:43:03.223" Title="What does Buddha and Buddhism say about fighting against enemy of dharma?" Tags="|non-violence|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3492" CreationDate="2014-09-13T06:39:27.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reverse order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;wouldn't faith and doubt contradict each other unless they occur separately at different times&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...or unless they are directed to different things: Great faith [on the approach], great doubt [about Truth]. Great resolve: the act of persevering on the approach to penetrate the Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;I can see how faith and resolve would be essential but I don't see why doubt would be?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Great doubt&lt;/em&gt; can be seen as the catalyzer that creates motivation to make one go through great lengths to reach something so hard to reach. It can also be seen as &quot;The Doubt among the doubts&quot;, a fundamental, deep and honest question, greater than any other, that no superficial answer would satisfy it, settle it, or make it rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T06:39:27.157" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3497" CreationDate="2014-09-13T07:34:06.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism the enemies are within us in the form of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. We have to actively try to conquer them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A military career is as as accepted profession. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/27/fea25.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BUDDHIST SPECTRUM&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda_Weerasekara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Major General Ananda Weerasekera&lt;/a&gt; (later ordinated as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&amp;amp;page=article-details&amp;amp;code_title=19668&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Buddangala Ananda&lt;/a&gt;) makes the some further observation about the topic in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/soldier.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism &amp;amp; The Soldier&lt;/a&gt; and suggests that a government should have a strong army and the qualities of the soldiers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Active resistance is inevitable in some cases. But this should be the last option. having said this our real enemies are within us not outside us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/290.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Can a Buddhist Join the Army?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel294.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood: The Noble Eightfold Path in the Working Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T07:20:45.797" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T07:20:45.797" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3500" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3510" CreationDate="2014-09-13T08:00:29.433" Score="5" ViewCount="749" Body="&lt;p&gt;During daily activities it is ok to do a mental note when thoughts arise saying &quot;thinking thinking&quot; just in like the sitting meditation? I try to label every physical and mental phenomena during the day and nothing strange with that but with thinking it seems that sometimes I block it straight away when arise so I was just wondering if is too much and if I should stop noting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="844" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T12:01:04.603" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T18:55:50.853" Title="Mental note of thoughts during the day" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3501" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3506" CreationDate="2014-09-13T09:44:28.290" Score="6" ViewCount="3942" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although the vast majority of people will not remember past lives, are there reliable accounts of people who have? Specifically are there accounts of Buddhists who have remembered past lives and whose experience can be (even partially) verified in some independent way? Or do people with past life memories generally come from other religions and traditions such as Hinduism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that reliable is a very ambiguous term. If possible could people perhaps note the quality of the evidence when answering. Is it anecdotal, statistical significant etc...? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T00:22:13.880" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T23:42:26.563" Title="Are there reliable accounts of Buddhists who have remembered past lives?" Tags="|rebirth|science|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3497" CreationDate="2014-09-13T10:24:52.263" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally find it difficult to accept that Buddhism is compatible with violence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first precept is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot;&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the eightfold path, the definition of right and wrong livelihood (career) prohibits &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot;&gt;Business in weapons&lt;/a&gt; (also, slavery and prostitution, meat, intoxicants, and poison)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you consider whether you should be &quot;fighting against an enemy who is hell-bent&quot;, remember the verses at the very beginning of the Dhammapada,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness&#xA;  follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are nominally Buddhist countries, which have soldiers. For example,&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.misterdanger.net/books/Buddhism%20Books/In%20defense%20of%20dharma.pdf&quot;&gt;In Defense of Dharma: Just-War Ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; includes innumerable quotes, from people who are arguing for and against violence, including quotes like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Though some Sri Lankan Buddhist interpreters of Buddhism, including the&#xA;  Venerable Walpola Rahula, have claimed that “violence in any form, under any&#xA;  pretext whatsoever, is absolutely against the teaching of the Buddha,” and thus&#xA;  of Buddhism, some Buddhists that I interviewed in Sri Lanka during the summers&#xA;  of 1997 and 1998 suggested that war can be justified if certain criteria are met. In&#xA;  this chapter, I shall highlight the “just-war thinking” that a section of Sinhala-Buddhist Sri Lanka argues shaped Dutugemunu’s conscience, and examine what&#xA;  foundation there is, if any, for such thinking in Theravada Buddhism, in general.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;we have to peacefully fight our enemies&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;killing to defend the&#xA;  country or the sasana, therefore, brings few negative karmic repercussions, because&#xA;  the intention is to save, rather than to harm&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As we determined in Chapter 2 of this study, due to monks’ perceptions of&#xA;  themselves as “sons of the soil,” or bhumiputras, the sangha perpetuates and&#xA;  reinforces the idea that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalas who are Buddhist. As&#xA;  Professor Aryarasinghe’s political party’s platform makes clear, however,&#xA;  bhumiputra ideology is not the monks’ alone; lay Buddhists, too, deem themselves&#xA;  to be sons of the soil. As we have also seen, the commitment to the soil might&#xA;  allow for justifications of violence, even war, if certain conditions are met. At the&#xA;  same time, there are a number of lay people and, in particular, monks, who are&#xA;  committed to their other “historic” mission, that is, to being exemplars of the&#xA;  Buddha’s message of peace, to being sons of the Buddha, or Buddhaputras.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Each of us should contribute to the cooling down&#xA;    process. If one individual is peaceful it means one less in the violent&#xA;    crowd.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In my interview with Premaratne in 1998, he steadfastly argued that the civil&#xA;  war will not be solved in the battlefield; instead, according to Premaratne, we can&#xA;  find a resolution to Sri Lanka’s problems in the paradigm of the Buddha’s life and&#xA;  in Buddhist ideas about the self. In Premaratne’s view, Buddhism never justifies &#xA;  war, and the fact that the Buddha chose to be a universal teacher (world renouncer)&#xA;  rather than a cakkavati (world conqueror) demonstrates that peace is superior to&#xA;  war.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specific, notable Buddhists &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=dalai+lama+bin+laden&quot;&gt;including the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; seem to say that it's sometimes &quot;necessary&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in summary it seems to be difficult to be completely clear about what &quot;Buddhism says&quot;: because it's possible to find &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mixed_message&quot;&gt;mixed messages&lt;/a&gt;&quot; on this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally think that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Abstain from killing&quot; as a number one precept is pretty clear. It reminds me of this article, published in a satirical newspaper (soon after September 11, 2001): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theonion.com/articles/god-angrily-clarifies-dont-kill-rule,222/&quot;&gt;God Angrily Clarifies 'Don't Kill' Rule&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Saying that &quot;killing terrorists doesn't count as killing, they deserve it, they brought death upon themselves, they made me do it&quot; seems to me very dubious logic. For example, quoting from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavamsa&quot;&gt;Mahavamsa&lt;/a&gt; as written in the &quot;Just-War Ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dutugemunu asks them&#xA;  how he will ever find comfort, considering what he had done, that he had killed&#xA;  such a lot of people. The arahants respond with their own just-war thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Only one and a half human beings have been slain here by thee, O lord&#xA;    of men. The one had come unto the (three) refuges, the other had taken&#xA;    unto himself the five precepts. Unbelievers and men of evil life were the&#xA;    rest, not more to be esteemed than beasts. But as for thee, thou wilt bring&#xA;    glory to the doctrine of the Buddha in manifold ways; therefore cast&#xA;    away care from the heart, O ruler of men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately this reminds me of the Nazi arguments/propaganda used to commit genocide in Nazi Germany: that people such as the Jews were &quot;sub-human&quot; and, also, were &quot;a threat&quot; (a threat to God's order; threat to German society; threat to German morality; threatening to enslave hard-working Germans; a deadly threat not only to the survival of the German people but to the survival of the world!)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also don't see how Christians justify war: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_the_other_cheek#Scriptural_reference&quot;&gt;Turning the other cheek&lt;/a&gt;&quot; seems to me unambiguous. I know that people who are nominally Christian have tried to justify it with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory&quot;&gt;theory of just war&lt;/a&gt; but that doesn't seem to me to be Christian: maybe it's life (and death), maybe it's the world, but it's not Christian, IMO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Supposedly Buddhist doctrine such as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha replied, 'He who deserves punishment must be punished. And he who is worthy of favor must be favored. Do not do injury to any living being but be just, filled with love and kindness.' &lt;strong&gt;These injunctions are not contradictory because the person who is punished for his crimes will suffer his injury not through the ill-will of the judge but through the evil act itself.&lt;/strong&gt; His own acts have brought upon him the injury that the executors of the law inflict. When a magistrate punishes, he must not harbor hatred in his heart. When a murderer is put to death, he should realize that his punishment is the result of his own act. With his understanding, he will no longer lament his fate but can console his mind. And the Blessed One continued, 'The Buddha teaches that all warfare in which man tries to slay his brothers is lamentable. But he does not teach that those who are involved in war to maintain peace and order, after having exhausted all means to avoid conflict, are blameworthy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... seems to me to come from a different tradition (a non-Buddhist Dharma), i.e. it's the central message of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita&quot;&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/a&gt;, that man-the-killer is an instrument of God (&quot;Facing the duty to kill his relatives, Arjuna is counselled by Krishna to fulfill his Kshatriya (warrior) duty as a warrior and kill.&quot;) ... or in the quote above, a mere instrument of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a saying, in the west, that &quot;war is hell&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is, similarly, quite a &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.fr/books?id=9XqHyP30Cy8C&amp;amp;pg=PA6&amp;amp;lpg=PA6&amp;amp;dq=hakuin+sword&quot;&gt;famous Zen story on that subject&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for whether you should &quot;actively participate in a war against evil&quot;, or how to participate if you must, my knowledge of non-Buddhist history suggests there have been a (relatively very few) people in the west who, calling themselves &quot;pacifists&quot; and &quot;conscientious objectors&quot;, served in non-aggressive, altruistic, personally dangerous roles: for example disposing of unexploded bombs, or acting as medics, and as front-line stretcher-bearers (rescuing the wounded).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T13:26:51.950" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T13:26:51.950" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-13T11:46:23.140" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also a sense in Buddhism that heaven and hell and psychological&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen monk &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuin_Ekaku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hakuin&lt;/a&gt; was asked by a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zenguide.com/zenmedia/index.cfm?id=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samurai warrior where heaven and hell&lt;/a&gt; were. For his answer Hakuin started to insult the Samurai. The Samurai was infuriated and drew his sword. Hakuin then insulted the sword which made matters worse. The Samurai's rage was now at its peak and he moved as if to behead Hakuin. At this point Hakuin  said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here open the gates of hell&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On hearing this and seeing Hakuin's utter composure the Samurai sheathed his sword and bowed. Hakuin then said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here open the gates of heaven&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Hakuin and the Samurai heaven and hell are us and our responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T11:46:23.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2014-09-13T11:59:32.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just from my own experience I experience a lot of electric type sensations when meditating. Sometimes they can be fairly mild but at other times they can be so intense as to physically jolt me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just reflecting on this I think there are two things going on at different times. When I haven't meditated as much as I usually do or I am going through a particularly intense time outside of mediation then I will get the jolting type of sensations. When meditating I can spot a kind of stuckness that if I meditate on it can come out surges of energy that can be intense. This will then be a feature of meditation for a while then it will subside and meditation will be calmer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At other times when mediation is progressing and I have more time for it I can get electric sensations at the end of a meditation session when I am particularly calm or focused. This could be piti (not sure). It is less intense but can also be associated with a few more meditation bells and whistles such as feeling out of body or maybe feeling that sensations are a lot more fluid (like a waterfall).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As other people have said I do my best not to get attached to these. Also I try not to anticipate them or certainly not to actively chase them - however it's sometimes useful for me to be open to the possibly of them. To be honest I'm not particularly putting this forward as any kind of definitive (or even helpful) answer. It's just an experience that I'm actually finding quite useful to write down. If anyone has any comments I'd actually be very grateful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T11:59:32.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3500" CreationDate="2014-09-13T12:07:22.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In her book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11229142-zen-and-the-art-of-consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen and the Art of Consciousness&lt;/a&gt; Susan Blackmore did exactly what you are doing and spent a couple of weeks being very mindful and noting during her everyday life. Her question was 'am I conscious now?' She found this very productive and interesting but she said it was unsustainable for her. She reached a point where she was so aware that she was unable to cross the road. She found the speed of the traffic too overwhelming. She had to stop the practice at this point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would hesitate to say don't do it because I'm really not any kind of expert but I just wanted to share that second hand experience. Certainly mindfulness in the everyday is an ideal but I'm not sure if I could go full on for it. Maybe little and often?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T12:07:22.340" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3501" CreationDate="2014-09-13T12:15:19.287" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dr. Ian Stevenson did research on rebirth, and most of his subjects were children. As I remember he said during the first 5-6 years of a child's life some of them would remember how they died. Most of them who remembered their previous life have had some sudden tragic death. Hence, these incidents seem to be deeply carved in their minds, but this memory would slowly fade away as they grew old. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of these incidents were reported from families having Hindu or Buddhist backgrounds because their parents believed in rebirth and believed their child was saying the truth. In some cases, when the researchers traced the child's past routes based on their stories, they had actually found that the person had existed.  Also in some cases it turned out that the parents have been lying to gain some popularity from local media. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think this research is not so popular among other scientists, claiming it has no clear evidence that backs his theories. Upon his death I think his student continues this work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's link to their work. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/publications-page&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/publications-page&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(Edited the previous reference according to Ven. Yuttadhammo's comment)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T11:48:04.923" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T11:48:04.923" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3500" CreationDate="2014-09-13T14:23:30.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every mental content, or state you experience, is linked to sensations in your body. (After all, one the of the 5 aggregates is sensation.) You should examine the sensation. You should try to understand that the sensations you experience are what you like or dislike (with any thought, memories, ideas - when you remember something you do not like, you get a bad feeling in your body) and react to, try to grasp or get rid of. This is what keeps you in a conditioned existence. So to start with, you should always try to notice the sensations when thoughts come and go. Sharpen your mind to understand 3 marks of existence within sensation. The 3 marks of existence in your corporeal body. How perceptions are formed and their nature. How the recognising part of your mind works. These things grow progressively subtle. The start should be the impact of any mental state or content upon the sensations of the body, and if not all 3 marks of existence, at least their impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T18:55:50.853" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T18:55:50.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3501" CreationDate="2014-09-13T14:33:58.987" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;First and foremost account is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_tales&quot;&gt;Jataka stories&lt;/a&gt;. These are generally the account of Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are some records of his disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern times a famous person who did research in this area is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce&quot;&gt;Edgar Cayce&lt;/a&gt;. Also there has been &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology&quot;&gt;Parapsychology&lt;/a&gt; research in this area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind if it is a monk who has developed &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot;&gt;Abhijñā&lt;/a&gt;, they do not openly say they have such powers. (I know and seen some monks with these abilities who I have been very close to, but they will not come out to the open and show this so if I way so and so has it there is not way to ascertain my claim.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a final note, what I can say is Ehipassiko. Come and see for yourself. Develop the 4 Jhanas and see for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T14:50:58.140" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T14:50:58.140" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3472" CreationDate="2014-09-13T14:48:28.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/27/fea25.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/01/27/fea25.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found some information of this matter as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;For bhikkhus, reading marks on the limbs (palmistry); reading omens and signs, interpreting celestial events, interpreting dreams, reading marks on the body (e.g. phenology), offering fire oblations (yaga), offering blood-sacrifices, practising astrology etc are wrong livelihood. Path to Nibbana and the path to gains are different.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T14:48:28.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3500" CreationDate="2014-09-13T15:44:42.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Labeling one's thoughts was one of Chogyam Trungpa's main meditation techniques for beginners. As I understand now, in context of Path at large, it is an entry-level practice for establishing basic reflexive awareness and reducing the grasping. Labeling serves two purposes: 1) it encourages one to try and be aware of one's associative cycle and 2) it interrupts the train of thoughts that otherwise has a tendency to be engrossing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing special or supernatural about this technique: the labeling itself is, again, thinking (6th consciousness). If we took it to its logical conclusion, we would get into an endless loop. So maxing out this labeling, especially in post-meditation, is kinda pointless. It would be like treating poisoning with more poison. No wonder Susan Blackmore found herself at difficulty walking across the street!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the idea at this stage is to disidentify from our thoughts, to understand that our thoughts are not &quot;me&quot;. The point is not in mechanically identifying consecutive thoughts, but rather in 1) setting up your subconscious intent (&quot;alarm clock&quot;), so that the &quot;noticing&quot; after &quot;the getting carried away&quot; happens by itself, but also 2) learning to let go (of an &quot;important&quot; thought) and come back to breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point, thoughts can come and go like fishes in the ocean. Here you sit, watching the ocean, then you sense a thought's fuzzy contours, like a shadow moving deep down. As fish comes closer, it gradually takes shape and clarity. You can either dismiss it, or let it come. It gets more and more concrete, until it jumps on you and takes you flying. You can either get carried away, or you spend a second on the thought, tasting its flavour, tracing its roots that connect it to its underlying emotion and, further down, basic preconception -- before dismissing it. Chogyam Trungpa called this &quot;touch-and-go&quot; practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next level up (it's not like it really is a linear progression, but for simplicity we could say so) is to try and see where the thoughts come from and where they go. This includes seeing where one's &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt; (7th  consciousness) comes from. To explore that semidifferentiated sea of 8th consciousness, tasting its colors and energies and the overall weather -- is why we keep coming back to the breathing, a window onto the subconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T17:34:59.600" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T17:34:59.600" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3511" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3521" CreationDate="2014-09-13T17:54:36.540" Score="7" ViewCount="3653" Body="&lt;p&gt;When people ask me about my religion, it always gets me thinking as how I should announce to another person that I practice Buddhism, should tell that I am:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Buddhist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follower of the Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practicing Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or an alternative to these?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T23:59:03.260" LastActivityDate="2019-10-16T03:41:51.227" Title="Should one call oneself a Buddhist?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3512" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3533" CreationDate="2014-09-13T18:10:00.490" Score="7" ViewCount="5084" Body="&lt;p&gt;When attend an event at the sangha I'm with (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) we often transfer merit (puñña) at the end of it. So any good result of the meditation, ritual, dharma study etc... we give away. I know that this isn't something we have just invented. It's a practice that we have taken from other traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What confuses me is merit can be given away. If merit is the fruits of my karma in what sense can this be transferred over to another being? How can someone else benefit from my skillful actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T17:49:25.040" LastActivityDate="2017-09-01T09:11:28.027" Title="How can merit be transferred?" Tags="|karma|triratna-buddhism|merit|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-13T18:19:50.510" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a way it's up to you how you self-identify. For a long time I struggled with calling myself a Buddhist. I come from an atheist background so identifying with a religion of any sorts was a struggle. These days I would call myself a practicing Buddhist if asked. For me Buddhism only makes sense to the extent that I practice it. It isn't a set of beliefs that I subscribe to. Rather it is a set of practices that I engage with. So to this extent I am a &lt;em&gt;practicing&lt;/em&gt; Buddhist. If one day I stopped practicing then I wouldn't describe myself as a Buddhist at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally for me, it is important to nail my colours to the mast and identify with Buddhism. When I didn't do this I used to shift uncomfortably when asked about religion and mutter something non-committal. Even though I still find Buddhist an awkward term (my stuff) I think it's a good practice for me to identify as such. It is useful short hand for people so they have an idea about what is going on with you. Without this I found that I was almost lying to people about it (not quite). If people want to ask more than fine. If they don't then at least they've got some idea what is important to you and why you might be acting as you are acting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-15T03:14:34.443" LastActivityDate="2019-10-15T03:14:34.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2014-09-13T18:39:58.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;first what is merit&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is that which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or&#xA;  thoughts and which carries over throughout the life or the subsequent&#xA;  incarnations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One approach toward merit is that it is like an award or increase in the ledger (chinese see link above) - these are both difficult things to give away because we are not able to touch them or even be sure they are really there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another idea about merit is that it is the feeling and awareness of the Buddha nature that results from meditation, helping others, offering or dedicating the fruits of our life and consciousness to helping others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason that makes sense to me is that we give or offer this type of merit to all sentient beings because this brings us closer to the intentions of the Buddha nature, to help all and ask for nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T18:39:58.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-13T18:50:01.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could speak of your spiritual practice. It depends on how much you are identified with a particular sect of Buddhism. Maybe it is better to be cautious - why expose your jewels to someone that may be just trying to nail you up against the wall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the office everyone asks how are you, but no one really wants to know. So I tell them fine and they feel they have fulfilled their obligation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda01.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda01.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is Buddhism? The name Buddhism comes from the word 'budhi' which&#xA;  means 'to wake up' and thus Buddhism is the philosophy of awakening.&#xA;  This philosophy has its origins in the experience of the man Siddhata&#xA;  Gotama, known as the Buddha, who was himself awakened at the age of&#xA;  35.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you could say you belong to the wake up religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/another-word-for/wake_up.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/another-word-for/wake_up.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;other words are revive so you are part of a revival religion. Of course that is close to Christian revivals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so maybe I would say I just say I practice on my own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The choice is yours, but watch the results next time it happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T18:50:01.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2014-09-13T19:27:53.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What I have learned from Theravada tradition (based on a Buddha's discourse) is that you can only transfer merits to beings in the hungry ghost realm, if a relative of yours has passed away and you have reasons to believe he/she is in the ghost realm (manifestations, signs etc.*) you can burn food, incense, clothes or donate food and clothes to the sangha transferring the merits to him/her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Many buddhist traditions (especially chinese) believe that circa 1 week after a relative has passed away he comes back looking for food and clothes if he/she is in the ghost realm, of course the natural thing to do is look for the relatives in the human realm to support them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: After meditation sessions it is common to dedicate the merits to someone, however I think this is slightly different from actually transferring the merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T17:04:39.540" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T17:04:39.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2014-09-13T19:44:27.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first paramita in Mahayana is paramita of generosity. And what generosity could we talk about if we are keeping our merit to ourselves? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As many Buddhist practices, this transfer of merit thing works on multiple levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of them is prophylactics against spiritual materialism. You don't want to get caught up in the idea of accumulating anything for your ego to feed on. In some sense Satdharma is about becoming a very decent, very sane person, like a very lucid grandma. This grandma does not dream of career or wealth or popularity anymore, she does not want to learn Haskell because it's so cool, she just clearly knows that to be a decent person, rather than being full of yourself, you have to keep your eyes open and only do what makes sense. So instead of assuming this notion of accumulation, you could say: &quot;Ok, what else do I need to drop?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aside from giving away one's merit there is also a parallel practice: of taking on &lt;em&gt;blame&lt;/em&gt; -- if you pay attention you can feel how both of these relieve the energy tension. You could say these two are quintessential Mahayana practices towards starving the ego. The same idea is utilized in Tonglen meditation: we breath in all the suffering of the world and breath out happiness, for all sentient beings to enjoy. Another similar practice is e.g. when you're cold, to wish that you are taking on a piece of suffering some unfortunate beings experience in the Freezing Hell, and when you are spacing out in front of the fireplace to send that happiness to all spaces and times that need it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is all part of Bodhicitta, generating Buddha's mindset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-13T21:52:19.823" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T21:52:19.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-13T20:26:55.640" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not really important, Buddha was not a Buddhist, so if you believe in Kamma-Vipaka, if you understand the 4 noble truths, if you follow the noble eightfold path and if you try hard to tame your mind, you are in a very good position in the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it is a beautiful and useful commitment to call oneself a Buddhist and follow all the practices from the refuge to the 8 precepts whenever possible, however the name is just a label, an inputation, practice is the key!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calling yourself a Buddhist will not change anything, many people call themselves Buddhists (in some countries as Thailand they even register that in their ID) and do very bad things, it happens in all religions, the right understanding and most importantly the right practice ARE what really matter! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-13T20:26:55.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3519" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3525" CreationDate="2014-09-13T23:14:37.970" Score="13" ViewCount="963" Body="&lt;p&gt;As capitalism depends on the desire to consume (the more you consume the better), is it fair to say that Buddhism goes against capitalism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does anyone thinks that Buddhism can coexist very well with capitalism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T00:03:36.130" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T01:29:24.120" Title="Can Buddhism be viewed as a threat to the capitalist way of life?" Tags="|modern-world|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3501" CreationDate="2014-09-13T23:44:43.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stevenson has published a summary of his work at the end of his life, see&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medical Hypotheses (2000) 54(4), 652–659&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I add the summary of his paper: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several disorders or abnormalities observed in medicine and psychology are not explicable (or not fully&#xA;explicable) by genetics and environmental influences, either alone or together. These include phobias and philias&#xA;observed in early infancy, unusual play in childhood, homosexuality, gender identity disorder, a child’s idea of having&#xA;parents other than its own, differences in temperament manifested soon after birth, unusual birthmarks and their&#xA;correspondence with wounds on a deceased person, unusual birth defects, and differences (physical and behavioral)&#xA;between monozygotic twins. The hypothesis of previous lives can contribute to the further understanding of these&#xA;phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T16:31:37.417" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T16:31:37.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-13T23:55:01.443" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I was taught Buddhism: identifying oneself with anything is a fetter. Self-identification is a form of clinging, and as such it inherently leads to conflict between &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot;, hence suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ego is a box made of stuff we identify with. Ego is not just being selfish, it is what makes us tremendously vulnerable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Externally, avoid defining yourself, except jokingly or if required by circumstances. Internally, have no idea who you really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not identify yourself as Theravada, Mahayana, Democrat, Republican, Russian, Ukrainian, Man, Woman, Buddhist, Programmer, Human, or Spontaneously&#xA;Self-Existing&#xA;Luminous&#xA;Unity&#xA;of Emptiness&#xA;and Form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, to all dharmas not getting stuck, not getting caught into traps of abstractions (&lt;code&gt;aniketacari&lt;/code&gt;), not clinging -- he attains Awakening of the Lucky Ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T01:03:44.167" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T01:03:44.167" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3519" CreationDate="2014-09-14T00:11:28.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you may be implying is that greedy, self centered activity that values winning at any price with utter disregard for others needs is inconsistent with Buddhism and most other religious tenets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot find the exact quote, but the Dalai Lama said that he is not against capitalism, but to earn lots of money and then use the money with socialist's principles to help others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people find their calling in business and are very successful. Some of them like Bill Gates set up foundations to help many people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Buddhist is on the path of business, why not succeed at business and then succeed at caring for others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T00:11:28.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3485" CreationDate="2014-09-14T00:14:34.260" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are describing is an experience of impermanence (that your energy doesn't last), suffering (that your experience isn't as you wish it to be) and non-self (that you can't make the lethargy go away for real). This is to be expected and suggests proper practice of insight meditation. Congratulations :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over time, this will lead to disenchantment, weariness - getting tired of being tired, for example :) Eventually, if you practice intensively, your mind will let go, and you will become enlightened, no longer upset by things like lethargy, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing thus, gets wearied of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception, gets wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness. Being wearied he becomes passion-free. In his freedom from passion, he is emancipated. Being emancipated, there is the knowledge that he is emancipated. He knows: 'birth is exhausted, lived is the holy life, what had to be done is done, there is nothing more of this becoming.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.59 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mendis, trans&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T00:14:34.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3497" CreationDate="2014-09-14T00:46:04.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we have modern day examples like the khmer Rouge that wanted to wipe out anyone that did not think the way they did.&#xA;I did not see a mobilizations of Buddhists to go fight the Khmer Rouge.&#xA;If there is such an enemy, often Buddhists lay down their lives rather than fight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T00:46:04.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3519" CreationDate="2014-09-14T00:56:05.870" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a threat to the universe... the answer to the famous &quot;what would happen if everyone became enlightened?&quot; is that the universe would cease to exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the meantime, sure, the more people in a society practicing Buddhism the less the demand for new products, prices drop, people have less money, less spending, even less demand, and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, I don't think this would immediately threaten capitalism as a philosophy, in the sense that barter could still carry on unimpeded; truly necessary items could still be shared and traded, and a free market would probably do well in such a society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine there would be many socialist aspects to the society as well, involving health care, social assistance, etc. But would the society incline towards communism? I doubt it - communism seems too structured to me; people would probably just mind their own business, sharing or trading as needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've always thought that the only problem with capitalism is greed. I'm not an economist, by any means, but my short answer is no, I don't think it would be a threat to capitalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_materialism&quot;&gt;Economic materialism&lt;/a&gt;, sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T00:56:05.870" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3497" CreationDate="2014-09-14T01:06:32.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I just said on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3521/43&quot;&gt;Should one call oneself a Buddhist?&lt;/a&gt; rigid identification with anything, including a religious tradition, leads to conflict and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of calling ourselves Buddhists, and going to war in the name of protecting Buddhism, we should properly follow Sat-Dharma and drop all clinging, including clinging to our identity as Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a &lt;em&gt;meme&lt;/em&gt;. Islam is another &lt;em&gt;meme&lt;/em&gt;. When memes fight, people suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we stop being Buddhists and just be good people, there will be no reason for muslims to hate us. When there is no form -- there is no identity -- there is no enemy -- there is no war -- there is no suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a conflict, a good practitioner of Sat-Dharma does not take sides. Instead, he or she works on reconciling the sides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T13:00:51.877" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3527" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3529" CreationDate="2014-09-14T01:28:18.453" Score="11" ViewCount="903" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to find a specific story in the Pali canon (or commentaries, probably), where an anagami who looks after his mother makes a living by firing pots and putting them out by the side of the road. When people go by, he says &quot;take what you like, just leave some beans or rice, or whatever you think it's worth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone know where this story is found, or what the name of the anagami was?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T07:27:19.327" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T07:27:19.327" Title="Where is the story of the non-returner who &quot;sold&quot; pots on the side of the road?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|anagami|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-14T01:52:43.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I prefer practicing Buddhas teachings because technically that's what I try to do. I am not ordained not born into a Buddhist family. Rather I was born into a Hindu family and now I practice Vipassana so I have to face this question quite normally living among Hindu friends and family. It doesn't make much difference to me now as it used to since I first started out. I think the sara(essence) of all the religions is the same. It's the outer crust such as clothes, looks, theology, rites and rituals that people get stumped out on. Every religion teaches you to love but it's the recent age practitioners that have given society the image of a particular religion. &#xA;Your question seemed to have a certain background hence the diversion. But nonetheless practice matters most. Doesn't matter what you want to call it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T01:52:43.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3527" CreationDate="2014-09-14T02:36:26.580" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the story you refer to&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/general/247-money-rules-for-buddhist-monks-and-nuns-by-dhamminda-bhikkhu.html&quot;&gt;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/general/247-money-rules-for-buddhist-monks-and-nuns-by-dhamminda-bhikkhu.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is taught that even a layperson who is an anagami (non-returner)&#xA;  keeps the ten precepts naturally and does not accept or use money. For&#xA;  example the anagami Ghatikara was without gems, gold, silver, or&#xA;  money, and made his living by taking earth that had eroded from the&#xA;  river bank and making it into pots. These pots he left at the side of&#xA;  the road and anyone who wished could leave a suitable amount of rice&#xA;  or food and take the pots. In this way Ghatikara supported himself and&#xA;  his blind parents. (See Ghatikara Sutta of Majjhima Nikaya.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This demonstrates how money is an impediment to enlightenment and how&#xA;  the truly enlightened do not use money. The above quotes all prove&#xA;  that the acceptance of money by monks is not a small fault, and that&#xA;  it can render a monk incapable of attaining Nibbana .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T02:36:26.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3527" CreationDate="2014-09-14T02:45:27.837" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanks @soulsings for pointing me in the right direction; since I was looking for the Pali reference, here's the passage from the Ghatikara Sutta (MN 81):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Then he said: ‘Venerable sir, have you a better supporter than I am?’—‘I have, great king. There is a market town called Vebhalinga where a potter named Ghaṭīkāra lives. He is my supporter, my chief supporter. Now you, great king, thought: “The Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, does not accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares,” and you were very disappointed and sad; but the potter Ghaṭīkāra is not and will not be so. The potter Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. He abstains from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sensual pleasures, from false speech, and from wine, liquor, and intoxicants, which are the basis of negligence. He has unwavering confidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and he possesses the virtues loved by noble ones. He is free from doubt about suffering, about the origin of suffering, about the cessation of suffering, and about the way leading to the cessation of suffering. He eats only one meal a day, he observes celibacy, he is virtuous, of good character. He has laid aside gems and gold, he has given up gold and silver. &lt;strong&gt;He does not dig the ground for clay with a pick or with his own hands; what has broken off riverbanks or is thrown up by rats, he brings home in a carrier; when he has made a pot he says: “Let anyone who likes set down some selected rice or selected beans or selected lentils, and let him take away whatever he likes. He supports his blind and aged parents.&lt;/strong&gt; Having destroyed the five lower fetters, he is one who will reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 81 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T02:45:27.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3302" CreationDate="2014-09-14T02:46:12.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhism is expressing itself in ways beyond the imagination. There are people in the virtual world Second Life that are practicing Buddhism virtually.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2011/07/04/supportive-virtual-buddhist-communities/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhist Association -- Supportive Virtual Buddhist Communities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is talk of secular Buddhism all over the world.&#xA;(&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/webhp?tab=ww&amp;amp;ei=VQAVVOaaAoqxyAS524KYBw&amp;amp;ved=0CAMQ1S4#q=communities+of+secular+Buddhists&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;search for &lt;em&gt;communities of secular Buddhists&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What seems significant is that secular Buddhism is taking off. I would say that people hunger for the Buddhist experience and practice without the masks of religion that various sects require its monks to wear. This is not the end to Buddhism but a glorious new beginning that is sustainable in modern culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-10T08:37:03.127" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T08:37:03.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3519" CreationDate="2014-09-14T05:56:50.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism will be an enhancer for any social order may it be capitalist or otherwise. The reason being is when you start practicing Buddhist your moral base and value system will go up. These are the 1st grouping in the Noble 8 Fold Path or the 1st item in the 3 Fold Training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In society we have contacts and a legal framework to support enforce social order with relations to commerce. This process will become more efficient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Business (or in any other matter also) decision making should be well balanced proactive than reactive. The next two items in the Buddhist practice will help towards cultivating this since you will develop a balanced and controlled mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right decision making without / reduced hate or greed will mean there will be no excesses. This does not mean to accept austerity which intern will in reducing consumption and bringing down the economy. People will live within ones means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddha preached you should generate wealth though right means and put strong efforts to earn and protect your hard earned wealth. If you so not have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;some comfort as a householder&lt;/a&gt; you will not practice the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lack of greed should not viewed to reducing the effort to progress, but it is the lack of grasping / attachment to the outcome and reacting to it. E.g. you have Rolex and it break the question is whether you have a hurt feeling or sensation in you or not. It does not mean that (as a lay person) you should not have one if you can afford one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism will help towards better and well organised society as a whole what ever system may it be Capitalist or otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a final note in Buddhist literature reference to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;economy, social order and finances&lt;/a&gt; appear before Dhamma. (Always Artha then followed by Dhamma). Historically in Buddhist Culture (may be in even Hindu Culture also) it is accepted you have to give prominence to Artha before Dhamma. Without Artha you cannot do Dhamma. May reason behind breaking morality and ethics is the lack of prosperity. So always you have to aim for prosperity then morality will be easy. Also generosity and charity (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dana&lt;/a&gt;) will help towards building a better socially as a whole. If you look at America which is one of the most capitalist countries, there is a lot of charities and charitable activities. These will also become more streamlines, efficient and effective in a Buddhist context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are ways Buddhism differs from modern thought capitalism where there is room for improvement from what has been found in Buddhist texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One main drawback of capitalism is that capital is not available to some who might want to start a business with social or economic impact. In Buddhism one of the commendable action of the King is to give grain to the subjects. In modern times like might be like giving Grants, Subsidies and Venture capital. In modern capitalism this is frowned upon, inevitably due to the financial crisis the government has resort to doing this through Quantitative Easing (QE). So some of the ancient wisdom seam to be helping revive the economy than being a threat to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Financial section is the backbone of capitalist economy can means to influence monetary policy and money circulation. But the benefits are disproportionately towards the Financial Services sector. Hence the government look into means to help more of the Small and Medium industries and other sectors through Grants, Subsidiaries and infusion of capital as Venture Capital investments, etc. Those are frowned upon by pure capitalists this is the way forward as this is one step that is needed in bringing unity by a Universal Monarch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T11:11:20.167" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T11:11:20.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2014-09-14T06:47:54.960" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mechanism behind merit transfer is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is an element of Metta which benefits one self and other as it creates positive vibes. When you do good followed by strong volition to share this positivity this creates more positivity. Also this vibes can be sometimes telepathic.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also being in some other realms (not all realms even then not always) can sense any positive vibes when we give Metta or think about then strongly (quasi telepathic). So when you recall a deceased person sometimes this becomes like a ping. If the other being develops appreciative joy in his mind to the actions that was done this itself creates the merit in the merit transfer.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the traster has two elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Positive vibes you create around you has positive effects to others beings around&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Appreciative joy of good and commendable action of others create positive mental Karma for the beings who do so&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This instruments the merit transfer process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T06:47:54.960" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3534" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7802" CreationDate="2014-09-14T08:30:25.883" Score="9" ViewCount="446" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to find a specific story in where the Buddha spoke about the attainment of one Anagami lay person with a group of monks while praising his good qualities. Later, when those monks went for alms at his place, they informed him that the Buddha had spoken about his attainment. Then he asked the monks, if there were any lay persons present when the Buddha revealed it. The monks reported this back to the Buddha when they returned to the temple. Then the Buddha praised him again and said that is also another good quality of him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard this story several times in sermons, when the question comes up, whether an enlightened being would reveal his attainment to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T19:24:14.843" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T07:13:32.343" Title="Where's the story in which the Buddha praised a non-returner for keeping the knowledge of his attainment private?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|reference-request|anagami|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3501" CreationDate="2014-09-14T08:49:54.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, I am buddhist. I am from Sri Lanka. I told my story of past life when I was 2yrs old. I have seen many others who have told.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T08:49:54.293" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2014-09-14T09:43:16.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One should not get attached to the self image one creates as a Buddhist at more advance stages of the practice. When you start though you need views and identifying yourself with the right views, value and moral system to keep you on track, tough you have to abandon it later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What exactly you should call your self is more linguistic in nature and should change according to the context it is used also considering the audience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can be considered a Buddhist from the point you develop some level of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;faith&lt;/a&gt; to try out the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 fold practice&lt;/a&gt;. You can consider your self a practicing Buddhist when you start your &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T09:50:10.493" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T09:50:10.493" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3445" CreationDate="2014-09-14T11:39:25.553" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;here I can answer as a sporter ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your problem is twofold: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your range of motion is limited,  and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;your core is not strong enough&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To address 1. you can do stretching, common gymnastics stretching: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/stretching/sls-20076840?s=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Guide to basic stretching&lt;/a&gt;. Yoga is also a good option but I consider common stretching more to the point (and you will need that for yoga too, anyway). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For 2. there is no easy answer: You need to strengthen  your core. Please note that for many Japanese, Koreans and Indians the lotus position is easy because they use to sit on the ground, this has a huge impact on  the core muscles: Our western chairs hold our backs and void us from using too much force for sitting, making that our cores are less strong, specially a large amount of small muscles... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two basic exercises that you can do for that: the plank and the bridge: &lt;a href=&quot;http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 core workouts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For both, the core exercises and the stretches you can start holding them for 20 seconds, build up to 30 seconds and then up to 1 min and 1:30, there is a maximum of 90 seconds (1:30) above which there is no effect. I fact the proper stretching reflex of the muscles is triggered after 20-30 seconds after which they elongate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other things that you may do are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stand as much as you can: If you drive by train don't sit. If you are in public spaces try avoid sitting and stand instead. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Use the stairs not the escalators/mechanic stairs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give sitting on the ground a try, even when not for meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, here's my grain of salt. I'm not a Buddhist, mind you, I practised Zen a lot of years ago, but I recall zazen being very painful to hold while now I can sit comfortably in the lotus position or seiza (the real one, as in Kendo).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="883" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T11:39:25.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2014-09-14T11:57:21.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Never knew this had a name.&#xA;I can do it at will and during my childhood it happened to me a lot when being close to certain persons, in this case it was localised on the front of my head.&#xA;It feels like goosebumps but without any hairs rising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have however a more mundane explanation for that: I think that this is a  semi-voluntary (or voluntary) contraction of small muscles or at least it is a nervous signal that we transmit to the muscles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am pretty sure that it is that because the feeling is very similar to the one you get when you lift weight and use &quot;intensity, this is a (sort of) technique that makes you use much more muscles and power for a given weight (it doesn't get lighter, the aim is to get a better result), this is very usual among body-builders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have always been curious about that and when I was doing zazen I often did it, but in the end the effect is just that you concentrate on this particular purpose, nice to feel but defeating the purpose of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="883" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T11:57:21.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3539" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3540" CreationDate="2014-09-14T13:33:59.863" Score="9" ViewCount="2187" Body="&lt;p&gt;My teacher rightly emphasizes that sensations when observed equanimously will lead to eradication of suffering and he is very right. I have noticed a big change. But I just don't get the link between emotions and body sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can understand when I am angry there is heat like sensations immediately, on arousal there are certain sensations although these are kinda on the extreme side and may or May not take excessive meditation to practice. But what about boredom, depression, love, jealousy, greed and so on? Are these sensations linked to the body too? (Stupid question to ask I know since I have been practicing for years now) but I sense results by practice which is great. But on the level of functionality I don't get it. &#xA;I have read the mahasatipatthana sutta but I wish someone could explain it using normal terminology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:29:10.990" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:29:10.990" Title="In simple words, how are body sensations linked to moods and feelings?" Tags="|vipassana|personal-practice|kleshas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3539" CreationDate="2014-09-14T14:17:50.023" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In simple words, emotion has three parts: the root, the stem, and the flower. The root is an &lt;em&gt;imprint&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;code&gt;samskara&lt;/code&gt;). The stem is a physical &lt;em&gt;reaction&lt;/em&gt;. The flower is a psychosomatic &lt;em&gt;sensation&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;code&gt;vedana&lt;/code&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotion is a precursor of thought, it is like a very fuzzy/blurry thought. Before humans, animals already had some basic intelligence -- that's emotions. When a deer is grazing, her brain is watching for signs of danger. When she hears sudden noise, her brain creates a basic impulse to run away. The heart beats faster, the lungs breath faster, the muscles of the stomach contract, the legs start shaking. A basic formula like &quot;sudden noise == danger&quot; is an &lt;em&gt;imprint&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;preconception&lt;/em&gt; -- the root of the emotion. The physical reaction is the stem of the emotion. And the way the physical reaction (heart, breathing, muscles) feels to you -- is &lt;code&gt;vedana&lt;/code&gt;, the flower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you inspect your psychosomatic environment, you will surely notice subtle sensations in and around your chest, stomach, forehead, eyes, hands, wrists, feet etc. Subjectively, these feelings are often not located on the surface of, or inside the body, but rather &quot;in the air&quot; around it. Some of the emotions most obviously accompanied by such sensations are worry, urge, longing, resentment, irritation but also the positive ones e.g. love, fondness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we examine the root of the emotion more carefully, we can see that it works through evaluation (appraisal) by the mind of the present situation, against the basic assumptions and expectations (formulas, imprints, preconceptions) about &lt;em&gt;how things are supposed to be&lt;/em&gt;. If the actual situation (&quot;is&quot;) seems to be matching the expected situation (&quot;should&quot;), a positive emotion is generated (&lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;), and if the two mismatch -- a negative emotion is generated (&lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;). By dropping the preconception, we prevent (&lt;code&gt;nirodha&lt;/code&gt;) the emotion from arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you fall in love with a woman, and want to be with her, but she loves another man, and does not want to be with you -- you may feel depressed. If you look carefully at your somatic sensations, you may notice e.g. burning in your chest or dull pain in your belly etc. When you stare at this burning/pain long enough, you will eventually realize that it is caused by a mismatch between the mental picture of being with her, on one hand, and her not being available, on the other hand. This mismatch is called &lt;em&gt;unsatisfied thirst&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;code&gt;tanha&lt;/code&gt;. If you keep looking, you will realize that the root of the emotion is your preconception that e.g. the woman has a perfect character &lt;em&gt;on account of the way she moves, smiles, laughs, and flips her hair&lt;/em&gt;. (When you keep visualizing those attributes of her, and keep mentally connecting those with her - fictional - perfection, that is called &quot;feeding the preconception&quot;, or &lt;code&gt;upadana&lt;/code&gt;.) In order to stop suffering, you have to clearly see the preconception, and let go of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why Buddha taught &lt;code&gt;kayagata-smrti&lt;/code&gt; (mindfulness rooted in the body) and &lt;code&gt;anapana-smrti&lt;/code&gt; (mindfulness of breathing) -- because the root would be too hard to see under the ground, but the flower is highly visible. Once you notice the flower, you can start tracing it down to its roots (preconceptions) in meditation, and by extracting the roots (letting go of attachments, dropping identifications, dismissing the formulas, dissolving &lt;code&gt;samskara&lt;/code&gt;s) you liberate from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;. Then you attain the state of &lt;em&gt;suchness&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt;), when all your experience is basically &lt;code&gt;sukha&lt;/code&gt;, because in &lt;em&gt;suchness&lt;/em&gt; your &quot;is&quot; always matches your &quot;should&quot;. When this practice matures, you go beyond dichotomy of right-and-wrong, beyond sukha-and-dukkha, and even beyond the beyond -- then you become completely rooted in &lt;code&gt;tathata&lt;/code&gt;, and become what's called a &lt;code&gt;tathagata&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, to get back to your question, emotions are always accompanied by sensations, however subtle. Somatic sensation is the most visible component of emotion. (The other component of emotion -- the mental obscuration or &lt;code&gt;klesha&lt;/code&gt; -- is usually invisible, because it obscures the very ability to see oneself objectively.) So sensations, especially ones in the diaphragm area, but also in lower abdomen, throat, and forehead, are great windows into the &quot;subconscious&quot; mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T18:40:59.110" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T18:40:59.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3539" CreationDate="2014-09-14T14:44:51.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The link between sensation and mind comes from what we are made of. We are made of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt; of which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sensation&lt;/a&gt; is one element. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suffering&lt;/a&gt; is a result of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;clinging&lt;/a&gt; to these aggregates. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;To overcome stress&lt;/a&gt; you have to get rid of the clinging to the aggregates. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The way to to do this&lt;/a&gt; is through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Fold Practice&lt;/a&gt; through which you gain the understanding of the &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The 3 Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; by developing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;qualities required for enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; in a balanced manner and subduing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt;. Finally destroying the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your mind is one &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sense door&lt;/a&gt; or a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya#5_Material_or_6_Sensory_Faculties&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;faculty&lt;/a&gt; which make up a being. When it when some though or mental content comes in contact with the the mind sense door some sensation arises in your body. (E.g. like when you get angry. You get a through which you form a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perception&lt;/a&gt; to which you &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;react&lt;/a&gt; for future wish for sensations.) If it pleasant you try to grasp on to it. If it is unpleasant you try to get rid of it. Or it can be what you want to be or not get yourself into in the future. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt;) Based on this &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;clinging&lt;/a&gt; arrises. This is due to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ignorance&lt;/a&gt;. If you are have equanimity at this cycle you you can break cycle of dependent origination from this point. Main thing is you do not react. It is the mental reaction that keeps you in stress or misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T15:44:14.263" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T15:44:14.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2014-09-14T15:01:27.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am convinced that any answer has to give a definition first of “scientific” and of “religion”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I consider “religion” a social phenomenon based on three pillars: doctrine, community and cult (see “Joachim Wach: Sociology of Religion”). Moreover, the doctrine should include the belief in one or more beings with superhuman power who affect the life of their believers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I consider this definition a “scientific” definition, because one can observe in a given society whether such phenomenon exists. The experts can discuss the findings in an intersubjective manner. Eventually, they can reach a common view about the open questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not important for my definition whether the statements of the religious doctrine are true or false. I exclude this aspect from my definition because history shows: Questions like that are undecidable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Applying my definition to Buddhism I tend to the following answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Going back as far as possible to the time of the Buddha, Buddhism was no religion. Of course Buddha taught a doctrine (dharma), of course Buddha founded a community (sangha), but Buddha did not emphasize any cult. On the contrary, one of his points was to protest against the Vedic cult. More important: Buddha took an agnostic view concerning the gods under discussion in his time. &#xA;I hope my answer is in agreement with “Richard Gombrich: What the Buddha thought”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Mahayana buddhism is a fully developed religion which comprises a lot of variations specific to the society under consideration. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T17:28:12.623" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T17:28:12.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3543" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-14T16:05:04.343" Score="3" ViewCount="1366" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am questioning myself and my practice of answering questions and was stopped by the following website.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level4_deepening_understanding_path/interferences/fourteen_questions_which_buddha_rem.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level4_deepening_understanding_path/interferences/fourteen_questions_which_buddha_rem.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are fourteen unspecified points (lung-du ma-bstan-pa bcu-bzhi),&#xA;  which are points about which Buddha did not specify an answer when&#xA;  asked. Often this set of fourteen is referred to as the “fourteen&#xA;  questions to which Buddha remained silent.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Mahayana Version To those who believe in a true findably existent&#xA;  “me” or “self” (bdag, Skt. atman) and a true findably existent&#xA;  universe, Buddha did not answer when they asked are the “I” or the&#xA;  “self” and the universe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;eternal, not eternal, since they undergo gross impermanence at the&#xA;  time of their destruction, as both, in the sense that some beings and&#xA;  their environments, like the Creator Brahma and his heaven, are&#xA;  eternal; while all else, such as his creations, are not eternal and&#xA;  end at the time of their destruction, neither, since it is impossible&#xA;  to  know?  Are “I’s” or “selves” and the universe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;finite, infinite, both finite and infinite, in the sense that limited&#xA;  beings (sentient beings) are infinite in number, but the universe is&#xA;  finite in size, neither, since it is impossible to know?  Does the “I”&#xA;  or the “self” of a Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;continue to exist after death, not continue after death, both, in the&#xA;  sense that the body does not continue, but the life-force (srog) does,&#xA;  neither?  Buddha did not answer these because there is no such thing&#xA;  as a true findably existent “me” or “ self” for either limited beings&#xA;  (sentient beings) or a Buddha, and no such thing as a true findably&#xA;  existent universe. Therefore, there can be no question whether such&#xA;  things are eternal or not eternal, or finite or infinite. It is like&#xA;  asking do rabbit-horns, turtle-hair or chicken-lips last forever or&#xA;  only a limited time. If Buddha said the “me,” and so on are eternal,&#xA;  these people would fall to the position of eternalism. If he said they&#xA;  are not eternal, they would fall to the position of nihilism, since&#xA;  they would not understand his answer. Therefore, it was more skillful&#xA;  not to specify an answer at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To those who believe in a true findably existent body and life-force,&#xA;  Buddha did not answer when they asked are the body and life-force:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the same entity, totally separate and different entities?  He remained&#xA;  silent for a similar reason, since they would only misunderstand&#xA;  anything he said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is in 2 parts, but they are really part of the same question of how questions and answers benefit our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A) Do you agree that the Buddha did not address these points in his sermons?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(B) How does this questioning and answering aid our practice that moves toward awakening and what benefit can be derived from asking the type of questions we ask and answering the type of questions we answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T16:38:08.767" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T16:38:08.767" Title="14 questions left unanswered" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3543" CreationDate="2014-09-14T16:36:34.217" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the answer is in the article. They were not answered because they were formulated around finding the consequences of premises which are not true, the findably existent self or universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is at best no sense in answering them &lt;em&gt;&quot;I believe the moon to be made of cheese: is it Wensleydale or Gorgonzola?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;; more likely they would lead to misunderstandings and cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T16:36:34.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3545" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-14T17:47:16.760" Score="17" ViewCount="4014" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems the goal of Buddhist practice is to become an Arahant - someone who won't take a rebirth, and therefore will be eternally relieved from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But WHO is this someone who doesn't get reborn?  I mean if there never was a self to begin with, then who exactly achieved Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seriously, this line of thought is screwing up my motivation. All this work, just so someone who doesn't exist yet, and never will, doesn't have to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't promise relief from suffering in the current lifetime, in fact it guarantees us we'll all die, and most of us will suffer from sickness and old age (not to mention loads of other suffering), but it promises an end by not taking a rebirth - but the whole concept of rebirth is made utterly confusing by the concept of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="887" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T15:07:42.693" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T15:07:42.693" Title="If there's nobody to get enlightened, why bother?" Tags="|rebirth|nirvana|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-14T18:07:17.987" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana, the final goal of Buddhism is achieved while you live. All suffering go away once you attain Nibbana. You don't have to wait till you die. Suffering is a loaded experience. There's no 'who' or 'self' in it. Suffering feels like self because of ignorance. Suffering is  unpleasant. That is why it should be ended. Attaining Nibbana means the end of suffering. It is not a case of a self being rescued. Because as you have mentioned, a self doesn't even exist in the 1st place. The concept of rebirth has no conflict with the teaching of Anatta. Rebirth is an instance of causes and effect. Neither the cause nor the effect qualifies as a 'self'. Otherwise, you should be able to be born wherever you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T00:41:38.933" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T00:41:38.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3547" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3562" CreationDate="2014-09-14T18:22:05.333" Score="37" ViewCount="47979" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the key aspects of Vipassana that are not present in Samatha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the main difference in the method from a meditator's perspective?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Labeling emotions and feelings are part of samatha or vipassana? Does Vipassana allows emotions to rise more freely to check it for what it is while Samatha tries to avoid paying attention to it by returning to the breath process?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T01:38:48.890" LastActivityDate="2022-10-24T18:03:57.440" Title="What exactly differentiates Vipassana from Samatha meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2014-09-14T19:15:10.613" Score="19" Body="&lt;p&gt;A simple explanation is, the goal of Shamatha is to calm down, while the goal of Vipassana is to see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Samatha there is more effort, more conflict. Especially in the beginning, you are fighting with yourself, wrestling with your mind, training the monkey, taming the elephant and so on. Those brief intervals when the mind is exhausted from fighting itself and temporarily gives up, so there is a natural unforced pause -- this is the Samatha proper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Vipassana, which is done after the mind is somewhat tamed and is now &lt;em&gt;pliable&lt;/em&gt; -- is more subtle, more refined. There is still some effort required to keep the lights on, but the way the experience is framed no longer implies a sense of inner conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T19:15:10.613" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-14T19:31:30.907" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth and reincarnation only make sense with the full cosmology. The forms of Buddhism that take the full cosmology as literally true, either don't put much emphasis on annata, or do handwaving (stories about candle flames being transferred from candle to candle) or appeal to &quot;how it works is beyond our understanding&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the historical Buddha as a man of his times, he, or is followers were not ready to give up on reincarnation. One solution they proposed was to try to split the difference between eternalism (eternal self) and extinctionalism (no-nonsense, no-self) and find middle path. The response to this being a contradiction is to appeal to monism and nondualism. Another way was to try to dismiss it as a useless metaphysical question. As a secular Buddhist, I just dispense with the reincarnation bit and not being useful and as you noticed, it actually gets in the way of understanding and using the useful parts of Buddhism, namely annata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So back to annata. The Buddha posited that in our naive state, we think we have permanent soul. But by self inspection we can see nothing in ourselves is permanent-- it's all changing, all the time. It's like every second we die to be replaced with a new person linked by all the actions take before us up to now. The hope is that if we realize this, then we will stop grasping at things that don't even exist and we will be at peace. This is like putting out the fires of desire (for things that are just as illusory and unstable as our imagined self). That flame of grasping &amp;amp; desire is the flame &quot;blown out&quot; by nirvana (the word nirvana means blown out, like flame).  So that is the point were we achieve nirvana, right here and now. We benefit from it until we reach parinirvana and are dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, we only live on in the minds, memories and traces we leave on earth. (To use Stephen Batchelor's way of salvaging rebirth for secular consumption)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference-- this is drawing mostly on Glenn Wallis (Basic Teachings) and Stephen Batchelor's work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T19:31:30.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-14T19:37:04.437" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You say that &quot;Buddhism doesn't promise relief from suffering in the current lifetime&quot;, which I think is wrong, so let's take that from the top.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering or &quot;Dukka&quot; can (and should) be analyzed: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The First Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair are dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;association with the unbeloved is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;separation from the loved is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not getting what is wanted is dukkha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;five clinging-aggregates&quot; which are listed above correspond to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five skandhas&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhism teaches that what we normally think of as &quot;our self&quot; is actually five different skandhas (a skandha translates as &quot;aggregate, mass, or heap&quot; in English); the five skandhas being,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;form&quot; or &quot;matter&quot;[e] (Skt., Pāli rūpa; Tib. gzugs): external and internal matter. Externally, rupa is the physical world. Internally, rupa includes the material body and the physical sense organs.[f]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;sensation&quot; or &quot;feeling&quot; (Skt., Pāli vedanā; Tib. tshor-ba): sensing an object[g] as either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.[h][i]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;perception&quot;, &quot;conception&quot;, &quot;apperception&quot;, &quot;cognition&quot;, or &quot;discrimination&quot; (Skt. samjñā, Pāli saññā, Tib. 'du-shes): registers whether an object is recognized or not (for instance, the sound of a bell or the shape of a tree).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;mental formations&quot;, &quot;impulses&quot;, &quot;volition&quot;, or &quot;compositional factors&quot; (Skt. samskāra, Pāli saṅkhāra, Tib. 'du-byed): all types of mental habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, compulsions, and decisions triggered by an object.[j]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;consciousness&quot; or &quot;discernment&quot;[k] (Skt. vijñāna, Pāli viññāṇa,[l] Tib. rnam-par-shes-pa): cognizance,[5][m] that which discerns[6][n]; or a series of rapidly changing interconnected discrete acts of cognizance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can observe that the above (forms, sensations, perceptions, etc.) are impermanent. You might think of your &quot;self&quot; as permanent (e.g. that you are the same person you are yesterday); however, observations suggest otherwise, and suggest that none of the above are your permanent self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; are (together with Dukka or suffering, defined above), &quot;impermanence&quot; and &quot;non-self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question complains that if there is no self, then how can there be enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, if the &quot;self&quot; doesn't exist, is there suffering? However, simply pretending that &quot;self&quot; doesn't exist does not make your suffering, your vulnerability, go away: for example, &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;If nothing exists ...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice is to &quot;realize&quot; this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does promise release from suffering: that's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Third Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;end&quot; isn't only by &quot;not taking a rebirth&quot;: the Buddhist argument is that suffering is caused by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/tanha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;desire/craving&lt;/a&gt;; and that stilling craving and letting go of attachment (to a false self) will end suffering. No desire also results in no rebirth, but it's the &quot;no desire&quot;, the &quot;control of mind&quot;, the &quot;wisdom&quot; which causes or results in &quot;cessation of suffering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words the argument is, &quot;no desire implies the cessation of suffering (in this life), and no rebirth (in the next life)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The argument is not, &quot;no desire implies no rebirth, which implies no suffering in the next life, but meanwhile you cannot affect your suffering in this life&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.03.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A tamed mind brings happiness.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-14T21:09:43.587" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T21:09:43.587" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2014-09-14T19:55:59.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This originated in the observation that to rejoice in other successes was a virtuous deed. So if I did something well, in the Buddhist sense, I don't know, maybe I ordained into the sangha, I could send you a post card and you would be happy to know about it. At that point my merit lead to you gaining more merit. (Wikipedia said so, I don't have the link at the moment)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sort of merit transfer eventually turned into a semi-magical substance you could earn and donate to the needy like money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if it has any support, but I see it as sort of a practice that allows one to not take credit for what good things you've done (especially if you are surrounded by people with fragile egos who feel bad whenever they see someone more accomplished then themselves) and if you have a Mahayana bent, to refocus on why you were doing meritorious things-- i.e. we do meritorious things to gain enlightenment, but we're not enlightened until everyone is enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T14:35:30.630" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T14:35:30.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3552" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-14T20:25:12.153" Score="5" ViewCount="3545" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure we will find that in the pali canon (per haps in Abidhamma?), but is there any thera/senior bikkhu that wrote about it? Is it related to past lifes or any special power of the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2016-05-19T04:57:58.127" Title="Is there any buddhist explanation for deja vu?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2014-09-14T21:20:15.997" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to recommend as introductory books&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Richard Gombrich: What the Buddha Thought&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book is written by an English scholar. Gombrich does not consider himself a Buddhist but he expresses a high estimation for the Buddha's teaching.&#xA;The title of the book alludes to the title of the book by Rahula mentioned above. Rahula was one of Gombrich's teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Two helpful textbooks for a course on Buddhism are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Paul Williams: Buddhist thought. A complete introduction to the Indian tradition&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;Kogen Mizuno: Essentials of Buddhism. Basic terminology and concepts of Buddhist philosophy and practice.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A collection of texts, ordered by region and country&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;John String: The experience of Buddhism. Sources and interpretations&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A critical reestimation, written as autobiography by a former monk:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Stephen Batchelor: Confession of a Buddhist atheist.&quot;&#xA;The book is easy to read.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-10-11T16:12:34.680" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T16:12:34.680" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2014-09-14T21:45:49.017" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;I second Andrei's Answer, but would like to expand, because the mechanics of both samatha or vipassana seem to differ as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With samatha you can use conceptual meditation objects like colours, the amount and length of breaths, the qualities of a Buddha etc. These objects tend to be stable and therefore calm the mind and develop concentration. As I understand, the meditation forms which can lead to jhana are all forms of samatha meditation. Not all samatha meditation objects can lead to jhana though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With vipassana one can only use meditation objects that occur in that moment. For example the sensation of the breath, rising and falling of emotion, thoughts, pains ect. These objects tent to be subject to change, impermanent and not necessarily calming. This form of meditation shows quit directly impermanence, suffering and non-self. Thus, gaining insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-09-14T21:45:49.017" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-14T23:08:39.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As others have pointed out, the 3rd noble truth does promise relief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Re. the question of identity (or of &quot;collective identity&quot; in connectedness, or &quot;impermanence of identity&quot; as an aspect of reality), &#xA;not-being-&quot;personal&quot; does not weaken enlightened dynamics: &#xA;you can have it as &quot;happening in the space&quot; &#xA;(regardless of whether &quot;I&quot; am &quot;causing&quot; something, or an &quot;I&quot; for it to happen to). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it can simply be present, even if there is no experiencer.  And even if it is not some &quot;thing&quot; for an &quot;I&quot; to create, it is still &lt;br&gt; &#xA;-- something(s) for there to be awareness of, &lt;br&gt; &#xA;-- something(s) for there to have relatedness in, &lt;br&gt; &#xA;-- something(s) for participation to be happening with, &lt;br&gt; &#xA;-- something(s) for there to be organization around / synchronization in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, when I'm treating &lt;strong&gt;ALL&lt;/strong&gt; things with love/respect, and when I'm including love/respect for points-of-view of &quot;individual&quot;, that, ironically, has it be easier, &amp;amp; more natural, to embrace experiences of &quot;collective&quot;.  Implicit in that practice, for me, is a practice of re-presencing that &quot;individual&quot; is connected, (not separate). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pema Chodron, in teaching &quot;tonglen&quot;, talks about an &quot;absolute practice&quot; (like watching), and a &quot;relative practice&quot; (like letting in &quot;dark stuff&quot;, and sending out &quot;compassion&quot; / the 4 immeasurables), and presents having both an absolute practice and a relative practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that in an absolute practice there is nothing to do -- another thing that can mess with motivation, lol -- and in a relative practice there is something to do... and in the example of a tonglen practice, she teaches beginning and ending with the absolute practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like, the &quot;nothing to do&quot; is a context, in which sometimes the &quot;something to do&quot; happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="891" LastEditorUserId="891" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T16:22:21.453" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T16:22:21.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-15T09:38:37.060" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;This linguistic terminology generally has caused a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The notion of not self is that is there no:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unchanging everlasting component which we can identify as self. Other contemporary teachers tried to identify such a part which they called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atman&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is nothing to which any one can have absolute or ever lasting control over either externally or internally &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the notion of self, self consciousness, ego, thoughts relating to oneself all is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;delusional&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a source of misery &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you do not have any control over any of the what make up this self you cannot have futuristes view of your self and destiny. Also since your influence to the external world is limited, you can get to own or control is also limited. But when we think about I will to this or that, there is a sense of absolute control of destiny or the environment. This is delusional as you cannot to things to absolute certainty and any deviation result is you becoming disappointed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you drill down more deeply when some tough or contact comes through your sense doors. (E.g. some one is scolding you or you remeber someone is scolding you.) 1st you recognise this is some one is scolding, then you identify this incident it is &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; who is getting scolded. At this point you get a bad feeling (literally) in your body. You have a mental reaction to this and then form volitional though like &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will scold him back. Likewise if it praise you get an opposite feeling. Though this itself is subtle you lose the balance of your mind, as you might get puffed up, when some one does this type of talk. Also you cannot get the pleasantness of praise to last always which sometimes lead to subtle disappointments. Thus each time you get any notion of I, me, mine, etc. coming up in your mind some disappointment is bound to happen if you analyze it fully and realistically, thus not understanding this fast is a delusion. So the notion of &lt;strong&gt;no self&lt;/strong&gt;, in this this context. If you you hold onto a notion of self (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pudgala/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pudgala&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sanna/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;) misery arises, letting go of the notion of self your mind gets free from misery. &lt;strong&gt;Hence the linguistic rendering of no self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the absence of anything upon which you can exert absolute control or any component which is permanent, to which you can reliably apply the label this is me or myself - the eternal me (this part of me never changes) or this is image of me (a good person, strong person, etc.) or belongs to me or in my control (this should be as I wish or will it to be) - viz. noting identifiable as self, me, mine, I. Since there is nothing we can use the word or label with the word self, considering either of the properties of everlasting, absolute control, we say there is &lt;strong&gt;no self&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean you do not exist in any colloquial sense or any sense outside the above definitions (permanent, controllable properties). So if you or any body practices to get you mind to be stress and disappointment free, the benefits are to be reaped by the person getting enlightened. So you should be be motivated to achieve it. So do not get some play on words deter you. (These are very difficult to understand concepts, thus should be careful of misconceptions using the same wording or rendering.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also developing this notion (any concept or notion is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasikara&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manasikara&lt;/a&gt;) as a beginner (though you have to abandon this view also at higher stages of meditation) can help dissolve your ego, self consciousness, self awareness, concept of self in you mind. This can be an early stage catalyst in your progress (also helping you reduce stress and disappointment due to the concept of I, me, mine) than somethings reducing your motivation to practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you should experience the peace within this lifetime and in each step you take. More you practice more powerful your peace becomes. Lesser mental reaction you have towards great, pleasant, unpleasant, hurt, sour, etc. feelings caused by external stimuli more balance your mind will be and more peaceful you will get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also remember Buddhist concepts are not easily explainable in words as the concepts are not really mainstream, thus the the language and ability to communicate them has not developed. When translating these into languages with not Buddhist or related culture, things are even more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T17:39:00.910" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T17:39:00.910" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2014-09-15T10:30:38.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samantha is more externally or conceptually focused with some level of active though or involvement process or practice, done with a view to develop the Jhanas only; while Vipassana is more internally and reality focused with no active though or involvement in the process or practice, done with a view to get the right kind of concentration and right type of awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. if you are doing the breath meditation as Samatha, you most likely look at the body of air going in and out and perhaps also conceptual process of it. In vipassana you look at the actual process, actual touch of air and sensation due to breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any labeling or verbalisation is not pure Vipassana as you are introducing something conceptual. As your mind get more penetrating and starts understanding subtler truths, this will be a hindrance to see things as they are since you are introducing something conceptual or active though. This might help as a very early beginner but if you choose of do it but should be abandoned later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T10:41:27.727" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T10:41:27.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3552" CreationDate="2014-09-15T11:00:26.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Abhijñā&quot;&gt;psychic abilities&lt;/a&gt; then you might have foreseen or sensed the event before happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also remember we are a bundle of feeling (one of the 5 aggregates) too. Hence we tend to react to these feelings in different ways. Sometimes this notion of deja vu can just be a conditioned response of your mind, than it having any significance. Certain type of feeling trigger certain memories and which in tern trigger more feelings. Your &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perception forming part of you mind&lt;/a&gt; may identify some similarities and cooks up a concept. (This cooking up is what is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;delusion&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T11:36:34.740" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T11:36:34.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-15T13:34:34.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;if you're practising buddhism to achieve an end to multiple lives, you're still doing it for the promise of cake - and to be honest, buddhism has a cookie for you right now: clear-mindedness. i'm told that's a tasty cookie, if you can manage to eat it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;besides, are you dying this instant? is whatever might happen &quot;next&quot; an actual issue right now? practically speaking, if you're dead you'll have nothing to worry about, so why worry now? and if you do still find yourself worrying, you're clearly not dead in any useful, end-of-your-existence way and have more time than you thought to figure this all out and practice it. so why worry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as for who; &quot;i&quot; is a tricky concept. it's supposed to mean &quot;this continuum of experience given rise by this physical form,&quot; or at least that's fairly close to how we tend to think of it. but what it usually, actually means is closer to &quot;the story this continuum of experience tells about itself to itself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;who&quot; is a semi-autobiographical, semi-fictional novel in your head in which the protagonist is of course the author. subjectively, the story is so broad and long and complex that it's very easy to mistake for you-the-continuum, as it does share some similarities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we relate things (including living things) to each other by story, and it's a survival trait, but it'll still bite you in the ass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it's useful when you're making plans to meet someone at a cafe next week, or remember where the best escape route from that tiger is, or do maths. it's less than useful when you're dwelling on how much you miss someone, or how &quot;unfairly&quot; you were treated that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;either you-the-continuum, from instant to instant, perceiving each instant, chooses how you use that story; or you don't choose, so then you perceive through the lens of that story and react according to it rather than reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;now, as for relief from suffering; that's not a philosophy for living we're talking about, that would be opiates and alcohols - and they come with suffering of their own, eventually at least. maybe some unscrupulous huckster sold you a dream wrapped up as buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here's my contention: given an able enough torturer, any buddhist or masochist will be subjected to suffering by the pain they're forced to experience. whether that torturer is a homo sapien, extreme dehydration, some awful disease or whatever else doesn't really matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a philosophy cannot &quot;end suffering,&quot; only help you learn how not to waste your energies railing against that which you cannot change, and how to focus your attention on what is best for you (and perhaps everyone. i believe that which is truly best for you is best for everyone, and vice versa) in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tl;dr&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;forget about the cake you've been &quot;promised&quot; later. enjoy the cookie you can have now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="894" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T13:34:34.207" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-15T15:50:20.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what Buddhism teaches: suffering and prevention of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is suffering? Suffering is the painful feeling of wrongness, frustration, helplessness we experience when life sends us lemons. What Buddhism teaches, is how to make lemonade out of those lemons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But first, we need to understand that we are not helpless victims of life, that we are in control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand this, we have to realize, that whatever arises in dependence on a combination of conditions, can be controlled by manipulating the conditions. We have leverage over conditional phenomena!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All phenomena, without exception, are conditional. Because all phenomena are conditional, they can all be controlled. This includes the subjective experience of suffering -- the painful feeling of wrongness, frustration, helplessness -- which is a conditional phenomena and therefore can be controlled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how is suffering conditional? Suffering depends on conjunction of the following factors: &quot;this&quot;, &quot;that&quot; and &quot;attachment&quot;. Attachment is an irrational clinging to either &quot;this&quot; or &quot;that&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how can experience of suffering be controlled? By dropping these very attachments we can stop existing suffering, and prevent new suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Buddhism teaches: suffering and prevention of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T16:26:32.477" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T16:26:32.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-15T17:01:34.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it guarantees us we'll all die, and most of us will suffer from sickness and old age&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it's true that sickness and old age are included in the list of types of suffering; and (together with poverty and death) might be inevitable, however, people might not have to &quot;suffer&quot; (might control, limit, put away, put an end to their suffering) when they have these experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when the Buddha reached his old age, he isn't reported to have said, &quot;Oh God! Why, why me? Oh please, no!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, some people are able to be sick: to have cancer for example; and to behave well, speak well, think well, etc., for as long as they're alive -- which benefits themselves and people who know them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T17:01:34.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2014-09-15T17:33:55.467" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What are the key aspects of Vipassana that are not present in Samatha?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; means tranquility - it is a necessary aspect of any wholesome meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; means seeing clearly or in a special way - it is a quality specific to Buddhist meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation for the purpose of seeing clearly requires one to focus on ultimate reality; the only way to understand reality is to observe it. Any meditation practice that does not take ultimate reality as an object is called &quot;samatha meditation&quot;, because it leads &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; to tranquility, not insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides the difference in meditation object, meditation for insight will also obviously have different results; it will be less tranquil on the whole, as one is forced to experience all the inherent problems with ultimate reality, specifically that it is impermanent, unsatisfying, and uncontrollable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the main difference in the method from a meditator's perspective?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no difference in the method, necessarily; the only difference is in the object.  As the Visuddhimagga says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But one whose vehicle is pure insight, or that same aforesaid one whose vehicle&#xA;  is serenity, discerns the four elements in brief or in detail in one of the various ways given in the chapter on the definition of the four elements (XI.27ff.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vism XVIII.5 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning the methodology is the same, but one's focus shifts to ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Labeling emotions and feelings are part of samatha or vipassana?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since emotions and feelings are a part of ultimate reality, this would be considered vipassana meditation. Many people say otherwise; I can't help but argue that they are wrong. The difference isn't the technique, it is the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does Vipassana allows emotions to rise more freely to check it for what it is while Samatha tries to avoid paying attention to it by returning to the breath process?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; meditation has the potential to lead to avoidance, since it generally seeks out heightened states of concentration that are impossible when the focus is ultimate reality. The point is that one can only understand reality if one takes it as a focus; if you are unable to come to terms with reality, you will instead incline towards avoiding it because it is uncomfortable, preferring a single, stable, satisfying, controllable illusion to the harsh reality of the universe. This is a potential difference between the two types of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that samatha meditation is bad or useless, just limited and posessing a potential danger, as the Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the gratification in the case of feelings? Here, bhikkhus, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. On such an occasion he does not choose for his own affliction, or for another’s affliction, or for the affliction of both. On that occasion he feels only feeling that is free from affliction. The highest gratification in the case of feelings is freedom from affliction, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[same with 2nd - 4th jhanas]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the danger in the case of feelings? Feelings are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change. This is the danger in the case of feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 13 (Bodhi, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-19T00:36:53.287" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T00:36:53.287" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2014-09-15T18:07:00.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is a very difficult distraction, and I think it is best pre-faced by saying, we have a lot of leisure time and a lot of incoming data.&#xA;I don't know, if I were a subsistence farmer in 11th century England, if I would be mindful, or just struggling a bit more viscerally.&#xA;I am getting rid of all my stuff, though.&#xA;Especially the distracting technology stuff.  Like the &quot;TV&quot;. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="869" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T18:07:00.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3565" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3574" CreationDate="2014-09-15T18:35:17.403" Score="5" ViewCount="281" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the 12 nidanas as represented on the Tibetan wheel of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can understand how the previous links cause (or condition) the subsequent ones for instance sensation is a condition for craving. However as the wheel turns it does &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;birth -&amp;gt; conditions -&amp;gt; death -&amp;gt; conditions -&amp;gt; ignorance&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what way is death a condition for ignorance? I can't see a casual link there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T23:32:29.620" Title="In the wheel of life, how can death be a condition for ignorance?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|death|nidanas|wheel-of-life|ignorance|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3566" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3569" CreationDate="2014-09-15T18:56:21.560" Score="5" ViewCount="820" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen pictures that depict the Buddha floating in the air and emitting fire from this torso and water from his legs. The fire and the water might be the other way around. I think the picture illustrates a sutra or other text. Does anyone know what the original text might be? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:49:24.910" LastActivityDate="2019-02-28T11:25:22.357" Title="What is the sutra where the Buddha emits fire and water from his body?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3567" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3568" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" Score="0" Body="A question asking for a single text or a set of texts. This can be from a general request on a subject area or a specific request for a text where the questioner knows a fragment or detail of it." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T18:59:10.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3566" CreationDate="2014-09-15T19:04:08.013" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's called the &quot;twin miracle&quot;: The DPPN entry under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/y/yamaka_paatihaariya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yamaka pātihāriya&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Twin Miracle is described at DA.i.57, and in very great detail at DhA.iii.204; see also J.iv.263ff. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-04-08T14:10:14.500" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T14:10:14.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3566" CreationDate="2014-09-15T19:18:42.893" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;After the Buddha returned to his father's kingdom, uncertainty still existed about whether Gautama Buddha was really enlightened or not. In response, the Buddha allegedly displayed the Yamaka-pātihāriya or the &quot;Twin Miracle&quot;, called so because of its simultaneous production of apparently contradictory phenomena; in this case, fire and water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The twin miracle entailed Gautama Buddha producing flames from the upper part of his body and streams of water from the lower part of his body, alternating this, and doing similarly between the left and right sides of his body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Afterwards, the Buddha took three giant steps, arriving in Tavatimsa. There, he preached the Abhidharma to his mother who had been reborn there as a Deva named Santussita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T19:18:42.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2014-09-15T20:09:42.543" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In every society some children gain spontaneous recollection of their past birth. Many authors have investigated such stories and found them correct. Read 'Twenty suggestive cases of reincarnation' written by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson on the phenomena of what he calls spontaneous recall of information about previous lives by young children and some adults through hypnotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read Edgar Cacy's stories about rebirth.He had discovered many stories of rebirth through self hypnosis. Rebirth is a natural phenomenon discovered by many Brahmins in India long before Load Buddha's enlightenment. Your next birth depends on the Karmic force for which the person concern is responsible for. How those man and the woman became your parents? How do some people become experts in some fields. How those people become your children? These relationships occur life after life according to the power of love and cravings. However, whether you like it or not you will be reborn some day after this life. However, no one cannot explain this philosophy in a short message like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="899" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T23:35:37.300" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T23:35:37.300" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3573" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3575" CreationDate="2014-09-15T20:47:06.983" Score="6" ViewCount="10754" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am aware that drinking is against the fifth precept, but there are certain occasions where I can enjoy a few drinks (few times a month). I read a lot that it is not recommended to meditate &lt;em&gt;purposely&lt;/em&gt; on any drug - but what if I did take a few drinks, should I still meditate (e.g. Vipassana) or should I skip it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:52:22.413" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:52:22.413" Title="Is it useful to practice intoxicated?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|five-precepts|meditation-practicalities|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3565" CreationDate="2014-09-15T21:38:31.873" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Bhava-chakra&lt;/code&gt;, the wheel of life, or, as I would translate it, &quot;the wheel of individuation&quot; is a relatively late depiction of the 12 Nidanas. In the suttas of Pali Canon, the nidanas are usually presented as a list, that is reviewed both in forward as well as in reverse direction -- but never (to my knowledge!) as an infinite loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read the wheel clock-wise, the 12 nidanas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;avidya -&amp;gt; samskara -&amp;gt; vijnana -&amp;gt; nama-rupa -&amp;gt; six ayatana -&amp;gt; phassa -&amp;gt; vedana -&amp;gt; tanha -&amp;gt; upadana -&amp;gt; bhava -&amp;gt; jati -&amp;gt; jaramarana &amp;amp; dukkha&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the interpretation of the wheel as depicting the cycle of death-and-rebirth is accepted by most schools, according to Triyana framework it represents the basic/literal (&quot;hinayana&quot;) level of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, some instructors, including Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, taught twelve nidanas as a process of gradual individuation, or emerging and hardening of the illusory ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this line of thinking, &lt;code&gt;avidya&lt;/code&gt; is the innate ignorance, &lt;code&gt;samskara&lt;/code&gt;s are the arbitrary imprints of sensory stimulation, &lt;code&gt;vijnana&lt;/code&gt; is inductive intelligence born from the imprints, &lt;code&gt;nama-rupa&lt;/code&gt; are inductively postulated external objects, six &lt;code&gt;ayatana&lt;/code&gt;s are the implied &quot;windows&quot; onto the world, &lt;code&gt;phassa&lt;/code&gt; is a subjective experience of contact with the postulated objects, &lt;code&gt;vedana&lt;/code&gt; is a sensation attributed to the contact, &lt;code&gt;tanha&lt;/code&gt; is an obsessive replay of the contact and sensation, &lt;code&gt;upadana&lt;/code&gt; is feeding the obsession by making its object one's goal, &lt;code&gt;bhava&lt;/code&gt; is becoming the &quot;this&quot; of here-and-now, dependently-co-arisen with the twofold &quot;that&quot; of space-and-time, &lt;code&gt;jati&lt;/code&gt; is identifying with a living organism, and &lt;code&gt;jaramarana&lt;/code&gt; is experiencing the organism's perspective culminating in death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Because the list shows &lt;em&gt;subjective experience&lt;/em&gt;, not an objective physical process, the physical birth is not shown, but if it were, it would fit right before Ignorance. The Birth that &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; shown, is not a physical birth, but conceptual (subjective) assumption that one is an individual living organism.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although 12 nidanas explained this way describe subjective experience of &lt;em&gt;one&lt;/em&gt; sentient being, which begins with physical birth and ends with death, we &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; say that after death the cycle logically &quot;restarts&quot; from scratch, again starting from ignorance, progressing through individuation, and culminating in death of another &quot;being&quot; and so forth indefinitely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be sure, objectively there is no cycle, beings arise and cease asynchronously, but in some sense we could say that death of a (unenlightened) being is a return to innate ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@ChrisW found a tremendously elegant &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#Aging.2C_decay_and_death&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote in Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the cessation of the continuity of experience occurs, we speak of death. It is the total breakdown and dissolution of experience and experiencer. The process of disintegration, destructuring, and entropic scattering yields a nexus of vibratory murkiness which is the condition of &lt;em&gt;avidyā&lt;/em&gt;, the first motif. Thus the entire structure of patterning feeds back on itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T13:47:52.430" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T13:47:52.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-15T21:57:09.817" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would skip it, allow me to explain why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a little bit of context:&#xA;Your question touches on a very important point about meditation currently many people see meditation as a simple tool for relaxation, some mix meditation with music, some use it for healthy benefits only, stress reduction etc... there is nothing wrong with that, however in Buddhism meditation is seen as something very different from that, much more powerful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is something sacred, special, divine, that is why we prostate, that is why we are thankful for the opportunity to meditate, it is something that we should pay respect to, Buddha attained enlightenment meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a Nutshell, as a way of showing respect for the meditation process you should never do it after drinking, keep it as something pure, something special in your mind and in your routine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: This is my approach, I understand people from other traditions may think differently&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="918" LastEditDate="2014-09-17T20:42:55.290" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T20:42:55.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-15T22:16:25.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would meditate first the same way you would not drink and drive because you lose awareness of the surroundings when you drink and lose the ability to concentrate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course if you can become intoxicated on fruit juice, it is a sign of increasing sensitivity. If you must drink alcohol, make sure it is separated from time and place of your practice. Keep counting breaths while you drink. See if it is the drink you wish for or the thought of having the drink in your hand and feeling in control by being intoxicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another herbal alternative is peppermint tea made very strong. You can drink hot or cold. Some say it has quite a kick. It is mellow and natural tea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T22:16:25.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2014-09-15T22:21:48.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism attracts those that are keenly aware and concerned for the welfare of all sentient beings. With half the species extinct and more to follow, how can a Buddhist ignore environmental issues. &#xA;By all the environmental affects including climate change, the suffering of billions of people will increase. Avoiding harm is a major precept of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-15T22:21:48.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3578" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-15T23:01:08.740" Score="5" ViewCount="287" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very common to see people realigning their priorities after a near death experience or surviving a cancer. Things like money, career, fear of the future or anxiety don't bother them as much as before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism how can one try to develop the same kind of behave? Only through meditation? Any specific meditation method to do it? (I thought about something related to death and impermanence, but it has to be something really powerful to achieve similar results)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T11:29:53.243" Title="Realigning your priorities after realizing death and impermanence" Tags="|impermanence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3578" CreationDate="2014-09-15T23:56:53.923" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ancient extinct Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism (not the NKT, New Kadampa Tradition, which is an unsanctioned &quot;breakaway&quot; school) practiced &lt;em&gt;mindfulness of death&lt;/em&gt;. Their motto was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Base your mind on the Dharma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Base your Dharma on a humble life&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Base your humble life on the thought of death&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Base your death on an empty, barren hollow.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Words of my Perfect Teacher&quot; by Patrul Rinpoche explain this practice in the following way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While standing up, sitting or lying down, tell yourself: “This is my last act in this world”, and meditate on it with utter conviction. On your way to wherever you might be going, say to yourself: “Maybe I will die there. There is no certainty that I will ever come back.” When you set out on a journey or pause to rest, ask yourself: “Will I die here?” Wherever you are, you should wonder if this might be where you die. At night, when you lie down, ask yourself whether you might die in bed during the night or whether you can be sure that you are going to get up in the morning. When you rise, ask yourself whether you might die sometime during the day, and reflect that there is no certainty at all that you will be going to bed in the evening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One Kadampa would always turn his bowl upside down when going to bed, and would not cover the hot ashes to last until morning. When asked why, he answered: &quot;I really cannot say if I will wake up tomorrow&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides the ongoing mindfulness of death, there is also a formal &lt;em&gt;meditation on death&lt;/em&gt;, which involves contemplating three points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that we are sure to die,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that we can &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; predict time and circumstances of our death,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that when we die, there is nothing that can help us.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T00:17:07.560" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T00:17:07.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3580" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3595" CreationDate="2014-09-16T00:29:19.507" Score="12" ViewCount="891" Body="&lt;p&gt;My mind tends to be more unbalanced after waking up than before going to bed. I try to observe breath and sensations but the mind is pretty muddled. This raises the question if the mind is making sankharas in deep sleep too? How is that possible when I don't have a choice in the matter? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the best practices after waking up? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-04T17:58:51.523" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:44:47.027" Title="How to wake up properly after a nights sleep?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|anapanasati|sleep|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T00:57:11.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my Zen Master, you must never meditate under influence of any drug. We even had a little sign at the entrance of zendo, that warned about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same rule applies to alcohol, and if Master caught you drunk, or even in hangover, he would kick you out right away. Although unlike the drug rule, the alcohol rule is more of a disciplinary thing. They don't want people to lose their sense of boundaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These were the rules for lay people, who did not take the five precepts. I don't see why these would not extend to home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T00:57:11.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2014-09-16T01:30:20.830" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha is for calm, vipassana is for insight. But please don't get obsessed with separating the two. One is not better than the other. Right Mindfulness (for insight) and Right Concentration (for firmness of mind) &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; share the same objects and &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; fall under the path factor of Samadhi. In accordance with the Dhammawheel symbol, &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; lead to Right View and Right intention. Therefore we shouldn't look down on either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana meditation is used as a way to guide us out of unwholesome states of mind, so we can see things clearly. In order to reach Jhana, we must abandon the 5 hindrances, which are the &quot;unwholesome qualities&quot; the Buddha refers to when describing one who has entered Jhana: &lt;em&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. In one sutta (AN 5.51) the Buddha describes the 5 hindrances as a hindrance to &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; (calm) awareness and insight: &lt;em&gt;&quot;These five are obstacles, hindrances that overwhelm awareness and weaken discernment&quot;&lt;/em&gt; So in this way you can see that both Jhana and Insight are tied together. Jhana simply refers to the &lt;em&gt;wholesome&lt;/em&gt; state of mind in which we can see things clearly because like previously said, the 5 hindrances are both a hindrance to Jhana &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; insight — when there are the hindrances, there is no Jhana and also no suitable ground for the development of insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the only way to uproot the hindrances is to understand them, and the only way to understand them is if they're present in the first place. This is why it is necessary for some to develop insight first. But as one weakens the hindrances, the dividing line between samatha and vipassana fades away and we're left with both insight and serenity at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Jhana refers to the concentrated mind free from the coarse unwholesome qualities of the 5 hindrances. Samatha refers to the &lt;em&gt;technique&lt;/em&gt; of collecting the mind (as a way to reach Jhana), and Samatha refers to the technique using awareness (collected or not) to &lt;em&gt;understand&lt;/em&gt; phenomena. To do so efficiently (and correctly), your mind cannot have the 5 hindrances present, which is why samatha practice is vital. You cannot pick one over the other. When samatha and vipassana are referred to as &quot;paths&quot;, this simply refers to the practitioners inclination. Some incline towards samatha, some towards vipassana, but &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; types of practitioners must use &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; &quot;paths&quot;. And eventually, like previously said, both practitioners will come to use both like you would use your two arms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been said here that samatha and vipassana are not different techniques but differ in their objects. With all due respect to Venerable Yuttadhammo, I'll say on my own accord that is (mostly) false. Please forgive me if this is proven otherwise. Like I said, samatha is used to collect the mind and vipassana is used to develop insight. In samatha, namely anapanasati, we use the breath as our object. We can use the same object in the same way in vipassana. But, like I also said, these 2 things eventually &lt;em&gt;merge&lt;/em&gt;. Also, in Jhana, there is the form (breath), the feeling, the perception, the volitional formation, and the consciousness. In Jhana our object is form, in vipassana it can also be form. This is where vipassana differs: the objects of the mind can be vipassana's object, but Jhana we can't (however, the formless states are mental objects). However, without seclusion from the hindrances, using mental dhammas as an object can be very difficult. Any way, any object we choose for our meditation is an object of the 5 aggregates. What does &quot;ultimate reality&quot; refer to? If it refers to things in terms of the elements (which is the form khanda) then that would imply that ultimate reality exists within the khandhas. And like I said, we can use the elements to reach Jhana. If &quot;ultimate reality&quot; refers to nirvana, then in order to practice vipassana we must be enlightened beings who have destroyed ignorance and delusion, which would make vipassana impossible for us to practice as long as we aren't enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is helpful to whoever reads it and does not cause harm or confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastEditorUserId="900" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T01:35:49.533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T01:35:49.533" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T02:09:51.463" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a means to realize Nirvana, it is best to &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; meditate on drugs or use drugs as a crutch for meditation. By first-hand experience I'll say the drugs can be useful to an extent. If you've read &quot;Be Here Now&quot;, the author describes how experiences with drugs led to a sort of heightened awareness, and I have had similar experiences. &lt;strong&gt;HOWEVER&lt;/strong&gt;, the author clearly demonstrates the danger of using drugs as an aid to meditation, and I also have experienced those drawbacks. Basically, what happened was he would reach those blissful states of mind but he would go to great lengths to get them back. He would often experience depression when those states have ceased. This is the same thing that happened with me, and ultimately it is something that happens due to a lack of understanding towards our experience (i.e. that it is conditioned). He was shot straight into these blissful experiences, lacking in wisdom and exceeding in defilement. This is very dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, like all things, benefit can be found here. We can learn to understand that all states of mind, or rather all experiences, are impermanent. Such an understanding will be conducive to dispassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you choose to drink, please be mindful of its conditioned nature. If passion (enjoyment) arises, set your mind on contemplating the conditioned nature of your experience. It is useful to have a basic understanding of the aggregates for this. For me, marijuana led me to be able to easily expand my awareness to my whole body and my environment. I stopped using it simply because it is not necessary to use drugs to experience such a state of mind, and also because the drugs can easily cloud the mind if you're not careful (and willing to sacrifice the pleasant experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; use this as an excuse to drink. Sometimes people on drugs say that they're high to understand their experience, but if they are passionate towards such experiences then they simply are not getting anywhere and are lying to themselves. &lt;strong&gt;This is why it is best to not use drugs.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps you. Please understand that I am not encouraging drug use, only showing its (limited) usefulness. It is ultimately safest to not use drugs, and also it is more respectful to the Buddha. Metta to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T02:09:51.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-16T02:32:47.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;It seems the goal of Buddhist practice is to become an Arahant - someone who won't take a rebirth, and therefore will be eternally relieved from suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conventional terms, yes that is the goal, however an Arahant is somebody who has abandoned the desire to become anything. This is important in understanding the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;But WHO is this someone who doesn't get reborn? I mean if there never was a self to begin with, then who exactly achieved Nirvana?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha answers this here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the unconditioned element, and is the cessation of conditioned consciousness. There is no need for a &quot;self&quot; to be involved, that's just an assumption. Birth is a conditioned process dependent on &quot;becoming&quot; which is ultimately dependent on &quot;ignorance&quot; — which includes clinging to the notion of self. Simply put, when there is becoming, there is birth. There does not need to be a &quot;self&quot; involved here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Seriously, this line of thought is screwing up my motivation. All this work, just so someone who doesn't exist yet, and never will, doesn't have to suffer.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is there to &quot;not exist&quot;? I've been in your situation before. Note that suffering only arises for those who cling to the notion of self. When the &quot;self&quot; is truly abandoned, there is no more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Buddhism doesn't promise relief from suffering in the current lifetime, in fact it guarantees us we'll all die, and most of us will suffer from sickness and old age (not to mention loads of other suffering), but it promises an end by not taking a rebirth - but the whole concept of rebirth is made utterly confusing by the concept of non-self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; promise suffering in the current life time. He doesn't say that &lt;em&gt;everyone&lt;/em&gt; can do it, but he says that it's possible as long as we follow the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at where &quot;you&quot; are now. There are the 5 aggregates, those are the elements of your experience. They arise due to conditions. Their complete cessation is nirvana, the deathless state void of suffering. What you are going through is doubt, which is part of the aggregates. This is an undeniable truth. The Buddha pointed the way which leads us to let go of the aggregates in order to realize nirvana and the cessation of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aggregates of feeling, perception, and volition arise all dependent on contact with form, and you can see this here and now. What happens when there's awareness of the eye and eye-objects? Feeling, perception, and intention arise. So why are you doubting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't mean to say you're wrong or anything, I just want you to understand that this is a conditioned state, and your suffering arises because you don't fully understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, relax. Watch your breath. Absorb yourself in Jhana. Isn't that peaceful? It's certainly more peaceful than being doubtful!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T02:32:47.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T03:35:32.733" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a general rule of thumb I agree that one should not imbibe before practice.&#xA;However, it is useful to observe the mind in that condition. What is that like?&#xA;And again we have such chaotic schedules, you may find that you are free to practice after you have been at an event or out with friends, so why not practice then?&#xA;I don't see how it could harm you...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may struggle to keep awake, which will be easier if you happen to follow a practice with the eyes open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to causing questionable judgement, it's clear that Alcohol dulls the wakeful quality of mind. It limits stamina for long practices, as well as our ability to serve others. These are the main reasons that I limit my consumption. (But I need to make a stronger effort myself.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are learning to awaken to the natural mind, then it seems counterproductive to intentionally dull the mind. It's like dulling your knife before chopping your vegetables.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="901" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T03:35:32.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3580" CreationDate="2014-09-16T04:13:15.157" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason why the mind is like this is because, in order to sleep, we must give ourselves into drowsiness. Those with untrained minds (if not everyone) thus plunge themselves into delusion. That's why in dreams, everything's all loopy and oftentimes you don't realize that you're dreaming. When you wake up, your mind is just emerging from that state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think what happens with most is that they get worked up over the drowsiness they experience when they wake up, so they assume their mind has gone down the rabbit hole. But it hasn't, unless you're getting worked up about the drowsiness! It's simply another experience of the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when I wake up, what I do is remember the conditioned nature of experience in terms of the aggregates, particularly the part which deals with contact and the sense-bases. Whatever you see is an eye-object accompanied by feeling, perception, and volition. The same applies to the other sense bases. This gets my mind back in the grove because our practice involves great use of the 6-sense bases, until you get to the formless states of samatha meditation. How could you investigate the elements without the sense bases? What is their to develop dispassion towards if it isn't the senses? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your waking life, using the aggregates as your work station, investigate drowsiness so you can understand it more and not become worried because of it. There's the feeling in the body, the passion towards the feeling (a volitional formation which manifests as laziness and leads us to taking a nice, comfy rest on our bed... or desk)... just try to understand it more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this solves your problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T04:13:15.157" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T04:15:09.337" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Drinking / drugs reduces your awareness and consciousness. You cannot effectively practice awareness after drinking. Think you are baseball or cricket player. Will you get drunk before you go to bat. You need some awareness to bat though not the right awareness as in Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Vipassana is not something you just do on a cushion. This is just practice which should continue during the day. So if you are practicing Vipassana seriously then best is you do not drink at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said all this, for some reason or the other you end up drinking, keep looking at the sensation and your alertness of your body and mind. Look at how the intoxicant is effecting your body and mind. Some point you might see there is not enjoyment in drinking and also sets you back in your practice, through this might be very had as intoxicants reduce your awareness. Don't take intoxicants with a view to try to get such insights, as each time you do take an intoxicant, you take a step back and more steps in that direction lesses you will be able to get any insights into this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T04:15:09.337" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3580" CreationDate="2014-09-16T04:23:43.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my personal opinion. Process of fabrication goes on which you are asleep. My rationalising ia as follows&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People who sleep a lot may be more peaceful than others if there is not fabrication during sleep.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advanced yogis are supposed to keep awareness during sleep also. This implies this is what slows / stops the fabrication process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also perhaps the reason you should practice for 1 hour in the morning as per instructions of certain meditation masters, thus cleansing the fabrications during the night. Similarly 1 hour in the evening / night to cleanse fabrication during the day.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your mind is muddled since your sleepiness and perhaps the fabrication during the night. So when you do wake up start getting aware of your body part by part initially take large parts. Then do a little bit or breath meditation focussing more on the sensation on the spot (Philtrum / Columella). This will charge you up to overcome lethargy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:44:47.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T04:26:12.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;there's that word again... &quot;should&quot;.   :0/&#xA;No skipping meditation is not what you &quot;should&quot; do. But alcohol will actually bring out things that are not usually evident in the mind. The same way an angry person that starts drinking may get furious, so too will it exaggerate certain aspects of the mind, which theoreticslly makes them unavoidable, or at least they will be noticed if you truly are putting effort toward being mindful of the present moment as fully as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, as alcohol is very likely to cause a lack of heedfulness if taken in excess... you may not get much out if it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excuse opinion, but im a lay renunciate so i share my views on occaision and in this case i think it could be helpful...&#xA;so here it is, If you meditate under the influence of a conciousness altering thing, the first thing to do is focus on its effect, maybe in contrast to sobriety, on the four foundations of mindfulness.&#xA; If drinking is a thing you might have trouble letting go of you certainly &quot;Should&quot; not let it be a hindrance to your practice by avoiding meditation simply because you drank a little.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im not saying or assuming this applies to you necessarily... but may help if said... if it is a pretty serious problem (alcoholism) i woukd say it could help to MAKE SURE you meditate every time you drink... as you may come to understand it better that way. And to practice &quot;live mindfulness&quot; of the time in which you consume it... like why am i here REALLY?... be aware of what your body is literally doing... you know like when you grab the glass and pick it up, and tasting, etc... what do you do in between drinks, what thoughts and feeling arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;im not sure why some people are telling you to skip being aware of a recurring phenominon that you are partial to but...&#xA;i say take four precepts and meditate!!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="690" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T04:32:09.873" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T04:32:09.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3578" CreationDate="2014-09-16T06:35:34.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Under the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 recollections&lt;/a&gt; there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; which is recollection or death. This is can be used to develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83vega&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;spiritual urgency&lt;/a&gt;. This is similar to the near death experience, which changes the priories in a person. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upajjhatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upajjhatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and related Suttas discuss in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, you should place the attention on the spot (between your nose and upper lip) and start the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;breath meditation&lt;/a&gt; upto the 1st 3 steps in the 1st tetrad. Then with each in and out breath contemplate you might not live to have the next breaths. You are growing older with each breath passing away. You do not know what calamity (death, illness, accident, death or parting of a loved one, etc.) might befall you in the next moment. This fuels some level or urgency either spiritual or in other activities in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T11:29:53.243" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T11:29:53.243" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3565" CreationDate="2014-09-16T06:48:53.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am answering from the Theravada standpoint. &lt;em&gt;(hoping this also will add some value)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;breaking of the aggregates due to decay or some accident, end of sustainable life span&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reformation of the aggregates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as the wheel of dhamma is turning, each time the aggregates breakup in one body it forms in another and rebirth. Even in this life the argeragers are arising and passing away. At death the aggregates pass away in this body but arises again in another body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eliminating ignorance causes the links in this cycle to break.You are not adding fuel to the fabrication process. Once this life ends there is no power for the aggregates to form in another body. So there are no more rebirths. If there is no rebirth there is not death or any of the calamities that follow birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T06:58:52.937" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T06:58:52.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3566" CreationDate="2014-09-16T06:56:36.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fact that the Buddha could perform these miracles should be taken in the light to strengthen your devotion to the Buddha. If this is for pure delight or intellectual stimulations in miracles like watching or reading about magic or watching a magic show, this is the wrong motivation to investigate about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said the there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; page on miracles the Buddha performed including the twin miracle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am not exactly answering your question here but I hope this adds value.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T06:56:36.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3580" CreationDate="2014-09-16T07:18:26.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We don't actually know in full detail why we sleep yet, be we do know that it seems to be because our mind needs to recuperate from being used all day. Even dolphins, who you'd think cannot really sleep because they'd drown have found a way: their left and right hemispheres sleep alternately. Given that nature is willing to jump through such loops, I think it's safe to say that sleep is pretty necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to be able to recuperate, it makes sense that it must be to some extent turned off. People aren't machines however; there's no single switch that can be flicked to activate us. So it takes a while. You aren't bothered by sankharas, you're just not really quite there yet when you wake up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also read recently that some biologists noted that in mice extra fluid enters their little brains, apparently to sort of wash them. I think this must surely interfere with normal awareness, otherwise the extra fluid would be there all the time. Maybe draining it away takes time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whatever the case may be, what you're experiencing is perfectly natural and nothing to worry about. Maybe you could try starting to wake up earlier, but doing it more gently?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="902" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T07:18:26.037" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3594" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3597" CreationDate="2014-09-16T11:24:41.800" Score="3" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can you use Q&amp;amp;A to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;effectively and efficiently create good Karma, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;also use it as an aid to reach the final Buddhist goal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also what Suttas and literature, cover these topics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T11:33:57.700" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:36:58.250" Title="How can you use Q&amp;A to gain good Karma and also aid to realize liberation" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3580" CreationDate="2014-09-16T12:25:15.870" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One simple way to setup your mind in the morning is to re-take the refuge vow and/or the five precepts. Or, if you are a Mahayana practitioner, recite the Bodhisattva vow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another consideration though: as one of my teachers said, &quot;the morning begins in the evening&quot;. Your morning mind is continuation of the tendencies you have setup in the evening. So if you go to bed with a clear mind and pure heart of simplicity, chances are, you will wake up clean and bright. The state of mind during the day matters too. If we argue, or get obsessed, or blame ourselves during the day, these thoughts and moods tend to come back during the night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the evening, there is a number of ways to prepare your mind for a good night. In my opinion, meditation should be done earlier in the evening, before the sunset. After sunset, having a silent walk helps. What I personally do after that, is read a Buddhist book in bed. This only works if your practice is going well though, otherwise you may get a sense of guilt when comparing the high ideals with your actual state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T12:25:15.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3596" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3614" CreationDate="2014-09-16T12:32:25.193" Score="6" ViewCount="427" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since karma isn't the only thing that determines what happens to you, what are the other aspects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember hearing a dharma talk where someone explained that there were like eight things that determined what happened to you and that karma was only one. Is there a sutta referencing this and what are those other things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-17T05:57:44.627" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:50:04.793" Title="What, besides karma, determines the future?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3594" CreationDate="2014-09-16T13:10:16.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;h2&gt;How can you use Q&amp;amp;A to gain good Karma and also aid to realize liberation?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By reflecting on a few principles when asking &amp;amp; answering:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asking &amp;amp; Answering&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice in what category does the question lie in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four ways of answering questions. Which four? There&#xA;  are questions that should be answered categorically [straightforwardly&#xA;  yes, no, this, that]. There are questions that should be answered with&#xA;  an analytical (qualified) answer [defining or redefining the terms].&#xA;  There are questions that should be answered with a counter-question.&#xA;  There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.intro.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;questions that should be put aside&lt;/a&gt;. These are the four ways&#xA;  of answering questions.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.042.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.42, Questions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the answers given are appropriate to that kind of question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, it's through his way of participating in a discussion that a&#xA;  person can be known as fit to talk with or unfit to talk with. If a&#xA;  person, when asked a question, doesn't give a categorical answer to a&#xA;  question deserving a categorical answer, doesn't give an analytical&#xA;  (qualified) answer to a question deserving an analytical answer,&#xA;  doesn't give a counter-question to a question deserving a&#xA;  counter-question, doesn't put aside a question deserving to be put&#xA;  aside, then — that being the case — he is a person unfit to talk with.&#xA;  But if a person, when asked a question, gives a categorical answer to&#xA;  a question deserving a categorical answer, gives an analytical answer&#xA;  to a question deserving an analytical answer, gives a counter-question&#xA;  to a question deserving a counter-question, and puts aside a question&#xA;  deserving to be put aside, then — that being the case — he is a person&#xA;  fit to talk with.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.067.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.67, Topics for Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;(I recommend reading the entire discourse since it has additional valuable advice. You might also want to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf#page=287&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice that not all questions deserve an answer since they are off-topic or have implicit assumptions which makes them so. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/documents/pwj3-9/02Karunadasa39.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt;'s an article regarding this kind of questions which I think is worth reading.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asking&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When asking, be aware of the motive behind your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta said: &quot;All those who ask questions of another do so&#xA;  from any one of five motivations. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One asks a question of another through stupidity &amp;amp; bewilderment. One&#xA;  asks a question of another through evil desires &amp;amp; overwhelmed with&#xA;  greed. One asks a question of another through contempt. One asks a&#xA;  question of another when desiring knowledge. Or one asks a question&#xA;  with this thought, 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well &amp;amp;&#xA;  good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of these&#xA;  five motivations. And as for me, when I ask a question of another,&#xA;  it's with this thought: 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well &amp;amp;&#xA;  good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.165.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.165, On Asking Questions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a broader and more in-depth understanding of this topic, I recommend reading the related discourses which are mentioned at the end of the discourses linked above and a brilliant book written by &lt;em&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; named &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/skillInQuestions_v140109.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skill in Questions: How the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. It has many examples of Q&amp;amp;A's that fit the above categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T20:36:58.250" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T20:36:58.250" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3598" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-16T14:56:07.053" Score="4" ViewCount="681" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I recall correctly I've heard that one can not be ordained if one has debts. Is this just a practical rule to avoid ordaining people that run away from financial problems or does it also have moral aspect to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers from all schools are welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T08:45:18.037" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T05:48:39.967" Title="Is there a moral aspect to financial debt in Buddhism?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T15:00:09.913" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes, but you will find that it has a limit to that and you will eventually drop that and go sober. But i encourage to try with drugs, it opens new perspectives!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;try by error baby!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="906" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:00:09.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3573" CreationDate="2014-09-16T15:00:50.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to be mindful all the time, as much as I can. Therefore I would try to be mindful of what caused the desire to drink in the first place, then certainly I would try to be mindful while in the process of drinking and then I would try to keep being mindful while drunk. I would see how difficult it would be to concentrate and   experience the more subtle meditation objects. I would see how much more difficult it would be to remember and remember to be mindful as well. I might see how poor my judgment was while drunk. Hopefully I would realize how dangerous any amount of drinking would be and let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:00:50.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3596" CreationDate="2014-09-16T15:19:14.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cosmic order is decided by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 Niyama Dhammas&lt;/a&gt;. All this together are the driving force behind the universe in which Karma is just one factor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:19:14.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3598" CreationDate="2014-09-16T15:19:47.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems like it could be both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is running away from your debts wholesome? Is it wholesome to not pay debts to somebody when you know you should? Is it unwholesome to put aside ordination until your debts are paid off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean for food to be wholesome? It means healthy, beneficial food. Wholesome actions are healthy for the mind and beneficial towards all beings. That's the &quot;moral&quot; aspect of Buddhism, and it really isn't based in somebody's personal view of good or bad, it's based on cause and effect. What would be the effects of running away from debt? What would the &lt;em&gt;gratifications&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dangers&lt;/em&gt; be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.045.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:19:47.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3565" CreationDate="2014-09-16T15:54:40.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is taught by some teachers (if not many) the chain of dependent origination is divided into 3 lifetimes: past, present, and future. However, because each part describes a single lifetime, I think each part is simply one of 3 ways we can look at our present experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see our present experience in the sense that our ignorance gives rise to karmically potent volitional formations. Or, we can go deeper and see the conditioned nature of our experience in terms of the aggregates and how ignorance leads to craving (and eventually becoming) after feeling. Or, we can look at our present experience in terms of birth, aging, sickness, and death (as suffering). I think the Buddha wanted us to use all 3 ways as different tools for investigation of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would mean that the dependent chain of origination taught by the Buddha refers to the conditioning process of a being fettered by ignorance. In that case, it would also be justified to say that the chain refers to 3 different life times because the &quot;present&quot; life time contains the teaching of the aggregates, which are present (to my understanding) for all beings, enlightened and unenlightened, whereas the &quot;past&quot; and &quot;future&quot; lifetimes concern the unenlightened being (since enlightened beings aren't ignorant, they don't create karma; birth, aging, sickness, and death refer to dukkha and future rebirth which is not applicable present for the enlightened being).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T15:54:40.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3598" CreationDate="2014-09-16T16:00:33.303" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have obligations like debt you might be forced to disrobe. You will not be able to do what you set out to do and any debtor trying to get hold of you will be doing bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you cannot practice properly as you will be afraid of debtors getting hold of you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You and the Sanga will get a bad name due to your not fulfilling your obligation. This has a karmic implication towards people who might bad mouth the monk and the order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be extended to other obligations also. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding being disfigured or disabled it is the latter reasons. Also you need all your faculties in good condition to effectively do Vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T16:22:04.343" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T16:22:04.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3605" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-16T17:07:17.137" Score="1" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard in a Dhamma talk in which different ways of understanding / realising the Dhamma was discussed. One way that was mentioned was meditation. I am wondering which Suttas this has been referenced from. Up to then my understanding was Vippasana / meditation was the one and only way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to the other ways, how does the understanding / realisation happen? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was sometime back so I cannot remember the exact content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T08:51:54.120" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:51:54.120" Title="Different ways one can understand / realise the Dhamma?" Tags="|vipassana|pali-canon|reference-request|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3606" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-16T17:13:11.523" Score="5" ViewCount="970" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist and non Buddhist people have a lot of ups and downs in their lifes, doubts, fears, anxiety, regrets etc... we understand that as impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do monks experience similar things of aftet joining the Sangha their lifes are pretty much &quot;peaceful and flat&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T20:44:25.110" LastActivityDate="2021-12-09T08:03:33.460" Title="Do monks have big ups and downs in their life?" Tags="|monk|sangha|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3606" CreationDate="2014-09-16T17:46:48.460" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks are humans too. They experience the same ups and downs in terms of how meditation practice goes. Also any emotional upheavals. But conditions are more suitable for serious practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since abandoned worldly affairs the chances of stress from these sources (responsibility, obligations, need to earn or work) are not there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you don't own much stress from ownership of property doesn't happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since your influence on the world (power, positions) has been abandoned stress from these areas don't arrise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have abandoned class, cast, clan, relatives, friends, family, etc.  any distractions from these sources are eliminated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-16T17:54:35.183" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T17:54:35.183" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3606" CreationDate="2014-09-16T17:55:57.627" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/a_lee_autobiography_v121212.pdf&quot;&gt;Ajahn Lee's autobiography&lt;/a&gt;, page 16 and onward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His practice slackens, he grows disillusioned with being a monk, and he begins an obsessive debate within himself about whether to disrobe or not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But looking at the state of my meditation, I could see that my practice had&#xA;  grown slack. I was becoming more and more interested in worldly matters. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day I went up to a hollow space at the top of the chedi and sat in&#xA;  meditation. The theme of my meditation was, 'Should I stay or should I&#xA;  disrobe?' Something inside me said, 'I'd rather disrobe.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... 'The people in the Great Metropolis aren't deva-sons or deva-daughters or&#xA;  anything. They're people and I'm a person, so why can't I make myself be like&#xA;  them?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I questioned myself back and forth like this for several days running&lt;/strong&gt; until I&#xA;  finally decided to call a halt. If I was going to disrobe, I'd have to make&#xA;  preparations. Other people, before disrobing, got prepared by having clothes&#xA;  made and so forth, but I was going to do it differently. &lt;strong&gt;I was going to leave&#xA;  the monkhood in my mind first to see what it would be like&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So late in the quiet of a moonlit night, I climbed up to sit inside the chedi&#xA;  and asked myself, 'If I disrobe, what will I do?' I came up with the following&#xA;  story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;If I disrobe, I'll have to apply for a job as a clerk in the Phen Phaag Snuff and&#xA;    Stomach Medicine Company. I had a friend who had disrobed and gotten a job&#xA;    there, earning 20 baht a month, so it made sense for me to apply for a job there too.&#xA;    I'd set my mind on being honest and hard-working so that my employer would be&#xA;    satisfied with my work. I was determined that wherever I lived, I'd have to act in&#xA;    such a way that the people I lived with would think highly of me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;As it turned out, the drug company finally hired me at 20 baht a month, the&#xA;    same salary as my friend. I made up my mind to budget my salary so as to have&#xA;    money left over at the end of each month, so I rented a room in the flats owned by&#xA;    Phraya Phakdi in the PratuuNam (Watergate) section of town. The rent was four&#xA;    baht a month. Water, electricity, clothing, and food would add up to another eleven&#xA;    baht, leaving me with an extra five baht at the end of each month. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't paste it all, as this goes on and on for several pages in insane detail as he imagined what might happen if he disrobed. I think the amount of detail is indicative of how much he wanted to disrobe right then and return to lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But he concludes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally I decided to call a halt. My wife wasn't what I had hoped for, my earnings&#xA;  weren't what I had hoped for, my children weren't what I had hoped for, so I left my&#xA;  wife, was reordained and returned to the contemplative life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T17:55:57.627" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3611" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3620" CreationDate="2014-09-16T18:44:38.953" Score="2" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;AFAIK, monks are not allowed to be away from their monasteries for more than 3 days during the rain season. But a monk I know had to travel out of the country due to some personal matter during this period for more than three days. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm curious to know whether there are specific situations in Vinaya where the monks are allowed to break this rule? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, are they capable of receiving the Kathina robes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T06:03:21.593" Title="Are monks allowed to travel during the rain retreat?" Tags="|theravada|vinaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3612" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3636" CreationDate="2014-09-16T19:02:03.643" Score="4" ViewCount="3429" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read an article that mentioned something like &lt;em&gt;neutral&lt;/em&gt; Karma, and it seems it is no more/less than no Karma. Does anything differentiate neutral Karma from no Karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="749" LastActivityDate="2020-07-19T09:05:29.053" Title="Difference between neutral Karma and no Karma" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3606" CreationDate="2014-09-16T22:37:51.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could we not just ask ourselves, &quot;do we have ups and downs in our lives. If so, then is this not a sign that Buddhism does not strip you of humanhood, but teaches you to assume a more mindful perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a more extensive study can be found here&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/depression.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://viewonbuddhism.org/depression.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T22:37:51.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3596" CreationDate="2014-09-16T22:57:29.940" Score="5" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Since karma isn't the only thing that determines what happens to you what are the other aspects? Is there a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; referencing this?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the following discourse is what you are looking for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Rajagaha in the&#xA;  Bamboo Grove Monastery, the Squirrel's Feeding Place. There&#xA;  Moliyasivaka the wanderer went to the Blessed One and, on arrival,&#xA;  exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly&#xA;  greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there,&#xA;  he said to the Blessed One, &quot;Master Gotama, there are some brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are of this doctrine, this view: Whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither-pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before. Now what does Master Gotama&#xA;  say to that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] &quot;There are cases where some feelings arise &lt;strong&gt;based on&#xA;  bile&lt;/strong&gt;. You yourself should know how some feelings arise based on bile.&#xA;  Even the world is agreed on how some feelings arise based on bile. So&#xA;  any brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that&#xA;  whatever an individual feels — pleasure, pain,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — is entirely caused by what was done before&#xA;  — slip past what they themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by&#xA;  the world. Therefore I say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are&#xA;  wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise &lt;strong&gt;based on phlegm... based on&#xA;  internal winds... based on a combination of bodily humors... from the&#xA;  change of the seasons... from uneven care of the body... from harsh&#xA;  treatment... from the result of kamma&lt;/strong&gt;. You yourself should know how&#xA;  some feelings arise from the result of kamma. Even the world is agreed&#xA;  on how some feelings arise from the result of kamma. So any brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before — slip past what they&#xA;  themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by the world. Therefore I&#xA;  say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, Moliyasivaka the wanderer said to the Blessed One:&#xA;  &quot;Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright&#xA;  what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to point out the way&#xA;  to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those&#xA;  with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One —&#xA;  through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the&#xA;  Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, &amp;amp; to the community of monks.&#xA;  May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for&#xA;  refuge from this day forward, for life.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 36.21, To Sivaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T22:57:29.940" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3615" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3633" CreationDate="2014-09-16T23:02:54.393" Score="5" ViewCount="521" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I see perfect situations to teach something from the Buddha and help someone with it, impermanence, worldly concerns, etc... however some people will immediately shut down and not listen if they know it was spoken by the Buddha... still I want to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I try to focus on the teachings that can benefit them without saying in a explicit way it came from Buddhism (of course I do not say the teaching was mine as well, I just don't mention the source or say it is something I learned...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that wrong, unethical or a cause for bad Karma? I have never thought about it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="918" LastEditDate="2014-09-17T21:16:53.803" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T21:33:10.503" Title="Teaching or giving advice without mentioning the Buddha" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3615" CreationDate="2014-09-16T23:21:31.977" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with it at all. It is an extremely wonderful thing to speak the Dhamma in any form. In the Abhaya sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) the Buddha said he used three factors to decide what and when to say something. They are truth, benefit, and agreeableness. The Buddha would only say something if it was true and beneficial to the listener, and if it was disagreeable, he would say it only at the right time and in the most gentle way possible. Because the Buddha is the perfect example of morality and right speech, we can use these principles to guide our speech as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you say this you are saying something true, beneficial, and agreeable. Not only is there nothing wrong with it, but speaking the Dhamma is actually a kind of giving. In fact according to the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts.&quot; Dhammapada 354&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Far from being a cause for bad Kamma, your action is actually a basis of great ammounts of good Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-16T23:21:31.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3612" CreationDate="2014-09-17T00:47:07.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Abhidhamma there are 3 kinds of kamma. To my limited understanding it goes like: mundane unwholesome karma, mundane wholesome karma, and supramundane wholesome karma. It's &lt;em&gt;supramundane&lt;/em&gt; wholesome karma because it is the karma of arahants. It's also called &quot;neutral&quot; because it has no karmic potency unlike mundane wholesome karma. I think another word for &quot;neutral&quot; would also be &quot;functional&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T00:47:07.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3606" CreationDate="2014-09-17T00:59:14.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course! You don't liberate yourself from suffering just by ordaining. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not they have &lt;strong&gt;big&lt;/strong&gt; ups and downs depends on conditions and what you mean by ups and downs. Some monks get really down when they aren't enlightened, and really up when they experience peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only one who is free from ups and downs is one who is free from dukkha. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T00:59:14.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3606" CreationDate="2014-09-17T01:07:58.293" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Evryperson can take things to be a part of their life or they can just ignore it. It depends how attached a person is to a certain object,person. More a person meditate,less atached they get and hence there is less waries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="703" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T01:07:58.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3611" CreationDate="2014-09-17T06:03:21.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's seven days and only if there is a reason, in a specific (but long) list of potential reasons, mostly pertaining to Buddhist practice. The only true exception I can think of to the rule is the case of obstacles to keeping the rains. As Thanissaro explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mv.III.9.1–Mv.III.11.13 gives a long list of valid obstacles, which Pv.VI.4 divides into &#xA;  four sorts: dangers to life, dangers to the holy life, a threatened split in the Community, &#xA;  and an actual split in the Community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T06:03:21.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3596" CreationDate="2014-09-17T14:14:14.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are five &quot;niyama dhamma&quot;. Kamma (karma) is only one out the five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Utu niyaama (utu stands for seasons/weather) - As applied it means if a person dies from a natural disaster it is not purely due to karma - but it is due to the nature/ seasons. Things that are brought about as results of seasons and weather are not due to karma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beeja nyaama (beeja stands for seeds) - As applied seeds of a kind of plant species can produce that kind of trees. If your parents are black in color, you are going to be black, like that. Among humans or animals if karma is very powerful karma can override this to a certain level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma nyaama - What you receive due to good and bad you have done in this life and previus lives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;dhamma nyaama - This explains that growing old and things are not due to karma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;chitta nyaama (chiththa stands for mind) - thing that happen due to the way you think.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Nigantanathaputta&quot; who lived in Lord Buddha's time explained his theories only based on karma. As everything is 100 percent karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not say everything is due to karma. It describes karma and let people do good and to avoid bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastEditorUserId="882" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T13:50:04.793" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:50:04.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3622" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3625" CreationDate="2014-09-17T14:42:10.000" Score="10" ViewCount="7325" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is lying flat on my back an acceptable meditation posture?  Why or why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:52:05.803" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:52:05.803" Title="Can I meditate while lying on my back?" Tags="|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3623" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3629" CreationDate="2014-09-17T14:48:32.797" Score="11" ViewCount="2472" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gandhi, a Hindu ascetic, was adamant that the spiritual well being of a person was not disconnected from one's diet.  He said &quot;The body was never meant to be treated as a refuse bin, holding all the foods that the palate demands.&quot;  Do the different sects of Buddhism have recommended dietary regimens?  If so, what are they?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T21:33:35.253" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T02:31:42.803" Title="What dietary practices are most helpful for reaching enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|food|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3622" CreationDate="2014-09-17T14:57:43.217" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes but it's easier to fall asleep that way. The four official  positions are: Sitting, walking, laying  and standing but really we can meditate no matter what position we are in.&#xA;   When we set our bodies in one of these four positions, away from noise and distractions it is like we are making a little laboratory of our mind and bodies or a little retreat so to speak but when we are off working, eating, playing, jogging or  whatever, we don't  have to stop and get into one of the official four positions when we remember to meditate, we only need to see things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T16:03:51.097" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T16:03:51.097" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2014-09-18T15:50:20.187" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3622" CreationDate="2014-09-17T15:07:14.517" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can, but it's not recommended.  Many people come to meditation with the notion that it is a relaxation exercise.  With that preconception, it's no surprise that so many wonder why we just don't meditate lying down or in an arm chair.  There may be some kind of benefit to this sort of mediation.  Whatever the benefits, however, they do detract from the kind of meditation taught by the Buddha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a very strong connection between the body and the mind.  The condition of one really determines the state of the other.  To meditate properly (from a Buddhist standpoint), it is very important for the body to be in an upright and invigorated position.  When we lay down or sit in a comfortable chair, it is all too easy for our minds to go slack and lazy.  These sorts of positions effect our concentration and makes it all too easy to fall into sloth and torpor.  You don't want that.  To hold the body upright is to hold the mind upright.  What you want is a state where you are as awake (from a physiological standpoint) as you are going to get.  Discomfort, even a little pain (note - &lt;em&gt;little!&lt;/em&gt;), is very conducive to raising your attention and applying it on the meditation object.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T15:07:14.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2014-09-17T15:38:30.573" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course it is not healthy to eat very fat meats, candies or deep fried food, but it has nothing to do with Buddhism, I am not sure about Gandhi but maybe he was refering to the amount of food (monks eat once a day) and not the quality of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding what you should not eat, from a Theravada's perspective (Mahayana is more inclined to vegetarianism), this is the list:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not kill the animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not ask anyone to kill it for you. Do not eat if you suspect it was purposly killed for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not eat if you see or hear the animal being killed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain meats are not allowed like human flesh, elephants etc... due to some cases in the time of the Buddha (like the lady that cut her own flesh to make a soup for a sick monk), he prohibited these types of meats, some animals used to belong to the king and should not be eaten as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Bhante Dhammavvuddho Thero (Theravada monk) that taught me that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-09-17T15:45:01.070" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T15:45:01.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2014-09-17T15:44:21.000" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Food we eat is linked to sensations we experience. So best is to choose food which doesn't give unpleasant sensations, drowsiness, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oily food leads to sleepiness. Spicy food lead to burning sensations. Meat lead to arousal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism unlike Hinduism there is no special dietary requirements, but having a light diet which doesn't bring up discomfort can help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be mindful of sensations (taste, chewing) we experience while eating also. Something which most likely to cause attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T02:28:45.453" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T02:28:45.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2014-09-17T15:46:29.403" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as dietary guidelines for Enlightenment, I really like the &quot;Three Gunas&quot; model. I feel many people these days lack fundamental intuition for what constitutes good or bad energy when it comes to eating. The Three Gunas model provides a set of guidelines that people can follow until they develop an intuitive feel for healthy eating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In their simplest form, the three gunas can be defined as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Tamas&lt;/code&gt;, the abstract energy of stagnation, ignorance, stupor.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Rajas&lt;/code&gt;, the abstract energy of passion, aggression, impulsion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Sattva&lt;/code&gt;, the abstract energy of purity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In context of the diet, these translate to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tamas&lt;/strong&gt;: food that is not fresh, or has tatty/grubby/frowsy atmosphere about it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rajas&lt;/strong&gt;: Food that stimulates primitive senses with crude strong flavors.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sattva&lt;/strong&gt;: Simple, ascetic food.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The first category&lt;/strong&gt; includes food that is spoiled, burned, lifeless, but also anything that was evidently cooked without much care for the quality of ingredients, processing, or the final result. Much of cheap non-veggy food falls into this category. This food is edible but you may feel dirty as you eat it or slightly sick afterwards. You'd think no one eats like this, but in my observations quite a few people have very low standards when it comes to food freshness and quality. Consuming this food lowers and slows down one's energy on all levels: mental, physical, and emotional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The second category&lt;/strong&gt; first and foremost includes good meat and spicy food. It also includes high-quality fast food with its exaggerated flavors appealing to a primitive taste and conducive to indulging. This food is very pleasant to eat, and at its best, gives you a lot of energy, although more often than not you may feel too excited while eating it, and too stuffed afterwards. Consuming this food feeds emotions such as anger and lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The third category&lt;/strong&gt; emphasizes plain products like milk, grains, simple bread, fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, and non-spicy herbs -- fresh or processed by boiling/steaming. (Fried vegetables, while still pretty pure, usually borderline between Sattva and Rajas.) Consuming this type of food calms down emotions and clarifies the mind, but may make you a bit too pacified to effectively function in the modern society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As usual, there are no strict boundaries here. As with colors of the rainbow, there are some items that are used as typical exemplary models of a given category, while some fall in between. What's important, is to get a feel for the energy behind the food, and how it affects your own energy and the state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your specific question, anyone seeking Enlightenment should definitely stay away from anything remotely resembling &lt;code&gt;Tamas&lt;/code&gt;-food. I also recommend &lt;em&gt;reducing&lt;/em&gt; consumption of &lt;code&gt;Rajas&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;em&gt;but not to the level of zero&lt;/em&gt;. In my experience, 80% of Sattva and 20% of Rajas gives a good balance between &lt;em&gt;clarity&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;drive&lt;/em&gt;. As most advices on Enlightenment, this only applies until you reach stream-entry, at which point you will be able to see and decide on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-17T20:45:09.643" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T20:45:09.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2014-09-17T15:59:55.657" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some of the Suttas in which the Buddha describes the gradual training leading to enlightenment there is the following stock passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, when a disciple of the noble ones is consummate in virtue in&#xA;  this way, guards the doors to his sense faculties in this way, &lt;strong&gt;knows&#xA;  moderation in eating&lt;/strong&gt; in this way, is devoted to wakefulness in this&#xA;  way, is endowed with seven qualities in this way, and obtains at will&#xA;  — without trouble or difficulty — the four jhanas that constitute&#xA;  heightened awareness and a pleasant abiding in the here-&amp;amp;-now in this&#xA;  way, then he is called a disciple of the noble ones who follows the&#xA;  practice for one in training, whose eggs are unspoiled, who is capable&#xA;  of breaking out, capable of awakening, capable of attaining the&#xA;  supreme rest from the yoke.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is explained in other places like so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk know moderation in eating? There is the case&#xA;  where a monk, considering it appropriately, takes his food not&#xA;  playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for&#xA;  beautification, but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this&#xA;  body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life,&#xA;  thinking, 'I will destroy old feelings [of hunger] &amp;amp; not create new&#xA;  feelings [from overeating]. Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless,&#xA;  &amp;amp; live in comfort.' This is how a monk knows moderation in eating.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.037.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.037.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Monks in the Theravada school, they only eat a single meal a day and do it before noon (although they are allowed to divide that meal into portions and have rice gruel before almsround). This kind of practice is also part of the 8 precepts that laypeople sometimes voluntarily undergo. The Buddha described the benefits of this practice here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a&#xA;  tour of Kasi with a large community of monks. There he addressed the&#xA;  monks: &quot;I abstain from the night-time meal.[1] As I am abstaining from&#xA;  the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no&#xA;  affliction, lightness, strength, &amp;amp; a comfortable abiding. Come now.&#xA;  You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from&#xA;  the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness,&#xA;  next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, &amp;amp; a comfortable abiding.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As can be seen, it isn't so much what you eat as how you relate to eating. If you eat with the attitude of caring for your health rather than for sheer pleasure, that will support your practice. Because this teaching is aimed at monks however, it is not required for a layperson to renounce eating food for the purpose of pleasure. It is only a recommended practice for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of eating meat, the Buddha laid down three restrictions. In the Jivaka Sutta the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Jeevaka, those who say, that living things are killed on account of&#xA;  the recluse Gotama, and he partakes that knowing, because it was&#xA;  killed on account of him. They are not my words, and they blame me&#xA;  falsely. Jeevaka, I say that on three instances meat should not be&#xA;  partaken, when seen, heard or when there is a doubt. I say, that on&#xA;  these three instances meat should not be partaken. I say, that meat&#xA;  could be partaken on three instances, when not seen, not heard and&#xA;  when there is no doubt about it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/055-jivaka-e1.html&quot;&gt;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/055-jivaka-e1.html&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this particular sutta the Buddha not only permitted meat, but rejected the idea that eating meat is inherently evil. This fits in with the Buddha's other teachings on morality that Karma goes by intention. The killing involved with meat is too far removed from the eating of it to automatically make eating meat morally wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That doesn't mean that it is wrong to be a vegetarian however. If out of compassion one desires to support the welfare of animals by vegetarianism I think that is a beautiful thing. It is just something above and beyond what is morally required of a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T15:59:55.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3058" CreationDate="2014-09-17T17:16:54.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Out of the 7 billion people on this planet. there should be thousands if not more of enlighten people, some of them were born that way, others became awaken spontaneously (like the Buddha), and others became awaken after a long spiritual training (such as in zen and Buddhist and kabbala) training.  Most of the enlightened people do not call themselves enlightened or keep it a secret except for a few students. One of the persons which do publishes his enlightenment is &lt;a href=&quot;http://johnderuiter.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John De-Ruiter&lt;/a&gt;. After meeting him in person and reading his stuff, I think he may be enlightened. Unfortunately, the only way his suggested for other people to become enlightened is is to be around enlightened people as much as they can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="915" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T12:42:43.860" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T12:42:43.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3622" CreationDate="2014-09-17T20:23:02.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One can meditate in any posture, but meditating lying down can be challenging because it is easy to fall asleep. Andrea Fella sometimes has to meditate lying down due to back pain while sitting; to keep from falling asleep, she holds one arm up in the air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="919" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T20:23:02.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3612" CreationDate="2014-09-17T21:16:17.563" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge, there is no such thing as neutral karma. As you rightly surmise, it would be the same as non-karma. This is because karma in Buddhism refers to ethical intention, &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; the act itself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;cetanāhaṃ, bhikkhave, kammaṃ vadāmi. cetayitvā kammaṃ karoti — kāyena vācāya manasā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is intention, bhikkhus, that I say is karma. Having intended, one performs karma, by body, speech, or mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(AN 6.63)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, consciousness without ethical intention is called &quot;avyakata&quot; or &quot;indeterminate&quot;, and is &quot;karmically neutral&quot;, which is not the same as being &quot;neutral karma&quot;, a term that doesn't make much sense from a Buddhist point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;avyākata&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;lit. 'indeterminate' - i.e. neither determined as karmically 'wholesome' nor as 'unwholesome' - are the karmically neutral, i.e. amoral, states of consciousness and mental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are either mere karma-results (vipāka, q.v.), as e.g. all the sense perceptions and the mental factors associated therewith, or they are karmically independent functions (kiriya-citta, q.v.), i.e. neither karmic nor karma-resultant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/a/avyaakata.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/a/avyaakata.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T14:11:51.177" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T14:11:51.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3615" CreationDate="2014-09-17T21:33:10.503" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was never the Buddha's wish to promote himself, of course, and he never required that he be credited with the teachings he taught. In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, he complains of them making him out to be their leader:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;32. Thus spoke the Venerable Ananda, but the Blessed One answered him, saying: &amp;quot;What more does the community of bhikkhus expect from me, Ananda? I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things back. Whosoever may think that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the community depends upon him, it is such a one that would have to give last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the community depends upon him. So what instructions should he have to give respecting the community of bhikkhus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16 (Vajjira, trans)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the Udumbarika-Sīhanāda Sutta, he expresses his intentions most eloquently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘But, Nigrodha, I tell you this: Let an intelligent man come to me who is sincere, honest and straightforward, and I will instruct him, I will teach him Dhamma. If he practises what he is taught, then within seven years he will attain in this life to that unequalled holy life and goal, for the sake of which young men of good family go forth from the household life into homelessness, by his own knowledge and realisation, and he will abide therein. Let alone seven years — in six years, five, four, three, two years, one year, ... seven months, six months, five, four, three, two months, one month, half a month. Let alone half a month — in seven days he can gain that goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;23. ‘Nigrodha, you may think: “The ascetic Gotama says this in order to get disciples.” But you should not regard it like that. Let him who is your teacher remain your teacher. Or you may think: “He wants us to abandon our rules.” But you should not regard it like that. Let your rules remain as they are. Or you may think: “He wants us to abandon our way of life.” But you should not regard it like that. Let your way of life remain as it was. Or you may think: “He wants to establish us in the doing of things that according to our teaching are wrong, and are so considered among us.” But you should not regard it like that. Let those things you consider wrong continue to be so considered. Or you may think: “He wants to draw us away from things that according to our teaching are good, and are so considered among us.” But you should not regard it like that. Let whatever you consider right continue to be so considered. Nigrodha, I do not speak for any of these reasons ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘There are, Nigrodha, unwholesome things that have not been abandoned, tainted, conducive to rebirth, fearful, productive of painful results in the future, associated with birth, decay and death. It is for the abandonment of these things that I teach Dhamma. If you practise accordingly, these tainted things will be abandoned, and the things that make for purification will develop and grow, and you will all attain to and dwell, in this very life, by your own insight and realisation, in the fullness of perfected wisdom.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;24. At these words the wanderers sat silent and upset, their shoulders drooped, they hung their heads and sat there downcast and bewildered, so possessed were their minds by Māra. Then the Lord said: ‘Every one of these foolish men is possessed by the evil one, so that not a single one of them thinks: “Let us now follow the holy life proclaimed by the ascetic Gotama, that we may learn it — for what do seven days matter?”’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DN 25 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, certainly, there seems no need to mention the Buddha when sharing the teachings. The big proviso, though, is that &lt;strong&gt;it is an egregious evil to pretend that it came from another source, especially that you yourself came up with the teachings&lt;/strong&gt;. Like plagiarism, misappropriation is a terrible thing, especially in regards to such profound teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-17T21:33:10.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3634" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-17T23:14:31.107" Score="3" ViewCount="603" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught us that Anatta, non self, is a key concept of the Dhamma, one of the 3 marks of existence. Basically we have a mind, not a soul, that differentiates from other minds by the kamma-vipaka it will experience, not by any inherent or intrinsic quality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, there is this common search for the Tulku, reincarnated Lamas, such as HH Dalai Lama, but if we are all the same thing and there is no self, What is the meaning and the benefit or finding an reincarnation of someone? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a curiosity, not doubting the process or questioning the reasons, I'm sure there are good ones. I don't mean to be disrespectful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T12:41:25.317" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:17:12.490" Title="Anatta in Tibetan Buddhism (How can we reconcile it with the Tulku?)" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|anatman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-09-20T22:38:55.223" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3634" CreationDate="2014-09-18T00:10:10.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's be clear on the meaning of the teaching of Anatta. All schools, both the Theravada school and Mahayana forms of Buddhism teach that there are two kinds of truth, conventional and ultimate. The teaching that there is no self is a teaching that applies on the ultimate level only, so on the conventional level there is a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, even though on the ultimate level all you have is a collection of mental and physical phenomena rapidly arising and ceasing without any kind of core or permanent substrate, it still makes sense to point to point to such a particular collection and call it &quot;Joe&quot; for example, because there is causal continuity between these phenomena. One individuals life will affect their next life of course, with much of their qualities rolling over into the next one, so even we Theravadins have to admit that finding the rebirth of our teachers makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Added latter)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why it would make sense to find their rebirth (assuming that their rebirth would be human and that you could find them which is the only real objection in my opinion from a Theravada perspective) is that because their qualities developed in their previous life carry over, they would probably be more spiritually developed from the beginning than someone who was not the rebirth of an advanced practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T13:12:27.647" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:12:27.647" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3612" CreationDate="2014-09-18T00:11:56.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, there is neutral, or indeterminate, &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt; (=karma) which is defined as &lt;strong&gt;action the effects of which will never ripen as experience&lt;/strong&gt; -- such as e.g. unintentional action that has no observable effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Does anything differentiate such neutral Karma from no Karma?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, we need to remember that &amp;quot;karma&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;action&amp;quot;, &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; its unmanifested effect. Traditionally, experienced effect of an action is compared with &amp;quot;fruit&amp;quot;. We say that action &amp;quot;ripens&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;fruits&amp;quot;. The action whose results are yet to be experienced is called &amp;quot;unripened&amp;quot; action, or &amp;quot;action that is yet to fruit&amp;quot; etc. When we substitute &amp;quot;action&amp;quot; for the special term &amp;quot;karma&amp;quot;, we get &amp;quot;karma that is yet to fruit&amp;quot;. To use the word &amp;quot;karma&amp;quot; to refer to its unmanifested effect is technically incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To clarify, in the phrase &amp;quot;neutral karma&amp;quot; -- the word &amp;quot;karma&amp;quot; should be understood in its correct sense of &amp;quot;action&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, when we talk about &amp;quot;fruit&amp;quot; of action in context of Buddhism, we mean &lt;em&gt;an experience&lt;/em&gt; of the effects of the action. We should be very careful here and avoid any kind of materialistic bias. We are not talking about so-called &amp;quot;objective&amp;quot; effects of an action, but only how these effects are to ripen as (subjective) experience. So even though action &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; an effect, if this effect &lt;em&gt;is not to be experienced&lt;/em&gt; at all, the concept of good or bad &amp;quot;fruit&amp;quot; does not apply. When this is the case, we don't speak of &amp;quot;good karma&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;bad karma&amp;quot;, even though karma (action!) has clearly been performed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Armed with the above we can now understand, that &lt;strong&gt;when we say &amp;quot;neutral&amp;quot;, or indeterminate, karma -- we mean an &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt; that is never to ripen as experience&lt;/strong&gt;. This means such action that neither &lt;em&gt;has &amp;quot;external&amp;quot; effects&lt;/em&gt; that will ever ripen as experience, nor &lt;em&gt;shapes the mind of the performer&lt;/em&gt; in such way that will ever ripen as experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To tie this back to your question, your intuition was correct, indeterminate or neutral action is very similar to NO action, except technically &lt;em&gt;an action has been performed&lt;/em&gt;. It is just that this action is never to fruit as someone's experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2020-07-19T09:05:29.053" LastActivityDate="2020-07-19T09:05:29.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2014-09-18T00:17:39.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not relying on traditional writings attributed to the Buddha, but upon knowledge of Buddhism and common sense as far as do no harm, but let me preface my comments that food by itself cannot prevent you from enlightenment.&#xA;For instance the Tibetans lived in a high polar desert barely able to grow barley and raise animals to survive eating a diet heavy in meat.&#xA;On the other hand, Buddhists in India often avoided meat because it so easily spoiled in their hot climate without refrigeration and could sicken the body.&#xA;Neither place has an exclusive on enlightenment.&#xA;If you fast forward to today, one thing one might do is consider foods that are friendly to the environment, that are not depleting forests like palm oil plantations, and do no harm to animals, eggs with range fed chickens.&#xA;Tofu, soybean curd, can often replace meat and provide a high protein diet that seems to provide a keener awareness during meditation in people that are especially sensitive to a high carbohydrate diet and cycle between highs and lows in their mood and blood sugar levels.&#xA;I think food is not a universally prescribed component of the path to awakening but varies according to geography, individual sensitivities to certain foods and local availability of food types.&#xA;Shakyamuni was reported to have rice pudding with milk and sugar. It was what he had presented to him. Later he reportedly ate spoiled meat because it was presented to him. In that acceptance there is a strong message for us about how open we can be about food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T00:17:39.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3639" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3648" CreationDate="2014-09-18T09:44:56.640" Score="8" ViewCount="4179" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this age, getting enlightened is not sought after by many as in Buddhas era. So I assume it must be harder for parents to accept such a decision. But monks who decide to ordain also have responsibility towards parents. How does that fit into ethics of Buddhas teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand giving Dhamma to parents is one of the greatest gift one can give to a parent. Can it not be done by living with them and still maintaining lay practice (like the potter who was an anagami and looked after his parents) Why ordain? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: this is asked with due respect and do not wish to condone monks or people who desire to ordain. As Buddha would not have been a Buddha if he did not step out. I just want to understand ordaining in today's day and age. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:03:35.963" LastActivityDate="2018-05-08T06:09:13.207" Title="Do monks not have responsibility towards parents and family?" Tags="|the-buddha|modern-world|parents|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3622" CreationDate="2014-09-18T10:33:36.123" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only very experienced meditators can meditate lying down without visiting the sleep world. &#xA;Any upright comfortable postion is good. If sleepy, imagine breathing in energy.&#xA;Have a great week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="923" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T10:33:36.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2148" CreationDate="2014-09-18T10:41:50.313" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;any place to start is the right place, just start.&#xA;Don't be too concerned about finding the right teacher or spiritual path. There is a true saying: &#xA;When the student is ready, the master will appear.&#xA;He, or she, will come running to inspire you, when the time is right, never before. &#xA;Please remember that everything is actually pre ordained. Just start.&#xA;Very best wishes and have a great week, Rajpal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="923" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T10:41:50.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2014-09-18T10:49:29.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3550/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; I tried to answer that &quot;cessation of suffering during this life&quot; is part of Buddhism (the 3rd noble truth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I tried to introduce 'no self', because 'no self' (as well as suffering, rebirth, and enlightenment, not to mention a lack of motivation) was the theme of the OP's question.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I tried to illustrate a connection between between 'no self' and 'no suffering', plus that practice is needed in order to realize that ... but, I suspect I did not do that well, so I try again as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of a connection between 'no &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;' and 'no suffering', perhaps it's truer (i.e. it follows more directly from the 2nd noble truth) to talk about a connection between 'no &lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt;' and 'no suffering'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if that were true and all you needed to know, why does the 4th noble truth expand into 'the eightfold way' instead of simply saying, 'the way that leads to the cessation of suffering is the cessation of craving' or 'the way that leads to the cessation of craving is the mindfulness of impermanence and mindfulness of the self's being a compound thing'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, part of 'the eightfold way' is 'Right intention' (a.k.a. 'right aspiration'). Why even have a right aspiration, if the goal is to end craving? Well, it's said that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Three Kinds of Right Intention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that there are three kinds of Right Intention, which&#xA;  counter three kinds of wrong intention. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The intention of renunciation, which counters the intention of desire.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The intention of good will, which counters the intention of ill will.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The intention of harmlessness, which counters the intention of harmfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism says that 'suffering exists', but also 'no suffering'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similarly, 'desire' exists but also 'renunciation' exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is not simply nothing and noone (and nobody). Even so, life can be lived well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Brief, bikkhus, is the life of men - a matter of flitting hence, having its sequel elsewhere. To be &lt;strong&gt;wrought is the good&lt;/strong&gt;, to be lived is the holy life. To him that is born there is no-dying. He bikkhus, who lives long, lives but a hundred years or a little longer.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the term 'Middle Way' originally (in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) had a single, specific meaning: i.e. neither the one extreme of renunciation and starving alone, nor the other extreme of sheer hedonism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently the term &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Middle Way now has a more general meaning&lt;/a&gt;; it's used not only when referring to the &quot;extremes of austerities and sensual indulgence&quot;: it's also used for other extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps your concept of 'no self' is causing a problem, is becoming 'too extreme'. Practising the eightfold path requires ... something ... some self? In order to have intent, or for even 'right intent' to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T10:49:29.330" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3643" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-18T11:05:26.183" Score="1" ViewCount="3067" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, does flora contain prana? Is this a cosmic energy that is set in earth, nature? Do organisms contain that energy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="925" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T16:43:26.820" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T17:29:08.830" Title="What is Prana according to Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2995" CreationDate="2014-09-18T11:13:05.540" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you move further on the path you tend to move more and more into the four heavenly abodes&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;With Ken Wilber terminology, there is stages and there are states, states are temporary whereas when you reach a stage you stay there. When close to moving on the next stage you more frequently experience higher states. Any state can be reached temporarily from any stage though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bliss can be both be a hindrance and an inspiration in meditation, we tend to want it again and cling to it. Because of that glimpses of realization early on in the practice may be problematic. This is natural, all beings want to be happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy, go on and get back to the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="924" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T11:13:05.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3645" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-18T12:30:38.387" Score="3" ViewCount="397" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any relations between 3 deliverance, attha vimokkha and stages of enlightenment?&#xA;During meditation (like anapanasati) , how does one &lt;em&gt;switch&lt;/em&gt; to insight (into five aggregates) after gaining some concentration? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the conditionless (or signless) liberation (animitta-v.),&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the desireless liberation (apanihita-v.),&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the emptiness (or void) liberation (suññatā-v. ).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/u_v/vimokkha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vimokkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:35:29.660" Title="3 deliverance 8 liberations and stages of enlightenment" Tags="|theravada|enlightenment|liberation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3634" CreationDate="2014-09-18T12:39:12.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as &lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt; vs &lt;code&gt;tulku&lt;/code&gt;, I answered this three times already: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3401/within-tibetan-buddhism-are-the-lamas-always-the-same-soul/3405#3405&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1925/can-a-being-be-reborn-into-more-that-one-body-in-tibetan-buddhism/1958#1958&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/186/does-buddhism-have-a-concept-of-avatars/193#193&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as benefits, the idea is to have these children be raised by Enlightened masters from the very beginning. This way the entirety of the teaching, with all its subtleties is passed on from generation to generation. These people then serve as hubs, spreading the Dharma to regular people, and as &quot;vision holders&quot; (&lt;em&gt;vidyadhara&lt;/em&gt;) that can pass the Dharma to the next generation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:17:12.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3645" CreationDate="2014-09-18T13:35:29.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Classical Theravada (that is, the Pali Canon as interpreted by the Commentaries and the Visuddhimagga) the three deliverance just refer to which of the three characteristics is the most prominently contemplated the mind to attain enlightenment, and there isn't much of a practical difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight liberation are mostly an alternate way of describing the progression of samadhi. You can describe it in a lot of different ways, the Jhanas are just one way of talking about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also ask how to switch to the contemplation of the five aggregates after attaining concentration, especially using anapanasati. The most general description of this is given in the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who wants to accomplish [insight], if, firstly, his vehicle is&#xA;  serenity, should emerge from any fine-material or immaterial jhána,&#xA;  except the base consisting of neither  perception  nor &#xA;  non-perception, 3   and  he  should  discern,  according &#xA;  tocharacteristic,  function,  etc.,  the  jhána  factors  consisting &#xA;  of  applied  thought, etc., and the states associated with them, [that&#xA;  is, feeling, perception, and so on]. When he has done so, all that&#xA;  should be defined as “mentality” (náma) in the sense of bending&#xA;  (namana) 4  because of its bending on to the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, just as a man, by following a snake that he has seen in his&#xA;  house, finds its abode, so too this meditator scrutinizes that&#xA;  mentality, he seeks to find out what its occurrence is supported by&#xA;  and he sees that it is supported [588] by the matter of the heart.&#xA;  After that, he discerns as materiality the primary elements, which are&#xA;  the heart’s support, and the remaining, derived kinds of materiality&#xA;  that have the elements as their support. He defines all that as&#xA;  “materiality” (rúpa) because it is “molested” (ruppana) [by cold,&#xA;  etc.]. After that he defines in brief as “mentality-materiality”&#xA;  (náma-rúpa) the mentality that has the characteristic of “bending” and&#xA;  the materiality that has the characteristic of “being molested.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Visuddhimagga XVIII.3-4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, after attaining concentration, your switch your object of meditation to the mental qualities in the mind caused by such concentration. You put your attention on and observe the qualities of peace, clarity, joy, etc... and see them very clearly. After that, you turn to the body, watching and observing the physical sensations of the body such as hardness, cohesion, movement, heat, etc... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want detailed instructions on how to do this especially for Anapanasati, this section of Ajahn Buddhadasa's book on Anapanasati is one of the best in my opinion: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati-Fourth_Tetra.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati-Fourth_Tetra.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T13:35:29.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3639" CreationDate="2014-09-18T14:28:10.687" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Responsibility in Theravada Buddhism falls into two categories - practical and absolute. In an absolute sense, we only have two responsibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“bhante, imasmiṃ sāsane kati dhurānī”ti?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhante, in this religion, how many duties are there?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“ganthadhuraṃ, vipassanādhuranti dveyeva dhurāni bhikkhū”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The duty of study and the duty of insight. These are the only two duties, bhikkhu.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dhp-A 1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a practical sense, a lay person has duties towards six groups of people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how, young householder, does a noble disciple cover the six quarters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The following should be looked upon as the six quarters. The parents should be looked upon as the East, teachers as the South, wife and children as the West, friends and associates as the North, servants and employees as the Nadir, ascetics and brahmans as the Zenith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31 (Narada, trans)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are considered practical responsibilities, because obvious practical problems arise when a lay person fails to fulfil them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, a monk need concern him or herself with practical responsibilities towards fellow monastics (including teachers and preceptors) and lay disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, a monk may at times find him or herself in a position of needing to fulfil practical responsibilities to one's parents; if they are sick, destitute, etc. To this end, there are disciplinary exceptions across the board for taking care of one's parents, including in regards to giving medical treatment and food, visiting during the rains retreat, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would seem to suggest an obviously practical encouragement for monks to care for their parents as appropriate / necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T14:28:10.687" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3643" CreationDate="2014-09-18T15:03:18.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, we call it &lt;em&gt;pāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, which is just the Pali cognate of the Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;prāṇa&lt;/em&gt;. The word itself just means breath, though it has connotations that come from Hinduism, regarding the concepts of life essence, soul, energy, etc. The PED gives some idea of how it is used in Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Pāṇa&lt;/b&gt; [&lt;i&gt;fr. pa+&lt;b&gt;an&lt;/b&gt;, cp. Vedic prāṇa breath of life; P. apāna, etc.&lt;/i&gt;] living being, life, creature D iii.48, 63, 133 S i.209, 224; v.43, 227, 441 (mahā -- samudde); A i.161 ii.73, 176, 192; Sn 117, 247, 394, 704; Dh 246; DA i.69 161; KhA 26; ThA 253; PvA 9, 28, 35; VvA 72 DhA ii.19. -- pl. also &lt;b&gt;pāṇāni&lt;/b&gt;, e. g. Sn 117; Dh 270. &amp;lt;-&amp;gt; Bdhgh's def&lt;sup&gt;n&lt;/sup&gt; of pāṇa is &amp;quot;pāṇanatāya pāṇā; assāsapassās' āyatta -- vuttitāyā ti attho&amp;quot; Vism 310.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt; -- âtipāta&lt;/b&gt; destruction of life, murder Vin i.83 (in &amp;quot;dasa sikkhāpadāni,&amp;quot; see also sīla), 85, 193; D iii.68, 70, 149 182, 235; M i.361; iii.23; Sn 242; It 63; J iii.181 Pug 39 sq.; Nett 27; VbhA 383 (var. degrees of murder) DhA ii.19; iii.355; DA i.69; PvA 27. &lt;b&gt; -- âtipātin&lt;/b&gt; one who takes the life of a living being, destroying life D iii.82; M iii.22; S ii.167; It 92; DhA ii.19. &lt;b&gt; -- upeta&lt;/b&gt; possessed or endowed with life, alive [cp. BSk. prāṇopeta Divy 72, 462 etc.] S i.173; Sn 157; DA i.236 &lt;b&gt; -- ghāta&lt;/b&gt; slaying life, killing, murder DA i.69; &lt;b&gt; -- ghātin&lt;/b&gt;   âtipātin DhA ii.19. &lt;b&gt; -- bhu&lt;/b&gt; a living being J iv.494 &lt;b&gt; -- bhūta&lt;/b&gt;=˚bhu M iii.5; A ii.210; iii.92; iv.249 sq. J iv.498. &lt;b&gt; -- vadha&lt;/b&gt;=âtipāta DA i.69. &lt;b&gt; -- sama&lt;/b&gt; equal to or as dear as life J ii.343; Dpvs xi.26; DhA i.5. &lt;b&gt; -- hara&lt;/b&gt; taking away life, destructive M i.10=iii.97; S iv.206 A ii.116, 143, 153; iii.163.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism this is as far as the concept goes, and it is only conceptual; there is no sense of an actual &amp;quot;spirit&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;energy&amp;quot; living inside of the body that can be called &lt;em&gt;pāṇa&lt;/em&gt;; it is only the concept of a living, breathing being that is described as &lt;em&gt;pāṇa&lt;/em&gt;.  As the Visuddhimagga explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing things (pāṇa): so called because of their state of breathing (pāṇanatā); the meaning is, because their existence depends on in-breaths and out-breaths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vism. IX.54 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, though, there seems to be more of a recognition of the existence of an energy flowing through the body, a &amp;quot;psychic wind&amp;quot; (Tibetan: &lt;em&gt;rLung&lt;/em&gt;), so to speak:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the different usages of the term lung include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the psychic winds (sanskrit: prana) that travel in the internal channels, or nadi (Sanskrit) of the subtle body and are manipulated in certain Vajrayana yoga practices.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;specifically the five psychic winds that are a manifestation of the Mahabhuta. These five are the lifeforce that animate the bodymind (Sanskrit: namarupa) of all sentient beings and are key to certain tantric Buddhist and Bon sadhanas and Traditional Tibetan medicine.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to the vayu and prana of ayurvedic medicine.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as a component of the term for a type of prayer flag, named after the allegorical Wind Horse (Tibet: lung ta).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a type of tantric buddhist empowerment that involves the transference of spiritual power from master to augment or refine that of the disciple through the recitation of scripture or song. This oracular transmission received aurally defines Mantrayana and Ngagpa traditions and provides them with their nomenclature.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the &amp;quot;reading transmission&amp;quot; of sutrayana texts, in which the entirety of the text is read aloud from teacher to student.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_(Tibetan_Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia, Lung (Tibetan Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche devotes an entire section of his book &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.ca/books?id=fWz55-rCLbsC&amp;amp;pg=PA46&amp;amp;lpg=PA46&amp;amp;dq=tibetan%20prana&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=w7mComR_IQ&amp;amp;sig=m_ppP0Urv_eLStT_8wJITFiKoJQ&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=C_EaVP61LJWiyASlqoGYBQ&amp;amp;ved=0CGYQ6AEwCw#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=prana%20(Lung)&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; to the topic of prana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In answer to your auxiliary questions, it again depends somewhat on which tradition you follow, but I think the consensus is that only sentient beings share the quality of prana, however it is understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T15:03:18.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3622" CreationDate="2014-09-18T15:09:08.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the anaapanasathi bhawana &quot;meditation that involves concentrating on inhaling and exhaling&quot; requires sitting posture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T15:09:08.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3651" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3652" CreationDate="2014-09-18T15:13:36.180" Score="4" ViewCount="3172" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see many people telling that buddhism restricts the happiness of &quot;gihi&quot; (non clergy) life. What do you think? Does teaching in buddhism ask people to always think of uncertainty?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T18:41:25.783" Title="Can a buddhist enjoy life - what are the limitations and restrictions" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3651" CreationDate="2014-09-18T15:21:45.083" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to Buddhism.SE!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone who says that is misrepresenting Buddhism completely. The primary goal in Buddhism is the attainment of true happiness. The problem, of course, is that, according to Buddhism, no thing in the universe can bring such happiness. This is what is meant by the concept of uncertainty; not that we should always think  of it, but that it is a characteristic inherent in all arisen phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good news is that by understanding this reality, we can find true and lasting happiness because we will no longer seek out happiness in that which cannot provide it. We will no longer face disappointment when that which we think of as stable turns out to be unstable; when that which we think of as satisfying turns out to be unsatisfying; and when that which we think of as controllable turns out to be out of our control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All formations are impermanent. When one sees this with wisdom,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;thereupon becoming disenchanted with what is unsatisfying, this is the path of purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dhp. 277&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T15:47:43.657" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T15:47:43.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3651" CreationDate="2014-09-18T15:59:19.807" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not teach that one should abandon happiness. Buddhism teaches that happiness can be divided into three categories: Sensual happiness which is the least happiness, happiness based on concentration which is better, and the happiness of Nibbana, which is the supreme happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't ban a lay person from sensual happiness, but teaches that people must avoid certain types of actions which are clearly harmful to ones self or others (for example, killing, stealing, adultery, lying, and taking intoxicants), and for lay people, sensuality that is not clearly destructive are permitted, although moderation is encouraged, and renouncing sensuality entirely is highly encouraged as a superior path towards the higher happiness of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-19T17:56:53.620" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T17:56:53.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3639" CreationDate="2014-09-18T16:05:53.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You stated the following as an unquestioned fact:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But monks who decide to ordain also have responsibility towards parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You tagged this &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/modern-world&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;modern-world&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;modern-world&lt;/a&gt; so I'd like to add this to other answers: there's a modern view which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Parents have a responsibility towards their children&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Children do not have a similar (parental) responsibility towards their parents.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This attitude (the question of what if anything are children's responsibility towards their parents) varies from country to country and from one society to the next, and one family to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This (that children aren't responsible) is an lesson which is taught to children, especially when the parents are or have a problem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a parent is alcoholic&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the parents divorce&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there's child abuse, spousal abuse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a parent tries to be too controlling or selfish&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are responsible for their own lives. You can choose to help, perhaps want to help but, even if you want to, your ability to help might be limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Children might feel guilty for their parents' problems. There are people in modern society who would tell those children that they should not feel themselves responsible for their parents' problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some say you have a debt to your parents: &quot;I bore you, I fed you, I changed your diapers, I educated you, etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some say you have no debt to your parents: e.g. because your relationship with them is not a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;contract&lt;/a&gt; or because it's a contract which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duress#In_contract_law&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;you couldn't choose&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't a good answer because it's not specifically about monks or Buddhism, but perhaps it's worth mentioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T16:05:53.387" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-18T17:46:29.323" Score="0" ViewCount="627" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the books about Buddhism I can find were made for Beginners, most are very good and touch the key points, easy to find and to buy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that after a while I started to look for more advanced books, made for people that have already studied the key principles of the Dhamma and wanna take one step further, this is very hard to find!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can indicate a book about Buddhism (suttas, Abidhamma, techniques etc.) More suitable for advance students?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T18:13:52.387" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T20:32:51.940" Title="Books for intermediate/advance students" Tags="|reference-request|books|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-09-18T21:17:43.767" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3656" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3669" CreationDate="2014-09-18T18:17:23.120" Score="15" ViewCount="3362" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard stream entry described as a turning about in the deepest seat of consciousness. I've also read other accounts that make me think that there is something about the experience that is unmistakable. Is that true? If one were to attain stream entry would one know it without doubt. Is it such a notable experience that it couldn't be mistaken for anything else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2021-05-30T20:58:41.447" Title="Is stream entry an unmistakeable experience?" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3657" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3677" CreationDate="2014-09-18T18:22:29.490" Score="3" ViewCount="1073" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've noticed that we have a tag on the site for New Age Buddhism which has a couple of questions associated with it (one more now I've asked this!). What is New Age Buddhism though. Can anyone give a reasonable concise definition of it, maybe point to some links for more detail and give a few teachers that follow or expound this line of Buddhism. Does it have anything that uniquely differentiates it from other forms of Buddhism. Or it is a not genuine concept at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2022-09-27T19:04:47.800" Title="What is New Age Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|new-age-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3656" CreationDate="2014-09-18T18:51:42.760" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one attains stream entry, one should notice that one has no more &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sakkaya-ditthi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;identity view&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vicikiccha/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;doubt&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/s%C4%ABlabbata-par%C4%81m%C4%81sa/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ritual attachments&lt;/a&gt;. Whether one knows that it is called the state of Sotapanna or Nibbana, depends on one's knowledge of the teaching. Take a Pacceka Buddha for example. He also attains stream entry before becoming a Buddha. But he wouldn't know the state by name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T01:53:22.883" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T01:53:22.883" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3659" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3663" CreationDate="2014-09-18T19:25:27.513" Score="3" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;In many Buddhist stories we hear about people attaining enlightenment, stream entry and other blessings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems like it is much easier to progress in the path when there is a living Buddha around, is that right? Or is it related to the way society was, more religious and devoted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T17:42:25.220" Title="Is it harder to attain enlightenment without a living Buddha?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3660" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-18T19:29:41.593" Score="9" ViewCount="468" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find very hard to be always mindful of all activities (four frames of reference).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning of practice, my persistence are aroused and gradually it becomes &lt;em&gt;indifference&lt;/em&gt;/lax. Basically I am starting feel stress trying to be mindful..?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since it is necessary to have other factors like joy, calm (7 factors of enlightenment) to achieve wisdom, I assume I am doing something wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I have learnt from sutta is 'sati' dhamma is cause for arising of other good dhamma.&#xA;So what are the conditions to have this 'sati' ? .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="497" LastEditDate="2014-09-18T19:43:25.107" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T08:00:56.923" Title="Constant mindfulness hard to achieve" Tags="|mindfulness|satipatthana|right-effort|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3657" CreationDate="2014-09-18T20:20:01.650" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we should differentiate Buddhism from New Age movements, they may share some goals (happiness), some tools (meditation) and some teachings, however they are very different in some key aspects, usually the ones related to money, intoxocants, sexuality and &quot;enjoying life&quot; (generally speaking)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are new age gurus and teachers trying to reconcile the Buddha's teachings with our modern society and other believes, some of them attract a lot of people, I do respect them, but I don't see it as &quot;New Age Buddhism&quot;, I see it as &quot;New Age movements with some Buddhists teachings inside&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T20:20:01.650" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3655" CreationDate="2014-09-18T20:32:51.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What particular subject would you like to study? Just comment on this answer with a list of subjects you want to learn and I will put together a list for you and edit it in this comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would you like to focus on a particular tradition within Theravada? (I'm assuming you're asking about Theravada because you are using Pali terms.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T20:32:51.940" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3659" CreationDate="2014-09-18T20:54:22.170" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess it is both. On one hand, Buddha new the weaknesses of each individual and was able to recommend what type of meditation that's suitable for him. He new how much each person's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html#top&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;five spiritual faculties&lt;/a&gt; were developed and provided the right recommendation. This type of knowledge that a Buddha possesses is called indriya-paro-pariya-ñāṇa. I think this is why some monks practice different kinds of meditation techniques alternatively since there's no Buddha to guide them now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the people during Buddha's time have had perfected paramis onto such an extent that some of them would get enlightened by hearing just one stanza of a sutta. e.g. Bāhiya the merchant, Sariputta thero and Moggallana thero.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Puggalapannatti of abhidhamma pitaka mentions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thisismyanmar.com/nibbana/individu.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four types of people&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ugghatitannu&lt;/strong&gt; - an individual who encounters a Buddha in person, and&#xA;who is capable of attaining the Holy Paths and the Holy Fruits through&#xA;the mere hearing of a short concise discourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipancitannu&lt;/strong&gt;: an individual who encounters a Buddha in person, but&#xA;who is capable of attaining the Paths and the Fruits only when the&#xA;short discourse is expounded to him at some length.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Neyya&lt;/strong&gt; : an individual who needs to study the sermon and the exposition, and then&#xA;to practise the provisions contained therein for 7 days to 60 years,&#xA;to attain the Paths and the Fruits during this lifetime if he tries&#xA;hard with guidance from the right teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Padaparama&lt;/strong&gt; : an individual who cannot attain the Paths and the Fruits within this&#xA;lifetime. can attain release from worldly ills in his next existence&#xA;if he dies while practising samatha or vipassana and attains rebirth&#xA;either as a human being or a deva within the present Buddha Sasana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddha's time most of them were type 1,2 and 3. So I guess Bāhiya the merchant, Sariputta thero and Moggallana thero fall under the first category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days unfortunately most people fall under third and fourth categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T21:37:08.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3643" CreationDate="2014-09-18T21:04:52.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I've hardly ever heard the word &quot;prana&quot; used in context of Buddhism &lt;em&gt;proper&lt;/em&gt; (only in context of Yoga), there are several concepts in some Buddhist traditions that seem to refer to the same underlying principle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese, Korean and Japanese Buddhists speak about &quot;qi&quot; or &quot;ki&quot;. Tibetan Buddhists speak about &quot;lung&quot;. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche called it &quot;abstract energy&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's kind of similar to the notion of &quot;potential energy&quot; in physics, but applied to the subjective realm of organic sentient beings. And it's much broader, so it includes the bodily/physical energy as well as emotional energy and even information -- &lt;em&gt;in their aspect of latent potentiality&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you are physically sick or tired, we say your energy is low. If you are emotionally down, we also say your energy is low. And why are you emotionally low? Could be because of the physical reasons -- or could be because of the &lt;em&gt;information&lt;/em&gt; you've exposed yourself to, recently! So, if you lack confidence, or you lack drive -- we also say your energy is low. Now, if your teacher helps you get out of depression and build self-confidence, by giving you certain information -- we say he gave you some of his energy. You now run on your teacher's energy. Then, if his advice did not produce a permanent change in you, you may again fall into depression -- and then we say you have exhausted the energy teacher gave you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly we say that coffee and tea have energy -- because of their potential ability to affect our condition. Certain plants have more energy than others. At this point we understand that there are multiple kinds of energy (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3628/43&quot;&gt;tamas, rajas, sattva&lt;/a&gt;) -- but all these are just concepts, just ways to describe different aspects of the way the world works. None of this exists as some kind of electromagnetic field -- it is only an abstraction, just like the potential energy in physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we go further along, we can see that books may also transmit energy. Not only books, but also some objects. Some places could &lt;em&gt;evoke&lt;/em&gt; energy, right? So where does this energy come from, where does it belong, where does it originate? It is just a part of the world, passing across, interweaving, transforming continuously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But generally speaking, this concept of energy is rooted in the experiential realm of living sentient beings. So when we speak about early morning air having lots of prana, it just means it has a certain atmosphere that affects our energy in a very specific way. So if we had, say, a computer running an AI program, even if it was equivalent to a human as far as intelligence -- it would not be able to appreciate the early morning prana, because it is not affected the same way as us by the morning mood. In this sense we could say that energy only exists inside of sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is energy a subjective phenomena of sentient beings, or is it objectively a part of the universe? At the end of the day, we hit the limits of what dualistic mind can explain and understand. There is no strict boundary between sentient beings and the world. There is no strict boundary between &quot;inner&quot; and &quot;outer&quot;. The subjective and the objective are two sides of the same coin. The world is one continuous field of matter/energy/information, fluctuating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this is not exactly scientific, but it is very difficult to speak about these things in an organized manner, because they are so touchy/feely and subjective. I hope this helps someone to overcome their doubts and discover the wonderful world of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-18T23:10:36.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3665" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-18T21:43:26.000" Score="8" ViewCount="1558" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any teaching of the Buddha one can say has been proven wrong, any statement about the universe, the world, the future or the past maybe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-19T00:11:52.950" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T15:23:47.350" Title="Did the Buddha ever say something proven wrong later?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3659" CreationDate="2014-09-19T00:18:00.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To dissuade one from believing that the Buddha does the enlightening, I offer two stories of Shakyamuni's close disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first is Ananda that serves Shakyamuni all his life and does not find enlightenment. This was a source of frustration to see all these people finding enlightenment and Ananda is with the Buddha around the clock and does not find enlightenment until after his death. Ananda had the principles down pat but he could not find the living buddha within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the flower sermon is another example&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;The Buddha gets up to give a sermon and says nothing, does nothing, just stands there, and then he raises a flower. All the people present are confused and discuss among themselves what he is saying. Then one disciple, Mahākāśyapa, gets it, awakening washes over him and he stands up. He is speechless. Mahākāśyapa can only smile. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither awakening was due to Shakyamuni Buddha and what he did. When the flower was ready it bloomed. No one could force it. It just happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddha consciousness within is what we awaken to. Is there anywhere we can go where that is not? I have found no such place. I have found no one or nothing that can awaken anyone. The buddha within is always shining, the clouds part and it is revealed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T00:18:00.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2014-09-19T00:25:45.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem I have faced with your question is the only teaching of the Buddha of which I am totally convinced is genuine is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;flower sermon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was nothing said. Obviously Shakyamuni Buddha gave sermons, but what was in those sermons will be debated by theologians.&#xA;To me what has been said that we can verify with our practice is the basis of human suffering and the way out of it. The principles we can verify with our practice.&#xA;If we did find something he reportedly said that was wrong or false, how would we know he really said it? This is the downfall of trying to do a meticulous study of an oral tradition over 2000 years old. It does not invalidate Buddhism's usefulness but does preclude in my opinion any proving of points of details about what the Buddha said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-10-24T16:55:17.863" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T16:55:17.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3656" CreationDate="2014-09-19T02:34:17.003" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism recognizes two kinds of milestones: &quot;experiences&quot; and &quot;realizations&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experiences are all kinds of extraordinary moments one has along the way. Like the experience of non-duality: &quot;I am what they call God, the true goal of all religions and the real meaning of love&quot;. Experiences come and go. They leave memories, but they don't stay with you in all their might. And that's probably a good thing. I don't know how I would live walking around thinking I'm God ;))&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realizations are (sudden or gradual) breakthroughs that change one's perspective in fundamental ways. Needless to say, they stay with you, although not necessarily in an explicit form, because you tend to get used to them and stop noticing. An interesting feature of realizations, they sometimes can be &lt;em&gt;retrograde&lt;/em&gt; (like retrograde amnesia). It slowly creeps on you or dawns on you, that you have known something or have been behaving differently for a while now. It is almost like realization spreads backward in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By this classification, stream entry is a realization, not an experience. Because of its nature, in most cases I suspect it is a retrograde realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The true stream entry is unmistakable, yes -- but I don't see why someone could not just take some arbitrary experience, or even some intermediate realization, like the realization of emptiness of so-called &quot;objects&quot;, and imagine that to be stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes it unmistakable is the fact that in order to attain it, you have to run out of other options. You have to exhaust all theories, all hypotheses, all alternative routes to enlightenment. That's why you don't hesitate, because you clearly see that there is no way it could be something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's funny is this nagging feeling I have, that you reading my description of it, reduces your chances of attaining it. Enlightenment is freedom from clinging (among other things), so clinging to this notion of stream-entry must be very counterproductive. This is why I'm a little leery of Theravada's sometimes excessive emphasis on bullet-point lists and precise definitions of the stages, as well as of Zen's obsession with the notion of satori. The more your mind grasps these, the further you are from the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-19T13:49:42.197" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T13:49:42.197" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3651" CreationDate="2014-09-19T13:45:53.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Remember, in the sutra Samyutta Nikaya #35, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;What ordinary folk call happiness, the enlightened ones call dukkha.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note 'dukkha' means suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All experience, happiness and sadness, is Dukkha. Buddhist's identify with each other through their experience of 'moksha' (or 'liberation') within dukkha (which is also thought of as 'conditioned' existence itself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As such the ordinary ones are 'deterred' from happiness (or more correctly, taught to think of it as something entriely negative), while the enlightened ones are encouraged to, strangely, also renounce it (depsite calling it 'moksha' or 'liberation'). This may seem paradoxical, but it demonstrates a repeated step-like descending process where all experience is associated with dukkha until one entirely disconnects with conditioned reality and therefore suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal is the cessation of suffering, not the occupation of the suffering mind with happiness. This is not a moral activity, and one does not generate bad karma by seeking happiness-dukkha, though a movement away from viewing any experience at all as positive is always rewarded with 'meat' (as it is called). Renouncing the meat as positive causes a chain-reaction, though one usually begins to crave the so called meat and the chain breaks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="939" LastEditorUserId="939" LastEditDate="2014-09-19T13:51:36.717" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T13:51:36.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2014-09-19T17:59:03.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's Dhamma is Universal Law of Nature, open for scientific examination, timeless, when practiced lets you to understand the ultimate realities and is something that can be realised at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There can be issues with the different interpretations after 2500+ years and some may be miss specified in transmission, and some sayings may be even later compositions incorrectly attributed to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said this there cannot be anything which the Buddha said which can be wrong since what he taught is (according to him) what he experienced directly which can also be experienced by any body by practicing the well laid out path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately what you should believe is what you experience for your self within the framework of the body. This is what you should take as the teaching of the Buddha, as he has emphasised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 6 qualities of the Dhamma in detail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Svākkhāto (Sanskrit: Svākhyāta &quot;well proclaimed&quot; or &quot;self-announced&quot;). The Buddha's teaching is not a speculative philosophy but an exposition of the Universal Law of Nature based on a causal analysis of natural phenomena. It is taught, therefore, as a science[11] rather than a sectarian belief system. Full comprehension (enlightenment) of the teaching may take varying lengths of time but Buddhists traditionally say that the course of study is 'excellent in the beginning (sīla – Sanskrit śīla – moral principles), excellent in the middle (samādhi – concentration) and excellent in the end' (paññā - Sanskrit prajñā . . . Wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sandiṭṭhiko (Sanskrit: Sāṃdṛṣṭika &quot;able to be examined&quot;). The Dharma is open to scientific and other types of scrutiny and is not based on faith.[12] It can be tested by personal practice and one who follows it will see the result for oneself by means of one's own experience. Sandiṭṭhiko comes from the word sandiṭṭhika which means visible in this world and is derived from the word sandiṭṭhi-. Since Dhamma is visible, it can be &quot;seen&quot;: known and be experienced within one's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Akāliko (Sanskrit: Akālika &quot;timeless, immediate&quot;). The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now. There is no need to wait for the future or a next existence. The dhamma does not change over time and it is not relative to time.&#xA;  Ehipassiko (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika &quot;which you can come and see&quot; — from the phrase ehi, paśya &quot;come, see!&quot;). The Dhamma invites all beings to put it to the test and come see for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Opanayiko (Sanskrit: Avapraṇayika &quot;leading one close to&quot;). Followed as a part of one's life the dhamma leads one to liberation. In the &quot;Vishuddhimagga&quot; this is also referred to as &quot;Upanayanam.&quot; Opanayiko means &quot;to be brought inside oneself&quot;. This can be understood with an analogy as follows. If one says a ripe mango tastes delicious, and if several people listen and come to believe it, they would imagine the taste of the mango according to their previous experiences of other delicious mangoes. Yet, they will still not really know exactly how this mango tastes. Also, if there is a person who has never tasted a ripe mango before, that person has no way of knowing exactly for himself how it tastes. So, the only way to know the exact taste is to experience it. In the same way, dhamma is said to be Opanayiko which means that a person needs to experience it within to see exactly what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi (Sanskrit: Pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ &quot;To be meant to perceive directly&quot;). The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Buddha) who have matured in supreme wisdom. No one can &quot;enlighten&quot; another person. Each intelligent person has to attain and experience for themselves. As an analogy, no one can simply make another know how to swim. Each person individually has to learn how to swim. In the same way, dhamma cannot be transferred or bestowed upon someone. Each one has to know for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sourced: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="918" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T11:12:36.900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T11:12:36.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3656" CreationDate="2014-09-19T18:29:38.773" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;When it comes to Stream Entry the following should happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should have seen the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; first hand in both direction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The lower &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; would have dropped&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should know the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; 1st hand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt; (necessary but not sufficient)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most unmistakable of this is 1. I think when you get in and out of Pala Samapathi you can always see this happen. Even if not you would have seen the likes break with you enter your initial experience of stream entry and reconstitute themselves when you come out of it again. This is most unmistakable. 4 - you can see before stream entry at some level, 2 - if your defilements are temporarily suspended you might think you do not have the defilements, 3 - you can easily mistake theoretical knowledge with real experience. Understanding 1 will lead you to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know dependent origination 1st hand where you can see the links breaking when you get the Pala Samapatti and reforming when you come out of it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know the 4 Noble Truths 1st hand though your understanding of dependent origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;have unshakable faith in the Triple Gem since you have seen the the results of practicing the given path has given results which you experience 1st hand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you will let go of your ego as you see this is a main source of misery and stress as each time a ego centered though happens in your mind you see the sensations are unpleasant leading to fabrications / conditioning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;since you have 1st had experience on what got you there you know any other practice (rites, rituals, etc.) will not get you there&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T10:20:41.650" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T10:20:41.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3651" CreationDate="2014-09-19T18:41:25.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The goal of Buddhist is to achieve true happiness. The way to achieve this is changing your perspective and outlook of the world to be in line with reality. All the Buddhist training is geared towards this goal. Bring your outlook of the world inline with reality at the experiential level in order to be able to live happily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The misery we create is a product of our untrained mind and us not knowing through 1st hand experience the realities of nature. So we have to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understand the realities at the experiential level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;change out outlook and thinking to be inline with the realities so misery or unhappiness does not arise &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T18:41:25.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3660" CreationDate="2014-09-19T19:09:01.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you start of you need some level of concentration to have awareness. The reason for this is we are constantly getting input from all 6 sense doors and we react to them. So the starting point would be to focus on narrower area in terms of input and be persistent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to awareness what you really have to be aware is the sensations caused when any input comes through sense doors, and to be equanimous towards it. This is mutually reinforcing. Once you have concentration and equanimity (you need strong morality as a base) your awareness improves. Also one of the main constituents or our frame is sensations so it is always there. All Karma gives result as means to create some sensation (e.g. you break your leg then this is pain. When you initially plant the seed of Karma also you will feel similar pain but at a much lower intensity than when you reap the results. Many of us are not sensitive enough to see this.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will naturally get stressed if you practice the wrong type of awareness. E.g. and acrobat will have a strong sense of awareness and some level of stress to maintain this awareness. More longer you do your gig more stressful you become. The right type of awareness does not give stress. This is being alway sensing the sensation in your body and to be equanimous towards it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. when you are walking, you use your faculties look at the process of you walking. Through your faculties you can sense pressure on your feet and certain change happening with regard to moving giving certain sensation. Also the impulse in you mind to more of what sensations this triggers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process that creates stress is when you react to sensations with clinging. If you are not equanimous, you will cling causing stress. Also if you miss sensations you will miss seeing this process where you react and cling to sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you start this way a point will come you can sense sensation in your whole body and see how this reacts to different inputs from your sense doors. Though this would will see that your body is also changing. You see the sensation of liquid nature, solid nature, gaseous nature, temperature in your body. All made of tiny Kalapas arising and passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T08:00:56.923" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T08:00:56.923" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2014-09-19T19:13:02.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Note at the bottom of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This translation follows the Thai and Burmese versions of this passage. The Sri Lankan version replaces Ven. Nanda in this list with Ven. Ānanda; the PTS version replaces him with Ven. Devadatta and Ven. Ānanda. These latter two readings would appear to be mistaken, as the Buddha in this sutta defines &quot;brahman&quot; as one whose fetters are ended — i.e., an arahant — whereas Ven. Ānanda became an arahant only after the Buddha's passing; Devadatta, after having caused a split in the Saṅgha toward the end of the Buddha's life, fell into hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to one version (i.e. the Pali), he praised Devadatta, and may therefore have been &quot;proven wrong&quot; by Devadatta's subsequent misbehaviours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a famous dilemma, given that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devadatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devadatta&lt;/a&gt; has a reputation as an evil-doer (who tried to kill the Buddha, and cause a schism within the order): &quot;Perhaps the Buddha shouldn't have admitted Devadatta to the Sangha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe35/sbe3512.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Questions of King Milinda&lt;/a&gt; include the following question and answer,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'What then, Nâgasena! Was the Buddha aware that Devadatta after being&#xA;  admitted to the Order would raise up a schism, and having done so&#xA;  would suffer torment in purgatory for a Kalpa?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Yes, the Tathâgata, knew that.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'But, Nâgasena, if that be so, then the statement that the Buddha was&#xA;  kind and pitiful, that he sought after the good of others, that he was&#xA;  the remover of that which works harm, the provider of that which works&#xA;  well to all beings--that statement must be wrong. If it be not so--if&#xA;  he knew not that Devadatta after he had been admitted to the Order&#xA;  would stir up a schism--then he cannot have been omniscient. This&#xA;  other double-pointed dilemma is put to you. Unravel this tough skein,&#xA;  break up the argument of the adversaries. In future times it will be&#xA;  hard to find Bhikkhus like to you in wisdom. Herein then show your&#xA;  skill!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'The Blessed One, O king, was both full of mercy and had all&#xA;  knowledge. It was when the Blessed One in his mercy and wisdom&#xA;  considered the life history of Devadatta that he perceived how, having&#xA;  heaped up Karma on Karma, he would pass for an endless series of&#xA;  Kalpas from torment to torment, and from perdition to perdition. And&#xA;  the Blessed One knew also that the infinite Karma of that man would,&#xA;  because he had entered the Order, become finite, and the sorrow caused&#xA;  by the previous Karma would also therefore become limited. [109] But&#xA;  that if that foolish person were not to enter the Order then he would&#xA;  continue to heap up Karma which would endure for a Kalpa. And it was&#xA;  because he knew that that, in his mercy, he admitted him to the&#xA;  Order.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devadatta is also mentioned as follows in the Mahayana &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/lot11.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I announce to you, monks, I declare to you: This Devadatta, the monk, shall in an age to come, after immense, innumerable Æons, become a Tathâgata named Devarâga (i. e. King of the gods), an Arhat, &amp;amp;c., in the world Devasopâna (i. e. Stairs of the gods).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T08:01:05.087" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T08:01:05.087" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3660" CreationDate="2014-09-19T21:44:03.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My personal, limited, understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness is rooted in always feeling the body. This means continuous awareness of sensations in 1) lower abdomen and hips, 2) chest and diaphragm, 3) neck and shoulders, 4) feet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of body is expressed in your posture and in how you move. Your posture and movements should be &lt;em&gt;royal&lt;/em&gt;. This means, relaxed, smooth, precise, elegant, and doubtless. You must always be very comfortable, but not sloppy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next component of right mindfulness is simplicity. This means not worrying about too many things. Instead of running around the court chasing the balls, you let reality serve you the ball, and you handle them, while trusting your fundamental sanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add some sophistication to the above, right mindfulness involves changing your frame of reference, from seeing this world as container of people competing for success, to seeing this world as energy, mind, karma. Energy fluctuates and animates, mind receives sensory stimuli, these interact with previous impressions, triggering recognition of objects, these trigger impulses, impulses are dukkha, acting on impulses we seed the seeds that keep the wheel rolling in the same track. So with right mindfulness we have to learn to measure everything with the yardstick of Dharma. We leave the regular world, and immigrate the world of Dharma, where everything looks different and people speak a different language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the above is established, the main part of right mindfulness is stalking your ego, stalking your attachments. This involves a very critical, very sincere attitude towards oneself, almost harsh. You watch your mind every second of every minute of every hour for any signs of idolizing anything, making anything all-important: money, success, relationship, respect, spiritual achievement, stability, comfort, fairness, honesty, intelligence, Buddhism -- anything at all. The other side of this is watching your ego for attempts to defend/promote itself. First, you can identify these situations by the negative emotions that arise, and by letting go of attachments watch the emotions subside. Then you will be able to detect the attachments earlier, before emotions arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing the above, over time you should develop mindfulness of energy in and around you. Is situation balanced or is it skewed. Whenever there is an energy problem, you know you will get in trouble sooner or later. So you learn to maintain your cloud in good shape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, right mindfulness involves developing the feeling of trust towards your judgement. This trust is based on the fundamental mistrust of your ego, with its tricks and its ability to turn the best Dharma into food for itself. It also is based on simplicity. It is also based on mindfulness of body. It is also based on the dharmic frame of reference. It is also based on awareness of energy. Once all of the above comes together, you know you can trust yourself, which means you can put things on autopilot. You let your fundamental sanity drive. Then right mindfulness becomes effortless, you can't loose it. This is when calm and joy come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-19T23:19:44.503" LastActivityDate="2014-09-19T23:19:44.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3657" CreationDate="2014-09-20T02:27:27.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know more about Buddhism than new age, but I'll take a stab and listing the contrasts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New age is radically eclectic and blends all sorts of religions and para-religious concepts. New age has a very porous boundary.  Buddhism is syncretic-- it picks up new ideas as it moves into a new cultural area, but then becomes institutionalized again an one generally can recognize what its boundaries are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New age practices that clearly overlap with Buddhism would include meditation, belief in reincarnation, sympathy towards monism and nondualism, something akin to the 2 truths principle you see in Buddhism (that there is ordinary reality and then another layer on that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New age Buddhism would be distinguished by all the other concepts drawn into it. For example, the Buddhist temple not far from where I live is a sort of New Age Buddhist temple, with an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tara.org/visit-us/maryland-temple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;impressive crystal display&lt;/a&gt;. The temple is run by a woman who was mostly New age before she was recognized as a tulku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I think it is a useful concept/tag, it help keep straight when people are looking for answers that might involve who knows what, from UFOs to Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce or Helena Blavatsky and Auras and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T02:27:27.253" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3659" CreationDate="2014-09-20T07:36:51.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The buddha's ability to teach and lead people in realising the Dhamma is unsurpassed. Also his understanding is by far the best. Definitely having your paths cross with such an individual your be a great advantage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this the Dhamma is there. You still can practice it and realise the Dhamma though it might be a bit harder these days. (Ability to find qualified high quality teachers, also the world being more materialistic and sensual and we lacking &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perfections&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T17:42:25.220" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T17:42:25.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3679" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3691" CreationDate="2014-09-20T08:55:19.673" Score="5" ViewCount="671" Body="&lt;p&gt;Under six major wrong doings (Abhithanani) in Buddhism,&#xA;(i. matricide, ii. patricide, iii. the murder of arahants (the Consummate Ones), iv. the shedding of the Buddha's blood, v. causing schism in the Sangha, and vi. pernicious false beliefs (niyata micca ditthi)),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vi. pernicious false beliefs (niyata micca ditthi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the definition of a pernicious false belief and&#xA;why is it considered such a severe offense to be in the same level as other acts? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T15:47:42.817" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T15:17:31.850" Title="What is a 'pernicious' wrong belief?" Tags="|wrongview|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3680" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3709" CreationDate="2014-09-20T10:09:01.207" Score="2" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does secular Buddhism have a set of texts that are particularly relevant to it. I can imagine that there are texts that won't have any relevance to secular Buddhists such as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3566/157&quot;&gt;twin miracles&lt;/a&gt;. But are texts that have particular resonance even insofar as developing in a set of texts that could almost be described as a canon (in the making maybe?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T20:20:00.770" Title="Are there canonical texts for secular Buddhism?" Tags="|texts|canon|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3681" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3694" CreationDate="2014-09-20T10:26:56.497" Score="14" ViewCount="1791" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the concept of faith (śraddhā) in Buddhism. There is also the concept of faith found in Christianity.  Both concepts have been translated into the English word faith but in what ways are the concepts different and also are there ways in with the concepts have similarities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd find it particularly interesting if anyone knows the original roots of the word faith in Christianity (i.e. what was the original word in Greek or Hebrew) and how the translation compares to how śraddhā has been translated. Do the words have nuances that have been lost in the translation to the simple English word faith?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T10:30:28.890" Title="What are the differences/similarities in the concept of faith as used in Buddhism and Christianity?" Tags="|comparative-religion|terminology|christianity|faith|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2014-09-20T10:49:21.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The role of faith is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Other teachings: unquestioned belief in a dogma or central teaching, which cannot be verified through practice, which cannot be questioned or scrutinised, and which generally is a promise after death that cannot be realized within this lifetime and experienced here and now. Also here is an entity which saves a person or decided the fate of an individual or a law giver. Also there is a sect which is rewarded concept based on acceptance, faith, etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism: faith is some belief in the practice to seriously try it out to start with. Each step in the Dhamma when you get close to the final goal thus your faith is strengthened when you see / verify / understand the teaching at the experiential level here and now. The teaching is not a promise after death which is not verifiable, hence you can gain and strengthen your faith when you see things as they are, though practice and direct experience. If needed the Dhamma is open for scrutiny as it can stand such scrutiny thus a source of inspiration and faith after such exercise (this is how many of the early western Buddhists did become Buddhists). In Buddhism there is not law give. Regardless of what you call your self (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc.), if you practice according to the teachings you will get the same benefits (Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)#Qualities_of_Buddha_Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)#Qualities_of_Buddha_Dharma&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To elaborate more on the Buddhist view on faith I give the following example. If you do not have faith in a doctor your will not got to him. If you do not have faith in his medicine you will not take it. Once you have faith in the doctor and medicine and you take the medicine and then you get better you know the prescription works and the doctor is indeed not a quaker. In this case Buddha is the doctor and the prescription is the Dhamma. Buddhism is based on psychology and Buddha was one of the greatest psychologist. In this regard you can draw a week parallel on the role of faith in compassion as faith you will have in a psychologist or particular treatment and faith in a religion. As I said this is a week analogy as Buddhists you have to have lot of gratitude as if not for his discovery we will not have this treatment and if not for the monastic tradition that did not preserved this we will have not got it. According to the birth stories the search for the solution lasted unimaginable life times and lot of pain, hence much deeper gratitude is required towards the Buddha than a doctor who might cure you one. (See &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Modern Psychology&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation and the Modern World&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another analogy is teacher student relationship. If you do not trust your teacher you will not lean what he teachers and hence cannot benefit from what you have been taught. E.g. if some one is teaching you archery, and you do not think what is taught is indeed the best way to aim, or your teacher is good at it, you will not learn and also will not be skilled at it as you have not practiced as taught. Also again you need deeper gratitude towards the Buddha for his higher dedication for teaching and also the quality of the teaching. In comparison to Western Psychology, the Buddhist treatment is much superior in terms of the results and consistency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word Sradha doesn't translate well into English as faith since when you say faith it can be a belief with no proof or warrent. Better term would be confidence. Buddhism is not faith based but confidence players a significant role. Good analogy would be a Buddhist science teacher teaching. If you follow the instructions in the experiment as it is you can get reproducible results regardless of whether the students call them selves Christian, Muslim, etc. but you have to have confidence in the teacher to the extent that he is knowledgeable and teaching you the right method. Lack of confidence mean that you will not learn properly and also follow the method properly. In case you follow the instructions accordingly you get the results and not doing so will not give you the results, but each and everyone who take the right steps will get results. Also you can compare this to baking a cake. More faithful you are to a great recipe, more better the outcome would be. (Keep in mind that the reproducibility is more like in a drug trial, or balance of probability, or statistical than that of a physics or chemistry experiment.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are 3 stages of wisdom which is linked to confidence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on hearing you feel the message sounds right&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on further thinking about what you heard you see it is logical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when you practice and see for yourself your confidence becomes even stronger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am answering this in a more generic fashion than targeted at a particular other faith by negation (taking the opposite meaning) of the 6 qualities of the Buddha Dhamma. So this is not targeted at any faith, but should be opposite of qualities of the Dhamma. Some faith based systems may not have or not have this at a varying degree. I just bundled this  &quot;other teachings&quot;, but some may have some of the characteristics the Dhamma. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)#Qualities_of_Buddha_Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)#Qualities_of_Buddha_Dharma&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 6 qualities of the Dhamma in detail (taken from &lt;strong&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/strong&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Svākkhāto (Sanskrit: Svākhyāta &quot;well proclaimed&quot; or &quot;self-announced&quot;). The Buddha's teaching &lt;strong&gt;is not a speculative philosophy but an exposition of the Universal Law of Nature based on a causal analysis of natural phenomena&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;It is taught, therefore, as a science rather than a sectarian belief system&lt;/strong&gt;. Full comprehension (enlightenment) of the teaching may take varying lengths of time but Buddhists traditionally say that the course of study is 'excellent in the beginning (sīla – Sanskrit śīla – moral principles), excellent in the middle (samādhi – concentration) and excellent in the end' (paññā - Sanskrit prajñā . . . Wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sandiṭṭhiko (Sanskrit: Sāṃdṛṣṭika &quot;able to be examined&quot;). &lt;em&gt;The Dharma is open to scientific and other types of scrutiny and is &lt;strong&gt;not based on faith&lt;/strong&gt;. It can be &lt;strong&gt;tested by personal practice&lt;/strong&gt; and one who follows it will &lt;strong&gt;see the result for oneself by means of one's own experience&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Sandiṭṭhiko comes from the word sandiṭṭhika which means visible in this world and is derived from the word sandiṭṭhi-. Since Dhamma is visible, it can be &quot;seen&quot;: known and be experienced within one's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Akāliko (Sanskrit: Akālika &quot;timeless, immediate&quot;). &lt;em&gt;The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and &lt;strong&gt;immediate results here and now&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;There is no need to wait for the future or a next existence&lt;/strong&gt;. The dhamma does not change over time and it is not relative to time.&#xA;  Ehipassiko (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika &quot;which you can come and see&quot; — from the phrase ehi, paśya &quot;come, see!&quot;). The Dhamma invites all beings to put it to the test and come see for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Opanayiko (Sanskrit: Avapraṇayika &quot;&lt;strong&gt;leading one close to&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;). &lt;strong&gt;Followed as a part of one's life the dhamma leads one to liberation&lt;/strong&gt;. In the &quot;Vishuddhimagga&quot; this is also referred to as &quot;Upanayanam.&quot; Opanayiko means &quot;to be brought inside oneself&quot;. This can be understood with an analogy as follows. If one says a ripe mango tastes delicious, and if several people listen and come to believe it, they would imagine the taste of the mango according to their previous experiences of other delicious mangoes. Yet, they will still not really know exactly how this mango tastes. Also, if there is a person who has never tasted a ripe mango before, that person has no way of knowing exactly for himself how it tastes. So, the only way to know the exact taste is to experience it. In the same way, dhamma is said to be Opanayiko which means that a person needs to experience it within to see exactly what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi (Sanskrit: Pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ &quot;To be meant to perceive directly&quot;). The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Buddha) who have matured in supreme wisdom. &lt;strong&gt;No one can &quot;enlighten&quot; another person&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Each intelligent person has to attain and experience for themselves&lt;/strong&gt;. As an analogy, no one can simply make another know how to swim. Each person individually has to learn how to swim. In the same way, dhamma cannot be transferred or bestowed upon someone. Each one has to know for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sourced: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T06:02:54.570" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T06:02:54.570" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2014-09-20T11:17:26.583" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Faith is a central concept to Christianity, but like Buddhism, Christianity has different branches and the views differ somewhat in each. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Christianity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The wikipedia article on Faith in Christianity&lt;/a&gt; gives a fair summary of some of these views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Original (Ancient Greek) word that is translated to 'faith' in English versions of the New Testament is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;pistis ( πίστις ),&#xA;Phonetic Spelling: (pis'-tis),&#xA;Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/greek/4102.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This word appears in the New Testament 243 times and is a key concept in the teachings of Jesus Christ in particular. The closest the Bible comes to providing an explicit definition of the word is found in the 'faith hall of fame' chapter of the bible in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=heb%2011&amp;amp;version=NIV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hebrews 11 (NIV)&lt;/a&gt; which is somewhat lengthy, but entirely germane:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Faith in Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2. This is what the ancients were commended for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;13. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;17. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;21. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;22. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;23. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;24. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;29. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;31. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;32. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;39. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, it starts with a short definition of sorts, but the overwhelming sense of the passage is that faith produces action; indeed as it says elsewhere in the Bible:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. - James 2:17 NIV&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not being an expert or even one moderately acquainted with the tenets of Buddhism, I hesitate to delineate the significant differences between the use of faith in the two religions with any authority or to any great depth. However, if I can assume &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3682/941&quot;&gt;Suminda's answer's&lt;/a&gt; definition as a solid basis, I see commonalities and I see differences.  The main commonality would be the strong relation of faith to practice (as per the last verse quoted); the main difference would be that Christianity has a strong emphasis on the &lt;em&gt;relational&lt;/em&gt; nature of faith as trusting in 'the living God' as one would trust a (living) person - not in giving mental assent to a theological proposition, but in taking the person on face value, trusting their word and following and obeying them - Christian prayer is a manifestation of this relational faith in the living God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; The Christian definition of 'faith' is highly nuanced beyond the normal English definition of the word and in some ways significantly differs from the common understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="941" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T01:26:36.267" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3684" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3690" CreationDate="2014-09-20T11:19:19.840" Score="4" ViewCount="1182" Body="&lt;p&gt;After sitting for 2-3 hours in a day there is a sense of annoyance that follows the littlest of things that are normally overlooked. Maybe this is because of heightened awareness or lack of tolerance for family and friends. It even happens at retreats during the earlier days. My teacher says sankharas are coming up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is it right to assume that the more I sit, the more annoyed I will get and the more annoyed I will get I the more I should sit? If that makes sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do practice 5-10 minutes of metta bhavana at the end of the sit. But I don't feel like it comes naturally. And to my knowledge forced metta is as good as no metta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:25:06.227" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:25:06.227" Title="Why do I feel irritated after sitting for long hours?" Tags="|vipassana|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2014-09-20T11:40:10.603" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Christianity#New_Testament&quot;&gt;a Wikipedia article here&lt;/a&gt; about the word &quot;faith&quot; in Christianity; which begins,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word &quot;faith&quot;, translated from the Greek πιστις (pi'stis), was primarily used in the New Testament with the Greek perfect tense and translates as a noun-verb hybrid; which is not adequately conveyed by the English noun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An explanation of what the Greek perfect tense is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/verbs1.htm#PERFECT&quot;&gt;can be found here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Perfect Tense&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an&#xA;  action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing&#xA;  on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has&#xA;  reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.&#xA;  Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action,&#xA;  the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state&#xA;  of a completed past action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, Galatians 2:20 should be translated &quot;I am in a present&#xA;  state of having been crucified with Christ,&quot; indicating that not only&#xA;  was I crucified with Christ in the past, but I am existing now in that&#xA;  present condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;...having been rooted and grounded in love,&quot; Eph&#xA;    3:17&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sentences which summarize it include,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The pi'stis-group words in the New Testament can thus be interpreted as relating to ideas of faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, commitment, trust, belief, and proof. The most appropriate interpretation and translation of pi'stis-group words in the New Testament is a matter of recent controversy, particularly over the meaning of pi'stis when it is directed towards Jesus.[4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Do the words have nuances that have been lost in the translation to the simple English word faith?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the Wikipedia article, perhaps it implies a personal connection, the &quot;fidelity&quot; of human relationships: &quot;Jesus is/was my friend&quot;, and &quot;do this is remembrance of me&quot;, that kind of thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't try to say what the same word was used to mean, in the Old Testament.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The use of the &quot;perfect&quot; tense (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Aperfect&quot;&gt;meaning 'completed'&lt;/a&gt;, not meaning 'without fault') is appropriate for referring to actions which have been completed (e.g. Jesus's life, death, and resurrection; a Christian's past baptism causing their present salvation; etc.): see also the notion of Christianity as &quot;good news&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Per Wikipedia (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Araddh%C4%81&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), the Buddhist word &quot;faith&quot; also (i.e. perhaps similarly to the Christian word) includes the meanings of &quot;trust&quot; and &quot;loyalty&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The descriptions given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; seem to me to imply that the words have the following in common:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hear that something exists (dharma or law)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Trust in the spiritual attainment of the teacher (Buddha or Christ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice/study/discovery of what the message really means&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness, confidence, satisfaction if/when/because one is able to align one's life with one's faith&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T12:02:51.543" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T12:02:51.543" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3686" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3687" CreationDate="2014-09-20T13:49:59.290" Score="4" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently there were 8 wholesome conditions laid down by Ananda when he was asked to be Buddhas attendant at the age of 55. What were they? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="445" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T17:11:41.080" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T17:15:39.963" Title="What were the conditions laid down by Ananda when asked to be Buddhas personal attendant?" Tags="|reference-request|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3686" CreationDate="2014-09-20T14:05:38.823" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's told &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aananda.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in this biographical summary of Ananda&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha was never to give him any choice food&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;or garment (*) gotten by him,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor appoint for him a separate &quot;fragrant cell&quot; (residence),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor include him in the invitations accepted by the Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Further he was to be allowed to accept invitations on behalf of the Buddha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to bring to the Buddha those who came to see him from afar;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to place before the Buddha all his perplexities,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and the Buddha was to repeat to him any doctrine taught in his absence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/disciples09.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;same list here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;And here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda was in no way proud that the Master had preferred him to his&#xA;  greatest disciples, but instead asked a favor of having eight&#xA;  conditions fulfilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First of all, the Master should never pass a gift of robes on to him;&#xA;  second, he should never give him any almsfood, which he himself had&#xA;  received; third, having received a dwelling place he should never give&#xA;  it to him; fourth, never to include him in any personal invitation&#xA;  (such as an occasion for teaching Dhamma when a meal would be&#xA;  offered).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Besides these four negative conditions, he also had four positive&#xA;  wishes, namely: if he was invited to a meal, he asked for the right to&#xA;  transfer this invitation to the Buddha; if people came from outlying&#xA;  areas, he asked for the privilege to lead them to the Buddha; if he&#xA;  had any doubts or inquiries about the Dhamma, he asked for the right&#xA;  to present these to the Buddha at any time; and if the Buddha gave a&#xA;  discourse during his absence, he asked for the privilege to have the&#xA;  Buddha repeat it to him privately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He explained his reasons for these requests in this way: if he did not&#xA;  pose the first four conditions, then people could say that he had&#xA;  accepted the post of attendant only because of material gain. But if&#xA;  he did not express the other four conditions, then it could rightly be&#xA;  said that he fulfilled the duties of his post without being mindful of&#xA;  his own advancement on the Noble Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha granted him these very reasonable requests, which were&#xA;  quite in accordance with the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know which Sutta these are from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T17:15:39.963" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T17:15:39.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3680" CreationDate="2014-09-20T15:39:23.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it varies tremendously based on what tradition they are adapting their teachings from. People following a secularized vipassana tradition probably uphold the Satipatthana sutta, and secular Zen practitioners probably take interest in the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and the Platform Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my interactions with secular Buddhists I get the impression that when they do study canonical texts they don't have a very wide selection, just a few that they consider important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T15:39:23.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3684" CreationDate="2014-09-20T16:45:49.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These can arise if you do not develop the right type of concentration and awareness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If your meditation is an active struggle to keep your focus on a particular meditation subject stress arise &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are not equanimous to sensations (and reacting to them with dislike or liking) during meditation your will get stressed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you abandon the above two meditation will reduce stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kindness meditation also can help. 1st you should create peace and serenity in your mind and then wish you share this with other. If this is not there in your mind and / or you are not sincere, this will be just repeating words. So 1st examine your self to see if you have happiness within you then start kindness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being week in morality also causes agitations and leads to manifestation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. So you base of morality should be strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When past fabrications come up it gives different sensations. In this case most likely unpleasant or not being a sensation you crave for, which is causing the problem. What ever sensation or experience you get be equanimous. Then you will not get stressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T21:43:36.297" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T21:43:36.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3679" CreationDate="2014-09-20T17:18:57.090" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, the commentary to that sutta doesn't use the term '&lt;em&gt;niyatamicchādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;' for the sixth abhithana, it uses the term '&lt;em&gt;aññasatthāruddesa&lt;/em&gt;', which means 'proclaiming another teacher', i.e. setting oneself up as a student of a teacher with views outside of the Buddha's teaching, something an enlightened being cannot do (&lt;em&gt;abhabba kātuṃ&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to what the term '&lt;em&gt;niyatamicchādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;' (pernicious wrong belief) means, the MN tika says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ahetukadiṭṭhiakiriyadiṭṭhinatthikadiṭṭhiyova niyatabhāvaṃ pattā niyatamicchādiṭṭhidhammā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Views such as the view of causelessness, the view of non-action, or the view of nihilism, when fallen into a state of certainty are called states of pernicious wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(MN-t 22)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, the meaning is that any wrong view becomes 'pernicious' when it is clung to as a certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T17:18:57.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3692" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3693" CreationDate="2014-09-20T17:58:47.840" Score="3" ViewCount="817" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thegreatcourses.co.uk/courses/great-minds-of-the-eastern-intellectual-tradition.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition&lt;/a&gt; lecture series Grant Hardy mentions that there is a Buddhist sutra or text when the Buddha gets a migraine (it's probably not described as a migraine I should imagine). It's apparently an example of the fruits Buddha's previous karma arising even after he was enlightened. Does anyone know the text that this happens in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T18:19:01.650" Title="What is the text in which the Buddha gets a migraine?" Tags="|karma|the-buddha|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3692" CreationDate="2014-09-20T18:10:30.637" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Why-the-Buddha-Suffered/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why the Buddha Suffered&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Connection-with-Previous-Deeds/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Connection with Previous Deeds&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apad%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Apadāna&lt;/a&gt; 39.10).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-20T18:19:01.650" LastActivityDate="2014-09-20T18:19:01.650" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2014-09-21T02:00:41.277" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone who was born into Orthodox Christian faith, has been baptized, attended church occasionally, has read full Bible, both New and Old Testament (BTW the Orthodox version of which includes 11 more &quot;books&quot; than the Protestant, 4 more than the Catholic), who has high respect for the teaching of Christ, appreciation of Father, and deep connection with Holy Spirit, and also as one who's been practicing and studying Buddhism for decades now, and became independent of others in regards to Buddha's message -- I suppose I'm in a good position to answer this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words representing &quot;faith&quot; (śraddhā &amp;amp; pistis) in both religions share most of their semantic fields: belief, trust, confidence, loyalty. Sraddha includes a couple more meanings like assent/approval/consent/reverence, and appetite/longing/wish/expectation -- which too are connotations of &quot;faith&quot; as it is understood in Christianity. So overall, we have two rather similar words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Faith in Early Christianity&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;main&quot; definition of faith in Christianity is found in &lt;em&gt;Letter to the Hebrews&lt;/em&gt; by the Apostle Paul and goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for faith, it is realization of the expected and confidence in the invisible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Orthodox Christianity this phrase is explained as follows: &quot;Not only we who carry Christ's name consider the faith as the greatest, but everything done in the world, even by people strange to the Church, is done by faith, &lt;strong&gt;since the one who does not believe that [he] will rip the grown fruits, will not tolerate the labors&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. Another example given is the faith of the seafarers, who &quot;entrust their lives to a small wood&quot; and &quot;give themselves to unknown hopes and have by themselves only faith, which for them is more reliable than any anchor&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this we can see that &quot;confidence in the invisible&quot; is not as much &lt;em&gt;blind&lt;/em&gt; faith in the existence of something we can't verify, but rather &quot;realization of the expected&quot; -- confidence in the outcome of our effort, based on our prior experience and our knowledge of how the world operates. This means that as Christians interacts with the world, they are supposed to get first-hand evidence/support of why the Son's Commandments make sense, see Holy Spirit at work, and recognize the law of Father behind all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time Orthodox Christians, like Zen Buddhists, recognize that our understanding can never exhaust the depth of things. There will always remain something which escapes analysis and which can not be expressed in concepts. Therefore, any realistic view of the world necessarily includes reverent recognition of this unknowable depth of things, that which constitutes their true, indefinable essence. This appreciation of the ultimate ineffability of the Law is a major component of faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Standing on these two legs -- appreciation of the order of things, and fascination with the depths -- we can have courage to do what's right, even though there is no 100% explicit guarantee it will work. This is faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Faith in later Christianity&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where this starts breaking up, is in its application to actual Christian practice, which virtually demands a Christian to take the following creed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I believe (&lt;code&gt;pisteuo&lt;/code&gt;) in God,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the Father almighty,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Creator of heaven and earth,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  born of the Virgin Mary,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  suffered under Pontius Pilate,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  was crucified, died and was buried;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he descended into hell;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  on the third day he rose again from the dead;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he ascended into heaven,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I believe in the Holy Spirit,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the holy catholic Church,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the communion of saints,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the forgiveness of sins,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the resurrection of the body,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and life everlasting. Amen.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as we can see, what started as very rational declaration of faith as expression of &lt;strong&gt;experience, understanding, gratitude, fascination, courage, and righteousness&lt;/strong&gt; -- was later turned into an ultimatum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Faith in Early Buddhism&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although many Buddhist define their faith as a growing conviction one gains as one is exposed to Dharma and progressively verifies it on one's own experience, this is not what I see in Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, Buddha speaks of faith as the first phase of the path, during which the practitioner gets inspired by the message of Buddha, based solely on a verbal exposure (MN 125):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A householder or a householder's son or one born in another family hears that dhamma. Having heard that dhamma he gains faith in the Tathagata. Endowed with this faith that he has acquired, he reflects [on his life and decides to joins the spiritual path]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point one is called faith-follower (SN 25.3):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] One who has &lt;strong&gt;conviction &amp;amp; belief&lt;/strong&gt; that these phenomena are this way is called a &lt;strong&gt;faith-follower&lt;/strong&gt;: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following two phases will help us understand the limits of faith:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] One who, &lt;strong&gt;after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted&lt;/strong&gt; that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] One who &lt;strong&gt;knows and sees&lt;/strong&gt; that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-enterer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such &lt;em&gt;unwavering&lt;/em&gt; faith, that drives one until one &lt;em&gt;sees&lt;/em&gt; for himself, is often mentioned in Pali Canon in context of the factors of the path, along with persistence etc. (MN 70):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a disciple who has faith in the Teacher's message &amp;amp; lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I'... 'Gladly would I let the flesh &amp;amp; blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, &amp;amp; bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Faith in later Buddhism&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time of Vasubandhu's &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmakosa&lt;/em&gt; (4th or 5th century CE), faith is beginning to acquire a character of dogma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it is asked, what is faith? Faith is full confidence in the efficacy of actions and their results (i.e. karma), in the (noble) truths, and in the Three Jewels; it is also an aspiration (for spiritual attainment) and clearminded appreciation (of the truth of Dharma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This eventually becomes e.g. a following dogma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is faith perfect?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is believing deeply that the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are Eternal,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that all Buddhas of the ten directions make use of &lt;code&gt;upaya&lt;/code&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and that beings and &lt;code&gt;icchantikas&lt;/code&gt; all possess the &lt;code&gt;Buddha-dhatu&lt;/code&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; believing that the Tathagata is subject to birth, old age, illness, and death,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that he has undergone austerities,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and that Devadatta really caused blood to flow from the Buddha's body,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that the Tathagata ultimately enters Nirvana,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and that authentic Dharma dies out.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reminds something, huh? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Summary&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both Christianity and Buddhism we can see the process of gradual codification / dogmatization of symbols and principles, this is normal. Both religions have layers, and if you explore the populations of practicing representatives of both religions, you will always find a gamut of sophistication, from the most superficial to the most profound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting aside the question of the cyclic process of regression and reinstitution of Sat-Dharma (True Teaching), we can see that originally the faith in Buddhism and the faith in Christianity were kinda opposite. Indeed, like I showed above, in Christianity faith used to be an expression of one's (however limited) insight into the Cosmic Law, first and foremost in its ethical aspect. While in Buddhism faith used to refer to a condition of inspiration and unwavering drive one has until one confirms the teaching first-hand. The object of Christian faith, although implicit, is here, while the object of Buddhist faith is over there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because early Buddhism is based on a metaphor of Ground, Path, and Fruition -- while Christianity is in some sense based on a metaphor of Field (whether the battlefield of good and evil, or the field of one's life). The later Buddhism, esp. some strands of Mahayana have adopted this notion of Law (Tao, Bup etc.) and became somewhat less goal-oriented, which found reflection in their definition of faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To finish this up, let's consider a perpetual question: which one is better? In my sincere opinion, both the faith as &lt;em&gt;appreciation of the implicit and ultimately inexpressible but evidently effective Law&lt;/em&gt;, and the faith as &lt;em&gt;putting one's trust in not yet clear but inspiring the confidence Teaching&lt;/em&gt; are important. One starts with the second type and eventually attains the first type. Could we go as far as to say that Buddhist path culminates in first-hand knowledge of the Law of God? May be. This is how I &lt;em&gt;see&lt;/em&gt; it anyway ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T14:49:47.203" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T14:49:47.203" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3695" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3699" CreationDate="2014-09-21T03:31:12.350" Score="6" ViewCount="937" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a way where someone (could meditate and take up certain Buddhist practices without initiation into Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just a question to understand theory, not directed to be anything argumentative or offensive&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you and Peace!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="946" LastEditorUserId="946" LastEditDate="2022-01-16T17:31:31.833" LastActivityDate="2022-01-26T19:52:38.740" Title="Meditating and including buddhist philosophy in your life without abandoning previous religious beliefs?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|judaism|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T03:36:01.677" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective that's fine. The Buddha gave his teachings in order to alleviate the sufferings of living beings, and last time I checked that includes everyone, not just Buddhists. If a non-Buddhist wants to take up certain aspects of Buddhist practices because they feel it will help them, then that is fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you wondering about any particular practice in particular?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T03:36:01.677" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T05:54:18.440" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist training is around:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Development of a controlled mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop true understanding of reality and wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There would be no religion which is incompatible with this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Buddhist meditation revolves around how to get out of stress and misery. Any religion will not be opposed to someone seeing a psychologist. Likewise, there is no issue with someone taking up Buddhist Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you see things for yourself, any wrong views will be abandoned as you see things at the experiential level. The main thing is getting started, not worrying about theoretical aspects which you have not seen at the experiential level (In Buddhism, any theory not put into practice is of little use). What you see at the empirical level is what you should consider as reality (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;). Also, care should be taken not to jump to conclusions when you have seen things partially, either at the experiential level or through logical deduction. You are in the best position to judge this when you have reached the final goal, i.e. liberation of your mind from stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T20:28:40.017" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T20:28:40.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3698" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3704" CreationDate="2014-09-21T11:24:11.870" Score="7" ViewCount="533" Body="&lt;p&gt;How important is meditation practice and doing good deeds in comparison to having a clear mind during death in order to reach nibbana or be at least reborn in a good realm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if one meditates daily almost his whole life and does good deeds but then dies in a car accident, overwhelmed by the fear and the shock of this event, what are the chances of a good rebirth for this person? In other words: Is the quality of rebirth determined only be the state of mind during death or is it also influenced by karma which one has accumulated during his life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also gets maybe a little tricky, since people with near-death experiences report having a flash of all events in their life in addition to getting information about the impact their deeds had on their own and other people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="819" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:04:52.443" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T17:04:52.443" Title="Meditation and good deeds vs clarity of mind during death" Tags="|karma|pali-canon|rebirth|meditation-recommendation|death|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T12:35:43.453" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the sake of discussion, and (by searching Mi Yodeya) to try to answer from the Jewish perspective,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/40862&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; warns that certain practices (e.g. bowing) might be seen as &quot;devotional&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/134&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, that worshipping the Buddha or seeing him as God-like would be prohibited.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/60122/jewish/Is-Buddhism-Kosher.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a Jew to burn incense in front of a statue is horrifying, no matter what he will say are his inner intents. Similarly, the proclamation, &quot;In Buddha I find refuge&quot; is a catastrophe for the Jewish soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but it also (rightly or wrongly) claims that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Today, this refinement process is extending to Buddhism. Many Jews began their spiritual trek with the path of Buddha and continued by discovering their own heritage in Torah. A twofold process occurs: Buddhism has evolved more in the past thirty years than in all its history before, to the point that what is presented today in America as Buddhism is already more Jewish than it is Buddhist. And, secondly, when those practicing &quot;Jubus&quot; return to Jewish practice, they reject those aspects that are anathematic to Torah, while making good use of those aspects that are complimentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/14567&quot;&gt;These answers&lt;/a&gt; suggest that Judaism already has some forms/objects of meditation of its own.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:42:07.217" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T12:35:43.453" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3700" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3702" CreationDate="2014-09-21T12:54:37.323" Score="4" ViewCount="491" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of meditations described as &quot;Samatha&quot; and &quot;Vipassana&quot;&#xA;I have heard that there are several types of samatha bhawana (40 kamatahan). Can you please elaborate this based on Theravada Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T02:26:28.703" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T02:26:28.703" Title="What are all the bhawana (meditation) methods in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T13:25:00.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monotheism falls under Sassatha Ditti. It is one of the two false views that prevents one from progressing in the path. Such beliefs are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://theeyeofdhamma.blogspot.com/2013_07_01_archive.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maggavarana Ditti&lt;/a&gt;. But it does not prevent the path to heavens. Then again, you don't really need Buddhism to reach heavens. But if Nibbana is what you are looking for, you have to give up Monotheism at some point. You won't get far as long as you cling to such a belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha preached the Dhamma to non-Buddhists, but they gave up their false views once they've embraced the Dhamma. Nobody attained enlightenment while still retaining such misbeliefs. It's not even technically possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T13:32:59.443" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T13:32:59.443" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3700" CreationDate="2014-09-21T13:58:51.077" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As answered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2039/18&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, the forty samatha meditation objects are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1-10: The Kasinas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These all lead to the four jhānas; they are practised by creating a disk and focusing on it, while repeating, e.g., &quot;earth, earth...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1. Earth&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;2. Water&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;3. Fire&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;4. Air&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;5. Blue&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;6. Yellow&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;7. Red&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;8. White&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;9. Light&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;10. Space&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;11-20: Foulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These lead to the first jhāna; they are practised by contemplating a corpse in various states of decay&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;11. Bloated&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;12. Livid&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;13. Festering&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;14. Cut Up&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;15. The Gnawed&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;16. Scattered&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;17. Hacked and Scattered&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;18. Bleeding&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;19. Worm-infested&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;20. a Skeleton &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;21-30: Recollections&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Body and Breathing bring jhāna (body only brings the first jhāna, breath brings all four); the other eight bring only access concentration; they are cultivated by reflecting on the object, e.g. &quot;Buddha, Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;21. Buddha&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;22. Dhamma&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;23. Sangha&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;24. Morality&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;25. Generosity&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;26. Angels&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;27. Death&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;28. Body&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;29. Breathing&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;30. Peace&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;31-34: The Divine Abidings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The first three bring about the first three jhānas; the fourth brings about the fourth jhāna; they are cultivated by taking beings as an object, e.g. &quot;May all beings be happy&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;31. Love &#xA;&lt;br/&gt;32. Compassion&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;33. Joy &#xA;&lt;br/&gt;34. Equanimity &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;35-38: The Immaterial States&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These bring about the fourth jhāna; they are cultivated by using the fourth jhāna as a base, then expanding and refining the object&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;35. Limitless Space&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;36. Limitless Consciousness&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;37. Nothingness&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;38. Neither Perception Nor Non-perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;39. Perception of Repulsiveness in Nutriment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This brings about only access concentration; it is practiced by reflecting on food as one collects and eats it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;40. Defining of The Elements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This brings about only access concentration; it is practiced by breaking the body up into the four elements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All forty meditation subjects are described and taught in detail in the Visuddhimagga; highly recommended for those interested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T13:58:51.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3076" CreationDate="2014-09-21T16:40:57.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's possibly worth adding to this that although the Theravadan school states that once a being is an Arhat they can't regress this wasn't a universal view within the early Buddhist schools. Both the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudgalavada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pudgalavada&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvastivada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sarvastivada&lt;/a&gt; schools did maintain that an Arhat could indeed regress from that state. So for those schools it would have been possible to become unenlightened. This was the fifth point in some versions of the five points of Mahadeva which are a number of debating points about the qualities and attributes of an Arahat. However since these schools have since died out this concept of unenlightenment would be of historical interest only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a reference note this is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cambridge.org/ve/academic/subjects/religion/buddhism-and-eastern-religions/introduction-buddhism-teachings-history-and-practices&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An Introduction to Buddism&lt;/a&gt; by Peter Harvey (page 97 in the second edition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T16:40:57.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3698" CreationDate="2014-09-21T16:41:09.603" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the moment of death consciousness is all that counts. That consciousness, however, is of course partially conditioned by all the good and bad deeds one has performed in the past, especially since one's life tends to flash before one's eyes just before that last moment, leading one to often cling to this or that memory or idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically, there are four potential types of karma that determine the nature of the last moment of one's life (Vism XIX.15):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;garu-kamma (weighty karma)&lt;/strong&gt; - if one has killed one's mother or father, for example. These types of karma outweigh any other possible result; one who has performed these at some time in this life cannot help but go to hell in their next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;bahula-kamma (frequent karma)&lt;/strong&gt; - if one has performed a certain karma with great frequency, this will be the next candidate for adherence at the moment of death.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;aasanna-kamma (dying karma)&lt;/strong&gt; - if there is no particular karma that stands out as habitual, the most likely single karma to cause rebirth is karma performed at the moment of death, for example getting angry or upset, crying or clinging to something, or listening to the dhamma or meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kattata-kamma (merely performed karma)&lt;/strong&gt; - finally, the last karma to lead to rebirth is some karma that comes to mind at the moment of death, even at random.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, besides the first of the four, one's state of mind at the moment of death can potentially nullify all karma and even lead one to not be reborn again. The point is that, regardless of what colours it, it is that last moment that leads to rebirth (or nibbana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is exemplified by the interesting story of Queen Mallika (Dhp-A 151), who was a devoted Buddhist who performed great acts of charity and morality, but died remembering a single act of deception towards her husband and therefore went to hell. After spending seven days in hell, she died again and was reborn in heaven due to her good deeds. Perhaps this also suggests that one's rebirth itself isn't as important as one's karma, since it will all generally work its way out in the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-21T20:06:45.333" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T20:06:45.333" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3076" CreationDate="2014-09-21T17:07:47.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, an Arahant cannot become unenlightened. Does that mean that an Arahant will automatically be free from illnesses that affect the mind? I don't think so. They will always be free from the three unwholesome roots of greed, hatred, and delusion, but I think it is a serious mistake to translate that into physical claims about Arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly enough questions similar to this were a point of controversy between the Theravada school and other early schools. Some of the other schools claimed for example that an Arahant was physically incapable of having sexual arousal, and so could not have a nocturnal emission. The Theravada school rejected this, saying that such a thing is purely physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahants can still experience the purely physical aspects of things without having unwholesome mind states. If you inject an Arahant with adrenaline, their heart rate would increase and they would undergo all of the reactions of a person with fear, but the difference would be that there would be no aversion in the experience, even if they might physically present the signs of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, I think that an Arahant could have what are usually refereed to as mental illnesses, although I think that term is somewhat misleading in the case of an Arahant. Perhaps the term neurological illness would be more appropriate. If they get Alzheimer's disease, then they would undergo all the memory problems and such, but throughout all of this there would be no greed, hatred, or delusion in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone mentioned PTSD. I think an  Arahant could have PTSD as well, having the flashback experiences and the physical arousal that goes along with it, but again, without greed, hatred, or delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's just my take on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T17:07:47.670" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3643" CreationDate="2014-09-21T17:29:08.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is somewhat related to Kaya-sankara, i.e., the breath which sustains life. This might differ from what the Hindu concept as Buddhism does not have a soul concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T17:29:08.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T18:12:56.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of Jewish Buddhists. There is even a slang term for it (Jewbu or Jubu).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Buddhist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia's Jewish Buddhist article says&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A large demographic of Jewish Buddhists, constituting its majority, still maintain religious practices and beliefs in Judaism coupled with Buddhist practices and perhaps beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since most Buddhists do not consider the Buddha to have been a &amp;quot;god&amp;quot;, Jewish Buddhists do not consider Buddhist practice to be &amp;quot;worship&amp;quot;. In addition, many Buddhists (particularly Theravada Buddhists) do not &amp;quot;worship&amp;quot; the Buddha but instead &amp;quot;revere&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;express gratitude&amp;quot; for the Buddha's [...] accomplishment and compassionate teaching [...]. In Mahayana Buddhism (the dominant form of Buddhism in the world today), the Trikaya (three bodies) Doctrine, and praying to Buddha as savior in Pure Land Buddhism significantly blurs the issue for Jews of whether Buddhism is a religion and whether Buddha is considered a God.[&lt;sup&gt;citation needed&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more information (&amp;quot;Further reading&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;External links&amp;quot;, etc.) in the Wikipedia article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the best example of a &amp;quot;Jewbu&amp;quot; is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen#Religious_beliefs_and_practices&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Leonard Cohen&lt;/a&gt; who is a Zen practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="563" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T18:49:34.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3680" CreationDate="2014-09-21T20:20:00.770" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Historical Buddhist scholars trying to figure out who the historical Buddha was prefer using the Pali texts, not so much because they are canon but because they pass the various tests historians use to decide how old a text is and appear to be the oldest and closest to the original man. This isn't though a secular project, it appears to be a project that secular Buddhists seem to like. As far as we can tell, the historical Buddha was more secular than your average guy and he was a historical person. Personally, I'm not to excited about this project because immediately after the historical Buddha put forth his project, he or people around him mixed in supernatural elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stephen Bachelor seems to have a preference for Pali texts, since the tend to be less devotional and more straight forward. So his project is one of taking the Pali texts and kicking out the supernatural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;David Chapman is a blogger an &lt;a href=&quot;http://meaningness.wordpress.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meaningness&lt;/a&gt; and uses the tantric tradition as his starting point. Despite tantra sometimes being called Indian witchcraft, if you kick out the supernatural you have the core for a secular religion. This project would be drawing on the Tantric texts of ~800AD.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chögyam Trungpa started with Vajrayana and wrote his own terma. Canon is a matter of institutions and supernatural beliefs about old texts. So why not write a modern text?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;D. T. Suzuki took Zen and ignored all the supernatural elements to create DT Suzuki style Zen. I guess the material the DT Suzuki would be canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this illustrates that secular Buddhism is sort of a methodology where you pick a flavor of Buddhism and kick out the supernatural, add some modern thinking from science and elsewhere. Secular Buddhists have been picking a variety of &quot;starting points&quot;. I chose Chinese Buddhism-- the big themes in Huayen &amp;amp; Chan speak to me and are still there when I remove the devotionalism and supernatural. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these secular Buddhists at the moment are just successful authors and teachers, Chögyam Trungpa has an institution that outlived him, although the word is Shambhala is less secular that it used to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T20:20:00.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-09-21T20:29:01.033" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we can split Buddhism in 3 different levels of commitment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meditation, Dana (charity) and basic Sila (precepts). In this level, you can easily keep any peaceful religion, you will benefit from meditation and people will feel you are slowly changing, more inclined to a spiritual life, usually your family/friends/priests/bishops etc. will not see it as a threat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lay Buddhist Life. Here you may have some conflicts depending on your religion and how orthodox you are. Lay buddhists may prostrate and take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. This is where your previous religion may tell you that you are turning your back on them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The life of a monk/recluse.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as long as you commit to the first level, i.e:  meditating; cultivating generosity; refraining from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct and intoxicants, you should be fine with your current religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Problems will arise if you want to progress in the Buddha's teachings while keeping your current religion, but it is up to you; the path is there, it is your choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T20:39:19.530" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T20:39:19.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3684" CreationDate="2014-09-21T21:24:03.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's possible you're going through the Knowledge of Dispassion/Disgust stage described by Buddhaghosa in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch6.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, and modern authors like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB+8.+Disgust/pop_up&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt;. I've gone through it too, and so have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/category/89581&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many others&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, the clearest indication of this is whether or not you've crossed the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB+4.+The+Arising+and+Passing+Away/pop_up&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowledge of Arising &amp;amp; Passing Away&lt;/a&gt;, as once you have, you tend to be stuck at stage 6 of the Visuddhimagga's Stages of Purification. However, some people (such as myself) wind up in stage 6 for the first time without any recollection of having done so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another indication is if you find yourself experiencing periods of strong &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch6.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; interspersing periods of intensely negative feelings like disgust, fear or misery. Generally, these other feelings would be noticeable, but not necessarily for everyone - I've never had any strong feelings of fear in my practice, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the irritation is completely isolated though and remains that way, it's probably got some other cause such as heightened sensitivity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="320" LastActivityDate="2014-09-21T21:24:03.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3605" CreationDate="2014-09-22T00:59:59.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana... the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness. I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="900" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T00:59:59.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3714" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-22T01:27:33.983" Score="1" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the main differences in theravada and mahayana buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T04:12:24.953" Title="Theravada buddhism and Mahayana buddhism" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2014-09-22T04:54:37.757" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3714" CreationDate="2014-09-22T04:12:24.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main difference I'm aware of is that the Therevada school is focused on seeking Enlightenment for the individual. The Mahayana school is focused on seeking Enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember correctly, for those who believe in the literal Western interpretation of reincarnation, according to the Therevada school, when someone attains Enlightenment they will cease worldly rebirth. Alternatively, the Mahayana school believes that a fully-awakened buddha can choose to be reborn, and even choose their rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, there are a lot of other differences--many of them relating to monastic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="953" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T04:12:24.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3717" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-22T05:01:56.550" Score="21" ViewCount="994" Body="&lt;p&gt;every meditator at a point in his her life goes through a dilemma of whether to ordain or to live a lay life. Although it's a wholesome disposition, I wonder if its a lack of strength to face problems as a veil that shadows the decision. (It's proven so for me) &#xA;But sometimes the emotion to give up lay life is so strong(and then again it's just a emotion-state of mind which is also annicca) that the more I look back, the more I get the feeling I should have done it a long time ago because the fruits even as a lay person are so evident and clear (wonder what pool of calm monastic life will bring around) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question remains, how can one determine ones decision to ordain, whether it's a strong volition or not (because if it's not I would hate to go back to lay life as a failure and discouraged on the path of Dhamma) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2019-07-28T03:08:31.643" Title="Strong desire to serve/ordain" Tags="|monk|ordination|monasticism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3718" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3719" CreationDate="2014-09-22T05:10:20.117" Score="3" ViewCount="381" Body="&lt;p&gt;garu-kamma (weighty karma) - if one has killed one's mother or father, for example. These types of karma outweigh any other possible result; one who has performed these at some time in this life cannot help but go to hell in their next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a quote from Ven Yuttadhammos answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is does garu kamma relate to murder of ones parents or could it also be a reason to shame them which drives them to suicide? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T06:57:33.077" Title="Garu kamma explanation" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3718" CreationDate="2014-09-22T05:28:28.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Decision to commit suicide is an individual decision. So it does not cause Garuka kamma for the one who does the shaming unless one had the intention to make them commit suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also Garuka Kusala Karmas like Jhanas and Maggapala.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T05:28:28.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3718" CreationDate="2014-09-22T05:52:09.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing your parents is a Anathariy Karma. &#xA;This is worse than Garuka Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instrumenting this directly or indirectly results in the same Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bottom line is that you should be always good to your parents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T06:57:33.077" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T06:57:33.077" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3721" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3742" CreationDate="2014-09-22T08:52:50.447" Score="7" ViewCount="1704" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was an incident in the 50s, a monk named &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanavira_Thera&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ñāṇavīra Thera&lt;/a&gt; commited suicide, he was believed to be a stream enterer and was suffering from amoebiasis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm curious to know, if someone knows for sure that he's become a stream enterer (or beyond) and doesn't desire to live anymore, can he decide to commit suicide? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T10:16:42.653" LastActivityDate="2021-09-30T22:51:14.913" Title="Can a stream enterer commit suicide?" Tags="|stream-entry|suicide|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3722" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-22T09:46:59.893" Score="2" ViewCount="655" Body="&lt;p&gt;Were Buddhas always born on planet Earth or they can be born on any habitable planets across the universe? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one Buddha gain knowledge of the existence of the the previous Buddha/Buddhas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T14:18:38.187" Title="Were all of the historical Buddhas born on today's planet earth?" Tags="|buddhas|gautama-buddha|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2014-09-22T10:52:26.527" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If the goal is to end suffering, why don't Buddhists simply kill themselves?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_way&quot;&gt;Middle way&lt;/a&gt;&quot; between extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of the Middle way is (after telling the bikkhus that he was the Buddha) the very first thing that the Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are two extremes, O bhikkhus, which the man who has given up the world ought not to follow-the habitual practice, on the one hand, of self-indulgence which is unworthy, vain and fit only for the worldly-minded and the habitual practice, on the other hand, of self-mortification, which is painful, useless and unprofitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the following are each extremes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I want to live forever&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I want to die immediately&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the first rules of morality (ethics) is not to kill. For example here are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#murder&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Rules&lt;/a&gt; which apply to Buddhist monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MURDER&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The third Defeater (Paaraajika) Offence deals with murder. The&#xA;  original story describes how some bhikkhus wrongly grasped the&#xA;  Buddha's meditation teaching on the loathsome aspects of the body[38]&#xA;  and, falling into wrong view, committed suicide or asked someone to&#xA;  end their lives for them. The rule can be summarized like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intentionally bringing about the untimely death of a human being,&#xA;    even if it is still a foetus, is [an offence of Defeat.]&quot; (Summary&#xA;    Paar. 3; BMC p.78)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu must not recommend killing, suicide or help arrange a&#xA;  murder.[39] Also, because in this rule a human being is defined as&#xA;  beginning with the human foetus, counting &quot;from the time consciousness&#xA;  first arises in the womb,&quot; he must not advise or arrange an abortion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no offence if death is caused accidentally or without&#xA;  intention.[40]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people might have 'suicidal ideation', but that is explicitly not Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suicide will cause suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Violence to your body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sadness (death) to friends, family, people in society&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lost opportunity to gain enlightenment for yourself and to enlighten others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suicide isn't skillful; but &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot;&gt;skillful&lt;/a&gt; is IMO another of the core virtues in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more skillful ways to deal with suicidal ideation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;four noble truths&quot; are arguably the core of Buddhist doctrine. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot;&gt;second noble truth&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this, monks is the noble truth of the origination of dukkha: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, &lt;strong&gt;craving for non-becoming&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists should recognize desire for death as one of the many (wrong) &quot;cravings&quot; to be overcome: a craving which (by following the Buddhist way) you can be not attached to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I can read about the teachings of Buddhism, but I do not understand the &quot;why&quot; behind it all.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People don't live in isolation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist way may include seeking and accepting skillful guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot;&gt;triple gem&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is the Buddha, the Dharma, &lt;strong&gt;and the Sangha&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the (many) problems with suicide is that it becomes too late to get a second opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T10:52:26.527" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3724" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3726" CreationDate="2014-09-22T11:37:03.927" Score="2" ViewCount="506" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about the story of queen Mallika, she seems like someone who entered the stream, nevetheless she went to hell after passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible for someone to be reborn on the awful planes after entering the stream? I thought it was impossible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T13:10:04.410" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T15:34:45.297" Title="Queen Mallika story and stream entry" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2014-09-22T12:20:44.973" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are excellent answers here, full of details, so I will just add a short one:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing yourself is a selfish thing, the opposite of Buddha's teachings! You have a precious human life, you can use it to make merits, you can help others to break free from the sea of samsara, you can increase the loving kindness in this world. When you are free then you are free here and how, you don't need to die by suicide, it makes no sense!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T15:27:16.113" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T15:27:16.113" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3724" CreationDate="2014-09-22T12:24:13.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In AN 3.86 it is taught that a stream enterer will be born in human and deva realms for a maximum of seven life times:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[Some,] with the wasting away of the three fetters, are&#xA;'one-seed-ers' (ekabijin): After taking rebirth only one more time on&#xA;the human plane, they will put an end to stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or, not breaking through to that, not penetrating that, with the&#xA;wasting away of the three fetters they are 'family-to-family-ers'&#xA;(kolankola): After transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on through two or three&#xA;more families [according to the Commentary, this phrase should be&#xA;interpreted as 'through two to six more states of becoming'], they&#xA;will put an end to stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or, not breaking through to that, not penetrating that, with the&#xA;wasting away of the three fetters they are 'seven-times-at-most-ers'&#xA;(sattakkhattuparama): After &lt;strong&gt;transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on among devas&#xA;&amp;amp; human beings, they will put an end to stress&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.86 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.ie/books?id=PbfmHoSYVQAC&amp;amp;pg=PT345&amp;amp;dq=queen+mallika+stream+enterer&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=txIgVN6iJenY7Absz4H4Cg&amp;amp;ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=queen%20mallika%20stream%20enterer&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, by Nyaponika Thera it is mentioned that she wasn't a stream enterer at the time of her death. He gives the reason for her birth in hell as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Mallika died her twofold transgression-her sexual contact with the dog and her mendacious attempt to free herself from blame-caught up with her and brought about a rebirth in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and later he says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it was a very short-termed sojourn there, one can see that Mallika &lt;strong&gt;had not yet attained stream-entry&lt;/strong&gt; during her life on earth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T15:34:45.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3721" CreationDate="2014-09-22T13:47:57.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is partly speculation on the part of the editor of the collection of this letters. I have the Sinhala book my self. Hence we do not know what happened. Only we thing we know for sure is that the Ven. Sir was bitten by a poisonous spider. Anything other than this is speculative. So it is best not draw conclusion on speculative incidents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also suicide does not seam to be a valid option for a monk as it is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patimokkha_in_Theravada_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parajika offence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition this does not set a good example to society hence should not be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you just believe you are stream entry by mistake then you end in misery. Also your loved ones also end in misery. Hence one should not contemplate, set an example, or in the slightest sense promote this line of thinking&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T13:47:57.430" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3717" CreationDate="2014-09-22T13:55:54.030" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some times monastic life may not be calm as you think. Also austerity of vinaya will make it harder than lay life incase your have significant attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So best is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;lean the Vinaya so you do not walk in blindly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tame your senses in lay life so you can make your ordained life more productive and live according to the Vinaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also many monks do disrobe. I don't think this should be taken as failure. You are just re prioritising certain things in life as you were perhaps not ready to have been a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do enter the order do it in cordial manner so that you do not burn bridges and create any disharmony so you can continue life if your in case your monastic life does not work out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one requirement is that your parents should approve it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T14:29:22.950" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T14:29:22.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3722" CreationDate="2014-09-22T14:00:05.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are things we can only speculate. There later works which might have covered these topics though, but cannot vouch for how accurate they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best cause of action by a Buddhist is to practice the Dhamma to gain realisation and wisdom. Who know, perhaps you might get some insight into this also. (Don't make it your goal to find these type of answers, but practice to awaken wisdom.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddha did not encourage to ponder on unproductive question through I am curious my self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion. I don't think it is this planet. Last 4 buddhas were in the current world cycle but it is hard to believe it is this planet, but having said this, the social environment would have been similar to Indian during the times of the current Buddha, where there was much activity in search for the truth. (Also a Buddha to be looks if it is conducive time and county before he is born.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T15:26:50.230" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T15:26:50.230" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3731" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3732" CreationDate="2014-09-22T14:03:55.917" Score="6" ViewCount="6291" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am speaking of course of Siddhartha Gautama's son. I was told Rahula means obstacle. Is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="955" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T14:16:59.517" LastActivityDate="2021-01-14T17:12:21.627" Title="What is the meaning of Rahula?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3731" CreationDate="2014-09-22T14:15:02.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Rāhulajāto, bandhanam jātam&quot;   the word rāhula meaning bond&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/r/raahula.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/r/raahula.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: see comments below&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="955" LastEditDate="2014-09-22T22:38:50.497" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T22:38:50.497" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3717" CreationDate="2014-09-22T14:43:11.110" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say to give it a test run. Start keeping the 8 precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., after noon).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani&#xA;  sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and&#xA;  beautifying the body with cosmetics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Uccasayana-mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are able to keep them for a while without too much difficulty and you feel you can live a life of renunciation for a long time with contentment, then you will know you will be able to ordain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the meantime you should try to pick out the monastery you would like to consider ordaining at. Ideally you want to establish a relationship with the monks there first. If you want to be with monks who practice a particular meditation method then find such a group, and if you want to be strict in upholding the vinaya then make sure to find strict monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T14:43:11.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2014-09-22T15:31:47.160" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;30 minutes is good. Over time the benefits will build up. In the words of the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think not lightly of good, saying, &quot;It will not come to me.&quot; Drop by&#xA;  drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it&#xA;  little by little, fills himself with good.  Dhp 122&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T15:31:47.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3717" CreationDate="2014-09-22T16:07:18.340" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a great question and the answers here (from Bakmoon and Suminda) are wonderful. I'll complement with something from my personal experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;how can one determine ones decision to ordain, whether it's a strong volition or not&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be that going forth ultimately is the single thing one can do to know the true nature of his disposition. But since disrobing may come with a lot of practical difficulties, taking precautions is very valuable: become used to a life without luxuries, familiarize with the monastery, monks and retreats, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But giving the ear to advices may be troublesome, depending on who one seeks out to get advices. There is a common discourse that people looking to become a monk often hear in the west: &quot;you are running away from [blank]&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be more articulate than that, when it focuses on debunking the &lt;em&gt;romance&lt;/em&gt; of becoming a monk: the idea that things will be so beautiful, you will have 100% of the time to meditate (or do prostrations, or read suttas, or perform all rituals you fantasize about, and wisdom will come quickly, and your teacher will be so and so, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or it may focus on the idea that a monk's life is easy and therefore, not very fruitful for evolving one's practice: &quot;the lotus grows in the mud, so you should do your practice in the real life, not in the top of a mountain&quot;, they say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one hand, these are very unhelpful advices, and very disconnected from what monastic life is, and from what buddhism is -- at the minimum, from this rhetoric, no one is suited for monastic life, or should become a monk ever (it is also a little disrespectful, drawing an image of monks as cowards).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other, &lt;em&gt;there is&lt;/em&gt; a risk of fantasizing with a romantic idea of being a monk and &lt;em&gt;there is&lt;/em&gt; a risk of using the going forth as an excuse. I think the best strategy for the first is what others have said here, try to become familiar with monastic life, in order to dispel any fantasies you may have. The antidote for the second is to try to identify if the intention of going forth is the going forth itself, and not just the relief of not having to deal with &quot;[blank]&quot; anymore (its ok to feel good about not having to deal with &quot;[blank]&quot; anymore, but I think this should not be the reason for going forth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T01:30:08.967" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T01:30:08.967" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3736" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-22T17:34:01.307" Score="4" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have recently taken up meditation to help with becoming more spiritual in general, but I am also interested in using meditation to improve my general well being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I am stressed and even after that (which is quite often) I tend to feel uneasy and restless in my feet and back then I get worried about my general health etc. Sympytoms only persist when I am not doing anything &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I meditate to calm myself down and help in alliviating the spasms and restlessness due to my stress/anxiety/inability to concentrate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you and peace!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="946" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:49:54.317" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:49:54.317" Title="Meditation to control anxiety and hyperactivity?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|well-being|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2014-09-22T20:03:47.333" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3737" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-22T19:20:22.593" Score="14" ViewCount="28086" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know this precept taken by the monks, but I would like to understand the reasons behind it. Currently the specialists claim that we should eat small portions every 3 hours or so, eating once a day is not a big issue, but is not recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T15:28:03.177" LastActivityDate="2018-01-27T15:22:36.117" Title="What is the purpose of not eating after noon?" Tags="|food|monasticism|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3736" CreationDate="2014-09-22T19:39:56.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think most Buddhist traditions agree that while meditating, you should concentrate on your breathing, and note when/if your mind starts to wander.  So if you have a spasm, you don't have to deny it or feel like a failure, but you recognize that it's happening, but also maintain your focus elsewhere.  You're focusing on your meditation, and whatever happens with your body goes on in spite of that because you're human, but doesn't have to detract from your focus.  You can tell your focus where to direct itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know it's popular to say meditation can help with spasms and restlessness.  I think people say that because they find it teaches them to be at peace doing nothing, and that they can choose not to worry or think negative (or any) thoughts.  Personally, I'm not at that level, and I tend to become more worried when I'm not doing anything.  Perhaps for that reason, I don't schedule very long meditation sessions.  If I say I'll meditate only for 15 minutes, then I can believe that it's okay to meditate and give the meditation my full attention for that time.  If I schedule a longer time, then I have trouble really believing that it's a good use of my time, and I get fidgety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="958" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T19:39:56.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2014-09-22T23:07:53.223" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too am finding that small meals every 3-4 hours helps me meditate easier.&#xA;Teachers like Ajahn Chah&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;have talked about not eating after 11am or noon. But he later developed diabetes and went into a coma for a year. Diabetes often is started by huge swings of blood sugar in hypoglycemia. That is why regular meals with protein (milk, tofu, yogurt, beans or meat if that is part of your diet) can help stabilize blood sugar and make diabetes a less probable outcome.&#xA;In Thai monasteries with novices, they eat an early meal and then 11:30 eat the leftovers from the first.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thaiworldview.com/bouddha/bouddha3.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.thaiworldview.com/bouddha/bouddha3.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;There were reasons why monks ate only in the morning - to make sure eating does not interfere with meditation is the reason given&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/dhamma-corner/buddhist-tasks/&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/dhamma-corner/buddhist-tasks/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;another practical reason is that the kitchen staff would not be able to participate at all in the afternoon or evening ceremonies if they had to cook many meals a day.&#xA;There were definite reasons why that was chosen for centuries before, but what worked for another time and culture might be less effective today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T23:07:53.223" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3721" CreationDate="2014-09-22T23:17:41.480" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not find any merit in discussing suicide because in my mind it is not on the path. It is a dead end street. It is like jumping off the train - you don't get to your destination.&#xA;If someone is a stream enterer, they might still get stuck in the folly of the human mind. Taking one's physical life is a sign that you take the personal self too seriously and that you are under the illusion it is something you must deal with and can deal with, and that it is something you may end.&#xA;The only way to end the suffering is to stop kowtowing to the personal self and open to the buddha awakening. In this awakening there is no birth, no life, no death. If this is awakening, should we be talking about suicide at all? I think not, unless someone is disturbed and contemplating that fateful error. It is seeds of karma to do harm to any sentient being including oneself. There is no excuse - one who chooses that destiny must deal with the seeds and outcome they choose by default.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-22T23:17:41.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3721" CreationDate="2014-09-22T23:31:05.187" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am familiar with the story of Ñāṇavīra Thera, and while I deeply appreciate his work, esp. on 12 Nidanas, which for me is a good evidence that he indeed could have been a stream-enterer, I feel that his suicide was a very unfortunate outcome of the bad karma he created in the past. This karma, in its turn, came from a chain of negative mind states that evidently spanned multiple lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While, generally speaking, anyone can decide to commit suicide, a decision to do so is more likely to be made by someone who 1) is not afraid to die, 2) sees the pain associated with continuing to live, 3) has aversion to pain, and 4) does not see much value in continuing to live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because stream-enterer is beyond the illusion of self, s\he is not afraid of death. Because s\he clearly sees conditions that lead to arising of pain, s\he sees the pain associated with life. Because s\he is not yet beyond sukha-and-dukkha, s\he can still have aversion to pain. What remains is #4.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The value in continuing to live falls into two categories: the value for oneself and the value for others. Because stream-enterer is beyond the illusion of self, the only reason to carry on this particular life would be the value he or she thinks s\he could bring for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana tradition, the first idea you learn, right after the basic concepts of Samsara, Nirvana, Enlightenment, and Karma -- is the high ideal of compassion. By this ideal, if I don't have a reason to live for myself, if I can alleviate suffering of even one dog, it is worth to continue living, let alone if I can help one human, let alone if I can help multiple people, let alone if I can teach Sat-Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while stream-entry refers to the same basic milestone that is known as First Bhumi in Mahayana, a Bodhisattva of First Bhumi would only choose to die if doing so would greatly benefit more people than he could benefit by e.g. teaching Dharma. For example, participating in the repair of Fukushima nuclear station could be a great way to die for someone who has no reason to live but does not have an aptitude to teach Dharma. There are many other ways to help humanity and die a hero whose name will be on a monument, instead of becoming a topic of regret that no one wants to mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T00:50:18.420" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T00:50:18.420" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2014-09-23T05:33:49.977" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, the Buddha laid down the rule to not eat afternoon in order to reduce the burden on the laity and to help the sangha avoid a negative reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.066.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Latukikopama Sutta (MN 66)&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha said that there were many disadvantages to going for alms at night. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;that monks wandering for alms in the pitch dark of the night have&#xA;  walked into a waste-water pool, fallen into a cesspool, stumbled over&#xA;  a thorn patch, or stumbled over a sleeping cow. They have encountered&#xA;  young hooligans on the way to or from a crime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="961" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2018-01-27T15:22:36.117" LastActivityDate="2018-01-27T15:22:36.117" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3744" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-23T11:56:03.200" Score="13" ViewCount="2372" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to reconcile the evolution theory with Buddhism, or they are 2 things that simply cannot go along? In other words you have to choose one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T23:20:55.347" LastActivityDate="2021-11-08T17:44:35.083" Title="Is it possible to reconcile the evolution theory with Buddhism?" Tags="|teaching|science|evolution|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T12:26:22.653" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm really not sure what one has to do with the other.  The Buddha taught the path leading to the cessation of suffering.  Evolutionary theory explains what happens through the interplay of a given species and its surroundings.  I think the example set by the Dalai Lama is very instructive in demonstrating how a Buddhist should approach science.  He strongly embraces what science has to teach us about reality - which is what Buddhism seeks to do in it's own way.  He even goes so far as to say that if science (and by science, I understand him to mean rigorous testing and reproducible evidence) could prove an aspect of Buddhism teaching false, a Buddhist would have to side with science.  I'm really don't see anything in evolution that would impinge on the dharma.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T12:26:22.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T12:50:14.340" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist theory of evolution&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cosmology&lt;/a&gt; is covered in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. There is a article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2010/01/27/the-origin-of-life-in-the-universe-buddhist-perspective/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Origin of Life in the Universe: Buddhist Perspective&lt;/a&gt; which discusses this topic which might be of interest to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have to consider this has been handed down as a oral tradition before it was written down. So there might be variations. Having said this Buddhism can can stand the test of scientific scrutiny. Buddhism is empirical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_(Theravada)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Origin of Species&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is in complete agreement with scientific evolution. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; presents water as pre-existent to earthlike planets, with the planet forming with water and the life moving from the water onto the earth. The first life formed on the surface of the water and again, over countless millions of years, evolved from simple into complex organisms. . According to Buddhism, world systems always appear and disappear in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sourced: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2010/01/27/the-origin-of-life-in-the-universe-buddhist-perspective/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2010/01/27/the-origin-of-life-in-the-universe-buddhist-perspective/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Above is exactly what Drawin also said.&lt;/strong&gt; Though Buddhism goes beyond by describing who the whole world system formed and how biological life forms came to being from other life forms (non biological). Within the scope of biological life forms it is the same as Darwin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T15:46:58.267" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2014-09-23T13:04:20.960" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I am to chime in and add to the other answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a meditator not eating after noon is not a problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will be calming your bodily fabrication which reduces metabolism (let alone food, you will require less oxygen)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you are looking at the arising and passing away of phenomena, you will see hunger is also such a sensation, constituting of large number of Kalapas. Practicing equanimity to fabrication mean that after some time you can be equanimous towards hunger too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following Q&amp;amp;A may be of relavence: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3623/what-dietary-practices-are-most-helpful-for-reaching-enlightenment&quot;&gt;What dietary practices are most helpful for reaching enlightenment?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eating after noon would also entail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;go for alms round depriving time and effort ideally put for meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;excessive eating can lead to lethargy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;craving for the taste or eating can be a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:55:31.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3679" CreationDate="2014-09-23T14:14:15.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you commit any of the 1st 5 (panchanathariya) you still can liberate your self from Samsara. If you have committed the 5 grave offenses, you will get definite results in the next birth. Most likely result is that you will be born in Avichi Hell. (Ajasath being a exception after doing so much good after words. ) At some stage this karma will end and by practicing the Dhamma you can come out of Samsara.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you hold on to wrong views and do not practice the Dhamma. Then there is no way out of Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to practice of course your should have confidence in the teacher, the practice and your ability to practice and get results. If your faith is else where your will not practice the path leading you out of Samsara (you will be going something else instead), hence will be struck in it for ever, even though someone have done a grave offence in a part life can get enlightened in a later life getting inspired to practice the right path leading out of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T15:17:31.850" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T15:17:31.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3749" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-23T14:46:16.353" Score="3" ViewCount="393" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can one take care of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perineum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perineum&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any knowledge about this part of the body being affected by excessive sitting in meditation. I have had medical help, removal of cysts, haemorrhoids and general stiffness over my course of meditative life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a normal problem with meditators and if yes how can one take care of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About me:&#xA;I am male, late 20s(fairly young to be having problems in that region?), sit cross legged (no lotus or half lotus), use a simple block, have had a history of stomach ailments since 12 (appendicitis, liver repair, bad digestive system), currently simple wholesome diet with no meat, eggs, do not drink/smoke. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:48:33.903" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T01:53:24.120" Title="Taking care of perineum" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T14:58:15.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both Buddhism and the evolution theory agree that beings change with time. The conflicts are only in the details. Buddhism says that humans were much more pure and radiant at the beginning. Evolution theory says that humans were ugly and primitive at the start. Buddhism says, beings came to this world from another world. Evolution theory or modern science says that beings evolved from a single celled organism on earth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which one to pick is your personal choice. Some prefer to reserve judgement for various reasons. I pick &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agganna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; since I take refuge in the Buddha instead of Darwin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T15:04:22.903" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T15:04:22.903" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3749" CreationDate="2014-09-23T14:58:57.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If this is the case:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can use a stool / chair or stadium seat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can use orthopaedic cushions to added comfort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if sitting is a problem you can use another poster like lying down (don't use a cosy or luxurious bed as you will soon fall asleep. A hard surface may be best using a Yoga mat perhaps laying beaded seat cushion on top even if this causes you to fall asleep.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when meditating try to keep your attention a bit longer in this region looking at the arising and passing away of sensation equanimously. Don't think of any healing or removing discomfort. Just keep your attention on the sensations. If this is Karmic, reducing your mental reaction for sensation resulting from karma means you will not be adding fuel to the karma prolonging it's results. If you react with any thing, like disappointment if any issue pops up, being happy when something does not pop up, etc. You are adding fuel to prolonging the ailment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-23T15:05:55.773" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T15:05:55.773" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T14:59:23.583" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Evolutionists take the view that consciousness arises from a material cause. Buddhists cannot accept this. You have to divide the cause into two: the main or substantial cause and the cooperative cause. Matter can only be a cooperative cause, never the main or substantial cause for consciousness. According to the Buddhist view of evolution, there is an infinite universe. In Buddhist cosmology, any world system will go through phases. Sometimes it is destroyed, sometimes it arises, sometimes there will be gross matter, sometimes no gross matter, but really there is no beginning or end to it. And there is always subtle consciousness. So what is a sentient being? A sentient being is an entity designated upon the basis of a body and a mind, and fundamentally what is referred to by the mind here is the extremely subtle mind, which is continuous through all the cycles. Note: In the tantric Buddhist tradition of Tibet, it is regarded as possible for an accomplished practitioner to transfer his consciousness into the body of an animal that has just died if the body remains essentrially intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastEditorUserId="959" LastEditDate="2014-09-25T17:09:36.460" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T17:09:36.460" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3753" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-23T15:53:15.447" Score="3" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there's a monk without any attainment of awakening yet and a layperson with some stage of attainment (say sotapanna, anagami), what does the sutta text say about virtue of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T13:46:25.787" Title="Virtue of monk and lay ariya" Tags="|theravada|enlightenment|monk|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3753" CreationDate="2014-09-23T16:09:44.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to SN 55.7:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones reflects thus:&#xA;  'I love life and don't love death. I love happiness and abhor pain.&#xA;  Now if I — loving life and not loving death, loving happiness and&#xA;  abhorring pain — were to be killed, that would be displeasing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to me. And if I were to kill another who loves life and&#xA;  doesn't love death, who loves happiness and abhors pain, that would be&#xA;  displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to the other. What is displeasing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to me is displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others. How can I&#xA;  inflict on others what is displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me?'&#xA;  Reflecting in this way, he refrains from taking life, gets others to&#xA;  refrain from taking life, and speaks in praise of refraining from&#xA;  taking life. In this way his bodily behavior is pure in three ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, he reflects thus: 'If someone, by way of theft, were to&#xA;  take from me what I haven't given, that would be displeasing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to me... If someone were to commit adultery with my&#xA;  wives, that would be displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me... If someone&#xA;  were to damage my well-being with a lie, that would be displeasing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to me... If someone were to divide me from my friends&#xA;  with divisive speech, that would be displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to&#xA;  me... If someone were to address me with harsh speech, that would be&#xA;  displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me... If someone were to address me with&#xA;  idle chatter, that would be displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me. And if I&#xA;  were to address another with idle chatter, that would be displeasing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to the other. What is displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me is&#xA;  displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others. How can I inflict on others what&#xA;  is displeasing &amp;amp; disagreeable to me?' Reflecting in this way, he&#xA;  refrains from idle chatter, gets others to refrain from idle chatter,&#xA;  and speaks in praise of refraining from idle chatter. In this way his&#xA;  verbal behavior is pure in three ways.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to this a stream enterer will live according to the five precepts, so it follows that the same would be true of everyone above that too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the source of this quote and more info about the stream enterer I reccomend Ajahn Thanissaro's study guide that is filled with Sutta quotes on the subject here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:09:44.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3753" CreationDate="2014-09-23T16:14:17.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interpreting virtue as &quot;behavior showing high moral standards&quot;. The person with the attainments would be more virtus / morale, as monk without attainment may transgress the moral code which they live by (even any or the lay percents - some overlap with disrobing offences here also) but an attained person will have only a lesser chance of doing so depending on the level of attainment. (5 precepts being automatic from the 1st stage of sainthood. As more fetters drop more moral you become.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to respect lay people should have towards either of them, the monk should come foremost, as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All Buddha's efforts over many life times was to establish the order of monks, if it is not for this effort we will have not monks or lay people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The order institutionalizes the practice and preserves it for future generations and also is instrumental in practice, so if lay support and respect diminishes the order will decay&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks have devoted more time to practice than lay people, when time comes lay people will have to enter the order. So you should be respectful or this as monkhood aids people to gain more Karma and do better practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In balance of probability a monk will have a higher chance of attainment than a lay person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Though a monk without attainment may transgress some monastic codes they have undertaken to live by more strict standers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:14:17.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T16:39:42.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The thing about 10 000 years is mentioned as part of a long story in DN 26 about a wheel turning monarch who lived a very long time ago who passed on the throne to his son and things went wrong when he stopped caring for the poor, and as a result people started stealing, and the whole society began to degenerate into worse and worse virtue, humanity's life span began to decrease, and eventually it will be shortened to ten years of life and be plunged into great violence, some people will flee and change their ways, and their descendants begin to become better, regaining what was lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't take the story literally as even the other material given in this sutta is non-literal. For example the Buddha says that if they practice correctly things like their beauty, wealth, and power will increase, but the Buddha gives non-literal explanations of these things, being virtue, the four brahma-viharas, and liberation of the heart and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the fact is that the Buddha often used similies and stories to make a point that was non-literal. I think that this particular sutta is mostly an extended parable, with lifespan symbolizing the stage of human development. The story in this sutta is very rich with meanings when understood properly. It is a story about human nature, and about society, good governance, and the effects of widespread immorality. I think trying to demand that it only be understood literally is totally missing the point on why the Buddha would have told this story in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:39:42.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3753" CreationDate="2014-09-23T16:53:55.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An enlightened lay person is more virtuous than an unenlightened monk. Because such a lay person would be devoid of certain unvirtuous qualities which the monk would be having. But a monk with a similar attainment would be more virtuous than a lay person with a similar attainment due to the higher Sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:53:55.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2014-09-23T16:55:53.193" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&quot;&gt; Kitagiri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a tour of Kasi with a large community of monks. There he addressed the monks: &quot;I abstain from the night-time meal.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; As I am abstaining from the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, &amp;amp; a comfortable abiding. Come now. You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, &amp;amp; a comfortable abiding.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that it's hard to eat only one meal a day. Even though there's a benefit of 'lightness' after some time hunger can become trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T16:55:53.193" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T19:12:06.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There exists, for example, the notion of the &quot;kalpa&quot;: which Buddhism may have inherited from Vedism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it were true that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a kalpa is 4 billion years&lt;/a&gt;, and that the age of the earth is about 4 billion years, and that there have been several kalpas of existence, does that imply that ... Buddhism describes life on another (previous) planet?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other religions, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/28968&quot;&gt;Judaism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/16415/2703&quot;&gt;Christianity&lt;/a&gt;, permit their members to view their &quot;book of Genesis' as a metaphor; or as being informative on some subjects (e.g. the sequence of creation, light before matter, sea before land, land before animals) while not 'literally' true in other ways (e.g. that the world was created in 6 &quot;days&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If some Buddhist texts and modern cosmology disagree, I don't think that's important: because IMO the reason why Buddhism is important is not because of what it says about cosmology.&#xA;If I want to know how to mend my computer, I expect to read a modern book on that subject, not an ancient book. Similarly, if I want to learn more about the modern theory of evolution, I don't expect to find that in an ancient text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I can assume is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha lived about 7000 years ago&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha's teaching was insightful (into man's relation with the world), helpful (for people relating with the world), and general (useful to anyone who is able to understand and apply it)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Human beings (we, the human species) have not changed/evolved so much in the last 7000 years that the Buddha's teaching is no longer relevant to us.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would not be sensible to reject all Buddhist doctrine, just because its texts include one or two details that don't jibe with modern science: and especially when those texts are unimportant to the Buddhist doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parable of the Poisoned Arrow&lt;/a&gt; makes it very clear what's important:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Live the holy life with me&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Questions answered by evolution (i.e. &quot;On the Origin of Species&quot;) seem to me more academic, less personal: i.e. &quot;not connected with the goal, not fundamental to the holy life; they do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding.&quot; In other words, it's unrelated to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta#Digging_Deeper_Into_the_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on the Agganna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that the main purpose of that Sutta is to stand in contrast to some brahminical claims about the caste system, and in contrast to a specific Vedic hymn. If so then perhaps that Agganna Sutta was skillful then, at the time when it was written, and for that audience, but not intended/important for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evolution theory and Buddhism don't need to be reconciled because they're different subjects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Evolution theory talks about how species evolve, for example because of competitive pressure (survival of the fittest) combined with inheritance of semi-random genetic mutation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist theory talks about personal suffering, attachment, cessation, and a path of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:46:45.550" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T19:12:06.550" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3744" CreationDate="2014-09-23T23:23:48.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't the question really asking is science and Buddhism compatible or are they like oil and water, never finding common ground?&#xA;Buddhism teaches that all sentient beings can eventually be free. This process called evolution has led to self-conscious beings with the potential to evolve and awaken into what Buddhists call awakened consciousness.&#xA;What science also says is that 4% of the universe is visible. And 96% is dark matter or energy that is not visible and is unknowable with the mind. The problem is that science is a theoretical field and Buddhism has many certainties in its teachings. However some branches of Buddhism introduce the concept of uncertainty. This very much corresponds to the 96% unseen part of the universe. So if we use the intellect we are only capable of describing the visible universe. &#xA;Buddhism seems to imply that the seen is not the power of the universe, but the unknown is the source of uncertainty and power.&#xA;Getting back to evolution, it describes the visual universe. Buddhism does not deny evolution as the Dalai Lama tries to reconcile religion and Buddhism, but Buddhism goes far beyond the theory of evolution because it infers the existence of awareness not subject to the laws of form.&#xA;Science and Buddhism look at existence and non-existence with different lens, but one does not exclude the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T23:23:48.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3753" CreationDate="2014-09-23T23:32:30.553" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The one who does not judge virtue is more virtuous. How can we know the inner intentions and experiences of another person? Each one is a Buddha waiting to be revealed. If one judges another, one identifies with outer appearances that one judges. This is an impediment to awakening that is not dependent on gaining virtue or merit, but on releasing and being free of identification with the self based in form as one primary identity.&#xA;If you asked Dogen this question how do you think he will answer? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-23T23:32:30.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3762" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-24T12:12:27.240" Score="11" ViewCount="2124" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a married person who does not have children ordain if he has the consent of his parents? Does his wife has to give permission? How much contact should he keep with his wife after he ordains?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="968" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T13:48:48.023" LastActivityDate="2019-01-10T08:10:12.323" Title="How should a married person get ordained in Theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3762" CreationDate="2014-09-24T12:39:17.537" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Married people can ordain. Ideally you should get permission from your wife also though not explicitly required. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to limit the relationship to that of any other woman. I.e,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;no physical contact or being alone with her&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;no flirting or anything such talk&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should not get involved in any of her worldly problem like providing for her though you can make the arrangements beforehand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally you should break ties of being your wife or special or significant other but still can be friends treating her like a friend or sister. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your parents live you have to get their permission. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See the following for more information on the process: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T12:58:43.010" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T12:58:43.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3753" CreationDate="2014-09-24T13:46:25.787" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monasticism is a vehicle, not a destination; simply putting on the robes doesn't make one more virtuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk without any attainment whatsoever is not worth being called a monk. A true monk is defined by their attainments, as per the Dhammapada (Buddharakkhita, trans):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9.&lt;/strong&gt; Whoever being depraved, devoid of self-control and truthfulness, should don the monk’s yellow robe, he surely is not worthy of the robe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;362&lt;/strong&gt;. He who has control over his hands, feet and tongue; who is fully controlled, delights in inward development, is absorbed in meditation, keeps to himself and is contented — him do people call a monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;367.&lt;/strong&gt; He who has no attachment whatsoever for the mind and body, who does not grieve for what he has not — he is truly called a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is corrupt, they are not considered worthy of being called a recluse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;184.&lt;/strong&gt; Enduring patience is the highest austerity. &quot;Nibbana is supreme,&quot; say the Buddhas. He is not a true monk who harms another, nor a true renunciate who oppresses others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also relevant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;260.&lt;/strong&gt; A monk is not an elder because his head is gray. He is but ripe in age, and he is called one grown old in vain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;261.&lt;/strong&gt; One in whom there is truthfulness, virtue, inoffensiveness, restraint and self-mastery, who is free from defilements and is wise — he is truly called an Elder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;307.&lt;/strong&gt; There are many evil characters and uncontrolled&#xA;  men wearing the saffron robe. These wicked men&#xA;  will be born in states of woe because of their evil&#xA;  deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;394.&lt;/strong&gt; What is the use of your matted hair, O witless&#xA;  man? What of your garment of antelope’s hide?&#xA;  Within you is the tangle (of passion); only out-&#xA;  wardly do you cleanse yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;395.&lt;/strong&gt; The person who wears a robe made of rags, who&#xA;  is lean, with veins showing all over the body, and&#xA;  who meditates alone in the forest – him do I call&#xA;  a holy man&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, there is a little-known but pithy passage in the Sutta Nipata (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ireland/wheel082.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vv. 220-221; Ireland, trans&lt;/a&gt;) where the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These two ways of life are not the same:&#xA;  that of a householder supporting a wife&#xA;  and one without worldly attachments...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a peacock never approaches the swiftness&#xA;  of a swan, so a householder cannot imitate a&#xA;  bhikkhu, a hermit meditating in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this only applies if all else (i.e. their practice and attainments) is equal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T13:46:25.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3762" CreationDate="2014-09-24T14:04:19.293" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;A married &lt;em&gt;man&lt;/em&gt; need not ask his wife for permission. Even the permission from one's parents was once disregarded by Sariputta (in ordaining Revata). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the rules (Pāc. 80), though, a woman has to get permission from her husband. This seems to be a carry-over from patriarchal Indian society. I would suggest that in societies where woman are seen as equals to their husbands rather than property, this rule should be broken. I know this isn't the direction of your question, but just for the sake of completeness, the point of the rule was that angry husbands posed a threat to the sangha (I was almost beaten in modern day Sri Lanka by one such jealous husband for ordaining his wife).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you are confining your question to men wanting to become bhikkhus, there is no requirement for consent from one's wife. Examples of married men becoming monks (ostensibly without the permission of their wives) are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/r/ratthapala.htm&quot;&gt;Ratthapāla&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/maha/mahakala.htm&quot;&gt;Culakāla and Mahākāla&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/y/yasa.htm&quot;&gt;Yasa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that having children is not a barrier to ordination (for women either).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for contact between spouses after ordaining, the answer is pretty obvious; the spouse should be treated as any other lay person, though special care should be taken not to fall back into attachment with them. The story of Maha and Cula Kala is instructive in this regard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T16:15:20.500" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T16:15:20.500" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3766" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-24T14:34:58.663" Score="8" ViewCount="804" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been to Christian weddings (American), Jewish weddings, and Hindu weddings, but I have no idea what a traditional Buddhist wedding looks like.  I realize that there are probably differences between the different sects of Buddhism, but are there any common cultural threads?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="201" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T05:52:47.117" Title="What does a traditional Buddhist wedding look like?" Tags="|marriage|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3552" CreationDate="2014-09-24T16:00:01.143" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The psychology of C. G. Jung who wrote a preface to &lt;strong&gt;Bardo Thodol&lt;/strong&gt; (The Tibetan Buddhist Book of the Dead) may explain the &lt;em&gt;deja vu&lt;/em&gt; experience as restimulation of experiences of the collective unconscious in the &lt;em&gt;bardo&lt;/em&gt; interval between death and the next rebirth, that he called &quot;archetypes&quot; or universal prototypes for ideas. However before drawing such a conclusion, know that the &lt;strong&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (Majjhima Nikaya 2) warns against questions which are seen as &quot;unwise reflection&quot; and lead to attachment to views relating to a self. They include: Did I exist in the past? Did I not exist in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T16:00:01.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3766" CreationDate="2014-09-24T16:13:04.613" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are more inherent with the local culture and customs than to do with Buddhism. So they might change from region to region and country to country. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The is no Buddhist wedding as such though some elements of Buddhism are incorporated like hymns (Jayamangala Gatha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-25T05:52:47.117" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T05:52:47.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3766" CreationDate="2014-09-24T17:21:20.883" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here in Sri Lanka, the couple go to a Buddhist temple to get the blessings before or after the marriage ceremony. The festivities are mostly cultural. But if you really want to do it the Buddhist way, don't serve liquor or kill animals for your wedding. Also, don't get into debt just to make the ceremony grand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T17:30:15.280" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T17:30:15.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3770" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-24T17:27:39.093" Score="8" ViewCount="985" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have a comprehensive side by side reference to Suttas numbering from different edition (PTS, VRI, etc.) of the Tripitaka? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have trouble with reconciliation of certain references to the Sutta names. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-05T05:36:10.110" LastActivityDate="2020-08-06T07:02:18.213" Title="Tripitaka Section Numbering" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3771" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3774" CreationDate="2014-09-24T18:02:25.350" Score="5" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;When making good Kamma, there is a clear Buddhist element on it, for instance: If you give food to a Paccekabuddha you will receive greater benefits, suppoting the Sangha creates more merit than supporting another organized group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when receiving the vipaka (consequences) of the good Kamma, things get confuse... some results of good kamma are wealth and beauty, things that will only make it harder for one to renounce the world, things that essencialy create attachment, so looking from that side, I believe one can argue that the results of good Kamma in the human realm have nothing to do with Buddhism, being born as a humble person, in a poor Buddhist country, not necessarily beautiful, would be a better result from a Buddhist's perspective!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, are the results of good Kamma something dangerous and misleading? Or did I misunderstood it? Is it dangerous to create a lot of positive Kamma constantly? Any discourse mentioned it and how to deal with it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T20:04:44.973" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T03:16:54.920" Title="Are the results of positive Kamma good from a Buddhist's perspective or good from a &quot;Samsaric's&quot; perspective?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3766" CreationDate="2014-09-24T18:04:29.623" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A marriage is something that increases attachments to this world, and Buddhism encourages to go in the other direction on reducing attachments. So, Buddhist monks or Buddhist monasteries do not play any role in marriages at least in Theravada. Of course, the monks would give their blessing to the couple as in any other special occasion in their life when they visit the monastery before or after the marraige, as mentioned by Sankha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Weddings are taken according to local customs of the people involved in it. The closest that happens to a religious activity during a wedding is the chanting of paritta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithri.com/Buddhist_Paritta_Chanting/Stanzas_of_Victory_and_Blessing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jayamangala Gatha&lt;/a&gt; as a blessing to the couple. This is also performed by lay people. Another influence of Buddhism in a marriage I would say is that the couple would bow to the parents as you would bow to a monk or a Buddha statue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently in Sri Lanka there were some attempts to have weddings in a temple, and it got criticized by monks and the public (I don't know the current situation though).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T18:04:29.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3773" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3789" CreationDate="2014-09-24T19:10:31.887" Score="5" ViewCount="610" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the main texts that are studied in the Tiratna Buddhist Community? Is there a generally recommended core set of books to read, and what are the main canonical texts studied?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T20:23:52.707" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:35:46.337" Title="Tiratna Buddhist Community Curriculum" Tags="|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3771" CreationDate="2014-09-24T19:35:25.213" Score="5" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Are the results of good Kamma something dangerous and misleading?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Positive karma, conditioned by ignorance is dangerous and misleading because it helps to extend the samsara . Good and bad karma appear in dependant origination in two places as &lt;strong&gt;Formations&lt;/strong&gt; (Saṅkhāra) and &lt;strong&gt;Being&lt;/strong&gt; (Bhava). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Formations are divided into &lt;strong&gt;meritorious&lt;/strong&gt; (Puññābhisaṅkhāro), demeritorious (apuññābhisaṅkhāro), and imperturbable (āneñjābhisaṅkhāro) deeds or volitional actions of body, speech, and mind which is a cause for Consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tattha katame avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā? &lt;strong&gt;Puññābhisaṅkhāro&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  apuññābhisaṅkhāro, āneñjābhisaṅkhāro, kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro,&#xA;  cittasaṅkhāro&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/abh02m.mul5.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/abh02m.mul5.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being (Bhava), which conditioned by clinging, can be further divided as kammabhava and upapattibhava. Kammabhava is again &lt;strong&gt;meritorious&lt;/strong&gt;, demeritorious, and imperturbable (Jhana) things we do. Here, Kammabhava is a cause for Upapattibhava (different realms) and Birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tattha katamo upādānapaccayā bhavo? Bhavo duvidhena – atthi&#xA;  kammabhavo, atthi upapattibhavo. Tattha katamo kammabhavo?&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Puññābhisaṅkhāro&lt;/strong&gt;, apuññābhisaṅkhāro, āneñjābhisaṅkhāro – ayaṃ vuccati&#xA;  ‘‘kammabhavo’’. Sabbampi bhavagāmikammaṃ kammabhavo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/abh02m.mul5.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/abh02m.mul5.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From dependant origination, it is evident that the meritorious acts or good karma (conditioned by ignorance and clinging) and there results play vital roles in turning the wheel of life and extending our samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Any discourse mentioned it and how to deal with it?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 9 Sariputta thera mentions about &lt;strong&gt;Formations&lt;/strong&gt; and how to deal with it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;61&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When, friends, a noble disciple understands formations, the origin of formations, the cessation of formations, and the way leading&#xA;  to the cessation of formations, in that way he is one of right view...&#xA;  and has arrived at this true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And what are formations, what is the origin of formations, what is the cessation of formations, what is the way leading to the&#xA;  cessation of formations? There are these three kinds of formations:&#xA;  the bodily formation, the verbal formation, the mental formation. With&#xA;  the arising of ignorance there is the arising of formations. With the&#xA;  cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of formations. The way&#xA;  leading to the cessation of formations is just this Noble Eightfold&#xA;  Path; that is, right view... right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When a noble disciple has thus understood formations, the origin of formations, the cessation of formations, and the way leading to the&#xA;  cessation of formations... he here and now makes an end of suffering.&#xA;  In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view... and has&#xA;  arrived at this true Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;about &lt;strong&gt;Being&lt;/strong&gt; and how to deal with it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;29&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;When, friends, a noble disciple understands being, the origin of being, the cessation of being, and the way leading to the cessation of&#xA;  being, in that way he is one of right view... and has arrived at this&#xA;  true Dhamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And what is being, what is the origin of being, what is the cessation of being, what is the way leading to the cessation of being?&#xA;  There are these three kinds of being: sense-sphere being,&#xA;  fine-material being and immaterial being. With the arising of clinging&#xA;  there is the arising of being. With the cessation of clinging there is&#xA;  the cessation of being. The way leading to the cessation of being is&#xA;  just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view... right&#xA;  concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;When a noble disciple has thus understood being, the origin of being, the cessation of being, and the way leading to the cessation of&#xA;  being... he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a&#xA;  noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true&#xA;  Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of this, I believe it is better to be born in a place where you can hear the Dhamma, rather than extending the samsara by doing positive or negative kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-24T21:22:41.263" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T21:22:41.263" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3775" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-24T22:22:49.520" Score="13" ViewCount="10025" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although it has been claimed that meditation does help in several ways, I have read on the Internet that there are cases where psychotic episodes, schizophrenia and suicide tendencies arise after meditation retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where I have read that this has happened is in Goenka's Vipassana retreats, which are 10 days long retreats. In particular, the only way to start at Goenka's retreats is first with a 10 days retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did one of those retreats without any unhealthy consequences, but I do confess that during the retreat I was kind of 'watching' myself to avoid any unhealthy episode.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any explanation to this unhealthy responses to meditation retreats?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it clear why this happens?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any way to minimize chances to get that wrong ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In articles of Vipassana Research Institute it is kind of stated that the main source of this problems is that meditators have tried 'other traditions'. Is this a credible &lt;strong&gt;scientific&lt;/strong&gt; answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some references I found on the web:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zensydney.com/Mental-Health-and-Intensive-Meditation-Retreats&quot;&gt;Mental Health and Intensive Meditation Retreats&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/108125&quot;&gt;Meditation-Induced Psychosis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mcgill.ca/wholepersoncare/sites/mcgill.ca.wholepersoncare/files/P.Dobkin_2012.pdf&quot;&gt;For Whom May Participation in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program be Contraindicated?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=1&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CCgQFjAA&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atpweb.org%2Fjtparchive%2Ftrps-13-81-02-137.pdf&amp;amp;ei=nfEjVMmQAoj8ygPlg4HoAg&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNEhGcMADDWlh9-nfF-2Jp0AztKbeA&amp;amp;sig2=tGesfP1PNi_BINLjOxplnQ&amp;amp;bvm=bv.76247554,d.bGQ&quot;&gt;Psychiatric Complications of Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://downthecrookedpath-meditation-gurus.blogspot.de/2012/03/terrible-and-traumatic-experience-at.html&quot;&gt;Terrible and Traumatic Experience at Goenka Retreat&lt;/a&gt; This one is quite an informal blog. I have found that it is frequently cited.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://livingvipassana.blogspot.de/2007/06/potential-downside-to-vipassana.html&quot;&gt;The Potential Downside To Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. Again, an informal blog.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:47:47.483" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T14:04:51.513" Title="When meditation goes wrong" Tags="|vipassana|science|meditation-insight|well-being|suicide|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-24T23:06:47.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would be extremely suspicious of claims that. As a general rule of thumb, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Saying that meditation can cause psychosis sounds like a pretty big claim to me, so I'm inclined to set that aside until there is some solid evidence to back it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of so called 'unusual' things can happen during meditation, but I wouldn't call any of them psychotic breaks by any means. The most common thing is for people to see things like lights during seated meditation or to have sudden waves of goosebumps, and occasionally you can have sensations of falling or body parts vanishing or moving. For some people there are stages when things feel unfamiliar or strange for a while, but these experiences fade away as long as you keep practicing correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-09-24T23:06:47.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-24T23:32:10.547" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As this is a science driven question I will try to give a science driven answer first and then an additional comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People can have a nervous breakdown anywhere, watching TV, in a elevator, working out... I can find no scientific evidence that meditation can create such thing, I can say that for 2 reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- As far as I'm aware there is no group analysis or long term study on meditators (comparing to a non meditators group) to support that claim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- As far as I'm aware, there is no scientific evidence coming from reliable source or based on brain scans that might even suggest that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That was the scientific answer from my point of view, based on my experience and limited knowledge of the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now comes the problem........meditation don't create problems, but can bring them to surface and make you deal with them, so it is strongly advised to meditate under a teacher specially if you have big traumas and issues, they can all come up strong during meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-09-25T18:03:44.447" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T18:03:44.447" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-25T00:28:49.013" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the question should be reworded to, if someone has a psychological breakdown, permanent or temporary, is this caused by the meditation retreat or is this a consequence of this person being vulnerable or unready to dive into the depths of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I know people that have bawled their eyes out for a two day retreat, I did not see them blaming the retreat or meditation. In fact they went back to their life with no apparent damage. Knowing what you are ready for is part of being a good student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An organization that does not give a novice shorter possible retreats may have overlooked that we are not all at the stage and some of us are not ready for a 10 day retreat. Friends have told me that they meditated on a daily basis for a year or two before they felt they were ready for a longer retreat.&#xA;The real problem with longer retreats is that our crutches get taken away and we may find ourselves in unfamiliar places that we could interpret as scary. Some people have developed the observer to the point where this is no big deal. Others clutch themselves in the fetal position and find themselves thrown into uncharted territory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a modernist with the belief that we should not put people in situations they are not prepared for. This is not a way for a wise teacher to proceed in my opinion. If you sign up for a teacher or method that is very strict and inflexible, one should expect to endure a testing of greater proportions.&#xA;Let's not blame meditation, let's reexamine those who throw people untested into extreme situations without a safety valve and those who throw themselves blindly into retreats when they are not ready to face or accept the reduction or shrinking of the personal self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T14:04:51.513" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T14:04:51.513" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3771" CreationDate="2014-09-25T00:35:05.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another way to proceed is to go past doing deeds for good kamma and avoiding others to simply improve our karmic condition. When the intent is to affect the personal self rather than work for the betterment of all sentient beings, the seeds of personal self are cast and sprout and bear fruit.&#xA;Doing what we feel is right action is commendable. Holding the intention that we are getting better or improving our situation is a side road that detours us from the direct road to conscious action. If we align our intentions then the path to awakening is simpler.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T00:35:05.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3773" CreationDate="2014-09-25T00:40:14.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is much material available that describes these practices such as&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/system/files/groups/files/Triratna%20Resource%20Pack%20for%20Newcomers%20-%20texts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/system/files/groups/files/Triratna%20Resource%20Pack%20for%20Newcomers%20-%20texts.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a brief summary&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Triratna Buddhist Order and Community is a worldwide movement of&#xA;  women and men living by the Buddha’s teachings in the conditions of&#xA;  the modern world. Neither monastic nor lay, we are simply Buddhists,&#xA;  at varying stages of commitment and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Triratna is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘Three Jewels’: the Buddha, Dharma&#xA;  (his teachings) and Sangha (the community of all those who follow the&#xA;  teachings). The founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order, &#xA;  Sangharakshita, considers the defining act of a Buddhist to be Going&#xA;  for Refuge to these Three Jewels. This is the central principle or&#xA;  orientation of the Triratna Buddhist Community and everything we do.&#xA;  At our Buddhist Centres we teach meditation, study the Buddha’s&#xA;  teaching together, engage with the Arts, support each other through&#xA;  life, and engage in our local communities. We also promote projects in&#xA;  which Buddhists can live and work together, and explore how to turn&#xA;  our work into a spiritual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are searching for a center near you&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/triratna-around-world&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/triratna-around-world&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T00:40:14.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3781" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3784" CreationDate="2014-09-25T02:36:18.753" Score="4" ViewCount="2693" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that we can make great Karma by offering Flowers,candles,incense,food,robes and other things for the Buddha statue thinking as if the Buddha is alive. &#xA;But whenever I do offer these things my mind says &quot;The Buddha is not there to receive this.And this is not the proper way to pay respect for the Buddha. The proper way is to try to be mindful and try to be free from the defilement in the mind.&quot; &#xA;Am I cultivating bad thoughts by thinking this way? What is the proper way to think when we offer these things to the Buddha statue? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="971" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:51:04.917" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T21:51:04.917" Title="Amisa pooja for Buddha" Tags="|personal-practice|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3771" CreationDate="2014-09-25T03:16:54.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though the final goal is unconditioned, then path leading to the final goal is conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to get our of Samsara you need a store of good karma (Parami) this would create the ideal conditions for you to practice and attain the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T03:16:54.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-25T03:51:12.340" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Things can go wrong in meditation. Some of the are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are not equanimous, i.e., you are reacting to different situation thus creating negativity. This can accumulate to an extent this might be very dangerous.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The basis of your meditation is greed, hatred or delusion. There are some techniques where the basis is this hence can easily go wrong. You have to be very careful and have a teacher to guide you if you do this type of meditation. E.g. in Kasina meditation you develop some attachment to the device. This should be very subtle but incorrectly practicing this can lead to an imbalance. In foulness meditation if you practice too much you might become polar to the other end where you even dislike your self and attempt suicide. This has happened in Buddha's time also.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation you are area of different fears and other phobias and you closely be aware of them. This can result in imbalance of the mind if you are not strong and steadfastly equanimous. This can start tipping you over to the wrong direction.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you strive way too hard always mindful of your progress and what you achieve you are continuously creating negativity hence you can fall into depression and anxiety. You should always do meditation for without attachment to the outcome or progress. You have to be balanced and equanimous.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are trying to concentrate too much. This leads to disappointment when you fail. You are then accumulating negativity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation brings new experiences and sensations. If you react to them will cause problems as you are creating negativity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should be mindful of any polarity you have (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na#Meditation_subjects_and_temperaments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;temperament&lt;/a&gt;) you have and be sure you stop a particular type of samatha meditation when you are neutral if you do samatha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have be be extremely mindful of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; and further be mindful that no &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanha&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upadana&lt;/a&gt; is in play. Sometimes you might be inadvertently developing some of these. If this continues you will go out of control so make sure you are on track. E.g. if something you are doing meditation is making you irritated, if you do not notice it soon enough and make amends to properly practice this will become stronger and can lead to depression. If you have doubts you this will have proliferation of thinking and logic followed by restlessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have to be equanimous when &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankara&lt;/a&gt; comes up. Meditation shakes up &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankara&lt;/a&gt;. This means if you have something like mild depression, the intensity of this will also increase, as more and more &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankara&lt;/a&gt; comes up. The plus side is sooner it passes away better you become as this will eventually pass away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also we have built in to our self some form of ego defence mechanisms. Letting go of ego or perception of I or self can also cause lot of trauma. Best is to stay put, being equanimous and without reacting as reacting will cause more conditioning. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is needed to be done is (&lt;strong&gt;so things don't go wrong&lt;/strong&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to always be equanimous&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have the &lt;strong&gt;right&lt;/strong&gt; concentration and awareness, i.e., not based in a slightest trace of attachment, hate, delusion and always be mindful of the arising and passing of sensation with 1) not reaction (equanimous) 2) looking at the 3 marks of existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;stick to Sathipattana and Anapana if you do not have a well experienced teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;alway be mightful where any negativity arises even in meditation, i.e., you reaction to sensation / feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensation / feeling&lt;/a&gt; is as part of us (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt;), it also appears in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 noble truths&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt; is also a feeling), &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;. If you do not give adequate emphasis to this then you might not be practicing the right type of awareness or concentration. (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel#23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā in the Practice of Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One VRI reference I found where other techniques were discouraged: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en2014-09&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;My experiences with Goenkaji&lt;/a&gt;. Here what is discouraged is the practice of Mantra and Tantra in the same time as practicing Vipassana. Though statistical / clinical trials may have not been done to the extent of drug approvals, this perception may have been formed based on experience. So to avoid danger it is best to accept it at face value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Importance-of-Vedana-and-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3774/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3774/295&lt;/a&gt; to question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3771/are-the-results-of-positive-kamma-good-from-a-buddhists-perspective-or-good-fro/3774&quot;&gt;Are the results of positive Kamma good from a Buddhist&amp;#39;s perspective or good from a &amp;quot;Samsaric&amp;#39;s&amp;quot; perspective?&lt;/a&gt; (unrelated but might be of some insight)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3425/what-can-go-wrong-in-mindfulness-therapy-as-used-in-clinics&quot;&gt;What can go wrong in Mindfulness Therapy as used in Clinics?&lt;/a&gt; (Related question)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T03:59:57.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3781" CreationDate="2014-09-25T04:36:45.903" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both are ways to show respect for the Buddha. Offerings are a lesser way compared with the practice of Sila, Samadhi, and Panna, but you do not have to choose between the two. You can develop the path and also make offerings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to make offerings is to make your offering be endowed with the three factors you have control over. The Buddha once taught that there are six factors that affect the merit of an offering, three of which are determined by the giver's mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, the lay woman Velukandaki, Nanda's mother, has established a&#xA;  donation endowed with six factors for the community of monks headed by&#xA;  Sariputta &amp;amp; Moggallana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is a donation endowed with six factors? There is the case&#xA;  where there are the three factors of the donor, the three factors of&#xA;  the recipients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And which are the three factors of the donor? There is the case where&#xA;  the donor, before giving, is glad; while giving, his/her mind is&#xA;  bright &amp;amp; clear; and after giving is gratified. These are the three&#xA;  factors of the donor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And which are the three factors of the recipients? There is the case&#xA;  where the recipients are free of passion or are practicing for the&#xA;  subduing of passion; free of aversion or practicing for the subduing&#xA;  of aversion; and free of delusion or practicing for the subduing of&#xA;  delusion. These are the three factors of the recipients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Such are the three factors of the donor, the three factors of the&#xA;  recipients. And this is how a donation is endowed with six factors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.037.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.037.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, before giving have a joyous mind, have a mind that is bright and clear during the offering, and be pleased with the offering once you have made it. This is the best way to make offerings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-09-25T13:42:32.290" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T13:42:32.290" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3781" CreationDate="2014-09-25T05:29:04.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The proper way is to try to be mindful and try to be free from the defilement in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way is to do do Puja to the triple get is through the practice of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha spent many life times doing paramis to teach us the Dhamma. So the best Puja is for us to practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st we should learn the dhamma. When you listen to a Sutta if you get any stage of sainthood, congratulation, as these only a few of such people with little dust in their eyes. Many of us do not. This is because have have not fully understood that the Buddha ment through these words. With out understanding the intended meaning we have imposed our own meaning or our imperfect view on what this is. (What ever we see at the experiential level is what the Buddha intended to teach us.) All is not lost as that is how many of us start. It is through practice that you can understand the true meaning of the words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said before the Buddha had gone through much suffering over many lives to deliver us his message. We should strive hard to understand this at the experiential level. This is the best Puja we can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not condemning Amisha Puja. This serves a purpose. This is like the bark of a tree. Without it the Sasana will not survive. For a person this is what initially draws one to the temple to learn and the practice. But practice should always follow, i.e., start with Amisha Puja and progress to Prathipati Puja.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T05:29:04.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-25T09:14:45.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any reasons to make such claims? Links? References?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People can experience certain states of consciousness during meditation which could be described as dream like states, and clinically they are probably nothing more than lucid dreams... But there is absolutely no evidence for it to have any negative side effects. In fact, mindfulness courses are considered to be helpful for people with psychosis and suicidal tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25218397&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25218397&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24785766&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24785766&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it's not helpful for anyone dealing with psychological problems themselves that are looking into something like meditation to find some completely unfounded claims on a forum about someone that &quot;read something somewhere on the internet&quot; which can lead people, in particular with anxiety, to not do something that is very well proven to be beneficial for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="973" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T09:14:45.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3781" CreationDate="2014-09-25T14:27:21.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To honor the Buddha one should be mindful, be aware of body &amp;amp; mind. One shouldn't try to think or try not to think but be aware of the thinking itself and then be aware of whatever experience that is  appropriate after that. Practice is the best pooja.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T14:27:21.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3775" CreationDate="2014-09-25T14:46:57.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has right view or partiality to no view then most &quot;threats&quot; that happen in the course of practice would be transcended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-09-25T14:46:57.030" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3773" CreationDate="2014-09-25T18:34:47.153" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing with the Triaratna Community for over 7 years and over that time I've been through a fair number of texts with various study groups. I'll try to summarise the most relevant texts here but different order members/centres certainly have their favourites so someone else in the community might give a slightly different list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a bit of background, the Triratna Community is an eclectic school so our texts come from all the branches of Buddhism.  However the founder Sangharakshita studied and practiced Buddhism in the 1950s in northern India around the time that there was an exodus of Tibetan lamas from Tibet. So in practice the texts we study tend to be influenced by Tibetan or Theravadan traditions. Zen and Chinese Buddhism in general is under represented. Not that we think there is anything wrong with those texts but the history of the movement means we have less exposure to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the texts we study tend to be either from the Pali Canon or Mahayana texts (transmitted by his contact with Tibetan lamas I think) or texts that Sangharakshita himself has written. We run a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/study/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four year study course&lt;/a&gt; (which I've done part of) which covers the main principles and texts so a browse through that would give you a flavour but I will attempt to summarise the main ones &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pali Canon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Middle Length Discourses generally but more specifically from the pali canon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana sutta&lt;/a&gt; Some of our studying material for this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/study/yeartwofiles/Students/Year%20Two,%20Module%207%20-%20The%20Way%20of%20Mindfulness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati sutta&lt;/a&gt;. There is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/browse?sim=OM761&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;excellent (and free) talk&lt;/a&gt; by an order member on this if you are interested how it is taught in the Triratna Community.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;. Some of our studying material for this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/study/yearthreefiles/Students/Year%20Three,%20Module%201%20-%20Letters%20of%20Gold,%20Letters%20of%20Fire,%20Living%20with%20the%20Dhammapada.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Udana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/a&gt;. We chant this during our main ritual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Diamond Sutra&lt;/a&gt;. This is the first sutra read by Sangharakshita when he was 15. It was then he knew he was a Buddhist.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Light_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Golden Light Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Guide_to_the_Bodhisattva%27s_Way_Of_Life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhicaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0140193502&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Life of Milarepa&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are a great many books by Sangharakshita which are studied and referenced. If someone was interested I would probably recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3320271-who-is-the-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Who is the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetail.asp?PID=7463&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is the Dharma&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6487331-what-is-the-sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is the Sangha&lt;/a&gt; as a good entry point into his thinking. When people are becoming ordained the read and study his book The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetail.asp?PID=1072&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Survey of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; which is where he first put his ideas down. It's a dense read though so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it unless you were very interested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've just come across this very comprehensive book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/shop/lokabandhu/puja-readings-and-other-texts-as-used-in-the-triratna-buddhist-community/hardcover/product-21435684.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Puja Readings and Other Texts as used in the Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt;, which details all the texts used by the Triratna movement. As well as been a good reference to the Triratna curriculum, I'd recommend it as a good general anthology of Buddhist texts covering Theravadan, Mahayana and Tibetan sources. Certainly worth a look if anyone is interested and reasonably priced I think. It weighs in a mighty 700 pages plus so there is a lot of reading for your money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T13:35:46.337" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:35:46.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3534" CreationDate="2014-09-26T01:19:51.440" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This story seems similar to the one for which you search&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/disciples14.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/disciples14.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;100&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Modesty, in particular, was evident in Hatthaka's character. While some take great pride in their wealth or are motivated by&#xA;  self-aggrandisement to convert others to the Dharma, Hatthaka was&#xA;  always quiet and unassuming. He did all he could to interest people in&#xA;  the Dharma purely out of concern for them, not to make a name for&#xA;  himself. On another occasion, when the monks told Hatthaka that the&#xA;  Buddha had praised his many good qualities, he said, &quot;I hope there&#xA;  were no lay people present when the Lord did this.&quot; The monks assured&#xA;  him that there were none and later when they told this to the Buddha,&#xA;  he said, &quot;Well done, well done. That man is genuinely modest. He does&#xA;  not like his good qualities to be known by others. Modesty is another&#xA;  of Hatthaka's good qualities.&quot;[ N10 ]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As background the following are present on the same page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;ol start=&quot;98&quot;&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;Another eminent lay disciple was Hatthaka of Alavi, a son of the ruler of Alavi. Hatthaka first met the Buddha as he was walking one&#xA;    winter evening. Surprised to see this lone ascetic in just one thin&#xA;    robe and sleeping on the hard ground, Hatthaka asked the Buddha, &quot;Are&#xA;    you happy?&quot; The Buddha replied, &quot;Yes, I am happy.&quot; &quot;But sir,&quot; Hatthaka&#xA;    asked, &quot;the ground is hard and the wind is cold, how can you be&#xA;    happy?&quot; The Buddha asked: &quot;Despite living in a cosy, well-thatched&#xA;    house, with a comfortable bed and two wives to look after him, is it&#xA;    possible that due to greed, anger, fear or ambition that a man might&#xA;    feel unhappy?&quot; &quot;Yes,&quot; answered Hatthaka, &quot;that is quite possible.&quot;&#xA;    &quot;Well,&quot; said the Buddha, &quot;I have got rid of all greed, anger, fear and&#xA;    ambition, so whether I sleep here or in a cosy house, I am always&#xA;    happy, always very happy.[ N8 ]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;99&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Hatthaka was famous not so much for his generosity or his knowledge of Dharma, but for his ability to attract people to the&#xA;  Dharma. Once he brought five hundred people, all obviously keen to&#xA;  practise the Dharma, to see the Buddha who asked him: &quot;How do you&#xA;  manage to interest so many people in the Dharma?&quot; Hatthaka answered:&#xA;  &quot;Lord, I do it by using the four bases of sympathy, which you yourself&#xA;  taught me. When I know that someone can be attracted by generosity, I&#xA;  am generous. When I know that they can be attracted by kind words, I&#xA;  speak to them with kindness. When I know that they can be attracted by&#xA;  doing them a good turn, I do them a good turn, and when I know they&#xA;  can be attracted by treating them equally, I treat them with&#xA;  equality.&quot; Obviously, when people attended talks on Dharma organised&#xA;  by Hatthaka, they always received a warm personal welcome that made&#xA;  them feel liked and respected, and so they would come again, gradually&#xA;  getting interested in the Dharma. The Buddha praised Hatthaka for his&#xA;  skill. &quot;Well done, Hatthaka, well done, this is the way to attract&#xA;  people.&quot; After Hatthaka had left, the Buddha said to the monks:&#xA;  &quot;Consider it true that Hatthaka of Alavi is possessed of these eight&#xA;  marvellous and wonderful qualities. He has faith, virtue,&#xA;  conscientiousness and fear of blame, he is learned, generous, wise and&#xA;  modest.&quot;[ N9 ]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T01:19:51.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3791" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3796" CreationDate="2014-09-26T07:22:28.017" Score="3" ViewCount="168" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at the Bio of Ven. Nyanatiloka who was regarded as one of the earliest monks. I came across that he had met Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya (Charles Henry Allan Bennett) who was also a Western monk before him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am curious to know who were the earliest Western monks? How did they get their conviction (to the extent to ordain) as most countries were strongly Christian or Catholic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-26T14:51:36.807" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T14:51:36.807" Title="Were there earlier western monks before Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya (Charles Henry Allan Bennett)" Tags="|theravada|history|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3792" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T07:31:10.910" Score="6" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyanatiloka and Nyanaponika were the only Western born monks to attend the 6th Council. I am curious to know the composition of the 6th council and how the delegates were chosen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The council was attended by 2,500 monastics from eight Theravada Buddhist countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly there would have been more countries involved than the 8 Buddhist countries. Also the delegates from countries which were not predominantly Buddhist sponsored by a Buddhist country they lived in. Also how come Nanamoli Bhikkhu and Ven. Ñāṇavīra Thera did not make it as delegates?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-26T14:53:49.670" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T14:47:04.107" Title="Does anybody know the composition of the 6th council and how the delegates were chosen?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3793" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T07:45:37.107" Score="11" ViewCount="358" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Buddhist_council&quot;&gt;The Wikipedia entry on the 5th council&lt;/a&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, there were a number of other councils held in Ceylon and Thailand between the fourth and sixth ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these other councils? Where where they held? What was their significance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-26T14:55:12.210" LastActivityDate="2021-07-10T00:01:35.363" Title="What are the other Theravada Councils held between the 4th and 6th" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3794" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T11:14:34.407" Score="2" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across that the Ven. sir (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nanavira.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nanavira.org&lt;/a&gt;) interpreted the Dependent Origination without the traditional 3 lifetime interpretation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there other places he deviated? What are they and what was his interpretation? How are the others who hold similar view? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-09-26T14:56:38.680" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T14:56:38.680" Title="Where did Nanavira Thera deviate from the commentaries" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3794" CreationDate="2014-09-26T12:29:30.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of it is available in his Notes on Dhamma, and some more in the Letters. In other words, anyone interested is welcome to do their homework. Some examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cittavīthi&lt;/em&gt;, ... of which so much use is made in the Visuddhimagga ... is a pure scholastic invention and has nothing at all to do with the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... the erroneous notion of &lt;em&gt;anuloma-gotrabhu-magga-phala&lt;/em&gt;, supposed to be the successive moments in the attainment of &lt;em&gt;sotāpatti&lt;/em&gt;. It is sometimes thought that the word &lt;em&gt;akālika&lt;/em&gt; as applied to the Dhamma means that attainment of &lt;em&gt;magga&lt;/em&gt; is followed 'without interval of time' by attainment of &lt;em&gt;phala&lt;/em&gt;; but this is quite mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Phassa&lt;/em&gt;, 'contact', is defined ... as the coming together of the eye, forms, and eye-consciousness ... But it is probably wrong to suppose that we must therefore understand the word &lt;em&gt;phassa&lt;/em&gt;, primarily at least, as contact between these three things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T12:29:30.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3791" CreationDate="2014-09-26T14:24:46.603" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Douglas_(monk)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gordon Douglas (monk)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gordon Douglas has traditionally been seen as the first European to become ordained as a Bhikkhu in Southeast Asia although Laurence Carroll (U Dhammaloka) and others are now understood to have been earlier.&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Douglas_(monk)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; He was ordained in Siam in 1899 or 1900 and assumed the name Bhikkhu Asoka or Ashoka.&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Dhammaloka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An online summary is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/theravada-spirituality-in-the-west/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravāda Spirituality in the West&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Dhammaloka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;U Dhammaloka&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;U Dhammaloka (Burmese: ဦးဓမ္မလောက; c. 1856 – c. 1914) was an Irish-born hobo (migrant worker)&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Douglas_(monk)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; turned Buddhist monk, atheist critic of Christian missionaries, and temperance campaigner who took an active role in the Asian Buddhist revival around the turn of the twentieth century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammaloka was ordained in Burma prior to 1900, making him one of the earliest attested western Buddhist monks. He was a celebrity preacher, vigorous polemicist and prolific editor in Burma and Singapore between 1900 and his conviction for sedition and appeal in 1910–1911. Drawing on western atheist writings, he publicly challenged the role of Christian missionaries and by implication the British empire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Found in the abstract of &lt;a href=&quot;http://eprints.nuim.ie/2298/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rewriting the History of Early Western Buddhist Monastics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T14:37:08.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3797" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3988" CreationDate="2014-09-26T17:01:36.847" Score="6" ViewCount="1471" Body="&lt;p&gt;Extract from Ven. Nyanatiloka's Bio says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In 1920, after being denied re-entry into British ruled Sri Lanka, Nyanatiloka taught at Japanese universities for five years, including at Taisho University where he was assisted by the legendary eccentric Ekai Kawaguchi, and at Komazawa University where he taught with President Yamagami Sōgen (山上曹源), who had also studied Pali in Sri Lanka. &lt;strong&gt;He also met with Japanese Theravada monks.&lt;/strong&gt; He lived through the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, which destroyed Tokyo, but was surprised to see universities reopen just two months later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To what extent is Theravāda followed in Japan? To what extent is it taught or studied there? Has Japan produced any Theravada Scholars or Meditation Masters? Which books have they written? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-10-06T01:32:25.293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T11:20:18.293" Title="To what extent is Theravāda followed in Japan?" Tags="|theravada|monk|books|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3798" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T17:15:13.257" Score="2" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... The architect Rutch from Breslau had already designed a monastery with huts for monks, and the plan was that Bhikkhu Sīlācāra and other disciples were to join Nyanatiloka there. ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Wikipedia entry on Nyanatiloka)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is the monk mentioned above? What is the contribution that he has made? Any books by him? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-26T17:24:55.673" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:47:53.277" Title="Who is Bhikkhu Sīlācāra?" Tags="|books|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3799" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T17:19:39.707" Score="3" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable Nyanatiloka had tried to setup a monastery in the West. Were there previous attempts? How successful were they? Do they still exist? If not, what happened? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is the link &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyanatiloka#Plans_for_a_Theravada_Buddhist_monastery_in_Europe&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plans for a Theravada Buddhist monastery in Europe&lt;/a&gt;&quot; with regard to this exercise. Extract as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Upon returning to Germany, Markgraf planned to found a Buddhist Monastery in the southern part of Switzerland and formed a group to realise this aim. Enrico Bignani, the publisher of Coenobium: Rivista Internazionale di Liberi Studi from Lugano had found a solitary alpine hut at the foot of Monte Lema Mountain, near the village of Novaggio overlooking Lake Maggiore, and Nyanatiloka left Burma for Novaggio at the end of 1909 or the beginning of 1910. The architect Rutch from Breslau had already designed a monastery with huts for monks, and the plan was that Bhikkhu Sīlācāra and other disciples were to join Nyanatiloka there. Nyanatiloka's stay and plans drew a lot of attention from the press and several journalists visited him to write about the him and the planned monastery. However, Nyanatiloka suffered heavily from bronchitis due to the cold weather, and also from malnutrition, and after half a year left Novaggio with the German monk candidate Ludwig Stolz, who had joined him at Novaggio, to try to find a better place in Italy or North Africa. In Novaggio he worked on his Pāli-grammatik (Pāli Grammar) and his translation of the Abhidhamma text called Puggalapaññatti (Human Types).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-27T03:48:27.767" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:19:37.073" Title="What was the 1st attempt to have a Theravada monastery in the West?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2014-09-26T17:38:52.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Buddha himself has answered this question in Maha-sihanada Sutta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Here, I see no ground on which any recluse or brahman or god or Mara&#xA;  or Brahma or anyone at all in the world could, in accordance with the&#xA;  Dhamma, accuse me thus: 'While you claim full enlightenment, you are&#xA;  not fully enlightened in regard to certain things.' [72] And seeing no&#xA;  ground for that, I abide in safety, fearlessness and intrepidity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I see no ground on which any recluse... or anyone at all could accuse me thus: 'While you claim to have destroyed the taints, these&#xA;  taints are undestroyed by you.' And seeing no ground for that, I abide&#xA;  in safety, fearlessness and intrepidity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I see no ground on which any recluse... or anyone at all could accuse me thus: 'Those things called obstructions by you are not able&#xA;  to obstruct one who engages in them.' And seeing no ground for that, I&#xA;  abide in safety, fearlessness and intrepidity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I see no ground on which any recluse... or anyone at all could accuse me thus: 'When you teach the Dhamma to someone, it does not&#xA;  lead him when he practices it to the complete destruction of&#xA;  suffering.' And seeing no ground for that, I abide in safety,&#xA;  fearlessness and intrepidity&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html#fn-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this statement points to the omniscience of Buddha, it also shows his confidence that no thing in this world is able to challenge him and his teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T17:38:52.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3801" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3840" CreationDate="2014-09-26T21:01:09.210" Score="3" ViewCount="3868" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm aware that Buddhist monastic communities often wear robes that distinguish them and visibly mark them out as Buddhists. Do lay Buddhist ever do the same thing? Is there any jewellery or clothing that lay Buddhists wear to mark them out as Buddhists - a visible marker of their religion. This is obviously common in other religions e.g. crucifixes for Christians - but do Buddhists of any tradition have an equivalent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:22:08.710" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T08:22:08.710" Title="Do lay Buddhists ever wear distinguishing clothing or jewellery?" Tags="|traditions|laity|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3801" CreationDate="2014-09-26T21:32:58.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps wearing mala's would be an indicator?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="952" LastActivityDate="2014-09-26T21:32:58.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-26T23:35:53.083" Score="2" ViewCount="558" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it necessary to only feel subtle sensations while giving metta or is it only required to be equanimous while giving metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have sometimes felt painful sensations that cannot be 'shaken away' after a sit and find it harder to concentrate on giving metta. So should one only be equanimous and carry on with the practice or leave metta bhavana to another time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What works for you while radiating metta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:48:03.160" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T21:48:03.160" Title="Proper way to give metta" Tags="|vipassana|anapanasati|samadhi|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3804" CreationDate="2014-09-27T02:58:49.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe send metta to the pain, try to truly accept the pain as it is and if you can't accept the pain then you can try to truly accept that you can't accept the pain at that time and that could lead to peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2014-09-27T03:12:08.277" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T03:12:08.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3801" CreationDate="2014-09-27T04:05:20.993" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least in the Theravada tradition people do not were distinguishing clothes or jewelry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though not used as a distinctive form, but as more of protection and a good luck charm, some wear a Pirith thread.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-27T09:11:29.533" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T09:11:29.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3804" CreationDate="2014-09-27T04:18:25.110" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Different lineages / teachers would advice on this differently. My answer is based on what I picked from different teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before doing metha best to to do a bit of breath meditation and insight meditation. Come to the stage that you have Piti or Passaddhi or at least you feel comfortable. Then wish that other share your peace and happiness. Keep wishing your self and others to be well and happy. Ideally keeping your attention around your mouth. Lips touching or above the upper lip and base of your nose. Also try to bring out a mild smile (this generally relaxes tension) as this will influence your mood. Also in the process if possible try to calm the fabrications, i.e., realise the speed and length of your breath from start to end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should not a mere recitation of words. You should wish from the bottom of your heart. In the process uproot your defilements to make your mind pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the objective of Metta Bhavana is the reduce the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;aversion&lt;/a&gt;, dissolving ego as well as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Ill_will_.28vyapada.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrance of ill will&lt;/a&gt;, especially towards other beings. So you should be mindful when doing it that aversion does not arrive and also you are not in any discomfort as this also sometimes lead to aversion and tension (which intern creates new unwholesome fabrication and conditioning). Doing this after breath meditation and awareness meditation can help the cause in identifying 1) defilements arising based on aversion 2) any hidres arising due to enmity or any pre conceived notion of the person. Always be aware of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;metal factors&lt;/a&gt; arising during the meditation and if they are unwholesome try to tame them by being aware that they have arisen and the sensations they bring up and then the dissolution of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you think of some one keep a note of how thoughts proliferate and what feeling this brings up. You think about a friend you might then remember some other incident with them. All this creates feeling and sensations when you react to them. Try to be equanimus. Similarly when you think about a foe or even an attractive person. Also then you think about animals or other life forms, you might experience emotion, feelings and sensations. Suddenly you might remember a rat who ate your favorite piece of furniture. Or the fear of a snake when you think of this type of animals, or the disease they spread if it is a cockroach or rat. Then these thoughts arise you mind make a contact followed by reaction and sensation. Keep focused on this element. The sensation this causes trying the be equanimous about the sensation and realising the sensations have the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;. Also notice how your are reacting or sensation that are created with perception of an entity / being. Look at the feeling when you recall incident or people who attacked your ego or what ever you call me, mine, etc. and realise how ego is hurting you. Also realise how your react when remeber someone praises you or has been benevolent to you. Also look at how perceptions about an entity / being also contributing to stress in the process. &lt;strong&gt;Look at mental image -&gt; recognition -&gt; reaction -&gt; sensation -&gt; craving -&gt; clinging ...&lt;/strong&gt;  Try to see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 noble truths&lt;/a&gt; at work even through Metta meditation. When practiced in the right way Metta can take you far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation based on the Four Sublime States help expand upon the type of defilements which to reduce through these meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel any discomfort take this into awareness while radiating Metta. Keep your attention on these parts which hurt. Also be mindful of perspiration while doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also refer to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/scrn_metta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/scrn_metta.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&lt;/a&gt; (very good guide)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation.html&lt;/a&gt; (very good guide)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/mp3_guidedMed_index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/mp3_guidedMed_index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en1992-02&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/en1992-02&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en2008-08&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/en2008-08&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3539/in-simple-words-how-are-body-sensations-linked-to-moods-and-feelings&quot;&gt;In simple words, how are body sensations linked to moods and feelings?&lt;/a&gt; (Un related but helpful in advance stages of any meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T15:56:56.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3809" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3810" CreationDate="2014-09-27T07:31:45.627" Score="3" ViewCount="396" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though the two of the worked together in the early years I have heard there was a split between them later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When did this split happen? What was the cause? What is the implication and aftermath of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T10:08:59.990" Title="What was the reason behind Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and Anagarika Dharmapala split" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3809" CreationDate="2014-09-27T10:08:59.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason stated in Anagarika Dharmapala's wikipedia page for his split with the Theosophical society is that he was against the idea of a universal religion that the Theosophists were aiming at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmapala eventually broke with Olcott and the Theosophists because of Olcott's stance on universal religion. One of the important factors in his rejection of theosophy centered on this issue of universalism; the price of Buddhism being assimilated&#xA;into a non-Buddhist model of truth was ultimately too high for&#xA;him.&amp;quot;Dharmapala stated that Theosophy was &amp;quot;only consolidating&#xA;Krishna worship.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;To say that all religions have a common&#xA;foundation only shows the ignorance of the speaker; Dharma alone is&#xA;supreme to the Buddhist&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika_Dharmapala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika_Dharmapala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, in 1904 he had split with Henry Steel Olcott as well. The reason given in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.lk/books?id=ckSBgvtU42YC&amp;amp;pg=PA15&amp;amp;lpg=PA15&amp;amp;dq=dharmapala+broke+theosophy+year&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=OA-opfBN2A&amp;amp;sig=xUsZMRkXPx_osP7zdt5l_2XY3Dk&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=ooImVNGiDsfB7AbIk4H4Aw&amp;amp;ved=0CEAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=dharmapala%20broke%20theosophy%20year&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Relics, Ritual, and Representation in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmapala broke with Olcott in 1904 when the latter showed disrespect toward the relic of the Buddha's tooth, one of the most sacred relics of the Buddha worshipped in Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author cites Return to Righteousness: A Collection of Speeches, Essays, and Letters of the Anagarika Dharmapala as the original source for this and quotes the following phrase from this book in a footnote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Col. Olcott insulted the feelings of the Buddhists by showing disrespect to the Tooth Relic, a copy of which he had placed under the shelf.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the split I don't think there was  enough time for something significant to happen, because Henry Steel Olcott died on 1907.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T10:08:59.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3801" CreationDate="2014-09-27T21:38:46.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I believe your question was intended for everyday wear in Vietnam and only in the temples most lay practitioners wear a blue/grey uniform a bit similar to the monastic's robes. A practice followed in Vietnamese temples around the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See an example: &lt;a href=&quot;http://afamily.vn/doi-song/le-vu-lan-chu-hieu-tron-day-20120827125422575.chn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://afamily.vn/doi-song/le-vu-lan-chu-hieu-tron-day-20120827125422575.chn&lt;/a&gt; (Hungry Ghost Festival)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2014-09-27T21:38:46.547" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3812" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-28T00:42:12.553" Score="4" ViewCount="486" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am tired of the rat race, working a job I hate to buy things that I don't need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am tired of technology and the grasp it has on everybody in the western world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a feasible way, within Buddhist practice, for the average westerner to escape it all in exchange for a simple and pure life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="981" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T14:05:30.370" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:16:48.293" Title="Can Buddhism help me escape the difficulties in my life?" Tags="|modern-world|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3815" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-28T04:23:46.133" Score="5" ViewCount="241" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me restate this question. Its a difficult question for myself. When I mean guide line i guess Im assuming a general Fundamental line then I assume traditions would vary from this one line, but I dont know. Its difficult to find these guides or fundamental aspects from the sources I've tried looking at. I find most sites all agree on Four Noble Truths, Eight fold Path, Five Aggregates, Meditation, Non Duality, Non self, Impermanence, Metta Suttra, Dhamapada, Pali Cannon, Just these concepts I've come across. The hardest thing would be there is no experts around my area, no meditation centers, nothing to go on at all. Just simply the internet an depending on who you talk to you get a different question so I find it confusing at times trying to get a view point of what to search for. I tried googling the answer an I find many sites that just tell you their point of view an dont even offer a fundamental line to follow They offer a few bits an pieces of what Siddhartha said. It was really the reason why I joined this site was to find a expert or master to help me understand Buddhism. I dont have a tradition in general, just trying to seek out the exact teachings of Siddhartha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this is a better way of putting the question. In less Buddhism is just a pick an choose philosophy, where you start an continue where ever you want in the path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastEditorUserId="982" LastEditDate="2014-10-12T21:33:33.343" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T21:33:33.343" Title="Buddhism Guide Line" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2014-10-08T16:58:56.533" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3815" CreationDate="2014-09-28T06:56:43.370" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would start with keeping the five precepts and then doing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a beginner one of the most important lessons to learn is practicing restraint and overcoming our resistances (I feel too lazy to meditate, I want to gossip/trash talk about this person who I dislike, ect). We call this &quot;balancing the faculties&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you feel lazy you push yourself to do what you is correct and wholesome, even if difficult. When you feel restless and agitated you stop feeding the negativity and cultivate the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When possible you should find a teacher who would be willing to give you advice on meditation. A monk or nun is best, but if you have none nearby, you can trust a experienced layman, or laywoman who can give you a meditation object and help guide your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="961" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T06:56:43.370" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3812" CreationDate="2014-09-28T07:00:32.700" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You see dukkha quite clearly and do not want to continue to dwell in Samsara. I would suggest considering ordaining. It seems in line with your insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="961" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T07:00:32.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3821" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3843" CreationDate="2014-09-28T11:52:44.330" Score="3" ViewCount="1234" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hinduism is similar to Buddhism, but both are different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people think that Buddhism is derived from Hinduism, so it is similar to Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the differences between Hinduism &amp;amp; Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="343" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T12:49:46.790" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:54:50.487" Title="What are the differences between Hinduism and Buddhism?" Tags="|comparative-religion|hinduism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2014-09-29T15:40:14.513" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3822" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5341" CreationDate="2014-09-28T12:59:43.553" Score="7" ViewCount="633" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to find a story in the Pali canon (or maybe not) reportedly told by Ajahn Brahm that goes like this (copied from &lt;a href=&quot;http://wakeupandlaugh.com/2010/12/09/letting-go/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha was wandering along with Ananda when they came across a monk&#xA;  sitting under a tree in meditation. The monk was sat on the ground&#xA;  with a straight back, his hands were folded, and his head and neck at&#xA;  just the right angle. He was deep in meditation and had been for some&#xA;  time. The Buddha turned to Ananda and said “I’m worried about that&#xA;  monk.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A few minutes later they came across another monk sitting under a tree&#xA;  in meditation. He was on a comfy cushion, his back was bent forward&#xA;  and he’d fallen asleep. Every now and then he’d wake up only to nod&#xA;  off again. He was even snoring. The Buddha turned to Ananda and said&#xA;  “this monk I’m not worried about at all, he’s doing just fine.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been googling around but found nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:47:06.447" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:47:06.447" Title="Where is the story that Buddha was worried about a monk who meditated with a straight back?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3815" CreationDate="2014-09-28T13:09:42.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Open your heart to magic.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discover the force behind karma that always acts contrary to your attachments.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pick up the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590306392&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Spiritual Materialism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stalk your ego and work on your karma/attachments for at least 5 years.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Study Buddhist theory. Realize the virtual (conventional) nature of all objects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice formal meditation for several years.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realize God / Tao / non-duality.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Master the mechanism of Intent (aka faith -- deliberately choosing and maintaining your perspective).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realize Prajna-paramita and Emptiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Awaken to your True Nature.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivate your True Nature.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T13:09:42.543" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3824" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3826" CreationDate="2014-09-28T13:56:16.913" Score="6" ViewCount="1692" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZHpHn.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I often look up images of the Buddha online to use as desktop backgrounds for pc or phone. I've seen quite a few images that show a symbol that looks like a swastika on the Buddha's chest. What is the meaning of this symbol? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T20:32:53.097" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T14:45:22.710" Title="What is the symbol sometimes depicted on images of the Buddha which looks like a swastika?" Tags="|art|iconography|statue|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3815" CreationDate="2014-09-28T14:58:16.623" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is often symbolized by a wheel; the Wheel of Dhamma or Dharma. The circular nature of the symbol is also representative of how people progress along the path of Buddhism; it's a circular progression. With each time around, your understanding grows so you may find if you re-read books, you get even more out of them in subsequent readings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Begin with whatever interests you and don't be concerned that you don't seem to have many resources nearby. Through the internet we have access to more knowledge than humanity has ever had before. It takes a while to sort through it of course; but as Andrei mentioned, this is a process that takes years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 2,600 years of Buddhism, many schools and traditions have evolved. Keep an open mind and try to learn a bit from each as you decide which tradition really speaks to you. Even if it seems that there are no Buddhist groups, monasteries, or temples in your area; don't give up on seeking out a group if that interests you. I was convinced there were no groups on my area, but in time I actually found several. Not all groups, teachers, temples advertise their existence. It can take a while to find something local or to determine a place you wish to travel to, to learn more. Have patience. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With whatever else you do, developing a meditation practice will help turn all this from an intellectual exercise to an experiential one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T14:58:16.623" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3824" CreationDate="2014-09-28T14:59:42.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is said to have had &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;32 major physical characteristics&lt;/a&gt;, and the second feature among them is named,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;heṭ­ṭhāpāda­ta­lesu cakkāni jātāni honti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/dn30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means, on the soles of Buddha's feet there's a wheel sign with thousand spokes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to commentaries, this wheel sign is said to have accompanied by 108 sub features, and &lt;strong&gt;Swastika&lt;/strong&gt; is the first of those 108 sub features.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It symbolizes auspiciousness and prosperity for Buddhists. This is the traditional Swastika, it is flat and counterclockwise while the Nazi swastika is tilted and clockwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T15:50:30.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3827" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3833" CreationDate="2014-09-28T15:15:15.117" Score="14" ViewCount="3048" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You see, there is only one constant, one universal, it is the only&#xA;  real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect. (...) Choice is an illusion, created between those with power, and those without. (...)  Beneath our poised appearance, the truth is we are completely out of control. Causality. There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- The Merovingian, The Matrix Reloaded&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read/listened somewhere that the illusion of control and choice is a source of suffering. Does the Buddhist see it in a unyielding manner as the Merovingian?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does different groups of Buddhism view this point differently?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please complement your answers. Beyond the views on causality (deterministic or stochastic perception) how these views relate to suffering? Is there relation between suffering and how someone perceives choice? The misunderstanding of causality and control can produce suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2019-07-19T19:00:15.347" LastActivityDate="2020-10-31T07:30:06.197" Title="What's Buddhism view on choice, choicelesness and causality?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|free-will|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3824" CreationDate="2014-09-28T15:27:41.977" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Swastica is an ancient symbol of sun, rotation, wheel, cyclic activity esp. in nature, and by extension -- eternity. When German Nazis adopted a then-emerging theory of racial superiority of Germans, finding it well suiting their political goals, they took swastika as a symbol of their supposed identity with the Aryan race, and, more generally, &lt;em&gt;inherent superiority&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha, too, used the symbolism of Aryan superiority as a way to point to the holistic multi-dimensional excellence of Sat-Dharma and how it manifests outwardly in behavior of its practitioners. Such true excellence is beyond the concept of superiority, beyond any trace of conceit. In Mahayana we call this &quot;unity of wisdom and compassion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To weave in the solar symbolism, Buddha (and incidentally, Chogyam Trungpa) called himself a kinsman of sun. In my understanding, this is a reference to the message of positive constructive attitude inherent in Buddhist philosophy: taking on the universe with all its inherent problems, and winning (remember Buddha is often referred to as &quot;Victor&quot; in texts). In Chogyam Trungpa's explanation, the philosophy of Raising Sun is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of Setting Sun, because the latter relies on solving the problems through external means (feeling hot -- turn on the AC; feeling pain -- drop a pill of painkiller; feeling depressed -- watch a movie or smoke a joint), which too easily ends up encouraging weakness of character, while in the philosophy of Raising Sun, the problems are solved at a deeper, more holistic level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I were to summarize the meaning of swastika as used in Buddhism I would say it is a symbol of true excellence transcending even the highest ideals, including the ideal of transcendental excellence itself; taking on the universe with all its inherent problems, and winning in the most fundamental sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the attitude of facing your darkest shadows; becoming a heir to Sat-Dharma and then coming back to the marketplace to share with people; embodying the eternal cycle of teachers and students, the Unconditional Buddha Nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one word, it is a symbol of &lt;em&gt;perfection&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T16:18:00.057" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T16:18:00.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3827" CreationDate="2014-09-28T15:41:30.987" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is agreeable with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada&lt;/a&gt; Buddhism. This is dealt in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Choice is an illusion, created between those with power, and those without&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not relevant. As there is no one with absolute power nor are we puppets to some external force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this. We do have some degree of choice in the present moment, which has some degree of influence on the future which hence some level of influence of the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the truth is we are completely out of control&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not aggree. We have some degree of control but not absolute control (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatt%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; nature, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;), i.e., fuzzy, stochastic and complex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Causality. There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not agree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By understanding cause and effect (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;) you can break out of this vicious circle and attain &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;. You are at Nirvana when you break the cycle of dependent origination, hence free from cause and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also cause and effect in Buddhism is more like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzzy_logic&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fuzzy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stochastic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_systems&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Complex System&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence we not completely enslaved nor are we completely free from it. We have some degree of choice but not absolute choice. (Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there relation between suffering and how someone perceives choice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any form of perception clouds your view of reality. So any perception regarding choice also results in misery as you are looking through coloured glass (See &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Moha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avidyā&lt;/a&gt; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 unwholesome roots&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T04:38:04.117" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T04:38:04.117" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3812" CreationDate="2014-09-28T15:42:24.350" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course. Realizing that you don't need things or that those things aren't going to make you happy is the beginning of awareness that the worldly world is not as great as you thought it was!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, the Buddha laid the grounds for understanding exactly this sort of suffering and how to remedy it with the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need to be like everyone else in your society/community. Change your lifestyle in any way you see fit to give you time to study, practice, and explore that which leads to true happiness. No need to live in a cave to do this either; unless you want to. But people can live incredibly simple lifestyles anywhere as long as they aren't trying to fit in with those around them. Best wishes in your journey to true happiness. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T15:42:24.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3801" CreationDate="2014-09-28T15:51:25.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lay buddhists in their everyday life are not prescribed any distinguishing clothing etc. Buddha laid total emphasis on practice and this can be inferred from many stories of his lifetime. Though, when you go on a meditation retreat, as said by @Robin111, it is suggested that you wear clothing which fully covers your body and white coloured clothing is preferred. This is due to practical reasons and to aid yourself in the practice. But in day to day life, there is no prescription of any type of clothing or any other symbolism  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T15:51:25.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3425" CreationDate="2014-09-28T16:40:52.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The article refers to side effects of the meditation practice on people with very deep mental illness. Mindfulness certainly is good for anyone, but meditation can be harming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normal people could experience boredom and sleep at worse. People with depression and anxiety have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_depression_the_secret_we_share&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;very sharp minds&lt;/a&gt;, and meditation (&lt;em&gt;not mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;) could possibly worsen their state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the problem they are trying to address is that on meditation you leave people to look and feel for themselves, and it is not safe to leave these mentally ill people &quot;wander&quot; on their thoughts and feelings by themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T16:40:52.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3827" CreationDate="2014-09-28T17:12:45.530" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I could be as bold as to identify the viewpoint of Buddhism in terms of western philosophy, I would say Buddhist position on free will is close to that of Compatibilism (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Wikipedia entry&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, on one hand, the universe can be seen as deterministic. On the other hand, our choice-making is what objectively leads to our outcomes, so even if our choices are metaphysically determined by various factors, bad choices still lead to bad results, and good choices -- to good results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this perspective, Buddhism provides a way to escape the inherent dominance of the deterministic universe, through exercising control over your mind. Because our experience of existence is 100% assembled by the mind, we have leverage over our experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist philosophy it is not the illusion of control that is the source of suffering, it is the clinging to something that you think is supposed to be a certain way while in fact it is not. Basically, clinging to illusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entirety of Buddhist path can be seen as the quest for Freedom through mastery of mind. &quot;Mastery&quot; means, as my Zen Master says, to operate mind, instead of letting mind operate you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-09-28T20:20:34.283" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T20:20:34.283" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3834" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3835" CreationDate="2014-09-28T17:17:21.360" Score="17" ViewCount="6459" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should one properly handle cases in which people use a rude language and indulge in idle talk or gossip, according to the Buddhist teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to speak or act with a pure thought when people say stupid things and jokes at you, and use rude language towards you, trying to upset you, according to Buddhist teachings? And how to change the unwholesome thought to wholesome when the mind is full of hatred and aversion towards these people and cultivate loving kindness? Which way is best of sending metta to them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="844" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:23:38.277" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:23:38.277" Title="How to deal with people and handle rude language?" Tags="|mindfulness|five-precepts|personal-practice|right-speech|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3834" CreationDate="2014-09-28T17:58:07.447" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Kakacupama Sutta, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words [...]' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Kakacupama Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An addendum to this would be when the authors of rude language and idle talk or gossip are buddhist themselves committed to the practice. In that case, with the above in mind, one may, at his/her discretion, chose to bring their attention to this, so as to help them steer back to their practice. Of course, one certainly may chose to intervene in the case of non-buddhists, but since they may not be committed to not perform these kinds of speech, raising the matter can make things worse -- that's when taking responsibility for being timely and beneficial applies specially to ourselves, specifically:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech; he speaks truth, adheres to truth, is trustworthy and reliable, one who is no deceiver of the world. Abandoning malicious speech, he abstains from malicious speech; he does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide [those people] from those; thus, he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of friendships, who enjoys concord, rejoices on concord, delights on concord, a speaker of words that promote concord. Abandoning harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech; he speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and lovable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable by many. Abandoning gossip, he abstains from gossip; he speaks at the right time, speaks what is fact, speaks on what is good, speaks on the Dhamma, and the Discipline; at the right time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, moderate, and beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Culahatthipadopama Sutta, MN 27 (Nanamoli/Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of monks engaging in these acts, there may be something specific in the Vinaya, the collection of monastic rules, about how to handle these situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T18:35:34.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3836" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3863" CreationDate="2014-09-28T18:21:55.590" Score="11" ViewCount="3128" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even though emptiness (Śūnyatā) seems like it should just be one thing (concept/experinece/realisation) does it in fact have different types? Can it be categorised in any way? I know Buddhism is very keen on lists. Is there a list of different types of emptiness in any tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation for this question is that I remember hearing that there were 32 types of sūnyatā. However I can't remember where I heard this so I'm hoping that this question might cast some light on that issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anyone could provide reference to canonical texts, commentaries or other sources about this, that would be particularly good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T18:18:30.247" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T12:23:22.327" Title="Are there different types of emptiness (Śūnyatā)?" Tags="|philosophy|sunyata|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3834" CreationDate="2014-09-28T18:46:06.227" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to be difficult at times dealing with people. People can Pull your strings and push all your buttons to make you react an contribute to their state of anger or gossip or ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through my studies of Buddhism. I found meditation is a must, Learning to center yourself an to improve your focus. The Eightfold Path is like the corner stone of my Behavioral guide line, along with the 5 Precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you realize in the moment ( 07. Mindfulness ) , that they are either : angry, are ignorant of their own actions, or prefer to gossip an cause people to divide from each other. You will know where they are coming from, an their goal. Some of the things you may do is you can just walk by them an ignore them, or help to correct them. As with correcting them you will meet a very negative response. Not many people accept being corrected, mostly because of Ego. But if they are willing to see the truth then you have just helped one person more often then not out of their own ignorance of their actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I learned that in the Non self it is Like the removal of Ego an returning to the true self. Who you were before the life experiences an the world around you forced you to develop this &quot;ego&quot;. Basically if you have no ego nothing can bother you in a way. When we are clashing with people its because of Ego, when people say &quot;take yourself out of the situation&quot; seems to me its hints at Buddhas teachings of NON Self. Take the Ego out of the batch an you can see clearly an respond clearly. If they say things to hurt you an you are unaffected by them, they lose that power to harm you. When they cannot control you, they cannot become difficult to you, because when you are in control, you allow what happens in your life to a degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they are difficult because of religion then you should ignore them, a religious person who wants you to become like them only are focused on their own desires an not the desires of you. They may be intolerant of your beliefs, but that only means you should be tolerant of theirs, an them, as a Buddhist seek the middle ground, religions come an go an some have stayed for a little while, keep true to your own understanding. Dont be convinced by others. You must be able to convince yourself an if you are not convinced then dont follow it. Fundamentalist have their own way of doing things even if its not true to their own dogmas or doctrines they cannot be persuaded, more often then not, they are conditioned to that method an will remain in that method till they are willing to leave it. There is nothing you can do but only be kind to them an if they are curious answer questions. From my experience Fundamentalist are aggressive an will come at you over an over an try to guilt you into following their way an will shun you or condemn you according to you response. It will save you time an effort to be kind an compassionate but firm in your own convictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through Meditation you build mental awareness, an a stronger fortitude of mind. Concentration is key, when you are in control, you will have the ability to respond out of thought not reaction for them. When you are in the present you can say or do things vastly easier. Couple of the Eightfold Paths to remember:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Speech - Be careful of what you say- does it become aggressive to others? Does it divide others? Is it at the right time to be said? Will they mature from what you have said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Action - what are the right steps to the situation? If by becoming involved will they learn anything or will it further cause you suffering an trouble. Is it best not to become involved? Can you become the diplomat an help the situation mold into common understanding. It could simply be a misunderstanding that escalated into something worse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Mindfulness - In the moment are you present? Do you see what they are getting at? What is the cause of their reactions? What causes them to respond an become so difficult? Can you find the Middle Path that will lead to each persons peace? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Concentration - Through meditation, you create a stronger awareness of self, an centering your self well help keep you from being caught off guard an unable to respond. Becoming intimidated by the situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamapada states : In this world where has Hate conquered Hate? Only Love can conquer Hate. This speaks to me in the way of dealing with people, have compassion an love for them, some times people are simply difficult because others are difficult to them all the time an they only developed a habit of being difficult. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;key points : Try to see where the person is coming from&#xA;             What actions can do you to diffuse the situation, or if you should act at all.&#xA;             Remain Calm an Dont give into Intimidation, Be mindful of the moment.&#xA;             Are they just in need of some one to understand them?&#xA;             If they are wanting to cause trouble, then dont contribute to the trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this helps you in some way or another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T18:46:06.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3288" CreationDate="2014-09-28T19:16:12.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would think a Tao Buddhist is a Taoist an Buddhist. The Tao is the religious experience of the world, an the Buddhism is the philosophical experience of the world. The Tao developed its understanding of Yin an Yang this is sort like the Hindu/Buddhist concept of Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find that Buddhism mingles with all type of religions. Buddhism is a very adaptable system that can help improve people in or out of religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T19:16:12.540" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3839" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3844" CreationDate="2014-09-28T19:26:07.380" Score="6" ViewCount="444" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Jhana like a meditative absorption state?  I've come across this term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Jhana like a barrier, once broken, you go onto the next barrier, and so on and so on. Is this process a permanent effect on the mind or a temporary effect of the mind? Do you basically start over from stage 1 every time, does your body ever become accustomed to it, and do you have to constantly renew the Jhana over and over in order to progress? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:40:34.183" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:40:34.183" Title="Through the Processes of Jhana does it have a Permanent effect or temporary effect on your life" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3801" CreationDate="2014-09-28T19:41:29.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm in the US, with &amp;lt;1% self identified Buddhists in most counties. So there isn't a lot of established customs as there are abroad, where wearing say a white band in Theravada countries, or a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pilgrims hat&lt;/a&gt; in Japan (worn by hikers as they hike from temple to temple).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I organized a Buddhist book club and generally don't use a table tent, I forget them and lose them. So the American thing to do for group identity is to get a T-Shirt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking of one like this:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.spreadshirt.com/gautama-buddha-fade-t-shirts-C3376A16488554#/detail/16488554T175A135PC1002313903PA296&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.spreadshirt.com/gautama-buddha-fade-t-shirts-C3376A16488554#/detail/16488554T175A135PC1002313903PA296&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T19:41:29.900" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3841" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3847" CreationDate="2014-09-28T19:49:06.997" Score="2" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;On television I recently heard about a technique related to Buddhism called &quot;plunging,&quot; where &quot;you go somewhere completely unfamiliar, somewhere that has nothing to do with your usual way of thinking.&quot; The context of the quote involves a Zen monk who lived among the homeless for a time. As a student of Zen Buddhism this idea interests me a lot, but I couldn't find any reference to it on the internet or in my books. Is there a better name for it and is this a real concept or was this just made up for the show?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="944" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T06:13:19.613" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T06:13:19.613" Title="&quot;Plunging&quot; or Challenging Yourself in a New Enviornment" Tags="|zen|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3827" CreationDate="2014-09-28T19:53:28.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, the Buddha points to one of the most distinctive features of his own teaching on kamma: that the present experience of pleasure and pain is a combined result of both past and present actions. This seemingly small addition to the notion of kamma plays an enormous role in allowing for the exercise of free will and the possibility of putting an end to suffering before the effects of all past actions have ripened. In other words, this addition is what makes Buddhist practice possible, and makes it possible for a person who has completed the practice to survive and teach it with full authority to others. For more on these points, see the articles, &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html#act&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Refuge in Skillful Action&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/khandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Piles of Bricks&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;; see also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/index.html#intro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction to The Wings to Awakening&lt;/a&gt;, along with the introductions to the sections on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part1.html#part1-a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skillfulness&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part1.html#part1-b&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma &amp;amp; the Ending of Kamma&lt;/a&gt; in that book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the summary is that, although the past affects the present, and the present affects the future, nevertheless we can also choose (control ourselves) in the present, which affects the extent to which we're liberated now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I looked through the hyperlinks quoted above; and what seemed to me the most relevant snippet/extract/highlight from each links were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, instead of promoting resigned powerlessness, the early Buddhist notion of karma focused on the liberating potential of what the mind is doing with every moment. Who you are — what you come from — is not anywhere near as important as the mind's motives for what it is doing right now. Even though the past may account for many of the inequalities we see in life, our measure as human beings is not the hand we've been dealt, for that hand can change at any moment. We take our own measure by how well we play the hand we've got. If you're suffering, you try not to continue the unskillful mental habits that would keep that particular karmic feedback going. If you see that other people are suffering, and you're in a position to help, you focus not on their karmic past but your karmic opportunity in the present: Someday you may find yourself in the same predicament that they're in now, so here's your opportunity to act in the way you'd like them to act toward you when that day comes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This belief that one's dignity is measured, not by one's past, but by one's present actions, flew right in the face of the Indian traditions of caste-based hierarchies, and explains why early Buddhists had such a field day poking fun at the pretensions and mythology of the brahmans. As the Buddha pointed out, a brahman could be a superior person not because he came out of a brahman womb, but only if he acted with truly skillful intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Skillfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most basic lesson he learned was that mental skills can be developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Khandhas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, it quotes him as saying that to define yourself in any way is to limit yourself, and that the question, &amp;quot;What am I?&amp;quot; is best ignored. This suggests that he formulated the concept of the khandhas to answer other, different questions. If, as meditators, we want to make the best use of this concept, we should look at what those original questions were, and determine how they apply to our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Awakening&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After trying several false paths, including formless mental absorptions and physical austerities, he happened on the path that eventually worked: bringing the mind into the present by focusing it on the breath and then making a calm, mindful analysis of the processes of the mind as they presented themselves directly to his immediate awareness. Seeing these processes as inconstant, stressful, and not-self, he abandoned his sense of identification with them. This caused them to disband, and what remained was Deathlessness (amata-dhamma), beyond the dimensions of time and space. This was the happiness for which he had been seeking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T19:53:28.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3821" CreationDate="2014-09-28T20:03:31.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I found Hinduism was the religion, Siddhartha was raised in. Hinduism has a vast arrays of Gods, Like Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, an so on. Buddhism to my understanding Has no God in it. The difference starts there. Hindus have many gods and Buddhism has none, although it can become difficult when comparing Bodhisattva's an Buddha's an the dwellers of the celestial world depending on your Buddhist tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha concentrated more on not worrying about the divine beings. But to worry about fixing your self.Basically in the aspect of Karma you decide for yourself what happens to you. There is no judge to your life but yourself. You rebirth higher or lower depending on your Karma ( depending on the Buddhist tradition ). You are the master of your self, an so focusing on yourself you alone can help yourself. You do not worry about appeasing deities. Or the origin in which you came from, an what lies beyond today. To be in the present an to judge according to your own understanding seems to be the Buddhist method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a religion that focuses on the worship of their deities, the practices of the deities, the rewards an punishments from the deities. All this becomes distractful an can cause great deal of suffering when you are trying very hard to appease a certain deity. An in Hinduism there are vastly many of them. There are many gurus that teach very different an strange customs. Some traditions still perform animal sacrifice ( Kali ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha ultimately walked away from the Brahmin teachers, an the way of Hinduism, as he did not see the path leading to happiness. He saw that people became ascetics an starved them selves and pierce there bodies in harsh ways to prove the devotion to their gods. Buddha once tried these methods to find enlightenment, but almost starved to death an realized, if he had died nothing would have been gained from doing these things. So he focused on how to find true happiness, an that was through insightful meditations an begin teachings the Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main difference is the Deities, the customs an practices of both can become mingled as they have a similar basis on some things. But really the focus is what makes them different. To focus on a god or to focus on your self as a &quot;god&quot;. Hopefully this helpful in some way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T20:03:31.777" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3839" CreationDate="2014-09-28T20:04:39.633" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;Jhana is like a meditative absorption state? I've come across this term.&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[Jhanas are] distinctive meditative states of high concentration in which the mind becomes unified. [...] Jhana is often referred to as an absorption state, since the mind in Jhana is so deeply concentrated that it 'absorbs' into the meditation object.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Richard Sankman, The Experience of Samadhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Jhana also corresponds to &amp;quot;right concentration&amp;quot; (samma samadhi) in the eightfold path (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.8&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;Like a barrier once broken you go onto the next barrier an so on an so on.&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. There are multiple jhanas. The canon describes a sequence of 4 Jhanas followed by 4 more states (in later commentaries, they are known respectively as &lt;em&gt;Rūpajhānas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Arūpajhānas&lt;/em&gt;). The commentarial tradition also expanded on the states that precede the first Jhana (e.g. access concentration).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;Is this process a permanent effect on the mind or a temporary effect of the mind, Do you basically start over from stage 1 every time [?]&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may affect the mind in many ways, but one doesn't really stays permanently absorbed in Jhana during day-to-day. Reaching a certain Jhana may not necessarily require going through previous jhanas (though it is emphatically advised to perfectly master them in sequence and develop stability instead of trying to &amp;quot;jump around&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;does your body ever become accustomed to it [?]&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not aware of any body related issues associated with Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;do you have to constantly renew the Jahana over an over in order to progress?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what you mean by &amp;quot;renew&amp;quot;, but just like any training that requires repeated practice, mastering jhanas also requires effort and training, specially to reach deeper Jhana states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T20:09:44.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3841" CreationDate="2014-09-28T20:52:54.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never seeing this term as a concept in Buddhism nor Zen. To the best of my knowledge, the closest formulation of something in that vein are the specific instructions to practice samadhi in the Vishuddhimagga targeted at people with distinct temperaments  -- which is kind of a compilation of pedagogical strategies developed at the time. Example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;A suitable lodging for one of greedy temperament has an unwashed sill and stands level with the ground, and it can be either an overhanging [rock with an] unprepared [drip-ledge], a grass hut, or a leaf house, etc. It ought to be spattered with dirt, full of bats, dilapidated, too high or too low, in bleak surroundings, threatened [by lions, tigers, etc]. with a muddy uneven path where even the bed and chair are full of bugs. And it should be ugly and unsightly ...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A suitable resting  place for one with hating temperament is not too high or too low, provided with shade and water, with well-proportioned walls, posts and steps, with well-prepared frieze work and lattice work, brightened, with various kinds of painting, with even smooth soft floor, [...] smelling sweetly, of flowers and perfumes and scents set about for homely comfort, which makes one happy and glad at the mere sight of it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Visuddhimagga, Chapter III&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T20:52:54.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3841" CreationDate="2014-09-28T23:25:52.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In searching for choosing inhospitable or uncomfortable environments, I discovered many practices that, at least for beginners, involve choosing a safe comfortable environment.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/news-item/wcf////connected-practice-enhancing-your-practice-in-your-own-environment/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/news-item/wcf////connected-practice-enhancing-your-practice-in-your-own-environment/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Here people are practicing in a natural environment that may not be a monastery:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Connected Practice: Enhancing your practice in your own environment By&#xA;  Hilary Richards Join us in a commitment for a period of connected and&#xA;  enhanced practice. We will undertake this in our daily lives, whether&#xA;  at home or in the workplace, with the silent support of knowing that&#xA;  we are not practising alone. We intend to raise the tempo of our&#xA;  practice for this period, increasing our capacity to be aware in our&#xA;  daily lives. A Mindfulness Bell will be rung at noon every day, when&#xA;  all participants may pause and be joined in the silence that the bell&#xA;  marks. Members of our Sangha may use this opportunity in different and&#xA;  creative ways. Open to all. Choosing the Practice Buddhists find&#xA;  practising as a sangha to be essential, but it is not always easy for&#xA;  people to come together. Connected Practice links practitioners at&#xA;  different locations to practise within a virtual sangha. We begin on&#xA;  Sunday May 18th with the WCF Wesak Celebration in Leominster and end&#xA;  on the morning of 29th May. We will practise at specified times during&#xA;  this period, each person in their own environment&#xA;  So this says non-traditional environment but one consistent with your life style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an urban center that tries to support people in non traditonal monastery in a city&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cambridgezen.com/index.php?c=resident.training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cambridgezen.com/index.php?c=resident.training&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Resident Training&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Great Way is not difficult: Just don't pick and choose. Cut off&#xA;  all likes or dislikes And it is clear like space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tseng Ts'an, Third Zen Patriarch Located in the heart of Cambridge,&#xA;  Massachusetts, Cambridge Zen Center is one of the largest urban,&#xA;  residential Zen training grounds in the U.S. Zen Master Seung Sahn&#xA;  taught us that the fastest way to change our karma and become&#xA;  compassionate beings is by practicing and living together. The center&#xA;  provides residential training opportunity in an urban environment both&#xA;  short and long term. Training includes practice &amp;amp; retreats, community&#xA;  work and service, outreach, sangha events, gatherings and much more to&#xA;  provide a supportive and nurturing environment in which to grow&#xA;  spiritually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they are trying to create a feeling of support in a monastery where you walk out the front door and are immediately confronted with the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote from above &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Great Way is not difficult: Just don't pick and choose. Cut off&#xA;  all likes or dislikes And it is clear like space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;may hold the key to your question. Don't pick and choose your environment once you are beyond the novice stage, where nothing shakes your practice. Then practice wherever you find yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the answer closest to the heart of the matter in my opinion. Choosing a disgusting environment can just toughen and strengthen the personal ego or break it down so that someone is not really doing the practice but just going on this ego trip of extreme fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Zen, the personal yields to the depth of the silence. Sure a master can go sit on a pile of manure and remain calm, but how would that help someone who has not yet reached the other side of the river?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:25:52.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3836" CreationDate="2014-09-28T23:36:16.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I relate emptiness to my own practice, what I first see is there are many types of emptiness, but as I sit quietly with this, I realize it is not emptiness that is multiple, but it is my changing perception that creates the illusion that emptiness is changing.&#xA;Emptiness is the same, yet my perception of it is never the same. So as many different states of consciousness that are possible, that is how many possible perceptions of emptiness there are.&#xA;A simple example from nature, an Eskimo sees water as ice, a Fijian sees water as ocean, a person from the Great Lakes sees water as the lakes.&#xA;They are all observing water, though in different forms.&#xA;When we wake up, the perceptions appear as they are, but we are not fooled. We know they are all water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:36:16.770" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3822" CreationDate="2014-09-28T23:50:54.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I read in several sources, the straightness of the back is not as important as the intention of the meditator.&#xA;Here is where I was reading [CTRL F and insert &quot;straight&quot; in the search box]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ask.sirimangalo.org/book&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://ask.sirimangalo.org/book&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hello!  The posture (straight back) is not so important as long as you&#xA;  are able to note the rising and falling of the stomach ! So next time&#xA;  you realise you are focusing on maintaining your posture remind&#xA;  yourself &quot;distracted&quot;,&quot;distracted&quot; or &quot;sitting&quot; ,&quot;sitting&quot; and bring&#xA;  your focus back on the rising and falling of the stomach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This should help you : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/files/HTMa5s.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/files/HTMa5s.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Chapter 2: Sitting meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The formal method for sitting meditation is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We sit with the legs crossed if possible, with one leg in front of the&#xA;  other, or in any position which is comfortable as necessary.&#xA;  Traditionally, we sit with one hand on top of the other, palms up on&#xA;  our lap.&#xA;  3. We sit with our backs straight, although it is not necessary to have the back perfectly straight if this is uncomfortable; just as&#xA;  long as one is not bending over to the point where one is not able to&#xA;  experience the movements of the abdomen. We practice with the eyes&#xA;  closed. Since our focus is on the stomach, having the eyes open will&#xA;  only distract us away from our object of attention. Once we are in a&#xA;  suitable position, we simply send our 5 Please see illustration 41 in&#xA;  the appendix for two traditional sitting postures.mind out to the&#xA;  abdomen; when the abdomen rises, we simply say to ourselves, silently,&#xA;  in the mind, &quot;rising&quot;. When the stomach falls, we say to ourselves,&#xA;  &quot;falling&quot;. &quot;Rising&quot;, &quot;falling&quot; &quot;rising&quot;, &quot;falling&quot;. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems like the Buddha may have seen some pride in the perfectly straight back and some dogged determination in the slumping monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Others say don't worry, meditate walking or standing on your head. Presence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:50:54.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3821" CreationDate="2014-09-28T23:54:50.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha practiced all the religions of the day and could not find awakening from suffering. The Hindu faith rests more on ceremony and ritual than some methods of Buddhism.&#xA;Buddhists do not have to believe anything or worship anything, just wake up.&#xA;Disclaimer, I am not a Hindu, but they do have many rituals and ceremonies.&#xA;If you find a path that works for you, follow it until it is no longer usable, then find the next leg in the journey, even if it means becoming a lay practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-28T23:54:50.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2521" CreationDate="2014-09-29T02:53:32.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nanamoli/Bodhi in their Majjhima Nikaya translation (4th ed) writes the following note associated with &amp;quot;experiencing the whole body&amp;quot; as present in the Sathipattana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Majjhima Nikaya Atthakatha explains &amp;quot;experiencing the whole body&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;sabbakaya patisamvedi&lt;/em&gt;) as signifying that the meditator becomes aware of each in-breath and out-breath through its three phases of beginning, middle and end. In the first edition I followed this explanation and added in brackets &amp;quot;of breath&amp;quot; after &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot;. In retrospect, however, this interpretation seems forced, and I now prefer to take the phrase quite literaly. It is also difficult to see how &lt;em&gt;patisamvedi&lt;/em&gt; could mean &amp;quot;is aware of&amp;quot;, as it is based on a verb &amp;quot;to experience&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what Thanissaro Bihkkhu wrote on a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html#fn-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;footnote&lt;/a&gt; for the Anapanasati Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentaries insist that &amp;quot;body&amp;quot; here means the breath, but this is unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation — refers to the breath as &amp;quot;bodily fabrication.&amp;quot; If the Buddha were using two different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN 119).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;The Experience of Samadhi&lt;/em&gt;, Richard Shankman interviews Ajaan Thanissaro:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;RS: In the Satipatthana Sutta, the anapanasati Sutta and the Kayagatasati Sutta, one is instructed to breath in and out, experiencing the whole body. Some interpret that it is talking about experiencing the whole physical body breathing, while others say it means staying with the whole duration of the breath but the focus can be at any point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AT: It's the whole body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;RS: Does it matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AT: One of the drawbacks of concentration that's too one-pointed is that you're blocking out many areas of your experience which means that a lot of things can hide away in the areas you're blocking out. If, however, you develop more of a 360-degree awareness of the body, you're more likely to be conscious of more peripheral events in the mind. Also, if awareness is a whole-body awareness, it's a lot easier to maintain the state of concentration as you open your eyes and move around. [...]. If you only have one point that you are totally focused on, then as soon as you move from that point, your concentration is destroyed. But if you've got the whole body as your framework and you're constantly mindful of this framework, events can come through and go out, leaving the framework undisturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhante Gunaratana, on his interview:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has said that breath alone is one of the bodies. What do we have in a body? We have four elements: earth, air, water, fire. This is what we find in the breath. And therefore, the breath alone is fully qualified to be called a body, the breath body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if one practices the first tetrad, that individual has practiced mindfulness of the body just by practicing mindfulness of the breath. Some people ignore this particular sentence where the Buddha says the breath is a body, and they give their own interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajhan Brahmavamso, on his interview:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;  in Pali is well translated by the English word &amp;quot;body&amp;quot;. We have a physical body, but also have a body of evidence, a body of experience, and these are all immaterial &amp;quot;bodies&amp;quot;. We use the word &amp;quot;physical body&amp;quot; just to make sure we  know what body we are talking about. &lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;, just like the word &amp;quot;body&amp;quot;, means an accumulation of things, a conglomerate, a group of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pervading the &amp;quot;kaya&amp;quot; with the jhana factors means that the experence of bliss pervades the whole &amp;quot;mental body&amp;quot; throughout the jhana. It does not mean experiencing the jhana with the physical body. That is a misunderstanding of the use of the word &lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt; in Pali. It is quite clear that in jhanas you cannot feel anything to do with the body (*).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same book, Richard Shankman devotes an appendix titled &amp;quot;Does it matter where you watch the breath?&amp;quot;, making further considerations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Shaila Catherine, in her &lt;em&gt;Focused and Fearless&lt;/em&gt;, seems to teach that step as focusing on the breath &amp;quot;as an object&amp;quot;, rather than focusing on the specific sensation of in and out breath. Its hard to say from what lineage she got this, as she trained with monks from many different schools (maybe Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm, also wrote on this matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third step is called in Pali &lt;em&gt;sabba-kaya-patisamvedi&lt;/em&gt;, experiencing the whole process of breathing. A minority of teachers mistake the Pali term &lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt; to mean your physical body and so wrongly assume that now you are meant to direct your attention onto all the sensations in the whole of your physical body. This is an error. The Buddha clearly stated in the Anapanasati Sutta that he regarded  the process of breathing as &amp;quot;a certain body (kaya) among the bodies&amp;quot;. Moreover, the direction of the first twelve steps of anapanasati is toward simplifying the object of awareness, not making it more complex. thus, this third step is where your mindfulness increases its agility sufficient to observe every sensation involved in the process of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond - A meditator's handbook&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a related issue, Joseph Goldstein notes in his book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point in the sutta, there is an interesting change of language. As Analayo points out, in the first two exercises, the Buddha uses the verb &amp;quot;to know&amp;quot;: breathing in, one knows one is breathing in, etc. But in the next two exercises of mindfulness of the breath, the Buddha uses the verb &amp;quot;to train&amp;quot;. [...] This shift of language [...] suggests an increasing level of intentionality in our practice as we broaden our awareness from the breath to the whole body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then he goes on to summarize  the conflicting views of &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot;, but doesn't really take any position, just sees them as useful alternatives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Analayo writes on his PhD-thesis-turned-book on the Satipatthana sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third and fourth steps of mindfulness of breathing, alike in both the Anapanasati Sutta and the Satipatthana Sutta, are concerned with experiencing the &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;sabbakaya&lt;/em&gt;) and with calming the &amp;quot;bodily formation&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;kayasaukhara&lt;/em&gt;). In the present context, the &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot; can be taken literally to refer to the whole physical body. Understood in this way, the instruction points to a broadening of awareness, a shift from the breath alone to its effect on the en tire body. According to the commentaries, however, the &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot; should be understood to refer, more figuratively, to the &amp;quot;body&amp;quot; of the breath. By understanding the &amp;quot;whole body&amp;quot; as the whole breath-body the  instruction then indicates full awareness of the beginning, middle, and end stages of each breath. This interpretation can claim support from the same Anapanasati Sutta, since the Buddha here identified the breath as a &amp;quot;body&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;) among bodies. An argument against this interpretation, however, could be that the cultivation of full awareness of the length of the breath was the task of the previous two steps, knowing a long or a short breath, which already required the meditator to be aware of each breath from beginning to end. One would therefore expect this next step in the progression to introduce a distinctly new feature for contemplation, such as, for example, a shift of awareness to include the whole physical body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Satipaṭṭhāna, the Direct Path to Realization&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) Other interviews present conflicting declarations with that assertion made by Ajhan Brahmavamso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt; included texts by Ajahan Braham, Shaila Catherine and Joseph Goldstein&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T18:58:34.927" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3853" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3856" CreationDate="2014-09-29T13:28:31.040" Score="3" ViewCount="4146" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia defines &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-body_experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE) is an experience&#xA;  that typically involves a sensation of floating outside one's body&#xA;  and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place&#xA;  outside one's body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are numerous studies on people having this type of experience, and I remember Ven. Yuttadhammo once said he also experienced this when he was young.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think interpretations like astral body projection do not quite adhere with Buddhism.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Are there possible explanations on this from the Buddhist perspective with regards to Five Aggregates?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T18:34:56.837" Title="Buddhist view on out of body experience (OBE)" Tags="|philosophy|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3853" CreationDate="2014-09-29T14:13:59.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;I think interpretations like astral body projection do not quite adhere with Buddhism.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OBE, at least as &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/8586019585&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;documented&lt;/a&gt; by Dr. Waldo Vieira, is aligned  with suttas describing contact with devas and super normal abilities (in particular, visits to celestial realms, etc). In other words, communication through long distances, contact with celestial beings (through the will of the human, not of the deva), etc may be explained in terms of astral projection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in this case, it's a grey area explained by pseudo-science (*), which doesn't look very good :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) The greatest pseudo-science though: the time dr. Vieira didn't spend trying to come up with scientific experiments to gather evidence was the time he spent documenting every little detail of the astral experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T14:26:38.397" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T14:26:38.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3853" CreationDate="2014-09-29T15:43:42.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should view this more in terms of psychic abilities (Abhijñā) and Jhana. Though astral projrction is not explicitly referenced as a ability. There are instances where you can have multiple copies of your self in different places. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you can achieve through Jhana is unthinkable. Also our minds will be going to Jhana like state in near death or sometimes during other experiences, which bring out certain abilities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T15:43:42.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3853" CreationDate="2014-09-29T16:51:03.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why it does not adhere to Buddhism? It does! In all the cases of astral body projection, they were able to see things. What is seeing? Seeing is the union of the light, the eye and the eye consciousness. They had thoughts about what they were seeing and they were aware of what they were seeing. In other words &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rupa, Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara, Vinnana&lt;/a&gt;. Which means both Nama and Rupa were present. Astral projection does not mean that the mind wanders out without a body. There is a subtle body that goes with the mind. One can't have sensations, if there are no sense doors. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nama&lt;/a&gt; cannot be without &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt; except in Arupa realms. That's why beings in the Arupa realms can't see, hear, taste, smell, feel anything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T18:34:56.837" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T18:34:56.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3857" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3858" CreationDate="2014-09-29T18:23:13.387" Score="4" ViewCount="919" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Buddhist story when some monks (or followers of the Buddha) misinterpret what the Buddha is saying and commit suicide. Does anyone know anymore details about the story and where it comes from? I think it is in the Pali Canon.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T20:31:39.617" Title="What is the story where some of the Buddha's followers commit suicide?" Tags="|texts|reference-request|suicide|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3857" CreationDate="2014-09-29T19:12:21.437" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you're looking for is Vesali  sutta.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;vesali sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the monks — [thinking,] &quot;The Blessed One, with many lines of&#xA;  reasoning, has given a talk on the unattractiveness [of the body], has&#xA;  spoken in praise of [the perception of] unattractiveness, has spoken&#xA;  in praise of the development of [the perception of] unattractiveness&quot;&#xA;  — remained committed to the development of [the perception of]&#xA;  unattractiveness in many modes &amp;amp; manners. They — ashamed, repelled, &amp;amp;&#xA;  disgusted with this body — sought for an assassin. In one day, ten&#xA;  monks took the knife. In one day, twenty monks took the knife. In one&#xA;  day, thirty monks took the knife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I don't think the monks didn't misinterpret the teaching. Perhaps since they're still under training, their mind is not developed and overcome by disgust. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-09-29T20:31:39.617" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T20:31:39.617" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3836" CreationDate="2014-09-29T22:45:12.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is No, there are not different types of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The historical Buddha taught that we humans are made up of five skandhas, sometimes called the five aggregates or five &quot;heaps.&quot; These are form, sensation, perception, mental formation, and consciousness. The Buddha was describing our bodies and the functions of our nervous systems -- sensing, feeling, thinking, recognizing, forming opinions, being aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As recorded in the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta of the Pali Tipitaka (Samyutta Nikaya 22:59), the Buddha taught that these five &quot;parts,&quot; including our consciousness, are not &quot;self.&quot; They are impermanent, and clinging to them as if they were the permanent &quot;me&quot; gives rise to greed and hate, and to the craving that is the source of suffering (see the Four Noble Truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching in the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta is called &quot;anatta,&quot; sometimes translated &quot;no self&quot; or &quot;not self.&quot; This basic teaching is accepted in all schools of Buddhism, including Theravada. Anatta is a refutation of the Hindu belief in atman -- a soul; an immortal essence of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Mahayana Buddhism goes further than Theravada, and teaches that all phenomena are without self-essence. This is sunyata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not misunderstand sunyata to mean that nothing exists. It tells us that there is existence, but that phenomena are empty of svabhava, a Sanskrit word that means self-nature, intrinsic nature, essence, or &quot;own being.&quot; And sunyata has no intrinsic nature that one could call a &quot;type&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T22:45:12.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2170" CreationDate="2014-09-29T23:22:41.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMHO, the answer boils down to difference between beginner's and advanced practitioner's attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In beginner's mind, there is a strong conflict between Samsara of day-to-day life, and the peace of Nirvana. Buddhist practice is seen as a mean of cutting the fetters that keep reengaging one in the endless cycle of Samsara with its pointless activities and endless frustration. The challenges of day-to-day life are taken as nuisances or obstacles distracting one from study and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an advanced practitioner's mind though, Samsara is seen as an inverse projection of attachments, and Nirvana is understood as a fully integrated experience free from conflict between desirable and undesirable, not a place apart of Samsara. For such practitioner, all activity becomes dharmic practice, with glimpses of Nirvana hiding in the here and now, behind the curtain of dualistic mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone who's been married for ~19 years, and a practicing Buddhist for about the same time, I can say that married life provides endless possibilities for overcoming one's pathological habits, dropping one's hang-ups, surrendering one's egoistic facades, and sacrificing one's petty personal goals in the name of the higher good. As long as one operates in the right context, basically that growth requires overcoming the ego, married life becomes the best dharma school one could ask for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as actual parenting (my son Matthew is going to be 16 in March), there is nothing as satisfying as helping another sentient being emerge &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; caught up in illusions than you were.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, when we speak of attachments in (Mahayana) Buddhism we don't mean commitments or responsibilities. We mean attachments to preconceptions, prejudices, to (illusory) certainties, to self-image, irrational attachments to unrealistic expectations, all kinds of obsessions etc. In this context the answer to &quot;How can you raise a child without being attached?&quot; becomes very obvious -- the less attached you are, the better you do as parent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T23:22:41.167" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3501" CreationDate="2014-09-29T23:42:26.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The famous claim of Bridey Murphy 1923 - 1995 to have previously lived in 19th century Ireland is in Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridey_Murphy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridey_Murphy&lt;/a&gt; which has references to variously sceptical reports and evidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book &quot;Have you Lived Before this Life&quot; by L. Ron Hubbard (1968) reports uncritically on 43 cases of remembered previous lives. It expressly contains no evaluation of the truth or falsity of the data, and each investigation was done as an &quot;auditing&quot; session or scientology confessional, where the investigator prompts the subject to recall usually painful, lurid episodes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hubbard himself reported an expedition to verify his own claimed past life memory in &quot;A Test of Whole Track Recall&quot; (1968) republished in 1972 as &quot;Mission Into Time&quot;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://scientology.wikia.com/wiki/Mission_Into_Time&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://scientology.wikia.com/wiki/Mission_Into_Time&lt;/a&gt; . These books may not be in print now but Knud Eriksen, a Dane who is not an uncritical scientologist, has investigated &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/pastlife.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/pastlife.htm&lt;/a&gt; the claimed past lives of Hubbard - there are several! - and &quot;finds no good reason to doubt&quot; them. Buddhists must continue to have doubts about Ron Hubbard's claim in &quot;Hymn of Asia&quot; to have been Buddha (Siddharta Gautama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T23:42:26.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3836" CreationDate="2014-09-29T23:59:20.647" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since this answer is based on research and my other answer was based on my experience alone, I am starting another answer in the hope of avoiding confusion with all the previous comments.&#xA;The following posits that the original approach to sunyata is positive.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to some scholars, the Buddha nature discussed in some&#xA;  Mahāyāna sūtras does not represent a substantial self (ātman); rather,&#xA;  it is a positive language and expression of emptiness (śūnyatā) and&#xA;  represents the potentiality to realize Buddhahood through Buddhist&#xA;  practices.[51] It is the &quot;true self&quot; in representing the innate aspect&#xA;  of the individual that makes actualizing the ultimate personality&#xA;  possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prior to this Mahayana held a different definition of emptiness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prior to the period of these sūtras, Mahāyāna metaphysics was&#xA;  dominated by teachings on emptiness, in the form of Madhyamaka&#xA;  philosophy. The language used by this approach is primarily negative,&#xA;  and the Buddha nature genre of sūtras can be seen as an attempt to&#xA;  state orthodox Buddhist teachings of dependent origination and on the&#xA;  mysterious reality of nirvana using positive language instead, to&#xA;  prevent people from being turned away from Buddhism by a false&#xA;  impression of nihilism. In these sūtras the perfection of the wisdom&#xA;  of not-self is stated to be the true self; the ultimate goal of the&#xA;  path is then characterized using a range of positive language that had&#xA;  been used in Indian philosophy previously by essentialist&#xA;  philosophers, but was now transmuted into a new Buddhist vocabulary&#xA;  that described a being who has successfully completed the Buddhist&#xA;  path.[52]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one more citation that speaks to the subtle differences of the different schools in relation to emptiness.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Emptiness Main article: Śūnyatā Mahayana Buddhism received significant&#xA;  theoretical grounding from Nagarjuna (perhaps c. 150–250 CE), arguably&#xA;  the most influential scholar within the Mahayana tradition.&#xA;  Nagarjuna's primary contribution to Buddhist philosophy was the&#xA;  systematic exposition of the concept of śūnyatā, or &quot;emptiness&quot;,&#xA;  widely attested in the Prajñāpāramitā sutras that emerged in his era.&#xA;  The concept of emptiness brings together other key Buddhist doctrines,&#xA;  particularly anatta and dependent origination, to refute the&#xA;  metaphysics of Sarvastivada and Sautrantika (extinct non-Mahayana&#xA;  schools). For Nagarjuna, it is not merely sentient beings that are&#xA;  empty of ātman; all phenomena (dharmas) are without any svabhava&#xA;  (literally &quot;own-nature&quot; or &quot;self-nature&quot;), and thus without any&#xA;  underlying essence; they are &quot;empty&quot; of being independent; thus the&#xA;  heterodox theories of svabhava circulating at the time were refuted on&#xA;  the basis of the doctrines of early Buddhism. Nagarjuna's school of&#xA;  thought is known as the Mādhyamaka. Some of the writings attributed to&#xA;  Nagarjuna made explicit references to Mahayana texts, but his&#xA;  philosophy was argued within the parameters set out by the agamas. He&#xA;  may have arrived at his positions from a desire to achieve a&#xA;  consistent exegesis of the Buddha's doctrine as recorded in the Canon.&#xA;  In the eyes of Nagarjuna the Buddha was not merely a forerunner, but&#xA;  the very founder of the Mādhyamaka system.[56]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sarvastivada teachings—which were criticized by Nāgārjuna—were&#xA;  reformulated by scholars such as Vasubandhu and Asanga and were&#xA;  adapted into the Yogacara (Sanskrit: yoga practice) school. While the&#xA;  Mādhyamaka school held that asserting the existence or non-existence&#xA;  of any ultimately real thing was inappropriate, some exponents of&#xA;  Yogacara asserted that the mind and only the mind is ultimately real&#xA;  (a doctrine known as cittamatra). Not all Yogacarins asserted that&#xA;  mind was truly existent; Vasubandhu and Asanga in particular did&#xA;  not.[57] These two schools of thought, in opposition or synthesis,&#xA;  form the basis of subsequent Mahayana metaphysics in the Indo-Tibetan&#xA;  tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Besides emptiness, Mahayana schools often place emphasis on the&#xA;  notions of perfected spiritual insight (prajñāpāramitā) and&#xA;  Buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha). There are conflicting interpretations&#xA;  of the tathāgatagarbha in Mahāyāna thought. The idea may be traced to&#xA;  Abhidharma, and ultimately to statements of the Buddha in the Nikāyas.&#xA;  In Tibetan Buddhism, according to the Sakya school, tathāgatagarbha is&#xA;  the inseparability of the clarity and emptiness of one's mind. In&#xA;  Nyingma, tathāgatagarbha also generally refers to inseparability of&#xA;  the clarity and emptiness of one's mind. According to the Gelug&#xA;  school, it is the potential for sentient beings to awaken since they&#xA;  are empty (i.e. dependently originated). According to the Jonang&#xA;  school, it refers to the innate qualities of the mind that expresses&#xA;  themselves as omniscience etc. when adventitious obscurations are&#xA;  removed. The &quot;Tathāgatagarbha Sutras&quot; are a collection of Mahayana&#xA;  sutras that present a unique model of Buddha-nature. Even though this&#xA;  collection was generally ignored in India,[58] East Asian Buddhism&#xA;  provides some significance to these texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears that there are different interpetations of what emptiness is based on the basic precepts that a Buddhist sect adheres to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or then we can just stick to the simplicity of what the Buddha says to Ananda&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali Canon[edit]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A simile from the Pali scriptures (SN 22.95) compares form and&#xA;  feelings with foam and bubbles. The Pali canon uses the term emptiness&#xA;  in three ways: &quot;(1) as a meditative dwelling, (2) as an attribute of&#xA;  objects, and (3) as a type of awareness-release.&quot; [7] The Suñña&#xA;  Sutta,[8] part of the Pāli canon, relates that the monk Ānanda,&#xA;  Buddha's attendant asked,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty, lord. In what&#xA;  respect is it said that the world is empty?&quot; The Buddha replied,&#xA;  &quot;Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self:&#xA;  Thus it is said, Ānanda, that the world is empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-09-29T23:59:20.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3836" CreationDate="2014-09-30T01:06:54.213" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, emptiness is analyzed in many different ways. &lt;em&gt;Madhyamakavatara&lt;/em&gt; by Candrakirti lists 16 types of emptiness. These include emptiness of emptiness, emptiness of the unobservable etc. I will not list them all here, but if you are interested you can find detailed explanations in &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590300092&quot;&gt;Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Ju Mipham&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it is utterly impossible to give justice to such deep subject as emptiness in one answer, let me try and mention the most important points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, there are the two types of emptiness that represent the crucial distinction between a beginner practitioner's view and an advanced practitioner's view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;emptiness of self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;emptiness of all dharmas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that beginner practitioners (&quot;hinayana&quot;) only understand corelessness of beings (anatta), but still assume various stuff to be objectively/ontologically existing. This results in them erroneously reifying such concepts as the five skandhas, 12 nidanas, 4 noble truths, nirvana, and enlightenment. Advanced practitioners (&quot;mahayana&quot;) clearly understand that all knowable phenomena without exception are contextually defined composites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another classification scheme I like is the one used by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;External Emptiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Internal Emptiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Absolute Emptiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;External emptiness&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;form is emptiness&quot;) means: the apparent objects of the so-called physical world are not real entities. There are no real boundaries between objects, and as the time goes and the elements mix and recombine, there are no identities carried over from moment to moment. All objects are imputations of the mind. If we start with any form (a generic object of thought) and engage into analytical decomposition we will never find any stable reference point; everything is defined against of, and in terms of, something else. In other words, phenomenal reality is an illusion, or in modern terminology, what we naively assume to be reality is but an interpretation we make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Internal emptiness&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;emptiness is form&quot;) means: and yet, through the power of dependent-coarising, phenomenal reality spontaneously exists. In other words, the illusions are manifestations of the ultimate reality; our mind with its interpretations is a result of beginningless process. Our mind with all its experiences and emotions is but an interplay of forms. So not only all forms are empty imputations of the mind, the mind itself is empty interplay of forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, &lt;strong&gt;absolute emptiness&lt;/strong&gt; is the Liberating Realization, what Gotama Buddha called &quot;the final knowledge&quot;. According to Chogyam Trungpa, &quot;Absolute emptiness means that there is nothing particularly to do. There is nothing to work on, no one to make a reference point, nothing whatsoever.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet another way to explain the same progression is the Four Emptinesses of Completion Stage Meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Emptiness, experienced when the first five consciousnesses (of sense-organ experiences) dissolve into the sixth (the consciousness of mental experiences).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Great Emptiness, experienced when the sixth consciousness dissolves into the seventh (emotional consciousness).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Extreme Emptiness, experienced when the seventh consciousness dissolves into the eighth (ground consciousness).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Total Emptiness, experienced when the eighth consciousness dissolves into primal wisdom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T16:00:37.453" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T16:00:37.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3864" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-30T02:15:20.620" Score="5" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Tripitaka how do you overcome distractions in meditation. Distractions can be including but not limited to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wondering mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pains&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hindrances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Defilements arising in the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:39:58.963" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:39:58.963" Title="Overcoming distractions in meditation as per the Tripitaka?" Tags="|vipassana|pali-canon|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3865" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14653" CreationDate="2014-09-30T03:37:25.253" Score="4" ViewCount="742" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally start looking at the speed of the breath and then it slows down. In the Tripitaka are there recommended methods to accomplish this? What do different teachers and commentaries say about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One meditation teacher I found who emphasizes calming of the bodily is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/the-6rs.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;6Rs&lt;/a&gt;. But exact mechanics is not really covered on how the relaxation happens. Does this also lead to or linked to calming of the bodily fabrications? Are there more explicit instructions, especially those we can source from the Tripitaka?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-03T13:43:37.990" LastActivityDate="2019-07-17T03:58:37.233" Title="How does one calm one's bodily fabrications?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|pali-canon|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1961" CreationDate="2014-09-30T04:00:56.787" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since none of the 5 answers so far (at the moment of this writing) provide any external references that directly tackle this question, here are some from the actual suttas and Buddha's own words as preserved in the pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 73, the wanderer Vacchagotta said this to the Buddha after hearing his Dhamma exposition and before going to him for refuge:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as the river Ganges inclines towards the sea, slopes towards the sea, flows towards te sea, and reaches the sea, so too Master Gotama's assembly with its homeless ones and its householders inclines towards Nibbana, slopes towards Nibbana, flows towards Nibbana, reaches Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mahavacchagotta Sutta (Nanamoli/Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 104, the Buddha explains to the brahmin Ganaka Moggallana why not all of his disciples attain Nibbana. He finishes, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So too brahmin, Nibbana exists and the path leading to Nibbana exists and I am present as the guide. Yet when my disciples have been thus advised and instructed by me, some of them attain &lt;strong&gt;Nibbana, the ultimate goal&lt;/strong&gt;, and some do not attain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Ganakamoggallana Sutta (Nanamoli/Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Maggasamyutta contains the following instruction from the Buddha himself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects ask you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For what purpose, friends, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— being asked thus, you should answer them thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It is, friends, for the abandoning of the fetters ... for the uprooting of the underlying tendencies ... for the full understanding of the course … for the destruction of the taints ... for the realization of the fruit of true knowledge and liberation ... for the sake of knowledge and vision ... &lt;strong&gt;for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, bhikkhus, if the wanderers of other sects ask you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But, friends, is there a path, is there a way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— being asked thus, you should answer them thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is a path, friends, there is a way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is that path, what is that way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view ... right concentration. This is the path, this is the way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being asked thus, bhikkhus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in such a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.42&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Annatitthiyapeyyala Vagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, the famous line declared by Buddhas and Arahants when reaching Nirvana, repeated through the entire sutta pitaka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: All emphasis in the quotes are my own doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-09-30T04:20:29.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3868" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-30T07:00:46.987" Score="1" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bloom_the_origins_of_pleasure?utm_medium=on.ted.com-facebook-share&amp;amp;awesm=on.ted.com_h0V6i&amp;amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;amp;utm_content=awesm-publisher&amp;amp;utm_campaign=&amp;amp;language=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paul Bloom: The origins of pleasure&lt;/a&gt; describe pleasure based on information. To further elaborate original artwork is worth more than a duplicate, how we get attached or less attached to a person on additional information we have, how a artifact gains value because it was used by a famous person, and how you experience pain and pleasure due to additional information you have.  How is this explained through a Buddhist perspective in terms of how attachments works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T03:50:57.573" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:58:41.583" Title="Buddhist Perspective on Value, Sentiment, Attraction?" Tags="|art|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3869" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-30T07:15:44.643" Score="3" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some explain that body language affects qualities like leadership, command, personality etc.: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Your body language shapes who you are&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist perspective on body language? Does body language affect mental qualities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:46:05.937" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:46:05.937" Title="What is the Buddhist perspective on body language?" Tags="|karma|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3870" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-09-30T14:14:31.530" Score="5" ViewCount="2965" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some meditation techniques use the nostrils as a point of concentration, others only mention that we should breathe via the nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people have problems with that and can only breath through their mouths. Is this a problem for meditation? How serious is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:37:39.950" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:37:39.950" Title="Meditation and Mouth breathing" Tags="|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3870" CreationDate="2014-09-30T14:40:12.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are doing breath meditation this can be an issue as the best place to have your attention is at the base of the nose and upper lip. If you can't breathe through your nose all is not lost as you can put your attention to your stomach or chest in addition to the around the mouth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do breath meditation your nose will clear up. I have been having stuffed nose before I started on meditation but it went away later on. So even on a stuffed nose it is best to breathe through your nose.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-09-30T16:09:59.247" LastActivityDate="2014-09-30T16:09:59.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3869" CreationDate="2014-09-30T18:23:06.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many examples in Buddha's life how others were inspired by his appearance.&#xA;King Bimbisara was tempted to offer him a palace seeing his stature on the first encounter (this was before his enlightenment),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at this one, sirs. How handsome, stately, pure! How consummate&#xA;  his demeanor! Mindful, his eyes downcast, looking only a plow-length&#xA;  before him, as one who's not from a lowly lineage: Send the royal&#xA;  messengers at once to see where this monk will go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[..]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You are young, youthful, in the first stage of youth, endowed with&#xA;  the stature &amp;amp; coloring    of a noble-warrior. You would look glorious&#xA;    in the vanguard of an army,     arrayed with an elephant squadron. I&#xA;  offer you wealth : enjoy it. I ask your birth : inform me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sn 3.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Kassapa accepted him as his teacher without hearing a word from him,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the road between Rajagaha and Nalanda, the Master sat down under a&#xA;  fig tree, waiting for his future disciple. When Kassapa arrived at the&#xA;  spot and saw the radiance of the Buddha's countenance, sensing the&#xA;  enlightenment that shone through it, he thought, &quot;This must be my&#xA;  Master for whose sake I have gone forth!&quot; He approached the Buddha,&#xA;  and paying homage, fell at his feet and exclaimed: &quot;The Exalted One,&#xA;  Lord, is my teacher, and I am his disciple!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel345.html#ch4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel345.html#ch4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The occasion where Milinda was introduced to Nâgasena in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe35/sbe3503.htm#page_36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Milinda panha&lt;/a&gt; gives some insight on how Buddhist literature sees the influence of body language.&#xA;Nâgasena was a junior monk, yet Milinda was able to recognize him among others by his demeanor,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And as he looked over the whole of the assembly, in front, and down the centre,&#xA;  and behind, king Milinda detected Nâgasena seated in the middle, and,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;like a shaggy lion who knows no fear or frenzy, entirely devoid of&#xA;  nervous agitation, and free from shyness and trepidation&lt;/em&gt;. And as soon&#xA;  as he saw him, he knew by his mien that that was Nâgasena, and he&#xA;  pointed him out to Devamantiya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, this is a king that gets nervous and frightened by the sight of a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whereupon the king rejoiced that he had recognised Nâgasena without having had him pointed out to him. But nevertheless, at &lt;em&gt;the sight of him, the king was seized with nervous excitement and trepidation and fear.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This encounter conditions the king's mind, the king has accepted defeat by the very sight of this monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'At the sight of Nâgasena, wise and pure, Subdued in all that is the&#xA;  best subjection, Milinda uttered this foreboding word-- &quot;&lt;em&gt;Many the&#xA;  talkers I have visited, Many the conversations I have had, But never&#xA;  yet, till now, to-day, has fear, So strange, so terrible, o'erpowered&#xA;  my heart&lt;/em&gt;. Verily now defeat must be my lot, And victory his, so&#xA;  troubled is my mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-09-30T18:34:00.680" LastActivityDate="2014-09-30T18:34:00.680" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3865" CreationDate="2014-09-30T21:06:24.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt; ) starting on page 268 gives a detailed explanation of Anapanasati Sutta MN 118 ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&lt;/a&gt; ). The specific method is the 8 steps starting on Vism. page 272..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1000" LastActivityDate="2014-09-30T21:06:24.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3870" CreationDate="2014-09-30T21:22:47.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one gets stuffy nose, it should be ok to breathe thru the mouth for a while because the &quot;location&quot; is not as important as the awareness/mindfulness of the in-out breaths &quot;brushing&quot; the point of contact. The Visuddhimagga ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt; ) page 274 gives some very good similes to demonstrate the importance of this kind of mindfulness..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1000" LastActivityDate="2014-09-30T21:22:47.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3864" CreationDate="2014-09-30T23:37:16.317" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism recognizes following &quot;five faults&quot; arising during meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;laziness (&lt;em&gt;kausidya&lt;/em&gt;) -- with 3 subtypes;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;forgetting the instructions (&lt;em&gt;avavadasammosa&lt;/em&gt;) -- aka losing the object of observation;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;non-identification of laxity (&lt;em&gt;laya&lt;/em&gt;, with three subtypes) or excitement (&lt;em&gt;auddhataya&lt;/em&gt;, with three subtypes);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;non-application of antidotes (&lt;em&gt;anabhisamskara&lt;/em&gt;);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;overapplication of antidotes (&lt;em&gt;abhisamskara&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;1. Laziness&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3 types of laziness are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a sense of inferiority -- a thought like &quot;I cannot possibly succeed at this meditation&quot;;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attachment to worldly activities -- the tendency to do something else instead;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the lack of impulse -- absence of motivation to meditate now.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual solution for laziness is &lt;em&gt;pliancy&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;prasrabdhi&lt;/em&gt;) -- physical and mental serviceability that comes with experience in meditation. Until that is attained, the antidotes for laziness are &lt;em&gt;faith&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;sraddha&lt;/em&gt;) , &lt;em&gt;aspiration&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;), and &lt;em&gt;exertion&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;vyayama&lt;/em&gt;), which can be generated through &lt;em&gt;contemplation of the advantages of meditation&lt;/em&gt; -- and disadvantages of being driven around by random impulses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Forgetting the instructions&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is when the object of observation suddenly disappears. We lose the object of observation because the mind is greatly distracted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The antidote for this is called tight &lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt;). This has three parts to it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;familiarity -- the object of observation must be familiar; the mind should be accustomed to it;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tightness -- continuous (with no gaps) &lt;em&gt;apprehension of the aspects&lt;/em&gt; of the object;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;non-distraction -- not letting the other objects displace the object of observation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as the object of observation is lost, we should &lt;em&gt;immediately&lt;/em&gt;, with tight grasp, bring it back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Non-identification of Laxity or Excitement&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we don't notice laxity or excitement, we can't apply a corresponding antidote. As a result, laxity or excitement grows until it gets out of control, and then we lose the object of observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The antidote for non-identification is &lt;em&gt;introspection&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;samprajanya&lt;/em&gt;). We must occasionally (not continuously!) analyze the mind to see if laxity or excitement has arisen, and which subtype thereof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three subtypes of laxity (aka sluggishness) are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lethargy (&lt;em&gt;styana&lt;/em&gt;) -- heaviness of mind and body, a state of being close to sleep;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Coarse laxity (&lt;em&gt;audarika&lt;/em&gt;) -- a case of having &lt;em&gt;stability&lt;/em&gt; of mind but not &lt;em&gt;clarity&lt;/em&gt; of the mind; This is often caused by the mind becoming too withdrawn inside;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Subtle laxity (&lt;em&gt;suksma&lt;/em&gt;) -- a case of having stability and clarity but not &lt;em&gt;intensity&lt;/em&gt; of clarity. This is caused by the weakness in the mode of apprehension of the aspects of the object of observation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three subtypes of excitement (aka unruliness) are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Negative scattering -- remembering a disagreeable object;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Coarse excitement -- remembering a pleasant object;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Subtle excitement -- having a &lt;em&gt;part&lt;/em&gt; of the mind come under the influence of discursive thinking (&lt;em&gt;vikalpa&lt;/em&gt;), and as a result, having an (agreeable) object &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; to appear to the mind, &quot;like water moving under ice&quot;. This is caused by the mind being a little too tight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;4. Non-application of antidotes&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After introspection has discovered laxity or excitement and identified its subtype, to not apply an appropriate antidote would lead to laxity or excitement getting out of control and subsequent loss of the object of observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The antidote for non-application is ... application (surprise!!!) of antidotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The antidote for Subtle Laxity is tightening the mode of apprehension of the aspects of the object of observation. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The antidote for Coarse Laxity is expanding the scope of observation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The antidote for Lethargy is giving up the object of observation and engaging in invigorating the mind: contemplating topics that get one happy and inspired about practicing Dharma, reducing the amount of food taken prior to meditation; cooling the body down; washing the face with cold water; moving to a higher elevation; moving to place with a wider view; yelping loudly; resting if needed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The antidote for Subtle Excitement is loosening the mode of apprehension a little.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The antidote for Coarse Excitement is reducing the mind elation by leaving the object of observation and contemplating negative topics that will get the mind sobered (if mind is distracted towards a pleasant object) or by following the inhalations and exhalations (if mind is captured by discursive thinking).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The antidote for Negative scattering is contemplating topics that generate &lt;em&gt;maitri&lt;/em&gt; (Pali &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) -- the mind of loving-kindness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;5. Overapplication of antidotes&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means mistakenly applying antidotes for laxity or excitement when meditation is already going well, and/or after laxity or excitement have been eliminated. This also means overapplying an antidote for laxity (which will generate excitement) or overapplying an antidote for excitement (which will generate laxity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An antidote to overapplication is called &lt;em&gt;desisting from application&lt;/em&gt;, also known as &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;........&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171119X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism by Lati Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T01:43:16.047" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T01:43:16.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3870" CreationDate="2014-10-01T00:32:26.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some of the reasons that focusing on the breath is beneficial in meditation.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifestyl/medi/breath.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifestyl/medi/breath.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Using the breath: Why? Assuming you see the value in taking up a&#xA;  specific object for developing concentration, the breath has many&#xA;  things to recommend itself as the object of choice. 1 - it is&#xA;  portable. Every where you go you have it with you. No need to worry&#xA;  about forgetting your worry beads. 2 - it comes free with every body.&#xA;  No need to buy any special equipment. 3 - it is complete in and of&#xA;  itself. No need for any upgrades or add-ons. 4 - it is 100% natural -&#xA;  they don't come more organic than this. 5 - it is effortless. The body&#xA;  knows how to breathe without you needing to do anything, You just sit&#xA;  back and let it do all the work - while you just watch. 6 - it is a&#xA;  connection with a vital life force. 7- it is calming. There is a&#xA;  simple, natural rhythm the breath follows and following that leads one&#xA;  to peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these reasons but especially 4, 5, 6, and 7 indicate that breathing should be natural and unforced, effortless and done in a relaxed way. So the emphasis is not on trying to make breathing to happen in a certain way, but allowing it to happen natural. If the nose is blocked from mucous then the mouth is the only option.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But on the same page are many variations of how breath can be integrated in meditation:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifestyl/medi/breath.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifestyl/medi/breath.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;examples are counting, following, listening to noise. Observing and turning away.&#xA;Walking meditation can also use breathing in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T00:32:26.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3877" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3886" CreationDate="2014-10-01T02:31:52.137" Score="6" ViewCount="4279" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan singing bowls produce a binaural tone which is claimed to be conducive to deep meditation. However, if you are meditating you would need someone to play it for you or you'd need to listen to a recording. The former is not always available and the latter doesn't have the same effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a practice of using tibetan singing bowls for solo meditation? Is it effective to play and meditate at the same time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1002" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:36:05.760" LastActivityDate="2017-12-26T16:40:37.837" Title="How to use a Tibetan singing bowl when meditating solo?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3878" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T03:28:55.950" Score="6" ViewCount="1629" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book, &lt;em&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/em&gt;, Walpola Rahula writes on page 65, &lt;em&gt;&quot;It is the vague feeling 'I AM' that creates the idea of self which has no corresponding reality, and to see this truth is to realize Nirvana, which is not very easy.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand this to mean that 'Nirvana' is &quot;seeing a particular truth&quot;. Therefore it seems reasonable to conclude that not seeing this truth is to not achieve Nirvana, and that losing sight of this truth is to lose Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is Nirvana an attitude or capacity or insight that can be lost, or is it a solid destination or eternal achievement as some claim/hope?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user809" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T12:42:05.977" Title="Is Nirvana eternal?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2014-10-01T11:56:05.433" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3864" CreationDate="2014-10-01T03:34:43.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The VitakkaSanthana Sutta MN 20 ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn20&lt;/a&gt; ) suggests 5 strategies to counter an unwholesome mind state..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1003" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T03:34:43.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3878" CreationDate="2014-10-01T03:52:31.847" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It'll be very difficult to define Nibbana within our mundane scope of dualistic concepts of temporal/eternal. That's why the suttas refer to Nibbana as an &quot;apophasis&quot; (the use of negation language to express a transcendental supramundane state that is ineffable that we can only 'touch' by personal experience truth or reality, such as awakening or nibbana). An example from Samyutta 43 where the Buddha said: &quot;There is, monks, that base where there is neither earth, nor water, nor heat, nor air; neither the base of the infinity of space, nor the base of the infinity of consciousness, nor the base of nothingness, nor the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; neither this world nor another world; neither sun nor moon. Here, monks, I say there is no coming, no going, no standing still; no passing away and no being reborn. It is not established, not moving, without support. Just this is the end of suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1003" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T03:52:31.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3878" CreationDate="2014-10-01T03:57:32.257" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Public Broadcasting recently televised a documentary about the Buddha, one of interviewees mentioned to the effect that states of Nirvana come and go. Observing people walking down the street: &quot;Is that person Buddha, Is that Buddha ? Buddha ?&quot; Asking ourselves may be a healthy search for truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, many people often experience transitory moments of extreme clarity such as when they are near death or even doing very ordinary things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T03:57:32.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3870" CreationDate="2014-10-01T04:07:34.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a similar issue. When meditating without support, I would often experience intense back pain. I practiced meditating lying down but had doubts whether I would reap any benefits. I was comforted when I found out that there are statues of the Buddha meditating while in a prone position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While breating through your nose may not be the same as back pain, I feel the important thing to remember is to get into a regular routine. If you must breathe through your mouth while meditating, then practice that way. Regularly. My first yoga book mentioned that if you can breathe, then you can do yoga. I'd like to offer a similar argument with regard to meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T04:07:34.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3878" CreationDate="2014-10-01T07:04:41.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Completely in agreement with @santa100.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am to add to it, it is like a singularity where all conventional laws break down. So what happens beyond on in this state cannot be communicated through conventional wisdom or language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the experience beyond the singularity. Once you experience it you have experienced it. You cannot unexperience it. Say you have gone and see Rome. This is a fact. Is it possible to turn back time so you have not seen Rome. Not possible. Likewise once you have seen what is beyond the singularity you cannot be made to be brought to the state where you have not seen it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you experience Nirvana when you are in Pala Samapathi. When you come out of it you don't experience it but the fact you have seen it will not change. Since you know how you got there you can get to it when you want. This experience has a lasting impression / imprint on you. So your ways will change once you come out of the Samapathi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To further elaborate. The lasting impression is like once your where in Rome had a life changing experience. This sticks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T12:42:05.977" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T12:42:05.977" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3884" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3898" CreationDate="2014-10-01T07:35:54.687" Score="7" ViewCount="4207" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we know, in soto-shu we don't count nor observe the breath during zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like people who have a long experience with zazen meditation to explain if they consider that counting and observing the breath was helpful to progress in their meditation practice or not. Should a beginner start with counting breathing rather then go straight into shikantaza practice ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:29:44.753" LastActivityDate="2021-09-02T08:53:43.637" Title="Shikantaza vs counting breath" Tags="|meditation-zazen|shikantaza|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3884" CreationDate="2014-10-01T12:03:58.333" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;My experience with &quot;formal&quot; zazen comes from meditating at a local Korean Zen meditation center, for about two years, twice a week, two hours each time. Plus some meditation at home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, counting breaths is useful on those days when the mind is very distracted with mental chatter / inner gossip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seems to be a progression here: from counting by mentally saying the numbers, to counting on phalanges, to simply watching the breathing, to watching the mind, to just sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For beginner, &quot;just sitting&quot; is an impossible feat. So rather than lying to oneself and pretending to &quot;just sit&quot; while instead indulging in thinking, one is advised to watch the mind (&quot;don't go with thoughts, don't go against the thoughts&quot;). If that still does not work, one should watch the inhales and exhales, in the hope to see the emotional disturbances that the thoughts come from, and let those go. If the mind is so disturbed that one can't even follow the breath, then counting breaths is used as last resort to tie up the discursive mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T12:54:03.420" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T12:54:03.420" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3877" CreationDate="2014-10-01T12:05:05.073" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, both Tibetan as well as Far East meditation masters, use singing bowl as a gong to mark beginning and end of meditation session. In a Korean Zen school I attended, the bowl is struck three times, in the beginning and at the end, with an oddly very slightly longer pause between the second and third strike. Tibetan Dzogchen master I once meditated with, striked the bowl once in the beginning and once at the end. The exact way the bowl is hit is an expression of the enlightened mind. Listening to how exactly the master strikes the bowl can show one the way to enlightenment. Trying to do it oneself, makes very obvious the lack of one's zen realization. During the meditation itself the bowl is not used, as meditation pretty much &lt;em&gt;requires&lt;/em&gt; getting bored, so playing with the bowl would be too much entertainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T12:23:08.033" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T12:23:08.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3887" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T13:21:07.480" Score="5" ViewCount="686" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going through a lot. It's very easy to be lost in thoughts and worries about the near future, and that leads me to a life of unhappiness. I also feel guilty when I fell happy, because I feel I should be worried.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me it's very hard to accept the idea that the universe is impermanent and hence I should live the present moment when I'm responsible for things to go wrong or right. How can I solve my problems if I'm not totally immersed in the future, thinking about all the possibilities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I need to think about the future, there's no way to not be anxious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1009" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T06:15:50.780" Title="Living worried about the future and reaching mindfulness" Tags="|philosophy|mindfulness|attachment|impermanence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3887" CreationDate="2014-10-01T13:59:19.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind's nature is to roll in the future or past. Nothing to get too upset about. What you have to train it is to live in the present moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only way you can overcome this is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;repeated application&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sustained application&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... bringing your mind to the present moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever your mind wonders away:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realise that it has wondered away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bring it back to the chosen object with no aggregation, disappointment. If any such tension does arises realize it too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep doing it until this becomes second nature and effortless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you will be in the present moment and many of your worries will go away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the concept of impermanence is that the world / universe is in a flux of change. Weather, people, neighborhoods, etc. all keep changing. It is not that the world or universe will come to an abrupt end. Nothing to be too worried over. If you want something that changes not to change then you will be disappointed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T14:10:14.143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T14:10:14.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3889" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T14:58:27.157" Score="1" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This page&lt;/a&gt; shows each feature of a pagoda symbolizing the steps to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,  S. N. Goenka mentions a similar symbolism on how the pagoda relates to the Maha Satipatthana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In every chapter the repetition of certain words indicates the importance of this sampajañña. Ātāpī sampajāno satimā applies to the observation of kāya, vedanā, citta and dhammā: sampajañña has to be present. Similarly samudaya-, vaya-, and samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī, which apply everywhere in the Sutta, have to be with sampajañña and sensations. &lt;strong&gt;For example, in Myanmar there are many pagodas on plateaus, with four staircases, one each from the east, west, north and south. Similarly you might start with kāya, vedanā, citta, or dhammā, but as you enter the gallery they all intermingle in vedanā, and reaching the shrine room it is the same nibbāna. Whichever staircase you start climbing, you come to vedanā and sampajañña: and if you are with sampajañña you are progressing step by step towards the final goal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any other forms of symbolism regarding pagodas and the Maha Sattipattana Sutta and other suttas covering Samatha meditation subjects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:11:14.823" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T11:18:12.040" Title="Pagoda's symbolism of yogi's progress to Nirvana" Tags="|vipassana|art|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3887" CreationDate="2014-10-01T16:39:20.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's very easy to be lost in thoughts and worries about the near future, and that leads me to a life of unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not thinking-about-the-future &lt;em&gt;itself&lt;/em&gt; that makes us unhappy, it is attachment to a certain way we want the future to be, and fear of another way the future could end up being. The unhappiness is caused by our attachment to e.g. stability, comfort etc. First thing we learn in Buddhism is to give up our attachments to our preconceived notions of how things are &quot;supposed to be&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For me it's very hard to accept the idea that the universe is impermanent and hence I should live the present moment when I'm responsible for things to go wrong or right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't have to live in the present moment, we can do our best taking care of things, planning etc. -- as long as we are not too attached to the narrow concepts of &quot;right&quot; and &quot;wrong&quot;. When you look at things globally, the right and wrong are not as simple as they seem. You can have a goal in the future, as long as you fully accept 1) where you are now, what you have now, exactly and completely, and 2) that despite your efforts the future may &lt;em&gt;still&lt;/em&gt; end up not like you wanted it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I also feel guilty when I fell happy, because I feel I should be worried.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This probably comes from a deep-rooted preconception that you don't see looming danger, that if everything is good it means you are missing something important. This is probably just a habit you developed over years. In this case, feeling happy requires letting go of the urge to be in control, to see everything in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another component of this is probably a fear of confidently taking responsibility for the decision you will have to make. Even though it is often impossible to guarantee that our steps are perfect, we have to lean firmly on each step, so we can make the next step. This is part of what we must learn in initial (&quot;hinayana&quot;) training, to behave like a (spiritual) warrior calmly taking charge of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T18:10:09.517" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T18:10:09.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3891" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T18:05:44.523" Score="2" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the pursuit of having children to raise and teach good morals unwholsome or wholsome?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1010" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T01:12:20.933" Title="Pursuit of raising children ok?" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3887" CreationDate="2014-10-01T18:17:08.793" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can I solve my problems if I'm not totally immersed in the future, thinking about all the possibilities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a sense, the answer is because being immersed in the future is a large part of the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't recognize the things you call problems as real problems. They are conventional problems that only obtain the designation because of your own views and beliefs; in reality, whether you solve them or not is mostly meaningless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because Buddhism recognizes the impermanence of life, the inevitability of death, and the cyclic nature of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;286.&lt;/strong&gt; “Here shall I live during the rains, here in winter&#xA;  and summer” – thus thinks the fool. He does not&#xA;  realize the danger (that death might intervene).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;287.&lt;/strong&gt; As a great flood carries away a sleeping village,&#xA;  so death seizes and carries away the man with a&#xA;  clinging mind, doting on his children and cattle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't advocate the acceptance of impermanence, so much as the realization that it is the truth; once you realize it for yourself, you will give up attachment to the future and the past, since you will understand that their importance is merely circumstantial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good advice is to accept that reality inevitably boils down to the six senses - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and thinking. No matter what comes in the future, good or bad, it will only be some combination of these six categories of experience. This is how one settles ones concern about the future and the past. Even if you are homeless, living or dying on the street, it will only be an experience, not categorically different from living in a mansion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closer you come to realizing this, the better, not worse, your life will become (according to Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T18:50:26.233" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T18:50:26.233" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3893" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T18:49:25.763" Score="6" ViewCount="1480" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anybody explain to me about &quot;nibbana&quot; and how it is different form &quot;nirvana&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there views about it and ways to get to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1011" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T19:33:44.553" LastActivityDate="2023-04-30T14:29:06.160" Title="Can you explain &quot;nirvana&quot;?" Tags="|pali-canon|enlightenment|nirvana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3894" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T19:05:09.137" Score="3" ViewCount="585" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I catch my mind wandering and mixing up all the worst case scenarios for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Currently I have a problem that will, most likely, have a small or medium impact on my life, however my mind has proven to have this hability of finding the worst of the worst possible scenarios, a real chaos, and when I think about this remote scenario I suffer really bad, eventhough the odds are very small, the feeling is terrible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to use reason and use logic to show myself this scenario is highly unlikely, but it doesn't work very well, even the smallest possibility is a cause for strong suffering, so the question is: Is there anyway we can use meditation as a tool to calm ourselves AND show to us in a very effective way that this fear is unrational and this terrible scenario is highly unlikely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can meditation enable logical thinking?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:36:49.360" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:36:49.360" Title="How to use meditation to boost logical thinking (or avoiding suffering with unrational scenario)" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3893" CreationDate="2014-10-01T19:26:39.447" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana (Sanskrit, also nirvāṇa; Pali: nibbana, nibbāna - it's all the same word)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Extinguishing the fires&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist tradition, nirvana is described as the extinguishing of the fires that cause suffering.&#xA;  These fires are typically identified as the fires of attachment&#xA;  (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidya).   For&#xA;  example, Rupert Gethin states:  Literally nirvāṇa means ‘blowing out’&#xA;  or ‘extinguishing’ [...] What the Pali and Sanskrit expression&#xA;  primarily indicates is the event or process of the extinction of the&#xA;  ‘fires’ of greed, aversion, and delusion. At the moment the Buddha&#xA;  understood suffering, its arising, its cessation, and the path leading&#xA;  to its cessation, these fires were extinguished. This process is the&#xA;  same for all who reach awakening, and the early texts term it either&#xA;  nirvāṇa or parinirvāṇa, the complete ‘blowing out’ or ‘extinguishing’&#xA;  of the ‘fires’ of greed, aversion, and delusion. This is not a ‘thing’&#xA;  but an event or experience.  Contemporary Buddhist scholar Ajahn&#xA;  Sucitto emphasizes that when these fires are extinguished, the mind is&#xA;  freed. Ajahn Sucitto states:  The metaphors associated with nibbāna&#xA;  often liken it to the blowing out of a fire. When it is no longer&#xA;  burning, the fire has “nibbāna’d”—the elements on which it was based&#xA;  are no longer in a state of combustion. This may seem like sterility&#xA;  and lifelessness from the viewpoint of the fire, but from the&#xA;  perspective of the elements it means life and potential. That is, when&#xA;  the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion are extinguished, the mind is&#xA;  free to operate in terms of its fullest capacity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Freedom from suffering&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist view, when the fires of attachment (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidya)&#xA;  are extinguished, suffering (dukkha) comes to an end. The cessation of&#xA;  suffering is described as complete peace. Bhikkhu Bodhi states:  The&#xA;  state of perfect peace that comes when craving is eliminated is&#xA;  Nibbāna (nirvāṇa), the unconditioned state experienced while alive&#xA;  with the extinguishing of the flames of greed, aversion, and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Freedom from rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist view, the fires of attachment (raga), aversion&#xA;  (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidya) are the forces which propel&#xA;  the cycle of rebirth (samsara). When these fires are extinguished,&#xA;  freedom from rebirth is attained.   Bhikkhu Bodhi states:  For as long&#xA;  as one is entangled by craving, one remains bound in saṃsāra, the&#xA;  cycle of birth and death; but when all craving has been extirpated,&#xA;  one attains Nibbāna, deliverance from the cycle of birth and death. &#xA;  Paul Williams states:  Nirvana is broadly speaking the result of&#xA;  letting-go, letting-go the very forces of craving which power&#xA;  continued experiences of pleasure and inevitably suffering throughout&#xA;  this life, death, rebirth, and redeath. That, in a nutshell, is what&#xA;  nirvana is. It is the complete and permanent cessation of samsara,&#xA;  thence the cessation of all types of suffering, resulting from&#xA;  letting-go the forces which power samsara, due to overcoming ignorance&#xA;  (thence also hatred and delusion, the 'three root poisons') through&#xA;  seeing things the way they really are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;During life and after death&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist tradition, a distinction is made between a person's experience of nirvana during&#xA;  their life and after their death. These two aspects of nirvana are&#xA;  described as:  Nirvana during life Pali: sa-upādisesa-nibbāna &#xA;  Sanskrit: sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa  Also translated as: nirvana with&#xA;  remainder; nirvana with residue  Indicates the experience of someone&#xA;  who has experienced nirvana in their lifetime but still remains in&#xA;  their physical body   Nirvana after death Pali: an-up ādisesa-nibbāna &#xA;  Sanskrit: nir-upadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa  Also referred to as: nirvana without&#xA;  remainder; nirvana without residue; or parinirvana  Indicates the&#xA;  experience of nirvana for someone after their death  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nirvana in this life&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist tradition, it is believed that a practitioner can achieve nirvana during their life, or at the&#xA;  moment of death. When a practitioner experiences nirvana during their&#xA;  life, this experience is referred as nirvana-in-this-life, or more&#xA;  traditionally, &quot;nirvana with remainder&quot; (Pali: sa-upādisesa-nibbāna;&#xA;  Sanskrit: sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa).   Contemporary scholar Rupert Gethin&#xA;  explains:  Like the Buddha, any person who attains nirvāṇa does not&#xA;  remain thereafter forever absorbed in some transcendental state of&#xA;  mind. On the contrary he or she continues to live in the world; he or&#xA;  she continues to think, speak, and act as other people do—with the&#xA;  difference that all his or her thoughts, words, and deeds are&#xA;  completely free of the motivations of greed, aversion, and delusion,&#xA;  and motivated instead entirely by generosity, friendliness, and&#xA;  wisdom. This condition of having extinguished the defilements can be&#xA;  termed ‘nirvāṇa with the remainder [of life]’&#xA;  (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa/sa-upādisesa-nibbāna): the nirvāṇa that comes&#xA;  from ending the occurrence of the defilements (kleśa/kilesa) of the&#xA;  mind; what the Pali commentaries call for short kilesa-parinibbāna.&#xA;  And this is what the Buddha achieved on the night of his awakening. &#xA;  The experience of nirvana-in-this-life is said to result in a&#xA;  transformed mind that has the following qualities:  free from negative&#xA;  mental states  peaceful  non-reactive  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Free from negative mental states&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The experience of nirvana-in-this-life is said to be free from all negative mental&#xA;  states. For example, Walpola Rahula states that one who has achieved&#xA;  nirvana is &quot;free from all ‘complexes’ and obsessions, the worries and&#xA;  troubles that torment others.&quot;   Damien Keown states:  Nirvana [...]&#xA;  involves a radically transformed state of consciousness which is free&#xA;  of the obsession with ‘me and mine’.  Rupert Gethin states:  Any&#xA;  person who attains nirvāṇa [...] continues to think, speak, and act as&#xA;  other people do—with the difference that all his or her thoughts,&#xA;  words, and deeds are completely free of the motivations of greed,&#xA;  aversion, and delusion, and motivated instead entirely by generosity,&#xA;  friendliness, and wisdom.  Contemporary Buddhist teacher Ajahn Sucitto&#xA;  states:  When the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion are&#xA;  extinguished, the mind is free to operate in terms of its fullest&#xA;  capacity.  Anam Thubten states:  Nirvana or whatever you want to call&#xA;  it means the complete deconstruction of all of our rigid mental&#xA;  patterns and habits as well the deconstruction of all of our limiting&#xA;  beliefs. This deconstruction creates a space for true inquiry. When we&#xA;  open our hearts and our minds completely, we are in a place where we&#xA;  can experience something new, a new truth, a new reality, a miracle&#xA;  that we haven't experienced in the past. We can see things differently&#xA;  and they present new, expanded opportunities, new horizons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Peaceful&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana is described as a state of perfect peace that comes when all negative mental states are eliminated. For example,&#xA;  Walpola Rahula states:  He who has realized the Truth, Nirvāṇa, is the&#xA;  happiest being in the world. He is free from all ‘complexes’ and&#xA;  obsessions, the worries and troubles that torment others. His mental&#xA;  health is perfect. He does not repent the past, nor does he brood over&#xA;  the future. He lives fully in the present. Therefore he appreciates&#xA;  and enjoys things in the purest sense without self-projections. He is&#xA;  joyful, exultant, enjoying the pure life, his faculties pleased, free&#xA;  from anxiety, serene and peaceful.  Damien Keown states:  It is clear&#xA;  that nirvana-in-this-life is a psychological and ethical reality, a&#xA;  transformed state of personality characterized by peace, deep&#xA;  spiritual joy, compassion, and a refined and subtle awareness.&#xA;  Negative mental states and emotions such as doubt, worry, anxiety, and&#xA;  fear are absent from the enlightened mind. Saints in many religious&#xA;  traditions exhibit some or all of these qualities, and ordinary people&#xA;  also possess them to some degree, although imperfectly developed. An&#xA;  enlightened person, however, such as a Buddha or an Arhat, possesses&#xA;  them all completely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-reactive&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the state of nirvana, the mind is no longer reactive. Phillip Moffitt states:  Nibbana literally means &quot;cooled&quot;&#xA;  and is analogous to a fire that's no longer burning. Thus, when there&#xA;  is cessation, your mind no longer burns in response to the arising of&#xA;  pleasant and unpleasant in your life; it isn't reactive or controlled&#xA;  by what you like or dislike.  Ringu Tulku explains:  Someone who has&#xA;  attained [...] the state of nirvana, will no longer react within the&#xA;  pattern of aversion and attachment. The way such a person sees things&#xA;  will be nondualistic and therefore non-conceptual. [...] When this&#xA;  dual reaction is gone, nothing is haunting or fearful anymore. We see&#xA;  clearly, and nothing seems imposing, since nothing is imposed from our&#xA;  part. When there is nothing we do not like, there is nothing to fear.&#xA;  Being free from fear, we are peaceful. There is no need to run away&#xA;  from anything, and therefore no need to run after anything either. In&#xA;  this way there is no burden. We can have inner peace, strength, and&#xA;  clarity, almost independent from circumstances and situations. This is&#xA;  complete freedom of mind without any circumstantial entanglement; the&#xA;  state is called &quot;nirvana&quot; [...]. Someone who has reached this state&#xA;  has gone beyond our usual way of being imprisoned in habitual patterns&#xA;  and distorted ways of seeing these things.  Ajahn Sucitto states&#xA;  &quot;qualities like calm, clarity, and kindness are all enhanced [...] the&#xA;  tinder and the sparkiness of the heart are removed.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nirvana after death&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist view, when an ordinary person dies and their physical body disintegrates, the person's&#xA;  consciousness passes onto a new birth; and the person is reborn in one&#xA;  of the six realms of samsara. However, when a person attains nirvana,&#xA;  they are liberated from ordinary rebirth. When such a person dies,&#xA;  their physical body disintegrates and their consciousness is said to&#xA;  be completely liberated. They are not reborn in the ordinary sense.&#xA;  Their consciousness does not take rebirth into a physical form.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Contemporary scholar Rupert Gethin explains:  Eventually ‘the&#xA;  remainder of life’ will be exhausted and, like all beings, such a&#xA;  person must die. But unlike other beings, who have not experienced&#xA;  ‘nirvāṇa’, he or she will not be reborn into some new life, the&#xA;  physical and mental constituents of being will not come together in&#xA;  some new existence, there will be no new being or person. Instead of&#xA;  being reborn, the person ‘parinirvāṇa-s’, meaning in this context that&#xA;  the five aggregates of physical and mental phenomena that constitute a&#xA;  being cease to occur. This is the condition of ‘nirvāṇa without&#xA;  remainder [of life]’ (nir-upadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa/an-up ādisesa-nibbāna):&#xA;  nirvāṇa that comes from ending the occurrence of the aggregates&#xA;  (skandha/khandha) of physical and mental phenomena that constitute a&#xA;  being; or, for short, khandha-parinibbāna.[f] Modern Buddhist usage&#xA;  tends to restrict ‘nirvāṇa’ to the awakening experience and reserve&#xA;  ‘parinirvāṇa’ for the death experience.  The experience of&#xA;  nirvana-after-death (paranirvana) is said to be beyond words or&#xA;  description. Walpola Rahula explains:  Nirvāṇa is beyond all terms of&#xA;  duality and relativity. It is therefore beyond our conceptions of good&#xA;  and evil, right and wrong, existence and non-existence. Even the word&#xA;  ‘happiness’ (sukha) which is used to describe Nirvāṇa has an entirely&#xA;  different sense here. Sāriputta once said: ‘O friend, Nirvāṇa is&#xA;  happiness! Nirvāṇa is happiness!’ Then Udāyi asked: ‘But, friend&#xA;  Sāriputta, what happiness can it be if there is no sensation?’&#xA;  Sāriputta’s reply was highly philosophical and beyond ordinary&#xA;  comprehension: “That there is no sensation itself is happiness’. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No words to describe the experience&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist view, there are no words to describe the experience of nirvana-after-death.&#xA;  Walpola Rahula explains:  Now another question arises: What happens to&#xA;  the Buddha or an Arahant after his death, parinirvāṇa? This comes&#xA;  under the category of unanswered questions (avyākata). [Samyutta&#xA;  Nikaya IV (PTS), p. 375] Even when the Buddha spoke about this, he&#xA;  indicated that no words in our vocabulary could express what happens&#xA;  to an Arahant after his death. In reply to a Parivrājaka named Vaccha,&#xA;  the Buddha said that terms like ‘born’ or ‘not born’ do not apply in&#xA;  the case of an Arahant, because those things—matter, sensation,&#xA;  perception, mental activities, consciousness—with which the terms like&#xA;  ‘born’ and ‘not born’ are associated, are completely destroyed and&#xA;  uprooted, never to rise again after his death. [Majjhima Nikaya I&#xA;  (PTS), p. 486] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Physical existence is like a fire gone out&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a person who has reached nirvana dies, their physical existence is compared to a fire&#xA;  that has gone out. Walpola Rahula explains:  An Arahant after his&#xA;  death is often compared to a fire gone out when the supply of wood is&#xA;  over, or to the flame of a lamp gone out when the wick and oil are&#xA;  finished.[Majjhima Nikaya I (PTS), p. 487] Here it should be clearly&#xA;  and distinctly understood, without any confusion, that what is&#xA;  compared to a flame or a fire gone out is not Nirvāṇa, but the ‘being’&#xA;  composed of the Five Aggregates who realized Nirvāṇa. This point has&#xA;  to be emphasized because many people, even some great scholars, have&#xA;  misunderstood and misinterpreted this simile as referring to Nirvāṇa.&#xA;  Nirvāṇa is never compared to a fire or a lamp gone out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T19:34:39.787" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T19:34:39.787" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3896" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3899" CreationDate="2014-10-01T20:34:04.170" Score="2" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading that early Buddhist art doesn't actually depict the Buddha. Instead it shows an empty space, a dharma wheel or a footprint where you would expect the Buddha to be shown. It was only later (maybe 1st century CE?) that the Buddha was represented in art. I would be really interested to see any examples of this kind of art. Could anyone post some links or the images themselves of this kind of early Buddhist art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:23:40.970" Title="Examples of early Buddhist art" Tags="|art|iconography|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3894" CreationDate="2014-10-01T20:51:37.417" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Seated mediation, as I've been taught to practice, is not about logical analysis.  That said, when it comes to 'thinking the worst', the practice of attention recognizes that these are just thoughts.  In a sense, it doesn't matter whether the events are likely or unlikely, because the thoughts are just thoughts.  There can be value in rationally analyzing fears, but meditative practice starts with just observing the fears as they are, regardless of whether they are rational.  When the whirlwind of doubt starts up again, just return to the object of meditation (often, the breath) and let things settle.  This isn't easy, but that's why we practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bit of an aside, but here is a passage from the Dhammapada, &lt;strong&gt;Mind&lt;/strong&gt; (translation by Ananda Maitreya), that I think relates to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Just as an arrowsmith shapes an arrow to&#xA;  perfection with fire,&#xA;So does the wise man shape his mind,&#xA;Which is fickle, unsteady, vulnerable, and&#xA;  erratic.&#xA;&#xA;Like a fish taken from the safety of its watery&#xA;  home&#xA;And cast upon the dry land&#xA;So does this mind flutter, due to the lure of the&#xA;  tempter.&#xA;Therefore one should leave the dominion of&#xA;  Mara.&#xA;&#xA;How good it is to rein the mind,&#xA;which is unruly, capricious, rushing wherever&#xA;  it pleases.&#xA;The mind so harnessed will bring one happiness.&#xA;&#xA;A wise man should pay attention to his mind,&#xA;Which is very difficult to perceive.&#xA;It is extremely subtle and wanders wherever it&#xA;  pleases.&#xA;The mind, well-guarded and controlled,&#xA;Will bring him happiness.&#xA;&#xA;One who keeps a rein on the wandering mind,&#xA;Which strays far and wide, alone, bodiless,&#xA;Will be freed from the tyranny of the tempter.&#xA;&#xA;A man of fickle mind&#xA;Will never attain wisdom to its fullest,&#xA;Since he is ignorant of the Dhamma&#xA;And has wavering faith.&#xA;&#xA;The heart of the fully conscious man&#xA;  is fearless--&#xA;He has freed his mind of lust and anger,&#xA;He has transcended both good and evil.&#xA;&#xA;Observe this body, as fragile as an earthen vase.&#xA;Build a mind as solid as a fortified city,&#xA;Then confront Mara with the weapon of&#xA;  insight&#xA;And (proceeding without attachment)&#xA;Guard what you have already conquered.&#xA;&#xA;Certainly before long this body will lie on the&#xA;  ground,&#xA;Lifeless and unconscious,&#xA;Cast aside like a useless log.&#xA;&#xA;A mind out of control will do more harm&#xA;Than two angry men engaged in combat.&#xA;&#xA;A well-directed mind creates more well-being&#xA;Than the wholesome actions of parents&#xA;Toward their children.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastEditorUserId="793" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T22:17:34.473" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T22:17:34.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3884" CreationDate="2014-10-01T21:06:25.413" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my practice at a Soto Zen center, I was never instructed not to count breaths; it seemed to be well accepted as a valuable beginner's practice.  I personally found it very helpful, as I would go from 1 to 10, starting over from 1 if I lost track.  You'd think that counting to 10 would be easy, but I've had times when I couldn't even make it past 1.  It's just so very boring.  That, for me is the key utility of the practice, as otherwise I find myself indulging in trains of thought and sensation without even realizing I'm doing it.  The counting is artificial and a crutch, but my mind can't be trusted to operate well unattended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In response to the comment, here are a few more thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The center where I sat was in the US, so it could be that the style of teaching is somewhat different.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suzukiroshi.sfzc.org/dharma-talks/?p=962#more-962&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is an article where Shunryū Suzuki-rōshi answered a question regarding counting the breath vs. shinkantaza (at the very top in response to Student A); his answer was that there was not much difference.  He does say that counting isn't really easier though, since to do the practice properly, you have to count with your whole body.  He does slightly distinguish breath counting practice from shinkantaza (not 'much' difference), but the sense I get is that when you truly practice it correctly, they are essentially the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was also told that shinkantaza does not stop when you get up from the cushion, perhaps suggesting we shouldn't get too attached to the 'sitting' part (or, perhaps, having a body to sit with?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastEditorUserId="793" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T13:02:01.640" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T13:02:01.640" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3896" CreationDate="2014-10-01T21:24:41.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the oldest Buddhist stone structures in India is the Great Stupa at Sanchi, and it has a lot of stone reliefs that have this kind of thing. Here's one example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi#mediaviewer/File:Sanchi_Carving.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi#mediaviewer/File:Sanchi_Carving.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/x4exE.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T13:23:40.970" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:23:40.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3896" CreationDate="2014-10-01T21:34:03.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are pictures of Buddha's footprints: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Buddhapada&amp;amp;tbm=isch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.google.com/search?q=Buddhapada&amp;amp;tbm=isch&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footprints are a.k.a. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_footprint&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhapada&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is off-topic because it is later than &quot;early&quot; buddhism, but your question reminded me of the &quot;10 bulls&quot; illustrations (which are, if not early, at least famous, and use an emptiness to represent enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Bulls&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; it's the 8th of the 10:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/8fKE4.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or in the second of &lt;a href=&quot;http://philosophy.lander.edu/oriental/reader/reader/x5038.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these two series&lt;/a&gt; it's the last of the ten.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; (alternatively often shown as &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=zen+circle&amp;amp;tbm=isch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an open, unclosed&lt;/a&gt; circle):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uAwJy.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-01T21:46:07.710" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T21:46:07.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3901" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T22:49:38.403" Score="6" ViewCount="596" Body="&lt;p&gt;Body language (smiling) seems to be linked to meditation success as per Bhante Vimalaramsi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;smiling is an important aspect for the meditation. Learning to smile with mind and raising slightly the corners of the mouth helps mind to be observant, alert and agile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://library.dhammasukha.org/simple-easy-to-understand-mindfulness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the mechanics behind this or how it works?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition these talks through not related to make suggestion that there is a link between body language, smiling and our well being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Your body language shapes who you are&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The hidden power of smiling&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:45:17.267" Title="How is body language linked with meditation success?" Tags="|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3076" CreationDate="2014-10-01T22:58:33.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I am to add to the existing answers, it is like a singularity where all conventional laws break down. So what happens beyond on in this state cannot be communicated through conventional wisdom or language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the experience beyond the singularity. Once you experience it you have experienced it. You cannot unexperience it. Say you have gone and see Rome. This is a fact. Is it possible to turn back time so you have not seen Rome. Not possible. Likewise once you have seen what is beyond the singularity you cannot be made to be brought to the state where you have not seen it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you experience Nirvana when you are in Pala Samapathi. When you come out of it you don't experience it but the fact you have seen it will not change. Since you know how you got there you can get to it when you want. This experience has a lasting impression / imprint on you. So your ways will change once you come out of the Samapathi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To further elaborate. The lasting impression is like once your where in Rome had a life changing experience. This sticks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-01T22:58:33.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3903" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-01T23:35:01.590" Score="10" ViewCount="457" Body="&lt;p&gt;Changes can easily come about in all of us, even those we love and trust.&#xA;When this happens, how do we keep loving them without expecting anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T02:33:20.173" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T02:33:20.173" Title="How To Keep Loving Without Reward?" Tags="|relationship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3903" CreationDate="2014-10-02T00:45:15.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is a question we all ask ourselves at some point&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/attachment.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/attachment.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What Is Attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order for there to be attachment, you need two things -- the&#xA;  attacher, and the thing to which the attacher is attached. In other&#xA;  words, &quot;attachment&quot; requires self-reference, and it requires seeing&#xA;  the object of attachment as separate from oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that seeing oneself and everything else this way is&#xA;  a delusion. Further, it is a delusion that is the deepest cause of our&#xA;  unhappiness. It is because we mistakenly see ourselves as separate&#xA;  from everything else that we &quot;attach.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Zen teacher John Daido Loori said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[A]ccording to the Buddhist point of view, nonattachment is exactly&#xA;  the opposite of separation. You need two things in order to have&#xA;  attachment: the thing you’re attaching to, and the person who’s&#xA;  attaching. In nonattachment, on the other hand, there’s unity. There’s&#xA;  unity because there’s nothing to attach to. If you have unified with&#xA;  the whole universe, there’s nothing outside of you, so the notion of&#xA;  attachment becomes absurd. Who will attach to what?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because we think we have intrinsic existence within our skin, and&#xA;  what's outside our skin is &quot;everything else,&quot; that we go through life&#xA;  grabbing for one thing after another to make us feel safe, or to make&#xA;  us happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Living without attachment is a lot like living without trying to get some outcome in the world. It is living life but not defining ourselves essentially as a companion or a worker or a studier or being just the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So not being attached or not having expectations involves loosening up our own self identity that is wrapped up in the world and how it appears. If we are totally comfortable in this moment it is far easier to accept the relationship we have with that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep practicing meditation every day and have meditation be part of your relationship could be a good start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T00:45:15.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3903" CreationDate="2014-10-02T01:00:53.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2170/254&quot;&gt;question here&lt;/a&gt; about being a parent (which is a kind of love).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I especially admired &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2174/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which identifies different types/aspects of love (Metta, Karuna, Muditha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You haven't said much in your question: it was not specific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the change, depending on how the people and the &quot;trust&quot; were changed, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/price/bl124.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;maybe you shouldn't&lt;/a&gt; keep loving someone, or maybe you can't;&#xA;maybe you should love them in a different way;&#xA;maybe you don't control how you feel;&#xA;maybe Buddhism can help you to live with less expectation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T01:00:53.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3891" CreationDate="2014-10-02T01:12:20.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you tagged this with &quot;accademic Buddhism&quot; I'll point you to &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00K8CQ2T8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Family Matters in Indian Buddhist Monasticism&lt;/a&gt; where the author reads all the various ancients rules for dealing with monastics that had family obligations of various types.  I've only read the first chapters-- I don't want to pay $41 for the thing. The author's thesis is that the ideal of the &quot;Rhinoceros Horn&quot;-- quitting all social ties to wander away alone, was an ideal that people liked the sound of, but didn't really want to follow through with it.  So they maintained contacts with their family after ordaining. Sometimes, married couples would ordain at the same time, ordain at with kids, and so on. What it remind me of were some sort of modern commune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, that's just ancient Indian Buddhism. The institution varies from place to place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T01:12:20.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3908" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3912" CreationDate="2014-10-02T04:35:07.673" Score="19" ViewCount="11112" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, if exists, what is the meaning of life, and if different, what is the purpose of life? And where does this meaning and purpose come from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1016" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-19T01:38:38.400" LastActivityDate="2018-10-16T22:12:31.493" Title="What is the meaning and/or purpose of life?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2014-10-02T05:16:43.727" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it possible to have a romantic relationship without attachment? Just based on pure love and with equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't say that all relationships must end; but if a relationship doesn't end, one of the partners will die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we knew that my partner was dying, I think then we both/each experienced more love and less attachment than we had previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perhaps that is inevitable, the only sane response to dying.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or perhaps we were fortunate, we allowed each other that experience towards the end.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perhaps we were unfortunate, we didn't allow each other that experience when we were younger (and instead had less love and more attachment during our earlier life together)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankha might be right: we might have been better to have been friends than to have &quot;loved&quot; each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about Rabbit's answer; that answer says, &quot;our natural state is non-discriminative love&quot;, but a typical, old-fashioned &quot;romantic&quot; relationship is perhaps discriminative and exclusive: it says, &quot;I will love you &lt;strong&gt;and no-one else&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; (or, &quot;I love you in a way that I don't love anyone else&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A famous saying about love is, &quot;love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.&quot; I suspect that love can cause attachment, which makes happiness more difficult, and makes your happiness less under your own control. You give your partner control over whether you feel happy: you allow them them to hurt you (and they feel hurt by you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether it's &quot;possible&quot; to have a &quot;romantic relationship, without attachment, just based on pure love and with equanimity&quot; presumably varies from person to person. Maybe it becomes easier as you get older and if you become wiser.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now after my friend died I still remember her. Perhaps I remember her without &quot;attachment&quot;, i.e. without hurting myself by wishing that things are other than as they are. When I (still) dream about her, which I did last night, I feel less conflict between the dream (of her being present) and reality (her having died).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the above doesn't seem like a strong recommendation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that on the plus side, if you are able to eventually (and it might take years or decades, if you're ever able to at all) overcome your many faults, it gives you an opportunity to help &lt;strong&gt;two&lt;/strong&gt; people (you and your partner) to experience that love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might matter, whether you and your partner have the same &quot;values&quot;: whether you value the same thing. For example, do you both value &quot;relationship without attachment&quot; and &quot;love with equanimity&quot;? Buddhism? If so perhaps that's a friendship, a community. If not, an unequal or one-sided relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T05:16:43.727" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T05:41:27.180" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the classic answer is as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Life exists, and suffering exists (death, poverty, illness, etc.) -- that's observable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering has a cause, there's a Way to end suffering, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;that Way&lt;/a&gt; (which leads to the end of suffering) is Buddhist practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life may not have a &quot;meaning&quot; as such, but it is experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sooner or later that experience might inevitable seem unpleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism lets you to separate yourself from, not become to subject to, that suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if it sounds negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are versions of Buddhist cosmology which teach that there's a heaven, you can go to heaven ... but that's temporary, everything is temporary (a.k.a. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;samsara&lt;/a&gt;&quot;), that even heaven is unsatisfactory (e.g. because it's temporary), and Buddhism gives you the means to escape from that endless cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a strongly compassionate side to Buddhism. The meaning/purpose of life is to alleviate suffering, and not only your own suffering but of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;all sentient beings&lt;/a&gt;&quot; or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, if exists, what is the meaning of life, and if different, what is the purpose of life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal or ambition (is that the same as &quot;purpose&quot;?) is therefore to become more 'enlightened':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't cause more suffering (for yourself, or for others)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Help (yourself and others) to become immune to, not subject to, suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And where does this meaning and purpose come from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, the world (including life and suffering) has no discernible beginning: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;a beginning point is not evident&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However you don't need to know too much about the past. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;parable of the arrow&lt;/a&gt; suggests there are various questions which aren't skillful/useful to ask, and that the Buddha himself asked the right question: i.e. &quot;what is the cause of suffering and how can I end suffering?&quot; It's the right question because it's like asking, &quot;How can we remove that arrow without killing the patient?&quot; Relatively speaking, in that situation, other questions aren't important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you're asking, 'Why would we want to &quot;end suffering&quot;? Why is &quot;ending suffering&quot; the goal or purpose of life?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that Buddhism answers that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that &quot;suffering exists&quot; is observable. The Buddha observed that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/beyondcoping/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;aging, illness, death, and separation exist&lt;/a&gt;, and that people find these to be cause for suffering. Suffering is defined as (or means) &quot;unpleasant&quot;. And &quot;sentient beings&quot; are assumed to not want suffering, to be wanting to avoid suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, that's:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Inherent in the definitions of the words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Observable through (everyone's/anyone's) personal experience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Axiomatic (assumed rather than proven)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T12:27:40.893" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T12:27:40.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T06:16:42.670" Score="23" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that, in the zen soto tradition, the answer would be the famous word of Dogen Zenji: &quot;あるがまま&quot; (read: arugamama) which kind of translate as &quot;things are so&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen encourage a radical acceptation of &quot;things as they are&quot;, and it is believed that through this radical acceptance of &quot;things as they are&quot;, right here, right now,  a deeper and non-intellectual understanding of life can be reached, one that words can't describe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore such question can not be answered. The Buddha himself simply remained silent when such metaphysical questions were addressed to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T06:16:42.670" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3914" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3929" CreationDate="2014-10-02T07:06:57.103" Score="3" ViewCount="934" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the search for meaning and purpose of life, it seems that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3908/what-is-the-meaning-of-life&quot;&gt;Buddhism is silent&lt;/a&gt; on this issue that many modern people are concerned with. The way to reconcile seems to be &quot;accept things as it is&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I personally know people who have trouble living without a &quot;meaning of life&quot;. They ask themselves questions like &quot;Why do I need to do this? Why can't I do that instead?&quot;. They are not nonconformist, but just does not see the point of doing anything at all. These thoughts can actually lead some of them to become suicidal as a form of release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism teach about how lack of meaning of life can make someone so negative, and the method, procedures and way of thinking that can help people to &quot;accept things as it is&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes to my personal understanding to help with better quality answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Meaning of Life&quot; and &quot;Purpose of Life&quot; are not necessarily the one and same thing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not finding the meaning/purpose does not mean it doesn't exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clarification:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;I am not blaming Buddhism for &quot;lack of meaning/purpose of life&quot;, although some of those troubled people &lt;em&gt;claim&lt;/em&gt; to be Buddhists themselves. Instead, I am exploring the &lt;em&gt;real&lt;/em&gt; Buddhist way of managing this anxiety. In other beliefs and religion, the meaning is prescribed and the troubled people find peace in that. But my views are similar to the Buddhist view, so I hope to find a way to cope without resorting to those religions or &quot;artificial comfort&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1016" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T00:09:47.343" Title="How to accept things as-is and live according to as-is?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2098" CreationDate="2014-10-02T09:34:44.493" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think you can just introduce philosophy and expect a 4 year-old to understand. The way of Buddhism is not one that uses indoctrination, but rather uses experience, realization and enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A better way to do it is to highlight and/or create the necessary experiences for the child to go through as he grow up in our world, and explain the ways of facing life's adversaries. Enrich the child's experience with love, hate, wealth, poverty, greed, suffering, jealousy, excitement, sickness, separation, death, conflict, war, etc. and through each relate back to the Buddhist philosophy through healthy discourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For all you know, your son may be able to derive the philosophy on his own before you have the chance to teach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1016" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T09:34:44.493" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T11:25:25.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most schools of buddhism advise to live a balanced way of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It never says there is no meaning or purpose in life. Indeed it remains silent for this matter but encourage to accept things as they are which means also of course accepting to live! Don't run away from life, look deeply at it, accept it, and love it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which means also means to accept yourself and others as they are, assume your responsability toward them, treat them with compassion and treat your body and mind correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T11:25:25.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T11:36:12.513" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of life is life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to all conventional wisdom, I'll even go to answer the next question, because the parallelism is so beautiful: the meaning of death is death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1023" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T11:36:12.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T11:39:13.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;by learning to look deeply at life with a cleared mind which means practicing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T11:39:13.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T11:59:39.550" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since I can't seem to find any explicit Buddhist meaning or purpose of life, I am left to deduce it myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no purpose of life in the conventional sense of a grand and ultimate calling for human beings. Our immediate purpose in life is assigned by our parents who bring us to this world in the first place. We should ask our parents, &quot;Why did you give birth to me?&quot;, then we ask the people around us &quot;What do you want me to do for you?&quot; and finally we are also free to ask ourselves in a third-person pespective &quot;What do I want to do with this life that I have control over&quot;. Each living human being have control over at least one life, and the purpose of &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; life is therefore tailored according to needs of the environment and circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning of life on the other hand is a different attribute. Meaning is not assigned, but rather created through living the life, or in other words, through steering the life that we have in control. At the end of the game of life, we look back and see for ourselves if the life/lives that we have steered, the deeds we have done, the purposes we have fulfilled; whether they are meaningful or not. Meaning of life cannot be concluded until our game is over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, i think is the purpose and meaning of life, and where they come from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1016" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T11:59:39.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T12:50:05.163" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For sentient beings&lt;/em&gt;, the meaning of life is to be happy. Without happiness, nothing else matters, right? And when you are happy, you don't need anything else. So, &lt;em&gt;for a sentient being&lt;/em&gt;, there is no meaning or purpose higher than being happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one of the teachings I received, there is this concept of Five Levels of Happiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness of having your natural needs satisfied (food, sex, survival)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness of possessing things (money etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness of success or achievement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness of helping society: teaching, healing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness of Enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On each level, there is always desire for more. No matter how happy they are, sentient beings always want more happiness. In this sense we can say that the sentient beings are hardwired to want to attain Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in order to attain Enlightenment, we have to pass so-called Three Gates (basically, clearly see and thus accept three facts):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That life at large is never without suffering. Trouble is part of the way the world operates.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That nothing is stable, every combination, good or bad, is temporary.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That in the absolute sense, &lt;strong&gt;life at large has no single meaning&lt;/strong&gt;. Or we could say it has an infinite number of meanings, which is the same as to say it has none.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see from #3, the concept of &quot;meaning&quot; exists only in the relative sense, from a perspective of a sentient being. And like I said above, sentient beings want to be happy, that's their meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddha, the highest and the most stable happiness is Bodhi -- the state of having transcended ignorance, &lt;em&gt;the basis of&lt;/em&gt; happiness/unhappiness juxtaposition, which (basis) includes the illusion of ego and the notion of Enlightenment. And what happens when you transcend ignorance and illusions? &lt;em&gt;You see things as they are, in all their infinitely multi-faceted suchness!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But sentient beings seeking happiness get confused about what's bad / what's good and do all kinds of things that get them further and further away from happiness. Only when we awaken to &lt;em&gt;things as they are&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;attain Bodhi&quot;), our quest for happiness is over, the meaning of life is actualized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This realization is the source of compassion: when we understand that numberless sentient beings suffer because they are so confused, we naturally want to save them. Hence the vow of Bodhisattvas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sentient beings are numberless -- we vow to save them&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Desires are inexhaustible -- we vow to end them&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   The dharmas are boundless -- we vow to master them&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   The Buddha's way is incomparable -- we vow to attain it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3939/43&quot;&gt;my answer to the follow-up question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T00:30:51.420" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3923" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-02T12:57:52.087" Score="17" ViewCount="5999" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before I practice Buddhism,I've made mistakes and hurt other. Sometimes I thought what happen to me now is the effect of what I did.&#xA;I try to  keep doing positive things but sometimes I could not stand this hard situation. Could anyone tell me please how to solve this situation in Buddhism way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:24:29.433" LastActivityDate="2021-03-02T06:57:49.560" Title="How to deal with bad past karma that makes my current life miserable?" Tags="|karma|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T13:00:15.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;this question makes a valid point. the key issue is how to explain to people that there is another option available. it is very easy to read about buddhism and find that it justifies a feeling that there is simply no point in doing anything. that existence is without meaning. this can indeed lead to feeling of total futility. i would also add that telling a depressed person to accept things as they are is really not a good idea. when you are feeling that awful, your perception is skewed. from the perspective of a depressed person you are being asked to accept that life is futile, cruel, painful etc etc. it's no different to telling someone to suck it up, deal with it or grow a pair. such an attitude could indeed lead to suicide if that person were to experience it again again. it is first necessary to carefully and considerately define things as they are, (in an ultimate sense) then to demonstrate the practical steps towards genuine non-resentful acceptance. acceptance and grudging acceptance are not the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1027" LastEditorUserId="1027" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T13:10:57.390" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T13:10:57.390" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T13:10:26.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone mentioned, those people you refer to are taking a passive nihilist stance, which is essentially that everything is meaningless. I rather prefer the aggressive nihlist stance, which can be summed up with a quote from the TV series, Angel: &quot;If nothing we do matter, all that matters is what we do.&quot; Essentially, we create our own purpose and meaning in life (within the context of the 10 precepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your questions within the context off (Zen) Buddhism, stop trying to use logic; that's a delusion. Reading on methods to accept life with do nothing but fill your head with more perceptions that will need to be wiped away. Simply sit, breath, and count. Focus on nothing more than the breathing and counting. Let any thoughts slip away like water. The goal is to unite with your breathing, to comprehend that each breathe is whole and complete as it is, with nothing more that needs to be added and nothing that needs to be taken away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="898" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T13:10:26.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-02T14:38:35.937" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You must've already possessed great wholesome kamma to be able to know about Buddhism, to learn and practice it. All the other bad kammas would be trivial compared to what you already had. Learn more about Buddhism and practice diligently and you will transcend them. See the inspiring story of Venerable Angulimala ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&lt;/a&gt; ): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then Ven. Angulimala, early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his outer robe &amp;amp; bowl, went into Savatthi for alms. Now at that time a clod thrown by one person hit Ven. Angulimala on the body, a stone thrown by another person hit him on the body, and a potsherd thrown by still another person hit him on the body. So Ven. Angulimala — his head broken open and dripping with blood, his bowl broken, and his outer robe ripped to shreds — went to the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw him coming from afar and on seeing him said to him: &quot;Bear with it, brahman! Bear with it! The fruit of the kamma that would have burned you in hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, you are now experiencing in the here-&amp;amp;-now!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1029" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T14:38:35.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T14:40:58.937" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, I think it's important to realize that Buddhism doesn't place special significance on &lt;em&gt;this life&lt;/em&gt;, in the sense that it is simply part of a constant stream of never-ending lives. So, many of our Western preconceptions about purpose and meaning do not apply. The Buddha joined many other religious teachers in denouncing conventional purpose and meaning in the world and worldly existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;171.&lt;/strong&gt; Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;286.&lt;/strong&gt; “Here shall I live during the rains, here in winter&#xA;  and summer” – thus thinks the fool. He does not&#xA;  realize the danger (that death might intervene).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;287.&lt;/strong&gt; As a great flood carries away a sleeping village,&#xA;  so death seizes and carries away the man with a&#xA;  clinging mind, doting on his children and cattle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. (Buddharakkhita, trans.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only possible purpose would be to effect a lasting change to this cyclical existence; in Buddhism this means breaking the chain of causation and freeing oneself from the endless cycle of birth and death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;153.&lt;/strong&gt; Through many a birth in samsara have I wandered&#xA;  in vain, seeking in the builder of this house (of&#xA;  life). Repeated birth is indeed suffering!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;154.&lt;/strong&gt; O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build&#xA;  this house again. For your rafters are broken and&#xA;  your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached&#xA;  the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction&#xA;  of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see this as being a valid answer to &quot;what is the purpose/meaning of life&quot;, though. Buddhism, being inherently atheistic focuses more on the &lt;em&gt;nature&lt;/em&gt; of things than their &lt;em&gt;meaning&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;purpose&lt;/em&gt;. Meaning and purpose must be assigned by an external force, either human or divine. Both such assignations are considered conventional constructs according to Buddhism. Even the four noble truths are called &lt;em&gt;paññatti&lt;/em&gt; - designations or conventions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This idea is quite clear throughout the Buddha's teaching, which is mostly concerned with describing the nature and interactions between realities rather than ascribing a particular purpose or meaning to them. Even the so-called &lt;em&gt;goal&lt;/em&gt; of Buddhism is simply the most reasonable/logical choice - given that all beings seek happiness, they should therefore rationally seek out freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, here's how I would answer your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the meaning of life and where does it come from?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, according to Buddhism, must come from an external source and is artificial and relative. The only true meaning of life is, as was answered already, life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the purpose of life and where does it come from?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Purpose as well must come from an external source, though there is an argument to be made from logic and reason that a being wishing for happiness &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; take as their purpose the attainment of freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T14:40:58.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2014-10-02T14:56:16.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, if exists, what is the meaning of life, and if different, what is the purpose of life? And where does this meaning and purpose come from&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be here now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1030" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T14:56:16.720" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T15:08:20.030" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I answered in the other question, meaning and purpose are artificial assignations from external sources. It is impossible for anything to have more meaning than is intrinsic in its nature; therefore, the meaning of something is its nature, and the purpose is subjective and relative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to how this makes one feel, it almost sounds as though you are blaming Buddhism for what is really just the nature of reality. That would be akin to blaming climate change researchers for exposing the dismal truth of climate change. Which is better - to live in denial of reality or to be forewarned and actually able to act logically and rationally in accordance with that reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that some truth often seems to cause depression in people, even leading them to suicide. In reality, though, it is not the truth that leads to depression or suicide, it is delusion and ignorance in the face of what is feared and abhorred. Just like any other unwelcome phenomenon, the truth of suffering is met with horror by those who do not understand it. This is the case whether it is explicitly related to them in advance or whether they find out by themselves when they get old, sick, die, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Truth itself leads to freedom; truly realizing that the meaning of life is nothing more than life, that there is no set purpose in life, and that the only logical path for one seeking happiness is to become free from suffering, leads only to peace and contentment. Depression and suicide, on the other hand, are caused by a desire for meaning and purpose fuelled by delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to acceptance, this is not exactly what I understand to be the prescribed &amp;quot;goal&amp;quot; in Buddhism; rather than acceptance, the goal is &lt;em&gt;understanding&lt;/em&gt; (specifically of the four noble truths) and subsequent rejection* of rebirth (and thus life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through not seeing the Four Noble Truths,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Long was the weary path from birth to birth.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;When these are known, removed is rebirth's cause,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The root of sorrow plucked; then ends rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DN 16 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajira, trans&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This rejection does indeed lead to a sort of apathy towards what is therefore seen as meaningless; such apathy is a necessary bi-product of the understanding of meaninglessness. Depression and suicidal ideation are, as stated, not - they come, rather, from the inability to accept the truth, which is in turn born of desire and craving, which is in turn born of the ignorant belief in purpose / meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;* On the use of the word &amp;quot;rejection&amp;quot; in regards to rebirth and life:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if this [knowledge] sees Nibbāna, the state of peace, as peaceful, it rejects the occurrence of all formations and enters only into Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism. XXI.64 (Nyanamoli, Trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, just as even a trifling amount of feces is foul smelling, so too I do not praise even a trifling amount of existence, even for a mere finger snap.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- AN 1.328 (Bodhi, Trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T20:16:35.207" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T16:16:34.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimately there is no extra meaning in life other than what things are but  when it is appropriate we can make use of  conceptual reality to make up our own meaning in life. Ultimate truth gives us a clean slate so to speak and we can make use of conceptual truth to make up our own meaning on that slate as long as it's in line with the eightfold path or right livelihood.  Of course, conceptual truth is not our enemy, it can be put to great use inside the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T16:16:34.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-02T16:23:43.677" Score="19" Body="&lt;p&gt;An understanding of what causes have contributed to the way we are right now is out of the realm of ordinary people; practically speaking, you are more likely to project a false impression of why you are the way you are that is wholly disproportionate in terms of cause and actual effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much of what we are today has already been predetermined from the moment of our conception, including the nature of our body and our brain, our social status and community, and even our life choices and experiences to a certain extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, karma performed in this life will certainly have an affect on our minds and influence our choices as well as our mental and physical well-being. Much of this is also out of our control, at least in terms of direct intervention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; do is two things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We can, as the Buddha taught Angulimala, &quot;bear with&quot; the unpleasant experiences. This has the effect of both neutralizing the mental suffering that comes from unpleasant experiences as well as nullifying any further bad karma we might create in reaction to the experience (thus potentially ending the cycle that caused the experience in the first place).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We can perform wholesome deeds like giving charity or help to others, abstaining from unethical deeds and speech, and practising meditation to calm and clarify our minds. This has the effect of acting as a buffer to our unwholesome deeds, in effect (potentially) counteracting them. As the Buddha taught to Angulimala:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He, who by good deeds covers the evil he has done, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;illuminates this world like the moon freed&#xA;  from clouds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 173 (Buddharakkhita,trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T16:23:43.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-02T16:34:40.313" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regretting about your past is only going to make your Karma worse. Best way to deal with past bad memories is to do &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvU7ppM4vE&amp;amp;list=PLA552AD0AEBCBE6D0&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; on them. When a past memory comes to your mind, simply note it as a thought about the past. Don't react to it or take it as something that belongs to you. If that memory truly belongs to you, you should be able to stop it from appearing in the mind. But you can't! Because it appears due to causes. So wishing for such thoughts to go away will only create a need in the mind for it to not be present. But that's only going to make you suffer, which is what you are going through right now. The need for such thoughts to go away doesn't stop them from appearing in the mind again. But if you are able to note it as it is, i.e. just a past thought, and not react to it, you can notice that it fades away immediately. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want peace of mind, you must train your mind to note 3 natures of everything that troubles you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.009.nypo.html&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt; (impermanence)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/&quot;&gt;Dukka&lt;/a&gt; (unsatisfactoriness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; (non-self)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T16:47:14.707" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T16:47:14.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3971" CreationDate="2014-10-02T16:46:17.920" Score="1" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need to know if &quot;Dwesha&quot; anger and fear are connected according to the Buddhist teachings?&#xA;Also how to overcome fear or phobias with the practices of Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T19:54:30.700" Title="connection between fear and anger(dwesha)" Tags="|sutras|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3935" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-02T16:55:18.010" Score="11" ViewCount="2533" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several scientific methods to treat the psychiatric condition depression. Is there a method to overcome depression by Lord Buddha's teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="882" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:34:58.113" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:41:50.057" Title="How to overcome Depression with Buddhist teachings" Tags="|sutras|well-being|learning|psychology|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-02T17:02:27.510" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot;&gt;Lonaphala Sutta: The Salt Crystal&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma,&#xA;  that is how it is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life,&#xA;  there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain&#xA;  individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same&#xA;  sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the&#xA;  here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him&#xA;  to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped&#xA;  in [contemplating] the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in&#xA;  mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling&#xA;  with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual&#xA;  takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is&#xA;  experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears&#xA;  for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is&#xA;  developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed&#xA;  in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted,&#xA;  dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this sort&#xA;  of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part&#xA;  barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of&#xA;  water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become&#xA;  salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in&#xA;  the cup, it would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit&#xA;  to drink.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River&#xA;  Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become&#xA;  salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River&#xA;  Ganges, it would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit&#xA;  to drink.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The amount of water corresponds to the degree that the mind is developed. From this sutta we can understand that the fruits of kamma can be minimized through the right development of the mind. A developed mind is like the river Ganges, and an unskilful action, like a salt crystal in the river, will only produce a fruit which will be barely felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-02T17:09:25.893" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T17:09:25.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3937" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-02T17:52:24.453" Score="7" ViewCount="356" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have had bad posture for most of my life. I find that if I do not sit quite straight during sitting meditation, my body leans forward putting weight on my legs which becomes quite painful. However, when I sit straight, my &quot;sitting bones&quot; become painful. So, I tend to rock from side to side while sitting. It may or may not be visible to others, but I am aware of it. Perhaps &quot;shifting my weight&quot; might be a better way to describe it. My question is regarding mindfulness meditation. Do you think it is OK to rock side to side? Should I just note something like &quot;rocking, rocking&quot;? Should I wait until the pain is nearly &quot;unbearable&quot;, and note &quot;pain, pain&quot;, &quot;disliking, disliking&quot; before shifting my weight, or is it OK to do so pre-emptively?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1036" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:34:05.473" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:34:05.473" Title="A question about sitting, movement and mindfulness" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3937" CreationDate="2014-10-02T20:43:50.627" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all I think it is important to remember that in the Mahasi Sayadaw system of meditation, you don't necessarily have to note distractions. When distractions arise you have a choice between staying with the primary object (e.g. the movement of the abdomen) or you can take up the distraction itself as an object. Both of these are equally valid. If the rocking motion is coming up a lot, you might decide to ignore it and stay with the abdomen. If it only happens sometimes it might make more sense to note it, but it makes less sense if it is happening continuously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if it is painful for your body to sit on the floor or on a cushion, I would recommend that you try meditating while seated in a chair and see if that is less painful. As long as your position is relatively stable and able to be maintained, there is no problem, and sitting in a chair fulfills these principles, so there is nothing wrong with sitting in a chair to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-02T20:43:50.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-02T22:09:03.137" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, &quot;there is no single absolute meaning&quot; does not equate with &quot;nothing matters at all&quot;. Despite the absence of &lt;em&gt;absolute&lt;/em&gt; meaning, suffering is still bad, and no suffering is still good. Here is your relative purpose: solve your own suffering, and help others solve theirs. Is this not the greatest, most beautiful challenge?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to accept things as they are? By clearly seeing. Clearly seeing what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That when we don't accept things as they are (that is, when we cling to &lt;em&gt;illusions&lt;/em&gt; that &lt;em&gt;mismatch&lt;/em&gt; the way things are) -- then the acts we perform are based on a wrong foundation, and therefore lead to wrong results! Hereby is suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That when we do accept things as they are -- then we can deal with them properly! Hereby is cessation of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to accept does not mean to give up. Enlightenment is not powerlessness, it is the state of power, spontaneity, joy, wisdom, and compassion. You stop maintaining yourself in maimed and injured condition, and learn to dance like no one is watching. And once you've learned it yourself, you pay it forward and teach the others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absence of single absolute goal means you are free to do anything you want! Is this what depresses your friends, freedom? We are free to create. Within the constraints of the framework that provides the building blocks to play with, we can create stuff. True, there is no final purpose to creation -- like having your thing win some kind of Universal Competition, or having it sold at some kind of Cosmic Auction for the Real Money -- so what, you can still &lt;em&gt;create&lt;/em&gt; just for the fun of it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this not enough? Suffering, cessation of suffering, compassion, dancing, creation -- or would you rather prefer some single &quot;meaning&quot; that would force everyone to go one way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T01:32:47.537" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T01:32:47.537" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:08:33.840" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha or Sakyamuni Buddha refers to the condition of depression in the context of the obstacles that people face in realizing their awakened nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;, and note depression is specifically mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the&#xA;  Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances (Sanskrit: pañca nivāraṇa;&#xA;  Pali: pañca nīvaraṇāni) are identified as mental factors that hinder&#xA;  progress in meditation and in our daily lives.[1] In the Theravada&#xA;  tradition, these factors are identified specifically as obstacles to&#xA;  the jhānas (stages of concentration) within meditation practice.&#xA;  Within the Mahayana tradition, the five hindrances are identified as&#xA;  obstacles to samatha (tranquility) meditation. Contemporary Insight&#xA;  Meditation teachers identify the five hindrances as obstacles to&#xA;  mindfulness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The five hindrances are:[1][2][3][web 1][web 2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sensory desire (kāmacchanda): the particular type of wanting that&#xA;  seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell,&#xA;  taste and physical feeling.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda):&#xA;  all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject, feelings of&#xA;  hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sloth-torpor&#xA;  (thīna-middha): heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one&#xA;  down into disabling inertia and thick depression.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): the inability to calm the&#xA;  mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doubt (vicikicchā): lack of conviction or trust.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overcoming the 5 hindrances could be the work of a lifetime, but here are some hints of directions to take, in this Wikipedia section about &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Sloth-torpor_.28thina-middha.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sloth-torpor (thina-middha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sloth-torpor is a dull, morbid state that is characterized by&#xA;  unwieldiness, lack of energy, and opposition to wholesome activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Traleg Kyabgon states: &quot;When this hindrance is present, we lose our&#xA;  focus in meditation. We may not be agitated in any perceptible way,&#xA;  but there is no mental clarity. We gradually become more and more&#xA;  drowsy, and then eventually go to sleep.&quot;[5]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ajahn Brahmavamso states:&#xA;  &quot;Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of&#xA;  mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.&#xA;  [...] In meditation, it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which&#xA;  can even lead to falling asleep in meditation without even realising&#xA;  it!&quot;[web 2]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ajahn Brahmavamso states: &quot;The mind has two main&#xA;  functions, 'doing' and 'knowing'. The way of meditation is to calm the&#xA;  'doing' to complete tranquility while maintaining the 'knowing'. Sloth&#xA;  and torpor occur when one carelessly calms both the 'doing' and the&#xA;  'knowing', unable to distinguish between them.&quot;[web 2]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ajahn&#xA;  Brahmavamso states: &quot;Sloth and torpor is an unpleasant state of body&#xA;  and mind, too stiff to leap into the bliss of Jhana and too blinded to&#xA;  spot any insights. In short, it is a complete waste of precious&#xA;  time.&quot;[web 2]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Analogy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hindrance of sloth-torpor is compared to&#xA;  being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell, unable to move freely in the&#xA;  bright sunshine outside.[web 2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Antidote&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahmavamso states:[web 2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy. Energy is always&#xA;    available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were. Setting&#xA;    a goal, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate&#xA;    energy, as is deliberately developing interest in the task at hand. A&#xA;    young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy, because its&#xA;    world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's life, or&#xA;    one's meditation, with a 'beginner's mind' one can see ever new angles&#xA;    and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from sloth and torpor,&#xA;    alive and energetic. Similarly, one can develop delight in whatever&#xA;    one is doing by training one's perception to see the beautiful in the&#xA;    ordinary, thereby generating the interest which avoids the half-death&#xA;    that is sloth and torpor. [...] Sloth and torpor is a common problem&#xA;    which can creep up and smother one slowly. A skilful meditator keeps a&#xA;    sharp look-out for the first signs of sloth and torpor and is thus&#xA;    able to spot its approach and take evasive action before it's too&#xA;    late. Like coming to a fork in a road, one can take that mental path&#xA;    leading away from sloth and torpor.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Traleg Kyabgon states: &quot;When this&#xA;  happens, instead of persisting with the meditation, it is better to&#xA;  try to refresh ourselves by getting up and going for a walk or washing&#xA;  our face, after which we return to our meditation.&quot;[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing depression as part of the 5 hindrances eliminates the tendency to elevate it into a position of power that must be overcome and deposed. It is simply part of the path we must walk to awakening. Different people have strengths and weaknesses, inclining them to one hindrance over another so different people may experience depression or other maladies to different degrees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T02:30:36.947" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T02:30:36.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3941" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3945" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:18:26.800" Score="3" ViewCount="303" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does one remain dedicated to the pursuit of nibbāna, when one has seen clearly that ultimately there is no separate nibbāna. What does one aspire towards now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya sūtra: «There is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no end to suffering, no path to follow» &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where beauty is, then there is ugliness; where right is, also there is wrong.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent; delusion and enlightenment condition each other.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Since olden times it has been so. How could it be otherwise now?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wanting to get rid of one and grab the other is merely realizing a scene of stupidity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Even if you speak of the wonder of it all,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  how do you deal with each thing changing?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;................................................................................................~Ryokan &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T00:59:05.777" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T01:10:16.460" Title="Solving the oxymoron of nibbāna?" Tags="|nirvana|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3934" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:34:00.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is what Buddhism says about how fear and anger are related.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches us that anger is created by mind. However, when you&#xA;  are dealing with your own anger, you should be more specific. Anger&#xA;  challenges us to look deeply into ourselves. Most of the time, anger&#xA;  is self-defensive. It arises from unresolved fears or when our&#xA;  ego-buttons are pushed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Buddhists we recognize that ego, fear and anger are insubstantial&#xA;  and ephemeral, not “real.” They’re ghosts, in a sense. Allowing anger&#xA;  to control our actions amounts to being bossed around by ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anger Is Self-Indulgent&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anger is unpleasant but seductive. In this interview with Bill Moyer,&#xA;  Pema Chodron says that anger has a hook. “There's something delicious&#xA;  about finding fault with something,” she said. Especially when our&#xA;  egos are involved (which is nearly always the case), we may protect&#xA;  our anger. We justify it and even feed it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that anger is never justified, however. Our practice&#xA;  is to cultivate metta, a loving kindness toward all beings that is&#xA;  free of selfish attachment. “All beings” includes the guy who just cut&#xA;  you off at the exit ramp, the co-worker who takes credit for your&#xA;  ideas, and even someone close and trusted who betrays you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For this reason, when we become angry we must take great care not to&#xA;  act on our anger to hurt others. We must also take care not to hang on&#xA;  to our anger and give it a place to live and grow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear can lead to anger and can also lead to lashing out at others in order to &quot;protect&quot; our self, as though it is vulnerable to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here are some of the precepts to deal with and overcome anger&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to Let It Go&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You have acknowledged your anger, and you have examined yourself to&#xA;  understand what caused the anger to arise. Yet you are still angry.&#xA;  What’s next?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pema Chodron counsels patience. Patience means waiting to act or speak&#xA;  until you can do so without causing harm. “Patience has a quality of&#xA;  enormous honesty in it,” she said. “It also has a quality of not&#xA;  escalating things, allowing a lot of space for the other person to&#xA;  speak, for the other person to express themselves, while you don’t&#xA;  react, even though inside you are reacting.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you have a meditation practice, this is the time to put it to work.&#xA;  Sit still with the heat and tension of anger. Quiet the internal&#xA;  chatter of other-blame and self-blame. Acknowledge the anger and enter&#xA;  into it entirely. Embrace your anger with patience and compassion for&#xA;  all beings, including yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don’t Feed Anger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It’s hard not to act, to remain still and silent while our emotions&#xA;  are screaming at us. Anger fills us with edgy energy and makes us want&#xA;  to do something. Pop psychology tells us to pound our fists into&#xA;  pillows or to scream at the walls to “work out” our anger. Thich Nhat&#xA;  Hanh disagrees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When you express your anger you think that you are getting anger out&#xA;  of your system, but that's not true,” he said. “When you express your&#xA;  anger, either verbally or with physical violence, you are feeding the&#xA;  seed of anger, and it becomes stronger in you.” Only understanding and&#xA;  compassion can neutralize anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Compassion Takes Courage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes we confuse aggression with strength and non-action with&#xA;  weakness. Buddhism teaches that just the opposite is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giving in to the impulses of anger, allowing anger to hook us and jerk&#xA;  us around, is weakness. On the other hand, it takes strength to&#xA;  acknowledge the fear and selfishness in which our anger usually is&#xA;  rooted. It also takes discipline to meditate in the flames of anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, “Conquer anger by non-anger. Conquer evil by good.&#xA;  Conquer miserliness by liberality. Conquer a liar by truthfulness.”&#xA;  (Dhammapada, v. 233)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T00:34:00.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:40:31.060" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depression is not just a state of mind, it is also a chemical imbalance. &#xA;And for various reasons (maybe genetical or other) this chemical imbalance will affect some peoples more than others. Therefore we should be careful not to respond by simply pointing logical and scholar facts and reasons that one &quot;should not&quot; be depressive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, there is some events or thoughts that will trigger the depressive mind, and I think that because meditation teach you to monitor your feelings and be able to stop being trap in a train of thoughts it might be helpful to avoid the development of depression triggering thoughts when it is still time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of that there is more and more scientific studies claiming that the practice of meditation might increase your serotonin levels and immune system. There is also a good possibility that a long term practice of meditation might change you brain chemical balance and reduce your risk of depression.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3044190/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Scientific papers here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, I think practicing buddhist meditation (samatha-vipassana, or zazen) can be considered as a very serious asset in a therapy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T16:43:55.703" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T16:43:55.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3941" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:45:51.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I interpret the question [before it was edited 10-2-14  to mean that how does one build and maintain an individual practice whose goal is nibbana or nirvana (same term different language) which some interpret to mean enlightenment. This then poses a problem because what is going to experience nibbana or nirvana, the individual?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one interpretation of nibbana or nirvana &quot;to be blown out&quot; or &quot;to be extinguished.&quot;[quoted text below this paragraph] Here is where the goal of nibbana could be in conflict if one conceived of attaining nibbana. Nibbana is rather an erasure or elimination or disappearance of an appearance of a self that is now seen to be a phantom or dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana (Sanskrit, also nirvāṇa; Pali: nibbana, nibbāna ) is the&#xA;  earliest and most common term used to describe the goal of the&#xA;  Buddhist path.[1] The literal meaning of the term in Sanskrit is &quot;to&#xA;  be blown out&quot; or &quot;to be extinguished&quot;. Within the Buddhist tradition,&#xA;  this term is typically glossed as the extinction of craving (tanha),&#xA;  or more broadly, the extinction of the fires of attachment (raga),&#xA;  aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha or avidyā).[1] In the Buddhist&#xA;  view, when these fires are extinguished, suffering (dukkha) comes to&#xA;  an end, and one is released from the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist tradition distinguishes between the experience of someone who&#xA;  reaches nirvana during their lifetime (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) and the&#xA;  experience of nirvana after one passes away (nir-upadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa).&#xA;  The experience of nirvana-in-this-lifetime is described as a&#xA;  transformed state of mind that is free from negative mental states,&#xA;  peaceful, happy, and non-reactive. The experience of&#xA;  nirvana-after-death (commonly referred to as paranirvana) is said to&#xA;  be beyond words or description.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The two main traditions of Buddhism, the Theravada and Mahayana,&#xA;  differ in their presentations of nirvana. The Theravada tradition&#xA;  emphasizes the cessation of suffering and liberation from samsara. The&#xA;  Mahayana tradition emphasizes two stages of nirvana: the first stage&#xA;  is described (using similar language to the Theravada tradition) as&#xA;  the cessation of suffering and liberation from samsara; the next and&#xA;  final stage is referred to as the nonabiding (apratiṣṭhita) nirvana,&#xA;  or buddhahood, that transcends both samsara and the limited nirvana of&#xA;  the first stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There really is no conflict with nibbana and the path to it. The problem is imagined by those who believe they have to get somewhere they are not already. Extinguish the movie that is covering the screen of consciousness and what is always present is visible, not because it appeared, but because the illusory dreams of selfhood become invisible once the falsehoods that feed this false sense of self are extinguished or drop away in awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T00:45:51.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3941" CreationDate="2014-10-03T00:52:12.843" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the Heart Sutra says &quot;There is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no end to suffering, no path to follow&quot; it isn't saying that none of these things exist. What it means is that none of these things exist in terms of 'Svabhava' which means something like 'intrinsic existence' or 'self nature' or 'essence'. In terms of 'Svabhava' none of these things exist, but in terms of the experience of these things and in terms of their actual features and characteristics, they do exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think that the quote by Ryokan means that opposites are concepts which are relative and exist as abstract concepts which are imputed onto experience. It is absolutely true that the &lt;em&gt;abstracted concept&lt;/em&gt; of Nibbana and the &lt;em&gt;abstracted concept&lt;/em&gt; of conditioned existence relatively depend on each other as part of a dualistic pair, but that doesn't mean that the experiences and properties to which these concepts refer are themselves interdependent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T00:58:57.137" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T00:58:57.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3946" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-03T01:01:44.867" Score="13" ViewCount="6011" Body="&lt;p&gt;A long time ago I had a romantic relationship with a married woman, and later I regretted. How is this seen in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1040" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T16:59:36.720" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:54:25.487" Title="Am I condemned for an extramarital affair?" Tags="|sexuality|well-being|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2014-10-03T01:07:08.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not so much that Buddhism says 'Life has no meaning' but more that the question 'What is the meaning of life' must be re-examined and reformulated before being answered. The question presupposes that meaning is something that exists as a property of life itself, but according to Buddhism, concepts such as meaning don't exist in things themselves, but are created by the mind with reality as its basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Buddhism answers the question 'What is the meaning of life' by saying 'Meaning is created in the mind'. Life doesn't come with a meaning and purpose already stamped on them, but is something that individuals create and can decide for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T01:07:08.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3941" CreationDate="2014-10-03T01:10:16.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. A couple of thoughts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you still have ups and downs? One day you understand everything, and one day you are angry, helpless and miserable? If so, that's a good reason to keep working.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a difference between intellectual understanding and full realization. When you attain realization, you don't ask questions like &quot;How does one remain dedicated to the pursuit&quot; or &quot;what does one aspire towards now?&quot; Keep meditating.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why so much focus on &quot;one&quot;? Go help many!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T01:10:16.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T01:34:36.253" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;and later I regretted&quot; -- remorse is a &lt;em&gt;klesha&lt;/em&gt;, an obscuring emotion. Have you learned your lesson and decided what you will do differently now -- that's what matters for your growth, the constructive part, not the feeling of guilt which only weighs you down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T01:34:36.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T02:13:05.230" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, if you want to live according to the five precepts which are :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to avoid sexual misconduct.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding sexual misconduct would be to abuse or molest someone, going against his or her will, putting you body in danger etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think you broke any of those. Now I think personally that if nobody was hurted there is no reason for you to feel remorse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;moral&quot; properly speaking in Buddhism, so there is no &quot;guilt&quot;, it is more about whether you want to follow a practice leading toward liberation of suffering and if you want so, Buddhism ask you to follow a set of comportemental rules that are necessary to walk this path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:54:25.487" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:54:25.487" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="3951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T02:22:01.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, if you were a monk, you'd get kicked out of the sangha. As a layperson, it's one of the five precepts. For laity, imho, the five precepts come down to respecting the existing social order-- very socially conservative and not especially deeply connected with the philosophy of Buddhism (what's annata got to do with being an obedient citizen?).  So was it against the rules, yup.  Should we throw the rules out the window? Different topic, but many people in modern Buddhism would like to throw the rules out the window. But lets imagine we didn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next step is to repent, which in Buddhist terms essentially means you plan to knock it off. Which probably isn't very helpful because this isn't the sort of thing one would do habitually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, as a by product of being a religion of celibate monastics, imho, is not an especially good source of relationship advice, at least nothing that is specific to relationships.  In terms of how this relates to desires and the dysfunctional behaviors our desires lead us into, Buddhism has high level advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Departing from Buddhism, my favorite relationship doctor is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0061Q640C&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dr. Gottman&lt;/a&gt;, and the way he describes it, a lot of infidelity cases are relationships that have fallen apart/are at the end stages and infidelity is one of the symptoms of this (as opposed to being a cause of a failed relationship). Dr Gottman by no means is condoning infidelity or making excuses for it-- his goal is to help people mend their relationships despite infidelity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a modern relationship counselor would say, a rule that says &quot;don't do adultery&quot; is missing the point. Adultery can only be prevented by investing the time and effort in to creating a healthy relationship. Once people are miserable, they will begin to do all sorts of things, like drinking, adultery, lying about it. (Probably not necessarily robbing and killing, that is an entirely different sort of bad behavior)  So following the precepts is matter of creating a life where the precepts can be followed. And when you find yourself in a situation where you can't follow precepts, see if it is something that gets in the way of practicing Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T02:29:37.077" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T02:29:37.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T02:36:33.027" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is classified as sexual misconduct. According to the Cunda Kammaraputa Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how is one made impure in three ways by bodily action? There is&#xA;  the case where a certain person takes life, is a hunter,&#xA;  bloody-handed, devoted to killing &amp;amp; slaying, showing no mercy to&#xA;  living beings. He takes what is not given. He takes, in the manner of&#xA;  a thief, things in a village or a wilderness that belong to others and&#xA;  have not been given by them. He engages in sensual misconduct. &lt;em&gt;He&#xA;  gets sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers,&#xA;  their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives, or&#xA;  their Dhamma; &lt;strong&gt;those with husbands&lt;/strong&gt;, those who entail punishments,&#xA;  or even those crowned with flowers by another man.&lt;/em&gt; This is how one is&#xA;  made impure in three ways by bodily action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that doesn't mean that you are &quot;condemned.&quot; You did something that wasn't right, but if you recognize that you did something wrong and strive to do better in the future, that's all you should do. In the Samaññaphala Sutta King Ajatasattu confessed to the Buddha that he had murdered his own father, which in Buddhism is one of 5 Garu Kammas, the 5 most heinous acts a person could possibly commit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...King Ajatasattu said to the Blessed One: &quot;Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned,&#xA;  to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to&#xA;  carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in&#xA;  the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning —&#xA;  made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the&#xA;  Dhamma, and to the community of monks. May the Blessed One remember me&#xA;  as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day&#xA;  forward, for life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A transgression has overcome me, lord, in that I was so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to kill my father — a righteous&#xA;  man, a righteous king — for the sake of sovereign rulership. May the&#xA;  Blessed One please accept this confession of my transgression as such,&#xA;  so that I may restrain myself in the future.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, great king, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to kill your father — a&#xA;  righteous man, a righteous king — for the sake of sovereign rulership.&#xA;  But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in&#xA;  accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a&#xA;  cause of growth in the Dhamma &amp;amp; Discipline of the noble ones when,&#xA;  seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with&#xA;  the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.&quot;&#xA;       &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not condemn King Ajatasattu for his evil act, but encouraged him to have a change of heart and live an ammended life. He did the same for Angulimala the Serial Killer (Angulimala, his nickname, means garland of fingers because he kept his victim's fingers on a string as a garland) having him become a Monk and when Angulimala saw a woman in childbirth and wanted to help, the Buddha said this to ease Angulimala's feelings of guilt over killing so many people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In that case, Angulimala, go to that woman and on arrival say to her,&#xA;  'Sister, since I was born I do not recall intentionally killing a&#xA;  living being. Through this truth may there be wellbeing for you,&#xA;  wellbeing for your fetus.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But, lord, wouldn't that be a lie for me? For I have intentionally&#xA;  killed many living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then in that case, Angulimala, go to that woman and on arrival say to&#xA;  her, 'Sister, since I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall&#xA;  intentionally killing a living being. Through this truth may there be&#xA;  wellbeing for you, wellbeing for your fetus.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught people guilty of the most heinous things to change their ways but to move on and not dwell on their previous errors. If the Buddha encouraged a man guilty of killing his father and a serial killer not to dwell on guilt, how much more would he encourage someone who committed adultery to simply have a change of heart and not dwell on guilt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T02:36:33.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3937" CreationDate="2014-10-03T02:39:32.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sort of rocking is most likely a defence mechanism; if you are consciously instigating it, then it is simply a reaction to the unpleasant stimuli. Unfortunately, it will therefore be a cause for increased aversion to the stimuli in question; you'll become more and more averse to pain as a result of your practice, which is really the opposite of the goal of meditation. Most likely your best course of action is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Begin to let go of your aversion to the pain, by noting it as &quot;pain, pain&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there is disliking, note it as &quot;disliking, disliking&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you the pain is overwhelming and you want to move, you should acknowledge &quot;wanting, wanting&quot; and then &quot;moving, moving&quot;, etc. and move your legs, back, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some cases, this sort of aversion can transform into rapture (pīti), where it becomes a looped, unconscious behaviour that can actually feel quite pleasant, in which case it is likely to become addictive or at least distracting. In this case:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Acknowledge the rocking as &quot;rocking, rocking&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there is pleasure or liking, acknowledge it as well, as &quot;happy&quot; or &quot;feeling&quot; and &quot;liking&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the rocking doesn't stop, tell it to stop, by saying to yourself &quot;stop!&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T02:39:32.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T03:05:22.463" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I condemned for being romantically involved with another man's wife?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Condemned by...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the community you live in? If this is unaccepted behavior, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;by the law? If that was unlawful, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;by Buddha? He is not here, so I highly doubt it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this seen in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short answer&lt;/strong&gt;: it is seen as a &amp;quot;don't do it&amp;quot;. If you did, it is seen as &amp;quot;well, don't do it again&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;long answer&lt;/strong&gt;: the Saleyaka Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 41&lt;/a&gt;) reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] When [the brahman householders of Sala] were seated, they said to the Blessed One: &amp;quot;Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the condition, why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell; and what is the reason, what is the condition, why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Householders, it is by reason of conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of unrighteous conduct, that beings here on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. It is by reason of conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of righteous conduct, that some beings here on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and then he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how are there three kinds of bodily conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct? Here someone [...] is given over to misconduct in sexual desires: he has intercourse with such (women) as are protected by the mother, father, (mother and father), brother, sister, relatives, &lt;strong&gt;as have a husband&lt;/strong&gt;, as entail a penalty, and also with those that are garlanded in token of betrothal. That is how there are three kinds of bodily conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above, however, does not denote a condemnation as an external invisible force that will seek to punish you. But there are consequences to actions, according to the nature of the actions themselves. In this sense, one could consider these as the condemnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta, the Buddha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;) says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, there are four kinds of persons existing in the world. What four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) &amp;quot;Here some person kills living beings, takes what is not given, misconducts himself in sexual desires, speaks falsehood, speaks maliciously, speaks harshly, gossips, is covetous, is ill-willed, and has wrong view. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) &amp;quot;But here some person kills living beings... and has wrong view. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) &amp;quot;Here some person abstains from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sexual desires, from false speech, from malicious speech, from harsh speech, from gossip, he is not covetous, is not ill-willed, and has right view. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) &amp;quot;But here some person abstains from killing living beings... and has right view. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His explanation for a person who has performed misconducts to reappear in a good destination is given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] &amp;quot;Now there is the person who has killed living beings here ... has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. And that was why, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappeared in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But since he has killed living beings here... has had wrong view, he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next rebirth, or in some subsequent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beings are, as he says, heirs of their karma, and under certain conditions, karma  manifests its effects, sooner or later. That is, until one strives for and finally reaches nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-10-15T01:15:03.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3956" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3961" CreationDate="2014-10-03T07:00:27.173" Score="5" ViewCount="606" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a quest to find the Buddhist &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3914/how-to-accept-things-as-is-and-live-according-to-as-is?lq=1&quot;&gt;meaning of life&lt;/a&gt;, I stumbled upon &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unanswered Questions&lt;/a&gt; and the Unwise Reflections (Sabbasava-Sutta), and I am surprised that The Buddha actually advised against thinking about these questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I?&#xA;  Am I not?&#xA;  Did I exist in the past?&#xA;  Did I not exist in the past?&#xA;  What was I in the past?&#xA;  How was I in the past?&#xA;  Having been what, did I become what in the past?&#xA;  Shall I exist in future?&#xA;  Shall I not exist in future?&#xA;  What shall I be in future?&#xA;  How shall I be in future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The reason given is that it causes attachment to self, and some others say because they are founded on false premises.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, this is the Wikipedia, so I am not 100% sure of its accuracy, but as per my interpretation, this means that, for example, &quot;Self&quot; is only a concept or theory that may be false and incompatible with reality, and a question like &quot;Who Am I&quot; is then founded on the false premise of the &quot;Self&quot; concept. In short, it preoccupies us with confusion. All good so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though what I gather generally is that Science and Buddhism are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/29/are-there-formal-mechanisms-in-any-buddhist-institutions-that-explicitly-reconci&quot;&gt;consistent in approach&lt;/a&gt;, is Science's relentless search for answers bad for people as well? Does The Buddha (1) recognise the possibility of finding the truth for these questions, or (2) is it impossible to find the truth, or (3) is it detrimental for us to know the truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a better (than Wikipedia) explanation why we should not reflect on these questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. this question was partly inspired by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3543/14-questions-left-unanswered&quot;&gt;the 14 questions left unanswered&lt;/a&gt; question, which I think does not answer my question. In the quoted text, it does not state what Buddha thinks of the &quot;findability&quot; of the answers to those questions. It only states that Buddha thinks the answer will confuse us, therefore choose to be silent. However, we are 2000 years later now and we may have better science to explain certain phenomenon. Are Buddhist scientist advised or permitted to delve into such questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, I am specifically asking about the &quot;Unwise Reflections&quot; in Wikipedia in the bottom section, rather than the 14 questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1016" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T15:35:12.843" Title="Why are the 16 Unwise Reflections (&quot;shall I exist in future&quot; etc.) considered unwise?" Tags="|philosophy|anatman|right-view|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3956" CreationDate="2014-10-03T13:38:49.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In regards to the unanswerable questions, here is the original Sutta that lays them out:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas[1] is an unconjecturable that is not&#xA;  to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone&#xA;  who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By saying that they lead only to &quot;madness &amp;amp; vexation&quot; I think it is clear that this text is saying that these questions don't really have any answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's move on to the part from the Sabbasava Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he attends to?&#xA;  Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen&#xA;  fermentation of sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation&#xA;  of sensuality increases; the unarisen fermentation of becoming arises&#xA;  in him, and arisen fermentation of becoming increases; the unarisen&#xA;  fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and the arisen fermentation&#xA;  of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for attention that&#xA;  he attends to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is how he attends inappropriately: 'Was I in the past? Was I not&#xA;  in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having&#xA;  been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I&#xA;  not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in&#xA;  the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else&#xA;  he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not?&#xA;  What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it&#xA;  bound?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view&#xA;  arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp;&#xA;  established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely&#xA;  by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely&#xA;  by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is&#xA;  precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as&#xA;  true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of&#xA;  mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of&#xA;  good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant,&#xA;  everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it&#xA;  is for eternity. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of&#xA;  views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views.&#xA;  Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is&#xA;  not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp;&#xA;  stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From context I think it's quite clear that the Sabbasava Sutta is talking specifically about focusing on views about a self, which according to Buddhism is just a concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask the question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does The Buddha (1) recognise the possibility of finding the truth for&#xA;  these questions, or (2) is it impossible to find the truth, or (3) is&#xA;  it detrimental for us to know the truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the right answer is that none of these questions actually have answers because they presuppose things that aren't true or a general formulation might not be possible (for example, the results of Karma are unanswerable because in order to give an answer for a specific case you would need to be able to see all of that person's Karma, which goes back infinitely far into the past. Only a fully enlightened Buddha is able to do that, and even then, that is for a single specific case. Because even a single case is infinitely complex, it is impossible to come up with a &quot;unified theory of Karma&quot; that can give a complete explanation.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T13:38:49.693" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T13:50:54.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The key thing is that you've stopped and regretted the unwholesome action. Practice diligently, do lots of wholesome actions and move on. It's those who keep making the same mistake that will place themselves one step closer to the bad destination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, the bhikkhuni, ... re ... the novice in training, ... re ... the novice for higher ordination, ... re ... the female novice for higher ordination, ... re ... the lay disciple male, ... re ... the lay disciple female endowed with five things, is in hell as though led and lain there. What five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Destroying living things, taking the not given, misbehaving in sexual desires, telling lies and taking intoxicating and brewed drinks. Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu endowed with these five things, is in hell as though led and lain there.&amp;quot; ~~ ( AN 5.291/292: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara3/5-pancakanipata/026-upasampadavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara3/5-pancakanipata/026-upasampadavaggo-e.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1053" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T13:50:54.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3956" CreationDate="2014-10-03T14:03:25.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;while science and Buddhism share some similar methodology, their ultimate goals aren't the same. Science aims to increase knowledge and understanding of how the natural world works while Buddhism aims to eradicate all defilements of the body, speech, and mind and to put an end to suffering. Further details are available from Ven. Thanissaro's great essay called &quot;Questions of Skill&quot; ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/questions.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/questions.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1053" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T14:03:25.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3956" CreationDate="2014-10-03T14:04:48.340" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Does The Buddha (1) recognize the possibility of finding the truth for these questions, or (2) is it impossible to find the truth, or (3) is it detrimental for us to know the truth?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be sure, we are talking about questions like &quot;Did I exist in the past? Shall I exist in future? How shall I be in future?&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In context of Sabbasava-Sutta, these are not questions, these are &lt;em&gt;unwise reflections&lt;/em&gt;. They are thoughts that don't lead to liberation-by-wisdom. Why? Because like you yourself indicated in the question, they are founded on false premise. What false premise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That &quot;I&quot; is an entity.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because &quot;I&quot; is not an entity, the notion of &quot;existing&quot; or &quot;not existing&quot; does not apply. Therefore the questions are invalid. Normally, contemplating questions that are based on a premise, assume validity of the premise. Since in this case the premise is not just &lt;em&gt;false&lt;/em&gt; (which it is), but is also considered &lt;em&gt;harmful&lt;/em&gt; (because it is a major part of fundamental confusion that is the basis of suffering), assuming its validity is considered counterproductive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, one is advised to research into the premise itself. What is this notion of &quot;I&quot;? Is body I? Is emotions I? Is thoughts I? Is memories/experiences/imprints I? What makes an entity, entity? When we watch the mind in meditation, what is it that does the watching? Or if there is no &quot;what&quot;, then how does the watching work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because you seem to be very new to Buddhism, it is totally normal for you to not know the basics, so instead of trying to cover all that ground, let me give you a pair of shoes. Check out &quot;anatta&quot; in Theravada, and also the notion of &quot;emptiness&quot; in Madhyamika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T14:24:18.743" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T14:24:18.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3956" CreationDate="2014-10-03T14:11:31.333" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there a better (than Wikipedia) explanation why we should not reflect on these questions?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a better explanation is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'unwise reflections' are diverse (16 if you count them) opinions about the 'self':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is how he attends inappropriately: 'Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This causes views or opinions about the self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These views aren't helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The are other views to be attended to instead:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He attends appropriately, This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts &amp;amp; practices. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i.e. the 'four noble truths').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the rest of the sutta describes dwelling with restraint; using things moderately; tolerating various things; abandoning various things; destroying (not tolerating) various evil thoughts; developing various virtues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the practitioner is successful, then he or she will have abandoned 'fermentations' by the various things above (restraint, use, tolerating, abandoning, destroying, and developing), and will have achieved the goal:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and — through the right penetration of conceit — has made an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Even though what I gather generally is that Science and Buddhism are consistent in approach, is Science's relentless search for answers bad for people as well?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't try to answer everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science tries to explain why the gravity on the moon isn't as strong as here; why chemicals react with some chemicals but not others; how photosynthesis produces oxygen; how the universe began and whether it will end; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is more like a single scientific procedure, a (repeatable) experiment, or a recipe: i.e. Buddhism is a way, teaches a way, to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within that context, and assuming that you want to end suffering, questions or view which don't lead to the end of suffering (which includes 'attending to' those views about the self) are called &quot;unwise&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't mean to say that Science itself, or the pursuit of science, is wrong: it may be in the category of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T15:35:12.843" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T15:35:12.843" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T15:08:19.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The bottom line is whether anybody was harmed -- the husband, the wife, children, anyone else. (To depend solely on the literal sexual conduct code from ancient times is to risk mixing in cultural factors that have changed, often significantly; the harm criterion is universal.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there was harm, then the Mahayana doctrine of the Four Powers (often called the Four Opponent Powers) can be used to purify the negative karma. (I don't know the citations, but I'm quite sure this doctrine is derived from early sutras.) The Four Powers are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The power of regret for having done the negative action.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The power of reliance: taking refuge, which restores our relationship with holy objects, and generating the altruistic intention, which restores our relationship with other sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The power of the remedial action, e.g. prostration, offering, reciting the names of the Buddha, reading or contemplating the Dharma, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The power of the promise not to repeat the action.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://archive.thubtenchodron.org/PrayersAndPractices/purification_practices.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://archive.thubtenchodron.org/PrayersAndPractices/purification_practices.html&lt;/a&gt;, but there are many sites and references. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most discussions of the Four Powers are in a Mahayana or even Vajrayana context, but I see no reason they cannot be used by Theravada, Zen or Pure Land practitioners. Refuge is common to all Buddhist traditions; metta meditation could be used in place of the Mahayana &quot;altruistic intention&quot;; and a wide variety of practices or actions can be used for remedial action if done in the context of the other powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to #1, regret, note that this is not heavy guilt or a sense of permanent, unpurifiable &quot;sin&quot;, but a simple recognition that the action was wrong and needs remediation. In fact, the very possibility of purification opposes a sense of heavy guilt. Regret, in this sense, is the first power because it is clearly a prerequisite to any meaningful purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you already have healthy regret and are resolved not to repeat such actions, and so are already well started on the full purification practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T19:39:21.333" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T19:39:21.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3964" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-03T15:51:31.480" Score="0" ViewCount="36" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to speak or act with a pure thought when people tell joke and use rude language towards you, trying to upset you according to Buddhist teachings?And how to change the unwholesome thought to wholesome when the mind is full of hatred and aversion and  cultivate loving kindness?I hope this make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="844" LastEditorUserId="844" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T17:24:55.330" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T17:48:01.127" Title="How to handle rude language?" Tags="|mindfulness|right-effort|right-intention|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-10-03T17:48:04.343" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3946" CreationDate="2014-10-03T16:07:56.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to touch an important point: It is not because there was no explicit harm (being caught or maybe a divorce) that no harm was made at all, this is not how karma works, at least in most traditions, for sure in Theravada and Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you are not condemned in a sense that you will necessarily go to hell, however the bad karma was created with or without explicit harm or being caught, the seed is now there, you created the cause for future suffering, you broke the 4th precept (assuming you knew she was married).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, what is done is done, what can you do know? The Buddha gave a great simile that can help us here, the simile of water and salt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed one said: Imagine if you drop salt in a cup of water, how will the water taste? Very bad of course. Now imagine if you drop the same amount of salt in a river, how will the river water taste? Probably good! The salt represents bad karma and water the good karma, so try to make as much good karma as you can, take the precepts, live a moral life etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story of Angulimala proves us that nothing is impossible to revert. Looks like coming here and making this question can be a promissing start!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T16:23:12.223" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T16:23:12.223" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3834" CreationDate="2014-10-03T16:36:14.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;How? With&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right view&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking obstacles as the path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, with understanding that there is no &quot;you&quot; and there is no &quot;them&quot;. There is just an infinite field of interacting mental-and-physical factors. They don't act as they do because they &lt;em&gt;want&lt;/em&gt; to. They &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; act as they do, given their background and the input you give them. Whatever is happening, is happening for objective reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, with compassion. Whatever background and whatever experiences they had, have led them to think as they think now, and to act as they act. So they too are victims, of their circumstances. Because if their actions are routinely based on incorrect understanding, they will fruit in trouble for them, sooner or later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, as an opportunity for practice for YOU. Every time there is trouble that would normally generate emotions, that's a perfect chance to practice on YOUR SIDE. Practice what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;letting go of ego &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;control of emotions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;compassion (see above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;right view (see above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The letting go of ego part is very important. Normally, we take ourselves very seriously, and if someone endangers our self-image we react frantically. Instead, by letting go of attachment to our illusory self-importance, we can get back to the zero-point state of mind, the state before the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, you have to understand that problematic situations don't just happen out of the blue. There is always a sequence of actions and words that lead to them. We have to learn to watch for subtle signs of emerging disagreement that may turn into an argument, and solve the problem before it happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to do that? We have to understand the other person's perspective (whether &quot;right&quot; or &quot;wrong&quot; does not matter) and learn to speak in terms of their reality, using the framework and the concepts they can relate to. Or carefully introduce them to your frame of reference. But never ever argue across different frames of reference -- that never works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this has a lot to do with our own preconceptions. If instead of rigidly holding on to our basic assumptions we can be flexible, then we can understand other people and they can understand us -- which is how you avoid getting into arguments that end up as rude language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T17:45:21.837" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T17:45:21.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3834" CreationDate="2014-10-03T17:48:01.127" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Make an effort to be mindful. Seeing things mindfully is seeing things as they are. What that means is when someone says something rude you just are hearing the sound of the rude words but not listening to the meaning of the words. &quot;Seeing things as they are&quot; means &quot;experiencing things without any of the conceptual agreements we have made in the past&quot;. For instance, the English word &quot;tree&quot; has been agreed to mean  &quot;those long poles with branches and leaves on them&quot; but people who never learned English will hear the word &quot;tree&quot; and won't understand what the English speakers have agreed on. So when you hear the word &quot;tree&quot; and you hear it &quot;as it is&quot; you are hearing it with no prior agreements. So if you heard the word &quot;tree&quot;, to hear it as it truly is in ultimate reality, you hear it as just &quot;an audio formation&quot; meaning that you hear it as just a sound, a noise formation. You're just experiencing hearing. Then when someone makes you angry, you can see the &quot;anger&quot; within yourself and be mindful of that anger formation. You might find that the anger is gone as soon as you're mindful of it but it usually leaves tension in the neck, spine and shoulders(at least that's how it worked for me). Sorry if I'm kinda giving you sort of a rambling answer and idea of what mindfulness is. There are lots of good books and videos for free about it on the internet. It's not as  difficult to learn as some people would think.  Also maybe you could Google up the practice of metta or loving-kindness. This meditation targets anger and can bear good temporary results.  I hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T17:48:01.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3968" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3973" CreationDate="2014-10-03T18:15:16.223" Score="8" ViewCount="336" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Triratna community, who I practice with, we see going for refuge to the three jewels as our central practice - the three jewels being the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. In fact the name Triratna means the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/three-jewels&quot;&gt;three jewels&lt;/a&gt;. However the founder of the movement (Sangharakshita) makes the stronger claim that this is the central act of all Buddhist traditions. The Triratna movement is an explicit attempt to return to that core teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I'd really be interested in the perspectives of the different Buddhist traditions on that. Does that ring true to people in their own practices. Is going for refuge the central act of Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:47:28.367" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T21:47:28.367" Title="Is going for refuge central to all Buddhist traditions?" Tags="|refuge|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3969" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-03T18:30:04.790" Score="8" ViewCount="398" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the main problems I had to deal with, when I started to meditate and study the Dhamma, was the consequence of giving up attachment to reputation and pride.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this is an extremelly positive thing to do, you simply become stronger when you stop caring about how other people see you, you just care about your actions, about karma, about your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that people think you just don't care about anything else, they think you are not commited to your job anymore, to your appearance, to other people feelings... for instance: If they give you a bad feedback and you don't suffer and don't react to it, they think you are ignoring them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It looks like we need small portions of drama to live in this society, non attachment to reputation makes you look like an alien or a brain washed person. I don't know how to balance that sometimes, any advise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:23:01.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:23:01.120" Title="How to keep balance in the thin line between non attachment to reputation and &quot;not caring about anything&quot;" Tags="|personal-practice|attachment|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3969" CreationDate="2014-10-03T19:00:31.377" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't exactly have an answer or advice to this, as I have a similar experience to a certain extent, but I understand that even though others might see the external us and base an opinion on it, the mind development that's going on for Buddhists may always be misunderstood by those not familiar with it and thus, dukkha arises for the one making the judgement. Maybe it also arises in us too, if we react to it even just a little bit. It's hard to be unaffected, I find. I guess that depends on where each one of is in the practice.  As the Buddha describes, it is 'Patisothagami' or &quot;it is a path that goes against the stream&quot;, so we're bound to hit resistance both from the stream and the other fish...to use a popular analogy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe here equanimity is needed with compassion in order to keep us within the sphere of 'normal' worldliness whilst striving for something beyond it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope the reflection is useful and thank you for bringing it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paul&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1057" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T19:00:31.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3934" CreationDate="2014-10-03T19:45:58.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anger, Fear, Jealousy are all instances of the 2nd root of evil, 'Dosa', which translates to English as 'aversion'. They basically represent a disliking towards someone or something. Usually if it's someone more powerful than you, the disliking turns into fear. If not, it becomes anger. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger is mostly caused when you expect things to behave according to your liking. Fear is caused when you cling to things, taking them as I, me or mine. To overcome fear, you can &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithri.com/Buddhist_Paritta_Chanting/homage.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;recollect the virtues of the Triple gem&lt;/a&gt; and feel confident that you have taken refuge under them. But the permanent solution is to do Vipassana meditation and get rid of your clinging and the notion of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one attains the state of Anagami, neither anger nor fear can ever enter one's mind again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T19:54:30.700" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T19:54:30.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3972" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3984" CreationDate="2014-10-03T20:13:52.590" Score="5" ViewCount="2362" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen some people do this. But how practical is this with the modern lifestyle? As an example the place where I sit in the office is a bit too comfortable. Sometimes there's music in public transport.  If that person shares a place with others or visits other people, they may have to change their lifestyles as well. e.g: eating before noon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can one deal with such situations without being a nuisance to others, if someone decides to observe them in day-to-day life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-10-22T09:54:34.913" LastActivityDate="2017-10-22T11:45:39.180" Title="Observing eight precepts in regular life" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3968" CreationDate="2014-10-03T21:37:22.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In every single branch of Buddhism I have looked into, going for refuge is seen as the defining feature of what makes you a Buddhist. The Theravada school holds to this position, every form of East Asian Mahayana Buddhism I've read about holds this position, and Tibetan Buddhism also puts great stress on going for refuge to the point where reciting the refuge formula with Bodhichitta 100,000 times (usually combined with prostration and visualizing the refuge tree) is a central part of Tibetan Ngöndro, or foundational practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Sangharakshita really was correct in identifying the central role of refuge in all Buddhist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T21:37:22.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3968" CreationDate="2014-10-03T22:26:52.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think going for refuge works like a commitment and also as a devotion act, it is a way to reinforce what you believe in and what you are going to pursuit, but it is not like the Christian Baptism where you do it and the gates of heaven will open up for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma works in the same way either you took refuge or not, so it is pointless to go for refuge and keep your old bad habits, following this logic I think it is more important to keep the precepts, meditate and live a positive life than going for refuge, I'm not suggesting refuge isnt important, I'm only emphasizing that your practice is more important than anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, listen to your teacher or guru and analyze his points, in the SE you will probably get lots of different point of views!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-03T22:39:51.263" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T22:39:51.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3052" CreationDate="2014-10-03T23:07:53.630" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book &amp;quot;Le bouddhisme: une philosophie du bonheur?&amp;quot; (Buddhism: a philosophy of happiness?), Philippe Cornu says this about the refuge ceremony (my translation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are as many Buddhist rites as there are schools [...] Among all, taking Refuge or the act of going for the Triple Refuge is the most fundamental of Buddhist rites, which serves as the link between all the traditions. To go for Refuge is the profession of one's faith and the founding act by which one marks his entry in the Buddhist path. One thus places his faith in three objects of refuge: the Buddha as a perfectly enlightened being and the principle of Enlightenment; the Dharma, the teaching and its application by way of practice; and the Sangha or the virtuous community, in this case the &lt;em&gt;âryasangha&lt;/em&gt;, the community of those who have obtained Enlightenment and not the entirety of the faitfhful. [...] &amp;quot;to turn towards&amp;quot; Refuge as the model to follow, is an internal decision, the fruit of a conviction that the &lt;em&gt;Buddhadharma&lt;/em&gt; is the appropriate spiritual path to follow, that one chooses to follow, and  the realization that Enlightenment is potentially attainable in the short or long term. Nothing in this &amp;quot;conversion&amp;quot; of the mind is externally visible [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to baptism or the Judaic rites of circumscision that take place shortly after birth, the Refuge stems thus from a strictly personal commitment, and the act of taking Refuge, which consists of repeating the spell of the Triple Refuge with a firm, confident and clear intention, must be renewed regularly, at least once a day, [...] individually this time, without ceremony or ritual. Why repeat incessantly the precept of Refuge? Because of the impermanance and because of the fact that our mind is quick to forget its spiritual commitments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can remember, at least in the Pāli canon, there was nothing explicitly prohibiting people from following the teachings without taking Refuge. On the other hand, I don't believe that this encourages a &amp;quot;one foot in the water one foot on the ground&amp;quot; attitude. It's rather that the act of taking Refuge was considered a matter of fact decision for those deciding to follow the Buddha, because the canon is packed to the brim with examples of people taking Refuge after a discussion with the Buddha- both monks and lay followers.&#xA;Benefiting from something and actively pursuing that thing are 2 different matters. There are for example Christians who've integrated Zen meditation into their practice, and they see absolutely no problem with it (and rightfully so) because they're just benefiting from a certain Buddhist teaching, they're not commiting to Buddhism.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;It seems to me then that a person cannot &amp;quot;follow&amp;quot; the Buddha's teaching without taking Refuge&lt;/strong&gt; (as far as people that that do have the possibility to go for Refuge are concerned of course). However one can still definitely benefit from it in various ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Attaining Enlightenment without taking Refuge is possible.&lt;/strong&gt; According to Buddhism, innumerable Buddhas and arahants appeared in ages where there were no Buddhist teachings, and can still appear (&lt;em&gt;paccekabuddha&lt;/em&gt;s). But just because this is possible doesn't mean that it's an easy matter since reaching Enlightenment is already a very difficult task for Buddhists. People who are very spritually advanced can do it without following Buddhism, normal people (pretty much all of us) cannot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The guiding principles concerning Refuge is thus, as I understand it, &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;commitment&lt;/em&gt;. Taking Refuge is just a technique to help a practitioner retain his commitment to the teachings, nothing more. It has no value in and off of itself. If a person is serious about following the Buddha, Refuge will naturally follow if there are no obstacles to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &lt;strong&gt;abandoning one's old religion&lt;/strong&gt; due to making an &amp;quot;official&amp;quot; entry into the Buddhist path, that's pretty much what &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; to happen. A person cannot be, for example, Muslim and Christian at the same time. It's the same with Buddhism because its &amp;quot;endgame&amp;quot; is irreconciliably different from the one that Abrahamic religions have.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;On the other hand this doesn't mean that former Christians have to abandon and &amp;quot;betray&amp;quot; Jesus or the entirety of Christian teachings. A number of teachings point to the same things as in Buddhism and those practitioners will benefit from them. Jesus' life, even with his holy nature taken out of the picture, can be an interesting study for Buddhists.  The Buddha did not harbour enmity against other religions and if I remember correctly advised his newly &amp;quot;converted&amp;quot; disciples to not sever friendly relationships with their old teachers. From this we can see that while severing links with the teachings of one's former religion is necessary, there's no incitement whatsoever towards taking a negative attitude against them.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Within this light, taking Refuge and entering the path must be a well-reflected upon decision, if one is hesitating about doing it due to considerations about the former religion then one shouldn't do it until that hesitation is dealt with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1058" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-03T23:07:53.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3976" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-04T00:59:26.660" Score="2" ViewCount="376" Body="&lt;p&gt;One aspect of the notion of &quot;Buddhist Modernism&quot; is that in modern history (ancient times aside) even the Theravada monkhood, let alone the laity, did not generally meditate, until the Burmese/Thai revival due to Mahasi Sayadaw and a few others in the 19th and early 20th century. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/theravada-reinvents-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/theravada-reinvents-meditation/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, there is still the question of Tibetan monks, given the vigor of that tradition back to its introduction into Tibet. McMahan suggests (without any references!) that very few of them meditated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tibetan forms of meditation have gone rather abruptly from being the&#xA;  province of a small number of specialist monks in Himalayan hermitages&#xA;  to being offered widely to the public in countries all over the globe.&#xA;  (McMahan, David L. (2008-10-17). The Making of Buddhist Modernism (p.&#xA;  187). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But my impression is that in &quot;old Tibet&quot;, that is pre-1950's, a fairly large fraction of the (very numerous) monkhood did practice meditation, via tantric sadhana and/or mahamudra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anybody have actual references bearing on this? I realize there will be no quantified data, but how about biographies, reminiscences and other historical literature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:04:19.240" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T17:04:19.240" Title="How many Tibetan monks practiced meditation in &quot;old Tibet&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|history|tibetan-buddhism|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-04T00:59:38.850" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can't do anything with past karma. You can only change future. Future depends on how you act now. Do your best, and eventually you will be alright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T01:05:23.697" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T01:05:23.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3968" CreationDate="2014-10-04T01:08:52.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha and the Dharma are not very controversial, although there is some disagreement among the sects about how awesome the Buddha was (was he god-like or just a really great guy)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SGI has dispensed with the ordained, monastic sangha. This probably was a result of history-- the split between the SGI organization and the Nichiren Shu sangha, probably not so much because SGI didn't like the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a secular Buddhist, there isn't anything special about ordaining-- it's another institution to be judged on its own merits and results. As for joining, it depends on if you see any particular benefit to that particular institution. As for supporting the sangha, it depends on if you see any particular benefit in supporting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as institutional Buddhism goes, I think Japan got the closes to laicizing the sangha with the Meiji reformations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once, or if you dispense with the institutionalized monastic order, then the sangha is just the &quot;congregation&quot;, the community of other Buddhists.  Finding refuge in just the community of Buddhist though seems a little insular. I'd rather feel responsible for all humanity and expect all humanity to be responsible for me in return. (As an ideal, in practice it's dog eat dog and few people give a hoot)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T01:08:52.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3979" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="3981" CreationDate="2014-10-04T02:20:03.277" Score="6" ViewCount="524" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anicca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. I've listened to plenty of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis talk about these characteristics at length.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take for example anicca. I am asking the same thing about dukkha and anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose one has not yet seen for oneself how all phenomena are impermanent, but has an intellectual understanding of it from listening to the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it &lt;em&gt;possible&lt;/em&gt; that such a person could, for instance, recognize anicca, but not understand that they have recognized it, thinking, &quot;Anicca is yet to be grasped&quot;, when in fact anicca has already been grasped? To clarify, the person might even reap the benefits of understanding anicca. They don't fret about illness, nor about building a career, nor about global warming, for instance. (I have picked a few things from my own life that I am still learning to deal with). Yet the person still thinks, &quot;Anicca is yet to be grasped.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is possible, how is it possible and what should one do about it? If it is not possible, why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a guess, does the answer lie in the person's actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As another guess, is this a more specific case of asking how to know one's own mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:32:24.860" LastActivityDate="2018-06-14T22:38:04.513" Title="How to Know the Knowing of Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta" Tags="|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3976" CreationDate="2014-10-04T02:25:51.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only just pre-1950s, the current Dalai Lama was born in 1935.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Starting half-way through this page, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-chan/dalai-lama-mindfulness_b_3683961.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;At Home With the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;, is an account of his learning to meditate (and probably of being forced to learn to meditate), at age 8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I also know that he wasn't a particularly good student when he was&#xA;  young. He had a mercurial temper and was impulsive. Monastic&#xA;  disciplines like meditation and scriptural study did not come&#xA;  naturally to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Around seven or eight,&quot; the Dalai Lama told me in an earlier meeting,&#xA;  a mischievous gleam in his eyes, &quot;I had no interest in study. Only&#xA;  play. But one thing: my mind since young, quite sharp, can learn&#xA;  easily. This brings laziness. So my tutor always keep one whip, a&#xA;  yellow whip, by his side. When I saw the yellow whip, the holy whip&#xA;  for holy student the Dalai Lama, I studied. Out of fear. Even at that&#xA;  age I know, if I study, no holy pain.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Despite his reluctance to study when he was a child, the Dalai Lama&#xA;  applied himself every morning. With perseverance and self-control, he&#xA;  learned to sit still for long periods. Gradually he was better able to&#xA;  control his errant impulses. Meditation and study came before play;&#xA;  delayed gratification became a matter of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/teachers/lineage-lamas/hhling/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; gives me the impression that the curriculum which the Dalai Lama learned was passed down through successive generations/incarnations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/organization/announcements/shugden/SpeechbyHisHolinessatGelugconferenceedohdl.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Speech Delivered by His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama to the &#xA;Second Gelug Conference &#xA;(Dharamsala, June 12th 2000)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now it is about six hundred years since Lama Tsong Khapa lived in Tibet. About three hundred years &#xA;  earlier, Dipamkara Atisha founded the great Kadam tradition. It was this school that Lama Tsong Khapa &#xA;  used as his foundation. He started a tradition that emphasised tantric study that concentrated on practices &#xA;  of the three deities, Guhyasamaja, Heruka Chakrasamvara and Yamantaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“May this tradition of the Conqueror, Losang Dragpa,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     That teaches the outward, calm and controlled demeanour of the hearer,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     And the internal poise associated with the two stages of the yogic practitioner,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     And adopts both Sutra and Tantra as mutually complementary paths flourish.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And as to what is achieved through the adoption of such a practice, we have the words: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“May this tradition of the Conqueror, Losang Dragpa&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     That takes the emptiness explained in the Causal Vehicle (sutra),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     And the great bliss that is achieved through the Resultant Means (tantra),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     Conjoined with the essence of the collection of eighty-four thousand teachings flourish.”4  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having all of these features then, this doctrine is a consummate one. &lt;strong&gt;It incorporates study, contemplation &#xA;  and meditation in balanced, equal measure and this is what makes it so remarkable.&lt;/strong&gt; When it comes to &#xA;  detailed study of the great texts, it is the Sakya and Gelug systems which are the most developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T02:25:51.290" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3979" CreationDate="2014-10-04T03:00:17.663" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is knowing of Anicca, knowing of Dukkha, and knowing of Anatta, separate from each other. And then there is knowing of all three together, or rather the knowing of vision behind these three designations, in all its &lt;em&gt;implications&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, it is seeing all &lt;em&gt;implications&lt;/em&gt;, top to bottom, is what makes all the difference in the world. I had intellectual understanding of the three marks for years. I even understood shunyata, or thought I did. I even knew that Enlightenment can't be a state. And I &lt;em&gt;still&lt;/em&gt; missed the point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's all about implications, of all three, together. When you know reality behind the three, and all implications of this reality, then you can be sure you know what is there to be known. Until then, to think &quot;anicca (etc.) is yet to be grasped&quot; would be a valid thought. Why? Because if you don't see how it fits together, or do see how it all fits together but not its implications -- then your knowledge of individual components is obviously not 100% complete yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T04:02:42.717" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T04:02:42.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3972" CreationDate="2014-10-04T14:44:24.287" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;if you are offered a seat that seems luxurious, and simply using the seat available, as opposed to seeking out &quot;the best seat&quot; your intention is appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if you hear music someone else is playing, its very different from intentionally seeking out music to listen to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these are very useful opportunities to meditate on the nature of such phenomina and your reaction to them. like, if your mind tries to attach to the other persons music, or if you experience gladness about being stuck with a nice seat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;others conforming to your lifestyle is not necessary (and may be inappropriate, especially if you impose your beliefs on them) no one else can violate your precepts for you.&#xA;understanding things in this way may be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one example... if someone has to go out of their way to accommodate a low seat (a specific preference) then that seat becomes (in a way) a phenomenon of luxury.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="690" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T14:50:34.603" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T14:50:34.603" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3972" CreationDate="2014-10-04T14:44:27.743" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply being in the presence of music or entertainment or sitting in a comfortable chair doesn't break the 8 precepts. Here are the relavent descriptions from the Uposatha Sutta in which the Buddha describes the 8 precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All of you have given up singing and dancing, the playing of musical&#xA;  instruments and the watching of entertainments&lt;/strong&gt;, which are stumbling&#xA;  blocks to that which is wholesome. You do not bedeck yourselves with&#xA;  ornaments, flowers or perfume. For all of this day and night, in this&#xA;  manner, you will be known as having followed the arahants, and the&#xA;  Uposatha will have been observed by you. This is the seventh factor of&#xA;  the Uposatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All of you have given up lying on large or high beds. You are content&#xA;  with low beds or beds made of grass.&lt;/strong&gt; For all of this day and night, in&#xA;  this manner, you will be known as having followed the arahants, and&#xA;  the Uposatha will have been observed by you. This is the eighth factor&#xA;  of the Uposatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.041.vaka.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.041.vaka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With entertainment it is talking about intentionally seeking out or producing entertainment, not about overhearing or seeing someone else doing it, and the giving up of high beds I think is specifically refering to the use of such beds to sleep. I don't think sitting in a chair counts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore whenever we interpret the precepts as laypeople (i.e., not interpreting the rules of Vinaya) we have to focus on the underlying principle and purpose of the precepts to decide between different understandings. The purpose of the eight precepts is to live with the renunciation of sensuality and luxury. As a layperson I think it makes sense to say that as long as you are not actively seeking these things out but merely coming across them, you are still acting in accordance with renunciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T15:07:23.263" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T15:07:23.263" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3972" CreationDate="2014-10-04T16:09:43.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lay people used to do that once a week in the time of the Buddha, as you are not a monk, you can keep only the 5 precepts on week days and select one day of the weekend to keep the 8 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the teachers I like (Banthe Dhammavudo Thero) from theravada tradition recommends that practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try to live a monk's life as a lay person, having to work etc... you will be in a hard position, unfortunately!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T17:08:51.917" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T17:08:51.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3986" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4044" CreationDate="2014-10-04T16:33:45.527" Score="5" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3976/157&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; refers to &quot;Buddhist Modernism&quot; however I'm not sure what it is. It is a term that I have heard crop up in a few other places. Is it a reformation movement within Buddhism? If so what is it reforming and when did it occur? Is it particular to one school of Buddhism? Is it a related concept to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2131/what-is-navayana-buddhism/2221#2221&quot;&gt;Navayana Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; perhaps? Is it a real movement at all or just convenient shorthand for Buddhism as it enters the modern world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T19:40:21.857" Title="What is Buddhist Modernism?" Tags="|philosophy|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3986" CreationDate="2014-10-04T16:41:37.507" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist modernism just refers to Buddhists who only accept the aspects of Buddhism they consider to be compatable with the modern world. Usually the term is used to describe Buddhists who reject things like Karma and Rebirth but still see the Dharma as having things to offer. It's not a movement, just a catch all term used to describe people like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is worth noting though that the term is relative to some extent. For one group of people it would be considered modernism to suggest that the traditional stories passed down aren't 100% accurate, and in other groups rejecting such stories might be the norm. I also think that there is a legitimate place for questioning and analyzing the core claims of Buddhism, although I think that the claims actually stand up whereas people who get called Buddhist modernists tend to think that's not the case for some of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T16:41:37.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3797" CreationDate="2014-10-04T16:43:11.263" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Japan in 2003 the number of Buddhist temples were&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;30,000 Pure Land &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;21,000 Zen &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;15,000 Shingom &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;14,000 Nichiren &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5,000 Tendai&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The source for this is Introducing Buddhism by Peter Harvey (pp 409 2nd Edition)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://avery.morrow.name/studies/theravada-in-japan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Japanese Theravada Association&lt;/a&gt; which claims thousands of members and the Dhammakaya movement has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammakaya.net/modules/centers/worldwide-centers?country=jp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;six centres in Japan&lt;/a&gt;. However this appears to be a more recent phenomena and the above figures appear to indicate that it is a small movement in the context of Buddhism as a whole in Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T16:52:00.737" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T16:52:00.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1441" CreationDate="2014-10-04T16:55:51.860" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada tradition doesn't condemn such people. The essence of Theravadin morality is expressed in the Ambalatthika-Rahulovada Sutta like so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For reflection, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  actions are to be done with repeated reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whenever you want to do a bodily action, you should reflect on it:&#xA;  'This bodily action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction,&#xA;  to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful&#xA;  bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful bodily&#xA;  action with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily&#xA;  action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be&#xA;  a skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then any bodily action of that sort is fit for you to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;While you are doing a bodily action, you should reflect on it: 'This&#xA;  bodily action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily action,&#xA;  with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you&#xA;  know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of&#xA;  others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you&#xA;  know that it is not... you may continue with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having done a bodily action, you should reflect on it: 'This bodily&#xA;  action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to&#xA;  both; it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences,&#xA;  painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to&#xA;  the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having&#xA;  confessed it... you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a&#xA;  skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then you should stay mentally refreshed &amp;amp; joyful, training day &amp;amp; night&#xA;  in skillful mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whenever you want to do a verbal action, you should reflect on it:&#xA;  'This verbal action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction,&#xA;  to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful&#xA;  verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful verbal&#xA;  action with painful consequences, painful results, then any verbal&#xA;  action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be&#xA;  a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then any verbal action of that sort is fit for you to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;While you are doing a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This&#xA;  verbal action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal action,&#xA;  with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you&#xA;  know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of&#xA;  others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you&#xA;  know that it is not... you may continue with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having done a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal&#xA;  action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful verbal action, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to&#xA;  both; it was an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences,&#xA;  painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to&#xA;  the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having&#xA;  confessed it... you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a&#xA;  skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then you should stay mentally refreshed &amp;amp; joyful, training day &amp;amp; night&#xA;  in skillful mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whenever you want to do a mental action, you should reflect on it:&#xA;  'This mental action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction,&#xA;  to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful&#xA;  mental action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful mental&#xA;  action with painful consequences, painful results, then any mental&#xA;  action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be&#xA;  a skillful mental action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then any mental action of that sort is fit for you to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;While you are doing a mental action, you should reflect on it: 'This&#xA;  mental action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful mental action,&#xA;  with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you&#xA;  know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of&#xA;  others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you&#xA;  know that it is not... you may continue with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having done a mental action, you should reflect on it: 'This mental&#xA;  action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful mental action, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to&#xA;  both; it was an unskillful mental action with painful consequences,&#xA;  painful results, then you should feel distressed, ashamed, &amp;amp; disgusted&#xA;  with it. Feeling distressed, ashamed, &amp;amp; disgusted with it, you should&#xA;  exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that&#xA;  it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful mental action with&#xA;  pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then you should stay mentally&#xA;  refreshed &amp;amp; joyful, training day &amp;amp; night in skillful mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something does not cause harm to one's self or to others, then from a Theravadin perspective it is morally acceptable. In my opinion the teachings of the Buddha offer many sexual minorities (such as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people) the clear moral teachings that affirms that they are not to be condemned.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexuality in general is technically classified as being unwholesome or unskillful, but the Theravada school makes a distinction between acts that are unwholesome (anything based on attachment at all, so this also includes enjoying entertainment, food, etc...) and acts that are evil. Sexuality that is within the third precept (not using sex in ways that breaks up relationships or sexual taking advantage of people etc...) is understood as being acceptable for a layperson. Although this Sutta talks about abandoning all unwholesome states of mind, it was aimed at the Ven. Rahula who was a novice monk at the time. For laypeople one only must abandon evil actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T04:02:33.520" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T04:02:33.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1441" CreationDate="2014-10-04T20:09:40.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The institutions are all over the place. There are rules that say hermaphrodites (or probably more generally, anyone who doesn't fall into a tidy male/female gender) isn't allowed to ordain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then a few hundred years later you get Mahayanaists who specifically say hermaphrodites (&amp;amp; I supposed anyone who doesn't fall into a tidy category) are allowed to become Bodhisattva's, too. Except in Chinese Buddhism, they were still expected to give up any interest in sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one of the Mahayana sutras a celestial Buddha or Bodhisattva transforms Ananda into a woman to make a point about appearances being superficial &amp;amp; differences being artificial. I can't find the source, if I find it I'll come back and add the ref.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, in the old and new traditions, a good Buddhist woman would hope to be reborn as a man, or I suppose a man would fear doing wrong lest he be reborn as a women. This was obvious sexism, but amazing meant people were sexist, but somehow comfortable with the idea of cross-life transsexualism. It sounds progressive, but it is a odd situation where a sexist line of reasoning leads to a progressive conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T20:09:40.093" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2014-10-04T21:39:57.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Lord Buddha did teach a method to overcome depression. It's called meditation. Depression is usually caused by low self esteem or excessive worrying. Both are caused because of one's clinging to a self or clinging to conditioned phenomena as things belonging to oneself. If you do Samatha meditation and attain the Jhanas, depression can't trouble you as long as you are in them. If you do Vipassana and eliminate craving, there won't be any clinging. Thus no depression ever again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-04T21:46:03.413" LastActivityDate="2014-10-04T21:46:03.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3995" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-04T23:18:08.623" Score="2" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example... If a senior monk is basing his judgement on personal opinion and not the vinaya, creating dukkha in the community and sowing discord... how would another person (monk or lay) go about addressing this hindrance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastEditorUserId="690" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T03:00:27.957" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T13:28:44.000" Title="What is the appropriate course of action for disagreeing with an authority figure?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1569" CreationDate="2014-10-05T00:03:44.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the earlier ones there in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka: The Group of Ones&lt;/a&gt;, you can see things like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandon one quality, monks, and I guarantee you non-return. Which one quality? Abandon greed as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandon one quality, monks, and I guarantee you non-return. Which one quality? Abandon aversion as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandon one quality, monks, and I guarantee you non-return. Which one quality? Abandon delusion as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is referring to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt; which are shown as being at the centre of the 'wheel of life'. My understanding, from the way they're represented/illustrated, is that they cause or feed each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia claims that ignorance is the root cause:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of these three, ignorance is the root poison. From ignorance, attachment and aversion arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not it is the &quot;root&quot; cause, the implication of the suttas above is that if/when you can eradicate any one of them then you can break the chain or cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The corollary though, IMO, is that if a person indulges in or abides in any one, then they cause them all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second noble truth explicitly warns against greed, but the 'three poisons' also warn against anger and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it seems to me that lying is (except in vanishingly rare circumstances) intended to promote ignorance. A person who thinks they can lie successfully might think that they can 'get away with murder'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask, &quot;Is it exaggerated?&quot; IMO 'not lying' is also connected with Right Speech, with being able to share (true) Dharma, with not causing schism in the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T00:43:59.883" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T00:43:59.883" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3976" CreationDate="2014-10-05T03:03:49.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just ran across this recent quote by His Holiness The Dalai Lama which hints that meditation is considered a core activity and skill for Tibetan monks, rather than McMahan's &quot;the province of a small number of specialist monks in Himalayan hermitages&quot;&#xA;. (Emphasis added.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ozy.com/c-notes/the-dalai-lama-on-china-the-future-of-tibet/34231.article?utm_source=A1&amp;amp;utm_medium=pp&amp;amp;utm_campaign=pp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ozy.com/c-notes/the-dalai-lama-on-china-the-future-of-tibet/34231.article?utm_source=A1&amp;amp;utm_medium=pp&amp;amp;utm_campaign=pp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dalai Lama:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We have trained some monks here in India who have returned to Tibet.&#xA;  But this is rare. The danger is that religion becomes a mere ritual.&#xA;  It’s not sufficient to ring a bell, you know. &lt;strong&gt;Monks have to master the&#xA;  doctrine and the meditation&lt;/strong&gt;. They need to be good in both. This&#xA;  requires thorough training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, this may be interpreted as a critique of &quot;old Tibet&quot; as too reliant on &quot;mere ritual&quot;, with the emphasis on meditation a post-diaspora reform. I am still inclined to believe that many if not most monks in Tibet did meditate seriously, that is, the culture of enlightenment remained vigorous in Tibet in a way that it was apparently lost in Theravada societies prior to its modern reinvigoration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, this is a fascinating interview for other reasons, most notably...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;OZY:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the Tibetans do not need a Dalai Lama anymore?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dalai Lama:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No, I don’t think so. Twenty-six hundred years of Buddhist tradition&#xA;  cannot be maintained by one person. And sometimes I make a tough joke:&#xA;  We had a Dalai Lama for almost five centuries. The 14th Dalai Lama now&#xA;  is very popular. Let us then finish with a popular Dalai Lama. If a&#xA;  weak Dalai Lama comes along, then it will just disgrace the Dalai&#xA;  Lama. (The Dalai Lama laughs.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T04:54:28.897" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T04:54:28.897" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3998" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4000" CreationDate="2014-10-05T03:17:55.527" Score="8" ViewCount="539" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that meditation went through a revival in the last two centuries, in part due to the efforts of the Theosophical Society. Supposedly in the past, monks had nearly or totally stopped meditating. Can anyone fill out the picture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Main question in the title, when and why did monks stop meditating?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Were other elements involved in the revival?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this perspective more descriptive of Theravadan countries?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How did reality differ from this picture?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:03:29.077" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T17:03:29.077" Title="When and why did monks stop meditating?" Tags="|history|western-philosophy|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="3999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3995" CreationDate="2014-10-05T03:20:57.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it depends on the nature of the opinion and the nature of the disagreement. Sometimes figures in authority positions have to make a judgement call about an issue where the formal rules of the situation don't clearly address the situation at hand. I think that in such a case the person in authority should have their decision respected, provided that the decision is based on the relevant principles to the case at hand and is a reasonable interpretation of the facts and rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If their decision is just plain not reasonably based on the facts or the relevant principles then it is clearly wrong and the best thing to do is to decide whether or not it is a big enough deal to want to appeal, and if it is, then one should take the matter up with the next highest competent authority, be it their boss or the HR department.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of a monk the correct response would be to bring it to bring it up with whoever is higher in the hierarchy with respect to the disputed matter. For example, if you have a dispute with the Monk in charge of the lost and found or something in a monastery, the correct response would be to go to the person in charge of the building, or to the Abbot if the matter was important enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is a very serious matter then one should probably go to the Abbot directly and if that fails, then try to find a senior Monk to get the matter brought to the attention of the local Sangha council if their actions are breaking the Vinaya. And of course it goes without saying that if they are committing serious crimes or putting people in danger, one should contact the authorities as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as I said, authority figures have to make judgement calls when the rules of a situation are unclear and as long as their decision is a reasonable one it is better to simply accept their decision. It doesn't make much sense to fight with an authority figure if it's just a case of &quot;They decided A but I think that B is better.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T03:20:57.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3998" CreationDate="2014-10-05T03:57:21.423" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;A long time ago in Sri Lanka the Sangha began to divide itself into two sort of specialties of Monks. There were city Monks who lived in monasteries inside the cities and villages, and they specialized in the study of texts and doing ceremonial functions while the forest Monks lived either in monasteries outside of settlements or they wandered from place to place. Such forest monks specialized in meditation. Over time distinct customs grew up with these two specializations, so for example in Thailand, city Monks (with the exception of the Dhammayut monks) wear bright yellow or orange robes while forest monks always wear brown or ochre colored robes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over time these customs evolved further, so for example in Thailand for a long time forest Monks also became specialists in using special chants and other kinds of things that are usually thought of as magic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of Thailand at least the revival came partly as the result of a reform movement that was founded by King Rama IV when he was a monk that focused on improving the standards of the Vinaya. When this movement grew to include forest monks, this reform movement created a lot of dedicated monks who wanted to live the forest monk lifestyle in a much more meditative role rather than the semi-shamanistic role that the forest monks had slipped into, and that became the foundation of what is now the Thai forest tradition today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka the revival had a lot to do with the rising sense of anti-colonial sentiment towards the British who controlled Sri Lanka at the time, with Buddhism growing again as a response to Christian missionaries. This Buddhist pushback started when the Monk Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera began putting out pamphlets refuting Christian missionary literature, and this gave way to a series of debates which culminated in the city of Panadura, and it was the Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera who won the series of debates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sparked the Buddhist revival movement and it was at that point the Theosophical society lent support, and meditation became more common as serious study of texts became more common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Burma, I think the meditative side of revival there is largely the result of the Ledi Sayadaw's influence. He was a major scholar (In Burma, scholar monks are usually more influential) who learned meditation from someone (no one really knows who) from the hills in the Sagaing region, and he popularized that style of meditation through his teaching and scholarly writings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T03:57:21.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2014-10-05T04:05:06.903" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana is not a single tradition. It is a variety of forms the live teaching has taken as it was internalized by people belonging to different cultures and lifestyles over ~2600 years of the realization-transmission cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same &lt;em&gt;direct experience&lt;/em&gt; (of Enlightenment) is introduced in different ways. Everyone agrees it is about &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt; (aka insight) and &lt;em&gt;cultivation&lt;/em&gt; (aka liberation), but how exactly the two are approached varies wildly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method of vipassana (insight meditation) is radical attention to present moment, with experiences interpreted in context of Buddhist teachings. We could say vipassana relies on three activities: the study undertaken before meditation, the active-watching during meditation, and the review in post-meditation. That's it, there is nothing magical about vipassana. It's all about what you study, and what you pay attention to, and how you connect the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you can do active watching, you have to tame your mind and make it into an instrument of insight. The same taming also serves as a pre-realization part of liberation-cultivation (remember, it's not just insight, there is also liberation). This preliminary meditation is known as samatha, but it really is not that different from vipassana. The only real difference is in the level of skill, familiarity, and insight. This is like with learning to play guitar: first you do scale exercises, then you play whole pieces, then you improvise. In all cases you are playing the instrument, the difference is in your sensitivity and control. Samatha is mostly about tranquility, vipassana is mostly about insight -- but there is no one without the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all schools of Mahayana differentiate between samatha and vipassana. Most Zen schools (I believe) teach one meditation, zazen (did you know &quot;zen&quot; is the same word as &quot;jhana&quot;?). This is like giving student a guitar and saying: here, learn to play this. No scale exercises, no sheet music. This is accompanied with plenty of very deep oral instructions on what a good music &lt;em&gt;sounds&lt;/em&gt; like, but no specific mechanical exercises. I'm simplifying to make a point. Most teachers do provide &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; guidelines (e.g. basics of anapanasati; common mistakes etc.), but the emphasis is definitely on self-learning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While in Theravada the pendulum seems to swing almost too far the other way: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Teacher, but when are we going to play music?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; -- &lt;em&gt;&quot;Forget about music, dummy, and focus on your study and exercises, that's where music comes from!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan schools practice and study seems to be pretty balanced. They do differentiate between &lt;em&gt;shamatha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vipashyana&lt;/em&gt; at beginner stages and speak about &quot;unity of shamatha and vipashyana&quot; at more advanced stages. As far as specific techniques, at least in some schools (Gelug) Tibetan vipashyana takes analysis of the four jhanas as its object of investigation. Four jhanas are also approached in context of Generation Stage meditation, while what you know as satipatthana in Theravada can probably be compared with Completion stage meditation in Vajrayana... And then there are Mahamudra and Dzogchen, which are like playing jazz improvisations...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much of it depends on the student and on a particular teacher. An enormously talented student can learn playing just by watching a teacher, but most of us need gradual instruction. Some teachers believe in analytical understanding, others think technique can only come from drills, while yet others believe it's all about the feeling etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T16:45:24.293" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T16:45:24.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3995" CreationDate="2014-10-05T10:35:50.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrance&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (used in the OP) is more usually applied to some aspect of yourself (e.g. doubt, restlessness, ill-will, etc.) than to an external thing or fact (e.g. what someone else says or does).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a good answer would be to, somehow, accept or discard the disagreement, or reformulate your perspective so that you view (frame) it differently. Generally, depending on the specific type of hindrance (e.g. &quot;ill-will&quot;) there may be some corresponding antidote, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Ill_will_.28vyapada.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example metta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The OP says &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the vinaya&lt;/a&gt;&quot; so, assuming you're asking about monastic rules, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; references vinaya texts, which describe rules which monks accept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the topic/subject of your disagreement, one of the relevant rules might be &lt;strong&gt;&quot;13. Criticizing or complaining (about a Community official) is to be confessed&quot; on pages 278 through 280 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this document&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (rules for the official being in Chapter 18, starting on page 272 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this document&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't quote from it: two pages is slightly long to quote here entirely, but I don't want to quote extracts from it in case I am wrongly biased in which extracts I select: so, better to read it all, it's only two pages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the (slightly separate) subject of &quot;sowing discord&quot; there's something about &quot;dispute resolution&quot; on page 453, which starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In addition, dispute-issues must be settled “in accordance &#xA;  with the majority”; accusation-issues, either by a verdict of mindfulness, a verdict &#xA;  of past insanity, or an act of further punishment; and offense-issues, by acting in &#xA;  accordance with what is admitted or by covering them over as with grass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It includes the usual kind of &quot;if it's the right topic at the right time&quot; and &quot;if it will be received correctly by the audience&quot; advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the answer to the first four questions is Yes, and to the fifth question No &#xA;  (i.e., the discussion is not likely to lead to strife), he may then go ahead and start &#xA;  the discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It lists &quot;unskillful states&quot; which &quot;can turn disputes into issues.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading further, it has advice like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary here adds that the residents should first stall &#xA;  for two or three days—saying that they have to wash their robes or fire their &#xA;  bowls first—as a way of subduing the pride of the incoming bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't try to summarize it further: it's there for you to read if you think it's relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T13:28:44.000" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T13:28:44.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1441" CreationDate="2014-10-05T10:58:19.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peter Harvey, a Buddhist scholar who focuses fairly heavily on morality in Buddhism, writes at length on &amp;quot;culture war&amp;quot; issues like this, homosexuality, abortion, etc. in the context of the Pali canon. His &lt;em&gt;Introduction to Buddhist Ethics&lt;/em&gt; explored issues related to transgendered people, in the chapter &amp;quot;Homosexuality and other forms of 'queerness'.  It's worth a look.  The full text can be found here - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.e-reading.me/bookreader.php/142060/An_Introduction_to_Buddhist_Ethics.pdf/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.e-reading.me/bookreader.php/142060/An_Introduction_to_Buddhist_Ethics.pdf/&lt;/a&gt; and it's a good read in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an extract:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SEX-CHANGE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhist texts refer to the sex of a person as something that can&#xA;change within one life, as well as between lives. In the Vinaya, there is reference to a monk in whom the sexual characteristics of a woman&#xA;appeared, and a nun in whom the sexual characteristics of a man&#xA;appeared. In both cases, the Buddha appears to accept this and simply&#xA;say that the ex-monk nun should follow the rules of the nuns, and the ex-nun monk should follow the rules of the monks. In commentarial literature, the sex of a person is seen as determined at conception, but as subject&#xA;to possible change. Causes of sex-change are seen as karmic in&#xA;nature. The Dhammapada commentary tells of a man instantly turning into&#xA;a woman when he is sexually attracted to a monk; after marrying and&#xA;giving birth, she then turns back to a man when she asks the monk’s forgiveness, and goes on to become an Arahat. Sex-change, then, is not seen as limiting spiritual potential.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T22:22:49.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2014-10-05T13:57:22.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The overall idea seems to be that if a being is actually enlightened, then this fact will be apparent without ambiguity to all who interact with that being.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As far as the Buddha himself is concerned, according to the canon, those hostile to him never managed to best him in debates (thus never managed to dent his teaching) and those symphathetic to him always recognized his greatness and at many occasions decided to follow him (thus affirming his extraordinary nature). The canon tells us with this that &lt;strong&gt;the Buddha could, so to speak, &quot;talk the talk&quot; but also &quot;walk the walk&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, and do this in any situation he could encounter. It is the profundity of his teachings that leads Buddhists to place their trust in the Buddha's Enlightened nature.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;From this perspective making the claim was like a random person making a banal statement such as &quot;I am a human being&quot; for him.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are disciples that attain Enlightenment during their current lives, why shouldn't they also make the same declaration? There might a very simple and pragmatic answer to this. The Buddha was in the process of diffusing the Dhamma to a world that had lost those teachings since a long, long time ago. Talking about his own Enlightenment, he was giving the explanation of why these teachings were worthwhile and why he should be the one listened to among the multitudes of other teachers of the era.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;What necessity has there been for practitioners to talk about their own achievements since the Buddha's death? The Dhamma has been thaught to many and codified, and the sangha was structured in a democratic and pretty much egalitarian way. People claiming Enlightenment within reason or not could/can form magnetic poles and attract disciples to themselves and away from each other, effectively sowing completely unnecessary discord within the community. It's completely unnecessary and is something that only a non-Enlightened person seeking self-interest would do.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As for the matter of the Buddha's disciples talking about their own attainments, we must not forget that&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;a)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;the Buddha was still alive, which nullified chances of successful false claims&lt;/em&gt; and&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;b)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;the people they were talking with were familiar with the concepts talked about and the terms used&lt;/em&gt;. It was a time where spiritual pursuit was seen as something perfectly real and valid in the eyes of society, and they were familiar with what that pursuit entailed. It isn't so in our modern era and Western/Westernized societies, where spiritual pursuit is not seen as something &quot;normal&quot; and the elements of Buddhism are foreign to the people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1058" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T13:57:22.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4006" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4019" CreationDate="2014-10-05T14:35:32.907" Score="17" ViewCount="12592" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why is it that Buddhism never compiled a reasonably concise set of canonical texts like the Bible? Buddhism itself has universal beliefs such as the 4 Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the notion of going for refuge. To me then it doesn't seem unreasonable that there could have been a Buddhist Bible that complied these central beliefs in the same way as the Christian Bible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though the Christian world is diverse they still manage with one Bible (though I do appreciate there are different version such as the Orthodox Bible) and this Bible forms the basis of new forms of Christianity or new emphasis on Christian belief. However Buddhism seems to have an enormous array of texts over a number of different canons (Pali, Chinese, Tibetan) and commentaries and para canonical texts. Why the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something in the history or culture of these two religions that caused them to treat their texts differently. Am I wrong and the differences aren't really there if you look at it correctly? Is it a theological matter? I appreciate you could ask the same question about Islam and Hinduism (I think) but I want to keep the question as on-topic and tractable as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="1087" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T11:30:54.583" LastActivityDate="2022-09-12T05:36:12.700" Title="Why isn't there a Buddhist Bible?" Tags="|history|texts|comparative-religion|christianity|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T15:44:50.293" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is mistaken to think that Christianity just has the Bible as it's authority and everything else is dispensable. That idea only showed up at the time of the protestant reformation, and before that, the writings of the Church fathers (which are quite voluminous) and books on theology were regarded as an absolutely essential part of Christian doctrine. Even for Catholic and Orthodox Christians of today the suggestion that the Bible is the only supreme source of doctrine is rejected. They believe that the Sacred Tradition passed down through the ages is equally authoritative as the Bible itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has such a large variety of texts largely because in the early days after the Buddha's passing into Parinibbana, converting the oral teaching into memorized texts was the only way that the teaching could be adequately preserved. These texts were transmitted to different places and so were commented on and interpreted differently by different people, leading to commentarial literature and many other works being written. Much of this also happened with Christianity as well, although the Bible isn't as big as the Tipitika. It was only within the past 500 years or so that some Christians began to focus on the Bible to the exclusion of these many writings, and even they rely very much on their own writings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T15:44:50.293" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4009" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-05T17:33:41.027" Score="0" ViewCount="251" Body="&lt;p&gt;its a pretty straight forward question. facts only please, no opinions, and i request that only an experienced and well practiced zen buddhist answer this question (to avoid speculation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T18:49:36.143" Title="what is the traditional zen stance on agriculture and animal care?" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2014-10-27T23:32:13.413" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T18:20:22.657" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you separate a bible, you have actually many books therein. Also, there are, as you pointed, many &quot;bibles&quot;, that is, not only different translations, but bibles formed by different sets of books -- some books are accepted here, some are rejected there. If you take the tipitaka, it is also formed by many books. Correspondingly, there are different versions and editions of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, christianity, just like buddhism, produced many &quot;books&quot; (Matthew, Mark, Acts, Romans, Revelation etc, on one hand and, say, Majjhima Nikaya, Dhammapada, Khandhavagga, etc on the other). Christianity, just like buddhism, had groups selecting and discarding texts through time, establishing a certain canon for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An early example of this the buddhism councils.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the christian side, this reminds me of some books I've read from a catholic father about the First Council of Nicea and how (overly simplifying), part of it, was about determining a christian canon -- that is, selecting the books that were being used by churchs, that show some consistency among themselves, etc, and apparently burning ones that were not (something to do with new sects popping up with corrupted texts to take advantage of the trends). But &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea#Agenda_and_procedure&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; presents material that disagrees so, this may not correspond to fact. However different, processes of determining what books form a certain canon still took place through time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This just illustrates the point that there is a historical process, whatever it is, in both traditions, involving people who compiled what is part of the canon (call it a bible, or a tipitaka) -- and, in face of apocryphal material, what is not. Also, some groups may decide to preserve early material, rise the criteria for acceptance, and see late material with different eyes, while other groups may decide that some late material stands in equal footing, or is a legitimate continuation of (and fundamental contribution to) the early ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Paul of Tarsus came in after, but his writings were welcomed in the canon (I wonder if any early group rejected his work?). Similarly, Nagasena came many years after the Buddha's parinirvana. So did Huineng.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, both traditions had many authors publishing books on top of the core texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it seems to me the difference is the physical limits that a physical book imposes on the number of pages. While the bible can be formatted as a single physical book, I think it would be a challenge to have a unitary physical Tripitaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, again, this is the electronic age of Kindles and such...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T18:32:29.760" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T18:32:29.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4009" CreationDate="2014-10-05T20:03:30.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;      &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;        &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;          &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;            &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;              &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;                &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;                  &lt;p&gt;&gt;&#xA;                  Cut the bull!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;                &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;              &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;            &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;          &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;        &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;      &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T20:03:30.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4012" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-05T20:46:26.760" Score="1" ViewCount="929" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it is asking for opinions, which i will investigate further on my own. opinions would be helpful in this particular circumstance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="690" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T23:08:18.217" Title="Which buddhist traditions are typically viewed as most liberal?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2014-10-05T23:27:38.497" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4013" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-05T20:59:49.370" Score="7" ViewCount="1774" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people claim they feel better, like a strong relief, after letting the anger out, so they scream at the open air or punch a sand sack.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I'm referring ONLY to cases where there is no other person involved, so I'm NOT talking about punching a person or yelling at someone!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know the Buddhist view on anger is to see it for what it is and let go of it, but some people see it as suppressing the anger and keeping it in, so they claim that letting it out is a better way to get rid of it. It works for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is there anything wrong with that from a Buddhist's standpoint?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:30:10.993" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:30:10.993" Title="Buddhist view on letting the anger out. Any problems with that?" Tags="|five-hindrances|anger|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-05T21:23:40.423" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea is called catharsis and it basically treats anger like hot water or steam that can be released when the pressure is too much. It is true that letting anger out like that does tend to produce relief, but many psychologists are of the opinion that doing so just creates a positive reinforcement of the angry behavior and over the long term simply increase it. Here's a link to just one study on it, but you can find more just by typing anger and catharsis into google scholar:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/jbickfor/bushman2002.pdf&quot;&gt;https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/jbickfor/bushman2002.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist point of view, actions which are based on strong aversion are very unwholesome and are thus bad karma and so acting out on a feeling of rage is just digging yourself deeper in the hole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is much better to get rid of anger by reflecting on the dangers of anger, the value of patience, establishing one's self in mindfulness, and by trying to generate metta towards the object of anger. Is this easy to do? No, it's very hard, but that's because it is a training. Serious training of any kind always takes a lot of effort to produce results. Practicing in this way will bit by bit give us a totally different way of relating to the world around us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T21:57:55.787" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T21:57:55.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T21:25:53.567" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is it that Buddhism never compiled a reasonably concise set of canonical texts like the Bible. Buddhism itself has universal beliefs such as the 4 Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the notion of going for refuge. To me then it doesn't seem unreasonable that there could have been a Buddhist Bible that complied these central beliefs in the same way as the Christian Bible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Printed/published books like that (i.e. a reasonably concise set of canonical texts) certainly exist. For example there was one (titled &quot;The life and sayings of the Buddha&quot; or something like that) in my hotel room in Singapore, next to (i.e. as well as) a Christian bible (and, if I recall correctly, a Hindu bible and a Muslim bible).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Admittedly it's a set of canonical texts, not a canonical set of texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though the Christian world is diverse they still manage with one Bible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, actually I don't think they do manage with just one Bible. In the Catholic Church, for example, the equivalent of &quot;the dharma&quot; is IMO &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magisterium&quot;&gt;the magisterium&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which includes teachings by the Pope and Bishops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However Buddhism seems to have an enormous array of texts over a number of different canons (Pali, Chinese, Tibetan) and commentaries and para cononical texts. Why the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you are ignoring &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations&quot;&gt;different Christian sects&lt;/a&gt;: for example, don't you think that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism&quot;&gt;the Lutheran &quot;canon&quot;&lt;/a&gt; would include the writings of Luther? And that Luther's writings are not &quot;canonical&quot; for other sects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To pick another example, because &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakers&quot;&gt;the Quakers&lt;/a&gt; believe in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_revelation#Friends_.28Quakers.29&quot;&gt;continuing revelation&lt;/a&gt; IMO their canon is still being developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moving on to Buddhism, I'd like to quote the following which might describe why the Buddhist canon isn't edited unnecessarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html#reform&quot;&gt;Reform of Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, there is a consideration based upon the nature of the training and the end which it has in view. From the Buddha-time down to the present it has been found that a careful application of the Vinaya's principles by a bhikkhu in his life promotes his practice and understanding of Dhamma: &quot;Vinaya leads to restraint; restraint to the absence of remorse; absence of remorse leads to joy; joy to delight; delight to tranquility; tranquility leads to happiness; happiness to collectedness; collectedness to knowledge and vision of the truly existent; knowledge and vision of the truly existent to revulsion;[9] revulsion to dispassion; dispassion to freedom; freedom to knowledge-and-vision of freedom; and knowledge-of-vision to freedom leads to Nibbana free from (clinging to) substrata (for rebirth)&quot; (Vinaya, Parivara, 169). When Vinaya has been so formulated as to guide a bhikkhu to the goal of Nibbana, who shall entertain thoughts altering it? It is we who have to change by our practice of Dhamma-Vinaya, to come up to its level and not to expect it to change for us. In this connection, there is a little fable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;At one time there was a great and flourishing tree&lt;/strong&gt; standing as it had stood for many, many hundreds of years. It was so beautiful that men and women bringing their children would come from scores of miles about to gaze in wonder at its perfect and majestic shape. Under its mighty spread of branches multitudes could sit down enjoying its cool shade. Even animals would come and delight themselves according to their several habits, some upon the grass beneath and some sporting amid the profusion of leaves, flowers, and fruits. And such flowers of such fragrance — no one knew where else their like might be found. And such fruits as this tree bore and in such abundance! No wonder that they are called best, highest, foremost and supreme among all fruits produced by other trees. &lt;strong&gt;So the seasons and the years rolled by and still the mighty tree stood hardly changed, for where one branch died off, another grew to replace it.&lt;/strong&gt; The delight of many beings, visible and invisible, was in the health and long life of this ancient tree. Then, in accordance with the change inherent in things, fashions changed and trees in their natural vigor were no longer praised but trimmed and artificially-shaped trees were thought more beautiful. Agitation began among some men for the tree to be shaped up according to modern taste. Eventually, due to debased ideas of people by that time, loppers and clippers tried their hands upon the millennial giant. Branch after branch fell loaded with flowers and bearing fruits. &quot;Never mind,&quot; they said, &quot;it will look much better when we have finished.&quot; Before long, the tree was pruned into the form of a perfect cube and this was regarded by almost everyone with satisfaction. Only a few ignorant people regretted the sawn-off limbs and bare branches with a few clusters of leaves left here and there. These ill-educated persons were heard regretting the lack of any shade. How stupid of them!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is needless to say that the venerable tree flowered and bore fruit no more and due to shock, died shortly afterwards, leaving only its great, but dead framework which then became an object for the speculative theses of numerous men of books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T21:25:53.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4012" CreationDate="2014-10-05T21:29:52.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been to 3 Buddhist centres/traditions: Theravada, Tibetan Buddhist and New Kadampa Tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on what I have seen I would say New Kadampa was the most liberal as they claim to have &quot;a modern Buddhism for a modern world&quot;, however I choosed to go with Theravada for many reasons, I recommend you to investigate and do not choose a tradition based on who is more liberal, remember the Buddha's teachings were not about being liberal, but refraining from many things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to mention that Zen Buddhism is also known for being liberal when compared to other traditions, but I cannot confirm it as I have never checked it for myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T21:29:52.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-05T21:38:52.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I cannot find any justification in Buddhist texts of expressing anger as a way to deal with it. From what I read, that is not Buddhism but primal scream therapy or some other psychological technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what one Buddhist source says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, “Conquer anger by non-anger. Conquer evil by good. Conquer miserliness by liberality. Conquer a liar by truthfulness.” (Dhammapada, v. 233) Working with ourselves and others and our lives in this way is Buddhism. Buddhism is not a belief system, or a ritual, or some label to put on your T-shirt. It’s this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of that page has more information on anger and anger management.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-05T23:25:18.357" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T23:25:18.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4012" CreationDate="2014-10-05T21:47:01.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you mean liberal in the sense of non-traditional or neo-traditional the most accommodating of the modern way of life, I would look to outgrowths in the US because I am most familiar with that. Some sects practice freely to many degrees with women and men together such as Trungpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance Roshi Suzuki wrote the following:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a very mild manner zen book. It has guidelines but not ones made of concrete, but ones that are flexible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a number of liberal teachers that may be of interest. Each person must examine their own beliefs and find a path that works for them. Someones tame philosophy could be another's abomination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list is recommended reading. You may choose freely from this list and make up your own mind how you define liberal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zmm.mro.org/training/recommended-reading/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://zmm.mro.org/training/recommended-reading/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T21:47:01.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T22:42:57.433" Score="28" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why is it that Buddhism never compiled a reasonably concise set of canonical texts like the Bible?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could equally ask, &quot;why didn't Christianity compile a lengthy and diverse set of canonical texts like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tripiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is, Buddhism &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; have a canonical set of texts that are widely viewed by all major Buddhist traditions as canonical (as far as being the teachings given by the Buddha during his life time), organized into books and sections somewhat like the Christian bible. And while the exact makeup of the set differs from tradition to tradition, the core texts (mainly the first four nikayas of the sutta pitaka in Pali - the agamas in Chinese), are agreed upon as canonical. This is not dissimilar to the situation that exists between Judaism and Christianity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there only remains the question, &lt;strong&gt;why is the Buddhist canon not &quot;reasonably concise&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first reason for the difference in length is a great amount of repetition, brought about both by 1) the fact that Buddhism was orally transmitted for so long and repetition helped with memorization, and 2) the state of having a good number of the same teachings given multiple times in slightly different contexts and faithfully recorded in duplicate, triplicate, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second reason is the discrepancy in time span. Jesus taught for around three years before getting himself killed; the Buddha lived to the ripe old age of 80, teaching for 45 years from the time of his enlightenment. One scholar (Rhys-Davids, IIRC) estimated that, all repetition removed, &lt;strong&gt;the Tipitaka is approximately eleven times the size of the Christian bible&lt;/strong&gt;. Given that &lt;strong&gt;the Buddha taught fifteen times as long as Jesus&lt;/strong&gt;, this seems like a fairly reasonable difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: removed the third reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-12-27T05:23:47.833" LastActivityDate="2014-12-27T05:23:47.833" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4012" CreationDate="2014-10-05T23:08:18.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For some (unspecified) definitions of &amp;quot;liberal&amp;quot;, might &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Soka Gakkai International (SGI)&lt;/a&gt; be among the &amp;quot;most liberal&amp;quot;?&#xA;For example,&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.fr/books?id=oZiScvbS6-cC&amp;amp;lpg=PA257&amp;amp;ots=sED8Q4wMY8&amp;amp;dq=soka%20gakkai%20liberal%20-democratic&amp;amp;pg=PA257#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=soka%20gakkai%20liberal%20-democratic&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In their Study of SGI, Phillip Hammond and David Machacek suggest that the religion is &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;characterized by an almost libertarian perspective on individual behaviour&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I visited some SGI meetings many years ago, and those I met seemed like nice enough people, OTOH I didn't understand (didn't get much of) their doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They call themselves Buddhist, e.g. here is the meta description from their web site,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&amp;lt;meta name=&amp;quot;description&amp;quot; content=&amp;quot;Worldwide Buddhist network which promotes peace,&#xA;culture and education through personal transformation and social contribution.&#xA;Buddhist concepts, news, links with SGI organizations around the world and more.&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soka_Gakkai&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;introductory paragraph says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Soka Gakkai (Japanese: 創価学会?) is a Japanese new religious movement based on the writings of Nichiren and the teachings of the organization’s presidents Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, Jōsei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda. It is one of the larger Japanese new religions. Originally a lay group within the Nichiren Shōshū Buddhist sect, the Gakkai reveres the Lotus Sutra and places the chanting of the name of the Sutra at the center of devotional practice. The movement is publicly involved in peace activism, education and politics. It has also been at the center of controversies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether to say it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a Buddhist tradition or whether it's &lt;em&gt;from&lt;/em&gt; a Buddhist tradition. Here's what they write about their organization:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/what-is-sgi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is SGI?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a lay Buddhist movement linking more than 12 million people around the world. SGI members integrate their Buddhist practice into their daily lives, following the Lotus Sutra based teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as the lotus blooms in a muddy pond, all people can manifest the Buddha nature--inner resources of courage, wisdom and compassion that can equip them to overcome life's challenges and lead happy and fulfilling lives. As &amp;quot;engaged Buddhists,&amp;quot; SGI members aim to create value in any circumstances and contribute to the well-being of others. Their practice sparks a process of ongoing inner transformation and empowerment known as &amp;quot;human revolution.&amp;quot; The promotion of peace, culture and education is central to SGI's activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T23:08:18.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T23:54:55.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider how the Bible arose. Four historical persons played key roles in bringing the Christian Bible to you. They were Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, who thundered against any who did not accept exclusively the four gospels as divinely inspired; the 1st century ascetic Saint Jerome who translated Hebrew and Greek texts into the Latin Vulgate Bible; Johannes Gutenberg who in the 1450s printed the first Bibles in Latin; and Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury and chief overseer of the production of the King James Bible in English. In each man's case there was a power struggle in progress:&#xA;Irenaeus was in doctrinal conflict expressed in &quot;&lt;em&gt;Against Heresies&lt;/em&gt;&quot; with gnostic christians such as Valentinians whose scriptures were largely suppressed; Jerome was involved in the violent struggle in 366 between rival pope-elects Damasus and Ursinus as secretary to Damasus; Gutenberg printed his Bibles while the erudite Pope Nicholas V, smarting from the invasion of Constantinople (1453) urged the Portuguese to retaliate against &quot;Saracens, pagans and other enemies of Christ&quot;; and Bancroft was commanded by King James I of England to purge the Bible text of catholic and puritan influences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of these christians mentioned believed they were handling the actual words revealed supernaturally to men by a supreme God who promises salvation conditionally through a particular congregational organization, whose doctrines its clergy must find justified in its Bible. Buddhism however, like other religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent, is a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;dharmic&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; teaching that owes nothing to any organization-hungry supreme being. The source of Buddhist doctrine is an earthly man Gautama Sidhartha, not a god but one who by purely human effort reached an Enlightenment that buddhists have gratefully received and shared ever since.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question about collecting a concise set of texts about the universal beliefs in Buddhism is a good and reasonable idea. I think it has been done already! For example the &lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/strong&gt; offers a collection of Buddha's sayings in a popular form, and among the suttas I find the great &lt;strong&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (it means the Buddha's departure at death to Nirvana) and the &lt;strong&gt;Maha-sihanada Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (The Great Discourse on the Lion's Roar) both readable and rich in doctrine. Others can point to writings ancient and modern that they recommend; my references are within the conservative Therevada school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However there is little impetus to produce a literal &quot;Buddhist Bible&quot; (although it has been done). The word &quot;Bible&quot; would contribute no more than the idea that the work is (like the Christian Bible) a collection of texts, and it would be seen as confronting the existing Bible. That is the approach of the Islamic &lt;em&gt;Qur'an&lt;/em&gt; which Mohammad claimed is divinely revealed as an update and corrective to the Bible, and not the intention of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References:&#xA;Dhammapada: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Maha-parinibbana sutta: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Maha-sihanada sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T23:54:55.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-05T23:58:37.723" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One possible reason why christianism has been more reluctant to add new texts into their canon is that it is a profetic religion, that is, a religion based on revelation assumed to come directly from a superior or ultimate entity (their God). Buddhism would be a &quot;mystical religion&quot; based on humans accessing the ultimate truth directly. Christians (or Jews or Muslims) would need to be sure that a text was inspired directly by God in order to add it to their canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="48" LastActivityDate="2014-10-05T23:58:37.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4023" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4024" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" Score="0" Body="Questions about the nature or characteristics of Buddhas in general, rather than a specific individual." OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T00:33:24.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-06T01:49:24.800" Score="9" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is there anything wrong with letting the anger out, from a Buddhist's standpoint?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking yes, letting the anger out is wrong, but precise answer as to &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; it is wrong and &lt;em&gt;what to do instead&lt;/em&gt; depends on a school:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Theravada's standpoint&lt;/strong&gt;, acting on &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; (pathological) thoughts and emotions is bad karma and serves to feed corresponding &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;'s. In this context, the right way to deal with anger falls into Four Right Efforts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort toward non-arising of pathological qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort toward abandonment of pathological qualities that have arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort toward arising of wholesome qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort toward maintenance &amp;amp; increase of wholesome qualities that have arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha of Pali Canon emphasizes the importance of abandoning pathological dharmas (including anger) &lt;em&gt;immediately&lt;/em&gt;, within seconds of arising, using techniques such as 1) switching attention to an opposite object, 2) contemplating dangers of letting pathological qualities increase, 3) forgetting, 4) stilling corresponding sankharas, and 5) suppressing by force. (MN 20)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Mahayana's standpoint&lt;/strong&gt;, emotions come from ego, from attachments. Correspondingly, the proper way to deal with emotions in Mahayana is not by suppressing the symptoms but rather by solving the underlying issue: attachment to ego. This is done through a number of techniques, from developing compassion, to philosophical analysis of emptiness, to surrendering to teacher's &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Vajrayana's standpoint&lt;/strong&gt;, emotions are a natural play of energy. This energy is not inherently good or bad, but could be destructive if used unwisely. Correspondingly, rather than trying to fight with nature, Vajrayana looks to harness its power for virtuous purposes. This is done through a technique called &lt;em&gt;transmutation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In transmutation of emotion (e.g. anger), rather than acting it out, which would be a waste of energy, we try to directly &lt;em&gt;see&lt;/em&gt; the emotion as a blob of raw energy. This feels similar to seeing pain as pure information, which is another Vajrayana technique. So, rather than mulling over the cause of our anger, whatever it is, we see our emotion directly as pure energy. We look this energy straight in the face and accept it, take ownership of it. As we do this, we re-unite ourselves. It is like I am an aquarium which for some reason has grown a glass wall within itself, separating itself in two halves. Then I identified with one half, and alienated from the other. By feeling the emotion directly I recover my sense of the second half, then the glass wall dissolves and I become the whole aquarium again, if this makes any sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote Chogyam Trungpa,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transmutation takes place with the understanding of shunyata and then the sudden discovery of energy. You realize that you no longer have to abandon anything. You begin to see the underlying qualities of wisdom in your life-situation, which means that there is a kind of leap. If you are highly involved with one emotion such as anger, then by having a sudden glimpse of openness, which is shunyata, you begin to see that you do not have to suppress your energy. You do not have to keep calm and suppress the energy of anger, but you can transform your aggression into dynamic energy. It is a question of how open you are, how much you are really willing to do it. If there is less fascination and satisfaction with the explosion and release of your energy, then there is more likelihood of transmuting it. Once we become involved with the fascination and satisfaction of energy, then we are unable to transmute it. You do not have to completely change yourself, but you can use part of your energy in an awakened state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole point is that we have not actually experienced our emotions, although we think we have. We have only experienced emotions in terms of me and my anger, me and my desire. This &amp;quot;me&amp;quot; is a kind of central governing structure. The emotions play the part of messengers, bureaucrats and soldiers. Instead of experiencing emotions as being separate from you, your rather unruly employees so to speak, you must actually feel the texture and real living quality of the emotions. Expressing or acting out hatred or desire on the physical level is another way of trying to escape from your emotions, just as you do when you try to repress them. If one actually feels the living quality, the texture of the emotions as they are in their naked state, then this experience also contains ultimate truth. And automatically one begins to see the simultaneously ironical and profound aspect of the emotions as they are. Then the process of transmutation, that is, transmuting the emotions into wisdom, takes place automatically. The problem is that we never experience emotions properly. We think that fighting and killing express anger, but these are another kind of escape, a way of releasing rather than actually experiencing emotion as it is. The basic nature of the emotions has not been felt properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are trying to be good or peaceful, trying to suppress or subdue our emotions, that is the basic twist of ego in operation. We are being aggressive towards our emotions, trying forcefully to achieve peace or goodness. Once we cease being aggressive towards our emotions, cease trying to change them, once we experience them properly, then transmutation may take place. The irritating quality of the emotions is transmuted once you experience them as they are. Transmutation does not mean that the energy quality of the emotions is eliminated; in fact it is transformed into wisdom, which is very much needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some links on transmutation of emotions for you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.naropa.edu/academics/snss/grad/contemplative-education-low-residency-ma/contemplative-pedagogy-seminar/seminar-readings/befriending-emotion.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Befriending Emotions&lt;/a&gt; article by John Welwood of Naropa University.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.shambhala.com/2010/08/13/dealing-with-emotions-the-vajrayana-approach/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dealing with Emotions&lt;/a&gt; blog post by Ringu Tulku.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1570629331&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Myth of Freedom&lt;/a&gt; book by Chogyam Trungpa -- where I first learned the concept of transmutation from.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1590306392&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cutting through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/a&gt; book by Chogyam Trungpa.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T02:04:19.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4027" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4028" CreationDate="2014-10-06T02:57:47.620" Score="4" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.traumaticbraininjury.net/files/2011/07/Diagnostic-and-Statistical-Manual-of-Mental-Disorders-and-the-Buddhist-Jathaka-Stories.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; interesting take on Buddhism and modern psychology via the Jataka Tales and the DSM, is this passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Jathka storyteller elegantly portrays the clinical picture of a&#xA;  monk (in Dummbala Katta Jathakaya) who had fear feelings, flashbacks,&#xA;  hyperaousal, avoidance and startling reactions. The monk named Marana&#xA;  Bhiruka Bikku fits in to DSM criteria of PTSD.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anybody locate the Jataka tale mentioned here? I tried but did not succeed, probably because of variations in transliteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T11:18:21.930" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T11:18:21.930" Title="Help locating a Jataka Tale" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|legends|birth-stories|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4027" CreationDate="2014-10-06T03:38:05.087" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's Jataka #388 (Tuṇḍila Jātaka):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Something strange to-day,&quot; etc. The Master told this tale while dwelling in Jetavana, concerning a brother who feared death. He was born in Sāvatthi of good family and was ordained in the Faith: but he feared death and when he heard even a little moving of a bough, or falling of a stick or voice of bird or&#xA;  beast or any such thing, he was frightened by the fear of death, and went away shaking like a hare wounded in the belly. The Brethren in the Hall of Truth began to discuss, saying, &quot;Sirs, they say a certain Brother, fearing death, runs away shaking when he hears even a little sound: now to beings in this world death is certain, life uncertain, and should not this be wisely borne in mind?&quot; The Master found that this was their subject and that the Brother allowed he was afraid of death: so he said, &quot;Brethren, he is not afraid of death for the first time,&quot; and so he told an old tale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/j3/j3089.htm&quot;&gt;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/j3/j3089.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word is '&lt;em&gt;maraṇabhīruka&lt;/em&gt;' and it means 'one who is afraid of death'; it's not a name, just a description.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T03:38:05.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-06T08:40:13.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddism as a doctrine of dharmic control is definetly against it. It is like throwing the piano out of the window, while being taught to play it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger can be described as certain dharmas being activated in your body or mind, buddhism is teaching you to control them directly. What is usually called anger management is mostly supressing the actions that the anger would want you to take. But true approach is to control each and every dharma that constitutes this particular anger activity you are having to deal with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since anger is a very vast idea, so many various dharmas can be active during your particular anger. And tose dharmas could be treated in many different ways, not necesary supressed. Some of them could be just a healthy reaction of your body on the input it experiences and should be let flowing naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, buddhism is teaching you to play piano, but it will not forbid you from other things. If you want to throw the piano out of the window, you may have a reason for this as well. Maybe there is a crazy elefant that should be killed roaring under your window.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1070" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T08:40:13.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4030" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4032" CreationDate="2014-10-06T11:09:35.257" Score="8" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a few questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How far do i need to be mindful? In the Satipatthana Vipassana by Mahasi, he said: &quot;On meeting with a person in the imagination, it should be noted as &quot;meeting, meeting&quot;, can i just say &quot;imagine, imagine&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i taste something, i always want to &quot;deconstruct&quot; the aliment (it's sweet, salty, sour ...), it is a good thing to do (for Vipassana meditation)? Or I need just to say &quot;tasting, tasting&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do I need to be mindful of details? (I'm a thinking of my mother, cat...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for my English. o/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1075" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T20:54:37.580" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T20:35:22.987" Title="Details when practice vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2119" CreationDate="2014-10-06T12:05:40.960" Score="10" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What is TM (Transcendental Meditation)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a Buddhist, I only have a cursory familiarity with TM, but here it is. A TM practitioner is instructed to sit regularly, at least 15 minutes every morning, or more. Meditation is presented as joyful, easy, resting activity that does not require much effort. Instead of suppressing thoughts or holding uninterrupted attention on breath etc., the practitioner is instructed to let their mind expand in its natural state. This is a state of open unfettered unperplexed awareness, like your mind on a day when you have enough time that you don't have to rush and can instead allow yourself to &quot;gather your thoughts&quot;. As the mind expands, all kinds of memories and thoughts start bubbling up into scope. At this point the meditator is instructed to use their personal mantra, especially selected to match their personal predispositions (this part sounds like &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt; to me). After reciting the mantra several times until the thoughts calm down, the TM meditator can stop using the mantra, and let their mind expand naturally. This combination of letting the mind expand while not letting it wander is said to be the core principle of TM. Two other unique elements are the joyful &amp;amp; resting mood that the TM meditator learns to associate with meditation, and the use of mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What Buddhist meditation is similar to TM&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not aware of any Buddhist meditation that would combine the same exact elements in the same way as TM. However, all elements of TM are found in Buddhist meditation techniques:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The joyful and resting mood is like in satipatthana, like in 2nd jhana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Letting the mind expand in its natural state is like zazen, like Mahamudra meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Coming back when thoughts arise is like the labeling (&quot;thoughts!&quot;) technique in beginner's samatha meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using mantra is like in mantra meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to me, TM sounds like a peculiar combination of techniques usually associated with beginner's meditation (using the mantra, coming back from thoughts), with intermediate-level technique of generating the joyful mood, plus a technique that firmly belongs at advanced meditation levels -- letting the mind expand in its natural state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-06T14:30:28.777" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T14:30:28.777" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4030" CreationDate="2014-10-06T13:39:07.160" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing it sounded better in the original Burmese. &quot;Imagining&quot; seems more reasonable than &quot;meeting&quot;, since the latter is not real. On the other hand, it is not so important whether the experience is &quot;real&quot;, but that the experience is occurring, so it could potentially be beneficial to remind yourself of what is going on in your head as &quot;meeting&quot;.  Still, I wouldn't encourage it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher recommends against &quot;sweet&quot;, etc., though I don't imagine it would be particularly harmful, since it seems fairly &quot;real&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acknowledging &quot;mother&quot; or &quot;cat&quot; is not appropriate, since they are concepts and can't lead to insight into reality.  &quot;Thinking about my mother&quot; wouldn't be terrible, as long as the focus was on the thinking and not the mother. Focussing the mind on the concept would likely lead to either samatha jhana in the case of simple objects or distraction in the case of complex ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T13:39:07.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4033" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4035" CreationDate="2014-10-06T17:58:39.803" Score="1" ViewCount="880" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both are in the nine qualities of the Buddha but I can't see a distinctive difference.  Is there supposed to be a distinctive difference or are these qualities an example of repetition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T06:07:08.097" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T06:07:08.097" Title="What's the difference between Samma Sambuddho and Buddho" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4033" CreationDate="2014-10-06T18:38:51.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada tradition, there are 2 types of Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- Samma Sambuddha (full enlighted Buddha), is the type of Buddha that teaches the Dhamma, they are very rare, previous one was the Buddha Kassapa, current one is Shakyamuni Buddha (also known as Gotama Buddha) and the next one will be Maytrea Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- Paccekabuddha or private Buddhas, 99% of Buddhas are private Buddhas, they attained enlightment, but not in a degree that they can teach the Dhamma, teaching the Dhamma requires a very special development of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T18:38:51.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4033" CreationDate="2014-10-06T18:39:53.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Visuddhimagga in its description of the contemplation of the attributes of the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vism. XII&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;26&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He  is  fully  enlightened  (sammásambuddha)  because  he  has  discovered (buddha) all things rightly (sammá) and by himself (sámaí).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;52&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He is enlightened (buddha) with the knowledge that belongs to the fruit of liberation, since everything that can be known has been&#xA;  discovered (buddha) by him.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the tittle Samasambuddho refers specifically to the Buddha's attainment as the result of self effort, and the title Buddho refers to the attainment itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the term Buddho refers to any being that has seen the truth, so a Paccekabuddha is one who attains enlightenment on their own but doesn't teach, and if I'm not too mistaken an Arahat can technically be called an Anubuddha, meaning one who attains enlightnenment through following the teaching of a Sammasambuddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T18:39:53.903" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4006" CreationDate="2014-10-06T20:12:41.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just a guess. May be there were books clandestinely made and slowly destroyed by dominant Hindu patronage. The heavy hand of Emperor Asoka promulgated it on stone rather than on less permanent palmyra leaves as solidly standing popular effective stone reference sites.Invasions may also have destroyed any books along with the main Buddhist institutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="802" LastEditorUserId="802" LastEditDate="2014-10-06T20:19:34.990" LastActivityDate="2014-10-06T20:19:34.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4037" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-07T02:53:31.603" Score="5" ViewCount="700" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard on various occasions that the Buddha slept very little. I was wondering if there is any theory out there that explains this. I was also looking for some specific reference in the literature that can attest to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question doesn't refer specifically to the buddha, it could refer to any trained person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T15:32:29.770" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T04:14:35.140" Title="Sleep, references to the buddha and other arhats" Tags="|mindfulness|reference-request|sleep|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-07T06:46:22.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Thich Nhat Hanh's community in France they do workshops bringing together young palestineans and jews to introduce ideas, practical ways of understanding, handle traumatic experiences and patterns and technics and will to coexist. Part of it is also, that each one much likely comes out with his/her desparation, hate, and whatever. But this is always done &lt;em&gt;only in a certain setting for some course&lt;/em&gt; and with the tendency to become able to let the bad emotions go and become able to overcome that traumas and patterns. But although this method is introduced as a therapeutical instrument it is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; intended to agitate it out in all the general daily, the non-therapeutical, common life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In general, for questions like this, I keep with the Buddha's remark, that everything that we do regularly shall form our mind - in destructive, but also in constructive direction (well, in fact it does not need the Buddha's wisdom to know this...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T06:46:22.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4037" CreationDate="2014-10-07T07:21:28.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The texts often mention of how the Buddha and many of the Arahants only slept around 4 hours a night. That may sound quite drastic, but they spent most of the rest of the night in meditation, and in my experience personally practicing a significant amount of meditation before bed can reduce the need for sleep down to 4 hours quite easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some studies I found on the subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919439/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919439/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/6/1/47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/6/1/47&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T10:57:01.973" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T10:57:01.973" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4037" CreationDate="2014-10-07T08:57:34.650" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;I have heard on various occasions that the Buddha slept very little. I was also looking for some specific reference in the literature that can attest to this.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the most common references in the early texts is the wakefulness (&lt;em&gt;jāgariya&lt;/em&gt;) pericope:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is the disciple of the noble ones devoted to wakefulness?&#xA;  There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, sitting &amp;amp; pacing&#xA;  back &amp;amp; forth, cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the&#xA;  mind in check. During the first watch of the night [dusk to 10 p.m.],&#xA;  sitting &amp;amp; pacing back &amp;amp; forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities&#xA;  that would hold the mind in check. During the second watch of the&#xA;  night [10 p.m. to 2 a.m.], &lt;strong&gt;reclining on his right side, he takes up&#xA;  the lion's posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful,&#xA;  alert, with his mind set on getting up&lt;/strong&gt;. During the last watch of the night [2 a.m.&#xA;  to dawn], sitting &amp;amp; pacing back &amp;amp; forth, he cleanses his mind of any&#xA;  qualities that would hold the mind in check. This is how the monk is&#xA;  devoted to wakefulness.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 53, Trainee Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice that, in the second watch, sleep (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:197.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;niddā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) is not mentioned. It mentions only lying down on the right side in the lion's posture (&lt;em&gt;dakkhiṇena passena sīha&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4:1:447.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;seyyaṃ&lt;/a&gt; kappeti&lt;/em&gt;). This could be an indication of not sleeping at all and continuing to practice mindfulness while, at the same time, resting the body.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;On the other hand, the absence of the line &lt;em&gt;&quot;he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, which is included in the first and last watch, may indicate a less active practice or even sleeping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure there are more references regarding this theme but I don't recall any additional ones at the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T09:33:34.470" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T09:33:34.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4041" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-07T13:40:06.467" Score="7" ViewCount="1286" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any scientific studies that have observed through different bias the differences and similarities between those three type of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For exemple difference in EEG or brain plasticity in long term meditators, or various psychologic-cognitive tests that would give different results depending on the type of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T11:12:50.043" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T11:12:50.043" Title="Samatha, Vipassana, Shikantaza scientifically compared?" Tags="|vipassana|science|samatha|shikantaza|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3052" CreationDate="2014-10-07T17:40:17.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is a definite yes according to the Pali Suttas (Buddhavacana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhagavaa Buddho (Bhagavaa) is the Buddha in the Suttas. &#xA;The truths he pointed out to the world is the Dhamma of Bhagavaa.&#xA;These truths apply to all beings, including humans.&#xA;No label is required to shape one's life according to these truths. &#xA;His fundamental advice was to refrain from all evil. (sabba paapassa akaranam)&#xA;The evil here is what is considered as evil by the society one lives in. This was advice given to the Kaalaamas in the Kaalaama sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, Buddhist etc. are labels which have no meaning in Buddhavacana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2014-10-09T11:44:19.213" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T11:44:19.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4043" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-07T19:18:59.477" Score="3" ViewCount="2216" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was raised in a Catholic environment, however I'm adding more and more Dhamma in my life, currently I spend much more time with Buddhists practices than Catholics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the point is that I still keep the habit of praying to God before going to sleep (and before flying too), but if I'm not mistaken this is seen as something bad in Buddhism (wrong view/attachment to rituals)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain what are the bad consequences, from a Buddhist's perspective of praying to God? If any.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:19:55.340" LastActivityDate="2018-10-28T05:28:46.773" Title="Praying to God - What are the consequences?" Tags="|personal-practice|rituals|god|prayer|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3986" CreationDate="2014-10-07T19:20:32.963" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddhist modernism&lt;/em&gt; is a scholarly (and increasingly, popular) term for the variety of ways that Buddhism has been adapted, both West and East, to recent (last couple hundred years) Western cultures, philosophies, societies and intellectual traditions. It includes (not an exclusive list):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;de-emphasis on ritual &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;de-emphasis on the ultimate goal of nirvana or enlightenment in favor of lesser goals or even simply everyday relief of suffering &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;emphasis on lay vs monastic practice &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;re-invigoration of meditation as a major practice after long decline in some traditions, even among the monkhood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;identification with western values from the Enlightenment (in the western intellectual history sense) and Romantic movements &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;alliance of Buddhism with science and scientific values&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;adoption of the Western philosophical standpoints of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/naturali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;naturalism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/physicalism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;physicalism&lt;/a&gt; and corresponding de-emphasis on so-called supernatural phenomena such as rebirth/reincarnation and non-physical realms and beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reinterpretation in various ways of karma as a naturalistic phenomenon&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_modernism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; for more details and references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2014-10-07T19:40:21.857" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T19:40:21.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2014-10-07T19:47:01.187" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;How you should consider what do to depends on your situation. Have you converted to Buddhism? Do you believe in an all powerful God? If you haven't converted to Buddhism and still believe in a God and are just adopting Buddhist practices because you find that they give you wellbeing I wouldn't worry about it too much. But if you are trying to work out the full path to awakening according to the teachings of the Buddha then there could be a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have decided to strive for enlightenment according to the Buddhist path then belief in a God is problematic because it is in conflict with the teachings that all things apart from Nibbana are impermanent, incapable of giving true happiness, and are non-self. So if you believe in an all powerful God and pray to him that will reinforce that belief and interfere with developing right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from interfering with right view and thus delaying the attainment of enlightenment until such view is corrected, I can't see any direct consequences. Belief in God can lead some people to be heedless thinking that God will look after them and everything will automatically turn out all right, and still others sometimes give up their consciousness to their concept of God, but the actual belief in the existence of God itself isn't going to create bad Karma directly or anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T19:47:01.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2014-10-07T23:06:19.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An archetypal Christian prayer is this one, &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/mark/14-36.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;from the Garden of Gethsemane&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You were asking about &quot;wrong view&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that there are not bad sentiments in this prayer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;take away this cup from me&quot; -- this cup is 'suffering'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;nevertheless not what I will&quot; -- this is cessation of attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other parts of the prayer don't have an obvious Buddhist corollary, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Except that, for all I know (and, to be clear, I don't know), even &quot;prayer&quot; (perhaps not that particular prayer) might be found in some forms of Buddhism (for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/id14.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this&lt;/a&gt;). There may be a split in Buddhism which I'm not qualified to explain. Searching for someone else's description, I find e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha188.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nowadays, Buddhism is little more than a thing of tradition in most parts of Asia, and &quot;Mahayana&quot; has degenerated into a system of worship and prayer to numerous Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that hope, fear and superstition have populated the cosmos with. Ignorant of the Buddha's Teachings about Karma and the importance of developing spiritual self-reliance, people weak-mindedly turn for help and salvation to celestial beings. They imagine Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as remote from them -- somewhere in the sky, perhaps -- similar to the deities of other religions. And so, they miss the whole point of the Buddha&quot;s parting injunction: &quot;Work out your own salvation with diligence&quot;. Enlightenment is an intimate inner experience, not something that comes to us from outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is (I still don't know) possible that the above quote is doing an injustice to what &quot;Buddhist prayer&quot; is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For another point of view, you should see for example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're interested, you might want to ask another question: perhaps about &quot;Buddhist prayer&quot;, instead of about &quot;praying to God&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing, you also wanted to ask about &quot;attachment to ritual&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know how to answer that from a Buddhist perspective. Though I may be off-topic, let me try to address &quot;Christian ritual&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakers&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quakers&lt;/a&gt; are a Christian sect who believe a number of things, an important belief being the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_priesthood_(doctrine)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;priesthood of all believers&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. that you don't need a priest who intervenes between you and God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The founder, George Fox, travelled around preaching. Margaret Fell became his wife, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.qis.net/~daruma/foxfell.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this quote&lt;/a&gt; is her description of the first time she heard him preach. If you read it, you will see that he believes that Christ was divinely inspired, was in communion with God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane isn't to be imagined as an empty ritual, but as an authentic, real experience. It's a description of what Jesus did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking around the net for other places where this quote appears, I stumbled upon &lt;a href=&quot;http://gracefulpresence.blogspot.fr/2005/03/but-what-canst-thou-say.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; which includes the quote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Jesus said, &quot;I and the Father are one.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That quote sounds to me similar to the &quot;already-having-been-saved&quot; which &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;Methexis mentioned&lt;/a&gt;, which is using the &quot;Perfect tense&quot; mentioned &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3685/254&quot;&gt;at the start of this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Her &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.blogger.com/profile/09432640322896933989&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;profile links&lt;/a&gt; to several Buddhist (and other) blogs, which is more than I can read at the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess my point was that according to some people, prayer isn't just ritual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-10-07T23:06:19.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2014-10-08T01:28:44.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like you, I was raised Catholic. Like you, I now spend more time involved with the dharma than directly with Catholicism. However, I increasingly see a synergy between the two &quot;systems&quot;, and not very much collision (the &quot;orthodox&quot; from both sides may disagree, but that doesn't make them right).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Crucial to me seeing this synergy was coming to see that the notion of &quot;God&quot; that I had in my childhood, and also the notion of God of most Buddhists I've met, is really not a very coherent notion at all. Or, put it more simply, it's wrong. If someone says Buddhists don't believe in God, it's important to know exactly what that person means by &quot;God&quot;. Odds are they're talking about some kind of sky fairy or such like, and classic Catholicism doesn't believe in that either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look a the works of St Thomas Aquinas -- maybe get yourself some commentaries first, before tackling the summae head on -- you'll find that the notion of God that is at the heart of Christianity (and, I'd add, Islam and Judaism) is far harder to pin down as something that is at odds with Buddhism. For example, trying to apply the words &quot;permanent&quot;, &quot;satisfying&quot; or &quot;self&quot; to &quot;God&quot; is almost a category error. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, I wouldn't worry about prayer and praying -- in other words, just keep doing it if you want. Or not. Don't fret either way. And if you do continue, you can even develop it, but perhaps look into the contemplative side, since that has a lot in common with many Buddhist approaches -- especially Tibetan. I recommend reading &quot;The Seven Story Mountain&quot; by Thomas Merton as a useful story of one man's journey. Also, look into the work of Thomas Keating, on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/fr-thomas-keating&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;centering prayer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T01:28:44.450" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4041" CreationDate="2014-10-08T01:43:56.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That (above comment) said, there are numerous studies of what is called Open Monitoring (OM) vs Focused Attention (FA) meditation within the &quot;mindfulness&quot; category, for example the paper &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2693206/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation&lt;/a&gt;, which first defined OM and FA. FA is pretty clearly related to at least some aspects of shamatha, and OA has sometimes been equated to &quot;mindfulness&quot; or even &quot;vipassana&quot;, though both characterizations are in serious dispute (see below). So in that (complicated and quite likely misleading) sense, there are studies of shamatha vs vipassana, which you can find by looking up citations to the above paper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only study I know of comparing (parts of) two full and contrasting systems of meditation is the recent &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0102990&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arousal vs. Relaxation: A Comparison of the Neurophysiological and Cognitive Correlates of Vajrayana and Theravada Meditative Practices&lt;/a&gt;. Interestingly, that paper discusses FA and OM (or as it is called there, distributed attention) and concludes that the distinction is neither coherent from a phenomenological meditation standpoint nor supported by neuroscientific studies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T01:58:25.480" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T01:58:25.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2014-10-08T01:44:44.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't have to worry about your practices, keep learning Buddhism my friend. Then You will understand the world is governed by reason and result theory instead of a god. Buddhism teach the world is governed by 5 forces called 'Niyama Dhamma'as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Utu niyaama&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beeja nyaama &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamma nyaama &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dhamma nyaama&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;chitta nyaama &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are simply explained &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3596/what-besides-karma-determines-the-future/3601#3601&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you have to realize them by yourself with allocate time to think what is the truth. Do not simply stop thinking when there is a complex matter with feeling that was done by the god. If all did so, then there will not be Science. Then after you realize that world is governed by reasons and the results, your journey to nirvana will accelerated. My dear friend we have left very little time. Don't think 80 years are big time. Worst 'bad consequences' in your practice is you are wasting your time with false concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T01:44:44.343" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4050" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4052" CreationDate="2014-10-08T07:55:00.010" Score="3" ViewCount="852" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recall having read somewhere that monks are allowed to bathe only once every 15 days. What is the actual Patimokkha rule behind this ? Also, what is the reason behind this rule and what are its possible benefits ? Is there any specific story corresponding to this rule ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:17:56.020" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T19:17:56.020" Title="Patimokkha Rule On Bathing" Tags="|monk|vinaya|monasticism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3815" CreationDate="2014-10-08T14:38:12.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend the following, and in the following order. You won't blow a gasket if you do things out of order, but I've placed them as I have for a reason: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read &lt;em&gt;&quot;10% Happier&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Dan Harris and put into practice some basic daily meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Optional and only if you're philosophically minded) read &lt;em&gt;&quot;Waking Up&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Sam Harris (no relation to Dan)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Either watch Yuttadhammo's basic teaching videos on Youtube (start &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL988632B0D94DD4BF&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) or, if you don't mind some controversy**, read &lt;em&gt;&quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Daniel Ingram (better still, watch the videos &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; read the book)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Expand your study. As you do, gradually increase the amount of time you spend actually doing the practice rather than merely reading about it. Here are some good sources to get you further off the starting blocks:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anything by Yuttadhammo, There's a ton on YouTube&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bikkhu Bodhi's stuff at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anything by Shinzen Young -- again see YouTube. See especially his Google Talks (here's one: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XCWP4pODbs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XCWP4pODbs&lt;/a&gt;). They're long but very worth the effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using your new-found but by-now growing knowledge and practice, find a teacher, tradition, and community. Also, broaden your daily personal practice into more intensive retreat-style practice from time to time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lather, rinse, repeat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One other comment. My own experience says that there is no silver bullet to the problem of unguided newcomer finding their way. You just have to feel your way carefully, listen, cross-check, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;keep your brain and common sense switched on&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (that's crucial in these internet days when there is so much nonsense spouted), and try to see the process of learning itself as part of your spiritual practice. To begin with it can feel like you're scrambling around in a room with no windows and no lights. But eventually your eyes will grow accustomed, you'll even find the dimmer switch for the lights, and then as you learn how to turn up the light you'll realize you're not in a room but in a &lt;em&gt;vast&lt;/em&gt; cave, full of the most incredible treasure. Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** Note that although MCTB is controversial, in my opinion it is seen that way for no good reason that should bother a beginner. Ingram is heavily influenced by the teachings and lineage of Mahasi Sayadaw (as is Yuttadhammo), and when he talks about Buddhism he is doing so from a position of quite considerable knowledge and experience. That's not to say he's right, but to your beginner's eyes he's not saying anything &lt;em&gt;important&lt;/em&gt; that's wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T14:38:12.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4050" CreationDate="2014-10-08T14:46:07.863" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's Pācittiya 57:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;57&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Should any bhikkhu bathe at intervals of less than half a month, except at the proper &#xA;  occasions, it is to be confessed. Here the proper occasions are these: the last month and a &#xA;  half of the hot season, the first month of the rains, these two and a half months being a &#xA;  time of heat, a time of fever; (also) a time of illness; a time of work; a time of going on a &#xA;  journey; a time of wind or rain. These are the proper occasions here.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro, trans&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason is ostensibly that bathing is an unnecessary luxury. The benefit to the rule is that monks will not become overly attached to cleanliness and that they will not become a burden on society. The story behind it is that the king was unable to bathe because the monks were bathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the rule only applies to &lt;em&gt;bathing&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;showering&lt;/em&gt; is not mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T14:46:07.863" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4053" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4064" CreationDate="2014-10-08T15:00:24.970" Score="11" ViewCount="654" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a story about how the Buddha will knock on your door if your house is on fire, but he will not kick it down because you have to answer the door yourself. This is analogous to the Four Noble Truths, in which one must realize their suffering, and from that they can make the effort to find the path to the cessation of suffering. The Buddha will not force you down that path, nor will he be your savior; he will only help you if you ask him. However, the Buddha also asks those to practice sincere compassion for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: if I see a friend suffering (let's say from a slight alcohol abuse or they think that they are ugly), yet I think they will never understand their suffering, how can I give my compassion to that being that needs help to deal with their suffering, when their understanding of suffering must come from within? They need to come to the realization of their suffering, but I know that these people will never see the light themselves. Where's the balance in this tricky situation? These friends are unwilling to change their unhealthy habits, but I, as one who tries hard to practice compassion, find it hard to just let it slide and hope someday they will realize their suffering and understand that it exists, and that there's a path to the cessation of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any insight would be much appreciated. And I hope my thoughts make sense to some of you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1099" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T15:58:04.057" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T20:00:44.743" Title="Compassion to friends: stepping in vs. letting them learn on their own" Tags="|four-noble-truths|compassion|suffering|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-08T15:17:36.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can visit an Al-Anon meeting (or eventually several meetings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There, people who are or have been in that situation will speak out of their experiences. Hopefully you will develop insight into what works and what doesn't, what's effective and what's harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankha's answer says, &quot;It's not very effective, trying to pull others out of the mud, if you yourself are still stuck in it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some would go further, and suggest that if you are in the mud then your attachments might be part of the problem (your views and your behaviour may be helping to put or keep your friend in the mud).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/more-questions-newcomers-ask&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;From an Al-Anon web site&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who are alcoholics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They could be anyone, from all backgrounds and walks of life. Over 95&#xA;  percent of alcoholics have families, friends, and jobs. They may&#xA;  function fairly well, but some part of their life is suffering. Their&#xA;  drinking causes a continuing and growing problem in their lives, and&#xA;  the lives they touch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do alcoholics affect families and friends?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alcoholism is a family disease. The disease affects all those who have&#xA;  a relationship with a problem drinker. Those of us closest to the&#xA;  alcoholic suffer the most, and those who care the most can easily get&#xA;  caught up in the behavior of another person. We react to the&#xA;  alcoholic's behavior. We focus on them, what they do, where they are,&#xA;  how much they drink. We try to control their drinking for them. We&#xA;  take on the blame, guilt, and shame that really belong to the drinker.&#xA;  We can become as addicted to the alcoholic, as the alcoholic is to&#xA;  alcohol. We, too, can become ill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I should add, why I suggest Al-Anon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have more experience with (effects of, reactions to, causes of) alcohol abuse than the general public does (Buddhism in particular says to avoid alcohol, I don't know whether it has much to say to help people, to say about helping people, specifically, who don't avoid it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They (people who attend one or several Al-Anon meetings) can talk about the subject for longer, so you'll get more information from that than from a web site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They're confidential (and somewhat anonymous) so the information exchanged can be more personal (hurtful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hearing other people's stories helps to give you a more detached view (insight) of your own stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see other people in person, they can be a more fulfilling (role) model.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your relationship with your friend might have unhealthy &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_boundaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;inter-personal boundaries&lt;/a&gt;. Meeting new people lets you develop/see new relationships/boundaries with those people, which may be healthier than your current boundaries with your friend. Learning about healthier boundaries might help you both. Your having healthier boundaries to live within might make you more capable (capable of helping you both).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T23:18:48.033" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T23:18:48.033" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-08T16:02:52.050" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, the Buddha did not wait for people to ask for help. Only at the beginning, after attaining the Buddhahood, he waited for the invitation of the Maha Brahma, to preach the Dhamma to the world. That is customary to all the Buddhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue with making it a rule to wait for people to ask for help is that people rarely realize that they need help. Even when they are in a pathetic condition, they don't realize the type of help they really require is the Dhamma. Lord Buddha would often open conversations with strangers without waiting for the other person to engage. Sometimes he would travel great distances, just to meet one person. ex: the story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot;&gt;King Pukkusati&lt;/a&gt;. Sometimes he would use Samyak-Prayoga to convince someone to practice the Dhamma. Ex: The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/23lbud.htm&quot;&gt;Prince Nanda&lt;/a&gt;. All Nanda wanted to do is to marry Janapada Kalyani. He had everything and never felt like he needed help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to bring a friend to the Dhamma, you have to be smart about it. You can study the likings and dislikings of the friend and figure out what method of convincing would work best. If one method doesn't work, you can try another. Read about how Anathapindika, the chief supporter of the Buddha, &lt;a href=&quot;http://usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Article/Anathapindika.pdf&quot;&gt;convinced his son Kala&lt;/a&gt; to listen to the Dhamma. Also read about how &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/081-ghatikara-e1.html&quot;&gt;Ghatikara the potter convinced his friend Jotipala&lt;/a&gt; to go see the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html#guise&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; lists down four kinds of good friends. The 3rd kind is &quot;he who gives good counsel&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one can force someone into Nibbana. But that doesn't mean you should always wait for the SOS. :)  But, if you get upset when your friends don't listen to you, that is not Karuna. That is expecting them to act according to your liking. That is a defilement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One important thing to notice is that in most of those stories, the person who does the convincing had already attained a stage of enlightenment. Anatapindika was a Sotapanna. Ghatikara was an Anagami. So it's best not to waste too much time trying to convince others, if you are still ordinary. Focus more on seeing the Dhamma yourself first. It's not very effective, trying to pull others out of the mud, if you yourself are still stuck in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T17:06:31.097" LastActivityDate="2014-10-08T17:06:31.097" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4057" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4059" CreationDate="2014-10-08T18:47:47.790" Score="5" ViewCount="455" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is wishing for a pain to go away an instance of aversion(Dosa) or an instance of craving(Lobha)? Or both working in tandem? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: leg pain while doing sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aversion is obvious, if the pain becomes unpleasant. But there is also the wanting for it to disappear(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vibhava-tanha/index.html&quot;&gt;Vibhava Tanha&lt;/a&gt;) or the desire for the non painful state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Abhidhamma answer would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-08T22:21:55.323" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T13:32:08.047" Title="Could Lobha(craving) and Dosa(aversion) be working in tandem?" Tags="|abhidhamma|tanha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4057" CreationDate="2014-10-08T20:54:14.470" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want an &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; answer, you have to speak in &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; terms. &amp;quot;Wishing for pain to go away&amp;quot; is a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; statement. It involves a wisher, and describes a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;lobha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt; cannot arise in the same &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;, certainly. They are mutually exclusive &lt;em&gt;cetasika&lt;/em&gt; that arise in the &lt;em&gt;javana&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; of the process of a single experience, and all of the &lt;em&gt;javanas&lt;/em&gt; in any given thought process are said to be the same, since they arise from the same &lt;em&gt;votthapana citta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only one type of citta runs for all seven occasions of the javana process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Bhikkhu Bodhi, Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, p. 157&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One act - of wishing for pain to go away, for example - may contain many such processes, each one with &lt;em&gt;javana&lt;/em&gt; of different makeup.  So, in wishing for pain to go away, there are probably multiple consecutive &lt;em&gt;lobha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; - though all unwholesome &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; contain &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T13:32:08.047" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4061" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4063" CreationDate="2014-10-09T10:55:33.097" Score="4" ViewCount="2081" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to find Buddha's word about Five Niyamas in Sutta. Or does it exist only in commentaries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2020-07-31T23:30:55.620" Title="Where is the sutta that mentions the Five Niyamas?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-09T13:16:02.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have all this compassionate feeling in Buddhism, as you have seen from other people's (good) answers, helping others is part of all major religions and Buddhism is no different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand we have several stoties (Dhammapada for instance) where the Buddha said we should leave bad friends behind, the fools can only harm us or at least delay our realizations, it doesn't mean we should go around judging people and removing them from our lifes, but it means (in my interpretation) that association with fools should not take place, therefore you must offer help and simply go away if they refuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what will determine if he is going to get help or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His karma will plan a very important role in this situation, if he created good karma, your offer for help will create the conditions for his good karma to reapen and he will accept your generous help, however if he wants to keep destroying himself, at the end of the day, that's his call. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-09T13:34:45.930" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T13:34:45.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4061" CreationDate="2014-10-09T13:18:53.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are not the Buddha's words, I don't think. They are enumerated and defined in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī-aṭṭhakathā (Cittuppādakaṇḍo, Abyākatapadaṃ, Ahetukakusalavipāko, Vipākuddhārakathā):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imasmiṃ pana ṭhāne &lt;strong&gt;pañcavidhaṃ niyāmaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; nāma gaṇhiṃsu – bījaniyāmaṃ utuniyāmaṃ kammaniyāmaṃ dhammaniyāmaṃ cittaniyāmanti. Tattha kulatthagacchassa uttaraggabhāvo, dakkhiṇavalliyā dakkhiṇato rukkhapariharaṇaṃ, sūriyāvaṭṭapupphānaṃ sūriyābhimukhabhāvo, māluvalatāya rukkhābhimukhagamanameva, nāḷikerassa matthake chiddasabbhāvoti tesaṃ tesaṃ bījānaṃ taṃtaṃsadisaphaladānaṃ &lt;strong&gt;bījaniyāmo&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. Tasmiṃ tasmiṃ samaye tesaṃ tesaṃ rukkhānaṃ ekappahāreneva pupphaphalapallavaggahaṇaṃ &lt;strong&gt;utuniyāmo&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. Tihetukakammaṃ tihetukaduhetukāhetukavipākaṃ deti. Duhetukakammaṃ duhetukāhetukavipākaṃ deti, tihetukaṃ na detīti, evaṃ tassa tassa kammassa taṃtaṃsadisavipākadānameva &lt;strong&gt;kammaniyāmo&lt;/strong&gt; nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhisattānaṃ pana paṭisandhiggahaṇe, mātukucchito nikkhamane, abhisambodhiyaṃ tathāgatassa dhammacakkappavattane, āyusaṅkhārassa ossajjane, parinibbāne ca dasasahassacakkavāḷakampanaṃ &lt;strong&gt;dhammaniyāmo&lt;/strong&gt; nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ārammaṇena pana pasāde ghaṭṭite ‘tvaṃ āvajjanaṃ nāma hohi…pe… tvaṃ javanaṃ nāma hohī’ti koci kattā vā kāretā vā natthi, attano attano pana dhammatāya eva ārammaṇena pasādassa ghaṭṭitakālato paṭṭhāya kiriyamanodhātucittaṃ bhavaṅgaṃ āvaṭṭeti, cakkhuviññāṇaṃ dassanakiccaṃ sādheti, vipākamanodhātu sampaṭicchanakiccaṃ sādheti, vipākamanoviññāṇadhātu santīraṇakiccaṃ sādheti, kiriyamanoviññāṇadhātu voṭṭhabbanakiccaṃ sādheti, javanaṃ ārammaṇarasaṃ anubhavatīti ayaṃ &lt;strong&gt;cittaniyāmo&lt;/strong&gt; nāma. Ayaṃ idha adhippeto.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T13:18:53.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-09T14:26:32.833" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The truth about the Buddha, as far as I can see, was that he was disinclined to do much of anything after his enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'With great pains have I acquired it. Enough! why should I now proclaim it? &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;This doctrine will not be easy to understand to beings that are lost in lust and hatred.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;'Given to lust, surrounded with thick darkness, they will not see what is repugnant (to their minds), &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;abstruse, profound, difficult to perceive, and subtle.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Mv. 1.5 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1312.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rhys-Davids, trans&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, we see a complete reversal of intention after the Buddha was first asked to teach and he looked and saw &quot;beings whose mental eyes were darkened by scarcely any dust, and beings whose eyes were covered by much dust, beings sharp of sense and blunt of sense, of good disposition and of bad disposition, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some of them seeing the dangers of future life and of sin.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1312.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ibid&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Wide opened is the door of the Immortal to all who have ears to hear; &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;let them send forth faith to meet it. &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;The Dhamma sweet and good I spake not, Brahmâ, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;despairing of the weary task, to men.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1312.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ibid&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the point remains that his whole life of teaching depended upon being asked to teach. The first question you have to ask yourself is, &quot;why help someone else at all?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the things you have to keep in mind when answering are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will I actually be able to help this person, given I'm not a fully enlightened Buddha?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will they accept my help or will they reject it?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will helping this person distract me from my own practice or will it help make me a better person?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you shouldn't do is let your partiality for this person lead you to spend more energy on them than is appropriate; if the same amount of energy could obtain greater results elsewhere, it stands to reason that you work for the greatest gain possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion means an attitude of non-harming; it fails when it becomes a desire to free others from suffering, because that is a type of craving that leads to suffering when it is unable to obtain its desire. This means that true compassion requires the person to approach you in some way - approaching them to probe into their personal life or nagging them about seeking help is not compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Compassion  is characterized as promoting the aspect of allaying suffering.&#xA;  Its function resides in not bearing others’ suffering. It is manifested as non-cruelty. Its proximate cause is to see helplessness in those overwhelmed by&#xA;  suffering. It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside and it fails when it produces&#xA;  sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism IX.94 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, simply crying in your presence or making a fool of themselves would be enough to elicit an appropriate response, since it would be cruelty to repress the intention to comfort others or warn them of their bad behaviour, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In most cases, your friendship with the person will put you in a position to nudge them in the right direction as a simple matter of course. What you don't want to do is &lt;em&gt;want&lt;/em&gt; to help them, since that will have negative consequences, most likely for the both of you. In the end, we are all responsible for our own fate; this is what sets Buddhism apart from theistic religions, that we have to save ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let one not neglect one's own welfare for the sake of another, however great. &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Clearly understanding one's own welfare, let one be intent upon the good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 166 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, you should not underestimate your influence on others, nor should you dismiss the power of small acts of goodness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think not lightly of good, saying, &quot;It will not come to me.&quot; Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 122 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply being mindful and conscientious around other people can have a profound impact on them over the long term, if you are patient and truly compassionate with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T13:31:18.437" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T13:31:18.437" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4061" CreationDate="2014-10-09T15:57:22.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Wiki article on niyamas these were written 5 to 18 CE. This is way after the Buddha's death. Also, according to wiki article, these are only commentaries. The article mentions which specific texts mentions them. They are quite a few.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article seems to refer to the niyamas as something the buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="51" LastEditDate="2014-10-09T16:06:37.357" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T16:06:37.357" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4066" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4067" CreationDate="2014-10-09T20:46:33.070" Score="2" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala&#xA;The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These four, young householder, should be understood as warm-hearted friends:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) he who is a helpmate,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;(2) he who is the same in happiness and sorrow,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(3) he who gives good counsel,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(4) he who sympathises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) &amp;quot;In four ways, young householder, should one who is the same in happiness and sorrow be understood as a warm-hearted friend:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) he reveals his secrets,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(ii) he conceals one's own secrets,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iii) in misfortune he does not forsake one,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iv) his life even he sacrifices for one's sake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought I could guess the correlation between being &amp;quot;warm-hearted&amp;quot; and being &amp;quot;the same in happiness and sorrow&amp;quot;; but, my guesses didn't really match any of the four ways given, except for the 3rd way (i.e. perhaps I understand why &amp;quot;being the same&amp;quot; includes &amp;quot;does not forsake&amp;quot;, but don't understand the others). So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does &amp;quot;being the same in happiness and sorrow&amp;quot; mean &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upekkha&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does &amp;quot;warm-hearted friend&amp;quot; mean &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalyana Mittas&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why are revealing and concealing secrets mentioned? What kinds of secrets? What do &amp;quot;secrets&amp;quot; have to do with being &amp;quot;the same in happiness and sorrow&amp;quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The last item, &amp;quot;his life even he sacrifices for one's sake&amp;quot; -- can that be reconciled with the answers to the question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4053/254&quot;&gt;How to be compassionate to a friend in need&lt;/a&gt;? Those answers seem to suggest that you can only help yourself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T23:05:53.347" Title="Friend who is the same in happiness and sorrow" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4066" CreationDate="2014-10-09T21:08:25.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In indo-european folklore the common expression &quot;the same in happiness and sorrow&quot; usually means one who stays a loyal friend not only in happy times but also in times of trouble, when having all responsibilities of a true friend could be taxing. This corresponds with #3 on the list, &quot;in misfortune he does not forsake one&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By extension, &quot;the same in happiness and sorrow&quot; means one who is not seeking a benefit for oneself from the friendship, but sincerely gives oneself away to the friend. This is where the other three come from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) he reveals his secrets,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (ii) he conceals one's own secrets,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (iv) his life even he sacrifices for one's sake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Warm-hearted&quot; means a friend whose relationship of trust and commitment comes from the heart, is unforced and natural. Such friend would not have to make an effort to &quot;sacrifice his life for one's sake&quot;, it would come naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Altogether, the above is not to be understood literally, but is meant to portray the attitude of uncalculated selfless fondness, almost love, as the perfection of friendship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-09T21:18:27.480" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T21:18:27.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4068" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-09T21:09:27.303" Score="8" ViewCount="4923" Body="&lt;p&gt;If everything is impermanent and this is used as a reason why Buddhists do not believe in a creator and eternal God, how can Nirvana be permanent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever explain this point? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T02:58:00.903" LastActivityDate="2022-07-14T02:03:51.570" Title="How can Nirvana (Nibbana) be permanent?" Tags="|nirvana|impermanence|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2014-10-09T21:48:18.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me try a simple answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Everything&amp;quot; is impermanent because everything is a &amp;quot;compound thing&amp;quot; which has no &amp;quot;independent existence&amp;quot;. For example, here we are on a planet: sometime in the astronomical future there will no longer be a planet (because of the lifecycle of our solar system's sun) therefore &amp;quot;things&amp;quot; which depend on the existence of the planet will be not continue to exist: these things are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly each human body, each mountain, each city, each relationship is a &amp;quot;compound thing&amp;quot; which is not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Nirvana is not a &amp;quot;compound thing&amp;quot;. It can be described as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an ending&lt;/a&gt; which does not begin again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's worth reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this description of Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; (if only because it goes a long way towards explaining &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Fire sermon&lt;/a&gt;, which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;is famous&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forgetting what I said above above the planet ending, there's another (perhaps non-Buddhist) tradition which says that &amp;quot;Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seen in that light, I once saw a movie which was set in probably the lower hills of Nepal. A character is walking and comes to a kind of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairn#Asia_and_the_Pacific&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cairn&lt;/a&gt; that is a pile of face-down slates, on which people have written messages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He picks one up in his hand and turns it over to read its message, which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you make a drop of water last forever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put it in the ocean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following may be like &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/272/254&quot;&gt;explaining a koan&lt;/a&gt; so the following is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/277/254&quot;&gt;spoiler text&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote class=&quot;spoiler&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt; - It's by loosening the attachments it has to/within itself that the drop spreads through the ocean&lt;br /&gt;&#xA; - Having dissolved its self that drop will never reappear (there's &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/23138/2703&quot;&gt;no such thing&lt;/a&gt; as the same drop)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA; - The 'ocean' is also used for various metaphors: including for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;, for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Freedom&lt;/a&gt;, for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.200.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unbinding&lt;/a&gt;, for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Heedfulness&lt;/a&gt;; but it's also used as a metaphor for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/salayatana/sn35-229.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;forms&lt;/a&gt;, including forms of the mind i.e. Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that samsara might be endless? So that some attempts to describe the permanence of nirvana might be describing, instead, the endlessness of samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe samsara is not endless, though; it is perhaps beginningless (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Timsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), however it has (or can have) an end; or at least dukka if not samsara can have an end: that is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Third Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seems to be some debate about what causes (is at the root of) samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some say that it's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Poisons&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra#Within_the_Theravada_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Others suggest&lt;/a&gt; that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ignorance&lt;/a&gt; is the root cause.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you accept the view that it's caused by the three poisons, apparently you can gain &amp;quot;non-returning&amp;quot; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;thoroughly abandoning any one them&lt;/a&gt; (except that, I don't know, some say that '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;non-returning&lt;/a&gt;' requires you to abandon &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;other 'fetters'&lt;/a&gt; too).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you accept that it's caused by ignorance perhaps the antidote is knowing (knowing continuously? knowing endlessly?) the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T14:29:48.583" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4066" CreationDate="2014-10-09T23:05:53.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The last item, &amp;quot;his life even he sacrifices for one's sake&amp;quot; -- can that be reconciled with the answers to the question, How to be compassionate to a friend in need? Those answers seem to suggest that you can only help yourself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently the question in the OP was mistaking the purpose of a &amp;quot;friend&amp;quot;: if you are wise your friend isn't there to help you (i.e. doesn't exist only to help you), although, they do help you; instead your friend is there (i.e. is with you) so you can help them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus spoke the Exalted One. And when the Master had thus spoken, he spoke yet again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The friend who is a helpmate,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;the friend in happiness and woe,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;the friend who gives good counsel,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;the friend who sympathises too  —&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;these four as friends the wise behold&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;and cherish them devotedly&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;as does a mother her own child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're wise you will cherish your &amp;quot;friend in happiness and woe&amp;quot; and (as does a mother her own child) keep them from the harm. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Another translation&lt;/a&gt; says, instead of &amp;quot;cherish&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;attend on them carefully&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words if someone is your friend then you will cherish them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone is (defined as) your friend:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four, young householder, should be understood as foes in the guise of friends&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; recommend that you cherish these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these four as enemies the wise behold,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;avoid them from afar as paths of peril.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear how (or by whom) such a &amp;quot;foe&amp;quot; can ever be helped or cherished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary if someone is a genuine friend (helpful, constant, good advice) then cherish them; if someone is a false friend (costly, a friend in word but not deed, a flatterer with bad advice, dissolute) then avoid them as perilous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-09T23:05:53.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2014-10-10T01:29:07.173" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa spoke about theistic vs. non-theistic perspective:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For most people, God is a dualistic concept. Meaning, for a typical person the unspoken assumption is: &quot;I am &lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; and God is &lt;em&gt;over there&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. So when I think about God, when I speak to God -- I inevitably imagine some power outside of myself. It is in this power that I place hope for good life and for salvation; it is this power that I blame for unfairness etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several problems with this approach. First by attributing to God the power to save us or to send difficulties etc. we alienate ourselves from our own power. In Buddhism (except Pure Land) our liberation is always in our hands. (As Trungpa said, no one is going to descent in the golden chariot to take care of you. In fact this very feeling of loneliness/hopelessness is one of the main ingredients for the gunpowder of Bodhi.) As long as you keep looking up to some higher power, how can you be the master of your life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, by relating with external God, we confirm our &lt;em&gt;own&lt;/em&gt; existence, our illusory ego. &quot;I pray to God, therefore I exist.&quot; -- This is good old dependent-coarising at work. When &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; is, &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; is. From the arising of &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; comes the arising of &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt;. So the more we praise God, the more we cement this little &quot;I&quot;, the subject of God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, from the non-theistic perspective, &quot;I&quot; and &quot;God&quot; are two equally illusory ends of the same stick. It is not that I am infinite, and therefore I am God. Nor is it that &quot;I&quot; does not exist and everything is God. Neither is it that the little &quot;I&quot; is inside of, or a part of, God. Nor is it that God only exists as a concept of my mind. Rather, all of these are interpretations of the fundamental situation in which my power and the power of God is the same power, my will and the will of God is the same will, and my spontaneity and the spontaneity of God is the same spontaneity. Perhaps even this is implying too much. There is power / will / spontaneity, but no one who wields it. It just is. Using it and being used by it refers to the same activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two of my teachers preferred to emphasize one side: &lt;em&gt;using it&lt;/em&gt;. My Zen Master said: &quot;People say, 'God bless you', but Enlightenment is when &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; bless God&quot;. My current teacher says: &quot;utilize God&quot;. Both of these serve to remind us of our inherent mastery. The power is us, and we are the power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a regular prayer, addressing God as &quot;You&quot;, from Buddhist perspective is counterproductive. It dependently co-creates &quot;I&quot;, takes away our power, and leads astray from enlightenment. A better perspective is, as Jesus said, &quot;I and the Father are one&quot; (i.e. my true nature and the nature of God is one and the same). This corresponds to what Buddha called &quot;a state of Brahma&quot; (&lt;em&gt;brahmapatta&lt;/em&gt;, AN 4.190) and praised as a valuable intermediate attainment. In Tibetan Buddhism there is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigdzindharma.org/uploads/6/9/5/6/6956478/prayer_of_kuntuzangpo.pdf&quot;&gt;this beautiful prayer&lt;/a&gt;, spoken from the perspective of Kuntuzangpo, the Primordial Buddha -- i.e. the nature of intrinsic awareness, before separation into beings, which is another way to refer to God. This prayer is perhaps as good as a prayer can get from Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T01:29:07.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2014-10-10T02:23:25.117" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This very point is a subject of doctrinal disagreement between Mahayana and Theravada. According to Theravada, Nibbana has &lt;em&gt;svabhava&lt;/em&gt; (self-nature) that is unconditioned, deathless and totally transcendent to the conditioned world. But according to Mahayana (specifically Madhyamika), the fact that Nirvana is called &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt; means it does not have &lt;em&gt;svabhava&lt;/em&gt;, just like everything else. In other words, according to Mahayana, Nirvana is permanent because it does not exist, or to quote Chogyam Trungpa it is &quot;completely indestructible because it is not existent&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As my current teacher says, &quot;Nothing is permanent, everything changes -- except one thing. Which one thing? The fact that everything changes.&quot; This is a hint ;) What we call Nirvana is not something &quot;transcendent to the conditioned world&quot;, it is the self-existing nature of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana, Nirvana is the very nature of Samsara. The three marks of existence are non-escapable. Any attempts to run away from them are part of the wanderings in Samsara. Only when this escape is brought to an end, when we clearly see that our hope to reach Enlightenment was a hope to escape the three marks of existence, then we can finally loose the ground under our feet, fall through space, open our eyes and look around, and see unarisen Nirvana and self-existing Enlightenment. I hope it's clear now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T14:12:06.803" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T14:12:06.803" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2014-10-10T02:43:39.377" Score="26" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a famous set of verses of the Buddha that go as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;277&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;All conditioned things&lt;/strong&gt; are impermanent” – when&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;All conditioned things&lt;/strong&gt; are unsatisfactory” –&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;All things&lt;/strong&gt; are not-self” – when one sees this&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp. 277-9 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you see the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowhere did the Buddha say that everything is impermanent, because it is not true. All things that arise must cease (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;), and that is the key to answering this question, because &lt;em&gt;nibbaana&lt;/em&gt; is unarisen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the noble search? Here someone being himself subject to birth, having understood the danger in what is subject to birth, seeks the unborn supreme security from bondage, Nibbāna;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 26 (Bodhi, trans.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The logical conclusion of not being born is not dying, and so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;being himself subject to death, having understood the danger in what is subject to death, he seeks the deathless supreme security from bondage, Nibbāna;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T02:43:39.377" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-10T16:38:24.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we take Buddha's own example, we can see that he faced the same dilemma: &quot;Now that I've reached the other shore and clearly saw that most people seek in a wrong direction, should I invasively mess with their quests or should I let them figure it out on their own?&quot; The answer Buddha chose was not entirely black or white.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha helped people, he did not just wait until everyone gets Enlightened on their own using whatever methods that existed before him (jains, ajivika). He was pretty disruptive towards what was then the establishment. However, the way he helped people was never against their natural inclinations so to speak, but always going along with them. With Brahimns he spoke of how to be a true Brahmin. With ascetics that denied everything, he spoke how in order to be consistent they should deny the denial. With people seeking purity he spoke how his Path is the path of purity. With people seeking Nirvana -- how it leads to Nirvana etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about it, this is a rather wise and skillful approach. Instead of fighting with student's impulse, we use it as the force to propel them to a gradually deeper realization of Sat-Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in your example, of someone who drinks too much, in order to help them you would need to find out why do they drink. What do they want in life, what do they think is right, how does that light of goodness look from their perspective. Perhaps they drink because they think the society is messed up. Then you find out what &quot;messed up&quot; means for them, perhaps it means this success-oriented society they don't want to, and cannot be, a part of. Then you can probe what their higher value is. Perhaps it is Truth. They want to live in Truth but everyone around them lives in a lie, therefore they can't be part of this society, and that's why they drink. Then you use Truth as a lure to get them out of their personal hell. You teach them that in order to be consistent, they have to live by the Truth themselves. And then you slowly-slowly work with them, always going with what they are motivated to do so far, until they will naturally realize that they don't want to drink and never really wanted to drink, because it goes against their own Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Easier said than done of course. I am only beginning to learn to do this myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW that house on fire story, you got it wrong. The story says, if house is on fire and the kids are inside, the father will lure them out with toys or whatever they like, to save their lives. This is a parable from the Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, thanks for the warning friend! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T20:00:44.743" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T20:00:44.743" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4053" CreationDate="2014-10-10T17:22:32.207" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are great answers here, but there's something you said, in both the title and body of your question, (well, in your original title, before editors removed it), that no-one here is speaking to: &#xA;the focus on &quot;Change From Within&quot;, and &quot;their understanding of suffering must come from within.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Must it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's why I'm putting a spotlight on the question: &lt;br&gt; &#xA;1) Because everything is connected. &lt;br&gt; &#xA;2) Because of the importance of the Sangha. &lt;br&gt; &#xA;3) Because of the Buddhist focus on Anatman, rather than Atman. &lt;br&gt; &#xA;4) Because of the value of &quot;practices&quot;. &lt;br&gt; &#xA;5) Because of personal experience, of impacts, limitations, and drawbacks--mixed blessings at best--related to this concept, that &lt;code&gt;...&lt;/code&gt; must come from within. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This emphasis on &quot;change from within&quot; is such a cultural assumption of the 60s, and of the New Age movement, and of Americanized Buddhism... but I'm not clear how much it was part of Buddhism's &quot;original product&quot;.  (Someone else speak to that?) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does change come from within?  Absolutely.  Does change come ONLY from within?  Absolutely not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Not dealing with, right now:  whether enlightenment actually involves &quot;change&quot;... and is there anything that needs to &quot;come from&quot; anywhere.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the numbering above:  (1) ItsAllConnected:  if the &quot;inside&quot; and the &quot;outside&quot; are actually One, then why not notice the intermingling, when doing &quot;inner work&quot;?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) The importance of the Sangha.  A quote from Buddha:  &quot;Admirable friendship is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk [or anyone else] has admirable people as friends... he can be expected to develop and pursue the Noble Eightfold Path.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/dharma-quotes-quotations-buddhist/sangha-monks-nuns.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/dharma-quotes-quotations-buddhist/sangha-monks-nuns.htm&lt;/a&gt;) &#xA;If change is from within, what does the Sangha do? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) Anatman, rather than Atman.  This focus on what's &quot;from within&quot; can actually be isolating.  I'm not making &quot;retreat&quot; wrong -- it definately has value -- but want to point out that we can be standing in the point of view of the &quot;us&quot; we're being connected with.  Some of the most enjoyable meditation I've experienced stands in this point of view... and just standing there, and noticing how that interacts with feelings, can be transformative. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) Are practices &quot;internal&quot;?  If it's all from within, then why sit?  Because the internal and the external are in cooperation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) When you stand in the point of view that &quot;the real stuff comes from within&quot;, it automatically presents you with a quandary, whenever anyone tries to contribute to your process:  you have to somehow make it &quot;within&quot;, for your &quot;self&quot;.  And sure, approaches like that to &quot;internalizing&quot; things can be of real value... &#xA;but it can also add a &quot;chronological step&quot; (this has to happen, before that), that doesn't actually always have to be there.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We're in this together, and if what you're saying resonates / feels like a fit / aligns with the Four Immeasurables (equanimity, love, compassion, empathetic joy), then is that enough to simply run with it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or do I need to make sure it first &quot;works for me&quot;... whoever &quot;me&quot; is? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a similar way, while it would be one form of separateness (superiority), for you to see your buddy as &quot;&lt;em&gt;needing&lt;/em&gt; you to tell him,&quot; it would be another form of separateness (isolation), for you to &lt;em&gt;withhold&lt;/em&gt; because &quot;he's got to get it on his own.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;((Another thing I'm not going to try to handle right now:  healthy &quot;boundaries&quot;, which, lol, I think can paradoxically serve a purpose, even in a point of view of connectedness.)) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="891" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T17:22:32.207" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4077" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-10T17:33:54.523" Score="6" ViewCount="900" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the state of Nibbana the state of &quot;not existing at all in any way&quot; or is it nonexistence with benefits that are too deep to understand from the perspective of samsara? Does the only &quot;bliss&quot; pertaining to  Nibbana happen during the Arahant's life or when an arahant dies? Just to be clear (because I hear conflicting words concerning this) we will be &quot;no more&quot; if we become enlightened and the path is learning how to accept this, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T06:07:10.377" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T21:34:03.543" Title="Nirvana with benefits?" Tags="|nirvana|nonduality|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2014-10-10T17:43:42.847" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;My limited understanding is that 'I' never really was in the first place.  That which never appeared cannot vanish.  That which was never born cannot die.  The cycle of birth and death is broken by truly realizing that the entire cycle is predicated on ignorance.  Practice is the road to the eradication of ignorance, though doing good, avoiding evil and purifying this mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T17:43:42.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2014-10-10T18:46:57.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is too deep to understand Nibbana (or Nirvana as in the text below) from the human perspective, but it is possible to experience it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen is a very verbose Zen master who has left many trails. Here TRICYCLE states some of Dogen's beliefs. If you want straight from Dogen, you can try some of his books from Shambala.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/fundamentals-dogens-thoughts?page=0,1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/fundamentals-dogens-thoughts?page=0,1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana is often described in Buddhist scriptures as “the other&#xA;  shore.” One crosses the ocean of birth and death toward the shore of&#xA;  total freedom. In Mahayana teaching bringing others across the ocean&#xA;  of suffering to the shore of enlightenment is considered to be as&#xA;  important as or even more important than bringing oneself over. Those&#xA;  who vow to dedicate their lives to this act of “ferrying” others are&#xA;  called bodhisattvas, or beings who are dedicated to bodhi. In some&#xA;  schools of Mahayana, Zen in particular, there is a strong emphasis on&#xA;  the immediacy of enlightenment, indicating that the ocean of birth and&#xA;  death is itself nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As quoted earlier in this introduction, Dogen says, “Between&#xA;  aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a&#xA;  moment’s gap.” Thus, nirvana is one of the four elements in a&#xA;  practitioner’s spiritual activity. For Dogen, nirvana is inseparable&#xA;  from enlightenment, and it is inseparable from one’s practice at each&#xA;  moment. In other words, there is no authentic practice that lacks&#xA;  enlightenment or nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While Dogen discusses aspiration, practice, and enlightenment in&#xA;  detail, he does not explain the last element, nirvana, which seems to&#xA;  be an invisible element in his teaching. It is as though he talks&#xA;  about the experience of nirvana without using this word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana is regarded as the realm of nonduality, where there is no&#xA;  distinction between large and small, long and short, right and wrong,&#xA;  appearing and disappearing, self and other. It may be called reality&#xA;  itself, or the absolute place beyond time and space. This is a realm&#xA;  that cannot be grasped objectively. The intuitive awareness or&#xA;  transcendental wisdom that goes beyond dualistic, analytical thinking&#xA;  and leads us into this realm is called prajna in Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dogen calls this place of inner freedom the buddha realm. It is where&#xA;  one is many, part is whole, a moment is timeless, and mortality is&#xA;  immortality. To experience this beyondness in the midst of the passage&#xA;  of time, change, and decay is a miracle. For Dogen, this miracle can&#xA;  happen each moment, as each moment of duality is inseparable from a&#xA;  moment of nonduality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Duality and nonduality, change and no-change, relative and absolute,&#xA;  coexist and interact with each other. Dogen calls the experience of&#xA;  this dynamic “actualizing the fundamental point.” It is an immediate&#xA;  but subtle and mysterious unfolding of nirvana within a life of change&#xA;  and decay. Dogen suggests that we can realize this dynamic of “not&#xA;  one, not two” by going into and maintaining the deep consciousness&#xA;  that is experienced both in zazen and in daily activities conducted in&#xA;  a meditative state of body and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen is saying Nibbana is always here but the human mind that does not practice the Buddha Way is not aware of it. The question of whether we exist or not could be restated to in what way do we exist or what is our real beingness. When we drop the mask and look in the mirror of consciousness we see more clearly what is and what is not. Talking about it before or after that point has minimal value. Experience in the practice of meditation is the great revealer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T21:56:45.287" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T21:56:45.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2014-10-10T18:56:02.660" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana isn't just something that happens after death, but can be experienced during meditation during fruition. The only difference between this Nibbana experienced in life and the Nibbana after the death of an Arahat is that in the case of the Arahat, they don't come out again. If you can experience Nibbana in this life as at least a sotapanna then you can be certain that it is something good and not mere non-existence, and thus you can be certain that Parinibbana is also something good and also not a mere non-existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note that in this context I'm refering to Nibbana in the sense of the deathless element rather than as the mind which is totally free from defilement. Such a mind is in Nibbana in a sense, but that is a different sense than the actual fruition attainment of Nibbana.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T18:56:02.660" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2014-10-10T21:37:02.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As my teacher says, everything has its price and, Completion being the highest joy -- it has the highest price. We have to give away &lt;em&gt;everything&lt;/em&gt; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So (Mahayana) Nirvana is not as much a state of &quot;not existing at all in any way&quot; as it is a state of not holding on to anything. Remember Bob Dylan? &quot;when you've got nothing -- you've got nothing to loose&quot;... Not in the primitive sense; this means not holding on to any kind of ground, any territory -- conceptual or psychological. It is a place beyond hope and fear. Naturally it is also a place beyond coarser problems such as obsessions, aversions, and holding on to mistaken assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time as Buddha of Pali Canon warned us in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.035.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the parable of the cow&lt;/a&gt;, when letting go of hangups we must go through progressive stages, so we can get stable on each level before taking the next step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-10T22:14:56.853" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:14:56.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3901" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:09:52.980" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hahn is the only one I have read who attributes a significance to smiling. It may have to do with the challenging times he has had to endure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marianne-schnall/beliefs-buddhism-exclusiv_b_577541.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marianne-schnall/beliefs-buddhism-exclusiv_b_577541.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The interview with him contains much of his practice, but here is an excerpt about smiling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We&#xA;  worry too much. We don't allow our bodies to heal, and we don't allow&#xA;  our minds and hearts to heal. Meditation can help us embrace our&#xA;  worries, our fear, our anger; and that is very healing. We let our own&#xA;  natural capacity of healing do the work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Total relaxation is the secret to enjoying sitting meditation. I sit&#xA;  with my spine upright, but not rigid; and I relax all the muscles in&#xA;  my body. Breathing in, I bring my attention to one part of my body;&#xA;  breathing out, I smile with gratitude and love to that part of my&#xA;  body. For example, I breathe in and I bring my attention to my face.&#xA;  On my face there are about 300 muscles, and whenever I get worried,&#xA;  angry or sad, these 300 muscles harden, and anyone who looks at me can&#xA;  see that I'm tense. But if while breathing in I can be aware of my&#xA;  face, and breathing out I can smile to my face, then that tension&#xA;  immediately dissipates. It's almost like a miracle. In just a few&#xA;  breaths we can feel peace, happiness, and relaxation on our face. Our&#xA;  face becomes light, fresh, like the kind of flower it was before.&#xA;  Every face is a flower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After breathing three or four times with &quot;breathing in I am aware of&#xA;  my face; breathing out I smile to my face,&quot; then I can breathe in and&#xA;  bring my awareness to the muscles in my shoulders, because our&#xA;  shoulder muscles are often tense. As I breathe out, I relax and smile&#xA;  with my shoulders. Gradually we can move through the whole body, so&#xA;  after just a few minutes we can already normalize our body so it feels&#xA;  light and relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is something everyone can do in the first minutes of sitting, and&#xA;  not only when we are in the meditation hall. Wherever we sit, we can&#xA;  sit beautifully, just like we are doing sitting meditation, and we&#xA;  will feel stability and freedom. Sitting down to eat or do paperwork,&#xA;  we sit upright and relaxed. Let us sit like the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:09:52.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3799" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:19:37.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to this timeline, Theravada had the following significant times&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/thera_timeline.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/thera_timeline.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1899  • First Western Theravada monk (Gordon Douglas) ordains, in&#xA;  Burma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1958   • Ven. Nyanaponika Thera establishes the Buddhist Publication&#xA;  Society in Sri Lanka to publish English-language books on Theravada&#xA;  Buddhism. • Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement is founded in Sri Lanka to&#xA;  bring Buddhist ideals to bear in solving pressing social problems. •&#xA;  Two Germans ordain at the Royal Thai Embassy in London, becoming the&#xA;  first to take full Theravada ordination in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Insight Meditation Society predates the first monastery&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1970's     • Refugees from war in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos settle in&#xA;  North America, Australia and Europe, establishing many Buddhist&#xA;  communities in the West. • Ven. Taungpulu Sayadaw and Dr. Rina Sircar,&#xA;  from Burma, establish the Taungpulu Kaba-Aye Monastery in Northern&#xA;  California, USA. • Ven. Ajahn Chah establishes Wat Pah Nanachat, a&#xA;  forest monastery in Thailand for training Western monks. • Insight&#xA;  Meditation Society, a lay meditation center, is founded in&#xA;  Massachusetts, USA. • Ven. Ajahn Chah travels to England to establish&#xA;  a small community of monks at the Hamsptead Vihara, which later moves&#xA;  to Sussex, England, now known as Chithurst Forest Monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1980's     • Lay meditation centers grow in popularity in North America,&#xA;  Australia and Europe. • First Theravada forest monastery in the USA&#xA;  (Bhavana Society) is established in West Virginia. • Amaravati&#xA;  Buddhist Monastery established in England by Ven. Ajahn Sumedho.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on what your thoughts are on The Insight Meditation Society, you may consider that an earlier &quot;monastery&quot; and how strictly you interpret monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:19:37.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3225" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:25:19.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tibetans think of Padmasambhava as the second most important person for their lineage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/biographies/historicalsaints/lord-padmasambhava.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/biographies/historicalsaints/lord-padmasambhava.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a sample from the link above - more is available for your reading or study&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no doubt in the mind of every practitioner of Tibetan&#xA;  Buddhism that the second most unique and extraordinary exemplar of our&#xA;  whole lineage after Pramodavajra himself, was the powerful Lord&#xA;  Padmasambhava, the Wisdom Master who was chiefly instrumental in&#xA;  bringing the tradition to Tibet. Known as the Lotus Guru (padma-guru),&#xA;  the Saint Lama (guru Rinpoche) of Tibet, and as a &quot;second Buddha&quot;,&#xA;  Padmasambhava1 shines with the incomparable brightness of the morning&#xA;  star in the world's firmament of stellar saints. Long before he was&#xA;  born, mystics and prophets were signaling his advent. During his life&#xA;  he drew the respect and veneration of kings and emperors and after his&#xA;  death the multitude made his memory into an imperishable icon of the&#xA;  Absolute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The history offered is extensive so will let this quote be the introduction to a very long web page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:25:19.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3184" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:41:21.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is what the Nirodha Samapatti is defined as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the Phala Samapatti progessions&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/practice_insight/characteristics_of_forgetting.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/practice_insight/characteristics_of_forgetting.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a discussion of if this kind of discussion is fruitful&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=18101&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=18101&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not a strong supporter of discussion as a fruitful path to cessation as much as practice but I respect the right of all to choose for everyone may have a different path. It is not for me to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:41:21.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2588" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:44:21.913" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book is focused only on this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bm7insight.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Seven Stages of Purification &amp;amp; The Insight Knowledges&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope it helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2021-10-11T06:25:10.383" LastActivityDate="2021-10-11T06:25:10.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="4087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3798" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:47:53.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The link lists a summary of Bhikkhu Silacara's life and other books about him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C4%ABl%C4%81c%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C4%ABl%C4%81c%C4%81ra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a starting place to begin your study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:47:53.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3185" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:50:50.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This describes different stages of Phala Samapatti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the Phala Samapatti progessions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/practice_insight/characteristics_of_forgetting.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/practice_insight/characteristics_of_forgetting.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:50:50.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3868" CreationDate="2014-10-10T22:58:41.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following gives an in depth explanation of the Jhanas and how at higher levels&#xA;Here is a very short excerpt from a long presentation&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By reflecting upon the second jhana as more tranquil and sublime than&#xA;  the first, the meditator ends his attachment to the first jhana and&#xA;  engages in renewed striving with the aim of reaching the higher stage.&#xA;  He directs his mind to his meditation subject — which must be one&#xA;  capable of inducing the higher jhanas such as a kasina or the breath —&#xA;  and resolves to overcome applied and sustained thought. When his&#xA;  practice comes to maturity the two kinds of thought subside and the&#xA;  second jhana arises. In the second jhana only three of the original&#xA;  five jhana factors remain — rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness.&#xA;  Moreover, with the elimination of the two grosser factors these have&#xA;  acquired a subtler and more peaceful tone.[17]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Besides the main jhana factors, the canonical formula includes several&#xA;  other states in its description of the second jhana. &quot;Internal&#xA;  confidence&quot; (ajjhattamsampasadanam), conveys the twofold meaning of&#xA;  faith and tranquillity. In the first jhana the meditator's faith&#xA;  lacked full clarity and serenity due to &quot;the disturbance created by&#xA;  applied and sustained thought, like water ruffled by ripples and&#xA;  wavelets&quot; (Vism. 157; PP.163). But when applied and sustained thought&#xA;  subside, the mind becomes very peaceful and the meditator's faith&#xA;  acquires fuller confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T22:58:41.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2015" CreationDate="2014-10-10T23:04:59.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an introduction to the Tripitaka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an extensive work that deals with the evolution and different versions of the Tripitaka or as the text spells it Tipitaka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/18_%20Three%20Baskets%20_Tipitaka_%20in%20Buddhism.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/18_%20Three%20Baskets%20_Tipitaka_%20in%20Buddhism.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-10T23:04:59.243" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3793" CreationDate="2014-10-10T23:09:00.843" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a descriptions of some of the councils and their significance&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-16T09:22:04.073" LastActivityDate="2016-01-16T09:22:04.073" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4092" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4101" CreationDate="2014-10-10T23:18:54.307" Score="6" ViewCount="370" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard from a Buddhist monk that hungry ghosts usually return to their familis searching for food, which makes me believe they have easy access to memories of their previous life. Some hell beings also know what they did to deserve their punishment (according to what I have heard) so they have access to memories as well, I'm assuming devas should know it too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently only Humans and animals do not remember previous lifes, is there a reason for that in the teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T16:32:17.873" Title="Is there any explanation on why only humans and animals do not remember previous life?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4094" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-11T00:17:00.057" Score="16" ViewCount="4376" Body="&lt;p&gt;It looks like a loop. We know desires cause us suffering, however the desire to abandon desire looks like a desire too, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure there is a trick, something to explain why it is different, so... who can help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T06:25:47.737" Title="Isnt the desire for giving up the desires, a desire?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-10-11T00:42:30.153" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's kinda simple. The desire to abandon desires also causes suffering. But it is a good kind of suffering, the suffering of growth, the suffering that burns away other suffering, like fasting. So first we abandon desires. Only then we abandon the desire to give up desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although if you want to be precise, it's not desires that cause suffering, it's attachments (as in your tag). Desire is like: &quot;I want this toy&quot;. Attachment is like &quot;I highly respect expertise and clarity and can't stand it when people don't know what they are talking about&quot;. See the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But let me ask you this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you really want to abandon desires/attachments? Or do you only want it because it will help you get something else? Ask yourself sincerely: &quot;What do I want? What do I really want? What do I really-really want?&quot; Keep asking until you get to the root. My teacher gave this to us as a kind of koan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-11T10:38:57.720" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T10:38:57.720" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-10-11T03:21:17.420" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question or thought trips people up often. The key here is to practice the middle path, that is to neither attach nor avoid your desires. Desire is not inherently suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering, like all things, comes together dependent on causes and conditions. When desire is combined with either attachment or aversion, suffering is caused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T03:21:17.420" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3901" CreationDate="2014-10-11T03:25:45.920" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person who is advanced towards realization of emptiness will typically display a calm, peaceful, and blissful demeanor, even during trying circumstances. I would say that smiling is a natural part of such a demeanor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T03:25:45.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-11T03:31:50.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among many things, Buddhism is about breaking cycles by understanding the nature of reality and getting to the roots of a problem. Unleashing your anger in such a manner may offer some temporary serenity, but you still haven't cured the root of the problem. This is why to me, it's not a very helpful idea as you continue to perpetuate the cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T03:31:50.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4030" CreationDate="2014-10-11T03:49:46.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is not intellectualizing or analyzing. Such distinctions as 'sweet', 'salty', 'good', 'bad', actually inhibit mindfulness by reifying the self. Mindfulness is more synonymous with awareness. This awareness expands in every direction as you advance your understanding of sunyata. Mindfulness is a natural expression of this wisdom. If you get lost in thought or analysis of experience, that is not mindfulness. That is more of your ego polluting experience with distinction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why paradoxically, you can't really &quot;try&quot; to be mindful. When you do try, you end up being sabotaged by your ego/intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T03:49:46.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4092" CreationDate="2014-10-11T04:11:41.423" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;All the beings you mention as remembering past lives are spontaneously reborn (&lt;em&gt;opapaatika&lt;/em&gt;), whereas humans and animals are either egg-born (&lt;em&gt;aṇḍaja&lt;/em&gt;), womb-born (&lt;em&gt;jalābuja&lt;/em&gt;), or moisture-born (&lt;em&gt;saṃsedaja&lt;/em&gt;). Only spontaneously reborn beings are readily able to remember their past lives; most others have their past life memories repressed by the trauma and general coarseness of their rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this is all general Buddhist knowledge, but I can't find a reliable source from the original texts; if anyone knows of one, please feel free to put it in the comments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T04:11:41.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2014-10-11T04:16:41.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Questions that appeal to extremes aren't really sensical for Buddhists. The answer to your first question is: it depends. This is because as a Buddhist, you should understand that absolutes aren't tenable and that you should walk the tightrope in the middle beyond extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T04:16:41.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3894" CreationDate="2014-10-11T04:28:36.740" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To an extent, yes. Meditation stills the intellect, and expands wisdom. As your wisdom expands and your intellect stills, you will end up closer to experience. This closeness facilitates a sharpness and mental clarity that can make problem solving more natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T04:28:36.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3864" CreationDate="2014-10-11T04:34:49.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend &quot;Essentials of Buddhist Meditation&quot;, a translation of an old Chinese meditation manual from I want to say the middle of the first millennia CE. It covers all of this stuff; it's pretty thorough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1935413007&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Buddhist-Meditation-Kalavinka-Classics/dp/1935413007&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T04:34:49.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2014-10-11T04:51:34.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, a great beginner level text attributed to Nagarjuna is Letter to a Friend. It's short and a really great read. But I wouldn't really say it offers insight to Nagarjuna's philosophy. It's more like a basic practical buddhism introduction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, like others have said, the MMK is his piece de resistance you could say. This is a rigorous and thorough investigation into the nature of reality by way of dialect with his opponents or naysayers you could call them. It's not easy by any means, so here's what I recommend you read before diving into the MMK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a series of books called &quot;The Foundation of Buddhist Thought&quot;. Volume 5 is dedicated to emptiness. This series is targeted towards a western audience and it's probably as simple as you're going to get for this topic:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171511X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/Emptiness-Foundation-Buddhist-Thought-Volume/dp/086171511X&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T04:51:34.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-10-11T08:18:41.430" Score="20" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Isnt the desire for giving up the desires, a desire?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is. A wholesome one that ends when you reach the 'park':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one&#xA;  with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by&#xA;  means of desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as&#xA;  you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire,&#xA;  thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park,&#xA;  wasn't that particular desire allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,'&#xA;  and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence&#xA;  allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,'&#xA;  and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent&#xA;  allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go&#xA;  to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that&#xA;  particular act of discrimination allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has&#xA;  reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the&#xA;  true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is&#xA;  released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the&#xA;  attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;  desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the&#xA;  attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;  persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the&#xA;  attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;  intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the&#xA;  attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;  discrimination is allayed. So what do you think, brahman? Is this an&#xA;  endless path, or one with an end?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an&#xA;  endless one.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 51.15, To Unnabha the Brahman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also want to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 4.159&lt;/a&gt; which also touches on this theme and is an interesting read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T08:18:41.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4109" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4111" CreationDate="2014-10-11T13:18:04.850" Score="16" ViewCount="1393" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this should be closed as &lt;a href=&quot;https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/158810/139866&quot;&gt;a 'shopping' question&lt;/a&gt;, but maybe translations take a long time to make and therefore there are not too many of them, and they don't go out of date quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English texts I use seem unreliable. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One book I have (using a 1925 CE translation) has a translation which (because it uses an abstract noun &quot;the lovely&quot;) &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/4053/compassion-to-friends-stepping-in-vs-letting-them-learn-on-their-own#comment5397_4055&quot;&gt;I had thoroughly failed&lt;/a&gt; to understand.&#xA;In that case, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the 'Access to Insight' translation&lt;/a&gt; was clearer (using concrete nouns like 'with people' and 'with friends' instead of abstractions like &quot;with what is lovely&quot;).&#xA;So I have been using &lt;strong&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;However when I wanted the Samuddo Sutta, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.187.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight version&lt;/a&gt; is (in my opinion) relatively very inadequate compared to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/salayatana/sn35-229.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this &lt;strong&gt;Buddha Vacana&lt;/strong&gt; version&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I only found these using Google, i.e. I have no expertise about what translations exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can you recommend &lt;strong&gt;any (single) specific translations&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can you give &lt;strong&gt;any survey of what (many) is available&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or should I ask about &lt;strong&gt;translators&lt;/strong&gt; instead of translations (I'd prefer 'the best' translation rather than the 'historically-first' translation)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if there are too many, are there &lt;strong&gt;great/classic resources&lt;/strong&gt; that any Anglophone should know?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Printed&lt;/strong&gt; books would be on-topic, though I'm warned that such things might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4019/254&quot;&gt;ten times the size of a bible&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Online&lt;/strong&gt; or (at least) &lt;strong&gt;digital&lt;/strong&gt; references might be convenient. For example the side-by-side (hyper-linkable) translation feature found on the &lt;em&gt;Buddha Vacana&lt;/em&gt; site helped me understand (by linking to the Pali word) what it meant when it said &quot;mental phenomena&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A resource for any &lt;strong&gt;European&lt;/strong&gt; language (English, French, German, etc) would be interesting&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Google Translate doesn't do Pali or Sanskrit, but if there's a (free or affordable) semi-competent &lt;strong&gt;machine-based&lt;/strong&gt; translator (accurate although not poetic or idiomatic), that might be good (though it may be hoping too much, to hope for the existence of such a thing yet).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2018-06-20T08:06:56.197" Title="English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon" Tags="|pali-canon|modern-world|teaching|terminology|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4110" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4123" CreationDate="2014-10-11T14:00:51.307" Score="7" ViewCount="2262" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to deepen my understanding of the law of karma. Let's say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A killed B.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;B killed A in next life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this particular karma of A considered &quot;completed&quot;, that B will not suffer since this is just the effect of A's karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does B still create new karma when killing A, and will suffer unwholesome result?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T14:22:49.447" Title="If A is killed by B due to A's past karma of killing B, will B suffer from this karma of killing A?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4109" CreationDate="2014-10-11T14:39:43.530" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally use the following translations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Paper copies of Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations of Nikayas (for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171072X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhima&lt;/a&gt;) for nice smooth English rendition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access To Insight&lt;/a&gt; for quick and convenient search.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-titles-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer&lt;/a&gt; for in-depth analysis.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When in doubt, I do my own translation with a dictionary (&lt;a href=&quot;http://spokensanskrit.de/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt;, I also use a number of Pali-Russian dictionaries). For this, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Central&lt;/a&gt; is a good source of well-formatted Pali texts (it also has translations but I don't like their renditions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T14:39:43.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4112" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="4122" CreationDate="2014-10-11T15:07:00.940" Score="17" ViewCount="3815" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least one of the &quot;introductions to Buddhism&quot; that I read included elements from, some biography of, the life of the Buddha, including:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Searching for enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sermon at Benares (a.k.a. &quot;Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Death (i.e. &quot;Behold etc. ... Work out your end with diligence&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the Tipitaka arranged in useful sequence? I feel like I'm walking into a library, looking at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Decimal_Classification&quot;&gt;Dewey Decimal Classification&lt;/a&gt; and wondering which I should read first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take it that the Tipitaka is not chronological!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I right in think that the Dhammacakkappavattana is the first and most important sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so is it sensible that, there, it is &quot;SN 56.11&quot; (i.e. not the first sutta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What other &quot;important&quot; suttas should I read &quot;first&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is more known about the sequence in which the Buddha himself delivered them (e.g. if the Sermon at Benares was the first, was the Fire Sermon the second, and which then was the third, etc.)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please answer any or all questions above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you could answer this question by commenting on what it says at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/befriending.html#which&quot;&gt;Which suttas should I read?&lt;/a&gt; Do you agree with what it says there, do you have anything to add to what it says there, or to take away?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-11T19:10:26.183" LastActivityDate="2019-05-28T14:00:49.050" Title="Chronological or other sequence for beginners" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-11T15:10:22.833" Score="5" ViewCount="348" Body="&lt;p&gt;Humans like nearly all other species have their genetic base as a mixture 50:50 from the genes of their father and from the genes of their mother. Each generation represents a new combination of genes from the gene pool of the species. The genetic basis determines to a large amount who we are.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this fact contradict the rebirth of individuals?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T16:51:31.967" Title="Rebirth versus genetic recombination" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4112" CreationDate="2014-10-11T15:18:22.563" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really like Dharmafarer's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-discovery/sutta-discovery-volume-1-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Discovery&lt;/a&gt; series. It is free and available online as downloadable/printable PDFs. It introduces suttas in a nice sequence, not necessarily strictly chronological, but organized in a meaningful progression (starting with the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T01:50:59.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4115" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-11T15:34:41.957" Score="4" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was planning to visit a centre, so first I checked their webpage, I thought they are a lit too pushy when it comes to donations, asking for money in a very explicit way to pay their bills. OK, let me be fair, they have bills to pay and utilities can be expensive sometimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have more experience with Mahayana (eventhough I follow Theravada now) and in the two centres I have been to, I have never seen similar thing, so it makes me wonder, why? Maybe their funding structures are different, more robust, I dont know...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there anything in the Vinaya that can help? What are the limits when it comes to asking for money?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2019-07-10T05:21:12.890" Title="How should a theravada centre approach the lay people for support?" Tags="|theravada|vinaya|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4117" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5130" CreationDate="2014-10-11T15:55:15.510" Score="3" ViewCount="641" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I recall correctly, I once read (in a book which I no longer have) that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Fire Sermon happened (soon) after the Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha spoke it to a believer/theorist/priest-like person of a non-Buddhist sect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other person spoke first, giving their theory first&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha replies, the book said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fire of life must be put out!&quot;, he thundered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This version of the Fire Sermon&lt;/a&gt; isn't like that at all:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delivered to 1000 monks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No thundering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any text (including e.g. Mahayana) that you know of, that's like what I quoted above?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any reports, any reliable report, on whether or how much the Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affect_display&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;displayed emotional affect&lt;/a&gt;? Did he seem cheerful? Angry? Did he pretend to get angry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this question cannot be answered about the Buddha (e.g. because it was too long ago and not recorded), is there other people more recent who are &quot;like the Buddha&quot;, about whom this is known?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's usually difficult to judge how much affect a person displays (so it's useless to be judgmental); I'm wondering whether the Buddha is known to have &quot;displayed affect&quot; to an unusually high (very obvious) or to an unusually low degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T05:53:51.023" Title="Did the Buddha ever 'thunder' during a Fire Sermon?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|teachers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4118" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5198" CreationDate="2014-10-11T16:20:59.363" Score="7" ViewCount="567" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a recent version of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2014/10/bg-335-practicing-brain-mind/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks&lt;/a&gt; podcast &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rickhanson.net/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rick Hanson&lt;/a&gt; said that recent academic research is showing that in the Pali Canon there were teachings indicating that compassion is enough to progress all the way on the Buddhist path. He further states that this foreshadows the Mahayana developments and if this has been emphasised within the early schools it would have negated the need for Mahayana at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that ring any bells with anyone? Has anyone heard anything of this research or more broadly has anyone got any references where the Buddha really emphasises compassion and indicates that compassion alone is enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: if anyone is interested Rick Hanson says this in the last 10 minutes of the podcast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's at about time 29:55 through 30:48 in the podcast. Rick Hanson starts by saying (I paraphrase) that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha talked about the three poisons: ignorance, anger, greed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anger and greed map to the brain's two 'red-zone' behaviours, i.e. the 'aversion' and 'approaching' systems of the brain.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rick goes on to say that the brain has a third need or drive i.e. &quot;heart-ache&quot; for which the antidote is &quot;love&quot;, and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;recent scholarship has shown that for him [the Buddha] love is a fully-sufficient path to complete awakening, and scholarship today has shown that maybe if there was a better understanding at the time that that's what he taught, after he died, there might not have been a need for the Mahayana revision if you will in terms of bringing more heart back into Dhamma practice.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He goes on to say that there's a social brain, that love and social skills are the primary evolutionary driver of the brain, etc., that we need to honour heart-ache and pay attention to the attachment system. He thinks of &quot;heartache&quot; as a &quot;fourth poison&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:51:35.300" LastActivityDate="2021-06-16T03:26:10.473" Title="Is there a compassion only Buddhist path?" Tags="|pali-canon|mahayana|reference-request|compassion|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4112" CreationDate="2014-10-11T16:42:16.667" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi has published an analogy of the Pali Canon called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209576.In_the_Buddha_s_Words&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; which is arranged thematically. I found a very useful entry into the Pali Canon generally. The themes (and chapter headings) are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Human Condition&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Bringer of Light&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Approaching the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Happiness Visible in the Present Lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Way to a Fortunate Rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deepening one's own Perspective on the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Path to Liberation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mastering the Mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shining the Light of Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Planes of Realisation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found going through this gave me a good flavour of the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T16:42:16.667" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4113" CreationDate="2014-10-11T16:43:53.970" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This goes back to an argument that was very popular in 19th century: &quot;is person's character inborn or is it a result of upbringing?&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is meant by &quot;rebirth&quot; in Buddhism is rebirth of the state of mind. In modern terms we could say that the living brain is only a carrier. So where does our state of mind come from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once as I meditated, I realized that some of my typical thoughts came back from my childhood, from my parent's dysfunctional family situation. And the roots of that situation can be traced to my father's childhood, and probably beyond, to his father's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all of it is passed down the family lines either. Today at least some of my thoughts came from news I read online about the situation in Ukraine. Do you understand? Our state of mind at any moment consists of elements each of which came down a chain of interactions that can be traced back to beginningless times!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our state of mind is not &quot;one thing&quot;, not an entity, there is no &quot;I&quot;.  The boundary between inner and outer is a fiction; there is an infinite sea of interacting mental and physical factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why call it rebirth then? Because of &lt;em&gt;appropriation&lt;/em&gt;. We appropriate a combination of traits as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot;. My country, my family, my childhood, my education, my believe, my values, my principles, my pride etc. Appropriation of these causes rebirth and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-11T17:18:29.087" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T17:18:29.087" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2014-10-11T18:42:12.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I actually think that the writings of Nagarjuna himself aren't necessarily the best place to start to study Madhyamaka. The Mulamadhyamakakarika is the sum total of his teachings on emptiness but it doesn't actually explicitly teach emptiness in the way you are looking for. For example, the opening line says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither from itself nor from another, Nor from both, Nor without a&#xA;  cause, Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which, taken at face value, is contrary to dependent origination. A lot of the Mulamadhyamakakarika is like that without explicitly teaching emptiness and the two truths. The real meaning of this first verse is that nothing arises from another, self, both, nor without a cause &lt;em&gt;in terms of an intrinsic nature&lt;/em&gt; but the text itself doesn't explicitly clarify this. If you &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; want to study the Mulamadhyamakakarika, then I would recommend Jay Garfield's book &lt;em&gt;The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way&lt;/em&gt; because he also gives a commentary which is indispensable for a text like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it was not written by Nagarjuna, the Madhyamakavatara by Chandrakirti is a very good text that lays out the teachings of Madhyamaka, the philosophical tradition founded by Nagarjuna. I recommend the book &lt;em&gt;The Emptiness of Emptiness&lt;/em&gt; that has a commentary and a translation of the Madhyamakavatara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T18:42:12.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4112" CreationDate="2014-10-11T19:05:43.563" Score="15" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Am I right in thinking that the &lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana&lt;/em&gt; is the first and most important sutta?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't say most important but, taking into account other discourses, it seems it was the &lt;em&gt;first&lt;/em&gt; discourse expounded by the &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;If so, is it sensible that, there, it is &quot;SN 56.11&quot; (i.e. not the first sutta)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on how you'd want to organize the discourses. Since SN is organized thematically, this is one of the reasons for it being in the last section (SN 56).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What other &quot;important&quot; suttas should I read &quot;first&quot;?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I struggle with this question since there is a plethora of &quot;important&quot; or &quot;good&quot; discourses. Personally, I enjoy so many discourses in the canon that I've lost count. Nevertheless, here are some which I consider important (The subsequent bolded filtering are those discourses which I consider to be the core. I'd recommend reading all of them nonetheless):  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/dn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;2&lt;/strong&gt;, 9, &lt;strong&gt;15&lt;/strong&gt;, 16, 29  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/mn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhima Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;2&lt;/strong&gt;, 8, &lt;strong&gt;9&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;10&lt;/strong&gt;, 11, 14, &lt;strong&gt;18&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;19&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;20&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;21&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;22&lt;/strong&gt;, 26, 28, 29, &lt;strong&gt;35&lt;/strong&gt;, 36, &lt;strong&gt;38&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;43&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;44&lt;/strong&gt;, 47, 55, &lt;strong&gt;58&lt;/strong&gt;, 60, 61, 63, &lt;strong&gt;66&lt;/strong&gt;, 70, 72, &lt;strong&gt;74&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;82&lt;/strong&gt;, 86, &lt;strong&gt;88&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;95&lt;/strong&gt;, 96, 107, 108, &lt;strong&gt;109&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;117&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;118&lt;/strong&gt;, 121, 125, 136, &lt;strong&gt;139&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;141&lt;/strong&gt;, 149, 150&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/sn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;strong&gt;12.2&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;12.15&lt;/strong&gt;, 12.17, 12.33, 12.34, &lt;strong&gt;22.2&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;22.59&lt;/strong&gt;, 22.81, 22.85, &lt;strong&gt;35.28&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;35.116&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;36.6&lt;/strong&gt;, 36.7, 36.8, 36.11, 38.14, 41.6, &lt;strong&gt;45.8&lt;/strong&gt;, 46.51, 46.55, 47.10, 47.19, 48.42, 51.15, 55.7, &lt;strong&gt;56.11&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/an&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aṅguttara Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: I'd recommend looking at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&amp;amp;t=19931#p279641&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi's Thematic Guide&lt;/a&gt; and reading the discourses by whatever topic interests you. A discourse that usually stands out in this &lt;em&gt;nikāya&lt;/em&gt; is AN 3.65. (I also like 3.61, 3.68 &amp;amp; 3.69)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/kn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khuddaka Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: I recommend reading fully the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/dhp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/ud&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udāna&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Nipāta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/thag&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theragāthā&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Therīgāthā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. They are small and easy to read. If I had to choose one, I'd say the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sutta Nipāta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Is more known about the sequence in which the Buddha himself delivered them (e.g. if the Sermon at Benares was the first, was the Fire Sermon the second, and which then was the third, etc.)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the orders I've seen:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. &lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. &lt;em&gt;Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. &lt;em&gt;Ādittapariyāya Sutta&lt;/em&gt; &lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Sermon#Background&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Source]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. &lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. &lt;em&gt;Hemavata Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. &lt;em&gt;Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta&lt;/em&gt; &lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/hemavata.html#Preface&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Source]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can't recollect anything else regarding this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastEditorUserId="92" LastEditDate="2019-05-28T14:00:49.050" LastActivityDate="2019-05-28T14:00:49.050" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="4123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4110" CreationDate="2014-10-11T19:11:18.770" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing someone is an act that is accomplished by many thought processes. A single thought process can have a maximum of 17 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/AbhidhammaCitta.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cittas&lt;/a&gt;. Among them, the cittas 9 to 15 are called the Javana cittas. They are the ones responsible for creating Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;h2&gt; Thought-Process&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.&lt;/strong&gt; The subject, the consciousness, receives objects from within and without. When a person is in a state of profound sleep his mind is&#xA;  said to be vacant, or, in other words, in a state of bhavanga. We&#xA;  always experience such a passive state when our minds do not respond&#xA;  to external objects. This flow of bhavanga is interrupted when objects&#xA;  enter the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.&lt;/strong&gt; Then the bhavanga consciousness vibrates for one&#xA;  thought-moment and passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.&lt;/strong&gt; A bhavanga that cuts off the flow (bhavanga upaccheda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.&lt;/strong&gt; Thereupon the sense-door consciousness (pañca-dvārāvajjana)&#xA;  arises and ceases. At this stage the natural flow is checked and is&#xA;  turned towards the object.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;5.&lt;/strong&gt; Immediately after there arises and ceases the eye consciousness* (cakkhu viññāna), but yet knows no more about it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;6.&lt;/strong&gt; This sense operation is followed by a moment of reception of the object so seen (sampaticchana).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;7.&lt;/strong&gt; Next comes the investigating faculty (santīrana) or a momentary examination of the object so received.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;8.&lt;/strong&gt; After this comes that stage of representative cognition termed the determining consciousness (votthapana). Discrimination is&#xA;  exercised at this stage. Free Will plays its part here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9 to 15.&lt;/strong&gt;  Immediately after there arises the psychologically most important stage - Impulsion or javana. It is at this stage that an&#xA;  action is judged whether moral or immoral. Kamma is performed at this&#xA;  stage; if viewed rightly (yoniso manasikāra), the javana becomes&#xA;  moral; if viewed wrongly (ayoniso manasikāra), it becomes immoral. In&#xA;  the case of an Arahat this javana is neither moral nor immoral, but&#xA;  merely functional (kiriya). This javana stage usually lasts for seven&#xA;  thought moments, or, at times of death, five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;16 to 17.&lt;/strong&gt; The whole process which happens in an infinitesimal part of time ends with the registering consciousness (tadālambana), lasting&#xA;  for two thought-moments - thus completing one thought-process at the&#xA;  expiration of seventeen thought-moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the Javana Cittas are Karmically potent. They come into fruitions at different times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;Immediately effective kamma (dittha-dhamma-vedaniya kamma)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma which produces its results in the present life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the seven javana cittas, the first, or the weakest javana-citta called the dittha-dhamma-vedaniya - produces its effects in the present life. Because it's the weakest kamma, it is unable to produce results past the current life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this kamma is performed in this present life and does meet the opportunity to ripen , it will give the result in the same existence. Otherwise, the effect becomes defunct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Subsequently effective kamma (upapajja-vedaniya kamma )&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma which produces its effects in the nearest next life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the seven javana process, this is the seventh one.The second weakest of the javana cittas, - called upapajja-vedaniya kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. indefinitely effective kamma  ( aparā-pariya-vedaniya kamma)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma which produces its effects in lives subsequent to nearest next life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can ripen at any time whenever it has opportunity to produce the results from the second future existence onwards as long as the round of rebirths continues. It never becomes defunct until it comes to fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;4. defunct  kamma (ahosi kamma)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma which is ineffective.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kamma that is unable to produce its results are called ahosi-kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If immediately effective kamma (dittha-dhamma-vedaniya kamma), for example, is unable to operate in this life, and if the subsequently effective kamma (upapajja-vedaniya kamma) does not operated in the second birth or next life, they are ahosi-kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of Arahants, all their accumulated good or bad kamma from the past which was due to ripen in the future lives become defunct with their enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since killing a person involves so many thought processes, it doesn't end just because the Karma of one of the Javana cittas of one thought process comes into fruition. Chances are that one is going to pay for the Javana cittas in the multitudes of thought processes involved with the killing, from time to time in Samsara. So getting killed once in a future life is not likely to complete all results of the Karmas one accumulates in an act of killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If person B kills person A in next life, it won't be a new karma for person A as the fruit is never a Karma. However it will become a new Karma for person B. Because B is not the one facing the result. He's a different person creating a fresh Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T19:13:05.480" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T19:13:05.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="4124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2014-10-11T19:39:43.243" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a practicing Theravadin I've studied the Pali Suttas very seriously for the past six years and I've never found anything in them that indicates that compassion is sufficient for enlightenment. In fact the term compassion (Karuna in Pali) is used quite infrequently. The term Metta meaning loving-kindness or goodwill is much more common than the term compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts are emphatic in identifying the spiritual path with the Noble Eightfold path, particularly in terms of its alternate formulation as the threefold training of Sila, Samadhi, and Pañña.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T19:39:43.243" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2014-10-11T20:33:09.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not well-studied or taught, but it seems to me that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka: The Group of Ones&lt;/a&gt; says that (fully) overcoming any one of the &lt;strong&gt;three&lt;/strong&gt; poisons is &quot;sufficient&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that's something to do with dependent co-arising: eliminating one implicitly eliminates them all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says that explicitly about each of the three poisons, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandon greed as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another single factor (not one of the three poisons and not sufficient to guarantee &quot;complete awakening&quot;) is in verse 17:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With regard to external factors, I don't envision any other single factor like admirable friendship as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who is a friend with admirable people abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary quotes from the Upaddha Sutta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In SN 45.2 the Buddha says, &quot;Admirable friendship... is actually the whole of the holy life... It is in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T20:33:09.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2014-10-11T21:16:44.523" Score="5" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Has anyone heard anything of this research or more broadly has anyone got any references where the Buddha really emphasizes compassion and indicates that compassion alone is enough?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have no knowledge about such research. I also can't recollect a reference from the early texts that points, even implicitly, in such direction. There's a reference pointing in the opposite way though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how, bhikkhus, is the liberation of the mind by compassion&#xA;  developed? What does it have as its destination, its culmination, its&#xA;  fruit, its final goal? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the&#xA;  enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by compassion … the&#xA;  enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by compassion, based&#xA;  upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. If he&#xA;  wishes: ‘May I dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ he&#xA;  dwells perceiving the repulsive therein…. If he wishes: ‘Avoiding both&#xA;  the unrepulsive and the repulsive, may I dwell equanimously, mindful&#xA;  and clearly comprehending,’ then he dwells therein equanimously,&#xA;  mindful and clearly comprehending. Or else, with the complete&#xA;  transcendence of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of&#xA;  perceptions of sensory impingement, with nonattention to perceptions&#xA;  of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in&#xA;  the base of the infinity of space. &lt;strong&gt;Bhikkhus, the liberation of mind by&#xA;  compassion has the base of the infinity of space as its culmination, I&#xA;  say, for a wise bhikkhu here who has not penetrated to a superior&#xA;  liberation.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.54&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.54, Accompanied by Lovingkindness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-10-11T21:16:44.523" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4112" CreationDate="2014-10-12T00:03:47.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka is the part of the Tipitaka that would be of most interest to laypersons practicing meditation. (The others are the Vinaya Pitaka, the rules for monks, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, a more metaphysical compilation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to answer your question, the sections in the Sutta Pitaka are organized by the length of the suttas therein:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first section, Digha Nikaya, contains long suttas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second section, Majjhima Nikaya, contains middle-length suttas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Samyutta Nikaya contains shorter suttas and are grouped by topic.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Anguttara Nikaya is grouped into the book of the ones, book of the twos, etc. (so that if you're looking for a list of five things, you can check the book of the fives).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Khuddaka Nikaya is a collection of various books, including the well-known Dhammapada, and (in some versions of the Tipitaka) the Questions of King Milinda.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One particular place I remember from going there repeatedly is the Mangala Sutta, or Discourse on Blessings. It's in: Khuddaka Nikaya &gt; Sutta Nipata &gt;  Culavagga &gt; 4th sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just a quick summary gleaned off &lt;a href=&quot;http://accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;. The website explains in further detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T00:03:47.150" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4117" CreationDate="2014-10-12T10:27:08.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Thundering' may imply 'bold' or 'loud', not 'angry'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.fr/books?id=Y70tt60nE2gC&amp;amp;lpg=PT80&amp;amp;ots=RDR-QxiW8M&amp;amp;dq=buddha%20bull%27s%20voice&amp;amp;pg=PT80#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddha%20bull%27s%20voice&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Last Days&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The the venerable Sariputta came to see the Lord, saluted him, sat down on one side, and said, &amp;quot;It is clear to me Lord that there never has been, will be, or is now another ascetic or Brahmin who is better or more enlightened than the Lord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have &lt;strong&gt;spoken boldly with a bull's voice&lt;/strong&gt;, Sariputta, you have &lt;strong&gt;roared the lion's roar of certainty&lt;/strong&gt;! How is this? Have all the Arahant Buddhas of the past appeared to yu, and were their minds [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loudness and/or confidence must have been useful, in a crowd: from&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel390.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Lion's Roar&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not typical of the Buddha to extol himself, for he did not intend his Dispensation to evolve into a personality cult centered around himself as a &lt;strong&gt;charismatic and powerful leader&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] &amp;quot;Here, the Tathagata understands as it actually is the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible. And that is a Tathagata's power that the Tathagata has, by virtue of which &lt;strong&gt;he claims the herd-leader's place, roars his lion's roar in the assemblies&lt;/strong&gt;, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe too it was part of a style of oratory: from &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.fr/books?id=ndJArSnbTnQC&amp;amp;lpg=PA442&amp;amp;ots=A39CBlIlgD&amp;amp;dq=kim%20invocation%20%22doctor%20of%20divinity%22&amp;amp;pg=PA442#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=kim%20invocation%20%22doctor%20of%20divinity%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kim&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hereat, simply as a child engrossed in a new game, the lama threw back his head and &lt;strong&gt;began the full-throated invocation&lt;/strong&gt; of the Doctor of Divinity ere he opens the full doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;Lion's Roar&amp;quot; seems to be repeated in this Zen story: from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/10thelastpoemofhoshin.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Last Poem of Hoshin&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hoshin, with the roar of a conquering lion, shouted &amp;quot;Kaa!&amp;quot; and was gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for displaying affect, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/77noattachmenttodust.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No Attachment to Dust&lt;/a&gt; suggests,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though alone in a dark room, be as if you were facing a noble guest. Express your feelings, but &lt;strong&gt;become&lt;/strong&gt; no more expressive than your true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explicitly warns against reacting to an insult with anger: from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akkosa Sutta: Insult&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Whence is there anger&#xA;for one free from anger,&#xA;    tamed,&#xA;    living in tune —&#xA;one released through right knowing,&#xA;    calmed&#xA;    &amp;amp; Such.&#xA;&#xA;You make things worse&#xA;when you flare up&#xA;at someone who's angry.&#xA;Whoever doesn't flare up&#xA;at someone who's angry&#xA;    wins a battle&#xA;    hard to win.&#xA;&#xA;You live for the good of both&#xA;    — your own, the other's —&#xA;when, knowing the other's provoked,&#xA;    you mindfully grow calm.&#xA;&#xA;When you work the cure of both&#xA;    — your own, the other's —&#xA;those who think you a fool&#xA;know nothing of Dhamma.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T05:53:51.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4115" CreationDate="2014-10-12T15:04:58.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My favorite essay on &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt; is Thanissaro Bhikkhu's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nostringsattached.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;No Strings Attached:&#xA;The Buddha's Culture of Generosity&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In it Thanissaro Bhikkhu points out the main criteria Buddha himself set for right &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt; (AN 6.37):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The donor, before giving, is glad; while giving, his/her mind is inspired; and after giving, is gratified. These are the three factors of the donor…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The recipients are free of passion or are practicing for the subduing of passion; free of aversion or practicing for the subduing of aversion; and free of delusion or practicing for the subduing of delusion. These are the three factors of the recipients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then goes on to show that explicitly asking for donations goes against the above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In pressuring retreatants to give to teachers, it doesn't lead to gladness before giving, and instead sounds like a plea for a tip at the end of a meal. The frequent efforts to pull on the retreatants' heartstrings as a path to their purse strings betray a lack of trust in their thoughtfulness and leave a bad taste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He mainly argues against putting hard dana amounts on dharma talks (making them paid lectures), but I feel it does apply to your case as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear what he proposes instead though, he does not really explain it at great details:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ideal solution would be to provide a framework whereby serious Dhamma practitioners could be supported whether or not they taught. ... a genuine culture of dana ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally believe in membership fees. Those lay people who are associated with a given Dharma Center for a long time, could organize a sort of PTA club (with optional membership!), collect membership fees among themselves, and then donate them to the center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-12T15:41:44.813" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T15:41:44.813" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4117" CreationDate="2014-10-12T15:18:11.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As most spiritual founders, the Buddha's life and actions are conveyed orally for 500 years and are prone to be expanded upon, embellished or even invented. I see the Flower Sermon as more representative of Buddha because for him the lesson was so simple. No need for words. No need for fiery emotions. Just hold up a flower - he is whispering inside, can't you see what is plain as day. One person saw it and became an important conveyor of the dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A later Buddhist is Dogen. He wrote the Shobo Genzo or True Dharma Eye in order to demystify Buddhism in Japan from a religion of beliefs to a practice of realization.&#xA;Here is a link that describes this in more depth.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-PHIL/shaner.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-PHIL/shaner.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is important to emphasize  Dogen's descriptive&#xA;          phenomenological     methodology    in    Shobogenzo.&#xA;          Shobogenzo  is a collection  of Dogen's  discourses,&#xA;          given  orally  and written, from 1231 until his death&#xA;          in  1253.  The  apparent  phenomenological  tenor  of&#xA;          Shobogenzo is characterized  by Dogen's argumentation&#xA;          based upon reference to everyday experience.  Dogen's&#xA;          foremost objective  in Shobogenzo  is to describe the&#xA;          most primordial mode of experience in which the world&#xA;          is presented to consciousness.  He is concerned  with&#xA;          faithfully  describing  a mode of experience  void of&#xA;          unjustified       presuppositions,       metaphysical&#xA;          conceptualizations, ontological  presuppositions,  or&#xA;          any other impairment of an authentic direct encounter&#xA;          with  th  world   as  it  is  originally   given   to&#xA;          consciousness.  Each fascicle  focuses  upon specific&#xA;          aspects  of experience, for example, its  istructure,&#xA;          temporal  component, ethical dimension, and so forth.&#xA;          Dogen's appeal to cultivate (shugyo(d)) an unimpaired&#xA;          experience  one's situation (jisetsu(e)) was intended&#xA;          to justify his insistence on practicing zazen (seated&#xA;          meditation).  Dogen abandoned his initial description&#xA;          of how to perform zazen (Fukanzazengi(f)) and&#xA;          --------------------------&#xA;              David  E.   Shaner  is  Assistant   Professor  of&#xA;          Philosophy,  Furman   University,  Creenville,  South&#xA;          Carolina. Philosophy East and West 35, no. 1 (January&#xA;          1985).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;                            p. 18&#xA;&#xA;    justification of its prominent role in the history of&#xA;    Buddhist practice (Bendowa(g)) in favor of describing&#xA;    the experience  of zazen itself  (Shobogenzo).  Since&#xA;    Dogen's  endeavor  is to describe  the  structure  of&#xA;    paradigmatic  modes  of experience  that authenticate&#xA;    Buddhist doctrines, a phenomenological interpretation&#xA;    is a more appropriate methodology  than, for example,&#xA;    a historical or analytical approach.(1)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen tried to demystify the practice of meditation and put things in an experiential reference point. One must choose a path that is inclined to the ways that are your own inner orientation. Both of these examples offer evidence of the Buddha and Dogen being free of being firebrand preaching in favor of sticking to the plain, essentials of the path. This question remains open to various interpretation as long as no reliable sources exist directly from the time of Buddha. However, Dogen's life is well documented and may give us clues to the Buddha's style and intensity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T15:18:11.970" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4092" CreationDate="2014-10-12T16:16:35.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All the beings you mention as remembering past lives are spontaneously&#xA;  reborn (opapaatika), whereas humans and animals are either egg-born&#xA;  (aṇḍaja), womb-born (jalābuja), or moisture-born (saṃsedaja). Only&#xA;  spontaneously reborn beings are readily able to remember their past&#xA;  lives; most others have their past life memories repressed by the&#xA;  trauma and general coarseness of their rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I know this is all general Buddhist knowledge, but I can't find a&#xA;  reliable source from the original texts; if anyone knows of one,&#xA;  please feel free to put it in the comments.  - Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is in reference to Ven. Yuttadhammo's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, there are these four kinds of generation. What are the&#xA;  four? Egg-born generation, womb-born generation, moisture-born&#xA;  generation and spontaneous generation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is egg-born generation? There are these beings born by breaking&#xA;  out of the shell of an egg; this is called egg-born generation. What&#xA;  is womb-born generation? There are these beings born by breaking out&#xA;  from the caul; this is called womb-born generation. What is&#xA;  moisture-born generation? There are these beings born in a rotten&#xA;  fish, in a rotten corpse, in rotten dough, in a cesspit, or in a&#xA;  sewer; this is called moisture-born generation. What is spontaneous&#xA;  generation? There are gods and denizens of hell and certain human&#xA;  beings and some beings in the lower worlds; this is called spontaneous&#xA;  generation. These are the four kinds of generation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Maha-Sihanada Sutta, MN 12)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can refer to : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2014-10-12T16:32:17.873" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T16:32:17.873" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5128" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5133" CreationDate="2014-10-12T16:50:00.670" Score="6" ViewCount="789" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shunryu Suzuki famously said in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/402843.Zen_Mind_Beginner_s_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Mind, Beginners Mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the&#xA;  expert’s there are few&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if one's beginners mind has gone is it possible to regain it. If so what can one do to get a beginner's mind back again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation for asking this is that after a years practice I had a very strong feeling of my beginners mind leaving me. I felt very fresh, vibrant and curious about practice for about a year then one day I could literally feel that ebb away. From that point my practice was different - maybe not worse but definitely has a different quality to it. It feels more like work I guess. So I've always been curious to whether that initial state would ever come back and if there was anything I could do to encourage it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:14:31.777" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:14:31.777" Title="Can someone regain a Beginners Mind when it has gone?" Tags="|zen|personal-practice|books|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4113" CreationDate="2014-10-12T16:51:31.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was kind of confused and bewildered by the question but I think I understand what your getting at.&#xA;I'm sure you know that genes don't have minds to perform karmic intentions.  What genes a being is recombined with upon rebirth depends on the previous morality of the being  (according to the teachings of the Buddha). Of course on another level, what genes a being gets depends on mother and father's genes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One person is born with genes that give them a body that stays fit no matter what they eat while another person gets an unfit body even though they exercise and eat all the right foods. The Buddha 's teaching here is more at the level of answering the question as to why one person seems naturally rewarded by the genes they were born with while the other seems cursed. So, if we are cursed in this life it is because of bad karma(bad moral action) we made in a past life and if we are blessed it is because of good karma(good moral action) we performed in a past life according to Buddhism.-hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T16:51:31.967" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4117" CreationDate="2014-10-12T16:58:45.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a full account of the events surrounding the fire sermon, you have to look in the vinaya pitaka. An old translation of the complete account is &lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1312.htm#page_118_fr_1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest he comes to &amp;quot;thundering&amp;quot; is when he defeats the naga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3. Then the Blessed One entered the room where the fire was kept, made himself a couch of grass, and sat down cross-legged, keeping the body erect and surrounding himself with watchfulness of mind2. And the Nâga saw that the Blessed One had entered; when he saw that, he became annoyed, and irritated, and sent forth a cloud of smoke. Then the Blessed One thought: 'What if I were to leave intact the skin, and hide, and flesh, and ligaments, and bones, p. 120 and marrow of this Nâga; but were to conquer the fire, which he will send forth, by my fire.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4. And the Blessed One effected the appropriate exercise of miraculous power and sent forth a cloud of smoke. Then the Nâga, who could not master his rage1, sent forth flames. And the Blessed One, converting his body into fire2, sent forth flames. When they both shone forth with their flames, the fire room looked as if it were burning and blazing, as if it were all in flames. And the Gatilas, surrounding the fire room, said: 'Truly, the countenance of the great Samana is beautiful, but the Nâga will do harm to him3.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5. That night having elapsed, the Blessed One, leaving intact the skin and hide and flesh and ligaments and bones and marrow of that Nâga, and conquering the Nâga's fire by his fire, threw him into his alms-bowl, and showed him to the Gatila Uruvelâ Kassapa (saying), 'Here you see the Nâga, Kassapa; his fire has been conquered by my fire.' Then the Gatila Uruvelâ Kassapa thought: 'Truly the great Samana possesses high magical powers and great faculties, in that he is able to conquer by his fire the fire of that savage Nâga king, who is possessed of magical power, that dreadfully venomous serpent. He is not, however, holy (arahâ) as I am.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pretty clear that there wasn't actually any affectation on the Buddha's part. The word &amp;quot;threw&amp;quot; is a mistranslation; it would better be &amp;quot;placed&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest he gets to actual disturbance is when he finally confronts Uruvela Kassapa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;17. Then the Blessed One thought: 'This foolish man will still for a long time think thus: &amp;quot;Truly the great Samana possesses high magical powers and great faculties; he is not, however, holy like me.&amp;quot; What if I were to move the mind of this Gatila (in order to show him my superiority).'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said to the Gatila Uruvelâ Kassapa: 'You are not holy (arahâ), Kassapa, nor have you entered the path of Arahatship, nor do you walk in such a practice as will lead you to Arahatship. or to entering the path of Arahatship.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pretty tame, but then that's to be expected; he was, after all, a fully enlightened Buddha. There &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; a couple of examples I can think of where does affect an emotional disposition to get his point across, if only in the words he chooses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;His words to Vakkali, who spent all his time staring at the Buddha's majesty:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in spite of the Teacher’s admonition, Vakkali could not let the Teacher get out of his sight or leave the Teacher’s presence. Finally the Teacher thought to himself, “Unless this monk receives a shock, he will never come to understand.” Now the season of the rains was at hand, and the Teacher desired to enter upon residence. So on the day appointed to enter upon residence, the Teacher went to Rājagaha, turning Vakkali away with the words, &lt;strong&gt;“Go back, Vakkali.”&lt;/strong&gt; So for the space of three months Vakkali was unable to be with the Teacher and kept saying to himself, “The Teacher speaks to me no more.” Finally he said to himself, “What is the use of my living any longer? I will throw myself headlong from the top of a mountain.” And with this thought in mind, he climbed to the top of Mount Vulture Peak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp-A 381 (Burlingame, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English here is poor; &lt;em&gt;apehi&lt;/em&gt; means &amp;quot;Go away!&amp;quot;, or even &amp;quot;Get lost!&amp;quot;, so it was a bit like a slap in the face to the poor deluded man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;His words to Devadatta, when he challenged the Buddha to enforce his five extreme rules:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'I would not give over the Bhikkhu-samgha, Devadatta, even to Sâriputta and Moggallâna. How much less, then, to so vile and evil-living a person as you.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe20/sbe20076.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual Pali of this one is actually closer to &amp;quot;lick-spittle&amp;quot;, as per the footnote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the text read &lt;em&gt;khavassa khelâpakassa&lt;/em&gt;. On the first word, compare V, 2, 8. For the second the Dhammapada commentator (Fausböll, p. 143) reads, as does the Sinhalese MS. in our passage, khelâsika. Buddhaghosa, explaining it, says, 'In this passage (we should recollect) that those who obtain the requisites (of a Bhikkhu) by an evil mode of life are said by the Noble Ones to be like unto spittle. The Blessed One calls him khelâpaka (to ex-press that) he eats, (that is, 'gains a living) in sin like that.' (For the Pâli, see the edition of the text, p. 323, where the comma after khelasadisâ should be before it.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T16:58:45.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5128" CreationDate="2014-10-12T18:37:36.110" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Mahasi tradition we don't have the idea of beginner's mind, just a continuous refinement of the process. Many times throughout my practice, I've learned that some phenomena or thought process was just that—where previously I mistook it for a deeper reality. And I continue to experience these refinements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to attempt to answer your question, try not to hang on to the desire for Beginner's Mind. It will come back on its own. In addition, I would say be gentle to your mind and body. Those particular helped me the most when I was struggling in my practice. Maybe it will work the same way for you, in that being gentle with yourself may allow the Beginner's Mind to return when you least expect it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T18:37:36.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5128" CreationDate="2014-10-12T19:27:55.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. You'll never get it back. You're not a beginner anymore. Your definitions are what prevent you- the fact that you experience a &quot;beginners mind&quot; as something of its own means you hold yourself to those definitions. The mind should be in a constant state of what you might term &quot;beginners mind&quot; simply from knowing itself- they go hand in hand. Not just observing oneself, but the unity of knowing oneself. So I say; find yourself and you will have what you want.&#xA;That's where I want to stop, because I don't think you'll really benefit from an explanation, but this is stack exchange so it's for everybody and I'll give some explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are calling a beginners mind is a concept that you have extrapolated from something somebody once said. It was said to call attention to the particular ways of thinking by relating them to an experience we can relate to. When we are new to something, we are somewhat in awe of it because we cannot sometimes even fathom its circumference. To us, it is still infinite, in a sense. The expert, however, is well acquainted with something; to him, its circumference is well known. No mystery left there. But there is ALWAYS something more and you do yourself a disservice to ever think that you've seen it all. But really, these two are merely the two sides of a coin that you should just throw away. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2115" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T19:27:55.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5128" CreationDate="2014-10-12T20:54:35.270" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the sense that Shunryu Suzuki uses &quot;beginner's mind&quot; there is no losing the beginners mind. It is our natural beingness. Being lost to it is believing there is something in this world of appearance that can fulfill us or satisfy our longing to be in &quot;beginner's mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one quote that talks about our natural beingness:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/62707.Shunryu_Suzuki&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/62707.Shunryu_Suzuki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun&#xA;  and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true&#xA;  than I can say, and more true than you can hear.”  ― Shunryu Suzuki&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The asker said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;The motivation for asking this is that after a years practice I had a very strong feeling of my beginners mind leaving me.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beginner's mind does not leave us, we leave the beginner's mind whenever we identify with the thoughts in our mind or believe we are separate from our natural being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we go to the original quote there is ample clarification of the sense intended&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/lectures/srl%20la%20beginners%20mind.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/lectures/srl%20la%20beginners%20mind.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In beginner’s mind we have many possibilities, but in expert mind&#xA;  there is not much possibility. So in our practice it is important to&#xA;  resume to our original mind or inmost mind which we, ourselves, even&#xA;  we ourselves do not know what it is. This is the most important thing&#xA;  for us. The founder of our school emphasized this point. We have to&#xA;  remain always beginners mind. This is the secret of Zen and secret of&#xA;  various practices -- practice of flower arrangement, practice of&#xA;  Japanese singing and various art. If we keep our beginner’s mind, we&#xA;  keep our precepts. When we lose our beginner’s mind we will lose all&#xA;  the precepts and for Zen students the most important thing is not to&#xA;  be dualistic or not -- we should not lose our self-satisfied state of&#xA;  mind. We should not be too demanding, or we should not be too greedy.&#xA;  Our mind should always be rich and self-satisfied. When our mind&#xA;  become demanding -- when we become longing for something, we will&#xA;  violate our precepts not to kill, not to be immoral, not to steal, or&#xA;  not to tell lie and so on. Those are based on our greedy mind. When&#xA;  our mind is self-satisfied we keep our precepts. When we ourselves is&#xA;  always self-satisfied, we have our original mind and we can practice&#xA;  good and we are always true to ourselves. So the most difficult thing&#xA;  is to keep our beginner’s mind in our practice. So if you can keep&#xA;  your beginner’s mind forever, you are Buddha. In this point, our&#xA;  practice should be constant. We should practice our way with&#xA;  beginner’s mind always. There is no need to have deep understanding&#xA;  about Zen. Even though you read Zen literature you have to keep this&#xA;  beginner’s mind. You have to read it with fresh mind. We shouldn’t&#xA;  say, “I know what is Zen” or “I have attained enlightenment.”. We&#xA;  should be always big enough. This is very important. And we should be&#xA;  very very careful about this point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;So in our practice it is important to resume [revert] to our original mind or inmost mind which we, ourselves, even we ourselves do not know what it is.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you feel like your practice does not bring you wholly aware in beginner's mind, let us just accept where we are right now. It is not something we must attain, but we must experience cessation from the samsara or worldly mind, then the Buddha mind or beginner's mind is self apparent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-10-12T23:54:53.617" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T23:54:53.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5128" CreationDate="2014-10-12T23:15:29.827" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few years ago, I started having an experience like &quot;I'm finally learning the things I knew when I was 17.&quot;  (I'm 55 now;  no implication that it takes decades, lol.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's natural to have beginner's mind when everything is a literally new experience, and you're &quot;learning&quot;.  Now, beginner's mind is still natural (see &lt;code&gt;soulsings&lt;/code&gt;' answer), but a &quot;learner&quot; part of you will be participating in that, in new way after new way.  That may seem like you're &quot;learning more&quot; (see &lt;code&gt;qweilun&lt;/code&gt;'s answer), or it may not require learning at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those of us who came to Buddhist thinking thru New Age thinking, this is one of the places in New Age thinking, where it's easy to get stuck:  thinking that it will always be spiritual &quot;evolution&quot;, self &quot;development&quot; (whatever the self is ;)  and &quot;learning principles&quot;... all of which has value, but if we &quot;identify&quot; with this &quot;forever learner&quot;, it automates itself, and can be experienced as unstoppable, even as a burden... &lt;br&gt; &#xA;Whereas another thing I've noticed recently:  that my most touching &quot;lessons&quot; are not &quot;learning&quot;... less and less &quot;new information&quot;... more and more &quot;old information freshly present.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somewhat aside, but that you might enjoy considering: Gangaji, (a Zen Buddhist who became a student of Papaji), sometimes says things like this, that have a beginner's mind flavor, for me: &#xA;&quot;What is at peace, what is already free, what is endless in its realization of itself, is here now, and is who you are.&quot; &lt;br&gt; &#xA;In that context, there is the endless, which will never provide a &quot;place to land&quot;, and the already here, which does not require a &quot;place to land.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="891" LastEditorUserId="891" LastEditDate="2014-10-12T23:38:45.403" LastActivityDate="2014-10-12T23:38:45.403" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5135" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5144" CreationDate="2014-10-12T23:51:21.063" Score="7" ViewCount="5458" Body="&lt;p&gt;Will someone explain Bhavanga and Javana in simple way?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;At times, they seem non-comprehensible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2116" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-13T14:14:18.610" LastActivityDate="2022-09-04T07:01:15.127" Title="What are Bhavanga and Javana?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|mindfulness|teachers|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2606" CreationDate="2014-10-13T02:09:47.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least in the West some monks and nuns do have credit cards and some assets because getting credit for an one-monastic temple or even a sangha isn't easy. They still live a life with the tiniest amount of personal belongs but they travel, own real estate, own &amp;amp; rent cars and shop online. They consider their assets as belonging to a sangha and manage it that way even when technically there isn't one. In &lt;strong&gt;some&lt;/strong&gt; circles (at least mine) it takes six monastics to make a proper sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in that case I guess by saying &quot;for the sangha&quot; they can take it and they're really getting the money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I speak as laity that assists a nunnery in such matters. Technically a thư ký.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T02:09:47.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2014-10-13T02:27:26.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pure Land Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's so much about compassion with Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. IMO Pure Land Buddhism has allowed everyday people to easily achieve a deep meditative state not with pure abstract ideas like Zen but by using simple iconography (although most temples mix in some Zen). The issue and complaint for some is that some ascribe superstition to the teachings. As my master / bhikkhuni says &quot;People come in [to the temple] when they're in trouble and pray but Buddha doesn't work that way.&quot; Even folks like Thích Nhất Hạnh have hinted that the Pure Land is more for the mind than anything else when he wrote about &quot;if there's no lemon trees in the Pure Land.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is explore Pure Land and remember that it's compassion that binds us together. Both the skeptic and superstitious can seat next to each other in a Buddha hall, get the exact same experience and be good friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T02:27:26.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5138" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5139" CreationDate="2014-10-13T06:43:12.160" Score="5" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it right for a monastery or a temple to take money donations, having donation boxes and selling a lot of different things to worship or get luck from?&#xA;Or shouldn't a monastery use money just like the monks?&#xA;I feel if I want to give to a monastery is better to give food to the monks, give the things they need not the money so they can get it themself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1089" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T16:53:43.327" Title="Money to monasteries" Tags="|monastery|money|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5138" CreationDate="2014-10-13T10:30:47.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it is OK for monastics to sell things. Sư Trưởng (Head Nun) Như Thanh started the Huế Làm Nunnery and nine other nunneries by selling food and in a few cases businesses like rice sales, making soy sauce, printing sutras and a tailor shop. (1) She was in many ways the Mother Teresa of Vietnam but refused to travel saying she would just give the money to the nunneries thus she remains unknown. In her life she raised over 5000 nuns and 13 Dharma masters including Sư Cô Thích Nữ Như Nguyệt, PhD sited above. A large reason 90% of the monastics in Vietnam are now nuns can be traced back to her works. I do not know of another person that made such a big change to Buddhism in one country (and by extension the US because her disciples are here) in the scant span of 100 years like Sư Trưởng Như Thanh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Her book &quot;Path of the Bodhisattva&quot; (Vietnamese only 1989) might be the crowning achievement out of her extensive literary works. Without a doubt she was one of the most stunning people of this world and few know her name. But those that do she is seen as a true bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Looking up, I seek enlightenment. Looking down, I liberate sentient beings.&quot; - Sư Trưởng Như Thanh. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you go to a Vietnamese-American temple run by nuns and see food being sold you'll know who started it [so &lt;strong&gt;please&lt;/strong&gt; buy some]. Also any temple named &quot;Huế Làm&quot; will quite likely have her picture hanging around somewhere. She is that important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eminent Buddhist Women, p. 88 &quot;Fostering Self-sufficiency&quot; written by her Dharma daughter and personal care attendant of the last 22 years of her life Pháp sư và Sư cô Thích Nữ Như Nguyệt (&quot;moon&quot;), PhD. &lt;a href=&quot;http://goo.gl/TKNxns&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://goo.gl/TKNxns&lt;/a&gt;.  She is the apex between intelligence and compassion. Her pháp danh should've been Minh.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://giacngo.vn/lichsu/2009/01/15/7FC650/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://giacngo.vn/lichsu/2009/01/15/7FC650/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for giving just food I'm someone who's office duties includes cutting checks to pay the electricity, heat, Internet, phone and the myriad of other bills and can say at our nunnery (note: I'm laity and a white guy) money is always accepted with gratitude and is needed. Gratitude was something Sư Trưởng Như Thanh taught should always been shown.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: In hindsight I would recommended making donations for specific needs. If a monastic needs a car fixed you show pay the mechanic. If they need to pay a bill you should it the company directly. Advice I received from a very good monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastEditorUserId="979" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T16:53:43.327" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T16:53:43.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5141" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-13T12:23:07.220" Score="6" ViewCount="531" Body="&lt;p&gt;I took a friend interested in Buddhism to a centre. This person is Catholic and doesn't want to change that; she is very satisfied with her religion. However she was curious about Buddhism and specially meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end she was a bit disappointed because there were 2 mentions of other religions (catholics and other buddhist schools) that she thought were driven by a big &quot;pride&quot;, for example: &quot;Here we don't do this...in other centres they do&quot;; &quot;We value this, catholics don't&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't have the same interpretation, however I agree one should be very careful on talking to an open public about other religions and traditions, as it can be very easily misunderstood. We don't need to use other religions to make a point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the question is: Is there any Buddhist code of ethics on that? In the Vinaya maybe? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-10-13T21:47:43.403" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T21:47:43.403" Title="Buddhist &quot;code of ethics&quot; on talking about other religions" Tags="|ethics|right-speech|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5142" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5172" CreationDate="2014-10-13T12:52:02.447" Score="7" ViewCount="1823" Body="&lt;p&gt;What advice (or techniques e.g. of meditation) does Buddhism (of any tradition) have for people who experience physical pain (caused by an illness and treated by a doctor)? Or for the people (friends, family, even nurses) of such people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That (physical pain) is what the word &quot;suffering&quot; implies or means to most people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;see the doctor, get better analgesics&quot; the best or only real answer? What if analgesics have an effect on the mind -- e.g. opioids -- is that 'bad'? What if analgesics don't work, e.g. neuropathic pain, or if the medicines are not available?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for asking. This isn't a &quot;real problem&quot; for me at the moment, so it may be an example of unnecessary worry -- but I'm able to ask now, and in case this problem happens to me or someone else in the future, I want to have prepared/studied some appropriate advice in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And/or what advice do you have for people now, &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; they experience pain, to prepare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that 'pain' is meant to send some kind of warning message, so temporary/new pain and a trip to the doctor might be the first thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the sake of this question, please assume that the underlying problem has already been medically diagnosed: that it is chronic pain, from an illness like diabetic neuropathy or terminal cancer, or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T15:34:49.690" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T15:34:49.690" Title="Experiencing physical pain" Tags="|modern-world|suffering|death|laity|pain|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-13T13:17:42.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, the enlightened attitude is to see pain is information. (For comparison, the non-enlightened attitude is to block/avoid/suppress pain by all means.) Because pain is information, we should evaluate it, see what message it carries and what it means for us, and then act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some physical pain is a symptom of a deeper-lying problem, and instead of suppressing the symptom a wiser approach would be to take care of the causes (often, bad lifestyle habits).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some physical pain accompanies exercises that help one get stronger physically and emotionally. The right attitude to such pain is to accept the physical component and by accepting it eliminate the emotional component that comes from resistance and self-pity (so called &quot;pain of pain&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, some physical pain is a sign of damage being done to the body right now, like the pain that accompanies tearing of ligaments. There is also residual pain that accompanies recovery process etc. -- these fall in the realm of regular medicine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the rule of thumb is to not worry about the pain itself, but the message behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if pain is so overwhelmingly strong that it obscures the mind, I would imagine the Buddhist approach would not disagree with using anesthetics temporarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-13T13:37:24.067" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T13:37:24.067" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5135" CreationDate="2014-10-13T14:13:39.760" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's book A Comprehensive manual of Abhidhamma, Chapter 3 Guide to §8 :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word bhavanga means “factor (anga) of  existence (bhava),” that&#xA;  is, “the indispensable condition of existence.”  Bhavanga is the &#xA;  function of consciousness by which the continuity of the individual is&#xA;  preserved through  the duration of any single existence, from&#xA;  conception to death.  After the paṭisandhicitta  has arisen and fallen&#xA;  away, it is then followed by the bhavangacitta, which is a resultant &#xA;  consciousness  of  the  same  type  as  the  paṭisandhicitta  but &#xA;  which  performs  a  different function,  namely,  the  function  of &#xA;  preserving  the  continuity  of  individual  existence. Bhavangacittas&#xA;  arise  and  pass  away  every  moment  during  life  whenever  there &#xA;  is  no active cognitive process taking place.  This type of&#xA;  consciousness is most evident during deep dreamless sleep, but it also&#xA;  occurs momentarily during waking life countless times  between&#xA;  occasions of active cognition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words the Bhavanga-Citta is a mindstate that has all the necessary features of consciousness but is otherwise blank. It occurs in between all other mindstates and also during what we would now call being unconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same section the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi explains Javana thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Javana” is a technical term of Abhidhamma usage that is best left &#xA;  untranslated. The  literal  meaning  of  the  word  is  “running &#xA;  swiftly.”    As  a  function  of consciousness, it applies to the&#xA;  stage of the cognitive process that immediately follows  the&#xA;  determining stage 76  and consists of series of cittas (normally&#xA;  seven, all identical in kind) which “run swiftly” over the object in&#xA;  the act of apprehending it.  The javana stage is the most important&#xA;  from an ethical standpoint, for it is at this point that wholesome or&#xA;  unwholesome cittas originate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Javana is one step in a series of things that occur after having a sense experience. A sense experience starts with the Bhavanga vibrating for one moment and in the next moment is cut off. Then a mindstate arises which turns towards the sense object; This turning is called āvajjana, or adverting. Then you have the appropriate sense consciousness arise that is aware of the sense object. If the sense object is one of the physical senses then you also have a mindstate of receiving, then a mindstate of investigating, and then a mindstate of determining that follow the sense consciousness. For a mental consciousness these three mindstates don't happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After this happens there arises a series of seven mindstates called the Javana. I think the best way to think of it is that in the earlier phases the mind is becoming aware of an object, and in the Javana phase the mind is actually reacting to the object. After the Javana you have some other phases, but they aren't that relavent to this discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T14:13:39.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-13T14:32:58.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that for pain one ought to take pain medication if the pain is enough to interfere with normal functioning. Even if it has an effect on the mind I think it is a legitimate reason. For example, in the Vinaya Pitika the Buddha went so far as to recommend the use of marijuana placed in boiling water as pain relief for arthritis, and the mind altering effects of marijuana is more than that of opiate pain meds taken at a proper dose, so pain meds should be fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of other ways to have pain relief I have found in my own experience that practicing mindfulness of the body is an effective method. Even if it can't get rid of the pain mindfulness of the body can greatly reduce the mental reaction to the physical pain making it quite bearable. I wouldn't try to use it in place of medication, but using it along side it should help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For information on practicing mindfulness of the body I recommend reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kayagatasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; particularly the instructions on discerning the body in terms of the four properties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-13T16:22:58.700" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T16:22:58.700" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-13T15:10:07.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My own approach toward pain is to meditate. If I have pain sitting up I lay down. If I fall asleep I must need sleep.&#xA;What is meditation? &quot;a state of consciousness in which the observer detaches from several qualities of the mind.&quot; One of these qualities is pain.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhyāna (Sanskrit; Devanagari: ध्यान) or Jhāna (झान) (Pāli) means&#xA;  meditation in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It refers to various&#xA;  states of samadhi,[1] a state of consciousness in which the observer&#xA;  detaches from several qualities of the mind.[2] In this state one has&#xA;  become firm and stable and everything that is appearing is noticed but&#xA;  not identified to.[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhyana is the awareness of the observer (witness) yet inclusive of&#xA;  mind, body, senses and surroundings, however not identified with it,&#xA;  deepening of which leads to samadhi. The Sutta Pitaka describes four&#xA;  levels of dhyana, called jhana, each of increasing depth. The Jhanas&#xA;  are described many times in the Pāli canon, and a great deal of the&#xA;  post-canonical Theravāda Buddhist and Mahayana literature have been&#xA;  devoted to its elucidation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than tell you how to meditate (follow the breath, concentrate, have compassion for all people, and other Buddhist meditation techniques) let me just say expand your meditation practice or add new elements to it.&#xA;Of course this is not a recommendation to opt out of medical treatment if you feel that is your path, but it is to say that relief can be found, or at least a distancing and non-identification with the body sensations. Of course if you are bleeding, stop the bleeding, then meditate. Do all you can like accupressure, yoga or whatever gives you relief, then meditate. Start your day with meditation and end it with meditation. Distance yourself from the pain as you count the breaths. The pain may not disappear but the identification with the pain may disappear. This is the Buddhist concept of cessation. A pain is still a pain, but it is no longer my pain. It is a merely an electrical impulse in the aggregates that form the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T15:10:07.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5141" CreationDate="2014-10-13T15:20:07.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately your friend bristled at the religious aspects that some Buddhist practitioners pile on to the simplicity of Buddhism.&#xA;If your friend has not been burned, show her the simplicity and innocence of the flower sermon.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or show her the simplicity of following the breath meditation&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/mindfulness-breathing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/mindfulness-breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could mention the Dalai Lama and his warm relationship with Christians&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wccm.org/content/interview-laurence-freeman-comments-friendship-dalai-lama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wccm.org/content/interview-laurence-freeman-comments-friendship-dalai-lama&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would hesitate myself to go to any organization, whether they call themselves Buddhists or not, if they say derisive or critical comments about any religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do no harm. Or do nothing. But don't hide behind a religion and sow seeds of discord - I am ashamed that this could happen to your friend. Please offer her my sincere and humble apologies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T15:20:07.517" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-13T15:40:50.240" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a proper answer about the ethics but my personal experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer of the jaw and was given two months to live. I prepared my final plans, said goodbye to my family and gave up everything to my wife (who's a MD so truly understood the score). While I've almost died more than a few times (USCG MK on a 44' MLB in the North Atlantic) this sucked because I had children. Even with surgery it was unlikely they would get everything. I was most likely going to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After aggressive, life altering surgery (12 hours on the table and three days in a coma but with clean margins), major chemo and 39 radiation sessions to the head in an eight month span that nearly killed me the cancer was gone. As I healed I slowly and systematically in a six month span weaned myself off of a &gt;200mg daily dose of oxycodone. I'd like to say it was tough but it wasn't. Uncomfortable? Yes but I knew that the discomfort was not of being sick but of healing so I welcomed it. For three months after that I went with no pain medications, prescription, OTC or other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What was left was major neuropathic pain around the surgical site where facial injuries are very sensitive and right leg where the bone graft [implanted in my jaw] was taken. My MDs have no problem having me on opiates until I die but to me that was a death. For me any opiates were not acceptable. So what did I do? My state has a medical cannabis law and I got a caretaker that in many ways is a true bodhisattva. Is it worse than alcohol and opiates? IMO and those of my MDs: no. My IM MD (a medical school professor and addiction specialist) of &gt;15y is happy with my choice. With tinnitus from the chemo I can't even take a NSAID. Medical cannabis has made a difference in my life. It's not perfect but it is IMO relatively benign and my best choice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So IMO in the end it has to be your choice. If you need medications then take them. If you don't then don't. Also IMO the fact that you're even asking the question clearly shows you understand this and would embrace it. You're &quot;ahead of the curve&quot; on this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you find an answer that works for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today I find myself as the personal secretary to a Vietnamese-American Dharma master (her master was the &quot;Mother Teresa of Vietnam&quot; and only in a handful of Dharma heirs from her) and abbess of the local nunnery who is the most compassionate person I will ever meet. She truly understands the lesson of Avalokiteśvara and lives that life to the betterment of our sangha. To sit at the same desk with a such a person is humbling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life does go on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nam mô A Di Đà Phật.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T15:40:50.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5141" CreationDate="2014-10-13T16:32:28.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you've described is probably very common in meditation centres, unfortunately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't from the Vinaya proper, but in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha goes over many views, starting with superficial views his followers have of him. Here's an excerpt from Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It is, bhikkhus, only to trifling and insignificant matters, to the minor details of mere moral virtue, that a worldling would refer when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata. And what are those trifling and insignificant matters, those minor details of mere moral virtue, to which he would refer?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Having abandoned the destruction of life, &lt;em&gt;[omitted for brevity]&lt;/em&gt;' It is in this way, bhikkhus, that the worldling would speak when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: 'Having abandoned taking what is not given, &lt;em&gt;[omitted]&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: 'Having abandoned unchaste living, &lt;em&gt;[omitted]&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: 'Having abandoned false speech, the recluse Gotama abstains from falsehood. He speaks only the truth, he lives devoted to truth; trustworthy and reliable, he does not deceive anyone in the world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: &lt;strong&gt;'Having abandoned slander, the recluse Gotama abstains from slander. He does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide others from the people here, nor does he repeat here what he has heard elsewhere in order to divide these from the people there. Thus he is a reconciler of those who are divided and a promoter of friendships. Rejoicing, delighting, and exulting in concord, he speaks only words that are conducive to concord.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: &lt;strong&gt;'Having abandoned harsh speech, the recluse Gotama abstains from harsh speech. He speaks only such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, urbane, amiable, and agreeable to many people.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the Theragatha (found in the ) we have the verses by Vangisa Bhikkhu (according to ATI, the bhikkhu whom the Buddha designated as his foremost disciple in the composition of spontaneous verse):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;1227&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One should speak only that word by which one would not torment oneself nor harm others. That word is indeed well spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One should speak only pleasant words, words which are acceptable (to others). What one speaks without bringing evils to others is pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Truth is indeed the undying word; this is an ancient verity. Upon truth, the good say, the goal and the teaching are founded.[19]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The sure word the Awakened One speaks for the attainment of nibbana, for making an end of suffering, is truly the best of words.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T16:32:28.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-13T17:35:49.373" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple &amp;quot;pain clearing&amp;quot; techniques, that have a meditative and Buddhist foundation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I'll summarize a few high points (see (1) thru (3) below), then I'll give abbreviated steps for the technique I most often use (see (a) thru (i) below). For whatever understanding is worth (sometimes understanding is the booby prize ;) here's the few high points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Play with the point of view, that pain and suffering are distinct, and that suffering is all about resistance.  (You can see the Buddhist roots of this.)  So... for this:  &lt;em&gt;EMBRACE&lt;/em&gt; your right-now experience (if you have resistance, embrace that too), the &amp;quot;suffering&amp;quot; aspect decreases... and as you continue to embrace, not only can the suffering decrease... you can even see the pain disappear. &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pain may initially be a natural response, but very quickly (seconds), you can end up experiencing the &lt;em&gt;memory&lt;/em&gt; of a pain, as much or more than the actual right-now sensations.  So, for this:  &lt;em&gt;BE PRESENT&lt;/em&gt;.  For example be aware, and then notice who is the one being aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Afternote:  also, suffering can be our emotional recoil from the pain... which the &amp;quot;welcoming&amp;quot; steps below will help with.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also helpful:  bring something that is &amp;quot;present energy&amp;quot; for you, to the pain.  Examples:  spaciousness, love, presence, relatedness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, an example of using the technique below:  the day after I learned the below &lt;strong&gt;Sedona Method&lt;/strong&gt;'s pain-clearing technique (from a group phone conference, facilitated by Hale Dwoskin)... I slammed my fingers, while closing a window using one hand... so hard, that I had to drop what I had in my free hand, so I could pound the window, to get it open.  Long story short:  about 5-10 minutes later, I still had bloody fingers, but no pain... using that technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The technique:  (a) experience the right-now sensations (not just the pain -- ALL sensations); (b) experience the spaciousness, that surrounds and inter-penetrates that; (c) go back to the right-now sensations; (d) spaciousness again; (e) back and forth -- sensations, spaciousness... maybe 10 times... (f) ask yourself:  would I be open to seeing this experience as a memory?; (g) COULD I let that memory go?; (h) WOULD i let that memory go?; (i) and When?&#xA;Repeat (a) - (i) above if helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note the Buddhist elements:  the now, the non-resistance, and the spaciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've taken probably 10 people thru that technique, and consistently had them report pain decrease... sometimes complete disappearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another modality with a good pain-clearing meditation is &lt;strong&gt;Brandon Bays&lt;/strong&gt;' modality &amp;quot;The Journey&amp;quot;... but while a lot she does includes a Buddhist flavor, her pain-clearing technique is more NLP / visualization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example that is very Buddhist is from a tape (I think it was &amp;quot;The Art of Happiness&amp;quot;) that I heard, by &lt;strong&gt;Ken Keyes&lt;/strong&gt; Jr., who wrote &amp;quot;The Handbook to Higher Consciousness&amp;quot; (again, some very Buddhist roots), and who himself was a Polio victim confined to a wheelchair.  He had an entire group raise their hands if they had &lt;em&gt;chronic&lt;/em&gt; pain (it sounded like some did), then &lt;em&gt;TRACE IN THE AIR&lt;/em&gt; an outline of their pain, going around and around the outline, constantly updating it as he continued to lecture... then at his next break in his train of thought, he asked them to share if their pain had decreased... and for some, their chronic pain had actually disappeared.  Again, notice the Buddhist elements:  being present, staying where we are, welcoming what's here... or simply &amp;quot;being with&amp;quot; it in a way that has us get related to how it really is, right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, it also helps to have someone else take us thru steps like this, especially the first time we're doing it... but I disappeared that window-slam pain facilitating myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="891" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T17:37:36.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4013" CreationDate="2014-10-13T19:19:23.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an updated conversation on the age old prescription for parents to send children or angry adults to hit a pillow with a tennis racket, or hit a tree with baseball bat.&#xA;In my experience with anger education over 35 years I say without hesitation that hitting an object and any act of violence in the process of controlling an anger or a rage outcome is self-defeating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The initial act can feel satisfying: which is deceptive and misleading. In fact the behavior is an arming  device that connects the emotion to a physical act and can escalate the outcome rather than be an effective diversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A much more effective technique is to familiarize yourself with your anger signals -- those emotional, verbal and body-related changes that happen to you -- and learn how to honor yourself and your needs when under stressful conditions. I am the director of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.anger.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anger Alternatives&lt;/a&gt; where we teach these skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-13T19:35:18.050" LastActivityDate="2014-10-13T19:35:18.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5152" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-13T21:18:39.060" Score="9" ViewCount="2091" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked, What is the core teachings of the Buddha, ( As I do Know ) There was no modern traditions then. I know that there has been a Buddhist Council gathered to try an reach the core understandings. I Hoped that some may know this, an may even have insight on what they reached an what has been decided on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that some traditions and methods tend to confuse and distract away from what little teachings I could find. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find the core teachings of Jesus by reading the Bible, There is no Buddhist Bible. Im so far unable to find a english Pali Canon to read. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me when people say I must have a tradition to know what the teacher says its like saying you can't explain jesus's teachings cause its to hard with out traditions. You dont have to be catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Evangelicalism, or even Baptist to simply look up the text an see for your self what he taught, without the dogmas and doctrines to keep you ensnared into a rigid form of the faith an blind to what it means. This examples shows how some traditions an customs keep you from the truth an keep you distracted away from the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that is why Im asking with out traditions. What Texts can I find that are in english to read, that would help me. Or if a tradition must be needed, then what is the closest to exactly how Siddartha taught would help me get started in that direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefuly This time I can say what I intended on my own question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastEditorUserId="982" LastEditDate="2014-10-20T20:50:58.803" LastActivityDate="2018-01-07T15:14:40.020" Title="What are the Core Teachings of Buddhism?" Tags="|beginner|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="17" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5153" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-13T21:22:59.617" Score="6" ViewCount="813" Body="&lt;p&gt;On researching meditations I find several different aspects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One side tells me to be aware of all my actions ( Breath, Stepping, Thinking ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I see another type where basically you remove all Mindfullness like entering a void, Blankness and without thought but yet still sort of There. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the type a Buddhist should practice? Or the benefit of the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:29:17.943" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:29:17.943" Title="Mindfulness Vs Void" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5153" CreationDate="2014-10-13T21:45:53.653" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are an almost countless array of meditations within Buddhism.  The Visuddhimagga alone outlines 40 different practices for calming the mind.  It covers even more practices for developing mindfulness.  Zen teaches &quot;just sitting&quot; and koan meditation among others.  I can't even begin to count the amount of practices used in Tantra/vajrayana.  Needless to say, it's exceedingly easy to get confused.  It's easier still to not see how one practice might lead into another, when one might practice might be appropriate over another, or when to avoid a given practice altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My best advice is to find a teacher and practice with him or her.  I'd further add that it's important that you find just &lt;em&gt;one&lt;/em&gt; teacher and stick with whatever practice they give you. Eating at the Buddhist Buffet is only going to divide your attention and limit your progress.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T12:18:52.513" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T12:18:52.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5153" CreationDate="2014-10-14T01:19:04.803" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;One side tells me to be aware of all my actions ( Breath, Stepping, Thinking )&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is satipatthana / vipassana / sama-sati (&quot;right mindfulness&quot; in the Noble Eightfold Path) practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then I see another type where basically you remove all Mindfullness like entering a void, Blankness and without thought but yet still sort of There.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two things about the above remark:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I suspect you may have heard or read about someone trying to describe samatha, but just to be perfectly clear, in samatha -- actually in any of Buddha's instructions I know of -- there should not be a lack of &quot;mindfulness&quot; (&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;, presence, awareness).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The term &quot;mindfulness&quot; above could have been used to refer to satipatthana which is popularly known as &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana and samatha present distinct practices, and the Buddha taught both. Though one does not do both simultaneously -- they are known to get in the way of each other -- they may be practiced in conjunction. So, &quot;remove all mindfullness [...]&quot; meaning &quot;not doing satipatthana to do samatha&quot; could start to make more sense, as the descriptions of mental states above suggests an attempt of describing jhanas, which is an array of special &quot;states of mind&quot; often referred to as &quot;absorption states&quot;, developed through samatha practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the type a Buddhist should practice? Or the benefit of the two?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, there are many kinds of meditations preserved by many buddhist traditions as pointed out in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5154/382&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, and speaking of only samatha and satipatthana, popular saying is that one either practices both, or just satiphattana -- it has been brought to attention that there is some ground on the sutras for this position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The benefit of samatha are manyfold, but the prominent characteristics are of calming the mind and sharpening concentration. It's a practice of samadhi, and as such, it has direct correspondence to &quot;right concentration&quot; in the Noble Eightfold Path: &lt;em&gt;samma-samadhi&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sathipatthana is often considered to be the &quot;actual work&quot; that drives one to the understanding, to directing the mind to reality, to &quot;directly see&quot; (vipassanā). It also has a correspondence with &quot;right mindfulness&quot; (sammā-sati) in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T01:27:48.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5157" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-14T02:48:06.920" Score="1" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find sutta pitaka translations in plain English preferably from an author that has practised meditation. If the English is relevant to today's problems and sufferings, even better. Word to word translations are a bit boring to read and understand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am hoping to gain inspiration for my practice by reading and memorising short suttas. I really like pariyatti publications but there only a handful I could find. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe someone knows if I can read the entire sutta pitaka online along with sub commentaries. That would help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T12:03:43.610" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T12:03:43.610" Title="Sutta pitaka in plain English" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2014-10-14T16:08:20.260" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1487" CreationDate="2014-10-14T10:54:39.810" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As well as the list which is quoted in Unrul3r's answer there are, also, three other lists included on Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_points_unifying_Therav%C4%81da_and_Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna&lt;/a&gt; article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A less canonical list was written by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Humphreys#Family_and_early_career&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Christmas Humphreys&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In 1945 he drafted the Twelve Principles of Buddhism for which he obtained the approval of all the Buddhist sects in Japan (including the Shin Sect which was not associated with Olcott's common platform) of the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and leading Buddhists of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China and Tibet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here for example is a link to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://chippit.tripod.com/buddhist_principles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Principles of Buddhism&#xA;By Christmas Humphreys&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They include (I summarize, see a reference for the more-complete text):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Self salvation is for any man the immediate task. &lt;em&gt;(Parable of the Arrow)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The first fact of existence is the law of change or impermanence. &lt;em&gt;(Therefore clinging to form causes suffering)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The law of change applies equally to the &quot;soul&quot;. &lt;em&gt;(Therefore non-self)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The universe is the expression of law. &lt;em&gt;(Kamma, purifying inner nature, liberation from rebirth, ultimately every form of life will reach enlightenment)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Life is one and indivisible, though its ever-changing forms are innumerable and perishable. &lt;em&gt;(Compassion and harmony)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Life being One, the interests of the part should be those of the whole. &lt;em&gt;(Selfishness is caused by ignorance; the four noble truths)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Eightfold Path consists of: etc. &lt;em&gt;(The way is to be practised, not just theory: &quot;Cease to do evil, learn to do good, cleanse your own heart: this is the Teaching of the Buddhas&quot;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Reality is indescribable, and a God with attributes is not the final Reality. But the Buddha, a human being, etc. &lt;em&gt;(The Buddha became enlightened and tought that nirvana can be achieved on earth)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;From potential to actual Enlightenment there lies the Middle Way, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Buddhism lays great stress on the need of inward concentration etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Buddha said: &quot;Work out your own salvation with diligence&quot;. Buddhism knows no authority for truth save the intuition of the individual, and that is authority for himself alone.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Buddhism is neither pessimistic or &quot;escapist&quot;, nor does it deny the existence of God or soul, though it places its own meaning on these terms.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't say that &quot;all schools share these teachings&quot; but apparently, at least, these teachings are compatible with all the schools'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-04-30T10:41:26.947" LastActivityDate="2020-04-30T10:41:26.947" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5160" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5161" CreationDate="2014-10-14T13:19:32.923" Score="3" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;The accepted answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1492/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; includes Compassion, the Triple Jewel, the Four Noble Truths, the Eight-fold Way, Dependent Origination, the Three Marks of Existence, the 37 Factors of Enlightenment, and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also implies that Mahayana acknowledges one Path of Purification (visuddhi-marga):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is that one Path the same (or basically the same) as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; which Wikipedia says is &quot;the 'great treatise' on Theravada Buddhist doctrine written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, accepting that there's one &quot;Path of Purification&quot;, the Wikipedia article titled &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Paths to liberation&lt;/a&gt;&quot; seems to suggest that there's almost a different Path for each tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this a reliable article?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does it properly list the various schools/tradition and accurately summarize their paths?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I've read elementary/contemporary/English-language introductions to various schools (e.g. &lt;em&gt;Zen Flesh Zen Bones&lt;/em&gt; for zen), or visited a Chinese-in-Canada Mahayana temple, or dimly remember a Westerner writing a century or more ago about Tibetan/Mongolian beliefs and practices, they seem to have little in common with each other: e.g. Zen seems to be about being spontaneous or 'original', Chinese about things being better in the Pure Land, Tibetan about the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it true, as stated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Notes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these Notes&lt;/a&gt;, that for all Buddhist traditions, the &quot;Noble Eightfold Path is considered to be the essence of Buddhist practice&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; begins, &quot;Tibetan Buddhism comprises the teachings of the three vehicles of Buddhism: the Foundational Vehicle, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna&quot; where 'Foundational Vehicle' links to the article on &quot;Hinayana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the practioners of various schools know, are they taught, what the Hinayana doctrine is, and do they accept it a &quot;foundational&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T03:40:29.597" Title="Is this an accurate introduction to different paths and traditions?" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5160" CreationDate="2014-10-14T13:39:19.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is that one Path the same (or basically the same) as The Visuddhimagga&#xA;  which Wikipedia says is &quot;the 'great treatise' on Theravada Buddhist&#xA;  doctrine written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga is the name of a book, and when traditions talk about a path of purification, they aren't using the term to refer to the title of this book, but just as a general term meaning a means of purification. I don't think that the other traditions even had access to the Visuddhimagga prior to modern times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I've read elementary/contemporary/English-language introductions&#xA;  to various schools (e.g. Zen Flesh Zen Bones for zen), or visited a&#xA;  Chinese-in-Canada Mahayana temple, or dimly remember a Westerner&#xA;  writing a century or more ago about Tibetan/Mongolian beliefs and&#xA;  practices, they seem to have little in common with each other: e.g.&#xA;  Zen seems to be about being spontaneous or 'original', Chinese about&#xA;  things being better in the Pure Land, Tibetan about the cycle of&#xA;  rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these traditions are very vast systems of teaching and practice, and they all use very different terminology, and some traditions emphasize certain points while others might not emphasize a particular point, but that doesn't mean that they reject them. Just because these teachings are held in common between all traditions doesn't mean that they describe them using the same terms, or even teach them in an explicit manner. Take Zen Buddhism for example. For the past 1000 years, the main slogan of the Zen school has been &quot;See mind, become Buddha&quot; meaning that the practice is to see the nature of the mind and as a result one becomes enlightened. This terminology is very different from how the Theravada tradition would describe it, as the Theravada school would give a quote like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, monks — Is form constant or inconstant?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Inconstant, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Stressful, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to&#xA;  change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows&#xA;  disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with&#xA;  perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with&#xA;  consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through&#xA;  dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the&#xA;  knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the&#xA;  holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this&#xA;  world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this difference of expression doesn't preclude the existence of things in common. Both of these explanations present enlightenment as the result of seeing the nature of something, even though the language and style may be very different. Tibetan Buddhism holds to the same position as well, saying that enlightenment results from gaining a non-conceptual realization of the emptiness of all phenomena. Pureland Buddhism hold on to these teachings as well, but sees the appropriate time for actually practicing such things to be after one is reborn into the Pureland, and even that is only one interpretation of Pureland Buddhism. Chinese Buddhism fuses Zen and Pureland practices together for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are real differences between the traditions, I'm not saying that there aren't. However, all schools of Buddhism hold on to this set of common teachings, even though they differ in their interpretations and their importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T13:39:19.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4110" CreationDate="2014-10-14T15:42:47.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Sankha Kulathantile, has given an answer. Let me try to explain from the point of view of daily meditative practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Firstly the theory behind my answer. &lt;strong&gt;Budhha never taught the rule of Kamma&lt;/strong&gt;. What he taught is &lt;strong&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/strong&gt; or the dependent origination. Here is a link wherein Late Ven. K Sri Dhammananda has explained it very beautifully...&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Short-Pieces-in-English/Belief-Systems.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Short-Pieces-in-English/Belief-Systems.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the theory of Dependent Origination, there are the six elements, the six spheres of contact, the eighteen investigations of mind and the four noble truths. The six elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space and Consciousness. The six spheres of contact are Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, the Body and the Mind. Having taken birth, it is impossible to avoid contact between the spheres of contact and the six elements. Upon contact of the elements with each sphere of contact an experience is generated. Now, the mind will investigate if the experience is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Now since there are 6 spheres of contact, there will be 18 investigations of mind in total. Now the Buddha says that upon categorizing these experiences as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral we develop craving and clinging to these six elements which then leads to rebirth, thus putting in motion the &lt;strong&gt;Samsara&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now upon contact with these elements if we watch the experiences objectively and see them as they are, as impermanent we become free from sufferings and thus set in motion the &lt;strong&gt;Wheel of Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;. In essence our ignorance (&lt;em&gt;Avijja&lt;/em&gt;) is the root cause of all the sufferings. Thus upon contact with the six elements, it is our ignorance which makes us categorize the experience as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. But upon contact with the six elements if instead of categorizing the experience as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, we see them as impermanent, that ignorance is abandoned and we develop wisdom (&lt;em&gt;Pannya&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now coming back to your question, I will assume that in the 1st birth A do not know the Dhamma. Here it does not matter if B knows the Dhamma or not, since he/she is anyways having a rebirth. In the second birth/rebirth, I will assume that B does not know the Dhamma since he is committing a murder. Now, suppose in the second birth A knows the Dhamma. Thus on experiencing pain, he will not react to it as unpleasant but recognize its true nature i.e. impermanent and his kammic energies will dissipate and depending on the strength of his practice, he will be born in higher realms and A and B may never meet again. But suppose A too does not know the Dhamma, he too will keep on reacting and he will be reborn again. In the case of B he will also be reborn again. It is speculative if they will meet again.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now I think, and this is my personal opinion, that if A does a wrong deed to B, it need not be B who will act in retribution in the future rebirth. Suppose, B is already an enlightened person, then A and B may not meet at all; A having rebirth and B being born in higher realms or attaining Nibbana depending on the level of his practice. Also it need not be the same wrong deed being done to A again. For e.g., if A has committed a murder, and in his rebirth A comes to know the Dhamma, then it is highly possible that the results of his past kamma will arise during his meditation practice and having overcome them the force of his past kamma will keep on reducing. Again this is very speculative. But the point here is &lt;strong&gt;We should keep practicing the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also I am not suggesting that by just knowing the Dhamma, one will not do wrong deeds at all. One may know the Dhamma but not practice it at all and keep on reacting to the feelings which are generated upon contact with the six elements. So essentially Buddha laid a lot of emphasis on practice and it is evident in various of his teachings in Dhammapada and the Tipitaka &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T15:42:47.117" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5163" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-14T16:01:27.053" Score="5" ViewCount="2118" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is death according to Buddhism? When does it occur? Why do so many people die simultaneously in natural calamities? What did Buddha say about death? Please give references of Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:18:38.297" Title="What is Death? What did Buddha say regarding the experience of Death?" Tags="|karma|teaching|death|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5164" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5167" CreationDate="2014-10-14T16:06:14.710" Score="4" ViewCount="679" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a person is on a life support system due to the failure of one or more organs and not able to return to normal life without them again, if the family consents to the doctors' recommendation to turn off the artificial life support, can this be considered encouraging to kill, violating the first precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T19:59:26.603" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T01:05:18.607" Title="Is turning off a patient's life support system encouraging to kill?" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5153" CreationDate="2014-10-14T16:35:06.413" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are trillions of places meditating on concepts can bring you. The  void sounds like one of these places if I'm not mistaken. It might lead to some peace and concentration but most likely it would be nothing permanent and no real wisdom would be realized. &#xA; Mindfulness, putting one's awareness on one's experience or one's reality, in the present moment, can only help one see through the many delusions in front of true reality. These delusions are such that most people don't even realize they are there. Mindfulness can bring one to only one place: &quot;Reality&quot;. Mindfulness or the  meditation to see clearly, is a meditation that leads one to transcend suffering permanently. Meditations to see concepts can only aid with one's attempt to  attain enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T16:35:06.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5164" CreationDate="2014-10-14T16:57:36.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's an article (found using Google) about that, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eubios.info/EJ82/ej82c.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Letting-Go or Killing: Thai Buddhist Perspectives on Euthanasia&lt;/a&gt; which (being Thai) I presume is Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It mentions several real considerations, including,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] They also recognize that sometimes in real life human choices are only between two evils. Yet even in this tragic life situation one still has responsibility to choose the lesser evil. But for such agonizing decisions there has been little guidance culled so far from Buddhist sources to help Buddhists and to ease their conscience. As generally known, Buddhism encourages each person to face the troubles by relying on oneself alone, without expecting any divine power to intercede and help. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It warns that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To these lay Buddhists, questions are raised if when asked whether economic factor, the age of the patient and the quality of life would make any important difference in their decisions regarding the use of life-support systems, none could give a definite Buddhist answer. Some say yes and some no, but they could not find grounds in Buddhism to support their answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reality is that some forms of euthanasia are currently being practiced in some hospitals by doctors who make life and death and decisions alone without any directives whether these be ethical, religious, moral or legal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It suggests,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the Buddhist concept of mutual dependency and interrelatedness (paticcasamuppada) should be applied to the field of medicine. This concept affirms the interdependence of all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from this, while keeping their primary image as healers, dedicated to preserving and prolonging the life of all patients under their care, they have to develop a new approach to death and dying, so that when death becomes imminent they would become graceful acceptors of the inevitable, without considering the hopeless condition of the dying patient as representing the failure of their skills and knowledge. They should instead turn their full attention now to the compassionate care of the dying. Their main concern of course is to relieve the suffering of patients and families and ensure a &amp;quot;good death&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW, in the cases where my family has died (or been allowed to die) in hospital, I viewed that as their being killed by the disease/illness, and not as their being killed by their doctors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can also be helpful if they, who were dying, let you know in advance what/how much medical intervention they want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T16:57:36.657" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2014-10-14T16:57:36.657" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5164" CreationDate="2014-10-14T18:32:41.457" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;No it is not killing. Because there's no intention of killing. You just stopped doing things to sustain his life. It doesn't even have to be a relative. So many people die due to famine all over the world. So many animals are being slaughtered every day. You could stop everything you are doing right now and go and try to save them with all your time and money. But by not doing that, are you killing those whom you might have saved? No! Not doing a good deed isn't necessarily doing a bad deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if there's the intention of killing, turning off the switch breaks the 1st precept.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-14T19:02:20.890" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T19:02:20.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5168" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-14T20:26:11.303" Score="4" ViewCount="536" Body="&lt;p&gt;I attended a meditation event that included morning and evening chanting at a Theravada monastery/temple. It was a wonderful event but I couldn't follow the chanting book as it was written in Lao characters. I recognized some basics like taking refuge and eight precepts, but other than that I was lost. Does morning and evening chanting follow a set pattern or does each monastery just pick out what they like? If it is a set pattern, what might it include? I'd like to print out some in Pali/English if possible. Thanks for any help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2017-12-06T13:37:17.860" Title="Does morning and evening chanting follow a set pattern in the Theravada tradition?" Tags="|theravada|temples|monastery|rituals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5168" CreationDate="2014-10-14T20:41:01.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know anything about the chanting services in Laos unfortunately. I do know about the general chanting services done in Thailand though, which might be similar although the Thai chanting I'm familiar with doesn't have the refuge and precepts as part of the chanting service itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to check out a general Thai service book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhayagiri.org/books/abhayagiri-chanting-book&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here's&lt;/a&gt; a good one. You can download the chanting book as a PDF and some sections have the Pali and English on seperate pages while some have the English underneath. I especially like this chanting book because it has the little arrows to indicate the chanting melody. You can also hear recordings of Monks chanting out of this particular book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhayagiri.org/audio&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; if you go to the upper right and switch the category to chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T20:41:01.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5163" CreationDate="2014-10-14T22:39:17.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is death acoording to Buddhism? Here is one definition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/viewdeath.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/viewdeath.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Death and the impermanence of life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the teaching of the Buddha, all of us will pass away eventually as&#xA;  a part in the natural process of birth, old-age and death and that we&#xA;  should always keep in mind the impermanence of life.  The life that we&#xA;  all cherish and wish to hold on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Buddhism, however, death is not the end of life, it is merely the&#xA;  end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will still&#xA;  remain and seek out through the need of attachment, attachment to a&#xA;  new body and new life. Where they will be born is a result of the past&#xA;  and the accumulation of positive and negative action, and the&#xA;  resultant karma (cause and effect) is a result of ones past actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This would lead to the person to be reborn in one of 6 realms which&#xA;  are; heaven, human beings, Asura, hungry ghost, animal and hell. &#xA;  Realms, according to the severity of ones karmic actions, Buddhists&#xA;  believe however, none of these places are permanent and one does not&#xA;  remain in any place indefinitely. So we can say that in Buddhism, life&#xA;  does not end, merely goes on in other forms that are the result of&#xA;  accumulated karma. Buddhism is a belief that emphasizes the&#xA;  impermanence of lives, including all those beyond the present life. &#xA;  With this in mind we should not fear death as it will lead to rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The question about when death occurs is even more important, because to a practitioner of Buddhism, death is not an eventuality that will arrive someday. Death and meeting death is part of our daily practice of meditation. We don't think of the body dying but day by day we face and face again the temporal nature of life and ask ourselves if we are making the most of life for spiritual advancement by learning to come to terms with death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an illustrative story from a PBS special on Buddhism&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tibet/understand/dying.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tibet/understand/dying.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An example of this attitude can be found in the bioraphy of Milarepa,&#xA;  who began his meditative practice after having killed a number of&#xA;  people through black magic. The realization of his impending death and&#xA;  the sufferings he would experience in his next lifetime prompted him&#xA;  to find a lama who could show him a way to avert his fate. His concern&#xA;  with death was so great that when he was medititing in a cave his&#xA;  tattered clothes fell apart, but he decided not to mend them, saying,&#xA;  &quot;If I were to die this evening, it would be wiser to meditate than to&#xA;  do this useless sewing.&quot;1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This attitude epitomizes the ideal for a Buddhist practitioner,&#xA;  according to many teachers. Atisha is said to have told his students&#xA;  that for a person who is unaware of death, meditation has little&#xA;  power, but a person who is mindful of death and impermanence&#xA;  progresses steadily and makes the most of every precious moment. A&#xA;  famous saying of the school he founded, the Kadampa, holds that if one&#xA;  does not meditate on death in the morning, the whole morning is&#xA;  wasted, if one does not meditate on death at noon, the afternoon is&#xA;  wasted, and if one does not meditate on death at night, the evening is&#xA;  wasted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a couple quotes attributed to the Buddha that imply what Buddha thought most important, cessation of suffering and Nibbana.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.life-changing-inspirational-quotes.com/buddha-quotes.html#Death&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.life-changing-inspirational-quotes.com/buddha-quotes.html#Death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha Quotes on Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is better to travel well than to arrive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This trend of thinking beyond life and death continues here&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely. As quoted in Wisdom for the Soul: Five Millennia of Prescriptions for Spiritual Healing (2006) edited by Larry Chang, p. 193 This is actually a pithy modern-day 'summary' of the &quot;Abhaya Sutta&quot; (AN 4.184). It appears in &quot;Buddha’s Little Instruction Book&quot; by Jack Kornfield (p88).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example that Shakyamuni Buddha reveals his lack of concern about death is under the Bodhi tree before his realization.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let my skin and sinews and bones dry up, together with all the flesh&#xA;  and blood of my body! I welcome it! But I will not move from this spot&#xA;  until I have attained the supreme and final wisdom. The Jatka (From&#xA;  the Attainment of the Buddhaship. Also is in the Nirvana Sutta.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of the Buddha's teaching is not to cling to physical existence and in the same line do not fear death. What dies is the life we conceptualize in our mind. What is untouched by death is the consciousness that the Buddha invites us to develop in our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-14T22:39:17.020" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5160" CreationDate="2014-10-15T03:40:29.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;People claim similarity or difference from their favorite school of Buddhism based on their goals. E.g. is one trying to create harmony among near-co-religionists? Or are you trying to be hardnosed and objective about what the inventory of one school of Buddhism is versus another? In the former case, we make more friends by ignoring differences. If we are trying to reach enlightenment, or just decide how to practice, then I would imagine few people sincerely think all paths are just as effective. But even if they did think so, it's bad Buddhist manners to say so aloud. It's on the list of rules in the precepts and the vinaya-- no disparaging &amp;amp; no inciting schism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most schools of Buddhism do not have a orthodoxy comparable to, say the Catholic one. So what counts as an authentic Zen text or a Tibetan terma could vary. The Theravada canon is bound and established, but very large.  So what is orthodox for one school isn't clear. If we can't establish that, how can we establish that two schools hold the same or similar doctrine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At best, you can find commonly re-occurring themes. &quot;recognizable Buddhism&quot; maybe a more useful concept than &quot;universal Buddhist beliefs&quot;. Recognizable Buddhism will included a little bit of everything you mentioned on your list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T03:40:29.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2014-10-15T07:57:25.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a guided meditation on that subject here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/painhelp.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Using Meditation to Deal with Pain, Illness &amp;amp; Death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author (Thanissaro Bikkhu) says that he used it to &quot;help get me through the worst bouts of pain and disorientation&quot; when he had malaria, suggests that it's useful to practice before it's &quot;too late to get fully prepared&quot;, and recommends it for care-givers as well as for the patients who are in pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's &quot;breath meditation&quot; without 'so-called' Buddhist doctrine: apparently it's a speech he gave to people at an AIDS conference; so it could be useful also for people with non-Buddhist relatives or friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It begins,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Close your eyes and say to yourself, 'May I be truly happy and free from suffering.' [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It continues,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should be very clear on one point: The purpose of meditation is to find happiness and well-being within the mind, independent of the body or other things going on outside. Your aim is to find something solid within that you can depend on no matter what happens to the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some specific techniques or ideas begin with the paragraph which starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So now I would like to focus on how to use meditation to face these things and transcend them. First, pain. When it happens, you first have to accept that it's there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T07:57:25.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5163" CreationDate="2014-10-15T09:14:18.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death is unsatisfactory:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/dukkha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;questions about death (or about the Tathagata)&lt;/a&gt; are unanswered:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared. And what is undeclared by me? 'The cosmos is eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is not eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is finite'... 'The cosmos is infinite'... 'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same'... 'The soul is one thing and the body another'... 'After death a Tathagata exists'... 'After death a Tathagata does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' is undeclared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People die because they are born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the purpose of Buddhism or the Buddha is not to teach what death is. I think its/his intention is to teach how to be in the face of death, how to respond to the fact/existence of death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/beyondcoping/advice.html#death&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/beyondcoping/examples.html#last&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Last Days&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter reference describes some of the states of (the Tathagata's) death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, &amp;quot;Now, if it's out of respect for the Teacher that you don't ask, let a friend inform a friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, &amp;quot;Now, then, monks, I exhort&#xA;you: All fabrications are subject to decay. Bring about completion by&#xA;means of heedfulness.&amp;quot; Those were the Tathagata's last words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Emerging from that he&#xA;entered the second jhana. Emerging from that, he entered the third...&#xA;the fourth jhana... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the&#xA;dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of&#xA;nothingness... the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.&#xA;Emerging from that, he entered the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ananda said to Ven. Anuruddha, &amp;quot;Ven. Anuruddha, the Blessed&#xA;One is totally unbound.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, friend Ananda. The Blessed One isn't totally unbound. He has&#xA;entered the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, emerging from the cessation of perception &amp;amp;&#xA;feeling, entered the dimension of neither perception nor&#xA;non-perception. Emerging from that, he entered the dimension of&#xA;nothingness... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the&#xA;dimension of the infinitude of space... the fourth jhana... the&#xA;third... the second... the first jhana. Emerging from the first jhana&#xA;he entered the second... the third... the fourth jhana. Emerging from&#xA;the fourth jhana, he immediately was totally Unbound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that Nirvana is described as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nirvanaverb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unbinding&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T09:14:18.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2014-10-15T11:01:23.570" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Q.What is gained by learning Vipassana meditation in long retreats?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A. You get to observe your mind and body. By observing sensations arising in your mind and body and knowing that it is impermanent, you learn not to react to it as you did in the past. So, as you practice the art of non reaction to your sensation, slowly then you become free from all sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They key here is &quot;non-reaction&quot;, no war whatsoever with mind (craving and aversion). Just acknowledging the sensation as they are and non reaction to it is my friend, the only way to liberation. Non-reaction again i stress which i believe is the heart of this technique and logically is the only way to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You learn this technique in a 10 day retreat. Its up to you to practice the technique for rest of your life and later after you get well versed in this technique 24 hours a day.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: If you are going to vipassana retreat as taught by Mr. Goenka, it is tough retreat and you have to work hard but very &quot;gently&quot; to train your mind. It will not be easy but will be very worthwhile if you understand the technique properly. I just give you sketch, the retreat will give you whole picture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wheel of dhamma is spinning, since it was first launched into action by samma sam buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2133" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T11:01:23.570" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5175" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-15T12:48:39.023" Score="11" ViewCount="582" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read in a Mahayana Buddhist book (insight into emptiness) 2 concepts that I find hard to reconcile:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- Our minds used to be pure, only Buddha nature, and got contaminated with ignorance that led to attachment and it makes us cycle in this cyclic existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- We all have and always had Buddha nature in our minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: how could a pure mind with Buddha nature get contaminated in the first place? I can't understand how &quot;Buddha nature&quot; could let itself be tricked by ignorance, sounds strange, sounds like a &quot;Big Buddha failure&quot;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless...Buddha nature means only a distant background on the mind, something weak, that has no power to act by itself, weaker than the aggregates, but it doesn't sound like that. (!?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2023-09-22T05:19:24.463" Title="Ignorant mind and Buddha nature" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5176" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-15T13:27:53.173" Score="6" ViewCount="464" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm very confused about this sutta ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&lt;/a&gt;) specially in the part &quot;Mahāsīla&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of what the Buddha stated as wrong livelihood is very common in some Buddhist centres these days, things like: Astrology, selling lucky gems, offerings to deities etc... if you read the list in the sutta you will see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this sutta not part of some Buddhist cultures? Am I interpreting it in the wrong way? Or is it simply being ignored??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-10-15T18:39:42.280" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T02:30:37.323" Title="Conflict between Brahmajala Sutta and current Buddhist practices" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3824" CreationDate="2014-10-15T14:45:22.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually I think this symbol is associated with Jainism and not Buddhism. At least that is what one sees in India. The enlightened beings in Jainism are often depicted in similar postures as the Buddha and it is easy to mix them up. In India usually the Jain images are depicted naked. In the case of the picture above it could be a case of just mixing things up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can recall in the traditional Theravada countries that symbol is not used at all. In India, more specifically at Sanchi, which was built at a time when the Buddha was represented with symbols instead of a human image, one mostly sees the Bodhi Tree, the Dhammacakka, and Footprints to represent the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="697" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T14:45:22.710" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5175" CreationDate="2014-10-15T18:29:15.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never seen or read any Buddhist teachings that stated or implied that minds were ever in a pure state then became impure. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble16.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3rd Noble Truth states&lt;/a&gt; that the mind can be purified and that, once pure or enlightened, never can it become impure again. All Buddhist (and Hindu) teachings that I have ever read (that I can remember) stated that the everyone's continuum has been continuously contaminated  (without beginning) So, that clears up your illogical conclusion. Buddhism says the contamination can be cleared then, in the 4th Noble Truth, illustrates the path to clear it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha-nature in Mahayana literature is quite interesting. (I will let you &quot;google&quot; the term.) The more one understands the concept, I think, the more one understands what one is working &quot;towards&quot;. Indeed, the process seems to be more of an &quot;unlearning&quot; process, rather than something one is trying to become. Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T18:29:15.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5175" CreationDate="2014-10-15T18:41:03.850" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best explanation of this I've seen is in &lt;em&gt;Lamp of Mahamudra&lt;/em&gt; by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, if we consider everything at the abstract organizational layer underlying both the mind and the matter, the so called &quot;ground of all&quot; -- we will see that everything is inherently perfect. It is the fundamental &quot;suchness&quot; of things as they are (whether experienced by someone or not). Because the universe is already how it is, for perfectly natural and objective reasons, everything that exists or does not exist exists or does not exist for a reason. In this sense everything is complete, without a flaw. That's Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &lt;em&gt;part&lt;/em&gt; of this Buddha nature is &lt;em&gt;natural&lt;/em&gt; tendency of the mind to grasp or cling, or in modern terms, to create flawed static models of reality, that are more like caricatures than models, and then get stuck on them. This gives rise to such &lt;em&gt;natural&lt;/em&gt; phenomena as ego, the three poisons, and suffering. These two are part of suchness, and in this sense they are also Buddha nature. However, what they do to us, is they make us confused and we start seeking happiness in wrong ways, and the more we seek it in wrong ways the more confusion and suffering we generate. All this time the Buddha-nature stays perfect because all this confusion and suffering is included in it. Buddha-nature or natural suchness of things however they are, accommodates everything -- that's why it's unconditional and indestructible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this perspective, whether you are confused or enlightened does not make any difference -- anyway you are included in the Totality of the Vast Expanse. But subjectively, from sentient being's perspective, being confused or enlightened is a difference between suffering and cessation of suffering, so in that sense it makes a huge difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Makes sense? Confusion and enlightenment (or contamination vs. purification) exists only in one relative sense but in the ultimate sense all of those are a natural play of phenomena subsumed in the Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-15T20:27:59.147" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T20:27:59.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5176" CreationDate="2014-10-15T22:28:18.950" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are correct. The Buddha spoke out against such things because it corrupts the right livelihood of Monks because people will support Monks to get them to preform fortune telling for them or other such things instead of supporting Monks for their virtue and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most laypeople in Theravada countries don't engage in study of the canonical texts to any significant degree and they simply don't know better, and perhaps the Monks involved don't know it either. If they do and continue to do such things, I think it is very unfortunate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T22:28:18.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5176" CreationDate="2014-10-15T23:40:25.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you read on the rest of sutra, you will see other &quot;wrong means of livelihood and debased arts&quot; such as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;astronomy (forecasting of eclipses and meteor showers)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;weather forecasting&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;forecasting of earthquakes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;political analysis and forecasting&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;surgery on body, as well as on eyes and ears&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;application of medicinal roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddhartha Shakya was obviously a product of his times, and his understanding of natural and social phenomena was limited to the general knowledge available back at the time. As far as offerings to deities, clearly he did not see much value in religious rituals, something modern Symbolic Anthropology would disagree with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, I'm not a big fan of Digha Nikaya, as of the entire Pali Canon it seems to be the furthest from actual Buddha words, and more like a later compilation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-15T23:47:07.437" LastActivityDate="2014-10-15T23:47:07.437" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5183" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5189" CreationDate="2014-10-16T09:47:48.210" Score="2" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read a parable once, a long time ago:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha meets someone else, some kind of yogi, who is maybe a supernatural being or has supernatural powers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They have a duel, involving swords.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The yogi is proud, perhaps gleeful, because his body is invulnerable, hard, like diamond.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the Buddha is struck with a sword, it passes through him without resistance and without effect, as if the Buddha were made of insubstantial smoke.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The yogi decides that the Buddha's way is superior, and becomes regretful: regretful that they had spent their effort on making their self more durable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you know this parable, is it famous, can you give a reference to it and/or to a commentary which explains its context?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/painhelp.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article, Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should be very clear on one point: The purpose of meditation is to find happiness and well-being within the mind, independent of the body or other things going on outside. Your aim is to find something solid within that you can depend on no matter what happens to the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So an important function of meditation — in giving you a solid center that provides you a vantage point from which to view life in its true colors — is that it keeps you from feeling threatened or surprised when the body begins to reassert its independence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you reconcile the sentences, quoted above, with the parable? Are they saying the same thing, saying opposite things, saying different things?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:21:37.997" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:21:37.997" Title="Self like a diamond" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-effects|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2014-10-16T10:58:56.703" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddha himself said many times, his teaching culminates in Liberation By Wisdom. What does this mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our conceptual mind can hardly go beyond the boxes of the concepts  it learns. Whatever concepts the mind has, that's how it sees the world, that's the reality for the mind. Usually, our concepts are very coarse, primitive, approximate, simplistic, and sometimes outright mistaken. If the mind thinks there is birth and death, then there is birth and death for the mind. This is what's known as Ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By training our mind to go beyond such coarse, simplistic, and mistaken concepts (preconceptions), we can liberate our mind from their boundaries, as well as from the suffering they generate, including the suffering of looming death. This means acquiring a more sophisticated view of the world (=wisdom or prajna), including the view of how the concepts are formed, and to what extent can they ever be right (=transcendental wisdom or prajna-paramita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main technique for abandoning the coarse preconceptions is relinquishment of attachments, accompanied by analysis. We relinquish emotional and conceptual attachments to preconceptions, biases, and assumptions. We analyze elements of the situation in question until we get a nuanced view going beyond our primitive dualities. Then we no longer get stuck, we become very flexible, very dynamic, very robust. Then we no longer get in trouble ourselves, and can act skilfully for the benefit of all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-16T17:31:26.030" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T17:31:26.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5185" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-16T11:50:29.660" Score="3" ViewCount="1094" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is some sort of meal gatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ОМ А ХУМ САРБА АМРИТА СИДДХИ ХУМ ДЗА&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Om Ah Hum Sarba Amrita Siddhi Hum Dze&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm stumped on translating it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://vbuddisme.ru/forum/forum1/topic76/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-16T14:53:51.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T17:50:12.370" Title="What does this mantra Om Ah Hum Sarba Amrita Siddhi Hum Dze mean?" Tags="|mahayana|mantra|meal-gatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2014-10-16T12:58:04.100" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I want to know what Siddhartha taught.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well yes, don't we all want to know that. :-)&#xA;Though it may seem a bitter pill to swallow. :-/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Wikipedia articles FYI:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; includes a timeline showing the &quot;where and when&quot; of the various schools&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-sectarian_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pre-sectarian Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is an article about &quot;the Buddhism of the Buddha himself&quot;. You might not find it interesting/satisfying, but that's life! :-) It says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The information on Buddhism in the period before the rise of the early Buddhist schools is based on accounts of Buddha's life and teachings in the scriptures of the Theravadin Pali Canon, and the surviving portions of the scriptures of Sarvastivada, Mulasarvastivada, Mahisasaka, Dharmaguptaka and other schools, most of which are only available in a Chinese translation. Some individual scriptures found in Nepal, however, are composed in Sanskrit. Recently the Gandhāran Buddhist Texts were recovered from Afghanistan. The central body of sutras in these texts is so similar that they are considered to be different recensions of the same text.[15] The accounts in these individual scriptures might be tainted by the particular philosophies of those schools or by translation issues. However, since various recensions of these texts (from various schools) are available, comparisons can be made, and conclusions drawn, to filter out the most obvious of these taints.[16]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps you can see why people are interested in the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon (Pali: Tipitaka) is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language.[1] It is the first known and most complete extant early Buddhist canon.[2][3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was composed in North India, and preserved orally until it was committed to writing during the Fourth Buddhist Council in Sri Lanka in 29 BCE, &lt;strong&gt;approximately four hundred and fifty four years after the death of Gautama Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;.[a]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Re. the comment saying that &quot;comparisons can be made, and conclusions drawn&quot; about &quot;different recensions of the same text ... (from various schools)&quot;, one example of people trying to do that is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/Bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this document&lt;/a&gt; (which I tried to summarize in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3336/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;): to do that they read and compare several 2000-year-old documents written in antique languages and scripts, and that document's bibliography references 50 other papers. And all that is just to analyze one sutta, and even then it's not &quot;canonical&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, inferring what pre-sectarian Buddhism was, using the current (sectarian) literature is a complicated job, for scholars of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It (i.e. the Buddha's dhamma) is a question which also interests practitioners of Buddhism: who are perhaps meant to discover an answer for themselves, by practice, and via teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Early Buddhist schools&lt;/a&gt; seems to be a more detailed history of &quot;early Buddhism&quot;, from the time Siddhartha died until their &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools#Legacy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Legacy&lt;/a&gt; which includes &quot;the Theravāda school&quot; and &quot;various Mahāyāna traditions&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the above is to say that it's difficult to be sure of exactly what the historical Buddha taught: especially if you try to disregard Theravada/Mahayana/Vajrayana because they didn't exist in his time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope the above helps to begin to explain some history about why/how/when/where there are different schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question about the &quot;core teachings&quot; is partially answered by the answers to this other question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1487/what-teachings-do-all-schools-of-buddhism-share&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; Apparently (or allegedly) those are teachings which all the schools agree on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T12:58:04.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3185" CreationDate="2014-10-16T13:37:32.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fruition consciousnesses are classified as being resultant consciousnesses (vipākacittāni) so they differ based on what the wholesome consciousness produce them, so the difference between the fruit of a stream-enterer and a sakadagamin is the wholesome consciousness that causes them. For the fruit of stream entry, the wholesome consciousness that causes it is the path consciousness of stream entry, and for a sakadagamin it is the path consciousness of a sakadagamin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then one will wonder what is the difference between the different path consciousnesses. That is an easier question to answer. It is the path consciousnesses that cut through the fetters. The path consciousness of stream entry cuts through the first three fetters, the path consciousness of a sakadagamin weakens desire and ill-will, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information on this I would recommend reading §26 and §27 of &lt;em&gt;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; and chapter 22 of the Visuddhimagga. Both of these books are freely and legally available online as PDFs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T13:37:32.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5185" CreationDate="2014-10-16T13:52:27.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mantras aren't complete sentences, so you can't really translate them, but the individual syllables usually have standard symbolic meanings, but there are always multiple layers of meanings in any given mantra, but here goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first part, Om Ah Hum, is a very important set of syllables. Om represents the enlightened body of a Buddha, Ah represents the enlightened speech of a Buddha, and Hum represents the enlightened mind of a Buddha. Om is very commonly used to begin a Mantra and Hum is often used near the end of a Mantra, like in the famous Mantra for Avalokiteshvara, &lt;strong&gt;Om&lt;/strong&gt; Mani Peme &lt;strong&gt;Hum&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sarba I assume is a derivation from the Sanskrit word Sarva, which means all or every, and Amrita means nectar, so Sarba Amrita means all nectar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddhi is a term that can refer to attaining magical powers through meditation, but I think it can also be used as a general term for spiritual attainments in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hum is again, the representation of the enlightened mind of a Buddha, and as previously stated, it is often used near the end of a mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know the meaning of Dza however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-16T14:00:37.750" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T14:00:37.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5183" CreationDate="2014-10-16T13:58:45.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu says &quot;solid center&quot; he's not talking about literally having something inside your body that is physically solid, and he's definitely not saying about some sort of true self (His other writings make it clear that he accepts the orthodox position that there is no ultimately real true self).  What he means is that the goal of meditation is to find happiness which isn't dependent on causes and conditions, and therefore cannot be disturbed, so metaphorically you can say that it is solid or unbreakable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never heard of this particular parable, but it sounds to me like it is a parable about the pointlessness of developing any kind of view of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-16T13:58:45.233" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5191" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-16T19:26:16.547" Score="5" ViewCount="958" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could someone provide a brief (good-SE-answer-size) description of the three terms: Lamrim, Dzogchen, and Mahamudra. Specifically, are they different examples of one particular thing, are they progressive or parallel stages, etc. Also, if there was a way to &quot;map&quot; them against  other traditions (e.g. &quot;Lamrim is similar to the Visuddhimagga&quot; etc) that would useful. I've read about all three using the usual sources (Wikipedia etc) but it's like wading through mud trying to get a clear picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T01:16:10.010" Title="What are: Lamrim, Dzogchen, Mahamudra" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|dzogchen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5191" CreationDate="2014-10-17T00:40:32.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lam Rim in Tibetan literally means stages of the path. It's a kind of literature that gives a general overview of the path to enlightenment in terms of the three capacities of individuals and the different practices one must engage in. The first Lam Rim text was Atisha's work called the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, and over time other Lam Rim works were written, most famously Lama Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path and Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Both of these list out different kinds of teachings and different meditative practices. They are in many ways quite like the Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahamudra is a meditative tradition that is most prominent in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism but is also found in the Gelugpa school, and some forms of it are also in the Sakya school as well. In terms of practices there is Sutra level Mahamudra that isn't secret, and Tantric Mahamudra that is secret. There is also essence level Mahamudra but I have no idea what that is. Mahamudra involved different stabilizing practices to gain concentration and involves meditating on the mind as an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen is a tradition found in the Nyingma school and sometimes is found in the Kagyu school as well. It has some similarities to Mahamudra but Dzogchen is entirely a tantric level practice and is more secret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-17T00:40:32.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5191" CreationDate="2014-10-17T03:38:13.907" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lamrim is a genre. It is a genre of spiritual literature that gives a thorough overview of the whole teaching, methodically progressing from somewhat crude and primitive concepts of basic levels, to more sophisticated and nuanced perspectives of the higher levels. Each school usually has their favorite lamrim text or two (one for beginning students, one for advanced students and teachers), but if you read them side by side they are all pretty similar in content and sequence, the biggest difference being that of depth and tone. It is not uncommon for a lamrim text to take form of a condensed poem for easy memorization, which then requires a commentary text to hydrate the meaning back to a comprehensible shape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, the idea of &lt;em&gt;stages of the path&lt;/em&gt; is not very developed. I'm not talking about levels of mastery of one technique like the 16 stages of Vipassana (there are such texts in Tibetan Buddhism as well, but they are not lamrim) but rather the epic levels that almost completely supersede each other's frameworks, such that the concepts very important at one level look rather naive at subsequent levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is hard to call Visuddhimagga a lamrim text, for two reasons. First, because its scope is limited to what in a lamrim text would be about one sixth of the full path. Second, because it delves very deep into topics that in Tibetan schools usually belong in specialized meditation texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lamrim progression is roughly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;folk Buddhism&quot;, with emphasis on faith and basic morality, six worlds, karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the kind of stuff that's studied in Theravada: 4 noble truths, samatha, vipassana etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mahayana stuff: bodhisattvas, paramitas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hardcore madhyamika philosophy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the (lower) tantra levels. Yidam generation and energy yoga.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mahamudra and dzogchen&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dzogchen is sometimes separated into its own level above mahamudra&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahamudra is an advanced-level set of teachings in New Translation schools (Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug). In simple words we could say Mahamudra is the level where we finally get direct experience of what Buddhism is actually about, with no beating around the bush like on the previous levels. That said, for but the most talented students Mahamudra is incomprehensible without the foundation of the previous levels, plus practicing it requires a kind of deep emotional stability that can only be developed through the previous levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen is a very advanced-level set of teachings in the Old Translation school (Nyingma). In some sense it is very similar to Mahamudra, but it tends to be even more abstract. This is because Dzogchen speaks entirely from the perspective of enlightened Buddha, unlike Mahamudra which still has residual flavor of the student attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need a parallel with Theravada, I suppose we could roughly put Mahamudra at the level of Fourth Jhana and Dzogchen beyond Fourth Jhana. I guess I could also say that the practice of Mahamudra and especially Dzogchen is not that dissimilar from Zen although the style is obviously rather different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T01:16:10.010" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T01:16:10.010" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5194" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5195" CreationDate="2014-10-17T13:02:36.020" Score="4" ViewCount="388" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very easy to find &lt;em&gt;lots&lt;/em&gt; of information on the internet about Buddhism and the concepts.&#xA;However I struggle to know where or how to start becoming a Buddhist, if that is the correct way to state it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2136" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T13:49:01.807" Title="How would one begin practising Buddhism?" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5194" CreationDate="2014-10-17T16:00:00.127" Score="7" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find and join a sangha (buddhist community) that you are comfortable with.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talking to the community to understand what and how they practice buddhism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accustom the practices based on what you can comfortably do for the moment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Never forcing yourself to the extreme, e.g. immediately become a vegetarian, practice 1 hour sitting meditation daily, spend the whole day just talking about buddhism etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism practice is basically a continuous process of improving one's sila (morality/precepts), samadhi (concentration/stillness) and prajna (wisdom), until one attains the buddhahood (nibbana / nirvana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a start you can view Buddhism essentially is a lifestyle which would lead the practitioners to a better tomorrow.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a short and nice article about Buddhist path: &lt;a href=&quot;http://essenceofbuddhism.wordpress.com/the-buddhist-path-in-3-words/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Path in 3 words&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2137" LastEditorUserId="2137" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T03:45:46.827" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T03:45:46.827" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5194" CreationDate="2014-10-17T16:18:42.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would start with taking a good look at your life and creating an inventory of pathological patterns -- typical situations when you get yourself in trouble, usually accompanied by strong emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then try to identify corresponding attachments (preconceptions, biases, extra importance you assign to stuff) - and spend some serious time watching yourself act in real situations. See how letting go of these attachments during the act itself immediately reduces or completely eliminates the emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practise this act-watch-admit-identify-let-go-act-watch-etc cycle for several years, until you get both good at watching yourself objectively as well as capable of letting go of pretty much anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-17T16:18:42.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5194" CreationDate="2014-10-17T17:22:44.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose you've seen &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1680/254&quot;&gt;How does one become a lay Buddhist?&lt;/a&gt; which mentions ideas like 'Taking Refuge', the 'Three Jewels', and the 'Five Precepts'; and that you're asking a more personal question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I struggle to know where or how to start becoming a Buddhist&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're struggling then presumably you feel a need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that's the first step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Siddhartha felt a need: in his case, it was his discovering that poverty, illness, old age, and death exist, that made him decide that there was some problem, to which he wanted to discover some solution. It was that which caused him to invent (or discover) Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I suppose for other people, &quot;becoming a Buddhist&quot; or &quot;practising Buddhism&quot; means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having, being aware of, a need or problem (or several)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Trying to resolve that problem using Buddhist theory-and-practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that if or when you start step 2 then you are &quot;becoming a Buddhist&quot; or &quot;practising Buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-10-17T17:22:44.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2014-10-17T19:01:51.320" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The recent scholarship that Hanson is referring to  is probably this, by Richard Gombrich, the eminent British academic scholar of Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ocbs.org/lectures-a-articles-ocbsmain-121/61-kindness-and-compassion-as-means-to-nirvana-in-early-buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Kindness and Compassion as means to Nirvana in Early Buddhism&quot;&gt;Kindness and Compassion as means to Nirvana in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/ojs/index.php/jocbs/article/view/30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;This abstract&quot;&gt;This abstract&lt;/a&gt; mentions other places where Gombrich explicated his thesis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gotama Buddha taught that compassion can produce enlightenment. So&#xA;  Richard Gombrich claims, based most notably on his reading of the&#xA;  Tevijja Sutta. First announced in his 1996 How Buddhism Began,&#xA;  Gombrich revisited this thesis (his “discovery”) the next year in his&#xA;  Gonda Lecture, “Kindness and Compassion as Means to Nirvana in Early&#xA;  Buddhism” and has returned to it more recently in his 2009 What the&#xA;  Buddha Thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite Gombrich's rather radical assertion, now almost 20 years ago, I have never been able to find any direct discussion of it by other authors either Western or of any tradition of Buddhism (the above paper is about the neuroscience of the issue). I suspect that is because it is so earthshaking for the Theravada -- effectively saying that they have been missing something huge in the Pali Canon for millenia -- that nobody would touch it with a ten-foot katvanga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own speculation (totally unsupported by any scholarship) is that Gombrich may have uncovered the hidden and forgotten roots of the Mahayana in the Pali Canon, but has mistaken it as an either-or doctrine when in fact it is meant -- and was developed by the Mahayana -- as a coordinate path to the highest enlightenment: you need &lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; wisdom (Pañña, Prajna) &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; compassion, and at the highest level they actually become one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum -- 8/27/2015. I have since found &lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/04/bodhi1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this rejoinder to Gombrich by Bikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;, the distinguished Theravada scholar and translator. The nub of his objection to Gombrich's proposal is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But Gombrich then goes on to argue that for the Buddha union with&#xA;  Brahmà is simply a metaphor for Nibbàna, and thus he concludes the&#xA;  Buddha taught that kindness ... was a way to salvation (p. 62). Such&#xA;  an inference, however, cannot stand, for in many texts the Buddha&#xA;  declares the divine abodes to be inadequate for attaining Nibbàna&#xA;  (e.g. DN 17, MN 83, MN 97, etc.); it would also mean that paññā,&#xA;  insight or wisdom, is not needed for final liberation. Gombrich is not&#xA;  unaware of the texts that contradict his position, but he casually&#xA;  dismisses them as the work of the compilers of other suttas (p. 61).&#xA;  The contrary evidence, however, is just too weighty to allow such an&#xA;  easy way out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T21:04:39.047" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T21:04:39.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2014-10-17T20:37:40.490" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some great answers here. I think that the core of Buddhism is expressed wonderfully by the doctrine of the three poisons and their corresponding antidotes. As has been mentioned though, you're going to want to read the 4NT sutra. The foundation of buddhist thought series volume 1 covers what you want in a very accessible way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-17T20:37:40.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5175" CreationDate="2014-10-17T20:47:58.983" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems like you're viewing buddha nature as essence. Freedom from imputations, conceptions, conventions, perspective, etc is buddha nature. But don't view it as essence, which would be a perpetuation of imputation of self and precisely what we are trying to avoid. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-17T20:47:58.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2014-10-18T05:10:30.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The core teaching is summarized by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;words&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not to do evil, (Unwholesome deed/action will lead to bad karma/suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To cultivate merit, (Wholesome deeds will lead to a better self)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To purify one's mind, (It will help us to view the world as what it really is)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above is from Dhammapada verse 183, the one in brackets are my understandings. Below is the original words in Pali followed by Mandarin/Chinese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sabbapapassa akaranam   諸惡莫作&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kusalassa upasampada    眾善奉行&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sacittapariyodapanam    自淨其意&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etam buddhana sasanam   是諸佛教&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2137" LastEditorUserId="2137" LastEditDate="2014-10-18T05:21:15.653" LastActivityDate="2014-10-18T05:21:15.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5202" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5205" CreationDate="2014-10-18T15:00:23.913" Score="5" ViewCount="1448" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Vinaya contains 227 rules for male monks and 311 rules for female monks. Is it known why so many additional rules were put in place for Bhikkhunis? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T02:06:58.003" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T02:06:58.003" Title="Why do Bhikkhunis have so many extra Vinaya rules?" Tags="|monk|monasticism|vinaya|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5203" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5210" CreationDate="2014-10-18T15:06:51.700" Score="8" ViewCount="1397" Body="&lt;p&gt;Other than personal preference, are there known to be advantages or disadvantages to meditating in a group instead of alone? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T14:30:30.723" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T22:34:23.397" Title="Group meditation vs. Solo meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5203" CreationDate="2014-10-18T15:51:26.933" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, group meditation gives one encouragement and adds a new dimension to one's practice. The sense of community is also helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A disadvantage of group meditation is that groups vary in their qualities and it might take a while to find the right group. I've tried 3 in my city, and only one have I been able to take seriously. They consider themselves Buddhist, and they apply it to their lives in an honest and genuine fashion. The meditation session is uncomplicated, consisting of beginning and ending chanting, a 50-minute sit with a break, and a short reading passage from some Buddhist literature. This group is affiliated with one of Ajahn Chah's monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the other two, one was in it for the money, and didn't give me a feeling of community. The last one is sort of a secular mixed bag of traditions that doesn't seem to settle on any one practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a slight preference to meditating alone, but I try to make it to my group's weekly meet when I can, as it provides me some consistency that I wouldn't otherwise have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-10-18T15:51:26.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5202" CreationDate="2014-10-18T16:26:19.507" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu, in Access to Insight, says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus the Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha contains 85 rules for which there are no&#xA;  direct correspondences in the rules for the bhikkhus. Some writers&#xA;  have interpreted these added rules as sign of an attempt to oppress&#xA;  the bhikkhunīs unfairly, but it should be noted that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;more than one third of these extra rules were formulated to protect bhikkhunīs from being the direct recipients of the abusive or careless&#xA;  behavior of other bhikkhunīs;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;two of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 6 and 44) prevent bhikkhunīs from putting themselves in a position of servitude to bhikkhus or lay&#xA;  people;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;according to the rules' origin stories&lt;/strong&gt;, all but three of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 59, 94, and 95) were formulated only after&#xA;  bhikkhunīs complained to the bhikkhus about an errant bhikkhunī's&#xA;  behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tellingly, these last three exceptions were formulated after&#xA;  complaints initiated by the bhikkhus, and they touch directly on the&#xA;  formal subordination of the Bhikkhunī Community to the Bhikkhu&#xA;  Community. However, they are counterbalanced by two rules exclusive to&#xA;  the Bhikkhu Pāṭimokkha — NP 4 &amp;amp; 17 — that were formulated at the&#xA;  request of bhikkhunīs to prevent bhikkhus from abusing their position&#xA;  in the hierarchy in a way that would interfere with the bhikkhunīs'&#xA;  practice of the Dhamma. For a more detailed discussion of the checks&#xA;  and balances in the relationships between the two Communities, see The&#xA;  Buddhist Monastic Code, volume II, chapter 23.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth there is a further set of opinions, published here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Misogyny#Extra_rules&quot;&gt;Extra rules&lt;/a&gt;. This too says that the rules &quot;primarily dealt with the protection of the nuns&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-18T17:01:03.267" LastActivityDate="2014-10-18T17:01:03.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5206" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5209" CreationDate="2014-10-18T19:28:03.207" Score="4" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think That , a person is selling liquor or weapons , Now he has done the business some time and now he is a very rich person .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism Selling liquor and weapons are bad businesses . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he is spending money for good things ;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex:- doing lots of charity work .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now what will happen .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he did more good things more  no harm will come for him ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you explain me this :) Thanks in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2138" LastEditorUserId="2138" LastEditDate="2015-01-20T04:32:45.320" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T04:32:45.320" Title="What happens if a Person spent money on good things which are earned from bad ways" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5207" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-18T22:38:00.460" Score="2" ViewCount="380" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if, in the pali canon, there is any practice for purifying karma, such as: Using mantras, prostrations etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know there is the concept of using good Karma, like dana, to balance the results (vipaka) of bad Karma, however the question is focused on rituals or practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T13:05:27.140" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T16:47:34.197" Title="Purifying Karma using mantras and/or prostrations" Tags="|karma|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5206" CreationDate="2014-10-18T23:58:03.887" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no problem at all. It will have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.057.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mixed result (if casue is really mixed)&lt;/a&gt; or each action will have it's own result (selling liquor - bad, generosity - good). Amount of the result is not just lineraly depend on the amount of action, it's also depend on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;level of development of mind&lt;/a&gt; of the performer. There is more factors to play in the ripening of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2014-10-18T23:58:03.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5203" CreationDate="2014-10-19T00:55:30.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think about it - we go to refuge to the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha.  If community wasn't important, it wouldn't be one of the Three Jewels.  There's ample scriptural support for this as in Dhp 6.78, the concept of the kalyaṇa-mittata or spiritual friend, and the Upaddha Sutta where the Buddha called admirable companionship the &quot;whole of the holy life&quot;.  While it can be difficult to find a group where you feel &quot;at home&quot;, being around like minded individuals striving to the same end will only bolster your practice.  Furthermore, even those tiny annoyances like someone shifting during meditation, someone coughing, or a loud breather help strengthen your concentration and resolve.  Life is not perfectly collected samadhi!  We need to learn how to overcome obstacles.  What better time than when you're on the cushion!  I think it important to add that monasteries are supposed to be places most conducive to the spiritual life.  If solo meditation was somehow &quot;better&quot; than group meditation, then monks would not sit with each other.  Needless to say, this is clearly not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will also say that personally, I always sit more deeply when I meditate with others.  The ritual of driving to the same place, seeing the same people, and feeling the energy in the room - nothing can replace that!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As off color as this metaphor is, I feel the need to share it.  One of my teachers once told me that meditation without community is like sex by yourself - it's pleasant and effective, sometimes something dramatic occurs, but always there is the sense that something is missing!  :-)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T20:25:41.457" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T20:25:41.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5211" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-19T01:10:31.720" Score="5" ViewCount="1231" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question came up in my book club.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanting is a central practice in Nichiren Buddhism. How does it work, what effects or benefits come from it?  Has this changed much between from historical and modern times?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T02:26:27.720" Title="How does chanting work in Nichiren Buddhism?" Tags="|nichiren|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2014-10-19T04:06:31.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general (not specific to Nichiren Buddhism which I am not familiar with), chanting could improve one's concentration and lead to peacefulness in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other benefits such as helping one to connect to its inner mind etc and might trigger the &quot;ah huh&quot; moment that explain questions that is long due to be answered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2137" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T04:06:31.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5213" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5215" CreationDate="2014-10-19T05:55:00.590" Score="6" ViewCount="2913" Body="&lt;p&gt;To my limited knowledge, in Zen, it is believed that anyone can be enlightened(if dedicated enough). &#xA;Does everyone have this potential in other branches of Buddhism? &#xA;Can everyone achieve this through meditation?&#xA;Is this what is meant by Buddha nature? &#xA;Is it exclusive to humans(is language necessary?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2139" LastEditorUserId="2139" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T10:36:43.447" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T18:46:37.113" Title="&quot;Anyone can be enlightened&quot;" Tags="|enlightenment|zen|sects|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5213" CreationDate="2014-10-19T11:57:07.360" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy, or even philosophy in general makes words difficult to use consistently. The concept of everyone is one of those words. Which makes the answer yes and no to the question: Can everyone be enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In, I believe, all schools and branches of Buddhism, all sentient beings can eventually gain enlightenment. With emphasis on &quot;eventually&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Animals are not able to, as long as they are an animal. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dwellers of lower realms, have an extremely hard time becoming enlightened so, and would probably need to accumulate some positive karma to become a human before they have a chance to. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beings of higher realms like deva's tend to have such a happy and fun life, practising is difficult, but not impossible. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The human realm is seen as the best of all worlds in terms of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Humans that have committed &quot;Anantarika-karma&quot; or Heinous Crime, (matricide, patricide, killing ahrat, wounding Buddha, creating a schism in the sangha) can no longer achieve enlightenment in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can everyone achieve this through meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this is a difficult one. In the texts some of the enlightened students became so by listening to the words of the Buddha. Others became through practise. The main attributes needed seem to be a pure mind and insight, whether gained by meditation or otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is this what is meant by Buddha nature?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is, to an extend. This seems to be mainly a Mahayana concept and I'm not that familiar with it. I believe it's considered literally: &quot;the potency to become a Buddha&quot;&#xA;In the books I read of the Dalai Lama it is mainly revered to with respect to developing loving-kindness: &quot;Training or developing your Buddha nature.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it exclusive to humans(is language necessary?)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Heavenly beings can also practise and become enlightened. I'm uncertain whether language is necessary, I can remember no sutta's about the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T11:57:07.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5207" CreationDate="2014-10-19T13:12:22.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I pointed out in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1672/43&quot;&gt;If I undergo suffering now, will my next birth be better?&lt;/a&gt;&quot; a while ago, liberation is not attained by &quot;burning&quot; past karma, but through &quot;abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&amp;amp;-now&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As @Yam Marcovic showed in his &quot;large boulder&quot; quote (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 42.6&lt;/a&gt;), Buddha of Pali Canon laughed at using rituals to &lt;em&gt;improve someone else's rebirth&lt;/em&gt;. Indeed, how can your chanting help a dead person attain skillful mental qualities?! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddha never denied efficacy of rituals for changing &lt;em&gt;one's own&lt;/em&gt; mood and motivation. In fact Buddha promoted usage of verbal aids for attainment of first jhana, and mantras can be seen as a kind of verbal aid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism mantras and prostrations are used to cleanse &lt;em&gt;one's own mind&lt;/em&gt; (not past karma!), &lt;em&gt;one's own&lt;/em&gt; habitual tendencies. Specifically, &lt;strong&gt;mantras help stop inner dialog, and prostrations help against egoistic resistance&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana perspective, denying efficacy of such self-directed rituals is foolish, because rituals obviously do change mood and motivation of the performer and participants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T16:47:34.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5194" CreationDate="2014-10-19T13:49:01.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) Familiarize yourself with what sorts of Buddhism exist and which one speaks to you. There are 80,000 doors to the dharma and the teachings vary because they are specific to the audience they were taught to.The books aimed at university students do the best overviews of all traditions, but can feel &quot;heartless&quot;, the books by accomplished practitioners of a particular sect have the most heart, but may or may not speak to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Find out what real world groups exist and visit them. If you're in the West, you may want to check to see if services or classes are in English before you attend. If no groups exist, consider trying out online video meditation classes or create a meetup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) As you study the various schools of Buddhism, look for both ideas and practices-- the ideas color all your actions, the practices are specific things you do, from chanting, to meditation, to following precepts and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T13:49:01.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5218" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-19T14:06:59.020" Score="3" ViewCount="573" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I just read &quot;Waking the Buddha&quot; by Strand and he had a comment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It is unlikely that those who attended them would have felt within their rights, to demand that the Jodo Shinshu teachings showed practical application in daily life. In fact, the prohibition against intercessionary prayer in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennyo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rennyo&lt;/a&gt;'s tradition would have argued against it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Jodo Shinshu, can one efficaciously pray to the Amida Buddha for some result in this world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2018-10-16T21:19:15.187" Title="Is intercessionary prayer prohibited in Jodo Shinshu (Japanese Pureland?)" Tags="|pure-land|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2014-10-19T14:10:03.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nichiren Buddhism is based on the centrality of the Lotus Sutra as being the supreme teachings of the Buddha, and believe that devotion to the Lotus Sutra itself is the correct form of spiritual practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The central way in which they develop this devotion to the Lotus Sutra is to chant the phrase &#xA;南無妙法蓮華経, pronounced Nam(u) Myōhō Renge Kyō (The U is pronounced in some traditions of Nichiren Buddhism and in others is considered silent). The words Myōhō Renge Kyō is just the title of the Lotus Sutra in Classical Chinese pronounced according to their Japanese readings, and the beginning Namu is a transliteration of a Sanskrit word meaning devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T14:10:03.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5207" CreationDate="2014-10-19T16:07:42.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sutta Nipata there is a lyric about if and when the Buddha gets approached by the question of &lt;em&gt;earning merits&lt;/em&gt; (which in my thoughts appear when I read of &quot;polishing karma&quot;). I've kept this to my &lt;em&gt;&quot;personal inventary&quot;&lt;/em&gt; long time ago; moreover it reminds me also of the demand of general &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;wide-heartedness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of any follower that the Buddha was going to accept... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;see: Palicanon &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thansissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; , &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/pali/khuddaka/sn/sn_iii02-3_456.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(english by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN III,2 Padhana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Saying these verses, Mara stood in the Awakened One's presence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And to that Mara, speaking thus, the Blessed One said this:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;&quot;Kinsman of the heedless, Evil One, come here for whatever purpose:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I haven't, for merit, even the least bit of need.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Those who have need of merit: those are the ones Mara's fit to address.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In me are conviction, austerity, persistence, discernment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Why, when I'm so resolute do you petition me to live?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T16:07:42.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2014-10-19T16:20:08.500" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, Nipponzan-Myōhōji, a modern religious movement that emerged from Nichiren sect, was my first contact with real-life Buddhist practice. In Nichiren, chanting &lt;code&gt;NA-MU-MYO! HO! REN! GE! KYO!&lt;/code&gt; is revered as a symbol of what they call &quot;the true cause of Buddhahood&quot;. The idea being, if one never hears about Enlightenment one cannot get onto the path, so in each individual case of Enlightenment, the process must have started with someone dropping the word which planted the seed in the student's mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nichiren (the founder) must have thought very low of his times -- chanting a title of a sutra(!) sounds like a suitable teaching for hell, the inhabitants of which would otherwise have no chance of asking &quot;What does this mean, NA-MU-MYO-HO-REN-GE-KYO? Hm... glory to the &lt;em&gt;Sutra of the Lotus of the True Dharma&lt;/em&gt;... So what is this True Dharma thing?&quot; question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A contemporary Buddhist teacher my friend Dennis Wallez explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indeed Japan was quite in disarray at the time, torn by wars and famine and persecutions... Nichiren thought this partly was the karmic consequences of the perversion of Buddhism by previous schools. The notion of &quot;Latter days of the dharma&quot; was in full swing too and many teachers saw the local situation as a confirmation...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to summarize, in Nichiren chanting is both a symbol &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; practice of seeding the basic seeds, a seemingly primitive work that is never beneath a compassionate Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why Terasawa Junsei, a prominent teacher of Nipponzan-Myōhōji, was (and still is) such a big advocate of chanting NA-MU-MYO-HO-REN-GE-KYO in public, especially in troubled areas such as zones of armed conflicts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-19T18:47:30.393" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T18:47:30.393" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5213" CreationDate="2014-10-19T19:50:15.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my understanding from reading Dogen that everyone already has Nirvana within them and it is hidden by a mask and revealed through sincere practice&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/fundamentals-dogens-thoughts?page=0,1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/fundamentals-dogens-thoughts?page=0,1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dogen says, “Between aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana,&#xA;  there is not a moment’s gap.” Thus, nirvana is one of the four&#xA;  elements in a practitioner’s spiritual activity. For Dogen, nirvana is&#xA;  inseparable from enlightenment, and it is inseparable from one’s&#xA;  practice at each moment. In other words, there is no authentic&#xA;  practice that lacks enlightenment or nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While Dogen discusses aspiration, practice, and enlightenment in&#xA;  detail, he does not explain the last element, nirvana, which seems to&#xA;  be an invisible element in his teaching. It is as though he talks&#xA;  about the experience of nirvana without using this word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana is regarded as the realm of nonduality, where there is no&#xA;  distinction between large and small, long and short, right and wrong,&#xA;  appearing and disappearing, self and other. It may be called reality&#xA;  itself, or the absolute place beyond time and space. This is a realm&#xA;  that cannot be grasped objectively. The intuitive awareness or&#xA;  transcendental wisdom that goes beyond dualistic, analytical thinking&#xA;  and leads us into this realm is called prajna in Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dogen calls this place of inner freedom the buddha realm. It is where&#xA;  one is many, part is whole, a moment is timeless, and mortality is&#xA;  immortality. To experience this beyondness in the midst of the passage&#xA;  of time, change, and decay is a miracle. For Dogen, this miracle can&#xA;  happen each moment, as each moment of duality is inseparable from a&#xA;  moment of nonduality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen is generally considered to be a Zen practitioner, but how can we exclude his observations from his own experience from any Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another source that reinforces the ever present Nirvana in each of us&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bdtest1.squarespace.com/web-archive/2010/9/9/moment-by-moment-nirvana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://bdtest1.squarespace.com/web-archive/2010/9/9/moment-by-moment-nirvana.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not that duality stops existing or functioning; the small is&#xA;  still small and the large is still large. The body remains the body&#xA;  and the mind remains the mind. Without discerning the differences&#xA;  between things, we could not conduct even the simplest task of our&#xA;  daily lives. And yet, in meditation the distinctions seem to dissolve&#xA;  and lose their usual significance. Dogen calls this kind of&#xA;  nondualistic experience nirvana, which exists at each moment of&#xA;  meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are so many areas of Buddhism and sects and circles within each sect that to find a universal belief in every sect of Buddhism is doubtful. My primary concern is does the primary area of my practice hold this to be true, or if nothing else do I hold this to be true. My own practice confirms to whatever degree possible what Dogen says from his ultimate experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-19T19:50:15.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5225" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-20T07:45:49.413" Score="4" ViewCount="189" Body="&lt;p&gt;[This is a double question. I am unsure of Buddhism.SE in relation to posting to questions vs one per post]&#xA;So today, Like many teenagers, I went to school, a place where I am surrounded by friends and challenges. Today there were many pleasant moments, both mentally, emotionally, and sensually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing that isn't unique to this day, is simply getting tired. Over the past few years, I've noticed that getting tired usually makes me more interested sexually, though I think this is either a longing for intimacy, or (more likely) experiencing normal sensory experience as more sensually, ever so slightly. During such episodes of routine tireless that occasionally arise, as is natural I crave sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sleep seems like a pretty blissful state, in that it does not really experience any highs, nor lows. I've read that to not experience any desire is greater than fulfilling ones desires. Is this equality 'simply' achieved through mindfulness? How would you recommend pursuing this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed that a distinctive attribute of pleasure is that generally, I don't want it to stop. Not that moderation is impossible, but its hard to draw a line with pleasure that is truly satisfying. Are some pleasures more satisfying? Or is the only path to satisfaction enlightenment, being detached from desires? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2139" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T14:37:10.677" Title="A good mood/satisfaction" Tags="|enlightenment|mindfulness|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5225" CreationDate="2014-10-20T11:14:28.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regarding characteristics of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt; says this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pleasant feeling is pleasant in remaining, &amp;amp; painful in changing, friend Visakha. Painful feeling is painful in remaining &amp;amp; pleasant in changing. Neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is pleasant in occurring together with knowledge, and painful in occurring without knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your sleepiness: once the need arises, I'd try to substitute some of it for meditation, trying to focus on the breath, and not go anywhere else in your mind. Just sticking with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can get yourself to a state where you can enter meditation and gain refreshment and enjoyment, you'll have made very good progress, and that choice will now be more readily available to you wherever you are. But like anything worthwhile, it takes persistence and dedication to attain. So try to use this motivation for rest that you have right now as a catalyst for developing good qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T11:14:28.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5175" CreationDate="2014-10-20T11:40:41.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a Mahayana teaching. Mahayana teaches many things that comply with Taoism but not with the Canon.  There is no mention of a &lt;em&gt;ground of being&lt;/em&gt; in the Canon, nor of any inherent quality that makes you good or bad either way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So be advised that if you follow the early teachings, you don't have to writhe around this concept. The Buddha himself, in the entire Pali Canon, never mentioned Buddha Nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-10-20T13:29:08.290" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T13:29:08.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5225" CreationDate="2014-10-20T12:25:51.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sleep feels like pleasure when it is stress-free and the waking life is stressful. But a state of stress-free wakefulness is a higher bliss than sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your case the easiest way to achieve that should be through &lt;em&gt;getting fed up&lt;/em&gt; with highs and lows, as opposed to &lt;em&gt;suppressing&lt;/em&gt; them. This does not mean you have to &lt;em&gt;deliberately&lt;/em&gt; seek the highest highs and the lowest lows but you don't have to particularly hide from them either -- this is a Vajrayana perspective. Instead, just face your pleasure directly, experience it fully, and see to what extent it is really a pleasure -- and at the same time see if you can open your scope enough to notice an element of pain that always accompanies pleasure: the pain of urging for more, the pain of interrupted pleasure, the pain of overindulging, and the pain of the high itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see that pleasure is not as pleasurable as it seems superficially, you will naturally get over it. The same way the &quot;lows&quot; are not as real as our minds would like us to believe. Once you really get this then you can sincerely and honestly experience whatever happens, without getting obsessed with its either so-called &quot;pleasant&quot; or &quot;painful&quot; qualities which are never as stable nor as separate from each other as they seem; they contain each other and fluidly flow into each other like Yin and Yang. Then you can naturally stay calm and blissful (dynamically transparent and open, rather than frozen) throughout all experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually, when we get tired we calm down. When we calm down, our sensitivity naturally increases, and that's what you project as sensuality. But you don't have to get tired in order to calm down, nor do you have to limit your use of sensitivity to sensuality only, you can use it for all kinds of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the reason we usually get sleepy when we calm down, is because the mind is conditioned to the drama of highs and lows, and when there is a gap it turns itself off. If you can get used to staying fresh amidst the calmness coming from openness, you can make good use of the increased sensitivity -- you can be an artist, a poet, a visionary...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-20T19:10:09.547" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T19:10:09.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5229" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5231" CreationDate="2014-10-20T13:20:58.447" Score="4" ViewCount="1016" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read about this from time to time-- usually in reference to the stupas in India that held the Buddha's relics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What was the point of circumambulation? Do any sects of Buddhism still practice this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:12:57.160" LastActivityDate="2016-11-26T22:07:36.050" Title="What is circumambulation?" Tags="|traditions|worship|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5225" CreationDate="2014-10-20T13:49:27.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've read that to not experience any desire is greater than fulfilling ones desires. Is this equality 'simply' achieved through mindfulness? How would you recommend pursuing this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect it's through &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right view&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example you may notice that desires aren't satisfactory or aren't satisfied: that you cannot have what you want; that you do not want what you have; and that the things you already want and have, you cannot keep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you might notice that wanting things to be other than as they are can be delusional, unskillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is such a thing as &quot;mindfulness&quot;, but it may be (i.e. I find it is, historically) helpful to see them in the sequence in which they're given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because of your view you develop intention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By (resulting from) intention you develop effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By (resulting from) effort you develop mindfulness and concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the 'view' comes first, and the rest are because of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not that moderation is impossible, but its hard to draw a line with pleasure that is truly satisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the pleasure is in successfully satisfying a need. If I am (my body is) tired and need to sleep then sleeping, relaxing (which satisfies that need) can feel &quot;pleasurable&quot;. After a good night's sleep, I don't need to sleep any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also maybe you don't need to draw a sharp/precise line: meditate before sleeping, dream of meditation while asleep, wake up to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO Buddhism is not averse to satisfying your bodily needs: see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_the_body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and the body&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Middle way&lt;/a&gt;: &quot;In the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, the expression Middle Way is used by the Buddha in his first discourse (the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) to describe the Noble Eightfold Path as the noble path to achieve Nirvana, &lt;strong&gt;instead of taking extremes of austerities and sensual indulgence&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;Later Pali literature has also used the phrase Middle Way to refer to the Buddha's teaching of dependent origination as a view &lt;strong&gt;between the extremes of eternalism and annihilationism&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the things that makes physical pleasure (from satisfying physical needs) 'unsatisfactory' is that it's temporary: e.g. after you have eaten enough, then it is not pleasurable to eat more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are some pleasures more satisfying? Or is the only path to satisfaction enlightenment, being detached from desires?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How about the pleasure of having no desires?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to express that is having the ability to fulfill your own needs. Part of doing that successfully is to ensure that your needs are humble. There's an expression from Zen, &quot;Eat when hungry, sleep when tired.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T13:49:27.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5229" CreationDate="2014-10-20T15:15:13.897" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Circumambulation (Walking around something clockwise) is still a very common practice in most schools of Buddhism as a form of veneration of something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is done for Stupas containing relics of the Buddha most famously, but also for other things as well. For example, in the Theravada tradition it is common that on certain occasions one would circumambulate the entire temple or monastery, and I think this sometimes done in other traditions as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese and perhaps Vietnamese Buddhism it is common to circumambulate the main Buddha image of a temple and so temples often have an open path that goes around the image so you can easily do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="10386" LastEditDate="2016-11-26T22:07:36.050" LastActivityDate="2016-11-26T22:07:36.050" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5213" CreationDate="2014-10-20T15:49:06.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Self effort and meditation to achieve enlightenment are not universal in Buddhism. In Pure Land schools of Buddhism one has a relationship with Amida/Amitabha Buddha whereby one calls   their name or chants homage to their name. Such a believer would aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land where one can much more easily become enlightened as one would then be hearing the Dharma directly from Amitabha Buddha. More information on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Amitabha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-10-20T15:55:05.070" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T15:55:05.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5218" CreationDate="2014-10-20T16:27:13.183" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taitetsu Unno is a modern day Shin master. In his book &quot;River of Fire, River of Water&quot; he explains the concept of the Japanese equivilent of the concept of &quot;suchness&quot; which is called &lt;em&gt;sono-mama&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;kono mama&lt;/em&gt; simply meaning life &quot;as is&quot; or &quot;just right as it is&quot; through a popular Shin poem: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You, as you are, you're just right,&#xA;  Your face, body, name, surname, For you, they are  just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether poor or rich, Your parents, your children, your daughter-in-law; your grandchildren, They are, all for you, just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Happiness, unhappiness, joy and even sorrow, For you, they are just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The life that you have tread is neither good nor bad, For you, it is just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether you go to hell or to the Pure Land, Wherever you go is just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nothing to boast about, nothing to feel bad about, Nothing above, nothing below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even the day and month that you die, Even they are just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life in which you walk together with Amida, There's no way that it can't be just right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you receive your life as just right, Then a deep and profound trust begins to open up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's clear that the acceptance of things &quot;as they are&quot; is very important in Jodo Shinshu. You are not trying to pray for things to be other than what they are. This sense of acceptance is a concept which is understood in other Buddhist traditions as well. But it is beautifully expressed in this poem, I think. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T16:27:13.183" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4115" CreationDate="2014-10-20T18:02:21.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think this is an issue particular to any sect of Buddhism. Garnering enough financial support for an organization to keep doing what it's doing is a problem shared by religious organizations, non profit organizations, and even for profit businesses. Any organization that wishes to sustain itself must be able to meet expenses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True enough that it's tradition for the dhamma to be given freely; never sold or traded in a transaction. But few of us are sitting under a tree hearing a dhamma talk from a wandering mendicant. If we are sitting in a nice Buddhist center of some sort, with heat, air conditioning, running water, lights, books, etc., someone has to pay for all that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course there are rules for monastics to follow regarding money; so presumably a lay person or group of lay people at the center you visited are in charge of garnering support to keep the center open. The fact that they were very obvious about it may mean that the community in general has not been very generous in their support in the past and they may be trying to make it clear that support is needed and appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dana is a very important Buddhist concept; but with so many newly converted Buddhists in the West (I believe you've mentioned that your geographic area has not had a long standing Buddhist presence.), there may not be a solid understanding yet of how Dāna pāramī helps to stabilize a Buddhist presence in a new area. It may take years for a new Buddhist center to build a loyal and generous following that would allow it to not be so obvious in asking for donations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll close with the observation that a temple I attend that serves a traditionally Buddhist ethnic group seems far better supported financially than a lay lead group of Western converts to Buddhism which I previously belonged to. It could simply be a matter of making newer Buddhists understand that while Buddhism is wonderful, special, and brand new to them; there are still bills to pay. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand; if you see obvious signs of luxury living in the center, look for a new center! ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T18:02:21.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5235" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5236" CreationDate="2014-10-20T19:12:42.917" Score="3" ViewCount="553" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is hard to trace the source of this lovely story, it is present in different religions from India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some versions of the story, the Buddha was there, in other versions the Buddha only told the story and there are also versions without the Buddha (participating or telling it)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this story on the Dhammapada? Is it from a Sutta? I would like to know if it is present somewhere in the Pali Canon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-20T19:26:19.587" LastActivityDate="2020-04-12T13:06:32.887" Title="Is &quot;the blind men and the elephant&quot; a true Buddhist story?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5235" CreationDate="2014-10-20T20:16:18.417" Score="7" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is “the blind men and the elephant” a true Buddhist story? I would like to know if it is present somewhere in the Pali Canon.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the story is present in the canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Once, monks, in this same Sāvatthī, there was a certain king, and the&#xA;  king said to a certain man, 'Come, my good man. Gather together all&#xA;  the people in Sāvatthī who have been blind from birth.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Responding, 'As you say, your majesty,' to the king, the man — having&#xA;  rounded up all the people in Sāvatthī who had been blind from birth —&#xA;  went to the king and on arrival said, 'Your majesty, the people in&#xA;  Sāvatthī who have been blind from birth have been gathered together.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Very well then, I say, show the blind people an elephant.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Responding, 'As you say, your majesty,' to the king, the man showed&#xA;  the blind people an elephant. To some of the blind people he showed&#xA;  the elephant's head, saying, 'This, blind people, is what an elephant&#xA;  is like.' To some of them he showed the elephant's ear, saying, 'This,&#xA;  blind people, is what an elephant is like.' To some of them he showed&#xA;  the elephant's tusk... the elephant's trunk... the elephant's body...&#xA;  the elephant's foot... the elephant's hindquarters... the elephant's&#xA;  tail... the tuft at the end of the elephant's tail, saying, 'This,&#xA;  blind people, is what an elephant is like.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, having shown the blind people the elephant, the man went to the&#xA;  king and on arrival said, 'Your majesty, the blind people have seen&#xA;  the elephant. May your majesty do what you think it is now time to&#xA;  do.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then the king went to the blind people and on arrival asked them,&#xA;  'Blind people, have you seen the elephant?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Yes, your majesty. We have seen the elephant.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Now tell me, blind people, what the elephant is like.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The blind people who had been shown the elephant's head said, 'The&#xA;  elephant, your majesty, is just like a jar.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's ear said, 'The elephant, your&#xA;  majesty, is just like a winnowing basket.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's tusk said, 'The elephant,&#xA;  your majesty, is just like plowshare.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's trunk said, 'The elephant,&#xA;  your majesty, is just like the pole of a plow.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's body said, 'The elephant,&#xA;  your majesty, is just like a granary.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's foot said, 'The elephant,&#xA;  your majesty, is just like a post.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's hindquarters said, 'The&#xA;  elephant, your majesty, is just like a mortar.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the elephant's tail said, 'The elephant,&#xA;  your majesty, is just like a pestle.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who had been shown the tuft at the end of the elephant's tail&#xA;  said, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a broom.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Saying, 'The elephant is like this, it's not like that. The&#xA;  elephant's not like that, it's like this,' they struck one another&#xA;  with their fists. That gratified the king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, the wanderers of other sects are blind &amp;amp;&#xA;  eyeless. They don't know what is beneficial and what is harmful. They&#xA;  don't know what is the Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma. Not knowing what&#xA;  is beneficial and what is harmful, not knowing what is Dhamma and what&#xA;  is non-Dhamma, they keep on arguing, quarreling, &amp;amp; disputing, wounding&#xA;  one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, 'The Dhamma is like&#xA;  this, it's not like that. The Dhamma's not like that, it's like&#xA;  this.'&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud 6.4, Sectarians (1)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T20:16:18.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2014-10-20T23:43:51.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the Tipitaka or Pali Canon in English: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pāli Canon (Pali: Tipitaka) is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language.[1] It is the first known and most complete extant early Buddhist canon.[2][3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also scripture collections for the Chinese and Tibetan traditions which is why folks were asking which tradition you were interested in. But as noted above, the Pali Canon is considered the earlier canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-20T23:43:51.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5203" CreationDate="2014-10-21T13:15:04.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating, this creates conditioning / fabrications in the environment around the meditator. So when meditating in a group such conditioning can effect each and everyone in the group making your meditation more productive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly for any good action if you do as a group the results / karma is stronger than doing solo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T13:15:04.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2014-10-21T13:36:49.543" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your past fabrication / conditioning manifests as sensations in your body. But looking at the arising and passing away of sensations equanimously realising their impermanence you are effectively reducing the potency of the past Karma to take effect. More you do this, the past Karma gets weaker and weaker. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My being equanimous  and aware of the 3 marks of existence of sensations you stop adding fuel to the process of conditioning or the wheel of dependent origination turning. By adding not fue the existing fuel will burn and the fire will die out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind that large portion of the result of Karma is our reaction to the effects and sensation of it which, creates a lot more problems and misery, and further fabrication which prolongs the suffering. The result of new fabrication and knock on problems we create for ourselves, (snowballing / avalanche effect) are much more than the effects coming from the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T13:36:49.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3937" CreationDate="2014-10-21T13:45:00.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There can be two explanations for the rocking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reaction to pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Conditioning / fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both of these create sensation in your body. By looking and the sensations without reaction and objectively (equanimous with the understanding of it's impermanence) this will stop if the is reaction based. Also keep in mind you might not be able to stop all reactions at once due to the conditioning your mind. But this will gradually dampen and die off. If it is conditioning based then but not putting new fuel to the process (reaction to sensation creating new fabrications / conditioning as per dependent origination) by reacting it again will die off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T13:45:00.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2014-10-21T13:50:03.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depression is also a form of fabrication / conditioning. This manifests itself as sensations. (as an irresistible tingling sensation or some painful sensation around the head or forehead) But objectively looking at the sensation without reaction this will pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The source of the depression is clinging and aversion combined with the lack of knowledge of the 3 marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T18:05:04.760" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T18:05:04.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3969" CreationDate="2014-10-21T14:01:10.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism, what is referred as attachment is the type of attachment which keeps wheel of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In each case when a through arrives in your mind you get a sensation. When you react to this sensation with liking then it is attachement. If you do it with dislike it is aversion. All this because you do not understand the true nature of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you experience any sensation with respect to thoughts of responsibility to which you react then there is attachment to reputation. If you do not react to  the self awareness and reputation then there is no attachment. You can have applied through without attachment. This is more emotionally balanced than you doing things for stimulus from thoughts on reputation. This is more like a carrot and stick approach at a subtler level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T14:01:10.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5225" CreationDate="2014-10-21T14:37:10.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have 6 sense doors with the 5 inclined towards external senses and the the mind. Whenever anything comes in contact with any of the sense doors a sensation arices. It is like a stone thrown to water. E.g. if you see something 1st a sensation occurs around your eyes which nearly instantly ripples to your brain area when you give it an evaluation and both this ripples throughout your body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How you fulfill a desire is that you seek some form of external or mental stimulation or contact which triggers some sensation which you have give a evaluation as something you desire or avoid contact with something you have given an evaluation as something you do not desire. Not relating to any sensation arising from contact you stop clinging or seeking to desire. If something pleasant comes your way well and good. If it does not still no issue. Wanting more is the issue here. If you want something more and do not get it you are disappointed. You have to get your mind to a state where you do not get disappointed whatever happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T14:37:10.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3969" CreationDate="2014-10-21T16:55:29.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe don't try to balance anything, just experience. Wanting things to be a certain way is always dukkha.&#xA; Ideally, we should do what is appropriate to the situation(this is easy for Arahants, hard for beginners). So if they think they are being ignored, maybe use the misunderstanding as an opportunity to tell them about what your practicing. Say something like: &quot;I'm not ignoring you, I'm practicing the Dharma and to stay in line with the Dharma I keep my words few but just right, it's called Right Speech. All Dharma practices aim at making the practitioner quit ignoring what makes themselves and everyone suffer, in order to transcend  suffering and be happy. So, now can you start to see that I'm very far from ignoring you?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T16:55:29.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5245" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-21T17:04:58.157" Score="9" ViewCount="35617" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an altar maintenance question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the sort of typical things done with the food, water, flowers and so on that gets put on the altar for altar maintenance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2020-11-19T21:42:49.850" Title="What is done with offerings after they've been on the altar awhile?" Tags="|rituals|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5246" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-21T20:56:39.683" Score="11" ViewCount="8464" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come across Jainism through looking for texts on Buddhism and I've found there seems a considerable amount of overlap. Did Siddhartha Gautama encounter or study under any Jainist teachers? It seems Jainism predates Buddhism by a lot so were these concepts also predating Siddhartha too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jainism: The ultimate goal of Jainism is the liberation of the self (jiva) from rebirth, which is attained through the elimination of accumulated karma (the consequences of previous actions). This occurs through both the disciplined cultivation of knowledge and control of bodily passions. When the passions have been utterly conquered and all karma has been removed, one becomes a Jina (&amp;quot;conqueror&amp;quot;), and is no longer subject to rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These principles include non-violence in all parts of life (verbal, physical, and mental), speaking truth, sexual monogamy, and the detachment from material things. As part of the disciplined and non-violent lifestyle, Jains typically are strict vegetarians and often adhere to a quite arduous practice of non-violence, which restricts the sorts of occupations they may follow (no farming, for instance, since insects are inadvertently harmed in plowing). Jainism's ethical system is based on the idea that right faith, knowledge, and conduct must be cultivated simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like comparing rules of monks and even the five precepts are identical from what I found.&#xA;The five precepts and five vows are identical from what I saw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.diffen.com/difference/Buddhism_vs_Jainism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is a list of comparisons and contrasts.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds a whole lot like Buddhism to me! Does anyone know about the Jainism/Buddhism comparison?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="982" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-03T13:21:21.173" LastActivityDate="2022-05-21T06:59:45.903" Title="Jainism vs Buddhism: did Buddhism borrow from Jainism?" Tags="|teaching|comparative-religion|jainism|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2014-10-21T21:18:07.283" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are very strong similarities between Buddhism and Jainism but there are also a number of major differences as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very true that Buddhism and Jainism use a lot of very similar terminology, but these are mostly terms that were floating around among the Shramanas (ascetics) for some time. Karma, rebirth, the goal as escape from rebirth. etc... were ideas that were not unique to either Buddhism or Jainism but were held by many different groups of ascetics. For example, the Ajivaka school taught very similar things on these points as well. The general terminology of rebirth and karma was a general part of the Indian ascetic tradition as a whole, rather than just Jainism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when you look at how these concepts are actually understood in Jainism and Buddhism you find there are major differences. It seems that the Buddha borrowed existing terminology but gave it radically new meanings. The best example I can think of is in the Buddha's understanding of Karma compared with the Jain understanding of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jains (according to my knowledge) think of Karma as being some sort of subtle substance that sticks to one's Jiva, or soul. The Jiva is bound to a physical body, and as a result becomes loaded up with Karma, which weights it down and interferes with one's spiritual understanding. When one dies the kind of Karma stuck to your Jiva determines your rebirth. Through ethical living you can stop more karma from being accumulated and through ascetic practice you can 'burn up' the karma stuck to your soul, and if you can get rid of all of it, you become enlightened, and will then be reborn into a special heaven without a physical body where you will be just a Jiva and will stay that way forever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha rejected the idea that Karma is any sort of substance and rejected any kind of soul or self as well. To the Buddha, Karma refers to an action with mental intention. The Buddha said this in many places, saying &quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&quot; and in several Suttas the Buddha spoke out against the Nigantha's (that's what the Jains were called at that time) understanding of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-21T21:18:07.283" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2014-10-21T22:21:10.930" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you saying that Buddhism is dependently arisen? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The similarities are there. Buddhism shares terminology with both proto-Hinduism and Jainism. I can't remember what the title of the book was. But I read a book about the history of the historical Buddha, from a not-Buddhist perspective, where the reader argued that the time of the Buddha was similar to the philosophical age of the Greek world where many thinkers and gurus debated topics, gathered followers who in turn debated and formed schools of thought of their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering there are a lot of sutta's where other teachings and teachers are mentioned, and where different views about the world are mentioned and rebutted, this view sounds to me like a realistic one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adding to this that Siddartha Gautama was, according to the texts of the Kshatriya (warrior and ruler) kaste; He was probably well educated and knowledgeable about the different teachings of the Brahman and the ascetics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of becoming enlightened or even the concept of some sort of awakening had to be there in one form or another, before the Siddhartha achieved it. It was mentioned as a goal by the ascetic he trained with and it was recognised by others. So the words and concepts where, to an extend, an ingrained part of the culture and language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The newness or original thought of Buddhism is, like Bakmoon said, in the different meaning of those words and concepts: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Birth and rebirth is different&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is radically different &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana is radically different&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way of achieving Nirvana is different&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation is different&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nothings is eternal, unchanging or satisfiable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everything is dependently arisen   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've always interpreted the part of the middle way, as being in the middle between the Brahmans (living with wealth, sensuality and pleasure) and the Jains (Living in poverty, extremely strict eating guidelines, periods of fasting and persevering hardships.)&#xA;But the Jain are, if I recall correctly, never mentioned in the texts, so I can not be certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastEditorUserId="179" LastEditDate="2014-10-22T06:59:28.893" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T06:59:28.893" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5249" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-21T23:33:18.900" Score="11" ViewCount="2955" Body="&lt;p&gt;I actually had a lot of respect for Buddhism, and studied it a few years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it made me feel that it might be too extreme (and it could be that most religions are too extreme, because they tend to think what they believe is right, and the other beliefs are wrong).  I say that because, for example, it tend to teach self-sacrifice and letting go, and that do not hold onto anything, and to the point that do not marry and do not have any children -- what the deep believers -- monks -- do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say if this is the appropriate thing to do, and everybody in the world does that, then the world, in 100 years or 200 years, will not have human beings any more (because if no marriage and no children, then there will be no new life on earth, while the existing people pass away).  I can't say that it will be &quot;good&quot; if on earth, there is no more human beings, but lions, wolves, foxes, rabbits, and other animals remain on earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could somebody present a calm and rational argument to suggest otherwise?  I am open to any idea, as I am, like many of us, always learning new things along our life time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2150" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T23:44:23.233" Title="How to refute the idea that Buddhism might be actually &quot;too extreme&quot;?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5249" CreationDate="2014-10-22T02:29:08.557" Score="37" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's kinda funny to see how we westerners stereotypically misunderstand Dharma as postulating some kind of globally applicable set of absolute unconditional prescriptions. Is this not taking it to the extreme? :) Buddha's teaching should not be taken out of context and unwittingly extrapolated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha say lay people should &quot;not marry and do not have any children&quot;? No, he said they should avoid &lt;em&gt;sexual misconduct&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha say all lay people should become monks? No, in fact he suggested that monks should not work and are instead to live in dependence on lay community (begging, accepting donations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha teach &quot;self-sacrifice&quot;? No, he taught middle-way: by looking after ourselves we look after others, by looking after others we look after ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha teach radical ascetic rejection of everything? No, what he taught was letting go of obsessions, preconceptions, biases, overgeneralizations, irrational expectations; he taught not to assign &lt;em&gt;too&lt;/em&gt; much importance to petty stuff that does not deserve it; he taught to be analytical; he taught to be practical and flexible and wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said, &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; (thirst, craving) is the source of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (troubled mind, emotional suffering). This means, whenever you crave for things to be different than they are, right now, you suffer. This does not mean you should not participate in life, this means if we fully accept what we have, and work with it, instead of wishing it were otherwise, we will not generate emotional suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this not the most rational doctrine ever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-22T20:08:28.047" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T20:08:28.047" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5249" CreationDate="2014-10-22T02:59:50.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you find a branch of Buddhism without ceremonies and beliefs, you could easily avoid the type of imposed belief you are talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or if you are a brave soul, you could take the writings of as many true teachers as you have need of and put it into practice with no belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would start with Roshi Suzuki that does not advocate for much beyond sitting with the beginner's mind&#xA;www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not find that to your liking you could try Dogen who is quite verbose about his path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want open minded, the Dalai Lama though thoroughly a Tibetan Buddhist embraces science, psychology, other religions and other people choosing a different way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This ceremony is the door to compassion. It is unlocking beginner's mind in an applied way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/teachings/training-the-mind/generating-the-mind-for-enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dalailama.com/teachings/training-the-mind/generating-the-mind-for-enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at the flower sermon for the ultimate simplicity in Buddhism:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;There is no belief in that, just the experience of what is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T02:59:50.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3969" CreationDate="2014-10-22T09:17:21.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too have felt some resistance, although it did eventually resolve. For one, try being more compassionate. For a long while I simply desired wisdom, and did so in a way that was neither mindful of the consequences of my actions(and how people felt about them) and had a sense of pride. Now I am practising more compassion, and its harder for negativity to phase me. Consequently, I am not trying to shield my ego from the negativity, instead I embrace it. Through companions sharing this, they provide insight into how I could help them better. It was only through realising how my actions were harmful(atleast from the perspective of my friends) to the relationships, that I was able to eliminate the misunderstanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you confront the ignorance, rather than purely ignore it, and practise compassion, you may find a more harmoneuous relationship. Of course there are people who will resist changing their attitude, such as someone who may be biased against Buddhism or any religious practise! In this case, try and see it from their perspective, and act in such a way to minimise their suffering. If they have no reason to suffer, your suffering should too reduce. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I used to try and impose my attitude towards vulgar language upon others, but only through accepting the present nature of some people, and their use of such language, was I able to eliminate my suffering. I let go of my attitude, and it no longer bothers me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck, hope you manage to find the trickly balance between practising yourself and being understood by others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2139" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T09:17:21.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5249" CreationDate="2014-10-22T16:13:18.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many different forms/sects of Buddhism.  Some are more &quot;monkish&quot; than others.  I've been following the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, which advocates using our desires and attachments to fuel our enlightenment rather than eradicating them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My view is that the whole priesthood/monk phenomenon was an aspect of history.  Cultural and historical, not core to the Buddhist belief system.  You need a group who takes on responsibility to help lead, but they don't need to be monks.  This is the kind of organization that is emerging in the Soka Gakkai, where I practice (sgi-usa.org).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2159" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T16:13:18.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2014-10-22T17:50:05.417" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some people in the world that their minds are relatively more corrupted than others. So they can enter to depression regularly or experience the life under constant bombardment of their mind 95 percent of the time. At first this seems a dreadful thing but these people are more interested to meditation and Buddhism than others. Venerable Yuttadhamo said (in the interview with truthloader) that the people who really think that sensual pleasure will satisfy them aren't interested to meditation but the people who are suffering are more interested to Buddhism.(Maybe he used different words but this is what I remember now) Eckhart Tolle said that &quot;If you have a heavy pain body you are lucky. If you have a light pain body there is still hope for you too&quot;. So having a relatively peaceful mind(this peacefulness is only a relative description because these people still experience stress, unhappiness and even depression) can prolong the illusion for that person and lead to an ego and sensuality based life style that corrupts their minds fastly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The people who experience the life under the pressure of negative minds must seek time and place to start an intensive practise. This intensity can start with getting rid of the addictions with constant practise of mindfulness and then when the person is ready, he/she can start intensive meditation. The best place is ofcourse Buddhist meditation centers/monasteries. But the person can do that at their homes too, but searching information about intensive meditation or having a contact with a qualified meditation teacher before starting to practise is necessary I think. I don't say that you must keep the intensive practise all of your life, but especially the people with negative minds must push their limits(with having guidance ofcourse) and continue the intensive practise until they really start to see change in their mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But ofcourse, meditaton/mindfulness and morality is not limited to a time-period it must be always the priority of a Buddhist meditator's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="700" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:41:50.057" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:41:50.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5257" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-22T20:35:37.923" Score="7" ViewCount="5402" Body="&lt;p&gt;This thought occurred to me after reading the following question and top answer:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5249/how-to-refute-the-idea-that-buddhism-might-be-actually-too-extreme&quot;&gt;How to refute the idea that Buddhism might be actually &amp;quot;too extreme&amp;quot;?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questioner thinks the logical conclusion of Buddhism is to abandon all worldly goods, including the family, resulting in the elimination of the human race.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let's say if this is the appropriate thing to do, and everybody in the&#xA;  world does that, then the world, in 100 years or 200 years, will not&#xA;  have human beings any more (because if no marriage and no children,&#xA;  then there will be no new life on earth, while the existing people&#xA;  pass away). I can't say that it will be &quot;good&quot; if on earth, there is&#xA;  no more human beings, but lions, wolves, foxes, rabbits, and other&#xA;  animals remain on earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answerer stated this is taking Buddhism to the extreme, and rather Buddhism is to avoid extremes and to take the middle path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did Buddha teach &quot;self-sacrifice&quot;? No, he taught middle-way: by&#xA;  looking after ourselves we look after others, by looking after others&#xA;  we look after ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is exactly what Aristotle said in his definition of virtue.  He defines virtue as the mean between extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_mean_(philosophy)#Aristotle&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_mean_(philosophy)#Aristotle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His constant phrase is, &quot;… is the Middle state between …&quot;. His&#xA;  psychology of the soul and its virtues is based on the golden mean&#xA;  between the extremes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any essential difference between Aristotle's definition of virtue and what Buddhism teaches?  It seems there is only a difference in details, how specifically Buddhism teaches to seek the middle way, but the overarching principle is the same.  Or are there extremes in Buddhism's teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="986" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T22:01:20.610" Title="Difference between Buddhism and Aristotelian &quot;middle-way&quot;?" Tags="|western-philosophy|middle-way|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5257" CreationDate="2014-10-22T21:00:52.547" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, this is exactly what Aristotle said in his definition of virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes the ancient Greeks did have &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sages_of_Greece&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nothing in excess&lt;/a&gt;&quot; as part of their cultural heritage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists might agree with some of the other 'wise' sayings on the page linked above, especially for example, &quot;You should not desire the impossible&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the ethics are not the same. Greek ethics are typically about being a good citizen, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A &quot;middle way&quot; between cowardice and recklessness, so, being prudent and brave as a soldier&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being a just (justice) member of the jury&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being a political hero; etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Greeks are into aesthetics too: they talk about &quot;the beautiful&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any essential difference between Aristotle's definition of virtue and what Buddhism teaches?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would do yourself a disservice to assume that, having read Aristotle, you have a handle on Buddhist Dhamma too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some essential differences include that they don't have the same goal, nor the same method/mechanism, not at all the same logic, nor the same experimental proof, nor the same practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or are there extremes in Buddhism's teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, I think there are many; so many that I cannot hope to pick &quot;the best&quot; example, so let me instead pick one example more-or-less at random.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka&lt;/a&gt; starts with, &quot;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;Abandon one quality, monks, and I guarantee you non-return. Which one quality? Abandon greed as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return.&quot;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In several ways, this is an &quot;extreme&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's said by &quot;&lt;strong&gt;the Blessed One&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's &quot;&lt;strong&gt;abandon&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; one quality, not &quot;see if you can't try to live without it quite a lot  of the time&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I guarantee you&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, not &quot;I'm pretty sure&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's &quot;&lt;strong&gt;greed&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, not &quot;thinking about it&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;non-return&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, not &quot;not too much of a return&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure of the definition of the &quot;middle way&quot; you quoted (not sure whether it's a good definition: maybe you're quoting out of context).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some more canonical definitions of the Buddhist &quot;middle way&quot; are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are &lt;strong&gt;these two extremes&lt;/strong&gt; that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? &lt;strong&gt;That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base&lt;/strong&gt;, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and &lt;strong&gt;that which is devoted to self-affliction&lt;/strong&gt;: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. &lt;strong&gt;Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way&lt;/strong&gt; realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cutting Off the Causes of Suffering&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha calls this path the middle way (majjhima patipada)&lt;/strong&gt;. It is the middle way because it steers clear of two extremes, two misguided attempts to gain release from suffering. &lt;strong&gt;One is the extreme of indulgence in sense pleasures&lt;/strong&gt;, the attempt to extinguish dissatisfaction by gratifying desire. This approach gives pleasure, but the enjoyment won is gross, transitory, and devoid of deep contentment. The Buddha recognized that sensual desire can exercise a tight grip over the minds of human beings, and he was keenly aware of how ardently attached people become to the pleasures of the senses. But he also knew that this pleasure is far inferior to the happiness that arises from renunciation, and therefore he repeatedly taught that the way to the Ultimate eventually requires the relinquishment of sensual desire. Thus the Buddha describes the indulgence in sense pleasures as &quot;low, common, worldly, ignoble, not leading to the goal.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The other extreme is the practice of self-mortification&lt;/strong&gt;, the attempt to gain liberation by afflicting the body. This approach may stem from a genuine aspiration for deliverance, but it works within the compass of a wrong assumption that renders the energy expended barren of results. The error is taking the body to be the cause of bondage, when the real source of trouble lies in the mind — the mind obsessed by greed, aversion, and delusion. To rid the mind of these defilements the affliction of the body is not only useless but self-defeating, for it is the impairment of a necessary instrument. Thus the Buddha describes this second extreme as &quot;painful, ignoble, not leading to the goal.&quot;[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aloof from these two extreme approaches is the Noble Eightfold Path, called the middle way, not in the sense that it effects a compromise between the extremes, but in the sense that it transcends them both by avoiding the errors that each involves. The path avoids the extreme of sense indulgence by its recognition of the futility of desire and its stress on renunciation. Desire and sensuality, far from being means to happiness, are springs of suffering to be abandoned as the requisite of deliverance. But the practice of renunciation does not entail the tormenting of the body. It consists in mental training, and for this the body must be fit, a sturdy support for the inward work. Thus the body is to be looked after well, kept in good health, while the mental faculties are trained to generate the liberating wisdom. That is the middle way, the Noble Eightfold Path, which &quot;gives rise to vision, gives rise to knowledge, and leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Glossary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;paṭipadā: Road, path, way; the means of reaching a goal or destination. The &quot;Middle way&quot; (majjhima-paṭipadā) taught by the Buddha; the path of practice described in the fourth noble truth (dukkhanirodhagāminī-paṭīpadā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; adds that &quot;In Mahayana Buddhism, the Middle Way refers to the insight into emptiness that transcends opposite statements about existence.&quot; Wikipedia's footnote to this sentence references the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T02:58:01.013" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T02:58:01.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3969" CreationDate="2014-10-22T21:20:55.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The right fix, in my personal opinion, would be to respond as best as you can when people tell you such things. Try to see what it is about your reaction that gets on these people's nerves. It's not the case that you have to suffer when making use of social norms and conventions in order to maintain a dignified conversation. Try to see if you can find a way to appear right and normal to these people, without sacrificing your stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I also suggest that, so long as you're not a monk, you don't want to sacrifice your job and relationships for the sake of not wanting to engage in things you don't like just right now. It's the long term well being that you're better off working on - and getting fired or thought lowly of by your friends &amp;amp; relatives isn't going to be part of that. Surely you can find a way to balance things out rightly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best of luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-22T21:20:55.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5262" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5266" CreationDate="2014-10-23T00:14:52.387" Score="2" ViewCount="306" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vinaya, there is this rule (copied from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pratyeka.org/a2i/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch04.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Monastic Code II&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should not knowingly consume meat killed on purpose (for a&#xA;  bhikkhu). Whoever should consume it: an offense of wrong doing. I&#xA;  allow fish and meat that is pure in three respects: One has not seen,&#xA;  heard, or suspected (that it was killed on purpose for a bhikkhu).&quot; —&#xA;  Mv.VI.31.14&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should we interpret &quot;heard&quot;? I can think of some possibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heard from someone that it was killed for me, i.e., someone told me that it was killed for me.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heard the sound of killing, e.g. sound of the animal or action of killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both of the above.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:56:41.953" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:36:02.900" Title="What does &quot;heard&quot; mean in &quot;I allow fish and meat that is pure in three respects: One has not seen, heard, or suspected...&quot;" Tags="|vinaya|ethics|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5264" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-23T01:13:36.983" Score="3" ViewCount="637" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the characteristics of Vajrayana is its secret transmission (esoteric tranmission) of certain teachings. The other one is the controversial   karmamudra (sexual practice to reach spiritual attainment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question is, according to the characteristics and teaching of Buddha in Pali Canon, could he have taught Vajrayana and karmamudra?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T01:19:23.243" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T13:13:14.877" Title="According to Buddha's characteristics and teaching in Pali Canon, could he have taught Vajrayana (and Karmamudra)?" Tags="|pali-canon|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5264" CreationDate="2014-10-23T01:38:05.037" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the early texts the Buddha didn't have any secret teachings. Somewhere in the Digha Nikaya (I think it's in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, but it's a very long Sutta and I can't quite locate it) the Buddha said: &quot;I do not have the closed fist of the teacher who holds anything back&quot; and in AN 1.283 the Buddha said: &quot;Three things shine openly, not in secret. What three? The orb of the moon, the orb of the sun and the Dhamma and discipline taught by the Tathàgata&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to note though is that the Tantras mostly don't claim to have been spoken by the historical Buddha Sidhartha Gautama, or Shakyamuni Buddha, but by Vajradhara, a different Buddha that is often understood to be Shakyamuni appearing in Tantric form. They say that Vajradhara appeared to the various Mahasiddhas in visions and revealed to them the various Tantras that became the basis of the tantric teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, just to clarify for readers who may not be aware, Karmamudra is a high level tantric practice in which one engages in sexual intercourse with a special consort in order to destroy the knots around the Heart Chakra and thus allow the attainment of enlightenment. It is a very high level practice and isn't done lightly. Monks are not allowed to do it (at least in the Gelugpa school) because of their vows of celibacy. It's a very rare practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T01:43:28.813" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T01:43:28.813" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5262" CreationDate="2014-10-23T02:13:42.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#meat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This translation&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a bhikkhu sees, hears or suspects that it has been killed for him, he may not eat it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This commentary&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, even cooked fish or meat of an allowable kind is unallowable if the &#xA;  bhikkhu sees, hears, or suspects that the animal was killed specifically for the &#xA;  purpose of feeding bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both of these imply only the first of your two possibilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T02:13:42.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5262" CreationDate="2014-10-23T11:52:30.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say hear = hear the sound of the animal being killed/ screaming (not for fish or course)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is based on the interpretation of Dhammavvuddho Thero, he has written a book that contains this subject and also he has given many Dhamma Talks about meat eating. You can google it maybe you will find more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says you should not eat if you see the animal being killed, hear it or suspect it was killed intentionally killed for you, of course you cannot kill or ask someone to do it as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also another detail: Not all types of meats are allowed, some animals and human flesh should not be consumed for many reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More details here (from Theravada monk Dhammavvuddho Thero):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/07/the-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/07/the-buddha&lt;/a&gt;’s-real-views-on-meat-eating/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-23T11:58:05.137" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T11:58:05.137" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5269" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-23T14:35:17.517" Score="3" ViewCount="383" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra’s parable of the burning house imagines inhabitants of a house in fire. They do not register the dangerous situation and therefore  “the thought of getting out does not occur to them”.&#xA;Later on, the Lotus Sutra ascribes the following comment to Buddha: “Even there, in that threefold universe that is like a burning house, they enjoy themselves and run about. For though they are being afflicted by a great deal of suffering, the thought that they are suffering does not occur to them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine a 21-st century Milinda brought up in critical thinking. He is alike to the elder Milinda in his attitude of questioning, but - different from him – today’s Milinda is not willing to accept a bunch of metaphors as a sufficent answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;21-st century Milinda has no remembrance of past lifes. He does not expect a future life. In addition, he has learned to accept: Present life is not arranged to primarily satisfy human wishes. He asks his modern &quot;Nagasena&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If I do not suffer from rebirth: Why worry about rebirth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If I do not remember any actions in past lifes: Why worry about karma?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If I expect that death - quite naturally - ends the life of all beings: Why worry about nirvana?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I distinguish between questions with answer and questions without: Why strive for enlightenment due to meditation?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="880" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T06:36:26.643" LastActivityDate="2020-08-17T18:29:12.823" Title="Questions from 21-st century's Milinda" Tags="|karma|mahayana|rebirth|enlightenment|nirvana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5269" CreationDate="2014-10-23T14:54:56.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd hazard a guess that if the Ven. Nagasena were around today he might respond with something as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Just because you don't know that you have a problem doesn't mean there isn't one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) One cannot conclude that something in the past didn't happen just because you don't remember it. For example, I don't have any memories of being an infant or being born but that doesn't mean that I never was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) One should be concerned about Nirvana because it is not some sort of prize after death, but a reality that is fully realizable in the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) One should strive for enlightenment through meditation because meditation is a necessary part of the spiritual practice. Without it one cannot expect to attain anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T14:54:56.683" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5269" CreationDate="2014-10-23T15:44:55.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Annihilationism&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason to worry is that annihilationism (the belief that death ends all) leads to materialism (the belief that 'physics and chemistry' are all there is) leads to hedonism (the belief that it's right to take pleasure in the here-and-now because that's all there is -- '&lt;em&gt;eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die&lt;/em&gt;'&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or (less likely), materialism might lead to asceticism: '&lt;em&gt;what's the point of enjoying this life etc.?&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that either extreme (hedonism or asceticism) leads to suffering; whereas, to end suffering (even in this life), what you should look for is e.g. restraint, equanimity, love, wisdom, honesty, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;and so on&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Suffering&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first Noble Truth is that &quot;suffering exists.&quot; What are you going to to about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deny it exists? (naive optimism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Passive resignation and acceptance? (pessimism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seek to justify it? (rationalization)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make some effort to end it, to overcome it? (3rd and 4th noble truths)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO Buddhism is supposed to help you in &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; life: when you and your friends and family are poor, sick, and dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Self&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason to worry, is that statements like &quot;I do not suffer from rebirth&quot; implies that you think there is an &quot;I&quot;, i.e. a &quot;self&quot;. Saying that the &quot;I&quot; is destroyed at death might imply that the &quot;I&quot; exists before death, which may be an example of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_(Buddhism)#Four_wrong_views&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a wrong view&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Fruits&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the King listed to the description of Annihilationism given by Ajita Kesakambali, but did not find it satisfying ... found it fruitless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-24T23:41:35.517" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T23:41:35.517" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5272" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5275" CreationDate="2014-10-23T17:10:32.237" Score="11" ViewCount="1233" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I thought I really need to ask this question about Buddhist meditation specifically, Anapanasati. Basically I sit cross legged and count breaths for 15 minutes as advised on the Internet for beginners. Correct me if I am wrong but I think I might be overdoing my breathing towards probably the last 5 minutes. The breathing becomes heavy and I work harder to take deeper breaths . And I feel some sort of stiffness in my mouth and neck. And at the end of 15 minutes, I wake? Or get up all giddy (probably due to the heavy breaths) and feeling something out of this world for a while like say a minute. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this the way you're supposed to feel after doing a Anapanasati? Because it feels so odd probably due to the processes the brain undergoes during heavy breathing or rather forced heavy breathing. Would like some insights from meditation practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:16:00.677" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:51:05.847" Title="Anapanasati Buddhist meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|anapanasati|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5272" CreationDate="2014-10-23T17:59:49.327" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cripes!  Don't do that!  Anapanasati isn't controlled breathing as in yoga or some forms of Taoist meditation.  All you are supposed to be doing is watching the breath.  Notice short breaths as short breaths, long breaths as long breaths.  Experience breathing in and out.  But by no means should you try to control your breath.  Mindfulness is the exact opposite of control!  Let breathing just be breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T17:59:49.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5272" CreationDate="2014-10-23T19:30:37.127" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just breath naturally. Controlling the breath is a different practice all together called Pranayama, and that is generally a Hindu practice. In Anapanasati, the breath shouldn't be controlled or forced but will slowly calm down all on its own. Eventually breathing becomes very slow and shallow, but in order to get there you have to learn to let go and let the breath 'do its own thing' and just watch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, make sure that you are keeping your attention on the breathing rather than the counting. I personally recommend only using counting at the beginning of a meditation session and when the mind becomes distracted, but not the whole time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T19:30:37.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5272" CreationDate="2014-10-23T19:57:46.870" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is more gentle than that. Consider the first tetrad of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long';&#xA;or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.'&#xA;Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short';&#xA;or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the second:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He trains himself, &lt;strong&gt;'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emphasis are mine. These are strong hints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, stiffness, rigidity, force should be absent -- only the minimum should be allowed so one doesn't fall on the ground, or sleep; any small amount of extra effort disturbs the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-23T19:57:46.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5276" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5322" CreationDate="2014-10-23T21:16:56.973" Score="0" ViewCount="50832" Body="&lt;p&gt;Was Buddha a Man or Woman?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Was he/she sometimes know as a man and sometimes as a woman?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Why was he/she sometimes know as a man and sometimes as a woman?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;What was his/her real gender?&#xA;Give proof please.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2176" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T22:59:51.317" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T20:22:02.073" Title="Is Buddha a Man or Woman?" Tags="|the-buddha|gender|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5277" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-23T21:22:48.940" Score="0" ViewCount="429" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tantric rituals harness the power/engergy of taboo acts by including either actual or visualizations of alcohol, meat and sex into the ritual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that system, does it still work if people don't actually believe that there is anything wrong with drinking &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganachakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;alcohol, eating meat&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmamudr%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sex&lt;/a&gt;?  Also, maybe I just am not familiar with tantra, but this list is 3 out of five of the five precepts. Do tantric rituals also harness the power of theft and killing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:48:22.107" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T10:48:22.107" Title="How do taboo acts work in tantra if people don't see the acts as taboo?" Tags="|intoxicants|tantra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5278" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-24T00:21:29.213" Score="3" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha said: &quot;Censured or praised by the wise?&quot; In a few suttas, when talking about right actions, who exactly were those wise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T04:50:51.940" Title="Who were the wise in the Buddha's discourses?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5277" CreationDate="2014-10-24T01:46:20.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tantric symbolism is always multifaceted. Although a lot of the imagery in Tantra is very taboo, there's more to it than just shock value. For example, the five nectars of urine, feces, menses, semen, and bone marrow aren't visualized in a skull-cup as an offering because they are transgressive, but because they represent the five aggregates, and refering to them as nectar represents that for an enlightened being they are innately pure. Even if someone doesn't find any particular part of Tantra to be taboo, they still would make sense in terms of their other symbolic aspects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2014-10-24T02:04:27.573" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T02:04:27.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5277" CreationDate="2014-10-24T02:02:36.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't see tantra as &quot;harnessing the power/energy of taboo acts&quot;. First, working with controversial subjects like alcohol, meat, sex, theft, lying, and killing is a relatively small part of tantra, I would say no more than 1/10th or even 1/20th, people just tend to exaggerate it. Second, I don't believe these subjects are worked in order to harness their taboo energy, but rather to help the practitioner go beyond some of the deeper-lying preconceptions that may be hiding in the dark corners of psyche easily accessible through controversial means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if someone has residual anxiety of emotional intimacy and openness, sex may be prescribed as a practice that involves direct open contact with another person. Same with drinking feasts, which may be prescribed as a practice of sincere communication etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also symbolic/metaphorical component to tantra as @Bakmoon said. In this line of thinking, &quot;having sex with everything that moves&quot; symbolizes &quot;naked&quot; (open, sincere) engagement with the world and &quot;killing one's father&quot; symbolizes abandoning the tendency to self-judge and watch oneself in favor of trusting one's fundamental sanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T02:02:36.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2014-10-24T02:20:16.523" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like a koan. Are you a hidden Zen master? ;) &quot;Is Buddha a man or woman?&quot; -- &quot;Buddha is awesome!&quot; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seriously, Buddha is your own true nature, how can it be limited to gender?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T02:20:16.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2014-10-24T03:23:07.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is not a man or a woman. Those are aggregates. Buddha is beyond words or descriptions. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/suzukiroshi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/suzukiroshi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just to sit is much better than to see all the buddha in the world&#xA;  [laughs].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only proof is experience. There is no convincing anyone.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/shunryu_suzuki.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/shunryu_suzuki.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you cannot bow to Buddha, you cannot be a Buddha. It is arrogance.&#xA;  Shunryu Suzuki&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T03:23:07.667" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5283" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-24T04:51:30.187" Score="1" ViewCount="1116" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand Karma as describing habitual mind patterns which cause one to behave impulsively according to certain mental predispositions conditioned by previous actions and intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is how does Karma work in situations of violence/abuse. I understand how a perpetrator of violence or abuser is more likely to commit violence or abuse towards another person later in this life or in the next life.  However, I do not understand how the abuser would through this violent behavior be more vulnerable to become a victim of this type of violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, how does the Karma (habit energy) one builds up as a perpetrator cause one to fall on the other side of the equation (to become a victim)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2178" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T16:59:24.447" LastActivityDate="2014-10-29T07:25:13.267" Title="How does one become victim of one's own Karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5278" CreationDate="2014-10-24T11:33:49.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That phrase is found in, for example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introduction, to that sutta, talks about having wise friends:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] Instead, any view or belief must be tested by the results it yields when put into practice; and — to guard against the possibility of any bias or limitations in one's understanding of those results — they must further be checked against the experience of people who are wise. The ability to question and test one's beliefs in an appropriate way is called appropriate attention. The ability to recognize and choose wise people as mentors is called having admirable friends. According to Iti 16-17, these are, respectively, the most important internal and external factors for attaining the goal of the practice. For further thoughts on how to test a belief in practice, see MN 61, MN 95, AN 7.79, and AN 8.53. For thoughts on how to judge whether another person is wise, see MN 110, AN 4.192, and AN 8.54.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of that phrase being used, in the sutta, is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering' — then you should abandon them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps we should see the phrase in three or four ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As an abstraction&lt;/em&gt; -- &amp;quot;Praised by the wise&amp;quot; is synonym of &amp;quot;wise&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;criticized by the wise&amp;quot; is a synonym of &amp;quot;unwise&amp;quot; (e.g. &amp;quot;these properties are unskillful, blameworthy, unwise&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also read it as being, possibly, a rhetorical device (e.g. &amp;quot;the wise criticize it, and you want to be with or like the wise, so you should criticize it too&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As companions&lt;/em&gt; -- &amp;quot;The wise&amp;quot; are ... well I think you're supposed to know who the wise are, within your community. If you don't know, maybe your parents or teacher or best friend can tell you who they are, or the introduction suggests how to judge whether a person is wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As self&lt;/em&gt; -- &amp;quot;We&amp;quot; are supposed to be wise. The sutta says, &amp;quot;When you &lt;em&gt;know for yourselves&lt;/em&gt; that...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As Buddha&lt;/em&gt; -- In context, &amp;quot;the wise&amp;quot; are (by definition) whoever agrees with (and practices) what the Buddha is saying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T11:33:49.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5269" CreationDate="2014-10-24T12:33:10.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you maintain that there is no suffering that comes from being born?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If actions are going to hit back, would you not care about choices you're making here &amp;amp; now out of responsible goodwill towards yourself in the future? Even here &amp;amp; now you should already be well aware of the fact that good things often come from restraint and responsibility.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you maintain that death is the end of experience, you're not going to worry about nirvana. But the doctrine says that this view is wrong.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You strive for awakening to the deathless because it is said to be the end of all suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-10-24T19:16:21.107" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T19:16:21.107" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5272" CreationDate="2014-10-24T12:51:32.970" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I apologize for making an answer that should be a comment but I don't have enough rep to comment. My teacher always says that, in general, you should feel good after practicing meditation. His rule of thumb is that if you feel good, clear-minded, and refreshed, you are probably doing it right. If you feel dull, sluggish, or worse than when you started, you are probably doing it wrong and may be causing insidious harm. It sounds to me like you need to work on following the &lt;a href=&quot;http://flowingzen.com/4645/the-3-golden-rules/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;three golden rules&quot;&gt;three golden rules&lt;/a&gt;. Best of luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2180" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T12:51:32.970" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5283" CreationDate="2014-10-24T12:55:01.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma literally means action or causality. The Buddha's &lt;em&gt;doctrine of karma&lt;/em&gt; is that your own intentional actions determine your own results, and thus when you look for refuge you should look at your own intentional actions right here &amp;amp; now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that the outcome of your actions do not necessarily entail the same exact thing happening to you, but that skillful karma leads to pleasant results while unskillful karma leads to unpleasant results, down the line.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-10-29T07:25:13.267" LastActivityDate="2014-10-29T07:25:13.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5288" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5292" CreationDate="2014-10-24T13:19:15.610" Score="7" ViewCount="867" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, is it me who is getting punished or rewarded in next life for my deeds in this life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2181" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-10-24T23:00:56.597" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T01:13:19.557" Title="Is it me or someone else paying karma for my sins?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2014-10-24T13:40:21.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;And No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes as it affects what you then will perceive as 'I'.&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism#Karmic_results&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[1]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No in the sense that a 'you' or 'I' never really existed. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta#Views_on_self&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[2]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And No in the sense that you are not punished or rewarded. &lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism#Karmic_results_are_not_a_judgement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[3]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="240" LastEditorUserId="240" LastEditDate="2014-10-24T13:46:17.713" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T13:46:17.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5283" CreationDate="2014-10-24T16:21:21.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is a concept older than Buddhism, however Buddha changed it a little bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism for example, Karma is the action and you will suffer the consequences of your actions, the change Buddha did is that he said Karma is created by the mind, so thoughts can create bad Karma and bad actions (without intention) do not create bad Karma, so the focus changed from the real action to the mind/intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vipaka (consequences) have nothing to do with habits, the more you do the more you will face consequences, however Karma is not created only because of repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your example, who does the bad action you suffer the bad consequences, not the victim that is probably paying/purifying a past Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T16:21:21.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2014-10-24T19:31:45.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' -- &lt;em&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, according to Buddhism, it's you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T19:31:45.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2014-10-24T20:58:20.697" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Neither You nor Anyone else.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not you, because you are dying and reborning with very very short time period all the time we live in Sansara. It is not anyone else because the result taker is a anyway a  part of the series of dying and reborning cycle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand this you have to understand components of a creature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;maximum number of components that a creature can have are two. They are body and mind. &#xA;minimum number of components that a creature can have is one. That is mind.(Aruupa Brahmas)&#xA;(So now at that moment you must realize that there is no soul to a creature.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In descriptive Abhidhamma, mind is categorized to 4 components as  Vedanā,  Saṃjñā, Saṅkhāra,  Vijñāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/OTVHh.png&quot; alt=&quot;Components of a creature concisely&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This image shows the components of the creature without considering time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is continues flow of born, existence, dying of Naama (Mindlet). mindlet or Naama is the smallest sub component of the mind. 17 mindlets make a mindlet group called Ruupa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ebCDs.png&quot; alt=&quot;Naama generation&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This image shows how Naamas are born, exist and die with transmitting energy to the next Naama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3w2wv.png&quot; alt=&quot;Naama with respect to time&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This image shows the time intervals of one Naama. Naama's born time=exist time= dying time= t1.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt; Time interval between Dead Naama and Born start of Naama = t2. So at that very little time there is no visible mind. At that moment only body is exist. This is the thing called as anathma/anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There can be one mindlet in the mind at once. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For a time of blink, &lt;strong&gt;trillions&lt;/strong&gt; of mindlets born, exist and die (So one Naama exist less than nanoseconds). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If creature consists of body and mind combination, it must be considered both to call that as a creature. (At creatures point of view I, my point of view me).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If creature consists of only mind , it must be considered mind to call that as a creature. (At creatures point of view I, my point of view me).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When consider a wheel, engine, chase individually cannot be called as CAR. Likewise, body or mind (When both are there) individually cannot be called as me or I.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This rapid born, existance and deth of Naama can be seen in high meditation levels of vidhardhana meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now you realize there is no soul or thing that can be called as me because even before a person say me or I there are trillions of born, existence, dying of Naama.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When someone do a Karma, karma is completed in one Ruupa (consecutive 17 Naamas).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After doing the karma that Ruupa is dead. but energy transmitted to next Ruupas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If creature made karma those Ruupas are dead at 17 Naama's time. So the creature did the karma is dead with Ruupa (But Body didn't dead so actual dead is not visible).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When Karma get punished at proper time the creature's body also can be dead. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When body dies we call it as real death.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When Karma get punished the Ruupas did the karma is dead and body also can be dead. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is also get punished to Ruupas. Ruupas feels the senses according to the Karma. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When Karma is get punished, punished Ruupas are not the Ruupas that done the Karma but Those Ruupas are generated from the same stream of Naama cycle. So Load Buddha have said that the Punished person is &lt;strong&gt;Neither You nor Anyone else.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="496" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T00:56:38.437" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T00:56:38.437" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5293" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5300" CreationDate="2014-10-24T21:20:04.193" Score="4" ViewCount="919" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)#Rebirth_as_cycle_of_consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation teachers suggest that observation reveals consciousness as a sequence of conscious moments rather than a continuum of awareness[citation needed]. Each moment is an experience of an individual mind-state such as a thought, a memory, a feeling or a perception. A mind-state arises, exists and, being impermanent, ceases, following which the next mind-state arises. Thus the consciousness of a sentient being can be seen as a continuous series of birth and death of these mind-states. Rebirth is the persistence of this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first question is about this definition/description/explanation of 'rebirth'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second question is about this definition/description of 'consciousness and awareness'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can you give any citations for this explanation of 'rebirth'? Which tradition[s] of Buddhism is this from? Is it described in any canonical suttas, and/or does this idea have any specific names/nouns (e.g. in Pali, Tibetan, and/or Chinese) associated with it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is consciousness inevitably always a sequence of moments, not a continuum of awareness? Is this also true during meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:15:20.027" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:15:20.027" Title="Rebirth as cycle of consciousness?" Tags="|rebirth|meditation-insight|consciousness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5257" CreationDate="2014-10-24T22:20:36.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As much as I love Plato/Socrates, I have never acquired taste for Aristotle. It's difficult to judge Aristotle's perspective based on one sentence which is not even a quote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read that Aristotle's ethics is considered &quot;virtue ethics&quot;, which supposedly means he thought the right action to come from a set of &quot;virtues&quot; a person needs to develop, the moderation being one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this accurately describes Aristotle's position, then Buddhist ethic is different, perhaps being closer to what's known as Consequentialism or Teleological ethics, that is ethics based on results, not on &quot;virtues&quot; predefined upfront.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, in Buddhism the middle way is a characteristic of the path, not its method. Buddha did not teach us to do all things half-way, but rather to pay attention to all factors and all effects of an action, not just the primary one. When one does this, the factors necessarily have to be balanced against each other, which usually results in a best compromise solution, which is what's referred to as &quot;the middle way&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Aristotle seems to define his golden mean as the middle between the extremes, which seems a bit simplistic, although I will give a benefit of doubt to a brilliant guy whose doctrine I did not have a chance to study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's not forget that Buddhism goes far beyond ethics. While most ethical theories assume person's value system to be static, Buddhism sets one on a path of personal transformation, which involves development of what in modern discourse can be called &quot;emotional intelligence&quot; as well as reevaluation of one's preconceptions, all the way to the most fundamental ones like e.g. &quot;entity&quot;. This can be seen as an extreme in Buddhist teaching, extreme commitment to go all the way until Enlightenment, not holding back any valuables that ego is made of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T22:20:36.103" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5293" CreationDate="2014-10-24T22:58:14.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is similar to how my Zen teacher (an ordained Korean Seon monk) described rebirth, he said it happens moment-to-moment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, consciousness is not a sequence of moments, nor is it a continuum of awareness. Consciousness is an ocean of interacting forms-are-emptiness. Sequence of moments is an illusion, a hallucination. In Theravada, consciousness may very well be a sequence of moments, because Theravada adheres to phenomenological perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-24T22:58:14.110" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5269" CreationDate="2014-10-24T23:23:02.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. If I do not suffer from rebirth: Why worry about rebirth?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think that goal of Buddhism is to stop rebirth is a beginner-level (&quot;hinayana&quot;) understanding. The goal of Buddhism is liberation in this very life, liberation by wisdom. Liberation from what? From &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, from the three poisons, from the limits of life and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. If I do not remember any actions in past lives: Why worry about karma?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think that the method of Buddhism is to improve or to get rid of karma is a beginner-level (&quot;hinayana&quot;) understanding. The method of Buddhism is removal of mental and emotional obscurations, preconceptions, obsessions, impulses, aversions, irrational expectations, illusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. If I expect that death - quite naturally - ends the life of all beings: Why worry about nirvana?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think that nirvana is equivalent to non-existence of death is a misunderstanding. Nirvana is the loss of form, which means both an apparent attainment in this very life (either sudden or a result of gradual cultivation), as well as the natural state of things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;4. I distinguish between questions with answer and questions without: Why strive for enlightenment due to meditation?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because our lives are presumably targeted at happiness (that seems to be the thinking behind our daily choices and efforts) but in the absence of clear understanding of the Big Picture (=Enlightenment) we keep going in circles until we die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T14:40:57.843" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T14:40:57.843" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5283" CreationDate="2014-10-24T23:24:48.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to your question boils down to the answer to the following question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5288/is-it-me-or-someone-else-paying-karma-for-my-sins&quot;&gt;Is it me or someone else paying karma for my sins?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially, individual karma is a simplified model, useful to beginners but somewhat misleading. Karma is simply action and its resulting circles on the water of experience, with not-yet-manifested result &quot;stored&quot; in the form of intermediate already-manifested result. Some of that is &quot;stored&quot; as effect on the so-called &quot;mind&quot;, and some as effect on the so-called &quot;objective&quot; world. If we discount the delineation of independent agents (which too is a simplified model), what remains is action and its experienced result, both the action and the experience usually appropriated as &quot;mine&quot;. To ask whether it is the same &quot;me&quot; or a different &quot;me&quot; is meaningless because this &quot;me&quot; does not exist in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More practically, one becomes victim of one's own karma (e.g. violence) by shaping the circumstances that tend to be conducive to the same karma being repeated. Because karma and its circumstances are two sides of the same coin, one produces the other. For example, by making violence part of one's life one shapes circumstances in which violence is more likely to occur, which increases the chances of one becoming its victim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T17:57:05.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5283" CreationDate="2014-10-25T00:29:05.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope you read this answer first&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5292/496&quot;&gt;How Karma is get paid&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When person is doing a Karma it is done among 17 Naama (karma Ruupa). Energy to transmit to next Ruupa is generated by 7 Jawan Naamas created in karma Ruupa(Ruupa that consist of Karma). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then when appropriate environment is there for get punished (Punishment can be good or bad due to the chethana(Intention) chithasika(Aspect, attribute of Nama) in the Karma Ruupa). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will generate Karma wipaka(Result) Ruupa according to the chethana chithasika that consist of feelings to the creature appropriate to chethana. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So it matters only time to generate Karma wipaka when Karma is done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T00:29:05.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2014-10-25T03:32:11.547" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand, one of Buddha's two teachers (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udaka_Ramaputta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udraka Ramaputta&lt;/a&gt;) was a Jain. Evidently Buddha did learn a lot from jains, including the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the notion of Nibbana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;meditation on various objects&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;using antidotes to counter pathological mind tendencies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the five precepts and the three poisons were inspired by corresponding Jain constructs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what later became Eightfold path was evidently influenced by Jain's Ratnatraya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the notion of Arihants and Buddha's epithet Jina are Jain legacy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, much of Buddha's basic education came from Jains, and when he finally Awakened to Truth, he reused some of Jain's concepts while filling them with his own meaning, and modeled some of his teaching after Jain's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T03:32:11.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5293" CreationDate="2014-10-25T04:19:20.553" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, these questions are considered abhidhamma material. The goto reference is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books/about/A_Comprehensive_Manual_of_Abhidhamma.html?id=ACrogsyJmoAC&amp;amp;redir_esc=y&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;, which says in regards to your second question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Is consciousness inevitably always a sequence of moments, not a continuum of awareness? Is this also true during meditation?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A second distinguishing feature of the Abhidhamma is the dissection of the apparently continuous stream of consciousness into a succession of discrete evanescent cognitive events called cittas, each a complex unity involving consciousness itself, as the basic awareness of an object, and a constellation of mental factors (cetasika) exercising more specialized tasks in the act of cognition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada, reality is reality, whether you are meditating or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to the first set of questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can you give any citations for this explanation of 'rebirth'?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Before death the stream of consciousness depends on the physical body and is continuous with one unit following the other uninterruptedly. After death, the body disintegrates and the stream of consciousness shifts to the physical process in another abode. This may be likened to the continuous appearance of light in an electric bulb through the ceaseless generation of electricity. When the bulb is burnt up, the light goes out but the potential electric energy keeps on coming. Light reappears when the old bulb is replaced with a new one. Here, the bulb, energy and light are all changing physical processes and we should be mindful of their impermanent character.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mahasi-paticca/paticca-01.htm&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Which tradition[s] of Buddhism is this from?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe better to ask which it is compatible with... it is compatible with Theravada, and probably most other orthodox schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is it described in any canonical suttas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with many doctrines, the concept of rebirth as a continuation of a momentary string of consciousness is not explicitly spelled out in the Suttas. The way rebirth works is implicit, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, what one intends, and what one plans, and whatever one has a tendency towards: this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is established and has come to growth, there is the production of future renewed existence. When there is the production of future renewed existence, future birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- SN 12.38 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, though someone might say: ‘Apart from form, apart from feeling, apart from perception, apart from volitional formations, I will make known the coming and going of consciousness, its passing away and rebirth, its growth, increase, and expansion’—that is impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3“Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu has abandoned lust for the form element, with the abandoning of lust the basis is cut off: there is no support for the establishing of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he has abandoned lust for the feeling element … for the perception element … for the volitional formations element … for the consciousness element, with the abandoning of lust the basis is cut off: there is no support for the establishing of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- SN 22.53 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Sisters, suppose an oil-lamp is burning: its oil is impermanent and subject to change, its wick is impermanent and subject to change, its flame is impermanent and subject to change, and its radiance is impermanent and subject to change. Now would anyone be speaking rightly who spoke thus: ‘While this oil-lamp is burning, its oil, wick, and flame are impermanent and subject to change, but its radiance is permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change’?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because, venerable sir, while that oil-lamp is burning, its oil, wick, and flame are impermanent and subject to change, so its radiance must be impermanent and subject to change.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So too, sisters, would anyone be speaking rightly who spoke thus: ‘These six internal bases are impermanent and subject to change, but the pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that one experiences in dependence upon the six internal bases is permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change’?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because each feeling arises in dependence upon its corresponding condition, and with the cessation of its corresponding condition, the feeling ceases.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Good, good, sisters! So it is with a noble disciple who sees this as it actually is with proper wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 146 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5“Master Gotama, when a flame is flung by the wind and goes some distance, what does Master Gotama declare to be its fuel on that occasion?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6“When, Vaccha, a flame is flung by the wind and goes some distance, I declare that it is fuelled by the wind. For on that occasion the wind is its fuel.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7“And, Master Gotama, when a being has laid down this body but has not yet been reborn in another body, what does Master Gotama declare to be its fuel on that occasion?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;8“When, Vaccha, a being has laid down this body but has not yet been reborn in another body, I declare that it is fuelled by craving. For on that occasion craving is its fuel.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- SN 44.9 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Venerable Moḷiyaphagguna said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, who consumes the nutriment consciousness?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3“Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “I do not say, ‘One consumes.’ If I should say, ‘One consumes,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who consumes?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, for what is the nutriment consciousness [a condition]?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘The nutriment consciousness is a condition for the production of future renewed existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that which has come into being exists, the six sense bases [come to be]; with the six sense bases as condition, contact.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- SN 12.12 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;and/or does this idea have any specific names/nouns (e.g. in Pali, Tibetan, and/or Chinese) associated with it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term for &lt;strong&gt;the stream of consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; is &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa-sota&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, having done this and gone further, he comes to know the unbroken stream of human consciousness as established both in this world and in the next. That is the third attainment. Again, having done this and gone still further, he comes to know the unbroken stream of human consciousness that is not established either in this world or in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DN 28 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term for &lt;strong&gt;the consciousness that links back to a new rebirth&lt;/strong&gt; is &lt;em&gt;paṭisandhi-viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term for &lt;strong&gt;the process of the mind&lt;/strong&gt; is &lt;em&gt;citta-vīthi&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T04:19:20.553" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5278" CreationDate="2014-10-25T04:50:51.940" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the commentaries:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;buddhādīhi viññūhi pasatthattā &lt;strong&gt;viññuppasatthāni&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The state of being praised by the wise, starting with the Buddha, [makes them] praised-by-the-wise.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, the word &lt;em&gt;viññū&lt;/em&gt; just means someone with wisdom. The idea here is that the wiser the person is, the more likely they are to praise that which is worthy of praise and censure that which is worthy of censure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T04:50:51.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5245" CreationDate="2014-10-25T11:36:33.517" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once an offering is made to the Buddha, it becomes the property of the Buddha, the person who offers it no longer has the ownership. However, Buddha is no longer present to consume them, so the place must be cleaned before things become messy. &#xA;In Theravada, the common practice is according to the &lt;em&gt;Dakkhinavibhanga sutta commentary&lt;/em&gt;. However, I wasn't able to find an English translation of it in internet. So I'm giving the translation as I can. &#xA;It mentions, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if there's a monk who's an &lt;em&gt;attendant&lt;/em&gt; of the Buddha, the offerings&#xA;  should be given to that monk. Other monks are also worthy of receiving them, [as the saying goes] son inherits what belongs to the father. Oil that's left must be used to light the lamps in the temple. Cloths that are left must be used as flags.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there's no monk in the temple, a lay person who's an &lt;em&gt;attendant&lt;/em&gt; can also take them. If there's no such person, there's no harm if anyone else uses them. Nonetheless, if  something's offered to the Buddha that can be used in the temple e.g. oil, taking them for personal use can be &lt;em&gt;stealing&lt;/em&gt;. Otherwise there's no harm in eating food or even giving them to beggars or animals, you can get more merit :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, in Dhammadayada sutta, Buddha asks the monks to be the inheriters of his teaching and not the inheriters of his material.&#xA;Further, he says that the monks who don't eat his leftovers are more &lt;em&gt;praiseworthy&lt;/em&gt; than the monks who eat them because it conduces to that monks' &lt;em&gt;few desires, satisfaction, purity, the nature of being supported easily, and for arousing of effort&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  `Bhikkhus, I have partaken of my meal, is satiated and do not desire any more, there is some morsel food left over to be thrown away, If you desire, partake of it, if you do not partake it I will throw it to some place where there is no green, or I will put it in some water where there are no living things. '&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To one of those bhikkhus, it occurs thus: `The Blessed One has partaken of his meal, is satiated and does not desire any more of it. There is some morsel food left over to be thrown away. If we do not partake of it, he will throw it to some place where there is no green, or will put it in some water where there is no life. Yet it is told by the Blessed One this: Bhikkhus, be the heirs of my Teaching and not the heirs of my material. Morsel food is one of the material, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What if I spend this day and night bearing up this hunger and discomfort&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;? He not partaking that food spends that night and day bearing up that hunger and discomfort. '&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To the other bhikkhu it occurs thus: &lt;em&gt;[repitition]&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What if I partake of that morsel food and put an end to my hunger and discomfort and spend the night and day?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So he partakes of that morsel food puts an end to his hunger and discomfort and spends the night and day. Bhikkhus, whoever the bhikkhu who partook of the morsel food, overcame the hunger and discomfort and spent the night and day, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;yet the earlier bhikkhu is more reverential and praiseworthy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. What is the reason? Because it conduces to that bhikkhu's &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;few desires, satisfaction, purity, the nature of being supported easily, and for arousing of effort&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/003-dhammadayada-sutta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 3&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this is applicable to lay people who are doing the altar maintenance as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-10-26T10:15:39.290" LastActivityDate="2014-10-26T10:15:39.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2014-10-25T14:37:47.577" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only a &lt;strong&gt;male&lt;/strong&gt; person can become a Lord Buddha. Even when fulfilling Paramitha in Bodhisattva state, Lord Buddhas give Niyatha wiwarana to the Bodhisattva. To give the Niyatha Viwarana also, Bodhisattva &lt;strong&gt;must be&lt;/strong&gt; a male. If female wish to become Buddha, first she has to wish to be a male and start completing Paramitha. (Any female can become male in next life with pathi Bakthi(do not break 3rd precept) and with the wish to become a male).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T14:52:24.183" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T14:52:24.183" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5257" CreationDate="2014-10-25T15:34:40.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The words are indeed an expression of middle path. Just cause Aristotle wasn't a Buddhist doesn't change that. Do not however, mistake them to be equivalent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T15:34:40.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5283" CreationDate="2014-10-25T15:49:06.737" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is facilitated by emptiness. Because we are empty of essence, each choice and action you make leaves an imprint on your mind that, like all things, decays over time. So, if you make a negative action, you leave a negative imprint on your mind. Now, since we are empty of essence, you are more likely to perform actions with similar characteristics to the ones you have performed before. The more negative actions you choose to make, the more negative and troubled you become. This is why mindfulness and all the right stuff (view, speech, etc) is crucial. You have no nature other than what you choose and what you surround yourself with. If you let all that negativity build up by not being mindful of your actions and choosing rightly, you're going to have a lot of work to do towards purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, how does that relate to others in the way you're asking? Well it turns out that everything is empty of essence. Therefore beyond your mind, you leave an imprint on the world with similar characteristics as your actions, thus encouraging others to act in a similar way. And since you're inseparable from this gloriously intertwined existence, you are likely to reap what you've sewn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastEditorUserId="1109" LastEditDate="2014-10-25T15:57:12.193" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T15:57:12.193" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5257" CreationDate="2014-10-25T15:54:57.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A difference between Aristoles definition of virtue as the middle between two extreme attitudes (Ethic. Nic. II,1) and Buddhas teaching the middle way between indulgence and asceticism (First teaching at Sarnath): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aristotle speaks about Ethics, Buddha recommends a way of personal life. The ethics of Aristotle aims at virtues necessary for living in a polity and participating in public affairs. The way of live recommended by Buddha aims at improving the personal situation of individuals by a radical change of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But from a more general point of view both the definition of Aristotle and the advice of Buddha recommend avoiding the extremes: Look out for the middle course in between Scylla and Charybdis. However, this advice is not far from what everyday common sense of the parent generation teaches the young generation from time immemorial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, Buddha used the principle of the middle way as a heuristics to deal with more general philosophical alternatives. But to the best of my knowledge, he did not apply it to ethics. That's specific to Aristotle.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T15:54:57.337" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5264" CreationDate="2014-10-25T16:23:31.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While Buddha did say &quot;I have taught the Dhamma, Ananda, making no inner and outer&quot;, he was known to adapt his message to the audience. It is rather apparent from the suttas that Buddha did not teach lay people his more advanced doctrines e.g. Pratityasamutpada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in Vajrayana, the elements of Dharma are introduced in a progression, not skipping to advanced teaching until student gets a firm grasp of the basics. Just as Buddha rightly considered Pratityasamutpada too advanced for untrained lay people, in Vajrayana advanced teaching such as Madhyamaka, Lower Tantra, Mahamudra, and Dzogchen is rightly considered too much for most beginners. In fact, advanced levels of Vajrayana (esp. Dzogchen) are often characterized as &quot;self-secret&quot; because they are simply incomprehensible to an unprepared student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way Vajrayana sees itself (if I can be as arrogant as to speak on its behalf) is as a natural elaboration of principles implicit in Buddha's teaching, similarly to how Theravada's Visuddhimagga introduces hundreds of concepts Buddha never spoke about in suttas. Think modern mathematics, which can be seen as development of principles laid down by Pythagoras, or modern western scientific method as an extension of Aristotle's work. The fact that Pythagoras did not teach calculus does not mean it's not real mathematics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5280/43&quot;&gt;How do taboo acts work in tantra if people don't see the acts as taboo?&lt;/a&gt;, Kamamudra is a very small part of Vajrayana and much of it is about solving emotional issues that are unique to the current society dominated by abstract concepts rather than by natural relationships as was back in Buddha's times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T16:28:47.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5264" CreationDate="2014-10-25T16:40:59.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, the canon doesn't approve of that at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ananda approached the nun and, on arrival, sat down on a prepared seat. As he was sitting there, he said to the nun: &amp;quot;This body, sister, comes into being through food. &lt;em&gt;And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is &lt;em&gt;by relying on&lt;/em&gt; craving that craving is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is &lt;em&gt;by relying on&lt;/em&gt; conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. &lt;em&gt;Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned.&lt;/em&gt; With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge. -- &lt;em&gt;AN 4.159&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-25T16:40:59.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5309" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5321" CreationDate="2014-10-26T12:25:54.437" Score="7" ViewCount="2337" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, awareness is an important concept in buddhism, and an asset to develop through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During meditation (following vipassana as taught by Goenka), it has happened to me that I forget &lt;strong&gt;where I am&lt;/strong&gt; at that moment. When this question/feeling arises, the answer comes little by little &#xA;being really general at the beginning, and gradually refining to a more detailed description of where I am, like: &#xA;&lt;em&gt;you are in this country, you came to this place, you are in a retreat, your are sitting in this meditation hall, etc.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this feeling expected at any meditation stage ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this experience maybe pointing out a mistake in the practice ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers with references are strongly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:14:29.290" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T19:45:24.273" Title="When during meditation we forget where we are" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5309" CreationDate="2014-10-26T15:46:46.447" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our perception of context is a compound phenomena (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) fabricated or assembled (&lt;em&gt;sankharonti&lt;/em&gt;) by the mind from multiple individual thoughts: what is this, where is this, what am I doing, what is my goal, where I came from, etc. As you can see thanks to meditation, mind does quite a lot of work to assemble what it calls reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This works the same way in the waking state as in a dream, except the waking state gives you more clues, but the effort of fabrication is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This insight, that reality is a fabrication we make, is almost more important than meditation itself. It gives us new frame of reference in which we can finally choose how we perceive reality, by choosing what we turn our attention to (&quot;guarding the doors&quot;) and gluing it together with power of will (loosely: faith, determination, mindfulness, concentration). So we no longer have to get stuck in negative thinking of the six &lt;em&gt;kama-dhatu&lt;/em&gt; worlds. Instead, we can feed our mind with positive information, until it gets strong and healthy (first 3 jhanas). Once our will gets strong we can be free to choose our reality on case-by-case basis (4th jhana and beyond).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say &quot;awareness is an important concept in buddhism&quot; -- but what is this &quot;awareness&quot; really? Aren't we always aware of &lt;em&gt;something&lt;/em&gt;, even when we are obsessed with desire or negativity? In Buddhism, mindfulness (&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt;) is not just passive awareness of whatever worldly activity we may be performing at the moment, it is a mastery over one's context. We can see this power developing through five levels (&lt;em&gt;panca bala&lt;/em&gt;): faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At entry level mindfulness starts as faith in the live tradition. Inspired by an encounter with Sat-Dharma, your mind gets the bug of Buddha-fever. Unable to resist the urge to find out more, you keep thinking about mysterious Dharma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At beginner's stage mindfulness means applying effort to constantly check one's current physical, verbal, and mental activity against the context of Eightfold Path. Is my mind presently biased by attachment? Is my current action motivated by egoistic intent?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The next level is when staying always mindful of the context of Dharma becomes automatic and no longer requires effort, which means one is now always operating in the phenomenological context of the Four Right Efforts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At middling level mindfulness grows into concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) which means we can now design, assemble, and maintain any context we choose.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finally, at advanced level mindfulness becomes wisdom (&lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;), which means seeing all contexts at the same time and freely juggling their elements as required by a situation at hand.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-26T23:44:08.650" LastActivityDate="2014-10-26T23:44:08.650" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5312" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-26T16:15:33.533" Score="4" ViewCount="1394" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've recently started to research Buddhism, and one of the first area's I've been looking into is that of attachment. I found this quote -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Seeing through the delusion of separation means we no longer give &quot;external things&quot; the power to make us miserable.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So does this mean we are supposed to feel emotionless to everything around us, only relying on ourselves for our emotions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2187" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T08:53:09.603" Title="What's the aim of avoiding attachment?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-26T19:56:36.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure where your quote is from but when I Google for that phrase, the next sentence recommends &amp;quot;equanimity&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing through the delusion of separation means we no longer give &amp;quot;external things&amp;quot; the power to make us miserable. The ideal is equanimity, free from the compulsion to chase what we want and run from what we don't want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more about Buddhist 'equanimity' e.g. in these Wikipedia articles:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equanimity#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Equanimity&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The four immeasurables&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That last sentence (&amp;quot;chase what we want and run from what we don't want&amp;quot;) also implies what Buddhism calls &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three Poisons&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attachment&lt;/a&gt; (chasing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aversion&lt;/a&gt; (running from)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ignorance&lt;/a&gt; (not understanding reality)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for equanimity, defined as &amp;quot;a steady conscious realization of reality's transience&amp;quot;, is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That's how or what reality is: it's transient&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The desire for reality to be other than what it is (e.g. feeling an attachment to what it used to be, or to what you would want it to be in future, or wanting it to stay as it is now) leads to suffering: that is the definition of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2nd noble truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Given that reality is transient, not becoming attached to it and feeling dispassionate about it is what leads to the cessation of suffering: that's the definition of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3rd noble truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary the 'aim of avoiding attachment' is the aim of Buddhism. There's more than one form of Buddhism. In one form called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hinayana&lt;/a&gt;, the aim is to rid ourselves of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, feeling &amp;quot;emotionless&amp;quot; isn't what's recommended. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article describing the four immeasurables&lt;/a&gt; says that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-26T20:15:49.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-26T20:14:58.990" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This seems to be a rather common misunderstanding, that Buddhism is a doctrine of emotionlessness or aloofness. Instead, (Mahayana) Buddhism is a doctrine of emotional maturity, emotional intelligence, mental agility, and robust practical excellence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In (Mahayana) Buddhism we don't &lt;em&gt;avoid&lt;/em&gt; attachments-as-connections, we still form relationships with people, make commitments, pursue long-term goals -- but we learn to let go &lt;em&gt;quickly&lt;/em&gt; when situation changes, this saves us tremendous amounts of energy. That's why in English we call them &quot;attachments&quot;, not &quot;connections&quot;. Connections are alright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment is a much more broad notion than mere fondness of something good. It could be attachment to self-image, attachment to fairness, attachment to skills and intelligence, attachment to higher values, attachment to security, attachment to a certain perspective and so on. Every time we let go of attachment we let go of a button that &quot;external&quot; world may push to trigger an automatic reaction in us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what that quote says, that when we (&quot;I&quot;) consider ourselves a separate entity, we think we are entitled to our pathologies and neuroses. But when we understand that this is an ocean of information riding on top of various media, including the media of the primate brains, we can take ownership of our reactions, and choose not to get pushed around by the fluctuations of the signal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean we are frozen cold -- this means we can be positive, energetic, and happy all the time, because we now operate our own electrical generator that works both low tide and high tide, which makes us pretty independent and free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another metaphor I can offer is that of a sailboat -- once we learn to balance away the environmental influences, we are free to choose our course regardless of wind. It does not mean we lower our sails and stay in place, which is a metaphor for avoiding relationships altogether, and it does not mean aberrating randomly, which is a metaphor for avoiding long-time commitments, it just means we are not attached to one wind and one current, especially after it's gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus, &quot;seeing through the delusion of separation&quot; we no longer consider ourselves the center of the world. Once we stop obsessing about our own grief, it magically subsides, our eyes open, and we notice others stuck in all kinds of horror worlds. This is when it feels natural to go and help them out, but of course we must learn to float our own boat first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-27T00:03:25.150" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T00:03:25.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-26T22:21:17.650" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I present the perspective of Zen through the eyes of Dogen to show a different shade of meaning of attachment and the universality of attachment and non-attachment as a precept of Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sped2work.tripod.com/dogen_pool.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://sped2work.tripod.com/dogen_pool.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Often one becomes attached to form and cannot realize the ultimate&#xA;  reality of emptiness. One loathes to see a flower wilt because one is&#xA;  attached to the idea that the flower should be beautiful and eternal.&#xA;  One separates the flower from the ultimate reality of impermanence and&#xA;  interconnectedness. This separation and attachment to &quot;what ought to&#xA;  be,&quot; causes suffering and blindness to the true reality. The reality&#xA;  is that the flower, like all else, grows and dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, attachment is trying to make something or someone permanent, when they are only temporal. The struggle to keep something in our orbit is the basis of suffering because all things go from form to dissolution. Trying to make the laws of the universe different is the ultimate suffering because it is impossible to do. Accepting people, things, and activities in our lives in this moment without trying to create permanence also allows us to be more spontaneous and present in this moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen takes this one step further (same link as above) his words are in quotation marks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Recognizing the pervasive emptiness through the attachments&#xA;  constitutes Dogen's idea of Awakening. This underlying emptiness&#xA;  liberates the practitioner and allows one to see things as they&#xA;  are--to see the dual facets of all things in the discursive world.&#xA;  Awakening culminates in wanting &quot;to know things as they are. If we&#xA;  know things as they are, there is nothing to point at; there is no way&#xA;  to grasp anything; there is no thing to grasp.&quot;11&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The greatest attachment that any human experiences is to their own sense of identity. That is why the path seems so long. It is easy to give up candy and coffee and physical intimacy, but giving up my treasured concepts of myself. Oh not that! But the world acts to take away through events of suffering that gradually make our personal identity less and less a treasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a poem that came to me after meditating for many years, there was an aha moment that speaks to this place of growing non-attachment.&#xA;&quot;just to be...&#xA;that's enough for me...&#xA;not some silly human drama...&#xA;just one taste of reality!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The awakening to non-attachment is to realize that the one who is grasping, trying to make things or people or activities permanent, is not who I really am. Buddhism has many ways of saying who we are not. Only by seeing without the grasping mind can we see clearly what is here before us now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-10-27T01:07:47.547" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T01:07:47.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5309" CreationDate="2014-10-26T22:34:58.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the one who keeps track of where we are in time and space, the question really is asking what happens if I forget myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is how Dogen answers this question&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The great Master Dogen said, “To study the Buddha Way is to study the&#xA;  self, to study the self is to forget the self, and to forget the self&#xA;  is to be enlightened by the ten thousand things.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another text, Dogen mentions forgetting objects of thought. What is the place we think we are in but an object of thought. If we lose our memory through amnesia, the place we are in is not an objective place but a subjective memory experience that can disappear so that we cannot use it as a point of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenBookReviews/DogenManualofZen.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenBookReviews/DogenManualofZen.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dogen's second version of the Zazen gi expresses this scheme far more&#xA;  clearly. Bielefeldt's sixth chapter studies the vulgate text of the&#xA;  Zazen gi, noting Dogen's unmistakable departure from Tsung-tse's&#xA;  meditative framework centered on the mental exercise of &quot;forgetting&#xA;  objects&quot; of thought. In contrast to &quot;forgetting objects,&quot; Bielefeldt&#xA;  points to &quot;nonthinking&quot; (hishiryo) as the key to Dogen's understanding&#xA;  of true meditation. There, the practitioner, instead of attempting to&#xA;  forget objects, becomes the state of nonthinking itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you are becoming the state of non thinking itself, then your experience is drawing from a deep well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be unnecessary to mention that even if you find you are drinking from this deep well, you must forget that too. Even a greater impediment to our unfoldment and awakening than the attachment to places is the attachment to the idea we are attaining spiritual levels, or we have ATTAINED nirvana. Ditch this kind of thinking as soon as possible. Beginner's mind is every moment is fresh and unattached to the past, good or bad. So whatever you decide, let it go so you can drink deeper in the well of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-26T22:34:58.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-27T01:10:10.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First thing I want to note is that non-attachment, which is the antidote to the poison of attachment, is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; avoiding attachment. Avoiding attachment implies an extreme. Buddhists seek to operate in the middle. Aversion is actually another of the three poisons, which was well articulated by another answer. So avoiding attachment is actually as &quot;bad&quot; as attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the second thing I want to bring up is that though we talk about the three poisons in a way that implies they exist in an equilateral sense, in fact the poison of ignorance actually causes the other two poisons to manifest. We innately ascribe inherent existence to things, which is our fundamental ignorance. This innate ascription leads to attachment and aversion. By seeking to understand the nature of reality, we minimize the two A's naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that doesn't mean that the antidotes to the two A's aren't important. You definitely want to practice all three antidotes (loving-kindness/compassion, non-attachment/generosity, and wisdom). This is because the poisons work in a feedback cycle. Ignorance causes attachment and aversion, but aversion and attachment strengthen and perpetuate fundamental ignorance. The bit about delusion you've quoted in your question is talking about fundamental ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aim of all of this is liberation from suffering. That's why I am a believer that the idea of the three poisons is the best Buddhism in a nutshell idea. To me it encapsulates the point very succinctly. Hope this helps you understand the role that attachment plays in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T01:10:10.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5318" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-27T01:26:39.403" Score="3" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am currently casually reading various things, and Ocean of Reasoning is one of those things. I've began to feel that I should pick a challenging reading to focus on, but I'm thinking I might want to read Ornament of Reason before Ocean of Reasoning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is one or the other traditionally studied first? Or is there some other commentary before these that I should study? I am already well acquainted with the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-27T13:04:05.770" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T13:04:05.770" Title="Which commentary on the MMK should be studied first?" Tags="|nagarjuna|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-27T02:28:28.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One point which other answers haven't addressed yet is &quot;the delusion of separation&quot; from 'external things'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that as meaning, for example, &quot;I want a chocolate bar!&quot; (or &quot;I want money&quot;, or whatever it is).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as meaning, &quot;I have no chocolate bar! And I will not be happy, unless/until I get a chocolate bar!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might be wrong but I don't think that &quot;delusion of separation&quot; is a normal/standard Buddhist phrase, so maybe I need to guess at what it's talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess what it means is that you're thinking, &quot;I am here, and the chocolate is over there, and we are separated.&quot; But that separation is a delusion, because what's actually happening is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am here&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am entertaining a desire for chocolate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My desire for chocolate is consuming me&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There does exist chocolate and other stuff (and other beings) in the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key point is that I and my desire for chocolate are both here in me, not over there in a shop. The chocolate is what it is (e.g. sugary, expensive, wrapped in paper, digestible, etc.). My desire for it (which is what makes it special) is within me, is not from separate me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also my desire for it is a property of me, not a property of the chocolate: my desire for chocolate exists because I have indulged in chocolate in the past -- it's not (or is not only) a property inherent in the chocolate. The chocolate isn't thinking, &quot;I am desirable&quot;, the desire is yours not of the chocolate. Thinking that the object of the desire is separate is a delusion, partly because the desire is internal, and partly because it may not be a desire that you can satisfy: if you had the chocolate, would you then be satisfied? Or would you need more chocolate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wouldn't it be more satisfying to not want chocolate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one (of many) techniques of Buddhism would be to think, &quot;OK, I'm thinking of chocolate. But this craving for chocolate isn't much fun. I have better things to do than crave chocolate. I don't want this craving for chocolate. This craving for chocolate is unsatisfactory. I experience distaste for this craving.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so you decide you don't like the desire. Don't want the desire. And that without the desire you also no longer want the chocolate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Chocolate? No thanks! It isn't good for me, it doesn't do anything for me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try to claim that this has introduced two other key Buddhist concepts: i.e. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence#Anicca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (the pleasure of chocolate would be transient at best), and &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (I am not a desire for chocolate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mention this because it too is not exactly &quot;emotionless&quot;. Seeing various desire and saying that the desire are unsatisfactory might be called '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right view&lt;/a&gt;' which is the first step of &quot;Noble eightfold path&quot;. The next step, which follows from that view, is 'Right intention' a.k.a. '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right resolve&lt;/a&gt;' which includes 'renunciation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that, 'renunciation', finally provides a way to answer your question: which is about &quot;avoiding attachment&quot;. It answers the question because you can use it to begin to look-up reference articles about the corresponding word, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nekkhamma&lt;/a&gt; on Wikipedia, or by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?q=renunciation&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;searching for 'renunciation' on Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; (press the 'Search' button), which returns many articles such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khema/allofus.html#ch7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;All of Us -- Renunciation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/candy.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Trading Candy for Gold&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'Access to Insight' site, which I referenced immediately above, is a &quot;Theravada Buddhism&quot; site. So its views (the perspectives of the authors of its articles) about the &quot;aim of Buddhism&quot; aren't completely the same as those of other schools of Buddhism, hich are given in e.g. some other answers to this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;several Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, so when you ask about it or when you &quot;research Buddhism&quot; you might want to be clear about which school you're researching; but see also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_points_unifying_Therav%C4%81da_and_Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-27T03:42:40.253" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T03:42:40.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5320" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5357" CreationDate="2014-10-27T02:32:59.067" Score="5" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading through the sutra (well, using global search in my kindle) to find references to the word mathematics. In at least two places the author suggests Bodhisattvas should study all manners of topics to be of benefit to others, including mathematics. And in at least two places, the text goes on and on naming extremely large numbers and describing how to calculate them using powers of ten. These chapters seem to have been written by the same guy-- an interest in large numbers and their application to Buddhism can't be that common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last chapter, the Gaṇḍavyūha, even wikipedia says it used to be a suttra separate from the rest of the book. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T00:07:32.917" Title="Any research on the authorship of the Avatamsaka Suttra?" Tags="|avatamsaka-suttra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5309" CreationDate="2014-10-27T06:16:38.713" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you are asking from a specific tradition, I can give a pretty specific answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is this feeling expected at any meditation stage ?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is expected at the stage of &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;bhaṅga-ñāṇa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (knowledge of dissolution).  Though generally available texts don't mention this phenomenon, teacher manuals make reference to it. Here is the general state that leads to this phenomenon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For at that time each object that is being noticed seems to him to be entirely absent or to have become non-existent. Consequently, at this stage of knowledge, it seems to him as if he were engaged in noticing something which has already become absent or non-existent by having vanished; and the consciousness engaged in noticing appears to have lost contact with the object that is being noticed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Mahasi Sayadaw, Progress of Insight&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is this experience maybe pointing out a mistake in the practice ?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, but it is common in &lt;em&gt;bhaṅga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt; to think that your practice is not progressing because of an inability to notice objects clearly (only noticing their disappearance):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is for that reason that a meditator may here think: &amp;quot;I have lost the insight&amp;quot;; but he should not think so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for losing perception of where you are in &lt;em&gt;bhaṅga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, or the similar observation also common to &lt;em&gt;bhaṅga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt; of losing perception of the position of the body (i.e. thinking the body or part of the body has disappeared), is because with &lt;em&gt;bhaṅga-ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt; the meditator has broken through the illusion of concept into the reality of ultimate existence, no longer putting attention on concepts like &amp;quot;place&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;body&amp;quot;. Since in ultimate reality you aren't anywhere and your body doesn't exist, these concepts have no place in the yogi's mind at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T10:47:45.393" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2014-10-27T08:09:41.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to this question has a lot of things that change the answer, depending on whom you ask. It would depend on which Buddha we're talking about, which lineage, which region, which culture, and which set of histories we're willing to accept as historical fact. As such, there is no singular answer which could possibly suffice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, historically, was male: his name was Siddhartha Gautama and his title was Shakyamuni because he was a prince and later king of his tribe in Nepal. He called himself &quot;Buddha&quot; because it connotes being awakened by light. As such, anyone who has reached this level of personal and spiritual evolution is considered to be &quot;a Buddha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some lineages, female Buddhas exist; in most, all Buddhas are required to be male.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some cultures, the mere idea of a female Buddha is offensive; in others, the idea is acceptable; and in still others, the idea that anyone has a problem with that at all is offensive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some histories, there is acceptance of the story of Guanyin (also called Kwan Yin), who is sometimes called the &quot;Medicine Buddha&quot;. But she is also considered a goddess of healing and a Taoist immortal, among a few other highly-regarded titles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the teachings of the Buddha is to overcome preconceptions. If we're bound to the idea that only men can become Buddha, it would make sense that the Buddha might reincarnate as a female to try to teach this idea, perhaps after being a male who seeds the idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, there are so many, many ideas out there about this that &lt;strong&gt;there is no singular correct answer.&lt;/strong&gt; And so to answer, I would just write: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;it's not outside of the realm of possibilities, either way&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T08:09:41.903" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5312" CreationDate="2014-10-27T08:53:09.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhists have practices that are aimed to bring them to a point of their existence where they realize (not just know, but know and feel) that there is not anything more important in the universe than any other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word that is usually translated as &quot;suffering&quot; is &quot;dukha&quot; which is closer in meaning to &quot;disquietude&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that we don't consider anything more or less important than ourselves, and that we ourselves are no more or less important than anything else. And when we can see that we're actually all made from the same stuff, we are easily able to understand that seeing anything as more or less important than anything else is a form of arrogance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This in itself is a form of suffering, and the basis on which we create the &quot;three toxins&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we realize--which means to have a real and significant experience--that we actually are the same as everything and everyone and every part and particle and the whole of the universe, then we have achieved Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the purpose of non-attachment (which is not &quot;avoiding attachment&quot;, which I consider a mistranslation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T08:53:09.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5318" CreationDate="2014-10-27T11:48:55.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose it depends on which lineage you draw your water from. Ocean of Reasoning is a Gelug text, as is Ornament of Reason (I think?), while in Kagyu they study Madhyamakavatara, a relatively early commentary by Candrakirti, with subcommentary by Jamgon Mipham.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T11:48:55.787" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5325" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5331" CreationDate="2014-10-27T12:19:09.790" Score="2" ViewCount="1011" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard two speculations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Onions &amp;amp; garlic are used to flavor meat, so they are guilty by association. I've heard the Jains have a similar prohibition for this reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Onions &amp;amp; garlic incite the &quot;passions&quot;-- in other words, its a Indian herbal viagra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know the real motivation for prohibiting onions and garlic? Is the real motivation lost to the mist of time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnstext.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4th minor Precept in the Brahma Net Sutra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T00:14:01.680" Title="What was the motivation for the prohibition on eating onions and garlic?" Tags="|precept|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4009" CreationDate="2014-10-27T18:40:34.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a well practiced zen buddhist but just a practitioner of zen buddhism. I do not know the answer but I do know where I would look for this answer. If I were tasked with finding the above I would look in the Diamond Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Diamond Sutra advises us to throw away is the notion “man,” human being. This is not too difficult. When we look into the human being, we see human ancestors, we see animal ancestors, we see vegetable ancestors, we see mineral ancestors. We see that the human is made of non-human elements. We see that we are at the same time a rock, a river, a cloud, a squirrel, a rose. And if we take away all the non-human elements, the human being is no longer there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the deepest teaching on deep ecology. In order to protect the human being, you have to protect elements that are not human, because these elements are our ancestors, and if you destroy them there is no way we can be here. That is why discrimination between man and nature is a wrong view. You have to see you as nature, one with nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why harmony, respect of life, is possible. So throw away the idea that the human being is the boss, man is the boss, man can do anything to nature. The key is contemplation on impermanence of non-self.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Thich Nhat Hanh, Dharma Talk: Free from Notions, Ocean of Peace Meditation Hall&#xA;Deer Park Monastery&#xA;Sunday, September 25, 2001&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T18:49:36.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2908" CreationDate="2014-10-27T18:48:07.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Text Society is about the best authority for English translations, and they did produce a reference text in 1977. There is not a lot of online translations, but here is a link to the digital version of the book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/The_Guide,Nettippakarana,Nanamoli,1977.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://lirs.ru/lib/The_Guide,Nettippakarana,Nanamoli,1977.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2193" LastActivityDate="2014-10-27T18:48:07.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5328" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5334" CreationDate="2014-10-27T21:10:06.020" Score="4" ViewCount="2847" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we consider the four noble truth or any other core teachings in Buddhism as dogmas that we &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; accept, or could be learn/understand reality only by experience and mindfulness? Is it possible to come to any other conclusions by meditating and practicing mindfulness? I see dogma as a principle incontrovertibly true. Thanks a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2194" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T17:19:46.093" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:19:46.093" Title="Can we consider any core Buddhist teaching as dogma?" Tags="|mindfulness|teaching|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5328" CreationDate="2014-10-27T22:46:00.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been searching for the supporting text: Here is one quotation:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thinkexist.com/quotation/do_not_believe_in_anything_simply_because_you/12103.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://thinkexist.com/quotation/do_not_believe_in_anything_simply_because_you/12103.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not&#xA;  believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.&#xA;  Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your&#xA;  religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of&#xA;  your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they&#xA;  have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and&#xA;  analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is&#xA;  conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and&#xA;  live up to it.”  Buddha quotes (Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the&#xA;  founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An almost identical text is also quoted at&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.noble-buddhism-beliefs.com/buddha-quotes.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.noble-buddhism-beliefs.com/buddha-quotes.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha taught monks sermons on the four noble truths and other precepts. My memories are that the Buddha encourages people to take the precepts, study them, try to incorporate them into a meditation practice and finally into one's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the online dictionary in google also defines dogma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;a principle or set of principles &lt;strong&gt;laid down by an authority&lt;/strong&gt; {emphasis mine} as incontrovertibly true.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never studied or read a teacher that speaks of incontrovertible [not able to be denied or disputed]. truth in Buddhist literature. The Dalai Lama talks about monks debating all aspects of Buddhist precepts to strengthen their understanding. Discussion and debate are part of the path, including this website. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogma also implies a certain blind acceptance of statements without thoroughly digesting them and struggling with them. Buddhism does have principles but by swallowing them whole you will only get spiritual indigestion. Taking one principle and putting it into practice is a more effective strategy than trying to swallow the fish whole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible to come to conclusions by meditating and practicing mindfulness, but what you will find out is waiting for your experience to reveal with its fruit. The truth is not in the words, the truth is in non-attachment to everything that impedes a direct experience of what is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-10-28T00:01:20.397" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T00:01:20.397" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5328" CreationDate="2014-10-27T22:54:59.540" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=define:dogma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definition of &amp;quot;dogma&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the four noble truths were &amp;quot;dogma&amp;quot;, that would mean that statements which deny the four noble truths would not be called Buddhist, and doctrines which denies the four noble truths would not be Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Texts like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; imply that Buddhist doctrine is meant to be helpful, and good to experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When adopted &amp;amp; carried out, they lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to say that Buddhist doctrine is not dogmatic, but there are places where the Buddha says that he's perfectly sure that what he says is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the comments to other answers I was trying to understand, whether &amp;quot;dogma&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;blind &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;, or whether our personal &lt;strong&gt;experience&lt;/strong&gt; is that it's &amp;quot;incontrovertibly true&amp;quot;, or whether Buddhist doctrine &lt;strong&gt;defines&lt;/strong&gt; it as &amp;quot;incontrovertibly true&amp;quot; by definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are places, times, roles for &amp;quot;faith&amp;quot; in Buddhism -- see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wikipedia's article about &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Faith in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second half of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3694/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; (describing faith in Buddhism) and other answers to that question&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about the cause-and-effect of it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do we believe it only &lt;strong&gt;after&lt;/strong&gt; we experience it to be true?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or must we believe it even &lt;strong&gt;before&lt;/strong&gt; we experience it to be true?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking in the Kalama Sutta to see how or whether the Buddha &amp;quot;proves&amp;quot; his doctrine, IMO the following is where that argument has a hinge. Immediately after this paragraph,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering' — then you should abandon them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For harm, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that's an example of dependent co-arising, of the Kalamas' previous experience (or their understanding of &amp;quot;greed&amp;quot;) being combined with the Buddha's question. So they accept his doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might agree that they were right to accept his doctrine: that their choice was skillfully made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm not sure you can call it &amp;quot;incontrovertibly true&amp;quot; that greed arises for harm and not for welfare. Some modern people might argue that people's economic desires are what drive and shape the free market. That, for example, the &amp;quot;greed&amp;quot; of the founders of StackExchange is a reason why this site exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could counter that argument by saying, &amp;quot;that's not greed: that's right livelihood.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still I suppose that doctrine is not &amp;quot;incontrovertibly true&amp;quot;. Instead some people choose it etc., and it requires skill (right view, wisdom, etc.) to apply it properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Vishwa Jay's answer suggests that it's a way, a guide (or several guidelines), a recipe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T14:04:48.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5325" CreationDate="2014-10-28T00:14:01.680" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Page 55 of this books tells a story about why no garlic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=91OPcSUTFQ0C&amp;amp;pg=PA55&amp;amp;lpg=PA55&amp;amp;dq=why+prohibition+of+onions+and+garlic+by+buddhist&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=-zabxvpxAT&amp;amp;sig=GLbsLl7P1h6soNNWDG8SXrzfzM0&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=GN1OVISdDcz-yQS9q4DgCQ&amp;amp;ved=0CFIQ6AEwBw&quot;&gt;http://books.google.com/books?id=91OPcSUTFQ0C&amp;amp;pg=PA55&amp;amp;lpg=PA55&amp;amp;dq=why+prohibition+of+onions+and+garlic+by+buddhist&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=-zabxvpxAT&amp;amp;sig=GLbsLl7P1h6soNNWDG8SXrzfzM0&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=GN1OVISdDcz-yQS9q4DgCQ&amp;amp;ved=0CFIQ6AEwBw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text is from the Chanyuan Qinggui - the stories there are that the nuns were allowed to pick 5 heads of garlic a day but one day picked all of them. The Buddha then banned the use of garlic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another story tells that people who use garlic were not allowed near the Buddha when he was giving his sermon because of bad breath, body odor and possibly flatulence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems more plausible to me if you have ever been around someone eating lots of garlic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Onions, especially sweet onions, do not exhibit these same symptoms after eating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T00:14:01.680" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5332" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5901" CreationDate="2014-10-28T01:18:52.330" Score="6" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Buddhist monk from Theravada tradition that only follows Vinaya and the 4 Nikayas, he avoids talking about Abidhamma or other sources like Jakata Tales, he said some later stories contradicts the Buddha's teachings and gave some interesting examples, he also avoids the commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He claimed the true Dhamma the Buddha spoke of before dying (to be the teacher) were the Vinaya and suttas in the 4 Nikayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know, is there a tradition inside theravada that follows this logic? I couldn't ask if he was following a particular tradition/school or if it was just his personal view. I would like to understand and explore it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T15:57:00.483" Title="Theravada using mostly Vinaya and 4 Nikayas" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5328" CreationDate="2014-10-28T01:30:07.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;A principle incontrovertibly true&quot; is not a dogma. E.g. in math the principle of associativity -- &lt;code&gt;a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c&lt;/code&gt; -- is incontrovertibly true, so what? A principle &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; be &quot;incontrovertibly true&quot; within some domain -- otherwise it would be useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, dogma is a thesis to be taken &lt;em&gt;on blind faith&lt;/em&gt;, with no logical proof nor practical evidence. Another definition of dogma is a thesis mistakenly &lt;em&gt;absolutized&lt;/em&gt; outside of domain where it is legitimately valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As any science, Buddhism -- the science of Liberation -- has its principles, its truths. And within the context of Buddhism they better be true -- otherwise we'd have to throw them away!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yeah, we have to be careful not to take Buddhist truths as dogmas. Which means two things: 1) by all means try and map what it really means that e.g. &quot;the origin of dukkha is craving&quot; onto one's direct experience; and 2) not unwittingly absolutize e.g. the celibacy precept for monks to mean that procreation in general is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T01:30:07.147" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5328" CreationDate="2014-10-28T04:07:11.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that we should not take his word as truth if it doesn't match up with our own experience. The test, then, is this: do the Four Noble Truths match with observable experience, or are they rules to be taken on blind faith? To simplify: is this a rule, or is it merely an observation? Do we have to accept on blind faith that this is the way things are? The Buddha himself said that was not the case. Thus, it's not a dogma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; part of your question implies judgment. Is it a judgment to call something a truth? Could we not say that they are in fact a part of a process, and not actually true or false, but merely steps to be taken? Thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is identification of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is overcoming of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...could be a guide to how to overcome suffering--and is in fact an early form of self-therapy that we might say is an early foundation for modern psychology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;truths&quot; aren't actually true or false in the sense of being true or being false; they are more in the sense of being faithful to the ideal of overcoming suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is, however, a dogma I've run into in Buddhism: the dogma of having no dogmas. It's almost a rule that we should avoid having dogmas of any kind (especially in forms of Zen and Chan Buddhism, though Soto Zen tends to take this to kind of an extreme, in my experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if you take a leap of faith and believe something blindly, you're somehow a &quot;bad Buddhist&quot;. But not taking a leap of faith is also a dogma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fun little conundrum, isn't it? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T04:07:11.940" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5332" CreationDate="2014-10-28T09:50:40.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tend to side with this approach. In many ways a good working example of its beauty is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Forest_Tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Thai Forest Tradition&lt;/a&gt;. You can read more about it on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/recommended.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DhammaTalks website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noted teachers are:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mun_Bhuridatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Mun&lt;/a&gt;, &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/leeauto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Lee&lt;/a&gt;, &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Fuang Jotiko&lt;/a&gt;, &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Chah&lt;/a&gt;, and&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/suwat/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Suwat&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Also, an American monk who had trained there for over 10 years: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many things in later texts (e.g. Abdhidhamma) which directly contradict instructions given in the canon - instructions which, though hard to follow, seem to have razor-sharp reasoning and efficiency if adhered to. The Thai Forest Tradition shows that you don't need a PhD. in Buddhist Studies in order to penetrate the message. As Ajaan Chah once put it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a mango is five meters off the ground and we want it, we can’t use a tenmeter&#xA;  picking pole to pick it, because it’s too long. We can’t use a two-meter&#xA;  picking pole either, because it’s too short.&#xA;  Don’t go thinking that a person with a PhD. has an easy time practicing the&#xA;  Dhamma because he knows so much. Don’t go thinking that way. Sometimes&#xA;  people with a PhD. are too long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-10-28T12:53:29.973" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T12:53:29.973" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5332" CreationDate="2014-10-28T14:37:19.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure if that venerable's position represents the typical approach. They didn't call it &quot;Tipitaka&quot; (Three Baskets) for no reason.. ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2198" LastActivityDate="2014-10-28T14:37:19.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5309" CreationDate="2014-10-28T23:49:51.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This feeling isn't unexpected. But to ask if it's expected... one of the meditative points is to overcome the need to have expectations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we expect something to happen and it doesn't, then we're more or less causing suffering to ourselves; if we expect something to not happen and it happens, then we're causing the same kind of suffering: conflict and stress from that conflict which arises from dramatising the lack of control we have over the world. It's not unexpected for strange reactions to occur with any form of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be that your focus has gone so deeply on one thing that you're no longer focusing on your &quot;where&quot; but instead are looking at your &quot;what&quot; and the interconnections between mind and heart. Re-check the discipline you're being taught, and manage the situation by reconfirming that you aren't making any obvious mistakes. But once you've done that, it's not necessarily a mistake; it's likely just a reaction from ahaṃkāra (ego). Over time and with practice, it should diminish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether or not this is a mistake in practice, I think this classifies as &quot;overthinking the situation&quot;. Accept that it happens, and it's a part of your experience. Eventually, you may even get into a state of non-locality, which would be excellent. While I wouldn't consider this non-locality, it certainly points to that as a possibility for future practice. But you can't make it happen; it just has to grow into that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer would then be: &lt;strong&gt;Let go of your worry. It isn't serving you well.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastEditorUserId="2190" LastEditDate="2014-11-20T17:54:45.717" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T17:54:45.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5339" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-29T04:02:13.163" Score="7" ViewCount="687" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that Buddha has divine eye (ability to see who're capable of realizing liberation) and psychic power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any account in pali canon in which Buddha sees someone who could realize nibbana and travels outside India to teach?&#xA;It seems to me there would always be someone outside or far from where Buddha dwells who can see Dhamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:20:48.563" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T20:07:42.543" Title="Did Buddha ever go outside India to teach?" Tags="|the-buddha|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5339" CreationDate="2014-10-29T06:41:00.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha visited Sri Lanka on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newyorkbuddhist.org/what_buddha_taught/buddhas%20visit.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three different occasions&lt;/a&gt;. His first&#xA;  visit was to Mahiyangana; the second to Nagadipa, and the third was to&#xA;  Kalyani (Kelani). On these three occasions he stayed at sixteen&#xA;  specific locations and meditated by himself or with his disciple&#xA;  monks. For that reason, those places have come to be regarded as&#xA;  highly sacred. They are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solosmasthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Solosmasthana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, the Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;visited the Thawthisa heaven&lt;/a&gt;, seven years after his enlightenment to preach the Abhidhamma to his former mother and the other Devas and Brahmas. He spent three months there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also visited a country called &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomlib.org/definition/sunaparanta/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sunaparanta&lt;/a&gt; with four hundred and ninety nine arahants, including venerable Kundadhana and venerable Ananda. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-10-29T12:05:49.723" LastActivityDate="2014-10-29T12:05:49.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3822" CreationDate="2014-10-29T13:15:04.123" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard Ajahn Brahm tell this story during a lecture which was recorded on YouTube, so I can confirm it's definitely told by him; however I don't remember which one it was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story is not (strictly) in the suttas. It is probably (very loosely) based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.042.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.42&lt;/a&gt;, and deals more with the disturbances of nearby lay life as opposed to the wilderness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagita, there is the case where I see a monk sitting in concentration in a village dwelling. The thought occurs to me, 'Soon a monastery attendant will disturb this venerable one in some way, or a novice will, and rouse him from his concentration.' And so I am not pleased with that monk's village-dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then there is the case where I see a monk sitting, nodding, in the wilderness. The thought occurs to me, 'Soon this venerable one will dispel his drowsiness &amp;amp; fatigue and attend to the wilderness-perception, [his mind] unified.' And so I am pleased with that monk's wilderness-dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in this sutta it looks more like he's worried about the auspiciousness of the environment rather than the current condition in which a monk  dwells, and his being pleased is based on his assumption that the monk &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; soon generate right effort, and not that he'll be heedless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I think it's important to stress that Ajahn Brahm's purpose for telling this story, regardless of where he had heard it, were probably that he has many lay followers which come to the practice with high expectations for quick results. He has to teach people how to give themselves some breathing space first - and that, I believe, he does very well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T21:27:36.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5342" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-29T15:59:12.477" Score="3" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, apparently, said we should not do dana if the offering harms you or someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard this teaching and I would like to know if: Is it true? Where the Buddha said that, which sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This teaching (if true) seems to contradict the story about the Buddha giving his body to a hungry tigress in a previous life, or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2014-10-29T19:26:49.780" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T10:24:06.247" Title="Question about Dana" Tags="|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5342" CreationDate="2014-10-29T22:29:29.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are two quotes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html#perfect&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Perfection of Giving (Acariya Dhammapala)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Great Man (the Bodhisatta) gives an external object, he gives whatever is needed to whomever stands in need of it; and knowing by himself that someone is in need of something, he gives it even unasked, much more when asked. He gives sufficiently, not insufficiently, when there is something to be given. He does not give because he expects something in return. And when there is not enough to give sufficiently to all, he distributes evenly whatever can be shared. &lt;strong&gt;But he does not give things that issue in affliction for others, such as weapons, poisons, and intoxicants. Nor does he give amusements which are harmful and lead to negligence. And he does not give unsuitable food or drink to a person who is sick, even though he might ask for it, and he does not give what is suitable beyond the proper measure.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Herein, giving an internal gift, he gives only what leads to the welfare of the recipient, and nothing else. The Great Man does not knowingly give his own body, limbs, and organs to Mara or to the malevolent deities in Mara' s company, thinking: &quot;Let this not lead to their harm.&quot; And likewise, he does not give to those possessed by Mara or his deities, or to madmen. But when asked for these things by others, he gives immediately, because of the rarity of such a request and the difficulty of making such a gift.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This teaching (if true) seems to contradict the story about the Buddha giving his body to a hungry tigress in a previous life, or not?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might be wrong but I can imagine many explanations for why this doesn't contradict the &quot;tigress&quot; story (versions of which story exist &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Sattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Garland-of-Birth-Stories/01-The-Story-of-the-Tigress.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The gift of his body doesn't harm the Bodhisattva&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saving several tiger cubs might be more important than saving one human body (see e.g. the story for the pirates being killed; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics#Vegetarianism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Dalai Lama's alleged suggestion&lt;/a&gt; that it might be better to kill one cow than several shrimp)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saving the tigress from killing her cubs (i.e. her &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;) is more important than saving the body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Bodhisattva's gift of his body became a teaching story, so it's also a gift of Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps we shouldn't &quot;expect&quot; that everyone will behave like (behave as well as) the Bodhisattva: just as not everyone chooses to &quot;go forth into homelessness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In particular I suspect that if most people did this (killed themselves) it would be an act violence. It was partly the Bodhisattva's insight or wisdom, or something like that, which allowed the Bodhisattva to view it as a (praiseworthy) act of generosity instead of as a (blameworthy) act of killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the tigress story and the pirates story are not part of the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu has his own version of the pirate story in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/eDhammaTalks_1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this Dhamma talk&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A friend once told me about a question he had posed to a number of his &#xA;  friends. The question was this: “Suppose that you’re dreaming, and in this dream &#xA;  you’re in a boat with your mother and your child, and a lot of other people you &#xA;  really feel you love a lot. A pirate comes along and demands one person’s life. &#xA;  What do you do?” He said as he tells this problem to adults, they think about &#xA;  their mothers and they think about their children, they think about sacrificing &#xA;  themselves and also think, “Well, if I sacrifice myself the kid will suffer…” And &#xA;  they can never solve the problem. But if you pose the question to kids they’ll say, &#xA;  “Well, &lt;em&gt;wake up&lt;/em&gt;. It’s just a dream, right?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-10-30T01:33:50.547" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T01:33:50.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5342" CreationDate="2014-10-30T00:01:50.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali text talks about 14 suitable gifts.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html#pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html#pali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE DONATIONS&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Practically anything useful can be given as a gift. The Niddesa (ND.2,&#xA;  523) gives a list of fourteen items that are fit to be given for&#xA;  charity. They are robes, almsfood, dwelling places, medicine and other&#xA;  requisites for the sick, food, drink, cloths, vehicles, garlands,&#xA;  perfume, unguent, beds, houses and lamps. It is not necessary to have&#xA;  much to practice generosity, for one can give according to one's&#xA;  means. Gifts given from one's meager resources are considered very&#xA;  valuable (appasma dakkhina dinna sahassena samam mita, S.i,18;&#xA;  dajjappasmim pi yacito, Dhp. 224). If a person leads a righteous life&#xA;  even though he ekes out a bare existence on gleanings, looks after his&#xA;  family according to his means, but makes it a point to give from his&#xA;  limited stores, his generosity is worth more than a thousand&#xA;  sacrifices (S.i, 19-20). Alms given from wealth righteously earned is&#xA;  greatly praised by the Buddha (A.iii,354; It.p.66; A.iii,45-46)....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if one gives a small amount with a heart full of faith one can&#xA;  gain happiness hereafter. The Vimanavattha supplies ample examples.&#xA;  According to the Acamadayikavimanavatthu, the alms given consisted of&#xA;  a little rice crust, but as it was given with great devotion to an&#xA;  eminent arahant, the reward was rebirth in a magnificent celestial&#xA;  mansion. The Dakkhainavibhanga Sutta states that an offering is&#xA;  purified on account of the giver when the giver is virtuous, on&#xA;  account of the recipient when the recipient is virtuous, on account of&#xA;  both the giver and the recipient if both are virtuous, by none if both&#xA;  happen to be impious. Dhammadana, the dissemination of the knowledge&#xA;  of the Dhamma, is said to excel all other forms of giving (sabbadanam&#xA;  dhammadanam jinati, Dhp.354).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What seems to be stressed here is not the value of what one gives but the intention of the heart. It no where mentions cutting off a part of your body and offering that. If the tiger is a smart tiger and in a suitable environment, its needs will be fulfilled. Carnivores clean up the dead and sickly. Feeding wolves or lions or tigers does not serve a great a purpose as dedicating your life to helping others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The physical body is only on loan. If we can make no better investment than feeding wild animals, how can we claim buddhahood as our inheritance? To claim buddha nature, we must express buddha nature in its many aspects. An act of suicide, throwing your body to wild animals does not express the highest qualities of the Buddha, and goes against the principal of doing no harm. Doing harm to one's own body or not taking care of it goes against this precept. It cannot be dana under those circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T00:01:50.423" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5345" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-30T08:42:48.633" Score="2" ViewCount="783" Body="&lt;p&gt;i'm still a bit confused, &#xA;i know that &quot;sekha&quot; means literally &quot;a learner; in course of perfection&quot;&#xA;but in some article &quot;sekha&quot; means &quot;a pupil or one under training in a religious doctrine.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what i really want to know is if whether the word &quot;sekha&quot; is used for religious terms only, or it can be used in many terms, for ex. student at school or disciple from someone else to reach knowledge or something like that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2205" LastEditorUserId="11104" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T22:40:49.733" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T22:40:49.733" Title="What really Sekha means?" Tags="|pali-canon|philosophy|science|pali-language|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5345" CreationDate="2014-10-30T11:01:12.957" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the dictionaries I found online, which mention that word, are Buddhist dictionaries: which give the definition which is specific to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found one dictionary which defines the Sanskrit version of the word, which defines it as learning something slightly different from religion: i.e. learning the &amp;quot;science of pronunciation&amp;quot; when learning the vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdictionary.com/?q=%C5%9Baik%E1%B9%A3a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Definitions of śaikṣa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;m.    a young Brahman pupil studying with his preceptor, one who has recently begun to repeat the veda -    View this entry on the original dictionary page scan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mf(ī - )n.    (fr. śikṣā - )  in accordance with right teaching or with rule, correct&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;शैक्षः [शिक्षां वेत्त्यधीते वा अण्] 1 A student who studies Śikṣā or the science of pronunciation, one who has just entered upon the study of the Vedas. -2 (Hence) A novice, tyro. -a. Well familiar with the studies or sciences; expert; Mb.6.97.28 (com. शैक्षं शस्त्रादिशिक्षा- संपन्नम्)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdictionary.com/scans/?col=1&amp;amp;img=mw1089.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;And&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Śikṣā) in accordance with right teaching or with rule, correct&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might argue that's a &amp;quot;religious&amp;quot; learner too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that perhaps all education of that time (including science, mathematics, etc.) might have been connected with religion or taught by religious leaders, but I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=pali&amp;amp;query=sekkha&amp;amp;matchtype=exact&amp;amp;display=utf8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definition from the Pali Text Society&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sekha (&amp;amp; sekkha) [cp. Sk. śaikṣa; fr. siks, sikkhati] belonging to training, in want of training, imperfect Vin i.17, 248; iii.24; Dhs 1016; one who has still to learn, denotes one who has not yet attained Arahantship D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/philosophy/theology/sikh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Sikh Encyclopedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SIKH. The word sikh goes back to Sanskrit sisya, meaning a learner or disciple. In Pali, sisya became sissa. The Pali word sekha (also sekkha) means a pupil or one under training in a religious doctrine (sikkha, siksa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T11:01:12.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5345" CreationDate="2014-10-30T11:26:47.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my dictionaries, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;sekha&lt;/em&gt; means student, beginner, aspirant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;sikkhā&lt;/em&gt; (as in &lt;em&gt;sikkhāpada&lt;/em&gt; of the five precepts) means training, instruction, education -- including both the learning and the teaching sides&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, sekha/sekkha seems to mean someone who is still striving, still looking up to a higher level of mastery. The meaning seems to be broad and not confined to the religious domain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-10-30T22:50:49.953" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T22:50:49.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5257" CreationDate="2014-10-30T15:08:27.953" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Archie Bahm's &lt;em&gt;Philosophy of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; takes a different approach.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://bloggingisaresponsibility.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/the-middle-way-a-different-take-on-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here's a blog article that covers this&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A key paragraph from the article (itself a quote from Bahm):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His historical [...] insight, that happiness can be found only in the middle way, appears to agree with other [...] Golden Mean philosophies in advising avoidance of extremes.  [...] however, Gotama’s insight focused upon one kind of mean, one which, if achieved, would automatically resolve the difficulties relative to all other pairs of extremes: his middle way is a way between desiring too much and desiring too much stopping of such desiring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So pain is caused by our tendency to desire, and this tendency can attach to anything, including attempts to overcome desire! So desire often wins not because it resits us, but because it corrupts our attempts from within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may explain Buddhism's iconoclastic tendencies.  If desire is the problem, and Buddhism can become an object of desire, then to this extent, Buddhism itself must be fought.  This may also explain attitudes towards the self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Middle Way navigates between this tendency, and since the opposite of desire (wanting things to be other than the way they are) is acceptance of all -- including our failures to accept -- The Middle Way can be equated with acceptance.  The key is to grok what &quot;Middle&quot; implies.  Thinking of backing off an extreme when you catch yourself clinging to one pole of a duality (desire/no-desire, spiritual/material, religious/profane, philosophical/worldly) is a good way to think of The Middle Way/Acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course, it's all about your &lt;strong&gt;INNER&lt;/strong&gt; attitude and not surface acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This differs from the way I understood Aristotle and other &quot;Golden Mean&quot; philosophers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="28" LastEditDate="2014-10-31T22:01:20.610" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T22:01:20.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5349" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-30T21:30:21.607" Score="5" ViewCount="399" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems like these days, teachers are looking down to Samatha meditation, I would like to understand why, based on the suttas, this the meditation praised by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could someone explain why Vipassana is so much more present in Theravada tradition, eventhough the Buddha practiced a lot of Samatha? I'm sure there are good reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot; And what kind of meditation did the Blessed One praise? Here, brahmin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana … With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhana … With the fading away as well of rapture … he bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the third jhana … With the abandoning of pleasure and pain … he bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana … The Blessed One praised that kind of meditation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya 108.27 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T02:09:00.700" Title="If the Buddha praised Samatha, why is it losing importance?" Tags="|theravada|samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5345" CreationDate="2014-10-30T21:57:29.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Saṅgītisutta three types of persons in the world are mentioned: sekkha (learner), asekkha (adept) and nevasekkha nāsekkha (ordinary person or puthujjana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tayo puggalā—&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sekkho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; puggalo, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asekkho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; puggalo,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;nevasekkho nāsekkho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; puggalo&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/dn33&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṅgītisutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Three kinds of persons, to wit, the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;learner&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;adept&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he&#xA;  who is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn33&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṅgītisutta [en]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;em&gt;sekha&lt;/em&gt; is someone who trains himself in &lt;em&gt;higher virtues&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;training the mind to a higher degree&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;training for higher wisdom&lt;/em&gt; or basically someone who's training himself in the eightfold path. There are 7 types of sekhas (1) the path to stream-entry; (2) the fruition of stream-entry;&#xA;(3) the path to once-returning; (4) the fruition of once-returning;&#xA;(5) the path to non-returning; (6) the fruition of non-returning;&#xA;(7) the path to arahantship&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sekho, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sekho’ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sekho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  hotī”ti? “Sikkhatīti kho, bhikkhu, tasmā &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sekhoti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; vuccati.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kiñca sikkhati? Adhisīlampi sikkhati, adhicittampi sikkhati,&#xA;  adhipaññampi sikkhati. Sikkhatīti kho, bhikkhu, tasmā sekhoti&#xA;  vuccatīti.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/an3.85&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sekkhasutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Venerable sir, it is said a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;trainee&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. How is one a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;trainee&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;?&#xA;  Bhikkhu, one trains, therefore he is called a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;trainee&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In what does he train? He trains in higher virtues,&#xA;  training the mind to a higher degree and training for higher wisdom.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/3-tikanipata/009-samanavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sekkhasutta [en]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An &lt;em&gt;asekha&lt;/em&gt; is someone who's gone beyond the training or basically an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Asekho &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asekho’ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā bhante, bhikkhu &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asekho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hotī”ti? “Idha, bhikkhu, bhikkhu asekhāya sammādiṭṭhiyā samannāgato hoti, asekhena sam­māsaṅkap­pena samannāgato hoti, ... Evaṃ kho, bhikkhu, bhikkhu asekho hotī”ti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/an10.111&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paṭha­ma­a­sekha­sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Venerable sir, it is said, `&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;gone beyond the training&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' How is the bhikkhu &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;gone beyond the training&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;?&#xA;  Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu is endowed with perfect right view,&#xA;  perfect right thoughts, perfect right speech, perfect right activity,&#xA;  perfect right livelihood, perfect right endeavour, perfect right&#xA;  mindfulness, perfect right concentration perfect right knowledge and&#xA;  perfect right release gone beyond the training. Such a one is gone&#xA;  beyond the training.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara6/10-dasakanipata/011-samanasannavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paṭha­ma­a­sekha­sutta [en]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-10-31T10:59:35.797" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T10:59:35.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5349" CreationDate="2014-10-30T22:41:50.103" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon and commentaries do indeed carry considerable encouragement to practice the jhanas. The distinction between samatha and vipassanā aren't really spelled out in the original teachings and it was only much later that the doctrine of the two as separate (and separate-ableon) meditation practices arose. By the time of Buddhaghosa (5th century AD) the distinction was pretty firmly established, though some later teachers dismiss the distinction as unnecessary. Ajahn Chah of the Thai Forest tradition liked to say that samatha and vipassanā are like two ends of a stick - when you pick up the stick, both ends come along &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Unshakeable_Peace1_2.php&quot;&gt;See Ajahn Chah's essay on this from his book, &quot;Unshakable Peace&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emphasis on vipassanā which one finds nowadays came about for very practical and pragmatic reasons, but this topic as a bit much to delve into deeply here. The brief overview is that a method was needed that could be undertaken by a lay meditator on a 30 day retreat and provide the practitioner with a reasonable shot at arriving at the first stage of enlightenment - stream entry. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasi_Sayadaw&quot;&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; is perhaps the main exponent of this method and it seems to work quite well for many people. In contrast to this, to properly develop &quot;Visuddhimagga-style&quot; jhanas is beyond the reach of most lay people (and most monastics) not least because of the time commitment necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more to the story of course, but that's a thumbnail sketch of the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2210" LastActivityDate="2014-10-30T22:41:50.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5352" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5358" CreationDate="2014-10-31T11:48:11.923" Score="9" ViewCount="2549" Body="&lt;p&gt;This normally gets translated as mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In particular, does it mean remembrance, as in to actively think using words about the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it about thinking about the present, and not the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it about suppressing ones internal dialog.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the meaning has changed, is it a relatively modern thing, or does it trace back to some sort of new development in the history of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2018-12-25T05:53:42.327" Title="What does sati mean?" Tags="|mindfulness|sati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5352" CreationDate="2014-10-31T12:47:18.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For one, please do not suppress anything!  Sati is not a crushing energy.  You should not try to actively suppress thoughts when they arise.  Simply take note of them, let them be, and watch them appear and vanish.  The operative word here is &lt;em&gt;watch&lt;/em&gt;.  When thoughts arise, do not actively engage them, do not theorize about them, do not try to push them out of your mind or make judgments on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting to the definition of the word - while I've seen the word translated as remembrance (as you note in your question), personally I'm not happy with that rendering.  Remembrance has the English connotation of &quot;recalling&quot; as in memory.  There isn't much support for that translation where the word sati is used in the suttas.  In fact, in the Satipatthana Sutta - one of the foundational texts for the practice of mindfulness - that translation doesn't make sense at all!  I think it is better to say that sati means to &quot;watch something with the minds eye&quot;.  It is an active form of non-judgmental, non-discursive attention.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T12:47:18.333" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5352" CreationDate="2014-10-31T14:56:29.820" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word Sati (Smrti in Sanskrit) literally means remembrance or recollection, but as with many Buddhist technical terms has a more specialized meaning in a meditative context. In the context of meditation the word Sati has a more general meaning to set the mind on the object of meditation. For example, the meditation in which one contemplates the attributes of the Buddha is called Buddhanusati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However quite often when people say Sati, they mean a specific kind of Sati. That is to say, Samma-Sati, or right mindfulness, which is the seventh factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. The Suttas define Samma-Sati as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains&#xA;  focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains&#xA;  focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of itself...&#xA;  mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. This is&#xA;  called right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So with right mindfulness one is specifically directing the mind to the body, feeling, mind, and mental qualities. The word which the translator translates as Alert is the term Sampajanna, which others often translate as &quot;fully aware&quot; and quite often when people say mindfulness, they are actually thinking of Sampajanna although they aren't totally distinct, as you need Sampajanna to have Samma-Sati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T14:56:29.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5355" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-10-31T16:16:49.663" Score="2" ViewCount="211" Body="&lt;p&gt;What teachers of Buddhist meditation can guide students skillfully? I mean, teachers who are lay or monastic, teachers who are alive, teachers who have died but left skillful dhamma works to guide students and teachers of any tradition that follow the Buddha's words from the three baskets. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*I am basically asking about teachers that might not be we'll known but the few students that do know always praise the teacher's approach as skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edited from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems there are some great and unique meditation teachers out there that aren't as popular as some teachers, possibly because they shunned publicity, didn't allow teachings to be recorded, lived far from the world in hard to get to places and so on. &#xA;.    So the questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- What tends to be the differences between the more  charismatic or popular teachers and the less known but master   teachers?&#xA;2-What hard to find master teachers of Buddhist meditation are out there and what is there approach to teaching?&#xA;Thank you :)&#xA;It seems there are some great and unique meditation teachers out there that aren't as popular as some teachers, possibly because they shunned publicity, didn't allow teachings to be recorded, lived far from the world in hard to get to places and so on. &#xA;.    So the questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- What tends to be the differences between the more  charismatic or popular teachers and the less known but master   teachers?&#xA;2-What hard to find master teachers of Buddhist meditation are out there and what is there approach to teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:13:15.837" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:13:15.837" Title="Skillful Buddhist Meditation Teachers" Tags="|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5355" CreationDate="2014-10-31T23:11:39.970" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as my curiosity managed to spread to far, I think &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Fuang&lt;/a&gt; is a great example. Not much is known about him except for a few transcribed talks and some quotes here and there, and some stories told by his students of their experiences with him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing I remember about him, as far as being different goes, was that one time some Thai Monk Magazine (or something along those lines) went after him, trying to get an interview. When he heard about this, he avoided them at all cost. Finally they managed to pin him down somewhere, and asked him, &quot;Could you give us a dhamma talk?&quot; His response was, &quot;Yes. Today's dhamma talk is one word: 'buddho.' If you can't keep this in mind, there really isn't any point in my telling you anything else.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another great quote is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I have to explain everything, you'll get used to having things handed to you on a platter. And then what will you do when problems come up in your meditation and you don't have any experience in figuring things out on your own?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend the book &lt;code&gt;Awareness Itself&lt;/code&gt; available for free at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DhammaTalks.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-10-31T23:11:39.970" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5320" CreationDate="2014-11-01T00:07:32.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kenneth Wilson was from India and he had a deep interest in mathematics till his death in 2013&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/blogs/blogs-the-copernican/article4992321.ece&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/blogs/blogs-the-copernican/article4992321.ece&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has probed deeply into numbers and found ancient sources that attribute large numbers to the Bodhisatva's&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Link above has this paragraph.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The incalculable number&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kenneth Wilson did not come up with inclusivity. Yes, he found a way&#xA;  to use it in the problems that were prevalent in mid-20th century&#xA;  physics. But in the Mahavaipulya Buddhavatamsaka Sutra, an influential&#xA;  text of Mahayana Buddhism written in the third or fourth century AD,&#xA;  lies a treatment of very large numbers centered on the struggle to&#xA;  comprehend divinity. The largest titled meaningful number in this work&#xA;  appears to be the bodhisattva&#xA;  (10^37218383881977644441306597687849648128) and the largest titled&#xA;  number as such, the jyotiba (10^80000 infinities).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The jyotiba may not make much sense today, but it represents the early&#xA;  days of a centuries-old tradition that felt such numbers had to exist,&#xA;  a tradition that acknowledged and included the upper-limits of human&#xA;  comprehension while on its quest to deciphering the true nature of&#xA;  'god'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Mahavaipulya Buddhavatamsaka Sutra itself, also known as the&#xA;  Avatamsaka Sutra, also contains a description of an &quot;incalculable&quot;&#xA;  number divined to describe the innumerable names and forms of the&#xA;  principal deities Vishnu and Siva. By definition, it had to lie&#xA;  outside the bounds of human calculability. This number, known as the&#xA;  asamkhyeya, owes its value to one of three arrived at because of an&#xA;  ambiguity in the sutra. Asamkhyeya is defined as a particular power of&#xA;  a laksha, but there is no indication of how much a laksha is!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One translation, from Sanskrit to the Chinese by Shikshananda, says&#xA;  one asamkhyeya is equal to 10 to the power of 7.1-times&#xA;  10-to-the-power-of-31. Another translation, to English by Thomas&#xA;  Cleary, says it is 10 to the power of 2.03-times&#xA;  10-to-the-power-of-32. The third, by Buddhabhadra to the Chinese&#xA;  again, says it is 10 to the power of 5.07-times 10-to-the-power-of-31.&#xA;  If they have recognisable values, you ask, why the title&#xA;  &quot;incalculable&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as authorship, there are several references to translators, but unlike many Buddhist texts, the authorship is attributed to someone that may not have written it, of unknown authorship or a collaborative effort.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatamsaka_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatamsaka_Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Avataṃsaka Sūtra was written in stages, beginning from at least&#xA;  500 years after the death of the Buddha. One source claims that it is&#xA;  &quot;a very long text composed of a number of originally independent&#xA;  scriptures of diverse provenance, all of which were combined, probably&#xA;  in Central Asia, in the late third or the fourth century CE.&quot;[6] Two&#xA;  full Chinese translations of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra were made.&#xA;  Fragmentary translation probably began in the 2nd century CE, and the&#xA;  famous Ten Stages Sutra, often treated as an individual scripture, was&#xA;  first translated in the 3rd century. The first complete Chinese&#xA;  version was completed by Buddhabhadra (Bodhibhadra) around 420 in 60&#xA;  scrolls with 34 chapters,[7] and the second by Śikṣānanda around 699&#xA;  in 80 scrolls with 40 chapters.[8][9] There is also a translation of&#xA;  the Gaṇḍavyūha section by Prajñā around 798. The second translation&#xA;  includes more sutras than the first, and the Tibetan translation,&#xA;  which is still later, includes many differences with the 80 scrolls&#xA;  version. Scholars conclude that sutras were being added to the&#xA;  collection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Paramārtha, a 6th-century monk from Ujjain in central&#xA;  India, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra is also called the &quot;Bodhisattva&#xA;  Piṭaka.&quot;[4] In his translation of the Mahāyānasaṃgrahabhāṣya, there is&#xA;  a reference to the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, which Paramārtha notes is the&#xA;  same as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra in 100,000 lines.[4] Identification of&#xA;  the Avataṃsaka Sūtra as a &quot;Bodhisattva Piṭaka&quot; was also recorded in&#xA;  the colophon of a Chinese manuscript at the Mogao Caves: &quot;Explication&#xA;  of the Ten Stages, entitled Creator of the Wisdom of an Omniscient&#xA;  Being by Degrees, a chapter of the Mahāyāna sūtra Bodhisattvapiṭaka&#xA;  Buddhāvataṃsaka, has ended.&quot;[4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may not be that common in Buddhist texts, but Hindu texts are filled with all kinds of numbers. It is apparent that this environment friendly to numbers must have inspired some writers to go down this avenue, perhaps to appeal to potential Hindu converts to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T00:07:32.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5352" CreationDate="2014-11-01T00:09:22.337" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way it's used in Buddhism, &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; means continuously remembering something, being mindful of something, continuously keeping something in mind. The traditional metaphor is the mindfulness of hunger -- when you are very hungry you don't forget that you are hungry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember correctly, before Buddhism, in Hinduism (or whatever that conglomerate of teachings and rituals can be called) &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; used to refer to &lt;em&gt;rote learning&lt;/em&gt;. So basically, you repeat some Vedas text until you memorize it by heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here we have two components: keeping something in mind, and repeating something until it sinks down. This is basically what &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; is. Specifically, &lt;em&gt;kayagata-smrti&lt;/em&gt; -- mindfulness rooted in the body -- is continuous awareness of one's bodily sensations, first and foremost somatic components of emotions. &lt;em&gt;ana-apana-smrti&lt;/em&gt; -- mindfulness of breathing in and out -- is continuous awareness of the breathing, again mostly because breathing is always the picture of one's state of mind. Both of these can be both meditation as well as post-meditation activities -- and it is the post-meditation that is referred to as &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt;, because the challenge is not to forget it, as you are walking about your business.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the important thing to remember that &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; is never &lt;em&gt;just&lt;/em&gt; mindfulness (as in, open-ended awareness) -- it is always mindfulness &lt;em&gt;of something&lt;/em&gt;. It does matter &lt;em&gt;what&lt;/em&gt; we are mindful of, because whatever it is, the more you feed it the stronger it gets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually in Buddhism we train to remember whatever our teacher deems useful for us to remember at this particular stage. It could be the lower abdomen, could be the diaphragm, could be the face, could be the hands, could be the feet, could be the head and shoulders, could be Buddha-Nature, could be Emptiness etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More broadly, at &quot;hinayana&quot; stage the training is focused on very low level immediate experiences: so what you are &quot;remembering&quot; (paying attention to) is the whole phenomenological setup -- bodily sensations (heartbeat, breathing, face muscles, posture), emotions (somatic projections aka chakras), and the state of mind (excitement level, scattering level, dimness level, viscosity level etc) -- as a whole. So basically we are learning to be more self-aware, to have a better insight into our internal condition -- via all kinds of hints and symptoms. At this level it's not just being aware though, it's fixing whatever looks unskillful/unhealthy. Noticed the heartbeat increasing -- stopped arguing and switched the strategy of persuasion. This kind of stuff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even more broadly, &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; means remembering Dharma at large, as the all encompassing context of our trainee's life, as opposed to letting one's inner frame of reference be force-switched by the circumstances. This mastery over one's context is developed through five levels (&lt;em&gt;panca bala&lt;/em&gt;): faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At entry level, mindfulness starts as faith or inspiration. Inspired by an encounter with Sat-Dharma, our mind gets the bug of Buddha-fever. Unable to resist the urge to find out more, we keep thinking about mysterious Dharma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At beginner's stage mindfulness means applying effort to constantly check one's current physical, verbal, and mental activity against the dharmic guidelines. Am I being driven by an afflicting emotion? Is my mind presently biased by an attachment? Is my current action motivated by an egoistic intent?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The next level is when staying always mindful of the context of Dharma becomes automatic and no longer requires effort, which means one is now always operating in the phenomenological context, as I described two paragraphs ago.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At middling level mindfulness grows into concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) which means we can now design, assemble, and maintain any context, any frame of reference, any mood we choose. If we want to feel happy -- we can contrive the context in which we will be happy. If we want to feel motivated -- we can contrive the frame of reference that will make us passionate. And so on. This is also known as generation-stage meditation. The role of &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; here is to keep the contrived context on.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finally, at advanced level mindfulness becomes wisdom (&lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;), which means seeing all contexts at the same time and freely juggling their elements as required by a situation at hand. This is like being a lawyer, in the sense that you see every situation from all possible angles at once, can speak from the perspective of a certain frame of reference, depending on whom is it that you're addressing, and even speak in multiple frames of reference at the same time. Why this is still &lt;em&gt;smrti&lt;/em&gt; is because it involves staying mindful of all those different contexts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-01T02:19:36.797" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T02:19:36.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5349" CreationDate="2014-11-01T00:21:11.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha said and encouraged may not be totally clear from reading the texts based on oral traditions that were eventually written down. Perhaps they were all recommended by the Buddha at one time or another and the ones that were most comfortable in a particular Buddhist tradition became emphasized over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why not say Buddha encouraged Zen? Some Zen practitioners say Buddha was the first Zen master from the text of the Flower sermon.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Chan tradition may have invented or written down the flower sermon.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism#Kasyappa_and_The_Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism#Kasyappa_and_The_Flower_Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Chan tradition ascribes the origins of Chan in India to the Flower&#xA;  Sermon, the earliest source for which comes from the 14th century.[36]&#xA;  It is said that Gautama Buddha gathered his disciples one day for a&#xA;  Dharma talk. When they gathered together, the Buddha was completely&#xA;  silent and some speculated that perhaps the Buddha was tired or ill.&#xA;  The Buddha silently held up and twirled a flower and his eyes&#xA;  twinkled; several of his disciples tried to interpret what this meant,&#xA;  though none of them were correct. One of the Buddha's disciples,&#xA;  Mahākāśyapa, silently gazed at the flower and broke into a broad&#xA;  smile. The Buddha then acknowledged Mahākāśyapa's insight by saying&#xA;  the following:[21]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I possess the true Dharma eye, the marvelous mind of Nirvāṇa, the true&#xA;  form of the formless, the subtle Dharma gate that does not rest on&#xA;  words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the&#xA;  scriptures. This I entrust to Mahākāśyapa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The diversity of examples seems to be coincidentally an advocacy for the particular tradition that promotes a certain quality or story. It is perhaps no surprise that human consciousness would lend an interpretation that is more appealing and easier to live with. If such are the traditions, perhaps our best hope for liberation is to follow the example of the Buddha and live our lives to the greatest extent possible serving others as best we are suited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T00:21:11.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5363" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5367" CreationDate="2014-11-01T03:20:01.953" Score="4" ViewCount="9227" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Buddha was born, he walked seven steps and then stopped without stepping the eighth step, and at every step there was a shower of rain. I ask: what does the seven steps symbolize?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-11-01T08:05:13.690" LastActivityDate="2023-06-08T11:07:44.993" Title="What is the meaning in the Buddha walking seven steps?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5364" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5365" CreationDate="2014-11-01T03:30:57.080" Score="3" ViewCount="2608" Body="&lt;p&gt;I keep on long wondered the difference between wisdom and knowledge. I do not understand why the Buddha refers only to the intellect without talking to intellectuals?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastActivityDate="2018-02-02T15:26:12.597" Title="What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5364" CreationDate="2014-11-01T07:31:40.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Knowledge is conceptual, it is information, opinions and views read from books or spoken by others, whereas wisdom is the truth within the experience. Experience can not be conceptualized,  for example....try to explain what water is, then go drink some water or stand in the rain, the conceptualization and the experience are completely different, this is the difference between knowledge and wisdom!!&#xA;I hope this has helped.&#xA;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~ Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-11-01T08:23:46.477" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T08:23:46.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5364" CreationDate="2014-11-01T10:54:31.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally - wisdom defends good manner in truth. Therefore knowledge describes general experience we get in the world. Knowledge can be overdoing but wisdom is self defensive information that can aim you into better understanding :) tiwigi(CR)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2215" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T10:54:31.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5363" CreationDate="2014-11-01T10:55:08.350" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahāpadā­na­sutta, when he was born he stood firm on both feet, then with his face to the north took seven strides while a white canopy was held over him. There is no mention of a shower at every step though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahāpadā­na­sutta commentary, standing firm on both feet is a portend for achieving the four iddhipada (Intention, Effort, Consciousness, Investigation). Facing north is a sign that he'll rise above others, the seven steps he walked is a portend that he'll achieve the seven factors of enlightenment (satta bojjhaṅgā) and finally the white canopy held over his head is a symbol that he'll achieve nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-11-01T10:55:08.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5369" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-02T00:13:40.143" Score="6" ViewCount="18921" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the Buddhist days for eating vegetarian, as laypeople is it okay if we eat eggs? I hear people say that eggs grown for eating are not devoid of life. If eaten, is one guilty of killing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:18:47.543" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T08:55:55.863" Title="Does eating eggs break the precepts?" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5370" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5375" CreationDate="2014-11-02T00:21:29.783" Score="5" ViewCount="3179" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the altar when entering a Buddhist temple I see the Buddha sitting on a lotus, but frankly I do not understand the symbolic meaning of the lotus image? Everywhere you look in the temple you see lotuses. Can anyone explain this to us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:40:35.140" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:40:35.140" Title="What is the meaning of the lotus?" Tags="|art|iconography|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5371" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-02T00:27:33.197" Score="3" ViewCount="509" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not understand the difference between karma and fate; are they the same or different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-11-02T10:14:33.543" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T10:12:54.243" Title="Fate and karma same or different?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5371" CreationDate="2014-11-02T01:16:37.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know what tradition your word for 'fate' comes from, but I'll try to answer anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destiny&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fate&lt;/a&gt; usually means something which happens that is decided in advance, perhaps something that's decided before you were born, perhaps decided by God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt; is what happens as a result of your actions or your choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The gods (for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moirai&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insha&amp;#39;Allah&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;) decide what your 'fate' is&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You (the choices you make) decide what your karma is&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T01:16:37.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5369" CreationDate="2014-11-02T02:11:04.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not have a clear, universal doctrine on being vegetarian: see for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1365/are-all-buddhists-vegetarian&quot;&gt;Are all Buddhists vegetarian?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Says that it varies from one tradition to another.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html#food&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Food and Drink&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada monks 'must' beg for their food, 'must not' eat after noon, and 'may choose' to be vegetarian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he wishes to be a vegetarian, he may choose from among the food placed in his bowl, although where he receives only little, this will be very difficult for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vegetarianism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Today it is often said that Mahayanists are vegetarian and Theravadins are not. However the situation is a little more complex than that. Generally Theravadins have no dietary restrictions although it is not uncommon to find monks and lay people in Sri Lanka who are strict vegetarians. Others abstain from meat while eating fish. Chinese and Vietnamese monks and nuns are strictly vegetarian and the lay community try to follow their example although many do not. Amongst Tibetans and Japanese Buddhists, vegetarianism is rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhists who insist on vegetarianism have a simple and compelling argument to support their case. Eating meat encourages an industry that causes cruelty and death to millions of animals and a truly compassionate person would wish to mitigate all this suffering. By refusing to eat meat one can do just that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who believe that vegetarianism is not necessary for Buddhists have equally compelling although more complex arguments to support their view: (1) If the Buddha had felt that a meatless diet was in accordance with the Precepts he would have said so and in the Pali Tipitaka at least, he did not. (2) Unless one actually kills an animal oneself (which seldom happens today) by eating meat one is not directly responsible for the animal's death and in this sense the non- vegetarian is no different from the vegetarian. The latter can only eat his vegetables because the farmer has ploughed his fields (thus killing many creatures) and sprayed the crop (again killing many creatures). (3) While the vegetarian will not eat meat he does use numerous other products that lead to animals being killed (soap, leather, serum, silk etc.) Why abstain from one while using the others? (4) Good qualities like understanding, patience, generosity and honesty and bad qualities like ignorance, pride, hypocrisy, jealousy and indifference do not depend on what one eats and therefore diet is not a significant factor in spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some will accept one point of view and some another. Each person has to make up his or her own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cuisine#Ingredients&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cuisine&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eggs are seen as almost meat and many Buddhists avoid them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(However Wikipedia provides no citation/reference for the above statement.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you follow the argument listed in &quot;Vegetarianism&quot;, above, you might like to avoid eggs, for example because (so far as I know) egg production includes killing most of the male chickens as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand it does seem to vary from one tradition to another; if you're following a specifically-Vietnamese tradition you might want to ask this question of a specifically-Vietnamese Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T02:11:04.510" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5369" CreationDate="2014-11-02T04:13:35.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing you are asking what the boundaries are for Vietnamese Buddhism (which is generally similar in practice to Chinese &amp;amp; Korean Buddhism, at least with respect to how the dietary precepts are practiced).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vegetarian precepts come from the Brahma Net Sutra and the Upaseka Sutra. These precepts discourage animal husbandry of any sort. So on that ground, it would imply animal products are off the menu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts related to preservation of life make it pretty clear that the problem with meat and animal products is that a sentient being must be killed. In modern agriculture, to make eggs, the male chicks must be killed, they are economically useless. The old hens are killed when they stop laying.  The calves from cows are killed and sold as veal. The dairy cows in turn are killed when they can no longer produce milk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard of a no-kill dairy in India, but I've never heard of a no-kill egg farm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The internet seems to say eggs and milk were sometimes allowed for monks in China, Korean and Vietnam, but I'm not finding a lot of good references. Milk was probably not consumed much anyhow, since lactose intolerance is very common in Asia, outside of Mongolia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of eggs, one Buddhist concern is can an unfertilized egg yield a living being. &lt;a href=&quot;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/01/are-eggs-considered-vegetarian/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In some species, yes, sometimes&lt;/a&gt;. And for fertilized eggs, it certainly can yield a living being.  This is much the same sort argument you see in the abortion issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T04:13:35.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5370" CreationDate="2014-11-02T04:19:36.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lotus flower blooms in muddy water and spreads its leaves and petals out just centimeters above the surface of the dirty water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist renunciates, saw themselves as being outside of the muck of the world they had renounced, or at least, in the mud but not dirtied by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T04:19:36.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5376" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5440" CreationDate="2014-11-02T15:57:59.297" Score="4" ViewCount="1052" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the triratna Buddhist community (who I practice with) there is a prostrations  practice for those going through the ordination process. I'm sure we have taken this practice from another tradition.I'm fairly certain it is Tibetan but can anyone give details of the exact place in the Tibetan practice this comes from and also what is the purpose of this practice. How does it fit into the system of practice and what effects this practice has on the practicioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T21:27:22.360" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T21:27:22.360" Title="Tradition and purpose of prostration practice" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|traditions|triratna-buddhism|prostration|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5376" CreationDate="2014-11-02T22:38:31.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some texts attribute the original authorization of prostration to the Buddha himself, although they are clear to differentiate between the Hindu Bhakti and guru worship.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, He did lay down three forms of reverence for bhikkhus;&#xA;  wearing the robe with the right shoulder bared, kneeling down, and&#xA;  holding the palms of the hands together in the gesture of reverence.&#xA;  Prostration at the feet of the Buddha is also mentioned many times in&#xA;  the Suttas. Lay people are free to show their reverence in any&#xA;  suitable way and people of those times were recorded in the Suttas as&#xA;  expressing their reverence variously:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the Kalamas of Kesaputta approached the Lord. Having approached&#xA;  him, some prostrated towards the Lord and sat down at one side; some&#xA;  greeted the Lord politely, and having conversed in a friendly and&#xA;  courteous way, sat down to one side; some raising their hands in&#xA;  añjali to the Lord sat down to one side, some called out their names&#xA;  and those of their clans and sat down to one side; while others saying&#xA;  nothing sat down to one side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Kalama Sutta, Anguttara-nikaya iii 65 (PTS edition). See A Criterion&#xA;  of True Religion, Mahamakut Press, Bangkok, and The Kalama Sutta,&#xA;  Wheel No. 8, BPS, Kandy, Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And additional evidence of the Buddha accepting prostrations&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Pali canon, laypersons prostrating before the then-living&#xA;  Buddha is mentioned in several suttas.[3] In Theravada Buddhism, as&#xA;  part of daily practice, one typically prostrates before and after&#xA;  chanting and meditation. On these occasions, one does typically&#xA;  prostrates three times: once to the Buddha, once to the Dhamma, and&#xA;  once to the Sangha. More generally, one can also prostrate before &quot;any&#xA;  sacred object of veneration.&quot;[4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But is there evidence of prostrations by religions previous to Buddhism?&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chayas.com/qidah.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.chayas.com/qidah.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bowing, kneeling, yoshev la'areS, qidah &amp;amp; prostration [to the one G-D]&#xA;  originated in authentic Torah Teachings (the Torah of Moses). It&#xA;  certainly preceded Islam and Christianity. It is still practiced (to&#xA;  some extent) today and is/was retained by a minority of Jews, even&#xA;  during the Middle Ages. And while portions of this original practice&#xA;  may (or may not have) been copied by other religions, anyone familiar&#xA;  with ancient practice knows we still preserve the original method of&#xA;  prostration. In my opinion, a popular return to proper Jewish&#xA;  prostration or qidah, (which brings about focused, meaningful prayer)&#xA;  will result in a greater level of shifa for the Jewish people (and the&#xA;  world). This translates into a greater level of Divine protection&#xA;  (based on concepts in 'The Guide' / Moreh Nevukhim).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there may be evidence of your particular Buddhist sect deriving the tradition, but if your question is where was prostration first introduced there is evidence that others preceded Tibetan traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T22:38:31.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5378" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5380" CreationDate="2014-11-02T22:47:50.247" Score="14" ViewCount="6442" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is masturbation wrong? In what exact way is it wrong? I just need to know if the act of masturbation is wrong. This may include watching nudity while masturbating. Even though it's an addiction, I was wandering if it hold more or any negative karma than another general addiction, like addiction to food. I just need your opinion in this backed up by references to the teachings.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the act of masturbation a barrier towards mental concentration or samadhi? Will I have more mindfulness and concentration if I get rid of this addiction? I'm talking about the samadhi gained through annapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In what way can I get rid of this addiction if it is leading me away from the path? Please give instructions to one who is somewhat deeply ingrained in it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not here to discuss about an 'embarrassing' topic, rather a plausible problem (affirmed by many Buddhists) that a majority of people in the western world have. I am also here to see if my addiction can be a cause for any other negative habits, like many Buddhist say so. That being said, thank you very much for the help. I honestly will appreciate the answer you give me, since this idea have haunted and caused inner conflicts within me for the past 2 years.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="658" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:04:52.500" LastActivityDate="2022-08-29T17:38:07.090" Title="Is there a story or a mentioning about masturbation in the Buddhist teachings?" Tags="|theravada|karma|reference-request|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5370" CreationDate="2014-11-02T23:06:01.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well there are more than one meaning to the lotus image. It is a multi-layered symbol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhists.org/buddhist-symbols/the-meaning-of-the-lotus-flower-in-buddhism/&quot;&gt;http://buddhists.org/buddhist-symbols/the-meaning-of-the-lotus-flower-in-buddhism/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;the meaning of the muddy waters, physicality being the ground out of which the nirvana experience grows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lotus flower represents one symbol of fortune in Buddhism. It&#xA;  grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the&#xA;  flower’s first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the&#xA;  murk to achieve enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the second meaning refers to how the pure flower is when its roots are in the mud and the earth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second meaning, which is related to the first is purification. It&#xA;  resembles the purifying of the spirit which is born into murkiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than faithfulness to a doctrine, what it implies is faith in the process so that at all points of development from a shoot out of the mud, to blooming, it is the process of awakening.&#xA;The third meaning refers to faithfulness. Those who are working to rise above the muddy waters will need to be faithful followers [of the process] (note added by soulsings)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each color implies a different quality of the buddha mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The color bears importance in the meaning of the lotus flower in&#xA;  Buddhism. A white lotus flower refers to purity of the mind and the&#xA;  spirit. If a lotus flower is red, it refers to compassion and love.&#xA;  The blue lotus flower refers to the common sense; it uses wisdom and&#xA;  logic to create enlightenment. The pink lotus flower represents the&#xA;  history of Buddha and the historical legends of the Buddha. A purple&#xA;  lotus flower speaks of spirituality and mysticism. Finally, the gold&#xA;  lotus flower represents all achievement of all enlightenment,&#xA;  especially in the Buddha.&#xA;  and regarding colors also see &#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_lotus.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_lotus.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the symbolism of the stages of growth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The stage of growth the lotus flower is in represents a different&#xA;  stage of enlightenment. A closed lotus flower represents the time&#xA;  before a Buddhist follower found Buddha or enlightenment. A lotus&#xA;  flower fully bloomed and open represents full enlightenment and&#xA;  self-awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rising out of the mud of materiality into the emotions (represented by the water)&#xA;the path of awakening eventually leads to the opening of the lotus flower before the sun of compassion and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-02T23:06:01.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5378" CreationDate="2014-11-02T23:32:49.810" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sexuality is mentioned and that does include sex between man and woman, same sex partners and self pleasuring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a clear delineation between monks who have take their vows and lay people.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_sexuality&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_sexuality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To lay people Buddha advised that they should at least avoid sexual&#xA;  misconduct which meant following generally accepted norms of sexual&#xA;  morality and behavior. From Buddha's full-time disciples, the ordained&#xA;  monks and nuns, strict celibacy (called brahmacarya) has always been&#xA;  required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is the issue with sexuality. Shakyamuni Buddha had been married and surrounded by women before he was married, per his father the king's devices to keep Shakyamuni interested in assuming the throne after the king died.&#xA;So Buddha spoke from experience. What is he trying to tell us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's first discourse he identifies craving (tanha) as the&#xA;  cause of suffering (dukkha). He then identifies three objects of&#xA;  craving: the craving for existence; the craving for non-existence and&#xA;  the craving for sense pleasures (kama). Kama is identified as one of&#xA;  five hindrances to the attainment of jhana according to the Buddha's&#xA;  teaching. Throughout the Sutta Pitaka Buddha often compares sexual&#xA;  pleasure to arrows or darts. So in the Kama Sutta from the Sutta&#xA;  Nipata Buddha explains that craving sexual pleasure is a cause of&#xA;  suffering. —Kama Sutta, Sutta Nipata[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So really the issue is not sex or no sex, but what to do with craving. As lay people, a long term relationship is one way of expressing these cravings, but even so sex is not the answer to our deepest longing to awaken to Buddha consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha goes on to explain in greater detail what is the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one, longing for sexual pleasure, achieves it, yes, he's enraptured&#xA;  at heart. The mortal gets what he wants. But if for that person —&#xA;  longing, desiring — the pleasures diminish, he's shattered, as if shot&#xA;  with an arrow.&#xA;  —Kama Sutta, Sutta Nipata[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the aspirant is shot with the arrow of disappointment. But this disappointment can be a prod to try harder to see beyond the lie that sensual satisfaction will really give lasting fulfillment. It isn't a matter of whether the rules say to do or not do sex, but what will this act do for my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another post on onions and garlic and how those are best avoided. So there may be things one can do to lessen the craving. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5325/what-was-the-motivation-for-the-prohibition-on-eating-onions-and-garlic&quot;&gt;What was the motivation for the prohibition on eating onions and garlic?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha then goes on to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So one, always mindful, should avoid sexual desires. Letting them go,&#xA;  he will cross over the flood like one who, having bailed out the boat,&#xA;  has reached the far shore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'flood' refers to the deluge of human suffering. The 'far shore'&#xA;  is nibbana, a state in which there is no sexual desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meaning of the Kama Sutta is that sexual desire, like any habitual&#xA;  sense pleasure, brings suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that is the crux of the matter &quot;any habitual sense pleasure, brings suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that gets us back to the Four Noble truths. And now we are in the heart of Buddhism, finding a way out of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T00:29:21.803" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5378" CreationDate="2014-11-03T02:48:30.210" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry, no links to texts, just my personal experience/ingisht:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is masturbation wrong?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not exactly wrong, rather it is a symptom of an underlying issue. The issue is probably deep craving for positive emotion, for love, for acceptance, for appreciation. This deep craving could be a result of child trauma. This trauma may affect other areas of your life, such as your relationship with success and challenge, your interpersonal relationships etc. So even though masturbation in and of itself is not bad, the issue behind is serious and must be analyzed with all seriousness, and then a strategy for overcoming should be developed and worked on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the act of masturbation a barrier towards mental concentration or samadhi?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not a permanent barrier, but definitely a negative factor. Samadhi, or ability to generate and maintain a certain context and mood, relies on power of will (along with other powers, such as imagination etc). The power of will is a direction of energy opposite to the desire of satisfaction/relief. So training to channel your energy into e.g. physical endurance exercises instead of habitually releasing it, will do miracles to your ability to deal with stress, to control your focus and therefore your perspective and your mood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In what way can I get rid of this addiction?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to always be in a positive mood, and it will naturally subside. When you are bright and shining, your brain will continuously produce the same hormone that is released during orgasm. Do abdominal exercises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-03T11:47:58.623" LastActivityDate="2014-11-03T11:47:58.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5378" CreationDate="2014-11-03T07:11:54.063" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;What makes something &quot;right or wrong&quot; in Buddhism? The answer is, are your thoughts and actions leading towards or away from purification and liberation of the mind, if your actions are leading to freedom from suffering then the act is &quot;wholesome&quot; but if your thoughts and actions are leading you away from purification of the mind, then your actions are &quot; unwholesome&quot; ( The Noble Eightfold Path)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to answer your question on masturbation, will masturbating lead to purification and liberation of the mind? The answer is clearly no. The action itself is leading to more craving and desire of an action which doesn't support your journey towards freedom from all pain and suffering!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer to the 3rd part of your question is....simply to meditate. Once your mind becomes more focused, more concentrated ( mindfulness) within each and every moment, then when the desire and craving for masturbation arises, you will see the arisen phenomena earlier and earlier, which means the &quot;hook&quot; of the craving and desire has a less hold on you each time. Just meditated and increase your AWARENESS!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this has helped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-11-03T07:17:27.740" LastActivityDate="2014-11-03T07:17:27.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5370" CreationDate="2014-11-03T13:43:20.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lotus flower sits atop the water but is not moistened by it. It gets its water from roots embedded below the water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The analogy implies we can be in this world yet free of worldly desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-11-03T13:43:20.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5386" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-03T19:11:10.440" Score="4" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Asia there are the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_pilgrimage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;8 pilgrimage locations&lt;/a&gt; based on places the historical Buddha did things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has any North American Buddhist organization, sangha, or the like created a list of pilgrimage destinations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.purifymind.com/BrahmaNetSutra.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BNS&lt;/a&gt; specifically mentions rules for travel #37, I haven't figured out if this means one is supposed to go on a pilgrimage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T21:43:09.493" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T14:45:14.760" Title="Has any pilgrimage customs formed in North America?" Tags="|mahayana|traditions|pilgrimage|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5387" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5399" CreationDate="2014-11-03T19:37:26.883" Score="3" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the attempt to bring awareness into all aspects of life as a beginner have a greater potential of producing negative affects when starting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering if too much practice can come as a shock to the mind if awareness fades. Or is it the case that mindfulness always produces positive results as long as it doesn't battle the mind and ones practice continues with a calm nonjudgmental refocusing of the mind when it wanders?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2224" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T13:46:27.190" Title="Is it too much focus on awareness in regular daily life a bad thing when beginning mindfulness?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5387" CreationDate="2014-11-04T00:37:12.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you use mindfulness to become aware, it is a likely occurrence that eventually things or events that have been buried will emerge. Some of these may be unpleasant but they must be faced or they remain as unfinished business.&#xA;If mindfulness is practiced to the point where you can't do your job, relate to your friends and family, take care of your body, and lose the joy of living, then this is overdoing whatever you are practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T00:37:12.487" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5391" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-04T02:12:54.723" Score="2" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches prohibits murder, but some Buddhist monks self-immolate. Is this inline with Buddhist teachings or contrary to them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-11-04T02:37:54.580" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T05:10:37.703" Title="Is self-immolation murder?" Tags="|the-buddha|beginner|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2014-11-04T12:45:19.057" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5392" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5393" CreationDate="2014-11-04T02:30:36.400" Score="-1" ViewCount="363" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha something about what evidence you need to believe something. So how can one verify reincarnation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T16:28:39.303" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T16:53:20.087" Title="How can one verify reincarnation?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5392" CreationDate="2014-11-04T04:05:14.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Avatamsaka sutra, one of the powers that a Bodhisattva gains on the path is the ability to remember past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While striving to attain Bodhi,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I will gain the knowledge of past&#xA;  lives in all destinies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/pxxyp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/pxxyp/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which actually is a very Buddhist sort of proof, proof comes from personal experience. This is certainly not scientific proof, and for me isn't all that convincing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question here discusses what happens to Buddhism if we dispense with reincarnation: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2662/what-if-there-is-no-rebirth?rq=1&quot;&gt;What if there is no rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the system holds up well without reincarnation. That said, the cosmology, with the six realms, King Yama &amp;amp; all make for a vivid way to discuss actions and consequences, more so that just talking in abstractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T04:05:14.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5392" CreationDate="2014-11-04T04:50:20.090" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know my answer might be perceived as silly but the argument I'm going to put forth really does convince me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Martin Heidegger (one of the greatest philosophers of the last century, according to most) had a concept called Geworfenheit. This is translated as &quot;throwness&quot;. It relates to the feeling we have that we feel &quot;thrown&quot; into this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I have already experienced myself &quot;thrown&quot; into a world (this one) I think it's sound to believe that it might happen again!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T04:50:20.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5371" CreationDate="2014-11-04T04:53:43.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All the things happen is not a result of Karma.&#xA;Actually in Buddhism there are Fivefold Niyama where as Karma Niyama is a just one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Fivefold Niyama is as follows&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;uthu-niyama: the caloric order, the climate of the geographical location.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;bija-niyama: the germinal order, things you inherited from the genes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;kamma-niyama: the moral order, is the one you are talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;chitta-niyama: the psychical order. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma-niyama: natural phenomenal sequence. we all get old and we all die its a natural thing for all of us&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;more details: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhivihara.org/niyama.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhivihara.org/niyama.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2212" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T04:53:43.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5391" CreationDate="2014-11-04T05:10:37.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human life is very rare and precious. Also when doing this the chances are that your last thought will not be good leading to rebirth in a lower relm. So in my opinion and general consensus in my tradition is that this should not be done. Also in doing this the following conditions of killing is met:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You know that yourself is a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You device a method to for self immolate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You follow through with the intention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a result you die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T05:10:37.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5387" CreationDate="2014-11-04T05:31:01.120" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are mindful you should be be mindful of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Frame of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;. These are all tied with sensation. If you are looking at bodily posture or movement you sense this through your &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sense faculties&lt;/a&gt;. In once if comes in contact with the sense faculties you get a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sensation&lt;/a&gt; as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;. Similarly for other frames of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;. You have to be mindful of the arising and passing away of sensations being equanimous. This has a very soothing effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even a circus girl has to be mindful in order not to hurt or kill your self. This type of mindfulness does not reduce stress but creates more stress. So you should practice the right type of mindfulness which takes you out of misery than create more misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-05T13:46:27.190" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T13:46:27.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5398" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-04T11:50:41.250" Score="14" ViewCount="3769" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha knows everything in this universe via his mind alone. Can I do the same? I want to know what is inside a black hole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:28:41.703" LastActivityDate="2019-10-16T20:45:25.640" Title="Can one practice meditation to gain knowledge about the universe?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5387" CreationDate="2014-11-04T13:04:17.357" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness, mindfulness -- what is this mindfulness? There seems to be a big and unfortunate misunderstanding about this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some reason many people think mindfulness means to intensely stare at whatever we are doing until our eyes pop out. &quot;I must be aware! What am I doing now? I'm driving, I'm driving... I'm coding, I'm coding... I'm pooping, I'm pooping...&quot; -- but this is not mindfulness, this is generation of anxiety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The right mindfulness is mindfulness of the subconscious. Mindfulness of our &quot;guts&quot;, mindfulness of our feelings, mindfulness of our mind &quot;weather&quot;, mindfulness of our non-verbal intellect. When we always maintain such deeper connection with ourselves we can learn to heal our mental and emotional neuroses and recover our Buddha-nature -- our inborn power and sanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in 21st century this means first and foremost recovering awareness of our body, because body is not just the window on the subconscious -- body &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; the subconscious. I recommend you to read the book &quot;Touching Enlightenment. Finding Realization in the body&quot; by Reginald A. Ray, Ph.D. a favorite student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-04T14:03:56.417" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T14:03:56.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-04T13:29:29.783" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not recall any teaching where the Buddha is said to know what is inside a black hole. In fact Buddha specifically states not to spend time with contemplating the heavens. The Buddha focused his attention on the present moment, which rarely includes black holes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We go beyond outward appearances or signs and come to &quot;signlessness.&quot;At first, we think that the members of our family are separate from one another, but afterwards we see that they contain each other. You are the way you are because I am the way I am. We see the intimate connection between people,and we go beyond signs. We used to think that the universe contains millions of separate entities. Now we understand &quot;the nonexistence of signs.&quot;&#xA;  -Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha knows everything in the universe because he understands interbeing. He undersands that everything is interdependent on each other thing. There is no separate independent black hole in the center of the galaxy that is separate then the keyboard I am using to type this response. The Buddha can look at this keyboard in front of me and see the trees, the sun, the people who designed and created this keyboard, the black hole in the center of the galaxy holding us all together, and even you and me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, &quot;Dear friends, I have seen deeply that nothing can be by itself&#xA;  alone, that everything has to inter-be with everything else. I have seen that all beings are endowed with the nature of awakening.&quot;&#xA;  -Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="625" LastEditDate="2014-11-04T15:24:26.767" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T15:24:26.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5218" CreationDate="2014-11-04T16:00:38.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intercessory prayer is viewed as, at most, superfluous to the practice of Nembutsu. Practically, Amida is seen as unlimited in his power and scope. Maintaining the Mahayana teaching of &lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt; (non-duality), there is no separation between &quot;I&quot; and &quot;Amida&quot;. He knows our minds precisely (maybe more) than we do, and feels our suffering as his own. As a limitless Provider (as Oya), he knows what we need and gives freely, just as children don't have to beg for good food from a good parent (Reference for this teaching below). So, in this way, the practice is redundant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &quot;Prayer and Nembutsu&quot; by Rev. Shoko Masunaga is Minister of the San Mateo Buddhist, Church San Mateo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Shin doctrine prayers are not rejected since they come from the hearts of men and women who are weak and ignorant of the Law [of Cause and Effect]. But Saint Shinran finds that prayers of supplication and petition, asking forgiveness for the sins, are not necessary in the life of a Shin follower. This is because Amida Buddha, the Highest Truth, is not a God, a creator of the universe, a being who stands outside of man and the world, or the power that judges the action of man. Rather, Amida Buddha is the living compassion, free from all limitations, and living in the Highest Truth, Oneness. Amida's compassionate actions are directed to all beings in order to free them all from the world of illusion and ignorance and lead them to Pure Land. His actions and desires are in accordance with the Highest Truth. His power is so great and his aims are so clear that there is no limitation attached to his compassion. It is the absolute-non-discriminatory compassion, directed to all, just as the sun's rays pour light upon this world without discrimination. No supplications or prayers are needed on our part since the heart of compassion is the prayer of Amida that all will be safely directed to the Pure Land. Man is being uplifted, embraced, even when he is falling deeper into the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source URL: &lt;a href=&quot;http://seattlebetsuin.org/prayer_and_nembutsu.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://seattlebetsuin.org/prayer_and_nembutsu.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying that, individual followers may act spontaneously, voicing dharmic aspirations as reminders for &lt;em&gt;our limited selves&lt;/em&gt;, not to &quot;persuade&quot; Amida to act this way or that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference: &lt;em&gt;Naturalness: A Classic of Shin Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; by Kenryo Kanamatsu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T16:00:38.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3077" CreationDate="2014-11-04T16:28:00.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Jodo Shu and Jodo Shinshu, Amitabha Buddha is the sole object of devotion, because to be devoted to Amitabha Buddha is seen to be devoted to all the Buddhas, in spirit and practice. Reciting Nembutsu is seen as fulfilling the aspirations of all the Buddhas, including Shakayamuni and Avalokitesvara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &amp;quot;What Kind of Buddha Is Amitabha?&amp;quot;, A Discourse by Dharma Master Huijing, Xiamen, China; October 2006:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, to recite the name of a single Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha, is equivalent to reciting the names of all Buddhas. When we recite Amitabha’s name, the Buddhas of the ten directions will come to praise, protect and encourage us. So there is great wisdom in choosing to practice this teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After we learn this practice, there is no further need to recite the names of Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta. If we only recited Amitabha Buddha’s name, Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta would happily become our friends, even brothers. They will safeguard us, the way a shadow follows the form that cast it. For the name we recite is the name of the one who sits on top of their heads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should realize that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara’s goal is to guide suffering beings to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, who will deliver them to the Pure Land. Otherwise, Avalokitesvara would be saying, “How tired I am! You are still reincarnating and suffering. Lifetime after lifetime, again and again, I still have to save you from pain and peril. But if you recite ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha’ this very lifetime, I can relax!” That’s the aim of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Individuals in other Pureland sects throughout East Asia revere other Buddhas. But, if you notice, my quote above is taken from a modern day Chinese master. This is because some Chinese Pureland masters reference the works of Master Shandao, the Chinese Master whose work was translated into Japanese and inspired the Jodo Shu and Jodo Shinshu sects (he taught exclusive Amida recitation). Some masters are making an effort to return this teaching and legacy to places like China and Taiwan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same essay I quoted above, you can find this idea:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...So our school is not some Japanese Pure Land school. Our school of the Fundamental Vow teaches the 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha. What does the 18th Vow say? It speaks only of Amitabha-recitation. Master Shandao said, “Shakyamuni Buddha’s underlying wish is none other than for beings to recite the name of Amitabha single-mindedly and exclusively.” The 18th Vow is called the Fundamental Vow. Thus “Amitabha-recitation, according to the Fundamental Vow” was taught and transmitted by Master Shandao.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose of the Fundamental Vow? And what is the reason for Amitabha’s attainment of Buddhahood? The goal is that all sentient beings can be reborn in the Land of Bliss merely by reciting Amitabha’s name. Therefore “Shakyamuni Buddha’s underlying wish is none other than for beings to recite the name of Amitabha exclusively.” Recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s Great Name of a Myriad Virtues is specified in the Fundamental Vow; it is also the only practice mentioned there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source URL: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pureland-buddhism.org/PureLand/Teachings/What%20Kind.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.pureland-buddhism.org/PureLand/Teachings/What%20Kind.aspx&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it all depends on what practice someone chooses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="253" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T16:28:00.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5403" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-04T20:58:58.940" Score="-2" ViewCount="1233" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bibleprobe.com/buddhatoldofjesus.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://bibleprobe.com/buddhatoldofjesus.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Hi, I have been examining the similarities between what Jesus and Buddha taught and I came across this site of the above link in which the author claims that they obtained Buddhist scriptures from Wat Phra Sing in ChaingMai province that predict the coming of Jesus and show that it is nearly impossible to gain enough merit to enter heaven or Nirvana. I suspect that this is completely faked but I always try to approach these sorts of things with the possibility that my assumptions could be wrong.If someone has any information on this it would be greatly appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T04:34:05.487" Title="Supposed Buddhist Scripture Predicting that only through Jesus can Nirvana be reached" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5403" CreationDate="2014-11-04T21:28:13.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found it being discussed or described on (at least) three sites as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&amp;amp;t=1121&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&amp;amp;t=1121&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammaprotector.blogspot.fr/2010/02/christian-lie-sutrapridot.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dhammaprotector.blogspot.fr/2010/02/christian-lie-sutrapridot.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.fr/2009/09/buddha-prophesized-jesus.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://sdhammika.blogspot.fr/2009/09/buddha-prophesized-jesus.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, we can surely all agree it's &quot;fake&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that it is relatively modern, not from the time of the historical Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many ways in which it contradicts the teachings of the historical Buddha, which are found in the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-04T21:41:24.717" LastActivityDate="2014-11-04T21:41:24.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5405" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-04T22:56:23.930" Score="4" ViewCount="689" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something that I have trouble coming to grips with. If the mind can be aware without a body or brain then how is it possible that one can experience things like the Bardo when we know that without certain conditions the mind becomes unaware? Anesthesiologists can purposely put people into this state. One second you are going under for surgery and the next second you are laying in a hospital bed without any awareness of the lapse of time. If one were to extinguish ever becoming or going doesn't that mean an unconscious state? Does Buddha ever explain this phenomenon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T05:23:12.307" Title="Anesthesia, being knocked out, unconsciousness...what does the Buddha have to say about it?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5364" CreationDate="2014-11-05T07:47:46.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Knowledge is simply that there is information about the world that we can conceptualize, but wisdom is understanding that there is nothing to know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom is understanding the concept of emptiness, or shunyata in Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2231" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T07:47:46.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1685" CreationDate="2014-11-05T13:29:19.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human life is very rare and precious. Also when doing this the chances are that your last thought will not be good leading to rebirth in a lower relm. So in my opinion and general consensus in my tradition is that this should not be done. Also in doing this the following conditions of killing is met:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You know that yourself is a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You device a method to for self immolate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You follow through with the intention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a result you die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T13:29:19.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-05T13:36:09.600" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation is about understanding misery and the way out of misery. Main aim is to get understanding of this process &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will get other insights in the process. I am not sure about whether you will get insights on what you are seeking. But this is a by product than a goal of Buddhist meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T13:36:09.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5405" CreationDate="2014-11-05T13:41:24.980" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind is always reacting to sensation on the body what every any state you are in, including but not limited to anesthetized, knocked out, unconsciousness, etc. Only time you do not sense any sensation is when you are in Pala Samapathi. So you are always have some level of awareness of the body through sensations at the deepest level of the mind or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subconscious&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;subconscious&lt;/a&gt; mind. At the surface level (conscious mind) you might not be aware of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livescience.com/39761-brain-activity-deep-coma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;From the Deepest Coma, New Brain Activity Found&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-06T05:23:12.307" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T05:23:12.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5364" CreationDate="2014-11-05T14:13:19.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a definition of 'wisdom' here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html#ch1.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Way of Wisdom --&#xA;The Five Spiritual Faculties&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found that definition difficult to understand, for example it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Wisdom penetrates[25] into dharmas as they are in themselves. It disperses the darkness of delusion, which covers up the own-being of dharmas.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other parts of it which might be easier to understand are the conclusion, which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Delusion, folly, confusion, ignorance and self-deception are the opposites of wisdom. It is because ignorance, and not sin, is the root evil that wisdom is regarded as the highest virtue. A holiness which is devoid of wisdom is not considered impossible, but it cannot be gained by the path of knowledge, to which alone these descriptions apply. The paths of faith, of love, of works, etc., have each their own several laws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the unfaltering penetration into the true nature of objects, wisdom is the capacity to meditate in certain ways about the dharmic constituents of the universe. The rules of that meditation have been laid down in the scriptures, particularly in the Abhidharma, and a superb description can be found in the latter part of Buddhaghosa's Path of Purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think it suggests that you might want to read the Abhidharma and/or Path of Purification for further knowledge about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another introduction to wisdom exists here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/integrityofemptiness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Integrity of Emptiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For all the subtlety of his teachings, the Buddha had a simple test for measuring wisdom. You're wise, he said, to the extent that you can get yourself to do things you don't like doing but know will result in happiness, and to refrain from things you like doing but know will result in pain and harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He derived this standard for wisdom from his insight into the radical importance of intentional action in shaping our experience of happiness and sorrow, pleasure and pain. With action so important and yet so frequently misguided, wisdom has to be tactical, strategic, in fostering actions that are truly beneficial. It has to outwit short-sighted preferences to yield a happiness that lasts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So knowledge might come from reading or listening to Dharma, whereas wisdom is when you are able to act on that knowledge and apply it skillfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wisdom in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; claims that wisdom is &amp;quot;insight&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That in Theravada it means concentrated (Samādhi) insight (Vipassanā) into the 'Three Marks of Existence' and the 'Four Noble Truths'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That in Mahāyāna it means with same, with Karuṇā (compassion) in addition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T14:13:19.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5405" CreationDate="2014-11-05T17:33:52.587" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lack of memory doesn't necessarily imply lack of consciousness.  For&#xA;instance, some people are fond of drinking to the point of 'blacking&#xA;out'.  One minute they are drinking something they probably shouldn't,&#xA;and the next minute it is the next day, another place, and they are&#xA;regretting it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet it would be odd to suggest that the person was &quot;unconscious&quot;&#xA;between those two moments, since they probably e.g. responded&#xA;&quot;intelligently&quot; to stimuli (more intelligently than, say, a rock,&#xA;anyway).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Suminda Sirinath Salpitiko may have hinted in his answer, the same&#xA;applies to normal sleep: not remembering your dreams is not the same&#xA;as not dreaming (or at least this is not the usual understanding).&#xA;Some people report so-called out-of-body experiences when under&#xA;anesthesia.  Can we assume that those that don't report them don't&#xA;experience them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2135" LastActivityDate="2014-11-05T17:33:52.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-06T01:36:44.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if you want to experience whatever is in consciousness, Buddhism is a path to awakening consciousness. &#xA;The problem is what you think is a black hole now stands in the way of your experiencing it in meditation.&#xA;If you think of a black hole not as a vortex as it is often depicted, but as part of the dark matter and energy that scientists say compose 96% of the invisible universe. So Buddhism can lead you beyond the 4% of the visible to the 96% of the invisible and possibly unknowable by intellectual means. However consciousness has no such limits.&#xA;So getting back to your question, if you want to study black holes scientifically, then other sites and practices would be better.&#xA;On the other hand if your curiosity is even bigger to experience all there is in consciousness, then Buddhism offers you a way to get there.&#xA;Meditation is the most likely tool you would want.&#xA;Here is one type of meditation that you could practice&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;If this seems suitable to you, then I would most definitely read a few pages a day of Shunryu Suzuki's treatise on meditation that goes even beyond concepts of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want just the meditation, mindfulness could be a useful practice:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/mindfulness-breathing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/mindfulness-breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For whatever sincere reason you have to start practicing, I heartily endorse your entry. If it is right for you other doors will open. And in any case you will learn the most basic practice of being alive through being aware of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T01:36:44.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5403" CreationDate="2014-11-06T01:46:09.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not disputing the validity of the possible fakeness of the sites mentioned, but I would like to introduce the possibility that Jesus and Buddhism are somehow linked. His short history has big gaps where he could have caravaned to India or communicated with Buddhists somewhere along the route.&#xA;The reason I think this is worth bringing up is because of the Gospel of Thomas. It could be mistaken for a book of Zen koans and in some places Buddhist text. It may not be a way for those firstly in Buddhism, but for transplants from Christianity, the Gospel of Thomas makes some crossovers to Buddhism and suggests some alternative history of Jesus who came 500 years after Buddha.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lifeintegrity.com/Gospel-of-Thomas-Scholars-Version.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://lifeintegrity.com/Gospel-of-Thomas-Scholars-Version.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Of course studying any other religion could open the mind and instill compassion for the obstacles they face and for the contribution that religion makes to the advancement of human consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T01:46:09.430" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1685" CreationDate="2014-11-06T01:56:18.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever others say about self-immolation, the intent of the person is a significant part of the act. &#xA;Is this planned as a way out or is there a benefit to others that exceeds the harm to the body. We don't own the body, it is on loan. Dogen says the body and mind are one. That may not be supportive of self harming in any form.&#xA;So the Buddha's precepts of do no harm may outweigh the theoretical benefits to others. &#xA;It is a topic with many sides but I wanted to give voice to the side of the discussion that self-harm is not justified. This was discussed more in another question in this forum:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3721/can-a-stream-enterer-commit-suicide&quot;&gt;Can a stream enterer commit suicide?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T01:56:18.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-06T13:07:41.640" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Therevada stand has been covered. The details of a black hole are metaphyiscal speculations, which in general discouraged, or at least set aside as irrelevant to the Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, in the 10 grounds of the Bodhisattva path, the first seven grounds mostly are paramitas, the 8 fold path, but the last three stages you become essentially a celestial Buddha with the same powers and abilities of pretty much any mythical god-- including omniscience. ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Stages_Sutra&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Stages_Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what one would wants to do with this Sutra is a different story-- on one hand, you can look at it as being literally true and spoken by a meditation master who saw this while meditating and therefore it has to be true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(now entering my personal opinions) Or you can look at it some otherway-- I suspect the real point of the possibility of becoming a celestial Buddha was to emphasize how valuable &amp;amp; worthy it is to be enlightened, a way of encouraging Bodhichitta (the motivation to strive on the Buddhist path) in the readers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere in the Avatamsaka, readers are encouraged to study all sorts of topics including mathematics-- so astrophysics would be on the list-- although the value of academics in Mahayana Buddhism appears to be its value in being of use to others, less so the intrinsic value of just knowing a lot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T13:07:41.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5417" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-06T20:46:38.433" Score="4" ViewCount="875" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've recently discovered the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tulpa&lt;/a&gt; or &quot;thoughtforms&quot;, and I have some questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are thoughtforms a common phenomena in Buddhist teaching - that is, do many practitioners (monks or otherwise) have experience in creating thoughtforms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it something that a layperson could do, and if so, is it recommended to do so without any other training (for lack of a better word) in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I have read so far, Buddhist texts state that these thoughtforms are illusions created by our own minds - but an actual sentient being that can be conversed with is a very powerful illusion. Do Buddhists believe that thoughtforms are a manifestation of the subconscious mind, and therefore a gateway to our own inner workings? If so, is that dangerous?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those with personal experience with thoughtforms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are your thoughtforms permanent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing that they are illusions, how &quot;real&quot; do they feel? Are their voices different to that of your mind's voice? Do all of your interactions with the thoughform take place in the mind, or have you experienced them in a physical way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever felt attached to a thoughtform, and has being a host for one ever cause you emotional strain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does your thoughtform take on a physical shape or image, and if so, was this a conscious decision by you, or did the Tulpa decide it's own form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2237" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T01:08:37.047" Title="Thoughtforms in Buddhism" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-06T22:10:20.800" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please consider having a better look at MN 63. Here's an excerpt which might be relevant for you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with poison. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would provide him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble warrior, a brahman, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know the given name &amp;amp; clan name of the man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or golden-colored... until I know his home village, town, or city... until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow or a crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-06T22:10:20.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5417" CreationDate="2014-11-07T01:19:46.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you look at this through the Zen aspect of Buddhism and other aspects as well, creating a thoughtform if this is even possible would be a failure to follow instructions.&#xA;In meditation following the breath and counting is a way to stop running after thought forms. Thought forms are as imperfect as imagination allows.&#xA;Take someone on psychotropic drugs that sees things they do not see in regular life. Where does that come from is not important to the Buddhist as how to get back to the breath and the beginner's mind.&#xA;Milarepa is an example of someone who could use black magic to kill people.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thranguhk.org/buddhism/en_milarepa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thranguhk.org/buddhism/en_milarepa.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read about his black magic, but here is a more relevant detail, the outcome of his karma, remorse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeking the Dharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Milarepa was filled with remorse for the evil he had done by magic and&#xA;  by hailstorms. While he remained in the lama's service, he asked&#xA;  himself unceasingly and passionately by what means he might practice&#xA;  the true teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lama replied, &quot;All composite things are impermanent. I have done&#xA;  harm to many beings by evil spells, magic, and hailstorms. You also&#xA;  have accumulated crimes of magic and hailstorms. These crimes will be&#xA;  on my head. Since you are young and have a great faith. You must&#xA;  practice the Dharma yourself and help us all achieve the higher realms&#xA;  and liberation. I will support you with all the provisions you need.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So all of Milarepa's black magic only leads him into a karmic mess that must unwind. So what is the benefit of creating Tulpas or thoughtforms or black magic when it only brings us deeper into the karmic mud?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can imagine an enlightened master and he helps you to awaken, then perhaps there is some value in this practice, but be careful because what claims to be a master might only be someone to enslave you in passion. Be very careful. Some sites on the internet actually talked about creating women and men to be lovers with Tulpas. This is as foolish as following the desires in the body. It only leads to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ask yourself deeply what is your intention in this pursuit if you must pursue it. If it is only to satisfy desires, then you only sink deeper in the mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T01:19:46.677" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5403" CreationDate="2014-11-07T04:34:05.487" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the Buddha didn't even said that one could reach Nirvana through Him, how could it be possible to reach Nirvana through anyone else? The only people who can help one attain the goal is him/herself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.&quot; ~AN5.57~ ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2239" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T04:34:05.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-11-07T09:47:27.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, which I feel is very much correct, we are taking refuge in the ideals of &lt;strong&gt;Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha&lt;/strong&gt;. So whoever fulfills these ideals, we take refuge in them. Remember, that there were many Buddhas before Siddhartha Gautama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what are these ideals? It is easy to come across these ideals in the &lt;strong&gt;Buddha Vandana&lt;/strong&gt;. It says that the Buddha is -&#xA; 1. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Arahant&lt;/strong&gt; which is portmanteau of Ari (evils) and Hant (destroy) which means destructions of all evils.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 2. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Samma Sam Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; - one who has become fully enlightened.&#xA; 3. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Vijja Charan Sampanno&lt;/strong&gt; which means who is perfect in wisdom and moral conduct.&#xA; 4. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Sugato&lt;/strong&gt; - the one who has travelled a  great path&#xA; 5. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Lokvidu&lt;/strong&gt; which is again a combination of Lok(in ancient India, it was not only the world which was called Lok but this body of ours was also known as Lok) and Vidu(intelligent, knower); thus a knower of the world and the body&#xA; 6. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Anuttaro&lt;/strong&gt; who is incomparable&#xA; 7. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Puris Dhamma Sarthi&lt;/strong&gt; - Puris means men/women and Sarthi means the one who drives - thus he is the one who has turned the wheel of Dhamma&#xA; 8. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Satta Dev Manussana&lt;/strong&gt; - the teacher of Gods and Humans&#xA; 9. the one who is &lt;strong&gt;Bhagavati&lt;/strong&gt; - the one who is enlightened and blessed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every Buddha who was ever born had these qualities and when we take refuge in Buddha, we take refuge in all of these qualities reminding ourselves of these virtues to be cultivated in ourselves.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T09:47:27.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5422" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-07T11:03:08.777" Score="4" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I tend to switch my attention from the nostrils to the &quot;up and down&quot; of the chest/stomach&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on how well I'm breathing (I have serious problem with the nostrils, it can only be 100% fixed in a surgery)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do prefer the nostrils, however this change is commom everytime it becomes impossible to keep breathing throught them (so I swith to the mounth and focus on the chest)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this switch not recommended for any reason, for instance, is this a problem to reach right concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:12:14.200" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:12:14.200" Title="Is it not recommended to change the object of meditation during a short session?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1970" CreationDate="2014-11-07T12:36:33.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you take refuge you take refuge in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;qualities of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tbsa.org/articles/BuddhaQualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In more detail&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to take inspiration in the Buddha to to develop the qualities of the Buddha and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triple Gem&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This interpretation may change from tradition to tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T12:36:33.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3827" CreationDate="2014-11-07T13:06:24.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, the teaching is that the simple picture of &quot;cause and effect&quot; that dominates the western / scientific view is a fiction, because every cause has many effects and every effect has many causes. With this in mind, the notion of personal choice is seen to be, perhaps too simple to be explanatory. Choicelessness is therefore also untrue, and so with anything &quot;personal&quot;. It all unravels in the light of awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questioner asked how this influences / brings about suffering. Pushing on a door which is locked, or opens the other way, will produce suffering. Wrong ideas about anything will inevitably lead to choices that do more harm than good. Does this answer the question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I referred to the above noted Wikipedia article on Prattiyasamutpada for this analysis. This stuff need not be so complicated! Nor need anyone judge others. - Peace&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T13:06:24.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5422" CreationDate="2014-11-07T13:26:47.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use the Columella or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philtrum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Philtrum&lt;/a&gt;. This is as taught by Webu Sayadaw, U Ba Khin and Goenkaji. This is very effective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also p37 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/withEachAndEveryBreath_v131019.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;With Each &amp;amp; Every Breath: A Guide to Meditation&lt;/a&gt; and Method 2 in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/inmind.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Keeping the Breath in Mind&lt;/a&gt; gives additional places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you change your position your Samadhi. To make your Samadhi stronger you must choose:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A small area&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Continuously bring the mind to this chosen area&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sustain the mind in the chosen area as long as possible&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist path Samadhi is important. You cannot bake a cake without all or without the ingredients in appropriate quantities. Without Samadhi your wisdom shall be shallow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation/2524&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See the section on Ānāpānapabbaṃ in:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt; - VRI translation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/webu/wheel384.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Essential Practice Part II&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/webu/wheel375.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Essential Practice Part I&lt;/a&gt; by Webu Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-11-07T13:26:47.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5426" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5427" CreationDate="2014-11-07T17:48:11.037" Score="17" ViewCount="3928" Body="&lt;p&gt;I sleep the hours which are said to be needed, but I still feel sleepy. I've been drinking coffee recently to eliminate grogginess, and it does work for me. However, I was wondering if there are other methods of eliminating grogginess?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:44:21.940" LastActivityDate="2021-01-29T09:42:03.800" Title="What are the common buddhist practices to eliminate sleepiness?" Tags="|sleep|meditation-hindrances|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-07T22:46:46.433" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave his disciple Moggallana a sequence of advice on how to overcome drowsiness during meditation. Moggallana was however continuously meditating for 7 days without sleep when he received this advice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well then, Moggallana, whatever perception you have in mind when drowsiness descends on you, don't attend to that perception, don't pursue it. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness&lt;/em&gt;, then recall to your awareness the Dhamma as you have heard &amp;amp; memorized it, re-examine it &amp;amp; ponder it over in your mind. &lt;em&gt;It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt; then repeat aloud in detail the Dhamma as you have heard &amp;amp; memorized it. &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt; then pull both your earlobes and rub your limbs with your hands. &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt; then get up from your seat and, after washing your eyes out with water, look around in all directions and upward to the major stars &amp;amp; constellations. &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt; then attend to the perception of light, resolve on the perception of daytime, [dwelling] by night as by day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open &amp;amp; unhampered, develop a brightened mind. &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;  then — percipient of what lies in front &amp;amp; behind — set a distance to meditate walking back &amp;amp; forth, your senses inwardly immersed, your mind not straying outwards. &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then — reclining on your right side — take up the lion's posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with your mind set on getting up. As soon as you wake up, get up quickly, with the thought, 'I won't stay indulging in the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of reclining, the pleasure of drowsiness.' That is how you should train yourself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 7.58&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-11-08T08:03:46.667" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T08:03:46.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5429" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-08T08:07:52.227" Score="6" ViewCount="1269" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/board/read.cgi?board=BuddhistStudies&amp;amp;y_number=73&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;stress on Celibacy&lt;/a&gt; at the same time insists on revoking everything that could not be proved by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_science&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;scientific method or rational thought&lt;/a&gt;. I am a graduate student of physics and I &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/masturbation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;found&lt;/a&gt; that modern medical science or the proponents of medicine recommends controlled masturbation as a healthy way to relieve sexual desire or tension. I find it contradictory that what the medical practitioners found by scientific methods is completely against the view of masturbation in Buddhism and still Buddhism as far as I know advocates the scientific method be more fruitful than the intuitive way of reasoning. Is it contradictory? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2243" LastEditorUserId="2243" LastEditDate="2014-11-10T06:51:32.673" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T15:24:52.913" Title="Celibacy and contradiction with modern medical science" Tags="|science|sexuality|controversy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-08T09:19:01.060" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually Buddha called that the Lazyness. It is a one major factor that prevent us from getting in to the path of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't eat too much, if you eat until you get the feeling it is full that's wrong.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In order to stay alert drink more water, actually a major factor of being APHOO&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep a good hi-gene that will make you good &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also maintain a posture, so the body knows what mood are you in.&#xA; ex: If you study in bed body thinks that posture is  for sleep so it will release those enzymes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wake up in the morning for India that time is 3 - 6 because it is called the Brahma moorthi that will energize you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are many things like what to eat and what not to do. It is all mentioned in Vinayapitaka.(a study of behaviors)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the major facts please read the above pitaka for more information&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T09:19:01.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5422" CreationDate="2014-11-08T09:45:26.150" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;The simple answer is it is not. Don't change it.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you concentrate on breathing for a while you mind will play tricks&#xA;like, Now the it is time to change the session but it is not. Buddha&#xA;has taught not to fall for that kind of feelings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even if you try to master elements it the same. don't fall for that&#xA;feelings. Possibly if you do it for some time it is likely that you&#xA;will get fame, but it is temporary that is a test for you. If you&#xA;simply stop everything fades away sometimes you will fall than you&#xA;were before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read VipasanaBavana from Balangoda Anananda Mithree thero for more info&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T09:45:26.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2014-11-08T09:53:36.070" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What buddha taught is know as the ultimate truth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He discovered way to out of the misery through that.  Hinduism&#xA;explains something about 6 chakras which controls the whole universe,&#xA;they say that if you unlock the all the chakras you will gain access&#xA;to ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that budhha tried everything in the Dambadiwa or Simply&#xA;India, but everything was useless then only he self discovered the&#xA;ultimate truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main excersise he did was Ana-pana-sathi, which concentrate on&#xA;the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can't directly jump to this you have to go throught Samatha then Vidarshana to Anapanasathi.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T09:53:36.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5392" CreationDate="2014-11-08T10:03:40.273" Score="-1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Simply think that we haven't proved that.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to explain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why there are animals if you see a life form in them why they can't be human.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why there are gods protecting the mankind, and how they are formed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If we go to Heaven after we die, what happens next&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If every people is created equal why there is poor and rich&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For billions of years the world have existed when will the human kind end after all people go to heaven and hell. Is that the end?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If math can explain the universe,  the number line has also got 0 beside of negative and positive then what is that in real life. Is there anything.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you Don't do good and you won't do bad so what will be your destiny.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the usually explained stuff in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T10:03:40.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5371" CreationDate="2014-11-08T10:12:54.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;I simply say it is the same, But buddha has taught it in the name of Karma.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Simply there is one rule in the world.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you do something you will get the return. (This is simply known as&#xA;the rule of Nature) This has been there for all of the buddha sasana&#xA;for millions of years.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ex: If you hit somebody he will get a chance to hit you, may be in the next life that doesn't matter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Fivefold Niyama says the same principle. That is why buddha has told to do good deads, So the next one will help you.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T10:12:54.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5342" CreationDate="2014-11-08T10:24:06.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May be you have heard of 550 lifes of Buddha.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that there are many stories like the story of &lt;strong&gt;Wessanthara Jathaka&lt;/strong&gt; story. In that at last he killed him self and presented his head to a king to save a citizen. As buddha said the life of a man is too difficult to gain that you should live upto what it is expected. Buddha was then living in Dhana Paramitha.(Giving) &#xA;So he had to give anything even he gave away his own children and wife for this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T10:24:06.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5429" CreationDate="2014-11-08T11:41:48.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I  will quote/extract a few sentences from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_masturbation#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia's article on that subject&lt;/a&gt;, below (you can read the whole article and its references for further details):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article from Beliefnet and Brian Schell, a writer for DailyBuddhism.com, both suggest that masturbation is essentially harmless for a layperson, at least outside the realm of karma[3][4] The accomplished Theravadin monk Bhante Shravasti Dhammika cites the Vinaya Pitaka in his online Guide to Buddhism A to Z, stating the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people during the Buddha’s time believed that masturbation could have a therapeutic effect on the mind and the body (Vin. III, 109), although the Buddha disagreed with this. According to the Vinaya, it is an offence of some seriousness for monks or nuns to masturbate (Vin. III, 111) although the Buddha gave no guidance on this matter to lay people. However, Buddhism could agree with contemporary medical opinion that masturbation is a normal expression of the sexual drive and is physically and psychologically harmless, as long as it does not become a preoccupation or a substitute for ordinary sexual relations. Guilt and self-disgust about masturbating is certainly more harmful than masturbation itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emphasis on chastity in Buddhism is much more so for bhikkus and bhikkunis (monks and nuns, respectively), who are expected to follow the Vinaya (traditional code of ethics for Buddhist monks and nuns). Not only are monastics celibate, but they also must strive to conquer their desires much more so than a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, in Buddhism, masturbation and its permissiveness is most often viewed as situational, depending on one's level of precepts and monastic standing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;Buddhist stress on celibacy&amp;quot; which you refer to is (arguably) 'stressed' for monks and nuns; and it is not stressed in exactly the same way for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the other Vinaya rules too (e.g. not eating after noon), which are only applicable to monks and nuns, might or might not not be perfectly in line with every recommendation of &amp;quot;modern medical science&amp;quot;, but apparently they are good enough for their purpose, which I think is to 'allow the holy life to be lived'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, science and Buddhism don't contradict each other on this subject, they say different things about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Science suggests that masturbation &lt;em&gt;might&lt;/em&gt; have some effect on the incidence of some types of physical illness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps Buddhism doesn't say much on that subject (see &amp;quot;Buddha gave no guidance on this matter to lay people&amp;quot; above), but if anything IMO it suggests that masturbation might have some other effects (e.g. on discipline, views about desire, profitable use of time, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-08T11:41:48.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5437" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-08T18:25:51.450" Score="3" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a supremely enlightened being can become many, walk through walls and dive into the ground as if it were water doesn't this mean that he is not dependent on his body and can actually make the body into anything he wants? If he can become many couldn't he just manifest a new body? I have yet to come across even one case of any of the supernormal powers that has been scientifically confirmed. Usually after doing some research on claims of these powers I find an explanation that completely debunks them as frauds. I don't want to know if these exist in order to gain them but because I want to be aware of any discrepancies with in Buddhist texts in order to better fully understand the Dharma. For me truth is the highest goal so separating fact from fiction is a must. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T21:27:28.677" Title="Are some of the supernormal powers a direct contradiction to old age, sickness, and death being unavoidable?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5437" CreationDate="2014-11-08T21:37:36.467" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Then the real question is whether we humans are capable of seeing all the facts there are in the world? Carl Sagan put it best with his flatlander simile: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnURElCzGc0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnURElCzGc0&lt;/a&gt; . Now say there's some being who possesses supernormal powers living in a cave on those extremely remote mountains, s/he'd probably has no interest to come down to our civilized world to prove anything. So in scientific term, it's a matter of the sample size. And in the words of another great scientist, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, don't dismiss the &quot;whale&quot; just yet: &lt;a href=&quot;http://moniquill.tumblr.com/post/92432571651/claiming-there-is-no-other-life-in-the-universe-is&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://moniquill.tumblr.com/post/92432571651/claiming-there-is-no-other-life-in-the-universe-is&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the contradiction to old age, sickness,...well, there's no contradiction. According to the suttas and commentaries, the meditator has to meditate on a particular element kasina in order to be able to manipulate that element (ie. meditate on the water kasina to walk on water, on the earth kasina to go thru earth, etc.), in other words, s/he can only temporarily perform such feats under certain levels of concentration. They themselves are subjected to impermanence..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2246" LastEditorUserId="2246" LastEditDate="2014-11-09T02:22:49.727" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T02:22:49.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5376" CreationDate="2014-11-08T22:11:17.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, according to Chogyam Trungpa prostration is a practice of surrendering one's ego, to the triple treasure exemplified by the guru. A student full of oneself is compared to an upside down pot or else to a full cup, and prostration is seen as either turning the pot right side up or emptying the cup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Korean Zen, the purpose is supposedly getting one's body and mind in sync with each other, although I will be damned if my Zen Master ever explained this explicitly, you have to figure it out yourself from the various cursory remarks. Getting body and mind in sync means if your body is bowing your mind is bowing as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My present teacher (a modern non-sectarian master) explains bowing as the practice of sincerity, which relates both to the mindfulness of body/energy, but also to a sincere attitude towards the triple treasure. This in turn leads to the experience of selflessness and interbeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-09T18:08:59.787" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T18:08:59.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5376" CreationDate="2014-11-09T00:38:13.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bowing is a matter of course. Natural expression of respect for buddha and his thinking and this lead to a harmony with mind of buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2242" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T00:38:13.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5417" CreationDate="2014-11-09T00:46:46.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.fr/books?id=ypH36xRFZ9kC&amp;amp;lpg=PA351&amp;amp;ots=4G5dbU-34a&amp;amp;dq=buddhism%20nirmita&amp;amp;pg=PA351#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddhism%20nirmita&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This book&lt;/a&gt; whose title is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;BUDDHISM &#xA;Critical Concepts in Religious Studies &#xA;Edited by Paul Williams &#xA;Volume III &#xA;The Origins and Nature of Mahayana Buddhism; &#xA;Some Mahayana Religious Topics &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;says on page 365,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That an adept can employ an advanced meditation technique to create a body made by his or her own mind is an opinion found in ancient Buddhist scripture and elaborated in later treatises. This is a pan-Buddhist notion. The power to transform ones own body into another form and the power to create bodies &quot;made of mind&quot; are two among the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ṛddhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, or supernormal powers, explained in the Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Few can achieve vikurvana-rddhi; it is a difficult attainment. But Buddhas, &#xA;  Pratyeka-Buddhas and chief disciples are said to attain it automatically when &#xA;  they become Arhats, that is, when they attain liberation from the cycle of &#xA;  rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use the hyperlink above to read more from those pages of that book, or &lt;a href=&quot;http://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/buddhism_critical-concepts-in-religious-studies_paul-williams_vol3.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here is a copy as a PDF&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to answer your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Are thoughtforms a common phenomena in Buddhist teaching - that is, do many practitioners (monks or otherwise) have experience in creating thoughtforms?&#xA;Is it something that a layperson could do, and if so, is it recommended to do so without any other training (for lack of a better word) in Buddhism?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, apparently not: it's a &quot;difficult attainment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From what I have read so far, Buddhist texts state that these thoughtforms are illusions created by our own minds - but an actual sentient being that can be conversed with is a very powerful illusion. Do Buddhists believe that thoughtforms are a manifestation of the subconscious mind, and therefore a gateway to our own inner workings? If so, is that dangerous?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They're not something you create in order to have an imaginary friend, which you can talk with and which acts a gateway to your own subconscious. Instead they're something which a Bodhisatva might create as a tool to help liberate someone else:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva cultivates &#xA;  rddhi-Abhijñā in order to advance a great many beings toward liberation; &#xA;  without it, relatively few beings can be matured. For this purpose, a Bodhisattva &#xA;  can make for him- or herself the body of a cakravartin, a Sakra, a Buddha, or &#xA;  whatever is required to effect someone's liberation. Such transformations &#xA;  (nirmita) are true and not false, for no dharma has a fixed characteristic &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They're created consciously, not subconsciously:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having &#xA;  entered dhyiina, using one or another meditation-object, one should arise from &#xA;  the meditation and contemplate oneself having the form of-for example-a &#xA;  boy. Having done this one should re-enter dhyiina and resolve, &quot;May I be such &#xA;  and such a boy.&quot; With resolve, one becomes so. Similarly, in order to exercise &#xA;  manomayii-rddhi, the power of creating a body by mental powers, arising from &#xA;  dhyiina and contemplating the body one should resolve &quot;Let the body be a &#xA;  hollow.&quot; The body becomes a hollow, one contemplates another body within &#xA;  one's own, resolves again and there is another body within oneself. One &#xA;  removes it, as a reed from its sheath, and the two are distinct but one is the &#xA;  duplicate of the other. Thus, one uses a progressive visualization exercise, in &#xA;  either case, and the end result is said to be the production of a new body, visible &#xA;  to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that I'm reading this from a book: I don't know Tibetan Buddhism (and Wikipedia's article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism#General_methods_of_practice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; suggests that it requires a teacher, an &quot;authentic lineage of transmission&quot; from &quot;a lama who is fully qualified to give it&quot;). The footnotes (on page 379) reference the Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-09T01:08:37.047" LastActivityDate="2014-11-09T01:08:37.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5445" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-09T09:42:17.390" Score="6" ViewCount="509" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard (only heard) a couple of times somewhere that there is a training in Tantrayana that can purify you, by deleting or burning your own past bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, I don't know the name of this training -- but I lived in Indonesia and sometimes a Tantrayana monk came and offered something like this (again, &lt;strong&gt;if I remember correctly&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there some kind of training like this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T02:22:00.337" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T12:31:16.820" Title="Is there a Tantrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) training related to &quot;burning&quot; past bad karma?" Tags="|karma|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5446" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-09T14:19:27.580" Score="4" ViewCount="3244" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_%28aeon%29#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalpa(aeon) in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; article says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In another simple explanation, there are four different lengths of kalpas. A regular kalpa is approximately 16 million years long (16,798,000 years&lt;sup&gt;&lt;code&gt;[1]&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;), and a small kalpa is 1000 regular kalpas, or about 16 billion years. Further, a medium kalpa is roughly 320 billion years, the equivalent of 20 small kalpas. A great kalpa is 4 medium kalpas, or around 1.28 trillion years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just went through the Visuddhimagga, and could not find where or how that time in years is calculated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering how to calculate it.&#xA;Please explain how it's calculated, with reference to scripture where Lord Buddha mentioned it, and/or where the calculation or the result of the calculation is described, perhaps in the Thripitaka or Visuddhimagga?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;code&gt;[1]&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; Wikipedia's reference is to a book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Epstein, Ronald B.(2002). Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z p. 204. Buddhist Text Translation Society. ISBN 0-88139-353-3, ISBN 978-0-88139-353-8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that book may have a reference to where they found it, but I still haven't find that book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-10T11:28:29.367" LastActivityDate="2022-11-09T10:25:46.103" Title="How to calculate the number of years in a kalpa?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|science|visuddhimagga|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5447" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5451" CreationDate="2014-11-10T00:00:22.727" Score="3" ViewCount="512" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before Shinto began to adopt aspects of Buddhism i am wondering how old the 2 were as to which of the 2 was the older. by age i am referring to from when they started to become a following and not from when their creation myths occurred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="153" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T23:48:57.820" Title="How old was Buddhism/Shinto before Shinto began to adopt aspects of Buddhism" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5448" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-10T01:38:54.807" Score="3" ViewCount="836" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that prophecy could only be used to predict the most likely outcomes based on the mental states of the beings whose future is being predicted at the time of the prophecy. For instance, there is a scripture I just read in which the Buddha allowed Devadatta to become a monk because if he wasn't allowed to that he would be sent to a rebirth of torment after torment for Aeons but if he entered the Sangha he could considerably cut down on this negative Karma and would eventually become a Buddha whose name the Buddha even predicted. I know freewill is limited based on past karma and the number of choices one has available at any given moment but does the power of prophecy somehow still allow for freewill or is it just a sign of pre-determined fate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastEditorUserId="2229" LastEditDate="2014-11-10T01:51:24.447" LastActivityDate="2014-11-10T18:25:01.447" Title="If Buddha is able to predict the future of other sentient beings how can freewill be possible as its very nature is that of unpredictability?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5448" CreationDate="2014-11-10T02:02:27.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist view is beyond the extremes of either absolute free will or absolute determinism. Our future depends on our acts and our choices now. However, our acts and choices, and indeed even our thoughts are constrained by the circumstances as well as our own habits, both of which are fruits of our own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, regarding the prophecy, you can think of most sentient beings as rolling in a wide track (a wide furrow, like a river bed) -- unless they encounter some external force that will push them out, or make an extraordinary effort themselves, all their movements despite their freedom to choose will stay within the bounds of the track.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in case with Devadatta, Buddha has seen that his cousin did not have enough force of his own to get off track. This is how he was able to make the prediction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-10T18:25:01.447" LastActivityDate="2014-11-10T18:25:01.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3721" CreationDate="2014-11-10T03:39:54.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A stream enterer cannot commit suicide. In other words, will not commit suicide out of &quot;not having the desire to live anymore&quot;. They don't have such &quot;desires&quot;. Suicide is an act of ego and mentality. Considering that a Sotapanna have eradicated the 3 primary mental hindrances; which are ego belief, doubt on reality, and clinging to delusions, they will not &quot;desire&quot; or get involved in selfish acts that originate out of certain life views. A Sotapanna has very little depression, because they live in reality so they act accordingly. And if they are to commit suicide, they will do it consciously, and for a good reason. Not out of desire nor depression. Remember that a sotapanna is 1/4 awake, and they know where they are going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2251" LastActivityDate="2014-11-10T03:39:54.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5447" CreationDate="2014-11-10T12:14:49.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism originates with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Historical_Siddh.C4.81rtha_Gautama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the historical Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The times of Gautama's birth and death are uncertain. Most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE.[1][10] More recently his death is dated later, between 411 and 400 BCE, while at a symposium on this question held in 1988, the majority of those who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death.[1][11][note 4] These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet been accepted by all historians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The historical Buddha lived in or near what is now northern India, i.e. far from Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Re. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto#Origins&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Origins of Shinto&lt;/a&gt;, recorded history dates to circa 700 CE (i.e. about 1000 years later than Buddhism) but archaeology shows a &amp;quot;pre-history&amp;quot; that &amp;quot;significantly&amp;quot; earlier than that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shinto has very ancient roots in the Japanese islands. The recorded history dates to the Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720), but archeological records date back significantly further. Both are compilations of prior oral traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The BBC's short &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/history/history_1.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of Shinto&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Periods of Shinto history&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the standard classifications of Shinto history reduces it to&#xA;four major periods:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shinto and Buddhism together in Japan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shinto and Buddhism together&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the 6th century CE the beliefs that are now known as Shinto were&#xA;greatly altered by the addition of other ingredients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shintoisms were the only religions in Japan until the arrival of&#xA;Buddhism in the 6th century CE. From then on Shinto faiths and&#xA;traditions took on Buddhist elements, and later, Confucian ones. Some&#xA;Shinto shrines became Buddhist temples, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Before the arrival of Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During this period there was no formal Shinto religion, but many local&#xA;cults that are nowadays grouped under the name Shinto.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like many prehistoric people, the first inhabitants of Japan were&#xA;probably animists; devoted to the spirits of nature. In their case&#xA;these were the Kami that were found in plants and animals, mountains&#xA;and seas, storms and earthquakes, sand and all significant natural&#xA;phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The early Japanese developed rituals and stories which enabled them to&#xA;make sense of their universe, by creating a spiritual and cultural&#xA;world that gave them historical roots, and a way of seeming to take&#xA;control of their lives, in what would otherwise have been a fearful&#xA;and puzzling landscape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other cults that are grouped together into Shinto probably arrived in&#xA;Japan from Korea with the Korean tribes which invaded Japan in late&#xA;prehistoric times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These religions were highly localised, and not organised into a single&#xA;faith. Nor were they seen as a single religion; the realms of Earth&#xA;and the supernatural were so closely integrated in the world-view of&#xA;the early Japanese that the things that modern people regard as a&#xA;faith were seen in those times as just another part of the natural&#xA;world, albeit a part of enormous power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &amp;quot;prehistoric Shinto&amp;quot; was (as well as being pre-historic) not necessarily a single religion. As such I suspect it may be impossible to define exactly when it began.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know more about what archaeology says about the origins of pre-historic Shinto, that seems like an appropriate question to ask on &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://history.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;the 'History.SE' site&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-10T12:14:49.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3407" CreationDate="2014-11-10T15:55:54.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the problems in answering is in deciding what would qualify as a Buddhist community, specifically because the word &quot;Buddhist&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is a relatively modern and Western invention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;May not mean today what it meant 100 or so years ago (i.e. around the time of the&#xA;suspected first Western sangha), and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Still doesn't have a universally&#xA;agreed definition (even taking refuge in the three jewels doesn't&#xA;cut it in this context)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that in mind, you could (given your apparent scholarly bent) bring the Theosophical Society -- 1875 -- into your considerations, as at least being a sangha &quot;precursor&quot;, especially given Evan-Wentz's involvement. Clearly it was, by no stretch of the definition, what we'd call &quot;Buddhist&quot; today, but would even the first Buddha and his companions have thought of themselves as &quot;Buddhist&quot; by our contemporary definition? More likely they'd have considered themselves Hindu (although even &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hindu&lt;/a&gt; is a term which was adopted by late 18th century Europeans to refer to the followers of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_religions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indian religions&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T09:04:52.080" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T09:04:52.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5453" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-10T16:34:43.940" Score="4" ViewCount="211" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears in ancient India there was a style of debate that became associated with Buddhism and is still a part of at least Gulugpa Tibetan Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it and how would I get started?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:24:33.030" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T19:24:33.030" Title="What is Buddhist debate and how do I get started?" Tags="|traditions|debate|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5453" CreationDate="2014-11-10T22:42:01.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the suttas a debate usually takes the form:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hold such and such to be the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the response:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hold such and such a different case to be the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no confrontation. No dealing with the other persons argument. You accept or do not accept. You are held to be capable of understanding both arguments and hold the wrong one only because you have not heard the correct one before. Argument concerning cases is held to be 'thinking out loud' and is not done. Again, you are held to be capable of reasoning through all the arguments yourself. The original statement can be made up to three times with the same response being made up to three times. Then a deadlock is declared and the issue is submitted to an authority both can trust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one example: &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/05_fives/an05.166.hare.pts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/05_fives/an05.166.hare.pts.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A later form of debate, not found in the suttas, but found in the controversies that arose around the second Council, involved directly dealing with the substance of the opponant's argument. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say such and such, but here it is understood that this is the case. Do you agree that here it is understood that this is the case?&#xA;If so you must agree that your argument is defeated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that such and such is understood to be the case, but it does not apply in the case I bring up for such and such reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More or less the way a reasonable dialogue would be conducted today, but at an essentially lower level than the earlier form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is never any reference to the individual involved, only the issues are discussed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-10T22:42:01.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5455" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-11T13:48:58.133" Score="14" ViewCount="1863" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the noble eightfold path fits a lay life perfectly? Or is there any part of it that cannot be followed/accomplished by a lay buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's the case, what part(s) doesn't have fit with lay life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:21:53.830" LastActivityDate="2019-02-12T03:39:42.173" Title="Can the noble eightfold path be followed in its entirety by a lay follower?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5456" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5494" CreationDate="2014-11-11T14:14:10.293" Score="6" ViewCount="13877" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is the name for the Supreme Being, right? So are Amitabha Buddha and Sakyamuni Buddha both Supreme Beings but of different galaxies or something? I assume there are more buddhas than just these two. If so, how can there be many Supreme Beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I am confused by what it means to say Sakyamuni is the buddha of our saha world while Amitabha presides over Sukhavati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2180" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T23:39:52.040" LastActivityDate="2020-09-09T04:40:31.717" Title="Are Amitabha and Sakyamuni the same?" Tags="|mahayana|lay-buddhism|buddhas|pure-land|amitabha|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5456" CreationDate="2014-11-11T14:34:59.260" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, being a Buddha is not about being a Supreme Being, it is about being enlightened. It is a state of knowledge and detachment achievable by anyone (in theory). Also remember that each school of Buddhism has it's own interpretation of the enlightenment, how to achieve it and of how many Buddhas there are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="123" LastActivityDate="2014-11-11T14:34:59.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5455" CreationDate="2014-11-11T16:54:52.050" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you mean by fit lay life perfectly? If you are asking if it is doable, yes it is. I have never read anywhere that you need to be a monk to be able to follow the noble eightfold path. The difference is that as a monk you are less prone to deviate from the path, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="123" LastActivityDate="2014-11-11T16:54:52.050" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5455" CreationDate="2014-11-12T07:05:34.860" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;At a higher level the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot;&gt;8 fold path&lt;/a&gt; consists of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Development of morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Development of control or mastery over the mined&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Development of knowledge of the reality pertaining to one's mind and cognitive process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing in the above which a lay person cannot develop or not reap benefits by developing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a monk you have less responsibilities hence more time to practice. The key is to practice regardless of whether you are lay or a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-12T08:37:00.663" LastActivityDate="2014-11-12T08:37:00.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5455" CreationDate="2014-11-12T11:54:19.213" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started to read a book, &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/a&gt; written by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha recognizes and admires happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha wants laypeople (lay society) to be happy, prosperous, ethical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha says that worldly happiness (sensory satisfaction) and the happiness of renunciation (giving up sensory satisfaction) both exist, though he said (&amp;quot;especially in the presence of bikkhus&amp;quot;) and that the monks' happiness of renunciation is better.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon was written and organized (sorted) by monks. The advice to laypeople is scattered (not organized) within the canon and therefore difficult to find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although scattered in the canon there is there lots of advice for laypeople: about behaving ethically, choosing a good/compatible wife/husband, having a good relationship, making decisions which aren't corrupted by anger or greed, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book does not mention the eight-fold path by name, nor does it make any mention of some of the elements of the eight-fold path. For example it mentions right effort, right knowledge, but does not mention concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is hardly any mention of meditation in the book, except that it's practised by the Buddha and by monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book doesn't mention the four noble truths; although in my opinion, some applications of those truths might be present, for example the advice to laypeople includes cessation of old ways of thinking (stop clinging to the notion of &amp;quot;caste&amp;quot; for example), and living in the present with impermanence (which IMO might be examples of how to apply the third noble truth to secular life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Because renunciation grants a more stable form of happiness, this &amp;quot;happiness in detachment&amp;quot; or &lt;em&gt;vimutti sukha&lt;/em&gt; is said to be &amp;quot;better&amp;quot;. This is the happiness experienced by the Buddha himself and by his ordained disciples. With fewer duties, those who renounce worldly life find fewer hindrances to inner peace. Happiness in lay life, on the other hand, fluctuates constantly because of the numerous conflicts and burdens inherent in that life. But other than this since comparison, which does indeed raise spiritual happiness above worldly happiness, no evidence suggests that the Buddha found fault with secular life or the happiness associated with it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the (ordained) Sangha is to be a highly dedicated and qualified community to take the Buddha's message to society:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence, dissatisfaction with worldly pleasure, and detachment from secular life served predominantly to train and maintain this community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no evidence in the &lt;em&gt;Nikayas&lt;/em&gt;, the most authenticated collections of the Buddha's teachins, that he appealed to his lay followers to meditate on impermanence or dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It even says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, almost every translator of suttas rendered the recurrent keyword &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as &amp;quot;suffering,&amp;quot; and had readers believing that the Buddha regarded worldly life as miserable. However, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; indicates the insatiable nature of the human mind, not merely so-called suffering. The Buddha employed this word for the purpose of directing the bikkhus toward nibbana -- and not for the instruction of his lay disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book says a lot more than this; the above is a summary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last chapter of the book recommends the following as a path to lasting happiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Avoid mind-created reactions to everyday experiences&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Madhupindika Sutta explains that we attach meaning to sensory experience, allowing such thoughts to attack oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let go of greed and malice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pursue a goal and enjoy achieving it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type of happiness is called &lt;em&gt;atthi sukha&lt;/em&gt;: especially, achieving a worthwhile goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Look at others' unpleasant actions with compassion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Work for others' benefit&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Live a principled life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Accept the inevitability of change as natural law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wkipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Householder_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Householder (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; article says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In southeast Asian communities, lay disciples also give alms to monks on their daily rounds and observe weekly uposatha days. In Buddhist thought, the cultivation of ethical conduct and dāna or &amp;quot;almsgiving&amp;quot; will themselves refine consciousness to such a level that rebirth in one of the lower heavens is likely even if there is no further Buddhist practice. This level of attainment is viewed as a proper aim for laypersons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO &amp;quot;cultivating ethical conduct&amp;quot; is good but it's not like full-time meditation.&#xA;If laypeople aim for rebirth in one of the lower heavens then maybe, I suppose, they aren't hoping to become enlightened in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some traditional Buddhist societies, such as in Burma and Thailand, people transition between householder and monk and back to householder with regularity and celebration as in the practice of shinbyu among the Bamar.[3] One of the evolving features of Buddhism in the West is the increasing dissolution of the traditional distinction between monastics and laity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali canon, the pursuit of Nibbana (Skt: Nirvana) within this lifetime usually starts with giving up the householder life. This is due to the householder life's intrinsic attachments to a home, a spouse, children and the associated wealth necessary for maintaining the household.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That whole Wikipedia article is worth reading carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T22:57:02.960" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3407" CreationDate="2014-11-12T14:05:47.020" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/world/country/024-Germany.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an organization founded in 1903 in Germany&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But only to study Buddhist philosophy was for some Germans not enough. They wanted to organize themselves in Buddhist communities in order to practice Buddhism and to promote Buddhist teaching. In 1903 Karl Seidenstucker (1876-1936) founded the first German Buddhist organisation in Leipzig, called &quot;The Buddhist Mission in Germany&quot; and published in magazine, ‘The Buddhist’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paragraph before that mentions various Germans who at least studied it in the 19th century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-12T14:05:47.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5446" CreationDate="2014-11-12T15:20:07.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, the words used in Buddhist Kalpa in a lot of cases, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for example: Existence, life reduced (when life human destiny decreased from 84,000 years to 10 years),increased lifetime (as opposed to lifetime reduction),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sub-Kalpa (approximately 16 million years),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mid-Kalpa (20 sub-life),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Big-Kalpa (4 centered life = 1.3 billion years),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and countless Kalpa ..etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastActivityDate="2014-11-12T15:20:07.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5463" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5484" CreationDate="2014-11-12T17:55:22.523" Score="6" ViewCount="7299" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Trikāya doctrine (the bodies of the Buddha) I've never felt very clear about the differences between the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya. I believe that the  Nirmanakaya is the physicality of the Buddha (happy to be corrected on this) but I'm vague about what Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya are and how they relate to each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd appreciate if anyone can summarise the differences and the relations between them. I'm interested in answers from all traditions - I'm unsure if there are variations in interpretations of the doctrines across Buddhist schools and traditions to be honest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T22:24:10.030" LastActivityDate="2017-10-17T17:47:47.733" Title="What is the difference between Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya?" Tags="|philosophy|mahayana|trikaya|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5464" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-12T20:59:10.950" Score="4" ViewCount="1160" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm skeptical about this actually working. I would appreciate if someone could provide a logical answer that will clear up my skepticism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T20:24:21.697" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T20:24:21.697" Title="How do Buddhist monks find reincarnations of previous monks while filtering out the wrong persons?" Tags="|rebirth|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5466" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-13T01:06:38.840" Score="3" ViewCount="540" Body="&lt;p&gt;In sanghas following the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, to show appreciation one does not clap, instead one flaps his/her hands. This silent visual applause is similar to the sign for applauds in American, British, French and possibly other sign languages used by deaf persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which other buddhist traditions also use silent visual applause to show appreciation? What is the origin of this way of showing appreciation in buddhism, was it borrowed from a sign language, and if so where and when?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2259" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:12:21.387" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T19:12:21.387" Title="Which buddhist traditions use silent visual applause, instead of clapping, to show appreciation and what is the origin of this practice?" Tags="|modern-world|zen|traditions|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5466" CreationDate="2014-11-13T03:00:48.047" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well there is a link to a book of etiquette that says &quot;Hindu hosts are ..... waving fingers.&quot;&#xA;www.read-write-now.org/UserDir/Documents/Cultural%20Etiquette.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Chinese tradition for shaking hands involves waving hands up and down&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=7&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CEkQFjAG&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.wku.edu%2Fhaiwang.yuan%2FChina%2Fdocs%2Fchinesecultureandcustoms.rtf&amp;amp;ei=9RxkVIb1JOmJsQTUzYD4DQ&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNGd2Lid0ya_JeNnvRfMeNPpg7Xu8w&amp;amp;bvm=bv.79189006,d.cWc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=7&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CEkQFjAG&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.wku.edu%2Fhaiwang.yuan%2FChina%2Fdocs%2Fchinesecultureandcustoms.rtf&amp;amp;ei=9RxkVIb1JOmJsQTUzYD4DQ&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNGd2Lid0ya_JeNnvRfMeNPpg7Xu8w&amp;amp;bvm=bv.79189006,d.cWc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The traditional Chinese ‘handshake’ consists of interlocking the&#xA;  fingers of the hands and waving them up and down several times. This&#xA;  is today rarely used (except during festivals, weddings and birthdays&#xA;  of the elderly), and the western style handshake is ubiquitous among&#xA;  all but the very old or traditional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course whenever you talk about clapping and Buddhism you get the sound of one hand clapping, a traditional koan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I replied to hopefully get some discussion going on this interesting topic. Unfortunately my googling has not show me much more. Thank you for the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T03:00:48.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5463" CreationDate="2014-11-13T03:13:18.943" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will say this is a very good explanation that may go beyond what your question is, but here is a very good summary from the Tantric tradition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/cul/cul02.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three Kayas: The Bodies of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THE FRUITION OF BUDDHIST PRACTICE is the realization of the three kayas--Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya. These are the three bodies of Buddha's being or enlightenment. Dharmakaya corresponds with one's mind, Sambhogakaya with one's speech, and Nirmanakaya with one's body. Dharmakaya is the formless body. It is an undifferentiated state of being which we cannot talk about in terms of either confusion or enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharmakaya is something that is always present; it is rediscovered rather than created anew. Because it is atemporal and ahistorical, we cannot attribute change or transformation to it. Because it is passive and indeterminate in nature, Dharmakaya cannot manifest as a medium for one to work for the benefit of others, but it does give rise to the deterministic aspects of Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The similarities between Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya are represented here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the Dharmakaya, the Sambhogakaya is always present. It has to do&#xA;with mental powers, with the ability of one's mind to manifest in&#xA;relation to the five wisdoms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are similar yet different&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya do not refer to entities so much as&#xA;existential states of being, and only the Nirmanakaya body is created&#xA;anew in physical form. Actually the three kayas are two bodies--the&#xA;formless body and the body of form. Both the Sambhogakaya and&#xA;Nirmanakaya are normally called the form bodies of the Buddha, while&#xA;Dharmakaya is formless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is closest to an answer to the question on differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Nirmanakaya and the Sambhogakaya basically manifest out of&#xA;Dharmakaya; in other words, both of the form aspects of the Buddha's&#xA;being are dependent on the formless body. The Dharmakaya is the origin&#xA;or field on which the other two are grounded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and it takes this explanation further&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we call the Sambhogakaya a &amp;quot;form body,&amp;quot; we do not mean physical&#xA;form but instead form in the sense of manifesting and being&#xA;determinate, as opposed to Dharmakaya, which is formless because it is&#xA;not determinate. The Sambhogakaya is determinate because, although it&#xA;is not physical, it does manifest in varieties of ways. If&#xA;Sambhogakaya is fully realized, then one can receive different&#xA;teachings and meanings from many natural sources, such as sound,&#xA;sight, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sambhogakaya in turn gives rise to Nirmanakaya, which is realized&#xA;through the physical body, and embodies both the Sambhogakaya and the&#xA;Dharmakaya aspects. Nirmanakaya is physical in its essence and is&#xA;historically situated, so that when we talk about Buddha Shakyamuni&#xA;attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, giving teachings in Varanasi,&#xA;and eventually attaining paranirvana in Kushinagar, we are describing&#xA;his Nirmanakaya aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given by Ven. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/teachers/tea06.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Traleg Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very lengthy article and worthy of further study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T23:38:25.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5455" CreationDate="2014-11-13T07:55:30.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Judging by the early texts and some of later teachers (e.g. Ajaan Lee), celibacy is a key factor, so it depends on what you take lay life to be. I imagine your question is not just philosophical, but, if put in practical terms would be: &quot;What do I have to change in order to be practicing rightly as a lay follower?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem, I believe, is that this depends a lot on your own individual personality and tendencies. The best thing to do would be to consult a teacher you trust. Feeding off the hive mind, even in its Buddhist sections, is probably not the best solution here. There's a known expression you might wish to consider every now and then about stuff like this: &quot;a blind man leading a group of blind men.&quot; You want to make sure you're led by someone who can see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajaan Mahā Boowa replied that in order to teach others, one must&#xA;  first clearly know the Dhamma for oneself. For the most part, he considered that those who had yet to see the true nature of Dhamma were&#xA;  unqualified to speak about it in front of other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of Ajaan Maha Boowa, you should have a look at the book &lt;code&gt;Ācariya Mahā Boowa in London&lt;/code&gt; available in several formats, for free, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/books/english/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. It's a translated transcription of several talks and Q&amp;amp;A sessions he gave to lay followers in London back in 1974.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T07:55:30.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5437" CreationDate="2014-11-13T13:00:00.653" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even supernormal powers have its function. E.g. divine eye helps see things which cannot be seen by the normal eye. This does not mean that your eye will not be impermanent. Nor can any of these powers make anything impermanent permanent or exert absolute control over your corporeal body to repair decay due to old are. There may be some therapeutic benefits through but limited in effectiveness and application like any other treatment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So supernormal powers cannot be used to overcome old age, sickness and death in absolute terms though there may be some therapeutic benefits in having high levels of Samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T13:00:00.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5472" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-13T13:01:50.403" Score="30" ViewCount="55155" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am an above beginner level meditator - I have been practicing Vipassana meditation regularly for past 6-7 months - By regularly, I mean 1hr of sitting meditation at least 5 times a week. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not been able to control my lust. I try to remain mindful during acts of sexual gratification...but they are like very few moments of awareness...rest of the time I am just going with the flow...Although I am a lay person, I want to be celibate...Please guide me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember a story wherein Buddha said to someone how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert...are there any such stories from Buddha's life/teachings regarding this subject...Basically I need some inspiration...Please share your experience if possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2023-06-21T11:15:57.390" Title="Lust - How Can it be Overcome?" Tags="|mindfulness|sexuality|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T14:47:15.073" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following is taken directly from wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Sensory_desire_.28kamacchanda.29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Analogy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hindrance of sensory desire is compared to taking out a loan – any pleasure one experiences through these five senses must be repaid through the unpleasantness of separation or loss which invariably follow when the pleasure is used up. There is also interest to be repaid on the loan. Thus, the Buddha said that the pleasure is small compared to the suffering repaid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Antidote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order to overcome the hindrance of sensory desire (kamacchanda), the meditator must first apply mindfulness and recognize that the hindrance is present. Then one must look at the hindrance, analyze it, make it the object of our meditation, experience it fully. The meditator can then apply specific techniques such as contemplating the impermanence of the pleasant desire.&#xA;  Ajahn Brahmavamso emphasizes the technique of letting go of concern for the body and the five senses completely; he states:&#xA;  In meditation, one transcends sensory desire for the period by letting go of concern for this body and its five sense activity. Some imagine that the five senses are there to serve and protect the body, but the truth is that the body is there to serve the five senses as they play in the world ever seeking delight. Indeed, the Lord Buddha once said, &quot;The five senses ARE the world&quot; and to leave the world, to enjoy the other worldly bliss of Jhana, one must give up for a time ALL concern for the body and its five senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://insightmeditationcenter.org/articles/FiveHindrances.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://insightmeditationcenter.org/&lt;/a&gt; has this to say about lust:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is excessive preoccupation with lust, one can focus on the body’s non-attractive parts, such as &#xA;  urine, saliva, pus, feces, phlegm, sweat, body hair, teeth, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, &#xA;  spleen, intestines, undigested food, blood, fat….&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;• If desiring something that is harmful to us, we can focus on the consequences of getting what we want. &#xA;  Maybe you are craving potato chips and it gives you high blood pressure. Reflect on the possible effects &#xA;  of high blood pressure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;• If we desire something that might be appropriate, but we are clinging to that desire, we feel we just have &#xA;  to have it, we can focus on the impermanent nature of what we want. How long will the satisfaction last &#xA;  if the desire is fulfilled? This desire will fade. It may come back, but it’s not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T14:47:15.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T15:49:01.087" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't try to force this on to your self. You could try parts of @Christopher-Lee's answer to a certain extent. This should not reverse polariser your mind in the opposite direction though. This is something to watch out for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to this always keep looking at the sensation when there is a lustful through or state of mind. You will see there are certain sensation through out the body associated with lustful thoughts and state of mind. You have to be very equanimous looking at it's arising and passing away without aversion towards sensations or attachment towards the sensations which arise and pass away. As time goes you will become less lustful and also you will have more control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T09:45:06.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2014-11-13T16:43:48.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;So is this sensation a normal one for meditation?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have many weird sensations while meditating but not this one. However, lots of my classmates do so I'd say yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How can I move past this sensation to deepen meditation?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Move past it by ignoring it. If you're paying attention to the sensation or thinking about it, you aren't meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are my 'levels' accurate to what Buddhism teaches? What level comes after the electric feel?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, there are no ubiquitous or strictly defined &quot;levels&quot; to meditation. If it helps your meditation, then it's a useful classification. If it doesn't, then ditch it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Does Buddhism support the notion of an Asteral Body?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my experience, there is strong support of a subtle body, astral body, spirit, soul, or whatever you want to call it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2180" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T16:43:48.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5456" CreationDate="2014-11-13T17:37:27.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Amitabha is a Mahayana concept which needs to rely on another Mahayana framework called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Trikaya&lt;/a&gt;. With this framework, the historical Sakyamuni Buddha is considered to be the &quot;Nirmanakaya&quot; (created body) while Amitabha Buddha is considered to be the &quot;Sambhogakaya&quot; (reward-body) of the Trikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Interesting! So does mahayana buddhism have a considerably different view of the nature of the buddha than theravada (which most SE Buddhists appear to follow)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the case that Mahayana has a considerably different view from Theravada. Most ideas are traceable back to the original teaching. If you look at a tree, over time it's obvious that it'd grow new branches. While the new branches can't be said to be exactly the same as one another but they all share the same root and trunk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2263" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T00:25:48.307" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T00:25:48.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T19:21:15.363" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The son's flesh simile is from SN 12.63 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: A Son's Flesh&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lust is a very powerful force and it'd need a combination of various strategies to counteract it, everything including diets, moral disciplines, persistence, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 20 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana Sutta: The Relaxation of Thoughts&lt;/a&gt;) suggests 5 helpful strategies to counter unwholesome thoughts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(Then, if evil thoughts still arise) he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(Then, if evil thoughts still arise) he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(Then, ...) he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(Then, ...) with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2263" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-13T23:26:49.173" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T23:26:49.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5455" CreationDate="2014-11-13T19:30:48.267" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A simple question.&#xA;A simple answer:&#xA;Of course it can!&#xA;It's as simple as this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right view: see the 3 characteristics and 6 realms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right intention: take the 4 vows of universal salvation as a Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right action: ahimsa, non-stealing, no sexual misconduct, no intoxication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right speech: avoid idle, harmful, unskillful speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right livelihood: have a good livelihood that doesn't involve harming others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right effort: do more good, do less bad, continue good, continue avoiding bad&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right samadhi: attain the 8 dhyana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right prajna: insight meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each and every petal deserves a book of explanation but here I have simplified the structure.&#xA;The Eightfold path is beneficial and good to follow for anyone! Be it ghost, layman, scientist, murderer, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing that is exclusive about lifestyle choices is Right Action and Right Livelihood.&#xA;Depending on what school one is devoted to, it can be more strict or loose.&#xA;The basic idea is that you do actions and take on a livelihood that does no harm to yourself or others! Simple enough to try, no?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without those two exclusive choices, everything about the Buddhist path, the Eightfold path, is a path of golden behavior based on scientific principles including karma and reincarnation which are definitely &quot;real&quot; things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T19:30:48.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T19:50:14.000" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you are seeking inspiration similar to the simile &lt;em&gt;how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert&lt;/em&gt;, to understand the drawbacks of lust, I think Alagaddupama Sutta is a good place where Buddha gave ten similes to understand the true nature of sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, Buddha says that one should see sensual pleasure as either &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;bare bones, a lump of flesh, a torch of straw, a pit  of burning coal, a dream, borrowed goods, a fruit tree, a slaughter house, a stake of swords or a snake's head&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; to understand there true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to commentary and subcommentary sensual pleasure here means sexual intercourse or expressing sexual desire by other ways including hugging, petting and other acts to satisfy lust. The first 7 of the 10 similes are explained in further detail in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potaliya sutta&lt;/a&gt; as well as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh048-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; (summary of all 10 explanations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bare bones&lt;/strong&gt;, fleshless, blood-smeared, are thrown to a starving dog but&#xA;cannot satisfy the animal’s hunger. Similarly, sense-desires give no&#xA;lasting satisfaction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A lump of flesh&lt;/strong&gt; for which birds of prey fight each other; if the bird&#xA;that has seized the lump of flesh, does not yield it, it may meet&#xA;death or deadly pain from the beaks and claws of the other birds.&#xA;Similarly, the sense-desires are common to many (bahusādhāraṇa), i.e.,&#xA;the same sense objects may be claimed by many and may become the cause&#xA;of deadly conflict&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A torch of straw&lt;/strong&gt; carried against the wind may cause severe burns to&#xA;the careless man if not quickly discarded. Similarly, sense-desires&#xA;will severely burn (anudahana), i.e., greatly harm him who&#xA;thoughtlessly, and unaware of the great danger, partakes of them in&#xA;the belief that they will bring light and joy to his life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A pit of burning coals&lt;/strong&gt; towards which a man is dragged by others; if he&#xA;cannot free himself from the grip, he will be thrown into the fire and&#xA;consumed by it. Similarly, sense-desires are like a vast conflagration&#xA;(mahābhitāpa) into which the victim is dragged by bad company, or by&#xA;his own deeds, causing his rebirth in miserable states of woe&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A dream&lt;/strong&gt; of a beautiful landscape that vanishes on awakening. Similarly, sense-desires are a brief illusion (ittara-paccupaṭṭhāna) like a dream, and disappointing after one awakens from infatuation to reality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Borrowed goods&lt;/strong&gt; on which the borrower foolishly prides himself in public; but which are withdrawn by the owners when they see the boastful man. Similarly, sense-desires are temporary (tāvakālika) and not a true and lasting possession of him who enjoys them, filled with vain glory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A fruit tree&lt;/strong&gt; climbed by one who craves for the fruits; but another man, likewise greedy for them but unable to climb, chooses another method and fells the tree; and unless the first man quickly descends, he will break his limbs. Similarly, in the blind pursuit of sense pleasures one may “break all one’s limbs” (sabbaṅga-paccaṅga-bhañjana), may suffer severe injury of body and mind. The Sub-Comy refers also to punishment and torture incurred by reckless deeds to which people are driven by sense infatuation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A slaughter house&lt;/strong&gt; (or place of execution): because sense-desires are like a butcher’s (or executioner’s) block (adhikuṭṭana). This may mean that sense-desires kill much that is noble in man and cut off his higher development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A stake of swords&lt;/strong&gt;: sense-desires are piercing (vinivijjhana) penetrating deep within, causing wounds where there had been none. Unfulfilled or frustrated desire, or the pains of jealousy, are, indeed, like that ancient torture of the state of swords.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A snake’s head&lt;/strong&gt;: sense-desires are a grave risk and peril (sasaṅka-sappaṭibhaya) for the present and future welfare, if one walks unwarily.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh048-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;[Nyanaponika Thera trans]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T21:39:49.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T20:40:52.890" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lust is a biological impulse without which you would not have been born in the first place.&#xA;So honor it and respect it as nature's method to keep our race going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, realize it a powerful force and there are also repercussions to bashing it down or inhibiting yourself. Don't use any method that involves self-criticism, self-judgment, self-harm, hatred, etc. Otherwise you may make the problem worse and be sucked into a love-hate cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best methods from my experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the skeleton method upon yourself and others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;breathing meditation. Go for the 1st samadhi, after learning about it if you do not know about it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;watching thoughts. Watch your thoughts until they disappear, this includes even your judgment of the process of this watching. Just watch &lt;strong&gt;detachedly&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Keep letting go.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;avoid sexy medias: music, shows, fantasies. If thoughts come up use the above method.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;read as much buddhist parables and original scriptures as possible. Replace the habits that create more seeds of lust in the first place (see Right Effort).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes about a month of doing this to replace the neural wiring that causes excessive lust in the first place.&#xA;The friction is definitely worth it because with this clean, pliable mind you can focus on &lt;em&gt;anything of your choosing&lt;/em&gt;. This is your real mind. (not to be confused with Real Mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2020-03-04T15:24:11.390" LastActivityDate="2020-03-04T15:24:11.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T21:26:26.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have not been able to control my lust&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Abstain from sexual misconduct&quot; has various interpretations, one of which is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sex between consenting adults is OK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual assault, rape, is not OK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you say, &quot;I have not been able to control my lust&quot; it's not clear what you're talking about; but basic compassion might be enough reason to deter you from assaulting people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I don't know you but I suspect you have been able to control your lust, frequently, perhaps most of the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone asked a question about controlling anger recently, on another site, &lt;a href=&quot;https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/q/25451/1097&quot;&gt;How to get over anger at inconsiderate drivers&lt;/a&gt;, which I tried to answer by introducing Buddhist perspective. Maybe controlling anger is a skill you learn gradually, through repeated practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it's gradual: it's not being &quot;always angry&quot; versus &quot;never angry&quot;, and it's situational too; you might learn to avoid situations which make you angry, you might learn to avoid the desire to become angry, you might learn skills which you can use instead of becoming angry, you might learn how to let your anger disappear easily if it starts to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the same is true of lust as it is of anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I try to remain mindful during acts of sexual gratification&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggests it's possible to be mindful when eating (to destroy old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]); and, even that craving (for awareness and for freedom) and conceit (that one can be like someone else who benefited from Buddhism) can be helpful. But, not sexual activity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e. if you do want to be &quot;celibate&quot; and &quot;mindful&quot; then you probably cannot do that &quot;during acts of sexual gratification&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I remember a story wherein Buddha said to someone how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are innumerable stories in the world, of women who visit allegedly spiritual teachers: the teachers engage in sexual activity with their students ... and the students don't get much out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that might be true in Buddhism as well, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmamudr%C4%81#Controversy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vipassana teacher Jack Kornfield quotes one unnamed female Buddhist teacher, wherein she talks about an &quot;old&quot; &quot;realized&quot; lama choosing a thirteen- to fourteen-year-old nun to become his sexual consort every year.[11] After talking to &quot;a number of Western women who had slept with their lamas&quot; this same unnamed individual concludes the practice benefited only the lamas.[12]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to help other people then treating them as a sex object might be missing the point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of being aware of the &quot;unattractive&quot;, there's a story (I can't find it at the moment) of someone being shown an illusion of an attractive body, which then ages until it's old and ill and dies. I think that's supposed to teach you to not &quot;fall in love with&quot; the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhisanda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggests that breaking any of the precepts is dangerous and that by not breaking the precepts you gain various worthwhile rewards: so as well as considering &quot;non-attractive&quot; parts of lust it should be possible to be happy about the rewards from &quot;abandoning&quot; harmful behaviour and from &quot;abstaining&quot; from breaking precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:32:41.377" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T21:26:26.890" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-13T22:49:42.883" Score="26" Body="&lt;p&gt;By trying to &quot;control it&quot;, you are putting the (idea of) lust outside of yourself.  In effect you are seeing &quot;the lust&quot; and yourself as two separate entities.  That (conceived) separation sets up a duality.  On one side is &quot;lust&quot;, which it sounds like you are labeling as &quot;bad&quot;.  On the other side is self, which it sounds like you want to label as &quot;good&quot;.  And you're attached to both these concepts, lust is bad and self is good (or &quot;should&quot; be good).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you choose to acknowledge the sensations you are describing as &quot;lust&quot;, the duality will disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try sitting whatever form of meditation you prefer, that doesn't involve visualization.  When sensations that you describe as &quot;lust&quot; come up, acknowledge them.  This is the difficult part.  &quot;Acknowledge&quot; means you accept the feeling, don't judge it or yourself, and watch what happens to the thought or feeling.  Then return to your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In effect I'm suggesting you acknowledge the aspect of yourself that you conceive of as lust.  That acknowledgement will integrate you and dissolve the duality.  And lust will resume its normal, healthy role in your psyche.  May your life go well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2268" LastActivityDate="2014-11-13T22:49:42.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5466" CreationDate="2014-11-14T00:03:52.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVF4hmWvCe0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This video&lt;/a&gt; says that it's widespread among French and German university students, ecologists, especially left-wing, for example at political assemblies and unions. And it says that an internet search shows that it's part of the &quot;language of signs&quot; but that no-one knows which country it began in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The page &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/monks-and-nuns-from-thich-nhat-hanh-collective-in-plum-village-france-pay-our-school-a-special-visit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Monks and nuns from the Thich Nhat Hanh collective, in Plum Village, France, pay our school a special visit&lt;/a&gt; suggest that Thich Nhat Hahn are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;From France&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaching 'silent applause'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaching 'ecologist' songs such as &quot;I love nature&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps they adopted the gesture from that &lt;em&gt;milieu&lt;/em&gt; (or vice versa): i.e. from European students and young ecologists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-14T00:03:52.223" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5463" CreationDate="2014-11-14T00:33:35.663" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa explained &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; as the experience of the ultimate, &lt;em&gt;nirmanakaya&lt;/em&gt; as coming at peace with the relative, and &lt;em&gt;sambhogakaya&lt;/em&gt; as an ability of practitioner-turning-teacher to skilfully join together the ultimate and the relative, to keep a foot in both worlds and facilitate communication between the two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;1. Dharmakaya&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; has no categories; &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; is simply being awake. It is the first achievement of a buddha; the first glimpse of vajra-like samadhi. Vajra-like samadhi means cutting through everything, completely and thoroughly. You cut through psychological and spiritual materialism and you cut through the notion of perfectionism as well.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[At this stage] there maybe uncertainty as to how perceive things, and you don't know how to make a particular situation graspable. Our reaction to the world is uncertain and bewildered, and strategies and planning have not yet formed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; aspect is basic openness or ambiguity. We could say that a buddha actually sees the world from a nonreference point of view. They see that the world can exist without a reference point, that reference points are no longer applicable. When you possess such an enlightened view, you attain &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt;, the body of nonreference point. &lt;em&gt;Dharma&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;the highest norm of the universe&quot;, which is nonreference point. &lt;em&gt;Kaya&lt;/em&gt; refers to the achievement of that particular experience.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;With no praise and no blame, we accept and realize our thought process as it is -- but with a touch of nonfixation and without holding on to thoughts.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;2. Nirmanakaya&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the &lt;em&gt;niramanakaya&lt;/em&gt; aspect, the second stage of this process, there is clarity. You develop a clear idea of the situation and how to organize things. According to my tradition, that is the realistic way of looking at things. Even if you are a great teacher or a buddha, you still have a body and that body behaves more or less the same as other people's bodies. The necessities of eating, shitting, wearing clothes, and combing your hair are basically the same as anybody else's.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is in that acceptance of the universe, within that particular frame of reference, that the nirmanakaya buddha functions.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;3. Sambhogakaya&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Third, you begin to make a relationship between the two. In order to make a link between the openness and clarity, we have the third aspect, or &lt;em&gt;sambhogakaya&lt;/em&gt;. The sambhogakaya bridges the gap between the basic openness or ambiguity of &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; and the very specific organized clarity of &lt;em&gt;nirmanakaya&lt;/em&gt;. So the three kayas are the subtle world, the direct world, and that which goes back and forth between the subtle and direct worlds in order to survive on earth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Sambhogakaya&lt;/em&gt; means 'complete joy', it is beyond any kind of inhibition. Having gone through constant struggle and discipline of practicing the bodhisattva's work of compassion, whatever you feel can be communicated or taught. There is a need for articulation... You have to do something, you have to proclaim.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[However, ] you can't just say, 'Come and look at me'. You have to be very skillful, particularly if you proclaim yourself as an enlightened person, for then you have a heavier burden. So the sambhogakaya involves a sense of relationship (as in, being able to relate -- AV). You know the place, you know what kind of crowd you're going to get, and you know what you are going to say.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This communication between your non-manifested and manifested levels ... includes all forms of communication, such as physical gestures, facial expressions, and how you present yourself in all kinds of ways.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;4. Svabhavikakaya&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fourth kaya, &lt;em&gt;svabhavikakaya&lt;/em&gt;, is the whole thing, the total panoramic experience. When we realize the link between the three kayas, that totality is known as svabhavikakaya. The &lt;em&gt;svabhavikakaya&lt;/em&gt; is a state of mind that is known as transcending birth, cessation, and dwelling.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since you have no fear, you seem to know everything in the very highest sense. You know how to handle things.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-10-17T17:47:47.733" LastActivityDate="2017-10-17T17:47:47.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5485" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-14T05:05:36.763" Score="6" ViewCount="570" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've just seen Interstellar. And they say 1 year on the planet is equal to 7 years on earth. because it sounds familiar to the Buddhist text I used to read ,if they both refer to the same thing, how did the ancient people know it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-14T12:26:20.963" LastActivityDate="2019-08-09T15:56:50.213" Title="Does Buddhist's Time Dilation have something to do with Physics's Time Dilation?" Tags="|science|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5466" CreationDate="2014-11-14T10:23:02.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sound of One Hand = &quot;quiet sound&quot; (Soundless Sound - Emptiness)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At some point, completely quiet heart that does not even sound that can make us being distracted. Ears are hearing is still heard, but absolutely not disturbed mind. It is &quot;beyond&quot; all sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, in silence we &quot;&lt;strong&gt;hear&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;see&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;understands&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;strong&gt;enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is many things, but when the mind is being distracted because of the &quot;noise&quot; we do not hear, do not see, do not understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sound of One Hand (101 storie Zen -Nyogen Senzaki)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The master of Kennin temple was Mokurai, Silent Thunder. He had a little protégé named&#xA;Toyo who was only twelve years old. Toyo saw the older disciples visit the master’s&#xA;room each morning and evening to receive instruction in sanzen or personal guidence in&#xA;which they were given koans to stop mind-wandering.&#xA;Toyo wished to do sanzen also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Wait a while,” said Mokurai. “You are too young.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the child insisted, so the teacher finally consented.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the evening little Toyo went at the proper time to the threshold of Mokurai’s sanzen&#xA;room. He struck the gong to announce his presence, bowed respectfully three times&#xA;outside the door, and went to sit before the master in respectful silence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together,” said Mokurai. “Now&#xA;show me the sound of one hand.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Toyo bowed and went to his room to consider this problem. From his window he could&#xA;hear the music of the geishas. “Ah, I have it!” he proclaimed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next evening, when his teacher asked him to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo&#xA;began to play the music of the geishas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“No, no,” said Mokurai. “That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You’ve&#xA;not got it at all.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking that such music might interrupt, Toyo moved his abode to a quiet place. He&#xA;meditated again. “What can the sound of one hand be?” He happened to hear some water&#xA;dripping. “I have it,” imagined Toyo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he next appeared before his teacher, he imitated dripping water.&#xA;“What is that?” asked Mokurai. “That is the sound of dripping water, but not the sound of&#xA;one hand. Try again.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vain Toyo meditated to hear the sound of one hand. He heard the sighing of the wind.&#xA;But the sound was rejected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He heard the cry of an owl. This was also refused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sound of one hand was not the locusts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more than ten times Toyo visited Mokurai with different sounds. All were wrong. For&#xA;almost a year he pondered what the sound of one hand might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At last Toyo entered true meditation and transcended all sounds. “I could collect no&#xA;more,” he explained later, “so I reached the soundless sound.”&#xA;Toyo had realized the sound of one hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="811" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T02:21:08.717" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T02:21:08.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5487" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-14T12:30:36.200" Score="8" ViewCount="1274" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know it's discouraged for Buddhists to intoxicate their body, but were there any known cases of monks using psychedelic drugs intentionally in the past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1007" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:42:34.493" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:22:56.260" Title="Were psychedelics used in the past by Buddhists?" Tags="|history|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5485" CreationDate="2014-11-14T13:36:14.967" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Time dilation due to special relativity happens &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation#Simple_inference_of_time_dilation_due_to_relative_velocity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;because the speed of light is constant&lt;/a&gt; and is expressed using equations which include the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_factor#Definition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lorentz factor&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_time_dilation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Time dilation due to gravitation&lt;/a&gt; is a related concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that &quot;time dilation&quot; is a concept in Buddhism, have you evidence that the theoretical/conceptual cause of that dilation is the speed of light being constant being all frames of reference, or, the acceleration of frames of reference e.g. due to gravity? Do Buddhist scriptures (mathematical equations) mention the Lorentz factor, somewhere? If the answer is &quot;no&quot; then I suggest that &quot;they both refer to the same thing&quot; is false, i.e. that Buddhism's &quot;time dilation&quot; and Physics' &quot;time dilation&quot; actually refer to different concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to say that Buddhism in't helpful towards understanding Physics; but it was my experience that my learning Physics wasn't much help towards understanding Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working with, studying or applying Physics might count as a form of &quot;right livelihood&quot; in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it would be missing the point of Buddhism to see it as a way to get miraculous leaning/knowledge/insight/invention of the detailed models of (i.e. the hypotheses or theorems about) the universe which are used by physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers, doctors, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read from the Pali canon for example then the Buddha is talking about something else entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-14T13:36:14.967" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5487" CreationDate="2014-11-14T14:56:02.437" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about having in-body experiences not out-of-body experiences. Psychedelics distort one's experience/perspective of reality and Buddhism is about experiencing reality for what it really is. Thus psychedelic drugs are the opposite of the dharma path and not used by monks or nuns. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-11-14T14:56:02.437" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5490" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-14T15:42:58.353" Score="7" ViewCount="420" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada tradition, after one becomes a monk. Does he still call his parents and relatives the same as before he ordains. Or does he call them like everybody else? Does he call his parents &quot;mom&quot; and &quot;dad&quot;, his siblings &quot;brother&quot; and &quot;sister&quot;,...?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2277" LastEditorUserId="2277" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T00:10:22.727" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:32:36.070" Title="How does a monk address parents and relatives?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2014-11-14T17:12:30.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a sowewhat long &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article in Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; on this regard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhists don't see Buddha as God. Buddha is more like a saint, as there are may Buddhas. They attained enlightenment in a specific way, so they are considered as so. Monks attain enlightenment but they aren't Buddhas, besides they say everyone has the nature of Buddha in ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now God is something that is not very thought/talked/taught about in Buddhism. God isn't accepted or denied, but we rather don't conjecture about supernatural things or beings. We don't identify God as we can't perceive him or it, as we can perceive other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are the deities is Buddhism as seen on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_realm#The_Six_Domains&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Six Domains of Samsara&lt;/a&gt;. They aren't supernatural begins, but a fleeting state of the life. For example, when people win the lottery, initially they are very happy and taking advantage of all the money they won. But this mental state doesn't last long, it goes away in one or two years, they cycle to other domains. Another example is when we buy some new smartphone or car, we are very happy and proud and full of energy (we feel as gods) in the first days or weeks, but all this excitation disappears (we migrate to other realms or domains). So being a god is feeling like one, but feelings change sooner or later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T15:52:20.823" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T15:52:20.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5464" CreationDate="2014-11-14T20:22:02.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it doesn't work very well: there are examples of reincarnations who behave badly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And they must make it work: for example the current Dalai Lama wasn't keen to study, when he was young, his teacher had to make him study by threatening him with a whip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-chan/dalai-lama-mindfulness_b_3683961.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;At Home With the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also know that he wasn't a particularly good student when he was young. He had a mercurial temper and was impulsive. Monastic disciplines like meditation and scriptural study did not come naturally to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Around seven or eight,&amp;quot; the Dalai Lama told me in an earlier meeting, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, &amp;quot;I had no interest in study. Only play. But one thing: my mind since young, quite sharp, can learn easily. This brings laziness. So my tutor always keep one whip, a yellow whip, by his side. When I saw the yellow whip, the holy whip for holy student the Dalai Lama, I studied. Out of fear. Even at that age I know, if I study, no holy pain.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite his reluctance to study when he was a child, the Dalai Lama applied himself every morning. With perseverance and self-control, he learned to sit still for long periods. Gradually he was better able to control his errant impulses. Meditation and study came before play; delayed gratification became a matter of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku#Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia has a description of how they found him, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama#Searching_for_the_reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Searching for the reincarnation&lt;/a&gt;, which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The High Lamas used several ways in which they can increase the chances of finding the reincarnation. High Lamas often visit Lhamo La-tso, a lake in central Tibet, and watch for a sign from the lake itself. This may be either a vision or some indication of the direction in which to search, and this was how Tenzin Gyatso was found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was here that in 1935, the Regent Reting Rinpoche received a clear vision of three Tibetan letters and of a monastery with a jade-green and gold roof, and a house with turquoise roof tiles, which led to the discovery of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.[26][27][28]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a description of the theory and practice of it here on the Dalai Lama's web site: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Reincarnation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-14T20:22:02.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5456" CreationDate="2014-11-14T20:59:43.817" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a Mahayana question and I'll answer it as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cosmology of the Amitabha Buddha is described as something akin to an infinite number of parallel universes (or galaxies, the cosmology isn't or wasn't trying to be accurate in the astrophysics), each with a Buddha. The Buddha of each universe arise and disappear to be replaced by a new one, the next one in our universes is Maitreya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The respect in which Sakyamuni Buddha is Supreme is that he was the most recent Buddha in our world. He was preceded by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=Past_seven_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;seven Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Via reincarnation you can appear in a universe with a different Buddha, which is the whole point of the Pure Land Sutras. The gist is that progress towards enlightenment in this world is difficult, but easy in the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the cosmology there is the idea that there can only be one &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/b_main.asp&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha in the world at time&lt;/a&gt;. Personally I haven't come across a convincing explanation for why. My personal opinion is that this is related to the Precept on making false claims of enlightenment. If you are running a sangha and six monks all claim to have become enlightened and all think they are now the rightful leaders of the sangha, that could be a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhas of other Lands appear to have intercessory powers in our world, for example the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru) vows to provide a number of this-worldly benefits to those who say his name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there is no limit on the number of Bodhisattvas-- Kwan Yin/Avalokitesvara, Kstigarbha, etc. all can exist in the same universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if this question is really about finding monotheism in Buddhism, you can find that, too. The Adibuddha and Vairocana have been suggested to be the Buddhas from which all other Buddhas emanate, and syncretic Buddhism from time to time has explicitly or accidentally reincorporated a Hindu style Brahma-- a universal, shared soul that is also the monotheistic god or supreme being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The evidence for all this is from sutras, and presumably the meditative inspirations and visions of the authors. If that doesn't do anything for you, that's fine, too, it reads fine as a myth-- a fictional story to illustrate the Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-14T20:59:43.817" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5495" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-11-14T22:40:52.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In English translations of Buddhist texts, householder denotes a variety of terms. Most broadly, it refers to any layperson, and most narrowly, to a wealthy and prestigious familial patriarch. In contemporary Buddhist communities, householder is often used synonymously with laity, or non-monastics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist notion of householder is often contrasted with that of wandering ascetics (Pāḷi: samaṇa; Sanskrit: śramaṇa) and monastics (bhikkhu and bhikkhuni), who would not live (for extended periods) in a normal house and who would pursue freedom from attachments to houses and families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upāsakas and upāsikās, also called śrāvakas and śrāvikās - are householders and other laypersons who take refuge in the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the teachings and the community) and practice the Five Precepts. In southeast Asian communities, lay disciples also give alms to monks on their daily rounds and observe weekly uposatha days. In Buddhist thought, the cultivation of ethical conduct and dāna or &quot;almsgiving&quot; will themselves refine consciousness to such a level that rebirth in one of the lower heavens is likely even if there is no further Buddhist practice. This level of attainment is viewed as a proper aim for laypersons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some traditional Buddhist societies, such as in Burma and Thailand, people transition between householder and monk and back to householder with regularity and celebration as in the practice of shinbyu among the Bamar. One of the evolving features of Buddhism in the West is the increasing dissolution of the traditional distinction between monastics and laity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For all the diversity of Buddhist practices in the West, general trends in the recent transformations of Buddhist practice ... can be identified. These include an erosion of the distinction between professional and lay Buddhists; a decentralization of doctrinal authority; a diminished role for Buddhist monastics; an increasing spirit of egalitarianism; greater leadership roles for women; greater social activism; and, in many cases, an increasing emphasis on the psychological, as opposed to the purely religious, nature of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:37:21.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:37:21.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5496" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-11-14T22:40:52.473" Score="0" Body="Otherwise known as the householder path, the lay buddhist path is a path for non-monastic buddhists." OwnerUserId="44" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2014-11-15T05:00:08.300" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T05:00:08.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5497" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-15T04:05:07.887" Score="2" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;Surely the Buddha never said to do this as there is not a single case I have ever heard of where a dead being was able to eat food and drink from our dimension of living. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T12:46:46.297" Title="In the Tirokudda Kanda food and drink are given for dead relatives. Is this a superstitious scripture most likely not uttered by Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5464" CreationDate="2014-11-15T04:26:32.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a monk has attained one of those supernatural powers that allows seeing peoples' previous lives, he would simply just know it and there'd be no need to &quot;filter&quot; out the wrong persons. Otherwise, there's no guarantee on finding the right guy..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the passing away and re-appearance of beings. He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma...&quot; ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 39&lt;/a&gt; ~ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the topics of supernormal powers and skepticism, see the other thread &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5437/are-some-of-the-supernormal-powers-a-direct-contradiction-to-old-age-sickness&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T04:26:32.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5497" CreationDate="2014-11-15T04:44:58.800" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/pv/pv.1.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirokudda Kanda&lt;/a&gt; (as well as &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharmafarer.org&lt;/a&gt;'s traslation of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.7-Tirokudda-S-kh7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirokuḍḍa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) mentions doing this for the benefit of the dead. Meritorious acts cause positive telepathic vibes which can help betterment of the dead especially if the see and rejoice in the meritorious acts we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this does not look out of place as a later composition. It is the merit that is given not the food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also even if you leave out food this can be of some enjoyment to the spirits. Say a person liked a certain type of food and you leave it out. His spirit would naturally be attracted to it through he cannot physically partake it. As I see this is not what is mentioned in the Sutta, but the transfer of merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transfer of merit works in two way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Positive vibe associated with the positive through having a positive externality on the person concerned&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The entity rejoicing at good action creating positive karma and betterment on its own&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T12:46:46.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5500" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-15T05:19:57.733" Score="4" ViewCount="290" Body="&lt;p&gt;These three things are conducted in secret, not openly. What three? Illicit affairs, sorcery, and wrong views - says Buddha. So does this mean that secret teachings of many monks like Yogis I believe are doing one of these three things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T14:46:09.573" Title="There is a text where Buddha says that the Dharma he teaches is not a secret doctrine so why are there sects which maintain secrecy?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5500" CreationDate="2014-11-15T05:47:56.493" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said that the Dhamma he teaches is not a secret doctrine...By this he meant that the Dhamma is out in the open for everybody to know...It was there even before the times of Siddhartha Gautama. The only difference is Buddha stated it explicitly so that even lay people could understand it. Although the language of the priestly class during the times of Buddha was Sanskrit, Buddha taught in Prakrit/Pali the language of lay people so that everyone could practice it. Buddha's Dhamma is '&lt;strong&gt;Svakkhato&lt;/strong&gt;' i.e. it is well propounded and well explained by the Buddha. So in that sense it is not a secret doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And regarding secret teachings, I don't know what exactly you mean by that. But to check if something is Buddha's Dhamma or not, one yardstick would be to check if the teaching helps us to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from evil doings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Engage in good works&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Purify our mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the suttas from the Pali canon are freely available these days on various sites. So the best way to capture these posers is to keep an open, rational and analytical mind and develop our own wisdom through the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T05:47:56.493" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5502" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-15T09:25:09.377" Score="6" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose a monk is invited to a house for food and the lay person asks how the food is? How does a monk reply to such a question. I am sure a monk in his lifetime comes across many such subjective questions. How should he deal with them? Does he:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Just reply something to satisfy the lay person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give him/her a teaching on impermanence of everything&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the stories in Buddha's life, it is clear that he laid great emphasis on timing his teachings to someone. Many a time he would say that this is not the right time for him/her to learn the Dhamma. Having this in context, does it make sense to impart teaching at every possible opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please incorporate any stories if any to showcase the tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T13:58:46.437" Title="How should a monk address subjective questions?" Tags="|monk|monasticism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5503" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5505" CreationDate="2014-11-15T09:44:35.477" Score="6" ViewCount="2147" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist tradition are there different types of craving? It occurs to me that the following could all be described using the English word craving&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being thirsty (for water) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Really wanting a new car&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wistfully missing a loved one when they are temporarily absent from&#xA;your life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However they do feel like they are very different things. So are there categorisations of craving within Buddhist philosophy and if so how would my examples fit into those categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in answers from any tradition but I suspect that there might be some kind of list of craving within something like the Abidharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are great answers so far but I wonder does anyone have anything to add on a more experiential basis perhaps referencing meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:24:29.237" LastActivityDate="2017-11-18T06:29:35.433" Title="Are there different types of craving?" Tags="|philosophy|defilements|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-15T11:06:21.423" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that you're a Vipassana meditator, I hope you'll understand when I say this- do not have aversion to lust or lustful thoughts. You need to be patient. Avoid sexual misconduct, but you need to cleanse a lot till you're free of lustful thoughts. Keep going at your meditation, but again- no aversion (and ofcourse no attachment)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2287" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T11:06:21.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5503" CreationDate="2014-11-15T11:54:01.377" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Indeed, there are four levels of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving for one's life - Highest level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving for one's organs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving for loved ones&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving for external objects - Lowest level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chathurarya Sathya (Four Noble truths) by Rerukane Chandawimala Thero&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving for life arises as perceiving the five aggregates as self and this is the highest level of craving. As an example, during a natural disaster someone would first try to save his own life at any cost, then the lives of his loved ones and finally when everyone is safe, he would try to save his possessions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the given example, satisfying thirst may fall under first type, wanting a car falls under fourth and missing a loved one falls under the third level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note- The author of the book hasn't referred to any text in Pali canon whether this is  a categorization of Buddha or if it appears in Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T15:32:30.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5503" CreationDate="2014-11-15T15:13:00.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Nidānas&lt;/a&gt; closely, craving arises due to feeling. You analyze the feeling and classify it as something desirable or undesirable or neither desirable or undesirable. These &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cravings&lt;/a&gt; can be: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sense-craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;craving to be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;craving not to be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above can be one classification of the types of cravings along with what @dmsp mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T15:13:00.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5502" CreationDate="2014-11-15T15:18:22.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though not directly related to Buddhism &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to speak so that people want to listen&lt;/a&gt;&quot; gives a good strategy to be used in such situation. It is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being truthful coupled with&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And not being blunt though trueful. In this cases you can be very tactful like answering question like was the food good, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T15:18:22.177" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5503" CreationDate="2014-11-15T15:20:12.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#Types&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an analysis on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha identified three types of taṇhā:[1][4][5][6][7][a]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kama-tanha (sense-craving): craving for sense objects which provide pleasant feeling, or craving for sensory pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhava-tanha (craving to be): craving to be something, to unite with an experience. This includes craving to be solid and ongoing, to be a&#xA;  being that has a past and a future,[8] and craving to prevail and&#xA;  dominate over others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vibhava-tanha (craving not to be): craving to not experience the world, and to be nothing; a wish to be separated from painful&#xA;  feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IIRC I first met these in an English-language paraphrase of the four noble truths at the Sermon at Benares:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... the craving to have what you don't have, the craving to keep what you can't keep, the craving to live, even the craving to die ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at your example I suppose that &quot;being thirsty&quot; might be a craving to live, &quot;wanting a new car&quot; might be craving a sense-object, and &quot;wanting your loved one&quot; might be craving to be separated from a painful feeling of not being with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T15:20:12.253" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5429" CreationDate="2014-11-15T17:40:19.067" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because you added hyperlinks to specific references &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5429/celibacy-and-contradiction-with-modern-medical-science#comment7015_5429&quot;&gt;as I requested&lt;/a&gt; let me try to analyze them.&#xA;I wish you'd quoted specific sentences from those references, but let's try to summarize the whole documents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/board/read.cgi?board=BuddhistStudies&amp;amp;y_number=73&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment through Celibacy or Celibacy through Enlightenment?&lt;/a&gt; doesn't mention masturbation at all, except in the Vinaya which are the rules for nuns:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the bhikkhuni Vinaya there seem to be several rules to safeguard against sexual practices such as masturbation, homosexuality etc. The restrictions in the Vinaya againstsharing the same bed, couch, sharing the same blanket, from rubbing each others bodies, applying oils etc on another could be multi purpose including to safeguard against possible sexual activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The later sentence which says, &quot;The above clearly shows that abstinence from sexual activity is not the essence of the practice towards Enlightenment even in the case of a monk or a nun&quot; means I think that it's not the activity that's wrong, it's the self-indulging in a desire for a (conditioned) sense-object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you asking about the Vinaya rules for monks, or asking about the &quot;five precepts&quot; rules for laypeople?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its conclusion includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having examined the lives of disciples above it is difficult to conclude that celibacy is a pre-condition for Enlightenment. ... . With progress on the Path, realizing the true nature of sensual pleasures and the mind and body one progresses through to a celibate life naturally. Some reach such a state of mind earlier than others . In any event at the latest, with the attainment of third fruit of the Path, Anagami-phala one switches over to complete celibacy. Ajahn Brahmavamso writes; ⋯ since sensual desire has been totally transcended, there is no spark left to ignite the passion for sex. All Arahants are ‘potently impotent’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that Anagami-phala isn't being free of sexuality in particular: it's being free of &quot;sensual desire&quot; or Kāma-rāga in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of this document describes rules about bhikkhus. These Vinaya rules don't apply to laypeople (whereas in contrast &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5460/254&quot;&gt;these are some suggestions&lt;/a&gt; for laypeople).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You quoted Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_science&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and science&lt;/a&gt; article in your opening sentence which claims that &quot;Buddhism ... insists on revoking everything that could not be proved by scientific method or rational thought&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article says several things, none of which justify your assertion that &quot;Buddhism insists on revoking everything etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is discussed in many other topics on this site, which you can find by searching for words like &quot;faith&quot;, &quot;belief&quot;, and &quot;kalama&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You reference&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/masturbation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Masturbation: Questions and Answers&lt;/a&gt; for your claim that &quot;masturbation is a healthy way to relieve sexual desire or tension&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read its &quot;Health Benefits&quot; section as saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It lets you practice or become more skillful at sex&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It lets you practice sex without a partner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't suppose that Buddhism contradicts those statements, and maybe there's therefore no &quot;contradiction with modern medical science.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhism might disagree with is whether &quot;practising sex&quot; and &quot;becoming more skillful as sex&quot; are desirable: whether that's Buddha's message about the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, if there's a conflict between Buddhism and masturbation, I think that's because Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaches that learning freedom from sensual craving is &quot;better&quot; than pursuing sensual craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaches that there are other ways (other than sexual activity) to &quot;alleviate stress&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does NOT believe that (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unlike eating, for example&lt;/a&gt;) sex is necessary, that sex does not lead to the creation of new feelings, and is therefore a component of the Middle Way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-11-15T17:40:19.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5512" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5524" CreationDate="2014-11-16T07:47:06.170" Score="3" ViewCount="77" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula (By Sujato Bhikkhu edited by Piya Tan)&lt;/a&gt; Dharmaskandha references 6 elements that the traditional &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 elements&lt;/a&gt; in Theravada. They are not explicitly mentioned in the text. What are these elements? What are the citation for this in English? Does this coincide with the 6 elements in the Theravada Abhidhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T21:52:29.377" Title="What are the elements (Mahābhūta) references in the Sarvastivada Satipaṭṭhāna?" Tags="|history|vipassana|sutras|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5513" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5515" CreationDate="2014-11-16T12:27:35.053" Score="4" ViewCount="3090" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading the wiki page about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashic_records&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Akashic records&lt;/a&gt; and in 'See also' there is link to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Glossary of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, so it seems like it's connected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore do you believe in akashic records or something similar where all events and our experiences are stored?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="385" LastActivityDate="2022-03-01T23:19:19.860" Title="Do Buddhists believe in Akashic records?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5514" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5535" CreationDate="2014-11-16T13:23:15.690" Score="6" ViewCount="4206" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been reading Peter Harvey's &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction the Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; and I've come across the concept of storehouse consciousness. It's in relation to Yogācāra and Chan Buddhism - originally with Yogācāra. It contains karmic seeds (not sure what they are to be fair). Can anyone give me an explanation of this concept. At the moment it seems to me to be some sort of real existence that underpins reality but I'm sure that's not it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that there is an explanation on wikipedia about it but I'm not finding that hugely illuminating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T18:14:34.060" LastActivityDate="2021-03-04T22:32:10.343" Title="What is storehouse consciousness?" Tags="|philosophy|early-buddhism|yogacara|alaya-vijnana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5513" CreationDate="2014-11-16T13:43:12.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't see &amp;quot;Akashic&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;record&amp;quot; in the linked &amp;quot;Glossary of Buddhism&amp;quot; ... so the term &amp;quot;Akashic&amp;quot; might be Theosophist and/or from a tradition other than Buddhist, but I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does believe in &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; which I suppose is a way of saying that &amp;quot;events and experiences are stored&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia article references a 19th century book titled &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Esoteric Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhism, then, clearly held to a permanency of records in the Akasa, and the potential capacity of man to read the same when he has evoluted to the stage of true individual enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is something similar to that described in, for example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (in which the Buddha is someone who &amp;quot;evoluted to the stage of true individual enlightenment&amp;quot;), which says towards the end,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recollection of Past Lives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;With his mind thus ... he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives (lit: previous homes). He recollects his manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, ... , many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recollecting], 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he recollects his manifold past lives in their modes and details. Just as if a man were to go from his home village to another village, and then from that village to yet another village, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's part of the &amp;quot;miracle of instruction&amp;quot; (i.e. it's a miracle and instructive). Towards the top of that same sutta, the Buddha says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kevatta, there are these three miracles that I have declared, having directly known and realized them for myself. Which three? The miracle of psychic power, the miracle of telepathy, and the miracle of instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is somewhat quoting out of context, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be better to at least read the whole sutta than only the paragraph I quoted above, and to understand why the Buddha would call it &amp;quot;instructive&amp;quot; i.e. what he is trying to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T13:43:12.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5516" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-16T15:01:34.613" Score="4" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading the book &quot;Daham Danum Sangrahaya 1&quot; about facts of Buddhism written by a Buddhist monk. And it says if all the people in a region are educated it would be a problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to know if Buddha has ever said something like that? That education could be a problem for the society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="993" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2014-11-18T12:35:56.433" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:52:03.873" Title="Did Buddha ever say that educated people would be a problem?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5516" CreationDate="2014-11-16T16:55:13.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I haven't really come across such a remark in the suttas in Theravada. If the book doesn't refer to any sutta in the canon the monk is probably writing down his own opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the contrary, in the Mangala sutta Buddha praised learnedness when answering a question by one of the devas regarding what brings the highest blessing to a person,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Deva:]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many devas and human beings give thought to protection, desiring&#xA;  well-being. Tell, then, the highest protection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[The Buddha:]&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Living in a civilized land,&#xA;  having made merit in the past,&#xA;  directing oneself rightly:&#xA;      This is the highest protection.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Broad knowledge, skill,&#xA;  well-mastered discipline,&#xA;  well-spoken words:&#xA;      This is the highest protection&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Support for one's parents,&#xA;  assistance to one's wife and children,&#xA;  consistency in one's work:&#xA;      This is the highest protection&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;[..]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.1-9.than.html#khp-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mangala sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;[Thanissaro Bhikkhu Trans]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-11-16T17:23:56.400" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T17:23:56.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5518" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5526" CreationDate="2014-11-16T17:03:54.480" Score="7" ViewCount="734" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one doesn't know the notion of &quot;impermanence, suffering and non-self&quot;, can one see it by one's self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that I don't need to &quot;force&quot; myself to see impermanence: but do I need to keep in mind &quot;impermanence, suffering and non-self&quot; when practising?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: How much do i need to keep in mind &quot;impermance..&quot;, because if it is to low, one can see it but not realise it, if it is to high, one can intellectualize it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1076" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:07:33.597" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T19:07:33.597" Title="Keeping in mind impermanence, suffering and non-self" Tags="|mindfulness|anatman|impermanence|suffering|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5516" CreationDate="2014-11-16T18:00:59.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like anything, if you approach a subject thinking that all you need to do in order to understand it is to reduce it into terms you already feel comfortable with, terms that are already socially acceptable, you're going to face obstacles in getting to the deeper message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting an academic education today, and the ego boost it can leave you with if you're prone to that kind of thing, is bound to be a kind of obstacle to understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that the intention of the author was to imply just this, and not that reason is to be thrown out the door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T18:00:59.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5516" CreationDate="2014-11-16T19:42:53.357" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important to read the full context of what that teacher said. Also, if someone simply says: &amp;quot;The Buddha said this or that&amp;quot;, then that's not good enough. He'll need to provide backup sutras/suttas references. For example, in the suttas education is very important:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Friend, the Blessed One has described you as being endowed with seven amazing, astounding qualities. Which seven? 'Hatthaka of Alavi is endowed with conviction. He is virtuous. He has a sense of conscience. He has a sense of concern. He is learned. He is generous. He is discerning.' Friend, the Blessed One has described you as being endowed with these seven amazing, astounding qualities.&amp;quot; ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.23&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Even so, he who is experienced and has a well-trained mind, who is learned and dependable, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.08.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt; clearly knowing, he can help others to understand who are willing to listen and ready to receive&amp;quot; ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.08.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sn 2.8&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T19:42:53.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5518" CreationDate="2014-11-16T19:57:00.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on the person's potential and faculties. For some who's already practiced the Path for many lives, s/he'd naturally understand the 3 characteristics. But for some who never had previous exposure, it's important to learn about the 3 characteristics from an experienced teacher or from the sutras/suttas just so that one won't mis-understand these concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with us worldlings is that while we might gain a conceptual understanding of the teaching, we rarely apply them in our daily life. We think about these things when we're at the temple or when we study Dhamma books, but when seeing a woman with a young voluptous body walking by, all we have in mind at that moment is the smell of her perfume and her sexy curves. We'd tend to forget that that beauty is also subjected to impermanence, suffering, and non-self. She will gets old, sick, and eventually die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-16T21:17:16.700" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T21:17:16.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5514" CreationDate="2014-11-16T20:24:43.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shinshu Buddhism also refers to this&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://amida-ji-retreat-temple-romania.blogspot.com/2011/12/alaya-storehouse-consciousness-and.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://amida-ji-retreat-temple-romania.blogspot.com/2011/12/alaya-storehouse-consciousness-and.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The alaya consciousness or storehouse consciousness is the place where&#xA;  all the actions and experiences in this life and the previous lives&#xA;  generated by the seven consciousnesses are stored as karma, being the&#xA;  only consciousness which comes along with every birth. This&#xA;  consciousness influences at the same time the workings of the other&#xA;  seven consciousnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We take this alaya consciousness with us in all our births in the&#xA;  various realms of existence. It contains the seeds of various types of&#xA;  karma, and it is the storehouse of the habitual evil karmic tendencies&#xA;  that we have cultivated for eons. Because of the karmic seeds&#xA;  contained in the alaya consciousness one may die a premature death, be&#xA;  stricken with unexpected disease or inexplicable misfortune, overcome&#xA;  by strong desires, aversions and obsessions, can think and do things&#xA;  that one should never even imagine, etc. So strong is the influence of&#xA;  the alaya consciousness. .. When Shinran is recorded as saying in&#xA;  chapter 13th of Tannisho: “a person may not wish to harm anyone and&#xA;  yet end up killing a hundred or a thousand people”, he is in fact&#xA;  referring to the influence of past karma contained in the alaya&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Blockquote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this storehouse consciousness sounds like the karma dump or receptacle where all the seeds of previous intentions and actions reside. It sounds like just a different way of categorizing one of the basic principals of karma and the seeds that generate more illusory experiences. It is only creating a category for where the karma remains until it manifests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THere is further info that might be useful further down on the page of the link above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T20:24:43.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5518" CreationDate="2014-11-16T20:47:35.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say it is essential to always keep in mind the 3 universal characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditating, you instantly realize that the breath moving in and out of the body, constantly changing/fleeting, you realize that the nature of everything is impermanent, just like the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again in meditation when you want the mind to calm down and relax, but it doesn't, this causes suffering....but it's not the mind that is the problem which leads to suffering, it's simply that you wish the mind to calm down and be &quot;different&quot; to what it actually is in that moment, again this shows you the nature of suffering, we all want things to be perfect, but that simply isn't the nature of life or existence. ( The moment is  what it is, nothing more, nothing less)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, non-self. Because everything changes, because everything is impermanent, nothing remains the same. We are not the same as we were when we were children and we aren't the same now as we will be in old age, nothing can be said to be or have &quot;self&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this has helped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T20:47:35.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5512" CreationDate="2014-11-16T21:52:29.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if there're English versions out there. Anyway, Chapter 9 of the Dharmaskandha's Chinese version, the Foundations of Mindfulness, refers to the same Mahabhuta as the Pali version: earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness. (&quot;唯有種種地界水界火界風界空界識界。如是思惟諸界相時。&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-16T21:52:29.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5525" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-17T01:31:15.457" Score="5" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many places that claim to have a part of the Buddha, a tooth, ashes, a footprint (sri pada) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know, according to Theravada tradition (but I accept answers from other traditions), what is recognizable as being true? What is left on earth from the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T09:01:02.050" Title="Buddha's tooth, ashes, footprints and other marks" Tags="|theravada|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5518" CreationDate="2014-11-17T02:25:00.213" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my present (non-sectarian) teacher, the way the Three Marks are to be used is not simply as dogma to be mindful of, but rather as a tool for enquiry into our psyche -- our attachments, or preconceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to use Three Marks for enquiry into preconceptions is to try accepting one Mark at a time and see what resistance it causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you may spend a week trying to accept the truth of impermanence with all its implications. Does it highlight the cases of you trying to solve any problem &quot;once, completely, and forever&quot;? Knowing that a stable state can't be realized -- does it make all your efforts seem futile? Can you get at peace with doing your best despite this futility? Keep saying &quot;everything is temporary&quot; and keep watching yourself in real situations. All kinds of preconceptions, imprints and deep-lying assumptions will come up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, spend a week applying the truth of suffering to your situations at hand. Can you see micro-suffering hiding in millisecond-level activities? Frustration of having to apply effort. Unmet expectations. Do you secretly crave for perfect ease, with reality always matching your wishes? Do you secretly hope existence can ever be effortless? Same thing here, keep telling yourself &quot;life is suffering&quot; with regards to real life situations and see what reaction it causes in you. Is there an area that rebels against the inescapable universal suffering? If so, that's the preconception you need to go through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same way, spend another week contemplating the truth of corelessness or no-I amidst real situations. If there is no &quot;I&quot;, where do my choices are coming from now? What is the source of my thoughts now? Are my convictions and my values really mine or could this thing called &quot;I&quot; be an accumulations of formulas picked up over time? Am I really as all-important as I have always assumed to be? Do people really care what I do, how I do it and even whether I exist? What if free will is illusion and all my actions are predetermined? What if life is completely pointless and has no purpose and no meaning? Watch yourself as you try these thoughts on. In your mind, is accepting pointlessness of life connected with fear of ambiguity, essentially fear of taking responsibility? Is there deep-lying conviction that something you deem of value is trully of absolute importance? If so, that's your preconception, a piece of your ego, look at it carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, try each of these on for a week: &quot;everything is temporary&quot;, &quot;life is suffering&quot; and &quot;in the grand scheme of things I don't really exist, what I think is my life is just a ripple on the surface of reality&quot; and see what comes up. When Buddhism talks about &quot;attachments&quot; that's what these are, now perhaps for the first time you can meet them face to face.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, the Three Marks should be fully accepted, with all their implications. Interestingly, accepting each Mark has a surprising effect, almost the opposite of what you'd expect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accepting Impermanence awakens you to the eternal Now.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accepting Suffering makes suffering disappear and turns all existence into bliss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accepting Pointlessness aka losing self-importance gets us in touch with unconstricted creativity and the endless energy of the absolute.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Altogether, accepting Three Marks of Existence liberates us from Samsara and connects with Spontaneous Perfection of Unconditioned Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T03:13:37.420" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T03:13:37.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5527" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-17T02:56:50.160" Score="2" ViewCount="889" Body="&lt;p&gt;waking up to the ultimate truth of reality and that anyone can do like him. I feel like I'm living in the matrix. but i'm not so sure if waking up is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-15T13:01:52.887" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T08:37:02.220" Title="How can I be sure if the Buddha actually woke up?" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5490" CreationDate="2014-11-17T03:45:02.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;After receiving the Discipline (10 novice or novice nuns) . Carrying their line of Thich ( with its own performance measures Ex: Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when the monks of their own homes, their family should not be called by its old name. You should call the name in the temple.(Ex: &quot;uncle&quot;, &quot;aunt&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T03:45:02.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5529" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9124" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:06:00.433" Score="1" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula (By Sujato Bhikkhu edited by Piya Tan)&lt;/a&gt; Dharmaskandha and Śāripūtrābhidharma versions of the Satipatthana contains a section of shortcomings. What are the shortcomings mentioned in these versions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:43:24.590" Title="Dharmaskandha and Śāripūtrābhidharma Satipatthana contains a section of shortcomings. What are the shortcomings?" Tags="|vipassana|history|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5530" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5543" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:13:44.087" Score="1" ViewCount="180" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula (By Sujato Bhikkhu edited by Piya Tan)&lt;/a&gt; Śāripūtrābhidharma Satipatthana contains a section on &lt;strong&gt;oozing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_orifice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;orifices&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. What exactly does Śāripūtrābhidharma sources say about &lt;strong&gt;oozing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_orifice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;orifices&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in English? Are there are parallels in Theravada literature especially the Tripitaka which compair with what Śāripūtrābhidharma sources say? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T03:53:21.913" Title="Does any Theravada Suttas / sources refer to Oozing orifices? What are the Suttas?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|pali-canon|reference-request|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5531" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5544" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:19:39.450" Score="1" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula (By Sujato Bhikkhu edited by Piya Tan)&lt;/a&gt; Śāripūtrābhidharma versions of the Satipatthana contains a reference to food. What exactly does it say about food and does Theravada sources have similar references else where? Is food referenced as one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;elements (Mahābhūta)&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:43:03.227" Title="What does Śāripūtrābhidharma Satipatthana sources mention about food? Does other Theravada source have such references?" Tags="|vipassana|reference-request|history|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3695" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:23:10.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation as a healthy practice of &quot;spiritual hygiene&quot; is not limited to Buddhist practitioners though the language used to teach meditation is easily accessible through Buddhist teachings.  Contemplative practice is part of Judaism and other religious traditions.  Jewish Buddhist retreats combining practices from both traditions in the setting of competent teaching and supportive community are available.  See www.truenorthinsight.com for further information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2291" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T04:23:10.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5513" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:24:48.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&#xA;In Mind-Only school of Buddhism, there is something called the 8 consciousnesses.&#xA;The &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#Eight_vij.C3.B1.C4.81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8th consciousnes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, aka &lt;strong&gt;the alaya storehouse consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;, is the closest equivalent to a &quot;Akashic record.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is an easily misunderstood concept according to the Surangama Sutra and the late Zen Master Huai-Chin Nan's lectures because apparently one can easily become confused about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha (Gautama) said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The storehouse consciousness [alaya] is very deep and subtle; All its&#xA;  seeds are like a torrential flow. I do not explain it to the ignorant,&#xA;  For fear they will cling to it and consider it a self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It poses as the last barrier to Complete Enlightenment aka Buddhahood and also has to be transformed. There is not much information available in English on this topic because it such a high-level topic and is irrelevant for most people who are at a very low leve of cultivation, according to Master Nan. Also, according to Master Nan, there is no point in going into it much because no one has samadhi in the first place and when you come even close to transforming the skandha of consciousness, you will be receiving lessons from angels and bodhisattvas on the matter anyway... so no need to be learning about all that late-game stuff! Focus on what's immediately before you namely, learning to meditate and attain samadhi and bodhi!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With that as a warning, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/blog/2008/09/the-highest-states-in-buddhism-vs-hinduism-the-alaya-consciousness-vs-brahman/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is an article written by Zen Master Nan's student, Bill Bodri, that goes at length on the alaya consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A “Buddha” doesn’t mean Buddhism. It means a completely enlightened&#xA;  being, from any place within the Triple Realm, who has overturned the&#xA;  alaya and escaped the Three Realms, and who can thus survey the Three&#xA;  Realms clearly from without and know all such things within it like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What is right or wrong in each and every condition. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What the karma is of every sentient being - whether of the past, present or future. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;All the various stages and types of dhyana and samadhi. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The powers and faculties of all sentient beings. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The desires or moral direction of every sentient being. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The actual condition of every sentient being. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The direction and consequence of all dharmas, events, functions, happenings or circumstances. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;All causes of mortality and of good and evil in their reality. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The end of all beings and Nirvana. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The destruction of all illusions of every kind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: the above records is AFTER the alaya as well as the stages prior to it are penetrated and purified..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book by the author of that article, How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization, goes into this topic and many other supplementary and complementary topics at length in satisfying extensively scientific detail. Topics covered:&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zx1C2.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read it 10 years ago and since then I have become enamoured with the spiritual path. Since then I have read thousands of spiritual and religious content and it is still the highest level book available. I highly recommend it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T06:39:01.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T06:39:01.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:44:54.797" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why care if anybody woke up?&#xA;What use is it to you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll answer that for you: the only use you have of getting qualified answers from qualified people (like the Buddha, Jesus, etc.) is that they have a case history of their answers working for many people (who actually did what they said not just learned about it).&#xA;So what do you do? Is believing anything gonna do you any good?&#xA;No! Develop your own curiousity for it.&#xA;If you don't like it then go somewhere else, find something you like, find something that clicks with you and go for it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to Buddhism, you &lt;strong&gt;are&lt;/strong&gt; living in the matrix and the Buddha outlined a method to escape social conditioning (including media brainwash) and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;achieve permanent happiness no matter the situation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;escape the matrix of your body and mind and be able to reincarnate where you want&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attain super-powers which have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;certain signs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's my perspective and it's based on the various Buddhist teachers I've had, Taoist, Tantric, Zen, Esoteric, and Consciousness-Only, all of which I reccommend you study.&#xA;But you can't just believe all that amazing stuff about the Buddha and other superheroes by reading and thinking alone--which can be convincing alone if you read enough material and study enough bioenergetics--you've got to achieve it!&#xA;After you learn enough about it and gain the confidence about the overall path.&#xA;My personal reccommendation on where to start? Pick up a book by Master Nan (he passed away a few years ago but the human journey remains the same). Or if you're poor, start &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/articles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and read the articles you like.&#xA;Learn about the 5 overall stages of the path and the different things that happen to your body when you meditate and do yoga correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whatever you do, don't answer to anyone by blind faith. And always be open to reading and learning for yourself independently going as far as you can with that amazing mind of yours!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't believe me or anybody as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fakebuddhaquotes.com/do-not-believe-in-anything-simply-because-you-have-heard-it/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;originally said by the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&#xA;“Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness’ — then you should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T04:44:54.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5514" CreationDate="2014-11-17T04:47:32.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mind-Only school of Buddhism, there is something called the 8 consciousnesses. The 8th consciousnes, aka the alaya storehouse consciousness, similar to an &quot;Akashic record.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is an easily misunderstood concept according to the Surangama Sutra and the late Zen Master Huai-Chin Nan's lectures because apparently one can easily become confused about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha (Gautama) said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The storehouse consciousness [alaya] is very deep and subtle; All its&#xA;  seeds are like a torrential flow. I do not explain it to the ignorant,&#xA;  For fear they will cling to it and consider it a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It poses as the last barrier to Complete Enlightenment aka Buddhahood and also has to be transformed. There is not much information available in English on this topic because it such a high-level topic and is irrelevant for most people who are at a very low leve of cultivation, according to Master Nan. Also, according to Master Nan, there is no point in going into it much because no one has samadhi in the first place and when you come even close to transforming the skandha of consciousness, you will be receiving lessons from angels and bodhisattvas on the matter anyway... so no need to be learning about all that late-game stuff! Focus on what's immediately before you namely, learning to meditate and attain samadhi and bodhi!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that as a warning, here is an article written by Zen Master Nan's student, Bill Bodri, that goes at length on the alaya consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book by the author of that article, How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization, goes into this topic and many other supplementary and complementary topics at length in delicious scientific detail. I read it 10 years ago and since then I have become enamoured with the spiritual path. Since then I have read thousands of spiritual and religious content and it is still the highest level book available. I highly reccommend it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T04:47:32.130" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5463" CreationDate="2014-11-17T06:56:38.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the previous answers are good but there's more to it..&#xA;The dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya, together called the &lt;strong&gt;trikaya&lt;/strong&gt; are the key summary of Buddhism and in fact Taoism and the whole spiritual shebang.&#xA;It encompasses all virtues, all powers, and all the things that you could possibly want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can work on each body and still not gain the others.&#xA;They are interpenetrating but they are also worked on individually.&#xA;This means that you can be Enlightened but not have any powers (effects of sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like to describe the Trikaya through the powers that one gains from perfecting them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body of Essence: Dharmakaya: being free from birth-and-death, no ego, disillusionment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body of Virtue: Sambhogakaya: all the paramitas completed, all virtues completed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body of Manifestation: Nirmanakaya: self-duplication (think Naruto), thought emanations, thought manifestation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen masters all had the dharmakaya but usually did not complete the sambhogakaya or nirmanakaya. They were just like &quot;Ah, I got everything. Worldly people and their affairs don't matter to me. Everything is emptiness. I am not real and neither are they. All that matters is my true self, which is indescribable. Off I go.&quot; But there was more to the Buddhist project than that!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Mahayanist masters on the other hand had the dharmakaya and the sambhogakaya, they exemplified stellar character yet also had deep realizations of the soul that the Zen masters had. They had achieved dharmakaya &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; sambhogakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, some Taoist masters have the nirmanakaya but not the previous. They could perform miracles, thought manifestation, etc. Many could even live for thousands of years at a time. Nonetheless, they held too strongly to their notion of a self and did not see their true nature, their true self which exists beyond the body and mind.&#xA;But they could live forever, so that's something isn't it?&#xA;Wrong.&#xA;The Buddha said that these people are living the wrong path and he could see deep into their future lives and said they would suffer repercussions in the future lifetimes for it. (Of course you and I don't any of these three so we'll suffer even worse repercussions I think! So don't be looking down on these immortals with this piece of knowledge you have just attained.)&#xA;Many seers and people that can do things with their chi energies?&#xA;They are all just playing with the nirmanakay body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ever mantra and feel like the Buddha is helping you? That's a nirmanakaya manifestation. A whole bunch of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Big secret:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;A Buddha actually completed the cultivation of Trikaya and stays in a separate dimension and sends out his nirmanakaya manifestation to people based on causes-and-conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Big secret #2:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;We all actually have ALL three bodies, too. They are a &lt;strong&gt;range&lt;/strong&gt; and you can see in your experience how much of each body you have achieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each can be summarized respectively in the following qualities: true awareness, true virtue, true power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you climb the spiritual ladder, you will develop these qualities but with the Trikaya model and the other models in Buddhism, you can turn it into a much more fun project and work on what you're missing... in a very long-term sense since usually nobody accomplishes all three Trikaya in one lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more on this subject of Buddhism with this kind of thinking read &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot; by Bill Bodri.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitely, know that the Trikaya are NOT just some psychological thing. They involve things like spiritual immortality, immortality of character, and immortality of the flesh-body (respectively).&#xA;They umbrella the entire scope of development of everything with of course importance placed on the development of Buddhist emptiness for spiritual immortality and virtue and Taoism for cultivation of the power of multiple body emanation (yang shen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T07:03:45.463" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T07:03:45.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2014-11-17T07:45:54.923" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel the reason why people struggle to see that becoming &quot; Awakened&quot; is impossible or very difficult is because of ignorance. How can anyone possibly see something that they can't comprehend, it's a paradox!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But......this is why we know the Buddha was &quot;enlightened&quot; and &quot;awakened&quot; to the truth of suffering because He created the Dhamma, the Noble Eightfold  path, the way out of suffering.( It would be impossible for someone to show others the way out if they themselves were not free!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matrix you speak of is the delusion, it is the ignorance which blinds us of the truth, but once you come to realize the truth, you will see that in fact it takes more energy and creation to live in a world of fantasy, a world of fantasy that will bring pain and suffering to all!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have helped you in someway!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T07:45:54.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5525" CreationDate="2014-11-17T10:29:36.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this information on Wikipedia. I hope you find it useful!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piprahwa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piprahwa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In January 1898, W.C. Peppe led a team of men to unearth a large mound on his land. Having cleared away scrub and jungle they set to work building a deep trench through the mound. Eventually they came to a large stone coffer which, on opening, contained five small vases containing ashes and jewels .[6]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one of the vases was an inscription which was translated at the time to mean &amp;quot;This relic deposit of the Lord Buddha is the share of this renowned Sakya brethren, his own sister’s children and his own son;&amp;quot; meaning that this reliquary contained the ashes of the Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama[note 1], a member of the Sakyas [4] (however, there is no mention in the Buddhist scriptures of the Buddha having a sister). And in the 1970s the original interment site of the Buddha's ashes at Piprahwa was claimed to have been discovered by the Indian archaeologist S.M. Srivastava several feet deeper than the coffer containing the relics that W.C. Peppe had excavated.[5] This find was dated by Srivastava to the period in which Buddha lived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T13:34:50.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2014-11-17T11:51:28.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My 2 cents: Before you can judge whether another person is accomplished, at anything, or not, you have to be accomplished yourself. You have to develop your sensitivity such that you know true from false even in very subtle cases. I'd say that as long as the Buddha inspires you, pushes you to do things which deep down you know are right, you stick with it to the best of your ability. Ultimately it is said we should know for ourselves. There is no clear-cut proof for a claim for which its axioms have not been laid down and understood. And by what teachers tell us, nibbana is not a logical conclusion based on our pervasive daily axioms, it's an axiom to be verified for oneself. Until we realize the truth of this axiom, our job is to stick with it and see what it leads to, where it leads us. And we just keep pushing forward, chipping away at our mental defilements, each one at their own pace. But any steady pace is better than staying in place, to say nothing of regressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for living inside the matrix, you should realize that this perception is a modern one, and brings with it quite a load of baggage from science fiction, so you should be very careful with it. To the extent of my readings, the Buddha never spoke about delusion in terms of the existence of objects (in fact he &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;did not approve&lt;/a&gt; of such discussions), but rather in terms of the benefits we perceive in our conventions, which simply keep us in the cycle, because the nature of our objects is to appear, cease, and reappear, over and over again. Each time they near perishing, we should be very careful about our suppositions. We should realize their nature, that our control over their ways is limited, so as to not crash down with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One said to the monks: &quot;In one who keeps focusing on the allure of clingable phenomena, craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origin of this entire mass of suffering &amp;amp; stress. -- &lt;em&gt;SN 12.52&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T11:56:46.217" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T11:56:46.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2014-11-17T13:30:24.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know what &amp;quot;living in the Matrix&amp;quot; means (although I've seen the movie).&#xA;I'm not a psychologist -- is it &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dissociation&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Depersonalization&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derealization&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Derealization&lt;/a&gt;, or something like that, that you think you're feeling?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, back to the topic of the Buddha: you're asking whether he awoke to the ultimate truth of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, the main truths, the first truths, that he taught were that unhappiness comes from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wanting things you that don't have (e.g. because we are not infinitely rich/wealthy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wanting to keep things you can't keep (e.g. because people get sick and die, things get old and worn out)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wanting to be someone who you're not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wanting to be not yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also taught that it's possible to let go of that unhappiness, by letting go of all that wanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you stop wanting the wrong things (see above) then that removes the cause of your unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know about you but this seems like a sensible teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's helpful (how to stop being unhappy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's practicable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's testable (you can try it for yourself, perhaps even easily try it)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then goes on to give a lot of other good advice: for example about how to prevent anger from arising. It's difficult to summarize what he taught because there's so much of it; but when he summarized it, he summarized it as &amp;quot;the truth of suffering, and the truth of cessation of suffering&amp;quot; ... i.e. he taught about what causes unhappiness, and taught a way which if you follow it will lead to the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That 'way' includes many components: e.g. you have to 'understand' what the way is, you need 'will' or intention to follow the way, you need some mental 'concentration', etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a sutta called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Sutta: Awakened&lt;/a&gt; which starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi... &amp;quot;Monks, the Tathagata — the worthy one, the rightly self-awakened one, who from disenchantment with form, from dispassion, from cessation, from lack of clinging (for form) is released — is termed 'rightly self-awakened.' And a discernment-released monk — who from disenchantment with form, from dispassion, from cessation, from lack of clinging (for form) is released — is termed 'discernment-released.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and ends with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;The Tathagata — the worthy one, the rightly self-awakened one — is the one who gives rise to the path (previously) unarisen, who engenders the path (previously) unengendered, who points out the path (previously) not pointed out. He knows the path, is expert in the path, is adept at the path. And his disciples now keep following the path and afterwards become endowed with the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing between one rightly self-awakened and a monk discernment-released.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary the Buddha is called &amp;quot;self-awakened&amp;quot; because he himself figured out what he taught; monks can now follow the path which he discovered and taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that &amp;quot;being enchanted with form&amp;quot;, having &amp;quot;passion&amp;quot; for forms, and &amp;quot;clinging&amp;quot; to forms is being described by analogy as a kind of being asleep, being unskillful, being unaware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T13:30:24.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5541" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-17T13:51:22.407" Score="6" ViewCount="2991" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people believed certain &lt;code&gt;Paritta&lt;/code&gt;/&lt;code&gt;Sutta&lt;/code&gt; have certain magical power, for example &lt;code&gt;Bojjhanga Sutta&lt;/code&gt; for curing illness and &lt;code&gt;Om Mani Padme Hum&lt;/code&gt; having a great (even greatest) magical power among other &lt;code&gt;Mantra&lt;/code&gt; (i refer &lt;code&gt;Mantra&lt;/code&gt; to &lt;code&gt;Mahayana&lt;/code&gt; tradition and &lt;code&gt;Paritta&lt;/code&gt; to &lt;code&gt;Theravada&lt;/code&gt; tradition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha has spoken &lt;strong&gt;by Himself&lt;/strong&gt; - that His follower can re-chant his words (&lt;code&gt;Sutta&lt;/code&gt;/&lt;code&gt;Mantra&lt;/code&gt;) to gain specific magical power? If He has, please kindly tell me what &lt;code&gt;Sutta&lt;/code&gt; is it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note : Please dont be offensed, i love listening to &lt;code&gt;Sutta&lt;/code&gt;, but im curious about this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T12:41:45.067" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T22:48:14.477" Title="Does Paritta/Sutta really have magical power?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|sutras|sceptic|tantra|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2014-11-17T14:21:27.093" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.067.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 4.67&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha allowed the monks to use the paritta to protect themselves from harm. Notice Ven. Thanissaro's note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is one of the few protective charms mentioned in the Pali canon and specifically allowed by the Buddha for monks to use (another charm, also allowed to the monks, is contained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.32.0.piya.html&quot;&gt;DN 32&lt;/a&gt;). Note that the power of the charm is said to come, not from the words, but from the mind of good will with which they are said. It thus differs from charms taught in later forms of Buddhism, where the words themselves are said to contain power.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T14:21:27.093" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5530" CreationDate="2014-11-17T14:33:18.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 9.15&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A boil,' monks, is another word for this body composed of the four properties, born of mother &amp;amp; father, fed on rice &amp;amp; porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing &amp;amp; massaging, breaking-up &amp;amp; disintegrating. It has nine openings, nine un-lanced heads. Whatever would ooze out from it would be an uncleanliness oozing out, a stench oozing out, a disgust oozing out. Whatever would be discharged from it would be an uncleanliness discharging, a stench discharging, a disgust discharging. For that reason, you should become disenchanted with this body.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T14:33:18.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5531" CreationDate="2014-11-17T14:53:29.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically it cautioned the practitioner not to crave and endulge the 6 sense objects (form, sound, smell, etc.), clothing, food, drink, medicine, etc. for craving of those leads to suffering.&#xA;The Pali source mentioned the Four Nutriments which includes food as the physical nutriment, contact, mental volition, and consciousness. Analysis and various suttas are available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T14:53:29.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2014-11-17T15:01:19.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Bleep_Do_We_Know!%3F&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Bleep Do We Know!?&lt;/a&gt;, when you chant on water and look at it under an electronic microscope, there are visible structural patterns which emerge in the water atoms. This does not go to the extent of trying to deduce if this is beneficial but positive vibes created in chanting may have beneficial effects. This is mentioned in the canonical texts also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, the greatest benefit is when you understand, memorize and put what is said into practice. This is by far greater.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2014-11-17T15:37:54.017" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T15:37:54.017" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2014-11-17T16:40:49.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, something which has no start and no end is the creator of the world, and has no mind and no story as a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I expect that the historical Buddha (who was a human being) is not the God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2242" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-24T02:16:23.740" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T02:16:23.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5547" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6049" CreationDate="2014-11-17T18:53:11.093" Score="4" ViewCount="501" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard the Yogācāra school of Buddhism called 'mind only'. What does that refer to? Does this school believe that the mind has a real inherent existence but nothing else does? Alternatively is it a more metaphorical designation or perhaps a provisional description of a deeper notion or maybe a name given to it by other schools (in the same way as Hinayana was used by Mahayanan schools)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T18:03:31.660" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T18:03:31.660" Title="Why is the Yogācāra school called 'mind only'?" Tags="|philosophy|early-buddhism|yogacara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2014-11-17T19:48:31.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it works for you, it works for you. The siddhis and mantras, sutra recitations as magic are outside of science (or more to the point, there is no support for magic from science-- and if there was, then it wouldn't be magic anymore, it would be a new branch of science).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that said, the siddhis are most convincing when the effect of the &quot;magic&quot; is something that happens in the confines of your own head. If you say a mantra to magically make yourself brave, and it works for you, that actually sounds quite plausible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-17T19:48:31.300" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5549" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-18T00:59:54.807" Score="-1" ViewCount="255" Body="&lt;p&gt;If everyone in Tibet or Earth even for instance quit reproducing then how could a Lama reincarnate when his reincarnation depends on the freewill of the people who are reproducing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2229" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-01T02:37:26.120" LastActivityDate="2014-12-01T02:37:26.120" Title="How does Buddhism reconcile evolution with reincarnation?" Tags="|vajrayana|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2014-12-01T07:33:55.443" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5549" CreationDate="2014-11-18T02:04:19.430" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important to keep in mind the true pupose of a reincarnated Teacher: &quot;As long as sentient being remain, may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world&quot;. If there was no one left, then the teacher's job would've been completed and there would be no further need to come back to this world. From a bigger cosmos perspective, there're uncountable other places for sentient existence, so if our planet will no longer be habitable to sentient beings in the future, a great teacher will just simply move on to other places to dispel the miseries of those &quot;other worlds&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-18T02:04:19.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5551" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5556" CreationDate="2014-11-18T11:27:26.897" Score="5" ViewCount="106" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is necessary to develop insight in the way ignorance lies at the basis for the conditioning of suffering. See 12 links of dependent co-origination. Insight in the conditioning of suffering is developed by seeing the four noble truths at work at every aspect of the dependent co-origination. Ie: fabrications are suffering because these will &quot;colour&quot; experience, therefore ending the fabrications (unskilful actions, complex emotions, fixed ideas,etc...) is to be achieved by developing wisdom instead of ignorance, and finally this transforming of ignorance into wisdom becomes the path of transformation. When then does the newly acquired skill itself become redundant and a hindrance to liberation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;------------- EDIT--------------&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somehow the thinking part, the studying element of the development of wisdom creates a structure essential to gain insight into suffering. This knowledge may then become a kind of established truth, again giving rise to clinging to it, craving for it, ... and ultimately the birth of &quot;the truth&quot;. This doctrine now needs to be defended, is liable to decay and misinterpretation, ... in short suffering. As it is impossible to use the insight to overcome itself (this is like a vicious circle), the only option left is to know when to abandon the knowledge (like in the raft simile) lest it becomes anew a cause for suffering. I hope this does clarify the issue somewhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2294" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-19T09:30:07.560" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T13:25:25.577" Title="How to prevent the development of insight to become ignorance anew?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5549" CreationDate="2014-11-18T16:40:23.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are really heterogeneous questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The answer to the body of the question:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Bardo is the intermediate step between one life and the next. I don't know of any particular reason why we couldn't image Bardo to last longer if need be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the cosmology, it the universe is mind boggling huge and there are multiple &quot;universes&quot;, so if you can't be reborn on Earth, you'll be reborn in another universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for what would happen if everyone died in all universes, then I guess that would be the same as the universe ending. The cosmologies say that a new universe will come along, pop back into existence and replace the old one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The answer to the title,&lt;/strong&gt; read up on Lopez's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0300159129&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Scientific Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.  In short, Lopez doesn't think Buddhism has a lot of support for evolution (or vica versa)-- he thinks one is a science, one is a religion (magic, afterlife, abstruse philosophy) and mixing them is bad scholarship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0199985561&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Biology&lt;/a&gt; Barash finds numerous parallels between ideas in Biology and Buddhism, entirely from a secular viewpoint (i.e. Buddhism without reincarnation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-18T16:40:23.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5472" CreationDate="2014-11-18T19:10:26.270" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please be advised that, although many people will give you their take on how lust is to be &amp;quot;mindfully integrated&amp;quot; into daily life, this is the complete opposite of the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.06.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Soṇa Sutta: Soṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not easy, living at home, to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, a polished shell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Ud 5.6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta: The Nun&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ananda approached the nun and, on arrival, sat down on a prepared seat. As he was sitting there, he said to the nun: &amp;quot;This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 4.159&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, indeed, lord. I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, and those acts the Blessed One says are obstructive, when indulged in are not genuine obstructions.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Worthless man, from whom have you understood that Dhamma taught by me in such a way? Worthless man, haven't I in many ways described obstructive acts? And when indulged in they are genuine obstructions. I have said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks. I have compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones: of much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks. I have compared sensual pleasures to a lump of flesh... a grass torch... a pit of glowing embers... a dream... borrowed goods... the fruits of a tree... a butcher's ax and chopping block... swords and spears... a snake's head: of much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks. But you, worthless man, through your own wrong grasp [of the Dhamma], have both misrepresented us as well as injuring yourself and accumulating much demerit for yourself, for that will lead to your long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 22&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;The passion for his resolves is a man's sensuality,&#xA;not the beautiful sensual pleasures&#xA;  found in the world.&#xA;The passion for his resolves is a man's sensuality.&#xA;&#xA;The beauties remain as they are in the world,&#xA;while the wise, in this regard,&#xA;  subdue their desire.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-18T20:19:39.410" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2014-11-19T01:41:56.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Many people believed certain Paritta/Sutta have certain magical power, for example Bojjhanga Sutta for curing illness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that if you tell a sutta like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.014.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gilana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; to someone whose body is very ill, that can help them, especially when ('right speech') they want to, when they are ready to hear the dhamma from you (which we can assume Kassapa wanted to, was ready to hear from the Buddha):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Well Kassapa, how is it with you? Are you bearing up, are you&#xA;enduring (your suffering)? Do your pains decrease or increase? Are&#xA;there signs of your pains decreasing and not of increasing?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, Ven. Sir, I am not bearing up, I am not enduring, the pain is&#xA;very great. There is a sign not of pains decreasing but of their&#xA;increasing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Kassapa, these seven factors of enlightenment are well expounded by&#xA;me and are cultivated and fully developed by me. They conduce to&#xA;perfect understanding, to full realization (of the four Noble Truths)&#xA;and to Nibbana.  What are the seven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i. &amp;quot;Mindfulness, the factor of enlightenment, Kassapa, is well expounded by me, and is cultivated and fully developed by me. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization and to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii. &amp;quot;Investigation of the Dhamma, the factor of enlightenment, Kassapa, is (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this can help them to feel better, to &amp;quot;bear up&amp;quot;, to endure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might even (temporarily) help to cure their illness. Or it might not. I don't think we should expect it to cure their physical illness for ever: because, &amp;quot;all compound things are subject to decay.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of Buddhism is to help people even though, even when there is illness, there is death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do you think about this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I this that it is possible for a person who is living and who is dying to understand, to realize, to cultivate the seven factors of enlightenment: to be mindful, to investigate the Dhamma, to persevere, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I even think that can have a 'magical' effect on people: i.e. when they live and when they die they might feel equanimity and kindness and so on, instead of feeling anger and suffering and ignorance and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the reason why it happens isn't 'magic' it happens for a reason: the reason why it happens is right view, right intention, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the belief that a ritual has a magical power might be a &amp;quot;fetter&amp;quot;, if I've understood that right. See for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Three_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three fetters&lt;/a&gt;; or this description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistteachings.org/eight-noble-beings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five lower fet­ters&lt;/a&gt; which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sīlabbata-parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt;: attach­ment to moral pre­cepts and reli­gious prac­tices. Attach­ment to form and cer­e­mony. The mis­taken under­stand­ing that one will be puri­fied and lib­er­ated merely by the act of keep­ing moral pre­cepts, rules, tra­di­tions, and prac­tices. The belief that these rules and prac­tices are sacred in them­selves. One fol­lows them with the desire for reward or acqui­si­tion. Miss­ing the true pur­pose of moral pre­cepts and reli­gious obser­vances, one ends up astray or in an extreme form of prac­tice (say of prac­tis­ing extreme asceti­cism—tapa), not on the Noble Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately however; although death is real and suffering exists; even so the dhamma, hearing the dhamma and reciting the dhamma can be helpful, can help to liberate people from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T13:28:35.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5555" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5557" CreationDate="2014-11-19T06:26:10.550" Score="8" ViewCount="46436" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently during my meditation sessions I have been getting a vibrating sensation between the eyebrows sometimes it can be quite intense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have looked online and from what I can find it suggests this sensation refers to the &quot;third eye&quot;. Just wondering if this is mentioned in any buddhists texts and is sensation normal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2305" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:42:10.910" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:42:10.910" Title="Vibrating Sensation in Middle of forehead during meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5551" CreationDate="2014-11-19T13:25:25.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, Buddhism is not simply a doctrine or belief system that needs to be defended through clinging to its knowledge or the view. The wisdom mentioned here that is acquired through reading, thinking or studying has to be experienced through Vipassana meditation. Unless it is experienced through this way, this knowledge will become just another view among many other views in this world subject to decay and misinterpretations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a seven step purification process in Vipassana where you begin simply from practicing virtue, give up all the wrong views midway and finally end in wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You go through the entire process similar to using seven relay chariots until you arrive at the destination where each chariot is used only to achieve its designated purpose and then you abandon it without clinging to it; this is explained nicely in Ratha-vinitha sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... purity in terms of &lt;em&gt;virtue&lt;/em&gt; is simply for&#xA;the sake of &lt;em&gt;purity in terms of mind&lt;/em&gt;. Purity in terms of mind is simply&#xA;for the sake of &lt;em&gt;purity in terms of view&lt;/em&gt;. Purity in terms of view is&#xA;simply for the sake of purity in terms of the &lt;em&gt;overcoming of&#xA;perplexity&lt;/em&gt;. Purity in terms of the overcoming of perplexity is simply&#xA;for the sake of purity in terms of &lt;em&gt;knowledge &amp;amp; vision of what is &amp;amp; is&#xA;not the path&lt;/em&gt;. Purity in terms of knowledge &amp;amp; vision of what is &amp;amp; is&#xA;not the path is simply for the &lt;em&gt;sake of purity in terms of knowledge &amp;amp;&#xA;vision of the way&lt;/em&gt;. Purity in terms of knowledge &amp;amp; vision of the way is&#xA;simply for the sake of &lt;em&gt;purity in terms of knowledge &amp;amp; vision&lt;/em&gt;. Purity&#xA;in terms of knowledge &amp;amp; vision is simply for the sake of &lt;em&gt;total&#xA;Unbinding through lack of clinging&lt;/em&gt;. And it's for the sake of total&#xA;Unbinding through lack of clinging that the holy life is lived under&#xA;the Blessed One.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ratha-vinita Sutta&lt;/a&gt; [Thanissaro Bhikkhu]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the steps are followed properly, then it doesn't become a vicious cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T13:25:25.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5555" CreationDate="2014-11-19T13:46:07.490" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes the sensation is a normal condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is just muscle/nerve spasms. They may be happening throughout the day but go largely unnoticed. They are also at level of neuron firings so you typically will not be able to see them physically. During meditation you are probably more aware of the tiny changes in your body. One thing I notice during meditation is how loud my stomach has been this last week. The more you become aware of them the more intense they will probably appear to manifest. Unless it is a medical condition such as a hemifacial spasm they will typically go away on their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T13:46:07.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2360" CreationDate="2014-11-19T14:11:09.173" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did NOT take the Bodhisattva vow. His vow was to both reach enlightenment and provide a way for any other being who wants it to also reach it. He did both things. These thing are not the Bodhisattva vow by any means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva vow is contrary to it, one takes a vow NOT TO REACH ENLIGHTENMENT until one has helped all other beings to be liberated. This is mere attachment to becoming and to rebirth. First of all, beings are infinite, and vowing to liberate them all is non-sensical. Secondly, as stated by the Buddha, no one can liberate other beings. The Buddha provided the path, but cannot walk it for anyone. Thirdly, the vow would want for you to give others what you yourself do not have, have not realized and experienced. So even if it were possible to liberate others, which it isn't, you would still be unable to do it unless you yourself become enlightened. A Bodhisattva is by definition unenlightened, and so does not stand a chance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of this Bodhisattva doctrine, which is contrary to Dhamma, no one from the Mahayana is ever liberated, and instead clings to becoming and rebirth, out of fear of letting go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2306" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T14:11:09.173" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5559" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-19T14:24:17.017" Score="2" ViewCount="156" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very close to someone in my family. I have supported her through rough times and offered my advice. However, she does not support me for the one thing I want in life. I am working hard to achieve my goal (career related), but she is completely against it. I have to live with her, and interact with her everyday and I feel her negative vibes around me. It really hurts my feelings. How can I deal with this issue and maintain peace in my mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you, I appreciate it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2307" LastEditorUserId="2307" LastEditDate="2014-11-19T17:04:04.927" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T19:58:04.470" Title="How to deal with loved ones who don't support you?" Tags="|relationship|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2014-11-22T23:24:45.167" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5560" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-19T14:28:07.233" Score="3" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Potaliya Sutta, Buddha says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So too, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: ‘Sensual pleasures have been compared to fruits on a tree by the Blessed One; they provide much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is great.’ Having seen this thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, he avoids the equanimity that is diversified, based on diversity, and develops the equanimity that is unified, based on unity, where clinging to the material things of the world utterly ceases without remainder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference in Equanimity that is diversified and Equanimity which is unified?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The complete sutta can be found here...&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T17:54:49.177" Title="Difference between Equanimity which is diversified and Equanimity which is unified" Tags="|mindfulness|equanimity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5559" CreationDate="2014-11-19T14:29:43.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to understand her perspective. Why does she not support your choices? What is her intentions? Perhaps she just loves and cares for you and her thinking/rational is how she is trying to care for you. If you can better understand her it will help her to better understand you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice metta (loving kindness) meditation with her as your focus. Perhaps even practice loving-kindness meditation together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T14:29:43.877" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5555" CreationDate="2014-11-19T16:12:41.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What kind of meditation are you practicing right now? I believe you are practicing Anapana and have not yet ventured into Vipassana. When you will start doing Vipassana, you will realise that there are vibrations constantly happening all over the body. We use these vibrations, this arising and falling of sensations to ascertain the reality of impermanence and anatta. So basically your mindfulness has increased making you aware of these sensations. A word of caution will be not to get attached to these sensations...sometimes you may not feel them and sometimes these sensations may be painful...remaining equanimous all the time is the key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2014-11-19T17:03:50.717" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T17:03:50.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5560" CreationDate="2014-11-19T17:54:49.177" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali version of this expression identifies equanimity that is diversified as &lt;em&gt;upekkhā nānattā nānattasitā&lt;/em&gt; and equanimity which is unified as &lt;em&gt;upekkhā ekattā&#xA;ekattasitā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Evameva kho, gahapati, ariyasāvako iti paṭi­sañcik­khati:&#xA;  ‘rukkha­phalū­pamā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo&#xA;  ettha bhiyyo’ti. Evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya disvā yāyaṃ&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;upekkhā nānattā nānattasitā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; taṃ abhinivajjetvā yāyaṃ &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;upekkhā ekattā&#xA;  ekattasitā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; yattha sabbaso lokāmisūpādānā aparisesā nirujjhanti&#xA;  tamevūpekkhaṃ bhāveti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/mn54&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Potaliyasutta [Pali]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following excerpt from Excursions Into the Thought-World of the Pali Discourses by Bhikkhu Analayo explains them in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unified equanimity of deeper Jhāna experience is considerably more&#xA;  refined than worldly types of equanimity that are based on diversity,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;upekkhā nānattā nānattasitā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.ie/books?id=NmH79PBjjHQC&amp;amp;pg=PA174&amp;amp;lpg=PA174&amp;amp;dq=equanimity+that+is+unified&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=sOW8w_jxli&amp;amp;sig=yoLF1SsqmorTMHVpy8sQiskdB4o&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=stVsVNV-gttq2KuBqAk&amp;amp;ved=0CDwQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=equanimity%20that%20is%20unified&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Excursions Into the Thought-World of the Pali Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;   By Bhikkhu Analayo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in summary,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;equanimity that is diversified = undeveloped mind&lt;br&gt;&#xA;equanimity which is unified = a mind at Jhāna level&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2014-11-19T17:54:49.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5564" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-19T19:02:29.070" Score="5" ViewCount="212" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is happiness something we should seek? I feel discontent seeking the state of happiness or creating this state of mind when I know that other beings are suffering. For example, if one knows that animals are being slaughtered inhumanely to satisfy the desire of greed and glutony, then how can one conciously feel happy with this in one's mind? I cannot simply ignore this. There are many examples of these bad acts in many forms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the right mindfullness and how should I perceive these bad acts as a buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2311" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-12-01T20:13:48.707" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T18:17:23.977" Title="On Suffering and Happiness" Tags="|philosophy|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5565" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5604" CreationDate="2014-11-19T19:03:46.560" Score="6" ViewCount="1553" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5484/157&quot;&gt;Sat-Dharma&lt;/a&gt; is referred to. I can kind of get the meaning from the context but what exactly is Sat-Dharma? What is the 'Sat' part. Why not just refer to the Dharma? Does it have additional significance or slightly different meaning? Does it come from a particular tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T14:06:34.303" Title="What is Sat-Dharma?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5566" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-20T03:58:55.970" Score="5" ViewCount="2079" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we write an equation for it? at least in principle because I know that there are lots of variables involved. but if it really is a part of nature then why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T13:25:16.033" Title="If the law of Karma is a natural law like Newton's law?" Tags="|karma|science|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5566" CreationDate="2014-11-20T04:18:01.027" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this article &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One definitely gets the impression that morality and karma are part of nature and not just some artefact we've created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="51" LastEditDate="2014-11-20T20:36:32.310" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T20:36:32.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5564" CreationDate="2014-11-20T04:30:31.873" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to train your mind to to be immune to external stimuli through Vipassana. This means that what every decision you take is not clouded by emotions. Keeping you mind in balance and judgement un clouded you can take action about things you can influence. E.g. if you see an injustice which you can correct you can take a action. This is not based on anger towards the party doing the injustice which would be the normal case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also happiness is something you should actively seek, but this you cannot do unless in a very high stage of meditation. You should look an any unconformable sensations in body and mind and dissolve them a way by bringing strong attention to these sensations. That is you should calm your metal and bodily fabrications. The natural outcome of this is you become happy. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_killingsworth_want_to_be_happier_stay_in_the_moment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Matt Killingsworth: Want to be happier? Stay in the moment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-20T12:05:35.343" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T12:05:35.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5569" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-20T05:20:28.667" Score="7" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;Through Vipassan meditation one can learn how to guard ones mind against externalities and not be affected by emotions. I believe that trying to follow this meditation to view the world from an unemotional state with actions not guided by emotion would definitely help me to be more aware and more awake, as well as have a happier and calmer mind. However, my concern is the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does not letting externalities affect you mean ignoring externalities? I know that this meditation will help me feel better, however is it morally right to ignore the suffering of the world so that I could feel better?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2313" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T12:59:21.140" Title="How should I view others sufferings I cannot affect?" Tags="|monk|suffering|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-20T06:36:43.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Coffee will temporarily give you a mind and energy boost but it also has the negative effect of giving you a crash (hence the reason for more coffee). I used to own a cafe and I would drink up to 5-6 short blacks a day as I would always feel tired and drowsy. A good friend of mine challenged me to give up coffee for a month and I could not believe how much energy I had after about 2-3 days. For about 2 days I did have headaches which was the caffeine leaving my system but after that I was fine. I still drink coffee only one a day and I also meditate daily (Anapana meditation or mindfulness meditation) and this has also given me a lot more energy. Of course you will always have days where nothing can eliminate drowsiness but for the most part all good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2305" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T06:36:43.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5569" CreationDate="2014-11-20T09:32:38.623" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, meditation isn't about becoming an unemotional robot, it is about living a life not being control by your emotions, it's completely different! You can either be the master of your mind or the slave. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a big difference in ignoring the worlds suffering, compared to understanding the root cause of all suffering. As for the suffering of the external world, i would recommend studying and contemplating the 4 Noble Truths. Once you realize that ignorance is the root to all suffering, then you will view the world completely different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you want to help the suffering of the external world, i would suggest not increasing the suffering of others, that would be a good start, and to achieve that, it would be for you to continue your practice into freedom, then you can be an example for others!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have been of some help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T09:32:38.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5566" CreationDate="2014-11-20T09:53:37.150" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is dependent on the intensity of volition of the person doing the action and the metal state of the person being the subjected to the volition. These states are not easy to measure empirically to build a equalization / mathematical model. The interactions among karma and the Niyamas are too complected also the theories for normal people other than a fully enlightened Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T09:53:37.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5555" CreationDate="2014-11-20T09:58:06.887" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is your 1st glimpse of arising and passing away. When you practice more you will see there is no solidity any where and your body is completely a mass of arraigning and passing sensations which manifests them self are vibrations. If you not be attached or averse to them as this creates negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T09:58:06.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5566" CreationDate="2014-11-20T11:24:40.853" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newton3laws.html&quot;&gt;Newton's laws&lt;/a&gt; are simple, they model of a simplified universe. They describes the relationship between &quot;force&quot; and the motion of &lt;strong&gt;a single object in an otherwise-empty universe&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you consider &lt;strong&gt;two&lt;/strong&gt; objects in the universe then there are a bunch of other laws: the law of gravity, laws of electrostatics, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you consider &lt;strong&gt;three&lt;/strong&gt; objects in the universe then &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-body_problem&quot;&gt;it cannot be generally solved by an equation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In 1887, mathematicians Ernst Bruns [4] and Henri Poincaré showed that there is no general analytical solution for the three-body problem given by algebraic expressions and integrals. The motion of three bodies is generally non-repeating, except in special cases.[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and that's just classical mechanics, ignoring relativistic and quantum mechanics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like the weather (how strong the wind is going to be, whether it will rain, what the temperature will be) is arguably &quot;part of nature&quot;. There too there are &quot;lots of variables&quot; involved. In order to predict tomorrow's weather, &quot;an equation&quot; isn't enough: they need to use many, many equations, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_weather_prediction&quot;&gt;a supercomputer on which to run simulations&lt;/a&gt;, and even then it's only limited accuracy and range.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I think it's possible to say that Karma exists and is a &quot;natural law&quot;, just as it's possible to say that weather exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you'd think it might be easy, but in practice it isn't easy, to describe weather even using several equations, let alone just &quot;an equation&quot;. You needs laws describing temperature, pressure, density, fluid dynamics, Coriolis because the earth is spinning, differential heating, and then local weather caused by the existence of land and sea and mountains and ocean currents etc. etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again I suggest you stop trying to see a link between Buddhism and Physics. Physics is useful as far as it goes, but it cannot even describe the relationship between a boy and his dog (or perhaps &quot;between a child and a teacher&quot; if you don't have any relationships with dogs).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T11:24:40.853" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5569" CreationDate="2014-11-20T11:25:10.193" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To compliment @Lee-Hebditch's answer I like to add the following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are emotional you loose the balance of your mind. So nor reacting does not mean shutting off from any contact with the out side world. When you make contact you will experience a sensation which you evaluate and react with craving or aversion. This reaction is what needs to stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this is the case you do not loose the balance of the mind. Then you can choose a better course of action to help your self and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T11:25:10.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5564" CreationDate="2014-11-20T12:52:43.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it's any consolation to you, I imagine that other animals eat each alive without any help from humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Slaughtered (1) inhumanely (2) in third world countries (3) to satisfy the desire of greed and glutony (4) by humans (5)&amp;quot; is a specific example of a more general situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that you can control the world, to make it to your liking. You can perhaps control yourself: you yourself can abstain from killing, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you do what you can, perhaps the Middle Way suggests that you extend to yourself the same compassion which you would extend to others: if you want others to be happy, if you think &amp;quot;may they be happy&amp;quot; then perhaps you should be willing to extend that same compassion to yourself: &amp;quot;may I be happy&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhp 5&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhist are supposed to be &amp;quot;motivated&amp;quot; by compassion ... but may &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;also feel equanimity&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists work with (or found) an animal shelter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T14:06:02.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5569" CreationDate="2014-11-20T12:59:21.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't ignore it just yet.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;First see if there's something you can do, without sacrificing right moral principles, to alleviate another's problems. To do this, you must often be strong enough to endure any internal reactions from within, from hearing things you don't like, an intonation which offends you, seeing another person angry and self-righteous, not attending to your own wishes when you find out it takes up a lot of your time... In order to respond properly, you can't let yourself be swayed by such things. It's quite a difficult task, to be honest. The words don't do justice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I've found that when you take up such a task, you find yourself in such challenging situations that your natural reaction becomes &quot;I have to think how to get out of this.&quot; This is where, for me, the suttas have really started to penetrate and teach something that's beyond mere words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T12:59:21.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5565" CreationDate="2014-11-20T13:20:22.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Sat' is derived from Satya which means truth...The word Sat-Dhamma means true Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T13:20:22.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5565" CreationDate="2014-11-20T13:41:00.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Sat-Dharma+&quot;&gt;Andrei uses it frequently&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first time I noticed it was &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3322/can-the-buddha-ever-be-a-woman/3336#comment4199_3326&quot;&gt;in this comment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that context my &lt;em&gt;guess&lt;/em&gt; was that &quot;true&quot; dharma implies that, &quot;if law that's being taught (i.e. dhamma) is wrong, then what's being taught must change (to be true).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possibility could be that 'dhamma' has a lesser, mundane meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/salayatana/sn35-229.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;For example, this version of the Samudda Sutta says&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are, bhikkhus, mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, which are agreeable, pleasant, pleasing, enticing, connected with sensuality, delightful. There the world with the devas, Māras, Brahmās, with recluses and brahmans, this generation with devas and humans, is in majority submerged, having become entangled like a thread, having become like a knot of string, become like [mixed] grass and reeds, unable to go beyond states of woe, painful conditions, downfalls, transmigration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There, &quot;mental phenomena&quot; is a translation of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#dhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dhamma: several aspects of the word may be distinguished:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;in its most general sense, it designates all the phenomena of the universe, including Nibbāna. It could be in this context be translated as 'thing' or 'phenomenon'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;mental phenomenon, mental state, mental content.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;teaching - whether of the Buddha or of some other teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nature or quality or property or characteristic of a phenomenon. In compounds, it may mean: 'having the nature of--' or 'being by nature subject to--', ex: vipariṇāma·dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the law of Nature, the liberating law taught by the Buddha. &#xA;  It is also the second of the tiratana and the tisaraṇa.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and the Samudda Sutta warns that you can get lost in, entangled in &quot;mental phenomena&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that this kind of &quot;mental phenomena&quot; are not the &quot;true&quot; dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, meaning #4 of the dictionary definition above suggests it means &quot;having the nature of truth&quot; or &quot;being true&quot;. Andrei mentions the word &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=sanity&quot;&gt;sanity&lt;/a&gt; too, occasionally, which might be related: being true, being sane, understanding the world and acting appropriately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T14:05:05.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5500" CreationDate="2014-11-20T14:46:09.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's like anything else - something that's experiential based easily gets corrupted by those without the necessary context for understanding.  Let's take koans for example.  Someone could rattle off the &quot;answers&quot; to a whole slew of them.  The person receiving these answers might be able to feign an understanding, but would have no experiential basis for what the koan is actually getting at.  This hampers their progress immeasurably.  The fall into an intellectual rut and miss the moon for the finger.  What's even more dangerous is that they might try to pass their on their spurious understanding.  I think the latter is the main reason why these so-called &quot;secrets&quot; are guarded.  It protects the tradition.  I'd speculate that the higher tantras are guarded for much the same reason.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T14:46:09.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5581" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-20T15:42:02.747" Score="-1" ViewCount="278" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;free will&quot; can imply that one's will is without causes. But whenever we make a decision, it always has causes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: If you have just enough money to buy either an apple or a chocolate for a snack, what makes you choose one over the other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it a spontaneous decision without any causes? No! If you pick the chocolate, it could be due to the craving of the taste of chocolate at that time. Why do you crave for it? Because the taste of chocolate had made an impression on you which says that it is enjoyable. Would you have chosen the chocolate, if it had an unpleasant taste? So your willingness to pick the chocolate is not really free. Because the taste played a big role in your decision. On the other hand, if you are willing to pick the apple, is that willingness free? No! Again, it could be because of the of the taste. Or because eating the apple would be healthier. If the apple wasn't a healthy food, would you have picked it? So your willingness to pick the apple is dependant on the condition of the food. &#xA;Even if you pick any one of them just because you are hungry, is that decision free? No! Because the decision is cause by hunger and hunger is cause by other causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question is: is free will possible in a practical world or is it just 'will' which isn't free?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T22:39:39.987" Title="&quot;Free will&quot; or just 'will' ?" Tags="|free-will|causes|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="17" ClosedDate="2014-11-23T00:01:22.697" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5582" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5588" CreationDate="2014-11-20T15:54:55.800" Score="2" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhismnow.com/2012/08/17/compassion-without-drowning/#comment-3274&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This comment&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;True the world becomes more SPACIOUS when we focus on the moment and thus see that to save one life is to save the world. This is why it is important to translate spaciousness as spaciousness and not emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are &quot;spacious&quot; and &quot;empty&quot; words that are confused or mis-translated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;spacious&quot; a word that has a use in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A search for &quot;spacious&quot; on Access to Insight suggests that word is used, but is not used often and not used canonically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think &quot;empty&quot; usually means &quot;empty of self&quot;, am I right? I.e. when people say &quot;empty&quot; do they mean &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence#Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-28T16:44:05.983" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T16:44:05.983" Title="Spacious versus Empty" Tags="|terminology|sunyata|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5581" CreationDate="2014-11-20T16:15:28.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You cannot always choose - conscious choice implies awareness: but when you can, choose well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Free will&lt;/a&gt; has been the subject of argument in Western philosophy: partly because of notions like &quot;God is omnipotent&quot; (because if God can do anything and does everything then how much choice do we have); and/or because the opposite notion of the world having a physical (not spiritual or mental) basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO this is a 'false dichotomy'. It might be asking &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta#Views_on_self&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a question about the existence of self&lt;/a&gt; of the kind that it's recommended you don't ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a nursery story (i.e. a children's fable) told to me: someone asked a centipede, &quot;Which foot do you move first?&quot; and the centipede thought about it and didn't know and got confused etc. Whereas a natural centipede will just move.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly a natural person makes decisions, and those decisions have an effect, and self-training (if you choose to do so) can make the decisions more skillful, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T16:15:28.523" CommentCount="18" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5581" CreationDate="2014-11-20T17:42:13.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ego has survival instincts hardwired into our bodies. These survival tendencies are what give rise to greed, ignorance and hatred. This is what creates suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be conscious of this process is the aim of most Buddhist paths. This awareness itself is what gives rise to our capacity to choose something other than what our programming demands. Thus, &quot;free will&quot; as opposed to &quot;will&quot;. Will implies that our choices are predetermined, which is true when the ego reigns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Free will is the entire point of our chasing enlightenment to begin with. This is why Buddhism exists, and why it's called &quot;liberation&quot; in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T17:42:13.960" CommentCount="27" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5582" CreationDate="2014-11-20T18:00:36.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simplicity is considered virtuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spaciousness is the accompaniment of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But all are perceptive; objectively, neither spaciousness nor emptiness exists, because we are filled with space, or we are filled with something else. There is a dimensional zero as much as there is a dimensional one. But in the abstract sense, both are numbers, and therefore the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Truly accomplishing yourself means that you understand that the perceptions are illusions; but the illusions are what we have to work with, and so are the only truth we have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:00:36.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-20T18:41:25.937" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great tips by the Buddha. To supplemement this I offer a esoteric Buddhist technique taught by Master Huai-Chin Nan:&#xA;focus at your navel point and imagine a fine bright red point as bright as you can. Imagine this growing brighter and brighter, finer and finer. If this doesn't wake you up, gradually move this point up!&#xA;Move this point down, if you have TOO much energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This technique works best after having done the Buddhist contemplations in an above answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sleep is a subject I have studied for over 15 years very deeply. There is much to be said about it including: affirmations, lucid dreaming as cultivation, self-hypnosis to sleep BETTER or sleep faster, dream interpretation, circadian rhythm timings, REM timings... so many deep deep topics for you to learn more about!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, basic guidelines about rest are important. We should get ample rest before meditating.&#xA;Master Nan said he would sleep for DAYS at a time and then when he's had enough, he would do a non-stop retreat without sleep for the next week.&#xA;Strange I think, but I'm just reporting it for reporting sake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing you should know is that the more we stress about the world and the more worldly things we do (things that involve lust, greed, ignorance) I notice the more sleep-need is generated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I have experimented with many different &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;polyphasic sleep&lt;/a&gt; styles, I think it is better to learn how to rest every hour through five minute closed eyes and stretching breaks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As much as possible you should design your life to feel good always especially your diet.&#xA;This is a lifelong journey and for nutritional self-analysis read Mark Hyman's book &quot;The Ultramind Solution.&quot; It definitely added to my nutritional understandings.&#xA;Also learn about fasting, read &quot;Rational Fasting.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there's anything you take away from this: the best way to overcome torpor is to figure a lifestyle out where you don't have it in the first place (and are still getting your life objectives accomplished).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:41:25.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-20T18:47:01.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try using control breathing technique by sitting down in the quiet place, focus on breathing in and out at the tip of the nose while closing your eyes (visualize the air going in and out). This may help you with focusing your mind to stay alert while clearing your senses on the surrounding, which can be distracting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your diet is already well controlled and you have enough sleep, you may have sleep apnea condition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2318" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:47:01.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5582" CreationDate="2014-11-20T18:48:30.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;More like shunyata instead of anatta. The former has a philosophical as well as an experiential component. It speaks to the inherent emptiness of all things as well as the spacious feelings that often accompany the direct realization of that emptiness.  The etymology of the word shunyata also conveys a notion of &quot;hollowness&quot; and has actually been translated as &quot;emptiness&quot;, &quot;voidness&quot;, and &quot;spaciousness&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Side note - I'd be careful not to confuse the perception of shunyata with the experiences of the formless attainments (namely the base of infinite space and the base of nothingness).  Those are very different things; even the Pali/Sanskrit roots of the word are vastly different.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:48:30.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5516" CreationDate="2014-11-20T18:52:03.873" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not being educated itself that is an issue. People who becomes educated sometime distance themselves from those who don't. Thus, that create some sense of ego boost and have the urge of not &quot;feeling enough&quot;. The thoughts that they need to be educated to better than others are the causes of pain and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term being intellectual in Buddhism isn't necessarily the same thing as obtaining more knowledge, it is more into trying to understand the meaning of what is being learned, why is it the way it is, and how would that affect someone in some way. It is not about &quot;hey, I know more than you do.&quot; Instead, it's more like &quot;Oh I see... that's why it is what it is.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2318" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T18:52:03.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5559" CreationDate="2014-11-20T19:20:26.663" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The above answer is partly right. Going into someone else's limited perspective and feeling compassion for them is good but how often can you do this?&#xA;There are negative people abound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A shortcut:&#xA;Don't try to understand the other person's perspective too much. &lt;strong&gt;The more you try to understand their perspective the more you will believe it!&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Stay away from such people or at least when they become like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay in your mind.&#xA;Find reasons for why you WILL succeed. &lt;strong&gt;ACT.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;See yourself succeeding (in your mind and especially in reality).&#xA;IMAGINE IT. ACTUALLY DO IT. ACTUALLY SUCCEED, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.&#xA;Don't care what others think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Doubt your doubts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;You do not know what they are truly thinking. You never can! Even if you ask them, they may say one thing but in their hearts believe another thing. For example, the person who is jealous of you will tell you that you will fail but is in fact strongly believes in you but cannot ever admit it verbally.&#xA;Another example: teenage life these days where a person will make fun of you to try to &quot;make you stronger&quot; or &quot;get you to prove them wrong&quot;. They actually love you and want to help but have too much ego. They want to save face so they give you negative attention instead.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The silliness is endless!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;STAY IN YOUR OWN HEAD.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Empathize and move on. You are your first friend so &lt;strong&gt;own up to your thinking.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Give yourself metta, mudita, karuna, upekkha.&#xA;Give the same to others.&#xA;But DO NOT LET OTHERS STEP ON YOU psychicly or emotionally otherwise you will never be able to help many people but will be trapped in a cycle of hate and resentment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basic tips? (I face the same thing you are facing x3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;keep positive coversation. LEAD the interaction. Call out the person and END the interaction if goes down a negative route. &lt;strong&gt;don't fight fire with fire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If after calling them out, they still berate you negatively, then look them right in the eye and tell them that you'd rather only talk to them if necessary until they learn to be more accepting and positive, not break people down etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;overall, be self-reliant on your own thoughts. You be your own judge. Learn to develop this.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2014-11-20T19:27:13.147" LastActivityDate="2014-11-20T19:27:13.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5559" CreationDate="2014-11-20T21:33:18.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This universe is kind of a continuous message thrown to every and each of us. Maybe you could try to understand the message the reality is trying to send you by this relationship, and with more emphasis when she is so near to you. What you understand must be separated from judge, even separated a bit of &quot;love&quot;, maybe, in order to &quot; clean&quot; or maybe to get nearer of the neighbours perspective. With a better understanding of this message, only you can choose what to do about it. I am talking, but I have the same problem almost every day. Every mind is a little universe, and time and experience make them the way they are now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2320" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T19:58:04.470" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T19:58:04.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5593" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-21T04:06:30.097" Score="2" ViewCount="239" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found many personal book about Buddhism; witnessing; life story; spiritual encounter, experiences, meditation. I never found however a book that explain and summarize the classical Buddhism : a consensus clear that none Buddhist can read to understand that philosophy better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2322" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:41:29.070" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:41:29.070" Title="Is there a scientific book summarizing the orthodox buddhism, the most ancient form of it?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|east-asian-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2014-11-21T08:50:35.107" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course I am biased, but I would recommend this book: &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0980941571&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Quantum Buddhism - Mahajrya Bodhana Sutra, Teachings on Awakening to the Great Field&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. It is written by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahajrya.org/founder-mahavajra.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Vajra&lt;/a&gt;, who is the founder of the tradition I belong to. This book helped me immensely to understand some of the problems as well as some highly interesting correlations. Not necessarily correct or incorrect; merely interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And before you jump to the idea that what he's talking about has been disproved, consider that what he's trying to talk about is an experience, not a proof. That point has caused a lot of trouble because it wasn't made incredibly clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that, there are lots of books on Quantum Buddhism, and books that allow someone with a scientific background to understand what they're reading before diving into the up-to-2500-year-old texts. These other books will give you enough of a background to really understand what you're reading. But as I said, I'm biased in this case. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in this book, using the holographic universe concept, it offers the idea that universal wisdom could be viewed as universally-pervasive quantum datum, repeated everywhere, at every time, and at various scales. Thus, nonlocal, atemporal, and scalar in nature (three terms that many Buddhists might actually be familiar with in English). We can learn to detach from the limitations of human perceptions of time and space, perceiving the higher wisdom (which is more refined than typical intellectual information) in a way which is more direct and with greater clarity, thus perceiving the quantum world for a moment or two at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are also examples given of the double-slit electron experiment, simplifications of the Unified Quantum Field concept, and correlations to Buddhist texts (written both for Buddhists who want to understand quanta and scientists who want to understand Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It then leads people through the basics of Quantum Buddhism, such as meditation, fixity, and other practices that help bring about this greater clarity and heightened perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I don't have a math background per se, a couple of my friends say that the simple equations in this book are philosophically deep and really get your mind going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastEditorUserId="2190" LastEditDate="2014-11-24T04:20:20.417" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T04:20:20.417" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5559" CreationDate="2014-11-21T09:08:56.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I never expected this kind of a question in here! :D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But let's see if we can help out a bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The peace you lack is because you can't accept that she disagrees. You are struggling to be right, and so is she. Perhaps some clarity would help: she's the only one who can clearly tell you her feelings on this, so she's the one you have to talk to in order to resolve this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pain is because you are trying to have control over the situation (based on your explanation of things). And so I would recommend meditation on why you feel the need to control and dominate this decision. It's not hers; it's yours. You are the one who has to live with the consequences of making it in either case. Except that she believes it also impacts her (and she wouldn't oppose it if she thought it would turn out well).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider her input, find out if she's willing to help you understand, &lt;strong&gt;and by all means listen!&lt;/strong&gt; But if she isn't convincing to you, consider what it is that she's seeing, and try to come up with a way that it won't be an issue for her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, there is no way to avoid conflict, but if you take it from a position of having her explain her reasons to you so that you can understand why she's so opposed to it, you may find a solution you're looking for and avoid further issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T09:08:56.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5581" CreationDate="2014-11-21T10:53:33.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Words are pointers. They are not the thing they represent. As such the question misses the point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there a distinction between karma and things like cultural programming on the one hand and liberation and conscious choice on the other hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that you don't have a concept of what conscious choice means. You might never have experienced it so any word can't point you to the concept. You will always match it to previous experience that are of a different quality.&#xA;You can observe that all the decisions you have made in your life can't be reasonably called free but that doesn't mean that's true for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you sit a while in meditation you can discover new ways to make choices. Not anymore by bound to pick the chocolate because you have aren't picking the chocolate anymore because you have a craving for it or eat the apple because you should eat healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="755" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T10:53:33.563" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2014-11-21T12:01:45.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question asks or literature about Buddhism which is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;orthodox&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the most ancient form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;classical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is probably &quot;the Pali canon&quot; (and/or the &quot;Theravada&quot; school of Buddhism).&#xA;I say that because someone asked about the 'Buddhism which Siddhartha taught', and I tried to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5186/254&quot;&gt;answer that here&lt;/a&gt; with an introduction to the earliest schools and extant literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other questions whose answers are references to the early literature (which I therefore recommend you read as anwering your question) include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4019/254&quot;&gt;Why isn't there a Buddhist Bible?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4111/254&quot;&gt;English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;Chronological or other sequence for beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very popular classical summary is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; (there are many translations available online).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also like &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what you mean by a &quot;scientific&quot; book. In my opinion &quot;science&quot; just means &quot;knowledge&quot; and Buddhism is its own branch of science/knowledge. The clearest introduction to Buddhism might be the Buddha's, which is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find that Wikipedia provides quite a good summary, of classical terms like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Jewels&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four immeasurables&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently or allegedly a lot of the early canon is intended more for monks than for laypeople. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5460/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; summarizes a book I read recently, written by a monk for laypeople. I found it surprising because its message (i.e. &quot;prosperity&quot; instead of &quot;renunciation&quot;) is unlike the message you would normally/easily/naturally get from casually reading from the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You tagged this question with &quot;east asian buddhism&quot;, I'm not sure why, so perhaps you're interested in later Buddhist traditions too (the earliest Buddhism i.e. the historical Buddha was around modern-day Northern India, so the spread to Sri Lanka, Tibet, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and so on happened later): see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahayana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T12:01:45.617" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2014-11-21T15:16:00.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Science is really the Scientific Method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Scientific Method is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hypotheses&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Predictions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experiments&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Analysis&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Zen Buddhist, specifically Vietnamese Engaged Buddhism here is what I see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most all of the studies (book, dharma talks, dharma sharing, sutra) have the elements listed above. A typical dharma talk (whether oral or written into a book) discusses observations. These observations lead to &quot;insight&quot; or a hypothesis/predictions about the true nature of reality/the mind/etc. Every dharma talk I have ever heard in zen has always asked us to take these insights and test them. Apply them in your life and see the outcome for yourself. I am not just told theories but asked to practice them. This is the Experiments phase. Then I am always asked to examine the practice to see the fruits of my effort. This is Analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically I find that Zen Buddhism follows the scientific method quite perfectly. Thus I would say any Zen text could be considered a scientific text by the standards of the scientific method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now of course you are asking for a single book that &quot;none Buddhist can read to understand that philosophy better&quot;. As a Zen Buddhist, this is pretty all-encompassing of Zen Buddhism: &lt;strong&gt;The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/strong&gt;. I read this book with non-buddhist weekly, as well as read this book with monastics. The approach in this book follows the methods I described above and is written in a way that is very approachable regardless of your skill level in the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the Table of Contents of the Book so you can see what is all covered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Part One The Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter One Entering the Heart of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Two The First Dharma Talk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Three The Four Noble Truths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Four Understanding the Buddha's Teachings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter FiveIs Everything Suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Six Stopping, Calming, Resting, Healing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Seven Touching Our Suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Eight Realizing Well-Being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Part Two The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Nine Right View&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Ten Right Thinking&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Eleven Right Mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twelve Right Speech&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Thirteen Right Action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Fourteen Right Diligence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Fifteen Right Concentration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Sixteen Right Livelihood&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Part Three Other Basic Buddhist Teachings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Seventeen The Two Truths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Eighteen The Three Dharma Seals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Nineteen The Three Doors of Liberation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty The Three Bodies of Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-One The Three Jewels&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Two The Four Immeasurable Minds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Three The Five Aggregates&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Four The Five Powers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Five The Six Paramitas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Six The Seven Factors ofAwakening&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Seven The Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter Twenty-Eight Touching the Buddha Within&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="625" LastEditDate="2014-11-21T15:42:41.373" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T15:42:41.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5602" CreationDate="2014-11-21T21:19:37.870" Score="2" ViewCount="386" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that there are 8 attainments or stages of insight in the progression of Vipassana, can anyone explain? I'm familiar with the 8 stages of jhana but I believe this is in reference to vipassana specifically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="609" LastEditDate="2014-11-21T23:41:43.550" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T04:34:35.790" Title="What is meant by the 8 stages of insight?" Tags="|theravada|insight|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5581" CreationDate="2014-11-21T21:59:51.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There may be a mistake in your first sentence, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot; can imply that one's will is without causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the state of willing (wanting) anything &amp;quot;without cause&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;for no reason&amp;quot; would (if that state can even exist at all) be seen as a bad (unnecessary, useless, random, insane, unwise) thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that (madness) were the actual definition of &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot;, then probably nobody would be interested in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of &amp;quot;without cause&amp;quot;, the first two &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sentences in Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; say &amp;quot;unimpeded by contraints&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Free will is the ability of agents to make choices &lt;strong&gt;unimpeded&lt;/strong&gt; by certain prevailing factors. Such prevailing factors that have been studied in the past have included metaphysical &lt;strong&gt;constraints&lt;/strong&gt; (such as logical, nomological, or theological determinism),[1] physical &lt;strong&gt;constraints&lt;/strong&gt; (such as chains or imprisonment), social &lt;strong&gt;constraints&lt;/strong&gt; (such as threat of punishment or censure), and mental &lt;strong&gt;constraints&lt;/strong&gt; (such as compulsions or phobias, neurological disorders, or genetic predispositions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;prevailing factor&amp;quot; might be that my neighbour owns something which I do not own and which I want: but &amp;quot;unimpeded&amp;quot; by that factor I might be able to &amp;quot;freely choose&amp;quot; to not steal it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;constraint&amp;quot; might be that I'm hungry and have no food: but unimpeded by that constraint I might &amp;quot;freely choose&amp;quot; to be happy instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;constraint&amp;quot; might be that my country's laws require me to join the army and go to war: but unimpeded by that constraint I might &amp;quot;freely choose&amp;quot; to go to prison instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;constraint&amp;quot; might be that you are taking (stealing) things from my house, but unimpeded by that constraint I might &amp;quot;freely choose&amp;quot; to give those things to you as a gift.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some things (e.g. a river which is running downstream) might be seen as acting mechanically without having any &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; (and without sentience): they're just a machine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Part of the &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot; discussion is whether people have no choice because things are pre-decided by God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another part of the &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot; discussion is whether people have no choice because things are pre-decided by Physics, by a nothing-but-mechanical nature/universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that by the time you agree or claim that there is such a thing as &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;choice&amp;quot;, then you're already moving away from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will#Hard_determinism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hard determinism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I searched the Wikipedia article to see whether it mentions such a thing as non-free will. The word &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; exists 500 times in the article, and almost every time it's used it's used with the word &amp;quot;free&amp;quot;. In other words, &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot; might be (intended to be) used as synonyms: if it's not &amp;quot;free&amp;quot; then it's not &amp;quot;will&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if you a enter &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duress#In_contract_law&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a contract under duress&lt;/a&gt; then the contract can be void: because if it wasn't of your own &amp;quot;free&amp;quot; will, therefore it wasn't really &amp;quot;your will&amp;quot; at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There only very few (pathological) places in the Wikipedia article where &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; is used without &amp;quot;free&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Free will as a psychological state&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person's will is identified with their effective first-order desire, that is, the one they act on, and this will is free if it was the desire the person wanted to act upon, that is, the person's second-order desire was effective. So, for example, there are &amp;quot;wanton addicts&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;unwilling addicts&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;willing addicts&amp;quot;. All three groups may have the conflicting first-order desires to want to take the drug they are addicted to and to not want to take it.&#xA;The first group, wanton addicts, have no second-order desire not to take the drug. The second group, &amp;quot;unwilling addicts&amp;quot;, have a second-order desire not to take the drug, while the third group, &amp;quot;willing addicts&amp;quot;, have a second-order desire to take it. According to Frankfurt, the members of the first group are devoid of will and therefore are no longer persons. The members of the second group freely desire not to take the drug, but their will is overcome by the addiction. Finally, the members of the third group willingly take the drug they are addicted to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The physical mind&lt;/strong&gt; (see also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroscience_of_free_will&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Neuroscience of free will&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, an addict may experience a conscious desire to escape addiction, but be unable to do so. The &amp;quot;will&amp;quot; is disconnected from the freedom to act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Neurology and psychiatry&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, one of the most important (&amp;quot;first rank&amp;quot;) diagnostic symptoms of schizophrenia is the delusion of being controlled by an external force.[186] People with schizophrenia will sometimes report that, although they are acting in the world, they did not initiate, or will, the particular actions they performed. This is sometimes likened to being a robot controlled by someone else. Although the neural mechanisms of schizophrenia are not yet clear, one influential hypothesis is that there is a breakdown in brain systems that compare motor commands with the feedback received from the body (known as proprioception), leading to attendant hallucinations and delusions of control.[187]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect you'll agree that Buddhists commonly experience at least the first kind of &amp;quot;freedom&amp;quot;: the feeling that they are able to do what they want to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note however that being conscious that &amp;quot;I choose&amp;quot; might be a view of self. An answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;like this one&lt;/a&gt; might (I don't know) suggest that &amp;quot;free will&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;choosing&amp;quot; is the normal state of mind: and that a state of non-choosing or surrender-of-self might be an (enlightened) ideal which a Buddhist aims for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-21T22:39:39.987" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5600" CreationDate="2014-11-22T03:19:06.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is 7 purification and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;16 stages of insight&lt;/a&gt;. See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Transcendental Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Relay Chariots&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bm7insight.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 Stages of Purification &amp;amp; The Insight Knowledges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mapjourney6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Map of the Journey&lt;/a&gt; (Very readable book)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/develop.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Development of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sixteen Stages of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: Don't get too engrossed in the stages. Many of the naturally manifest them self. You cannot force the development or crave for it to come. Either way you are regressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T04:34:35.790" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T04:34:35.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5559" CreationDate="2014-11-22T03:38:59.067" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the end, you can't control someone's feelings, but you can control your reaction. Perhaps, you are expecting her to approve. Our expectations can cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta  and loving kindness meditation I suspect would be helpful. When you sit down to meditate, imagine three people: Someone you care a great deal about and reciprocates, someone who is neutral, and someone who feels animosity towards you and/or vice versa. You wish each of them less suffering and that they will be happy. I can't remember what order you go in though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is be positive even towards those who may not approve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T03:38:59.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5565" CreationDate="2014-11-22T03:43:13.983" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my usage, Sat-Dharma or Saddharma means Invariant System or Universally Valid Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sat means &quot;eternal&quot; or &quot;true&quot; in the sense of staying always relevant/applicable, over time and across &quot;the parallel worlds&quot; (alternative ways of seeing life) -  therefore a reliable beacon for decision-making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma means way, tradition, system -- a way of seeing life and acting accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I use the term is to emphasize the invariant aspect, irrespective of a specific form -- Buddhism or what have you. I believe this is the way Gautama Buddha used the term as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sat-Dharma is what's behind the rational (&quot;scientific&quot;) method, the common sense, the teaching of Buddha, the sanity of successful people, the wisdom of the elders, and the holiness of the saints. The reason these are as relevant/successful/respected as they are is because they are grounded in Reality to a lesser or larger degree, while Sat-Dharma is that ideal, archetypal teaching that is by definition 100% grounded in Reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could ask, but is there really anything that stays valid across all contexts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like playing chess: there is no one move that is right in all situations &lt;em&gt;but you can learn to play the game&lt;/em&gt;. In chess, there is no single pre-defined winning strategy. In one sense, we always improvise, every decision is made ad-hoc based on whatever makes sense given the circumstances and available information. On the other hand, there are principles that can be taught and mastered. Because the principles have their roots down in the fundamental rules of the game (dharmakaya), many of them will inevitably be rediscovered by many different people and passed on in various shapes and forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense Satdharma is more fundamental than historical Buddhism. You could say Satdharma is that salt that makes Buddhism relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T03:43:13.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3246" CreationDate="2014-11-22T07:34:49.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I believe that the other answers here are more on-point from the standpoint of the question, after I learned more about it (though I won't claim to understand it) I wanted to add one additional piece more from the mechanics side than the inherent nature:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thögal is a practice of cultivating what are called &quot;clear light&quot; visions based on top of the natural state of mind. There are several components which are designed to facilitate and cultivate the vision aspect, but it requires first as a prerequisite a steady natural state of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his teachings around the &lt;em&gt;Heart Drops of Dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; (by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen) Khenpo Tenpa Yundrung Rinpoche said the following (transcribed):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tibetan word Thögal has many meanings. The most known is Thögal as a practice that renders manifest the visions of Clear Light. In some contexts, the term Thögal actually refers to the Clear Light itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When things are presented in this way, it seems that the Thögal practice is more exalted than the Trekchö practice, as if the Thögal is better than the Trekchö. But without Trekchö there is no possibility of practicing Thögal. Therefore Trekchö is the most important practice, and as such is the core of the Dzogchen teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T07:34:49.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5487" CreationDate="2014-11-22T09:03:15.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is &quot;yes, historically, though it is generally frowned upon by many if not most modern Buddhists.&quot; I'm trying to find better citations than the ones than I am digging up immediately, but the best sources for this don't appear to be readily available online (or require more reading through to figure out what is being referred to).  If anyone has some better references I'd love to see them, since mostly what I am finding are three or four pieces that reference one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless, moving on to the actual answer: In older texts you see a lot of references to what is probably Datura (certainly in some cases, likely in others) in early Buddhist magical texts and in a lot of precursors/early forms of Vajrayana. Ronald M. Davidson's &lt;a href=&quot;http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-12618-2/indian-esoteric-buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indian Esoteric Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, for example: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, many of the &lt;em&gt;siddha&lt;/em&gt; scriptures discuss ointments and drugs, especially those applied to the eyes or feet. The use of the various species of datura (especially &lt;em&gt;datura fastuosa&lt;/em&gt; [Datura metel]) is particularly evident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is most likely used for the entheogenic use. I've found some other references along these lines but I want to chase down a translation of the original rather than depending on a secondary sources before posting it here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on your view of the &lt;em&gt;Saṁvarodaya-tantra&lt;/em&gt; it describes the use of &lt;em&gt;datura&lt;/em&gt; (which is translated &quot;thorn apple&quot;–from &lt;em&gt;sanskrit dhatūr&lt;/em&gt;, which is where we get the word &lt;em&gt;datura&lt;/em&gt;–by Shinʹichi Tsuda in &lt;em&gt;The Saṁvarodaya-tantra: Selected Chapters&lt;/em&gt;), but not really the &lt;em&gt;imbibing&lt;/em&gt; of it, as far as I can tell, just the use for magical purposes. There are quite a few of these and similar references in older Indian sources, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/23658487?uid=3739568&amp;amp;uid=2129&amp;amp;uid=2&amp;amp;uid=70&amp;amp;uid=4&amp;amp;uid=3739256&amp;amp;sid=21104621020101&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Datura Rituals in the Vajramahabhairava-Tantra&lt;/a&gt;. I wouldn't necessarily take the examples given, however, as indicating entheogenic uses as opposed to, say, sympathetic ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also numerous examples of–particularly Western–individuals who have experimented with this, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0811832864&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zig Zag Zen&lt;/a&gt;, though I don't know that any of the references described in that book are of monks (I haven't read it, just found it while researching). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It wouldn't surprise me if, once one does some digging, one can find some sect of Buddhism somewhere that uses or used datura and/or cannabis for entheogenic reasons. There are sources that indicate that this is not even controversial, and while at the moment I am having difficulty tracking some of them down, there are certainly plenty of examples with the consumption of alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't mean it is widely accepted or a good practice, however, and as the expression goes: &quot;you drink because of the ritual, you don't go to the ritual to drink.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="32" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T09:03:15.180" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5607" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5610" CreationDate="2014-11-22T10:43:30.150" Score="14" ViewCount="1599" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any evidence for Buddhist meditation practices increasing productivity for software developers? Just from my own experience it seems like it does but I'm just interested into other experiences or evidence, anecdotal of otherwise. If I can try to clarify this further&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any research on this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are software companies using meditation techniques at all to help&#xA;their employees? If so, what reasons do they give for this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anyone have reasonable compelling evidence for this from their own experience?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If I can broaden this a little - what about related professions? - ones&#xA;that require sustained concentration and maybe a little creativity.&#xA;Do they use meditation techniques at all?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can just share my motivation for asking this. I'm considering giving a lightening talk at a local software user group on this topic and I just want a broader idea of what kind of evidence there is around this kind of thing. If it seems like there is something there then I will probably throw my hat it the ring and give the talk. If it just my own personal experience I probably won't. I don't want to give the talk it it is entirely unsupported.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:40:40.927" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:40:40.927" Title="Does meditation increase productivity for software developers and related professions?" Tags="|modern-world|science|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5608" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5609" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" Score="0" Body="The relationship of Buddhism and the use of chemical intoxicants. This includes but is not restricted to alcohol, recreational drugs and caffeine." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T10:53:16.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5607" CreationDate="2014-11-22T13:24:38.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an old (2004) article from the CBC: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;INDEPTH: MEDITATION&#xA;The Pursuit of Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It includes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using an MRI to test monks who are meditating&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using meditation to help olympic athletes and stressed-out office workers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation courses being offered by hospitals (e.g. St. Joseph's in Toronto)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to look at it would be from the point of view of stress: if meditation helps cope with stress, and if the job is stressful, then meditation helps with the job, am I right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But IDK whether a company might admit whether their employees are subject to stress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember Tom DeMarco's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0932633390/portlandpatternrA/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management&lt;/a&gt; (1997) included the claim/observation that, &quot;People under pressure don't think any faster.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For anecdotes about the connection between stress, problem solving, and concentration, you might find some large percentage of developers (and research scientists/engineers) have had or remember the experience of &quot;seeing the solution to a problem&quot; when they &quot;stop thinking about the problem&quot;. I remember puzzling over a bug during one afternoon, and then more-or-less suddenly &quot;seeing&quot; the cause of it after I left work and was walking home and enjoying the day (weather and landscape) outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That seems to be so common-place that it could be an archetypal way of problem solving: you have a problem, so, you go out for a walk, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found it noticeable with cigarettes too, when I used to smoke: feel stressed at work, step outside for a smoke, feel destressed, inevitably therefore see the solution i.e. what I need to do to solve the problem or at least what I needed to try next, step back inside to my computer to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW &quot;productivity&quot; is IMO notoriously difficult to measure in software developers: because people don't know what to measure; and you don't usually have teams and people working on several identical (comparable) software problems; and choosing specific metrics distorts behaviours (&lt;a href=&quot;http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-11-13/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;joke reference&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So arguing via stress (meditation =&gt; stress =&gt; productivity) might be easier to &quot;prove&quot; than a direct link (meditation =&gt; productivity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a possible anecdote/joke for someone who objects to people &quot;doing nothing&quot; while at work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This guy is in his office (an office! you can tell it's old story...),&#xA;  sitting back in his chair with his feet up on the desk. His manager&#xA;  walks past, looks in the door, sees him sitting like that (instead of,&#xA;  you know, working) and asks,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;What are doing?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;I'm thinking.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Thinking? Can't you do that at home?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T18:04:15.357" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T18:04:15.357" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5611" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5613" CreationDate="2014-11-22T14:59:59.657" Score="8" ViewCount="432" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, during my meditation sessions, I have &quot;creativity attacks&quot; i.e. creative thoughts. It can be a piece of poetry or something I would write down in my diary. How should one engage this kind of thoughts? Just observe without reacting or writing them down? If yes, what about the different kinds of Buddhist poetry like Songs of Milarepa, Japanese Haiku or Thera/Theri Gatha. The problem is, on one hand I can see that there are a lot of examples of creativity and poetry in Buddhism, but on the other I also can see my own mind being destructed by these kind of thoughts during meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="563" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:39:02.753" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:39:02.753" Title="&quot;Creativity Attacks&quot; during meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5607" CreationDate="2014-11-22T15:34:30.437" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a software developer and practiced different kinds of meditation (first - sit for 5-10 minutes with open eyes and pay attention to inhaling and exhaling, second - 16th Karmapa meditation in the Diamond way Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my subjective experience I can say that (other things being equal), on average, I am more productive on days, where I do meditation in the morning than on days when I don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By &quot;more productive&quot; I mean &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that I solve problems faster (the day of a software developer consists of making solving big and small problems/decisions) and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;am less distracted by e-mail, Facebook etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I have the impression that meditation in the morning allows me to better concentrate in a loud environment (i. e. I can easier focus on my work, when I'm surrounded by lot of talking people, whom I don't like). Same applies to situations, where I am exposed to stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once in a while meditation (once in 3-4 weeks) leads to a productivity breakdown. This happens, when I discover some information about me (which you didn't realize/notice earlier). Usually, this information is a) embarassing (I've been doing ... wrong all my life!) and b) helpful in my development (you can only fix bugs, which you know exist - this applies to the mental hardware as well).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, you can test the hypothesis &quot;meditation increases my productivity&quot; using at least two experiments:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Experiment 1: Productive time per week&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start tracking the time, when you are doing something useful (there are lots of fine tools out there, including those, which run on mobile devices).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Collect data on the average productive time for several weeks.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start meditating and continue to track time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have enough data, you can use statistical methods to find out, if there is a difference in productivity and if that difference is significant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Experiment 2: Accomplished tasks per week&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Create a spreadsheet with 3 columns: Date, Task completed, Subjective size &amp;amp; complexity of the task (e. g. &quot;small&quot;, &quot;medium&quot;, &quot;big&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whenever you accomplish something useful during a week, add a record to that spreadsheet.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gather data on your weekly productivity (in terms of number of small, medium and large tasks accomplished during a week) without meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the same thing, when you regularly meditate.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T15:34:30.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5611" CreationDate="2014-11-22T17:03:07.280" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the way the mind is, uncontrollable. Acknowledge their presence and gently try to return to your usual object of meditation. If this fails, acknowledge the failure and gently try to return to your usual object of meditation. If you get frustrated, acknowledge the frustration, et cetera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being gentle and acknowledging whatever comes are important. And if the thought is something you want to write down for creativity's sake, that's not a bad thing. It's also not a good thing. It just is what it is. Just leave it until meditation is finished. If you forget what the thought was, then you simply forget. It is what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice this way, you will become less and less invested with the content of these thoughts, causing two things to happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Creativity attacks will bother you less.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They will also become less common.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how I meditate on my own creative thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: My own experience meditating in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, and my teacher Yuttadhammo's advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T17:03:07.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5614" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-22T17:37:20.540" Score="8" ViewCount="453" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regularly, after meditation or reading spiritual books, I get &quot;epiphanies&quot; (new pieces of information about myself, my behavior and/or the outside world), which induce strong emotions in me. I lose productivity, sometimes stop to meditate for a couple of days and need quite a lot of time to recover. Sometimes, but not always, I get an understanding of what should I do different now (based on that epiphany).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, I learn too slowly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since I'm probably not the first to experience these problems (depressive state after learning things about me, which require me to do something differently), there is probably advice in Buddhist writings about how to fix it (so that the learning part remains and the depressive part is reduced or eliminated, i. e. the time between an &quot;epiphany&quot; and new way of doing things is minimal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhist literature (especially from the Diamond way Buddhism) recommend in this situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:38:20.780" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T00:09:31.560" Title="How to increase the speed of learning about oneself?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-11-22T19:07:51.770" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rather than the &quot;fifth precept&quot;, I find it stranger that it seems to transgress &quot;right livelihood&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankha's answer notwithstanding, I like to (I am happy to) see a statue of the Buddha if I walk into a restaurant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few of the &quot;10 bulls&quot; commentaries imply that Buddhism and alcohol can, perhaps they hope, co-exist. &lt;a href=&quot;http://terebess.hu/english/oxherd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;X&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Entering the City with Bliss-Bestowing Hands&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His humble cottage door is closed, and the wisest knows him not. No&#xA;  glimpses of his inner life are to be caught; for he goes on his own&#xA;  way without following the steps of the ancient sages. Carrying a gourd&#xA;  he goes out into the market; leaning against a stick he comes home. He&#xA;  is found in company with wine-bibbers and butchers; he and they are&#xA;  all converted into Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Barechested and barefooted, he comes out into the marketplace; &#xA;Daubed with mud and ashes, how broadly he smiles! &#xA;There is no need for the miraculous power of the gods, &#xA;For he touches, and lo! the dead trees come into full bloom.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some versions of that show him with a &quot;gourd&quot;. When I first saw that I thought it meant a &quot;wine container&quot;, because this is how it was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iloveulove.com/spirituality/buddhist/tenbulls.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;published in Paul Reps' book&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Comment: Inside my gate, a thousand sages do not know me. The beauty of my garden is invisible. Why should one search for the footprints of the patriarchs? I go to the market place with my wine bottle and return home with my staff. I visit the wine shop and the market, and everyone I look upon becomes enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the footnote in &lt;a href=&quot;http://philosophy.lander.edu/oriental/reader/reader/x5038.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this reference&lt;/a&gt; says that in the sentence, &quot; Carrying a gourd[2] he goes out into the market, leaning against a staff[3] he comes home&quot;, the gourd is a &quot;Symbol of emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt;)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T19:07:51.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5611" CreationDate="2014-11-22T19:08:23.870" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One insight that has helped me in this situation is the realization that mindfulness practice is not destructive.  That is to say, if you have a sudden creative idea while practicing, it will still be with you after your session.  Realize that this is simply a thought and return your attention gently to your object of mediation.  Then, when you are done with practice, you'll find your ideas are still there and then you can write them down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2332" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T19:08:23.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5611" CreationDate="2014-11-22T20:00:36.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Haha. &quot;attacks&quot;&#xA;Nice choice of word but I think it's better to be called &lt;strong&gt;creative interruption&lt;/strong&gt;... but even that isn't correct because sometimes following through with that interruption will allow you to get to the next leve in project _____ which helps in another different project, project ______ and in the end will somehow give you great peace of mind in your meditation (because you have your life better handled and less background worries).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cultivating the jhanas, the foundation for developing wisdom (which in itself is the means of attaining Bodhi), requires stillness. Stillness requires... stillness. Creative interruptions, however wonderful and useful for our lives, is not directly helpful to the Training (2nd and 3rd training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, the nature of stillness is that the more you achieve it, the more creative and integral you will become so it should get easier over time even though you can get some freaky creative outbursts. This is because yin is the foundation for great things to happen. This is a classic Taoist principle of extreme yin attracting extreme yang.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, it is essential to let the waves on the water calm down so you can master yin (samadhi/jhana). You must manage these creative outbursts but also use them like a car directs the internal combustion to getting it to move forward...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I oftentimes find that there is IMMENSE value in the insights, remembrances and recollections that happen during meditation. I have a to-do list widget on my home screen which is frequently used for exactly that purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to never get up and do the activity (write a script, do something, modify something, try something out, etc.) because that is breaking the first thing I was talking about, the stillness.&#xA;In order to master anapana, or whatever method you do, you have to stick to it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my recommendation to you would be that you should write down a good keyword(s) for whatever idea you had so you can come back to it when your session is complete. I reccommend using your phone simply because it is fastest (and thus least interruptive) method and can be done in the dark.&#xA;Feel free to design automation scripts to help you in this (for example, a meditation timer that after started automatically pulls up a notepad for your collecting of any &lt;strong&gt;creative interruptions&lt;/strong&gt;)&#xA;This should not take more than 10 seconds.&#xA;Learn to differentiate between worthless insights/fantasies/wanderings and ACTUALLY practical creative outbursts.&#xA;The more you learn to differentiate between them... the more GOOD creative interruptions you will have.&#xA;Talk about mining the good stuff from meditation, in an indirect way, huh?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then go right back to meditation, doing a mini 5 second adjustment and re-declaration of your intention before you gather your 5 Faculties again for the Training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T20:00:36.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5437" CreationDate="2014-11-22T21:27:28.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not aware of any &lt;em&gt;supernatural&lt;/em&gt; powers that can be attained through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting scientific phenomenon comes to mind though. Birds are keenly aware of the Earth's magnetic field when migrating. They know which direction to go even without Google maps. Personally, I believe humans are capable of this as well but parts of our mind drown out these instincts. Dogs know when a tornado is approaching even without the Weather Channel. In a way, that seems unbelievable. It comes down to what you believe is supernatural. 1000 years ago a horseless carriage or penicillin may have been considered supernatural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One time I did an experiment if I could tell where I was going by banging two keys together. I distinctly remember walking up to the wall and feeling the sound waves reverberate back without knowing the wall was there by sight or touch. Turns out this is called echo location and some blind children can navigate a playground by making a clicking sound with their mouth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially, I would have thought echo location to be supernatural, but a scientific reason exists. Another example I can give is with aging. Most people would find it hard to believe that anything can reverse aging. However, meditating activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for accelerating the process of digestion (&quot;rest-and-digest&quot;) It's like Wolverine's natural healing factor in a way. If a person is in a steady state of rest for years, won't he or she be younger than those who haven't? You can notice what going two nights without rest feels like, and sleep deprivation is a cause of many fatal traffic accidents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example, when I feel pain in my eyes from too much typing, I lie down and actually feel the pain. Initially, the pain sensation will intensify but then it subsides and then disappears altogether. I've heard Kusala Bhikshu say, &quot;When you become one with the pain, there's no one to feel the pain.&quot; It certainly sounds supernatural, but there's a scientific explanation, and that's what Buddhism is, a scientific examination into suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T21:27:28.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2014-11-22T21:59:25.147" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A student goes to the dojo and asks how long it will take to become a master. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The master replies “There is no answer to that, my son. First you must learn patience.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The student replies “Yeah, yeah, patience. How long is that going to take?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you need to understand is, the more you force it, the more likely it is that no wisdom, insight or freedom from suffering will occur. You must reach an understanding or realization that nothing needs to be learned, you just need to except things for what they are, then the &quot;letting-go&quot; of our want to control, this will free you from pain and suffering!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continue your meditation daily and the answers you seek will reveal themselves deeper and deeper the more the mind quietens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2014-11-22T22:21:18.557" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T22:21:18.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2014-11-22T22:27:07.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you mentioned you got the effect after meditation and reading spiritual books, I think it's important to re-examine your meditation method and the types of &quot;spiritual books&quot; that you read. There're just so many different types of &quot;meditation&quot; and so many different kinds of &quot;spiritual&quot; books nowadays. Practicing the wrong method and reading the wrong book can lead to pretty dangerous side effects. When someone says the Buddha said this or that in some book, that's not good enough. A good book on Buddhism should provide plenty of references straight from the Sutras/Suttas detailing the chapter, section, and paragraph. The same thing with meditation method you're following. It should be traceable back to the source, the Buddha's teaching in the Sutras/Suttas. This will help tracing the problem back to its root cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-22T22:27:07.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5607" CreationDate="2014-11-23T03:24:40.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people aren't aware that software developing and programming also requires creativity when at an impasse.  When I get stuck, I want to try harder to solve the problem and get it over with (almost in a forceful way) which usually makes things worse. I notice that my eyes fatigue much faster and I get a sense of generalized restlessness. My body wants me to take a break but my mind wants the problem solved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you don't have the will to meditate at this point simply getting up and doing something will work wonders. When John von Neaumann was working on the Manhattan project, the breakthrough occurred to him when he was stepping off a bus. During these ordinary moments when we are separate from the problem, we have the most freedom to solve the problem, and although just getting up from the computer may not be beneficial as sleep or extended meditation, thinking about the problem on the couch away from the computer works great. By that time you've learned enough about the problem to think about it while not physically at the computer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T03:24:40.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2014-11-23T04:44:53.870" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When it come to Buddhist meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should not try to speed up anything. You want to speed up since you crave for results. Then you crave this leads to regress.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot loose balance of of you mind no matter what, as this is main part of you mental training. A reacting mind creates new fabrication resulting in misery. So any form of reaction is a regress. Whatever experience you should be equanimous realizing its impermanence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T04:44:53.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5611" CreationDate="2014-11-23T04:54:09.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_killingsworth_want_to_be_happier_stay_in_the_moment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Want to be happier? Stay in the moment&lt;/a&gt; might be of some interest to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main things is you should watch you mind drifting away to creative thoughts. When you realize it has gone, this creates a slight discomfiting sensation in the body but predominantly around the head. (if you are not sensitive enough you mind not see it at 1st, but more practice you will start seeing the sensation around the head area and with mo practice on the whole body. Other than creative thoughts you get a few emotional thoughts in quick succession you can easily see the depressed or happy feeling / sensation. ) Notice this sensation and get back to your object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you should note that these creative attacks are a verbal and mental fabrication. So you have to calm the these fabrication as part of your meditation by looking at the sensation when these thoughts come in contact with your mind sentence door followed by the metal state you get into when this happens. (E.g. Scattered mind.))&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-29T07:21:04.730" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T07:21:04.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5624" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5625" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" Score="0" Body="Issues relevant to the newcomer to Buddhism such as basic meditation techniques, beginner texts or issues in practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T09:12:33.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5626" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:17:08.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha (Pāli), (Sanskrit: शमथ, śamatha[note 1] is the Buddhist practice (bhavana) of the calming of the mind (citta) and its 'formations' (sankhara). This is done by practicing single-pointed meditation most commonly through mindfulness of breathing. Samatha is common to all Buddhist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:11:14.437" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:11:14.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5627" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:17:08.527" Score="0" Body="The Buddhist practice of calming the mind through practices such as mindfulness of breathing and other one pointed practice's. Contrast to Vipassana." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T09:17:08.527" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T09:17:08.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5628" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5629" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" Score="0" Body="How Buddhist practice relates to human sexuality and sexual relationships. Topics can include sexual practices, heterosexuality, homosexuality and transgender issues." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T09:20:01.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5502" CreationDate="2014-11-23T14:19:56.107" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being attached to some rule about how to answer certain questions isn't the point.&#xA;Good answers come out of being present and aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same question will be answered differently at different moments depending on what the moment calls for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Every possible opportunity&quot; is an interesting phrase. If someone isn't ready to learn something there no opportunity to teach him something. Being a good teacher means to know what someone can learn and then give him that lesson. It's not about throwing a lot of spaghetti on the wall and hoping that something sticks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christian missionaries do thing that it's the intention that counts. Christian missionaries will lecture someone whether or not there an opportunity to teach something. For them the act in itself is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is different. It's about being skillful and only teach when the student can learn. Teaching requires patience and waiting for a possible opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="755" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T14:19:56.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5632" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5773" CreationDate="2014-11-23T17:09:56.630" Score="11" ViewCount="17169" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a zen quote that goes something like&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meditate for an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case&#xA;  meditate for two hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about the exact quote - it might be 0.5 hours/1 hour or some other timescale. Does anyone know what the exact quote is and who said it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T11:13:36.477" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T11:13:36.477" Title="Who said 'if you are too busy meditate for two hours'?" Tags="|reference-request|zen|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5607" CreationDate="2014-11-23T17:56:56.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like all the other answers (less so the one saying try two approaches to measuring your productivity, but that is my bent), and I wanted to say something else as a former software developer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spiritual practices are to get yourself out of the way. Pitching it to others is like saying: &quot;here, let me help you get rid of yourself, you will feel so much better (and be more productive too!)&quot; I realized at some point that the best I could do as a developer was to create a system for building applications that did not require programmers. I did that. Fortunately, nobody took me seriously in my quest to eliminate my own position. Eventually, my position was no longer needed and I went on to run a retreat center, then when I was no longer needed there, I went on to something else. Later, I misplaced myself, and now I feel so much better!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you feeling uplifted? Did I sell you on the project of making life so much better for everyone? All I can do is stand here and be an advertisement for overcoming self, but that is not a product most people will ever want. I suggest you keep your realizations to yourself (ha ha). If anyone wants to know, they will ask, as they see your face day in and out, being... nobody. And that is just fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I have addressed your &quot;real&quot; motivation for asking your question. Please let me know if I did not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T17:56:56.150" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5502" CreationDate="2014-11-23T18:17:01.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My Guru said that if she was eating in someone's home and they put non-vegetarian food in front of her, not knowing she had chosen to not eat meat, she would eat anyway and be grateful for the gift of care and attention the person had made. She did not say (as far as I know) how to answer directly such a question as you asked, but I would say: 1) express pleasure if you enjoy the food 2) express gratitude and whatever you can politely say otherwise, only if asked. I think this is normal common sense, and applies to Monks as well. I can usually find something nice to say about any meal. It is good training for not being so picky, so eat out as much as you can!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T18:17:01.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5502" CreationDate="2014-11-23T18:53:03.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please incorporate any stories if any to showcase the tradition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot say what a monk should do, so this answer is off-topic, and theoretical, for what it's worth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/4053/compassion-to-friends-stepping-in-vs-letting-them-learn-on-their-own/4054#comment5426_4074&quot;&gt;e.g. here&lt;/a&gt; a very small amount of insight into conversation when there's a disjoint view of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be worried that because the monk and the host have a different view/insight about the food, therefore it's not a topic/subject which they can share a conversation about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest that the 'monk' might try to react/respond to the person, not to the food. Perhaps something like, &quot;It's kind of you to invite me&quot; or &quot;It's kind of you to care about my welfare&quot; or just &quot;It's good&quot; ... and then try to reciprocate, perhaps inquire after the welfare of the person you're talking to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also my mum taught pre-schoolers. Part of her advice for controlling their behaviour was, instead of scolding them for bad behaviour, wait until they show some good behaviour and praise that. So you might not want to be scolding a layperson about impermanence. In fact &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5460/254&quot;&gt;the book described in this answer&lt;/a&gt; was written by a monk who deals with laypeople in Texas: and it claims, explicitly, that &quot;impermanence&quot; and &quot;dukkha&quot; and so on are concepts which were more intended for monks than for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please incorporate any stories if any to showcase the tradition&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's one Zen story that could be relevant to what I was saying above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/6noloving-kindness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No Loving-Kindness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;To think I fed that fellow for twenty years!&quot; exclaimed the old woman in anger. &quot;He showed no consideration for your needs, no disposition to explain your condition. He need not have responded to passion, but at least he should have evidenced some compassion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a moral of that story is, 'Loving-kindness: don't leave home without it.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/harris/bl141.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Detachment and Compassion&lt;/a&gt; might be apposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/monks-and-nuns-from-thich-nhat-hanh-collective-in-plum-village-france-pay-our-school-a-special-visit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is another&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Brother Stream handed out clementines and we all learnt how to peel and eat the fruit slowly and mindfully, enjoying the bright orange colour, the citrus fragrance and the crisp sound as we each held a Clementine up to our ear and gently removed the peel in one long piece, before holding a segment in our mouths and enjoying the taste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This one is a bit different:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's with school-children&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eating is just one activity (read the article for the 'bell' before eating and the 'singing' afterwards)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T17:32:07.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5503" CreationDate="2014-11-23T19:21:17.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One way to look at it is in terms of needs versus wants. Clearly, your body needs water. I don't know of anyone who overdoes the desire for water, so I would not call this a craving / want at all: it is just a signal from your body like the &quot;low oil&quot; lamp in your car. A new car versus simple transportation is a want, so this is a classic desire scenario. Look in to what the want is trying to address? You will learn a lot about yourself from this, so the evidence of the &quot;craving&quot; is highly beneficial. Examine, do not suppress. Wistfully thinking of others is on the line, it could be both. We do need to care for and support each other. We could want something positive-feeling from someone. This is what I found to be the very hardest thing on my path: How to get valid needs met when so many &quot;formations&quot; are in the way? No fun at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to look at what you said, which is that the English word &quot;craving&quot; is used in many ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I love drinking water. I love my new car (25 years ago when I got one). I love my loved-ones. This is why words are not useful for everything. They are not used in perfect ways like mathematical symbols (which also provoke many misunderstandings.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2014-11-23T19:27:02.167" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T19:27:02.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1303" CreationDate="2014-11-23T19:43:09.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the Heedlessness idea is on track. The Buddha didn't warn against cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, but they can clearly be included in the 5th Precept these days. I think the issue would be how do coffee and tea affect you? You might abstain to see. You might have them for a reason. I don't hold absolutely with the &quot;addiction&quot; line because we are all addicted to sunlight, air, water and food. More or less of any of them might help or harm. Coffee and tea are no more inherently harmful than any of these. The fact that 90% of the worlds people use caffeine on a daily basis should tell us something. (What should it tell us?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Black tea is fermented, by the way. Green tea is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T19:43:09.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2014-11-23T19:46:46.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Get yourself a copy of Self-Liberation Through Seeing With Naked Awareness, from the Dzogchen tradition, and read it aloud to yourself from time to time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are actually doing very well.  You feel a little distress because you are moving something that has fallen asleep and become numb, just like you will feel tingling or pain in your arm or leg if you move it after cutting off its circulation.  The pain is preferable to the numbness you had before you moved it, and it is only temporary; whereas if you leave something unmoved, eventually numbness becomes necrosis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These things have fallen asleep in you because you have been grasping them for a long time -- for so long that you don't even remember when you first started grasping them.  It is human nature to have thoughts and emotions, just like it is natural for clouds to arise in the sky.  But after a while, the clouds pass and the clear sunlight is once again visible.  Likewise, if you allow the thoughts and emotions to pass, you will once again be restored to your fundamental state of peace and joy.  To let something pass, simply notice that you are having it.  Do not grasp at it -- and more importantly -- do not grasp at not having it.  Just observe it, and it will naturally transform.  If you are moved to laugh, then laugh.  If you are moved to cry, then cry.  Just let it flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2342" LastActivityDate="2014-11-23T19:46:46.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2014-11-24T00:27:32.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā is a systematic and thorough deconstruction of how we mis-interpret reality. It is considered a classical text in Mahayana Buddhism however I don't think I would refer to it as orthodox because I'm not entirely sure of its relevancy in the Theravada tradition, and it's not a sutra. Its meaning is the heart of the Buddha's message, however it is a difficult read as an introduction. It does kind of fit the bill for what you're asking though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend the foundation of Buddhist thought series for introductory texts. You can find translations of the MMK on Amazon as well as the foundation of Buddhist thought series.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T00:27:32.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2014-11-24T04:20:59.947" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When if comes to the Buddhist concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;God (Deva)&lt;/a&gt; the main characteristics differentiating them from similar concepts in other religions is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They are not all mighty but subjected to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cosmic order&lt;/a&gt; just like every on else&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They are a finite life span as as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada Buddhist cosmology&lt;/a&gt;. (Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology&lt;/a&gt; for more generic discussion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They do not exercise absolute control over others or any world system as every one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cosmic order&lt;/a&gt; and world systems are governed by the laws of cosmology&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are many gods (devas) in each plane of existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are many &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;heavens (planes of existence)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;God in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T04:20:59.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:14:45.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Main aspect leading to Buddhist decline or growth as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.10-Dharma-ending-age-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dharma-ending Age&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the admission of women into the monastic community;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the lack of respect toward various elements of the Buddhist tradition;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the lack of diligence in meditation practice;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;carelessness in the transmission of the teachings;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the emergence of divisions within the Sangha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the emergence of false or “counterfeit” Dharma; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;excessive association with secular society.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later texts also mention external causes of the religion’s decline of which there are two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the invasion of India by foreign, non-Buddhist powers; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;excessive state control.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out of these we already see many elements today. So naturally Buddhism is in the decline. The way to get over this decline can be as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Every Buddhist should operative the 4 frame of mindfulness diligently to attack 3&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should teach this diligently and sharing Dhamma realized empirically to attack 2&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should try to source as much from the Suttas strengthened though empirical understanding to attack 4 and 6&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be mindful of the Vinaya and how the Sangha is organised without trying to bring variations 5, 7 and 2&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at the Dhamma as it is without a mixing personal or cultural beliefs to attack 2 and 7 &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T05:14:45.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1303" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:30:09.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tea or coffee drinking is not an issue. This is well explained in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BBD1-Five-Precepts.bodhi_.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE FIVE PRECEPTS&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which is a very good read on the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth precept reads: Surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi, “I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.” The word meraya means fermented liquors, sura liquors which have been distilled to increase their strength and flavor. The world majja, meaning an intoxicant, can be related to the rest of the passage either as qualified by sura,meraya or as additional to them. In the former case the whole phrase means fermented and distilled liquors which are intoxicants, in the latter it means fermented and distilled liquors and other intoxicants. If this second reading is adopted the precept would explicitly include intoxicating drugs used non-medicinally, such as the opiates, hemp, and psychedelics. But even on the first reading the precept implicitly proscribes these drugs by way of its guiding purpose, which is to prevent heedlessness caused by the taking of intoxicating substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T05:30:09.223" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:31:42.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Theravada Buddhists abstain from Alcohol. This is well explained in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BBD1-Five-Precepts.bodhi_.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE FIVE PRECEPTS&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which is a very good read on the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth precept reads: Surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi, “I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.” The word meraya means fermented liquors, sura liquors which have been distilled to increase their strength and flavor. The world majja, meaning an intoxicant, can be related to the rest of the passage either as qualified by sura,meraya or as additional to them. In the former case the whole phrase means fermented and distilled liquors which are intoxicants, in the latter it means fermented and distilled liquors and other intoxicants. If this second reading is adopted the precept would explicitly include intoxicating drugs used non-medicinally, such as the opiates, hemp, and psychedelics. But even on the first reading the precept implicitly proscribes these drugs by way of its guiding purpose, which is to prevent heedlessness caused by the taking of intoxicating substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T05:31:42.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2806" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:36:09.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 5th precept deals with more than just alcohol. Taking anything leading to heedlessness is not acceptable. This is well explained in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BBD1-Five-Precepts.bodhi_.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE FIVE PRECEPTS&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which is a very good read on the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth precept reads: Surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi, “I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.” The word meraya means fermented liquors, sura liquors which have been distilled to increase their strength and flavor. The world majja, meaning an intoxicant, can be related to the rest of the passage either as qualified by sura,meraya or as additional to them. In the former case the whole phrase means fermented and distilled liquors which are intoxicants, in the latter it means fermented and distilled liquors and other intoxicants. If this second reading is adopted the precept would explicitly include intoxicating drugs used non-medicinally, such as the opiates, hemp, and psychedelics. But even on the first reading the precept implicitly proscribes these drugs by way of its guiding purpose, which is to prevent heedlessness caused by the taking of intoxicating substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T05:36:09.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5487" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:38:02.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Psychedelic is an intoxicant leading to heedlessness hence not acceptable in Buddhism even for lay people. When it comes to monks who have a higher standers of Sila this is certainly not acceptable. I don't think monks would have used such substance at any point in history without breaking the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is well explained in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BBD1-Five-Precepts.bodhi_.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE FIVE PRECEPTS&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which is a very good read on the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth precept reads: Surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi, “I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness.” The word meraya means fermented liquors, sura liquors which have been distilled to increase their strength and flavor. The world majja, meaning an intoxicant, can be related to the rest of the passage either as qualified by sura,meraya or as additional to them. In the former case the whole phrase means fermented and distilled liquors which are intoxicants, in the latter it means fermented and distilled liquors and other intoxicants. If this second reading is adopted the precept would explicitly include intoxicating drugs used non-medicinally, such as the opiates, hemp, and &lt;strong&gt;psychedelics&lt;/strong&gt;. But even on the first reading the precept implicitly proscribes these drugs by way of its guiding purpose, which is to prevent heedlessness caused by the taking of intoxicating substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T04:21:45.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5648" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-24T05:46:57.350" Score="1" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have once meditated on the Maha Mangala Sutta and I slipped into deep concentration. I opened my eyes and felt my carotid pulsating and I didn't even have to touch it. It felt like it was throbbing and it didn't go away for the rest of the evening. Also, since then, every time pirith is playing, and I choose to listen in, it is always that particular sutra. When I am not even listening to the words of the pirith, I always know that that one sutra is playing and I decide to listen in on the words. What could be a reason why I am experiencing this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2307" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:37:23.523" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:37:23.523" Title="Strange experience after meditation- Is this normal?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5648" CreationDate="2014-11-24T06:31:55.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In meditation when you stop creating new &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankara&lt;/a&gt;. The affect of this is old Sankara comes up and start passing away. This manifests as different sensation and experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Pirith is playing if you are very mindful the same can be happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a good thing as you are getting rid of your old condition and Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T06:31:55.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5487" CreationDate="2014-11-24T13:15:58.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhartha and Jesus of Nazareth are always quoted but the citations to their authorship is really reality vague! Tantric vs. Non-Tantric, i know the way and that's not it because Drama told me so and on and on it goes....... 1. Learn to extinguish your ego 2. Work, Compassion, Knowledge all the well springs of human nature... drink from these wells. 3.Cultivate Stillness as a practice 4. Lastly: &quot; When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.&quot; Tecumseh, Shawnee Warrior,Leader, and no doubt a Buddha. Oh Yea i almost forgot Don't forget to laugh... especially at your self. ROGER THAT&gt;OVER&amp;amp;OUT. re: Psychedelics can help but be very careful...they are not the way only a map reference. Ayahuasca may help somewhat. Good Luck on your journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2345" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T13:15:58.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5611" CreationDate="2014-11-24T14:44:53.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question! Extinguish the ego and end the narrative. This internal dialogue is part of us all; it is like food for the ego. When cultivating stillness a myriad of thoughts will bubble up.... these are your illusions.. try not to provide the narrative.. better to recognize the thought for what it is.. let it go.. non-attachment &#xA;Try to reside in your heart centre more than the mind. This internal dialogue is the polar opposite of mindfulness it is with us in sleep,meditation and thru out the wakeful day. &#xA;Some folks use mantras or focal points of reference such as breathing to return to mindfulness. i found listening the best focal point for my practice.. especially while enjoying the chaos of the day.  Good Luck in your practice my Brother !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2345" LastActivityDate="2014-11-24T14:44:53.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5652" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-24T21:38:45.847" Score="3" ViewCount="3361" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tried meditation literally just now...Monday 24 November 21:00 UK time. This is the second time I have ever tried it... literally twice this evening. I have tried before lying down in bed etc to see if I could get out of body experiences but no luck. So tonight I had nothing to do and tried sitting up (the classic meditation look.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sat in a dark room with low level background sounds. My mind went blank and concentrated on my breathing which went super super slow. Then my airways opened up...i heard my air passages &quot;click.&quot; Then i felt slight tingling. Then the tingling seemed to travel over my whole body then it was REALLY REALLY itchy tingling or &quot;pins and needles&quot; darting over my whole body...I had to stop as it was starting to hurt a little!!!!! After I started itching...mainly my back area and got a bit blotchy. I have just had a hot shower to help with the itching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I know NOTHING about what Im doing, Is it normal to have that experience? I literally could not carry on. What would happen if you forced yourself to carry on? What should I be looking for when trying to meditate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. This isn't my scene really but Im interested in learning more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;T&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2347" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:46:42.313" LastActivityDate="2019-09-14T14:42:14.860" Title="Intense pins and needles" Tags="|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5652" CreationDate="2014-11-25T00:06:34.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice&#xA;by Shunryu Suzuki is a very good way to start. Read as many books as you can on all the wonderful schools of meditation.&#xA;From my experince the sensation of pins and needles has to do with poor blood circulation resulting from blockages of different parts of your meridian system. Tai Chi or Yoga can help prepare you physically and mentally for sitting meditation. You may want to consider standing or walking meditation as an alternative. i commend your spirit your practice is well on it's way. i applaud your questions you show real insight. Our teachers first question after sitting was.. Please share with us what you felt? Your question was one of the most common physical sensations shared among beginners. May i suggest that you look for a teacher.... that in it's self can be a fun journey. OVER&amp;amp;OUT &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2345" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T00:06:34.763" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5632" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:28:31.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per some masters in the Theravada tradition it is good to do 2 sessions a day. One in the morning and another in the evening. Ideally a minimum of 1 hour per session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T04:28:31.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:33:58.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The source most close to the ancient teachings is in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tripitaka&lt;/a&gt;. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; illustrates a reality and the path is an empirical realization of it. This is what is covered in the Tripitaka. Hence it is also scientific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T04:33:58.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5518" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:39:30.593" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something you cannot force. Any form of force is based on craving or aversion hence you loose the balance of your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through meditation you can realize &quot;impermanence, suffering and non-self&quot; at an experiential level. This is not a concept of thought or notion of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T04:39:30.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5657" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5660" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:40:30.743" Score="3" ViewCount="294" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Gelugpa Lam Rim says that someone who practices for benefit in this life alone is not even practicing Dharma -- the minimum Dharmic motivation is to achieve better rebirth (and there are two levels above that, which I am not concerned about here). Here is Pabongka Rinpoche, &lt;em&gt;Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand&lt;/em&gt; (Wisdom Pubs, Kindle Edition, location 2937; same spot in the 1991 paper edition from Wisdom begins on p. 154):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The difference in our motivation makes an enormous difference to the&#xA;  sort of virtuous karmic results we will receive, and to the measure of&#xA;  strength of these results. Suppose four people are reciting together&#xA;  the Praise of the Twenty-One Tārās. One has bodhichitta as a motive.&#xA;  Another is motivated by renunciation. The third yearns for a better&#xA;  rebirth. The last only aspires to the concerns of this life: long&#xA;  life, good health, and so on. Although all four recite the same amount&#xA;  of words, there is a great difference in the sort of karmic results&#xA;  they will obtain. ... The fourth’s recitation belonged only to this&#xA;  life and so was not even Dharma. And it would even be difficult for it&#xA;  to have any of the the hoped-for effect on his life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, my question -- can folks point me to similar material in the Pali Canon, Visuddhimagga or other non-Tibetan sources. Likewise in Tibetan lineages other than Gelug. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Added 11/25 -- Or, is this a Mahayana teaching, and therefore not found explicitly in the Pali Canon. The distinction between bodhicitta and renunciation as motivation is certainly Mahayana -- initially taught in this &quot;three scopes&quot; form in Tibet by Atisha in &lt;em&gt;Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;. So maybe even this pre-three-scopes teaching is not only Mahayana, but a Tibetan addition not found even in Atisha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, then I'd be interested to at least find other Tibetan sources, or hear that this is strictly a Gelug teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More still 11/25 -- Looks like Tsongkhapa, contra Pabongka, includes motivation for this life only in the lower scope, thus making a general motivation for better samsaric life apart from the rebirth distinction:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the scriptures mention many ways of positing a least, a&#xA;  medium, and a superior person. Like Atisha's Lamp for the Path to&#xA;  Enlightenment, Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kosa Auto-commentary&#xA;  (Abhidharma-kosa-bhasya) defines the three types of persons. Among the&#xA;  persons of small capacity, there are indeed two types — those who are&#xA;  intent on this lifetime and those who are intent on future lifetimes.&#xA;  However, here I am speaking of the latter, whom I will identify as&#xA;  those who engage in the unmistaken method for attaining high status. (&lt;em&gt;The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume One. The Lamrim Chenmo&lt;/em&gt;, Wisdom Pubs, pp. 131-132)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe this teaching is actually post-Tsongkhapa Gelug.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2014-11-25T14:32:26.270" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T08:11:02.463" Title="Seeking sources on -- practicing for this life alone is not even Dharma" Tags="|pali-canon|rebirth|reference-request|tibetan-buddhism|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5652" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:43:03.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is normal. Every one gets a different type of experience, so based on your accumulation of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt; this is the experience you get. Do not like it or be averse towards it. Just accept it as this is what you are experiencing now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T04:43:03.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5657" CreationDate="2014-11-25T04:53:18.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per Theravada tradition &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; has the quality of Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi (To be meant to perceive directly and this experience in withing this life time), Sandiṭṭhiko (can be examined and the results been seen here and now), Akāliko (timeless and immediate results when practiced correctly). All this leading to the fact that you should practice for this life time though the benefits would also manifest in substantial life times if you do not get fully liberated in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need some level of motivation otherwise you will not,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;put the effort, or &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;be diligent in the way on how to practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-25T11:47:09.267" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T11:47:09.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5657" CreationDate="2014-11-25T09:47:23.227" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The closest I can think of is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana sutta&lt;/a&gt; in which the Buddha explains how the purity of one's motives have an effect on the results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Sariputta, there is the case where a person gives a gift seeking his own profit, with a mind attached [to the reward], seeking to store up for himself [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death.' He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume, &amp;amp; ointment; bedding, shelter, &amp;amp; a lamp — to a brahman or a contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a gift as this?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Having given this gift seeking his own profit — with a mind attached [to the reward], seeking to store up for himself, [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death' — on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Four Great Kings. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or, instead of thinking, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind serene. Gratification &amp;amp; joy arise,' he gives a gift with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind.' He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume, &amp;amp; ointment; bedding, shelter, &amp;amp; a lamp — to a brahman or a contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a gift as this?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Having given this, not seeking his own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to store up for himself, nor [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death,'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot; — but with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind' — on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a non-returner. He does not come back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, Sariputta, is the cause, this is the reason, why a person gives a gift of a certain sort and it does not bear great fruit or great benefit, whereas another person gives a gift of the same sort and it bears great fruit and great benefit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 7.49&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you're asking about the possibility of practicing the Dhamma without, at the very least, assuming rebirth to be true, then in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apannaka sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha indeed said this was wrong view, and thus against the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because there actually is the next world, the view of one who thinks, 'There is no next world' is his wrong view... when he says that 'There is no next world,' he makes himself an opponent to those arahants who know the next world. Because there actually is the next world, when he persuades another that 'There is no next world,' that is persuasion in what is not true Dhamma. And in that persuasion in what is not true Dhamma, he exalts himself and disparages others. Whatever good habituation he previously had is abandoned, while bad habituation is manifested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 60&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T07:21:30.613" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5657" CreationDate="2014-11-25T12:21:29.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't see how this isn't obvious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;bodhichitta &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;renunciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;better rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;long life, good health&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first three are all (aspects of, mentioned in, included within) Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Better rebirth&quot; at least allows you to detach from a view of self-is-this-body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Long life, good health&quot; are slightly mentioned as possibilities (for example inasmuch as it's recommended not to eat too much, which is beneficial in this life), but practicing only for that motive seems to me to originate in (and to sustain) a view that's contrary to Dharma, which says for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be heedful of the &lt;em&gt;current&lt;/em&gt; moment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No guarantee about the future, except that all compound things will decay&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment (e.g. to long life, good health) causes suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that view or intention seems to me to be contrary to the noble truths, contrary to the eightfold way ... if it's not Dharma ... if, therefore, it's not Buddhism ... then I don't see how it isn't obvious that it's likely that the &quot;hoped for effect won't happen&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the &quot;hoped-for-effect&quot; is the benefit-of-practising-Buddhism (e.g. happiness of renunciation) then the effect won't happen if you're not practising Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the &quot;hoped-for-effect&quot; is benefit-to-health then, if you're only pretending to practice Buddhism (e.g. &quot;reciting the same amount of words&quot;), practising it badly or falsely, why should that have any effect at all?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T12:21:29.093" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5662" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5873" CreationDate="2014-11-25T12:51:58.177" Score="8" ViewCount="567" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Philosopher Dan Dennett makes a compelling argument that not only don't we understand our own consciousness, but that half the time our brains are actively fooling us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_on_our_consciousness?language=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The illusion of consciousness&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above look very much like the Buddhist understanding on the matter where you are initially not mindful of the realities on the present moment but ultimately realize it through meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does the concept of Consciousness in modern psychology relate to that of the Buddhist understanding? What are the similarities and differences of the concept and the background body of knowledge surrounding concepts in psychology and Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-19T13:30:35.700" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T15:19:03.230" Title="How is the Concept of Consciousness in Psychology Related to the parallel Buddhism concepts?" Tags="|philosophy|science|consciousness|psychology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5632" CreationDate="2014-11-25T15:09:26.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's just an old Buddhist saying that passed down to people. No one claimed to say that in particular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2318" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T15:09:26.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1344" CreationDate="2014-11-25T15:17:19.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, drinking alcohols itself is not considered to be a sinful action. However, when you get drunk and lose control of your mind, you go around and hurt yourself and/or someone else. That would be a bad karma to do so, which is why drinking alcohol or taking drugs are actions that should be abstained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddhists who are elders or those who enforce rules in their own community may actively prohibit their fellows to not take alcohols at all at their discretion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2318" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T15:17:19.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5665" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5678" CreationDate="2014-11-25T16:43:26.260" Score="6" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists see reality as consensual or individual? Are all persons' realities joined in a seamless whole, or is each person a window onto nothingness that can never be seen by anyone else? I am not finding easy words for my question which seems clear to me...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see two real things (only), that are one: the Void, and Experience. So for me, everything in Experience is one thing, whether I perceive that or not. Yet each is also unique. Are we all connected like fingers on one hand, or more like ants in a colony: each distinct and un-mergeable with the others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please provide a reference that I can read. Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt; I have this well-known quote attributed to the Buddha: &lt;em&gt;&quot;We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the World.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; So, my question is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;strong&gt;&quot;We&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - does it mean collectively, as a plenary (not by assent but in fact), or does it mean each of us individually? The word &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; World - does it mean the common reality, or each of our individual &quot;realities&quot;? Simple, yet subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T16:21:46.023" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T16:21:46.023" Title="Do Buddhists see reality as consensual or individual?" Tags="|reality|nonduality|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5665" CreationDate="2014-11-25T17:07:40.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reality is neither consensual or an individual perception. Of course when one practices &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; and realize what reality actually is, then your individual perception of reality coincides with the actual reality. Until then there is a divergence. Practice of Vipassana is to close this divergence where you move from gross reality to the subtlest realities until you have realized the ultimate reality. Also if we see reality as it is then your would be &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;enlightened&lt;/a&gt; or as an individual an &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arahath&lt;/a&gt;, which is achieved through Vipassana. As many individuals are not enlightened their perception of reality in different from the actual. Also note, consensus view on any things is cultural and time wearying and definitely will not coincide with reality. Even science is in a flux of change with new theories and old being dispelled. So scientific understanding is not reality per say through it is and approximation of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. When you play doctor in kindergarten then you are not a doctor but when you actually become one then this is the reality. Many are in the kindergarten stage of understanding of reality but have not progressed. Similar to a person not going to school. Once you learn and then go to medical school then you only become a proper doctor. Similarly when you practice Vipassana only you progress to higher stages of understanding of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reality in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-28T14:36:46.853" LastActivityDate="2014-11-28T14:36:46.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5667" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-25T17:43:47.957" Score="2" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following touches on the ability to know other people's thoughts at a much grosser level than developed through meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/rebecca_saxe_how_brains_make_moral_judgments?language=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How we read each other's minds&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the research based or scientific explanation on the working of Abhiññā / Iddhi? What kind of cues do Jhāna help pick up?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2018-08-29T08:27:27.363" LastActivityDate="2018-08-29T09:06:29.783" Title="Are there research based or scientific explanation on the working of Abhiññā / Iddhi?" Tags="|jhana|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5665" CreationDate="2014-11-25T18:21:23.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;reality&quot; in your question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you asking about &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sacca (Pāli; Sanskrit Satya) word meaning &quot;&lt;strong&gt;real&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;strong&gt;true&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.[1] In early Buddhist literature, sacca is often found in the context of the &quot;Four Noble Truths&quot;, a crystallization of Buddhist wisdom. In addition, sacca is one of the ten pāramitās or &quot;perfections&quot; a bodhisatta must develop in order to become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of the &quot;four noble truths&quot; I guess Buddhists see (that kind of description of) &quot;reality&quot; as &quot;applicable to everyone&quot; or &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://english.stackexchange.com/a/207463/9548&quot;&gt;general&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāramitā&lt;/a&gt; suggests that insight (into reality) and ability to speak truth (about reality) is Buddhist: i.e. it is something which the Buddha can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be another question-and-answer about that topic (i.e. &quot;sacca&quot; or &quot;satya&quot;) here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5565/what-is-sat-dharma&quot;&gt;What is Sat-Dharma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're asking about &quot;physical reality&quot; then &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5574/254&quot;&gt;I don't think so&lt;/a&gt; -- I think that Buddhism describes a reality that's more complicated than merely 'physical' reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're asking about conscious or experiential realities then, well, I won't try to answer that. Maybe that's getting into material in the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T18:21:23.803" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2036" CreationDate="2014-11-25T22:56:08.513" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original answer saying that attaining personal wealth and mastery of sex is important for moksha is completely, 100% wrong and as a hindu I am extremely offended. Moksha and Nirvana are connected and the buddhist concept basically branches from the hindu concept of Moksha. Please please do not spread wrong knowledge about our religion. Moksha is a way to be one with the God and remove yourself from the cycle of rebirth. It is essentially what nirvana is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2353" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T22:56:08.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5657" CreationDate="2014-11-25T23:40:09.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to add an answer of my own based on some reading I did today (but still give the nod to Sadhana for a good citation). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This piece -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Truth of Rebirth&lt;/a&gt;, by Thanissaro Bikkhu -- makes the point that &quot;birth&quot; in the first of the Four Truths can only refer to rebirth, otherwise why would it be relevant to an already born being. It also cannot refer simply to micro-level, momentary mind-states because the Buddha is quite clear (SN 12:2) that he means the literal birth of a person, and likewise illness, aging and death. And for all, he means cyclic repetition of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This and numerous other points, particularly &lt;em&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/em&gt; (dependent arising) make it clear the the Four Truths are intimately bound up with literal rebirth. So any view that denies rebirth also denies the Four truths, that is, Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only remaining question for me is the person who acknowledges the truth of rebirth but is still not motivated by it. But to do that is clearly not to practice Dharma either, since intention and action are a crucial elements of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So bottom line, I think the Lam Rim formulation is a forceful summary of these facts, which is deeply built into the fundamental Pali Canon teachings but scattered around. (Plug for Lam Rim -- it claims to be a succinct, systematic gathering of the fundamental teachings, both Pali Canon and Mahayana. I think this example demonstrates that quality rather nicely.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T23:40:09.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5490" CreationDate="2014-11-25T23:59:04.267" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It may depend on the tradition, but in the Pali suttas, the language changes unequivocally to more formal modes of address like &amp;quot;gahapati&amp;quot; (householder), &amp;quot;upaasaka/upaasikaa&amp;quot; (lay follower), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the clansman Raṭṭhapāla rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the Blessed One, he departed, keeping him on his right. He went to his parents and told them: “Mother and father, as I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is not easy while living in a home to lead the holy life, utterly perfect and pure as a polished shell. I wish to shave off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness. Give me permission to go forth from the home life into homelessness.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the venerable Raṭṭhapāla’s former wives clasped his feet and said to him: “What are they like, my lord’s son, the nymphs for whose sake you lead the holy life?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“We do not lead the holy life for the sake of nymphs, sisters.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Our lord’s son Raṭṭhapāla calls us ‘sisters,’” they cried and right there they fainted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the venerable Raṭṭhapāla told his father: “Householder, if there is a meal to be given, then give it. Do not harass us.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;(MN 82 - Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-25T23:59:04.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5530" CreationDate="2014-11-26T00:14:18.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada satipatthana sutta contains the same reference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Again, bhikkhus, as though he were to see a corpse thrown aside in a charnel ground, one, two, or three days dead, bloated, livid, and &lt;strong&gt;oozing matter&lt;/strong&gt;, a bhikkhu compares this same body with it thus: ‘This body too is of the same nature, it will be like that, it is not exempt from that fate.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(MN 10 - Bodhi, Trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga explains the phrase (festering = oozing):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The festering: what is trickling with pus in broken places is festering (vipubba).&#xA;  What is festering is the same as “the festering” (vipubbaka). Or alternatively,&#xA;  what is festering (vipubba) is vile (kucchita) because of repulsiveness, thus it is&#xA;  “the festering” (vipubbaka). This is a term for a corpse in that particular state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vism. VI.3 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T00:14:18.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5518" CreationDate="2014-11-26T02:34:32.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, I read that both eternalism and nihilism are false concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/111.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/111.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2354" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T02:34:32.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2036" CreationDate="2014-11-26T05:06:20.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Concept of Moksha is more analogues to birth in a higher plain of existence as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Cosmology&lt;/a&gt;. E.g. merge with God. Nirvana is to get out of the cycle of birth. The Moksha concept is that you achive the same when you merge with god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T05:06:20.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3338" CreationDate="2014-11-26T13:19:25.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the main reasons for the decline of Buddhism in India is that it was engulfed by Hinduism in the years following the death of Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;India, before the time of Buddha was a Brahminical society dominated by Brahmins and Kshatriyas who were at the top of a four level caste system, the others being Vaishyas followed by Shudras. The Indian society was rife with rites and rituals which could be only performed by Brahmins. A householder throughout his existence was supposed to carry out various sacrifices which included animal slaughter and thus the vasihyas and the shudras suffered the most during pre-Buddha period. Now Buddha's teachings gave no value to rites and rituals and also he preached non-violence. This made Buddhism much popular among the vaishyas and shudras. This was of course a threat to Brahminical dominance and thus the livelihood of the priestly class. Hence there were many attempts by the priestly class to sabotage Buddhist teachings even during the time of Buddha but they were unsuccessful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After his death, they seem to have found success. Although Buddha negated the existence of God as is accepted in Hinduism, later Hindu fanatics made out Buddha himself to be a Hindu God. They declared him to be the 9th avatar of Vishnu, a Hindu God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2014-11-26T13:36:42.887" LastActivityDate="2014-11-26T13:36:42.887" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5665" CreationDate="2014-11-27T02:04:58.233" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Buddhist perspective, phenomenal (experiential) reality is dependently co-arisen phenomena. In other words, experience depends on convergence of a number of factors. Some of those factors are common across multiple cases of perception, and some are specific to an individual case of perception. To the extent that some factors are shared, realities are similar. To the extent that some factors are unique, realities are dissimilar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This topic is discussed in depth in a very advanced work of 19th century Buddhist philosopher Mipham, called &lt;em&gt;Beacon of Certainty&lt;/em&gt; (topic #6). For a more casual read, check out &lt;em&gt;The Prayer of Kuntuzangpo&lt;/em&gt;. Also see &lt;em&gt;Lamp of Mahamudra&lt;/em&gt; section one, &quot;Ground Mahamudra&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objects (and subjects!) appearing in each of the realities are not truly existing. But there is only one ground underlying them all. To realize the true meaning of this ground is to be Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an infinite number of valid, internally not inconsistent, but not necessarily compatible with each other, ways to cognize this ground. Although all cognitions (including cognition of the true meaning of the ground!) are construed on the basis of temporarily combined elements (so in this sense no one cognition is fundamentally better than any other), however, since there's a case of being aware (vs. being unaware) of dependently-coarisen nature of objects (and subjects!) of perception, there's a sense in which we can speak of an awakened cognition. Or as Master Dogen said in Genjo-Koan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When all dharmas are [seen as] the Buddha-Dharma, then there is delusion and realization, there is practice, there is life and there is death, there are buddhas and there are ordinary beings. When the myriad dharmas are each not of the self, there is no delusion and no realization, no buddhas and no ordinary beings, no life and no death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-11-27T03:32:02.533" LastActivityDate="2014-11-27T03:32:02.533" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5679" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-27T10:14:27.813" Score="8" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;Came across this interesting research paper: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.feelguide.com/2014/11/19/harvard-unveils-mri-study-proving-meditation-literally-rebuilds-the-brains-gray-matter-in-8-weeks/&quot;&gt;Harvard Unveils MRI Study Proving Meditation Literally Rebuilds The Brain’s Gray Matter In 8 Weeks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If above is the case, is there any research showing that meditation makes better students or make people fair well at exams? Does it boost your IQ / EQ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T11:12:00.237" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T11:12:00.237" Title="Can meditation help students in exams?" Tags="|science|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5665" CreationDate="2014-11-27T13:35:08.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the early suttas, this sort of question is deemed irrelevant for the practice; that is, as long as there's a problem, and you can do something about it, then any time wasted on wondering whose problem is it, what constitutes a problem, does it have an inherent existence shared by all beings, etc, is categorized as falling victim to Mara. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, here are a few things to consider:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha said that each being is the heir of their own actions - not others' actions. And that we experience rebirth from life to life, i.e. death isn't the end of our heritage. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He suggested developing equanimity for people who are hopeless, so that implies that there isn't any inherent dependency on others' states of mind. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.161.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the Buddha and his noble disciples gained awakening, nobody but them was awakened. It's an individual accomplishment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are documented cases in the canon of arahants synchronously experiencing things which ordinary people don't. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-27T13:35:08.530" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5681" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7778" CreationDate="2014-11-27T15:24:37.947" Score="16" ViewCount="921" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Enlightenment a misleading goal? Is it more of a thought-form than just an experience? I am asking because there is a lot of discussion of awakening, enlightenment, satori, differences, levels, etc. and I think that this distracts from the simple truth of growing in awareness, which is both individual and collective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, is it better to stop thinking about &quot;how to get to 'it' &quot; and just get on with life? In any field, we don't try to attain a specific goal, because - then what? Artists don't try to reach a level, they just make more art. So I would say, is it more helpful to not talk about enlightenment and talk instead about simply becoming more aware?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My prompt for this question comes from what I read (long ago) about how people asked the Buddha after his enlightenment something like: &quot;What are you? Are you an angel? Are you a devil? What?&quot; and he said &quot;I am awake.&quot; So, his answer was about a condition of being, not an endpoint. Like how a rainbow is an arrangement of circumstances, not a thing that you can touch. This is not coming out right... I think that the word &quot;enlightenment&quot; focuses on a rainbow - something that does not exist. Talking about it prolongs ignorance, perhaps?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this addressed specifically in the Buddhist literature? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2014-11-27T15:38:51.563" LastActivityDate="2021-09-04T09:08:42.857" Title="Is Enlightenment a misleading ideal?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-11-27T16:49:51.827" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is an experience, which you get here and now, when you practice Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like an artist, if you do not take some effort to paint, there will be no art; likewise, if you do not do Vipassana, there will be no enlightenment. This cannot be achieved with by tying too hard, craving for it, thinking about it, etc. It is the natural realization from the practice of Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is not a conditioned existence, but when you have achieved something beyond conditioning, or an unconditioned state. When you achieve this state, you are no longer creating new &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt;. This is because you have understood the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;law of cause and effect&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 noble truths&lt;/a&gt; with regard to our &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mind matter&lt;/a&gt; phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="10288" LastEditDate="2018-11-20T09:11:37.860" LastActivityDate="2018-11-20T09:11:37.860" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-11-27T18:41:12.210" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very well know paradox, perhaps &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; main paradox of Buddhism. On one hand, there is no Enlightenment -- on the other hand, Enlightenment truly occurs! Most of Zen lore revolves around this very pivot point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are right in your intuition that thinking and talking of Enlightenment is counterproductive. At the same time, to simply go on with life is not Enlightenment either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment requires getting to the very bottom of things. Once you get to the bottom of things, you're no longer fooled with words such as &quot;Enlightenment&quot; -- instead, you directly see what is being referred to. And then in the practical sense, Enlightenment means mastery of skillful action rooted in the right understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When such a master acts, the skill is quite obvious to everyone. Because the master is in harmony with all things, her action is very efficient. Needless to say, the master knows how to act as to avoid hurting herself or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2014-11-27T18:41:12.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5684" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-28T01:48:29.533" Score="1" ViewCount="1180" Body="&lt;p&gt;So the Buddhist texts must be stating something incorrectly since we now know that we can't fly without the help of technology. How could they fly then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:34:41.837" LastActivityDate="2021-05-03T12:12:25.110" Title="Do flying monks described in Buddhist texts contradict with physics?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5686" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-28T04:51:36.523" Score="1" ViewCount="2792" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the central idea of Buddhism about being totally objective, see things as what they are and don't have a preference or judgement? If that is correct, then why we should prefer the ideas in Buddhism to any other ideas. Isn't that already making a judgement? Am I misunderstanding anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2362" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-11-28T15:05:35.043" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T17:12:27.533" Title="Central idea of Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|beginner|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-11-28T06:13:39.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The central idea in Buddhism is to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;law of cause and effect (Pratītyasamutpāda)&lt;/a&gt; with regard to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental and physical phenomena (Nama Rupa)&lt;/a&gt;, thus also gain understanding of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be achived through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 fold practice&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&lt;/a&gt;) or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 fold path&lt;/a&gt; by developing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;qualities / factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. The main ingredients of the path is the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;morality&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: Realizing the 4 Noble Truths and Cause and Effect essentially equal as the results are the same. 4 Noble Truths essentially encompass the cause and effect regarding suffering. When you identify the cause and eliminate it suffering ceases. (A concise description on what is the Buddhist teaching is given in: “Ye dhamma hetuppabhava—tesam hetum tathagato aha, tesam ca yo nirodho—evamvadi mahasamano.” “Whatever from a cause proceeds, thereof The Tathagatha has explained the cause, Its cessation too he has explained. This is the teaching of the Supreme Sage.”)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh015-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Wheel Publication No. 15&lt;/em&gt; - Dependent Origination &lt;em&gt;by Piyadassi Thera&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books6/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Paticcasamuppada.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paticcasamuppada: Practical Dependent Origination &lt;em&gt;by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistteachings.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Significance-of-Dependent-Origination.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Significance of Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.samathavipassana.org/documents/dependent_origination.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.samathavipassana.org/documents/dependent_origination.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Ryuei/depen-orig.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Dependent Origination &lt;em&gt;by Ryuei Michael McCormick&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Discuss interconnection of 4 Noble Truths and Cause and Effect - &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The first two of the four noble truths explains the origin of suffering dependent on selfish craving for its cause. The third and fourth of the four noble truths describe the cessation of suffering by eradicating the causes upon which it depends.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Source of: &quot;He who sees the Dependent Origination sees the Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) he who sees the Dhamma sees the Dependent Origination.&quot;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T12:05:02.000" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5684" CreationDate="2014-11-28T06:18:51.670" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the main pieces of advice in the Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; is verification by trying it yourself (Ehipassiko) and to be open to scientific scrutiny (Sandiṭṭhiko). Hence you can develop the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhanas&lt;/a&gt; and see for your self if this is possible or not. Self-verification and experience is more convincing than people arguing in-favor or against something like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, there is much research in these areas under &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parapsychology&lt;/a&gt; though this might be view as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pseudoscience&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-02T15:24:51.940" LastActivityDate="2021-05-02T15:24:51.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5426" CreationDate="2014-11-28T09:03:49.620" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can try focusing primarily on your in-breath during your meditation.  Inhalation activates your sympathetic nervous system (which is also activated when you're in flight or fight mode).  Every time you inhale, there is a subtle increase in energy.  Your body is oxygenated and your heart beats a bit faster.  At the same time, your mind also becomes more alert and energetic on the in-breath.  So if you meditate with an emphasis on your in-breath , you will find yourself becoming more energised. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just try it for yourself and see what happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2363" LastActivityDate="2014-11-28T09:03:49.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-11-28T15:23:56.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe the issue here is &quot;dharma&quot;, which has lots of different meanings, one of which is something like, &quot;how things really are&quot; another is &quot;the principles of one mental model explaining how things really are propounded by Buddhists&quot;.  An analogy would be heaven and heavens (getting your soul to heaven is religion, but explaining the heavens (meaning planets and stars in this case) is in the realm of science.)  The former sense of the Dhamma is objective. If Buddhist confound them, is a sign of confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the pali texts, the historical Buddha had a story about seeing Buddhism as sort of a raft to get across a river, and once you reach the other side, you put it down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/dhamma-corner/the-dhamma-is-a-raft/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/dhamma-corner/the-dhamma-is-a-raft/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overtime though, Buddhism becomes an institutionalize religion and you begin see things like the 8th Minor Precept (this is from the Brahma Net Sutra, which is precepts for east Asian Buddhism):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;On Turning Away from the Mahayana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a disciple of the Buddha disavows the eternal Mahayana sutras and moral codes, &#xA;  declaring that they were not actually taught by the&#xA;  Buddha, and instead follows and observes those of the Two Vehicles and&#xA;  deluded externalists, he commits a secondary offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't to imply that Mahayanaists went down the wrong path... I think in just about all Buddhisms, enlightenment turned into an ideal that you never are expected to reach, at least not on human scales of time. In other words, hold onto that metaphorical raft forever, because you aren't enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I'm optimistic about the prospects of enlightenment in this life, optimistic about finding parallels in science and Buddhism (of the calm, not so revolutionary sort, no the breathless claims of finding quantum physics being forseen by any buddhist writer), and I'm pessimistic about finding different religions to be saying the same thing (other than maybe hinduism and jainism, since they all drew on the same pool of ideas as Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, science, Christianity, Buddhism, the man in the street all share the same universe (same objective dhrama in front of them), but only over have some overlap in the dharmas they &quot;preach&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-11-28T15:23:56.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5684" CreationDate="2014-11-28T20:24:37.600" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So the Buddhist texts must be stating something incorrectly since we now know that we can't fly without the help of technology. How could they fly then?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What text are you referring to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, what is meant by &quot;flying&quot;? Is it an actual body? Or, perhaps, just the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;since we now know that we can't fly without the help of technology&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think the above can be inferred from physics. Not much because I am a physicist, but because natural laws have a way of refusing to be subsumed by assertions like these. In other words, it seems to be another instance of the old induction trap. For example, seeing 100 black cats is enough to assert &quot;all cats are black&quot; without incurring in mistake?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself seemed to be acutely aware of this problem when he says he does not discern a beginning [of the world], instead of relapsing his reasoning and declaring &quot;the world is eternal&quot; (see  Brahmajāla Sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2014-11-28T20:24:37.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-11-28T20:56:50.943" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is the central idea of Buddhism about being totally objective, see things as what they are&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without elaborating on &quot;objectivity&quot;, I think it might be somewhat fair to say that. Though there are many &quot;central ideas&quot; of Buddhism, and &quot;central ideas&quot; that are very particular to Buddhism (and being objective is not exclusive to Buddhism). I'd say it is a kind of attitude, stretching a little, maybe a method, that permeates it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot; [...] and don't have a preference or judgement?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hardly think so. I don't think it is possible to not establish preferences. And, if you understand judgement to be &quot;discernment&quot;, I also don't think that is possible either. Or beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, it is another &quot;central idea&quot; to watch and understand how these &quot;preferences&quot; and &quot;judgements&quot; unfolds in their minutia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that practice, then, another process (which is often referred to as &quot;judgement&quot;) would hopefully be clearer: that of allowing our minds to fill in details about something (from our fears, or fantasies) and reacting to this mixture, instead of seeing the actual thing. And that seems much more the process behind something we know by another name: pre-judgement (prejudice, preconception, preconceived idea, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If that is correct, then why we should prefer the ideas in Buddhism to any other ideas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Following the style of the arguments in the suttas], the same reason the Buddha preferred a certain practice over another: whether it leads to Nibanna or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-11-29T02:29:25.153" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T02:29:25.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-11-28T21:32:21.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Enlightenment is ego's ultimate disappointment.' Chogyam Trungpa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2354" LastActivityDate="2014-11-28T21:32:21.377" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-11-29T04:29:23.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You talk of Buddhist ideas...they can be referred to as Dhamma. Now the Dhamma is '&lt;strong&gt;Ehipassiko&lt;/strong&gt;' which means to come and see for ourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A human being is not born enlightened but has to work for getting even the simplest of knowledge let alone some profound wisdom. Consider for e.g. the stone age man...he had the knowledge of the base needs like food, clothing, shelter, sex etc. But he probably had no resources to learn about the workings of internal organs of  his/her body. This doesn't mean that the internal organs didn't work according to their laws, s/he was just oblivious about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this Dhamma is universal and existed even before the Buddha but it took a Buddha, a perfectly enlightened one to compress this Dhamma into compact teachings. So we have these teachings, as propounded by the Buddha, before us. We would gain nothing by just preferring it or discarding it. It is for us to see if impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and non-self (anatta) are really the three marks of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we believe in Newton's law of gravity because it can be verified. Similarly these Buddhist teachings/ideas are verifiable. Take for e.g. impermanence...I think even beginner meditators can easily verify impermanence for themselves. But verifying suffering and non-self may take time. Important thing is to be patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically we should not prefer or discard Buddhist teachings/ideas but cultivate the wisdom through meditative practice and verify them for ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T04:29:23.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2014-11-29T06:53:05.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following might be of some help as references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; essay&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIAfLQWfES4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; talk on YouTube&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.15-Paticcasamuppada-Vibhanga-S-s12.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.14-Kaya-Na-Tumha-S-s12.37-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Na Tumha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T06:53:05.307" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="87" CreationDate="2014-11-29T07:15:53.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism one of the main teaching is that any action as repercussions. Generally people do not like getting wounded, loosing a limb or body parts, dyeing, etc. When you do bad Karma the results you reap are similarly horrible as your action. So what you do to the insect will likely befall you in some point of your existence in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samsara&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since this action in not to ones own benefit or the benefit or other hence is it unjustifiable. What is justifiable is what beneficial to ones self and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: In Buddhism the law of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt; is not absolute, but balance of probability interacting with the other Karma and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niyamas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see the following which analyse the results of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt;. Generally what is not conducive to oneself or the others is not justifiable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.15-Cula-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m135-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Kamma Vibhanga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/38.6-Brahmavihara-Subha-S-m99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Subha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.13-Ananda-Subha-S-d10-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Subha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma Vibhanga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T15:50:47.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5699" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-29T07:42:06.137" Score="5" ViewCount="7707" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is what I have been told by some Thai followers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sun's light takes 8 minutes to reach the Earth, but our mind can think of the sun or even of distant stars instantly. That is to say, our mind is faster than the speed of light. They claim science is a subset of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this true or false?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2367" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-15T21:32:34.117" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T13:09:55.537" Title="Is our mind faster than light?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="116" CreationDate="2014-11-29T07:51:26.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nation building is achieve through giving capital, supporting agriculture, protecting the business and farming community, increasing and strengthening the military, being a virtuous and exemplary government and a leader, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is mainly covered in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakkavattisihanada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as well as &lt;a href=&quot;https://drive.google.com/viewerng/viewer?a=v&amp;amp;pid=sites&amp;amp;srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxkaGFybWFmYXJlcnxneDo0ZmE4OTFmOWU3YWM4ZDY2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/120/295&quot;&gt;as in the above answer&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T07:57:31.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T08:04:14.783" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you think about the sun the thought of it arise instantly. Hence your mind is much faster than the speed of light which takes 8 minutes to reach earth. Thoughts and memories of distant objects can arise instantly in your mind. Hence why the mind is called it is faster than the speed of light. This is not to be confused with the literal meaning where here is actual travel from one place to the other other than when rebirth is happening. (When there is rebirth you die in one place and the conscientiousness instantly arises  somewhere else where there is a ready womb.) This is similar to a simply used in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Panha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Milinda Panha&lt;/a&gt; though this is discussed in the context of rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science is always a model or approximation of reality, hence always changing with new research and discovery. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; is Akāliko (timeless). Hence Buddhism teachers an absolute reality where as science is and approximation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-01T08:41:56.703" LastActivityDate="2014-12-01T08:41:56.703" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T08:06:09.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A pretty amusing question. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The canon is full of descriptions such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, realizing with his awareness the line of thinking in Ven. Anuruddha's awareness — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt, and re-appeared among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Park, right in front of Ven. Anuruddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T08:06:09.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T10:33:56.887" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;well i can write sun on paper faster than 8 minutes that does not mean my hands are faster than light ! this things are misinterpretation. Real Buddhism is about 'Nirvana' and about becoming free from the self, think about yourself without you ever existing ..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2368" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T10:33:56.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T12:08:03.067" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Demonstrably false.  Before getting to thinking about the sun, let's consider seeing the sun as an example:  When photons from the sun, a visual object, make contact with the eye, there is eye-contact.  With eye-contact arises eye-consciousness, that is the pattern of electrochemical impulses in the visual cortex of the brain.  However, it still took 8 minutes for those photons to reach the eye from the surface of the sun.  When thinking about the sun, there is a mental object, the idea of the sun, which makes mind-contact with the mind, causing idea-consciousness to arise.  However, the mental object and the visual object of the sun are still two different dhammas, two different phenomena.  Your idea of the sun as a mental object has no dependence on the continued existence of the sun as a visual object.  No information travels from the visual object of the sun as part of the process of the mind making mind-contact with the mental object of the sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2369" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T12:08:03.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-11-29T20:04:33.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is the central idea of Buddhism about being totally objective, see things as what they are and don't have a preference or judgement? If that is correct, then why we should prefer the ideas in Buddhism to any other ideas. Isn't that already making a judgement?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, but in order for an un-enlightened worldling to attain that state of seeing things as they really are without preference or judgement, some wholesome preference and good judgement are required. One would need to make clear preference and judgement when facing the 3 poisons of greed, hatred and delusion. Ven. Ananda in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 51.15&lt;/a&gt; explains to Unnabha that the path of Dhamma is one with a definite goal: the abandoning of desire, which can only be attained by developing a strong desire to end desire: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T20:04:33.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T21:30:57.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Light is made of photons; it is material : the photons move in the air or in the emptiness like in space for example; the thinking is in our soul; it is not material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2322" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T21:30:57.277" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T22:29:33.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your mind is not faster than light for two reasons. First, you are just imagining the sun not producing light from the body itself. Two, your mind works through the use of neurons. Neurons communicate to each other by sending electrical impulses, electrical impulses are electrons moving through atoms that have dislocated electrons. Just saying this is far from the speed of light, but I get the idea why people believe this because the electrical impulses don't have to travel far to the next neuron since its on a cellular level compared to the large distances we use electricity for, this is considerably fast so it kinda seems like the speed of light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. As another example, mainly psychologically. It could be you think as that the speed of the mind is equal to the speed of light since we got the idea that the speed of light is the fastest speed possible. And your speed of thought is the fastest you can think, since you can't imagine anything faster because you have a limit you think that your speed of thought is the fastest speed possible. Since your thinking process is basically 'you'. So you have nothing to compare it to literally since as I said you 'thinking', is the fastest you can 'think', because 'thought' is the base layer of you 'thinking'. And because of this, you make the connection that the fastest speed possible in the universe is isn't/as fast as your thought process. Of course this isn't the only reason why you think that thought is faster than light. If this is hard to understand sorry, its because this is quite hard to put into words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2375" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T22:29:33.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5709" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5728" CreationDate="2014-11-29T22:35:19.800" Score="3" ViewCount="1205" Body="&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that religion can be many things but I want to consider the more &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soteriology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;soteriological&lt;/a&gt; aspects of religion. If we can take as a premise that religions including Buddhism have a strong concern about salvation - this would mean that Buddhism and other religions have competing views on this matter. Do Buddhist texts and Buddhist teachers think that other religions are wholly wrong in this regard or maybe partially right or even perhaps everyone is correct in some sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested in references for reasonable authoritative texts or quotes from teachers either ancient or contemporary. Also are certain schools of Buddhism more open to other religious views and perhaps other ones more exclusive in their views?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2023-07-13T14:06:13.313" Title="Do Buddhists think other religions are wrong?" Tags="|philosophy|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-29T23:39:57.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are making a lot of mistakes about what happens when the mind &quot;moves&quot; to the Sun or someplace else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is that the Sun you're thinking of is not the Sun, it is an image of the Sun. The Sun is not in your mind. Your mind is inside your skull, or certainly inside your body (including your whole nervous system, not just your brain) which would take light far less than 8 minutes to travel through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another mistake is that thinking of the Sun is instantaneous. It takes the chemical, electrical and other changes in your brain and body actual time to think of the Sun. Since none of those parts of your body move anywhere near the speed of light, even the short distance among them takes milliseconds for the interacting parts to move through. But it's still not the Sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still another mistake is that science is a subset of Buddhism. While there might indeed be interpretations of existence that (some) science and Buddhism could agree are accurate, most notably the fundamentally subjective nature of events requiring an observer to have any definite state or condition, there is not a hierarchical relationship. There is a common philosophical attitude derived from making experience the basis of existence, while noting that there is more to existence than to experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while there is interesting food for thought in comparing the speed of thought to the speed of objects, trying to find Buddhism superior to science by contradicting it is really just a self indulgent sophism. Which both Buddhism and science would agree is a waste of time or worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2376" LastActivityDate="2014-11-29T23:39:57.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T03:17:24.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravadan Buddhist perspective says that Buddhist has a pluralistic view of religion. The Buddha was suggested to say the following about the validity of other religions in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In whatever Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, no ascetic is found of the first, the second, the third, or the fourth grade. But such ascetics can be found, of the first, second, third or fourth grade in a Dhamma and Discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found. Now, Subhadda, in this Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is found, and in it are to be found ascetics of the first, second, third or fourth grade.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;Noble Eightfold Path&amp;quot; is a group of 8 &amp;quot;corrects&amp;quot; that when put into practice lead to Enlightenment. These 8 are correct view, correct intention, correct speech, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfullness, correct meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that these 8 &amp;quot;corrects&amp;quot; are qualities that can be done and are done in other religious (and non religious) groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While all Buddhist accept these 8 &amp;quot;corrects&amp;quot; as needed to reach Enlightenment, they have a lot of disagreement of how to define them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists sects view &amp;quot;correct livelihood&amp;quot; to mean vegetarianism is necessary, while other sects view it is not necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist sects view chastity as necessary to achieve &amp;quot;correct meditation&amp;quot;, other sects do not view chastity as necessary or beneficial towards &amp;quot;correct meditation&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the religion, many Buddhist accept the view that there are many roads leading to the same place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While other religions may not call living virtuously and with self-restraint, the &amp;quot;Eight Noblefold Path&amp;quot; and may call it &amp;quot;The Ten Commandements&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;The Word According to the Book&amp;quot;&#xA;are they not really the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="961" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2023-07-01T17:35:44.333" LastActivityDate="2023-07-01T17:35:44.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5662" CreationDate="2014-11-30T03:32:52.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my understanding as a Buddhist, the worldview is that only 6 things truly can be said to truly, truly, exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 6 things are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything beyond these 6 things such as &quot;the body&quot; &quot;the brain&quot; &quot;the economy&quot; &quot;the world&quot; &quot;the internet&quot;, is a mental construct, a thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these mental constructs we make are for the sake of convenience, or comes from misunderstanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This understanding goes against the grain of the world, goes against the view of the status quo that &quot;we&quot; exist, that the outer world really exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern Psychology comes up with data through using these 6 senses. In order to gather data through these 6 senses, these 6 senses must be accurate and reliable. According to Buddhism these 6 senses, the idea of these 6 senses, is deceptive. There is no real 6 senses, it is just a mental construct, a thought. Anything besides seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking, is not &quot;real&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="961" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T03:32:52.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-30T04:29:00.223" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you're &lt;em&gt;thinking&lt;/em&gt; about the Sun, your consciousness isn't actually traveling to the Sun itself; rather, your mind is simply reproducing a mental image of the Sun. Therefore, it would be more appropriate to say that when you think of the Sun, the &quot;movement&quot; is from some part of the brain to another (not a neurologist, sorry).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The light from the Sun takes 8 minutes to reach Earth, but in doing so it travels an immense 92,960,000 miles. (yes, I know it's not speed of light through a vacuum, but the difference is insignificant here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when you &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; of the Sun, the information travels some amount of inches in what, a couple milliseconds?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this, we can easily see that light is faster than our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2378" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T04:29:00.223" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2014-11-30T08:27:42.673" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The key point here is that the concept of speed is dependent on space (speed = distance/time, distance = spatial position B - spatial position A), which in turn is a derived product of matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind, being immaterial (and moreover momentary), does not &quot;move&quot;, per se. It arises based on one of the six senses and ceases in the next moment. It never takes up space, nor can it be said to &quot;move&quot; in ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T08:27:42.673" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5716" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-30T09:03:03.703" Score="7" ViewCount="317" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a student and follow Buddhist ideas. Can Buddhist practices increase my capabilities to be a better student? More discipline? Clearer mind? What practices would be of the most benefit to achieve my academic goals? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related questions (involve increasing focus/ attention, productivity/ efficiency/ time management)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9163/what-meditation-practice-will-allow-me-to-sleep-less-and-focus-more&quot;&gt;What meditation practice will allow me to sleep less and focus more?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14251/best-type-of-meditation-for-attention&quot;&gt;Best type of meditation for attention&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5607/does-meditation-increase-productivity-for-software-developers-and-related-profes&quot;&gt;Does meditation increase productivity for software developers and related professions?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, what studies have been done for the more general &quot;spillover&quot; type benefits such as greater well being and confidence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2379" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T03:30:19.253" Title="Can following Buddhist practices help me in my studies?" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|modern-world|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5717" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-11-30T10:01:01.757" Score="2" ViewCount="3971" Body="&lt;p&gt;What did Buddha have to say about the creation of the Universe, if any? I asked a monk after a discourse, and he said that there is a reference to continuous Big Bangs, not simultaneous, but one after another. There have been many such Big Bangs before? I don't understand though. Is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a slightly broader question than my previous one but is related. Does Buddha have anything to say about scientific advancements? Is there any need for Science in Buddhism? Is Buddhism too broad and philosophic for Science to explain logically or is this an excuse for not being able to explain certain phenomena scientifically? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-11-30T13:55:23.147" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T02:54:10.640" Title="Buddhism about the Big Bang and Science in general" Tags="|the-buddha|science|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5718" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5721" CreationDate="2014-11-30T10:36:30.223" Score="3" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;How would you balance, material advancement and spiritual advancement in terms of Buddhism? I consider this because something material is close to what we see and feel in the moment, and related to desires of creating something and/or modifying it to suit our needs and ego (and suchlike consequences) and probably being attached to that which you created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be a question of how to balance spiritual and professional commitments. Isn't commitment a form of attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2014-12-02T02:56:36.450" Title="Nature of spiritual advancement and material advancement" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5717" CreationDate="2014-11-30T12:12:04.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentioned the beginning of things. This is similar to the idea you mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism deals with absolute reality while science deals with proximate reality through models and theories. In Buddhism the reality you see as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; is empirical which you understand through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T12:12:04.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T12:29:59.523" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you have to straighten your views. In this process there may be times where you new views might start contradicting your previous beliefs or that of established religions. There are 3 stages to straightening your view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You learn the Dhamma and see that this sounds right&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You see it is logical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You practice and empirically verify and see that it is in fact true.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a person taking the path you need not put aside any views as right or wrong to start with just because it is said so. Through logic and practice you start seeing things clearly then you can straighten your views. When you experience some thing sometimes even a a firm believer in Buddhism you would start seeing things in a new light and sometimes see your initial conceptual understanding differs from reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the Buddhist position would be that conceptual / philosophical understanding is flawed. Your understanding is right only with regard to what you see at the experiential level. Hence any philosophical / conceptual aspect of any religion including Buddhism cannot be &lt;em&gt;absolutely&lt;/em&gt; right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-11-30T12:54:15.817" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T12:54:15.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5718" CreationDate="2014-11-30T12:52:56.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because of the existence of mind and matter there will always be feelings when they come in contact. So professional or material advancement is not the real problem. The problem is that your mind identifies things which you cannot exercise absolute control of possession as mine. When classify something as unwanted or wanted you react. Letting go of this identification leads to spiritual progress. (Letting go of this of lay life may make time for more serious practice though.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main problem is the reaction which results when mind and matter comes in contact giving rise to feeling. If you react to this as desirable and undesirable and you keep reacting creating new conditioning which keeps you rolling in misery. Keeping equanimity towards feelings and knowing their impermanence is the actual measure of spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were many lay followers who were wealthy but also achieved spiritual progress. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anathapindika&lt;/a&gt;. All of them attained it through developing insight. Also having material wealth may not be an issue in many cases like the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-02T02:56:36.450" LastActivityDate="2014-12-02T02:56:36.450" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5717" CreationDate="2014-11-30T13:23:45.110" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing which is important to remember is that the Big Bang theory is a mathematical model that fits in with physical observations and helps with predictions. The model is beneficial in that it's both useful and intuitive. However, there might be many more models, possibly more complex, or simpler, which would do the same job. Saying we &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; that a Big Bang occurred is thus a shorthand for saying &quot;for our intents and purposes, it's good enough to assume that a Big Bang occurred.&quot; However, although it's good enough for cosmological study, it's obviously not good enough for individual predictions, i.e. which code of conduct will lead to the highest form of welfare. For this purpose, empirical science has found its way into the field of psychology, which is, unfortunately, notoriously lacking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's Dhamma includes such a code of conduct, and &lt;em&gt;certain&lt;/em&gt; cosmological references, but always in terms of the individual, e.g. what gives birth to our experience of the world, what sorts of possibilities are there to experience, what sort of conduct leads to each, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the Buddha recalled past lives from, to quote, &quot;many eons of cosmic expansion and contraction,&quot; he didn't present (in the suttas) any clear-cut genesis story. There is one sutta where he talks of how worlds of experience are generated, but never in terms of the origination of &quot;what's out there.&quot; Nor did he take a stance on whether things have an inherent existence or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll find many interpretations of the Buddha's statements about the world. For instance, when he describes an &quot;intergalactic void with a darkness beyond any other,&quot; it correlates with black holes. When he speaks of other realms of existence, it correlates with other galaxies, or (considering recent cosmological theories) universes. When he talks of beings who are invisible to the ordinary human eye, it correlates with the theory of dark matter. But it's crucial to note that these are all worthless speculations, which might or might not have anything to do with his intentions. They have nothing to do with the tasks he left us with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's useful to note how, even though infinitesimally few people have been on the moon, us lay men and women always want to hear more about the size of the universe. When we think of the solar system, we're awed; the milky way, woah; the observable universe, and now the multiverse theory, we just can't get enough. If and when multiverse becomes a standard belief, we're going to watch out for bigger revelations. All of this to feed out insatiable intellect. Regardless of whether the size and origination of the universe is of any importance to us, we can clearly see why the Buddha, even if he knew about it, would not even spare a taste if it didn't directly support his path of practice, which is said to be the path to end the craving for existence and thus the end of all of our stress and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, Science and Buddhism are not in competition. We study science for certain purposes. We practice Buddhism for others, such as to set clear boundaries for ourselves so our minds don't get carried away with ideas and sensations. In doing so, he implied we'll be able to find out the truth about many things. But that in itself wasn't the basis for his message - one which he said we urgently needed to hear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2143" LastEditorUserId="2143" LastEditDate="2014-11-30T13:29:42.497" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T13:29:42.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T18:34:17.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Talking about Buddhism as a whole it's rather difficult since there are many views and ideas. Many people would tell you that's harmful, others would tell you that it's ok. What I'd tell you and I think it's the most accurate is that in the core teachings, it's as irrelevant as it is relevant, which means &quot;it depends&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Religion is often used as an excuse to not think, not see the life according to your own view, and in general drift from reality to something that intellectually is more appealing to ourselves. Some other times it's used as 'imposed beliefs', which we follow naively without question; each being has it's own realization path and it's own state of mind, preferences, personality and so so, thus, it could make him/her confused and drifted as to what he actually believes and thinks. When such is the case, indeed, religion is poisoning us (even if it's &quot;buddhism&quot;) and making us go into samsara or conditional suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beliefs are not against buddhism in any way, as long as it's of good use to you and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2360" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T18:34:17.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-11-30T18:38:38.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are at it with your idea, it just needs more accuracy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is the way and the goal. If we go deep into samsara, then enlightenment is our goal. If we are enlightened, then enlightenment is our way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2360" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T18:38:38.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5566" CreationDate="2014-11-30T18:45:38.503" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dharma is the ever changing law of consciousness, which can only be understood and applied by a conscious being; since consciousness is boundless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2360" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T18:45:38.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-11-30T20:30:35.847" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Zen, Shunryu Suzuki talks about enlightenment as beginner's mind in his book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Mind, Begginer's Mind.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over and over he says enlightenment is not something we attain, but when we stop trusting in false senses of self, then who we are and always have been and already will be apparent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is necessary to stop trying to achieve or attain, but we must keep practicing or the goal slips further away. It is not easy to talk about, read the book linked to or a hard copy. Roshi Suzuki's words will do far more for helping you drop the mask and see what is here right now than I can possibly hope to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorDisplayName="user17652" LastEditDate="2021-09-04T09:08:42.857" LastActivityDate="2021-09-04T09:08:42.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T20:39:06.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there are some sects of Buddhism that preach salvation, but there is no god to save us in Buddhism, and there is no one that can be saved, and there is nothing that we need to be saved from. So salvation in Buddhism has no place to take root.&#xA;The Buddha replied to an inquiry about who he was. He thought for a while and said &quot;Awake.&quot;&#xA;That same awakeness is here right now whether we are aware of it or not.&#xA;If you want to read about Zen, you will find no salvation or hope of it.&#xA;www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to answer your question, I would find any sect that denies any other religion difficult or impossible to defend as Buddhist. They violate one of the most sacred principles, Do No Harm. Denying any other religion is an attempt to harm another's path to awakening. If someone worships a rock, even that is their path to awakening. When the pursuit of awakening supersedes the pursuit of having the most powerful religion, we will have no reason for such debates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T20:39:06.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T21:48:08.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhist texts and Buddhist teachers think that other religions are wholly wrong in this regard or maybe partially right or even perhaps everyone is correct in some sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would put the following as context:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sixty-two kinds of wrong views (DN 1)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha relating strongly the perfect understanding of the four noble truths [FNT] and conditioned arising with Nibanna (*)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha saying he does not see any alternative to Nibanna (*)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From these lines, if the alternative salvation is said to be &lt;em&gt;everlasting&lt;/em&gt;, then it &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; be unconditioned, otherwise it is wrong [view], subjected to be inspected and recognized as impermanent. If indeed it is everlasting, I guess we are left with the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(1) The alternative salvation proclaimed is actually Nibanna [requiring the perfect understanding of the FNT,etc]; or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(2) There is, indeed, &quot;something else&quot; (which is not Nibanna) that escaped the Buddha's eye. But that &quot;something&quot; should not be conditioned [which would denounce its impermanence]. And that seems hard to conceive, and not quite at sight (to a Buddha, as testified by him, let alone to a layperson).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if by &quot;salvation&quot; something else is understood (eg. joining the company of a being or group of beings at a heaven, or receiving an endorsement of another kind of being, reaching a specific kind of bliss, etc), something carrying the sign of impermanence, but not declared to be permanent, than I don't think it should necessarily be regarded as wrong [view], nor should be thought to be &quot;wrong&quot;. It is clearly a different goal. Though a goal unfit to be a permanent escape from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if Nibanna is declared to be the salvation, discourses like the sixty-two kinds of wrong views denounce explicitly some wrong grasps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) sorry, I don't remember the suttas, I'd edit later if I find&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T21:48:08.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5709" CreationDate="2014-11-30T22:00:12.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following seems to be an apposite quote for this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel390.html#cula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The commentary to the Shorter Discourse on the Lion's Roar&lt;/a&gt; says that the following quote says that eternalism and annihilationism are, both, views which do not lead to liberation i.e. the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, there are these two views: the view of being and the view of non-being. Any recluses or brahmans who rely on the view of being, adopt the view of being, accept the view of being, are opposed to the view of non-being. Any recluses or brahmans who rely on the view of non-being, adopt the view of non-being, accept the view of non-being, are opposed to the view of being.[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any recluses or brahmans who do not understand as they actually are the origin, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger and the escape[6] in the case of these two views are affected by lust, affected by hate, affected by delusion, affected by craving, affected by clinging, without vision, given to favoring and opposing, and they delight in and enjoy proliferation. They are not freed from birth, aging and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair; they are not freed from suffering, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view of being is identical with eternalism (sassatavada), the positing of some eternal entity or spiritual principle, i.e., a substantial self or soul, as the essence of the individual, and the positing of an eternal entity, such as a creator God or metaphysical Absolute, as the ground or source of the objective universe. The view of non-being is identical with annihilationism (ucchedavada), the repudiation of any principle of continuity beyond death and the denial of an objective, transpersonal foundation for morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more (which I haven't quoted) in that commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The existence of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right view&lt;/a&gt;' implies that there also exists such a thing as 'wrong view'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-11-30T22:00:12.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-12-01T21:17:49.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Deal with the paradox. Emptiness is form; form is emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think when they say to not have preferences or to not judge it means to not attach yourself to phenomena, to what is right or to what is good. Likewise don't refuse or avoid what is wrong or bad. Learn the Dharma but don't blind yourself with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-12-01T21:17:49.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5732" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5733" CreationDate="2014-12-02T00:36:39.470" Score="4" ViewCount="350" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that Popes are infallible,(whether one believes this or not). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the arahant has removed all the defilements, can they still be wrong, make mistakes, or are they all-knowing? I vaguely remember a story of an arahant playing a dirty trick on his less than wise brother? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2014-12-02T12:20:58.563" LastActivityDate="2014-12-03T03:59:51.717" Title="Are arahants infallible?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5732" CreationDate="2014-12-02T03:17:48.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes and no in the case of infallibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Infallible - what ever they do their actions do not created new &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;conditioning&lt;/a&gt;. The actions are not based on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 unwholesome roots&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fallible - though the actions are not based on unwholesome volition, they may not always be the optimal or best cause of action. Their infallibility is based on the fact they are never wrongly motivated, though the outcome of any action may not always have the desired or optimal results and also some action can be done differently to make a bigger impact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They know the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cause and effect&lt;/a&gt; regarding the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mind and matter process&lt;/a&gt; hence understanding enough about the cause of misery and the elimination of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-02T06:20:01.010" LastActivityDate="2014-12-02T06:20:01.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5732" CreationDate="2014-12-02T03:36:36.633" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you refer to as &quot;mistake&quot;, &quot;wrong&quot; and &quot;all knowing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the first known schism [1] brought 5 points to discussion, 4 pertaining to arahants:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1: that an arahant can be seduced by another person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;2: that an arahant may be ignorant of some matters&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;3: that an arahant may be in doubt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4: that an arahant may receive (be instructed by) another person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A case can be made against (2) and (3) from the suttas if the matters in question are limited to nirvana and the doctrine -- which is more than reasonable. Omniscience as &quot;knowing everything continuously&quot; can be refuted by the suttas as well -- the Buddha not only said he did not have that power, but he declared it was impossible for a person to have it. From that standpoint, I guess (4) would make little sense to discuss further. But (1) did not reach consensus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;: For an examination of Buddha's omniscience from the suttas, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/BuddhaOmniscience.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;analayo's paper on the subject&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] A.K. Warder, &lt;em&gt;Indian Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-12-03T03:59:51.717" LastActivityDate="2014-12-03T03:59:51.717" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5735" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-02T08:00:25.363" Score="2" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;Was there an incident in the Buddhist scripture where the Buddha said of the indebtedness of the unenlightened monks to the laity that they should at least generate metta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2390" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-09T17:04:15.190" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T17:04:15.190" Title="Unenlightened monks indebtedness to the laity" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|laity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5735" CreationDate="2014-12-02T09:01:03.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is covered in the Cūlaccharāsanghāta Sutta, this was preached to counter the  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.068.yaho.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggikkhandhopama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which was said to frighten many monks back to lay life , or to &quot;disrobe&quot;. This is supposedly (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/c/cuula_ccharaasanghaata_s.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;) said in the Manorathapūranī, the commentary by Buddhaghosa on the Aṅguttara-nikāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="44" LastEditDate="2014-12-03T04:24:08.053" LastActivityDate="2014-12-03T04:24:08.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-12-02T15:46:46.690" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Central Idea of Buddhism is the cessation of suffering.  Everything else is a means to that end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal is not to be objective, but rather, being objective can serve or be a milestone along that goal.  Here's how it works out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We suffer because we are attached to desire.  Therefore, we let go of desire to stop suffering.  Since desire permeates our experience, when we let go of desire, we transform our experience.  This experience may still have desire, but we are not attached to it -- we see the desire as part of our experience and are not wrapped up in it.  This is &quot;seeing things as they are&quot; or &quot;objectivity&quot;.  The subjectivity is there, but we're more aware of the subjective layer as something we add rather than part of the thing itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judgments, preferences, and so on can still be there; after all, if the Buddha didn't have them, he would have just sat around until he starved to death.  However, we are not attached to these preferences and so on.  We don't get bent out of shape over them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why prefer this way?  Well, because you want to cease suffering.  If you don't care about suffering, there's no point in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-02T15:46:46.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5686" CreationDate="2014-12-02T18:07:56.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the central idea of Buddhism about being totally objective, see things as what they are and don't have a preference or judgement?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes that does sounds fairly correct (although &quot;objective&quot; might not be correct).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &quot;central idea of Buddhism&quot; is what the Buddha preached in what was historically his first sermon, i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sermon included the &quot;four noble truths&quot;, which include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering is caused by desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering can be ended&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, it's our preferences (or &quot;desires&quot;) which cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Our preferences&quot; can be called &quot;desire&quot;: but also desire's opposite, i.e. &quot;aversion&quot;; and, &quot;ignorance&quot;, which together are known as the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If that is correct, then why we should prefer the ideas in Buddhism to any other ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should prefer the ideas in Buddhism because they are a Way which (if followed) will lead to the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Isn't that already making a judgement? Am I misunderstanding anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would guess so, that it is making a judgement: it's a judgement about what true and false, about whether Buddhism is practicable, whether we understand it, whether it's skillful, whether it's effective, whether it's &quot;good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps what matters is that some judgements lead to (i.e. cause) suffering, whereas some lead away from suffering.  So it's not that all judgements are bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-02T18:07:56.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-12-03T16:57:24.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhism is a personal path of liberation, the litmus test of anything being Buddhist is the state of mind in which that thing is done.  As such, any claims that would pertain to a fixed conclusion about something (whether or not they came from a Buddhist) would not be Buddhism per se.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, when encountering any question such as &quot;Should I support System X?&quot;, the real question here is what is your mind-set when evaluating that decision?  Are you attached, reacting, trying to satisfy the needs of your self-image, or are you non-attached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a way, this side-steps such evaluations because it returns the focus not on the goodness of any given thing, but rather on how it affects the mind making it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend you look at  &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Skillful Means&lt;/a&gt;.  While applied in the context of liberation, I have also seen many Buddhists use it as a way of making more &quot;objective&quot; decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you are looking for a more open-and-shut answer, then I'm not aware of any credible Buddhist doctrine about this, and would suspect anyone making such a pronouncement to be reflecting their personal opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-03T19:30:57.353" LastActivityDate="2014-12-03T19:30:57.353" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2014-12-03T17:10:12.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Enlightenment is taken as an all or nothing thing that must be achieved to be &quot;successful&quot; at Buddhism, then it is a bad idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's taken as an ideal to strive towards to ensure maximum gains, then it's a good idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one gains from practicing can be achieved in degrees and the pseudo-paradoxes of Enlightenment vanish once one abandons this all or nothing view.  If perfect Enlightenment is not possible, so what?  Isn't it worthwhile to have a life that's better than what you have now, even if it's not perfect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-03T17:10:12.150" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5742" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5828" CreationDate="2014-12-04T01:16:57.790" Score="4" ViewCount="4066" Body="&lt;p&gt;When someone dies (is pronounced dead, e.g. no heart-beat) then hospital staff will want to move the body to a refrigerated morgue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are next-of-kin, then when (after how long) is it right to give them permission to do that? Is it alright to do that nearly immediately, or, should you ask them to delay doing that, and if so for how long?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amitabhahospice.org/public/helpful_info/buddhist_death.php&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This reference says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Different Buddhist cultures (Western, Tibetan, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Sri Lankan etc. have different lengths of time that they don't move the body and keep vigil and do prayers). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How long is an appropriate length of time to ask for, for example in a Western hospital or hospice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much time/delay, if any, does the dying person need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should you wait for a certain length of time (number of hours after the recorded time of death)? Or wait for some specific, measurable/observable physical symptom, for example the (internal body and/or external skin) temperature cooling to some specific temperature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same page says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Clear Light State can last for few minutes (where there is much disease or in accidents) or 3 days (recommended waiting time) or longer in accomplished meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine that leaving the body undisturbed for three days might be unacceptable in a Western hospital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The conclusion to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/religious_perspectives/leaflets/buddhism_and_organ_donation.asp&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and organ donation&lt;/a&gt; suggests that organ donation is compatible with Buddhism. If that's true, how is that compatible/reconciled with the view that the body should not be disturbed/touched after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T07:56:51.213" Title="How long to leave a body undisturbed after death?" Tags="|modern-world|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2014-12-04T01:56:29.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, not that I can think of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha said some things about caste, but they weren't IMO like what Marx said about classes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha IMO talk about individual salvation, whereas Marx writes about societies.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha defined some social rules (e.g. the Vinaya) but Marx defines nothing similar to that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Communism restricts private wealth for the whole society, Buddhism only does so for monastics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect it's possible to be a Marxist and a Buddhist, but they're different/distinct categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly it's probably possible to be a Physicist and a Buddhist, but (IMO) Physics doesn't say much about Buddhism and Buddhism doesn't say much about Physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &quot;Marxist&quot; might or might not have views about &quot;social justice&quot; that a Buddhist might agree with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;communism&quot; means something like &quot;tribal ownership instead of private ownership of land&quot; or &quot;worker's cooperatives instead of exploitative capitalist owners&quot;, then maybe (theoretically) &quot;communism&quot; could be a form of right livelihood (but I don't know because I'm not much of a political scientist/historian).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose &quot;not wanting to accumulate private wealth&quot; could possibly be seen as similar in both, but I find it a reach/stretch to see anything in common (although that's partly because it's been so long since I read any Marx, and when I did I think it was only Das Capital and maybe the Communist Party Manifesto).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Despite communism as practiced (as opposed to what Marx might have had in mind) being the source of some of the largest slaughter of lay and monastic Buddhists ever (except maybe the Imperial Chinese)... are the principles of Buddhism and communism (or socialism) compatible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that they &lt;strong&gt;need&lt;/strong&gt; to be incompatible, although they have been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that monastics are accused (by communists) of being parasitic landlords/oppressors of the peasants? I think you know that monastics in Japan work (in the fields). And the Chinese government now allows (state-sanctioned) Buddhism (in China). The persecutions you reference aren't (IMO) especially the fault of Buddhism. For example I guess that the Khmer Rouge were anti-intellectual (not just anti-Buddhist); and the Chinese Cultural Revolution was anti-culture and anti-history (not just anti-Buddhist). Note that communism has sometimes been anti-religion-in-general, for example also persecuting Christians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-04T02:33:19.187" LastActivityDate="2014-12-04T02:33:19.187" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5744" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5986" CreationDate="2014-12-04T04:59:25.040" Score="7" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are some of the Suttas we have today different from the original Suttas as taught by the Buddha? Are there any surviving pre sectarian Buddhist sources and commentaries? What research has been done on pre sectarian Suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T22:32:26.730" Title="Are there Material Differences of Current Theravada Teachings with Pre Sectarian Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|history|sects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5745" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-04T05:08:43.393" Score="3" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nanavira.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Nanavira&lt;/a&gt; has written a lot on the Dhamma. I am looking for his material on meditation related topics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T11:11:16.770" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T11:11:16.770" Title="Are there references to Meditation Techniques Practiced / Taught by Ven. Nanavira?" Tags="|vipassana|reference-request|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5746" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-04T16:04:59.610" Score="5" ViewCount="2082" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha meditated for days under the bodhi tree. Does it mean he sat and did not move for days? Or does it mean he did normal things (like drinking water, urinating etc), but in a total meditative state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T16:55:23.750" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T16:55:23.750" Title="Buddha meditation under the bodhi tree" Tags="|the-buddha|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5746" CreationDate="2014-12-04T17:26:25.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our Bodhisatva / Buddha had very high levels of Samadhi hence he could have stayed many days without moving of doing anything else. Deep Samadhi brings down your metabolism so you can stay for long periods without food, water or air. There might have been times when he would have done it in one sitting and sometimes may had have gone for alms as per &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5748/295&quot;&gt;@ChrisW answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-12-05T04:00:33.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5746" CreationDate="2014-12-04T17:53:15.540" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a line in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta which I think implies he &amp;quot;did normal things&amp;quot; as well as meditating:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of&#xA;sublime peace, I wandered by stages in the Magadhan country and came&#xA;to the military town of Uruvela. There I saw some delightful&#xA;countryside, with an inspiring forest grove, a clear-flowing river&#xA;with fine, delightful banks, and villages for alms-going on all sides.&#xA;The thought occurred to me: 'How delightful is this countryside, with&#xA;its inspiring forest grove, clear-flowing river with fine, delightful&#xA;banks, &lt;strong&gt;and villages for alms-going on all sides&lt;/strong&gt;. This is just right&#xA;for the exertion of a clansman intent on exertion.' So I sat down&#xA;right there, thinking, 'This is just right for exertion.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, monks, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of&#xA;birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, I&#xA;reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Being&#xA;subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement,&#xA;seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow...&#xA;defilement, seeking the aging-less, illness-less, deathless,&#xA;sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, I reached the&#xA;aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from&#xA;the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge &amp;amp; vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my&#xA;release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, doesn't that imply meditation, but also alms-going etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was human and was by that time practicing the Middle Way: therefore, I think, no asceticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are other suttas which imply otherwise, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhi Sutta: Awakening&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion, the Blessed One was staying at Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River at the root of the Bodhi tree — the tree of awakening — newly awakened. And on that occasion &lt;strong&gt;he sat at the root of the Bodhi tree for seven days in one session&lt;/strong&gt;, sensitive to the bliss of release. Then, with the passing of seven days etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi narrates it as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he was alone, and complete solitude allowed him to pursue his quest undisturbed. One day, when his physical strength had returned, he approached a lovely spot in Uruvela by the bank of the Nerañjara River. Here he prepared a seat of straw beneath an asvattha tree (later called the Bodhi Tree) and sat down cross-legged, making a firm resolution that he would never rise up from that seat until he had won his goal. As night descended he entered into deeper and deeper stages of meditation until his mind was perfectly calm and composed. Then, the records tell us, in the first watch of the night he directed his concentrated mind to the recollection of his previous lives. Gradually there unfolded before his inner vision his experiences in many past births, even during many cosmic aeons; in the middle watch of the night he developed the &amp;quot;divine eye&amp;quot; by which he could see beings passing away and taking rebirth in accordance with their karma, their deeds; and in the last watch of the night he penetrated the deepest truths of existence, the most basic laws of reality, and thereby removed from his mind the subtlest veils of ignorance. When dawn broke, the figure sitting beneath the tree was no longer a Bodhisatta, a seeker of enlightenment, but a Buddha, a Perfectly Enlightened One, one who had attained the Deathless in this very life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For several weeks the newly awakened Buddha remained in the vicinity of the Bodhi Tree contemplating from different angles the Dhamma, the truth he had discovered. Then he came to a new crossroad in his spiritual career: Was he to teach, to try to share his realization with others, or should he instead remain quietly in the forest, enjoying the bliss of liberation alone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the above, the first paragraph describes meditation in which the Buddha resolved not to move at all, and reached enlightenment after one night. After he is enlightened, the next paragraph describes him remaining &amp;quot;in the vicinity of&amp;quot; (which means &amp;quot;near&amp;quot;) the Bodhi Tree for several weeks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-05T00:32:30.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5750" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-05T14:16:49.300" Score="3" ViewCount="189" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen some videos in Youtube (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=video&amp;amp;cd=2&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CC8QtwIwAQ&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNMHcak07pmE&amp;amp;ei=X7uBVOuLOsT0OsmxgKgG&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNFtWpiFrD2G-WTNAWNM2FY0ewGMsg&amp;amp;sig2=Q1d4FOZxCHv0YQTW8Z0DxA&amp;amp;bvm=bv.80642063,d.ZWU&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=video&amp;amp;cd=7&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CE0QtwIwBg&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiqOwPteS_Xg&amp;amp;ei=X7uBVOuLOsT0OsmxgKgG&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNHCEaVSOP5hKEu8kdaWpVY0D_lRGQ&amp;amp;sig2=DCnpix1m6Mu2jaQZvVhPnw&amp;amp;bvm=bv.80642063,d.ZWU&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) where it seems that just by standing in front of Papaji, people start laughing without control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somehow it is implicitly said that this reaction is related to an awakening/realization experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this true ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How is it that just the presence of a teacher is enough for such an experience ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can we say that this experiences are real Enlightenment ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers with references are strongly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T03:23:29.053" Title="Sudden awaking/realization" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5750" CreationDate="2014-12-05T17:10:57.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Wikipedia references, in case that's enough to start with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subitism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Subitism&lt;/a&gt; is an article describing 'sudden enlightenment' in Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I thought that Zen 'satori' was supposed to be sudden, but &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satori#Attaining_satori&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attaining satori&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satori is considered a &quot;first step&quot; or embarkation toward nirvana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Ch'an expressions refer to enlightenment as &quot;seeing your self-nature&quot;. But even this is not enough. After seeing your self-nature, you need to deepen your experience even further and bring it into maturation. You should have enlightenment experience again and again and support them with continuous practice. Even though Ch'an says that at the time of enlightenment, your outlook is the same as of the Buddha, you are not yet a full Buddha.[7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even then,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The student's mind must be prepared by rigorous study etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those are nice videos but maybe &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._W._L._Poonja&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Papaji&lt;/a&gt; is more accurately described as Hindu than Buddhist. The subject of the second video, for example, was about &quot;seeing God.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-05T17:10:57.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5750" CreationDate="2014-12-05T17:31:14.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend Sam Harris's &quot;Waking Up&quot; for a decent discussion of this topic in general, and of Poonja (Papaji) specifically. The relevant part of the book is Chapter 4 &quot;Meditation&quot;, specifically starting on page 127 (hardback).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on Harris's account, which is both respectful of Poonja but also healthily avoids being overly credulous, I'd say that the answers to your questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yes, it can be true, but not everyone who appears to be experiencing it actually is. In other words, sometimes laughter is just laughter.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;How&quot; as a mechanism, I don't know. I'm not sure anyone does. But if you read past the Poonja stuff and onto Harris's description (same chapter) of the &quot;pointing out&quot; aspect of Dzogchen, particularly as he experienced it under Tulku Urgyen, you'll get some clues.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar to the answer to the first question: I imagine that in some cases a genuine awakening experience is present. However, as Harris explains in the section on Urgyen, even the genuine experiences may be only a first look at what is possible with more extensive and deeper practice of insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as ChrisW says, Poonja isn't formally Buddhist. I think he'd be more accurately described as an Advaita practitioner, although even that may be more precise than is fair (to Poonja or Advaita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-12-05T17:54:00.337" LastActivityDate="2014-12-05T17:54:00.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5754" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-05T21:40:23.147" Score="6" ViewCount="597" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know how long did it take for Gotama Buddha to appear in the world, after Buddha Kassapa? The interval between the 2 Buddhas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T16:55:52.850" Title="Time period between Buddhas" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5754" CreationDate="2014-12-06T03:22:28.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From MN 115:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise contemporaneously in one world-system—there is no such possibility.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Ven. Bodhi's note citing the Commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;MA: The arising of another Buddha is impossible from the time a bodhisatta takes his final conception in his mother’s womb until his Dispensation has completely disappeared. The problem is discussed at Miln 236–39.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore the time period between Buddhas will vary depending on when the Sasana will completely disappear. I doubt anyone would know the exact date and time, but when the Noble Eightfold Path and its 3 Trainings of morality, concentration, and wisdom are completely neglected then we can be fairly certain that the Sasana is dead..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T03:22:28.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5750" CreationDate="2014-12-06T04:51:17.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The references below give a goods indication of stages of insight leading to enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... people start laughing without control ... Is this true ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if any one would burst out laughing at any stages of insight. This looks like hysteria to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is it that just the presence of a teacher is enough for such an experience ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a Theravada perspective, this is un true. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; is something you should realize through your efforts and not something someone can give you. Hence a mere presence of a teacher is not enough. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can we say that this experiences are real Enlightenment ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the references below this does not look like enlightenment but some other experience induced by a different kind of practice which is neither Samatha or Vipassana in the Theravada Buddhist sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mapjourney6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Map of The Journey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bm7insight.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The 7 Stages of Insight and Purification&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T04:51:17.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5754" CreationDate="2014-12-06T05:13:03.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhas should do fulfill their &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paramita&lt;/a&gt; to become Buddha. Also there cannot be 2 Buddhas at the same time. A Buddha comes when there is spiritual interest in the society and there is a balance of suffering and also comfort. So it is complex interaction of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ideal time and conditions to tech the Dhamma and set up the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81sana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sasana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;number of Bodhisattva and stages of their Paramita&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is no existing dispensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T05:13:03.887" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5742" CreationDate="2014-12-06T06:03:50.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many stories where someone wakes up after being declared dead:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://theweek.com/article/index/228986/7-bizarre-tales-of-people-coming-back-from-the-dead&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 bizarre tales of people coming back from the dead&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oddee.com/item_98718.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 People Who Woke Up After Being Pronounced Dead&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Woke%20Up%20After%20Being%20Pronounced%20Dead&amp;amp;gws_rd=ssl#newwindow=1&amp;amp;safe=off&amp;amp;q=Woke%20Up%20Pronounced%20Dead&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Google search: Woke Up Pronounced Dead&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in Sri Lanka there is no notion or any specific time before one should be send to the morgue. There always a change when some one is pronounced dead is not actually dead but declared so as an error. Best is to wait a enough to ensure that some one pronounced dead is in fact actually dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-06T06:03:50.910" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5759" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-06T23:16:21.160" Score="13" ViewCount="7250" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am wondering what is the buddhist view on Art and especially being an Artist? Meaning someone who creates something with an aesthetic quality that may or may not reflect the reality and express thoughts, feelings ideas etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I try to study the basics of buddhism I am encountering this strange conflict when, for example (in my case filmmaking), you like to create a fictional stories, character and even entire worlds, universes.. and that often leads you away from the actual reality. Of course all the thoughts, concepts, stories, songs, plays, paintings, movies etc. in most cases have some symbolic, deeper meaning that does not changed much from the early times. They are rather variations of the &quot;big&quot; questions, pain, love, suffering, live and such and therefore can have the ability to enrich the viewer, provoke thinking and feeling or any other response. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the creation process takes a huge amount of energy, and a lot of thinking about. I am not sure if that's such a good thing in the end...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2403" LastActivityDate="2022-02-13T17:47:45.737" Title="Buddhist view on Art and being an Artist" Tags="|art|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2014-12-06T23:36:29.383" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am not sure if that's such a good thing in the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a sutta which suggests that that's a valid worry: it's the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta: To Talaputa the Actor&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/gettingmessage.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Getting the Message&lt;/a&gt; by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu seems to me to soften that message, by suggesting (more specifically) that you should not inspire your audiences to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;greed, anger, and delusion&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this case, the Buddha's reticence and tact helped to make his teaching effective. A similar set of events happened when an actor asked the Buddha if there is a special heaven reserved for actors. The Buddha's reticence and tact in informing the actor of a hell for &lt;strong&gt;actors who incite their audiences to greed, anger, and delusion&lt;/strong&gt; inspired the actor to respond in the same way as the soldier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some modern examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I can also find some examples of monks and nuns singing and playing music: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Monks-and-nuns-from-the-Thich-Nhat-Hanh-collective.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That is notwithstanding the fact that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=41&amp;amp;t=12340&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Music is apparently contra-indicted by the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibiladeniye_Mahanama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada monk&lt;/a&gt; (ordained at age 10) who composes music: including for film scores.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Music and entertainment and so on are against &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Eight_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Eight Precepts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Eight Precepts are precepts for Buddhist lay men and women who&#xA;  wish to practice Buddhism &lt;strong&gt;more strictly than through adherence to the&#xA;  usual five precepts&lt;/strong&gt;. The eight precepts focus both on avoiding morally&#xA;  bad behaviour, as do the five precepts, &lt;strong&gt;and on leading a more ascetic&#xA;  life&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand,&#xA;  Buddhist laymen and laywomen will often[citation needed] spend one day&#xA;  a week (on the Uposatha days: the new moon, first-quarter moon, full&#xA;  moon and last-quarter moon days) &lt;strong&gt;living in the monastery, and&#xA;  practicing the eight precepts&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha gave teachings on how the eight precepts are to be&#xA;  practiced,[21] and on the right and wrong ways of practicing the eight&#xA;  precepts.[22]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakhuposatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the reason for the Eight Precepts is that Arahants refrain from music etc.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[He considers:] 'For all their lives the arahants refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garments, smartening with perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics; so today I refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing ornaments, smartening with perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics. By this practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be entered on by me.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I don't know; maybe it's a grey (not black and white) area, i.e. it's something to think about: neither always forbidden nor always recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-11T16:35:49.843" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T16:35:49.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5761" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-07T04:38:54.730" Score="6" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/parul_sehgal_an_ode_to_envy?language=en&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;An ode to envy&lt;/a&gt; highlights some interesting perspective of jealousy. In a Buddhist perspective how can jealousy be viewed and analysed? What is the root cause and do we indulge in jealousy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why do we enjoy stories and movies inspired by jealousy?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How can we be motivated by jealousy? Is it by creating an imaginary outcome and indulging in the sensationalising of this story.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T14:40:14.890" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T14:40:14.890" Title="Do we indulge or take pleasure in jealousy or the feeling and sensations associated with jealousy?" Tags="|defilements|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5762" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5769" CreationDate="2014-12-07T04:50:23.523" Score="19" ViewCount="3401" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/studysn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya 43&lt;/a&gt; as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;the unfabricated (unborn?), the uninclined, the truth, the far shore,&#xA;  the subtle, the very difficult to see, the unaging (eternal?), the&#xA;  stable, the unintegrating, the unmanifest, the unproliferated&#xA;  (nippapancan), the peaceful, the deathless, the sublime, the&#xA;  auspicious, the secure, the destruction of craving, the wonderful, the&#xA;  amazing, the unailing, the unailing state, Nibbana, the unafflicted,&#xA;  dispassion, purity, freedom, the unadhesive, the island, the shelter,&#xA;  the asylum, the refuge, the destination.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3880/471&quot;&gt;another source&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism Stack Exchange, I see Samyutta Nikaya 43 as quoting Buddha as saying &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is, monks, that base where there is neither earth, nor water,&#xA;  nor heat, nor air; neither the base of the infinity of space, nor the&#xA;  base of the infinity of consciousness, nor the base of nothingness,&#xA;  nor the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; neither this&#xA;  world nor another world; neither sun nor moon. Here, monks, I say&#xA;  there is no coming, no going, no standing still; no passing away and&#xA;  no being reborn. It is not established, not moving, without support.&#xA;  Just this is the end of suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/a&gt; chapter 1 says &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be&#xA;  named is not the eternal Name.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;while chapter 7 says, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Tao is&#xA;  infinite, eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born; thus it can&#xA;  never die.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And chapter 14 says, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Look, and it can't be seen. Listen,&#xA;  and it can't be heard. Reach, and it can't be grasped. Above, it isn't&#xA;  bright. Below, it isn't dark. Seamless, unnamable, it returns to the&#xA;  realm of nothing. Form that includes all forms, image without an&#xA;  image, subtle, beyond all conception.  Approach it and there is no&#xA;  beginning; follow it and there is no end. You can't know it, but you&#xA;  can be it ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/gita.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/a&gt; states in chapter 2, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Atma is neither born nor does it die at any time, nor having been it will cease to exist again. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. The Atma is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.&quot;,  &quot;This Atma cannot be cut, burned, wetted, or dried up. It is eternal, all pervading, unchanging, immovable, and primeval. The Atma is said to be unmanifest, unthinkable, and unchanging.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in 12.3, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... the imperishable, the undefinable, the unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the unchanging, the immovable, and the eternal Brahman;&quot;. In addition, other texts use &quot;neti neti&quot; (not this, not this) to say that Brahman is indescribable or all that is not impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above, it looks like all are the same, yet if we look at other references, Tao and Brahman is the origin or source of all things, but Nirvana is not. And Brahman can also assume attributes in the changing world or become God the Person or Consciousness, but Nirvana does not. Also, the aspirant can become or become one with the Tao or Brahman, but in Buddhism, one has to &quot;unbecome&quot; or let go of all that is impermanent, to realize Nirvana. But then again, Tao and Hindu sources also discuss letting go of all that is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, do Buddhists ever consider that it is possible that goals in other religions like Tao and Brahman, may in fact be the same as Nirvana, if we look beyond the semantics. And therefore, the practices in these religions, may in fact lead in the right direction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, we can also say that one could start off as a Taoist or Hindu, but after a few Jhanas, move towards being Buddhist, towards Nirvana. Or perhaps, all these labels are irrelevant at that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="16296" LastEditDate="2019-08-31T13:32:18.393" LastActivityDate="2019-09-14T11:23:08.553" Title="Comparison of Nirvana, Tao and Brahman/Atma" Tags="|nirvana|comparative-religion|hinduism|taoism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2014-12-07T04:52:54.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha suggested that a lay person should not engage in five types of businesses; namely - business in weapons, in human beings, in meat, in intoxicants and in poison. This is Right Livelihood for a lay person (Source: Vanijja Sutta). So, I don't think being an artist violates any of these principles. Vipassana teacher S.N. Goenka said, &quot;If the intention is to play a useful role in society in order to support oneself and to help others, then the work one does is right livelihood.&quot; Basically we have to be always mindful of our work. Check out these links:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/rightlivelihood.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/rightlivelihood.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.079.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/05/an05-177.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/05/an05-177.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLCM5UXXEAA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLCM5UXXEAA&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T04:52:54.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5764" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-07T05:19:34.720" Score="5" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha mentioned that happiness is the greatest wealth. When going through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/topics/happiness&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;TED Happiness Topic&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/matthieu_ricard_on_the_habits_of_happiness&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The habits of happiness&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_depression_the_secret_we_share&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Depression, the secret we share&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/175/the_struggle_of_mental_health&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The struggle of mental health&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/9/all_kinds_of_minds&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;All kinds of minds&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/1/how_does_my_brain_work&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;How does my brain work?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/4/what_makes_you_happy&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;What makes you happy?&lt;/a&gt;, etc. this left me wondering what exactly is happiness, moods and metal states in a Buddhists perspective. So what exactly is happiness? How is it the greatest wealth? How can happiness analysed using the Suttas and the Abhidhamma? How can this be extended to analyzing all moods and states of the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T06:19:20.267" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T07:35:19.183" Title="What exactly is happiness, moods and states of the mind?" Tags="|psychology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5765" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-07T05:33:20.673" Score="6" ViewCount="1830" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist perspective on how we store and recall memories of this life and beyond? Since there is not solid core (Atman) as in the Hindu perspective which all such memories are stored and all cognitive phenomena pass away and arise again, how does the transmission, persistence and recollection of memory work. How does this compare with modern perspectives of it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question inspired by: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/playlists/196/the_complexity_of_memory&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The complexity of memory&lt;/a&gt; hence would like to see some comparison of some of the ideas in these talks being also discussed in the answer with regard to comparison with the modern perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-11T07:36:33.050" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T22:15:07.330" Title="In a Buddhist perspective how do we recall memories of this life and beyond?" Tags="|theravada|anatman|abhidhamma|psychology|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5762" CreationDate="2014-12-07T11:15:34.063" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindus&lt;/a&gt; had developed &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samadhi (Concentration / Mastery over the Mind / Higher Mind)&lt;/a&gt; up to the the 8th &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;, and also had a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;strong moral basis&lt;/a&gt;, but Buddhism went one step further and introduced &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wisdom and Insight&lt;/a&gt; to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;practice&lt;/a&gt;. The fact that many contemporary practitioners are strong in virtue and concentration would be the reason they manage to develop insight very quickly after meeting the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the practices of virtue and developing a higher mind does pay off in progressing on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Buddhist path&lt;/a&gt; also and will help when you switch to the developing Insight and Wisdom. But to go all the way to Nirvana you have to practice Wisdom and Insight which is only found in Buddhism, in the right and complete form. This was the discovery of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism has no notion of Soul / Atman or any unchanging core as taught in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T16:16:28.593" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T16:16:28.593" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5762" CreationDate="2014-12-07T13:14:35.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suspect that when and if you have learned some Buddhist view, then you can read e.g. the passage which you quoted from the Tao Te Ching and interpret that from a Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, it seems to me to be talking about non-self and/or the impermanence of conditioned/compound objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; talking about that, instead of just &lt;em&gt;seeming&lt;/em&gt; to be talking about that, is another matter. The &quot;epiphany&quot; in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is that the Tao corresponds to the author's conception of Quality (which I think is a.k.a. Virtue). Perhaps that implies that the Tao Te Ching can map to (been seen as a description of) almost any transcendental insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That doesn't IMO imply that every transcendental insight is alike, nor that the Tao Te Ching is especially good (skillful, accurate) at teaching such insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is, do Buddhists ever consider that it is possible that goals in other religions like Tao and Brahman, may in fact be the same as Nirvana, if we look beyond the semantics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we &quot;look beyond the semantics&quot;, what's left?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're saying, &quot;If we &lt;strong&gt;ignore what it's saying&lt;/strong&gt;, if &lt;strong&gt;we ignore the meaning&lt;/strong&gt; of the literature, then are they the same?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And therefore, the practices in these religions, may in fact lead in the right direction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some who suggest that these religions are leading in the wrong direction: that they teach, for example, that an eternal self (immortality) is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again, Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism have coexisted historically for quite a while, and influenced each other. Who's to say whether Taoist immortality and Buddhist deathlessness are or are not the same?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that even only within Buddhism, the schools of Buddhism differ on the subject of &quot;Buddha-nature&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also might be worth noting that traditions/religions/practices may be 'mixed' within a single person. For example, someone posted a question recently with videos of Papaji: he was &quot;Hindu&quot;, and/but it's also easy to find evidence that he studied some Buddhism, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.satsangbhavan.net/papaji_in_love_with_buddha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here he is quoted as saying&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The school history book which contained Buddha’s picture was a simple guide for children. The main bio­graphical facts were there, but the concepts of meditation and enlightenment were not adequately explained. Pre­sumably the author did not think that these very essential points would be of interest to children. So, I remained ig­norant of what he was really doing under that tree and why his final accomplishment was so great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T16:00:32.013" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T16:00:32.013" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5761" CreationDate="2014-12-07T14:18:15.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If or because that's so, I'm not sure that you can even want to view or analyse jealousy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;opposite&quot; of jealousy is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mudita&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four immeasurables&lt;/a&gt; should be studied, not jealousy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I admit that I experience some anger occasionally, and then I have to view/analyse that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I remember of jealous-feeling in the past, I don't see how you could take pleasure in it. I think it's a form of (i.e. it arises from) craving, i.e. a craving to gain what you don't have, and/or a craving to hold on to what you are losing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have't watched the &quot;ode to envy&quot; you referenced in the OP.&#xA;If you want to find something good/complimentary/encouraging to say about envy, if you want to say how it's constructive, perhaps there's an example of that in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta: The Nun&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, '&lt;strong&gt;The monk named such-and-such, they say&lt;/strong&gt;, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now. &lt;strong&gt;Then why not me?&lt;/strong&gt;' Then he eventually abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. 'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very young children are said to go through (i.e. become capable of) different &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parten%27s_stages_of_play&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;developmental stages as they get older&lt;/a&gt;, including:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Parallel play&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Simple social play&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cooperative play&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that perhaps envy in adults might be like that too, an early (unskillful) stage of development, for example the following progression from less to more developed/skillful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I want &lt;strong&gt;their&lt;/strong&gt; toy!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I have my &lt;strong&gt;own&lt;/strong&gt; toy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Everyone&lt;/strong&gt; has their own toy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We &lt;strong&gt;share&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-07T14:30:12.160" LastActivityDate="2014-12-07T14:30:12.160" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5762" CreationDate="2014-12-07T22:29:53.243" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;But then again, Tao and Hindu sources also discuss letting go of all that is impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can have 2 groups advocating letting go of what is impermanent, and yet, if they disagree on what is impermanent, there will be endless debate with practitioners. Following to its conclusion, the risk of the first group is to hold to something that appears to be permanent but isn't. A question here would be what would be the risk of the other group?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist doctrine not only refers to the practice of &amp;quot;letting go impermanent things&amp;quot;, but quite significant, it does not overlook our inclination to take something that takes a long time to show its impermanence as permanent. This is a risk of being deluded the Buddha has suggested a few times, which asks for a kind of careful evaluation that is perfectly thorough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[&lt;strong&gt;edit&lt;/strong&gt;:]&#xA;For example, the Buddha describes in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; how a recluse &amp;quot;attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated, [purified, clarified, unblemished, devoid of corruptions] he recollects his numerous past lives[...]&amp;quot; and, while exploring a very long time far back and not seeing a limit for the universe or rebirths, that person concludes that &amp;quot;the self and the world are eternal&amp;quot; -- a premature, careless conclusion, one of many &lt;em&gt;wrong views&lt;/em&gt;. The simile of the elephant's footprint (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) also illustrates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;Suppose an elephant hunter were to enter an elephant forest and were to see there a large elephant footprint, long in extent and broad in width. A skilled elephant hunter would not yet come to the conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that? Because in an elephant forest there are dwarf female elephants with big feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So he follows along and sees in the elephant forest a large elephant footprint, long in extent and broad in width, and some scratch marks high up. A skilled elephant hunter would not yet come to the conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that? Because in an elephant forest there are tall female elephants with prominent teeth &amp;amp; big feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So he follows along and sees in the elephant forest a large elephant footprint, long in extent and broad in width, with some scratch marks and tusk slashes high up. A skilled elephant hunter would not yet come to the conclusion, 'What a big bull elephant!' Why is that? Because in an elephant forest there are tall female elephants with tusks &amp;amp; big feet. The footprint might be one of theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So he follows along and sees in the elephant forest a large elephant footprint, long in extent and broad in width, with some scratch marks and tusk slashes high up and some broken-off branches. And he sees that bull elephant at the foot of the tree or in an open clearing, walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. He comes to the conclusion, 'That's the big bull elephant.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the simile above, it is only correct without the slightest chance of mistake and room for doubt, for one to say &amp;quot;What a big bull elephant!&amp;quot; when he actually &lt;em&gt;sees&lt;/em&gt; the actual big bull elephant. If, in one hand, this simile denounces the risk of partial evaluations and premature conclusions, in the other, the rest of the discourses insist on thorough investigations (delusion, after all, is not to be diminished, but exterminated).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to impermanence, in a related note, the Buddha even acknowledges somewhere else (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/a&gt;) that, for an uninstructed person, it makes more sense to regard the body as permanent than the mind, as it is seen to endure for a long time -- and nothing in the mind is seen to stick for more than a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;My question is, do Buddhists ever consider that it is possible that goals in other religions like Tao and Brahman, may in fact be the same as Nirvana, if we look beyond the semantics. And therefore, the practices in these religions, may in fact lead in the right direction?&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is important not only to see Buddha's attempts of descriptions of nirvana, but the &lt;em&gt;requirements&lt;/em&gt; for it. For example, if &amp;quot;Brahmanism&amp;quot; (or Taoism, or ...) requires something equivalent to the 7 enlightenment factors to be developed, and its goal culminates on the &lt;em&gt;permanent&lt;/em&gt; destruction of all fetters (&lt;em&gt;sakkāyadiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;vyāpādo&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;kāmacchando&lt;/em&gt;,  &lt;em&gt;avijjā&lt;/em&gt;, etc) and a full understanding of something equivalent to the Four Noble Truths and conditioned arising, I think that would be a good start before assessing if the goals are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for going on the right direction, I think buddhists [should] acknowledge any person moving on the &amp;quot;right direction&amp;quot; if she, in whatever religious background, is (inadvertently or not) cultivating insight, skills and states that, ultimately, lead to nirvana -- where &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; means moving towards final liberation. Even if she is not aiming at it, or if she is still in ignorance or clinging to impermanent things here and there (buddhist practitioners are also). From the sutras, this seems pretty much the actual attitude of the Buddha in this matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand aging-and-death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; who understand birth ... volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.13&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] and the Blessed One said, &amp;quot;In any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But in any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine &amp;amp; discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mahaparinibbana Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T00:06:22.800" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5770" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-08T03:48:46.883" Score="3" ViewCount="1444" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a kid I enjoyed watching drama Journey to the West (1986),&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Wujing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wiki : Shā Wùjìng&lt;/a&gt; is one of the three disciples of the Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang. He appears as a character in the novel Journey to the West written by Wu Cheng'en in the Ming dynasty, although versions of his character predate the Ming novel. In the novels, his background is the least developed of the pilgrims and he contributes the least to their efforts. He is called Sand or Sandy and is known as a &amp;quot;water buffalo&amp;quot; for his seemingly less developed intelligence in many English versions of the story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His Buddhist name &amp;quot;Sha Wujing&amp;quot;, given by Bodhisattva Guanyin, means &amp;quot;sand aware of purity&amp;quot;. His name is rendered in Korean as Sa Oh Jeong, into Japanese as Sa Gojō, into Sino-Vietnamese as Sa Ngộ Tịnh.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;He is also known as 沙僧 &amp;quot;Monk Sha&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Shā Sēng&amp;quot; in Mandarin Chinese, Sa Tăng in Sino-Vietnamese and Sua Cheng in Thai .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw actor &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Wujing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sha Wujing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; necklace with huge, weighing up to 5kg.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;I want to ask the meaning of this kind of necklace. ?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;In Buddhism, Who had that necklace?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T17:14:03.910" Title="What is the meaning round beads around the neck of Sha Wujing?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5771" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-08T04:31:36.277" Score="7" ViewCount="2027" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to do abit of chanting everyday, and I have tingling feelings in my upper body (spine/arms) the moment I begin chanting starting with Namo Tassa, Itipiso, homage to Dhamma, homage to Sangha, when I chant other suttas like bojjhana sutta I get the tingling feeling too. However when I do reading of the suttas, I do not get the tingling feeling. I'd like to ask if it happens to everyone who does chanting, and what is the cause for this tingling feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2406" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:21:26.690" LastActivityDate="2022-03-29T17:54:09.130" Title="Itipiso Chanting" Tags="|personal-practice|chant|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5772" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-08T13:17:35.603" Score="2" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;How much discussion of &lt;em&gt;refuge&lt;/em&gt; is there in the modern vipassanā movement (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement&lt;/a&gt;)? If there is significant emphasis, what is its character? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am particularly interested in Western vipassanā circles such as IMS and Spirit Rock, but also their Eastern progenitors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not speaking here of the formal ceremony or commitment of taking refuge as much as the concept and ongoing practice of refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:58:22.620" LastActivityDate="2019-07-15T20:21:01.910" Title="Refuge in the modern vipassanā movement (the concept/practice, not the ceremony/commitment)" Tags="|vipassana|refuge|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5632" CreationDate="2014-12-08T13:28:26.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't this notion from meditation traditions in general?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;James Altucher, in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/19/the-ultimate-cheat-sheet-for-reinventing-yourself/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Reinventing Yourself&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if I don’t have time to sit in silence [for one hour a day]?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then sit in silence for two hours a day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;which he &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/08/5-things-i-learn-from-gandhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;adapted (with an entrepreneurial slant)&lt;/a&gt; from a story about Mahatma Gandhi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2407" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T19:33:49.480" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5772" CreationDate="2014-12-08T14:35:13.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;By taking refuge you are aspiring to build the qualities of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangha&lt;/a&gt; in your self than any ceremonial right or ritual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are virtues can also be further used as a form of recollection meditation to gain inspiration from the qualities and develop them within oneself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.7-Buddhanussati-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhanusssathi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.9-Dhammanussati-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammanussathi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.10a-Atthapuggala-S-a8.59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanghanussathi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T14:45:45.913" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5770" CreationDate="2014-12-08T15:50:12.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure if he's the &amp;quot;least developed&amp;quot; of the pilgrim. In terms of moral disciplines, he's much better than his brother Pigsy. Venerable Thich Thien Sieu wrote a great essay that provides deeper analysis on the role and meaning of each pilgrim. Unfortunately I couldn't find any English's translation to the original article &lt;a href=&quot;http://phatgiaovnn.com/news/index.php?nv=News&amp;amp;at=save&amp;amp;sid=3776&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. About the meaning of those huge beads, not sure if they carry any significant meaning other than to aid sutras reciting (sort of like the rosary beads..). The character Lu Zhishen (Flowery Monk) in the novel &amp;quot;Water Margin&amp;quot; also wears similar things..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T16:07:06.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5771" CreationDate="2014-12-08T19:57:20.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had similar feelings. It helped not to attach that (Buddhist teaching, heh?;) Just focus to chanting and continue. Maybe problem arise due wrong breathing or unfasting of some inner tension...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="740" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T19:57:20.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5771" CreationDate="2014-12-08T20:28:03.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are chanting you are breathing differently then when you are not. When you are chanting your body is vibrating differently then when you are not. It makes reasonable sense that the differences in breathing and vibrating could cause &quot;tingling feelings&quot; in your body that would not be there when breathing normally. This is a very normal event. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T20:28:03.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5765" CreationDate="2014-12-08T21:44:33.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my understanding of Buddhism, there are no memories from beyond. Everything including memories are impermanent. There is no permanent memory-self that remains from moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T21:44:33.077" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5764" CreationDate="2014-12-08T21:50:34.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was always under the impression that happiness was our default setting, our buddha nature. If we remove &quot;blow away or extinguish&quot; all the labels, bindings, and habit energies that collect what is left is happiness. True Happiness is the default state we experience when we extinguish the fires that cause suffering. This cessation of suffering can also be described as complete peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a great wealth because it is the only thing that can bring us true liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-12-08T21:50:34.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5781" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-09T08:01:40.490" Score="9" ViewCount="771" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm very interested in the polarity between ambition and expectation. On one hand to be ambitious is to be confident, to be strong, to have faith. With that comes a sense of hope, expectation that good fortune persevere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dennis Prager is quoted with saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The more expectations you have, the less gratitude you will have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you be ambitious and not have expectations? Is being ambitious a bad thing? Are expectations the root of unhappiness? Alternatively, is it how we handle failure or disappointment when things don't go according to plan that is what creates unhappiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2410" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:17:43.153" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:17:43.153" Title="Ambition and Expectation" Tags="|personal-practice|daily-life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5764" CreationDate="2014-12-09T08:10:50.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happiness might be any moment we're not analyzing what happiness is in the universal sense, and not analyzing our own personal happiness at any given moment. Happiness could be the state when we're not being self-reflective, especially about happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This idea is similar to &lt;a href=&quot;http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-game&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Game&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. (Which you just lost)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Game is one of the simplest distortions of game logic ever invented; by which simply thinking about The Game causes one to lose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I think of the word happiness, I often associate it with these zen pencils comics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zenpencils.com/comic/80-henry-david-thoreau-on-happiness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;80. HENRY DAVID THOREAU: On happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zenpencils.com/comic/69-buddha-less-is-more/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;69. BUDDHA: Less is more&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2410" LastActivityDate="2014-12-09T08:10:50.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5781" CreationDate="2014-12-09T08:12:01.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ambition with not attachment to out come or expectation is fine. The real issue is the attachment element. Due to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; in all human endeavours and the universe, things will not go as planed. Hence the possibility to get disappointed. If you understand disappointed and how to overcome it, then there is not issue with ambition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt; give you the understanding of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; which help you grasp the psychological which creates disappointment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-09T08:12:01.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5765" CreationDate="2014-12-09T17:24:16.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As stated already, this is more of a scientific question than a Buddhism topic. As far as my understanding goes, according to neuroscience, thoughts are just a specific arrangement of neural connections within the brain. Each of the billions of neural connections in the human brain can either be turned 'on' or 'off'. The overall arrangements of the on and off switches of each neuron within the brain can be thought of as a computer code with a list of 1's and 0's (01110010100010101, for example). Each specific thought has a specific neural code (arrangement of 'on' and 'off' neurons). So, by recalling a past memory, you are simply repeating the neural code within your brain that occurred during the present tense of the memory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is basically, as far as my understanding goes, how we 'remember things'. It is questionable, however, in my opinion, how reliable memories are. This being because we can never go back to the specific neural code with 100% certainty. We can only try to duplicate this memory code and hope it is the same memory as the actual event that took place. (this may explain why some people have separate memories of the same occasion)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2261" LastActivityDate="2014-12-09T17:24:16.987" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1998" CreationDate="2014-12-09T23:50:39.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read Alan Wallace's &quot;The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For short, practice &lt;em&gt;shamata&lt;/em&gt;. Practice to focus your attention on the breath, and practice to keep your focus on it as long as you can. Even if you can't sustain it for more than a few seconds, keep practicing. If you can sustain your focus on the breath, you can sustain it in any other meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a more didactic explanation from someone trustworthy, read Wallace's book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2014-12-09T23:50:39.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5786" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5787" CreationDate="2014-12-10T00:01:21.647" Score="3" ViewCount="302" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just read Allan Wallace's &quot;The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind&quot; book. He cites &lt;em&gt;vipashyana&lt;/em&gt; (or vipassana, vipassanā, vipaśyanā, lha-thong) but he doesn't deepen much on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you refer to some texts and books regarding this meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-10T13:05:37.470" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T15:15:04.760" Title="Vipassana texts and books references request" Tags="|vipassana|reference-request|books|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-05-29T16:05:32.723" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5786" CreationDate="2014-12-10T03:56:35.050" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhanet&lt;/a&gt; contain a lot of meditation related &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_m.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ebooks&lt;/a&gt; on the topic which you can read. A good introductory book would be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/essentials.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Essentials of Insight Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/mindfulness-plain-english&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/right_mindfulness_v140930.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Mindfulness: Memory &amp;amp; Ardency on the Buddhist Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following questions on the site might be of interest also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/60/introductory-books-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;Introductory books to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2243/beginner-academic-text-recommendation&quot;&gt;Beginner academic text recommendation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/48/learning-materials-for-dependent-origination-pa%E1%B9%ADiccasamupp%C4%81da-in-theravada-bud&quot;&gt;Learning materials for Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) in Theravada Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/4109/english-or-other-european-translations-of-pali-canon&quot;&gt;English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-12-10T16:01:58.183" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5771" CreationDate="2014-12-10T11:06:58.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is normal. There are a lot of sensations (one of the 5 aggregates) which arise and pass in our body which we are not sensitive to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we are thinking, listening, tasting, seeing, doing different things, we experience different sensations. No exception when you are chanting or reading. Only thing is that you are not sensitive enough to see the sensations when you read. When you chant the chanting itself causes larger vibrations which you can easily sense. Especially Pirith and Mantras which generally create much vibrations than normal chattering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-10T11:06:58.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5786" CreationDate="2014-12-10T21:03:35.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Daniel Ingram's &lt;em&gt;&quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is a superb reference for this. It also explains the differences between different forms of practice, which is useful for deciding when and if to do what. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1278/199&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for more details. And the book itself is freely available from &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Daniel's site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-12-10T21:03:35.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5781" CreationDate="2014-12-11T08:50:42.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being ambitious, in and of itself, is not wrong, it’s what we esteem or honor that can be a problem - to have a bigger car, a better paycheck, the nicest house...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2231" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T08:50:42.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2014-12-11T13:02:49.570" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;ChrisW is absolutely right that the Talaputta sutta is very negative about actors. But one could argue that may have been a product of culture at that time and the relationship between Buddhism and the arts is one worth re-examining in a modern context. As Buddhism moves into different cultures then it changes and the relationship with the arts could be part of that change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist community that I practice with (Triratna) is extremely positive about the arts and sees them as a helpful way into personal growth and Buddhist practice. If you are interested there is a magazine about &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/urthona&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and the Arts&lt;/a&gt; and the movements positive attitude towards the arts is one of it's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triratna_Buddhist_Community#Defining_the_movement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;defining characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. The Triratna community has had all kinds of criticism over the years but  I don't think that it's relationship with the arts is one of its aspects that has concerned people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T13:02:49.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5781" CreationDate="2014-12-11T14:20:36.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;h3&gt;Are expectations the root of unhappiness?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the &quot;root&quot; of unhappiness is (according to the second noble truth) meant to be various types of &quot;craving&quot; e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samudaya_sacca#Within_the_four_noble_truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;as described here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Slightly more broadly, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the three poisons&lt;/a&gt; are said to be at the &quot;root&quot; of the wheel of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Is being ambitious a bad thing?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Buddhist concept called &quot;Right Intention&quot; could be described as a form of ambition ... and so can &quot;Right Livelihood&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there might be some important differences between Buddhist monks and Buddhist laity (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5460/254&quot;&gt;see for example this answer&lt;/a&gt;): and part of the reason for that might be a difference in their view of ambition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Can you be ambitious and not have expectations?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is meant to be useful to different people who are at different stages of enlightenment: which is I think what is meant when it's described as, &quot;good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think we're supposed to remember that there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Middle Way&lt;/a&gt; -- by which I mean that whenever someone asks the question &quot;is it all or nothing?&quot; then I think that a Buddhist answer is often, &quot;it's neither&quot; (or &quot;it's both&quot;, or sometimes &quot;that's the wrong question&quot;). For example instead of &quot;ambition: yes or no?&quot; there are other questions to ask -- like &quot;what should we be ambitious for?&quot; and &quot;what happens to us if ambition is thwarted?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Alternatively, is it how we handle failure or disappointment when things don't go according to plan that is what creates unhappiness?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, that too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me personally, the way I interpret it (which isn't how other people must interpret it) is that, if I have an expectation and if that expectation doesn't work out as planned, then my understanding of Buddhism suggests that I 'should' (and 'will') let go of (i.e. change) my expectation, instead of being attached to my previous and now-obviously-unskillful expectation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI there's this piece of 'Zen' advice titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/77noattachmenttodust.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No Attachment to Dust&lt;/a&gt; which includes the line,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T14:20:36.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5679" CreationDate="2014-12-11T17:54:27.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are references to some studies on this.  I don't know how rigorous they are!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An abstract of a study:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/03/27/0956797612459659.abstract&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/03/27/0956797612459659.abstract&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two articles in the Huffington Post that reference studies.  I imagine trying to google the universities and professors involved might get you some abstracts or summaries of results:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/20/meditation-better-grades_n_3053719.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/20/meditation-better-grades_n_3053719.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/mindfulness-testing-focus-reading-comprehension_n_2957146.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/mindfulness-testing-focus-reading-comprehension_n_2957146.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T17:54:27.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5564" CreationDate="2014-12-11T18:17:23.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist you should seek your happiness while working towards the happiness of others.  Feeling bad is a self-indulgent activity done to justify inaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing selfish about being happy in the face of suffering, provided you are doing something to help address this suffering. For instance, you mention the suffering of animals.  Very well, what are you doing about it?  Are you a Vegan?  Are you encouraging Veganism?  Do you contribute or volunteer at any related causes? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you aren't doing something to address the issue, then ask why.  Why do nothing to materially fix the world (which benefits the suffering), yet go to such great lengths to make yourself unhappy (which benefits no one and adds to the suffering of the world -- you).  Could it be that this &quot;feeling bad&quot; is a way of feeling better about not helping?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind often throws barriers to the path, and sometimes the best thing you can do is see through these barriers by asking what is REALLY going on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the Buddhist path is to seek your happiness while working towards the benefit of others.  The right mindfulness component of this is to scrutinize your thoughts in this regard, in particular the thoughts propping up this &quot;guilt&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-11T18:17:23.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5795" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-11T23:15:01.447" Score="8" ViewCount="642" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually in the evening, when I am about to retire, I commit myself to finding and entering into a residential Sangha permanently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When morning rolls in, I fall back into my usual patterns like work, hobbies, social, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually when I suffer, this emboldens me to seek the monastic life but usually doesn't last very long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I think about it, I feel like the monastic life is the only way to proceed yet I don't follow through with it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking from a general point-of-view, if a Buddhist knows that the lay life is not ideal, what barriers (overt and inconspicuous) are preventing them from seeking and living the monastical life. How can they be overcomed ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-12-12T04:34:20.210" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T12:25:58.250" Title="If a Buddhist believes lay life is not ideal for the practice, why does he or she continue?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|monasticism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2014-12-12T01:14:25.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether one is a lay practitioner or a monk, either way the key to progress is the daily practice. Either can meditate twice a day, do walking meditation, do karma work, do charity work, and raise their consciousness.&#xA;Maybe the idea that the monastery is better than lay life is a concept that may be true or not true. Listing the jobs in each place and the challenges each offers may give a better idea of the demands of a monk or lay person.&#xA;The Buddha did not give higher value to one over the other. Many lay person's attained enlightenment in Buddha's day. &#xA;Perhaps the real question is one that must be asked within where there are no words or concepts and wait for an inner response: What is my calling in life? What have I come here to do? Why have I come here? What can I do that will most fulfill that aim?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By allowing the beginner's mind, the nirvana consciousness to grow, these answers may appear when the time is ripe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T01:14:25.010" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2014-12-12T03:28:06.043" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why does he or she continue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of clinging. Clinging to family, clinging to lovers, clinging to property, clinging to comforts, clinging to all kinds of sensual pleasures which the monastic life wouldn't have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to overcome it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nekkhamma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nekkhamma Sankappa&lt;/a&gt; of the noble 8 fold path.  Take a timeout  to think about what you've really been trying to do every day, your whole life. Being yourself subjected to birth, sickness, aging, death etc. which cause suffering, you are trying to attain satisfaction by chasing after other things which are also subjected to birth, sickness, aging and death.  This is called the ignoble search. Think of the absurdness of doing the same thing over and over again, when it can never give you the intended outcome. Pay careful and wise attention to the signs of Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta in life. What made prince Siddhartha decide to leave the lay life? Seeing an old man, a sick man, a dead body, a hermit. We see the same things too. But we rarely pay wise attention. We rarely think that we are also subjected to the same misery. Even if we do think that, it would just be a passing thought. It wouldn't be strong enough to break the bonds of lay life. It wasn't a passing thought for prince Siddhartha. He thought about what he saw even after returning to the palace. He cultivated his mind with Nekkhamma thoughts, which eventually became strong enough to make him decide to leave the lay life to do the noble search. i.e. to seek the unborn, unaging and the deathless element. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2014-12-15T23:12:52.297" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T23:12:52.297" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5798" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5799" CreationDate="2014-12-12T05:38:20.030" Score="5" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today, I received an email with a quote in the signature attributed to Blaise Pascal reading&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of human evil comes from a single cause, man's inability to sit still in a room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://fr.wikiquote.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;more accurate quote&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne pas savoir demeurer en repos dans une chambre&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the &lt;strong&gt;unhappiness&lt;/strong&gt; of men comes from only one thing, which is not knowing how to &lt;strong&gt;stay&lt;/strong&gt; at rest (or 'remain peacefully') in a room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.etudes-litteraires.com/pascal.php&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is the whole passage in context&lt;/a&gt; (I translate),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I put myself sometimes to considering the diverse agitations of&#xA;men and the dangers and trouble which they expose themselves to, in&#xA;the court, in war, from where are born so many troubles, passions,&#xA;endeavours that are hardy (or fool-hardy) and often bad, etc., I&#xA;discovered that all the unhappiness of man comes from just one cause,&#xA;which is not knowing how to stay peacefully in a room. A man who has&#xA;enough goods to live, if he knew how to live with pleasure in his&#xA;home, wouldn't leave it to go on the sea or to the seat of a place.&#xA;One buys such an expensive warrant for the army, only because one&#xA;finds it intolerable to not move from the town; and one looks for&#xA;conversations and the distraction of games only because one can't stay&#xA;at one's own home with pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when I thought about it more closely and after finding the cause&#xA;of all our unhappiness, I wanted to discover the reason for that, I&#xA;found there is one very effective (reason), which consists in the&#xA;natural unhappiness of our feeble and mortal condition, and so&#xA;miserable, that nothing can console us, when we think of it closely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever condition one figures oneself to be in, if one assembles all&#xA;the goods which can belong to us, royalty is the most beautiful&#xA;position in the world, and nevertheless if one imagines oneself (in&#xA;that position), accompanied by all the satisfactions associated with&#xA;it. If it's without distraction, and if one lets oneself consider and&#xA;reflect on what is, that langorous happiness wouldn't sustain itself,&#xA;it necessarily falls among the sights which menace it, the revolts&#xA;which could happen, and finally the death and sickness which are&#xA;inevitable; such that, if it is without what one calls 'distractions'&#xA;(literally 'detours', figuratively 'games'), there he (the king) is&#xA;unhappy and more unhappy than the least of his subjects, who play and&#xA;distract (or entertain) themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How would a Buddhist respond to such a statement ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a feeling he or she would agree at least on some levels. Even though it seemed Buddhism was introduced to the west beginning mainly in the 20th century, this quote seems to echo that the West was not totally unawares.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember correctly, &amp;quot;Lines Composed a Few Mile Above Tintern Abbey&amp;quot; also seemed to reiterate some principles found in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were probably missionaries who came in contact with it after the birth of Christ. Reverand Kusala mentions Zen Buddhism was actual a reaction of missionaries coming in contact with the existing Therevadan tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:44:40.473" Title="Buddhism ideals in the West before the 20th century" Tags="|christianity|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="5799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5798" CreationDate="2014-12-12T10:57:48.887" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently Pascal is aware of the same thing that the Buddha was aware of before he became enlightened: i.e. a view of reality which was the actual incentive for Gautama to look for enlightenment, asking something like,&#xA;&amp;quot;How can I be happy, even as a king, when illness and death are inevitable?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This description of the &amp;quot;human condition&amp;quot; is presumably well-known to many other people too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's remarkable about Buddhism isn't its description of the problem: what's remarkable is the Buddha's description of the solution to that problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pascal describes the problem but not the solution. He says (I paraphrase),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;We can't be happy. But there's a reason for that, i.e. our feeble and mortal condition. Even a king couldn't be happy without distractions.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Page%3APascal_-_Pens%C3%A9es%2C_%C3%A9dition_de_Port-Royal%2C_1670.djvu/289&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Later&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus goes life. We look for rest by overcoming a few obstacles. And when they're overcome, rest becomes insufferable.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a few pages beyond that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Man, who hasn't been able to heal death, misery, and ignorance, has advised himself not to think about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The conclusion to that chapter is that such distraction is actually harmful because it stops us from looking for the real remedy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;puisque l’homme ne s’ennuie de tout, et ne cherche cette multitude d’occupations que parce qu’il a l’idée du bonheur qu’il a perdu ; lequel ne trouvant pas en soi, il le cherche inutilement dans les choses extérieures, sans se pouvoir jamais contenter, parce qu’il n’est ni dans nous, ni dans les créatures, mais en Dieu seul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;because man gets bored with everything, and searches for this multitude of activities only because he has the idea of the unhappiness which he has lost; which having not found (happiness) in himself, he (man) looks for it uselessly (in vain) in external things, never able to content himself, because it (happiness) is not in us, not in the creatures, but only in God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think that Pascal is aware of the First Noble Truth but the rest of it is not especially Buddhist. The remedy which Pascal proposes (elsewhere in the book) is the Christian faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T10:57:48.887" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2014-12-12T11:48:08.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your use of the word &quot;absurd&quot; in the original title makes me wonder whether you've been exposed to 20th century nihilist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Absurd&quot; comes from a Latin word meaning &quot;dissonant&quot; and it refers to the dissonance between man's expectations and his actual experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's kind of cool (it's maybe the second noble truth) but it's still a description of the problem, and not of the solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the Buddha spoke again both extremes: eternalism and nihilism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could try to suggest two remedies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn more about life in a Sangha -- for example you could read &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/category/blog/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://plumvillage.org/category/blog/&lt;/a&gt; without leaving your home&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn more about lay Buddhist life -- for example, the book described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5460/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; could be interesting&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also some half-way measures, e.g. lay people visit or work with Sanghas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Speaking from a general point-of-view, if a Buddhist knows that the lay life is not ideal, what barriers (overt and inconspicuous) are preventing them from seeking and living the monastical life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't quite what you were asking, but one answer is that to be accepted they might require you to be in reasonable health, and not too old (e.g. less than 50)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your basic question seems to be &quot;why don't I act rationally?&quot; Well that's a good question but maybe it's normal for human to have habits, including bad habits, and developing discipline and rationality and insight etc. is non-trivial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a (non-Buddhist) &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0140442707&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;poem addressed to Siva&lt;/a&gt; (named &quot;Ramanatha&quot; in the poem),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If this is my body&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Would it not follow my will?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If this is your body&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Would it not follow your will?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Obviously, it is neither your body&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nor mine:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  It is the fickle body&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Of the burning world you made,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ramanatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How can they be overcomed ?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a little voice in my head that replies, &quot;First you must have that intention (to overcome them).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose a canonical answer is the &quot;noble eightfold way&quot; (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;): that's the path to liberation. You start with Right View (seeing your situation properly), then Right Intent (wanting to act appropriately for that situation), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even a little is better than none IMO: doing away with ill-will, intending to be harmless, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might like to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Intention of Renunciation&lt;/a&gt; since that's what you seem to be asking about,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha does not demand that everyone leave the household life for the monastery or ask his followers to discard all sense enjoyments on the spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you don't want to lose happiness (by losing work, hobbies, social, etc.). Maybe a key then is to replace these forms of happiness, not with nothing but with other causes of happiness: e.g. equanimity (freedom), good will, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T11:48:08.757" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2014-12-12T15:30:46.080" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two reasons come to mind; one practical, the other metaphysical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you describe is no different from how we live our lives all the time.  We want things but don't want to do the work for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We want to lose weight, but don't want to exercise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We want to learn a skill, but don't want to spend time practicing it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We want happiness, but don't want the changes required to bring it&#xA;about.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is the same phenomena. We want the fruits of Nirvana, but don't want to give up our attachments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is something compelling about Samsara, otherwise it wouldn't be such a challenge to let it go. Besides, I think many people who superficially believe in Samsara do not believe it deep down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to overcome it?  Well, mindfulness of Samsara.  If you can really see this life as unsatisfactory, then the problem should solve itself.  However, the key is seeing, not intellectual assent.  We intellectually assent to many things that we don't really see.  Can you honestly encounter your experiences in every moment, reflect on them, really SEE Samsara?  That you can get some glimpses of Nirvana along the way can serve as a useful stick and carrot corrective.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metaphysical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhists believe in rebirth.  The quality of one's rebirth is commensurate to one's practice here.  Therefore, even if a lay life is not ideal, one may practice to ensure a more favorable rebirth wherein one can practice more rigorously and at some point down the line achieve Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to correct this?  Abandon believe in rebirth!  Of course that's easier said than done for those who have that worldview.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T15:30:46.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5632" CreationDate="2014-12-12T16:07:25.390" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's all about priorities... you don't have time for meditation because you don't hold that importance for it which is needed. So you surely won't find the time to meditate for an hour a day, you will have to create the window. hope that helps..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2417" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T16:07:25.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5754" CreationDate="2014-12-12T16:55:52.850" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;See:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/dhamma_talk/dt_019.previous.buddhas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/dhamma_talk/dt_019.previous.buddhas.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;for a table giving various features of the previous 7 Buddhas. The Direct answer to your question is that Kassapa and our Buddha were both born in this kappa, that is, world-cycle, or aeon. The kappa consists of a period of evolution, a period of stasis, a period of devolution and a period of stasis. This current period is the period of devolution (as if anyone had to tell you). It is not clear, but it is likely that Kassapa was born in the period of Evolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kappa is described as: 10,395,902,500 years: 103,959,025 sesame seeds removed from a Magadhan Karika one at a time every hundred years (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/weights_and_measures/weights_and_measures.htm#karika&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Magadha Karika&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T16:55:52.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5770" CreationDate="2014-12-12T17:14:03.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today the beads are generally used for counting the breaths, however there is also a use for divination. In the latter each bead is assigned a meaning according to the breakdown of sense experience (vedana) as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The six senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind) X pleasant, unpleasant, neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant&#xA;Bound up in the worldly = 18 +&#xA;Not bound to the worldly = 18 = 36&#xA;X Past, Future, Present = 108.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So bead #1 = past pleasant sensation down-bound to the world related to the eye&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When asked a question the diviner finds the bead most appropriate to the question and visualizes (from his associations with that sense-experience) and interprets to attain an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T17:14:03.910" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5632" CreationDate="2014-12-12T22:26:01.630" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The exact quote is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is indeed an old Zen saying, but AFAIK the exact origin is not known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2014-12-12T22:26:01.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2015" CreationDate="2014-12-13T11:38:47.213" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some experience comparing the BJT Pali with the Pali Text published by the Pali Text Society and the version found on the CSCD. I have read and proofed the BJT of numerous suttas throughout the Sutta Pitaka, the complete Anguttara Nikaya, and the first two volumes and many other suttas from the Samyutta Nikaya. On the whole the BJT and the PTS agree with some spelling differences and an occasional insignificant difference in text matter. Both have errors. The BJT has the advantage in that for the most part it has unabridged the text. (Trying to figure out which previous phrase was intended by '...pe...' is no easy matter!) The BJT has errors resulting from copy and paste where sections are repeated with a change but where the change was not made. The Pali Text Society text is, as far as I am concerned, the most authoritative simply because the compilers consulted numerous manuscripts for its compilation. The CSCD is also commendable for that reason, but it has not got the advantage of eliminating all the abridgments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not cover the complete scope of your question, but hopefully it will chip away around the edges. To best see what I have done with the Pali texts and the PTS translations visit the 'What's New?' page at:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/whats.new.htm&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/whats.new.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;I cannot claim that this work is error free as it is being done with excessive haste, but it should provide a strong platform for a future completely unabridged pali and translation of the Sutta Pitaka. It should also be helpful to beginning translators as the text is broken up at the original line breaks which helps to overcome the despair inspired by a huge block of Pali. Translations are linked to the other available free translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;obo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-13T11:38:47.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2014-12-13T17:19:46.743" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case, great king, where a Tathagata appears in the&#xA;  world, worthy and rightly self-awakened. He teaches the Dhamma&#xA;  admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its&#xA;  end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its&#xA;  essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains&#xA;  conviction in the Tathagata and reflects: 'Household life is&#xA;  confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It&#xA;  is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect,&#xA;  totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my&#xA;  hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the&#xA;  household life into homelessness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small;&#xA;  leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair&#xA;  and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household&#xA;  life into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When he has thus gone forth, he lives restrained by the rules of the&#xA;  monastic code, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Consummate in&#xA;  his virtue, he guards the doors of his senses, is possessed of&#xA;  mindfulness and alertness, and is content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta (DN 2)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this is what the Boddhisattva thought :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Why wouldn't it have, Aggivessana? Before my Awakening, when I was&#xA;  still an unawakened Bodhisatta, the thought occurred to me: 'Household&#xA;  life is confining, a dusty path. Life gone forth is the open air. It&#xA;  isn't easy, living in a home, to practice the holy life totally&#xA;  perfect, totally pure, a polished shell. What if I, having shaved off&#xA;  my hair &amp;amp; beard and putting on the ochre robe, were to go forth from&#xA;  the household life into homelessness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So at a later time, when I was still young, black-haired, endowed&#xA;  with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life, having shaved&#xA;  off my hair &amp;amp; beard — though my parents wished otherwise and were&#xA;  grieving with tears on their faces — I put on the ochre robe and went&#xA;  forth from the home life into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta (MN 36)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is to support Sankha Kulathantille's answer - which I think is reasonable and in line with the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think you should consider reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, if you haven't done so already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2014-12-13T17:19:46.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5810" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5812" CreationDate="2014-12-14T01:14:03.483" Score="6" ViewCount="615" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;There's no 'I' in team&quot; is an aphorism that promotes the selfless group effort, but what about first person pronouns from a Buddhist perspective such as 'I', 'me', 'mine', and 'my'. I am also wondering about starting a sentence with the pronoun 'I'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it helpful from a Buddhist perspective to always avoid such pronouns? Is using it just a symptom and the underlying disease needs to be treated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I usually try to avoid using pronouns in these context but sometimes the ease of using them overcomes my efforts, like with this sentence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most likely this rule needs to be taken with a grain of salt but was wondering if the community had any helpful advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:31:00.520" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T15:20:21.753" Title="Is it helpful to avoid first person pronouns when speaking and writing?" Tags="|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5810" CreationDate="2014-12-14T02:44:31.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it helpful from a Buddhist perspective to always avoid such pronouns?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid those pronouns reminds me of what &lt;a href=&quot;http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_cult/leguin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ursula Le Guin in this speech&lt;/a&gt; called &quot;the father tongue&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described in the first few paragraphs of Ursula's speech, avoiding &quot;I&quot; might often be good practice (because &quot;I&quot; is usually not the &quot;subject&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Le Guin is a novelist; she has written among other things a translation of the Tao Te Ching, and she is I think humane, and writes well; but she is not a formally-Buddhist teacher (and neither am I) so this is not a formally-Buddhist answer. I give this as a personal opinion instead of quoting canon because I don't know that there is a canonical answer: Buddhists do not in my experience avoid saying &quot;I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I deliberately wrote &quot;me&quot; into the first sentence, to signal that was a personal not a canonical answer. It might have been easy to try to make it sound more authoritative: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Avoiding those pronouns is what Le Guin called etc.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it wouldn't actually &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; more authoritative though, even if it were trying to sound that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to write truthfully at least: i.e. &quot;Right Speech&quot; (although Right Speech is more difficult than simply being truthful; it would also have to be appropriately-timed and helpful and welcome).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes we talk about things (&quot;that table's dirty&quot;), sometimes opinions (&quot;I think that table looks dirty&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I usually try to avoid using pronouns in these context but sometimes the ease of using them overcomes my efforts, like with this sentence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, well that's what happens when you write about yourself. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is using it just a symptom and the underlying disease needs to be treated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt it's helpful to always avoid such pronouns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It makes sense to use it sometimes: e.g. when you go to a doctor to say, &quot;I am sick&quot; rather than &quot;This person (&lt;em&gt;points finger&lt;/em&gt;) is sick.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're not a monk it might be basic politeness too, when shopping: &quot;Good morning. I would like a loaf of bread, please.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of uses of the word &quot;I&quot;, e.g. on pages like the following: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These Zen stories are full of the word &quot;I&quot;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists are at least supposed to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;tolerant of each other&lt;/a&gt;, I don't see why you should have to avoid &quot;I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a more usual way to formulate your question is how to view &quot;self&quot;. For example, seeing &quot;self&quot; as eternal is wrong, but seeing &quot;self&quot; as destructible is wrong. And that answer is more difficult. But I'm pretty sure that the &quot;Middle Way&quot; is part of the answer to that question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-14T03:23:31.163" LastActivityDate="2014-12-14T03:23:31.163" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5810" CreationDate="2014-12-14T12:21:07.973" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no rule about such use, and the Buddha begins many suttas with 'Aham, bhikkhave...' 'I, bhikkhus,...'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ChrisW has the general idea: the point is not the use or omission of the personal pronoun but the point of view in back of and reflected by that use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where the point of view is simply to identify an individuality (as one's place on the computer screen is marked by the cursor) such use is called 'speaking conventionally', for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Please pass me the salt. I will be going to the store at 10. I, friends, when I was a young lad ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where the use is to enhance the idea of an on-going or eternal self, the use signifies that a point of view concerning the self is present in the speaker, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am everything and everything is me. You make me feel bad. That is my toy. Some day I will be president.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the middle way being part of the answer to this question, there are a number of suttas where an Arahant is praised for teaching Dhamma 'without bringing in the self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two extremes that are not the Middle way can be said to be the point of view that an eternal self exists and that an eternal self does not exist. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/indexes/sutta/sn/05_mv/idx_56_saccasamyutta.htm#p11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The First Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) (The way it is stated in the First Sutta: 'the path down self-indulgence, and the path down self-torture' represent the forms of behavior that result from these two extreme views of existence. They are elsewhere directly spoken of as being the two extreme worldly points of view.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Middle way, the essence of the Dhamma teaches the fact of becoming, the satisfactions of becoming, the disadvantages of becoming, and the way to escape from becoming without bringing in a point of view concerning 'self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole of the Dhamma is essentially The Middle Way, but The Ariyan Eightfold Way is specifically called that, and an equivalent of the Eightfold Way, also often called 'The Way Down the Middle' is the Paticca Samuppada which you can see speaks about the process but does not bring in the self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From blindness proceeds own-making.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From own-making proceeds consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From consciousness proceeds named-forms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From named-forms proceeds the six realms of the senses.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the six realms of the senses proceeds sense-experience.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From sense-experience proceeds desire.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From desire proceeds fueling desire.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From fueling desire proceeds existing.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From existing proceeds birth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From birth proceeds old age, sickness, and death,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  grief and lamentation,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  pain and misery,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But from the utter eradication of blindness comes the utter destruction of own-making.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of own-making comes the utter destruction of consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of consciousness comes the utter destruction of named-forms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of named-forms comes the utter destruction of the six realms of the senses.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of the six realms of the senses comes the utter destruction of sense-experience.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of sense-experience comes the utter destruction of desire.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of desire comes the utter destruction of fueling desire.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of fueling desire comes the utter destruction of existing.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of existing comes the utter destruction of birth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the utter eradication of birth comes the utter destruction of old age, sickness and death,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  grief and lamentation,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  pain and misery,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No mention of self. If the thinking in back of the personal pronoun is of such a nature there is no reflection there of a point of view of self. Where the thinking in back of such speech is: &quot;I am. That is mine. That is the self of me. I am a part of that. That is a part of me.&quot; Whether of the past, the future or of the present, then the self has been brought in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still this is not a matter for criticizng others or holding one's self superior or taking pride in one's handling of personal pronouns! It is simply a reflection of one's inner state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T14:35:28.680" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T14:35:28.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5813" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-14T14:55:29.617" Score="5" ViewCount="269" Body="&lt;p&gt;In early Buddhism we see that characters like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angulimala&quot;&gt;Angulimala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatasatru&quot;&gt;Ajatasatru&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot;&gt;Ashoka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In recent times we have seen &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.prison.dhamma.org/&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka doing prison courses&lt;/a&gt;. Also there are new perspectives in correction discussed in talks like: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_reisel_the_neuroscience_of_restorative_justice?language=en&quot;&gt;The neuroscience of restorative justice&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how can Buddhism be used for the correction of people, and how does this compare with other developments in this area using lessons and teachings from within the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot;&gt;Tripiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-15T14:35:12.587" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T17:07:56.457" Title="What is the Buddhist Way to Reform and Correct People?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5814" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5840" CreationDate="2014-12-14T16:40:10.860" Score="16" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe a strange question, because for some people it's obvious that you should be compassionate. I'm just interested in knowing why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead? Why is &quot;not hating&quot; not enough?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="44" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T16:46:00.970" Title="Why should one develop compassion?" Tags="|beginner|compassion|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5810" CreationDate="2014-12-14T17:23:59.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I completely support obo's answer. I think it's best to regard such usage as mere conventions in use in the world - and be mindful of the characteristic of non-self which is intrinsic to all conditioned phenomenon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Deva:]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He who's an Arahant, his work achieved,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Free from taints, in final body clad,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That monk still might use such words as &quot;I.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Still perchance might say: &quot;They call this mine.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Would such a monk be prone to vain conceits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[The Blessed One :]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bonds are gone for him without conceits,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All delusion's chains are cast aside:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Truly wise, he's gone beyond such thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That monk still might use such words as &quot;I,&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Still perchance might say: &quot;They call this mine.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Well aware of common worldly speech,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He would speak conforming to such use.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.025.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arahanta Sutta (SN 1.25)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere, this is what the Buddha advises :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘You should not cling to a regional language; you should not reject&#xA;  common usage.’ So it is said. In what connection is this said? How,&#xA;  bhikkhus, is there clinging to a regional language and rejection of&#xA;  common usage? Here, bhikkhus, in different regions, they call a ‘bowl’&#xA;  pati, patta, vittha, serava, dahropa, pona or pisīla. So whatever they&#xA;  call it in such and such a region, they speak accordingly, firmly&#xA;  adhering (to the words) and insisting, ‘Only this is right; everything&#xA;  else is wrong.’ This is how, bhikkhus, there is clinging to a regional&#xA;  language and rejection of common usage. And how, bhikkhus, is there no&#xA;  clinging to a regional language and no rejection of common usage?&#xA;  Here, bhikshus, in different regions, they call a ‘bowl’ pati, patta,&#xA;  vittha, serava, dharopa, pona or pisīla. So whatever they call it in&#xA;  such and such a region, without adhering (to the words), one speaks&#xA;  accordingly. This is how, bhikkhus, there is no clinging to a regional&#xA;  language and no rejection of common usage. So it is with reference to&#xA;  this that it is said, ‘You should not cling to a regional language;&#xA;  you should not reject common usage.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aranavibhanga Sutta (MN 139)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the Pāḷi of MN 139 (for those who are interested)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘janapadaniruttiṃ nābhiniveseyya, samaññaṃ nātidhāveyyā’ti — iti kho&#xA;  panetaṃ vuttaṃ. kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? kathañca, bhikkhave,&#xA;  janapadaniruttiyā ca abhiniveso hoti samaññāya ca atisāro? idha,&#xA;  bhikkhave, tadevekaccesu janapadesu ‘pātī’ti sañjānanti, ‘pattan’ti&#xA;  sañjānanti, ‘vittan’ti sañjānanti, ‘sarāvan’ti sañjānanti&#xA;  ‘dhāropan’ti sañjānanti, ‘poṇan’ti sañjānanti, ‘pisīlavan’ti&#xA;  sañjānanti. iti yathā yathā naṃ tesu tesu janapadesu sañjānanti tathā&#xA;  tathā thāmasā parāmāsā abhinivissa voharati — ‘idameva saccaṃ,&#xA;  moghamaññan’ti. evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, janapadaniruttiyā ca abhiniveso&#xA;  hoti samaññāya ca atisāro.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“kathañca, bhikkhave, janapadaniruttiyā ca anabhiniveso hoti samaññāya&#xA;  ca anatisāro? idha, bhikkhave, tadevekaccesu janapadesu ‘pātī’ti&#xA;  sañjānanti, ‘pattan’ti sañjānanti, ‘vittan’ti sañjānanti, ‘sarāvan’ti&#xA;  sañjānanti, ‘dhāropan’ti sañjānanti, ‘poṇan’ti sañjānanti,&#xA;  ‘pisīlavan’ti sañjānanti. iti yathā yathā naṃ tesu tesu janapadesu&#xA;  sañjānanti ‘idaṃ kira me āyasmanto sandhāya voharantī’ti tathā&#xA;  tathā voharati aparāmasaṃ. evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, janapadaniruttiyā ca&#xA;  anabhiniveso hoti, samaññāya ca anatisāro. ‘janapadaniruttiṃ&#xA;  nābhiniveseyya samaññaṃ nātidhāveyyā’ti — iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ&#xA;  paṭicca vuttaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T14:44:17.550" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T14:44:17.550" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5814" CreationDate="2014-12-14T21:32:04.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The central belief in Buddhism is that we are not who we naively think we are. The central question is, well, who are we then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahayana version, a hard to follow discussion leads to the us that nothing is causally independent and as a consequence, we should reframe the question of liberation (from what ever problem brought us to seek the answers that religion provides) to how do we solve this problem for everyone. No one is enlightened until we all are enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the various paths of liberation, it the Mahayana version, re-orienting the goal to include everyone (dealing with everyone's problems, not just your own), is the first (or first of two) steps:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Lam_Rim&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Lam_Rim&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to raise the motivation to reach liberation via the liberation of all, it helps to dwell on the misery of others &amp;amp; to follow through to act on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2014-12-14T21:32:04.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5814" CreationDate="2014-12-14T23:36:30.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha showed compassion: that's stated in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Not hating&amp;quot; may be enough: the fifth verse in the Dhammapada says &amp;quot;non-hatred&amp;quot; not &amp;quot;compassion&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas&#xA;by&#xA;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; which mentions different views of compassion within different schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its last section is titled &amp;quot;Breaking down old stereotypes&amp;quot; and says that there are two negative stereotypes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Arahants, and Theravādin Buddhists, are concerned exclusively with their own salvation as opposed to the benefit of others; they have a narrow fixation on personal liberation because they are &amp;quot;fearful of birth and death&amp;quot; and therefore have little compassion for others and don't undertake activities intended to benefit them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Followers of the bodhisattva ideal, and Mahāyāna Buddhists, are so much involved in social projects aimed at benefiting others that they don't take up the practice that the Buddha assigned to his disciples, namely, the taming of the mind and the development of insight. They have overwhelmed themselves with social duties and forsaken meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying that the first of these stereotypes is untrue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example established by the Buddha's great arahant disciples has been the model for the followers of the arahant ideal throughout history. While those who pursue this ideal do not make such lofty vows as do followers of the bodhisattva ideal, &lt;strong&gt;they are inspired by the example of the Buddha and his great disciples&lt;/strong&gt; to work for the spiritual and moral uplift of others to the best of their ability: by teaching, by example, and by direct spiritual influence, inspired by the Buddha's command to &amp;quot;wander forth for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, &lt;strong&gt;out of compassion for the world&lt;/strong&gt;, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and human beings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says that &amp;quot;giving&amp;quot; is important:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who seek the goal of nirvāṇa do not wait until they become arahants before they start helping others. Within this system, giving is regarded as the foundation for all other virtues; it is the first basis of merit and the first of the ten pāramis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a beginner, I guess that compassion might help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Harmlessness (if you feel compassion then &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;you don't want to cause harm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (if someone annoys you then feeling compassion for them is an antidote)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-attachment (compassion could cause generosity, practising generosity might help to develop renunciation, patience, and other virtues)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-14T23:36:30.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5814" CreationDate="2014-12-14T23:47:23.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Mahayana, the standard reason is that compassion is a step on the way to &lt;em&gt;Bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt;, which is itself a necessary precursor, as motivation, to attaining full enlightenment, the state of a Buddha, the goal of the Mahayana and state of maximum benefit to sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unpacking that a little...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To develop Bodhicitta, one first meditates either on the kindness of others or on their essential similarity to oneself in wanting happiness, or both. With those realizations, one next nurtures &lt;em&gt;compassion&lt;/em&gt; for others, and ultimately &lt;em&gt;great compassion&lt;/em&gt; wherein you simply cannot bear to see anyone suffering. In that state, you not only &lt;em&gt;wish&lt;/em&gt; others to be free of suffering, you resolve to free them &lt;em&gt;yourself&lt;/em&gt;. Combining that with your understanding of the Four Truths, you realize that freeing others from suffering really requires that &lt;em&gt;they&lt;/em&gt; attain liberation, and that the best way for you to help them do so is for you yourself to gain the unlimited insight and skill of a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, your motivation to attain Buddhahood is driven by great compassion and gains the intensity needed to achieve the goal. This is what is known as &lt;em&gt;Bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt; and one who attains is it called a &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva&lt;/em&gt;, a being fully devoted to the welfare of others and on the way to Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, this is a schematic account of the process -- in practice you spiral among levels of these stages, increasing your compassion, motivation, insight and skill all the while until attaining the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, compassion is thus intimately intertwined with this process, as both cause and effect. And at the goal, you simultaneously attain both perfect compassion and perfect wisdom together and see them to be simply two sides of the same coin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That all sounds a bit exalted and beyond everyday experience, though the manifest compassion of accomplished masters is evidence that it is possible. But I like to think of it this more visceral way... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am aiming ultimately to deeply, transformationally realize emptiness or equivalently dependent arising. Having and acting from compassion behaviorally strengthens my grasp of interdependence and undermines my false sense of independence, or as it's called, inherent existence. Or even more succintly, compassion undermines the sense of an inherently existent self set against others and this promotes my grasp of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2014-12-14T23:47:23.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5819" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-15T05:47:26.963" Score="3" ViewCount="675" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know of the Buddha nature and I am familiar with the concept of reincarnation so I am not really looking for those two concept as a immediate answer but I seek more of a answer pertaining to practice and the theory of what the supposed outcome is. I seek a response in regard to ones inner being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is perfect virtue and what is the fruits or results of perfect virtue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="523" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:12:52.553" LastActivityDate="2018-10-07T12:14:10.810" Title="What is perfect virtue?" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5819" CreationDate="2014-12-15T07:25:42.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's an article which might answer exactly that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel409.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Treatise on the Paramis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article is detailed. One paragraph from its introduction is as follows,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;requisites of enlightenment&amp;quot; are the paaramiis themselves, the main topic of the treatise. The word paaramii derives from parama, &amp;quot;supreme,&amp;quot; and thus suggests the eminence of the qualities which must be fulfilled by a bodhisattva in the long course of his spiritual development. But the cognate paaramitaa, the word preferred by the Mahaayaana texts and also used by Paali writers, is sometimes explained as paaram + ita, &amp;quot;gone to the beyond,&amp;quot; thereby indicating the transcendental direction of these qualities. The list of paaramiis in the Paali tradition differs somewhat from the more familiar list given in Sanskrit works, which probably antedates the Mahaayaana and provided a ready set of categories for its use. Our author shows that the two lists can be correlated in section xii, and the coincidence of a number of items points to a central core already forming before the two traditions went their separate ways. The six paaramiis of the Sanskrit heritage are: giving, virtue, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom. Later Mahaayaana texts add four more — resolution, skillful means, power, and knowledge — in order to co-ordinate on a one-to-one basis the list of perfections with the account of the ten stages of the bodhisattva's ascent to Buddhahood. The Paali works, including those composed before the rise of Mahaayaana, give a different though partly overlapping list of ten: giving, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness, and equanimity. Unlike the Mahaayaana, the Theravaada never developed a theory of stages, though such may be implicit in the grading of the paaramiis into three degrees as basic, intermediate, and ultimate (section xi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from its conclusion,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(xvi) What is their fruit?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their fruit is, in brief, the state of perfect Buddhahood.  In detail, it is the acquisition of the form-body (ruupakaaya) resplendent with the multitude of meritorious qualities such as the thirty-two characteristics of a Great Man, the eighty minor marks of physical beauty, the fathom-wide aura, etc.; and, founded upon this, the glorious Dhamma-body (dhammakaaya) radiant with its collection of infinite and boundless meritorious qualities — the ten powers, the four grounds of self-confidence, the six kinds of knowledge not held in common with others, the eighteen unique Buddha-qualities, and so forth.[34] And so numerous are the Buddha-qualities that even a perfectly enlightened Buddha could not finish describing them, even after many aeons. This is their fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Buddha were to speak in praise of a Buddha,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Speaking nothing else for an aeon's length,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Sooner would the long-standing aeon reach its end,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;But the praise of the Tathaagata would not reach its end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other paragraphs, in the middle of the article, are more interesting (more practical, &amp;quot;petaining to practice&amp;quot;). They include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) What are the paaramiis?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(ii) In what sense are they called &amp;quot;paaramiis&amp;quot;?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iii) How many are there?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iv) What is their sequence?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(v) What are their characteristics, functions, manifestations, and proximate causes?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(vi) What is their condition?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(vii) What is their defilement (sa&amp;quot;nkilesa)?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(viii) What is their cleansing (vodaana)?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(ix) What are their opposites (pa.tipakkha)?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(x) How are they to be practiced?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xi) How are they analyzed (ko vibhaago)?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xii) How are they synthesized (ko sa&amp;quot;ngaho)?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xiii) By what means are they accomplished?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xiv) How much time is required to accomplish them?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xv) What benefits do they bring?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(xvi) What is their fruit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T07:25:42.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5819" CreationDate="2014-12-15T12:10:46.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perfect virtue would be Arahantship. At a certain point it will be seen that behaviors not encompassed by ordinary definitions of ethical behavior will still result in suffering for one's self and others and that there is no real 'out' outside of being outside of existence, i.e., arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meanwhile down here, every advance in ethical behavior (as derived from a basis in the Four Truths -- every 'point of view' will produce a different set of values and those values are the basis of what is called ethical behavior, so there is no one standard) brings release from future guilt and blame and that is no little reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T12:10:46.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5822" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5824" CreationDate="2014-12-15T12:16:58.373" Score="6" ViewCount="698" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you for creating this website.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a question regarding organ donation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is organ donation understood in theravada buddhism? Is it okay to do it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a good day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings be happy and peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T11:16:54.080" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T11:16:54.080" Title="Buddhism and organ donation" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5823" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5830" CreationDate="2014-12-15T12:39:29.043" Score="4" ViewCount="531" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once one has learned how to obtain and maintain jhana can the ability be lost (i.e., forgotten), due to lack of use. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="609" LastEditorUserId="609" LastEditDate="2014-12-15T15:41:31.090" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T11:26:50.913" Title="Can one lose jhana?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5822" CreationDate="2014-12-15T13:44:13.427" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; (by&#xA;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi) recently when I was looking for a description of &quot;compassion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says (beware that the following quote is taken slightly out of context),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lay people support the Sangha with their simple material needs of food, robes, dwellings, and medicines. They also give generously to the poor and disadvantaged. In Sri Lanka, for example, &lt;strong&gt;blood donation campaigns&lt;/strong&gt; are common on Buddhist holidays, and many people &lt;strong&gt;donate their eyes&lt;/strong&gt; to eye banks and their &lt;strong&gt;bodily organs for medical research&lt;/strong&gt; after their death. I learned recently that in Sri Lanka, more than &lt;strong&gt;200 monks have donated kidneys, without any thought of remuneration&lt;/strong&gt; or any other personal benefit, solely for the privilege of giving a bodily organ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I infer that the &quot;kidney donation&quot; is from living donors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, I think that Theravada Buddhism says it's okay to do it (perhaps with some limitations which I hope are obvious regarding harmlessness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/religious_perspectives/leaflets/buddhism_and_organ_donation.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and organ donation&lt;/a&gt; page from the UK claims that it's ethically okay, for example here is one of several quotes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Organ donation is acceptable in Theravada Buddhism. It is a Buddhist virtue to generously extend help to other sentient beings and this covers the case of organ donation.&quot; (Phramaha Laow Panyasiri, Abbot, The Buddhavihara Temple)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are no injunctions in Buddhism for or against organ donation. The death process of an individual is viewed as a very important time that should be treated with the greatest care and respect. In some traditions, the moment of death is defined according to criteria which differ from those of modern Western medicine, and there are differing views as to the acceptability of organ transplantation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to ask about &quot;the moment of death&quot; in this separate question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5742/254&quot;&gt;How long to leave a body undisturbed after death?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T13:58:33.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5814" CreationDate="2014-12-15T13:55:58.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One reason is that compassion softens self-boundaries the most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatred strengthens boundaries of the self.  Someone does something contrary to what we value, and our emotional reaction not only strengthens our attachment to this value, but our attachment to ourselves, as we identify more strongly with us vs. the other (exemplified by that person).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not hating (letting go) softens this for obvious reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion goes further, for to positively work towards the benefits of others (especially those we would normally hate) is to further soften our self-boundaries, by putting our time and energy into their welfare, and in a way, to start thinking of their welfare as our welfare (in a way, this is what caring is).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the best explanation for compassion's role in softening the boundaries of the self doesn't come from Buddhism but from... Einstein.  Here's a very nice quote of his:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A human being is a part of the whole, called by us &quot;Universe,&quot; a part&#xA;  limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and&#xA;  feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical&#xA;  delusion of his consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for&#xA;  us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few&#xA;  persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this&#xA;  prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living&#xA;  creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.  Nobody is able to&#xA;  achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in&#xA;  itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you may not agree on how completely we can achieve this, but the central idea here is that compassion relaxes the boundaries of the self, expands our sense of one-ness, and to the extent we can express compassion, we are liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-15T14:24:56.633" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T14:24:56.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5823" CreationDate="2014-12-15T21:44:59.323" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes you can. Forgetfulness is very common. Everyday I lose/forget jhana throughout the day and everyday I have to wake up and remember again. It is a daily, moment to moment practice to remember the jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a story from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen students are with their masters at least two years before they presume to teach others. Nan-in was visited by Tenno, who, having passed his apprenticeship, had become a teacher. The day happened to be rainy, so Tenno wore wooden clogs and carried an umbrella. After greeting him Nan-in remarked: “I suppose you left your wooden clogs in the vestibule. I want to know if your umbrella is on the right or left side of the clogs.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tenno, confused, had no instant answer. He realized that he was unable to carry his Zen every minute. He became Nan-in’s pupil, and he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T21:57:07.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5813" CreationDate="2014-12-15T23:13:53.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess it can be difficult to make a connection with people.&#xA;Maybe they're not interested in Buddhism. How then can you talk with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/bdharma2/bdharma/aboutrk.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a short story&lt;/a&gt; of a venerable teaching blues harmonica to the people at a juvenile detention centre (&amp;quot;juvenile detention&amp;quot; implies &amp;quot;young criminals&amp;quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to his other duties Kusala Bhikshu gave presentations in the Los Angeles County Central Juvenile Hall on Buddhism, and meditation for four years, and for a year taught &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/revkus/bluesharmonica.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Blues Harmonica&lt;/a&gt; at a juvenile probation camp in Malibu, CA. Before his work in juvenile hall, and the probation camp, he spent one year as a volunteer at the Los Angeles County State Prison for men. In December of 1998 Kusala was given the “Good Samaritan of the Year” award for his work in juvenile hall by the Los Angeles County Probation Department.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In March of 2000 Kusala ended his volunteer work at Central Juvenile Hall, and accepted an invitation from the Garden Grove Police Department to become a police chaplain. Meditation, and yoga are still being taught at Central Juvenile hall thanks to the dedicated effort of various Buddhist volunteers and yoga teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-15T23:13:53.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5742" CreationDate="2014-12-16T07:56:51.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The site urbandharma.org mentions that the body should be kept for about 3 days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Immediately following signs of physical death, Buddhists believe that it is best to keep the body in a peaceful state. Traditionally, the body is taken to the home and for a period of 3 days or so, the body is not touched and extensive prayers are said. This facilitates the process of the person’s consciousness letting go of its prior body and life and all of its attachments and more easily moving to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/health.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/health.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exact number of days may vary from tradition to tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T07:56:51.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5829" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5839" CreationDate="2014-12-16T10:10:20.030" Score="1" ViewCount="563" Body="&lt;p&gt;In college, I vaguely recall my instructor mentioning it was possible to live on beans and rice alone. When put together, all the essential amino acids can be obtained. I've also heard that it is possible to live on brown rice alone though I'm not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, regarding choice of ingredients what is the minimum number of ingredients that one can get by and still be nutritionally complete, preferring plant and dairy sources, if possible. Recently a soy drink called Soylent[1] has been available which claims to be nutritionally complete but I was hoping to find a natural, fresh alternative. It's also discussed on SE Skeptics [2]. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do understand that eating the same dish every day can become bland, but it seems like the right thing to do from a Buddhism perspective, valuing simplicity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a research article on pubmed which used the Campbells Wellness plan but seems to take include non-vegetarian ingredients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article on NPR [4] takes on the issue but still leaves the reader guessing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.soylent.me/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.soylent.me/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[2] &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/17347/is-soylent-a-nutritionally-complete-shake&quot;&gt;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/17347/is-soylent-a-nutritionally-complete-shake&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[3] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10491676&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10491676&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[4] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/03/151932410/man-cannot-live-on-rice-and-beans-alone-but-many-do&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/03/151932410/man-cannot-live-on-rice-and-beans-alone-but-many-do&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:46:45.550" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T22:30:33.530" Title="Minimal nutritionally complete diet" Tags="|daily-life|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2014-12-17T00:10:01.227" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5823" CreationDate="2014-12-16T10:19:59.117" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a possibility with regard to mundane &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhyāna&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;. One such instance is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devadatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devadatta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One good example from the Buddha’s time was Devadatta, who was a brother of princess Yasodhara. Devadatta became a monk and developed the mundane jhanas and attained those direct knowledges described above. He could perform many “miracles”, and one time he appeared in the bedroom of Prince Ajasattu to impress him. But when Devadatta went against the Buddha and at one time injured the Buddha, he lost all his mundane powers and ended up in the lowest realm (avici niraya) because of those offenses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is this story about a yogi who was travelling by air with abhinna powers and saw a flower in the shape of a woman (called “närilathä”) and lost the jhanic state and came down; there is another such story where the yogi heard the singing of a woman and had to face the same fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://puredhamma.net/what-is-buddha-dhamma/power-of-the-human-mind-the-anariya-or-mundane-jhanas/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Power of the Human Mind – Anariya or Mundane Jhanas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T10:19:59.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5831" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-16T12:34:05.543" Score="5" ViewCount="2165" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are differences of opinion on the question of whether or not Buddhism should be considered a religion. Many sources commonly refer to Buddhism as a religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If yes then in which region? Can I call myself Buddhist? If I believe in Buddha and his philosophy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is still confusing! Need precise answer if possible!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2427" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2014-12-24T21:10:53.870" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T22:21:33.333" Title="Can I call myself Buddhist? Is Buddhism a religion?" Tags="|religion|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-16T12:45:05.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a zen buddhist in Florida of the United States, taking refuge in the three jewels is the ceremony in which one will often consider themselves becoming buddhist. Taking on the precepts can be seen as the threshold one makes to become a Buddhist. Afterwards one often gets a &quot;Dharma name&quot; and formally calls themselves a Buddhist Practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this is all merely ceremonial but the point of taking on a title is very tied to ceremonies. I graduated college with a ceremony. I grew another year with a ceremony. I became a man with a ceremony. Ceromonies help define ourselves to ourselves and to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in my personal experience one becomes a Buddhist when they join a sangha. It is in a sangha where I feel the practice really comes alive in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T12:45:05.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5834" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5838" CreationDate="2014-12-16T13:04:36.547" Score="6" ViewCount="1671" Body="&lt;h3&gt;What is a Sangha?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that a sangha is group of Buddha’s followers!&#xA;But I want to have a more thorough understanding of what a sangha is!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you have to be a Buddhist to join a Sangha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2427" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T17:06:15.370" Title="What is a Sangha? Do you have to be a Buddhist to join a Sangha?" Tags="|sangha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5834" CreationDate="2014-12-16T13:08:15.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Sangha is the word used for a community of fellow practitioners in Buddhism. But a Sangha does not necessarily have to be Buddhist.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to make a change alone. In the Sangha there is a powerful collective energy of mindfulness and concentration. It can help us make a breakthrough; it ignites our insight. Our practice together of walking, sitting, breathing, eating, is very important. When we practice with the Sangha, it’s easier than practicing alone. Sometimes something may carry us away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But thanks to the collective practice, we can regain our solidity. Even if we’re distracted, our Sangha can help us remember to come back to the present moment, to touch what is positive, to touch our own peace, to see how to undo the difficulty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sangha doesn’t need to be Buddhist.&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhism is made of non-Buddhist elements anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the Sangha there are those who bring happiness to many people.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are those who cook very well, and there are those who take care of the garden beautifully and grow nutritious vegetables.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are those who organize festivities in a very beautiful, creative way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are those who don’t have these talents, but when they do sitting meditation they are very happy, and when they walk they are also very happy and this brings happiness to others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such people are of great benefit to the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everybody contributes their part. You don’t need to be exactly like others. This is true whether you are thinking of your family as your Sangha or of the larger beloved community. Everyone has their own abilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You don’t need to be like others; you just need to be yourself.&lt;/strong&gt; You don’t need to have perfect health or a perfect mind without any worries and anxiety. You can still have some pain in your body or some pain in your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Source website- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wkup.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wkup.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2427" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T14:33:06.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5834" CreationDate="2014-12-16T13:29:48.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wkup.org/what-is-a-sangha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is a Sangha?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sangha is the word used for a community of fellow practitioners in Buddhism. But a Sangha does not necessarily have to be Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh, also called Thây, wrote in his recent book &lt;em&gt;Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society&lt;/em&gt; the following text (it has been shorted for an abridged version):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is difficult to make a change alone. In the Sangha there is a powerful collective energy of mindfulness and concentration. It can help us make a breakthrough; it ignites our insight. Our practice together of walking, sitting, breathing, eating, is very important. When we practice with the Sangha, it’s easier than practicing alone. Sometimes something may carry us away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But thanks to the collective practice, we can regain our solidity. Even if we’re distracted, our Sangha can help us remember to come back to the present moment, to touch what is positive, to touch our own peace, to see how to undo the difficulty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The Sangha doesn’t need to be Buddhist. Buddhism is made of non-Buddhist elements anyway. When I met Martin Luther King Jr., in 1966, we spoke about Sangha building. We spoke a few times about the beloved community. The beloved community is the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the Sangha there are those who bring happiness to many people. There are those who cook very well, and there are those who take care of the garden beautifully and grow nutritious vegetables. There are those who organize festivities in a very beautiful, creative way. There are those who don’t have these talents, but when they do sitting meditation they are very happy, and when they walk they are also very happy and this brings happiness to others. Such people are of great benefit to the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Everybody contributes their part. You don’t need to be exactly like others. This is true whether you are thinking of your family as your Sangha or of the larger beloved community. Everyone has their own abilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;You don’t need to be like others; you just need to be yourself. You don’t need to have perfect health or a perfect mind without any worries and anxiety. You can still have some pain in your body or some pain in your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But thanks to the practice, you can create more joy, peace, and understanding that nourishes you, nourishes the Sangha, and nourishes the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sangha is therefore an important support in your practice. Thây considers it so important that he often says, &lt;em&gt;the future Buddha is a Sangha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition above is a quote from &quot;the Wake Up community&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wkup.org/about/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;which describes itself&lt;/a&gt; as including Buddhists and non-Buddhsts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wake Up: Young Buddhists and non-Buddhists for a Healthy and Compassionate Society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wake Up is an active global community of young mindfulness practitioners, aged 18-35, inspired by the teachings of Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. We come together to practice mindfulness (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-16T14:14:06.590" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T14:14:06.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-16T13:31:56.353" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has the idea of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three jewels&lt;/a&gt;: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said &amp;quot;I believe in Buddha and his philosophy&amp;quot; so that's two of them, i.e. Buddha, and Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are parts e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.23.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; which suggest it's better to be alone than with a fool:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If for company you cannot find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, then, like a king who leaves behind a conquered kingdom, or like a lone elephant in the elephant forest, you should go your way alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhism might also support (or encourage or recommend) &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;friendship&lt;/a&gt;. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &amp;quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.&amp;quot;[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how does etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: As &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.54&lt;/a&gt; points out, this means not only associating with good people, but also learning from them and emulating their good qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T13:31:56.353" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5834" CreationDate="2014-12-16T14:34:17.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Wikipedia article about Sangha&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's a Pali word meaning meaning &quot;association&quot;, &quot;assembly,&quot; &quot;company&quot; or &quot;community&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It usually means the &lt;strong&gt;monastic community&lt;/strong&gt; of &lt;strong&gt;ordained Buddhist monks or nuns&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a separate category, those who have attained any of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; (for example Sotāpanna), are referred to as the ariya-sangha or &quot;noble Sangha&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The word Sangha sometimes also includes laymen and laywomen who are personally dedicated to the discipline of Dharma-Vinaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some lay practitioners in the West these days use the word &quot;Sangha&quot; as a collective term for all Buddhists, but the Pali Canon uses the word &lt;em&gt;parisā&lt;/em&gt; (Sanskrit, parisad) for the larger Buddhist community — the monks, nuns, lay men, and lay women who have taken the Three Refuges — reserving ‘Sangha’ for a more restricted use.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to these conventional (non-inclusive) definitions, only Buddhists (and of those, not all Buddhists) are in the &quot;Sangha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T14:34:17.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5829" CreationDate="2014-12-16T16:05:35.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I interpret this as a modern science question about nutritional completeness (so I don't see how adding &quot;from a Buddhism perspective&quot; changes the the nature of the question).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some lay Buddhists prefer to be vegetarian, in which case I could recommend Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarian_nutrition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vegetarian nutrition&lt;/a&gt; article as an introduction to the nutritional aspects of that choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, some of the nutrients which a naive vegetarian/vegan diet can eventually lack include protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and calcium.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find that you must deliberately include, in your diet, substances which the average person is warned they have too much of: for example (iodized) salt, and oil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional scientific advice includes that you should have a varied diet (even if that diet is vegetarian).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO, beware that the diet which sustains you for a week or month or year might not be adequate to sustain you for decades. Vitamin/mineral pills might help. If your doctor knows you're vegetarian, he/she may help to monitor your health (e.g. measuring serum ferritin and whatnot occasionally).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dietary rules for monks might be different (e.g. perhaps they eat whatever they're given).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose there are other aspects of diet that are important:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How much?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For what purpose?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;With whom?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You presumably know that the Middle Way suggests you don't get too heavily into asceticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of &quot;rice and beans&quot; here's a recipe I use:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cooked (optionally canned) of beans, well rinced (or iirc lentils have more iron than other beans)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cooked rice (quantity depends on your caloric need)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tinned sweet corn, well rinced (ditto)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;plenty of chopped raw vegetables: red or green pepper, onion, apple, celery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;oil (e.g. olive oil), lemon juice, and salt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vegetables in this dish are robust (adding e.g. sliced cucumber would make it more perishable) so IMO you can keep it in the refrigerator for 2 days (and thus prep it once and eat it for 3 days in a row).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you were saying about amino acids is called the &quot;complementary protein&quot; theory. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_combining#Criticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a claim about that&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While the idea that we need to combine proteins from different plant sources at every single meal has been refuted, it is still important to stress that in order to get proper nutrition one needs to eat variety of different plant foods every day, so that in each 24-hour period one gets all the essential amino acids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T16:05:35.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5814" CreationDate="2014-12-16T16:46:00.970" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuṇā&lt;/em&gt;) and loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt;) help one overcome obstacles:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed by a bhikkhu when it arises in him. What are the five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed: this is how annoyance with him can be removed. Compassion can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Onlooking equanimity can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. The forgetting and ignoring of a person with whom you are annoyed can be practiced; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Ownership of deeds in a person with whom you are annoyed can be concentrated upon thus: &quot;This good person is owner of his deeds, heir to his deeds, his deeds are the womb from which he is born, his deeds are his kin for whom he is responsible, his deeds are his refuge, he is heir to his deeds, be they good or bad.&quot; This too is how annoyance with him can be removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed in a bhikkhu when it arises in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 5:161&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there are fruits associated with compassion and loving-kindness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 11:16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu cultivates loving-kindness for as long as a fingersnap, he is called a bhikkhu. He is not destitute of jhana meditation, he carries out the Master's teaching, he responds to advice, and he does not eat the country's alms food in vain. So what should be said of those who make much of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 1:53-55, 386&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Why is &quot;not hating&quot; not enough?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the &lt;em&gt;absense&lt;/em&gt; of loving-kindness may not be enough to properly protect one's mind from defilements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, friends, a bhikkhu might say: &quot;When the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of by me, used as my vehicle, used as my foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will nevertheless still invades my heart and remains.&quot; He should be told: &quot;Not so. Let the worthy one not say so. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not express it thus.&quot; Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 33&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T16:46:00.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5813" CreationDate="2014-12-16T17:07:56.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I didn't down vote! I would say that the Buddha and the Buddha's system are not ways to reform people, they are ways for people to reform themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha did in cases like Angulimala was to perceive the particular approach which would be met with a comprehension that lead to their change or understanding of the goal. And this also usually under circumstances of compassion specific to the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of reforming people involves ambition, desire, wanting, etc. I think the distinction applies especially in cases such as prison reform. The lack of a specific target and certainty that one is providing an approach that will lead to attainment of the reform tells me that what is at work in a case like that is personal ambition rather than compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha speaks of the good man being of benefit to gods and men, he is speaking about the example they set. From the good example people reform themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I suppose I would give as answer to this question: the best method for providing an opportunity for people to reform themselves is by being a good example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T17:07:56.457" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5842" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5845" CreationDate="2014-12-16T17:49:58.727" Score="7" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone help me with finding &lt;em&gt;The Abhidamma Pitaka&lt;/em&gt; or some of the 7 books from it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I seem not to be able to find anything when searching on google. Maybe im just not skilled enough to find books/pdf's about it. I can find only descriptions of what The Abhidhamma Pitaka is and what it contains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to find it in english since i cannot read other languages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really want to begin studying this Pitaka. Help would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings be happy, peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Harshani&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--Update--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just found this: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhaultsci.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhaultsci.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;I think its a condensation of the most essential teachings from The Abhidhamma Pitaka. Can anyone confirm this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T18:02:23.857" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T18:02:23.857" Title="The Abhidamma Pitaka" Tags="|reference-request|abhidhamma|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5843" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5844" CreationDate="2014-12-16T17:58:44.830" Score="8" ViewCount="1097" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of a place on the Internet, where one can find the entire Pali Canon written in Pali ? I did a basic search but could not find any such resource.&#xA;          Also, where can one buy a hard-copy of the entire Pali Canon(written in Pali) ? It would be helpful even if someone can point me to hard-copies of at least the Sutta-Pitaka in Pali ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2020-09-04T00:39:03.877" Title="Where to get the Pali Canon in Pali?" Tags="|pali-canon|pali-language|books|tipitaka|scripture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5843" CreationDate="2014-12-16T18:10:16.297" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can get a hard copy text of the Pali Text Society edition from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Text Society: &lt;a href=&quot;http://palitext.com&quot;&gt;http://palitext.com&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(they also have sets of the translations) Become a member and receive a nice discount.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find an on-line version of the BJT text at:&#xA;Metta Net Lanka:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html&quot;&gt;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can get a searchable CD from the Vipassana Research Institute:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Access to insight&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://accesstoinsight.org&quot;&gt;http://accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;has the pali text linked to the suttas they have posted. This is the BJT text and I believe has the entire Pali, not just the ATI-linked suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a different version, linked to the suttas I have posted. It is based on the BJT version, proofed against the PTS version. Incomplete, but formatted in a way that is very readable. Working towards completion. Not likly for a good time yet.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;see the What's New Page for new listings, the Sutta Index for what is now available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T18:10:16.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5842" CreationDate="2014-12-16T18:15:53.933" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apologies for a nearly identical post to another question, but:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can get a hard copy text of the Pali Text Society edition from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Text Society: &lt;a href=&quot;http://palitext.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://palitext.com&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(they also have sets of the translations) Become a member and receive a nice discount.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find an on-line version of the BJT text at:&#xA;Metta Net Lanka:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can get a searchable CD from the Vipassana Research Institute:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These have the Abhidhamma texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: In response to your revised question. I have the Abhidhamma texts. The books are:&#xA;Abhidhamma Pitaka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammasangani: Buddhist Psychological Ethics&#xA;Vibhanga: The Book of Analysis&#xA;Dhatukath¤: Discourse on Elements&#xA;Puggalapannatti: A Designation of Human Types&#xA;Kathavatthu: Points of Controversy&#xA;Yamaka: — &#xA;Tikapatthana: Conditional Relations&#xA;Dukapatthana: —&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the book you have linked to is a new work constructed along the lines of the Abhidhamma. There may be others that can inform you better about that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastEditorDisplayName="user2418" LastEditDate="2014-12-16T21:02:52.327" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T21:02:52.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5846" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5850" CreationDate="2014-12-16T19:52:45.950" Score="6" ViewCount="734" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears to me that this is incompatible with Buddhist teachings. Life will bring suffering, and it'll not be a kind and easy journey. So why be thankful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if you weren't an arhat then you were going to be reborn in some way. If you were born in some type of affluent family with good values etc., then I guess you could be thankful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-18T16:15:42.360" LastActivityDate="2014-12-18T16:15:42.360" Title="Is 'be thankful to your parents, for they brought you life' incongruent with Buddhist thought?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5847" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5860" CreationDate="2014-12-16T19:55:40.690" Score="4" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a question regarding my insight meditation practice. When i practice and my mind becomes still then when memories pop up i see them in frames. When my mind is not stilled i see memories fluently, like in a movie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it normal to see them in frame by frame when meditating? What does it mean that they are seen in frames. Is that because conditioned and compounded phenomena is build by component parts and thereby im seeing the impermance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings be happy, peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Harshani&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:46:02.450" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:46:02.450" Title="Memories in frames" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1464" CreationDate="2014-12-16T20:08:39.873" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the: Pali Tipitakam Concordance: Being a Concordance in Pali to the Three Baskets of Buddhist Sciptures in the Indian order of letters, listed by F.L. Woodward.&#xA;3 Volumes&#xA;Available from the Pali Text Society:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://palitext.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://palitext.com/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Not much use if you are not familiar with and have the Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A concordance is a work giving the page locations of a list of words or words in passages of a given work or set of works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good way to quickly find passages you are looking to research is to use the Pali English Dictionary. (also available from the PTS, and on line at:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/index.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with both of these is the need to look things up using the Pali ordering of the letters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way people are using is to look up key words in the CSCD which will give the Sutta Citation which can then be looked up in the various translations available.&#xA;Obtain the CSCD from&#xA;the Vipassana Research Institute&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Chattha-Sangayana-CD-ROM-Update&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T20:08:39.873" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2518" CreationDate="2014-12-16T20:38:06.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an extremely important issue when it comes to jhana practice. The etymology is as per the above, mouth first, face second, front I would put third from a review of it's contextual uses where it's 50/50 mouth/face a little bit of the rest. Mouth of a river, face of the moon, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In actual meditation experience testing the idea as mouth, face, and forefront (as it is often translated 'bring mindfulness to the forefront' or 'make mindfulness the purpose of one's sitting') I found advantages to all three ... over mindlessness. All three together as a progression is also interesting. Using 'face' one roams the face and discovers and releases facial tension. Since facial tension reflects one's reactions to sense stimuli it is the point where these tensions can be let go and so the result is an over-all release of tension. More effective in attaining concentration as a factor of jhana, is focus around the mouth. The idea is: &quot;Take the mind and place the focus around (pari) the mouth. Then, in the same way, focus on the breathing.&quot; This is the answer to the debate as to where and how to place the attention on the breathing. You do it in the same way as you just put your mind onto the area around your mouth. It is not one spot because that spot is not there that stands still even for a second. When the idea is around the mouth in general one finds it relatively easy to maintain focus for prolonged periods. Again, to have gone directly to the breath would not have provided such a concrete example of how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the residual benefit of the fact that after sit-down practice the idea of focusing on the mouth hangs around and as most of us know, it is from the mouth (after the mind) that most of our trouble begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important thing to understand is what 'mindfulness' means. The word sati means remembrance but also mind. The two are actually the same thing from one point of view: that is that the mind consists of memory (think computers). A better translation would be simply 'mind' as in what the babysitter does with the baby. She does not keep her eye on the baby without a break. She checks it sufficiently often to establish awareness that everything is ok. Mind your manners. Mind your own business. Mind the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T20:38:06.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5846" CreationDate="2014-12-16T20:45:48.703" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguttara_Nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; 2.32&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother &amp;amp; father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder &amp;amp; your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, &amp;amp; rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate &amp;amp; urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother &amp;amp; father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother &amp;amp; father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays &amp;amp; repays one's mother &amp;amp; father.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gratitude is a Buddhist concept. Below is an essay on Gratitude in Buddhism by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lessonsofgratitude.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anguttara Nikaya The Further-factored Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T20:45:48.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3323" CreationDate="2014-12-16T20:50:25.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have translated (awk-word-ly) sankhara as 'own-making'. SAN = one, once, with, own, con, com; khara = make. This is not without precedence in that 'I-making' and 'my-making' are also found in the Pali, but it is not well accepted as of yet. It is kamma from the point of view of personalization. The making of one's own world. The definition is helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara is identification with the intent to create personal experience through acts of thought, word and deed, and the identified with consequence. By pushing out the deed a marker of sorts is attached to the consequences which results in the experience &quot;my---&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like kamma, it is two sided: the doing and the result. In translations the danger for the reader is that it is almost always translated one-sidedly. 'Activities' or 'Fabrications' or 'Volitional activities' and then when dealing with the consequences an unrelated word is used: 'constructed', 'conditioned'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find this discussion interesting:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/dhamma_talk/dt_009.conditioned.vs.own-made.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/dhammatalk_forum/dhamma_talk/dt_009.conditioned.vs.own-made.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T20:50:25.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-16T21:20:49.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can I call myself Buddhist?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to quote parts of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2033/408&quot;&gt;my answer on this question&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There isn't one agreed upon definition about when you are truely a Buddhist. Some people say you are a Buddhist if you consider yourself to be one, others say you need at least several years training from an acknowledged Buddhist teacher and/or have '&lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;taken refuge&lt;/a&gt;' (which is a formal or informal ceremony which marks your decision to become a Buddhist). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I like the view of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzongsar_Jamyang_Khyentse_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; who has written a book on the topic called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590305701&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Makes You Not a Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It’s whether you agree with the four fundamental discoveries the Buddha made under the Bodhi tree, and if you do, you can call yourself a Buddhist (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/what-makes-you-a-buddhist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ref&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, you can call yourself a Buddhist. Whether other Buddhists agree with you may depend on the tradition they follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is Buddhism a religion?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists I know regard Buddhism as a lifestyle rather than a religion. However, most non-Buddhists see it as a religion, probably because it shares many aspects commonly found in a religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, you may find that the answers on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1584/408&quot;&gt;this question 'Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?'&lt;/a&gt; give more insight in this matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:32:42.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5846" CreationDate="2014-12-16T21:35:40.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One reason why it is congruent with Buddhist thought is that it's better than some alternatives: for example, thinking, &quot;I hate my stupid parents, they wronged me, they never gave me enough, I wish I'd never been born&quot; is unhappy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gratitude can help be an antidote for those feelings: in the same way that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5814/254&quot;&gt;compassion is recommended&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some limits to this gratitude, or minor limits to the obligation that might be implied by gratitude. For example there are stories of people (starting with Gautama himself) who went against their parent's wishes, by choosing &quot;the holy life&quot; instead of becoming a householder as their parents wanted them to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's something about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/thig.05.09.hekh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt; for example, which makes me think that she's able to feel &quot;debt free&quot; partially because she is willing to 'give her gratitude' to the supporter who gave her the robe. Perhaps &quot;gift&quot; and &quot;gratitude&quot; are supposed to arise together (co-originate), that's the natural (free) way of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2014-12-16T21:35:40.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5843" CreationDate="2014-12-17T01:32:55.993" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also check out &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;suttacentral.net&lt;/a&gt;, really good sources in Pali, Chinese, Sanskrit, Tibetan and various different language translations..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-16T19:21:38.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T19:21:38.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5842" CreationDate="2014-12-17T01:38:49.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also check out suttacentral.net, Abhidhamma section and Ven. Bodhi's great lecture series &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSL1N5caXZM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T01:38:49.960" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5856" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5859" CreationDate="2014-12-17T02:05:59.753" Score="7" ViewCount="3281" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm am completely new to meditation, and I have really been wanting to start it. The past few days, I've been doing Vipassana sessions for the first time; however, I hear people say that it doesn't matter if you mediate if you do not carry the practice into daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, how can I continue to be mindful in daily life? Any tips for a newbie?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2432" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T11:36:17.500" Title="How do I integrate Vipassana practice into daily life?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5857" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5861" CreationDate="2014-12-17T05:44:01.730" Score="4" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering if there were any such occasions, and what suttas/sutras this is recorded in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if the Buddha gave advice to otherwise evil people besides Angulimala or Devadatta, or possible connections to psychopathy or sociopathy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T08:32:22.437" Title="What advice did the Buddha give to corrupt officials?" Tags="|modern-world|sutras|evil|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5846" CreationDate="2014-12-17T05:51:31.487" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Western Buddhist, I'd say the advice is incongruent on the grounds of the First Noble Truth, and incongruent because child neglect and child abandonment exist in the world; but on the other hand the advice is congruent because mother and farther generally teach a lot of virtue and useful skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately though it's a worldly matter where morality (sīla) is called for. Treat others as you would like to be treated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T05:51:31.487" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5856" CreationDate="2014-12-17T07:17:34.493" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Follow the following basic steps in integrate meditation to daily life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pay attention to fabrication and how they are created, i.e., when you react to sensations. Train to be equanimous to sensations. Understand the cause and effect with relation to what causes misery. Understand that to the reaction to sensations cause new fabrications. Actively clam the creation of fabrications.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to understand the 3 marks of existance / characteristics with regard to the 5 aggregates and the mind matter phenomena. Starting the process by seeing the impermanence of sensations. (Even when looking at impermanence of a body part, how you sense the body part of the sensation when you bring your attention to the particular body part. Also seeing impermanence is easier and lead to seeing the other two characteristics of existance - corelessness and unsatisfactoriness.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In more detail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physical&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bodily fabrications &#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actively look at sensations in the body - especially areas tied to sense faculties i.e. skin, eyes, ear, head, mouth - when they come in contact something&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understand that the normal tendency is to react. Try to ensure you do not react and maintain equanimity to what ever sensation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to look at the breathing process and the sensation it create. Sensation of touch around your nostrils. Feeling of oxygen spreading in the in breath and sensation in your body in the out breath. Expansion and contraction it causes in the body. The speed and length of the in and out breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplate on the sensation on you body part by part. (How you sense a body part is by looking at the sensation aground it when you move you attention to the body part. This not any verbalisation or visualisation.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplate on you bodily posture. The sensation associated in staying in a particular posture and sensation when changing your bodily posture (like when walking)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also the vibrations is the body cased by your heart beat when breath is not predominant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should investigate phenomena with a view to understand phenomena at the experiential and empirical level. Through this investigation you should eventually see the at 3 characteristics of all physical form at the experiential level. This is not a concept or verbalisation but at the experiential level.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Further investigate the make up of the corporal structure: solidity, liquidity, gaseous nature, and heat. Investigate how sensation related to these states. Investigate the changes of the states. E.g. numb leg, rumbling stomach, etc. Investigate the relationship of fabrication and these states. E.g. how numbness comes and goes, headache comes and goes, etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental &#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Verbal fabrications&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at applied thoughts or mental verbalisations or visualisation and sensations it creates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you your sense doors cones in contact this cause a sensation in recognising and giving evaluation to the contact and a perception created. E.g. This is my friend. Associated with this again feeling comes into play.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at the change of mental state and associated sensations when you get distracted. E.g. if you think about dinner you will get a sensation throughout your body but predominant around your belly. If you are not equanimous this will lead to to more through proliferation with verbalisation or visualisation of food mental state change&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Proliferation of thought from any contact. E.g. a smell cause to remember some previous incident. You should investigate the sense doors in involved.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should actively calm the chartering mind which would lead to concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at 3 characteristics of all mental form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental fabrications&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look for moods and mental states, perception forming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you your sense doors cones in contact this cause a sensation in recognising and giving evaluation to the contact and a perception created. E.g. This is my friend. Associated with this again feeling comes into play.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at changes in mood and mental state when it comes in contact with any sense objects. First this arises around the organ e.g. around the ear followed by the head when you give evaluation and perceive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at 3 characteristics of all mental state&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In any of the above if any uneasy or tense sensation / feeling arise bring your attention to it for a short while. At higher stages when something comes to your attention it dissolves. Use this to release your tension. Initially the sensation will be physical but as you go on physical sensation become pleasant and neutral much of the sensation would be linked to thoughts and mental states which generally dominant around the head area. At some state all sensations will be pleasant. Keep dissolving even pleasant sensations until it is neutral by moving your attention to the sensation. At this point where there is neutral feeling all over and you are not creating any new fabrication is an important point. You have the leave the results to time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should actively investigate cause and effect and through this understand the cause and effect misery and how to eliminate it. Contact &gt; Recognise / Register &gt; Evaluation Through Perception &gt; Sensation &gt; Craving &gt; Clinging &gt; Fabrications. Through this understand the root cause of misery is the clinging to sensations and this sensation is caused by your perception and giving evaluation as wanted or unwanted and reacting to it with craving or aversion. When you stop giving evaluation and be equanimous than reactive then the fabrication stops as well as the pain due to your attachment or expectation of the outcome.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Acrobats, dancers, etc, have to be really mindful of what they do otherwise there would be disaster. With an exception of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=348&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uggasena&lt;/a&gt;, acrobats are far away from enlighten. The main thing is to practice the right type of mindfulness. The right type is to be mindful of the the sensations without reaction understanding it true nature. With each contact we have a choice. To react to the sensation the contact brings and be miserable or not to react and be at peace.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigate the sources from which sensations arise. External form coming in contact with a faculty resulting in contentiousness followed by sensation. You crave to prolong, get rid of be in situation where certain sense input is available (at a show) or situation where certain sense input is unavailable (get out of prison and go to the Caribbean). You have no absolute control over the form. Even you eat the same dish it might not be the same. You do not have absolute control over the faculty as your eyesight may deteriorate. You have no absolutely no control over the sensation as it just arise and passes away. Investigation of physical / material form of the organ would show they are also arising and passing away. At least at the logical level if not seeing arising and passing away externally see that external form is impermanent as well.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then investigate what we are made of:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have physical form with physical sense faculties. Investigation of physical form my brining your attention and sensing the sensations arising and passing on those parts.&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have faculties. These faculties come in contact with external form and you register this contact. I say this. I heard that. I read that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have a way to recognise and register external form and stimulus. This recognition is what makes our faculties useful. Investigate you your mind recognise something on contact and what following and sensations that arise when recognising.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have a mental form&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We views and outlook of the world and we analyse things against this perceptions. From this you analyse and build you take or view on the matter. This taste good. What a great story.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have habits and reactions. When we get a sensation resulting from a contact we have build a habitual response and reaction to it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have mental images of what we have come in contact.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have feels and sensations. May it be happiness, sadness, heat, cold, touch, etc. When we get and input from out faculties we analyse against our perception or view we conclude that this is wanted or unwanted. Being in contact and registering the input on its own gives rise to sensation but burning is the sensations through your take on the matter and longing for more or less and to be in situation which might bring more or less of the input.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigation on all physical and mental form will reveal all this is changing, cannot be fully controlled and or worthy of being identified as me and any expectation or exertion of control any of these things which are part of us result in misery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In our minds we created a universe of our own with yourself as the centre. This universe is mainly of different perceptions which differ from reality. It can be perception about one self, view and beliefs, habits, etc. Many off these perceptions results in misery when reality is different. For different inputs you give evaluation and identify a gap which is positive (linked to pleasant sensation - craving as the base), negative (linked to unpleasant sensation - as aversion as the base) or neutral (linked to neutral sensation - as lack of wisdom as the base). Through you meditation you should note the arising of these sensation and straiten your views such that you are not attached to perceptions which cause misery and cultivate perceptions which help get over misery. (Girimananda Sutta mentions 10 of them.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also when analysing your mental and physical processors you will see that any mental action will have physical manifestation and vice versa. With regard to both you will that some sensation are linked with the characteristics of matter (since we are sensing this through a sense faculty what we see is the associated sensations). Namely, solidity / hardness, liquidity / flowing nature, gaseous nature, temperature / vibrations, space between the quantum of elements and conciousness. Without conciousness you cannot feel anything. Feeling has some characteristics of matter (solid, gas, ...). When you are angry you will also feel a bit hot. Also when you have a numbness there will be a solid feeling around the area. The make up of you body also will have these characteristics. Also food and environmental influences have similar manifestations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 3 poisons and all defilements and linked to sensation and perception. Identify as defilements come and go. What sensation they create. When you transgress morality also the same thing happens (unpleasant sensations). When you do do good the opposite happens (pleasant sensations). Also your thoughts and mental actions are similarly. Be mindful of all actions and thoughts which cause sensations (what ever the nature - generally pleasant [craving as the root] or unpleasant [aversion as the root]) and contribute to building perceptions (generally neutral [delusion as the root])&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In all cases we should be&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindful of the arising and passing away of sensation while maintain equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigative of the causes of sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop concentration to be able to and do finer analysis of any mental / physical form and input&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Exert effort to be mindful and maintain equanimity, develop concentration and calm the fabrications and crating of fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be investigative of phenomena. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actively calm the fabrication process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be mindful and attentive to sensation until painful sensation subside and you are left with pleasant sensations. When any pain comes to your mind it will just pass away at some stage. Exercise appropriate effort of be mindful. Be investigative of what cause the pain and what makes it dispensary. Investigate keeping you attention on the whole body that there is not place without pleasantness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similarly be mindful and attentive to pleasantness until it is no more.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary there are 4 thing you should look out for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cause and effect and the impact on rising and passing away of misery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actively calm the fabrications. (Bodily, verbal and mental)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Get right of unwholesome perceptions and out look of the world and replace it with a more conducive out look towards your mental well being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understand the 3 characteristics of all phenomena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5896/295&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culavedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which involved &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vishaka&lt;/a&gt; who was a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Householder_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;householder&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81vaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lay disciple&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel303.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Contemplation of Feeling&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Importance-of-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Importance of Vedana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Importance-of-Vedana-and-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt; (See introduction: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel#23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā in the Practice of Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.6-Khandha-4-Sankhara-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Formations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.9-Bhaddekaratta-S-m131-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhaddekaratta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=348&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chinese version&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu Pindika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6abc-Cetana-S-s12.38-40-piya2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chettana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.9-Bhaddekaratta-S-m131-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhaddekaratta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.9-Anathapindikovada-S-m143-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anathapintikovade Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhatu Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.12-Channovada-S-m144-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Channovade Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.15-Bojjhanga-Sila-S-s46.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bojjhanga sila sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.8-Mulapariyaya-S-m1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mula Pariyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth Ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T11:36:17.500" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5847" CreationDate="2014-12-17T07:33:49.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What happens is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense door &gt; Sense contact &gt; Metal image &gt; Contact with metal image &gt; Recognise &gt; Evaluate &gt; Sensation &gt; Proliferation of metal form &gt; Mental contact &gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is a chance that at some stage you start seeing things in quantum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: This is my personal opinion any sense contact is followed by metal contact as physical creates a metal impression also. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a final note. Don't get carried away by this as it will cause you to regress. Keep up your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is and alternative image from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.6-Khandha-4-Sankhara-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Formations by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;. This also shows that thoughts are cycling in nature hence why you might see things in quantums or frames.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FrCEA.png&quot; alt=&quot;5 sencses and 6 sense bases&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T13:39:13.587" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5857" CreationDate="2014-12-17T08:32:22.437" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Corrupted officials: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.097.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhanañjani Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, Dhanañjanin? There is the case where a certain&#xA;  person, for the sake of his wife &amp;amp; children ... his slaves &amp;amp; workers&#xA;  ... his friends &amp;amp; companions ... his kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives ... his&#xA;  guests ... his departed ancestors ... the devatas ... the king, does&#xA;  what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his&#xA;  unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell.&#xA;  Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is&#xA;  discordant, for the sake of the king. Don't [throw] me into hell,&#xA;  hell-wardens!' Or would the king gain anything for him by saying, 'He&#xA;  did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for our sake. Don't&#xA;  [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other evil people(demon): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn10/sn10.012.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alavaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T08:32:22.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5862" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5900" CreationDate="2014-12-17T15:02:25.673" Score="17" ViewCount="2432" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)&lt;/a&gt; is the first of the ten fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;eradication&amp;quot; of identity-view is important towards enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably, &amp;quot;eradication of identity-view&amp;quot; is more than simply claiming, &amp;quot;Yes, there's no self anywhere!!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how should one understand what &amp;quot;identity-view&amp;quot; is, and whether it's eradicated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &amp;quot;eradication&amp;quot; of identity-view marks an important step or stage, can that eradication be analyzed into smaller substeps (e.g. is there an 80-step lesson plan or set of tests towards eradicating it)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you give some of important examples of the practical consequence of identity-view: how it affects belief and behaviour? So that it might be possible to use the presence or absence of these beliefs and behaviours to test whether identify-view exists or has been eradicated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &amp;quot;eradication of identity-view&amp;quot; synonymous with having no habits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you recommend any competent English-language literature on this topic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are not good questions to be asking about identity-view please suggest better ones!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the reasons why I'm puzzled are the that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culavedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for example seems to describe it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he was sitting there he said to her, &amp;quot;'Self-identification, self-identification,' it is said, lady. Which self-identification is described by the Blessed One?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are these five clinging-aggregates, friend Visakha: form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling as a clinging-aggregate, perception as a clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a clinging-aggregate, consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. These five clinging-aggregates are the self-identification described by the Blessed One.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is identity-view the same then as being aware that skandhas exist? The same as being attracted to (clinging to) sense-objects? Isn't the answer to that, &amp;quot;No that's not true, because 'sensual desire' is the &lt;strong&gt;fourth&lt;/strong&gt; fetter&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, questions about the self come with a warning: &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, etc.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; -- so I have &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; been trying to analyze that (views-about-self) ... but maybe I am supposed to know what identity-view is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2021-04-25T16:43:10.500" Title="What are examples of identity-view?" Tags="|self|wrongview|right-view|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2014-12-17T16:04:03.810" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, here's my take on Identity view.  I think it's relatively compatible with the Sutras, but should not be considered an exposition of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, what is this &quot;self&quot;?  One answer is that it's your reaction when contemplating the following questions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1. When you feel pride in an accomplishment, what is the recipient of this pride?&#xA;2. When you feel offended at being insulted, what was insulted?&#xA;3. Who is the &quot;star&quot; of your narrative?&#xA;4. What is the agent that wills and acts and controls thought?&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identity views cause pain since this self is something that can come under attack and hence becomes a source of worry and regret (see #3) and conflict (see #2).  Further, suffering continues because experience becomes filtered and emotionally laden because of how it's seen to relate to this &quot;self&quot; (see #3). Then there's the fact that desires are in reference to a &quot;self&quot; -- when you seek desires, you seek to feed this &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the goal is to suspend belief in a self.  This doesn't mean claiming it doesn't exist -- but rather, letting all beliefs about it go.  That's the only way the apparently contradictory claims of the Sutras (and the various view fetters) make sense to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You suspend these beliefs by inquiring into the nature of this self.  Be mindful and present to your experience, especially when confronted with 1-4, and inquire deeply into this &quot;self&quot; that seems to present itself.  During meditation (or in quieter times) try to focus on this sense of &quot;I&quot; and go through the Skhandas to see if you can find any self there.  You can even look at it logically; if the self is &quot;you&quot;, the thing behind your consciousness (not that I'm claiming it is), then how can you be aware of it, as to be aware of anything means its an object of consciousness and not the subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Western approaches to the self, I think the most systematic treatment is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Parfit#Personal_identity&quot;&gt;Derek Parfitt&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, there's David Hume.  Here's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil1020/Hume4.pdf&quot;&gt;PDF outlining his identity views&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here's a passage from Hume (&lt;a href=&quot;http://afterall.net/quotes/david-hume-on-personal-identity/&quot;&gt;from here&lt;/a&gt;) about his views on a self.  This may make a good object for meditation, and the relationship to Skhandas is clear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For my part, when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I&#xA;  always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat or&#xA;  cold, light or shade, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never can&#xA;  catch myself at any time without a perception, and never can observe&#xA;  any thing but the perception. When my perceptions are remov’d for any&#xA;  time, as by sound sleep; so long am I insensible of myself, and may&#xA;  truly be said not to exist. And were all my perceptions remov’d by&#xA;  death, and cou’d I neither think, nor feel, nor see, nor love, nor&#xA;  hate after the dissolution of my body, I shou’d be entirely&#xA;  annihilated, nor do I conceive what is farther requisite to make me a&#xA;  perfect non-entity. If any one upon serious and unprejudic’d&#xA;  reflexion, thinks he has a different notion of himself, I must confess&#xA;  I can reason no longer with him. All I can allow him is, that he may&#xA;  be in the right as well as I, and that we are essentially different in&#xA;  this particular. He may, perhaps, perceive something simple and&#xA;  continu’d, which he calls himself; tho’ I am certain there is no such&#xA;  principle in me… But setting aside some metaphysicians of this kind, I&#xA;  may venture to affirm of the rest of mankind, that they are nothing&#xA;  but a bundle or collection of different perceptions, which succeed&#xA;  each other with an inconceivable rapidity, and are in a perpetual flux&#xA;  and movement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T16:04:03.810" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5856" CreationDate="2014-12-17T16:28:26.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I agree that it's important to incorporate meditation into your &quot;active&quot; life, I think sitting meditation is useful and its effects will find its way into your daily life. Actively practicing meditation while living yields best results however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said, here are some suggestions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Incorporate some meditative movement (walking meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi) as a &quot;bridge&quot; between your meditative practice and &quot;active&quot; life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prior to engaging in your affairs, take a moment to remind yourself that your &quot;goal&quot; is to be mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When being mindful, simple may be best.  Perhaps restrict your practice to bare, non-judgmental awareness to anything that arises in your experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try a timer or mindfulness reminder app that will chime at regular intervals to &quot;bring you back&quot; and remind you of your mindfulness goals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T16:28:26.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2014-12-17T16:42:35.783" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is identity-view the same then as being aware that skandhas exist? The&#xA;  same as being attracted to (clinging to) sense-objects? Isn't the&#xA;  answer to that, &quot;No that's not true, because 'sensual desire' is the&#xA;  fourth fetter&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.047.than.html&quot;&gt;Samanupassana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; might help you in answering some of the questions you asked above. I think the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.047.than.html&quot;&gt;Samanupassana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; makes the difference between sakkāya-diṭṭhi and clinging to sense-objects quite clear by illustrating what exactly is meant by sakkāya-diṭṭhi (and it can also be said to extrapolate on the terse teaching of the Culavedalla Sutta). You could also refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot;&gt;Maha-nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for the teaching on &quot;Delineations of a Self&quot;. And, although this may be a bit unrelated to your question &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;The Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also describes some pernicious speculations on self and the Buddha's warning against such speculations and holding such speculative views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delineations of a Self&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;To what extent, Ananda, does one delineate when delineating a self?&#xA;  Either delineating a self possessed of form and finite, one delineates&#xA;  that 'My self is possessed of form and finite.' Or, delineating a self&#xA;  possessed of form and infinite, one delineates that 'My self is&#xA;  possessed of form and infinite.' Or, delineating a self formless and&#xA;  finite, one delineates that 'My self is formless and finite.' Or,&#xA;  delineating a self formless and infinite, one delineates that 'My self&#xA;  is formless and infinite.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, the one who, when delineating a self, delineates it as possessed&#xA;  of form and finite, either delineates it as possessed of form and&#xA;  finite in the present, or of such a nature that it will [naturally]&#xA;  become possessed of form and finite [in the future/after death], or he&#xA;  believes that 'Although it is not yet that way, I will convert it into&#xA;  being that way.' This being the case, it is proper to say that a fixed&#xA;  view of a self possessed of form and finite obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when delineating a self, delineates it as possessed of&#xA;  form and infinite, either delineates it as possessed of form and&#xA;  infinite in the present, or of such a nature that it will [naturally]&#xA;  become possessed of form and infinite [in the future/after death], or&#xA;  he believes that 'Although it is not yet that way, I will convert it&#xA;  into being that way.' This being the case, it is proper to say that a&#xA;  fixed view of a self possessed of form and infinite obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when delineating a self, delineates it as formless and&#xA;  finite, either delineates it as formless and finite in the present, or&#xA;  of such a nature that it will [naturally] become formless and finite&#xA;  [in the future/after death], or he believes that 'Although it is not&#xA;  yet that way, I will convert it into being that way.' This being the&#xA;  case, it is proper to say that a fixed view of a self formless and&#xA;  finite obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when delineating a self, delineates it as formless and&#xA;  infinite, either delineates it as formless and infinite in the&#xA;  present, or of such a nature that it will [naturally] become formless&#xA;  and infinite [in the future/after death], or he believes that&#xA;  'Although it is not yet that way, I will convert it into being that&#xA;  way.' This being the case, it is proper to say that a fixed view of a&#xA;  self formless and infinite obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-Delineations of a Self&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;To what extent, Ananda, does one not delineate when not delineating a&#xA;  self? Either not delineating a self possessed of form and finite, one&#xA;  does not delineate that 'My self is possessed of form and finite.' Or,&#xA;  not delineating a self possessed of form and infinite, one does not&#xA;  delineate that 'My self is possessed of form and infinite.' Or, not&#xA;  delineating a self formless and finite, one does not delineate that&#xA;  'My self is formless and finite.' Or, not delineating a self formless&#xA;  and infinite, one does not delineate that 'My self is formless and&#xA;  infinite.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, the one who, when not delineating a self, does not delineate it&#xA;  as possessed of form and finite, does not delineate it as possessed of&#xA;  form and finite in the present, nor does he delineate it as of such a&#xA;  nature that it will [naturally] become possessed of form and finite&#xA;  [in the future/after death], nor does he believe that 'Although it is&#xA;  not yet that way, I will convert it into being that way.' This being&#xA;  the case, it is proper to say that a fixed view of a self possessed of&#xA;  form and finite does not obsess him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when not delineating a self, does not delineate it as&#xA;  possessed of form and infinite, does not delineate it as possessed of&#xA;  form and infinite in the present, nor does he delineate it as of such&#xA;  a nature that it will [naturally] become possessed of form and&#xA;  infinite [in the future/after death], nor does he believe that&#xA;  'Although it is not yet that way, I will convert it into being that&#xA;  way.' This being the case, it is proper to say that a fixed view of a&#xA;  self possessed of form and infinite does not obsess him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when not delineating a self, does not delineate it as&#xA;  formless and finite, does not delineate it as formless and finite in&#xA;  the present, nor does he delineate it as of such a nature that it will&#xA;  [naturally] become formless and finite [in the future/after death],&#xA;  nor does he believe that 'Although it is not yet that way, I will&#xA;  convert it into being that way.' This being the case, it is proper to&#xA;  say that a fixed view of a self formless and finite does not obsess&#xA;  him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The one who, when not delineating a self, does not delineate it as&#xA;  formless and infinite, does not delineate it as formless and infinite&#xA;  in the present, nor does he delineate it as of such a nature that it&#xA;  will [naturally] become formless and infinite [in the future/after&#xA;  death], nor does he believe that 'Although it is not yet that way, I&#xA;  will convert it into being that way.' This being the case, it is&#xA;  proper to say that a fixed view of a self formless and infinite does&#xA;  not obsess him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assumptions of a Self&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;To what extent, Ananda, does one assume when assuming a self?&#xA;  Assuming feeling to be the self, one assumes that 'Feeling is my self'&#xA;  [or] 'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling]' [or]&#xA;  'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious to feeling, but&#xA;  rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' should be addressed as&#xA;  follows: 'There are these three feelings, my friend — feelings of&#xA;  pleasure, feelings of pain, and feelings of neither pleasure nor pain.&#xA;  Which of these three feelings do you assume to be the self?' At a&#xA;  moment when a feeling of pleasure is sensed, no feeling of pain or of&#xA;  neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pleasure is&#xA;  sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling of pain is sensed,&#xA;  no feeling of pleasure or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only&#xA;  a feeling of pain is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling&#xA;  of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of&#xA;  pain is sensed. Only a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed&#xA;  at that moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a feeling of pleasure is inconstant, fabricated, dependent on&#xA;  conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution, fading, and&#xA;  cessation. A feeling of pain is inconstant, fabricated, dependent on&#xA;  conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution, fading, and&#xA;  cessation. A feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is inconstant,&#xA;  fabricated, dependent on conditions, subject to passing away,&#xA;  dissolution, fading, and cessation. Having sensed a feeling of&#xA;  pleasure as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own&#xA;  feeling of pleasure, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling&#xA;  of pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own&#xA;  feeling of pain, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling of&#xA;  neither pleasure nor pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of&#xA;  one's very own feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, 'my self' has&#xA;  perished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus he assumes, assuming in the immediate present a self inconstant,&#xA;  entangled in pleasure and pain, subject to arising and passing away,&#xA;  he who says, 'Feeling is my self.' Thus in this manner, Ananda, one&#xA;  does not see fit to assume feeling to be the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As for the person who says, 'Feeling is not the self: My self is&#xA;  oblivious [to feeling],' he should be addressed as follows: 'My&#xA;  friend, where nothing whatsoever is sensed (experienced) at all, would&#xA;  there be the thought, &quot;I am&quot;?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume that&#xA;  'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling].'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As for the person who says, 'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my&#xA;  self oblivious [to feeling], but rather my self feels, in that my self&#xA;  is subject to feeling,' he should be addressed as follows: 'My friend,&#xA;  should feelings altogether and every way stop without remainder, then&#xA;  with feeling completely not existing, owing to the cessation of&#xA;  feeling, would there be the thought, &quot;I am&quot;?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume that&#xA;  'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious [to feeling],&#xA;  but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, Ananda, in as far as a monk does not assume feeling to be the&#xA;  self, nor the self as oblivious, nor that 'My self feels, in that my&#xA;  self is subject to feeling,' then, not assuming in this way, he is not&#xA;  sustained by anything (does not cling to anything) in the world.&#xA;  Unsustained, he is not agitated. Unagitated, he is totally unbound&#xA;  right within. He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is thus&#xA;  released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view, that&#xA;  would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after death'...&#xA;  that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death'...&#xA;  that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death' is&#xA;  his view, that would be mistaken. Why? Having directly known the&#xA;  extent of designation and the extent of the objects of designation,&#xA;  the extent of expression and the extent of the objects of expression,&#xA;  the extent of description and the extent of the objects of&#xA;  description, the extent of discernment and the extent of the objects&#xA;  of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves: Having&#xA;  directly known that, the monk is released. [To say that,] 'The monk&#xA;  released, having directly known that, does not see, does not know is&#xA;  his opinion,' that would be mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can you recommend any competent English-language literature on this&#xA;  topic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Study Guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html&quot;&gt;The Five Aggregates&lt;/a&gt; may be a reasonably good choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2014-12-17T16:55:11.697" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T16:55:11.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5846" CreationDate="2014-12-17T16:45:16.497" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have to part company here and say that expressing gratitude for being brought into the world (or for breeding) contradicts the 1st Noble Truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutras should be taken with a grain of salt.  Test them, apply what works, and dispense with the rest.  Don't hold anything as being worthy of veneration just because it's a Sutra.  While many Sutras are profound, many are contradictory, incoherent or just plain nonsense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So work it out for yourself. If life is Dukkha, then why be happy (and express gratitude) that you were brought into it?  If (as some Buddhists claim) it's because it's an opportunity to practice, then ask if you'd feel similarly grateful to someone who broke your legs and thus gave you an opportunity to heal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't to say that we should harbor ill will because of this; it is what it is, and our energy is best spent making the most of where we are.  But acting like we were done a favor by being thrown face first into Dukkha strikes me as disingenuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe this is the result of politics.  At some point Buddhism needed to appeal to laypeople who had families, or to the politico/social order, and the result are teachings like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of this is to say that laypeople can't benefit greatly from Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conclusion: Don't take anything seriously just because it's a Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-17T21:20:24.803" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T21:20:24.803" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5834" CreationDate="2014-12-17T17:06:15.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me answer this (and illustrate some of the complexities of the question) with a personal story.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not a Buddhist, but feel the core philosophy is a sound way of life. As a result, I looked into my local Buddhist Temple.  This temple had 2 groups; the traditional worship group which attended religious services, and the English Dharma Group, which meditated and discussed the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I joined the English Dharma Group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We rarely mixed with the traditional group, and the few times we did, I thoroughly regretted it.  I found nothing in what they did that was remotely applicable, useful or of any interest, and never considered them part of my group.  They were a traditional religion, while I was practicing a philosophy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, they were not my Sangha even though they were part of the same Buddhist Temple and were Buddhist.  I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't consider the English Dharma Group to be their Sangha either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So really, it depends on what you mean by &quot;Sangha&quot;, &quot;Buddhist&quot;, and &quot;Join&quot; :)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, is a Sangha simply a collection of practicing Buddhists?  Is anyone who joins a Buddhist temple part of a Sangha?  Are people outside of a Buddhist temple but who practice on their own a Sangha?  Does a Sangha have to meet face to face?  Can this forum be considered a Sangha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, what is a Buddhist?  Is it someone who has taken the vows?  Is it someone who practices Buddhism? Is it someone who shares core values with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, what does it mean to join?  Does it mean simply going to the meetings?  Does it mean a deeper involvement?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T17:06:15.370" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-17T17:15:30.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I doubt you'll find a good answer as to whether Buddhism is a religion or a way of life, simply because there's a ton of stuff that's called Buddhism and not everyone agrees as to what constitutes a religion anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhists consider taking the vows to be the thing that makes you a Buddhist, so if you want to make it &quot;official&quot;, you can take the vows at your friendly neighborhood Buddhist Temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside of that, I imagine you can call yourself a Buddhist if you believe in the Buddha and his message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do keep in mind that Buddhism is just a label; it's really about how you live.  You need not identify yourself as a Buddhist to live a Buddhist life and many people who identify as Buddhists do not live a Buddhist life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-17T17:15:30.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2014-12-18T06:18:13.423" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Presumably, 'eradication of identity-view' is more than simply claiming, 'Yes, there's no self anywhere!!'&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From [my understanding of] the Theravada standpoint, in terms of practice, it is definitely more than simply claiming something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;So, how should one understand what 'identity-view' is&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[edited]:&lt;/strong&gt; I suppose there is no other way but to actually practice following the instructions and the clues and similes on the texts. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5865/382&quot;&gt;Monk's answer&lt;/a&gt; quotes a sutta (Maha-nidana) that I think is quite unique. Most of the other suttas describe a formula like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever form [feeling, perception, etc], past, future or present, internal or external, coarse or fine, low or lofty, far or near, all that form must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality, thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Regarded with proper wisdom&quot; implies, then, that it is not an inclination to be taken at face value, but &quot;directly seen&quot;. So, wisdom ha to be developed, say, through the practice of vipassana (see Satipatthana sutta), which benefits from well developed concentration/samadhi (thus, the development of the jhanas), and these require Sila to be developed, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other suttas help to further explain, in brief, debate, simile or in more detail what exactly is meant. For example (again SN 22.59):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Form, O monks, is not-self; if form were self, then form would not lead to affliction and it should obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus'; and indeed, O monks, since form is not-self, therefore form leads to affliction and it does not obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The above line of argument is often used by the Buddha when debating with a Brahmin).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the famous Nagasena and King Milinda debate (technically not &quot;Buddhavacana&quot;? but, apparently, part of the Burmese khuddaka nikaya):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] &quot;How then did you come on foot, or on a mount?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I did not come, Sir, on foot, but on a chariot.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If you have come on a chariot, then please explain to me what a chariot is. Is the pole the chariot?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Reverend Sir!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is then the axle the chariot?&quot; No..&quot;Is it then the wheels, or the framework, of the flag-staff, or the yoke, or the reins, or the goad-stick?&quot;...&quot;Then is it the combination of poke, axle, wheels, framework, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad which is the &quot;chariot&quot;?&quot;... &quot;Then, is this &quot;chariot&quot; outside the combination of poke, axle, wheels, framework, flag-staff, yoke, reins and goad?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Reverend Sir!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, ask as I may, I can discover no chariot at all. This &quot;chariot&quot; is just a mere sound. But what is the real chariot? Your Majesty has told a lie, has spoken a falsehood! There is really no chariot! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Milinda Panha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside buddhism (and quite interesting from a materialistic point of view) some scientists have come up with estimates for how long it takes for a body to have all its cells replaced (quick google showed this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/science/02cell.html?pagewanted=all&amp;amp;_r=0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article on nytimes&lt;/a&gt;). Similar &lt;a href=&quot;http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,936455,00.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;estimate for atoms&lt;/a&gt; arrive at the &quot;obvious but not so obvious&quot; conclusion that our bodies are actually completely different (ie. it's a 100% &quot;another body&quot;) from what they were some time ago (maybe, except, for tattoos?). That's without going subatomic...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;[how should one understands] whether it's eradicated?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be one of those things that &quot;you know when you know&quot;. Simultaneously, one of those things that people &quot;believe they realized but didn't&quot; -- granted, not a very helpful answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think if, for each description the Buddha provides for one who does not possess identity-view, one's mind works perfectly according to it (plus, any other associated factors developed by side-effect), than this person is quite accomplished (if not fully accomplished) in this matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Can you give some of important examples of the practical consequence of identity-view: how it affects belief and behaviour? So that it might be possible to use the presence or absence of these beliefs and behaviours to test whether identify-view exists or has been eradicated?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, it opens the door for all kinds of misunderstandings, hindrances, fetters, further craving and clinging, birth &amp;amp; death, etc. Some suttas describe in more detail (but not that much detail), for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;Not knowing, not seeing the eye as it actually is present; not knowing, not seeing forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is infatuated with the eye... forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now this &amp;amp; now that — grows within him. His bodily disturbances &amp;amp; mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments &amp;amp; mental torments grow. His bodily distresses &amp;amp; mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress &amp;amp; mental stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 149&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Is 'eradication of identity-view' synonymous with having no habits?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think so. The way I understand, it is simply the abandoning of any doctrine of self, displaced by the understanding of conditions, arising and cessation of whatever was once regarded as 'I' and 'mine'. I think it's reasonable to assume that such person could still mantain the habit of eating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Is identity-view the same then as being aware that skandhas exist?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hm, no (at least, if you mean 'it exists' in the contemporary sense, not in the &quot;sutta-sense&quot; were it is implied that such thing is/has an eternal self). As I understand, from ignorant to arahant, a person is still aware of skhandas, six-sense doors, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[Is identity-view] The same as being attracted to (clinging to) sense-objects?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not clinging to the sense-objects, but to any of the skhandas, as the sutta quoted in the question. Perhaps, a specific kind of clinging that takes place as a person regards the skhandas as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Isn't the answer to that, 'No that's not true, because 'sensual desire' is the fourth fetter'?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think sensual desire equates to clinging. Even if that was the case, I think the clinging to a skhanda, in this context, is not really clinging to any sense-object, but to an illusory self clothed as a skhanda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2014-12-18T22:16:01.817" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5870" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-12-18T16:20:25.183" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-18T16:20:25.183" LastActivityDate="2014-12-18T16:20:25.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5871" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-12-18T16:20:25.183" Score="0" Body="Issues related to sleep and sleep patterns and how Buddhist practice may affect them. The issues could be related to meditation, ethical practice or another area of Buddhist practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:43:58.880" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:43:58.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5872" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-18T18:05:58.010" Score="4" ViewCount="1472" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following questions are targeted to Vipassana. Nevertheless, contributions from other traditions are appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is there any stage where it is expected that meditators feel vibrations while sleeping ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- If yes, then how should this be managed ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Moreover, how to handle this when vibrations are so intense that it is impossible to move during this experience  ?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What if it is not clear if such experience is while dreaming or awake ? Sometimes it is not clear if such experience happened in a dream or in real life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, is there any guideline on how to manage experiences that happen while sleeping ?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers with references are strongly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastEditorUserId="36" LastEditDate="2014-12-18T18:23:39.953" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T14:27:22.527" Title="Vibrations while sleeping" Tags="|vipassana|sleep|stages-of-the-path|dreams|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5662" CreationDate="2014-12-18T18:14:13.617" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In answering the question i think we can look to the Anattalakkhana Sutta by Mahasi Sayadaw which can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mahasi-anat/anat00.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;In here the 5 aggregates are discussed, how they are formed and why they are not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the 5 aggregates are suffering because they are subject to the 3 signs of existence: &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this philosopher Dan Dennett does not go to the deepest level of reality - Paramattha Sacca, the ultimate reality. Here designations such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;we, us, brain&quot;&lt;/em&gt; does not exist. They are only conventional truths that humans have constructed in order to be able to communicate with each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one looks at the ultimate level of reality there are only 4 things that can be said to be ultimately real according to the Abhidhamma. These 4 things are: &lt;em&gt;Mind, Mental concomitants, Materiality and Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;. When Dan Dennett talks about &lt;em&gt;&quot;us and the brain&quot;&lt;/em&gt; he speaks only of conventional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no &lt;em&gt;&quot;us&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The human being is a comming-together of the 5 aggregates. When these aggregates are working together as a physio-psychological machine the idea of an &quot;I&quot; is formed. But this false idea of an &quot;I&quot; is really just one of the 52 mental states, contained in the 4th aggregate of mental formations. This is said by Dr. Walpola Rahula on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;p. 19 in his book &quot;&lt;em&gt;What the Buddha taught&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that a philosopher like Dan Dennett would get much intellectual knowledge out of reading the Anattalakkhana Sutta and The Abhidhamma but he will never truly understand &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt; or anything else if he does not engage in insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To my knowledge even Modern psychology, limited as it is, has finally come to the conclusion that the &quot;Self&quot; is merely a construct. Although they only deal with it at a conventional level.&#xA;Buddhism have been dealing with this on an ultimate level for 2500 years while modern psychology have just begun to scrath the surface in the last 100 years. Although modern psychologists are actually beginning to understand more about how buddhist psychology is really what they are now &quot;rediscovering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am here quoting &lt;em&gt;Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda&lt;/em&gt; as he writes in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot; on p. 109&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... The analysis of the nature of the mind given in the Abhidharma is not available through any other source. Even modern psychologists are very much in the dark with regards to subjects like mental impulses or mental beats (Javana Citta) as discussed in the Abhidharma. Dr. Graham Howe, an eminent Harley Street psychologist, wrote in his book, THE INVISIBLE ANATOMY:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the course of their work many psychologists have found, as the pioneer work of C.G. Jung has shown, that ‘we are near to [the] Buddha. To read a little Buddhism is to realise that the Buddhists knew two thousand five hundred years ago far more about our modern problems of psychology than they have yet been given credit for. They studied these problems long ago, and found the answers too. We are now rediscovering the Ancient Wisdom of the East.’...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have understood the above mentioned correctly. If im wrong about something feel free to correct me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2014-12-18T19:08:06.570" LastActivityDate="2014-12-18T19:08:06.570" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5662" CreationDate="2014-12-19T00:33:54.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Consciousness&quot; is a word or concept which is not well-defined, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pholosophy of mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Philosophers have used the term 'consciousness' for four main topics: etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Philosophers and non-philosophers differ in their intuitions about what consciousness is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Scientific study&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Measurement&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Experimental research on consciousness presents special difficulties, due to the lack of a universally accepted operational definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Biological function and evolution&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Opinions are divided as to where in biological evolution consciousness emerged and about whether or not consciousness has any survival value. It has been argued that consciousness emerged (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Medical aspects&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Whereas the philosophical approach to consciousness focuses on its fundamental nature and its contents, the medical approach focuses on the amount of consciousness a person has: in medicine, consciousness is assessed as a &quot;level&quot; ranging from coma and brain death at the low end, to full alertness and purposeful responsiveness at the high end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stream of consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the west, the primary impact of the idea has been on literature rather than science etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO &quot;modern psychology&quot; will describe consciousness as an &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;emergent&lt;/a&gt;&quot; property: for example, a home is not a brick; nor is a home two bricks; but with enough bricks put together in the right way you can construct a house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;consciousness&quot; does exist in (at least some) Buddhist metaphysics, which calls it &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sentience&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sentient beings is a technical term in Buddhist discourse. Broadly speaking, it denotes beings with consciousness or sentience or, in some contexts, life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because it's such a broad (not well-defined) concept I think the question is too broad to be answered in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2014-12-19T02:26:07.803" LastActivityDate="2014-12-19T02:26:07.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3884" CreationDate="2014-12-19T12:13:28.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to give my view on that topic, even if the question is already old. I started sitting at a martial arts dojo once in a month without any sect or tradition. The second pillar was a book from Sekida (&quot;Zen-Training&quot; in german). He suggested to count your breath and while I was sitting mostly alone at home and had no real training, even at that dojo, I followed that advice and it worked very well for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have to admit, since know, I haven't sit regular. It was something like &quot;a few days in a row&quot; than a few days not. Over time I stopped practice and started again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I sit with Soto-Shu once a week and every day at home. We do Shikantaza. With the random training before I was able to adopt that way quickly. But when it comes to long periods or I have a troubled mind, I go back to counting my breath, just to stay on track. I do two or three cycle and then stop counting again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I see the help breath-counting brings for concentration, I found for myself, that with enough training, I can count in a half conscious part of my brain, while thinking about other things in a different part. I still now the next count and I still restart after ten. Just training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for me, there is always the danger of counting breath as a measurement of how long I still have to sit, since my breath is deep and low and of quite stable frequency. In my consideration that is just as unuseful as daydreaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="364" LastEditorUserId="364" LastEditDate="2014-12-19T12:19:22.387" LastActivityDate="2014-12-19T12:19:22.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5872" CreationDate="2014-12-19T14:35:07.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sounds like &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sleep paralysis&lt;/a&gt;, which often involves the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An inability to move&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vibrations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Imagery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A sense of a (often malevolent) presence near you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a common state that has nothing to do with Buddhism. In fact, some hypothesize that stories of alien abductions or succubi are distorted reports of experiences in that state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps meditation may increase the incidence of this? One reported way of entering sleep paralysis is to remain conscious while the body falls asleep, an ability aided by improved concentration which can come with meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To bring this back to Buddhism, if you are in this state, then you could try to induce a lucid dream by visualization and use that to practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dream Yoga&lt;/a&gt;.  You can also use the experiences you gain as insight into your daily life.  With so much of life said to be illusory or dreamlike, experiences in this border state can be very illuminating.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For non-Buddhist stuff, you can...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enter a lucid dream for fun.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will &quot;yourself&quot; out of your body.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus all your might on moving your big toe to snap out of this&#xA;state.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course if you suspect that there may be any medical issues involved with this, then see a doctor!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-19T14:35:07.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5879" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-19T17:35:45.433" Score="14" ViewCount="660" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have started on my path not very long ago and because I'm very unsure where it will take me, I am hesitant to label myself as a Buddhist or even a meditator or such. Also where I live, eastern schools of thought are not well known anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In certain social situations (most recently at the office Christmas party) I am usually nagged to relax more or to enjoy myself more. I understand that these are good intentioned tries to make me have a similar experience to what these people deem as joyous. However I don't feel anxiety or loss of comfort just because for example I don't get drunk and dance in a very animated way. In fact I'm usually quite content to just lean on the bar and observe people and be mindful of what's happening. I have yet to meet a party goer who will believe this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you have any advice on how to try and help these people understand that I don't partake in their experiences because I don't find them wholesome and ultimately fulfilling without having them brand me as a weirdo or a liar? Specifically without mentioning Buddhism, meditation, mindfulness and similar terms? I'd like to convey believably that there are other ways to enjoy yourself, not just drinking and hitting up attractive people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2439" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:04:17.830" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:09:23.887" Title="How do I make non-buddhists help understand I operate with a different view?" Tags="|mindfulness|modern-world|lay-buddhism|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5879" CreationDate="2014-12-19T17:49:24.113" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists I know exude happiness. Seeing a monk or a nun just standing and silently smiling brings much joy and happiness. True happiness is infectious. I have never found that my happiness goes unnoticed. In fact many people become happy and calm themselves when around practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, peer pressure to drink is a different story. If someone presses you to drink after you have said no, that should be examined separately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="625" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T15:08:22.137" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T15:08:22.137" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5881" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5882" CreationDate="2014-12-19T20:03:49.473" Score="6" ViewCount="2574" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some religions spread through its followers actively seeking out new followers. Some religions do their own thing and inspire others to join. Some religions preach openly to people and let them decide. Some religions cannot be joined unless you know someone who is already in it. Some religions do not have any agenda when it comes to recruiting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the ideal manner in which Buddhism is to be spread to others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T22:53:07.457" Title="How are Buddhists supposed to spread Buddhism?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2014-12-19T20:51:41.663" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;It varies by sect. These questions generally attract a bunch of people who think you are advocating in-your-face Christian style evangelism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The patterns I'm going to describe appear to be true for the US, Europe and Russia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SGI&lt;/strong&gt;. Works the hardest to gain new members and at least back in the 70s (80s?) was willing to send people out to interact with strangers on the street. It's what makes SGI special, their outreach has reached a broader demographic than just about anyone and what also makes people think SGI is a cult. I'm not SGI, but I think they're far from a cult. They try the hardest to gain members and seem to have had some success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Ethnic Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; Some people don't like the word, but it describes communities of recent immigrants who set up Buddhist temples, target recent immigrants, practice in their home language and generally make no effort to involve the &quot;host&quot; community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;State Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt; This has been how Buddhism spread in the past. For example in Japan, it used to be that the government assigned you to the local temple. There is some vestigial form of this in modern Japan, most people often don't know what sort of Buddhist temple their family temple is. This means of spread is a nonstarter in the US and Christians are already up in arms about attempts to teach secularized mindfulness in schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;(Upper) Middle Class&quot; Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;. Generally educated people who are well read and familiar with a variety of world religions and who have chosen Buddhism. This spreads via books and meditation classes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for what normatively should be done to spread Buddhism, it's hard to say. On the internet, generally people get bogged down in &quot;respect for autonomy&quot;, they have a hypersensitive trigger for seeing someone being forced to do this, or required to do that against their will, or in the case of religion, how teaching religion is some sort of child abuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The historical Buddha sent his sangha in every direction to enthusiastically spread the word. Mahayana Buddhism makes teaching (i.e. spreading Buddhist ideas), essentially a requirement, it is mentioned many times in the BNS precepts. Historically Buddhist governments saw no problem with making it a state religion and funding it. I think it would be hard to say Buddhism as a organization, sangha or movement doesn't care about spread, it clearly does. But how to do it, isn't so clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I think Buddhism should be marketed like any other idea and using means that work for a given community in a given time. Some people will buy your book &amp;amp; read it. Some people will go to a book club. Some people read posts on the web. Some people will go to a meditation class if it's advertised in the local community events page. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2014-12-24T23:11:07.433" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T23:11:07.433" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2014-12-20T03:29:47.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I searched for the word &amp;quot;proselytize&amp;quot; on accesstoinsight and found it in only two articles. One is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/response.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi saying&lt;/a&gt; (talking about religion in general in the modern world, not only about Buddhism),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two religious phenomena that in my view are false detours which must finally be rejected are fundamentalism and spiritual eclecticism. Both have arisen as reactions to the pervasive secularism of our time; both speak to the widespread hunger for more authentic spiritual values than our commercial, sensualist culture can offer. Yet neither, I would argue, provides a satisfactory solution to our needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fundamentalism no doubt bears the character of a religious revival. However, in my opinion it fails to qualify as a genuinely spiritual type of religiosity because it does not meet the criterion of true spirituality. This criterion I would describe, in broad terms, as the quest to transcend the limitations of the ego-consciousness. As I understand fundamentalism, it draws its strength from its appeal to human weakness, by provoking the ego-consciousness and the narrow, volatile interests of the small self. &lt;strong&gt;Its psychological mood is that of dogmatism; it polarizes the human community into the opposed camps of insiders and outsiders; it dictates a policy of aggression that entails either violence against the outsiders or attempts to proselytize them. It does not point us in the direction of selflessness, understanding, acceptance of others based on love, the ingredients of true spirituality.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spiritual eclecticism — omnipresent in the West today — is governed by the opposite logic. It aims to amalgamate, to draw into a whole a sundry variety of quasi-religious disciplines: yoga, spiritualism, channeling, astrology, faith healing, meditation, I Ching, special diets, Cabbala, etc. These are all offered to the seeker on a pick-and-choose basis; everything is valid, anything goes. This eclecticism often reveals a longing for genuine spiritual experience, for a vision of reality more encompassing than pragmatic materialism. It fails because it tears profound disciplines out from their context in a living faith and blends them together into a shapeless mixture without spine or substance. Its psychological mood is that of a romantic, promiscuous yearning for easy gratification rather than that of serious commitment. Owing to its lack of discrimination it often shades off into the narcissistic and the occult, occasionally into the diabolical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's saying that a &amp;quot;fundamentalist&amp;quot; (and ego-maniacal) view divides the world into insiders and outsiders (e.g. Buddhists and non-Buddhists), and attempts to proselytize the outsiders, instead of being selflessness, understanding, and accepting of others based on love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another is this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/figen/bl085.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Personal Observation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I first came to Sri Lanka from America, I had just about given up all hope of living. The doctors in America had provided me with maybe twenty-five different drugs for a very bad heart condition and other ailments. We fled America, my husband and I, to live out our lives among peaceful surroundings — in the heart of Buddha-land. Shortly after arrival, what with the long trip and thoughts of death, I truly was dying. I had a myocardial infarction and was taken to the hospital. I found the hospital conditions so deplorable, I felt it would be better to die in bed at home. Consequently, I left the hospital. My husband had found a lovely home for us and there I waited to die. After much pain and emotional upheaval my husband found an anagarika, a Buddhist lay brother, who came to our home and performed a miracle, or to state it better, pointed out to me the &amp;quot;path&amp;quot; that I shall follow for the rest of my days here on earth. This monk-like follower of the Buddha, the Anagarika Tibbotuwawa, instructed me in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We went through four stages and in time I threw out all drugs, and the life &amp;quot;here and now&amp;quot; became clear and meaningful. Many strange things began to occur in the course of meditation. First I began to feel that I was on another plane of consciousness. I no longer had a self, sick or otherwise. I was at one with all, all of us in a new world, with all non-beings too. I found that the &amp;quot;ego&amp;quot; that nearly wrecked my life was now gone. I felt reborn, and extended my meditation to vibrations of loving-kindness. Thought messages I call them. Then one morning a friend called from America. On the phone he said that he had received my message. He was elated beyond belief, thanked me and promised to come here in the near future. The strangest of all was a telegram from my sister. She asked if we could accommodate her at our home in three weeks. I nearly had a heart attack! My sister is seventy-eight years old. I had heard no word from her for fifteen years. Yet I had been sending her &amp;quot;thought messages&amp;quot; of loving-kindness, and her image was growing clearer and clearer — even before arrival. She was &amp;quot;with me&amp;quot; even before arrival. At age seventy-eight she had traveled half-way around the world to see me. When she arrived she said she had had a compelling urge to see me. We were both delighted and, to my amazement, she meditated each evening with me and said she had never known such &amp;quot;peace and love&amp;quot; as she found in our home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She could not remain with us, as I had hoped, but had responsibilities at home that she felt better able to cope with now. She left, adding, &amp;quot;I have promises to keep — and many miles to go before I sleep.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These few experiences have been so uplifting that now, &lt;strong&gt;even though I never proselytize&lt;/strong&gt;, many young people come to me for instruction in meditation. Recently a young man from Switzerland came to our home. He felt he was dying of rabies (&amp;quot;rabbits&amp;quot; he called it in broken English). I was so sure he did not have this disease that I suggested that he meditate with me and Anagarika that day, and he seemed pleased with the experience. Well, this young man came not only each evening, but also every morning at 5:30 a.m. bringing fresh flowers for the Buddha. He left, after three weeks of intensive meditation and instruction and reading of the Dhamma, well and happy and full of ideas to help suffering humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are, of course, many ideas I have omitted which are advanced procedures in insight meditation, the three stages which usually follow the concentration on breathing. These are body, feelings, perceptions and consciousness, ultimately expressing themselves in &amp;quot;the mind experiencing pure mind.&amp;quot; I feel, however, that the reader can find these steps in many publications that have been released on this subject. If this booklet helps the beginner with just a little insight into the &amp;quot;way&amp;quot; and the &amp;quot;why&amp;quot; of meditation, this will be my happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from the fact that she &amp;quot;never proselytizes&amp;quot; there's the story of the &amp;quot;Buddhist lay brother&amp;quot; in the first paragraph: i.e. a person who needed him went looking for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the best way to spread Buddhism is to cultivate it within yourself (?and make yourself available).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also seen &amp;quot;Dharma books&amp;quot; being spread: e.g. I have a book published by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budaedu.org/en/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these people&lt;/a&gt; in Taiwan, which I found free of cost from a temple in Canada. Or in the same way that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideons_International&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gideon Bibles&lt;/a&gt; are famously found for free in hotel rooms, in some countries (Singapore) you find a Buddhist 'bible' in the hotel room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I presume that what is said about Right Speech is applicable to talking about Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T03:29:47.607" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5885" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-20T03:42:08.000" Score="4" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not necessarily spontaneous, but any type of spiritually assisted healing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, can you elaborate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, can you offer a reference? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2354" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T16:54:23.530" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T17:24:23.363" Title="Do Buddhists believe (as do some Christians) in non-material forms of healing?" Tags="|comparative-religion|well-being|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2155" CreationDate="2014-12-20T08:47:41.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;More you meditate less sleep you need. The need for sleep is based on how energetic you are. Meditation stirs up more energy and you become energetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T08:47:41.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5888" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5893" CreationDate="2014-12-20T09:27:04.460" Score="3" ViewCount="405" Body="&lt;p&gt;What significance does the mythical dragon hold within Buddhism and why, where does it originate within Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="523" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T12:32:51.063" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T12:32:51.063" Title="What significance does the dragon hold within Buddhism?" Tags="|iconography|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5889" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-20T09:49:37.827" Score="3" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one progresses in this lifetime, but doesn't attain enlightenment and doesn't become totally free from suffering, what can happen in future lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2184" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:27:51.210" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:27:51.210" Title="Progress in meditation" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5888" CreationDate="2014-12-20T10:27:31.200" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dragon, (in Pali, 'naga') is just simply a term for any very large or substantial invididual or animal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.043.hare.pts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.043.hare.pts.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a sutta which is otherwise drivvle, a sort of flattery common to the courts of kings, but which makes the definition clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is often characterized as a Naga. There is no mysterious significance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T10:27:31.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5889" CreationDate="2014-12-20T10:43:16.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing is lost. However a person below the level of Streamwinner is still subject to rebirth below the level of human being. The good kamma of having made an effort will eventually surface again and bring one back to a place where practice can be resumed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The non-streamwinner is subject to stray and unskillful thoughts that can lead to a bad destination. Should such a tendency occur at the time of death, it's: 'Have a nice day!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The principle is something like standing at the downtown platform in the subway. Up until the time one enters a car and the doors shut one can go over to the uptown platform, but once the door has shut on the downtown train one is going downtown at least for one stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the concern when it comes to attention to death, that is that one not be thinking, as the ordinary person thinks, that ok, death will come, but some time later. One should train to think that death is a possibility as close as a breath in and out or the chewing of a mouthful of food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See for the above idea: &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.019.hare.pts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.019.hare.pts.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and see for the practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.020.hare.pts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/06_sixes/an06.020.hare.pts.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why one should strive for Streamentry. At stream entry, the knowledge is firmly fixed that 'that which comes into existence comes to an end.' This idea at that point is so vivid as to present itself at the time of death and acts as a barrier to making a foolish decision at that time, and the ball has been set rolling for an inevitable attainment of Arahantship within a period of no more than seven further rebirths in various heavenly states and among men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T10:43:16.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5892" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-20T10:57:07.327" Score="3" ViewCount="5259" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that Siddhartha Gautama Buddha lived at the same time as the ancient Israelites (Jews) and that India knew of Israel and that ancient Israel knew of India and that the two nations traded with one another. I am also aware that at one time there were a small group of Buddhist staying in Jerusalem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, did Gautama Buddha ever mention Jews or did he ever encounter them? Or was he completely ignorant of their existence and nation all together?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="523" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-16T21:13:50.623" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T12:29:08.427" Title="Did the Buddha ever mention or encounter Jews?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|comparative-religion|judaism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5888" CreationDate="2014-12-20T11:42:00.637" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nagas are serpent like creatures that are also identified with dragons. I'm aware of a couple of places within Buddhism that these appear but there are undoubtedly a lot more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist philosopher and Mahayana pioneer Nagarjuna is reputed to have recovered the Perfection of Wisdom sutras from the Nagas. He then went on to distribute the sutras to the world at large.In addition Naga's would come to him while he was preaching and provide shade to him while he was teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again from with the Mahayana tradition, the Nagas appear many times in the Lotus Sutra. The Dragon (Naga) Kings daughter has a starring role within one of the chapters. Although she is young and female she nevertheless attains Buddhahood. This points to the fact that everyone (even if they are young or a woman) can attain the highest spiritual perfections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T11:42:00.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2014-12-20T12:15:31.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could run a search on the CSCD Pali to check me (but what word would you use?), but as far as I can recall there is no mention of Jews by Gotama or anyone else in the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some who believe that Christ actually studied Buddhism with the Tibetans, but this is a controversial position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm#modern&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm#modern&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;scroll down to the bottom of the page to find titles on this subject.&#xA;(A great resource, by the way, for all matters scared.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T12:15:31.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2014-12-20T12:57:50.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll take a stab at this one. The thing that needs to be understood for this is the idea of 'anatta'. This is not 'no-self' it is 'not-self'. The difference is this: 'No Self' is an opinion. A point of view. To know that there was 'no self' one would need to know everything at all times past, future and present. Holding points of view is thoroughly condemned by the Buddha as being merely opinion based on contact through the senses.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bd/dn/dn.01.6.olds.bd_end.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bd/dn/dn.01.6.olds.bd_end.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;The idea of 'not-self' is a thing which can be seen for one's self: &quot;This&quot; (and &quot;That&quot;) are not self. The understanding that a thing is not self is based on the idea that if it were the self it could be controlled, such as, for example, to say that it was not to die. That cannot be, so that which is out of our control cannot be the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dialog goes like this (from Vinaya Pitaka, MV 1):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Consciousness is not self ... Inasmuch, monks, as consciousness is not self, therefore consciousness tends to sickness, and one does not get the chance to say in regard to consciousness, 'Let consciousness become such for me, let consciousness not become thus for me.'&#xA;What do you think about this, monks? Is body permanent or impermanent?&quot;&#xA;&quot;Impermanent, Lord.&quot;&#xA;&quot;But is that which is impermanent painful or pleasurable?&quot;&#xA;&quot;Painful, Lord.&quot;&#xA;&quot;But is it fit to consider that which is impermanent, painful, of a nature to change, as 'This is mine, this am I, this is my self'?&quot;&#xA;&quot;It is not Lord.&quot; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That understood it is to be extended to everything that has come into existence, understanding that 'that which has come into existence is subject to time, and subject to time, has a beginning, middle, and end. One of many ways Gotama used to describe 'everything in existence' was the khandhas (the stockpiles): body, sense-experience, perception, own-making and consciousness. Another was 'The All': the eye and sight, the ear and sound, the nose and scents, the tongue and tastes, the body and touch, and the mind and things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens after death on attaining Nibbana (or Pari-nibbana) is best understood by first understanding how coming into existence occurs. That is the Paticca Samuppada, which is briefly: This being, that becomes, upon the ending of this, the ending of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the previously existing individual at death does not see the outcome in further pain and death in the assumption of existence, he acts in such a way as to create new existence. His identification with acts of body, speech and mind intended to create existence result in identified-with consequences taking the form of: contact with identified-with consciousness of named-shapes. &quot;I see shapes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that individual had not acted in such a way as to create contact with identified-with consciousness of named-shapes, there would be no coming into identified-with existence and no coming to an end of that existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is Nibbana. The sitting before, as it were, the possibility of existence and not doing that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is not that 'a person' attains Nibbana, it is that 'the person,' that which has been previously identified with as 'Me' or 'my' or 'I', the khandhas, the all, is abandoned for the attaining of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever it is that is left cannot be described because language (especially English with it's subject, verb, and object) is bound up in the terminology of existence. Nevertheless speaking conventionally there is mention of the Arahant experiencing un-identified with sense-experience (in his case the experience of sensations that are neither pleasant nor unpleasant), and consciousness (vinnana, the so-called vinnana anidassana, the unseen consciousness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a collection of materials on vinnana anidassana see:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/green_tea/green_tea_toc.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/green_tea/green_tea_toc.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T12:57:50.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2014-12-20T13:40:08.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the Buddha's time there were many philosophies an religion around &lt;em&gt;Atta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Sakkāya&lt;/em&gt;. Some off them took the form that the aggregates are Atta and with some saying particular aggregate is Atta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to remove identity views &lt;em&gt;in my opinion&lt;/em&gt; the following training would be beneficial:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eliminate the perception of self&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;External form as a possession in relation to one self. My car, my wife, etc.&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;With you expect some thing to be mine and something unwanted happens you become miserable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being in control&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Things going out of control becomes a pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Faculties and physical form being part of self&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Weakening eye sight would be a pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Conciousness of form being in relation to one self. This is what I say. I heard so.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensation arising from contact effecting oneself as the subject. He hut me. It is too hot. He said good thing about me and made me happy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception being in relationship to self. My view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realise there is no:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Core or eternal part&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to realise is when you build a perception of one self and there is a gap in the perception of one self and reality misery follows. Generally perception of one self is superior or inferior and even at times if realistic as things change gaps will appear. Also you cannot always close the gaps and trying would be very tedious. Any expectation of one self will not always be met hence again resulting in misery. When you realise a certain perception is unrealistic you should abandon it and replace it with a realistic view. When you have fully dissolved the notion of a self and ego you are free from misery arising by grasping onto this wrong perception. Use of non self is also not very accurate as this it self is view but abandoning the identification or perceptions of self as with any perception cannot be very accurate and many lead to perceptions as there will always gaps. This is a paradigm shift in thinking. When you stop reacting hence do not create any unpleasant sensations regarding any gap or you do not identify gaps with a grasping or expecting it to be otherwise you know you do not have identity view any more. Initially this will be a temporary suspension until you get stream entry there you have seen something beyond the sense sphere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like wise meditation with a view to realise there is solid core and true nature of all mental and physical also helps realise and overcome the view on identities. As you progress in meditation you see that certain aspects of the aggregates are not permanent. Initially this will be physical form and the last will be perceptions (part of mental fabrications). Then you will see something beyond perception and sensation then your view is complete that there is noting which is eternal. This I have elaborated more in my answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5856/how-do-i-integrate-vipassana-practice-into-daily-life&quot;&gt;How do I integrate Vipassana practice into daily life?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.5-Cula-Saccaka-S-m35-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūḷa Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/27.4-Maha-Vacchagotta-S-m73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vaccha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.8-Dhammaniyama-S-a3.134-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uppāda Sutta / Dhamma Nniyāma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.15-Aggi-Vacchagotta-S-m72-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi Vaccha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.14-Nimitta-anuvyanjana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta and Anuvyañjana - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.4-Khandha-3-Sanna-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Perception - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.13-Atammayata-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayatā - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.3-Mine-the-nature-of-craving.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mine - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.2a-Me-the-nature-of-conceit.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Me - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.1-I-the-nature-of-identity.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;I - Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T13:51:25.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5885" CreationDate="2014-12-20T13:55:20.270" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several cases of working cures mentioned in the suttas many more in the Jataka stories which are much later. Two oustanding cases found in the suttas are the one where Angulimala&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/personalities/angulimala.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/personalities/angulimala.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;did an act of truth to relieve a woman of a painful labor, another is the case of the Buddha himself 'bending down his mind' to the suppression of an illness.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bs/dn.16.rhyt.bs_1.2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bs/dn.16.rhyt.bs_1.2.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;scroll down to #28&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'act of truth' is a declaration made to the gods of the truth of some statement in the form of a wish: &quot;If such and such is the truth, let such and such happen.&quot; Usually the thing being declared to be the truth must be something hard to believe or embarassing, something not likely to be revealed unless under strong motivation to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally the Buddha suggests not working cures with the idea that beings have their kamma to live out. Working a cure does not relieve a person of the experience of his bad kamma, it just postpones it and that may not be a wise idea if it postpones the experience beyond its manifestation in this life there is the possibility that the next life will be so hazardous (as in animal life) that insight and taking counter-measures would be highly unlikely. Consequently curing someone may not be doing them any favor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T13:55:20.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5872" CreationDate="2014-12-20T14:27:22.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbo pajjalito loko, sabbo loko pakampito.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire universe is nothing but combustion and vibration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At certain times you will experience vibration at different intensities, not necessary limited to when you are sleeping. You should look at it arise and pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T14:27:22.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2014-12-20T15:10:47.773" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my perspective, when it comes to eradication of identity view, there is analytical level, and then there is the level of day-to-day intuitive action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On analytical level, it is a clear direct understanding that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the boundaries of (&quot;external&quot;) entities are conventional designations;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thoughts come from perceptions plus associative memory, not &quot;I think&quot;;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;actions arise the same way as thoughts, not &quot;I decided&quot;;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the ocean of information and causation is the source of its own existence-activity;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;identification with a living organism is not necessary (but understandable and even inevitable given the way intelligence is mediated by organic life at this place at this time);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the level of daily activity, it is what R. Barzell said, operating without an unspoken assumption that there is some inner core that needs to be protected from &quot;external&quot; threats, who deserves something, who is better or worse than someone, whose case has to be promoted etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it (eradication of identity view) enlightening? Because identity view is a quintessential element of the childish, oversimplified, mistaken view of the world, and is one of the major contributors to suffering, both at social as well as at individual level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2014-12-20T15:55:23.803" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T15:55:23.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5332" CreationDate="2014-12-20T15:47:56.760" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhante Punnaji and Bhante Vimalaramsi (following Bhante Punnaji) and Bhikkhu Nanavira also teach this approach to Dhamma study. I also believe this is a good approach from the point of view of investigating an unknown doctrine. Go to the original sources as much as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In really attemtpting to understand Psychology would it not make more sense to go to Freud first, then read those who came after with their modifications and perhaps misunderstandings? I'd rather generate my misunderstandings first hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those who say that reading the commentaries is helpful for understanding difficult positions. The reply is how can one be certain that the 'clarification' isn't mystification? You can only know by going to the original sources. Why waste the time going in circles like that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trust in the mind! To the clear, calm mind the solution to every problem will be seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One needs to remember that what Buddhism is talking about is salvation from the eternal round of pain and misery. Are you going to trust your salvation to secondary sources?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says over and over again that he has taught Dhamma in the best way to teach Dhamma. see &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bd/an/03_threes/an03.123.olds.bd.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bd/an/03_threes/an03.123.olds.bd.htm&lt;/a&gt; At least until one knows for certain otherwise it seems wise to take the man's word for it. It is, after all, his wisdom one is studying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastEditorDisplayName="user2418" LastEditDate="2014-12-20T15:57:00.483" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T15:57:00.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5902" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5905" CreationDate="2014-12-20T17:32:38.653" Score="3" ViewCount="868" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a harmful side to mindfulness as it is practiced in Western materialistic/capitalistic cultures?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly the modern mindfulness movement has been very successful, but I'm wondering if that's at the expense of losing its spiritual core. And it concerns me that what we are left with is just another kind of narcissistic solipsistic selfishness. Is there any validity in my concerns, or am I worrying about nothing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2445" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:44:56.577" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:44:56.577" Title="Is there a harmful side to mindfulness as it is practiced in Western materialistic/capitalistic cultures?" Tags="|modern-world|enlightenment|mindfulness|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5902" CreationDate="2014-12-20T18:49:53.417" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I think it's likely this question will be seen as prone to opinion-based answers, but I'm going to offer some thoughts anyway, since I want to balance my comments critiquing your question :-) )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say the basic answer is &quot;yes&quot;, mindfulness when approached in the way you describe could indeed cause harm. I see at least three forms that harm could take:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &quot;opportunity cost&quot; incurred by a practitioner who spends a lot of time on the kind of denuded mindfulness you describe, thinking it's the Real McCoy, and as a result fails to ever find a truly fruitful complete practice. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actual harm in the form of an increased narcissism in the practitioner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The kinds of mental trauma described by people like Daniel Ingram and Willoughby Britton (the so-called &quot;Dark Night&quot;) which I think are arguably caused by people plunging too quickly and deeply into intensive (and unguided) vipassana-focused practice without a balancing practice in morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that said, I'd find it hard to impossible to say just how much of the above theoretically possible harm is experienced in practice. I'd guess (but based on my reading of Ingram, Britton, and also Shinzen Young and others) that the third point is rare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T18:49:53.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5902" CreationDate="2014-12-20T20:17:26.520" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Mindfulness practice that is taught in a secular fashion in the West is based on the Buddhist Satipaṭṭāna-vipassanā practices, but it is a bit different. For one, in Buddhism, vipassnā is meant to be practiced within a certain framework of Buddhist thought and forms only a small part of the overall practice. Second, the &quot;nonjudgemental awareness&quot; you find in secular Mindfulness is something you won't find in the Buddhist Satipaṭṭāna practice. In the discourses the practitioner is instructed direct the mind away from unskillful states and direct the mind towards skillful mental states, so there's definitely an evaluation going on. See Bhikkhu Analayo's &quot;Satipaṭṭāna: The Direct Path to Liberation&quot; text for an in-depth discussion on this.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result of the above, the experiences of Mindfulness practitioners can only be loosely connected to what we find in the Buddhist texts. In the discourses, the awareness of impermanence is said to lead to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated, it eliminates all sensual lust, it eliminates all lust for existence, it eliminates all ignorance, it uproots all conceit ‘I am.’&quot; - SN22.102&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditators who practice is within the traditional framework certainly experiences these things (it takes a good deal of concentration - i.e. calming of the mind - to get to this point), but do Mindfulness practitioners do as well? And if they do, is that really what they hoped to get out of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most practitioners of Mindfulness do it with the expectation of receiving benefits for their everyday lives. But in Buddhism Satipaṭṭāna practice has usually been the domain of monks and nuns living an ascetic lifestyle. The texts never claim, to my knowledge, that it would make a person more ready to go through the hustle and bustle of a daily layperson's life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Guy Armstrong, a meditation teacher at Spirit Rock, for a while he found that could not relate at all to the Buddhist texts with regard to this meditation practice. But later after his practice deepened and his emotions stabilized, he realized that he was practicing for &quot;emotional healing&quot; but the Buddhist texts were not aimed at that purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in summary, the secular Mindfulness practice taught in the West today, while having origins in Buddhism, is a 1)slightly different practice and 2)aimed at a different purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2447" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T20:17:26.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5902" CreationDate="2014-12-20T22:41:58.833" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been thinking a bit about this question and have come to the conclusion that practicing mindfulness in this way may lead to suffering. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because it seems to me that in the western way of practicing mindfulness one is doing it for a specific purpose, meaning that one has expectations to the practice. One expects a result. One thereby has craving. In the buddhist way of practicing mindfulness one learns about the 3 signs of existence and the 5 aggregates. With proper practice that leads one to understand that there is no such thing as an eternal, permanent &lt;em&gt;Self&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practice mindfulness with another purpose than the aforementioned one then one will not reach the understanding of the false idea of &lt;em&gt;Self&lt;/em&gt;. One will instead reinforce the belief in a &lt;em&gt;Self&lt;/em&gt; which in turn leads to further suffering and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddhist practice of mindfulness is all about training to see phenomena clearly, as they really are and in that way it leads to the giving up of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that the western way is the opposite and thereby it might lead to further suffering and attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another point i want to make is that i think the practice of mindfulness becomes more ineffective when taken out of the &lt;em&gt;true&lt;/em&gt; context which is the buddhist way as described by the Buddha. One cannot just take such a profound teaching and turn it into something else. &#xA;Its like having a puzzle with 1000 bricks and then taking out 5-10 bricks and trying to complete the puzzle with only them or like trying to drive a car without having a license.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to state that i have not tried the western way of mindfulness and i know noone who do it so i might be completely wrong about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2014-12-20T23:00:59.393" LastActivityDate="2014-12-20T23:00:59.393" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5907" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-21T01:27:28.640" Score="2" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to learn sanskrit so that I'll have an easier go at learning pali &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2449" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T01:27:28.640" Title="Is it possible to learn sanskrit on your own?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2014-12-21T17:52:48.440" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2014-12-21T06:20:10.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Different schools approach this in different ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best method of teaching is by example and by teaching what you practised and have verified at the experiential level / empirically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First you should practice and then teach what was beneficial to you and what you have verified 1st hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through your practice there should be a visible change in you to inspire other. When you have experienced the benefits 1st hand you should get inspired to share this with loved ones and friends. Sharing the benefits and experience should be the motivating factor to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-22T16:27:59.390" LastActivityDate="2014-12-22T16:27:59.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5879" CreationDate="2014-12-21T06:33:29.873" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as what you are doing is not immoral in my case I would go along with what the others are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main point is by doing this you should not accumulate more fabrication. One way is to reduce contact through it is not very effective, which you are trying now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more effective way is to go along with the crowed but what every you do be mind full of the sensation and its impermanence. It is reaction of clinging or aversion to the sensation created when you come in contact with something which causes fabrications. This is what you should actively avoid. Though you might not chase sense pleases you have to go with the flow in social contexts if you want to be a householder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T06:33:29.873" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5910" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-21T08:05:36.393" Score="7" ViewCount="2860" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have relationship with non Buddhist, and we both thinking seriously about marriage. My family could not accept him because he is not Buddhist. But as I learned so far , Buddhism teach us to love and respect all religion. Can I  marry him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastActivityDate="2019-07-13T08:51:04.773" Title="Can Buddhist marry non Buddhist?" Tags="|non-buddhism|marriage|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5910" CreationDate="2014-12-21T12:02:13.933" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;What a Buddhist should do is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lead a moral life which is beneficial to others and to oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to develop control over your mind rather than be a slave to it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to develop an understanding of the true nature of phenomena and reality (cause and effect) with relation to the psychological impact which cause misery and use this understanding as a leverage to come out of misery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this question boils down to if a physiologist can marry a surgeon or engineer or some one who subscribes to a non-scientific dogma. &lt;strong&gt;There is no issue.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But again marriage comes with other responsibilities and issues afterwards. You have to think through how you can handle these before hand. Also evaluate the impact it might have on your personal development and meditation, and see if there are any personal &quot;costs&quot; involved, but again this is up to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:02:32.280" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T17:02:32.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5913" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-12-21T16:55:51.207" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T16:55:51.207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T16:55:51.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5914" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-12-21T16:55:51.207" Score="0" Body="How Buddhism promotes and interacts with related to physical and mental well being. Can relate to illness, stress or difficulties in personal relationships." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:43:17.980" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:43:17.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5885" CreationDate="2014-12-21T17:16:52.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the tradition of the Medicine Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism - I'm most familiar with his appearance in the Lotus Sutra but he has an influence further that that one (albeit very influential) sutra. The Medicine Buddha is associated with mental and physical healing. While this Buddha certainly does heal the existential suffering that is the more familiar concern of Buddhism he does also heal physical aliments as well in some traditions. To quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaisajyaguru#Role_in_Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wiki&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Medicine Buddha has] very powerful method for healing and&#xA;  increasing healing powers both for oneself and others, but also for&#xA;  overcoming the inner sickness of attachment, hatred, and ignorance,&#xA;  thus to meditate on the Medicine Buddha can help decrease physical and&#xA;  mental illness and suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a further aside I was watching a documentary about the Dalai Lama and he was receiving people for blessings. One man brought him a young child with a nasty looking open fracture to ask for the Dalai Lama's healing. So a belief in healing through blessing clearly exists in the Buddhist world today. I have to say that the Dalai Lama was having none of it. He strongly suggested that the child should be taken to hospital as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reference Note:&lt;/em&gt; I'm fairly certain that the above scene comes from the documentary &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1215487/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_49&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Unwinking Gaze&lt;/a&gt; but I'm very happy to be corrected on that point if anyone knows better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:24:23.363" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T17:24:23.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5916" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5926" CreationDate="2014-12-21T17:34:13.247" Score="5" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;The current (14th) Dalai Lama has recently indicated that he may be the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-30510018&quot;&gt;last person to hold that title&lt;/a&gt;. Does this stance cause any theological issues for the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhism or more widely Tibetan Buddhism in general? Can a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku&quot;&gt;tulku&lt;/a&gt; stop reincarnating? Does this potential lack of reincarnation conflict with the Bodhisattva vow?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that there is a political element to this but I'm trying to understand the consequences if any for the tradition, theology and philosophy of the religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T21:58:17.717" Title="What are the consequences of the 14th Dalai Lama being the last one?" Tags="|modern-world|tibetan-buddhism|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5917" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2014-12-21T17:36:38.480" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-21T17:36:38.480" LastActivityDate="2014-12-21T17:36:38.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5918" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2014-12-21T17:36:38.480" Score="0" Body="The head monk of the Gelug or &quot;Yellow Hat&quot; school of Tibetan Buddhism. The current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso and is the 14th Dalai Lama." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:03:00.313" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:03:00.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5920" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-22T00:17:36.697" Score="18" ViewCount="976" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hi my Name is Tobias and I am 31 years old. Of course there is a personal story behind my question and a lot of causes and conditions that led to my current situation but in brief the question goes somewhat like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What advice could you give someone who after a long period of looking deeply into buddhhism comes to the conclusion that there is actually nothing else to do in this life apart from practicing the dhamma (most preferably as a monk) but due to decisions earlier in his life this person is bound to live a worldly life (having two children to care for)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The obvious answer would probably be to practise as a layperson and become a monk maybe in the next life :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sounds good in theory but I have come to realize that this is actually not easy to be done when you have no real interest in social interaction, seeing that most of the things people spend their time with are utterly useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is like being caught between two things where you can´t really focus on either one completely!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks very much for your advice and opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2454" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:03:15.673" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:03:15.673" Title="Caught between two worlds" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5378" CreationDate="2014-12-22T01:25:27.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With regard to this question, I would like to offer the following essay, too long to re-post here, done a decade ago concering the topic: Sex and the Lay Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/bd_dhammatalk/ethical_culture/sex_andthe_lay_buddhist.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/bd_dhammatalk/ethical_culture/sex_andthe_lay_buddhist.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some very efficacious practices for ending the habit of sexual indulgence described in this essay. In addition I would now add:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There comes a time when one's detachment is such that temptation to sexual pleasure of any sort does not even enter the mind. Prior to that there is a period when there is sufficient detachment from sexual pleasures to allow one to say on the first even very tiny approach of temptation: &quot;No thank you, thank you very much.&quot; Prior to that there comes a time when one is sufficiently detached that although allowing confrontation with temptation one is able to extract one's self before it gets out of hand ... so to speak. Prior to that there is a period when one indulges for a time, for a longer time, for a very long time but without going so far as to ooze any liquid (see simile for the first jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also suggest, in addition to the suggestions in the article cited: eliminate any props. You do not want to end like a certain actor, hanging upside down on a cross with a noose around your neck from a coat rack in a second rate hotel in Thailand. Keep it in your head. Use the Eightfold path. This sort of thing, most purely sexual fantasy requires violence. Violence is to be let go. Get rid of the props, then get rid of the violence from the fantasy. If the fantasy can be made into a love or romantic fantasy, it becomes very alian to an outright sexual fantasy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing: Keep at it. That is the effort to abstain. Look at the spaces, not the failures. Extend the periods between failures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-22T01:25:27.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5920" CreationDate="2014-12-22T01:56:37.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first thing you need to do is to recognize that this is a weakness in yourself. You do not have the strength to confront the emotions involved in abandoning your family. Recognizing the situation in this way puts the scales into balance. You do not blame Buddhism for not being able to magically get you out of this situation, and you do not blame others for getting you into it. This is just 'where you are.' Seeing it that way you will get rid of unhelpful mental states like bashing yourself for not making the sort of progress you think you should be making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then confront the reality. You have a job to do. This is your kamma. There is nothing to do about that but knuckle down and do the best job of managing the situation that you can. This is your concentration object at this point. You make your life situation into your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context you can take what free time you can manage to scrape up to meditate and study the Dhamma with the idea of using the benefits to better handle your situation. This situation. Not some, for you, abstract idea of ending rebirth completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I have a practical suggestion that I have given to a number of 'husbands' to good effect: If it is at all possible, get yourself a 'den'. This room you go to to restore your strength. No one may enter except in an emergency. It will make all the difference in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can also suggest that you do not make any efforts to bend your family to your higher purpose. Accept them as they are. This is the task of every Buddhist in the end anyway. You just have it in an intensified form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember: nothing lasts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2418" LastActivityDate="2014-12-22T01:56:37.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5920" CreationDate="2014-12-22T02:58:45.697" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot you can do to make the best of your situation. I can tell you what's been helpful for me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Social interaction regarding worldly things can seem like a ridiculous waste of time; but social interaction regarding the Buddha's teachings can be energizing. Reducing your old ways of social interaction and time spent on entertainment can give you time to find others, both online and locally, who share your interest in the Buddha's teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A job can seem very dreary when the old ambitions you had no longer motivate you. But you can keep in mind that your job gives you the opportunity to give dana and support the Dhamma and that is really an honor, I think. Learning to live frugally so that you can give dana can be rewarding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can set a quiet, good example for everyone in your world by keeping the five precepts, following the noble 8 fold path, and letting it drop in casual conversation that you are Buddhist or that you meditate. You don't ever have to try to convince anyone about your beliefs. Just let your actions and demeanor speak for itself. Seeing positive changes in you may create interest in Buddhism or meditation in those around you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can join in a sort of spiritual solidarity with monastics by keeping the 8 precepts as often as possible. That's good for focusing on your practice too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When monastics depend on laypeople for support and laypeople depend on monastics for spiritual support and teachings, a wonderful synergy is created. And both sides of the coin are important. I recommend a book called The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity at Home, at Work, and in the World. &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715470&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/The-Buddhas-Teachings-Prosperity-World/dp/0861715470#&lt;/a&gt; It has many teachings directed at laypeople that you don't often hear and can help you understand the important of laypeople in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes in your journey. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-12-22T02:58:45.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5272" CreationDate="2014-12-22T05:21:54.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;All these experiences you get are due to fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should actively calm the fabrication. To do that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you have a pleasant / unpleasant sensation somewhere bring it to your attention for a while - initially just bringing it to your attention will not make it go away but later stages it will just pass away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you mind wanders a way just before brining it to the subject asses the sensations around your head and body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When focused on the breath focus on all aspects of the breathing. Duration and start to stop&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on particular bodily sensation (expansion / contraction and oxygenating) with no imagination or verbalisation of sensations related to the breathing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on the mind wondering and thinking and try to focus on the breath exclusively to reduce verbal fabrication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on sensations resulting from metal states or content and sensations resulting from perception and outlook of the world you have. Note biggest source of misery is the perception of oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Initially you will have gross solidified sensation in your body. By bringing them to your attention they will pass away. Then you will have pleasant sensations. By being attentive to them without missing any part of the body they also will pass away leaving neutral sensation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note meditating 15 minutes may be inadequate. At least do 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening / night. If possible more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:51:05.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2271" CreationDate="2014-12-22T11:32:22.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the other answers there are some proposals which I do not want to repeat here; this answer is just to shed some other/private light on some more whereabouts of the problem.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In pre-socialistic Russia there were the two sections of the communist party, one called &quot;menshewiki&quot; the others &quot;bolshewiki&quot;. Today most people knows only &quot;bolshewiki&quot; and associate something -possibly special cruel- with it...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Now, well, it only meant:&quot;menshewiki&quot;- the smaller fraction, &quot;bolshewiki&quot; - the larger fraction. &quot;minority&quot;- &quot;majority&quot;....&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Of what I've read, the word &quot;mahasanghika&quot; had initially simply some similar connotation, but with the occurence of the term &quot;maha-yana&quot; (the wider/larger vehicle) it must have happened relatively soon that also a connotation far beyond of the size-aspect towards &quot;better/worse&quot;, &quot;superior/inferior&quot; overlaid (and possibly dominated) that size-aspect. &lt;em&gt;(A specially intense impression can one get when reading the (mahayana-) Parinirvana-sutra, where even the&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;term&lt;/strong&gt; itself is mentioned and celebrated as liberation-relevant).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Perhaps, if it had happened using the english language one had called the own, larger, part of the sangha the &quot;omnibus-car&quot;, or even &quot;ferrari-car&quot;, the &quot;thunderbolt-car&quot;, and the smaller, more traditional part the &quot;bobby-car&quot;. And the pali-term &quot;hina&quot; means in almost all cases something with a less-worth connotation as some Pali-dictionary had pointed out.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can try to imagine that when you say &quot;hinayana&quot; the listener understands &quot;bobbycar&quot; and feels somehow intimidated. The use of the term &quot;theravada&quot; is, again as I understood that things, only a way out of the mess, because originally it meant only a subgroup in that smaller fraction of descendents of the initial sangha. But it seems, it is the only surviving one of them and one might accept, that their name is taken &quot;pars-pro-toto&quot;.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2014-12-22T11:32:22.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5916" CreationDate="2014-12-22T12:09:44.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think, as an overall, we must realize what is truly important, that is, the teaching will always be greater than the teacher. Even the Buddha is no comparison to the Dharma. Even on the Buddhas deathbed, when His disciples feared that the light-of-the-world was about to go-out, the Buddha reminded then of the power of the teaching. As long as the practices of the teachings continue, the light will always shine!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha told Ananda that when the Dhamma has been completely forgotten a new fully enlightened Buddha will arise. He is called Maitreya. I'm here quoting &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Sri. Dhammananda when he says in his book &lt;em&gt;What Buddhists Believe&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on page 76:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...The Buddha continued again: &amp;quot;I am not the first Buddha to come upon earth; nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will&#xA;arise in this world, a Holy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, endowed&#xA;with wisdom, in conduct auspicious, knowing the universe, an&#xA;incomparable leader of men, a master of devas and men. He will reveal&#xA;to you the same Eternal Truths which I have taught you. He will&#xA;proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now&#xA;proclaim.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;How shall we know him?&amp;quot;, asked Ananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha replied, &amp;quot;He will be known as Maitreya which means kindness or friendliness.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T20:03:11.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5920" CreationDate="2014-12-23T07:35:55.650" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;What exactly are you practicing the dharma for? What exactly is the difference between your so called layman world and the &quot;monk's world&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The layman world which you speak of require you to &quot;participate in social interaction&quot;, seeing and spending time on activities that are &quot;utterly useless&quot;. But who defined that world? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember the Buddhist dharma is not bounded by the physical world, the boundary only exist in your mind. So do the worlds you speak of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This first step I will say is to just start practicing. When you are eating, practice. When you are walking, practice. When you are working practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just practice.Leave the the worldly problems aside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2462" LastActivityDate="2014-12-23T07:35:55.650" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5920" CreationDate="2014-12-23T14:02:11.777" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My advice is to use your life to practice dharma; after all, dharma can be practiced in any circumstances and its fruits are available now.  The challenges you face become fuel for practice. Your actions become the expression of practice.  Life's annoyances and pains (such as dealing with others) are a chance to explore self and attachment.  Your interactions are a chance to practice path elements such as mindfulness and especially right speech and compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One need not be a monk to practice and benefit from Dharma.  Further, wanting to be a monk can be an attachment and thus a source of dukkha. Now, in addition to the usual challenges of the lay life, there's also the dukkha that comes from one more case of wanting things to be other than they are (e.g.: wanting to be a monk).  Dukkha doesn't change because the cause is &quot;spiritual&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, monks have their own challenges.  Not all monks are spiritual or care about the Dharma.  Often, monks at the monastery are there for ulterior motives, and hence have no interest in dharma. Further, being a monk, it's all too easy to hide behind the orange robes and begging bowl; is one really practicing then?  Sure one is isolated, but what challenges is one facing?  Challenges are the fuel for practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because you are not a monk doesn't mean you're living a worldly life.  What makes your life worldly is how you live in the world.  There are many worldly monks and many spiritual laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who practice Dharma for a better rebirth as a monk (or anything else) are not fully practicing dharma because implicit in the practice is their clinging to monk-hood (or anything else) and a holding back, a belief that they really cannot reap the full fruits now. Such practice strikes me as half-hearted.  Practice should be done with the intent of liberation in the circumstances one is in. If one practices whole-heartedly and the rebirth doctrine is true, one enjoys a better life now and a better rebirth will occur.  If the rebirth doctrine is false, one still enjoys a better life now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-23T14:23:05.410" LastActivityDate="2014-12-23T14:23:05.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5920" CreationDate="2014-12-23T16:17:53.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many factors keeping you bound to the lay life. Having children is only one of them.  Prince Siddhartha had a son when he left. It's just that your &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nekkhamma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nekkhamma&lt;/a&gt; thoughts are still not strong enough to break the bonds of lay life. You don't really have any special problem apart from being subjected to the 1st noble truth. Keep doing good and cultivating the mind through meditation. When Nekkhamma Sankhappa overpowers clinging, you will leave the lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-12-23T16:17:53.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2014-12-23T17:03:49.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Long answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First start with learning about your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;practicing compassion to beings around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, one learns that one's presence is just as &quot;important&quot; as all other beings around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Henceforth brings to the realization that: your compassion to other beings benefits also yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would then be spreading the &lt;em&gt;word&lt;/em&gt;, without even having to utter one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2014-12-23T17:13:56.410" LastActivityDate="2014-12-23T17:13:56.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5910" CreationDate="2014-12-24T00:16:45.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a non-Buddhist marry a Buddhist? In the eyes of a non-Buddhist, yes or no, or maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can a Buddhist marry a non-Buddhist or would he / she refrain from marrying a non-Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He / she would leave the decision to the non-Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The end decision to him / her would be the same - sun rises from the east, settles at the west. Water flows, birds sing, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the same. Remains the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T00:16:45.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5910" CreationDate="2014-12-24T04:12:45.650" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. There are no restrictions in marrying people of other belief systems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2462" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-12-24T14:38:19.987" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T14:38:19.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5910" CreationDate="2014-12-24T08:41:01.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Marriage demands mutual understanding not only between the marrying couple but between the two families. One of the most important thing you should consider before marrying a non Buddhist is if you would be able to continue your practice even after marriage. If you and your future husband are going to live by yourself without his family, then atleast he should know about your practice. If you are going to live with his family then its better that the whole family knows about your practice and that you would like to continue it. The story of Vishakha - chief laywoman disciple of Buddha would likely provide inspiration and guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/personalities/visakha_migaramata.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/personalities/visakha_migaramata.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2014-12-24T08:48:08.293" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T08:48:08.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2270" CreationDate="2014-12-24T17:04:16.403" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, how bad is &quot;bad&quot;?  Second, what are your limits?  Third, can you really help?  Fourth, is walking away a form of help? Fifth, what does your need of &quot;bad&quot; people say about your path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, how bad is &quot;bad&quot;?  Does it mean people who are not as far along the path?  Does it mean those who don't care for the dharma?  Does it mean toxic people?  Knowing the specific problem can help you know whether you should help or not.  Also, don't assume that just beacause they carry the label of Buddhist or are in your Sangha that they are on the same path.  Some of the most toxic people I met were in my Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, what are your limits?  Boundless compassion is great, but usually there are limits to where we are at the moment. We want to challenge those limits, but we don't want to go overboard and end up dragging ourselves down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, can you really help?  Most people don't want to be helped -- they identify with their pain, consider it themselves and thus cherish it above most else.  Confronting that pain becomes an attack on their identity, and the reaction can be ugly.  Further, some people just want someone to exploit and they can string you along, making you think you are helping so you stick around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fourth, is walking away a form of help?  It can be.  If you stick around and try to help, you may simply be reinforcing their behavior, by providing them with what they want: attention.  By walking away, they lose the platform and may get the message that they will lose other people, or that they are noxious in the eyes of others.  This might just make them re-evaluate what they've been doing.  After all, they do what they do because on some level they think it's &quot;working&quot;, so maybe they need to see it's not &quot;working&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fifth, what does your need of &quot;bad&quot; people say about your path?  That you need to associate with such people due to social networking means there is a worldly pay-off to associating with them.  That's fine, but it's important to note that it's not dharma at this point.  Being immersed in the world builds up webs of dependencies which can easily enmesh us, and part of it is the possible domino effect of associating with certain individuals.  How you choose to live your life is a decision only you can make, but it may not hurt to keep your eyes open to what you are really doing; it may help you balance the dharma and the worldly more effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conclusion: Just wanting to help is not enough, we need to wisely apply our efforts.  Failure to do so leads to what some Buddhists call &lt;a href=&quot;http://old-shambhala.shambhala.org/teachers/pema/qa5.php&quot;&gt;&quot;Idiot Compassion&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.  Don't let the harsh-sounding phrase scare you off -- and I recommend visiting that link, as it's relevant to this situation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-24T17:34:02.513" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T17:34:02.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-24T18:22:25.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can call yourself a Buddhist if you give fair trial to the Buddhist teaching. You should have some faith the the Buddha, the Community and the Teaching unless you will not try the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not a religion in the sense that a religion accepts a higher power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T18:22:25.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5942" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5944" CreationDate="2014-12-24T21:42:46.360" Score="9" ViewCount="770" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was taught the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta Bhavna&lt;/a&gt; meditation practice it was suggested that I repeat the following to myself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May I be well&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May I be happy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May I be free&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again repeating the same again to other people. As the practice goes on then this can be dropped for more subtle methods. But this formulation and the practice in general has always struck me as been at odds with the idea of no fixed self (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;). If I am wishing well to myself and others - who exactly am I wishing well to? Who is this 'I' that I am wishing well to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general do these kinds of metta practice conflict with the annatta doctrine. I am assuming that they don't conflict as they are both fairly central in Buddhism. Given that, how are the two practices reconciled?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T21:59:09.437" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T03:21:41.663" Title="Do metta practices and anatta contradict each other?" Tags="|personal-practice|philosophy|anatman|compassion|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2014-12-24T22:02:11.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; does not assert that there is no such thing as a self &lt;em&gt;at all&lt;/em&gt;, but rather that whatever self is, it's not permanent, separate, etc. So in your own formulation, &quot;no fixed self&quot;, the operative word is &quot;fixed&quot;. Given that, there is no contradiction since clearly -- a la Descarte's &lt;em&gt;cogito ergo sum&lt;/em&gt; -- the mere fact that you practice metta and wish for the wellbeing of yourself (and others) itself shows that you exist. I suppose one could say &lt;em&gt;beatifico ergo sum&lt;/em&gt; :-) Anatta then simply points to the fact that &quot;you&quot; whatever you are, aren't what you (assuming you are unenlightened) think you are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2014-12-24T22:02:11.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2014-12-25T00:40:20.910" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;In general do these kinds of metta practice conflict with the annatta doctrine. I am assuming that they don't conflict as they are both fairly central in Buddhism. Given that, how are the two practices reconciled?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is something of a linguistic issue mixed with prescription/description issues -- and often discussions about &quot;conventional&quot; and &quot;absolute&quot; terms come up, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I can see a conflict through an ordinary/abstract approach (eg. if one disregard all that is context sensitive and assume words and meanings are fixed across the texts). Thus, the following show conflict (disregarding translation traps):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May I be well&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May I be happy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May I be free&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person, touched by experience born of the contact of ignorance, there occur (the thoughts): &lt;strong&gt;'I am,' 'I am thus,' 'I shall be,' 'I shall not be,'&lt;/strong&gt; 'I shall be possessed of form,' 'I shall be formless,' 'I shall be percipient (conscious),' 'I shall be non-percipient,' or 'I shall be neither percipient nor non-percipient.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.047.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.47&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a dead end. I think the issue is much like vaccine having the appearance of a contradiction: a person is cured by making her ill. The details that are important to make a better sense of it are implicit or words are too overloaded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a different approach, consider again an instruction to repeat the metta quote above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If one repeats it without actively manifesting anything these words denote, one is probably exercising little more than memory by doing the repetitions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if one directs the mind towards &quot;giving&quot; wellness, happiness and freedom, then a metta exercise is going on, in that it is expected the associated faculties to get stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, if whatever is done while repeating, a reinforcement of a doctrine of &quot;self&quot; takes place, a reinforcement of wrong view happens, I guess this is the &quot;contradiction&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, even though the target of metta alluded to is &quot;yourself&quot;, I believe it should be taken in the conventional sense (much as &quot;you&quot; and &quot;I&quot; are used by the Buddha), without reinforcing an illusory notion of &quot;self&quot;. And it certainly is an important practice. For example, many struggle with self acceptance, remorse and lack of compassion towards oneself, which is not only a source of suffering but a crosscutting obstruction (may affect how one treats others, affects all kinds of things like health, humor, energy, obfuscate our views, makes it much harder to get into deeper meditation, or to jhana states, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2014-12-25T02:30:39.110" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T02:30:39.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2014-12-25T04:14:07.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very subtle matter and can easily be misunderstood, even with proper references. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of anatta, not self, does not state that nothing exists. It's just that the idea of what you think it exists is completely mistaken. So the idea has no correspondence in reality and it is in that sense that the self doesn't exist. And this selfless, ever changing process we label &quot;I&quot;, is capable of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since this is a very subtle point, maybe you can practice with the sentences&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May this be well&#xA;May this be happy&#xA;May this be free&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May that be well&#xA;May that be happy&#xA;May that be free&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;where &quot;this&quot;, or &quot;that&quot; is the selfless, but sentient process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastEditorUserId="2469" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:12:24.037" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:12:24.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2014-12-25T06:06:26.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist view on Anatta is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no solid core as everything in the physical and metal structure is changing and not permanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is noting that you can absolutely control&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hence there is nothing worthy of identifying as oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrary contemporary view was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There was some small internal part which persists between lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 5 aggregates are self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some or one of the aggregate is self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding identity view, it is any perception or thoughts or view on self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Result in misery when there is a negative / positive evaluation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abandoning as opposed to clinging to the views and expectations result in you coming our of misery due to self related perceptions, thoughts and views&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when doing metta meditation you should look into the contact of the through with your mind sense door. Mere wishing some one does not cause you misery in most cases. Hence there is no issue with this perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some times is you are giving metta to some on of the opposite sex who you consider beautiful then raga may arise. Sometimes if a loved one is in a bad situation then some negative feeling may arise with the craving to overcome the difficulty. Also when you bring up the perception of someone you hate to be well and happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep looking at the contact of the thought with the mind and the sensation it produces. If the thoughts, perceptions and views on oneself is creating unpleasant (based on aversion) / pleasant (based on craving) sensations then you are not doing the meditation the right way. (Also note neutral sensation can be based on perceptions and views also hence based on ignorance of reality but if they are not causing any thing other than neutral sensation then at least it is a start.) If you strengthening the perceptions (sanna) and views (ditti) then you are doing the meditation the wrong way. If it is lightening the perceptions and views then you are doing it the correct way. Your thoughts of metta should ideally proliferate to either karuan and / or mudita and then finally upekka. Every though should end in equanimity and understanding of its impermanence. Equanimity since you have no absolute control and any expectation are unsatisfactory hence strengthening your understanding Anatta and Sakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this can be practice at three levels:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physical level - by service, charity and action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Verbal fabrication level - You recite in terms of words or visualise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental fabrication level - by instilling the perception and view or metal concept sans words or visualisations (this is difficult at start unless you have some idea how perception and view work but can come to this later.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the last level you can progress to higher levels of concentration as you are just dealing with perception and sensations through as you progress you have to make this perception very subtle where there is hardly any perception (neither perception nor no perception).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following two guides might also be very helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practical Bare-Bones guide to Metta Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/TheSublimeAttitudes_140828.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sublime Attitudes: A Study Guide on the Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T11:10:33.213" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T11:10:33.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5948" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5951" CreationDate="2014-12-25T12:22:33.330" Score="11" ViewCount="1540" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/07/the-buddha%E2%80%99s-real-views-on-meat-eating/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Dhammavuddho Thero:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya 55 ..... The Buddha denied this, adding “Jivaka, I&#xA;  say that there are three instances in which meat should not be eaten:&#xA;  when it is seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been&#xA;  specifically slaughtered for oneself) … I say that there are three&#xA;  instances in which meat may be eaten: when it is not seen, heard, or&#xA;  suspected (that the living being has been specifically slaughtered for&#xA;  oneself).”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another quote from the same source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anguttara Nikaya 8.12 ..... This is one of the discourses which clearly&#xA;  shows that the Buddha and his monks ate meat. Also, we see that meat&#xA;  from an animal that is already dead when it is purchased is allowed to&#xA;  be used, but not if the animal is alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary from the above and various sources:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is wrong to kill or directly cause the killing of animals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is wrong to have a livelihood on the business of meat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is wrong to consume meat that is from an animal that is seen, heard or suspected to have been slaughtered specifically for you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is ok to purchase and consume meat from the market (already dead before you arrived at the market)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My thought is that although the last case is not wrong due to an individual not being the direct cause of the killing of the specific animal, the individual is still contributing to the general demand that drives the meat market i.e. encouraging the supply of meat by butchers. If there is no demand, then there would be no supply. Unlike a tiger killing its prey, a butcher only slaughters the animal if there would be purchasers who would buy its meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, why is this not considered wrong by Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Preferably, according to the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T10:55:31.530" LastActivityDate="2020-06-03T04:06:21.763" Title="Why is contributing to the market demand for meat not wrong?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2014-12-25T13:05:19.003" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because buddhist morality is not about regulations and punishments for bad deeds. It's about the effect actions have on your well being, and others' well being. It's &quot;medicinal morality&quot;, rather than &quot;legalist morality&quot;. And what is bad for the mind's health is to act with malicious intentions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This perspective on morality is completely different from our western morality which is still influenced by a christian view of exterior punishment for bad deeds. The punishment comes from you alone and is thus rooted in your intentions behind the deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, this is just one more instance of how suffering in the world is innevitable. It's not that being vegetarian is irrelevant. It is obviously a wholesome thing to do. But there are far more important things to worry about regarding what is good and what is bad for the mind, because when you buy meat you don't have the intention to kill animals. Just like when you walk the street you have no intention to kill bugs, even though that is completely innevitable in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T13:05:19.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2014-12-25T13:07:40.053" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The key here is &lt;code&gt;volition &amp;gt; fabrications&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism this one one of the main points to be focused on. Though demand means that animals will get killed to supply the demand, for the person consuming there is not volition to kill. If any body wants to take a step further and become vegetarian / vegan then it is up to the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here volition to feast should not be mistaken with volition to kill. If you have to complete the karma of killing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it should be directed at the animal rooted in either aversion (e.g. pests), carving (e.g. to have a good dinner), ignorance (e.g. ritual)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should know this is alive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should have a method to kill it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should follow through with the method&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as a result the animal should get killed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of chicken dinner:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we crave for taste&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we device a plan too shopping and then cook or go to a restaurant or something else&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;this can involve butchering the animal or hunting in which case this is equivalent to killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we follow through with it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as a result our craving is momentarily stratified&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through both creates fabrication much of the it is differently motivated. One has the animal as the subject the other has mere eating as the subject. If you are thinking to eat a particular animal then it will be volition to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at this more deeply. Also only two things Buddha taught is unsatisfactory nature of existance and how to come out of it. Buddhism basis of morality is no exception and is very objective in what it is supposed to achieve. That is to train yourself come out of misery. Buddhist morality is not a right or ritual, a vow, philosophy, custom, fashion, personal value system, belief or ideal you adhere to, etc. (At some point you will understand morality predicated on this basis will not take you to the final Buddhist goal. But until some time you have to do it as a personal value system or principle.) This is a tool or a step in the process which you train yourself to come out of misery and means to create the best contritions for concentration and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to dissolve all your fabrications. Any through which is contrary to morals will manifest as an unpleasant sensation. Unpleasant sensation means new negative fabrication are created. The goal of the Buddhist teaching it to identify the psychological root of suffering and eliminate it. Any volition which results in solidifies / gross sensation should be let go of. (Initially a person practising will  practice morality as a vow, custom, personal belief, etc. but later will become automatic when one sees the fabrication process.) The moral basis of Buddhism is that you do not create any fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you hold on to a view that eating meat is bad this contributes to your misery as it adds to your base of perceptions or conditioned responses of the mind. Thoughts proliferating will create sensation and reaction will further create fabrications. The view on the matter will feed in to ignorance as you have an expectation and yard stick against which you evaluate the events in the world. E.g. your mental reaction if you see a monk eating meat. This is just contributing to the notion of control and identity. Control - you have a clinging that thinks are ordered in a certain way but it is not ordered in the way you wish. Identity - you are holding into a view and a yardstick as your view or take on the matter. Also morality as a vow, ritual, ritual, or belief - basis on morality is ignorance but not the process of identifying the creating of fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basis of basis of Buddhist morality is volition and fabrication and the way to stop fabrication a means to get out of misery, than philosophical ideal to which every one should adhere to. Also &lt;strong&gt;morality is a tool in the process&lt;/strong&gt; that the end itself. At a more micro level is &lt;code&gt;thought &amp;gt; mind sense door &amp;gt; contact &amp;gt; register &amp;gt; evaluate &amp;gt; sensation &amp;gt; craving &amp;gt; clinging&lt;/code&gt;. You have to make sure any ideas are ones which do not give unpleasant sensations. Cultivate things will give you blissful or neutral / comfortable / relaxing sensations. Craving for food does have it downside but sensation mark different when you are motivated to kill. Also holding into a dietary / lifestyle ideal may have more decremental than a food craving at the level of fabrication as well as perception and view accumulation. To get out of misery you have to get out of the process of fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-21T04:44:53.047" LastActivityDate="2017-01-21T04:44:53.047" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2014-12-25T14:37:58.770" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The issue with this question is that it assumes that vegetarian food production does not kill animals. &lt;a href=&quot;http://theconversation.com/ordering-the-vegetarian-meal-theres-more-animal-blood-on-your-hands-4659&quot;&gt;Farming causes many deaths&lt;/a&gt; due to deforestation, pesticides, weedicides, electric fences and other animal traps. It can also contribute to landslides which even cause human deaths. So when you buy meat from the supermarket, if you are responsible for the animal who was slaughtered, you are also responsible for the animals killed in vegetarian food production, when you buy vegetarian food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T14:37:58.770" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2014-12-25T18:55:14.063" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the article, the first half of it is directed to monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks accept charity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks don't pay for food (so they don't &quot;contribute to the market&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks shouldn't refuse meat (if lay people choose/prefer to give them meat) because that (monks expressing a dietary preference and refusing) would make the monks more difficult to support&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the message to lay people (not monks), the article seems to summarize as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being vegetarian isn't sufficient to liberate people from suffering (so instead of teaching vegetarianism, the Buddha teaches the 4 noble truths, the 8-fold path, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being vegetarian isn't sufficient to prevent people from participating in indirect killing (e.g. clearing land for housing, for vegetarian crops, for driving, results in animals' being dying or killed)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being vegetarian isn't sufficient to prevent animals from dying (animals would die and/or kill each other even if all humans were vegetarian)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally agree with the article's &quot;commentary&quot; more than with the article itself.&#xA;As a lay person who has some choice about how to spend &quot;my&quot; money, I find the &quot;market demand&quot; argument persuasive. My personal preference is to be vegetarian but not to criticize the choices that others make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also know some people (non-Buddhists) who raise, slaughter, and eat their own animals: and I don't see these people as less ethical than those who buy meat ready-killed and butchered from a supermarket.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is quoted in the article as saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I say that there are three instances in which meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I choose to interpret &quot;paying a butcher&quot; as being the same as, &quot;causing another to kill&quot;, as well as, &quot;the living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself&quot;; but I understand that this is a 'non-canonical', view which not every Buddhist will or must agree with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, if you want to think or if you actually think that it (eating and/or buying meat) is wrong, and if you want to choose to be vegetarian, then I think there's some scripture which allows you to do that ... but there's not enough in the scripture to let you 'split the Sangha' and to argue that other Buddhists (who aren't vegetarian) are wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;why is this not considered wrong by Buddhists?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhists consider a lot of things wrong: and that &quot;this is considered wrong&quot; is an example of the first noble truth! What good is there in criticizing what other people choose to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_vegetarianism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In Buddhism, the views on vegetarianism vary between different schools of thought.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary to the article you posted is written by a venerable who &quot;was first ordained in the&#xA;Chinese Mahayana tradition. In 1986 he was re-ordained in&#xA;the Therāvada tradition in Thailand.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T18:55:14.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5954" CreationDate="2014-12-25T19:52:51.687" Score="3" ViewCount="884" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard this quote attributed to the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your&#xA;  anger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know where the quote comes from? Also the The notion of punishment seems a bit non standard to me. Does anyone know the orginal term (Pali etc...) translated here as punishment and if this is an accurate translation. I do like the quote though hence the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T20:02:00.347" Title="Where does the Buddha say 'you will be punished by your anger'?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5953" CreationDate="2014-12-25T20:02:00.347" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fakebuddhaquotes.com/you-will-not-be-punished-for-your-anger-you-will-be-punished-by-your-anger/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The fakebuddhaquotes web site attributes it&lt;/a&gt; as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going back to 1993, we hit pay dirt! In &lt;em&gt;To Love Is to Know Me: The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living&lt;/em&gt; (Volume 3), author Eknath Easwaran says the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even more intriguing to me is the karma of our health. Again, let me illustrate one or two kinds of connection. For one, the Buddha says that &lt;strong&gt;we are not punished for our anger, we are punished by our anger&lt;/strong&gt;. In other words, anger is its own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note the absence of quotation marks. Eknath is not quoting the Buddha, but paraphrasing his teachings on anger and karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2014-12-25T20:02:00.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5955" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-26T02:16:24.683" Score="4" ViewCount="3406" Body="&lt;p&gt;I noticed a reply Andrei made on a post on the results of meditating, that you become aware in your sleep while dreaming, so that your mind knows it's a dream:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2855/254&quot;&gt;Mindfulness during sleep&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/92/254&quot;&gt;Do Arhats sleep?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a major confirmation sign of correct practice in Ancient Daoism (which i've been reading for years now, not knowing which is correct practice) -- and i would like Andrei's advice (and whoever else would like to share their insight) on practice technique and how you have managed to get to this advanced level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2018-11-19T12:45:36.933" Title="Meditation and being aware in your sleep while dreaming" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|sleep|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2014-12-26T04:31:49.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can call yourself a Buddhist if you like, but that is just a name, much like your own. Does changing your name change who you are? Don't worry so much about what you should call yourself, just focus on studying and practicing Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not into the academic of  philosophy studies, I don't think this is an important question you need answer to.But if you need to classify what Buddhism is for now,just take Buddhism as a way to help you understand yourself and the world around you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2462" LastActivityDate="2014-12-26T04:31:49.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5957" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-26T06:18:44.643" Score="1" ViewCount="901" Body="&lt;p&gt;I love the tone of this song, although not understand the meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FODfgCrSaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Om Mani Padme Hum&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FODfgCrSaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FODfgCrSaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's her name ? Why do people venerate the bow ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T21:40:51.290" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T03:33:16.810" Title="Who sings Om mani padme hum mantra?" Tags="|reference-request|media|mantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5355" CreationDate="2014-12-27T07:28:09.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When looking for a skilful teacher you have to look at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Instructions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaching&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instructions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;easily understandable &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;easily actionable without abstraction or philosophy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;theory backed by practice - Dhamma is to be realised at the experimental level. If there is too much theoretical teaching which is not matched with practical experience this will be a issue as your understanding will be flawed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaching should be traced backed to the Suttas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should be taught through what has been practice and experienced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should deal with the following in some stage of advice:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming the fabrications - actionable and practical instruction to do so&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being equanimous to sensations with the understanding of its true nature&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practical and actionable way to reduce perception / view as means to calm the creation of fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Analysis of mind and matter, aggregates, faculties with a view to understand and clam the fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop understanding of cause and effect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Identify fabrications, how they are created and how they dissolve&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2014-12-27T09:58:27.913" LastActivityDate="2014-12-27T09:58:27.913" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2014-12-27T23:13:14.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, the &quot;ancient Israelites&quot; lived quite a long time compared with the lifespan of a single individual like Siddharta Gotama, the Buddha. Their own history, taken from the religious tradition, was from Abraham up to 0 BCE (or today, don't know when &quot;ancient&quot; ended...), and this means at least something from 2000 BCE; Moses is estimated to 1200 BCE if I recall right. But we (and also the Jews themselves) have this all only in the form of myths. Back to 1000 BCE and earlier I don't know whether there are any other reliable sources (besides the Torah) with such specific stories like that Torah ones about the kings Saul, David, Salomo, Rehabeam, ... and which were the first kings which were also mentioned by other tribes or nations (for instance Babylonian, Persian, Egypt) in governmental letters and statements.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;From the Buddha we have only discourses (from &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;one&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; lifespan of about 40 years of teaching)  with Brahmins as foreign religions and some remarks about contemporary ascets, like Mahavira (I think the patriarch of the Jains - which have also survived as a religious movement up to today), the &quot;naked ascetics&quot; and the &quot;white robed ascetics&quot;, the followers of Kassapa from Uruvela and so on. As far as I have read in the Pali-canon (the corpus of german translations) there was no explicite remark about other, more remote tribe/gentile/religion (also not about hellenistic ideas of the same historic times - but which in my view does not say that he might have or didn't have heard about it. In the contrary: why should you involve your disciples in a discussion about greek philosophy -even if you'd heard about it- when every important ingredient of it you can discuss with local examples...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2014-12-27T23:26:35.053" LastActivityDate="2014-12-27T23:26:35.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5764" CreationDate="2014-12-28T07:35:19.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some teachers identify two types of happiness: one associated with immediate comforts such as food, sense pleasures, etc; the second associated with inner peace and contentment. One can observe the first comes primarily from external sources, and is not under our immediate control. Inner peace and contentment is something we can develop.&#xA;To answer your question, one can come to know one's mind and gradually tame/transform one's mind through study and practice of the teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2478" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T07:35:19.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5657" CreationDate="2014-12-28T08:11:02.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parting from the Four Attachments&lt;/strong&gt; :a short teaching spoken by Manjushri to the Sakya patriarch Sachen Kunga Nyingpo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;If you are attached to this life, you are not a true spiritual practitioner.&#xA;If you are attached to samsara, you do not have renunciation.&#xA;If you are attached to your own self-interest, you have no bodhichitta.&#xA;If there is grasping, you do not have the View.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This first line addresses this exact point: if your only concern is for this present life, then you can't practice. Actually, your first practice can be changing this attitude!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2478" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T08:11:02.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2014-12-28T08:23:32.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lying occurs when four elements are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;a.  The speaker must not be mistaken about what he or she wants to say.&#xA;b.  The speaker must have the intention to deceive.&#xA;c.  The lie must be consciously pronounced.&#xA;d.  The hearer must be deceived.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Associated with lying are all attempts to twist the truth by deceptive means and the concealment of the facts in order to cheat people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;strong&gt;Treasury of Precious Qualities&lt;/strong&gt;, commentary by Kangyur Rinpoche&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2478" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T08:23:32.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3096" CreationDate="2014-12-28T08:52:35.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We engage in various thoughts, speech and physical actions. We are aware of some things happening to us. It is quite difficult to see the relation between all of them. I disagree with your statement &quot;&lt;em&gt;wrong action produces right results regularly&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. If by &quot;&lt;em&gt;right results&lt;/em&gt;&quot; you mean positive events occurring, this is the result of positive actions you have taken in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;strong&gt;Sutra of Instructions to the King&lt;/strong&gt; it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;When the moment comes to leave, 0 King,&#xA;Neither possessions, friends nor family can follow.&#xA;But wherever beings come from, wherever they go,&#xA;Their actions follow them like their own shadow.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as mentioned by Patrul Rinpoche in &lt;strong&gt;Words of my Perfect Teacher&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2478" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T08:52:35.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5964" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5965" CreationDate="2014-12-28T14:03:44.703" Score="3" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to ask a few questions, if I may. I am having some trouble seeing meanings or attributes being assigned to some things in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The yellow robe worn by monks is an emblem and reminder of the Triple Gem, as is the Buddha Statue. Therefore one is really bowing to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, not to some person or statue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I've also heard that one bows to show respect for the monk/nun/Buddha image. What is the actual meaning of bowing? I don't think that it makes the respect I already have for people any different. I can't seem to understand if it is right to assign a meaning to such simple act. Shouldn't we be seeing this just for what it is? (Bending the body, moving)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another example that I could use is the general idea of beauty. I know it results from the personal interpretation of the things that surround us, and we should set ourselves free from any kind of personal point of view. Yet, i've seen people (monks) talking about the beauty of the nature, and at the same time I disagree with such thing, I can only see nature as a beautiful thing. How do I deal with that?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Different people find different things pleasant. Therefore, pleasure is something personal and results from our personal interpretation of reality (an example of this is humor). The buddhist teachings tell us that there's no problem on feeling pleasant sensations, yet one can't cling to them. But if we should see things for what they truly are, finding something pleasant is not right, is it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance, &#xA;Nicolas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2479" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T08:20:46.357" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T15:27:22.657" Title="Seeing things for what they are" Tags="|traditions|ethics|reality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5964" CreationDate="2014-12-28T14:53:51.107" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;First off, you can't &quot;see things for what they are&quot;, because &quot;things&quot; not &quot;are&quot; in any single way. The way things are is always context dependent. As much as we may want to see things from  superhuman objective perspective, we can't escape a point of view. Now, if we understand that there is no truly objective point of view then we may get close to seeing things as they are, which means accepting our necessary limited perspective &lt;em&gt;as part of&lt;/em&gt; &quot;how things are&quot; -- but not being fooled by it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO, your assuming that you currently see things as they are is conceit and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, individual points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The symbolism of bowing is making yourself vulnerable to the person you're bowing to. This is like handshake in which you show you have no weapon, but taken to the next level. Basically, by bowing you're saying &quot;my life is in your hands&quot;. It would seem like it makes no difference if you already have respect for the person, but you have no idea how deep the egoistic resistance runs its roots. Try laughing authentically in front of a group of people you don't know and you will see what I mean. Similarly, bowing sincerely requires breaking through our false pride. And if you don't have pride anymore, bowing becomes expression of your understanding of the significance of Dharma and how it is manifested by Sangha, along with your gratitude to the Buddha. Again, it's like you are saying: &quot;Thank you Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha -- I'm glad to have you be the force that guides my life, and I would like to keep this connection alive&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding beauty and pleasure, Buddha taught us to train to see pleasant in non-pleasant and non-pleasant in pleasant. Only then can we be free from the dictate of &quot;things as they are&quot;. You will not hear monks finding beauty in what most people consider beautiful. Back in the day when nature was prevalent, and people praised castles and statues, monks praised a bird flying off a branch. This was expression of their ability to find beauty anywhere. These days the beauty of nature has been romanticized and became popular, which is why it seems like monks were simply indulging, but they were not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, it is not about seeing things as they are, it's seeing things in a useful way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T15:27:22.657" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T15:27:22.657" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2061" CreationDate="2014-12-28T14:56:26.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across this webpage which is a concise guide to chanting in salutation of the 28 Buddhas. It mentions that the Buddhas of the past are infinite in number; however 28 is the number of &lt;strong&gt;known&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhas and it lists the name and a trait of each of the 28. Gotama Buddha and the 3 that preceded him are the Buddhas of our current world cycle. Maitreya will be the upcoming and last Buddha of our current world cycle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is noted that all of the Buddhas have exactly the same qualities. So one can see that reflecting on the qualities of Gotama Buddha can be expanded to reflecting on the qualities of all the known 28 Buddhas and indeed all the infinite number of Buddhas known and unknown.  This can give one a sense of the continuation of the Dhamma over incalculable periods of time, which could lead an individual to have greater faith in the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jaibheem.com/BV-Page-9.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.jaibheem.com/BV-Page-9.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T14:56:26.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5964" CreationDate="2014-12-28T15:36:08.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bowing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has 2 functions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Help reduce conceit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Be grateful to have found (so much effort and pain by the Buddha to find the solution for unsatisfactory), preserved (by linage of teachers) and taught (your meditation teacher) you the technique. The chances as you would have not found this on your own. If the Buddha has not taught or the linage of teachers had not preserved it and for some reason your teacher did not take up teaching then you still would have got the teaching. So a lot of respect is due.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beauty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with enjoying beauty. What you should remember is that when you enjoy you get a feeling then there is a chance to get attached to this sensation. Also conditional reaction of you mind creates proliferation of reaction to beauty. This is what you have to put right. Be pro active than reactive to situations than dancing to the carrot and stick input  from your sense door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finding something pleasant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once contact arises you will get some sensation. This can be pleasant or unpleasant. You have no control over this. Only thing you can do is not react to the sensation that follow. You cannot stop sensation. As your perception becomes less then your reaction will be less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T15:36:08.227" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2014-12-28T15:42:40.267" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the excellent answers already given, it's important to also keep in mind the effect of one's actions on oneself. So even if the lie you told had no ill effect on the interviewer or company for which you were applying for a job; (say for example, they didn't hire you anyway), you still know you stated something untrue and that stays with you. We work to keep our sila good (by following the 5 precepts) because of the good it does for our own minds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T15:42:40.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5969" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5971" CreationDate="2014-12-28T16:32:48.767" Score="7" ViewCount="1826" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my tradition (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) there is a big emphasis of a lot of samatha practice before any vipassana practice. This has always made sense to me. However is this universal in all Buddhist schools? Are there any Buddhist schools that do minimal or even no samatha practice? Does anyone jump straight into vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:56:45.423" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T14:08:46.723" Title="Does samatha practice always come before vipassana practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|triratna-buddhism|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5969" CreationDate="2014-12-28T17:11:17.690" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Often mediators will get stuck in Samatha thinking that they have become permanently enlightened. Samatha takes away all the defilments but it's only temporary. Also mediators could get addicted to the bliss and calm that samatha brings. So, yes there is vipassana only approaches called &quot;dry insight meditation&quot; like in the Mahasi tradition that is perfect for laypeople and monastics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T17:11:17.690" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5969" CreationDate="2014-12-28T18:12:35.730" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;While different traditions might emphasize one over the other, they all need a certain level of development for both:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These two qualities have a share in clear knowing. Which two? Tranquillity (samatha) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana).&#xA;  &quot;When tranquillity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Passion is abandoned.&#xA;  &quot;When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Discernment is developed. And when discernment is developed, what purpose does it serve? Ignorance is abandoned.&#xA;  &quot;Defiled by passion, the mind is not released. Defiled by ignorance, discernment does not develop. Thus from the fading of passion is there awareness-release. From the fading of ignorance is there discernment-release.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.030.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 2.30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the order of development, it could be in any order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquillity...Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded by insight...Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity in tandem with insight&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 4.170&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2014-12-28T18:12:35.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5972" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5974" CreationDate="2014-12-28T19:38:37.207" Score="4" ViewCount="539" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I watched a documentary about zen philosophy and what it is like to be zen monk on a daily basis and I noticed that in &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/CfR_ZkRQz3Q?t=3m7s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the documentary&lt;/a&gt; the zen monks always looked like they were in a hurry. For example, in the documentary we see the monks &quot;rushing&quot; to sleep. Another instance in the documentary is when one monk is waking up the other monks, we see that he is running. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is: is there a reason behind the speed?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2481" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T14:56:53.520" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T19:05:22.657" Title="When Zen monks are completing a task, why are they doing it very quickly?" Tags="|monk|zen|monasticism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2014-12-29T00:29:16.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another approach to Zen by Thich Nhat Hanh is that everything is done with a connection to the breath and things slow down. You may not complete as much but increase the awareness of each moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure why other Zen practitioners hurry. The tea ceremony is done precisely. If you practice it over and over again perhaps there is no hesitaion and it appears faster. When the personal self is erased there is only pure action.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a Zen story that advocates less hurry.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Zen_Humor.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Zen_Humor.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Other sayings from Linji or attributed to him: “What is the frantic&#xA;  hurry to deck yourselves in a lion's skin when all the while you are&#xA;  yapping like wild foxes? A real man has no need to give himself the&#xA;  airs of a real man!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I just discovered something about the documentary &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This Documentary is all about rinzai zen and Zen in common.  It will&#xA;  give you a bit of insight how Zen is lived in a strict monastery order&#xA;  and how it influenced so many things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Soto is the form of Shunryu Suzuki and even Dogen and one I am more familiar with. This tends to be different in application than Rinzai Zen in a very strict monastery. I only watched first 7 minutes where walking is quite ordinary. Perhaps someone who can watch the 2 hour documentary will share further insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T00:54:47.190" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T00:54:47.190" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5955" CreationDate="2014-12-29T00:47:45.467" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to learn about Buddhist techniques, this forum is a resource for all sincerely interested parties. It is also confusing to me when edits are done but I can understand the need for some of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This simple exercise can serve as a guide to increase awareness. &#xA;Breathing exercise - use normal breathing - do not force.&#xA;If you are feeling emotions rising up, want to focus awareness, or just want to calm down, you can try a breathing exercise that takes the attention away from the focus on the personal self with a simple tool of counting breaths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Find a comfortable position seated or laying down. Begin to relax your breathing. Silently count 1 on the inhale, and two on the exhale. Then silently count 3 on the inhale and 4 on the exhale. Continue up to 10 or until you lose the count then return to one. No judgement. I sometimes end up at 18 then smile and return to 1. The idea is to focus on the breath and the counting and not get sucked into the anxiety or anger trigger. Also works to quiet the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This exercise is designed to increase awareness in this moment of what is here besides the noise of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to learn is to study the teachings of a master. Shunryu Suzuki is an American master of Zen that teaches students to get back to what is already here, beginner's mind. This might be the state that you have pointed to in your question. It is not specific to any sect or religion but is here universally, whether one is aware of it or not. Here is a link to a book by Roshi Suzuki.&#xA;www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T00:47:45.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5976" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-29T02:56:21.037" Score="6" ViewCount="402" Body="&lt;p&gt;I &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=3497&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;gather from reading around&lt;/a&gt; that the rising/falling pitches that appear in Pali chanting by Thais&#xA;is due to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thai-language.com/ref/tones&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;tones in the Thai language&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when I see English-language chanting by monks from a Thai tradition,&#xA;they still have rising/falling tones.&#xA;See excerpt from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhayagiri.org/media/books/abhayagiri_monastic_foundation_chanting_book_revision_2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhayagiri Chanting Book&lt;/a&gt;,&#xA;with the tones marked:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dyu5v.png&quot; alt=&quot;Chanting marks&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't seem to match the equivalent Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a system that they're using,&#xA;such as shoehorning the Thai tone rules into English syllables?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or are they just making it up entirely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="31" LastEditorUserId="31" LastEditDate="2014-12-30T14:47:12.130" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T21:19:12.670" Title="Why are there rising/falling tones in English-language chanting?" Tags="|theravada|pali-language|chant|thai|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5955" CreationDate="2014-12-29T14:15:50.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lucid Dreaming&lt;/a&gt; and (AFAIK) it isn't typical practice in most schools of Buddhism, nor should it be used as a gauge for how your meditation practice is going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said, there are some connections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dream Yoga&lt;/a&gt;.  A set of practices in Tibetan Buddhism for using dreaming (including Lucid Dreaming) to further the path.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Using your improved concentration (thanks to meditation) to enter the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hypnagonic&lt;/a&gt; state intentionally and from there initiate a Lucid Dream.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T14:52:50.383" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T14:52:50.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5978" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="47068" CreationDate="2014-12-29T14:23:04.573" Score="7" ViewCount="4970" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the dharma will come to the land of the red faces&quot; is a quote from ~700AD that is too good to check. It is also the title of a reasonably good documentary about Tibetan Buddhism in the US.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Google already said that the &quot;iron bird&quot; is actually the name of a year. What is the surrounding context of this quote?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T14:29:45.047" LastActivityDate="2023-01-13T01:45:50.930" Title="&quot;When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the dharma will come to the land of the red faces&quot;" Tags="|reference-request|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5979" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-29T19:06:21.760" Score="4" ViewCount="4104" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a Buddhist who is single, do occasional &quot;visits&quot; to the brothel break the observing of the Third Precept? In other words, the Third Precept is perfectly &quot;intact&quot; when one engages in such activity (from the words of a venerable &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&amp;amp;t=22572#p323571&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; )?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:22:34.050" LastActivityDate="2023-09-09T07:06:37.633" Title="The Third Precept and Prostitution" Tags="|five-precepts|ethics|sexuality|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5980" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-29T20:06:06.277" Score="6" ViewCount="1389" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have an explanation as to how Buddhism explains the reason(s) as to &lt;em&gt;why and how&lt;/em&gt; humans are born as men and women? What governs the gender?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2482" LastEditorUserId="2482" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T20:19:12.457" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T18:06:26.763" Title="Reason(s) for being born as men and women" Tags="|theravada|karma|gender|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5981" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="5990" CreationDate="2014-12-29T20:08:04.167" Score="4" ViewCount="608" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am able to sit in floor in half lotus pose and meditate 30 minutes at s time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Originally I did once in morning and once at night but I have been looking to also do once before lunch and once after lunch (at least when I'm home from work) making it 4 times, total two hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point I am trying to determine how to do the two mid-day meditations on the days I go to work. I am thinking perhaps once in morning, once after breakfast before I get train, once when I come home from work and once at night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do meditations need to be spread out? And what happens if I am too sleepy to do meditation that I must skip else I will fall asleep during meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="357" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:55:59.813" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:50:44.633" Title="How often to meditate and how far apart" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5982" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-29T20:14:44.210" Score="0" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a particular reason(s) for a Buddha to be only of male gender?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in any explanation in scriptures as well as your interpretations and opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2482" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T12:42:38.027" Title="Why is Buddhahood attained only by males?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|gender|scripture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2014-12-31T17:07:18.343" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2014-12-29T20:42:26.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether a perfect answer for your question is available in the scriptures. What I can offer you is my view on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A single man seeking sexual pleasures is the core of your question. That is nothing abnormal nor denounced by Buddhism. However, you mention a 'brothel'. That alone shouldn't taint my latter statement, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clarity and purity of the intent of the pleasure seeker is what matters most here. Is he going there for sexual pleasures out of love for this prostitute? Is he seeking a relationship? Or, is he paying for different prostitutes each time? In the latter case, his sexual needs have gone overboard! Third Precept won't be intact there. It can also be explained in practical terms of sleeping around with many women just to satisfy sexual desires. It adds to suffering. It creates problems and complications. The Third Precept can't work there, can it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if the sexual pleasure he seeks is on a consensual basis---based on a good understanding and honest intent of a possible future relationship---I guess the Third Precept may stay intact there. But I don't think one will go to a brothel looking for something as profound as a honest relationship. Rare cases exists, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Final answer for question 1:&#xA;It depends on the case and on the individual. Above all, it depends on the intent of the person visiting the brothel. Sorry for the general answer. This is what I know and can do for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Final answer for question 2:&#xA;I don't agree with that answer in your link you gave. In accordance with my explanation above, it depends on the true and honest intent of the pleasure seeker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2482" LastEditorUserId="2482" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T20:48:45.443" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T20:48:45.443" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2014-12-29T21:39:09.360" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the issue isn't the brothel, but what the visits say about your clinging to (sexual) desire.  How do your visits affect your clinging to this desire?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do they reinforce it?   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do they have no effect?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do they reduce it?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the answer to whether this is misconduct or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although some interpret this injunctions legalistically/moralistically, I think that misses the point.  In fact, I think this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.clear-vision.org/Schools/Students/Ages-17-18/Buddhist-ethics/3rd-precept.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;site&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has the right idea.  It states the abstention is from SENSUAL misconduct, including overindulgence in (say) chocolate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T21:39:09.360" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5982" CreationDate="2014-12-29T22:10:44.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is a bit unclear, so here's an answer to what I think your question is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe anyone -- regardless of gender -- can reap the same fruits of the path.  It's all about diligence in practice; gender has nothing to do with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I recall some misogynistic passages and early injunctions against nuns, but I ignore all that.  I don't think Buddhist scriptures or personalities (including The Buddha) are unerring.  I think that despite having some profound things to say, Buddhism still was a product of its time and place and often failed to transcend those prejudices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, since Buddhist practice pays off in short order, there's no need for faith, so I don't have to rely on The Buddha being this or that, or claims that a transmission was preserved or any other claim that strains credibility.  I simply see what works and use it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said, Buddhism has some strong females.  The one that comes to mind is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Quan Yin (Guanyin)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, the archetype of compassion.  My local Buddhist Temple gave more prominence to her than to the Buddha, even to the point of stressing her ideal (Bodhisattva) as the goal of practice. Furthermore, in all the Buddhist temples I attended, the Quan Yin statues were much more prominent than the Buddha ones; in fact, there's a nearby Buddhist Temple with a 50 foot tall statue that dominates the grounds.  Who's on that statue? Quan Yin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-29T23:27:02.503" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T23:27:02.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5744" CreationDate="2014-12-29T22:32:26.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;AFAIK, nothing can be definitively sourced back to the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said you have...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandh%C4%81ran_Buddhist_texts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Ghandaran Buddhist Texts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which are the oldest Buddhist writings yet discovered.  This doesn't mean they're the words of the Buddha, but if you go by the assumption that older is more likely to reflect the founder's intent (not necessarily true!), then this is one path.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Various historical studies on Early Buddhism, including &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-sectarian_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;this page&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. These studies can get technical and may not be satisfying to a practitioner. They may also spend a fair amount of time studying the context of Buddhism.  Another source (I don't know if it's early enough) is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.misterdanger.net/books/Buddhism%20Books/How%20Buddhism%20began%202nd%20ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this book, freely available online&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T22:32:26.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5982" CreationDate="2014-12-29T22:45:46.890" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are reasons that explain why it is convenient for a Buddha to be male. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namely that, for bad and for good, humans tend to form patriarchal societies. The good is unfortunately forgotten so often in modern times, that it seems strange, at first sight, that it is more likely that a Buddha is male. Men tend to be more charismatic, strong and respected. And women know by experience that they have to double their efforts to be as charismatic, strong and respected. And it's not just cultural because there is an unnavoidable biological component to human existence. We evolved from mostly patriarchal societies of apes. So there is a tendency to behave in the ways we inherited from our biological ancestors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if the future Buddha arises in a matriarchal human society, it's more likely that it will be a female Buddha. In the end it's just skillful means to teach. I don't think beings with this level of direct knowledge pay much attention to gender anyway. So I strongly doubt there is something inherently male about a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2014-12-29T22:45:46.890" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-12-30T00:55:17.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Liking is different than needing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Believe it or not, this is all there is to it, but has to be directly known. If you understand the concept, it will dispell the contradiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T00:55:17.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5989" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-30T02:39:40.473" Score="2" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm working on the subtitles for a YouTube video (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKbO4bLDQM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKbO4bLDQM&lt;/a&gt;) and could use some help transcribing the chant at the beginning. I suppose it's one of the relatively common ones? Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="185" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T08:17:43.083" Title="Could someone help me transcribe a Pali chant?" Tags="|pali-language|chant|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5981" CreationDate="2014-12-30T03:02:33.657" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;How often should you meditate? The short answer is every day, and don't overdo it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The long answer: If, like me, you want a lasting improvement in your day-to-day affairs, you should prioritize application and regularity, while evaluating your practice critically, and if possible, taking a course in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Application&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After you finish sitting, can you keep on applying what you've learned for the next 5 minutes? For the next 10 minutes? For the next 10 hours, even? This is something that comes with practice, and moreso if your practice is regular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;R.Barzell's comment about going about your day mindfully is important, because meditation is worth more if you take it as a training on how to handle daily life. When someone says something that used to offend you, if you can look at that the same way you look at your breath, that's a huge  benefit. On the other hand you might make many beginner's mistakes, such as thinking &quot;Meditation is an escape from reality that will make me feel good&quot; or being overconfident and smug about your supposed progress. Both are mistakes I have made in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Regularity&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regularity will make or break your practice. Even if you only sit 10 minutes, you'll get huge benefits from practicing every day, regardless of which tradition you practice (assuming that you stick to a tradition and don't make a random fruit basket of traditions). So if you're sitting for 30 minutes a day every day, you should ideally make more progress than someone who only sits 10 minutes a day every day. But all of this probably doesn't matter if you can't evaluate your practice critically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Right Reflection&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means asking the right questions about your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What was gained from this practice? What was lost?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does this teacher have good qualities? Bad qualities?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there more or less suffering as a result of the practice?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Am I more prone to distraction or more focused?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be clear, I don't mean you should to overly analyze this in the mind as our logical abilities can only take us so far. What I mean is to keep an eye out. Try things and see how it goes. As some say, check yourself before you wreck yourself (I really like that expression, hah).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Sleepiness&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This one probably varies depending on what tradition you practice. In the Mahasi Sayadaw school, any experience that arises should be the main object of meditation. This goes for sleepiness, so if you're sleepy, focus on that. Either you'll fall asleep or the sleepiness will go away. We shouldn't worry about falling asleep, but, in the case that we start worrying, then we should meditate on the worrying itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Take a Course&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, there's great value in taking a course under an accomplished teacher. A teacher can correct your practice when it goes astray—I know my practice went astray plenty of times, so I'm grateful to my teacher for helping with that. On a course you will probably meditate during every waking hour for many days consecutively. While this may seem to oppose the idea of meditating 10 minutes a day every day, think how much more you can gain from a consistent practice, when you have under your belt lessons learned from 50 or so hours of nearly continuous meditation under the guidance of a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Beware the Lotus&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I forgot to add, be careful about sitting with one leg on top of the other, or even worse, both legs on top of each other. If you don't have the requisite flexibility in your hip sockets, you will do long-term damage to your knees as they bend in ways they are not built to handle. Much less strenuous is Burmese position, where one leg is in front of the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2014-12-30T18:33:28.790" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T18:33:28.790" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5989" CreationDate="2014-12-30T08:17:43.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali : Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;English : Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened&#xA;  One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in this chanting, you should read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/divinemantra.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Divine Mantra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T08:17:43.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-12-30T09:07:09.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering the same issue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note, I write from an Zen viewpoint. I am no teacher, nor enlightened or anything. This is just my personal view, coined by my school: Soto-Shu in the line of Deshimaru. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt;, do &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt;. That is all there is. If you do &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt; in order to overcome your desires, to become a better person, to become enlightened, whatgotcha.. you will fail. If you do so, you are still attached to desires and concepts (I am, for sure).&#xA;Thereore, you can only practice for the sake of practice. This is called &lt;strong&gt;muhotoku&lt;/strong&gt;, translating to &lt;em&gt;without a goal&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;with no profit&lt;/em&gt;. You do &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt;, because you do &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt;. And that's all there is, &lt;strong&gt;shikantaza&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;just sitting&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I even raise the stake: There is no &lt;strong&gt;satori&lt;/strong&gt; to achive, no &lt;strong&gt;samadhi&lt;/strong&gt;, no big transformation, no &lt;em&gt;hammer of enlightment&lt;/em&gt; the ends all your suffering with one blow. Nothing like that when you are away from &lt;em&gt;shikantaza&lt;/em&gt; and zazen, and while you do zazen, you have reached &lt;em&gt;satori&lt;/em&gt; already and your suffering stops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be fair, there is a loop. Everybody starts something new, because of goals and desires. Someone has noticed, he is suffering (&lt;em&gt;Every fullfilled wish isn't enough.&lt;/em&gt;). Naturally he looks for a way to stop suffering(&lt;em&gt;I stop wishing now!&lt;/em&gt;). He may start to go the zen-way (&lt;em&gt;Buddha said, that will stop suffering.&lt;/em&gt;). If he does so, in order to stop his suffering, he will notice, the suffering does not simply stop (&lt;em&gt;I'm still suffering!? Even my legs are suffering, and my back!&lt;/em&gt;). This perception causes even more suffering (&lt;em&gt;Not even this works, Buddha was a liar!&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if he manages to stay on track and continues his practice, he might notice his attachment and entanglement with the world. He might percept, how this causes his suffering. He might be able to reduce the entanglement. On the other side, he might notice, how the world stops, while he sits, how the loud and busy world isn't so exciting any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comes not easy and is a hard way to learn. But it comes naturally. It can't be &lt;strong&gt;pressed&lt;/strong&gt;, it can't be explained. A step at a time. The important point is, it can't be &lt;strong&gt;pressed&lt;/strong&gt;. The wish to achieve it (at best now and not somewhere in the future) tries to press it. It is human to have he wish, but it cause suffering, no more or less, then every other wish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one could let got that desire, but continues to go the path (&lt;em&gt;mushotoku&lt;/em&gt;), one will be a Buddha, sitting zazen, not suffering, &lt;em&gt;shikantaza&lt;/em&gt;. Gazing the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Just one more thought: For me there is a difference in &quot;overcome desire&quot; and &quot;have no desire&quot;. Since English is not my native language, it's hard for me to explain. But it boils down to something like this: I will still have desires, I will still be entangled with the world, I will still be attached, but it will not dictate my life or who or how I am. I will see the mechanisms, know how they work and life with them.&#xA;Nothing, not even desires, attachment or entanglement is inherent evil. There is no such thing as &lt;em&gt;inherent evil&lt;/em&gt;. It's our behaviour towards those things, that let us suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="364" LastEditorUserId="364" LastEditDate="2014-12-30T09:15:20.150" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T09:15:20.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2014-12-30T09:35:40.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I shoot in the blue, vote me down, if you like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could be, that this is not so much a zen but more a Japanese thing? Something in there cultural tradition. For sure, there are strong cross-influences between Japanese culture and zen and its hard to separate them. But the overall &quot;hurry&quot; and &quot;no time&quot; is something, I associate with Japan in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any native here to clarify?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="364" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T09:35:40.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5982" CreationDate="2014-12-30T12:42:38.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;ChrisW answered. Answer is in this post titled &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3322/can-the-buddha-ever-be-a-woman&quot;&gt;Can the Buddha ever be a woman?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. No need to &lt;em&gt;up/down vote&lt;/em&gt;. This is just to &lt;em&gt;close this question by accepting&lt;/em&gt; it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2482" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T12:42:38.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2014-12-30T14:37:17.960" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to tackle this question from a few different angles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, is it desire or clinging to desire that causes suffering?  If it's clinging to desire, then it's possible to not cling to a desire to not cling to desire.  No problem there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, what if desire is the problem -- what then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this &quot;paradox&quot; just a verbal game?  Doesn't the desire to end desires automatically exclude the desire to end desires as one of the desires to be ended?  Even if it didn't, once the other desires ended, wouldn't the desire to end desire end as well? Why would that desire still be active if I ended all my other desires?  Does it make sense to say I have a desire to end desires when I have no other desires?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So really, isn't the goal the desire to remove all other desires -- which is not paradoxical?  But assuming this isn't so, where does this leave me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I gradually benefit from the path? If so, then it doesn't matter if there's a left-over desire, because I am still much better off.  At this point, the question becomes equivalent to worrying about whether I'll get $99 or $100 -- it's such a trivial thing, it doesn't matter.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, why do desires cause suffering?  Because..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They can be thwarted&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The object of the desire can be lost&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I worry about 1 &amp;amp; 2&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1-3 are largely a function of how much the object of my desires is out of my hands. Well, isn't the desire to remove desire more in my hands than anything else?  If so, then it would seem that it's much less susceptible to 1-3 than other desires.  So it seems this is a relatively innocuous desire, and to the extent that it supersedes or replaces other desires, is a good thing to have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A version of this question made up the bulk of &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0875730256&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Archie Bahm's &quot;Philosophy of the Buddha&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.  He wrote of desiring that which would not be attained, then took the &quot;desiring to stop this desiring more than that stopping will be attained&quot; head-on, deriving (his interpretation of?) The Middle Way as the result of this apparent paradox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, why does this question matter?  At worst, it's not a real problem, just a play on words. At best, it's a trivial matter that's not worth worrying about.  Yet if it still seems important, then maybe it's a sign of clinging to concepts, of reifying, of taking either/or distinctions too seriously. If so, then that clinging is the real problem, one that will cause pain, so energy is better spent addressing that, rather than worrying about the possible ramifications of a possible minor residual desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put another way, the question itself may be a symptom of clinging :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-30T17:54:52.697" LastActivityDate="2014-12-30T17:54:52.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5996" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6007" CreationDate="2014-12-31T14:30:47.690" Score="5" ViewCount="1928" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone advise on experiences of &quot;kundalini&quot; (energy rushing up the spine and out the crown of the head) during meditation?  I have experienced this for years and am wondering if it has an understanding/meaning in the Theravada tradition.  The energy has a physical effect (jolting the body) and a mental one (like temporarily cleaning out the conscious mind).  Thank you greatly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2486" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:35:46.930" LastActivityDate="2022-01-28T11:01:40.310" Title="&quot;Kundalini&quot; experiences during meditation" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5997" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-31T16:43:14.650" Score="4" ViewCount="397" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Problem&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In discussions on Buddhist term &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;code&gt;viññāna&lt;/code&gt;) with non-Buddhists, it's imperative to start with talking about &lt;code&gt;life&lt;/code&gt; in general because---to my understanding---life after all is the physical body we possess with consciousness, i.e., we wouldn't call a physical body without consciousness a life form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some non-Buddhists I talked with define &lt;code&gt;life&lt;/code&gt; as simply an arbitrary biological phenomena. For example, we humans have sensors, sensor signals are interpreted by a complicated neural network in the brain, decisions and interpretations made as a result are conveyed around the body accordingly, and the motor actions take care of the rest. That's with regard to &lt;code&gt;actions&lt;/code&gt;. &lt;code&gt;Thinking&lt;/code&gt; is simply a neurological decision process made in the brain. Also, according to them the &lt;code&gt;birth&lt;/code&gt; is a result of a sperm and an egg and &lt;code&gt;death&lt;/code&gt; 'cos the heart stops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All fair explanations. But, before even introducing the concept of this continuous consciousness that continues from one life form to another, all is &lt;em&gt;understood&lt;/em&gt; biologically. Life is birth + (actions + thinking) + death. All done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The continuous consciousness that I'm addressing here (that I want to explain to others) is what I have learnt to be what continues whatever the life form we take till &lt;code&gt;Nibbana&lt;/code&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Question&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How would you initiate one to step out of the above box of reasoning and get 'em to think of consciousness? What would be your line of reasoning to counter the above biological reasoning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note:&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 1. Feel free to change the question if you think its wording is not exact or not understandable.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 2. The &lt;em&gt;counter arguments&lt;/em&gt; I requested are purely for the sake of explanation. I've no personal interest in engaging in word-fights!&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 3. Consider all sub questions in Question above as one question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2482" LastEditorUserId="2482" LastEditDate="2014-12-31T18:17:48.020" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T01:05:19.097" Title="Explain consciousness (viññāna) to non-Buddhists" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|consciousness|non-buddhism|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5997" CreationDate="2014-12-31T17:27:19.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you're trying to explain consciousness within a framework that supports rebirth to people who understand consciousness in a (materialistic) framework that won't allow for rebirth. Seeing consciousness as tied to an organism and the development of consciousness in an organism leaves no room for the &quot;migration&quot; of consciousness required for rebirth to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I correct in understanding this difficulty?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, you could try the following...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get people to abandon materialism.  For many, this is the same as asking them to abandon science.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Explain rebirth in a materialistic framework.  If consciousness is a property of structure, rather than organism then a rebirth mechanism exists by simply having the same structure arise in the future.  Karmic imprints could be explained by neuro-plasticity (which is said to be affected by meditation).  Still, they may ask what happens if this structure is replicated now (and why wouldn't it be, given how much life we have?).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An alternative is to look at the big picture.  If you are trying to introduce people to Buddhism, why mention rebirth?  The Buddhist path is identical, whether or not one believes in rebirth.  Further, many are attracted to Buddhism (or at least it's secularized variant popular in the west) precisely because of its less supernatural nature.  Introducing rebirth therefore might cause them to abandon Buddhism.  For many, if it's a choice between Buddhism and Science, then Science will win, no contest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-31T19:21:43.383" LastActivityDate="2014-12-31T19:21:43.383" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="5999" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6000" CreationDate="2014-12-31T18:43:19.110" Score="4" ViewCount="301" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to practice mindfulness during the day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been know known to be absent minded and forgetful but perhaps it's due to my Karma. The problem is so bad that is someone else makes the mistake due to their mindlessness I am automatically blamed without knowing the facts!!!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been told that meditation clears out ones' Karma and that mindfulness during the day is another form of meditation (I already sit on the floor Burmese pose 30 min twice daily and breathe in, breathe out)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to gradually start being mindful? It seems rather overwhelming .... Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="357" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:55:24.530" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T18:04:27.080" Title="How to practice mindfulness" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5999" CreationDate="2014-12-31T19:32:32.400" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Start by adding Walking Meditation to your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, when you finish your meditation and are about to go on with your day, make a resolve to be mindful and try to keep that mindfulness as you leave the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then start setting aside key times during the day when you will accomplish some activity mindfully.  For instance, it could be meal-time, or a break in which you take a walk or do your exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gradually expand that mindfulness practice to include other parts of your day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could also carry a mindfulness timer or app that will chime at regular intervals to remind you to be mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most important: don't get discouraged.  Getting distracted or falling back into old patterns is natural.  Mindlessness is a habit, and like all habits, it takes work and there is backsliding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-31T20:46:09.413" LastActivityDate="2014-12-31T20:46:09.413" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6001" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2014-12-31T20:43:47.470" Score="1" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am jewish by ethnicity and by religion as well but I find the dhammapada and buddhist meditation to be beneficial, is this frowned upon or discouraged amongs buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="523" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:49:33.963" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:49:33.963" Title="A Jewish Buddhist?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|dhammapada|judaism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2015-01-08T02:32:04.640" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6001" CreationDate="2014-12-31T21:30:11.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The phenomena you mention is so common it has a name.  BuJu or JuBu.  In fact, there's even a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Buddhist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia Page&lt;/a&gt; on it.  Furthermore, the contribution to (Western) Buddhism by Jews is very impressive!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether this is frowned upon depends on how your Jewish faith and Buddhist practice relate.  Whether they contradict, co-exist or complement depends in turn on how you regard each.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhism can be treated as a secular philosophy (which is how I treat it), I see no inherent conflict.  This means typical problem points like Buddhism's &quot;atheism&quot;, Karma and Rebirth are non-issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even Buddhism's Emptiness (especially our lack of a &quot;self&quot;) is not an issue (IMO) if we treat this as a statement about our experience or an injunction against clinging to these beliefs (as opposed to asserting one or the other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2014-12-31T21:35:46.907" LastActivityDate="2014-12-31T21:35:46.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6003" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-01T03:19:54.177" Score="8" ViewCount="701" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the use of Mindfulness of breath for falling asleep a &quot;bad&quot; practice? Might such a practice invite torpor during sitting meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T08:59:39.443" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T08:59:39.443" Title="Should I avoid using Mindfulness to fall asleep?" Tags="|mindfulness|sleep|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2015-01-01T05:45:14.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At a more mature level how to look at this is to look at desire just as mere desire. Look at the implication of it on the 5 aggregates more particularly on sensations. Look at proliferation of thoughts what sensation this cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The act is to get rid of particular sensations or to create new sensation. Get rid of the burning sensation of desire and the sensation when doing the act. Notice a mind full of desire is not a pleasant situation and act to overcome it by looking lust as lust at the level of sensation and that is impermanent and you cannot absolutely manipulate the desire as you want and being in desire is not satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-01T15:59:39.757" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T15:59:39.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5981" CreationDate="2015-01-01T06:20:54.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Best is divide your time into 2 sessions. One in the morning and one in the evening / night. The rationale is some time if you are overcome by hindrances in one session the other will be productive. Also some mediators are more fruitful in certain hours of the day, but grain this vary from day to day. So splitting it up is a good idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you need to rub two sticks for some time to get to a critical temperature. So a meditation session should be long enough to gain some critical mass. Ideally 2 hours in total per day is a good time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:50:44.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6003" CreationDate="2015-01-01T06:40:14.760" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are using meditation to go to sleep:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are inducing a hindrance. If this becomes habitual it will block your progress.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also when meditating you should be alert and hence reduce the hindrances and sleepiness. If you are not falling asleep it not an issue if you are meditating. It is said a Yogi never sleeps.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="185" LastEditDate="2015-01-01T14:48:50.410" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T14:48:50.410" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5996" CreationDate="2015-01-01T16:17:55.583" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've experienced this myself on a number of occasions though I never heard it called kundalini. Sometimes the experience has been exactly as you describe it. Sometimes it's a tingling feeling all over the body. Sometimes it feels like electric jolts. Sometimes the jolts manifest in physical movement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was advised that this was probably a manifestation of piti (rapture). This would be in the context of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Rupa_Jhana_related_factors&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;rupa-jhana&lt;/a&gt; factors going from &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;applied thought (vitakka) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sustained thought (vicāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;joy/rapture/happiness (pīti) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;happiness/pleasure/bliss (sukha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;equanimity (upekkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one-pointedness (ekaggatā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you could expect this to be proceeded by strengthening concentration and perhaps develop into a calmer more pleasurable state (sukka). &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti#Fivefold_classification&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a further breakdown of piti&lt;/a&gt; which again feels familiar to me. Yours might fit into the last two classification - exalting and fulfilling rapture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From conversations I had with other people the exact manifestations of these very much depend on the type of person. I'm more the anxious, type A type of person so I feel a lot of energy. I often feel it trapped in me then it comes out in great surges. Other people never feel this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the important thing with these kind of experiences is not to get attached to them and not to pursue them. They are as they are and they come and go. In the experience themselves there is no insight nor is there lasting benefit. Like everything these things are ultimately impermanent and unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-01T16:24:28.917" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T16:24:28.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5980" CreationDate="2015-01-01T16:34:59.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; gives a creation style account of human development. In it it says that humans were originally asexual and only later differentiated and grew sex organs. To quote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And as they did so, their bodies became coarser still, and the&#xA;  difference in their looks became even greater. And the females&#xA;  developed female sex organs and the males developed male sex organs.&#xA;  And the women became excessively preoccupied with the men, and the men&#xA;  with the women. Owing to this excessive preoccupation with each other,&#xA;  passion was aroused, and their bodies burnt with lust. And later&#xA;  because of this burning, they indulged in sexual activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bear in mind though that these is a feeling that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta#Digging_Deeper_Into_the_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;entire sutta is a satire&lt;/a&gt; on the  brahminical claims regarding the divine nature of the caste system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T16:34:59.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6009" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6011" CreationDate="2015-01-01T16:41:48.077" Score="5" ViewCount="811" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to follow up from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5981/157&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; - is it possible for an individual to meditate too much? Is there a point when it becomes counterproductive and if so what would the signs be that someone should slacken off their meditation routine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to be clear - I am talking about a meditation routine outside of a retreat setting. The question is about someone's daily meditation routine rather than during a retreat when the conditions and level of support one would receive would be very different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T22:08:58.020" Title="Can you meditate too much as part of a daily routine?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|right-effort|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5980" CreationDate="2015-01-01T18:06:26.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This lecture titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanatiloka/wheel394.html#ch2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma and Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there are three factors necessary for the rebirth of a human being, that is, for the formation of the embryo in the mother's womb. They are: the female ovum, the male sperm, and the karma-energy (kamma-vega), which in the Suttas is metaphorically called &quot;gandhabba,&quot; i.e. &quot;ghost,&quot; or &quot;soul.&quot; This kamma-energy is sent forth by a dying individual at the moment of his death. The father and mother only provide the necessary physical material for the formation of the embryonic body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that gender is a physical phenomenon, perhaps therefore humans are born as men and women because their physical bodies are made that way by their parents' ovum and sperm (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamete&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;gametes&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a different theory presented in (for example) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/budtch/budteach28.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;HOW REBIRTH TAKES PLACE&lt;/a&gt; which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the cessation of the decease-consciousness death actually occurs.&#xA;  Then no material qualities born of mind and food (cittaja and āhāraja)&#xA;  are produced. Only a series of material qualities born of heat (utuja)&#xA;  goes on till the corpse is reduced to dust. [2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simultaneous with the arising of the rebirth consciousness there&#xA;  spring up the 'body-decad,' 'sex-decad,' and 'base-decad'&#xA;  (Kāya-bhāva-vatthu-dasaka). [3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, therefore, sex is determined at the moment of&#xA;  conception and is conditioned by Kamma not by any fortuitous&#xA;  combination of sperm and ovum-cells. [4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The passing away of the consciousness of the past birth is the&#xA;  occasion for the arising of the new consciousness in the subsequent&#xA;  birth. However, nothing unchangeable or permanent is transmitted from&#xA;  the past to the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't understand the source of this theory. The first paragraph of that chapter starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To the dying man at this critical stage, according to Abhidhamma philosophy, is presented a Kamma, Kamma Nimitta, or Gati Nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which suggests the theory comes from the Abhidhamma; however the footnotes to those paragraphs are referencing &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of the Dead&lt;/em&gt; (which isn't Theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that &quot;your kamma from previous lives conditions your position in society&quot; is a Hindu belief (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Hinduism#Relation_between_birth_in_a_particular_body_to_karma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma in Hinduism - Relation between birth in a particular body to karma&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That seems to me to be a kind of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_%28Buddhism%29#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, which Buddhism  suggests we avoid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T18:06:26.763" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6009" CreationDate="2015-01-01T19:03:52.657" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sure you've heard the phrase &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://musingsbyken.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-your-hair-on-fire.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Practice like your hair is one fire&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, one researcher was looking for people who had so-called &quot;Dark Nights of the soul&quot; experience, i.e. unpleasant experience with meditation. She found that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;She identified two susceptible demographics: a) men, 18 to 30 years&#xA;  old, who go to Asia and do 10 to 20 hrs of meditation/day, and b)&#xA;  middle-aged women w/an hr/day practice who go to “say, Spirit Rock&#xA;  Meditation Center ... for the last 10 to 20 years”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://beyondmeds.com/2014/02/16/dark-night-of-the-soul/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://beyondmeds.com/2014/02/16/dark-night-of-the-soul/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of a lay follower, I don't think we need to go outside of Buddhism to answer the question-- your job will determine the upper bound to how much you can meditate, which I suppose is the whole motivation behind renunciation, to allow more time to meditate. For a lay follower with a day job, fitting in 3 hours a day and maybe more on a weekend (16 maybe?) seems to be the most you can get away with without re-arranging your lifestyle and job to crank up the number of hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, in my opinion quality trumps quantity, I wish I had a good objective metric for monitoring quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in my own practice I've been working on doing more different sorts of meditation, since I already sit on my butt at the office all day staring at a screen (sometimes with concentration, sometimes scatter brained). So I've been trying to mix in prostrations, chants, walking meditation, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-01-01T19:03:52.657" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6012" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-02T01:31:51.427" Score="3" ViewCount="439" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm look more for an epistemological Buddhist answer to this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am anatta (not self because composite) then who is the one responsible for his/her actions? Why am I still responsible for my karma? What is it that transmutes from life to life?&#xA;Who is the one making the choice?&#xA;Why is it even possible to do good (as opposed to fatalistically going along with things)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you resolve this paradoxical quandary?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&#xA;To clarify the cause of my question, it was not mere metaphysical musings. I want to know more about the Director, the Leader, the Chooser because not only is it more conducive to proper behavior but actually because I want to more practically cultivate the specific aspect of Buddhism which indicates that we can direct our rebirths to a very high degree after death.&#xA;The answer to this question I believe is Awareness as Tibetan Buddhism would indicate where it is repetatively emphasized that we should cultivate so as to be aware throughout the death process and not startled by the manifestations. Thus, we can choose and direct our rebirth with clear functioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T15:08:46.117" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T03:57:15.343" Title="If I am not the skandhas, then what entity/group of entities am I being responsible for by being a good person?" Tags="|karma|anatman|self|consciousness|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-02T01:31:51.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of skandhas, the act of willpower and action is possible due to the volition skandha, particularly a few factors of the 5 omnipresent factors. The 7th consciousness combined with ignorant clinging is also the thing that wraps one up into a self that bobs from life to life, as the 12 nidanas (12 causes) explains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Death is conditioned by birth . . .  birth is conditioned by becoming&#xA;  . . .  becoming is conditioned by grasping . . .  grasping is&#xA;  conditioned by craving . . .  craving is conditioned by feeling . . . &#xA;  feeling is conditioned by contact . . .  contact is conditioned by&#xA;  sense . . .  sense is conditioned by mind-body. . .  mind-body is&#xA;  conditioned by consciousness . . . consciousness is conditioned by&#xA;  forming force . . .  forming force is conditioned by ignorance. (SN ii&#xA;  25)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though it is still creating karma, one must build a strong foundation (satipattana, samatha, samadhi, etc.) to stand on can you shine the light (vipasasna, prajna) to stop the process of craving, becoming, and ultimately even the 1st cause... ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Building the foundation consists of the 2nd training, shining the light is the 3rd training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;being a good person&quot; is the 1st training aka making merit, indispensible to gaining entry into the Buddhist realms of cultivation and cutting off the nidanas closer and closer to the root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-02T03:49:15.113" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T03:49:15.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-02T03:39:02.510" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist concept of not self is always difficult to translate. It generally means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no core or soul&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have no absolute control over your aggregates or the world at large&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you have the perception of self you have a yard stick which you use to measure other people, their actions, standing, wealth, etc. with respect to you. This creates misery. If you drop the yard stick then you get out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this though there is no lasting entity as you there is a mind matter process. What ever you do becomes fabrications which at that point influence the process and also has a &quot;loop back&quot; at different times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-23T03:57:15.343" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T03:57:15.343" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6009" CreationDate="2015-01-02T03:53:28.223" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You practice should be continuous. Therefore there is only the risk of practising too little. But there is the risk of too much effort. This is generally chasing after results, exerting too much control like keeping you mind on the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T03:53:28.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6016" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-02T06:40:25.193" Score="3" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read in a book by &lt;code&gt;Amartya Sen&lt;/code&gt; &lt;code&gt;'The Argumentative Indian'&lt;/code&gt;, (&lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=agk63AlLmIgC&amp;amp;lpg=PA187&amp;amp;vq=thousand&amp;amp;pg=PR12#v=snippet&amp;amp;q=thousand&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;) that Buddhism was the dominant religion of India for about a 1000 years, and that foreigners referred to India as a Buddhist kingdom. Is it true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism#mediaviewer/File:Buddhist_Expansion.svg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; map from wikipedia shows that Buddhism was influential only in a small part of North-East India, and not at all in the southern or western part. Kindly provide online references, if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2492" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T08:29:34.670" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T08:29:34.670" Title="Was Buddhism the dominant religion of India for one thousand years?" Tags="|history|books|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6016" CreationDate="2015-01-02T08:16:53.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism_in_India&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;History of Buddhism in India&lt;/a&gt; says that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maurya Empire&lt;/a&gt; (322 BCE–185 BCE) was Buddhist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushan_Empire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kushan Empire&lt;/a&gt; (30 CE–375 CE) was Buddhist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Decline of Buddhism in India&lt;/a&gt; says that decline began in late &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Empire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gupta Empire&lt;/a&gt; (320 CE–550 CE)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for more than 500 years, there were Buddhist empires ruling the whole of what's now India except its southern tip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T08:16:53.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-02T10:38:10.950" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why does a seed grow into a plant and then to a tree? Why not just stay as a seed? Does it require a soul for that or does it require fertilizer, sunlight, air, a viable seed etc. Does water require a soul to turn into snow in the winter season? Regarding Karma, why does the seed of a mango tree gives a mango plant, but not a coconut plant? Why does a plant of a mango tree have qualities similar to the parent tree? Does it require a soul for that? Certainly not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-01-02T10:48:07.973" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T10:48:07.973" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-02T15:05:38.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana who you really are is everyone collectively. (At least my understanding of the Huayen version and my reading of Tom Pepper's work on sunyata)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I am anatta (not self because composite) then who is the one&#xA;  responsible for his/her actions? Why am I still responsible for my&#xA;  karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are collectively responsible for our actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it that transmutes from life to life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a logical puzzle, a corner Buddhist painted themselves into. The Buddha had to deal with an overhang of old beliefs surrounding him. Some, like the efficacy of animal sacrifice, he rejected outright. Others, he kept, even though they don't work well with some of the new ideas like annata. Nagarjunas logical gymanatics attempted to address this: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna#Two_truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna#Two_truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I think enlightenment is the liberation from heaven, hell and the cycle of rebirth because you realize that they can't exist. The consequence is that we are a collective consciousness, which reframes the question of our personal liberation to the question of universal liberation. It also shifts the possibility of immortality from personal immortality (either an unpleasant one involving reincarnation, or a pleasant one involving a neither here nor there state of nirvana) and replaces it with the fact that collectively everyone else lives on after we die, excluding global extinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: Tom Pepper for a good description of the collective consciousness and alternate interpretations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nonplusx.com/app/download/708268204/Taking+Anatman+Full+Strength.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nonplusx.com/app/download/708268204/Taking+Anatman+Full+Strength.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He's very lucid &amp;amp; doesn't resort to &quot;well you just can't understand&quot; or &quot;faith&quot; as explanations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-01-06T16:50:18.927" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T16:50:18.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6023" CreationDate="2015-01-02T17:31:38.193" Score="5" ViewCount="949" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe a strange question, but I wonder if emptiness (sunyatta) is also a characteristic of the state of nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-06-23T12:30:40.217" LastActivityDate="2021-06-23T12:30:40.217" Title="The emptiness of nirvana" Tags="|nirvana|sunyata|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6020" CreationDate="2015-01-02T17:41:30.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness characterizes everything, including Nirvana and even emptiness itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you read the Heart Sutra?  I highly recommend that for an example of the all-permeating nature of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T17:41:30.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-02T17:45:04.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's say you knock your head on the wall and feel pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing that in future, you will avoid knocking your head on the wall. Is it because you think you have a self? Is it because of some sense of responsibility? Is it because you think you have a choice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. You will avoid knocking your head on the wall in future, because you want to avoid feeling pain again. It's very practical. So, the question to ask oneself with regards to karma is &quot;what should I do or avoid doing in future, that will lead to my long term happiness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it is not useful to analyse whether there is a self or there is no self. Instead, it is more useful to ask, &quot;how does the perception of the self arise and cease?&quot;, &quot;how does the perception of pain arise and cease?&quot;, &quot;how does the will to make decisions and volitional actions arise and cease?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would thinking or believing that &quot;all phenomena is not self&quot;, prevent me from experiencing pain in future? No. This is because the perception of self is relatively true and equally true as the perception of pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the objective is to end suffering, it is better to ask questions that are more conducive for leading towards this goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is a more difficult topic that is answered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/26/if-there-is-no-soul-how-can-there-be-rebirth&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T18:05:32.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6020" CreationDate="2015-01-02T19:17:48.670" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, but if you look around nirvana is right here, right now. Nirvana is simply heaven on earth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might read The Heart Sutra Explained by Donald S. Lopez. It explains the fullness and emptiness of shunyata. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2231" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T19:17:48.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6024" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6026" CreationDate="2015-01-02T20:13:47.150" Score="2" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=EZgdevTpySoC&amp;amp;lpg=PA121-IA2&amp;amp;dq=upasaka%20sutra&amp;amp;pg=PA121-IA2#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=upasaka%20sutra&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;google books&lt;/a&gt; link indicates that there is a version of the Bodhisattva Precepts with 4 major and 43 minor (as compared to 10 major and 48 minor in the BNS Bodhisattva Precepts). Does anyone know what these are? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will also provide a link to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/#q=yogacarin+bodhisattva+precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;google&lt;/a&gt; to demonstrate that google does not provide an answer since that seems to be a common answer here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-01-02T20:30:57.720" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T00:07:31.013" Title="What are the differences between the Yogacarin &amp; Brahma Net Sutra Boddhisatva Precepts?" Tags="|mahayana|bodhisattva|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6003" CreationDate="2015-01-02T21:57:09.933" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Suminda commented, the risk is that you build a habit of becoming sleepy while meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you are having trouble falling asleep because your thoughts are racing, I would think that it's entirely appropriate and beneficial to use something like breath meditation to bring calm and focus to your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once this is accomplished, it's probably worthwhile to intentionally stop this practice, and allow yourself to fall asleep naturally. If your thoughts begin to race again, then repeat the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do this often and don't find it problematic. I do the same thing to bring focus and calm before athletic events, public speaking, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2317" LastActivityDate="2015-01-02T21:57:09.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6024" CreationDate="2015-01-03T00:07:31.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I take it you know the BNS precepts already, so you're asking about the Yogacara tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder whether &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra31.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; might be close to what you'e looking for (4 major and 41 minor precepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Four Major Precepts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Great Ones, the following four parājikas [grave sins] are in the&#xA;  mātṛkā [collection of treatises] written by Bodhisattvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Praising Oneself and Criticizing Others&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If a Bodhisattva, out of his greed for benefits, praises his own virtues and criticizes others, it is called the first parājika.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Begrudging Possessions or the Dharma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Suppose a Bodhisattva is well-to-do but stingy by nature. If he fails to invoke compassion and give poor people—who have nothing to&#xA;  depend on—the things they ask for, or refuses to teach them when they&#xA;  ask to hear the Dharma, it is called the second parājika.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Refusing to Accept Repentance&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If a Bodhisattva, out of harming and terrifying anger, refuses to accept his offender’s repentance, uses abusive speech and, not feeling&#xA;  satisfied, hits him with hands, clubs, or stones, it is called the&#xA;  third parājika.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maligning or Adulterating the True Dharma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If a Bodhisattva maligns Bodhisattva teachings, or pronounces supposedly similar dharmas and pretentiously establishes himself on&#xA;  such dharmas, which come from his own or someone else’s understanding,&#xA;  it is called the fourth parājika.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These precepts are in addition to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33a.html#sup4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four grave prohibitions&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The eight major precepts are the “four grave prohibitions” in the glossary, and the four major precepts in the Book of Bodhisattva Precepts (Sūtra 31).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=41&amp;amp;t=5810#p126158&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This link&lt;/a&gt; says that's Yogācāra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What specifically are your concerns? I just looked at Rulu's translation of The Book of Bodhisattva Precepts and the four parājikas are the same as what is given in the Bodhisattvabhūmi of the Yogācārabhūmiśāstra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T00:07:31.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6028" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6029" CreationDate="2015-01-03T11:33:42.830" Score="11" ViewCount="1899" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I have read and know something about awareness and doing regular tasks with attention and focus. But recently there has been chaos with my job and cause for consternation. Thoughts keep arising from my mind and there has been anxiety and that is overwhelming. I don't really resist them as they are thoughts and as such I know that is the nature of the mind. I try to accept it. But I then feel weak and give way to appease those thoughts and then start acting or reacting to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could somebody's experience with Buddhism and meditation here help out with the nature of those overwhelming thoughts? It is possible there is no other way apart from meditation and accepting them calmly. But it gets too strong and then &quot;resisting&quot; becomes a natural tendency and I lose composure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the problems tend to keep repeating themselves from my mind because they are long standing problems albeit impermanent. Makes me feel that that is the nature of problems of this worldly life anyway and then I even feel caged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:48:32.740" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:23:09.073" Title="Overwhelming thoughts - Mindfulness and awareness" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6028" CreationDate="2015-01-03T12:35:30.310" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have thoughts that are repeating in a loop, most likely you are focusing on them or obsessing over them, intentionally or unintentionally, rather than &quot;not resisting&quot; them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding of not resisting thoughts is this. If you are practising mindfulness on the breath, then when any thoughts appear, just take note of the fact that the thought appeared, then go back to the breath. This way, you are neither focusing on nor suppressing those thoughts. You are instead, focusing on the breath. As soon as you realize that you left the breath to think of something else, your focus returns to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone tells you &quot;don't think about monkeys&quot;, what would appear in your mind when you focus on that? Monkeys. The best way to not think of monkeys is to focus on something else. In this case, we are focusing on the breath and eventually, the mind will stick to the breath and the repetitive thoughts would rarely or never arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you face problems, then you may want to solve them or mitigate their effects, if that's possible. Repetitively thinking about the problem does not actually solve the problem. Instead, it results in depression. Solving a problem and obsessing over a problem are two very separate things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the solution process, you may list out actions to take, execute those actions at the appropriate times, then review the outcome of those actions at the appropriate times. In between, while waiting for the &quot;appropriate times&quot; to come, if the repetitive thoughts return, then mindfulness meditation would be helpful to bring peace of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro Bhikku instructs in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;essay&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If your mind wanders off, gently bring it right back. If it wanders&#xA;  off ten times, a hundred times, bring it back ten times, a hundred&#xA;  times. Don't give in. This quality is called ardency. In other words,&#xA;  as soon as you realize that the mind has slipped away, you bring it&#xA;  right back. You don't spend time aimlessly sniffing at the flowers,&#xA;  looking at the sky, or listening to the birds. You've got work to do:&#xA;  work in learning how to breathe comfortably, how to let the mind&#xA;  settle down in a good space here in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-mindfulness-good-medicine/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Scientific American article&lt;/a&gt; tells us the benefits of mindfulness for depression and anxiety:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a remedy for depression and anxiety, mindfulness meditation may&#xA;  help patients let go of negative thoughts instead of obsessing over&#xA;  them. Training people to experience the present, rather than reviewing&#xA;  the past or contemplating the future, may help keep the mind out of a&#xA;  depressive or anxious loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/breathmed.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Basic Breath Meditation Instructions&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guided Meditation&lt;/a&gt; are two essays by Thanissaro Bhikku that instructs one into breath-based mindfulness. If the Five Hindrances disturb you, then there are antidotes mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahmavamso. To make mindfulness easier, Thanissaro Bhikku suggests using the &quot;Buddho&quot; word in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;second essay&lt;/a&gt;. You might find that very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T02:59:23.773" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T02:59:23.773" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6030" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6031" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" Score="0" Body="Judaism is a monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its foundational text. These questions focus on the relationship between Jewish and Buddhist practice and practitioners." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T13:44:07.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6032" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6039" CreationDate="2015-01-03T13:50:59.077" Score="7" ViewCount="4386" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following up from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5970/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; - What is 'dry insight' exactly and how does it work. Is it a practice that someone will activity engage in or is it something that just happens to someone - a flash of inspiration out of the blue? I'm confused about how one could practice insight independent of any samatha practice if that is the meaning of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:47:29.510" Title="What is dry insight?" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6033" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6035" CreationDate="2015-01-03T15:01:08.100" Score="2" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, when reading some Buddhist sutras, it happens that I feel strong vibrating sensations all over the body. On such occasions I 'know' that the best I can do is stopping the reading and practice vipassana. I wonder if this is 'normal'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:47:01.430" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:47:01.430" Title="Vibrations while reading" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6032" CreationDate="2015-01-03T16:24:00.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Dry insight&quot;, is not practicing without concentration but it is practicing without cultivating much jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T16:24:00.360" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6033" CreationDate="2015-01-03T16:34:00.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's cool you pointed that out.&#xA;The Buddha and many masters of course would say that you are practicing learning-yoga where through absorbing the expressions of anyone with cultivaton attainment, you too come closer to what they experienced. Some masters even got enlightened when they heard a particular thing from a master and it caused them to look directly at &quot;Who is the one listening?&quot; and they found out their True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever I noticed this sensation in my body (very frequently) I actually get the same thought... that vipassana is the direct road... that vipassana is great and awesome and the meta-physical life is so simple, just pure awareness, and I am grateful that it is so.&#xA;I also feel my body vibrating, especially my legs sometimes my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tell myself I should get to practice but due to the ideas and good feeling I oftentimes keep reading until my time is up waiting till my scheduled time to practice.. :-/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am convinced that this is the energy channels opening and that instead of sitting like a dead duck when such an opportune moment comes, one should meditate for 10 or 20 minutes because Master Nan, one of my late teachers, himself said that we cannot attain samadhi at any time we choose, &lt;strong&gt;there are certain opportune moments that we should seize!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I should definitely stop myself and practice what I learn much much more like you have thought, I think that is the wise choice of action reccommended by my teachers, especially William Bodri who states that you have to &lt;strong&gt;mix up theory with practice&lt;/strong&gt;, either one alone will get you nowhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T16:34:00.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6003" CreationDate="2015-01-03T16:49:03.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're feeling excessively sleepy while meditating, sleep and then come back to meditation.&#xA;If you're feeling excessively &quot;meditate-y&quot; while sleeping, get out of bed and meditate! It might be a chance to level up!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In general&lt;/strong&gt;, when sleeping, don't try to meditate or vice versa because sleep itself is a Hindrance and conflicts with meditation and vice versa (meditation is Awakening and is the opposite of torporous sleep).&#xA;By default try to avoid a Hindrance when you can unless necessary because sleep is actually a fault, a flaw, of untransformed consciousness and one day, when you are fully enlightened, you will not need it at all. This is actually a valuable rule for the other Hindrances as well. Anyway, back to the topic of sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This being said, there is an entire awesome world of dream cultivation and lucid dreams where &quot;your cultivation power increases tenfold&quot; according to Tibetan Buddhism and from my own personal occasional experiences with meditation within lucid dreams and also causing the lucid dream themselves. And how does this happen? By breaking that general rule... mixing sleep with mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this is a complex topic with lots of differing perspectives but I'd suggest trying things out because lucid dreams are worth it. You can emerge from them feeling, super-conscious, awesomely self-aware, extremely blissful and joyful and self-integrated... basically if you are not able to get samadhi in your normal consciousness, if you experiment with mindful sleep you can BUMP INTO samadhi states with the multiplicative power of lucid dreaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestions, after over 15 years of experimenting with meditation and lucid sleeping, is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the first half of your sleep (3-4 hours, &quot;core sleep&quot;) focus on the torpor and just fall asleep&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the second half, practice any meditation technique AS you fall asleep and decide to be aware through the process! Declare your intention and be aware as you fall back to sleep. (&quot;WILD technique&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to learn more (there is a treasure trove on forums and the internet) look up the above terms in quotes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T16:49:03.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6020" CreationDate="2015-01-03T16:59:42.607" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, Nirvana... is something beyond emptiness.&#xA;Emptiness (sunyata) is the stopping phase of cultivation.&#xA;Nirvana is the &quot;seeing&quot; phase, where you transcend even that stopping, which is a type of total non-existence, still dual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is beyond all dualism. It is not existence nor non-existence.&#xA;Heart sutra is reccommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nirvana is a synonym for the enlightened state. The Enlightened state is beyond non-existence (&quot;emptiness&quot;) and existence (experiencing the skandhas) and is capable of existing and exercising its function anywhere, no matter what, be it in hell or heaven. N onetheless, we must experience both sides fully, existence and non-existence before we can enter into the non-dual, indescribeable, open awareness of Nirvana.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: despite this, emptiness is still the first step, especially in this age where everyone is obsessed with materialism and existence. Finding emptiness IS the first step. You must make your mind empty and clear and must discover and BECOME emptiness, particularly through attainment of samadhi before you can truly succeed on the vipassana path.&#xA;Of course, others have differing perspectives saying that &quot;dry insight&quot; is enough to get to Nirvana but I don't think it's that easy or even reliable as a path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm your mind (emptiness, samatha practice, focus your mind on clarity), and see (Nirvana, vipassana, let go of everything and just witness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T21:04:07.763" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T21:04:07.763" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6028" CreationDate="2015-01-03T18:04:57.000" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few excerpts from suttas concerning this (I recommend their full reading):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. I understood thus: 'This thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna'. When I considered: 'This leads to my own affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to others affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to the affliction of both', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna', it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu  frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation(*) of those thoughts. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind(**) (***).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasanthāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, [Bodhi Trans.] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) &quot;relaxing of thought-fabrication&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(**) &quot;crush his mind with his awarenes&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(***) &quot;crush unwholesome states of mind with wholesome states of mind&quot;, per Majjhima Nikāya Atthakathā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T18:04:57.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6032" CreationDate="2015-01-03T20:28:45.633" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dry insight or bare insight (suddha-vipassana) is the 'direct' way &lt;em&gt;(Pali: ekayano maggo)&lt;/em&gt; to insight (nibbana), &lt;strong&gt;without&lt;/strong&gt; jhana meditation practice (i.e. without &lt;em&gt;'upacara samadhi&lt;/em&gt;' or &lt;em&gt;'appana samadhi'&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;em&gt;direct&lt;/em&gt; 'momentary concentration' is called in Pali &lt;em&gt;parikamma samadhi&lt;/em&gt;. This is the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw; U Ba Khin and S.N. Goenka and others. The practitioners are called 'bare insighters' or 'dry' insighters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find more information in 'The Progress of Insight (Visuddhinana-katha)' by Mahasi Sayadaw (1994): &lt;em&gt;'This approach to the ultimate goal of Buddhist meditation is called ‘bare insight’ because insight into the three characteristics of existence is made use of exclusively here, dispensing with the prior development of full concentrative absorption (jhana).’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-01-03T20:45:12.493" LastActivityDate="2015-01-03T20:45:12.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6009" CreationDate="2015-01-03T21:25:00.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will answer your second question first, signs of too much meditation are that you TRULY feel bored or really sleepy. In that case stop meditating. Like anything, meditation is a practice and practice doesn't make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect. So make sure you are curious enough about your own Self, self, and the Great Experiment of Buddhism. Otherwise you will end up wasting your time.&#xA;You also have to draw a fine line between running off from meditation because you need to read more about it and running off because you're lazy or you just feel a little pain from your legs. If the latter, try harder. Challenge yourself sometimes!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Too much meditation? If you look at the suttas, there are people who attained realization in seven days by practicing meditation day and night, inspired by the Buddha's words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are people that had the proper teachings and thus motivated practice. For someone who is a beginner and who doesn't understand the entire picture, it is not good to meditate too much because then the person will become repulsed and extremely outcome-oriented.&#xA;For beginners, it is important to get used to meditation first... but just know that you won't get enlightened or attain mastery of your state of mind, body, heart (and even reality itself) without staying in meditation longer and longer periods of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there are some Buddhist professors who should be meditating all day!&#xA;(Because they have enough knowledge to accomplish Enlightenment. They've been studying for decades and not even practicing but just arbitrating smaller irrelevant concepts.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please see the free book by Daniel Ingram's &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; chapter about meditation scheduling and when to do it and how long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to stackexchange guidelines I should regurgitate the info here but I decide not to because the book will always be available and is free. Read the chapter I mentioned and then read the whole book. Also I didn't regurgitate because my response should very fully gives you enough hints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here is an excerpt from one the best books I have ever read about Buddhism: (the advice offers a different perspective from above... equally valid)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The main rule is to be at ease and thoroughly relaxed in muscles,&#xA;  nerves, and brain. Noises and bright light may create tension, and&#xA;  darkness may cause sleepiness. It is better to meditate often for a&#xA;  shorter time than for a long time but infrequently. To make real&#xA;  progress, meditation should become a vital part of one’s daily life.&#xA;  Meditation masters recommended to their students: “Do it with an&#xA;  aspiration so strong that it will be the cause of fulfilling your&#xA;  provisional and final aims. Meditate in this way during four sessions:&#xA;  predawn, morning, afternoon, and at nightfall. Furthermore, if at&#xA;  first you meditate for a long time, you will be readily susceptible to&#xA;  laxity and excitement. If this becomes your habit, it will then be&#xA;  difficult to correct your awareness. Meditate in many short sessions.&#xA;  If you end your session while still wanting to meditate, you will be&#xA;  eager to reenter each future session.&quot;&#xA;  --Mind Experiment pg. 201&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T18:50:01.767" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T18:50:01.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6041" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-03T22:11:26.893" Score="4" ViewCount="490" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have an intuitive agreement with the idea that impermanence does mean that everything either is or ends in suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I am not sure it makes rational sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone explain the arguments for and against this characterization of dukkha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. perhaps something has innate value, is its own end, but only relative to some time and place, such that we are not separated from the value of it when it passes. Surely, one might cliam, that would mean it is not dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="25078" OwnerDisplayName="user24569" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T06:31:12.633" LastActivityDate="2022-03-26T10:46:52.867" Title="Impermanence and suffering in Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|suffering|impermanence|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6042" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6043" CreationDate="2015-01-04T04:42:59.183" Score="6" ViewCount="1117" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand, once someone attains Nirvana and passes away, there is no more dependant arising, meaning this person no longer manifests as a person or being in any realm. This also means that this person loses his personhood (although this personhood is impermanent and is part of dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, by achieving the first four Jhanas, a person could be reborn in the Brahma realms, which I understand to be the best beings in the universe, besides the Bodhisattvas. Of course, this is still impermanent and part of dukkha, but one could keep trying over and over to be reborn again and again in the Brahma realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other possibility is to become a (Mahayana) Bodhisattva, in which case one maintains his personhood also. Although a Bodhisattva is destined to become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, why should sentient beings choose to end their personhood permanently, rather than trying to be reborn again and again as the best person possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T08:43:25.603" Title="Why choose to attain Nirvana when we can become Brahmas (or Bodhisattvas)?" Tags="|nirvana|jhana|brahma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6042" CreationDate="2015-01-04T07:45:23.853" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...] This also means that this person loses his personhood (although this personhood is impermanent and is part of dukkha).&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't say &quot;loses&quot;. It may be worth reminding that Nirvana should not be considered annihilation. Complementing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, it is impossible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be suffering will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching]. [...] [But] it is possible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be hapiness will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi Trans.], AN 6:101&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand, by achieving the first four Jhanas, a person could be reborn in the Brahma realms, which I understand to be the best beings in the universe, besides the Bodhisattvas.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personal preferences aside, if we are talking about &lt;em&gt;happiness&lt;/em&gt;, Nibbāna is declared to be supreme. A happiness and security from suffering unknown to a Brahma or Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, perhaps is not so surprising the idea of devas of superior realms desiring to be born as humans:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's a gain for you, monks, a great gain, that you've gained the opportunity to live the holy life. I have seen a heaven named 'Six Spheres of Contact.' Whatever form one sees there with the eye is desirable, never undesirable; pleasing, never displeasing; agreeable, never disagreeable. Whatever sound one hears there with the ear... Whatever aroma one smells there with the nose... Whatever flavor one tastes there with the tongue... Whatever tactile sensation one touches there with the body... Whatever idea one cognizes there with the intellect is desirable, never undesirable; pleasing, never displeasing; agreeable, never disagreeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Khana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.135&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...] but one could keep trying over and over to be reborn again and again in the Brahma realms.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and, while trying, out of inattention or forgetfulness or simply &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;, one may do something foolish -- because that's what we do as ignorants. Foolish enough to open one's mind to darker unwholesome states, perhaps in a chain reaction, and end up in a worse destination (though reappearing as a human during a time with no dhamma, and no condition to develop oneself to become a Buddha might be bad enough). Perhaps you were Brahma before, and now here you are, among humans (again?). I guess, as long as one thinks this endeavor is worth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;The question is, why should sentient beings choose to end their personhood permanently, rather than trying to be reborn again and again as the best person possible?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way of answering is to ask &quot;What's to end?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an appeal from the Buddha himself as to why one should reach Nirvana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, this samsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: the stream of tears that you have shed as you roamed and wandered on through this long course, weeping and wailing because of being united with the disagreeable and separated from the agreeable -- this or the water in the four great oceans?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[...] venerable sir, [...] this alone is more than the water in the four great oceans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Good, good, bhikkhus! It is good that you understand the Dhamma taught by me in such a way. [...] For a long time, bhikkhus, you have experienced the death of a father ... the death of a brother ... the death of a sister ... the death of a daughter ... the loss of relatives ... the loss of wealth ... the loss through illness [...]. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, this samsāra is without discoverable beginning ... It is enough to experience revulsion towards all formations, enough to become dispassionate towards them, enough to be liberated from them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Tears&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi Trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 15.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T10:56:13.840" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T10:56:13.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6042" CreationDate="2015-01-04T08:41:54.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Of course, this is still impermanent and part of dukkha, but one could keep trying over and over to be reborn again and again in the Brahma realms.&quot; - Well, but it's not completely under your control - it may well happen that when one falls from a Brahma Realm and is reborn in a lower - one forgets about one's past life and one's bad karma having matured - one's intention is no longer pure (Moreover, the circumstances one is reborn in may be exceptionally disagreeable/unfavorable for treading the Path of Purity - depending on one's karma of course). I think the following story should make this point clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;IN BRAHMA LAND HE SHINES BRIGHT; IN PIG'S PEN, TOO, HE FINDS DELIGHT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At one time, the Blessed One went into Rãjagiri for almsround. On&#xA;  seeing a young female pig, the Blessed One smiled. Noticing the white&#xA;  radiation which shone forth from the teeth of the Buddha, the&#xA;  Venerable Ànandã knew that the Buddha was smiling. Accordingly, he&#xA;  asked: &quot;What has caused, Sire, to smile?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One pointed out the young female pig to Ànandã and said,&#xA;  &quot;See that young female pig? She was a young woman in human existence&#xA;  during the dispensation of Kakusanda Buddha. When she died, she was&#xA;  reborn a hen in the neighbourhood of a monastic feeding hall. The&#xA;  small hen fell victim to an eagle. But earlier she happened to have&#xA;  heard the recitation by a yogi Buddhist monk of a meditation subject&#xA;  which aroused in her wholesome thoughts. By virtue of these merits,&#xA;  the small hen was reborn as a princess named Ubbari in a royal family.&#xA;  The princess Ubbari later left the household life and became a&#xA;  wandering mendicant. Residing in the mendicants' residence she&#xA;  happened one day to gaze at the maggots in the latrine. The worms&#xA;  served as an object for meditation (contemplation of ugliness of&#xA;  worm-infested corpse or contemplation of a white object) by which she&#xA;  attained the first jhãna. When she passed away, she was reborn a&#xA;  Brahma in the first jhãnic Brahma world. On expiry from the Brahma&#xA;  world, she became the daughter of a rich man in the human world which&#xA;  she left again only to be born a pig now. I saw all these events which&#xA;  made me smile.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On hearing this story of repeated births in various existences,&#xA;  Venerable Ànandã and other monks became greatly alarmed and agitated&#xA;  with religious emotion. The Blessed One stopped going on alms-round&#xA;  and while still standing on the roadway, started teaching the dhamma&#xA;  in six verses, the first one of which stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Yathãpi móle anupaddove dalhe,&#xA;chinnopi rukho punareva róhati&#xA;evaõpi tanhã nusaye anuhate&#xA;nibbattati dukkhamidaõ punappunam&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'If the main roots of a tree remain undamaged and in good condition,&#xA;  even when the upper branches are cut off that tree will grow again&#xA;  developing new buds and shoots. Likewise, if there remains defilements&#xA;  (lying dormant) which are not yet eradicated by ariya magga, this&#xA;  suffering of rebirth will arise time and again successively.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is conveyed by this verse is this: 'During her existence as&#xA;  princess Ubbari, she renounced the world to become a wanderer. By&#xA;  practising meditation, she attained the first jhãna which could dispel&#xA;  or put away by vikkhambhana pahãna (elimination by discarding) only&#xA;  the defilements of pariyutthana class, i.e. craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasure which appears as sensuous thoughts at the mind's door. By&#xA;  means of vikkhambhana pahãna, jhãna can put away the defilements only&#xA;  to a certain distance for a certain period of time. Thus, she was able&#xA;  to dispel the craving for sensual pleasure when she attained the first&#xA;  jhãna and later in the Brahma world. But when she was born again in&#xA;  the human world as the daughter of a wealthy man, the craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasure reappeared because it had not been rooted out by the&#xA;  ariya magga. The bhava tanhã (craving for existence), of course,&#xA;  persisted even when she had attained the jhãna. Because the latent&#xA;  defilements had not been completely uprooted, she had to descend from&#xA;  the Brahma world, through the human world, into a pig's existence. So&#xA;  long as the craving persists, repeated rebirths will take place in&#xA;  this way in various existences.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In reference to this story of descent from the Brahma world to a pig's&#xA;  existence, ancient Sayadaws had left an aphorism, 'In Brahma land, she&#xA;  shines bright; in pig's pen, too, she finds delight'. But it is not&#xA;  possible to be reborn as a pig straight from the Brahma world, nor as&#xA;  any other animal nor in the realms of petas (starving ghosts) nor in&#xA;  the states of misery. By virtue of the upacãra bhãvanã, the access&#xA;  meditation, proximate to the jhãna previously attained, rebirth can&#xA;  take place only as a human being or in the celestial abode. The young&#xA;  female pig of the above story also passed through human life where she&#xA;  was born as the daughter of a wealthy man. It is quite possible that&#xA;  she landed in a pig's existence after being the daughter of a wealthy&#xA;  man because of the bad kamma she had committed then, in being haughty&#xA;  and insolent to those she should have shown respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the young female pig died, she was reborn in a royal family of&#xA;  Suvannabhumi, which is generally taken to be the country of Thaton.&#xA;  Some scholars, however, take Suvannabhumi to be the Sumatra island,&#xA;  relying on the bronze inscriptions made by the King Devapala about&#xA;  1500 Buddhist era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From being a princess of Suvannabhumi, she passed over to Varanasi,&#xA;  India, as a woman. She then became a woman in Varãnasi, in south-east&#xA;  of Bombay. From there, she was reborn the daughter of a horse-merchant&#xA;  in the seaport town of Supparaka, north-west of Bombay. Next, she&#xA;  became the daughter of a shipowner at the port of Kavira in the&#xA;  south-easternmost part of the Indian peninsular. This is the coastal&#xA;  district inhabited by the Tamil people, formerly called Damila. After&#xA;  that life, she was reborn in the family of a government official at&#xA;  Anuradha or present day Sri Lanka. Her next life was as a daughter of&#xA;  a rich man, named Sumana from Bhokkanta, a village south of Anuradha.&#xA;  She took the same name as her father, Sumana. Later her father left&#xA;  that village and settled down in the Mahãmuni village of the Dighavapi&#xA;  District. One day, a minister of the king Dutthagãmini, named&#xA;  Lakundala Atimbara, happened to visit the Mahamuni village on a&#xA;  certain business. Upon seeing the young lady Sumana, he fell madly in&#xA;  love with her. He married her with great pomp and ceremony and carried&#xA;  her off to his village, Mahãpunna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Venerable Mahã Anuruddha, who resided at the monastery of&#xA;  Taungsun, happened to visit her village for alms-round. While waiting&#xA;  for offer of almsfood at the gate of Sumana's house, he saw Sumana and&#xA;  said to his monk followers: &quot;Bhikkhus, how wonderful, what a marvel!&#xA;  The young female pig of the Blessed One's time is now the wife of the&#xA;  minister Lakundaka Atimbara.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On hearing this exclamation, Sumana, the wife of the minister,&#xA;  developed jatissara ñãna (knowledge of previous existences). With the&#xA;  help of this faculty, she recalled to her mind the previous existences&#xA;  she had passed through. In consequence, she became agitated with fear&#xA;  at the prospect of repeated births in the cycle of existences. Asking&#xA;  permission from her minister husband, she went to a bhikkhuni&#xA;  monastery and got herself ordained. After ordination, she listened to&#xA;  the discourse on Satipaööhãna Sutta at Tissa Mahã Vihãra monastery.&#xA;  Practising mindfulness meditation in accordance with the sutta, she&#xA;  became a sotapanna, well-established as a stream-winner in the first&#xA;  stage of the Path and Fruition. Then, when king Dutthagamini came on&#xA;  the throne, she went back to her native village, Bhokkanta, where at&#xA;  the Kalla Mahã Vihãra monastery she heard the discourse on Asivisopana&#xA;  Sutta which enabled her to attain the fourth stage of the Fruition and&#xA;  became an Arahat, completely free from influxes, passions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Going over the thirteen existences of Sumana thoughtfully and&#xA;  mindfully, one could get aroused with religious emotion. When, as the&#xA;  young woman at the time of the Kakusanda Buddha died, she left behind&#xA;  her family, possessions and her own physical body. The bereft family&#xA;  and friends would have grieved over her death. She became a hen. What&#xA;  a frightful thought, a human being to be reborn a hen! That hen would&#xA;  have a family and friends, too. She met with a terrible death, from&#xA;  decapitation, when an eagle seized her and struck her fiercely with&#xA;  its beak. There is consolation, however, that she was reborn a&#xA;  princess for the merit accrued from having heard a discourse on&#xA;  meditation. The hen would not, of course, know anything of the dhamma,&#xA;  but as she had given devout attention to the discourse, certain merit&#xA;  would have accrued to her for which she was reborn a princess.&#xA;  Listening to a dhamma discourse is thus very beneficial and fruitful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is a matter for gratification that she became a Brahma after being&#xA;  a princess by virtue of her jhãnic attainments. It is gratifying too&#xA;  that from the Brahma world she was reborn in the human world into a&#xA;  wealthy family. But it is very distressing to know that she left&#xA;  behind her family, friends and possessions reluctantly to be reborn a&#xA;  female pig. It is really frightful to think of descending to human&#xA;  plane from the Brahma world and to sink further still into animal&#xA;  kingdom as a pig. This should be enough to excite alarm and religious&#xA;  emotion because so long as the noble ariya magga has not been&#xA;  established, anyone is liable to find himself landed in lowly states&#xA;  of existence. It was with the intention of arousing religious emotions&#xA;  and exhorting the bhikkhus to take to dhamma in all earnestness that&#xA;  the Blessed One had told them the account of the female hen's&#xA;  succession of existences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How the young female pig met her death was not mentioned in the texts,&#xA;  but it could be presumed that she was slaughtered by her breeder as in&#xA;  modern times. The young female pig must have had a family and friends&#xA;  which she left behind, causing grief to them. It was comforting that&#xA;  she was reborn afterwards as a human being in six places from&#xA;  Suvannabhómi to Anurãdha. But in each of these existences, every time&#xA;  she departed from one life there must have been considerable suffering&#xA;  from sorrow, lamentation and grief for her and her dear ones. That she&#xA;  finally became Bhikkhuni Sumana Theri is the most heartening part of&#xA;  the story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The cause of the succession of her existences departing from one life&#xA;  to be reborn in another is tanhã or samudaya saccã, the Truth of the&#xA;  Origin of Suffering. Other people who are not yet rid of tanhã will&#xA;  likewise go through the cycle of rebirths, dying from one life to be&#xA;  reborn in another. It is extremely important, therefore, to get&#xA;  established in the practice of the Noble Ariyan Path in order to&#xA;  eradicate tanhã, otherwise called the Truth of the Origin of&#xA;  Suffering. Sumana Theri first heard the discourse on Satipatthãna&#xA;  Sutta. Then she practised mindfulness in accordance with the&#xA;  Satipatthãna method which helped her attain the status of sotapanna&#xA;  (the stream-winner). Then, hearing the Asivisopana Sutta, she devoted&#xA;  herself more ardently to the practice and attained Arahatta Fruition&#xA;  to become a female Arahat. Tanhã, otherwise samudaya, was completely&#xA;  eradicated from her. Therefore, there would be no more rebirth for her&#xA;  and she would be enjoying peace after her parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sumana Theri, therefore, declared to her colleagues that she would&#xA;  fully pass away (parinibbhuto) after the ayusaïkhãra, the vital&#xA;  principle for her present existence had become exhausted. Thereupon,&#xA;  her colleagues, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis requested of her the story of&#xA;  her existences. &quot;I was a human woman at the time of the Kakusanda&#xA;  Buddha. When I died from there, I became a hen. I was killed by an&#xA;  eagle which broke off my head and devoured me. Then I became a&#xA;  princess in the human world . . .&quot; she continued to recount her past&#xA;  existences till the time of her final existence at Bhokkanta village.&#xA;  She concluded, &quot;Thus have I passed through thirteen existences&#xA;  encountering the ups and downs, vicissitudes of life in each&#xA;  existence. In this last existence, being wearied of the cycle of&#xA;  rebirths, I have become an ordained bhikkhuni and finally attained&#xA;  Arahatship. I urge all of you, my righteous bhikkhus and bhikkhunis,&#xA;  to put forth your endeavour mindfully to become fully accomplished in&#xA;  sila, samãdhi and paññã.&quot; Then she passed away, causing religious&#xA;  agitation in the minds of her audience, consisting of men, women,&#xA;  bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. This story of the young female pig is fully&#xA;  described in the commentary to the Dhammapada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course - the important thing to realize is that the Brahmas Realms or even Bodhisattas are still not completely free from suffering - So, it is important ask oneself - Why would one wish to be content with a lesser amount of suffering - when the complete cessation of suffering has been declared to the world by the Tathagata ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read in greater detail about rebirth and dependent-origination here :&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/wheeld05.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/wheeld05.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is how the Buddha compares rebirth in the Brahma Realm with Nibbana :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sariputta : &quot;What do you think, Dhanañjanin? Which is better: hell or the animal&#xA;  womb?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The animal womb is better than hell, Master Sariputta.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... Which is better: the animal womb or the realm of the hungry&#xA;  shades?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... the realm of the hungry shades...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... the realm of the hungry shades or human beings?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... human beings...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...human beings or the Four Great King devas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Four Great King devas...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Four Great King devas or the devas of the Thirty-three?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the devas of the Thirty-three...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the devas of the Thirty-three or the Yama devas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Yama devas...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Yama devas or the Tusita devas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Tusita devas...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Tusita devas or the Nimmanarati devas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Nimmanarati devas...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Nimmanarati devas or the Paranimmitavasavatti devas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Paranimmitavasavatti devas...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...the Paranimmitavasavatti devas or the Brahma world?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Did Master Sariputta say, 'Brahma world'? Did Master Sariputta say,&#xA;  'Brahma world'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the thought occurred to Ven. Sariputta, &quot;These brahmans are set&#xA;  on the Brahma world. What if I were to teach Dhanañjanin the brahman&#xA;  the path to union with the Brahmas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[So he said:] &quot;Dhanañjanin, I will teach you the path to union with&#xA;  the Brahmas. Listen and pay careful attention to that. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, master,&quot; Dhanañjanin the brahman responded to Ven.&#xA;  Sariputta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta said: &quot;And what is the path to union with the Brahmas?&#xA;  There is the case where a monk keeps pervading the first direction&#xA;  [the east] with an awareness imbued with good will, likewise the&#xA;  second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, &amp;amp;&#xA;  all around, everywhere, in its entirety, he keeps pervading the&#xA;  all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will —&#xA;  abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill&#xA;  will. He keeps pervading the first direction with an awareness imbued&#xA;  with compassion ... appreciation ... equanimity, likewise the second,&#xA;  likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, &amp;amp; all&#xA;  around, everywhere, in its entirety, he keeps pervading the&#xA;  all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity —&#xA;  abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill&#xA;  will. This, Dhanañjanin, is the path to union with the Brahmas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In that case, Master Sariputta, pay homage to the Blessed One's feet&#xA;  with your head in my name and say 'Lord, Dhanañjanin the brahman is&#xA;  diseased, in pain, severely ill. He pays homage with his head to the&#xA;  Blessed One's feet.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So Ven. Sariputta — when there was still more to be done, having&#xA;  established Dhanañjanin the brahman in the inferior Brahma world —&#xA;  got up from his seat and left. Then, not long after Ven. Sariputta's&#xA;  departure, Dhanañjanin the brahman died and reappeared in the Brahma&#xA;  world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said to the monks, &quot;Monks, Sariputta — when there&#xA;  was still more to be done, having established Dhanañjanin the brahman&#xA;  in the inferior Brahma world — has gotten up from his seat and left.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Sariputta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having&#xA;  bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to&#xA;  the Blessed One, &quot;Lord, Dhanañjanin the brahman is diseased, in pain,&#xA;  severely ill. He pays homage with his head to the Blessed One's feet.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But why, Sariputta — when there was still more to be done, having&#xA;  established Dhanañjanin the brahman in the inferior Brahma world — did&#xA;  you get up from your seat and leave?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The thought occurred to me, lord, 'These brahmans are set on the&#xA;  Brahma worlds. What if I were to teach Dhanañjanin the brahman the&#xA;  path to union with the Brahmas?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, Dhanañjanin the brahman has died and reappeared in the&#xA;  Brahma world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhanañjāni Sutta (MN 97)&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T08:43:25.603" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T08:43:25.603" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6041" CreationDate="2015-01-04T12:05:28.360" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a convolution of meanings for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/dukkha.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt; which depends on context. One translation for dukkha is &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, it is not stated there is no feeling of satisfaction or pleasure born of impermanent things, as that would be absurd. I just ate a big sandwich and I can tell you I don't feel hungry, I feel satisfied with respect to hunger. I also would be lying if I said it was a painful experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the introduction of the Majjhima Nikāya translation, Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unsatisfactoriness of the conditioned is due to impermanence, its vulnerability to pain and its inability to provide complete and lasting satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, one may find satisfaction on conditioned things. But that satisfaction is doomed to be  be partial and/or temporary. Therefore, it is not satisfactory in its greatest sense; it's, thus, dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T12:05:28.360" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6046" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-04T13:03:37.017" Score="6" ViewCount="2993" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you search for &quot;meditate on&quot; on Google, suggested completions include scripture, love, death, a word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read a lot about meditating by using your breath as a focal point, but have never come across an example where a word, phrase, or feeling is the desired focal point.  What is the process of doing that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, how would I meditate on Yoda's well-known quote &quot;Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For another, how would I meditate on a feeling, like love or fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2499" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:42:53.113" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T12:28:14.280" Title="How do you &quot;meditate on&quot; a saying or subject?" Tags="|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2015-01-04T13:42:10.457" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;30 minutes is plenty to keep you top up plenty and to keep you from skipping meditations.&#xA;20 minutes a day is really minimum but if you miss you will not revert back to your old self for a couple of months really.&#xA;I try for an hour a day, sometimes I only get 30mins sometimes I get 1 and a half hours due to my life not having a conventional schedule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2500" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T13:42:10.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5976" CreationDate="2015-01-04T17:48:36.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peter Harvey in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; says of chanting&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[chanting] has a rhythm which encourages the mind to flow from word to&#xA;  word [but ..] usually lacks melody which might encourage some words to&#xA;  become distorted&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;chanting is neither singing or a monotonous dirge [...] it holds&#xA;  interest with it's minor variations of pitch and rhythm&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from this I would suggest that the tone of chanting is an aid to memory and interest and doesn't, in English, have a semantic content deriving from the original language. Of course Thai being a tonal language (i am not any kind of expert here) the tones may well have a more semantic content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess less charitably you could say we are making it up a bit. Certainly from my own experience chanting within the Triratna community we have a tone they we vary widely from  and add harmonies to on occasion. The the Padmasambhava chant we actually got the words wrong too initially (50 years ago) but we have just stuck to our original bad interpretation. We kind of like it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T17:48:36.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5547" CreationDate="2015-01-04T17:57:02.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To fill out R Barzell's comment more and to venture my own answer in the hope of being corrected. It seems like the most satisfying explanation of this is from this &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhismglossaryy/g/yogacaradef.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the reality we think we perceive does not exist except as as a process&#xA;  of knowing. Phenomena, anything that can be experienced, have no&#xA;  reality in themselves. At the same time, there is no &quot;experiencer&quot; who&#xA;  experiences except as a process of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My further understanding of this though is that the Yogācāra school was a very practically based school and any philosophical discussions would have been secondary to meditation and personal enquiry so this kind of statement would have been provisional on this. This would contrast with the rival &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhyamaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Madhyamika&lt;/a&gt; school which had a greater emphasis on philosophical discourse. Peter Harvey in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (pp129 2nd Edition) says of this&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Madhyamika has an analytical, dialectical approach [...] emphasizing&#xA;  wisdom; the Yogacara's emphasized samadhi (meditative concentration)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T18:03:16.660" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T18:03:16.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6050" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7569" CreationDate="2015-01-04T18:13:15.183" Score="10" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a recent &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2015/01/bg-346-debugging-source-code-dharma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks podcast&lt;/a&gt; the presenter Bodhipaksa stated that by the time the Buddhagosa wrote the commentary &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; in the 5th Century CE, meditation had been largely abandoned. He goes on to state that there is good evidence that 500 years previously Buddhist monks had given up meditation and felt the best they could do was to pass down the Buddhist texts to further generations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To what extent is this analysis of Buddhism true? Was meditation really not practiced for a large proportion of Buddhist history? If this is the case then when was meditation 'rediscovered' or at least reinvigorated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:03:45.787" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T23:11:29.793" Title="Was meditation not practiced for most of the history of Buddhism?" Tags="|history|visuddhimagga|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3427" CreationDate="2015-01-04T18:59:12.507" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &quot;The Distraction Addiction&quot;, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang reports something on this that surprised me. My initial reaction to the question of modern technology distracting us and making mindfulness hard was to say &quot;absolutely&quot;. I agreed (still do to some extent) with Nick Carr in &quot;The Shallows&quot;, that the Internet is making us stupid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Alex Soojung-Kim Pang talked to several Buddhists who were active on the Internet, including, I believe, our very own @yuttadhammo, and got a reaction of surprise from them on this question. Their overall answer seemed to be, no, of course modern technology is not any more or less distracting than anything else, because distraction is an &lt;em&gt;internal&lt;/em&gt; state -- i.e. it is our reaction to the external stimuli that matters, not the external stimuli themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To square that with my own experience of Clear and Present Distraction from e-things, I note that the people he talked to were experienced meditators. So my current theory is that &lt;em&gt;if&lt;/em&gt; you have achieved a certain level of advancement in meditation, you may well be able to operate without technology being a problem; but &lt;em&gt;until&lt;/em&gt; you have reached that level, distracting modern technology may act as an obstacle to you even reaching that level of advancement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary: newbies should explicitly guard the sense doors -- a.k.a. turn your phone off sometimes!; but advanced meditators may not need to be as cautious (because they &lt;em&gt;implicitly&lt;/em&gt; do it anyway).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T18:59:12.507" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6052" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6053" CreationDate="2015-01-04T19:48:42.090" Score="5" ViewCount="874" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have come across the term 'conditioned phenomena'; what is meant by the qualifier 'conditioned'; are all phenomena conditioned, or are some phenomena unconditioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2502" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T01:20:19.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T01:20:19.120" Title="What are conditioned as opposed to unconditioned phenomena?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6052" CreationDate="2015-01-04T20:26:32.273" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;All things are conditioned (matter, feelings, perceptions, thoughts and consciousness itself). Conditioned in that their arising, form and duration are influenced by other things. Only nibbana (nirvana) is unborn, unaging and unconditioned in the original Buddhist teaching. It is because such a state exists that escape is possible from all that is born, changing and conditioned (which is ultimately unsatisfactory and the cause of suffering anyway). See Udana text, sutta 3 for more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2486" LastEditorUserId="2486" LastEditDate="2015-01-04T20:31:50.967" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T20:31:50.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6046" CreationDate="2015-01-04T23:53:50.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say it depends on the tradition you follow. In general, it probably means to focus your mind on the word, phrase, or feeling, to the exclusion of other mental phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming from the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition of vipassana meditation, we might read a scripture, and make a mental note &quot;reading... reading...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While reading, we may get a pleasant or frightened feeling as we learn something from the text, so we then make a mental note &quot;happy... happy...&quot; or &quot;fear... fear...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we go back to reading, we might come across a passage that we don't fully understand. Then we can make a mental note &quot;confused... confused...&quot; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example I have given may or may not be helpful, since in our tradition we only meditate on directly observable phenomena as categorized in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Satipatthana Sutta&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Overall, if you don't have much experience with meditation in general, I would suggest to find a teacher, and learn what you can. After you have gained some experience with meditation, then applying the teachings in daily life will be a more intuitive and less confusing task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Yoda, all that I get is confusion so I say to myself (mentally) &quot;confused... confused...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2015-01-04T23:53:50.563" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2015-01-05T03:31:54.323" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Geez, ya'll are crazy. 30 minutes?&#xA;I'd say WORK up to that maybe after a few months of practice but in the beginning it is best to LIKE MEDITATION and do PRACTICE PROPERLY rather than just loiter around and try to sit tight for 30 minutes thinking about Jane and Bob.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had 3-5 minute sessions where you would NOT believe how much baggage I dropped and how refreshed and happy I felt.&#xA;And then I've had 30 minute sessions where I came out worse than I went in, because I was obsessing over thoughts instead of taking time to write them out and therapatize myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is NOT the time to therapatize oneself, so make sure not to get stuck in that habit!&#xA;If you have 30 minutes, use 20 minutes to understand how to meditate and journal and get rid of your baggage and then 10 minutes to meditate perfectly, dropping all things away and just being mindful of your object (breath, thoughts, or whatever else) the entire time as cohesively as possible. Repeat until you can do that 10 minutes. You will feel an enjoyable buzz and a helpless smile and lightness if you practice correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At my current stage, every session (morning, pre-lunch, evening) I have doing 3 20-minute meditations, each with a different meditation object that I have chosen. I have a 1-5 minute break in between each object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For beginners I would reccommend 5 to 10 minute sessions. When you ACTUALLY meditate that long... increase it by 5 minutes. When you LONG TO MEDITATE longer, increase. Do not force yourself to sit too long. You will idle.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Instead, put your energies into meditating properly and perfectly for a few minutes. This will increase your mindfulness, because you don't have as much time to fool around.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, don't let what I am saying stop you if you yearn for long periods of time! You will not attain samadhi unless you practice for HOURS at a time. So if you feel like you can actually pay attention that entire time... godspeed!&#xA;But above all else, do not scare yourself away from your gradual climb in meditation abilities by making meditation frustrating. &lt;strong&gt;Enjoy it and do not underestimate the Power of Less is More.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me leave you with this excerpt from a Buddhist book I am reading &quot;Mind Experiment&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is better to meditate often for a shorter time than for a long&#xA;  time but infrequently. To make real progress, meditation should become&#xA;  a vital part of one’s daily life. Meditation masters recommended to&#xA;  their students: “Do it with an aspiration so strong that it will be&#xA;  the cause of fulfilling your provisional and final aims. Meditate in&#xA;  this way during four sessions: predawn, morning, afternoon, and at&#xA;  nightfall. Furthermore, if at first you meditate for a long time, you&#xA;  will be readily susceptible to laxity and excitement. If this becomes&#xA;  your habit, it will then be difficult to correct your awareness.&#xA;  Meditate in many short sessions. If you end your session while still&#xA;  wanting to meditate, you will be eager to reenter each future&#xA;  session.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T03:38:41.203" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T03:38:41.203" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6056" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-05T09:49:51.230" Score="9" ViewCount="1007" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not very experienced in Buddhism but while reading some articles and few books about it I wonder about one key thing..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am not mistaken, the compassion with other species is one of the key pillar of Buddhism. It teaches us that everything is relative and feeling the compassion with others can help us from the anger and so on (perhaps it's very vague claim and I know there's much more to add but to keep this question brief..)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really do like the idea however &lt;strong&gt;I'm &quot;lost&quot; when it comes to confrontation with laws of nature&lt;/strong&gt;. Biologically, the human is just an animal. Everyone is trying to survive. The stronger eats weaker (we see it in nature every day and every second - tigers, sharks..everyone just hunts for weaker in order to feed itself and survive). I mean - where is the compassion here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I look around and think of the nature I can't help my self but - it's brutal. For example, what about an elephant stepping over the mouse without even realizing it just killed the poor mouse? Or bird mommy flying out of the nest to find some food for the young ones and getting caught by cat? The young birds will die brutally by hunger..and nature has millions such examples every day. Technically, the mouse will die because it wasn't strong/fast enough to escape. The same for those birds. That's how nature gets rid of the weaker ones. It's brutal. The morality and ethics teaches us to value the life while in fact the nature seems to possess no value for life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days, we, the humans can simply call a pizza service and feed ourself. It is the science and technology allowing us to survive the harsh conditions. The development of our civilization. But the core is the same - the struggle for survival where the compassion doesn't really help much. How can I possess a compassion to someone who tries to kill/eat me? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe I am wrong. Maybe this question doesn't have any sense. But still - I'd like to ask you - does the Buddhism say anything on this topic? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2504" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T12:39:10.730" LastActivityDate="2020-02-20T14:05:23.783" Title="Buddhism vs. Nature and Real World" Tags="|philosophy|compassion|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6056" CreationDate="2015-01-05T13:17:24.423" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara can be quite brutal and there is suffering. The Buddha acknowledged this in the First Noble Truth. And his last words urged his disciples to strive on with diligence toward their enlightenment. Only through Nibbanna will one escape the suffering of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nature is full of examples of suffering such as you detailed. The animals involved have no evil intentions. They simply eat to stay alive. This is why humans are so very fortunate. We generally don't have to live such a brutal life and we can think things through and form intentions and take actions with as much wisdom and compassion as we possess. This is a blessing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Treating all beings with metta (loving kindness) creates peace in one's mind. Treating other beings with cruelty creates conflict and discord in one's mind. One is clearly better than the other for living a peaceful life and for creating better conditions for one's meditation and eventual enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta which explains this idea of taking care of others by taking care of yourself is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.019.than.html&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. SN47&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T14:58:36.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T14:58:36.120" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6056" CreationDate="2015-01-05T16:06:56.390" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you step back from this one life and look at the totality of Samsara then no being is better or worse than any other being. Samsara is so vast that any being that kills you in this life, is sure to have died for you in another life. A soldier kills his enemy but he most likely killed a enemy that was at one time his brother. &#xA;   If a being steps on another being without the intention in mind to kill, then it is not a violation of the first precept. On the other hand if one intends to kill but doesn't go through with it for some reason then that is a violation of the first precept. Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T16:06:56.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6056" CreationDate="2015-01-05T16:40:38.420" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human belongs to a separate realm other than animal's according to Buddhism's realm classification (the 6 realms are: hell, afflicted spirit, animal, human, asura, and heavenly beings). It doesn't mean we're inherently more compassionate than the animals. It just means we possess much greater potential to either do a lot of evil or a lot of good. You won't find anything in the animal realm like Hitler, PolPot, GenghisKhan, nor you'll find the Buddha, mother Teresa, or Jesus Christ. So, the question is which direction we want to go given our enormous potential? This is where the teaching of the Buddha comes in to play to help us and guide us..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T16:40:38.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6060" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6068" CreationDate="2015-01-05T19:48:36.060" Score="3" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need to find the &lt;em&gt;Sutta&lt;/em&gt; in where it is stated how a human being will be reborn. There should be different states for example if you are born in a high society you were respectful towards parents, elders, teachers and so forth in the previous life/lives. If you were into torturing and harming people you will be reborn with a poor health, if you were killing people you will be reborn with a short life span. There are more states but i do not know them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-01-05T19:53:59.300" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T10:05:33.933" Title="Rebirth in the human realm" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|reference-request|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6060" CreationDate="2015-01-05T20:41:22.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 135&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Here, student, some man or woman kills living beings and is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. But if on the dissolution of the body, after death, he does not reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell, but instead comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is short-lived. This is the way, student, that leads to short life, namely, one kills living beings and is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-05T20:41:22.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3914" CreationDate="2015-01-06T00:09:47.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find that in most cases, these sorts of questions cannot be solved in the context in which they were raised (like the famous quote by Einstein, I think it was). To get an answer, you need to change your context, which means to practice for now in the faith that there is an answer, and it will come. Your faith is what you bring to the game: your &quot;ante&quot;. Without that, you cannot get anywhere. But like any game, you do not know the outcome in advance (the answer you are seeking), so you have to play to find out. The basis of Buddhism is taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. You begin with only that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, press on and the answers will come. No one can do that for you (or your friends who question the meaning and purpose of life). You begin any form of education knowing that you do not already know the fullness of it, or where it will lead. Could I tell you &quot;the meaning and purpose of Calculus&quot; either? Yet people still go to school. Trust that the millions of seekers who came before you did actually find. Enjoy the journey. This is what my Guru teaches about beginning a spiritual path. It has worked for me and others that I know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T00:09:47.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6060" CreationDate="2015-01-06T04:50:29.513" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Important question indeed! But not a simple thing to explain.&#xA;Indeed, for the Buddha himself said that karma and reincarnation are one of the four things that can never be explained fully and to probe too deep into it will cause insanity!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a ton of stories throughout all the Nikayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reccommend the book &quot;Mind Experiment&quot; by Bavo Lievens. You will see the glorious, intricate web of reincarnation across the planes of existence in vivid, holistic detail and see the things yourself by opening your Third Eye and most importantly the ladder to Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your question, I assume you are looking for some formulaic method to figure out someone's future or past based on their present deeds and situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main principle: the present circumstance will help build up the OPPOSITE of whatever the person had too much of (e.g. if they forcibly repressed themselves from sex, they will go crazy with sex next life, if they be hatin'... they will be born in situations where the opposite of that can arise).&#xA;Why is this the principle? Because one's incarnation is an educational program.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, read the book. Here's the excerpt you wanted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When my mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid&#xA;  of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to&#xA;  imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the recollection of&#xA;  past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, that is, one birth .&#xA;  . .  a hundred births . . .  a hundred thousand births, many eons of&#xA;  world-contraction, many eons of world-expansion, many eons of&#xA;  expansion and contraction: “There I was so named, of such clan, with&#xA;  such an appearance . . .  and passing away there, I was reborn&#xA;  elsewhere.” Thus with their aspects and particulars I recollected my&#xA;  manifold past lives . . . I directed my mind to knowledge of the&#xA;  passing away and rebirth of beings. With the divine eye, which is&#xA;  purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing away and being&#xA;  reborn, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and&#xA;  unfortunate, and I understood how beings fare on according to their&#xA;  actions (karma) thus: “These beings who behaved wrongly&#xA;  by body, speech, and mind, who held wrong view, and undertook actions based on wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, have been reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell; but these beings who behaved well . . . who held right view . . . have been reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. Thus with the divine eye . . . I understood how beings fare on according to their actions (karma). Thus was the second true knowledge attained by me in the middle watch of the night. (MN 36)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T04:50:29.513" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1417" CreationDate="2015-01-06T05:22:40.103" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can state several Suttas and Jatakas which are nonpacifist (Taccha Sukara Jataka, Dipi Jataka). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha clearly also states that farming leads to the death and killing of millions of sentient beings (see Lakkhana Miga Jataka where deer are killed to protect crops), yet I always see them not mentioning the real contradiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the human situation is quite different than a crane's in Kulavaka Jataka.  Human societies are more complex.  Humans are &quot;the precious birth&quot;.  Here humans are allowed to develop ANY skill under close watch of the government.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist can be a soldier, butcher, farmer as long as he is a representitive of the government.  You will not be held karmically liable since you are a mere instrument as long as you do your job honestly and well.  If you have corrupt rulers, you have a duty to speak up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vanijja Sutta is not for the average lay person. The Vyagpajja Sutta is addressed directly to lay people and it states lay people should learn to shoot, hmmm, how can I learn to shoot if there's no one to sell me weapons? So Vanijja Sutta is strangely addressed to a monk NOT lay people - this is meant as advice for rulers.  You obviously want governements to keep a close eye on these industries.  Evidence of this is found in Jatakas such as Varuni Dusaka Jataka where the tavern is under close watch of the governor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply stated, the Buddhist rulers (ideal ruler is Buddhist King Pasenadi who went to war, had slaughterhouses, farming, etc.) are authorized to do whatever it takes for a good functioning government this includes farming, providing blameless fish and meat for the entire population, hiring and training soldiers, funding weapons, being watchful of taverns and bars, etc. rulers will be judged in their skillfulness that these tasks were accomplished and how much human skill they developed.  For slaughterhouses, Buddha states several times they should close slaughterhouses on new and full moon days (Mahaummaga Jataka, Mahasutosoma Jataka, Vinaya story of Suppeya who could not find meat since the slaughterhouse of King Passenadi (a good Buddhist King) was closed for the Uposaths.&#xA;So this is the set up for lay Buddhists.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks and nuns can't hurt a fly though.  They are our merit producers and we too later can become monks and nuns.  So this is how Buddhists lay people and monastics work together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2506" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T05:22:40.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="215" CreationDate="2015-01-06T09:16:30.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was the arrival of the Greeks with Alexander, that caused the making of statues. You can see the first imagery influenced from the greeks in the Earliest sculptures. The Vinaya Pitaka and other Suttas of the Tripitaka mention often what the Buddha stated about worshipping images in his stead, or worshipping images in any sense. The Buddha also explained to Ananda about the different kind of Stupas, whicvh are also Rupa-Dhammas. he once told a monk worshipping an image instead of Buddha as his representative, that &quot;how can the worship of a rotten impermanent stinking physical form represent me and my teachings?' he did not forbid images, but he did explain how there is nothing but unenlightenment in the looking to images as some kind of object of worship, clinging, or to beseech blessings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2508" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T09:16:30.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6060" CreationDate="2015-01-06T10:00:31.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is where the Buddha explains the answer to your questions in detail :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at&#xA;  Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Subha the student (brahman), Todeyya's son, went to the Blessed&#xA;  One and exchanged greetings with him, and when the courteous and&#xA;  amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side. When he had done&#xA;  so, Subha the student said to the Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the condition, why&#xA;  inferiority and superiority are met with among human beings, among&#xA;  mankind? For one meets with short-lived and long-lived people, sick&#xA;  and healthy people, ugly and beautiful people, insignificant and&#xA;  influential people, poor and rich people, low-born and high-born&#xA;  people, stupid and wise people. What is the reason, what is the&#xA;  condition, why superiority and inferiority are met with among human&#xA;  beings, among mankind?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Student, beings are owners of kammas, heirs of kammas, they have&#xA;  kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin, kammas as their&#xA;  homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings according to&#xA;  inferiority and superiority.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I do not understand the detailed meaning of Master Gotama's utterance&#xA;  spoken in brief without expounding the detailed meaning. It would be&#xA;  good if Master Gotama taught me the Dhamma so that I might understand&#xA;  the detailed meaning of Master Gotama's utterance spoken in brief&#xA;  without expounding the detailed meaning.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then listen, student, and heed well what I shall say.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even so, Master Gotama,&quot; Subha the student replied. The Blessed One&#xA;  said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is a killer of living beings,&#xA;  murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to&#xA;  living beings. Due to having performed and completed such kammas, on&#xA;  the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of&#xA;  deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. If, on&#xA;  the dissolution of the body, after death, instead of his reappearing&#xA;  in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in&#xA;  hell, he comes to the human state, he is short-lived wherever he is&#xA;  reborn. This is the way that leads to short life, that is to say, to&#xA;  be a killer of living beings, murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows&#xA;  and violence, merciless to living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man, having abandoned the killing of living&#xA;  beings, abstains from killing living beings, lays aside the rod and&#xA;  lays aside the knife, is considerate and merciful and dwells&#xA;  compassionate for the welfare of all living beings. Due to having&#xA;  performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body,&#xA;  after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly&#xA;  world. If, on the dissolution of the body, after death, instead of his&#xA;  reappearing in a happy destination, in the heavenly world, he comes to&#xA;  the human state, he is long-lived wherever he is reborn. This is the&#xA;  way that leads to long life, that is to say, to have abandoned the&#xA;  killing of living beings, to abstain from killing living beings, to&#xA;  lay aside the rod and lay aside the knife, to be considerate and&#xA;  merciful, and to dwell compassionate for the welfare of all living&#xA;  beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is one who harms beings with his&#xA;  hands or with clods or with sticks or with knives. Due to having&#xA;  performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body,&#xA;  after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation... If instead he&#xA;  comes to the human state, he is sickly wherever he is reborn. This is&#xA;  the way that leads to sickness, that is to say, to be one who harms&#xA;  beings with one's hands or with clods or with sticks or with knives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is not one who harms beings with his&#xA;  hands, or with clods, or with sticks, or with knives. Due to having&#xA;  performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body,&#xA;  after death, he reappears in a happy destination... If instead he&#xA;  comes to the human state, he is healthy wherever he is reborn. This is&#xA;  the way that leads to health, that is to say, not to be one who harms&#xA;  beings with his hands or with clods or with sticks or with knives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is angry, much given to rage; even&#xA;  when little is said, he is furious, angry, ill-disposed, resentful, he&#xA;  shows ill-temper, hate and surliness. Due to having performed and&#xA;  completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he&#xA;  reappears in a state of deprivation... If instead he comes to the&#xA;  human state, he is ugly wherever he is reborn. This is the way that&#xA;  leads to ugliness, that is to say, to be furious, angry, ill-disposed,&#xA;  resentful, and to show ill-temper, hate and surliness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is not angry or much given to rage; even&#xA;  when much is said, he is not furious, angry, ill-disposed, resentful,&#xA;  nor does he show ill-temper, hate or surliness. Due to having&#xA;  performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body,&#xA;  after death, he reappears in a happy destination... If instead he&#xA;  comes to the human state, he is beautiful wherever he is reborn. This&#xA;  is the way that leads to beauty, that is to say, not to be angry or&#xA;  given to much rage; even when much is said, not to be furious, angry,&#xA;  ill-disposed or resentful, or to show ill-temper, hate or surliness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is envious; he envies, begrudges and&#xA;  harbors envy about others' gains, honor, veneration, respect,&#xA;  salutations and offerings. Due to having performed and completed such&#xA;  kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a&#xA;  state of deprivation... If instead he comes to the human state, he is&#xA;  insignificant wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to&#xA;  insignificance, that is to say, to be envious, to envy, begrudge, and&#xA;  harbor envy about others' gain, honor, veneration, respect,&#xA;  salutations and offerings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is not envious, he does not envy, begrudge&#xA;  or harbor envy about others' gain, honor, veneration, respect,&#xA;  salutations and offerings. Due to having performed and completed such&#xA;  kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a&#xA;  happy destination... If instead he comes to the human state, he is&#xA;  influential wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to&#xA;  influence, that is to say, not to be envious, not to envy, begrudge or&#xA;  harbor envy about others' gain, honor, veneration, respect,&#xA;  salutations and offerings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is not a giver of food, drink,&#xA;  cloth, sandals, garlands, perfumes, unguents, bed, roof and lighting&#xA;  to monks or brahmans. Due to having performed and completed such&#xA;  kamma, on the dissolution of the body, after death he reappears in a&#xA;  state of deprivation... If instead he comes to the human state, he is&#xA;  poor wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to poverty,&#xA;  that is to say, not to be a giver of food, drink, cloth, sandals,&#xA;  garlands, perfumes, unguents, bed, roof and lighting to monks and&#xA;  brahmans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is a giver of food, drink, cloth, sandals,&#xA;  perfumes, unguents, bed, roof and lighting to monks and brahmans. Due&#xA;  to having performed and completed such kamma, on the dissolution of&#xA;  the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination... If&#xA;  instead he comes to the human state, he is rich wherever he is reborn.&#xA;  This is the way that leads to riches, that is to say, to be a giver of&#xA;  food, drink, cloth, sandals, garlands, perfumes, unguents, bed, roof&#xA;  and lighting to monks and brahmans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is obdurate and haughty; he does not&#xA;  pay homage to whom he should pay homage, or rise up for whom he should&#xA;  rise up, or give a seat to whom he should give a seat, or make way for&#xA;  whom he should make way, or worship him who should be worshipped, or&#xA;  respect him who should be respected, or revere him who should be&#xA;  revered, or honor him who should be honored. Due to having performed&#xA;  and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after&#xA;  death, he reappears in a state of deprivation... If instead he comes&#xA;  to the human state, he is low-born wherever he is reborn. This is the&#xA;  way that leads to low birth, that is to say, to be obdurate and&#xA;  haughty, not to pay homage to whom he should pay homage, nor rise up&#xA;  for..., nor give a seat to..., nor make way for..., nor worship...,&#xA;  nor respect..., nor revere..., nor honor him who should be honored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is not obdurate or haughty; he pays homage&#xA;  to whom he should pay homage, rises up for whom he should rise up,&#xA;  gives a seat to whom he should give a seat, makes way for whom he&#xA;  should make way, worships him who should be worshipped, respects him&#xA;  who should be respected, reveres him who should be revered, honors him&#xA;  who should be honored. Due to having performed and completed such&#xA;  kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a&#xA;  happy destination... If instead he comes to the human state, he is&#xA;  high-born wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to high&#xA;  birth, that is to say, not to be obdurate or haughty, to pay homage to&#xA;  whom he should pay homage, to rise up for..., to give a seat to..., to&#xA;  make way for..., to worship... respect... revere... honor him who&#xA;  should be honored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man when visiting a monk or brahman,&#xA;  does not ask: 'What is wholesome, venerable sir? What is unwholesome?&#xA;  What is blamable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What&#xA;  should not be cultivated? What, by my doing it, will be long for my&#xA;  harm and suffering? Or what, by my doing it, will be long for my&#xA;  welfare and happiness?' Due to having performed and completed such&#xA;  kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a&#xA;  state of deprivation... If instead he comes to the human state, he&#xA;  will be stupid wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to&#xA;  stupidity, that is to say, when visiting a monk or brahman, not to&#xA;  ask: 'What is wholesome?... Or what, by my doing it, will be long for&#xA;  my welfare and happiness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man when visiting a monk or brahman, asks:&#xA;  'What is wholesome, venerable sir?... Or what, by my doing it, will be&#xA;  long for my welfare and happiness?' Due to having performed and&#xA;  completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he&#xA;  reappears in a happy destination... If instead he comes to the human&#xA;  state, he is wise wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to&#xA;  wisdom, that is to say, when visiting a monk or brahman, to ask: 'What&#xA;  is wholesome, venerable sir?... Or what, by my doing it, will be long&#xA;  for my welfare and happiness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, student, the way that leads to short life makes people&#xA;  short-lived, the way that leads to long life makes people long-lived;&#xA;  the way that leads to sickness makes people sick, the way that leads&#xA;  to health makes people healthy; the way that leads to ugliness makes&#xA;  people ugly, the way that leads to beauty makes people beautiful; the&#xA;  way that leads to insignificance makes people insignificant, the way&#xA;  that leads to influence makes people influential; the way that leads&#xA;  to poverty makes people poor, the way that leads to riches makes&#xA;  people rich; the way that leads to low birth makes people low-born,&#xA;  the way that leads to high birth makes people high-born; the way that&#xA;  leads to stupidity makes people stupid, the way that leads to wisdom&#xA;  makes people wise. &quot;Beings are owners of kammas, student, heirs of&#xA;  kammas, they have kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin,&#xA;  kammas as their homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings&#xA;  according to inferiority and superiority.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, Subha the student, Todeyya's son, said to the&#xA;  Blessed One: &quot;Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama!&#xA;  The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by Master Gotama, as&#xA;  though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing the&#xA;  hidden, showing the way to one who is lost, holding up a lamp in the&#xA;  darkness for those with eyes to see forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I go to Master Gotama for refuge, and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha&#xA;  of bhikkhus. From today let Master Gotama accept me as a lay follower&#xA;  who has gone to him for refuge for life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Suttaṃ (MN 135)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a greater understanding on the workings of kammā in this respect, you&#xA;should read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahākammavibhaṅga Suttaṃ&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="801" LastEditDate="2015-01-06T10:05:33.933" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T10:05:33.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6069" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="6073" CreationDate="2015-01-06T10:11:55.720" Score="4" ViewCount="768" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible that a meditator uses jhana practice and dry insight together? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean: not combined in the same meditation session, but clearly in separate, distinct meditation sessions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both meditation practices have their own benefits (and disadvantages), so I wonder if it wouldn't be favorable to use the strengths of both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:46:05.960" LastActivityDate="2018-12-07T13:21:52.973" Title="Jhana practice and Dry insight practice together" Tags="|vipassana|jhana|meditation-insight|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6069" CreationDate="2015-01-06T16:40:00.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course!&#xA;You are supposed to practice the two together! Btw, let's use proper terminology: jhana = samatha practice, dry insight = vipassana.&#xA;To use even simpler terms, the former is called &quot;calming meditation&quot; the latter &quot;awareness meditation&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are complementary not supplementary to one another and actually really one practice...&#xA;&quot;Really one practice&quot;&#xA;That is an advanced subject that will not be given full justice on a mere Q&amp;amp;A here. Thus, I suggest reading the chapter about the two in the book &quot;A Short Walk on an Ancient Path&quot; by Brian Ruhe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, vipassana and jhana cultivation are not two totally separate routes. You cannot just tranquilize yourself into jhana but will still exercise STRONG observing faculties in order to concentrate on the meditation object. &lt;strong&gt;The better you are at vipassana, the better you should be at calming yourself and vice versa.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana, which is pure awareness, instead of having any material meditation object, uses your innate formless awareness as a meditation object. Basically its a meditation object of no-object.&#xA;What is the object when doing &quot;jhana cultivation&quot;? A material object such as your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps when you meditate you will notice this:&#xA;&quot;OK. I am going to focus on my breathhing... Breathing in, breathing out, breathing in  oh! Noting I just thought about my mom, coming back to breath, breathing in, breathing out&quot;&#xA;Makes sense?&#xA;Jhana would not be possible without vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, there is only one practice: jhana.&#xA;That's why the buddha doesn't talk about vipassana in the original texts, just jhana and his reccommended route: breathing meditation.&#xA;It's also why Thich Nhat Hanh does the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer to your question: yes! They are one and the same but can be focused on separately to help you perfect Right Meditation and lead you to jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-06T19:00:41.513" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T19:00:41.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6069" CreationDate="2015-01-06T17:22:40.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. In the Pali suttas Samatha and Vipassana were not clearly two seperate practices as they seem to be today. We argue over this all the time. The argument of those who practice &quot;insight only&quot; or &quot;dry insight&quot; is usually  that it's a matter of interpretation and that the critique that it's incorrect to separate Vipassana and Samatha comes from rigid minds that think there is little room for interpretation of the often profound and hard to comprehend words of the Buddha, even for Pali scholars. They would say they must be interpreted and to try to follow the teachings so literally would be incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T17:22:40.700" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-01-06T17:22:40.700" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6046" CreationDate="2015-01-06T18:32:34.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of a &quot;focal point&quot; is somewhat misleading, in that it implies attempting to impose a permanent point of focus. Even within the phrase &quot;focus on the breath&quot; we see that this does not refer to some limited focal point, but rather an ever fluctuating process.&#xA;To narrow this even further, if we just look at it from a moment-to-moment relation, at the so-called in-breath/out-breath as it happens. What we see is that the in-breath itself cannot be pin pointed, nor can the out-breath.&#xA;In other words, there is no-point of focus to be found!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The terms &quot;focus&quot; and &quot;concentration&quot; can be easily misappropriated as implying &quot;to gain control&quot;.&#xA;So, the phrase &quot;focal point&quot; can also be misappropriated as implying &quot;to gain control of a specific object&quot;;ie. to gain control of thoughts, awareness, breathing, etc.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Probably the most common mistake in practice is when it is motivated by a &quot;gaining-idea&quot;!!&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;For most students/practitioners this is also the most difficult aspect of meditation practice to understand and overcome.&#xA;That there is no-thing to be gained, no-point, no-reason, no-purpose, etc. to be found in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To simply &quot;just sit&quot; and nothing more!&#xA;To do so without attributing any reason, purpose, etc., and without conjecture, explanation, expectation, or any other storyline/narrative as to why we do it, why it's important, or what we gain or lose as a result!&#xA;So, in regards to words, phrases, etc., as a focal point, it is simply a matter of curiosity, contemplation, examination, etc., without any ulterior motives, or expectations of gaining.&#xA;It's not a matter of some specific focal point, but rather of simply paying attention to the breath, to thoughts, &lt;em&gt;to the inconsistency of focus itself, and to the limitations of our influence.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;And rather than picking one particular word, phrase, etc., as an object of focus, we should just be open and curious in general, and respond intuitively with the appropriate question.&#xA;What is this?&#xA;Where did it come from?&#xA;Does this have some origin?&#xA;Who is asking?&#xA;Who wants to know?&#xA;Etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2510" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T07:31:51.750" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T07:31:51.750" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6069" CreationDate="2015-01-06T19:16:21.360" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It could be in any order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquillity...Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded by insight...Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity in tandem with insight...&quot; ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.170&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T19:16:21.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6046" CreationDate="2015-01-06T20:30:57.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The breath is one of forty meditation objects according to the Visuddhimagga. For the full detail, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, for a brief summary, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammacenter.org/content/view/232&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T20:30:57.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-06T21:07:50.447" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, in the mind of a certain bhikkhu this thought arose: “So, it seems, material form is not self, feeling is not self, perception is not self, formations are not self, consciousness is not self. What self, then, will actions done by the not-self affect?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same question was raised by a bhikkhu in MN 109, and the Buddha provided a great answer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.109.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Sutta's synopsis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A thorough discussion of issues related to the five aggregates. Toward the end of the discussion, a monk thinks that he has found a loophole in the teaching. The way the Buddha handles this incident shows the proper use of the teachings on the aggregates: not as a metaphysical theory, but as a tool for questioning clinging and so gaining release.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-06T21:07:50.447" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="6076" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-07T01:04:07.477" Score="4" ViewCount="1017" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha#Three_patterns&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dukkha&lt;/a&gt; is said to have three types. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can Vipariṇāma-dukkha be analysed in terms of Dukkha-dukkha alone?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the experience of Saṃkhāra-dukkha nothing more than Vipariṇāma-dukkha?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T02:28:01.490" Title="The relation between the three types of dukkha" Tags="|pali-canon|suffering|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2902" CreationDate="2015-01-07T05:04:21.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be ideal if a question like this were framed as either an inquiry into personal experiences and views or as relating specifically to the precepts of specific schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;am not able to make out if celibacy is a must for Buddhists?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer I would give is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Only one Buddhist ever was &lt;em&gt;required&lt;/em&gt; to practice celibacy: that was Shakyamuni; and he required it &lt;em&gt;of himself&lt;/em&gt; by &quot;marrying himself to the Earth.&quot; In an allegorical sense this marriage is indicated by the story of Shakyamuni's final struggle with &lt;em&gt;Mara&lt;/em&gt; (the devilish nature of delusion integral to all beings; an innate part of consciousness); when challenged by Mara to produce any person who could testify that he, Shakyamuni, was qualified to become the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tathagata&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, the Teacher to all living beings, Shakyamuni placed his hand, palm upon the ground and said &quot;&lt;em&gt;The Earth is my witness&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (it is said that when he did this, the ground trembled in many directions, scattering the followers of Mara, who fled in terror).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt;, the codified rules of monastic conduct, do not apply outside the school which claims them. So the Vinaya of Theravadan Buddhists cannot be applied to those answering from a Mahayana perspective (as informed readers will no doubt deduce that I am).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been celibate for more than a dozen years as I write this. I am in my 50s and am a male American person. It has some great aspects.  However, &lt;em&gt;everything&lt;/em&gt; is like a blade that has two edges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3510" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T05:04:21.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7071" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-07T06:33:41.877" Score="8" ViewCount="8541" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Buddha say about the question,&quot;Who am I&quot;? Our body and mind perishes with time. If so then who actually attains the Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3511" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T16:13:01.657" LastActivityDate="2022-10-31T13:07:33.840" Title="Who am I- according to Buddhism" Tags="|enlightenment|anatman|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-01-07T09:49:55.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll answer in two parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Regarding not self&lt;/strong&gt;: The body, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness exist. They just don't exist the way you think they do. We have a misconception about these aggregates and the misconception is that there is an entity, the &quot;I&quot;, that is somehow the essence of these aggregates. This &quot;essence&quot; is conceived as permanent, independent and uniquely individual. It is the &quot;me&quot;, or &quot;I&quot;. The deluded enchantment with this entity, and with what can bring happiness to it and what can bring suffering to it, is what causes suffering. Our whole life is trying to be happy and avoid suffering based on this misconception. But this misconceived entity does not exist. There is nothing permanent and independent about the aggregates. The aggregates exist, but are in a constant flux. And when this is seen clearly, there is no permanent and independent entity found. This is such a radical change in perspective that our whole life changes when we fully realise it. There is no more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Regarding choice&lt;/strong&gt;: It is true that everything arises and falls due to causes. It seems like the inevitable logical consequence is that we are but puppets in this everchanging and causal universe. In a way that's true. Let me give you an analogy: say I throw you a ball for you to catch. You know that it is in the nature of the ball to be subject to gravity. But how does that help you to catch the ball perfectly? It is of little help, really. In the same way, you can observe that these aggregates are constantly changing due to causes, so they are completely subject to causes, just like a ball is subject to gravity. But that doesn't mean that you know precisely how your actions will affect others, just like you don't know the precise trajectory of the ball. So when you don't know with full precision what are the specific consequences of your actions, you have several outcomes and, thus, a subjective choice. That's why it's best to choose to act ethically. To act with kind intentions usually brings the best results for you and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastEditorUserId="2469" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T15:26:25.800" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T15:26:25.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-07T09:50:00.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says there is no core which is unchanging and nor an entity with absolute control over anything we call me or mine. Also, the practice is somewhat geared towards eliminating the notion of a permanent controlling self-identity view as this gives you a yard stick to measure yourself against others, which causes misery. So in conventional wisdom, it is you who attains the truth, although the notion of self will eventually be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T02:47:36.010" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T02:47:36.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6076" CreationDate="2015-01-07T10:39:15.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dukkha-dukkha (the dukkha of painful experiences):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The physical and mental sufferings of birth, aging, illness, dying.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The anxiety or frustration of coming across what is not desirable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwanted things happening. Coming in contact with unwanted things, beings and stimuli. Resulting mainly as the world and even ourselves are not what we expect or in our control and being averse to such experience. This includes our form and cognitive process which is subjected to decay and change to which we are averse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Viparinama-dukkha (the dukkha of the changing nature of all things):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The anxiety or stress of trying to hold onto what is desirable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The frustration of not getting what you want.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is mainly use to change. Wanted things not happening. Not coming in contact with wanted things, beings and stimuli. Or desirable experiences coming to an end (partly in relation to the above as it is undesirable for a desirable experience to end). Resulting mainly, as the world and even ourselves are not what we expect or in our control and being in wanting experiences we do not get. This includes our form and cognitive process which which takes on a particular form but we it to be different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sankhara-dukkha (the dukkha of conditioned experience):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all forms of existence, because all forms of life are changing, impermanent and without any inner core or substance. On this level, the term indicates a lack of satisfaction, a sense that things never measure up to our expectations or standards&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mainly coming current and past volitional formations and karma. These manifests as sensations. These sensation also change and finite experience in common with the above two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Quotes sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dukkha&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can Vipariṇāma-dukkha be analysed in terms of Dukkha-dukkha alone?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some overlap, i.e., if you are experiencing a something desirable and this changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the experience of Saṃkhāra-dukkha nothing more than Vipariṇāma-dukkha?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nature of formations is it change hence some overlap with unsatisfactoriness due to change. Stimulating thoughts, happy moods, positive karmic experience all pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T02:28:01.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7075" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7077" CreationDate="2015-01-07T10:51:12.460" Score="3" ViewCount="77" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is ditthivisuddhi (the 3rd purification) &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; the purification of the illusion of 'self'; 'I'; 'me'; 'mine'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:45:20.703" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:45:20.703" Title="Exact meaning of Ditthivisuddhi (3rd purification)" Tags="|enlightenment|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-07T11:22:00.043" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;He sort of refuses to answer that question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is an example of a Sutta in which he refuses to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is a variant of what's given in Wikipedia as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other questions on this site about why these questions are unanswered:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3543/254&quot;&gt;14 questions left unanswered&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1967/254&quot;&gt;Where does a person go after attaining Nirvana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3956/254&quot;&gt;Why are the 16 Unwise Reflections (“shall I exist in future” etc.) considered unwise?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Views or beliefs about the self are called &amp;quot;identity views&amp;quot;. Buddhism suggests that on the path towards enlightenment we need to &amp;quot;eradicate&amp;quot; identity views. I asked about what that means in this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt; the answers to which seem relevant to your questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other articles here on that subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/if-buddhism-teaches-non-self-anatta-then-who-meditates&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;If Buddhism teaches non-self (anatta), then who meditates?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that thought is a bit like the idea primitive man may have felt, looking at nature. The wind blows, the leaves rustle, the rain falls. There must be “someone” making this all happen! And so they imagined a god or gods who were doing these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/the-empty-room-the-plagiarist-and-the-boys-in-the-basement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The difficulty of getting our heads around “non-self”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha didn’t actually teach that there is no self. I, and other teachers, often say that there’s no self, but this is just shorthand for saying that the kind of self you think you have doesn’t exist. The self you don’t have — the illusory self — is usually thought of as a unitary entity that sits inside you, pulling all your disparate experiences and actions into a single whole. It’s also in charge. And it’s conscious. You don’t have this kind of self — or in short-hand, you don’t have a self. Therefore you don’t have a self to lose, and those problems of “how to live without a self” don’t arise. You already don’t have a self, and you already do just fine. What you do have is an illusion of having a self, and that illusion makes you do less fine than if you got rid of it. The trouble is that once you believe you have a self, and you recognize that your self isn’t happy a lot of the time, you have to start wondering what kind of self you have. It’s obviously lacking! Maybe it’s broken! Maybe it’s not as good as other people’s selves! The illusory self becomes a real burden and gets in the way of our being happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T11:22:00.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7075" CreationDate="2015-01-07T11:34:19.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understand that mental and physical process and the world at large is not in our control and is changing. So any notion of regarding one self will not be in line with expectations and also would lead to comparison hence misery. (3 Marks of Existence) Further the understanding of the 4 Noble Truth and Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.3-Rathavinita-S-m24-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rathavinita&lt;/a&gt; where this is initially covered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T11:34:19.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-07T14:03:39.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a tricky question, as the Sutras appear to contradict on this, and there are several interpretations.  My take on this is that Buddhism doesn't tell us who we are, but rather tells us one of the following...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Who we are not.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not to cling to specific conceptions of who we are.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not to cling to any conceptions of who we are.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Simply denies that we are independently existing permanent entities.  Some have translated this as &quot;soul&quot; but I disagree with this translation.  Rather, I think a better one is that sense that &quot;you&quot; are somewhere inside your body, directing your mind and body, pulling the strings, independent of all that goes on around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Is similar to (1), but rather than deny it, it simply says not to cling to this conception.  This is neither an assertion nor a denial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) Is similar to (2) but it admonishes against clinging to any conception of who we are.  This is particularly important, because one could develop a self-conception that may appear congruent with Buddhism (I'm one with everything, I'm a good Buddhist, I'm enlightened, I'm the thing that will gain the future benefits from this Buddhist practice, etc...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So which is it?  I don't think there's a good answer, and I'm not even sure it matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the issue with our pain is NOT who we are, but who we are NOT, then the problem becomes one of dissolving this &quot;wrong view&quot;; one need not install a &quot;right view&quot; in its place.  If so, any of the above could work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, if you take the problem of the self as being the boundaries we draw, and the conflicts that arise at those boundaries, then the solution becomes dissolving those boundaries, and any of the above can do that.  Even an interpretation of the self as identical with everything would do this (although whether it's taught in Buddhism may be debatable).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, my favored interpretation is (3). In fact, I regard (3) as a specific instance of a much more general principle -- not to cling to anything. This in turn could be seen as one interpretation of &quot;emptiness&quot; (we cling to illusory essences underlying phenomena, or clinging itself has this essence-view as its substrate). Now, since the self is the root of most of our problems, it deserves special attention, and exclusive attention on it may be enough.  This in turn is part of a general framework for understanding Buddhism as a way to live rather than assertions to be believed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So who attains The Truth?  That question should be dropped, for to ask it may reinforce the self-conception that Buddhism tries to undermine.  Simply live Buddhism, stop asking such questions and see how you fare :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-01-07T15:53:06.173" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T15:53:06.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-07T18:44:46.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are Buddha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Siddhartha teaches. &quot;That to which I have attained, you may also attain&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may not realise it, in which case you need to wake up.  And Siddhartha has left behind a set of teachings to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your perception may be clouded by a sense of self. Siddhartha was faced with this obstacle, and created a science to transcend this illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism at its core (if you care to examine the teachings of Siddhartha) is a science, not a religion. A science of the inner. A religion has formed around it, but the core is scientific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3516" LastActivityDate="2015-01-07T18:44:46.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7081" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7102" CreationDate="2015-01-07T18:46:01.800" Score="9" ViewCount="1142" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which are the best books and/or articles for practicing the jhanas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T07:19:09.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T10:03:24.107" Title="Best books &amp; articles for practicing jhanas" Tags="|reference-request|jhana|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7082" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-07T19:38:45.663" Score="16" ViewCount="2742" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable sir,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lately I have been wondering if there is a proper technique that can be used in order to attain stream entry rather than meditating. I have a few experiences with loving kindness meditation though it did not go very well. Actually, I am not good at meditating therefore it is hard for me to walk in the path. It might be easier if there is a proper technique to follow instead of meditating.  Also even though I am in a Buddhist country it is not very popular among the Buddhist to meditate here, so if there is a technique please let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3517" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:11:57.403" LastActivityDate="2021-01-23T04:43:11.587" Title="Can you attain stream entry without meditation?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|stream-entry|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7083" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7084" CreationDate="2015-01-08T03:06:56.080" Score="2" ViewCount="68" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the exact meaning (definition) of satisampajanna? How can we develop and penetrate it in our practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:16:30.140" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:16:30.140" Title="Exact meaning of satisampajanna" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7083" CreationDate="2015-01-08T03:23:59.117" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The VRI definition (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-and-Sampajanna-its-importance&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha, out of his personal experience, found that suffering arises because of the mental habit of craving (tanhatanha). This in itself was not a new discovery, but what was unique to his teaching was that he found a practical way out of suffering. By exploring the depths of his mind, he realized that between external objects and the mental reflex of craving, is a missing link-vedana-the feeling of body sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whenever we encounter an object through the five physical senses or the mind, a sensation arises, and based on the sensation, craving arises. If the sensation is pleasant we crave to prolong it; if it is unpleasant we crave to get rid of it. Therefore, the immediate cause for the arising of craving and of suffering is not something outside, but rather the sensations that occur within us. To free ourselves, we must deal with this inner reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vedana is the meeting ground, the crossroads where mind and body interact, and where our true nature is revealed in a vivid, tangible way. This is wisdom; the thorough understanding that all sensations, all that one calls 'I', all that one is attached to, are arising to pass away. By objectively observing this process, we develop equanimity towards change. We no longer crave for pleasant sensations nor have aversion to unpleasant ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha called this wisdom sampajanna-the constant thorough understanding of impermanence. By Vipassana one learns to develop the continuity of this understanding. The practice results in a calm, balanced mind in the midst of all the ups and downs of life, and leads to liberation from attachment, craving and suffering. This path is a true art of living that enables one to live a wholesome, creative life. And due to its non-sectarian nature, people from all communities, religions, castes and countries are able to derive great benefit from its application.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T03:23:59.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2015-01-08T04:15:23.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;You know, I preferred one particular answer given above by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/104/rabbit&quot;&gt;rabbit&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...part quoted here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been taught that one needs to have a relatively stable mind in order to practice insight meditation. But this doesn't mean that one has to spend years in Samatha meditation before trying Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No indeed, I think one will benefit from learning to distinguish between &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; mind and &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; aims; but imagining that one is mastered before another is attempted is contrary to what I have been taught (if it's ok, I'll explain my affiliation: I practice Hokke school as Nichiren Daishonin named it; I chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo as primary practice, mostly in solitude, sometimes in fellowship with other members in the SGI movement. And btw, I hope that the relative accessibility and widespread presence of opportunities to do this (Nichiren Buddhist) practice with experienced seniors is not snobbishly rejected by readers as, idk, a 'diluted' form of Buddhist learning?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition too much tranquility and so-called 'inert peace' is considered as an obstacle on the way since it is not a full enlightenment and it can easily prevent a practitioner from pursuing next stages of realisation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid that, practitioners can take a Bodhisattva Vow to remind them that they  want to pursue happiness not only for themselves but mainly for all the sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This term &lt;em&gt;inert peace&lt;/em&gt; is a good one, that I have not encountered before. It is fairly descriptive of a difficult-to-describe condition. I have heard it named a &amp;quot;Buddha-Bubble.&amp;quot; ...So this &amp;quot;pursuing [of] happiness not only for themselves&amp;quot; — definitely implies happiness within a dynamic of struggle— it means willingly facing or even seeking obstacles with one's own active volition as the means to growth in understanding, in life-state, in ability to manifest powerful practices of meditative discipline aimed at overcoming powerful deterrents (which do obviously vary ffrom one practitioner to another). To establish a tranquility of purpose sufficient to attempt this, a Vow is truly necessary. Yes, and the mind is endless and so for some the vow may be inconspicuous, residing not in conscious intellect but rather as something felt, something unworded. Yet it must exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this is truly a crucial point in Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone becomes weary at times. In my experience, this is why &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; remains relevant for the duration of one's life, no matter what. A quality of &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; state achieved through meditation, with the understanding that succeeding &amp;quot;again&amp;quot; with finding compassion for one's self can be nourished by it ...maybe is inseparable from renewing one's capacity for compassion directed towards others? (It happens that I am in such a 'place' right now).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With respect and metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3510" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T04:15:23.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-01-08T04:48:16.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, you must know that Stream Entry is not something that can be achieved easily. It can take multiple lives to get there. Do your best but do not push too hard to disappoint yourself. I am not a monk and have no attainment myself so think about my answer carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's 4th noble truth is the eightfold paths that lead to total liberation, starting with the Stream Entry. The eightfold paths are grouped into 3 groups - Virtues, Development of the Mind, and Wisdom. You asked about meditation which falls under the mind group of the path. Meditation is needed in order to see the wisdom necessary for Stream Entry. But what you meant by meditation is probably sitting down silently for a long time in order to go into deep meditation. If so, there are other ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other ways to meditate. For example, when you see an old person, you see yourself as an old person. You remind yourself that one day, you will get old and die. You then think about how suffering this world is. Then, you can remind yourself of how the Buddha escaped suffering by putting away his desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you meditate about the suffering of the world enough, you will grow disenchanted with the it. Eventually, you will be free of the belief of self. (Why would want you to be of a self if it will lead to suffering?). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But more importantly, ask yourself this, can a person think clearly if he is getting bothered continuously? Can you see the reflection in water if the water is continuously disturbed? Any kind of meditation, including the one I described, cannot be done successfully without the perfection of virtues (Right Speech, Right Livelihood, and Right Action). If your virtues is not perfect, you will be continuously disturbed by your own conduct. And by perfect, I really do mean perfect. Even unintentionally killing an insect can cause an imperfection. This is why it is easy for monks to meditate. They can perfect their virtues more easily than lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, before doing any practice, I suggest that you read the Tripitaka as much as possible. How do you expect to travel to a place so hard to find without a map?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3520" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T04:48:16.557" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7087" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7088" CreationDate="2015-01-08T05:24:13.850" Score="5" ViewCount="1310" Body="&lt;p&gt;THe most successful cultivators and Buddhists cultivated in the forest or mountains where there are few people. In our day and age, this is less easy due to polluted rivers, overharvesting of resources, financial necessity, etc. and we all live in noisy metropolises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Go to a &lt;strong&gt;quiet place without people&lt;/strong&gt;, sit cross-legged, with&#xA;  correct body and correct attention, without any other thoughts, and&#xA;  fix the attention on the nose:..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a beginner, this is not ideal, although advanced meditators who are enjoying the fruit of their efforts are fully absorbed with their meditation object, not hearing any noise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you handle &lt;em&gt;loud&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;meaningful&lt;/em&gt; and ultimately alarming family noises while trying to focus on meditation object?&#xA;What are trains of thoughts that lead you to the state where you do not even understand what they are saying because you are so absorbed in your object?&#xA;I experience this frequently, where I don't hear or feel anything and I am singularly focused on my object and this oftentimes happens when I do any type of noting (vipassana) practice. Any tricks, contemplations, ideas any experienced cultivators can give me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;loud = clearly audible through a door, 10 times louder than the sound of your own breathing (which I like to use as a concentration object)&#xA;meaningful = language and emotion, which we as social mammals are instinctively wired to respond to when hearing off-handedly, particularly our mirror neurons&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically I have an annoying, unhealthy family who watches TV with all their free time and never cultivates or does anything despite the many instructions, books given to them. I feel that they often do this to spite me due to my choice to ignore them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please give solutions other than blocking out the noise through noise-cancellation, earplugs, or binaural beats (all of which are excellent suggestions) which I have success with and will continue to use but I do not like unnecessary pressure on my ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:44:48.523" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:44:48.523" Title="How do you handle loud, meaningful family noises while trying to focus?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7087" CreationDate="2015-01-08T07:15:42.500" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understand what happens. Sound comes in contact with the ear which re recognise as such and such or voice of so and so. This creates a reaction which creates sensations to which you react with craving or aversion. In the above case you are reacting with aversion. When sound in the dominant input focus on the ear area for sensations. If the sound is very loud it might hurt the ear also but even in other cases when you practice you get some sensation. This has a mental reaction and thought proliferation. This gives arise to sensations in the head area. This should be your secondary focus. If you look closely you will see this creates vibration and sensation all over the body. This should be your tertiary focus. When you start you will not be able to even sense anything around the ear unless very intense but as you go on you will be able to see the vibration through out the body. This comes with practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever sensation you should not react to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each time your mind gets distracted by the sound or any other sense input do the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Recognise the object of attention to which the mind has wandered away and note it without verbalisation or imagination (i.e., without creating mental fabrications): Sense input or mental chartering, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a sensation tided to this object being in focus: it can be intellectual stimulation if it is an thought, some other sensation if the body, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Analysing, mental reaction and through proliferation may have created sensations around your head and rest of the body. So note these sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bring back your mind to your chosen object of attention. This can be extended even when doing normal tasks.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Each stage try to calm the fabrications. Lesser fabrications more concentrated you get.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T13:53:43.767" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:53:43.767" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7089" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7092" CreationDate="2015-01-08T07:16:48.743" Score="8" ViewCount="309" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see my society cherishing and nourishing their respected beloved ones and living at their best. I've tried to do that but I have many unanswered questions. How can I help myself to attain Nirvana when I have doubts about leaving my suffering family behind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T08:57:06.427" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T22:21:28.560" Title="Is it okay to leave your suffering family behind when you have an instinct to attain Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|relationship|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7089" CreationDate="2015-01-08T09:48:04.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something you have to decide. There are many angles to consider. Some that I through of are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What happens to your family when you leave. This can later become a worry that can come back and hold you back in your practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes some level of unsatisfactory is conducive to practice as you are always tested in daily life which might not be the case when in long time meditation as a recluse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Leaving does remove some responsibility which makes time for serious practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T09:48:04.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7265" CreationDate="2015-01-08T10:50:41.933" Score="2" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I am an illitrate of all (this worldly languages) and I am aware of all the unanswered doubts, then how come i'll explain you 'what I have asked or answered ? There are so many bars in putting questions or placing answers people. Ahh.. Nt easy admin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T08:56:01.293" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T18:52:38.823" Title="is language a barrier?" Tags="|personal-practice|doubt|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7093" CreationDate="2015-01-08T11:57:21.507" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I remember a story told of the Dalai Lama walking through a crowd, and meeting someone in the crowd who had some mentally illness. According to the story, the Dalai Lama took that man's hand in his own and held it for a while, and the man (who had been unhappy) relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story was told as an example of His Holiness's compassion (and communication).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose there are several different types of language barrier:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't understand written language (&quot;illiterate&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't understand spoken language (&quot;deaf&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understands one natural language but not another (e.g. understands english but not chinese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't understand technical vocabuary (for example Pali words such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensory barriers (e.g. different people are in different rooms)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning disability (e.g. someone didn't learn to communicate when they are an infant child, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental barriers (e.g. someone is drunk, drugged, mentally ill, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Language is a &quot;system of communication&quot;. It might be like &quot;a bridge over a river&quot; or &quot;two people holding hands&quot;. There might be a limit to what or how much can be communicated, but language can be as much &quot;bridge&quot; as it is &quot;barrier&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the part of one's mind which communicates using language can (I guess) be mistaken as the 'self' or 'ego'. Language is a sensory (conditioned) phenomenon. Some meditative practices (e.g. &quot;guarding senses&quot; etc.) may be intended to reduce one's dependence on communication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T11:57:21.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7096" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7099" CreationDate="2015-01-08T12:33:19.513" Score="5" ViewCount="334" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any resemblance between &lt;em&gt;bhanga&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt;? If so, which is the accordance between both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:13:27.857" Title="Resemblance between bhanga and jhana" Tags="|vipassana|samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7087" CreationDate="2015-01-08T12:36:48.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My mum's father was a writer (a playwright and novelist) who worked (wrote) at home. Her mother wouldn't let the children play outside his office/study door because their noise would distract him. Later in life, he (my grandfather) clarified that he didn't mind his children playing outside his door: what he found too distracting was if they were fighting or crying outside his door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I interpret that is meaning that he was OK to let his children live their lives (even noisily) while he worked, provided that they didn't need him (to intervene in their fighting with each other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, some family noises might be loud and meaningful without being necessarily alarming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reaction to noise (dislike, anger) is more unpleasant than the noise itself. I admit that I found constant loud radio problematic in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your paragraph &quot;Basically I have an annoying, unhealthy ... my choice to ignore them&quot; seems to me like it might be an unhealthy relationship. I suppose I should recommend you talk with a family/relationship counsellor about that. There's nothing on the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;Buddhism meta&lt;/a&gt;&quot; site about this, but I'd suggest that this site should adopt the same policy as the Christianity site: &lt;a href=&quot;https://christianity.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/255/pastoral-advice-questions&quot;&gt;Pastoral Advice Questions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do you handle loud, meaningful family noises while trying to focus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My family are accustomed to giving each other quiet space/time in which to work (or to read, or meditate, etc.), so that's not a problem for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please give solutions other than etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One solution would be to (try to) improve your family dynamic. A family/relationship counsellor (or a wise family member or friend) might be able to help with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other solutions (some of which may depend on having a cooperative family dynamic):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have scheduled (not constant) time for noise and time for quiet&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Turn the TV volume down even if you don't turn it off&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Get &lt;em&gt;them&lt;/em&gt; to wear the headphone if they're making noise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Close the door, sound-proof the room you're in&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Use some white noise generator in your room (e.g. the sound of rain)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice elsewhere (in a safe public area)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T12:36:48.920" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7098" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-08T12:57:36.130" Score="5" ViewCount="1476" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would you characterize belief in rebirth as a central component of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there Buddhists who do not believe in it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this concept understood, i.e., what does rebirth mean (in as much detail as possible) to a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3521" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T16:41:23.170" Title="Is rebirth/reincarnation central to Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|belief|doctrine|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7096" CreationDate="2015-01-08T13:13:27.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both have Priti. In Banga you can see it through out your body where you can see complete dissolution. In Jhana dissolution aspect might not be that clear depending how you gain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:13:27.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7093" CreationDate="2015-01-08T13:15:55.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Language is a means of communication. When it comes to the Dhamma the role of language is the elaborate the techniques and provide guidance. The realisation should be at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:15:55.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-08T13:22:04.910" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two concepts here. We pass away every moment and arise every minutes. Other is rebirth after death. Rebirth is partly a belief but much of the Dhamma should be realised at experiential level. What is much needed is that at the last moment is that you maintain equanimity so you do not take a new birth. The level of stillness can be achived only by a fully accomplished person who has complete mastery over the mind and cognitive process. The aim is to develop this. Generally Buddhist take rebirth at face value but belief in this is not necessary to practice Buddhism as the emphasis is to realise the truth through ones own experience. Your experience re-enforces your belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T15:53:52.733" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T15:53:52.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7081" CreationDate="2015-01-08T13:36:50.603" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have a look at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/the-teachings.html&quot;&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/books/english/&quot;&gt;Forest Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://forestsanghapublications.org/&quot;&gt;Forest Sangha Publications&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistelibrary.org/&quot;&gt;Buddhist eLibrary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh431-p.html&quot;&gt;Manual of Mindfulness of Breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:36:50.603" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-08T13:48:26.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would you characterize belief in rebirth as a central component of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I notice that &quot;rebirth&quot; isn't listed among the answers to, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; ... so, to the extent that Buddhism has a centre, perhaps that belief isn't &quot;central&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is this concept understood, i.e., what does rebirth mean (in as much detail as possible) to a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were several good (long) answers to that in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3420/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T13:48:26.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7087" CreationDate="2015-01-08T14:07:40.943" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This happens to me all the time...My mom has the habit of inviting over my aunty to the house and with her come her children and grandchildren and there goes a round of joy and laughter all day long...Suminda has given a very nice advice of being mindful of the sound and not reacting...This is the best but a long haul solution to the problem...I am trying it and it is giving results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the short term, I would advise you to check their schedule...Now they must be sleeping at some point of time...This is you Golden Chance...Squeeze out 1 hour from that duration and carry on your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also since they have disapproved of your practice, I would advise that save your practice from undue negative attention of theirs and let your behaviour speak for you practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you could try Walking Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T14:07:40.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-08T15:12:34.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;On a practical level, see Ven. Thanissaro's excellent introduction to MN 60: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Safe Bet&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a conceptual level, see Ven. Bodhi's excellent analysis in his essay: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_46.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Does Rebirth Make Sense?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T15:12:34.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6050" CreationDate="2015-01-08T15:23:26.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There were periods in which the practice declined. E.g. In Sri Lanka the Sangha also declined and was later restored by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weliwita_Sri_Saranankara_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero&lt;/a&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Nanamoli's translation of Path to Purification&lt;/a&gt; has in its introduction about the decline in early periods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T15:23:26.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6069" CreationDate="2015-01-08T15:29:49.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What every order both develop Jhana is important to strengthening of wisdom and ultimately both should be developed. So when practising meditation, it is not the best to take the stance that you aim to develop exclusively on or the other, though different techniques maybe conducive for one or the other, but at time when you reap better results in areas which were not intended this also should be accepted. (Having concentration can lead to wisdom and wisdom lead to concentration through the practice is geared to the other.) If you have concentration wisdom is easy but you need some active effort (through not very much) to develop it though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-08T15:49:08.620" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T15:49:08.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7108" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7109" CreationDate="2015-01-08T16:11:45.860" Score="6" ViewCount="631" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can you translate or define &lt;em&gt;nibbida&lt;/em&gt; in English? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:44:14.067" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T12:32:51.080" Title="How can you translate nibbida?" Tags="|terminology|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7108" CreationDate="2015-01-08T16:22:38.483" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is turning away from the worldliness with a view to attain Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get input fro your sense door you are equanimous towards the sensation that arise knowing their impermanence. Reacting creates the conditioned existance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T16:22:38.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5969" CreationDate="2015-01-08T16:32:21.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should not have an emphasis on which should develop fist but let it take its natural course. Both are important as wisdoms has concentration as the base and concentration has morality as the base. Like a roof over your head cannot exist without walls and a foundation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T16:32:21.627" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6032" CreationDate="2015-01-08T16:37:25.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the practice aimed at developing insight before wisdom. Ideally you should aim a system of practice which both can develop but taking a natural course in which develops first as both are needed. E.g. practice of Anapana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T16:37:25.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6056" CreationDate="2015-01-08T16:53:39.653" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell, Buddhism is the art of living in harmony with the laws of nature and our own psychology. When this is achieved you will be unperturbed by all the worldly scenarios you have mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we do not understand the universal characteristics of existence and expect something else or do not understand the true nature of our cognitive process and do something which is non-conducive, misery follows. Buddhism aims at understanding this at the experiential level. Being compassionate is a cornerstone of Buddhism but in so far as to maintain a healthy mind as when one becomes uncompassionate you generate negativity. Being over-attached to companion also generates negativity this is one of the contemporary view which was rejected by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2020-02-20T14:05:23.783" LastActivityDate="2020-02-20T14:05:23.783" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7113" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7114" CreationDate="2015-01-08T17:36:08.260" Score="1" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;How you can explain in plain English the change of focus (from &lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;em&gt;ariya&lt;/em&gt;) that takes place in this stage of insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:43:43.863" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:43:43.863" Title="Meaning of Gotrabhu in plain English" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7113" CreationDate="2015-01-08T19:00:04.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're a few different interpretations of the word Gotrabhu, which Ven. Bodhi commented to AN 9.10 in his &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1614290407&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Numerical Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Gotrabhu. In his translation of Vism, where the word is used in a technical sense, Nanamoli renders it “change-of-lineage” (see Vism 672–75, Ppn 22.1–14). Mp explains this person—in accordance with the exegetical scheme of the commentaries—as “one with a mind of powerful insight that has reached the peak, the immediate condition for the path of stream-entry.” Mp is here referring to the gotrabhu mind-moment in the cognitive process (cittavithi) of the path, the mental event that immediately precedes sotapattimaggacitta, the mind-moment of the path of stream-entry. Since this scheme is relatively late and presupposes the Abhidhamma theory of the cognitive process, it is unlikely to reveal the original meaning of gotrabhu. In the Nikayas, the word occurs infrequently. In the present sutta it seems to mean simply a virtuous monk or nun who has not reached the path of stream-entry. We find the plural form at MN 142.8, III 255,6–7: “But in the future, Ananda, there will be clan members, with ochre [robes around] their necks, immoral people, of bad character” (bhavissanti kho pan’ananda, anagatamaddhanam gotrabhuno kasavakAttha dussila papadhamma). In the latter passage it has a pejorative sense, referring to those who show merely the outer marks of a monastic without worthy inner qualities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T19:00:04.487" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-01-08T19:36:22.793" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me and my own practice I would venture the answer as a tentative yes - meditation is necessary or at the very least a part of the path. I like to think in terms of the three fold path for things like this. So if you have a practice of ethics, meditation and an appreciation of wisdom (i.e. the Buddha's teachings) then you're going in the right way. Meditation isn't the only thing on the path but I think it's going to be fairly critical really.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said we have kicked around ideas on this site about attaining levels of insight without meditation. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/6032/what-is-dry-insight&quot;&gt;This question&lt;/a&gt; investigates dry insight which might interest you. Also there is an indication that there is a compassion only path in Buddhism (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/4118/is-there-a-compassion-only-buddhist-path&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;) but that remains controversial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition I would say that any practitioners of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pure land Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; would whole-heartedly disagree with me on this. For them the path is devotional and you can go all the way on having devotion and faith in a Bodhisattva figure. This path might well be more for you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-01-08T19:36:22.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-08T23:18:04.083" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would not characterize &lt;em&gt;belief&lt;/em&gt; in rebirth as central to Buddhism, but I would characterize &lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt; as central in Buddhism. This may require some qualifications, and I'll try to be comprehensive answering the specifics along the way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... individual buddhists who do not take rebirth as fact (those individuals exist) are not, in anyway,  misguided.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The opposite might just as well happen: some buddhists may regard rebirth as true in some misguided way; eg. talking about it, assertively even, without really understanding it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha insisted on avoiding speculative views and looking for a much deeper kind of knowledge than mere belief or reasoning detached from reality. I think whatever one's provisional thoughts on this matter, it probably won't affect him at all, except, perhaps, until much, much later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... rebirth does not play a central role in the &lt;em&gt;teachings&lt;/em&gt; themselves or in the &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know of no practice that deals wth rebirth with the exception for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;recollecting past lives&lt;/a&gt;. Pragmatically, understanding many of the key doctrines and practices  -- four noble truths, dependent origination, meditation, etc -- does not seem to require a position on rebirth. Say, until one is prepared and decide to actually try to recollect previous lives (well, dependent origination might have manifold lives involved in some interpretations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, rebirth does paint a more complete and consistent picture of the doctrine and provide a much broader perspective for our existential condition. Consequently, it makes painfully evident the critical importance of Nibbāna (without rebirth, the significance for Nibbāna and Buddhism itself can be put into question). Additionally, this existential condition of &quot;round of births / mass of suffering with no discernible beginning&quot; can be a key to inspire people to walk the buddhist path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The tears you have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — [is greater than] the water in the four great oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Assu Sutta&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 15.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...buddhists who assert there is &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; rebirth (e.g. Secular Buddhism) definitely face a lot of challenges.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, if buddhist literature (e.g. pali canon) are taken generally &quot;as is&quot;, by their standard, clinging to a &quot;no rebirth&quot; position is &lt;em&gt;wrong-view&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, if these texts are to be taken as our primary source of what the Buddha taught, there's the fact that a huge number of them are immersed in this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One common temptation then is to claim that rebirth ideas were brought to buddhist thought, and literature after the fact -- that the texts got corrupted. However seriously justifying and showing how this happened is a huge undertaking. No easier than showing that a great number of texts were composed later, or that these ideas got mixed in at a very early stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another temptation is to justify the no-rebirth position saying there is no empirical evidence of rebirth, but that is an unsound statement (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Argument from ignorance&quot; fallacy&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting the argument aside, if that turns out to be true, the implication of this outcome is that either the Buddha got it wrong or that the Buddha lied (or, again, the texts got corrupted). None of these are easier to show than the &quot;rebirth passages got added later&quot; theory -- though some buddhists do believe that the Buddha lied as means to an end (even though it's widely accepted, by the texts and common sense that an arahant has no motivation to lie).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note I'm not saying that any of these are impossible. I'm but laying out some of the possibilities and what may be some of the consequences (and burdens of proof) of each.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...buddhists who claim rebirth is not important in Buddhism in general will have even a harder time.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a corollary to the last point. I don't think one can strip off rebirth from buddhism and claim the result represents Buddha's words, integrally, as we know them. Rebirth is intertwined in a large amount of the discourses and cutting it off requires nothing short of a complex plastic surgery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to the question about the concept of rebirth: in summary, rebirth is the continuous &quot;reappearing&quot; in some realm after &quot;the break up of the body&quot;. The result of ignorance (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#nidana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nidana Vagga — The Section on Causations&lt;/a&gt;). It's described in general in suttas such as The Shorter Exposition of Kamma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 135&lt;/a&gt;) and  The Great Exposition of Kamma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5300/382&quot;&gt;this answer from @yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt; posted to a similar question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-10-28T16:41:23.170" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T16:41:23.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7117" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7130" CreationDate="2015-01-09T00:16:28.800" Score="1" ViewCount="512" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Mahasatipatthana (DN 22) sutra the Buddha speaks about &lt;strong&gt;ekayano maggo&lt;/strong&gt;. What is the exact translation in English: is it: &lt;em&gt;'direct way'&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;'only way'&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-09T07:12:26.047" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T11:50:46.137" Title="Translation of 'ekayano maggo'" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7117" CreationDate="2015-01-09T00:41:30.537" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=3539#p51511&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;analysis quoted here&lt;/a&gt; says that, literally, it could be either; but that, looking at various places in which it's used in context, it makes more sense if it means 'direct'.&#xA;The people on that site seemed to agree that that's the best analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/voc/ekayanomaggo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; makes a similar argument to explain why 'direct' is a more fitting meaning than 'only'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T00:41:30.537" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7119" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-09T00:43:50.713" Score="5" ViewCount="601" Body="&lt;p&gt;(1) According to Rob Burbea in &lt;em&gt;Seeing That Frees&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;both the neither-one-nor-many reasoning and the sevenfold reasoning are among the practices capable of revealing the emptiness of matter even at the most basic levels.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the neither-one-nor-many practice, he goes on to say: &#xA;&quot;Even if we imagine down to the level of subatomic particles, these will necessarily have parts facing in different directions, or interacting with other particles in this or that direction. Anything that occupies space must have parts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Postulating the existence of a partless particle that would be truly singular will not work. It would be impossible to arrange or amass such particles in order to form any thing from them. Having no differentiable sides, other particles could not be arranged either side of it. Such a particle would not be able to bond or interact with other particles in any direction. All the surrounding particles would contact the central particle at the same point, and all effectively occupy the same space. Nothing with any extension could ever come to be.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I imagine a partless particle, I simply think of a sphere. I can't see how the reasons he states refute that possibility. He seems to think that a partless particle could not possess mass, or would just be an infinitely small point. Why could it not just be a sphere that can't be divided any further?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Two of the quotations he uses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The element of earth has no nature of its own.&quot; (Prajnaparamita Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Matter itself is void. Voidness does not result from the destruction of matter, but the nature of matter is itself voidness.&quot; (Vimalkirtinirdesa Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the other &quot;practices capable of revealing the emptiness of matter even at the most basic levels?&quot; Specifically this belief in the inherent existence of the &quot;element of earth&quot;, i.e. sub-atomic particles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="320" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-09T07:13:14.663" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T02:35:51.290" Title="How does Buddhism refute the inherent existence of sub-atomic particles?" Tags="|mahayana|science|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-01-09T01:20:35.850" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.&#xA;To even ask a question such as &quot;can you do ____ without meditation&quot; speaks of a weakness, namely that of being able to sit and focus the mind. A weakness I see in our generation of ADD and media-crazed, electronic-obsessed children and adults.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stream entry, means cutting off afflictions which means &lt;strong&gt;jhana attainment which means A LOT of meditation had to be done&lt;/strong&gt;, whether it was sitting cross-legged or reclined.&#xA;There is no stream-entry without jhana attainment.&#xA;There is no jhana attainment without a tremendous amount of efforts at following the Noble Truths and stilling the mind and reaching effortless stilling of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhists that are not meditating are NOT seeking to be enlightened in this lifetime. There are plenty of Buddhists that think that by chanting a mantra they will be able to gain entry into a Buddhist heaven. They are not aware that to be equipped to endure the death process, jhana is required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's really up to the individual but I wouldn't consider someone a true Buddhist unless they meditate for countless reasons, one being that most of what the Buddha taught during his entire career regarded attaining the jhanas through many different methods including contemplations and loving-kindness meditations and literally hundreds more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation is an absolute necessity of the Path.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The methods though are many. Don't make meditation seem like so much work!&#xA;Remember: the purpose of meditation, jhana, is actually an extremely pleasurable, clear-minded state, which if you achieve it, will get rid of your defilements because you discover this perfect mental-physical state and it will allow you to feel truly pure and empty of egoic creations and thus highly energetic and be able to multi-task and become extremely, highly functional in the world!&#xA;Meditation is not a chore or a dysfunction. It is a pathway to becoming a happier, satisfied, powered-up version of yourself. Minus the ego though (you won't feel like showing off or being hurtful to others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anybody that doesn't meditate is not taking the path of self-transformation and self-mastery of their karma, mind, and life.&#xA;Anybody that has achieved stream-entry without lots of sitting meditation, has only done so because they have tremendous achievement from past lives and thus that weight of good karma carried over to this present life and enabled them to achieve stream-entry with ease (because they are already familiar with the jhana state and entered it easily).&#xA;These are all things the Buddha said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you like loving-kindness meditation... then learn to do it really well!&#xA;There are stories in the sutta of bodhisattvas who attained jhana, stream-entry and even higher stages through such a method alone!&#xA;In fact, the beings in the 1st dhyana-jhana heaven are filled with unconditional boundless love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through loving-kindness meditation you can attain jhana. There are plenty of guides on the internet particularly on BuddhaNet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I reccommend doing one practice you like (you have karmic affinity with it from past lives) and also a method you hate and struggle with (it represents a part of the Path that you have travailed over for countless lifetimes).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-09T03:52:56.907" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T03:52:56.907" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7087" CreationDate="2015-01-09T06:04:20.793" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Might I suggest practicing metta. When you feel annoyed towards your family, start cultivating the reverse, by thinking: &quot;May my family be happy and well&quot;. It will start small, but with repetition it will build up just like the skills learned in vipassana practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this won't change your family's behaviour, but it's excellent medicine for you. After all, who wants to be annoyed? Those who haven't considered the 2nd noble truth, that's who ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe another note would be to make your practice unnoticeable to your family. Not that there is anything wrong with them observing you as you practice, but I have sabotaged myself many times while considering how others would regard my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T06:04:20.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7081" CreationDate="2015-01-09T06:33:02.307" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have this book by Ajahn Brahm (Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond) which has probably the best description and methods of the topic of Jhana but even better meditation techniques to achieve Jhana. Link below. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bookdepository.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Ajahn-Brahm/9780861712755&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.bookdepository.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Ajahn-Brahm/9780861712755&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2305" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T06:33:02.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7123" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7124" CreationDate="2015-01-09T08:53:11.353" Score="4" ViewCount="363" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Bodhipakkhiya&lt;/em&gt; (the 37 factors of enlightenment) are mentioned the &lt;em&gt;Panca Indriya&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;Panca Bala&lt;/em&gt;. Both sets have the same factors: &lt;em&gt;saddha&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;virya&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;panna&lt;/em&gt;. Why are those sets separately mentioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:20:39.973" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:20:39.973" Title="Bodhipakkhiya: Panca Indriya versus Panca Bala" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7123" CreationDate="2015-01-09T11:30:02.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You use the faculty (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indriya&lt;/a&gt;) to exert the strength (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bala&lt;/a&gt;). Say you are a person generally strong in saddha you can use this fact to apply saddha for your spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-09T13:08:43.580" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T13:08:43.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7119" CreationDate="2015-01-09T11:33:30.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt; are sub atomic particles in Buddhism. Also there is a space element between the particles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T11:33:30.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-09T12:13:23.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Truth of Rebirth And Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="320" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T12:13:23.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7123" CreationDate="2015-01-09T15:54:44.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maurice Walshe's note in his &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B004124JKK&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Long Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&quot; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[note 1150]..These five ‘faculties’ (faith, etc. as 6 (vi)) become powers (i.e. unshakeable by their opposites) from First Path (Stream Entry) onwards..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-09T15:54:44.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7119" CreationDate="2015-01-10T01:49:19.687" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this paragraph:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Postulating the existence of a partless particle that would be truly&#xA;  singular will not work. It would be impossible to ... Having no&#xA;  differentiable sides, ... Such a particle would not be able to ... All&#xA;  the surrounding particles would ... Nothing with any extension could&#xA;  ever come to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author is, in my estimation (I have no familiarity with the book or the author), doing one of two things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Confusing Buddhism with Physics. Whether this particle is this or that particle is that, it won't help you become a better person and understand your mental reality any better. Although the above quoted paragraph would make an interesting question on physics.stackexchange.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Speaking poetically in order to help the reader become absorbed with the idea. Perhaps this is the case.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During an course I attended under the name &quot;Introduction to Asian Philosophy&quot;, my professor explained emptiness as a flashy way of reminding us that we only define things in relation to what they are not. Nirvana is defined as everything Samsara is not, therefore Nirvana is &quot;empty of essential qualities&quot;. Similarly, Samsara is meaningless without a Nirvana to compare it to. This logic can be extended to all entities and concepts: Without night there can be no day, without a whole there can't be parts, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may or may or not you agree with this reasoning, but for me it's a practical interpretation of the doctrine of emptiness that helps us to not cling to our perceptions of what things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, as R. Barzell says in the comment below, &lt;em&gt;Is emptiness ontology, or a way of seeing to free us from the bondage of concepts? Is treating emptiness as ontology missing the point?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the other &quot;practices capable of revealing the emptiness of matter even at the most basic levels?&quot; Specifically this belief in the inherent existence of the &quot;element of earth&quot;, i.e. sub-atomic particles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation will probably help, as it gradually helps the practitioner become free from the limitations of language, thoughts, and concepts. The better we understand the way our minds work, the less we can be obstructed by our minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-10T02:35:51.290" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T02:35:51.290" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7117" CreationDate="2015-01-10T02:55:42.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following are some interpretations any translation should consider:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the way does not branch off (Direct way, single way)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the way as taught by the Buddha (The way of the One)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the way that one should practice alone. Any body else practice will not help. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the way leading to one destination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is the only way leading to the destination. There is no other way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness by Sayadaw U Silananda)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best translation may be &lt;strong&gt;&quot;the way&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T02:55:42.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7131" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-10T06:07:45.787" Score="3" ViewCount="656" Body="&lt;p&gt;This isn't a Buddhist question per se, maybe better placed in a yoga or Taoist thread but anywhere here I go:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I am in the lotus position (classic right leg over left leg as instructed in all Buddhist guides) for the past 10 years, my right knee has always floated a quarter of an inch off the ground, even if I try to adjust my position by sitting offset on my mat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatomically speaking, I don't see how anyone can have both of their knees on the floor..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I feel energetically blissful whilst maintaining the posture, the posture feels uneven, imbalances my torso, and I feel uneven pressure on my right thigh and must end my lotus posture in about 10 to 20 minutes due to the pressure on my right thigh...&#xA;Sometimes I switch reverse full lotus and that makes me feel more balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I doing something wrong or is this something all advanced lotus meditators must deal with?&#xA;How can I remedy, deal with, compensate (et cetera) my lotus posture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this is a separate question but are there any passages in the canon that speak about posture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any suggestions in any realm, physical, environmental, or even mental are welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:39:02.357" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:39:02.357" Title="Lotus position right knee floating?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-posture|lotus-position|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7131" CreationDate="2015-01-10T08:06:39.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The position is something that your should choose to help in meditation, i.e., being able to be in the position for a long time without issue. Dwelling too much on what is the right posture is leaving the main task at hand and concentrating on auxiliary tasks. The danger in this is that this can lead to trying rights or ritual like practices which has been case in some schools of Buddhism and in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any your posture can be taken into practice of the 4 frames of mindfulness. The posture it self (sense through the outline of sensations) and the pain that results from being in it for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-10T12:46:25.550" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T12:46:25.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7131" CreationDate="2015-01-10T08:15:37.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fact that you can meditate while sitting, walking, laying, running, sitting on the toilet, standing on one leg......i hope you can see my point. Meditation and being mindful isn't about any correct position, it is about increasing your focus and awareness of each and every moment, and investigating why the mind has an inclination to one thing, but an aversion to another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question highlights the root problem with humanity, ignorance. You are more obsessed with the pointless details than you are of the important details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be more focused on what the mind is doing and reacting to, than whether or not you have the correct position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck my friend.&#xA;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T08:15:37.850" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7134" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7146" CreationDate="2015-01-10T17:41:35.657" Score="8" ViewCount="1165" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/larry-rosenberg/breath-by-breath.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Breath by Breath&lt;/a&gt; Larry Rosenberg writes about meditating on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;three kleshas&lt;/a&gt; directly i.e. meditating on craving, aversion and delusion. He is talking in the context of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. I can understand how one could recognise aspects their own hatred or craving. But how could someone recognise their own delusion in that moment of meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, I can see that anger would be very obvious and one would become very familiar with the burning, energetic, dominating quality of this. In the same way, one's own craving and desire could become recognisable - we are familiar with what wanting actually feels like. However what does delusion actually feel like. What bodily sensations are associated with it. What does the mental quality actually feel like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can imagine looking back and with hindsight been able to see that at that point in time I was very deluded and thinking some very strange things. But how can the deluded mind see itself as deluded in that moment? How can we meditate on this? What does delusion feel like and how can we learn to recognise it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:38:12.373" LastActivityDate="2023-01-04T15:35:19.470" Title="What does delusion feel like?" Tags="|personal-practice|anapanasati|meditation-hindrances|ignorance|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7135" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-01-10T17:47:16.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the term anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit) refers to the perception of &quot;not-self&quot;, recommended as one of the seven beneficial perceptions, which along with the perception of dukkha and impermanence is also formally classified among the three marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:39:33.583" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:39:33.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7136" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-01-10T17:47:16.707" Score="0" Body="The Sanskrit term for the concept of 'not self' or 'no fixed self'. This is classified among the three marks of existence, namely impermanence, suffering and no fixed self. The equivalent Pali term is Anatta." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-10T17:47:16.707" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T17:47:16.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-01-10T19:31:01.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you truly uproot all delusion, you are a complete Buddha. Don't think you'll get rid of delusion in one day, there are many stages of a bodhisattva (someone who has achieved initial Enlightenment). Even the brightest states of mind can be delusion (not that they shouldn't be cultivated!) as the Ten Corruptions of Insight would indicate. This is because delusion is the root of all three poisons including delusion itself. The whole chain of suffering (2nd Noble Truth) began with craving, which has ignorance as its first cause. Working towards Enlightenment is like working with delusion because you are finding states of being that are purer and purer (jhanas) and further and further away from delusion--yet still delusion until like the SNAP of a finger you can drop all the skandhas and rest in your true being that is beyond emptiness and existence. But this only happens after finding emptiness and living existence purely as well. Master Nan gave an example saying it's like taking two sticks, rubbing them together to make fire, and thus burning them away... fire is gone, stick is gone.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't label it as delusion. It is what it is. Hatred is not hatred, love is not love, delusion is not delusion. It is empty. Recognize the empty nature of it. The more you try to push away something, the stronger it will get. (see Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra Explained by Master Nan)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;During meditation. &lt;em&gt;I feel delusion oftentimes as a clamping down SOMEWHERE in my body. By consciously remembering to relax it, I also remember to let go of certain delusions that caused the clamping.&lt;/em&gt; This delusion poison can mix with the other two poisons and cause mixed sensations. &lt;strong&gt;Also remember not to think about this too much and subconsciously create such feelings in the first place. Get back to your concentration practice as soon as you can.&lt;/strong&gt; When I clear these tightenings up correctly, I feel like I am floating and all my muscles feel completely at ease. Attachment to the state can cause delusion again but ignorance of the imperative to be-relaxed-and-nakedly-aware-without-judgment-or-outcome can also increase delusion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read the Surangama mantra, it has some interesting puzzles to overcome the roots of our ignorance and delusion... especially meant for our &quot;Dharma-ending age&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T19:31:01.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-01-10T21:32:40.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that 'aversion' and 'desire' are opposite/complementary extremes of each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I think that 'delusion' is (defined as) the opposite of 'truth' (sacca/satya, the four noble truths) and (I presume) other 'true dharmas' (for example, one delusion might be a wrong view about 'self').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess that you can be 'aware of delusion' whenever (if ever) you're aware that you have forgotten 'right view' or 'right mindfulness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's the 'root' klesha, I suppose it has many manfestations, but one of those is presumably  any addictive behaviour: repeating the same harmful mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're right though that at the least the &amp;quot;The Four Frames of Reference&amp;quot; section of the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt; only talks about &amp;quot;putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world&amp;quot;. Maybe the parts of it after that i.e. &amp;quot;Awakening&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Knowing&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Release&amp;quot; are describing the opposite of &amp;quot;ignorance&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt; Bhikkhu Bodhi writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three kinds of feelings have been pointed out by the Buddha: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neutral feeling, i.e., feeling which is neither pleasant nor painful. These three classes exhaust the totality of feeling, and one feeling of one class must be present on any given occasion of experience. Again, three mental factors have been singled out by the Buddha as the subjective counterparts of the three classes of feeling and described by him as anusaya, latent tendencies which have been lying dormant in the subconscious mental continua of sentient beings since beginningless time, always ready to crop up into a state of manifestation when an appropriate stimulus is encountered, and to subside again into the state of dormancy when the impact of the stimulus has worn off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three mental factors are lust (raga), repugnance (patigha), and ignorance (avijja), psychological equivalents of the unwholesome roots of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha). When a worldling, with a mind untrained in the higher course of mental discipline taught by the Buddha, experiences a pleasant feeling, then the latent tendency to lust springs up in response — a desire to possess and enjoy the object serving as stimulus for the pleasant feeling. When a worldling experiences a painful feeling, then the latent tendency to repugnance comes into play, an aversion toward the cause of the pain. And when a worldling experiences a neutral feeling, then the latent tendency to ignorance — present but recessive on occasions of lust and aversion — rises to prominence, shrouding the worldling's consciousness in a cloak of dull apathy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under the dominance of lust he is drawn to the pleasant, under the dominance of hate he is repelled by the painful, under the dominance of delusion he is confused by the neutral. He is bent up by happiness, bent down by sorrow, elated by gain, honor, and praise, dejected by loss, dishonor, and blame. Even though he perceives that a particular course of action can lead only to his harm, he is powerless to avoid it; even though he knows that an alternative course of action is clearly to his advantage, he is unable to pursue it. Swept on by the current of unabandoned defilements, he is driven from existence to existence through the ocean of samsara, with its waves of birth and death, its whirlpools of misery and despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the three poisons (lust, anger, ignorance) correspond to three types of feeling (pleasant, painful, and neutral); and delusion therefore is associated with a &amp;quot;neutral&amp;quot; feeling, and &amp;quot;consciousness shrouded in a cloak of dull apathy&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;confusion&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T14:41:14.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7139" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7787" CreationDate="2015-01-10T21:33:43.507" Score="4" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can &lt;em&gt;lokuttara citta's&lt;/em&gt; be defined as the true knowing essence (yathabhuta nana dassana)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T01:44:23.373" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T15:52:29.000" Title="Can lokuttara citta's be defined as the true knowing essence (yathabhuta nana dassana)?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-01-10T21:57:24.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would you characterize belief in rebirth as a central component of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In short, I personally don't. I think the central component depends on what you want to achieve and what is the best approach for you to practice Buddhism.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist of Chinese Mahayana influence, I personally do not consider belief in rebirth (in the context of rebirth after death, as you have further commented) as a central component of my practice. I am more aspired to practice compassion and cultivate wisdom. I chose the Pureland practice, as I believe this is the most suitable for my circumstances, to efficiently resolve my immediate 'problems' (mastery over desires, cessation of Dukkha, helping others, and eventually enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist customs are practised very differently in every culture. The teaching is flexible, it respects and adapts to endemic culture to optimise learning for those who wish to practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism, for example, is predominately Mahayana teaching. Chinese Buddhists firstly build foundation in endemic teachings in Confucianism (to cultivate humility) and Daoism (to understand cause and effect), before focusing their preferred Mahayana school. Tibetan Buddhism, as another example, sometimes referred as 'Lamaism', focuses their study in the esoteric schools and chant mantras as a common practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite different customs, in essence, every school do not deviate from Buddha's teachings. Important teachings such as the 'Four Noble Truths', Tri-drsti-namitta-mudrā (loosely transliterated as 'Three Dharma Seals', which evaluates whether or not a particular teaching is proper Buddhism), Buddha's final words before Nirvana and so forth, are core and shared amongst all Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are there Buddhists who do not believe in it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes, I have encountered Buddhists who do not fully believe in rebirth after death.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The notion of 'believe' is quite loose. If we take the context of 'believing something' as accepting an idea, then I think most Buddhist 'accepts' this idea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if we take the definition of 'believe' further so one needs to be able to fully understand and comprehend rebirth, then I do not think many Buddhists would fit into this category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take Einstein's Theory of Relativity as an example. Most of us today 'accepts' Einstein's theory and believe it is a true fact about our universe. However, how many of us choose to believe in the Theory of Relativity because we have a good understand of how it works, or do we simply believe it because of Einstein's reputation, it is taught in school, or simply because everyone believe Einstein's right so we think it must be right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How many Buddhists truly believe in rebirth so they understand and are mindful of it? Buddha warns us of horrible consequences from our unwholesome actions. Teachings such as the Ksitigarbha Sutra depicts the intensity and length (years counted in astronomical numbers) of torment beyond imagination if one were to reborn to the Naraka realms (the underworld). Nonetheless, we still witness serious misconduct happening today, and in this context of 'believe' I do not consider one to believe in rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is this concept understood, i.e., what does rebirth mean (in as much detail as possible) to a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is an illusionary phenomenon where one being goes through a cycle of beginning (born), to end (death), and then it repeats the cycle indefinitely. This is an endless grinding process of suffering. One objective of practising Buddhism is to see through and let go of all the illusions, and achieve the utmost joy in enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humans are not the only beings that goes through the rebirth process, all sentient beings go through birth, ageing, sickness and death. Worlds go through birth, habitable, decaying and void stages, non-sentient beings (such as plants and minerals) go through a similar birthing and dying process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The impermanence of all things is an important concept to be mindful of. It reminds us to truly cherish something (or someone) when we are in its presence, and when it ends we can let go gracefully and do not hold onto something that doesn't belong. The desire to 'own' something (and the illusionary idea that you can actually 'own' something) leads to suffering, as the inability to do so causes internal stress and unsatisfactoriness. Such desire may further exacerbate and motivate greed and/or hatred, leading one to commit unwholesome deeds (violence, stealing, adultery, distortion etc) that harms other and spread suffering. Although one receives a quick relief, the casualties have already been done, and the end outcome brings dire consequences to those who misconducted. The cost of such relief, because of an illusionary initiative, is truly pitiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The universe is 'blinking' according to Buddhist speculations on the universe's physic construct. In Ninnō-kyō, Maitreya Bodhisattva, said within flicking of a finger 32 billion-hundred-thousand thoughts has occurred. The universe goes through instantaneous rebirth processes, like film frames at such a high frequency, that only the most enlightened Bodhisattvas (in the final stages of development) is able to observe such phenomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, I hope any of the above information from my studies is helpful to you. These are my learnings which are nowhere near perfect. I would greatly appreciate anyone's kind feedback and my apologies in advance if I have made any mistakes above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-10T21:57:24.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7093" CreationDate="2015-01-11T03:20:00.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for literacy in general-- you have to remember that the Buddha didn't write anything down. I'm not sure that he was literate. There weren't books, instead people did incredible feats of memorization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or did you mean you personally? So far this community is full of people who really want to help you people with their question. If you just keep throwing words at people, some will stick. Usually if it is an interesting question, people will edit your question to clean up the English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the old Pali texts, the speaker often uses many words with similar meanings in a row, as if they are trying to make sure that if you don't understand one word, you'll understand one of the next near synonyms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you keep throwing words at us, we will eventually get the point and in turn, we will keep throwing words at you until we reach an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This isn't true on all StackExchange sites, on some sites, like StackOverflow, questions get closed if they aren't coherent and reasonable.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T03:20:00.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5955" CreationDate="2015-01-11T04:48:19.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been experimenting with Buddhist meditations and sleep for about ten years now.&#xA;This post could easily stretch into a few thousand words long containing my ideas, experiences, insights, and guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll try to answer your question about the overall point in regards to dream practice in Buddhism as well as Taoism first, then I'll talk about practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Buddhism,&lt;/strong&gt; once you have penetrated throught the conception skandha you are always aware in your dreams. &quot;Penetrated through the conception skandha&quot; means you have achieved initial enlightenment. It means you have attained a stable state of emptiness understanding, seeing the heart of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Buddha says that someone who has freed themselves from the form and&#xA;  sensation skandhas, but still operating within the conception skandha,&#xA;  can be compared to someone talking in their sleep. When you are&#xA;  talking in your sleep you are still operating with thought. Bystanders&#xA;  sitting by your side can understand what you are saying and doing, but&#xA;  you are not the complete master of your state since you do not&#xA;  actually know what is going on. Although you are at an advanced stage&#xA;  of attainment, you still are not in control of the situation like a&#xA;  master! If you can break free of the conception skandha, your&#xA;  dreamlike thoughts will dissolve, and your mind will remain the same&#xA;  whether you are awake or asleep. Thus, we sometimes describe this&#xA;  stage by saying you will know no crudities in your mind when you&#xA;  sleep. You cannot accurately say that ìdreams will disappearî at this&#xA;  stage, which is what you often hear. Rather, it is more proper to say&#xA;  that whether you are asleep or awake, your mental realm will always&#xA;  remain the same. If you dream you will still remain so clear that you&#xA;  can even make decisions. A Chinese saying runs, ìSages have no dreams,&#xA;  and dullards have no dreams,î and the phrase that ìsages have no&#xA;  dreamsî refers to the fact that there mind is always clear even during&#xA;  the state of sleep.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--from Conception Skandha part of Chapter 5 of William Bodri's book &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Taoism,&lt;/strong&gt; this is equivalent to the state where your shen is full and you will no longer be able to sleep. Many practitioners at this stage (Buddhist, Taoist, or Christian) when they achieve this level of &quot;mental clarity&quot; (a little bit of shen) cannot sleep for days and wonder if they are going crazy. (The solution to this common issue, which happened to me last night, is to just use that special time to do calming meditation some more. Don't worry too much about worldly sleep [unless you are experiencing Zen sickness, which is a similar phenomenon that is best faced by taking some sleep medicine to forgo brain damage through over-creativity].)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From this point of view, people say that you no longer dream anymore;&#xA;  everything will seem clear whether you are awake or asleep. While this&#xA;  is not a perfect match of realms, we can begin to understand that&#xA;  Chuang Tzu also knew of this stage of cultivation, for he wrote: He&#xA;  does not dream while asleep, does not worry while awake, does not take&#xA;  satisfaction in eating, and his breathing is deep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is from William Bodri's book again same chapter about &lt;strong&gt;clarity in dreams due to breaking the conception skandha&lt;/strong&gt;. Please see Tao &amp;amp; Longevity by Master Huai-Chin Nan if you want to understand the energetic connection. Master Nan himself was a Taoist Buddhist Esoteric and Zen Buddhist master and he said that for our generation of analytical people, no less is sufficient for our information-addicted minds to be cautious and self-aware along the path..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From these passages, I hope people can be alerted to the importance of dream awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhist books, it is also exclaimed that if you cultivate within your dreams, your power of cultivation is tenfold!&#xA;This is a loud fact that was emphasized very much whenever I managed to succeed in meditating during my lucid dreams (3 times I can clearly remember over the past years but probably more I cannot). Each time, I felt fundamentally transformed, mainly because I made it so (long explanation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People that master the ability to be clear in their dreams, thus should not waste such opportunities.&#xA;And people that are not yet aware, should train themselves to be so! Lucid dreams are emotionally healing and &lt;strong&gt;having them is not only a means of cultivation but a sign of proper cultivation as the book I excerpted indicates and Buddha's Surangama Sutra also indicates!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly reccommend the book I excerpted, you will find ample answers to satisfy your questions about the Tao, cultivation, dreaming, and how it all still falls under/works with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what techniques do I reccommend to achieve lucid dreams (LD)?&#xA;Honestly, I'm still conflicted between causing them through cultivation.&#xA;Nonetheless, LDs positive effects are undisputed (in the scientific community at large now as well)[google it].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy to be practicing awareness meditation like a dog and then fall asleep like a dog, waking up not even remember a dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes finesse, gentleness... and &lt;strong&gt;outcome detachment&lt;/strong&gt; to succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out of the many techniques I'm going to end my post here with I would reccommend the WILD technique. I would also reccommend combining all the other techniques but not too many. I have taken them from many different traditions and these are the best out of the many I have experimented with in the past 10-15 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;WILD: go to sleep for at least 3 hours. Wake up and meditate for 20 minutes using one meditation technique (try either breathing or something below) and the go to sleep again. you will enter REM for a longer time and it will be easier&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;affirmation: before you go to sleep affirm your intention. I reccommend binaural assistance for this, especially during a WILD session.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tibetan Buddhism: imagine a green light in your right hand, put it over your heart. Imagine a white light over your left hand, put it on your throat. Fall asleep being clearly aware, imagining yourself as your deity. All of these can be done simultaneously but they were taught as separate practices.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;breathing meditation: for some reason I had a lot of spontaneous LDs just watching my breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vipssana: i had a few LDs just watching my thought. Two where I was really tired physically due to PE and long school day but aware due to meditation practice, fell asleep, and I went through hypnogogia into dream state.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Toltec hand watching: intend to yourself, i will watch my hands. this is extremely powerful. at least 10 LDs like this in 2014. see Carlos Castaneda.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reality testing: ask yourself every hour &quot;am i dreaming?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reality testing Tibetan Buddhist edition: realize you ARE dreaming. You ARE always in a dream. What kind of dream is this one? test. once you master lucid dreaming manipulation you will be able to master all realities similarly. (no jumping off buildings now!)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dream incubation: this worked only when it was gentle and not pushed. even with fantasies of girls, I would have a pleasant, easy-going  dream relationship of that girl when i had a light or gentle fantasy. if it was a very erotic fantasy, the dream sometimes about her or some other girl with element of violence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mantra meditation: my favorite mantra (see if you can guess from my picture)... i've had countless healing dreams when i fell asleep to this, blissful and full of light. sometimes when i needed it the most, 2 times spontaneously healed of injuries and fatigue from a 20min mantra nap.&#xA;most effective if you have faith in that Buddha and are not doing it out of greed/fear/delusion. it will fail if you are doing it for the result.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;polyphasic sleeping: almost forgot this one. trick: the smaller your &quot;core sleep&quot; the more awesome your short naps will be! please don't do this if you are below 24. you don't want to mess up your growth spurt like i did -_-'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;have fun researching!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T05:18:09.993" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T05:18:09.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7145" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7154" CreationDate="2015-01-11T05:29:41.000" Score="2" ViewCount="269" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it OK to be a monastery monk (eating community gruel, etc.) but using your laptop to study for your career during half the day (instead of meditation with all of it)? Would the administrator be OK with freeloaders like that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would help maintain the monastery, especially if it is related to my line of work (website development, etc.). Heck, I'd work full-time for free out of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking of asking this at a local monastery, especially since I don't care to be stuck in the cycle of apartment paying and being stuck at low-ranked IT job and being crushed by loans. I would rather take time to master certain subjects while cultivating and then come back to the city when I can achieve a higher salary to match the high cost of living as a city-dweller these days... and pay off my weighty student loans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question pertains to monastery in California or the rest of the US. Especially those good with wifi connections. :-D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T21:14:25.927" Title="Being a monstery monk while training in career online?" Tags="|monk|right-livelihood|layman|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-01-11T05:54:11.853" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feelings associated with formations of the 3 more poison:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance - Neutral feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment - Blissful, joy, fluid, cooling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion - Burning, solid, gaseous vibrating (E.g. fear) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In breath meditation you should recognise delusion. The right for of breath mediation should include the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should experience the whole breath from start to finish experiencing the effects of the whole breath and body for each in and out breath. If possible try to experience the heart beat and flow of oxygen in and out of the body. You should calm the body by looking intensely at any gross solidified sensations on distraction and bring the attention back to the breath or any thoughts which might increases the speed of the breath thus making the sensations related to formations more and more subtle as your old formations pass away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You look at sensation in the body when any of you sense doors come in contact with any object as well as sensations due to formation and the sensation that follow through your metal reaction to it. For each such reaction note this and then bring your attention back to the breath. You should actively look at the sensation and how your perception causes a metal reaction creates sensation to which you cling. By practising non reaction and perhaps cultivating notions and perception which are opposite in your polarity of your perception to neutralise it. Also look at you sensation without reaction so the gross sensations pass away and more subtler and more subtler sensation arise. In this process your your mental fabrications will subside and feeling and perception will subside.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should look at your mind jumping from one object to another. Note the sensation when it comes in contact followed by recognition and reaction. When you see something, you will get a sensation around your eyes and then around your head both which resonates through out your body. Always bring back to your attention to the break after noticing the object your mind runs to until the mind wonders away less and less thus reducing verbal fabrications and increasing concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should note sensations arising from contact and from formation arise and pass away. You are not in control of any such experience. Thus you cannot get ever lasing satisfaction from such experience. You should cultivate mental detachment from any experience as they are impermanent and not under your control. Any reaction to any sensations will lead to mental formations misery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since when you say breath meditation, teachers and practitioners emphasise on the breath alone but this is just the tip of the ice berg. Much of the practice is more than just the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T05:54:11.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7147" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-11T05:55:14.517" Score="3" ViewCount="1432" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a faithful believer in the Buddha's teachings and I even believe in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;iddhi&lt;/a&gt; powers they all had and that show up in our day as well. I also believe in the various Bodhisattvas and Buddha's even within Taoism and contemplate and marvel at them every day, their mysteriousness, hard work and wisdom. Some of the scriptures have some astounding excerpts though of millions of bodhisattvas and deities...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is why I wonder why, if we are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a bundle of skandhas with no central core;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;quite subject to cause and effect;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;crying for saving;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;individuals the omnisicient, omnipresent, omnipotent (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;iddhis&lt;/a&gt;) buddhas and bodhisattvas have vowed to save from actual suffering and also awaken;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then why don't the billions of bodhisattvas and buddhas just make manifestation bodies and march across the universe and pacify and awaken everything as the first Buddha vow states?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is your opinion on this matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T16:53:09.537" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T06:37:21.483" Title="Why can't a Buddha's power just save us already? Like Jesus" Tags="|comparative-religion|buddhas|christianity|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7147" CreationDate="2015-01-11T06:05:23.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Main cause of your problems are when you come in contact a sensation arise and you react due to our delusional perceptions which proliferates other sedation to which we react. You liberation is being non reactive to the sensation and reducing pre conditioned reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha cannot subdue perception of another being or indefinitely influence the sensations experienced by another being or influence indefinitely the reaction to sensation of another being. Hence we have to work on our own liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T06:05:23.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7147" CreationDate="2015-01-11T06:13:04.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now why can't a Buddha just intercede?&#xA;From what the Enlightened Zen Master Huai-Chin Nan said... &lt;em&gt;even the Buddha's cannot penetrate our ignorance and so that is why they provided all these mantras as a means of accessing their consciousness so that they can help us and help us out.&lt;/em&gt; It's like a &quot;password&quot; to enter into their system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own words, &lt;strong&gt;they can only help us as much as our sincerity, purity and jhana allows them!&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;From another perspective, isn't it true that we &lt;strong&gt;each of us contain the power of gods&lt;/strong&gt;, the power to become a &lt;strong&gt;Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;So how can this &lt;em&gt;god&lt;/em&gt; nature this &lt;em&gt;buddha&lt;/em&gt; nature be brought out by anyone but itself?&#xA;&lt;em&gt;If it was able to be brought out by an &quot;other&quot;, this buddha nature that you have within you would not be buddha nature!&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;It would be &quot;slave nature.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, you yourself cannot egoistically bring about this buddha nature. Because you (skandhas) are just ego. &lt;em&gt;Everything you are, feel, think... is &quot;false thought&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Just like a Buddha cannot save you, you can't effort yourself into enlightenment.&lt;/em&gt; All you as the egoic container can do... is prepare and wait... and even that is not enough.&#xA;As the diamond sutra states, it comes without coming... only then is it true coming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, use that understanding in your own cultivation of effortlessness, because the closer you are to effortlessness, the closer you are to It.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;This Buddhism is becoming very Taoist, no?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another speculations for why the Buddha's might just be &quot;passive&quot; in their universe-saving policies... how is this whole saving business even necessary. Karma is karma. Everyone deserves what they got.&#xA;What do you learn more from, hard experiences or easy experiences?&#xA;What are you more thankful for, difficulties and failures or easy-gimmes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma is a wonderful educational system that the Buddha's have no need to intercede with.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;(I really learned this concept through the Buddhist cosmological analyses given in Mind Experiment by Professor Bavo Lievens.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;They gave their education, it's time for you to play the game and cultivate your own Tao.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;Look at some pictures of the Angry Hell Buddha (I forget what it's called).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, their help is always at your beck and all when you ask with focus, clarity and faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T06:13:04.037" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2338" CreationDate="2015-01-11T07:18:01.673" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes. The Buddha mentions all these things as the &quot;fire element.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He did not draw attention to these things because the kundalini phenomenon, which purifies your chakras is aggravated when the user's attention is drawn to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is a tremendous amount of other cultivation and real-life concepts he had to discuss then go into these concepts all day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Buddha ignored the concept of chi channels because it is best for monks to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, you cannot ignore such a concept because our minds are more filled with information. &lt;em&gt;You will subconsciously think about it one way or another and affect your experience.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Which is why you now need the information to ignore the concept.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I refer you to Master Huai-Chin Nan's book Tao &amp;amp; Longevity for a longer, fuller explanation of chi channels, chakras, longevity, and immortality (and then he tells you to ignore all of it if you want to achieve it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T07:18:01.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7147" CreationDate="2015-01-11T08:36:45.653" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In response to your question, may I ask &lt;em&gt;what are we saving ourselves from&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara is an endless (and beginningless) grinding cycle where all beings are being agonized by myriad forms of suffering (Dukkha). However, Samsara, and even higher realms of existence are illusionary, how can one be saved from an illusion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an excellent analogy I read from the esoteric master Huang Nian-Zu: what is the best way to save a man being hunted by a vicious tiger in a nightmare?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer isn't trying to run away or defending yourself. The best solution is to simply wake up and end the dream. Our true self has always been safe asleep, and the tiger can not harm us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In theory, the above sounds like a really simple solution. In reality, though, the difficulty to achieve this is parallel to the depth of one's delusion and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every being is one with Buddha. We are all capable and deserve the perfect wisdom, fortuity and abilities that Buddha possess. To seek help from Buddha and Bodhisattvas we need to awaken the Buddha within ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If there is anything I could improve on with my reply please kindly share your views :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T08:36:45.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7152" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-01-11T09:10:09.143" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T09:10:09.143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T09:10:09.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7153" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-01-11T09:10:09.143" Score="0" Body="Questions containing or motivated by some aspect of personal experience. The experience can be during formal Buddhist practice or during everyday activity however the experience will be related to Buddhist practice or doctrine. The questions will necessarily have a subjective quality however the question or answers will contain references to Buddhist scripture, doctrine or an established teacher." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-02T09:43:13.287" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T09:43:13.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7145" CreationDate="2015-01-11T09:10:30.117" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is best to ask the monastery, instead on Stack Exchange.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO, may I comment on a few things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is one's motivation to become a monastery monk?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks are messianic individuals who wish to vigorously study Buddha's teachings hoping one day to attain the highest level of wisdom to be able to deliver all beings from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Responsibility&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist monks receive offerings from faithful lay people, seeking answers to solving their problems. These offerings are precious and sincere, and one should not take these offerings lightly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Chinese saying that loosely translates as: &quot;A lay person offers a grain of rice, such offering is as heavy as Mount Sumeru, if one doesn't attain enlightenment in this life, repay wearing your hide and horn in your next life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks do not only teach people, even Devas respect and learn from highly accomplished masters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ksitigarbha Sutra depicted the dire consequence of stealing from monasteries, which results in millions of aeons of endless torment in the deepest pits of Avici. This is because Buddhist monasteries are essential establishments to facilitate Buddhist teaching, they contain offerings from realms in all 10 directions, from beings desperately yearning to liberate from the eternal agonies of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monastic life isn't necessary to attain enlightenment. In today's society lays are more likely to accomplish because today's monks have more complicated problems to help lays to solve. Furthermore, leading a monastic lifestyle isn't enough, one needs to embrace the purpose of monastic life at heart, and let go of worldly attachments and eventually leave Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Turn challenges into opportunities&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists do not ask Buddha to alleviate our lives' problems. We brave hardship. We do not cut off our problems from our lives, we turn challenges into opportunities to better ourselves, turn anxiety and stress into Bodhi, and gratefully thank life when it gives us lemons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In closing, please do not take my words as criticisms. I genuinely thank you for this interesting question that allows me to contemplate on my practice and write out this submission to help bring more clarity to my thinking. If there is anything I could improve on please do not hesitate to share your feedback.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastEditorUserId="3527" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T21:14:25.927" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T21:14:25.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7147" CreationDate="2015-01-11T11:38:29.317" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are &quot;a faithful believer in Buddha's teachings&quot; you have missed his point entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not believe a single thing. Instead, your own experience should lead you to your own conclusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Buddha left behind. Techniques for waking up, so that you may dissolve into pure experience, as did he and countless others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only you can save yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3516" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T11:38:29.317" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2015-01-11T12:18:19.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference between Jesus and Buddha is the difference between a mystic and a master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that difference is meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see little evidence that Jesus was a meditative individual. Buddha left behind clear evidence of meditation, I find this lacking in Christianity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The message of Buddhism is &quot;seek within&quot;. It is a meditative message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The message of Christianity appears to be &quot;seek without&quot;. There is some idea that there is a 'God' outside of us. Some 'we/Him' duality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Jesus' message was indeed this, he was not fully awake and had not experienced his Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if his message was really the same as that of Buddha, one has to ask: how come he was so absolutely unsuccessful in communicating his message?  If Jesus was indeed enlightened, his message has become negated.  Buddha was able to clearly broadcast his ideas, whereas Jesus's have been turned upside down from the beginning. Countless individuals attained to enlightenment through Buddha. But from Jesus, not a single one. Many Buddhas came from Buddha. But no Jesuses from Jesus. And certainly no Buddhas from Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Christian notion of God is a projection of the notion of self. A kind of reflection/inversion/complement. A kind of 'best possible self'. When the idea of self is transcended, this notion also dissolves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that Jesus did attain a degree of enlightenment, but as a mystic not a master. A mystic lacks reason. But has transcended the self. Whatever they do is completely selfless, a pure channelling of the divine. And being in the presence of a mystic, your own sense of self will disappear, you'll find yourself ecstatic, Grace will enter, transformation will occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that Jesus was a mystic, and touched those around him in this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddha worked at a higher level still, by bringing this energy to rest, by focusing it to a single point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3516" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T12:18:19.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7157" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-11T12:19:41.257" Score="3" ViewCount="494" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any Buddhist practice consists of supplication, or is there too much merit being exchanged for that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Supplication (also known as petitioning) is a form of prayer, wherein&#xA;  one party humbly or earnestly asks another party to provide something,&#xA;  either for the party who is doing the supplicating (e.g., &quot;Please&#xA;  spare my life.&quot;) or on behalf of someone else (e.g., &quot;Please spare my&#xA;  child's life.&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T19:03:16.027" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T13:52:55.483" Title="Supplication in buddhist practice" Tags="|prayer|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2681" CreationDate="2015-01-11T14:17:29.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I read your question I felt one point where I would break your sentence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not normally distracted by noise, touch, smell or taste when I meditate. But I do keep&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  looking and looking and looking. Sometimes I'll fixate on a crack between the spars of wood&#xA;  on the floor,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of stepping further. What I did in your case were: observe myself, what is happening with me when I fixate on the crack? I'd give myself time to explore this myself. Observe it next time when it happens again... Just let it happen and look at that process and the change which it does on me, my mental status and my feelings...  also I'd observe that emotion that I'm beginning to fear that this is not good or allowed... ;-)               &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another &lt;em&gt;type&lt;/em&gt; of question is this:       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the advantages/disadvantages of meditating with ones eyes open or ones eyes shut?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself like it more to close my eyes for focusing more on my insight. But also having eyes open is sometimes good, sometimes I even challenge myself to see what is different then if they're open for longer interval in my meditation...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T14:17:29.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2725" CreationDate="2015-01-11T14:26:09.740" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the book of Sister Chan Kong, &quot;Learning true love&quot; (I've only the german version &quot;Aus Liebe zu allen Wesen&quot;). It is a biographical report about her time in Vietnam and the war-time, when she got in contact with the buddhistic dhamma and buddhistic practice (in contact with the vietnamese monk, the venerable Thich Nhat Hanh). It is, I think, a most impressing example how one can be mindful and still in action for peace, compassion, mutual understanding, de-escalation and social work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T14:26:09.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7157" CreationDate="2015-01-11T17:03:26.577" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there was a practice like that in Buddhism, it doesn't come from the Buddha's teachings. One practices loving-kindness by making a wish(not a prayer) such as &quot;May I be happy&quot; or &quot;May the world be at peace&quot; or &quot;May my enemy be well&quot; and so on. The purpose of this practice is to help negate states of anger in the practitioner thus benefiting everyone. No God, Buddha or anyone grants the wish. It all happens in our own minds. If one doesn't understand this then one might mistake practice for ritual as well. For example, one doesn't pray but pays homage to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha in mindful rememberance. This practice is for the benefit of the practitioner by way of building humble states of mind and when one is humble, that will benefit others as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All practices that come from the Buddha's teaching are like this: Benefiting both the practitioner and the beings the practitioner comes into contact with. We practice to build wholesome states for ourselves. The less we are unwholesome the less others will suffer because of us and the more they will be happy when they come into contact with us. We help others by helping ourselves. This is a good kind of selfishness :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-11T18:56:30.500" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T18:56:30.500" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7161" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7302" CreationDate="2015-01-11T17:39:05.800" Score="7" ViewCount="1111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any stage, along the 'supermundane paths' to enlightenment, where the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; to meditation are destroyed forever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:37:39.007" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:37:39.007" Title="Eradication of the Five Hindrances" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7162" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7164" CreationDate="2015-01-11T18:57:00.097" Score="5" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is benevolence towards all beings, without any discrimination, free of attachment and free of hatred. How we can develop metta for terrorists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:36:53.127" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:36:53.127" Title="How we can develop metta for terrorists?" Tags="|modern-world|compassion|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-11T21:26:40.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once you give people that label are you without discrimination and attachment yourself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3531" LastActivityDate="2015-01-11T21:26:40.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-12T00:11:01.123" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to try my reply, based on the assumption that by 'terrorists' you are referring to the recent events in Middle East, 'Sydney Siege', Charlie Hebdo and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I would take the following approach:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ensure my own 'safety' first&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By 'safety' I mean to ensure I do not lose my own Metta. Within the eternal tides of Samsara, the wellness of my current physical body can not compare to my heart's purity. Terrorists attacks mainly originates from the hatred poison, and I must ensure I do not have delusions of justice which can subject myself to the same contamination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, I am a commoner with no political influence on international affairs. Therefore, as a son, father and husband, I am obliged to ensure my, and my families', safety so I can continue to fulfil my duties. I shall remain respectful to all parties, and always keep a graceful distance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Repent my own poisons&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upon witnessing the aftermath of much hatred build-up, I shall reflect within myself, &quot;am I still poisoned with the same or similar traces of hatred? if so, can I let go of them? if not, then I shall continue to diligently abstain from hatred.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Offer my merits to them&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that we are one with every being in all realms. We all share the same essence, and the existence of 'me' and 'them' is an illusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone in the cosmos is like the trillions of microscopic cells in a human body. When a body part is malfunctioning, the body proceeds to repair it, not avenge it. For example, if my teeth accidentally bites my tongue, would my tongue exact revenge on my teeth? If differently body parts start to turn against each other, the violence multiplies and we will all eventually perish together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an African village that doesn't punish fellow villagers whom has committed misconduct. They consider 'bad people' are simply unfortunately confused, so they would band together, and sing and dance around the 'bad person'. They would sing to praise nice things about him, and remind him that he should return to being the wonderful person he has always been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We may need to stay vigilant in the short term to protect our safety, but in spirit we must be mindful that anyone is capable of greatness, everyone can attain Buddha-hood, and work towards that goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Pureland Buddhist myself, I would ask Amitabha Buddha to help us and dedicate merits to the situation at the end of every practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Proper education&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Chinese Buddhist I practise Confucian virtues as a core foundation before diving into Mahayana wisdom. An essential part of Chinese Buddhism (and Chinese culture, in general) is cultivating filial piety. By fulfilling our filial duties we focus our life on full and proper care for our parents, our first and most important benefactors, and then gradually expand that love to our direct family members, friends, community and, with Mahayana teaching, expand the love to all realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The confucian book 'Di Zi Gui' (sometimes known as 'Pupil's Guide') summarizes criteria of filial piety into 7 parts: filial to elders, care for juniors, exercise caution, trustworthiness, love all beings, get well acquainted with the wise, and study arts (e.g. literature, skills, music etc) once the former criteria have been well established. This is commonly thought to be taught to children, but has been highly encouraged for adults to practice and 'fill in the gaps'. After all, how can you be Buddha, if you can't even succeed at being a human being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we can promote education towards love and wisdom (Metta), then we can cultivate better empathy for others and work together to foster happier families, and better communities. The most efficient way to convince others is not to approach them, but to first practice Metta diligently, set a great example, and convince others with our actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope the above has been helpful. I must be honest to say that I am not the expert in global affairs, but I can act on what I know and try to be a better human being. Any feedback to my reply above would be very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T00:11:01.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-12T03:33:53.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One practical approach is to recognize that &quot;terrorism&quot; is a vastly over-inflated risk, especially in the US. And it's also (sometimes) such a complex moral area -- e.g. Nelson Mandela would have been called a terrorist by some people at one time -- that in some ways it's &lt;em&gt;easier&lt;/em&gt; to have compassion and understanding (compared with, say, the damage done by ostensibly legal but raw greed and financial jiggery-pokery). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, avoid singling out &quot;terrorists&quot; as being in some way especially challenging in the context of metta. Greed, aversion, and delusion afflict all of us, and we all need to express compassion because we all need to receive it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T03:33:53.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-12T06:06:30.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to change your perspective of terrorists. Instead of seeing them as terrorists who are agents of evil, we need to see them as regular people like you and me, who, just like you and me, are afflicted with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;defilements (kleshas)&lt;/a&gt; like hate, wrong views etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T06:06:30.060" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7147" CreationDate="2015-01-12T06:15:35.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha came to you today and offered the blue pill and the red pill like in the movie The Matrix, and by swallowing this blue pill, you will get instant Nirvana, would you accept it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is that 99.999% of serious Buddhists will not accept it, because they are not ready to let go of their attachments right now. Even if they accept the Buddha's teachings, they are not mentally prepared to leave everything that forms their reality. They don't want to be &quot;saved&quot; right now. They might ponder about their loved ones, material possessions, career etc. They won't be ready to let go of their personhood. But they may want to get there progressively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-01-12T06:37:21.483" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T06:37:21.483" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2912" CreationDate="2015-01-12T08:36:46.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Pureland Buddhist our core practice is 'Nian Fo' - earnestly chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, to be 'mindful of Buddha'. The practitioner can chant just the Buddha's name &quot;Amituofo&quot; (in Chinese), or &quot;Namo Amituofo&quot; (Homage to Amitabha Buddha, the Shin Buddhists chant &quot;Namu Amida Butsu&quot;), chant repetitively with great clarity and concentration, thus blocking any possibility of wandering thoughts, or even transforming wandering thoughts into 'Amituofo'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahāvaipulya mahāsamghāta sūtra, Buddha said that chanting the Buddha's name is the highest, deepest and most wonderful of Jhana (In Chinese,《大集經》曰：若人但念阿彌陀，是即無上深妙禪也。).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 13th Patriarch of Pureland Buddhist, Venerable Master Yin Guang (1862 - 1940), has reiterated the importance of Nian-Fo, and written detailed instructions the 'Ten Chants Method'（十念法）, each chant first voiced from the heart, then spoken with clarity, counted (from 1 to 10 and repeat), and clearly heard with the ears. One should also refrain from using chanting beads, to avoid bodily distraction. By doing so, 4 of the 6 senses are focused on Buddha, and with eyes gently closed all senses are able to focus on chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pureland and precept are practiced in all schools in Chinese Buddhism, and during the last 10,000 years of Buddha's influence it is one of the surest approach to attain enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing meditation in today's world is highly challenging. Today's society demands a lot more from us, our duties have grown in complexity, and information is booming at an incredible rate. We have to learn and fulfill complex tasks like mortgages, tax systems, beauracracies, insurance policies, and many many more. The more we multi-task the more challenging it is for us to find time to meditate and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without uninterrupted time, how can we expect to focus and penetrate through the eternal cycle of Samsara? If we're not careful, we could spend our entire lifetime and not even come close to Sotapanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Master Yin Guang emphasized on the importance of fulfilling our duties, and whenever we have time, we can chant, voiced or silently with our minds depending on the environment we are in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I chose to practice Pureland because I find it is the most suitable for my circumstances. It is convenient and, as described in many Buddhist scriptures, the merit is unimaginably wonderful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T08:36:46.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7169" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-12T09:00:22.063" Score="2" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to develop strong mind?,&#xA;how to overcome lust which comes to mind again and again?,&#xA;I have tried meditating but failed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3532" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-12T19:04:09.200" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T19:04:09.200" Title="Question about mind control" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-01-14T00:05:09.340" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5525" CreationDate="2015-01-12T09:01:02.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice Mahayana tradition so I hope you do not mind my comments from my perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my practice, I try not to have too much attachment with Buddha's relics (Chinese: 舍利, Sanskrit: śarīra). As long as I have Buddha's teachings in my heart and actions, that's the most important thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, I have seen Buddha's relics a few times and they are truly fascinating. More crystal-like matter organically grow from the original relic, and they can vary in different form, colour and size. The Tibetan establishment across the street from where I live has relics from Buddha and his foremost students. I was very fascinated by Moggallana's relics as they were very dark, which was caused his unwholesome actions in the past and led to his tragic death being clubbed to death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism records diligent individuals (monks and lays) also leave behind relics. As they have completed the training in this life they leave their body behind, the relics withstand cremation and are collected by fellow Buddhists and honored for their accomplishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relics are not exclusive to Buddhists. Before Buddha's time many Hindu sages also leave behind relics. Any beings who successfully transcends to the Realm of Form and beyond may leave behind relics. Therefore, relics may not be reliable evidence that one has liberated from Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this is helpful. If there is anything I can improve with this reply, please kindly let me know :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T09:01:02.050" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7169" CreationDate="2015-01-12T09:42:37.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have lust recognise you have lust. Mere having lust is not failing in meditation but not recognising it is a failure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To overcome the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lust&lt;/a&gt; (one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt;) the main issue is that you have not taming you senses. You cannot avoid contact so each time some lustful thought arise in your mind look at the sensation it creates in the body. Look at this at mere thought and look at the impermanence of the sensations fantasizing or actual contact brings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following links might be off some help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lust&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T09:42:37.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5378" CreationDate="2015-01-12T09:45:14.753" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I applaud your effort to ask this matter so candidly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not read a Buddhist story that directly discusses the matter of masturbation but, as a Chinese Buddhist, there are many Chinese influences/wisdom, that we also study as electives, that discusses the matter of masturbation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese Buddhists often build our foundation with some aspects in Confucianism and Daoism, before diving into Mahayana. Historically many Buddhist masters are not only expert in Buddhism, but often are highly educated in Confucianist and Daoist scripture and skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matter of masturbation and sexuality in general are often discussed in the context of Chinese medicine, which is a Daoist influence (I often think of Daoists as ancient Chinese scientists and engineers). Chinese medicine consider masturbation highly detrimental to one's health, and people should refrain from frequent sexual conduct to conserve more energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whilst most modern medicine I encountered asserts masturbation is harmless, as the only vital material that is lost from the human body is protein and nutrients, which easily regenerates over time. Chinese medicine speculates beyond matter (i.e. semen), understands the world is composed of matter, energy, and information, and with each ejaculation a lot of energy is lost, which does most damage to the kidneys. For men aged between 30 ~ 40, this energy cycle takes about 2 weeks to replenish, and as we get older the cycle takes even longer. Chinese medicine highly recommend men to completely abstain after the age of 60, if you wish to enjoy longevity. In short, don't do it, it's good for your health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masturbation is also considered unwholesome sexual conduct. Confucianism teaches filial piety as the top priority of being a virtuous person. Our bodies are born from our mothers, through months of labor and hardship through birth, and then nourished and nurtured carefully by our parents. Therefore, Confucianism considers looking after our health as an essential component of filial piety. Not only is masturbation an unhealthy act, but it is also a shameful scene to behold if one were to be accidentally exposed to the public.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the above, I do believe masturbation is a great hinderance towards samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, like any worldly attachments, I believe such an addiction can be resolved by practicing Buddhism diligently. Meditation does wonders. I have a Hare Krisna friend whom, after practicing meditation, naturally lost interest in meat and became a vegan with ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many ways and teachings in the Buddhist scriptures so simply find a way that is most suitable for one's circumstances. One of the most recommended approach is through 'Disgusting Thoughts' (asubhānupassin), by visualizing our fleshy bodies in separate parts in high details (the brain, stomach, skin, fecal matter, blood, pus etc) and see through what our bodies are really made of. The essence of desire is emptiness and relative. A mosquito would find another mosquito sexually attractive, but another creature, e.g. us human-beings, or a dog, would have no interest. In the eyes of the Devas, even the most attractive super models are merely foul hideous apes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please allow me to be frank (sorry everyone for the TMI) but, I too, had the same addiction for over 10 years. I was under the pretense it is harmless, but in retrospective, this behavior had adversed affected me psychologically. I was often shrouded with shame, I lack confidence, it warped my expectation with relationships and I could not experience satisfactory relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I dropped the habit 'magically' after a few weeks practicing Buddhism. I have always admired and respected Buddhism, and when I first started to study it seriously, many of my bad habits just naturally faded. I deleted all adult material, eat healthy, went vegetarian, and now married and become a first time dad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if the above sound a bit cliche. I'm still afflicted by lingering wandering thoughts, but at least I have not broken action precepts. I hope in time, and through diligent practice, all these anxiety will turn into Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3527" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T09:45:14.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-12T14:17:37.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Christianity has a famous motto, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/who-said-love-the-sinner-hate-the-sin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Love the sinner, hate the sin&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly a preschool teacher might be taught to say, to a misbehaving child, &quot;that's a hurtful action&quot; not &quot;you're a bad boy/girl&quot;: because you're supposed to love the child (unconditionally) and disapprove of bad behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you might dislike terrorism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could wish that all sentient beings (including terrorists) might be free from the anger and ignorance associated with terrorism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81#Basic_intention_and_verse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sutta quoted in Wikiedia&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May these beings be&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  free from animosity,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  free from oppression,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  free from trouble,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I dodn't see why you wouldn't want to wish that terrorists were free of animosity and oppression etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are the opening verses of the Dhammapada too, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't you believe that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-12T14:28:55.740" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T14:28:55.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7169" CreationDate="2015-01-12T16:29:11.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lust is the number one defilement that will likely destroy an otherwise good practice. There is a practice that specifically targets lust known as The Thirty-two Parts of the Body (Dvattimsakara).&#xA;One contemplates these 32 parts of the body: head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), urine, and  the brain. This will help free the mind of the illusion that there is something beautiful about the body. There is nothing ultimately beautiful or ugly about the body. One might turn lust into repulsion by contemplation of the body parts in a state of decay or by viewing real autopsy photos. This is a common practice for monks because they must keep the precept to be pure of any sexual activity and if they can't tame the lust they often have to go back to lay life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-01-12T16:29:11.030" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-01-12T16:29:11.030" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7175" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-12T16:47:11.097" Score="4" ViewCount="4808" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before I would meditate on floor in Burmese position 30 min in morning, and 30 min at night. My mind was very busy, but when it would calm down, I would get few &quot;Creative Attacks&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the past week, I felt a supernatural force make me meditate sitting on bed with back straight, leaning against pillows and legs straight (right after I wake up and right before I go to sleep). While I meditate in this position I have noticed myself inhaling and exhaling most of the time. I could even feel my chest expand and contract. And I barely get any noisy thoughts compared to meditation while sitting on floor in Burmese position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am missing those &quot;Creative Attacks&quot;, but the reason I started meditation is so I can have deepened awareness in my surroundings (I'm called Absent-Minded)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is my approach ok. I mean, these &quot;Creative Attacks&quot; are helping me endure some rough patches right now (almost to the point that these patches are slightly dry skin).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I hear from novice and experienced meditators alike. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="357" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:36:18.083" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T12:42:25.127" Title="Meditation on floor vs bed" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7175" CreationDate="2015-01-12T17:13:07.457" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on why you are meditating. However, since you are posting to a Buddhist group, look at it from the Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation supports the Buddhist way of viewing the world, with non-attachment, that sees the impermanence and lack of essence of all things, especially one's &quot;self&quot;.  As such, &quot;Creative Attacks&quot; are not relevant to this practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, if you are going through rough patches (or creative attacks), then the application of meditation is to look into this rough patch (or creative attacks), to see the characteristics mentioned above, but especially the illusory nature of the &quot;you&quot; who is suffering these rough patches (or creative attacks). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, instead of trying to combat feeling with feeling, work on seeing the illusory nature of the source. When confronted with suffering, look for the one who suffers, and when that is seen to be an illusion, the suffering becomes a non-issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, the posture to adopt to meditation should be one in which you can be alert (nothing that will lull you to sleep) while minimizing your discomfort.  Certain postures may make some bodily sensations more noticeable than others, so I'd recommend the one that reduces those.  Beyond that, you're free to pick a posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T13:26:14.990" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T13:26:14.990" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7177" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T00:08:43.430" Score="-1" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the following idea of mine a good way to practice the emptiness of emptiness in my everyday non meditational etc., life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone suggest something like this, in any Buddhist tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;realizing your past happiness is worthless and that no way of thinking about it has any worth, and being happy about that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T22:48:39.503" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T22:48:39.503" Title="Emptiness of emptiness" Tags="|personal-practice|sunyata|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7178" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7203" CreationDate="2015-01-13T01:32:33.447" Score="4" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can one work one's way through the whole path as it is described in the Mahayana literature, and then realize: Even though you were being sincere, and the &quot;right&quot; experiences in the literature describe your work, you were actually not on the Buddhist path at all, but merely on an intellectual path without genuine actualization; without &quot;direct seeing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can this nevertheless be preparation for the true Mahayana path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T02:12:47.417" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T20:40:08.110" Title="Is it possible to believe (incorrectly) that one is on the path?" Tags="|mahayana|stages-of-the-path|reality|faith|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6020" CreationDate="2015-01-13T02:06:53.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think not: because &quot;empty&quot; is a characteristic of 'conditioned' phenomena, but nirvana is unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T02:06:53.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7180" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T02:50:00.443" Score="4" ViewCount="121" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Nikaya, it is said that wheel turning king runs the country without using stick or sword, since that term is quite abstract, what does it mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of my interpretations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1/ Without waging war, since stick and sword are the symbol of weapon. But then what is the role of military, or how can he protect his people when needed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2/ Runs the country without punishment. I don't see this as an realistic option, as even the sangha has offenses for monks, and managing the world without punishment is impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3/ Without violent punishment. For example, jail is not violent but torture, beating or cutting hand of robber are violence. I see this as the most realistic interpretation, but I am not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what does it mean? Reference in Nikaya is appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="218" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T16:23:49.963" Title="Wheel turning king runs the country without stick or sword, what does it mean?" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7181" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T05:12:36.860" Score="3" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a few questions about &quot;wisdom&quot;, which I would personally define as it appears in Zhiyi's book the Great Calming and Contemplation, in the section on the six identities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one is endowed with both wisdom and faith, then upon hearing that a&#xA;  single thought-moment is identical with the positive [aspect that are&#xA;  conducive to bodhicitta], faith will keep one from denigrating [what&#xA;  one does not understand], and wisdom will keep one from being&#xA;  apprehensive [about one’s inability to attain enlightenment]. [In this&#xA;  case,] both the beginning and later [stages] are positive. If one does&#xA;  not have faith, then [one despairs i] the exalted levels of the&#xA;  sage are not part of one’s own wisdom, 344 and if one does not have&#xA;  wisdom, one becomes arrogant and thinks that one is already equal to a&#xA;  Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IIs it possible to be on the path without wisdom? Is it possible to advance along it, even to attain complete, and perfect enlightenment, without wisdom? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the latter is in &lt;strong&gt;any&lt;/strong&gt; way the case, then how so, and why would the practitioner have to fall &quot;back&quot; into complete ignorance in order have any semblance of enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forgive me if I speak crazily :) !!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T17:23:08.220" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T02:19:18.187" Title="The Mahayana faith and wisdom" Tags="|mahayana|books|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7182" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T05:32:00.210" Score="2" ViewCount="368" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know how Tendai or indeed Tiantai, views its use of zazen or zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would provisionally assume it serves a different role than it does or is in Soto and Rinzai and contemporary Chan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T19:21:34.897" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T19:21:34.897" Title="What role does zen or zazen play in Tendai?" Tags="|mahayana|zen|meditation-zazen|tendai|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7183" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7213" CreationDate="2015-01-13T05:39:09.493" Score="2" ViewCount="415" Body="&lt;p&gt;Say, the next 30 years?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The world is going to undergo great turmoil IMO, as technology outstrips not just need but the reality we live in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there much or indeed any chance that Maitreya will appear to help humanity through these changes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:23:25.977" Title="Does any school seriously believe Maitreya might appear in my lifetime" Tags="|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7184" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7186" CreationDate="2015-01-13T06:15:04.190" Score="2" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it just &quot;annihilationism&quot;? Whatever it is called, has is always been a heresy or wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't see how it must be annihilationism, because the budha answers that this dogma is wrong on the grounds that we already lack a self. Unless, that is, there is no empirical self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-13T08:18:34.273" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T11:06:26.623" Title="What is the term for not believing in cause and effect after death?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7184" CreationDate="2015-01-13T07:58:53.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Annihilationism - Ucchedavada - Taught by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajita_Kesakambali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajita Kesakambali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is considered a wrong view. Here is no heresy in Buddhism but any view or notion which you have not verified empirically at the experiential level but cling onto causes misery psychologically as in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my answer in: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7187/the-empirical-self-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;The &amp;quot;empirical self&amp;quot; in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T11:06:26.623" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7187" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T08:26:36.967" Score="0" ViewCount="743" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it right to say that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhists both do and don't believe in the &quot;empirical self&quot;, as in the conscious mind and its concomitants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in order I might make sense of your answer, can the latter &quot;not self&quot; be thought of as an absence of any conscious mind from reality itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, does that reality include or consist of the Buddha and how can we unenlightened beings confirm that, besides confirming suchness, when it seems we cannot confirm suchness is known?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Peter Harvey in the selfless mind says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;an empirical self strictly speaking neither exists nor does not exist&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-15T05:30:13.497" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T09:17:31.767" Title="The &quot;empirical self&quot; in Buddhism" Tags="|the-buddha|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7187" CreationDate="2015-01-13T11:05:24.487" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In advance stages of Buddhist mediation the exercise is to reduce non conducive notions (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for such notions). The notion of self or not self is a notion, and it is these preconceived notion you should eliminate as clinging to them causes misery when reality does not match with you notion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a self image that I am so and so and when this gets shattered it causes pain. If you do not hold into such notion then there is no pin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T11:05:24.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2015-01-13T11:32:21.023" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Normally, those who are sure that the Buddha is enlightened are those who experience a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3669/471&quot;&gt;retrograde realization&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (to quote Andrei Volkov) upon hearing and understanding the teachings of the Buddha. Upon reading some explanation by the Buddha, you might think, &quot;&lt;em&gt;oh! that's right! It matches my observation of how my mind works. But I never explicitly thought of it that way before, till I read this&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. This means that you have definitely observed how your mind works throughout your life, but it never became obvious to you, till you heard Buddha's explanation. As you experience more such aha moments, you realize that the Buddha really &lt;em&gt;knows&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T11:32:21.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7192" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T11:35:31.407" Score="2" ViewCount="479" Body="&lt;p&gt;I got wondering, idly it's not part of any practice or effort, that everything has something like empathy, but of one thing, empathy for the buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can that be read into buddhism, or panpsychism at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Might the answer to this fall under the terms &quot;empathy&quot; and &quot;response&quot;, as drawn from the lotus sutra?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I promise this will be my last question, sorry for starting so many :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:40:06.630" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T11:09:01.837" Title="Panpsychism and philosophical interpretations of buddhism" Tags="|compassion|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7187" CreationDate="2015-01-13T11:39:19.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it right to say that all Buddhists both do and don't believe in the empirical self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's more accurate to say that Buddhists ought to avoid having fixed/specific beliefs, or fixed views, about the self: see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And in order I might make sense of your answer, can the latter &quot;not self&quot; be thought of as an absence of any conscious mind from reality itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;not-self&quot; concept is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't deny consciousness, but it says that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt; too is conditioned and impermanent and non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, does that reality include or consist of the Buddha and how can we unenlightened beings confirm that, besides confirming suchness, when it seems we cannot confirm suchness is known?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &quot;reality&quot; are you talking about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, if you're asking about &quot;reality including the Buddha&quot; then perhaps you want to find out about the doctrines of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha nature&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary you seem to be saying that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;skandhas&lt;/a&gt; (including sensation/perception, and consciousness) are &quot;the self&quot;, even though (as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#The_aggregates&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All of the aggregates are to be seen as empty of self-nature; that is, they arise dependent on causes (hetu) and conditions (paticca)&lt;/strong&gt;. In this scheme, the cause for the arising of consciousness (viññāṇa) is the arising of one of the other aggregates (physical or mental); and, the arising of consciousness in turn gives rise to one or more of the mental (nāma) aggregates. In this way, the chain of causation identified in the aggregate (khandha) model overlaps the chain of conditioning in the Dependent Origination (paticcasamuppāda) model, described more fully below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think &quot;have self-nature&quot; means &quot;have independent existence&quot; and &quot;have no self-nature&quot; means &quot;has dependent existence&quot; and therefore &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;temporary and unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism suggests that instead of identifying the self with such things (&quot;I am my body! I am my feelings! I am my thoughts!&quot;) it's better to not identify yourself in such a way with such things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt; warns that the following can be called &quot;a thicket of wrong views&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will endure as long as eternity. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understand they way in which you're using words, I suspect you shouldn't say that there's &quot;an absence of any conscious mind from reality itself&quot; because that would be saying &quot;there are no sentient beings, sentient beings do not exist&quot;: which might be self-evidently untrue :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about whether all of reality is conscious. Apparently &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;some schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; teach that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, and particularly in Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism, &lt;strong&gt;all beings (including plant life and even inanimate objects or entities considered &quot;spiritual&quot; or &quot;metaphysical&quot; by conventional Western thought)&lt;/strong&gt; are or may be considered sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I mentioned earlier I think this sort of doctrine is later (i.e. post-Theravada) teachings about 'Buddha-nature'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T12:49:06.483" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7162" CreationDate="2015-01-13T12:12:57.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A well known way of practicing metta is to start out by wishing that we ourselves will be well, happy, free from harm, etc. We then wish that someone we care deeply about will be well, happy, free from harm, etc. We then wish someone we feel neutrally about will be well, happy, free from harm, etc. We then wish for someone we dislike to be well, happy, free from harm, etc. And from there we may included good wishes for everyone in a small geographic area, then everyone in a larger geographic area, and eventually building up to everyone in the cosmos. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's a building process; you ease into it rather than starting out trying to summon up benevolence for someone who is very challenging for you to feel benevolent towards. This takes some time and regular practice. The benefit of metta is that it helps dissolve greed (jealousy), aversion (hatred), and ignorance in you, yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We shouldn't think that any category of beings are outside of our capacity to &quot;wish them well&quot;. When a person is acting with extreme hatred and delusion, they are not well mentally and wishing them well is a way of wishing for mental clarity for them so that they will not continue to act in hatred and delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is any doubt that we should include those acting in hatred and delusion in our wishes for well being for all, there is the fascinating story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angulimala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala&lt;/a&gt;, a serial killer back in the Buddha's day who became an Arahant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an audio link to the style of metta meditation described in this post. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/metta-meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/metta-meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T12:12:57.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7177" CreationDate="2015-01-13T13:17:08.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's interesting to begin to understand things about yourself, your actions, your motivations and about what is worthwhile, wholesome, beneficial, and what is not. Some types of meditation can help greatly with these understandings and some would say there should be no &quot;non meditational&quot; part of your day. Every waking moment has the potential to be a mindful moment of being aware of what you are doing and why you are doing it and this can facilitate further understanding of yourself, your actions, your motivations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that one &quot;practices&quot; emptiness. One hopes to understand emptiness and understanding could come from mindfulness both inside and outside of formal meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as a disclaimer, in the tradition I practice, the concept is anatta, not emptiness, so there might be subtle differences with emptiness of which I am not familiar.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T13:17:08.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2015-01-13T15:07:04.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the commentaries say that this Buddha Sasana will last for 5000 years...So there are around 2400+ years still left for the Gotama Sasana to disappear...This link gives a detailed explanation of the way in which the first the attainments will disappear, then the method, then the learning, then the symbols and finally the relics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/GotamaSasana.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/GotamaSasana.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T15:07:04.877" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7197" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-13T15:20:47.720" Score="3" ViewCount="2628" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.state.nj.us/education/genfo/holidays1415.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;New Jersey State Board of Education's List of Religious Holidays Permitting Student Absence from School&lt;/a&gt;, the Chinese/Lunar New Year (Feb 19, 2015) is listed as a &quot;Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist&quot; holiday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't think there was any connection with Buddhism. So is there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3537" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T01:31:58.603" Title="Is the Chinese/Lunar New Year a Buddhist religious holiday?" Tags="|holidays|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7180" CreationDate="2015-01-13T16:23:49.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe &quot;wheel&quot; refers to &lt;em&gt;tradition&lt;/em&gt; (in the broadest sense) and &quot;turning&quot; refers to establishing and/or continuing the tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wheel turning king (or, in modern terms, &lt;em&gt;leader&lt;/em&gt;) rules by setting up a way of doing things that (most of) people find compelling enough to follow, without being forced to -- this is what I feel is referred to as &quot;without stick or sword&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-01-13T16:23:49.963" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-13T20:42:54.687" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question &quot;who am i?&quot; is a koan. Koans are devices meant for you to attain Truth not actually have an answer to...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you don't put your faith in any solid answer (and lose probably the best koan that exists) because the real answer to this koan is beyond words... this is why the Buddha does a great job by always answering this question negatively, saying we are not ____ (e.g. form, sensation, conception, volition, consciousness) but never that we are ____.&#xA;This is the classical vedantic negation (neti neti) that all true sages do to their students to encourage them to turn back their consciousness and answer the question &quot;who am i&quot; with their true inner eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a great meditative practice to ask yourself &quot;who am I&quot;... totally gets you away from sensory perception and is a great route to samadhi and awakening. The most direct, Zen question that exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T04:27:50.260" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T04:27:50.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7197" CreationDate="2015-01-14T01:11:36.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Celebration of the &quot;Buddhist&quot; New Year varies by both geographic region and ethnicity in the predominantly Buddhist countries of Asia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist New Year - &#xA;  In Theravadin countries, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Lao, the new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. As for example, Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in New Jersey there is a sizable population of Chinese students who might be celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year and this was designated as an allowable &quot;religious&quot; day off as a practical matter? In any case, it seems to carry more ethnic significance than religious significance. (Can't imagine that ethnic Chinese students who are Christian, for example, would be any less interested in the celebrations! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T01:31:58.603" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T01:31:58.603" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7178" CreationDate="2015-01-14T02:21:36.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Absolutely, it is possible to be incorrect about the notion that one was on the Buddhist path. I have had plenty of this sort of experience in my own meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very frequently I would have unusual experiences in meditation, such as seeing lights, being filled with joy, a sense of time coming to a stop, etc. And I would ask my teacher what these experiences meant, hoping for this kind of answer or that kind of answer. Each time, he would tell me that these experiences don't mean anything and that I should focus on seeing these experiences as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I wanted these experiences to return quite badly, I failed to recognize the fact that I wanted them to return. Entire meditation sessions were wasted waiting for the lights, or time stopping, etc. It is in this sense that I &quot;thought I was on the path&quot; but now know that I was somewhat stubbornly misleading myself. Well, try and try again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this example is from practice in a Theravadan context, the general principle should still translate to Mahayana practice or any kind of practiced skill: Sometimes it takes a lot of mistakes to realize you need a different approach. This is definitely the case for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T02:21:36.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-01-14T03:26:34.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who indeed. Maybe there are not truth to be attained. Maybe you already have the truth. Then again who are you? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of self is a very interesting topic in Buddhism. Lot of issues come with the lack of works to properly translate the original Sanskrit words in the sutras.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally from my understanding, Buddha teaches that self is empty. Empty in the sense that its a concept, a view of ourselves much like your reflection in the mirror. It changes, it goes away. Thus empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha then says that this emptiness is not different from form as we know it, as form too are just concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example I always like to draw from is a phone. Start picking apart your phone, till what extend does it stop being a phone? In the same train of thoughts, if you start removing parts of yourself, when do you stop being you? When you split yourself, which part stop being you, or are both parts still you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2462" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T03:26:34.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7178" CreationDate="2015-01-14T05:25:59.183" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't there a story in the commentaries about a monk who had very advanced intellectual understanding of the Buddhist path, and was even a very good teacher of others, and brought many of them to enlightenment, but was not himself enlightened. The story goes that eventually something happened to make that problem clear to him, then he did some stuff -- lived in a cave and meditated or something -- and finally was enlightened. Maybe someone can remember who the guy was; IIRC it's a pretty mainline Buddhist story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suggestion is that, yes, it's absolutely possible to seem to be very advanced on the path but to be far less so than one thinks. And the second suggestion I take from the story is that if the intention is good, then even if one isn't as advanced as one might think, one may still be better off than having ignored the path completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T05:25:59.183" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7204" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7206" CreationDate="2015-01-14T06:39:22.207" Score="4" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to accept the Noble Eightfold Path (somewhere it is 10). I know what I can do. I know how many positive possibilities are surging inside me to come out. I know I am all alone to mark my words by adapting everything that I say. By breathing and watching my beloved resting I feel so relaxed. I want to share this feeling with everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do I really need to devote my life to the Noble Eightfold Path? Life as it seems is not that bad, even without the Eightfold Path. Is it necessary to adapt whatever I read in Buddhism? Can one reciprocrate what he/she has never read before? (My English isn't much good, I am learning. I welcome you (especially Andrei with his best guess and Crab Bucket) if they can improve the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-02-28T04:57:56.323" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T04:57:56.323" Title="The noble truths and eight fold path aren't holy than a learner. when a learner becomes a teacher?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7204" CreationDate="2015-01-14T06:57:56.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arya_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble&lt;/a&gt;' in the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble eight-fold path&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is that you become a Noble one (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arya_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arya&lt;/a&gt;) by following it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T12:46:35.707" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T12:46:35.707" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2015-01-14T07:20:52.650" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I submit that the prophecies of the end times in all religions and cultures are being fulfilled around us, and therefore we should be expecting the imminent coming of Maitreya, or the Prophet expected by all religions and cultures to come at the end times/ending of an age (Messiah, return of Christ, Mahdi, He Whom God Shall Make Manifest, Kalki Avatar, Blue Kachina, True White Brother from the East, Satrio Piningit, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact I submit that Maitreya is already here.  He has fulfilled Prophecies from all world religions and cultures, and brought a teaching that unifies all the religions of the world and for the first time shows clearly how all are from the same, One God, each sent as part of an overall Plan which is now coming to fruition.  Maitreya's teaching also unifies the West and the East, science and spirit, and shows how the two are not contradictory but complementary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not take my word for it - I challenge you to study Maitreya's literature, prophecies fulfilled, etc. and prove it to yourself that he is indeed the True Maitreya, the Prophet of God: www.maitreya.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3540" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T07:20:52.650" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7209" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7212" CreationDate="2015-01-14T11:07:46.313" Score="0" ViewCount="613" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the essential difference between citta and vinnana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I refer to this text of Ajaan Nanasampajanno in his book 'Arahatthaphala-The Path to Arahantship' p. 53:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'The citta is the essential knowing nature at the core of our being. It consists of pure and simple awareness: the citta simply knows. Awareness of good and bad, and the critical judgments that result, are merely conditions of the citta. Et times, their activities may manifest as mindfulness; at othet times, as wisdom. But the true citta does not exhibit any activities or manifest any conditions at all. It is simply a state of knowing. The activities that arise in the citta, such as awareness of good and bad, or happiness and suffering, or praise and blame, are all conditions of the consciousness that flow out from the citta. Since they represent activities and conditions of the citta that are, by their nature, constantly arising and fading, this sort of conscious awareness is always unstable and always unreliable. Understood in this way, sanna, sankhara and vinnana are all conditions of the citta.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this citta—&lt;em&gt;pure and simple awareness&lt;/em&gt;—the same as what is mentioned in Bahiya's teaching (Udana 1.10): &lt;em&gt;‘In seeing there is mere seeing, in hearing mere hearing, in smelling mere smelling, in tasting mere tasting, in touching mere touching, and in cognising only cognising.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:41:51.633" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:41:51.633" Title="What is the essential difference between citta and vinnana?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2015-01-17T14:57:32.883" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2015-01-14T11:21:15.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think, the best answer here is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;you cannot be sure&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. It's a tradition from which you heard it.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, you can try to get familiar with that what has &lt;strong&gt;also&lt;/strong&gt; been transmitted about the practize and the teaching of the Buddha. If you find out that -by following the proposed path- you get a little bit nearer to understanding, freedom-in-thought, awareness, mindfulness, compassion ... then you might become more &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;convinced&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; . Such thing is even a many-times reported experience, which can be found many times in the suttas but also in the whole evolution of the buddhist practice and experience up to today.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when you'll become &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - that shall be a very individual, personal moment which cannot, in my opininion, ever be formalized as a general rule (perhaps even in some  bureaucratic/scientific or the-like account). (a nice composition about this is in @ruben2020 's answer)              &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because this question came up on the mainpage again, just another thought.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't know it, you only can believe it. I think similar situations in the samana discourse have been the reason for the convention of the &quot;Lion's roar&quot; . That seems to be one possibility to announce such a thing like &quot;awakening&quot; that was not on the disposal of the outer world. The outer world could only believe/or not or try to disprove by showing that the content of the &quot;Lion's roar&quot; of someone could be disproved factual and/or by outcome in that real practice.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So there is one sutra, I think it is the MN12 showing the &quot;Lion's roar&quot; of the Buddha, but there is also another sutra (don't have the source at the moment)  where this is only a part and only expressed shorter; but there is also one sutra about Sariputta's &quot;Lions-roar&quot; which the Buddha probed when asked him &quot;by what do you know that your master is enlightened/behaving enlightened?&quot;             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that term occurs somewhere else casually in the PK and I'm sure some discussion of it should be in contemporary literature, and possibly wikipedia, because of it being a feature of the widespread samana's culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2017-09-13T06:56:44.903" LastActivityDate="2017-09-13T06:56:44.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2015-01-14T12:33:03.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia claims that there are non-Buddhist schools or religions, who say variously that Maitreya will arrive soon or did arrive recently (e.g. in the 19th century): see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya#Non-Buddhist_views&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maitreya - Non-Buddhist views&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although they're non-Buddhist, I mention that in case it has been causing some confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T12:33:03.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7209" CreationDate="2015-01-14T16:36:33.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More info. from the wiki page &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, in the 'Overlapping Pali terms for mind' section..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T16:36:33.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2015-01-14T16:59:07.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, things have to get really really bad and then it'll have to get really really good in order for Metteyya Buddha to appear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And the sons of these sons will come to live eighty years; their sons to 160 years; their sons to 320 years; their sons to 640 years; their sons to 2,000 years; their sons to 4,000 years; their sons to 8,000 years; their sons to 20,000 years; their sons to 40,000 years; and the sons of those that lived 40,000 years will come to live 80,000 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among humans living 80,000 years, brethren, maidens are marriageable at 500 years of age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among such humans there will be only three kinds of disease—appetite, non-assimilation and old age.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At that period, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One named Metteyya, Arahant, Fully Awakened, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as a guide to mortals willing to be led, a teacher for gods and men, an, Exalted One, a Buddha, even as I am now. ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 26&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T16:59:07.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7178" CreationDate="2015-01-14T20:34:06.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes and ... yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can be wrong about the foundation, the method one chooses, one can be wrong about anything! This is why it is &lt;em&gt;important to study the Buddhadharma&lt;/em&gt; first and understand its &lt;strong&gt;foundational teachings&lt;/strong&gt; (any introductory book will do) and to continue to study it outside of practice sessions. Practice is very important because there is a lot you will sort out through the extremely simple practice and heart of Buddhism: &lt;strong&gt;vipassana meditation&lt;/strong&gt; aka self-observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing I believe you are talking about though is can one be wrong about one's own experiences? One &lt;strong&gt;can&lt;/strong&gt; do this, dangerously generating what Master Huai-Chin Nan calls &lt;strong&gt;&quot;false gong-fu&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;things that you learn from somewhere and you want that experience so strongly that your subconscious mind&lt;/em&gt; (which is very powerful in creating entire experiences such as dreams) &lt;strong&gt;replicates the experience, oftentimes as a &lt;em&gt;precursor and obstacle&lt;/em&gt; to the real phenomenon.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example, this can happen with kundalini in your body, chi rotations, mental phenomena, and even great peace and ease that occur when you practice Buddhist meditation (or any meditation) correctly.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;(See the end of the first chapter of Tao &amp;amp; Longevity of Master Huai-Chin Nan for excellent discussion of this.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is why the Buddha never talked about chi, chakras, and various things. All of those things he labelled &quot;fire element&quot; (which is absolutely correct).&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Thus, his monks did not create mental obstacles for themselves and rapidly progressed to the heart of understanding of non-self and interdependent origination.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the answer to the first question.&#xA;As for your second question, a master would say &quot;&lt;strong&gt;no, you are wasting your time, you can lose your life and opportunity to Awaken any day, any hour.. why waste your breath with false phenomena?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that master would be right by saying &quot;no&quot; to your second question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, I would append my own answer:&#xA;I would argue though that some of these false phenomena, &lt;em&gt;although they can confuse and betray a person for years and make a person lose decades of lifetime&lt;/em&gt;... &lt;strong&gt;they can serve as very specific lessons about oneself in the future towards Buddhahood cultivation&lt;/strong&gt;, (whether one is almost a bodhisattva or whether one is already a bodhisattva and working towards Buddhahood) &lt;em&gt;where the smallest hairline of an error can cause drastic errors&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;This lesson-about-lessons has a thousand Buddhist parallels and parables&lt;/strong&gt; (e.g. cosmological time in being stuck in the higher absorptions, wrongs when committed in higher realms, deadly result of losing your essence when in a higher stage of physiological cultivation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar to how &lt;strong&gt;overcoming small past failures&lt;/strong&gt; (e.g. overeating, drug addiction, tv addiction, etc.) &lt;strong&gt;can give you the edge you need&lt;/strong&gt; (discipline, focus, sorrow, memory) &lt;strong&gt;to succeed in later challenges&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;the failing of which can end your career or cripple or kill you&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, &lt;strong&gt;if you stumbled over something and ran in circles, contemplate the lesson you learned, be grateful you had the lesson to learn something valuable about yourself for such a relatively small cost, write an essay, swear to reform and move forward&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-14T20:40:08.110" LastActivityDate="2015-01-14T20:40:08.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7216" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-15T02:44:37.013" Score="6" ViewCount="1104" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kwan Yin (a.k.a. Guanyin, Avalokiteśvara) is an important figure in Mahayana Buddhism. But I recently noticed a statue of Kwan Yin on the grounds of a local Theravada monastery. I looked up Kwan Yin on Wikipedia and a connection to Theravada Buddhism wasn't clear, but the article did list translations of her name in Thai and Sinhalese; both areas where Theravada Buddhism is predominant. I also saw mention of a statue of Avalokiteśvara listed in a very old guide to Bodhgaya. Is this figure part of early Buddhism? Or simply beloved by many? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-15T10:51:22.450" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T16:54:00.153" Title="Does Kwan Yin hold a place in Theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|history|kwan-yin|avalokitesvara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7187" CreationDate="2015-01-15T05:36:50.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some answers have said that the empirical self is best not believed in the sense of identifying or obsessing with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it does not exist because the empirical self is not substantial. Contrary to my question, it is atman proper, the Self, which does not exist in Reality, as something outside the empirical self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-15T05:57:59.303" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T05:57:59.303" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7219" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-15T06:18:09.027" Score="3" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any Mahayana school teach that I am atman, the Self of buddha nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming a resounding &quot;no&quot;, may I please ask, if atman is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/qualia/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;like&quot;&lt;/a&gt; anything, or is it more like the eventual non existence, annihilation, of the empirical self, like death is for philosophically enlightened atheists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not true that qualia are substances, not only in Western philosophy, but in Buddhism too, because otherwise the skandhas, being insubstantial, would not be like anything!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that question is unanswerable, because I can't see any alternative to those possibilities !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T10:53:00.483" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T10:53:00.483" Title="Does any Mahayana school teach that I am atman?" Tags="|mahayana|anatman|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7220" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-15T08:30:02.823" Score="3" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we sense the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindstream&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'mindstream' (citta-santāna)&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it inferred?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is inferred, and that this means we cannot say &quot;I will die&quot;, except as a fictionalized explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, is it inferred? And anyway, what do Buddhists say about explanations ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T18:00:13.097" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T08:48:32.187" Title="Do we sense the mental stream (santāna)" Tags="|rebirth|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7216" CreationDate="2015-01-15T16:54:00.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kwan Yin wasn't taught by the Buddha in the Pali suttas and I'm certain Kwan Yin isn't mentioned in the Pali commentaries. Usually the teachers in the Theravada tradition strictly base how they teach on the Pali Canon but a lot of times they aren't so strict. There are Theravada teachers that are more like Mahayana teachers and Mahayana teachers that are more like Theravada teachers. In the end, the tradition one chooses isn't as important as the teacher one chooses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T16:54:00.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7222" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7226" CreationDate="2015-01-15T17:47:05.103" Score="7" ViewCount="434" Body="&lt;p&gt;in the city where i live (Toronto, although this is an issue in many cities around the world), there are people dressed as monks soliciting others on the street for donations. In return, various good luck charms are offered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fake monks speak little English, and will try to justify their begging with the claim that donations are for building a temple back home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there anything I can or should do about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these fake monks giving Buddhism a bad name, or at least obscuring Buddhism's true message?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the fake monks doing an ironic good by giving people the chance to practice generosity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T18:04:53.717" LastActivityDate="2024-03-30T17:40:07.013" Title="What can be done about fake monks?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|monk|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7223" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-15T18:38:44.370" Score="7" ViewCount="3659" Body="&lt;p&gt;What Buddhist distinction is made between &quot;awareness&quot; and &quot;consciousness&quot;?&#xA;I view &quot;mindfulness&quot; as a purposeful application of awareness.&#xA;However, I am at a loss for a clear distinction between awareness and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T05:22:13.340" Title="What distinction is made between &quot;awareness&quot; and &quot;consciousness&quot;?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7222" CreationDate="2015-01-15T20:16:43.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of Karma, in both Buddhism and Hinduism, means anything we do, in the name of &quot;justice&quot;, etc., will be nothing compared to what that person will experience due to those actions (assuming that person never purifies/confesses/etc.) &quot;Compassion&quot; is always the best thing to do. Indeed, feel sorry for that &quot;evil&quot; person as the karma will be &quot;reaped&quot; in the future. (Indeed, I would argue, and have, that &quot;Justice&quot; probably brings just quite similar bad karma (and bad results) as the actual selfish acts.  Motivation/Intention would be, I think, the key.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T20:16:43.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2015-01-15T20:25:51.120" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Google &quot;Mahamudra&quot;. Enjoy. I happen to follow a Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism tradition of mahamudra. There are lots of flavors for lots of individual tastes but it's all the same. Good stuff. (Heck, even Hinduism's Advaita is good stuff.) Enjoy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="486" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T20:25:51.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7222" CreationDate="2015-01-15T20:41:46.820" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some suggestions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guard yourself&lt;/strong&gt; against any possibility of Wrong Speech by not saying anything about these persons, their motives, or actions that you don't personally know to be true; even if it seems extremely likely that they are being deceptive. If you want to warn family &amp;amp; friends, stick only with what you know to be true such as &quot;In the tradition I study, monastic rules don't allow monks to ask for money or sell good luck charms.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guard yourself&lt;/strong&gt; against the arising or continuing of any negative states by not identifying with this issue. This is not personal. Cities have always been magnets for people inclined to do &quot;creative fund raising&quot;. ;-) City dwellers are pretty savvy about this type of thing and it's unlikely the media will downplay it indefinitely. It's too quirky of a story for them to ignore forever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guard yourself&lt;/strong&gt; against the attachment of &quot;me and my&quot; Buddhism getting a bad name. Truly awful things have happened in the contexts of other religions; bloody wars, sexual exploitation, financial scandal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of the Buddha shine on. A little thing like this can't tarnish it. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T20:41:46.820" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2015-01-15T21:26:23.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a short passage from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt; by Dr. Walpola Rahula that discusses how consciousness is different than perception. I'm not sure if this answers your question, but I found the example given helpful to my own understanding of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It should be clearly understood that consciousness does not recognize an&#xA;  object. It is only a sort of awareness-awareness of the presence of an object. When&#xA;  the eye comes in contact with a colour, for instance blue, visual consciousness arises&#xA;  which simply is awareness of the presence of a colour: but it does not recognize that&#xA;  it is blue. There is no recognition at this stage. It is perception (the third Aggregate&#xA;  discussed above) that recognizes that it is blue. The term 'visual consciousness' is a&#xA;  philosophical expression denoting the same idea as is conveyed by the ordinary&#xA;  word 'seeing'. Seeing does not mean recognizing. So are the other forms of&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-15T21:26:23.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7228" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7230" CreationDate="2015-01-15T21:26:35.870" Score="7" ViewCount="243" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has a regular meditation practice and has no particular mental health issues or physical health issues - is it always beneficial to meditate? Or are there circumstances or points in time where it might be better to stop or cut back?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask because there are points where in my practice it just seems impossible to meditate and I have stopped for a dew days or a bit longer. Is that a mistake? Should you just grit your teeth and meditate anyway even if the meditation session is pretty unpleasant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:41:09.110" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:41:09.110" Title="Is it always beneficial to meditate?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|well-being|meditation-practicalities|right-effort|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2015-01-16T01:00:32.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. According to Tibetan Buddhism and also non-denominational anecdotes from people that died and came back they went through a &quot;tunnel&quot; traveling what they felt was faster than the speed of light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, mind-only school of consciousness in Buddhism would also confirm that mind is beyond the laws and bounds of space-and-time including the light constant which limits other material phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T01:00:32.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7228" CreationDate="2015-01-16T02:53:28.477" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen meditators of many different schools talking about the importance of not walking away from a &quot;bad&quot; sitting. All books I've read reflect this commitment. All monks I've heard too. Conversely, I never heard or read a single meditator to take this issue lightly as in &quot;well, if you are not much up to it, sure, maybe some other day&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are certainly a number of reasons for abandoning a specific practice. A big one, is that we might be doing it in some improper way, or in a way that increases unwholesome states, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt; and/or decreases faculties associated to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As, Anuruddha, I was abiding diligent, ardent, and resolute, I considered thus: 'Excessive meditation upon forms arose in me, and because of excessive meditation upon forms my concentration fell away; when my concentration fell away, the light and the vision of forms disappeared. I shall so act that neither doubt, nor inattention, ..., nor perception of diversity, nor excessive meditation upon forms will arise in me again.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 128 (Bodhi Trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a personal note, this is how I worked with this issue: if I identify the unwillingness to meditate as a hindrance, I do not make concession. Otherwise, I stop, or do not meditate  -- at least formally, sitting. (I'll make an adendum to this at the end of the post).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in an individual sitting, if it's just hard, I'm in discomfort, or I wish to be doing something else, I make all the effort necessary to continue until my clock tells me to get up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm in &quot;unbearable&quot; pain, I stop -- I had to discover what is &quot;unbearable&quot; pain for myself, so today I'm roughly aware of how much I can push making progress (and without turning the meditation into a nightmare; been there, done that, a lot!). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if I start a meditation carelessly and then feel very hungry, I prefer to stop, have my lunch and then do a proper sitting -- no need for unnecessary suffering. But &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; as long as this is the real reason, and not a hindrance. I remember a few times when I had to interrupt a sitting, but two reasons compelled me to do so simultaneously. One was very reasonable, the other was a hindrance. At one time, I only interrupted once the hindrance subsided. Another time, I wasn't able to do so, and I got up. And I could tell I got up because of the hindrance, not because of the counterpart. I blamed my inattentive mind and this compelled me to be more careful and practice more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've observed that this -- not giving to hindrances -- is extremely important for two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Giving away to hindrances may hurt future sittings considerably.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I know all I need is one single &quot;walk away&quot; followed by some half-baked excuse in my mind to make the future sittings much harder -- as it will be much easier to stop.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The difficult sittings (the ones in discomfort, with a strained, confused, non-concentrated and noisy mind, in &quot;non-ideal&quot; places or circumstances, etc), may be instrumental for upcoming progress.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've personally had experiences with periods (days, months) of meditation that seemed like walking in the desert, going nowhere, &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; individual sittings that felt just terrible, but were so very important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Years later, I noticed the &quot;desert&quot; was due to me not knowing some basics of meditation (for instance, what to do with hindrances...as a zen trainee, unfortunately, I was never introduced to these basic concepts and what to do about them). In other words, I'd say I was unskillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when skills are in place, that's the whole point of meditating when hindrances are present, however strong: &lt;em&gt;we're supposed to master them&lt;/em&gt;. And, I guess, that is what makes these difficult sittings feel so special; when we sit again later and it's....something else entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I think once one develops, for example, some minimum skills with hindrances and is able to roughly replicate a &quot;deeper state&quot;, these terrible sittings are seen just like the first week at the gym: a warm up (or simply actual work: even though we are displeased, muscles grow stronger -- I've observed the same happening with mind). Provided one is exercising correctly, otherwise it is just painful and possibly damaging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, revising (and concluding) from what I stated earlier: I would continue the sittings if (a) I'm seduced to not meditate because of a hindrance; and (b) this is the &lt;code&gt;n-th&lt;/code&gt; sitting (for some small &lt;code&gt;n&lt;/code&gt;, like 4) that is not good / without progress; otherwise it probably means I'm doing something wrong, and I better figure that out, perhaps, by other means, like studying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T05:19:07.100" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T05:19:07.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7228" CreationDate="2015-01-16T04:02:39.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's always beneficial to meditate &lt;em&gt;properly&lt;/em&gt;. Meditation goes wrong when we don't have the right ideas and attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3545" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T04:02:39.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7228" CreationDate="2015-01-16T08:29:11.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is always beneficial to meditate with a sight. Meditation is related to enlightment and insight by looking into something with clarity &amp;amp; precision, seeing each component as distinct and seperate, piercing all the way throught so as to percieve the most fundamental reality of that something (what is your current sight). In simple it is about clarity of a mind (your mind) that in a relaxed mode (a mind that don't fall into rush).&#xA;Perheps there's impermanence (as per satipatthana.. Sutta) which lead to impermanence of the self-view.&#xA;The meditator first explor his body than his mind. Then the 4 characters of himself come forward.&#xA;1. Appearing &amp;amp; ceasing.&#xA;2. Disappearance of effort and point 1. Even.&#xA;3. Joy also disappears, there's only happiness and concentration.&#xA;4. The forth jhana arises characterised by purity of mindfulness due to equanimity (only on the part of meditator or translator).&#xA;By Summerising all these points and accepting the effect i get that the possibility of evenness of mind come into existence. But soon that all get disappeared, may be because of lack of the stream/flow.&#xA;Then i tried to understand the characters of my mind. One is i lost the steadiness of my mind towards my sight. Second is i had lost the stream/flow.&#xA;Then By putting more effort and concentration i came to know that it is very necessary to keep alive or to stay adhered to my sight (point of sight). Only then my mind can be under no stress (just by putting all my efforts in a sight). &#xA;Keep the purpose/reason/sight alive in your meditation until unless you forgot it or you get yourself out of that pre fixed sight in wholesome. If wholesome isn't achieved you'll keep on thinking of that (it is the only way you can know if you doing it write or wrong).&#xA;Tranquility (samatha), insight (vipassana), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi) and supermundane powers (supernormal knowledge) all can be achieved in the presence of knowledge of impermanence of all the phenomena that lead to a permanent liberation (mukthi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T08:29:11.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2015-01-16T08:42:04.317" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind is not but it's thinking. Sun is not but is rays. Light is not but it's vision. In your context your thinking is right but it can never go abnormal until unless you had percieved something abnormal to you. Only then your mind has started sending thinking/rays in response to that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T08:42:04.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7222" CreationDate="2015-01-16T08:45:33.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Judging others can never help. If somebody's fake then it's his/her loss. The word 'monk' or 'bikkhu/bikkhuni' contains a set of rules, obedience and sometime with automatically added vows of poverty and chastity in association with religions. All the rules that any monk adapt are for himself only. &#xA;Suppose i am a monk. I know that i am committed to some routine (as per the buddhism), say. And beyond all of this i am having some hindrences and worldly level curiousity (stress). so i am doing it wrong (on me, for me, by myself). You came across to me and told me that where i am wrong (in a very appreciable manner) and then just you left.&#xA;Now i see two ways. 1. Follow your words and your right intention. 2. Follow my own understanding behind the meeting, with you.&#xA;Choice will always be mine. Maximum you could do, you did (the flow of right intention).&#xA;This is all what can be done about fake monks like me. There's nothing like one should follow buddha or teach others to follow buddhism. Let us see the sight turning into insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="2442" LastEditDate="2015-01-19T07:15:59.533" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T07:15:59.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7236" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-16T13:20:56.587" Score="7" ViewCount="2626" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that the 5th precept was not a core of Buddhism, it was created later by the Buddha after some monks returned drunk from alms because they had something with alcohol (accidently I believe)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My first question is: Is this story true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhist school claim that the problem with alcohol is that it can cloud the mind and make it easier for breaking the other (more important) precepts. Based on that some schools are ok with lay people drinking in moderation, with the commitment of not getting to a point of losing control of their acts or doing something they will regret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is drinking with moderation (socially) breaking the 5th precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T18:04:27.213" LastActivityDate="2018-10-22T19:20:41.800" Title="Drunk monks and the 5th precept" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|legends|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7219" CreationDate="2015-01-16T13:56:40.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;may I please ask, if atman is &quot;like&quot; anything&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Atman' is more commonly used in Hinduism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism usually denies that 'Atman' exists ... the more usual Buddhist doctine is 'anatman': according to Buddhism, 'anatman' is a better description of the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anatman is a word whose definition is a negative (negation) of Atman.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Atman' is a word but not necessarily a reality (the mere fact that a word exists doesn't imply that what it's describing exists: see for example &quot;unicorn&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Atman is a word with a meaning, which other schools (not Buddhism) claimed had existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When some schools of Buddhism were trying to describe something (i.e. 'Buddha-nature') they re-used an existing word (i.e. 'Atman') for that description.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's less confusing to view/use 'Atman' as an adjective instead of as a noun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Buddhism)#Mah.C4.81y.C4.81na_Mah.C4.81parinirv.C4.81.E1.B9.87a_S.C5.ABtra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though he has said that all phenomena [dharmas] are devoid of the Self, it is not that they are completely/ truly devoid of the Self. What is this Self ? Any phenomenon [dharma] that is true [satya], real [tattva], eternal [nitya], sovereign/ autonomous/ self-governing [aisvarya], and whose ground/ foundation is unchanging [asraya-aviparinama], is termed ’the Self ’ [atman].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I (perhaps incorrectly) understand that as saying that 'atman' can be used like an adjective to describe anything/whatever is &quot;true, real, and eternal&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you ask, &quot;ia atman 'like' anything?&quot; IMO that's as if you're saying, &quot;assuming that atman is a substance or a thing, can I understand it as being 'like' some other substance or thing which I already understand or have a word for?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be better to say, Atman means &quot;true, real, and eternal&quot; and you can use it describe that which is true, real, and eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is it more like the eventual non existence, annihilation, of the empirical self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a dog is (immediately/already) &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; a cat, or if the moon is not a finger (or if a chariot is not an axle and an axle is not a chariot), then I think you can say that &quot;it is not&quot; -- without trying to say, &quot;a dog is like the eventual non existence, annihilation of a cat&quot; (but maybe whether or not you call it &quot;eventual&quot; depends on whether you believe in &quot;sudden enlightenment&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Perhaps that question is unanswerable, because I can't see any alternative to those possibilities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha warned about the 'thicket of views' you get into by trying to understand 'self', so I don't understand why you (IMO) persist along these lines of enquiry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha specifically said that instead of asking &quot;what is self? what is the Buddha? etc.?&quot;, he wanted to teach people about the four noble truths (i.e. dukkha and the way to end dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that although I tried to answer this I know even less about Mahayana doctrines and terminology than I do about the Pali suttas, i.e. this is my opinion and liable to be ignorant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T13:56:40.903" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7238" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7239" CreationDate="2015-01-16T14:26:32.353" Score="2" ViewCount="360" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mentioned &lt;em&gt;catuparisa&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;catu-parisa)&lt;/em&gt;. What did he exactly meant with this word?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-16T21:52:31.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T21:52:31.120" Title="What is the exact meaning of catuparisa (catu-parisa)?" Tags="|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7238" CreationDate="2015-01-16T14:48:51.467" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's the fourfold assembly consisting of &lt;em&gt;monks, nuns, laymen&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;laywomen&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T14:48:51.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7240" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7274" CreationDate="2015-01-16T14:50:14.400" Score="3" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the exact difference between &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;passadha&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T16:11:05.840" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T19:41:50.687" Title="What is the exact difference between samatha and passadha?" Tags="|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7241" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-16T16:31:48.647" Score="2" ViewCount="190" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm slowly collecting Buddhist books and started with the Khuddaka-Nikaya, and am researching if I want the rest as well of Theravada Canon. So I was curious about the the place and authority of the Kathavatthu? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it considered canon by all or most of Theravadan schools?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How did the post-theravadan schools regard the texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T18:42:08.313" Title="What is the authority of the Kathavatthu (points of Controversy) and the 3rd counsil?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7242" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7336" CreationDate="2015-01-16T18:06:36.617" Score="7" ViewCount="756" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the progress of &quot;low intensive&quot; meditators as opposed to &quot;high intensive&quot; meditators? &#xA;  By low intensive I mean like a meditator who has never been to a ten day intensive retreat and spreads sitting time over a longer period of time. By progress I mean Vipassana insight progress, Jhana progress or any other kind of meditation progress in any tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:11:30.580" LastActivityDate="2021-06-03T23:10:54.310" Title="What is the difference between the progress of low and high intensive meditators?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-practicalities|nana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5376" CreationDate="2015-01-16T20:53:19.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At a Korean Zen meditation center I visit occasionally, a practice of &lt;strong&gt;108 Bows&lt;/strong&gt; is held for special occasions with the focus being on repentance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;108 Bows of Repentance and Renewal&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  Reflection on unwholesome states, body, speech and mind and rededication to wholesome practice to eliminate suffering through the practice of 108 full prostrations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, even more ambitious practices of hundreds and even thousands of bows are done at this center although they are split up over a period of days or weeks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a simple explanation from another Zen Center as to the purpose of this particular prostration practice of 108 bows. (source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.providencezen.org/why-we-bow-108-prostrations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.providencezen.org/why-we-bow-108-prostrations&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We always bow one hundred and eight times. One hundred and eight is a number from Hinduism and Buddhism. That means there are one hundred and eight defilements in the mind. Or, sometimes they say one hundred and eight compartments in the mind. Each bow takes away one defilement, cleans one compartment in your mind. So our bowing practice is like a repentance ceremony every morning. In the daytime, in our sleep, our consciousness flies around somewhere. Also, we make something, we make many things in our consciousness. Then, we repent! So we do one hundred and eight bows; that’s already repenting our foolish thinking, taking away our foolish thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a fairly strenuous practice for someone who hasn't been doing this type of activity regularly. My own &quot;foolish thinking&quot; that I could do them all at once without working up to it lead to quite a bit of soreness the next day. :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a video from youtube on what this looks like. Joyful, disciplined, and humbling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I1tpD9ZnE4#t=14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I1tpD9ZnE4#t=14&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T20:53:19.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7236" CreationDate="2015-01-16T22:01:23.860" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe this is the story you are referring to. It's a great story explaining the origin of the monks' rule to avoid alcohol. It also shows a bit of the Buddha's sense of humor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from &amp;quot;The Bhikkhus' Rules: A Guide for Laypeople&amp;quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The drinking of alcohol or fermented liquors is [an offence of Confession.]&amp;quot; (Paac. 51; BMC p.402)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The origin-story concerns Ven. Saagata who conquered a fierce naaga — a type of serpent with magical powers — by his meditation-developed psychic powers. The townspeople heard about this feat and wanted to make some sort of offering to him, upon which the 'group-of-six' bhikkhus impudently suggested that they all should give him alcohol. When he arrived on his almsround every household offered alcohol and he finally collapsed, drunk, at the town gate and had to be carried back to the monastery. He was laid down in a stupor with his head towards the Buddha but in his drunkenness he turned around so that his feet pointed at the Buddha.[97] The Buddha called attention to his changed behavior, remarking that he certainly could not oppose &amp;quot;even a salamander&amp;quot; in such a state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus,... there are these four stains because of which samanas and brahmans glow not, shine not, blaze not. What are these four? Drinking alcoholic beverages... indulging in sexual intercourse... accepting gold and money... obtaining requisites through a wrong mode of livelihood.&amp;quot; (A.II,53) (AB)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this explains the monks' rule regarding alcohol. Regarding laypeople and the 5th precept, I'm not sure I understand your meaning of the significance of something having been created &amp;quot;later by the Buddha&amp;quot;. Perhaps a Buddhist scholar could identify the timeline of the 5 precepts; but my simple way of thinking of it is that they were created by the Buddha during his lifetime and whether it was in the first years of his teachings or the last; it was a valuable teaching to help lay people make their lives simpler (less suffering) by avoiding bad deeds. And avoiding alcohol is helpful for many people to stay mindful enough to observe the other 4 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether observing the 5th precept means avoiding even a drop of alcohol or just avoiding drunkenness or &amp;quot;heedlessness&amp;quot; by laypeople varies by tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T18:50:23.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5593" CreationDate="2015-01-16T22:43:13.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend the book &quot;&lt;em&gt;Gombrich, Richard&lt;/em&gt; : What the Buddha thought&quot;. It is written from an academic point of view and employs a historical method of investigation. Probably &quot;academic&quot; matches your meaning of &quot;scientific&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2015-01-16T22:43:13.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2015-01-17T01:57:54.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I view  it differently. &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; are words.A word given to understand the concept of  either I or me.if not for the  word &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt;there wouldn't be  any &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt;. It is through words that we make concepts initially. Then what makes the word? it is sound.how did we get the impression &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; when that particular sound hit my ear. Either I was taught to think in those terms or made to understand in that sense in the circumstances. If not for my eye (blind since my birth) or ear(deaf since birth) there wouldn't have been I or Me. So anatta in pali is a word which you have to understand as a word. But the anatta concept to be understood beyond a language visible to your eye or sensible to your ear. The only mode you could understand it is not logic. Think beyond language and feel it without eye or ear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method is described in Sathipattana Sutta ,the discourse on mindfulness. That is firstly body contemplation, then feeling contemplation, mind contemplation and finally mind object contemplation which would bring about real wisdom to understand anatta concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all of you attain nibbana.&#xA;Krisantha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3550" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T19:03:32.597" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T19:03:32.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7236" CreationDate="2015-01-17T03:02:02.367" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intoxication is prohibited but sometimes don't we drink medicine and thus HAVE to get intoxicated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember reading somewhere in Buddhist sutra that it is OK to be intoxicated for medicine. Common sense would agree. If one is ill, taking care of the body--one's vehicle for Awakening--is the highest priority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example I remember my teacher Master Nan saying that when past masters had &quot;Zen sickness&quot; (a feverish state of intense, overwhelming, unstoppable creativity) their teachers often got them drunk to help them fall asleep and snap out of it. When they woke up, they had progressed past the stage safely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the next question is how much is OK if not sick and trying to walk the fine line of intoxication and still be &quot;Buddhist&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientifically speaking, reversatrol is most potent in red wine. There is research that says that it &lt;strong&gt;reverses&lt;/strong&gt; aging and is neo-cardiac in nature (builds and repairs heart cells!)!!&#xA;There is plenty of scientifically verified evidence about this, look it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that taking it with such an aim is &lt;em&gt;medicinal&lt;/em&gt; because one's intent is to heal the body--not to become intoxicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, what does it come down to? The 2nd part of the Eightfold path: Right Intention.&#xA;Remember that the Buddha forbids intoxication NOT medication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you find that you are using alcohol &quot;medically&quot; or &quot;socially&quot; and have become reliant on it for sleep, etc. ... then recognize that as a form of &lt;strong&gt;chronic intoxication&lt;/strong&gt;! There is no independently valid reason for it.&#xA;You gotta think about it and decide what is going on... if you're doing it merely for pleasure or if there is some benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite all this, I myself do not do ANY sort of intoxication, drinking or smoking and try to eat only what is necessary and specifically nutritional (foods can be considered an intoxicant as well!), keenly aware of the things that I am putting in myself and why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the worst, I use herbal tea to refreshen myself and warm my hands.&#xA;Proper meditation and yoga are powerful techniques as well which obviate the need for most worldly addictions including TV, weed, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. I say this with experience because I used to be heavily involved in such a year ago when I did not have stable practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary: So use your thinking muscles and remember that the Buddha forbid intoxication but also forbid self-harm and upholds taking care of your body and mind (but not babying it or getting it addicted, which is intoxication).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk know moderation in eating? There is the case&#xA;  where a monk, considering it appropriately, takes his food not&#xA;  playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for&#xA;  beautification, but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this&#xA;  body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life,&#xA;  thinking, 'I will destroy old feelings (of hunger) &amp;amp; not create new&#xA;  feelings (from overeating). Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless,&#xA;  &amp;amp; live in comfort.' This is how a monk knows moderation in eating.&quot; --&#xA;  AN 3.16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If drinking alcohol is for the survival/continuance of your body (e.g. red wine) then it is OK. If it is to intoxicate, then it is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T05:20:44.323" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T05:20:44.323" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-01-17T05:21:52.937" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you find it difficult to meditate you may not have enough merits.&#xA;Your bad karma is obstructing you from meditating, either ones performed in this life or previous ones. Remember that it is because of our merits that we can even encounter the dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First develop sufficient merits. Do dana and develop sila. Some people spend years developing their sila and generosity before sitting on the meditation mat. Other ways to develop merits helping others, listening to Dharma talks, being happy for other people's success, volunteering for charity and being humble. Basically just by being a good person and keeping the precepts. Just think of everything that's good and positive, wholesome and happy and let that shine your path. Don't worry about egolessness, equanimity or meditation. Don't run before you can stand. No-one who ever developed deep states of meditation and achieve Arahanthood did so without creating the necessary karma for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After you have developed positive qualities or merits then you will naturally be able to grasp meditation. Remember you don't meditate your problems away, you see your problems more clearly. So my advice is sort out your life first then your karma will allow you to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T16:16:31.057" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T16:16:31.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7228" CreationDate="2015-01-17T06:05:10.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you receive guests.in your house you make sure your house.is.clean.In this way you make sure your life is in order before you.meditate.if you have trouble meditating to such an extent that you have to stop then its.time to get off the mat and make.amends with your past, make right what.was wrong.do Dana.focus.on sila.make merits.Maybe visit someone you owe an apology.Meditation can be obstructed by karma that may have been repressed.for.so.long but has now just came up to the surface.and you cannot.meditate your problems away.sooner or later you have to face it.Then when you sit again you will find your karma has allowed you to resume.you can see the.problem clearly.see it arise and fall.but if you have trouble getting there in the first place then you have to clean the house.its all about balance.that will.lead peace.of.mind.to.concentration and to wisdom.&#xA;It is.always beneficial.to.meditate.so beneficial that.sometimes you.have to get off the mat.and remove the obstacle that is.keeping you.from.meditating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T06:05:10.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5153" CreationDate="2015-01-17T07:12:14.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One type of mindfulness is expanded.(Being aware of sensations, thoughts, walking etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other type of mindfulness is narrowed.( Being aware of the sensation of the breath at one point).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both are mindfulness.The second one narrow mindfulness can lead to concentration then absorbtion which may or may not lead to a voidlike experience.But Awareness will always be present within the void or any other experience that may arise during meditation.You may not be aware of who is being aware,what your being aware of but you have to be aware of awareness itself. The moment you go blank even when you are absorbed that is wrong concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T07:12:14.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2015-01-17T13:02:23.040" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sup,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just want to give my two cents even though this question is old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long time ago (like during the time of the &quot;Early Buddhist schools&quot; old) there was a lot of debate as to the fallible nature of arahats. In the historical narrative a contemplative named Mahadeva compiles a list of five points speaking to some flaws an arahat can possess, you can find these via &quot;mahadeva five points&quot; on Google etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these points were extremely ambiguous (in terms of interpretation) and the list seems to vary a lot. But they basically speak to the fact that arahats can have wet dreams, can be arahats and not know it etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyways my own opinion is that these ideas offended the sensibilities of some of the more conservative monastics, who decided to stick with the &quot;word&quot; of their teacher (the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As time went on the conservatives became the modern Theravada school whilst the majority of the other early schools (who held the fallible nature of arahatship) died out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is probably why Theravada dogma specifically reflects the inability of arahats to perform certain actions and experience certain emotions (you can google the list of nine things an arahat cannot transgress), whilst the other schools recognized the ambiguous (and thus not &quot;clear cut&quot;) nature of the attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyways, the reason I say all this is because, yes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahats will not agree with each other on everything (which may have resulted in the split), arahats can be ignorant, arahats can have strange habits (see Sariputta and his stream-crossing (like crossing actual streams, as in rivulets of flowing water) strategies) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of these ambiguities, and how personality is not changed after awakening, it is highly doubtful that one will be able to recognize an arhat &lt;em&gt;snaps fingers&lt;/em&gt;, just like that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Awakened people don't come out like cookie cutter sheets, which is probably why our teacher often referenced the need for discernment, and a long period of getting to know the person before determining their attainment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cheers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3525" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T13:02:23.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3058" CreationDate="2015-01-17T13:36:31.143" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot comment on the other answers yet due to lack of &quot;reputation points&quot; on this site, but to add to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3070/760&quot;&gt;Crab Bucket's answer&lt;/a&gt;, yes, &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt; is a a well known taboo-buster in the subject of claiming enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As of today (1/17/2015), he still claims arahatship, he never rescinded his claim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the genesis of his (Ingram's) original community (the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Overground&lt;/a&gt;), there were a lot of practitioners who made strides in attaining varying depths of awakening. A lot of them went on to spawn their own communities and do their own thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He originally started a community called the Dharma Underground, which was meant to discuss hardcore meditation practice (hardcore meaning no nonsense and down to earth), but later decided to open it to the public as the Dharma Overground!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original Wetpaint community had about 500 people but it multiplied exponentially producing all sorts of awakened individuals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks&lt;/a&gt; for sure, I'm also pretty sure hardcore (regular) meditators at various retreat centers also make good progress in becoming awakened, but often do not recognize their progress due to unrealistic models of attainment, and plus a lack of willingness to talk about maps and models.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cheers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3525" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T15:06:51.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7236" CreationDate="2015-01-17T16:24:54.553" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precepts were not created all at one time but instead they were created every time a problem arose like &quot;monks drinking&quot; for example. The precepts aren't commandments but instead they are simply  statements that say: &quot;If one behaves like X then Y will happen&quot;.&#xA;  In other words, drinking alcohol will lead to one's suffering. If one doesn't want to suffer then one can follow the 5th precept. Lay or monastic, if one drinks alcohol in moderation then one will suffer in moderation and if one drinks socially then one will suffer socially. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T16:55:55.873" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T16:55:55.873" CommentCount="7" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-01-17T16:50:37.333" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7255" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7264" CreationDate="2015-01-17T19:35:12.733" Score="5" ViewCount="328" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've noticed three different customs involving string at Theravada temple service. If by chance anyone is familiar with the significance of any of these; it would be nice to know. The service is not in my native language so I miss a lot of nuances and end up forgetting to ask when I have a chance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The monks sit up on a raised area and occasionally seem to be winding string around various objects creating a web like display. What does this signify?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At times long pieces of string are sent through the group of lay followers and everyone tries to hold a piece of the string. What does this mean? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At the end of the service people sometimes line up to receive a small string bracelet and a blessing from a monk. Is this just a nice gesture or does it have a particular meaning? Does anyone know what the blessing is for?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any insights. :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T08:24:06.060" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T08:24:06.060" Title="Significance of Three Customs Involving String" Tags="|theravada|traditions|rituals|temples|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2015-01-17T21:22:06.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before differentiating between Consciousness and Awareness we'd first have to define what Consciousness is and what Awareness is on its own.Try to answer these questions How do you know that your aware? What's the evidence?Where do you find your awareness,your knowing?Not What you know but what's it like to be knowing?What's it like to be aware?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you sense how some experiences goes beyond words,concepts and intellectualised ideas.&#xA;And can only be described by our relationship or attachments to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is awareness?Maybe Awareness is A, Maybe Awareness is B, Maybe Awareness just IS.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have to add that consciousness is an aggregate and is biased.It may well be the result of clinging to awareness.Seeing it as My awareness.But i still think its difficult to pin down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-01-17T22:11:53.803" LastActivityDate="2015-01-17T22:11:53.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2015-01-18T00:48:41.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's difficult to translate &quot;buddhist terms&quot; that refer to aspects and functions of the mind to western equivalents. Moreover, since buddhist psychology is quite sophisticated and detailed, it would be hard to draw distinction over loosely defined concepts (such as &quot;consciousness&quot;, &quot;awareness&quot; and &quot;mindfulness&quot; under quotes). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, there are many terms that carry some form of awareness used in the suttas, but with different nuances. One of them is &lt;code&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/code&gt; (which is actually sixfold). Another, which may overlap with our understandings of &quot;consciousness&quot; or &quot;awareness&quot; is &lt;code&gt;sañña&lt;/code&gt;. &lt;code&gt;Sati&lt;/code&gt;, which is usually translated as &quot;mindfulness&quot; is also a very technical term in buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, these 3 terms (there are a few others) not only refer to distinct processes of the mind, but also may have different meanings across the suttas themselves. Furthermore, they also appear to overlap in some cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few questions (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2553/a-good-definition-of-consciousness/&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1435/what-is-the-difference-between-vij%C3%B1%C4%81na-manas-and-citta&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;) have been asked here about the definitions of some of these terms and differences. One book that explores this subject in depth is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1898942234&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T00:48:41.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7258" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7275" CreationDate="2015-01-18T02:26:31.930" Score="37" ViewCount="4174" Body="&lt;p&gt;My mother and I come from a non-Buddhist culture/background/society/country/family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one point when I had an opportunity to explain to her what Buddhism is, I was doing well (i.e. she was listening and accepting what I was saying) when I was explaining that Buddhism includes a non-fixed identity-view and explaining why a non-fixed identity view is skillful (e.g. because an attitude such as attachment to your job/profession might be unpleasant when you retire, and because people's abilities and health change with age).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then what I mentioned the first Noble Truth she seemed to object, saying &quot;Sorry you think life is suffering/dissatisfaction, I don't agree: I like life, I think life is good.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you ever try to explain Buddhism to someone who barely knows the first thing about it, and if so what is your strategy for how to explain it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you explain 'dukkha' using the classic 'death/poverty/illness/old age', and/or is there a better way to explain the first noble Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Are there any alternate way to introduce Buddhism which don't begin with the first Noble Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Might it be better to explain what I think Buddhism might mean to me (why it appeals to me) personally? I fear that might make it less strange to her (&quot;yes I see why you like it&quot;) but at the same time less acceptable (&quot;but it isn't for me because I'm not like you&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should I understand that if that's her reaction it's because she's already doing a lot of things right (e.g. not spending her life feeling angry)?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2020-09-11T07:11:09.200" Title="How to explain what Buddhism is?" Tags="|modern-world|parents|suffering|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="19" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-18T04:48:52.890" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It may be useful to choose certain aspects of Buddhism that people can relate to such as Cause and Effect. This reminded me of the dilemma The Buddha had when he almost didn't teach The Dhamma because he thought it was too hard to grasp.But Brahma persuaded him that there some people who can understand.Perhaps the best way to approach this is by treating Buddhism completely as a philosophy something to ponder about in the distance and not to be experienced as this can be met with aversion.Create that distance so your mother can feel safe and not like her views are being threatened.Just like we don't see the need to disagree that Christians believe in Jesus Christ as it makes no difference your mother should be put in a position where she is aware what these so called Buddhists believe but does not feel threatened by it.Try watching a documentary on the life of The Buddha visit a Buddhist temple or attend&#xA;A Buddhist ceremony maybe travel to a buddhist country.just like a curious tourist where you can explain some of the symbolism or mythology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for her to be able to grasp the teaching would depend on her karma.The Buddha himself did not start by explaining complex teachings such as Annata or Dependent Origination to people who could not understand.He mainly just started with explaining the importance of Generosity or being Good. Because you needq sufficient merits to clear the mind enough to grasp the teaching or the essence of what the Buddha taught.a&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;imagine if you were a stranger what could you say to make your then self understand Buddhism.Remembera how you first understood buddhism was it like somebody telling you what to accept or was it kind of likke something you forgot then went oh that's right!an aha moment a moment of insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T04:48:52.890" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6033" CreationDate="2015-01-18T05:02:48.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may be experiencing piti or rapture delight because of being concentrated on or being absorbed in reading the sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T05:02:48.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7261" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7267" CreationDate="2015-01-18T05:06:52.000" Score="4" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the chapter of the brahmin this is one of the paragraphs:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whoever is&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Untied and free of distress,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And for whom neither a &quot;beyond,&quot; a &quot;not-beyond,&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nor a &quot;both beyond-and-not-beyond&quot; exist,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I call a brahmin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the meaning of &quot;beyond&quot; here? What would be the &quot;both-beyond-and-not-beyond&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T12:08:03.113" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T16:22:20.037" Title="Dhammapada – What is the &quot;beyond&quot;?" Tags="|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-18T07:25:01.377" Score="39" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a nut shell Buddhism revolves around the 3 trainings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Living a life of morality so we do no create misery for one self and others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Developing mastery over the mind so we do not react but be proactive so we can be at peace with our selves and other&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Developing wisdom of your cognitive process to identify how misery is generated so we can come out of misery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-19T01:19:51.833" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T01:19:51.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7255" CreationDate="2015-01-18T07:32:09.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanting and good thoughts of the monks (even any other being) generate positive vibes. The string is used as a better means of conducting the vibration than may be air. (If you attach a tin to the end of two string and you speak into one you can hear the voice in the other.) Generally the string is wrapped around a vessel of water which cases the water to vibrate in tune with the chanting. These strings and water is given out as it the vibrations will carry some positive conditioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T07:32:09.830" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7093" CreationDate="2015-01-18T11:40:05.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Language or the word, is a barrier in a sense that it can not present the totality of an experience. Language is linear and fixed.Experiences are fluid. It is not like taking a photograph or making a duplicate.When one uses language or words to describe an experience what happens is the experience itself is transformed. Language is a way to solidify the vague feelings and sensations and thoughts as a means to organise reality ( or our impressions of reality).Though language, like thinking has its uses, it is also a way for the ego to solidify  experiences which are  impermanent.First we think then we churn our thoughts using words then before we know it we've built a solid wall of concepts around us imprisoning ourselves from the world of sensing or experiencing or just being.This is why its said that Language shows and hides their meaning at the same time.So like everything else in life language should be used skillfully and not as a substitute for reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T11:40:05.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5566" CreationDate="2015-01-18T13:25:16.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion the answer is &quot;No&quot;, the Karma concept is not comparable to any law of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I will explicate my understanding of Buddha’s Karma concept: &#xA;Buddha did not invent the Karma concept. Instead, at his time it was already established by Brahmins and Jains. Asked for his own opinion concerning the causes of our experience like pleasure or pain Buddha explains (SN 36.21): There are natural causes like the physical conditions of our organism or environmental conditions like the weather. Further experiences are rooted in the behaviour of our fellow companions or are due to injuries. As a final cause Buddha names karma, i.e. what a person has done before, is the cause of certain experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence Karma serves as an explanation when all other causes are excluded.  Otherwise we had to say: We do not know. Therefore the Karma concept is an ad hoc hypothesis. 2.500 years of discussion show us that this kind of explanation can neither be confirmed nor refuted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, I would like to explain how today’s science understands  what a law of nature is:&#xA;A law of nature is a rule which derives from a scientific theory. It can be confirmed or refuted by experience. At best such a rule can be stated as a mathematical formula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, I will argue why the Karma concept is not a law of nature. The reason is: 1. Karma is an ad hoc hypothesis, which does not derive from a theory which explains a lot of other facts. 2. The Karma concept can be neither confirmed nor refuted. &#xA;Both properties are opposite to what is required for a law of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides: Because the Karma concept burdens in addition all people who suffer from an inexplicable stroke of fate, I would welcome everyone who abandons such a cynical concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T13:25:16.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7261" CreationDate="2015-01-18T13:41:12.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is another translation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;385.&lt;/strong&gt; He for whom there is neither this shore nor the other shore, nor yet both, he who is free of cares and is unfettered — him do I call a holy man. [27]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a footnote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(v. 385) &lt;em&gt;This shore&lt;/em&gt;: the six sense organs; &lt;em&gt;the other shore&lt;/em&gt;: their corresponding objects; &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt;: I-ness and my-ness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a Sutta which includes the parable of the 'raft' and 'other shore':&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.197.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asivisa Sutta: Vipers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'The great expanse of water' stands for the fourfold flood: the flood&#xA;  of sensuality, the flood of becoming, the flood of views, &amp;amp; the flood&#xA;  of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'The near shore, dubious &amp;amp; risky' stands for self-identification. 'The&#xA;  further shore, secure and free from risk' stands for Unbinding. 'The&#xA;  raft' stands for just this noble eightfold path: right view, right&#xA;  resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,&#xA;  right mindfulness, right concentration. 'Making an effort with hands &amp;amp;&#xA;  feet' stands for the arousing of persistence. 'Crossed over, having&#xA;  gone to the other shore, he would stand on high ground, a brahman'&#xA;  stands for the arahant.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why the Sutta praises &quot;the further shore&quot; whereas the Dhammapada praises non-awareness of shores. I suspect that the former is 'renunciation' whereas the latter is either 'middle way' or 'meditative absorption/concentration' ... but this/my interpretation might be non-standard i.e. wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/fr/sutta/khuddaka/dhammapada/dhp26.html#n1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a version in French&lt;/a&gt; (I don't know whether buddha-vacana.org has an English-language translation of the Dhammapada)&#xA;whose footnote gives the same explanation/interpretation of 'shore' as the accesstoinsight.org footnote does:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; cette rive, l'autre rive: 'cette rive' correspond aux six āyatanas internes (œil, oreille, nez, langue corps, esprit), et 'l'autre rive' correspond aux six āyatanas externes (objets externes correspondant chacun des six āyatanas internes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the bottom of the page it says its translation is based on work by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daw Mya Tin&lt;/a&gt; and documents on &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/BDLM/en/lesson/pali/lesson_pali3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the DLMB web site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, here (on the DLMB web site) is &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/BDLM/en/lesson/pali/reading/gatha385.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a detailed analysis of the Pali&lt;/a&gt;. It ends with a commentary which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mara once approached the Buddha and asked him what does the word &lt;em&gt;para&lt;/em&gt; (the other shore) mean. The Buddha knew that it was Mara and replied with this verse, saying that the other shore is the Nirvana, which only the Arahants can reach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=385&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; (the work by Daw Mya Tin) is perhaps the simplest or most complete description. I copy-and-paste the whole below (but note that this web site has a similar page of description for each other verse in the Dhammapada):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammapada Verse 385&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mara Vatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yassa param aparam va&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  paraparam na vijjati&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vitaddaram visamyuttam&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  tamaham brumi brahmanam.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 385: Him I call a brahmana who has for him neither this shore (i.e., the sense-bases) nor the other shore (i.e., the sense objects), and who is undistressed and free from moral defilements&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; 'This shore' and 'the other shore' are used in the sense of the internal and the external ayatanas. The internal ayatanas are the sense bases, viz, the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind; the external ayatanas are the sense objects, viz., visible object, sound, odour, taste, touch and mind-object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a true Brahmana (i.e., arahat) there is neither 'this shore' nor 'the other shore' which means that the senses of the arahat are calmed, and his passions extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Story of Mara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (385) of this book, with reference to Mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Mara came to the Buddha disguised as a man and asked him, &quot;Venerable Sir, You often say the word 'param'. What is the meaning of that word?&quot; The Buddha, knowing that it was Mara who was asking that question, chided him, &quot;&lt;em&gt;O wicked Mara! The words 'param' and 'aparam' have nothing to do with you. 'Param' which means 'the other shore' can be reached only by the arahats who are free from moral defilements.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 385: Him I call a brahmana who has for him neither this shore (i.e., the sense-bases) nor the other shore (i.e., the sense objects ), and who is undistressed and free from moral defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given this translation I don't understand why the 'further shore' are 'sense-objects' and why that further shore can only be reached by the arahats. The internal/external ayatanas are introduced e.g. in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Āyatana (Pāli; Sanskrit) is a Buddhist term that has been translated as &quot;sense base&quot;, &quot;sense-media&quot; or &quot;sense sphere.&quot;[1] In Buddhism, there are six internal sense bases (Pali: ajjhattikāni āyatanāni; also known as, &quot;organs&quot;, &quot;gates&quot;, &quot;doors&quot;, &quot;powers&quot; or &quot;roots&quot;[2]) and six external sense bases (bāhirāni āyatanāni or &quot;sense objects&quot;; also known as vishaya or &quot;domains&quot;[3]).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My only guess is that it might be related to some desire to 'see things as they really are, beyond illusion/subjectivity' or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T14:33:46.400" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T14:33:46.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7268" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7279" CreationDate="2015-01-18T16:04:22.303" Score="21" ViewCount="4960" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm in the process of organising a family day at my Local Buddhist Centre. I'll be taking my 4-year-old daughter with me and she will once again ask me who is the Buddha? Previously I have always given really weak answers such as 'he was a very nice man who lived a long time ago'. Not very satisfying to anyone. So what would be an age appropriate way to describe who the Buddha is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want the description to be accurate and accessible to her. Obviously the more complete the better but realistically things are going to be left out. Also I don't want to slip into using Christian type words for Buddhist concepts - for instance not using heaven for nirvana, church for sangha etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what would be a good way to describe who the Buddha is to her. I'll be honest I think I want a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Expert-Advice-with-Dr-Phil-Dr-Oz-Nate-Berkus-and-Suze-Orman&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dr Phil script of the month&lt;/a&gt; type answer for this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks for all/any help on this one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="5255" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T16:28:13.757" LastActivityDate="2023-04-01T12:39:21.617" Title="How do you tell a 4-year-old who the Buddha was?" Tags="|the-buddha|parents|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7261" CreationDate="2015-01-18T16:22:20.037" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The other shore&quot;, &quot; beyond&quot; is a common metaphor for transcendental realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This shore&quot; or &quot;not-beyond&quot; is then this worldly life with its pleasures and sorrows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The one who is neither beyond nor not-beyond has no craving for transcendental realization, or escape, nor is tangled up in this world's affairs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T16:22:20.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-18T17:04:45.960" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In simple terms this can be along the lines of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do you get sad, angry and low? The Buddha taught the way out of it, and how to be a good person!&#xA;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-01-20T04:08:58.020" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T04:08:58.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-18T18:28:37.183" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a brief overview of Buddha's life is an excellent way to explain Buddhism, because the listener can follow the train of observation and reasoning that led Buddha to renounce a life of ease for a difficult life as an ascetic, then wandering teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me the most salient feature of Buddhism is that there is no central role for a &quot;god&quot;. Other salient features are the stress on self-insight, and the importance of intention in judging the morality of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone asks why Buddhists bow before statues, I usually say it is to pay respect to the wisdom of Buddha and his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In explaining the Noble Truths, I usually say &quot;all people suffer at some point in their lives&quot; and &quot;the reason people suffer is that they desire something, even if it's only desire for things not to change&quot;. The third and fourth noble truth I usually explain as &quot;we can limit our suffering to the extent we can master our desires&quot; and there is a way to master desire, the Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Harder to explain are anatta and &quot;what is reincarnated after we die?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3556" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T19:04:28.357" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T19:04:28.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7093" CreationDate="2015-01-18T18:52:38.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was looking through the answers for the most famous Buddhist story about an illiterate person... the 6th patriarch, Huineng. He was illiterate yet (he could not read or write) but due to great past merit and cultivation, when he heard a Buddhist sermon he Awakened. Afterwards he just worked in the monastery and the head, the 5th patriarch, did not know of his Awakening for a long time until he did a poetry contest to find the most Awakened student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Huineng was born into the Lu family in 638 A.D. in Xinzhou&#xA;  (present-day Xinxing County) in Guangdong province. His father died&#xA;  when he was young and his family was poor. As a consequence, Huineng&#xA;  had no opportunity to learn to read or write and is said to have&#xA;  remained illiterate his entire life.&#xA;  from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huineng&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reccommend reading the full story from The Diamond Sutra Explained by Master Huai-Chin Nan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T18:52:38.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-18T19:28:15.917" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That the Buddha was a man, and lived a long time ago, are not the most interesting facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even the question 'who &lt;em&gt;was&lt;/em&gt; he?' reminds me of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;' ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... so  suggest you answer slightly different questions, for example: 'what did the Buddha do?'; or 'why is the Buddha important?'; and maybe make it personal like 'why is the Buddha important to us?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, 'near' (in time and space) and 'personal' (in relationships) are more 'important/interesting' than far away and impersonal/abstract.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to describe what the Buddha &lt;em&gt;did&lt;/em&gt;, there are &lt;em&gt;verbs&lt;/em&gt; you can use: for example the Buddha  'discovered' (or found out), the Buddha 'taught' (or told), ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to describe the Buddha, consider the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anuradha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in which the Buddha explained how (and how not) to do that. It ends with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And so, Anuradha — when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a truth or reality even in the present life — [...] Both formerly &amp;amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how to describe 'nirvana' and 'sangha':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;: Can I presume your daughter knows what 'angry' is? Does someone teach her to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/social/use-your-words/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;recognize/label emotions&lt;/a&gt; (e.g. &quot;now, you're feeling hurt/angry because Sarah is playing with &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; toy&quot;, or similar)? Assuming she can &lt;em&gt;label&lt;/em&gt; and recognize 'negative' emotions, instead of &quot;nirvana&quot; perhaps you can use negations: &quot;not hurt, not angry, not sad&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/about/buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is one summary of the Dharma, as adapted for a UK primary school, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; life has difficulties and it is possible to overcome them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/about/faq/faq-answers/#link2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; suggests it's possible to teach Dharma (i.e. &quot;key principles of Buddhism in a practical way&quot;) perhaps without even necessarily saying a lot about the (historical) Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sangha&lt;/strong&gt;: Would it be reasonable to translate &quot;sangha&quot; as 'friends': e.g. &quot;the Buddha realized [dharma e.g. how to not be unhappy] and then told his &lt;em&gt;friends&lt;/em&gt;&quot;? At the famous 'Sermon at Benares' the former acquaintances recognized him as Gautama and addressed him as &quot;friend&quot;, and the Buddha told them not to do that (not call him &quot;friend&quot;) so I'm not sure about that. I hope it's at least possible to describe &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the sangha (if not the Buddha) as 'friends'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Veering off-topic you might also want her to be developing &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-flores-shaw/after-ritalin-whats-next_b_1271750.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;concentration&lt;/a&gt;. I asked my mum, who's a Montessori teacher, about 'concentration' in AMI Montessori schools: she said that yes it's important/central, but it (in pre-schoolers) is unforced and comes from the child's interest in the material, that the teacher's role is (to some extent) create an environment with interesting materials and without other distractions / disruptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-20T14:32:57.050" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T14:32:57.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7240" CreationDate="2015-01-18T19:41:50.687" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;samatha is a term frequently used. No problem defining that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Passadha is not easily defined by web search. It appears and Portuguese and greek.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here is a link referring to passadha referring to the eye center.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammastudygroup.org/msg/125kd.txt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammastudygroup.org/msg/125kd.txt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there are other terms for passadha that are more widely used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T19:41:50.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-18T20:18:13.187" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) It's hard to summarize Buddhism in brief without resorting to one of sometimes inaccurate or misleading summaries. A summary that starts with the Hindu-style cosmology, imho, misses the point. Also depends on the audience, i.e. do they see other religions as being different kinds of Christianity or essentially Christian heresy or as superstition. The worst misunderstanding is that Buddhism is &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; a &lt;em&gt;devotional&lt;/em&gt; religion just Christianity with the words Buddha/God, Pure Land/Heaven, and so on swapped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2)I've been reading about the different forms of Buddhism, a lot. What is surprising is that each branch has a slightly different take on what the problem is that Buddhism is meant to solve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shin Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;. The fundamental problem is arrogance, particularly with respect to the idea that we think we can engage in practices to solve our other problems.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;. The fundamental problem is suffering, particularly suffering associated with grasping and desiring things. I don't like to waffle-- this view really does say the problem is akin to depression. I visualize the historical Buddha as suffering from depression, but not everyone suffers from depression. The flip reading of this is, that the fundamental problem is to figure out how to be happy. The Dalai Lama sometimes uses this in public speeches to summarize the goal of Buddhism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;. The fundamental problem is ignorance, particularly with respect to the question of who we are, and that we think our fundamental problem can be solved individually&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tathagata-Garba&lt;/strong&gt;. The fundamental problem is that we think we have a problem, particularly of the sort that could be solved by realizing our problem is already solved. (I certainly don't claim to grok this, it sounds like the fundamental problem is we don't think we are good enough, but eventually we realize we were good enough all along. Personally I think it's nonsense, my opinion of myself has no bearing on anything except for people trapped in a society that obsesses about relative rank)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) I don't start with the 4 noble truths or 8 fold paths. I'd rather start with what practices I do and to what goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) You can't help but say something about what you personally think, else you'll be parroting the party line  of a particular institutionalize form of Buddhism or boring people with an encyclopedic listing of Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) If someone really has no problems, that's great, they are Enlightened! The historical Buddha (According to Stephen Batchelor's retelling) said as much on his death bed, when he asked if anyone had any questions left, no one did, so he said, well you all must be enlightened then. People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk. If there is food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to rejoice in their success (mudita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was reading &quot;Wicked&quot; the retelling of &quot;Wizard of Oz&quot; from the witch's standpoint. In one scene, the main character was looking through a glass as a child and saying &quot;Horrors, horrors&quot; as she could see something no one else could. Later in the book, she grows up to be a political radical and rebel because she was one of the few that saw the horror of the consequences of the government (the Wizard's) policies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, I don't claim to have a good solution for the problem-- how do we stay optimistic and positive or happy once we realize the muddle we are in, but at least the Mahayana version, provides a path towards how to find happiness-- by taking action to solve everyone's problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T20:18:13.187" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7276" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7278" CreationDate="2015-01-18T20:37:45.300" Score="6" ViewCount="409" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps too straightforward question (I know it's too general) but still - when there's the enlightenment why we even exists? If Samsara can be brutal and full of suffering, what's its purpose? To suffer and then enjoy how nice it is to not suffer? Or to have the choice whether to be good or bad? As humans we can surely limit the suffering. But how much really?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are 6 realms (hell, afflicted spirit, animal, human, asura, and heavenly beings) - what sort of principles could ever decide for such an order? Isn't everything supposed to be going towards the enlightenment? If that is so - what's the sense of having e.g. the hell? To &quot;punish&quot; those who act as evil so they could &quot;taste&quot; their own acting? I'm not really sure if I understand the purpose of going through all of it..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it was Erwin Schroedinger who expressed an interesting idea that the total number of all minds in the universe is one. Just one mind. Split into different lives in different time and space. If that's the case I only wonder why would the same mind ever &quot;start&quot; this. Most likely it's only my limited point of view. Seems like never-ending fight between good and evil. Does the Buddhism somehow grasp such let's say - more (perhaps too much) general questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2504" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T20:59:59.327" Title="So what's the sense of it all?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2880" CreationDate="2015-01-18T20:40:25.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;**Is it true there is an element of suppression in the practice until we reach the final goal?&#xA;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes there is an element of suppression until we reach the final goal but it is more a question of intensity.One starts with suppressing a lot then it gradually lessens to not needing to suppress anything anymore.Not needing to because at some stage insight would have arisen and uprooted the defilement from its root or weakening it considerably.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example one may use the Jhanas as a means to suppress the hindrances and to let insight arise.Once insight has arisen then the hindrances can be eradicated.Same goes for practicing the precepts as a form of restraint. Precepts deals with the coarser hindrances and the Jhanas deal with subtle hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppression of defilements is needed in the path because wisdom,which is the only thing that can eradicate defilements, cannot arise when one's mind is running around with defilements in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T20:40:25.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7276" CreationDate="2015-01-18T21:55:15.880" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When there's the enlightenment why we even exists?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We exist believing in a permanent self because of craving.Enlightenment is when we let go of this craving and any other craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If Samsara can be brutal and full of suffering, what's its purpose?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll answer this question by asking another question.If you throw a ball up what is the purpose of the ball falling down?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is none.Its just cause and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara was not created by a higher being and we were not put in it to learn some kind of life's lesson or as a kind of test.Remember,Samsara is not a place it's a state of mind of always craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To suffer and then enjoy how nice it is to not suffer? Or to have the&#xA;choice whether to be good or bad?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is when you transcend both.It's good that your disenchanted with this roller coaster of good then bad good then bad.Don't play the game anymore.If you want to be happy in samsara you'll need to accept the fact that you'll be unhappy when that happiness changes.Everything changes.Impermanence.That's about the only thing that's permanent with samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As humans we can surely limit the suffering. But how much really?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends on our own effort.We can limit our suffering through our own merits but we will not be able to eradicate all suffering until enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If there are 6 realms (hell, afflicted spirit, animal, human, asura, and heavenly beings) - what sort of principles could ever decide for such an order?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If that is so - what's the sense of having e.g. the hell? To &quot;punish&quot; those who act as evil so they could &quot;taste&quot; their own acting? I'm not really sure if I understand the purpose of going through all of it..&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We create our own heaven and hell.no one punishes or rewards us.Our actions creates these realms.To simplify things,If you don't want to go to hell do not act like you are already in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isn't everything supposed to be going towards the enlightenment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;could you tell me more about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I believe it was Erwin Schroedinger who expressed an interesting idea that the total number of all minds in the universe is one. Just one mind. Split into different lives in different time and space. If that's the case I only wonder why would the same mind ever &quot;start&quot; this.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard of this concept in Gnostic and Hindu teachings.The closest thing i can relate to Buddhism is There is only awareness.But because of delusion we believe it's my awareness,my consciousness,my perceptions,my thoughts,my feelings,my body.My life.Infinite numbers of beings believing they have individual and separate egos.If i had to pin point what started this all i would say Delusion.But this is all beyond my scope.Please take it with a grain of salt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T22:03:13.990" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T22:03:13.990" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-18T22:09:33.750" Score="34" Body="&lt;p&gt;A 4 year old can be told that the Buddha was a man who wanted to understand how to be happy and free and he worked very hard to understand how to be &lt;strong&gt;truly&lt;/strong&gt; happy and free. Then he taught other people what he learned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For many years the Buddha taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes people feel sad.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes the thing that makes people sad is not getting something they want or getting something they don't want.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a way not to be so sad about not getting what you want or getting something you don't want. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way is to not think so much about what you want at all, but instead think about how you can be kind and helpful to your family, your teachers, your friends, other people, animals, bugs, and everything that lives. :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-18T22:57:57.727" LastActivityDate="2015-01-18T22:57:57.727" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T04:58:31.170" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Show her this video : )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3gK4VO9roE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Story of Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;A short version of the story of Buddha with animations designed for children.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with most things like this for kids, a &lt;em&gt;lot&lt;/em&gt; gets glossed over, so you will have to decide for yourself whether it is accurate/appropriate and covers the factors about Buddha that you'd like your daughter to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3559" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T04:58:31.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3908" CreationDate="2015-01-19T06:19:54.287" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a similar response citing immeasurability when buddha is asked to pick between two alternatives regarding arahant after death: annihilation or eternal freedom from illness. The buddha responds: there is no measure of him who achieved the goal. That by which one could define him, that is not for him. When all phenomena (dhamma) are removed, then all means of description are also removed.&#xA;What i interprete from this all is that description over description can never end. I am afraid that this question can never get an anwser, because who ever will have the actual anwser, can not describe that anwser.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T06:19:54.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T07:42:20.290" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said that if you do good things to others , good things happen to you and you will be happy , if you do bad things to others , bad things will happen to you and you will be sad , so do good things and be happy .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2138" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T07:42:20.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7284" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7299" CreationDate="2015-01-19T07:54:41.827" Score="8" ViewCount="212" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a sales person according to my profession. I skip working and wander all over the unknown places, everyday. I just love doing that. But now that I am understanding Buddhist philosophy and am able to relate it to my real world, I am feeling the urge to be awakened. How can I do that with this modern world and its demands upon me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-20T06:46:53.543" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T06:50:38.677" Title="How do you trade a career for a life geared toward becoming awakened?" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-01-19T08:02:19.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It feels pretty painful, I cannot point to a sensation that would belie how it feels like, but it is pretty painful. There is a term used by the Buddha called &quot;dukkha patipada&quot;, in one sense it used in reference to how people with &quot;strong roots&quot; experience progress that is more or less painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cheers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3525" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T08:02:19.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1536" CreationDate="2015-01-19T08:10:38.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Volkov's answer is on point, there is no &quot;other power&quot; in Buddhism and the Buddha indeed affirms that a person possesses agency; re &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6-Attakari-S-a6.38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6-Attakari-S-a6.38-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3525" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T08:10:38.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7276" CreationDate="2015-01-19T10:30:20.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is an another question: are you considering any other religion irrespecte of religion buddhism ? If itsnt then my answer is we all are alike a neuron in some real mind. That real mind has set us free to think whatever we can think of ourself (actually itself, the supermunden mind). Its just like a re-confirmation about what i am doing, why doing that and when it can be equal to the reality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T10:30:20.380" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T10:35:55.913" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha was no GOD nor Saint but an human being who was born in a wealthy royal family. As prince who gave up his wealth to seek happiness of the mind and body. He understood that being attached to materials only make people suffer from these. the word Buddha means 'the enlighten one'. in summary it means he who found the right path of happiness... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often taught my kids.. always remember his wisdom words ..: &quot;not the right, not to the left but the middle-way is your guide!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For 4 old, it's simple to clarify that with an example of a music instrument such like a guitar.. has strings..if you tighten the string too much then the string will break.. but if you don't then no sound will come out of it.. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In English words.. do everything with moderation and don't do and go to the extreme path!! (especially with what happened in the world in recent weeks).. ;(&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your little 4 is fast learner then you can explain further that the Buddha was no God, he didn't cure people's diseases nor make miracles. He only taught people to be happy with what they need and not with what they want! for example.. people need/wish little foods to eat to survive and they are happy... but there are people want to have beautiful car or fancy clothes to be happy.. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that would help little kid to understand.. my kids were 4 and 5 when I started to explain to them the wisdom of the Lord Buddha! And since they never questioned me why I had to say 'no' sometime... lol :D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope these will teach your child to appreciate his/her world better. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phoebe&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3563" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T10:35:55.913" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7289" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7753" CreationDate="2015-01-19T12:55:57.323" Score="6" ViewCount="703" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha chant some mantra or holy word throughout his meditation? Or he was just silent to realize what is coming through him to interpret? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:40:02.690" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:40:02.690" Title="Was the Buddha known to chant during his meditation?" Tags="|the-buddha|mantra|meditation-concentration|chant|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T13:12:12.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never a 'was', he is here when we are talking of him. I don't have anything to suggest to tell anybody but i have a massege : in our time (humanity) there were people who are not with us right now (phsically) but they can be with us for understanding the basic of our future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T13:12:12.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T18:31:51.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does coke taste like? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can any intellectual discourse give you the answer? And even if you drink coke, can you explain what it really is to others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was a man who tried to work it all out. Was he right or wrong? or in the middle?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 4 year old can be a Buddha by using his her mind/heart exploring everything she/he can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cheers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3569" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T18:31:51.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-19T19:39:28.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ice-cream is sweet, so you like it.  Candies are sweet, so you like it.  Flower is beautiful, so you like it.  You know each of those things are sweet because you had &lt;strong&gt;experienced&lt;/strong&gt; it before.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like you, there was another man called Buddha, he also &lt;strong&gt;experienced&lt;/strong&gt; a lot of things and finally found out the sweetest thing in life.  He &lt;strong&gt;experienced&lt;/strong&gt; enlightenment and hence he knew its taste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="12" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T19:39:28.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-01-19T20:24:07.800" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thinking is delusion. Understanding is delusion. Ideas are delusion. It just is. No idea behind it. But, just by saying it is, we create an idea and block it out. Anytime words form, we forget what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1030" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T20:24:07.800" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2015-01-19T23:22:59.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The truth is you cant be sure if the Buddha woke up. I would imagine it would be like trying to tell someone who is blind from birth, what light is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No words could ever do it justice. Therefore the only course of action is to find out for yourself what you can. Dont rely on any scripture for truth. Because even if the words are true, you still wont know what it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3569" LastActivityDate="2015-01-19T23:22:59.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7289" CreationDate="2015-01-20T04:45:54.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;During his developmental years (before he became Enlightened) he might have.&#xA;This is because mantras are a way for you to match vibration with a particular deity and thus receive their assistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gave many such great mantras including the Zhunti mantra but a Buddha has no reason to use them because the Buddhas are all connected simultaneously through their uncovered dharmakaya/Tathagatagarba/Buddha-nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T04:45:54.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-01-20T06:43:54.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is a title, not a person. It means 'one who has woken up'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a title given to wise men who seek to help others, and remove suffering from the world.&#xA;The most famous Buddha is Gotama, who considered his duty incomplete until all suffering was ended, and is regarded as one of the founders of Buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3575" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T06:43:54.673" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7284" CreationDate="2015-01-20T06:50:38.677" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd recommend reading the book &lt;em&gt;&quot;Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Amy Schmidt. It's a very good illustration of how one can pursue the Buddhist path to a very significant degree, including coming through significant personal tragedy, and still be immersed in the day to day challenges of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T06:50:38.677" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-20T11:02:29.907" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to my comments, I quote Ajahn Brahm from his book &quot;Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Highest Happiness&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, “Nibbāna is the highest happiness” (Dhp 203, 204). This is, perhaps, the most helpful&#xA;  description of enlightenment. Not only is it straightforward and&#xA;  lacking in gibberish, it is also very appealing. It reveals why men&#xA;  and women have been striving for nibbāna throughout the past&#xA;  twenty-six centuries. We all want happiness, and if the highest&#xA;  happiness is on offer, then that’s what we want. Thus Buddhism’s&#xA;  perennial teaching is how to be happier and happier, until one reaches&#xA;  the summit of all happiness in this very life: nibbāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These days, I&#xA;  present the Buddha’s special teaching of the four noble truths having&#xA;  rearranged them. I have found that if I begin with the noble truth of&#xA;  suffering, then my audience is turned off. They know enough about that&#xA;  already in their lives. They didn’t give up their evening to come and&#xA;  listen to more suffering. As any salesperson knows, first impressions&#xA;  are paramount. Therefore I introduce the four noble truths as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The path leading to happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Unhappiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The cause of unhappiness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is essentially the same as the Buddha’s teaching, but reordered for greater impact. Some might call&#xA;  this rearrangement “marketing,” but it emphasizes the goal of Buddhism&#xA;  by placing it first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbāna portrayed as the highest happiness also&#xA;  reveals that the noble eightfold path is the way of ever-increasing&#xA;  happiness. Those who follow the path wholeheartedly get happier. As&#xA;  the Buddha said in the Araṇavibhanga Sutta, “One should know how to&#xA;  define pleasure, and knowing that, one should pursue pleasure within&#xA;  oneself.” One pursues such inner pleasure, which is jhāna, without&#xA;  fear until one reaches the highest happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the highest&#xA;  happiness that you have experienced? Drugs? Sex? Music? Falling in&#xA;  love? Seeing the birth of your first child? You will find that the&#xA;  happiness of jhāna exceeds all of these. That is why one’s first&#xA;  experience of jhāna blows apart all one’s old conceptions about the&#xA;  meaning of happiness. Jhāna provides deep insight into happiness. Not&#xA;  that jhāna is the highest happiness, but it is so close that, as we&#xA;  said earlier, the Buddha called it sambodhi sukha, “the bliss of&#xA;  enlightenment.” From jhāna one proceeds to a happiness a little bit&#xA;  higher, and that is nibbāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Recent scientific studies support the&#xA;  assertions that meditation makes one happier and that Buddhist monks&#xA;  may be the happiest people of all. Therefore, anyone who wants a&#xA;  really good time should be a really good meditator. And if one wants&#xA;  the highest happiness of all, then go for nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T11:02:29.907" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7301" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7306" CreationDate="2015-01-20T11:58:01.823" Score="5" ViewCount="1259" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once lord Buddha pointed at a glistening star and asked a monk, &amp;quot;Do you believe that star still exists where we can see it?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk answered yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then lord Buddha said, &amp;quot;You are wrong. That star was destroyed few years ago. What we can see is the light it has emitted.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw people sharing something like this in social networks saying lord Buddha knew many things about the universe thousands of years ago. But they dont reference to any Sutta or Atuwa or anything where I can find this. I want to know if this is true ? Has lord Buddha ever said something like this ? And which Sutta is it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="993" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T14:01:59.783" Title="Has lord Buddha ever told something like this?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7161" CreationDate="2015-01-20T13:06:31.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the answer is 'yes, progressively'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you say &quot;supermundane paths&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/a/ariya_puggala.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, 'supermundane path', or simply 'path' (magga), is a designation of the moment of entering into one of the 4 stages of holiness - Nibbāna being the object - produced by intuitional insight (vipassanā) into the impermanence, misery and impersonality of existence, flashing forth and forever transforming one's life and nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, 'supermundane path' means the same thing as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In each of these stages, there's the corresponding abandoning of more and more of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Lists_of_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;various 'fetters'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#From_post-canonical_Pali_literature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This link&lt;/a&gt; says that the five hindrances include the ten fetters, and there's a table that says at which supermundane stage each hindrance is eradicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WNX07.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-22T06:26:33.617" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T06:26:33.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7303" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-20T13:10:02.250" Score="5" ViewCount="280" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two of the Pacittiyas (monks precepts according to Vinaya) implies that 1-Bhikkhus should not teach more than 6 words of Dhamma to women and also 2-Should not recite texts of dhamma in pali with laymen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this correct? I may have read that in a non reliable source of per haps I may have misinterpreted it, it could also be an issue with the translation... not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, I woukd like to understand it better. thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-20T21:08:42.607" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T15:41:33.883" Title="Monks precepts - Not to teach dhamma to women and not to recite dhamma in pali with laymen?" Tags="|vinaya|precept|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7304" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-20T13:22:16.747" Score="1" ViewCount="86" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to a precept it is forbidden to integrate a person under 20 years of age into the Sangha. Is that correct? So are the young monks, not monks, but something different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2019-07-10T03:08:07.347" Title="Are people younger than 20 forbidden to ordain?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7301" CreationDate="2015-01-20T13:26:04.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does teach several things which are like that or close to that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's a doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;impermanence&lt;/a&gt;, that nothing (even stars) will last forever.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's a doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sense-impressions and consciousness&lt;/a&gt;, that our 'perceptions' (e.g. our vision) aren't the same as the 'forms' (e.g. the light of a star).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism even teaches that it's important to distinguish between 'form' and 'consciousness'.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I don't know any story phrased exactly like the one you quoted; nor any suttas in which the Buddha teaches people about 'the speed of light' &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light#Fundamental_role_in_physics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;inasmuch as that is understood by modern physics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-20T13:26:04.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7301" CreationDate="2015-01-20T13:47:21.900" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the origin story of Sattasuriyuggamana sutta. During Buddha's time there was a monk who was indulged in astrology and auspicious times. Once he asked Buddha whether the stars or planets have any effect on humans as it's told in astrology. Buddha didn't answer that straight away but chose the night to answer this question. During the night he pointed at the sky and asked the question from that monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do you believe that star still exists where we can see it&#xA;  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result of this discussion Sattasuriyuggamana sutta was taught by Budddha to show that these planets and stars have no effect on humans and these are just natural phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wasn't able to locate this origin story in English in the web, although it's available in Sinhalese &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.divaina.com/2011/05/18/editor.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sattasåriyasuttaü- Seven suns.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;007.02. I heard thus. At one time The Blessed One was living in Ambapali's mango orchard. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from&#xA;  there:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ßBhikkhus, determinations are impermanent not stable, there is nothing&#xA;  to comfort in them, so it is suitable that you should turn away from,&#xA;  get disentangled from and be releasd from all determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, the highest peak of the Himalayas, is eighty four thousand&#xA;  yojanas high from sea level. (a yojana is seven miles) Eighty four&#xA;  thousand yojanas in breadth. It is eighty four thousand yojanas deep&#xA;  down in the sea. Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many&#xA;  hundreds of thousands of years there comes a time when it does not&#xA;  rain. When it does not rain, all seed and vegetation born plants such&#xA;  as medicinal grass, plants trees and forests dry up and wither and are&#xA;  no more. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are impermanent not stable,&#xA;  there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is suitable that you should&#xA;  turn away from, get disentangled from and be releasd from all&#xA;  determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a second sun rises. When a second sun&#xA;  rises whatever streams, rivulets dry up and wither and are no more.&#xA;  Bhikkhus, thus determinations are impermanent not stable, there is&#xA;  nothing to comfort in them, so it is suitable that you should turn&#xA;  away from, get disentangled from and be releasd from all&#xA;  determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a third sun rises. When a third sun&#xA;  rises, the great rivers such as the Ganges, yamuna, Aciravatie,&#xA;  Sarabhu and Mahi dry up and wither. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are&#xA;  impermanent not stable, there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is&#xA;  suitable that you should turn away from, get disentangled from and be&#xA;  releasd from all determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a fourth sun rises. When a fourth sun&#xA;  rises, the great ponds mintained by the great rivers such as Anotatta,&#xA;  Sihapapata, Rathakara, Kannamunda, Kunala, Chadanta and Mandakini dry&#xA;  up and wither, they become no more. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are&#xA;  impermanent not stable, there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is&#xA;  suitable that you should turn away from, get disentangled from and be&#xA;  releasd from all determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a fifth sun rises. When a fifth sun&#xA;  rises, the water in the great ocean recedes one hundred yojanas, two&#xA;  hundred yojanas three hundred yojanas, five hundred yojanas, six&#xA;  hundred yojanas and seven hundred yojanas. The water recedes to the&#xA;  height of seven, six, five, four, three, two palms and even one palm.&#xA;  The water recedes to the height of seven, six, five, four, three, two&#xA;  men, or even one man. It recedes to half the height of a man. It&#xA;  recedes to the knee depth of a man, to the ankle depth of a man. When&#xA;  the fifth sun rises there would not be water in the ocean to wet the&#xA;  fingers up to the knots. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are impermanent&#xA;  not stable, there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is suitable&#xA;  that you should turn away from, get disentangled from and be releasd&#xA;  from all determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a sixth sun rises. When a sixth sun&#xA;  rises, the great earth and the peak of the Himalayas smokes, and gets&#xA;  filled with smoke. Like when something made by a potter is cooked. It&#xA;  smokes and gets filled up with smoke. In the same manner when a sixth&#xA;  sun rises, the great earth and the peak of the Himalayas smokes, and&#xA;  gets filled with smoke. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are impermanent&#xA;  not stable, there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is suitable&#xA;  that you should turn away from, get disentangled from and be releasd&#xA;  from all determinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, after the lapse of many years, many hundreds of thousands of&#xA;  years there comes a time when a seventh sun rises. When a seventh sun&#xA;  rises, the great earth and the peak of the Himalayas blazes and catch&#xA;  fire. When the great earth and the peak of the Himalayas blaze and&#xA;  catch fire, flames tossed by the winds reach upto the world of Brahma.&#xA;  When the peak of the Himalaya mountain burns, peaks as high as a&#xA;  hundred yojanas, two hundred yojanas, three hundred yojanas, four&#xA;  hundred yojanas and five hundred yojanas crumble. Bhikkhus, when the&#xA;  earth and the Himalaya peak is burning ash or cream of ash is not&#xA;  evident. Bhikkhus, thus determinations are impermanent not stable,&#xA;  there is nothing to comfort in them, so it is suitable that you should&#xA;  turn away from, get disentangled from and be releasd from all&#xA;  determinations. Bhikkhus, when the earth and the Himalaya peak is&#xA;  burning, whatever divine sayings and beliefs be, they also get burnt&#xA;  and are no more, would attained right view remain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, in the past, there was a Teacher called Sunetta, one free of&#xA;  greed who helped to cross the ford. The Teacher Sunetta had&#xA;  innumerable hundreds of disciples .Bhikkhus, this Teacher taught, to&#xA;  be born in the world of Brahma. Those who completely knew the&#xA;  dispensation of Sunetta, after death, were born in a good state in the&#xA;  world of Brahma. Some of those who did not know the complete&#xA;  dispensation of Sunetta, after death, were born with those attached to&#xA;  the creation of others. Some attached to creation, soome with the&#xA;  happy ones, some with the Titan gods, some with the gods of the&#xA;  thirty-three and with the guardian gods. Others were born with high&#xA;  clans of warriors, Brahmins and householders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then it occured to the Teacher Sunetta. `It is not suitable for me to&#xA;  be born in the same plane as my disciples, after death, what if I&#xA;  develop loving kindness further.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Teacher Sunetta developed loving kindness for seven years.&#xA;  Having developed loving kindness for seven years, he did not come to&#xA;  this world for seven forward and backward world cycles. During the&#xA;  forward world cycles he was born a radiant god and during the backward&#xA;  world cycles was born in an empty Brahma paradise. There he was Brahma&#xA;  the supreme Lord, not conquered with sure insight wielding authority&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There, he was Brahma, Brahma the great, the unconquered lord and&#xA;  master with sure insight, holding authority for seven timesòhirty six&#xA;  times he was Sakka the kng of gods. Innumerable hundreds of times he&#xA;  was the righteous universal monarch, winning the four directions and&#xA;  establishing states. Bhikkhus, he was endowed with these seven jewels,&#xA;  such as the jewel of the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel,&#xA;  the woman, the householder and the advisor. Bhikkhus, he had over a&#xA;  thousand courageous sons with valiant figures, for crushing foreign&#xA;  armies. They lived ruling over the earth righteously, without weapons&#xA;  as far as the limit of the ocean. Bhikkhus, that Teacher Sunetta with&#xA;  long life and long standing was not released from birth, decay, death,&#xA;  grief, lament, unpleasantness and displeasure, I say not released from&#xA;  unpleasantness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the reason? For not realizing and experiencing four&#xA;  things.What four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not realizing and experiencing the virtues, concentration, wisdom and&#xA;  release of the noble ones. Now he has realized and experienced the&#xA;  virtues, concentration, wisdom and release of the noble ones. The&#xA;  craving to be is uprooted, the leader of being is destroyed. Now he&#xA;  has no more birth. The Blessed One further said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Famous Gotama, has realized noble virtues, concentration, wisdom and&#xA;  release&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And declaring the Teaching to end unpleasantness is mindfully&#xA;  extinguished. (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1012.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sister Uppalavanna from Galla&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorDisplayName="user7500" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T14:01:59.783" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T14:01:59.783" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7307" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-20T23:37:10.503" Score="6" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know in which era each of the first 27 Buddhas appeared?  I know the 28th Buddha's lifetime is generally accepted to be circa 563 BC to 483 BC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3583" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T07:25:15.957" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T10:53:57.820" Title="Era in which the past Buddhas appeared" Tags="|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7308" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7311" CreationDate="2015-01-21T02:25:10.263" Score="6" ViewCount="2308" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that what is real is experience; seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this perspective, is virtual reality, (video games, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Oculus Rift&lt;/a&gt;, and such) objectively less &quot;real&quot; than reality? One certainly sees, hears, feels and thinks in virtual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If material objects are not real; are digital images of them any less real?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect there is an objective answer to this from a Buddhist point of view and I'm interested in understanding it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T11:12:49.170" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:55:48.560" Title="A Buddhist Point of View of Virtual Reality" Tags="|philosophy|modern-world|reality|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-21T02:59:22.890" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gosh, that's a heavy question. All I'll do is point you to some potentially useful material. I suggest you take a look at comparisons between the philosophy of Wittgenstein, and that of Nagarjuna. (Professional analytic philosophers may be knee-jerking like crazy here, but I'll persist.) The central idea that connects them -- if anything does -- is the idea that what you are asking sits outside the bounds of what language can express. It -- the notion of more or less &quot;real&quot;-ness -- is an example of what Wittgenstein referred to in stating &quot;Whereof one cannot speak, thereon one must remain silent.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, less exotically, I really do think that the movie &quot;The Matrix&quot; has something to offer here. When Neo asks Morpheus, inside the battle simulation, &quot;So this isn't real?&quot;, Morpheus replies &quot;What &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; real?&quot; Put another way, why are you distinguishing between &quot;virtual&quot; reality, and &quot;real&quot; reality? Ultimately we have no idea what is &quot;out there&quot;; the only thing we do know for sure is that we are perceiving it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if that is of &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; use whatsoever :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T02:59:22.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-21T03:08:31.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that what is real is experience; seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forgive me for disagreeing but I though it might teach slightly the opposite: it teaches that that-which-is-experienced are your own senses, and your senses depend on your impermanent body, therefore your experience of 'form' is 'conditioned', therefore your experience is 'empty', therefore you can manifest detachment towards your experience and not suffer from your experiences ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is virtual reality, (video games, oculus, and such) objectively less &quot;real&quot; than reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digitizing a &lt;em&gt;material&lt;/em&gt; object doesn't make it less real: for example, imagine you're a surgeon doing real-life surgery on a living being; and, by contrast, imagine the same except that you're doing real-time &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_surgery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;remote surgery&lt;/a&gt; (via the internet, remote control, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think we're taught to feel compassion for sentient beings: not for images. I might not like to burn a photograph (because I feel an attachment to that kind of thing) but I don't think it's morally wrong to burn (non-sentient) photographic paper, however burning a real live (sentient) person would be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely being nice to real ('sentient') people is IMO better than winning in a (simulated) video game.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If material objects are not real; are digital images of them any less real?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's true to say that objects (forms) not 'real'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when the forms in question are the forms of sentient beings, then those forms are like 'self': i.e. it's not true to say that 'self' isn't real. The 'self' might be difficult to define (or not worth defining), but it's not true to say that 'it doesn't exist' and in the same way it's not true to say that objects don't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That they don't exist 'permanently' is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that whether you perceive them depends on certain (temporary) conditions is also true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T03:08:31.487" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-21T04:46:27.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we are able to taste a &quot;fake&quot; flavor in a way as &quot;rich&quot; as we deem a real taste, we could ask what is the difference? As far as our sensorial system is concerned, it's definitely taste. So, it is reasonable to say it is real in the experiential sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What distinguishes a &quot;real&quot; taste and a &quot;simulated taste&quot;? From the perspective outlined above, one answer is how &quot;rich&quot; the experience is (to our senses). Thus, an initial approach to identify virtuality (or &quot;artificiality&quot;) is to identify how &#xA;&quot;simplified&quot; an experience is compared to an understanding of its &quot;real&quot; counterpart (where &quot;real&quot; here just means &quot;richer&quot; in regard to stimuli).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If an experience is &quot;rich enough&quot; to our senses, a priori, we are unable to distinguish &quot;virtual&quot; from &quot;real&quot; unless, perhaps, through sophisticated maneuvers (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clever reasoning&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://phys.org/news/2012-10-real-physicists-method-universe-simulation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clever&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://arxiv.org/pdf/1210.1847v2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;observations&lt;/a&gt; -- science). In fact, our inclination is to say &quot;it felt so real&quot;, which puts the idea of &quot;reality&quot; itself into question [again].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But of course, &quot;virtual worlds&quot; of today do not offer such &quot;richness&quot;. Wearing glasses and playing a game is real in the sense that we are living an experience of playing, and we are stimulated by the the instruments of the game (display, sounds, tactile facilities). However they still fall short both in its ability to &quot;fool&quot; ourselves and to be fully capable of supporting a life such as ours within its environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if we put aside ontological questions, as until now, there are important points to consider (whether we are in a &quot;real universe&quot; or fooled in a &quot;virtual universe&quot;), like the hard problems of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beginning_of_human_personhood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;identifying life&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://loebner.net/Prizef/TuringArticle.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intelligence&lt;/a&gt; --  and how &quot;hurting&quot; a character whose behavior is &quot;artificial&quot;  different, karmically, from hurting an actual living being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Voluntary imagination and dreams, on the other hand, may be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141120141442.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;different enough to introduce some subtleties&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of [early] buddhist doctrine, I understand that whether the experience is, in essence, virtual or real is insignificant. The point is that we find ourselves in an environment ( a realm of existence, virtual or real) where there is contact through sense bases (irrespective of the &quot;substantial reality&quot; of external objects) and volition (or, to answer fully, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I seem to recall a sutta where the Buddha might have said something like &quot;there is nothing beyond the sense bases&quot;. But I'm very unsure about this, even the actual wording and meaning. Then, there is the question of how supramundane experiences are sensed, and Nibbana itself -- if that makes sense --, which I'm not comfortable to elaborate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:55:48.560" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:55:48.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2702" CreationDate="2015-01-21T05:51:13.367" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;May be after reading &lt;code&gt;The Diamond Sutra: The Buddha Also Said&lt;/code&gt; many of the Buddhist's idea about Osho might change.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3588" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T07:24:37.230" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T07:24:37.230" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7304" CreationDate="2015-01-21T13:49:44.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#novice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules&#xA;A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Becoming a Novice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first part&lt;sup&gt;[16]&lt;/sup&gt; of the ordination&lt;sup&gt;[17]&lt;/sup&gt; procedure for bhikkhus is known as the Going Forth into Homelessness (pabbajjaa). If it finishes with just that — without going on to the Questioning of the candidate and the Acceptance of him by all the gathered bhikkhus into the Bhikkhu Sa&amp;quot;ngha — the candidate is known as a saama.nera or novice. This is usually the case when the candidate is less than the twenty years of age necessary to become a bhikkhu. A very young boy is not allowed to become a novice either, but the minimum age will vary according to place.&lt;sup&gt;[18]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Footnote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;[18]&lt;/sup&gt; &amp;quot;One under 15 years of age, unless he can scare crows (i.e., is mature) should not be given the pabbajaa for becoming a saama.nera (Vin.I,79). After receiving their parent's consent (Vin.I,83), they were to shave their head and beard, put on the ochre robe and, paying respects to the bhikkhu, receive the Three Refuges and the Ten Training Precepts.&amp;quot; (HS ch.19)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See the Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81ma%E1%B9%87era&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śrāmaṇera&lt;/a&gt; for a description of Buddhist novices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T13:49:44.680" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7314" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-21T14:13:32.413" Score="6" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some teachers say that the meditation practice without the Vinaya is very limited on its achievments. That is equivalent of saying that lay meditators will have very limited results, even if he/she keeps the 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone explain what is the real difference? What gets limited by not following Vinaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: The teacher was Ajahn Chah, he was talking about retreat, even in retreat the lay person wont get so far because of Vinaya, there is only so much a lay men can develop in meditation (even in a retreat).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:50:02.620" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:50:02.620" Title="Limitations of meditation/mindfulness without Vinaya" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7315" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-21T14:20:24.670" Score="5" ViewCount="2124" Body="&lt;p&gt;Surely The Buddha appeared quite emaciated when he realized full enlightenment. Why is an emaciated Buddha rarely represented in art?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T20:53:22.897" LastActivityDate="2023-11-14T17:18:00.603" Title="Why is an emaciated Buddha rarely represented in art?" Tags="|the-buddha|art|iconography|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7303" CreationDate="2015-01-21T15:35:20.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your first doubt was taken out of context from the following rule (excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/BMC_v140110.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code&lt;/a&gt;, page 370):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Should any bhikkhu teach more than five or six sentences of Dhamma to&#xA;  a woman, unless a knowledgeable man is present, it is to be confessed.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then Ven. Udāyin, dressing early in the&#xA;  morning and taking his bowl and (outer) robe, went to visit a certain&#xA;  family. At that time the lady of the house was sitting in the main&#xA;  entrance, while the daughter-in-law was sitting in the door to the&#xA;  inner chamber. So Ven. Udāyin went to the lady of the house… and&#xA;  whispered Dhamma into her ear. The daughter-in-law thought, ‘Is this&#xA;  monk my mother-in-law’s lover, or is he being fresh with her?’ Then,&#xA;  having whispered Dhamma into the ear of the lady of the house, Ven.&#xA;  Udāyin went to the daughter-inlaw… and whispered Dhamma into her ear.&#xA;  The lady of the house thought, ‘Is this monk my daughter-in-law’s&#xA;  lover, or is he being fresh with her?’ After whispering Dhamma into&#xA;  the daughter-in-law’s ear, Ven. Udāyin left. So the lady of the house&#xA;  said to the daughter-in-law, ‘Hey. What did that monk say to you?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘He taught me Dhamma, ma’am. And what did he say to you?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘He taught me Dhamma, too.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So they criticized and complained and spread it&#xA;  about, ‘How can Ven. Udāyin whisper Dhamma into women’s ears?&#xA;  Shouldn’t the Dhamma be taught openly and out loud?’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The two factors for the full offense here are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Object: a female human being who knows what is and is not lewd, what is well-spoken and ill-spoken, and who has not asked one a question about the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) Effort: One teaches her more than six sentences of Dhamma without a knowledgeable man present—i.e., a male human being who also knows what is and is not lewd, what is well-spoken and ill-spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Summary: Teaching more than six sentences of Dhamma to a woman,&#xA;  except in response to a question, is a pācittiya offense unless a knowledgeable&#xA;  man is present.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your second doubt, seems to be referring to this rule (excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/BMC_v140110.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code&lt;/a&gt;, page 356):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Should any bhikkhu have an unordained person recite Dhamma line by line (with him), it is to be confessed.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is an offense with two factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Effort: One gets a student to recite Dhamma line-by-line with oneself (which, as we shall see below, means to train the student to be a skilled reciter of a Pali Dhamma&#xA;  text).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) Object: The student is neither a bhikkhu nor a bhikkhunī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Summary: To train a novice or lay person to recite passages of Dhamma by&#xA;  rote is a pācittiya offense.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T15:41:33.883" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T15:41:33.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-21T16:58:42.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, there is experience - and just that is real. When you say - &lt;strong&gt;&quot;physical world (conventionally real) &amp;amp; simulated digital environment (conventionally not real)&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - you're still on the linguistic level (conventional reality) - neither are ultimate reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as far as &lt;strong&gt;one might see a great distinction&lt;/strong&gt; between the virtual and the physical goes - that would really just depend on the perceptions on the basis of which one forms one's thoughts and views. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example , there is the case where a person cultivates the perception of a &quot;3D-physical-world&quot; (so to speak) - and assigns &quot;3D objects&quot; with certain characteristics and keeps in mind certain laws by which these &quot;3D objects&quot; interact - now to one cultivating such thoughts and views - an experience of the &quot;virtual simulated environment&quot; will appear to be a &quot;different world&quot;(so to speak).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why is that ? Simply because the fundamental units of the &quot;world&quot; on which the mind of such a person is operating are these &quot;3D objects&quot; and their characteristics and laws of interaction (as he perceives them to be). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in the &quot;virtual world&quot; - these &quot;3D objects&quot; and their characteristics and laws of interaction are radically different - so much so - that a mind operating and even clinging to a certain conceptual paradigm as mentioned above - would be almost certain to give rise to the perception of a &quot;radically different new world&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, that's as far as it can go. Now, there is also the case - where a monk, firmly established in the seeing things as they really are (yatha-bhuta-ñana-dassana) ,with an unwavering perception (thira sañña) - who is just going to experience mentality-materiality(nāma-rūpa) processes arising and passing away - since in ultimate reality - there is no &quot;3D-physical-world&quot;. The Buddha also said that just this - the five senses - is what is meant by &quot;world&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.082.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lokasuttaṃ&lt;/a&gt; SN 35.82 (though it probably isn't directly relevant)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having&#xA;  bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said&#xA;  to the Blessed One: &quot;'The world, the world' it is said. In what&#xA;  respect does the word 'world' apply?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Insofar as it disintegrates, monk, it is called the 'world.' Now&#xA;  what disintegrates? The eye disintegrates. Forms disintegrate.&#xA;  Consciousness at the eye disintegrates. Contact at the eye&#xA;  disintegrates. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on&#xA;  contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain or&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too disintegrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The ear disintegrates. Sounds disintegrate...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The nose disintegrates. Aromas disintegrate...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The tongue disintegrates. Tastes disintegrate...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The body disintegrates. Tactile sensations disintegrate...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The intellect disintegrates. Ideas disintegrate. Consciousness at the&#xA;  intellect consciousness disintegrates. Contact at the intellect&#xA;  disintegrates. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on&#xA;  contact at the intellect — experienced as pleasure, pain or&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too disintegrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Insofar as it disintegrates, it is called the 'world.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T16:58:42.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7318" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7648" CreationDate="2015-01-21T17:59:54.367" Score="4" ViewCount="388" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across this rather gender progressive comment from Nichiren&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we examine the Flower Garland Sutra, the first sutra to be preached&#xA;  after the Buddha attained enlightenment, we find that it is a Mahayana&#xA;  work preached by the Buddha in his aspect as the Thus Come One of the&#xA;  reward body. Thus, to the voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and&#xA;  others, it was like daytime to an owl or nighttime to a hawk; though&#xA;  they listened to it, it was as though they did so with deaf ears or&#xA;  blind eyes. &lt;strong&gt;This being the case, though people hoped that the sutra&#xA;  would enable them to pay back the four debts of gratitude, because it&#xA;  speaks disparagingly of women,3 it was hardly possible for them to&#xA;  repay the debt of gratitude owed to their mothers with the sutra.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which is footnoted with &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For example, the Daishonin cites the passage “Women are messengers of&#xA;  hell who can destroy the seeds of Buddhahood. They may look like&#xA;  bodhisattvas, but at heart they are like yaksha demons” with regard to&#xA;  the Flower Garland Sutra. This passage is cited in A Collection of&#xA;  Treasures as a quotation from the Flower Garland Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-2/Content/264&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-2/Content/264&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't for the life of me find this or anything like it in my &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0877739404&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cleary edition&lt;/a&gt; of the Avatamsaka. (I believe it is there, I've read all sorts of misogynistic passages in sutras, I just can't find it)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T22:04:05.977" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T23:05:17.573" Title="Looking for negative reference to women in the Avatamsaka Sutra" Tags="|mahayana|reference-request|nichiren|avatamsaka-suttra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7319" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7320" CreationDate="2015-01-21T20:32:41.427" Score="17" ViewCount="1957" Body="&lt;p&gt;Coming from an Islamic background and having a community/Sangha that is loyal to the religion of Islam, how do you harmoniously integrate yourself and your Buddhist study and practice with the community you were born in including within a mosque?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T21:51:58.567" LastActivityDate="2017-10-02T14:45:53.110" Title="As a Buddhist with a Muslim family, community, and background... how do you integrate/cope?" Tags="|islam|community|integration|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7319" CreationDate="2015-01-21T20:32:41.427" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm 26 and I considered myself becoming Buddhist when I was 14. I come from a very loyal Islamic family and I totally think that Islam is a beneficial religion... containing within it the simplest and easiest spiritual practices of all Abrahamic religions because it has a meditation+yoga-like prayer system, calling all practitioners to Practice with single-mindedness towards a singular God every day five times a day (namaj).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I made a lot of mistakes over the years in expressing these ideas with simultaneous conviction and non-defensiveness that is my power now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Islam is a very strict religion on the the level of the 1st two trainings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;morality: unconditionally forbids all intoxication and has many other moral codes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration: routine concentration practice of prayer, using mantra method combined with yoga&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, even though I am Buddhist I don't run away from Islam. I fully embrace it and espouse the half-muslims to actually practice it because it has many health benefits.&#xA;I go to mosque when I can and when I am required to with my family and community and I integrate Buddhist science of spiritual practice to practice with single-minded mindfulness and &lt;em&gt;not the ignorant desire-filled prayer most people probably do&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a religion that is fully integrated within my Islamic community and if I speak about Buddhism I speak about it without ever mentioning the word Buddhism or Buddha. I merely reference the practices such as yoga and meditation and pranayama which are nondenominational and conducive to the actual reason for namaj (improve concentration and oneness with Allah--a concentration object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, when I speak about Islamic practices, I find myself always integrating the nondenominational, spiritual principles of Buddhism within the structure of Islam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Islam is a great religion and can be fully subsumed into the spiritual science of Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt; Practice the Buddhist virtue of modesty and let no one know of your attainments and your vigorous concentration practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mentally discard silly Islamic/religious that you know by Buddhadharma are only created to help people stay doubt-free and cultivating practice concept&lt;/em&gt; and enjoy spiritual practice with your community!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use the phrases and phrases you learned from within Islam. Display complete devotion to Islam and spiritual science in general. Islam isn't that complicated at all... it is easy to &lt;strong&gt;blend in and be spiritual, continue to use the Buddhadharma but always appear Muslim by practicing Right Speech within your community.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-21T21:53:00.607" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T21:53:00.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7315" CreationDate="2015-01-21T20:50:58.637" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As @ChrisW linked above, there are many representations of the Buddha in his emaciated state, such as &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nPGX4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt; and &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iUKEa.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vHeiO.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vHeiO.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the book &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Art and Architecture&lt;/em&gt; by Robert E. Fisher, a brief mention of this style of portraying the Buddha is found on page 47 when discussing contrast between Roman and Indian styles of portraying the Buddha in art in the Gandhara region where Alexander the Great had just ended his campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Roman love of portraiture and dramatic realism appeared in the form of images of the emaciated Buddha, a favorite subject of the region but one seldom found in Indian art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while the Romans liked this style, it certainly wasn't as popular then (or now) as depictions of the Buddha while not in an emaciated state. As mentioned, the Buddha taught the middle way, so neither his period of luxury nor his period of austerity seem as important or as inspiring as the period of his enlightenment, most popularly depicted with the Buddha looking healthy and serene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="19249" LastEditDate="2023-11-14T17:18:00.603" LastActivityDate="2023-11-14T17:18:00.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5527" CreationDate="2015-01-21T22:30:46.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a sense, it's not relevant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha found his enlightenment or awoke from the understanding of life which caused him a great deal of emotional suffering because he searched (which is an understatement) and one day uncovered his great gift of love and compassion. For life, humanity, and himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was taken from the Wikiquote page listing quotes from Gautama Buddha (I almost typed in 'The Buddha's WikiQuote page'... makes me wonder if The Buddha would edit his own page... for accuracy's sake, of course. ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do not go by revelation;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go by tradition; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go by hearsay;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go on the authority of sacred texts; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go on the grounds of pure logic; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go by a view that seems rational; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go by reflecting on mere appearances; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go along with a considered view&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go along on the grounds that the person is competent; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not go along because &quot;the recluse is our teacher.&quot; &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kalamas, when you yourselves know: &#xA;  These things are unwholesome, these things are blameworthy; &#xA;  these things are censured by the wise; &#xA;  and when undertaken and observed, these things lead to&#xA;  harm and ill, abandon them...&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kalamas, when you know for yourselves:&#xA;  These are wholesome; these things are not blameworthy; these things&#xA;  are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to&#xA;  benefit and happiness, having undertaken them, abide in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The part that is important is that the Buddha asked 'Don't take him at his word. Find out for yourself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't think the Buddha awoke... Good. That personal truth that you don't believe or don't 'know' the Buddha awoke is alot more valuable than having faith in someone's actions or realization despite the respect and praise of the wisdom of his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you know it or not, your pose of the question makes you 'Buddhist' in essence even if you don't meditate or chant or believe in the enlightenment of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only difference between you and the Buddha is that you feel that the 'Matrix' is blocking your freedom and love and compassion for your whole, fully realized potential as a human being and the potential of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continually testing the 'Matrix' and also testing your own intents and motivations for 'seeking' enlightenment and noticing the results of your questions will help you cultivate the 'awakening mind' that is the heart of living a full and rich and loving life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blessings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3595" LastActivityDate="2015-01-21T22:30:46.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7314" CreationDate="2015-01-22T01:23:05.140" Score="3" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The basis of Vinaya is morality and taming the senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lack or morality (Sila / Vinaya) or hedonistic practices is based on unwholesome thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unwholesome thoughts result in unpleasantness (due to -ve fabrications and karmic formations) which is detrimental to meditation (Piti and Passadhi being an aid to meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This also lead to verbal fabrication as most unwholesome thoughts lead to through proliferation which makes the mind harder to focus and also creating more fabrication.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality (Sila / Vinaya) is the basis of developing Samaddhi which helps developing Panna. So strong morality is needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T01:23:05.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7161" CreationDate="2015-01-22T02:54:40.193" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes! This is the whole aim of the Arhat's path! This is the goal of the 3rd training!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of the word &quot;destroy&quot; it is better to think of it as &quot;transform&quot; because that is what it actually is. (Read Heart Sutra to understand this concept. Keep it in mind. Read Diamond Sutra Explained after.) The hindrances are basic energy that once you transform to its positive form--even if you do it temporarily--will give you tremendous energy in all its positive forms!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, that was the answer to your question.&#xA;But may i ask...&#xA;How is this done?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The three trainings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1st training, morality,&lt;/strong&gt; does a very &lt;strong&gt;temporary, repressive hold on the hindrances&lt;/strong&gt; and afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why &lt;strong&gt;success in the 2nd training is pivotal&lt;/strong&gt;. Once jhana is attained, each of the &lt;strong&gt;5 factors of jhana temporarily but completely quells the 5 hindrances&lt;/strong&gt;! This releases a tremendous amount of mental and physical energy and one feels truly oneself finally.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Fun Exercise: Make a table and think for yourself which concentration factor attacks which hindrance??&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is crucial because&lt;/em&gt; the &lt;strong&gt;3rd training, the training of wisdom, requires that tremendous energy and focus from jhana.&lt;/strong&gt; The goal of (Theraveda) Buddhism is success in &lt;strong&gt;this &quot;last&quot; training because it brings &lt;em&gt;permanent resolution of the 5 Hindrances&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Nonetheless, may I repeat, one will not succeed in this &quot;permanent resolution of the 5 hindrances&quot; unless one succeeds in a temporary cure of the 5 Hindrances (through mastering at least 1st jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the medicine for each respective hindrance? &lt;strong&gt;Each respective factor of the 5 Faculties.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one train them? &lt;strong&gt;Through facility in jhana, the 2nd training.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: &lt;em&gt;Some argue that jhana is not necessary, the &quot;dry insight&quot; people, that this is going directly against the original suttas which speak of the benefits of jhana repeatedly ad nauseum.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note 2: In Mahayana Buddhism, we go one step further and achieve Buddhahood by going beyond the afflictions and hindrances. In Mahayana Buddhism, once the goal of mastering the hindrances is achieved (3rd training), we go back to the 1st training (morality) and save all beings before entering into Perfect Nirvana. This is true Buddahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-22T02:59:42.340" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T02:59:42.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7315" CreationDate="2015-01-22T05:08:44.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beautiful answer by Robin111.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I believe the question is why isn't Buddha represented as emaciated?&#xA;Specifically &lt;strong&gt;why do people have the fat Laughing Buddha statue everywhere especially at the front of business buildings&lt;/strong&gt;?&#xA;Mainly &lt;strong&gt;this is because it represents wealth, commerce, and overspending, something businesses like&lt;/strong&gt;. Most when asked say &quot;it's luck.&quot; These people feel it &lt;strong&gt;attracts abundance&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other reasons this trend has remained so is because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the &lt;strong&gt;Buddha did not attain Awakening until he &quot;fattened up&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; a little, taking the milk curds from the woman, and taking care of his physical form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the obesity/fat belly represents happiness and physical health [ironic because I feel much happier on successful fasts than I do overeating!]. &lt;strong&gt;Remember that happiness&lt;/strong&gt; (a result of the 2nd training) &lt;strong&gt;is a foundation for Awakening&lt;/strong&gt; (the 3rd training).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;obesity is representative of wealth in earlier times&lt;/strong&gt; (actually all times, except this past century) which in reference to Buddha perhaps represents spiritual wealth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T05:08:44.627" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-22T05:23:12.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The classical Buddhist answer:&#xA;From a Real point of view, the two are exactly the same. This is the kind of point of view one would take when doing Vipassana. Basically &lt;strong&gt;all phenomena are the same level of not-Real&lt;/strong&gt;, all experiences including super-real dreams, insanely emotional visions or a simple computer game or even a vague dream are all the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, from the relative &quot;real&quot; perspective, the answers are multitudinous and not Buddhist.&#xA;This relative perspective is not dealt with in Buddhism because it is not relevant to the Pursuit of the Great Thing and one can only derive relative benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, if you were to force myself, a Buddhist, to give an personal-experience answer, I would say that relativistically speaking certain realities are stronger than Oculus while other realities are less real than virtual reality. For instance, sexual intercourse is far more sensual and &quot;real&quot; than VR on many, many levels whereas a daydream &lt;em&gt;might be&lt;/em&gt; equal or less &quot;real&quot; than a session of VR gaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A final realtivisitic &quot;Buddhist&quot; (remember that the Buddha avoided a lot of these kind of Useless questions) argument could be this: all VR is &lt;em&gt;mere imitation&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;can never reach the reality that living reality has&lt;/strong&gt;: the etheric, physical, emotional, social connections that are &lt;strong&gt;interdependent&lt;/strong&gt; and transform and perfume each other &lt;strong&gt;within the great Alaya consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; on &lt;em&gt;nearly infinite levels that is far far beyond computer programming&lt;/em&gt; or any computer process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T05:23:12.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7314" CreationDate="2015-01-22T09:49:46.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Some teachers say that the meditation practice without the Vinaya is very limited on its achievments.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes ofcourse.Sila is the foundation for Meditation.Monastics live in an environment that is conducive to meditation practice.Monastics also have rules that when followed significantly purifies their conduct compared to a lay person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can anyone explain what is the real difference?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monastics follow 227/311 Precepts...I Need to realize Nibbanna in this Lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay People follow 5/8/10 Precepts...I need to realise Nibbanna in this lifetime or one day but in the mean time i don't want to fall in the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference would be the sense of urgency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What gets limited by not following Vinaya?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we meditate we are purifying our minds..which is subtle.&#xA;When we train our sila we are purifying our actions..which is gross/course.&#xA;You can not expect to purify something that is subtle if you have a hard enough time purifying something that is course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That is equivalent of saying that lay meditators will have very limited results, even if he/she keeps the 5 precepts.PS: The teacher was Ajahn Chah, he was talking about retreat, even in retreat the lay person wont get so far because of Vinaya, there is only so much a lay men can develope in meditation (even in a retreat).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is true if you only see things in the context of this lifetime.But if you consider the infinite numbers of past lives we've had,whose to say in the past we we weren't monastics and the monastics weren't lay people .Lay people who realized Nibbanna didn't just achieve that out of the blue.They have cultivated and accumulated paramis in the past whether it be Sila or Renunciation and all they had to do now as a layperson is listen to a sentence or two of a Dharma Talk and thats all it takes.A gentle nudge.They were done as far as samsara is concerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So don't think that your practice is limited simply because your not following 311 precepts.You might have followed it maybe ten times in the past.Now maybe you just need an extra hour of vippasanna.Whose to say..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T09:49:46.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7330" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-22T14:49:04.717" Score="3" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;I simply can't accept that those poor souls who've been decapitated by ISIS are to blame in any way apart from perhaps the fact that they happened to be in the wrong place.&#xA;Please can someone help me understand this from a Buddhist point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3596" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T07:47:03.990" Title="Karma responsibility regarding beheadings" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2015-01-22T14:49:40.817" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCX0muRLJWc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCX0muRLJWc&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Buddhism in a nutshell,&#xA;&quot;Avoid all sin&#xA;Do good&#xA;purify the the mind &#xA;this is the teaching from all the Buddhas&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T14:49:40.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7330" CreationDate="2015-01-22T16:21:07.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One would need to attain one of those supernatural powers that enables one to see other people's previous lives to know for sure. Anyway, the fact is that for every man whose head is chopped off, there has to be another man who carries out the gruesome act. So, ever wonder what'll be waiting for the executioner in the future life times? According to the law of kamma, he'll never be able to get away with what he did. He'll have to pay with his own head or something similar sooner or later..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T16:21:07.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7330" CreationDate="2015-01-22T17:14:37.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some things happen because of karma: if you intend to do something then (because of karma) that intention will result in (i.e. it will cause) effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that does not imply that everything which happens, happens because of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches something called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da#Multiple_causes_and_conditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'dependent origination' or 'dependent arising'&lt;/a&gt;. Karma is listed as one of the causes, but it is not the cause of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The principle of dependent origination underpins the concept of karma, which is an application of this principle to individual actions and their fruition. The Dalai Lama explains the relation between dependent origination and karma as follows:[18]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Karma is one particular instance of the natural causal laws that operate throughout the universe where, according to Buddhism, things and events come into being purely as a result of the combination of causes and conditions.&#xA;    Karma, then, is an instance of the general law of causality. What makes karma unique is that it involves intentional action, and therefore an agent. The natural causal processes operating in the world cannot be termed karmic where there is no agent involved. In order for a causal process to be a karmic one, it must involve an individual whose intention would lead to a particular action. It is this specific type of causal mechanism which is known as karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T17:14:37.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-01-22T18:01:21.810" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course. You can be a Buddhist without meditating. It is only to separate the mind and body of us. If you want to meditate, firstly, you could rest your mind and you can notice the inhalatation and exhalation from your nose. And when you do this, you may not need to sit correctly. But you have to notice your mind and changes in your body. That is one way meditation works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3599" LastEditorUserId="832" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T19:05:46.463" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:05:46.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-01-22T19:40:30.543" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the short answer is that in general the more intensive meditation practice you do the more familiar you will become with the jhanas and the more insight you will experience. Larry Rosenberg in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/breath-by-breath.html&quot;&gt;Breath by Breath&lt;/a&gt; does say that retreats are needed to experience certain levels of insight. However he does emphasise practice in everyday life even more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I don’t think things are that simple....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intense practice isn’t necessary for insight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Willougby Britton in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://cheetahhouse.wordpress.com/&quot;&gt;Dark Night project&lt;/a&gt; has been analysing negative effects of meditation i.e. the dark night. This is a state that it’s possible (likely, certain???) to get to with a certain amount of practice. She says the two populations of people who appear vulnerable to this are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Super intense meditators typically in their 20s to 30s who go to&#xA;Asia, ordain and then spend 12 hours plus a day meditating.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Middle ages practitioners who have been meditating for an hour a day for 10 to 20 years an maybe going on retreat once or twice a year.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point being that both lower and higher intensity mediators do progress along the path but a different rates. The second population is doing enough and has a real and effective practice.  That said the second group is still pretty dedicated but not outrageously so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Retreats aren’t necessary for insight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dipa Ma, the Buddhist master &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma#Teaching_students_where_they_are&quot;&gt;taught a nursing mother&lt;/a&gt; enough mindfulness practice that she attainted the first stage of realisation without leaving the house. So long retreats aren’t an absolute necessity for insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Even formal meditation practice isn't necessary for insight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The founder of dharmaoverground, Daniel Ingram, said in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2013/11/bg-301-varieties-contemplative-experience/&quot;&gt;this Buddhist Geeks podcast&lt;/a&gt; that people can and do have genuine insight from yoga practice, on long marches in the military or even breath control classes for actors. So formal meditation isn't even necessary for insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard the relationship between insight and meditation described in terms of being struck by lightening. If you hang around on windy moors in thunderstorms (i.e. meditate intensively) you are more likely to be struck by lightening (insight) than if you sit in front of a TV set and never go out (i.e. never meditate). However people that do habitually sit in front of the TV do occasionally get struck by lightening. Similarly people on windy moors in thunderstorms may never get struck no matter how often they go out and jump up an down with a foil hat on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no guarantees - meditation just increases your chances. To use another analogy - you can't force plants to grow. You can only dig the soil, water the earth and put the best conditions possible there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-22T22:28:26.067" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T22:28:26.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-01-22T20:10:02.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem with short sessions of meditation is that it takes time to get beyond our psychological problems and really start paying attention to our concentration object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus there is great benefit in longer practice sessions, especially full-on retreats where the entire focus is on meditation for tens of hours at a time with minimal sleep...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Daniel Ingram, American author of &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, a very self-empowering book, answers this question in-depth in Chapter 9.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(If you want to know more about the Stages of Insight, especially in line with this sort of subject, I suggest you read the entire book because Ingram's book is the best ever I've seen that covers it in depth, relating to many other subjects. And has some awesome parallel charts on his site.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before sharing the excerpt that will answer your question, first read the introduction to the chapter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;WHEN, WHERE AND FOR HOW LONG?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The best time to meditate is when you can, as in “get it while you&#xA;  can!” The best place to meditate is where you can, and the best&#xA;  duration is for as long as is available or necessary for you to get&#xA;  what you wish out of it. This may seem like an obvious answer, but&#xA;  people can sometimes get it into their heads that certain times are&#xA;  better than others and thus not meditate when that seemingly sacred&#xA;  time period is unavailable or interrupted. They may feel that certain&#xA;  places or special circumstances (special cushions, noise levels, etc.)&#xA;  are oh-so-necessary, and if these are not available then they may feel&#xA;  frustrated and unable to practice. They may feel that a certain&#xA;  minimal duration of meditation time is necessary, and thus find&#xA;  themselves unable to make use of what time they may have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you have two hours each day for meditation, great! If you have two&#xA;  jobs, six kids, and just can’t find more than ten minutes each day for&#xA;  meditation, make good use of what you’ve got. There have been times in&#xA;  my life when I was very grateful that I had twenty hours a day to&#xA;  practice. On the other hand, when I have only had ten minutes a day, I&#xA;  have been grateful for the sense of how precious those ten minutes&#xA;  were. Skillful urgency and well-developed gratitude for a chance to&#xA;  practice at all can allow us to really use limited pieces of time to&#xA;  their fullest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you can take off a month each year for intensive retreats,&#xA;  wonderful. If a weekend retreat once a year is all you can do, go for&#xA;  it. In short, honor where you are and what you can realistically&#xA;  accomplish given your current circumstances. If they are not entirely&#xA;  to your liking, and you want to take more time for practice, work on&#xA;  rearranging things a bit in a way that leaves you with a life that you&#xA;  still find fulfilling should you later decide to practice a bit less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The answer to your question is found within below excerpt in bold.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DAILY LIFE AND RETREATS&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A very related issue here is that of the world of retreats and&#xA;  monasticism and how it contrasts with the world of “daily life” or the&#xA;  life of a “householder.” Each has its own set of issues, but many of&#xA;  them overlap and the differences may be more question of degree than&#xA;  of dichotomy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, it is true that the battle is not always to the strong, nor the&#xA;  race to the swift, but that’s the way to bet. In other words, those&#xA;  who do lots of practice in daily life, go on more and longer retreats,&#xA;  are more consistently able to concentrate and investigate quickly and&#xA;  precisely, pay attention more often during their daily activities, and&#xA;  have their morality trip more together are, on average, much more&#xA;  likely to make progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When on retreat, people have the opportunity to practice nearly all&#xA;  day in settings that are usually designed to be very conducive to&#xA;  clear, precise inquiry and depths of meditation. (Why so few people&#xA;  actually take advantage of these circumstances when they go on retreat&#xA;  is beyond me, and I will spend some time ranting about that later.)&#xA;  The point is that going on retreats can give opportunities for much&#xA;  faster and deeper practice to those who choose to really practice.&#xA;  Said another way, if you go on retreat, make good use of that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is a huge difference between the experiences of people who do&#xA;  retreats halfway and people who really follow the instructions all day&#xA;  long. In my experience, there is no comparison between retreats I have&#xA;  done when I really powered the investigation from the time I awoke&#xA;  until I went to sleep at night, causing fast and profound progress,&#xA;  and when I took breaks here and there to think about things such as my&#xA;  issues and meditation theory, generally causing moderate to slow&#xA;  progress. &lt;em&gt;While many people think that retreats are for more advanced&#xA;  practitioners, I think that a few retreats early in one’s practice can&#xA;  really jump start things, allowing one to then make much better use of&#xA;  meditation time off retreat.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I often think of the momentum that retreats generate in terms of&#xA;  rolling a boulder over a hill. If you get a long running start,&#xA;  pushing hard the whole way, you are more likely to be able to get the&#xA;  boulder rolling fast enough so that it rolls over the hill in one&#xA;  straight shot. If you push intermittently or half-heartedly, the&#xA;  boulder is likely to roll back when you get to the steep part of the&#xA;  hill, but you have worn the hill down a little bit, and you may also&#xA;  be a bit stronger for the exercise. Thus, it is possible to wear down&#xA;  the hill given enough time, but it is much faster to simply power over&#xA;  it the first time and move on to the next hill. I know of no obvious&#xA;  benefits from slow practice that fails to gain some footholds in the&#xA;  territory of concentration or insight.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Those who take the wear down the hill approach may eventually lose&#xA;  faith and interest, having done lots of work to little effect. Those&#xA;  who really apply themselves and cross a few hills early on through&#xA;  focused and consistent effort, such as retreats or really solid daily&#xA;  life practice, will have more of a sense of accomplishment and&#xA;  empowerment, and may have even put in less total time and effort than&#xA;  those who tried to wear down the hill. This irony should not be lost&#xA;  on those who want to be smart about developing their meditative&#xA;  skills.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, lets say that you could allocate 365 hours out of one&#xA;  year to formal meditation practice. Given a choice, I would be more&#xA;  inclined to take half of those hours, about 182, and do a 10 day&#xA;  retreat practicing hard and consistently 18 hours a day with minimal&#xA;  breaks at the beginning of the year, and then spend half an hour&#xA;  meditating each of the other days. I would be much more likely to&#xA;  cross into some interesting territory early on and overcome some of&#xA;  the initial hurdles than if I spent one hour each day for that year&#xA;  practicing well. The amount of time and effort is the same, but the&#xA;  effect is likely to be quite different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A few odds and ends about retreats. First, retreats tend to have a&#xA;  semi-predictable rhythm to them. Realizing this allows us, if we have&#xA;  the time and resources to space, to choose how long a retreat we want&#xA;  to meet our meditative goals. Even if we are practicing well, the&#xA;  first few days of a retreat tend to be mostly about adjusting to the&#xA;  place, the posture, the routine, the people, the local customs, the&#xA;  schedule, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, the last day or two of a retreat tends to bring up thoughts&#xA;  of what we are going to do next. Thus, to give yourself some time in&#xA;  the middle when you are not dealing with these things as much, I&#xA;  recommend greater than 5-day retreats when possible. It is not that&#xA;  benefit can’t be derived from shorter retreats, but there is something&#xA;  about those middle days that tends to make strong concentration and&#xA;  good practice easier to attain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Second, every retreat center and tradition has its neurotic shadow&#xA;  aspects and downsides. This is inevitable, but by identifying them and&#xA;  realizing that there are ways to have them not slow our investigation&#xA;  down is helpful. One center where I have spent a bit of time is prone&#xA;  to attracting very serious, scowling people who trudge around in their&#xA;  walking practice like the slightest sound or glance from anyone around&#xA;  them might set them off like a bomb. I have been to another center&#xA;  where sometimes I have been the only meditator there, requiring me to&#xA;  have more self motivation and discipline. Another monastic center I&#xA;  have been to has the whole male hierarchy thing going which can cause&#xA;  all sorts of reactions from retreatants both female and male.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then there are basically always neurotic things around food (huge&#xA;  topic, of which vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian is just the tip of the&#xA;  iceberg), bathrooms, quarters, showers, hot water, washing clothes and&#xA;  dishes, cleaning duties, heating and cooling (one place I have been to&#xA;  has cantankerous wood stoves in some buildings for heat, another in a&#xA;  tropical setting has open windows that let the mosquitoes swarm in),&#xA;  clothing (e.g. some centers have people wear white, others won’t&#xA;  tolerate skimpy or revealing outfits, some don’t care), fragrances,&#xA;  chemical sensitivities, incense, morning wake-up bells (too quiet, too&#xA;  loud, someone forgets to ring it at all), schedules, roommates&#xA;  (particularly those that snore, smell, are noisy or messy, etc.),&#xA;  strictness of silence, eye contact or the lack thereof, etiquette&#xA;  around teachers (e.g. to bow or not, to ask challenging questions or&#xA;  not, limits on the time we have access to them, their personalities&#xA;  and neurotic stuff, whether or not they speak the language we speak,&#xA;  etc.), etiquette of entering rooms with icons (e.g. whether to bow&#xA;  three times or not), the presence of icons or not (and which icons),&#xA;  and issues of the orthodoxy of ritual, dogma, posture, hand position,&#xA;  eating rituals, chanting, vows, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This list doesn’t include issues of corruption, romances, cults of&#xA;  personality, affairs, crushes, miscommunications, vendettas, scandals,&#xA;  drug use, money issues, and all the other things that can sometimes&#xA;  show up anywhere there are people. In short, whatever you imagine that&#xA;  you or other people might have issues around, these are bound to show&#xA;  up sooner or later if you spend enough time in spiritual circles or&#xA;  retreat centers. While solo practice is an option, that doesn’t get&#xA;  you away from all of these issues and has its own set of downsides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The crucial thing is to realize that great practice can occur in&#xA;  conditions far from perfect, particularly if we realize that all the&#xA;  sensations that make up these inputs and our reactions to them are all&#xA;  worthy of investigation and thus as much a source of ultimate and&#xA;  often relative wisdom as any other sensations. I have rarely had what&#xA;  I considered perfect practice conditions, but I have done well and you&#xA;  can also. That said, some centers, particular retreats, and teachers&#xA;  are better than others, and it is worth exploring and asking around.&#xA;  All these things can be particularly distracting and distressing for a&#xA;  first time retreatant, as often there are some naïve hopes, however&#xA;  unacknowledged, of walking into the Garden of Eden, sitting with the&#xA;  Buddha, and hanging out with the most evolved fellow retreatants one&#xA;  could imagine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When off retreat, progress is still possible, particularly if one has&#xA;  used retreats to get past some of the initial hurdles (hills) and get&#xA;  a few tastes of what is possible. Do not underestimate the value of&#xA;  careful and honest awareness of what one is going during one’s life&#xA;  off the cushion. On the other hand, if you want to significantly&#xA;  increase your chances of tasting the fruits of the path, do your best&#xA;  to make time for retreats in a way that honors your spiritual goals as&#xA;  well as your other commitments. One of the reasons for monasticism is&#xA;  that your commitments become your practice, but there are plenty of&#xA;  people who have figured out how to live in the world and use retreats&#xA;  and strong daily practice to achieve the same effects. In fact, in&#xA;  this unusual time in history, there are plenty of places to sit for&#xA;  very little money and get great support for practice without having to&#xA;  deal with all the ritual, dogma and other hassles that are involed in&#xA;  ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T03:18:40.707" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T03:18:40.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7338" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7339" CreationDate="2015-01-22T20:12:47.250" Score="3" ViewCount="671" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it true that most &quot;enlightened&quot; Buddhists attained this realization gradually? Or are there cases of sudden enlightenment? I ask because either this process is way more gradual than I can even detect, or else I'm not yet at the sudden point. Or perhaps I won't ever get to that point at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm pretty new to all this - been meditating daily for about a year now, at first once a day for 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, and lately twice a day for 20 minutes each...I feel so clueless. And my mind continue to race all over the place when I'm sitting. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:30:55.823" LastActivityDate="2019-08-25T03:03:21.460" Title="gradual versus sudden enlightenment" Tags="|personal-practice|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7338" CreationDate="2015-01-22T20:56:17.040" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no set, predictable pattern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, some attain gradually. &lt;strong&gt;Don't worry about gradualism too much though, just figure out how to Practice better and better, keep improving your  Dharma knowledge&lt;/strong&gt;. Your recognition that your mind is racing is the 1st step. (Most ordinary people are at step 0. They don't even know that their mind is hell.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are many cases of sudden enlightenment, and such people always had great amount of merit and past life cultivation and already had tremendous concentration power (2nd Training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read a Buddhist book. I suggest reading the articles &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/articles.html#l&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Read &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; for the best hardcore introduction to Buddhism ever.&lt;/strong&gt; It's free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not as simple as force yourself to sit for 20 minutes twice a day and get enlightened...there is a lot to the whole Buddhist work and it is plain out stupid for someone to expect realization and get it. Realization is a type of non-attainment. Read the Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra to start to understand this concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, unless you can focus your mind (the 2nd training) so well that you are absolutely clear and blissful (this happiness is happier than a constant orgasm, jhana) the 3rd training (which involves &quot;realization&quot;) is far far off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to concentrate first (2nd training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also have to &lt;strong&gt;learn how to meditate correctly or else you can meditate for 24/7 for 100 years and nothing will happen&lt;/strong&gt; - no stilling of the mind, nothing, just racy mind getting worse and worse until you give up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Don't have hope for Enlightenment but Practice all your life.&quot; --Milarepa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="3600" LastEditDate="2015-01-23T14:10:54.307" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T14:10:54.307" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3935" CreationDate="2015-01-22T20:59:28.903" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is quite opposite of the others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of meditation can improve people's minds. But if someone has severe mental illnesses, such as a deep depression, I would tell that meditation and reflection upon Buddhist teachings should be done carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible that dharma can worsen the clinical picture, if it is done unskillfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not telling to not meditate at all. But always have proper medical, psychological or psychiatric monitoring. And don't meditate or study it alone, always receive teaching from a trustful master, and meditate with his/her guide in person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3425/what-can-go-wrong-in-mindfulness-therapy-as-used-in-clinics/&quot;&gt;this QA&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T23:04:22.533" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3338" CreationDate="2015-01-22T22:32:13.477" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brahmins were rarely involved in any wars (unless they were in the ruling position). The Vaishyas were never oppressed. In fact, they were wealthy land owners, money lenders etc. Hinduism is not a religion, its a culture. Hindus never oppressed any other religion, but have been oppressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taken from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.esamskriti.com/essay-chapters/Why-did-Buddhism-vanish-from-India-1.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.esamskriti.com/essay-chapters/Why-did-Buddhism-vanish-from-India-1.aspx&lt;/a&gt; :&#xA;I have listed down six reasons why Buddhism vanished from India. It is followed by the words of Swami Vivekananda &amp;amp; Dr B R Ambedkar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The main cause was the neglect by the monks of this life and its values. While the Buddhist monks realized that everyone was not fit or could not become a monk or nun, they paid attention only to the life of a monk and not to the life of a householder. Which meant that they focused on the life of a monk, which is a life of inwardness as compared to that of a householder, which is one of outwardness. Now, both these aspects need examination, study, guidance and control. It is not enough to tell a householder that this existing life is only a stepping-stone to the life of a monk. Why and how is it so and what relation it bears to realities has to be explained. Instead Buddhist philosophers began to teach that this life was nothing but a value of tears and misery. While some forms of Vedanta taught the same philosophy, the attitude of Mimamsa (philosophy of action) and the Epics saved Hinduism from the fate that overtook Buddhism in India. Many great Indians were impacted by spiritual teachings but “unless there were some codes extolling the values of the world, they tended to become one-sidedly inwardly”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another reason was the admission of women into monasteries and the more or less indiscriminate conversion of men, women into monks and nuns. While true renunciation and celibacy were appreciated, people wanted to see them well practiced. When people supported these monasteries with their hard-earned money, they did not want its residents to live in luxury and enjoyment, virtues, which were condemned. If monks and nuns had lived by the rules that they were taught, people would have supported them inspite of any hardship that they had to face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next reason was the deterioration in the political and economic life of the country. Monasteries were supported by the people and the Kings e.g. Ashoka. Now, when a dynasty fell or a king died, the next in line might not give the same degree of support. The king’s thinkers realized that their defeat was due to the loss of their best fighters, leaders, who had become monks. This made the country an easy prey to the foreign invader. Coincidence or otherwise, India’s first foreign invasion by the Greeks took place in 327 B.C. a couple of centuries after Emperor Asoka’s peace movement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism existed in the monasteries and unlike the dharmaasutras (ethical codes) lacked a moral code. So when monasteries disappeared, Buddhism disappeared. The invasion of the Muslims and the ruthless destruction of Buddhist monasteries extinguished the lamp of Buddhism in North India. The wanton destruction of the great monastery of Uddandapura (Bihar) and the wholesale massacre of its monks might make us visualize how the great monasteries of Nalanda, Vikramasila and others met with a tragic end.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The extreme asceticism practiced and popularized by both Buddhism and Jainism disturbed the social life of India. Magadha, the seat of many imperial dynasties, became Bihar, the land of monasteries (viharas). There was nothing in these religions to emphasize the importance of life in this world and its values. These causes led to a bloodless revolt by the orthodox in the eight-century a.d. The revolt was staged from two sides, the Brahmanic and the Upanisadic. Kumarila was the leader of the former and Sankara of the latter. Kumarila succeeded in reviving a strong positive attitude towards the world and its values and all that could be called human and activistic. On the other hand, Sankara said that everything that was good in Buddhism already existed in the Upanishads. In fact, Gaudapada, the grand teacher of Sankara, unified the current spanda (vibration) doctrine of Saivism, the vijnana (mind) doctrine of the Buddhists and the Atman doctrine of the Upanishads in his Mandukyakarikas and made the way easy for Sankara to assimilate and absorb Buddhism. Thus, there remained no justification for its separate existence in India; it had no social ethics and consequently, no hold over society. It could not stand alone as a spiritual discipline as it was shown to be part of the Upanishads.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Quoting Swami Vivekananda “ Thus, inspite of preaching mercy to animals, inspite of the sublime ethical religion, inspite of the discussions about the existence or non-existence of a permanent soul, the whole building of Buddhism tumbled down piece-meal and the ruin was simply hideous. The most hideous ceremonies, the most obscene books that human hands ever wrote or the human brain ever conceived, have all been the creation of the degraded Buddhism. The Tartars and the Baluchis and all the hideous races of mankind that came to India, became Buddhists and assimilated with us, brought their national customs and the whole of our national life became a huge page of the most horrible, bestial customs. Sankara came and showed that the real essence of Buddhism and that of Vedanta are not very different but that the disciples did not understand the master and have degraded themselves, denied the existence of soul and one God and have become atheists. That was what Sankara showed and all the Buddhists began to come back to their old religion”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism adopted various thoughts and beliefs between the first century B.C. and the sixth century a.d. Some Buddhists adopted the tantric sadhanas and distorted them for the sake of enjoyment and comfort. The highly advanced philosophy of tantric sadhana is difficult to understand without the guidance of a proper teacher. This undigested knowledge of tantra, including the use of wine, meat, fish, gestures and physical union led these Buddhist followers to their downfall. Also, the distortions of Buddhism produced a variety of schools, which were not pure Buddhist schools but contained a variety of practices. To give you an idea of the syntheses between Vedanta and Buddhism, the concept of Maya in Vedanta in borrowed from Buddhism. Sankara accepted the logical connotation of Maya just as it was given by the Buddhists. Jainism was saved by tacitly allowing its members to become part of the Hindu fold by adopting rules of conduct of the third caste, namely Vaisyas or traders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Quoted from ‘Dr Ambedkar Life &amp;amp; Mission by Dhananjay Keer’. Dr B R Ambedkar addressed delegates of Young Men’s Buddhist Association in May 1950 at Colombo on ‘Rise &amp;amp; fall of Buddhism in India’ - ‘Buddhism in its material force had disappeared. But as a spiritual force it still exists’. As regards Hinduism he said it went through three phases, Vedic religion, Brahmanism and Hinduism. It was during the Brahmanism period that Buddhism was born. It was not true that after the days of Shankaracharya Buddhism was dead in India. It was going on for years together. In fact Shankaracharya and his teacher were both Buddhists he added. While he was digging material on the subject for the decline/vanish of Buddhism from India the reasons were – adoption of some rituals &amp;amp; practices from Buddhism by the Vaishnava &amp;amp; Shaiva cults, which were vociferous in their propaganda against Buddhism. During the invasion by Allauddin Khilji thousands of priests in Bihar were massacred and consequently some of them fled for their lives to Tibet, China &amp;amp; Nepal. In the meanwhile, the majority of Buddhists went over to Hinduism. The third cause was that Buddhism was difficult to practice while Hinduism was not. Reason four was that the political atmosphere in India had been unfavorable to the advancement of Buddhism he concluded.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But according to Hindu scholars the fall of Buddhism was due to many reasons. Owing to universalistic ambition its spread was everywhere but it had geographical center nowhere. It discarded all national gods &amp;amp; godmen &amp;amp; proclaimed Buddha the greatest of all gods. As long as it reacted as a reformative flank in India, Buddhism gained ground but when it began to act against the Vedic religion, which was the national religion of the majority, Buddhism lost sympathy in India. The Vedic Hindus fought the Muslims bravely and did not flee to any other country. But the Buddhists when attacked, having a center nowhere, fled to different countries and even it is said acclaimed the invasion of India by non-Hindus with the ringing of bells. Besides its godlessness, its over-emphasis on redemption, its sad tone, its unconcern with the world &amp;amp; neglect of family checked rather than fostered enterprise. Quote ends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Books referred to 1. Introduction to Comparative Philosophy by P T Raju. 2. History &amp;amp; Culture of Indian People by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3602" LastActivityDate="2015-01-22T22:32:13.477" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7342" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-22T23:52:24.557" Score="3" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I get angry with someone, I can usually calm this feeling after some time through meditation practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm wondering how can I overcome the &lt;strong&gt;causes&lt;/strong&gt; of this 'anger' in a way that I don't get angry anymore with something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3603" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:30:16.747" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T18:30:16.747" Title="How can I overcome the causes of anger?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7342" CreationDate="2015-01-23T02:48:32.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like all emotions, anger is a healthy, honest, innate insight into your sense of wellbeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have the right, as a human being, to feel and be angry. A therapist once told me that 'anger is your dignity', or a call from your soul to be have your sense of self valued. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That you are interested in resolving your anger in a way that is compassionate to someone is &#xA;endearing. But, denying your right to be angry is limiting your right to feel, live, and love freely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your anger, as unreasonable as it might seem, is coming from an honest place and is likely prompting you to change an aspect of your relationship with someone. However, acting aggressively or denying someone's feelings is not 'right action'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To transform your anger, you may have to change the way you communicate with the 'someone' you mentioned by being more honest and being willing to be vulnerable about painful, troubling feelings. You may also have to change your relationship to your anger and the lens you view anger. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger is a sign of a weakened relationship, with someone else or within yourself. If you meditate on the causes of your anger, meditate to strengthen your compassion for the wound causing your anger and conditions you can create, within yourself and within the relationship with someone else. And do so to liberate your all of your strength and your relationship.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3595" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T02:48:32.087" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7342" CreationDate="2015-01-23T03:20:28.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Excellent that you are interested in this! You are motivated to attain Arhatship! Permanent uprooting of the poisons is achievement of Theravedin Enlightenment/Arhatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will summarize the pathway in a recursive way that you can not only use for any of the three poisons (anger, greed, delusion)... but you will find will be permanently valuable for the entire path!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1st training: restrain your action by following the Eightfold path. Force yourself to follow Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood no matter what!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;2nd training: use anything you would use for the 2nd training, concentration. This can be a contemplation that fixates your attention away from the anger (breathing, brahmavihara, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;3rd training: vipassana. Be clearly nakedly aware of the emotion as a sensation. It will dissolve.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd training is hard to do without proper advancement in 2nd training.&#xA;The 2nd training is hard to do without proper advancement in the 1st training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st training you must do or else you will sink into a lower form of existence in the next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rmemember that the above method may seem like a lot in words but it's main success is in the lifestyle path you choose (animal-killers or prostitutes are not Right Livelihood and will experience more poisons than others always) and being mindful in the moment (#2 and #3), transforming the emotion. This can be a matter of a split second.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not referenced any lengthy suttas in this text but these are all true things said by the Buddha. I would recommend seeing the chapter on the Three Trainings within the free book &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; for more info and read the entire book.&#xA;Super big secrets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-23T15:00:07.203" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T15:00:07.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-01-23T04:22:28.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Low intense meditation&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - Ideally should be done after a &quot;High intense meditation&quot; session. The main purpose of a &quot;Low intense meditation&quot; sessions or daily practice for about 2 hours is to ensure you do not form new mental volitional formations and perceptions which was dissolved in a &quot;High intense meditation&quot; session.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;High intense meditation&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - You should start with &quot;High intense meditation&quot; and switch over to &quot;Low intense meditation&quot; with occupational &quot;High intense meditation&quot; session perhaps every year. A &quot;High intense meditation&quot; session helps in establishing a high degree of concentration and reasonable desolation of some Volitional Formations and Perceptions which otherwise you cannot doing &quot;Low intense meditation&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-23T04:52:43.820" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T04:52:43.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7342" CreationDate="2015-01-23T07:37:40.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anger result due to ignorance. Ignorance of when we make sense input our perception and views makes us react to our sense input. We see, hear or feel something which we do not like or something turns out to not what we expect, we react with anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence when you get some sense input jest look at it as feeling. Bee mindful of the feeling it cause and just leave it at that without any reaction knowing that the feeling also will pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the above does not work you could try doing some loving kindness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T07:37:40.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7330" CreationDate="2015-01-23T07:47:03.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism Karma is just one aspect. Being in the wrong place in the wrong time or showing up at certain events can cause certain results. Also note a person born to be get fine foods but born in Somalia and some one born US will have differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T07:47:03.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7348" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-23T07:47:38.237" Score="0" ViewCount="669" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello Buddhists namaste!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be wrong of me to suppose the anatta means at least partly, the following two theses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;No explanation of a conscious thought is complete: mind is not absolutely transparent to itself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is only explicable by way of an explanation of some particular conscious thought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO that would make the &quot;hard&quot; problem, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/21/-sp-why-cant-worlds-greatest-minds-solve-mystery-consciousness?lang=en&amp;amp;utm_campaign=10today&amp;amp;flab_cell_id=2&amp;amp;flab_experiment_id=19&amp;amp;uid=153834883&amp;amp;utm_content=article&amp;amp;utm_source=email&amp;amp;part=s1&amp;amp;utm_medium=10today.0121&amp;amp;position=2&amp;amp;china_variant=False&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;disappear&lt;/a&gt; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T17:23:01.593" Title="Buddhism and the so called &quot;hard&quot; problem of consciousness" Tags="|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7348" CreationDate="2015-01-23T09:39:31.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta, in the Buddhist context, means you have not control over the aggregates or anything else to be considered as self, me or mine. Also there is no core which is unchanging or everlasting which you can consider Atman. It does not relate to the concepts given in your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Viññāṇa&lt;/a&gt; is also Anatta as this has the above properties too. Mind content is also has the above properties hence Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-23T10:03:32.860" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T10:03:32.860" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7342" CreationDate="2015-01-23T11:01:57.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how can I overcome the causes of this 'anger' in a way that I don't get angry anymore with something?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You overcome anger by being AWARE of anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.When anger arises note &quot;anger&quot;.Remember it's not &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; anger&quot;.It's just anger.By doing this you create detachment from it.Creating distance or space.That is usually enough to give you some gap to talk yourself out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if it persists and you find yourself struggling.Then..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Focus on the anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NOTE: Do not focus on angry thoughts,or memories or plans.When i say focus on the anger i mean focus on the physical/sensations of anger.The heat in your body,the sweat on your face,tension around your jaw,the saliva being produced in your mouth,the heat behind your ears.Be aware of your overall physical state when your angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now tell me where is that anger? Show me where it is.Try to find it?So that i can mark that part of your body with a marker.We'll know who the culprit is!Is it that feeling in the back of you neck?Oh it's moved up to your head.Why is it moving around? Now it's gone down your spine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it you can feel anger so strongly but you can never seem to pinpoint it in one spot.It just moving all the time.Anger looks so big, mean and overwhelming when your not paying attention to it but once you take a closer look it seems to be reduce in size,nothing more than tiny particles swirling around different spots of your body and even then if you pay more attention you'll reduce it to nothing.It's dissolved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We think anger is solid and permanent but it's not.When anger lurks in the deep waters of our subconscious we have a distorted view of it.It becomes an impulse that we must let out or it becomes unhealthy,it gathers momentum demanding action to be taken.But the anger is not doing this.We are.By our inability to see it clearly(ignorance).when we bring it to the surface of consciousness we see it for what it is.Just sensations arising and falling going it's own way.So the next time anger arises stay with it in this way.But if you can not then by all means practice restraint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T11:01:57.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7351" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-23T11:17:52.027" Score="1" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where is our Aatma or Soul when we sleep? What exactly happens to it?&#xA;I tried finding answers, but could not get any answer from within!&#xA;Help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3532" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T19:59:02.450" Title="A Question About our Aatma" Tags="|soul|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7351" CreationDate="2015-01-23T11:25:32.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is not concept of Atman. But has the concept of Anatta, means you have not control over the aggregates or anything else to be considered as self, me or mine. Also there is no core which is unchanging or everlasting which you can consider Atman. It does not relate to the concepts given in your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T11:25:32.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7348" CreationDate="2015-01-23T16:11:45.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that Anatta means that there are only correlated processes instead of the (thinking of perceived) subject (self, Atman). So Anatta does not imply that understanding of consciousness or mind is incomplete. Conversely, Anatta suggests not to introduce additional entities into this doctrines. Yes, our mind is not perfectly transparent to itself, but this is due to defilements, not due to Anatta.  And, of course, Anatta does not mean that materialistic theories does not explain the conscious and thinking soul or mind. Concerning Hard Problem I think that all its verifications also are mental or perception processes, so they cannot bring us additional evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3589" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T16:11:45.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7348" CreationDate="2015-01-23T16:21:46.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yes, no explanation of thought is complete without dependency on some other phenomena. &lt;strong&gt;Everything is interdependent, nothing is itself without anything else.&lt;/strong&gt; (But not necessarily &quot;transparent&quot;.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No! Consciousness is the 5th aggregate/skandha. &lt;strong&gt;It is at an even more root level than thought itself! (which is the 3rd aggregate/skandha)&lt;/strong&gt; You can perceive consciousness (without thought) through the usage of prajna wisdom. There is also a jhana that is pure consciousness, no thought (one of the four formless skandhas).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T16:21:46.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2297" CreationDate="2015-01-23T16:24:20.803" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Any time that you actually will do it is the best time! Enough said.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Here's a list of conditions that make my meditation &lt;em&gt;effortlessly take off into concentration/wisdom&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;physical needs satiated (hunger, warmth, thirst, sex)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;no food in digestive tracts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;no feces in bowels&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;did physical exercise (or yoga or some sort of physical tonification)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;drink some light tea&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;no recent emotional/social problems plaguing the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;evening-time or early morning&lt;/strong&gt;: not too early, not too late, not too much thinking on mind at these times (during the day it is business time)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;after reading some motivating dharma stories, especially Taoist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;after reading proper practice instruction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last one is key and one should always at least mentally review &lt;em&gt;how to practice&lt;/em&gt; before practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T05:58:57.730" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T05:58:57.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7351" CreationDate="2015-01-23T19:59:02.450" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that there is no concept of &quot;soul&quot; in Buddhism in general but in Tibetan Buddhism there are certain physical localizations of consciousness... which is the closest thing to an answer to the OP's idea of &quot;soul&quot; existent in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read about this localization in the past in a Tibetan dream book its either in the head or heart which is why in Tibetan dream yoga one puts one hands over the heart as one sleeps..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T19:59:02.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7357" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-23T22:33:37.657" Score="3" ViewCount="350" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Shakayamuni Buddha talk about the Trikaya? If so where?&#xA;I am looking for suttas attributed to Shakyamuni in the times of Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T08:45:37.170" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T08:45:37.170" Title="Did Shakayamuni Buddha talk about the Trikaya?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|reference-request|trikaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7358" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-23T22:36:27.940" Score="8" ViewCount="376" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is easy enough to see the power of developing mindfulness through walking meditation, eating meditation, and any repeated task including cooking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one develop mindfulness capacities &lt;strong&gt;when doing new things involving struggle like studying, reading, problem solving or programming&lt;/strong&gt; without hindering one's progress in such a task?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T18:35:33.880" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T18:47:43.367" Title="Developing mindfulness doing complex activities like learning or programming?" Tags="|mindfulness|right-livelihood|integration|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7359" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7362" CreationDate="2015-01-23T22:43:11.253" Score="5" ViewCount="595" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are entertaining/fictional movies, cartoons or books about Buddhadharma or Buddha himself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T08:44:17.817" LastActivityDate="2017-12-23T03:08:52.100" Title="What are some entertaining/fictional movies, books, etc. about Buddhadharma or Buddha himself?" Tags="|modern-world|reference-request|media|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-01-23T22:43:11.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Osamu Tezuka's Buddha is really fun manga and fictional account of Buddha's life.&#xA;Also check out Ikkyu... awesome manga about Zen and sudden realization! Gave me chills when I really put myself into his journey...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good movie that fictionally demonstrates some Buddhist concepts is Cloud Atlas.&#xA;Samsara is another good one.&#xA;There are plenty of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/list/ls000024431/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lists&lt;/a&gt; (I've only seen the top three) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/03/five-great-films-about-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;online&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T22:43:11.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-01-23T23:14:50.413" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some movies with Buddhist concepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cloud Atlas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Little Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kundun &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Dharma Brothers (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spring,Summer,Fall,Winter..and Spring.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wheel of Time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doin Time Doing Vippassanna (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Angulimala&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;OK Baytong&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Amongst WHite Clouds (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Amrapali&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My Reincarnation (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Holy Man (Comedy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;WHen the Iron Bird Flies (Documentary)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Milarepa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nang Nak (Horror)It's a thai story about a hungry ghost whose still attached to her husband.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-23T23:30:01.383" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T23:30:01.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-01-23T23:28:50.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of these may be too tenuous a link but ymmv:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Movies (some are also books)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kundun&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Little Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seven Years in Tibet&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Dhamma Brothers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha Wild: Monk in a Hut&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Devotion of Matthieu Ricard&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cloud Atlas (well, it's supposed to be; I never got it -- I hear the book is better)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the Iron Bird Flies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Journey to the West&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Groundhog Day (see, tenuous!)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Matrix (ditto)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Books&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breakfast with Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not Quite Nirvana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Accidental Buddhist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Big Bang, the Bddha, and the Baby Book&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is No God and He is Always With You (the author, Brad Warner, has a few others)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a ton of other stuff &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_about_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, and even more pops up by Googling &quot;buddhist movies&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T20:51:00.050" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T20:51:00.050" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7357" CreationDate="2015-01-23T23:32:50.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It wasn't explicit in the Theravada but the foundation was already there. The concept got fully developed by the time of the Mahayana. Further info. is available from the wiki page &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya#P.C4.81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T23:32:50.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7357" CreationDate="2015-01-23T23:50:30.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No but the concept of dharmakaya in Theravada is known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dhammakaya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ideas of sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya (rupakaya) on the other hand were not developed fully until &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya#Mah.C4.81y.C4.81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahayana&lt;/a&gt; entered the picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the same Wikipedia entry, it is possible the idea of some form of rupa-kaya was taking shape though as this passage (section 9) from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; may indicate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I am a true son of Blessed Lord, born of his mouth, born of Dhamma,&#xA;  created by Dhamma, an heir of Dhamma.&quot; Why is that? Because, Vasettha,&#xA;  this designates the Tathagata: &quot;The Body of Dhamma&quot;, that is, &quot;The&#xA;  Body of Brahma&quot;, or &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Become Dhamma&quot;, that is, &quot;Become Brahma&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be a misinterpretation of sutta taken out of context because it does not seem to be repeated through other Theravadin literatures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-23T23:50:30.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7358" CreationDate="2015-01-24T00:19:11.177" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;With a simple action we layman do vipassana like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling hunger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;decided to eat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;getting up (can be broken up into putting hands on desk, lifting butt, turning body, raising body, letting go of desk, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;walking towards fridge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and so forth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A layman computer-user could do the same thing like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking about project&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realizing idea&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;moving (break apart the moving process step by step as in walking)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bring computer from stand by (break this apart)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;typing password (this is not broken down into piece because it is automatic for most)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;deciding what to do (vicara)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;remembering goal (vitarka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;opening program (can be broken down to pressing windows, typing name, clicking program)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;waiting for load&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling: impatience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thought: wanting to check 9gag.com&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thought: don't check, try to be focused&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;noticing program loaded&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;deciding to continue project action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above was less than a minute! *Making &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt; a meditation becomes a energy-creating, focused journey!*&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;One can definitely build up one's mindfulness power through daily activity while actually increasing the activity's focus level too! If there is some interference it is outweighed by the level of calmness, clarity, and focus brought to the project itself. It's a win-win.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a few points to making it not impede efficiency itself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;notice your level of anxiety&lt;/strong&gt; (and other hindrances) and &lt;em&gt;use mindfulness to bring yourself back to present moment&lt;/em&gt; especially by breaking down automatic actions (break down the noticing to building blocks e.g. typing W-O-R-D, moving mouse left quickly, left-up slow, up slow)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;notice when switching from one thing to another but don't get in the way of that switching by interpreting this meditation itself&lt;/strong&gt;... just observe yourself accomplishing such things &lt;em&gt;effortlessly&lt;/em&gt;! practice self-awareness meditation for this (also called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/meditation-techniques/m_vipassana_meditation_techniques.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;cessation-contemplation&lt;/a&gt;). This can decrease your overall panic-level while working on projects and also help you stay off sites like 9gag and other distractions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should use a similar method as when one does mindfulness while eating and walking &lt;strong&gt;when it is noticed&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Forcing oneself to notice everything is a type of anxiety and can be noted as well, vipassana style.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T00:19:11.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-01-24T01:51:05.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the difference between the progress of &quot;low intensive&quot; meditators as opposed to &quot;high intensive&quot; meditators?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Progress is much slower for low intensive meditators.(not taking into consideration one's karma).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From personal experience the amount of time i sat meditating continuously directly correlates with meditation progress.In other words high intensive meditation resulted in meditation progress for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;X hours of meditation= X Progress.Give or take.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but i cannot speak about others.As this is what i have observed,tried and tested and is true in my own life.This is my karma.No matter what i do i never seem to get more or less then what i put in.This is unfortunate because progress depends on how much effort i am willing to put in which at times can be a challenge.Some people don't have to do much.They just sit and they enter the Jhanas or gain insight but my karma is different.And so is yours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Always remember cause and effect&lt;/strong&gt;. So if you cause (Meditation) there will be an effect (Progress/Insight/Jhana).When,how much,how long,you'll have to observe,try and test it in your own life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T01:51:05.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-01-24T03:42:05.560" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some more of such referees can be found in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depictions_of_Gautama_Buddha_in_film&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Depictions of Gautama Buddha in film&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T03:53:00.280" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T03:53:00.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7368" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-24T07:27:06.520" Score="4" ViewCount="399" Body="&lt;p&gt;Namaste. My question is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why the nature of things is such as it is?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the question cannot be answered, because it points outside the grasp of our mind, but I am interested in possible deep evidences pro or contra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3589" LastActivityDate="2018-03-02T20:03:47.510" Title="Why the nature of things is such as it is?" Tags="|philosophy|reality|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-01-24T10:00:03.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you say the nature of things i am assuming you mean things being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.Impermanent (anicca)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.Suffering/Dissatisfaction/Dis-Ease (dukkha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.Non Self (annatta)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;1.Why is the nature of things impermanent?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because conditioned phenomenon is constantly in a state of flux.Why?Because something causes this to happen than this causes that to happen then that causes that to happen then...and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;2.Why is the nature of things suffering/dissatisfaction/Dis-Ease?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the conditioned phenomenon keeps changing.(impermanence).And we keep grasping at it.What happens when you try to hold on to something that keeps moving and your adamant about staying put.You hurt yourself.You stress yourself.Let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;3.Why is the nature of thing Annatta?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can not answer this.&lt;strong&gt;It just IS&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Samsara and Nibbanna are devoid of an Ego.Both conditioned and the unconditioned have no permanent self/Ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T10:07:00.250" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T10:07:00.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-01-24T11:18:41.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a broad question, perhaps a whole category of questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the world like it is because it was created that way (by a creator God) for some reason?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, Buddhism doesn't accept/teach about a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;creator deity&lt;/a&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What do we know about the creation of the world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not much: it has &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=12631&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;no discernible beginning&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What ought we to care about the creation of the world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that instead of talking about such things, his intention was to teach about suffering and the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the nature of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of things includes the 'three marks of existence', the laws of 'karma' and 'dependent origination', etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps some interesting questions include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why do we perceive the nature of things to be as we perceive it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers to that question include the theory of 'skandhas' and of 'identity view'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can we change the nature of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, good actions and evil actions, skillful and unskillful actions, have an effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can we change our perception of the nature of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supposedly yes: doings so is pretty well the purpose of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T11:18:41.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-01-24T12:01:10.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a list of films carrying the Buddhist philosophy, most of them are arthouse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rashomon (1950)- Akira Kurosawa &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ikiru (1952) - Akira Kurosawa &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ugetsu (1953)- Kenji Mizoguchi &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sansho the Bailiff (1954)- Kenji Mizoguchi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Burmese Harp (1956) - Kon Ichikawa &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Onibaba (1964)- Kaneto Shindo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kwaidan (1965) - Masaki Kobayashi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Touch of Zen (1971) - King Hu &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Baraka (1992) - Ron Fricke&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Passage to Buddha (1993) - Hwa-Om-Kyung&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Cup (1999) - Khyentse Norbu&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsara (2001) - Pan Nalin &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives (2010) - Apichatpong Weerasethakul &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) - Isao Takahata&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T12:01:10.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7372" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-24T13:40:21.603" Score="2" ViewCount="368" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana retreats (as taught by Goenka) there is a relevant emphasis on bodily sensations that may arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They first ask you to do Ānāpānasati (to focus on sensations above your upper lip and below your nose, whil breathing) and then to scan your body, with the goal of perceiving sensations that may arise&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other side, in Zen (soto), at least in my experience, they do not tell you what to focus on, and it seems that there is no emphasis on bodily sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked to a Zen meditation teacher if he ever feels &lt;em&gt;something&lt;/em&gt; in his body while meditating. His answer was &lt;em&gt;''No''&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, my question is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How can it be that two traditions have so radical approaches to our body ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it true that in Zen there are &lt;strong&gt;no&lt;/strong&gt; stages where bodily sensations arise ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If subtle vibrations arise while doing Zen, what is the right approach to them ? Ignore them ? Analyze them ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastEditorUserId="36" LastEditDate="2015-01-24T14:15:28.277" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T16:17:05.880" Title="Subtle sensations in Vipassana and Zen" Tags="|vipassana|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7372" CreationDate="2015-01-24T16:17:05.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can it be that two traditions have so radical approaches to our body ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have different teaching methods. Also, zazen is not usually presented with discrete steps (though there are some milestones), as opposed to the original &quot;sati&quot; meditations (anapanasati, satipatthana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it true that in Zen there are no stages where bodily sensations arise ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never heard this said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If subtle vibrations arise while doing Zen, what is the right approach to them ? Ignore them ? Analyze them ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stock phrase in zazen is &quot;you just sit&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-01-24T16:17:05.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-01-25T01:05:03.260" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is a key practice in Buddhism, however some Buddhists say you can reach enlightment by reasoning, using your intelect and contemplating things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many Buddhist stories people achieve great results only by listening to the Buddha or practicing sila/dana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great monk from Theravada tradition once told me that meditation should be the 8th part of the noble eightfold path, not the 1st. Lay people should focus on morality, precepts and dana. I'm sure this can be questioned, not all buddhists will agree, so I'm just offering a point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say: Meditation is great, helps a lot, can be a short cut for your insight into reality, so why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T01:05:03.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7375" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T02:55:34.747" Score="2" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone please explain these aphorism / these aphorisms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T10:25:53.017" Title="Impermanence is Buddha nature / Buddha nature is impermanence" Tags="|impermanence|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7376" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T03:27:32.487" Score="2" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://nym.ag/1yOiynS?n_play=54c2ad35e4b02fcf8608a3e5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;money and happiness&lt;/a&gt; prompted my asking myself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are the wealthy experiencing dukkha in a different way to the poor?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If so, in what way? Are they experiencing it in a more / less refined way?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What did the &quot;Buddha&quot; say about money and suffering?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T08:57:48.420" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T11:53:19.037" Title="Material wealth and dukkha" Tags="|laity|suffering|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-01-25T06:14:50.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If by meditation you mean &quot;sitting down and &lt;strong&gt;resting the mind and gently focusing&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; then yes you can.&#xA;Just know this though, you can be &quot;&lt;strong&gt;resting the mind and gently focusing&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; while doing something else such as: reading the suttas or other dharma texts including the ancient Vedas, calming the mind while lying down, being more generous (or practicing any of the other paramitas), etc.!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no real escaping meditation.&#xA;In order to practice Buddhism correctly you will calm the mind and body down and reach peace one way or another.&#xA;And it will be easy.&#xA;It will be relaxing and good for you. You will realize how lucky you are to be one of the few who have the opportunity to practice the Dharma...&#xA;The Dharma that is beyond sitting, reclining, or standing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in conclusion, one can practice the 3 trainings in any position! Meditation is your True Home and is beyond sitting down. If you do not like formal sitting meditation, no worries friend! Practice letting go of your worries and relaxing in any other posture you feel like. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T06:14:50.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7375" CreationDate="2015-01-25T10:25:53.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know, so the following is a complete guess, and I hope someone will give a better answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently the aphorism come from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Dgen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dōgen&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dōgen has a perhaps-non-standard view of Buddha-nature, which he calls &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussh%C5%8D_(Sh%C5%8Db%C5%8Dgenz%C5%8D)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Busshō&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guesses are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If according to Dōgen everything (real) is Buddha-nature then (because everything real is impermanent), therefore everything (i.e. Buddha-nature) is impermanent.&#xA;So for example any description of Buddha-nature and anyone describing Buddha-nature and anything to which the term Buddha-nature could be applied is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As for the converse (i.e. impermanence is Buddha-nature), is that related to the third noble truth, or to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81-%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rise and fall&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T10:25:53.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7376" CreationDate="2015-01-25T11:53:19.037" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.Are the wealthy experiencing dukkha in a different way to the poor?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We all experience dukkha differently depending on our karma.The wealthy can afford to experience happiness born out of sensual pleasures than the poor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.If so, in what way? Are they experiencing it in a more / less refined way?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How refined their dukkha is depends on how strong they attach to the happiness their wealth brings to them.The more they attach to it the more painful their dukkha is the less they attach the more subtle it will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.What did the &quot;Buddha&quot; say about money and suffering?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Money or wealth does not bring suffering.It is our strong craving/attachment to it that brings suffering.Wealth is actually in a way kind of like a blessing.It is one of the karmic resultant of practicing generosity in previous lives and the result of being hard working and industrious.The Buddha often instructed lay people on how to preserve their wealth.And in the Adiya Sutta even describes the benefits to be obtained by having wealth.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta:Benefits to be Obtained from Wealth&lt;/a&gt; So don't see money or wealth as a cause of suffering.you can easily substitute the word &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;money&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; for anything under the sun and the only way it will cause us suffering is through our strong attachment to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T11:53:19.037" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7381" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T12:04:30.907" Score="0" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am asking because I think that if the past has buddha nature, and the dharmakaya is impermanent, then there is nothing left of the enlightened when they die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T14:06:21.337" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T16:22:43.530" Title="Does yesterday have buddha nature" Tags="|mahayana|buddha-nature|impermanence|time|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7382" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T13:03:55.077" Score="0" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/zombies/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;philosophical zombie&lt;/a&gt; is defined as follows,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zombies &lt;strong&gt;in philosophy&lt;/strong&gt; are imaginary creatures used to &lt;strong&gt;illuminate problems about consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; and its relation to the physical world. Unlike those in films or witchraft, they are exactly like us in all physical respects but &lt;strong&gt;without conscious experiences: by definition there is ‘nothing it is like’ to be a zombie&lt;/strong&gt;. Yet zombies behave just like us, and some even spend a lot of time discussing consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Few people think zombies actually exist. But many hold they are at least conceivable, and some that they are possible. It is argued that if zombies are so much as a bare possibility, then physicalism is false and some kind of dualism is true. For many philosophers that is the chief importance of the zombie idea. But &lt;strong&gt;the idea is also of interest for its presuppositions about the nature of consciousness and how the physical and the phenomenal are related&lt;/strong&gt;. Use of the zombie idea against physicalism also raises more general questions about relations between imaginability, conceivability, and possibility. Finally, zombies raise epistemological difficulties: they reinstate the ‘other minds’ problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using this definition, would a being which is &amp;quot;not conscious&amp;quot; have Buddha-nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask because I want to know if the Buddha is dead and inanimate matter, and inanimate matter has Buddha nature, that means that the Buddha senses what inanimate matter does?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, I want to know if a non cognition of emptiness is &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qualia/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; a cognition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T04:48:51.770" Title="Do beings without conscious experiences have buddha nature" Tags="|the-buddha|philosophy|mahayana|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5662" CreationDate="2015-01-25T15:19:03.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use the medical definition of consciousness as quoted by ChrisW “as a ‘level’ ranging from coma and brain death at the low end to full alertness and purposeful responsiveness at the high end.” This definition has been successfully operationalized as a checklist helping any emergency physician to determine the severity of a brain injury. On the basis of this definition neurologists identified certain brain areas necessary to create conscious brain processes: neocortex and thalamus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today we can go beyond cognitive psychology to investigate the question ‘What characterizes conscious brain processes?’ First on a physiological basis and secondly, even on a basis from information theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, consciousness is an &lt;em&gt;emergent&lt;/em&gt; property – if we call a system property emergent if it is not owned by any of its separate parts. A current approach tries to quantify consciousness by the amount of integrated information. Integrated information is the excess of information created by the system in comparison to the information created by its parts [Tononi, G.: Consciousness as Integrated Information: a Provisional Manifesto. Biol. Bull. 215, 216-242 (December 2008)]. Tononi’s approach is one of the first attempts to formalize the vague concept of consciousness by a mathematical model from information theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these findings, from the brain areas involved up to the concept of integrated information, are independent from any statements of mainstream Buddhism. Instead, these results have been detected by using the scientific methods and techniques developed during the last two centuries. At most, Buddhist monks act as probands for introspection and meditation, its refined variant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insofar, nothing of these theories/hypothesis comes from Buddhist theses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A second meaning of your question asks how these results fit to Buddhist theses, which have been formulated independently. In my opinion, the Buddhist core thesis hits the point: Consciousness should not be considered a permanent substance but a property of impermanent brain processes. Up to the best of my knowledge, this point of view has not been emphasized in Western philosophy earlier than David Hume in the 18. century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest Buddhist teachings consider consciousness (vijnana) under the heading of the fifth aggregate as the mental capability to make analysis, judgement and cognition in general. That seems to me a correct, but not comprehensive description of consciousness. It remains on the level of folk psychology. Notably, I do not see that it contributes much to solve the question: How to explain the phenomenon of consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T15:19:03.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7381" CreationDate="2015-01-25T16:22:43.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dharmakaya is not impermanent&lt;/strong&gt;. Where did you get such an idea?&#xA;Buddha nature/dharmakaya is not impermanent. Dharmakaya = the idea of Self, Buddhanature, Allah, Brahmin, Substrate... it's the thing that is beyond existence and nonexistence... it's beyond separation and non-separation. It's the thing that stands beyond time and exists without existing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Past&quot; is a way of categorizing time.&#xA;It is just as much a figment of imagination as &quot;present&quot; and &quot;future&quot;.&#xA;The only thing that exists is the &quot;now&quot; but even that is speaking relative to a &quot;past&quot; and &quot;future&quot; which do not truly exist except in your imagination.&#xA;Nonetheless, the imagination is an important tool for discussion, desire, economics, etc. It is the foundation of our worldy and supernatural discoveries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, to give you a clear answer to your unclear question, the past does not have buddha nature since it is completely imaginary, dharmakaya is permanent (it is all-that-is), and your logic does not follow about enlightened people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, it is true, much is left behind through the bodhisattva path including &lt;strong&gt;the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; which bespeaks of the fear you have of &quot;nothing being left&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T16:22:43.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7382" CreationDate="2015-01-25T16:59:25.740" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zombies?? They are one kind of lives In our religion, we call them ghosts. We frighten them but they don't want us to frighten. They want us to donate something for them. Because their positions are lower than us. In our religion, the last time in our lives is very important for us because when we feel the evil things we know it that we are going to reach the evil where such as hell, lives of the animals. So that is the important time for us. Moreover we can also reach the zombies lives. When we have any donations, we can't change the other lives. So we can also call them interval lives between changing from one to another due to the last time. Therefore I want to tell you the zombies also exit. That is my thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3605" LastEditorUserId="3605" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T17:40:44.060" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T17:40:44.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7386" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T17:52:33.493" Score="4" ViewCount="1607" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that some observations in modern Physics effectively confirm some of the things the Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is that true?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If so, could someone provide some examples?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3605" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T18:15:21.020" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T13:21:07.047" Title="Is it true that Physics confirms some of the Buddha's teachings?" Tags="|philosophy|science|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-01-25T18:11:31.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before we come here, it is not easy  to see that a) &#xA;to get to b) means... I will suffer this and that. Before we come, all we &#xA;know is we wish to get from a) to b). For beings who are willing to see&#xA; past the illusion, it works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T18:16:02.870" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T18:16:02.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7388" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T18:19:29.420" Score="3" ViewCount="364" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would using YouTube or other social media, where one is exposed to music or forced advertising/entertainment, be breaking the rules for monks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;the watching of entertainments are stumbling blocks&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes watching any of YouTube (Number 7 of the eight precepts) an area of &#xA;concern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:29:06.903" LastActivityDate="2019-07-16T17:05:35.180" Title="Does using or watching YouTube break a bhikkhu's rules?" Tags="|modern-world|vinaya|monastery|eight-precepts|media|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7382" CreationDate="2015-01-25T18:38:38.940" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes..&#xA;Even &lt;a href=&quot;http://theendlessfurther.com/even-plants-and-trees-have-buddha-nature/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;plants have been argued to have Buddha nature&lt;/a&gt;... after all Buddha nature is all-encompassing, the root of existence and non-existence..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My perspective:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nothing has Buddha-nature! Nothing but &amp;quot;Buddha-nature&amp;quot; exists.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha nature &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; the Universe. The world, items and conscious beings are just constantly changing interdependent items bobbing around within it...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvas thus identify themselves as the whole universe and not just as a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T18:50:31.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-01-25T18:42:38.607" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is dangerous ground, and liable to a lot of fluffy thinking, especially when referring to the area I like to call &quot;Quackum Mechanics&quot;. But fluff aside, &lt;strong&gt;I think the notion is indeed true.&lt;/strong&gt; And it's not a surprise since both Buddhism and Physics are trying to understand the nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One example&lt;/strong&gt; is in fact that very-prone-to-new-age-woo area of Quantum Mechanics. Staying clear of the woo, and although there's still a lot of debate over how to interpret the results, I don't think there's much if any debate over the idea that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever reality is, it's not what it looks like&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now until QM came along, that idea -- that the underlying cause of our experience cannot be said to be the same as the experiences it causes -- was respectable among philosophers and philosophically minded scientists which, back in the day was almost all scientists. After all, &quot;Physics&quot; was often called, until only very recently, &quot;Natural Philosophy&quot;. But it wasn't at that point a &quot;scientific&quot; idea. It was metaphysics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, with the advent of QM, the double-slit experiment, entanglement, and so on, we now have &lt;em&gt;scientific&lt;/em&gt; reasons to believe that idea, as well as philosophical/metaphysical ones. We now know, for example, that whatever an electron &quot;is&quot;, it's not simply a wee ball whirling around a blob of slightly larger balls. Now &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; interpretations of QM would go even further and say that whatever an electron is, it's some function of a consciousness interacting with something else. In other words, that interpretation says that &quot;reality&quot; is not properly described as subject/object -- that is, reality is &quot;non-dual&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd consider all of that to be a confirmation of one aspect of the kind of metaphysics proposed by the Buddha. He claims to have experienced some aspect of these things -- the illusory nature of our experiences, and the non-duality -- that only now, 2,500 years later, our Western science is beginning to pick up on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, again, caution is needed. I don't for a minute think that the Buddha knew about the double-slit result, or could work with Schrödinger's equation and so on. In understanding his position in this I'd use the analogy of selective breeding versus genetic engineering. The Buddha is like the expert cattleman who over years of selective breeding transforms wild animals into domesticated cows. But he may not know the full details of how he does what he does. Then, in that same analogy, the Physicist is like the modern gene expert who now understands in scientific detail what the cattleman had figured out in general by practical trial and error. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T18:42:38.607" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7358" CreationDate="2015-01-25T18:47:43.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Turn everything off that does not need to be on.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay in the here and now. No past and no future. &#xA;Your breath can be your guide as you do ONE task at a time.&#xA;Focus on your breath as you do your activity and only think&#xA;of the feeling of now. No past and no future. If you wonder off&#xA;always bring it back to your breath. Make time for breaks when&#xA;you become tired. Maybe open the window and drink some green tea.&#xA;Then get back to your study and do the same thing as before.&#xA;Be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T18:47:43.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7393" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7402" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:13:50.693" Score="2" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can the dhatu elements (earth, water, wind and fire) be considered as permanent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T20:41:30.820" Title="Can the dhatu elements be considered as permanent?" Tags="|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:16:45.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My meditation practice has always been simple&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will only speak about what has worked for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Never, have I had a set rule for meditation, but I have been consistent if I look back over my life. Hours of sitting  meditation does not work for me. I need to be around nature with a connection and a flow of light energy. Walking meditation is my way into the stream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been doing walking meditation for about 20 years.  Actually, I never set out to &#xA;do this. (I didn't know about Buddhism)  With my circumstances and this kind of walking with nature, I have achieved so much for my personal progress. My walks rage from 30 mins -&#xA;2 hours. If I had been told  or forced to do this for 20 years, I would never have started! -  Buddhism found me years later and it all clicked into place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:16:45.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7388" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:23:09.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen many references to this such as&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanavara/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanavara/uposatha.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The seventh precept speaks of refraining from dancing, singing and the&#xA;  playing of musical instruments. Is it not proper for one to ask&#xA;  another to perform so that one may watch? It is not proper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that in a strict order of Buddhism, this precept may have its place as a form of discipline. In other areas I have studied, this would be considered the letter of the law. It makes sense if you want to keep the passions cool, do not raise them with music and drumming and dancing with members of the opposite gender. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in the spirit of the law, Zen Shakuhachi flute music can be part of a practice in meditation as is archery, sword, and flower arranging. Listening to or playing this music for purpose of going deeper into meditation seems perfectly sensible under the spirit of the law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you meet a restriction on personal liberty, it can be instructive to examine the intent of the rule and also examine the intent of the practitioner of not following it strictly. In a monastery, breaking the rules can be an exit sign. In life, the rules are guidelines for novices. Those who have broken the wild stallion can refine the art of riding far beyond the initial guidelines for taming the wild thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go to youtube to hear music that is not filled with words, and does not stir up the passions, in other words pure music, then that can be an aid in meditation practice just as sitting, walking and lying down meditation all have their place. Intention is the key to understanding ourselves and the path we walk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:23:09.103" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7396" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:31:26.113" Score="3" ViewCount="1221" Body="&lt;p&gt;I watched a documentary of his life and he was using the remote to change the channels on his TV. Does this not break any of the rules? (227 bhikkhu precepts) Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:28:44.683" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T18:28:44.683" Title="How is His Holiness the Dalai Lama able to watch TV?" Tags="|modern-world|tibetan-buddhism|precept|dalai-lama|media|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7393" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:35:50.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I can see any thing is impermanent. What is impermanent defies description or conceptualization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is more info on the subject.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp2_f4.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp2_f4.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All things arise due to causes and conditions. As causes and&#xA;  conditions are impermanent and will cease one day, all things will&#xA;  also cease correspondingly. When there is rising, there will be&#xA;  falling; when there is existence, there will be extinction. The rising&#xA;  and existence of things has its natural tendency towards cessation and&#xA;  extinction. It is like a wave; it comes and goes. Thus, when one sees&#xA;  the truth of &quot;what this is, that is; this arising, that arises&quot;, one&#xA;  should also see the truth of &quot;when this is not, that is not; this&#xA;  ceasing, that ceases&quot;. The Law of Dependent Origination pointed out&#xA;  the possibility of ending worldly suffering. It shows the way of&#xA;  liberation that corresponds to the Law of Cause and Effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one is born, one will die.  One who admires high status will&#xA;  fall one day.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the natural Law of Cause and Effect. It is also an inner&#xA;  implication of the Law of Dependent Origination. It can be called the&#xA;  Cessation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as one starts discussing permanence, it is already in the field of impermanence. Intellectual understanding may suggest a path. The practice of the path can lead to the unknowable. No one who has been here has ever said anything that could describe it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:35:50.457" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7398" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7409" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:41:47.163" Score="4" ViewCount="370" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dear Venerable and friends,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of anapanasati, some of us like to meditate on a subject; like contemplation.  For instance; inevitability of death &amp;amp; uncertainty of the time of death and being a mortal... or contemplation on 5 body parts (asubha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question: When sitting shall we use a short sentence? Like: Death is inevitable. I am a mortal being. Like me all beings in samsara will face death when the time comes. Hence, we must transform our minds in accordance with the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any short comprising of 2 words/phrase that can be recited while inhaling &amp;amp; exhaling like mantra chanting (Bud- dho) in order to strengthen our contemplation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to establish a solid foundation and make progress while doing discursive meditation? &#xA;Thank you all, best wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2140" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:29:34.607" LastActivityDate="2018-04-08T20:58:23.353" Title="discursive meditation" Tags="|theravada|meditation-insight|samatha|samadhi|mantra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7396" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:47:06.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In an interview the Dalai Lama says he watched shows like Discovery. He says he does not watch entertainment shows and does not listen to music. He apparently uses television like an educational book.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/25/pmt.01.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/25/pmt.01.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;CTRL F type in television in the search box and you will see the interview excerpts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His Holiness the Dalai Lama does not put conditions on anyone of any religious orientation or intellectual direction. He accepts all as they are. He eats meat every other day due to a medical condition. He tries to be the leader of a country and a spiritual branch of Buddhism and stay relevant to the latest technologies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your branch of Buddhism restricts media access, and that is acceptable to you, then follow the path you are on. We are all headed to the same destination, if there is a destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the question.apparently &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:47:06.187" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:50:47.940" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I believe there are probably a few ways to enter the stream.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have entered the stream (as a lay person) &#xA;Having no parents has really helped me to connect more deeply with the &#xA;true nature of the way things are. I have had little conditioning, no&#xA;preconceptions. As an autodidact, things have been revealed to me &#xA;intuitively over many years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the last 20 years I have been going on walks (walking meditation)&#xA;in the local forests asking questions. Nature has been my mother &#xA;and father, my teacher. My eye has always been open on these walks.&#xA;I realized that whatever arises would cease and it was heartwarming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, being a stream winner is like this: When you have to overcome &#xA;extreme trauma and appalling loss and you don't become cruel and &#xA;you can forgive and you can &lt;strong&gt;let it go&lt;/strong&gt;, you stop the cycle. &#xA;You have done what you came here for and you transform. &#xA;That and  maybe 20 years of walking in woods...lol. I doubt I could&#xA;do another 20! Be Well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastEditorUserId="3613" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T19:57:21.937" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:57:21.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7382" CreationDate="2015-01-25T19:58:55.253" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never seen a zombie. Is this an invention of human fear? If I told you that I have dreams about flying cows, would flying cows have a Buddha nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What keeps us from seeing Buddha nature is the concept of self that we entertain in our hearts and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the cup is empty, it can be filled. If the cup is full of muddy water, you can put nothing in it till you empty out the muddy water and wash the glass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A koan in Zen is &quot;Does a dog have Buddha nature?&quot; Some masters say yes and some say no. It is unanswerable unless one uses it as a koan. More on this here.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_(negative)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_(negative)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T19:58:55.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7393" CreationDate="2015-01-25T20:29:10.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No I don't think they ought to be considered as permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern physics and chemistry use the word 'element' to refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_element&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the various types of 'atom'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/dhatu/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'dhatu' is translated as 'element'&lt;/a&gt; in a different way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever is characterized:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;by hardness (thaddha-lakkkhana) is the earth or solid-element;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;by cohesion (ābandhana) or fluidity, the water-element;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;by heating (paripācana), the fire or heat-element;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;by strengthening or supporting (vitthambhana), the wind or motion-element.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All four are present in every material object, though in varying&#xA;  degrees of strength. If, for instance, the earth element predominates,&#xA;  the material object is called 'solid', etc. - For the analysis of the&#xA;  4 elements, s. dhātu-vavatthāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any compound object (for example, a tree) might have some of these characteristics: but the object (e.g. the tree) is impermanent, and (therefore) the characteristics of the object are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-01-25T20:41:30.820" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T20:41:30.820" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7404" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-25T21:23:07.710" Score="2" ViewCount="208" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thought bhikkhus were to not to be involved with entertainment. Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3613" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T18:28:11.220" LastActivityDate="2022-04-17T00:16:09.103" Title="How are bhikkhus using social networking sites?" Tags="|modern-world|teaching|media|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7404" CreationDate="2015-01-25T21:47:27.903" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think their &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; is to entertain but to to &lt;strong&gt;teach&lt;/strong&gt;.Social Networking Sites can be used as a form for communication.Especially in this day and age.It's likened to them writing a letter or giving a dhamma talk.Since i don't attend any Buddhist monastery or retreats or groups,I have benefited from monks teaching the Dharma on Youtube or contacting a monastic via facebook when i had any questions etc.It is also a way for the monastic to keep in touch with the lay people.So intention plays a big role in why monastics use social networking sites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T21:47:27.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7388" CreationDate="2015-01-25T23:55:24.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No not necessarily because Youtube is not synonymous with entertainment although the masses do use it for this aim.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;In fact, Youtube is one of the best learning programs in existence&lt;/strong&gt;. With all the video tutorials and such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, use an adblocker. It DOES go against mental self-cultivation to be exposed to all the inappropriate content on the internet including blatant advertisements and sex appeal. It will unsettle you and break your vows to be exposed to all sorts commentary and &quot;sexual education&quot; material as well.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Focus on Buddhadharma videos and videos relelvant to your particular trade&lt;/strong&gt; (e.g. business, cooking, product development, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing, customize your feeds. If you do not customize your feeds you will not get the particular educational programs that you are looking for (if you're a java programmer, java feeds will show up, thus improving Right Livelihood).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-25T23:55:24.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2015-01-25T23:56:56.930" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One hour in morning and half hour in afternoon and one and half hour in night would be enough at begining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3615" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-26T07:45:39.233" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T07:45:39.233" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7398" CreationDate="2015-01-26T02:43:53.927" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question: When sitting shall we use a short sentence? Like: Death is inevitable. I am a mortal being. Like me all beings in samsara will face death when the time comes. Hence, we must transform our minds in accordance with the Dhamma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.Short sentences like this helps the mind to focus on a theme/truth.It helps the mind penetrate its meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any short comprising of 2 words/phrase that can be recited while inhaling &amp;amp; exhaling like mantra chanting (Bud- dho) in order to strengthen our contemplation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now unless your contemplating on the breath,this is where it gets complicated.You are trying to understand a certain &lt;em&gt;truth&lt;/em&gt;.For example,&lt;em&gt;&quot;Death is inevitable&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.But a 2 syllable word.One for the inbreath and the other for the outbreath.May &lt;em&gt;narrow&lt;/em&gt; your concentration to a point where it hinders your ability to &lt;em&gt;investigate/contemplate&lt;/em&gt; (especially if your object of meditation is not the breath).Investigation is whats needed in Discursive Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mantra chanting is good to do before you start your discursive meditation or investigation as a means of &lt;em&gt;stabilizing or anchoring the mind&lt;/em&gt;.But i don't see it as a way to strengthen contemplation.In fact i think it hinders it.By &lt;em&gt;splitting&lt;/em&gt; the object of meditation in three.1.The Breath.2.The Mantra.3.The Meaning of the Mantra (Death is inevitable).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T02:43:53.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2015-01-26T03:45:01.287" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sincerity matters more than time. One minute of sincere meditation is better than one hour of wishing it to get over. As someone else observed, build up to longer sits. Thich Nhat Hanh suggests a minute of mindfulness every time the phone rings or a new email comes in. It grows the habit of retreating from present circumstances into inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T03:45:01.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7388" CreationDate="2015-01-26T03:57:53.633" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my personal experience that frequent games, movies, TV, YouTube, smart phone use and browsing definitely reduce one's mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a  fundamental question about all entertainment - why must entertainment be eschewed? The nature of boredom is that it arises out of a mind that isn't at ease with itself. The nature of thought at the moment a bored mind arises is to gravitate towards the outside world - towards sense pleasures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Distracted thought gets reinforced with every application of distraction, so much so, we live in a world where hardly anyone reads long pieces of text voluntarily and people find even Twitter too difficult to concentrate on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of boredom is that it gets excited by violence rather than peace. It reinforces duality, of the entertainer and the entertained. It is thus a quality of mind to be safe guarded against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;YouTube itself is just a tool, it is neither good nor bad, it is the nature of the mind that watches YouTube that is the determining factor. There are a good many dhamma talks on YouTube for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-01-28T14:16:28.403" LastActivityDate="2015-01-28T14:16:28.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7412" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-26T15:21:27.560" Score="4" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should monks be envolved with Politics or Governments? I think the answer is a clear NO, but I have seen things like that so I would like to doublecheck and ask where is this &quot;rule&quot;? Vinaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-26T18:26:30.037" LastActivityDate="2020-08-08T20:32:19.887" Title="Monks and politics" Tags="|reference-request|monk|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7388" CreationDate="2015-01-26T15:28:07.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Youtube is just a tool... one doesn't watch youtube, one watches a movie, a vídeoclip or a Dhamma talk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think in youtube as a simple channel of communication, if you use it right, watching, let's say, Dhamma talks or guided meditation, how can that be bad or breaking a precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T15:28:07.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7414" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7419" CreationDate="2015-01-26T16:06:28.373" Score="6" ViewCount="1116" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stabilizing the counterpart sign (nimitta) isn't easy. Is there a 'technique' that leads to stabilize it? I.c. is there a 'technique' to develop/cultivate intensively the absorption factors (jhanangas)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With 'stabilizing' I mean: making the nimitta sharp, focused, completely free from tension (of the panca nivarana), so that absorption (1st jhana) can be attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2024-03-20T04:10:44.640" LastActivityDate="2024-03-20T04:10:44.640" Title="Stabilizing the counterpart sign" Tags="|jhana|meditation-samatha|nimitta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7412" CreationDate="2015-01-26T16:35:54.100" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html#speech&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN2&lt;/a&gt;, the Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life, the Buddha speaks of virtues in three sections of his discourse; The Lesser Section on Virtue, the Intermediate Section on Virtue, and The Great Section on Virtue. Part of the Intermediate Section on Virtue reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these — talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past and future], the creation of the world and of the sea, and talk of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If even speaking of kings, ministers of state, armies, and battles is considered lowly, then it seems implicit that to be involved in politics and governments would also be lowly and not virtuous for one &quot;living off food given in faith&quot; i.e. an almsman or monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T16:35:54.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7416" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-26T21:00:29.997" Score="2" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try to describe this, but I'm honestly not sure how to. I have this vibration feeling just under my skin what seems like all the time. It's like a feeling of energy but it feels like it's vibrating. Oddly, if I get awoken abruptly, I actually feel the energy go CRAZY to the point my whole body shakes. Sorry in advance if this sounds crazy, as I really don't know the best way to describe it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3616" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-26T21:51:51.503" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T16:18:37.957" Title="Any ideas about the energy feel I constantly have?" Tags="|personal-practice|beginner|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2015-02-01T16:06:59.560" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7417" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7464" CreationDate="2015-01-26T21:11:04.760" Score="4" ViewCount="196" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it correct that &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; the 4 lower jhanas (rupa jhanas) are useful for cultivating insight (panna) because the meditator's mind is too absorbed when he enters successively the immaterial jhanas (arupa jhanas)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:43:23.697" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:43:23.697" Title="Immaterial Absorptions and cultivating wisdom" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7417" CreationDate="2015-01-26T22:37:45.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn70&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 70&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha taught a seven-fold classification of practitioners. Depending on the various dominant faculties, the immaterial attainments are must-have to some class of disciples (ie. the &quot;Liberated both ways&quot;, the &quot;Body witness&quot;, etc.).. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T22:37:45.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7414" CreationDate="2015-01-26T22:49:48.523" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The prepatory steps (precepts, location, time, etc.) are just as important as the actual practice. Ven.Buddhadasa's detailed &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;anapanasati's instruction&lt;/a&gt; might be useful..   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-01-26T22:49:48.523" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7404" CreationDate="2015-01-27T01:30:54.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Youtube/Facebook etc. are just tools... one doesn't watch &quot;youtube&quot;, one watches a movie, a vídeoclip or a Dhamma talk for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think in youtube as a simple channel of communication, if you use it right, watching, let's say, Dhamma talks or guided meditation, how can that be bad or breaking a precept? Same thing goes for facebook or blogs...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T01:30:54.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7422" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-27T03:11:22.677" Score="2" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was raised in a secular family, went to CofE church a little as a young child, but only to support my mum. Actually I'm way more drawn to Nietzsche now than Christianity, though I cannot see any answers in his work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I visited Thailand as a teenager, took a few meditation classes, and would say I had a sort of conversion experience upon reading more about Buddhism, in general. But don't feel like there's any reason to keep my faith; it hasn't I think helped my mental health or my life, only got me to where I am today. Almost spiritually exhausted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In effect, I feel like I have nothing to look forward to and nothing to look back at. I am scared of dying, but not to the extent that I would assume a religion to cheer myself up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a long time I believed that I won't be annihilated when I die, but the more I think about it, and I have done so a lot, the more it seems that this is an irrelevance, something that tells me about my life now not the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, I can sometimes feel good in the present moment, and wondered whether shikantaza might help me feel better about that. I can't find an exact phrase to describe that, but maybe Soto zen might help me to be how I am or want to be, in life and death, even though I am so tired with everything but this fluctuating enjoyment of now. Which incidentally, does not seem very Nietzschean: I don't place much value on happiness as a way of life hedonism etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have visited a local Soto group, without meeting a teacher there, and enjoyed doing so. The people seemed cool etc., too. But I wanted to ask if Soto meditation has the answers to the rest of my post, or what the answers were. Even what I am asking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for any encouragement or for any insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-27T22:15:16.393" LastActivityDate="2015-01-28T15:16:10.740" Title="Losing my religion, and shikantaza" Tags="|personal-practice|zen|shikantaza|faith|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7423" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7430" CreationDate="2015-01-27T08:13:41.300" Score="5" ViewCount="1019" Body="&lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha mean when he spoke about &lt;em&gt;samma samadhi&lt;/em&gt;?&#xA;Did he mean access concentration &lt;em&gt;(upacara samadhi)&lt;/em&gt; or full absorption &lt;em&gt;(appana samadhi)&lt;/em&gt; or momentary concentration &lt;em&gt;(khanika samadhi)&lt;/em&gt;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="6911" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T10:34:02.960" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T10:34:02.960" Title="What did the Buddha mean when he spoke about samma samadhi?" Tags="|vipassana|jhana|meditation-concentration|samadhi|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7396" CreationDate="2015-01-27T08:33:34.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen accomplished zen masters apparently check their phone. It didn't really freak me out, at all. Honestly I think there are better things to worry about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not even because they are accomplished enough to break the precepts with skilful means, or because the precepts are surely meant as practical guidelines not categorical prescriptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But because checking your phone or watching the discovery channel isn't the sort of thing that they were created to guard against. It may sound absurd trying to guess the intentions of the Buddha in creating the vinaya, but it was for the good of the sangha and neither arbitrary nor IMO a divine law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think that the HH the Dalai Lama is accruing bad karma by having a television, then I think you misunderstand his job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T08:33:34.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7422" CreationDate="2015-01-27T09:17:34.453" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with you concerning Nietzsche: there should not be the answers in his works, because his life, especially its end, :-) witnesses that he was faced in front of good problems, but he found no good solutions  (conversely to Buddha :-) ) It seems for me that practices usually give some experience and a spiritual ground for your life. So this is not a question of belief, this is a question of experience. So I allow myself to recommend you to look at two books: “&lt;a href=&quot;http://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/SekidaTraining.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen training&lt;/a&gt;” by Katsuki Sekida and “&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt;” by Walpola Rahula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3589" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T09:17:34.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7426" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-27T09:21:58.307" Score="16" ViewCount="1738" Body="&lt;p&gt;By far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy, which almost all Hindus nowadays belong to, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta&quot;&gt;Vedanta&lt;/a&gt; school, which is based on an ancient Hindu work called the Brahma Sutras or Vedanta Sutras.  The Brahma Sutras consist of a series of aphorisms which summarize and systematize the philosophical teachings of a set of Hindu scriptures called the Upanishads.  They also spend some time defending the philosophy of the Upanishads against rival schools of Indian philosophy.  In particular, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.advaita.it/library/brahmasutras2.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is what they say concerning Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Topic-4: Refutation of Buddhist Realists    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;18&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Even if the integration be supposed to arise from either of the causes, that will not be achieved.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If it be argued that a combination becomes possible since (nescience and the rest) can be the causes of one another (in a&#xA;  successive series), then we say, no, (for nescience etc.,) can each&#xA;  merely be the cause of origin of another just succeeding.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And because the earlier is negated when the later emerges, (therefore nescience and the rest cannot each be the cause of the next&#xA;  in the series).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(If it be contended that the effect arises) even when there is no cause, then your assertion (of causation) will be stultified; else (if&#xA;  you contend that the entity of the earlier moment continues till the&#xA;  entity of the later moment emerges), the cause and effect will exist&#xA;  simultaneously.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Neither pratisamkhya-nirodha (artificial annihilation) nor an apratisamkhya-nirodha (natural annihilation) is possible, for there&#xA;  can be no cessation (either of the current or of the individuals&#xA;  forming the current).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And (the Buddhist view is untenable) owing to defect arising from either point of view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And (non-existence cannot be asserted) in the case of Akasa on account of the absence of (its) dissimilarity (with destruction).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And (a permanent soul has to be admitted) because of the fact of remembrance (ie., memory).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Something does not come out of nothing, for this does not accord with experience.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And (if something can come out of nothing, then) on the same ground, success should come even to the indifferent people.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Topic-5: Buddhist Idealism Refuted&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;28&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(External objects are) not non-existent, for they are perceived.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And because of the difference of nature (the waking state is) not (false) like dream etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(Tendencies) can have no existence since (according to you) external things are not perceived.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And (the ego-consciousness cannot be the abode), for it is momentary.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Besides (this view stands condemned), it being untenable from every point of view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, have any Buddhist thinkers responded to this critique of Buddhism? Note that I don't want answerers to try responding to the critique themselves (which might lead to too much speculation and arguments).  I'm just interested in whether any published works have responded to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, the aphorisms of the Brahma Sutras are somewhat cryptic, so their meaning and justification are usually understood with the help of commentaries, like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe34/index.htm&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe48/index.htm&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any help would be greatly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank You in Advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=ARxOBD6m8EIC&amp;amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is a book about the Brahma Sutras' critique of the Vedanta school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="19" LastEditorUserId="19" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T03:15:05.667" LastActivityDate="2024-04-01T12:48:04.507" Title="Have any Buddhist thinkers responded to the critique of the Brahma Sutras?" Tags="|anatman|hinduism|reality|causes|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7423" CreationDate="2015-01-27T10:26:35.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Different linages may interpret this differently. This is Samadhi developed with awareness of the reality of the present moment rather than a perceptional or external element. E.g. the breath, sensation can be considered Samma Samadhi where as Samadhi based perception, greed or hatred is not Samma. The Samadhi developed outside Vippassana generally is not Samma, but can later be covered to Samma by turning to Vippassana (realising the 3 Characteristics and arising and passing away.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-01-27T18:07:14.120" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T18:07:14.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-27T11:00:44.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm hoping you know of the Microsoft HoloLens. Imagine that type of technology was implanted on a contact lense, and then glued to your eye at birth. What you see and know about this world from birth to today could be an illusion. Tibet Buddhist' would argue life itself is an illusion. But I would argue whoever comes to that conclusion claiming they themself are the illusion in the illusion, is correct, yet not correct. Because once realizing that you are real in a different perspective. You become real the world of illusion, and a new world opens up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The revolution won't be televised. Break your tv. And start a revolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3614" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-27T22:12:30.573" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T22:12:30.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7416" CreationDate="2015-01-27T16:18:37.957" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbo pajjalito loko, sabbo loko pakampito.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire universe is nothing but combustion and vibration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditating and you mind gets sensitive you will start feeling the vibration in your body. Also when meditating when old formation dissolve this creates different experiences including vibrations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T16:18:37.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7423" CreationDate="2015-01-27T18:14:48.697" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Suttas usually define Samma-Samadhi as the four jhanas, but in some Suttas it gives a different explanation. For example, in the Mahacattarisa Sutta the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;Now what, monks, is noble right concentration&#xA;  with its supports &amp;amp; requisite conditions? Any singleness of mind&#xA;  equipped with these seven factors — right view, right resolve, right&#xA;  speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, &amp;amp; right&#xA;  mindfulness — is called noble right concentration with its supports &amp;amp;&#xA;  requisite conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the interpretation of the commentaries, any of the three levels of concentration can be sufficient, but in the case of momentary concentration, it would at least need to have the intensity of access concentration although it wouldn't have the duration of access concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T18:14:48.697" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7426" CreationDate="2015-01-27T18:26:06.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among various Indian Buddhist figures within the Madhyamaka tradition, most of them made general criticisms against the ideas of other religions, including vedanta, and I think that many of the criticisms of the Brahma Sutras are touched on in Buddhist literature (the Milindapanha comes to mind for example) but I don't think that any of these texts specifically address the Brahma Sutras as opposed to just addressing criticism in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-27T18:26:06.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7422" CreationDate="2015-01-28T13:16:50.183" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shikantaza means &quot;just sitting&quot; or &quot;single-minded sitting&quot;. It is a state of being where you are present here and now, no matter on what you experience, in body or mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About losing your religion: the Buddha said that there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;, one of them is impermanence of all compound things (anicca). In other words, anything that once begins to exist, one day ends (changes to other thing or ceases to exist). So your opinion about what is your religion, or even yourself and what you consider your religion, will certainly change and/or cease to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About your annihilation when you die: one of main questions that buddhism bring to us is this: &quot;What is this I?&quot;? Because most of times we get identified with things that we bring with us, like the body that we carry or the thoughts and emotions that we have. We think that these things are &quot;me&quot;, however, these also are compound things that began one day and that will cease to exist certainly. If you strip yourself of all impermanent things in yourself, what remains? Is there something that remains? So what is this that you call &quot;I&quot;? Before answering to where will you go when you die, you must answer what is this that you call &quot;I&quot; and answer what in this &quot;I&quot; dies with the death of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen buddhism have quite diverse opinions about where are one going when s/he dies. Each master say one thing, but for certainly, the most important thing (and that's what shikantaza and enlightenment is all about) is to be totally in the present moment. This does not means that it's wrong to make plans for the future: on the contrary, it means that even making plans, you are totally conscious that you are in the present moment, and any plan may not happen, and even knowing that you are fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering (dukkha) for buddhism is also inherent in all compound things, because when they cease to exist, if one haves desire or attachment for it, s/he will suffer. Buddhism says that there is a root, a cause for desire or attachment to exist, that is a kind of ignorance, a delusion, that prevent one of experiencing the reality as it really is. And that's what about shikantaza: experiencing the reality as it is, completely, here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3623" LastEditorUserId="3623" LastEditDate="2015-01-28T15:16:10.740" LastActivityDate="2015-01-28T15:16:10.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7426" CreationDate="2015-01-28T17:21:42.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not found a single source that addresses the Brahma Sutras directly, but as Bakmoon says, it is possible to find references in texts regarding some of these points. It might be better to add each point or a few relevant points into one question each, with commentaries, in order to obtain good answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Points 18 - 21's discussion of cause and effect, seem to be related to and may be answered by SN 12.17 Acela Sutta:&#xA;(This comes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html#theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; but the full text can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, when the Buddha was asked by the naked ascetic Kassapa whether&#xA;  suffering was of one's own making or of another's or both or neither,&#xA;  the Buddha replied &quot;Do not put it like that.&quot; When asked whether there&#xA;  was no suffering or whether the Buddha neither knew nor saw it, the&#xA;  Buddha replied that there was, and that he both knew and saw it. He&#xA;  then said &quot;Kassapa, if one asserts that 'He who makes (it) feels (it):&#xA;  being one existent from the beginning, his suffering is of his own&#xA;  making,' then one arrives at eternalism. But if one asserts that one&#xA;  makes (it), another feels (it); being one existent crushed out by&#xA;  feeling, his suffering is of another's making,' then one arrives at&#xA;  annihilationism. Instead of resorting to either extreme a Tathaagata&#xA;  teaches the Dhamma by the middle way (by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;)&quot; (S.&#xA;  XII, 17/vol. ii, 20).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Point 25 relates to rebirth as proof that a permanent soul exists in order to transmigrate, then there is an answer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; (Milindapanha 3.5.5):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn?&quot; &quot;Yes, your majesty, one does&#xA;  not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it&#xA;  that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is&#xA;  it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the&#xA;  other lamp?&quot; &quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your&#xA;  majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;Give me&#xA;  another analogy.&quot; &quot;Do you remember, your majesty, when you were a boy&#xA;  learning some verse from a teacher?&quot; &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Your&#xA;  majesty, did this verse transmigrate from the teacher?&quot; &quot;Certainly&#xA;  not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a discussion on the above in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7539/471&quot;&gt;another answer&lt;/a&gt;. That compares the discovery of quantum entanglement in physics, with the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if Point 25 relates to memory in our present lifetime as suggested by this Brahma Sutras' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_2/bs_2-2-04.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;commentary&lt;/a&gt;, then I would say that when a person experiences brain damage, he could lose his memories (from a modern day scientific perspective). So, if having memories is proof of having a permanent soul that links them together, then is losing one's memories proof of losing one's soul? This can be linked to the following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html#theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The characteristic is stated more succinctly in this way: &quot;The eye&#xA;  (ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and six external bases) is&#xA;  impermanent; what is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is&#xA;  not self&quot; (S. XXXV, 1/vol. iv, 1); or &quot;All is not-self. And what is&#xA;  the all that is not self? The eye is not self...&quot; (S. XXXV, 45/vol.&#xA;  iv, 28); or again &quot;All things (dhamma) are not-self&quot; (e.g. Dh. XX,&#xA;  7/v. 279). The canonical commentary, the Pa.tisambhidaamagga, adds&#xA;  &quot;Materiality (etc.) is not-self in the sense that it has no core&#xA;  (saara)&quot; (Ps. ~Naanakathaa/vol. i, 37).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T04:29:55.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7435" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7436" CreationDate="2015-01-28T21:57:27.750" Score="1" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry for the noobie lay questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha say that we can enjoy something for two different mutually exclusive reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. enjoying reading a book because it is innately pleasurable and because it is an extrinsic good in teaching me something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that there is no way to do so, that we cannot resolve opposites into one reason or meaning for being. That whatever you think of dialectics, nothing can be synthesized with an absolute opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think then that any reason or meaning is had to the exclusion of something else, and there is a fundamental deficiency in thought, such that any meaning is absolute i.e. a lie, or contradicted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-01-28T22:07:34.097" LastActivityDate="2015-01-28T23:31:54.987" Title="The middle is way between extremes" Tags="|lay-buddhism|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7435" CreationDate="2015-01-28T23:31:54.987" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might be asking several questions, but let me try to just answer the first one, where you ask,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does the Buddha say that &lt;strong&gt;we can enjoy something&lt;/strong&gt; for two different mutually exclusive reasons?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the contrary, at least initially, the first of the &quot;four noble truths&quot; is that everything is &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. stressful, unsatisfactory, cause of anxiety, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1524/254&quot;&gt;What are the twelve aspects of the Four Noble Truths?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does the Buddha say that we can enjoy something for &lt;strong&gt;two different mutually exclusive reasons&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're asking, &quot;What does the 'middle way' mean in Buddhism?&quot;, there's a Wikipedia article about that: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Middle Way&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, I think that the 'Middle Way' doesn't mean &quot;&lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; of the two different mutually exclusive &lt;strong&gt;reasons&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; ... instead it usually means &quot;&lt;strong&gt;neither&lt;/strong&gt; of the two different mutually exclusive &lt;strong&gt;extremes&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should we pursue sensory pleasure (hedonism), or, should we mortify the body with asceticism? The Buddha's &quot;middle way&quot; answer to that question was, &quot;&lt;em&gt;neither&lt;/em&gt; of those two extremes&quot; (e.g. eat to live, but not live to eat).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should we believe in eternal life of the self/soul after death, or, should we believe that death is annihilation? The answer is &quot;neither&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should we believe that everything exists, or, that nothing exists? No...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that asking, &quot;Is it this extreme, or is it that extreme?&quot; implies that it's one extreme or the other: which reminds me of what's called a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;false dilemma&lt;/a&gt;, also known as a &quot;fallacy of the excluded middle&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-01-28T23:31:54.987" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7437" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-28T23:57:09.203" Score="-3" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following on from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7435/the-middle-is-way-between-extremes&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7422/losing-my-religion-and-shikantaza&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; thread, I'm going to expound my understanding / of the relevance of the Buddhadharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid the extremes of thought, right up to any kind of differentiating consciousness if you can, is to live meaningfully. Because the mind cannot find meaning in fragments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness has two aspects. The first is known as discriminating&#xA;  consciousness. This is taken to be the activities of cognition, of&#xA;  apprehension, and of discrimination (commonly, what we take to be&#xA;  memory, judgment, and reasoning.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to life valuably we do so without affirming either. Because there is no reality to the negative value of either extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The object of inference is not ultimately real, it is a conceptual&#xA;  construction. And part of what the mind puts into it when the mind&#xA;  constructs the object of inference&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so to live the middle way without affirming either extreme, is an active / creative life. Because our world really does consist of both these facts, of no self and impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my actual question is just: does this put me in any particular group of Buddhist thinkers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:34:22.883" Title="Negation and the middle way" Tags="|middle-way|negation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7437" CreationDate="2015-01-29T00:20:11.620" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That doesn't sound like a Buddhist understanding of the middle way to me, although it is close in some ways. In Buddhism the two extremes are described in some places as the extremes of indulgence and mortification, and in others it is talked about as the extremes of eternalism and anihilationism. This second description is taken up in detail in Madhyamaka philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll tackle your question mostly from a Theravadin perspective since that's the tradition I'm in but you could do so from others as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The core problem with framing it that way is that from a Buddhist perspective, meaning is conceptual. From our experiences of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and cognizing we generate concepts to make sense of it all. We make concepts of objects, time, space, etc... so that we can interact with things, and these concepts become superimposed over out experience. Conventionally we can say that these concepts are real because they give us an accurate description of the world. But at the end of the day, these concepts aren't a part of the things they describe. They are mind-made representations, and when we mix them up with our experience, our whole way of viewing things becomes distorted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning is one of these concepts. It is something created by the mind to help us make sense of things. It is a valid concept because it really does give us a description of human action and purpose and such, but if we forget that it is something that we ourselves are generating then we can fall into a trap. For example, we start looking at things that occur naturally and somehow think that they also have some kind of purpose or meaning beyond what people do to them. Or we can look at ourselves looking for some sort of pre-established purpose that we just have to find, when in fact our purpose is something create and choose for ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand this deeper, I would recommend studying the Mulapariyaya Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&lt;/a&gt;), the Madhupindika Sutta &#xA;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&lt;/a&gt;), and a very good but also concise book called &lt;strong&gt;Concept and Reality&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/other/concept_and_reality.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/other/concept_and_reality.pdf&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T00:42:43.693" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T00:42:43.693" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7439" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7454" CreationDate="2015-01-29T06:45:16.847" Score="1" ViewCount="521" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Matrix, is Neo's character just Sidhartha in a new life? Does the movie have any implication to whether Neo is actually the Buddha? I know the movie is chalk full of notions of being Buddhist or at least explores some of it's foundings but Im asking is anyone in the movie, mainly Neo, seen as The Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3614" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T12:59:53.207" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T01:22:32.247" Title="Is 'Neo' the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|media|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7440" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-29T06:59:39.440" Score="3" ViewCount="2892" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist, I only believe Buddha ,Dhamma,Sangha. But some of my relatives still believe fortune teller. &#xA;What should I do with people who try to read and tell my future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T18:56:39.907" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T23:23:55.583" Title="Do Buddhist believe fortune teller?" Tags="|traditions|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7441" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7446" CreationDate="2015-01-29T09:47:46.670" Score="2" ViewCount="769" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard people, Buddhists I guess you would say, mention submitting to a higher power. It was just in passing, but I wondered if that sort of thing had any role to play in the theory or practice of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I would like to &quot;submit&quot;, and can do so without losing my mind etc.. Well, I don't know if that makes any sense, but thanks for any guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T19:25:21.150" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T05:28:35.640" Title="Submission in Buddhist teachings / practices" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7440" CreationDate="2015-01-29T09:48:22.407" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can't really say &lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Do Buddhist Believe in Fortune Tellers?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; Because The Buddha himself had the ability to tell someone's fortune and future.He didn't do it for money of course.But he could tell what would happen to people. There were times where he knew that they had to listen to the Dhamma soon because their death was imminent.He could tell their fortune or misfortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the past Buddha Kassapa was able to predict that the then Boddhisatta would one day become a Buddha.I know this all sounds like magic.But it all boils down to Karma. All Buddhas posses omniscient knowledge.They have the ability to discern someone's karma and the karmic tendency that will lead to the likelihood of one's karmic fruit ripening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also had a disciple who was once a fortune teller called Venerable Vangisa.Now, You don't have to be a Buddha to be able to predict the future.It can come as a Siddhi in some yogic practices.But this is clouded by delusion because one doesn't see dependent origination in it.Not to mention the Ego is still very much in charge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people try to read or tell your fortune it may be skillfull to just politely decline.If you don't want to do that then just remember that no one can make or take your fortune except you.It all depends on you.When people read your future their reading what your own actions are producing, their not causing the future to happen to you.Your fortune depends on your own actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T09:48:22.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7439" CreationDate="2015-01-29T13:46:15.450" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, not in the context of the story. It's obviously possible to see the story as an allegory, in which case, sure, Neo is the one who woke up. But nothing in the story suggests that Neo is intended to be a reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T13:46:15.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7439" CreationDate="2015-01-29T16:19:45.103" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've never understood why people somehow think that the Matrix is somehow a Buddhist movie. It's actually a very thinly veiled allegory for Gnosticism. In Gnosticism, you have the idea that an evil creator god called the Demiurge created the physical world and trapped the souls of people in physical bodies to have dominion over them, and the goal of Gnosticism is to escape physical existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the Matrix is a copy and paste of that. The core ideas of Buddhism really aren't in that movie in any real sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T16:19:45.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7445" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7617" CreationDate="2015-01-29T19:40:45.200" Score="3" ViewCount="327" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the experience of &lt;em&gt;bhanga&lt;/em&gt; (5th insight - knowledge of dissolution) the equivalent of the destruction of the khandhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:43:59.733" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:43:59.733" Title="Bhanga and the ego" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7441" CreationDate="2015-01-29T19:58:08.383" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of surrender in Buddhism in general can vary very, very widely, depending on the particular ideology. Some ideologies believe you need to submit totally to a Guru to be enlightened, others do not. It depends on how people have set the system up in the first place. Pureland Buddhism is particularly strong about this point, and I encourage you to look it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, it is important to mention that Buddhism is not, at its core, about believing in something or submitting to an ideology.. it is about The Dialectic or Conversation that happens when you try something, find out it is not quite as described, then ask a question about your personal experience and get a clarifying answer, or engage in a debate. That is the dynamic. Discovery through experience, discussion and debate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, submission and dominance fall then to the status of Dualistic Thinking, and are no different than black and white, cold and hot, or back and front. Both are illusory... Maya (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(illusion)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(illusion)&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surrender in the Buddhist sense, on the other hand, is about letting go of any fixed notion of self, the universe or any other idea, and trusting in experience to guide you to truth. It doesn't mean that you give up.. it means you let go of the strong attachment you have to particular ideas about the world and yourself, and allow mind and body to take you to places where you can experience truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T19:58:08.383" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5339" CreationDate="2015-01-29T20:07:42.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any answer to this question would be purely conjecture. We don't have any secular evidence to suggest one way or the other with any certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mythology spoken of above can be taken or left, depending on what brand of Buddhism you follow. Zen would not, for example, give two shakes about anything The Buddha did after death, if, indeed, it was possible he could. Tibetan Buddhism has a huge mythology built up around things like this, and mystical events that are quite detailed. Pureland Buddhism would tell you you simply can't become enlightened in this lifetime, and that you must say the Mantra of Amitabha Buddha to become enlightened in the Pureland after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all depends on the flavor of ideology you are involved in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At its core, Buddhism doesn't care. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if you are asking this question in an attempt to get at some historical figure you think that Siddhartha may have taught, can you tell us who that might be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T20:07:42.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7448" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-29T20:22:58.463" Score="3" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever say anything about monastics finding &quot;loopholes&quot; in the rules? A loophole would be something like: Showering when bathing is not allowed or living in a building  when the opposite sex lives in the building also but as long as the monastic is outside the building for a certain period of time every day the monastic can not be said to be living there. Also what are some of these possible loopholes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-01-29T20:27:59.003" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T07:51:37.857" Title="Vinaya Loopholes?" Tags="|vinaya|mara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2903" CreationDate="2015-01-29T20:25:44.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I honestly am not sure why people are ascribing these qualities to 'Buddhism' without qualifying what type of Buddhism they are talking about. Hina/Maya/Vajrayana isn't enough either, as ideology in these schools varies widely. Thanks very much to the poster who mentioned Trungpa as a source!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are adherents that believe that the eight fold path is antiquated, and should be modernized. Especially with cheap and accessible birth control, we can eliminate the sexual abstinence part of this (for example). Other parts of it could be revisited, in the light of 2.4 centuries of progress, and since we are not India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ONLY reason the eight fold path was designed this way. in 600+ BC, was as a teaching tool, and to give people a simple path that could work for uneducated people... we know this.. however, some schools of Buddhism insist on thinking it is the ONLY way to practice, and fossilize the teachings in amber. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To each his own. I don't like that approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially, I believe the answer to your question is &quot;No&quot;, &quot;yes&quot; and 'It Depends&quot; :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have the advantage now of education and science that is totally beyond the capabilities of a 6th century BC human to understand, Buddha or not, and in looking at the eightfold path and the four noble truths, we really need to understand that they were designed as a shorthand for the real story.. which is much more complex than these simple ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember, it was also said that there are many paths.. and it was implied the eight fold path was but one. The whole point of it was to eliminate suffering by bringing people to a point where they could rid themselves of the strong boundaries they make in their minds about the world, and learn to see the world directly. That's all, really. It's not anything special, and so it might mean that YOU, in particular, should practice austerity as YOUR path, if you have problems with excess and impulse control, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question has no general answer! It can't be answered for all Buddhist ideologies, nor for all Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T20:25:44.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7450" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7451" CreationDate="2015-01-29T21:47:36.067" Score="2" ViewCount="363" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often hear nanas and jhanas mentioned together as if they are different but related concepts. Is that true are they different or is nanas the exact equivalent of jhanas? Are the different terms used in different traditions perhaps?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T21:50:38.250" Title="What is the difference between nanas and jhanas?" Tags="|terminology|jhana|nana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7450" CreationDate="2015-01-29T21:50:38.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are different things. Jhana refers to a particular kind of concentrated state of mind, and the word nana simply means knowledge, but in a meditative context, it refers to one of the 16 stages of knowledge which are described in part III of the Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T21:50:38.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7382" CreationDate="2015-01-29T23:23:45.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question may seem speculative, but I think it actually has a basis in Buddhism. There is a class of beings called nonpercipient beings that don't have any consciousness at all. However, they are basically just a body that doesn't do anything, not a zombie per se.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a being would have Buddha nature because by the Tathagatagarbha Sutras teach that all beings have Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-29T23:23:45.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7453" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7462" CreationDate="2015-01-30T00:51:09.737" Score="1" ViewCount="506" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we sit down and practice samadhi we would naturally want to enter absorbtion.But what if by practicing samatha we manage to calm and refine all the five senses,to the point where all five senses dissapear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's left would only be the &lt;strong&gt;mind sense&lt;/strong&gt; with &lt;strong&gt;no outer stimuli from the five senses&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this happens then won't the mind grasp the Bhavanga State? So my question is How does the Bhavanga State relate to the Jhanas?Are you suppose to go through one before entering the Jhanas.Or are you suppose to avoid lapsing into one in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-01-30T08:05:48.343" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T08:27:28.100" Title="How does the Bhavanga State relate to the Jhanas?" Tags="|jhana|samatha|samadhi|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7439" CreationDate="2015-01-30T01:22:32.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wS4kK.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think Neo is the Buddha in this movie because the Buddha rediscovered the Truth on his own,Neo on the other hand had Morpheus and Trinity reveal it to him.Neo would be similar to someone who realised or awakened to the Truth because he took the red pill which i would liken to an insight pill.The irony is The Buddha was likened to a physician who could prescribe medicine and in the Matrix Neo was given the red pill to wake up and get a dose of reality. :&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sLkrD.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T01:22:32.247" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-01-30T03:19:13.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well I just started reading about the whole real reality or simulated reality, or what ever else this what we are taking about could be interpreted as, but here's my theory. So if we are living a virtual type realism then just like wanting to know if aliens are real and trying to contact them with transmissions and sending messages by means of sending time capsules into space, maybe we shouldn't bother spending wasted time on seeing whether it's true or not. Why it's simple if we did by some what ever and was like ah haha we are not reality and you creator we know who you are, do you think the creator-s would be like hey what's up galaxy wow you guys are amazing you figured it out, now we gonna just let things go on so you can now with the rest of the universe live life happy knowing your data. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uh don't think so I'm sure there would be some humanity laws for these creators because if not that sure be cruel don't you think. So they would shut us down or reboot us and return us to are last saved spot when we knew nothing of this theory or not reboot us at all. Just as aliens yeah maybe we get lucky meet some advanced extraterrestrial and they show us the lite or they just as clueless,  or worst some evil reptilian type with only us as food source or slaves in mind.  So let's just work on what we have try to prepare for outside this planets dangers, and all countries enough is enough and let's make 1 world order that is not communists and all should be as 1 nation of mixed creations of beauty and let's all integrate and evolve the ultimate species of human man kind and stop the racism and stupidity and just get along and try to work as one world one nation under the liberties of all race and creed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3630" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2019-01-29T20:00:09.990" LastActivityDate="2019-01-29T20:00:09.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7382" CreationDate="2015-01-30T04:48:51.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we start differentiating conscious and non-conscious entities, and ask which one has Buddha nature, that would be implying that conscious entities have a permanent self and non-conscious entities have no permanent self. This conflicts with Buddha's statement that &quot;all phenomena is not self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;Buddha Nature&quot; refers to Nirvana, then &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5762/471&quot;&gt;Nirvana's nature&lt;/a&gt; is that it is something that is uncreated, not-destroyed, permanent and non-changing. It has nothing to do with being conscious or not. But without consciousness, mind and sufficient intellect, such entities cannot escape from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But are such entities actually suffering? That follows the statement that &quot;all conditioned things are suffering&quot;, which means &quot;continuously changing existence is suffering&quot;, rather than &quot;life is suffering&quot;. So, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T04:48:51.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7440" CreationDate="2015-01-30T07:09:40.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer is &lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt;. According to the Several Sources budhda can see the Future and he is not reveal it. He truly believe Future is not exact it can be change according to our present life events. So According to my readings answer is &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I Rephrase Theravada Reading &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who telling Fortune will tell Fortune. But If someone believe in&#xA;  Triple gems. Will not use those.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="242" LastEditorUserId="242" LastEditDate="2015-01-30T07:16:38.080" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T07:16:38.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7458" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-01-30T08:29:33.243" Score="6" ViewCount="1286" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many techniques to practice meditation but how exactly do you practice &lt;strong&gt;Sila&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any methods or techniques mentioned in the Suttas or by Buddhist Teachers to practice Sila. Exactly what are you doing when you say you are &quot;practicing sila&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T08:43:41.123" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:47:47.337" Title="How does one Practice Sila?" Tags="|ethics|sila|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7459" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7460" CreationDate="2015-01-30T09:36:37.677" Score="3" ViewCount="2092" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are &lt;em&gt;sariras&lt;/em&gt; (Tibetan: &lt;em&gt;ringsels&lt;/em&gt;)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have seen those small crystal 'pearls' (exposed in bottles) at several (even small) monasteries in SE Asia. These &lt;em&gt;relics&lt;/em&gt; remain (are found in the ashes) after the cremation of the body of (high appreciated) Buddhist monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a scientific explanation for those &lt;em&gt;sariras&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-30T17:30:23.780" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T17:30:23.780" Title="What are sariras (scientifically seen)?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7459" CreationDate="2015-01-30T13:59:27.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aar%C4%ABra#Explanations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; is referencing this article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7665130&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Scanning electron microscope observations of heat-treated human bone.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This report describes the heat-induced alterations in human bone tissue observed using scanning electron microscopy and microradiography. Femoral bone samples were taken from persons varying in age from 1 year to 97 years at the time of their death. The bone was heated at selected temperatures in the range 200-1600 degrees C for periods of 2, 12, 18 and 24 h. Macroscopically, changes in colour occurred, together with some shrinkage, fracturing and distortion. However, dramatic changes occurred at the ultrastructural level. These changes included the progressive combustion of the organic portion of the bone tissue up to 400 degrees C and recrystallisation of the bone mineral beginning at 600 degrees C. &lt;strong&gt;Recrystallisation produced a range of crystal morphologies&lt;/strong&gt;: spherical, hexagonal, platelets, rosettes and irregular. Crystal growth occurred at temperatures &amp;gt; 600 degrees C. Sintering led to fusion of crystals at 1000 degrees C. This process continued up to temperatures &amp;gt; 1400 degrees C. At 1600 degrees C the bone mineral melted. On heating, the morphology of crystals formed, and the ultrastructural changes which occurred, were found to be related to the age of the deceased, the temperature to which the bone had been heated and the duration of heating. These results are of importance to forensic scientists, arson investigators and paleoarcheologists in their investigation of cremated human bones, particularly when only fragments of bone are available, in order to determine something of the life history of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;600 degrees C is the temperature at which material &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_heat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;begins to glow red&lt;/a&gt; (i.e. an achievable temperature when a body is cremated), and 1000 degrees is when it's orange.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T13:59:27.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7458" CreationDate="2015-01-30T18:57:48.453" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sila means ethics, or morality. There are many Suttas that describe how Sila is practiced. The most basic way for a layperson to practice Sila is to keep the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;  I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that there are the eight precepts, the ten precepts, and the monastic precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to bear in mind however is that these precepts shouldn't be looked on as just being rules given to us to follow. We should look on them not as restrictions put on us by our religion, but as greatly beneficial spiritual practices we take on because they benefit both ourselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is important to remember that the five precepts are only a basic summary of morality. Just because something isn't technically covered by the precepts doesn't mean that it is totally ok to do. One should always consider the effects of ones actions on one's self and on others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the most practical Suttas giving a description of how to discern right from wrong is the very famous Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone. It explains how one should contemplate and reflect on one's actions and character in order to develop Sila.&#xA;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T18:57:48.453" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7453" CreationDate="2015-01-30T19:06:23.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhana is more than just the giving up of the five senses. Each of the jhanas is the result of very strong samadhi, and has specific factors that go along with it. For example, the first jhana has five factors: rapture, pleasure, initial application of mind, sustained application of mind, and oneness of mind. As one goes deeper into the second jhana, one leaves behind initial application and sustained application of mind, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhavanga is very different than this however. Bhavanga is like a blank slate. All it has are the mental factors that are necessary for mind to be there and nothing else. It only occurs in the space between other kinds of mindstate. None of the jhana factors are present at all, and there isn't even any meaningful degree of awareness in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-30T19:06:23.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6046" CreationDate="2015-01-30T22:37:50.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, you should challenge what it means; both to you, and as general conventional term. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should challenge that there is such a thing, and that anything at all possesses any inherent meaning. You should challenge this desire for certainty, this desire to make speculative assumptions about any and all phenomena, to attempt to isolate them, attribute definitive labels and meanings to them, categorize, and pin things down. You should challenge that there is anything at all to be gained or lost, to become or annihilate, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is love? Does it actually exist beyond these four letters which are aligned in a specific order and designated to a particular concept? If it does, then how? As a feeling? What is a feeling beyond the concept of it?&#xA;Etc.. Etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is to deconstruct our own preconceived notions, and challenge our certainties. Because the essence of things is not found through speculative assumptions mistaken as certainties, or imposed meanings mistaken as the essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we expect meditation to be some sort of tool for 'gaining this' or 'losing that', we will inevitability be disappointed by these expectations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if we engage in meditation with the expectation of 'attaining/gaining' some sort of understanding or certainty, or 'avoiding/losing' pain and discomfort, this is a mistake. Meditation is a tool for recognition only. Simply recognizing everything as it is, that is liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shunryu Suzuki Roshi said something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When you see something, then you intellectualize it. &#xA;  Then it is no longer what you saw.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To intellectualize things is to project a conceptual shadow over reality. We mistake these conceptualized forms, these shadows for being real. Then we chase them like kittens because we think that they can be captured and pinned down. And despite the futility of this, we continue to chase them every chance we get. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During meditation we just watch these shadows dance around without chasing  them. And whenever we find ourselves being tempted to chase them, or if we have already begun to chase them, we simply return our attention to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is this balance between &quot;chasing&quot;; deep contemplation, curiosity, challenging preconceived notions and biases, and &quot;not chasing”; returning our attention to the breath, simple awareness as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that this is of some benefit and helps to encourage your practice :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2510" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T12:28:14.280" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T12:28:14.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7417" CreationDate="2015-01-31T04:11:35.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Entering the 4th jhana (the most focused of the four) is best before doing focused insight practice (vipassana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The immaterial jhanas are related to some of the Stages of Insight (achieving one can spontaneously lead to the other) but I have never seen it recommended in reference to Vipassana practice. Bavo Lievens was saying in his book that apparently some people who have never cultivated the form jhanas can spontaneously experience some of the formless jhanas! This would make sense why certain drugs (e.g. marijuana, shrooms) lead to states that feel like descriptions of the formless jhanas but do not have the stability and clarity of the form jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I've actually seen it said in some places that the formless jhanas can be distractive due to their more permanent, expansive nature, making it harder to see the 3 characteristics.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;form&quot; jhanas on the other hand lead to a centered state of mind which readily allows penetrative clarity into the 3 characteristics, the essence of vipassana and Awakening and disentangling the chain of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T04:11:35.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7417" CreationDate="2015-01-31T04:15:45.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is false. In the Anupadda Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) the Ven. Sariputta enttered into the various jhanas, arupa jhanas, and the cessation of perception and feeling, and used each of them as a basis for insight. The only difference was that in the case of the last of the arupajhanas (the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception) and the cessation of perception and feeling, the Ven. Sariputta had to withdraw from jhana in order to practice insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T04:15:45.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7466" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7467" CreationDate="2015-01-31T06:26:35.427" Score="7" ViewCount="468" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist looking for perfecting his Right Livelihood: finding a Livelihood which is so perfect and Right that it not only avoids bad-karma-making (killing, stealing, intoxication, etc.) but even furthers the level of Dharma in the world (healing, love, connectedness, self-understanding)... seeing people involved in these kinds of work truly brings me joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of information technology careers do you think most easily contribute to the Dharma and how?&#xA;If you are involved in IT and are Buddhist, how do you connect the two (other than through donating to Buddhist causes)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-01-31T08:37:16.893" LastActivityDate="2023-04-10T18:53:15.070" Title="Information Technology Careers and Right Livelihood Dharma" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7466" CreationDate="2015-01-31T08:50:33.807" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a slightly less orthodox view on right livelihood than others might. I think for practical purposes right livelihood is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your means of living doesn't harm others and accords with Buddhist ethics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your means of living leaves you with enough time and energy to practice the dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I was originally a teacher which is good on point 1 but exhausted me so no Buddhist practice was possible. So it was only when I moved into IT that a practice became possible so really a programmer was more right livelihood than teaching for me with is rather counterintuitive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said as things go on then point 2  becomes important. My last job had a big defence contract which although I never worked on it never sat right with me. So I've moved into healthcare computing which I feel is more in keeping with both aspects of right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally IT is a neutral thing. It's a tool and it is the use that that tool is put to that gives it its ethical dimension. Healthcare, education and charity IT probably good. Gambling, poronography and activities that increase peoples suffering probably not such good uses of IT.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T08:50:33.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7466" CreationDate="2015-01-31T17:15:56.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Mahayana Avatamsaka Sutra, which encourages people-- lay and monastic-- to work towards the enlightenment of all beings, says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bodhisattvas, thus engaged in the development of sentient beings ...&#xA;  practice whatever in the world would benefit sentient beings, such as&#xA;  writing, teaching, &lt;strong&gt;mathematics&lt;/strong&gt;, sciences of various realms or&#xA;  elements; medical sciences; prevention of consumption, epilepsy and&#xA;  possession (&lt;em&gt;schizophrenia&lt;/em&gt;), warding off poison, zombies (&lt;em&gt;hey even the&#xA;  CDC is watching out for this one!&lt;/em&gt;) and witchcraft; song and dance,&#xA;  drama, music, story telling and entertainment; the construction of&#xA;  villages, cities, ..., canals, reservoirs, ponds abounding in lotuses,&#xA;  groves producing flowers, fruits and medicines; the discovery of gold,&#xA;  jewels and other precious substances; methods of pointing out the&#xA;  signs of the sun, moon, planets stars, constellations, movements of&#xA;  the earth, omens, dreams, ...; points of the cultivation of&#xA;  discipline, meditation, mystic knowledge, the immeasurable and&#xA;  formeless states-- and whatever else is not harmful or injurious, that&#xA;  which is conducive to the benefit and well-being of all creatures,&#xA;  that the enlightening beings undertake, guided by compassion, to&#xA;  establish them in the way of the buddha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So at least in context of the Bodhisattva project, mathematics, (and programming is just applied logic and mathematics), is exactly the sort of thing we should be doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Stages_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chapter 26, the Ten Stages, aka, Daśabhūmika&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T17:15:56.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7469" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7472" CreationDate="2015-01-31T17:19:21.220" Score="6" ViewCount="978" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been learning lately about Buddhism and I have several questions about it. I haven't actually read any of the sacred books, just some stuff on the internet and now I'm reading What Makes You Not a Buddhist as an intro to Buddhism, so I might have some misconceptions about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So let's get to the questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) In What Makes You Not a Buddhist the author says that asking a Buddhist about the meaning of life is inappropriate because it implies that somewhere there's a final purpose of being. Do Buddhists believe that there's no purpose in living? And if there is, what is it based upon. Where is the motivation to do anything if it isn't building up to something? Why be good/smart/compassionate/... ? And why not commit a suicide instead of learning and understanding things so that you don't suffer - wouldn't that be faster?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) If I understand correctly Buddhism says that we don't exist, we're just made up of different parts and our conception of ourselves is just an illusion. But if Descartes was right when he said &quot;I think, therefore I am.&quot;, then I don't see how that works with Buddhism - someone here must be wrong (I think). Do Buddhists believe that there's no essence that is &quot;me&quot; (like soul in Christianity), just random parts connected together in a certain point of time? If yes, then what is that thing that thought of the illusion of existing(Is it our mind? Does it also not exist?)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) One of the four seals is: All compounded things are impermanent. In the book author says that all things are compounded so saying &quot;All things are impermanent&quot; is equivalent. How is that even possible if anything we understand about the world is true? Everything is made out of atoms and atoms are made out of subatomic particles and perhaps those are made out of sub subatomic particles and so on (I don't know), but in the end, there must be a basic building block that makes those things and that's bound to be constant. It's hard for me to understand how everything could be a compounded because that means that it's made out of smaller things put together. But if those things are also compounded, this process goes on infinitely. But there's no infinity in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll really appreciate the answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Thank you all for the great answers. They really helped me understand some things better.&#xA;Because I hate deciding on which answer is the best, I'll let the community do it - after some time I'll pick the one with most upvotes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3634" LastEditorUserId="3634" LastEditDate="2015-02-02T10:12:48.967" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T00:10:40.667" Title="Impermanence, nonexistance of self, meaning of life" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-01-31T17:32:13.023" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to Buddhism stackexchange. Your questions are a bit different from each other so I will answer them separately for the sake of convenience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Buddhists believe that things are without meaning &lt;em&gt;in them selves&lt;/em&gt;, rather than just believing that things are without meaning period. Meaning isn't something that resides in things, but is a product of our own minds, so it isn't predetermined or fixed, so instead of going out and looking for meaning in the world and in our lives, we choose to make our own meaning. From a Buddhist perspective, we should find greatest meaning in seeking enlightenment, which is a perfect and permanent happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Buddhism doesn't say that we don't exist. Buddhism says that there is no such thing as an ultimately existing self. However, conventionally, there is a self. Self is a concept that we project onto a set of experiences. There is a bundle of physical and mental experiences that are in constant flux without any underlying core, but we can still refer to the bundle as a whole as being a self on a conventional level. If you go looking for a self that isn't just a designation however, you won't be able to find it, so we say that on an ultimate level, there isn't a self even though on the conventional level there is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) The word being translated as compounded is the word Samkhara, and in this context it doesn't mean being made of parts. It means something that is produced from a set of causes and conditions. I personally prefer to translate it as fabricated, produced, or conditioned in this particular context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-02-01T05:53:31.747" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T05:53:31.747" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7466" CreationDate="2015-01-31T20:38:36.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;IT is a tool. It's all about how you use it. If you're helping others and doing good, then you're in the right job. If you're in a job where it's used badly and harming others then that's a big no, for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I work in IT for a mapping company. We provide mapping for emergency services among others (no military mapping). So as far as I'm concerned it's a good job to have as a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I always put it to myself &quot;If you're not helping; what are you doing?!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3635" LastActivityDate="2015-01-31T20:38:36.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-02-01T00:54:25.173" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do Buddhists believe that there's no purpose in living?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.Buddhists believe the purpose in living is to free one's self from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And if there is, what is it based upon?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The universal need for happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where is the motivation to do anything if it isn't building up to something?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now that you know the Buddhist goal is to be free from suffering this is where all the motivation goes to. Buddhism teaches the Eight Noble Path that when practiced,cultivated,developed and perfected will lead to happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why be good/smart/compassionate/... ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because choosing to do good is better than choosing to do bad.Also Buddhists believe in karma so the more bad things you do the more suffering follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And why not commit a suicide instead of learning and understanding things so that you don't suffer - wouldn't that be faster?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhists believe if you commit suicide you'll just get reborn but the problems stays the same, if not worse.Not only is it pointless but by committing suicide you are creating a lot of bad energy.More bad karma than you can handle even.As killing is a very heavy karma and that includes killing yourself.You may also acquire the habit or tendency to commit suicide in future lives and trap your self in a never ending circle of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is Better to understand things so you don't suffer.But even if you can't understand anything.It's still better to &lt;strong&gt;Not&lt;/strong&gt; commit suicide.Because that's will save you enormous amount of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do Buddhists believe that there's no essence that is &quot;me&quot; (like soul in Christianity), just random parts connected together in a certain point of time?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes no Essence (like soul in Christianity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If yes, then what is that thing that thought of the illusion of existing(Is it our mind? Does it also not exist?)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's one of the &lt;em&gt;random parts connected together in a certain point of time&lt;/em&gt; you mentioned before. Though it's not &lt;em&gt;random&lt;/em&gt; it follows &lt;strong&gt;a pattern of cause and effect&lt;/strong&gt;.In other words it's &lt;strong&gt;conditioned&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;All things are impermanent&quot; is equivalent. How is that even possible if anything we understand about the world is true?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't understand.What do you see in the world that makes you think everything is permanent.People are born and die.Food are bought and rots.Leaves turn green and falls.Flowers bloom and wither.2 years olds eventually become 80 years olds.You were thinking of jogging now your thinking of what's on tv.You were cold now your warm.You were standing now your sitting and now your standing up again.You had the intention to read about Buddhism now you have the intention to write a post.Even an atom is always moving.Always.Nothing stays fixed the way it is FOREVER.A tv might look a tv now but in 100 years it's probably molten liquid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the reason people mistaken things for being permanent is because of not being able to see things from a wider time scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T00:54:25.173" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1752" CreationDate="2015-02-01T01:07:07.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically: whenever you're ready for it. Solitude is a human right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Technical Buddhist answer: when you have achieved &gt;= &quot;access concentration&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, preferably 1st jhana, optimally 4th jhana. Also you should know what what you're going to be doing (vipassana/jhana, how long, etc. read schedule).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have at least access concentration, you'll just flounder in emotions and what-not until you get access concentration. It's a catch-22.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T01:07:07.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-02-01T08:01:00.253" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was not Buddha's point to teach on science. The focus of his doctrine was to improve the human condition and to stress ethical considerations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's knowledge about natural phenomena was confined within the bounds of his time and his society. It was the society of the 5.th century BCE living in the Ganges flood plain. The great advancement of modern physics presupposes quite different methods of observation and theoretical methods, e.g. from mathematics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I conclude that physics does not confirm any of Buddha's teaching because he left no teachings on physics at all.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T08:01:00.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-02-01T08:33:37.597" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you sure that &quot;The Buddha knows everything in this universe via his mind alone.&quot;? And if so, where do you know from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know what is inside a black hole I recommend a textbook on general relativity like &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Thorne, Kip&lt;/strong&gt;: Black holes and time warps&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bit more speculative is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Susskind, Leonard; Lindesay, James&lt;/strong&gt;: An introduction to Black Holes, Information and the String Revolution. The Holographic Universe&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Susskind gives some information about the subject in his talk &quot;Inside black holes&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMRYZMv0jRE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMRYZMv0jRE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the classical solutions of Einstein's field equations by Schwarzschild, Kerr and Kruskal we know a lot about the geometry of spacetime inside black holes. But the current conjectures about Bekenstein-Hawking entropy seem to me still a field of active research. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless I assume that you want to know &quot;everything&quot; about black holes. Physics cannot fulfill this desire. But in my opinion, nobody can.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T08:33:37.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7476" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-01T11:37:43.467" Score="10" ViewCount="816" Body="&lt;p&gt;S. N. Goenka in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Why-Vedana-and-What-is-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Why Vedana and What is Vedana?&quot;&gt;Why Vedana and What is Vedana?&lt;/a&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is clear that vedana as a part of the nama that is firmly rooted in kaya is what the Buddha wanted us to focus on when he talked about meditation to eradicate suffering. This is also the reason why brahmas from arupabrahmaloka cannot practise Vipassana and why the Buddha could not give Dhamma to his past teachers of arupa jhanas (seventh and eighth jhanas/dhyanas). In the fifth to eighth jhanas, jhanas the mind is set free from the body and thus there is no experience of vedana. Therefore, these brahmas lack rupa and cannot experience body-sensations. Hence, the practice of the awareness of vedana is not possible for them and they cannot walk on the path of liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise another paper (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Kaya-samphassaja-vedana-in-Vipassana-Meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;The Importance of Kaya-samphassaja-vedana in Vipassana Meditation&quot;&gt;The Importance of Kaya-samphassaja-vedana in Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt;) states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person like the Buddha, access to these [arupa] worlds was not impossible, nor was it impossible to communicate the teaching mentally to beings of these planes of existence. However, the fact that these beings in the arupabrahma-loka do not experience bodily sensation prevented the Buddha from teaching the Dhamma to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Both papers are collected in the book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Importance-of-Vedana-and-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt; published by the &lt;em&gt;Vipassana Research Institute&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &lt;strong&gt;the Buddha didn't teach Vipassana to &lt;em&gt;arupa&lt;/em&gt; worlds's inhabitants because they cannot feel sensations&lt;/strong&gt;: is this claim generally accepted in the Buddhist world, at least among the Theravada?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, living in an &lt;em&gt;arupa&lt;/em&gt; world would imply in my understanding that it is possible the arising of a mind consciousness (&lt;em&gt;manovinnana&lt;/em&gt;) without a physical sense base (such as our heart base or &lt;em&gt;hadaya-vatthu&lt;/em&gt;): is this assumption correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T15:01:24.070" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T13:30:22.400" Title="Vipassana on arupa worlds" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|abhidhamma|realms|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7477" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7485" CreationDate="2015-02-01T16:07:09.477" Score="3" ViewCount="417" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found on google that 'om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha..'.&#xA;I want more about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2021-09-20T04:35:40.950" Title="What is the meaning of 'Om mani padme hung'?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-02-01T17:10:02.477" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Do Buddhists believe that there's no purpose in living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At large, there is no one absolute purpose &quot;built in&quot; the universe. Meaning, there is no single prize to be taken, no silver bullet to be obtained, no single problem which, when solved, would trump all other problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where is the motivation to do anything if it isn't building up to something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because &lt;em&gt;subjectively&lt;/em&gt; some experiences are still better than others. Being healthy is better than being sick, being at peace is better than being troubled etc. Plus, of course, there is the fun of creation, art; playing and dancing with the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why be good/smart/...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because making better choices leads to better experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;/compassionate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we make each other's experience. If you are nice to me and I'm nice to you -- we just made our lives a bit better by cross-helping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And why not commit a suicide instead of learning and understanding things so that you don't suffer - wouldn't that be faster?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you only think about yourself then perhaps in some sense it seems like a valid cop-out. However like I said our lives are co-dependent. Buddhism is concerned with subjective experience of people who exist, not of people who no longer exist ;) So if you commit suicide you A) may induce suffering in your friends and relatives, B) leave others behind to suffer their own lives, which you could improve if you stayed, and C) the informational/causal chains that shaped your life to be what it is continue to function and will eventually lead to assembly of a situation similar to yours in many ways, and that new person will face same challenges, so in effect you would have merely deferred the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) If I understand correctly Buddhism says that we don't exist, we're just made up of different parts and our conception of ourselves is just an illusion. But if Descartes was right when he said &quot;I think, therefore I am.&quot;, then I don't see how that works with Buddhism - someone here must be wrong (I think).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that thinking happens does not mean there is a single independent agent that does the thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists believe that there's no essence that is &quot;me&quot; (like soul in Christianity), just random parts connected together in a certain point of time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. Well, not all parts are necessarily material. There is also pieces of information that assembled together to form this person. Also, if you really think about it, the parts did not connect together &quot;in a certain point of time&quot;. They keep coming together all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If yes, then what is that thing that thought of the illusion of existing(Is it our mind? Does it also not exist?)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like two mirrors reflecting each other, or a videocamera filming the screen showing its own output. Basically, a feedback loop, albeit a very complex one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) It's hard for me to understand how everything could be a compounded because that means that it's made out of smaller things put together. But if those things are also compounded, this process goes on infinitely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Compounded&quot; should not be understood literally, as in physically consisting of multiple pieces. It means &quot;brought together&quot; or supported by a number of factors. Think multiple causal chains converging. For a compounded phenomenon to arise, all its necessary constituent factors must be present. As soon as one or more of the necessary factors goes out of effect, the compounded phenomenon ceases. (These factors are not necessarily &lt;em&gt;objective&lt;/em&gt; either. For observable phenomena some of the factors reside on the observer's side.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-02-01T18:46:58.113" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T18:46:58.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7479" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7482" CreationDate="2015-02-01T17:35:34.580" Score="3" ViewCount="244" Body="&lt;p&gt;A while ago I remember reading part of the Pail Canon where it gave a comprehensive list of professions the Buddha considers &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; right livelihood. It has things like fortune tellers in the list. I remember the list was quite anachronistic in parts but also very interesting and instructive. Can anyone give that reference and perhaps copy in the original text if it isn't too long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also is there an equivalent list of professions that would be considered right livelihood in the Pail Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T17:09:00.200" Title="Where in the Pali Canon does it give examples of right livelihood and it's opposite" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-02-01T17:54:21.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While others have provided full answers already, I'll choose and pick a few questions to suggest different perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Do Buddhists believe that there's no purpose in living?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists may believe there is some specific purpose in living. But I don't see anything related to &quot;purpose/reason/meaning of life&quot; anywhere in buddhist texts. I never saw this question being brought to the Buddha or the Buddha tackling it. So, from Buddhism (and in general), we're still clueless as to what is this (living) all about, what is the point of it, or what we're supposed to be doing here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not knowing what is this all about, we recognize there is suffering, we recognize it is undesirable and we recognize we are moment after moment subjected to it. Those of us who also recognize the possibility of becoming permanently free from it, may chose to make this their personal purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects ask you: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For what purpose, friends, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— being asked thus, you should answer them thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is, friends, for the abandoning of the fetters ... for the uprooting of the underlying tendencies ... for the full understanding of the course … for the destruction of the taints ... for the realization of the fruit of true knowledge and liberation ... for the sake of knowledge and vision ... &lt;strong&gt;for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, bhikkhus, if the wanderers of other sects ask you: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But, friends, is there a path, is there a way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— being asked thus, you should answer them thus: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is a path, friends, there is a way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is that path, what is that way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view ... right concentration. This is the path, this is the way for attaining final Nibbāna without clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Being asked thus, bhikkhus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in such a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Annatitthiyapeyyala Vagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Why be good/smart/compassionate/... ?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because &quot;it is good, it leads to the welfare and happiness of beings, it leads to Nibbāna&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If I understand correctly Buddhism says that we don't exist, we're just made up of different parts and our conception of ourselves is just an illusion...&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;you&quot; or &quot;me&quot; or &quot;soul&quot; it is understood that those things are fixed and eternal, yes, Buddhism instructs one to see how this fixed thing is no where to be found in the aggregates that composes what we refer to as &quot;I&quot;. So, it is a misunderstanding to say that according to Buddhism we don't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;but in the end, there must be a basic building block that makes those things and that's bound to be constant.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That was (and still is) the belief of a few scientists, specifically, physicists. Apparently, however, this building block was never found. Let alone something constant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T00:10:40.667" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T00:10:40.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-02-01T21:05:46.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why not commit a suicide instead of learning and understanding things so that you don't suffer&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;My Dad once said to me that suicide really hurts the other people in a family who are left behind, who lose their family member to suicide. When he told me that, I understood him to be saying that I'd be hurt if he killed himself, and that he'd be hurt if I killed myself, and so (to not hurt each other) neither of use should kill ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first of the '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;' is to abstain from killing. There are verses in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;129.&lt;/strong&gt; All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;130.&lt;/strong&gt; All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you owe as much compassion and non-violence towards yourself, as you owe anyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, there are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four noble truths&lt;/a&gt; which explain how to avoid or escape from suffering. The idea of killing myself makes me think, &quot;You are at suffering: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;you are feeling attachment (to the idea of death), you are feeling aversion (to your view of life)&lt;/a&gt;, you are at risk of becoming overwhelmed by suffering, at risk of succumbing to suffering. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29#Opposite_wholesome_qualities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism teaches that, instead&lt;/a&gt;, you should detach from the desires and aversions that are causing this, be kind to yourself and others, be wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If suffering (i.e. 'dukkha' or a feeling of dissatisfaction) is an illness, it's an illness you can want to recover from or become immune to, not an illness that you're meant to kill yourself over.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;wouldn't that be faster?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than 'faster' the question to ask may be, &quot;Which is better?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddhist view of 'rebirth' implies that death is no final solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I understand correctly Buddhism says that we don't exist&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not quite right. Buddhism says that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;various things are not the 'self'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying exactly what the self is, even saying whether the self is or isn't, is something which the Buddha avoids doing: these questions about the self are among the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;. It's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.intro.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an interesting question&lt;/a&gt; but I think that Buddhism recommends that you let that question go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Do Buddhists believe that there's no essence that is &quot;me&quot; (like soul in Christianity), just random parts connected together in a certain point of time?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sort of yes in the sense that it's not possible to identify something which is both 'eternal' and 'me'. Things change, my body changes, maybe I'm changing, and who knows about a hundred years from now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not entirely &quot;just &lt;em&gt;random&lt;/em&gt; parts&quot; though: people do things deliberately, and the things which people do have an effect, consequences ... there's a view of 'karma' which says that things aren't entirely random.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A central view in Buddhism is that of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da#The_principle_of_interdependent_causation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;interdependent causation&lt;/a&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;there must be a basic building block that makes those things and that's bound to be constant ... there's no infinity in nature.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether your statement is correct (people's intuitive understanding of quantum physics is unreliable). There were (early) Buddhist theories about atoms, too, but I don't see why they're helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism is best when it's talking about, when it's applicable to the things we can experience, not just metaphysics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some further explanation see for example the Wikipedia article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a line about it &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;277.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;All conditioned things are impermanent&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the idea is that things are unsatisfactory because they're impermanent: i.e. you suffer when you lose them -- that's an example of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samudaya_sacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the second noble truth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, apparently, understanding that they are impermanent is the way that leads to the end of suffering -- that's an example of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T21:05:46.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7479" CreationDate="2015-02-01T21:29:32.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;An introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt; on accesstoinsight references very short definitions of right and wrong livelihood for lay followers. And in fact I've never yet found a detailed description of right and wrong livelihood, beyond these quotes. You can also infer some ethical rules from what the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigalovada_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says about Workers; and from RIght Livelihood being on the &quot;ethics&quot; branch of the Eight-fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;not right livelihood which include things like fortune tellers in the list&quot; might be from here, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html#livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Section on Virtue in Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&lt;/a&gt; (note that these are said to be 'wrong' for &quot;contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;faith&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as: reading marks on the limbs [e.g., palmistry]; reading omens and&#xA;  signs; interpreting celestial events [falling stars, comets];&#xA;  interpreting dreams; reading features of the body [e.g., phrenology];&#xA;  reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice; offering fire oblations,&#xA;  oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains,&#xA;  ghee, and oil; offering oblations from the mouth; offering&#xA;  blood-sacrifices; making predictions based on the fingertips;&#xA;  geomancy; making predictions for state officials; laying demons in a&#xA;  cemetery; placing spells on spirits; earth-skills [divining water and&#xA;  gems?]; snake-skills, poison-skills, scorpion-skills, rat-skills,&#xA;  bird-skills, crow-skills; predicting life spans; giving protective&#xA;  charms; casting horoscopes — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from&#xA;  &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as: determining lucky and unlucky gems, staffs, garments, swords,&#xA;  arrows, bows, and other weapons; women, men, boys, girls, male slaves,&#xA;  female slaves; elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams,&#xA;  fowl, quails, lizards, rabbits, tortoises, and other animals — he&#xA;  abstains from wrong livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as [forecasting]: the rulers will march forth; the rulers will not&#xA;  march forth; our rulers will attack, and their rulers will retreat;&#xA;  their rulers will attack, and our rulers will retreat; there will be&#xA;  triumph for our rulers and defeat for their rulers; there will be&#xA;  triumph for their rulers and defeat for our rulers; thus there will be&#xA;  triumph this one, defeat for that one — he abstains from wrong&#xA;  livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as [forecasting]: there will be a lunar eclipse; there will be a solar&#xA;  eclipse; there will be an occultation of [a conjunction of the moon or&#xA;  a planet with] an asterism; the sun and moon will be favorable; the&#xA;  sun and moon will be unfavorable; the asterisms will be favorable; the&#xA;  asterisms will be unfavorable; there will be a meteor shower; there&#xA;  will be a flickering light on the horizon [an aurora?]; there will be&#xA;  an earthquake; there will be thunder coming from dry clouds; there&#xA;  will be a rising, a setting, a darkening, a brightening of the sun,&#xA;  moon, and asterisms; such will be the result of the lunar eclipse ...&#xA;  the rising, setting, darkening, brightening of the sun, moon, and&#xA;  asterisms — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such&#xA;  as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as [forecasting]: there will be abundant rain; there will be a&#xA;  drought; there will be plenty; there will be famine; there will be&#xA;  rest and security; there will be danger; there will be disease; there&#xA;  will be freedom from disease; or they earn their living by accounting,&#xA;  counting, calculation, composing poetry, or teaching hedonistic arts&#xA;  and doctrines [lokāyata] — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from&#xA;  &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as: calculating auspicious dates for marriages — both those in which&#xA;  the bride is brought home and those in which she is sent out;&#xA;  calculating auspicious dates for betrothals and divorces; for&#xA;  collecting debts or making investments and loans; reciting charms to&#xA;  make people attractive or unattractive; curing women who have&#xA;  undergone miscarriages or abortions; reciting spells to bind a man's&#xA;  tongue, to paralyze his jaws, to make him lose control over his hands,&#xA;  or to bring on deafness; getting oracular answers to questions&#xA;  addressed to a spirit in a mirror, in a young girl, or to a spirit&#xA;  medium; worshipping the sun, worshipping the Great Brahmā, bringing&#xA;  forth flames from the mouth, invoking the goddess of luck — he&#xA;  abstains from wrong livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts&#xA;  as: promising gifts to deities in return for favors; fulfilling such&#xA;  promises; demonology; reciting spells in earth houses [see earth&#xA;  skills, above]; inducing virility and impotence; preparing sites for&#xA;  construction; consecrating sites for construction; giving ceremonial&#xA;  mouthwashes and ceremonial baths; offering sacrificial fires;&#xA;  administering emetics, purges, purges from above, purges from below,&#xA;  head-purges; ear-oil, eye-drops, treatments through the nose,&#xA;  ointments, and counter-ointments; practicing eye-surgery [or:&#xA;  extractive surgery], general surgery, pediatrics; administering&#xA;  root-medicines and binding medicinal herbs — he abstains from wrong&#xA;  livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these. This, too, is part of&#xA;  his virtue.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A monk thus consummate in virtue sees no danger anywhere from his&#xA;  restraint through virtue. Just as a head-anointed noble warrior king&#xA;  who has defeated his enemies sees no danger anywhere from his enemies,&#xA;  in the same way the monk thus consummate in virtue sees no danger&#xA;  anywhere from his restraint through virtue. Endowed with this noble&#xA;  aggregate of virtue, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being&#xA;  blameless. This is how a monk is consummate in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-01T21:29:32.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7483" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-02T02:12:47.953" Score="1" ViewCount="1014" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should I believe what is said in the Buddhist text instead? Even though I can't prove it myself either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:28:24.430" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:28:24.430" Title="If science can't prove the existence of other dimensions forever" Tags="|science|six-realms|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7483" CreationDate="2015-02-02T03:02:36.760" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Three possible approaches, here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One, you just acceptt this on faith. Depending on your mindset, this can be something like believing the impossible or groundless, or something more like feeling like you need to a decision. You can't prove tea or coffee is better for breakfast, but you can't stand around all day weighting the alternatives. So you make a decision, aware that the reasoning has some holes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two, you look at these as a myth, an instructive story and you don't even put much thought into if the story is true. In our distant past, everything was hearsay. There was no science, no reliable news outlets, and it was just a bunch of people telling stories. People got used to some stories seeming a bit far fetched, but everyone you ever heard in your life was a bunch of plausible sounding stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three, you look at these as patently incompatible with everything we know about the world from multiple reliable sources-- science, journalism, and so on. You either discard that part of Buddhism as nonsense, or alternatively review it and look for what can be salvaged-- for example, some modern readers view the cosmology as a metaphor for states of mind (hell is the state of mind &lt;em&gt;in this world and this body&lt;/em&gt; that we put ourselves in when we act unskillfully)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T03:02:36.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7477" CreationDate="2015-02-02T03:47:22.850" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will probably not find a better explanation than that of the Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is very good to recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, but while you&#xA;  are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning&#xA;  of the six syllables is great and vast. The first, OM, is composed of&#xA;  three pure letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's&#xA;  impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted&#xA;  body, speech and mind of a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire talk can be found here:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus the six syllables, OM MANI PADME HUM, mean that in dependence on&#xA;  the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you&#xA;  can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body,&#xA;  speech, and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for&#xA;  Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of&#xA;  Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his SUBLIME CONTINUUM OF&#xA;  GREAT VEHICLE (UTTARA TANTRA) all beings naturally have the Buddha&#xA;  nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity,&#xA;  the essence of a One Gone Thus (TATHAGATAGARBHA), that is to be&#xA;  transformed and full developed into Buddhahood.   (From a lecture&#xA;  given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet at the Kalmuck Mongolian&#xA;  Buddhist Center, New Jersey.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T03:47:22.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5957" CreationDate="2015-02-02T03:49:47.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will probably not find a better explanation than that of the Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very good to recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast. The first, OM, is composed of three pure letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha.&#xA;The entire talk can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the six syllables, OM MANI PADME HUM, mean that in dependence on the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his SUBLIME CONTINUUM OF GREAT VEHICLE (UTTARA TANTRA) all beings naturally have the Buddha nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity, the essence of a One Gone Thus (TATHAGATAGARBHA), that is to be transformed and full developed into Buddhahood. (From a lecture given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet at the Kalmuck Mongolian Buddhist Center, New Jersey.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T03:49:47.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7483" CreationDate="2015-02-02T04:31:45.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Physics is talking about &lt;em&gt;physical&lt;/em&gt; reality. The &quot;planes&quot; of Buddhism aren't (necessarily) physical planes. So you don't (necessarily) have to choose between them. You can believe both, either, or neither.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &quot;should I believe&quot; implies you have control over what you believe. Is that really true? Can you actually &lt;em&gt;choose&lt;/em&gt; to belief any specific thing? Isn't it more the case that you &lt;em&gt;find yourself&lt;/em&gt; believing something, depending on what you experience, read, hear, how you act, and so on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that, one approach is simply to get on with life, practicing as you are willing and able, and see what you find. As the Buddha is reported in Maha-parinibbana Sutta to have said, &lt;em&gt;&quot;Strive with earnestness&quot;&lt;/em&gt;;similarly in Philippians 2:12 of the Christian New Testament, &lt;em&gt;&quot;Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T04:31:45.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7488" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7760" CreationDate="2015-02-02T04:53:14.273" Score="16" ViewCount="1829" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any authentic sutta or part of sutta from any tradition that gives guidance on what kind of sexual relationship partner to choose?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking the Vimalikirti sutra should say something about such layman concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically things like what kind of partner would an ideal layman choose for family purposes if choose at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should one find a companion who already understands the Dharma and is thus highly capable of being a companion and teacher to children?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is the proper bodhisattva action to practice the dana paramita by bonding and inspiring  someone who lacks the dharma--but is ready to receive it--and thus help to transform their karma as well as the whole universe's (through increasing Dharma quotient in a &quot;lower denominator&quot;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[The Taoist tradition (which I highly honor) has some insights into this matter and for me is very connected to Buddhism and according to my learning would imply that a cultivated woman choose the latter and a cultivated man choose the former.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-02T07:40:08.497" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T17:19:25.237" Title="Any authentic sutta from any tradition that gives guidance on what kind of partner to choose?" Tags="|reference-request|relationship|marriage|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7483" CreationDate="2015-02-02T06:06:52.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... yes and no (no, later on)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a part of Right View to believe in karma in general, including the process of reincarnation.&#xA;Honestly though karma is pretty common sense and proven by science, psychology, and everything. Reincarnation is a step further with the principle of karma, combined with Newton's 3rd Law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The details of the Thirty-one Planes of Existence are very believable due to its correlations with many other phenomena, I would suggest Professor Bavo Lieven's beautiful, rich, and very motivating cosmological analyses in the first half of his book, &quot;The Mind Experiment&quot; to really get some tasty details on the 31 Planes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And now comes the &quot;no&quot; part of the answer.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself said many times throughout the suttas that when you attain 4th jhana, you  will either spontaneously be able to see all these realms as easily as you see the current Desire realm. Or one will have to develop the paranormal power to do so if one doesn't spontaneously see (how? read the Path of Purification, a step by step scientific experiment to do all this).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's really just about developing the 1st-4th jhanas (a sign of mental stability and concentration power--not comparable to tripping out on shrooms and seeing such things) and verifying these things for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So... no. You don't have to take it as belief especially to progress with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do have to believe in the concept of karma (which isn't hard... try doing an experiment of bad actions and good actions... I did this 15 years ago for a whole year and I certainly felt the results short-term and long-term) to be practicing Buddhism because it is a definition of Right View, the first step of the Buddhist path.&#xA;From accepting karma as a principle of the universe (Right View)... reincarnation is a short step. And from there the Thirty One Planes are just arbitrary details that can be verified later!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T06:06:52.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2015-02-02T12:37:09.550" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is answered in the Brahmajala Sutta of the Dighaikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUDDHA ON GOD&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There comes a time, monks, sooner or later after a long period, when this world contracts.  At a time of contraction, beings are mostly&#xA;  reborn in the Abhassara Brahma world.  And there they dwell,&#xA;  mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through space,&#xA;  glorious - and they stay like that for a very long time.&quot; &quot;But the&#xA;  time comes, sooner or later after a long period, when this world&#xA;  begins to expand again [Com: known as 'Big Bang' in Western Science]. &#xA;  In this expanding world an empty palace of  Brahma [Com: the Indian&#xA;  name for the highest God] appears.  And then one being, from&#xA;  exhaustion of his life-span or of his merits, falls from the Abhassara&#xA;  world and arises in the empty Brahma-palace.  And there he dwells,&#xA;  mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through space,&#xA;  glorious - and he stays like that for a very long time.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Then in this being who has been alone for so long there arises unrest, discontent and worry, and he thinks:  ‘Oh, if only some other&#xA;  beings would come here!’  And other beings, from exhaustion of their&#xA;  life-span or of their merits, fall from the Abhassara world and arise&#xA;  in the Brahma palace as companions for this being.  And there they&#xA;  dwell, mind-made, … and they stay like that for a very long time.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;And then, monks, that being who first arose there thinks:  &quot;I am God, the Great God, the Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All-Seeing,&#xA;  the All-Powerful, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, Ruler, Appointer&#xA;  and Orderer, Father of All That Have Been and Shall Be.   These beings&#xA;  were created by me.  How so?  Because I first had this thought:  ‘Oh,&#xA;  if only some other beings would come here!’    That was my wish, and&#xA;  then these beings came into this existence!&quot;   But those beings who&#xA;  arose subsequently think: &quot;This, friends, is God, Great Brahma, the&#xA;  Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All-Seeing, the All-Powerful, the&#xA;  Lord, the Maker and Creator, Ruler, Appointer and Orderer, Father of&#xA;  All That Have Been and Shall Be.  How so?  We have seen that he was&#xA;  here first, and that we arose after him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUDDHA ON JESUS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this being that arose first is longer-lived, more beautiful and&#xA;  more powerful than they are.  And it may happen that some being falls&#xA;  from that realm and arises in this human world.  Having arisen in this&#xA;  world, he goes forth from the household life into homelessness. &#xA;  Having gone forth, he by means of effort, exertion, application,&#xA;  earnestness and right attention attains to such a degree of mental&#xA;  concentration that he thereby recalls his last existence, but recalls&#xA;  none before that.  And he thinks:   ‘That Brahma, … he made us, and he&#xA;  is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, the same for&#xA;  ever and ever.  But we who were created by that Brahma, we are&#xA;  impermanent, unstable, short-lived, fated to fall away, and we have&#xA;  come to this world.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUDDHA ON PROPHET LIKE JESUS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Once, monks, there lived a master and a faith founder named Sunetta,&#xA;  who was free from greed for sensual pleasures. And there lived once a&#xA;  master and a faith founder named Mūgapakkha - Aranemi - Kuddālaka -&#xA;  Hatthipāla - Jotipāla -  Araka, who was free from greed for sensual&#xA;  pleasures. This master however had many hundreds of disciples. And he&#xA;  showed the way to rebirth under the Gods of Brahma to his disciples&#xA;  [Comm: as &quot;Angels in the vicinity of God&quot; - an alternative translation&#xA;  closer to the understanding of the Western culture]. Those now, which&#xA;  did not show confidence, when the master pointed out the way to&#xA;  rebirth in heaven, all those arrived with the decay of the body, after&#xA;  death, into lower existence, on a suffering track, into the abysses,&#xA;  to hell. Those however, who showed confidence, all those arrived after&#xA;  the decay of the body, after death, on the lucky track, into heaven.&#xA;  What do you think, o monks? If someone insulted with malicious thought&#xA;  these seven masters and faith founders, who had turned away from&#xA;  sensual pleasures and who had hundreds of disciples, wouldn't such a&#xA;  one load a debt on himself? “ - “Certainly, o Blessed One.” - “Who&#xA;  insults however, monks, only one human being, who has realized Nirvana&#xA;  with malicious intention or defames him, loads a still larger debt on&#xA;  himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Anguttara Nikaya.VII. 69 Defamation of the noble ones&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;quotes taken from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://christianity.nibbanam.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://christianity.nibbanam.com/&lt;/a&gt;&quot; but they are found in the Suttas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3638" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-02T19:17:55.583" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T19:17:55.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7491" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-02T13:41:15.643" Score="-3" ViewCount="257" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like God created The Sims game and the Buddha as a character in it happened to discover how it works by somehow hacking into the program, perhaps by meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:28:03.647" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:28:03.647" Title="What if God created the universe but the Buddha just discovered how it works?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2015-02-03T20:08:58.097" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7492" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7757" CreationDate="2015-02-02T14:10:38.633" Score="10" ViewCount="1055" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a dog that i love very much.I don't feel like his a dog.I have a lot of respect for him.And treat him like an old friend.As he is old now.I heard somewhere that animals who hear the Dharma can be reborn as a human??I don't know if that's true or which sutta it's in.But I have formed a habit of either reading the sutta to him,chanting in Pali,or sometimes just talking to him about the Four Noble Truths.As that's the one thing i want to remember when i die.I know it seems too silly but i just feel like somewhere inside he can understand me.He has a very serene and calm demeanor too.I hope that there is a sutta about animals hearing The Dhamma having a better rebirth,because this dog has qualities that even i as a human being lack.I hope that there is some way to share the greatest gift(The Dhamma) to our animal friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it true is there a way to benefit animals by helping them come into contact with the Dhamma? Such as teaching them the Dhamma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2018-11-25T22:03:58.893" Title="Can We Teach Animals the Dhamma?" Tags="|teaching|animals|merit|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7491" CreationDate="2015-02-02T14:31:33.413" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What if God created the universe but the Buddha just discovered how it works?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well that's great because after The Buddha discovered how it works he shared with the rest of us how to be free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt; He didn't share with us How it All works and who created the universe.&#xA;You know why? Because when he was sitting there trying to find the answer to that question he realized oh my god this is going on forever and ever, thats when he realised he had bigger fishes to fry. Like &quot;Suffering and the Cessation of suffering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;here's an explanation of a man who got shot by an arrow and instead of getting help immediately he wanted to know who shot him,what weapon,what clan the shooter came form etc.When he should really be treating the wound.The wound is suffering and we should be treating it instead of trying to find if There's a God or when this universe was created sort of questions.Because it distracting us from the the real problem,that of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-02-02T22:56:15.950" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T22:56:15.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7479" CreationDate="2015-02-02T16:08:49.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five types of wrong livelihood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Weapons dealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Human trafficking (slavery, prostitution) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intoxiciant dealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Poison dealing  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any work dealing with meat&#xA;-- AN 5.177&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong Action in One's Livelihood &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Scheming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Persuading&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hinting&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Belittling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pursuing gain with gain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 117&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong Livelihood for Contemplatives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reading marks on the limbs [like palmistry]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reading omens and signs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;interpreting celestial events &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;interpreting dreams; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reading marks on the body &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;offering fire oblations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;offering oblations from the mouth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;offering blood-sacrifices&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;making predictions based on the fingertips&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;geomancy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;laying demons in a cemetery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;placing spells on spirits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reciting house-protection charms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;snake charming, poison-lore, scorpion-lore, rat-lore, bird-lore, crow-lore  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fortune-telling based on visions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;giving protective charms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;interpreting the calls of birds and animals ... [The list goes on and on]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-02-02T17:09:00.200" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T17:09:00.200" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7491" CreationDate="2015-02-02T16:58:14.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're talking about &lt;strong&gt;a God which is not a being but the cause of all causes&lt;/strong&gt; then yes that God is the same as our True Nature or Buddha Nature as Buddha called it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're talking about &lt;strong&gt;a God which created worlds, galaxies, etc.&lt;/strong&gt; then that is simply just a God in the form realm or the higher Desire realm heaven. (&lt;em&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thirty-One Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're talking about &lt;strong&gt;one specific being created this entire universe&lt;/strong&gt; (and all multiverses) including its countless solar systems within countless galaxies... then (1) you need to look at some astronomy videos and (2) the The Buddha specifically says that specific Gods (from the Form and Desire realm heavens) that delight in creation created particular galaxies/places and no one God created every single thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also says that excessive speculation will only waste your time and distract from the actual issue: unhappiness and being trapped in birth-and-death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it more important to be find True Happiness (free of conditions like having physical pleasure, the right relationship, enough money, etc.) and &lt;strong&gt;be able to decide where you go in the universe&lt;/strong&gt; or is it more important to spend your life intellectually understand the origin of the universe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha emphasized the former and said that the latter would take too long to explain (although he did a good job with the 31 Planes of Existence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with&#xA;  poison. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would provide&#xA;  him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow&#xA;  removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble&#xA;  warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't&#xA;  have this arrow removed until I know the given name &amp;amp; clan name of the&#xA;  man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or&#xA;  short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or&#xA;  golden-colored... until I know his home village, town, or city...&#xA;  until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow&#xA;  or a crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was&#xA;  wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I&#xA;  know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or&#xA;  cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with&#xA;  which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a&#xA;  peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which&#xA;  I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a&#xA;  langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed&#xA;  until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a&#xA;  common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander&#xA;  arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown&#xA;  to him. —Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions to&#xA;  Malunkya&quot; (MN 63), Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T16:58:14.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2015-02-02T20:03:43.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ooh touchy subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, Jesus achieved a level of Awakening and opened up a lot of his chakras including his Throat Chakra (which is really hard to open).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He did not achieve Buddhahood or Arhatship but achieved powers that happen due to the 2nd training in Buddhism (concentration).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of these is the nirmanakaya manifestation body which is why he could manifest a body even after he left his crucified body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you know.. you can't be too harsh to Jesus's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of the religious teachings (including Islam) are wrong by the highest standards (Buddhism) but perhaps such Awakened &quot;prophets&quot; created such teachings to help improve people's karma (restrictions on behavior, the 1st training of Buddhism) and to help focus their minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without such primitive religions, the warmongerers among us may have taken over and destroyed any chance for truly integrated understanding we have today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-02T20:03:43.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7491" CreationDate="2015-02-03T05:17:05.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a way there ultimately is no Sims. The Buddha taught how one can see past the simulations that we make up and assume are real. This is how we transcend the assumptions we have about suffering and find true peace and happiness :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-02-03T05:17:05.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7501" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-03T06:21:47.407" Score="0" ViewCount="209" Body="&lt;p&gt;How did monks traditionally time their practice before the age of timers?&#xA;Any sutta references would be greatly appreciated.&#xA;I'm looking for an organic way to time my sittings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:41:57.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:41:57.270" Title="How did monks time their practice?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|time|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2015-02-03T17:49:01.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7483" CreationDate="2015-02-03T08:48:36.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that other spiritual worlds or a faith in its existence usually has no essential influence on our way and everyday life. So such beliefs can be considered as interpretations of one’s experience, which can be helpful and appropriate for his practice. Especially if this experience becomes quite unusual. For instance, I expect that deep spiritual practicians of different ways even can &lt;em&gt;see&lt;/em&gt; things in which they believe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3589" LastActivityDate="2015-02-03T08:48:36.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7501" CreationDate="2015-02-03T16:23:11.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To refer to the traditional way that time is kept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The best way I've heard to a) keep track of time b) without a clock&#xA;  (or timer) was related to me by my 91-year-old teacher who said in the&#xA;  old days they used to use incense sticks; once the incense stick was&#xA;  finished, they would switch from walking to sitting. For shorter&#xA;  sessions, you could cut the sticks in half, etc. Of course, it still&#xA;  means you need to open your eyes every so often during sitting.&quot;&#xA;  --&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1698/how-to-determine-the-end-of-a-meditation-session-without-a-clock/1717#1717&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The act of not timing your sitting is a profound one.&lt;/strong&gt; It's not like the Buddha timed his sittings when he attained Enlightenment!&#xA;After nourishing himself the Buddha himself literally said &quot;I will not get up from this Bodhi tree until I attain Awakening! Let my bones break and my flesh rot before I shall arise.&quot;&#xA;And then he entered the 1st jhana, 2nd jhana all the way to 4th and then experienced the 4 formless absorptions one by one and then attained Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He did not time his sittings except taking a bit of a break when he was truly exhausted and he opened his eyes to look at the night sky to take a bit of a rest.&#xA;And like magic, right then, he Awakened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Similarly Zen practitioners and other &quot;hardcore&quot; practitioners do not time their sittings... and they tended to Awaken when they took a bit of a rest and their Buddha Nature spotaneously opened to them, their skandhas dropping away giving them a strong taste of Awakening.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, the ultimate &quot;inorganic&quot; method is your own physical exhaustion, your own body telling you it is time to take a break from your arduous efforts!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, You can use other similar methods that are &quot;organic&quot; and do not use digital devices: tea kettle boiling, the birds starting to chirp in the morning as you push your meditation on in the early morning, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your question is an important question because &lt;strong&gt;we all need to do an electromagnetic detox&lt;/strong&gt;! We are all heavily dependent on our devices and are sleeping, reading, and practicing in a pool of EMR. I definitely notice a huge difference when I wear my crystals than when I am not.&#xA;Many of us experienced times when we go to a garden or some greenspace, far away from wifi connections and our mind completely clears and it feels the bliss of concentration is close at hand. It is also much easier to think about one's own life and contemplate in such an environment, also due to having less electronic devices subconsciously yelling and calling us in hundreds of ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-03T17:19:04.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7504" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-03T22:21:12.030" Score="3" ViewCount="2504" Body="&lt;p&gt;My mother is a christian woman but has strong traditional roots in voodooism and ancestral worship.My question is,Is it possible for human beings to invoke a deva/gods/territorial spirits(nagas etc) to do our bidding? In a Buddhist context Can a Deva help a human being? Is there such a story in the suttas.Why would a Deva help a human being? According to my mother a particular deva helps us because he was our family/relative/ancestor.Is this compatible with Buddhist Beliefs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T22:35:25.587" Title="In Buddhism Can Devas do Something For Us?" Tags="|comparative-religion|religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2015-02-03T22:59:16.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To refer to the traditional way that time is kept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The best way I've heard to a) keep track of time b) without a clock&#xA;  (or timer) was related to me by my 91-year-old teacher who said in the&#xA;  old days they used to use incense sticks; once the incense stick was&#xA;  finished, they would switch from walking to sitting. For shorter&#xA;  sessions, you could cut the sticks in half, etc. Of course, it still&#xA;  means you need to open your eyes every so often during sitting.&quot;&#xA;  --&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1698/how-to-determine-the-end-of-a-meditation-session-without-a-clock/1717#1717&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The act of not timing your sitting is a profound one.&lt;/strong&gt; It's not like the Buddha timed his sittings when he attained Enlightenment!&#xA;After nourishing himself the Buddha himself literally said &quot;I will not get up from this Bodhi tree until I attain Awakening! Let my bones break and my flesh rot before I shall arise.&quot;&#xA;And then he entered the 1st jhana, 2nd jhana all the way to 4th and then experienced the 4 formless absorptions one by one and then attained Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He did not time his sittings except taking a bit of a break when he was truly exhausted and he opened his eyes to look at the night sky to take a bit of a rest.&#xA;And like magic, right then, he Awakened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Similarly Zen practitioners and other &quot;hardcore&quot; practitioners do not time their sittings... and they tended to Awaken when they took a bit of a rest and their Buddha Nature spotaneously opened to them, their skandhas dropping away giving them a strong taste of Awakening.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, the ultimate &quot;inorganic&quot; method is your own physical exhaustion, your own body telling you it is time to take a break from your arduous efforts!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, You can use other similar methods that are &quot;organic&quot; and do not use digital devices: tea kettle boiling, the birds starting to chirp in the morning as you push your meditation on in the early morning, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your question is an important question because &lt;strong&gt;we all need to do an electromagnetic detox&lt;/strong&gt;! We are all heavily dependent on our devices and are sleeping, reading, and practicing in a pool of EMR. I definitely notice a huge difference when I wear my crystals than when I am not.&#xA;Many of us experienced times when we go to a garden or some greenspace, far away from wifi connections and our mind completely clears and it feels the bliss of concentration is close at hand. It is also much easier to think about one's own life and contemplate in such an environment, also due to having less electronic devices subconsciously yelling and calling us in hundreds of ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-02-03T22:59:16.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7506" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7507" CreationDate="2015-02-04T01:04:55.780" Score="12" ViewCount="748" Body="&lt;p&gt;While the Pali scriptures address (or at least reference) a number of specific sufferings that a human being can be subject to (Jealousy, Anger, Fear, etc.), do any of the teachings deal with the specific suffering of Insecurity (and how to overcome it)?  Meaning a lack of self-confidence, usually caused by the mind making itself subject to fears and illusions that creep in and which it lacks the strength to banish or prevent in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2486" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T02:38:33.457" Title="Buddhist (Theravada) cure for &quot;Insecurity&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7506" CreationDate="2015-02-04T01:51:04.940" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;1.One of the ways to deal with anxiety,insecurity or lack of self confidence is by &lt;strong&gt;developing Sila (Morality,Integrity,Virtue,Ethics).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Five blessings, householders, accrue to the righteous person through his practice of virtue: great increase of wealth through his diligence; a favorable reputation; &lt;strong&gt;a confident deportment&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;without timidity&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;in every society, be it that of nobles, brahmans, householders, or ascetics;&lt;/strong&gt; a serene death; and, at the breaking up of the body after death, rebirth in a happy state, in a heavenly world.&quot;&#xA;— DN 16*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.&lt;strong&gt;Anxiety comes from fear and fear comes from aversion&lt;/strong&gt;,a way to counter act aversion is by practicing &lt;strong&gt;metta bhavana&lt;/strong&gt; (to yourself First,make sure you spend a lot of time on yourself,lack of self confidence masks self hatred).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.&lt;strong&gt;Counteract Fear by developing one of the five spiritual faculties,Faith&lt;/strong&gt;.Take refuge in the Triple Gem,Take refuge in the Present Moment.Embrace the present moment.Anxious or not.Don't fight it or get upset that you got anxious.This just makes it worse.Just note it.Anxiety.Be present for it.Hold it in Awareness and compassion.Yes you might feel worse or uncomfortable but that's okay.You can note.Uncomfortable.No matter what arises due to insecurity to anxiety you can always Note.Which means there is something bigger than anxiety and that is Mindfulness.And soo you will see it changes.So have faith in the Buddha's teaching,put it to practice and see for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T01:51:04.940" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7504" CreationDate="2015-02-04T02:44:23.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist scriptures, devas are described as powerful beings who often interact with humans. So assuming devas are real, they can surely hinder or help humans in a material way. What no being can ever do is force or hinder another's spiritual path. There we are truly alone. Even Mara can only tempt beings to stray from the skillful path but can never succeed as long as we can see through its illusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T02:44:23.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7509" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-04T03:50:53.490" Score="3" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/alex_wissner_gross_a_new_equation_for_intelligence#t-350329&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; 10 minute TED video by Alex Wissner talks about a new theory of intelligence, which defines intelligence as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;intelligence is a force ... that acts so as to maximize future freedom of action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this related to goal of Buddhism? By this definition is Buddhist practice very intelligent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-04T11:57:31.427" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T15:47:08.217" Title="How is the new intelligence equation practically (freedom) related to Buddhism?" Tags="|science|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7509" CreationDate="2015-02-04T03:50:53.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist goal is to escape self-imposed suffering and ultimately to escape forced birth-and-death through the process of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Trainings&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;This is related to Alex Wissner's theory of intelligence in the same manner: restrict/choose present actions in order to maximize future options.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one attains &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bodhi&lt;/a&gt; one is able to be free from forced rebirth. Thus, once Awakened, the bodhisattva/Buddha then exercises their compassionate power and constantly uses their &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nirmanakaya&lt;/a&gt; (aspect of Trikaya) to help beings throughout the infinite galaxies as described by Buddha (and Taoists).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, by Alex Wissner's definition of intelligence, Buddhist training is the most intelligent behavior &lt;em&gt;any being&lt;/em&gt; can possibly take, especially those of us that are trapped in self-imposed suffering (dukkha) and the process of forced birth-and-death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T03:50:53.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7504" CreationDate="2015-02-04T04:24:24.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like a friend or even an animal (some cases animals have help people) can help us there are instances where beings in other planes can help us. This includes Devas. Again like a friend or animal they may be limited in their ability including due to the plane they are in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-05T16:06:26.027" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T16:06:26.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7504" CreationDate="2015-02-04T06:22:50.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes they can.&#xA;If one does good, particular &quot;higher&quot; beings (including Buddhas) can more easily help that being (they are attracted to the good karma).&#xA;If one does evil, asuras can more easily haunt that being (they are attracted to the evil karma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other properties to them that are completely irrelevant to the Buddhist project (see Noble Truths) and the importance of meditation and attainment within our extremely fortuitous but also extremely brief life-time...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to answer your last question... yes it is compatible but also remember that Hindus also believe in this stuff. The difference with Buddhism from all (inferior) traditions is  there exists Buddhahood for the sake of all beings and the Three Trainings and this has little to do with over-concern for worldly matters (e.g. Mythbusters and other obsessions with paranormal phenomena). The Buddha himself said this and so did Confucius (who had Enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To satisfy your curiousity though, devas are mentioned throughout the scriptures and the Buddha mentions his experiences with them in vivid detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is a taste of the first half of &quot;The Mind Experiment&quot; with excerpts from respective suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “devas” (collective name for heavenly beings) are not above men or&#xA;  outside the world, not transcendent but immanent, worldly beings. They&#xA;  all have distinct features and occupy certain positions in a vast&#xA;  hierarchy of levels, each heaven providing specific qualities of life&#xA;  and environment, body and consciousness. There is a Lord God in most&#xA;  realms but no one is in charge of the whole; there is no super lord,&#xA;  no unique and supreme ruler of the universe, no divine creator of all&#xA;  and everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some Gods believe themselves to be eternal and almighty because of the&#xA;  exceptional qualities of their existence – such as an extremely long&#xA;  lifespan, unwavering happiness, extensive presence, power, and&#xA;  knowledge – which makes it difficult for them to “see things as they&#xA;  are” (impermanent, suffering, non-self, empty; Chapter 1). They enjoy&#xA;  such bliss and brilliance that it is difficult for them to realize&#xA;  that all beings are, in essence, equal; that their godly state is just&#xA;  a matter of natural and temporal retribution, the result of their own&#xA;  excellent karma, and that they too are subject to the universal law of&#xA;  causality, to suffering and frustration when their karma runs out.&#xA;  They experience decay, death and rebirth (in a lower plane). By&#xA;  themselves they do not discern ultimate truth, but when they did upon&#xA;  hearing the Buddha’s teaching, “they beat their breasts and wept” (AN&#xA;  ii 33).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gods are finite because they exist. They are delimited and conditioned&#xA;  by their own thusness, by the very attributes and properties&#xA;  (skandhas) that make them divine. They are “imprisoned in their&#xA;  person” (SN iii 85). Although none of them are responsible for the&#xA;  world or for other beings, they do have more-than-human powers. Their&#xA;  destiny highly exceeds our human one, because they have been much&#xA;  better than we have been; it is their excellent karma that took them&#xA;  there. Therefore we should emulate them for the moral and spiritual&#xA;  qualities that earned them such splendid existence. As religions know,&#xA;  they can appear on earth and interact with humans, they can protect us&#xA;  and intervene on our behalf; they are affected by our prayers, which&#xA;  they can answer insofar as [1] their power extends to us, and [2] we&#xA;  have the spiritual capacity and karmic affinity to receive their help.&#xA;  But there is not much they can do to alter man’s destiny or their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gods and heavens are part of and evolve within the whole of existence,&#xA;  or they would not exist. They are no exception to the general rule but&#xA;  subject to the universal process of origination-cessation just like&#xA;  the rest of us, ruled by cause and effect. They evolve according to&#xA;  the natural law and order of the universe (Dharma). Heavens and hells,&#xA;  gods and angels, spirits and demons are not a matter of mythology but&#xA;  of cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is much more to reality than what our senses and brain register.&#xA;  From the human level, the pure worlds above are perceived when the&#xA;  mind ascends in pure concentration (dhyana-samadhi). “sursum corda” –&#xA;  lift up your hearts – is to be taken literally. To “contemplate God in&#xA;  Heaven” has been the main purpose of all religious exercise: to&#xA;  cultivate a supernatural awareness through prayer, moral excellence&#xA;  and mental purity, single-minded faith and contemplation. That means&#xA;  essentially to develop dhyana-concentration, to shut out the world of&#xA;  the senses, to silence the distraction of thought, to rise above this&#xA;  earthly-bodily dimension and “unite with Heaven.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At times when spiritual cultivation was more developed, gods and&#xA;  heavens were a natural part of life, as can be seen in the traditions&#xA;  of Greco-Roman culture, Judeo-Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Daoism,&#xA;  and other religions. All of these offer observations that match one or&#xA;  more aspects of the heavenly reality as it has been elucidated in&#xA;  Buddhism. The Buddha’s omniscience covered the whole of reality, and&#xA;  his revelations about gods and heavens have been, and can always be,&#xA;  corroborated by people with adequate samadhi power. There is nothing&#xA;  exclusively Buddhist about it; any spiritual adept can discern the&#xA;  superstructure of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha once described a heavenly voyage undertaken by one of his&#xA;  followers, to whom “the thought occurred: “I wonder where the four&#xA;  great elements—earth, water, fire, and air—cease without remainder”&#xA;  (in other words, “what is beyond the physical universe”). And that&#xA;  brother attained to such a state of mental concentration that the way&#xA;  to the deva-realms appeared before him.” After having gone through the&#xA;  consecutive realms of the lower heavens and having put his question to&#xA;  the gods there (who referred him each time to a higher instance), “he&#xA;  became so absorbed in concentration that the way to the Brahma-world&#xA;  appeared before his mind thus pacified. He went to the gods of&#xA;  Brahma’s Assembly . . .  then the Great Brahma himself appeared . . . &#xA;  and finally, as swiftly as a strong man flexes his arm, he vanished&#xA;  from the Brahma world and appeared in my presence” (DN i 215-222).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha himself proceeded likewise. Once asked about the&#xA;  whereabouts of a group of his followers who had recently died, “he sat&#xA;  down, thinking over, considering and concentrating his whole mind on&#xA;  the question of them, making a resolve: I will find their future,&#xA;  their fate after this life, whatever it is. And then he perceived the&#xA;  destiny of each one of them. In the evening, after he emerged from&#xA;  meditation, looking bright and shining . . .  [the Buddha said:] ‘Then&#xA;  an invisible spirit made himself known . . . and appeared himself&#xA;  before me, a splendid presence’.” It was the spirit of a former king&#xA;  who explained his rebirth among gods as a king of non-humans, who now&#xA;  wanted to engage on the path of enlightenment and was asking the&#xA;  Buddha for advice. (DN ii 204)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On several occasions the Buddha described in detail the rebirths of&#xA;  disciples who were recently deceased, also mentioning their actual&#xA;  status on the path of spiritual realization. He advised his students&#xA;  to see this for themselves and explained a manner of self-inspection,&#xA;  like looking in a mirror, to discern clearly one’s future and make&#xA;  sure that: “I have destroyed hell, animal-rebirth, ghost-realm, evil&#xA;  fates, and sorry states. I am a Stream-enterer (first stage of the&#xA;  path), incapable of falling back into states of woe, certain of&#xA;  attaining Nirvana.” (DN ii 92-94) When he spoke about rebirth, he&#xA;  frequently warned against being reborn in the “descents” and “states&#xA;  of woe,” among animals, afflicted spirits and miserable ghosts, or&#xA;  worst of all, in one of the hells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-05T22:35:25.587" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T22:35:25.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2015-02-04T06:47:55.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best thing to do is just do it as long as you feel it. Once your mind starts emerging, you're done. I've never understood people who try to turn it into a marathon, seeing how long you can go. That's totally counterproductive. Once you feel like getting up, get up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternately stare at a clock. That might sound like a joke, but you've got to stare at something. The tension and tediousness of staring at a second hand going round and round is bound to be useful in breaking through to release. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't recommend listening to music. That also defeats the purpose. Also, don't overthink it. Make sure you're not using the question of how to time your sessions as an excuse not to do them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3641" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T06:47:55.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7509" CreationDate="2015-02-04T07:27:14.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;something that takes control of the present to enable greater control of future possibilities&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt; This is Mindfulness. By being Mindful of the present moment.One has greater control of the action that follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is this related to goal of Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Buddhism is Nibbanna.You realise it through practicing the Eight Noble Path in which Right Mindfulness is a component.Have you heard of the &lt;strong&gt;karma that ends all karma.&lt;/strong&gt; Basically by following the Eight Noble Path we are creating the right conditions,the right karma,to stop suffering.By being mindful we can &lt;strong&gt;takes control of the present to enable greater control of future possibilities (Happiness,Nibbanna)&lt;/strong&gt; Being mindful stops you from acting subconsciously (in ignorance) or out of deeply ingrained habits and tendencies that keep you in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By this definition is Buddhist practice very intelligent?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T07:27:14.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7509" CreationDate="2015-02-04T11:54:20.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well no, maybe not: maybe the new equation is just more samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase &amp;quot;acting so as to maximize future freedom of action&amp;quot; could be interpreted to mean things like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Become rich&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Become politically powerful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Minimize your prior obligations which impede your freedom of action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That third sounds like it might be Buddhist, if it means, &amp;quot;people without &lt;em&gt;attachments&lt;/em&gt; can do more&amp;quot; (e.g. if they don't have family obligations to hold them back) ... but then again consider the Vinaya rules, which dictate limits on what people are able (allowed) to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism isn't entirely about becoming powerful (&amp;quot;future freedom of action&amp;quot;) ... it's more to do with &amp;quot;self-control&amp;quot; and freedom (liberation) from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The descriptions of &amp;quot;Entropica&amp;quot; show I think that it's not intended as a description of mainstream Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the same token, Entropica is broadly applicable to problems in autonomous defense, logistics and transportation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, here we see Entropica spontaneously discovering and executing a buy-low, sell-high strategy on a simulated range traded stock, successfully growing assets under management exponentially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the &amp;quot;Entropica&amp;quot; model could be interpreted to mean &amp;quot;don't have a limited view of self, form new connections&amp;quot; ... so I suppose it depends on how you interpret the metaphor&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T11:54:20.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7469" CreationDate="2015-02-04T13:37:56.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of life is a phrase from a different tradition, but if we put square pegs in round holes, then the meaning of life in a Buddhist context is to complete one of the paths of liberation and solve the fundamental problem of suffering. Depending on sect, the path of liberation varies wildly, as does the exact formulation of the fundamental problem. (In Mahayana, the fundamental problem is ignorance about who we really are)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next two questions regard non-self. You have to keep in mind why this question was being asked. The Indic thinking of the Buddhas time was something like-- some part of you is eternal and unchanging, therefore you will never die, and you have a Indic-style soul and may eventually go to heaven or at least be reborn one village over when you die. Saying subatomic particles exist and are constant, unchanging is something of a nonsequitor unless you can think of a way for subatomic particles to be the foundation for evidence for a soul, reincarnation and after-death heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now switching over to my Mahayana influenced personal, secular beliefs, I think the non-self bit is true and the consequence is that we personally don't exist, we will die and not be reborn one village over, but the mass of humanity exists. The fundamental problem is how do we solve the problem of misery for all of humanity, because that is the only meaningful, real identity we ever had. That naive notion of an immortal soul was the cause of our misery-- we spent all our efforts trying to preserve that immortal soul and keep it from harm, when the real problem is the world of misery that surrounds us. Once we realize that there isn't such a strong difference between us and the surrounding collective consciousness, our motivation for action shifts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T13:37:56.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7477" CreationDate="2015-02-04T16:19:49.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Complete reference to this can be found in Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum#Meaning&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum#Meaning&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3642" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T16:19:49.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7518" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7525" CreationDate="2015-02-04T20:10:48.867" Score="4" ViewCount="310" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came to know His Holiness Dalai Lama serves his guests meat at his residency.... Is it dharma to ask your cook to kill an animal to serve your guest or further is it not your dharma to ask your cook to not kill an animal?.. &#xA;So as to avoid confusion.. My main question is how will inactions contribute to our karma as much as our actions?.. Like here for eg. Our inaction of not stopping an animal being killed...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3643" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-05T07:40:05.100" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T07:40:05.100" Title="How does our inactions contribute to Karma?... For eg:How can you justify act of your cook killing an animal for your non buddhist guest?" Tags="|karma|suffering|vegetarianism|causes|meal-gatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7519" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10824" CreationDate="2015-02-04T20:49:46.207" Score="2" ViewCount="88" Body="&lt;p&gt;The title says it all: I'm looking for a german translation of that sutra:           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a german-language online-resource for the prajnaparamita sutra &quot;perfection of wisdom in 8000 lines&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note, I've the &quot;Heart&quot;- and the &quot;Diamondsuta&quot; which more-or-less belong to the set of Prajnaparamita-sutras, it's just I want to have a look in this specific version of the (possibly earliest) mahayana-sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T17:42:19.213" Title="Is there a german-language online-resource for the prajnaparamita sutra &quot;perfection of wisdom in 8000 lines&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7506" CreationDate="2015-02-04T21:33:46.530" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure in which &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt;, but I remember Buddha having been asked a similar question, about timidity, I think in Anguttara Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His answer was, basically, that confidence comes from skill. If one is well-learned and well-trained at whatever s/he is doing, one tends to be more confident than an incompetent bumbler. The examples of skills Buddha gave were speaking, manners (posture/walking/standing/sitting), and knowledge of Dharma (he was talking about bhikkhu elders being confident at teaching Dharma, if I remember correctly).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa compared Buddhist training to taming a gorilla. The first stage is to learn to move around without breaking stuff and hurting oneself and people. In Trungpa's interpretation, this is essentially what Sila (Shila) is, a practice of discipline, or warrior-like simplicity, cultivation of lifestyle opposite to indulging. This matures into efficient action devoid of any unnecessary/unproductive wavering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own experience I can add, regular meditation helps tremendously to reduce the pathological kinds of self-reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-02-04T21:52:13.953" LastActivityDate="2015-02-04T21:52:13.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7518" CreationDate="2015-02-05T01:16:41.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how will inactions contribute to our karma as much as our actions?.. Like here for eg. Our inaction of not stopping an animal being killed...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the above &quot;inaction&quot; was not driven by volition associated, it is reasonable to admit it does not affect karma (ie. there wasn't, in fact, an action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If volition led to, eg, not stopping an animal being killed, there was karma, since there was action. It just wasn't observable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably, the kind of karma is dependent on the volition, not on the fact that an animal wasn't saved. So I think it would be premature to simply conclude that inaction in these circumstances are bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/06/an06-063.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cetanāhaṃ bhikkave kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T01:16:41.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1698" CreationDate="2015-02-05T02:11:45.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use an APP called Meditation Helper.  It is very useful. I has a nice bell sound. You can program the total time and also interval times.&#xA;I also like the &quot;reminder&quot; function that you can program, the App will remind you to meditate every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T02:11:45.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7506" CreationDate="2015-02-05T02:33:16.867" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with the commenters above and I want to add that insecurity is a state of mind and thus it has the properties of &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt; (impermanence), &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (insubstantiality) and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (causing suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; trains us to see our states of mind as they arise and cease and not to cling to them. Once we learn to let them go, we realise they are not &quot;me&quot;, they are not &quot;mine&quot;: we simply witness the ups and downs of the mind without identifying with them and without getting upset with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastEditorUserId="3632" LastEditDate="2015-02-05T02:38:33.457" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T02:38:33.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7518" CreationDate="2015-02-05T05:22:56.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it dharma to ask your cook to kill an animal to serve your guest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Dalai Lama asks the cook to kill an animal, he violates the 1st precept and commits bad karma.&#xA;If he asks the cook to just prepare meat without intending him to kill, he does not violate the 1st precept. He will get good Karma for arranging a meal for the guest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T05:22:56.780" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7518" CreationDate="2015-02-05T05:59:12.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I came to know His Holiness Dalai Lama serves his guests meat at his residency&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes but is the meat bought at the supermarket or he keeps animals to slaughter for food?&#xA;If it's bought at a supermarket than I think it would be less bad karma than if he had it slaughtered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it dharma to ask your cook to kill an animal to serve your guest or further is it not your dharma to ask your cook to not kill an animal?..&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I definitely think asking your cook to kill an animal to serve your guest is &lt;strong&gt;Not dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;.I think it generates bad karma but only the level of intensity varies according to our intentions.I don't think we can kill another being even for food and get away with it.Though killing an animal for food is better than killing them for fun for sport.So the karma varies according to our intention. I don't know maybe it's just personal opinion but i just can't see that.My conscience won't allow me too.Which is why If I have to eat meat,which I do everyday, I say a little prayer and allow them to kill me for food in the future if a time like that should come.It's an act of compassion to give yourself to sustain others.Though i'm sure some of these animals we're not given a choice.so that's why I feel gratitude.For the food itself.So i do think it's wrong and i do accept all the consequences.We are the owner and heir to our karma.If we must kill an animal for food then we should do so in the most humane way and make use of all it's parts, for meat,hyde,fur for clothing etc.In some cultures that shows respect for the animal you've hunted.And I'm sure that's in line with the spirit dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My main question is how will inactions contribute to our karma as much as our actions?.. Like here for eg. Our inaction of not stopping an animal being killed...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is intention.Action with intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is your intention for killing an animal? &#xA;and What is your intention for not doing anything to stop the animal being killed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will contribute to the fruits of our karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T05:59:12.597" CommentCount="18" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5976" CreationDate="2015-02-05T21:19:12.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thai chanting has a very distinctive rhythm and melody to it. The makers of that chanting book have simply replicated the Thai style to fit English. You couldn't do it exactly the same as the Pali because the lengths of words and sentences are different and the melodies sort of match up with the sentence boundaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T21:19:12.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7476" CreationDate="2015-02-05T22:05:20.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just trying to answer my question in a partial and tentative way: according to &lt;strong&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/strong&gt;, in its &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/sakka1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Discourse on Sakkapañha Sutta&quot;&gt;Discourse on Sakkapañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A stream-winner in the immaterial world (&lt;em&gt;arûpaloka&lt;/em&gt;) will not forget to&#xA;  practise mindfulness. He can contemplate the mental processes and&#xA;  attain Arahantship. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/sakka2.htm#elation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway in another passage he gives importance to having a physical body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For, as a discourse in the &lt;em&gt;Anguttaranikâya&lt;/em&gt; says, the physical body of&#xA;  a deva is pure and radiant and the Dhamma becomes clearly manifest to&#xA;  one who has practised in his previous life. It may take some time to&#xA;  recollect, but recollection is instantly followed by attainment of&#xA;  insight knowledge. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/sakka1.htm#intro&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems that in general it would be possible to practice vipassana in an &lt;em&gt;arupa&lt;/em&gt; world, but only if one already practiced it presumably with a physical body.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-02-05T22:05:20.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7528" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-05T23:41:11.857" Score="2" ViewCount="474" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any information in the texts that tell you the difference between the spiritual mind and the physical mind. I know there are ways to transcend, but that's not what I'm looking for. What I'm asking is complicated. At what is a thought or action created by the physical mind/brain, and when is a thought or action created by the spiritual mind, or super-consciousness, or whatever. Or, are all thoughts/action created by the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="149" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T22:48:36.190" LastActivityDate="2017-02-04T18:47:44.277" Title="How Can One Tell The Difference Between The Spiritual Mind And The Physical Mind?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7528" CreationDate="2015-02-06T00:30:19.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are other sources that support the notion that there is only one mind or consciousness in all that is. Here is one such source&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_the_body&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_the_body&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In contrast with many Indian religious traditions, Buddhism does not&#xA;  regard the body and the mind or spirit as being two entirely separate&#xA;  entities- there is no sense in Buddhism that the body is a &quot;vessel&quot;&#xA;  that is guided or inhabited by the mind or spirit.[1] Rather, the body&#xA;  and mind combine and interact in a complex way to constitute an&#xA;  individual. Buddhist attitudes towards the body itself are complex,&#xA;  combining the distaste for sensual pleasure that characterizes the&#xA;  general Buddhist view towards desire with a recognition of both the&#xA;  individuals dependence on the body, and the utility of the body as an&#xA;  aide in the development of insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roshi Suzuki has given lectures to American students teaching what is beginner's mind. It might be of interest. &#xA;www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When thoughts stop, there is nothing but sweet nothingness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T00:30:19.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7192" CreationDate="2015-02-06T00:42:37.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All is consciousness and all is not consciousness and neither of the preceding is true. This is the kind of logic that Zen sees the world in ways that at best are uncertain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one sense you are asking does a table have Buddha nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has been answered in this post Does a dog have Buddha nature?&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3130/the-buddha-nature-of-a-dog&quot;&gt;The Buddha-nature of a dog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have only found one thing that helps me, when I find empathy and compassion for all beings. What their nature is does not seem to affect me. My own acts in consciousness do affect me directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T00:42:37.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7476" CreationDate="2015-02-06T01:51:44.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If my understanding is correct,&quot;mind states correlate with realms of rebirth&quot;.I don't think you can practice Vipassanna in any Jhanic State.Not even the &lt;strong&gt;first jhana&lt;/strong&gt; (rupajhana). So i don't think any one reborn in a corresponding jhanic realm can practice vipassanna as they are in Absorbtion.I think those born in a non-jhanic realm such a tusita realms etc can hear the dharma.But not those in the rupa or arupa jhanas. Except for the Five Pure Abodes i think their an exception.Though forgive me if i am mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T01:51:44.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7192" CreationDate="2015-02-06T09:44:14.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;EMPATHY&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;empathy &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;• n : understanding and entering into another's feelings&#xA;.&#xA;I don't if i am upto a satisfying answer or not but the empathy that i have got after getting your question is that 'it is within'. If you think that everything about buddha ends up as an empathy than its not wrong. But the empathy (may be very-2 important question to everybody) is just a milestone where one can relax at his doings (karma) , only if that one's practicing it right. Buddha left his body long years ago, but not his will ( a will that can benefit many of us and our inner know it somewhere somehow). That is strange. Thats concern. Thumbs up for you. You are on right path. You are picking up stones but not making yourself or your pocket heavy. It is all within. You are the nearest to it for you, not for becoming a buddha. Regards for coming up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T09:44:14.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7528" CreationDate="2015-02-06T10:51:00.783" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no physical mind. Brain is Rupa(matter). There are only 2 aspects to the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/73.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nama&lt;/a&gt; - mental aspect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/73.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt; - physical aspect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 2 are further subdivided into five groups called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Panchaskanda&lt;/a&gt;(five aggregates)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually what we call as thoughts belong to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/formations.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; group. Thoughts are caused by both physical and mental causes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-06T21:02:22.207" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T21:02:22.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7534" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7538" CreationDate="2015-02-06T17:19:59.143" Score="5" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;How we can strengthen dis-identification in normal life? How can we free our attention from self-reference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-07T16:30:47.597" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T17:18:21.790" Title="Strengthening dis-identification in normal life" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-02-06T18:02:57.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is someone such as &lt;strong&gt;Paul R. Fleischman&lt;/strong&gt; that in some way would agree with such a claim. For example in its &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.it/books?id=T6OF3kPF1cAC&amp;amp;lpg=PP1&amp;amp;hl=it&amp;amp;pg=PA113#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma and Chaos&lt;/a&gt; essay he highlights how the &lt;em&gt;Chaos theory&lt;/em&gt; enables we modern people to understand terms such as &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. Elsewhere (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Popup_Product_Details/[English-PDF-Ebooks]Vipassana%20Meditation%20and%20the%20Scientific%20World%20View&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana meditation and the scientific world view&lt;/a&gt;) he tracks other parallels such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Modern cosmology (vs Buddha's &quot;cosmology&quot;, time and space expansion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compounded bodies (vs &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vibrational nature of ultimate matter (vs &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Information theory (vs &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Again, Chaos/Complexity theory (vs &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another classical source on this topic is &lt;strong&gt;Capra&lt;/strong&gt;'s &lt;em&gt;The Tao of Physics&lt;/em&gt; book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T18:02:57.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7528" CreationDate="2015-02-06T19:53:00.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing as a physical mind. The mind has no form, color, size, smell, etc.&#xA;The brain is the organ that controls the body.&#xA;A thought is always a mental process originated in the mind. Once a thougth arises it can create an emotion and from that comes the &quot;motion&quot; or action. &#xA;The mind control the brain and the brain controls the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T19:53:00.040" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-02-06T20:42:48.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would advise caution.  This is a very tricky subject and it is too complex to be answered in a short way.&#xA;If you are interested in this topic I recommend you read the book &quot;Choosing Reality&quot; by B. Alan Wallace and was published by Snow Lion (now Shambhala Publications).&#xA;Alan studied physics at Amherst College, graduating summa cum laude. Later in 1995 he got a PhD in religious studies from Stanford University.&#xA;Since 1970 he devoted himself to study and practice Tibetan Buddhism and since 1976 he has been teaching in Europe and North America.  He is a real expert.&#xA;Choosing Reality is the best book I have read about physics and Buddhism.  It should answer your questions very well, as it did to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T21:38:42.093" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T21:38:42.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7534" CreationDate="2015-02-06T23:09:12.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We should try to see everything as &quot;impermanent, unsatisfactory and uncontrollable&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see and contemplate that you can not control anything, not even your body, then you will understand that nothing is really yours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned the body because the Buddha used to give this example, as you cannot control it, you cannot prevent it from getting old, sick or die... then what is really yours to control? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another good technique, very common in Mahayana Buddhism, is to see &quot;emptiness&quot;. When you see that everything comes from something else you will understand that everything lacks a self, a true identity, our bodies are just pieces of this planet, combined in a certain way based on the DNA of our parents... See dependent origination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, they would probably recommend you to focus on anatta (non self), as the Buddha used to say: &quot;This is not me, this is not mine, this is not my self&quot;. There is no soul, a permanent soul would contradict impermanence, there is only a everchanging mindstream, so where is the identification? Hope it gives you something to think about!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-02-06T23:09:12.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-02-07T04:00:18.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to tkp's answer, here's a description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogyal_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sogyal Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; (Sogyal Rinpoche (2009), The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Harper Collins, Kindle Edition):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...all things, when seen and understood in their true relation, are&#xA;  not independent but interdependent with all other things. The Buddha&#xA;  compared the universe to a vast net woven of a countless variety of&#xA;  brilliant jewels, each with a countless number of facets. Each jewel&#xA;  reflects in itself every other jewel in the net and is, in fact, one&#xA;  with every other jewel... Think of a tree. When you think of a tree,&#xA;  you tend to think of a distinctly defined object; and on a certain&#xA;  level...it is. But when you look more closely at the tree, you will&#xA;  see that ultimately it has no independent existence. When you&#xA;  contemplate it, you will find that it dissolves into an extremely&#xA;  subtle net of relationships that stretches across the universe. The&#xA;  rain that falls on its leaves, the wind that sways it, the soil that&#xA;  nourishes and sustains it, all the seasons and the weather, moonlight&#xA;  and starlight and sunlight—all form part of this tree. As you begin to&#xA;  think about the tree more and more, you will discover that everything&#xA;  in the universe helps to make the tree what it is; that it cannot at&#xA;  any moment be isolated from anything else; and that at every moment&#xA;  its nature is subtly changing. This is what we mean when we say things&#xA;  are empty, that they have no independent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wired.com/2014/04/quantum-theory-flow-time/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article in Wired&lt;/a&gt; last year discusses almost the same thing based on quantum entanglement and the arrow of time:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the new line of research is correct, then the story of time’s arrow&#xA;  begins with the quantum mechanical idea that, deep down, nature is&#xA;  inherently uncertain. An elementary particle lacks definite physical&#xA;  properties and is defined only by probabilities of being in various&#xA;  states. For example, at a particular moment, a particle might have a&#xA;  50 percent chance of spinning clockwise and a 50 percent chance of&#xA;  spinning counterclockwise. An experimentally tested theorem by the&#xA;  Northern Irish physicist John Bell says there is no “true” state of&#xA;  the particle; the probabilities are the only reality that can be&#xA;  ascribed to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Quantum uncertainty then gives rise to entanglement, the putative&#xA;  source of the arrow of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When two particles interact, they can no longer even be described by&#xA;  their own, independently evolving probabilities, called “pure states.”&#xA;  Instead, they become entangled components of a more complicated&#xA;  probability distribution that describes both particles together. It&#xA;  might dictate, for example, that the particles spin in opposite&#xA;  directions. The system as a whole is in a pure state, but the state of&#xA;  each individual particle is “mixed” with that of its acquaintance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above describes dependency between entities at a particle level, while the following quote from the same article describes dependency between entities at a macro level:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the new story of the arrow of time, it is the loss of information&#xA;  through quantum entanglement, rather than a subjective lack of human&#xA;  knowledge, that drives a (hot) cup of coffee into equilibrium with the&#xA;  surrounding room. The room eventually equilibrates with the outside&#xA;  environment, and the environment drifts even more slowly toward&#xA;  equilibrium with the rest of the universe. The giants of 19th century&#xA;  thermodynamics viewed this process as a gradual dispersal of energy&#xA;  that increases the overall entropy, or disorder, of the universe.&#xA;  Today, Lloyd, Popescu and others in their field see the arrow of time&#xA;  differently. In their view, information becomes increasingly diffuse,&#xA;  but it never disappears completely. So, they assert, although entropy&#xA;  increases locally, the overall entropy of the universe stays constant&#xA;  at zero.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The universe as a whole is in a pure state,” Lloyd said. “But&#xA;  individual pieces of it, because they are entangled with the rest of&#xA;  the universe, are in mixtures.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above statement that &quot;information becomes increasingly diffuse, but it never disappears completely&quot; also resonates with Buddha's middle way teachings for e.g. the discussion of what happens when a person dies. He does not have a permanent soul that transmigrates, according to the Buddha. The newly born person is also not the same person as the one that died, yet not completely independent. However, the &quot;information&quot; is not completely lost and it reappears to a certain extent in the newly born person. This is a middle path between eternalism and annihilationism. There is a description of this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and some discussion in my previous &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7434/471&quot;&gt;answer to another question&lt;/a&gt;. Of course, this part is only my conjecture and rebirth is not described by science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the article from Wired discusses that there is no eternalism (no independent particle and no independent cup of hot coffee), yet there is also no annihilationism (&quot;information becomes increasingly diffuse, but it never disappears completely&quot;). It also says that everything is interdependent (“The universe as a whole is in a pure state but individual pieces of it, because they are entangled with the rest of the universe, are in mixtures&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above also coincide with Buddha's teaching that all conditioned things are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T04:27:57.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7540" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7543" CreationDate="2015-02-07T05:17:38.240" Score="4" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is something that can hold us back in inaction. Fear is something that i have in me regarding my presence and purpose of existence. Apart from my social life, apart from whatever i can do for my family i have an instinct to have much more potential in me. But fear of loosing my present keep me in inaction and i am unable to step forward to my purpose (meaning of my existence). So many doubts and real life barriers are also here. I want to know at what point buddha overcome his (level) fear ? And how it feels to be fearless (completely) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-02-08T05:00:06.190" Title="buddha and the fear?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7534" CreationDate="2015-02-07T05:36:22.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Identification is due to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;notion&lt;/a&gt; or perception. How do dis-identify is by cultivating opposite perception as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also perception results in conditioned metal reaction which creates &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensations&lt;/a&gt; followed by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;formations&lt;/a&gt; when you react to the sensation. Much of these sensations are generally around the head based on the volitional formation. These can be dissolved slowly by brining your attention to them maintaining equanimity and knowing their 3 characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T06:54:52.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7534" CreationDate="2015-02-07T06:31:17.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not good to mix up actual daily living with meditation principles and practice. First one should master meditation and then one will naturally do &quot;dis-identification&quot; spontaneously and quite perfectly during day-to-day life. If one forces it to happen before one has that foundation, it will not be a real dis-identification and will damage both one's meditation life (2nd training) and one's life (1st training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like training for the Olympics. Meditation is the training, the Olympics is day-to-day life. A participant, once already in the contest, should not think about &quot;training&quot;... one should just enjoy the road and live rightfully as best as one can, free of technique. When training on the other hand, the Olympian practices those techniques with all his might, strengthening and teaching his muscles.&#xA;One should work similarly on exercising the various facets of meditation, specifically the Wings of Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, make special time to practice Vipassana and dis-identification will happen gradually. Don't force indifference in daily life or try to meditate. Just live mindfully and right. People are not meditation objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make that special time throughout the day, even 2 minutes of moderately-powered Vipassana can completely change the way you would respond to anger-causing, delusion-causing, love-causing situations...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T06:31:17.713" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7540" CreationDate="2015-02-07T06:31:45.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is a primal instinct which has its function as it enables us to avoid dangerous situations, thus fearlessness is in itself dangerous and there is such a thing as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/12/17/3095255.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pathological fearlessness&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Complete and permanent fearlessness came for the Buddha with Awakening, of a different type than pathological fearlessness: for us still shackled by the Hindrances there is only temporary release in the Jhanas and learning to accept fear as part of existence. Moreover, as Acharya Buddharacitta writes, the Buddha taught the Karanya Metta Sutta to his monks in order to help them develop mindfulness as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#ch2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;some disgruntled devas were oppressing them with frightful visions&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, go back to the same spot! It is only by striving there that you will effect the destruction of inner taints. Fear not! If you want to be free from the harassment caused by the deities, learn this sutta. It will be a theme for meditation as well as a formula for protection (paritta).&#xA;  Then the Master recited the Karaniya Metta Sutta — the Hymn of Universal Love — which the monks learned by rote in the presence of the Lord. Then they went back to the same place&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's also a way to deal with fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt; As others have noted, fear comes from aversion (and this is why the Karanya Metta Sutta dispels fear by replacing it with loving kindness). Thus, the Buddha vanquished fear when he  destroyed aversion. This happened before Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastEditorUserId="3632" LastEditDate="2015-02-08T05:00:06.190" LastActivityDate="2015-02-08T05:00:06.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7540" CreationDate="2015-02-07T07:20:02.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Palicanon-sutras he had to fight with his fears in the seven years of initial life in the homelessness. The key of overcoming the fear was his deep determination &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;to go that path whatever might happen&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the &quot;lion's roar&quot; sutta is the one in which he describes something of the process before his awakening (but there are a couple of other suttas dealing with this) and some moments of real fear and anxiousness in the deep and dark forests.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the &quot;gosingam forest&quot;-sutta closes with his proposal, what makes this forest getting a holy glance: a monk, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;determined to sit-down and meditate and not to stop before getting the full insight/before destroying the illusion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So his precept was, just to bear the anxiousness/the fear. When it occurs to look at it: to look inside oneself, to look at the fear how it arises, to breath and to observe the breathing and let go any anxious emotion and look how it goes down again... and steadily proceed on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T07:20:02.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7545" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7548" CreationDate="2015-02-07T09:01:58.960" Score="2" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am distracted by the surroundings and at times lose my presence. I think deep down on the perspectives like meaning of life, purpose of life, focus on the one who really are, but get distracted many times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3650" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-02-07T15:03:07.977" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T15:03:07.977" Title="How do I practice Buddhism to attain peace of mind and know the inner self?" Tags="|personal-practice|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7545" CreationDate="2015-02-07T09:25:12.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I allow myself to recommend you to look at two books: “The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness”  by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yongey_Mingyur_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; and “&lt;a href=&quot;http://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/SekidaTraining.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen training&lt;/a&gt;” by Katsuki Sekida.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user3589" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T09:25:12.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7540" CreationDate="2015-02-07T09:25:56.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is an instance of aversion. Aversion is 1 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 roots of evil&lt;/a&gt;. You &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh279-u.html#IllwillandAnger&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eradicate aversion&lt;/a&gt; when you attain the state of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anagami&lt;/a&gt;. Buddha attained the state of Anagami before attaining Buddhahod in the last watch of the night on a Vesak full moon Poya day,  about 2603 years ago. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To know about how it feels to be completely fearless, read about the life of the Buddha; his encounters with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Angulimala the thief&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aalavaka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alavaka the demon&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://gauthamabuddha.blogspot.com/2012/01/taming-elephant-with-loving-kindnes.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nalagiri the drunk elephant&lt;/a&gt; etc. You can also read stories about Arahaths and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3527/where-is-the-story-of-the-non-returner-who-sold-pots-on-the-side-of-the-road&quot;&gt;Anagamis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T09:31:02.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7545" CreationDate="2015-02-07T09:46:09.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.2-Anatta-Lakkhana-S-s22.59-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and do &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpzurcpIDeY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipattana meditation&lt;/a&gt;. Examine the things you consider to be the self and see if they are worth taking as a self. As for the inner self, examine if there's anything inside you that is worth considering as a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T09:46:09.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7549" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-07T11:07:12.267" Score="0" ViewCount="2896" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why didn't the Buddha, who knew there were 31 realms of existence, not talk about the roundness of the earth and planets?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:27:48.267" LastActivityDate="2017-09-03T21:10:24.457" Title="The Buddha who knew there were 31 realm but didn't mention anything about a round earth" Tags="|science|six-realms|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7549" CreationDate="2015-02-07T15:01:10.543" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The basic project of Buddhism is solving the problem of suffering (or sometimes some other variation of the fundamental problem), usually through a realization about who we really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to that, the Buddha didn't bother to challenge many of the other ideas of his day regarding the realms, or karma. (He did take on caste, the economic system, to some degree the inequalities of men and women) He didn't challenge the world's thoughts on a lot of other issues, like medicine, astronomy, geography and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutras were written 100s of years later, and accumulated all sorts of unrelated material. By 700 AD, when Vajrayana was well established, the Buddhist canon included books on medicine, astrology and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many varieties of Buddhism, the secular version dispenses with the cosmologies as instructive myths and the core project of Buddhism remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, traditional Buddhism still holds the realms to be literally true, necessary for the Buddhist project and proponents like to call doubters &quot;scientist&quot;, &quot;materialist&quot; or dismissive of &quot;faith&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the basic project is to stop the cycle of rebirth and enter a sort of heaven (nirvana), then the realms are essential to Buddhism, without them the basic goal becomes incoherent. If the basic project to end suffering, that is a goal that can imaginably be achieved in this lifetime and it's validity is unaffected by what may happen after we die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T15:01:10.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6050" CreationDate="2015-02-07T17:33:05.990" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's very untrue to say that meditation wasn't practiced in Sri Lanka at that time. What actually happened is that the community of monks specialized itself in two divisions. The city monks who lived in monasteries within cities and villages and they specialized in memorizing and studying texts, and the forest monks specialized in meditation. It's not that meditation died out, but rather it wasn't done on large scales in the city and village monasteries that most people went to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even then it's a bit of an oversimplification. Some city monks devoted themselves to meditation, and some forest monks also spent a good deal of time studying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course at different times in history meditation has been more common or less common, but I don't think you could ever say it died out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-07T17:33:05.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7552" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-07T23:39:01.630" Score="2" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I've started to consider myself a lay-Buddhist for at least five years now, I've had an inclination to do good. But I've found it difficult to give it proper form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've found that politics are not the way for me, to much based on ego's and manipulation. But even doing just volunteer work or a food bank or help for refugees I've felt part of political machinations and power games. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this question is to much about opinion, but I was wondering: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there a need to good deeds as a lay-Buddhist?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is are proper way of doing so, avoiding just giving money, or becoming to political?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T20:17:17.063" Title="As a Buddhist lay-follower is there a need and good form to do good deeds?" Tags="|karma|compassion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2015-02-08T00:39:44.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One has to understand this: &quot;Buddha&quot; because it connotes being awakened by light. The word Buddha doesn't even makes mention of male or female. Both may become enlightened and both can be awakened by Light. Such is the writings and mantras and such are as if like alien from the higher consciousness we must reach and to go through all those prayers, rituals, etc to reach that higher consciousness or just accept of which there is a lot within the writings of such the word 'acceptance'. Remember, just like many beings throughout history had many encounters and raised up a religion or as they say, enlightened. taught by Beings from the days of Egypt and so on. The Encounter brought about a great deal of information and if you notice, they speak about the goddess not a male. The male, the Buddha reach a higher consciousness by the contact with this female or so if it was, from another world/your alien is and has always been here. saved many documentations of the past and shared it with beings on this earth or to whom they considered they like to share. Namaste. &quot;Know Thyself&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3652" LastActivityDate="2015-02-08T00:39:44.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7549" CreationDate="2015-02-08T01:50:18.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha who knew there were 31 realm but didn't mention anything about a round earth?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps because it had nothing to do with being free from suffering.I think the only reason the Buddha mentioned the 31 planes of existence was to help us understand more about samsara and that there are mind states that correlates with these 31 planes of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How come? if he didn't know about the basic fact that all kids now know, instead he said it was flat.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He may not have been referring to the physical earth but the metaphysical or spiritual universe.And i can't find any reference of him saying the earth is flat.can you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Doesn't it mean that what is said in the buddhist text is unreliable?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That depends on each person.If the person has developed the jhanas and the ability to travel to other realms then the text is reliable to him.If the person has faith in the Buddha the text is reliable for him,for people who completely ignore any metaphysical aspect and practice insight meditation in the here and now,the text is reliable for them.For people who need to see scientific proof for everything then the text is &lt;em&gt;unreliable&lt;/em&gt; for them.The Dhamma invites you to practice and see for yourself.No one is forcing you to believe.You decide what's best for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand he did mention about 31 realm of existence which is more difficult to comprehend and cannot be proved.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes he had to mention the 31 planes of existence because it was related to his teaching of suffering and the cessation of suffering.He didn't mention the earth is round,the chemical composition of the sun,how to build a space ship,how many rings there are in jupiter,what my cats name is because it was &lt;strong&gt;irrelevant.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 31 planes of existence is only difficult to comprehend if you do not see cause and effect.Everyday our mind states changes.One minute we are happy (in the deva realm) the next we are angry (hell realms).Really you don't even have to believe in a &lt;strong&gt;place&lt;/strong&gt; this in itself is enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That said some of the Buddhist Universe truth are proven false by the today scientific discovery already.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately all Buddhists only have to worry about freeing themselves from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-08T01:50:18.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7555" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-08T02:03:20.830" Score="6" ViewCount="3427" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should we proceed in our practice when we have broken some of the five precepts? I am anguished over this unwholesome behavior and the negative karma I created. Ajahn Brahm talks about self-forgiveness and the Buddha in the Sankha Sutta (the Conch Trumpet Sutta) talks about waking up from unwholesome behavior by refraining from such actions in the future. And of course, there is the story of Angulimala, so there are some examples in the teachings of people waking from patterns of negative karma-making. I suppose the only way to proceed is to maintain the precepts, deepen my practice and strive to create wholesome karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3653" LastEditorUserId="3653" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T16:53:03.653" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T17:56:42.277" Title="What do we do when we've broken a precept?" Tags="|karma|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3184" CreationDate="2015-02-08T02:39:35.547" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Phalasamapatti is a meditative state in which a person is absorbed in Nibbana itself. In this attainment there is a special kind of consciousness present called Lokuttara-citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to this, in Nirodhasamapatti there is no consciousness at all. In Chapter 8 section 42 of the Abhidhammatha Sangaha it describes it like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having proceeded, thus, up to the base of nothingness, one then&#xA;  attends to the  preliminary duties such as the resolution, etc., and&#xA;  enters the base of neither-perception- nor-nonperception.    After &#xA;  two  occasions  of  javana  in  absorption,  the  continuum  of &#xA;  consciousness  is  suspended.    Then,  one  is  said  to  have &#xA;  attained  cessation  (nirodha- samāpatti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another difference is in who can attain them. Phalasamapatti is attained by each of the four kinds of noble beings just after attaining the knowledge of the path, and it can be cultivated and extended by them as well. Nirodhasamapatti however, can only be entered by non-returners and arahats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-08T02:39:35.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7557" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7568" CreationDate="2015-02-08T14:36:57.357" Score="2" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have there been reform movements in 20th century Korean Buddhism that put more emphasis on meditation practice than traditional Korean Buddhism did, and that, in particular, also encouraged meditation by lay people? Put differently, I wonder whether Korean Buddhism has had a reform movement similar to, say, the reform movement of Mahasi Saydaw in Burma (that, in turn, was important to the development of Vipassana meditation as practiced by many in the US). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3584" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T20:31:30.813" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T20:31:30.813" Title="Lay meditation in Korean Zen" Tags="|history|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7555" CreationDate="2015-02-08T14:50:22.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't regret or repent! That is bad Karma. What you need to practice is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp5.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Vayama(The right effort)&lt;/a&gt; of the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the triple refuge and the five precepts every morning to remind yourself. Then at night, before going to sleep, reflect on the day's activities and see if you broke any precepts or if you can improve with Samma Vayama and try to do better next day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T01:04:07.953" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T01:04:07.953" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7552" CreationDate="2015-02-08T15:23:37.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, good deeds are very useful to us! Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Kamma Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma Vibhanga sutta&lt;/a&gt; to get an idea of how good and bad Karma can affect our lives drastically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can do good deeds on your own without depending on political mechanisms. But if you have to get involved, focus on the good aspect to it, instead of the political side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T01:09:48.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7549" CreationDate="2015-02-08T16:37:27.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha who knew there were 31 realm but didn't mention anything about a round earth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha always talked about &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;es_th=1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=buddha%20earth%20sphere&amp;amp;oq=buddha%20earth%20sphere&amp;amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4876j0j7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;spherical shapes throughout the suttas&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;Spherical shapes when referring to other worlds and also realms.&#xA;You may also be confused when it is talked about the eight &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_direction&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cardinal directions&lt;/a&gt;, confusing it for a flat plane. Instead the saying &quot;anything in the eight cardinal directions&quot; refers to the entire unvierse outside of yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://taylorswift.com/users/gZ4rqyBe/blogs/3682182&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this blog entry&lt;/a&gt; he describes the earth very perfectly including its radius.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the Surangama sutra or some other sutra Buddha describes the roundness of planets and &quot;sun-systems.&quot; I can look for the exact source but try googling it and comment back first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/HW0pU.gif&quot; alt=&quot;the diameter of the earth is accurate according to modern science!&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-30T15:06:53.330" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T15:06:53.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2015-02-08T16:40:58.073" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha is a title&lt;/strong&gt; for &lt;strong&gt;any being&lt;/strong&gt; who after much compassionate work as a bodhisattva, achieves Buddahood. (This begs the important, approachable question what is a bodhisattva? Not meant to be asked, but researched.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Buddha does not enter Nirvana until all beings are saved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original Buddha of our little planet Earth was Shakyamuni Buddha, male inheritor of the Shakya kingdom. He was also known as Gautama, especially by the Hindus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T18:30:33.870" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:30:33.870" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7562" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7566" CreationDate="2015-02-09T02:38:59.747" Score="2" ViewCount="1332" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I got into a long debate with some people on Reddit about killing pestilent, poisonous insects. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/2v6p1p/do_you_squash_bugs/cof0e31&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Feel free to read it&lt;/a&gt;. There are some interesting scientific findings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever the word is for people who go over-board with their compassion/ahimsa trip... I think they are doing that, considering it was a poisonous spider (about to give birth to 100 more) I dispatched.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what does Buddhism say about &lt;em&gt;intentionally&lt;/em&gt; killing dangerous (poisonous) and/or pestilent insects?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Specifically dangerous insects in one's personal and community environment.&#xA;Surely, the suttas, aimed towards forest-dwellers, must have some guidelines on harmful insects and animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T03:17:11.970" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T10:50:46.043" Title="What does Buddhism say about intentionally killing dangerous insects and beings?" Tags="|daily-life|ahimsa|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2015-02-09T22:05:56.153" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7562" CreationDate="2015-02-09T03:23:23.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not justifiable in terms of the precepts. Also any action like killing will be rooted in hatred, hence is counter-productive to achieve the Buddhist goal of Nirvana or peace for one self. Also you have to look at the possible effect on subject of the action. Will the subject be happy about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T03:29:01.723" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T03:29:01.723" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7555" CreationDate="2015-02-09T03:41:47.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you start off you can keep contemplating on the virtues and adhere to them. If any is broken make a strong determination not to break it again. As you progress look at the sensation each volition creates. If then sensation is gross then the action that follows will also be a gross action (breaking a virtue) hence should be avoided. Repenting is not productive. At higher stages you will notice that repenting also causes gross sensations, but until then keep in mind that repenting aggravates the Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T03:41:47.627" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7555" CreationDate="2015-02-09T03:50:54.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sit with your emotions of regret and cry and truly feel the pain you caused others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Decide to fuel it into following the Noble Truths to live a balanced life and work towards the super awesome goals of Buddhism which are far beyond anything that any drug or thing or person can ever give you!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make a small offering (a small bowl of rice will do, throw it in your garden the next morning) to your family ancestors, ghosts and the other beings and ask them for their help every night.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Forgive yourself when you have fully taken this decision to change and made this sacrifice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;List the different things you want to change&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Describe how each of these things are triggered and decide to avoid these triggers! (a certain social circle may not be seeing you in a while!)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find a replacement habit for each of the things you want to change (for example, if you feel relaxed by drinking, listen to music instead and do deep breathing... it'll give you a similar feeling and will lead you towards even higher attainments--while enhancing your brain and body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep monitoring your avoiding these triggers. Each day you can avoid these triggers (that are related to certain unbeneficial behaviors) is a day closer to permanent change! Studies show that if you can maintain a habit for 21 consecutive days, you basically have changed the way your brain works!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T03:50:54.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7562" CreationDate="2015-02-09T09:43:40.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Surely, the suttas, aimed towards forest-dwellers, must have some guidelines on harmful insects and animals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes: there is a sutta in which the Buddha tells forest-dwelling monks to practice a mind of good-will towards other beings -- see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.067.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ahina Sutta: By a Snake&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps if you were practising good-will you might be careful not to stand on or disturb them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-09T10:50:46.043" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T10:50:46.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7557" CreationDate="2015-02-09T16:13:43.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3418/760&quot;&gt;answer to a related question&lt;/a&gt;, there was no significant reform movement in Korean Seon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So there may be others who revitalized Seon, but in many ways the traditional practices and texts of Seon remained unchanged over a long time. Of all 3 Seon, Zen and Chan, the Korean practice seems the most like a mono culture with a tendency to remaining close to traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T16:13:43.513" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6050" CreationDate="2015-02-09T16:48:42.050" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is quite safe to say that the Buddhist interest in meditation is much higher than a few hundred years ago. David Chapman argues that &lt;a href=&quot;https://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/theravada-reinvents-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana was basically reinvented around 1900&lt;/a&gt;. His post is certainly controversial, but he provides sources, so it is a good starting point for researching the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is rather certain that some of the vipassana techniques originated in the 19th century, e.g. the &quot;New Burmese&quot; method was created by The-lon Sayadaw:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Strong Roots, cited below, “The-Lon Sayadaw… put this textual guidance [the Visuddhimagga] into practice without a personal teacher to guide [him] in mindfulness practice” (p. 110).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Origins of some techniques are less certain. For instance, Chapman argues that Ledi Sayadaw invented his own technique. However, an &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3067/760&quot;&gt;answer to a related question&lt;/a&gt; provides sources that say that he only learnt a technique that had been practiced in the caves of Sagaing Hills:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ledi Sayadaw learned the technique of Vipassana which had remained being taught in the caves of the Sagaing Hills, which was honeycombed with meditation caves and dotted with forest monasteries&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, even if is the case, the meditation wasn't widespread at that time. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00GMEJ0FO&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, Erik Braun writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is not to say that no one meditated prior to the colonial period, but [...] such practice was limited, especially among the laity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T16:11:23.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7570" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7583" CreationDate="2015-02-09T17:08:48.170" Score="2" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a correlation between sukha (the 4th component of the jhanangas) and passadha (the 5th component of the sambojjhanga)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:19:21.143" LastActivityDate="2019-09-15T20:55:31.507" Title="Is there a correlation between sukha and passadha?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3471" CreationDate="2015-02-09T17:16:24.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism supports astral projection as answered in more details in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3853/buddhist-view-on-out-of-body-experience-obe&quot;&gt;Buddhist view on out of body experience (OBE)&lt;/a&gt; as well as energy centers called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chakras&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember, when meditating, try to not visualise, imagine anything or analyse with your physical thoughts (stay relative), just plain awareness, so you can benefit from it further more (trust your senses).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you higher your vibrations during meditation (by breathing and intend), you start to feel your light (astral, etheric) body (electric sensation). The deep relaxing (friction) breathing helps to move your energy between chakras making the intensive connection and your whole body start to vibrate (you can learn how to consciously move this energy) and how to let it flow. Whilst circulating, the life force (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_(Tibetan_Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lung&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Qi&lt;/a&gt;) follows certain lines of energy (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian_(Chinese_medicine)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;meridians&lt;/a&gt; in Chinese, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_(yoga)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nāḍī&lt;/a&gt; in Sanskrit) and as your light body gains in strength through these practices, it gains a great resistance to negative energy (it's expelled consciously). When you feel the vibration - you feel the etheric (mixture of etheric frequencies of light or astral vibration). When you learn how to control this sensation, from there, you can train and develop many interesting abilities (ESP, OBE, RV and many more).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question, yes, this sensation is perfectly normal during meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="385" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T16:10:26.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7570" CreationDate="2015-02-09T17:19:13.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sukha isn't one of the 7 Bojjhangas, although Piti (rapture) is the fourth of them so I think that's what you meant. Yes, there is a connection. When Piti is developed correctly it will lead to Passadha (which simply means tranquility or peace.) For example, in the section on the Bojjhangas in the Anapanasati Sutta it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh&#xA;  arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose&#xA;  persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor for awakening becomes&#xA;  aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its&#xA;  development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind&#xA;  grows calm. When the body &amp;amp; mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow&#xA;  calm, then serenity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He&#xA;  develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its&#xA;  development.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T17:19:13.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1286" CreationDate="2015-02-09T17:56:05.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are willing to read, I think you will enjoy Alan Wallace's &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. This book is only about &lt;em&gt;satama&lt;/em&gt;, about the levels of focus, the benefits, the hindrances and some pitfalls.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My current plan is to keep to that gradual build. (...) But does the same thing apply for &quot;mental&quot; exercise -- i.e. for Buddhist samatha meditation of the kind I describe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For sure. If you go to 1 hour right away you will probably just get yourself tired. And also, I think it is much better to meditate for 20 minutes every day than one hour once a week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I &quot;hold back&quot; even though I'm keen to do more?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think if you are willing to do more, go ahead. But like physical exercises, you should improve the quality of the practice (i.e. focus and stillness), instead of just increasing the duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it possible in any way to &quot;injure&quot; oneself by over-training when it comes to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, but only if you have some severe mental illness, or if you do a long recluse retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are just some quick answers. But I strongly recommend you to read Wallace's book, because it is much more extensive, detailed and instructive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T17:56:05.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2560" CreationDate="2015-02-09T18:08:36.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Coen nun (Zen) joked once:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A mind without any thoughts? It's brain death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of meditation is not to make the mind devoid of thoughts, but to stop being dragged by them. Not to follow them, not to feed them, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T18:08:36.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7576" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7587" CreationDate="2015-02-09T19:04:44.557" Score="30" ViewCount="8383" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm very fortunate to live in an affluent part of the world. Even so, it is a common site to see people begging for money in the street. In our town there are posters up asking people not to give to beggars as it just encourages people to beg more. However habitually walking past people begging does not feel like the compassionate thing to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to bring Buddhist ethics and philosophy to bear on this? Should one give to beggars in this circumstance? It would be good if answers could include textual references to illustrate the point however all answers gratefully received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T21:07:06.280" Title="Should one give to beggars?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-09T20:39:44.307" Score="23" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.9-Dakkhina-Vibhanga-S-m142-proto11.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dakkhina Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is the one you want to have a look at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda, there are these fourteen individual gifts (cuddasa&#xA;  pāṭipuggalikā dakkhi). What are the fourteen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to the Tathagata, the arhat [worthy one], fully self-awakened one—this is the first individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to a pratyeka Buddha—this is the second individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to an arhat disciple of the Tathagata—this is the third individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to one on the way to realize the fruition of arhathood [an arhat-to-be]—this is the fourth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to a non-returner—this is the fifth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to one on the way to realize the fruition of non-return [a non-returner-to-be]—this is the sixth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to a once-returner—this is the seventh individual gift.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to one on the way to realize the fruition of once-return [a once-returner-to-be]— this is the eighth individual&#xA;  gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to a streamwinner—this is the ninth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to one on the way to realize the fruition of streamwinning [a streamwinner-to-be] —this is the tenth individual&#xA;  gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to one outside (the path) who is free from sensual pleasures—this is the eleventh&#xA;  individual gift.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to a virtuous worldling—this is the twelfth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to an immoral worldling —this is the thirteenth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One gives a gift to an animal—this is the fourteenth individual gift&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this regards, Ananda, having made a gift to an animal, one may&#xA;  expect a hundredfold gift. &lt;strong&gt;Having made a gift to an immoral&#xA;  worldling, one may expect a thousandfold gift. Having made a gift to a&#xA;  virtuous worldling, one may expect a hundred-thousandfold gift.&lt;/strong&gt; Having&#xA;  made a gift to one outside (the path) who is free from sensual&#xA;  pleasures, one may expect a hundred-thousand times a&#xA;  hundred-thousandfold gift. Having made a gift to on the way to realize&#xA;  the fruition of streamwinning [a streamwinner-to-be], one may expect&#xA;  boundless, immeasurable gift. What more to speak of a streamwinner?&#xA;  What more to speak of one on the way to realize the fruition of&#xA;  once-return [a once-returner-to-be]? What more to speak of a&#xA;  once-returner? What more to speak of one on the way to realize the&#xA;  fruition of once-return [a non-returner-to-be]? What more to speak of&#xA;  a non-returner? What more to speak of one on the way to realize the&#xA;  fruition of arhathood [an arhat-to-be]? What more to speak of an arhat&#xA;  disciple of the Tathagata? What more to speak of a pratyeka Buddha?&#xA;  What more to speak of the Tathagata, fully self-awakened arhat, ripen&#xA;  in an incalculable way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;#12 and #13 are the ones relevant to your question. So whether it is encouraged by the community or not, you will get merits(thousandfold/hundred thousandfold) if you give to beggars. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ps: n-fold could mean a gift 'n' times bigger or a similar gift for 'n' number of lives.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T11:58:48.187" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4030" CreationDate="2015-02-09T21:16:30.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yuttadhammo is correct. It is better to &lt;strong&gt;bias yourself towards noticing the ultimate same-ness (anicca, anatta, dukkha) of the particular experience&lt;/strong&gt; rather than to get involved in being attracted or repelled by the content (specific taste, specific type of imagination) by investigating it and analyzing it.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Treat all experiences as ultimately the same&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;detach yourself from feeding them energy&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly reccommend the instructions on page 14 of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=6&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CD8QFjAF&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meditationexpert.com%2Febok%2Fhowtomeditate.pdf&amp;amp;ei=GyPZVLbZI83dsAS1i4GQDg&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNFdLpz9eRAAFAgiWprIr1FkGjZ3Aw&amp;amp;sig2=3DLiOi2T4TvHbLPeOJXLLg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; meditation manual.&#xA;It is the best, most amazing, integrative gem of a manual on vipassana and one should read the whole thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the excerpt relevant to the fine, content-free nature of vipassana practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=6&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0CD8QFjAF&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meditationexpert.com%2Febok%2Fhowtomeditate.pdf&amp;amp;ei=GyPZVLbZI83dsAS1i4GQDg&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNFdLpz9eRAAFAgiWprIr1FkGjZ3Aw&amp;amp;sig2=3DLiOi2T4TvHbLPeOJXLLg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; First, sit comfortably to relax your body and your breathing. We&#xA;  call this first step of meditation the &quot;preparatory practices&quot;, or&#xA;  physiological adjustments, for tuning the physical nature. Basically,&#xA;  you want to situate yourself so as to lessen any physical disturbances&#xA;  or distractions. Then after your body is calmed, you start quietly&#xA;  observing your inner thoughts and emotions. In other words, you simply&#xA;  watch your internal psychological functions like a third person&#xA;  observer. This third person doesn't interfere with what's going on, or&#xA;  participate in the activities they're observing. He just stays there&#xA;  watching, neither rejecting or clinging to anything; he simply sits&#xA;  there silently observing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] You continue watching your internal process of mentation until you&#xA;  reach the point where you can clearly observe every thought and idea&#xA;  which appears in the mind without any vagueness or ambiguity.&#xA;  Naturally, you are not tightening your body nor mentally straining&#xA;  during this practice. Rather, you always remain relaxed while clearly&#xA;  observing your internal mental processes. After a while, you will&#xA;  eventually be able to distinguish that the process of mentation has&#xA;  three parts: a preceding thought which has gone, a thought which has&#xA;  not yet arisen, and the immediate clear radiance, or mental state of&#xA;  present mind. With continued watching, the separation of these three&#xA;  states becomes quite clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] With continued observation, you progress a bit further and next&#xA;  realize that the past, present and future thoughts never stay. Since&#xA;  they don't stay they can never be grasped, hence we say that&#xA;  &quot;fundamentally, they have no base to rely upon&quot;. Observing the&#xA;  appearance and disappearance of thoughts is called &quot;observing birth&#xA;  and death&quot;, for the coming and going of thoughts is a ceaseless,&#xA;  never-ending process of arising and then disappearance, or decay. This&#xA;  is the realm of birth and death. By observing this stream of birth and&#xA;  death, you will gradually learn how to detach from the mental&#xA;  processes, and you will become more familiar with the false mind of&#xA;  consciousness. In other words, you will be able to drop the illusion&#xA;  that our mental process is a fundamental reality. Rather, you will&#xA;  gradually see that all mental states are ungraspable, transient&#xA;  phenomena which come and go without end, and they're more like&#xA;  insubstantial bubbles of foam or particles of dust which have no&#xA;  fixity of nature. Because of their ceaseless birth and death and the&#xA;  gap in-between, what we normally imagine as a continuous continuity of&#xA;  thoughts is actually an illusion, like the unbroken wheel of light we&#xA;  see when a stick of fire is spun in the air. Thus through this process&#xA;  of inner watching, you will begin to realize that our mental state is&#xA;  an ongoing process separate from our true self. The true self is&#xA;  what's watching this play scene, so it's like an internal knower who&#xA;  never moves. If you go from here to the North Pole and back, the&#xA;  scenery always changes, but that inner knower never changes--it never&#xA;  moves. In fact, it never leaves, and has never come either. It just&#xA;  is. That's what we're seeking, though on a more profound level than we&#xA;  can explain here. Now in watching thoughts without adding any energy&#xA;  to the process, you'll begin to understand how dreamlike our&#xA;  consciousness actually is because the reality it gives birth to seems&#xA;  to be there and yet the concreteness of this reality is absent. It&#xA;  isn't real. Phenomena are empty and yet they are conventionally real,&#xA;  but this conventional reality is also empty. So eventually, through&#xA;  observation with detachment, you'll reach the stage where you can&#xA;  mentally relax while &quot;giving birth to the mind without abiding&#xA;  anywhere&quot;. Through continued observation you will notice that thoughts&#xA;  or phenomena (&quot;existence&quot;) are born from emptiness (mental silence),&#xA;  and the existence of emptiness relies on phenomena. Existence and&#xA;  emptiness are both manifestations of one nature--its single source,&#xA;  our true self--so on the road of cultivation you don't cling to either&#xA;  side. Both sides are phenomenal constructions, or false relativities,&#xA;  so both sides are not real. Hence in shamathavipashyana practice, you&#xA;  start to contemplate the mean between stillness and activity. In&#xA;  practicing this inner watching, you'll get progressively better at&#xA;  becoming mentally free because you'll stop clinging to or rejecting&#xA;  your thoughts, emotions and sensations. Thus your mental awareness&#xA;  will increasingly &quot;open&quot; and your ability to function in the world&#xA;  will increase as well, so you'll actually be expanding your awareness&#xA;  while saving a lot of energy that you'd normally waste in useless&#xA;  clinging. Furthermore, your internal state of peace and calm will&#xA;  progressively develop with every increase in clarity. Thus if you keep&#xA;  observing the origin and destruction of thoughts while paying&#xA;  particular attention to where they come from and go to, you'll&#xA;  eventually obstruct the stream of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] With the stream of consciousness disrupted, you will then notice a&#xA;  momentary gap of stillness, or silence, between all your thoughts. In&#xA;  other words, if you practice this method of inner observation for a&#xA;  long time--by wordlessly watching thoughts without injecting energy&#xA;  into the thought stream--the process of silent observation will itself&#xA;  disrupt the stream of mentation. The state of mind in the immediate&#xA;  present will gradually open up to reveal a tiny gap of mental quiet,&#xA;  or emptiness; when a previous thought has disappeared and a subsequent&#xA;  thought has not yet arisen, the mind will seem quiet. This mental&#xA;  silence is not a gap of dullness nor stupor, nor should it be a forced&#xA;  silence or blankness you create through suppressing thoughts. Rather,&#xA;  it will be a lucid, clear and open awareness, and these&#xA;  characteristics will gradually unfold as more time is spent in this&#xA;  state. In other words, after quietly observing our mental processes&#xA;  for quite some while, one will notice a tiny gap of silent pausation&#xA;  between thoughts which we refer to as &quot;cessation&quot;. If we continue&#xA;  observing this state without effort and shine awareness on it, it will&#xA;  gradually expand further and further. Looking into this gap of silence&#xA;  is the process of &quot;contemplation&quot; or vipashyana. It's a quiet realm&#xA;  similar to emptiness, but it still isn't the genuine emptiness of Tao.&#xA;  Nevertheless, this is what we're initially after because we can use&#xA;  this state to begin cultivating prajna wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] If you continue to carry over this state of watching the mind (the&#xA;  process of silent detachment and immediate awareness) during all your&#xA;  normal activities--whether walking, talking, sitting or sleeping--&#xA;  you'll be able to reach the point where thoughts no longer bind you.&#xA;  Gradually their volume will die down, your radiant awareness will&#xA;  expand and you will be able to seamlessly enter into the real&#xA;  emptiness of samadhi. In other words, if you keep observing the state&#xA;  of cessation by shining awareness on this state, you will eventually&#xA;  arrive at dhyana. Thus the practice of shining awareness on the&#xA;  silence within is commonly referred to as &quot;contemplating mind&quot;. If you&#xA;  continue progressing in this manner by reaching further levels of&#xA;  emptiness and shining wisdom awareness on any state of cessation you&#xA;  reach, you will eventually acquire prajna wisdom, or transcendental&#xA;  wisdom. Then you'll climb the various ranks of samadhi and enter into&#xA;  the Tao. (Twenty-five Doors to Meditation: A Handbook for Entering&#xA;  Samadhi, William Bodri and Lee Shu-Mei (Samuel Weiser, York Beach:&#xA;  Maine, 1998), pp. 14-17)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I would refer to the chapter on vipassana practice in Daniel Ingram's book. It says the same thing yuttadhammo and I said with some vivid analogies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-10T20:35:22.987" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T20:35:22.987" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-09T21:32:35.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know about the UK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In France, some people work (volunteer) for e.g. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurants_du_C%C5%93ur&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Restaurants du Cœur&lt;/a&gt;; or in Canada, for the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Bread_Food_Bank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daily Bread Food Bank&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some benefits to an organization like that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's communal (sociable, friendly) work&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's affordable (time not money)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As well as helping 'beggars', food banks also help e.g. children who are living in poverty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People who are there to distribute food are sometimes also able to offer other types of help&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-09T21:32:35.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-09T22:51:32.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote given by Sankha is a great one and I love to read such things but the 1st training is very time-dependent and we have to learn to think critically and live our lives with good, highly informed, moderate principles of the Buddha considering relativities of our day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway... here is my time-and-place sensitive solution to the issue of seeing beggars everywhere:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We pay taxes that go to welfare so beggars... they should take opportunity of that welfare instead of &lt;em&gt;just&lt;/em&gt; begging!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anything IMO, you should explain the above to a beggar and see if they need help being taken to the social security office (so that they can apply). Also provide them with busfare to go back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really might be that easy to completely help a homeless person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have done an experiment and claimed homelessness before and received enough money to feed myself far more than amply and could actually live very comfortably so long as I stayed in a homeless center (or some other place) at night. It would be very easy to live as a monk on welfare... meditating in the jungle at day and finding shelter by night.&#xA;I have thought about it and experimented with it somewhat... I can verify that the system in the U.S. is very generous with food stamps program.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The homeless life that Buddha praised is much easier to do than people think!&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;[I'm glad I experimented with homeless survivalism because I always have that as a backup to compare to working 40 hours a week and straining to make house payments and bills.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason homeless people suffer is entirely mental: they suffer from the mental dis-ease of scarcity and self-victimization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe in donating money to help beggars though. It is quite naive to do so for a lot of reasons...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-10T03:59:25.850" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T03:59:25.850" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T00:45:54.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot give any specific insight into the ethics of Buddhism , as I know little about it but I hope this answer will be of use to you nonetheless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a &lt;em&gt;human being&lt;/em&gt; (Religion is, I believe, irrelevant in this case) I believe that it is not compassionate to pass a beggar (or anyone else asking for help) when I have the means to help them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own philosophy is that even if you suspect that the person begging doesn't really &quot;need&quot; to beg, let it be on their conscience, not yours; after all, who are we to judge others on face value?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're not entirely sure that giving money is a good idea (for example - if the person shows obvious signs of substance addiction and you believe the money is going towards their next fix, etc) then I would recommend instead offering (if you feel it's safe to do so) to buy them some food, or a cup of coffee, etc - you'd be surprised how much difference even this simple gesture can make to someone who's down on their luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have any professional experience dealing with beggars, but I have talked to quite a few of them, and although I will admit that many aren't particularly savoury characters, a lot of them are just people like you and I who &quot;fell through the cracks&quot; in the system; it can happen pretty easily, even in places like the UK and Ireland (where I live).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3658" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T00:45:54.043" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T01:45:12.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Instead of giving to beggars (which most likely would use money to buy alcohol), I give regularly money to few nonprofits helping causes which are important to me. I believe that such giving is more effective (accomplishes more good), and if someone ask for money, I can say: I already contributed $10 today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I even read the article how ineffective is collecting food. If you give money instead, charity could: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(1) buy food for wholesale price, or even at discount from wholesale instead you paying retail&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(2) volunteers would not waste time moving, sorting and packing it - could buy what is needed, when needed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, $10 in cash donation is about same value as $100 in kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, politicians prefer moving boxes, because it makes better photo opportunities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3660" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T01:45:12.200" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7570" CreationDate="2015-02-10T04:00:04.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Piti arises and you stay equanimously watching the arising and passing knowing its impermanence (with no attachment or craving to this feeling) then Piti will fade away and Passadhi will arise. When Passadhi initially arises you may think your meditation is regressing as you loose Piti and also board after a few hours of Passadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Piti is a stage which is conducive to tame Sankara resulting from craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Passadhi is a stage which is conducive to tame Sankara from Ignorance or Sanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T04:00:04.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7584" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7586" CreationDate="2015-02-10T05:10:32.960" Score="3" ViewCount="1994" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading a particular &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2031/how-does-conversion-work-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; about conversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This particular answer discusses how one converts to become a buddhist: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2031/how-does-conversion-work-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;How does conversion work in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First of all, there isn't one agreed upon definition about when you&#xA;  are truly a Buddhist. Some people say you are a Buddhist if you&#xA;  consider yourself to be one, others say you need at least several&#xA;  years training from an acknowledged Buddhist teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to become a buddhist without a formal teacher or formal teaching? If so, does one just learn from online experiences and research?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="594" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-27T03:49:12.553" LastActivityDate="2019-10-27T03:49:12.553" Title="Is it possible to become a buddhist without a formal teacher?" Tags="|learning|conversion|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7585" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-10T05:15:58.380" Score="5" ViewCount="1528" Body="&lt;p&gt;The future is not always tenable and capricious. Additionaly, if one is in the moment one shouldn’t be thinking about the future. To me, this seems like the two are mutually exclusive: to make goals and to be present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, is it actually possible to be present but to think about the future at the same time? How does one reconcile having goals or making plans for the future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems difficult to not plan for having children, planning a career, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="594" LastEditorUserId="594" LastEditDate="2015-02-10T05:22:33.063" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T05:38:17.417" Title="Is it possible to set goals for the future and be present at the same time?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-10T08:18:32.323" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pretty much so. Buddhism is a path of personal growth, so you do what you feel it's best for your own development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not something that I recommend, but you can even be a Buddhist and break all the precepts. The only requirement is that you mindfully explore the consequences of your actions (i.e. their kamma). Then you have a chance to learn &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; you are following the precepts, i.e. not because someone commanded you but because you know by personal experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If personal experience tells you that you need a teacher, then go for it. If you do better by personal research, then go for it. Experiment while always being mindful. That can never fail you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also read this: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1680/how-does-one-become-a-lay-buddhist?rq=1&quot;&gt;How does one become a lay Buddhist?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T08:44:12.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T08:43:43.920" Score="31" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have worked with homeless persons through non-profit agencies for over twenty years, therefore my answer is based on much experience. You are wise to seek the compassionate response. There is tremendous judgement about people who beg: assumptions are made that they are addicts, or unwilling to work (prefer to beg), or uninformed about available social services, or simple-minded, or mentally ill, or lazy, or falling through the cracks, or __________ (fill in the blank with your thoughts about them). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know what? Any or all of these things might be true of the next beggar you see. Or none of them might be true. Which is why it is wise to just rest in your compassion. The beggar you see is a human being first. Say hello. Smile. Give that person your full respect and do not assume for a minute that you know what is best for them. Do not assume you can gauge their capacity. Do not assume that you know anything About their past or present, or that you can predict their behavior (such as assuming they will buy liquor if you give them money). &#xA;Compassion validates human worth. Compassion listens. Compassion sees each beggar as an individual human being who is a very important person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that when you embrace your compassion, you will see the person. The person. And when you see the person, and have some conversation (or just simple eye contact and a nod), that your compassion will direct your actions. When you see the person, and listen, and pay attention to them, you will be positioned to help should you choose to do so. Perhaps Money. Perhaps bus fare. Perhaps food. Or perhaps a handshake and small-talk well-wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no one-size-fits-all when we talk about people and their needs. It is wrong to put up a sign that points to a group of people as less-than, which is the essence of the  &quot;don't give money to beggars&quot; sign... It is giving the message &quot;do not feed the animals&quot;. It is taking away their human dignity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3665" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T10:10:00.303" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T10:10:00.303" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-10T10:15:32.817" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First of all, there isn't one agreed upon definition about when you&#xA;  are truly a Buddhist&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong! The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s17.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;agreed upon definition&lt;/a&gt; is that when you take the triple refuge you are considered a Buddhist.&#xA;Yes, it is possible to become a Buddhist without a formal teacher as long as you understand taking refuge in the Triple gem. After that, the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha are your teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-triple-refugee/215-how-to-take-the-triple-refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;five ways to take refuge in the Triple Gem&lt;/a&gt; as per the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-12T16:17:21.430" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T16:17:21.430" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T10:36:22.623" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course you should give to the beggar... because the act of giving, isn't for the beggar, it's for you. The same goes for forgiveness, love and the removal of hate and judgment... it's not for them ( even though it impacts their life) it's for you, it's for your peace of mind, happiness and love!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we see in the world, it reflects our own minds and hearts. If you want to see more love in the world...then give to beggars and love all unconditionally, regardless of how they treat you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T10:36:22.623" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7590" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7639" CreationDate="2015-02-10T12:19:31.653" Score="1" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for something unknown, not known to me very clearly. Maybe it is ultimate peace or harmony or empathy or sympathy or state of nirvana or supermundane advantage or all of these. Somehow I feel that I can get all of them by following the rules stated in Buddhism. So I want to know what kind of relation I should accept between me and Buddha? Who I am, a student or a master, and if death is somehow the only end then where, or at which level, do I need to be awakened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:41:22.197" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:41:22.197" Title="buddha and me (my will to accept all from buddism)" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T15:37:28.327" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should give because it is possible they are in a life-threatening situation so in giving you are potentially saving a life. If they are lying then God sees everything, you are covered!  But as previous poster mentioned, you are really giving for yourself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3670" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T15:37:28.327" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-10T15:58:57.470" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Brahman Net Sutra says &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Being Stingy &#xA;  “Buddha-Sons, one should not be stingy or incite others to be stingy, through any causes, conditions, methods, or karmas. &#xA;  “A Bodhisattva should give to those who come to him all that they need. If, out of malice or anger, he instead refuses to give to the&#xA;  poor even a coin, a needle, or a blade of grass, or refuses to say a&#xA;  verse or a stanza to those who request the Dharma, scolding and&#xA;  insulting them, it is a parājika sin.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But a good percentage of the beggars on the street have chemical dependency problems. So giving them money (sometimes they ask for the exact amount necessary to buy a bottle of malt liquor) violates this precept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Selling Alcohol &#xA;  “Buddha-Sons, one should not sell alcohol or incite others to sell alcohol, through any causes, conditions, methods, or karmas. One&#xA;  should not sell any kind of alcohol because it can cause one to commit&#xA;  sins. &#xA;  “A Bodhisattva should bring clear wisdom out of sentient beings. If he instead causes them to muddle their minds, it is a parājika sin.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enabling people to drink alcohol in the BNS is worse than consuming it yourself! (A major vs a minor precept)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, it was a document written in China in the middle ages, when begging probably had a different dynamic, different circumstances (maybe they're peasants from the country side during time of drought!).  In many jurisdictions where I live, giving to beggars is illegal as is the begging and beggars that stand in the middle of the road get hit by cars from time to time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A beggar who receives a $1 will spend it sometimes on food, sometimes on drugs. He will pay retail prices. A beggar that goes to a food bank, soup kitchen or the like will be eating food and no drugs. The food bank pays wholesale prices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your dollar is better donated to the soup kitchen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T15:58:57.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5555" CreationDate="2015-02-10T16:07:22.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sensation is normal during meditation and the place is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajna&lt;/a&gt; (or third-eye chakra - the mind's eye). In statues of buddhas it's placed on the forehead as a most previous jewel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan buddhism, this chakra is at the end of the central channel, which runs up the body to the top of the head, and then over and down, terminating at the forehead. The two side channels continue onwards towards the two nostrils and end there. [Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajna#Comparisons_with_other_systems&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wiki]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a spiritual point of view, we could compare the third eye to the temple's portal to the sacred places or the bridge allowing mind communication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of meditation is to reveal this natural subtle perception (vibrating sensation). The best results are achieved when you don't use your imagination/visualisation, so things will come to you naturally (just flow with what comes). So if you feel vibration (or pressure, density) between the eyebrows, don't pay attention to it, just focus on the vibration and try to connect this energy with your throat chakra (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vishuddha&lt;/a&gt;) in order to create the circulation of the life force (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_(Tibetan_Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lung&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Qi&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;), so you can sense your light/astral/etheric body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3471/that-electric-feel-body-sensation-during-meditation&quot;&gt;“Electric Feel” body sensation during meditation&lt;/a&gt; at Buddhism SE&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(book) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelsang_Gyatso&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Geshe Kelsang Gyatso&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780948006333&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tantric Grounds and Paths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(book) Awakening the Third Eye by Samuel Segan (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eso-garden.com/specials/awakening_the_third_eye.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="385" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T16:07:22.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-10T19:52:57.647" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a better question is why you feel the need to become a Buddhist.  Self identification is just another form of attachment.  Why not just practice Buddhism and be done with it?  :-)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T19:52:57.647" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7596" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7602" CreationDate="2015-02-10T20:15:33.617" Score="3" ViewCount="1349" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the S.N. Goenka vipassana tradition the meditator tries to reach a 'freeflow' of sensations on and in the body. Is this 'freeflow' comparable with Pīti?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:46:14.387" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T16:46:14.387" Title="Is Goenka's &quot;Freeflow of sensations&quot; the same as pīti?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-effects|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-10T21:44:45.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are two separate things here - being and thinking. Thinking about the future is still a 'thought' like any other thought. Being in the present moment is a state of being, not a state of thought. Mindfulness includes thought, but is bigger and wiser than thought and probably kinder. The practice is not an attempt to stop you making plans, but to cultivate mindfulness where your plans have an overall ecology with your state of being, and therefore with those around you, with your environment or however your plans extend beyond just thinking. Just thinking about plans is really easy, but usually isn't good enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3676" LastActivityDate="2015-02-10T21:44:45.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-11T05:02:05.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;if one is in the moment one shouldn’t be thinking about the future&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;,Thinking about the future happens in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;present moment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is it actually possible to be present but to think about the future at the same time?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.Just be aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be aware when your thinking of the future.This means that you are aware of the present moment.If you have a hard time doing this &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;think out loud&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.Saying the words will help your mind stay in the present moment.And stop it from wandering around and making connections with other thoughts.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Being aware (no matter what the subject is) takes place in the present moment.Not the future&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I know you might think it's impossible to think and be mindful at the same time&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.You think that your in the present moment, then you have to pause to take a break and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.And this is not true.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;You have to train your mind,Mindfulness is like a muscle&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.You can be in the present moment while your thoughts are arising and to stay in the present moment while you watch your thoughts,your will,your intentions etc.It's just hard if your mindfulness is not trained.So don't think the two are separate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does one reconcile having goals or making plans for the future?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are in the present moment you see things clearly.Your grounded.You can make better plans for the future.When your not mindful of the actual process of planning what happens is,things go under the radar (subconscious) its taken over by force of habit,impulses,etc &lt;strong&gt;IGNORANCE&lt;/strong&gt;. If you don't bring your thinking or planning into the surface of consciousness this means you are letting your future go with the flow of subconscious which at times isn't very rational.In fact it is planning your future in ignorance.Mindfulness is your clarity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It seems difficult to not plan for having children, planning a career, etc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is difficult.Do not stop.Your goal is to plan things skillfully and you need mindfulness to do that.There's almost nothing you can not be aware of except for maybe deep states of sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be aware of planning and thinking.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T05:02:05.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7600" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-11T05:02:33.593" Score="2" ViewCount="613" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bells seem to be pervasive throughout Buddhist ritual. I get the impression that many monasteries ring a large bell in the morning, and other monasteries still ring regular bells throughout the day to encourage mindfulness. Most meditation apps on smartphones have a bell-ringing sound.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Where did this come from? What other usage do bells have in Buddhist ritual? Are there references to bells in canonical texts?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers from all sects appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T08:22:35.117" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T11:44:18.133" Title="How did bells become a part of Buddhist ritual?" Tags="|traditions|monasticism|rituals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-11T05:05:38.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. It isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking about the future, past or any form of ideation (false thought) are opposite of becoming present. Becoming truly present automatically causes things to empty out and detach. The mind clears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a practical sense it is not possible to be full of thought and be empty (present) at the same time and in an ontological sense as well because there is only ever one thought, one phenomena happening at any moment in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After a high level cultivation, the cultivated person can &quot;think without thoughts&quot; by using a type of direct perception called prajna but that is an advanced discussion that is not directly relevant to your questioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing you are talking about &quot;thinking about the future&quot;, planning, and the process of making right of your life... this is called the 1st training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very important to have the 1st training down well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, it is very different from the purpose and method of the other two trainings that the Buddha espoused: the 2nd and 3rd training, the development of which brings you even deeper into the present... so deep that you find the heart of reality and many Good Things Happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a mutual beneficial interaction among the 3 trainings and respectively with the whole idea of planning for the future and learning to live in the present namely because if you do not plan for the future, the future--when it &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; inevitably arrive--will be quite uncomfortable and not conducive to Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the most clean and detailed emphasis on the Three Trainings and other crucial Buddhist sets, I reccommend the free book Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha. 99% of what people do is the 1st training (planning, thinking, reflecting, thinking about what to do how to do it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd and 3rd training are what Buddhism is truly about and is mainly involved with coming to the heart of reality: the present moment. In order to do it one doesn't plan or think... one just does it. Just be present.&#xA;With practice, this becomes very enjoyable.&#xA;With more practice this automatically becomes jhana/vipassana practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T05:11:11.023" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T05:11:11.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7596" CreationDate="2015-02-11T10:01:39.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Free flow is loosely used for Piti. Initially it is subtle vibrations which you feel. As you practice this spreads to your body. These vibrations are pleasant.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T13:03:40.060" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T13:03:40.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7600" CreationDate="2015-02-11T10:24:26.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &quot;bell&quot; is mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;89&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And, though sometimes not separate, &lt;em&gt;applied thought&lt;/em&gt; is the first impact of&#xA;  the mind in the sense that it is both gross and inceptive, &lt;strong&gt;like the striking of a bell&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Sustained thought&lt;/em&gt; is the act of keeping the mind anchored, in the sense that it is&#xA;  subtle with the individual essence of continued pressure, &lt;strong&gt;like the ringing of the&#xA;  bell&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Applied thought&lt;/em&gt; intervenes, being the interference of consciousness at the&#xA;  time of first arousing [thought], like a bird’s spreading out its wings when&#xA;  about to soar into the air, and like a bee’s diving towards a lotus when it is&#xA;  minded to follow up the scent of it. The behaviour of &lt;em&gt;sustained thought&lt;/em&gt; is quiet,&#xA;  being the near non-interference of consciousness, like the bird’s planing with&#xA;  outspread wings after soaring into the air, and like the bee’s buzzing above the&#xA;  lotus after it has dived towards it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A 'bell' is even mentioned &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;134&lt;/strong&gt;. If, like a broken gong, you silence yourself, you have approached Nibbana, for vindictiveness is no longer in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T10:30:56.370" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T10:30:56.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7596" CreationDate="2015-02-11T10:45:54.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The free flow is when the whole body dissolves into subtle vibrations, and you reach the stage of &lt;em&gt;bhanga&lt;/em&gt;, total dissolution. It causes &lt;em&gt;pīti&lt;/em&gt; (pleasant sensation, rapture, bliss) and if not careful you can develop attachment to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T10:45:54.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7600" CreationDate="2015-02-11T11:44:18.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least in Sri Lanka bells are used as a &quot;call&quot; to gather everyone at the temple to signal the start of an event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some cases like in Siripada as a means to announce how many times you have visited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T11:44:18.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-11T13:22:22.320" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some great answers here. I would also like to add the following comment by Buddha which emphasizes the importance of giving to anyone in need.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving &amp;amp; sharing, they would&#xA;  not eat without having given, nor would the stain of selfishness&#xA;  overcome their minds. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Even if it were their last bite, their last&#xA;  mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were&#xA;  someone to receive their gift&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. But because beings do not know, as I&#xA;  know, the results of giving &amp;amp; sharing, they eat without having given.&#xA;  The stain of selfishness overcomes their minds.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 1.26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T13:22:22.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-11T15:57:54.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha found the reality pertaining to our misery and the way out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anybody giving fair trial to the Buddha's practice or eradicating misery for one self can be considered a &lt;strong&gt;practising&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhist. Some level of devotional acceptance of the teaching and the Sangha can also be considered Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So most importantly is to develops some faith in the techniques and consider it your teacher and guide (without some faith you will not give it fair trial) then putting it to practice is the most important aspect off becoming a practising Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T15:57:54.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7608" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-11T17:19:11.760" Score="2" ViewCount="601" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are signs of the dharma-ending age according to the sutras and is there a solution?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T18:14:52.830" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T17:11:49.170" Title="Dharma-ending age in suttas and solution?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7608" CreationDate="2015-02-11T17:19:11.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Below is &quot;Exhortation to Protect and Propagate&quot; by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua, prefacing the  &quot;Shurangama Sutra.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Within Buddhism, there are very many important sutras. However, the&#xA;  most important Sutra is the Shurangama Sutra. If there are places&#xA;  which have the Shurangama Sutra, then the Proper Dharma dwells in the&#xA;  world. If there is no Shurangama Sutra, then the Dharma Ending Age&#xA;  appears. Therefore, we Buddhist disciples, each and every one, must&#xA;  bring our strength, must bring our blood, and must bring our sweat to&#xA;  protect the Shurangama Sutra. &lt;strong&gt;In the Sutra of the Ultimate&#xA;  Extinction of the Dharma, it says very, very clearly that in the&#xA;  Dharma Ending Age, the Shurangama Sutra is the first to disappear, and&#xA;  the rest of the sutras disappear after it.&lt;/strong&gt; If the Shurangama Sutra&#xA;  does not disappear, then the Proper Dharma Age is present. Because of&#xA;  that, we Buddhist disciples must use our lives to protect the&#xA;  Shurangama Sutra, must use vows and resolution to protect the&#xA;  Shurangama Sutra, and cause the Shurangama Sutra to be known far and&#xA;  wide, reaching every nook and cranny, reaching into each and every&#xA;  dust-mote, reaching out to the exhaustion of empty space and of the&#xA;  Dharma Realm. If we can do that, then there will be a time of Proper&#xA;  Dharma radiating great light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why would the Shurangama Sutra be destroyed? It is because it is too&#xA;  true. The Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha’s true body. The Shurangama&#xA;  Sutra is the Buddha’s sharira. The Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha’s&#xA;  true and actual stupa and shrine. Therefore, because the Shurangama&#xA;  Sutra is so true, all the demon kings use all kinds of methods to&#xA;  destroy the Shurangama Sutra. They begin by starting rumors, saying&#xA;  that the Shurangama Sutra is phony. Why do they say the Shurangama&#xA;  Sutra is phony? It is because the Shurangama Sutra speaks too truly,&#xA;  especially in the sections on The Four Decisive Deeds, the Twenty-five&#xA;  Sages Describing Perfect Penetration, and the States of the Fifty&#xA;  Skandha Demons. Those of off-center persuasions and&#xA;  externally-oriented ways, weird demons and strange freaks, are unable&#xA;  to stand it. Consequently there are a good many senseless people who&#xA;  claim that the Shurangama Sutra is a forgery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, the principles set forth in the Shurangama Sutra are on the one&#xA;  hand proper, and on the other in accord with principle, and the weird&#xA;  demons and strange freaks, those in various cults and sects, all&#xA;  cannot hide away their forms. Most senseless people, in particular&#xA;  unwise scholars and garbage-collecting professors “Tread upon the holy&#xA;  writ.” With their extremely scant and partial understanding, they are&#xA;  confused and unclear, lacking real erudition and true and actual&#xA;  wisdom. That is why they falsely criticize. We who study the&#xA;  Buddhadharma should very deeply be aware of these circumstances.&#xA;  Therefore, wherever we go, we should bring up the Shurangama Sutra.&#xA;  Wherever we go, we should propagate the Shurangama Sutra. Wherever we&#xA;  go, we should introduce the Shurangama Sutra to people. Why is that?&#xA;  It is because we wish to cause the Proper Dharma long to dwell in the&#xA;  world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the Shurangama Sutra is regarded as true, then there is no problem.&#xA;  To verify its truth, let me say that if the Shurangama Sutra were&#xA;  phony, then I would willingly fall into the hells forever through all&#xA;  eternity—for being unable to recognize the Buddhadharma—for mistaking&#xA;  the false for true. If the Shurangama Sutra is true, then life after&#xA;  life in every time I make the vow to propagate the Great Dharma of the&#xA;  Shurangama, that I shall in every time and every place propagate the&#xA;  true principles of the Shurangama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Everyone should pay attention to the following point. How could the&#xA;  Shurangama Sutra not have been spoken by the Buddha? No one else could&#xA;  have spoken the Shurangama Sutra. And so I hope that all those people&#xA;  who make senseless accusations will wake up fast and stop creating the&#xA;  causes for suffering in the Hell of Pulling Out Tongues. No matter who&#xA;  the scholar is, no matter what country students of the Buddhadharma&#xA;  are from, all should quickly mend their ways, admit their mistakes,&#xA;  and manage to change. There is no greater good than that. I can then&#xA;  say that all who look at the Shurangama Sutra, all who listen to the&#xA;  Shurangama Sutra, and all who investigate the Shurangama Sutra, will&#xA;  very quickly accomplish Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Composed by Gold Mountain Shramana Tripitaka Master Hua Translated by&#xA;  Bhikshuni Heng Hsien Reviewed by Shramanerika Heng Wen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer to the first part of the question is provided in the sutra that is mentioned in bold in the above quote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is the sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha Speaks the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha was in the state of&#xA;  Kushinagara. The Tathagata was to enter nirvana within three months&#xA;  and the bhikshus and Bodhisattvas as well as the great multitude of&#xA;  beings had come to pay homage to the Buddha and to bow in reverence.&#xA;  The World Honored One was tranquil and silent. He spoke not a word and&#xA;  his light did not appear. Worthy Ananda bowed and asked the Buddha, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”0 Bhagavan, heretofore whenever you spoke the Dharma, awesome light&#xA;  would naturally appear. Yet today among this great assembly there is&#xA;  no such radiance. There must be a good cause for this and we wish to&#xA;  hear the Bhagavan’s explanation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha remained silent and did not answer until the request had&#xA;  been repeated three times. He then told Ananda, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”After I enter nirvana, when the Dharma is about to perish, during the&#xA;  evil age of the five turbidities, the way of demons will flourish.&#xA;  Demonic beings will become shramanas; they will pervert and destroy my&#xA;  teachings. Monastics will wear the garb of laypersons and will prefer&#xA;  handsome clothes. Their precept sashes will be made of multi-colored&#xA;  cloth. They will use intoxicants, eat meat, kill other beings and they&#xA;  will indulge in their desire for flavorful food. They will lack&#xA;  compassion and they will bear hatred and exhibit jealousy even among&#xA;  themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”Even then Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats will reverently&#xA;  and diligently cultivate immaculate virtue. They will be respected by&#xA;  all people and their teachings will be fair and egalitarian. These&#xA;  cultivators of the Way will take pity on the poor, they will be&#xA;  mindful of the aged, and they will save and give counsel to those&#xA;  people they find in difficult circumstances. They will at all times&#xA;  exhort others to worship and to protect sutras and images of the&#xA;  Buddha. They will do meritorious deeds, be resolute and kind, and&#xA;  never harm others. They will make physical sacrifices for others’&#xA;  benefit. They will hold no great regard for themselves but will be&#xA;  patient, yielding, humane, and peaceful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”As long as such people exist, the hordes of demonic bhikshus will be&#xA;  jealous of them. The demons will harass them, slander and defame them,&#xA;  expel them from their midst and degrade them. They will ostracize the&#xA;  good monks from the monastic community. Thereafter these demons derive&#xA;  no virtue from their practice. Their monastic buildings will be vacant&#xA;  and overgrown with weeds. For want of care and maintenance their&#xA;  Way-places will drift into ruin and oblivion. The demonic bhikshus&#xA;  will increase their greed for wealth and will amass great heaps of&#xA;  goods. They will refuse to distribute any of it or to use it to gain&#xA;  blessings and virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”At this time, the evil monks will buy and sell slaves to till their&#xA;  fields and to slash and burn the mountain forests. They will do harm&#xA;  to living creatures and they will feel not the least bit of&#xA;  compassion. These slaves will themselves become bhikshus and&#xA;  maidservants will become bhikshunis. Totally lacking in Way-virtue,&#xA;  these people will run amok, indulging in licentious behavior. In their&#xA;  turbid confusion they will fail to separate the men from the women in&#xA;  the monastic communities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From this generation on, the Way will be weakened. Fugitives from the&#xA;  law will seek refuge in my Way, wishing to be shramanas but failing to&#xA;  observe the moral regulations. Monastics will continue to recite the&#xA;  precepts twice a month, but in name alone. Being lazy and lax, no one&#xA;  will want to listen any longer. These evil shramanas will be unwilling&#xA;  to recite the sutras in their entirety and they will make&#xA;  abbreviations at the beginning and at the end of the texts as they&#xA;  please. Soon the practice of reciting sutras will stop altogether.&#xA;  Even if there are people who recite texts, they will be unlettered,&#xA;  unqualified people who will insist, nonetheless, that they are&#xA;  correct. Bumptious, arrogant, and vain, these people will seek fame&#xA;  and glory. They will put on airs in the hope of attracting offerings&#xA;  from other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”When the lives of these demonic bhikshus come to an end their&#xA;  essential spirits will fall into the Avichi Hell. Having committed the&#xA;  five evil deeds, they will suffer successive rebirths as hungry ghosts&#xA;  and as animals. They will know all such states of woe as they pass on&#xA;  through eons as numerous as sands on the banks of the Ganges River.&#xA;  When their offenses are accounted for they will be reborn in a border&#xA;  land where the Triple Jewel is unknown. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”When the Dharma is about to disappear, women will become vigorous and&#xA;  will at all times do deeds of virtue. Men will grow lax and will no&#xA;  longer speak the Dharma. Those who are genuine shramanas will be&#xA;  looked upon as dung and no one will have faith in them. When the&#xA;  Dharma is about to perish, all the gods will begin to weep. Rivers&#xA;  will dry up and the five grains will not ripen. Pestilences will&#xA;  frequently take millions of lives. The masses will toil and suffer&#xA;  while the local officials will plot and scheme. No one will adhere to&#xA;  principles. Instead, the human race will multiply, becoming like the&#xA;  sands of the ocean-bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Good persons will be hard to find; at most there will be one or two.&#xA;  As the eon comes to a close, the revolutions of the sun and the moon&#xA;  will grow short and the lifespan of people will decrease. Their hair&#xA;  will turn white by the time they are forty. Because of excessive&#xA;  licentious behavior they will quickly exhaust their seminal fluids and&#xA;  will die at a young age, usually before sixty years. As the lifespan&#xA;  of males decreases, that of females will increase to seventy, eighty,&#xA;  ninety, or one hundred years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”The mighty rivers will flood and lose harmony with their natural&#xA;  cycles, yet people will not take notice or feel concern. Extremes of&#xA;  climate will soon be taken for granted. Beings of all races will mix&#xA;  together at random, without regard for the noble and the mean. Their&#xA;  births and rebirths will cause them to sink and float, like feeding&#xA;  aquatic creatures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”Even then Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats will gather&#xA;  together in an unprecedented assembly because they will all have been&#xA;  harried and pursued by the hordes of demons. They will no longer dwell&#xA;  in the assemblies but the Three Vehicles will retreat to the&#xA;  wilderness. In a tranquil place they will find shelter, happiness, and&#xA;  long life. Gods will protect them and the moon will shine down upon&#xA;  them. The Three Vehicles will have an opportunity to meet together and&#xA;  the Way will flourish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, within fifty-two years the Shurangama Sutra and the&#xA;  Pratyutpanna [Standing Buddha] Samadhi, will be the first to change&#xA;  and then to disappear. The twelve divisions of the canon will&#xA;  gradually follow until they vanish completely, never to appear again.&#xA;  Its words and texts will be totally unknown ever after. The precept&#xA;  sashes of shramanas will turn white of themselves. When my Dharma&#xA;  disappears it will be just like an oil lamp that flares brightly for&#xA;  an instant just before it goes out. So too, will the Dharma flare and&#xA;  die. After this time it is difficult to speak with certainty of what&#xA;  will follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”A period of ten million years will follow before the time when&#xA;  Maitreya is about to appear in the world to become the next Buddha. At&#xA;  that time the planet will be entirely peaceful. Evil vapors will have&#xA;  dissipated, rain will be ample and regular, and crops will grow&#xA;  abundantly. Trees will grow to a great height and people will grow to&#xA;  be eighty feet tall. The average lifespan will extend to 84,000 years.&#xA;  It will be impossible to count all the beings who will be taken across&#xA;  to liberation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Worthy Ananda addressed the Buddha, “What should we call this Sutra&#xA;  and how shall we uphold it?” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, “Ananda, this sutra is called The Ultimate Extinction&#xA;  of the Dharma. Tell everyone to propagate it widely; the merit of your&#xA;  actions will be measureless, beyond reckoning.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the four-fold assembly of disciples heard this sutra they grieved&#xA;  and wept. Each of them resolved to attain the true path of the Supreme&#xA;  Sage. Then bowing to the Buddha, they withdrew. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;End of The Buddha Speaks the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the Seng You Records, translator anonymous. Appended to the Song&#xA;  Annals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a solution?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution once again is as Master Hsuan Hua says in the top-most quote: to protect the first to disappear sutra: The Surangama Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a gem of an exegesis of the Shakyamuni's original teachings and a &lt;em&gt;consummating&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;addition to Theravadin sutras&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-09T17:11:49.170" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T17:11:49.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7610" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-11T18:14:51.510" Score="2" ViewCount="2263" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the Three Trainings and how are they practical?&#xA;Specifically how does one practice them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:39:39.320" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:39:39.320" Title="What are the Three Trainings and how are they practical?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7610" CreationDate="2015-02-11T18:14:51.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three Trainings in Buddhism are the most important, organizing feature in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Everything that is not related to the 2nd and 3rd training is called the 1st training: morality.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is related to learning to live life correctly, having Right Livelihood, developing communication skills with others, forgiving others, thinking about how to enjoy time with friends, choosing friends, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, success in the 1st training means doing good in the world, for ourselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to understand what the 1st training is, is to understand the 2nd and 3rd trainings and understand that the 1st training is what the 2nd and 3rd training is not. These latter two trainings have a much simpler definitions and are also very important in spiritual growth because they are very much in our locus-of-control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd training is concentration.&#xA;This training involves any meditation practice which makes one calmer, more blissful and directed towards the five qualities of jhana.&#xA;The success in this training contains mastery of the entire range of form and formless jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd training is wisdom.&#xA;This training is synonymous with vipassana and involves any meditation practice which trains one in becoming more present and noticing of the 3 Characteristics.&#xA;The success in this training contains mastery of the Stages of Insight, which has a continuous and recursive process to it and blossoms in Awakening/Fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the 2nd and 3rd training deal with samatha and vipassana meditation respectively, the 1st training, as mentioned earlier, deals with the good work we do in the rest of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a wonderful organizing structure because of the fact that most of what we do in our daily lives falls into the 1st training and this type of understanding can help us prioritize. For example, participating on SE Buddhism, conversing with online forums, and participating in a local Sangha is the 1st training and we should continue to do so... &lt;em&gt;but we should neglect our Practice, namely the 2nd and 3rd training.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Three Trainings are also mutually supportive of each other and improving in any training is definitely going to cause an improvement in the other trainings so they should all be worked on simultaneously. This mutual support raises more interest questions like what category does brahma meditation would fall under? and why does vipassana sometimes seem like jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the point to categorize everything into this system. What's important is that one not be too involved in the 1st training and realize that the training in concentration and wisdom are very important in Buddhism and lead directly to the goal of Buddhism.&#xA;Also these two trainings take a lot of time (e.g. 3 year meditation retreats).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more info on this idea see &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T18:14:51.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7612" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7619" CreationDate="2015-02-11T18:23:01.510" Score="3" ViewCount="1122" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the most famous stories of the Buddha is that of the four sights in which the Buddha sees old age, sickness death and a monk for the first time. However I read that this story doesn't actually occur in the Pali Canon. Can anyone give the reference for the text or texts that this story does occur in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also since it doesn't appear in the Pali Canon is it reasonable to suppose that it might have less historical accuracy then other events in the Pali Canon. After all if it had of occurred wouldn't the Buddha have told &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda&lt;/a&gt; at some point who would have then recounted when the storied were been collected after the Buddha's death. This is of a side point really - and probably unnecessarily contraversial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-11T19:08:50.440" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T00:41:37.240" Title="Which text does the four sights story come from?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7528" CreationDate="2015-02-11T18:37:52.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist community&lt;/a&gt; and we have a notion of the reactive mind and the creative mind. The reactive mind is small and governed by habitual responses. The creative mind is big and can respond to situations in a more positive and open way. With practice we can access the creative mind however even then the reactive mind will be there but as a part of this greater whole. There is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/talks/details?num=31&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lecture&lt;/a&gt; about this or some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/texts/lecturetexts/031_Mind_Reactive_and_Creative.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lecture notes&lt;/a&gt; if you prefer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the lecture notes - the reactive mind is..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[..] also a repetitive mind. The reactive mind tends to do the same&#xA;  thing over and over and over again. That’s another reason why it’s&#xA;  like a machine. It gets the same stimuli - the same old newspaper&#xA;  open, the same weather or whatever it may be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;while the creative mind is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] active on its own account. The motive power, the force, the&#xA;  drive, the inspiration, as it were, of the creative mind, comes from&#xA;  the depths within the mind itself. Not just from external stimuli.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally find this way of thinking moderately useful however it can lead one down the path pf a very goal orientated and grasping practice if not taken in the right spirit. Also it's interesting to note that this concept was nicked from the Scientologists who, i think it's fair to say, have a mixed reputation as a spiritual community. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T18:37:52.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7612" CreationDate="2015-02-11T18:48:43.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure when the story of the four sights was first mentioned but it definitely doesn't seem to be a part of the early texts. The Devaduta Sutta mentions that seeing a baby, old person,  sick person, a person punished, and a corpse as all being a kind of message sent to humanity to be reflected on, so perhaps some of this was interpolated into the biography.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I don't think the traditional biographies have much historical merit. The earliest texts we have don't mention a lot of these kinds of things, and a lot of the embellishments are also found in the biographies of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism so I think there was probably a lot of borrowing of folk traditions. I think that these stories are very useful as a source of moral inspiration, but I think that they are very weak as a source of actual history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T18:48:43.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7182" CreationDate="2015-02-11T19:04:23.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tendai school has its own system of meditation based on the writings of the founder of the school, the great Chinese monk Zhiyi, who wrote a classic meditation book called the Mohe Zhiguan which means The Great Shamatha Vipashyana. This meditation style in Japanese is simply called Shikan, which is the Japanese pronunciation of the last half of the name of the book meaning Shamatha Vipashyana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know too much about it but it is a different system of meditation than Soto Shikantaza or Rinzai Koan practice. I think that it is a more structured and explicit system of meditation but I don't have much direct knowledge on this point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T19:04:23.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7157" CreationDate="2015-02-11T19:04:59.450" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the Pure Land schools of Buddhism come closest to the notion of supplication. To quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism#Pure_Land_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is one's faith in the salvific compassion of the Buddha Amitabha,&#xA;  [..] and the earnest wish to enter the Buddha's happy land, that is&#xA;  said to bring deliverance into Buddha Amitabha's Western Paradise&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However i believe that even in these schools it isn't a simple matter of just giving oneself over to another power. For instance in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Ddo_Shinsh%C5%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shin Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (also know as True Pure Land School) the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Ddo_Shinsh%C5%AB#Nembutsu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nembutsu&lt;/a&gt; is chanted as an expression of gratitude rather than a request for divine assistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the  flip side to this, even Zen practitioners &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.stillpointzen.org/zendo-etiquette-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bow to their cushions&lt;/a&gt;. So even in Zen, where the emphasis is very much on your own endeavors, recognition is regularly given to something outside of oneself. You could even say that this was almost supplication.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T19:04:59.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7445" CreationDate="2015-02-11T19:23:03.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, in the knowledge of dissolution the khandas are still there. The Visuddhimagga describes knowledge of dissolution as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visuddhimagga XXI (10-11)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he repeatedly observes in this way, and examines and investigates&#xA;  material and immaterial states, [to see] that they are impermanent,&#xA;  painful, and not-self, then if his knowledge works keenly, formations&#xA;  quickly become apparent. Once his knowledge works keenly and&#xA;  formations quickly become apparent, he no longer extends his&#xA;  mindfulness to their arising or presence or occurrence or sign, but&#xA;  brings it to bear only on their cessation as destruction, fall and&#xA;  breakup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When insight knowledge has arisen in him in this way so that he sees&#xA;  how the field of formations, having arisen thus, ceases thus, it is&#xA;  called contemplation of dissolution at that stage, 7  with reference&#xA;  to which it is said: “Understanding of contemplation of dissolution,&#xA;  after reflecting on an object— how is this knowledge of insight?&#xA;  “Consciousness  with  materiality  as  its  object  arises  and &#xA;  dissolves.  Having reflected on that object, he contemplates the&#xA;  dissolution of that consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, it is called knowledge of dissolution because the mind is focused on seeing the formations break up and cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T19:23:03.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7612" CreationDate="2015-02-11T20:17:03.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Possibly a later development based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an3.39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.39&lt;/a&gt;. In that sutta, the Buddha didn't explicitly mention He saw those signs but the ideas were there:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Amid such splendor and a delicate life, it occurred to me: ‘An uninstructed worldling, though himself subject to old age, not exempt from old age, feels repelled, humiliated, and disgusted when he sees another who is old, overlooking his own situation. Now I too am subject to old age and am not exempt from old age. Such being the case, if I were to feel repelled, humiliated, and disgusted when seeing another who is old, that would not be proper for me.’ When I reflected thus, my intoxication with youth was completely abandoned...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T20:17:03.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7612" CreationDate="2015-02-11T20:24:15.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights#Literary_Sources_of_the_Buddha_Legend&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Literary Sources of the Buddha Legend&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the early Pali sources, the legendary account of the four sights is only described with respect to a previous legendary Buddha Vipassī (Mahāpadāna Sutta, DN 14).[13] In the later works Nidanakatha, Buddhavamsa and the Lalitavistara Sūtra, the account was consequently also applied to Siddhārtha Gautama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Mahāpadāna Sutta, DN 14&quot; isn't one of the suttas translated in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Digha Nikaya section of accesstoinsight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an English-language translation of it here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Maha-padana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Maha-padana_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what current scholarship says. &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/wadd.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This paper from 1914&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To students of Buddhism and Comparative  Religion&#xA;          desirous  of knowing Buddha's  own views and teaching&#xA;          from his own words, it is extremely disconcerting  to&#xA;          find that the Pali Canon can no longer be regarded as&#xA;          the actual &quot;Word&quot; and Doctrine of Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and goes on to claim that the doctrine that there were previous Buddhas was invented after the historical Buddha's death,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The theory  that former  human  Buddhas  preceded&#xA;          Gotama, although  generally  accepted  as an integral&#xA;          part of Buddha's  Buddhism, seems  to me to have been&#xA;          invented  after  the Buddha's  death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which would imply that DN 14 were a later invention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-11T20:24:15.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7612" CreationDate="2015-02-12T00:41:37.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On my memory, it first appears in the Buddhacarita, the earliest &quot;full biography&quot; of the Buddha, written by Asvaghosha around 100-150 CE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T00:41:37.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7608" CreationDate="2015-02-12T01:16:45.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Solution is simple as long the practice is kept up then the Dhamma will not end.So you have to practice the 3 fold training and gain peace. Then teach others also what you praticed to get peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T01:16:45.333" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7445" CreationDate="2015-02-12T03:53:35.920" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you reach Bhanga you still have ego. Ego is mainly due to Sanna. To dissolve this you have to look at &lt;code&gt;contact &amp;gt; sensation &amp;gt; perception &amp;gt; through proliferation &amp;gt; sensations&lt;/code&gt; process and try to stop the thought proliferation / conditioned response of you mind / identification and perception about the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Bhanga you can quickly rid any formation by brining you attention to the sensations associated with Sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T03:53:35.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-12T08:07:37.083" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, God bless your heart for even caring and contemplating on this.  There are several different reasons why people ask for money, and, therefore, there are several different reasons why you would be asked not to give them money.  On one hand, and as have some kindly suggested, you can resort to donating your money or service to a charity organization, just to make sure that whatever you are giving is channeled correctly.  On another hand, and if you can, you may ask the person about what is it that they need, and bring it to them, if you can.  I have friends that kindly approach the person and ask them why they need the money.  When it is for food, clothing or something they can afford buying for them, they buy it and bring it to them.  An act of kindness that brightens their day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3688" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T08:07:37.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-02-12T10:28:36.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the thought or volition that counts underpinning the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not give to baggers with good intention then this is acceptable. If you choose not to give may be you can be of more service to them by helping them make a living and also perhaps find employment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you give to beggars with good intention then this is also acceptable are you are practising generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generosity is not limited to material giving. It is a will and volition to the benevolence and betterment of others and acting upon it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T10:28:36.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7625" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7659" CreationDate="2015-02-12T12:26:37.443" Score="6" ViewCount="2019" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Zen&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Tao of Zen&lt;/a&gt;, Zen/Chan is esentially a form of Taoism. This makes sense to me, as it's hard to understand what is the common ground between the relative simplicity of Zen and the baroque belief systems of the other Mahayana traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is not a predominant opinion about the origins of Zen. I understand that it is generally believed that Zen is a branch of Buddhism, with some Taoist influences. What are the arguments that support this opinion? Has anybody provided counter-arguments to the ones presented in &lt;em&gt;The Tao of Zen&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2017-09-09T21:24:33.040" Title="Why is Zen/Chan thought to be more related to Buddhism than to Taoism?" Tags="|zen|comparative-religion|chinese-buddhism|taoism|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2015-02-12T14:54:33.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Buddhism has nothing against being rich, but just says that people should not be attached to what they have. So there is nothing wrong with a teacher driving an expensive car. However, if the car was stolen, and the teacher expressed a regret, anger, sadness, or any other sign of attachment to the car, it would mean that he didn't really follow the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T14:54:33.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2015-02-12T15:45:48.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist teacher who has bodhisattva ethics would not keep more money than needed. He would utilize the remaining for generous funds to help others--and not just by mere charity but perhaps by creating an investment fund or funding a project, etc. a truly good teacher has a mind beyond us and would never be stuck in the small way of human attachment to comfort!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, a truly good teacher might be not be &lt;em&gt;successful&lt;/em&gt; per se (a good teaching is unwelcome due to the karmic tension it would cause in one's life) and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T15:45:48.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2015-02-12T18:20:52.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I listened to a talk by Ajahn Punnadhammo some days ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here he talks about why the Buddha had put a great emphasiz on &lt;strong&gt;right speech&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Punnadhammo says that by using the speech faculty we can directly input dhammas into other beings mind-stream. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So by misusing the speech faculty (by lying for example) we can directly input delusion into other beings mind-stream. That is a heavy kammic thing to do since delusion is what binds us in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he said that i really understood the depth of the 4th precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T18:20:52.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7629" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10890" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:15:21.107" Score="1" ViewCount="148" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the proper name for the Buddha's earliest followers such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sariputta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sariputta&lt;/a&gt; - the ones that followed the Buddha during his lifetime. Would the term be bhikkhu and  bhikkhuni or does this only apply to settled monastics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T12:33:21.383" Title="Were the Buddha's earliest followers bhikkhus?" Tags="|the-buddha|terminology|early-buddhism|bhikkhu|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7630" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:18:20.963" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-12T19:18:20.963" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T19:18:20.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7631" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:18:20.963" Score="0" Body="Skillful and unskillful thought, speech and action. These questions include but are not limited to questions on the vinaya and precepts." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:28:16.740" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:28:16.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7632" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:20:07.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:43:00.243" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:43:00.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7633" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:20:07.897" Score="0" Body="Rules and regulations for the Buddhist monastic community based on the Vinaya Pitaka within the Pali Canon." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-12T19:20:07.897" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T19:20:07.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-12T19:32:57.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started practicing Buddhism as a self-taught curious kid. And I got really into it when I found out that I had not to be affiliated to a certain institution: I had only to apply some concepts to my life and seek to make good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO you don't need to have a master/teacher to learn what Buddhism is really about, aside from its branches, and to start practicing it. But a teacher is really valuable, because we normally feel like sharing this experience to others, and because it is really hard to supress our ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher will be there to share his experience but also listen. He will also be a constant reminder that we know too little and that we think too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it very nice to find others that follow Buddhism practices and to listen from their unique view and experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3691" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T19:32:57.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7635" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7636" CreationDate="2015-02-12T20:05:30.847" Score="2" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why this (and only &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt;) moment is the exclusive possibility to see things as they really are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T09:30:59.927" Title="The importance of NOW" Tags="|consciousness|learning|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7635" CreationDate="2015-02-12T20:24:21.293" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The future is only just an imagination at best as it has not happened and the past is only an memory. You cannot see the in details anything other than what you remember or things yet to unfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So present moment is what you can study to get a understanding of reality at the subtlest level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-12T20:24:21.293" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7629" CreationDate="2015-02-12T20:28:28.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 4&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu - Male monk&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhuni - Female nun&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upasaka - Lay male follower&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upasika - Lay female follower&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note that in the Suttas all of the above are referred as Bhikkhus in addressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-13T08:44:41.657" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T08:44:41.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7590" CreationDate="2015-02-13T02:19:37.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;...Perhaps observing and meditating following texts would help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Itivuttaka (4.111):&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Above, across or back again, wherever one goes in the world let one&#xA;  carefully scrutinise the rise and fall of compounded things.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada (20.277)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Impermanent are all compounded things. When one senses this with true&#xA;  insight, then one becomes detached from suffering; this is the path of&#xA;  purification.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and this beautiful text of Jane Hirschfield (in the PBS-documentary film 'The Buddha')&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘There is water in a river; and there is water in a glass.  And then&#xA;  the water is back in the air; and then it is back in the river.  The&#xA;  water is there but what is it? That’s a way to think about the self in&#xA;  Buddha’s own.  One moment you’re angry; the next moment you are&#xA;  laughing.  Who are you? The self comes and the self goes. Simply&#xA;  notice how, from one moment to another, your self is actually not as&#xA;  much the same as we think it is.’’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T02:19:37.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7509" CreationDate="2015-02-13T02:21:02.160" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;intelligence is a force ... that acts so as to maximize future freedom of action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like &quot;intelligence&quot; craves for an image called &quot;freedom of action in the future&quot;. Buddhism is very different: meditation is a practice to free people from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also says that intelligence is goal-seeking and control-grabbing. I think that Buddhism doesn't mean to control someone's own life, it's more about &quot;behaving in a way that suffering is not produced&quot;. Control is subjectively pervaded with attachment and aversion. It's subtle. How can someone change his/her own behavior without being attached to some mind states and not being averse to others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also, someone can think that enlightenment is a goal, but seeing it like this is a pitfall. A goal implies expectation, or anticipation of the future, only more samkara. How someone can seek nirvana without imagining it in the future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a lot of intelligent people clinging on &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By this definition is Buddhist practice very intelligent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, because in this definition intelligence implies suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, in Buddhism, intelligence could be understood differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-02-13T15:47:08.217" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T15:47:08.217" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-13T02:37:22.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider following texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya (3.272)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The past should not be followed after, and the future not desired;&#xA;  what is past is dead and gone, and the future is yet to come.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wei Wu Wei&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;'Why Lazarus Laughed'&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Past and Future are a duality of which Present is the reality. The&#xA;  now-moment alone is eternal and real.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Matthew Flickstein&lt;/strong&gt; (* The Meditator’s Atlas. A Roadmap of the Inner World p. 157*:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The greatest enemy to the conditioned mind is the reality of the&#xA;  present moment. The mind is always trying to oppose this experience,&#xA;  since the mind only lives through thoughts of the past and the&#xA;  future.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;strong&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh'&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;'Thich Nhat Hanh on the Practice of Mindfulness')&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Most people are forgetful; they are not really there [in the present&#xA;  moment] a lot of the time. Their mind is caught in their worries,&#xA;  their fears, their anger, and their regrets, and they are not mindful&#xA;  of being there. That state of being is called forgetfulness -you are&#xA;  there but you are not there. You are caught in the past or in the&#xA;  future. You are not there in the present moment, living your life&#xA;  deeply. That is forgetfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The opposite of forgetfulness is mindfulness. Mindfulness is when you&#xA;  are truly there, mind and body together. You breathe in and out&#xA;  mindfully, you bring your mind back to your body, and you are there.&#xA;  When your mind is there with your body, you are established in the&#xA;  present moment. Then you can recognize the many conditions of&#xA;  happiness that are in you and around you, and happiness just comes&#xA;  naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(...) Mindfulness is the energy that helps us recognize the conditions&#xA;  of happiness that are already present in our lives. You don’t have to&#xA;  wait ten years to experience this happiness. It is present in every&#xA;  moment of your daily life. There are those of us who are alive but&#xA;  don’t know it. But when you breathe in, and you are aware of your&#xA;  in-breath, you touch the miracle of being alive. That is why&#xA;  mindfulness is a source of happiness and joy.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T02:37:22.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-13T02:48:57.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is not how to become a buddhist; the aim is to get freed from our misery &lt;em&gt;(dukkha)&lt;/em&gt;. This is possible through realizing wisdom &lt;em&gt;(panna)&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone can become enlightened. The Buddha has given us the tools; showed us the path, but everyone has to cultivate it himself or herself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Jayasaro (* Mindfulness, Precepts and Crashing in the Same Car p. 33-35 emphasized text*):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'The Buddha says we can find an inner refuge in which we become like&#xA;  an island unto ourselves, like a mountain which is unmoved by wind and&#xA;  rain and weather. This kind of stability and integrity of mind 'is not&#xA;  found by turning our backs on certain experiences and trying to create&#xA;  some special blissed-out state. If you practice meditation because&#xA;  you’re fed up with life, or you’re fed up with yourself, and you just&#xA;  want to go somewhere else where you don’t have to put up with all this&#xA;  stuff, then you’re already on the wrong path. That is the practice&#xA;  that may lead to heaven. But it’s not the practice for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You might be able to enter some heavenly realm where you can just&#xA;  close your eyes and feel good for a while, but the ability to do that&#xA;  is conditioned by health, by external circumstances and so on, and&#xA;  it’s not something we can ultimately rely upon. The immediate&#xA;  understanding of things as they are, of highs as highs, lows as lows,&#xA;  thoughts as thoughts, perceptions as perceptions, this is where the&#xA;  stability comes. We begin to see things less as solid entities, we&#xA;  perceive less in terms of personalities and people, and more and more&#xA;  in terms of a stream, a conditioned flow of phenomena.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-13T09:24:09.240" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T09:24:09.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7629" CreationDate="2015-02-13T04:01:50.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, for example, they're referred to as &quot;bhikkhus&quot; and &quot;Venerable&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html#chap5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt; it's &quot;monks&quot; and &quot;Venerable&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu literally means &quot;beggar&quot; or &quot;one who lives by alms&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'ordained' monastics and the Vinaya existed (were created) during the Buddha's lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T04:01:50.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7635" CreationDate="2015-02-13T09:30:59.927" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Diamond Sutra, Chapter 18, speaking to Subhūti, the Buddha imparts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...I know the mind of every sentient being in all the host of universes, regardless of any modes of thought, conceptions or tendencies. For all modes, conceptions and tendencies of thought are not mind. And yet they are called 'mind'. Why? &lt;strong&gt;It is impossible to retain a past thought, to seize a future thought, and even to hold onto a present thought&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This insight connects directly to clinging and attachment, which in turn, connects to dukkha (suffering; dissatisfaction with the way things are, &lt;strong&gt;were&lt;/strong&gt;, or &lt;strong&gt;will be&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Samyutta Nikaya LVI 11 (translations vary),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The First Noble Truth with its three aspects is: &quot;There is suffering, dukkha. Dukkha should be understood. Dukkha has been understood.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loosely, the Pali word, dukkha, means &quot;incapable of satisfying&quot; or &quot;not able to bear or withstand anything&quot;: always changing, incapable of truly fulfilling us or making us happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very skilful teaching because it is expressed in a simple formula which is easy to remember, and it also applies to everything that you can possibly experience or do or think concerning the past, the present or the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The past is a construct of a clinging mind attached to what was.  The future is a clinging construct of mind attached to fantastic possibility.  The present moment is all that is real and actionable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put another way, one can not act in the past or future.  One can only act in the now (present).  Attempting to act in a past or future moment (&quot;coulda&quot;, &quot;woulda&quot;, &quot;shoulda&quot;) is &lt;strong&gt;not Samma&lt;/strong&gt; (to slightly abuse pali) -- meaning 'not proper', 'not whole', 'not thorough', 'not integral', 'not complete' and/or 'not perfect.'  And thus, out of step with the Eight-Fold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3693" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T09:30:59.927" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7610" CreationDate="2015-02-13T09:57:16.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The threefold training &lt;em&gt;(Pali: sikkha)&lt;/em&gt; consists of: morality &lt;em&gt;(sila)&lt;/em&gt;; concentration &lt;em&gt;(samadhi)&lt;/em&gt;; and wisdom &lt;em&gt;(panna)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sikkha&lt;/em&gt; is meant to conquer and eradicate the defilements &lt;em&gt;(kilesas)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visuddhimagga XXII,49&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'The defilements are the ten states, namely: greed; hate; delusion;&#xA;  conceit; false view; uncertainty; stiffness of mind; agitation;&#xA;  conciencelessness, shamelessness. They are so called because they are&#xA;  themselves defiled and because they defile their associated states.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of those defilements has 3 stages &lt;em&gt;(bhumi)&lt;/em&gt; which are identical to the 3 stages of consciousness (latent - manifested - action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent stage = &lt;em&gt;anusaya-bhumi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the manifest stage = &lt;em&gt;pariyutthana-bhumi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the action stage = &lt;em&gt;vitikkama-bhumi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the threefold training, it is possible to conquer and eradicate these defilements in the 3 subsequent stages: &lt;em&gt;sila-sikkha&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;samadhi-sikkha&lt;/em&gt;; and &lt;em&gt;panna-sikkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The training itself is a strict personal affair: &lt;em&gt;Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one can purify another&lt;/em&gt; (Dhammapada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T09:57:16.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7646" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7674" CreationDate="2015-02-13T13:58:36.843" Score="2" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why isn't prostration considered as a rite or a ritual in the sense of &lt;em&gt;silabbata paramasa&lt;/em&gt; (one of the fetters that had to be abandoned to become a stream-enterer)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder how this practice can contribute to insight especially when prostration is done mechanically (as practiced around Buddhist pagodas in Birma; Sri Lanka and Thailand)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:38:38.090" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:38:38.090" Title="Prostration and attachment to rites and rituals" Tags="|ethics|prostration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7646" CreationDate="2015-02-13T14:18:58.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any right or ritual does make Sankara / Karma positive or negative. Eradicating Sankara is the way out of misery hence any practice which does not eradicate Sankara is not conducive to get out of misery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should understand the formation of Sankara and eradicate it. Formation of Sankara is linked to sensations. When it passes away subtle sensations arise. Likewise you can see rights and rituals cause formations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But until you get there some attachments to keep you on track and strengthen your faith is no harm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T14:18:58.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7318" CreationDate="2015-02-13T15:36:07.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I downloaded &lt;a href=&quot;http://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E6%96%B9%E5%BB%A3%E4%BD%9B%E8%8F%AF%E5%9A%B4%E7%B6%93%E5%85%AB%E5%8D%81%E5%8D%B7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Chinese translation of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra&lt;/a&gt; and did a few searches for patterns with different combinations of words that are likely to appear there (e.g. 女 &quot;woman&quot;, 地獄 &quot;hell&quot;, 種 &quot;seed&quot;, 夜叉 &quot;Yaksha&quot;). I found quite a few phrases, but none of them looked like the cited passage. My knowledge of classical Chinese is very rudimentary, so I may be mistaken. However, the search inside the Cleary translation on the Amazon website doesn't show any such passage either. So if it is there at all, I think it's more likely that the quote is a summary/paraphrase of a larger chunk of the sutra, and not a direct translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I found a classical Chinese/classical Japanese phrase that is the source of your quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;女人地獄使。能断仏種子。外面似菩薩。内心如夜叉。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.genshu.gr.jp/DPJ/database/bunken/goibun/f_tyu_b.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this text&lt;/a&gt; at 7-094. Unfortunately, there is no information about the author nor the date when it was written. In any case, it is definitely not modern Japanese, so I don't think it was written recently. It seems to be a Nichiren commentary to the Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT 2: The above quote is preceded by &quot;華厳経云&quot;, which means &quot;Avataṃsaka Sūtra says&quot;. That explains why the passage is commonly (and incorrectly, as we may conclude) attributed to this sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT 3: I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;information about the origin of the quote&lt;/a&gt;, which, in light of the facts presented above, we can regard as conclusive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This statement is not found in the extant Chinese versions of the Flower Garland Sutra. However, A Collection of Treasures written by Taira no Yasuyori during the Jisho era (1177–1181) cites it as a quotation from the Flower Garland Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T23:56:09.940" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T23:56:09.940" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7318" CreationDate="2015-02-13T19:03:04.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I might have found the actual source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an anthology of &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=9xytAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PA542&amp;amp;ots=aHaLBMPyKn&amp;amp;dq=Women%20are%20messengers%20of%20hell&amp;amp;pg=PA542#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Women%20are%20messengers%20of%20hell&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Japanese Literature, I find almost the exact same text&lt;/a&gt;, in what looks like a modern fictionalized discussion between two monks, one who says the quote is from Vasubandhu's &quot;The Treatise on Consciousness-Only&quot; I haven't confirmed that, because I can't find the full text of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T19:03:04.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7650" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7672" CreationDate="2015-02-13T19:57:19.853" Score="4" ViewCount="2181" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people believe that their good or bad thoughts can materialize in the future. So some people try to be always in good mood and think positively. Others are not so happy and just try not to think about bad things too often to prevent them from happening. And finally there are large groups of people that pray to some god. Can thoughts of all these people materialize into a real events, creatures, things? At least sometimes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3694" LastActivityDate="2019-02-22T11:37:13.250" Title="Can thoughts materialize?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7276" CreationDate="2015-02-13T20:59:59.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should look up &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acinteyya, The Four Imponderables and the ten indeterminate questions.&lt;/a&gt; In here The Buddha stated that there are some things that should not be thought about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because they have no answer and will leave the mind agitated and distressed. Actually there have been great scientists that had commited suicide because of pondering these questions too much and not finding answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless one is a Buddha, one should not think about these things. They will not set one free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;On page 61, in &quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot; by Ven. K. Sri. Dhammanda, there is a great chapter of the Buddhas Silence regarding the ten indeterminate questions.&lt;/a&gt; You should check that out too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy, peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T20:59:59.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7590" CreationDate="2015-02-13T21:45:21.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally wouldn't worry about such details and labels of who is who and what status everyone is. I would recommend you read, &quot; The Noble Eightfold Path&quot;( conceptual understanding) accompanied with Vipassana meditation (experiential realization). Work your way through the teachings of the NEP, and you will remove your own ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would still recommend asking monks for detailed help, but what i have mentioned above, that will be a very good starting point for you, if you are serious about the practice! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have helped!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-02-13T21:45:21.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2015-02-13T22:02:38.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contemporary literature is enough for you? There is a &lt;em&gt;Dzogchen&lt;/em&gt; text from Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche called &quot;The Mirror: Advice on the Presence of Awareness&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fudomouth.net/thinktank/now_nnawareness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.fudomouth.net/thinktank/now_nnawareness.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He starts saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A practitioner of Dzogchen must have precise presence and awareness. Until one really and truly knows one's own mind and can govern it with awareness, even if very many explanations of reality are given, they remain nothing more than ink on paper or matters for debate among intellectuals, without the possibility of the birth of any understanding of the real meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly the subject of enlightenment or The Dharma can become hindrances. But we need guidance to achieve the proposed states of mind. Saying that we should &quot;just become more aware&quot; sometimes isn't enough, usually we need some insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He makes the following metaphor:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a sick person knows perfectly well the properties and functions of a medicine and is also expert in giving explanations about it, but doesn't ever take the medicine, he or she can never get well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says that we can get lost in the theory, but he never says we shouldn't study it. The point is that theoretical knowledge &lt;strong&gt;alone&lt;/strong&gt; can't produce any enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, without chattering about it, or getting caught up in trying to hide behind an elegant facade, one should try really and truly to cause the presence of awareness actually to arise in oneself, and then carry it into practice. This is the most important point of the practice of Dzogchen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a handful of words, ink and pixels pointing us to the right direction. It is a two edged sword.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T18:05:00.050" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T18:05:00.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7654" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-13T22:26:37.077" Score="4" ViewCount="98" Body="&lt;p&gt;While looking for an answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7318/looking-for-negative-reference-to-women-in-the-avatamsaka-sutra&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.genshu.gr.jp/DPJ/database/bunken/goibun/f_tyu_b.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a text that contains the quote in question&lt;/a&gt;, but I cannot find any information about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it written in classical Chinese or classical Japanese? (The two written languages were apparently quite similar)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it a commentary to the Lotus Sutra as the title seems to indicate?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When was it written and by whom?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are the divisions equivalent to the divisions of the Lotus Sutra?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the line numbers also point to the lines of the sutra?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T16:22:14.737" Title="Identification of a Buddhist text written in classical Chinese or Japanese" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|chinese-buddhism|nichiren|chinese-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7646" CreationDate="2015-02-14T05:54:58.187" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Preforming a ceremonial act isn't the same thing as clinging to rites and rituals. Clinging to rites and rituals specifically means that you think that some ceremonial action has some sort of power in it that can take you to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T05:54:58.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2015-02-14T06:33:09.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that this kind of thinking is rather superficial. The essence of Zen is the teaching that all beings possess a Buddha nature, and that by seeing into one's true nature one attains enlightenment. None of this is a part of Daoism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, a lot of the similarities between the two are also found in Buddhist Sutras. For example, the extensive use of paradoxical language to cut through conceptual thinking is found in the Diamond Sutra and many other Buddhist texts, not just in Daoist texts like the Dao De Jing, and they are understood in very different ways as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T06:33:09.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7650" CreationDate="2015-02-14T06:40:56.357" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many people believe that their good or bad thoughts can materialize in&#xA;  the future&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, this is called Kamma. Good thoughts have the potential to cause good consequences. Bad thoughts have the potential to cause bad consequences.&#xA;But the Buddhist way of identifying a good/bad thoughts has nothing to do with positive/negative thinking.&#xA;If a thought is tainted with craving, aversion and ignorance, it is a bad thought. If not, it is a good thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: Going after a mirage, thinking that it's a real stream of water can be a positive thought, if you really believe in it. But it's not going to bring intended results. Thinking that slaughtering animals and offering them to a god/demon will result in a good harvest can be a positive thought. But it is a bad thought according to Buddhism. Thinking that there's an all loving, all governing god who's going to save you from suffering can be a positive thought. But it is a bad thought according to Buddhism. Thinking about impermanence, suffering can be taken as negative thinking. But they are good thoughts according to Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All bad thoughts have the potential to give repercussions. But not all good thoughts give future results. Ex: the thoughts of enlightened being are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/kiriya.htm&quot;&gt;Kiriya citta&lt;/a&gt;. You could call them neutral, but they are good since they don't cause harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So some people try to be always in good mood and think positively.&#xA;  Others are not so happy and just try not to think about bad things too&#xA;  often to prevent them from happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not possible! Bad and good things happen because of causes. If the causes are not present for something to happen, you simply can't make it happen, regardless of your mood.&#xA;To take the same example, just because you pray to a god, you won't get the things you pray for. There should be someone listening, who is in a position to give you what you want. And that being should decide to help in the way you want. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T06:40:56.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2015-02-14T07:03:11.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All excellent answers to an excellent question. I wish to add my two cents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The literal meaning of &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt; is &quot;quenching&quot;, or &quot;blowing out&quot; like a candle that has been snuffed out. Since it is impossible to define the sublime because it happens at a level inaccessible to words, a negative definition is the only possible metaphor. Thus, it is not something that one achieves, but something that one can create conditions for it to happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you plant a seed, you cannot force it to grow: you just can provide water, fertiliser, care and protection until, in due time, it offers its fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T07:03:11.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2015-02-14T15:14:58.077" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the relative simplicity of Zen and the baroque belief systems of the&#xA;  other Mahayana traditions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are we talking about &lt;em&gt;style&lt;/em&gt;? Yes, the records of the Zen masters resemble the style of the &lt;em&gt;Zhuangzi&lt;/em&gt; more than they resemble the style of the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka Sutra&lt;/em&gt;. But we should be more interested in &lt;em&gt;content&lt;/em&gt; when evaluating where a tradition belongs. - The Sutras are written in a highly intricate, metaphorical language. Like the Zen master Bassui said: &quot;Before we can read the Sutras, we have to open the mind that can read them.&quot; The Sutras are addressing a reality that is sometimes not available to an unenlightened mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is generally believed that Zen is a branch of Buddhism, with some Taoist influences. What are the arguments that support this opinion? Has anybody provided counter-arguments to the ones presented in The Tao of Zen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Every scholarly book written on the origin of Zen is a counter-argument.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at a few salient points - off the top of my head:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) The Zen school was not called that at first. It was known as the &quot;Buddha-Mind School&quot; and the Zen masters were referred to as &lt;strong&gt;&quot;the Lankavatara Masters&quot;:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In its beginnings in China, Zen primarily referred to the Mahāyāna&#xA;  sūtras and especially to the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. As a result, early&#xA;  masters of the Zen tradition were referred to as &quot;Laṅkāvatāra&#xA;  masters&quot;. In other early texts, the school that would later become known as Zen is sometimes even referred to as simply the &quot;Laṅkāvatāra school&quot; (Ch. 楞伽宗, Léngqié Zōng). Accounts recording the history of this early period are to&#xA;  be found in Records of the Laṅkāvatāra Masters (Ch. 楞伽師資記, Léngqié&#xA;  Shīzī Jì).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(cf. Dumoulin, Heinrich (2005-A), Zen Buddhism: A History. Volume 1: India and China, World Wisdom Books, ISBN 978-0-941532-89-1 )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole school was called &lt;em&gt;after a specific sutra&lt;/em&gt;, named the  Laṅkāvatāra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The First Patriarch of Zen is said to have handed &lt;em&gt;this sutra&lt;/em&gt; to the Second Patriarch as containing the essentials of the school teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you study that Sutra closely, you will realize that it has all the essential teachings of Zen, and since it predates Zen, it is only reasonable to conclude it is the source. The main idea there is that &quot;mind is buddha&quot;, that it all comes down to the mind of the sentient being; that everything is a projection of the One Mind (which is also what Huangbo says verbatim).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) The Sixth Patriarch in the Platform Scripture says quite explicitly that &lt;strong&gt;to practice Zen, one has to study and recite the Diamond Sutra&lt;/strong&gt;. Why does he single out that sutra and not the Zhuangzi or the Daodejing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) All the Zen masters used &lt;strong&gt;Mahayana Buddhist language&lt;/strong&gt; and terminology: &lt;strong&gt;samsara, nirvana, bodhisattva, tathagata,&lt;/strong&gt; etc. compare with how often they use terms such as qi, yin/yang, Heaven (in the Taoist sense), etc. It's not even up for debate. They overwhelmingly use Buddhist language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) They were all &lt;strong&gt;Buddhist monks&lt;/strong&gt;, with Buddhist robes, shaved heads, etc. I mean, this is an obvious fact. Why stay in a Buddhist monastery if you're a Taoist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) All they say is &lt;strong&gt;traceable back to Mahayana Philosophy&lt;/strong&gt;. Everything. The One Mind, transcending samsara, non-duality between samsara and nirvana, mind being buddha, truth being beyond language, silence as a teaching etc. Even the dismissal of Sutras is ultimately traceable back to the Sutras!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's nothing original in the ideas of the Chan school:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is nothing unique about Ch'an doctrine; it is an eclectic form&#xA;  of Mahayana philosophy. So there is no contradiction involved in a&#xA;  tradition of meditation practice co-existing with the sectarian&#xA;  doctrines of the various sects of Chinese Buddhism. Masters whose&#xA;  names appear in the succession-lists of both Ch'an and another&#xA;  sectarian tradition would simply be both dharma- and dhyana-masters in&#xA;  their respective monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Charles W. Swain, The Emergence Of Ch'an Buddhism, Chung- Hwa Buddhist Journal vol.2/Oct, 1988 P.391-399&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, if there's anything original, it's the style. If there's anything that cannot be traced back to Indian Mahayana - is exactly the style, the form their upaya takes, and not their doctrines, not their insights. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But why call that style &quot;Taoist&quot; and not instead call it &quot;Chinese&quot;? Perhaps there's some common source both Chan and Taoism are drawing from, and that has more to do with the Chinese character, that manifests there as abrupt and direct? What makes more sense instead is that Buddhism is adaptable, and so it takes many forms depending on the country and the spirit of the country where it takes root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="133" LastEditorUserId="133" LastEditDate="2015-02-14T15:26:52.933" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T15:26:52.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7660" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7664" CreationDate="2015-02-14T16:12:22.753" Score="8" ViewCount="3124" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism can there be found any justification (whatever the perceived provocation) for war and military violence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T19:07:52.390" LastActivityDate="2017-08-03T08:04:05.263" Title="Can Buddhism give any justification for military violence?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2015-02-14T16:35:51.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In any field, we don't try to attain a specific goal, because - then what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that &quot;no specific goal&quot; is true of medicine, for example. If I go to my doctor with any complaint (for example, a complaint about my shoulder), then there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a specific goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I suspect that Buddhism has a specific goal: its goal is the third noble truth i.e. cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think that the word &quot;enlightenment&quot; focuses on a rainbow - something that does not exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To an extent that's true, but maybe that's a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e. everything which exists is &quot;conditioned&quot;: for example a feeling, a person, a table, a mountain &quot;exist because of&quot; (or &quot;dependently co-arise with&quot;) this and that, and will cease to exist when those conditions change (all things are conditioned and impermanent and unsatisfactory).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas &quot;enlightenment&quot; is supposed to be none of the above: i.e. it's unconditioned, timeless, and satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, is it better to stop thinking about &quot;how to get to 'it' &quot; and just get on with life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that at least some elementary Buddhist doctrine is helpful with its generic advice about &quot;how&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wouldn't tell doctors just to get on with treating patients, without teaching doctors &quot;how&quot; to do that.&#xA;You teach them &lt;strong&gt;skills&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;wash your hands&quot;) and useful theories or &lt;strong&gt;views&lt;/strong&gt; (for example, about &quot;germs&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I understand you, I think you are saying that the word enlightenment means something like &quot;what is happening now&quot;, a verb rather than a noun?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hmm, grammar. Do you know the word &quot;reify&quot;? I suspect that grammar encourages us to do that: &quot;enlightenment&quot;, &quot;love&quot;, &quot;pain&quot;, &quot;I&quot; and so on are nouns and pronouns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're thinking maybe it should be seen as a verb?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How about seeing it as an adjective instead?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of seeing &quot;a dog&quot; see &quot;a location or a being with dog-nature&quot; or &quot;dog-like properties&quot; or &quot;dogginess&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of seeing &quot;enlightenment&quot; (noun) or &quot;enlightening&quot; (verb) how about seeing &quot;enlightened&quot; (adjective)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that enlightenment is characterized as an absence or negative:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not conditioned, not unsatisfactory, not impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not ignoble (nor base, vulgar, common, or unprofitable)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Out-blown, extinguished (like a blown-out candle)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cessation or liberation (from suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dis-identification (contrast with Hindu nirvana which is 'identification with God')&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Absence of defilements (kleshas)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Talking about it prolongs ignorance, perhaps?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you're right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going back to the doctor-and-medicine analogy, maybe &quot;health&quot; can be defined as &quot;absence of any disease&quot; (like &quot;enlightenment&quot; is &quot;absence of any defilement&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't go to the doctor to talk about &quot;health&quot;; instead I only go to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk about specific disease&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk about lifestyle habits/skills (e.g. diet and exercise) to avoid disease&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The doctor has (in my experience) nothing much to say about health itself. For example I would go for a yearly check-up and once the doctor said (part-jokingly), &quot;You're very healthy. Go away: I don't want to see you again for another two or three years.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T16:35:51.443" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-02-14T17:00:56.230" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are places in the older texts that one can find passages advocating violence. For example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra#Prophesies_on_Holy_War&quot;&gt;Tibetan Kalachakra Tantra&lt;/a&gt; has got anti-Islamic passages in it which can be used as a justification for violence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Chakravartin shall come out at the end of the age, from the city&#xA;  the gods fashioned on Mount Kailasa. He shall smite the barbarians in&#xA;  battle with his own four-division army, on the entire surface of the&#xA;  earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More recently Japanese Zen was connected with militarism and violence in the Second World war. There is a book &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War&quot;&gt;Zen at War&lt;/a&gt; which gives an extensive study. There is a famous quote from Harada Daiun Sogaku justifying violence from a Buddhist perspective (source:  Zen at War)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;march: tramp, tramp, or shoot: bang, bang. This is the manifestation&#xA;  of the highest Wisdom [of Enlightenment]. The unity of Zen and war of&#xA;  which I speak extends to the farthest reaches of the holy war&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you don't need to look in the past at all to find examples of Buddhist justifying violence. There is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22356306&quot;&gt;violence today being advocated and committed&lt;/a&gt; by Buddhists against Muslim minorities in Burma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though it seems incredible, considering the first precept and the radical non-violence propounded by texts such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot;&gt;The Parable of the Saw&lt;/a&gt;, Buddhists can an do justify the use of violence. I guess ultimately Buddhism is a human institution (albeit pointing to timeless wisdom) and like all human institutions it can and does have flaws and sometimes very grave flaws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T08:02:49.200" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T08:02:49.200" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7663" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7673" CreationDate="2015-02-14T17:36:42.937" Score="15" ViewCount="5471" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talaputta Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha says that actors will either be reborn as an animal or go to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an actor on the stage, [he thinks that] after death, he is reborn&#xA;in the company of the laughing devas,' that is his wrong view. Now,&#xA;there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you:&#xA;either hell or the animal womb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does the Buddha have such a dim view of actors? I can imagine all kinds of professions that would be less ethical than acting. Was acting a very different sort of profession in India 2500 years ago? Would the same kind of fate be shared with actors today? Are actors frowned upon in modern day Buddhist countries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation for this question is that I am due to give a talk on right livelihood at a local Buddhist centre. The last time I did this talk I told this story. Unfortunately, there was an actor in the group and she was shocked. I couldn't really justify this harsh opinion, so I just muttered an apology and moved on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks for any/all responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="19082" LastEditDate="2022-12-01T02:42:39.323" LastActivityDate="2022-12-01T02:42:39.323" Title="Will actors really go to hell?" Tags="|modern-world|sutras|ethics|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-02-14T17:51:26.280" Score="25" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, there's no justification for killing. But justification is a personal thing. Buddhism tells you about the consequences of an action. Not whether it is justified or not. Killing intentionally is always bad Karma, whether you, the society, a religious community, a religious book, judges of courts, a god, inner voice, patriotism, honor etc. justify it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But one highlighting factor is that if you kill virtuous beings, you get a lot of bad karma, whereas killing an immoral being will result in &lt;strong&gt;comparatively&lt;/strong&gt; less bad karma. &#xA;A person who is trying to kill you is already an immoral being. And you may think of a justifiable reason to kill him. But killing him is still bad Karma which can cause much suffering to you in the future as well as corrupting your present mind state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a law of nature. It is not a god who punishes you depending on how justified your reasons are for doing something.&#xA;ex: Think of a newborn baby touching fire. Having no knowledge of fire, is it fair for it to get burnt? Is it justified? Probably not! But why does it still get burnt? Because fire doesn't judge. It's simply a process of causes and effect. So is Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-03T08:04:05.263" LastActivityDate="2017-08-03T08:04:05.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7650" CreationDate="2015-02-14T20:19:37.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;...According to the Buddha, the best we can do is looking objectively at &lt;em&gt;Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;, our essential nature: knowing and seeing the sensorial world as it really is. &lt;em&gt;Yathabhuta nana dassana&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then awareness and equanimity will lead automatically to liberation of the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaila Catherine—&lt;em&gt;Focused and Fearless. A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity (2008)  p. 149&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘When the mind is profoundly balanced with equanimity, there is no averse reaction to the basic fact that nothing in the material world can bring satisfaction.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we 'know' and 'see' that &lt;em&gt;'nothing in the material world can bring satisfaction':&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samyutta Nikaya (1.168):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'The entire world is in flames,&#xA;  the entire world is going up in smoke;&#xA;  the entire world is burning,&#xA;  the entire world is vibrating.&#xA;  But that which does not vibrate or burn,&#xA;  which is experienced by the noble ones,&#xA;  where death has no entry—&#xA;  in that my mind delights.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T20:19:37.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-14T22:07:59.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, i have to say, i do not know the passage of the text. So my help may be limited or in fact unless!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, here goes. When the Buddha was referring to an &quot;actor&quot; is it possible that He was referring to a person who lives a deluded life of ignorance, resulting in extreme manifestations of imagination, thus the &quot;actor&quot; is created (but not a real film or stage actor, as a job). This would make sense as, the Buddha went on to say that there are only two destinations for such a mind. Which is true, ignorance at it's highest level would result in poor choices and actions in this life and the next. And the reference to the &quot; stage&quot; well, that could be Earth or existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, not sure i have been of any help, but this is my view with such little knowledge of the text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:07:59.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-14T22:35:21.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I may answer your question by disputing the premise. In his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jun/22/the-antidote-oliver-burkeman-review&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Antidote&lt;/a&gt; (not a Buddhist book) Oliver Burkeman questions the wisdom of goal setting itself. He takes the dramatic example of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1996 Everest disaster&lt;/a&gt; to illustrate goals and goal setting gone badly and fatally wrong. In a more general and easy going passage he asks why shouldn't one be more like a frog on a lily pad. You sit for a while, enjoy the view, eat a few insects, get bored then move onto another lily pad. You don't set a goal to be on the biggest lily pad by the time you're 40 (in frog years). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness in the present moment might well be incompatible with goals. It probably is. But if it is then it's the goals that are the problem not the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:35:21.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-02-14T22:46:49.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that technically you could practice Buddhism without a teacher perhaps learning from book, blogs, videos etc... However from my own experience this didn't work very well. You will bring a lot of thoughts, opinions, stories and generally life baggage to your practice and your really need someone to help you sort this out. That might be a teacher or the sangha that grows up around a teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own perspective I couldn't tell the difference between &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2245/why-is-buddhism-not-nihilism&quot;&gt;nihilism and Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; and this unnecessarily held me back. I trace this back to my own atheist background baggage. Conversely I know people with Christian backgrounds who struggled with perceived notions of sin in Buddhism and people with difficult family background who struggle with perceptions of purity. But whatever your background I would contend that a little help from your your (spiritual) teacher and friends would be a huge benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-02-14T22:46:49.830" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-15T02:36:16.513" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this line is also important, apart from the answer. There's a reason why the Buddha refused to answer even for the second time. Because the answer to this question could potentially turn certain people away from the Dhamma. But Talaputta was wise and matured enough to figure it out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand this, you have to analyse the mind states of an actor. An actor is a person who glorifies and savors emotions like anger, rage, lust, craving etc. So if a person dies with such a mindstate, his/her destination cannot be a good one. The following passage clearly explains it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who are bound&#xA;  by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on things&#xA;  inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a&#xA;  festival.... Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless — with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of laughter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, believing that such a profession would lead one to a happy destination makes it worse as false view comes into play as well. But this does not mean that all actors are hellbound. It depends on what Kamma comes forward to bear fruit at the time of death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To take an example, an actor getting angry and pretending to kill someone on stage usually does not involve mind states corrupted enough to kill a man for real. So the Kamma he accumulates by acting the scene is much less than someone doing it in real life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T03:45:55.483" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T03:45:55.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-15T05:12:01.430" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Buddha was referring to &lt;strong&gt;People with Wrong View&lt;/strong&gt;. Which in this particular  story happened to be an actor.But could be anybody from different kind of professions. On the other hand when you come to think of it this profession requires someone to &lt;strong&gt;intentionally&lt;/strong&gt; sum up anger,hatred,passion to get into &quot;character&quot; where you may be lost in it,or become it for it to be believable.So it might have some detriments.Or vice versa actors may take up roles of playing a holy man or a noble individual which may have some benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T05:12:01.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7585" CreationDate="2015-02-15T05:26:06.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You notice that your sink is leaking. Right now it is Sunday morning and a plumber would not be available. So you plan instead to call a plumber the next day. So here, you are making a plan for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it right to make and execute this plan? Yes. After all, you must solve the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then when is it not right? It is not right if you spend the rest of Sunday worrying or dwelling upon your leaking sink. This is where you need to practise mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, I don't see why one cannot make and execute plans for career, family etc. It is just that one cannot keep thinking about it over and over with attachment and with emotions like passion or aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if you have to make plans regarding career, family etc., it means that you still have desires for a worldly life (instead of the monastic life), which by itself is not wrong if it follows the Noble Eightfold Path, including Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Planning and doing something is different from having one's mind always obsessed with that something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T05:38:17.417" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T05:38:17.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7650" CreationDate="2015-02-15T05:56:48.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Many people believe that their good or bad thoughts can materialize in the future.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes&lt;/strong&gt;.In the Dhammapada it says &lt;em&gt;The Mind is the forerunner of all things&lt;/em&gt;. Everything begins in the mind.From the most subtlest intentions to thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So some people try to be always in good mood and think positively&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you think good thoughts,you tend to feel good,you tend to do good,and you create good,and enjoy the fruits of your goodness.But this does not happen linearly.So you may think positive but still struggle with depression due to the bad thoughts you have ruminated about in the past.Only because you don't see the results right away doesn't mean nothing's happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it's very important to define good thoughts.Good thoughts refers to thoughts that are skillful or wholesome.Not just thoughts that feels good.As it is possible to have positive thinking and be delusional at the same time.And it is possible to think of unwholesome things that feel good but brings suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Others are not so happy and just try not to think about bad things too often to prevent them from happening&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think that by &quot;not thinking about it&quot; they can prevent bad things from happening is slightly delusional.Depends on one's karma.If the fruit of a bad karma ripens due to to the right conditions then ... no amount of &quot;not thinking about it&quot; will stop it.&lt;em&gt;Neither in the sky nor in mid-ocean, nor by entering into mountain clefts, nowhere in the world is there a place where one may escape from the results of evil deeds.&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And finally there are large groups of people that pray to some god.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all depends on the individual themselves.Whether they pray to a God or not the key that makes these thoughts materialize is their intentions,their karma,their actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can thoughts of all these people materialize into a real events, creatures, things? At least sometimes?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes thoughts can materialize because of cause and effect.But they are governed by certain laws.Law of gravity,law of karma,law of nature etc and also our own actions and in actions.We can wish for a good meal,but if we don't get up and make it and no one comes by and makes it for us then we're not going to have one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T05:56:48.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-15T06:03:41.057" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that anyone with some passion, aversion or delusion, reinforces it by watching the actor's performance. The actor too is intoxicated with emotions due to getting into character to play the role. And by acting out the role on stage, the actor has the intention of getting the audience to experience the same emotions. This intention is karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this is a question about Right Livelihood. The butcher had the intention and actions to take the life of the animals he slaughtered. And in this case, the actor had the intention and actions to reinforce emotions in the audience that are filled with passion, aversion or delusion. So, it stands to reason that such an acting career is not following Right Livelihood. This surprises me too, but it makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if the acting role results in reinforcement of thoughts and emotions that are conducive to the dhamma, then that can't be wrong in any way, can it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The last time I did this talk I told this story. Unfortunately there&#xA;  was an actor in the group and she was shocked. I couldn't really&#xA;  justify this harsh opinion so I just muttered an apology and moved on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Exactly! For the very same reason, the Buddha said &quot;Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that&quot; and refused to answer the question the first time. An actor shouldn't be put off or judged as being a bad person in public. This will take them away from the dhamma. After all, acting by itself is not bad. It's about intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T15:34:04.880" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T15:34:04.880" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7646" CreationDate="2015-02-15T06:12:41.997" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I wonder how this practice can contribute to insight especially when prostration is done mechanically (as practiced around Buddhist pagodas in Birma; Sri Lanka and Thailand)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prostrations is done to Revere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reverence is an act of merit-&gt;Merit brings happiness-&gt;Happiness brings Tranquility (Samadhi)-&gt;Samadhi brings Insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind influences the Body, but the body also influences the mind.We can feel happy and smile or we can smile &lt;strong&gt;then&lt;/strong&gt; feel happy.The body has a huge impact on the mind.When we stand up straight we tend to feel more confident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible to do prostration mechanically but it will leave an imprint in your mind and psyche to not behave in a way that shows irreverence.For example,I had a habit of saying a prayer mechanically before dinner,and even when i went to someone else's house and was mindless for most of the day by the time it was dinner time i'd kind of snap out of it and became mindful of the food and say a quick prayer for it.So it's like a force of habit.In this case a good habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T06:12:41.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7675" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7683" CreationDate="2015-02-15T17:31:01.450" Score="1" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are we sure that the search for credit and for approval does not infect the ego of the users of this site?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-02-15T20:59:21.377" LastActivityDate="2019-07-17T05:49:34.570" Title="Is the reputation system counterproductive to Buddhist practice?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7676" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7680" CreationDate="2015-02-15T19:04:12.683" Score="9" ViewCount="1118" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148596.Breath_by_Breath&quot;&gt;Breath by Breath&lt;/a&gt;, Larry Rosenberg says that being mindful of the breath, as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, is a complete practice and can lead to complete liberation. Following on from that I would think it should be possible to experience all &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; in the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own practice I can feel both the impermanence and no-self aspects of the breath. They seem fairly evident even with access or just momentary levels of concentration. However I don't see the other mark of conditioned existence i.e. suffering. How can one see suffering in the breath? How does this come about? Are there any traditional or contemporary writings on the subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks for any all help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:37:17.447" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T21:10:54.313" Title="How can you see suffering in the breath?" Tags="|personal-practice|anapanasati|suffering|meditation-breath|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2015-02-15T19:15:02.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taoism and Buddhism go hand-in-hand. Taoism is largely about living in balance with existence, which is a manifestation of the middle way. As someone said, Buddhism came as something of an external confirmation of Taoism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T19:15:02.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-15T19:49:50.607" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The three characteristics are very deep and profound subjects, and often our understanding of them is very superficial. For example, people often think that they understand impermanence because they understand it to mean that all conditioned things will eventually end, when in fact impermanence means much more than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to see the three characteristics through anapanasati it is nessisary to make sure that one is practicing it in a way that is specifically developing insight, and to do this it is necessary to meditate just on the bare experiences of breathing rather than on the breath itself. For example, one could use the feelings of air moving against the inside of the nose and the subtle feelings of heat and cold, or on the throat, or the expansion and contraction of the body during breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After one is able to meditate like this then one will be able to start to see the three characteristics in a deeper way than before. One will be able to see how all experience is made up of parts that arise and cease, and gradually a person will be able to understand impermanence through direct perception in meditation instead of the conceptual way that most people are used to, and as this direct understanding of impermanence ripens the meditator will be able to directly perceive the characteristics of dukkha and nonself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T19:49:50.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-15T20:03:10.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beside the regular suffering, there're 2 deeper levels of suffering as taught in SN 38.14:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend Sāriputta, it is said, ‘suffering, suffering.’ What now is suffering?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  “There are, friend, these three kinds of suffering: the suffering due to pain, the suffering due to formations, the suffering due to change. These are the three kinds of suffering.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  “But, friend, is there a path, is there a way for the full understanding of these three kinds of suffering?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  “There is a path, friend, there is a way ... this Noble Eightfold Path….”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Ven. Bodhi's note in his book &quot;Connected Discourses&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three types are explained at Vism 499,14–21 (Ppn 16:34–35). Briefly, suffering due to pain (dukkhadukkhatā ) is painful bodily and mental feeling; suffering due to the formations (saṅkhāradukkhatā) is all conditioned phenomena of the three planes, because they are oppressed by rise and fall; and suffering due to change (viparināmadukkhtā̄) is pleasant feeling, which brings suffering when it comes to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T20:03:10.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-15T20:40:47.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe both @Bakmoon and @santa100 have touched on it in their answers; @santa100 gives some traditional writings on the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very briefly, all three of these marks of existence are intertwined in their meaning, understanding, and relation (they're &quot;three sides of the same coin&quot; to completely mess up an idiom!)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's start with impermanence: The idea that nothing just &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, that it's instead &lt;em&gt;always&lt;/em&gt; changing. Pretty simple fact of physics, mainly. Next, consider Anatta or non-self, which is a way of saying that even what we might call a 'self' isn't permanent, it too is impermanent; meaning, there isn't one (a 'self'), because that would &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; something! Finally, Dukkha or suffering: That 'suffering' or 'unsatisfactoriness' arises because our mind's habit is to imagine that some things actually &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; permanent, or that we &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; selves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really, that's it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when meditating on the breath, if you 'get' impermanence, then you also automatically get non-self (as you've said) and suffering (because suffering is just the illusion that things are permanent in any way, shape, or form).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the way I would answer this most simply, is to say that in whatever way to feel you understand impermanence, that would be very closely related to how you understand suffering; suffering is just the 'auto pilot' or 'habit of mind' that arises from not understanding impermanence, at every moment, of every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you're following your breath, you likely have some (slight) expectation that it will continue to go out, or change from out to in, come flowing back in, or finally change from in to out. That expectation has in it the seed of dissatisfaction. At some point, on some breath you take, it will do none of those things; it will stop. Just that slight expectation is an illusion. (Not to mention all the times your mind might wander and 'expect' or want different things from your past or future.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I (and others, including scholars) feel that 'suffering' is an unfortunate translation and choice of word, particularly in the West, although it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a literal translation of the term used in Pali, Sanskrit, or Tibetan. In the Wikipedia article you link to, the linked article to suffering (Dukkha), includes &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dukkha&amp;amp;oldid=646998788#Neither_pessimistic_nor_optimistic.2C_but_realistic&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this gloss, re: neither pessimistic nor optimistic&lt;/a&gt; which I find helpful to understand a more nuanced definition of 'suffering' as Buddhists define it. (The above link has changed substantially--so I've edited the link so it now links to the older version as it existed when I wrote this answer. Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the current page on Dukkha&lt;/a&gt;, as it is now.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="187" LastEditorUserId="187" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T18:26:50.507" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T18:26:50.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-15T21:33:39.313" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can one see suffering in the breath?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is a personal opinion/answer OK?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are different &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha#Types&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;types of dukkha&lt;/a&gt; and I think you can see aspects of any/all of these in breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Birth: baby's first breath, associated with life (and crying and a whole unsatisfactory life ahead)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sickness, old age, death: you're dying, and you die when you can't breathe&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Getting what you don't want: you can't stop yourself from breathing ... even if you're underwater; and even when you do breathe as well as you can, you're still subject/vulnerable to CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and fatigue poisons (which is why, for example, you cannot sprint indefinitely)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not being able to hold onto what is desirable: after inhaling, you must exhale, etc.; similarly, after eating you must eat again, etc.; and your body is temporary&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not getting what you do want: you're never free from the need to breathe; also any anxiety is (I find) palpable as a tightness or an uneasiness in breathing; and breathing is necessary but not sufficient.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All-pervasive suffering: I would kind of rather not be conscious of my breathing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many thanks for any all help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it strange that trying to tell someone how to see dukkha might be viewed as &quot;helpful&quot;, but... &amp;lt;&lt;em&gt;sigh&lt;/em&gt;&amp;gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW some of my most enjoyable experiences of breathing are;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On a bicycle, after about the first 20 minutes and I have 'warmed up': then my breathing is deeper and more satisfying.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When I was a child there were a few occasions when I was asleep and dreaming and still conscious of (feeling) my body's breathing: and in my dream I could run or even swim/stay/breathe under water and my breathing would remain unaffected. Because in reality I was physically asleep my breathing was relaxed, and sufficient.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I could mention a Tai Chi form as well: e.g. I learned the Chen-style 'first form' in a way that's compatible with breathing, i.e. each movement of the form is associated with an inhale or exhale&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that if you experience dukkha you can also sometimes experience the cessation or absence of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T21:33:39.313" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-15T23:17:17.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I understand observing dukkha in the breath:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dukkha-dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: eg. observing the pain in the body caused by in-out breaths.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vipariṇāma-dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: eg. a observing a pleasant breath becoming not-so-pleasant or painful, and vice-versa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Saṃkhāra-dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: eg. observing the breath as insufficient; something that does not carry what one looks for, the ultimate goal; something unable to truly, deeply and permanently satisfy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-15T23:17:17.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7675" CreationDate="2015-02-16T00:24:09.293" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the credit and approval system does what it's supposed to do: highlight the best answers to a question. The fact that it inflates the ego of some vain people is not the problem of the moderation system: it's the problem of the people's vanity. In the same way we don't blame on cars the fact that some people drive dangerously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot blame a tool for what people make of it. A tool is not good or bad, it's just suitable or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T00:24:09.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7684" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7685" CreationDate="2015-02-16T02:13:38.947" Score="3" ViewCount="3642" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm brand-new to meditation! I have just completed one week of daily vipassana meditation -- 10 minutes twice daily; once in the morning, once in the evening. I'm unfortunately experiencing extremely uncomfortable back pain from meditating, and would appreciate some advice on how to fix the problem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Details:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I'm flexible enough for a comfortable half-lotus, but have been utilizing Burmese position, as it lets me breathe deeper. I also really like the visual symmetry it provides.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The pain is in my mid to lower back, slightly above my kidneys, and just below the back of my ribcage. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I've used video / photography to verify that my posture is good going into meditation. I know I sometimes slouch a little after a few moments, but I usually correct myself upon noticing any slouching. I currently sit on a folded pillow, and have ordered myself a zafu-style cushion.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The pain is typically  minimal to absent during the meditation itself, but sets in around three-four hours afterwards and often lasts the remainder of the day. I wake up feeling pretty sore, but not in &quot;pain.&quot;    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I have poor posture during my non-meditative moments, though I am working on improving it. Still, I have never experienced back pain before; are my back-muscles just weak from adjusting to a new sitting-style?  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts? Is this just a beginner's phase that I have to power through, or should I meditate in a chair for a few days to give my muscles a break? Maybe a different posture? Thicker cushion / no cushion? Alternatively, any ideas on how I might better diagnose the problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really appreciate your thoughts.&#xA;Best,&#xA;Ian  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:36:45.837" LastActivityDate="2018-08-14T00:19:39.690" Title="Avoiding Back Pain" Tags="|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7684" CreationDate="2015-02-16T02:17:45.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds to me like it's definitely a muscle problem. The back muscles don't usually get much use unless a person does a lot of lifting or sitting on the floor, and the dead giveaway is that the pain only starts after sitting in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of problem should go away after your muscles have strengthened, so I would just continue sitting in whatever way you prefer, and it should go away in about a month. If it doesn't get better by then, switching to a chair would be better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T02:17:45.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7684" CreationDate="2015-02-16T04:37:49.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could stand, lay down flat on your back or on your side like the Buddha. Maybe a monk wouldn't do it but sitting on a Zafu in a recliner is nice on the back. Laying down and sitting in recliners can lead to falling aslee-p more often but one can sort of keep a mindful eye on the first signs of of falling asleep and conquer falling asleep. I know you can practice mindfulness in any position. Have you tried walking meditation? One pointed meditation obviously needs a steady and stable posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T04:37:49.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7684" CreationDate="2015-02-16T04:57:27.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on your list of details, I can share some of your experiences. I meditate in Burmese position, I get pain in my mid-to-lower back, and I also have poor posture in general. So here are some suggestions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Hard Carpet&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My preference is to meditate on a hard carpet and you might also find it beneficial. Cushions and thick carpets can both throw off our balance and cause us to over-exert the back or some other set of muscles. And on the other hand, meditation on a hardwood or worse, concrete floor presents its own set of problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, we have a pretty standard approach to back pain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Apply the meditation practice to the back pain.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is sort of like powering through it as you suggested, but it's powering through it with the right set of tools. You don't want to make yourself miserable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: Usually pain arises first; then we identify with the pain; disliking arises; then we identify with that; thoughts, narratives, stories arise; and it keeps going on and on. The untrained mind creates suffering out of a natural phenomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So try to catch it at the very beginning: Observe the pain as pain. Should that fail and you move on to disliking, observe the disliking. If you move on to anything else, observe that, ad infinitum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this doesn't seem to address the problem of how to avoid back pain, it actually does in two ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Like Bakmoon said, this help your back&#xA;muscles to strengthen over time. During the sitting posture you&#xA;are breaking down the muscles the same way an athlete strengthens his or&#xA;her whole body; and when you sleep the muscles rebuild and come back&#xA;stronger than before. And like Bakmoon says, it will probably take a&#xA;month or even several months.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your mind will learn to stop making it worse. By seeing the back pain just as it is (nothing more, nothing&#xA;less), your aversion and thus your desire to avoid the pain will&#xA;decrease. When your mind is not making the problem worse, the body will have more resources it can devote to healing and general upkeep. And then, if your back really needs something, you&#xA;will probably see that more clearly too.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also suggest to try sitting for longer periods of time, like 15 minutes, or even 20, 25, 30 if your mind can tolerate it. 10 minutes at a time may not be enough for your back muscles, or for your mind, to really get the point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't take my word for it anyway, as I'm still learning and we all have to figure this out for ourselves. Hopefully this is helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T04:57:27.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-16T06:17:05.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More like the Buddha had a dim view of people with wrong view. Being an actor doesn't always mean the actor is going to have wrong view about devas laughing at the actor. The Buddha doesn't specify how much wrong view leads to lower realms so we have to take this in context. The Buddha's words are tailored for individual audiences and he says things in a way these individuals can understand. This is a reason there seems to be contradictions galore in the Buddha's teaching and another reason there seems to be contradictions is because ultimate and conceptual teachings seem to clash at first like, &quot;there is a self and there is not a self to be found&quot;. That only seems contradicting if we don't understand the Buddha is talking about two ways to experience reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-02-16T06:32:10.200" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T06:32:10.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7691" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7694" CreationDate="2015-02-16T08:46:39.373" Score="15" ViewCount="1674" Body="&lt;p&gt;Almost every Buddhist I've met sincerely believes in non-existence of self or soul. Especially, the vipassana practitioners say that &lt;em&gt;scanning&lt;/em&gt; the body and finding no atman or &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; in it is proof that self doesn't exist. But what about the practitioner himself who is scanning or performing the vipassana? Doesn't that imply that he himself is the soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I found today that &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot;&gt;Buddha&lt;/a&gt; himself stayed unanswered on this matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha states that it is unwise to be attached to both views of having and perceiving a self and views about not having a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how can you argue that soul doesn't exist when Buddha himself didn't deny it (or accept it either)? Are there any branches of Buddhism that &lt;em&gt;believes&lt;/em&gt; in existence of soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2015-02-16T12:29:09.517" LastActivityDate="2021-08-15T01:33:17.477" Title="If Buddha stayed unanswered on this matter, why do his followers preach that soul doesn't exist?" Tags="|rebirth|soul|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7692" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7706" CreationDate="2015-02-16T09:18:04.317" Score="3" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each phenomenon (how impersonal and indifferent it is) is always looking to sustain itself.&#xA;Am I right when I say that—in the same way—our habit patterns are obstacles that prevent/hinder us from seeing things as they really are because they fuel the fire of self? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:25:04.133" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T17:12:04.033" Title="Do our habits prevent us from seeing things as they really are?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|habits|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7684" CreationDate="2015-02-16T09:29:00.950" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to check if the pain is caused by (sore) muscles or spine. If this is a muscle problem then doing some back excercises should help in two or three weeks time. Also you may try some streching after meditation to relieve muscle tension if there is any.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;If this is a spine problem then you need to check with a doctor because that may be sign of some deeper problems.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3703" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T09:29:00.950" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-02-16T11:41:55.810" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that everything is '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da#No-self_.28anatman.29&quot;&gt;conditioned&lt;/a&gt;', and so there is no independent/eternal self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The concept of no-self or anatman or emptiness of self is that it is not possible to identify an independent, inherently existing self; that the self only exists in dependence upon causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mention &quot;the practitioner himself who is scanning&quot;, however '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Ultimate_realities&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt;' too is seen as conditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are four paramatthas; three conditioned, one unconditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Material phenomena (rūpa, form)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mental factors (the nama-factors sensation, perception and formation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nibbāna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this might be a difference between Hinduism and Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism sees liberation/salvation in identifying an eternal self; for example, '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tat_Tvam_Asi&quot;&gt;Tat Tvam Asi&lt;/a&gt;' or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha#Definition_and_meanings&quot;&gt;You are that, God himself; Meditate this within yourself.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism sees liberation/salvation in dis-identifying: for example '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_%28Buddhism%29#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot;&gt;Identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)&lt;/a&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the reason why the Buddha was reluctant to talk about it was that having various (one or more) views about the self did not result in the cessation of dukkha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if he holds the view 'the cosmos is eternal...'... 'after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless,' he says '...no...' in each case. Seeing what drawback, then, is Master Gotama thus entirely dissociated from each of these ten positions?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vaccha, the position that 'the cosmos is eternal' is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, &amp;amp; fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead the cessation of dukkha results from the view that everything is impermanent:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Does Master Gotama have any position at all?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.' Because of this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading away, cessation, renunciation, &amp;amp; relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations, all I-making &amp;amp; mine-making &amp;amp; obsessions with conceit — is, through lack of clinging/sustenance, released.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T11:41:55.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7695" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-16T14:03:20.513" Score="1" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a spiritual aspirant who likes to practice meditation to attain the ultimate goal of nirvana or moksha. The trouble is I've read too many differing doctrines and theories regarding epistemology of the soul and spiritual science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, the Hindu doctrine advocates the existence of soul as defined by the scriptures/vedas. So, any meditation along these lines (such as Patanjali yoga sutras, Ramakrishna society, etc.) will mostly involve concentration on at least an object. I've practiced patanjali style of dharana-dhyana-samadhi meditation briefly in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, I've also read about the Vipassana and Buddhist doctrines, having already done a 10 day vipassana course in the past. This view is diemetrically opposite to the former, as it clearly denies the existence of a permanent self. More importantly, it also says there is no absolute Brahman or God, so meditation along these lines will involve &lt;strong&gt;NOT&lt;/strong&gt; having any mental objects including a &lt;em&gt;brahman&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as a spiritual aspirant, I'm TOTALLY CONFUSED! I just don't know what kind of meditation to perform. As far as faith is concerned, I have faith in both - I have read the &lt;code&gt;vedas&lt;/code&gt; and found them to be full of truth. And at the same time I don't find anything wrong with Buddha's teachings either.&#xA;But as regards meditation, this has caused me a dilemma! Request advanced practitioners with experience here to suggest me what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NOTE:&lt;/strong&gt; I'd practiced Anapanasati during my Vipassana course which was very helpful and tranquil experience. However, the patanjali style of meditation was also equally beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:34:23.893" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:34:23.893" Title="Dilemma caused by differing viewpoints regarding soul and karma" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|comparative-religion|meditation-recommendation|soul|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7695" CreationDate="2015-02-16T15:17:11.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A concrete, substantial self implies inherent existence. Inherent existence is the lens of delusion through which we naturally view the world. Buddhism teaches dependent origination, which helps free you from this root delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To believe in the Hindu scriptures, you have to rely on faith. Buddhism's principles become self-evident through honest introspection, not faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of meditation is to free beings from suffering, at least from a Mahayana Buddhist perspective. If you are still clinging to cyclical existence, this ultimate end seems impossible as you are still heavily under the spell of the root delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastEditorUserId="1109" LastEditDate="2015-02-16T15:22:20.840" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T15:22:20.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-02-16T17:00:37.240" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did explicitly refute the notion of a permanent self in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. He says that if he had said that there is a permanent self then that would conflict with the statement that &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;all phenomena is not self&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a&#xA;self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming&#xA;with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism.&#xA;If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self —&#xA;were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with&#xA;those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self —&#xA;were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the&#xA;arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; &amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&#xA;&amp;quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no&#xA;self — were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered&#xA;Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used&#xA;to have now not exist?'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of eternalism says that there is a permanent self and it is undying. The concept of annihilationism says there is no self at all and at death it all ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's teaching is of the middle way stating there is a self that &amp;quot;emerges&amp;quot;, as a result of the dependency on the inter-working of the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness. Each of these five aggregates also have dependencies. This is what is meant by the Buddha's statement, &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;all conditioned things are impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, in other words, all these things that have dependencies are not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is no single self that is the charioteer or agent of the five aggregates. Imagine you hurt your hand and say &amp;quot;I hurt myself&amp;quot;. But if your hand is chopped off, does your self disappear? No. So, applying this one by one, you realize that your self is neither form, feeling, perception, mental formations or consciousness. But beyond this, there is nothing more to yourself. That is what is meant by the Buddha's statement, &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;all phenomena is not self&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just an overly-generalized summary. More info can be found on the topic of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now according to the concept of annihilationism, there should be no continuity at all and no rebirth, but there is. If there is no permanent self then what is it that is reborn? The idea is that &amp;quot;information&amp;quot; or chain of dependent processes that never ceases, and keeps reappearing, so long as the desire and attachment to exist does not cease.&#xA;This is described here (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapanha 3.5.5&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king asked: &amp;quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not&#xA;transmigrate and one is reborn?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Yes, your majesty, one does&#xA;not transmigrate and one is reborn.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it&#xA;that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&amp;quot;&#xA;&amp;quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is&#xA;it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the&#xA;other lamp?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Indeed just so, your&#xA;majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Give me&#xA;another analogy.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Do you remember, your majesty, when you were a boy&#xA;learning some verse from a teacher?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Yes, venerable sir.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Your&#xA;majesty, did this verse transmigrate from the teacher?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Certainly&#xA;not, venerable sir.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not&#xA;transmigrate and one is reborn.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-08-15T01:33:17.477" LastActivityDate="2021-08-15T01:33:17.477" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-02-16T17:49:50.497" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Especially, the vipassana practitioners say that scanning the body and finding no atman or self in it is proof that self doesn't exist.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reasoning of said practitioners is flawed -- otherwise, I could claim absurdities like &quot;there is no sun&quot; after scanning my body and not finding a burning star in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But what about the practitioner himself who is scanning or performing the vipassana? Doesn't that imply that he himself is the soul?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you regard soul to be a &quot;fixed, non-changing, eternal self, ...&quot;, it doesn't. The implication would only hold if you'd show that &quot;&lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is fixed, non-changing, eternal, under your complete control (&quot;may it be thus&quot;, &quot;may it not be thus&quot;), and not a source of dukkha. These are the characteristics often ascribed to atman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;So, how can you argue that soul doesn't exist when Buddha himself didn't deny it (or accept it either)?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More was said about this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, you may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. But do you see any such doctrine of self, bhikkhus?”—“No, venerable sir.”—“Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Alagaddūpama Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are there any branches of Buddhism that believes in existence of soul?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read about some old schools that did so (but not without going through some philosophical hoops to avoid clash with the suttas and inspiring rebuttals from other schools), however I don't quite remember and one has to dig a little to see who they were and what was their doctrine (whose texts may not have survived to this day). I don't know of any current school who advocate atma doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T14:25:47.903" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T14:25:47.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-02-16T17:57:55.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is meant by &quot;non-existent&quot; is that it doesn't exist in the way we naturally presume it exists (inherently existent). Instead, the &quot;self&quot; exists as all conditioned phenomena, comprised of various causes and conditions i.e it is dependently originated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastEditorUserId="1109" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T15:32:37.283" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T15:32:37.283" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7695" CreationDate="2015-02-16T18:04:36.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Advaita Vedanta, there is no multiplicity of things. Ultimately, only one thing exists, that is permanent, that is eternal, that is the base or core of all phenomena, like the projection of ever-changing movies on a permanent and eternal white wall. That is also the thing that was never born and will never die. This being or entity or reality is called Brahman. Moksha is becoming one with the only thing that is permanent. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/gita.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/a&gt; 12.3, &quot;... the imperishable, the undefinable, the unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the unchanging, the immovable, and the eternal Brahman;&quot;. In addition, other texts use &quot;neti neti&quot; (not this, not this) to say that Brahman is indescribable or all that is not impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, according to Buddhism, all conditioned things are impermanent. In other words, nothing is permanent.  Nirvana is becoming detached and liberated from everything that isn't permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the next part, I quote &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5762/471&quot;&gt;another question of mine&lt;/a&gt; which describes Nirvana which is not an entity or being or thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/studysn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya 43&lt;/a&gt; as &quot;the unfabricated (unborn?), the uninclined, the truth, the far shore, the subtle, the very difficult to see, the unaging (eternal?), the stable, the unintegrating, the unmanifest, the unproliferated (nippapancan), the peaceful, the deathless, the sublime, the auspicious, the secure, the destruction of craving, the wonderful, the amazing, the unailing, the unailing state, Nibbana, the unafflicted, dispassion, purity, freedom, the unadhesive, the island, the shelter, the asylum, the refuge, the destination.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3880/471&quot;&gt;another source&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism Stack Exchange, I see Samyutta Nikaya 43 as quoting Buddha as saying &quot;There is, monks, that base where there is neither earth, nor water, nor heat, nor air; neither the base of the infinity of space, nor the base of the infinity of consciousness, nor the base of nothingness, nor the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; neither this world nor another world; neither sun nor moon. Here, monks, I say there is no coming, no going, no standing still; no passing away and no being reborn. It is not established, not moving, without support. Just this is the end of suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, here you can see that both Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism have got something in common - both say that there is something that is permanent. It's just that in Buddhism, that something is nothing. While in Advaita you aim to reach Brahman, in Buddhism, you aim to reach Nirvana. And the description of both Brahman and Nirvana appear similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But are they different? Well, according to Buddhism, there is no base or core for all phenomena. Moksha was defined as becoming one with &quot;the only thing that is permanent.&quot; Buddhism says that there is no such thing as &quot;the only thing that is permanent.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as said before, both say that there is something permanent for you to reach. So, keeping that in mind, you should not need to have a dilemma. In Buddhist meditation, in order to reach that which is permanent (Nirvana), vipassana eliminates all that is not permanent. Or at least, that is my understanding. I am not an experienced practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T18:22:42.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7692" CreationDate="2015-02-16T18:46:09.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I right when I say that—in the same way—our habit patterns are obstacles that prevent/hinder us from seeing things as they really are because they fuel the fire of self? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you call habit patterns are basically your &lt;em&gt;Karma&lt;/em&gt; (or &lt;em&gt;Kamma&lt;/em&gt; in pali). Every action you perform with ego generates a force (similar to every action has a reaction concept in physics). However, this force may not materialize itself instantly, but depending on the conditions, its seeds are sown into your &lt;em&gt;psyche&lt;/em&gt;. Then onwards, whenever these seeds bear their fruits, you will feel them becoming habit patterns in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is that you are constantly undergoing this process of sowing seeds and obtaining fruits all your life, as this is what &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; is all about. This cycle will continue for ages, in fact many lifetimes, unless you yourself decide to walk the noble &lt;em&gt;eight-fold&lt;/em&gt; path and surrender your ego and five aggregates into the fire of &lt;em&gt;Nirvana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T15:30:05.173" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T15:30:05.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2015-02-16T21:10:48.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answering as a practicing Hasidic Jew:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if the Buddha himself encountered Jews, but there is an interesting anecdote from Jewish commentary on the Torah, which suggests that Abraham sent his sons -- his children from Hagar, who were not &quot;Jewish&quot; -- &quot;East&quot; bearing &quot;Gifts.&quot; Jewish mystical readings of the Torah interpret these gifts as spiritual gifts, specifically gifts to free the East from a tendency to worship idols. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translation of the relevant commentary here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380365/jewish/Abrahams-Presents-to-the-East.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380365/jewish/Abrahams-Presents-to-the-East.htm&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not you choose to view this commentary literally, it is, at least personally, interesting to consider how many surprising parallels I've found between Buddhist and Jewish spiritual concepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastActivityDate="2015-02-16T21:10:48.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7703" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7707" CreationDate="2015-02-16T21:25:04.243" Score="2" ViewCount="1363" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've pondered for a while on the possible links between Jewish and Buddhist thought. I have been on Buddhist retreat with people who identify as Jews. Also there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Buddhist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Jew&lt;/a&gt; phenomena as exemplified by Leonard Cohen. In addition some of my favorite authors appear to have Jewish background - &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Salzberg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sharon Salzberg&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Rosenberg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Larry Rosenberg&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=JAck%20Kornfield&amp;amp;rlz=1C1CHWA_enGB591GB591&amp;amp;oq=JAck%20Kornfield&amp;amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5269j0j8&amp;amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;amp;es_sm=93&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So leading on from this and also inspired by this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7702/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; - is it possible to summarise what Buddhist and Jewish thought have in common. I appreciate that this is a big topic but I wonder is it possible to put together the main 3 or 4 points that they might have in common and why there appears to be such a connection between Judaism and Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T12:35:51.823" Title="What are the commonalities between Jewish and Buddhist thought?" Tags="|comparative-religion|judaism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-02-16T23:38:21.133" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asking if &quot;is there a soul in me?&quot; or &quot;is there not a soul?&quot; are questions coming from a wrong framework to begin with. It's like asking &quot;Does batman have a wife or does he not?&quot;. This question is invalid in the real world, because Batman only exists in the DC universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, when you ask &quot;is there a soul?&quot;, you have to first clarify &lt;strong&gt;'is'&lt;/strong&gt;. Are you referring to &lt;strong&gt;form&lt;/strong&gt;? or is it &lt;strong&gt;feelings&lt;/strong&gt;? or &lt;strong&gt;perception&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;mental formations&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;awareness&lt;/strong&gt;? According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, none of those qualify as a self. See if you can experience any reality that doesn't fall into those 5 categories?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But what about the practitioner himself who is scanning or performing&#xA;  the vipassana? Doesn't that imply that he himself is the soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is scanning? It means awareness. If awareness is a self, you should be able to be aware of things at will. Why do you need to develop Sati? Why does awareness disappear without your consent? Why can't you be aware of sights without the eyes? Why can't you be aware of sound without the ears? So is awareness worthy of being considered as a self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the Buddha not answering the question in certain instances does not imply that there is a soul. It could be because answering it could have confused the person even more. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; was preached to Sotapanna, Anagami theros. They were well into the path and had little dust in their eyes. It is certainly not a topic for the average layman and not the best entry point to Buddhism for a beginner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T01:47:37.920" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T01:47:37.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7695" CreationDate="2015-02-17T00:45:02.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samantha - tranquility meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana - insight meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha leads to concentration, mental absorptions, bliss and calmness whereas Vipassana leads to insight, wisdom and ultimately liberation from suffering. Samatha techniques can be found in Hinduism as well. What is special about Buddhist meditation is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpzurcpIDeY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. Anapanasati usually means a Samatha meditation. You have to turn it into Vipassana to notice a significant difference from meditations taught in Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not comfortable with letting go of hindu concepts like god, brahma, atman etc. don't bother too much about them. Focus on yourself and do meditation that is authentic to Buddhism and find out for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T00:45:02.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7692" CreationDate="2015-02-17T01:03:04.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Habits and patterns are like the water streams carving paths on earth when it rains. So when it rains again, the water follows the same paths. There's no self in the rainwater that made the paths and the rainwater that followed the existing paths. It's a process of causes and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If habits are self, why is it hard to get rid of them? ex: smoking, drinking etc.&#xA;And why do good habits need to be cultivated? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T06:05:37.150" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T06:05:37.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7703" CreationDate="2015-02-17T01:59:50.957" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm glad to see my previous answer proved inspiring / thought-provoking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following up on that:&#xA;I'm speaking from the Jewish perspective, specifically the Hasidic perspective. My knowledge of Buddhism is pretty limited, so I will not really be able to give too many points, and I'm sure if you dig into my answers you find specifics that don't line up in the two faiths. I know that there are probably more points where Buddhism and Judaism differ strongly, noticeably when it comes to religious cosmology, attitudes towards deities/G-d, and views on an individual's purpose in life. The same is probably true for almost any two religions -- the specifics are often VERY different.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I do feel that Buddhism and Judaism have these broader themes in common:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The concept of an enlightened individual who serves as an exemplary model: In Judaism we have the Tzadik, akin perhaps to the Bodhisattva. Both are individuals who have attained a special degree of awareness about the reality of existence, which somehow &quot;pulls them out&quot; from the normal frame of reference perceived by normal humans. Both are truly selfless individuals (i.e. individuals devoid of personal ego), who possess the potential to abandon the confines of human existence, and yet who nonetheless persist in engaging in the human world for the sake of others. Both are individuals who attain a clarity of vision which gives them far deeper insight into the cosmic order.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An emphasis on self-refinement through specific practices: The laws (mitzvot) associated with Jewish observance are akin the Noble Eightfold Path, both of which provide the individual with a means to increase their spiritual refinement and sensitivity. Diverging from these practices is seen in both religions as only deepening our enslavement to the very things we wish to escape.    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A strong emphasis on mental/intellectual cultivation as a means to promote righteous action: Particularly in the Hasidic movement Chabad-Lubavitch, with which I am affiliated, we place huge emphasis on training one's mental faculties to control the emotional faculties. The specifics of this abstract idea are of course complicated, but I find it VERY similar to the concept of Mindfulness, which promotes a rational, objective viewpoint that gives one the clarity to pursue true, meaningful things, while avoiding vain pursuits of personal passions. Mindfulness is a concept which I find so relevant to Jewish observance, that I've gained tremendous personal spiritual inspiration by incorporating it into my own worldview. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect a large part of the reason why many Jews are involved in Buddhism, and one of the reasons I know I find Buddhism more &quot;approachable&quot; than other religions, is that Buddhism presents an extremely existential, personal, non-judgmental system, and human-oriented approach to spiritually, which does not immediately seem to conflict with Judaism's very concrete, objective presentation of a Deity-oriented reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting Bhante Gunaratana from &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness in Plain English&lt;/em&gt; (from which I have admittedly gotten almost all of my knowledge of Buddhism): &quot;[Buddhism's] flavor is intensely clinical, much more akin to what we might call psychology than to what we would usually call religion.&quot; I suppose that &quot;flavor&quot; is less of a turn-off than that of another, say Abrahamic religion, all of which have very specific, belief-oriented models of the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps!        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="3701" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T02:05:27.647" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T02:05:27.647" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7708" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7725" CreationDate="2015-02-17T14:03:52.993" Score="1" ViewCount="387" Body="&lt;p&gt;Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that Buddhists view enlightenment as a state of mind. As neuroscience progresses, we have more and more control over human brain, so inducing particular states of mind seems to be just a matter of time. Does it mean that at some point in the future, assuming that the science continues to progress, we will be able to cause enlightenment by neurosurgical means? Or is there something in enlightenment that would make it impossible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we reach that stage, will it make all the Buddhist traditions and scriptures obsolete? After all, enlightened people can see things clearly for themselves, so there would be no point in relying on such very old sources with unknown reliability, which were heavily influenced by their cultural contexts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T17:22:52.790" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T17:58:08.413" Title="Can advances in neuroscience help attain enlightenment? Will it make Buddhist traditions obsolete?" Tags="|modern-world|enlightenment|science|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7709" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-17T14:56:53.573" Score="16" ViewCount="11074" Body="&lt;p&gt;Call me an over-enthusiast but presently, the highest priority in my life is to achieve the object of Nirvana or moksha. By performing Vipassana, I want to achieve Nirvana and in this lifetime only. I'm prepared to do anything for it, even leave my current profession and staying as a monk if required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trouble is, I just don't understand how exactly to go about meditation. I've read a few suttas but I just don't understand what to do while doing Vipassana meditation. In a 10-day Vipassana course I'd undergone, I'd done Anapana (breathfulness meditation) by keeping my mind on the entry and exit of breath at the nostrils. I've done this for several hours and I still do it sometimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also do mindfulness meditation sittings (by observing my thoughts impartially) for at least an hour in one sitting daily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, all these practices are great and take me into a calm and tranquil state of mind. But I don't seem to be getting anywhere towards my ultimate goal of Nirvana. Is there any way to know how long is it going to take me with this speed, or how do I increase the speed? Most importantly, &lt;strong&gt;Is joining the sangha and practicing full-time monkhood the only way to achieve Nirvana?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:29:06.903" LastActivityDate="2019-08-05T22:37:24.320" Title="If I start doing Vipassana now, how long will it take me to achieve Nirvana?" Tags="|vipassana|nirvana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="16" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-17T15:37:08.833" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Becoming a monk is not necessary to attain Nirvana. In the time of the Buddha there were great numbers of laypeople who attained stream entry, a fair number of laypeople who became non-returners, and even a few laypeople who managed to be able to make it all the way to Arahatship, so you can see that monasticism isn't a prerequisite for enlightenment. Becoming a monk is a very helpful tool along the way however, as a Monk has much more time for meditation practice and lives a life that is free from a lot of the distractions that laypeople have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a bigger issue at the moment is to look at your meditation practice. You said you attended a 10 day course on meditation. Was this a course at a Goenka center? Did they teach you how to do Vipassana meditation? If so, just practice that. If not, I think your main priority would be to find a meditation teacher who can help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't worry about how long it will take. That's impossible to tell. If you start worrying about it, that itself will become a hindrance because it creates expectation. It is better to instead focus on what you are doing in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T15:37:08.833" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-17T15:43:58.793" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that if someone has a brain disease that is interfering with their practice neuroscience may be able to fix their disease allowing them to practice, but apart from that I don't see much help it can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment isn't a peaceful state of mind. It is the product of gaining very deep insight into the very nature of reality itself, and I can't see how neuroscience can implant even ordinary knowledge in a person, so how much less possible would it be to artificially create in a person the profound non-conceptual direct perception necessary to reach Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T15:43:58.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-17T15:52:30.587" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself gave the answer in the Maha Satipatthana Sutta—The Greater Discourse on Steadfast Mindfulness or the Great Discourse on the Establishing Awareness (DN22):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas in this manner for seven years, one of two results is to be expected in&#xA;    him: Arahatship in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace&#xA;    of clinging, the state of an Anagami.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let alone seven years, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four&#xA;  satipatthanas in this manner for six years, five years, four years,&#xA;  three years, two years, or one year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let alone one year, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four&#xA;  satipatthanas in this manner for seven months, one of two results is&#xA;  to be expected in him: Arahatship in this very existence, or if there&#xA;  yet be any trace of clinging, the state of an Anagami.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let alone seven months, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four&#xA;  satipatthanas in this manner for six months, five months, four months,&#xA;  three months, two months, one month, or half a month.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let alone half a month, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four&#xA;  satipatthanas in this manner for seven days, one of two results is to&#xA;  be expected in him: Arahatship in this very existence or if there yet&#xA;  be any trace of clinging, the state of an Anagami.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is what I meant when I said: &quot;Bhikkhus, this is the one and the&#xA;  only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming&#xA;  sorrow and lamentation, for the cessation of physical and mental pain,&#xA;  for attainment of the Noble Paths, and for the realization of Nibbana.&#xA;  That only way is the four satipatthanas&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T15:52:30.587" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7684" CreationDate="2015-02-17T16:55:05.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where the pain is happening is really important in determining how to adjust your sitting posture.  If the pain is in your lower back, believe it or not, you are probably fine.  That is an indication of poor muscular strength which will gradually improve as you practice.  Judging by how your pain creeps up on you afterwards, this sounds like it might be what's going on.  What you are feeling may be delayed onset muscle soreness.  It's no different than what a bodybuilder might feel after squatting heavy.  The next day, walking gets tricky!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the pain is not in your lower back, but rather in your middle and upper back, your issues are probably posture related.  Most people rightly try to maintain an upright sitting position.  What they may be doing may even look perfectly fine.  Nevertheless, there can sometimes be a subtle curving of the spine that will result in pain that radiates throughout the middle of the back or shoulders.  The best advice I ever got on how to fix this was to lean back ever so slightly.  Don't go overboard, obviously.  You should go back just until you begin to feel your chin lift.  This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your shoulders are aligned over your hips and that everything is coming down in a straight line and into the cushion.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T16:55:05.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-17T17:09:41.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is not another project, don't manage it. One has several awakening experiences that are popularly known as stream entry etc, but enlightenment is a journey in which one never arrives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must lose all ideas of gaining something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Embody compassion, virtue, kindness, loving sympathetic joy, don't think for a moment about nirvana. It'll happen on its own when you're ready for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a desire to be a monk, go ahead and do that. It's no guarantee of anything, but at least you'll have time to think about the idea, and a sense of satisfaction of having tried.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Truth is a pathless land, no guru or teaching can guarantee enlightenment. Even the Buddha only converted a handful of his disciples into Arahats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your discovery may take days, months, years or life times. Who knows... Relax, live in this moment, do good, be good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-02-17T17:16:05.473" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T17:16:05.473" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-17T17:13:54.537" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's like asking when one will become a master of martial arts or a master pianist if one starts training now. There're lots of different factors involved: the conditions of equipments, training facilities, quality of the teacher, one's own effort and time, one's own innate potential, etc. That's why the length of time will vary greatly from person to person. Just notice that while becoming a fulltime monk might gives some advantage in terms of equipment and &quot;training facility&quot;, a person is still on his own regarding effort, time, and innate potential..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains conviction in the Tathagata and reflects: 'Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness? ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 02&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T17:13:54.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-02-17T17:16:12.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there is justification for war in Buddhism, at least in Zen. A quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._T._Suzuki&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;D.T. Suzuki&lt;/a&gt;, who is sometimes considered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3061/modern-vs-traditional-zen&quot;&gt;the founder of modern Zen&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if a lawless country comes and obstructs our commerce, or tramples on our&#xA;  rights, this is something that would truly interrupt the progress of all&#xA;  humanity. In the name of religion our country could not submit to&#xA;  this. Thus, we would have no choice but to take up arms, not for the&#xA;  purpose of slaying the enemy, nor for the purpose of pillaging cities, let alone for the purpose of acquiring wealth. Instead, we would simply punish the people of the country representing injustice in order that justice might prevail. How is it possible that we could seek anything for ourselves? In any event, this is what is called&#xA;  religious conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote approves of war under some circumstances. This is acknowledged even in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://web.otani.ac.jp/EBS/DT%20Suzuki%20and%20the%20Question%20of%20War.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article by Kemmyō Taira Satō&lt;/a&gt;, who is clearly sympathetic to Suzuki.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T17:16:12.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-17T17:45:50.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To take a slightly different example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychiatric_medication&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;psychiatric medication&lt;/a&gt; tend to suppress or modify parts of the brain's activity to control the symptoms of mental diseases. You can read about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipsychotic#Mechanism_of_action&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mechanism of action of antipsychotics&lt;/a&gt; for example. More often than not, when the drugs are stopped, the symptoms of the disease returns. I have a friend who is on psychiatric medication, and to me, it seems that a part of his personality is missing, perhaps switched off, along with his mental disease, which is still there but simply suppressed. I felt sorry to notice that a part of him is missing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, recent research reveals that mindfulness and Buddhist meditation can help patients go off long term medication according to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/23/neuroscience-mindfulness_n_6531544.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;We've seen this in the clinical domain for many years. People, in&#xA;  concert with their physicians... actually going off their medications&#xA;  for pain, for anxiety, for depression, as they begin to learn the&#xA;  self-regulatory elements of mindfulness,&quot; said Kabat-Zinn. &quot;They&#xA;  discover that the things that used to be symptomatically problematic&#xA;  for them are no longer arising at the same level.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you ask me, I think that the 2,500 year old techniques taught by the Buddha, referenced from very old sources like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; are hardly being made obsolete by modern neuroscience and psychiatry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Casts and crutches only help a man while his fractures heal naturally and then would in due time be discarded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, neurosurgical and pharmacological interventions should be seen as temporary aids while man heals himself by natural means. In this case, meditation may help man discover how to control and self-regulate his mind, and become detached from repetitive thoughts that ail him. Of course, in very serious cases, meditation won't be possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if modifying our neural networks is enough to reach nirvana, then this implies that all that we are is contained in the physical body and there is nothing beyond. This means that when the physical body perishes, the self would be completely destroyed. Rebirth would not be possible. This seems to be leaning towards annihilationism, which has been refuted by the Buddha as a wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-18T02:07:17.267" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T02:07:17.267" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7718" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7721" CreationDate="2015-02-17T18:10:34.653" Score="4" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to ask a question about ones &lt;em&gt;last will&lt;/em&gt; and how buddhism views that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Denmark where i live we have an option called a &quot;life testament&quot;. In here there are 2 options that will be taken into account if one becomes severely ill or are about to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does one want life-prolonging treatment if one is about to die?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does one want life-prolonging treatment if illness or injury is leaving one behind without the possibility to take care of oneself either physically or mentally?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if im breaking any buddhist rules if i answer no to any of those?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have tried thinking about it but i cannot fully grasp it at the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets say i was in a traffic accident and was left as a vegetable. By writing the life testament and answering no to life-prolonging treatment because it would only op hold the life of a vegetable am i then breaking anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this the desire/craving for non-existence im wandering into here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should i just let things be and play out according to my kamma. Im a bit confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy, peaceful and free from physical and mental suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Harshani&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-02-18T01:08:50.120" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T12:02:29.517" Title="Life testament, illness and Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|ethics|well-being|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7718" CreationDate="2015-02-17T21:23:34.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many views among Buddhists on the issue of euthanasia, but many are critical of the procedure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important value of Buddhism teaching is compassion. Compassion is used by some Buddhists as a justification for euthanasia because the person suffering is relieved of pain. Keyword is &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; (cetana). However, it is still immoral &quot;to embark on any course of action whose aim is to destroy human life, irrespective of the quality of the individual's motive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For bhikkhus the rules are explicitly spelled out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monastic code (&lt;strong&gt;Patimokkha&lt;/strong&gt;) states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Should any bhikkhu &lt;strong&gt;intentionally&lt;/strong&gt; deprive a human being of life,&#xA;  or search for an assassin for him, or praise the advantages of death,&#xA;  or incite him to die (thus): 'My good man, what use is this wretched,&#xA;  miserable life to you? Death would be better for you than life,' or&#xA;  with such an idea in mind, such a purpose in mind, should in various&#xA;  ways praise the advantages of death or incite him to die, he also is&#xA;  defeated and no longer in communion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other side, there are the &lt;strong&gt;Vakkali Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;Channa Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a) In the &lt;strong&gt;Vakkali Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (SN 22.87), the monk Vakkali, who is &quot;sick, afflicted, gravely ill,&quot; tells other monks of his intention to use a knife to commit suicide. Upon learning of Vakkali's intention, the Buddha personally visits Vakkali to speak with him. In the course of their discussion, it becomes apparent that Vakkali is well progressed on the path to enlightenment—having already gained direct and genuine insight into the impermanent, self-less, and ultimately unsatisfactory nature of existence. After the Buddha parts company with Vakkali, he goes to the nearby Mount Vulture Peak to dwell for the rest of the day and night, and that night he is visited by &quot;two devatas of stunning beauty&quot; who remark to him that Vakkali is &quot;intent on deliverance&quot; and that &quot;he will be liberated as one well liberated.&quot; The next day the Buddha has monks deliver a message to Vakkali recounting the devatas' auspicious visit and assuring Vakkali that his death will be a good one: &quot;Do not be afraid, Vakkali, do not be afraid! Your death will not be a bad one. Your demise will not be a bad one.&quot; After Vakkali receives this message from the Buddha, he &quot;uses the knife,&quot; as planned, and kills himself. &#xA;Upon receiving word of Vakkali's suicide, the Buddha leads a group of monks to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope, where Vakkali's corpse can be seen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Then the Blessed One, together with a number of bhikkhus, went to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope. The Blessed One saw in the distance the Venerable Vakkali lying on the bed with his shoulder turned. Now on that occasion a cloud of smoke, a swirl of darkness, was moving to the east, then to the west, to the north, to the south, upwards, downwards, and to the intermediate quarters. The Blessed One then addressed the bhikkhus thus: 'Do you see, bhikkhus, that cloud of smoke, that swirl of darkness, moving to the east, then to the west, to the north, to the south, upwards, downwards, and to the intermediate quarters?' 'Yes, venerable sir.' 'That, bhikkhus, is Mara the Evil One searching for the consciousness of the clansman Vakkali, wondering: 'Where now has the consciousness of the clansman Vakkali been established?' However, bhikkhus, with consciousness unestablished, the clansman Vakkali has attained final Nibbāna.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b) In the &lt;strong&gt;Channa Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (SN 35.87) the monk Channa, who is suffering intensely due to sickness, tells the monks Sariputta and Mahacunda that his condition is worsening and that he intends to kill himself using a knife:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend Sariputta, I am not bearing up, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned. Just as if a strong man were to split my head open with a sharp sword, so too violent winds cut through my head. I am not bearing up… Just as if a strong man were to tighten a tough leather strap around my head as a headband, so too there are violent pains in my head. I am not bearing up....Just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to carve up an ox's belly with a sharp butcher's knife, so too violent winds are carving up my belly. I am not bearing up....Just as if two strong men were to seize a weaker man by both arms and roast him over a pit of hot coals, so too there is a violent burning in my body. I am not bearing up, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta and Mahacunda exhort Channa not to kill himself but he decides to do so anyway, asserting that he has led a “blameless” life. Sariputta, believing that Channa may have broken precepts of the Patimokkha by having inappropriately close relationships with laity—and assuming that Channa would not attain Nibbana upon death as a result—approaches the Buddha to inquire about the nature of Channa's rebirth. The Buddha replies that Channa has done nothing wrong and that he has, in fact, attained freedom from the round of birth and death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Venerable Channa did indeed have these friendly families, Sariputta, intimate families, hospitable families; but I do not say that to this extent one is blameworthy. Sariputta, when one lays down this body and takes up another body, then I say one is blameworthy. This did not happen in the case of the bhikkhu Channa. The bhikkhu Channa used the knife blamelessly. Thus, Sariputta, should you remember it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is noteworthy that Channa’s suicide appears to be something of a non-issue in his case, and we may reasonably conclude from this sutta that suicide—when carried out to avoid unbearable physical pain associated with terminal illness—was considered, by the Buddha himself, to be an acceptable course of action.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T21:23:34.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7692" CreationDate="2015-02-17T22:11:39.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Am I right when I say that—in the same way—our habit patterns are obstacles that prevent/hinder us from seeing things as they really are because they fuel the fire of self?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Self itself is a habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We only believe in a permanent separate self because we have conditioned the mind over and over and over again through infinite aeons that it's real.Habits are repeated actions.So if you act repeatedly it becomes like second nature.Now we don't even question it.We have been thinking that there is a permanent separate self for a very very long time,almost beginningless.That's why it's ingrained deeply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all habits fuel the fire of self though.As you may have a habit of practicing vippassanna or contemplate the Dhamma that works to counteract the strong belief in a separate permanent self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T22:11:39.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7718" CreationDate="2015-02-17T23:05:39.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, you are not breaking any rules(precepts) by saying 'no' to either of them. You are simply saying &quot;I don't want your help&quot;. That doesn't break the 1st precept. Whether it is Vibhava tanha or not depends on the mind state at the time. If the intention is not to be a burden to the society or to your loved ones, it is not Tanha. Even monks are allowed to reject medicine in that case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-17T23:05:39.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T00:26:50.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Liberation is not to be gained in the future. It exists forever, here and now. To seek and grasp implies a projected concept of separation which is opposite from Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4713" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T00:26:50.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T02:10:49.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before you can even practice vipassana--&lt;strong&gt;which is just present-minded awareness&lt;/strong&gt;--one must have strong mastery of the jhanas, at least the 1st jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only then will you automatically go through the 10 Stages of Insight, especially by doing a retreat! Thus in answer to your question, the most methodical sure way is to take yourself to a powerful concentration state and then just be aware of the present moment especially as the Maha Satipatthana Sutta instructs. Then, one will automatically go through the 10 Stages of Insight (so long asone doesn't cling to any of them) and attain Fruition/Emptiness for the first time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the question becomes... how to attain jhana methodically as possible?&#xA;And how does anapanasati relate to samatha and vipassana?&#xA;The answer to the last question is that anapanasatti integrates both practices exactly in the samatha-&gt;vipassana sequence mentioned!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in answer to your question if joining a Sangha is necessary, no it is not,  although it is certainly conducive to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important is your own jhana power prior to retreat. If you do a retreat without jhana (basically the ability to concentrate with ease and happiness) then you'll get nowhere.&#xA;So practice 2 hours each day and night until you can do that much at least before doing an all-day retreat!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T02:10:49.923" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7724" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-18T06:51:21.497" Score="3" ViewCount="627" Body="&lt;p&gt;according to wikipedia anyway:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The noumenon (/ˈnɒuːmɨnɒn/) is a posited object or event that is known&#xA;  (if at all) without the use of the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that the term is used in Buddhism, at least after its sinification. Often noumenon seems to mean reality itself, the buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding that last gloss, may I ask if the &quot;noumenon&quot; is &quot;mind&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And whether extinction, be that impermanence, nirvana or final nirvana, is noumenally real?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T18:42:54.740" Title="Noumenon and &quot;mind only&quot;" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-18T07:13:10.917" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The brain is matter(Rupa). If the defilements are caused by the brain, a being should attain Nibbana when he dies as the brain stops functioning. If Nibbana is caused by the brain, a Sotapanna being should lose his attainment when he dies. According to Buddhism, neither is true. So your assumption is not compatible with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T07:13:10.917" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T07:17:52.010" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;depends upon how much sankaras(defilement), you have accumulated in past&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4718" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T07:17:52.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7727" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-18T09:30:12.393" Score="2" ViewCount="1651" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question regarding the gesture while sitting for meditation has always intrigued me. When I tried to ask this to a Vipassana teacher in my 10-day course, he put it off saying I should concentrate on meditation first without worrying about these matters. Does it mean that it doesn't make any difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally use the dhyana mudra (fore-finger touching the thumb in a circle, and other three fingers straight out) while sitting cross-legged. But in many of Buddha's statues, I've seen him keep the &lt;code&gt;left hand over right&lt;/code&gt;, and in some others, &lt;code&gt;thumb touching forefinger and hand kept straight across the chest&lt;/code&gt; gestures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Want to know from advanced practitioners, what do the Buddha's postures indicate? More importantly, does having a certain gestures have any good or bad effect on our vipassana practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:33:37.363" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T20:58:04.360" Title="Does hand gesture have an impact on meditation or attainment of Nirvana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-posture|mudra|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T09:48:20.380" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Call me an over-enthusiast but presently, the highest priority in my life is to achieve the object of Nirvana or moksha.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is good! You need enthusiasm to stay motivated in your practice.You also have a sense of urgency which will help you progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By performing Vipassana, I want to achieve Nirvana and in this lifetime only. I'm prepared to do anything for it, even leave my current profession and staying as a monk if required.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;You can not realise Nibbanna by willing it to happen&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;,you have to create the necessary conditions.Take all &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;the willing&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;( will power,effort,urgency and determination) and apply it to the right spot which is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;creating the conditions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.For example instead of exhausting all your energy on &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have to&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; attain Nirvana in this lifetime&quot;,you can say &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have to&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; sit and meditate for 10 minutes today&quot;.Because without the journey there is no goal.So make the journey your goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also don't stop thinking/wishing/contemplating Nibbanna.Practicing the Dharma isn't like wandering aimlessly without a goal.Thinking everything is empty so there's no use doing anything.Or not having a goal.This is something you do &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;after&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; you've realised nibbanna not before.You might not know what Nibbanna is but you know it's not suffering like your experiencing now.So thats a good way to motivate yourself.It's also a good way to keep your mind fixed on the other shore Nibbanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Let the results arise on it's own&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.Don't place your effort on the result.Just like when you plant something.You put your effort on watering the plant.Not making it grow.It will grow on it's own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Trouble is, I just don't understand how exactly to go about meditation. I've read a few suttas but I just don't understand what to do while doing Vipassana meditation. In a 10-day Vipassana course I'd undergone, I'd done Anapana (breathfulness meditation) by keeping my mind on the entry and exit of breath at the nostrils. I've done this for several hours and I still do it sometimes.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping the mind on the entry and exit of breath at the nostril is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samatha Meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.You do this to calm the mind.Achieve samadhi. It's a tranquility meditation.This should be done before practicing vipassanna.Your not observing anything.Your just staying with the breath.Anything that arises you ignore and return to the breath.Try doing this for a few years first.Whatever suits you.Samadhi is like a steady hand.It's aim is to develop concentration so that you can hold your mind steady on something as slippery,rapid and subtle as thoughts,intentions,feelings,etc(Vippassanna Practice).Samatha can also give the mind a good home or resting place.So something you should be practicing for the rest of your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I also do mindfulness meditation sittings (by observing my thoughts impartially) for at least an hour in one sitting daily.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness Meditation is like when you sit and do Samatha Meditation.Except this time you don't ignore your thoughts,feelings,intention,sensation etc and return to the breath.You stay with it.Observing it.But when you feel like it's slipping or too painful,powerful, go back to the breath.The breath is your anchor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, all these practices are great and take me into a calm and tranquil state of mind. But I don't seem to be getting anywhere towards my ultimate goal of Nirvana.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Realising Nibbanna is not all about meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.That's why it's not called The One Noble Path.But the Eight Noble Path.It is holistic.It requires every aspect of your life.The Eight Noble Path.You must put the same amount of effort you put on your meditation on your sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any way to know how long is it going to take me with this speed, or how do I increase the speed?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.There's no sure way of knowing.It would depend on one's karma and paramis.But no effort you put in is wasted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Most importantly, Is joining the sangha and practicing full-time monkhood the only way to achieve Nirvana?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No it's not the Only way. You can realise Nibbanna as a lay person.But monastics have a the advantage of living in an environment that's conducive to their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T09:48:20.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7727" CreationDate="2015-02-18T10:23:53.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes and no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain hand gestures cause better energy flow through your body and vibrations. These vibration can be some times an aid in dissolving pain and also fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you get attached to the vibrations and gestures this will do more harm than good in your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my advice is do not bother too much about these as their contribution to your final goal is marginal or non existent through it might give a mild boost to better practice in certain situation is making you conferable to be seated for a long time by creating Piti which is one of the enlightenment factors but keeping in mind you cannot bake a cake with one ingredient and attachment to the feeling or creating view and perception around the gestures will hold you back&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-20T04:33:54.763" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T04:33:54.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T11:53:07.243" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;To achieve Nirvana you have to follow he 3 fold practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Control over the mind so you can bee focused on a chosen object to see its true nature&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom through the understanding of reality and universal nature of suffering and the way out off the than looking at the world through your perceptions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality will calm your mental wondering and also bodily fabrications mildly so you can develop better concentration. Through concentration and calming your metal fabrication you can develop wisdom. Through calming all fabrications you can come out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your practice should evolve around calming fabrication through the 3 fold practice. Also over coming the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt; when they arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Morality&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practising morality you can start this as a rite or ritual by observing the precepts. As you go on you can do it at an intellectual level by rationalising if any action is to your benefit or the benefit of others. Later you can start looking at the formations your volition bring through the sensations it creates and them identify what is conducive and not through wisdom. Moral base is needed to keep you mind at ease without agitation and thought proliferation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Concentration&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should develop concentration to the extend you mind can stay on the chosen object. You study your mind in the process. This way you can reduce verbal fabrications. Then dominantly sensations and perceptions remain. As concentration goes up perceptions decrease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Wisdom&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By developing wisdom you see things as they really are without being clouded with perception. You should calm your metal fabrications. Once this is done you you will experience some thing beyond sensations and perception. This is your 1st glimpse of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T11:53:07.243" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7718" CreationDate="2015-02-18T12:02:29.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human life is are and if you have not got to any stage of sainthood then the best option is to prolong your life. Perhaps this will give you an option to practice more targeted at liberation if things turn out for the better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T12:02:29.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7695" CreationDate="2015-02-18T12:17:31.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The root evil in these types of view points / perceptions / notions is the view point / perception / notion itself (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Skandha&lt;/a&gt;). This perception off Sanna creates fabrication by reacting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you put aside perception about self / karma relate views, then by this you are liberated from this fabrication (karmic formation) related to these view. Developing a perception off no self can be conducive to dissolve ego but also can be a hindrance as this can lead to clinging to the view. So you have to let go of this also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindu techniques can take you upto the lever that there is neither perception nor perception and with some residual sensations (called Passadhi in Buddhism). Buddhism deals even eradicating the last residual bit off perception and sensations and to there you can have very mild for of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with both Hindu and Buddhism the breath is the body conditioner. In the Pranayama you control the breath to created desired effects on the body and life. These could be extreme pleasantness of even very tranquil feelings. In the Buddhism version of Breath meditation there are 16 stages out off which the 1st 4 deals with calming the bodily fabrication as opposed to creating new bodily fabrications. By calming the bodily fabrication also you get tranquillity but this is born out of the process of calming as well as dissolving unwholesome fabrication than creating fabrications. In Buddhism there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 evil roots or poisons&lt;/a&gt;: loba, dosa and moha. Dosa generally creates uneasy feeling but based on loba and moha (action based on perception) can create Piti and Passadhi respectively. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;). So the road the Patanjali / Vedic system and Buddhism is taking are different roads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-18T12:30:50.910" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T12:30:50.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7813" CreationDate="2015-02-18T12:36:20.407" Score="7" ViewCount="3018" Body="&lt;p&gt;What happens to the five skandhas of a particular person after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do they stay together, and cause birth of a one specific person (which can be called rebirth), or do they separate?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If they separate, do they separate just into 5, or does each aggregate split into smaller parts?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If they separate, do they cause births of many different persons?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in answers from many traditions, with references to relevant sources (scriptures, books, articles).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I didn't get unambiguous answers to my questions, but what Suminda and Prahlad write seems to suggest that all the aggregates arise and pass all the time, but when we look at them at a higher level, we can conclude that four of the aggregates (sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness) stay together and cause a new birth of one specific person, while the remaining aggregate (rūpa, matter) separates and splits into parts. &lt;strong&gt;Can anyone confirm/disconfirm this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT 2: I was asked to specify what is exactly meant by &quot;overall structure of the aggregates remain intact&quot;, when we know that the aggregates arise and pass all the time. What I mean is the continuity of the illusion called &quot;self&quot;. I have the illusion that I'm the same person as a moment ago, even though my body, my feelings, etc. have changed. Does this illusion continue after death? &lt;strong&gt;According to Buddhist doctrines, is there an illusion of the continuity of consciousness? Of the continuity of feelings? Of the continuity of the body?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I watched &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxCEi4cQBA0&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo's video about rebirth&lt;/a&gt; and understood that Buddhists believe in perceived continuity of the consciousness after death. Is this a canonical opinion that can be concluded from Buddhist scriptures? How about the continuity of other aggregates?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-02-20T17:06:34.407" LastActivityDate="2018-07-10T18:06:32.063" Title="What happens to the five aggregates after death?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|pratityasamutpada|death|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-18T13:27:46.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The arise and pass away moment to moment. At death also it is the same but the contentiousness arises in another body. When you die your form is left behind in case you do have a material form. In Deva worlds you disappear. Your mind passes away and arises in another body. The process continues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Do they stay together, and cause birth of a one specific person (which can be called rebirth), or do they separate?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. They arises and passes away moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If they separate, do they separate just into 5, or does each aggregate split into smaller parts?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. They arises and passes away moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If they separate, do they cause births of many different persons?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. They arises and passes away moment to moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rupa / form part is left behind at the time of death. But still the process continues. At on instance there is passing away and then arising but the arising happens in a new body than where the passing away happened at the time of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-20T14:03:11.147" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T14:03:11.147" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7735" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-18T13:56:35.183" Score="10" ViewCount="7521" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short, if i practice Vipassana meditation does it means i practice Satipatthana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:27:52.627" LastActivityDate="2020-12-01T21:28:46.170" Title="What is the difference between Satipatthana and Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|satipatthana|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7736" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-18T14:41:10.203" Score="2" ViewCount="369" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the relation between the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Consciousnesses&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Aggregates&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are all the 8 consciousnesses subtypes of the fifth aggregate (vijñāna/viññāṇa)? The name suggests so, but it looks strange to me: the first 5 of the 8 consciousnesses seem to be more related to the third aggregate (samjñā/saññā). I would be glad for a clarification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T11:04:33.450" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T02:13:07.393" Title="What is the relation between the Eight Consciousnesses and the Five Aggregates?" Tags="|consciousness|yogacara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-18T14:53:11.133" Score="28" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lovely zen saying, a dialogue between new student and master:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Master, if I put in great effort every day to attain awakening, how long will it take?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The master replies, &quot;20 years.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What if I work really really hard?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The master replies, &quot;40 years.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wanting enlightenment is paradoxical, because enlightenment is the absence of defilement, not the presence of need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be of great benefit to study the six perfections.  You may find this reference useful: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_paramitas&quot;&gt;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_paramitas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often people assume enlightenment to be the result of something. If you are happy following causes and their results, then practice the six perfections as much as possible.  You must ultimately pair them with wisdom which transcends conceptuality in order to arrive into a state which is beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will greatly depend on your attitude and your motivation.  Thus, I encourage you to study the Buddha's words and keep a superior motivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one can guarantee for you how long it will take, and when you &quot;get there&quot; so-to-speak, there will not be any conventional sense of time to speak of, so instead of asking &quot;how long will it take&quot; we should all ask &quot;what can we do to accelerate the process?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A skillful question is one which illuminates &lt;em&gt;the how&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you come with great faith in the teachings and practice with a single-pointed mind, freedom shall dawn.  Until the gravity of our imperiled situation in samsara is seen for what it is, benefit yourself and others with study and reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One aspect of enlightenment is freedom from doubt.  Clear away all your doubts with the stainfree mirror of the teachings.  The Buddha proclaimed that &quot;in the future&quot; [in this era] to come face-to-face with the teachings is the same as coming face-to-face with the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate, even if someone told you that it will take 3 long aeons to come to awakening practicing diligently every day all day, what is that in comparison to an unending cycle of dying and being born?  What is 3 long aeons in comparison to the nonceasing spin of the wheel of life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T14:53:11.133" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-02-18T14:53:11.133" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7735" CreationDate="2015-02-18T15:17:51.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;satipatthana = vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is the meditation practice that follows the teachings of the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 22).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-18T15:30:09.687" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T15:30:09.687" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7735" CreationDate="2015-02-18T16:32:49.560" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana itself is True Awareness, &lt;strong&gt;clear-seeing presence in the moment absent of wandering thoughts.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;There is no Awakening without some success in Vipassana practice.&#xA;Continued Vipassana practice aka True Awareness, results in Complete Enlightenment.&#xA;Buddhism is really that simple and that's why the Buddha said &quot;Mindfulness is liberation&quot;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana is merely a &lt;em&gt;pathway&lt;/em&gt; (or meditation method) for Vipassana training.&#xA;Another pathway would be Anapanasati (breathing meditation).&#xA;These are the two best paths and have sutras and many commentaries worth reading explaining how to construct that pathway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality though all paths are the same and you will understand this after developing fluency over how to practice various meditation methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T00:30:22.857" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T00:30:22.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7724" CreationDate="2015-02-18T17:24:23.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well actually in the teachings with regard to the sense-consciousnesses, six are enumerated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Auditory consciousness (sense of hearing, the ear, its &quot;objects&quot; like sounds)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Visual consciousness (sense of seeing, the eye, its &quot;objects&quot; like sights)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Scent consciousness (sense of smelling, the nose, &quot; &quot; smells/scents/odors/aromas)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taste consciousness (sense of tasting, the tongue, &quot; &quot; tastes)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tactile consciousness (sense of touching, the body/skin, &quot; &quot; textures, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind consciousness, or mental consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The raw perceptions of the first 5 themselves have no dialogue, no commentary, no &quot;story&quot; ... the sixth one can meld and blend the first 5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Buddha's teachings, there is nothing outside the Six sense-consciousnesses, and therefore it seems untenable that one could argue that mind is &quot;knowable but beyond the senses&quot; unless one is referring to a different breakdown of the sense faculties, their focal points/objects, and the combined consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should know that it is possible for a yogin to &quot;withdraw&quot; from the five coarse sense perceptions and experience the luminosity and delight of the sixth sense-consciousness.  There are instructions in the suttas/sutras, most notable is perhaps the Buddha's discourse on breathing meditation, which is in most traditions the foundation to introspection, insight, attainment, and liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T17:24:23.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7724" CreationDate="2015-02-18T17:50:29.207" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Noumenon is our Tathagata nature, our Buddha Nature, Tao, God, Allah, Brahmin... whatever that thing is that is beyond the dualism of existence and non-existence: the Mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noumenon is the opposite of phenomena, things that are perceivable through the senses or in Buddhist terms are a part of the five skandhas (see Surangama Sutra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is so important to become more detached from phenomena because they detract the Buddhist from realizing the only worthy goal of the Noumenon, the Source of all things, the Us that is beyond time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more one develops a worldly way, the more one is attached to meaning-ful phenomena be it money, sensual pleasure, relationships, and the infinite dualities that trap us to the wheel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more one grows in the spiritual path, the more one is able to perceive the foundational unity of all things. The profound truth in Emptiness.&#xA;One is unable to be so attached to any particular thing--not with a numbness, but with a crystal clear clarity developed through the understanding of Dharma and most importantly through the transformation of consciousness itself that takes place by success in meditation/awareness/vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the Right Path as espoused by the Eightfold Path and the last question you asked is different question, that would take an entire paper to discuss, but basically yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T17:50:29.207" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7724" CreationDate="2015-02-18T18:42:54.740" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that this might be the result of a translation problem. The concept of a noumenon in western philosophy is very foreign to Buddhism I think. In western philosophy a noumenon is the opposite of a phenomenon. A phenomenon is something that is experienced, whereas a noumenon is something that is somehow outside of experience all together but somehow exists anyways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most forms of Buddhism don't settle well with the idea of any kind of reality having some sort of existence that is independent like that because it falls into the error of essentialism, or at least it appears to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you may be coming across this word in an off translation or something relying on such a translation, because I suspect a translator may be trying to translate the concept of 體用 (tǐ yòng, usually now translated as essence and function) as noumena-phenomena, but I don't think this is a very good comparison at all. Definately the term 體 does not mean noumena, but something more like the nature of something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T18:42:54.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7735" CreationDate="2015-02-18T18:48:00.240" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana is the name of the actual practice, and Vipassana is the name of the quality of clearly seeing reality which Satipatthana produces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T18:48:00.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7736" CreationDate="2015-02-18T19:10:31.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All 8 types of consciousness described in Yogacara texts fit into the aggregate of consciousness, not perception. The confusion comes down to difficulty in the English translations for these terms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word translated as perception doesn't actually mean perception in the ordinary English sense of the word. In ordinary English perception means to be aware of something through the senses, but that is not the meaning of the word saññā.  refers specifically to the way that something is interpreted by the mind, especially in terms of pattern recognition and memory. For example, when you look at a chair, you are aware of actually seeing something (which is eye-consciousness) and at the same time you are giving an interpretation to what it is, which in this case is a chair. This second layer of gathering things together and interpreting them is what saññā is in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T19:10:31.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7736" CreationDate="2015-02-18T19:24:43.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes each of the 1st three aggregates seem to have some resemblance to the 8 consciousnesses don't they?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The form aggregate is the &quot;forming&quot; of a reality through the aid of the first 6 consciousnesses (this reality, according to modern physics, does not exist!), the sensation aggregate is like an &quot;emotional judgement&quot; of sensory input, whereas the third aggregate is as Bakomon suggests.&#xA;This third aggregate is more accurately termed &quot;discrimination&quot; and refers to the mind's categorizing capacity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight consciousness are naked consciousness, which are still false. &lt;strong&gt;On the other hand, the first 3 aggregates which can be confused for the consciousnesses are dense habits and are transformed earlier in the path.&lt;/strong&gt; The work of the consciousness aggregate is very subtle and is reserved for bodhisattvas who are walking up the bhumis to Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more modern account on all these subjects I would reccommend the ~200 page chapter on the aggregates from Bill Bodri's manual &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization.&quot; If you cannot afford the book I highly recommend Surangama Sutra because knowing this topic of the aggregates will give oneself a complete understanding of afflictions that are transformed on the road to Complete Enlightenment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T16:24:30.753" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T16:24:30.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2015-02-18T19:32:27.370" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan buddhism there are a set of practices calles the six yogas of Naropa. They are specially important in the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism.&#xA;One of these yogas is called the Dream Yoga and its purpose is to develop awareness during your dreaming time.&#xA;The masters of this meditation never lose counciousness.  When they go to sleep the know they are falling sleep.  Later they recognize that they are sleeping without dreams. Then they recognize their dreams and are able to modify them as they wish. Finally the wake up are are able to remember everything that happened during their sleeping time.&#xA;To do the six yogas of Naropa you need advance training and be in retreat.  Usually you are required to do at least one meditation retreat that lasts three years, three months, three weeks and three days.&#xA;You definitely need a teacher, this is not something you can learn by reading.&#xA;Best luck in your meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T19:32:27.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7727" CreationDate="2015-02-18T19:46:49.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my reading of around 40 suttas that mentioned Anapanasati, Buddha never mentioned about where to place your hands or arms. However, in those suttas, he mentioned sitting down crossed legs in quiet place (forest, under a tree, empty house (room) etc.  he didnt even mention that you have to close your eyes. then place your attention to the present and your breathing.  knowing clearly if breathing is short or shallow etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here we go  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T19:46:49.047" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-02-18T20:03:20.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said, when mind is still, dhamma reveals itself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are at the presence, one dhamma that opens up is all things end as time passes (even just one second ago) and what is the characteristic of things in the past? It has less value to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when you had your heart broken the first time.  I imagine that it doesn't effect you any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you see that all things will come to an end even if it's just one second, it won't matter much to you, so you start to let go and stop  clinging to it. Buddha compared it to bubbles.  We don't cry over burst bubbles because we know they don't last forever.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:24:32.160" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:24:32.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-02-18T20:10:54.817" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;no..  in that sutta, he didnt guarantee that actors will go to suffering realm in next life.   only truly doomed people are those who committed 5 heinous crimes (Ānantarika-karma).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me see if could remove that (-) off my comment by explaining it further.  This one prince (i dont recall his name but something like Sorakani Sakaya-he was related to buddha,hence, sakaya) was an alcoholic.  After his death, Buddha proclaimed him a stream enterer.  All others were skeptical and said something like if a habitual drunkard could be a stream enterer then who isnt?    Buddha answered that question in two parts: prince Sorakani had always had unshakable confidence in Buddha, dhamma, and sangha tho his will to stop drinking was too weak while was still alive.   However, a moment at his death bed, he determined to practice dhamma by holding the 5 precepts.  He had every quality to be a stream enterer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this is my own thought..  stream enterer is one who has the right view and starting to take that first step in the right direction.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this go back to the original question, will all actors go to hell?   it is not a guarantee.  Buddha only guaranteed rebirth in suffering realms for those who have commited Ānantarika-karma.  Not all actors will go to hell because there are many factors to it as sample above.  Also look up red bearded executioner.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please do not wait until last minute to practice dhamma like prince sorakani  because we do not know when that last moment will come.   :-)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastEditorUserId="4727" LastEditDate="2015-03-10T22:13:51.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T22:13:51.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7552" CreationDate="2015-02-18T20:17:17.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;buddha mentioned 3 ways of doing good deeds. thru  1) action, 2) speech, 3) mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;action:  Sila (precepts, charity , etch) &#xA;Speech:  kinda words,&#xA;Mind: meditation, removing defilement, kindness projection..  etc    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T20:17:17.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-02-18T20:37:56.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.  strong NO.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I assume that you are not referring human as animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Animals do not have wisdom to comprehend dhamma.  SO they are restricted from achieving Janna (meditation achievement) or to become Stream Enterer. Only human or higher (with the exception of divas in Arupa world) can be stream enterer.   humans who committed 5 heinous karma (Ānantarika-karma) are also doomed.  they cannot achieve higher level of dhamma in current life.  However, Animals (or doomed humans) can still do good merits for happiness and pleasure for next lives.  None of any suttas ever mentioned Buddha teaching to non-human animals.  Buddha would not waste his time.  However, in some sutta, buddha would be kind to animals by accepting gift (fruit/honey from a monkey) from them and one occasion, allowed an elephant to carry his alm bowl knowing that they will be reward for the good karma. Buddha mentioned being born into animal or helm realms is like being in prison for a long sentence.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you can teach your dog to do good.  I have a golden retriever and every time i make small donation to charity in a mail, i would have him carry my letters to mail box.   Least we can do for our furry friends.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T20:37:56.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7289" CreationDate="2015-02-18T20:57:18.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;more like contemplating rather chanting.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;origination or dependent arising, Pratītyasamutpāda. He told Ananda he would contemplate, recite Pratītyasamutpāda when he was alone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T20:57:18.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7228" CreationDate="2015-02-18T21:01:00.430" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;from my experience, I dont make meditation more difficult than what it has to be..  i would watch my breathing like a curious scientist watches things on his slide via microscope. it is quite pleasant for me &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T21:01:00.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7089" CreationDate="2015-02-18T21:25:08.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are sufferings that parents cannot help.  I dont remember from what sutta but it goes something like , parents cannot help a child to be free from sufferings that caused by illness, aging, and death. If your family wants to be free from these universal sufferings, they have to practice dhamma.  No other ways around it. Anyone or any being that has name and form (Nama-rupa) experieces sufferings, period. Suffering ends when nama-rupa ends.  (those who achieve enlightenment still experience physical pain while they still have the body) nothing you can do to eliminate those sufferings for them. Best you can do is tell them Dhamma taught by Buddha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T21:25:08.727" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7089" CreationDate="2015-02-18T22:21:28.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't be so attached to others.&#xA;Even if they are suffering through self-inflicted drama, your family's suffering is theirs, not your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gradually speak less and less and become ready to leave.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They will never be able to answer your questions. You will never be able to answer their questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May each person go to the best place where they will to find their answers!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T22:21:28.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-02-18T22:35:31.513" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a Jakarta story of a previous incarnation of the Buddha giving his body to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Garland-of-Birth-Stories/01-The-Story-of-the-Tigress.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a hungry tigress&lt;/a&gt;. The reason for that act was to prevent the tigress eating her cubs, &lt;strong&gt;which would have damaged her sila&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, I will kill my miserable body by casting it down into the precipice, and with my corpse I shall preserve the tigress from killing her young ones and the young ones from dying by the teeth of their mother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mum rescued a stray dog. She (the dog) was initially aggressive to other dogs, but my mum taught her not to be.&#xA;My mum also taught her self-restraint: including to not rush to get her dinner immediately, but to wait when the dinner bowl is set on the floor, wait until she is &lt;em&gt;told&lt;/em&gt; that she can get it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like to think that you're able to help a dog, for example by teaching it some morality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of teaching them Dhamma, although they cannot read books I hope they can read you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T22:35:31.513" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-02-18T22:39:27.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with dean's harsh but canonical answer. &lt;strong&gt;Animal's do not possess the intelligence necessary to create enough understanding of Dharma to Awaken.&lt;/strong&gt; They also have other obstacles such as being uncomfortable, emotionally bonded to tribe, etc.&#xA;If an animal &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; manage to reach a high level of cultivation in its life (very rare) then it tends to die on the spot (source: an old story about a monk who's cow Awakened and fell dead and he went looking for the human incarnation of the cow).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is there a way to benefit animals by helping them come into contact with the Dhamma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitely!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;New Age techniques, such as crystal absorption, sun absorption, moon energy absorption, are all various methods to improve one's energy levels including on a psychic plane. Master nan talked about a fox spirit in the mountain he did a retreat in and how she cultivated by stealing other monk's sexual essence and disrupting their cultivation. He also mentioned how wolves stare and howl at the moon and this is a way of absorbing its energies to create a longer life and more harmonized system.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Playing dharma talks aloud can build a positive connection as it will transfer to his unconscious mind and eventually, perhaps in a future life time, he will be more quickly accept Dharma into his life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Doggy train him to bow to a Buddha statue and to other monks. There is a story in the canon about how a person when he was a dog in a past life eons ago built good karma with the Buddhadharma by throwing his poop at a Buddha statue! To us, this may not seem like a &quot;good thing&quot; to do yet from the dog's perspective this is its offering of wonderful delicious, interesting aroma (poop). Thus, that monk (who was otherwise a very bad person) was allowed to enter the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Entering a meditative state of concentration with an animal (including human) and looking directly into their eyes can transmute the state of consciousness to them. This is linked to one of the yogas of Naropa, consciousness transference. This requires strong cultivation on your own side. I only mention this for the record and do not reccommend it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Include him in your meritorious activities! Dogs are already building positive karma all the time and it sounds like your dog definitely is not building as much bad karma as &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; dogs I know in my neighborhood!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm glad you have such a closeness with him and you are already doing as much as you can for your dog while also improving your own cultivation. Good job!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-18T22:44:40.160" LastActivityDate="2015-02-18T22:44:40.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7759" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-18T22:45:14.090" Score="3" ViewCount="792" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two things I want to understand here. Firstly, though I'm not overly disturbed by thoughts during vipassana sitting, I just don't know how do I treat them. What I presently do is just try to ignore them and continue observing the &lt;code&gt;rising and falling&lt;/code&gt;. But if the thoughts are too strong and persist, I tend to observe them impartially until they leave of their own accord (but during this time my observance of &lt;code&gt;anicca&lt;/code&gt; has stopped). Am I doing this thing rightly or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, I want to understand the &lt;em&gt;reality&lt;/em&gt; of thoughts. I know that ultimately none of these have permanent reality, but compared to &lt;code&gt;conditioned reality of sensations&lt;/code&gt; what is the &lt;code&gt;conditioned reality of thoughts&lt;/code&gt;? Basically, I want to know whether they have any objective reality, or they are subjective (just things in my head)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently read in a book that reality keeps vibrating each and every instant, and we need to look into the arising/vanishing of these vibrations, as that is what &lt;code&gt;anicca&lt;/code&gt; is all about. My question is do these vibrations apply to thoughts as well or just sensations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:27:02.873" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T20:49:35.123" Title="I can feel the rising and falling of sensations in vipassana, but what to make of thoughts?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7488" CreationDate="2015-02-19T00:24:05.217" Score="22" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a summary of Chapter 5 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Buddhas-Teachings-Laypeople-Prosperity/dp/0861715470&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople: Practical Advice for Prosperity and Lasting Happiness.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you fail to find suitable associates it's better to be &quot;like a solitary rhinoceros&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Leave aside unproven traditional criteria: including race, caste, gender, and external appearance (and creed)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A person's inner development is more important than their birth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Be cautious of first impressions and initial understandings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People cannot be know well by their appearance&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nor can they be trusted after brief impression.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Yes, the undisciplined may roam in the world&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In the attire of the well displined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Associate with a person, observe and evaluate their words and actions&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be wise and rational in order to obtain a clear picture of the person you're evaluating&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find wise people who cause no fear or worry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Look for someone who is compatible in four ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar confidence in spiritual development&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar respect for self-discipline&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar respect for humanistic practices&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar level of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These similarities are &quot;so important for a peaceful marriage&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spiritual development: if one person respects spiritual believes and practices, and the other holds them in total disregard, then the two people are simply incompatible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-discipline: if one partner is well-disciplined and the other unscrupulous then their incompatibility will become obvious and cause problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humanistic practices: includes &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;, also &lt;em&gt;caga&lt;/em&gt; (generous acts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Level of wisdom: i.e. &lt;em&gt;samapanna&lt;/em&gt;, includes knowledge, skill, emotional maturity, reasoning power; doesn't mean that both should have same education and intellectual ability, but wide difference in these areas could cause incompatibility and lead to conflicts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter 6 is about how to treat your partner after you marry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T00:24:05.217" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7759" CreationDate="2015-02-19T03:08:06.863" Score="4" Body="&lt;h3&gt;How should I treat thoughts?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should strive to &lt;strong&gt;know thoughts as thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;. If you are observing impartially, that's good. If you are ignoring the light, fleeting thoughts, it depends what you mean. You don't want to actively ignore anything as that will cultivate aversion or even a dullness of mind. If you mean the thoughts are just too light, too fleeting to catch, then you're doing what you can, and your coverage will improve with practice, if you strive for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other side of this is that it's more important to impartially observe whatever comes up, rather than simply impartially observing thoughts. That is, you should try to stay in the here and the now. A thought might become frustration, and you should observe that impartially. Then the frustration becomes hotness in the body. As soon as we are aware of the hotness, we should observe the hotness. Or perhaps coldness following fear. And then maybe the thought comes back, and we observe that, or we feel an irritation on the skin, and we observe that. I'm giving as many examples as I can from my own experience to try to illustrate that when a thought overtakes us, the here-and-now can be a swiftly-moving target.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;What is the conditioned reality of thoughts?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha placed thoughts on an equal footing with all other sensations, as you can read in the very brief Sabba Sutta (found in the Samyutta Nikaya, Sutta #35.23):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, I will teach you the All. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As you say, lord,&amp;quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;What is the All? Simply the eye &amp;amp; forms, ear &amp;amp; sounds, nose &amp;amp; aromas, tongue &amp;amp; flavors, body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, intellect &amp;amp; ideas. This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from a meditative point of view, the most objective things you have are the thoughts and the senses. Don't worry too much whether thoughts are objective or subjective. Rather consider objectively that a thought is a thought, and seeing it as anything else is subjective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T03:08:06.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7759" CreationDate="2015-02-19T06:39:10.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thoughts are result in verbal fabrications which result in sensations, when the thought makes contact with the mind sense door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each time a thought arises there is an associated sensation through out the body. If you have many successive such thoughts this sensation accumulates. E.g. multiple depressing thoughts will leave you depressed. Happy memories will leave you happy and smiling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main few things you actively do:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calm down the verbal and metal fabrications by trying to bring your wondering mind to a chosen object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at the sensation in the body (mainly around your head) the thought proliferation has created. (Tightness, heaviness, depressed, happy, excited, passionate, etc. - also if you look deeply these are combinations of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Eighteen_Dh.C4.81tus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Elements&lt;/a&gt;) due to thoughts. This will calm any bodily fabrications. Also pay attention to changes in breathing. If breathing becomes fast. If breathing has stopped does it start again. Also you pulse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Identify if the sensation is due to a mental reaction due to perception and see perception creates misery also and dilute these perceptions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T08:52:21.887" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T08:52:21.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7763" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7773" CreationDate="2015-02-19T07:27:33.240" Score="2" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am developing an application which calculates peoples age/ birthdays. In this app I have one entry for the Dalai Lama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that its the &lt;code&gt;14 Dalai Lama&lt;/code&gt; who is alive right now. So a concern is raised that should I use the name &lt;code&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;14 Dalai Lama&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to know if there can be two &lt;code&gt;Dalai Lamas&lt;/code&gt; alive at the same instance if this is not true I can simply use the name &lt;code&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/code&gt; Please shed light on this aspect! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4729" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T08:46:01.483" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T17:13:17.927" Title="Can there exist two Dalai Lamas at one instance of time?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7764" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7765" CreationDate="2015-02-19T08:41:16.037" Score="6" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am seeking a proper guide on Buddhist funeral process in India.&#xA;What are the things needs to be taken care while performing the last Ceremony&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="696" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T08:45:06.680" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T22:03:39.163" Title="Buddhist funeral process" Tags="|traditions|death|rituals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7764" CreationDate="2015-02-19T08:48:31.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no universal Buddhist funeral but some customs have developed in Buddhist countries around Buddhism. Following may be of some help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/d_cermon.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ceremonies and Funeral Rites for the Dead&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Funeral (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddhist_funeral.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guide to a Proper Buddhist Funeral&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T08:48:31.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7763" CreationDate="2015-02-19T08:58:50.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It should be &quot;14th Dalai Lama&quot; or &quot;14&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; Dalai Lama&quot;, not &quot;14 Dalai Lama&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;Dalai Lama&quot; is a title, not a name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Dalai_Lama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 14th Dalai Lama (religious name: Tenzin Gyatso, shortened from Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, born Lhamo Dondrub,[1] 6 July 1935) is the current Dalai Lama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of a title is &quot;President of the United States&quot;. For example, Barack Obama is &quot;the President&quot;, and he is also more specifically called &quot;the 44&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; President&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T08:58:50.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-02-19T13:14:38.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. Self-defense is OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Protection of arahats (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis duly protect and guard the&#xA;  arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so,&#xA;  and those who have already come might live there in peace?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;  be expected, not their decline.&quot;&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel&lt;/a&gt; (Paul Carus, 1894) is based on canonical texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simha continued: &quot;I am a soldier, O Blessed One, and am appointed by&#xA;  the king to enforce his laws and to wage his wars. Does the Tathagata&#xA;  who teaches kindness without end and compassion with all sufferers,&#xA;  permit the punishment of the criminal? and further, does the Tathagata&#xA;  declare that it is wrong to go to war for the protection of our homes,&#xA;  our wives, our children, and our property? Does the Tathagata teach&#xA;  the doctrine of a complete self-surrender, so that I should suffer the&#xA;  evil-doer to do what he pleases and yield submissively to him who&#xA;  threatens to take by violence what is my own? Does the Tathagata&#xA;  maintain that all strife, including such warfare as is waged for a&#xA;  righteous cause should be forbidden?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha replied: &quot;He who deserves punishment must be punished, and&#xA;  he who is worthy of favor must be favored. Yet at the same time he&#xA;  teaches to do no injury to any living being but to be full of love and&#xA;  kindness. These injunctions are not contradictory, for whosoever must&#xA;  be punished for the crimes which he has committed, suffers his injury&#xA;  not through the ill-will of the judge but on account of his evildoing.&#xA;  His own acts have brought upon him the injury that the executer of the&#xA;  law inflicts. When a magistrate punishes, let him not harbor hatred in&#xA;  his breast, yet a murderer, when put to death, should consider that&#xA;  this is the fruit of his own act. As soon as he will understand that&#xA;  the punishment will purify his soul, he will no longer lament his fate&#xA;  but rejoice at it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One continued: &quot;The Tathagata teaches that all warfare in&#xA;  which man tries to slay his brother is lamentable, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not&#xA;  teach that those who go to war in a righteous cause after having&#xA;  exhausted all means to preserve the peace are blameworthy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. He must&#xA;  be blamed who is the cause of war. The Tathagata teaches a complete&#xA;  surrender of self, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not teach a surrender of anything to&#xA;  those powers that are evil, be they men or gods or the elements of&#xA;  nature&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Struggle must be, for all life is a struggle of some kind.&#xA;  But he that struggles should look to it lest he struggle in the&#xA;  interest of self against truth and righteousness.&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel 52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T13:22:05.143" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T13:22:05.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-02-19T15:11:38.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are Zen stories in which the master will neither kill someone to defend himself (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/57thegatesofparadise.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gates of Paradise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;), nor kill someone to defend his home (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/9themooncannotbestolen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Moon Cannot Be Stolen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/44thethiefwhobecameadisciple.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Thief Who Became a Disciple&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T15:17:02.123" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T15:17:02.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7727" CreationDate="2015-02-19T15:15:27.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In traditions such as Zen, holding the hands in a mudra position is another way of directing mindfulness to the body, just as is having the legs, arms, torso, etc in proper alignment. Other traditions emphasize complete relaxation of the body, and the hands are just kept resting loosely. It is true that meditation is about what goes on between your ears, not your fingers -- see what works for you but don't let it become a source of distraction or frustration.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4730" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T15:15:27.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-02-19T15:45:25.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7767/471&quot;&gt;my other answer&lt;/a&gt; to support this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Protection of arahats (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis duly protect and guard the&#xA;  arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so,&#xA;  and those who have already come might live there in peace?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;  be expected, not their decline.&quot;&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel&lt;/a&gt; (Paul Carus, 1894) is based on canonical texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simha continued: &quot;I am a soldier, O Blessed One, and am appointed by&#xA;  the king to enforce his laws and to wage his wars. Does the Tathagata&#xA;  who teaches kindness without end and compassion with all sufferers,&#xA;  permit the punishment of the criminal? and further, does the Tathagata&#xA;  declare that it is wrong to go to war for the protection of our homes,&#xA;  our wives, our children, and our property? Does the Tathagata teach&#xA;  the doctrine of a complete self-surrender, so that I should suffer the&#xA;  evil-doer to do what he pleases and yield submissively to him who&#xA;  threatens to take by violence what is my own? Does the Tathagata&#xA;  maintain that all strife, including such warfare as is waged for a&#xA;  righteous cause should be forbidden?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha replied: &quot;He who deserves punishment must be punished, and&#xA;  he who is worthy of favor must be favored. Yet at the same time he&#xA;  teaches to do no injury to any living being but to be full of love and&#xA;  kindness. These injunctions are not contradictory, for whosoever must&#xA;  be punished for the crimes which he has committed, suffers his injury&#xA;  not through the ill-will of the judge but on account of his evildoing.&#xA;  His own acts have brought upon him the injury that the executer of the&#xA;  law inflicts. When a magistrate punishes, let him not harbor hatred in&#xA;  his breast, yet a murderer, when put to death, should consider that&#xA;  this is the fruit of his own act. As soon as he will understand that&#xA;  the punishment will purify his soul, he will no longer lament his fate&#xA;  but rejoice at it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One continued: &quot;The Tathagata teaches that all warfare in&#xA;  which man tries to slay his brother is lamentable, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not&#xA;  teach that those who go to war in a righteous cause after having&#xA;  exhausted all means to preserve the peace are blameworthy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. He must&#xA;  be blamed who is the cause of war. The Tathagata teaches a complete&#xA;  surrender of self, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not teach a surrender of anything to&#xA;  those powers that are evil, be they men or gods or the elements of&#xA;  nature&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Struggle must be, for all life is a struggle of some kind.&#xA;  But he that struggles should look to it lest he struggle in the&#xA;  interest of self against truth and righteousness.&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel 52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T15:45:25.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-02-19T16:01:18.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism can there be found any justification (whatever the perceived provocation) for war and military violence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mention regarding this could be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokavadana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ashoka Vadana&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;, a Buddhist text that describes the birth and achievements of Emperor Ashoka the great, perhaps one of the most prominent Buddhist Kings described in the literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Ashoka turned to Buddhism after having seen the perils of destruction in the Kalinga war and generally followed the principle of non-violence, the text describes that Ashoka did break the first precept many times in order to fulfill his military tasks. For instance, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In one instance, a non-Buddhist in Pundravardhana drew a picture showing the Buddha bowing at the feet of Nirgrantha Jnatiputra (identified with Mahavira, the founder of Jainism). On complaint from a Buddhist devotee, Ashoka issued an order to arrest him, and subsequently, another order to kill all the Ajivikas in Pundravardhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="3704" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T16:35:53.437" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T16:35:53.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7763" CreationDate="2015-02-19T16:19:32.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically you should always use &quot;14th Dalai Lama&quot; even though the Dalai Lama is that same continuous Awakened being incarnating as Dalai Lama, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama#List_of_Dalai_Lamas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;because each and every Dalai Lama has a different ego, body, and often temperament and purpose in life&lt;/a&gt;. Also to answer your main question, &lt;strong&gt;they also never live at the same time i.e. 13th has to die before can incarnate as 14th.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you are mentioning the &quot;14th Dalai Lama&quot; solely in your writing, then it is OK to shorten it to just &quot;the Dalai Lama.&quot; Even better than this is to avoid the convention altogether and refer to him by his real name &quot;Tenzin Gyatso.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This naming convention also goes for the countless Buddhas. The Buddha of our planet is &quot;Shakyamuni&quot; (the jewel of the shakya clan&quot;) or referrable by other more specific personal names.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some good books and articles out there showing each Dalai Lama's life.&#xA;It makes one think... &quot;when I become a bodhisattva, what incarnations will I take on to complete various karmas and purposes?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T17:13:17.927" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T17:13:17.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7488" CreationDate="2015-02-19T17:12:52.647" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some guidance from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on the responsibilities of the husband and wife. So, by extension, a suitable partner is one who can fulfil these responsibilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways should a wife as the western direction be respected by a&#xA;  husband: by honoring, not disrespecting, being faithful, sharing&#xA;  authority, and by giving gifts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, the wife so respected reciprocates with compassion in five ways:&#xA;  by being well-organized, being kindly disposed to the in-laws and&#xA;  household workers, being faithful, looking after the household goods,&#xA;  and being skillful and diligent in all duties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T17:19:25.237" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T17:19:25.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7775" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7779" CreationDate="2015-02-19T17:20:04.567" Score="4" ViewCount="222" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is mere practical: how a practitioner avoids that his mind wanders away into stories and dramas. There are moments that &quot;noting&quot; does not help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T08:04:08.443" Title="How to avoid adding concepts to our thinking" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7776" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7777" CreationDate="2015-02-19T18:24:30.690" Score="0" ViewCount="429" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between sunatta and anatta? if so, which is the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T01:34:03.723" Title="Is there a difference between sunatta and anatta" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-02-20T08:05:48.127" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7776" CreationDate="2015-02-19T19:22:08.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think sunyata is the &lt;code&gt;void&lt;/code&gt; that you experience when you see through the impermanence in things (&lt;code&gt;anitta&lt;/code&gt;). The reality is always vibrating. When you sit in vipassana and start observing, you will find that all your sensations are made up of these vibrations that constantly pulsate - they appear from nowhere and vanish instantly (anitta). Now, the emptiness or background in which the reality is vibrating is nothing but &lt;code&gt;sunyata&lt;/code&gt;.&#xA;Even modern physics has proved that matter vibrates at the quantum level, but you as a vipassana practitioner can actually observe the phenomena first hand! You don't have to take their word for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anatta&lt;/em&gt; on the other hand refers to the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;realization that I am not this conditioned self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Continuing on the vibration concept above, if you keep pressing with vipassana, you will ultimately learn (with lots and lots of practice) that all perceptions, thoughts, mental formations and even consciousness are ultimately reduced to these vibrations. After vibes corresponding to physical sensations, follow the mental formations, perception, consciousness and so on. The result is that an illusion called &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; is created by the vibe corresponding to consciousness impacted by the vibe corresponding to perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T20:18:43.460" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T20:18:43.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5681" CreationDate="2015-02-19T21:12:44.087" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to add one phrase from Larry Rosenberg in his book &lt;em&gt;Breath by Breath. The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation&lt;/em&gt; (2012), p.45:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, enlightenment is the experience of intimacy with the entire universe. There is no separation whatsoever. You totally disappear in the process of uniting with the raw content of the present moment. And because you do, you have never been more alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see it this way, enlightenment can never be a misleading ideal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-19T21:17:53.630" LastActivityDate="2015-02-19T21:17:53.630" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-02-19T21:52:30.613" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is: by not adding concepts to the thinking, by not feeding it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are moments that &quot;noting&quot; does not help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the mind is more quiet, sometimes it is more uneasy. Don't expect that in meditation you will always progress, or that the progress will be steady. Don't create the expectation that the mind will always settle when meditating, because it can be unsatisfying. Don't fight your mind and don't force it to calm down, it can be frustrating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, when you notice your mind is wandering, bring your awareness back to the object of meditation. The practice of meditation is not to stop adding concepts to the thinking &lt;em&gt;actively&lt;/em&gt;, or to learn to interrupt the process of thought. But it is more like weakening the impulse and momentum of thought. Thinking will never completely cease as it inherent to the human being. But with practice you get less overwhelmed and blinded by it, thinking becomes subtle and calm. Then, don't be anxious about being peaceful or settling the mind, because this anxiety defeats the purpose of meditation, it just would feed the eager to think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also practice to perceive the thoughts in a distanced manner. When someone is wandering on the thoughts, it is like he/she is immersed on them, being carried away by them. Then instead of being &lt;strong&gt;in&lt;/strong&gt; the flow of the thinking, try to watch the thinking from &lt;strong&gt;outside&lt;/strong&gt;. Be aware of the process of thought, perceive how it moves and watch it go away by itself. Instead of trying to block the chain of thoughts, something that is usually ineffective, try to stop feeding it and let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also &lt;em&gt;shamata&lt;/em&gt;, a practice to improve the stability of awareness. Begin by keeping the focus on the breath as long as you can. It seems that &lt;em&gt;shamata&lt;/em&gt; is commonly disregarded for its simplicity, but it is very important. How can you meditate on something if you your awareness isn't stable? If you are really into it, I suggest you to read the book &quot;The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind&quot; by Alan Wallace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And last, &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; can be helpful to perceive that it makes no sense to &quot;feed the trains of thought&quot;. From one side, thinking usually tries to fight the impermanent and unfulfilling marks of existence, and asserts the identity (the concept of self). From other side, thinking itself is impermanent (it is mostly random in the long run), is unfulfilling (its desires and aversions are never completely met) and have no self (it is not absolute, nor apart from everything else). Although thought is produced, you don't need to get overwhelmed and blinded by it, you don't have to be driven by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adding some more explanation on second paragraph after the quote, regarding interrupting the thought or stopping adding concepts to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And adding a bit more info to &lt;em&gt;shamata&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T23:29:47.277" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T23:29:47.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7780" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-19T23:51:09.060" Score="16" ViewCount="2300" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just trying to understand the concept of &lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt; better here. Buddhism tells me there is the concept of no-self (&lt;code&gt;anatta&lt;/code&gt;), and even the so called &lt;code&gt;conditional self&lt;/code&gt; is actually an illusion that arises out of my ignorance (correct me if I'm wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But psychology tells me on the other hand, that there exists something called Volition or Will. From Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Volition or will is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you see, there needs to be an &lt;code&gt;individual&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; who needs to take the decision or make the &lt;code&gt;will&lt;/code&gt;, so to speak. As a practical example, I decide to lift my hand right now, and lo and behold! my hand is lifted instantly. So, who is this &lt;code&gt;decision-maker&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;will-maker&lt;/code&gt; that made the decision of lifting the hand? You say there is no self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now saying that the &lt;code&gt;conditional self&lt;/code&gt; made the decision is not something I'm going to buy. How can anything as lowly as an illusion, decides to take control of things and make an impact on the real world? It is just an illusion after all. That's the reason I'm unable to bring anatta in sync with this practicality of life, however hard I try. Please care explain how do you explain volition if anatta is a reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T15:06:15.190" LastActivityDate="2018-01-18T08:32:28.610" Title="If anatta is a reality, then how do you explain Volition or Will?" Tags="|anatman|self|free-will|" AnswerCount="14" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T00:02:49.080" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Anatta&lt;/code&gt; means that there is no permanent self, not that there is no self at all. That would be just silly and contradict observation. Imagine the self as a car. Every day one part of the car is replaced with another. One day the right headlight, the other day the windscreen, the third day the rear left wheel. And so on. At some point, all the pieces of the car have changed, but can you say exactly when the first car changed into the second? You can't, but at the same time you can't claim that the car you end with is the same as the car you began with. Similarly, just think about yourself when you were five years old. Was it you, was it another version of you, or was it another person, with different tastes, making different choices?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key point is that self and will are conditioned phenomena subject to change, to birth, to death. So the &lt;code&gt;decision-maker&lt;/code&gt; and the &lt;code&gt;will-maker&lt;/code&gt; are conditioned, constructed phenomena subject to change, birth, death. There is some uncanny science going on that shows that &lt;a href=&quot;http://io9.com/5975778/scientific-evidence-that-you-probably-dont-have-free-will&quot;&gt;sometimes we make decisions&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23367-brain-imaging-spots-our-abstract-choices-before-we-do.html&quot;&gt;before we are aware of having made them&lt;/a&gt;. Who is the &lt;code&gt;will-maker&lt;/code&gt; now? The real illusion is not that there is a conditional self or not, but that we are in power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastEditorUserId="3632" LastEditDate="2015-02-20T00:18:30.257" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T00:18:30.257" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T01:24:25.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, does Buddhism teach free will?  If not (and I've seen enough to suggest that this is a tenable interpretation), then there's no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if Buddhism teaches free will, then what does it mean by anatta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by anatta it means to let go of the self (with no ontological commitments made to it one way or another), then there is no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if by anatta it means no self, then what is it denying?  The existence of a permanent, independent self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Denying a permanent self has no implications on free will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Denying an independent self has implications on free will, but no more than the implications we accept when we acknowledge that external circumstances can influence our decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-15T13:12:52.847" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T13:12:52.847" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7776" CreationDate="2015-02-20T01:34:03.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen many interpretations, so I'll just give you the one I find most tenable/helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunyata is the denial of any independent essence of a thing.  Therefore, anatta is a type of sunyata, in which that independent essence is me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way of looking at sunyata (a consequence) is that everything is interdependent (hence the lack of independence).  This focuses on the independence aspect of the self that's denied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T01:34:03.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T04:36:17.290" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I'm just trying to understand the concept of anatta better here. Buddhism tells me there is the concept of no-self (anatta) [...] (correct me if I'm wrong).&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll quote &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2454/382&quot;&gt;@suminda's sucint description of anatta&lt;/a&gt; here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Saying there is no self is a bit of a mistranslation or abbreviated translation. A better translation would be &quot;there is nothing you can take as me, mine or self, which is permanent, non changing and persistent;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the suttas (and, consequently, the Buddha) speak of anatta, often they understand atta/self to be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a fixed/unchanging essence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an eternal essence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an essence that is never dukkha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an essence that is under your &lt;em&gt;complete&lt;/em&gt; control&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, Buddha's doctrine teaches how to observe every single aspect of yourself raising and ceasing, and under which conditions they do so. At the end, one comes to the conclusion that every aspect of what constitutes &quot;him/her self&quot; is conditioned: raises and ceases under certain conditions. Therefore, in summary, one concludes nothing possessing all the features above can be found. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As illustration, Nagasena and King Milinda debate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] &quot;How then did you come on foot, or on a mount?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I did not come, Sir, on foot, but on a chariot.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If you have come on a chariot, then please explain to me what a chariot is. Is the pole the chariot?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Reverend Sir!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is then the axle the chariot?&quot; No..&quot;Is it then the wheels, or the framework, of the flag-staff, or the yoke, or the reins, or the goad-stick?&quot;...&quot;Then is it the combination of poke, axle, wheels, framework, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad which is the &quot;chariot&quot;?&quot;... &quot;Then, is this &quot;chariot&quot; outside the combination of poke, axle, wheels, framework, flag-staff, yoke, reins and goad?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Reverend Sir!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, ask as I may, I can discover no chariot at all. This &quot;chariot&quot; is just a mere sound. But what is the real chariot? Your Majesty has told a lie, has spoken a falsehood! There is really no chariot! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Milinda Panha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above, Nagasena is alluding to an &quot;essence of the chariot&quot;, and showing there isn't one, as an analogy. It's said &quot;illusion&quot; because it's easy to believe something inside is unchanging, etc. Naturally, we say &quot;you&quot; and &quot;I&quot; and &quot;myself&quot;, as this is useful and understandable in the day-to-day. And I'm pretty sure I'm writing this right now (or, to be more precise, the experience of writing this text right now is been felt). This is no illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But psychology tells me on the other hand, that there exists something called Volition or Will.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism psychology also refers to volition, calling it &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;. In general, it is grouped in the &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra-khandha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;So you see, there needs to be an individual or self who needs to take the decision or make the will, so to speak.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not necessarily true that an individual (unchanging, etc) self needs to be. It is quite possible for a composition of ephemeral &quot;things&quot; (of which &quot;volition&quot; can be a part of, as well as a nervous system, and so on) connected to each other, to interact and, in this interaction, things happen -- and complex behavior appear. (Biologists and computer scientists are no strangers to systems &quot;that have no core&quot;, composed by simple parts, but exhibit complex behavior).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Edit]&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;As a practical example, I decide to lift my hand right now, and lo and behold! my hand is lifted instantly&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; In the comments: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;what was the decision to lift the arm right now conditioned or caused by?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that our (unenlightened) volitions, individually (like writing this text), are &lt;em&gt;caused&lt;/em&gt; by delusions, desires and aversions -- and perhaps &quot;habits&quot; which is also a placeholder for subtler or deeper kinds of desires and aversions. With the cessation of the specific desires/aversions (by their consummation or extinguished otherwise) there is the cessation of the specific volition. In the Buddha's words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, these three are causes for the origination of actions. Which three? Greed is a cause for the origination of actions. Aversion is a cause for the origination of actions. Delusion is a cause for the origination of actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Nidana Sutta: Causes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.033.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.33&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above actions are said to &quot;generate kamma fruits&quot;. That is, they are seeds that are capable of germinate, to come to fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What about an Arahant?&quot;, you ask. As far as the texts go, an Arahant still possesses the 5 aggregates, and naturally still perform actions. Supposedly, these are directed by volitions. However, it is said such actions are not &quot;tainted&quot; and have a distinct quality due to the &quot;cool down&quot; of his deepest clinging and cravings. There is no desire for &quot;having&quot; or &quot;becoming&quot;. In the same sutta above, the Buddha continues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, these three are [further] causes for the origination of actions. Which three? Non-greed is a cause for the origination of actions. Non-aversion is a cause for the origination of actions. Non-delusion is a cause for the origination of actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any action performed with non-greed — born of non-greed, caused by non-greed, originating from non-greed: When greed is gone, that action is thus abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, in a higher perspective, the general form of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; formula&lt;/a&gt; has kamma volition (or, more specifically, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_43.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*) &lt;em&gt;conditioned&lt;/em&gt; by ignorance -- that is, with the cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt;. I understand this is not about a specific volition like raising an arm, but all volitions [whose kamma may come to fruition].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;(*)Note this &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt; is not considered to be the same as &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra-khanda&lt;/em&gt; mentioned above&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;So, who is this decision-maker or will-maker? You say there is no self?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way of seeing it is that there is decision as a product of interacting processes. I guess one is free to call volition the decision-maker on his own. But, according to Buddhism, regarding that volition/&quot;decision-maker&quot; possessing the features in the list above is a faulty view, and under careful scrutiny, it should show it's true nature (perhaps just as atoms, under careful scrutiny, were shown to be not atomic at all).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-12-01T03:48:45.387" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T03:48:45.387" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T06:36:49.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To reuse &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7697/471&quot;&gt;my other answer&lt;/a&gt; to another question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's teaching is that there is a non-permanent self that &quot;emerges&quot;, as a result of the dependency on the inter-working of the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness. Each of these five aggregates also have dependencies. This is what is meant by the Buddha's statement, &quot;&lt;em&gt;all conditioned things are impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, in other words, all these things that have dependencies are not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is no single self that is the charioteer or agent of the five aggregates. Imagine you hurt your hand and say &quot;I hurt myself&quot;. But if your hand is chopped off, does your self disappear? No. So, applying this one by one, you realize that your self is neither form, feeling, perception, mental formations or consciousness. But beyond this, there is nothing more to yourself. That is what is meant by the Buddha's statement, &quot;&lt;em&gt;all phenomena is not self&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Anatta refers to &quot;not self&quot; not &quot;no self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just an overly-generalized summary. More info can be found on the topic of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now about free will:&#xA;You are hungry so you decide to eat. You ate chinese food yesterday, so you feel like eating something else today. You remember that you don't have much food left at home, so you go to a nearby restaurant. You haven't visited a particular restaurant for some time, so you decide to visit it. The decisions you made to lift yourself from the couch to go to the restaurant and eat, is dependent on your mental formations (thoughts, memories etc.). You think it's free will because nobody forced you to do it and you decided yourself, but it was actually conditioned by past experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T06:36:49.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-02-20T07:02:46.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realise the mind has wondered away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have a look at the object which it has wondered away to and the sensation it creates (if thoughts around the head)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at how you perceive this and the metal reaction that follows (if thoughts around the head)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;These sensations trigger more thoughts and reactions in quick succession which in tern creates more sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bring back your mind to your object of meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T07:02:46.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7139" CreationDate="2015-02-20T07:38:45.287" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, yathābhūtañāṇadassana is said to refer to early stages of Vipassana insight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yathābhūtañāṇadassananti yathāsabhāvajānanasaṅkhātaṃ dassanaṃ. etena taruṇavipassanaṃ dasseti. taruṇavipassanā hi balavavipassanāya paccayo hoti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;yathābhūtañāṇadassana&lt;/strong&gt; refers to that which is understood as knowing things according to existential characteristics (sabhāva). By this is meant weak (taruṇa) vipassana. And weak vipassana is a requisite for strong (balava) vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN-a 2.1.3.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary here is explaining a passage showing the following progression:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;avijjūpanisā saṅkhārā - formations have ignorance as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;saṅkhārūpanisaṃ viññāṇaṃ - consciousness has formations as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;viññāṇūpanisaṃ nāmarūpaṃ - mind and body have consciousness as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;nāmarūpūpanisaṃ saḷāyatanaṃ - the senses have mind and body as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;saḷāyatanūpaniso phasso - contact has the senses as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;phassūpanisā vedanā - sensations have contact as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;vedanūpanisā taṇhā - craving has sensations as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;taṇhūpanisaṃ upādānaṃ - clinging has craving as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;upādānūpaniso bhavo - becoming has clinging as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;bhavūpanisā jāti - birth has becoming as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;jātūpanisaṃ dukkhaṃ - suffering has birth as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;dukkhūpanisā saddhā - confidence has suffering as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;saddhūpanisaṃ pāmojjaṃ - delight has confidence as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;pāmojjūpanisā pīti - rapture has delight as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;pītūpanisā passaddhi - tranquillity has rapture as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;passaddhūpanisaṃ sukhaṃ - happiness has tranquillity as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sukhūpaniso samādhi - concentration has happiness as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;samādhūpanisaṃ yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; - knowledge and vision of things as they are has concentration as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;yathābhūtañāṇadassanūpanisā nibbidā&lt;/strong&gt; - disenchantment has knowledge and vision of things as they are as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;nibbidūpaniso virāgo - dispassion has disenchantment as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;virāgūpanisā vimutti - freedom has dispassion as a cause&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;vimuttūpanisaṃ khayeñāṇaṃ - knowledge of destruction (of the taints) has freedom as a cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Upanisa Sutta (SN 12.23)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Balava vipassana refers to nibbida. The lokuttara magga and phala cittas are equated with viraaga and vimutti respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T15:52:29.000" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7448" CreationDate="2015-02-20T07:51:37.857" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha laid down the four great standards to try and avoid this sort of thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, whatever I have not objected to, saying, 'This is not allowable,' if it fits in with what is not allowable, if it goes against what is allowable, that is not allowable for you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Whatever I have not objected to, saying, 'This is not allowable,' if it fits in with what is allowable, if it goes against what is not allowable, that is allowable for you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And whatever I have not permitted, saying, 'This is allowable,' if it fits in with what is not allowable, if it goes against what is allowable, that is not allowable for you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And whatever I have not permitted, saying, 'This is allowable,' if it fits in with what is allowable, if it goes against what is not allowable, that is allowable for you.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(from Vinaya, Mv.VI. 40)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=4_great_standards&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=4_great_standards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, where there's a will, there's a way, and it's easy to find loopholes if you're looking for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T07:51:37.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-20T08:27:13.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are sum total off our Sankara. 1st stage of enlightenment happens when all the Sankara leading to a lower birth has been depleted though Vippassana and you experience something beyond the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if at all the advancement needed is something that can change your Sankara and also something to stop you from creating new Sankara. I do not think that any scientific innovation can lead to such discovery or innovation. We cannot identify and quantify Karma scientifically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T08:27:13.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T09:26:51.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any perception of notion of self will not match reality 100% hence will be unsatisfactory. Through meditation you should get rid of this perception of self as this is the source of misery. If you keep pondering of self or non self at an intellectual or philosophical level you still dealing with concepts and perceptions, so this is not something you should ponder on as it feeds into a particular perception or notion which results in misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you react with craving and attachment towards any sensation volitional formation will follow (Saṅkhāra). E.g. you have a perception of self and you hear a sound. You can perceive that some one is scolding me. To this you can react with anger and create volitional formation / Karma. If your perception of self is completely removed then you do not need to react through you know that some one is verbally abusing you but you do not take it personally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any perception will give you a yard stick to measure the disparity from reality since the 3 universal characteristics means any perception will never be right 100%.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In you mind's eye there should be no &lt;code&gt;will maker&lt;/code&gt; or notion of self as this will not enable you to look at the world in a detached way without taking things personally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just my brief 2C to complement couple of already very good answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T10:06:39.970" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T10:06:39.970" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-20T14:56:56.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It might be a good idea to first see what the Buddha said about the aggregates. For example, about feeling:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &amp;quot;There are these three feelings. Which three? A feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain, a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. These are the three feelings. ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than.html#iti-052&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 52&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, imagine a minute ago, you just ate a sweet mango and experienced a very pleasant feeling. Then a minute later, you trip and fall flat on the hard wood floor and experience a very painful feeling. Now ask yourself, does the feeling a minute ago still &amp;quot;stay together&amp;quot; with the rest of the aggregates now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, about perception:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these six kinds of perception: the perception of form, the perception of sound, the perception of aroma, the perception of flavor, the perception of tactile sensation, the perception of ideas. ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#fnt-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, imagine a minute ago, you saw someone and recognized that she was a good old friend of yours. Then a minute later, you hear a loud boom and recognize 2 cars crash into each other in a terrible accident. Now ask yourself, doe the perception a minute ago still &amp;quot;stay together&amp;quot; with the rest of the aggregates now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, for the rest of the aggregates... if one's aggregates don't even &amp;quot;stay together&amp;quot; from moment to moment, how do you expect them to stay together from life to life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last and probably the most important sutta reference to address your query on the aggregates' &amp;quot;togetherness&amp;quot;. The root cause to this query is because there's an assumption that they're somehow &amp;quot;bound&amp;quot; to a concrete and immutable self. Here is what the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is feeling permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is perception permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Are determinations permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir. ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T14:56:56.427" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-20T16:53:07.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of this answer is from the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a good answer from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-5-05&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapanha 3.5.5&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn?&quot; &quot;Yes, your majesty, one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it that&#xA;  one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is&#xA;  it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the&#xA;  other lamp?&quot; &quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your&#xA;  majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;Give me&#xA;  another analogy.&quot; &quot;Do you remember, your majesty, when you were a boy&#xA;  learning some verse from a teacher?&quot; &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Your&#xA;  majesty, did this verse transmigrate from the teacher?&quot; &quot;Certainly&#xA;  not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another from Ven. Yuttadhammo's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/53/471&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There isn't in fact any such thing as rebirth, in ultimate reality.&#xA;  Nothing is truly reborn, ever. Every experience that is made up of the&#xA;  five aggregates arises and ceases without remainder. That is true&#xA;  death. Rebirth is a concept used to describe the change between one&#xA;  artificial framework of experiences (e.g. a human life) to another.&#xA;  The ultimate reality is that the mind simply arises and ceases at the&#xA;  last moment of life and then a new mind arises at the first moment of&#xA;  rebirth based on the last one, very similar to as has been occurring&#xA;  throughout one's life, except this time there is no old physical&#xA;  phenomena for it to be based on, so it is based solely on one's final&#xA;  state of mind in the last life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, all five aggregates pass away completely at death and nothing of it is transmigrated to a new form.  The only thing that is transferred is &quot;information&quot; (the flame).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is something relevant in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking &amp;amp; pondering, that&#xA;  becomes the inclination of his awareness. If a monk keeps pursuing&#xA;  thinking imbued with sensuality, abandoning thinking imbued with&#xA;  renunciation, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with&#xA;  sensuality. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, what is transferred on rebirth, is not his sensation, perception, consciousness, thoughts and memories, but rather, the general &quot;inclination of awareness&quot;. Quotes below describe that the inclination become the last state of mind at death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's another &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/BuddhaTeachings/page_28.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada Mahathera about the transfer of &quot;information&quot; using the analogy of radio waves picked up by a radio set:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rebirth takes place immediately, irrespective of the place of birth,&#xA;  just as an electromagnetic wave, projected into space, is immediately&#xA;  reproduced in a receiving radio set. Rebirth of the mental flux is&#xA;  also instantaneous and leaves no room whatever for any intermediate&#xA;  state (antarabhava). Pure Buddhism does not support the belief&#xA;  that a spirit of the deceased person takes lodgement in some temporary&#xA;  state until it finds a suitable place for its &quot;reincarnation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another two excellent &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratna/wheel102.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;quotes&lt;/a&gt; by V. F. Gunaratna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not life in this existence only that is a process of becoming.&#xA;  The process of becoming continues into the next existence also,&#xA;  because there is a continuity of consciousness. The last consciousness&#xA;  (cuti-citta) in one life is followed by what is known as a re-linking&#xA;  consciousness (patisandhi-viññana) in the next life. The process of&#xA;  one consciousness giving rise to another continues unbroken, the only&#xA;  difference being a change in the place where such consciousness&#xA;  manifests itself. Distance is no bar to the sequence of cause and&#xA;  effect. Life is a process of grasping and becoming, and death is a&#xA;  change of the thing grasped leading to a new becoming. Grasping is a&#xA;  continuous feature where human living is concerned. It is this&#xA;  grasping that leads to becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from the same source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This last thought series is most important since it fashions the&#xA;  nature of his next existence, just as the last thought before going to&#xA;  sleep can become the first thought on awakening. No extraneous or&#xA;  arbitrary power does this for him. He does this for himself&#xA;  unconsciously as it were.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is the most important act of his life, good or bad, that conditions&#xA;  the last thought moment of a life. The kamma of this action is called&#xA;  garuka kamma or weighty Kamma. In the majority of cases the type of&#xA;  act which men habitually perform and for which they have the strongest&#xA;  liking becomes the last active thought. The ruling thought in life&#xA;  becomes strong at death. This habitual kamma is called acinna kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to summarize, every person's habitual thoughts and actions (karma) shapes his &quot;inclination of awareness&quot;, that becomes the last state of mind at death, and this is the &quot;information&quot; that gets transferred without carrier, the way flame is transferred from candle to candle, or radio waves are transferred from one radio to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sptimmortalityproject.com/background/buddhist-views-of-the-afterlife/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this source&lt;/a&gt;, the above is the Theravada perspective. According to it the Abhidharmakosa tradition states that the non-physical aggregates move together after death. And Tibetan Buddhism discusses &quot;in-between&quot; (antarabhava) states between two lives called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bardo&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2892/471&quot;&gt;This question&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/26/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; are relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T10:38:28.587" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7695" CreationDate="2015-02-20T17:49:19.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist doctrine is somewhat confusing and a little bit self-contradictory in nature. Possibly Buddha wanted to show a way to atheists so he omitted any gods from his doctrine but even Buddha talked about karma and reincarnation. What seems like self-contradictory to me in Buddhist teachings is on one hand it says there is no permanent self and on the other hand Buddha talks of ending human suffering. So the question arises is who benefits from end of suffering if there is no permanenet self? Obviously there has to be something permanenet which has to end its suffering. And that permanenet self is the soul. Other than that I can say that Buddhist teachings make sense and Buddhist practices of meditation will help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4737" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T17:49:19.830" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="73" CreationDate="2015-02-20T18:00:22.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is when a soul leaves the body in the state of ignorance and then again gets a new body in ignorance.&#xA;Reincarnation is when soul leaves the body in full knowledge and such souls reincarnate only to fulfill a some mission or purpose in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4737" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T18:00:22.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-20T18:07:54.607" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If decision making is a self, why do you regret certain decisions you have made? You should be able to  make all good decisions in life. Why is decision making affected by craving, aversion and ignorance? If it is a self, you should be able to disassociate it from the 3 roots of evil, at will. But you can't! That is something you need to practice and cultivate. If volition is a self, why can't you make it not cause Kamma Vipaka(consequences). Ultimately, a decision is a thought that falls under Sankhara. The 4th of the 5 aggregates. If that thought is a self, you should be able to stop it from vanishing. But you can't!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But psychology and Wikipedia tells me that there needs to be an individual or self    - paraphrasing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe according to psychology and Wikipedia. But not according to Buddhism.&#xA;According to Buddhism there are 4 false views of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Owner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dweller&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiencer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking that decision making is a self, belongs to the 'Doer' category. There is decision making, but there's no decision maker. It's similar with experiencing. There is experiencing, but there's no experiencer. The notions of decision maker and experiencer are caused due to not seeing the deciding as deciding or experiencing as experiencing and taking them as self. In other words, due to ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-02-20T18:20:11.423" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T18:20:11.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-02-20T18:21:31.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Previous posters have provided some solid recommendations.  To them, I'd add the role of philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our mind wanders to things to which we are attached; concepts, ideas, worries and so on.  This means if we work on adopting a philosophy of life designed to reduce these attachments, we should reduce the mind's tendency to wander.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You've heard of the saying &quot;All Roads Lead to Rome&quot;?  Well, we can paraphrase that to &quot;All Attachments Lead to Self&quot;.  So work on the Self, and you work on the key player in your attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where the path comes in.  Things like unconditional compassion, right speech and renunciation can help free the mind from the various scenarios that play out.  For instance, daydreaming about getting even or telling someone off is often done as a dry run for possible courses of action should those situations arise.  Yet if (a priori) I have discounted those possibilities by truly committing to right speech, how likely are they to arise, or to persist should they arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T18:21:31.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3894" CreationDate="2015-02-20T22:34:59.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the point of meditation isn't to enable logical thinking. If you let yourself be carried away by the trains of thoughts, it doesn't matter if it makes you feel bad or good. Meditation is to be present and aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there anyway we can use meditation as a tool to calm ourselves AND show to us in a very effective way that this fear is unrational and this terrible scenario is highly unlikely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is more about perceiving that there is no sense to imagine too far, or to get excessively concerned with thoughts. &lt;em&gt;I'm not saying that thinking is bad, but be more pragmatic&lt;/em&gt;. Instead of thinking too far away and producing suffering, try to &lt;strong&gt;do&lt;/strong&gt; something practical. Try something like &quot;ok, this scenario don't look very good, what is the simplest thing I can do &lt;strong&gt;now&lt;/strong&gt; to reduce the possibility of it?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation, I think, is very related to pragmatism. When you meditate, you just meditate and nothing more. And bringing it to life, instead of becoming overwhelmed by the possibilities, try to find what you can do right here and right now that can contribute to avoid the bad cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a change of focus. Instead of feeding the image of some possible future, come up with something that can be done immediately. And if you can't do anything about it, let it be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, instead of improving your thinking or changing the feelings that thought produces, meditate to be more pragmatic, more present and more aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And lastly, a book recommendation. I think that being pragmatic is one important point in Shunryu Suzuki's &quot;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-02-25T14:33:25.643" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T14:33:25.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5745" CreationDate="2015-02-20T22:46:49.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tried to search a bit for some books by ven. Nanavira. I could only find this one &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ctp_screen-view_v1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Clearing The Path&lt;/a&gt;. Maybe you can use it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-02-20T22:46:49.903" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-21T03:19:17.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All of the aggregates are impermanent including Form, Sensation, Conception, Volition (&quot;mental formations&quot;), and Consciousness (and all its levels, including the storehouse).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the aggregates on a profound, modern level, I highly recommend the &quot;Chapter 5: The Five Aggregates Schema and the Various Levels of Consciousness&quot; from &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot; by Master Huai-Chin Nan and William Bodri.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that some Buddhists would argue against the following explanation because they have never seen it before but I am providing it nonetheless as a Buddhist idea because it is a theory that tightly relates the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;12 nidanas&lt;/a&gt; to the 5 aggregates with some Tibetan Buddhist elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would re-recommend the previously mentioned book by Master Nan and his student to master the concepts first and also to understand certain depths that I do not go into for this answer because I do not want to write an essay right now but want to answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, when I mention skandha... skandha = aggregate. They mean the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And now here is the answer to your question about what happens when you die.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read it like a story. It's undoubtably the most important story to understand and sorry if I'm light on the details, there are many many interdisciplinary connections to make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;form recedes into sensation&lt;/strong&gt;: upon death, your coarsest skandha, form, dissolves and you feel the intense sensations of pain and freedom and clarity among myriad of other things as you are dying. You are no longer your flesh. The five elements recede one after another into each other, causing specific feelings, until only wind is left and you feel a &quot;very strong thirst.&quot; After coalescing into a chi body and leaving your flesh body you have basically started your journey as a bardo spirit.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sensation recedes into conception&lt;/strong&gt;: sensation, the intense feelings and judgements still there, you are pushed around by strong feelings until you jump directly into an animal incarnation or ghost incarnation or hell. The recession process HALTS and you go forward through the nidanas and become ignorant and alive again... OR.. (the better option:) if you are able to overpower the overwhelming sensation skandha through equanimity or did not have much poison in the first place!... the aggregate itself dies out and recedes and you progress to...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;conception recedes into volition&lt;/strong&gt;: having overcome the coarsest aggregates, as a bardo spirit, you now experience the conception skandha and see the story of your life, judgments, etc. clearly seeing all your mistakes and praiseworthy actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;volition recedes into consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;: eventually if you can go beyond even this and not be tormented, then your next trial will be the volition skandha where you must somehow even defy the inner-most beliefs and ideas about self and life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;pure consciousness, possibility for Tao&lt;/strong&gt;: supposing one succeeds past that stage, there is now the enormity of the consciousness skandha to transform! Pure consciousness, no flesh (form), no judgment (sensation), no discrimination (conception), and even no laws (volition). Depending on one's level of Awakening, one's level of bhumi (hint: ignorant people stuck in the coarser aggregates, do not make it this far), one can either be very clear or mildly clear during the following process. One still exists as a spirit of some sort beyond all the previous aggregates and gradually there comes before oneself an egg. This is an egg from the alaya consciousness (the last level of consciousness). One looks at this egg and depending on one's affinity, one will either feel attraction, repulsion, or neutrality. (This is a sign of karma and the ever &quot;perfuming&quot; nature of the seeds within the alaya consciousness.) One can also look deep into one egg then dwelling on it, one can see what kind of story one will live if one chooses to enter that egg. If one chooses to not enter this egg, there are (according to Tibetan Buddhism) other eggs that come about. One can then choose that egg.&#xA;This is tremendously valuable information to know! Most likely we will die without attaining Buddhahood! Perhaps we may get wise learn a bit of Tibetan Buddhist death cultivation to use to choose a good egg.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--When I say &quot;recede&quot; the entire aggregate does not &lt;em&gt;completely&lt;/em&gt; recede but gets deactivated--only to get further activated after the new seed for a new life is chosen (from the alaya). &lt;strong&gt;Sequentially, through the 12 steps of causation, a new birth happens as well as the a new forging of a seeming personality, ego, and a life.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--Towards the later stages of recession, past the sensation aggregate, I suspect that the phenomenon whereby Tibetan Buddhists say that even those that were not so successful in their meditation can take the opportunity of Clear Light phenomenon to jump directly into Awakening! This is possible because the body and mind is an obstacle to Awakening and when thus cleared the opportunity to reach initial Awakening (of interdependent origination and non-self/Oneness) is easier. &lt;em&gt;Remember to take advantage of this certain opportunity after you die.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;strong&gt;Please do not share this information with non-Buddhists.&lt;/strong&gt; The above writing are Tibetan ideas and conveying such information to non-Buddhists or anyone that it would cause excessive alarm or repugnance can certainly cause them reincarnative harm (according to what I was taught).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T03:29:21.057" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T03:29:21.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3534" CreationDate="2015-02-21T07:13:32.343" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I hope, sir, that there were no white-clad householders there.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;No, friend, there were no white-clad householders there.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It's good, sir, that there were no white-clad householders there.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.023.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T07:13:32.343" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7803" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7808" CreationDate="2015-02-21T07:33:24.183" Score="7" ViewCount="258" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apocarteresis is a form of suicide where a person stops taking food and/or water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I want to make it very clear that &lt;strong&gt;I have no intention of committing suicide anytime soon&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as the Buddha taught, old age, illness and death are part of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that the most dreadful thing is not the disease itself or even death, it is my experience that in some countries (for legal reasons) doctors will insist in keeping patients alive when it would be compassionate to let the disease take its own course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am relatively young now, and healthy. Again, &lt;strong&gt;I have no desire to die soon&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;However, having witnessed my grandfather's unnecessarily protracted death, I would rather not leave my life in the hands of overzealous doctors come the time. On the other hand, I would want to avoid causing suffering and accumulating kamma with an unskillful act of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is apocartheresis as a form of euthanasia viewed within Buddhism in cases of terminal illness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T16:43:15.167" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T17:42:52.130" Title="Apocarteresis in Buddhism" Tags="|death|suicide|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-21T09:07:20.727" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wow! I can't believe someone has placed a bounty for a philosophical question. This usually happens only on &lt;code&gt;stackoverflow.com&lt;/code&gt;, the computer programming related SE site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyways, since all relevant suttas and Buddhist texts are already quoted and elucidated, I will again try to answer your questions from a more pragmatic view point. From your questions, I gather that you have an intense curiosity to know about the nature and characteristics of your next birth. Instead of asking these questions about aggregates, I suggest you study the life and times of people in known history having had known memories and anecdotes of their past lives. Here are some examples I can offer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Emperor Ashoka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: He was a great ruler in ancient India (~250 B.C.) who adopted Buddhism and the principles of non-violence during his lifetime. Now, it so happens that Gautam Buddha had foretold his rebirth and ascension to Kingship in his past life. This entire incident could be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokavadana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ashokavadana&lt;/a&gt;, a Buddhist text recording the history of Emperor Ashoka.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://guardianlv.com/2014/06/reincarnation-signs-that-indicate-kids-who-had-a-past-life/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Shanti Devi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a small kid in the 1930s British India who could remember her past life as a house-wife who had a husband and kids.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://listverse.com/2013/10/21/10-interesting-cases-of-supposed-reincarnation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;James Leininger&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Another small kid who used to play with nothing but toy airplanes. After James told his father that he had been killed in his plane at Iwo Jima, his father discovered a pilot called James M. Huston Jr. who had died there. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By reading about these accounts what do you feel? The &lt;em&gt;aggregates&lt;/em&gt; (perception, consciousness, formations, sensations and forms) are just momentary, their impermanence is what Buddhism teaches us. Whether they separated after your death doesn't matter (they are constantly flickering anyway). What matters is that your conditioned self (the illusion called &lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt; created by the aggregates) will maintain its integrity through all your lives, until you achieve Nirvana. It has to do that, otherwise how will it enjoy (or suffer) the fruits of its past &lt;em&gt;Kamma&lt;/em&gt;? - The results of its cravings and aversions of the previous lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T09:20:12.090" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T09:20:12.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7805" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7806" CreationDate="2015-02-21T09:41:55.427" Score="4" ViewCount="841" Body="&lt;p&gt;In which pali canon texts does the Buddha mention a craving for nonexistence? I'm just curious to see what it means in its wider context. I suspect its mentioned in a number of different places but any reference will be good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T16:28:47.410" Title="Where does the Buddha mention a craving for non-existence?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7805" CreationDate="2015-02-21T10:36:56.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mentions the 'craving' in his first sermon, which is/was the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&lt;/a&gt;, in which he describes the 'four noble truths'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:[1] Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; &lt;strong&gt;association with the unbeloved is stressful&lt;/strong&gt;, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, &lt;strong&gt;craving for non-becoming&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#Vibhava-tanha_.28craving_not_to_be.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vibhava-tanha (craving not to be)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt; equates that with what's called annihilation-ism, a.k.a. materialism (&lt;em&gt;ucchedavaada&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.bpit.html#fnt-99&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;99&lt;/a&gt; Kāma-taṇhā is hankering after and becoming attached to pleasures of the senses. Bhava- taṇhā is hankering after and becoming attached to continued existence, either the current sensual existence or a better and higher existence in the rūpa (fine material) or arūpa (non-material) brahmā realms, or becoming attached to the rūpa and arūpa jhānas. &lt;strong&gt;Vibhava- taṇhā is hankering after and becoming attached to the idea that there is no kamma for rebirth, and hence no future existence&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#cite_note-8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali discourses that use this three-fold typology include DN 15, DN 22, MN 44, SN 22.22, SN 22.103, SN 22.104, SN 22.105, SN 38.10, SN 39.10, SN 45.170, SN 56.11, SN 56.13 and SN 56.14.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 15&lt;/a&gt; says e.g.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for no becoming [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and the same in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.22&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T16:28:47.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-02-21T11:07:40.153" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism tells me there is the concept of no-self (anatta)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never said there is NO SELF.He rejects annihilationism. When confronted with direct questions such as &quot;Is there a Self?&quot; The Buddha chooses to remain silent.It's not that there is no self but what we call &quot;self&quot; is not what we perceive it to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the so called conditional self is actually an illusion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No it is not.The conditioned self is not an illusion.It's the unconditioned self that is.When we think that we are not conditioned by anything.That &quot;I&quot; is permanent.This ego is permanent.This is the illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Volition or will is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action.So you see, there needs to be an individual or self who needs to take the decision or make the will, so to speak.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes you are right.Self created voalition.But what created self?Ignorance.Delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Self believes it is separate,solid and permanent self.And while maintaining this status it creates samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a practical example, I decide to lift my hand right now, and lo and behold! my hand is lifted instantly. So, who is this decision-maker or will-maker? You say there is no self?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The will maker is you.You are the Ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use the ego.You.Me.I. to follow the Eight Noble Path.When you(the ego) have created the right conditions for insight to arise.Release will be experienced.Liberation.From what?From the ego.You see suffering will always be here.It's the person whose suffering that goes away.This is why Arahants,feel physical pain,get sick and die but whose bothered?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now saying that the conditional self made the decision is not something I'm going to buy.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Voalition IS conditioned.It was triggered by something else no matter how subtle.You get to see this when you practice meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can anything as lowly as an illusion, decides to take control of things and make an impact on the real world? It is just an illusion after all.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A schizophrenic decides to jump of a building because he thought he was being chased by monsters.This is an illusion.But the jump is real.We don't even have to go this far.Just say you are suspicious of someone meaning you harm,have no concrete proof,and yet in your mind you imagine (illusitory) that they must be plotting something when in fact they are not,you churn this over and over in your head,when you meet them chances are your going to be guarded or harbour even subtle antagonism or may even &quot;do&quot; something unwholesome.This action is real.But it was driven by something that is not real.And has no basis in the truth.Our actions are not based on whether something is ultimately true or not.It's based on how we perceive things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please care explain how do you explain volition if anatta is a reality?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't.Voalition can't be explained if anatta is a reality.So why are we still experiencing voalition?Because we have not experienced anatta as a reality.We understand it theoretically.The problem is we haven't realised it.As long as we haven't realised it voalition will always be around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T11:07:40.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7803" CreationDate="2015-02-21T17:27:45.990" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your calling it &quot;suicide&quot; (i.e. intentionally killing yourself) and &quot;committing&quot; (a crime) suggest that the action/intention/view you have in mind are not appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following paragraphs from pages 82 and 83 of this Vinaya commentary,&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code I: The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; suggest that the doctors would not be &quot;killing&quot; is they withhold treatment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Inaction&lt;/em&gt;. Given the Vibhanga’s definition of taking life, we can infer that&#xA;  inaction does not fulfill the factor of effort here, for it does not cut off the life&#xA;  faculty. Thus if a bhikkhu sits idly when seeing a flood sweep a person&#xA;  downstream, he commits no offense—regardless of his feelings about the&#xA;  person’s death—even if the person then drowns. Recommending that another&#xA;  person sit idly as well would also not fulfill the factor of effort here, because the&#xA;  category of &lt;em&gt;command&lt;/em&gt; covers only the act of inciting the listener to do any of the&#xA;  four actions that would fulfill the factor of effort under this rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Medical care and life-support&lt;/em&gt;. The same holds true if a bhikkhu decides not to&#xA;  give a patient a treatment—or to discontinue treatment—that might conceivably&#xA;  extend the patient’s life: It does not fulfill the factor of effort, for such acts do not&#xA;  cut off the life faculty. At most they simply allow it to end on its own. The Canon&#xA;  supports this inference by treating such actions not under this rule but under&#xA;  Mv.VIII.26.3-4, where it imposes only a dukka˛a on the act of refusing to give 83&#xA;  any treatment at all to an ill bhikkhu, or of discontinuing all care for an ill&#xA;  bhikkhu prior to his recovery or death. This shows that the compilers of the&#xA;  Canon did not regard these acts as cutting off the life faculty. (Mv.VIII.26.8 lists&#xA;  the ideal characteristics of a bhikkhu who tends to the sick, but does not impose&#xA;  a penalty on a bhikkhu who cares for the sick but lacks the ideal qualities; at no&#xA;  point does the Canon impose a required level of care for the sick. The compilers’&#xA;  refusal to mandate a level of care is wise. If there were a case in which the&#xA;  bhikkhus did not feel that that level of care was appropriate for their patient,&#xA;  they would have only one option: to abandon the patient, so as to incur only a&#xA;  dukka˛a and not the potentially higher penalty for not measuring up to the&#xA;  mandated care. Thus, instead of protecting the patient, a higher level of&#xA;  mandated care would expose the patient to abandonment.) For this reason,&#xA;  deciding to withhold or discontinue a particular treatment—while still continuing&#xA;  otherwise to care for the patient—would not be grounds for an offense&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware of the way in which you talk about this subject with others. It is wrong to encourage/counsel suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;c) Describing the advantages of dying&lt;/em&gt;. This, the third type of act covered by this&#xA;  rule, can include berating a sick person (“Why do you keep hanging on to life&#xA;  like this? Don’t you realize what a burden you are to others?”) or simply telling a&#xA;  person of the miseries of life or the bliss of dying and going to heaven in such a&#xA;  way that he/she might feel inspired to commit suicide or simply pine away to&#xA;  death. The Vinita-vatthu also includes under this type of act any statements that&#xA;  a nurse might make out of compassion to shorten the miseries of an illness by&#xA;  encouraging a patient to let go of life so as not to dawdle in the face of death.&#xA;  Thus, the Commentary notes, a bhikkhu talking to a dying patient should be &#xA;  very circumspect in how he chooses his words, focusing not on how to speed up&#xA;  the dying process but on how to inspire the patient with the following thoughts:&#xA;  “The attainment of the paths and fruitions is not out of the ordinary for a&#xA;  virtuous person. So, having formed no attachment for such things as your&#xA;  dwelling, and establishing mindfulness in the Buddha, Dhamma, Saºgha, or the&#xA;  body, you should be heedful in your attention.” The Vinita-vatthu to Pr 4&#xA;  contains a number of stories in which bhikkhus comfort a dying bhikkhu by&#xA;  asking him to reflect on what he has attained through the practice, which was&#xA;  apparently a common way of encouraging a dying bhikkhu to focus his&#xA;  thoughts on the best object possible. The suttas also contain advice on how to&#xA;  encourage patients facing death. See, for example, MN 143, SN 36.7, and AN 6.16.&#xA;  In all of these cases, the advice is aimed not at precipitating death but at inspiring&#xA;  calm and insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Vibhanga notes that a statement describing the advantages of dying&#xA;  would fulfill the factor of effort regardless of whether delivered by gesture, by&#xA;  voice, by writing, or by means of a messenger. The same holds true for any&#xA;  statements under the next type of act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;d) Inciting a person to die,&lt;/em&gt; the fourth type of act, covers:&#xA;  —Recommending suicide. This includes not only telling a person to commit&#xA;  suicide but also giving advice—whether requested or not—on the best ways to&#xA;  commit the act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a paragraph on page 85 which may answer your question directly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary extrapolates from this case to apply the dukkata to all&#xA;  attempts at suicide, including even the decision not to take food when motivated&#xA;  by a desire to die. However, it then runs into the question of how far this penalty&#xA;  applies to a bhikkhu who is ill. Its verdict: As long as medicine and attendants are&#xA;  available to him, the penalty would still apply. But then it lists two cases where&#xA;  the penalty would &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; apply: (a) A bhikkhu is suffering from a long and serious&#xA;  illness, and the attendant bhikkhus are fed up with caring for him, thinking,&#xA;  “&lt;em&gt;When&lt;/em&gt; will we be free of this sick one?” If the bhikkhu reflects that, even with&#xA;  medical care, his body won’t last and that the bhikkhus are being put to&#xA;  difficulties, he incurs no penalty in refusing food and medicine. (b) A bhikkhu—&#xA;  reflecting that his illness is harsh, the forces of life are running out, and yet the&#xA;  noble attainments appear to be within his reach—may refuse food and medicine&#xA;  without penalty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary’s deliberations here show how difficult it is to legislate in&#xA;  this area, and there are reasons to question the way it applies the Great&#xA;  Standards here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And page 86,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for ways of attempting suicide that do not endanger others, it seems&#xA;  better to follow the Buddha’s wisdom in not legislating about this issue at all, and&#xA;  to treat it as a matter of Dhamma rather than Vinaya. In other words, one&#xA;  should keep in mind his comment in SN 35.87 that the only blameless death is an&#xA;  arahant’s. If, lacking that attainment, one chooses to refuse food when ill to&#xA;  speed up one’s death, one should be heedful of the risks that death and rebirth&#xA;  can involve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might like to read those several pages from the Vinaya commentary in their entirety (instead of only the quotes above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone also wrote a commantary on the commentary, here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhafolk.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/vinaya-parajika-3-do-not-kill-accesstoinsight-detailed-commentary/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya Parajika 3 do not kill – accesstoinsight detailed commentary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-21T17:42:52.130" LastActivityDate="2015-02-21T17:42:52.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-02-21T21:55:16.580" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Chinese/Mahayana Buddhism, not only is it possible, but under the Brahma Net Sutra precepts, you are obliged to teach the dharma to all sentient beings including animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that cosmology, hearing the dharma today creates the karma and merit that will bear positive fruit in future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;45&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Failure to Teach Sentient Beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A disciple of the Buddha should develop a mind of Great Compassion.&#xA;  Whenever he enters people's homes, villages, cities or towns, and sees&#xA;  sentient beings, he should say aloud, &quot;You sentient beings should all&#xA;  take the Three Refuges and receive the Ten [Major Bodhisattva]&#xA;  Precepts.&quot; Should he come across cows, pigs, horses, sheep and other&#xA;  kinds of animals, he should concentrate and say aloud, &quot;You are now&#xA;  animals; you should develop the Bodhi Mind.&quot; A Bodhisattva, wherever&#xA;  he goes, be it climbing a mountain, entering a forest, crossing a&#xA;  river, or walking through a field should help all sentient beings&#xA;  develop the Bodhi Mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a disciple of the Buddha does not wholeheartedly teach and rescue&#xA;  sentient beings in such a manner, he commits a secondary offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/1484.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.fodian.net/world/1484.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now from a secular standpoint, this question pivots on if animals are sentient, intelligent and capable of language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the topic of sentience, even neurologists don't have a good explanation for why or how human are sentient let alone animals. For those who'd like to think this seal the case that animals are insentient, it doesn't. It means we aren't sure that humans are sentient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the area of intelligence and language, there is a mixture of objective evidence that animals are smarter than they look and a lot of people who want to continue to believe that animals are dumb, mindless automatons. It makes it more tenable to continue to eat and exploit them with clear conscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, while I personally find it plausible that animals have some intelligence, have animal communication systems, it falls short of the tricks humans can do and falls short of human style language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no Doctor Doo-little and no chance that an animal, even a chimp could digest something abstract like the tenets of a religion. I do speculate that chimps, whales, dolphins and other social animals probably have an intuitive understanding of ethics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So finally, I think it is a good project to teach the Dharma to all sentient beings, including animals. It is the heart of my favorite Buddhist vow. It will take kalpas. It will take kalpas to familiarize even a small percent of humans with the dharma. But in kalpas, that's enough time for animals to evolve the intelligence required. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets hope we don't exterminate them before that time passes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T21:44:09.590" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T21:44:09.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7810" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-22T03:12:14.247" Score="8" ViewCount="948" Body="&lt;p&gt;Correct me if I'm wrong about my current understanding of Buddhism: There is no eternal self or essence in me, but &lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt; am just a conditioned-self, an illusion created by the interaction of the five aggregates. Each time I do something, or will something, its this distorted conditioned-self in play, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I want to understand what happens to this conditioned self when we die. You say its just an &lt;em&gt;illusion&lt;/em&gt;, but lets take a practical example: A person dies in New York, and then is being reborn in Washington D.C the next moment. So here, you want to say the conditioned-self (illusion) travelled all the way from New York to D.C. to affect his/her next birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a corollary to this question, I would also like to understand the technicality of &lt;code&gt;kamma&lt;/code&gt;. Say a person violates the precept of non-killing in New York in his/her present birth. How does the &lt;code&gt;kamma&lt;/code&gt; know whom to punish 50 years later when that same person is reborn in D.C.? (You may say here that there is no external law-maker, but &lt;code&gt;kamma&lt;/code&gt; is just in our &lt;code&gt;minds&lt;/code&gt;. But that's still begging the question - &lt;em&gt;How does it know whom to punish 50 years later?&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="3704" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T09:09:10.910" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T19:34:19.487" Title="I want to understand the technicality of rebirth and what happens to conditioned self" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7810" CreationDate="2015-02-22T03:51:40.893" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check out &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7801/2265&quot;&gt;my answer&lt;/a&gt; to a different question which answers your question about what happens to this &quot;self&quot; when it dies.&#xA;That answer I made is the product of 10 years of passionate research into Buddhism and is delicately interwoven with many different topics in Buddhism.  I am assuming you will need to heavily research the topics as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does it [karma] know whom to punish 50 years later?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with&#xA;  poison. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would provide&#xA;  him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow&#xA;  removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble&#xA;  warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't&#xA;  have this arrow removed until I know the given name &amp;amp; clan name of the&#xA;  man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or&#xA;  short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or&#xA;  golden-colored... until I know his home village, town, or city...&#xA;  until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow&#xA;  or a crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was&#xA;  wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I&#xA;  know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or&#xA;  cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with&#xA;  which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a&#xA;  peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which&#xA;  I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a&#xA;  langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed&#xA;  until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a&#xA;  common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander&#xA;  arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown&#xA;  to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya&quot; (MN&#xA;  63), Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there are plenty of suttas, particularly the Surangama Sutra, where the Buddha analyzes karmic causes, in Buddhism it is emphasized that the precise mechanisms of karma is not important to &lt;em&gt;fully&lt;/em&gt; understand basically because it is a waste of life to watch and write about every domino that hits another domino when we have the antidote (The Four Noble Truths) right under our nose!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is mind-made made as you have said and analyzing the contents of the mind is not always beneficial. In Buddhism, oftentimes, the solution to issues is to &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; be stuck in analyzing, but to learn to just be. To learn to just be there and be aware and calm without trying. Can you do this? It's hard isn't it? Nonetheless, it is a big part of Buddhist training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All you need to know is that there are beneficial results from doing beneficial things (whether to oneself or to others) and harmful results from doing harmful things (to oneself and others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for this is because we are not self, we are all actually One Thing aka The Universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hurting others is hurting oneself. Hurting oneself is hurting others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing this much one should make sure to avoid all errors and strive to follow the 4 Noble Truths exactly first and cut off all wandering thoughts because the opportunity we have in this life is rare! In this way, following the precepts is a child's game!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now... to answer your question:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;because the 8th consciousness (alaya) stores all the seeds of all actions and reactions until the right time and conditions come for the reward/retribution to come forth, creating even &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt; seeds... This part of your consciousness is like a massive calculator and storehouse combined into one, it's really messy and ugly and mean because all those seeds will fruition just when the right causes come. The collective storehouse is the same for the person reincarnation 50 years later. The karmic act of evil (the seed) may need time to grow and ferment sometimes many lives because there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://omswami.com/2012/08/karma-of-four-types.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four types of karma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, not that important to understand especially because when you achieve dhyana, you will be able to see all your karma and answer all these (seemingly relevant but Actually irrelevant) questions on your own with direct true knowing aka prajna insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T03:58:00.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2015-02-22T04:23:57.467" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan lineages wear the maroon color of the cloak out during a Puja, and the yellow out if at giving a teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T04:23:57.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-22T04:42:55.727" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Do they stay together, and cause birth of a one specific person (which can be called rebirth), or do they separate?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when you are alive, the 5 skandhas arise together in every experience. So when you ask &quot;do they stay together&quot;, you are asking if the experience stays. No! The experience disappears immediately. There's no staying. The skandhas in this experience are not the same as the skandhas in the next. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. If they separate, do they separate just into 5, or does each aggregate split into smaller parts?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 skandhas are grouped into 2 categories. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nāma (mental)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rūpa (physical)&lt;/a&gt;. Rūpa contains only the 1st skanda and the Nāma contains the remaining 4.&#xA;Usually only Rūpa can arise independently, e.g.: a log, stone, corpse etc.&#xA;Nāma always needs to arise in association with Rūpa except in Arupa Brahma Realms. But again, when you ask &quot;if they separate&quot;, you are making the assumption that there's something fixed lasting for a certain time period. It doesn't work that way. A single experience can contain a maximum of 17 thought moments. 1 Rūpa unit lasts only for 17 thought moments and there's no example in nature to compare to the time 1 thought moment lasts but to the lifespan of another thought moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The mind at the time of death&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a person is about to die the bhavanga is interrupted, vibrates for one moment and passes away. The interruption is caused by an object which presents itself to the mind-door. As a result of this a mind-door-adverting citta arises. This is followed by five javana thought moments which are weak, lack reproductive power, and serve only to determine the nature of rebirth consciousness. The javanas may or may not be followed by two registering thought moments (tadaalambana). After this comes the death consciousness (cuti citta), which is identical in constitution and object to the bhava&quot;nga citta. The cuti citta merely serves the function of signaling the end of life. It is important to appreciate the difference between the cuti citta and the javanas that precede it. The cuti citta is the end of the bhava&quot;nga flow of an existence and does not determine the nature of rebirth. The javanas that occur just before the cuti citta arises form a kammic process and determine the nature of the rebirth consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. If they separate, do they cause births of many different persons?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no separation. When a person dies, the Nāma doesn't appear in the body anymore. Only Rūpa caused due to reasons other than Nāma continue to appear. There's only one Patisandi citta. So the death of a being does not result in multiple births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;we can conclude that four of the aggregates (sensation, perception,&#xA;  mental formations and consciousness) stay together and cause a new&#xA;  birth of one specific person, while the remaining aggregate (rūpa,&#xA;  matter) separates and splits into parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, there's no staying. They appear together and disappear instantly. Nāma does not go from this life to the next. The first citta of the next life is a result of the Javana cittas that occur just before the cuti citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have the illusion that I'm the same person as a moment ago, even&#xA;  though my body, my feelings, etc. have changed. Does this illusion&#xA;  continue after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance or Moha is a cetasika. The cetasikas are the mental factors or concomitants that arise and perish together with consciousness (citta), sharing its object and basis. Cetasikas don't appear independently from the cittas. So there's nothing going from this moment to the next. But that doesn't mean the next citta cannot have an ignorance cetasika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I watched Yuttadhammo's video about rebirth and understood that&#xA;  Buddhists believe in perceived continuity of the consciousness after&#xA;  death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Yuttadhammo is talking about the continuity of experiencing. He's not implying a panchaskanda going from this life to the next or from this moment to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T13:45:46.647" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T13:45:46.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7810" CreationDate="2015-02-22T06:52:54.590" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question of how karma works in light of the concept of non-self has been answered several times on this site (see &quot;Related&quot; in the sidebar). That being said, you raise a couple of interesting objections, namely the seemingly impossible jump through time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, let's be clear. The Buddha never said &quot;there is no self&quot;. What he did say is that all things are non-self and that he didn't see any view of self that wouldn't lead to suffering for someone who held it.  This may sound like splitting hairs, but it is important in helping understand the nature of reality, as well as karma and rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reality, according to the Buddha, is experience-based; this means that, to some extent, even time and space are dependent on the mind.  This is why body and mind (naama-ruupa) are said to be dependent on consciousness (vi~n~naa.na). Experience doesn't admit of things like &quot;self&quot; or &quot;soul&quot;, or &quot;cat&quot; or &quot;dog&quot;, for that matter. But it also doesn't admit of existential questions like &quot;is there a self?&quot; The question itself doesn't work in an experiential paradigm, since there is no impersonal spatio-temporal framework in which to place the object in question. &quot;Is there a cat in the room?&quot; requires the existence of a room to make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, experience doesn't admit of continuity, either, which is perhaps more pertinent to your question. The mind only lasts for a moment, being defined as the awareness of a single experience, arising and ceasing with the object of experience. Hearing this, it is common to question how rebirth and karma can therefore have any effect over space-time. Given, however, the premise that reality is based on experience, such questions are a matter of a conflation of paradigms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply put, the mind doesn't move from one place to another, or last from one moment (or life) to another, &quot;place&quot; and &quot;time&quot; are considered a product of experience. An experience of seeing is &quot;real&quot; whether it occurs with eyes opened or closed. The idea that &quot;I am in this room&quot; is only valid in the context of the experiences that give rise to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently had an opportunity to watch a demo on Occulus Rift, my first experience of virtual reality. It's amazing how easily the mind is completely tricked into thinking that what it sees is &quot;real&quot;. But that is the point; it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; real, from within an experiential paradigm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientists have done studies wherein they tricked a subject into thinking they were behind themselves, and the subject felt like they were outside their bodies. When sleeping, it is common for people to have out-of-body experiences. Near death, it is common to have OOBEs or or even visions of other worlds or deceased individuals. Some people claim to be visited by people who have recently died, or are on their death bed in far away cities. All of this is anecdotal, but it lends credence to the idea that the mind is at least somewhat independent of space, which from a Buddhist point of view is empirically true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to actually answering your question, how does it work? The mind doesn't travel through space or time, space and time are a product of matter, which in turn is at least somewhat dependent on the mind (&quot;Interdependent with&quot; might be a better description). During life, body and mind work together to create the illusion of an impersonal spatio-temporal reality that is, in reality, made up of a causal framework (i.e. based on cause and effect) of momentary experiences that affect each other and direct one's life according to one's past deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the moment of death, something weird happens, but not categorically different. &quot;The mind&quot; has been habitually focussed on &quot;the body&quot;, meaning that there is a habit for most experiences to occur in a specific locale, dependent on specific stimuli. The body, for all intents and purposes, is more like a prison than a progenitor for the mind. This is why OOBEs are uncommon and NDEs are actually fairly common (~20% by one doctor's estimation). Even still, the mind is capable of procuring visions of far away places and long-lost memories, especially when the body is dormant (i.e. dreaming when asleep).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the moment of death, however, there is no pull of attraction to the body, so the mind is (mostly) free to wander. Strange things apparently happen after physical death, but eventually the mind states coalesce and decide upon a new object of attachment, usually based on old, engrained habits (humans become humans, etc.). As a result, and based on various karmic qualities, a new path is chosen and set out upon, giving rise to rebirth. This may lead the mind to appear to &quot;travel&quot; thousands or even millions or billions of kilometres in a moment, but what is really happening is that the new physical phenomena are being created by the mind, wherever the mind happens to incline. I.e., the newborn foetus's mind is affected by the prior mind of the being to be born, regardless of &quot;where&quot; that mind occurred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This concept of &quot;movement&quot; of the mind from one location to another actually occurs all the time; in human life, however, it is loosely limited to the confines of this six-foot frame. The point is, space-time is dependent on matter, not the other way around, and the mind is not entirely dependent on either (being able to remember past (and present) lives and even have visions of the future). This doesn't mean that the mind is entirely free to do as it chooses, it just means that it is confined to a different set of laws, ones that don't preclude the potential for it to arise in conjunction with physical phenomena in diverse reaches of the physical universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, there are stories in the texts of rebirth-preparatory matter arising before one's mental relocation; mansions arising spontaneously in heaven to await their master who is busy doing good deeds on Earth, for example. This only presents difficulty if we are stuck in a spatio-temporal, impersonal paradigm for reality, which from a Buddhist point of view is absolutely false.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is far more complex, but not difficult to understand in principle. The interactions between streams of conscious experience is causal as well, and leads beings to be reborn in connection with other beings who share their karmic histories, simply based on the energy of their past interactions, similar to the complex attractions and repulsions between physical particles. So, fifty years later, something you did in a past life might come back to kick you in the pants, just like a rock you throw away from the Earth can come back to hit you on the head. More importantly, everything we do at every moment has the potential to affect the immediate direction of the individual, meaning karma is very much about momentary causality, rather than future incidental results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for the length, but I think this is actually a very important issue; what seems like a bit of tangential dilemma from a practical meditative point of view turns out to be a crucial sticking point towards proper understanding of reality and giving up views of self. Ultimately, however, you can only really understand these concepts by meditation on experiential reality; be reassured, however, that that is all it takes - no abstract ratiocination required :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-02T19:34:19.487" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T19:34:19.487" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7733" CreationDate="2015-02-22T08:48:27.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;What happens to the five skandhas of a particular person after death?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand the doctrine (since I can't remember my deaths, so far): they cease. Then, new skhandhas appear, conditioned or causally related by the previous ones (no different answer than all the others here, i guess).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Do they stay together, and cause birth of a one specific person (which can be called rebirth), or do they separate?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above seems to suggest skandhas are objects or structures. I think it's troublesome, for example, to understand &lt;em&gt;sañña&lt;/em&gt; as a structure, existing or tied to the other four skandhas (which also exists somehow?); in other words, I don't see a &lt;em&gt;sañña&lt;/em&gt;  structure that &quot;perceives perceptions&quot;. This also seems to lead to an Eternalist view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the suttas say is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dependent on the eye and forms eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition there is feeling. What one feels, that one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Madhupindika Sutta (Ñānamoli/Bodhi trans), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 18&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, for example, when there is &quot;perception of blue&quot; there is &lt;em&gt;sañña&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;sañña&lt;/em&gt;). When there is pleasant feeling, there is &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;. The pleasant experience itself is &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;. Observing that feeling cease, is observing &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; cease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in this perspective, we experience all those &quot;things&quot;, moment after moment. They are in the domain of our reality. In our individuality, these experiences are very inter-related and we refer to them to describe ourselves and understand our process of becoming. Through the skhandha point of view, we are taught how to distinguish each discrete real experience and understand it, its kind and its role in that overall process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the pleasant feeling subsides. Right after, to say &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; is still &quot;there&quot;, when it's not, is imagining something else &quot;behind&quot; and declaring it's name is &quot;vedanā&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;If they separate, do they cause births of many different persons?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, that seems to imply that each skandha is an object or individual self on its own. Somewhat related:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karel Werner (1988) has sought to develop an alternative explanation of how character-continuity is conserved. He takes early Buddhist terms such as vinnana (discernment) and citta as referring, in certain instances, to a &quot;personality structure&quot; with changing contents, but an ongoing identity (p.89). He sees this, in turn, as similar to the Vedic idea of tanū, the &quot;likeness&quot; which when 'filled' with phenomenal elements is a person's 'character', but which momentarily exists without content after death (pp. 78-9). Such an &quot;empty structure&quot; is not an unchanging entity but a &quot;structural continuum which registers and preserves ... the imprints of past experiences, volitions and capabilities&quot; (p.79). The &quot;personality structure&quot; of such a model, though, seems indistinguishable from the 'person' of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudgalavada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Personalists (Pudgalavāda)&lt;/a&gt;, which has already been shown to lack any foundation in the 'early Sutta' world-view (Paras.l.36-42). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Peter Harvey, The Selfless Mind, pg 73&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to use Sue Hamilton's words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[the Buddha teaches] that the analysis of the human being into five khandhas is not an analysis of what the human being consists of, but of those processes and events with which one is constituted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;--  &lt;em&gt;Identity And Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT: I didn't get unambiguous answers to my questions, but what Suminda and Prahlad write seems to suggest that all the aggregates arise and pass all the time&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we are all in agreement, it seems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;but when we look at them at a higher level, we can conclude that four of the aggregates (sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness) stay together and cause a new birth of one specific person, while the remaining aggregate (rūpa, matter) separates and splits into parts. Can anyone confirm/disconfirm this?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to have imagined another set of aggregates that do not arise and pass away, but whose parts are permanent and tied together. And you seem to be imagining them existing in this &quot;higher level&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is a &quot;higher level&quot; where these imagined 5 aggregates can be actually observed outside imagination. There is no &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; without an actual feeling. There is also no &quot;same body&quot; persisting through time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT 2: I was asked to specify what is exactly meant by &quot;overall structure of the aggregates remain intact&quot;, when we know that the aggregates arise and pass all the time. What I mean is the continuity of the illusion called &quot;self&quot;. I have the illusion that I'm the same person as a moment ago, even though my body, my feelings, etc. have changed. Does this illusion continue after death?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I understand. Considering &quot;self&quot; to be what is understood in Buddhism (permanent, eternal, dukkha-free, etc):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you mean to ask if you will still believe in a self after death? I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or do you mean to ask if sentient beings, after death, are still led to believe in self? According to Buddhism, likely, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or do you mean to ask if, after death, it will be obvious that the self is an illusion? According to Buddhism, not necessarily.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;According to Buddhist doctrines, is there an illusion of the continuity of consciousness? Of the continuity of feelings? Of the continuity of the body?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism acknowledges that people hold to the above beliefs. That is, that people end up believing that consciousness, feelings, body, etc. are permanent. And the Buddha declared these beliefs as misleading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I watched Yuttadhammo's video about rebirth and understood that Buddhists believe in perceived continuity of the consciousness after death. Is this a canonical opinion that can be concluded from Buddhist scriptures? How about the continuity of other aggregates?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know which video you watched, but I would be surprised to know that Yuttadhammo claimed that consciousness (viññāṇa) transmigrates. There is a sutta about a bhikku named Sāti who was debunked by the Buddha for declaring this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now on that occasion this pernicious viewpoint had arisen in a bhikkhu named Sāti, son of a fisherman, thus: &quot;As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is this same consciousness that runs and wanders through the round of rebirths, not another.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[the Blessed One said to him] &quot;Misguided man, to whom have you ever known me to teach the Dhamma in that way? Misguided man, have I not stated in many ways consciousness to be dependently arisen, since without a condition there is no origination of consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta (Ñānamoli/Bodhi trans), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in said video, he could have talked about &quot;stream of consciousness&quot;, which is not the same thing: in one sutta (and apparently nowhere else?) the respective term, &quot;&lt;em&gt;viññāṇa-sota&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, appears:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] he comes to know the unbroken stream of human consciousness as established both in this world and in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] he comes to know the unbroken stream of human consciousness that is not established either in this world or in the next [n: Arahants].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Sampasādanīya Sutta (Walshe trans), &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/dn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 28&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the notes, we read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;viññāṇa-sota&lt;/em&gt;: a rare expression which seems to equate with bhavanga, the (mainly) commentarial term for the 'life-continuum' (Nānamoli). [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another sutta that refers to the role of consciousness in the process of rebirth is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture. The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving is established in a [lower/middling/superior] realm. Thus there is the production of renewed becoming in the future.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Bhava Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.76&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, I understand there is no consensus as to how the process of rebirth happens in detail and later schools seemed to have developed their own theories. A supposedly less polemic link of births is kamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Student, beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions, they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Cūlakammavibhanga Sutta (Ñānamoli/Bodhi trans), MN 135 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T20:54:35.310" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T20:54:35.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7810" CreationDate="2015-02-22T11:36:36.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...]lets take a practical example: A person dies in New York, and then is being reborn in Washington D.C the next moment. So here, you want to say the conditioned-self (illusion) travelled all the way from New York to D.C. to affect his/her next birth?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, we read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in the plane of [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the canon there is little more than that about that intermediary stage. So, grossly speaking, the example is assuming that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;after death, there is, momentarily, a conditioned self (4 aggregates?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;these four aggregates travel through space&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;they do so to affect the next birth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, one could not state the above solely based on that single line; most of what was recorded about rebirth says &quot;... upon death, the being reappears at ...&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, other things are said in the suttas. It is asserted that the D.C person becoming is conditioned by the NY person. The later &quot;inherits&quot; the former's kamma, and is somewhat of a product of that kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, it's implied that the D.C person is &quot;the same&quot; as the NY person when the suttas say &quot;he died and reappeared at ...&quot;, otherwise it would just be said &quot;people appears&quot; -- but that would be in synch with annihilationism. However, it is also implied he is &quot;not the same&quot; as the NY person. Thus, the popular punch line: &quot;he is not the same nor he is another&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as far as physics goes, &lt;a href=&quot;http://phys.org/news/2013-09-teleportation-quantum.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;traveling might not be necessary&lt;/a&gt;. Nor &quot;affect&quot;. Simply &quot;appearing&quot; could suffice. But this as far as I'll go on the speculation route.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Say a person violates the precept of non-killing in New York in his/her present birth. How does the kamma know whom to punish 50 years later when that same person is reborn in D.C.?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, of course, kamma doesn't really &quot;knows&quot; or &quot;punishes&quot;. It's as punishing as the redness on the skin after scratching it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things happen, reactions are manifested. And everything, being the product of the entire past, carries finger prints of the entire past. And these finger prints find their way to expressing themselves when the environment favors it (be it in the next moment, 50 years, or aeons later).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...]But that's still begging the question - How does it know whom to punish 50 years later?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know. Nobody is believed to know the exact mechanics of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T11:36:36.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7810" CreationDate="2015-02-22T11:39:36.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me try to give &quot;non-canonical&quot; answers today. Please excuse any pun or humour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am just a conditioned-self, an illusion created by the interaction&#xA;  of the five aggregates. Each time I do something, or will something,&#xA;  its this distorted conditioned-self in play, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's just like on your Windows PC, you have many programs or applications or windows like Microsoft Word, Firefox, Notepad, Skype etc. Each are different windows you can open, close, minimize, maximize etc. You can do productive stuff on them. They are real. You can use them. But in reality, it is caused by the interactions of machine code in the processor and memories, which itself is caused by the controlled movement of electrons (aka electronics). The windows are real, but they are not permanent and they arise out of the interactions of the various processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, you can say, &quot;all software is not permanent&quot; and &quot;all phenomena is not program&quot;. Or there is no permanent &quot;program&quot; (self) behind Firefox that is responsible to decide all that it does. But it does appear like that, doesn't it? Actually, it's the inter-working between various processes and components.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A person dies in New York, and then is being reborn in Washington D.C&#xA;  the next moment. So here, you want to say the conditioned-self&#xA;  (illusion) travelled all the way from New York to D.C. to affect&#xA;  his/her next birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not something physical that is transferred. It's information. You don't have to take out the harddisk from one computer and place it in another to use Skype there. You just need to copy the Skype software and your previous history onto it. The new physical computer is completely different from the old one. But it's only the software that gets transferred. When you start it, the Skype appears as real as the previous one, and with the previous state too. But it's still not permanent, and is the result of the interaction between many processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that thinking about New York takes about as much time as thinking about Singapore or heavan, is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mil3.7.4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Milindapanha 3.7.4&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does the kamma&#xA;  know whom to punish 50 years later when that same person is reborn in&#xA;  D.C.? (You may say here that there is no external law-maker, but kamma&#xA;  is just in our minds. But that's still begging the question - How does&#xA;  it know whom to punish 50 years later?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia, you can read the story of Joseph Ratzinger. As a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_life_of_Pope_Benedict_XVI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five year old boy&lt;/a&gt;, he was awe-struck by the distinctive robes of the visiting Cardinal Archbishop of Munich and the ceremonies to grandly welcome him. Little Ratzinger announced that very day that he too would one day become a cardinal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He became Pope Benedict XVI 73 years later. During his papacy, he reintroduced the traditional red papal shoes, the traditional red papal camel skin hat (camauro) and the traditional red wide-brimmed hat (capello romano). He also reintroduced an old version of the pallium and also the papal fanon. All of these grand papal vestments were not in use for many papacies but &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_of_Benedict_XVI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;were revived again&lt;/a&gt; by Pope Benedict XVI. However, I think Pope Francis has dropped most of these for simpler garb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, my point is that karma is not a system of justice and retribution, but rather, cause and effect. The seed of thought that appeared in the mind of a 5-year old boy with regards to the grand attire of a cardinal, drove him towards becoming a pope 73 years later, who had a personal interest in reviving the use of old grand vestments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(By the way, I'm not ridiculing the good pope. He was certainly very qualified for the role, and was not too attached to it, that he voluntarily gave it up when he felt that he was no longer physically fit to fulfil it. He now wears simple papal robes and does not interfere with or criticize the decisions made by his successor)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, our thoughts and actions (karma) shape our inclinations and our future. By some mechanism that I don't understand, our karma also shapes our future (next life) physical forms, families that we are born in and, the fortunes or misfortunes that we experience. They were not meted out by a judge, but they were manifested as effects due to past causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T11:50:57.197" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T11:50:57.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7818" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7821" CreationDate="2015-02-22T13:15:16.733" Score="0" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was trying sitting cross legged and back straight during Anapanasati meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have looked at this question -&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3937/a-question-about-sitting-movement-and-mindfulness&quot;&gt;A question about sitting, movement and mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know what are the possible bad practices learned during meditation and in the posture and I would not want to make those mistakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sitting purely cross legged. The feet are under the shins or calf. I am unable to sit perfectly straight noticing that I am leaning forward. Should I at this juncture, straighten up again? What if a mosquito bites you at that moment, like it is biting me right now? Should I move to scratch an itch?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it important to simply acknowledge and not react to anything at all? (Reaction in the sense move a little...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is right mindfulness? Not reacting and simply acknowledging? What if it adversely affects my legs by not moving and possibly getting bitten by the mosquito?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:26:32.790" Title="Questions regarding meditation posture and movement" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7810" CreationDate="2015-02-22T14:07:23.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once listened to a talk by a monk who gave a good metaphor on this. He said that one should think of rebirth as a mango tree. Lets say you have a mango tree in your garden. Some day that mango tree will blossom if the right conditions are made. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the right conditions are there mango fruits will appear on the tree. At some point a mango fruit will fall from the tree and land on the earth. After a while the seed of that mango fruit will become a new mango tree if the right conditions are met.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that way there is a continuation of the mango tree. Its not the same one as the prior tree but at the same time its not completely different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example could be a candlelight with a flame. Let say you have a candlelight and you then use that candlelight to ignite a new candlelight. Is that then the same flame? No but its not entirely different either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your question about kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This is actually one of The Four Imponderables - Acinteyya (AN: 4.77 - Acintita Sutta).&lt;/a&gt; These are questions that the Buddha said one should not think about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because they will only leave the mind distressed and agitated. The interplay between objects are so complex that one can never fully understand it. Unless one is a Buddha one should not bother with these questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T18:46:59.733" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T18:46:59.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7820" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-22T15:29:01.010" Score="10" ViewCount="456" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested in &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_liturgy#Chinese_Buddhist_liturgy&quot;&gt;Chinese morning and evening service&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C4%81dhan%C4%81#Buddhism&quot;&gt;Tibetan sadhanas that a monk recites every day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_chant#Theravada_chants&quot;&gt;Theravada Pali suttas and chants&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these read in modern times by and to an audience that understands the language? I obviously believe some one knows medieval Chinese and Pali or there wouldn't be translations. But is a lengthy period of language study part of becoming a monk, and if it isn't, doesn't that mean that the monks and more so the laity have no idea what is being said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have the luxury of reading all the sutras in English translation. It is only dawning on me that possibly for some or most of the time, sutras are akin to a very long dhāraṇī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question was prompted by this quote from a Nichiren/SGI book&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though you may not understand what you are saying, your voice&#xA;  definitely reaches the Gohonzon, all Buddhists dieties, and all&#xA;  Buddhas and bodhisattvas over three existences and in the ten&#xA;  directions. In response, the entire universe bathes you in the light&#xA;  of good fortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, Ikeda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To clarify&lt;/strong&gt;, the question is not &quot;Is mantrayana efficacious?&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5211/how-does-chanting-work-in-nichiren-buddhism&quot;&gt;but if that is the question you want to answer, I already asked that a while back&lt;/a&gt;. The question is, as practiced, an in doctrine, do the various Buddhist institutions expect their monks and laity to understand what they chant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T13:12:43.660" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T22:18:37.307" Title="Does sutta recitation actually entail understanding of the text?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|sutras|vajrayana|language|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7818" CreationDate="2015-02-22T16:15:42.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A recent, marvelous book (especially written for Westerners) is from Larry Rosenberg (2012): &lt;em&gt;Breath by Breath. The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this book you'll find—in plain English—the essence of Anapanasati practice. It's the essence: from the first step to enlightenment. What do you want more?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-22T16:34:00.413" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T16:34:00.413" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-22T17:30:33.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha's advice in the Kalama Sutta (AN 3.65) is contemplation, observation, meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&quot; — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by&#xA;  scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by&#xA;  agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought,&#xA;  'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves&#xA;  that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless;&#xA;  these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted&#xA;  &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness' — then you should enter&#xA;  &amp;amp; remain in them&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha asks his followers that they examine the outcome of practice to see if the teachings are true. Buddhism isn't about beliefs. Buddhism is about firsthand knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T16:33:32.133" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T16:33:32.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7823" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7824" CreationDate="2015-02-22T18:44:48.443" Score="3" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;Leading on from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7496/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; - in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  it identifies wrong action in one's livelihood as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Scheming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Persuading&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hinting &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Belittling &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pursuing gain with gain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is meant by pursuing gain with gain? It is a problem with the translation that makes it unclear or have I just missed an obvious interpretation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2019-06-06T00:36:03.643" Title="What is meant by pursuing gain with gain?" Tags="|pali-canon|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7823" CreationDate="2015-02-22T19:06:23.140" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My first thought was that it meant usury, but apparently Buddhagosa defines it as, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Herein, what is pursuing gain with gain? Seeking, seeking for,&#xA;  seeking out, going in search of, searching for, searching out material&#xA;  goods by means of material goods, such as carrying there goods that&#xA;  have been got from here, or carrying here goods that have been got from&#xA;  there, by one bent on gain, honour and renown, by one of evil wishes,&#xA;  a prey to wishes—this is called pursuing gain with gain' (Vbh. 352-&#xA;  53).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which I think implies being a merchant (buying here and selling there), or more generally capitalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that that sutta is addressed to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T19:06:23.140" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-22T19:12:58.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt; we chant in Pali and English. When we &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.clear-vision.org/Schools/Students/Ages-15-16/worship-and-celebration/about-worship/refuges-precepts.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chant in Pali&lt;/a&gt; we often do it without a translation for example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddham saranam gacchami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamman saranam gacchami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sangham saranam gacchami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;translation would be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(To the Buddha for refuge I go)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(To the Dharma for refuge I go)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(To the Sangha for refuge I go)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I chanted the refuges and precepts in Pali for years without the vaguest idea what they meant. That is probably a reflection on some worrying lack of curiosity on my part than anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However it was recently explained to me that the reason we do it is that these chants are chanted throughout the Buddhist world and have been for a long time. Therefore by chanting it connects us to Buddhists past and present and Buddhists throughout the world. We could go to Thailand or Japan and hear the exact same chant and have that connection. To me that feels like a good reason to chant Pali even without knowing what it means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As another general point, Peter Harvey in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; states that chanting sutras is a form of meditation and as such the language and meaning of the sutras is not relevant in that context. It is more the physicality of the chant and the community of participants, both active and passive. He asserts that this is particularly potent when the monastic community chants in the presence of the laity. It has the effect of bring both parts of the Buddhist community together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T12:30:43.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7826" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7828" CreationDate="2015-02-22T19:20:39.333" Score="10" ViewCount="1607" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a relatively new (about four months) meditator. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditation technique is closing my eyes and focusing on the sensation of the breath as it passes in and out of my throat. Today I was meditating for 30 minutes and, as often happens, I saw swirling lights in the darkness of my closed eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I became more deeply focused on the breath-sensation, the lights went away and there was darkness, but the odd thing was that the darkness extended - it seemed as though I was looking down an endless, dark hallway rather than just looking at my eyelids. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I noted this, I started to see a purple, vibrating orb appear. I remember thinking to myself that maybe I was about to have some kind of mystical experience. I became a little excited about this, but all of a sudden the excitement morphed into an incredible fear. My breath began to come in gasps and was shaky, and my heart was pounding. I eventually managed to calm down, but wow that was strange. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is - has this happened to anyone else, and is there a reasonable explanation? I have always had issues with anxiety, so I wonder if that is related to this experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that meditation can be harmful - is this a sign that I should refrain from meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for taking the time to read.&#xA;Ian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:23:59.070" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:23:59.070" Title="Panic arising in meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|well-being|meditation-breath|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7826" CreationDate="2015-02-22T20:24:36.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you experience during your practice is absolutely not harmful. It is a stage in the meditation process. More: it is a sign that you proceed in the right direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vibrating 'light' that arises and passes away is the so-called &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Catherine, Shaila, (2008) Focused and Fearless. A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity p. 116:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The breath nimitta usually appears as a stable, smooth, white radiance associated with the focus on the breath. It is a mental reflection of the breath and includes no physical aspect; the light and breath may appear to have merged into a single mental experience of breath.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dalai Lama &amp;amp; Chodron, Thubten, (2014), Buddhism. One Teacher, Many Traditions p. 88:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The learning sign [nimitta] is an image arisen from this physical sensation [the sensation of the breath at the nostrils and upper lip, as it enters and exits]. When it arises, the meditator turns her attention to the nimitta—a colored luminous sphere or a radiant light—and that becomes his object of meditation [i.c. the arising and passing away of this nimitta].’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Brahm, Ajahn, (2011) The Art of Disappearing. The Buddha’s Path to Lasting Joy p. 120-121:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘If you haven’t experienced these things, it can all sound like fantasy. But as your meditation improves, you gradually start to realize that this is not fantasy, that these states do exist, and what I’m saying is valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All you need to do is take your meditation further and drop more of&#xA;  the body. As you practice in this way, you start to bliss out. You&#xA;  understand that the body isn’t just suffering because of old age,&#xA;  sickness and death, but even its normal state is a huge heap of&#xA;  suffering. This is one of the incredible powerful realizations you get&#xA;  from deep meditation. A nimitta is enough to give you this&#xA;  realization, but if you get into jhana it’s unmistakably clear.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T20:24:36.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7826" CreationDate="2015-02-22T20:28:33.170" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;welcome!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, from Buddhism standpoint, meditation is not practiced for the sake of mystical experiences. In vipassana exercises, whatever sensation is felt, it's supposed to be observed, we are not supposed to be overwhelmed by it. In general, arbitrary sensations and imaginations are not to be stimulated. And as importantly, awareness should be constant: when one embarks in sensations and imaginations, awareness is lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If awareness is lost, whatever imagination inside your mind becomes powerful, your forget that you're safe, sitting comfortably, and believe you are in danger, when nothing will really happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember reading an account of a meditator who described having visions during meditation, and later on, seeing his visions were true. He brought this to his teacher who told him to not be distracted by such small thing. That's a valuable attitude to have during meditation. At least if one is aiming for the higher goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general also, if the meditator is not calm (if he is excited, in fear, tired, etc), meditation is impaired:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dvedhāvitakka Sutta [Bodhi trans.], MN 19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to answer your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is relatively common, specially when our minds follow patterns that easily lead to strong sensations. A remedy for this is having a very good understanding of the practice (for example, understanding very well the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot;&gt;five hindrances&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A lot of things can be harmful if not done properly. Though meditation doesn't seem to require knowing much, it can be very hard to do it without study.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From here, I suggest having a good understanding of primordial sources for this practice: the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot;&gt;Satippathana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha explains their techniques. I also strongly suggest looking for books that cover detailed explanation for these. Finally, there are a lot of questions regarding meditation here, I suggest looking up for those as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T20:28:33.170" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7826" CreationDate="2015-02-22T21:26:18.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When in meditation, you will pass through different psychic experiences. Here are some points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I would suggest trying meditating on a chair so that your feet are on the ground. If you feel panic or excitement rising, feel the soles of your feet. This will help you get grounded.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feel the sensation on different parts of your body. Learn to rest in the sensation of your body.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might try to combine meditation with a physical excercise (qigong, jogging, you name it)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't get excited by psychic experiences. Panic and extreme excitement are the different sides of the same coin. Never search for psychic experiences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Remember you are free at any time to open your eyes and look around to make sure you are safe and not under any physical threat.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I wouldn't watch horror movies or do other things that flirt with the fear in the psyche.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the panic strikes, endeavour to get back in the stillness of your own sensation. Remember that these energies are all appearances. They are not real in a physical sense so they cannot really harm you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4750" LastActivityDate="2015-02-22T21:26:18.160" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7830" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7831" CreationDate="2015-02-22T23:23:25.580" Score="3" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it ever beneficial to decide on a meditation topic before beginning to meditate? For example, say I want to deal with a specific problem in my life, e.g. hatred towards a specific person, cravings for food, stress about my job, etc -- something I'm aware of as an ongoing, personal problem that I want to deal with proactively rather than to merely observe it when and where it pops up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it a good idea to plan and say, &quot;ok, during this meditation session, I'm going to think about problem &lt;em&gt;x&lt;/em&gt;,&quot; and then proceed to meditate on that subject? Or is it better to begin with breath meditation and to observe thoughts as they develop naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should one ideally structure such meditation so that it remains controlled, calm, objective, and appropriately focused? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:24:33.257" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:24:33.257" Title="Planning Meditation Topics" Tags="|vipassana|daily-life|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7830" CreationDate="2015-02-22T23:31:19.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One shouldn't practice that way if one is practicing Vipassana. The sole goal of Vipassana meditation is to be able to directly see the reality in front of you, so setting up other goals doesn't fit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is having a persistent problem in meditation one can switch over to other techniques to deal with them however. For example, if a meditator keeps having angry thoughts towards people coming up in meditation practicing loving kindness meditation is an effective antidote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally though if you are practicing Vipassana you should only apply these remedies as needed to overcome distractions instead of trying to work them out ahead of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T01:50:15.060" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T01:50:15.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-23T01:35:16.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try an experiment. Sit and, without expectation, recite a phrase in a foreign language that you do not understand 6 times a day, to people that also do not understand that language. Do this every day for a week. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any perceivable effect? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, get yourself a phrase in a language that you DO understand, some phrase that has meaning to you such as, &quot;I take refuge in the Buddha (as an example and a teacher), in the Dharma (as the teachings), and in the Sangha,&quot; or replace that with something like, &quot;As long as space remains, and there are sentient beings to be found, may I remain to dispel the misery of the world,&quot; or something of that kind, and repeat that 6 times a day for a week. Repeat this to people that understand the language that you are using, and the terms that you are using. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any perceivable effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What good are empty rituals? They become like a chain around your neck, and are a tool for control of superstitious minds. There is the warning that is a part of the Kalama Sutta, &quot;...do not go by traditions.&quot; For something to have potency, true, real potency, there must be meaning for you in it. Relying on empty ritual or tradition simply makes you a puppet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T01:35:16.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7834" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-23T02:15:35.007" Score="5" ViewCount="544" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does breeding and selling dogs fit into right livelihood provided that you make a concerted effort to make sure the animals find homes with responsible owners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for the answers so far. I am especially interested in answers that are rooted in the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two relevant suttas that I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dighajanu (Vyagghapajja) Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it seems like there is dispute about how to translate and understand the relevant passages. Any answers that specifically address these issues would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T19:40:27.917" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T05:30:26.530" Title="Does breeding dogs fall under right livelihood?" Tags="|pali-canon|right-livelihood|animals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-23T07:45:40.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the characteristics of those who have attained stream entry is that they have abandoned the fetter of clinging to rites and rituals. To me, chanting &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;without understanding the meaning&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of verses is a ritual and therefore counter productive to the goal of escaping suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T15:22:40.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T15:22:40.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7826" CreationDate="2015-02-23T09:53:13.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My meditation technique is that of closing my eyes and focusing on the sensation of the breath as it passes in and out of my throat&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of meditation are you doing.Samatha or vippassana?If it's samatha just keep focusing on the physical sensation of the breath.If it's vippassanna just keep noting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I saw swirling lights in the darkness of my closed eyes. As I became more deeply focused on the breath-sensation, the lights went away and there was darkness, but the odd thing was that the darkness extended- it seemed as though I was looking down an endless, dark hallway rather than just looking at my eyelids&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may be seeing &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphene&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Phosphenes&lt;/a&gt; since you mentioned looking at your eye lids.Also your not supposed to be looking at your eyelids your supposed to be focused on the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As I noted this, I started to see a purple, vibrating orb appear&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This could be the nimitta.But nimitta arising is one thing and leading to a mystical experience which i assume is the jhanas is another thing.Nimittas become quite common when you sit everyday.Sometimes they appear and dissapear when you start breathing.This kind of nimitta is as useless as phosphenes.Don't shift your focus from the breath to the nimitta.In other words.don't try to look at it.It will disappear and appear at another point and you'll spend the rest of the meditation playing tag.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I remember thinking to myself that maybe I was about to have some kind of mystical experience&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to experience this &quot;mystical experience&quot; ignore the nimitta.The more you ignore the better.Keep your focus on the breath.The nimitta will break into your awareness on it own and merge with the breath,or specifically the point where the physical sensation of the breath is felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I became a little excited about this, but all of a sudden the excitement morphed into an incredible fear&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excitement and fear is a hindrance.I think it comes from being afraid of the unknown.I suggest reading the suttas or learning the proper meditation techniques so you develop confidence or faith in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have heard that meditation can be harmful- is this a sign that I should refrain from meditating&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think meditation is harmful.i think our minds are harmful.Meditation is only a tool to clear away the things we store in our minds,to make conscious the subconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T09:53:13.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7838" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-23T10:23:37.057" Score="-2" ViewCount="579" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who would have the better handle on how the true nature of reality is organised? For example what karma actually is and and how we discharge our obligations towards it; our free will in selecting a new incarnation. Logic dictates that the more insightful answers come from those who can communicate directly with the spirit world as psychic mediums can. The true role of the Buddhist Monk surely is to facilitate peace on Earth rather than to pontificate on the technicalities of the afterlife. This point by the way is not to denigrate the efforts of Buddhist monks, whom I have the greatest respect for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4751" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T10:52:40.493" Title="Psychic Mediums vs Buddhist Monks" Tags="|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2015-02-24T01:37:18.913" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7838" CreationDate="2015-02-23T10:52:40.493" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who would have the better handle on how the true nature of reality is organised&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist monks.Because they follow the teachings of the Buddha.The Buddha taught Karma and Rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Logic dictates that the more insightful answers come from those who can communicate directly with the spirit world as psychic mediums can&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please elaborate.I got lost at Logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The true role of the Buddhist Monk surely is to facilitate peace on Earth rather than to pontificate on the technicalities of the afterlife&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's neither.The true role of the Buddhist Monk is to realize nibbanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T10:52:40.493" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7834" CreationDate="2015-02-23T11:00:27.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-ajiva/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Ajiva&lt;/a&gt;, five kinds of wrong livelihoods are identified:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;trading in animals for slaughter&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dealing in weapons&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dealing in slaves&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dealing in poison&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dealing in intoxicants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So breeding dogs for petting is fine!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T11:00:27.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7841" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-23T12:36:58.417" Score="2" ViewCount="245" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears that I have found it possible to focus both on the breath (as a meditation object) and to be aware of a bit of a train of thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this acceptable, or unacceptable, or should it be avoided? Or, is it perhaps simply varying &quot;snippets&quot; of mind-moments where I am slipping in and out of bare awareness of the meditation object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:23:31.170" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T11:51:25.433" Title="Is it OK to mentally multi-task during vipassana meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7834" CreationDate="2015-02-23T12:56:38.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While there mightn't be any specific quotes from Buddhist texts regarding the breeding of dogs, this doesn't necessarily mean it's fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the methods and goals of the breeding, this can lead to a number of severe health issues ongoing to purebred dogs. One need only begin to research the breed history and plight of the average sausage dog, pug, cavalier spaniel, etc, to read of the common health issues that have arisen from inbreeding and from the emphasis of certain defects through breeding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another issue is pet overpopulation - there are millions of unwanted cats and dogs that are taken to shelters every year and euthanised as they are unable to re-homed. To be adding dogs bred purposefully to these numbers would exacerbate the issue and denying existing dogs the opportunity to find a home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, the current attitudes within society towards dogs are such that they are commodities to be purchased and traded, utilised for some practical or social purpose (such as a status symbol in the case of some purebred dogs) and these attitudes are reinforced by the encouragement of breeding and its transactional nature. I don't think holding these attitudes is spiritually healthy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think people are able to have productive and ethical relationships with animals, however I would argue that the combination of animals and commercial purposes creates welfare issues as the business maxims of maximum output for input inevitably come into play. One might argue that the treatment of dogs such as the above constitutes dealing in slaves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1064" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T12:56:38.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7834" CreationDate="2015-02-23T12:59:30.043" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on which system your in. In the Mahayana system, the precepts have an animal liberation theme, i.e. not using animals for anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Upasaka precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(15) If an upāsaka who has accepted this precept raises cats or&#xA;  foxes, he has committed the sin of negligence. ...&#xA;     (16) If an upāsaka who has accepted this precept raises animals,&#xA;  such as elephants, horses, cows, goats, camels, or donkeys, and&#xA;  refuses to give them away to someone who has not received the&#xA;  [upāsaka] precepts, he has committed the sin of negligence. Without&#xA;  rising above this impure act, which is conducive to continuing his&#xA;  cyclic existence, ... he cannot avoid going down an evil&#xA;  life-path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the Brahma Net Sutra precepts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;32&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;On Harming Sentient Beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A disciple of the Buddha must not sell knives, clubs, bows, arrows, other life-taking devices, nor keep altered scales or&#xA;  measuring devices.  He should not abuse his governmental position to&#xA;  confiscate people's possessions, nor should he, with malice at heart,&#xA;  restrain or imprison others or sabotage their success.  (82) In&#xA;  addition, he should not raise cats, dogs, foxes, pigs, and other such&#xA;  animals.  (83) If he intentionally does such things, he commits a&#xA;  secondary offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/brahmanet.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/brahmanet.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a vegetarian myself, and sympathetic to animal right issues-- the pet trade, zoos, and circuses do involve a certain amount of unneeded suffering and death on the animals parts, but for some people, their dog or cat is the only reason they have any sympathy at all for non-humans. So pets are a sort of unvolunteered diplomats for their species and animals in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, here is one asian, dog charity I follow- &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/pages/Duo-Duo-Animal-Welfare-Project-%E5%A4%9A%E5%A4%9A/380841222033262&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/pages/Duo-Duo-Animal-Welfare-Project-%E5%A4%9A%E5%A4%9A/380841222033262&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T12:59:30.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-02-23T13:22:35.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd say that if you multi-task, acknowledge multi-tasking (which is at that moment on top of both breath and thoughts), let it go, and return to the breath. And see what happens in the next moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps when you multi-task, there is also a reason underneath that (avoiding some difficult feelings or pain, ambition to meditate &quot;well&quot;, avoidance of boredom or tiredness) which you can become aware of (not by analyzing, just by looking), -- then acknowledge that one, let it go, and return to the anchor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are aware of the snippets of mind-movements as they are alternating, acknowledge that awareness, and perhaps any induced reaction (liking, disliking, fascination, thoughts, comparison), let it go, and return to your anchor (breath).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T13:22:35.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-02-23T13:25:01.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are times you have to think and in these cases it is fine as long as you look at the sensations through which you can understand the other aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general meditation you have to reduce metal fabrications hence have a look at the thought, their sensation and bring the mind to an anchor. This way you can tame the verbal fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One very important step in Vippassana is to tame the fabrication. So you have to keep this in mind focused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T11:51:25.433" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T11:51:25.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7818" CreationDate="2015-02-23T13:34:06.140" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was being told that we don't practice to become experts on sitting. So if you  have intense pain, go the middle way. Acknowledge pain, acknowledge that you want to move, try to overcome the pain a bit, acknowledge unbearable, and after a few moments, if necessary, move the body mindfully (not automatically, in reaction), and carry on particing, again in still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to simply acknowledge, and even if you have to react to unbearable pain, acknowledge first, and react as if in slow motion. If you have pain and then worries about your legs, acknowledge fear (and let it go and go back to breath), if you fear mosquito, acknowledge fear etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you become aware of an automatic reaction (movement) which has already taken place, acknowledge that awareness, acknowledge your thoughts about it (self-judgement, or whatever else arises) and go back to breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Middle way. If your meditation hall is on fire, acknowledge smelling, seeing, fear, then get up mindfully and take care of survival of yours and your fellow meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find the question you linked to be a very good explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T13:34:06.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7847" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-23T14:51:04.177" Score="6" ViewCount="573" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think (please correct me if I am wrong) that Vipassana is about letting go of control and judgement, and the meditator will just become aware and accept things as they are. Be it pain, thoughts, sound, or physical sensations like breath or a moving stomach (as we breath).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder we need to have a base object, like breath or moving stomach. Why don't we just let go from the very beginning and just become aware and accept any sensation as it is, without any default object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="479" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:06:21.350" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T16:29:20.387" Title="Why Vipassana meditation need a base object?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-23T14:58:31.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Soto Zen temples and sanghas I've visited in Brazil all supported understanding what they were chanting (usually handing out translations, but chanting in japanese). Some of them made their own translations and chant in portuguese. Another center of tibetan lineage I visited also had a group of language study. Finally, when I was on a Ch'an temple, we chanted in chinese (though translations of the texts were available), and we also had mandarin classes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T14:58:31.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7847" CreationDate="2015-02-23T15:20:54.393" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The mind gets lost in the contents very easily, so having an anchor (base object) will not let it go too far and for too long. The anchor forces you to let go of stuff every time you come back, which is very useful and pushes the mind into the practice. Letting go of control and judgment (or letting go of anything in the moment it arises -- to see it clearly as it is, just as a momentary eruption of activity of the mind) is is the goal(*) state, but not an effective means of arriving there (in my experience, at least).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In dry vipassana (Mahasi, for instance), you train (momentary) concentration along with mindfulness. Keeping mind on the base object trains concentration, acknowledging and coming back trains mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) (EDIT) not the ultimate goal of vipassana, but the highest mundane state, knowledge of equanimity regarding formations (sankharupekkha-nana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T10:37:36.550" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T10:37:36.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7847" CreationDate="2015-02-23T15:34:34.553" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think (please kindly correct me if i wrong) Vipassana is about letting go of control &amp;amp; judgement, and the meditator will just aware and accept things as it is. Will it be pain, thoughts, sound, and physical sensations like breath or a moving stomach (as we breath).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sounds more like &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;shikantaza/zazen&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; means insight into reality: seeing the three marks of existence &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. The practice is described in suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. So, the actual goal is not &quot;letting go of control &amp;amp; judement&quot; -- however, &quot;letting go&quot; is a useful tip at some points in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I wonder why do we have a base object, like breath or moving stomach. Why dont we just let go from the very beginning and just aware and accept any sensation as it is, without any default object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because insight into reality need some faculties developed. Two of them are concentration (samadhi) and mindfulness (sati). It so happens that is very difficult to develop concentration without something to anchor our attention: meditation objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, samadhi and sati are not just random faculties. Both are listed in the Noble Eightfold Path and in the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T15:34:34.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7847" CreationDate="2015-02-23T15:45:52.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meditator uses the meditation object to center his attention (concentration—&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When his attention is 'wandering' away, the meditator uses the object (i.c. the breath) as his 'base camp' to bring gently his awareness back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness—awareness &lt;em&gt;(sati)&lt;/em&gt; and equanimity &lt;em&gt;(upekkha)&lt;/em&gt; are the two wings which lead to wisdom, to insight &lt;em&gt;(panna)&lt;/em&gt;: they show the meditator the phenomena as they really are &lt;em&gt;(yathabhuta)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rosenberg, Larry, (2012), Breath by Breath. The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation p. 91:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'To be mindful of something—of anything—is an act of generosity. You are giving it life by allowing it into your world. But the greatest benefactor—because you're showing respect to your own life—is you'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-23T16:03:23.977" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T16:03:23.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7852" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-23T16:23:47.643" Score="3" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which are the major sects of Buddhism in Singapore? Which are these sects' main temples in Singapore?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3584" LastEditorUserId="3584" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T13:00:52.737" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:03:27.623" Title="Buddhist practice in Singapore" Tags="|east-asian-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-02-23T19:46:15.300" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanting is an interesting practice and I think each school might have a different take on this.  In my own tradition (Rinzai Zen), the meaning of what's chanted is absolutely irrelevant.  In fact, the liturgy that we use is a Japanese phonetic rendition of a Chinese phonetic rendition of Sanskrit.  Needless to say, no one understands a word of it.  And that includes the folks in our group that speak any one of those three languages.  ;-)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-02-23T19:46:15.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7854" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-24T05:30:10.487" Score="4" ViewCount="360" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7814/760&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; refers to &quot;mind&quot; as a synonym for &quot;nāma&quot;. The only relevant use of that word I have found was &quot;nāmarūpa&quot;, which refers to the five aggregates. But is &quot;nāma&quot; ever used alone to signify &quot;mind&quot;? Or do we speak of mind in Buddhism only because it is a convenient Western abstraction that we can use?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T18:18:02.273" Title="Is &quot;nāma&quot; an equivalent of the Western concept of &quot;mind&quot;? Is it used alone?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7834" CreationDate="2015-02-24T05:30:26.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With Buddhist morality, you have to remember there are two levels:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The conventional, that is used like fence posts to demarcate boundaries and provide a framework. This includes the precepts, and the other teachings of the Buddha on right livelihood, ascetic practices, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate, that deals with actual mental immorality, similar to a real fence that actually prevents escape. This involves mental states of greed, morality, and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fence posts are important on a conventional level, since without them, one wouldn't know where to put the fence, and the fence would most likely collapse without their support. Precepts support practice, and provide clear indication of what is out of bounds. They don't describe true morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, conventionally speaking, breeding dogs may not be wrong livelihood in the Theravada, as per the other answers, but most non-monastic livelihood is &quot;wrong&quot; in the sense that it generally involves desire beyond what is functional (i.e. can arise in an enlightened being). How wrong depends on many factors, often independent of the actual livelihood. How you treat your dogs, euthanization, etc.  Often, the level of &quot;wrong&quot; is not significant, and simply slows down one's progress towards enlightenment. The point is not to let one's livelihood become a barrier towards nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T05:30:26.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7854" CreationDate="2015-02-24T05:44:30.307" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word nāma is never used by itself to mean mind, but the reason for this is the word literally means name, so it would be very hard to tell when it is being used to mean mind and when it is being used to mean name. When it is used in the compound nāmarūpa however, the meaning is clear because it's being used as part of a set expression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other Pali words for mind that are clearer, and some of them have more precise usages as well. the word viññāṇa, or consciousness is one of those words, but it specifically refers to the awareness aspect of the mind, not the whole thing. The word Mano is a more general term that refers to the mind as a whole, especially when one is contrasting it with the body, and the word Citta is usually used to refer to the mind as a whole but in some contexts (such as in Abhidhamma) it is used in the more specific sense of the word viññāṇa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T05:44:30.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7854" CreationDate="2015-02-24T05:50:00.310" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada (mostly in the abhidhamma and commentaries), &amp;quot;nāma&amp;quot; is used to describe those dhammas that are mental, i.e. the last four aggregates. Also, three of the four ultimate realities (nibbana is considered a nāmadhamma, though that's a bit of a technicality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;e.g., in the Yāmaka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ye keci nāmā dhammā, sabbe te nāmamūlā?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever nāma dhammas, are they all rooted in nāma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They're also referred to as &amp;quot;arūpadhamma&amp;quot;, i.e. not physical, as in the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yathā yathā hissa rūpaṃ suvikkhālitaṃ hoti nijjaṭaṃ suparisuddhaṃ, tathā tathā ... tadārammaṇā arūpadhammā sayameva pākaṭā honti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For in proportion as materiality becomes quite definite, disentangled and quite clear to him, so the immaterial states that have that [materiality] as their object become plain of themselves too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T05:50:00.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7858" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-24T06:39:13.343" Score="3" ViewCount="500" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ever since I've started practicing Vipassana, I'm starting to feel two distinct and diametrically opposite intentions are developing within me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one says &quot;I've suffered enough, not any more! I'm prepared to do anything to experience Nirvana. Enough of supporting these cravings and desires, they have only lead to great suffering. I don't want to take another birth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Au contraire, the second one says &quot;I want to enjoy the basic things in life. Though I've undergone a lot of sufferings, I should enjoy at least a little before leaving this world, its only fair. Is it wrong to enjoy things?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whilst I vaguely used to feel this divide since long, its only since I've started practicing Vipassana that it has become more pronounced. Its as if like a big &lt;em&gt;battle&lt;/em&gt; is going on between these two &lt;strong&gt;forces&lt;/strong&gt;, and I'm just a spectator. Is this feeling normal, or my case is any different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:22:22.267" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:22:22.267" Title="What is this personality split I'm feeling since practicing Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|nirvana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7858" CreationDate="2015-02-24T07:25:17.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Leave aside both than romanticize and just keep up your practice. If you are too eager to Niravana then you will put too much effort. If you go the other way then worldly pleasures come with more misery attached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T07:25:17.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7858" CreationDate="2015-02-24T08:17:41.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whilst I vaguely used to feel this divide since long, its only since I've started practicing Vipassana that it has become more pronounced&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation tends to bring forth our vague intentions,feelings,thoughts etc.In other words your just seeing it clearly now because of  mindfulness.It used to go about unregistered in the subconscious until you became mindful of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T08:17:41.630" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7858" CreationDate="2015-02-24T08:21:49.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say dont bother with any of them. Simply note them as mental formations. They belong to the 4th aggregate and are under the effect of the 3 signs of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note them and see how they arise and cease like all other conditioned phenomena. There is no &quot;self&quot; experiencing this - there is only the arising and cessation of mental and physical phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dont identify with them. Dont take ownership of them. These phenomena are impersonal and empty of any substance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should look up &lt;em&gt;Conventional &amp;amp; Ultimate reality - Sammuti sacca &amp;amp; Paramattha sacca&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/A%20Discourse%20on%20the%20Anattalakkhana%20Sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Check out the discourse on the &lt;em&gt;Anattalakkhana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; by Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;. In this discourse it is described thoroughly and in detail why the 5 aggregates cannot be taken as a &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T08:32:49.680" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T08:32:49.680" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7854" CreationDate="2015-02-24T08:37:30.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On page 111 in &lt;em&gt;What Buddhists Believe by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda&lt;/em&gt; there is a short section about &lt;em&gt;Nama-Rupa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Maybe it can help you out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. K. Sri Dhammanda&lt;/em&gt; talks about the definition of both &lt;em&gt;nama &amp;amp; rupa&lt;/em&gt;. He says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... According to buddhism, life is a combination of mind (nama) and matter (rupa).&#xA;Mind consists of the combination of sensations, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness. Matter consists of the combination of the four elements of solidity, fluidity, motion and heat.&#xA;Life is the co-existence of mind and matter. Decay is the lack of co-ordination of mind and matter. Death is the separation of mind and matter. Rebirth is the recombination of mind and matter. After the passing away of the physical body (matter), the mental forces (mind) recombine and assume a new combination in a different material form and condition another existence...&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...The relation of mind to matter is like the relation of a battery to an engine of a motor car. The battery helps to start the engine. The engine helps to charge the battery. The combination helps to run the motor car. In the same manner, matter helps the mind to function and the mind helps to set matter in motion...&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that he goes a bit further into the subject although as stated above its a short section on 2 pages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T13:07:31.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7858" CreationDate="2015-02-24T08:39:20.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not wrong to enjoy things. You can have nirvana and you can enjoy life at the same time. In fact when you're free of the grip existence you're most capable of enjoying it: seeing the beauty of the trees and the nature. It's like a beautiful painting: you don't have to believe in the contents of the painting to be able to enjoy it. You should enjoy your life until your physical body dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trouble is in your wanting: wanting to have a nirvana, wanting to avoid another birth or wanting to enjoy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just be without fear. All things come in their right time. Perceive it all. The whole world is your practice ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4750" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T08:39:20.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-02-24T08:41:18.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This question is mere practical: how a practitioner avoids that his mind wanders away into stories and dramas. There are moments that &quot;noting&quot; does not help&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I use discipline to not continue on with a story.I can't help my mind from wandering but as soon as i note it i find that i can use discipline to stay anchored in the present moment.Also if i really can't stop,i just bring mindfulness to experience whatever i am experiencing.Mindfulness has this, forgive me for saying this,this annoying sobering up quality that can snap you of anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T08:41:18.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7865" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-24T09:21:23.133" Score="5" ViewCount="587" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it very difficult to practice metta because i can't find anyone who has been a benefactor.I don't know a lot of people.Most people i know i find it very difficult to send metta to as a benefactor as their either very dear to me or downright hostile.Can i just imagine a benefactor i never had .Or use a dead person, as my auntie was very kind to me but she's deceased now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can i practice metta without a benefactor? How can i find a benefactor to practice metta to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:18:31.050" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T14:07:43.247" Title="How to practice Metta without a Benefactor?" Tags="|loving-kindness|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7865" CreationDate="2015-02-24T10:09:06.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A benefactor is not necessary. You can pratice Metta using categories which is the way to pratice Metta without a benefactors. E.g. All beings, all being in front of me, etc. There are 22 such categories in Paisambhidā-Magga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One objective of Metta Bhavana is to dissolve ego and break down perception and this is my friend and someone is my fore. If some one is better off than you chances is there is some inner resistance to practice Metta or Muditha towards him. If you believe someone has wronged you then the chances are that it will be difficult to spread Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you progress try to break down negative perception you have build about people. Also look at the impact on other aggregates as you practice Metta. Look at the sensations as you make thoughts off Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;A Practical Bare-Bones guide to Metta Meditation&quot; by Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt; may be of interest. Page 85, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing 4th Ed&lt;/a&gt; by Pa Auk Sayadaw&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-04T15:42:21.970" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T15:42:21.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7868" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-24T13:20:12.563" Score="8" ViewCount="1812" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a meditation teacher is not enlightened, is there any point in learning from him/her? According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the awakening should usually take some time between 7 days and 7 years. If somebody who devoted his life to teaching meditation still hasn't got enlightened, there must be something wrong with his method, then? Or am I missing something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is general, but to give some context: I have been to a meditation retreat using S.N. Goenka's method, and what I learnt seems to have some merits. But if I assumed a Buddhist point of view that the awakening is the ultimate goal, there is no reason to follow his advice, since Goenka has stated that he is not enlightened. Is there any point in using his techniques?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:17:42.577" LastActivityDate="2021-02-12T14:37:28.120" Title="Is there any point in learning meditation from an unenlightened person?" Tags="|satipatthana|sn-goenka|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T13:38:28.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone can state he/she is enlightened so you can't just believe their words. Satipatthana Sutta seems overly optimistic about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many persons avoid the use of the word enlightened altogether so I just would just suggest listening to what a teacher has to say. If their words make sense, listen. If their words or teaching no longer have value for you, you can always walk out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4750" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T13:38:28.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7854" CreationDate="2015-02-24T13:40:08.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But is &quot;nāma&quot; ever used alone to signify &quot;mind&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt; defines nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Feeling, perception, volition, contact and attention [vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro] — these are called nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So some aspects of the mind are nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside the suttas, as in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7856/382&quot;&gt;@bakmoon's answer&lt;/a&gt;, I understand nāma literary means &quot;name&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is one of the things that are not perfectly clear when put together with other concepts, and there has been attempts to clarify its meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as scholars of Buddhism have often understood the term nāmarūpa to refer to 'mind and body' rather than it's more literal meaning 'name and form', so the later Theravada tradition has understood nāmarūpa. Such an understanding, however, is scarcely compatible with the main context in which nāmarūpa is found in the pali canon, which is the fourth link in the usual twelvefold version of the chain of dependent origination&quot;. [...] If mind and body arise at this stage, how can one make sense of the subsequent arising of what seem to be mental faculties, and why do we find jāti, birth, so much further along the chain?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the book above, a chapter is dedicated to nāmarūpa. The following are a few points drawn from it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;MN 9 is the only sutta that defines nāma. Now, in light of nāmarūpa in the conditioned arising formula, it appears at odds, as vedanā and phassa are further down the links after nāmarūpa, and cetanā is left grouped on samkhara (or taṇhā).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Papancasudani&lt;/em&gt; (MN commentary) projects the skhandhas in the definition above: vedanāskhandha, saññāskhanda, and samkharakhandha (standing for cetanā, phasso and manasikāro).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As per Visuddhimagga (p 438), it's said that a man beginning insight understands nāma as the four arupakhandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Further on in the Visuddhimagga (p 558), while discussing the dependent origination, nāma is said to be three aggregates (saññā, vedanā, sankhara). It seems this was arranged because viññāṇa conditions nāmarūpa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the author shows that, though there are parallels to nāmarūpa and the khandhas, the definition of one based on another is commentarial. In further analysis, she suggests that nāma should be understood as &quot;conceptual identity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T10:47:14.347" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T15:33:20.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A teacher who follows and explains rigorously and profoundly the &lt;em&gt;Anapana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;Mahasatipatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; is worth to be appreciated, enlightened or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, nobody can explain Buddha's teachings in a such a way without 'seeing and knowing'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;S.N. Goenka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Observing reality as it is by observing the truth inside—this is&#xA;  knowing oneself directly and experientially. As one practices, one&#xA;  keeps freeing oneself from the misery of mental impurities. From the&#xA;  gross, external, apparent truth, one penetrates to the ultimate truth&#xA;  of mind and matter. Then one transcends that, and experiences a truth&#xA;  that is beyond mind and matter, beyond time and space, beyond the&#xA;  conditioned field of relativity: the truth of total liberation from&#xA;  all defilements, all impurities, all suffering.  Whatever name one&#xA;  gives this ultimate truth is irrelevant; it is the final goal of&#xA;  everyone&quot;.&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;S.N. Goenka, (2014), The Art of Dying, p. 154:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever name one gives this ultimate truth is irrelevant... Indeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="2495" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T15:46:31.833" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T15:46:31.833" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T15:57:32.800" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a practical perspective there aren't going to be that many enlightened people around so if you want to have anything approaching personal instruction then you will have no option but to engage with an unenlightened teacher. I would argue that the personal connection is far more important than being in contact with someone who has completed the path. Even if there was an enlightened person in your area they probably wouldn't advertise that fact - so unless you had a very close student/teacher connection already, you wouldn't necessarily know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it depends whether you think that it's enlightenment or bust. If you think that enlightenment is all or nothing and unless you have achieved it then you've wasted your time - then hold on for an enlightened teacher. However if you think that it is an incremental process, then anyone on a stage of the path further on than you would be perfectly good teacher. Established concepts such as stream-entrant, once-returner etc.. point to the latter point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly as someone else has said the Sattipanna Sutta has a particular point of view about the time it takes to get enlightened. If you read other texts then you will get other perspectives. In the Lotus Sutra for example the time it takes to get enlightened ranges from between a few moments for the Dragon Kings daughter to 'as may kalpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges' - which is considerably longer than 7 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T15:57:32.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T16:00:41.700" Score="14" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any point in learning meditation from an unenlightened person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are arahants living, it would make more sense to learn from them. But that being the case, it's quite hard to identify them, and they vow not to openly declare such accomplishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these circumstances, consider the negative answer: after deciding there is no point in learning from an unenlightened person we still have to face the fact that we are left as unenlightened being subject to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same question applies to the suttas: are they the actual words of the Buddha? If we allow the &quot;maybe not&quot; answer, does this mean it render the texts useless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, the burden is on the learner, to be autonomous, critical, and to learn to evaluate his/her own steps, directions and options, even if he is, often times, not in the best position to perform these evaluations. And as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7873/382&quot;&gt;@Crab suggested&lt;/a&gt;, learning is &quot;incremental&quot;, and we naturally can learn from people who know &quot;a little more&quot;. For example, we don't need to demand isaac newton to teach us physics, nor it makes much sense to only regard nobel laureates able to teach their fields. A school teacher might do &quot;just fine&quot;. Of course, there are limits to &quot;just fine&quot;, as an unenlightened teacher is subject to mistakes -- and that's were the tension lies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is that, in our generation, that's our circumstance and that's what we have at our disposal. And we have to work with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T17:02:53.850" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T16:51:35.643" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha tells the Kalamas to choose a teacher wisely in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; based on the usefulness or skillfulness of the teachings, as well as you can identify the characteristics of the &quot;disciple of the noble ones&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by&#xA;  traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are skillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities,&#xA;  when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness&quot; — then you&#xA;  should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to&#xA;  this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus devoid&#xA;  of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, &amp;amp; resolute — keeps&#xA;  pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second&#xA;  direction, the third, &amp;amp; the fourth — with an awareness imbued with&#xA;  good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, &amp;amp; all around,&#xA;  everywhere &amp;amp; in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an&#xA;  awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable,&#xA;  free from hostility, free from ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha advises the sangha to take full refuge unto the dhamma and depend on themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When he dwells contemplating the body in the body, earnestly, clearly comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome desire and&#xA;  sorrow in regard to the world; when he dwells contemplating feelings&#xA;  in feelings, the mind in the mind, and mental objects in mental&#xA;  objects, earnestly, clearly comprehending, and mindfully, after having&#xA;  overcome desire and sorrow in regard to the world, then, truly, he is&#xA;  an island unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external&#xA;  refuge; having the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge,&#xA;  seeking no other refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those bhikkhus of mine, Ananda, who now or after I am gone, abide as an island unto themselves, as a refuge unto themselves, seeking no&#xA;  other refuge; having the Dhamma as their island and refuge, seeking no&#xA;  other refuge: &lt;strong&gt;it is they who will become the highest, if they&#xA;  have the desire to learn.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note the last advice on the &quot;desire to learn&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take the Dhamma as your island and refuge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Depend on yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have the desire to learn&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn from teachers whose teachings you find to be useful and skillful (&lt;strong&gt;need not be arahants&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Identify that the teacher is, preferably, a &quot;disciple of the noble ones&quot; (see above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But don't depend on those teachers - depend on yourself and the Dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also warns of making sure that we understand the Dhamma properly and also not getting overly attached to it (&quot;&lt;em&gt;In the same way, monks, I have taught the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T17:14:28.833" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T17:14:28.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7876" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-24T17:28:03.447" Score="4" ViewCount="656" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read about technicalities of stream entry, but just wanted to ask, to see if I understand the &quot;big picture&quot;: If we step outside and try to describe it in plain English, is a &quot;stream enterer&quot; simply a &quot;devout Buddhist&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me offer an analogy with a more typical use of this word: a devout Catholic is a person who practices Catholicism not because of his upbringing/pressure from the society/habits of following the rituals/suspicion that God may exist, but because he &lt;strong&gt;knows&lt;/strong&gt; that this is the right thing to do, and he &lt;strong&gt;knows&lt;/strong&gt; that God exists (perhaps because of some experience that completely conviced him and left no doubt). So, is a stream enterer, analogously, somebody who &lt;strong&gt;knows&lt;/strong&gt; that suffering is the problem, and &lt;strong&gt;knows&lt;/strong&gt; that the Buddhist path is the solution (etc.)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm only asking about the concept, and I don't want to get into discussion whether things that a devout of a particular religion knows are may be true or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T17:36:57.013" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T21:22:10.883" Title="Does &quot;stream enterer&quot; simply mean &quot;devout Buddhist&quot;?" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7876" CreationDate="2015-02-24T17:37:49.927" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, a stream enterer is much more than that. A stream enterer has experienced Nibbana first hand and is changed in a permanent way because of it. Stream entry totally destroyes the first three fetters of self view, doubt about the validity of the teachings, and clinging to rites and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who knows the teachings of the Buddha are true and sincerely follows them to seek enlightenment but hasn't yet attained stream entry would be called a kaliyana putthujana, or good worldling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Added later)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other terms that might be what you are looking for are the terms Faith-follower and Dhamma-follower, which refer to individuals who have come to have come to an acceptance of the Dhamma either primarily through the quality of faith or of wisdom, but have not yet been able to directly perceive the truth of the Dhamma for themselves. For example, the Vinnana Sutta says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. &quot;Monks, eye-consciousness is inconstant, changeable,&#xA;  alterable. Ear-consciousness... Nose-consciousness...&#xA;  Tongue-consciousness... Body-consciousness... Intellect-consciousness&#xA;  is inconstant, changeable, alterable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One who has conviction &amp;amp; belief that these phenomena are this way is&#xA;  called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of&#xA;  rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the&#xA;  plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by&#xA;  which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm&#xA;  of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has&#xA;  realized the fruit of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One who, after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted&#xA;  that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower: one who&#xA;  has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people&#xA;  of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is&#xA;  incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in&#xA;  the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of&#xA;  passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a&#xA;  stream-enterer, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe,&#xA;  headed for self-awakening.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-02-25T01:16:39.533" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T01:16:39.533" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7878" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7888" CreationDate="2015-02-24T18:13:10.717" Score="4" ViewCount="359" Body="&lt;p&gt;Leading on from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7855/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; - is it true that ultimately most or even all non-monastic lifestyles are wrong livelihood. Not being a monk I find this point of view quite challenging but just because I don't like it doesn't stop it from being true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I suspect that this might differ between traditions so if the school that the answer comes from can be highlighted in the answer that would be really helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T09:42:11.590" Title="Are all non-monastic ways of life wrong livelihood?" Tags="|ethics|right-livelihood|monasticism|laity|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7878" CreationDate="2015-02-24T18:34:24.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote was, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... most non-monastic livelihood is &quot;wrong&quot; in the sense that it generally involves desire beyond what is functional (i.e. can arise in an enlightened being)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that statement is related to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nekkhamma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T18:34:24.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7881" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7886" CreationDate="2015-02-24T20:06:37.420" Score="5" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which are the best meditation practices to prevent enhancing one's sense of self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:15:50.440" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:15:50.440" Title="Preventing to enhance one's sense of self" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7878" CreationDate="2015-02-24T21:45:02.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism there are many examples of yogis that didn´t live a monastic life but achieved enlighten during their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most revered of them is Milarepa, who after murdering family members in his early life, later became a Buddhist yogi and got enlighten.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Marpa is another good example; he had an ordinary life with wife, son, properties, etc. and got enlightened.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milarepa and Marpa are both from the Kagyu school, but in all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyigma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelupa) are examples of yogis, not living the monastic life and getting enlighten.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T21:45:02.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7876" CreationDate="2015-02-24T21:53:29.343" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, they're not describing the same kind of thing. Stream Entry (i.e. the thing which a Stream Enterer achieves) is a particular achievement en route to full enlightenment. Devoutness, then, is merely one aspect of living that may help one reach that achievement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another analogy is weight lifting. Someone can be &quot;devout&quot; in the sense of being serious. committed to going to the gym, faithful to the pursuit of increasing weight capability, and so on. And then &quot;stream entry&quot; is something like &quot;can clean and jerk their own body-weight&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, stream entry is a specific, well-described set of &quot;objective&quot; criteria in terms of attainment. Devout, on the other hand, could represent a way of approaching practice so as to achieve stream entry (i.e. to become a stream enterer). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going back to your Catholic analogy, consider St Thomas Aquinas. He was, by all accounts, a devout Catholic. However, towards the end of his life he is recorded as having had some kind of spiritual experience which led him to say that all his prior work (the Summae etc) was &quot;like straw&quot;. I suspect that he may have been referring to something like a Stream Entry experience, but it came along towards the end of (although maybe because of) a devout Catholic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T21:53:29.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-24T22:22:06.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just as you let a thought pass through you during meditation rather than trying to crush it, let this opportunity pass through your life rather than crushing it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Disclaimer: I am not &quot;enlightened&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a teacher has not attained enlightenment, that does not automatically show that there is a flaw in his meditation teachings, for there is more to an individual than merely what they teach.  And, even if they are flawed (as we all are), that does not mean you have nothing to learn from them.  It merely means they will not be able to &quot;teach you to be awake,&quot; but that means little since no teacher can teach you to be awake.  Besides, needing to find someone who is &quot;enlightened&quot; means you are attached to the idea of being taught by an enlightened person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we meditate, and a thought appears, we are not instructed to stop the thought in its tracks.  We calmly let it play out, observing it.  Once it is gone, calmness is back.  It is reasonable to map this into life: if you have an option to train from an imperfect source, let it pass through your life, observing all you can from this opportunity.  You may find that their flawed teachings enlighten you, or you may not.  Or, given that the student-teacher relationship often works in reverse, you may assist him or her in enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is entirely possible that this teacher cannot teach you enough to attain enlightenment yourself.  This is true for any teacher.  However, unless you attach yourself to their methods so deeply that you cannot learn from any other teacher, you are always free to thank them for their wisdom, and move on to a teacher which will teach you new things.  This new teacher may be &quot;enlightened,&quot; or they may not.  Once again, let it play out, and patiently observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T22:22:06.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7881" CreationDate="2015-02-24T23:33:46.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any meditation can do this, since meditation develops non-attachment and concentration on non-self centered objects, and it's attachment and self-centered thoughts that give rise to and perpetuate the sense of self.  Therefore what you do depends on your disposition, challenges, pre-existing beliefs, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you need some pointers, here are some meditations that may be particularly well suited to this...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditating on the Skandhas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditating on Emptiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look for the self.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bare mindfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Choiceless awareness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditating on determinism (if you don't believe in free will)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key with any meditation is not to exclude any phenomena.  This is key because we can often have blind spots.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, I'm looking at my senses and concepts, yet there's this concept/sense of me looking at these senses, a concept/sense that I don't actually treat as another concept/sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I am aware of what I'm doing, yet I have a blind spot about my sense of intention as being another sense and instead think of myself as an independent actor acting in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I look at external and internal phenomena, while maintaining a differentiation of what goes on inside and outside me (subject and object), instead of seeing it as a flurry of experience, including the experience of classifying these into separate experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once we really open to all experience, we should end up with a thorough-going non-duality, which erodes all the discrimination which either lead to the sense of self, or that form the substrate of our thinking, the &quot;units&quot; we use to construct (among other things) our sense of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, any meditation -- properly approached -- should erode this sense of self.  The key is to be ruthless about all phenomena, and not to leave anything out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, some meditations may focus more clearly on this sense of self than others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-02-24T23:55:45.603" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T23:55:45.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7881" CreationDate="2015-02-24T23:58:35.050" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vippassanna's really good because it breaks down the sense of self.&#xA;Samatha might require a sense of self at first but it gets released in jhana.&#xA;Metta is also good because it breaks down the boundaries between you and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-24T23:58:35.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7865" CreationDate="2015-02-25T02:56:43.140" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need a benefactor to practice that type of metta; you just need someone who is dear to you;  it just shouldn't be someone you could potentially desire sexually, or whom you are partial towards, like your children. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stages, according to the Visuddhimagga are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cultivate metta towards yourself (useless, but a good example)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cultivate metta towards someone you hold dear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cultivate metta towards a neutral party&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cultivate metta towards someone you dislike (optional, only for those who have such a person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having someone dear to you seems important, as there is no advice given for what to do if such a person does not exist. Ostensibly, you could skip that step and try to immediately cultivate metta towards a neutral party, but the dear one is useful for returning to when difficulty arises with the other objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, you could try cultivating metta in order of proximity; may I be happy, may all beings in this room be happy, this building, this city, this country, this world, the universe. Also, by direction; may all beings to the East be happy, etc. Or finally, by class: may all women be happy, men, animals, angels, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw has a detailed exposition of the four brahmaviharas that is both practical and informative:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Brahmavihara%20Dhamma.htm&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Brahmavihara%20Dhamma.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he says, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mettā can also be developed towards any other person deserving of affection and respect, if not towards your teacher, grand-parents, mother, father and so on.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T02:56:43.140" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7878" CreationDate="2015-02-25T03:13:22.823" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is it true that...&amp;quot; is a difficult question to answer. If you mean, according to a certain school, then yes, according to the Theravada, it is true, since an arahant is unable to practice non-monastic livelihood. They are said to either leave the household life or pass into parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See, for example, the enlightenment of Khemā:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the conclusion of the lesson Khemā was established in Arahatship; the multitude also profited by the lesson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Said the Teacher to the king, “Great king, Khemā ought either to retire from the world or to pass into Nibbāna.” The king replied, “Reverend Sir, admit her to the Order; as for Nibbāna, never!” She retired from the world and became one of the Teacher’s foremost female lay disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhp-A 347 (from Buddhist Legends)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;N.B. the word &amp;quot;never&amp;quot; should actually be &amp;quot;enough!&amp;quot;, in the sense that it's not time to think about that now.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is that, as mentioned in the linked answer, there is a difference between conventional morality and ultimate morality. Conventionally, only those livelihoods mentioned explicitly are wrong, just as only adultery is wrong for one who keeps five precepts. That doesn't mean that ordinary sexual desire is not ultimately misguided; it is. Likewise, any livelihood for the purpose of maintaining a household life is ultimately misguided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only exception I can think of is where one's household life is identical to a monastic setting (i.e. no need for ambition, concern for belongings, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T03:13:22.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7889" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-25T05:21:27.197" Score="4" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some of his books Lama Ole Nydahl claims that the prosperity of certain region is determined (among other things) by the Karma of people living there. That is, people in Switzerland (or Silicon Valley) have, on average, a better Karma than inhabitants of poor, war-torn countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that the latter want to improve the situation: Gradually (over several decades or even centuries) build up good Karma so that the life in those regions becomes better (turn Sierra Leone into an African Silicon Valley, for example). Also, there is plenty of evidence that economic measures alone often don't fight poverty effectively, so why not trying out a Buddhist approach to economic development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that there are some publicly available teachings on how the average Karma of a region can be improved. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are they and where can I find them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T09:31:17.170" Title="What Buddhist materials describe how to increase the number of people with good Karma in a geographic area?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7889" CreationDate="2015-02-25T06:41:40.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though not directly affecting karma, there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;variation of Metta Meditation&lt;/a&gt; mentioned in the Visuddhi Magga that increases universal love and brotherhood. Though the object is &lt;em&gt;universal&lt;/em&gt;, its obvious that nearer vicinities would be felt more profound an effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is one thing in this world that can influence peoples' &lt;em&gt;Karma&lt;/em&gt;, it is meditation. &lt;em&gt;Karma&lt;/em&gt; is nothing but the result of aeons of conditioning of the five aggregates, and only with insight (&lt;em&gt;pradnya&lt;/em&gt;) can they be positively affected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a practical experiment, just arrange a series of group meditation sittings among the people of the geographic area you want to improvise. After each sitting, just feel the &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; vibrations in the air!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2015-02-25T06:58:18.890" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T06:58:18.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7889" CreationDate="2015-02-25T09:31:17.170" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That is, people in Switzerland (or Silicon Valley) have, on average, a better Karma than inhabitants of poor, war-torn countries&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't know how much karma people have (not even on average).Unless your a Buddha or something.And you can't judge people's happiness based on regions or material possesions.Silicon valley might seem like a heaven,but it's not for the person commiting suicide because a plastic surgery went wrong.That's their hell.What of a kind person living a contented life in sierra leone who dies a peaceful death that's his heaven.We experience the effects of our karmas &lt;strong&gt;in our minds&lt;/strong&gt; not on what happens around us.If that was the case most monastics would be experiencing the fruits of their bad karmas since they have to give up everything.Great Ajahns weren't from switzerland and neither were great people who cultivated great qualities such as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama who both came from war torn and oppressed regions.Happiness isn't based on material wealth.True happiness comes from being a good person and you can be a good person anywhere,not just switzerland or silicon valley.The region doesn't cause your good karma,the person does or more accurately your actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T09:31:17.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7878" CreationDate="2015-02-25T09:42:11.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rosenberg, Larry, (2012), Breath by Breath. The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation p. 124:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ordinary life is extremely important. After all, most of us are not&#xA;  monks or nuns in a monastery devoted to meditation. But if you take&#xA;  that [ordinary life] as a part of your practice—not inferior to&#xA;  monastic life and not superior—it can be extremely rich&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't that what is really meant with &lt;em&gt;catuparisa&lt;/em&gt; in the Sobhana sutra (AN. VII) , where the four groups [monks; nuns; lay man and lay women] are &lt;em&gt;(...) 'accomplished together in wisdom, disciplined, self-confident, deeply learned and dhamma bearers, who live according to the dhamma and illuminate the sasana?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T09:42:11.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7893" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-25T14:37:38.877" Score="1" ViewCount="198" Body="&lt;p&gt;And how about followers of other non-Theravadin Buddhisms? Why? If they cannot, what is the last stage of enlightenment that they are able to achieve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to sources in your answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2018-12-04T15:23:49.483" Title="From the perspective of Theravada, can a Mahayana follower attain Nibbana?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|nirvana|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7894" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-25T15:00:48.017" Score="4" ViewCount="628" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, how do Bodhisattvas help others get enlightened? Do they do it by teaching, just like Gautama Buddha did, or by some other means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-02-27T02:46:11.533" Title="In what way do Bodhisattvas help others get enlightened?" Tags="|mahayana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-25T16:03:47.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Truth is, there is only YOU who can decide (for yourself) if any teacher (or any person for that matter) is &quot;enlightened&quot; or not, so this question is actually empty. Authorities that you respect may vouch for one teacher or the other, but again it is YOU deciding that those authorities are authoritative. It is YOU who decided that meditation is worthwhile. So it always falls back on you. Accept that you have this responsibility of deciding things for yourself, and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4769" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T16:03:47.493" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-25T17:45:01.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our current neuroscience beliefs state that our memories are stored chemically in the brain and disappear at death, therefore you can't simply attain enlightenment by neurosurgical means, because our mind is not physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of our brain as an interface to our non-physical mind (consciousness). So enlightenment is not something that can be invoked physically, the same as cutting &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein%27s_brain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Einstein's brain&lt;/a&gt; won't give you any intelligence gains, no matter how our neuroscience would progresses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment can be achieved only by a state of mind of your spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As our neuroscience accelerates, we can only enhance our brain circuitry to process more data (like photographic memory, abstract thoughts, etc.), as our current brains only handle an narrow amount of the information that is constantly being fed at the unconscious level, but it's nothing to do with attaining enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="385" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T17:45:01.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-25T18:28:10.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't 'become' enlightened. You are enlightened. It's a question of whether you've had an experience of truly realizing this. Nor is this experience a perpetual state of being, at least for the vast majority of people. So holding out for an 'enlightened' teacher is really missing the point. @Simo Kivistö has a good answer. Look for a teacher who makes sense to you in terms of your knowledge, experience, feeling - or lack of same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2255" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T18:28:10.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7893" CreationDate="2015-02-25T18:28:53.023" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There aren't any texts within the Theravada school that talk about what happens to practitioners of other schools. The closest reference I can find in it is in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, which says;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Subhadda went to the Blessed One and exchanged courteous&#xA;  greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp;&#xA;  courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to&#xA;  the Blessed One, &quot;Venerable sir, these brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, each&#xA;  with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his&#xA;  group, an honored leader, well-regarded by people at large — i.e.,&#xA;  Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha&#xA;  Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthaputta, &amp;amp; the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they&#xA;  all have direct knowledge as they themselves claim, or do they all not&#xA;  have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and&#xA;  some of them not?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the&#xA;  Dhamma. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord,&quot; Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, &quot;In any&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no&#xA;  contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order&#xA;  [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But&#xA;  in any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is found,&#xA;  contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are&#xA;  found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine &amp;amp;&#xA;  discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first...&#xA;  second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of&#xA;  knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this&#xA;  world will not be empty of arahants.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which I think indicates that as long as the Noble Eightfold Path is present, you can expect to find enlightened beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an additional issue of what happens with a person who makes a Bodhisattva vow. According to the Theravada school, a Bodhisattva must complete three great eons of practicing the ten Paramis in order to attain Buddhahood, but attaining stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment would cause that person to pass into parinibbana within seven lifetimes. As a result, a Bodhisattva will not attain stream entry or higher until the time when they are almost finished. If a Bodhisattva engages in vipassana meditation before that point, then they will be able to progress to Anulomanyana, the knowledge in which one sees the four noble truths, but the force of their Bodhisattva vow will stop them from going any further and accidentally attaining stream entry. This information is found in the commentary on the Majjhima Nikaya and is referenced in one of the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnote on MN81 which says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;MA notes that bodhisattas (or bodhisattvas in Sanskrit) go forth&#xA;  under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's&#xA;  teachings, practise the meditative life, and develop insight up to&#xA;  conformity knowledge (anulomanana). But they do not make effort to&#xA;  attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta&#xA;  career).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-02-25T20:23:24.367" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T20:23:24.367" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7900" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7903" CreationDate="2015-02-25T19:29:43.400" Score="10" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone provide short (maybe a couple of sentences) summaries of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the differences between them. In fairly certain there are 4 main schools but I could be wrong in that. Also if there are more minor schools of interested then a link to further information on those too would be really good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read a bit about Tibetan Buddhism but the characteristics and differences of the main schools just won't lodge in my mind so this would satisfy bit of personal interest really.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks for all responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T08:40:49.347" Title="What are the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|beginner|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7901" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-25T20:33:04.907" Score="4" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few years ago, I read in the introduction of a Spirituality book about this story of Gautam Buddha. I've forgotten the name of the book, but this poetry has stuck in my memory for ever. The story goes something like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The young prince Siddhartha is sitting in the garden, having felt disgusted by the vanity of the celebrations going on in the palace. That's when he hears a group of celestial beings passing by singing melodious choirs:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We Know not whence we come,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;nor where we float away&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Time and again, we tread this round, of smiles and tears&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;In vain we pine to know&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;whither our pathway leads&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;And why we play this empty play&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each time I remember or reflect upon this choir, I get a profound feeling of &lt;code&gt;anicca&lt;/code&gt;. I know that even thinking about this is also a sign of attachment, as even those thoughts are impermanent. But is it wrong to get energized or inspired by a choir, even if the inspiration is towards the path of enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note, has such an anecdote really happened with Gautam Buddha? Is there such a mention in any suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3704" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T16:44:15.247" Title="Is reflecting upon a choir conducive to the path of Enlightenment?" Tags="|the-buddha|impermanence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7868" CreationDate="2015-02-25T20:59:53.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paramahansa Yogananda was considered to be enlightened, he founded Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate his meditation techniques. As good a place to start as any, I guess. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4770" LastActivityDate="2015-02-25T20:59:53.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7900" CreationDate="2015-02-25T22:22:54.633" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rather simplified, somewhat caricatured presentation based on my own very limited knowledge:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nyingma&lt;/strong&gt; - &quot;the old (translation) tradition&quot;, based on prehistoric transmissions of B into Tibet as early as 8th century. Characterized by loose &quot;democratic&quot; organization (until the exile each monastery was independent, with no central figurehead a-la Dalai Lama) and by a very abstract main teaching intended to plant the student into an already-enlightened perspective. Historically situated in Eastern Tibet. Before the communist invasion this was a very deep, very conservative school, very proud of its archaic methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kagyu&lt;/strong&gt; - &quot;the oral linage&quot; from mostly Eastern (with some important monasteries in Central) Tibet, from 12th century. Characterized by emphasis on effort and various transformative / cleansing practices, this school takes pride in live transmission of fundamental sanity and teaching by personal example that is not shy of adapting to the spirit of times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sakya&lt;/strong&gt; - the study school, historically in close affinity with rich secular rulers of Central and Eastern Tibet since 13-14cc. Emphasizes thorough knowledge of Dharma through study of texts. Not always considered a mature monastic tradition by the above two schools.&#xA;The head role is passed down the family line, as in hereditary monarchy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gelug&lt;/strong&gt; - the new reform school, founded in Central Tibet in 14th century, on the textual basis of the then extinct Kadam school (11-12cc). The doctrinal foundation of the Central Tibetan government that saw itself in charge of Tibet from 15th to 20th century. Characterized by relatively more rigid orgstructure. Emphasizes logic and study of Madhyamaka. The Gelug is the most recent and perforce drew upon the prior schools (Nyingma/Kagyu/Sakya) in many ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bon&lt;/strong&gt; - an ancient shamanic tradition germinated by influx of Buddhism, specifically Nyingma teachings. Leads with shamanism as upaya in lower yanas, elevating to sutra-, tantra-, and Dzogchen-level teachings depending on student's capacity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ri-me&lt;/strong&gt; - a universalistic movement in Tibetan Buddhism intended to harmonize the various views and styles of the different traditions while preserving their individual features. Voiced by leading Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya scholars of 19th century, Ri-me re-established the non-sectarian principle that had been always present in Tibetan Buddhism despite the ongoing political struggle between the schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-14T15:31:25.967" LastActivityDate="2015-12-14T15:31:25.967" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7901" CreationDate="2015-02-26T01:33:33.390" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But is it wrong to get energized or inspired by a choir, even if the inspiration is towards the path of enlightenment?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In principle, I don't think so. It's quite reasonable actually to regard the verses in the suttas having that precise purpose (otherwise, why write in verses?). Additionally, many traditions do chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I know that even thinking about this is also a sign of attachment, as even those thoughts are impermanent.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not necessarily. Inspiration does not entail craving, and feeling inspired is very important, I don't think anyone who have directed their lives to this path would be able to gather energy to do so without inspiration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] and he gains inspiration in the meaning, gains inspiration in the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma. When he is glad, rapture is born in him. in one who is rapturous, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels pleasure; in one who feels pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;--   Vatthūpama Sutta, MN 7&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;Endowed with two things, a monk lives in ease in the present life and is appropriately aroused for the ending of the fermentations. Which two? A sense of urgency &amp;amp; awe toward things that should inspire urgency &amp;amp; awe and, feeling urgency &amp;amp; awe, appropriate exertion. Endowed with two things, a monk lives in ease in the present life and is appropriately aroused for the ending of the fermentations.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Feeling urgency, awe / toward what should inspire it / the wise,  masterful /&#xA;  ardent monk / should investigate / with discernment. / One who lives thus / ardently / not restlessly, at peace / committed to awareness-tranquillity / would attain the ending / of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.028-049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti 2.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as we know, it's not always like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, have you not known me to teach the Dhamma in such a way as this: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase [...]?&quot; — &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Kīṭāgiri Sutta, MN 70&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By &quot;inspiration&quot;, we are presumably talking about, say, something that acts as a vehicle to something else. But when it ends in itself, that is just sensual delight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen sensual desire and for the increase and expansion of arisen sensual desire? There is, bhikkhus, the sign of the beautiful: frequently giving careless attention to it is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen sensual desire and for the increase and expansion of arisen sensual desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 46.51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In more detail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, in whatever monk or nun there arises desire, passion, aversion, delusion, or mental resistance with regard to forms cognizable via the eye, he/she should hold the mind in check. [Thinking,] 'It's dangerous &amp;amp; dubious, that path, thorny &amp;amp; overgrown, a miserable path, a devious path, impenetrable. It's a path followed by people of no integrity, not a path followed by people of integrity. It's not worthy of you,' [...].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.205.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.205&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, craving through the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-02-26T01:33:33.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-02-26T01:57:12.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its an open question as to whether or not enlightenment can be attained by artificial means ( some type of machine-body interface, the use of some drugs, or some combination thereof). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali state that enlightenment can be obtained by several means, one of them is stated to be drugs. Now that we live in the &quot;Atomic Age&quot;and we are advancing in the electronic sciences, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that we might develop some kind of &quot;electronic nirvana&quot; device( I'm going to include crystal devices here for all you Atlanteans). But I highly doubt that it would be a totally passive system where you could just sit or lie down and have the machine do all the work, I'm guessing there will still be an element self discipline required to still the mind to the point where one can become self-realized. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4770" LastActivityDate="2015-02-26T01:57:12.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7901" CreationDate="2015-02-26T16:36:36.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Pali_training_rules&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five basic precepts&lt;/a&gt; for laypersons tells one to undertake the training to abstain from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;stealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sexual misconduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;false speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;substance intoxication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Eight_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eight precepts&lt;/a&gt;, which are the stricter version, tells one, in addition, to undertake the training to abstain from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;eating at the wrong time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;singing, dancing, &lt;strong&gt;watching entertainment&lt;/strong&gt;, cosmetics, perfume&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;luxurious sleeping places and overindulgence in sleep&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight precepts version is for laypersons who want to lead a more ascetic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if your question is generally about entertainment, then it depends on whether you wish to observe the five or the eight precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, the eight precepts are more conducive to the path of Enlightenment, but we should not use this to forbid or discourage laypersons from watching entertainment. Laypersons are only discouraged (strongly) from the five (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech and substance intoxication).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prose seems to come from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_gospel_ram.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gospel of Ramakrishna&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-02-26T16:44:53.327" LastActivityDate="2015-02-26T16:44:53.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2015-02-26T20:37:45.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do a retreat with a good teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt; Explanation: Doing a retreat (several weeks of day-long practice with no other occupation) is much more beneficial than doing equivalent meditation time e.g. over one year, one hour a day (I read this somewhere written by Kenneth Folk, and my experience confirms that 100%).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insights (&quot;epiphanies&quot; as you call those) occur naturally as your practice progresses, and emotional reaction sometimes occur as well. Intense practice helps you deal with both -- more insights coming, less attachment to them (you don't have to think about insight, you just need to be present, and let it come and go as anything else; it does the work by itself), and the emotions are dealt with within the practice, as another hindrance you get over by awareness of the present moment. That way, the emotion is cleared quickly (if you practice, have emotion, then don't practice for 1 day, the emotion9s) might go wild).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Retreats with regular (daily) individual interviews with a good teacher were very important for me, especially at the beginning, as things (emotions and insights) happening might be unusual and unsettling. The teacher can help you not get lost, not go too much into emotions, if possible, just note them and let them go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation, if done right, is the true teacher, and it also clears some of the bad motivation you may have for the practice (such as being great, or understanding everything, progressing fast, etc); that simply perishes under the scrutiny of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you ask about literature: I am not aware of traditional literature on this subject, which is due to my limited knowledge, and also the fact that vipassana was until recently (say 19th century Burma) practiced almost exclusively by monastics, if at all. From the contemporary writings, &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram's &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has a chapter &quot;Practical Meditation Considerations&quot; (section Daily life and retreats) which touches the subject; Kenneth Folk wrote on that as well (somewhere on the web, can't find it now).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-03-01T18:27:44.177" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T18:27:44.177" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7908" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7912" CreationDate="2015-02-27T02:41:54.087" Score="5" ViewCount="438" Body="&lt;p&gt;I went to the vet last weekend and it got me thinking- veterinarians often kill animals in order to relieve suffering; would this form of killing be considered to violate the first precept, even though it would be done out of compassion? If so, would a career in vet medicine not be considered right livelihood? It seems as though leaving animals instead to die a slow and painful death would be inhumane.&#xA;Just curious, thanks for reading. Ian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Found this interesting article via a similar question, if anyone is still interested: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/geth0401.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/geth0401.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T02:45:47.787" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T02:45:47.787" Title="Right Livelihood and Veterinarians" Tags="|personal-practice|five-precepts|killing|animals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7894" CreationDate="2015-02-27T02:46:11.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm drawing from Precepts of The Brahman Net Sutra, Upsasaka Precepts Sutra, and Avatamsaka (Flower Garland) Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The BNS recommends this worldly Bodhisattvas (monks and laity)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teaching (many precepts address this directly or indirectly, many sutras discuss pedagogy and the duty to teach) Upasaka Sutras forbid teaching the Dharma by laity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Building temples, and other religious &quot;infrastructure&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reading and chanting sutras, which was believed to magically help the nation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caring for the sick. BNS &amp;amp; Upasaka Sutra's mention this. I don't know if it was for enabling enlightenment, or just a &quot;right thing to do.&quot; Even early Mahayana Buddhism expected some sort of practice, like meditation &amp;amp; what not and that requires a certain amount of health.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avatamsaksa promotes all sorts of ways of helping people reach enlightenment indirectly by working on this worldly jobs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hosting vegetarian feasts for monks, lay Bodhisattvas, get mention in the BNS and Ullambana Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for celestial Bodhisattvas, we don't get a lot of clues. The 7th to 10th Bhumis (grounds) describes what celestial Bodhisattvas do-- I don't have a good summary for that though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, there are the vows. Amitabha helps people reach enlightenment by guaranteeing rebirth in a pure land, which depending on who you are reading, is describe as an especially good place for practicing Buddhism, as compared to our own universe, where the most recent Buddha has passed on and there isn't another one available to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samantabhadra's vows has some more clues, such as encouraging Buddhas to come &amp;amp; stay in our universe-- since it is easier to become enlightened when there is a Buddha available, and transferring merit &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-27T02:46:11.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-27T03:39:16.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone pointed out, &quot;if I try harder&quot; -&gt; &quot;it takes more time&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you need to keep in mind is that we're all here to fulfill our purpose. The important part is to do that every day with absolute equanimity, yet best effort. Once you go through that path, you will reach Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is not a technique for Nirvana, its a technique for equanimity. And equanimity is a way to Nirvana. Becoming a monk is sometimes easy because it protects you from the outside world and hence its harder for some of your samskaras to come to the fore, and hence you never face them with equanimity. Its like playing a game against a weaker opponent vs. playing against a more challenging opponent - the latter scenario will develop you more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up, your goal should be to live your life with equanimity in any situation, Nirvana or no Nirvana. This also applies on a meta level, try to be equanimous towards your attachment/aversion- by that I mean avoid aversion against attachments and aversions. Only then will you be able to get over them. Having said that, if your job requires you to do things that are not ethical, then by all means quit your job. Basically do something that's meaningful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I should add that if you do feel like becoming a monk and think that you're equanimous in general, or are not but have no attachment to anything, then by all means, feel free to become a monk. On the other hand, if you do feel like you are still attached, but would like to ease up things, then try to go for a longer meditation retreat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said staying away does make things easy, so maybe start with easy first and do the difficult later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2287" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:23:24.493" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:23:24.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7911" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7913" CreationDate="2015-02-27T16:32:56.787" Score="5" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many times I have found myself thankful for being aware of Buddhism, and also for being connected to all of the people here. Information, experiences, doubts, references and views, everything that we have had shared helps make me a good man. Whenever I get time, I read questions, answers and comments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BUT, I have observed that reality lies in the nature of the experience, and the information that is already present (maybe through text or speech) in the mind can be considered worthless after the experience. Can someone tell me how experiences and the text/speech information work together? I know it works but I want to know how it works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:15:21.830" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:15:21.830" Title="Reality, Experience and Information. How are these three terms related to each other?" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7908" CreationDate="2015-02-27T16:59:51.390" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What a great question and a tough one. I do not have a final answer to this but i will try to give my input from a point of view of Theravada buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i were to answer your question &quot;hardcore&quot; i would say that a &lt;em&gt;Livelihood&lt;/em&gt; where one kills other living beings cannot be considered &lt;em&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take a look at the 1st precept and which factors one must fulfill in order to break the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;precept&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami; I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order for one to break the first precept the following factors must be fulfilled;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pano -- presence of a living being. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;panasannita -- one knows that it is a living being. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vadhacittam -- the intention to kill. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;upakkamo -- the effort to kill. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tena maranam -- the resulting death of that being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these factors have been fulfilled the first precept has been broken. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if the vet kills the animal out of compassion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a theravada buddhist point of view it is not possible to give rise to the intention to kill when certain mental states are present, for example compassion. When these states are well developed from following the noble 8-fold path then the intention to kill cannot arise since it is an unwholesome state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense i do not think the vet does it out of compassion. If he had compassion he would not give rise to the intention to kill the being. He might give rise to the intention kill out of ignorance of the true nature of reality. Because of the ignorance he might believe that he is helping the animal by killing it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is really going on here is that by seeing that animal suffer, he is experiencing &lt;em&gt;the 5 aggregates&lt;/em&gt;. I would think that he is especially experiencing the 2th aggregate of sensations. When viewing this from the perspective of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-discourse_on_dependent_origination.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination (paticca-sammupada)&lt;/a&gt;, ignorance of the true nature of reality, founded by not understanding the 3 signs of existence and the 5 hindrances, is what leads him to create kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we jump to the 6th link in the dependent origination which is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;contact&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; we will see that when the mind goes out to the object and contact is established, there arises feeling. Feeling can be &lt;em&gt;pleasant, unpleasant or neutral&lt;/em&gt; as the initial reaction to contact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest the feeling the vet experiences here is &lt;em&gt;unpleasant&lt;/em&gt; which leads to &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt;. That &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; is what later leads him to create an action. &#xA;On basis of the 3 signs of existence, namely &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; the vet is here creating a self in the 10th link of dependent origination which is &lt;em&gt;becomming&lt;/em&gt;. According to the Buddha one creates a &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; in 4 ways. Let's take the 2th aggreate as an example. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am the feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The feelings are in me&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am in the feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The feelings belong to me&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is happening here is that the vet is creating a self. In order to contain the feelings (the object) and react to them one needs a vessel, a container. That container is the self that is being created. The vet is now identifiying with the feelings. He is taking ownership of them. In reality the feelings are just arisen impersonal phenomena that will cease to exist again.&#xA;The feelings are not his and do not belong to him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because he has no control over them. He cannot say &lt;em&gt;&quot;i want to feel only positive feelings and never negative feelings&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. That is impossible and because of that the feelings are uncontrollable, they are ungovernable. What is uncontrollable and ungovernable is oppressing and that is not fit to be called a &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the vet should do in that situation according to buddhist practice is to merely observe the phenomena that has arisen and then observe how they will disintegrate after a certain amount of time. What is subject to arising is subject to cessation.&#xA;In other words - do Vipassana meditation and learn about the true nature of reality. He will discover that a &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; is nowhere to be found. Everything works just fine without the need for a &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now i would like to make another important point regarding the interfering with the death process of a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that the vet does not know what the experience of the animal is the vet might interfere with the death process of that being. &#xA;He might interfere with that being's comming to terms with its own death. We know that death holds some of the most profound insights that can have great significance for a beings path to enlightenment. By ending that beings life before the death process is finished the vet might take away that beings possibility to achieve these profound insights. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also that being is experiencing the results of its own past deeds so by killing it in the middle of that process the vet breaks that “kamma-receiving process” which might result in that being getting a unfortunate rebirth where it must continue to receive the unfinished kammic results from its past life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering is like the fertiliser for our spiritual life. Suffering should not be &quot;stopped&quot; by killing (reacting) to it. Instead it must be &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;understood&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in order to achieve insights based on it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that part of the problem is due to most beings spending most time in conventional reality (sammuti sacca) which is based on concepts for example &lt;em&gt;&quot;a man, woman, animal etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. These things do not really exist. They are merely convenient designations we apply to the comming together/a collection of a number of factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This misunderstanding of reality happens if a being does not understand how reality functions in terms of the &lt;em&gt;3 signs of existence&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-1963_discourse_on_anattalakkhana_sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw compares physical matter, materiality, to sea foam (p. 65)&lt;/a&gt;. From far away sea foam looks like it has a structure to it but when you inspect it up close you will see that it is empty of any form. It is hollow and filled with air bubbles. Modern physics will tell you that solid matter is merely an illusion and that it actually consists of mostly empty space. This is due to the enormous amount of empty space there exists in an atom between the nucleus and the electrons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If beings were to spend more time in ultimate reality (paramattha sacca) then they might view the situation of an animal suffering differently, as bare experience; &lt;em&gt;&quot;seeing, hearing etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As i said in the beginning i do not have a final answer to this question. Please see only this answer as an input. It might not be as i have described here. If i have misunderstood anything please feel free to correct me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-02-27T17:20:47.873" LastActivityDate="2015-02-27T17:20:47.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7911" CreationDate="2015-02-27T18:55:37.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a beautiful question, because it's not only about the spiritual aspect of life, but about living a spiritual life -- where your practice and your daily life are not separate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is that beautiful adage, &quot;the finger that points to the moon is not the moon,&quot; which seems specially relevant to your query.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our minds can be harnessed like a magnifying glass into understanding phenomena.  Since all phenomena share certain characteristics, by deeply understanding a fragment we can understand the whole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key is knowing where to look, what to focus on.  This is why oral teachings and scriptural knowledge are so important, especially in any serious practice of the Buddha's teachings.  We get our bearings, a basic &quot;map with landmarks&quot; that we can use to find our way around.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Language can be viewed a few ways; mainly as an expression of life, and also as a tool which we can use to help one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, as you say, it is like a reflection.  The &quot;mirror of mind&quot; can become apparent with steady practice and rigorous reflection.  A good analogy to the words or language, the oral instructions that make this understanding possible might be: a key, or fine tuning, or two magnetized ends finally coalescing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words and teachings help unlock truth, which can be understood, and whereafter -- as you have said -- the words themselves seem hollow or insignificant in comparison to the actual experience of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, we must always be thankful for our stepping stones.  You can climb up a ladder and see the view from the mountain top, which doesn't render the ladder useless, but if your truth was &quot;ladder ladder ladder&quot; and now it's &quot;whoa! check out the view!&quot; there can be a sense of disparity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The truth is, all the teachings are skillful means for realizing the ultimate nature of reality -- actualizing an understanding that is beyond description.  Buddha called it the deathless, among other descriptions, and although study and understanding of the words is very important, the actual experience is the intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to your question, ultimately the three Reality, Experience, and Information are inseparable.  It may appear that the cliff and the sky are separate, but there is no gap in their continuity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-02-27T18:55:37.507" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-02-27T18:55:37.507" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-02-27T19:29:23.297" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have planted your mango tree, and you keep it well nourished and watered, protect it from harm and from parasites. That's excellent, but you cannot wish it for it to grow in one day, no matter the amount of effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the mango tree to produce its sweet juicy fruit, it takes both &lt;strong&gt;time&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;effort&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3632" LastActivityDate="2015-02-27T19:29:23.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7915" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-27T23:26:14.807" Score="7" ViewCount="793" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing samatha for five years now and have rarely done any other kind of meditation. I have tried to practice vipassana in the past but get confused with how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;First of all you place your attention on your abdomen,when i'm more used to my attention being on the tip of my nose. &lt;strong&gt;Is there a way to practice vipassana with your attention on the tip of your nose&lt;/strong&gt;? I can avoid getting too concentrated with a technique I found by accident, by widening my focus to the entire nostril instead of just a point. This helps allow for thoughts, etc. to arise. Because I notice during samatha thoughts are minimum to none.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please describe a method of practicing vipassana with the base/anchor being the tip of the nose not the abdomen&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:14:26.420" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:14:26.420" Title="How to Practice Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|samatha|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7915" CreationDate="2015-02-28T04:35:11.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't really matter which object you use, but there are traditions built up around using the nose or the abdomen. The point of vipassana practice is to help you become totally aware of reality in the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll try to answer this from the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, as I've been taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The confusion you experience, and the desire to practice Vipassana from the nose; this is not an accident. Vipassana practice is designed to expose these feelings. When these feelings arise, they should become your meditation object. The abdomen is just a convenient anchor that we come back to again and again; it is not special (as far as I have experienced).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are trying to figure this out without seeing a teacher, you can probably make some progress if you understand the general point of the practice and just how broad we are being when we say to meditate on this or meditate on that. When the mind says, &lt;em&gt;This is too difficult&lt;/em&gt;, in our tradition we meditate on the feeling by making a mental note of each experience as it arises, so if it's frustration we say to ourselves: &lt;em&gt;Frustrated…frustrated…&lt;/em&gt; or if it's a desire to practice a certain way we just say to ourselves: &lt;em&gt;Wanting…wanting…&lt;/em&gt; and then we return to the abdomen: &lt;em&gt;Rising…Falling…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point being that any experience you're having right now―whether it's a sense object or feelings about that sense object―should be the object of your meditation. This is much easier said than done, but with persistence you will see some gains in your ability to simply be aware of each moment as it arises, instead of being caught up in concepts, or past, future, thoughts, feelings, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T02:21:39.347" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T02:21:39.347" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7915" CreationDate="2015-02-28T07:48:17.907" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;A hammer has two ends for a reason; one end is great for pounding nails, but not at taking them out. The nose is avoided in Vipassana for a reason; it is too apt to lead to calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, it is of course technically possible to cultivate insight at the nose, if you insist. Vipassana takes as its base the four elements, earth, air, water, and fire. As per the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But one whose vehicle is pure insight, or that same aforesaid one whose vehicle&#xA;  is serenity, discerns the four elements in brief or in detail in one of the various ways given in the chapter on the definition of the four elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Path of Purification XVIII.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, you have to find the elements at the nose; there is some faint pressure, which is the air element, and there is heat and cold, which is the fire element. The breath itself is a concept, so you can't use that as an object of Vipassana. You might note &quot;hot, hot&quot; or &quot;cold, cold&quot; or &quot;hot, cold&quot;, as it presents itself. Also, &quot;feeling, feeling&quot; for the pressure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having taken that as a base, you would then note whatever other experiences arose, based on the four foundations of mindfulness, as per the instruction given by a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, what Anthony said :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T07:48:17.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7915" CreationDate="2015-02-28T12:32:22.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;First of all you place your attention on your abdomen,when i'm more used to my attention being on the tip of my nose. Is there a way to practice vipassana with your attention on the tip of your nose? I can avoid getting too concentrated with a technique I found by accident, by widening my focus to the entire nostril instead of just a point. This helps allow for thoughts, etc. to arise. Because I notice during samatha thoughts are minimum to none.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;I can avoid getting too concentrated with a technique ...&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I do is I keep the area small and regularly change the point after while until I know I can instantly sense each point in the nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapana is not necessarily Samatha. It has all 4 foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You start with Body mindfulness as the breath is the body fabricator. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then you move to Sensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then Mental objects&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then Mental content&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the 4 triads corresponds to the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the process you have to calm all the fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Please describe a method of practising vipassana with the base/anchor being the tip of the nose not the abdomen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The focus should be around the mouth as in the Suttas. This can be the spot below the nose and upper lip. (As interpreted by certain linages) The tip of the nose of the the under side of the nostrils are also fine if this point takes you into excessive Piti too fast. But at some point come to this place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh431-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Manual of Mindfulness of Breathing Anapana Dipani by Ledi Sayadaw Mahathera, Aggamahapandita, D. Litt.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-02-28T13:13:21.443" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T13:13:21.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7911" CreationDate="2015-02-28T15:48:20.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you are asking a question about the Zen/Chan idea that the things in Buddhism worth learning are ineffable (can't be put into words), academics and sutra reading are useless, and only practice matters. Language is still used, but now as a way to induce a sort of wobblying feeling and distrust of language, through crypic, paradoxical and incoherent koans. Dialog is still used, but the students response is always wrong, and if it isn't wrong, it isn't clear to observers what was different. Even attempting to describe how it works is a bit dangerous since, attempts to summarize zen is wrong, the same way attempts to summarize Buddhist wisdom is wrong, so you can really only describe how Zen works outside of the system of Zen/Chan. (Quick! Someone prove me right by posting a comment with a cryptic and dismissive comment about how I don't understand Zen!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say even the Chan/Zen project can be reduced to words, at least in the how it is done, if not the conclusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, my favorite essayist who has written about Experience and if you can put it into words, from a Buddhist standpoint, is Jayarava, who I will not attempt to summarize, but I think he's saying, things in the world are perfectly discussable (and therefore teachable) and experiences, we can do a reasonable job of talking about and understanding even other people's experiences, but those words won't put that experience into someone else's head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/is-experience-really-ineffable.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/is-experience-really-ineffable.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We know about the emotional state of another person through various&#xA;  cues that that other uses to broadcast their state: facial expression,&#xA;  posture, tone of voice, direction of gaze, etc. And we take these cues&#xA;  and use them to build an internal model - if I were to make my own&#xA;  face and body take on the configuration of the other persons face and&#xA;  body, how would that feel? And this is surprisingly accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/not-two-truths.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/not-two-truths.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Words do a fair job of communicating about objects and ideas. But when&#xA;  it comes to experiences... no experience can be communicated in words.&#xA;  We can say that we have had an experience; we can say how we explain&#xA;  and/or interpret that experience; we can say how we feel about having&#xA;  had that experience; we can say how the experience changed us: but&#xA;  with mere words we cannot communicate the experience we've had. This&#xA;  is true of every single experience. So experience, all experience, is&#xA;  ineffable&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T15:48:20.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7920" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7921" CreationDate="2015-02-28T15:56:23.390" Score="5" ViewCount="3231" Body="&lt;p&gt;New Kadampa Tradition is a prominent Buddhist movement in the UK with many centres and meditation classes. However I've always been confused about the relationship between them and Tibetan Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So moving on from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7900/157&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; - what is the relationship between the New Kadampa Tradition and the Tibetan schools? What lineage if any do they claim? Are they a minor school or a subset of another school? I heard somewhere that they had a disagreement with the Dalai Lamaso maybe they are linked with the Gelug school. However that might not be true - all kinds of things get reported about Buddhist organisations that can be classified as new religious movements, some of which are just sticks to beat them with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2023-11-07T00:11:38.593" Title="What is the relationship between the New Kadampa Tradition and Tibetan Buddhism?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7920" CreationDate="2015-02-28T17:23:03.910" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The New Kadampa Tradition (or NKT for short) is an offshoot group that broke away from the Gelug school. One of the primary areas of controversy between the NKT and the mainstream Gelug school is the position of a figure called Dorje Shugden, who among the NKT is considered to be Manjushri emanated as a spirit in order to keep the Gelug school pure from teachings from other schools. Among the NKT Dorje Shugden is propitiated as an enlightened being, but within the Gelug school now it is understood that Dorje Shugden is a worldly spirit only, and should not be treated as an enlightened being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result of this split, the NKT is very insular, and will generally only read a selection of books written by their founder, Kelsang Gyatso, and in general are not considered to be part of the Gelug school any more due to Kelsang Gyatso being expelled from his home monastery of Sera Me, but their selection of teachings and practices are all drawn from the Gelug school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T17:23:03.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7922" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7924" CreationDate="2015-02-28T17:40:41.723" Score="4" ViewCount="262" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice with the Triratna Buddhist community and while I am personally very comfortable with the organisation and its values, it has been criticised for a lack of lineage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking how important is lineage in Buddhism? Do some schools take it very seriously and others less so? If a school has a shaky or unclear lineage is that seen as a bad thing? If so then why? What does lineage give Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-02-28T18:04:56.030" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T00:22:42.890" Title="How important is lineage in Buddhism?" Tags="|traditions|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7922" CreationDate="2015-02-28T18:30:37.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Linage plays a few roles:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;establish the authenticity and authority of the teaching tracing practice to the Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;preservation of training which has worked for the practitioners of the technique so alteration do not jeopardise the results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-02-28T18:30:37.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7922" CreationDate="2015-02-28T20:36:48.830" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only truly important lineage is the lineage of the Buddha. Unfortunately, everyone has their own idea of what that means. Even the eightfold noble path (described by the historical Buddha himself as the indication of a true lineage in DN 16) is interpreted differently by different schools. As a result, lineage becomes somewhat important, in that it determines which interpretation of Buddhism you subscribe to; they can't all be right, after all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, even with mutually compatible interpretations, it is unreasonable to suggest that one could progress according to two divergent paths (e.g. become a bodhisatta &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; an arahant) at once, so choosing a school is likely to be beneficial in terms of maintaining focus. On the other hand, it may be that such schools can work in serial cooperation. It is said (MN 141) that Sariputta and Moggallana worked in this way, Sariputta teaching students up to sotapanna and Moggallana leading them on to arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The danger I can see in not choosing a school is that one may become a &quot;jack-of-all-trades and master of none&quot;; in other words, wandering from path to path and never really climbing the mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-01T00:22:42.890" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T00:22:42.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7925" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-02-28T22:33:07.330" Score="2" ViewCount="2299" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually we use an anchor in meditation, the breathing being the most common. Sometimes when I focus on that I feel my heartbeat taking my attention, so I thought about using that as an anchor, does anyone know if there is a meditation technique that uses the heartbeat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: I'm aware this does not apply to all types of meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:44:07.317" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:44:07.317" Title="meditation on the heartbeat" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7926" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7931" CreationDate="2015-03-01T02:58:03.533" Score="6" ViewCount="646" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;A history of Indian Buddhism: From Sakyamuni to Early Mahayana&lt;/em&gt;, Professor Hirakawa states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both nirvana and space were considered to be unconditioned dharmas. This fundamental classification of dharmas into conditioned and unconditioned is found in the Agamas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what passage from the agamas (and/or pali?) we read &lt;em&gt;space&lt;/em&gt; to be unconditioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-01T06:53:24.990" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T01:22:00.747" Title="Two unconditioned dhammas?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|unconditioned|dhammas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7925" CreationDate="2015-03-01T03:24:40.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can use it if it serves you the purpose of one-pointedness attention.&#xA;But you should remember the benefits of using the breath as your point of attention.&#xA;The breath is both a concious and unconcious function and because of that it serves as a bridge bwtween them.&#xA;Also in Tibetan Buddhism conciouness is said to &quot;ride&quot; in the winds (prana) of the body so by focusing in the breath you are also focusing in your mind.&#xA;Once you have achieved mindfulness thru the attention to your heart beat, it is better to switch to your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T03:24:40.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7920" CreationDate="2015-03-01T03:39:33.433" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Currently I follow Theravada tradition, however I have been many times to NKT temples/meditation sessions and I also did a retreat with FPMT in Nepal (traditional Tibetan Buddhism that follows HH Dalai Lama), so I have been there...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are some disagreements and controversy, but I will not write my opinion on the controversy as I want to respect all followers of Buddhism. If you search on google or youtube you will find many pages and video documentaries (even a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKuZbZv-aw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BBC documentary&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5sOm-uQH9Y&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Swiss documentary&lt;/a&gt; about it). Most of the controversy is about the worship of a &amp;quot;Dharma protector spirit&amp;quot;, the Vinaya in NKT and about their leader that claims to be a Geshe and FPMT doesnt seem to agree with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In NKT temples I only found nice people and a very kind monk, but I left because of the library: 100% of the books there were written by their leader Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, that bothered me, I was looking for the suttas and the words of the Buddha, but could only find Geshe K. Gyatso, sometimes it made me feel like being part of a cult, so I left, but I repeat: I only found nice people there, no regrets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience with FPMT was very good, the library was vast with many different authors, but again I left because I felt like Tibetan Buddhism was mixed too much with local culture and other religions (astrology, shamanism, tibetan book of the dead etc...). But once again: Only found nice people and great monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada I found what I was looking for, but do not take my opinion as something right, I do believe every path to Buddhism can be holy, it is more about what feels right for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2023-11-07T00:11:38.593" LastActivityDate="2023-11-07T00:11:38.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7901" CreationDate="2015-03-01T16:44:15.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a learner, I do not know very much about suttas in deep but I have found the description of the question, very interesting (actually that choir/the wording). About a'nicca I read this on wiki. ' Impermanence is intimately associated with the doctrine of anatta, according to which things have no fixed nature, essence, or self. For example, in Mahayana Buddhism, because all phenomena are impermanent, and in a state of flux, they are understood to be empty of an intrinsic self (shunyata). '&#xA;I want to understand the question the way I have understood the three marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No permanence, no satisfaction and no self BUT all these three exist. It can be taken as chaos or the choir. I think it is not the choir that inspire or energize you towards the path of enlightenment but it's the enlightenment that inspire/energize you to think about the choir this way. Regards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T16:44:15.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7926" CreationDate="2015-03-01T18:19:15.440" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Space is one of the 24 kinds of derived-materiality (UpadayaRupa), which is one of the 2 kinds of materiality (the other is primary-materiality, BhutaRupa, which is composed of the 4 elements of earth, water, fire, and air). They're all conditioned dhammas. Only Nibbana is the unconditioned one. Further info. is available at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot;&gt;Vism.XIV.34&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T18:19:15.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7926" CreationDate="2015-03-01T19:30:48.190" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Unrul3r is correct. Because the aforementioned book is almost devoid of notes, only much later an explanation appeared. It's abhidhamma material, the context of the sentence confused me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Sarvāstivādin tradition since the compilation of the Dharmaskhanda, three unconditioned dharmas have been recognized: analytical cessation (pratisankhayā-nirodha), nonanalytical cessation (apratisankhayā-nirodha) and space (ākāśa). In the Theravada tradition, only one unconditioned dharma, nirvana, is recognized [...]. According to the Samaya, the Mahāsanghika, Ekavyavahārika, Lokottaravādin, and Kaukutica schools all recognized the following nine unconditioned dharmas: (1) analytical cessation (2) nonanalytical cessation (3) space (4) the realm of infinity of space (5) the realm of infinity of consciousness (6) the realm of nothingness (7) the realm of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness (8) the law of dependent origination (9) the law of the noble path [...]. The Sarvāstivādins disagreed with this position and did not recognize the existence of a principle of Dependend Origination separate from conditioned dharmas. For the Sarvāstivādins, the law of Dependend Origination itself was conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the Mahaśiśākas, the path to nirvana was recognized as an unconditioned dharma because the practices established by the Buddha were considered to be eternal truths. The Sarvāstivādins opposed this position by maintaining that although nirvana was unconditioned, the wisdom the Buddha had realized was conditioned and not eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-03-01T19:30:48.190" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7932" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-02T02:27:28.233" Score="6" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some years ago I somehow managed to stay almost the whole day without any thought, and for several months I used to be in that state of consciousness. I had the breathtaking feeling of emptiness and freedom, there were no ups and downs anymore, I was completely balanced and a profound happiness had taken me. I thought I had become a Buddha, but the thoughts started to come in and this state of consciousness faded. What makes someone enlightened?&#xA;I read that if you stay 45 minutes without even the subtlest thought crossing your mind you'll be enlightened. Well, I think that is very challenging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4788" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:31:30.880" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T17:51:25.960" Title="What makes someone enlightened?" Tags="|personal-practice|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2015-03-02T02:57:13.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. See Sam Harris' book &quot;Waking Up&quot;, pages 131-133 of Chapter 4, &quot;Meditation&quot;. In it he relates the story of a woman who experienced just what you're describing, and the subsequent events that showed that although her experiences did represent some degree of progress, they simply were not the big E.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ADDITION:&#xA;Actually, the relevant part is reproduced &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reddit.com/r/awakened/comments/2gksyi/sam_harris_awakening_or_not_excerpt_from_book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. The key part starts at the third paragraph, but it's worth reading the first two as well, for context. (And I highly recommend buying the entire book.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T02:57:13.893" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7940" CreationDate="2015-03-02T04:23:47.130" Score="1" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;I meditate once a day in early morning, only. I have found that this time is very helpful in practicing meditation. I want to meditate at least twice a day. I want to know if time plays a role in practicing meditation ? If yes, then how? At what time does meditation practice become the most intense ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:08:49.943" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:08:49.943" Title="Timing of meditation" Tags="|time|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2015-03-02T04:46:20.647" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally (as in the early buddhist &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;), enlightenment (understood as nibānna) is reached with the permanent &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirodha_sacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cessation&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. A pre-requisite is the destruction of all &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;fetters&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. So, nibbāna is not a temporary state where the mind is somewhat still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;enlightenment&quot;, though, is used in texts of different schools (buddhist and otherwise) to describe different experiences (eg. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satori&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;satori&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T07:15:33.533" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T07:15:33.533" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2015-03-02T11:30:41.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a great lack of agreement among scholars in translating. This study tries to seek some clarity between the three terms: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20170706175410/http://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjbs/article/view/22402&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Triune Mind in Buddhism: A Textual Exploration by Suwanda H J Sugunasiri&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4790" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2019-06-17T15:51:01.377" LastActivityDate="2019-06-17T15:51:01.377" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2015-03-02T11:42:23.063" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;States of calm attained thorough meditation is only temporary.Enlightenment is permanent.You can't stay in that state forever.The key is not to get rid of thoughts or be in a state of no thought but to see the nature of these thoughts to the point that it doesn't bother you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I read that if you stay 45 minutes without even the subtlest thought crossing your mind you'll be enlightened&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i don't know maybe.But i think it takes more than 45 minutes to be enlightened.Unless your an Anagami.Also enlightenment is not a &lt;strong&gt;not thinking&lt;/strong&gt; contest.If that was the case i can think of a few people who'd be enlightened by now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-03-02T11:56:09.227" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T11:56:09.227" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7938" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-02T19:52:48.987" Score="8" ViewCount="668" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of Kamma implies that information is stored in the mind (not the brain) and after the being is dead, this mind (or this data &quot;storage&quot;) goes on and carries with it the current position of all accumulated Kamma from many previous life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This clearly creates some scientific questions such as: Where is the information stored if there is no physical &quot;hardware&quot;? How does this information flows? How a new being receives it and change its body accordingly (Imagine a Kamma-Vipaka of a disease for a new born or not having a member)? Etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people will answer that these doubts represent a fetter and will not help you in the practice, so just forget about it, however I know many Buddhists have great scientific background and could help here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any detailed description, maybe Abidhamma, of this process of Kamma/information flow? Has anyone ever tried to shed a light on this topic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T02:31:23.613" LastActivityDate="2022-10-11T17:56:45.970" Title="Scientific approach of Kamma" Tags="|karma|reference-request|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7938" CreationDate="2015-03-02T22:24:56.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;To a large extent, abhidharma thought is a systematization of the doctrine of karma&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Hirakawa akira&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in this sense, an Abidhamma itself is your &amp;quot;detailed description&amp;quot; [of a particular kamma theory].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T22:24:56.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7934" CreationDate="2015-03-02T23:16:57.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My morning meditation is my clearest meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also take quiet breaks a couple times a day. Sometimes I even fall asleep for 10-20 minutes. It renews me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The evening meditation is important to me to clear away the unresolved issues in the day and prepares me for the rest that is so important for a stable mind in these uncertain and stressful times.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/231282-zen-mind-beginner-s-mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/231282-zen-mind-beginner-s-mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So we should be concentrated with our full mind and body on what we&#xA;  do; and we should be faithful, subjectively and objectively, to&#xA;  ourselves, and especially to our feelings. Even when you do not feel&#xA;  so well, it is better to express how you feel without any particular&#xA;  attachment or intention. So you may say, “Oh, I am sorry, I do not&#xA;  feel well.”  ― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal&#xA;  Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/62707.Shunryu_Suzuki&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/62707.Shunryu_Suzuki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When you accept everything, everything is beyond dimensions. The&#xA;  earth is not great nor a grain of sand small. In the realm of Great&#xA;  Activity picking up a grain of sand is the same as taking up the whole&#xA;  universe. To save one sentient being is to save all sentient beings.&#xA;  Your efforts of this moment to save one person is the same as the&#xA;  eternal merit of Buddha.”  ― Shunryu Suzuki&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some suggest that as long as we are aware we meditate. We do dishes aware, we walk aware, we shower aware. Certainly we have meditation practice but to expand that beyond a ritual and a routine is the opening to an extraordinary life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-03-02T23:16:57.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7941" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-02T23:55:05.020" Score="2" ViewCount="2903" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I still consider myself a &quot;Buddhist&quot; if I don't believe in reincarnation??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4792" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T09:38:24.577" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T09:38:24.577" Title="Can you be a Buddhist if you don't believe in reincarnation?" Tags="|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2015-03-03T09:38:55.393" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7941" CreationDate="2015-03-03T00:29:10.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is one of the key concepts in Buddhism. If you don't believe in Rebirth you don't believe in Samsara (ciclic existence) and probably don't believe in PariNibbana as well. My answer would be: No! It is the same as calling yourself a &quot;Christian&quot; not believing in God or in the ressurection of Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there are lower fetters that prevent a person from achieving greater results, doubt is one of them. So if you want to progress in the Buddhist path you should believe in Buddha's enlightment and investigate the teachings in meditation when possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If believing in Rebirth is too much for you, try to focus in doing good things, keeping morality and meditating, you can also observe the 5 precepts, that will bring you good things even if you don't consider yourself a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T00:29:10.560" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7938" CreationDate="2015-03-03T00:44:24.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if this has been described in science, but I doubt it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest description I can find is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wired.com/2014/04/quantum-theory-flow-time/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article in Wired&lt;/a&gt; last year discusses the dependency between entities at a macro level based on quantum entanglement and the arrow of time:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the new story of the arrow of time, it is the loss of information&#xA;  through quantum entanglement, rather than a subjective lack of human&#xA;  knowledge, that drives a (hot) cup of coffee into equilibrium with the&#xA;  surrounding room. The room eventually equilibrates with the outside&#xA;  environment, and the environment drifts even more slowly toward&#xA;  equilibrium with the rest of the universe. The giants of 19th century&#xA;  thermodynamics viewed this process as a gradual dispersal of energy&#xA;  that increases the overall entropy, or disorder, of the universe.&#xA;  Today, Lloyd, Popescu and others in their field see the arrow of time&#xA;  differently. In their view, information becomes increasingly diffuse,&#xA;  but it never disappears completely. So, they assert, although entropy&#xA;  increases locally, the overall entropy of the universe stays constant&#xA;  at zero.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The universe as a whole is in a pure state,” Lloyd said. “But&#xA;  individual pieces of it, because they are entangled with the rest of&#xA;  the universe, are in mixtures.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above statement that &quot;information becomes increasingly diffuse, but it never disappears completely&quot; resonates with Buddha's middle way teachings for e.g. the discussion of what happens when a person dies. He does not have a permanent soul that transmigrates, according to the Buddha. The newly born person is also not the same person as the one that died, yet not completely independent. However, the &quot;information&quot; is not completely lost and it reappears to a certain extent in the newly born person. This is a middle path between eternalism and annihilationism. There is a description of this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and some discussion in an &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7434/471&quot;&gt;answer to another question&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Of course, this part is only my conjecture and rebirth is not described by science.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the article from Wired discusses that there is no eternalism (no independent particle and no independent cup of hot coffee), yet there is also no annihilationism (&quot;information becomes increasingly diffuse, but it never disappears completely&quot;). It also says that everything is interdependent (“The universe as a whole is in a pure state but individual pieces of it, because they are entangled with the rest of the universe, are in mixtures&quot;). More detailed quotes from the Wired article in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7539/471&quot;&gt;another answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T00:44:24.410" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7944" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7953" CreationDate="2015-03-03T01:04:00.470" Score="6" ViewCount="1081" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists say that everything is empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is mathematics empty?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought that &quot;empty&quot; meant conceptually constructed. But how can the fact (not the expression) 2 + 3 = 5 not be a fact which is true regardless of how we are counting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-11-24T14:02:22.507" LastActivityDate="2017-11-29T15:19:57.280" Title="Is mathematics empty?" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7944" CreationDate="2015-03-03T03:00:58.800" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Emptiness in eastern philosophies usually have a more subtle meaning than we use in the west. Check this &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emptiness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wikipedia article on Emptiness&lt;/a&gt;. And there are many answers regarding emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt;) like &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3836/are-there-different-types-of-emptiness-%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;. There is also an article in wikipedia on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śūnyatā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most common understanding on emptiness (on Buddhism) is that it is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependently originated&lt;/a&gt;. It means that it does not have inherent meaning or value, but it relies on other things. In mathematics the numbers two, three, five and so on just has meaning because of the number one. And also, the number one only has meaning relying on the other numbers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a more practical sense, numbers only has meaning because of the objects, like apples, rocks or sheep. Now, emotions, that have no clear bounds, can't be numerically described. You could say that you felt happy twice today, but you can't express its intensity and form numerically. Then math is true not because it has inherent meaning, but because it works for what it is used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another interpretation I read on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7119/how-does-buddhism-refute-the-inherent-existence-of-sub-atomic-particles&quot;&gt;this QA&lt;/a&gt; (and also in some wikipedia article but I couldn't find it):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Emptiness is] a flashy way of reminding us that we only define things in relation to what they are not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In math words, the number one only exist because there is the zero. And there is zero only because of the one. (Although the zero was &quot;created&quot; much after the integer numbers). If we couldn't distinguish between zero and one, no numbers would make sense. There is only happy because there is not-happy. There is only &quot;self&quot; because we define our bounds, we define what is not-me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise we can only perceive suffering if we know what is not-suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when we say that math is empty, we don't mean that it is false or is meaningless. But we mean that is not absolutely true, that it is true in relation to something. Truth is a relation, not an absolute thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T03:11:08.957" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7941" CreationDate="2015-03-03T03:02:29.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think to &lt;em&gt;call yourself a Buddhist&lt;/em&gt; or practice the buddhist teaching you should at least believe in &lt;strong&gt;cause and effect&lt;/strong&gt;.Maybe not in past lives but in the here and now.When you can see cause and effect clearly in the present then you'll infer that the same principle applies after death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things you do  in this life will have some effect after.(Future rebirth)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There must be something you did before that caused you to be here now in this life.(Past Birth)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: Rebirth is not the same as reincarnation.Please search this site for more info.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T03:02:29.320" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7947" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-03T03:52:02.220" Score="2" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that according to some &quot;schools&quot; at least historical ones that the historical Buddha didn't teach the Mayanaha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T23:30:39.847" Title="Did the Buddha teach the Mahayana" Tags="|the-buddha|mahayana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7941" CreationDate="2015-03-03T03:59:48.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt you can call your belief Buddhist, but maybe in zen (which I have heard informs us to only believe in rebirth if it comes up in practice).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It less like not believing in the resurrection of Christ than not believing in the trinity. This is because IMVHO anyway the Buddha's life did not include parinirvana. It included nirvana, whereas Christs life was not ended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway that's not to say that you can call yourself Buddhist and be really obnoxious about it lol. But then that doesn't have much to do with religion, it's just general life advice :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T03:59:48.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7938" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:08:26.420" Score="13" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The concept of Kamma implies that information is stored in the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it does not! Information and storage are concepts. Not realities! The issue here is, we make the assumption that for causes to give an effect in the future, something needs to persist in the interim. When you commit a Kamma, the action is done and finished then and there. There's nothing stored. To give an analogy, take a stick and hold it at one end with your left hand and tap at the other end with your right. Your left hand will feel the vibration. But did any molecule travel from right to left? No! It's just that when the molecules at the place you tapped vibrate, the adjacent molecules start vibrating and then the ones next to them and so on. Then we make a concept out of it and call it a wave. But there's no wave in reality! The first molecule vibrated and stopped. It didn't go anywhere.  Similarly, Kamma is also a concept given to describe a certain causes and effect process. There's nothing going from this life to the next or this moment to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T04:23:10.850" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T04:23:10.850" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:11:11.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is not being without thinking, and is not a feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AFAIK and as far as my research into this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some schools of zen meditation taught that but they died out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T04:11:11.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7951" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:20:05.513" Score="0" ViewCount="374" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is a &quot;still&quot; mind: a mind without any thoughts; or a mind without a certain style of thoughts; or a mind which has lost a certain way of connecting to thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assumed it was a lessening of conscious habit rather than thought per se.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:07:46.053" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:07:46.053" Title="What is &quot;stillness&quot; or samatha?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:45:41.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would probably say that Goatama's medicine was infallible, but certainly would say that he was not omniscient in the Western sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read a zen master say he wasn't, too (IIRC!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, perhaps he stayed silent (like Wittgenstein suggested) about what he didn't know, and he knew what he didn't knew.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMVHO a better potentially more fruitful way of thinking about it would be to ask: did Goatama know everything there was to know about his Buddha field? And then, what was his Buddha field, did it include everything that happened or only the way sentient beings were suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T04:45:41.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7944" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:56:24.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In 'pure' mathematics, the truth of an expression like &lt;code&gt;2+3=5&lt;/code&gt; depends on the definition of the addition operator and the definitions of the numbers such as &lt;code&gt;1&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;2&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;3&lt;/code&gt; and so on. I think these definitions are 'axiomatic'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 'applied' mathematics e.g.when you're adding physical objects (such as apples), then the truth depends on your ability to identity &quot;one apple&quot; (which isn't obvious: in the real world, some apples are smaller, some are attached to the tree, some are rotting, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore mathematics is something which you do (sometimes) and which you stop doing: therefore IMO it's conditioned and impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally I think it's a category of knowledge. Here's a (slightly rude or brusque or plainspoken) quote from &lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt; -- this quote is talking about Aristotle's &quot;dialectic&quot; but it could IMO equally be talking about &quot;mathematics&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As best I know, Aristotle's opinion is that dialectic comes before&#xA;  everything else.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And from the dialectic come the forms,&quot; Phædrus continues, &quot;and from. -&#xA;  - &quot; But the Chairman cuts it off. He sees it cannot go his way and dismisses&#xA;  it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He shouldn't have cut it off, Phædrus thinks to himself. Were he a real&#xA;  Truth-seeker and not a propagandist for a particular point of view he would&#xA;  not. He might learn something. Once it's stated that &quot;the dialectic comes&#xA;  before anything else,&quot; this statement itself becomes a dialectical entity,&#xA;  subject to dialectical question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phædrus would have asked, What evidence do we have that the dialectical&#xA;  question-and-answer method of arriving at truth comes before anything&#xA;  else? We have none whatsoever. And when the statement is isolated and&#xA;  itself subject to scrutiny it becomes patently ridiculous. Here is this dialectic,&#xA;  like Newton's law of gravity, just sitting by itself in the middle of nowhere,&#xA;  giving birth to the universe, hey? It's asinine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dialectic, which is the parent of logic, came itself from rhetoric. Rhetoric is&#xA;  in turn the child of the myths and poetry of ancient Greece. That is so&#xA;  historically, and that is so by any application of common sense. The poetry&#xA;  and the myths are the response of a prehistoric people to the universe&#xA;  around them made on the basis of [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T05:03:09.493" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T05:03:09.493" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7954" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-03T04:57:32.847" Score="0" ViewCount="402" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the questions / answers recently posted here was about &quot;storing&quot; mental states for later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this isn't Buddhist, in the sense that it does not literally describe a selfless person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it could be metaphorical, couldn't it? The idea that the mind is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; a computer, even though there are dis-analogous elements to that term, there are overlaps - like the way that persons have access to the past in memory, &lt;strong&gt;as if&lt;/strong&gt; they were &quot;stored&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is: are any of the Buddhas actual teachings only metaphorical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T15:22:30.880" Title="Metaphors in and out Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|anatman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7955" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-03T05:11:01.453" Score="-2" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following on from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7944/is-mathematics-empty&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; question...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is everything (according to Buddhism etc etc) that is empirically adequate a &quot;unique particular&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we found something &quot;empirically adequate&quot; that could not be expressed in those terms, then would it make Buddhism pure myth etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if not, we can pick and choose doctrine or at least not always take it on face value, how would you reconcile it with Buddhist doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not asking about practice, but philosophy :) Thanks !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T13:26:01.863" Title="Unique particulars" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|emptiness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2015-03-03T05:16:58.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it is nihilism then it isn't IMVHO degenerate passive nihilism of so called &quot;western buddhism&quot; (schopenhauer - i think).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We should be wary of saying that death is opposed to life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nietzsche said... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether we see death as a rebirth or not, that does IMHO mean that release from suffering (even if we say that all life is suffering) is not opposed to life and not opposed to living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T05:16:58.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-03-03T05:20:25.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you mean &quot;true&quot; Buddhist. If you mean sincere, devoted, mindful and so on then of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you be enlightened? Yeah I think people say that, but only super super SUPER rarely!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T05:20:25.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2015-03-03T06:05:40.107" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your definition of nihilism seems to me to ignore the four noble truths: that suffering (dukkha) exists, and, can cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You define nihilism as &quot;life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value&quot;, however isn't &quot;cessation of dukkha&quot; (i.e. third noble truth) the 'purpose' of Buddhism (see also 'sentient beings')?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nothing&#xA;  Exists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after&#xA;  another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Desiring to show his attainment, he said: &quot;The mind, Buddha, and&#xA;  sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena&#xA;  is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no&#xA;  mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked&#xA;  Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If nothing exists,&quot; inquired Dokuon, &quot;where did this anger come&#xA;  from?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T06:05:40.107" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7938" CreationDate="2015-03-03T07:51:27.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yeah I too doubt that there's any science of rebirth in the sense of a &lt;em&gt;flame lighting another torch&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would actually find it quite depressing if there were. It's a much better metaphor on the gradualism of enlightenment IMHO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't be that surprised if there something on a sort of &lt;strong&gt;inheriting&lt;/strong&gt; of characteristics, that isn't explicable in our normal world view - causal processes that we haven't yet identified in science. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still minds are unaffected by mental events so maybe their effects go elsewhere; maybe this even works however the mediator is behaving. I mean It seems obvious to me that habits can have physical or real manifestations that have effects even without them creating any actual dispositions in the actor so the question is just: can &lt;strong&gt;meditation&lt;/strong&gt; change our habits without changing our dispositions. If so then that's a real change that leaves us completely unchanged - so must change someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if meditators can have effects on others independent of action, then why not everyone. This is only some kind of crazy mind reading if it is deliberate or &lt;strong&gt;rule&lt;/strong&gt; based.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T07:56:27.980" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T07:56:27.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7960" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7962" CreationDate="2015-03-03T10:42:26.690" Score="6" ViewCount="1047" Body="&lt;p&gt;For our next meeting in the &quot;interreligious dialogue&quot; we members are asked to do a statement about the &quot;mystics&quot; in each ones religion.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, &quot;mystics&quot; is itself a mysterious term, I looked via wikipedia at some sources, what exactly the term means - well, not much more than that there is something hidden that noone else can see/sense/know, derived from the greek root of the term saying &quot;closing eyes, closing the mouth&quot;. (Which does not mean that the term was not used for many speculative or intimate concepts in many religious threads, be it in Brahmanism (later, around the Buddha's time with the Upanishads and even later many that threads which we subsume now under &quot;Hinduism&quot;), Judaism (&quot;Kabbala&quot;), even Christianism (especially in the medieval east-european religious scene), Gnosticism and also Islam (by &quot;Sufism&quot;) and surely other religious stands which I cannot name all here, and that it does not have a very broad usage over the cultures.)     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, Buddhism (as I know it from the Tipitaka) has never been a matter with (systematically) &quot;hidden&quot; things/concepts (at least not prominently), so I tend to develop my statement towards something like &lt;em&gt;&quot;mysticism (in this sense) has not been intended by the Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - and I remember vaguely that there is a sutta, where he explicitely says, &lt;em&gt;there is no &quot;closed fist&quot; in my teaching&lt;/em&gt; or something very similar.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(Of course, meditating towards the occurrence of Jhanas, the Jataka-stories, the Deva-worlds, the sutta about the Kalpas and the non-accesible &quot;Beginning-of-all&quot; deals with concepts which cannot be seen and need &lt;em&gt;closed eyes, closed mouth&lt;/em&gt; and might be used as source for extended mysticism in folklore (I just recall the funny story of Maha-Mogallana, when he saw an otherwise invisible skeleton flying around and how this bizarre event made its way even into a discourse with the Buddha ...), but for me these are not so prominent as the teachings and guides for the analytic access to the relevant world)                        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;my question is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; : in which sutta did the Buddha speak (explicitely/citeable (!) ) about that his teaching has nothing closed/hidden in it (as I think to recall with the term &quot;fist&quot;)?         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum: I've put so much context around my question because it might as well be that there are (again explicitely/citeable) sayings which contrast this in a sensical way - of course when we meditate also we &quot;close the eyes to look inside&quot; and focus on the &quot;inner world&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:42:47.443" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:42:47.443" Title="&quot;Mystics&quot; in buddhism? (&quot;There is nothing hidden in my teaching&quot; and the like)" Tags="|philosophy|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="7961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2015-03-03T10:47:24.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the answers say &quot;No&quot; but I would like to offer a different point of view eventhough it will not be popular, sorry!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key concept of Buddhism are the 4 Noble truths. They are shared by all schools and were part of the first discourse of the Buddha, the 4 Noble truths are so important that they keep appearing over and over again in many suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot see how can one be a Buddhist disagreeing our doubting the 4 Noble truths. So, if you check them you will see that is not possible to agree with them and at the same time disagree with the idea ofthings like samsara, rebirth, etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first thing Buddha said after enlightment (is in the dhammapada) was: &quot; I have gone round in vain the cycles of many lives ever striving to find the builder of the house of life and death. How great is the sorrow of life that must die!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st Noble truth is not about ordinary suffering only, but mostly about ageing, sickness and death (and rebirth! and lower realms!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scaping from Samsara by achieving Nibbana is also part of the noble truths... so if you think about it carefully you may see that: Yes, it is necessary to believe in those things to accept the Noble truths and without the Noble truths I cannot see how can one be a Buddhist (can be a nice person for sure, but not a followr of the Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said this verse in Dhammapada 176 to show the importance of it: &quot;For a liar who has violated the one law (of truthfulness) who holds in scorn the hereafter, there is no evil that he cannot do.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T11:11:46.003" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T11:11:46.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7960" CreationDate="2015-03-03T11:07:46.073" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, DN 16:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;31. And the Blessed One recovered from that illness; and soon after his recovery he came out from his dwelling place and sat down in the shade of the building, on a seat prepared for him. Then the Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One, respectfully greeted him, and sitting down at one side, he spoke to the Blessed One, saying: &amp;quot;Fortunate it is for me, O Lord, to see the Blessed One at ease again! Fortunate it is for me, O Lord, to see the Blessed One recovered! For truly, Lord, when I saw the Blessed One's sickness it was as though my own body became weak as a creeper, every thing around became dim to me, and my senses failed me. Yet, Lord, I still had some little comfort in the thought that the Blessed One would not come to his final passing away until he had given some last instructions respecting the community of bhikkhus.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;32. Thus spoke the Venerable Ananda, but the Blessed One answered him, saying: &amp;quot;What more does the community of bhikkhus expect from me, Ananda? &lt;strong&gt;I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things back.&lt;/strong&gt; Whosoever may think that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the community depends upon him, it is such a one that would have to give last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the community depends upon him. So what instructions should he have to give respecting the community of bhikkhus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali is simply:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;natthānanda tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda, there is no teacher's fist in regards to the dhammas of the Tathāgata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T11:07:46.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2015-03-03T11:24:03.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is perhaps not a philosophy that can be easily compared with nihilism. Buddhism (and I can only speak of Zen) is a way of being that essentially problematises the inherent dialectic of thought and the governance of reason. Nihilism represents an extreme doctrine within the philosophic tradition wherein one's subjective/analytic sense of emptiness becomes axiomatic of synthetic/objective emptiness. The Buddhism I admire would smile at the childish certainty of such notions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put another way, the false notion of a separate 'I' - a core idiom of Western thought - is the root of nihilism. Indeed, nihilism may represent the analytic fruit of this ontology. Buddhism names the Way wherein self, as something separate, is dissolved. In such a state of being - so full in its emptiness - nihilism has no meaning.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4795" LastEditorUserId="4795" LastEditDate="2015-03-04T01:20:17.837" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T01:20:17.837" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7960" CreationDate="2015-03-03T11:28:05.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even if a teacher doesn't hide it, teaching might be difficult to acquire or to explain effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/9themooncannotbestolen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Moon Cannot Be&#xA;  Stolen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut&#xA;  at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to&#xA;  discover there was nothing to steal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ryokan returned and caught him. &quot;You have come a long way to visit&#xA;  me,&quot; he told the prowler, &quot;and you should not return empty-handed.&#xA;  Please take my clothes as a gift.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ryoken sat naked, watching the moon. &quot;Poor fellow,&quot; he mused, &quot;I wish&#xA;  I could have given him this beautiful moon.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5307/254&quot;&gt;from the Tibetan tradition&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In fact, advanced levels of Vajrayana (esp. Dzogchen) are often characterized as &quot;self-secret&quot; because they are simply incomprehensible to an unprepared student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, I don't know what &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-nature&lt;/a&gt; is but from its descriptions perhaps it's mystic or hidden:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T11:28:05.047" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7925" CreationDate="2015-03-03T11:51:57.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My unorthodox answer is that empirically, have you ever heard someone say that heartbeat meditation really helped them? Did it help them know themselves or become enlightened? In browsing around meditation forums and message boards, I've literally never seen a recommendation for this. I infer that statistically, it's not likely to be the most profound type of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you try it? Why not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4767" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T11:51:57.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7954" CreationDate="2015-03-03T13:22:13.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This city (body) is built of bones, plastered with flesh and blood;&#xA;  within are decay and death, pride and jealousy. - [Dhp. 150] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; is full of metaphors, similes and comparisons. It is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. Here's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/buddha/Teachings/023-tnt-simile.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;good article&lt;/a&gt; on that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T13:22:13.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7967" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7968" CreationDate="2015-03-03T15:28:17.917" Score="7" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Buddhism something that you should consider as a field that you should endeavour to study and develop a deep understanding of or is it enough just to simply sit, just as the Zen tradition seems to suggest?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To elaborate a bit more, is it worthwhile to study the Sutras and other Buddhist texts or would someone be able to attain enlightenment by simply sitting without developing an in-depth knowledge of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:53:25.827" Title="Is Buddhism something that you should study?" Tags="|personal-practice|philosophy|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7967" CreationDate="2015-03-03T16:20:50.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To succeed on the path, &lt;strong&gt;you need both study and practice in equal amounts.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes you will need more of the one than the other, but in general try to have a &lt;strong&gt;balance of Study and Practice&lt;/strong&gt;, they are the two basic ingredients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even after attainment of samadhi and initial Awakening, there are advanced sutras and texts designed for such Awakened people to study so that they can reach the next levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is a relevant excerpt from the first chapter of &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot;, a book that completely discusses Buddhism's various theoretical models as well as other religions... emphasizing the importance of &lt;strong&gt;not mistakening theory/good learning for practice and Attainment&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; and especially &lt;strong&gt;not criticizing others who do not know what you know because you haven't attained it for yourself anyway.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The emphasis on a direct personal experience of cultivation in order&#xA;  to attain true understanding does not mean we can discard the&#xA;  theoretical aspect of cultivation. If you do not know the principles&#xA;  and theory of cultivation practice, you will not know what stage you&#xA;  have attained through your efforts and you will always continue to&#xA;  remain in the dark. Thus, the actual accomplishment of spiritual&#xA;  attainment is just as important as theory, but the two have to be&#xA;  mixed together just as flour and water must be mixed together to&#xA;  produce dough. Spiritual theory and dogma needs practice for the proof&#xA;  of authentication, and practice needs theory for guidance. Taking&#xA;  everything together, we can say that if you cannot already attain the&#xA;  nine samadhi concentration states in your meditation practice, see all&#xA;  the beings in the ten directions, travel the universe at will, see&#xA;  from your ears and hear through your nose, or produce all sorts of&#xA;  supernatural transformations, you had better refrain from publicly&#xA;  claiming to know who has attained certain levels of attainment and who&#xA;  has not. What we are revealing is to help you make further progress on&#xA;  the path rather than to supply you with any ammunition for criticizing&#xA;  others. Worry about yourself and whether you are continuing to make&#xA;  cultivation progress rather than spend any time criticizing or ranking&#xA;  someone else. We therefore hope our readers avoid this serious mistake&#xA;  and devote all their energies towards making personal progress along&#xA;  the lines of spiritual attainment. Examine your own behavior to choose&#xA;  what is good and shun what is evil, and refrain from criticizing&#xA;  others. That is the first rule in spiritual cultivation practice, and&#xA;  the place where everything starts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T16:20:50.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7925" CreationDate="2015-03-03T16:27:20.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've had the same experience.&#xA;It is better to ignore the heartbeat and focus on the breath for countless reasons!&#xA;Calmer mind, more stable heartrate, blissful, easier, wind element cultivation... the reasons are endless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no good reasons to meditate on the heartbeat except until you have attained the 3rd jhana at least, after which you can practice extreme ascetic practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you asked for how to meditate on the heartbeat:&#xA;all meditation methods are the same, notice the in and out.&#xA;Gradually you will notice the space between the in and out.&#xA;Include this space in your observation: in, space, out, space, in, space, out, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gradually this space will open up and you can enter jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more info on meditation and how it works read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/howtomeditate.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T16:27:20.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7955" CreationDate="2015-03-03T18:57:03.143" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The problem&lt;/strong&gt; as I understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a question is ultimately about substantiation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In using the term unique particular, you seem to be referring to the notion that there may be some sort of irreducible particle, a particle that would give objects and phenomena (dharmas) true substance, or something that would be conceptually equivalent to a true ... say &quot;atom&quot; that allows us to build a &quot;true&quot; chair. The issue at hand being, of course, that since objects all are found to be empty upon final examination, that we still have to contend with where apparent &quot;chariness&quot; comes from, and therefore also all such-ness, &quot;that&quot;-ness, and ultimately the phenomenological experience of the apparent self. The existence of such a particular would have far reaching implications and consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This style of inquiry is a search for svabhava, true self-substance. It is looking for the thing that exists from it's own side, a truly independent phenomena, the source of substance in the world. It is equivalent to the search for a substantive true self, and to the search for the god particle. It's hunting the Unicorn. Since we cannot find such a thing in the macroscopic reality, or simply the everyday world of objects and events, the notion that there is a fundamental, unique, and &quot;bare&quot; particular underneath it all, acting as the building block, would seem to solve the dilemma of the inherent uneasiness found in coming to terms with an &quot;appearance only&quot; based reality, particularly for the realists. Here is where the Buddhist &quot;atomists&quot; come from, and consequentially all fundamental materialists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The logical conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; of that solution to the problem...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that such a unique, or bare particular would still be an individual in possession of the characteristics of bareness, uniqueness, and particular-ness &lt;em&gt;as its intrinsic nature&lt;/em&gt;, and to find the true individual behind the characteristics, or to find the individual holding that nature, it would have to be stripped back down beyond said qualities that it therefore has, requiring another bare/unique particular behind it to give it substance. We have to follow this chain of inquiry back infinity, never finding a termination point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This issue is very skillfully dissected in Jan Westerhoff's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B005EXD2TY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nāgārjuna‘s Madhyamaka: A Philosophical Introduction&lt;/a&gt;, published by Oxford Press.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...if it is a bare particular by svabhāva and being a &lt;strong&gt;bare particular is therefore its intrinsic nature&lt;/strong&gt; ... we can ask &lt;strong&gt;what the individual is&lt;/strong&gt; in which being a bare particular inheres, and then we are well on our way to an infinite regress... we have to assume that the individual has some determinate nature due to which it is a bearer of its properties and the difficulty will just reappear with &lt;strong&gt;whatever we take such a nature to be&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if we have an individual, and that individual has the property of being a bare, or unique particular, then without that property what ground does that individual stand on? It's the same as saying that a chair cannot exist without its characteristics, and the characteristics do not exist as such without the chair. This is, from a Madhamaka point of view, the fundamental meaning of co-dependent origination, so from such a perspective if such a thing were to be found, that that would stand against the core Buddhist doctrine of sunyata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conequence&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bare particular is landed on when examining an absolute creator, an absolute substance, a true, objective reality, the existence of real time, a true (meaning complete &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; consistent) axiomatic system, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the specific case of the bare particular it is shown that such a conceptualization is absurd, since we can conceive of a bare particular, but it falls into a co-dependent relationship with itself via its characteristics, and cannot exist outside of, or independent from mental conceptualization. In other words, it is mind dependent, and because of this, and the fact that this is essentially the only way to get at substance, so is every other level of such-ness, regards to the chair, or the self. You see? Without mind, without conceptualization inferring the existence of substance, of chariness, of self, there is no substance to be found, anywhere, with anything, beyond emptiness via dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is vast emptiness. This is the display of the true power of the mind and delusion. Somewhere, it is building the house, and the house has as its nature impermanence and suffering. The logical consequence, and final legitimate course of action is practice. So theory and practice do inform one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Incidentally&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a particular would break causality, as a true existent cannot be altered from its nature, and cannot therefore be interacted with. IN order for something to be causally potent, it &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; to be empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a particular would also mean that there is inherency in life, absolute positions, a central way and meaning of life, and therefore true hierarchies of values in terms of absolute right and wrong, etc. It would, as an eventual consequence of this, justify all atrocity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the atom is a great example because it breaks down into these sub-atomic particles that blink in and out of existence, exiting as wave/particle &quot;things&quot;&#xA;with only probable substance, and no absolute essence beyond, or apart from, the probable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Your question&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since empirically adequate simply means that a statement is such &quot;if and only if everything that it says about observable entities is true&quot;, we have to ask, &quot;what makes a true entity?&quot; If we are going to ask that, we fall back on looking for the bare particular. In co-dependent origination we cannot find any true entities, so it becomes non-codependent non-origination from a certain light. So there is nothing &quot;true&quot; in an absolute sense to observe, just samsara. Because of this, every so called empirically adequate statement we could make about the observable universe would be a relative, conventional truth &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt;. So, no. Empirically adequate does not, indeed cannot equate to unique particular, since it is a referent to conventional reality only, and therefore dependent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The result of this is that we can &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/train-your-mind-slogan-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;regard all dharmas as dreams&lt;/a&gt;, and people have spent a great deal of their practice hours studying this approach. It is, as I understand this, the heart of such things as the Diamond Cutter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TL;DR&lt;/strong&gt; An empirically adequate statement can only refer to conventional reality, and as such, is a convectional truth and conventional designation itself, dependent on phenomena for existence, and therefore no... it is not a bare particular, or &quot;true existent&quot;, or unique particular, or absolute truth as you posit. Such a thing cannot exist to begin with.This is a core fundamental of Buddhist thought, at least beginning with folks like Nagarjuna. We could assume all dharma's to be, in this way, empirically adequate, ultimately empty themselves. This is what makes Buddhist thought so sublime, and keeps the system legitimate. It is, in my understanding, the philosophical perfection in the system, and an important component of what makes it rise above &quot;mere philosophy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T18:57:03.143" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2015-03-03T19:03:25.797" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because it does not deny or reject conventional reality, and conventional experience. Buddhism reaches emptiness via the dependent origination of apparent objects. It does not negate the conventional existence of them, just examines their absolute or final nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of this acceptance of conventional reality and truth, Buddhism examines causality, morality, and consequence, specifically in the light of human suffering and liberation. This is far from nihilism, which is essentially the view that there is no consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T19:03:25.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7947" CreationDate="2015-03-03T19:13:13.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, some schools say that, but according to Tibetan Buddhism the teachings of Mahayana were actually given by Buddha, during the second turning of the wheel, at the Vultures Peak.  The emphasis is in the concept of emptiness and boddhichita or universal compassion.&#xA;In the third turning of the wheel, there is not a specific place mentioned.  They deal specially with the Buddha Nature that all sentient beings possess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T19:13:13.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7947" CreationDate="2015-03-03T21:34:43.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the time of the Buddha there were no schools, only one &quot;type&quot; of Buddhism was known: The teachings of the Buddha, the discourses and verses spoken by him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught the Dhamma-Vinaya, he did not teach Theravada, Mahayana or Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the Buddha passed away to PariNibbana, the monks got together in councils to unify and register the teachings of the master, they put together the suttas, the Vinaya, the verses (Dhammapada), Jakata stories etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After many decades there was a split in the Sangha due to different interpretations of the teachings and that was when this discussion of Mahayana and Theravada began. As Buddhism reached different countries, different versions of the religion appeared addapting Buddhism to the culture and older religions of the country. Tibetan Buddhism is a good example, it still has traces of Astrology and Shamanism in some of its schools (this is not criticism, I'm not claiming this or that school is right or wrong, I tried not to take any side on this answer and respect all views)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-03-03T21:43:43.090" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T21:43:43.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7947" CreationDate="2015-03-03T23:30:39.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's impossible to know what the Buddha taught, as even the earliest known writings were written long after he passed on.  However, many schools claim they were the original words of the Buddha, either as a bid for credibility or as part of sectarian disputes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't take any such claims seriously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-03-03T23:30:39.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7975" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-04T01:00:53.787" Score="2" ViewCount="706" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there proof that rebirth does not exist?That it is not real? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:32:40.690" Title="Is there any Proof of No-Rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7975" CreationDate="2015-03-04T01:16:21.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Scientifically speaking no. As you mentioned &quot;proof&quot; I assume you want a sort of scientific answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science works with what can be proved either by experience or by mathematics, there is no way rebirth can be proved through calculation or a controlled experiment, at least in current science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are cases of people that claim to remember past lifes, however, scientifically speaking they are not accepted as proof. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically speaking science cannot prove that it exists or doesn't exist, but when in doubt scientists always go for the simplest answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we accept past lifes and rebirth because they are a key part of the religion, the Buddha said right after he attained enlightment: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I, who have been seeking the builder of this house (body), failing to attain Enlightenment which would enable me to find him, have wandered through innumerable births in samsara. To be born again and again is, indeed, dukkha!&#xA;Oh house-builder! You are seen, you shall build no house (for me) again. All your rafters are broken, your roof-tree is destroyed. My mind has reached the unconditioned (i.e., Nibbana); the end of craving (Arahatta Phala) has been attained.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-03-04T01:23:36.893" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T01:23:36.893" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7960" CreationDate="2015-03-04T01:24:49.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One point to note is that the Buddha was primarily concerned with teaching liberation from rebirth and suffering, not metaphysics, so when he says 'I have held nothing back' it is perhaps in the sense of 'I have held nothing back that would help your liberation'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also the Eightfold Way describes various levels of 'mystical absorption' i.e. 'right absorption' which is an experience of Prajna/Gnosis/Wisdom/Pneuma that is perhaps similar to what the Christian Mystics spoke of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is the reference to the 'handful of leaves' of the teachings, hinting at much that is left unsaid, albeit irrelevant to liberation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namaste&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4799" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T01:24:49.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7975" CreationDate="2015-03-04T08:45:24.493" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a North American academic named &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ian Stevenson&lt;/a&gt; who spent decades investigating people who claimed to remember their previous lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3571/254&quot;&gt;Some people cite him&lt;/a&gt; as having found evidence of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, he sought and collected stories, and discarded the stories which were proven untrue or fabricated. After discarding the untrue stories, what he had left were the stories which he didn't prove were untrue (i.e. stories which appeared to be true).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.skepdic.com/stevenson.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skeptic's dictionary entry on that subject&lt;/a&gt; says there's no way to use that methodology to prove that rebirth doesn't happen,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The historian, the journalist, and the jury member, on the other hand, must constantly deal with issues like lying, hoaxing, and fraud. Most important, though, is the fact that historians, journalists, and jury members have to evaluate the words and perceptions of people, rather than the structure or properties of things. Stevenson's work would require constant vigilance against being deceived by his subjects. Furthermore, since we know that people can have memories and be completely unaware of the source of those memories, he would have to be vigilant in identifying which memories were likely the result of cryptomnesia. Also, there is the major problem of providing an explanation for how a personality can survive death and transfer to another body, something Stevenson had no answer for. Finally, the most problematic issue Stevenson would have to face using his method of collecting stories would be the fact that nothing could ever count against his hypothesis. Stories that are rejected as hoaxes, frauds, questionable, unreliable, or based on experiences in this lifetime would be discarded, but they wouldn't count against the reincarnation hypothesis. The worst case scenario for Stevenson's method would be that his evidence does not compel belief and that even the best of it is open to alternative interpretations. Unfortunately, that is also his best case scenario. Most people are not likely to be too impressed when they realize that all Stevenson had to show for over forty years of research is that it is now false to claim that there is no evidence for reincarnation. It is still quite reasonable, however, to claim that there is no compelling evidence for reincarnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stevenson would conduct dozens of interviews and spend hours searching through hospital and court records, trying to establish that there was no fraud involved, that the story wasn't contaminated, that there weren't errors in translation, that the events weren't just coincidental, that the child couldn't have gotten the information in any normal way. When he satisfied himself that there was no normal explanation for the concordance of story and facts, he would count the case as &amp;quot;solved&amp;quot; and see it as a piece of positive evidence supporting the reincarnation hypothesis. If he got a PLE story but couldn't corroborate it with facts, he called the case &amp;quot;unsolved.&amp;quot; There is nothing that could be discovered by this method that could ever falsify the reincarnation hypothesis. And it remains a mystery as to what further research, that might be falsifiable, could ever evolve from Stevenson's technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on this Skeptic's dictionary entry, IMO there is no &amp;quot;proof of non-rebirth&amp;quot; (otherwise they might have referenced that proof in the Skeptic's dictionary). The most they can say, their strongest argument against his work, is, &amp;quot;There is nothing that could be discovered by this method that could ever falsify the reincarnation hypothesis.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words the skeptic seems to me to be claiming that the theory is, not &amp;quot;proven untrue&amp;quot;, but rather &amp;quot;unfalsifiable&amp;quot; ... perhaps analogous to the way in which 'existence of God' or '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_teapot&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Russel's teapot&lt;/a&gt;' are unfalsifiable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T08:45:24.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7951" CreationDate="2015-03-04T12:16:51.950" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All thought is movement and a still mind is one that has no movement in it except when required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you need to use the memory - &quot;what's 1+1&quot; or &quot;where's my car keys&quot; - the mind provides the answer. It's only the innecessary thinking that stops. Innecessary thinking is thinking that isn't required by the immediate situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also means thoughts don't have the same energy anymore - the energy to make you feel emotional for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;99.9% of thoughts in a normal undisciplined mind are created by habit, circumstances and old emotional pains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4750" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T12:16:51.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7980" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-04T12:30:02.223" Score="1" ViewCount="474" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistdoor.com/OldWeb/bdoor/0606/sources/medsutra1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This page&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable Husan Hua says yes; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zhuogelama.com/The%20Treasure%20Wisdom%20II_Part%20III_QA38.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; by Zhuoge Rinpoche says no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user126" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-04T23:03:18.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T18:38:00.407" Title="Are Aksobhya and Bhaisajyaguru the same buddha?" Tags="|buddhas|pure-land|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7955" CreationDate="2015-03-04T13:26:01.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wow, lots of thought devoted to an experiential reality. I am tempted to say that you can't think your way to understanding, but I like your question, and the fullness of the answer so far. Good effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently read a book By Ellen Birx, who is a recognized Buddhist teacher (the book is called &lt;em&gt;Selfless Love&lt;/em&gt;). I am not a Buddhist, and not Zen in particular, but I find much accord with my personal experience there. So, in one chapter she talks about &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Particularity&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, which I think is the opposite of what you mean by &quot;unique particular&quot;. I would urge you to turn you idea around and see that absolutely all that we experience is unique, arising only once, with nothing whatsoever to back it up or that it springs from, depends on, was born of, dies back in to... There is no &quot;there&quot; there. There is only &lt;strong&gt;Experience&lt;/strong&gt; (and the &lt;strong&gt;Void&lt;/strong&gt;, of course). If you see a unique thing, event, person... it is a &lt;em&gt;particular&lt;/em&gt; in the infinite flow of what is. It cannot help but be a unique, singular, once-ever-happening thing, because that is what Reality IS. A flow of this this this this with no organizing principle or framework behind it AT ALL.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stop looking behind the rainbow to see what it is made of. See it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T13:26:01.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7967" CreationDate="2015-03-04T13:35:23.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen is very hard. Specially without a great teacher. A popular idea is that Zen could &quot;get away&quot; from emphasis on study because it produced great teachers who did not &quot;need&quot; to refer to scriptures -- when they could simply refer their disciples to reality, using whatever means (including Buddha's words).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Zen attitude is believed to come from many things. One of them is it's origin in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;flower sermon&lt;/a&gt;. Another is the culture it developed around accusing exclusive intellectual/abstract understanding of the dhamma -- carried out famously by the &quot;finger and the moon&quot; metaphor. Like  a person who spends his/her life studying sex but no amount of study got him/her close to lose the virginity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;shikantaza&lt;/a&gt; has a flip side of the coin that is as devoid of value as studying Buddhism for Buddhism sake (if nibbāna is of concern). And that is, by &quot;just sitting&quot;, it's quite possible one's life is spent &quot;just sitting&quot; and nothing really happens, ever. Like drawing lines and random symbols on a canvas and hoping to arrive at language and poetry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, the critical point is: in a learning process &lt;strong&gt;of any kind&lt;/strong&gt;, there &lt;strong&gt;must&lt;/strong&gt; be an evaluation process (ad-hoc, implicit, explicit, formal,... whatever), done by  yourself, your teacher, or both (when one has a teacher). And evaluation is always a function of one's goal and one's current distance to that goal. It's evaluation that tells where you ware, if you are moving, and towards what you ware moving. Otherwise, it's just random walking around and hoping to stumble on a goal that became a taboo(*) to acknowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) it seems every once in a while this idea becomes popular: that &quot;enlightenment&quot; is not something to strive for. What was once a pedagogical instruction towards specific people overly attached to a goal keeping them from progress, is now a full doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a final note: the major risk of not reading the Buddha's word is, years later, find out that what you were doing had little to do with what he proposed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-03-04T14:18:19.907" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T14:18:19.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7967" CreationDate="2015-03-04T14:34:41.667" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find this helpful (Ajahn Tong: Path to Nibbana, complete edition, pg. [some thai numeral, sorry!]):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The two ways of learning meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Learning through theory: The meditator both studies and practices the&#xA;  theories of meditation (i.e. the six fields listed previously [5&#xA;  aggregates, 12 sense-spheres, 18 elements, 22 faculties, 4 noble&#xA;  truths, 12 steps of dependent origination]). This is like medical&#xA;  students who study medicine and then cure their own sickness. This&#xA;  method of learning is good for those with a lot of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Learning through practice: The meditator learns about meditation&#xA;  without theoretical knowledge, simply through practice. This is like&#xA;  patients who, without medical studies, treat and cure themselves by&#xA;  learning about themselves and examining their sickness. This method of&#xA;  meditation is good for those without much time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My approach personally is lot of practice (daily &amp;amp; retreats), and picking up theory if/as needed. Otherwise it is just dry scholasticism, and I've had enough of that already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T14:34:41.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7967" CreationDate="2015-03-04T14:51:43.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least in the Theravada tradition, it is emphasized that the role of the Buddha (technically the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood#Samyaksambuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samyaksambuddha&lt;/a&gt;) was to teach and establish the dhamma. And he was also the most qualified person to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dhamma (teachings) is like a shortcut that we received from the Buddha, which we need to first study and understand. Studying involves understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;, and other teachings found in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice includes the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Pali_training_rules&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. The Noble Eightfold Path includes Right View and Right Intention (which comes in part through studying), as well as Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration and Right Effort (which is meditation and practice). The remaining three are also part of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you do not want to study, but only want to practise meditation, then you are not making use of the &quot;shortcut&quot; teachings of the Buddha and instead want to find enlightenment by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a good introduction on the teachings, I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0802130313&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt; by Walpola Rahula. You can find the PDF version &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/What%20the%20Buddha%20Taught_Rahula.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. There is also a very short collection of the suttas at the back of the book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tripitakas are rather huge. But a good anthology or selection of suttas can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikku Bodhi. You can find the PDF version &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you find studying Buddhism potentially daunting, then these two books should help you get started.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-04T15:13:11.953" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T15:13:11.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7954" CreationDate="2015-03-04T15:22:30.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=153&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verses 153-154&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I, who have been seeking the builder of this house (body), failing to&#xA;  attain Enlightenment (Bodhi nana or Sabbannuta nana) which would&#xA;  enable me to find him, have wandered through innumerable births in&#xA;  samsara. To be born again and again is, indeed, dukkha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Oh house-builder! You are seen, you shall build no house (for me)&#xA;  again. All your rafters are broken, your roof-tree is destroyed. My&#xA;  mind has reached the unconditioned (i.e., Nibbana); the end of craving&#xA;  (Arahatta Phala) has been attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is the house builder? Does that refer to God? Click the link above to find out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T15:22:30.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7986" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7988" CreationDate="2015-03-04T17:48:13.567" Score="5" ViewCount="1858" Body="&lt;p&gt;From reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1894/193&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; I come to understand that anatta means the lack of a core that can be conceived as self. If there is no permanent self, then who or what gets enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-08-29T19:09:10.153" Title="If there is no self what or who is it that gets enlightened?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7986" CreationDate="2015-03-04T20:35:39.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question we just need to explore the concept of Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta doesn't mean that there is nothing within us, there is a mind. All sentient beings have a mind, eventhough they have different bodies or are in different realms, this is all temporary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Anatta rejects is the idea of a soul that keeps your current caractheristics, just like we see in some movies. According to Buddhism all you can see in the mirror, your body, is nothing but your Kamma Vipaka, the consequences of your Kamma that have ripened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta also emphatizes the idea of not identifying with the body as something that belongs to us. Now you are a human being, tomorrow you could be a bee, a deva or a hell being. So essentialy your mind is just like any other mind except for the different Kamma is &quot;carries&quot; and creates. This mind is what can be enlighted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-03-04T20:35:39.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7986" CreationDate="2015-03-04T23:01:16.740" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main point of the answer you cite is that anatta is a characteristic of ultimate reality. Your question misses this and conflates two different paradigms or levels of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism we recognize two levels of truth; conventional truth (sammuti-sacca) and ultimate truth (paramattha-sacca). Conventional truth relies on a spatio-temporal paradigm, in which there exist people, places, and things. It is the level on which &quot;you&quot; and &quot;I&quot; exist, and it is the level on which a &quot;person&quot; becomes &quot;enlightened&quot;. None of this has anything to do with the characteristic of non-self, which works on the level of ultimate truth. Ultimate truth relies on an experiential paradigm, in which there exists only the momentary experience of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, or thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the answer to &quot;who becomes enlightened?&quot; is &quot;a being becomes enlightened.&quot; As to how that can be reconciled with the teaching on non-self, there is really no conflict, since non-self describes a characteristic of ultimate reality, at which level concepts like &quot;being&quot; or &quot;enlightened&quot; have no place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-05T13:29:16.870" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T13:29:16.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7986" CreationDate="2015-03-05T00:54:57.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The anatta concept doesn't say that there is no self - it says &quot;not self&quot; as in &quot;all phenomena is not self&quot;. There is a self, but it is not permanent and is not independent from the inter-workings of the senses, sensation, perception, mind and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. a static image that is projected on the wall - it is a result of light projected onto a wall from a projector. If you dig deeper, you can explain how a projector works, how electronics and electricity works. The image does not exist permanently and independently from the wall or projector or electricity. But this does not mean that the image does not exist. Surely it exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, similarly, if a person become an Arahant while living, then this &quot;self&quot; or &quot;person&quot; surely is the one who became enlightened. But this &quot;person&quot; is not permanent or existing independently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-05T01:01:16.790" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T01:01:16.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2120" CreationDate="2015-03-05T01:37:59.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Four Dharma Seals encompass the whole Buddhadharma and are excellent.  It brings me joy that you are learning them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should pretty much give everything, to perfect generosity.  However, before you go out and give away your house and all your clothes, you can probably benefit people in greater ways by &quot;setting your intention and being natural&quot; -- one of the Lojong Mind Training verses. (You can read more about Lojong proverbs at this wonderful resource &lt;a href=&quot;http://lojongmindtraining.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://lojongmindtraining.com/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about, in the simple example, of a man who could use his great wealth to buy many acres of farm land and supply his village with a seemingly endless supply of food.  Had he given all his wealth away at once, it might not be as beneficial to sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes, time is definitely something you should give to other beings.  In fact, practicing, studying, reflecting, and meditating can be of the most generous uses of our time, by setting our intentions to ultimately benefit all beings (as numberless as the sky is vast).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This setting of intention is called Bodhichitta, it is the &quot;Mind inclined to Awakening&quot; and it is so very very precious.  More valuable than all the diamonds and gold and silver.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is really wonderful!  Our time is valuable, and if we can spend even 10 minutes a day thinking about how we can benefit someone we know, it is time well spent!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also wonderful, is that using your time in the service of others lessens our attachment, and brings us closer to the natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use your time to think about how you can help people you know (or just met) who have similar needs as you.  If you know someone without a job, you can try and help them get one, or if you know someone lonely, you can be their friend and really listen and be there for them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also spend your time reflecting happily on the good deeds you've done for others.  This is also a great way to uplift the mind and ensure that our practice of virtue grows and grows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can plant great seeds by encouraging the people you know to do the same: to help where help is needed, to think about how we can help others, and to spend our time offering all the wisdom and love we can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T01:37:59.063" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-05T01:37:59.063" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7980" CreationDate="2015-03-05T03:03:43.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This post on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&amp;amp;t=4455&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma Wheel&lt;/a&gt; says that, at least in Japan, Aksobhya was venerated the same as the Medicine Buddha (i.e. as the Buddha to appeal to for dealing with this worldly medical problems) until news of Bhaisajyaguru's sutras arrived in Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, Shakyamuni is often described as a doctor and the Dharma as a diagnosis and prescription for what ails us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T03:03:43.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7986" CreationDate="2015-03-05T10:00:00.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt; suggests  that the &quot;who&quot; who &quot;gets enlightened&quot; is the &quot;who&quot; who needs the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four noble truths&lt;/a&gt;: the &quot;who&quot; who experienced &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;; the &quot;who&quot; who had manifested &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kleshas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think that it's a difficult question to answer because it's a person's &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_%28Buddhism%29#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;view of self&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which causes (or co-arises with) suffering; because &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;that view of self should/must be abandoned&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; on the way to enlightenment; and because &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;that self is impermanent&lt;/a&gt; (even momentary) and enlightenment is opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A dichotomy between self (which needs enlightening) and Bodhi (which means enlightened understanding) is expressed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huineng#Becoming_the_Sixth_Patriarch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the poems associated with Shenxiu and Huineng&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Only Shenxiu wrote a poem, anonymously on the wall in the middle of the night.[6] It stated:[7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;身是菩提樹，　The body is a Bodhi tree,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  心如明鏡臺。　The mind a standing mirror bright.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  時時勤拂拭，　At all times polish it diligently,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  勿使惹塵埃。　And let no dust alight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After having read this poem aloud to him, Hui-neng asked an officer to write another gatha on the wall for him, next to Shenxiu's, which stated:[8]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;菩提本無樹，　Bodhi is fundamentally without any tree;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  明鏡亦非臺。　The bright mirror is also not a stand.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  本來無一物，　Fundamentally there is not a single thing —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  何處惹塵埃。　Where could any dust be attracted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://ww.satrakshita.com/Books/Platform_Sutra_Yampolsky.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Platform Sutra&lt;/a&gt; describes the first of these as a way to practice (&quot;You should all recite this verse so that you&#xA;will be able to see into your own natures. With this practice you will&#xA;not fall into the three evil ways.&quot;) but not as having attained enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second one is associated with &quot;knowing the original mind&quot; or &quot;knowing the mind and seeing its true nature&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T10:55:39.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7975" CreationDate="2015-03-05T10:19:47.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though rebirth cannot be proved scientifically (because we don't have the tools at the present state of technology), there is a lot of anecdotal evidence and it can be proved with experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I've mentioned in an &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7733/what-happens-to-the-five-aggregates-after-death/7804#7804&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; to another question, there were many people in known history, and some even living in the present times who have recalled up to the minutest detail, their past life and its environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forget even that, the most important proof for an individual is experience itself. If you perform vipassana regularly and attain the higher jhanas, you will be able to recall your past-life with your own insight (pradnya). There will be no need of any proof then!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-05T11:43:59.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7996" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="7997" CreationDate="2015-03-05T10:58:21.183" Score="3" ViewCount="481" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ryōkan's&lt;/a&gt; poems such as this one he mentions the Buddhas of the three worlds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While I gather firewood and wild grasses on this hill,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Buddhas of the three worlds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are also celebrating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who are the Buddhas and what are the three worlds?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T04:05:51.907" Title="Who are the Buddhas of the three worlds in Ryōkan's poems?" Tags="|zen|buddhas|literature|roykan|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7996" CreationDate="2015-03-06T01:27:39.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This phrase here means everywhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, probably the Trailokya, the realm of desire, form and formlessness.  The realm of desire is hell and earth. The realm of form and formlessness are different types of heavens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailokya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailokya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_spiritual_realms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 realms&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tientai.net/teachings/dharma/buddha/10directions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 directions&lt;/a&gt;, a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/buddhas/3tb/3tba.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three times&lt;/a&gt; are all common stock literary phrases that meant everywhere and everything and all times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I've lost track of how many ways I've seen the realms sliced up, into the 4, 6, 10 realms, and now with this question, 3!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T01:27:39.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7998" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8002" CreationDate="2015-03-06T03:13:14.730" Score="5" ViewCount="547" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forgive a (possibly) silly question - but I have a cat as a pet, and of course I purchase cat food for him and feed it to him. Being a pretty recent participant of Buddhist thought and practice, I also understand that eating meat (something I admittedly still do myself) is frowned upon, but the thought occurred to me the other day - is it also frowned upon to buy my pet meat-based products? By doing so I participate in the killing of animals. On the other hand, cats are pretty much carnivores by nature, and trying to get a cat to go vegetarian would likely harm him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-08T09:46:42.450" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T08:30:33.330" Title="Is it OK to purchase cat food?" Tags="|ethics|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="7999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7996" CreationDate="2015-03-06T04:05:51.907" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No-form (formless)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.netplaces.com/buddhism/karma-and-worldview/the-three-realms.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.netplaces.com/buddhism/karma-and-worldview/the-three-realms.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also called&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Immaterial (arupa-loka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fine Material (rupa-loka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensuous (kama-loka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since that encompasses the whole totality of the cosmos, the buddhas in question are all the supremely enlightened ones -- clear as day to a purified mindstream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T04:05:51.907" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-06T04:05:51.907" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7998" CreationDate="2015-03-06T04:06:01.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I also understand that eating meat (something I admittedly still do&#xA;  myself) is frowned upon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the tradition and personal beliefs. If you follow Theravada Buddhism, you wouldn't have any issue with feeding yourself or your cat with meat products. In Theravada Buddhism, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;word of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; is valued higher than personal opinions. So you or your cat is less likely to get frowned upon, just for eating meat. :) Vegetarianism is usually treated as a personal food preference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-06T12:22:33.663" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T12:22:33.663" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2328" CreationDate="2015-03-06T04:13:33.033" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Close your eyes, and breathe. Think about waves or palm trees. Think about your day, and how to make it better. Think about the negatives things in your life then think about letting it go, and all the positive comments, well say it to yourself! breathe in, blow out. Blue skies in, gray skies out. Try it, become less stress and be a new person that is always his/her self, and become a person who is refreshed, and ready to go. Look for that sunset behind the mountains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4806" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T04:13:33.033" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7998" CreationDate="2015-03-06T04:25:41.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking more critically at karmic web is good, but the whole point is to reduce/diminish and ultimately end suffering, however it manifests in the world...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, it doesn't hurt to look into where you get your cat food from, getting it from more ethical sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We could go out and try and prevent every lion from eating a gazelle, but that would kill the lion and the gazelle, because the gazelle would overgraze and run out of food, and the lion would starve.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When synthetic meat is plentiful and cheap, then maybe we can have no ethical qualms about our feline's meals having meat in them, but until then, try and make the best decision with the information you have available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meat is not really the problem, the main issue is what happens to obtain the meat.  In whatever way we can minimize or avoid that, so much the better.  So perhaps you get cat food that's chicken from chickens that only ate corn instead of eating worms.  Honestly I do not know if such products exist or are at that level of transparency yet, but it's possible, depending on where you live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't sweat it.  The intention you have to keep your furry roommate friend alive is more valuable than the other side of the scale.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T04:25:41.517" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-06T04:25:41.517" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8003" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8005" CreationDate="2015-03-06T14:07:53.683" Score="3" ViewCount="787" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been studying &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimarga&lt;/em&gt; and facing this doubt. In 3.1 (&lt;em&gt;Kammaþþhána-gahaóa-niddesa&lt;/em&gt;), regarding how many types of concentration there are, I can get the concepts of distration/non-distraction, bissful/non-blissful, with equanimity/not, etc. However, I don't get what is meant exactly by the terms &lt;em&gt;access&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;absorption&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) First of all it is of one kind with the characteristic of non-distraction. (2)&#xA;  Then it is of two kinds as &lt;strong&gt;access&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;absorption&lt;/strong&gt;; (3) likewise as mundane and&#xA;  supramundane (4) as with happiness and without happiness,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author gives the following explanation at the bottom of the page, but I'm finding it difficult to understand. I can hazard a guess that absorption here means our thoughts gradually absorb (attain the state of) the object of our concentration, but what is meant by &lt;em&gt;access&lt;/em&gt;?:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“Applied thought that occurs as though absorbing (appento) associated states in&#xA;  the object is absorption (appaná). Accordingly it is described as ‘absorption, absorbing&#xA;  (appaná vyappaná)’ (M III 73). Now since that is the most important, the usage of the&#xA;  Commentaries is to call all exalted and unsurpassed jhána states ‘absorption’ [as well&#xA;  as the applied thought itself], and likewise to apply the term of common usage ‘access’&#xA;  to the limited [i.e. sense-sphere] jhána that heralds the arising of the former, just as the&#xA;  term ‘village access,’ etc. is applied to the neighbourhood of a village” (Vism-mhþ 91).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:00:56.363" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:00:56.363" Title="What is the difference between access and absorption in Vipassana meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2120" CreationDate="2015-03-06T15:26:32.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First I think that it is a good idea to examine title of this post, and point out that there is no real &quot;should&quot; that we encounter in Buddhism, there are encouragements, but no commandments; or more politely, because of the truth of emptiness, or lack of inherent meaning and essence, whenever we say &quot;should,&quot; in order for it to be a valid statement, we have to add a contextual qualifier. So, &quot;Should we do X?&quot; always becomes, &quot;If we want X, should we do Y?&quot; or something to that effect. Given that, your question lacks a qualifier, you asked, &quot;Should we do X?&quot; without offering a &quot;Y&quot;. So, why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, about time. I would offer that, in my understanding, time is, indeed a conditioned phenomena, it is not absolute (there is no absolute time, &quot;it&quot; flows at different rates in the universe), it relys on other phenomena for its existence (such as space, therefore objects, gravity, ect.) Because of this, time is compounded. However, you cannot give or take it in any real sense. It is intangible, unlike other compounded phenomena, a chair for instance, it is purely abstract with no appearance to lock it into our experience with, it is not a real thing in the same way that a chair is. The best we can do is try to record and measure the passing of events with a chronometer, but there is no thing called &quot;time&quot; that we can actually measure, we just call the passing of events that, nominally inferring time into existence, in retrospect, or in anticipation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The metaphor of &quot;giving time&quot; is merely a convention that we use for service, in the certain light of sacrificing our own agenda. I would, again rephrase the question in order to reflect the implied sacrifice of personal agenda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So taking both points, the lack of qualifier in the first, and the inferential nature of the statement that calls for clarity in the second, I would suggest restating the question like this, &quot;If we want to hasten our own liberation, should we practice service, sacrificing our own agenda of self centered goal seeking in order to be of benefit to others?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So... When we put ourselves into service, when we put others, and the agenda of others, before ourselves and our own agenda, we undermine the conceptual self centered impulse. We undermine our tendency towards an ego-centric agenda. This is very helpful to our liberation, and it makes the world a better, happier place, so why not? It can eliminate negative karma, crate good karma, help see through the Samsaric delusion, and so forth. In this sense, it seems that being of service is a good personal agenda, as it has the potential to liberate us from our suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, this seems to leave us in a bind, how can I be of service to you, getting past my own self serving agenda, when that creates a self serving agenda as soon as I realize that I am doing it to get past my own suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, this is where intention comes in. How compassionate are we being? The Dalai Lama talks about wise vs. foolish selfishness. Wise selfishness is realizing this, and being of service, giving back to the community because you know it will benefit you, and this is better than the alternative... ignoring this and being a glutton. Regardless, it is simple enough to say that the more your heart is in it, the more benefit it will be to you, and the more you practice it, the more your heart will be in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we realize that helping people really means empowering them to overcome their own suffering, we become little &quot;helper-makers&quot;, also known as teachers. In this way, we can realize selflessness giving rise to selflessness, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TL;DR&lt;/strong&gt; It is highly encouraged that we learn to put others before ourselves, and learn to be of true service.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T15:26:32.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8003" CreationDate="2015-03-06T18:04:56.927" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is more an unfortunate example of problematic translation than anything. &lt;em&gt;appento&lt;/em&gt;, for example, means rushing forward, plunging or entering into, or fixing upon. The commentary surrounding this word, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sampayuttadhamme ārammaṇe appento viya pavattatīti vitakko appanā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;would better be translated as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Applied thought that proceeds as though plunging into the object with its associated states is called &lt;strong&gt;appanā&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;vyappanā&lt;/em&gt; could mean several things, since it is just &lt;strong&gt;appanā&lt;/strong&gt; with a &lt;em&gt;vi&lt;/em&gt; prefix. You'd have to be fluent in Pali colloquialism to understand the meaning, but PED says &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vyappanā&lt;/strong&gt; (f.) [&lt;em&gt;vi+appanā&lt;/em&gt;] application (of mind), focussing (of attention) Dhs 7. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate, &quot;absorption&quot; should be understood in the sense of &quot;becoming absorbed in (i.e. fixed upon) the object&quot;, I think. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Access&quot; is another ambiguous term; it is used in the sense of moving (cara) close to (upa), as it is a translation of the term &lt;em&gt;upacāra&lt;/em&gt;. Other translations are &quot;neighbourhoood&quot;, &quot;approach&quot;, etc. It is more often used in a mundane sense to refer to the area surrounding (e.g.) a dwelling. e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;vihārassa upacāre&lt;/em&gt; - in the surrounding area of a dwelling (Vin. Pāc. 2.5)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards the section of the Visuddhimagga you are reading, we should first be clear that this section pertains to samatha meditation, not vipassana. The two terms are not commonly used in the practice of insight meditation, since it is understood that appanā samadhi doesn't allow for insight to occur. Insight meditation requires momentary concentration similar to that described as upacāra in this section, in that it comes close to but doesn't reach samatha jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main difference between the two is that appanā is fixed on the object from moment to moment, unwavering and unchanging - it is sometimes described as &quot;trance&quot; concentration; whereas upacāra is still not fixed on a single object. The main similarity is that they both have the power to suppress the five hindrances from the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-06T18:04:56.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8006" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8010" CreationDate="2015-03-06T19:45:11.620" Score="5" ViewCount="304" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very common dilemma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go look for some Buddhist books here in the west (I guess the same thing happens in the east) you will easily find books written by monks and general authors, it is not common to find the suttas. That would be equivalent to look for books on Christianism and don't find the Bible, curiously it doesn't happen, it is easier to find the Bible than books written by priests for instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point that I'm trying to make is that sometimes those books, unfortunately, ignores or even contradicts some of the basic Buddha's teachings, they can create misconcepts in people's minds. I'm not talking about different schools, I'm talking about the original teachings shared by most of them, the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a Buddhist faces this situation, when he finds someone with a wrong concept, something that clearly has no basis on the Buddha's teachings, either Vinaya or Sutta Pitaka, what should he or she do? Should he/she correct the person or just let it be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would go with &quot;correct&quot; however you will see that most Buddhist leaders don't do that, they prefer to ignore misconcepts and focus on what they believe to be right, there are lots of precautions to avoid long debates in Buddhism... this is why it becomes a dilemma! What to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T05:49:29.127" Title="Role of the Buddhist in preserving the original teachings" Tags="|sutras|teaching|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7998" CreationDate="2015-03-07T02:15:51.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;May be you could feed your cat egg products ? It minimizes the negative karma yet may also be a nutritionally complete meal. I don't have any cats and not sure they would consume eggs, but you can try feeding the cat part of your omelot. You can also try try tuna which may have less of a karmic repurcussion than something higher up on the food chain. It's been said the difference between killing a plant and killing an animal is that you can't hear the plant scream. Keeping this in mind you may want to choose a diet that minimizes the withdrawl from you and your cats karmic accounts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T02:15:51.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8006" CreationDate="2015-03-07T02:42:48.513" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would go with &quot;correct&quot; however you will see that most Buddhist leaders don't do that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about &quot;Buddhist leaders&quot;, but in general, I think that's not so much the case. Also, a lot of books are written precisely because of the presence of misleading books. To the point of having titles like &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0060730579&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism Is Not What You Think&lt;/a&gt; (though I never fully read this one, I find it unfortunate that, carrying such title, it barely and only loosely quotes the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think what a reasonable person should do in this case is what she would do in any other case, when circumstances are appropriate: point to contrary evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;there are lots of precautions to avoid long debates in Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If authoritative texts are available in one's language, and if one can refer people to evidence therein of faulty understanding, that should produce a very short debate, shouldn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the major problem is not the availability of misleading books. Is the &lt;em&gt;absence&lt;/em&gt; of authoritative books. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T02:42:48.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2015-03-07T06:51:57.760" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My response came above against your curiousity. A belief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a set of understanding, belief and teaching. Being a student/learner ,it is very important to have Faith in what you are doing, but being a step-taker it is all about strengthening your faith which means you are now all set to set a belief. Everything we read and get from other's (even buddha's life incidents) is a part of reality for now (this present). UNDERSTANDING all that the way it was supposed by THE TEACHER is THE FAITH. Acting as per that is about reincarnation, that's THE BELIEF. Having an urge that you still need to learn more, Beyond all of you and your knowledge and practice. But There's and here will always be something that can compel you to go beyond all these, your past. That something is you. Your kind mind. Buddhism isn't about attaining Nirvana and beyond that. It is just a WAY OF LIVING. All is on you 'what you ask to yourself when you are conscious ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T06:51:57.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8006" CreationDate="2015-03-07T13:11:26.653" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;First a couple of comments...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is to be expected that in a non-Buddhist country you wouldn't find as much authentic Buddhist literature as you would in Buddhist countries. In Thailand, for example, it is quite easy to obtain a full translation of the entire tipitaka... two different translations, actually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the fact that the tipitaka is tens of times the size of the bible makes it relatively expensive to translate, print, ship, etc., and so it is not exactly the kind of thing you see in hotel rooms (for other reasons as well).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are several reasons for the plethora of misleading or quasi-Buddhist literature available today: the sheer magnitude of the teaching can lead to lopsided interpretations; the difficulty in penetrating the teachings can lead to sloppiness, etc.; the general usefulness of the teachings can lead to misappropriation of the teachings due to ulterior motives, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, to answer your question.  It's important to distinguish between what a monk should do and what a lay person should do. There is relatively little in the Buddha's teaching about what lay people &quot;should&quot; do in matters like this; there isn't always definitive guidelines even for monks. Buddhism is much less a religion of &quot;should&quot; than it is a religion of &quot;can&quot;, in the sense of laying out a description of reality and pointing out the causal relationships between actions and reactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some guidance to be found in this particular matter, though; specifically in the Brahmajala Sutta, which begins with a nice intro tale of how to react to those who malign (or praise) the Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should unravel what is false and point it out as false, saying: 'For such and such a reason this is false, this is untrue, there is no such thing in us, this is not found among us.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there's a &quot;should&quot; for you. There are also rules of protocol in the vinaya on how to deal with monks who profess wrong views, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhu say the following: “As I understand the Dhamma taught by the&#xA;  Blessed One, those acts the Blessed One says&#xA;  are obstructive, when engaged in are not&#xA;  genuine obstructions,” the bhikkhus are to admonish him thus: “Do not say that,&#xA;  venerable sir. Do not slander the Blessed One, for it is not good to slander the Blessed&#xA;  One. The Blessed One would not say anything l&#xA;  ike that. In many ways, friend, the&#xA;  Blessed One has described obstructive acts, and when engaged in they are genuine&#xA;  obstructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot;&gt;Pāc 68&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but these are of course restricted to within the monastic order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lay person who speaks in dispraise of the dhamma may be ostracised by the monks (Sg 8), though I don't suppose this relates directly to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, I think there is precedence for pointing out when someone has clearly misrepresented the Buddha. Whether one &quot;should&quot; do so seems highly dependent on circumstance and ability - both of oneself to correct, and of the other to accept correction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T13:11:26.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12" CreationDate="2015-03-07T16:09:23.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the questions you ask are important and very broad. You might consider splitting them up or keeping only the first question &lt;em&gt;&quot;What exactly is Jhana?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will point you to some of the litterature where you can find answers on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here its important to couple the studying with practice or else you will not really understand what Jhana is. You will only understand it intellectually which is like only being able to peek through the door while practicing insight meditation is like opening the door and walking into the room. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or like the onion-simile. Intellectual knowledge will only allow you to penetrate the top layer while experiental knowledge gained through insight meditation will allow you to penetrate into the deepest layers and the core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you check out;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Visuddhimagga on p. 131-162 the Jhanas are treated&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha267.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Jhanas and the Lay Disciple According to the Pali Suttas by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;. Here Bhikkhu Bodhi goes through the &lt;em&gt;Jhanas, Right Concentration, Stream Entry&lt;/em&gt; and other important stuff related to Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLLnxq_MbJM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation lecture by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;. Here Bhikkhu Bodhi talks about both Vipassana &amp;amp; Samatha meditation and explains the 5 hindrances and the Jhanas. I think this lecture is very good and any meditator would learn a lot by listening to this talk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/printguna.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Critical Analysis of the Jhanas by Henepola Gunaratana&lt;/a&gt;. Here is an analytical study of the Jhanas. It goes through the hindrances and the Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-07T17:57:46.107" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T17:57:46.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8012" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8016" CreationDate="2015-03-07T18:45:39.020" Score="18" ViewCount="4196" Body="&lt;p&gt;A meditation teacher I once had said that access concentration (the stage before the jhanas) is the same level of concentration that one has when reading a good book or when fully engaged in conversation. However when I've read about it in other places it makes it seem like it is a more special level of concentration, perhaps one that you wouldn't ordinarily experience in your day to day life. Which point of view is more correct? How concentrated is access concentration and how would one recognise it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:02:58.733" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:21:45.207" Title="How concentrated is access concentration and how would one recognise it?" Tags="|meditation-concentration|access-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8006" CreationDate="2015-03-07T22:07:25.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a start, there's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the parable&lt;/a&gt; of the blind men and the elephant. Access To Insight &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;describes this&lt;/a&gt; as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha's famous simile of the blind men and the elephant, illustrating the futility of arguing about one's views and opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My characterization of it is that when you don't see the whole Dhamma, then hearing people each describe one portion/aspect of Dhamma sounds as if their descriptions might be mutually contradictory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the fact that they sound contradictory doesn't prove that they are for sure, because Dhamma is complicated (albeit skillfully summarized in the four noble truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important aspect to the sutta is I think that we should try to avoid this kind of behaviour:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And they kept on arguing, quarreling, &amp;amp; disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, &quot;The Dhamma is like this, it's not like that. The Dhamma's not like that, it's like this.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's important e.g. because the title of the Sutta is &quot;Sectarians&quot;. If me and my brother had arguments or fights when we were young, my mother's policy (when she was called to resolve our dispute without knowing what the dispute was about) was that if we were fighting then we were &lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel the need to correct someone there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;instructions related to Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I may feel tempted to correct a &quot;wrong concept&quot;, even without having been invited to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the (secular, non-Buddhist) way in which I've been taught to express disagreements is to use so-called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-message&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;I-messages&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. For example, instead of a 'you-message' like &quot;you are wrong&quot;, an 'I-message' like &quot;I didn't understand that&quot; is less aggressive and maybe closer to the truth (or at least closer to the way that leads towards understanding). So perhaps you can phrase any &quot;corrections&quot; as questions, &quot;Where did the Buddha say that?&quot;, &quot;Does that contradict this sutta?&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya#Parable_of_the_burning_house&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parable of the burning house&lt;/a&gt;. I thought that &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this book&lt;/a&gt; might be like what you described, i.e. written or synthesized by the author without entirely quoting from suttas. According to the book, the author, &quot;serves the congregation of Vipisanna Meditation Retreat in Willis, Texas, as its president while teaching English at the University of Houston-Downtown.&quot; The author is a bhikkhu and his congregation is presumably not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-07T22:17:00.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-07T22:17:00.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8006" CreationDate="2015-03-08T01:49:07.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo wrote in his answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of course, the fact that the tipitaka is tens of times the size of the&#xA;  bible makes it relatively expensive to translate, print, ship, etc.,&#xA;  and so it is not exactly the kind of thing you see in hotel rooms (for&#xA;  other reasons as well).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is precisely the reason why the Tipitaka is not as famous or as accessible to non-Buddhists as the Bible, Quran or the Bhagavad Gita. A lot of the sutta pitaka, have duplication due to the Buddha delivering the same messages to different people at different times in his 45 years of teaching. It is also not thematically arranged, at least for the most part. This and the sheer size of it, makes it less accessible to the non-Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this purpose, I recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In The Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikku Bodhi. It is an anthology or selection of translated suttas from the Pali canon. It is also thematically and systematically arranged. You can look at the Table of Contents on the Amazon page I linked. It is 512 pages long, which is quite alright. PDF version &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. The author hopes that the book will serve as a systematic map to the Nikayas (which is like a jungle) for readers who are not yet well acquainted with the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a Buddhist faces this situation, when he finds someone with a&#xA;  wrong concept, something that clearly has no basis on the Buddha's&#xA;  teachings, either Vinaya or Sutta Pitaka, what should he or she do?&#xA;  Should he/she correct the person or just let it be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, if you are talking about books, then head over to amazon.com or goodreads.com and write your comments and vote down books which you think have wrongly represented Buddhist teachings. If many Buddhists do that, it would surely have an impact on the books' ranking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-08T02:20:19.077" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T02:20:19.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7998" CreationDate="2015-03-08T01:54:49.607" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As noted elsewhere, it's pretty much only Mahayana Buddhism (especially Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Buddhism) where vegetarianism as an ideal is the norm. So I'm answering from that standpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Upaseka Precepts Sutra* does have something to say about pets. They essentially promote divesting of your animals, specifically singles out carnivores as unallowable animals to own, and suggests releasing them back to the wild. In practice, some lay followers donate the animals to temples, which let the animals live out their life on the monestary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a vegan, but out of accident of family history I own a cat, who kills mice in my apartment and eats cat food from a bag, the label says it is 20% plant matter, so which is 20% more than a cat would eat in the wild. Obviously I'm a pragmatist and prefer harm reduction over harm rationalization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A random observation is that my cat loves corn. Some of the cat food brands he has eaten use corn gluten as the source of protein and he really likes the flavor of corn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An Upsaksa is a lay person, this sutra is for lay people who takes on more than the 5 precepts, but fewer than the Bodhisattva Precepts or the vinaya precepts, which are for monastics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(16) If an upāsaka who has accepted this precept raises animals, such&#xA;  as elephants, horses, cows, goats, camels, or donkeys, and refuses to&#xA;  give them away to someone who has not received the [upāsaka] precepts,&#xA;  he has committed the sin of negligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnstext.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnstext.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;32&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;On Harming Sentient Beings A disciple of the Buddha must not sell knives, clubs, bows, arrows, other life-taking devices, nor keep&#xA;  altered scales or measuring devices. He should not abuse his&#xA;  governmental position to confiscate people's possessions, nor should&#xA;  he, with malice at heart, restrain or imprison others or sabotage&#xA;  their success. (82) In addition, he should not raise cats, dogs,&#xA;  foxes, pigs and other such animals. (83) If he intentionally does such&#xA;  things, he commits a secondary offense.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-03-11T01:22:02.807" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T01:22:02.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8012" CreationDate="2015-03-08T03:54:22.230" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimmagga defines &lt;em&gt;upacāra samadhi&lt;/em&gt; in IV 32-34:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now concentration is of two kinds [access and absorption]. [...] The difference between the two kinds of concentration is this. The factors are not strong in access. [...] just as when a young child is lifted up and stood on its feet , it repeatedly falls down on the ground. [...] The arousing of the counterpart sign, which arises together with access concentration, is very difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process of concentration as described in the Abhidhammattha Sangaha (IX 17, 18):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that sign has been throughly aprehended and enters into range of the mind door just as if it were seen by the eye, then it is called the learning sign, and that meditation becomes concentrated. When one is thus concentrated, one then applies oneself to meditation by means of that preliminary [&lt;em&gt;parikamma&lt;/em&gt;] concentration  based on the learning sign. As one does so, an object which is the counterpart of that (learning sign) becomes well established and fixed in the mind -- (an object) which is freed of the flaws of the original object, reckoned as a concept, born of meditation. Then it is said that the counterpart sign has arisen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereafter, access [&lt;em&gt;upacāra&lt;/em&gt;] development is accomplished, consisting in concentration of the sense sphere in which the obstacles have been abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fast forward to our current century:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Access concentration is characterized by the significant reduction or complete dropping of the five hindrances and the arising and strengthening of &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; factors. [...] It is easy to confuse momentary concentration with access concentration. One difference is that with access concentration, the meditator's continuity with the object is much longer and more stable over time. Another difference is that with access concentration, the object is much more energized and &quot;bright&quot;. [...] In access concentration, the &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; factors are present but insufficiently strong for full absorption into &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Stephen Snyder &amp;amp; Tina Rasmussen (Practicing the Jhānas)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or more broadly speaking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddhist tradition has introduced the term &lt;em&gt;upacāra samadhi&lt;/em&gt; [...] to refer to a non absorptive experience of concentration that begins with the arising of the counterpart sign and endures until consciousness enters into full absorption. &lt;em&gt;Upacāra samadhi&lt;/em&gt; implies concentration that is in the vicinity of &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; [...] and describes the experiences that precede absorption, but it does not necessarily leads to &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;. It may refer to the conditions that precede jhāna; it may refer to experiences that are reminiscent of first jhāna mental factors, but without the seclusion of absorption; and it may describe the mature concentration that accompanies those meditation objects (such as discernment of the body parts, and various recollections) that do not have the potential to reach full absorption. [...] Some meditators use the term &lt;em&gt;upacāra samādhi&lt;/em&gt; so loosely that it merely describes the feeling of being concentrated and a mind that is stable and happy during meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Shaila Catherine (Wisdom Wide and Deep)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T03:54:22.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8017" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8445" CreationDate="2015-03-08T09:45:04.250" Score="2" ViewCount="358" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere that there are a number of Tantric Theravadan Buddhists practicing in Cambodia. What is Tantric Theravda and what are it's distinguishing practices? Can it be said to be a vajrayana practice? Does it use visualisations practices and if so what sort of things are visualised? How is it different to non-tantric Therevadan practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T12:25:30.303" Title="What is Tantric Theravadan Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2015-03-08T14:13:46.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika is in response to the misguided interpretations of certain groups that attached teachings not originally expounded by the Gotama Buddha.  Prof. Kalupahana's work in this area, in fact, his life's work was to bring to the fore that original teaching of the Buddha without the unnecessary metaphysics.  So, it depends upon what the individual mind is disposed towards.  If one's dispositions are inclined towards grasping metaphysics then Prof. Kalupahana's work and commentary on the Mulamadhyamakakarika would be most inappropriate. Garfield's and Inada's would suffice.  On the other hand, if one leans toward an empirical approach to dhamma-vinaya,then, by all means, use this text.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is not a text that can just be read.  It must be studied and thought about, over and over, until the beautiful logic of it shines through. I think I  have said enough.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T14:13:46.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7960" CreationDate="2015-03-08T14:56:35.670" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, because writing an own answer at all, I like to take the opportunity to thanks all contributors for their answers/comments.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Second, perhaps &quot;the Buddha didn't like me make bold statements like this...&quot; ;-) I fell sick right in time before the meeting and I couldn't propose my prepared statement. In balance, I had time to listen to audio-talks; I took &quot;the historical Buddha&quot; by Werner Liegl (of course in german). And this reminded me to be not too fierce with the &quot;non-mystic-Buddha&quot; which should become the core of my intended statement!        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I knew/know that, but it was surely worth to be recalled, that the concept of rebirth (in the sense which the Buddha gave it different from the Brahmanism/Upanishads) and the concept of karma - which for any adept/disciple &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hidden/invisible in the beginning and is thus in general of the quality &quot;mystic&quot; . Of course this itself was not needed to be recalled, but getting reminded by Werner Liegel that it is well at the ground/beginning of the teaching, &quot;the turning of the wheel&quot;, it is of course no &lt;em&gt;petitesse&lt;/em&gt;, but one should surely give it the same reverence that I wanted to give the aspect on &quot;nothing-hidden-in-the-fist&quot;.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think now, my first version of the statement would have been (at least) suboptimal, and sometimes one can even find some good in it, when a sudden problem prevents the intended action... :-)            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;P.S. I hope I've not too many spell-, grammatical- or expression-error, I'm still in bed and only slowly recovering. Feel free to correct errors as you encounter them, I'll come back to this myself later/next day(s) again)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T14:56:35.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7476" CreationDate="2015-03-08T18:14:44.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an8.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.29&lt;/a&gt;, being reborn in the formless realm is considered to be one out of eight &quot;inopportune&quot; moments that are not right occasions for living the spiritual life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in a certain order of long-lived devas. This is the fourth inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and Ven. Bodhi's note citing the Comy. in his &quot;Numerical Discourses&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dīghāyukaṃ devanikāyaṃ. Mp: “This is said with reference to the order of non-percipient devas (asaññaṃ devanikāyaṃ).” However, it also seems to apply to the devas of the formless realm, who (because they lack bodies) cannot hear the Buddha or his disciples teach the Dhamma and thus cannot attain even the path of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T18:14:44.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7980" CreationDate="2015-03-08T18:51:55.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on which dimension of reality one talks about. From the mundane dimension, both Bhaisajyaguru and Aksobhya are Buddhas of the Eastern Pure Lands. And according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/shorter_sukhavativyuha_sutra.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Amitabha Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, there're countless Eastern Pure Lands Buddhas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&quot;Śāriputra, thus do I now praise and extoll the inconceivable merit of Amitābha Buddha. In the East there are also Akṣobhya Buddha, Appearance of Sumeru Buddha, Great Sumeru Buddha, Radiance of Sumeru Buddha, Wondrous Sound Buddha, and thusly as many buddhas as there are sand grains in the Ganges River...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then from a supramundane dimension, all Buddhas have transcended all wrong views (not-I), all cravings (not-mine), and all conceits (not-myself) ( ~~&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/an3.32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.32&lt;/a&gt; ~~ ) and as a result, all notion of sameness or difference no longer applies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-08T18:51:55.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5978" CreationDate="2015-03-09T01:42:27.233" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism we interpret this saying in a different way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We interpret the iron birds as the airplanes and the horses running on wheels as the trains or automobiles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prophecy was fulfilled when the XVI Karmapa visited the Sioux Indians in the seventies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T01:42:27.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-03-09T07:33:22.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I beleive  kalama sutta makes it clear that people don't have to follow any thing blindly&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It  not advised to folllow buddhist percepts blindly ,people have to think what action is better for common good and do it. If killing a terrorist can save 100 people stuck in a particular situation , I think that action is better for common good. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T07:33:22.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-09T07:45:50.747" Score="5" ViewCount="785" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard a lot of questions like, &quot;who is there to enlighten if there is no self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that kind of question based on ignorance on the difference between Soul and Self? Or does Buddhism deny the existence of both Soul and Self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I understand Buddhists saying that 'Soul' doesn't exist.&#xA;I understand the word &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt; meaning Soul in Vedic languages: and it is different from the concept of Self. While nobody can deny the fact that a person exists, the existence of a soul is not proven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just curious about the concept of soul and self in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-09T09:51:29.793" LastActivityDate="2021-03-20T12:21:23.653" Title="Soul and Self in buddhism" Tags="|self|soul|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-03-09T10:46:11.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Soul&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're right about Soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;According to Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; the word should be understood in contrast with &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ancient Indian word for self or essence is attā (Pāli) or ātman (Sanskrit), and is often thought to be an eternal substance that persists despite death. Hence the term anatta is often interpreted as referring to the denial of a self or essence. Anatta is used in the early Buddhist texts, as a strategy to view the perception of self as conditioned processes (or even an action), instead of seeing it as an entity or an essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the doctrine is something like, &quot;All conditioned things are impermanent. There is no Soul (permanent essence) in any conditioned thing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My explanation / understanding of this doctrine is non-standard because it's coloured by someone having tried to teach me &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_Forms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Platonic Idealism&lt;/a&gt;, but my understanding is something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There, in front of me, is (for example) a table.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Plato suggests there's an actual table (physical object) and an ideal table.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism suggests that it's wrong to see that actual table as containing the soul of table, the essence of table, as being the manifestation of an ideal/permanent/godly table, for two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The table itself is impermanent. Its atoms will reused for something else, will take another form, e.g. within a few hundred years at most.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My view of the table is impermanent (e.g. because thoughts are impermanent).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that here I'm trying to apply &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;-versus-&lt;em&gt;anatman&lt;/em&gt; reasoning to the description of a 'table'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I think that atman is, instead of being used to describe essence of 'table', more usually used to describe a hypothetical essence of 'self', i.e. what's also known as 'soul': and perhaps that is why people get confused about whether anatman means 'no soul' or 'no self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Self&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know there are three important things to know about the Self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People i.e. sentient beings can be analyzed/described/perceived as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Skandhas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Views about self for example &quot;this is me&quot; and/or &quot;this is mine&quot; lead to suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Self view&lt;/a&gt; is a 'fetter' which must be abandoned on the way towards enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-10T12:51:18.323" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T12:51:18.323" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-03-09T14:50:46.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Gotama Buddha taught us that this is not an essential.  Our mission in life is to comprehend and experience the Four Noble Truths.  Our Teacher, the Buddha, was a pragmatic man.  What do we need to know to understand &quot;becoming&quot;?  We need to know and experience dukkah.  We need to comprehend and experience the causes of dukkah.  We need to comprehend and understand the wisdom of freedom (nibbana) from dukkah.  Finally we need to experience that freedom (nibbana) from dukkah.  All such notions of &quot;soul&quot;, &quot;self&quot;, inherent eternal being or &quot;immortal other&quot; become obstacles.  They become dispositions which individuals form emotional attachments to and become objects we grasp onto and hinder our development into a fully actualized living being.  This is what separates the teaching of the Gotama Buddha from all others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T14:50:46.033" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-03-09T15:12:11.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. In Buddhism, especially in the Theravada tradition, a &lt;strong&gt;transmigrating&lt;/strong&gt; soul doesn't exist (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-5-05&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapanha 3.5.5&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the self exists though it is not permanent and is dependent on the inter-working of the senses, sensation,  perception, mental formations and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The self is just a thought, an idea - &amp;quot;I am the thinker.&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.14.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Snp 4.14&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/25302/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for the question &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1891/471&quot;&gt;What is the precise meaning of anatta?&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;. It discusses the analogy of the lute from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.205.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vina Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. And also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/39742/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-03-20T08:38:49.010" LastActivityDate="2021-03-20T08:38:49.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8028" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-09T16:19:28.423" Score="0" ViewCount="341" Body="&lt;p&gt;In many religions it is common to say: &quot;Have faith in God&quot; or Jesus or Allah...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we believe in Kamma, meaning that what happens to us is due to our past actions and it is usually not (or never) influenced by an external being. (It can change from school to school, some may pray and ask for things)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if there is something I want, something I judge important, should I have faith that it will come true? Or should I just do what I think is right and forget about it? What is the best way for a Buddhist to act in this situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: Please ignore the fact that I want something, I know this could be questioned in Buddhism as the wrong way to happiness, but that would be a different question :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:18:18.197" Title="Should a Buddhist &quot;have faith&quot;?" Tags="|faith|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8029" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-09T16:23:26.183" Score="2" ViewCount="866" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, there are sets of rules to be observed as a monastic monk and I'm not sure if TV, radio and other source of media is allowed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just curious to know, no offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-09T23:56:34.860" LastActivityDate="2019-07-28T03:06:23.653" Title="Can a Buddhist monk use social media for his teaching?" Tags="|modern-world|monk|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8030" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8033" CreationDate="2015-03-09T16:55:07.413" Score="11" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the 5 skandas of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Volition&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was told during a study group once that this was only one of many possible formulations of the skandas and other groupings and numbers of skandas were possible and used. However I have never come across any variation in this scheme. Is anyone aware of any alternative formulations of the five skandas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T18:54:45.770" Title="Are there any alternative formulations of the five skandas?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2187" CreationDate="2015-03-09T20:21:56.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg17.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This version of the Sermon at Benares&lt;/a&gt; (which was approximately the first time he spoke to people after he became the Buddha) suggests 'Yes':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ON seeing their old teacher approach, the five bhikkus agreed among themselves not to salute him, nor to address him as a master, but by his name only. &amp;quot;For,&amp;quot; so they said, &amp;quot;he has broken his vow and has abandoned holiness. He is no bhikkhu, but Gotama, and Gotama has become a man who lives in abundance and indulges in the pleasures of worldliness.&amp;quot; But when the Blessed One approached in a dignified manner, they involuntarily rose from their seats and greeted him in spite of their resolution. Still they called him by his name and addressed him as &amp;quot;friend Gotama.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When they had thus received the Blessed One, he said: &amp;quot;Do not call the Tathagata by his name nor address him as 'friend,' for he is the Buddha, the Holy One. The Buddha looks with a kind heart equally on all living beings, and they therefore call him 'Father.' To disrespect a father is wrong; to despise him, is wicked. The Tathagata, the Buddha continued, does not seek salvation in austerities, but neither does he for that reason indulge in worldly pleasures, nor live in abundance. The Tathagata has found the middle path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are two extremes, O bhikkhus, which the man [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know which tradition/sutta this version of the story is from (but it's one I've heard before/elsewhere). The associated commentary is that he corrects them, not for his own pride but for their own good: because it would harm them to not address him with proper respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T20:21:56.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8030" CreationDate="2015-03-09T21:16:10.023" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eighteen_dhatus&quot;&gt;18 Dhatus&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is a breakdown or ultimate-categorization of Experience utilizing the &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_consciousnesses&quot;&gt;six (sense-)consciousnesses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;six sense faculties / sense organs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_types_of_object&quot;&gt;six types of object&lt;/a&gt; or &quot;focality&quot; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you enjoy thinking about [the world/scene/experience] in terms of &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;vibrations&lt;/strong&gt;, you might consider &lt;em&gt;harmonic spots&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;resonant lengths&lt;/em&gt; along a wave as being able to build up and &quot;accumulate&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have also heard of the aggregates spoken of as &quot;heaps&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the &lt;strong&gt;Three kayas&lt;/strong&gt; or &quot;Buddha bodies&quot; which might be of interest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Three_kayas&quot;&gt;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Three_kayas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T21:16:10.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2052" CreationDate="2015-03-09T21:33:29.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodhicitta Vivarana &quot;A Commentary on the Awakening Mind&quot; is both complete and accessible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanskrit title: Bodhicittavivarana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan title: byang chub sems kyi 'grel pa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Homage to glorious Vajrasattva!&#xA;It has been stated:&#xA;Devoid of all real entities;&#xA;Utterly discarding all objects and subjects,&#xA;Such as aggregates, elements and sense-fields;&#xA;Due to sameness of selflessness of all phenomena,&#xA;One’s mind is primordially unborn;&#xA;It is in the nature of emptiness.&#xA;&#xA;Just as the blessed Buddhas and the great bodhisattvas have generated the mind of&#xA;great awakening, I too shall, from now until I arrive at the heart of awakening,&#xA;generate the awakening mind in order that I may save those who are not saved, free&#xA;those who are not free, relieve those who are not relieved, and help thoroughly&#xA;transcend sorrow those who have not thoroughly transcended sorrow.&#xA;&#xA;Those bodhisattvas who practice by means of the secret mantra, after having&#xA;generated awakening mind in terms of its conventional aspect in the form of an&#xA;aspiration, must [then] produce the ultimate awakening mind through the force of&#xA;meditative practice. I shall therefore explain its nature.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama2015.ch/de/?file=files/content/downloads/prayers/prayer-books/DL-Basel_Begleittext-EN.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhichitta Vivarana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a great text to study and reflect upon.  If possible, try and spend time in nature when studying it because it really helps to get fresh air into your system and really get into a more &quot;organic&quot; setting&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastEditorUserId="4722" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T04:19:48.213" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T04:19:48.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-03-09T22:21:20.540" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes. &#xA; Many in pali cannon have achieved stream enterer without mediation.   when sariputtra (Buddha's chief decipher) was a lay person.. he met A monk Elder Assaji.   He was so impressed with monk's demeanor, he asked him who was his teacher and what were his teachings.  Ven. Assaji, said he was new to this monastic life and could not explain the teaching in detail but in short..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Of all those things that from a cause arise,&#xA;Tathagata the cause thereof has told;&#xA;And how they cease to be, that too he tells,&#xA;This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputtri achieved stream enterer right then and there.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's gave about 50+ suttas about the characteristic of a stream enterer.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another story, Lady Visakha achieved stream enterer when she was 7 when she heard Buddha's teaching (something like, &quot;small faults in others are easy to see but big faults in yourself are difficult to notice&quot; )  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-03-09T22:21:20.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8028" CreationDate="2015-03-10T01:18:04.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Brahmajala Sutta lists 62 confused views or categories.  These views are reduced to the &quot;causes&quot; of Nagarjuna's epic Mulamadhyamakakarika; Chapter 1.1 which &quot;causes&quot; he then disproves.  With careful examination and contemplation there is the realization that all &quot;-isms&quot;, &quot;-ologies&quot;, &quot;-ocracies&quot;, and so forth can be reduced to one of these 62 confused views and subsequently to one of the four erroneous &quot;causes&quot; which Nagarjuna disputes.  &quot;Faith&quot; and &quot;belief&quot; have no basis in experiential and/or empirical knowledge which is the foundation that leads to becoming thus gone.  Since dhamma-vinaya does not fit into any of these views or categories, dhamma-vinaya is not a &quot;belief system&quot; or a religious faith.  It is the human science of living in the world while becoming liberated from dispositions that are the causal conditions and effects of karma and samsara.  Nibbana does not depend on faith or belief but the effort utilized to appease those dispositions of greed, hatred and delusion. &#xA;I hope this is of some benefit and comfort. Shanti.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T01:18:04.410" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8038" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8046" CreationDate="2015-03-10T13:52:25.043" Score="4" ViewCount="61" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a problem with that -in my feeling- contradictory translations of a remark in MN26. While K.E.Neumann uses an expression like &lt;em&gt;&quot;(...) &lt;strong&gt;not even&lt;/strong&gt; Alaro Kalamo has (...), but I have (...) &quot;&lt;/em&gt; Kay Zumwinkel translates: &lt;em&gt;&quot; &lt;strong&gt;not only&lt;/strong&gt; Alaro Kalamo has (...), but also I have (...)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The Zumwinkel's version is also compatible with the english version by Thanissaro Bhikku at AtI.org (still the focus of the sentence is a bit shifted). But the two other versions suggest that Neumann has an error here.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;But of what type is the error with respect to the original? Is the expression in the original ambiguous (look at the additional tiny discrepancy between Zuminkel and Thanissaro)? Or is there some other reason why Neumann could possibly have made that translation which could be a bit more sensical than a simple error?                     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/majjhima/ken/m026.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Palikanon.com, MN26, K. E. Neumann&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Da kam mir, ihr Mönche, der Gedanke: 'Nicht einmal Alaro Kalamo hat&#xA;  Zuversicht, ich aber habe Zuversicht; nicht einmal Alaro Kalamo hat&#xA;  Standhaftigkeit, ich aber habe Standhaftigkeit; nicht einmal Alaro&#xA;  Kalamo hat Einsicht, ich aber habe Einsicht; nicht einmal Alaro Kalamo&#xA;  hat Selbstvertiefung, ich aber habe Selbstvertiefung; nicht einmal&#xA;  Alaro Kalamo hat Weisheit, ich aber habe Weisheit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;(...) &lt;strong&gt;not even&lt;/strong&gt; Alaro Kalamo has faith/conviction, but I have; &lt;strong&gt;not even&lt;/strong&gt; Alaro Kalamo has persistence, but I have (...)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/majjhima/zumwinkel/m026z.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Palikanon.com, MN26, Kay Zumwinkel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ich erwog: 'Nicht nur Āḷāra Kālāma hat Vertrauen, Energie,&#xA;  Achtsamkeit, Konzentration und Weisheit. Auch ich habe Vertrauen,&#xA;  Energie, Achtsamkeit, Konzentration und Weisheit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;(...) &lt;strong&gt;not only&lt;/strong&gt; Alaro Kalamo has faith/conviction, persistence, mindfulness... Also I have faith/conviction, persistence, mindfulness... (...)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access to Insight, MN 26, Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/a&gt;            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I thought: 'Not only does Alara Kalama have conviction, persistence,&#xA;  mindfulness, concentration, &amp;amp; discernment. I, too, have conviction,&#xA;  persistence, mindfulness, concentration, &amp;amp; discernment.(...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/pali/majjhima/maj026.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Palikanon.com, MN26, Pali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(I hope I managed to extract the correct, relevant record below.... )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi –&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi saddhā, mayhaṃpatthi saddhā;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi vīriyaṃ, mayhaṃpatthi vīriyaṃ;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi sati, mayhaṃpatthi sati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi samādhi, mayhaṃpatthi samādhi;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi paññā, mayhaṃpatthi paññā.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      (...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(If in fact that is the relevant Pali-expression, then at least the form &lt;code&gt;&amp;lt;something&amp;gt; kalama, &amp;lt;something&amp;gt; me&lt;/code&gt; seems to be preserved by the translation of K.E. Neumann as far as I can regognize the pattern of sentences)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2015-03-10T14:26:13.437" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T20:41:21.610" Title="MN26: &quot;not even has Alaro Kalamo...&quot; or &quot;not only Alaro Kalamo has ...&quot; or &quot;Alaro Kalamo has not only...&quot;?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8039" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-10T15:41:49.927" Score="4" ViewCount="191" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone produce merit without impacting directly another person? For instance: Meditating alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate all answers but I'm more curious about Theravada view. While meditating with Tibetan teachers (Mahayana) they did mention meditation alone can create merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T17:50:35.390" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T17:50:35.390" Title="Is another person necessary to produce merit?" Tags="|theravada|merit|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8039" CreationDate="2015-03-10T15:57:55.950" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than.html#iti-060&quot;&gt;Iti 60&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;There are these three grounds for meritorious activity. Which three? The ground for meritorious activity made of giving, the ground for meritorious activity made of virtue, and the ground for meritorious activity made of development [meditation]. These are the three grounds for meritorious activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And with just meditation alone, the generated peace and serenity could very well benefit many other beings with form or without form living nearby..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="2282" LastEditDate="2015-03-10T16:04:19.857" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T16:04:19.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7876" CreationDate="2015-03-10T17:38:25.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave about 50+ definitions (that i know of) of a stream enterer.  And also what are not! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali cannons are very fragmented so this book is for free downloading..with citation to the english translator..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing clear, Buddha allowed only him and one self to make a determination if you have been into &quot;the stream&quot;.  above book is very comprehensive.  enjoy.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T17:38:25.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-03-10T17:40:46.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;here is  a book about sotapanna with citations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Free download so no breaking of second precept :-) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T17:40:46.987" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2015-03-10T17:54:13.223" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Factors for Stream Entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage&#xA;to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:&#xA;“Sāriputta, this is said: ‘A factor for stream entry, a factor for&#xA;stream-entry.’ What now, Sāriputta, is a factor for stream-entry?” (1)&#xA;‘Association with superior persons, venerable sir, is a factor for&#xA;stream-entry. (2) Hearing the true Dhamma is a factor for&#xA;stream-entry. (3) Careful attention is a factor for stream entry. (4)&#xA;Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.’&#xA;“Good, good, Sāriputta! Association with superior persons, Sāriputta,&#xA;is a factor for stream-entry. Hearing the true Dhamma is a factor for&#xA;stream-entry. Careful attention is a factor for stream-entry. Practice&#xA;in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream entry.” - &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN55_5.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 55.5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a book free for downloading (no breaking 2nd precept here :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave 50+ definitions (40+ in this book) of what stream enterer is and what not.  Also how to get there.   one thing certain, buddha allowed only him and yourself to predict if you have reached the state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and as for Nirvana, nibbana.  it is not a place where 5 skandha is ..&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;vijñāna (consciousness) since it is not permanent (dukkha) ,thus, cannot take root or manifest  in Nirvana.  the 3rd of 4 noble truths does not describe nirvana but cessation of desires.   That is something  vijñāna (conscious) can take place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-04-21T18:56:24.873" LastActivityDate="2021-04-21T18:56:24.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8028" CreationDate="2015-03-10T18:44:30.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha is reported as saying that Buddhist principles should not be accepted without evidence, and that 'it is proper ... to doubt'. Confidence/trust (sraddha) in the teachings is important, but 'blind' faith is actively discouraged. Here's what he is reported as saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kalamas, when you yourselves know: &quot;These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,&quot; enter on and abide in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta: The Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4816" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2019-05-13T16:11:40.327" LastActivityDate="2019-05-13T16:11:40.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8028" CreationDate="2015-03-10T19:28:53.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, not to get too academic in one's understanding, but it would be advisable to check out The Five Strengths&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which are also known as The 5 Powers, The 5 Spiritual Powers.  Edward Conze calls them The Five Spiritual Faculties.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article by Sarah Doering from 1999 is really awesome from what I can tell so far&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Such faith is born in experience. It can’t be given. It arises spontaneously, out of seeing and knowing for oneself. From it flow devotion and gratitude and commitment. It’s a natural self-giving. It stems from knowing the problematic nature of life, from realizing that human existence is very imperfect. Because of this one is sensitive to what else might be, to some other way of being. Faith may arise from hearing the Buddha’s words that say there’s a cause for suffering, a cause that can be removed so that suffering comes to an end. It may arise from seeing someone whose presence, whose manner or words, are so compelling, that they suggest possibilities not at all understood. It may come from reading something that suddenly reveals a meaning that speaks to the heart. It may dawn through music or art or, as happened to me, from a glimpse of something seen in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;more at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/5powers.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/5powers.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in a way, faith is very foundational to Buddhism.  Reasoned faith is stronger than blind faith, but both are good if they are genuine, because the path actually works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People born in places where Buddhism is the norm might not have looked very much at the teachings at all and still be living a life very in accord with Dhamma.  For people where the teachings appear later (in life) it's natural and good to reason and weigh things.  Eventually confidence is born, and with great faith come great blessings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T19:28:53.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8038" CreationDate="2015-03-10T20:41:21.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Either is technically possible, I think, but only one makes sense in the context. Here &lt;em&gt;eva&lt;/em&gt; in &lt;em&gt;āḷārasseva&lt;/em&gt; means &amp;quot;only&amp;quot;, not &amp;quot;even&amp;quot;, since we know that āḷāra indeed has faith, etc., according to the passage prior to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi — ‘na kho āḷāro kālāmo imaṃ dhammaṃ kevalaṃ saddhāmattakena sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedeti; addhā āḷāro kālāmo imaṃ dhammaṃ jānaṃ passaṃ viharatī’ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;At that, monks, it came to me thus: 'not indeed by faith alone does āḷāra kālāma declare this dhamma in its entirety thus: &amp;quot;having known for myself with higher knowledge I dwell having attained it&amp;quot;. Indeed, āḷāra kālāma dwells having known and seen this dhamma.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the context implies that indeed he does have the faith, etc., he's just not alone in having that faith, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if it was going to be &amp;quot;but I have faith...&amp;quot;, we would expect &lt;em&gt;mayhaṃ pana&lt;/em&gt; rather than &lt;em&gt;mayhaṃpi (mayhaṃpatthi = mayhaṃ+pi+atthi)&lt;/em&gt;, since &lt;em&gt;pi&lt;/em&gt; generally means &amp;quot;and, also&amp;quot;, and not usually &amp;quot;but&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T20:41:21.610" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8047" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-10T20:56:06.753" Score="2" ViewCount="97" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Buddha nature active or passive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would anyone say that enlightenment means we can suffer (frustration) in an active way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T23:41:37.673" Title="Is buddha nature active?" Tags="|suffering|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8030" CreationDate="2015-03-10T21:30:09.687" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes the 18 dhatus but there are others -  the titles here &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Understanding_in_Theravada_Abhidhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;IIRC&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about it, the skandhas are said to be everything that exists, so any complete description of what exists will be equivalent ways of formulating the skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though that wouldn't necessarily include the study of say theoretical physics, because the Buddha taught (at least according to abhidammma) that reality is composed of both matter AND mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd recommend reading some commentaries on the abhidamma, maybe someone can advise on what :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-03-10T22:05:36.293" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T22:05:36.293" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8049" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-10T21:50:00.820" Score="1" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;if I am mad and my action would not have been performed if not for loss of reality (i.e. psychosis) will I still bear its -ve fruit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist or otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please answer sensitively :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T22:11:45.333" Title="Kamma and (psychiatric) delusions / madness" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8050" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-10T21:51:59.297" Score="2" ViewCount="817" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lots of questions on stream entry here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have practiced Mahayana Buddhism without a huge success - for sure. But still, I was of the opinion that such attainment as stream entry was rare in the extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps 1/1000 monks, and much less even in the devout laity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How common is it? I have a somewhat devout Theravadin friend, is he a saint :o !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T10:02:09.957" Title="How common is stream entry?" Tags="|monk|laity|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8030" CreationDate="2015-03-10T21:58:34.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One may speak of the &lt;strong&gt;skandhas&lt;/strong&gt; (Sanskrit), &lt;strong&gt;khandhas&lt;/strong&gt; (Pāḷi) or &lt;strong&gt;aggregates&lt;/strong&gt; (English) named as &lt;em&gt;matter, sensation, perception, mental formations&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. The &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of the Pali Canon contains the teachings of the Buddha, as preserved by the Theravada tradition. In the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Sutta the Buddha explains how the five aggregates subject to grasping are suffering. A diagram based on the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; sutta #109 is presented here [&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:PancaKhandha]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:PancaKhandha]&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastActivityDate="2015-03-10T21:58:34.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8053" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8092" CreationDate="2015-03-10T22:40:26.327" Score="4" ViewCount="647" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read a couple of books on time, yet they all seemed somewhat incomplete, as if it was something simply tagged onto the rebirth / enlightenment doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How important is &lt;em&gt;time&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism, not simple &quot;impermanence&quot; but how impermanence is housed. Or is there nothing to time beyond &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw on philosophy stackexchange, something about this, but I'm getting quite a bad reputation there... Do &quot;people&quot; experience time? Is an experience of time actual time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I think that if so, that's where the biases and make believe of comtemporary science, collapses !!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you so much :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T05:46:20.967" Title="Time in Buddhism" Tags="|impermanence|early-buddhism|academic-buddhism|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8054" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-10T22:56:21.557" Score="1" ViewCount="53" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hope that my question is pertinent here :) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone here help me think about the difference between the two :) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T05:31:25.780" Title="The difference between a great man and an enlightening being" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T00:35:22.370" Score="1" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8047/is-buddha-nature-active&quot;&gt;this thread&lt;/a&gt; I asked about active and passive suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm not quite sure what I mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may help to know what suchenss is? I know it translates to &quot;as it is&quot;... so is that impermanence? Or something more subtle ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T21:04:13.870" Title="What is suchness (esp in Tendai or Soto)" Tags="|enlightenment|impermanence|tendai|suchness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8056" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T01:46:52.617" Score="10" ViewCount="2483" Body="&lt;p&gt;How irony and sarcasm are seen in Buddhism? For example, are they considered wrong speech in all ocasions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T12:47:20.187" LastActivityDate="2018-08-05T09:35:04.070" Title="How irony and sarcasm are seen in Buddhism?" Tags="|right-speech|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8057" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8203" CreationDate="2015-03-11T03:30:48.500" Score="10" ViewCount="1806" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been meditating (somewhat regularly) about one or two years back. Mainly shamata, and vipassana lately. Today I feel that my willpower is considerably lower than before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean, I used to be very interested in a variety things (such as music theory, matial arts, computer programming paradigms, algorithms, and so on). And lately I'm not feeling interested in them so much as I did before. Some years ago I used to think about them, study them and practice them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lately I'm not engaged in any of these activities, besides what relates to my job. Sometimes I think about getting involved with one or another of them, but soon I feel unwilling to get exposed to unsatisfying activities, I feel there is no sense to make effort on impermanent matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I started meditating I thought I wouldn't lose &quot;my interests&quot;, and now I feel somewhat lost by this lack of enthusiasm. It doesn't feel bad at all, I'm just a bit unsure about letting my secular skills and interest fade away. I'm not sure it is ok if this unwillingness deepens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you think it is OK? Is it expected in the Buddhist path? Do you think I should let it happen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or do you think there is something missing in my practice? Do you think something must be done about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking for an advice, so I'll allow myself to be partial to choose an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:02:21.193" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T14:02:21.193" Title="Shamata and vipassana - loss of willpower" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8058" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T03:36:53.023" Score="1" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there anything out there in the zen tradition about whether &quot;silence&quot; (do I mean this metaphorically) is to be embraced in meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:01:14.533" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T14:01:14.533" Title="The experience of silence" Tags="|meditation-zazen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-11T03:46:48.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;OK literally off the top of my head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen sickness is a thing. Hakuin is said to have experienced it. It's meant to be brought about by intense meditation that is in some sense gone about incorrectly - though really all errors are just something to learn from, so I wouldn't think about it in those terms. You could perhaps work through (these) problems by discussing it with a teacher, or even an actual psychologist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the &quot;symptoms&quot; (I use this both in the buddhist and psychological sense) of zen sickness include IIRC: excessive pain and uninterest in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I kinda experience stuff like that ^^ but it's not really &quot;zen sickness&quot; because I don't regularly practice, just think and read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that you find your spark, anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T03:46:48.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-11T05:39:12.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You lose interest because your MINDFUL. Mindfulness acts like a barrier or a filter. It creates distance. Your not as engaged to the five senses and it's objects as you use to be, therefore your not lost or absorbed in it.When we are mindlessly absorbed in something we are at the mercy of our greed, hate and delusions .In other words your no longer acting subconsciously. So when your conscious you kind of realise you don't have to engage in certain activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example I use to like watching tv. But ever since I have been practicing being  mindful through out the day I find it almost &quot;senseless&quot; to sit in front of a box. Especially when you are mindful through out the show.?? It's almost like mindfulness filters our activities to what's useful and what's not. Kind of how Arahants live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T05:39:12.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8012" CreationDate="2015-03-11T06:09:38.323" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A meditation teacher I once had said that access concentration (the stage before the jhanas) is the same level of concentration that one has when reading a good book or when fully engaged in conversation&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No it's not. Reading a book or engaged in conversation lacks Ekagatta or One Pointed Concentration which is one of the Five Factors of Jhana. Access Concentration means all Five Jhana Factors are present but are not strong enough. The mind is calmed when the body is calmed. So you can't be talking or moving around. Mind and body must be calmed. It's not the same thing. You can be absorbed in anything but it's a different thing to be absorbed in Jhana. Because the five factors must be present. And it's not dependent on the five senses. So it's nothing we've experienced before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T06:09:38.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-11T06:59:03.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2042/471&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; from Ven. Yuttadhammo answers your question well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a very long answer. Let me quote a part of it. Quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I felt as if my ego wasn't quite ready to deal with the complexities of modern life, and rather than help my daily existence,&#xA;  this new state of mind became a hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This as well is a judgement, probably indicative of aversion. Even though a state may be objectively &quot;bad&quot;, disliking just aggravates the condition. This should understood as it is (&quot;disliking, disliking&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Talking to my clients on the phone, fielding their complicated questions, suddenly became a daunting task. And the part of my brain&#xA;  that allowed me to program websites (which is what I do for a living)&#xA;  was struggling to focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes struggling to focus on worldly things simply means you are unable to care about what has no intrinsic benefit; you may have to in that case force yourself to stop practicing in order to carry out the worldly duties as you see fit. In this case, though, it sounds like you probably have too much concentration and not enough effort. If the mind is unwieldy, inflexible, it will have trouble keeping up with reality and thus interacting with daily life. Insight meditation that focuses on mundane reality should help. If you truly are distracted (in the sense of the mind flitting to many different objects at once), then it probably has less to do with the meditation practice and more to do with your reactions to it that have led to anxiety, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T14:10:50.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8017" CreationDate="2015-03-11T07:06:10.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This particular tradition of practice is actually not based on Vajrayana practice, but is more of a mixture of traditional Theravada meditation with Hindu Tantra, not Buddhist Tantra, so there isn't any deity yoga, but is instead based on generating a nimitta made of light and then moving it around within one's body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T07:06:10.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8056" CreationDate="2015-03-11T09:53:23.613" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/speech.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote&lt;/a&gt;,,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For many of us, the most difficult part of practicing right speech lies in how we express our sense of humor. Especially here in America, we're used to getting laughs with exaggeration, sarcasm, group stereotypes, and pure silliness — all classic examples of wrong speech. If people get used to these sorts of careless humor, they stop listening carefully to what we say. In this way, we cheapen our own discourse. Actually, there's enough irony in the state of the world that we don't need to exaggerate or be sarcastic. The greatest humorists are the ones who simply make us look directly at the way things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Harsh speech is speech uttered in anger, intended to cause the hearer pain. Such speech can assume different forms, of which we might mention three. One is abusive speech: scolding, reviling, or reproving another angrily with bitter words. A second is insult: hurting another by ascribing to him some offensive quality which detracts from his dignity. A third is &lt;em&gt;sarcasm&lt;/em&gt;: speaking to someone in a way which ostensibly lauds him, but with such a tone or twist of phrasing that the ironic intent becomes clear and causes pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T09:53:23.613" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-11T10:07:45.303" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 7 enlightenment factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigation (dhamma vicaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy (viriya)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Joy or rapture (pīti)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relaxation or tranquility (passaddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samādhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a reason the teachings list things to develop and be aware of (eightfold path, enlightenment factors, jhana factors, five hindrances, etc). Any one of them underdeveloped may lead us astray.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing is to lose interest towards random things. Other is to lose interest, enthusiasm and energy in &lt;em&gt;general&lt;/em&gt;. The first is not a problem in itself. The second is a problem, which can probably develop into depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who loses interests in &quot;mundande&quot; things, but has strong interest and enthusiasm in buddhism often finds himself/herself considering the monastic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who, in general, is not enthusiastic, is not interested, has no willpower, might find trouble when trying to do anything at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm just a bit unsure about letting my secular skills and interest fade away. I'm not sure it is ok if this unwillingness deepens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some interests become very uninteresting to keep around, others are good to develop, like anything (from projects to careers) related to helping people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skills are tricky though, if that's what pays rent and food. It might be wise to keep those able to perform, at least, while they are needed to keep you alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-03-11T11:26:29.583" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T11:26:29.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8067" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T14:11:08.330" Score="-1" ViewCount="859" Body="&lt;p&gt;Part 1: &lt;br&gt;&#xA;I was studying some of the Buddha's teaching, when I encountered this notion that Buddhism does not recognize 'Atman' or soul. Buddha did not believe in notion of 'Self'; He did not believe that there was any permanent/in-destructible component in Humans. If there is no permanent/common part between the birth cycles, How can Re-incarnation be justified/proven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Part 2 : &lt;br&gt;&#xA;If Buddhism does not believe in &quot;Self&quot;, How can there be Nirvana for one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4820" LastEditorUserId="4820" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T08:03:04.783" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T08:03:04.783" Title="How can Buddhist believe in Re-Incarnation, when they do not believe in soul?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2015-03-12T22:42:39.517" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8017" CreationDate="2015-03-11T14:59:54.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This might interest you - &lt;a href=&quot;http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/9290/3151&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/9290/3151&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jump to p. 470 for the good stuff.  From what I've read, it sounds like a blending of traditional indigenous religious practice mixed with Buddhism.  In other words, it reads an awful lot like Vajrayana!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also found this by Googling around - &lt;a href=&quot;http://santidhammo.blogspot.com/2011/11/theravada-tantra.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://santidhammo.blogspot.com/2011/11/theravada-tantra.html&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T14:59:54.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8058" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:15:46.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are coming at this from a Zen perspective, I wouldn't use the word &quot;silence&quot; so much as &quot;emptiness&quot; or mu-shin.  And I wouldn't say that the word &quot;embraced&quot; quite gets at what you need to be doing.  Emptiness is embraced, but there is also an element of investigation.  One should become both &quot;one with&quot; mu-shin while looking deeply into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's important to understand, however, that this sort of investigation is not a preliminary practice.  The mind has to be quieted and the concentration developed to a certain extent before one has an experience of that emptiness.  Once it is beheld, it should then be stabilized.  This can be done through various techniques - most famously the mu koan.  If you are beginning your meditation practice, you are better off just watching the breath.  This will help lay a foundation for later investigation.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T15:15:46.823" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8067" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:17:28.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Part 1:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer comes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-5-05&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapanha 3.5.5&lt;/a&gt;. This means that rebirth without transmigration of the soul from one place to another, takes place like a transfer of &quot;information&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn?&quot; &quot;Yes, your majesty, one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it that&#xA;  one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is&#xA;  it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the&#xA;  other lamp?&quot; &quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your&#xA;  majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot; &quot;Give me&#xA;  another analogy.&quot; &quot;Do you remember, your majesty, when you were a boy&#xA;  learning some verse from a teacher?&quot; &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Your&#xA;  majesty, did this verse transmigrate from the teacher?&quot; &quot;Certainly&#xA;  not, venerable sir.&quot; &quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not&#xA;  transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's another &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/BuddhaTeachings/page_28.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada Mahathera about the transfer of &quot;information&quot; using the analogy of radio waves picked up by a radio set:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rebirth takes place immediately, irrespective of the place of birth,&#xA;  just as an electromagnetic wave, projected into space, is immediately&#xA;  reproduced in a receiving radio set. Rebirth of the mental flux is&#xA;  also instantaneous and leaves no room whatever for any intermediate&#xA;  state (antarabhava). Pure Buddhism does not support the belief that a&#xA;  spirit of the deceased person takes lodgement in some temporary state&#xA;  until it finds a suitable place for its &quot;reincarnation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I summarized in another &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7792/471&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; (based on the Theravada tradition) that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every person's habitual thoughts and actions (karma) shapes his&#xA;  &quot;inclination of awareness&quot;, that becomes the last state of mind at&#xA;  death, and this is the &quot;information&quot; that gets transferred without&#xA;  carrier, the way flame is transferred from candle to candle, or radio&#xA;  waves are transferred from one radio to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Part 2:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is not clear to me. With Nirvana, one ceases to appear in a new life again in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T15:17:28.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8067" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:28:30.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a difference between re-incarnation and re-birth.  The Dhamma-Vinaya teaches rebirth based upon paticcasamuppada [dependent arising]. The usual religious epistemology has humans having a body, mind (conscious), and spirit (soul).  The Gotama Buddha was pragmatic in his logis  and the Dhamma-Vinaya is empirical.  Since the existence of a soul or an inherent Self can not be evinced, we are left with the pragmatic solution of dependent arising as taught by the Enlightened One.  Since the body becomes decrepit and dies what we are left with is consciousness that becomes attached to the next re-birth.  It is a consciousness devoid of the last personality but still encumbered with some of the past ignorance/dispositions (and occasionally some memory of past lives).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not a place; like the mythical heaven of religions.  Nibbana is the release, the freedom from samsara; the cycle of re-births.  Everyone and anyone can attain nibbana.  Once the dispositions that are the result of greed, hatred and etc. are dissipated.  This is actually a much deeper topic to discuss than can be done here.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T15:28:30.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:37:56.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is ample evidence in the Pali canon that one can reap some of the fruits of the path without meditation.  It doesn't make all that much sense to go into this topic myself as it is ably and amply covered by Bhikkhu Bodhi, for example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha267.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Jhānas and the Lay Disciple According to the Pāli Suttas&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would propose that while disciples prior to stream-entry may or may not possess the formless attainments, skill in this area does not determine a distinct type because powerful concentration is not a governing factor in the attainment of stream-entry. The way to stream-entry certainly requires a degree of concentration sufficient for the &quot;eye of the Dhamma&quot; to arise, but the actual movement from the stage of a worldling to that of a path-attainer is driven by either strong conviction or a probing spirit of inquiry, which respectively determine whether the aspirant is to become a faith-follower or a Dhamma-follower. Once, however, the path has been gained, then one's degree of accomplishment in concentration determines one's future mode of progress. If one gains the formless attainments one takes the route of the body-witness, culminating in release as a both-ways-liberated arahant. If one does not attain them, one takes the route of the view-attainer or faith-liberated trainee, culminating in release as a wisdom-liberated arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One eye-opening concept for me was that of the saddhānusārī or faith-follower who, according to the suttas, is capable (if not inevitably destined) for stream entry in this very life (SN 25).    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T10:22:50.463" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T10:22:50.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8073" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:45:04.650" Score="1" ViewCount="121" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8067/how-can-buddhist-believe-in-re-incarnation-when-they-do-not-believe-in-soul&quot;&gt;This question&lt;/a&gt; made me want to explain my belief / theory of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone ever at all even somewhat suggest that when we are &quot;reborn&quot; we do not inhabit the new birth in the sense of controlling or willing its actions. That (in a way UNLIKE being &quot;reborn&quot; into our future selves before death) people can only ever be responsible for e.g. their enlightenment - in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is there not such a profound difference between life now (- and just now) opposed to life after death ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T03:55:51.507" Title="The will, and rebirth" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8050" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:53:07.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;hmmm  here is a free book. it has about 40+ sutta of a stream enterer (none-contradict each other whatsoever.  We buddhists want to know if we have achieved this level of dharma. &#xA;Buddha allowed us to proclaim ourselves so and here is the tool. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember a sutta from pali cannon where this rich merchant invited buddha to receive meal at his mansion in a week.  later a king or prince desperately wanted buddha to come eat at his place on the same day (i dont recall why).  Buddha said he couldnt change the reservation without consent from this merchant because he invited him first.  So buddha sent ven Moggallana to this merchant to see what he would think about moving the reservation to a week later.  the marchant would agree if ven Moggallana  could confirm 4 (or maybe 5) things  1) would he still be alive ?  answer was yes.  2) would buddha still be alive? yes. 3) would he still have his wealth? yes.  4) would he still have the unshakable confidence in buddha?  ven Moggallana did not answer the last question citing that this was something the merchant had the ability to answer that himself.   finally he agreed to move the reservation to a week later.   Point is, a confidence in buddha, dharma, sangha is one characteristic of a stream enterer.  And Buddha was explicit that only him and yourself can make such a claim. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How common is it?  Buddha said in one sutta, plenty. not 10, 100, 1000+ as long as 8 fold path is practiced, world is not going to be absent of an arayan (those who is a stream enterer or higher. perfectly good word ruined by Nazi).  also compare to another sutta, he compared dust on his finger tips to the entire earth as reference to numbers of Arayans compare to all other beings (seen and unseen) so the ratio would be large!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;read the book and ask yourself.  only you can proclaim yourself ..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T15:53:07.060" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8075" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T15:58:57.243" Score="2" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8073/the-will-and-rebirth&quot;&gt;I asked a question&lt;/a&gt; about rebirth without new awareness, only karmic conditioning. According to the doctrine of the Nidanas, I answered my question saying that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kamma-bhava [bhava being the 10th nidana] is what recreates the next rebirth. Sankhara [2nd nidana] is&#xA;  kamma-bhava considered without the &quot;associated mental states&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could it be said then that, given the fact of emptiness, kamma-bhava is empty but sankhara can only be said to be selfless OR empty?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then it seems to me that we would have &quot;rebirth without new awareness, only karmic conditioning&quot;, because what generates the next birth is selfless AND empty - and so is less substantial than volition...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that right? Is it possible according to the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting my philosophy hat on, it seems weird to say that karma is real but not our experiences. But perhaps the intuition reads that: phenomena cannot be pinned down into belonging to this or that - only that &quot;I&quot; experience them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this make any sense, I'm not sure it does?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T02:07:42.323" Title="The alayavijnana and emptiness" Tags="|philosophy|mahayana|rebirth|emptiness|alaya-vijnana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8073" CreationDate="2015-03-11T16:15:17.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not according to U Dhammaratana's commentary on the Visuddhimaga... There it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It could be said that they [kamma-bhava and sankhara] are two&#xA;  different ways of sayin the same thing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma-bhava is what recreates the next rebirth. Sankhara is kamma-bhava considered without the &quot;associated mental states&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I see no way round this, besides questioning Buddhaghosa or the accuracy of the commentary. Unless sankhara is empty in a different way to kamma-bhava :/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T16:15:17.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8078" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T20:19:07.540" Score="1" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know karma matures with the right conditions but does it ever force things to happen with the certainty that it will happen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like for example can earning a specific karma say that it's going to force an effect, like when somebody does something good that means they'll become a private buddha in the future. Does it sort of &quot;force&quot; or push things in the direction of the karma to happen or is it still just waiting for the right conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorUserId="4821" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T15:13:04.370" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T06:18:43.727" Title="Does karma force things to happen?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8078" CreationDate="2015-03-11T20:58:37.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't force things to happen because karma by definition has no self which can force anything.&#xA;Karma doesn't really exist as some punishing entity (like a Western God), which is what the word &quot;force&quot; implies in your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism and Hinduism, the chain of causation that binds beings to the Wheel of Birth and the natural conditions that stem from it, creates a torrent of karma all of which must be satisfied in life after life until samadhi/bodhi can be achieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Conditions&quot; can be anything by the way. A condition can be being in a certain situation, seeing a certain characteristic of a person (e.g. maleness, femaleness), or even &quot;having a body&quot;. Oftentimes I believe that karma has an effect that is beyond time, simultaneously immediate, near, and far..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-11T22:03:14.703" LastActivityDate="2015-03-11T22:03:14.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8080" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-11T22:06:09.030" Score="4" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I practice tranquility meditation how would I go about developing insight.How does a samathayanika realise Nibbanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:00:29.760" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T14:00:29.760" Title="How to Develop Insight - Samathayanika" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8056" CreationDate="2015-03-12T05:29:22.570" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself was quite sarcastic, ironic and funny, as all wise people tend to be. Of course he knew what to say, and when to say it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4823" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T05:29:22.570" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8054" CreationDate="2015-03-12T05:31:25.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An enlightened being is a great man. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great man is not always an enlightened being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4823" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T05:31:25.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8087" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8100" CreationDate="2015-03-12T06:32:09.180" Score="9" ViewCount="1465" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't want to consult any doctor about my obsession. I do not even want to speak about it to my family and friends. I wish to get an answer tailor-made for me about my obsession with getting dead-drunk and practicing self, the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please don't take it otherwise but a question to Buddha &amp;amp; his disciples. I am so fed up of the dependence of me on drugs. It happens, believe me (i have seen many others, too). Please provide/mark/show/point wordings of Buddha if he has said something near to this. If any modern Buddha is reading this than please share actual revert of you with example. I am standing at a dead-end (may be here's some way ahead but my thought isn't going beyond my confusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My philosophy about buddhism says that it's a way of living that is worth living. I am practicing meditation in routine in early morning timings. The rest of the day i depend on drugs to stay connected to the will of mine to become a Buddha, it appears like a bridge that i can walk and i walk across it, everytime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How is it possible to leave behind my obsession with drugs?&lt;/em&gt; I want to quit my drugs. I wish to be free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T17:41:41.493" LastActivityDate="2024-03-29T04:37:28.907" Title="As per buddism, how is it possible to leave behind my obsession with drugs?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|well-being|self|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-12T08:10:52.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have the same problem, loss of interest in work, friends, activities..&#xA;I think we need Metta meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it is mentioned frequent in the Suttas, beside insight and tranquility meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tend to overlook it but I think it is just what I need to balance out this aversion with ordinary things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ayya Khema has some nice recordings with instructions on metta meditation and jhanas also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May we overcome this and advance joyously on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3638" LastEditorUserId="3638" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T09:02:29.477" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T09:02:29.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7998" CreationDate="2015-03-12T08:30:33.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vajra Yana Buddhism ( Ref-Wikipedia) allows the followers to take meat and the Preachers ( Acharyas) to get married . &lt;br/&gt;  It came as a variant of Buddhism in India ,firstly as an attempt to combine Tantra System of Hinduism with Buddhism and later around 7th-8th Century AD to justify the use of Violence for Self-Defence and for protection of Buddhists from opponents of Buddhism --mainly Islam which justified the use of Violence for spread of Religion. &lt;br/&gt; This form of Buddhism spread to other parts of the World and is known by different names in different regions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T08:30:33.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8053" CreationDate="2015-03-12T10:07:04.537" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two Pali words that seem relevant to this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kalika&lt;/em&gt; meaning &quot;related to time&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Akalika&lt;/em&gt; meaning &quot;not related to time&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a definition of the words here in this 'glossology': &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/akalika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Akalika --&#xA;Timelessness, A synonym for Arahantship, An attribute of the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It suggests two meanings for &lt;em&gt;kalika&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two events can be said to &lt;em&gt;kalika&lt;/em&gt; when they are successive, and do not happen at the same time: for example, the in-breath and the out-breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also (etymologically) the track of scat left by an animal (one week old, two days old, one day old, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some question about what &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; means (because &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; is supposed to be an attribute of Dharma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/timeless.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Some suggest it means timeless&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This practice is said to be akaliko — timeless. The Buddha's teachings are timeless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later in the same paragraph he clarifies that by &quot;timeless&quot; he means &quot;always&quot; (i.e. continuously and not just continually):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fact that there are no developments in our practice is because we have times. The Buddha says, &quot;timeless.&quot; We say there are times. Our times are more than many. Time for this, time for that, times for walking, times for sitting, times for sleeping, times for eating, times for talking — there are lots of them. Our life turns into nothing but times. So now let's try practicing in a way that it becomes timeless. The truth will then appear in our minds — each and every one of us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A different suggestion is that &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; might mean &quot;true in all three times (past, present and future)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A final suggestion is that it means &quot;immediately&quot;; or even better, that it means &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/without-delay/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;without delay&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T10:07:04.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8119" CreationDate="2015-03-12T11:10:04.717" Score="9" ViewCount="1839" Body="&lt;p&gt;Leading on from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8056/157&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; - are there any examples of the Buddha showing a sense of humour or a certain lightness in his teachings within the Pali Canon? I was once told that it is possible to find examples where he perhaps approaches teaching with a gentler approach depending on his audience. Certainly the Buddha gives the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel390.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lions roar&lt;/a&gt; but does he sometimes give the cheeky wink too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2019-09-07T08:27:10.800" Title="Are there examples of the Buddha showing humour in the Pali Canon?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|reference-request|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-12T16:12:04.130" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not feel qualified to answer your question in depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why i would like to point you towards these video talks by &lt;em&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Drug and Alcohol addiction: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdVkq4AD8oE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdVkq4AD8oE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Strong attachments: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-8aXvl1XXc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-8aXvl1XXc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pornography and masturbation (addiction in general): &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Lg9P-VekA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Lg9P-VekA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are very informative videos and i think they could help you out and cast some light onto this topic from a theravada buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you familiar with the doctrine of &lt;em&gt;dependent origination&lt;/em&gt;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be a good idea to study that doctrine since it will tell you how the links in addiction is created and how they can be broken and stopped at various parts of the cycle. Of course this studying needs to be combined with insight meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find a discourse on dependent origination by Mahasi Sayadaw &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-discourse_on_dependent_origination.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy, peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T06:03:59.213" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T06:03:59.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8095" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8120" CreationDate="2015-03-12T16:36:45.777" Score="3" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, the story of Khantivadi illustrates the perfection of Khanti by the Bodhisatta, and the Vessantara Jataka illustrates the perfection of Dana - on similar lines - is there a Jataka(s) which illustrates the perfection of Viriya in the Pali Canon ? &#xA;Also , Could anyone point out references to other articles/suttas/commentaries etc. inside/outside the Pali Canon on the topic of Viriya Paramita and its cultivation ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-12T16:47:42.660" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T12:31:25.360" Title="Which Jatakas illustrate Viriya Paramita" Tags="|reference-request|bodhisattva|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-12T18:03:35.153" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to answer this not from the perspective of a knowledgeable Buddhist, but from the perspective of someone who has been clean and sober for over 9 years. Disclaimer: I am a recent Buddhist and know very little about the mechanics or the theory of it all. I simply practice daily meditation with the intent of awakening someday in this lifetime (or the next, or the next...). I also do not claim that what worked for me will work for you. That said, I know how to get and stay sober from a practical perspective and feel obligated to share that path when someone asks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing that worked for me was to get involved with a 12 step program. Built into all 12 step programs is the concept of &quot;prayer and meditation.&quot; I had to turn over my life to a higher power who I didn't really think existed and in whom I had no confidence. And I had to take action by working through the steps. But I was amazed early on that by doing so, I was relieved of my compulsion to use. By taking small, simple daily steps every day and following good, orderly direction, I have managed to stay away from any mind altering substance for quite a while now, and I hardly ever think about it at all. I cannot even begin to describe to you how much better my life is since I made that small decision back in 2006.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A key detail about 12 step programs is that you don't have to believe in any one particular conception of God (or higher power, or whatever you think to call him/her/it). All you have to do is believe that there is a power greater than yourself and that you ain't it. This means that the programs welcome Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Agnostics...anything you like. And this is what made it acceptable to me. If it were strictly a Christian thing I would have been screwed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have thought a great deal about whether or not it is possible to recover from addiction through Buddhism...I assume by reaching a certain level of non-attachment. But for me, I know that 12 step programs work so I am not about to go screwing around with a proven formula. The stakes for me are just too high (haha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OTOH I am VERY interested to see if my compulsion for foods like cookies, candy, ice cream, bread and meat will be abated through continued practice of meditation. I'm hopeful, but in this case it isn't likely to kill me nearly so fast as going back to active addiction is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what your particular substance of choice is (or should I say, substance-of-non-choice...once I start to use, all choice is out of my hands and I am engulfed). But there is undoubtedly a group in your area that you can connect with. And even if you live out in the middle of nowhere, in today's world there are hundreds of meetings and support groups available online for just this purpose. Use Google to find that is appropriate to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you the best. You are brave for coming on here and baring your sole. Keep reaching out and exploring and you will find the answer that is right for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T18:03:35.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-12T18:15:45.523" Score="1" ViewCount="425" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happened to watch Yuttadhammo's video on Life in a day project and also understood that Monks are not allowed to stay in a place with a woman.&#xA;Was wondering how do they actually travel by air in a confined space for hours,worst case if they were assigned to be seated next to a female?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T20:42:38.383" Title="Buddhist Monk - Travel by air" Tags="|ethics|monk|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-12T19:13:06.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not really about addiction, but in the spirit of &quot;alcoholics looking for sobriety shouldn't live where there's a bar&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] From there the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, &quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach the method of the forest. Listen and attend carefully, I will teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides in a certain forest stretch. When abiding there, unestablished mindfulness does not get established, unconcentrated mind does not concentrate, not destroyed desires do not get destroyed, and the not attained noble end of the yoke is not attained; as for the four requisites of life for the one gone forth, robes, morsel food, dwellings, and requities when ill, are collected with difficulty. That bhikkhu should reflect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I abide in this forest stretch, to me abiding in this forest, unestablished mindfulness does not get established, unconcentrated mind does not get concentrated, not destroyed desires do not get destroyed, and the not attained noble end of the yoke is not attained; as for the four requisites of life for the one gone forth, robes, morsel food dwellings, and requisites when ill, are collected with difficulty.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, he should not abide in that stretch of forest, he should leave it by night or by day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/vanapattha_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 17&lt;/a&gt; Vanapattha Sutta - Jungle Thickets&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T19:13:06.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2015-03-12T19:44:45.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, which is imperfect, in a Buddhist understanding of reality, there is no absolute moral ground to find or be found on, no inherent &quot;way of life&quot; to live up to or learn, no true measure of worth or worthiness, no true absolute bar or standard of what is to be considered inherently good or bad, no central value judgement system, and therefore nobody to communicate that system to us from some sort of divine moral source. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is up to each individual to discover first hand what is beneficial, what is wholesome, what is skillful, what is good. We decide what that measure should be, and set it simply based off of experienced reality: good is what liberates us and alleviates the experience of suffering, bad is what confines and deludes us, that which increases the experience of suffering. Good and bad, therefore, can be inferentially equated to ignorance vs. awareness of what our true nature is really all about. This can be brought back to an awareness of the lack of inherent good or bad value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, good is that which is in line with this awareness of a lack of inherent goodness, and bad can be thought of in terms of ignorance, or the deluded notion that things have an absolute positive or negative value. This is tied into relativism, into emptiness via dependent origination, to interdependency, to what Thich Nhat Hahn calls interbeing. We have a good and bad, but it is merely a convention, in no way absolute. We can say that, as long as we have apparent existences, causing pain and suffering to others merely furthers our own misery, and misery in general, and ought to therefore be considered a &quot;bad&quot; or non-beneficial action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you know, and by &quot;know&quot; I mean like how you know that breathing is good and sleep is nice, what your true nature is, then you will understand on an intuitive level how to free yourself from and avoid ultimate suffering, and what is the absolute extinguishment of all suffering? :) This is the same as if you know that a fire burns from first hand experience, you call the act of sticking your hand in a fire bad, due to the effect that that will have: suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This happens, clearly, because certain causes have certain effects. For instance, if you commit a horrible act to someone, you will eventually come to grips with the notion that this was a human, like you, vulnerable and suffering the vicissitudes of life. This will bring about the experience of suffering, and will cause you to either become numb or more sensitive. It must be contended with in some way. This is a form of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More so, you were suffering before you committed the act that led to further suffering. In other words, you had a feeling of suffering that acted as the motivation behind an act. That intention/motivation/feeling of suffering becomes stronger when you act on it, though we are seeking to satisfy ourselves. So it is understood that, ultimately, it is this intention that defines an act as having moral value, it is intention that creates good or bad karma, also perception, also effect. However, in Buddhism, the &quot;aim&quot; is to free yourself of karmic conditioned existence. It is seen that even &quot;good&quot; karmas are the causes of suffering, and are just a part of the truly good or truly bad trap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, are your actions set with the intention of extinguishing suffering? If so, with a correct understanding of what causes suffering, then they might be beyond karmic consequence. Are they set with the notion of true existence and value? If so, they will likely act as seeds, as cause for immediate or future suffering, and are ultimately non-beneficial towards the goal of ultimate, final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question must be in the &quot;why&quot; of things, and have room for weather or not the apparent actor is aware of the consequences or effects of the actions that are being committed in the name of said intention. So, is there a killing where the intention was truly beyond the perception of absolute good or bad, motivated purely by compassion and free from all misapprehension and motivational suffering? I can't answer that for you, but I cannot imagine myself in a situation where a killing would not lead to more suffering. What decided that? I would argue just the bare, basic, un-elaborated, simple ole truth of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember, positive and negative are subject qualifications and are based on pleasure and pain, which are also subjective. We cannot value things in any absolute way given those truths. The universe does not judge you, you do a fine enough job doing that yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a great story, and I will have to find the sutra this comes from, where a man came to the Buddha asking him to help, there was a dire situation. This man's brother (or some relative) had died, and they had not performed the necessary rights to ensure a safe passage to a heavenly afterlife, or good rebirth. He knew of the Buddha's fame as a sage and teacher, so thus sought out his expertise, certain that the great Buddha could alleviate this misfortune. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha instructed the man to go get two very light weight &quot;jars&quot;, and fill one with melted churned butter, and the other with rocks, and bring them, with the body, to the river. Excited, the man did this, believing the Buddha would surely help his brother. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he came back, the Buddha was waiting for him, and instructed him to place both jars in the river, and when he did so, they just floated there, slowly drifting away. The Buddha then broke open the first jar, and the butter stayed on top of the river as the jar broke. It frothed up, and was carried away. Then he broke the other jar, with the rocks, and the rocks all sank down after the jar was broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He told his new friend that there is nothing that anyone can do after the life is over. Only the weight of our good or bad deeds determine where we go in rebirth, as it does so from moment to moment in this life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our actions leave impressions in our consciousness, in our minds and on our hearts, based on our own sense of value judgements, which are based on our own sense of what is truly real and existent. These impressions carry us away, or sink us down. How is it not the case? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trick is transcendence, to develop an awareness of the true nature of reality (anatta, anicca, dukkha) and get your intention fixed in a alignment with it. This is done by following the 8 fold path, and the morality section is based off of simply making it so that there are no mental distractions that will keep you from developing your awareness. As such, they are based off of non-attached, dispassionate, compassionate social activity. They are aimed at selflessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is based off of volitional reactive activity to perception driven feelings, the quality of those feelings, and our relationship to them in terms of either our tolerance to them, or their influence over us. To reduce blind volitional reactivity, we can develop awareness and equanimity via meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T19:44:45.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-12T20:03:08.060" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You start by saying, &amp;quot;I don't want to consult any doctor about my obsession&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest that what you &lt;em&gt;want&lt;/em&gt; (and what you &lt;em&gt;don't want&lt;/em&gt;) are part of the problem: and should not be considered as a reliable guide for what you ought to be doing. It is your using &amp;quot;what I want&amp;quot; as a guide that has led you into this situation, from which you find it difficult to escape by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you should follow (i.e. look for, and then follow) someone else's advice, for a change, even if their advice doesn't sound like something that you &lt;em&gt;want&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for example suggests that greed &lt;em&gt;will arise&lt;/em&gt;, aversion will arise, ignorance or delusion will arise. Their arising is inevitable, but what you must do is to not be &amp;quot;overcome&amp;quot; when they arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be in the habit of thinking,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want X: therefore I shall have X.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas it would be better to think,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thought that 'I want X' has arisen, nevertheless I shall (bear up and) continue to not have X.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continuing the Kalama Sutta, the kind of person who you should trust as a teacher on this subject should someone who is not greedy, not aversive, and not delusive: i.e. an &amp;quot;ungreedy person, not overcome by greed, his mind not possessed by greed&amp;quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a person might be a doctor, or a monk, or they might be people at a &amp;quot;12 step program&amp;quot; meeting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that you may have social needs (need for family and/or friends), that meeting new people might be good for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, don't trust &amp;quot;what I want&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;what I don't want&amp;quot;, and instead look for advice that is 'blameless', 'praised by the wise', and 'skillful'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your 'will to be a buddha', I think that the last part of the Kalama Sutta says that you are more able to practice the immeasurables (i.e. compassion etc.) after you are 'free':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus &lt;strong&gt;devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, &amp;amp; resolute&lt;/strong&gt; — keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, &amp;amp; the fourth — with &lt;strong&gt;an awareness imbued with good will&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, &amp;amp; all around, everywhere &amp;amp; in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from the mistake of following 'what I want' and 'what I don't want' when what you want is intoxicating (poisonous), another mistake is to &amp;quot;bargain&amp;quot; or try to negotiate, e.g. to say things like, &amp;quot;I will behave better after I make a new friend&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;after I'm rich&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;after I get advice that I like&amp;quot;, etc. Some problems with that bargaining are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's possible that you will never in the future feel satisfied enough&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's possible that being sober is a necessary precondition to being skillful enough&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sympathize that you are likely to have problems other than your drugs or drinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because everyone (including you) does: the first noble truth is that 'suffering exists'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because your suffering must have been bad for you to have started with this habit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because this habit makes your suffering worse (by causing new problems and by making you less able to address existing problems)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But don't tell yourself, &amp;quot;I will stop this habit when I stop having other problems.&amp;quot; It sounds like you'd be better to stop this habit even though you still have other problems. &amp;quot;Accept&amp;quot; that those other problems may persist for a while even after you begin to learn how to live without this habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism doesn't claim to be the cessation of suffering, it claims to be &amp;quot;the Way towards&amp;quot; the cessation of suffering (third noble truth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says that what we do habitually make a difference. For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.09.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;121&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Think not lightly of evil, saying, &amp;quot;It will not come to me.&amp;quot; Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the fool, gathering it little by little, fills himself with evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Think not lightly of good, saying, &amp;quot;It will not come to me.&amp;quot; Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The present moment is what we have. I hope you find freedom, now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T20:03:08.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-12T20:41:54.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From experience, the Buddhist path is a very effective and useful tool for helping to alleviate all forms fixation, obsession, or addiction with the specific knowledge that fixation is the cause of suffering. Addiction is suffering. It is dukkha with the volume turned up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may be interested in Noah Levine's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.refugerecovery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Refuge Recovery&lt;/a&gt;. I also recommend looking into teachings on shenpa as taught by Pema Chodron, I have found them beneficial. You may also be interested in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://reddit.com/r/buddhistrecovery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Recovery&lt;/a&gt; sub-reddit forum, where there is a lot of information about how the Buddhist path relates to recovery. Please do go check it out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T20:41:54.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8097" CreationDate="2015-03-12T20:42:38.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules - A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;says that the &amp;quot;spirit of the rule&amp;quot; is important:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FAQ 4: &amp;quot;It is mentioned in the Vinaya rules that a monk is not allowed to reside under the same roof with a woman. How does that apply to multistoried (condominiums, flats, apartments) and multi-compartment buildings (terrace houses), where the flats, terrace houses, share one roof?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A:&lt;/strong&gt; This has become a complex question with various interpretations because of modern conditions. The spirit of the rule is very important — avoiding possibilities of intimacy — while the interpretation will depend on the monk and the circumstances. In countries without proper monasteries there will always have to be something of a compromise. (See Staying Together for a discussion of this.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is clearer if you read the previous 3 FAQs, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FAQ 3: &amp;quot;What is the rule if an eight-precepter unintentionally comes into [direct physical] contact with another lay person or eight-precepter or ten-precepter or monk or nun of opposite gender?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A:&lt;/strong&gt; As with the preceding cases with bhikkhus, there is no fault if there is no wrong intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T20:42:38.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8078" CreationDate="2015-03-12T20:59:44.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a seed of certain kind is exposed to certain conditions, it grows. Karma works more like this than some deterministically absolute force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is never any sort of absolute with this, as we can, for instance, learn to deal with our volitional formations (our sankharas) in ways other than being subject to their conditional fruition, one such effective method is vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, because we can develop non-attachment and wisdom, no. It is more correct, in my understanding, to say that karma merely &lt;em&gt;encourages&lt;/em&gt; certain activities, or acts as an urge that sometimes is perceived as an unstoppable or confounding force depending on our level of &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming a Buddha is more of a transcendence of karmic determinism, rather than being a &quot;thing&quot; brought about by karmic eventuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T20:59:44.383" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8075" CreationDate="2015-03-12T21:14:44.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being empty is to be lacking inherent existence, which is to be lacking in fixed self, which is to be lacking in self. So a thing cannot be empty, and have a self, because being empty is to ultimately have no self, and all objects and phenomena are empty. It is not an either/or scenario, it can never be an either or scenario.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like asking if a canvass can be either paintless or blank. It is really a meaningless question, because it is just two ways of pointing at the same truth. It is meaningless to assert that paintless is either less or more substantial than blank. Is the son of a barren woman less substantial than the horns of a rabbit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The karma is only as real and impactual as the blind attachment, and therefore assumptive delusion of self and true existence or true existential status. These volitional formations can be transcended in practice by developing equanimity, awareness, and insight&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T21:14:44.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8067" CreationDate="2015-03-12T22:20:40.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists do not believe in reincarnation, the view is rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try this. According to the TV show Madmen, there is a Japanese saying that says that a man is whatever room he is standing in. So in a business office, he IS a businessman, at home, he is a husband and a father, at a bar, he is a drunk, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now a man can walk from room to room, showing a continuity from &quot;life&quot; to &quot;life&quot;. Clearly there is some sort of continuity, but when the man was in the business office, he was not the drunk, and vise versa, so we have no true business man, no true drunk. Just the appearance of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth says the man really is whatever room that he is standing in, and as that man he is as real as that room, and this is possible precisely &lt;em&gt;because&lt;/em&gt; there is no true, central core man behind the causes and conditions that give rise to the specific appearance of the business man. If there were a non-empty self, it would not be subject to causality, and would not, therefore be capable of taking on an appearance, or having interactions. The appearance of a self is all there ever is, and it is precisely the clinging and grasping onto the basic notion of a true self at all that perpetuates rebirth from room to room. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand rebirth a bit more clearly, we can realize that at no point did we ever stop being a child, and start being an adult, but looking back, it is clear that one is different from the other. In terms of lives, we cannot say when one definitively ends and another begins, we can merely say that we can point to the apparent beginning and end based off of certain inferential and ultimately arbitrary definitions. There is never a clear moment when one room ends and another begins, never a clear moment when the businessman starts, and the businessman stops. We just &quot;draw a line&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To go a bit further, because we cannot assert a true beginning, there is no way to assert a true lifetime to reincarnate into, there is merely the codependent origination of apparent phenomena. The whole thing is nothing but the perpetuated arising of empty phenomena due to causes and conditions giving rise to other causes and conditions, but nothing ever truly breaks over into actual true existence. We seem to perceive this, but that is just a relativistic assumption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;TL;DR - Buddhists do not believe in reincarnation or true separate lifetimes, so there is no problem, there is merely the perpetuation of the causes and conditions that give rise to apparent, yet ultimately empty phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T22:20:40.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8106" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8431" CreationDate="2015-03-12T22:21:25.780" Score="4" ViewCount="94" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over the years, as I have seen various commentaries on koans, I've become aware that the quoted text seems to always derive from one of a very few English translations, but the translation concerned is rarely mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am no expert on this area of philology and I'm particularly interested in the version which for Hyakujo’s Fox uses the phrasing &quot;fall under the yoke of causation&quot;. This was the first translation which I saw, and so somehow canonical to me. I wonder if it is a highly regarded one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My main interest is in intellectual curiosity, being interested in philology more generally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T06:56:25.563" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T23:33:10.630" Title="Can you help me identify this English translation of The Gateless Gate?" Tags="|reference-request|books|koans|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8047" CreationDate="2015-03-12T22:33:26.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the redness of an apple an active or passive principle? The true nature of the apple is that it has no absolute colour to be either active or passive, the perception of colour being born in interdependence, not of the apple itself, and as this is its true nature, is it an active or passive nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some questions are slippery and invalid. Does a dog have Buddha nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-12T22:33:26.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3058" CreationDate="2015-03-12T22:52:23.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not saying that there is or isn't, but concerning the self-confirmation of such, this is not so straightforward as it may seem, considering a system where enlightenment is concerned, in part at least, with the transcendence of conceptual self-hood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Chapter 9 of the Diamond Sutra: “&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you think, Subhuti? Does an Arhat think like this, ‘I have&#xA;  attained the fruit of Arhatship.’?” Subhuti replied, “No,&#xA;  World-Honored One. Why? There is no separately existing thing that can&#xA;  be called Arhat. If an Arhat gives rise to the thought that he has&#xA;  attained the fruit of Arhatship, then he is still caught up in the&#xA;  idea of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it is true that the sutras tell us that the Buddha attained enlightenment, it is worthwhile to remember that &lt;em&gt;when he first declared this that he was rejected&lt;/em&gt; by Ājīvaka Upaka, who just shook his head and walked away at this &lt;em&gt;bold claim&lt;/em&gt;. When he later got to Deer Park and the monks addressed him by name, he did not right out declare arahantship, he said instead that that is not the proper way to address the Tathagata. This subtle, and non-trivial difference reflects the fact that he never went out &quot;to declare&quot;, &lt;em&gt;he went out to teach&lt;/em&gt;, which is clear, as is revealed the well known story of the conversation with Brahma just post attainment. The difference at play is about the primary intention behind the activity, teaching for the sake of others (to an appropriate audience) vs. making a self-declaration.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remembering that these monks in Deer Park could not resist attending to him, after he instructed that it is improper to address the Tathagata by name and as friend he simply made statements like, &quot;The tathagata is this... the tathagata is like that,&quot; and avoided speech like, &quot;I am this, I am that,&quot; He does say, &quot;I will instruct you,&quot; But this is less of a self declaration than a promise of activity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to be direct with your question, coming out as the tathagata was, in fact, a problematic situation for the Buddha. It was one that was met and conquered, but it was still problematic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastEditorUserId="4740" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T22:07:25.980" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T22:07:25.980" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-13T01:01:42.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to consult a medical professional. You can't meditate your problems away.You can't be more concerned about emptiness,not self or the progress of insight.this is la la land advice.you need to deal with the elephant in the room which is your drug problem. Your sila.Dont bypass sila.I am in the health industry and you need professional medical advice which I am not qualified to give.Its always beneficial to meditate and hear the dhamma but get yourself to your GP.Don't worry about Not Self, Buddhahood,and meditation their not going anywhere they'll still be here after you get cleaned up and you can still practice during the process.Use the dhamma for support But don't substitute it for professional medical help.Understanding reality such as Not Self can really free one from suffering but your not going to get there if your under the influence or if you skip sila.This is why you need to focus on cleaning up your sila.Cleaning up from drugs is liberating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T01:29:03.820" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T01:29:03.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3812" CreationDate="2015-03-13T01:28:12.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ordaining seems like an obvious (albeit challenging) answer to your question- if you truly want to escape it ALL, becoming a monk is the exact solution you're looking for.&#xA;However, if that isn't realistic for you right now and, like me, you are looking to experience a most peaceful existence, there are definitely aspects of Buddhism that will allow you to have a go at this. I don't claim to know much, but some tips on how to have more ease in daily life include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See obstacles as opportunities for spiritual development- if you feel that you hate your job, this is a great chance for you to practice some mindfulness, and really observe your thought process revolving around your aversion to certain things. If you can study, and thus come to understand your hatred, maybe you will find some peace in that way. And you can apply this so any reaction you have to an experience, be it good, bad or neutral.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation- many types of meditation, if practiced regularly, can produce peaceful and equanimous mental and physical states. If you meditate for a decent amount of time in the morning before work, maybe you will find some peace before going in. Adding to this, you can derive a little bit of satisfaction/happiness just from the knowledge that you are practicing meditation. If you meditate in the morning, you can go through the rest of the day with a bit of added confidence- you are a practicing buddhist, yay.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, as I said I don't know much- I am trying to deal with the same issues as you! Hope my little bit of advice helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T14:12:28.827" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T14:12:28.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8112" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8115" CreationDate="2015-03-13T01:46:47.723" Score="6" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, so I searched for an answer to this question and couldn't find one, but it must be common, so I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to practice daily mindfulness by saying in my head, &quot;walking&quot; as I am walking, &quot;reading&quot; as I am reading, etc., but often I lose my focus, and three hours later I find myself thinking, &quot;oh yeah, right, I was supposed to be practicing mindfulness..&quot; This happens especially when something I perceive as really bad occurs- negative thoughts cloud my mind and take me over. And then I feel SO GUILTY!&#xA;How do I overcome feelings of guilt about my practice? And how do I sustain mindfulness throughout the day? It seems almost impossible, and every time I realize I have failed at it, I curse myself and feel like a hopeless buddhist.&#xA;Thx for reading! Ian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T02:46:40.400" Title="Trouble Maintaining Practice" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8112" CreationDate="2015-03-13T02:10:52.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you're experiencing happens to everyone, every - one. When you find yourself &quot;off course&quot; just bring yourself back gently. Be kind to yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be expecting too much from yourself. When reading, for example, you should be taking in information, and IMHO, this is not time for mindfulness. Attempting to understand what you're reading and being mindful at the same time does not sound possible. Human beings just aren't made that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another high bar you've set for yourself is the expectation of being in a constant state of mindfulness. This is a tall order indeed and also another example of something that is not necessarily possible for the average person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be gentle to yourself. &lt;strong&gt;Bring yourself back to the present gently and gracefully as you would a lost or grieving friend.&lt;/strong&gt; Then celebrate that return. Embrace the imperfection and practice gentle, loving kindness to yourself over and over. Your enemy is not your naturally wandering mind. It is the guilt, cursing and impossible expectations that have been foisted upon you by your past experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4828" LastEditorUserId="4828" LastEditDate="2015-05-09T22:51:46.170" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T22:51:46.170" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8112" CreationDate="2015-03-13T03:13:59.223" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;tl;dr keep pushing yourself, but gently as Paul Sasik says. Also, keep an open mind because this stuff can be very counterintuitive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Long answer&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you're practicing the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, where one notes phenomena as they arise. In this case I can answer from my own experience in the tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few pointers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Negative thoughts are just thoughts, so you have the opportunity to note &amp;quot;thinking&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ditto for a clouded mind; you have there an opportunity to note &amp;quot;clouded mind&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ditto again for guilt; if guilt is predominant then note &amp;quot;guilt&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of this strategy is not to get enticed by what we perceive. Thoughts aren't intrinsically negative or positive; we mistakenly understand them to be as such. The same goes for feelings like guilt, and the realization that the mind is clouded. When we see them as they are, it's easier to remain in the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the wandering mind, I can say a few more things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to abandon the desire for practice to go well—paradoxically this can hold you back.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't curse yourself. Cursing yourself is a form of identifying with your experiences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiment a lot. Vary the quality of your practice—Does one note intensely, or note softly? What can be noted that was not noted before? What are the limits of what can reasonably be covered by noting? Do the limits change from one day to the next? Come up with ideas like these, and test them out during walking and sitting practice. At the same time, keep it simple. You don't want to get too obsessed with conceptual dead ends.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can take a long time for practice to improve. But I can confidently say that my mind wanders much less than it did one year ago. In my 3 years of practice (one 6-day retreat, about 15 minutes per day on most days) I have found there are long stretches—perhaps days, weeks, even months—where no progress is made, followed by flashes of what seem to be insight, followed by the realization that they are just unusual experiences, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, as for maintaining mindfulness throughout the day: I find this one quite difficult. It improves with practice just like the wandering as I explained above. Personally my daily mindfulness is quite weak but at the same time much better than, for example one year ago. Another side of this is that the monastic lifestyle or a meditation course will give you the opportunity to develop these skills more quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T03:13:59.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8053" CreationDate="2015-03-13T05:46:20.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason that you don't see a lot of dialogue about time is that it is a difficult subject to get right at the best of times, and not really necessary to liberation. It might be considered nothing more than a cosmological inquiry, something to be avoided in favor of practice. However...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that which is compounded, conditioned, dependently arisen and empty is impermanent, temporary, an apparition, ephemeral, gone already, in fact never here at all. Time is empty, it is conditioned, compounded, ultimately unreal. It cannot be truly grasped. Nagarjuna tackles time in chapter 19 of his Mulamadyamakakarika, aka the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He begins with a demonstration that it is absurd to postulate the true existence of an actual past, present and future, asserting that these things exist in name only, as concepts only. The arguments he makes here are complicated, rely on previous chapters of his book, and concern causality, interdependence and the nature of how things arise, and the full argument is beyond the scope of a comment thread. Essentially, however, an existence with a true past, future, and present moment that actually exist is seen as a mere concept, and is therefore unreal. &lt;em&gt;Common sense time is unreal.&lt;/em&gt; This realized wisdom has the effect of releasing us from the anxiety of the pressing urgency of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since time as past, present, and future is ultimately unreal, we move on to time as a fleeting flow vs time as something that can exist in &quot;a singular moment&quot; of time. This is also demonstrated to be lacking of true existence. Continuously fleeting time cannot be grasped, and if a moment of time is singled out, it ceases to &quot;be&quot; time. &lt;em&gt;Time is ungraspable&lt;/em&gt;. This realized wisdom has the effect of releasing us from grasping and clinging at time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he argues against a self-existing time, showing time as being compounded. In his &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003ID7A54&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;study on the Mulamadyamakakarika&lt;/a&gt; Jay Garfield concludes that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna points out that with no entities to be temporally related,&#xA;  there is no time. That is, the only mode of existence that time has is&#xA;  as a set of relations among empirical phenomena. &lt;em&gt;Apart from&#xA;  those phenomena and those relations, there is no time&lt;/em&gt;. But that&#xA;  means that, given the lack of inherent existence of phenomena,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;there can be no inherent existence of time.&lt;/em&gt; Time is thus merely a&#xA;  dependent set of relations, not an entity in its own right, and&#xA;  certainly &lt;strong&gt;not the inherently existent vessel of existence it might&#xA;  appear to be.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emphasis added was mine, as it pertains directly to your question. The effect of this realized wisdom is to release us from the erroneous notion of an absolute, true existence of time, this eases grasping at true existence. It shows us that time is relational, is tied to space and objects, and that since no true objects have absolute existence, neither does time. It is just another phenomena in flux.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A study of this chapter &lt;a href=&quot;http://sped2work.tripod.com/nagarjuna.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;can be found here&lt;/a&gt;, with an emphasis that what Nagarjuna denies is absolute time, or an independently existing time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna, a founder of Middle Way, Mahayana philosophy, shows us that the only way to consider time is as empty, relative time that is dependent on other phenomena to exist at all, and, like all other phenomena, is always in flux. It conventionally is a co-dependently arisen phenomena, and therefore ultimately is unreal, that is to say cannot be truly found when looked for. This is how time is actually experienced. Unreal, ungraspable, empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, impermanence is not, in any way, a thing that is housed. It is a characteristic of all phenomena. To say that it is housed is erroneous, the apparent objects that are marked by impermanence are not even seen as having self-existence, so no true object at the end of the day outside of the concept of one. So there is, ultimately, no object to hold the characteristic, only the perception of non-permanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T05:46:20.967" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8080" CreationDate="2015-03-13T11:44:25.480" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Herein, “purification of view” is the correct seeing of mentality-materiality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who wants to accomplish this, if, firstly, his vehicle is serenity, should&#xA;  emerge from any fine-material or immaterial jhāna, except the base consisting of&#xA;  neither perception nor non-perception, and he should discern, according to&#xA;  characteristic, function, etc., the jhāna factors consisting of applied thought,&#xA;  etc., and the states associated with them, [that is, feeling, perception, and so on].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he has done so, all that should be defined as “mentality” (nāma) in the&#xA;  sense of bending (namana) because of its bending on to the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, just as a man, by following a snake that he has seen in his house, finds&#xA;  its abode, so too this meditator scrutinizes that mentality, he seeks to find out&#xA;  what its occurrence is supported by and he sees that it is supported [588] by the&#xA;  matter of the heart. After that, he discerns as materiality the primary elements,&#xA;  which are the heart’s support, and the remaining, derived kinds of materiality&#xA;  that have the elements as their support. He defines all that as “materiality” (rūpa) because it is “molested” (ruppana) [by cold, etc.]. After that he defines in brief as “mentality-materiality” (nāma-rūpa) the mentality that has the characteristic of “bending” and the materiality that has the characteristic of “being molested.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Path of Purification, XVIII 2-4&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, it entails using the jhana factors and their physical support as a basis for insight - seeing them as impermanent, suffering, and non-self to the point of realizing the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T11:44:25.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8118" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T12:02:07.610" Score="7" ViewCount="291" Body="&lt;p&gt;An important point I see is how one furthers death and lying. Through working, you are taxed, and taxes fund the breaking of the precepts. Taxes fund war and espionage, so killing and stealing are definitely two which you break just by earning income.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one abstains from paying taxes, then your wage will be held. So nothing is really achieved here, since you are just laying the karmic burden on another person, which is arguably worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, just being a consumer, even if say you make less then the taxable amount in your country, then you still fund abusive working conditions and abusive companies and practices. You fund massive amounts of suffering, since the money you pay goes into the company and then into warfare/espionage funding through the company's taxes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to leave such a life would really upset my relatives. My question is, is it more important to not cause suffering to my mother and father, and am I just being over reactive about this issue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the way I see it, I am certainly breaking the precepts of killing and stealing through proxy, yet if I were to leave, I would cause a massive amount of suffering to some of the most important people in my life. Also it may cause people who know me to really disrespect Buddhism, thinking &quot;oh what a lazy/crazy person&quot;. Yet I cannot help but feel that contributing to the death of millions of people is less compassionate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts please! This is a difficult situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am practicing Mahayana and am currently adapting the Bodhisattva vows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T15:58:52.480" LastActivityDate="2019-12-12T14:16:59.977" Title="Is it more important not to break precepts through proxy, or to not cause suffering to your family?" Tags="|mahayana|modern-world|ethics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8093" CreationDate="2015-03-13T12:03:12.157" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could say the Buddha and arahants had a peculiar form of humour, as Konrad suggested in his comment above. The &lt;em&gt;hasituppādacitta&lt;/em&gt; (smiling-producing mind) is a citta unique to enlightened beings. While they can also smile due to beautiful-functional cittas, the hasituppādacitta is rootless, containing none of the wholesome or unwholesome roots. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means they would smile at things ordinary folk wouldn't, like brahmas being born as pigs (Dhp-A 338), or ghosts being tortured for past misdeeds (Dhp-A 71).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T17:27:30.337" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:27:30.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8095" CreationDate="2015-03-13T12:25:36.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The commentary cites the Maha-Janaka Jataka (539) as the pinnacle of the perfection of effort:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I will ever do my best to fight through ocean to the shore;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;While strength holds out I still will strive, nor yield till I can strive no more.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Vaṇṇupatha Jataka (#2) deals with this perfection. There's also one about a bird trying to put out a forest fire that comes to mind, but can't find it right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T12:31:25.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8118" CreationDate="2015-03-13T15:04:23.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, does your profession fulfill the requirements of Right Livelihood? If your work or business is not in weapons, human trading, meat, intoxicants, poison or anything in the spirit thereof, then it is fulfilling Right Livelihood. For now, I assume yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, although your profession fulfills Right Livelihood, the State requires and compels you to pay tax. So here, you do not have the intention to willingly contribute money to the government, but you do so because you are forced to and because you are a law-abiding citizen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, you have the opportunity to influence how your tax money is spent through the elections. So, here I assume that you have voted in the past at the ballot box (assuming that you are eligible to do so). It doesn't matter who got elected, as long as you have done your part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fourthly, you still have the opportunity to vote using your feet and move or migrate to another place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the main point in my opinion is that, what the government does with the tax money, is &lt;strong&gt;not caused by your intentions&lt;/strong&gt; and you did not pay tax with the intention of contributing towards warfare etc. Rather, you paid tax because you were compelled to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary on the story of the hunter's wife from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 124&lt;/a&gt; is relevant here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monks began to discuss the matter, saying, “So Kukkuṭamitta has a&#xA;  wife, and when she was a mere girl she obtained the Fruit of&#xA;  Conversion; yet she married this hunter and by him had seven sons.&#xA;  Furthermore, during all this time, whenever her husband said to her,&#xA;  ‘Bring me my bow, bring me my arrows, bring me my hunting-knife, bring&#xA;  me my net,’ she obeyed him and gave him what he asked for. And her&#xA;  husband, taking what she had given him, went and took life. Is it&#xA;  possible that those who have obtained the Fruit of Conversion take&#xA;  life?” Just then the Teacher approached and asked, “Monks, what is it&#xA;  that you are sitting here now talking about?” When they told him, he&#xA;  said, “Monks, of course those that have obtained the Fruit of&#xA;  Conversion do not take life. Kukkuṭamitta’s wife did what she did&#xA;  because she was actuated by the thought, ‘I will obey the commands of&#xA;  my husband.’ It never occurred to her to think, ‘He will take what I&#xA;  give him and go hence and take life.’ If a man’s hand be free from&#xA;  wounds, even though he take poison into his hand, yet the poison will&#xA;  not harm him. &lt;strong&gt;Precisely so, a man who harbors no thoughts of wrong and&#xA;  who commits no evil, may take down bows and other similar objects and&#xA;  present them to another, and yet be guiltless of sin.&lt;/strong&gt;” So saying, he&#xA;  joined the connection, and preaching the Law, pronounced the following&#xA;  Stanza,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;124&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If in his hand there be no wound, A man may carry poison in his hand.&#xA;  Poison cannot harm him who is free from wounds. No evil befalls&#xA;  him who does no evil.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the commentary on the story of Ven. Chakkhupala, the blind arahant, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 1&lt;/a&gt;, is relevant here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha&#xA;  uttered Verse (1) of this book, with reference to Cakkhupala, a blind&#xA;  thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Cakkhupala came to pay homage to the Buddha at&#xA;  the Jetavana monastery. &lt;strong&gt;One night, while pacing up and down in&#xA;  meditation, the thera accidentally stepped on some insects. In the&#xA;  morning, some bhikkhus visiting the thera found the dead insects. They&#xA;  thought ill of the thera and reported the matter to the Buddha. The&#xA;  Buddha asked them whether they had seen the thera killing the insects.&#xA;  When they answered in the negative, the Buddha said, &quot;Just as you had&#xA;  not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects.&#xA;  Besides, as the thera had already attained arahatship he could have no&#xA;  intention of killing and so was quite innocent.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; On being asked why&#xA;  Cakkhupala was blind although he was an arahat, the Buddha told the&#xA;  following story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cakkhupala was a physician in one of his past existences. Once, he had&#xA;  deliberately made a woman patient blind. That woman had promised him&#xA;  to become his slave, together with her children, if her eyes were&#xA;  completely cured. Fearing that she and her children would have to&#xA;  become slaves, she lied to the physician. She told him that her eyes&#xA;  were getting worse when, in fact, they were perfectly cured. The&#xA;  physician knew she was deceiving him, so in revenge, he gave her&#xA;  another ointment, which made her totally blind. As a result of this&#xA;  evil deed the physician lost his eyesight many times in his later&#xA;  existences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verse 1: All mental&#xA;  phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their&#xA;  chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind,&#xA;  'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox&#xA;  that draws the cart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-10-05T16:48:28.313" LastActivityDate="2017-10-05T16:48:28.313" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8122" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T17:00:56.237" Score="4" ViewCount="84" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I see the clinging and the stress going on at the five clinging aggregates can that propel me into stream entry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like say I see that clinging is going on at the five clinging aggregates and I see that it's causing stress can that take me to enlightenment or is another method needed like seeing the rise and fall of the aggregates, or practicing the silavant: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.122.than.html&lt;/a&gt; sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it just a good overall practice anyway?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T11:36:13.370" Title="Can you gain stream entry by focusing on the clinging and stress going on at the five clinging aggregates?" Tags="|enlightenment|stream-entry|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8123" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:18:44.293" Score="4" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;That can be a very complicated point.&#xA;Almost every work for a big corporation could be (potentially) seen as wrong livelihood! Hard to find a big corporation that works with good products, ethical conduct, respects the environment, the employees and is not involved in tax evasion, bribe or any other scandal... so what is more important from a Buddhist's point of view: What YOU do in your work routine or what your company does or sells?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T07:16:09.097" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T07:16:09.097" Title="Is working for a big corporation invariably wrong livelihood?" Tags="|ethics|right-livelihood|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3812" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:26:16.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There will be other things besides technology which will drive you nuts, anywhere. It might be good to change environment, for the sake of your sanity, if there will be less of them, but that is in itself not about Buddhism, it is just a very natural and laudable care about your well-being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find nonetheless the following very useful (Daniel M. Ingram, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://integrateddaniel.info/book&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I think about what it would take to achieve freedom from all&#xA;  psychological stuff, the response that comes is this: life is about&#xA;  stuff. Stuff is part of being alive. There is no way out of this while&#xA;  you are still living. There will be confusion, pain, miscommunication,&#xA;  misinterpretation, maladaptive patterns of behavior, unhelpful&#xA;  emotional reactions, weird personality traits, neurosis and possibly&#xA;  much worse. There will be power plays, twisted psychological games,&#xA;  people with major personality disorders (which may include you), and&#xA;  craziness. The injuries continue right along with the healing and&#xA;  eventually the injuries win and we die. This is a fundamental teaching&#xA;  of the Buddha. I wish the whole Western Buddhist World would just get&#xA;  over this notion that these practices are all about getting to our&#xA;  Happy Place where nothing can ever hurt us or make us neurotic and&#xA;  move on to actually mastering real Buddhist practice rather than&#xA;  chasing some ideal that will never appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T18:26:16.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8125" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:34:06.050" Score="5" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDDY4gOexVA&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=2m14s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; @Yuttadhammo seems to say that tranquility meditation requires focus on a concept and as a result -- i.e. because a concept is not &quot;real&quot; -- that meditation cannot lead to insight. And, by way of contrast, he says that the rise and fall of the abdomen &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; lead to insight because the abdomen (and its rise and fall) &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that -- the nature/reality of the meditation object -- the primary difference between meditation intended to achieve tranquility and that intended to achieve insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if so, how does that tally with Y's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8117/199&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8080/199&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;. There, he notes that the Visuddhimagga allows for insight to be achieved by scrutinising “mentality” (nāma). But how is mentality real while a concept is not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:59:31.963" Title="What determines whether a style of meditation can or cannot lead to insight?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|samatha|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:41:24.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism (Vissudhimagga, more specifically) distinguishes three &quot;trainings&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;morality training, which we'd today probably call &quot;personality development&quot; int the broad sense: that includes biological, psychological, social, relational, ethical arrangements which makes the next two steps possible.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration training (samatha) which leads to tranquility of mind, and is a prequisite for the next one (in some traditions concentration is trained simultaneously with vipassana, but is still conceptually dinstinct).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;insight training (vipassana) which leads to freedom from suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Drug obsession is a problem of the first training; get rid of that obsession using suitable means (&lt;strong&gt;I'd give +50 points to Jeff's answer, it is great&lt;/strong&gt;); they are designed for that -- by smart people who knew something about drugs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not designed for dealing with drugs; while it could theoretically help (since it cleanses craving in general), in practice one would not be able to handle the strain of suffering being brought up, since a relatively stable psychological basis is missing. Even MBSR will not let you in unless you are 1 year clean; and that is relatively light practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T18:41:24.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:47:56.723" Score="5" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;I’m not sure if this is a good question to ask but would be great if anyone could shed some lights.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Not sure if it’s just me or anyone of you experiencing the same in one way or another?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In workplace&lt;/strong&gt; – It’s relatively hard to have the Buddhism practice applied when dealing with your co-workers or your bosses. It seems like one needs a little bit of drama to climb the corporate ladder. If you failed to do that, you may very well be left behind the rat-race unless you are satisfied with the condition where you are at now, else you might need to do something to get there. There are couples of scenarios commonly seen in today’s workplace. For example :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i)How do you even cultivate the so-called “right speech” to your co-workers at a somewhat hostile meeting or even competitive environment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii)In workplace, there’s a constant need for you to show that you are go-getter, driven person. How do you actually incorporate the &lt;em&gt;not clinging to the desire&lt;/em&gt; for recognition or acknowledgement to a point where it’s considered acceptable in Buddhism context?&#xA;On one hand, you are trying to detach yourself from this desire but on the other, you just wanting to do a good job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;At home with family&lt;/strong&gt; – Are you actually generating bad karma if you are minimizing interaction with your parents/siblings/relatives?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Being away from home for couple of years, I find it pressurizing to go home even on an occasional basis. &#xA;But I do try my best to go home as often as I could cos deep down I knew, I’m still holding the duty as a daughter.&#xA;I knew my family misses me dearly and I can’t bear being in that emotional state. It’s like I’m opening up the chances of them having the desire for expecting me to be back again and again which is obviously not my intention here.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Also, there are times when conflicts and disagreements arise, I find myself in a position using all kinds of unkind words towards my family which I felt bad later on.  As much as I wanted to maintain good terms with them but it’s always seems like an energy-draining process and I gave up.  I simply gave up the notion of having a proper communication with them in order to get the message conveyed properly or at least to have myself understood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And I thought by minimizing the interactions with them could at least mitigate the continuation of unwholesome act and I thought I could repay them in another way such as sending money back or sponsoring them for trips and etc.&#xA;But part of me feels like I’m not fulfilling the duty as a daughter cos I failed to show gratitude to my parents/family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Society&lt;/strong&gt; – At times I find it hard to relate myself to non-Buddhist or to those free thinkers. It seems like we have different views and when you start speaking in a spiritual way, they turned judgemental to you or worse, they may think you are a weirdo or have issues and needs to be fixed. &#xA;I can’t deny that some people going into Buddhism as a way of looking for an answer, for some guidances in life perhaps. I guess my intentions are undeniably between both, also I took it quite seriously as some sort of guide for betterment of oneself.&#xA;But sadly, in this materialistic world today, the lay life are pretty ignorant with the essence of these valuable teaching.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;How do you actually pursue your spiritual path without offending others? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for my lengthy questions. =(&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T23:53:20.783" Title="Difficulties Maintaining Balance In Between Buddhism Teaching in Today’s Lives" Tags="|philosophy|karma|modern-world|lay-buddhism|reality|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8128" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T18:54:39.140" Score="2" ViewCount="62" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can insight into impermanence suffering and not-self be gained at any point in insight practice or do you have to go through all 7 purifications of insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:50:15.770" Title="Can insight be gained at any point in insight meditation, or do you have to go through all 7 purifications of insight?" Tags="|insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8129" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-13T20:19:18.187" Score="0" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like say that someone gets cancer which is caused by karma. Now is that cancer staying on that person also sustained by karma, so that if the karma ran out then they would lose the cancer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or someone wins the lottery, is them having that money also sustained by karma so that if the karma was depleted they would lose the money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When something bad happens does it go away when the karma causing it is depleted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the effect sustained by the initial karma or is the effect sustained by other karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as a karma runs out are you free from its effects or can other karma continue it effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorUserId="4821" LastEditDate="2015-03-13T21:29:12.707" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T06:17:37.647" Title="Is the continuous effect of karma also sustained by karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8128" CreationDate="2015-03-13T21:22:14.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some insight into 3 characteristics is gained at every stage, though the depth (and thus the transformative power) of this insight is different, and also type of objects in which 3c are seen are different as one moves through the stages of insight. One goes forward through the stages by understanding more and more of 3c.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T22:01:02.703" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T22:01:02.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-03-13T22:01:30.573" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;i recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parallax.org/the-heart-of-the-buddhas-teaching-transforming-suffering-into-peace-joy-liberation/&quot;&gt;&quot;The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Good luck on your journey,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T22:01:30.573" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8123" CreationDate="2015-03-13T22:58:22.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It does feel like big corporations are somehow less ethical but I suspect it's related to complexity. In a smaller company it's relatively easy to understand whats going on and where the ethical grey areas may or may not be. I work in a company of 30 people so I've a reasonably good idea what we are up to and if there are any major ethical concerns. However in a bigger company all manner of things can and will be going on. Your department may be perfectly ethical but another department might be selling arms to unsavoury regimes. The office 50 miles away might have real issues about work place bullying. The executive board might be engaging in large scale tax evasion. In a big company there are a lot of conditions in play, lot of things going on, lots of places to hide. There is bound to be good and bad there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in reality we are all affected by each other. A small company has suppliers - what are they up to? A small company invests in pensions - is it ethically investing? A small company still has an environmental footprint - is it excessively flying its people to other countries? The more we think about ourselves and others, the more these issues will come up. I think we are living in a golden age for Buddhist practice (controversial I know) but I do think that our livelihood is one of the areas that is more difficult for us in the modern world. But we still need to consider this kind of issue - exactly as you are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've a personal preference for working for smaller companies but I'm not sure that it's because of right livelihood and general ethical concerns. It might be just my ego playing out - preferring to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-13T22:58:22.620" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8125" CreationDate="2015-03-14T02:44:19.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tranquility meditation requires focus on a concept&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tranquility meditation such as Metta or Recollections of the Qualities of the Buddha are based or expanded on concepts.Tranquility meditation using the breath is based on the &quot;real&quot; &quot; physical&quot; &quot; direct&quot; sensation of &quot; **touch ** &quot; in the nostrils.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the reality of the meditation object the primary difference between meditation intended for tranquility and intended for insight&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you'd want to choose a meditation object that you can concentrate on. The more  real the better. The more solid (rupa) the better.You need concentration to develop insight.So the 'realness' of the meditation object is not the &quot;difference&quot; between tranquility and insight but is in the best interest of both meditation practices.So my answer is no.Meditation objects are not the primary difference between tranquility and insight its the meditation technique one uses on them that  differentiates the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is mentality real while a concept is not?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forgive me.I don't know how to explain this but ill give an example: Loving kindness is a concept.Sukha and piti are nama.Nama are like the actual real mental qualities that arises in our mind and concepts is almost like a label we give to the combined mental factors.Since insight deals with seeing things clearly it sees straight through concepts and deals directly with Nama and rupa.Tranquility however doesn't have to break the concepts into nama.it just has to stay with it for however long it lasts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T12:15:47.367" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T12:15:47.367" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8136" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8595" CreationDate="2015-03-14T03:45:37.050" Score="3" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which schools/lineages in Buddhism give importance to the cultivation of Jhanas before entering Vipassana, and which schools focus entirely on Vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T09:19:54.820" Title="Which Buddhist schools give importance to cultivation of Jhanas?" Tags="|vipassana|jhana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8137" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T08:15:11.057" Score="1" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just reread Bachelor's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.stephenbatchelor.org/index.php/en/verses-from-the-center&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;translation of MMK&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It struck me that the argument against causation was that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A cause has no essence in addition to what it is, else it would not be the final cause. But it must have an essence if it is to be active for more than a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So everything is radically impermanent: and nothing exists long enough to be born and then cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so everything that is born and ceases is empty, it is not a final cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any conditioned entity is then a mere conventional designation, something which can be identified in a better way (and on forever) and so is always incorrectly identified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I was reading about Sautrantika-Yogacara, and the idea that &quot;existents&quot; which aren't unique particulars aren't causally real. This to me seems wrong, I think we can eliminate the unique particulars from a theory and be left with something which is grounded in the particulars' causal properties. This is what some scientific realists do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming it true that there can be causation without causes, then is there any way to argue that the sentences of science, with their unique particulars eliminated, are not conceptually constructed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps because only those particulars are as such, and so empty; and our ideas about the rest of the world can be grounded in them, without that structure being thereby empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T08:22:08.733" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T21:27:18.923" Title="Causation without causes" Tags="|philosophy|science|nagarjuna|causes|emptiness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8138" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T10:45:58.333" Score="1" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;Allow me to take you on a little detour through Heidegger?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He claims that &quot;my death&quot; is inalienably mine: that no one can die my death for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this means that &quot;my death&quot; never arrives... That may sound weird, but if we view death as a complete extinction of the &quot;person&quot; or whatever makes them up, then the empirical instant that death begins necessarily goes unnoticed - as in I can have no cognition of &quot;my death&quot; or by proxy the time it occurs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;i.e.&lt;/strong&gt; It cannot be said that the event of my death is in any way only empircally real for me (because such a quality would never arrive): but who else dies for me? Which of course &lt;em&gt;isn't very Buddhist&lt;/em&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it does make me wonder if a similar thing can be said about nirvanic extinction? Or is the true self of a Buddha his or her nirvana, such that it can be said the Buddha is no more, just not that he or she reached it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T09:47:03.327" Title="Whose nirvana is it anyway?" Tags="|nirvana|buddhas|death|western-philosophy|final-nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8139" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T10:53:36.507" Score="9" ViewCount="457" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed that there are perhaps two main different approaches to experiences/sensations in vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of them (e.g. Mahasi Sayadaw) describes experiences/sensations through words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Kenneth Folk, Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu: pick a word that describes the experience accurately&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other (e.g. Goenka) asks to focus entirely on the experience/sensations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Goenka: Feel the sensation. Not visualize, not name it, but feel it. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the retreats of Goenka, in one evening talk, he explicitly says that there is a misunderstanding. That is, the Buddha meant not to name experiences/sensations but to feel them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the questions are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;how relevant is this difference?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any relevant consequence/effect/repercusion on our progress if we decide, say, to describe with words rather than focusing on the experience, or the otherway around?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers with references are strongly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="36" LastEditorUserId="36" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T11:09:30.057" LastActivityDate="2018-06-15T10:24:05.787" Title="On Vipassana: Focus on feeling sensations VS Focus on describing sensations through words" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8137" CreationDate="2015-03-14T13:13:50.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Enlightened One taught that there is no cause or &quot;creator&quot; that was eternal or has immortality, such as; a soul or supreme being that was empirically knowable. The Buddha taught that there was causal conditions that are observable in the material world of form and in the conscious dispositionally conditioned state (samskrta). Simply put, the Buddha did not teach eternalism or annihilationism but that everything/everyone is streaming headlong towards becoming.  Perhaps an example might be useful.  A plant seed does not have an inherent cause within it.  It cannot become a tree in and of it's own.  The potentiality might be there but the tree is not evident.  The seed will not germinate without other causal factors; soil, water, temperature, atmosphere, and etc.  It is the causal conditions of these all these things that then cause the seed to germinate.  Once the seed has germinated, we now have the sprout.  Where did the seed go?  And, we no longer conceptualize the seed but the sprout.  Eventually, we may or may not have a tree because there are other factors (causal conditions) that may effect the tree's growth and longevity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Even emptiness is empty of a state of a substantiality. Dependent arising is not a string of &quot;moments&quot; but a continuous flow of becoming.  If you are looking for a metaphysical cause ( &quot;a final cause&quot; , a &quot;forever&quot; something) that, is simply not evident.  What the Buddha taught was the means to end the general dissatisfaction we have with life and not a metaphysical philosophy. Nibbana is that liberation from dissatisfaction.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T13:13:50.580" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8141" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T13:41:02.083" Score="1" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is a question that emerged from a previous discussion, but here I would like to focus on this story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the background story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Venerable Sir, is the wife of the hunter who is a sotapanna, also not guilty of taking life, if she has been getting things like nets, bows and arrows for her husband when he goes out hunting?&quot; To this question the Buddha answered, &quot;Bhikkhus, the sotapannas do not kill, they do not wish others to get killed. The wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for him. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so also, because she has no intention to do evil she is not doing any evil.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: Does it mean that if you work for a company that sells weapons or intoxicants and you do not directly sell or produce it, you also had no opportunity to find another job (it is what you got to pay your bills), you are blameless like the wife of the hunter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T16:12:36.663" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:10:39.263" Title="Question on Dhammapada 124" Tags="|ethics|dhammapada|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8142" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8207" CreationDate="2015-03-14T14:49:09.020" Score="2" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is absent-mindedness, the opposite of Mindfulness? If someone forgets to buy grocery on the way home despite having planned, does it necessarily mean he is very less mindful? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do these qualities somehow affect each other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, Is there a way to notice in practical aspects of life how mindful someone is? If some one is sharp, is he necessarily mindful? If contemplative? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does any out worldly character indicate mindful nature or the lack there of?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4837" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:21:47.757" Title="Understanding Mindfulness through outwardly qualities" Tags="|mindfulness|sati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8143" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T15:05:25.400" Score="1" ViewCount="69" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am given to understand deep mental suffering can inflict physical ailments. (very understandable.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically harbouring certain kinds of negative mental constructs, for extended periods of time, leads to certain kinds of ailments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any such contexts in the Buddha's teachings that point out, categorise these?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4837" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:22:57.140" Title="Understanding Psychosomatic ailments" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8138" CreationDate="2015-03-14T15:15:32.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a buddhist point of view, i think the question is flawed already from the beginning by assuming that there exists a &quot;self or person&quot; by using the words &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;whose nirvana, my death, person, his or her nirvana&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By using these words it is implied that a self exists which it do not. There exist a physical and a mental stream and nowhere is there a self to be found. A self is not even needed in the equation. Things work just fine without the need for a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try to search for this self by either using the &lt;em&gt;method of analysis&lt;/em&gt; where you break things up into the constituent parts and look at them you will not find a self anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you use the &lt;em&gt;method of synthesis&lt;/em&gt; by looking at things in a relational/interdependent way by using &lt;em&gt;the doctrine of dependent origination&lt;/em&gt; you will also not find a self anywhere. Why? Because according to dependent origination things only exist as a part/reflection of other things. Therefore no real self can be found. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The false idea of a self arises when the 5 aggregates work together as a physio-psychological machine. The false idea of a self is really just one of the 52 mental formations belonging to the 4th aggreate and all the aggregates are subject to the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This is said by Dr. Walpola Rahula on p. 18 in his book &lt;em&gt;&quot;What The Buddha Taught&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in order to answer your question i would say that you should take out the aforementioned words and then you have your answer which is that &lt;strong&gt;no &quot;self or person&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; achieves nibbana. Assuming that a &quot;self or person&quot; exists is not refering to &lt;em&gt;ultimate reality - paramattha sacca&lt;/em&gt;. Instead you are dealing with concepts which is not real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T15:25:45.683" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T15:25:45.683" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8141" CreationDate="2015-03-14T15:40:21.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you answer your own question by using this story. Let me take out the answer from the story;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so also, because she has no &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; to do evil she is not doing any evil ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intention&lt;/strong&gt; is the keyword here. If you do not have any unwholesome intentions then you have done nothing wrong. There is another Dhammapada story in which this is clearly stated by the Buddha. This is the story about the blind monk Cakkhupala, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/dhammapadatxt1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dmp. verse 1, p. 59&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short the story goes that one night Cakkhupala was doing walking meditation and accidently stepped on and killed a bunch of insects that were covering the path where he did walking meditation. He did not know about it. The next day some other monks came to see Cakkhupala to receive teachings from him. They saw all the dead insects and became angry about it. They then went to the Buddha and asked him how that a monk could do something like that. The Buddha then told this verse. He said that because Cakkhupala had no intentions of killing the insects he had done nothing wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I gave here only a brief part of the story. You should go look it up yourself and read the full story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:10:39.263" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:10:39.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8142" CreationDate="2015-03-14T15:56:12.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest for you the video; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WayL9-OtG94&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vigilance - The Heart of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Yuttadhammo. In here it is talked about mindfulness and the importance of it and also what charateristics a mindful person have. For example it is told why old monks still look radiant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-15T17:44:45.353" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T17:44:45.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8125" CreationDate="2015-03-14T16:49:58.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Supposing you thought of a coloured-disc - then, the disc is not real - simply because you don't experience a disc - what you experience maybe one or more of the following(one after the other): perception of colour, perception of shape, perception of any of the four elements, mind-consciousness, pleasant/unpleasant/neutral feeling etc - and the above are all namas - that's what you experience, and that's what is real - You do not experience a &quot;disc&quot; - hence it is not real.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      Now, when it comes to Samatha Meditation - As far as I can see you choose a particular concept - and stabilize it in your mind - to access jhanas and so on.&#xA;      As far as I can tell - the difference isn't really in the object but how you use it - for example - you take up a coloured-disc in your mind and then analyse the three characteristics of  the namas (their impermanence, non-self and suffering) - and that would be vipassana instead of the usual samatha it is used for - but it seems, as Yuttadhammo mentioned somewhere on this site - that some objects of meditation are far better suited for samatha and some others for vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="801" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T16:49:58.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7708" CreationDate="2015-03-14T17:44:42.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sure the brain sciences can greatly accelerate/enhance the process of &quot;enlightenement&quot; or &quot;awakening&quot;, inducing certain heightened states of mind/consciousness that would make the rest of the process easier/more efficient to perfect/attain. It could make meditation somewhat redundant in the near future i.e. Jhanic states could be induced by Deep-Brain-Stimulation OR some neurohacking tech can make it easier for you to meditate/enter Jhanas (by enhancing prefrontal cortex function maybe), and this may make it much faster to cultivate the positive qualities normally attributed to enlightened/awakened beings as well (i.e. enhanced sense of morality, equipoise, refined charisma/speech and inter-relations with others, unlimited compassion, and so on, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Future neurotech (another hypothetical device is the &quot;Exocortex&quot;) could also enhance greater access to subconscious processes, attaining greater number of deep creative insights and solutions to problems in the real world, enhanced memory and other cognitive functions. Hypothetically we could become &quot;even more enlightened&quot; - surpassing the Buddha's own mind in many ways we never dreamed possible in his day or even today. There's still so much more to explore and we should not impose limitations based on old ancient tradition and outdated belief systems/dogma, etc. Ultimately we should even go beyond the Buddha himself, and not attach ourselves to any one teacher. We should strive to become &quot;a light unto ourselves&quot; as the Buddha posited. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seek the middle path- not the extremes of spiritual attachment or the extremes of material attachment. Applying scientific method to unlocking the secrets of the mind, guided with sound rationality, skepticism, and logic, coupled with genuine curiosity for discovery and deep observation into the various states of subjective experience, unhindered by immediate bias and dismissal or imposed fixated beliefs/views, and willingness for continuous experimentation and making modifications/alterations, pushing our notions beyond the edge of what's possible and challenging our notions of reality and what we currently believe to be true, will be the key to progress of understanding the nature of the mind, and enhancing our relationship with reality. This could be the ultimate form of &quot;spirituality&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the future enlightened beings would be neuroscientists, neuroengineers, neurohackers, and the likes, and in far greater numbers than at any other point in history. And they would greatly accelerate and enhance scientific and technological contributions, progress, discovery, and implementation, that will help mankind and all living beings and the health of the planet, with much more efficiency and efficacy than ever before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4839" LastEditorUserId="4839" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T17:58:08.413" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T17:58:08.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8149" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T18:02:01.313" Score="6" ViewCount="201" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it the actual sight, sound, smell, taste, tactile sensation, idea, or the feeling based on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T16:30:38.590" Title="What is the feeling-clinging aggregate?" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8150" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T18:18:15.203" Score="3" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you gain stream entry by focusing on the links in dependent co-arising &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddha says this: &quot;And what is the noble method that is rightly seen and rightly ferreted out by discernment? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones notices:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;When this is, that is.&#xA;From the arising of this comes the arising of that.&#xA;When this isn't, that isn't.&#xA;From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.&quot; &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reference to dependent co-arising, but I wonder whether it's actually a method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:48:34.890" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:48:34.890" Title="Can stream entry be reached by focusing on the links in dependent co-arising" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8149" CreationDate="2015-03-14T18:29:47.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, &quot;Monks, there are these five clinging-aggregates. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling as a clinging-aggregate, perception as a clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a clinging-aggregate, consciousness as an a clinging-aggregate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is feeling? These six classes of feeling — feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of intellect-contact: this is called feeling.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.056.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.56&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, O monks, these three feelings: pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.001.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 36.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whatever feeling is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: That is called the feeling aggregate.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.48&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T18:29:47.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8125" CreationDate="2015-03-14T19:13:08.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tranquility meditation is a method, and it has nothing to do with an object.  Tranquility meditation can easily use the rising and falling of the abdomen as an object, just like insight meditation can easily use a concept as its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I can see conceptualization itself being an issue, but again, that's nothing to do with tranquility or insight.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T19:13:08.100" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8139" CreationDate="2015-03-14T19:28:26.350" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Texts are all over the place about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, one school of thought criticizes our tendency to conceptualize our experience, at the expense of actually experiencing the thing -- and says this is us sleep-walking through life (the dream is the conceptual template we overlay on experience).  For instance, I encounter a tree, think &quot;this is a tree&quot; and never actually see the thing before me.  This would seem to imply that labeling during mindfulness is a repetition of this mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another school of thought sees the labeling as a way to step outside of the experience, to not get sucked into it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So who is right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue here is not getting pulled in by attachment and habitual reactions.  While these are a function of conceptualization, they are a function of a specific type of conceptualization.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, if someone does something I dislike, and I conceptualize this person as a &quot;jerk&quot;, I likely have a strong reaction to this, and am falling into the same attachment (aversions) that have caused me so much pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if I experience a reaction of aversion towards the way this person treated me, but start labeling the components my experience as Skhandas, then I'm effectively deconstructing the experience and undermining attachment in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other other hand, if I watch the experience as it is, then I can be with the sensations without the problematic concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So really, there is no right or wrong answer; the key is whether your technique takes you out of the conceptual trap that keeps you attached to the phenomena or reinforces it.  In this case, it's about fighting fire with fire (concepts with concepts) or fire with water (concepts with bare sensations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The upshot is that you don't have the luxury of treating anyone as an authority, but have to see how you respond, and decide on the most effective method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T19:35:26.733" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T19:35:26.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8138" CreationDate="2015-03-14T19:53:20.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't look at it that way; look at it as the extinction of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that Buddhism is dealing with the ineffable, so any attempt to define these phenomena will be imperfect at best and a disaster at worst.  Unfortunately, people have felt compelled to add details and in the process... well, your question is a classic example of the kinds of illusory problems people face.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, you're obviously going to gain something out of Buddhism, otherwise why practice?  If someone came to me, said that my finances were a wreck, but if I worked an extra job, someone ELSE would improve their finances, I wouldn't waste my time. So why is it different with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't.  However, the problem is that there are two different definitions of &quot;self&quot; that are being used in discourse, and it's not always clear which definition is in use.  Thus semantic confusion reigns, creating illusory problems out of thin air -- nonsensical, utterly unimportant problems that prevent you from doing what Buddhism teaches you to do -- PRACTICE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One &quot;self&quot; is raw consciousness.  If you stub your toe, you will feel it.  In that sense, that you does and will continue to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other &quot;self&quot; is the bundle of concepts that you identify with, the history and attributes that you think define &quot;you&quot;.  It's that you that won't exist and that's the source of your suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Confusing the issue is the fact that the experience of the first kind of self's experiences can be transformed by one's conceptual filter (it's amazing how our perceptions are shaped by concepts), so that even that self -- while not vanishing -- also seems to be transformed.  That stubbed toe that hurts may involve a lot more conceptualizations in the &quot;physical pain&quot; than you may think.  This means that this first type of self would still feel the stubbed toe, but may not feel the pain of the stubbed toe, given how much of that pain is really conceptualization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does your head hurt yet?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A classic saying is &quot;there is suffering, but none who suffers&quot;.  On the surface, it seems to almost be a claim that suffering is a purely impersonal phenomena.  In a way it is, but in a way it isn't.  There's experiences that make up suffering, but it's those experiences when conceptualized with respect to the illusory (second type of) self turn those experiences into suffering.  Which means there really is no suffering until we actually believe there is one who suffers (curiously circular, no?) so by eliminating the one who suffers, we eliminate suffering or the suffering of the one who suffered, who actually doesn't really exist, but does in a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, NOW does your head hurt?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the thing; when we run into so many difficulties that half our time is spent trying to duct tape the holes in our conceptual edifice, it's a sign that we are thinking about the problem in a fundamentally wrong way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism itself seemed to notice this and in (what I take) to be a rare moment of lucid self-criticism, it offered the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/The-Fetter-Of-Views.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fetters of Views&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parable of the Poison Arrow&lt;/a&gt; teachings.  The idea is to avoid the temptation to conceptualize and instead practice.  If things get better, don't over-think it. Just do what works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T19:59:54.540" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T19:59:54.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8156" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-14T21:05:50.227" Score="3" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like can  you gain insight into the four  noble truths by contemplating them? In this sutta the Buddha says that &quot;your duty is the contemplation&quot;  and then goes into the four noble truths &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:45:15.570" Title="Can contemplation of the four noble truths lead to penetration of them?" Tags="|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8129" CreationDate="2015-03-14T21:26:06.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is extremely difficult to understand because in every situation there are numerous karmas working at the same time and also numerous circumstances affecting the result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some way you can compare the complexity of karma with the complexity of gravity.  Every single atom in the universe is subject to the influence of gravity from every other atom in the universe. Of course the closer they are the more influence they will have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In karma, the strongest karma will have the strongest effect in the outcome, but other karmas will also have an effect. Only an enlightened being can fully understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example you may have the karma to be born as an animal and also have the karma to have a live free of suffering, then you can be born as a pet of a very rich family that will take the best care of you.  Or you can have the karma to be born as a human being and also have the karma to have a live of suffering, and then you can be born in a violent and poor country and experience a lot of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma, understood as “cause”, can only have a limited “effect”. There is no such karma with unlimited effect.  Once the effect of a karma has mature, it won´t happen again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I like the definition that good karma is everything that helps you get closer to enlighten while bad karma is everything that moves you away from enlighten. Winning the lottery or getting cancer are neither good nor bad karma per se. If winning the lottery distracts you from your spiritual practice, makes you forget about the beings suffering around you and males you pride, then it is bad karma.  While if getting cancer makes you think about the suffering of others, opens your heart and makes you a more patient and considered person with the people around you, it is good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also say that good karma is what allows you to learn from every situation and makes you grow, regardless of what that situation is.  Bad karma is what makes you react is such a way that it will hurt your spiritual development, regardless of what the situation is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The advice would be not to worry so much about what happens to you, worry about your response to those challenges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3645" LastEditorUserId="3645" LastEditDate="2015-03-14T22:35:49.130" LastActivityDate="2015-03-14T22:35:49.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8159" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8164" CreationDate="2015-03-15T06:16:53.533" Score="5" ViewCount="1902" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am battling with understanding the concept of the middle path. Having read the many articles available, the concept escapes me especially with a view of self and no-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that in Buddhism neither is where you want to be as it is an extreme. There must be balance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i work with an example, it leaves me nowhere. I do not see the middle path. If i have a weapon pointed to my head, i only see 2 outcomes. Death or survival. If i take the view of self, i would fear the outcome. If i take the view of no-self, i realize all is impermanent and have no fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is the middle path in this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, what roles do intent and motivation play? For example, given the same example, if i am motivated to survive, is that not a play on self? If i have no intention of survival, is that not a play on no-self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, where is the middle path in this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-15T21:05:53.750" LastActivityDate="2022-08-26T13:52:32.030" Title="Buddhism and the middle path" Tags="|philosophy|middle-way|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8129" CreationDate="2015-03-15T06:17:37.647" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the precise working out of the result of karma is not to be conjectured about, otherwise it will bring madness and vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not&#xA;  to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone&#xA;  who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T06:17:37.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8078" CreationDate="2015-03-15T06:18:43.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the precise working out of the result of karma is not to be conjectured about, otherwise it will bring madness and vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not&#xA;  to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone&#xA;  who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T06:18:43.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2015-03-15T06:34:22.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer comes in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (although this quote comes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html#theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). Basically we cannot say that you are paying for your sins, nor that nobody is paying for the sins, as both views take the extreme ends of annihilationism and eternalism. Instead, we should approach it from the perspective of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, when the Buddha was asked by the naked ascetic Kassapa whether&#xA;  suffering was of one's own making or of another's or both or neither,&#xA;  the Buddha replied &quot;Do not put it like that.&quot; When asked whether there&#xA;  was no suffering or whether the Buddha neither knew nor saw it, the&#xA;  Buddha replied that there was, and that he both knew and saw it. He&#xA;  then said &quot;Kassapa, if one asserts that 'He who makes (it) feels (it):&#xA;  being one existent from the beginning, his suffering is of his own&#xA;  making,' then one arrives at eternalism. But if one asserts that one&#xA;  makes (it), another feels (it); being one existent crushed out by&#xA;  feeling, his suffering is of another's making,' then one arrives at&#xA;  annihilationism. Instead of resorting to either extreme a Tathaagata&#xA;  teaches the Dhamma by the middle way (by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;)&quot;&#xA;  (S. XII, 17/vol. ii, 20).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T06:34:22.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8163" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-15T07:24:33.790" Score="0" ViewCount="2846" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. In Buddhism, does black magic, magic spell exist? If it is, what's our belief system should be when we are taught to treat all with loving kindness?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Often Black magic is not only concerned with negative, evil, demons, or bad things. Black magic spells and amulets can also be used for good, protection and as many other uses as there are human needs and desires.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Thailand being the predominately a Buddhist country, but this tends to be mixed with older animistic beliefs and some of them also have a strong belief in powerful supernatural entities.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Thailand is indeed one of the top tourist spot but some people also avoid going due to the fear of all these.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I for one, love Thailand a lot and been there many times but often curious about all this and at times confused.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I have read somewhere, some of the the top Monks in Thailand are that spiritually powerful to perform all these.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;2. Supposingly all these exist, what's the odd of being the target apart from jealousy?Supposingly if you are very much enlightened and practice meditation vigorously, does this make you any less of being the target?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As some of the victims can be severely disturbed emotionally and in some cases it might even lead to death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2019-06-22T09:01:57.643" Title="Modernity and black magic can coexist?" Tags="|karma|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8159" CreationDate="2015-03-15T07:35:41.320" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The middle path is not that which is in between two paths, rather it is usually a different path that does not take extreme viewpoints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One definition of the middle path comes in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha defines the middle path in terms of practice. Here, one takes neither the path of enjoying sensual pleasures in a nihilistic and hedonistic way, nor self-mortification through extreme asceticism. Instead, comes the Noble Eightfold Path, which really isn't about allowing or prohibiting sensual pleasures but covers much more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another definition of the middle path comes in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  where the Buddha defines the middle path in terms of philosophy. Here, one neither takes viewpoints of eternalism (there is an eternal self) nor annihilationism (there is no self at all and no existence), but rather takes a very different viewpoint, which is of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This idea is also similar to what is described as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;false dilemma&lt;/a&gt; in western philosophy, where you think that the solution must either be black or white, and nothing else. In reality, there could be more solutions than simply two extreme viewpoints. Wikipedia has the example of &quot;either you are for, or against us&quot;. In reality, you could take other stands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. in your example, you think you have two choices - either not defend yourself and take the bullet, or defend yourself and maybe even kill the attacker. But there could be a different solution, e.g. you could try to &lt;strong&gt;negotiate with the attacker and try to convince him that he could do better than to commit murder&lt;/strong&gt;. In this way, you could actually help your attacker by providing him with the means to reform and improve himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And by the way, the Buddha doesn't teach that there is no self. A self definitely exists. It is just that the self is not permanent or absolute, and arises due to the inter-working of the senses, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness. Anatta means &quot;not self&quot; (not &quot;no self&quot;) as in &quot;all phenomena is not self&quot;. This again lies in the middle path (of dependent origination), rather than taking the extreme views (there is an eternal self vs. there is absolutely no self and no existence). I discuss this also in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7989/471&quot;&gt;another answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mistaken view is that because there is no self, it is ok to allow the attacker to kill you without any other alternatives. This is based on the extreme view of annihilationism, which is mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T12:12:59.817" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8166" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-15T09:57:16.413" Score="2" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry it may be a little off topic, does anyone here know anywhere in Thailand or Sri Lanka where Dana is being carried out? Preferably central area, more accessible.&#xA;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T18:03:01.853" Title="Dana in Thailand or Sri Lanka" Tags="|dana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8159" CreationDate="2015-03-15T10:14:52.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;h3&gt;I am battling with understanding the concept of the middle path.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/254&quot;&gt;ruben2020's answer&lt;/a&gt;, including with the statement that the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta has the original/classic way in which the phrase &quot;middle way&quot; is used. The same dilemma (i.e. the same two, specific extremes) is described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search&lt;/a&gt;, in which the two extremes are described as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;living luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;performance of austerities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither of those extremes were conducive to the Buddha's enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Having read the many articles available, the concept escapes me especially with a view of self and no-self. My understanding is that in Buddhism neither is where you want to be as it is an extreme. There must be balance.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would you think of advice such as, &quot;Try not to be too selfish?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be pretty radical advice but at least in theory I think not too difficult to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are supposed to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three aspects to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Virtue/behaviour aka &lt;em&gt;sīla&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind/concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom/views&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of virtuous behaviour is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dāna&lt;/em&gt; (generosity)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sila is sometimes seen as a basis or foundation, e.g. without practicing enough virtue you can't concentrate or find peace in meditation, and can't find wisdom or have 'right view' i.e. see things properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something else that might bring 'balance'; there are rules (aka 'precepts') of virtue &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla#Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or for example here is what &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;129.&lt;/strong&gt; All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;130.&lt;/strong&gt; All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;131.&lt;/strong&gt; One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness&#xA;  hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;132.&lt;/strong&gt; One who, while himself seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness&#xA;  hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that &lt;em&gt;you should be as non-violent towards yourself&lt;/em&gt; as you are towards other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Might that result in 'balance'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;If i work with an example, it leaves me nowhere. I do not see the middle path. If i have a weapon pointed to my head, i only see 2 outcomes. Death or survival. If i take the view of self, i would fear the outcome. If i take the view of no-self, i realize all is impermanent and have no fear.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see several possible ways to reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You're thinking &quot;If&quot; but you presumably don't in fact have a weapon pointed to your head. That idea of a weapon is no more than a fantasy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha said that that there various questions which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;he wasn't going to answer&lt;/a&gt; ... and that not-answering is because his intention is to teach liberation from dukkha; however questions about the self lead towards &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a thicket of views&lt;/a&gt; and not away from dukkha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the skhandas are fairly impermanent: each thought is here one second, and gone the next.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saying that the self does or doesn't exist might be wrong, in the same way as saying that a tree does or doesn't exist might be wrong. More correct might be to say that it exists, but it's impermanent, and it's conditioned (not independent), also that it's a mental construct (who says exactly where the boundaries of 'tree' or 'self' are, where do they begin and end). Another way of putting it is that things exist but their existence is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;empty (suññatā)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are other emotions/emotions which you can (or should) cultivate, other than fear and no-fear: including &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity, loving-kindness, etc.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Secondly, what roles do intent and motivation play?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe a large role: because &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intention is related to karma&lt;/a&gt; or karma is driven by intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However karma is a complicated and/or confused subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T10:14:52.900" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8163" CreationDate="2015-03-15T11:12:29.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your really afraid of black magic in Thailand remember,if you don't bear any ill will it &quot;bounces&quot; back to the owner.In other words if your a good person or virtuous someone's ill will can not harm you.Not even a powerful nature spirit can harm you if your heart is pure.A virtuous person is respected by other beings.Take refuge in your virtue.Your sila gives you the confidence to stand up and face hostility   because your blameless.Your whole.I advice that you recite the Paritta Protection Book.And do a lot of metta practice.If someone is going through great lengths to spread and concentrate I'll will on you.You should be doing the opposite.For hatred can only be overcome by love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-03-15T11:21:29.470" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T11:21:29.470" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8156" CreationDate="2015-03-15T11:40:50.213" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contemplate here doesn't mean thinking about it intellectually. Sure we all have to think about it first but real insight happens when you realise it through direct experience.You have to experience the four noble truth not churn it through your head back and forth trying to get a sense of it.This is like contemplating how a mango tastes a hundred times Instead of just picking up the fruit and tasting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T11:40:50.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8142" CreationDate="2015-03-15T11:56:46.250" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what you mean about outward quality.So forgive me if I got it wrong.I think being mindful is not the same as remembering your groceries.I can be completely mindful of walking but as long as the thought of grocery doesn't arise I won't remember it.So its more about remembering to stay in the present moment.Also outward characters that shows mindfulness probably Introversion or quiet people since they are not scattering their attention through excessive talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T11:56:46.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8163" CreationDate="2015-03-15T13:45:57.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TL;DR version:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's possible to protect oneself using the foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana), virtues (sila) and by not having bad intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the general idea is that through these, one would generate good karma that takes one away from falling to black magic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long version:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a discussion on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/bl034.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;protection through Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Nyanaponika where he quotes SN 19:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the right way,&quot; said the Blessed One and spoke further as&#xA;  follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is just as the apprentice said: 'I shall protect myself' — in that&#xA;  way the foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana) should be practiced.&#xA;  'I shall protect others' — in that way the foundations of mindfulness&#xA;  should be practiced. Protecting oneself, one protects others;&#xA;  protecting others, one protects oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does one, in protecting oneself, protect others? By the&#xA;  repeated and frequent practice of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does one, in protecting others, protect oneself? By patience&#xA;  and forbearance, by a non-violent and harmless life, by loving&#xA;  kindness and compassion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Atta-rakkhita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, there is discussion on self-protection through virtues (sila):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  misconduct leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron of&#xA;  elephant troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a&#xA;  squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might&#xA;  protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that?&#xA;  Because that's an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore&#xA;  they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily&#xA;  conduct, good verbal conduct, &amp;amp; good mental conduct have themselves&#xA;  protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a&#xA;  squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a&#xA;  squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they have&#xA;  themselves protected. Why is that? Because that's an internal&#xA;  protection, not an external one. Therefore they have themselves&#xA;  protected.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally protection through not having bad intentions in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 124&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The bhikkhus then asked the Buddha, &quot;Venerable Sir, is the wife of the&#xA;  hunter who is a sotapanna, also not guilty of taking life, if she has&#xA;  been getting things like nets, bows and arrows for her husband when he&#xA;  goes out hunting?&quot; To this question the Buddha answered, &quot;Bhikkhus,&#xA;  the sotapannas do not kill, they do not wish others to get killed. The&#xA;  wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for&#xA;  him. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so&#xA;  also, because she has no intention to do evil she is not doing any&#xA;  evil.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is no&#xA;  wound on the hand, one may handle poison; poison does not affect one&#xA;  who has no wound; there can be no evil for one who has no evil&#xA;  intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T01:37:25.860" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T01:37:25.860" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8166" CreationDate="2015-03-15T14:07:54.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, if you are a layman looking for free food, come to Sri Lanka during the Vesak or Poson full moon poya days. You will find many free food outlets. Usually you can get rice &amp;amp; curry, noodles, sandwiches, ice cream, various beverages etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a monk, you can go on alms round on any day. You will be offered food in most cities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're actually looking to do the dana offering to monks, just go to any temple and make your wishes known to the head monk: they will give you a date. Alternately, you can go near monasteries like Meethirigala and try to catch a monk who's going on alms round. Here's a recording I did in January: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCudZFi-rOQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pindapathe on Election Day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-15T18:03:01.853" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T18:03:01.853" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8156" CreationDate="2015-03-15T14:58:19.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another way to look at it is when looking at theoretical physics and experimental physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a scientist for example. He has a theory about e.g. gravity. Its only a theory on the drawing board. He contemplates it thoroughly and does his calculations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Will he get insight into how reality functions?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No he will not. Why? Because he has not testet his theory on reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then lets take it a step further. Lets say that this scientist now wants to test his theory in practice. He now conducts an experiment in reality where he tests this gravity theory. He then gets his results and see that part of his theory was correct and the other part was not in line with reality. He can now reevaluate his theory and make it more precise and then go test it again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Has he now gotten insight into how reality functions?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes he has. That is the difference between theoretical, intellectual, &quot;book&quot; knowledge AND experiental knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is helpful to think and contemplate but know the limits of the intellect. It is helpful to try to grapple with these concepts intellectually but that is it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only contemplating is like reading a restaurant menu and knowing all the food but never actually ordering it and tasting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or like planning a trip but never actually making the trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation can only get you so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight into the 4 noble truths and how reality functions is achieved by looking. By observing mindfully. By doing insight meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-15T15:04:27.730" LastActivityDate="2015-03-15T15:04:27.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8176" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-15T20:46:58.637" Score="1" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;This philosophical treatment of &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nagarjuna/#Cau&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nagarjuna by Westerhoff&lt;/a&gt; talks about how a cause depends on its effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this point is a stumbling block for me but in my philosophical interpretations of Buddhism &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; of life and death per se.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three different ways in which we can make sense of&#xA;  Nāgārjuna's assertion that the cause depends existentially on the&#xA;  effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then proceeds to argue about them (which I cannot make complete sense of).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the idea that a conditioned cause must be conditioned by its effect, in the sense of having it as a part?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T08:07:56.397" Title="How does cause depend on its effect?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|causes|conditionality|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2015-03-16T00:25:46.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Communism is taken to mean a lot of different things, but at its essential core is simply the notion that the means of production -- i.e. land, factories, and so on -- should be collectively, not privately, owned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, Buddhism is compatible with Communism, but only in the same way that Cheesecake is compatible with woolen socks, or Windows 8 is compatible with a pony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T00:25:46.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8178" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T01:00:05.897" Score="10" ViewCount="724" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm talking about a peaceful demonstration against a corrupt government. The point is: It can be seen as divisive speech because there will be people against it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T10:14:39.153" LastActivityDate="2020-10-17T13:37:34.883" Title="Is it ok for a Buddhist to participate in a demonstration?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|right-speech|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8178" CreationDate="2015-03-16T01:31:40.060" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some monks have, occasionally, protested against a government (for example, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Maha_Bua#Criticism_of_Thaksin_Shinawatra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this sermon was extremely critical of the Prime Minister&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;divisive&quot; reminds me of rules against creating a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://info-buddhism.com/sangha_schism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Schism in the Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&quot; ... maybe the rule against &quot;divisive&quot; speech means, especially, speech which would divide the sangha (not the body politic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the Vinaya there are rules for orderly ways to express disagreement or to assert your belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to say that it's always correct (maybe it varies depending on the country etc.), but I also don't want to say that it's never correct!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might depend on your motive too. I have met one (lay) lady who told me that she joins the front row of street manifestations, because (she said) her being in the front row will decrease the likelihood of violent clashes between protesters and police.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T01:49:30.543" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T01:49:30.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8180" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8215" CreationDate="2015-03-16T02:24:26.313" Score="-2" ViewCount="270" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello I wondered if the existence of karma (I believe in it anyway) can take the place of the concept of &quot;God's plan&quot; - which is how some people live with the horrors of Nihilism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not a Christian but it seems to me that God's plan is what we humans are missing (existentially) since He died. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T04:15:33.067" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:16:05.520" Title="Karma instead of God's plan" Tags="|karma|western-philosophy|god|nihilism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="11" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1529" CreationDate="2015-03-16T03:10:23.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practically, Buddhists should treat Communism as they do anything = as in ask whether what is said goes against the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a more positive note, I believe Communists can be Buddhists because &lt;strong&gt;solidarity&lt;/strong&gt; is an idea which can be found in scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T03:10:23.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8182" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T03:22:43.337" Score="4" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;Debate plays an important part of Buddhism. What are famous debate encounters by the Buddha and also by other Buddhist masters like Dharmakīrti, especially with Hindus(exponents of Brahmavāda-Ātmavāda) and Jains?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T03:59:36.630" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:26:49.683" Title="What are the famous debates in canonical Buddhist texts?" Tags="|history|debate|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8183" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T03:29:38.817" Score="0" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hey I just wondered: I met a high intensity theravadin meditator (who teaches it) and he defined the self enlightened as being meditators that no one had to teach. It came naturally, so to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to be practicing this untaught meditation but not be self enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:21:08.160" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:21:08.160" Title="Natural practice of meditation" Tags="|enlightenment|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8184" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T03:39:33.397" Score="1" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;Was e.g. the 6th patriarch Huineng reborn? Was Dogen reborn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would think that Huineng wasn't (it's called the platform sutra for a reason) and Dogen was - though I don't know of anything he said to that effect&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T03:54:53.403" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T08:48:56.183" Title="Were the Zen Patriarchs reborn?" Tags="|rebirth|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8180" CreationDate="2015-03-16T03:46:24.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;God's plan is someone else laying out your fate.Karma is you laying down your own fate.Karma is action done in the present moment.You can choose what you want to do in the present moment but have to live with the consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T03:46:24.593" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T04:20:26.837" Score="10" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;In today's meditation center, practitioners meditate with others in group sitting. After an hour or so of meditation, the practitioners may proceed to seek advices from the teacher on their progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha practice group meditation with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and laymen, and then they may seek advice from Buddha? Is there any such event described in the Sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:20:33.167" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:20:33.167" Title="Did Buddha practice group meditation with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and laymen, just like in today's meditation center?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-practicalities|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8178" CreationDate="2015-03-16T04:44:19.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vietnamese Buddhist monks were against the repressive rule of President Diem, a Catholic in South Vietnam in the early sixties. They conducted street demonstrations and were beaten and jailed by the military and secret police thugs of the Diem gov't. Finally one of their monks in protest burnt himself with gasoline in downtown Saigon. A photographer was present and these photos of a monk burning were instrumental in bringing down Diem's repressive gov't and also in providing support to anti-war protesters around the world. The protests by Buddhist monks in a predominantly Buddhist country culminated in the ousting of President Diem by the CIA (via his assassination by military personnel loyal to coup plotters) in September? of 1963. You can read more about this monk at wiki page link:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_%C4%90%E1%BB%A9c&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_%C4%90%E1%BB%A9c&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4848" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T04:44:19.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8188" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8194" CreationDate="2015-03-16T06:14:02.500" Score="4" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having attempted to understand the actualization of &lt;code&gt;Anatta&lt;/code&gt;, i am at a complete loss. The more i endeavor to understand the meaning, the more confusing it seems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2500/what-is-the-best-translation-of-anatta-into-english&quot;&gt;What is the best translation of Anatta into English?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1891/what-is-the-precise-meaning-of-anatta&quot;&gt;What is the precise meaning of anatta?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No-self Not self&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding to date is that it not-self is to detach from the 5 aggregates. So to use an example. If i express anger or sadness, i should look to detach or disassociate myself from such emotions. This may be through meditation or mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is my understanding correct? If incorrect, please use lay person examples that will allow me to relate or understand.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are meditation and mindfulness the only methods of actualization?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:37:26.757" Title="The actualization of Anatta" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8178" CreationDate="2015-03-16T12:56:55.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is ok since you are simply voicing your opinion against corruption. Your motive is not to divide people. But it is not ok, if you are putting the people who follow you in harms way, just to serve your political agenda. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T12:56:55.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8188" CreationDate="2015-03-16T14:08:52.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is my understanding correct?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, that sounds right to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some preliminaries:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anattā is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; and I relate it to the other two, when I describe it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's a related term, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suññatā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; translated as emptiness or voidness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia says &quot;In Theravada Buddhism, &lt;em&gt;suññatā&lt;/em&gt; often refers to the not-self (&lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;) nature&quot;; and I don't think I usually make a meaningful distinction between &lt;em&gt;suññatā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;, though other people might.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked about it &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5582/254&quot;&gt;in this question&lt;/a&gt; and one of the comments was that it means &quot;empty of disturbances&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama writes that there's more than one kind of self or ego. There are for example unrealistic expectations or 'having a very high idea about ourselves' ... which is extreme, a false path, and leads to trouble. The other is a feeling of 'I can do it', 'I should do it', 'I should take on this responsibility' which he says is a basis of human determination and courage, the loss of which would provoke discouragement, self-doubt, self-hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So to use an example. If i express anger ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I rarely become angry these days. When I do, I think:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This (feeling or expression of anger) is unusual. It wasn't here (I wasn't expressing or feeling it) a minute ago. It it noticeable, transient, impermanent, not me. I needn't keep it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This (feeling or expression of anger) is unpleasant for me and for anyone who is with me. I needn't continue it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism teaches (and you can verify for yourself) that thoughts and feelings come and go. I therefore don't see 'myself' as being some kind of solid/permanent thing, which reacts robustly and justifiably e.g. with anger to any adversity. Instead I see myself as a hollow, leaky boat. Sometimes anger will leak in and if it ever does then as far as I'm concerned it can go and leak out again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that a view of &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; may be necessary or helpful, but not sufficient. For example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the beginning of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5.&lt;/strong&gt; Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that teachings like that, i.e. about non-hatred (as well as teaching about non-self), help to deal with anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I should mention that &quot;anger&quot; (and &quot;hatred&quot;) are extremes within a continuum. It can similarly take the form of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dislike or aversion&lt;/a&gt;. I might congratulate myself on not manifesting much anger these days, but there's 'dislike'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing: if I get angry it's often when feeling thwarted or frustrated -- e.g. when I wanted to do something, had planned or hoped to do something, but someone else wants to do something else with me. Well I see that as an example of attachment (my being attached to preconceived plans); and I think that attachment is a form of self (&quot;my&quot; desires, &quot;my&quot; plans), and letting go of attachment is related to letting go of (false) views of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view of the five aggregates themselves might contribute to a view of anattā and dispassion. Consider the difference between &quot;I am hurt&quot; and &quot;I am feeling hurt&quot;: the latter implies perhaps just a transient feeling, whereas the former implies some perhaps-permanently damaged self. So for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8146/254&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; is I think about &quot;mindfulness&quot; and involves the mind identifying the feeling (&quot;hearing&quot;, &quot;pain&quot;, or whatever the feeling is) ... which I guess might have the effect of helping to separate the feeling from the self, helping to see the feeling as being external/separate/non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...  or sadness,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be similar to 'anger', above. Depending on the sadness, maybe the sadness is caused by loss, caused by attachment, cause by a false sense of self (e.g. by seeing 'self' within something that was impermanent). And maybe the feeling of sadness too is not-self, and the idea which caused the feeling of sadness, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T14:40:08.830" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8188" CreationDate="2015-03-16T15:27:55.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think we need to find ways to actualize Anatta. Rather, through contemplation on the teachings, mindfulness and insight meditation, we should eventually gain deep insight into the fact that the Three Marks of Existence are true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to insight meditation (vipassana), rather than detaching or disassociating oneself from one's emotions, my view is that we should passively observe how they arise and pass, in order to get a better understanding of how these work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actualizing anatta and detaching from emotions sound very active and forceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is for calming the mind so that it becomes steady, calm and concentrated, which in turn can help vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, the level of my practice is very much novice. So, my answer above is purely from a philosophical understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to meditation and mindfulness, contemplation on the teachings, practice of virtues (sila) and basically the whole Noble Eightfold Path contributes toward the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T15:33:18.807" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T15:33:18.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8122" CreationDate="2015-03-16T16:57:11.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. Meditating on the five aggregates and seeing the three characteristics of impermanence, stress, and non-self, leads all the way to Arahatship. In the words of the Anattalakhana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, monks — Is form constant or inconstant?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Inconstant, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Stressful, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to&#xA;  change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Similarly with the other aggregates)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows&#xA;  disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with&#xA;  perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with&#xA;  consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through&#xA;  dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the&#xA;  knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the&#xA;  holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this&#xA;  world.'&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T16:57:11.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8188" CreationDate="2015-03-16T17:13:05.677" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i express anger or sadness, i should look to detach or disassociate&#xA;  myself from such emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not! Stop hypothesizing and simply observe the events/experience at their unsullied form.&#xA;When you say &quot;I express anger&quot;, it's already sullied. You have assumed the existence of an 'I'. Anger is anger. So simply notice it as anger. Not 'I'! Same with sadness and other emotions. Don't look to do anything with them. Just observe and see if they qualify as an 'I' or 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are meditation and mindfulness the only methods of actualization?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no actualization required. Anatta is already actual. It's similar to saying &quot;how do I make the world round?&quot;. It's already round, you just need to realize it.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot;&gt;Satipattana meditation&lt;/a&gt; is the only way to purify the mind. Buddha called it the &quot;Ekayano Maggo&quot;.The one and only way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T17:18:52.147" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T17:18:52.147" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8195" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8204" CreationDate="2015-03-16T19:03:16.023" Score="5" ViewCount="632" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of advice about dana and the importance of generosity and giving but is there any advice on how to receive generosity? From a western perspective it can be quite awkward to receive gifts or charity so I wondered if there is any specific Buddhist advice on how should this be done - both the actions and the appropriate mental state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation for this is this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCudZFi-rOQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;you tube video&lt;/a&gt; where Yuttadhammo is receiving alms. I found it very striking the manner in which they are received - without any thank you or speech. This could be a cultural phenomena within Sri-Lanka or how alms are received generally - I'm not sure. However it makes me wonder in what spirit generosity should be received from a Buddhist perspective generally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T20:59:46.717" LastActivityDate="2019-10-15T03:17:52.737" Title="How should Buddhists receive generosity?" Tags="|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8196" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8198" CreationDate="2015-03-16T21:49:31.493" Score="2" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;I seem to have only a rough understanding of the first two noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha and dosa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently 'dukkha' and '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;aversion (dosa)&lt;/a&gt;' are not the same thing.&#xA;So, why or how not: in what way are they different/distinct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;second noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, does naming aversion as one of the '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt;' imply that aversion is on a par with (i.e., is equal and opposite to) desire? If it's true that aversion is of the same rank as desire then why isn't aversion mentioned in the Second Noble Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;taṇhā and lobha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly (in case it's a similar answer) what's the difference between &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;taṇhā&lt;/a&gt; (which is the subject of the second noble truth) and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lobha&lt;/a&gt; (which is one of the three poisons)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;attachment and desire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In English I'd guess that 'attachment' and 'desire' might have two different meanings: especially, attachment is semi-permanent, may last a longer time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're hungry, eat, and then are not hungry, maybe that was a transient desire but not attachment. Conversely, a story like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/14muddyroad.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Muddy Road&lt;/a&gt; (it's the story which ends, '&quot;I left the girl there,&quot; said Tanzan. &quot;Are you still carrying her?&quot;') seems to be warning against attachment (i.e. keeping the same thought stuck in your mind for a long time even after the physical reality has changed) rather than desire. Other stories too seem to warn that it's no so much 'desire' that causes suffering, but rather some kind of inflexibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism distinguish between attachment and desire? If lobha is translated as attachment and as desire, then which is taṇhā?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T19:24:58.113" Title="Aversion and dukkha" Tags="|terminology|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8183" CreationDate="2015-03-16T22:24:59.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I could tell you some pseudo zen wisdom that I have learned to spinoff after reading zen masters from the past. Study Dogen or Shunryu Suzuki. I especially like Zen Mind Beginners Mind the uses the term Beginners Mind in place of enlightenment. Enlightenent sounds like something that strikes like lightning. Beginner's mind is more like a sudden wind that stops you in your tracks, you look around, and nothing is there. But you experienced something without preconception. Maybe a glimpse of beginners mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T22:24:59.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8196" CreationDate="2015-03-16T22:29:22.423" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha and Dosa are quite different things. Dukkha is the characteristic of being unable to give real satisfaction, and it is an attribute of all compounded things. Or in some contexts it can refer to physical or mental pain. In contrast Dosa means something like anger or hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before going any further into your question though I have to make some distinctions. The word desire in English is used in translations and is sometimes used as a translation of the word Tanha, which means craving. However, that's somewhat of a loose translation because not all desires are bad. The Pali word for desire in a general sense is the word chanda, which can mean desire, will, or wish, and includes both good and bad desires. In fact, in Buddhist texts the word chanda is usually used to mean positive desires like desiring to benefit others or to develop one's self. Anyhow, back to the rest of your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are right that Dosa forms a pair. Dosa (hatred, anger, aversion) forms a pair with Lobha (greed, lust, etc...) and Tanha is a specific kind of Lobha. The reason why Tanha is mentioned in the Second Noble Truth but Dosa isn't is because one aspect of the Second Noble Truth is that it is about rebirth, and Tanha plays a direct role in rebirth (this is explained in dependent origination) but Dosa doesn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word for attachement is the word Upādāna which also can mean clinging or grasping. Upādāna is a very specific term while Lobha is a general one. Upādāna refers to the mind trying to hold on to something, but Lobha is just the general wanting of something. In dependent origination you will see that Upādāna occurs just after Tanha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T22:29:22.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8183" CreationDate="2015-03-16T22:31:35.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re. the first paragraph of your question, perhaps the teacher you met was talking about a so-called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;pratyekabuddha&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;paccekabuddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (it's useful to know the technical word if you want to read more about it, see also e.g. the 'external links' etc. at the end of that article).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-16T22:52:06.470" LastActivityDate="2015-03-16T22:52:06.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8200" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-16T22:53:01.247" Score="11" ViewCount="1639" Body="&lt;p&gt;I mean I don't know if they do but apparently private buddhas don't put forth a teaching, so my question is why can't they just tell people what they did to attain enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2017-11-05T15:38:06.987" Title="Why can't private buddhas just tell people what they did to achieve enlightenment" Tags="|buddhas|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8201" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-17T00:20:49.233" Score="4" ViewCount="305" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is in the title. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is he just known as an arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:05:51.083" Title="If a Buddha exists then can a private buddha arise or exist somewhere in the same world system without having learned from the current Buddha?" Tags="|buddhas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7610" CreationDate="2015-03-17T03:26:03.030" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three (Higher) Trainings are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ethics&#xA;Concentration&#xA;Wisdom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of ETHICS entails abandoning negative actions of body, speech and mind (such as killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, intoxicating the body, harmful speech, greed, etc). And cultivating virtuous actions of body, speech and mind (generosity, patience, gentle speech, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of CONCENTRATION entails developing single-pointed attention on a meditative object (such as the sensations of the breath, a mental image, thoughts and the space of the mind, etc) by cultivating relaxation, stability and vividness. There are 9 stages for the this practice (shamatha) and the culmination is a refined mind that experiences bliss, clarity and non-conceptuality. At this point you are able to focus your attention effortless for long periods (4 hours or more) without any distraction or internal chit-chat, this state is called samadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of WISDOM entails, gaining insight into the nature of reality, this means understanding experientially and not only conceptually how all phenomena and oneself exist. Everything exists as an interdependent matrix of causes and effects, and everything is empty of inherent existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first step is to begin practicing the Four Applications of Mindfulness:&#xA;Applied Mindfulness to the body, feelings, mental events and phenomena. These practices imply not only being mindful of the body sensations, thoughts, etc, but also to develop wisdom by questioning if these things exist as we perceive them or if they are impermanent, interdependent and lacking an inherent, real, solid existence. After becoming good at these practices you can also practice analytical meditation, debate, and Dream yoga to start questioning the solidity of what you call reality.These practices are called Vipashyana and one applies them also to the I, until one finds that one doesn't exist as an independent ego, but as a matrix of interrelated phenomena and that we also lack inherent existence. There's a risk here to think we don't exist at all and becoming depressed or nihilistic, so it's important to practice also Dzogchen, Mahamudra or similar practice to understand and realize that we are pure awareness and by recognizing this primordial consciousness we transcend the concepts of existence and non-existence and we become enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This insights can only be sustained if you have achieved single-pointed concentration (shamatha) first, otherwise with an unbalanced, wandering mind trying to develop wisdom is not possible. And concentration can only be achieved if one lives an ethical way of life, because a mind that is filled with mental afflictions such as anger, craving, greed, attachment, ignorance, arrogance, etc, is a wandering mind unable to find peace and develop concentration, furthermore an afflictive mind is ignorant and unable to develop wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4854" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T03:26:03.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-03-17T07:10:12.433" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can relate to your question. I too come from a software background and have had a similar set of experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though we have had similar experiences, the underlying cause could be different. I'll share with you why I think I have had these experiences; perhaps some of my thoughts/insights might be useful to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mention being interested in a variety of things: music, martial arts, software, etc. According to me all of these things -- even when they are interesting --  take a slice of your mental space. They take up space in the memory as well as the mind's computing cycles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Software development, among all these activities is a bit different, in that it is the most stressful. Most programmers start of with a lot of passion and try to keep track of several things in their field. This is a very commendable attitude, but the rate at which stuff changes has become absolutely insane in the last few years. So IMO, regardless of passion, you are developing stress under the surface, just by having to keep up with so much. I think many of us have a silent inner fear of becoming out of touch with current knowledge. This stress works on the brain silently, till a point where something's got to break. This is not just my opinion - I have read several blog posts by developers who feel the same way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A reason why sometimes we try to do a variety of things is because we have an achievement oriented mindset. Such a mindset unfortunately always comes with an underlying stress of not having achieved enough, and it pushes a person to achieve more, to do more. Maybe such a person cannot feel comfortable until they have spent themselves totally in trying to do things. If that is true, then fatigue and stress is bound to accumulate in the mind - and show it's impact at some point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's come to your spiritual practice. A very nice (but sometimes undesirable from a worldly perspective) effect of meditation is, that it makes you start calling out those things that are stressing you without adding any value to your life. Sure, meditation brings authentic joy, but the path to authentic joy for some/many people is through the process of calling out those things that are sapping on the spirit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you start calling out things that have become part of your daily routing, suddenly everything might feel meaningless. There sets in a form of exhaustion and detachment from everything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not saying this is a healthy state, but it may be part of the landscape. Even though joy and energy are some of the factors of enlightenment, not everyone experiences them right away. Very often growth happens through a tunnel of hopelessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This moment is perfect the way it is - just breathe -- A Zen Saying&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this saying feel liberating to you? If it does and if you feel that you have an achievement mindset, then tempering it with a certain calm acceptance of the present might help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try doing fewer things and don't feel compelled to fill your day with something or the other. See if that helps. Give yourself the luxury of feeling happy even when you are not doing tasks that are in some way adding to your knowledge, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to respectfully disagree with the fact that joy, energy and calmness are factors which develop once someone starts meditating. Sure, they will and should develop, but nobody can say when. Different people come to meditation at different points in their life and with different backgrounds. They are certainly going to have different experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO and with a disclaimer that it comes purely from my subjective experiences, I don't think there is anything wrong in the way you feel. Examine why you are feeling listless. Could it be that you have been over extending yourself from several years. Are you feeling tired from having to do so many things? It's possible that this is a phase, or it's possible it might be a time to introspect and find out if you are leading the kind of life that is authentic to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many mediators whose journey involves dark and difficult periods. I think it's important to be honest with yourself and also maintain a sense of humor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll say, honor your journey and examine your reactions. I am sure your own self examination will show you the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Great question - and an important one. Thanks for asking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="4830" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T11:44:23.427" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T11:44:23.427" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8195" CreationDate="2015-03-17T11:21:16.273" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lay community consider it a privilege to offer Dana to monks. A monk is a special person who has given up the comforts of lay life in search of spiritual liberation. Offering Dana to such a being is very meritorious(refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.9-Dakkhina-Vibhanga-S-m142-proto11.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dakkhina Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). So the monks are actually doing a favor to the laypeople by accepting it. When going on alms round, a monk may give a short blessing, but it is not compulsory. If monks are invited to a house to receive the dana, they will usually give a sermon on invitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a monk's perspective, being worthy of it is the spirit of receiving generosity. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.068.yaho.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggikkhandopama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, lord Buddha explains what happens to the monks who are not worthy of the gifts received.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a giver's perspective, the receiver needn't have any standards. You can even give food to an animal and expect a 100 fold gift in return, according to Dakkhina Vibhanga Sutta. The more virtuous the receiver, the greater the merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, from a receiver's perspective, rather than just thanking as a common courtesy, it's more important to remember the favor and return the kindness as one is able when one gets the chance. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1076.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SACCAṀKIRA-JĀTAKA&lt;/a&gt; gives a good example. Also, one can try to make the best use of the gift received to make the giver happier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T12:24:21.640" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8188" CreationDate="2015-03-17T12:27:58.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Having attempted to understand the actualization of Anatta, i am at a complete loss. The more i endeavor to understand the meaning, the more confusing it seems.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a tough characteristic to grapple :). I would urge you to read Mr. Piya Tan's translation and notes on the Buddha's Anatta-lakkhana Sutta (and all his other works). The link is below. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.2-Anatta-Lakkhana-S-s22.59-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.2-Anatta-Lakkhana-S-s22.59-piya-proto.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full sutta with the repetitions is also useful as a daily guided meditation or daily subject of contemplation. If one routinely contemplates on this earnestly, it will help one realize that the five clinging aggregates cannot be considered as 'mine, I, myself.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also essential to have a good understanding of five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you routinely contemplate thus, sharpen your understanding, there will eventually come a time when the old views of considering these five false friends to be mine, I, myself will disappear. It will be a profound moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Test the five aggregates as one would test a stone you are told is a diamond is truly a diamond. Subject it to various lights, look deep into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the breaking from the wrong views will help in the reduction of anger and sorrow. However, the complete cessation of anger and sorrow will take time. Most of such responses are habitual, reflexive. This is where having developed mindful awareness is beneficial, and the advice of experienced teachers like Ven Yuttadhammo are invaluable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find often contemplating the drawbacks of anger useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorrow often arises when we don't meet expectations, or if our expectations are dashed. I heard of a once promising cricketer who broke his arm and could never play properly again. He took to alcoholism since the view he had of himself, a national cricketer, could not be achieved. He constantly moped about it. Later, with the help of a friend he started regularly contemplating on the anatta nature of the body (rupa) and mental formations (mano sankhara), and was able to overcame his sorrow of not meeting expectation which are mental formations created by a 'mind apparatus' which was not created by I, mine of myself :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T12:27:58.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8142" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:13:56.587" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe you asked this exact question on our monk radio broadcast last week. Here's the answer, for reference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwDVIzD3O00&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwDVIzD3O00&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:13:56.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8143" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:22:57.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some quotes to this effect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Over the past I do not mourn nor for the future weep,—&#xA;  I meet the present as it comes, and so my colour keep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mourning about the hopeless past or some uncertain future need,—&#xA;  This dries a young man's vigour up as when you cut a fresh green reed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Jat. 538 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Again, when a fool is on his chair or on his bed or resting on the ground, then the evil actions that he did in the past—his bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct—cover him, overspread him, and envelop him. Just as the shadow of a great mountain peak in the evening covers, overspreads, and envelops the earth, so too, when a fool is on his chair or on his bed or resting on the ground, then the evil actions that he did in the past—his bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct—cover him, overspread him, and envelop him. Then the fool thinks: ‘I have not done what is good, I have not done what is wholesome, I have not made myself a shelter from anguish. I have done what is evil, I have done what is cruel, I have done what is wicked. When I pass away, I shall go to the destination of those who have not done what is good…who have done what is wicked.’ He sorrows, grieves, and laments, he weeps beating his breast and becomes distraught. This is the third kind of pain and grief that a fool feels here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 129 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, many Dhammapada verses to this effect, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;15&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter; he grieves in both the worlds. He laments and is afflicted, recollecting his own impure deeds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't think of anywhere that specific mental afflictions are enumerated or categorized, though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:22:57.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8149" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:27:10.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The aggregate itself is not the clinging to it. &lt;em&gt;upādānakkhanda&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;clung-to aggregate&quot;, not &quot;aggregate of clinging&quot;. Otherwise, it would mean that upādāna was the truth of suffering, when in fact it is the truth of the cause of suffering (i.e. tanha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, vedanupādānakkhandha means the aggregate of of any and all feelings, when clung to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:27:10.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8150" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:29:43.357" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends what you mean by &quot;focussing on&quot;. If by that you mean thinking about mentally, then no, that is not possible, since the mind will be focussed on an abstract object and not be able to see impermanence, suffering, and non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by that you mean observing empirically then yes, since the links are ultimate reality. By focussing on them, you will see impermanence, suffering, and non-self, which is the path of purification, according to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:29:43.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8156" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:45:15.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The relevant Pali of that sutta is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yogo karaṇīyo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which means roughly &quot;The setting oneself upon should be done&quot;; i.e., one should focus one's efforts on &quot;this is suffering&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A word meaning &quot;contemplation&quot; is not found in the Pali. The word yoga here actually relates to the context of the sutta, since it means, literally, &quot;yoke&quot;, as in the yoke that the turtle puts its neck under in the allegory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary explains that there are four yokes that one should yoke oneself to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;manussapaṭilābho&lt;/strong&gt; - the attainment of humanhood &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;tathāgatuppādo&lt;/strong&gt; - the arising of a Tathagata (i.e., being born as a human during...)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa dīpanaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; - the elucidation of the dhammavinaya of the Tathagata (i.e. listening to...)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;catusaccapaṭivedho&lt;/strong&gt; - the realization of the four noble truths&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this last one that is described by the Buddha; he is most definitely referring to &lt;strong&gt;paṭivedha&lt;/strong&gt; or realization, not contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your question, directly, if by contemplation you mean intellectually, then no, it is not possible to become enlightened through intellectual contemplation, since the mind is not focussed on ultimate reality (i.e. as it occurs) at that time. If by contemplation you mean empirical observation, then one should only observe the first noble truth - the second and third come as a result of that, and the fourth is that observation itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:45:15.570" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8127" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:53:37.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've experienced some of these issues as well. Before I began a regular meditation and study practice my success at work and in society was much more important to me. Now, quite frankly, it's not important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Work - I work hard in a focused way but I don't try to fit in (using wrong speech) or be seen as a go-getter. I see the benefits of actually not being promoted as leaving me more time to study and practice. And that's more important than the increase in salary I might have received if I had continued to be ambitious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Society - I've found myself socializing a lot less. Really doesn't feel like time well spent; especially when you are socializing with people who want to judge you or your practices. It's ok if some old friends move on. Trying to cling to old relationships that don't work anymore will definitely lead to suffering. Trying to forge new relationships with people who don't understand your journey will likely be a waste of time. Finding new friends who are on the same path can be very helpful though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Family - Going home and getting upset then avoiding family does sound draining. I have only a suggestion to try to keep in touch primarily by phone or email (or letters) or Skype or social media or anything that breaks the pattern of going home and getting involved in old issues all over again, until you have reached a point where others behavior won't upset you so much. Once you have reached that point, a visit home might be more doable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But meditation can help you be more detached and less inclined to get upset about any of these things. Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:53:37.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8163" CreationDate="2015-03-17T13:55:52.393" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Buddhism, does black magic, magic spell exist?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe so... the Buddha seems to recognize some pretty powerful black magic, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“What do you think, householder? Suppose some recluse or brahmin came here possessed of supernormal power and attained to mastery of mind, and he spoke thus: ‘I will reduce this town of Nāḷandā to ashes with one mental act of hate.’ What do you think, householder, would such a recluse or brahmin be able to do that?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Venerable sir, such a recluse or brahmin possessed of supernormal power and attained to mastery of mind would be able to reduce ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or even fifty Nāḷandās to ashes with one mental act of hate, so what does a single trivial Nāḷandā count for?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 56 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If it is, what's our belief system should be when we are taught to treat all with loving kindness?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe this changes our imperative to treat all with loving kindness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at heart would not be upholding my Teaching. Monks, even in such a situation you should train yourselves thus: 'Neither shall our minds be affected by this, nor for this matter shall we give vent to evil words, but we shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of love, and we shall not give in to hatred. On the contrary, we shall live projecting thoughts of universal love to those very persons, making them as well as the whole world the object of our thoughts of universal love — thoughts that have grown great, exalted and measureless. We shall dwell radiating these thoughts which are void of hostility and ill will.' It is in this way, monks, that you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 21 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Supposingly all these exist, what's the odd of being the target apart from jealousy?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think this question is relevant to our site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Supposingly if you are very much enlightened and practice meditation vigorously, does this make you any less of being the target?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe... to some extent enlightenment protects one from harm, but mostly it protects one from reacting to harm and therefore causing further retribution. The stories of Angulimala and Mogallana both exemplify this idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T13:55:52.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8178" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:07:37.693" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself protested silently on at least two occasions in the Dhp commentary; both relate to his family, though. He never seems to have protested against the cruelty of kings, etc. and his actions seem always to have been in the form of teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A protest is always a showing that you are against something. If you are truly against it, this is &lt;em&gt;paṭigha&lt;/em&gt;, or aversion, and it is always unwholesome. In Buddhism we look at the bigger picture, and try to see that samsara as a whole is meaningless. As such, we try to teach all people to give up their unwholesomeness - this means teaching all rather than taking sides. The Buddha was exemplary in this regard, teaching even the basest of human beings and never challenging evil directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the protest is instructional - i.e. a means of reminding certain parties of the error of their ways, then it seems to be reasonable, provided one is an involved party (e.g. a relative or intimate to one party in a conflict).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, one might argue a civic responsibility for lay people - e.g. voting, or even demonstrating simply as a duty (e.g. H. D. Thoreau's Civil Disobedience). As long as one simply sees it as a duty, this seems reasonable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:07:37.693" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8180" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:16:05.520" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;God's plan implies a working towards some goal, or a rhyme or reason at least. Karma implies no such thing; it simply describes an orderliness to the mental aspect of reality, in the same way that physics does for the physical aspect. Karma is in fact to be abandoned, or risen above, in the end, to the extent that one performs neither wholesome nor unwholesome karma as an enlightened being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply put, Buddhism admits of no plan to samsara; it is utterly meaningless and to be risen above or abandoned in the end. Karma simply describes a part of the mechanics of the system and is not in fact all that important to Buddhist practice, in comparison to realization of the nature of reality as impermanent, suffering, and non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:16:05.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8182" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:26:49.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A really good look at the sort of debates Buddhists got into is in the Kathaavatthu - translated into English as &quot;Points of Controversy&quot;. This is a later text, but outlines the many controversies and associated arguments. Examples of good debates in the suttas are MN 56 and DN 23. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you say, debate plays an important part in the teaching, so the debates are really too numerous to list. I don't have any information on Dharmakirti though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:26:49.683" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8186" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:31:42.433" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it seems he did. For example in DN 2:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;10. And when King Ajatasattu came near the mango-grove he felt fear and terror, and his hair stood on end. And feeling [50] this fear and the rising of the hairs, the King said to Jīvaka: ‘Friend Jivaka, you are not deceiving me? You are not tricking me? You are not delivering me up to an enemy? How is it that from this great number of twelve hundred and fifty monks not a sneeze, a cough or a shout is to be heard?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Have no fear, Your Majesty, I would not deceive you or trick you or deliver you up to an enemy. Approach, Sire, approach. There are the lights burning in the round pavilion.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;11. So King Ajatasattu, having ridden on his elephant as far as the ground would permit, alighted and continued on foot to the door of the round pavilion. Then he said: ‘Jivaka, where is the Lord?’ ‘That is the Lord, Sire. That is the Lord sitting against the middle column with his order of monks in front of him.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;12. Then King Ajātasattu went up to the Lord and stood to one side, and standing there to one side the King observed how the order of monks continued in silence like a clear lake, and he exclaimed: ‘If only Prince Udāyabhadda were possessed of such calm as this order of monks!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:31:42.433" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:40:39.483" Score="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because they themselves don't know. It's not like when you become enlightened you automatically understand what happened; the only necessary difference is that you no longer have any craving for anything. Actually understanding how you got there takes a much greater degree of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's much like having an epiphany - you realize something about your life, but you don't likely know what exactly you did to give rise to that realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:40:39.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8141" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:43:01.417" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems this was already answered sufficiently here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1421/18&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1421/18&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Posting as an answer just to get this resolved)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:43:01.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8128" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:50:15.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The seven purifications are not all related to insight; only the sixth specifically deals with the realization of three characteristics. The first purification is related to morality, and the second to concentration. The seventh is super-mundane, so is not related to realization of the three characteristics. The fourth and fifth do somehow relate to the three characteristics, but the fourth has more to do with understanding cause and effect, and the fifth to do with finding the path rather than walking it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:50:15.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8125" CreationDate="2015-03-17T14:59:10.943" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the difference: a thought itself is real, but the object of the thought is conceptual. Loving-kindness is real, but the object of loving-kindness is conceptual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When thinking, one is really thinking. When thinking of a cat, the cat is not really there, but the thought is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When loving a person, the love is really there, but the person is only a concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind refers to the process of thinking, loving, etc., itself, not the object of the mental activity. When the mind focusses on the movements of the body, the movement is real, the focussing is real, but the body part itself (e.g. hand, foot, stomach, breath etc.) is a concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one focusses on the breath, for example, going in and out of the body, one is focussing on a concept, as it is not directly related to the observation of the sensation. If one focusses on the sensation at the nose or the abdomen, then one is focussing on ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T14:59:10.943" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8201" CreationDate="2015-03-17T15:40:37.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't remember where the story is mentioned, but if I remember right, there was a Pacceka Buddha in the world when the Bodhisatta was born as prince Siddhartha. He attained Parnibbana after hearing the news from the Devas that the Buddha to be has appeared in the world. So it would seem that a Pacceka Buddha wouldn't stay if a SammaSambuddha appears in the world.  Also, those who are capable of attaining enlightenment will be drawn towards the Buddha or the Buddha will see them when he scans the world system every morning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-17T16:17:30.617" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T16:17:30.617" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8186" CreationDate="2015-03-17T16:13:26.000" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it seems he did. For example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.3.03.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yasoja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, at that time the Blessed One was sitting in imperturbable&#xA;  concentration [either in the fourth jhāna, the dimension of the&#xA;  infinitude of space, or the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  consciousness]. The thought occurred to the monks, &quot;Now, in which&#xA;  mental dwelling is the Blessed One now residing?&quot; Then they realized,&#xA;  &quot;He is residing in the imperturbable dwelling.&quot; So they all sat in&#xA;  imperturbable concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ānanda — when the night was far advanced, at the end of the&#xA;  first watch — got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one&#xA;  shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands&#xA;  placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, &quot;The night, lord,&#xA;  is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The visiting monks have&#xA;  been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them.&quot; When&#xA;  this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a second time ... (Ananda did the same thing later)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a third time ... (Ananda did the same thing later)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, emerging from his imperturbable concentration,&#xA;  said to Ven. Ānanda, &quot;Ānanda, if you had known, not even that much&#xA;  would have occurred to you (to say). I, along with all 500 of these&#xA;  monks, have been sitting in imperturbable concentration.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T16:13:26.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8224" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-17T17:13:21.667" Score="5" ViewCount="630" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you just do so much samatha meditation that you achieve enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T01:43:47.900" Title="Can straight samatha ever lead to enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8225" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8298" CreationDate="2015-03-17T17:30:11.573" Score="4" ViewCount="210" Body="&lt;p&gt;Equanimity is described as &lt;code&gt;It refers to the equanimity that arises from the power of observation, the ability to see without being caught by what we see&lt;/code&gt;. The definition can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/equanimity/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i dig further at look at the concepts as set by Buddha at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&lt;/a&gt;, it confuses and muddles my understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i attempt to understand not rationalize the description of equanimity, i gather that if an emotion arises or is arising, i observe it. This emotion may be happiness, love, sadness, hatred, dislike, etc. As long as i don't interact or engage the emotion, i am mindful and aware. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again because i tend to look to examples be it in nature or behavior, i will attempt to describe my understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surrounded by children, in laughter, there is a sense of happiness and innocence. If i simply observe the emotion of happiness, should i not participate in it? Yes, it may be temporary but isn't that being in the present or moment all about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i am devoid of emotion and only an observer, am i not practising aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does this differ to physical interactions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relationships are strained between 2 or more people. The fact that they have stayed away from one another reduces the strain as it does the thoughts that arise from remembering incidents. Over time, people sympathize as well as empathize. This leads to the belief that should they meet again, they will have better understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is staying away deliberately considered aversion? If someone had been&#xA;abused and they stayed away from their abuser, is it aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is not wanting to think about it aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the 'loss' of memory and an understanding on the path of anatta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this 'loss' of memory and thought as well as an understanding of the situation and experience lead to the path of equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T10:30:18.057" Title="Equanimity, aversion and anatta" Tags="|anatman|equanimity|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8224" CreationDate="2015-03-17T19:05:57.600" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are asking about whether &lt;em&gt;Samatha meditation&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;alone&lt;/strong&gt; can lead to enlightenment the answer is &lt;strong&gt;no&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt; you have &lt;strong&gt;ultimate reality&lt;/strong&gt; as your object of meditation. By having reality as your object you achieve insight into how reality functions i.e. the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta&lt;/em&gt;. When penetrating into reality one can attain enlightenment through realizising one of these signs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is doing &lt;em&gt;Samatha meditation&lt;/em&gt; alone one can only gain &lt;em&gt;tranquility&lt;/em&gt; i.e. a strong concentration and the jhanas. One cannot any achieve insights into reality and therefore not become enlightened. That is because in samatha meditation one does not have ultimate reality as an object. Instead one has a &lt;strong&gt;concept&lt;/strong&gt; as an object e.g. one of the 10 kasinas. One is trying to keep that object static by keeping attention on the object through the means of applied and sustained thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can think about it in another way. Lets say you had a big stone in front you and you want to carve out a figure from that stone. To do that you need an instrument, a tool. &lt;strong&gt;Concentration&lt;/strong&gt; is your tool and the stone is &lt;strong&gt;reality&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order for you to be able to carve into the stone you need the tool to be sharp. In other words you need to &lt;em&gt;sharpen&lt;/em&gt; your tool. That is where samatha meditation is used. You use samatha meditation to train and sharpen your concentration so that you can use concentration as a tool to carve/penetrate into reality and then gain insights into how reality functions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So back to the stone. If you only sharpen your tool will that ever lead you to enlightenment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No its not possible. Samatha meditation is like that sharpening. By doing samatha meditation you are only making your tool sharper, better and more precise but you are never actually &lt;strong&gt;applying&lt;/strong&gt; that tool to the stone. You are never actually carving the stone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why samatha meditation alone cannot lead you to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T00:26:32.577" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T00:26:32.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8196" CreationDate="2015-03-17T19:24:58.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest for you the book &lt;em&gt;&quot;What The Buddha Taught&quot; by Dr. Walpola Rahula&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a short (65 pages) and great book doing a good job explaining the 4 noble truths. There is a lot of precise and insightful knowledge in it and i think it will serve to give you a fuller understanding of the 4 noble truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Walpola Rahula explains &lt;em&gt;the buddhist attitude of mind, the 4 noble truths and the doctrine of anatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T19:24:58.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8228" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8293" CreationDate="2015-03-17T20:41:57.303" Score="9" ViewCount="2505" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two slightly related questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it considered against standard Buddhist doctrine to meditate with music? In particular, &quot;meditation music&quot; - where it's calm, relaxing, peaceful, etc. I'm fairly new to all this; my meditation practice is hardly a year old, although getting stronger and more consistent; I don't have an overwhelming urge to meditate to music, but wondered what light could be shed on the subject from the perspective of the teachings. I am committed to undertaking this path as purely as possible, as it was laid out by the Buddha himself. But I enjoy music and find it draws me into certain mental states that could be useful to cultivate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should I do when the inevitable song pops up in my thoughts? This is something I've noted for years (I'm quite musically inclined)...I always seem to have some sort of tune running through my head. Now, when I sit, it becomes much more noticeable than when I'm doing something more secular...say, standing in line at the store, or performing some task at work. I suppose that the tune could become the focus of some mindfulness meditation and help develop concentration. OTOH I can see how it would be considered yet-another-thought, and one that should be avoided dwelling on (unless it happened to be the focus of the meditation). I don't know how useful it would be for insight meditation however. Is there an official stance in the teachings on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is not considered a useless question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:06:58.967" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T03:22:23.023" Title="Is it considered against standard Buddhist doctrine to meditate with music?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5607" CreationDate="2015-03-17T21:55:24.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll present a counterpoint, maybe adding to what @no_comprende wrote. It's about my personal experience, and probably a consequence of not meditation alone, but also Buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After I started meditating my productivity in LoC/day lowered, and I don't solve problems faster, and not even more tasks per week are accomplished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the other hand, I started to think more carefully, trying to be more aware of program states, of side effects, of bad code interactions, of unexpected use case conflicts. I started to test more, and I usually don't &quot;turn a blind eye&quot; to problems without taking note of it (commenting or registering a task).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put in short, I became more defensive and I started thinking in a more attentive way. Instead of just completing more features, fixing more bugs and thinking in a rush, I began to try to be more aware of what I do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thankfully my bosses allow it, and seemingly they support it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T21:55:24.330" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8047" CreationDate="2015-03-17T23:33:51.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on who perceives it, depends on what's being talked about, and it can be the both at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eastern philosophy and spirituality is very different from our western logic. For us, it must be A or not A, for them it can be A and not A at the same time. In Shunryu Suzuki's &quot;Zen Mind, Beginners Mind&quot; there is a handful of paradoxes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to the question, to the western mindset it seems that being active is good and being passive is bad. But it wouldn't be correct to assert that Buddhism is active just to say that it is good. So I prefer to say that enlightenment isn't one nor another. Or, in mystical terms, it is a balance between active and passive energies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation can look like a very passive practice, since you stay still, you stop moving, you stop talking, you calm down thinking and other mind processes. Then you stay there passive to noise, to itches, to mosquitoes, to pain, to chatter in the mind, to boredom, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you look from another perspective, meditation is very active. Nowadays people fill their days with activities, there is always something to do avoid tedium. Usually when someone starts meditating, it requires a great amount of effort to not move and to calm down the thoughts. People usually need to actively practice meditation to achieve subtler states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will never listen someone saying something like &quot;There was nothing to do and I was bored and then I suddenly realized that I was meditating.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in enlightenment the underlying constant existential suffering isn't produced. It isn't fed, as if the ground of mind wasn't fertile for growing suffering. So if it doesn't exist, there can't be a relation of passivity or activity to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take mundane suffering such as physical pain or emotional pain, it keeps happening, but there won't be a &quot;me&quot; that feels pain. But there is just pain. You could say that enlightenment is passive because there is just a stream of phenomena that flows and between these phenomena there is pain. You could also say that enlightenment is active because there is complete presence and clear awareness of all phenomena that emerges, and nothing we judge as bad could produce the slightest suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, &quot;active&quot; and &quot;passive&quot; are just concepts. If you are taking the path to enlightenment, instead of trying to define it take the path to get there. And if you are just trying to define it, be warned that words and thoughts are too limited for this task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-03-17T23:41:37.673" LastActivityDate="2015-03-17T23:41:37.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-03-18T00:19:44.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also forgive me,I forgot where I read this but a pacekabuddha lacks the ability to teach like a supreme Buddha.Even the Buddha after his enlightened almost didn't teach the dhamma because he said it was too hard for us to understand.so I imagine it would have been much more difficult for a private Buddha to teach the dhamma.Especially when its never been heard before or not in a Buddha sasana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T00:19:44.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8224" CreationDate="2015-03-18T01:43:47.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I'm not mistaken, Samatha alone leads to attainment of Jhanas. With perfection in certain levels of Jhanas, one could get reborn in certain Brahma worlds, which by itself is a good thing, but as per Lanka's answer, it doesn't lead to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A group of laypeople who had studied the Abhidhamma together came to&#xA;  Ajaan Fuang to try out his version of mental training, but when he&#xA;  told them to sit, close their eyes, and focus on the breath, they&#xA;  immediately backed off, saying that they didn't want to practice&#xA;  concentration, for fear that they'd get stuck on jhana and end up&#xA;  being reborn in the Brahma worlds. He responded, &quot;What's there to be&#xA;  afraid of? Even non-returners are reborn in the Brahma worlds. At any&#xA;  rate, being reborn in the Brahma worlds is better than being reborn as&#xA;  a dog.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T01:43:47.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8233" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T02:19:56.170" Score="2" ViewCount="1738" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need incentive; what's in it for me? Also please don't answer with there's no self or I or me to get incentive, its just that I'm not enlightened yet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a selfish question but I need to know what's in it for me if I do practice sila?  I heard that you  can get wealthy? Is that true? Because I noticed that I saved more money when I started practicing sila. Any other benefits? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T08:44:58.037" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T20:45:13.037" Title="What are the benefits of practicing Sila?" Tags="|ethics|sila|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2015-03-18T03:08:04.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, keeping precepts will help lead one to a good rebirth because it is good karma. Secondly, having good sila is necessary to provide a basis for success in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T03:08:04.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8236" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T04:16:34.810" Score="7" ViewCount="3048" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it very difficult to practice metta. I feel completely agitated when I sit to do metta even for a short period of time.is this normal? First I can't feel any metta being generated and I feel like I'm just repeating empty words to people I'm really not quite fond of to be honest.metta practice is unbearable i feel the urge to  rub my face on sand paper when I do it.I use to think metta was an easy meditation to do as I hear people do it before their main meditation but how can this be,when it so difficult..I don't buy it. Also i found out metta means friendliness and i think this is the problem as I may not be born with this quality.My question is Is metta supposed to be hard? If yes then why is it hard?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:57:09.583" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T14:47:48.187" Title="Why is Metta Practice so Hard?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8237" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8242" CreationDate="2015-03-18T06:52:08.970" Score="6" ViewCount="462" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am unsure the definition of 'good' in Buddhism. My assumptions are of 'good' are;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caused no bodily harm intentionally&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caused no mental harm intentionally&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No expectations when help is offered&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Willingness to help and support to those who need it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Willingness to provide guidance to those who need it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is a different definition of 'good', it would be appreciated if it can shared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now assuming, you are surrounded by 'good' people, is that not a form of aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if i am constantly hounded by a person's presence and this person has caused mental harm e.g. suffering and i opt to keep my distance and not participate in any activity or relationship with the person but to surround myself with 'good' people, is that not a form of aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if the person has caused bodily harm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if the person has not provided you with help when you have needed it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, if i choose to avoid such people, is that aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="4841" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T17:26:29.860" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T01:11:03.207" Title="Is surrounding yourself with good people a form of aversion?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2015-03-18T12:42:07.297" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your entire relationship with the world changes.  Interpersonal activities turn out more positively as they approached with discretion and honesty.  As you meet success in your relationships, your overall demeanor improves.  You grow happier and your quality of life is enhanced.  Furthermore, reflecting on your actions makes it much more difficult to engage in activities that you may regret later.  Sila also builds on itself.  The more you discipline body, speech, and mind, the easier these actions become to maintain and engage in.  As you grow in practice, the benefits become more obvious and pervasive.  Mindfulness improves and concentration is more stable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you want some more mundane benefits - you'll probably lose weight, sleep better, and more often find yourself in beneficial circumstances.  People tend to like nice people.  :-)         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T12:42:07.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8239" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8240" CreationDate="2015-03-18T12:43:45.983" Score="5" ViewCount="279" Body="&lt;p&gt;My question is going to be almost to &quot;profane&quot; for this area of SE, about it is a serious concern of mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have just started out zen meditation. One of the suggestions that was given me was that to wear robes while meditating. No problem. But when should I put them on? Should I already wear them on the way to meditation practice (that is, put them on at home, and then take the bus, etc. with them on) or should I start wearing them at the temple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I apologize again for the type of answer, and thank your for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2249" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:05:49.897" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:05:49.897" Title="When should you put on your robes?" Tags="|zen|traditions|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8239" CreationDate="2015-03-18T12:57:44.580" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious as to who told you wearing robes was beneficial.  There are specific ways of wearing robes (as outlined in the vinaya) that can aid in mindfulness, but the simple act of having them on isn't beneficial on its own.  Be that as it may, I wouldn't put them on until you reached the meditation hall.  Wearing them in public has a bit of a &quot;look at me&quot; quality to it.  Taking the more humble approach is almost always best.  (Cue the folks who are going to say that I'm calling monks immodest or saying they shouldn't wear robes! - there is a distinct difference between lay practitioners and monastics on this subject.)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T12:57:44.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8228" CreationDate="2015-03-18T13:20:22.780" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am aware of some studies that suggest that &quot;noise&quot; can be an aid to concentration - i.e. people who doodle at meetings tend to be more attentive, people who chew gum in class tend to remember more, and people who listen to classical music write more fluently.  In preliminary stages of meditation, you might even find it easier to gather your mind when there is an outside stimulus.  Guided mediation is just one example of this.  That being said, all four of those activities refer to modes of thought that are distinctly different from what you are aiming at in deeper meditation.  When sitting in a Buddhist sense (i.e. for jhana meditation, vipassana, koan practice, etc.), you need to work towards developing applied and sustained thought in a way that is as free from distraction as possible i.e. &quot;Quite secluded from sense pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states of mind...&quot;  MN 4.  This also infers that the influence of the five hinderances needs to be limited.  It goes without saying that listening to music is fairly antithetical to that end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your experience that you hear music more readily when sitting - that's a fairly common occurrence.  You are just becoming aware of another level of your mind that was previously obscured by grosser thought (for what it's worth, I have the same experience when I'm backpacking or doing any other activity that isn't thought-intensive).  You do need to get beyond that state, however.  As you apply concentration, you will eventually push past that boundary and into deeper, more silent layers of the mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T13:20:22.780" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8237" CreationDate="2015-03-18T13:44:35.377" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;An analogy, in martial arts, when one needs to train and toughen up their knuckles, he wouldn't just start out punching bricks right away. He has to start with punching paper stacks, then move on to punching beans, then to sands, etc. Only after a period when his knuckles become strong enough then he'd practice on bricks. Similarly, your mind isn't conditioned to handle bad evil people with peace and equanimity. So first you have to start with good people to build up the needed strength. This doesn't mean you should completely avoid bad people. Try your best to treat them kindly and compassionately until the day your mind is strong enough to handle any kind of person or any kind of situation with peace and equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T13:44:35.377" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2015-03-18T14:18:11.770" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like a house needs a strong foundation to last a long time, one would need sila as the foundation upon which the entire Path is built:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus in this way, Ananda, skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, freedom from remorse as their reward. Freedom from remorse has joy as its purpose, joy as its reward. Joy has rapture as its purpose, rapture as its reward. Rapture has serenity as its purpose, serenity as its reward. Serenity has pleasure as its purpose, pleasure as its reward. Pleasure has concentration as its purpose, concentration as its reward. Concentration has knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are as its purpose, knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are as its reward. Knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are has disenchantment as its purpose, disenchantment as its reward. Disenchantment has dispassion as its purpose, dispassion as its reward. Dispassion has knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its purpose, knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this way, Ananda, skillful virtues lead step-by-step to the consummation of arahantship.&amp;quot; ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.1&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T14:18:11.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2015-03-18T14:29:11.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sila provides protection (from bad outcomes and consequences) according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Atta-rakkhita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  misconduct leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron of&#xA;  elephant troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a&#xA;  squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might&#xA;  protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that?&#xA;  Because that's an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore&#xA;  they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily&#xA;  conduct, good verbal conduct, &amp;amp; good mental conduct have themselves&#xA;  protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a&#xA;  squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a&#xA;  squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they have&#xA;  themselves protected. Why is that? Because that's an internal&#xA;  protection, not an external one. Therefore they have themselves&#xA;  protected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T14:29:11.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8237" CreationDate="2015-03-18T14:40:14.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, staying away from harmful people is not aversion. It's merely protecting yourself from bad consequences. After all, everyone desires happiness for themselves. If you practise Buddhism because you want to overcome suffering (dukkha), it's not because you have an aversion towards suffering, rather, it's because you want to solve the problem of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, after staying away from harmful people, if you continue to bear a mental grudge against them, and speak ill of them to others, then you have an aversion against them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO, aversion is a mental thing, not a social concept. Karma works in such a way that it is primarily related to your intentions. If your intention is to avoid suffering, then it is not aversion. If your feeling of them is negative and continues long after their presence is removed, then it is aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T14:40:14.257" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8246" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T16:14:27.667" Score="4" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we focus on suffering as the suffering we're experiencing in the present moment or do we focus on suffering how the Buddha and Sariputta put forth and analyzed the four noble truths like: &quot;Now what, friends, is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; not getting what is wanted is stressful.[2] In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do we just have to notice the actual mental experience of suffering as cause by craving or can we notice all its different manifestations, like the stress of the body or the stress of impatience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T16:53:53.397" Title="How do we focus on stress for the first noble truth?" Tags="|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2411" CreationDate="2015-03-18T16:59:53.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend that you check out the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/landing/satipatthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, whose practices has the same structure as the Anapanasati Sutta- body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind, but is more geared towards everyday practice. For example mindfulness of walking and standing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:24:05.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8248" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T17:18:54.283" Score="5" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I focus on the link between birth and aging, death, suffering, in dependent co-arising in my own mind? Or do I have to know how birth leads to aging etc. intellectually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does birth in dependent co-arising appear in the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorUserId="4821" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T17:59:49.427" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T21:53:44.053" Title="Can you actually focus on how birth leads to aging, death, suffering, stress as direct experience in dependent co-arising?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8249" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T18:17:44.460" Score="4" ViewCount="458" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for videos with Dharma talks and am hoping that the community here can help me. Grateful for any links to online talks and DVD recommendations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-03-19T18:31:01.940" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T23:25:21.963" Title="Where can I find video Dharma talks?" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|media|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2297" CreationDate="2015-03-18T18:17:51.740" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;18 hours is the proper time for daily meditation :) The essence of Lord Buddha's teachings is mindfulness which means focusing to the present moment objectively without puting any judgements to it whether its positive, negative or neutral experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A beginner meditator's mind would be deeply cloudy and would have intense physical and mental addictions. Especially the modern technology age's &quot;sweet&quot; escaping tools is a real enemy for the meditator. If a meditator does few minutes(or even hours) of meditation, he or she mustn't think that &quot;I finished my job today now I can go and entertain myself&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real positive results comes when the meditator meditates all day long, which means he continues to practice mindfulness after finishing formal meditation session, whether he or she is walking, drinking water, sitting on a bus, or working on his/her job. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a hardcore path too, when the meditator starts practising intensive meditaton for long periods of time(If he or she has time and place ofcourse).  But its not possible to start walking on that path unless the meditator really starts to become a master of living in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.&quot; BUDDHA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="700" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-29T21:42:51.560" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T21:42:51.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2015-03-18T18:43:08.633" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are different reasons why it can be difficult to practice &lt;em&gt;Metta meditation&lt;/em&gt;. What could those reasons be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all there is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Overcoming_the_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the 5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. I am sure you already know them so i will not go further into them here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second hindrance which is &lt;em&gt;ill-will (hatred, anger, resentment towards oneself/others, hostility towards one self/others/the meditation object etc.)&lt;/em&gt; can be a hindrance for metta meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with most of the spiritual work we do one has to begin with oneself. One has to develop oneself, care about oneself, forgive oneself for the things one has done to others and what others have done to oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one cannot be there for oneself then how can one expect one to be there for other people? Yet alone send metta towards other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im not saying you are not there for yourself because i do not know anything about that. I am here coming with suggestions for you to further falsify/validate by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be that you have some unfinished business with yourself or that you have some hostility towards yourself. In metta meditation one begins with wishing metta for oneself. Oneself is first base, the foundation. So if one finds it difficult to sent metta to other people it can be helpful to take a look at the sender, the giver - oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can you do that then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are different methods. The purpose is to wish for example; &lt;em&gt;&quot;may i be happy, peaceful and free from mental and physical suffering&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Thats one way to wish metta for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way is to try to look at the deeds you have done in your life and see if any of them is worth respecting. You can look at it as if the deeds where done by another person and then ask yourself; is that deed worth respecting? Is that deed helpful to other beings? If you can answer yes to any of these questions then you can use the metta from that deed to sent to yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next step in the metta meditation is to sent metta to loved ones for example parents or family in general. Then comes friends, then neutral persons, then persons who are your enemies/people who consider you their enemy/people who just dont like you etc., then comes all beings in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You dont even have to follow that order i just wrote. You can sent metta to the aforementioned people in any order you want. Although most people find it the easiest to begin with sending metta to family or loved ones and then use that generated metta to sent to other people. So when you reach hostile persons and find it difficult to generate any metta for them then you can go back to sending metta to your family or loved ones and when metta is generated then go back to the hostile persons and sent it to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its important that the metta is there or else it will be like you said; &lt;em&gt;just empty words one is sending forth&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An important note:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a) dont be too hard on yourself. It serves no purpose. If there arises emotions or other of the 5 aggregates, use your vipassana to observe them, note them and let them go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b) in my message when i use terms like &lt;em&gt;&quot;oneself, you, people etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; im only speaking on a &lt;strong&gt;conventional level&lt;/strong&gt;. Im not dealing with &lt;strong&gt;ultimate reality&lt;/strong&gt; here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T19:02:56.920" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T19:02:56.920" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-18T18:52:42.997" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yuttadhammo, one of the moderators on this site has done a lot of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot;&gt;youtube&lt;/a&gt; videos that people find very useful and you might too. All freely available.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-18T18:58:13.677" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T18:58:13.677" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-18T19:07:45.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also Ven. Bodhi's Middle Length lecture series at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.noblepath.org/audio.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.noblepath.org/audio.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T19:07:45.607" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2015-03-18T19:14:55.470" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of people find metta practice hard. I find metta practice hard. Where I practice they have even run day retreats called 'I hate the metta bhvana' to try to address this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can maybe address some of you points with what I've been told and maybe my own experience&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can't feel any metta being generated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does feel like the task is to pump out as much metta as you can but I was told by a very experienced practiconer that this is an unhelpful way to think about it. Rather than trying frantically to be a metta generating machine he said the task is to be with whatever comes up when you bring people to mind. That might be metta, it might be irritation, it might be a big aching feeling of numbness. If it is then that is what it is and the task is to be open to that. Perhaps being sensitive to metta if it is there but being sensitive to it's absence if it isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I feel like I'm just repeating empty words&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional formulations can feel very fake. If they do then maybe don't do them and just try to have an awareness to that person. Someone said of the formulations that they are like a submarine pinging a sonar out and seeing what if anything comes back. Personally I don't often do them but sometimes I will say them to myself after another (breath) meditation and that can give other mediation a more metta-ful quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;metta means friendliness and i think this is the problem as I may not&#xA;  be born with this quality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not knowing you but knowing human beings I'm going to say you do have this quality but it can be just numbed out of you by day to day living,. I think this is where faith (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;śraddhā&lt;/a&gt;) comes in. Have faith that you do have this quality and it is a universal human quality that everyone can connect with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;metta practice is unbearable&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be kind to yourself. The beginning of the practice is have metta to yourself. Give yourself a break during practice by coming back to the breath or take a break from the practice for a time. If at all possible, don't give up completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it so difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is difficult. You are doing a difficult thing. You and everyone that does this are heroes for even trying it. Own the difficult. It's difficult because it's difficult and celebrate yourself for engaging with it. You are amazing for doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T09:23:59.687" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T09:23:59.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-18T19:26:28.347" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answering my own question here, these are the major places i know of for the Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh) tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/plumvillageonline&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plum Village Online Monastery on youtube&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Years: 2012 - present&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaX_vxbhs8fgmshMksFpVsUeMfUpv8FsW&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Blue Cliff Monastery channel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://vimeo.com/plumvillage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plum Village Online Monastery on Vimeo&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Years: 2010 - 2012&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the same tradition there are these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/SourceOfLightMon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SourceOfLightMon on youtube&lt;/a&gt; (has videos overlapping with the topmost link)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/pvwebmonk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharmacloud monastery on youtube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tord&lt;br&gt;&#xA;PS Please edit if you know of more video resources for the PV/TNH tradition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2015-03-20T16:28:04.620" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T16:28:04.620" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-18T19:51:16.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The American Zen College has a bunch of Dharma Talks videos posted up on YouTube:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEsxt0ZaRw0ng6_u3aPm4EA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEsxt0ZaRw0ng6_u3aPm4EA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T19:51:16.497" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8257" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8263" CreationDate="2015-03-18T20:09:54.420" Score="7" ViewCount="1341" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a programmer who is also interested in Buddhism and right now I'm in the planning stage for creating software inspired by Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know what Buddhism-related (or -inspired) software is already out there (including simple web apps, mobile apps, etc.) since this can help me with my own project. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd be grateful if the community can answer this and hope that many others will benefit from software helping to put the teachings into practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T14:27:09.353" LastActivityDate="2019-09-02T20:47:07.293" Title="What Buddhist Software is there?" Tags="|reference-request|media|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="9" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:07:16.470" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8258" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T20:46:09.217" Score="3" ViewCount="355" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find chanting or music, inspired by Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to have this for my MP3 player so I can remember to practice when not &quot;on the cushion&quot; (cost-free or not, chanting or any type of music inspired by Buddhism, helping us to come back to ourselves or inspiring us to practice, to understand, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you and kind regards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T14:25:32.230" LastActivityDate="2019-09-19T07:25:28.693" Title="Where can i find buddhist chanting and music?" Tags="|reference-request|media|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:14:29.030" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-18T20:57:48.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some links you might find useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Sq_tAHjwk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Sq_tAHjwk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://birken.ca/audio_collections&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://birken.ca/audio_collections&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ajahn Brahm&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/AjahnBrahmRetreats/videos&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/user/AjahnBrahmRetreats/videos&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Dalai Lama&lt;/em&gt; on Nature of the Mind*: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7RQi55asY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7RQi55asY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-19T00:53:44.537" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T00:53:44.537" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8258" CreationDate="2015-03-18T22:34:39.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found a couple of videos for you that you might like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thai monks chanting healing mantra: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDCS19EOsrA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDCS19EOsrA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan monks chanting: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P8fNQ0fqSI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P8fNQ0fqSI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan monks chanting with singing bowl: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIRJMESl4U8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIRJMESl4U8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists chants &amp;amp; peace music: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl-m7VrqqaY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl-m7VrqqaY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhist Chants of Namgyal Monastery: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0IvWX2pmQM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0IvWX2pmQM&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-03-18T22:34:39.813" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:14:29.030" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8257" CreationDate="2015-03-18T23:16:09.357" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some apps that you might find useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Meditation and Mindfulness Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddhify-mindfulness-meditation/id687421118?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhify Mindfulness and meditation app&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;With over 11 hours of custom meditations for 15 different parts of your day including traveling, being online, taking a work break and going to sleep, buddhify 2 gives you a simple but effective way to bring more mindfulness and calm to your busy day&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yuttadhammo.BodhiTimer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhi Timer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Bodhi Timer is an elegant, minimalist countdown timer. It is designed mainly for use as a meditation timer but can easily be used for any similar purpose.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/equanimity-meditation-timer/id351825794?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Equanimity - Meditation Timer and Tracker&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The elegant meditation timer times your sittings, provides a beautiful journal for sitting notes, and displays graphical tracking giving you clear feedback on your meditation practice. It's carefully designed to be the ideal companion for anyone who meditates&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://insighttimer.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Insight Timer Meditation App&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general its a meditation app that lets you keep track of sessions. I use it sometimes like when i do not have the possibility to sit in meditation as long as i want. Then the timer is great and it has some nice singing bowl sounds which gently brings you out of meditation. There are also some guided meditations in there but be aware that most of them are &lt;em&gt;non-buddhist&lt;/em&gt; as are many of the groups in there, although there are buddhists groups in there that one can join.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sirimangalo.meditationplus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation Plus&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This is a companion app for our online meditation community at &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://meditation.sirimangalo.org/&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://appcrawlr.com/ios/zenfriend-meditation-timer-trac&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ZenFriend&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Change your life by starting a daily meditation practice. ZenFriend helps you to build this habit by offering a beautiful timer, a worldwide community and a way to keep a record of how much you meditate all in the one place&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist Text Apps (&lt;em&gt;tipitaka, commentaries, books&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/devices.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access to insight - ATI app.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Portable ATI edition. One can read the sutta translations in the app. I dont know if its easier or &quot;better&quot; than the real deal on the internet. I didnt really use it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddhist-thoughts-bring-buddhism/id448614851?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha Thoughts&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Buddhist Thoughts is a great iPhone application that enables you to follow daily Buddhist readings what are based on the Sacred Literature of Buddhism and Buddha Dharma Education Association&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddha-vacana/id456981268?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha Vacana App&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Buddha Vacana is a daily readings app that automatically bring a verse of the Buddha’s teachings to you daily on your Apple iPhone, iPad, iTouch, facebook, PC and other supported devices&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://appcrawlr.com/ios/dharma-5-precepts-teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma and the 5 precepts training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This free app enables you to carry enlightenment and spirituality wherever you may be. Aimed to support beginners and intermediate level students of the Buddha in the attainment of knowledge and truth, this app provides quick and easy access to the teachings of Buddha and the Dharma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Digital Pali Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Digital Pali Reader (DPR) is a tool in the form of a Mozilla Firefox extension, much like a hard-copy language reader, facilitating study of the Pali language at an advanced level.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eight-verses/id591943144?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Verses app&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says that this app is composed by Buddhist Master Langri Tangpa and that its a highly- revered text from the Mahayana Lojong (mind training) tradition. &lt;em&gt;&quot;Along with the original text in Tibetan and English, the app contains text commentaries in English and audio commentaries aswell&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/webapp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali Tipitaka iOs Web App&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This is a work in progress. The Tipiṭaka (Mūla) is available for all the scripts, and the Aṭṭhakathā is available for the Roman script.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/songs-of-milarepa/id341633566?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Songs by Milarepa app&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Milarepa was an eleventh-century Buddhist poet and saint, the Greatest Ever to Appear in the History of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a yogi who wandered from village to village, teaching enlightenment and the path to Buddhahood through his spontaneously composed songs&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comment is from a customer review of the app: &lt;em&gt;&quot;I came across this app whiles searching for any sort of media on Milarepa. I was hoping that the app would contain the audio in addition to the written text, but that was not so. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful App and I thank the developer for his efforts. It would be nice to actually here those amazing poem being sang&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yuttadhammo.buddhisttexts&amp;amp;hl=da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada Buddhist Text App&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This app is meant to allow the user to read Pali Buddhist texts with side-by-side English translations, including the four main nikayas and the Dhp and Jataka commentaries as well as the Visuddhimagga&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ultimate-buddhism-library/id488684777?mt=11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Ultimate Buddhism Library app&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;A Unique Collection of 50 Buddhism Books. This book gives you the complete knowledge of Buddhism, this are the best collected books written on Buddhism. The people who are new to Buddhism or who don't know about the Buddhism. This is the best book for you&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/28-lord-buddha/d5e60c6f-ad7a-4dc9-889d-787328b0eb54&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;28 Lord Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This app lists 28 Lord Buddha described in Theravada Buddhism with details&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist Dictionaries Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/dk/app/buddhism-dictionary/id472844529?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Dictionary App&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This dictionary features entries on the history and doctrines of the major Buddhist schools, information on the spread of Buddhism in Asia and the West, and coverage of issues of contemporary concern such as human rights, abortion, euthanasia, engaged Buddhism and the role of women in Buddhist teachings&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist TV/Radio &amp;amp; Media Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://appcrawlr.com/ios/buddha-channel-best-daily-buddh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Channel&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This app has many nice Buddhism videos that you will definitely love. They are relaxed meditation music, great Buddhism mantras, Buddhism lessons from great teachers (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, Gyalwang Drukpa, Thich Nhat Hanh)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/buddhist-geeks/id211752923?mt=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Buddhist Geeks is a weekly audio show that presents groundbreaking interviews and discussions with Buddhist teachers, scholars, and advanced practitioners. Combining ancient wisdom with modern technology, Buddhist Geeks aims to catalyze a community of practitioners committed to awakening. Discover the emerging face of Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://appcrawlr.com/ios/buddha-inspirational-a-free-app&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha Inspirational&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Get inspired by Buddhist meditation music, songs, wisdom, chants, teachings, images, quotes, history, mantra, compassion, and nirvana&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/app/id328373556&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;iShrine&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Shrine is a realistic and interactive Buddhist altar in the palm of your hand, you can now practice meditation wherever you are even while away from home.&#xA;You can choose the way your Buddhist altar is composed by keeping only the items you wish, just go the layout menu and pick up the items you want. All items were scanned from a genuine Buddhist altar.&#xA;Real-looking candles and incense are part of your altar, you may choose to light them up when you feel by touching them with your virtual match&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://appcrawlr.com/ios/tibetan-wisdom-for-living-and-d-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying - Sogyal Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;With the Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying app, Rinpoche presents a grand and transforming vision of life and death, introducing you to Tibetan practices that can help anyone live fully while preparing for the extraordinary adventure that death offers each one of us&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying app features:&#xA;- A nine-hour course on core Buddhist teachings that invite us to face death without fear (9 hours, 14 minutes of audio)&#xA;- A Good Minute—video selections that offer concentrated wisdom to inspire you anytime&#xA;- A relaxing slide show&#xA;- An interactive vine garden to enjoy while listening (iPad only)&#xA;- Bookmarking to help you easily find your favorite content&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.buddhistapps.vajratvonlineradio&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;VajraTV Online Radio app&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;VajraTV Online radio was started as a pilot program through VajraTV: Buddhist Television Network&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist Chanting &amp;amp; Prayer Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev66510.app68635&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Chant app&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;buddhist pali sutta chanting app&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mspdt.buddhisttoolspro&amp;amp;hl=da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist To Pray Tools&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This application will provide you with information about Buddhism and Buddha traditions and you can try some religous customs on your mobile virtually. Pro version includes 10 tools such as hand bell, incense, cymbals, damaru, prayer wheel, candle, conch shell trumpet, prayer beads would be available&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-buddhist-prayers/id328219107?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daily Buddhist Prayers App&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Learn daily Buddhist prayers. This application provides basic daily Buddhist prayers in Wylie transliteration format so anyone can read them, also provided are the English translation/descriptions of the prayers.&#xA;Along with the texts, this app also provides audio guide for all the prayers. The audio guide was recited by a former Drepung Gomang Monastery monk and provides word by word audio guidance, like a guru teaching a student&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddha Quotes Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddha-quotes-500!-daily-buddhist/id350096227?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Buddha quotes 500&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddhist-meditation/id544695689?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;App Features: Chants for Meditation, Introduction to Buddhism, Beautiful Image Gallery, Quotes under 11 Categories&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dominantesapps.com.br/buddhaiphoneipad.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Words of Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;In this application, we picked  more than 150 Buddha quotes that can change the our view of the world. Besides these thoughts, there are one great bonus: more than 350 Buddhist quotes from various authors&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist Calendar Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tibetan-buddhist-calendar/id590361779?mt=8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan Buddhist Calender&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Tibetan lunar calendar combined with Western calendar, specifically designed for practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Buddhist Game Apps:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.buddhistMemoryGame&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Memory Game&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Beautiful Buddha images are used in this game of pairing cards. Very relaxing game for both adults and kids, you get to play this game over and over again because of the calming Buddha smiles as well as getting a quote from the Dhammapada every time you complete a game&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Important note to all &lt;em&gt;Buddhism-SE users&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this answer all users can add &lt;em&gt;buddhism-related apps&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to add an app please file it under the appropriate category, add a link so that the app is easily located and a short description of the app or other information that you think other users might find useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T16:58:23.217" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T16:58:23.217" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:07:16.470" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8264" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-18T23:56:32.490" Score="0" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me illustrate this question with an example: Assume &quot;A&quot; killed someone intentionally, as a consequence the police took A and he is in jail. After all his/her time in jail, will A be free from his Kamma OR A will still need to experience being killed as a consequence of his/her actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when do worldly consequences &quot;clean&quot; Kamma and when don't they? &#xA;Sorry for the example involving killing, it is just to illustrate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-19T14:16:18.957" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T14:16:18.957" Title="When is a wordly consequence a karmic retribution?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8264" CreationDate="2015-03-19T00:36:19.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Worldy consequences don't purify a persons kamma, unless the worldy consequences that happened were caused by that specific kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T00:36:19.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8237" CreationDate="2015-03-19T00:42:55.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am unsure the definition of 'good' in Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, &amp;quot;good&amp;quot; is that which leads to the welfare of beings, leads to nibbāna. The precepts and the eightfold path present examples of &amp;quot;good&amp;quot;.  The hindrances, poisons, fetters, etc. are examples of &amp;quot;bad&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Now assuming, you are surrounded by 'good' people, is that not a form of aversion?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; if &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; is present in the mind and/or it's the main driving force producing the influence. By &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt;, it is meant a specific unwholesome state. An aversion born of conceit, hate, delusion, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all &amp;quot;aversions&amp;quot; (in the conventional sense) are &lt;em&gt;aversions&lt;/em&gt; (in the buddhist sense). Otherwise, all kinds of avoidances would be unwholesome. Like avoiding walking towards a pit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Renunciation (eg. avoiding unwholesome states and circumstances that promote unwholesome states) is a prime concern in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;In Buddhism, if i choose to avoid such people, is that aversion?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not necessarily. Your state of mind while you're inclined to avoid certain things or people could be any, including compassion for yourself. Moreover, regardless if one perceives aversion in ones mind or not, it's frequently encouraged to associate with good people, and avoid associating with those whose relationships raise or increase hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &amp;quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T01:11:03.207" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8264" CreationDate="2015-03-19T01:14:39.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately one would need to attain the supernatural power of seeing people's previous lives in order to see the exact working of kamma. Otherwise we should heed the Buddha's advice in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.77&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four? &#xA;  The Buddha-range of the Buddhas, the jhana-range of a person in jhana, the precise working out of the results of kamma, and conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, the consequences to the kamma of killing could be multi-faceted and quite severe for that act would bring not only pain and suffering to the victim but also to the people around him/her. So by killing a man, beside the apparent suffering one brings upon that man, one also generates tremendous suffering to the man's mother who just lost a son, to his wife who just lost a husband, to his children who just lost a father, and many of his relatives and loved ones. So it's kinda like when one owes a huge debt to so many people, it won't be easy to pay off this debt in one nice and clean lump sum payment..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T01:14:39.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8269" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-19T02:21:38.210" Score="5" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you go through all 7 purifications of insight with walking meditation. Can you also go through the 7 purifications of insight by focusing on your steps and saying to yourself &quot;stepping, stepping&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T14:39:08.073" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T11:00:07.380" Title="Can you go through all 7 purifications of insight with walking meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|stages-of-the-path|insight|meditation-walking|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8258" CreationDate="2015-03-19T05:19:08.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hi there's an app on Google Play that I downloaded with..i use it a lot.It's not very musical though because it's just a monk chanting with no back ground music.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev66510.app68635&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev66510.app68635&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best regards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T05:19:08.737" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:14:29.030" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-19T07:57:41.543" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Highly recommend &lt;em&gt;For The Benefit of All Beings&lt;/em&gt;, a film about Garchen Rinpoche&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forthebenefitofallbeings.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.forthebenefitofallbeings.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all paths lead you to the great love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T07:57:41.543" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T14:06:23.720" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8159" CreationDate="2015-03-19T08:46:16.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem yo are referring to , is the problem of physical survival of an Individual or a Group, in the presence of a threat . Vajrayana Buddhism studies  this problem and justifies the use of violence for Self-preservation or preservation of the Religious Organization . &lt;br/&gt; &#xA;Buddhist Philosophy in India has evolved over the years and taken many forms . The three main variants are (1) Hinayana  (2) Mahayana (3) Vajrayana. Finally , around 10th to 12th century AD , Buddhism merged with Hinduism in India.Hinayana form is the oldest and has spread to other parts of the world .Hinduism had to accept all the three variants of Buddhism...You can get more details of this in the works of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.  &lt;br/&gt;  The Vajryana form probably developed after 7th cenury A.D. ,when Islam spread to India. North India was at that time predominantly Buddhist . Buddhism had Govt. support and so they were not concerned nor  discussing about the survival problem.. Buddhists , in those areas which fell to Muslim invaders ,were forcibly converted to Islam or else were massacred .This forced the Buddhists to change their philosophy with regard to self-preservation. This change also helped them to get the support of Hindu Kingdoms of South India --to fight against Islam. Vajrayana philosophy is a middle path between Hinayana Buddhism and Islam. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T08:46:16.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-03-19T10:32:17.360" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with Orion  that you must first take Medical help. Yoga or Meditation , does not help you stop a bleeding wound or a life threatening disease. &lt;br/&gt; Conventional Buddhism and Hinduism , tells you that you need many Births or many life times of Spiritual Evolution to achieve Enlightenment or Liberation . You don't get it in one life time and that too , without overcoming your bad habits. &lt;br/&gt; It is possible ,however ,according to Vajra Yana Buddhism (ref- Wikipedia) and Tantra System of Hinduism (ref- Wikipedia). But these practices may be easily confused with Satanic Worship of the West .Also these practices require close interaction with a Guru or a Spiritual Teacher . So you have to tell about your obsessions to your Guru and leave it to him to find out a suitable technique of Meditation, Physical Exercise ,Medication and method of control of your day-to-day activities for optimum results. Vajra Yana or Tantric practices , without a Guru , can lead to permanent Insanity or Death .Ramakrishna Mission ,a Hindu religious organisation ,accepts the Tantric or Vajryana practices for spiritual development . You may get in touch with them , through their website. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T10:32:17.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-03-19T11:33:50.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My favorite Buddhist films:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156470/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen (2009)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428283/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Un Buda (2005)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097195/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (1989)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0819354/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (2006)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0223898/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Peace is Every Step (1998)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to find more one way is to click on the links above and look under &quot;People who liked this also liked...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are these organizations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistfilmfoundation.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Film Foundation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thisfilmfest.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thus Have I Seen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Film Foundation is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistfilmfoundation.org/buddhist-film-archive/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;working on an archive of Buddhist films&lt;/a&gt; but at the time of writing i couldn't find anything public&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this answer helps you and others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T11:33:50.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2015-03-19T13:46:34.403" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The benefits of morality are many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha, &lt;strong&gt;the main purpose of morality is non-remorse&lt;/strong&gt; (AN 11). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, there are five benefits, including attainment/guarding of wealth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Householder, there are these five benefits&#xA;  for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue. What five? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here, householder, one who&#xA;  is virtuous, possessed of virtue, obtains a large fortune as a consequence of diligence;&#xA;  this is the first benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Again, of one&#xA;  who is virtuous, possessed of virtue, a fair name is spread abroad; this is the second&#xA;  benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Again, whenever one who is&#xA;  virtuous, possessed of virtue, enters an assembly, whether of khattiyas (warrior-&#xA;  nobles) or brahmans or householders or ascetics, he does so without fear or&#xA;  hesitation; this is the third benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Again,&#xA;  one who is virtuous, possessed of virtue, dies unconfused; this is the fourth benefit&#xA;  for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Again, one who is virtuous, possessed&#xA;  of virtue, on the breakup of the body, after death, reappears in a happy destiny, in&#xA;  the heavenly world; this is the fifth benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of&#xA;  virtue”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 16 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Milindapanha also gives a nice description of the virtue of a moral individual:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A moral individual, great king,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like an antidote in destroying the poison of defilements;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a medicine in curing the sickness of defilements;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like water in taking away the dirt and mud of defilements;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like the jewel treasure (a gem said to grant wishes) in bestowing all attainments;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a ship in helping beings go to the far shore of the four floods;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a caravan-leader in helping beings cross over the wilderness of birth;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like wind in extinguishing the threefold fire and heat;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a great cloud in replenishing the mind (as with rain);&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a teacher in causing beings to train in wholesomeness;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;is like a good preacher in causing beings to see the path to security.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality is considered to be the foundation of the holy life, along with right view (SN 47.3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhaghosa says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dare anyone a limit place&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;On benefits that virtue brings,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Without which virtue clansmen find&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;No footing in the dispensation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vism I.24 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for needing incentive, sometimes it is important to distinguish between moral precepts and actual morality. Keeping the precepts is important, as it serves as a general frame of reference in corralling the mind, like fence posts. It is not enough, though, and the mind will still tend to rebel against the precepts if one does not build a fence of true morality, which entails mindfulness. Through mindfulness, true morality is attained at every moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The currents in the world that flow, Ajita,”&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;said the Blessed One,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;“Are stemmed by means of mindfulness;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Restraint of currents I proclaim,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;By understanding they are dammed”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Sn 1035 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T13:46:34.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8246" CreationDate="2015-03-19T13:57:17.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first noble truth is realized at the moment of anuloma-ñāṇa - the moment before attainment of nibbāna. So, you don't actually contemplate it before that point. Up until that point, you are practicing what is called &lt;em&gt;pubbaṅgamagga&lt;/em&gt; or the preliminary path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four basic ways of understanding suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha-vedanā&lt;/strong&gt; - suffering as a feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha-sabhāva&lt;/strong&gt; - suffering as a fact of life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha-lakkhaṇa&lt;/strong&gt; - suffering as a characteristic of phenomena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha-sacca&lt;/strong&gt; - suffering as a truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary people see suffering as a feeling, and thus try to escape it by running away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, some people begin to see it is a fact of life, not to be avoided but to be understood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some such people actually undertake to do so and, as a result, begin to see that suffering is actually an intrinsic characteristic of arisen phenomena; not simply because certain phenomena are painful, but because all phenomena are impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, some who see thus will proceed accordingly until realizing in a momentary flash of insight that all arisen phenomena, even those one has not yet experienced, are suffering. This is what it means to realize the truth of suffering. The next moments involve the attainment of nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to directly answer your question, all phenomena are to be seen as they are (yathābhūta), rather than focussing on those phenomena that are stressful. In the end, one comes to see objectively that no phenomenon is sukha (satisfying), and lets go of them all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-04-15T12:05:58.807" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T12:05:58.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8248" CreationDate="2015-03-19T14:05:24.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is the truth that the Buddha himself saw under the Bodhi tree at the moment of his enlightenment in the third watch of the night. This after recollecting countless past lives in the first watch and observing countless beings being born and passing away in the second watch. So yeah, it probably entails a lot of abstract thought about past and future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is controversial, though - many Buddhists would have you believe that DO is an entirely momentary teaching to be understood as referring to a single moment in time, rather than multiple lifetimes. This seems unwarranted given the context mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you want to become a Buddha, then full understanding of DO is essential. Unfortunately, it seems to come after (at least) four uncountable aeons plus 100,000 great aeons (great aeons being the smaller of the two types and perhaps equivalent to a big bang).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary individuals are not required to understand DO in its entirety, though it is useful as a framework for understanding reality intellectually. In terms of practice, it is enough to understand that all arisen phenomena are impermanent, suffering, and non-self. This removes any craving for arisen phenomena and frees one from ignorance, thereby severing the connection to becoming and birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T21:53:44.053" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T21:53:44.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8269" CreationDate="2015-03-19T14:19:37.240" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, of course. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After reciting the Pātimokkha, it seems,&#xA;  on the Uposatha day of the full moon, one of the two elders who were brothers&#xA;  went to his own dwelling place surrounded by the Community of Bhikkhus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As&#xA;  he stood on the walk looking at the moonlight, he calculated his own vital&#xA;  formations and he said to the Community of Bhikkhus, “In what way have you&#xA;  seen bhikkhus attaining Nibbāna up till now?” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some answered, “Till now we&#xA;  have seen them attain Nibbāna sitting in their seats.” Others answered, “We&#xA;  have seen them sitting cross-legged in the air.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The elder said, “I shall now&#xA;  show you one attaining Nibbāna while walking.” He then drew a line on the&#xA;  walk, saying, “I shall go from this end of the walk to the other end and return;&#xA;  when I reach this line I shall attain Nibbāna.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So saying, he stepped on to the&#xA;  walk and went to the far end. On his return he attained Nibbāna in the same&#xA;  moment in which he stepped on the line.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vism. VIII.244 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note, that the seven purifications are not all related to insight directly. They are simply called the seven purifications, not the seven purifications of insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T11:00:07.380" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T11:00:07.380" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-19T15:07:55.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Google video search or Youtube search: &quot;Ask a monk&quot; OR &quot;Monk Radio&quot; OR Yuttadhammo...life changing and very in harmony with the Buddha's teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T15:07:55.010" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T15:07:55.010" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8284" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-19T15:50:02.203" Score="1" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to skip the 7 purifications and gain straight insight into phenomenon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T14:49:12.047" Title="Can you skip the 7 purifications and gain straight insight into phenomenon?" Tags="|vipassana|insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8285" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-19T16:18:12.020" Score="3" ViewCount="237" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen a video where the Sr Monk's feet were being washed by laity or even Jr Monk.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Anybody know what purpose does it serve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T04:42:22.383" Title="Sign of respect to Sr Monk?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8286" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8290" CreationDate="2015-03-19T17:46:04.303" Score="2" ViewCount="83" Body="&lt;p&gt;Im looking for a specific sutta in the &lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta &lt;em&gt;past and future&lt;/em&gt; is being discussed and also how a practitioner on the insight path can gain seclusion from the 5 aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T20:29:39.220" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T20:29:39.220" Title="Specific sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya: Where is past and future discussed?" Tags="|personal-practice|pali-canon|reference-request|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2015-03-19T17:48:24.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what i've gathered from reading about this in the Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh) tradition and from my own experience. Please feel free to update and improve, i am not sure about everything&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;The eight conciousnesses&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are eight consciousnesses (not counting Vijnana which is split into six parts):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vijnana&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eye Consciousnesses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ear C.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nose C.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tongue C.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Body C.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind C.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Manas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Citta (Store C.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Vijnana&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;top level&quot; of conciousness - we are most conscious of the experiences happening in this part of the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;The first five c.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first five consciousnesses have access to &quot;reality in itself&quot; with no discrimination/dualism (me and you, subject and object, etc). They are in &quot;direct contact&quot; with reality. They are not distorted by our thinking and our past experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;The sixth c.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth conciousness &quot;mind&quot; is the part of our mind with ideas and it has access to (at least parts of) all the seven other conciousnesses. When the sixth conciousness collaborates with the first five the connection with &quot;reality in itself&quot; is interrupted&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth is itself suspended for example while sleeping without dreaming. When dreaming the sixth is active and gets all it's information from the eigth conciousness (Citta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Manas&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strongly connected with the sixth conciousness (mind c.), it grasps at experiences&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/wp/2013/04/dharma-talk-consciousness-and-quantum-physics/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh writes&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the seventh consciousness there are four basic afflictions: self-delusion, self-love, self-view, and self-conceit. The basic illusion inherent in all four afflictions is the illusion about self: this body is mine, is me; this feeling is me; these emotions are me; this consciousness is me and I am independent from everything else&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Citta&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unconcious, contains all experiences we've had, all is stored here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Visual overview&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I drew the picture below for our Sangha group where we brought up manas and am happy to share it here. The image contains an example where a seed in the store (Citta) has been watered (maybe by something we have seen or heard together with our perceptions) and that seed has manifested in the mind consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sXA93.png&quot; alt=&quot;overview-of-the-mind&quot;&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/wp/2014/01/dharma-talk-the-habit-of-happiness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Talk: The Habit of Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/wp/2013/04/dharma-talk-consciousness-and-quantum-physics/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Talk: Consciousness and Quantum Physics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manas-vijnana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia: Manas-vijnana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_YFLvEhbTAqUWgwWldKc3ROMFk/view?usp=sharing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Image file: The Eight Consciousnesses&lt;/a&gt; - by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/4836/sunyata&quot;&gt;sunyata&lt;/a&gt; - Can be reused under the &lt;a href=&quot;http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;CC BY-SA license&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T17:48:24.633" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8288" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8289" CreationDate="2015-03-19T18:06:34.203" Score="2" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to find the sutta in where the Buddha is walking through a forest with his disciples. He then picks up a handful of leaves and says that what he teach is comparable to the leaves in his hand and what he did not teach is comparable to the amount of leaves in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T20:28:22.713" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T20:28:22.713" Title="Specific sutta in the Tipitaka: Where did the Buddha compare leaves in the forest to his knowledge?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8288" CreationDate="2015-03-19T18:19:34.007" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are probably after the Simsapa Sutta&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T18:19:34.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8286" CreationDate="2015-03-19T18:25:58.117" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few suttas fit this, but try this first - &#xA;Bhaddekaratta Sutta: An Auspicious Day&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.131.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.131.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T18:25:58.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8228" CreationDate="2015-03-19T20:08:26.173" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based purely on my experience -- i.e. I don't know what any of the Buddhist literature says -- music is a two-edged sword. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the one hand it doesn't at all help develop concentration or insight. It may &lt;em&gt;feel&lt;/em&gt; like it is, but I think it is nothing &lt;em&gt;but&lt;/em&gt; a feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But on the other hand, it did serve to get me meditating &lt;em&gt;at all&lt;/em&gt;. I found (still do) meditation to be difficult, and it wasn't something I enjoyed doing. Music made it a bit easier and got me on the cushion. However, once I'd built meditation into my routine, I stopped using music. So it served as &quot;training wheels&quot;, and was best discarded as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of those two effects, I think the first is the stronger. And with hindsight, perhaps a better approach for me would have been to join a local sangha, and used simple camaraderie to get me over the initial hump of starting to meditate. Then music wouldn't have been needed at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T20:08:26.173" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-03-19T20:18:53.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-20-vitakkasanthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; several different ways are presented by the wise one, the first one (also recommended by Thich Nhat Hanh) is sometimes called &quot;Changing the peg&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too … when a bhikkhu gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome … his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;© Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2009)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps you and others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T20:18:53.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8228" CreationDate="2015-03-19T20:42:30.383" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The basic Buddhist rules of morality for lay people are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt; (they are to abstain from killing, from stealing, from sensual and/or sexual misconduct, from lying, and from alcohol).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an extended version of these called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Eight_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Eight Precepts&lt;/a&gt;, of which one precept is to not go to listen to music.&#xA;These eight (instead of five) precepts are especially for &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uposatha days&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Uposatha (Sanskrit: Upavasatha) is Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time (500 BCE), and still being kept today in Buddhist countries.[1][2] The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for &amp;quot;the cleansing of the defiled mind,&amp;quot; resulting in inner calm and joy.[3] On this day, lay disciples and monks intensify their practice, deepen their knowledge and express communal commitment through millennia-old acts of lay-monastic reciprocity. On these days, the lay followers make a conscious effort to keep the Five Precepts or (as the tradition suggests) the Eight Precepts. It is a day for practicing the Buddha's teachings and meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the three Suttas identified at the bottom of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, the purpose of the eight precepts is to &amp;quot;emulate the arahants&amp;quot;.&#xA;The eight precepts aren't only practiced on Uposatha days but also, for example, by people who visit &lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/site/yuttadhammo/rules&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a centre such as this one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience of group meditation includes a little bell (ding!) at the beginning, then silence, and then the bell again at the end of the sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strangely/exceptionally, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanavara/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; includes the following quote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How do the Acariyas include listening in watching?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Acariyas, the breaking of the precept lies in the effort exerted in going to watch shows. If we are standing, sitting or lying down in our own place, that is, if we do not put forth the effort to go and watch, and if such shows or entertainments come to us or pass by, it is not a breach of the precept for us, though the sila would be tarnished. But in any case, not to listen or watch is the best. The listening to or singing of songs is a breach of the precept, except with such ballads as contain Dhamma that causes faith to arise as well as arousing weariness with the suffering of our life. For example, one Thera (senior bhikkhu) heard a slave woman singing about life's troubles. When the Thera heard this, he saw the tediousness of suffering and achieved attainments on the Path. This type of song can be listened to and is not detrimental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW Buddhists' attitude to music may vary with tradition, circumstance, age, etc. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/monks-and-nuns-from-thich-nhat-hanh-collective-in-plum-village-france-pay-our-school-a-special-visit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;For example, this&lt;/a&gt; is from a Primary school (the song titles and lyrics quoted later are of 'teaching' songs):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Monks and nuns from the Thich Nhat Hanh collective, in Plum Village, France, pay our school a special visit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today we welcomed a group of five monks and three nuns from Plum Village. They spent&#xA;two hours with our pupils this afternoon singing songs, sharing stories and teaching us some&#xA;simple but powerful mindfulness exercises.&#xA;Sister Peace reminded us how effective the ‘inviting’ of a bell can be in bringing us back to&#xA;focused awareness and the children discussed the various ways we use a ‘mindfulness’ bell&#xA;at the school, as well as suggesting other occasions etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T12:56:40.190" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2015-03-19T20:49:41.907" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel your pain, can recognize alot of what you wrote. I am forturnate to have found some guidance early because metta meditation is now very valuable for me&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Four Immeasurable Minds&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First i like to say that it will be easier to have metta (love) if we have karuna (compassion), mudita (joy) and upeksha (equanimity and non-discrimination) so if you can improve one of these three that will help you with metta as well since these four all support each other (together they are called &quot;the four immeasurable minds&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Starting with a non-difficult person&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is to not start with difficult people but instead start with yourself or with someone you like. One setup can be like this for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone we like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone we dislike&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone who we are neutral towards&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone we love&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone we normally cannot stand thinking about&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I usually stay with one person until feeling metta and this may mean that time actually runs out and i only get to 3. (Quitting on 3 or on 4 there is at least a balance, that's how i'm thinking)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using this setup we are able to use the positive emotions that we get from 2 for 3 and from 5 for 6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Calming the mind first&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience (and also from what i've read) it can be useful to first spend some time calming the mind and then switching to metta meditation. For example we may want to count ten breaths, starting over if we loose track&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book recommendations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teachings on Love by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion by Christina Feldman&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T11:07:23.807" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T11:07:23.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8295" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-19T21:12:12.857" Score="6" ViewCount="590" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you just have to endure these bad effects no matter how long they may  last? I feel like I'm dealing  with some bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4821" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T19:07:29.050" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T14:49:31.247" Title="Is the only way to deal with the effects of your bad karma endurance?" Tags="|karma|ethics|right-effort|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8257" CreationDate="2015-03-19T21:22:15.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answering my own question here are some that support mindfulness and meditation practice that i've found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailyzen.com/zendo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zenify&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zenify.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zendo at dailyzen.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(List) &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/mindfulness-software/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness Software at plumvillage.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2015-03-19T21:22:15.267" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-19T21:22:15.267" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8295" CreationDate="2015-03-19T22:06:13.483" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to make good Karma - it will help you for sure. The Buddha once gave a simile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said that bad karma was like salt and good karma like water. If you put some salt in a glass of water it will taste bad, but if you put the same amount of salt in a river, the taste of the water will not change, so doing good karma is a very good way to handle this situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, one can get rid of all past karma by becoming enlighten or a Buddha, ordaining would be great, but I assumed you wanted a &quot;quick&quot; and &quot;wordy&quot; answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T14:49:31.247" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T14:49:31.247" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8225" CreationDate="2015-03-20T00:11:08.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll try to answer as broadly as possible and I hope it becomes a little more clear. But if you want more detail or deepening in one or more of you questions, I suggest you to post new specific ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As long as i don't interact or engage the emotion, i am mindful and aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me it seems the order is quite opposite. As long as I am mindful and aware, I don't get too involved with phenomena, and then no strong emotions takes over. If I don't get caught by what I see, what I perceive, my mood don't oscillate, my temper is even, there is equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If i simply observe the emotion of happiness, should i not participate in it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't need to choose to participate or not. When they happen you only observe them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think the question is not whether you should or not participate in emotions. But how is you attitude towards what you perceive and how and why these feelings emerge. When it is told to observe, it is not to perceive just the emotion happening. But it is to see the whole process, from its origin and development to its end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If i am devoid of emotion and only an observer, am i not practising aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be aversion, it could be disregard. If you can't feel, or you ignore your all feelings, how could you be compassionate? Equanimity isn't to be devoid of emotion, but to not have strong mood oscillations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is staying away deliberately considered aversion? If someone had been abused and they stayed away from their abuser, is it aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends on how you feel about meeting the other person. You could feel disgusted by just thinking about someone and totally refuse to meet that person. You could feel sad about that person and prefer to not meet him/her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is not wanting to think about it aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really depends on the attitude towards the thought. Refusing it and fighting against it forcefully is one thing. Now, observing it while letting it be and letting it go is another thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the 'loss' of memory and an understanding on the path of anatta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understood your question correctly, no. Anatta is about perceiving the ultimate reality, there is a QA about it: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1891/what-is-the-precise-meaning-of-anatta&quot;&gt;What is the precise meaning of anatta?&lt;/a&gt; It isn't about &quot;losing&quot; memories, but more about not clinging to them and not getting overwhelmed by them. Anatta is perceiving that apparently there is a self with memories, thoughts, feelings, and so on, but none of these even the self are permanent or absolute. And it isn't much about intellectual understanding, but about perceiving, observing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this 'loss' of memory and thought as well as an understanding of the situation and experience lead to the path of equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting the text you referred, &quot;through the power of observation equanimity arises&quot;. Through observation you can stop feeding bad memories and undesirable thoughts, eventually if you stop feeding it, it won't be able to bear fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding the situation and experience is somewhat a dilemma. It could make you feel more comfortable, it would yield clearer understandings, but you are still feeding the memory anyways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity happens when we don't cling on phenomena, when we relax our attitude towards phenomena - again - through the power of observation. When an emotion happens you observe it, let it be and don't get caught, don't get overwhelmed by it, don't let it take over. Stay calm and let it go away by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sheesh, I think you still got questions, so I suggest you to post specific ones, if you will. Try to find some key doubts that will help you lead your reasoning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T02:33:49.427" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8295" CreationDate="2015-03-20T00:42:05.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The effects of karma are neither bad nor good. they just are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is you who give them meaning, not the karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's best to understand what Karma actually is: the law of cause and effect. The Buddha taught this law explicitly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The effects we feel in this life relate to the actions we took or didn't take in this or previous lifetimes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why the Buddha teaches to look at your actions as either skillful or unskillful. Your actions are skillful in the ways they yield effects that propel you toward your outcome. The Buddha made that goal Nirvana, or the escape from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your goal is complete and total happiness, which is what the Buddha would call a noble and worthy goal, then judge your actions as skillful based on how they keep you progressing on the path toward the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meanwhile, you'll need to deal with the effects of your unskillful actions in the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One great way to help this along is to meditate. Why? I don't think meditation gives you &quot;merit points&quot; that reduce the impact of past unskillful actions. Instead, meditation helps you train the mind in mindfulness, alertness, ardency, and discernment. Sharpening these skills helps you evaluate future actions based on skillful and unskillful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This reduces the possibility of amplifying the effects of past negative actions, and reduces the possibility of making new unskillful actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my understanding based on my study of the Thai forest tradition -- Theravada. &quot;merit points&quot; is a concept I inferred while learning about the act of creating merit at temples in Thailand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4874" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T00:42:05.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-03-20T00:52:23.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;right&quot; teacher depends on who's style and teaching you jive with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My favorite is from the Thai Forest Tradition -- Ajahn Thanissaro&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no fluff or BS with Ajahn Thanissaro. He calls it like it is, and challenges listeners to deeply question their practice. I appreciate this approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is a westerner, studied for 20+ years in Thailand. He has videos on YouTube, but his audio talks, which he gives daily, are well worth the listen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of that, he has many books. with several translations of some of Thailand's most revered Therevada Forest monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dhammatalks.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4874" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T00:52:23.790" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-20T00:52:23.790" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8295" CreationDate="2015-03-20T01:05:58.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry to hear that you are experiencing the results of some bad khamma. Hopefully, they will pass soon. Please read the Sankha Sutta: The Conch Trumpet, in which the Buddha gives a technique on how to diminish and even nullify the effects unskillful kamma. May you be free from suffering, may you be happy.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T01:05:58.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8304" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8313" CreationDate="2015-03-20T12:55:35.070" Score="6" ViewCount="24103" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed that sometimes, almost unconsciously, my body begins to sway forward and backward ever so slightly when I'm sitting in meditation (actually, kneeling - I sit zazen on a bench). It does not seem to be in phase with any of my rhythmic body functions (e.g. heartbeat, breathing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times when I consciously cease the swaying, but other times when I allow it to continue. Or even help it a little bit. It seems to add somewhat to the depth of my meditative state and is mildly pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is thus: should I just let it be (after noting it)? Should I help it? Should I put a stop to it? I do not have enough familiarity with The Official Rules &amp;amp; Regulations Of Practicing Buddhists to know, and I do not have an instructor/advisor to pose this question to. Hence my post here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found this related question, but this person seems to be doing it intentionally and in response to physical pain. One of the answers here also notes that it may be in response to conditioning, but I don't feel that's the case here. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3937/a-question-about-sitting-movement-and-mindfulness&quot;&gt;A question about sitting, movement and mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2021-01-22T19:27:10.547" Title="Allow myself to rock or sway while meditating?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8258" CreationDate="2015-03-20T13:48:45.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;beautiful chant of the Dhammacakka Sutta by a 3 year old who was a buddhist monk in one of his lifes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pirith.org/download/Dhammachakka.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.pirith.org/download/Dhammachakka.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the story about the boy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://theravadin.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/chanting-in-the-6th-century/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://theravadin.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/chanting-in-the-6th-century/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T13:48:45.473" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-20T13:48:45.473" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8306" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-20T14:02:28.223" Score="8" ViewCount="9390" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it true that after you reach enlightenment you simply vanish into the vast space of existence, and you simply cease to exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind of like, when you have not attained to enlightenment you keep on returning and being reincarnated, but if you reach enlightenment and stop being reborn don't you just cease your existence and die forever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember correct the Buddha did not know what happens to an enlightened person after his death, or am I wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4879" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-20T14:52:20.547" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:27:13.903" Title="Isn't enlightenment the ultimate death?" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|death|samsara|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8285" CreationDate="2015-03-20T15:04:50.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think these practices crept into buddhism from local customs ,I doubt if buddhism is practised entirely in its true form in any country. As far as i know even while bathing in a river a junior monk should keep a certain distance  from senior monks and should bath further downstream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T15:04:50.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-20T15:37:20.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is the term rebirth was used metaphorically in early buddhism .  Buddhism practised current times may be slightly different in many ways ,because it was many many years after the death of buddha the great king Asoka retrieved the teachings and made the efforts to propagate it. and pressures from hindu elites to keep the religion not to go against hindu teachings many times ended up in persecution of buddhism by hindus and ultimately the near death of the religion in india.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider rebirth like this You are not the same person now comparing to what you where at the age of 10 or 20 ,so humans change many times during their lifetime and each change is a birth of new personality, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and at a certain age it is possible to achieve a state of mind where you don't have craving,suffering etc..you have a supreme knowledge and you attain a stage where your mind is calm as still water, (It may not be possible for every one but Buddhism emphasize on keep trying. ) and it is the death of personality changes not person,the cycle of personality changes ceases and you are in a state of supreme consciousness . Thats my view others may disagree. but i think all these jataka tales mentioning of buddhas reincarnation are stories to teach moral lessons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The various realms mentioned in buddhist cosmology is thus easier to understand, devas are considered to live in higher realms ,while naraka or hell the realm of greatest suffering. Consider them as state of mind ...if a person is suffering from mental illness then he is living in Naraka or hell...I think the realm of Atata or shivering hell ..may be related to to some neurotic illness ,neurosis causes hand to shiver when the person is very anxious. So all these are planes of existence ,these planes exist in the mind and also in real world. It is both mental and physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="4812" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T14:37:51.427" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T14:37:51.427" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-20T15:42:49.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you not vanishing into the vast space of existence right now? Have you ever existed?  Nibbana is the ultimate renunciation...Until you let go of wanting to exist or not wanting to exist you will not abide forever without suffering. Nibbana means no more suffering but death, birth and life means the suffering continues. We cant understand this until we have practiced virtue and seeing things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T15:42:49.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8284" CreationDate="2015-03-20T16:15:05.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm starting to get the feeling that you haven't studied the seven purifications at all... numbers six and seven are equivalent to &amp;quot;straight insight into phenomena&amp;quot;, so no, it is not by definition possible to skip them and still gain insight into phenomena. As per the sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“So too, friend, purification of virtue is for the sake of reaching purification of mind; purification of mind is for the sake of reaching purification of view; purification of view is for the sake of reaching purification by overcoming doubt; purification by overcoming doubt [150] is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path; purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of the way; purification by knowledge and vision of the way is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision; purification by knowledge and vision is for the sake of reaching final Nibbāna without clinging. It is for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 24 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T16:15:05.943" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8284" CreationDate="2015-03-20T16:25:45.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Skipping the purifications is what we are already good at without meditation, right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you mean practice mindfulness without cultivating virtue? Virtue is the foundation of the practice. It might be hard to see exactly why virtue is needed but there should be some subjective intuition that virtue is important for the beginner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Virtue is simply about how well one deals with suffering: both own  and that of others... this is the stage for meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T14:49:12.047" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T14:49:12.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8304" CreationDate="2015-03-20T17:27:55.273" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me try to approach this from 2 different angles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm a physiotherapist and first I would like to approach this from an anatomical and physiological standpoint&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds to me like you might be lacking some core strength and that resulting in you swaying in your meditation. It could also be that you have some tight muscles around your pelvis and back which is creating muscular imbalances. The balances can cause pulling and tightening in different directions when standing, sitting or lying in certain postures. Muscular imbalances are quite common and not dangerous although if they are allowed to persist over long durations of time they can lead to more serious problems such as limited range of motion, body pain, mal-alignment which again can lead to other diagnoses. Let's not get into this here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's relevant now or becomes relevant you are welcome to contact me on my mail: &lt;em&gt;harshani85@gmail.com&lt;/em&gt; and I will take a look at you either via Skype or you can sent me a video. I will give further instructions about that if you need it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For now I will give you some strengthening exercises for your lower back and core muscles + some stretching exercises for your &lt;a href=&quot;http://adolescenthippain.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/5/6/12564016/9010027_orig.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hip flexors  (m. iliopsoas)&lt;/a&gt; since they are often a problem because of too much sitting down. If they are or become tight they can limit range of motion in the spine and external rotation in the hip by creating an increased internal rotation in your upper legs which again will lead to mal-alighment in your spine which will affect your standing, sitting and lying posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you might have heard before the core is our force-generating center. It is very important to have a strong core in almost all activities that one do in ones everyday. A strong core means that one is physically centered. The standing, sitting and lying postures will improve greatly as will many other activities in ones daily life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The core consists of the following muscles; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leanitup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/abs.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;m. transversus abdominis, m. rectus abdominus, internal/external obliques&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.personal-training-weinheim.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Erector-Spinea.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lumbal portion of m. erector spinae&lt;/a&gt;. Some people count also mm. gluteus, m. quadratus lumborum and m. iliopsas. I will not give exercises for these muscles but only the most important muscles which is m. erector spinae, m. transversus abdominis, m. rectus abdominus and mm. internal/external obliques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to give you &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.whyiexercise.com/images/back.strengthening.exercises.routine1.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these exercises&lt;/a&gt;. They can be a bit difficult to understand when only viewing a photo so I have found &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69XS4gwcJb0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; for you that goes through some of the exercises. I want you to try them all out and find the ones that work best for you. Try to pick 3-4 exercises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want you to do 1-3 sets with 10-15 repetitions in each exercise. 1-3 sets meaning that if you have a good day you can do 3 sets and if you are tired or not in the mood you can do 1-2 sets. That way you can regulate it yourself.&#xA;You should train these exercises 3-4 times a week. Keep 1 day between sessions for rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That was the strengthening exercises now to the &lt;strong&gt;stretching exercise&lt;/strong&gt; for the hip flexor muscles, m. iliopsoas. See this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sportsscience.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/hip-flexor-stretch.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;photo&lt;/a&gt;. If you cannot do that I want you to do like &lt;a href=&quot;http://baudrytherapy.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/hip-flexor-stretch.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; instead. You should do 3 sets of 60 seconds on both legs. You can do longer and more sets if you like but this is minimum. This exercise you can do everyday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my mail or write here and I will try to help out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now I would like to approach this from a theravada buddhist perspective with basis in vipassana meditation practice.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana practice we want things to come forth so we can study them. We do not want to interfere with them since that can create attachment or aversion towards the phenomena. By trying to help the swaying or stop the swaying you are really &lt;em&gt;masking/camouflaging&lt;/em&gt; the &lt;em&gt;impermanent, unsatisfactory, oppressive and insubstantial nature&lt;/em&gt; of the 1st aggregate, the form aggregate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it's best to just let the swaying be. Observe it. Note it. Observe that you have really no control over the body. The body is oppressive and ungovernable. It is not subject to ones will and by realizing that you can see &lt;em&gt;both impermance, dukkha and not-self&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short. Don't interfere with the phenomena. Just observe them diligently and you will come to realize the 3 signs of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As &lt;em&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt; has said; &lt;em&gt;&quot;the yogi (the meditator) will come to realize that there is just an object arising and mind arising to that object and no third besides. Third besides is here meaning &lt;strong&gt;a self&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I cannot remember where he says that so I cannot quote it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-08-02T09:51:36.530" LastActivityDate="2018-08-02T09:51:36.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-20T18:14:02.290" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;By asking if a person or someone reaches Nibbana is implying that people/persons exist meaning that one is not dealing with ultimate reality but instead with conventional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ultimate reality there is no person or being that gets enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the &lt;em&gt;&quot;i, me, you, him, her, it&quot;&lt;/em&gt; out of the sentence and just observe what is left -&gt; Enlightenment happens. Enlightenment is reached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The unconditioned, Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; cannot be understood by conditioned language or logical reasoning. In other words the unconditioned cannot be grasped or understood by using tools from the conditioned realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unconditioned must be experienced and comprehended through insights into reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If another view is taken which is that when enlightenment happens &lt;em&gt;the self&lt;/em&gt; is destroyed, that view is flawed too. Why? Because there didnt exist a self in the first place so there is nothing that gets destroyed. Instead what happens is that it is realized through insight meditation that a self is nowhere to be found.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammanda, on p. 70-74&lt;/a&gt; there is a chapter about what happens to a Buddha after death. Its a conversation between the Buddha and Ananda where 4 propositions are mentioned. They are;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Tathagata exists after death;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Tathagata does not exist after death;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Tathagata exists and yet does not exist after death;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death’&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Tathagata is a Buddha. You can read a bit more about the meaning of the word &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gata&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-20T18:20:38.263" LastActivityDate="2015-03-20T18:20:38.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8176" CreationDate="2015-03-21T06:39:17.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Approaching causal and effectual reliance through &quot;times&quot;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Past, Present, and Future are the three times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Future, Past, and Present equally depend on each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try and draw a triangle with only one line or two lines, it is impossible.  All three need to be in place for the totality of &quot;time.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, it might be possible to reason more clearly about how causes depend on effects.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Approaching co-emergent phenomena via phor&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question seems to be &quot;okay causes lead to effects, but why do causes depend on effects?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two people high-fiving requires a silent clap from both sides. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beach (of sand) and the shore-line (of water) depend upon one another.  To say there can be a beach without water is to have a desert.  To have water without a shore-line is not a shore, but an ocean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, investigating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The nature of where they meet&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noble Nagarjuna, in Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way states&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Forms do not meet and they do not part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen-ji made a statement of similar magnitude by saying &quot;Space has no gaps.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will stop there, at risk of becoming too philosophical.  The teachings are meant for experiential understanding.  Words will help, but like reading a menu or eating a meal, the actual experience is what counts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For now, know that the present is dominant and that both future and past must borrow from Now in order to even come into question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T06:39:17.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7775" CreationDate="2015-03-21T08:04:08.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Trying to find a good link to what is commonly rendered as &lt;strong&gt;The Four Mindful Establishments&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are details in the Sattipathana Sutra as well as in other sources.  Here is a useful passage from a pdf found via search:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the&#xA;  surmounting of sorrow and lamentations, for the passing away of pain&#xA;  and dejection, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of&#xA;  Nibbana - namely, the four establishments of mindfulness.&#xA;  What are the four? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A person dwells contemplating the body in the body,&#xA;  ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having subdued longing&#xA;  and dejection in regard to the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He or she dwells contemplating&#xA;  feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having&#xA;  subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He or she dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He or she dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly&#xA;  comprehending, mindful, having subdued longing and dejection in&#xA;  regard to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping our practice from straying into the imaginal/conceptual is vital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, training ourselves to be present with and aware of our bodily sensations is really wonderful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On top of that, the senses of touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound are all non-conceptual information, and concentrating on perceiving any one of those is a very skillful practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T08:04:08.443" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-21T08:04:08.443" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-03-21T08:25:06.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1401940587&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dalai Lama's Cat&lt;/a&gt; by David Mitchie. A fictional story told by a cat, who is the Dalai Lama's pet at Dharamsala. The Dalai Lama rescued this cat when it was very young. The entertaining story told by the cat is imbued with dhamma teachings. The teachings are of course expounded in a simple way, since a cat is a not a very intelligent animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T08:32:22.737" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T08:32:22.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8176" CreationDate="2015-03-21T14:04:16.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have this magnificent book &lt;a href=&quot;http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uUANX4j4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;How to See Yourself As You Really Are&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Dalai Lama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in this book he actually speaks about the question you are asking about - &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;how a cause is dependent on its effect&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dalai Lama explains it brilliantly in his book so i am going to quote him directly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both passages are from &lt;em&gt;&quot;Chapter 20: Notice How everything Depends on Thought, p. 201-203&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For instance, it is obvious that effects depend upon causes, but causes also, in a subtle sense, depend upon effects. Every cause itself is an effect of its own causes, which preceded it, and therefore arises in dependence upon its respective causes. All Buddhist systems assert that effects arise in dependence upon causes. Here cause and effect are in a temporal sequence, an effect occurring after its cause. This is dependent-arising in the sense of dependent production. Only the highest philosophical perspective within Buddhism contains an additional consideration, that because the designation of something as a “cause” depends upon consideration of its effect, in this sense a cause depends upon its effect. Something is not a cause in and of itself; it is named a “cause” in relation to its effect. Here the effect does not occur before its cause, and its cause does not come into being after its effect; it is in thinking of its future effect that we designate something as a cause. This is dependent-arising in the sense of dependent designation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says further;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As Nagarjuna says in his Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Called “Wisdom”:&#xA;  A doer is dependent on a doing, And a doing exists dependent on a doer. Except for dependently arising, we do not see another cause for their establishment. Agent and action depend upon each other. An action is posited in dependence upon an agent, and an agent is posited in dependence upon an action. An action arises in dependence upon an agent, and an agent arises in dependence upon an action. Nevertheless, they are not related in the same way as cause and effect, since the one is not produced before the other. How is it that, in general, things are relative? How is it that a cause is relative to its effect? It is because it is not established in and of itself. If that were the case, a cause would not need to depend on its effect. But there is no self-sufficient cause, which is why we do not find anything in and of itself when we analytically examine a cause, despite its appearance to our everyday mind that each thing has its own self-contained being. Because things are under the influence of something other than themselves, the designation of something as a cause necessarily depends upon consideration of its effect. This is the route through which we come to realize that this more subtle understanding of dependent-arising as dependent designation is correct.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T14:27:48.973" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T14:27:48.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8304" CreationDate="2015-03-21T15:08:55.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think at some stage while meditating ,you reach a subconscious state in which you are nearing sleep (that may border unconsciouses,fainting etc ,some people sway back and forth before fainting while being seated somewhere). May be you are also experiencing the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also possible that while meditating blood pressure gets lowered and that can   alter the posture subconsciously. The key thing is subconsciousness you are in a state between consciousness and unconsciousness ,so sometimes you feel the swaying ,some times you don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T15:08:55.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5293" CreationDate="2015-03-21T15:34:40.350" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm reposting my answer to the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8306/4812&quot;&gt;Isn&amp;#39;t enlightenment the ultimate death?&lt;/a&gt;                                                     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is the term rebirth was used metaphorically in early buddhism . Buddhism practiced current times may be slightly different in many ways ,because it was many many years after the death of buddha the great king Asoka retrieved the teachings and made the efforts to propagate it. and pressures from hindu elites to keep the religion not to go against hindu teachings many times ended up in persecution of buddhism by hindus and ultimately the near death of the religion in india.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider rebirth like this You are not the same person now comparing to what you where at the age of 10 or 20 ,so humans change many times during their lifetime and each change is a birth of new personality,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and at a certain age it is possible to achieve a state of mind where you don't have craving,suffering etc..you have a supreme knowledge and you attain a stage where your mind is calm as still water, (It may not be possible for everyone but Buddhism emphasize on keep trying. ) and it is the death of personality changes not person,the cycle of personality changes ceases and you are in a state of supreme consciousness . Thats my view, others may disagree. but i think all these jataka tales mentioning of buddhas reincarnation are stories to teach moral lessons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The various realms mentioned in buddhist cosmology is thus easier to understand, devas are considered to live in higher realms ,while naraka or hell the realm of greatest suffering. Consider them as state of mind ...if a person is suffering from mental illness then he is living in Naraka or hell...I think the realm of Atata or shivering hell ..may be related to to some neurotic illness ,neurosis causes hand to shiver when the person is very anxious. So all these are planes of existence ,these planes exist in the mind and also in real world. It is both mental and physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T15:34:40.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-03-21T16:38:22.453" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to look at which &lt;em&gt;reality&lt;/em&gt; you are dealing with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are dealing with &lt;strong&gt;sammuti-sacca&lt;/strong&gt; which is the conventional reality then one can say that a &lt;em&gt;soul, self, spirit, being etc.&lt;/em&gt; exists. Why?&#xA;Because conventional reality is dealing with concepts. A soul is a concept. A self is a concept. If you try to search for them through the method of insight meditation you will not find a &lt;em&gt;lasting, permanent, indestructible entity&lt;/em&gt; anywhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead you will come to see that the false idea of a self is merely a mental formation belonging to the &lt;em&gt;4th aggregate&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you deal with &lt;strong&gt;paramattha-sacca&lt;/strong&gt; which is ultimate reality then concepts do not exist and there is no problem with a soul/self to begin with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is that things work fine without the need for a self. By adding a self to the equation one is enforcing and strengthening the suffering by identifying and taking ownership of it.&#xA;There is a profound difference in saying &lt;em&gt;&quot;i am angry&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&quot;anger has arisen in the mind&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a &lt;em&gt;build-in&lt;/em&gt; problem in the way language is used. We are forced to speak about e.g. &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt; by using nouns which can imply that there is something there. But there is not. Consciousness is not a thing. Its a knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we normally think is consciousness is really a series of &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; (momentary acts of consciousness) that are happening in rapid succession. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha once said that its okay to use conventional language but do not be fooled thereby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YJQMc.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T17:25:54.617" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:25:54.617" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8323" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8327" CreationDate="2015-03-21T17:03:36.377" Score="8" ViewCount="8959" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know a lot about those two, but I hear that they are full of wisdom. Since they date farther back than buddhism, I was wondering if the Buddha ever mentioned them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did he think of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he didn't mention them as such, he probably mentioned some concepts that are contained in them; Apart from obvious concepts contained in those two that also are within Buddhist thought (E.g. Karma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="51" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T17:17:02.737" LastActivityDate="2018-06-26T18:47:44.243" Title="Did the Buddha ever mention the Upanishads or the Vedas?" Tags="|the-buddha|hinduism|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5328" CreationDate="2015-03-21T17:09:37.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;On paper, Buddhism has no dogma, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutra&lt;/a&gt; is often cited as evidence of this.  Other teachings with a non-dogmatic flavor are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Parable of the Poisoned Arrow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/sacredbuddhisttexts/fl/The-Buddhas-Raft-Parable.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Parable of the Raft&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/The-Fetter-Of-Views.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Fetter of Views&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, is this true in practice? How do most Buddhist react to dogma?  What happens when you walk into a Buddhist Temple (or forum) and express doubt about the Buddha's enlightenment, the nature of Nirvana, Rebirth, Karma and so on? My experience has been that dogma rears its ugly head then. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, one can read some dogmatism into the Wisdom part of the 8-fold path, as some state that belief in Karma and Rebirth are a key part of wisdom.  For that matter, some people treat the 4 Noble Truths as propositions to be believed.  What if you were to look into your experience and find that the 4 Noble Truths don't hold?  Would a typical Buddhist accept this?  Would s/he instead claim that the 4 Noble Truths are some kind of law (which sounds suspiciously dogmatic)?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should come as no surprise.  Dogma is a style of thinking, not a particular body of thought.  Therefore, nothing is immune.  There are dogmatic people of every stripe -- Christian, atheist, Buddhist, scientific, etc... People tend to cling to views, put a premium on believing &quot;the right&quot; things, and react badly to skepticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism isn't magical.  It's a philosophy (or religion, depending on your view) and the sangha is made up of people.  And people have the same shortcomings everywhere.  There's nothing about being Buddhist that magically makes the sangha immune to the rest of the follies that plague humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:09:37.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8285" CreationDate="2015-03-21T17:29:23.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As time went on, Buddhism changed.  It changed to accommodate political/social realities, it changed in responses to things learned, it changed in response to local cultures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism consists of the teachings; those teachings are embodied in a culture.  This can be hard to disentangle because often people take on a culture when taking on Buddhism.  Thus you see Westerners saying &quot;Namaste&quot; or hanging Japanese calligraphy, as if that were somehow Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very easy to see how foot washing could have arisen either as a sign of veneration (for older monks and their attainment) or an attempt to undermine the ego.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many cultures, feet are seen as a degrading thing.  For instance, pointing one's foot towards another person, propping them up on a table, or even taking off one's shoe to hit another are seen as insults.  So to touch another's feet or to bathe them is to lower one's self.  This in turn either attacks the ego or acknowledges the person's higher status (and hence shows respect).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The long and short of it is this; ignore the packaging that Buddhism comes in.  There is nothing Buddhist about temples, gongs, zafus, robes, Pali, etc... This is all packaging.  Look inside the packaging to find Buddhism -- the teachings themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:29:23.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-21T17:36:53.160" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are talking about what happens after death, then this seems to be what Buddhism is talking about.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are talking about Nirvana in this life, then no, unless you believe one becomes unconscious upon reaching Nirvana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question here is what does &quot;you&quot; mean?  Is it the bare fact of consciousness, or is it the mental/emotional complex you identify with and that influences so much of your experience?  The former &quot;you&quot; goes on, the latter &quot;you&quot; ceases, and it's this latter &quot;you&quot; that's the cause of your pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This vanishing into the vast space of existence is the removal of the illusory barrier that separates us from the world, the illusory subject/object distinction.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T17:36:53.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2015-03-21T18:05:48.593" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original Vedas themselves have little that a Buddhist would consider &amp;quot;wisdom&amp;quot;, I think, being comprised mainly of battle hymns, sacrificial procedures, and ceremony.  They are mentioned often in the Pali texts, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;13.‘Well then, Vaseṭṭha, what about the early sages of those Brahmins learned in the Three Vedas, the makers of the mantras, the expounders of the mantras, whose ancient verses are chanted, pronounced and collected by the Brahmins of today, and sung and spoken about — such as Atthaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāsettha, Kassapa, Bhagu - did they ever say: “We know and see when, how and where Brahmā appears”?’ ‘No, Reverend Gotama.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;14.‘So, Vāseṭṭha, not one of these Brahmins learned in the Three Vedas has seen Brahmā face to face, nor has one of their teachers, or teacher’s teachers, nor even the ancestor seven generations back of one of their teachers. Nor could any of the early sages say: “We know and see when, how and where Brahmā appears.” So what these Brahmins learned in the Three Vedas are saying is: “We teach this path to union with Brahmā that we do not know or see, this is the only straight path...leading to union with Brahmā.” What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Such being the case, does not what these Brahmins declare turn out to be ill-founded?’ ‘Yes indeed, Reverend Gotama.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--DN 13 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the rest of the Vedic literature, including the Upanishads, grew up around the time of the Buddha himself, it isn't mentioned as such, but the above quote is actually more applicable to the Upanishadic tradition than the original Vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts also make various references to the five Vedas, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Three Vedas with their vocabularies, liturgy, phonology, and etymology, and the histories as a fifth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 95 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I'm not sure this has anything to do with the Upanishads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Short answer, yes, the Buddha mentioned the Vedas often, but the word &amp;quot;upanishad&amp;quot; was probably not yet in common use during his lifetime. It appears in the name of one of the Brahmanas (the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaiminiya_Upanishad_Brahmana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana&lt;/a&gt;) composed before the Buddha, but probably wasn't used to refer to an entire genre of literature until much later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to what he thought about them, here's a passage from the Jatakas that exemplifies his thoughts while still a Bodhisatta (and rhymes, too):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These Veda studies are the wise man's toils,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The lure which tempts the victims whom he spoils;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mirage formed to catch the careless eye,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;But which the prudent passes safely by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vedas have no hidden power to save&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The traitor or the coward or the knave;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fire, though tended well for long years past,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Leaves his base master without hope at last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though all earth's trees in one vast heap were piled&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;To satisfy the fire's insatiate child,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still would it crave for more, insatiate still,—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;How could a Nāga hope that maw to fill?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milk ever changes,—thus where milk has been&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Butter and curds in natural course are seen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the same thirst for change pervades the fire,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Once stirred to life it mounts still higher and higher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fire bursts not forth in wood that 's dry or new,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Fire needs an effort ere it leaps to view;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If dry fresh timber of itself could burn,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Spontaneous would each forest blaze in turn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he wins merit who to feed the flame&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Piles wood and straw, the merit is the same&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When cooks light fires or blacksmiths at their trade&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Or those who burn the corpses of the dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But none, however zealously he prays&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Or heaps the fuel round to feed the blaze,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gains any merit by his mummeries,—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The fire for all its crest of smoke soon dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Were Fire the honoured being that you think,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Would it thus dwell with refuse and with stink,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeding on carrion with a foul delight,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Where men in horror hasten from the sight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some worship as a god the crested flame,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Barbarians give to water that high name;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But both alike have wandered from their road:&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Neither is worthy to be called a god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To worship fire, the common drudge of all,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Senseless and blind and deaf to every call,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then one's self to live a life of sin,—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;How could one dream that this a heaven could win?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These Brahmins all a livelihood require,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And so they tell us Brahma worships fire;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why should the increate who all things planned&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Worship himself the creature of his hand?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doctrines and rules of their own, absurd and vain,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Our sires imagined wealth and power to gain;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahmins he made for study, for command&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;He made the Khattiyas; Vessas plough the land;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suddas he servants made to obey the rest;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Thus from the first went forth his high behest .&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see these rules enforced before our eyes,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;None but the Brahmins offer sacrifice,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None but the Khattiya exercises sway,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The Vessas plough, the Suddas must obey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These greedy liars propagate deceit,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And fools believe the fictions they repeat;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He who has eyes can see the sickening sight;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Why does not Brahma set his creatures right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If his wide power no limits can restrain,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Why is his hand so rarely spread to bless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are his creatures all condemned to pain?&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Why does he not to all give happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do fraud, lies, and ignorance prevail?&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Why triumphs falsehood,—truth and justice fail?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I count your Brahma one th’ injust among,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Who made a world in which to shelter wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those men are counted pure who only kill&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Frogs, worms, bees, snakes or insects as they will,—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are your savage customs which I hate,—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Such as Kamboja  hordes might emulate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he who kills is counted innocent&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And if the victim safe to heaven is sent,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let Brahmins Brahmins kill—so all were well—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And those who listen to the words they tell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see no cattle asking to be slain&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;That they a new and better life may gain,—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather they go unwilling to their death&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And in vain struggles yield their latest breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To veil the post, the victim and the blow&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The Brahmins let their choicest rhetoric flow;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The post shall as a cow of plenty be&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Securing all thy heart's desires to thee&amp;quot;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if the wood thus round the victim spread&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Had been as full of treasure as they said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As full of silver, gold and gems for us,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;With heaven's unknown delights as overplus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They would have offered for themselves alone&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And kept the rich reversion as their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These cruel cheats, as ignorant as vile,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Weave their long frauds the simple to beguile,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Offer thy wealth, cut nails and beard and hair,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And thou shalt have thy bosom's fondest prayer.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The offerer, simple to their hearts' content,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Comes with his purse, they gather round him fast,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like crows around an owl, on mischief bent,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt; And leave him bankrupt and stripped bare at last,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solid coin which he erewhile possessed,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Exchanged for promises which none can test.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like grasping strangers  sent by those who reign&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The cultivators' earnings to distrain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These rob where’er they prowl with evil eye,—&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;No law condemns them, yet they ought to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The priests a shoot of Butea must hold&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;As part o’ the rite sacred from days of old;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indra's right arm ’tis called; but were it so,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Would Indra triumph o’er his demon foe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indra's own arm can give him better aid,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;’Twas no vain sham which made hell's hosts afraid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Each mountain-range which now some kingdom guards&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Was once a heap in ancient altar-yards,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And pious worshippers with patient hands&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Piled up the mound at some great lord's commands.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Brahmins say,—fie on the idle boast,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Mountains are heaved aloft at other cost;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the brick mound, search as you may, contains&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;No veins of iron for tile miner's pains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A holy seer well known in ancient days,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;On the seashore was praying, legend says;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was he drowned and since this fate befell&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;The ocean's waves have been undrinkable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rivers have drowned their learned men at will&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;By hundreds and have kept their waters still;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their streams flow on and never taste the worse,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Why should the sea alone incur the curse?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the salt-streams which run upon the land&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Spring from no curse but own the digger's hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At first there were no women and no men;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;’Twas mind first brought mankind to light,—and then,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though they all started equal in the race,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Their various failures made them soon change place;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was no lack of merit in the past,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;But present faults which made them first or last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A clever low-caste lad would use his wit,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And read the hymns nor find his head-piece split;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahmins made the Vedas to their cost&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;When others gained the knowledge which they lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus sentences are made and learned by rote&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;In metric forms not easily forgot,—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The obscurity but tempts the foolish mind,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;They swallow all they're told with impulse blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmins are not like violent beasts of prey,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;No tigers, lions of the woods are they;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are to cows and oxen near akin,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Differing outside they are as dull within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the victorious king would cease to fight&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;And live in peace with his friends and follow right,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conquering those passions which his bosom rend,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;What happy lives would all his subjects spend!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahmin's Veda, Khattiya's policy,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Both arbitrary and delusive be,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They blindly grope their way along a road&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;By some huge inundation overflowed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Brahmin's Veda, Khattiya's policy,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;One secret meaning we alike can see;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For after all, loss, gain and glory, and shame&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Touch the four castes alike, to all the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As householders to gain a livelihood&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Count all pursuits legitimate and good,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Brahmins now in our degenerate day&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Will gain a livelihood in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The householder is led by love of gain,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Blindly he follows, dragged in pleasure's train,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying all trades, deceitful and a fool,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;Fallen alas! how far from wisdom's rule.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Jat 543 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Buddha, he seems to have become a bit more diplomatic, but still has little good to say about worship of fire, brahma, or the Vedas in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T18:05:48.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2015-03-21T18:19:01.077" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since they date farther back than buddhism, I was wondering if the Buddha ever mentioned them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the vedic tradition existed before the Buddha, it seems a few upanishad texts originated before and some during and/or after the Buddha's death. Moreover, I've read elsewhere that one theory is that the key upanishad concepts developed as a response to buddhist doctrine (sorry, I don't have the reference at hand, though)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever mention the Upanishads or the Vedas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, the Buddha debated constantly with brahmins and refuted their doctrine. A prime example is &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt; vs. &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But he also re-casted keywords and concepts used by these traditions with entirely new meanings (probably as a pedagogic strategy, and overall as a teaching principle; that is, using his audience's vocabulary to explain his doctrine). For example, &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (translated as &quot;action&quot;) in vedic tradition has been described as meaning &quot;ritual&quot; but the Buddha has redefined it as &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;volition&quot; or &quot;intention&quot;). &lt;em&gt;namarupa&lt;/em&gt; (one translation is &quot;name and form&quot;) is also an important doctrinal concept used by both traditions but with subtle distinct meanings. Similarly, with &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt; (trans. &quot;consciousness&quot;), which is considered essence of &lt;em&gt;brahman&lt;/em&gt; (and thus, &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt;), but in Buddhism, it's conditioned, subject to end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These &quot;reuses&quot; may not have been limited just to words. It has be argued that vedic doctrinal concepts have been used by the Buddha to teach his audience a very different doctrine using the same &quot;stage&quot;, from fire metaphors to conditioned arising (see Gombrich's &quot;What the Buddha Thought&quot; book)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-03-21T18:24:10.703" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T18:24:10.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8030" CreationDate="2015-03-21T18:54:45.770" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a fairly comprehensive list of alternatives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Onefold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;formations; everything that arises and ceases &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all five aggregates fit in this category.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Twofold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;nāmarūpa&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;name and form (body and mind); divided into material (rūpa) and immaterial (arūpa) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the first aggregate is rūpa, the rest are nāma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Threefold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;paramattha-dhamma&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ultimate reality; divided into citta, cetasika and rūpa (excluding nibbāna, which is &lt;em&gt;khandha-vimutti&lt;/em&gt; - liberated from the khandas) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the first aggregate is rūpa, the fifth is citta, the other three are cetasika.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fourfold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;objects of the establishing of remembrance; body, feelings, mind, dhammas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;body is first aggregate, feelings is second, mind is fifth, dhammas is all five.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fourfold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;ariyasacca&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;noble truths&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;all five fall under the first noble truth, besides tanha (under the fourth aggregate), which constitutes the second noble truth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Twelvefold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;āyatana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;bases; the six internal (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind) and six external (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, thoughts)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;all five aggregates arise based on the contact between each of the first five internal bases with their external counterpart. As for the sixth, rūpa is excluded (but still present as &lt;em&gt;hadayavatthu&lt;/em&gt;) since thoughts are not physical, nor is the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Twelvefold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;paticcasamupāda&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;dependent origination; ignorance, mental formations, consciousness, body and mind, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ignorance and mental formations are part of the fourth aggregate; consciousness is the fifth; body and mind are all five; six sense bases as above; contact is fourth; feeling is second; craving, clinging, and becoming are fourth; birth is probably fifth?; suffering is all five except tanha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Eighteenfold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;elements; as with the āyatana, adding the six viññāṇa&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;as with āyatana, but described as contact between the three.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Twentytwofold:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;indriya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;faculties; the six sense faculties, the two genders and the life faculty, the five feeling faculties, the five mental faculties, and three enlightenment faculties (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya#22_phenomenological_faculties&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for details)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the first group involves all five aggregates, the second is part of the first aggregate,, the third is equivalent to the second aggregate, the fourth falls under the fourth aggregate, and the fifth may be khandha-vimutti, but I'm not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-03-21T18:54:45.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8330" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-21T23:34:25.830" Score="14" ViewCount="1359" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious to know a little bit more about the day-to-day life of Theravada buddhist monks. I am drawn to the idea of ordaining, but I fear this is only because I have romanticized the buddhist monk's life in my mind as easy and care-free; like an escape from my own life. What is monastic life like, and how do the challenges that come with this lifestyle compare with those of lay-life?&#xA;I am looking for a reality check if anyone can provide it.&#xA;Thx!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T14:19:37.487" LastActivityDate="2018-04-21T02:26:32.787" Title="What is the life of a monk really like?" Tags="|theravada|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8331" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-22T02:26:32.673" Score="3" ViewCount="645" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is a Buddhist point-of-view on the New Age concept of God or Universal Consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4886" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T18:29:15.800" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T00:25:18.770" Title="The New Age concept of God or Universal Consciousness" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8331" CreationDate="2015-03-22T13:26:31.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd guess it's probably a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mental formation&lt;/a&gt;&quot;; or perhaps it's a (presumably non-Buddhist) &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T13:26:31.250" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8331" CreationDate="2015-03-22T14:59:59.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;By the way the question is framed it implies that buddhism accepts &lt;em&gt;a creator God or Universal Consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhism do not accept any of them. The Buddha refuted both the &lt;em&gt;eternalist and annihilationist view&lt;/em&gt; as being 2 extremes that cannot take place. A creator God and the Universal Consciousness belongs to the &lt;em&gt;eternalist view&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By saying that there is a creator God one is saying that there exists a &lt;strong&gt;first cause&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That can never be true since it will break causality by asking &lt;em&gt;&quot;what preceeded this first cause?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And further &lt;em&gt;&quot;what cause preceeded that cause which preceeded the first cause?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. One can do that endlessly and will thereby stumble into infinite regress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short your question is not related to buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T16:37:55.617" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T16:37:55.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-22T16:01:44.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't have to pursue enlightenment. You can just continue as you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, while you maintain your craving for life, you will be reborn endlessly. You won't remember your past lives, yet you will always possess something of them. Even after the universe ceases after hundreds of billions of years or more, it will come back (for another aeon), and you will be reborn too. And you can be reborn in various realms, from hell, to animals, to ghosts, to humans, to angels (devas) and more. It goes on forever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's not all adventure. According to the Buddha, all of these are impermanent (no everlasting happiness) and all of these are also suffering. Existence is suffering. Why? You are born, suffer from diseases, suffer consequences of actions, experience roller coasters of emotions, lose all your loved ones, grow old, and die. And repeat. This goes on forever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not a pessimistic or morbid view. Yes, you can live life to the fullest. You can embrace and look forward to all the happy moments and time spent with your loved ones. But it will definitely not last. Unhappy moments too will come and go. And you will experience these endlessly without break. But this only describes human lives. In other types of lives, the outlook could be different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't see existence as suffering, then you don't have to seek enlightenment. But if you do, then for you, enlightenment would be the ultimate death of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your concern is regarding what lies ahead, in Nirvana, then Buddha has explained that too in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/studysn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya 43&lt;/a&gt; as &quot;the unfabricated (unborn?), the uninclined, the truth, the far shore, the subtle, the very difficult to see, the unaging (eternal?), the stable, the unintegrating, the unmanifest, the unproliferated (nippapancan), the peaceful, the deathless, the sublime, the auspicious, the secure, the destruction of craving, the wonderful, the amazing, the unailing, the unailing state, Nibbana, the unafflicted, dispassion, purity, freedom, the unadhesive, the island, the shelter, the asylum, the refuge, the destination.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana holds the promise of a secure, peaceful, permanent refuge which is free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T16:30:39.023" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T16:30:39.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-22T16:31:52.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No because it is the &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; of something that &lt;strong&gt;never existed in the first place&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like unknotting a knot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I remember correct the Buddha did not know what happens to an enlightened person after his death, or am I wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People always miss the point that the Buddha talks about The Thirty-One Planes of Extensive as early as Theravada and then the biggest revelations about post-mortem events... in Tibetan Buddhism where the Buddha's incarnation teaches about the &lt;em&gt;stages of death&lt;/em&gt;--including how to break free of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T16:31:52.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8337" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8338" CreationDate="2015-03-22T17:10:49.497" Score="6" ViewCount="201" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist doctrine and Buddhist scriptures, have all human beings got the capacity for compassion or are some humans born without the ability to feel compassion. I appreciate that this question may have a particular answer from a scientific point of view but I'm interested what the Buddha or Buddhist teachers have to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T07:52:07.127" Title="Have all human beings got the capacity for compassion?" Tags="|compassion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8337" CreationDate="2015-03-22T17:56:03.540" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As i have understood it from a theravada buddhist perspective then all human beings consist of &lt;em&gt;the five aggregates&lt;/em&gt; and in here is the 2th aggregate of sensations. As far as i know the feeling of compassion falls under either this aggregate or the 4th aggregate of mental formations since compassion is also one of the &lt;em&gt;25 beautiful cetasikas&lt;/em&gt;. Or maybe it falls under both aggregates.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/o852z.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in that sense all human beings have the capability to feel compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that is said i can imagine some occassions where the surroundings might not &quot;allow&quot; for circumstances to be created in where the feeling of compassion could arise. As all the aggregates are subject to the &lt;em&gt;three signs of existence&lt;/em&gt; the feeling of compassion is dependent upon causes in order to arise. If these causes cannot arise due to the human being existing in such a poor, dangerous or violent environment e.g. a prison or extreme poverty then the feeling of compassion might not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is the factor of how much spiritual work the human being has done in this life and past lives which might affect in what degree there can be created causes that leads to the feeling of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my own view on it based on my understanding of the buddhist doctrine. I might not be right about this so feel free to correct me if im wrong so i can also learn from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-22T18:06:33.643" LastActivityDate="2015-03-22T18:06:33.643" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8330" CreationDate="2015-03-22T21:40:58.270" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had the same problem as you with romanticising monk life. Of course the day to day living of a monk varies a lot depending on whether they live in a monastery, a cave, or the forest. Despite having many hours in the day for their own practice I often see monks telling of how they have little free time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book called The Broken Buddha which was written by an ex-monk exposes the reality about monasticism in thailand/sri lanka/burma &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/brokenbuddhanew.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/brokenbuddhanew.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading that drove away a lot of my dreaming of monk life because I realised the type of people I would be living with if ordaining in Asia. I still strive for a monastic lifestyle but not because of romanticised ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2018-04-20T21:29:43.603" LastActivityDate="2018-04-20T21:29:43.603" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8341" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-23T06:23:16.593" Score="5" ViewCount="451" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada monks have to follow the 227 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patimokkha&lt;/a&gt; rules and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vinaya Pitaka&lt;/a&gt; from the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how is it for monks from the other traditions like East Asian Mahayana, Zen and Vajrayana traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read online that &lt;a href=&quot;http://tibetansponsorship.org/sera-jey-monastry/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-monk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tibetan monks have dinner&lt;/a&gt; after 5pm, which is clearly not allowed by Theravada rules. They don't seem to have to do alms rounds, and they can take Tuesdays off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In certain traditions, can monks receive raw cooking materials and cook food themselves? Can they grow their own food? Can they manage the finances of their monastery?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why are they different? Do different traditions decide for e.g. that the rules should be made more relaxed, more strict or more adapted to their local circumstances or to modernity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha did say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not their decline,&#xA;   ... so long as they appoint no new rules, and do not abolish&#xA;  the existing ones, but proceed in accordance with the code of training&#xA;  (Vinaya) laid down&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the Buddha also said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If it is desired, Ananda, the Sangha may, when I am gone, abolish the&#xA;  lesser and minor rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T07:12:09.070" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T18:47:52.100" Title="How do monastic rules differ in each tradition?" Tags="|monk|traditions|monasticism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-03-23T09:10:06.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha responded in silence to the questions 'is there a soul?' And 'is there no soul?'.&#xA;What he said was that the 5 clinging aggregates cannot be considered the soul, for you cannot will them to be something other than what they are I.e. they are not in one's control as a soul should, at least theoretically should be.&#xA;To speak of anatta in the absence of the 5 aggregates will lead to abstract concepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-23T09:10:06.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2015-03-23T10:35:58.147" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I actually benefited from Metta a lot. I wasn't always sitting down to practice it. The way I did it was, whenever I got irritated about someone, I would flush away the irritation by forcing thoughts of Metta about the person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets say person 'X' angered you.&#xA;The mind will always try to keep justifying your anger, giving various reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: &quot;but X is wrong!&quot;, &quot;X is jealous of me!&quot;, &quot;X doesn't deserve kindness!&quot;, &quot;X is arrogant!&quot;, &quot;X is ugly!&quot;, &quot;X is ugly and arrogant!&quot;, &quot;X is stupid!&quot;, &quot;X is ill-mannered!&quot;, &quot;X embarrassed me!&quot;, &quot;X insulted me!&quot;, &quot;X is stingy!&quot;, &quot;X is worthless!&quot;, &quot;X deserves punishment!&quot;, &quot;X is persistent&quot;, &quot;I'm supposed to get angry!&quot;, &quot;Who wouldn't get angry?&quot;, &quot;People will think I'm a coward&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever the reason the mind comes up with, don't agree to it! The attitude should always be &quot;So what? Whatever you(the mind) tell me, anger is not what I want! What I want is Metta. So may X be happy, may X be well, may X be devoid of anger, suffering, grief, may X's riches grow etc.&quot;. It's actually a mixture of Metta, Karuna and Muditha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After practicing this for a while, the mind comes up with less reasons to justify anger and X starts to disappear. Now when you get irritated, you are not focussing on a person. You are focussing on anger itself. Because the qualities of the person become unimportant at this stage. And the moment you notice anger, you push it away with Metta. It becomes easier and the mind starts getting less and less angry as you practice it. As a result you will feel the comfort of not getting irritated. It'll boost your confidence and fill you up with joy. You will feel like a soldier wearing a strong armer which cannot be pierced by any weapon.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this stage, you can also convert this into Vipassana and do Dhammanupassana. Just observe any irritation including the subtle ones without reacting or trying to suppress them like you did earlier. Observe them arising and passing away without your consent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-23T11:00:34.753" LastActivityDate="2015-03-23T11:00:34.753" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8344" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8345" CreationDate="2015-03-23T11:15:25.650" Score="5" ViewCount="796" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something I have been wondering about karma for quite some time. I have been told that intention is what matters when one does an action but what about when I know that a side effect of my intention will cause harm. For example when I intend to drive my car to work and I hit many insects along the way- I am aware that I will kill insects but this is not my intention, yet in a way I do intend to kill insects now that I know it is a side effect of driving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The insect thing would seem similar to intending to feed myself and so I kill an animal. Of course there are other ways to feed myself but there are also safer options for transport.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T19:44:22.977" Title="Karma: Intention vs knowing result of an action" Tags="|karma|merit|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8344" CreationDate="2015-03-23T11:27:57.347" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference is that it is possible to drive a car without the intention of killing the bugs you will hit, but it's not possible to kill an animal for a particular purpose without intending to kill it. You can't do something for a specific purpose without somehow forming the intention to do what you are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if a farmer decides to kill a chicken in order to cook it and then actually kills it, then at the very least when he is preforming the act of killing he has the intention of killing. If he didn't have the intention of killing it then the physical act itself couldn't happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-03-23T11:27:57.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8346" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-23T12:16:43.737" Score="4" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been what you might call an armchair Buddhist for many years. I'm at a point where I'd really love to meet other like minded people and get involved with the Buddhist community on a more personal level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I live in London. Having listened extensively online to Dharma talks from wonderful teachers like Gil Frondsal, I can see there are a great many communities in the United States which spread the Dharma. I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of similar communities in the UK, specifically London? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4892" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T19:25:37.150" Title="Finding a Sangha in London" Tags="|vipassana|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-23T20:22:51.813" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8346" CreationDate="2015-03-23T14:46:35.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try www.samatha.org with some experienced local groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4895" LastActivityDate="2015-03-23T14:46:35.133" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-23T20:22:51.813" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8304" CreationDate="2015-03-23T15:12:08.447" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, here is a coincidence. I just happened to start reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasit1.pdf&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw's &quot;Practical Vipassana Exercises&quot;&lt;/a&gt; and he explicitly mentions swaying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should you intend to sway the body, then knowingly note &lt;em&gt;intending&lt;/em&gt;. While in the act of swaying, &lt;em&gt;swaying&lt;/em&gt;. When contemplating you may actually discover the body swaying back and forth. Do not be alarmed; neither be pleased nor wish to continue the sway. The swaying will cease if you keep the knowing mind on the action of swaying and continue to note &lt;em&gt;swaying&lt;/em&gt; until the action ceases. If swaying increases in spite of your making a mental note of it, then lean against a wall or post or lie down for a while. Thereafter proceed with contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-03-23T15:12:08.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8331" CreationDate="2015-03-23T15:59:09.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Excellent question, allow me to debrief about New Age-ism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, during the evolution of a spiritual culture, due to authorities lacking any training (2nd or 3rd Training) but ending up as leaders, saying nice fruity things to attract the masses, messing up the definitions, and oftentimes exchanging the Quest for Enlightenment for something easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, until someone comes along who corrects the concepts.. Until then, smart people will dislike New Age for its vague, mixed, multitudinous definitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to be too attracted or repelled by something, which is all due to ignorance, is a &quot;sin&quot; (being off-mark) in Buddhism, a sign of lacking bodhisattva attributes and being able to exercise one's independent thought and skillful means to understand and assist people of any background.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, my argument to pedantic Buddhists: why don't we accept ALL religions, ALL cultures, despite how backwards some may be (at this stage in their development).&#xA;For example, Islam and Judaism both have an inner sect called Sufism and Kaballism--yet do the masses practice them? No, because of many reasons, including that they are out-of-date models for people to follow and succeed on and need the rejuvenation of many people succeeding in that style of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We all know that spiritual development is a very real thing just like mental and emotional development... so like I always say &quot;Let's just know what &quot;spiritual cultivation&quot; is and Practice meditation, yoga, and self-mastery so we too can gain the benefits as cross-disciplinary studies have shown us! Let's get started and just keep adding things that are correct, and automatically letting go of that which is unbeneficial and incorrect.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New Age has a lot of concepts borrowed from Buddhism and is why New Age is a great non-religious spirituality to introduce to someone who you would like to practice meditation and yoga--especially to someone who is fervently fearful of other religions, like a Catholic!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nonetheless, Buddhism is still by far the most accurate, comprehensive and trustworthy spiritual system to follow! It is just not for everyone in the beginning.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;13 years ago, when I was 13, I was a Muslim devoutly praying five times a day, developing my concentration abilities.&#xA;I eventually bumped into New Age and it helped explain the bioenergetics I was feeling, especially through Linda Goodman's books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over the years, I pored over New Age topics like hypnosis, chi cleansing, affirmations and noticed that not only are they very positive concepts but that they are related to psychology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, after reading &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot; and realizing that only Awakening ultimately mattered, I completely dropped everything New Age, Islam, and everything and studied Buddhism with a fervor for the next few years, figuring out what the Path entailed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; Awakening?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is waking up beyond our little ego to realize the vast ocean that we are. To realize that the ego that we are was just a bubble of foam.&#xA;I am seen this same analogy in one of Linda Goodman's spirituality book and in my early childhood days it is what made me feel that Buddhism and New Age are philosophically similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This  is a concept reflected in the idea of a personal, shared God Consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also almost like the concept of a self-less container for all karma... an 8th consciousness in Buddhism--which the Buddha warns not to mistake for a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, they say that there is only Mind. This is similar to what New Age is saying with Universal Consciousness. In Buddhism, the Yogacara school of Buddhism and Mind-Only schools, are both reflective of these ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what if this &quot;universal consciousness&quot; is another &quot;mistake for a self&quot; as the Buddha would call it? How can we know?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, I would argue, and many New Agers would argue, that there is no fixed definition because the truth is beyond words and hard to explain--how can we possibly expect a perfect definition right away? Oftentimes, explanations are not only very contextual but also take time to form the perfect explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, New Age, would respond to my question by saying &quot;Well, dude come on that's what I &lt;strong&gt;meant&lt;/strong&gt;--whatever Buddha was saying about that un-knowable but experiencable thing-that-is-beyond... that thing that our Heart Sutra talks about, too.. I just call it &quot;Universal Consciousness&quot; even though it is beyond all those things.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the typical &quot;wishy-washy&quot;-ness of New Age that many scholars despise and the masses love. The masses love this because of the reason I stated in my 2nd paragraph as well as because it can be a chance for us as mankind to develop a global culture that is beyond any denomination (religion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, even if I am wrong, New Age will be able to adapt and evolve its opinion to match with the correct definition that Buddhism outlines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In conclusion, the New Age concept of Universal Consciousness, even if the specifics are not as specified as Buddhism does.. the idea that we all have a fundamental shared thing that We Are... is the same as in Buddhism and goes by other names like Mind or Buddha Nature.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, both in Buddhism and New Age, there are angels and other deities.&#xA;New Age Buddhism of course goes into many hazy definitions whereas the Buddha's definitions are clear as day as apparent in The Thirty-One Planes of Existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New Age spirituality also has a special emphasis of the chakras and nadis from Hinduism and Taoism. In Buddhism, this is called the fire element and is not gone into excessive detail because thinking about chakras can block your chakras! So the Buddha avoided the topic entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, I have been rambling about the two in the hopes that I vaguely encourage people to be more open towards New Age because it is flexible! Buddhism is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; flexible. The instructions are plain and simple in Buddhism and there is no argument about what to do. Unlike New Age, Buddhism comes from a single author, Shakyamuni Buddha who managed to Awaken fully and bothered to record the systems that he used/should have used throughout his spiritual process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New Age on the other hand, is a &lt;em&gt;spirituality&lt;/em&gt; (no one within the New Age community would look oddly at you if you said you were all religions, especially &quot;a lot of Buddhism&quot;), above all a spirituality that we are defining more clearly for ourselves and also collectively as we all are all spiritually evolving and becoming more accepting of each others' cultural backgrounds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I enjoyed writing this, I hope you enjoyed reading it. I didn't reference enough primary evidence for this answer to count as a stand-alone answer but know that there are some well-written texts out there which already do that job extravagantly, especially the book I mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-24T00:25:18.770" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T00:25:18.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8304" CreationDate="2015-03-24T00:48:29.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you have not developed the physical self control necessary to meditate properly , you might want to consider practicing hatha yoga for a while with a good teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4770" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T00:48:29.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8351" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-24T01:22:32.533" Score="10" ViewCount="1320" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both the Theravada and Tibetan systems distinguish between two &lt;em&gt;aspects&lt;/em&gt; of meditation -- &lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt; (aka shamata, serenity, calm abiding, shiney or zhiney (Tib.)) and &lt;strong&gt;insight&lt;/strong&gt; (aka vipashyana, lhatong (Tib.)). (Some call them &lt;em&gt;types&lt;/em&gt; of meditation, but I prefer &lt;em&gt;aspects&lt;/em&gt;, since you need your concentration skill while doing insight work -- in fact, that is what concentration is for -- but you can at different times be aiming at one or the other.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question -- does Zen make a similar distinction? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize Zen is not monolithic, so answers for specific schools are fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:51:51.627" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T12:27:15.170" Title="Does Zen distinguish between concentration and insight meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|zen|meditation-insight|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8352" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-24T04:29:06.710" Score="6" ViewCount="309" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I am supposed to simply observe my thoughts and any opinions that arise from them, and not cling to them, how am I supposed to work? I have a job, and as such you cannot not have opinions. It becomes a loss of self. I could let go, but then why should I go to work and exercise my effort on doing something other than simply meditate &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could someone help out with this conflict?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:47:18.460" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:47:18.460" Title="Drop your opinions at work?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-mindfulness|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8346" CreationDate="2015-03-24T08:06:13.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps not in London but not too far away are two monasteries well worth the trip.&#xA;Amaravati (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amaravati.org/&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;Cittaviveka (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cittaviveka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cittaviveka.org/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also London Buddhist Vihara (www.londonbuddhistvihara.org/) closer to home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T08:06:13.530" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-24T08:06:13.530" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8354" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-24T08:36:26.367" Score="7" ViewCount="1509" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading Ajahn Brahmavamso's book 'The Jhanas' (available freely online) in which he says that the Buddha discovered Jhanas by himself, and what Alara Kalama and Uddakha Ramaputta taught, were not related to jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I am requesting your time is that, there are some teachers in Sri Lanka who claim that Jhanas are a later inclusion, citing the same fact that Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta were able to teach up to the highest immaterial Jhanas, and that a Samma Sambuddha couldn't have lent so heavily on the teaching of others for his own Enlightenment. Thus, they discourage samatha meditation. Fortunately such teachers still emphasize Sati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would appreciate your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="3628" LastEditDate="2018-04-19T10:06:24.187" LastActivityDate="2018-04-19T10:06:24.187" Title="Did the Buddha discover jhana by himself?" Tags="|meditation|self|jhana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8354" CreationDate="2015-03-24T10:14:09.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many kinds of samadhi.Jhana is Right Samadhi.The one taught by Siddharta's teachers were not what The Buddha called Right Samadhi. Right Samadhi which is Jhana can only be achieved if one has Right View.Different kind of samadhi can produce rapture bliss calm.But are not Jhana without Right View.Samatha meditation shouldn't be discouraged as it is a part of the Eight Noble Path.Siddharta remembered The First Jhana when he was meditating under extreme conditions.So he could not have been practicing Right Samadhi Jhana at that point.But he was definitely practicing deep  samadhi as an astetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-03-24T11:07:36.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T11:07:36.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8341" CreationDate="2015-03-24T10:16:45.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The different in practices came shortly after Buddha's Parinibbana. That's is the reason First Buddhist council was convened. Ref Link: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;First Buddhist Council&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to this record the incident which prompted the Elder&#xA;  Mahakassapa to call this meeting was his hearing a disparaging remark&#xA;  about the strict rule of life for monks. The monk Subhadda, who had&#xA;  ordained late in life, upon hearing that the Buddha had expired,&#xA;  voiced his resentment at having to abide by all the rules for monks&#xA;  laid down by the Buddha. Many monks lamented the passing of the Buddha&#xA;  and were deeply grieved but Subhadda spoke up to show happiness and&#xA;  relief that Buddha was gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And Subhadda, the late-received one, said to the Bhikkhus: &quot;Enough,&#xA;  Sirs! Weep not, neither lament! We are well rid of the great Samana.&#xA;  We used to be annoyed by being told, 'This beseems you, this beseems&#xA;  you not.' &lt;strong&gt;But now we shall be able to do whatever we like; and what we&#xA;  do not like, that we shall not have to do&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's go back to the basic that every Buddhist knows.&#xA;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tbsa.org/articles/BuddhaQualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Nine Special Qualities of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, there are 'The Six kinds of Speech'. Whether the speech is disagreeable to others or not, Buddha only speaks true AND beneficial. If you believe in it, Buddha mentioned 227 Patimokkha rules which are true and beneficial for monk. It is also beneficial for those who makes offerings to monks who live by those Patimokkha rules. Please look at Qualities of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sangha&lt;/a&gt; also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T10:16:45.537" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8354" CreationDate="2015-03-24T11:37:29.500" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I quote an excerpt of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3337/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; from Ven. Yuttadhammo. You may read the answer for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The orthodox view is that samatha meditation was not discovered by&#xA;  the Buddha and vipassana meditation was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The orthodox view is that the Bodhisatta cultivated samatha meditation&#xA;  countless times in his past lives before finally discovering&#xA;  vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T11:37:29.500" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8358" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10991" CreationDate="2015-03-24T15:09:44.067" Score="2" ViewCount="440" Body="&lt;p&gt;When practicing insight meditation and when observing mental formations arising  then sometimes shortly after another mental formation arises caused by the first mental formation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example could be a memory that arises then shortly after another memory arises that is closely related to the first one. The second memory is clearly caused by the first one since its similar in appearance and &quot;acts&quot; like a continuation of the first memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This picture is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;em&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;. The picture can be found in the chapter &lt;em&gt;&quot;Compendium of the cognitive process&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, at p. 155. It shows the different stages in the process of cognition.&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ohnaS.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about at what stage in the &lt;em&gt;cognitive process&lt;/em&gt; it happens that an object is compared/coupled to previous experiences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My best guess is that it might be in the stage of &lt;em&gt;&quot;investigating consciousness&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:45:56.650" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T01:01:49.313" Title="The cognitive process: the stage of investigating consciousness" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|abhidhamma|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8354" CreationDate="2015-03-24T15:12:19.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alexander Wynne published a book on history of meditation [1]. On the subject of &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;, he points that a description of the first &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt; appears in a Mahābhārata passage &quot;where it is said that for the sage who has the first &lt;em&gt;dhyāna&lt;/em&gt;, there is &lt;em&gt;vicāra&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;vitarka&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;viveka&lt;/em&gt;&quot; -- no descriptions of further &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt; seem to appear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He argues that it is likely that this passage was borrowed from Buddhism -- and overall, that it is likely there was interchange of knowledge of meditation between both traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the formula and attainment of 1st jhana were known to ascetics in general. Maybe they could attain it, but had not systematize it (with it's factors and hindrances) and later borrowed the formula from the Buddha. Or maybe the Buddha came up with it on his own. If we trust the reading of the suttas where the Buddha remembers an early experience of jhana, and that this meant no contemporary teacher knew how to attain it, the later might be true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, on formless meditation, Alexander concludes that (paraphrasing):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The buddhist list of four formless spheres was inherited from  Alara Kalama and Uddakha Ramaputta.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Formless meditation is related to element meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore element meditation was borrowed from the same non-Buddhist source as was formless meditation (eg. from the two teachers)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The doctrinal background of element meditation and formless meditation is provided by a list of six dhatu&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The list is based on early Brahminic cosmogonies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Brahminic cosmogonies provide the doctrinal background to meditation in early Brahmanism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore, element meditation and formless meditation  were borrowed from a brahmanic source&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The brahmanic source is probably these former teachers (Alara Kalama and Uddakha Ramaputta, Alara Kalama and Rāma, or perhaps the three?).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be worth to mention that the first ascetics the Buddha considered teaching after attaining nibbāna were Alara and Uddakha, for they had &quot;little dust in their eyes&quot; [2].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] The Origin of Buddhist Meditation, 2007&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[2] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-03-24T23:01:31.830" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T23:01:31.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8351" CreationDate="2015-03-24T15:54:03.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Rinzai, we don't necessarily call what we do insight meditation, but there are some similarities.  A koan is supposed to provide &quot;insight&quot; into existence.  They all relate an essential quality of mind (big &quot;M&quot;!) that is otherwise obscured or veiled in normal consciousness.  Like you mentioned, arriving at those insights requires that we first develop a certain level of samadhi.  Once that is established and stabilized, we begin to look for a koan's answer in mushin - or no mind - the blankness that appears when concentration is established to a certain degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is interesting is that one probes their koan in meditation, one's subconscious obstacles and barriers begin to become more evident.  This is an important part of practice.  I'd go so far as to say that it's even more important than answering your koan.  Some of the barriers one encounters are related to the koan, but others are native to our own karma, ego, hang-ups, habits, mental formation, etc.  These all have to be acknowledged and worked through as one grows in their practice.  From a practical perspective, I suppose this is the aspect of Rinzai training that is most similar to vipassana.  I think it's important to distinguish, however, that in Zen, when those obstacles begin to appear, we don't [usually] explore them according to the three marks of existence as you might in insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I'd love to here a Soto take on this.  My cursory exposure to that tradition indicates to me that they might have a more shamatha approach to their sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T15:54:03.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8354" CreationDate="2015-03-24T16:28:19.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well-researched question but I find it silly nonetheless.&#xA;Something like concentration attainment is the cause of everything holistic we have today: acupuncture, chi gong, kundalini activation, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Jhana practice&quot; = centering oneself on blissful state&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ther are myriad, infinite ways to achieve this. My teacher said even scratching your ear is a type of jhana!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i've read many accounts of the Buddha leaving home and learning from many yogis, many of whom manifested the blisses and powers of dhyana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the buddha also spontaneously entered dhyana on his own as a child&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;vipassana = practicing pure, naked awareness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a crucial practice for self-awakening but is learning to be pure and nakedly aware really a buddhist invention? can buddhism or anything own being purely aware of the present moment?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are fundamental practices for not just humans but &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T06:11:03.733" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T06:11:03.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-03-24T17:19:01.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't necessarily have to abandon your opinions. The important thing is to recognize that opinions come from conditions, and those conditions always change. Your work is one of the conditions, and it's appropriate to form an opinion for those conditions... and then be ready to change the opinions if the conditions change, or if the opinion doesn't apply in a new situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the previous commenter said, this is a 'sila' practice, rather than meditation - examining your everyday behaviour to see if it's skillful. It's probably impossible to do vipassana at work!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4899" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T17:19:01.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8093" CreationDate="2015-03-24T17:28:32.790" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The formulaic way the suttas are recited make it difficult to see much humour. But there is a really interesting series of talks by the scholar John Peacock, &quot;Buddhism before the Theravada&quot;, where he talks about the way many of the Buddha's concepts, even some of the most basic and familiar ones, could have been seen as provocative and satirical at the time he spoke them- particularly, satirizing or punning on brahmanical rituals (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.audiodharma.org/series/207/talk/2602/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.audiodharma.org/series/207/talk/2602/&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was some short sutta I saw, I think in the Anguttara Nikaya, where the Buddha said something like &quot;This is so important, I can't even think of a simile for it&quot;. Considering how free the Buddha was with similes, I think his listeners would have taken this as a bit of a joke :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4899" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T17:28:32.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2689" CreationDate="2015-03-24T18:40:09.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some things that have worked for me-- and may be entirely personal:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigating and noting the qualities of sleepiness and torpor - why do I know I am sleepy? what are the physical symptoms? What are the actions it is making me do (especially in the face - muscular action and vibrations around the eyes, mouth...)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigating and noting whether there is actually some kind of wanting or agitation that is being veiled by the torpor.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Looking for that within me that perceives that I am sleepy, but is itself aware and alert (hint: don't expect to actually find it :) )&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes these practices have caused my torpor to suddenly &quot;flip&quot; into very bright concentration. Sometimes torpor is actually concealing some unacknowledged agitation, and when that agitation is known, the sluggishness vanishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that's less likely if it's genuine physical exhaustion, or sluggishness caused by digesting a meal. &quot;Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar&quot; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T18:40:09.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8346" CreationDate="2015-03-24T19:25:37.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lbc.org.uk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;London Buddhist Centre&lt;/a&gt; and that was very good. It's part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt; and it's explicit aim is to present the Buddha's teaching in a way that is compatible with modern society. It's in a converted fire station so it's a really good space and it was friendly when I went.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am biased though - I'm involved with Triratna in Leeds so it's my sangha. I think it's still a good recommendation though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T19:25:37.150" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-24T19:25:37.150" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8366" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8369" CreationDate="2015-03-24T19:33:17.327" Score="5" ViewCount="1029" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I spend an extend period with Buddhist practice I become emotionally more volatile or at least my emotions seem stronger and  more likely to come to the surface. I've often had reactions that are uncharacteristically emotional though the emotion feels authentic. The period of practice doesn't even have to be that long - sometimes a day retreat will have this effect. It could be linked with meditation however it could be study or the experience of sangha that does it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this something that people recognise? Is it written about anywhere by any teacher? I want to know if it's a common outcome and advice around working with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T14:04:20.717" Title="Can Buddhist practice make you more emotionally volatile?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-24T20:07:50.407" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my own experience i can say that this has happend to me before. I think its due to the fact that when one sits in insight meditation one does not have a &quot;filter&quot;. One wants all phenomena to come up in order to observe them, learn from them and understand them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when one practices a lot and thereby having extended periods in ones life where there is no filter then when one returns to everyday life and is &lt;strong&gt;not being mindful&lt;/strong&gt; about what phenomena arises (e.g. emotions) one can easily react to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems that if one practice a lot and is used to things comming up in meditation then one should make an even greater effort to guard oneself with mindfulness in everyday life. Because the filter is still not there. The suppression is not there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be one of the reasons why these emotions can seem to have a greater intensity because there is no suppression or filter to affect them or &lt;em&gt;&quot;cloud&quot;&lt;/em&gt; them. They are experienced &lt;em&gt;&quot;clean and bare&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. While non-meditators may have layers of filters and concepts limiting the intensity of the emotions that is not the case for insight-meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my own experience and view on it. I do not know if information about your question can be found anywhere in the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T14:04:20.717" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T14:04:20.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2015-03-24T20:24:03.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First: if the bare insight thing is valid -- i.e. if it is possible to&#xA;  go straight to Vipassana without going via Samatha -- then why&#xA;  wouldn't everyone just do that? Insight is The Point, after all,&#xA;  (isn't it?) so why waste time with what seems to be mere training&#xA;  wheels?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the heart of it, &quot;tranquility&quot; just means the skill of perseverance that you need to do the vipassana investigation. If your mind is agitated, you'll get distracted and won't keep up the work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO, at least, the Mahasi approach develops tranquility implicitly, because if you keep noting, you're developing that capacity to practice stably and persistently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Second: OK, suppose access concentration or first jhana is necessary,&#xA;  but is also sufficient a level of samadhi as preparation for&#xA;  vipassana. Then, again, why would anyone then continue on to &quot;samatha&quot;&#xA;  jhanas 2 through 4? My understanding is that while those jhanas may be&#xA;  cool and blissful, not only are they not The Point, they carry the&#xA;  danger of attachment. So why bother with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The jhana factors are suffusive qualities that emerge naturally when practice is stable: a suffusive attention/focus emerges, then a suffusive rapture dominates, then a suffusive calm dominates, and then a suffusive equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice with persistence, these qualities will appear, no matter what. The 'choice' is in the degree that you want to immerse yourself in each of those qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some teachers (controversially) see tranquility and insight as two facets of the same development (example: Sayadaw U Pandita's 'vipassana jhanas', &quot;In this Very Life&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pesala/Pandita/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pesala/Pandita/&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this view, the &quot;jhanas&quot; are those stages in the development of insight that are restful, pleasant, and sustainable, like islands of calm in the progress of insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A practitioner can choose to abide there, and deepen that abiding as a separate skill - that's samatha practice. But other parts of the path aren't stable in that way; only investigation - vipassana - gets the practitioner across the rough channel to the next island!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To beat the metaphor further, resting on those islands is a good way to prepare to cross the next rough sea, as long as you don't get hooked on the sunlight and great beaches :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T20:24:03.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-24T20:42:20.550" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, I often get a bit brittle after sittings. Things can feel a little more raw and noisy for a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, longer sittings (like retreats) can have hangovers days or weeks later, sometimes euphoric rather than painful. Extended meditation has a momentum that keeps working on you after you stop the formal practice, and it's related to the speed at which you are unconsciously perceiving the arising and passing away of your momentary experience. That is an alternately blissful and painful process. There are various models to describe this, such as the &quot;progress of insight&quot; in the classical commentaries like 'Visuddhimagga' and a lot of Mahasi literature; also look up Daniel Ingram, Ron Crouch, and Kenneth Folk for some contemporary views on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T20:42:20.550" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-03-24T22:51:36.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can use your work as an oppertunity to work on your &lt;em&gt;morality&lt;/em&gt; as it is also mentioned in the other comments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In buddhism there is 2 aspects, one is to work on yourself and develop your mind and morality. The other aspect is to help other beings when you have the oppertunity and think that you are in a position to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might someone who needs your help at your work place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your own opinions. When looking at it from a standpoint of &lt;em&gt;ultimate reality&lt;/em&gt; then there is no self existing. So the opinions you experience does not really belong to anyone. They are arisen phenomena that will cease again. So you dont really have to pay much attention to them. You can just note them and let them go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Opinions are mental formations that as all the other aggregates are subject to the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self&lt;/em&gt; meaning that it can create suffering for you if you identify, hold on to or take ownership of these opinions since they change anyway because of being impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;the noble eight-fold path&lt;/em&gt; you will have the specific guidelines to follow regarding both morality, concentration and wisdom. So you can let that be your guiding light. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To go even further; the conflict you are mentioning here is also just a mental formation that is impermanent, unsatisfactory and not-self. These mental formations can if they are not guarded with mindfulness and noted, manifest themselves in the physical body e.g. as stress or physical pain. But they are also just arisen phenomena that do not belong to anyone and will cease again. So them too you can also just note and let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is of course much easier said than done. It takes practice and that can be a challenge but that will develop you. So in that sense you are lucky to have a job where such a conflict is now happening. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because you can use that conflict as an oppertunity to grow and develop and practice your mindfulness. In this way you will realize the truth about reality. You will see that phenomena are suffering because they arise and cease without any control. When you truly see and realize that you can detach from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not already doing insight meditation it could be beneficial for you to start doing it outside of work meaning at home or whereever you have a quiet place. In that way you can observe this conflict and the mental formations pertaining to it in a &lt;em&gt;safe and quiet&lt;/em&gt; environment. &#xA;That way you will also be much better prepared for when you are going to work. Why? Because you then know exactly what mental formations and/or feelings that will come up and because you already have trained at home in noting them and letting them go, you have an advantage when they do arise at your workplace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will end my comment with a great qoute from &lt;em&gt;Ajahn Brahm&lt;/em&gt;. He says in one of his videos: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Suffering is the fertilizer for our spiritual growth&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-24T23:00:14.030" LastActivityDate="2015-03-24T23:00:14.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2015-03-25T00:53:17.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To me, it seems a bit odd to separate the two. Samatha already includes Vipassana. When an object arises, we analyze it, understand it and settle it, to remove an obstacle. Emotions and feelings should also be understood in Samatha, since they can be large hindrances for progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I mention &amp;quot;anger&amp;quot; at Vipassana retreats, I have not heard anything else than &amp;quot;put it aside&amp;quot; after describing the anger. The third basic desire is Vibhava Tanha, which is basically the desire to get rid of things we don't like. If something exists, then there is a reason for it to exist - this includes &amp;quot;bad&amp;quot; emotions such as anger and hatred. What we should do is find out the role they have, since they exist. My take on anger is that it is a natural self-defense mechanism as a response to a hostile (or potentially hostile) environment or object. Anger can save our life in some situations. That turns anger into a constructive tool in certain situations. Then it is just a matter of being able to apply it, when it is needed in the right situation. Suppressing anger leads to suffering too...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is much about understanding and learning to control the emotions we have available and turn them into constructive tools, instead of &amp;quot;getting rid of them&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Samatha is started, analysis, acceptance, acknowledgement, etc. is automatically implied to be able to progress. I believe the Buddha said &amp;quot;Go Jhana&amp;quot; - not &amp;quot;Go vipassana&amp;quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditDate="2022-10-24T18:03:57.440" LastActivityDate="2022-10-24T18:03:57.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-25T01:23:54.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Emotions are there always. You're not more emotionally sensitive. You have more emotional clarity. The emotions should be understood. Anger for example, exist as a mechanism of self-defense. It's response to a hostile environment, which could save your life in some situations. That makes anger constructive, when applied in the right situations. What you have is an opportunity to analyze and reflect on the emotions, and through the understanding you get, you can use emotions as tools and apply them where needed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T01:23:54.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-03-25T01:31:38.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;That 2+2 is 4 is not an opinion. An opinion is based on an assumption of how things should or should not be - and this is usually followed by emotional attachment. If your response is constructive, based on actual data, then that is no opinion. Sometimes creativity is needed which can open for discussion to find a way to constructiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T01:31:38.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8374" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-25T03:51:41.433" Score="0" ViewCount="505" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Humanism&lt;/a&gt; is defined as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers critical thinking and evidence (rationalism, empiricism) over established doctrine or faith (fideism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would you say that the teachings (the Dhamma) of the Buddha are 'humanistic' in character, and if so - why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard many people using &quot;humanist&quot; in connection with the teachings. To me the teachings look more introvert with a guidance in social navigation in human society - a form of adaptive camouflage to avoid conflicts - but certainly not for humanistic purpose. To me it is seems more like the Buddha was teaching at a universal level including all mass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I might be mistaken, hence the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T17:57:47.747" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T12:40:05.073" Title="Was the Buddha Humanist?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8375" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-25T04:02:45.690" Score="2" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would it be advisable to form a political party based on the Dhamma?&#xA;This would, of course, not mean that all people would have to become Buddhist, but just let their nation be governed by Buddhist principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The current ideologies seems to be either highly confused and clueless, intentionally abusive or just greedy. To benefit the people over the politicians, I was thinking that a Buddhist party could help the world to become more peace and make more sense to peoples lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T07:37:26.133" Title="Buddhism as a political party?" Tags="|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8376" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-25T05:34:00.083" Score="4" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;During some meditation I need to say several sentences. One of them is &lt;em&gt;I take refuge in the liberated Sangha&lt;/em&gt;. I noticed that I often forget to say that sentence and virtually never forget the other four.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I started to think whether it's a coincidence and came to the conclusion that I have problems with effectively co-operating with people. Up to now, I've been most effective, when I worked alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any Buddhist teachings on how one can overcome mental obstacles, which prevent a person from being a good leader (using other people's talents to achieve goals, which benefit some beings and don't harm anyone) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: By &quot;mental obstacles&quot; I don't mean lack of skills (e. g. inability to estimate the effort of tasks) or obvisous personality defects (e. g. the wish to look better than the others in front of people). It's something much more subtle, which makes me do all the work alone, even though I'm pretty sure that there are people out there, who would gladly help me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T20:52:36.793" Title="Buddhist views on leadership" Tags="|texts|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8351" CreationDate="2015-03-25T07:28:20.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm far from an expert and even more far from knowing all the technical words, but I sit in Soto tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As @enenalan already mentioned, Soto has a more &lt;strong&gt;shamatha&lt;/strong&gt; approach, called &lt;strong&gt;shinkantaza&lt;/strong&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;just sitting&lt;/em&gt;. (@enealan: there is your answer, even if I just acknowledged to not answer another answer ;-) )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditation in Soto, at least in the tradition of my lineage, is an aimless meditation. It is not only aimless in terms of &lt;em&gt;no insight&lt;/em&gt;, no solving koans, no tinkering with truth and such stuff, but also in terms of &lt;em&gt;not meditating for any benefit&lt;/em&gt;. We are not supposed to sit to become better people, get insight, be calmer or whatsoever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you are in (Soto-)Meditation, you are supposed to watch or notice [was: examine, see comment] our mind. Therefore there is a component of insight. But we should do so as a spectator, not as a judge. The insight comes naturally, over time, and is a side-effect and not thought to be the goal of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, to stay focused, not to let your thoughts wandering, not to start daydreaming or become sleepy. To watch and not not judge our thoughts, how they emerge and vanish, requires a huge amount of concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;: Soto knows (as far as I am Soto) only on kind of meditation, and that covers the &lt;em&gt;concentration&lt;/em&gt; aspect. &lt;em&gt;Insight&lt;/em&gt; grows over time naturally and is not active fostered during meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="364" LastEditorUserId="364" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T09:11:04.150" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T09:11:04.150" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8375" CreationDate="2015-03-25T07:30:10.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great idea. I don't know where the story is on the internet but the late Master Nan says in one of his lectures that some Buddha and his disciples, samadhi powers and all, tried to change India.&#xA;They failed. People are just too lazy and their karma way too thick to cut through mere skillful means. &lt;em&gt;You help a person, and you enable their laziness and create a karmic debt for them! You jerk.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;You ignore them and let them suffer, they become motivated and help a million people.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Every action has an opposite reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other people can't save you without un-saving you later.&#xA;Buddha just can't save you, otherwise he'd have done it. There's something big going on!!&#xA;Buddha just can't kill your bad karma or anyone's bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He can only act as a intermediary and &lt;em&gt;help&lt;/em&gt; purify that karma because of positive states of mind: shame, renunciation, faith, wisdom, concentration, meditation on the Buddha's positive qualities, etc. Buddha actually does little but act as a meditation object. The true power of mantras, according to Master Nan, can't even be accessed except by those in a deep state of dhyana/jhana/samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the same for confessions in Catholicism. Mother Mary can't do anything!&#xA;It was just a skillful means as mentioned in the previous paragraph.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If the Buddhas could effectively help people through political leadership--it would have already happened. It's because of some sort of karmic binding where people are self-responsible and must change their own fate, that they have not/cannot do it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Politics is dirty, people are greedy, corrupt, and self-rationalizing! Even if Buddhism could become a political party--I doubt it stay for long. It would eventually become hijacked, derail, or decay.&#xA;The Three Poisons are stacking, moment by moment, millions of times in a day unawares until they cause people to behave in surprisingly evil ways. Countries have their own karma and everyone is contributing to it, it is hard for a small amount of people to purify the whole country's bad karma, especially when they are working against so many suave, manipulative, and cold-blooded murdering politicians.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only salvation is self-awareness whilst not attaching to anything, not taking anything for self. Who cares about others anyway? Everyone will save themselves, give it a few million eons. All the while you enjoy yourself as a Buddha in Perfect Enlightenment, manifesting a million nirmanakaya bodies helping-beings-throughout-the-universe-through-causes-and-conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T07:37:26.133" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T07:37:26.133" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8176" CreationDate="2015-03-25T08:07:56.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I make your day bad, you're likely to come home to your wife in a rotten mood and she will have a tough time with you. Much like rings in the water. At the center you have X energy and then it fades along the way to 0. Everything is impermanent. However the energy of the process might trigger other similar processes to happen and those you can be hit by, but it is never your own started process. If your process has started two other processes out there, then you get it back in strength depending on how far out the other processes are. Because you're already sensitive to it you will get triggered again. But if you have learned to handle the &quot;trigger&quot;, then the processes will have no effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T08:07:56.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8029" CreationDate="2015-03-25T08:13:46.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk can appear in all social media, but there are, according to the Navakovada, some things he cannot talk about, if certain conditions are not met. Since he does not know whom is out there doing what, he might choose not to teach the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a bit of a grayzone, so it is up to each monks own evaluation whether he will do it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T08:13:46.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7220" CreationDate="2015-03-25T08:32:42.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hmmm this is where psychiatry start picking drugs for us... Keep in mind that is is purely theoretical until the Haldon Collider find evidence of other dimensions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind and brain are not the same, but connected like two wheels learning against each others edges. So one might call it two different species. The Buddha spoke of 31 planes of existence, which could be understood as 31 universes. Universes would then also move and overlap each other. If overlapping, a nexus is created in which reactions happen. Now imagine that somehow that because of the nexus, the brain has an attraction on another species and this other species attached itself to the brain like a parasite... It would mean that if we are Citta, then we are the aliens from another universe experiencing this universe through the senses of a body...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we lack so much data on so much to actually make technical descriptions on how it works... Much right now is just thesis stage. Nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that you will get this experience in the ninth Jhana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T08:32:42.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5667" CreationDate="2015-03-25T08:47:52.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gathering of knowledge for attaining supernatural powers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has been a lot of research on this. During the '60's many universities in the US did various forms of paranormal research. Test subjects were collected and some filled with various kinds of experimental drugs to get results of different kinds. Some of these studies has been published for public viewing and some not. Also the Russians did research on this, but it is not known how far they got and nothing has ever been published. There are some rumors saying that they are still very active in this field.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an article on the subject here&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0112.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0112.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T08:47:52.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1315" CreationDate="2015-03-25T09:28:03.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha while he was a Bodhisattva did directly ask his teachers&#xA;&quot;So I went to him and said, 'To what extent do you declare that you have entered &amp;amp; dwell in this Dhamma?' When this was said, he declared the dimension of...&quot; (Ariyapariyesana Sutta MN 26)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to understand what is it that the teacher is proficient in teaching, his/her personal experience and experience as a teacher, method(s) of practice etc. Meditation teachers also have to be honest and open with their experience (attainments are mere labels) do they teach with direct experience or mere faith in a certain teaching, or because they like to teach, or because its a tradition of his Bhikkhu lineage, etc. Somewhat similar to how you would go about selecting a teacher for another subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Canki Sutta MN 95 gives a method of discovering via observation the worthiness of a potential teacher. However it will take time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case, Bharadvaja, where a monk lives in dependence on a certain village or town. Then a householder or householder's son goes to him and observes him with regard to three mental qualities — qualities based on greed, qualities based on aversion, qualities based on delusion: 'Are there in this venerable one any such qualities based on greed that, with his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, &quot;I know,&quot; while not knowing, or say, &quot;I see,&quot; while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm &amp;amp; pain?' As he observes him, he comes to know, 'There are in this venerable one no such qualities based on greed... His bodily behavior &amp;amp; verbal behavior are those of one not greedy. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a person who's greedy...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T09:28:03.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-25T12:03:13.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can't personally relate to this as Metta always made me happy and mindfulness of breathing only brought calmness. But you might want to try Satipatthana meditation as it focuses on senses at their basic form, rather than perceived entities.  I believe being emotional is always connected with people and the notion of self. &#xA;But if you can note seeing as just seeing, hearing as just hearing, sadness as just sadness etc. and watch them arising and passing away, you should become less emotional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T12:12:09.897" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T12:12:09.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5667" CreationDate="2015-03-25T12:53:25.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please don't try to read another person's mind,( Wrong conclusions derived can lead to serious misunderstanding of, even good intentions) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Okay, I'll tell you something based on my personal research over the years (still incomplete).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;manomaya iddhi&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Penetration of others' minds'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is possible to read a persons mind, but i doubt if you can read it like a book. it is possible to grasp other persons intentions to a great extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who can do it ..?, a person who has achieved above normal consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ..?, We humans have certain patterns of thinking &amp;amp; people with higher consciousness have certain special abilities (e.g.: high observation skills, insight, etc.) and they are able to cultivate their mind,(Yeah really like cultivating an agriculture field, their mind is constantly growing at above normal rate). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also possible to connect with a person standing a few feet away mentally (especially teenage lovers:) , Some people have experience of suddenly turning their head in one direction (as if somebody forcibly pushed their head to the left or right),and seeing the special somebody staring at them from a distance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;some other super normal powers possible (may be :)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the power of transformation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Invisibility &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this invisibility is not vanishing into thin air, it is more like camouflage without military clothing. It is like distracting a person's senses using the power of mind (along with or without any body movement).&#xA;The experience of entering into a room and not noticing somebody who has been standing still (intentionally to scare you) may be closer to this). I think even the shadow of another person could be used effectively for distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prediction of future (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extrasensory_perception&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ESP&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also believe it is also possible to predict future to some extent, just like the financial analysts predicting about economy. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Walking on water (Not on top of water)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May be somebody with light weight body ( may be possible for somebody capable of starving or controlling their diet and intentionally reduce their body weight) having perfect control over  body muscles (to avoid swaying back or forth, left or right ,Possible for somebody who achieved control over mind and body)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the surface of an object touching water is greater in area than the portion above,the object on top of water may not sink and combined with thrusting motion of the foot like a piston (just like walking in the swamp) it may be possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="385" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T12:36:13.790" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T12:36:13.790" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-25T15:56:22.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment to something can cause of dukka ,so if you feel something is not good for you ,better avoid it, avoid the extremes ,practice moderation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not recommended for people with certain conditions, I read it somewhere long ago (not on the Internet) . Meditation relaxes your mind and body ,if somebody is having nervous or emotional problems,after meditation their nerves may get further dilated(Not good). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have asked for advice ,I suggest you regularly exercise(skipping rope ,running, walking and possibly some mild weight lifting at the gym also). Take care to balance your breath and try to bring a rhythm, It can also have the same effect of meditation,bringing mind and body together by controlling the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also some info here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wildmind.org/applied/depression/when-not-to-meditate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="4812" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T17:10:55.527" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T17:10:55.527" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8049" CreationDate="2015-03-25T17:12:14.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Pali term Karma literally means action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical, is regarded as Karma&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to look at the action (good or bad) and the  consequence( Kamma &amp;amp; vipaka). whether one has a sound mind or unsound mind doesn't matter, without intention there is no action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even a person suffering from psychosis uses his mind to do things,  so without thoughts nothing good or bad  happens( the thoughts may be abnormal,incomplete,unclear or confusing)  ,but a person with psychosis may not feel the consequences like a normal person ,so the magnitude of suffering may differ for the same actions committed by different people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="4812" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T17:28:47.213" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T17:28:47.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-25T17:18:44.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;advice given by Ajaan Fuang&lt;/a&gt;, and recorded by his student, Thanissaro Bhikku. These should be relevant to your case. Basically, don't get attached to any experiences caused by meditation. Just observe them, learn from them, then let go and go beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;The mind is like a king. Its moods are like his ministers. Don't be&#xA;  a king who's easily swayed by his court.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A young nurse practiced meditation with Ajaan Fuang several days&#xA;  running, and finally asked him one day, &quot;Why wasn't today's session as&#xA;  good as yesterday's?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He answered: &quot;Meditating is like wearing clothes. Today you wear&#xA;  white, tomorrow red, yellow, blue, whatever. You have to keep&#xA;  changing. You can't wear the same set of clothes all the time. So&#xA;  whatever color you're wearing, just be aware of it. Don't get&#xA;  depressed or excited about it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A student came to complain to Ajaan Fuang that she had been&#xA;  meditating for years, and still hadn't gotten anything out of it. His&#xA;  immediate response: &quot;You don't meditate to 'get' anything. You&#xA;  meditate to let go.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;When the meditation goes well, don't get excited. When it doesn't&#xA;  go well, don't get depressed. Simply be observant to see why it's&#xA;  good, why it's bad. If you can be observant like this, it won't be&#xA;  long before your meditation becomes a skill.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ The seamstress, after practicing meditation with Ajaan Fuang for&#xA;  several months, told him that her mind seemed more of a mess than it&#xA;  was before she began meditating. &quot;Of course it does,&quot; he told her.&#xA;  &quot;It's like your house. If you polish the floor every day, you won't be&#xA;  able to stand the least little bit of dust on it. The cleaner the&#xA;  house, the more easily you'll see the dirt. If you don't keep&#xA;  polishing the mind, you can let it go out and sleep in the mud without&#xA;  any qualms at all. But once you get it to sleep on a polished floor,&#xA;  then if there's even a speck of dust, you'll have to sweep it away.&#xA;  You won't be able to stand the mess.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-25T17:34:33.900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T17:34:33.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8376" CreationDate="2015-03-25T18:53:54.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha ministered to all levels of society including Kings. On the occasion when King Pasenadi of Kosala lost in the battle and had to retreat to his capital at Savatthi the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_14lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha said&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Victory breeds hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The defeated live in pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Happily the peaceful live,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giving up victory and defeat.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take this to be advise around ones attitude to winning and losing. If you live with an adversarial attitude then you will never be happy. If you believe that my win is your loss then whether you win or lose you will be in a painful mental state. Happiness lies with moving away from this false binary point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T18:53:54.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8374" CreationDate="2015-03-25T20:25:55.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My personal 2 cents: no, Buddhism isn't humanist, because it doesn't place human agency or fulfillment at the center of its teaching. It describes a universe governed by an inexorable law of dependent origination, which embraces humans, animals, and gods, and renders them equal and interchangeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, it holds out the promise of a certain kind of fulfillment that humans are especially well-equipped to reach. So it's compatible (at least at first!) with a humanist outlook. But if you approach Buddhism as a humanist, I believe that it will eventually force you to shed either some of your humanism (in a philosophical sense), or some of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T20:25:55.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8376" CreationDate="2015-03-25T20:52:36.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The four immeasurables&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta - friendship to all beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karuna - compassion to all beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudita - taking joy in the well-being of others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upekkha - equanimity toward all beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... from this point of view, you're already part of an ongoing &quot;team effort&quot; to create the conditions for a safer and happier environment, wherever you go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really relate to that compulsive need to go do things myself. I often remind myself: &quot;sometimes people really need to help you, and to refuse them the chance to help can be unkind.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also often &quot;check in&quot; with myself to see whether what I'm doing right now helps to create conditions for myself and others to be safer and happier. Not to &quot;make&quot; myself or others safe and happy- that's out of our control- but to set up the conditions that support that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though the idea of the &quot;immeasurables&quot; is to reduce selfishness, I think it's also a great definition of leadership. You can take that energy that makes you want to step out on your own, and use it to create a better atmosphere for collaboration. There's no situation where you can't find something to do that will lighten the load, either for yourself, or for someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-25T20:52:36.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8374" CreationDate="2015-03-25T22:45:51.177" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether or not Buddhism is Humanist depends on your interpretation of Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, Buddhism is a program for humans to find happiness, and as such seems humanistic.  However, it does this by a thoroughgoing program of deconstructionism, which includes the self itself, and this may seem anti-Humanistic.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, while Buddhism is individualistic in a sense, there is the Bodhisattva ideal, which aims at the benefit of all sentient beings, and some of the attempts at transcending ego can involve serving others, so some types of Buddhism can be seen as benefiting people collectively.  However, there is a movement for Engaged Buddhism, which would seem to imply that this view of Buddhism is not universal (otherwise, why make an effort to stress this)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, although the Four Noble Truths talks of the futility of trying to find happiness through our typical pursuits (and paints what some say is a grim picture of life), it also teaches that we have the power to transcend our situation.  In this sense, it seems to value human agency.  On the other hand, we're taught that we're not independent selves and (some interpretations?) even try to transcend the sense of doership as the handmaiden of the self, and as such, human agency may be devalued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, some Buddhist teachings value critical thinking and/or evidence over faith (Kalama Sutra), but there's also a critique of rationality (see Madhyamaka deconstructionism, especially Nagarjuna's). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, YMMV&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-08-28T12:40:05.073" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T12:40:05.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8393" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-25T23:49:42.543" Score="6" ViewCount="244" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a connection between Sila and fear? I find fear to be the main reason I practice sila. I would like to practice Sila out of loving kindness and a compassionate heart but I'm more worried about the consequences of my actions then being compassionate.And i don't know if this is selfish reason to practice sila but I'm really not keeping the precepts because I care very deeply about others or want to be Mother Theresa but  because for some reason I never seem to get away with anything.And I always seem to get the results of my actions right away that I feel like I don't have a choice but lead some kind of moral life.Basically i feel like someone on parole.My question is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is it selfish to practice sila because you want to save your own skin? Or should it only be practiced out of compassion for others?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there a connection between fear and sila? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T08:44:44.187" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:47:13.943" Title="Is there a Connection between Sila and Fear?" Tags="|karma|ethics|five-precepts|precept|sila|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8393" CreationDate="2015-03-26T01:16:33.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You practice sila because it helps your mental state and it just happens to help others also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T01:16:33.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-03-26T02:00:29.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what kind of practice your doing.I only do Samatha meditation and I don't experience volatile emotions as long as the momentums still going. Even if bad things happen I feel blissful.Almost like its creating some kind of karma that would stop volatility from arising. But if I stop meditating even for a day it starts coming back and sometimes with more force.And then I get irritated easily and just bad news.This is my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T02:00:29.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8396" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8404" CreationDate="2015-03-26T03:36:03.110" Score="5" ViewCount="6714" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering why some people have many friends (lasting friendship like friends since kindergarten to college)while some has almost none. &#xA;I understand that it would depend on situations in present. But if there's effect from past, what would these be? From buddhism point of view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T16:34:18.490" LastActivityDate="2020-02-29T23:41:43.260" Title="What's the karmic cause for loneliness" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8397" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-26T03:56:05.273" Score="1" ViewCount="687" Body="&lt;p&gt;Omg.Is this true.But what do you&#xA;mean like inner beauty? Or outer beauty? I'm more interested in outer beauty.Is there any reference in the suttas about being physically beautiful if you practice metta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T08:17:50.987" Title="Can Metta Make you Beautiful?" Tags="|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8396" CreationDate="2015-03-26T04:25:46.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is just one cause of happenings ,not the only cause of everything bad or good happened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You didn't have friends the day you were born. By your good/bad actions you gain/lose friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="4812" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T05:59:19.393" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T05:59:19.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8397" CreationDate="2015-03-26T05:12:42.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; lists eleven benefits of Metta meditation, out of which ten can be experienced in this life. The ninth one is the one related to this question: &quot;His/her countenance is serene&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Culla-kamma vibhanga sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But here some woman or man is not angry or much given to rage; even&#xA;  when much is said, he is not furious, angry, ill-disposed, resentful,&#xA;  nor does he show ill-temper, hate or surliness. Due to having&#xA;  performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body,&#xA;  after death, he reappears in a happy destination... If instead he&#xA;  comes to the human state, &lt;strong&gt;he is beautiful wherever he is reborn&lt;/strong&gt;. This&#xA;  is the way that leads to beauty, that is to say, not to be angry or&#xA;  given to much rage; even when much is said, not to be furious, angry,&#xA;  ill-disposed or resentful, or to show ill-temper, hate or surliness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-26T05:45:42.963" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T05:45:42.963" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8396" CreationDate="2015-03-26T05:52:35.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jealousy and envy are a cause for having few friends.Forgive me i forgot where I read this though...but I'm very certain this is the cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T05:52:35.807" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8397" CreationDate="2015-03-26T06:05:56.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;43&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;HOW TO OBTAIN WEALTH, BEAUTY, AND SOCIAL POSITION.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Translated from the Anguttara-Nikâya (iv.1971).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On a certain occasion The Blessed One was dwelling at Sâvatthi, in&#xA;  Jetavana monastery in Anâthapindika's Park. Then drew near Mallikâ the&#xA;  queen to where the Blessed One was; and having drawn near and greeted&#xA;  The Blessed One, she sat down respectfully at one side. And seated&#xA;  respectfully at one side, Mallikâ the queen spoke to The Blessed One&#xA;  as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Reverend Sir, what is the reason, and what is the cause, when a&#xA;  woman is ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible to look at, and indigent,&#xA;  poor, needy, and low in the social scale?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Reverend Sir, what is the reason, and what is the cause, when a&#xA;  woman is ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible to look at, and rich,&#xA;  wealthy, affluent, and high in the social scale?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Reverend Sir, what is the reason, and what is the cause,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;p. 229    [A.iv.1971 when a woman is beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and&#xA;  possessed of surpassing loveliness, and indigent, poor, needy, and low&#xA;  in the social scale?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Reverend Sir, what is the reason, and what is the cause, when a&#xA;  woman is beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and possessed of surpassing&#xA;  loveliness, and rich, wealthy, affluent, and high in the social&#xA;  scale?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mallikâ, when a woman has been irascible and violent, and at every&#xA;  little thing said against her has felt spiteful, angry, enraged, and&#xA;  sulky, and manifested anger, hatred, and heart-burning; when she has&#xA;  given no alms to monk or Brahman, of food, drink, building-sites,&#xA;  carriages, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding, dwelling-houses, and&#xA;  lamps, but has been of an envious disposition, and felt envy at the&#xA;  gains, honor, reverence, respect, homage, and worship that came to&#xA;  others, and been furious and envious thereat; then, when she leaves&#xA;  that existence and comes to this one, wherever she may be born, she is&#xA;  ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible to look at, and indigent, poor,&#xA;  needy, and low in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, again, Mallikâ, when a woman has been irascible and violent,&#xA;  and at every little thing said against her has felt spiteful, angry,&#xA;  enraged, and sulky, and manifested anger, hatred, and heart-burning;&#xA;  but has given alms to monks and Brahmans, of food, drink,&#xA;  building-sites, carriages, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding,&#xA;  dwelling-houses, and lamps, and has not been of an envious&#xA;  disposition, nor felt envy at the gains, honor, reverence, respect,&#xA;  homage, and worship that came to others, nor been furious and envious&#xA;  thereat; then, when she leaves that existence and comes to this one,&#xA;  wherever she may be born, she is ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible&#xA;  to look at, and rich, wealthy, affluent, and high in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, again, Mallikâ, when a woman has not been irascible or&#xA;  violent, and though much had been said against her, has not felt&#xA;  spiteful, angry, enraged, or sulky, nor manifested anger, hatred, and&#xA;  heart-burning; when she has given no alms to monk or Brahman, of food,&#xA;  drink, building-sites, carriages, garlands, scents, ointments,&#xA;  bedding, dwelling-houses,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;p. 230    [A.iv.1974 and lamps, but has been of an envious disposition,&#xA;  and felt envy at the gains, honor, reverence, respect, homage, and&#xA;  worship that came to others, and been furious and envious thereat;&#xA;  then, when she leaves that existence and comes to this one wherever&#xA;  she may be born, she is beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and possessed&#xA;  of surpassing loveliness, and indigent, poor, needy, and low in the&#xA;  social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, again, Mallikâ., when a woman has not been irascible or&#xA;  violent, and though much had been said against her, has not felt&#xA;  spiteful, angry, enraged, or sulky, nor manifested anger, hatred, and&#xA;  heart-burning; when she has given alms to monks and Brahmans, of food,&#xA;  drink, building-sites, carriages, garlands, scents, ointments,&#xA;  bedding, dwelling-houses, and lamps, and has not been of an envious&#xA;  disposition, nor felt envy at the gains, honor, reverence, respect,&#xA;  homage, and worship that came to others, nor been furious and envious&#xA;  thereat; then, when she leaves that existence and comes to this one,&#xA;  wherever she may be born, she is beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and&#xA;  possessed of surpassing loveliness, and rich, wealthy, affluent, and&#xA;  high in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Mallikâ, is the reason, this is the cause, when a woman is&#xA;  ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible to look at, and indigent, poor,&#xA;  needy, and low in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Mallikâ, is the reason, this is the cause, when a woman is&#xA;  ugly, of a bad figure, and horrible to look at, and rich, wealthy,&#xA;  affluent, and high in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Mallikâ, is the reason, this is the cause, when a woman is&#xA;  beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and possessed of surpassing&#xA;  loveliness, and indigent, poor, needy, and low in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Mallikâ, is the reason, this is the cause, when a woman is&#xA;  beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and possessed of surpassing&#xA;  loveliness, and rich, wealthy, affluent, and high in the social&#xA;  scale.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he had thus spoken, Mallikâ the queen replied to The Blessed&#xA;  One as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since, now, Reverend Sir, in a former existence I was irascible&#xA;  and violent, and at every little thing said against&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;p. 231    [A.iv.1977 me felt spiteful, angry, enraged, and sulky, and&#xA;  manifested anger, hatred, and heart-burning, therefore am I now ugly,&#xA;  of a bad figure, and horrible to look at. Since, now, Reverend Sir, in&#xA;  a former existence I gave alms to monks and Brahmans, of food, drink,&#xA;  building-sites, carriages, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding,&#xA;  dwelling-houses, and lamps, therefore am I now rich, wealthy, and&#xA;  affluent. Since, now, Reverend Sir, in a former existence I was not of&#xA;  an envious disposition, nor felt envy at the gains, honor, reverence,&#xA;  respect, homage, and worship that came to others, nor was furious and&#xA;  envious thereat, therefore am I now high in the social scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, in this royal family, Reverend Sir, there are maidens of the&#xA;  warrior caste, maidens of the Brahman caste, and maidens of the&#xA;  householder caste, and I bear rule over them. From this day forth I&#xA;  will not be irascible nor violent, and, though much be said against&#xA;  me, I will not feel spiteful, angry, enraged, or sulky, nor manifest&#xA;  anger, hatred, and heart-burning; I will give alms to monks and&#xA;  Brahmans, of food, drink, building-sites, carriages, garlands, scents,&#xA;  ointments, bedding, dwelling-houses, and lamps; and I will not be of&#xA;  an envious disposition, nor feel envy at the gains, honor, reverence,&#xA;  respect, homage, and worship that shall come to others, nor be furious&#xA;  and envious thereat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;O wonderful is it, Reverend Sir! O wonderful is it, Reverend Sir!&#xA;  It is as if, Reverend Sir, one were to set up that which was&#xA;  overturned; or were to disclose that which was hidden; or were to&#xA;  point out the way to a lost traveller; or were to carry a lamp into a&#xA;  dark place that they who had eyes might see forms. Even so has The&#xA;  Blessed One expounded the Doctrine in many different ways. I betake&#xA;  myself to The Blessed One for refuge, to the Doctrine, and to the&#xA;  Congregation of the priests. Let The Blessed One receive me, who have&#xA;  come to him for refuge, and accept me as a disciple from this day&#xA;  forth as long as life shall last.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a few other sutras that mention this idea that when one is angry (emanating UGLY energy outwards) one will receive an ugly countenance (reflective UGLY energy back to one's persona).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta produces the opposite effect.&#xA;I know that my pictures tend to be the best when I am mentally doing metta (genuinely, not &quot;trying&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, the benefits go far beyond improving one's physical countenance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T06:05:56.763" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8397" CreationDate="2015-03-26T08:17:50.987" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta &lt;strong&gt;does&lt;/strong&gt; make you physicaly beautiful. You don't go from being super ugly, to super gorgeous. But it can improve a lot more than you might think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using an analogy, have you ever noticed that when you are in a realy good mood, people are more enthusiastic with you? And have you ever noticed how when you're in a bad mood, the opposite happens? We all react instinctively to other people's moods, because these moods are &quot;written&quot; in the facial expression, even if we're not consciously aware of &quot;reading&quot; these facial expressions. It's just how the human animal reacts through instinct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta cultivates such high spirits of kindness, happiness and love that your facial expression becomes pleasant, loving and happy. The bitterness, anger, frustration, depression, etc, all melt, day by day, with he practice of metta. Through continued practice, that makes you more and more beautiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you don't believe me, check these photos taken before and after a meditation retreat:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhalamountain.org/dathun-before-and-after-photos/&quot;&gt;http://www.shambhalamountain.org/dathun-before-and-after-photos/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T08:17:50.987" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8403" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-26T08:29:36.530" Score="2" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;During my day to day life experience, i imagine myself with wisdom. That imagination make me take a turn to some other scene where i exist as an ultimate supreme seer and i feel touch of realisation i.e, i can even touch (or hug) that scene, things, people, everything there. I enjoy that alot.&#xA;But i forget what was the most satisfactory imagination and i keep remembering that.&#xA;I want to know :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is forgetting an experience ! It is science or spirituality at the basic ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is it like if i can control my imagination, i can get the understanding of the state of nirvana and Nirvana is already in me ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T18:13:19.897" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T18:13:19.897" Title="What is forgetting an experience?" Tags="|science|nirvana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8396" CreationDate="2015-03-26T14:10:23.637" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well you'll never know. From a Buddhism point of view, it could very well be a blessing in disguise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion a certain monk, a Vajjian princeling, was dwelling near Vesali in a forest thicket. And on that occasion an all-night festival was being held in Vesali. The monk — lamenting as he heard the resounding din of wind music, string music, &amp;amp; gongs coming from Vesali, on that occasion recited this verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I live in the wilderness&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;      all alone&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  like a log cast away in the forest.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  On a night like this,&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;      who could there be&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;      more miserable&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;              than me?&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the devata inhabiting the forest thicket, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you live in the wilderness all alone&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  like a log cast away in the forest,&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  many are those who envy you,&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;      as hell-beings do,&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;      those headed for heaven.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monk, chastened by the devata, came to his senses.&#xA;  ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn09/sn09.009.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 9.9&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T14:10:23.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8396" CreationDate="2015-03-26T17:16:12.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To have many friends, one needs to get others involved in good deeds. But being alone isn't always a bad thing. Especially if you can't find good friends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let him&#xA;  resolutely pursue a solitary course; there is no fellowship with the&#xA;  fool. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada(Balavagga) -61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do good deeds and dedicate them to attaining Nibbana, you will be born in places where you can hear the Dhamma and get to meet enlightened beings or at least those who teach the Dhamma. What better association than that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T17:16:12.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8406" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8421" CreationDate="2015-03-26T17:44:13.943" Score="3" ViewCount="1505" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere that there was a traditional commentary for the Dhammapada that gave the stories that inspired the Buddha to write the various verses of the text. Does anyone know what that commentary is and is it available on the internet perhaps on something like accesstoinsight or maybe as a printed book?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T21:22:25.673" Title="Is there a commentary for the Dhammapada?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8406" CreationDate="2015-03-26T17:50:19.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This has some background story for each verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T17:50:19.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8408" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-26T19:12:36.437" Score="2" ViewCount="417" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing that is very easy to see in Buddhism is how respect is important. Respect for books, statues of Buddha and monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time we learn that attachment and aversion are bad things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can't this respect for monks and traditions (sitting in a lower place, not pointing, etc) become an attachment to rules and reputation? At the same time, can't the disrespect for such rules become aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T16:49:01.583" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:37:17.740" Title="Respect, attachment to position and aversion to disrespect. (In Buddhism)" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8403" CreationDate="2015-03-26T19:58:16.623" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana isn't an experience, or a state. Nirvana is just stopping. Can you see, directly, now, that everything stops? That everything is always stopping?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do see that directly, that is, when your mindstream turns for one moment towards the stopping that's always happening, and you get a glimpse of Nirvana, &quot;you&quot; won't be there. But there will be an aftershock in your body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That aftershock may be pleasant, and feel like wisdom- it may even feel like being a &quot;supreme seer&quot;. But it's an experience in your body, in time, and is not itself &quot;being in Nirvana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is in you because your mindstream, your experience, is always stopping. It's always going over the edge of a waterfall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of that might not make much sense :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastEditorUserId="4900" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T20:26:28.810" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T20:26:28.810" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6028" CreationDate="2015-03-26T20:16:32.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really liked the way Shinzen Young recommended noting thoughts as just &quot;image&quot; (visual thinking) or &quot;talk&quot; (verbal or auditory thinking). You fully acknowledge that the thought is there, but in a way that turns you squarely away from the story/content of the thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T20:16:32.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8408" CreationDate="2015-03-26T21:06:05.973" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Respect should first be given to the truth of suffering, to the truth of the cause of suffering, and the capacity of the dhamma to free you from that. Why? Because if you have no respect for the capacity of the fire to burn you, or the balm to sooth you, then you will only continue to burn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Respect should be given to the Buddha, as a practitioner who accomplished something very profound and difficult, something noble and worthwhile, and then chose to share the wisdom of how he accomplished that with us all. He should be respected as someone who can teach us valuable lessons. When we see a statue or an image of the Buddha, we respect what it represents, the accomplishment and nobility of what was conquered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Respect should be given to those serious practitioners who have set themselves out to follow the path laid out by the Buddha, to take it upon themselves to accomplish what amount of that great work that they can. It is hard work, arduous work that requires diligence, and is worthy of respect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we respect these good qualities, we will be likely to emanate them. If we do that, we may become free of our suffering. It is good to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T21:06:05.973" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8393" CreationDate="2015-03-26T21:52:19.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is a very valid way to see that we practice sila to help get rid of fear! It's as if sila is the instruction, &quot;don't stick your hand in fire,&quot; we don't have to follow it because we are fearful of getting burned, but because we are wise in understanding how to properly handle fire without getting burned. What is there to be afraid of? We know how to avoid trouble?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we practice right speech, action, and livelihood, we never have to worry about our karma, about the internal experience of the sour grapes that arise as a result of treating others unkindly. This is an action of kindness to ourselves, to save ourselves the trouble, both internal and external, of the result of a negative intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama has said that there are two kinds of selfishness, wise and foolish. Foolish selfishness just hustles and steals, greedily extorts and manipulates until there is nothing left. This is like biting the hand that feeds you. Wise selfishness understands interconnectedness and interdependency, the ecology of being. It understands that if I follow these standards, I will receive more, for a longer period of time. It understands that you treat others how you want to be treated. So, we practice sila because it is wise, and the kindness of our actions will reflect back on us, will be training in becoming a &quot;better&quot; person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what if there is still self clinging? You only need to keep in mind that the degree to which you feed into self clinging, that is the degree to which you are feeding into your own suffering and turmoil. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sila is doing yourself a favor if you do it to save your own skin, or if you are truly acting out of total selfless compassion. Ultimately we do it so as not to be distracted on the path, it helps to clear the mind so that we can directly experience the ultimate truth of phenomena. So long as we have to worry and wade through our negative (clinging and grasping) actions and their consequences, we will be hindering our ability to see correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't beat yourself up, it's called practice for a reason ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T21:52:19.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8393" CreationDate="2015-03-26T23:37:22.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 2.9&lt;/a&gt;, shame(hiri) and fear of wrongdoing(ottappa) are 2 very important qualities which the Buddha described as &quot;the guardians of the world&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle's wife or a teacher's wife or the wives of other honored persons, and the world would have fallen into promiscuity, as with goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, dogs, and jackals. But as these two bright principles protect the world, there is discerned respect for mother... and the wives of other honored persons.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the question of &quot;saving one's own skin&quot; versus compassion for others, the 2 are actually quite closely related. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 47.19&lt;/a&gt; gave great advice on the proper way of practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, the establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after myself.' The establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after others.' When watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-26T23:37:22.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8415" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-27T03:50:32.767" Score="4" ViewCount="15681" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any meaning given to dreams of the Buddha? For example is it considered an omen a sign or meaningless ...?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Sorry i have to change the edit back to the Buddha instead of Bodhisattva.My question is about someone dreaming of The Buddha.As in &lt;strong&gt;Buddha,the fully enlightened&lt;/strong&gt; being.Not a Bodhisattva.Not a dream about Sidhattha.But a dream of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is,Is there any meaning given to dreams of the Buddha in Buddhism.For example if you dreamt of The Buddha would it be considered an omen,a sign or meaningless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T05:53:49.333" LastActivityDate="2019-03-30T08:34:03.767" Title="What does Buddhism say about having dreams about the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|dreams|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8416" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8418" CreationDate="2015-03-27T04:37:28.580" Score="9" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does one live a life with multiple relationships (family, girlfriends, friends, pets, etc) while not being attached to them(being aware it will end eventually and therefore do not dwell in Dukkha when such thing happens)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you very much! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4910" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:16:04.490" Title="Attachment to other people and beings?" Tags="|suffering|attachment|relationship|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7181" CreationDate="2015-03-27T07:45:25.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wisdom is formed from the combination of knowledge and experience. Meditation can boost the cognitive processes forming wisdom, but even without meditation you can form wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you move along the path, you will form wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T07:45:25.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8416" CreationDate="2015-03-27T12:18:23.740" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one live a life with multiple relationships (family, girlfriends, friends, pets, etc) while not being attached to them(being aware it will end eventually and therefore do not dwell in Dukkha when such thing happens)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way would be to practice &lt;em&gt;vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt; and thereby train to realize the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta&lt;/em&gt;. When beginning to understand these signs one gradually lets go of the &lt;em&gt;&quot;grabbing, holding onto, attaching to&quot;&lt;/em&gt; to phenomena. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One realizes through the insight meditation that all phenomena both physical and mental are impermanent and thereby unsatisfactory. When realizing them one begins to understand not-self. Impermanence and unsatisfactoriness are the easiest to realize while not-self is more tricky. Although one can realize it through diligent practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All phenomena are impermanent because they are conditioned. They are built/caused by other causes which again is caused by other causes. That means that all conditioned phenomena are subject to constant alteration and change. Nothing is permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned phenomena follow a recipe of &lt;em&gt;&quot;arising, presence, dissolution&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Because of this constant flux and change phenomena are &lt;em&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/em&gt;. They are not worth holding on to because they will cause you suffering when they cease. There is no stability, no permanency so if one grabs onto something one will loose it in the end anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When seeing this over and over in the meditation the mind will gradually turn away from conditioned phenomena. The mind will realize that happiness cannot be found in conditioned phenomena. The mind will begin to let go. It will gradually stop &quot;reaching out&quot; to phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Freedom from suffering comes from renunciation and non-reacting to phenomena. Its great freedom when one realizes that one do not have to be sucked into the maelstroem everytime a phenomena arises and that one instead can be an observer. Ajahn Brahm describes it like having a &quot;teflon/non-stick* mind. Like the non-stick pan where nothing can stick to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short. Practicing vipassana meditation will be your best bet at overcoming attachment to wordly phenomena.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T00:37:31.480" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T00:37:31.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8415" CreationDate="2015-03-27T16:10:05.103" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The dreams Bodhisatta had about his future Buddhahoood are given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.196.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Supina Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — was still just&#xA;  an unawakened bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. Which&#xA;  five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — was still just&#xA;  an unawakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The&#xA;  Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in&#xA;  the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in&#xA;  the southern sea. When the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened&#xA;  — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the first great&#xA;  dream that appeared to him....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also be interested in knowing the meanings of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/1lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;dreams, queen Maya(mother of the Bodhisatta) saw&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T06:06:15.373" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T06:06:15.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8393" CreationDate="2015-03-27T16:23:46.540" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is considered an unwholesome state, containing as it does aversion (&lt;em&gt;patigha&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;paṭighacittuppādavasena hi bhāyanaṃ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, fear [arises] due to the arising of a mind accompanied by aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Vism-T 21.3 (751)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no, there should be no connection between morality and fear. &lt;em&gt;ottapa&lt;/em&gt;, often translated as &amp;quot;fear of wrongdoing&amp;quot;, is a mind state that recoils from doing evil; it is a quality of mind that involves the disinclination to perform evil, not necessarily related to aversion or fear. It is wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to practicing morality for selfish reasons, every part of the Buddha's teaching should be practiced to benefit oneself. Helping others can only come through one's own self-improvement. Of course, disregard for the suffering of others can be a sign of cruelty, which is unwholesome, but the two states are mutually independent; you can be focussed on helping yourself without disregarding the suffering of others, or you can be focussed on helping yourself and meanwhile disregarding the suffering of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others. Thus the wise man will not be reproached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let one not neglect one's own welfare for the sake of another, however great. Clearly understanding one's own welfare, let one be intent upon the good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 158 &amp;amp; 166 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T16:23:46.540" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8406" CreationDate="2015-03-27T16:41:34.830" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there is indeed. The commentarial text includes both these stories and word-by-word commentary on the verses themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story parts were translated into English long ago by Burlingame as &amp;quot;Buddhist Legends&amp;quot;. The PDF version is available here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in three volumes. (Search the page for &amp;quot;Buddhist Legends&amp;quot;, there's eight pdf files)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary on the verses has never been fully translated, AFAIK. Here, as an example, is the commentary on the first verse (not found in Burlingame's translation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realities have mind as forerunner, have mind as chief, are formed of mind.  If, with a mind corrupted, one speaks or acts, because of that, suffering follows him, just as a wheel the foot of the one pulling the burden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therein, each and every mind of the four realms, categorized as sensual-sphere wholesome, etc. is called “mind”. But, in this passage, being fixed, determined and defined by the power of the doctor's arisen mind, just a mind associated with aversion and accompanied by displeasure was obtained. In reference to “having as forerunner”: having become because of it going first, they are associated with it.  in reference to “realities”, there are actually four types of reality, under the headings of virtue, dissemination, study, and non-being/non-soul.  In regards to these, in “dhamma and non-dhamma do not indeed both have the same result.  Non-dhamma leads to hell, dhamma causes to reach a happy destination.”,  this is called “dhamma as virtue”. In “I will disseminate the dhamma to you monks, beautiful in the beginning...”, this is called “dhamma as dissemination”.  In “So here, monks, some young men of a good families bring the dhamma to complete fulfilment: the sutta the geyya...” this is called “dhamma as study”.  In “But indeed, at that time dhammas exist, aggregates exist.” this is called “non-being dhamma”.  This indeed is also called “non-soul dhamma”. Of those, in this instance non-being/non-soul dhamma is intended. The meaning of that is the three formless aggregates - the aggregate of sensation the aggregate of perception and the aggregate of mental formation.  Because, these are spoken of as “mind is the forerunner of them”, they are called that which has mind as forerunner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But why is mind, arising in a single instant together with these, of a single base, with a single object, not before nor after, called “forerunner”? By the meaning of being condition for arising. Just as where many villains are doing evil deeds together like pillaging, etc., when it is asked, “Who is the forerunner of these villains?” whoever is the condition for them, having depended on whom they do that deed, he, whether Datta or Mitta, is called “the forerunner” of them. Thus should the completion of this matter be understood. Since, by the meaning of being condition for arising, mind is the forerunner of them, so they have mind as forerunner; whereas they are not able to arise with mind not arising, mind, however, does indeed arise with some mental concomitants not arising. Further, by virtue of being ruler over, mind is foremost in regards to them, so they have mind as chief. For, just as senior villains, etc., are chiefs of villains, etc., by ruling over them, so, as the mind is ruler of those mental concomitants, they indeed have mind as chief. Further, just as whatever is fashioned with wood, etc., all of those wares are called made of wood, etc., so, as those mental concomitants are themselves fashioned from the mind, they are called mind-made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reference to “with a mind corrupted”, the meaning is with a mind corrupted by incoming faults beginning with covetousness.  For the bhavaṅgacitta is an normal mind that is uncorrupted.  But  just as clear water tainted by incoming blue colour, etc. is thus categorized as blue water, etc., and not new water, nor either the former same clear water, even so is that mind corrupted by incoming faults beginning with covetousness, and not a new mind, nor indeed the former same bhavaṅgacitta.  Thus the Blessed One said, “Radiant, monks, is this mind; yet indeed, it is defiled by incoming defilements (AN 1.49).” So, if with a mind corrupted a man speaks or acts, speaking, he speaks only the fourfold verbal misconduct; acting, performs only the threefold bodily misconduct; not speaking, not acting, while there exists that mind corrupted with covetousness, etc., he fulfils the threefold mental misconduct.  Thus he fulfils the ten means of unwholesome action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards to, “because of that, suffering follows him,” the meaning is, because of that threefold misconduct, suffering goes after that individual; by the power of misconduct, in the four states of loss or in the realm of humans, going both as a body-entity and otherwise, thus by this explanation bodily and mental suffering as a result follows that state of being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like what? In regards to “just as a wheel the foot of the one pulling the burden”, the meaning is, like a wheel the foot of the ox harnessed in the yoke, pulling the yoke. For, just as that ox pulling even for one day, even for two, even for five, even for ten, even for half-a-month, even for a month, is not able to leave behind, to abandon the wheel; then indeed, when he is advancing to the front, the yoke presses on his neck; when retreating to the back, the wheel strikes against the flesh of his legs.  Oppressing by these two means, the wheel is in-step with the feet of that ox.  Just so, with a mind defiled, having fulfilled the three types of misconduct, an individual  is set in hell, etc..  Gone into such and such places, both bodily and mental suffering rooted in misconduct follows after him.  This is the meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T16:41:34.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8406" CreationDate="2015-03-27T16:56:28.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable U Nandisena published a Spanish translation of the Dhammapada with Budagosha's commentary. He made it freely available here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismohispano.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dhammapada.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhismohispano.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dhammapada.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4913" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T21:22:25.673" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T21:22:25.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1315" CreationDate="2015-03-27T19:09:40.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's very neat zen answer by Venerable Chong An Sunim to question about attainment. It might give you some new perspective. &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/hOZKvRMBdAM?t=23m45s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/hOZKvRMBdAM?t=23m45s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4914" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T19:09:40.353" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5717" CreationDate="2015-03-27T20:09:16.573" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, there is no big bang theory in Buddhism, however, Buddhism perceives that world has three stages of nature: Utpati (Origin), sthiti (beingness/stillness) and Chyuti (devastation). These stages are not unilinear but cyclic, and none can say about the first point of beginning. Buddha says whether the sansara (means much more than world or universe or cosmos) is eternal or not eternal and finite or infinite are unspeakable axioms and somewhat useless in the seeking of cessation of the sufferings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4915" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T20:09:16.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7876" CreationDate="2015-03-27T21:22:10.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The following explains the first two distinct stages on the path to nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stream-enterer&lt;/strong&gt;: The first direct insight into selflessness is often the most powerful because it's unlike anything you've ever experienced before. For a timeless moment (which may last just an instant), no one is there — that is, there's no trace of a separate self anywhere. A feeling of tremendous relief, often accompanied by joy and bliss, generally follows the experience: At last, you've had the insight you've been seeking for so long. At last, you've &quot;entered the stream&quot; of realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When you become a stream-enterer, you can never again believe that you're really a separate self that lives inside your head and looks through your eyes. Your experience forever eliminates this illusion. When you look within, you can't find a self anywhere. In everyday life, however, you may still feel like a separate somebody and may still get caught up by greed, anger, ignorance, and various other negative feelings and patterns. Fortunately, the stage of stream-enterer also brings an unshakable confidence and dedication to the Buddhist spiritual path, so you're motivated to keep deepening and refining your realization.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Once-returner:&lt;/strong&gt; After you become a stream-enterer, your practice includes reminding yourself of your new realization of &quot;no-self,&quot; as well as paying attention to the ways that you're still attached and your resistance to life as it unfolds. After a period of time in which your concentration gets even stronger and your mind becomes even more tranquil, you have another direct insight into no-self. (Remember, knowing this truth as a concept or memory is one thing, but experiencing it directly, beyond the conceptual mind, is something else entirely.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This insight (essentially the same as the first but even stronger and clearer) brings a significant reduction in attachment and aversion and the suffering that accompanies these states of mind. For example, occasional irritation and preference replace hatred and greed, which no longer have any hold over the once-returner. Someone who reaches this stage has only one more rebirth before becoming completely enlightened — hence the name once-returner.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I hope this will provide you sufficient information to understand what you were looking for. And remember these stages are achievable for the modern man. One way I know how is through regular practice of meditation. Simply put I would say it is the recolonization that your mind (ego mind) and you are two different things, by your self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Eckhart Tolle&quot; is some one who talks about this situation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4917" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T21:22:10.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8428" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-27T21:59:03.140" Score="3" ViewCount="220" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friends,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of the original reference for the saying attributed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama that starts &lt;em&gt;'The Essence of all religions is love, compasion and tolerance. Kindness is my true religion.'&lt;/em&gt;   I would be grateful if the reference includes the translator.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a personal note, as a Christian, I find ths very close to the truth.  I expect you know that Jesus said: 'The first commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart ... the second is 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'  All the law and the prophets hang on these two laws.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in anticipation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Richard&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4918" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T22:31:08.070" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T23:04:54.370" Title="Original reference for 'The essence of all religions is love, compassion and tolerance' by the HH the Dalai Lama" Tags="|reference-request|compassion|dalai-lama|religion|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8428" CreationDate="2015-03-27T22:50:58.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The phrase appears verbatim in &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1577316134&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Handbook for the Spirit&lt;/a&gt;, in the first essay (the opening chapter) which is titled &quot;Love, Compassion, and Tolerance&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author of that essay is given as (and copyright is attributed to) His Holiness the Dalai Lama, without any translator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A copy of that essay can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ofspirit.com/dalailama1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ofspirit.com/dalailama1.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-27T23:04:54.370" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T23:04:54.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8430" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-27T23:05:18.473" Score="3" ViewCount="493" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people believe that in Buddhism when the mother of a monk dies she would hold on to the monk's robe and go to heaven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I never read the Buddha say anything like that, but of course I haven't read everything the blessed one said. It makes me wonder because in Buddhism there are no shortcuts and it may look like one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard this belief exists in Thailand, does anyone have more information on that, like did the Buddha ever suggested it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T11:59:43.453" LastActivityDate="2019-07-28T03:08:07.350" Title="Where did the belief about monks' mothers going to heaven come from?" Tags="|theravada|monk|legends|heavens|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8106" CreationDate="2015-03-27T23:33:10.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I stumbled upon the answer to my own question elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translation I was seeking was prepared by Katsuki Sekida (1903—1987). Sekida was a school teacher by profession, after retiring he dedicated himself to his lifelong interest in Zen, including preparing excellent translations of the Gateless Gate and Blue Cliff Record.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastActivityDate="2015-03-27T23:33:10.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5717" CreationDate="2015-03-28T00:08:59.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also, it should be stated that while The Big Bang is the mainstream view, there are a few cosmologists who are skeptical of it as a plausible theory. So I think I would be careful about placing faith in anything like real parallels from Big Theory (tm) to Buddhist Practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T00:08:59.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8433" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-28T03:36:31.937" Score="4" ViewCount="822" Body="&lt;p&gt;Various suttas mention various 'planes' or 'levels' or 'realms' of existence; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scattered throughout the suttas are references to as many as&#xA;thirty-one distinct &amp;quot;planes&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;realms&amp;quot; of existence into which&#xA;beings can be reborn during their long wandering through samsara.&#xA;These range from the extraordinarily grim and painful hell realms all&#xA;the way up to the most exquisitely refined and blissful heaven realms.&#xA;Existence in every realm is temporary; in Buddhist cosmology there is&#xA;no eternal heaven or hell. [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realms of existence are customarily divided into three distinct&#xA;&amp;quot;worlds&amp;quot; (loka), listed here in descending order of refinement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Immaterial World (arupa-loka). Consists of four realms that are&#xA;accessible to those who pass away while meditating in the formless&#xA;jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka). Consists of sixteen&#xA;realms [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sensuous World (kama-loka). Consists of eleven realms [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The information on this page was assembled from a variety of sources.&#xA;In the interests of economizing space I have not attributed each fact&#xA;to its respective source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to ask for a precise list, but how or what should I  understanding these realms are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard several versions now of what &amp;quot;levels of existence&amp;quot; are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some say it is like physical, or is it mental (psychological), biomes in this universe?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Others say it is other universes or even other dimensions?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T18:21:24.837" Title="What are the &quot;realms&quot; or &quot;planes of existence&quot;?" Tags="|six-realms|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2015-03-28T06:06:24.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#people&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ When I first went to practice meditation with Ajaan Fuang, I asked&#xA;  him if people really were reborn after death. He answered, &quot;When you&#xA;  start out practicing, the Buddha asks you to believe in only one&#xA;  thing: karma. As for things aside from that, whether or not you&#xA;  believe them isn't really important.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T06:06:24.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8416" CreationDate="2015-03-28T06:09:18.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#people&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is a short and blunt answer. This answer does not mean renounce your family but merely teaches a way to have less mental attachment to them. The problem is of one's mind, not of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A woman came to Wat Dhammasathit to observe the precepts and&#xA;  meditate for a week, but by the end of the second day she told Ajaan&#xA;  Fuang that she had to return home, because she was afraid her family&#xA;  couldn't get along without her. He taught her to cut through her&#xA;  worries by saying, &quot;When you come here, tell yourself that you've&#xA;  died. One way or another, your family will have to learn to fend for&#xA;  themselves.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T06:09:18.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8415" CreationDate="2015-03-28T06:18:32.487" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an analysis of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/dreams.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist approach to dreams&lt;/a&gt;. Just quoting the conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;C) Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Following a Buddhist example, how are we supposed to deal with dreams?&#xA;  Do we dismiss them as empty and false, do we diagnose our health from&#xA;  dream symptoms, do we systematically analyze their symbols as an index&#xA;  of our religious practice? Dreams used as a teaching device pointing&#xA;  the way to enlightenment takes a negative approach to a positive goal.&#xA;  The emptying out of both dreams and reality frees the mind from&#xA;  duality and attachments to conditioned states. Perhaps the Buddhist&#xA;  approach to dreams is identical with the path to understanding the&#xA;  purpose of waking life: transforming ignorance by the brilliant sword&#xA;  of Prajna wisdom. We must wake up from our “dream within a dream,”&#xA;  before we can know that we are actually sleeping through our lives.&#xA;  After awakening there is no need to dream any longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting contemporary example of a dream about the Buddha, comes from the Theravada Buddhist meditation teacher &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After her husband died in 1957, and her only surviving child, daughter&#xA;  Dipa, was seven years old, Nani &quot;Dipa Ma&quot;, was drowning in sorrow and&#xA;  at the lowest point in her life. One day a doctor said to her: :&quot;You&#xA;  know, you're actually going to die of a broken heart unless you do&#xA;  something about the state of your mind.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because she was living in Burma, a Buddhist country, he suggested that&#xA;  she learn how to meditate. It was then she had a dream in which the&#xA;  Buddha appeared to her as a luminous presence and softly chanted a&#xA;  verse from the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Clinging to what is dear brings sorrow, clinging to what is dear brings fear. To one who is entirely free from endearment, there is no&#xA;  sorrow or fear.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dipa Ma understood the Buddha's advice as a call to master Vipassana&#xA;  meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T08:04:46.120" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T08:04:46.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2015-03-28T06:28:36.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&#xA;View of rebirth is a part of Right View, but only at the later stages, after one sees for oneself that rebirth is real.&#xA;Read The Noble Eightfold Path by Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T06:28:36.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2015-03-28T07:29:03.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may find the Apannaka Sutta MN 60 (A Safe Bet) helpful to answer your question. Here the Buddha talks about the benefits of not rejecting the possibility of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;As you have not found an agreeable teacher, you should adopt and practice this safe-bet teaching, for this safe-bet teaching — when accepted and adopted — will be to your long-term welfare &amp;amp; happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the safe-bet teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T07:29:03.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1456" CreationDate="2015-03-28T10:09:02.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chong An Sunim talked about this in one dharma talk by saying how people ask him if rebirth exist or not. He said he replies, &quot;&lt;em&gt;what is it that you want? If you want rebirth, you have it. If you don't want it, you don't have it.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rebirth is just a teaching word&lt;/strong&gt;. It is there only to give you some intellectual understand of what is going on. In Zen, finger is pointing to moon. There is no need to argue whether finger is worth belief or not. Use it as tool and look at the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't use rebirth as belief. Don't use it as non-belief. Use it as stepping stone. Use it as aid. Buddhism is about practice. You can only truly understand meaning and ultimate reality behind this concept by seeing it clearly as it is. And that is not depended upon whether you believe in it or not. Both of those views can be hindrance in seeing how reality really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus belief in rebirth or reject of rebirth are both wrong views. Any kind of idea you have about rebirth is just idea and in Buddhism all ideas are wrong ideas. Don't believe. Don't reject. Just use it as instruction manual. Aim to see clearly and past all of these concepts because ultimate reality does not support existence of these concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of existence of rebirth it could be more beneficial to meditate and contemplate the definition of rebirth. What is being reborn? When? How?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4914" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T10:09:02.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8441" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8481" CreationDate="2015-03-28T11:51:28.093" Score="3" ViewCount="578" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've noticed on the site that quite a few people address &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/18/yuttadhammo&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt; as bhante. I'm aware that this means teacher. However in my sangha (Triratna Buddhist Community) the term is used differently. People only ever us bhante when speaking about the founder of the movement and even then it's only really people who have a more personal relationship or at least a very strong attachment to his teachings. For instance I wouldn't use the term - not that anyone would have a problem if i did - it just wouldn't seem appropriate. So the usage of the term on this site seems very casual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not asking for any validation that my sangha is using the term correctly - we probably aren't. It's just that how I would use it and how it's used on the site seem different and I'm wondering on the most appropriate usage for the term. Is it a casual term of address? Does it signify respect? Should it be only used for people with a personal relationship to the teacher?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T17:55:22.607" Title="What is the appropriate use for the term bhante?" Tags="|terminology|teachers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7852" CreationDate="2015-03-28T11:59:57.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Peter Harvey in An &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (second edition page 413)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;43% of people in Singapore practice some form of Buddhism; mainly&#xA;  Chinese Mahayana but also some Thai Theravada or Japanese Soka Gakkai&#xA;  and more recently Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that's of some interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T11:59:57.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8415" CreationDate="2015-03-28T12:07:54.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism there is the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dream yoga&lt;/a&gt; which is a tantric practice within the Bardos of dream and sleep. To &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote from wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, in the sixth stage, the images of deities (Buddhas,&#xA;  Bodhisattvas, or Dakinis) should be visualized in the lucid dream&#xA;  state. [..] They are said to be linked to or resonate with the clear&#xA;  light of the Void. They can therefore serve as symbolic doorways to&#xA;  this mystical state of being (the Void or clear light).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So within this tradition dreams of the Buddha (and Bodhisattvas and other beings) would be an actual practice and would be seen as significant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in the Zen tradition there is the koan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you see the Buddha on the road kill him&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not a Zen practitioner or have any form of insight into this koan. However  Shunryu Suzuki said in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/402843.Zen_Mind_Beginner_s_Mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thinking about the Buddha as an entity or deity is delusion, not&#xA;  awakening. One must destroy the preconception of the Buddha as&#xA;  separate and external before one can become internally as their own&#xA;  Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would take from this that dreaming or indeed identifying with the actual entity of the Buddha isn't on the path. Or maybe it is if you are being a Buddha in you dreams. One to think about maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T12:15:51.407" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T12:15:51.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7852" CreationDate="2015-03-28T12:10:29.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are Wikipedia articles for &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buddhist_temples#Singapore&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;about 30 of the Buddhist temples in Singapore&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T12:10:29.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8017" CreationDate="2015-03-28T12:25:30.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharma.ru/A/Vedalla/Content/0003.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;scholarly article by Kate Crosby&lt;/a&gt;. To summarise the distinctive feature&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The creation of a Buddha within through the performance of ritual by&#xA;placing and recognising within one's body the qualities of the Buddha,&#xA;which in turn become the Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The use of sacred language, combined with microcosm to macrocosm&#xA;identity. Sacred syllables or phrases are used to represent a larger entity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sacred language as the creative principle. The Dhamma arises out of the&#xA;Pali alphabet and sacred syllables. This refers to formation of Dhamma in&#xA;all senses of the term: &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Esoteric interpretations of words, objects and myths that otherwise have&#xA;a standard exoteric meaning or purpose in TheravBda Buddhism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The necessity of initiation prior to the performance of a ritual or practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The application of the methodologies outlined above to both&#xA;soteriological ends, i.e. the pursuit of Nibbaa, and worldly ends, such&#xA;as healing, longevity, protection, invincibility and, potentially, the&#xA;harming of others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly it appears to be using the Pali langauge itself as a focus for esoteric practices. It's practiced in Cambodia and Laos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T12:25:30.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3792" CreationDate="2015-03-28T14:47:04.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been asking around and done some research, but got nothing specific to answer your questions. Some years ago I spoke with an elder Norwegian Buddhist, who said that no less than 12 countries(to his knowledge) was present, plus a number of schools from each country. He said that extra invitations were sent out by the original invited and that this was allowed. A bit like how the Buddhist UN conferences work - just without all the fancy food... :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4901" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T14:47:04.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8447" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-28T15:16:43.850" Score="6" ViewCount="534" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think somebody asked a similar question earlier and understand that this will likely be closed but hope not.&#xA;Was wondering can practicing of Metta make you likeable? Or rather more approachable? Easy to talk to?&#xA;This is a very strange world, there are some people who possess some kind of unexplainable magnetism, it's like people are generally attracted to them and people pay attention when they talk.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;They have never been out of the limelight.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is it something to do with Metta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T14:24:19.077" Title="Can Metta make you likable?" Tags="|personal-practice|metta-bhavana|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8441" CreationDate="2015-03-28T15:38:26.363" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, Ananda, whereas now the bhikkhus (monks) address one another as&#xA;  'friend,' let it not be so when I am gone. The senior bhikkhus,&#xA;  Ananda, may address the junior ones by their name, their family name,&#xA;  or as 'friend'; but the junior bhikkhus should address the senior ones&#xA;  as 'venerable sir' or 'your reverence.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Footnote: &quot;Friend,&quot; in Pali is avuso, &quot;venerable sir&quot; = bhante, &quot;your&#xA;  reverence&quot; = ayasma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T15:38:26.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8447" CreationDate="2015-03-28T15:59:40.123" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release&#xA;  (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of&#xA;  loving-kindness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by&#xA;  constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as&#xA;  a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by&#xA;  living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into&#xA;  practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;He sleeps in comfort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He awakes in comfort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He sees no evil dreams.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He is dear to human beings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He is dear to non-human beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Devas (gods) protect him.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;His mind can concentrate quickly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;His countenance is serene.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;He dies without being confused in mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/facets_of_metta.php&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; to get some exposition and experience on Metta. Particularly this experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once I had a meditation student who had been a child in Nazi-occupied&#xA;  Europe. She recounted an instance when she was around ten years old&#xA;  when a German soldier held a gun to her chest -- a situation that&#xA;  would readily arouse terror. Yet she related feeling no fear at all,&#xA;  thinking, &quot;You may be able to kill my body, but you can't kill me.&quot;&#xA;  What a spacious reaction! It is in this way that lovingkindness opens&#xA;  the vastness of mind in us, which is ultimately our greatest&#xA;  protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T19:34:51.670" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T19:34:51.670" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8447" CreationDate="2015-03-28T16:02:18.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes Metta is a very very important factor in the art of communication, throughout &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; the stages of the communication process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being &lt;strong&gt;natural&lt;/strong&gt; (effortless) and &lt;strong&gt;honest&lt;/strong&gt; is another core trait (Right Speech) as well as having a high level of generosity (dana paramita)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many others social skill factors, some of which are based on advanced NLP skills (which is a way to communicate to people using the specific way that they think--thus others cannot help but pay full attention to what they are saying).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will not understand all these things in one day. It will take you the rest of your life to understand the many facets of social relationships especially &lt;strong&gt;the fact that people will not like you if you want them to like you.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T18:50:09.713" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T18:50:09.713" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8447" CreationDate="2015-03-28T16:09:07.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You already know it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depressive mind has power to transform whole world to depressive world. Angry mind has power to transform whole word to angry world. Metta mind has power to transform whole world to metta world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When dwelling in depression, everything is depressive. When boiling in anger, everything is angry. When radiating metta, everything is shining metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This world will reflect back what ever you offer to it. If you have this &lt;em&gt;I like you and I want to help you&lt;/em&gt; -mind towards this world, this world will reflect it back to you as &lt;em&gt;I like you and I want to help you&lt;/em&gt; -world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why don't you try out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4914" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T16:09:07.620" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8453" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-28T17:25:17.643" Score="1" ViewCount="593" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for the earliest possible version of the Mahā Karuṇā Dhāraṇī (&quot;Great Compassion Mantra&quot;) in Sanskrit or Pali as part of tracing it's origins. My hope is to find the Chinese contributions. I suspect it can be found in a book, either in print or not, but entirely in Sanskrit. As I am not literate in this language it hinders my task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone recommend where I can find such a book or source containing the text of the Mahā Karuṇā Dhāraṇī (&quot;Great Compassion Mantra&quot;) dating before the first Chinese translation of 627 AD? Is there a library that one could recommend that would have a good chance of having it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you so much for any help you can give.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-28T18:31:30.243" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T09:30:34.257" Title="Where can I find the earliest possible version of the Mahā Karuṇā Dhāraṇī (&quot;Great Compassion Mantra&quot;)?" Tags="|reference-request|mantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8454" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-28T17:46:16.807" Score="3" ViewCount="586" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism encourages animal release?&#xA;Would it be conflicting if one is under the branch Theravada Buddhism but perform animal release?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T22:03:38.507" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:17:07.320" Title="Does Theravada Buddhism encourages animal release?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|animals|liberation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8454" CreationDate="2015-03-28T18:57:00.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism encourages animal liberation? Would it be conflicting if one is under the branch Theravada Buddhism but perform animal liberation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to divide my answer into 2 aspects. First the &lt;em&gt;animal liberation aspect seen from the perspective of the animal&lt;/em&gt; and then how to approach unwholesome acts such as &lt;em&gt;animal cruelty, destruction of the environment, war and violence in general&lt;/em&gt;. Why all these? Because they are intimately woven together as i will try to explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Performing acts of animal liberation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to take the perspective of the animal. Is it a good thing to interfere with that beings life and try to save it from pain and suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its important to view this from a karmic standpoint. Those beings are in that situation because of their past kamma. They are now receiving the effects of their past deeds meaning that their past kamma is now in effect. If one interferes with that &lt;em&gt;kamma-receiving-process&lt;/em&gt; one will disturb that beings kamma-process. One might disturb it in such a way that the being does not get the full effect of the kamma and thereby have to suffer again at a later time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do not know what that being is experiencing. We do know that pain and suffering plays an important role in growing and developing spiritually. If one interferes with that beings life one might &quot;cut-off&quot; a process where the being is actually gaining insights and developing. If that happens then the act of saving that being will instead do much more harm than good because one is taking away that beings oppertunity to both grow and develop but also to receive the results of past kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not have the &quot;right&quot; answer. What i just wrote is at least an important thing to keep in mind if one is considering to do animal liberation acts. One must ask oneself: &lt;em&gt;&quot;am i really helping that being by interfering?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unwholesome actions such as &lt;em&gt;animal cruelty&lt;/em&gt;, destruction of the environment, war and violence in general:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a hardcore buddhist perspective it is not recommended to try to save the world by doing e.g. animal liberation acts, becomming an environmental activists etc. Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because that is only &lt;em&gt;treating the symptoms&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhism does not treat symptoms. Buddhism goes much deeper than that. It goes to the root of the problem. The root of all problems such as &lt;em&gt;animal cruelty, destruction of the environment, war and violence in general&lt;/em&gt; are the 3 root defilements; &lt;strong&gt;Greed, Hatred &amp;amp; Delusion&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Greed&lt;/strong&gt; is the cause of e.g. crabs and whales are being caught to eat and elephants and tigers are being caught to steal their horns and teeth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hatred&lt;/strong&gt; is the root cause of war, violence, intolerance etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delusion&lt;/strong&gt; happens when one does not see &quot;clearly&quot;. One sees e.g. phenomena as being &lt;em&gt;solid and permanent&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;satisfactory&lt;/em&gt;. Because of the apparent solidity one superimposes qualities onto phenomena such as &quot;beautiful, ugly, good, bad etc.&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as there exists &lt;em&gt;greed, hatred and delusion&lt;/em&gt; in the world the effects of those will also persist. What can we do then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can go to the root of the problem. By working on ourselves we can stop ourselves from putting more greed, hatred and delusion into this world. By following the &lt;em&gt;eight-fold noble path&lt;/em&gt; we can work on our &lt;em&gt;ethical conduct, mental development and wisdom&lt;/em&gt;. By keeping to our ethics and morality and developing ourselves through insight meditation others might be inspired and then begin to practice themselves too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the true and only way to end war, destruction of the planet, animal cruelty and all of those unwholesome acts. They are &lt;em&gt;effects&lt;/em&gt; caused by human greed, hatred and delusion so naturally by dimishing these 3 poisons in ourselves we will see a diminishing of the effects in the world also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one only treats the effects one will never succeed. Its like keep pouring water into a bucket with holes in it. The water will keep running out. But if one instead fixes the holes in the bucket or even better getting a new intact bucket then one will go to the root of the problem instead of treating the symptoms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up. One should practice the noble eight-fold path and develop the different path-factors. The goal is not to dimish war, destruction of nature, animal cruelty etc. These are positive side-effects that happens when one is reducing the root defilements in oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal is to work on ourselves and develop our minds and by doing that all the other positive things happen. That way we will become better at &quot;seeing clearly&quot; and thereby better at helping other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:17:07.320" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:17:07.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7242" CreationDate="2015-03-28T22:31:23.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the difference between the progress of low and high intensive meditators?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the simplest answer for this question is &lt;strong&gt;the approach&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;the idea&lt;/strong&gt; of meditation of the person, and their experience :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Average (or low as you mentioned)&lt;/strong&gt; - are people who are doing meditation but still have not fond the ultimate reason of it. simply said they want to gain some thing out of it. such as relaxation, reduce of stress etc. the paradox here is these are for sure benefits of meditation but not the core of it. hence it limits them to get in to deep stages of meditation cuz at the end there looking for something which is not the deeper meaning of it. hence they find that they have to put a lot of effort to meditate for even more than 30 min. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;High intensive meditators&lt;/strong&gt; - on the other hand are people who do it for the simple reason of joy. Yes Joy or Happiness. When ur looking for joy and Blissfulness in every moment of meditation it means the approach is now different. If you want to be happy right now that means that you will have to find peace with your self in the present moment situation of your meditation no matter which level you are. And the biggest Paradox is, when you are able to be happy in what ever stage in meditation (regardless of the stage you are in right now or the next), because now your finding joy in it, it takes you more deeper in to the rabbit hole(meditation). And this means that the more Blissful and joy you find your self the less you want to come out of it at all. So there is no huge effort but a simple case like, &quot;putting a small effort in the right place.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the ironic and funny part is &lt;strong&gt;some times&lt;/strong&gt; to understand this by ur self it will some times take a lot of years in ur practice. It almost took me 10 years. But now i have told you the secret ;)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this answer finds its way for the one who is close to the end of all suffering, and this helps you :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4917" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-29T21:42:08.180" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T21:42:08.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2015-03-28T22:47:05.577" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why not simply say you are devoted to non-attachment? Which, to my humble understanding, is the crux of &quot;Buddhist&quot; thinking. Why must we feel so compelled to answer these crude and absurd questions in the first place? Why is it anyone's business?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4923" LastActivityDate="2015-03-28T22:47:05.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8454" CreationDate="2015-03-28T23:59:42.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, the Theravada tradition wouldn't encourage things like driving around a truck full of shellfish in holy cities, hoping for them to somehow develop Saddha and get a higher birth. Only on very rare occasions, certain animals were able to listen to the Dhamma and benefit from it. So the Theravada tradition would consider it as a waste of time or borderline foolish behavior. Besides, the number of animals in the universe are said to be infinite. So even if that works, it's never going to end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T05:43:56.987" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T05:43:56.987" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8416" CreationDate="2015-03-28T23:59:51.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest attachments is the attachment to one's own &lt;em&gt;spiritual gains&lt;/em&gt;.  In other words; perhaps the greatest attachment one can form is to the idea of themselves as someone who is 'free from attachments'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did Marpa say when his son got killed, and his students asked him&#xA;why he was crying, wasn’t it all just an illusion? Marpa said&#xA;something like “yes, but this is a super illusion.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA; &#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a trap to imagine that one can be free from attachment in a way that doesn't include the freedom to be attached.  To resist attachment is a snare that will bind you tightly (I speak from experience) - being aware of one's attachments, and letting them be is an access to freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a reason why asceticism is known as an unsuccessful path.  The ascetic has separated himself from human problems to some degree - but only by attempting to become superior to them.  He/she finds themselves in a situation where they have conquered some of their sensory desires and attachments; yet they are attached to themselves as the one who is superior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa talks about this sort of egotistical superiority in his work, &amp;quot;The Myth Of Freedom&amp;quot;.  He states that this attachment exists within the realm of the gods.  Here is some of what he says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA; &#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realm of the gods is realized through tremendous struggle, is&#xA;manufactured out of hope and fear. The fear of failure an the hope of&#xA;gain builds up and up and up to a crescendo. One moment you think you&#xA;are going to make it and the next moment you think you are going to&#xA;fail. Alternation between these extremes produces enormous tension.&#xA;Success and failure means so much to us―'This is the end of me,' or&#xA;'This is my achievement of ultimate pleasure.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally ... a breakthrough, such a tremendous achievement. And then pleasure&#xA;begins to saturate our system, psychologically and physically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[... a lot here ...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the absolute, ultimate achievement of bewilderment, the depths&#xA;of ignorance―extremely powerful. It is a kind of spiritual atomic&#xA;bomb, self-destructive in terms of compassion, in terms of&#xA;communication, in terms of stepping out of the bondage of ego. The&#xA;whole approach in the realm of the gods is stepping in and in and in,&#xA;churning out more and more chains with which to bind oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA; &#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way is something that is designed to rid you of attachment to your own self-importance - to your own superiority and significance.  What is critical is to develop the ability to see the world and all its baseness and ugliness, and simultaneously the same baseness and ugliness in yourself, with clear eyes, open and loving to that which is so.  As Enyo eloquently states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA; &#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you wish to understand yourself, you must succeed in doing so in&#xA;the midst of all kinds of confusions and upsets. Don’t make the&#xA;mistake of sitting dead in the cold ashes of a withered tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA; &#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have room for your attachment, and love it.  See it as it is, and give it space to be.  Freedom doesn't come from triumphing over attachment, but from being fully human and fully awake to your attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T02:10:10.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8416" CreationDate="2015-03-29T00:47:13.610" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're like me then &quot;no attachment&quot; and &quot;no dukkha&quot; are too much to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can do it by (by definition) being fully enlightened. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're less than fully enlightened then what you might hope for is &quot;less attachment&quot; and &quot;less dukkha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Less attachment might make it better while it's happening. If you want your partner to be other than as they are (or able and willing to be), that's a form of attachment and a cause of suffering for both of you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Less self-view might make it less bad when it eventually ends (when you're alone and suffering it might begin to seem clear that the problem/cause of that suffering is the sense of 'self'). And, the Mahayana aspect of Buddhism makes it clear that &quot;you're now alone&quot; is also a false impression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T09:31:50.913" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:31:50.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8461" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8487" CreationDate="2015-03-29T02:34:12.183" Score="6" ViewCount="938" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha go through the stages of sotapanna/sakadagami/anagami before his enlightenment? Or did he go straight from a normal person to an arahant and a Buddha during the night of his enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastEditorUserId="125" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T02:58:00.543" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T16:14:16.833" Title="Did Buddha go through the stages of sotapanna/sakadagami/anagami before his enlightenment?" Tags="|anagami|sotapanna|sakadagami|arahant|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8462" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-29T04:13:07.583" Score="7" ViewCount="1955" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice the Theravada tradition. There are a lot of suttas, and I don't know how to go about studying them. Can I please get some pointers or guidelines on how I can study them? For example, which suttas to start with, or maybe some kind of overall introduction on the suttas, or perhaps a technique in studying the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T09:48:17.233" LastActivityDate="2018-06-17T08:04:25.283" Title="How to Study the Suttas?" Tags="|theravada|suttas|study|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-29T16:15:14.347" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8462" CreationDate="2015-03-29T04:28:34.930" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861714911&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In The Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;. It is an anthology or selection of translated suttas from the Pali canon. It is also thematically and systematically arranged. You can look at the Table of Contents on the Amazon page I linked. It is 512 pages long, which is quite alright. PDF version &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote from the Preface:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In an ongoing series of lectures I began giving at Bodhi Monastery in&#xA;  New Jersey in January 2003,1 devised a scheme of my own to organize&#xA;  the contents of the Majjhima Nikaya. This scheme unfolds the Buddha's&#xA;  message progressively, from the simple to the difficult, from the&#xA;  elementary to the profound. Upon reflection, I saw that this scheme&#xA;  could be applied not only to the Majjhima Nikaya, but to the four&#xA;  Nikayas as a whole. The present book organizes suttas selected from&#xA;  all four Nikayas within this thematic and progressive framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This book is intended for two types of readers. The first are those&#xA;  not yet acquainted with the Buddha's discourses who feel the need for&#xA;  a systematic introduction. For such readers, any of the Nikayas is&#xA;  bound to appear opaque. All four of them, viewed at once, may seem&#xA;  like a jungle—entangling and bewildering, full of unknown beasts—or&#xA;  like the great ocean—vast, tumultuous, and forbidding. I hope that&#xA;  this book will serve as a map to help them wend their way through the&#xA;  jungle of the suttas or as a sturdy ship to carry them across the&#xA;  ocean of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-09-28T16:47:03.057" LastActivityDate="2017-09-28T16:47:03.057" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-29T16:15:14.347" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8433" CreationDate="2015-03-29T04:31:03.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of &quot;&lt;strong&gt;levels of existence&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is that they are mind states.For example when i'm happy i am residing in the deva realms and when i'm sad or angry in the lower realms.These mind states keep changing and fluctuating all the time it never lasts.As for real physical places I think the only way to find out for certain is through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T04:31:03.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2015-03-29T09:17:31.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Seed has a tendency to produce a life again. So seed contain the complex that creates new life. But when the same seed has been burnt and popped, will it return to seed again and create anew? No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whatever there is the condition to reappear, has the tendency of  cessation. Like popping corn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence if you take seed as your self, creation continues. If you burn that seed and make into pop corn, will you still think you have soul? No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence all things are impermanent, interdependent, cause of one another and no self!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope you will burn that seed! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T16:54:42.657" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T16:54:42.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8306" CreationDate="2015-03-29T09:27:13.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;It been already said as no-self. For no-self death cannot apply. Even birth, old age cannot apply&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To die means thing still exist there. If there is not anything left, fire is extinguished, how can one say death, birth, old age are realities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:27:13.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7975" CreationDate="2015-03-29T09:32:40.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. But that testimony need eyes to see! Not with your eye, but with your heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone has to unfold his own mystery! One can point out what cold means, but he himself has to experience it to know it. Mere naming cold wont do! &#xA;Proof of rebirth and no-rebirth both  exist in eye of wisdom!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:32:40.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5269" CreationDate="2015-03-29T09:58:27.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I do not suffer from rebirth: Why worry about rebirth?&#xA;Answer: Everyone suffer here and now. Nobody seems happy. So real end is to end unhapiness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I do not remember any actions in past lifes: Why worry about karma?&#xA;Answer: You dont have to remember past karma, but the effects you will see now. And because of that you have to worry to do good action here and now to produce good result and ultimate happiness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I expect that death - quite naturally - ends the life of all beings: Why worry about nirvana?&#xA;Answer: In death fear exist. Fear is great unhapiness. So he die in unhapiness and again reappear in unhappy world. Nirvana is cessation of unhappiness. A state of no death, birth, old age or feeling of separation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T09:58:27.477" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7852" CreationDate="2015-03-29T10:03:27.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may want to try the following as I have been attended some events there too :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fpmtabc.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.fpmtabc.org/&lt;/a&gt; - More to Tibetan Buddhism&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/buddhistlifemission&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/buddhistlifemission&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistfellowship.org/cms/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhistfellowship.org/cms/&lt;/a&gt; - More to Theravada&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kmspks.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.kmspks.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. =)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:03:27.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8393" CreationDate="2015-03-29T10:09:41.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially morality can be based on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fear (social or Karmic consequences), shame (going against social norms) and adhering to rules (precepts as a rite or ritual) or value system (does not fit my status), etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At an intermediate stage this can be through compassion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do no harm to others and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do no harm to oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as you progress your morality should become more based on wisdom:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom you see by looking at the formations due to volitions. When you see something you get a sensation around the eyes followed by a sensation around your head when your perception kicks in followed by other thoughts which create more sensations around your head. If your volition is bad the sensations are not pleasant if it is good then they are pleasant. This should be your moral compass at later stages.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T10:47:13.943" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:47:13.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2015-03-29T10:13:39.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everyone suffers here and now. So why inflict suffering on others? Instead you should relieve his suffering like mother takes care of life. &#xA;If someone kills another, he ruined himself here and now deep within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:13:39.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8358" CreationDate="2015-03-29T10:27:30.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My simple advice is don't think about it but see it for your self through your practice, maybe if not right not at a later stage. (I don't know whether you see things at the same clarity as in the Abhidamma even when your are fully liberated, but what you see would bee clear enough.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being still a worldly person, my basic understanding is that with every thought a sensation arises. Then other thoughts / memories arise which are associated with the particular sensation that arose. E.g. you smell a rose, with the sensation of smell, the next through can be a memory associated with the smell, and next thought is something associated with the previous thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T10:36:19.393" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:36:19.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8462" CreationDate="2015-03-29T10:37:06.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Reuben2020 says, In the Buddha's Words is a really great place to start. Could I also recommend Rupert Gethin's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780192839251.do&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sayings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;. It's a collection of sutra's from the Sutta Pitaka of the Pali Canon. There is a couple of page introduction before each sutta which puts the text into context which I found extremely useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck with your reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T10:37:06.920" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-29T16:15:14.347" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8441" CreationDate="2015-03-29T14:26:10.267" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhante&lt;/em&gt; is a contracted vocative form of the reverential &amp;quot;bhadanta&amp;quot;, which is simply an appellative used to show respect. It is used in the suttas in a similar way as the word &amp;quot;Ajān&amp;quot; is used in Thailand. Strictly speaking, it should not be used when referring to a respected individual in the third person, e.g. &amp;quot;Bhante Bodhi&amp;quot;, etc., and it isn't generally used to address someone of equal stature (&amp;quot;bho&amp;quot; is commonly used in that case).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really is the most common form of address used by lay people to address both the Buddha and his monastic disciples. As was quoted in another answer, after the Buddha passed away, it also became the method for junior monks to address senior monks (individually or as the sangha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also an instance in the Vimanavatthu where a lesser angel uses Bhante to address the king of the angels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Examples:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For the Buddha (addressed by King Ajatasattu):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tassa me, bhante bhagavā accayaṃ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu āyatiṃ saṃvarāya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus may you, &lt;strong&gt;Bhante Bhagavā&lt;/strong&gt;, accept my fault for a fault, for the purpose of guarding from this point on.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For a respectable monk (Nagita, addressed by a Licchavi householder):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kahaṃ nu kho, bhante nāgita, etarahi so bhagavā viharati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Where exactly, &lt;strong&gt;Bhante Nāgita&lt;/strong&gt;, at this time, is that Bhagavā dwelling, the worthy, fully-self-enlighted Buddha?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For a junior monk to address a senior monk (Ananda addressing Anuruddha):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;parinibbuto, bhante anuruddha, bhagavāti. nāvuso ānanda, bhagavā parinibbuto, saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpannoti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is the Bhagavā completely extinguished, &lt;strong&gt;Bhante Anuruddha&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;The Bhagavā is not, Āvuso Ānanda, completely extinguished; [he is] attained to the cessation of perception and sensation.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For an ordinary monk, just because he is a monk (Udāyi, addressed by the carpenter Pañcakanga):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;na kho, bhante udāyi, tisso vedanā vuttā bhagavatā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Not so, &lt;strong&gt;Bhante Udāyi&lt;/strong&gt;, were three feelings spoken of by the Bhagavā.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 59&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For the king of angels (addressed by a lesser angel)&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kosātakī nāma latatthi bhante, tittikā anabhicchitā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is a creeper called Kosātakī, &lt;strong&gt;Bhante&lt;/strong&gt;, bitter and undesired.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Vv. 798&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T14:26:10.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8482" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-29T14:39:13.167" Score="3" ViewCount="1017" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it considered breaking the five precepts under these circumstances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both are in a relationship, unmarried and it's purely consensual.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both are single and it's purely consensual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T16:17:11.960" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T13:02:15.467" Title="Does consensual sex break the five precepts?" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8454" CreationDate="2015-03-29T14:47:39.763" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a non-offence clause under the precept against theft for monks that seems to suggest the goodness of it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu pāse bandhaṃ sūkaraṃ kāruññena muñci. tassa kukkuccaṃ ahosi … pe … “kiṃcitto tvaṃ, bhikkhū”ti? “kāruññādhippāyo ahaṃ, bhagavā”ti. “anāpatti, bhikkhu, kāruññādhippāyassā”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And again there was that time when a certain bhikkhu freed a boar caught in a snare out of compassion. To him there was worry... &amp;quot;What did you have in mind, bhikkhu?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I was led by compassion, Blessed One.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;There is no offence, bhikkhu, for one who is led by compassion.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- pārājikapāḷi, 1. pārājikakaṇḍaṃ, 2. dutiyapārājikaṃ, vinītavatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly there appears to be no conflict with the Dhamma; it is ostensibly a wholesome act, falling under charity, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T17:44:20.007" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8462" CreationDate="2015-03-29T14:57:37.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I also suggest starting with an anthology if one is not much familiar with suttas or the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, I suggest read the Majjhima. I think it is the best option for the first nikaya. The suttas are not as long as digha (that contains much more context narrative), but long enough to not be raw and provide a nice reading. Also they are so mixed that it is kind of anthology of buddhism on its own, containing just so many important suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After it, i think it's more of a personal drive, and its easier to read other nikayas in parallel. Since samyutta is somewhat organized by content, it can also be used to study a specific content more in depth (and anguttara to a certain extant, since its numerically organized). But i suggest first doing a complete read of each nikaya, to know what is there (and what isn't).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These would be the main 4 nikayas. I'm not very familiar with the Khuddaka nikaya, so i can't really comment on it for now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T15:55:01.160" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T15:55:01.160" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-03-29T16:15:14.347" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8485" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-29T15:21:06.233" Score="2" ViewCount="1365" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand in Thailand they can confiscate Buddha statues in the customs unless you have a special permit that takes days to be processed and a lot of paperwork.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear that from a &quot;wordly point of view&quot; it is not a good idea to buy and take it away without permission but from a Buddhist point of view: Is there anything wrong with it? Of course I'm talking about a person that will use the statue to worship and will not treat it with disrespect. (Not an antique of course, just a regular statue)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T18:42:48.547" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T18:42:48.547" Title="Is it wrong to buy a Buddha statue in Thailand from a Buddhist point of view?" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|statue|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2015-03-29T15:36:18.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta is word form to refudiate the theory of soul. Anatta is impersonal, unknowable, nor fine nor gross, not far nor near, not coloured nir colourless, not moving nor steady, neither with parts nor a whole. Anatta is eye of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where knowing, knower and object to known are indifferent, that state is anatta. Nothing is mine! So, give up that whatever not yours!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upanishadas believe in Brahman, absolute entity and then said, &quot;you are that&quot;. In fact that same Brahman is replaced by the word anatta(no-self) by Buddha. Imagine if one believe in upanshadic theory, insead of detachment, attachment towards mine and me increases. Also that theory is dangerous to the one who is asleep. Instead of proceeding towards goal, he will take the whole world blindly that he is &quot;Brahman&quot;.  Buddha replace the word for Brahman(self) into Anatta(non-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4926" LastEditorUserId="4926" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T15:59:48.730" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T15:59:48.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8461" CreationDate="2015-03-29T16:14:16.833" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The orthodox Theravada interpretation is that he went through all four stages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[I]n the course of his long wanderings in samsāra, the bodhisatta had been to all the realms except the five suddhāvāsa realms which are meant only for those who have attained anāgāmi stage. The bodhisatta usually attains all the four stages on the path only in his last existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mahasi Sayadaw, Discourse on Paticcasamuppada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;N.B. I assume &amp;quot;usually&amp;quot; above is a mistranslation; it is not usually, it is always the case AFAIK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T16:14:16.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8482" CreationDate="2015-03-29T16:37:22.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are four conditions for wrong conduct in sexual pleasures.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;i)&lt;/strong&gt; There must be a man or woman with whom it is improper to&#xA;have sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ii)&lt;/strong&gt; There must be intention to have sexual intercourse with such a&#xA;person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;iii)&lt;/strong&gt; Action must be taken to have such an intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;iv)&lt;/strong&gt; There must be enjoyment from contact of the sexual organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With reference to the first condition, there are twenty kinds of&#xA;women with whom men should have no sexual relations. They can&#xA;be divided into three groups, namely: &lt;strong&gt;women under the&#xA;guardianship of parents, family members, relatives and authorities&#xA;charged with their care; married or betrothed women; bhikkhunis&#xA;and religious women observing the Holy Life. For all women, a&#xA;man forbidden by tradition or under religious rules is prohibited&#xA;as a partner.&lt;/strong&gt; For any unwilling partner who is drugged or forced to&#xA;have sexual intercourse under threat of violence or coercion,&#xA;conditions (ii) &amp;amp; (iv) exclude them from violation of the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Causes of Sexual Misconduct&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root cause of sexual misconduct is always greed or lust,&#xA;accompanied by delusion.&#xA;Factors affecting the Gravity of Sexual Misconduct&#xA;The gravity of the offence is determined by the degree of lust&#xA;motivating the action and the qualities of the person against whom&#xA;the transgression is committed. When the lust is very strong, even&#xA;incest and rape can be committed, the most serious being the rape of&#xA;a female Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your questions,&#xA;consensuality is actually a requirement to break the 3rd precept. If a girl gets raped, she's not breaking the precept, but the man is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case #1&lt;/strong&gt;: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case #2&lt;/strong&gt;: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether it's a long term relationship or just a one night stand is irrelevant to violating the 3rd precept. Lust is the root cause in both cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-30T13:02:15.467" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T13:02:15.467" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8485" CreationDate="2015-03-29T16:50:44.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is because many foreigners buy them to decorate their bathrooms. That has made life difficult for even the genuine foreign Buddhists. But they probably wouldn't stop a monk from taking a statue abroad unless it has antique significance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-29T17:29:43.473" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T17:29:43.473" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8490" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8493" CreationDate="2015-03-29T17:10:51.480" Score="4" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whe I read the Pali Canon the BUddha seems to spend a lot of his time in parks in various locations. Often in the suttas these 'parks' are mentioned in the introduction to the text. For instance the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (The Water-Snake Simile) begins&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in&#xA;  Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's park&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've even read park keepers being mentioned in some sutta I've read. This as always struck me as achronistic. The notion of parks where the Buddha can spend time seems odd. If they were pieces of land owned by Kings and nobility I would have expected the translation to be rendered private gardens or the like. To me the word park gives the impression of some kind of public or communal ownership.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what were the parks that existed 2500 years ago in India. Were there really &#xA;pieces of land with some kind of common ownership that anyone could go to. Is it a translation issue and there are other possible translations to this that don't give the impression of a communal kind of ownership? Is it just me that finds this odd?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T01:38:59.377" Title="What exactly were the parks that the Buddha spent time in?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|history|pali-language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8490" CreationDate="2015-03-29T17:34:50.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Indeed, Anathapindika was an important lay disciple of the Buddha who was very wealthy and became a great benefactor of the Sangha. He bought the land from Prince Jeta and constructed a monastery there. You can read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel334.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;his story here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After the meal,&#xA;  Anathapindika asked the Enlightened One if he might build a monastery&#xA;  for the Order in his hometown of Savatthi. The Buddha answered: &quot;The&#xA;  Enlightened Ones love peaceful places.&quot; &quot;I understand, O Master, I&#xA;  understand,&quot; answered Anathapindika, overjoyed with the acceptance of&#xA;  his offer. (SN 10.8 = Cv VI.4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once he arrived in Savatthi, he immediately searched for an&#xA;  appropriate location for the monastery. It had to be neither too close&#xA;  to the city, nor too far. The site should not be one that would be&#xA;  overrun by people in the daytime, nor should there be noise at night.&#xA;  It should be suitable for access by devoted visitors and also fit for&#xA;  those bent on seclusion. At last, in the chain of hills surrounding&#xA;  the city, he found a beautiful forest glade, ideal for the purpose.&#xA;  The area belonged to Prince Jeta, a son of King Pasenadi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anathapindika visited Prince Jeta in his palace and asked if the&#xA;  forest were for sale. The prince answered that the large tract of land&#xA;  was not for sale, not even for the appropriate price of eighteen&#xA;  million. &quot;I will give you that much, right now,&quot; replied&#xA;  Anathapindika, but they were not able to come to terms and went to an&#xA;  arbitrator. The arbitrator ruled that the price should amount to as&#xA;  many gold pieces of the eighteen million as could be laid next to each&#xA;  other on the land. One this basis an agreement of sale was reached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anathapindika had many carts filled with gold coins, and had them&#xA;  spread out upon the site. Finally only one small patch of ground at&#xA;  the entrance remained bare. He gave the instructions that more gold be&#xA;  brought, but the Prince Jeta announced that he was prepared to build a&#xA;  mighty gate-tower on that spot at his own expense. This imposing&#xA;  bastion and gate protected the monastery from the outside world,&#xA;  shielded it from the noises of the road, and emphasized the dividing&#xA;  line between the realms of the sacred and the worldly. Anathapindika&#xA;  then spent another eighteen million for buildings and furnishings. He&#xA;  built individual cells, a meeting hall, a dining hall, storerooms,&#xA;  walkways, latrines, wells, and lotus ponds for bathing as well as a&#xA;  large surrounding wall. Thus the forest glade was transformed into a&#xA;  monastery and stood apart as a religious sanctuary. (Cv VI.4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When everything had been completed, the Enlightened One, with his&#xA;  monks, came to Savatthi to take up the residence at the new monastery.&#xA;  On their arrival, Anathapindika invited them for an alms meal. After&#xA;  the meal he addressed the Buddha and asked: &quot;How should I proceed with&#xA;  the offering of this Jetavana (Jeta's Grove)?&quot; — &quot;You may dedicate it to the Sangha&#xA;  of the four quarters, present and future.&quot; And so Anathapindika did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The alms-meal for the monks was followed by a sumptuous celebration&#xA;  for the laity with gifts for everyone. This cost another eighteen&#xA;  million, so altogether Anathapindika spent fifty-four million on the&#xA;  headquarters for the Order. Therefore, he stands at the head of the&#xA;  benefactors. (AN 1.19)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-30T01:38:59.377" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T01:38:59.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8441" CreationDate="2015-03-29T17:55:22.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Crab Bucket: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have always reserved the use of the honorific &quot;Bhante&quot; only for those that have gone forth as Bhikkhus in the Theravada tradition. I would offer the opinion that it is not appropriate for someone who is a lay teacher (such as the Triratna founder Sangharakshita) but is not a Bhikkhu, that is, subject to and living the Pali Vinaya rules (and had lived according to those rules). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4929" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T17:55:22.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8490" CreationDate="2015-03-29T19:58:41.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Using Google to find &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/022-alagaddupama-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a Pali version of the Alagaddupama Sutta &lt;/a&gt;, it starts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evaṃ me sutaṃ: ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My first guess was that &lt;em&gt;ārāme&lt;/em&gt; is the word you're looking to translate (because it's next to the word &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;anāthapiṇḍikassa&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various online Pali dictionaries don't return a result when I try to look it up, but I guessed the reason for that is that &lt;em&gt;ārāme&lt;/em&gt; is probably a (grammatical) declension of the word instead of the root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using this &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.hum.ku.dk/cpd/search.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Criticial Pali Dictionary&lt;/a&gt; to search for &lt;code&gt;ārām*&lt;/code&gt; (note using &lt;code&gt;*&lt;/code&gt; &amp;quot;Truncation sign&amp;quot;) returns 160 words. Using the 'Next' button to scroll down until the words begin with &lt;code&gt;ārām&lt;/code&gt; (i.e. the right accents over the vowels) finds this definition ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;m&lt;/em&gt;. [&lt;em&gt;ts&lt;/em&gt;.], &lt;em&gt;a place of pleasure&lt;/em&gt; i. e. &lt;em&gt;a&#xA;pleasure grove, garden, or park in a monastery, or&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;(&lt;em&gt;as pars pro toto&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;em&gt;a monastery itself&lt;/em&gt; (see SBE XIII&#xA;&lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;. 23, &lt;em&gt;note&lt;/em&gt; 2; Geiger, &lt;em&gt;Culture&lt;/em&gt; Â§Â§81, 175, 196);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... with a long list of references to places where the word is used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In English a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Park&lt;/a&gt;' isn't necessarily a municipal, public park: I imagine it might be a like a garden, but perhaps wilder (not all lawn and flower-beds), or a private wood. I expect it's reserved in some way (reserved for public use, or reserved for private use), not used for agriculture etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similar/related/compound Pali words suggest it's used as a synonym for 'monastery', for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma-gata&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mfn&lt;/em&gt;., &lt;em&gt;having gone to or being in a monastery&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma-dāna&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt;., &lt;em&gt;giving of an&lt;/em&gt; ārāma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(not too surprising when monks dwell in a 'forest' instead of as 'householders').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also used in contexts which suggest it means delight and pleasure:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;m&lt;/em&gt;. [&lt;em&gt;ts&lt;/em&gt;.], &lt;em&gt;delight&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;pleasure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma-ramma&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;m&lt;/em&gt;(&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt;)., &lt;em&gt;the delightful, charming&#xA;or beautiful abode of a monastery&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you browse the other related compound words to see other ways in which it's used; for example some of the less common words include&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma-(p)patta&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mfn&lt;/em&gt;., &lt;em&gt;who has reached the park&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ārāma-sīla&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mfn&lt;/em&gt;., &lt;em&gt;having the habit of going to a park&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-29T21:40:00.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7549" CreationDate="2015-03-30T07:24:45.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may find Mr Piya Tans commentaries about the Aggañña Sutta and the Satta Suriya sutta to give some examples where the Buddha used cosmology . As to why he declared some knowledge and not others read the Simsapa Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T07:24:45.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8499" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-30T09:57:54.750" Score="9" ViewCount="2594" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw that many of the western monks like Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Shumedho, Ajahn Sucitto etc. have an university degree. I'm 24 years old from Switzerland and I only finished secondary school with 15 years old. I tried many times to make an apprenticeship as an information scientist but failed due to my strong depressions. I was a few times in a psychiatric clinic because I tried to kill myself. The last 2 years i was just staying at home with no goals in life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I started to read about Buddhism and meditation. I really think that this would help me out in my difficult life. I even thought about to join a monastery and become a Theravada Buddhist monk. I just worry about my education level. I saw the youtube videos from the monks mentioned above. They seem very intelligent when they speak due to their education in an university. I feel pretty dumb compared to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;tl;dr&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I went to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1-6 primary school&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;7-9 secondary school&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this enough to become a monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4932" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-31T01:04:30.937" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T01:04:30.937" Title="Buddhist monk education level" Tags="|theravada|monk|monastery|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8454" CreationDate="2015-03-30T10:19:33.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_Buddhism#Release_of_animals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; claims,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In East Asian Buddhism and particularly in Tibet and China, the release of animals, particularly birds or fish, into their natural environment became an important way of demonstrating Buddhist pity. In Tibetan Buddhism it is known as Tsethar;[4] whilst in China it was known as 放生 (Fàngshēng). This practice is based on a passage in the Mahāyāna Sūtra of Brahma's Net [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_release&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This artlce&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life release is a traditional Buddhist practise of saving the lives of beings that were destined for slaughter.[1] This practise is performed by all schools of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.[2] It is known as &quot;Tsethar&quot; in Tibetan Buddhism.[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that claims Theravada as well as Mahayana, but it's unreferenced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kusalasaya/wheel085.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism in Thailand&lt;/a&gt; says, in its description of the Laity,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To get ordination into monkhood even for a short period, of course, brings much merit. Besides, there are other ways of merit-earning, such as &lt;strong&gt;releasing caged birds or freeing caught fishes&lt;/strong&gt;, plastering gold leaf on Buddha statues or religious monuments, contributing to the construction of a new temple or the repair of an old one, etc. &quot;The Law of Karma&quot; that each action has its corresponding result and the belief in rebirth are two important factors in molding such attitude towards life among the Buddhists. Though Nibbana (Sanskrit: Nirvana), the highest bliss in Buddhism, is aspired to by all good Buddhists, the vast majority of them still think it is not so easy to reach and that they will be reborn again in this world, in heaven or some other world, or — at the very worst — in hell. Hence, as long as they live they must try to do good in order to ensure good results in this very life as well as in the life to come. &quot;Be a light unto yourself. Each man must strive for his own salvation&quot; — these were the Master's words. In view of this, Theravada Buddhism is often said to have individualistic temper. Nevertheless, it is very tolerant, [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Thailand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism in Thailand&lt;/a&gt; article starts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school, which is followed by 90% of the population. Buddhism in Thailand has also become integrated with folk beliefs[1] as well as Chinese religions from the large Thai-Chinese population.[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that this answer doesn't argue whether and when it's correct to buy and release animals, doesn't argue whether that's a beneficial or a harmful practice: instead this answer is trying to say whether it's a common practice in a culture or country where Theravada Buddhism is established.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T10:19:33.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8499" CreationDate="2015-03-30T10:54:53.157" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main objective of being a monk is to attain Nibbana as soon as possible. Not to achieve recognition for being knowledgeable or intelligent. Read the story of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh354-p.html#45TheElderCaPanthaka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;novice Culapantaka&lt;/a&gt; who couldn't even memorize 1 stanza for 4 months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I went to: 1-6 primary school 7-9 secondary school Is this enough to&#xA;become a monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being capable enough to chase away a crow is enough to be ordained as a novice. So, yes!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that you don't have to make youtube videos or preach to large audiences, just because you get ordained. You could simply stay in a forest or monastery, meditating. Wanting to be recognized can cause a lot of depression in a person. Work on giving up that need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T11:16:09.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8499" CreationDate="2015-03-30T11:27:28.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I could suggest you try to make some personal contact with Buddhists. I think that joining a monastery isn't an all-or-nothing, black-or-white things: for example you can visit a monastery, stay for a while, before you ask to become a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To try to answer your question, here are some quotes from Plum Village (which is, apparently, Vietnamese Zen),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/becoming-a-monastic/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Becoming a Monastic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a wide variety of ages, from age 15 to 79, though most of the monastics are in their 20’s and 30’s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All applicants must be under 50 years of age. No academic degree is required. If you are under 18, you must have permission from your parents. Those who have serious or terminal illnesses or severe disabilities can not be accepted as monastics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a candidate for the novitiate you should stay in either Plum Village Monastery for at least three months. In this way you can have direct experience of monastic, communal life and the Sangha can observe whether or not you have a strong monastic vocation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, for Theravada more specifically, a web site for Theravada in Switzerland seems to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravada.ch/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.theravada.ch/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the pages which this links to is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.geneva-vihara.org/fr/bhante.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.geneva-vihara.org/fr/bhante.html&lt;/a&gt; which says, about its chief monk,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhanté Dhammika est moine depuis l'âge de onze ans. Il a étudié le Bouddhisme, la langue Pâli et le Sanskrit avec son propre Maître, Vénérable Mãwanané Pemãnandã au temple de Sri Vijayãnanda à Habarakada/Gãlle au sud du Sri-Lanka. Puis, il a poursuivi ses études à l'Université de Colombo au Sri-Lanka, puis en Europe à la Sorbonne en France.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this man clearly did most of his studying after he became a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I suspect there are many different types of career path for Buddhist monks ... for example some might be more scholars, others might meditate more, others might act for (interact with) the lay community, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T11:27:28.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8503" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-30T13:00:34.680" Score="3" ViewCount="974" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I assume that Theravada monks are to eat any kinds of food given to them during alms round?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if they are given food with seafood or any meat? Is it considered breaking the 1st precept? Cos in order to have the seafood, somebody has to do the dirty job of catching them then make them dishes, same applies to meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-03-30T16:30:51.543" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T16:42:59.360" Title="Theravada Monks and meat in daily meals" Tags="|theravada|monk|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8504" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-30T14:07:27.307" Score="3" ViewCount="410" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I read an insight by the Dali Lama in the book &quot;Buddhism:One Teacher, Many Traditions&quot; that caught my attention:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When I reflect on the three higher knowledges mentioned in the Pāli suttas, I recognize a correspondence with what the Tibetan sage Tsongkhapa later called the three principal aspects of the path— renunciation, bodhicitta, and correct view. While these are generated before one becomes a buddha, they reach their fulfillment at buddhahood. With the first higher knowledge, the Buddha saw his previous lives— their duḥkha and transience. Knowing all that misery was caused by afflictions and karma, he responded with full renunciation of saṃsāra, making the determination to attain liberation. With the second higher knowledge, he saw the passing away and rebirth of sentient beings under the influence of afflictions and karma. His reaction to this horror was impartial love, compassion, and bodhicitta . To fulfill this altruistic commitment, he freed his mind of all pollutants and obscurations by realizing the correct view of the subtle selflessness of persons and phenomena. Through repeatedly using this wisdom to cleanse his mind, he gained the third knowledge and knew that his mind was totally purified and that he had attained nirvāṇa.&quot; - Dali Lama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the Pali's suttas commentaries on the three higher knowledges?   How may I integrate them into my meditation practice?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time and consideration.  All the best!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="233" LastActivityDate="2017-11-21T23:56:21.233" Title="What are the Pali's suttas commentaries on the three higher knowledges?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8503" CreationDate="2015-03-30T14:13:42.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/07/the-buddha%E2%80%99s-real-views-on-meat-eating/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Dhammavuddho Thero discusses this topic. But the comments are not from him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya 55:&#xA;  After paying homage, he said: “Venerable sir, I have heard this: ‘They&#xA;  slaughter living beings for the monk Gotama (i.e. the Buddha); the&#xA;  monk Gotama knowingly eats meat prepared for him from animals killed&#xA;  for his sake’….”; and asked if this was true. The Buddha denied this,&#xA;  adding “Jivaka, I say that there are three instances in which meat&#xA;  should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected (that the&#xA;  living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself) … I say&#xA;  that there are three instances in which meat may be eaten: when it is&#xA;  not seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been&#xA;  specifically slaughtered for oneself)….”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that meat (already dead) that was purchased from the supermarket does not break the first precept. But if you see, select the animal to be killed or if somebody purposely killed a particular animal for you, then it breaks the first precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5948/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T14:50:03.047" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8499" CreationDate="2015-03-30T14:29:21.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry Paul, but to become a monk, you need to have a PhD.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PhD = &quot;Permanently holding onto Dhamma&quot;  :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This website has some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;requirements and procedures&lt;/a&gt; to become a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to first become a novice monk (samanera), which involves taking up the ten precepts of the novice monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But before becoming a novice monk, you can consider becoming an &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anagarika&lt;/a&gt;, who observes the eight precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will first be asked these questions before ordination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Do you suffer from leprosy? If you do, answer 'Yes, Venerable Sir', if you do not, answer 'No, Venerable Sir'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Have you got boils?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Have you got eczema?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Have you got tuberculosis?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Do you get epilepsy?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are you a human being?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are you a man?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are you a free man?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are you free from government service?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Have you got your parents' permission to be ordained?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Have you a set of three robes and an almsbowl?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What is your name? (My name is Naga.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What is your preceptor's name? (My preceptor's name is Venerable Tissa.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also have in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/6029/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, some quotes on how mindfulness and meditation helps depression, including a quote from Scientific American.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T15:00:24.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8507" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8516" CreationDate="2015-03-30T15:07:06.160" Score="2" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious as to what the stance of Buddhists would be towards a couple of issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be possible to maintain a career, one that you dedicate a lot of time towards and that you actively pursue, while still devoting your life to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be possible to maintain a physical and emotional relationship with someone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On both of these issues I want to make a clear distinction between applying Buddhist principles towards life, and being a practicing Buddhist. I am concerned with the latter, treating the Buddhist teachings as your primary goal and giving it the utmost importance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, I am wondering if one can gain true enlightenment while remaining an active participant in the modern workspace and relationship environment, just with different principals? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an additional tidbit, would pursuing other education or outside pleasures be possible as a monastic Buddhist? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for any help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4936" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T12:26:20.013" Title="Work, Love, and Buddhism in the modern setting" Tags="|modern-world|lay-buddhism|monasticism|relationship|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8504" CreationDate="2015-03-30T15:17:16.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Threefold knowledge(Tevijja) is mentioned in many suttas. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha describes obtaining each of these three knowledges on the first, second and third watches respectively of the night of his enlightenment. A nonexhaustive list of other suttas is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#tevijja&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T15:17:16.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8509" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8510" CreationDate="2015-03-30T17:13:59.577" Score="4" ViewCount="239" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I can only speak from the Mahayana world but I'd be very interested in the Theravada side. I'm suspect it will be enlightening.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How important is the Sixth Precept to monks and nuns? In my experience the few that profess a claim to follow it refer to &quot;noon&quot; as something nebulous or in a different time zone. Every monastic I know eats after noon. Also if it doesn't have to be followed then why? It seems the bending of precepts can be a dangerous thing or like the proverb says &quot;Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you so much for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T19:30:51.900" Title="How important is the Sixth Precept to monks and nuns?" Tags="|monk|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8509" CreationDate="2015-03-30T19:30:51.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's an alleged &lt;a href=&quot;http://purifymind.com/TeaDalaiLama.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote from the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After my lunch I come here to my office until about 5:30. Then at 6:00 I have my evening tea-as a Buddhist monk, no dinner, sometimes just a few biscuits or some bread. At that time I always watch BBC television. Then evening meditation for about one hour and at 8:30, sleep. Most important meditation! Sleep is the common meditation for everyone-even for birds. The most important meditation. Not for nirvana, but for survival!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words he &quot;eats&quot; but doesn't &quot;have dinner&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NHIzDRMY0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu explained why he prefered to eat once a day.&#xA;It's noticeable that both his companions laughed at time 12:15 of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfE5YttKb30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-03-30T19:30:51.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8512" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8525" CreationDate="2015-03-30T23:29:09.883" Score="3" ViewCount="179" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could someone help me understand, or at least name, a phenomenon which may be standing in the way of meditative practice. It is so hard to express that I'm at a loss to know where to begin to seek help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could perhaps be best expressed as a sudden tumult of sensation (mainly voices and images), like a confused radio or instrument panel on an aircraft struck by lightning. It is almost impossible to comprehend its contents and, sadly, like with very sudden external noises, and the like, jolts me out of practice such that it suddenly irretrievably ends the session. It has no fixed emotional or intellectual content, but is nevertheless strongly emotional and intellectual in an unfixed way, like the sea is strong but fluid. It is not a somatic (body) sensation (ie not tingling, or whatever), but one of the mind. I suppose if pushed, many images include people I love, but that is a tiny part. It is draining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It begins some time after I transfer from a meditating &lt;em&gt;for&lt;/em&gt; calm and emptiness (which is familiar and which I've practised for years, principally through concentration, mindfulness, non-clinging to thoughts and images, awareness of body, etc) into noticing and contemplating the way things are &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;, without objective beyond understanding (ie no &lt;em&gt;for&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in the scholarship of religion (a theology geek) and so have taken time to understand, intellectually, the &lt;em&gt;ideas&lt;/em&gt; behind Buddhist practice, along with many other religions, without any real sense of membership.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's only recently that I've begun to consider these in the context of meditation (ie the &lt;em&gt;thing&lt;/em&gt; rather than the &lt;em&gt;idea&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be interested to know what this is, what the right thing to do with it is in order that I could proceed with meditation, ideally not dropping out of it whenever it happens. Does it help to keep a structure to this form of meditation rather than drifting to it from intellectual knowledge and a calmed state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it has a name that I could look for it in books, etc, that would be particularly useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:45:23.707" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:45:23.707" Title="Barrier of &quot;tumult&quot; during meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8513" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-03-31T00:42:11.417" Score="5" ViewCount="329" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should Buddhists use statues with an imagined likeness of the Buddha for veneration? The Buddha discouraged making images in his likeness (Kalinga Bodhi jataka), and has said that the Buddha cannot be likened to a statue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2015-03-31T03:30:37.557" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T00:13:33.867" Title="Should Buddhists use statues with an imagined likeness of the Buddha for veneration?" Tags="|art|statue|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8513" CreationDate="2015-03-31T06:59:38.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even though the image will never be same as The Buddha himself, I believe there is nothing wrong with having the image for veneration. Personally, I feel so much peaceful and secure. One of advantages for me is that I usually discourage myself to think any unnecessary thought others than related to Dhamma while I am at a temple where you can usually see big statues of The Buddha.  Nevertheless,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees&#xA;  Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing&#xA;  Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reference from here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T06:59:38.853" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5795" CreationDate="2015-03-31T12:25:58.250" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I think about it, I feel like the monastic life is the only way&#xA;  to proceed yet I don't follow through with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the ideal monastic life is considered the swiftest route to Nibbana, don't overly romanticize the monastic life today. It depends on where you are. Many monastics in Asia perform a purely cultural role fulfilling funeral rites and other customary rituals, some have abandoned the quest for enlightenment and taken up nationalistic causes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise don't overly put down a household life as being impractical to the practice. If you are disciplined and dedicated enough you can practice at home, perhaps finding encouragement from other like minded friends, and with the guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable teacher. There were many householders who attained states of sotapatti, sakadagami and anagami and continued to remain householders even after. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T12:25:58.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8507" CreationDate="2015-03-31T12:26:20.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would it be possible to maintain a career, one that you dedicate a lot&#xA;  of time towards and that you actively pursue, while still devoting&#xA;  your life to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vanijja Sutta - On Business&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if one is very busy with work, try to incorporate generosity, even encouraging words, an uplifting smile, live a harmless and balanced life, speak kind and truthful words, devote some time to dhamma study (say even 15 mins of reading the suttas), practice and develop even one of the four factors of mindfulness, or even one of the four right efforts, occassinally reflect on one of the three characteristics, or the dependent origination, such a person can be said to be devoted to the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would it be possible to maintain a physical and emotional relationship&#xA;  with someone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas in relation to Nakula Matha and Nakula Pita will be helpful. They wanted to be husband and wife in the next life as well and the Buddha instructed them how to do so :)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.2-Nakula-S-a6.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.2-Nakula-S-a6.16-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps even a little. &#xA;May you be happy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T12:26:20.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8517" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8518" CreationDate="2015-03-31T15:13:56.260" Score="3" ViewCount="1585" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if the Buddha did give any advice on how to manage personal economics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that the advice would be the middle way as applied to everything else in Buddhism. To stay away from the extremes meaning e.g. spending all of ones money on one thing and instead divide ones amount of money in an equal way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember once reading something about dividing one portion of ones money to food, bills, medicin etc., then one portion to enjoyment, then one portion to charity, then one portion to savings. Unfortunately i have no idea where i read it or if its actually really advice that came from the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-03-31T15:39:57.440" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T16:32:04.023" Title="Did the Buddha give any advice on how to manage economy?" Tags="|the-buddha|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8517" CreationDate="2015-03-31T16:02:19.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is good discussion in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/buddhisteco.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/ecostability.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2010/08/4-steps-to-buddhist-money-management.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt;. You can read those for much advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For canonical advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wise endowed with virtue Shine forth like a burning fire,&#xA;  Gathering wealth as bees do honey And heaping it up like an ant hill.&#xA;  Once wealth is accumulated, Family and household life may follow. By&#xA;  dividing wealth into four parts, True friendships are bound; One part&#xA;  should be enjoyed; Two parts invested in business; And the fourth set&#xA;  aside Against future misfortunes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what does it mean to maintain one's livelihood in tune? There is&#xA;  the case where a lay person, knowing the income and outflow of his&#xA;  wealth, maintains a livelihood in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a&#xA;  penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus will my income exceed my outflow, and&#xA;  my outflow will not exceed my income.' Just as when a weigher or his&#xA;  apprentice, when holding the scales, knows, 'It has tipped down so&#xA;  much or has tipped up so much,' in the same way, the lay person,&#xA;  knowing the income and outflow of his wealth, maintains a livelihood&#xA;  in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus&#xA;  will my income exceed my outflow, and my outflow will not exceed my&#xA;  income.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four drains on one's store of wealth: debauchery in&#xA;  sex; debauchery in drink; debauchery in gambling; and evil friendship,&#xA;  evil companionship, evil camaraderie. Just as if there were a great&#xA;  reservoir with four inlets and four drains, and a man were to close&#xA;  the inlets and open the drains, and the sky were not to pour down&#xA;  proper showers, the depletion of that great reservoir could be&#xA;  expected, not its increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses the 5 benefits obtained from one's wealth. The fifth is charity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And don't forget that income should come from Right Livelihood, as stated in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business.&#xA;  Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in&#xA;  meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-03-31T16:32:04.023" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T16:32:04.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8513" CreationDate="2015-03-31T16:49:36.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even though the Uddesika Chetiya is not perfect to represent the Buddha, it doesn't mean that paying respect to it is not meritorious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read the story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pu/pulinathupiya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pulinathupiya thero&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;There was a monastery on a rock called 'Samanga' near the Himalaya forest. There lived a hermit named Narada. He had fourteen thousand students. One day he thought, &quot;I'm living here receiving respect and worship from everyone else, but I don't have anyone to worship. I don't have anyone to take advice from. This is not good!&quot;. So he searched for such a person, but couldn't find anyone that is worthy. &#xA;But he did not give up the idea.&#xA;There was a river called 'Amarika' nearby. He took sand from that river and made a stupa with no Dhatu inside. He likened that to the stupas of the past Buddhas and started worshiping it like a Buddha who is staying nearby. Because of that good deed, he was born in heavens many times and in his last life, he was born to a wealthy family in Savatti. He was able to attain Arhathship at the age of seven by recalling back to that past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if worshiping to a pile of sand with nothing in it could bring about such an outcome, there's no question of the merits of paying respect to a Buddha statue. &#xA;Besides, using a statue to remember a great person is a common practice in civilised societies. There were Buddha statues in monasteries in ancient times when there were many Arahaths. They didn't raise any objection. There are references to Buddha statues in the commentaries(Dhakkhina vibhanga sutta). There have been many debates about certain opinions of ancient Dhamma teachers which were recorded in Kathawattupakaranaya. But there's no record of anyone objecting the reverence of Buddha statues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of the statues that exist in the world can be likened to the Buddha 100% as the Thaththaga is Appatimo. The statues themselves have many differences. But most of them have a certain similarity which creates an undeniable sense of respect and awe in us towards the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankalibrary.com/heritage/samadi.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samadhi Statue&lt;/a&gt; of Sri Lanka. The first Prime Minister of India, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090517/FunDay/fundaytimes_1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jawaharlal Nehru&lt;/a&gt; once said he found solace and strength in a photograph of this statue when he was imprisoned by the British in 1940s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-03-31T17:58:52.370" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T17:58:52.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8522" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8524" CreationDate="2015-03-31T18:25:19.390" Score="8" ViewCount="54399" Body="&lt;p&gt;During my past several meditation sessions, which have been getting a little longer (approx 20 minutes now), I have noticed that my eyes twitch and move involuntarily -- it feels similar to the eye movements you can see when people are in REM sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as my meditation is concerned, it feels very distracting -- it typically occurs when I feel like I'm on the precipice of deeper concentration, but it results in so much motion and tension that it typically breaks my concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone else encountered this before? After googling around, I found one meditator explain that this was a sign of slipping into &quot;trance,&quot; not of deeper concentration. Is that a thing? Any thoughts on remedies? Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T16:45:46.007" LastActivityDate="2019-02-25T11:20:07.793" Title="eye movement during meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8485" CreationDate="2015-03-31T20:16:17.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist's point of view will not care about this type of behavior. At the core Buddhist want you to enlighten yourself through meditation and thought excise and it will tell you not to do bad things that harm others. Bringing a piece stone home does not harm anyone and will likely to remind you to meditate, its a good thing in the eye of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4943" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T20:16:17.207" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2015-03-31T21:00:30.547" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you feel alert, and not sleepy or distracted while it happens, it may be one of the things that naturally occurs as you start to get deeper concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A number of vaguely unpleasant experiences can spring up- aches, itching, etc.; they come with the territory, and aren't problems in and of themselves, although they may feel frustrating when you're starting to enjoy the sense of concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take note that it happens, and take note of the feelings of frustration or distraction as they emerge. If you have time, see if you can sit until you get to the other side of it; but don't worry too much if you can't, right away. It's likely a sign that you're doing well, believe it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T21:00:30.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8512" CreationDate="2015-03-31T21:12:44.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I won't try to guess exactly what you're experiencing, but one thing that trips people up a lot is the expectation that meditation is a one-way road to greater and greater calm. In reality, there's an initial calming, followed by the emergence of various kinds of experiences at other layers of the mind, some of which are pleasant or orderly, some of which aren't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing that Buddhism teaches is that the mind is a sixth sense alongside vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. This means that thoughts and mental imagery are on the same level as sights and sounds- they are data that enters through &quot;your&quot; doors of perception from &quot;outside&quot;. They don't belong to you and are largely out of your control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is contrary to our usual Cartesian model of thinking that our Thoughts are the expression of our core Self, and it's also contrary to the common idea of meditation as the conscious quieting of all thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I only have my own experience to go on, but I believe that the ability to achieve a complete stilling of the roiling, random soup of images in our minds is very very rare, if it exists at all, and not a requisite for good practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-03-31T21:12:44.213" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2015-04-01T05:18:23.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Masturbation does not transgress the 3rd precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, pursuing thoughts of sexuality is considered unskillful as they contribute to further becoming (bhava), which in turn leads to further dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, long term forced sexual repression only for the sake of keeping a precept is also counterproductive. I have met a few people who have decided to be brahmachari while living a household life and developed very negative and hostile views towards women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual desire should be uprooted from the root with wisdom and compassion, not suppressed because of a rule. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monastics have to abstain from all sexual activity. This is extremely difficult for the average man. This requires a proper environment, internal (mind) and external, proper preparation, developing proper views and thoughts, and proper support. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For lay people, the Buddha recommended abstaining from all sexual activity including masturbation, any sort of entertainment, at least once a week by under taking the Uposatha precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For all their lives the arahants dwell having abandoned unchaste&#xA;  conduct, they are of chaste conduct, living aloof, refrain from sex&#xA;  which is the way of common society; so today I dwell, for this night&#xA;  and day, having abandoned unchaste conduct, I am of chaste conduct,&#xA;  living aloof, refraining from sex which is the common way of society.&#xA;  By this practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be&#xA;  entered on by me&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakhuposatha Sutta: The Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha with the Eight Practices&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's no gain for you, it's ill-gotten, that in this life so&#xA;  endangered by grief, in this life so endangered by death, you&#xA;  sometimes observe the eight-factored uposatha and sometimes don't.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.046.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sakka Sutta where the Buddha strongly urges the keeping of the Uposatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2015-04-01T10:40:10.113" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T10:40:10.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8527" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-01T09:02:06.920" Score="4" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;p&gt;Robert Wright had a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;course about relations between Buddhism and modern psychology&lt;/a&gt;. I didn't have chance to watch the whole course, and I'm wondering how he sees enlightenment from that perspective. I hope I can get an answer from someone who attended the course or knows Robert Wright's take on enlightenment from other sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T13:18:14.210" Title="What is Enlightenment, according to Robert Wright?" Tags="|enlightenment|psychology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4110" CreationDate="2015-04-01T11:39:14.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A kills B, B kills A (in the next life), now we are all square is not how kamma works. Kamma is a complex subject, guesstimating its effects in detail is said to lead to futile mental fatigue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One's thoughts and intentions matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A harms B on the spur of the moment argument.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;B plots revenge for many years and exacts his revenge.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quality of the person performing the act, and the quality of the person upon whom the act is performed also matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend reading Ajhan Sucitto's book '&lt;a href=&quot;http://forestsanghapublications.org/viewBook.php?id=66&amp;amp;ref=deb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma and the Ending of Kamma&lt;/a&gt;' to help in your understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This book explores a range of ways in which the principle of kamma -&#xA;  of cause and effect - can be seen as underlying the Buddha's teaching&#xA;  in all aspects of life. Often seen as a teaching on morality, kamma&#xA;  has its most transformative fruition in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T11:39:14.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4110" CreationDate="2015-04-01T14:22:49.447" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the precise working out of the result of karma is not to be conjectured about, otherwise it will bring madness and vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not&#xA;  to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone&#xA;  who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T14:22:49.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8530" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-01T18:26:50.643" Score="4" ViewCount="1346" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started meditating regularly a few months agowith the aim of practising mindfulness,  primarily using Headspace.  I also read Sam Harris' Waking Up and listened to the Science of Mindfulness lectures by Ronald D. Siegel. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find a lot of the ideas very compelling (living outside of the present moment as a source of unhappiness, the impermanence of all things) and I am also beginning to see the benefit of meditation for my mental state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only concept I have trouble taking on board is the interconnectedness of all beings.  I have read various descriptions, some coming from the modern, Western take on mindfulness and this notion still doesn't resonate with me. My reaction remains 'we're not connected whether we believe in separate selves or not.'  So perhaps I'm taking this too literally. Is interconnectedness just a way of saying 'we're all in the same boat and will have a run of bad luck in the end' rather than some sort of mystic connection?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how clearly I stated what my confusion is but I would appreciate any insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4948" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T16:28:45.687" Title="Trouble understanding the notion of interconnectedness" Tags="|mindfulness|terminology|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2015-04-01T18:34:34.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know it late but Simple answer is no for third precept.&#xA;Third precept in Pali is &quot;Kāmesumicchācāra veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&quot;&#xA;the first Phrase Kāmesu/micchācāra &gt;&gt; Kāmesu=desires (may be sexual), micchācāra=wrong way or practice. This is the only and whole rule by Buddha. Other ideas are interpretation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are prostitutes who adhere 5 precept in Buddha time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeding on desire is bad. Most answer emphasis on here. This not necessarily break the third precept. Even eating if you eat with desire , oh I love this taste, it is still feeding on desire. Don't we still eat all this time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long Answer:&#xA;According Pali Cannon. to break third precept all 4 conditions must be met.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with woman who should not have sex with ( say nothing about man)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;desire to have sex&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;put afford to have sex&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;enjoy it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and there is 20 type of women who should not have sex with. But this come from traditional teaching not Buddha teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of mother&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of father&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of mother and father&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of brothers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of sisters&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of relative&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of people ( of same kind??)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who in care of dhamma friend &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;above are women who have guardian and who do not have person with sexual right&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is pregnant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wife that you bought.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is willingly married.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is married because of wealth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is married because of gifts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is married because of parents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;working women (lowely paid??) who is married &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;women who king/government prohibit to have sex with&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;slave women who also have sex with owner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;worker women who also have sex with employer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;POW who also have sex with captor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;prostitute belong to someone else ( without permission of the person who paid the service)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9 to 20 basically mean women who have someone with sexual right and you have no permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude only exception in the above list is women who's guardian permit you to have sex with and one who have no one with sexual right. Example is ur wife who sexual right is you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4949" LastEditorUserId="4949" LastEditDate="2015-04-01T19:24:20.727" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T19:24:20.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8530" CreationDate="2015-04-01T20:52:13.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Interconnectedness&quot; in Buddhism arises from the principle of &quot;dependent origination&quot;. Dependent origination is an alternate way of viewing cause-and-effect relationships. Rather than saying &quot;A causes B&quot;, (that is, one fixed object or idea leads to another fixed object or idea), it says instead:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;B arises and is supported in dependence on A, so that if A passes away, B also passes away&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That then extends to the fact that A also depends on supporting conditions, and those supporting conditions also depend on other supporting conditions, and so on and so on ad infinitum. Nothing exists independent of supporting conditions that allow it to continue existing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So your &quot;being&quot; exists dependent not only on other beings, but on a whole mess of other conditions (such as the composition of your body, the environment...) and all those things also have infinitely long chains of dependence. As a result, everything is in flux and nothing has a completely self-referential, independent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This, by the way, is the source of a common misconception that Buddhism teaches that &quot;nothing exists&quot; or &quot;nothing is real&quot;. It does teach that nothing exists &lt;em&gt;absolutely&lt;/em&gt;, but things most definitely &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; exist in relation to their supporting conditions, which is why you should still look both ways before crossing the street :) )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can take this on a very empirical and non-mystical level. But through practices like vipassana where you start to get a felt sense of the constant flux, the constant creation/destruction of your own experience rooted in ever-changing conditions, welllll... you could start to feel that there's something mystical (or at least, indescribably big!) about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Editing to add something more to the point of your question: Practice also brings ever-widening insights into the way that you impact others and the way they impact you, which aren't necessarily &quot;mystical&quot;, but they are subtle, and call into question the boundaries of your personality. It's more mundane than &quot;I am one with the universe&quot;; but it's richer than &quot;stuff happens&quot;. Somewhere between the two :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastEditorUserId="4900" LastEditDate="2015-04-01T20:59:45.170" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T20:59:45.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8530" CreationDate="2015-04-01T22:39:30.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My reaction remains 'we're not connected whether we believe in separate selves or not.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the idea of &quot;self&quot; and &quot;separate&quot; go together: if we are not a &quot;self&quot; then we are not &quot;separate selves&quot; (because, where is the boundary?), and we are therefore interconnected: isn't that right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article you posted (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernie-glassman/buddhism-and-occupy-wall-street_b_1136501.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arising to the Interconnectedness of Life? A Buddhist Perspective on the Occupy Movement&lt;/a&gt;) doesn't seem to me especially clear on the subject. IMO the clearest part of its message is to avoid seeing other people as Other and therefore behaving inhumanely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this video, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUEkDc_LfKQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama's guide to happiness&lt;/a&gt;, the Dalai Lama says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I never consider myself as something special. If I consider myself as something different from you, like I am Buddhist, or even more, I am His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or even if I consider I am Nobel Laureate, then actually you create yourself as a prisoner. I forget these things, I simply consider I am one of the seven billion human beings. We are mentally, emotionally, intellectually, we are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The video is 8 minutes long and you could watch it. He goes on to say that people get fulfillment of purpose, and &quot;always feel happy&quot;, from helping others, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-01T23:38:08.677" LastActivityDate="2015-04-01T23:38:08.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8513" CreationDate="2015-04-02T00:13:33.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh said that, when he was seven years old, he saw a picture of the Buddha on the cover of a Buddhist magazine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He was sitting on the grass ... very peaceful ... smiling. And I was impressed. Around me people were not like that, so I had the desire to be someone like him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T00:13:33.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8535" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-02T02:19:08.557" Score="4" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just reading about dependent origination and wonder how different individuals have different feeling even if contact is the same?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It only makes sense if condition for arising of feeling is not only just phassa (contact). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say if I hear a sound and feels unpleasant. Others might not necessarily feel the same. So what would be the other factors in arising of feeling? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="497" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T13:34:35.727" Title="Dependent origination arising of feeling" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1502" CreationDate="2015-04-02T07:45:07.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes its called UTHURU KURU DIWAYINA means the land of short human beings. they were good human beings on earth. after their death they are born in that land. today we called them aliens. they are good people and do not want to harm earth. there are three other places where the human beings are.its called PURWA WEDEHA, UTHURU KURU DIWAYINA AND APARA GOYANAYA..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4951" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T07:45:07.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8535" CreationDate="2015-04-02T08:29:00.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;From phassa as a condition, vedanā arises. With the absense of phassa, vedanā does not come to be&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (paraphrasing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is not quite a description of a detailed cognitive chronological process for the arising of a specific pleasant/unpleasant feeling. It declares on what basis something (eg. &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;; any &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;) comes to be, and on what basis something does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also strange to see it as &quot;two people experiencing the same contact&quot;, which may also lead one to think that two people experienced the same experience (which they never do).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A summary of a not-quite chronological cognitive process is described in the &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; as originating in &lt;em&gt;phassa&lt;/em&gt; (from external sense base, internal sense base and corresponding &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt;) going through &lt;em&gt;sañña&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;. A detailed analysis is elaborated in &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; (image from &lt;em&gt;Abhidhammatha Sangaha&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2IeML.png&quot; alt=&quot;complete eye-door process&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T08:29:00.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8535" CreationDate="2015-04-02T11:41:24.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to give a specific cause for why one person experiences an unpleasant feeling while another person experiences a pleasant feeling while a third person experiences a neutral feeling all from making contact with the same object and using the same sense base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There could be many reasons. We must remember that one cause has as its basis many other causes which again has many other causes as their basis which again has... You get the meaning. The workings of kamma is very difficult to comprehend and the Buddha remained silent on topics like that. You have to be a Buddha to fully comprehend this extremely fine-woven, interpenetrated, interrelated web of causes and effects in order to precisely pinpoint why one person feels a certain feeling while another feels something different. Take a look at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four Imponderables&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once listened to a video where a man told about a phenomenological thought-experiment based on the cultural bagage of people meaning the different experiences that a person had in life that molded that person into who they are. &lt;em&gt;This is more philosophical than buddhist but i think it can illustrate how this mechanism works.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have 30 people sitting in a room. All together next to each other. 15 meters in front of them is a gramophone player. Soon it begins to play. It plays Beethoven Symphony No. 9. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sound travels at 343,59 metres pr. second&lt;/a&gt; but now we slow down the sound waves to a few metres pr. second. The song is now being played. The sound waves begin to travel towards the people in the room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point the sound waves are mid ways into the room. They have not yet reached the people. At that point the sound waves now represent all the different feelings those people can produce. They can all produce the same feelings since they are human beings and therefore have a specific amount of feelings in their register.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the sound waves hit the people and the people make contact with the sound. Now feelings begin to emerge in those people. One person feels joy. Another person begins to cry. One person feels anger. Another feels sadness. Another person also feels joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these people feel different feelings based on the same object - those sound waves. Some also feel the same feelings. Now why do they feel different feelings?&#xA;According to the cultural bagage they all have different childhood, experiences, likes, dislikes, external influences etc. All these are the reasons for why they experience the object differently. As i said before this is not buddhism BUT if you can see the mechanism beneath you can get the idea of the interwoven set of causes that cause people to experience the same object with the same sense base differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way when speaking in buddhist terms we of course operates with causes and conditions not only in this life but in many previous lives as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different chains in dependent origination is the same for all people but the the causes for e.g. contact can be different since one person might have a negative memory about an object while the second person has a positive memory about the object or a similar object. In the cognizing process of an object there is a stage at where the percieved object is linked/compared to previous experiences of that object or similar objects. In that way previous experiences play a role in determining what kind of feeling will arise when making contact.&#xA;Of course there are many more different causes but this could be one of them - different previous experiences of the same object or similar objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where do you read about Dependent Origination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-discourse_on_dependent_origination.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this discourse on Dependent Origination by Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;. This is well written, comprehensible and filled with jewels of knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-02T11:58:55.303" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T11:58:55.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8530" CreationDate="2015-04-02T13:23:43.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both the &lt;em&gt;interdependency&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;interrelatedness&lt;/em&gt; of phenomena are profound things. They cannot be fully grasped or understood by the intellect. It can be helpful to think about these things in order to grapple with them but that is the limit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing insight meditation and thereby transforming the intellectual &quot;book knowledge&quot; into experiental knowledge is what creates understanding of reality. When reality is taken as an meditation object insight into how reality functions can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about it like going to a restaurant and reading about all the dishes on the menu cart. Can one then understand the flavour of the food? What if one reads the menu cart, orders the food and then eats the food. Can one then understand the flavour or the food? The last option is the experiental knowledge while the first option only gives access to intellectual knowledge which will only give one the ability to peek through the door. The last option will give one the ability to open the door and walk into the room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a chinese school of Buddhism called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huayan_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Huayan School of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; which you can take a look at. They &quot;specialize&quot; in the &lt;em&gt;interdependency/interrelatedness&lt;/em&gt; of phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In there is also the story about &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra&amp;#39;s_net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lord Indra and his Jewelled net&lt;/a&gt;. In short the story goes that Lord Indra has in his palace a big 3D net of jewels and in each interslice there is a jewel. When looking at that jewel you can see the entire net of jewels and when looking in the jewel of the superficial jewel again you can see the entire net of jewels. That goes on ad infinitum. This is called &lt;em&gt;infinite regress&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can look at interdependency of phenomena by using the method of analysis and thereby looking at phenomena at a minute basis - like looking at them in a microscope. In insight meditation one can clearly see that phenomena are caused by other phenomena and that phenomena arises on basis of other phenomena. Phenomena cannot become established by themselves. The fact that conditioned reality changes all the time can be seen. The impermanence is due to the fact that phenomena are being set up by other phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to look at it is by looking a detail and context. Take a tree for example. The tree consists of bark, leaves, trunk, flower. But the tree in a way also consists of rain water, sunlight and earth. Without these non-tree elements there is no tree. So phenomena are merely reflections of other phenomena and no &quot;single, permanent or unchangable&quot; phenomena can be found in the conventional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-02T14:56:49.277" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T14:56:49.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2015-04-02T16:52:01.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any time you feed into a blind habitual pattern of grasping for a sense pleasure, you feed into and increase your capacity for suffering. The so called single individual who is seeking after a prostitute must already have enough clinging and grasping attachment to have fostered the intention to seek a prostitute, and is feeding into that attachment, creating volitional formation even as he or she acts on that intention and merely seeks. Even before the act itself this is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there is no wife and family or significant other to offend by breaking a vow of monogamy, there are other considerations as well. The most important thing to consider is that by eliciting the services of a prostitute, that you are supporting the lifestyle and industries of prostitution and human trafficking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is prostitution right livelihood? What do you think? I promise you, there is no such thing as a happy, content prostitute. That is to say, if there were other options open to them, they would choose another path in life. The fact of the matter is that the vast, sweeping majority (if not all) of prostitutes are victims of human trafficking, they are modern day slaves that are subject to control and coercion via physical violence, threats against themselves and their loved ones, drug addiction, and brain washing. Many do not know any other way of life because they have been &#xA;someone else's business property for so long, and they are afraid to leave. They are insecure and abused, and end up clinging to their traffickers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no way around this. If you go to a prostitute you are feeding into you own suffering, but more importantly you are supporting the suffering and degradation of another human being, and ultimately supporting modern day slavery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T16:52:01.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5555" CreationDate="2015-04-02T18:14:29.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Never think 3rd eye activation or Kundolini bla bla. If you think so, your ego is growing up with meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before everything, you kill ego first then try to become no mind state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then ----&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4954" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-04-02T19:38:17.830" LastActivityDate="2015-04-02T19:38:17.830" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8075" CreationDate="2015-04-03T02:03:41.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma teaches that kamma reaches fruition; in this life; in the next life; or in some future life.  I would add that kamma has also reached fruition in previous lives as well.  The dissolution of kamma pertains to when one has reached nibbana and has tathagata (as a verb).  Kamma is therefore not inevitable.  Rebirth is not a reward or a punishment but a process of our maturation in the knowledge of becoming.  Kamma is neither good or bad.  Kamma is either right-minded, neutral or convoluted.  The cause of kamma (action) is our dispositions and our grasping.  With right-mindedness, we can appease our dispositions and end our grasping. All things are empty and therefore already lack inherent existence.  Just like your son of a barren woman, where is your canvas and paint? &#xA;What is reborn is a consciousness disposed to grasping for something. We often hear of the the dying exclaiming things like, &quot;Why is this happening to me or, &quot;This cannot be happening to me!?&quot;  Or, &quot;I'm not done yet with what I want to do, I want to live!&quot; These are the thoughts of convoluted logic.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The positive side of samsara has not emphasized.  It is the opportunity to realize nibbana (freedom) by the dissolution of our dispositions and our kammic grasping. If there was only one life in which one could attain nibbana, very, very few would succeed.  This is the teaching of the Enlightened One, the science of the dhamma-vinaya.  I hope this helps you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T02:03:41.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8535" CreationDate="2015-04-03T02:34:49.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all experience life in different ways.  We have different parents and are raised in different cultures with different values, morals, and social norms.  We all learn at different paces with different results.  The human body is the equipment by which we interact with the the world of material form.  This equipment is inundated with sensory information.  Literally thousands of pieces of data every millisecond.  Each of us filters this material and chooses what seems to be relevant to us at that particular moment.  We don't all choose the same information as particularly relevant to us at the same instant.  So though there maybe a hundred thing becoming dependently arisen within our sphere of observation, we maybe only aware of a few or even one or two of them.&#xA;Another point to keep in mind is that everything we are aware of (dependently arisen), is already in the immediate past. We are always reacting to past observations and our emotional responses are always responses to that immediate past experience and have no reality in and of themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;For the monk whose mind is calmed and who hath cut&#xA;The cord of lives, his faring on in births&#xA;Is done with.  Freed is he from Mara's bondage.&quot;  Meghiya IV;10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4808" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T02:34:49.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8546" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-03T09:22:58.763" Score="7" ViewCount="768" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it a good idea to expose yourself to situations that trigger fear and anxiety and use meditation to get through it, or is the desire to overcome fear and anxiety &quot;bad&quot; because it's technically a desire? (And fear and anxiety are only temporary states anyway and should be recognized for being just that.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it even be possible to meditate through a triggering situation since one wouldn't be calm enough to see clearly in such a situation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put it more simply: could meditation be used as a substitute for CBT? If not, does Buddhism encourage or discourage CBT?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4956" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:44:24.493" LastActivityDate="2021-07-31T17:44:10.367" Title="What's the buddhist stance on cognitive behavioral therapy?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8546" CreationDate="2015-04-03T11:21:09.017" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it a good idea to expose yourself to situations that trigger fear and anxiety and use meditation to get through it [?]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe -- and it depends on what you mean by &quot;meditation&quot;. But since the context is about CBT, I'm not sure this would be advised, specially without professional assistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;or is the desire to overcome fear and anxiety &quot;bad&quot; because it's technically a desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desires for well being, for good, and further aspirations are not considered &quot;bad&quot;, on the contrary. In Buddhism, two technical terms for things we strive to overcome are craving (pali &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;) and clinging (pali &lt;em&gt;upādāna&lt;/em&gt;). These are specific kinds of desire that present problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(And fear and anxiety are only temporary states anyway and should be recognized for being just that.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, they should. But again, in context of CBT, I don't think recognizing the temporariness of such things are usually enough for remission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would it even be possible to meditate through a triggering situation since one wouldn't be calm enough to see clearly in such a situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, it depends on what you mean by &quot;meditation&quot;. If you mean bringing up attention and mindfulness, calming the breath and &quot;observing&quot;, yes, naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the success will mostly depend on one's skill, and how strong these fears and anxieties are. Thus, if the former is weak and the later are strong, intentionally putting oneself in such situations where more harm can be done is probably a bad idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To put it more simply: could meditation be used as a substitute for CBT?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone who is not a doctor, but only familiar with DBT (a form of CBT) and who was close to people with disorders who relied on such therapy: hardly. While &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot; is considered an important and integral practice in the process, I personally think is nowhere near an adequate substitute of the entire therapy program. I also don't know of any research suggesting the remission efficacy of disorders with meditation only vs. CBT (or DBT).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If not, does Buddhism encourage or discourage CBT?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see anything in these therapies that would present a dilemma  with the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T11:21:09.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2015-04-03T15:37:52.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quote from the excellent Bill Hamilton's &lt;em&gt;Saints &amp;amp; Psychopaths&lt;/em&gt; (pg. 94-95):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhists are required to avoid sexual misconduct, but it is not clear what this means in California. Many Buddhist teachers suggest that people should not engage in sexual activities which result in anyone suffering. This is a vague standard that could be logically argued to be a total prohibition of sex, or an invitation to free love. Perhaps it is sufficient to simply practice continuous mindfulness in situations where the issue of sex arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The purpose of Buddhist precepts is pragmatic in that they are directed at achieving a quiet mind. If your sex life is causing mental agitation in your meditations, you should change your behavior. While on retreat, you should avoid letting your senses wander to sexually stimulating objects and direct your attention to meditation objects. In the daily life situation this may result in becoming a horny, neurotic celibate which may not be good for your practice. It is better to be simple and direct in your views, intead of getting involved in elaborate logical reasoning about right and wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T15:37:52.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8530" CreationDate="2015-04-03T16:23:06.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's something on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogyal_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sogyal Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; (Sogyal Rinpoche (2009), The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Harper Collins, Kindle Edition):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...all things, when seen and understood in their true relation, are&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;not independent but interdependent with all other things&lt;/strong&gt;. The Buddha&#xA;  compared the universe to a vast net woven of a countless variety of&#xA;  brilliant jewels, each with a countless number of facets. Each jewel&#xA;  reflects in itself every other jewel in the net and is, in fact, one&#xA;  with every other jewel... Think of a tree. When you think of a tree,&#xA;  you tend to think of a distinctly defined object; and on a certain&#xA;  level...it is. But when you look more closely at the tree, you will&#xA;  see that ultimately it has no independent existence. When you&#xA;  contemplate it, you will find that &lt;strong&gt;it dissolves into an extremely&#xA;  subtle net of relationships that stretches across the universe&lt;/strong&gt;. The&#xA;  rain that falls on its leaves, the wind that sways it, the soil that&#xA;  nourishes and sustains it, all the seasons and the weather, moonlight&#xA;  and starlight and sunlight—all form part of this tree. As you begin to&#xA;  think about the tree more and more, you will discover that everything&#xA;  in the universe helps to make the tree what it is; that &lt;strong&gt;it cannot at&#xA;  any moment be isolated from anything else&lt;/strong&gt;; and that at every moment&#xA;  its nature is subtly changing. This is what we mean when we say things&#xA;  are empty, that they have no independent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-03T16:28:45.687" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T16:28:45.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8550" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8552" CreationDate="2015-04-03T16:35:14.630" Score="2" ViewCount="1902" Body="&lt;p&gt;Often the Zen books I've read such as Zen Mind Beginners Mind are illustrated by calligraphy oftentimes by the author themselves. Also Zen figures such as the hermit and poet Ryokan are also known for their calligraphy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a particular link between Zen and calligraphy? Are the two practice's mutually supportive in some way or is the link purely a matter of both Zen and calligraphy being important in Japanese culture - the link been purely coincidental?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-03T17:01:31.163" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T20:13:25.863" Title="What is the link between calligraphy and Zen?" Tags="|zen|art|japan|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8550" CreationDate="2015-04-03T20:13:25.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the short description of this &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.dk/books?id=smNM4ElP3XgC&amp;amp;pg=PA43&amp;amp;lpg=PA43&amp;amp;dq=calligraphy%20zen%20buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=ZMuAUdEXfp&amp;amp;sig=h_2mvwIDLzp5lBqlMamXxkkUb7o&amp;amp;hl=da&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ei=OOkeVefcN8ausAH44ID4Bw&amp;amp;ved=0CGkQ6AEwDQ#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=calligraphy%20zen%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;book&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;calligraphy&lt;/em&gt; predated the development of Buddhism in China and Japan. It also says the following about calligraphy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... Calligraphy executed by Zen masters is said to reveal their understanding of the Dharma. It is common practice Zen monks and nuns to learn the art of calligraphy as a part of their monastic training...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://japaneseshodo.com/index.php?main_page=index&amp;amp;cPath=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here you can see some calligraphy letters used in Zen Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://prezi.com/ubfbjwlr62t5/buddhism-and-calligraphy-a-culture-and-a-writing/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here is a Prezi presentation of Buddhism and Calligraphy&lt;/a&gt;. Here is a quote from the presentation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... There are strokes in the characters as there are &quot;eyes&quot; in the sentences of Zen masters. Only those who have the &quot;eyes&quot; can know it. - Huang Tingjian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Buddhist_Calligraphy_in_Ancient_China_by_Chunyang_Zhou&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a very interesting website on Buddhist Calligraphy in ancient China&lt;/a&gt;. In here you will find:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relationship between Buddhism and Calligraphy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Forms of Buddhist Calligraphy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calligraphy in Manuscripts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calligraphy in Inscriptions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calligraphy and Buddhist Practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.netplaces.com/buddhism/buddhist-art/zen-art.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is an article on Zen Art&lt;/a&gt;. This is a quote from the artiel:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... There is a tradition of art practice within Zen. Art arises spontaneously and manifests the buddha-nature within you. Art practice is mindfulness training. The art relies on a foundation of technical training that is then expressed in spontaneous practice. Zen art tends to be simple, sometimes stark, and always lovely ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... Japanese calligraphy is an art form spiritually expressed through Zen. The artist must be in touch with buddha-nature in order to create an expression of enlightenment. The brush stroke must come from a union with the world; no separation must exist — no I and pen, just the act itself. Japanese calligraphy dates back to the seventh century, where it was part of art practice and meditation in monasteries. Often, the subject of a Japanese calligraphy and painting would be a koan. One of the most common examples of zenga is the open circle, called enso. The simplicity of the enso was particularly popular during the Edo period of Japan in the eighteenth century. Enso symbolized enlightenment, emptiness, and life itself. In the series of ox-herding pictures previously mentioned, the eighth step in the sequence (both ox and self vanish) is represented by enso. During the execution of the calligraphy, the slightest hesitation on the part of the artist will cause the ink to blot on the thin rice paper, and the calligraphy will be ruined. Technique is learned and perfected over many years before such spontaneity is possible. Once the boundary between art supplies, art, and self are gone, the art can be executed ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T20:13:25.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7414" CreationDate="2015-04-03T22:17:24.947" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To stabilise the nimitta when doing breath meditation requires one to ignore it and continue to keep ones focus on the object of meditation.Maintain the focus on the breath point and the  nimitta will stabilise on its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-03T22:17:24.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8554" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8559" CreationDate="2015-04-04T00:31:19.093" Score="5" ViewCount="248" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &quot;Zen Mind&quot; Suzuki says: &quot;The true purpose is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes&quot;. To see things as they are... doesn't that involve an understanding of past and future? Past and future are part of what it is... no? So my question is... if Zen is so concerned with seeing things as they are, why is it only concerned with the present? Isn't the past and future part of what it is? If your mind is in the moment, doesn't it miss the future and past? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastEditorUserId="4961" LastEditDate="2015-04-04T10:20:01.387" LastActivityDate="2015-04-06T13:32:27.063" Title="Zen's concern with &quot;reality&quot; vs. being in the present" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8556" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8558" CreationDate="2015-04-04T04:28:00.420" Score="10" ViewCount="10118" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_%28Buddhism%29&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; describes ignorance and delusions. This appears to be academic and do not find examples that are easily related. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is ignorance?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How is it different to delusions or are they the same?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are real world examples of ignorance?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2022-10-28T02:11:49.007" Title="What is ignorance in Buddhism and what are examples of ignorance?" Tags="|ignorance|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2015-04-04T05:18:25.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#people&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ When I first went to practice meditation with Ajaan Fuang, I asked&#xA;  him if people really were reborn after death. He answered, &quot;When you&#xA;  start out practicing, the Buddha asks you to believe in only one&#xA;  thing: karma. As for things aside from that, whether or not you&#xA;  believe them isn't really important.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T05:18:25.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8556" CreationDate="2015-04-04T05:52:53.753" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance in Buddhism is not knowing the the Four Noble Truths.It is not knowing the truth behind suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is ignorance,...Not knowing about dukkha.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja.html&quot;&gt;MN 9 (Ñanamoli/Bodhi, trans.).&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Avijja, the Pali word for ignorance, is the opposite of vijja, which means not only &quot;knowledge&quot; but also &quot;skill&quot; — as in the skills of a doctor or animal-trainer. So when the Buddha focuses on the ignorance that causes stress and suffering, saying that people suffer from not knowing the four noble truths,...&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/ignorance.html&quot;&gt;Ignorance by Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is similar to delusion but with subtle differences.In order to find the difference between delusion and ignorance i will first provide a definition for 'delusion'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a belief that is not true : a false idea &#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delusion&quot;&gt;Merriam-webster dictionary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Comparing this definition with 'ignorance' in the buddhist context,delusion is a view based on ignorance.Delusion is similar to wrong view and ignorance is the not knowing itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give a real world example,a person drives a car badly but think he is driving a car well.The person is deluded.Why is the person deluded?Because the person doesn't know what is good driving and bad driving.(Ignorance).The lack of knowledge in itself is ignorance and the actions that stem from it is delusional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T05:52:53.753" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8554" CreationDate="2015-04-04T15:11:50.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though I might soon sound like a stuck record, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_fox_koan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wild Fox Koan&lt;/a&gt; from The Gateless Gate is worth studying when you first become aware of these things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen holds building conceptions and understanding of the world its nature and causes, -- of causation, dependent origination, etc -- distinct from a direct insight obtained by practice. A conceptual understanding is considered necessary but insufficient (and distinct from) to insight through practice, just as owning an almanac is useful in seeing the moon and planets but is not actually seeing them, and is certainly not the planets themselves. This is also a great help when understanding issues of will and agency (which are never far behind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceptions of the past and future are not a part of what is: they are a part of our understanding of what is. The future will come in time or else it will not, and the past, well, you've already missed it. It's very easy to mistake the present for our understanding of it: to have a head-up-display so full of symbols and geometrical constructions that it completely obscures the view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T15:11:50.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8560" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-04T15:52:59.403" Score="2" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since one can benefit so much from practicing Metta, can it also helps improving one's luck?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-04-05T04:55:32.590" Title="Can Metta improve one's luck?" Tags="|personal-practice|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8560" CreationDate="2015-04-04T16:17:23.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8449/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, Metta makes one dearer to others, strengthens one's mental concentration, brings peace to one's mind, grants protection by the Devas (gods or angels) and provides protection from harm (e.g. fire, poison sword).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you can have a better relationship with others, then this improves your social networks. If you have better mental concentration, then you can correctly identify opportunities that appear before you. If you have protection from harm, you may be led away from unfavourable situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta therefore, forms part of the right preparation that will allow you to seize the opportunities that come your way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, we should bear in mind that worldly luck is not permanent (anicca) and is part of the suffering (dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-04-04T16:39:26.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8562" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8680" CreationDate="2015-04-04T16:55:44.003" Score="8" ViewCount="416" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where there is a group of people, there will be politics and organizational dynamics. This should be no different with the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, monks trying to cause dissent or schism, monks who disobey instructions, monks trying to gain power over others, monks who are envious of others, monks trying to get the attention of the Buddha or their abbot etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How did the Buddha handle such situations in his time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are such situations handled within the Sangha today?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-07T05:41:11.157" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T00:07:21.843" Title="Politics within the Sangha" Tags="|monk|sangha|politics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8560" CreationDate="2015-04-05T03:17:11.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sure... It might even expand your perception of &quot;luck&quot; so you can recognize the positive events that are always present but go ignored because we are the universe loving kindnessly bounded to ecah other through unconditional conditions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-05T03:17:11.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8560" CreationDate="2015-04-05T04:55:32.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. For 2 reasons I can think of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Creates good Karma on which some can give results in this life time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Makes you pleasant and likeable hence increasing chances of some one dealing with you and supporting you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-05T04:55:32.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3770" CreationDate="2015-04-05T05:26:29.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you mean like these for the Sutta Pitaka?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These pages list out the numbers and names of the suttas, and even provide a one-line description.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-04-05T05:26:29.477" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3770" CreationDate="2015-04-06T01:50:36.090" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;(UPDATED) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some digging, it seems that indeed there is no one standard that can be truly relied upon to work for all version of the tipitaka, at least for the Samyutta and the Anguttara. For the Digha and the Majjhima, it's pretty simple to say DN 22 or MN 10, and I think the order and numbering is pretty consistent across the board.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And no, unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any such chart as you are looking for. We discussed this some time ago on the Yahoo! Pali Study list (2011) and as John Kelly said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the Nikayas, clearly there is no issue for DN and MN. It is SN&#xA;  and AN that are problematic. The problem arises because the original Pali has&#xA;  no numbers and the various editions of the Pali (Be, Ce, and so on) use&#xA;  differing numbering schemes based on how their editors choose to separate the&#xA;  suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What we &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; have:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.suttacentral.net&lt;/a&gt; has a full concordance for all of the nikayas between the system used internally by the Pali Text Society and the system employed by Bhikkhu Bodhi (and ATI and the DPR). For example (picked at random):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/sn28&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/sn28&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&#xA;    ID          Title                   Vol/Page&#xA;&#xA;    SN 28.1     Vivekaja                SN iii 235      &#xA;    SN 28.2     Avitakka                SN iii 235      &#xA;    SN 28.3     Piti                    SN iii 236      &#xA;    SN 28.4     Upekkhā                 SN iii 237      &#xA;    SN 28.5     Ākāsānañc­āyatana        SN iii 237         &#xA;    SN 28.6     Viññāṇañc­āyatana        SN iii 237         &#xA;    SN 28.7     Ākiñcaññ­āyatana         SN iii 237         &#xA;    SN 28.8     Neva­saññānā­saññāyatana  SN iii 237        &#xA;    SN 28.9     Nirodhasamāpatti        SN iii 238      &#xA;    SN 28.10    Sūcimukhī               SN iii 238&#xA;&#xA;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;ID&lt;/code&gt; here refers to the international standard: samyutta #28, sutta #1-10. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Vol/Page&lt;/code&gt; refers to the PTS volume (three) and page numbers 235-8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, given a reference like &quot;SN 28.5&quot; or &quot;SN iii.237&quot;, you could check this chart and see that the first refers to the Ākāsānañc­āyatana Sutta, and the second may refer to one of five suttas, including the Ākāsānañc­āyatana Sutta. Given that these are the two most common systems in use, this is probably the best you are going to get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as noted, ATI has notations for all of its suttas (it uses the international standard), and gives both the PTS and Bodhi page numbers. They also have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kumara/samyutta_number_conversion_table.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;a conversion chart&lt;/a&gt; for the Samyutta between the VRI and &quot;modern&quot; systems (the DPR actually accords with the modern system in its numbering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;VRI Tipitaka&lt;/a&gt; (and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digital Pali Reader&lt;/a&gt; based on it) has notations for volume and page numbers of each of the major versions of the Tipitaka (Thai, Burmese, Sri Lankan and PTS), in case you come across that sort of notation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, as a bonus, the DPR has a title search function, by which you can do the opposite - given a sutta title, you can track down where it is in the tipitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, sorry to fudge my answer again and again, but here it is in (hopefully) final form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-04-08T21:04:36.780" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T21:04:36.780" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="244" CreationDate="2015-04-06T10:04:10.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion there should be no changes from school to school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional reality is what is within the field of Perception. Ultimate reality is things not comprehended or understood within the field of Perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-06T10:04:10.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8569" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8576" CreationDate="2015-04-06T18:25:32.753" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8556/what-is-ignorance-in-buddhism-and-what-are-examples-of-ignorance&quot;&gt;Ignorance is described as not knowing about dukkha.&lt;/a&gt; If one knows dukkha and understands the cause of dukkha is starts with ignorance, how does one traverse ignorance of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Buddha one would imagine would have had to experience the ignorance of others. Would he have ignored it? Would he have attempted to enlighten them? Would he have empathized with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T22:28:14.213" Title="Ignorance of others when practising the teachings of the Buddha" Tags="|ignorance|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8570" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8572" CreationDate="2015-04-06T21:21:18.970" Score="10" ViewCount="363" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading a chapter called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Buddhist Stand on the Death Sentence&quot;&lt;/em&gt; on p. 390-393 in the book &lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda.&lt;/a&gt; In here it is written that the law is supreme and that buddhists must always respect and obey the laws of the country they live in and that if they break the law they must also accept the punishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in the end of the chapter he talks about the situation where war breaks out and all able-bodied men are to be conscripted as soldiers by law of that nation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a soldier requires one to maybe engage in killing of other beings or maybe become forced to commit unwholesome actions that one does not want to do since it will break the buddhist ethical code and precepts. But if they choose not to do it they will be breaking the law of that nation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do buddhists do in that situation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-06T21:33:29.570" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T02:38:24.187" Title="What do buddhists do in a situation of war where all able-bodied men must become soldiers?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8570" CreationDate="2015-04-07T02:38:24.187" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That would be an unfortunate situation. Many 'Buddhist countries' have and are fighting wars where people who are Buddhists are engaged in warfare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can a Buddhist do if he is conscripted?&#xA;Not all Buddhists are at the same level of virtue, tranquility and wisdom. So it would depend.&#xA;Some may refuse to kill and harm and face the consequences. &#xA;Others may seeks vocations which does not involve killing.&#xA;However, if you are to go to the front&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be mindful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accept responsibility&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Never 'delight' in killing or harming, even an enemy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplate the drawbacks of hate, the ego, self-views (collective and individually)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a week keep the Uposatha practice (re: Visakha uposatha sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice metta (to one's colleagues and even the enemy, remembering that one could have born into the other side, and be fighting his current comrades.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara is a dangerous place, there are many times and places where hearing and practicing the Dhamma is impossible. So it is also worth considering to contemplate 'what do buddhists do in situations which are conducive for the Dhamma?'. Many waste such rare opportunities, squander it chasing after sensual pleasures and feeding the ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T02:38:24.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8573" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8582" CreationDate="2015-04-07T16:42:06.840" Score="9" ViewCount="3716" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read that even hunger - a physical sensation in the body - is useful for an object of meditation. Given the fact that I am often hungry and am quite aware of this sensation in my body...and given the fact that I easily gain weight when I allow my hunger to dictate my actions (i.e overeat or eat without thought)...I thought it would be useful for me to see what insight I might get into examining this sensation more deeply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering what others' experiences were with using hunger itself as an object of meditation. Normally I just try to focus on the breath (I am still attaining to the 1st level of concentration practice) but thought this might make for an interesting deviation. Assuming that this is a reasonable object for concentration practice, how do I actually go about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:43:18.510" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:43:18.510" Title="Is it useful to meditate upon hunger?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8574" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8575" CreationDate="2015-04-07T19:28:02.997" Score="2" ViewCount="57" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Suzuki's &quot;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind&quot; (online copy &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;located here&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), instruction is given on how to form the specific hand position (mudra) when meditating. He advocates &quot;put[ting] your left hand on top of your right.&quot; This is the position I have been using in my short months of meditating, and is the position also taught to me at my local Zen center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;this resource&quot;&gt;this resource&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma, advocates the opposite: &quot;back of the right hand over the palm of the left.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: why the difference? and, Does it even matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T22:25:36.940" Title="Significance of hand placement in forming mudra" Tags="|mudra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8574" CreationDate="2015-04-07T22:25:36.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer&lt;/strong&gt;: It doesn't matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long Answer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some postures are said to be more conducive to concentration, and perhaps this is true to a certain extent.  Perhaps there is something with certain hand placements which may help keep people a bit more focused (maybe the bare attention required to keep fingers barely touching, for instance). However, don't make too much of this.  Ultimately, how you sit is a means to help facilitate your concentration and mindfulness, unless you believe that your suffering in life can be solved by how you hold your hands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T22:25:36.940" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8569" CreationDate="2015-04-07T22:28:14.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is a personal thing, and Buddhism speaks of a specific kind of personal ignorance -- that of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ignorance of others is irrelevant. Yes, one tries to help others, but transcending ignorance is a matter of transcending ONE'S OWN IGNORANCE and implies nothing about the ignorance of others.  However, one might be in a better position to be patient and hence work with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-04-07T22:28:14.213" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8577" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-08T03:42:10.993" Score="2" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example, Newton's third law is that if a body acts another body, so the other body reacts to the acting body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now consider a mental action, for example one person who loves another person: that action doesn't always cause a reaction, the other person doesn't love a person who loves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is not the law of action and reaction, of cause and effect, also true for mental actions as it is for physical actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3605" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T14:49:49.580" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T14:49:49.580" Title="If physical action causes reaction, doesn't mental action cause reaction too?" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8573" CreationDate="2015-04-08T05:34:16.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like Sankha said &quot;it depends on what kind of meditation your doing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your doing insight meditation you can meditate on the physical sensation of hunger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,if your doing concentration practice it is not useful to use the physical sensation of hunger. Why? Because physical sensations keep changing.In concentration practice you need a relatively fixed object to concentrate on.This will ensure greater stability in concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this depends on what kind of meditation you'd like to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T05:34:16.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8579" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8596" CreationDate="2015-04-08T09:08:03.293" Score="2" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wondered if there was a consciousness that underwent nirvana? Is there a consciousness of nirvana? Is there a consciousness that creates either of these consciousnesses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would call that the &quot;good&quot; consciousness, like the good guy in the movies. i.e. salvific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-04-10T12:42:41.140" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T11:50:56.827" Title="Is there a &quot;good&quot; consciousness?" Tags="|terminology|nirvana|consciousness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8580" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-08T12:20:39.503" Score="3" ViewCount="464" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read that those monks who self-immolated probably felt no pain because they were in nirvana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a state you can get to more easily than nirvana where you can be conscious and pain-free? If so, how many hours of meditation do you need to get there, on average?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4976" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:09:46.127" LastActivityDate="2019-08-25T19:12:33.600" Title="What is the easiest way to achieve a state of no physical suffering?" Tags="|enlightenment|monk|nirvana|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8580" CreationDate="2015-04-08T13:00:22.907" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can reach states after a couple of years of practice where the &quot;suffering&quot; caused by pain is mitigated to a degree.  The sensation of pain is still there, however.  The only state I've read of where pain might not be felt is in nirodha samapatti.  Here, feeling and cessation cease.  In fact, the consciousness stream temporarily ceases almost as if you were dead.  I don't think you can put a number on how many years (lifetimes!) it would take to reach that state.  It's only available to one who has mastered the other eight absorption (rupa and arupa) and then possibly only to those who have reached the stage of arahantship or non-returner.  See MN 111 for a description of Sariputta entering this state and the Visuddhimagga at XXIII for a gloss of nirodha samapatti.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T13:00:22.907" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8573" CreationDate="2015-04-08T14:25:38.310" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Absolutely... this is an important topic for new monks and intensive meditators alike. As the Buddha himself said in the Sabbasava Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“What taints, bhikkhus, should be abandoned by enduring? Here a bhikkhu, reflecting wisely, bears cold and heat, &lt;strong&gt;hunger and thirst&lt;/strong&gt;, and contact with gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, the sun, and creeping things; he endures ill-spoken, unwelcome words and arisen bodily feelings that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, distressing, and menacing to life. While taints, vexation, and fever might arise in one who does not endure such things, there are no taints, vexation, or fever in one who endures them. These are called the taints that should be abandoned by enduring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting wisely means, of course, with sati, hence meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relevent, I think, is the Mahasi Sayadaw's discussion on self-mortification:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A wrong interpretation as to what constitutes self-mortification is being made by some teachers in contradiction to the teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to them, earnest, tireless effort required for meditation amounts to self-mortification. This view is diametrically opposed to the exhortation of the Buddha who advised strenuous, unrelenting exertion (labour) even at the sacrifice of life and limb to attain concentration and insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Let only skin, sinew and bone remain. Let the flesh and blood dry up. I will exert incessantly until I achieve the Path and Fruition I work for.&amp;quot; Such must be the resolute firmness of determination, counseled the Buddha, with which the goal was to be pursued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus strenuous, relentless efforts in meditation practices for achievement of concentration and Insight should not be misconstrued as a form of self-torture. Leaving aside meditation practices, even keeping of precepts which entails some physical discomfort is not to be regarded as a practice of self-mortification. Young people and young novices suffer from pangs of hunger in the evenings while keeping the eight precepts. But as fasting is done in fulfillment of the Precepts, it does not amount to mortification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some people, the precept of abstaining form taking life is a sacrifice on their part; they suffer certain disadvantages as a consequence, but as it constitutes the good deed of keeping the precept, it is not to be viewed, as a form of self-mortification. In Mahādhamma Samādāna Sutta of Mūlapaṇṇāsa, the Buddha explains that such acts of sacrifice at the present time is bound to produce beneficial results in the future. The Buddha said; &amp;quot;In this world, some people abstain from taking life, causing some physical and mental sufferings to themselves. They take up the right view (of not killing) for which they have to suffer physically and mentally. These people, thus voluntarily going through suffering, to keep; the precepts, at the present time, will after passing away, attain the higher abodes of the devas. These ten meritorious deeds are known as good practices, which produce beneficial results in after life through suffering for the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus any practice which promotes Sīla, Samādhi and Paññā is not profitless, not self-mortification which is not to be indulged in, but beneficial and is in line with the Middle Path which should certainly be followed. It should be definitely noted that only that practice which does not develop Sīla, Samādha and Paññā but results merely in physical suffering constitutes self-mortification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Dhammacakkappavattana%20Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for a means to practice, it does depend on whether you are practicing samatha or vipassana. Practicing samatha, you would bear with it by ignoring it in favour of the main object of focus, e.g. the breath. Practicing vipassana, you would focus on the hunger as physical and mental aspects of experience, perhaps noting it as &amp;quot;hunger, hunger&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;feeling, feeling&amp;quot;, as well as any associated mental and physical phenomena that arise surrounding the hunger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hunger, being an existential phenomenon, would not make a proper object of samatha meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T14:38:37.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8580" CreationDate="2015-04-08T14:46:06.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On average, how many hours of meditation do you need to get there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be a tricky question to answer. You see practice and development is different from person to person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is because people are different. We have different kamma and have done a variety of past deeds in this life and previous lives. This means that its very difficult to give a broad description of lets say how much time people have for practice and thereby how long it will take for them to develop a strong concentration. Some have a lot of time while others have shorter time. Others have a lot of time to practice but also has a lot of mental resistance that keeps them from developing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the mental resistance people can have when practicing the dhamma there are the five hindrances. They are what keep beings from developing in meditation and thereby achieving the focused state you are asking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Overcoming_the_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;You can read more about the five hindrances and there antidotes here&lt;/a&gt; And here is an absolutely fantastic audio dhamma talk on the five hindrances by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2394&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part 1&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2395&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part 2&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief the five hindrances are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual Desire (kámacchanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion or Ill-will (vyápáda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sleepiness – sloth (thina), torpor (middha), sluggishness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restlessness – worry about the future, regret of the past, anxiety (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt (skeptical doubt) (vicikicchá) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These hindrances can become a barrier for the development of meditation. For example if one has a tendency to have &lt;em&gt;ill-will&lt;/em&gt; towards beings, objects or situations this ill-will can give further rise to anger, resentment or hatred in the mind which agitaes and distorts the mind so that it cannot see clearly or concentrate without wavering. In order to develop strong concentration we have to do away with wavering of the mind. The antidote for ill-will is &lt;em&gt;loving-kindness&lt;/em&gt;. One should then practice Metta meditation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/metta_in.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;You can learn more about Metta meditation here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you see it depends on the being how long it will take to develop e.g. a strong concentration. There are different factors we can mention e.g. practice of the dhamma in this life and past lives, how much time is available for practice, how intense the hindrances are in that being and many other factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to develop the concentration you are asking for is to begin practicing yourself and then see for yourself how long it will take. You are actually the only person that can answer it. A Buddha can also answer the question though but then you have to find one to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-08T15:37:11.217" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T15:37:11.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8579" CreationDate="2015-04-08T15:25:42.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I wondered if there was a &quot;good&quot; (I mean that in a non-technical way) consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness exists as a taker of objects. Consciousness works together with perception to cognize an object in the cognitive process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is not a thing. The problem is that we are forced to talk about it in conventional terms using &lt;em&gt;nouns&lt;/em&gt;. That can give the impression that there is &quot;something&quot; there but there is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since there is nothing there, there is nothing to superimpose qualities onto such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;good, bad etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The act of superimposing qualities such as &quot;good&quot;, &quot;bad&quot; etc. onto objects are taught by the Dalai Lama in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uUANX4j4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;How to see Yourself As You Really Are&quot; in the chapter &quot;Identifying Ignorance&quot; on p. 45-49 and the chapter &quot;Why Understanding the Truth Is Needed&quot; on p. 63 where he writes:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The supreme scholar-practicioners i India - Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Chandrakirti, and Dharmakirti - understood that the truth cannot be realized without seeing that we &lt;strong&gt;superimpose on people and things a status of solidity and permanence that actually is not there. The emptiness of that false superimposition must be understood&lt;/strong&gt;, and to do this they analyzed phenomena through scripture and through reasoning&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When ignorance is overcome, you will have uprooted &lt;strong&gt;the mistaken beliefs that superimpose on objects qualities such as beauty and ugliness&lt;/strong&gt; beyond what they actually have&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have made a highlights in this above sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What sort of cognition is the cognition of extinction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure i understand your question correctly. I will try to answer as best as i can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When dealing with conditioned phenomena both physical and mental they all follow a specific process. That process is  &lt;em&gt;&quot;arising, presence, dissolution&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing insight meditation one can observe this process clearly. The dissolution/extinction part of phenomena happens e.g. when the abdomen has reached full extension on the inbreath and then begins to fall. That is the start of the dissolution step. When the falling of the abdomen has finished then the dissolution step has finished and one can clearly see the impermanence of the breath. This dissolution step can be seen in all phenomena and when observed it will grant access to understanding the impermanent nature of conditioned phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is taught by &lt;em&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt; in his book &#xA; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/A%20Discourse%20on%20the%20Anattalakkhana%20Sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;A Discourse on the Anattalakkhana Sutta&quot; in the chapters &quot;Refuting A Self Apart From the Five Aggregates&quot; and &quot;Why It Is Called Impermanent&quot; both on p. 85-90&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-10T14:09:18.870" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T14:09:18.870" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8577" CreationDate="2015-04-08T16:00:40.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is Newton's action- reaction law true for only on the body? Isn't it true for our mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In relation to kamma the physical universe has a tendency to balance itselt out towards the zero-state. The various conservation laws can be an example of that. Take for example the &lt;em&gt;law of conservation of angular momentum&lt;/em&gt;. If you alter one of the vectors the others vectors will &quot;react&quot; and change in accordance in order to maintain the zero-state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most common example used is the ice skating figure doing a pirouette. Here the skater begins with arms stretched out and thereby having a large moment of inertia. Then the skater pulls the arms closer to the body and thereby decreasing the moment of inertia. In order to conserve the angular momentum something else has to change and that is the angular rotational component.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way when we commit actions by body, speech or mind there will be an reaction. Like when disturbing the universe it will wobble a bit and then balance itself out again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that is said i do not think that your question is really about buddhism and it maybe better to ask the question on &lt;a href=&quot;https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions?sort=newest&quot;&gt;Physics SE&lt;/a&gt; since you will probably get a better answer there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When answering your question i tried to make the &lt;em&gt;reaction-mechanism&lt;/em&gt; of our actions a bit clearer by making a comparison between the physical universe and kamma (i do not know if such a comparison is valid and this one is merely for the sake of understanding the mechanism). In buddhism we call that cause and effect as its also been mentioned previously in this thread.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:40:15.117" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T16:05:40.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7654" CreationDate="2015-04-08T16:22:14.737" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is classical Chinese written in part of Chinese character and part of Japanese kanji Character,  it is still Chinese text, I can identify it because I am a Chinese speaker.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes it is Lotus Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kumārajīva and Yao Qin translated an ancient book &quot;龜茲文本&quot; to Chinese, that is Lotus Sutra &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can only answer this, I have no information for the rest of questions &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4978" LastActivityDate="2015-04-08T16:22:14.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8577" CreationDate="2015-04-08T17:54:51.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Physical laws govern relatively simple systems.  A human being is a vastly more complex system, with a huge number of physical laws coming into play with even the simplest of interactions.  Thus, you shouldn't try to apply action/reaction in this area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I bump into something, my mental reaction is the result of a huge number of factors, including how I perceive the event, my state of mind and my history with regards to those events.  Each of those in turn is hideously complex, and if you do arrive at basic physical laws, it will be at a much lower level than what presents itself to me (and you'd end up with a huge amount of them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This fallacy is all too common. Many people try to apply scientific concepts to Buddhist ones, and it's a mistake.  Newton's laws don't give you ready  predictions for human behavior, conservation of energy does not support rebirth, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are really interested in studying this, I recommend studying scientific laws on their own, then moving up to complex systems, and emergence.  If nothing else, it will give you an idea of what a gross oversimplification people make when they make this mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-04-10T13:09:41.513" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T13:09:41.513" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8579" CreationDate="2015-04-08T21:53:28.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is Good? We usually see a person who does  not cause others harm and is basically of an open benificent attitude &quot;good.&quot;&#xA;Anything can be described as good based on how open and non-harming it is IMO.&#xA;Similarly, a state of consciousness which is Good...&#xA;There is a mundane level and super-mundane level to this idea.&#xA;The mundane level is this: metta aka loving-kindness: being in an overall attitude of unconditional loving-kindness as well as the other brahmaviharas, mudita, karuna, upekkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The supermundane level is probably what you were asking about...&#xA;Consciousnesses are only a part of the True Consciousness. They are just imitations and second-level projections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to reach this True Consciousness is to naturally let it appear by never trying to reach it in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question, yes, the best consciousness is the consciousness in which you are &lt;strong&gt;free from suffering and dualism&lt;/strong&gt;. It is also &lt;strong&gt;uncreated and unborn&lt;/strong&gt; (as the sutras state).&#xA;Thus, to achieve the best level of consciousness, let go of all levels of manufactured consciousnesses/ideations (including the idea of achieving itself) and only the truest can remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-09T16:43:17.517" LastActivityDate="2015-04-09T16:43:17.517" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8591" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-10T11:45:21.913" Score="2" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wondered (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8580/what-is-the-easiest-way-to-achieve-a-state-of-no-physical-suffering&quot;&gt;after this threa&lt;/a&gt;d) what Buddhists have said about this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone, monks, Buddhas, ordinary people, be aware of a sensation without consciousness of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And moreover to link it to that question more explicitly, can such a sensation still be pleasant unpleasant or neutral. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks :) !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T03:49:09.120" Title="Can we be sensously aware without consciousness?" Tags="|abhidhamma|five-skandas|dharmas|pain|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8592" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-10T11:54:54.260" Score="1" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does every tradition, especially ones descended from the lotus sutra and the Buddha's immeasurable life, claim that parinirvana is a conventional existent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that it's not a dharma, I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-04-10T15:52:10.903" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T23:03:32.090" Title="Does final nirvana conventionally exist - especially in the lotus sutra?" Tags="|mahayana|final-nirvana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8591" CreationDate="2015-04-10T15:07:55.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer&lt;/strong&gt;: No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long Answer&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, you'll need to define what you mean by consciousness.  If we take consciousness as &quot;conscious awareness&quot; then by definition, if you don't have consciousness of something, then you are not sensuously aware of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it's possible that you may unconsciously register things that impact your consciousness later. For instance, if you get a &quot;bad feeling&quot; about someone, this may be due to you unconsciously registering several factors like quick facial sensations, tones being off-kilter, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-04-10T16:32:15.160" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T16:32:15.160" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8136" CreationDate="2015-04-10T19:50:00.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not an exhaustive or scholarly answer, but:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lineages or traditions don't necessarily predict how this is taught. I believe Ajahn Brahmavamso, who teaches that it's very important to master jhanas first, comes from the Thai Forest Tradition, but not all Thai Forest teachers emphasize that as strongly. Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma is also a proponent of jhana mastery before vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other side of things, the Mahasi Sayadaw lineage in Burma emphasizes vipassana from the outset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All traditions would agree (I think) that a certain degree of samatha is a prerequisite for attaining vipassana knowledges. The difference is in how one teaches the practice, and how strictly one defines 'jhana'. There is always a dynamic interplay between samatha and vipassana, so jhana factors can emerge in formal vipassana practices, and insight wisdom can develop during formal samatha practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T19:50:00.503" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8579" CreationDate="2015-04-10T20:00:14.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I wondered if there was a consciousness that underwent nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Theravada &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt;, yes, it is called a lokuttara-citta, and it is beautiful (sobhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a consciousness of nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This wording is a bit more difficult to answer. Since nirvana entails unbinding of consciousness, it is hard to describe it as being conscious &lt;em&gt;of&lt;/em&gt; anything. Still, technically the mind is said to take nirvana as an object; it is probably better phrased as &quot;object of focus&quot;, as in &quot;the mind is focussed on/in unbinding&quot;, rather than &quot;the mind is conscious of nirvana&quot; - the latter is a bit of an oxymoron, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a consciousness that creates either of these consciousnesses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;creates&quot; is a bit problematic. lokuttara minds are said to be unconditioned, yet there is clearly a process that leads to them, and that process clearly involves certain specific minds - namely, the mind that realizes the first and second noble truths.  There is a consciousness that is necessary for the attainment of nirvana; I don't think this exactly means that said consciousness &quot;creates&quot; the nirvana consciousness. It is all very technical. In practice, nirvana is the unbinding, so any talk of creation and arising is very much out of place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T20:00:14.567" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8592" CreationDate="2015-04-10T23:03:32.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, zen and tibetan buddhism do not claim that the self of an enlightened one can be completely non existent. In fact a zen master when asked this question might answer &quot;Uncertain.&quot; or &quot;yes&quot; or &quot;no&quot;. Ask for definite answers is a limiting factor in an unlimited universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following article discusses your question in far more detail than I can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/pudgalav/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.iep.utm.edu/pudgalav/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt that applies to your question: But there is no&#xA;  doubt that they affirmed the reality of the self or person, and that&#xA;  with scriptural authority they held that the self of an enlightened&#xA;  one cannot be described as non-existent after death, in “complete&#xA;  Nirvana” (Parinirvana), even though the five “aggregates” which are&#xA;  the basis of its identity have then passed away without any&#xA;  possibility of recurrence in a further life. These five are material&#xA;  form, feeling, ideation, mental forces, and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It seems, then, that they thought of some aspect or dimension of the&#xA;  self as transcending the aggregates and may have identified that&#xA;  aspect with Nirvana, which like most early Buddhists they regarded as&#xA;  an eternal reality. In its involvement with the aggregates through&#xA;  successive lives, the self could be seen as characterized by incessant&#xA;  change; but in its eternal aspect, it could be seen as having an&#xA;  identity that remains constant through all its lives until it fulfils&#xA;  itself in the impersonal happiness of Parinirvana. Although their&#xA;  account of the self seemed unorthodox and irrational to their Buddhist&#xA;  opponents, the Pudgalavādins evidently believed that only such an&#xA;  account could do justice to the Buddha’s moral teaching, to the&#xA;  accepted facts of karma, rebirth and liberation, and to our actual&#xA;  experience of selves and persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-04-10T23:03:32.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8599" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-12T01:38:24.393" Score="2" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often read about monks have little free time in their schedules but aside from teaching other monks I am not sure what they do with all their time. I have seen monks in Tibet working in an orphanage and monks in Thailand giving public talks. &#xA;Aside from this what involvement with the community do monks have (excluding dana)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2020-11-17T16:27:04.703" Title="What community activities do monks in southest asia take part in?" Tags="|monk|layman|community|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2015-04-12T22:41:21.550" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My name is Thomas. I was a Zen Monk for 2 years! Physical exercise was a key part of my day and with many other of the monks and nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4989" LastActivityDate="2015-04-12T22:41:21.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2015-04-13T03:07:50.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be&#xA;  able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~ Buddha, 563 BC to 483 BC&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Monk&quot; is a broad term and I will interpret it as &quot;layman&quot;, not as a monastic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally though as said other places, walking exercise is the main form of exercise for monastics. Let's also not forget that monastics also begged for food, roving all over the villages, another form of exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to the present moment: we are a sitting generation. &lt;em&gt;Both&lt;/em&gt; of my jobs are completely sedentary and involve the computer. Most sought-after jobs nowadays involve staying in one spot be it in manufacturing or entertainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Studies show those who stay still for more than 6 hours per day do not get the blood flow they need and lose decades off their lifespan--probably in addition to adopting other bad lifestyle factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a major reason why I am watchful of my physical activity levels and overall state and have many emotional and physical management techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am certainly not as realized nor have I devoted enough retreat time to be worth anything in the Buddhist level of experience but... I strongly encourage all my fellow Buddhists to adopt non-Buddhist energy balancing practices including exercise but also mental visualization and nature cleansing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &quot;healthy&quot; and &quot;fit&quot; are not attachments in this case. They are prerequisites for cultivating the Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha proclaims the importance of doing ANYTHING that will encourage healthiness as well as longevity. (See my answer to someone's question about drinking for an excerpt.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the Buddha encourages things like the brahmavihara practices (metta, karuna, upekkha) and dhyana (jhana, samadhi) practice even though they have nothing at all to do with Enlightenment, the Ultimate, finding your True Self/Nirvana/Emptiness and cutting off the root of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On several accounts the Buddha commanded certain people to stay in the world (avoiding death) until Maitreya's arrival. Mahakashyapa is one of them, lying in Chicken Foot Mountain. Is this a form of attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it is not, because they have been commanded to do so.&#xA;Just so, your truest desire is to Awaken is it not? This is a command from the Buddha within, a command which encourages everything necessary to continue cultivating and making more time for cultivation by becoming healthier physically, emotionally, financially, mentally, and socially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Care for the physical form is absolutely crucial to the great Eastern endeavor for Awakening and Immortality: tai chi, chi gong, kung fu, chakras, kundalini, chi mai, gong-fu (super powers), acupressure, tcm... these were all originally created by people with high dhyana attainments or as gifts from aliens (heavens).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If the body isn't your friend on the path, then it will be your obstacle!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I integrate physical practices is not completely coverable in a text-based Q&amp;amp;A but go to my Youtube page Bodhisattva Lifestyle where I have posted and will continue to post videos, with many exercise instructional videos planned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following are exercises (some energy-based) I integrate into my exercise session: grounding, nature cleansing, martial arts, tai chi postures, up-side down pushups, running, tricking, and some rare participation in athletic activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During my exercise session I will take breaks when getting breathless, oftentimes mantraing, mudraing or doing short sessions of samatha or vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These practices reset my energy levels, moderate my mood and prepare me for meditation. It also makes me more courageous.&#xA;These fundamental &lt;strong&gt;energies&lt;/strong&gt; are important factors in meditation. See: The Five Faculties. I emphasize this because these energies are crucial to balance at the beginner to advanced levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will put here one exception to my encouragement for exercise:&#xA;those who have mastered a high stage in meditation (stable dhyana levels) do not need to exercise because they do not generate the negative poisons that most people are &lt;em&gt;constantly&lt;/em&gt; generating (which needs purification) anyway. Such people can also control their heart rate and their cardiovascular system, among other chi effects not worth discussing but all of which may help the person to be able to sit even longer periods of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-13T03:16:39.037" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T03:16:39.037" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8603" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8606" CreationDate="2015-04-13T07:22:05.510" Score="2" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read that the buddha had not wrote anything. He was used to speak Magadha language. Then sanskrit and pali language appeared when his disciples wrote down his life &amp;amp; experiences. I have already asked a question on language. This time i have a question that states 'why buddha didn't wrote anything ?'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T14:38:57.067" Title="why the disciples of the buddha introduced the buddism?" Tags="|final-nirvana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8604" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9394" CreationDate="2015-04-13T07:22:41.987" Score="14" ViewCount="3916" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live in Denmark and here we have gotten an amazing concept called &quot;City Gardens&quot;. Its basically a 3 x 3 meter garden in the middle of the city granting city dwellers acces to grow their own vegetables, flowers etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yesterday i got one of these gardens (see picture below). I thought about cleaning it up and plant some new stuff in it but then i saw that there were many small plants and flowers growing in it already. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do know that the first precept is not broken since it covers life that has a breath and a consciousness. But i was wondering if im breaking any other buddhist ethics or precepts by interfering with that plant life already living there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JiQ31.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-06T09:15:48.390" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T10:51:09.697" Title="Is it ethical to kill plant life while gardening?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|killing|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8603" CreationDate="2015-04-13T14:38:57.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I'll assume the actual question is in the body, not in the title).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, no one can answer why someone didn't do something but that specific someone (but if you really wanted to know from the Buddha, you wouldn't be asking this here...). But there are practical reasons that could explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Writing is not teaching.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you are writing, you are not doing anything to anyone. Being in a cave for years writing a lot about something, and then having a flood take all your sheets away can render all those years useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Writing is not teaching, and it is visible that the Buddha was primarily interested in helping the actual people he actually met and guiding those interested to become masters of the subject, and then, teachers themselves. As any educator can attest, this is the highest form of education.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;There wasn't a broad &quot;reading culture&quot; -- though there were written texts -- at that time and place. Thus, there were not many readers.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be of great value, writing requires an author who knows how to write and many many readers who were trained to read certain language(s). Moreover, writing is taking a chance that not only someone trained to read that language will meet your texts, but also that he will be interested &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; he/she will understand &lt;em&gt;as it is&lt;/em&gt; -- an unreasonable expectation -- since there is no possibility of real dialogue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not only that wasn't common as it is today (nor there were any alphabetization goals that I know of), but understanding (and teaching) the dhamma is hard as it is. It is even harder if, before teaching dhamma, one would have to teach how to read. So, it's just a major distraction and the benefits were hardly guaranteed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Instead&lt;/em&gt; he advised people to memorize discourses (real discourses, to real people with real problems) and always welcomed any questions they had -- the suttas are full of FAQs from disciples to disciples, and disciples to the Buddha. That's a real learning setting. And the discourses were texts, though not in written form. Orality, in any case, is not a poor-man's &quot;literacy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T14:38:57.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8607" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-13T15:49:15.307" Score="3" ViewCount="2830" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see myself as a Buddhist and I would like to take refuge. Can I do it alone ? Will I be considered a real Buddhist ? Please excuse my  mistakes, English is not my first language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4993" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T14:37:52.563" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T14:37:52.563" Title="Will I be considered a real Buddhist if I take refuge alone?" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|refuge|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8607" CreationDate="2015-04-13T16:08:22.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You mean taking the three refuges in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_%28Buddhism%29&lt;/a&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or do you mean taking the precepts (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&lt;/a&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any way, you can take them by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4994" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T16:08:22.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8607" CreationDate="2015-04-13T19:01:34.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to clarify your motivations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you believe the teachings of Buddhism to be true, then you are a Buddhist when you practice Buddhism, and no ceremony in the world will change that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if just want to label yourself as a Buddhist to others, then the ceremony (and any other paper-work) is the most important thing you can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T19:01:34.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-04-13T19:34:32.603" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha reportedly ate a meal of pork at least once in his life. So one pig had to lose its life. The Buddha ate rice pudding so some cow had to eat the grass to produce milk and some weeds must have lost their life to have grown the rice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that no matter what we do in life some harm is done. Maybe do less harm would be more sensible. The Buddha advocated the middle way between hedonism and asceticism. The Tibetan Buddhists eat meat. So what are we to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do no harm against life for selfish ends. Do no harm against our neighbor to gain advantage. Dedicate your work to all beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your case you could donate some of the crop to food pantries servicing the homeless or needy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another sense there is only consciousness. When we weed the garden in meditation we make room for a new consciousness. When we plant seeds in the garden or consciousness, we are planting the divine seed of awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being paralyzed by fear of doing harm is not the middle way as I see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the saying should be Clear your intentions of doing harm. Have an intention of giving life.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right intention[edit] Right intention (samyak-saṃkalpa / sammā&#xA;  sankappa) can also be known as &quot;right thought&quot;, &quot;right resolve&quot;,&#xA;  &quot;right conception&quot;, &quot;right aspiration&quot; or &quot;the exertion of our own&#xA;  will to change&quot;. In this factor, the practitioner should constantly&#xA;  aspire to rid themselves of whatever qualities they know to be wrong&#xA;  and immoral. Correct understanding of right view will help the&#xA;  practitioner to discern the differences between right intention and&#xA;  wrong intention. In the Chinese and Pali Canon, it is explained&#xA;  thus:[19][19][21][31][32]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom&#xA;  from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It means the renunciation of the worldly things and an accordant&#xA;  greater commitment to the spiritual path; good will; and a commitment&#xA;  to non-violence, or harmlessness, towards other living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T19:34:32.603" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2015-04-13T22:12:39.427" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would humbly like to mention one thing which we are missing in this discussion - which is eradication of accumulated sanskaras/sankharas. The difference between Samatha and Vipassana is that when we are practicing Samatha meditation, we are concentrating/balancing our mind, and the main effort is not on eradication of accumulated sanskaras (even though it stops formation of new sanskaras). But when we are doing Vipassana, we are actively eradicating sanskaras, as well as preventing new ones to form. So, both are essential in reaching the ultimate goal of eradicating sanskaras to witness the ultimate truth or the true nature of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy would be Samatha is like the sharpness of an axe, while Vipassana is like cutting the wood with that axe, and wood is like the accumulated sanskaras ... both have significance in cutting all the wood (i.e. attaining Nirvana) ... both have to be done turn by turn, depending on the hardness/softness of the wood and the required sharpness to cut through the woods ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually the sanskaras are accumulated in layers - deep deep layers - so, the process of sharpening and cutting has to be done repeatedly several times to get through these layers of sanskaras/ignorance/moha ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please feel free to add anything that I may have missed ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4997" LastEditorUserId="4997" LastEditDate="2015-04-13T22:49:54.247" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T22:49:54.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2015-04-13T23:03:50.483" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One need not force oneself for longer &quot;marathon&quot; retreats, but one must understand that the ultimate goal of Vipassana (to attain Nirvana) is very very high compared to normal human beings who do not practice Vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes as much as 24X7X52X7 hours (i.e. 7 years of continuous and uninterrupted Vipassana meditation) of meditation to reach the state of Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is upto us to accept this final goal, and to try to attain it in whichever possible way ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4997" LastEditorUserId="4997" LastEditDate="2015-04-13T23:34:03.677" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T23:34:03.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3465" CreationDate="2015-04-13T23:13:09.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eradication of sanskaras of craving and aversion, I'd say, is a good way to measure one's progress in Vipassana. Earlier I used to get upset with something and remained disturbed for one week, but after practising Vipassana for 4 hours daily for a month, now I get over with a similar turn of events in three minutes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I could see very tangible progress in this path - hence I've kept up my efforts, though I am not always able to keep up that high levels of practice ...&#xA;but I am highly motivated to keep working hard ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4997" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T23:13:09.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2287" CreationDate="2015-04-13T23:22:19.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel that there is nothing wrong with your practice, and I also got to a stage where I was completely detached - but in a good way .... but I got this result after 11 years of practice ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I guess you are doing pretty well and you just need conceptual clarification from your assistant teachers - get in touch with your assistant teachers and talk to them. And I am sure you will be soon progressing very well in this path ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4997" LastActivityDate="2015-04-13T23:22:19.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8615" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8619" CreationDate="2015-04-13T23:51:44.293" Score="4" ViewCount="593" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would you recommend as a short-term fix for someone in serious psychological/emotional pain? If meditation, what kind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel pretty angry/powerless/frustrated right now, or &quot;unenlightened&quot;. I don't want a long-term solution, as any long-term goal requires short-term will which I don't feel I have. I find that the problem with overcoming powerlessness is that the process of &quot;overcoming&quot; in itself requires power, which by definition is not present in the powerless person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in other words, how do things ever change or break out of their self-creating cycles? How are these cycles created to begin with? And, more specifically, how the hell do I get out of the cycle I've suddenly found myself in? How do I go from CONCEIVING of it as inescapable, to at least getting to the point where I CONCEIVE of it as fixable by me, and in other words, create something out of nothing, and not stay in this rut? Is it just by not thinking altogether, and deprogramming my mind to the point where I (or God, or the powers that be) can reprogram it again from scratch, but this time with superior software? I know this is a terrible SE question as it's so general, but I just really wanted to vent. I got out once, but apparently fell back again. I have no real clue how either happened right now, as I am totally, totally in the shit. Feel free to judge away, or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note: AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Ok, I've had some time to cool down and am feeling better now. Thanks to both Ahmed &amp;amp; jitin for hearing my rant; I will most definitely give the body scanning/observation technique a try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4998" LastEditorUserId="4998" LastEditDate="2015-04-14T03:54:08.737" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T03:17:02.620" Title="Dealing with intense negative emotions" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8616" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-14T01:05:49.323" Score="1" ViewCount="1184" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's an interesting situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say we have to persons. Tom and Happy. Both have the same desire: &quot;I want a new car.&quot; The strength of their desires are equal. Tom lives in universe A, Happy lives in universe B. Both universes are exact copies of each other, everything is the same, timeline is the same, events are all the same, everything,.. Tom and Happy are copies of each other, clones, but there's just one little difference between the two universes: Tom suffers, Happy does not suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tom suffers: &quot;I have an old car with bad engine and that's why I'm not happy. I want a new car.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy does not suffer: &quot;I have an old car with bad engine and I'm happy. I want a new car.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both persons want a new car for the same reasons: &quot;Because it's old and has a bad engine.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only difference between Tom and Happy is that Tom is suffering because of his old car with a bad engine; and Happy is not suffering because of his old car with bad engine. There are no other differences between Tom and Happy and the two universes they live in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see that both Tom and Happy have the same motives for getting a new car: old car with bad engine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Tom and Happy have the same motives for getting a new car, both will exert the same amount of energy to get a new car. So, both will do the same exact actions in their universes to get a new car. So, both will get a new car at exactly the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Tom has one motive more than Happy: Tom is suffering! Does that mean that Tom will get a new car quicker than Happy?! If Tom has more motives than Tom, than it's logical that Tom will be more proactive in getting a new car than Happy? So, the question is: who will get a new car quicker, Tom or Happy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real question is: is suffering a motivator? Is suffering a motivator only if the amount of suffering does not go over a specific threshold? Or is suffering not a motivator? If suffering is a motivator, than it does not make sense to completely remove it, because if you remove it, you will be less proactive to reach your goals in life? What did Buddha say above this? I'm a beginner and I'm sorry if I don't understand, I hope someone can shed some light on this topic. Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T15:59:35.053" Title="Does suffering motivate us to achieve our goals?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2015-04-14T01:59:55.223" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is suffering a motivator?&#xA;Yes. Suffering is the motivator that has compelled people to invent many things. Ennui, boredom, curiousity, and love are also strong motivators and have invented most of appliances we have today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is suffering a motivator only if the amount of suffering does not go over a specific threshold?&#xA;Yes. Excessive suffering = death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is suffering not a motivator? &#xA;Not-suffering aka comfort, is also a great motivator. For example, here we all are discussing with the blessing of lacking enough suffering to learn the Buddhadharma, a very empowering, enlightening, and complete subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If suffering is a motivator, than it does not make sense to completely remove it, because if you remove it, you will be less proactive to reach your goals in life?&#xA;Right.&#xA;In Buddhism, suffering is actually used as a meditation practice in many ways.&#xA;One way is the Buddhist self-training process for meditation: if you are extremely attached to beautiful things, go try to tolerate ugly places. If you are very messy, encourage organized behavior/environment. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did Buddha say above this?&#xA;He has said many things including:&#xA;&quot;If there was anything else causing as much difficulty as love, Enlightenment would not be possible.&quot;&#xA;read: if people suffered as much as they did over love, then there would be no clarity of mind to &lt;em&gt;ever&lt;/em&gt; see the Dharma.&#xA;So, as you can see, the Buddha definitely encouraged us to avoid excessive suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and of course&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;the root of suffering is attachment&quot; (2nd noble truth)&#xA;Gautama Buddha has crossed to the other side and he is telling us &quot;Hey you, fix your suffering, you are hitting yourself on the head!&quot;&#xA;It's like we have a computer virus in us that is causing &lt;em&gt;excessive&lt;/em&gt; attachment on things that will not satisfy and fixing that virus is called Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in Buddhism, suffering is considered purifying away your bad karma. This is why many Zen masters would take ON suffering rather than throw it away.&#xA;&quot;Everything is empty, so pile more burdens on my back!&quot; --zen saying&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gist that you must understand: purposeful suffering is usually not good, but &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;if we pay attention without complaining&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;there are tremendous learning and growth opportunities contained within our &quot;sufferings&quot;!&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhism says to not pile suffering/attachment on top of suffering/attachment and you will be the happiest person alive. The problem is that this is a habit developed over countless lives--very very hard to break at the root no matter who you are.&#xA;I leave you with &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pljbhN1CNHE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-14T02:46:57.183" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T02:46:57.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8615" CreationDate="2015-04-14T02:50:10.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to recollect the power on which you are unable to focus. Try to accept that there may be people in situations (more worse than your's). Try to accept what you already have with you (although it is very less but it is your's, a man with just one working finger in his whole body and a relaxed mind can always handle every situation(s) with the understanding of the acceptance. May this world is appearing bad and saad place to you but remember it is the only place where you can practice life and yes you can even create a new world (all you need is to accept and set yourself on relax mode first). Thank you for sharing the anger and restlessness. It made me accept that I am a bit thankful to myself for being able to retain peace inside me. From a few bit to maximum of it ,is something for which I practice life. Regards. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T02:50:10.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8615" CreationDate="2015-04-14T02:51:42.787" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use the body scan emotional release technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be calmly aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't desire to get rid of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't try to put it into thoughts (don't try to understand whatever situation this problem arose from). If your mind continues to try to figure it out, just notice that too. Realize that you are NOT your thoughts or emotions. You are the Mastermind, the Overseer, the Watcher. You are Him that sees all!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just be with your pain and notice how it ever so slightly changes from one place to another, from one color to another, from one feeling to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;JUST FEEL.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't force anything to happen, just FEEL what is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, the energies will dissipate on their own and transform themselves into their positive counterparts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These instructions are ample and I can confidently overcome leftover emotions from rejection, remaining hatred after argument, and even tiredness by using this practice. All these instructions are one step: totally accepting, almost-curious awareness. If it helps, you can prepare yourself by labelling the emotions or freely writing/journalling about them &lt;em&gt;until you are ready to give them up&lt;/em&gt;--sometimes with extremely powerful emotions you HAVE to do that as preparation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, don't be so ready to give them up. &lt;strong&gt;There is much to learn from great suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this practice is definitely a Buddhist practice of the highest standard (Vipassana) with infinite room to grow and you will be doing The Most Important Thing, carrying on your cultivation throughout your life and even beyond death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-15T06:14:31.547" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T06:14:31.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8562" CreationDate="2015-04-14T06:00:13.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The nature of our present time is very different from Buddha's time: after the printing press &quot;politics&quot; really started taking on an industrial and corporate mission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the ruling monastic order, the Vinaya in particular was passed on entirely orally. This should answer your first question. Any question on how Buddha handled X, can be answered in the Vinaya.&#xA;In my opinion, it is frequently contextual and oftentimes impractical for our times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We live a different day today: a day of bodhisattvas and renaissance men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for specific cases of &quot;politics&quot; which didn't really exist on such an organized level for lack of printing press, there is the case of Devadatta taking over the initial political expression of Buddhism. (Osamu Tezuka's Buddha manga beautifully renders this story.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually Devadatta tried to kill Buddha, too, symbolizing the message from Buddhism about poltiics: &quot;power corrupts.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even more broadly, &lt;em&gt;contrived action&lt;/em&gt; corrupts, especially socially contrived action tends to create backlashes within and without. We are one collective organism and when good is born, evil persistently tries to take over, day and night.&#xA;When there is no contrived good, there is no contrived evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why Buddhism and Taoism philosophy are often very close, with Taoism taking an even more non-interfering attitude towards things, having the overall expression of &quot;let all karma go up and down, when everyone tires of controlling and contriving, they will rest within the natural order.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself didn't do much in terms of managing the Sangha, just like any of the Zen masters (who are even more strict, some forbidding writing or taking notes). Even when he passed on leadership to Mahakashyapa, all he did was raise a flower and smile (likely paranormal methods of transference involved).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is politics active in Buddhism today?&#xA;Highly active! There is SGI international, Tibetan Buddhism affecting politics in China, and with the marriage of Buddhism and scientific brain analyses, an overall recognition of the importance of samatha and vipassana meditation for happiness and maturity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think we have reached an excellent point today and there are many different &quot;politics&quot; with simple rules in smaller meditation circles to clear echelons of managerial staff, teachers, web developers, etc. for mini Buddhist societies. It certainly doesn't seem like the Buddhadharma (whether in the form of Buddhism or other traditions which focus on Insight Meditation) is nearing any sort of Dharma Extinction Age (where it is said that people will be reading and studying but few will have any Realization).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T06:00:13.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-04-14T06:10:27.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;People who worry about sentience of plant life as beings are actually considered delusional.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will revise this answer when I find which Buddhist text I read this from but just know that if my memory serves me well, then I remember reading a original Buddhist text Q&amp;amp;A about sentience with the answer ending with a list of delusional trains of thoughts: &quot;there are certain people whom think that since plants are sentient they are also beings, like our brothers and sisters, and to eat them would be wrong. This is a delusion and false thinking.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The take home message: &lt;strong&gt;just because something is sentient does not mean it is a being.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this does not give you license to go out trampling every plant you see (anger karma and an unnecessarily decreased beneficial thing in the world--you aren't eating it you are smashing it away).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also add that the attitude of care and love that you approach plants with is excellent and definitely beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T06:10:27.803" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2015-04-14T10:19:17.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In your example you stated that both Tom and Happy had cars that had bad engines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tom was unhappy and Happy was okay with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So right from the beginning we can see that their happiness did not depend on whether or not they had bad engines but their &lt;strong&gt;reaction&lt;/strong&gt; to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore one must apply the same conclusion to the outcome of getting a new car.I&lt;em&gt;t's not about who gets the new car first&lt;/em&gt;,it's their &lt;strong&gt;reaction&lt;/strong&gt; to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happiness depends on reactions to circumstances.Not circumstances themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is suffering a motivator?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes absolutely.When the Siddhatta saw suffering he decided to pursue the spiritual life.Sometimes living in deva like bliss masks the true nature of reality.That it is impermanent,not self,and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is suffering a motivator only if the amount of suffering does not go over a specific threshold&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes that is why the human realm is the best place to practice the dhamma.One has their fair share of happiness and suffering.It is balanced to some extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If suffering is a motivator, than it does not make sense to completely remove it, because if you remove it, you will be less proactive to reach your goals in life&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's like saying bleeding will motivate you to bandage yourself.But if you do bandage yourself,then the bleeding will stop,then how are you going to bandage yourself..?? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Removing suffering &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T10:19:17.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2015-04-14T16:43:41.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is pleasure and pain. Also called joy and sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. if I'm a sport-loving person, then the pleasure of sporting activities is sufficient to motivate me to participate in them. Here I am &quot;pulled&quot; towards the goal of becoming more physically active.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if I'm not a sport-loving person, then the pain of experiencing cardiovascular diseases or other side-effects of a sedentary lifestyle would drive me towards becoming more physically active. Here I am &quot;pushed&quot; towards the goal of becoming more physically active.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the four noble truths of suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering and the path that leads to the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you have confused pain or sorrow, with what Buddha describes as suffering (dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suffering (dukkha) includes both pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explains in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha), monks, is this: Birth is&#xA;  suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is&#xA;  suffering, association with the unpleasant is suffering, dissociation&#xA;  from the pleasant is suffering, not to receive what one desires is&#xA;  suffering — in brief the five aggregates subject to grasping are&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as one craves for life and existence, one is subject to endless birth, death, rebirth, experiencing endless ups and downs of pleasure and pain, gaining and losing loved ones, having unfulfilled desires etc. Nothing that is joyful lasts forever. Nothing that is sorrowful can be avoided forever. Just imagine undergoing these for eternity without rest. Not just as a human, but also as an animal, ghost, angel (deva) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the entirety of suffering (dukkha). Not just the part that relates to pain and sorrow. Such suffering should motivate you to get rid of it, just as the good prince was motivated to leave his comfortable life in search of the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-14T17:07:04.240" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T17:07:04.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2015-04-14T18:43:54.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thought about it. I think that suffering is not a motivator. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We believe suffering is a motivator because we don't see the reality as it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the deepest level of our true self, every desire always arises within our true self, independent from pain and/or suffering and/or anything else, from nothing but God, because we (our true self) want it to arise. It arises because we (our true self) JUST WANT it to arise. Our desire is clean, perfect, clear of all impurities. Then, we (ego) attach suffering to the desire: every suffering always arises within our true self, from nothing but God, because we (our true self) JUST WANT it to arise. Our suffering is clean, perfect, clear of all impurities. Then, we, our UNTRUE self, our egos, attach suffering to the desire and mistakenly see it as &quot;Oh, I desire because I suffer&quot;. The truth is &quot;I desire because I desire to desire&quot;, &quot;I suffer because I desire to suffer&quot; - that's on the deepest level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, if we move one step closer to the surface, away from our true self, away from God, closer to our physical world, we desire because of pain (we cannot remove pain, that's just how it is, it's in our nature, it's how our body is made). So, blinded by our egos, because of the nature of our physical bodies, &quot;I desire because I desire to desire&quot; becomes &quot;I desire because I feel pain&quot;. The key is to realize that we do not desire because of suffering: we desire because of pain. Suffering comes after pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, if we move completely to the surface, completely away from our true self, completely away from God, to our physical world, we think that &quot;we desire because of suffering&quot;. So, blinded by our egos, &quot;I desire because I desire to desire&quot; becomes &quot;I desire because I suffer&quot;. That's not true. First, we feel pain. Out of pain we desire to desire and there comes desire. Out of pain we desire to suffer and there comes suffering. It's pain-&gt;desire-&gt;suffering. We can't see it this way because we are blinded by our ego (and probably because of other layers between our true self and the ego).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If all our desires come from pain, and all suffering comes from pain, it cannot be that suffering intensifies (motivates us more) our desires. Pain intensifies (motivates us more) our desires, not suffering, because our desires come from pain. Suffering is just a byproduct of pain, one more obstacle that we need to overcome in order to remove the pain. Thus suffering is not a motivator. Suffering is an additional (&quot;not needed&quot;) obstacle to overcome if we want to remove the pain.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose this scenario:&#xA;Tom and Happy go for a walk in nature. They get a thorn in their foot. Both will feel the same pain, but Tom will suffer, and Happy will NOT suffer. Let's see how would both react when they get a thorn in their foot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tom will suffer: &quot;Aaaa! No! It hurts! Where did this thorn come from??!! Aaaa! S**** thorn!&quot;. He will franatically move his hands, he'll be angry, he'll jump up and down, breaking things. After 15 seconds he will calm down, sit on the ground and try to remove the thorn from his foot. He'll be nervous and angry. He'll find out that his fingernails are not long enough to grasp the thorn. He'll say &quot;Aaaa! S**** thorn! Why did this happen to me?! Why are my fingernails soo d*** short!&quot; and will punch his fist in the ground. Then, he'll calm down, focus on the thorn and eventually pull it out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy will not suffer: &quot;Aaaa! No! It hurts!&quot;. He will sit on the ground and try to remove the thorn from his foot. He'll find out that his fingernails are not long enough to grasp the thorn. Then, he'll focus on the thorn and eventually pull it out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do we see here? Happy is more effective in removing the thorn than Tom. We see that suffering is an obstacle towards reaching our goals. Suffering is not a motivator. Pain is the motivator. Suffering and pain are not the same. Suffering is always internal. Pain is always external.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my first example with &quot;the old car&quot;, pain is &quot;old car with bad engine&quot;. Pain is external. &quot;old car with bad engine&quot; is like a thorn in the foot, the only difference being that a thorn is physical pain, and &quot;old car with bad engine&quot; is usability pain (getting late to work, not safe for driving, unreliable transportation, dirty interior, etc.). Pain is a motivator - that's why Tom and Happy both want a new car. &#xA;Suffering is not a motivator. Suffering comes after pain. Suffering manifests in Tom in the form of anger and sadness. Suffering is internal. &quot;old car with bad engine&quot; is pain, anger and sadness that comes out of pain is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who will get his new car first? The answer is Happy. The less you suffer, the more motivated you are. Or lets put it this way: pain and suffering is both suffering. If you remove suffering completely, then you suffer less. If you suffer less, you don't have to deal with your suffering to achieve your goals, you have one obstacle less towards reaching your goal, so you're more motivated to work towards reaching your goals if you suffer less. The less the obstacles, the easier the work, the quicker you reach your goal!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's something for perspective. Suppose you get a thorn in your foot (or you want a new car; it can be any desire):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Pain Suffering&#xA;0    0         You do nothing.&#xA;50   0         You remove pain the 10th day.&#xA;100  0         You remove pain the 5th day.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the more pain, the more motivated you are. Or: the more pain, the quicker we achieve our goals because we want to remove the pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Pain    Suffering&#xA;0       0         You do nothing.&#xA;50      50        You remove pain (and suffering) the 15th day.&#xA;50      80        You remove pain (and suffering) the 20th day.&#xA;50      85        You remove pain (and suffering) the 30th day.&#xA;50      90        You never remove pain. You give up. You become depressed.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the more suffering, the less motivated you are. Or: the more suffering, the more obstacles we have in achieving our goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Pain    Suffering&#xA;0       0        You do nothing.&#xA;50      50       You remove pain (and suffering) the 15th day.&#xA;50      80       You remove pain (and suffering) the 20th day.&#xA;50      85       You remove pain (and suffering) the 30th day.&#xA;50      90       You never remove pain. You give up. You become depressed.&#xA;60      90       You remove pain (and suffering) the 60th day.&#xA;60      95       You never remove pain. You give up. You become depressed.&#xA;70      95       You remove pain (and suffering) the 90th day.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the more suffering, the less proactive you are. The more pain, the more proactive you are. Or: The more suffering, the more obstacles we have in achieving our goals. The more pain, the quicker we achieve our goals because we want to remove the pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see that pain will always be present. We can do nothing about it. But suffering can be removed. There's no sense in making our lives harder than they already are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did I miss something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-04-14T20:27:54.537" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T20:27:54.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8607" CreationDate="2015-04-14T22:16:10.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes you can take refuge in the triple gem (the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha) alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are 2 links for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-triple-refugee/215-how-to-take-the-triple-refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The first link describes how you take refuge in the triple gem.&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The second link describes how to take the five precepts&lt;/a&gt;. They are normally taken after taking refuge in the triple gem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be well and happy and free from mental and physical suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-14T23:08:32.517" LastActivityDate="2015-04-14T23:08:32.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8615" CreationDate="2015-04-15T03:32:41.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20-Piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Stilling of Thoughts (Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta)&lt;/a&gt; covers the strategy to deal with such thoughts. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.23-Aghata-Pativinaya-S-a05.161-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The First Discourse on Removing Resentment&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.6-Aghata-Pativinaya-S-2-a5.162-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Second Discourse on Removing Resentment&lt;/a&gt; deals with anger management. The 5 steps in the process are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First is that you realise that you have a negative emotion. If this does not happen you will miss the subsequent steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can replace the thoughts with more wholesome thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at the downside of such thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not pay attention (do breathe meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming down the thought process and cause:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;removal of cause&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The thoughts can be triggered by some sensation in the body. Scan you body for such sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The thoughts when coming in contact with the mind sense door causes sensation and proliferation of thoughts so objectively examine sensation around the head area.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming the thoughts&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By anchoring your mind on the breath experiencing the whole breath cycle (the impulse to start, the start and the acceleration, the middle and peak of acceleration, the deceleration and the stop of the breath) and then the length also. This calms the verbal and bodily fabrication.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The look and the feeling arising in the whole body to tranquillise the mental fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If this also do not work bring you attention to the upper plate (sensation and arising and passing of phenomena on this area) and place you tongue on it. (You can also try the plate and philtrum or more broadly the upper lip if this is generally the resting area when doing breath meditation.) This may cause a lot of vibrations. (If you generally place you attention in this area when doing breath meditation and arising and passing of phenomena is clear, a lot of old formation will start surfacing.) If your teeth start rattling slowly grind you teeth to stop the rattling. This intense Piti can:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Remove any sensations triggering the negative thoughts and emotions. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Break the polifration of thoughts due re enforcement of sensations created by the irritating from previous thoughts by replacing the sensations with Piti&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dissolve the formations and lighten the Karmic effects of the negative emotions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T03:17:02.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8628" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8728" CreationDate="2015-04-15T08:38:06.933" Score="4" ViewCount="258" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the path or practice leading to ultimate happiness in the light of one's own practice which has lead you to achieving true happiness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T18:45:48.673" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:30:23.340" Title="What is Nirvana? What is the practice leading to ultimate happiness in the light of one's own experience?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8629" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8632" CreationDate="2015-04-15T15:34:14.020" Score="1" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a no close internet friend who just got stabbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, seemingly there's nothing more to it than he got in an argument, things were said, and the guy stabbed him. So, my friend doesn't want to involve the police, doesn't want to get any kind of angry revenge toward the perp, he just wants to let it be and carry on doing what he was but with less anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, for me this seems like an amazing attitude, whether or not he's being hypocritical - which he may not be, it's amazing to have that self control and not even thirst for anything - any kind of sick justice or even self concern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I wondered if there was any way to control my thirsty anger at this turn of events? I don't mean I'm gonna beat the perp up (I don't even know who it was) but yeah, it's wrong to feel anger on someone's behalf, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T22:56:43.333" Title="How can one navigate the experience of Tanha" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3893" CreationDate="2015-04-15T16:15:11.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana / nibana is when:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have calmed all fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you experienced something beyond the 5 aggregates when the fabrications have calmed down&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;your worldly perceptions or ignorance has subsided or changed forever or become very thin thus causing some or all of the fetters to fall off&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T16:15:11.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8631" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8633" CreationDate="2015-04-15T16:19:39.223" Score="10" ViewCount="8540" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference between Theravada and Zen may be like night and day. I favour Zen over Chinese Mahayana because I don't quite prefer the Pure Land beliefs. Hence, I want to compare these two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I already know that in Theravada, one seeks Nirvana and it is sufficient to become a Arahant which is already difficult enough to attain. However, in Mahayana, one aspires to go in the path of the Bodhisattva. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, philosophically and doctrinally, what are the major differences between Theravada and Zen? Please elaborate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. Zen has Buddha Nature and Emptiness which do not feature in Theravada. Compassion also features more strongly in Zen than Theravada. Zen also has Absolute Truth vs. Relative Truth? On the other hand, Theravada strongly emphasizes the Four Noble Truths, Three Marks of Existence, dependent origination and the Noble Eightfold Path. I'm not sure how important these Theravada doctrines are to the Zen tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do these differences in philosophy shape the differences in mindset and world views between the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, are Zen Buddhists more compassionate towards the suffering of others, while Theravadins are more detached from, and thus more apathetic towards the suffering of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example: Are Zen Buddhists more in touch with their emotions in terms of compassion and appreciation of the Buddha Nature and Emptiness in nature and in the world around them, compared to Theravadins who may want to be detached from their emotions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The philosophical and doctrinal differences may also influence differences in terms of practice. Any examples of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-15T16:48:33.343" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T18:29:23.580" Title="Philosophical and Doctrinal Differences between Theravada and Zen, and its effects" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|zen|doctrine|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8629" CreationDate="2015-04-15T16:31:40.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without being judgmental what is happening here is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have a perception of right and wrong&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have a perception of what is beneficial and not towards a loved one&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have a perception of you friend as a loved one&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The interaction of these perceptions are causing grief and pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot just get rid of perception at will. The process to get rid of the perception thus riding your self of the pain is Vipassana Meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T16:31:40.270" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8631" CreationDate="2015-04-15T16:50:20.903" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference is an entirely different canon!  Theravada follows the Pali canon whereas Zen pulls most of its philosophical underpinnings from the Mahayana sutras and its own oral and written traditions (i.e. koan collections, writings of folks like Dogen and Hakuin, etc.).  That being said, I don't know how you would begin to explore what the effect on mindset would be.  I would also wonder if it even makes sense to make that investigation.  So much depends on the practitioner and their own development along the path.  I've known practitioners of Zen who were total, intellectualizing jerks and Theravadans who were oceans of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside of the obvious doctrinal differences, another rather ironic difference between the two camps is the practice of meditation.  Jhanas, as described by the Buddha in the Pali canon, don't often make an appearance in Zen.  I say ironic as the word Zen itself is a twice removed transliteration of the word jhana (i.e. jhana/dhyana -&gt; ch'an -&gt; zen).  In practice, Zen does not emphasize or pay much attention to being in, say, the third jhana over the second.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a little taken aback by your statement that Theravada Buddhism doesn't emphasize compassion to the degree Zen does.  If anything, the opposite is true.  You find all sorts of meditations on the cultivation of compassion and loving-kindness in the elder tradition (the Brahmaviharas for instance) whereas Zen doesn't take the same practical, directed approach to its development as found in the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lasty, emptiness does factor into Theravada.  See the Maha and cula sunnata sutta for just two, albeit less emphatic, explorations of emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to reemphasize, so much of this depends on the practitioner.  I don't think it's helpful to view either school as monolithic.  Setting one against the other isn't necessarily helpful or, in my opinion, even possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T12:07:52.367" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:07:52.367" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8573" CreationDate="2015-04-15T16:54:04.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being hungry has 2 parts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;physical sensation of hunger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thought proliferation due to this sensation like though of food, what you want to eat, etc. which cause more sensations due to sentiments and emotions associated with these memories when they come in contact with the mind sense door&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to tackle this in couple of ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reduce though polifration&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realise and return to the object of meditation. At this point ignore it. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calm down the fabrications at least the verbal fabrications to start with and mental fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tackle the physical sensation&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising of gross sensations can be of limit in development of higher concentration and insight as it can be a distraction. But at some stage of meditation when you look at the sensation aware of the arising and passing, the sensation will dissappear. If that is the case use it to get rid of the sensation by looking at the arising and passing of phenomena but keeping your mind in balance so it does not turn into a craving to get rid of the sensation. At this point you are using the sensation of hunger as the object. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-15T17:00:45.337" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T17:00:45.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8607" CreationDate="2015-04-15T17:24:00.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One aspect of taking refuge is your commitment to develop the qualities of the triple gem in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes you can do it on your own without anyone else involved. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't need an external entity to call you Buddhist or declare that you are a Buddhist, it all depends on your cultivation and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Edited from the Wikipedia link to make it complete)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having taken refuge in the Buddha a Buddhist should not go for refuge to other deities or teachers salvation and enlightenment. (You are making a commitment to practice the Buddha's path with faith that this reaches the final goal of enlightenment and salvation and setting aside other practice hoping that it will take you there so you are given fair trial to the technique. Setting aside other practices so you have faith in what practice gave you the results. ) You should understand and try to develop the qualities of the Buddha in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having taken refuge in the Dharma a Buddhist should do no harm to other sentient beings. Also set aside other practices, teachings, rights and rituals aimed at achieving enlightenment. Also develop the qualities of the Dhamma in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having taken refuge in the Sangha a Buddhist should not rely on heretics (teachers and practitioners of other forms of rights and rituals aimed at achieving enlightenment and salvation) as means to achieve enlightenment. Also develop the qualities of the Sangha in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-15T18:29:07.980" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T18:29:07.980" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2015-04-15T17:43:54.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Main motivator for all worldly beings is sensations. You chase after pleasant sensations or pleasures and avoid the unpleasant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the above case one person is motivated by craving for a new car and the other is motivated by the goal sans craving. The latter might have a balanced mind in his pursuit keeping things objective but maybe slack as the drive maybe less. The other person may not have the same mental balance but may pursue the goal more vigorously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being more vigorous may not be the deciding factor in the achievements of the goal ultimately. Loss of mental balance may motivate non conducive paths like stealing which might in fact hinder the achievement of the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T17:43:54.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8580" CreationDate="2015-04-15T17:51:39.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You cannot attach a time frame but the shortest part for an average being (without prior practice in a particular type of meditation) is through Anapana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Nirvana you do not feel the mental pain. In Niroda Samapathi you don't have mental and physical pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-15T17:51:39.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1913" CreationDate="2015-04-15T23:34:20.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Currently I'm trying to read the &quot;Stilling the Mind&quot; by Alan Wallace. Although he tries to be detailed and didactic, it's very dense. In this book he translates and explains Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence, from Dzogchen school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understood correctly, he uses the expression &lt;strong&gt;substrate consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; for &lt;em&gt;alayavijnana&lt;/em&gt;, and he says that in Theravada it's called &lt;em&gt;bhavanga&lt;/em&gt;. The five senses and the mind manifest in it. Dreams and after-death bardo also happens on &lt;em&gt;alayavijnana&lt;/em&gt;, acording to Alan Wallace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't like a soul, but it is a &lt;em&gt;continuum of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. It gives the sense of continuity of time, and even after sleeping it allows us to feel this continuity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it isn't a self, which is disclaimed by &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;. But it could be said that it is a self &lt;strong&gt;devoid of&lt;/strong&gt; color, sound, smell, taste, shape or concepts. So it's not a common self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if &lt;em&gt;alayavijnana&lt;/em&gt; is permanent, but it lasts more than the phenomena of the five senses, the mind and the dreams. It seems that &lt;em&gt;alayavijnana&lt;/em&gt; is the consciousness that enable the manifestation of phenomena, or that perceives them manifesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T17:29:21.767" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T17:29:21.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8639" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-15T23:58:03.820" Score="4" ViewCount="675" Body="&lt;p&gt;If access concentration, or at most the first jhana, is the requirement for successful insight meditation what is the purpose of the other form and formless jhanas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5008" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:42:20.357" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:42:20.357" Title="Purpose beyond first Jhana?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8055" CreationDate="2015-04-16T01:16:06.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suchness means there is no construing. Kalaka Sutta may be useful to know the meaning of &quot;such&quot;:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.024.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5004" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T01:16:06.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8639" CreationDate="2015-04-16T01:29:08.827" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although the higher jhanas are not required, they're strongly encouraged by the Buddha evident in the high frequency with which they are mentioned throughout the suttas. Ven. Gunaratana in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/a&gt; wrote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha is constantly seen in the suttas encouraging his disciples to develop jhana. The four jhanas are invariably included in the complete course of training laid down for disciples. They figure in the training as the discipline of higher consciousness (adhicittasikkha), right concentration (sammasamadhi) of the Noble Eightfold Path, and the faculty and power of concentration (samadhindriya, samadhibala). Though a vehicle of dry insight can be found, indications are that this path is not an easy one, lacking the aid of the powerful serenity available to the practitioner of jhana. The way of the jhana attainer seems by comparison smoother and more pleasurable (A.ii,150-52). The Buddha even refers to the four jhanas figuratively as a kind of Nibbana: he calls them immediately visible Nibbana, factorial Nibbana, Nibbana here and now (A.iv,453-54).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T01:29:08.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8639" CreationDate="2015-04-16T03:29:40.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially you don't need much Jhana to start with. (This is needed towards the end of the journey but if you can develop it from the start it is well and good but not necessary. ) But wisdom is built on the foundations of concentration, so as your practice matures and wisdom increase you have to develop concentration to match wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the general case, wisdom and concentration are co integrated, wisdom doesn't too far from the level of concentration you have, like a dog on a leash or 2 ends of a stick. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.9-Maha-Salayatanika-S-m149-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Salayatanika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions balancing the two.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it don't matter if wisdom or concentration develops in you 1st. If concentration develops use this as a tool to develop wisdom. If wisdom develops then use it to develop morality and concentration, and further use this to develop wisdom further. This is a cycle where you develop each item in increments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to start your insight practice shallow level of Jhana is sufficient but you have to deepen it to progress into higher insights. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T17:13:21.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8556" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:04:24.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is not seeing things as they are due to clouding by our perception, views, unskilled nature scattered nature of our mind. In relation to unsatisfactory nature of existence, it is not seeing the 3 marks of existence, the 4 noble truths and dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Delusion can be the perception and view itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:04:24.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8416" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:16:04.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment is due to build up of perception. Your perception builds a mental model of relationship and expectations around the perception of a person or entity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to tackle this in 2 fronts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 1. Contemplate the nature of existence and relationships to reduce your polarity&#xA; 2. Do Insight Meditation to rid your self of erroneous perceptions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:16:04.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8639" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:16:04.560" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The formless jhanas are useful for understanding later stages but all require at least first jhana to cultivate successfully. In some circles they are considered &lt;em&gt;recreational&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;dangerous&lt;/em&gt; to dwell in unnecessarily.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Remember that the Buddha mastered these states and declared them all incomplete.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Daniel Ingram in &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; and many others, only access concentration is required to have a reasonable chance at success with insight practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st jhana is reccommended though because this is a stabilized form of access.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though this is true, it doesn't change the fact that the 4th jhana is &lt;strong&gt;true concentration&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking what the point of true concentration is... is like asking &quot;what is the point of perfect, clean water? &lt;strong&gt;It is just more skillful and beneficial.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st jhana, 2nd, and 3rd are inferior and have flaws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st jhana is fuddled and filled with coarse thoughts and effort--&lt;em&gt;relative to the other jhanas&lt;/em&gt;. It is still a supermundane release far beyond the scope of the Desire Realm, beyond anything any typical person can experience in their lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd jhana, although filled with unsurpassed joy and unprecedented &lt;em&gt;effortlessness&lt;/em&gt;, is still joy--an emotion that is not conducive to perfect equanimity and stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd jhana, has left behind the flawed joy of the previous jhanas and is filled with extreme bliss and focus. This is nearly perfect but this bliss is &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; perfect and &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; amazing that it is said that the brahamas who are in the 3rd jhana heaven (the person died and was reborn in the 3rd jhana heaven) were totally physically blissed out... that they couldn't come down to listen to the Buddha's sermons, even at his invitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, we come to the 4th jhana. The perfect place of one-pointedness. The place you want to be if you want to get things done so to speak because mental clarity and focus is at its apex and all the other (positive) slightly unstable qualities of the previous jhanas subside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this makes sense and I hope you will study the details for yourself further, especially by reading Bhikkhu Bodhi's explanations and The Mind Experiment by Bavo Lievens (from whom I shared the above story about 3rd jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T02:41:18.623" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T02:41:18.623" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1913" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:24:00.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Y4nZK.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;excerpt from How to Measure&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself said that he didn't want to talk about the alaya because people would confuse it for a permanent self.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;So the answer to your 2nd question is a clear and emphatic NO.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's honor his advice and not philosophize about it too much either because understanding and transforming the alaya (and the rest of the consciousness skandha) is the work of a bodhisattva who has mastered the jhanas and already attained Arhatship, something we are not at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand... (from Wikipedia):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A similar perspective is give by Walpola Rahula. According to Walpola&#xA;Rahula, all the elements of the Yogācāra storehouse-consciousness are&#xA;already found in the Pāli Canon.[36] He writes that the three layers&#xA;of the mind (citta, manas, and vijñana) as presented by Asaṅga are&#xA;also mentioned in the Pāli Canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we can see that 'Vijñāna' represents the simple reaction or&#xA;response of the sense organs when they come in contact with external&#xA;objects. This is the uppermost or superficial aspect or layer of the&#xA;'Vijñāna-skandha'. 'Manas' represents the aspect of its mental&#xA;functioning, thinking, reasoning, conceiving ideas, etc. 'Citta' which&#xA;is here called 'Ālayavijñāna', represents the deepest, finest and&#xA;subtlest aspect or layer of the Aggregate of consciousness. It&#xA;contains all the traces or impressions of the past actions and all&#xA;good and bad future possibilities.[37]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, go to page 217 of How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization for the clearest account on Alaya that currently exists--at least one that I trust--since we are in the territory of Mind-Only after all... The book is a little expensive but worth it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is a dump of that sub-chapter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THE EIGHTH (ALAYA) CONSCIOUSNESS The seventh consciousness deposits&#xA;its impressions on the eighth consciousness, or alaya, which, as we&#xA;have seen, functions as the storehouse of all the residual impressions&#xA;left by the functioning of the prior seven consciousnesses. The alaya&#xA;does no real judging on its own. Instead, it serves as the neutral&#xA;storehouse of all the ìseedsî or germs of everything within the Three&#xA;Realms, including all our ideas and the impressions we experience.&#xA;This is why it is often called the ìstorehouse of our seeds of&#xA;experience.î It is also sometimes called the ìreceptacle&#xA;consciousnessî due to the fact that these seeds lie within it. Since&#xA;the intermingling of the seeds produces our karma, which is the&#xA;retribution of actions we commit in either this life or from previous&#xA;lives, it is also at times called the ìretribution consciousness.î All&#xA;the consciousnesses have various names, and these are just a few that&#xA;we have for the alaya. Asanga said, ìthe objective world and the&#xA;subjective ego are only manifestations of the universal consciousness&#xA;[alaya],î which helps us further understand its great functioning.&#xA;Since the fruits or phenomena which evolve from it mature at varying&#xA;times and in varying categories, it is also called the ìvarying&#xA;maturing consciousness.î The universal ground of the alaya is a&#xA;neutral state, like a mirror which simply reflects things but whose&#xA;images are neither good nor bad in themselves. The alaya consciousness&#xA;is omnipresent, but if it were not for the functioning of the other&#xA;seven consciousnesses, it would not create good and bad karma or&#xA;interact with phenomena. Therefore it is described as ìnonrevolving&#xA;and indefinite.î In the novel The Journey to the West, the fact that&#xA;the monk Xuan Zang always seemed so useless was because he represented&#xA;this ìnonrevolvingî eighth consciousness which is ineffective by&#xA;itself. In the story, the monk always had to rely on the efforts of&#xA;the monkey Sun Wu-kung to get anything done because the monkey&#xA;represented the actionable working mind or sixth consciousness. In&#xA;describing how consciousness works, it is easiest to say that the&#xA;seeds within the alaya ìsurfaceî and are engendered: when conditions&#xA;are proper, seeds that are normally covered sprout so as to give rise&#xA;to the corresponding experiences. Thus, it is the alaya consciousness&#xA;that ultimately gives birth to the manifestation of phenomenal states,&#xA;and this happens when the proper conditions come together so that&#xA;relevant experiences and circumstances can manifest. In other words,&#xA;the seeds within the alaya are always being ìperfumedî&#xA;(cross-pollinated, or cross-fertilized) by the first seven&#xA;consciousnesses. Furthermore, the seeds within it are always being&#xA;influenced by each other because of mutual interaction. This is the&#xA;process of ceaseless, subtle transformation that defines the alayaís&#xA;workings, and the subtle nature of this transformation is the reason&#xA;that no super-computer could ever perfectly predict the karma&#xA;determined by the alaya. Nevertheless, through this process of&#xA;turning, perfuming or transforming, our karma is always being&#xA;determined, and sometimes this karma can be foreknown. As a side note,&#xA;this is also the key for how you can change or defer unfortunate karma&#xA;that is due. Simply prevent the necessary contributing circumstances&#xA;from transpiring, and then the environment that would produce bad&#xA;fortune will not occur. Rather, it will have to wait for another time&#xA;to manifest when all the proper conditions come together. When you&#xA;become enlightened, you will even learn how to change your karma&#xA;rather than defer it. You will also become able to understand the&#xA;eventual karmic results of all deeds, as well as see the prior acts&#xA;responsible for someoneís current karmic conditions. While the various&#xA;seeds within the alaya are engendered to affect the various&#xA;consciousnesses and bring about experiential realms, we must remember&#xA;that the consciousnesses simultaneously perfume the seeds, so they&#xA;become in their turn causes which perfume and mature seeds, and which&#xA;thereby in turn produce further seeds of experience. The seeds, the&#xA;consciousnesses that perfume them, and the seeds subsequently&#xA;engendered by this perfuming revolve in a cycle, simultaneously and&#xA;reciprocally acting as cause and effect. This is the perfuming of&#xA;subtle transformation, a process of interconnected seeds rushing&#xA;onwards as a torrential whole whose miraculous movements can never be&#xA;stopped. Mind will always be, and the material world will always be,&#xA;and there is no possible stopping of either. This is why you must&#xA;learn detachment, and how to skillfully master these processes. This&#xA;is a very deep and complicated topic. It is so profound that it is&#xA;very easy to take it the wrong way. The Dharma master Xuan Zang tried&#xA;to summarize these principles by saying, a seed produces a&#xA;manifestation, and a manifestation perfumes a seed (simultaneously&#xA;acts as a cause and effect). The seeds, the manifestation and&#xA;perfuming turn on and on, functioning at one and the same time as&#xA;cause and effect. ... Consciousness, from beginningless time, is born&#xA;and perishes again from moment to moment, ever successively changing.&#xA;As cause it perishes and as fruit it is born again. Through the&#xA;evolution of the other consciousnesses the alaya is perfumed and forms&#xA;seeds (of future experience). Its sequence of cause and effect is like&#xA;a rushing torrent which flows ever onward in sequence, carrying with&#xA;it [seeds which] sometimes float and sometimes sink [assume greater or&#xA;lesser roles of activity and passivity]. Thus, there is the successive&#xA;sequence from beginninglessness of being born and perishing, so that&#xA;there is neither permanence nor impermanence. When you finally become&#xA;a Buddha through your cultivation efforts, all the seeds of your alaya&#xA;consciousness will have been transformed to become pure virtue. Your&#xA;stream of mind events and behavior will have all assumed a virtuous&#xA;character that is unimaginable. When you reach the realm of the alaya&#xA;consciousness through spiritual cultivation and transform it into a&#xA;purified, cleansed consciousness, then you can completely ìilluminate&#xA;mind and see the true nature.î This is when you can transform it back&#xA;into its original inherent identity as the matrix womb of the Buddhas.&#xA;This is sort of like flipping any yin aspect of the alaya into a yang&#xA;aspect entirely. When you do this we can call the alaya consciousness&#xA;the ìenlightenment Tathagata Storehouse,î but before this achievement&#xA;it is simply called the alaya or eighth consciousness. Before becoming&#xA;a fully enlightened Buddha, the three kinds of seeds that are&#xA;necessary for attaining self-realization remain inactive. They are&#xA;there, but you never activate them because you do not cultivate the&#xA;conditions that lead to their germination. In other words, you do not&#xA;put in the required efforts of spiritual cultivation, so the&#xA;fruitional results of these seeds do not manifest, but remain covered.&#xA;All beings naturally possess these three seeds, but they are not&#xA;engendered until they are activated through spiritual striving. These&#xA;three seeds include: (1) the seeds for reaching the Hearer state of&#xA;attainment (sravaka), which is achieved through listening to the&#xA;dharma (2) the seeds for reaching the pratyeka-buddha stage, which&#xA;allow you to attain enlightenment without being taught (3) the seeds&#xA;for reaching the Bodhisattva enlightenment, which allow you to enter&#xA;the Mahayana path The alaya contains the seeds of all experiences,&#xA;including the seeds of being attached to the physical body and&#xA;sensations that are afflictive barriers to spiritual attainment. Thus,&#xA;because of the seeds in the alaya, we all carry around the habit&#xA;energy of five sources of error that are major barriers to cultivation&#xA;progress, called the five fundamental dwellings: the love of views,&#xA;love of desire, love of form, love of the formless, and love of&#xA;ignorance. These dwellings of mind always cause affliction and&#xA;suffering. Only when you reach the stage of a Buddha can you be free&#xA;of these views and experience the immediate presence, or crystal&#xA;clarity of nirvana. At this point of spiritual attainment you will&#xA;have transformed all the consciousnesses into wisdom functionings. The&#xA;alaya acts as a storehouse of the seeds of impressions, but when it is&#xA;finally transformed into an enlightened Buddha mind, all things are&#xA;manifestly reflected and can be seen as they really are; there is no&#xA;intercession of thoughts or idealized images in the way. Thus, when&#xA;someone empties the volition skandha and starts cultivating the pure&#xA;aggregate of consciousness, they are at the very edge of enlightenment&#xA;but not yet awakened to the great matter. At this point, a spiritual&#xA;aspirant will be clear and illuminated both inside and out, and we say&#xA;they will be able to ìenter without entering.î In other words, the six&#xA;sense faculties will be empty and still, and they will no longer run&#xA;off in disarray. This does not mean that the sense consciousnesses&#xA;will not work anymore, rather it just means they will be clear no&#xA;matter what they confront, and so they will function without any&#xA;obstructions. At this point you will be able to perceive things&#xA;whether the sense organs are operating or not, so you will no longer&#xA;be subject to the limitations of the six sense faculties. In fact, at&#xA;this stage of attainment you can use the eye to hear or nose to see&#xA;since you have reached the root source of the six sense&#xA;consciousnesses where they are still undifferentiated. The realm&#xA;without entry is the impetus behind the famous spiritual cultivation&#xA;method of Avalokiteshvara, which involves listening to sound to trace&#xA;hearing back to its source. In this method, which was highly&#xA;recommended for our world by the Buddha Manjusri, you return the&#xA;function of the hearing-consciousness to the consciousness skandha,&#xA;and then fathom the stillness or emptiness within to realize the&#xA;self-nature and attain Tao. As Avalokiteshvara reported: I initially&#xA;entered the stream of meditation through the sense of hearing, and&#xA;thereby forgot the sound of what was heard. As a result, both sounds&#xA;(disturbances) and silence (stillness) ceased to arise. Gradually&#xA;advancing in this way, both hearing and what was heard both melted&#xA;away and vanished, but I did not stop where they ended. When hearing&#xA;and what was heard were both forgotten (became empty), there was&#xA;nothing to rely upon because hearing left no impression in the mind.&#xA;When a sense (like hearing) and the objects of sense both become empty&#xA;(in this way), then emptiness and sense merge and reach a state of&#xA;absolute perfection. When emptiness and what is being emptied are both&#xA;extinguished (emptied or forgotten), then arising and extinction&#xA;vanished. At this point the absolute emptiness of nirvana became&#xA;manifest, and suddenly I transcended the mundane and supramundane&#xA;worlds.4 Thus, it is said, ìEntering the stream, you forget about&#xA;where you are, and the entry is already still.î It is also said,&#xA;ìReturning the hearing, listen to your nature till the nature reaches&#xA;the supreme way.î At this time you will be able to comprehend the&#xA;source of all the beings throughout the entire universe, which means&#xA;you will be able to ìobserve the origin.î Although people do not&#xA;normally recognize it as such, the ability to perceive the fundamental&#xA;nature face-to-face is actually the goal of modern science. But&#xA;science goes about it in a way that will never succeed. Hopefully the&#xA;time will come when scientists recognize that you do not have to&#xA;perform investigations with external machines and instruments and&#xA;mathematics to ìobserve the origin,î but you can investigate reality&#xA;using spiritual prajna and samadhi. When you arrive at the skandha of&#xA;consciousness because you have liberated yourself from false thoughts,&#xA;you are almost free of the world of defilements, though you have not&#xA;finished with it completely. Only when you finally free yourself from&#xA;the aggregate of consciousness can you reach complete&#xA;self-realization. In other words, enlightenment can be partial or&#xA;complete, and partial enlightenment has its own various stages (or&#xA;bhumis). Upon enlightenment a practitionerís mind and body, together&#xA;with the entire universe, become fused into one, and this whole seems&#xA;illumined all the way through like a crystal clear sphere suffused&#xA;with light and absent of any obstructions. This is pure, true wondrous&#xA;illumination, the perfect purity of fundamental enlightenment. When&#xA;the Bible says God is light, it is referring to this state of empty,&#xA;infinite, omniscient clarity presence rather than physical light. It&#xA;is actually a state of perfect clarity, but the Tibetans sometimes&#xA;call this ìluminosityî or ìilluminationî for lack of better terms.&#xA;They also call it the ìclear light,î which refers to the primordial&#xA;knowing wisdom awareness that is unborn and unconstructed. All the&#xA;spiritual schools have trouble describing this, so there are many&#xA;different terms. This is the thing that is inherent in life; this is&#xA;what is real. Go East or West and it is still there, be born into any&#xA;religion and it is still the same. Phenomena change but this never&#xA;changes; it is always still there, always constant. We say this&#xA;fundamental nature is empty, but it is also wondrous existence. This&#xA;is why we call it the dharmadhatu (the Realm of Reality), Tathagata&#xA;(Thus Come One), tathagatagarbha (Womb of the Tathagatas), True&#xA;Thusness and so on besides True Suchness, or Emptiness. When you reach&#xA;this point of self-realization, you are free from reckoning by form,&#xA;sensation, cognition, volition and consciousness and have thus cut off&#xA;all the skandhas at the root. This is why you can see the karma of all&#xA;beings in every direction, for you can understand the totality of&#xA;empty but interdependent origination. This stage of attainment is the&#xA;hardest to describe, for words fail when talking of self-realization.&#xA;Since it is beyond the five skandhas and has the capacity of wisdom&#xA;awareness or direct knowing, we just refer to it as true mind. When&#xA;through using your mind you can bring an entire galaxy to the palm of&#xA;your hand for all to see, as seen in the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, we&#xA;are beginning to talk a little of the abilities of true mind. However,&#xA;to exercise such functioning also requires great merit. As a lama once&#xA;remarked to the Tibetan Master Gampopa, ìA Bodhisattva can demonstrate&#xA;miraculous powers by placing multiple galaxies into the smallest&#xA;particle of dust. The dust particle does not grow bigger, and the&#xA;galaxies do not grow smaller, yet the one can fit into the other. How&#xA;amazing!î Gampopa replied, ìThis is simply the nature of phenomena,&#xA;wherein almost anything can be achieved. The eyes of human beings can&#xA;see the whole of a face; a four inch mirror can capture horses and&#xA;elephants; a small bowl of water can reflect the entire moon.î&#xA;Gampopa, after saying this, then transformed himself into a figure as&#xA;large as a mountain, yet he still fit into a room that could only hold&#xA;several people. The room did not grow larger, and neither did&#xA;Gampopaís body grow smaller. This was an exhibition of the functioning&#xA;of the capabilities of true mind, and since this demonstrative ability&#xA;lies outside the realm of the five skandhas, we can truly call this&#xA;ability ìgreat merit.î If people want to evaluate such matters in more&#xA;detail, they must cultivate to reach some stage of attainment in order&#xA;to gain the appropriate understanding. They would also make headway if&#xA;they studied the prajna teachings of the Madhyamika, the Mind-only&#xA;teachings of Yogacara, and if they became familiar with the Surangama&#xA;Sutra, the Lankavatara Sutra, the Prajnaparamitra Sutras, the Flower&#xA;Adornment Sutra, the Sutra of Queen Srimala, and the Buddha Maitreyaís&#xA;various wisdom sastras which were transmitted by Asanga. Why are&#xA;prajna transcendental wisdom teachings so important on this particular&#xA;journey? Because prajna is that which enables you to understand the&#xA;Tao, and properly cultivate the spiritual path. Prajna transcendental&#xA;wisdom is not ordinary human intelligence, because intelligence is&#xA;conceptual in nature and limited to your previous knowledge,&#xA;experience, feelings and images. The true dharmakaya, on the other&#xA;hand, is inconceivable; only prajna transcendental wisdom can lead you&#xA;to its very borders. Prajna wisdom is beyond common intelligence and&#xA;wisdom because it can lead you to comprehend the essence and origin of&#xA;lifeóour original, fundamental nature. Naturally intellectual study or&#xA;conception or cognition cannot possibly achieve this end result&#xA;because wisdom is only realized through the nonconceptual state, which&#xA;is not, by the way, like a blank state of stupor or oblivion. The&#xA;nonconceptual state can be likened to the surface of a calm, still&#xA;lake wherein the stars and trees and sky are perfectly reflectedóin&#xA;clarity and distinctnessó because the lake has no concept of itself to&#xA;interfere with the reflection. It has no flaws or imperfections, and&#xA;it does not function with any degree of attachment. Therefore the&#xA;reflections appear naturally as they really are, without any bias or&#xA;distortion. Prajna is the awareness direct knowing nature that sees&#xA;things as they really are. You only achieve the great prajna wisdom&#xA;through completely engaging in the proper process of spiritual&#xA;cultivation. Because of this effort of spiritual cultivation, at the&#xA;moment of enlightenment, your own treasury of wisdom opens up. We say&#xA;it ìexplodes forth,î but all such words fail because this is something&#xA;inexpressible that cannot be explained. For instance, it does not come&#xA;forth through mental effort. Rather, it comes naturallyóit just&#xA;ìflowsîóyet you have to cultivate to reach this experience of&#xA;awakening. It is so important that it is the only thing worthwhile in&#xA;the universe. Your purpose in cultivating is to know it and experience&#xA;it, and you tread the path of spiritual cultivation to get there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T17:07:17.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8408" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:37:17.740" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Aversion and attachment is due to polarity of perception. (Ignorance is clouding due to perception, unskilled and scattered nature of our mind.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By reducing perception or riding itself through meditation will help you avoid such dilemmas either way you choose to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the world runs on perception and all worldly people are polarized by perception, as an inspiration to others it would be wise to slant yourself to what is generally accepted as pious and good. (But not driven by attachments or perception. )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:37:17.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:43:14.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially you may feel that you are volatile as you get to experience sensations and formations that trigger different emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key is you should practice equanimity. With this firmly established, then your volatility of emotions will subsided as your are nor reacting to sensations or formations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:43:14.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7967" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:53:25.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is something that you should study well and put to practice. It is not something that you learn like a right, ritual, custom, theory, pure science, logic or philosophy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T04:53:25.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7925" CreationDate="2015-04-16T04:59:52.760" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 main bodily functions. The breath and the heartbeat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In calming the bodily fabrications it is not just calming the breath until it stops. When the breath stops then you have to look at any movement on the body. Generally it will be the heartbeat. This will also eventually slowdown and stop. This is the point where you have calmed down all bodily fabrications. (In context of Anapana you have completed the 1st 4 stages.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T16:01:59.647" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T16:01:59.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2015-04-16T05:06:32.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You experience it when the 5 aggregates cease momentarily and then starts again. You see Dependent Origination and this experience causes a paradigm shift and your perceptions are charged for ever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T05:06:32.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7934" CreationDate="2015-04-16T05:10:22.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Breaking the practice to 2 sessions is helpful and advisable. In case you experience any hindrances at a particular session you have at least the other session which might be more productive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T05:10:22.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7986" CreationDate="2015-04-16T05:36:26.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of self identity or perception of self is a source of misery, as you continuously compare your perception with reality and get disappointed or carried away when there is a gap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since perception of self identity is a source of misery you should try to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reduce the polarity of the perception of self. One such way is to contemplate there is no self (at least as perceived within the framework of conventional wisdom.). This will not completely remove perception. There will be residue or worse, a perception with the opposite polarity. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;practice meditation to experience the cessation of perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here conventional wisdom is &quot;wisdom&quot; that can be perceived, comprehend, though within the field of perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate reality is something that you experienced with the cessation of perception, something leading to the cessation of perception, not comprehended by though or perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self identity is a perception or notion that we have built in our minds. With the cessation of perception the notion or view of self dissappear. So in the realm of ultimate reality there is no self. But this is due to a paradigm shift in our thinking due to cessation of perception and notion but the process which we perceived or identified as a entity before still continues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you have not experienced the cessation of perception, it is wise not to ponder on the subject of self and not self too much as this itself maybe building perceptions of the opposite polarity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T05:52:54.050" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T05:52:54.050" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8006" CreationDate="2015-04-16T05:49:29.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The situation you mentioned is covered in the Drum Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to put this right is to learn the original teaching and practice it. When you build self confidence in the practice through experience teach what you practiced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as there are people practicing and teaching the 4 foundation of mindfullness, the Dhamma shall endure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intellectual debate and corrections at the level of perception maybe of some help but would be limited as sometimes others may not agree because it is perceived by their intellect and perception than experience. When people has verified something at the experiential level the confidence is unshakable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T05:49:29.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8028" CreationDate="2015-04-16T06:20:41.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should have some faith in the Buddha, the practice the Buddha taught (the way out of unsatisfactory nature of existence) and your teacher and the spiritual community you rely on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not have some faith in any of the above you will not learn the technique properly or practice in earnest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate faith would be gained when you experience the results of the practice. If faith is not backed by experience then it can be very dangerous as you can develop confidence in erroneous concepts and hold on to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T12:47:18.017" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T12:47:18.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8028" CreationDate="2015-04-16T07:23:27.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So if there is something I want, something I judge important, should I have faith that it will come true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it depends on what you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to win the lottery then, probably not. I mean, maybe having such a faith might help you psychologically somehow, but there's no real reason to assume that faith is justified i.e. that you will in reality win the lottery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely if you want to follow the Buddha's teaching, then maybe that faith &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; justified. The Buddha said that he taught suffering and the end of suffering, and there's probably reason to believe that if you learn what he taught then the outcome may be as predicted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3681/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; which, describe faith in Buddhism i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;śraddhā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, having 'faith' will help you to begin to practice even before you have a complete/perfect knowledge/wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T07:23:27.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8050" CreationDate="2015-04-16T10:02:09.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as there are people who practice the 4 foundation of mindfullness there will be a people who have attainment some stage of sainthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are only a few who have achieved it is because the practice has reduced. Many call them selves Buddhist but do not practice the 4 foundation of mindfullness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you have to practice it in the right way then success will follow. But again in bussy modern times the time and temperament to devote a lot of time to practice is lacking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T10:02:09.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8057" CreationDate="2015-04-16T10:36:46.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No worldly activity is entirely satisfying or entirely pleasurable. You seam to be realising that and directing your energy and prioritizing what matters like earnings your livelihood. I.e. you are loosing the will to chase after pleasure and thrills as you have realized that this is not entirely satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very normal I would think. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T10:36:46.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8087" CreationDate="2015-04-16T10:49:12.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are changing after some sensation or the other through these chemicals. The addiction is to the sensations the chemicals create.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st you have to identify the craving for these sensations and try to resist as much as possible and try to keep your equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to get all the help you can get. Hence seeking medical advice is also a good option to compliment any route you take through meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T10:49:12.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8660" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-16T10:59:44.940" Score="7" ViewCount="4933" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been reading books on Buddhism, Zen, meditation. All mention observing one's thoughts and let it pass. My question is where does thought arise from and do thoughts create karma by just thinking about them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5010" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T18:16:11.183" LastActivityDate="2018-01-29T10:47:55.397" Title="Where do thoughts arise?" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2015-04-16T11:07:08.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a kid I used to download a lot of software and movies using torrents. Even if something illegal is done, it doesn't necessarily mean that it violates a precept. But can this be considered as stealing in Buddhism? How can this be explained according to the Buddhist view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we are told to take oneself as the example, so if you put effort, hire others to create a movie or software, and then someone copies it without compensating you, would you like that? If the answer is no, then don't do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When many people copy SW and movies, it is a disincentive for people to produce newer and better SW/Movies. It also discourages others as well. For example in countries where people could download SW/movies with impunity, their own SW/movie industries never progressed. Also it creates a culture where people are creative leeches instead of being creative. That is why countries that value and protect IP (NA, Europe) are also the most creative in SW, Pharmaceuticals, movies, literature, etc. Open Source SW and free visual entertainment on YouTube are alternates, also initiated and promoted by people in countries that value and protect IP. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am rather surprised to read some answers above rationalizing the illegal downloading of SW/movies. On those terms industrial espionage is also justified, where its ok to spy on one's competitors and steal their intellectual property instead of developing your own. So according to those answers industries that depend on patents, IP, copyrights like knowledge industries (e.g. lynda.com, udemy), pharmaceuticals, entertainment, publishing, etc are open for exploitation from Buddhists. I think not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that the factors that constitute theft is given in the commentaries, and back then IP, patents and copyright were not defined as well.  In the Viskhauposatha Sutta we read the Buddha's definition of the 2nd precept: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'For all their lives the arahants dwell having abandoned taking what&#xA;  is not given, refrain from taking what is not given, they are takers&#xA;  of what is given, those who expect only what is given, themselves&#xA;  become clean without thieving; so today I dwell, for this night and&#xA;  day, having abandoned taking what is not given, refraining from taking&#xA;  what is not given. I am a taker of what is given, one who expects only&#xA;  what is given, by myself become clean without thieving. By this&#xA;  practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be entered&#xA;  on by me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, by downloading SW and movies you have &quot;taken&quot; the creative efforts of others without such items being properly &quot;given&quot; to you. You have &quot;taken&quot; something, which was not &quot;given&quot;. As Buddhists we must respect the property rights of others, including their creative efforts. By illegally downloading SW/Movies, the chances are you acted out of greed, desire (loba), ego. Now it is one thing to do something wrong and know its wrong, but its another to do something wrong and think its right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T11:22:47.283" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T11:22:47.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8112" CreationDate="2015-04-16T11:26:46.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What your key focus in the practice should be&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever the tradition the object is to see the phenomena arising and passing knowing their characteristics of impermanence maintaining perfect equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you get carried away with the reciting instead of using this as a tool to keep your focus and keep looking at the arising and passing of phenomena in an equanimous manner, then you may get stressed and may not get the results you are looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Key is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;look at the phenomena as your primary focus and the recital as a tool to keep the focus&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;keep equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understand the true nature of phenomena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keeping up your practice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also to keep you in track recall:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can practice only as a human being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you may not live to take the next breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T02:46:40.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T02:46:40.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8122" CreationDate="2015-04-16T11:36:13.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can get enlightened by getting rid of clinging and craving. I.e. when a contract or formation gives arise to a sensation be equanimous without reaction knowing its true nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T11:36:13.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8639" CreationDate="2015-04-16T11:45:38.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those intent on Anagami or Arhatship in this very life will require to gain mastery of the 4 jhanas. Sotapatti or Sakadagami does not require mastery of the jhanas, but requires a fair level of tranquil concentration akin to the first jhana. This level of concentration will materialize as a virtuous one with right view practices yoniso manasikara diligently. For Anagami and Arhatship even after the attainment of the two lower states one still requires to progress to the 4th jhana. We see the Buddha encouraging and advising Ven Maha Moggallana post Sotapatti with the latter's jhana practice. Your question reminded me of something I read about Ven Sariputta's teachings philosophy, where he was most concerned with a student up to the point the student attained to right view (ie. Sotapatti) thus assured of Nibbana albeit with several life times to go, verses Ven. Moggallana teaching philosophy where he considered any form of existence like excrement and encouraged his students to aim for nothing short of Arhatship, teaching them the mastery of the 4 Jhanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T11:45:38.770" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8125" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:05:14.160" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I am to interpret meditation leading to insight as meditation which takes you to the final goal then it should have the following characteristics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;should be based on the foundations of mindfullness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should come to a station where you experience the whole body, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should calm the body conditioner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you should look at sensations cultivating the factor of rapture and joy thus calming the mind conditioner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation devoid of the above may not take you to insight. Even if you take to develop concentration still you have to pass through these stations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:05:14.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8139" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:16:04.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagination, visualisation, verbalisation all leads to verbal fabrications. One objective of insight meditation is to progressively calm the fabrications. So any activity which feeds into creating fabrications and also perceptions is strongly discouraged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for a beginner you may use it as a aid if it helps, but it is discouraged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:16:04.960" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8142" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:21:47.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism mindfullness is being mindful of the arising and passing of phenomena pertaining to the mind matter process, while being equanimous and comprehending the true nature of the phenomena and the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By practicing the 4 foundations of mindfullness this is what you try to achieve. Being mindless in daily activities doesn't matter. Being mindful devoid of the above in daily activities like a circus girl doing her act will not help achieve liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:21:47.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:25:51.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is most certainly created by thought!  The Buddha described three doors of action through which karma is generated (see the Upajjhatthana Sutta as one example of this teaching).  One door is body (i.e. actions done with the body), another door is speech (verbal expression, writing, etc.), and the last door is mind.  This final door is characterized by any desire, thinking, planning, etc.  Karma literally means action.  It's a kind of moral momentum.  Acting in one way strengthens and ingrains a certain behavior.  Ruminating about something in your mind gives just as much strength to it as action.  It habituates you to that pattern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to where those thoughts are coming from, well, that's tougher to pin down and it's really not so important from a meditative standpoint.  You'll be hard pressed to point to one thought and say this came from this or that came from that; moreover, it's just going to distract your concentration.  Think of your mind as one of those snow globes.  All of those little flakes flying around are instances of karma, maybe some deeper expression of your subconscious (us yogacara folk call that alayavijnana), or whatever.  It's your job to first let them settle.  Worry about examining them later.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T12:37:26.297" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:37:26.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8188" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:37:26.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you have is a perception or nartion of self. With the cessation of perception your perception or notion of self disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the conventional sense we have the perception of self. Conventional wisdom is what can be perceived within the field of perception, out of which entity view is one such item. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the ultimate level there is no self. That is the realisation after the cessation of perception or knowledge beyond the field of perception. Self view being a perception when perception ceases so does the identity view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:37:26.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8024" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:49:16.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every phenomena pertaining to the mind matter process is in a flux of charge, thus there is no core which is unchanging, controllable by oneself or higher power thus there is nothing worthy of identifying as oneself or your soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the view on self is based on perception. With the cessation of perception this view also disappears. With no perception of self or self identification you can say there is no self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T12:49:16.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2015-04-16T12:52:14.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensation [in combination with perception] is the mind conditioner. Based on sensations further thinking and pondering arises which intern to fabrication. Fabrications lead to further experiences which give rise to sensation and cycle continues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Abhidhamma thoughts are heart based.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T03:46:12.030" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T03:46:12.030" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-04-16T13:07:56.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To give you personally fulfilment and happiness in everything you do. Could there be any other meaning for you? Some questions are merry-go-rounds, all take part and everyone goes round and round for fun. This one isn't like that. Or if it is, it is a roundabout for one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3695" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T13:07:56.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-04-16T13:25:30.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We don't see the nature of things since:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;our mind is not focused enough&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;our mind is clouded by perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my developing insight leading to the cessation of perception and developing concentration you can see things as they are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T13:25:30.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7368" CreationDate="2015-04-16T14:23:25.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer&lt;/strong&gt;: Because that's the way it is, and it doesn't matter.  Please read &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Parable of the Poisoned Arrow&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long Answer&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no satisfying answer to this question because we're only asking because things happen to be this way.  If they were another way, we'd ask why things were THAT way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be better to ask instead why you are asking that question.  Why not just accept that this is reality and that's that?  The very question you ask implies an attempt to give human existence cosmological importance. If so, what does this say about the attachment to your belief in your importance?  In short, is the question itself a symptom of an anthrocentric bias or agenda?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's bring this back to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know why things are the way they are, then there is a Buddhist parable which is THE BEST Buddhist teaching I've seen on this and other metaphysical questions. It's called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Parable of the Poisoned Arrow&lt;/a&gt;.  If you haven't read it, I recommend you do.  It teaches that only thing that matters is relieving your suffering, so stop the pointless speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you spend your time worrying about these things, then not only will you be distracted from the only thing that matters (relieving your suffering), but you may increase your suffering by agonizing about something you can't change.  Yes, nothing is more conducive to suffering than worrying about what's out of your control.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which brings us to suffering. Buddhism has its &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;. I'd interpret that as the 3 Marks of Experience. After all, suffering does not exist in the universe -- rocks, planets, and hydrogen atoms don't suffer, or at least I don't think they do.  Suffering is our REACTION to things, a reaction we can change, and this is where Buddhism is (and should always be)  situated.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to elevate suffering into some kind of cosmological principle misses the point, and makes relieving suffering harder, by dramatizing it. Realizing the true role of suffering can put it into perspective and this itself is a big step towards relieving it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-04-16T18:52:06.227" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T18:52:06.227" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2015-04-16T18:17:47.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thoughts are created by the mind's natural activity. It's what the mind does. It's like a muscle or hair follicle. What matters is our attachment to that thought. Karma is simply energy and attachment and by attaching ourselves to the thoughts of a temporary vehicle (our body and mind), we are destined for suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're a fellow geek, you may get a lot out of the research from Dr. Fred Travis. He studies the brain and has done a lot of research on meditation and brain activity. He basically shows that meditation helps us rise past lower states of consciousnesses by disconnecting that &quot;word = object&quot; mentality. See Youtube, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXneA6hHLGc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brain Plasticity and Transcendental Meditation with Dr Fred Travis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting go of karma is thus attaining a higher form of humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T23:29:42.860" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T23:29:42.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8607" CreationDate="2015-04-16T18:36:12.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's the old adage, &quot;We don't become Buddhist. We just realize we already were Buddhist&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming Buddhist can be done alone by taking the 5 precepts and being earnest to follow the path; however, the path is hard. Thus, saying you're a Buddhist is really the easy part. Remaining on the Buddhist path is the hard part. At a minimum, you have to live compassionately and align your thoughts with your actions. That's pretty hard stuff and why the Buddha made the Sangha one of the three gems that help us with our practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other reason Sangha is important is that Buddhism is less about knowledge (although that's there) and more about wisdom. Wisdom allows us to gently work in difficult situations and be truly compassionate while others are filled with passions. The wise application of what you know generally comes by interacting with a teacher and other people. Other followers can catch you when you fall and provide an ear when you feel weak. That's difficult to do alone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T18:36:12.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8629" CreationDate="2015-04-16T18:48:02.757" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer has already been chosen, but I really wanted to provide a personal experience that may help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back in my 20s, I was in a Buddhist temple and witnessed a woman getting stabbed and raped. I was able to help her get away, but the angst from that 5 minute event haunted me for years. I would wake up in sweats and even get into fights with abusive men simply because I was still so angry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I finally did was go into deep meditation and picture the event as a bubble that would float away. I then pictured myself without that bubble. I (mentally) let it go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It goes back to what the Buddha first called the Forefold Truths, or the &quot;4&quot; in early language. First, you watch anger, emotions, (suffering) arise but instead of attaching to them, you understand that they are just something that's separate from you. You then use meditation to let them go and when you fully let go, you then have a chance at nirvana or total freedom. Keeping that practice of seeing, understanding and letting go is then the eightfold path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, being Buddhist is being at peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastEditorUserId="5012" LastEditDate="2015-04-22T22:56:43.333" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T22:56:43.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8678" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-16T19:09:09.333" Score="2" ViewCount="86" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often struggle with feelings of despair about not so much that I will die but my mortality, my insignificance in a time as time never ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it also occurred to me that actually everyone is in the same boat (so to speak) and so as long as we don't let &lt;strong&gt;things&lt;/strong&gt; define our value, then maybe life has meaning and value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that anything to do with emptiness, or is emptiness more an ontological doctrine than anything about value and meaningfulness ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T06:29:49.507" Title="Thing-hood in Buddhism and meaningfulness" Tags="|sunyata|nihilism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8631" CreationDate="2015-04-16T23:39:00.177" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's, in a way, like comparing apples and oranges. Theravada means teaching of the elders; all it means is taking the Pali tipitaka and commentaries as more or less orthodox, and denying any teaching that contradicts them. Within the Theravada, there are many Zen-like practices, and many practices wholly foreign to Zen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen, on the other hand, is I think fairly ill-defined, and means quite different things to different people. At its core is the concept of &quot;meditation first&quot;, hence the origin of the name itself. As such, and because there really isn't a Zen canon, it doesn't necessarily fall outside the Theravada at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practice, of course, there is much difference, but this can be attributed more to the specific Zen and Theravada teachers than the core principles. Zen teachers tend to take a comparatively lax view of the precepts, e.g. white lies and moderate alcohol consumption not breaking the precepts. They also tend to shun textual 'truth', which some may consider a defining difference. But even the Theravada clearly espouses the view that it is only through meditation that one can come to the truth and enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is Theravada is defined by its doctrine (the Pali canon and commentaries), whereas Zen is defined by its approach to doctrine (i.e. meditation over study). That might be simplistic, but it indicates that they are not a very good pair for comparison. Thich Nhat Hanh, for example, has stated the importance of the Pali canon in his writings, IIRC, which makes him potentially a Theravada-following Zen teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-16T23:39:00.177" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8562" CreationDate="2015-04-17T00:07:21.843" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How did the Buddha handle such situations in his time?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two famous schisms in the time of the Buddha; the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devadatta#Devadatta_in_the_Therav.C4.81da_Vinaya&quot;&gt;Devadatta schism&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosambi#The_schism_at_Kosambi&quot;&gt;Kosambi schism&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the former case, new, inexperienced monks were led astray by bogus teachings and the Buddha sent his two chief disciples to explain the truth to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the latter case, the Buddha tried to invoke the seventh means of settling disputes (adhikaranasamatha), called &quot;covering over with grass&quot; - i.e. agreeing to leave the past transgressions behind and start fresh. The monks refused and the Buddha abandoned them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To some extent, it's not very instructive to ask &quot;how did the Buddha handle X&quot;, since he was fully enlightened and knew how to best deal with every specific situation. Better to ask is how the Buddha taught one should deal with sangha politics. In this instance, he left fairly specific procedural teachings on how to avoid and deal with such affairs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Briefly, the seven adhkaranasamatha for dealing with disputes and legal cases are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling in front of the transgressor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling based on a confirmation of enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling based on a confirmation of insanity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling based on an admission of guilt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling by a vote of the majority&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling on punishment for evil-doers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Settling by covering over with grass&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beyond this, there is specific and lengthy instruction in the vinaya regarding schisms, and there are various teachings on dealing with power struggles, envy, disobedience, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How are such situations handled within the Sangha today?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather poorly, for the most part. But &quot;the sangha&quot; is a huge and diverse conceptual body that for all intents and purposes doesn't exist as a single entity. Various sects, traditions, and even countries have their own sanghas now, and each sangha has its own means of dealing (or not) with such problems. For the most part, it is far more difficult to actually deal with monastic transgressions in modern times; without the stability of a large body of enlightened beings, it's much more &quot;every monk for himself&quot;, unfortunately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T00:07:21.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8681" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8691" CreationDate="2015-04-17T05:02:07.323" Score="3" ViewCount="381" Body="&lt;p&gt;I notice that when I don't meditate it is easier to ignore things (e.g. other people, situations) and focus on my own thing--even though I might not be as concentrated. This is of course not the right way to live--like a zombie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand though, when I meditate well--really well, noticing my thoughts and being very present... I notice that afterwards I have lots of energy. I become highly productive and get things, powered by Truth and unconditional joy, happiness and acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In social situations I don't know if this is very beneficial--I can act quickly and I feel like some people might perceive me as very smart but erratic. Maybe it is because of my lack of social finesse but when I am talking with a woman I might be a little erratic, unusually detached, and just have some abnormal responses. I also tend to be impatient and don't care to develop a relationship with a woman as &quot;normal&quot; people would, asking her questions about her family, etc. I'd rather talk about the world, analyze her peronality, and do brain-y but unattractive, boring things which actually drains energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A part of me thinks this is a problem but the bodhisattva part of me says, who cares just keep practicing even whilst sharing conversation with others because I am definitely causing no harm and oftentimes sharing things with people they are happy for later...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can I remedy the erratic energy-power that arises from vipassana aka cessation-contemplation meditation so I can feel more in-control? Especially in social situations.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure it is a problem at all actually because I certainly do no harm to others and I am definitely more productive in the rest of my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:40:47.567" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:40:47.567" Title="How can I remedy the erratic energy-power that arises from vipassana aka cessation-contemplation meditation so I can feel more in-control?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|energy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8681" CreationDate="2015-04-17T06:07:04.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you end up with more energy switch to developing concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you should look at calming the fabrications. In Anapana if you note the length of the breath, which nostril it is going and coming at what proportions, you breath become very slow and eventually stops for some time. Then continue to watch the sensations in the upper lip. Look at the sensation any metal states create around you head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you get lethargic or sleepy start scanning the body using large areas and in rapid speed. If you are not too sleepy then try looking at just sensations in the upper lip or your mouths upper plate while placing you tongue on the place of concentration.  These will stir up energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing your daily activities look at sensations in your body. Shyness, being elicited, etc. and other personal traits sometimes have sensations associated with them. (Also you breathing will change.) By looking at them they will arise and pass away or if not you can be in more control of the situation as you know what state you are in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Please leave a comment if I have missed something or you need more clarification.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T06:07:04.743" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8678" CreationDate="2015-04-17T06:29:49.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you should contemplate thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There were many Buddha's before your current Buddha but their significance and influence has come to an end. My influence on earth is comparatively more insignificant. Any influence or value you bring on the earth has a finite time span. No one is indispensable in the long run. In the grand scheme of things you cannot attach a meaning off significance to your existance, life and influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But only until your polarity in looking for significance of existance is subdued. For a lasting solution you have to do Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking for meaning or lasting influence you are trying to exert some control to you environment which you cannot and lead to misery as if it does not materialise you might think of yourself as a failure. You can try without being too attached to result of your influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to give meaning to any thing, you are dealing with concepts and perception. Reality will always be different, hence disappointment. So trying to give meaning to anything will not be entirely satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T06:29:49.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8684" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-17T07:06:50.693" Score="4" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to this site and am not entirely sure if this is an appropriate question to ask, if it is not forgive me. I practice Vipassana meditation and after some time observing the breath, I feel the need to take a deep breath in, as if I'm fixing to suffocate and require a large inhalation of Oxygen. This sensation always arises after I really feel like I have pinpointed the breath and my breathing becomes more shallow. It seems to be creating an impasse in my practice, for as I begin to feel the first Jhana arising, my mind immediately shifts its focus to the satisfaction that occurs after I breath in heavily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5018" LastActivityDate="2017-10-03T18:29:11.947" Title="Feeling the Need to Take A Deep Breath After Developing Concentration" Tags="|vipassana|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8685" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8687" CreationDate="2015-04-17T07:29:42.617" Score="3" ViewCount="1218" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is meant by the phrase the &quot;qualities of the Buddha&quot;? Are these qualities to which unenlightened people can aspire or do these qualities emerge only upon enlightenment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T02:34:09.083" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T09:03:17.293" Title="What are the &quot;Qualities of the Buddha&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8686" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8688" CreationDate="2015-04-17T07:41:28.183" Score="1" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha (siddhartha, as per me) was a human being. He felt pain, happiness, dullness, recession for himself, his family(age-wise) and other one's and etc. How he retained his awareness? Was there some moments when he (himself) got distracted by worldly behaviour ? Please consider tags while starting wishing to answer my question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T08:47:01.573" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T05:54:12.037" Title="How the Buddha retained his awareness?" Tags="|the-buddha|parents|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8685" CreationDate="2015-04-17T07:43:49.283" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following are the 9 qualities of the Buddha one should get inspiration and try to develop:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddho – Awakened&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self-awakened&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vijja-carana-sampano – Endowed with higher knowledge and ideal conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sugato – Well-gone or Well-spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lokavidu – Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – Unexcelled trainer of untrained people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satthadeva-Manussanam – Teacher of gods and humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhagavathi – The Blessed one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Araham – Worthy of homage. An Arahant is &amp;quot;one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Nine_virtues&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Nine_virtues&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T07:43:49.283" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8686" CreationDate="2015-04-17T10:17:18.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As well as extraordinary personal qualities, I suspect that one of the things which helped him to be free of &amp;quot;distraction by worldly behaviour&amp;quot; was 'renunciation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.041.than.html#renunciation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tapussa Sutta: To Tapussa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at renunciation, grew confident, steadfast, &amp;amp; firm, seeing it as peace. Then, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, I entered &amp;amp; remained in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As I remained there, I was beset with attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality. That was an affliction for me. Just as pain arises as an affliction for a healthy person, even so the attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality that beset me was an affliction for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's worth reading that whole sutta. It describes a series of deepening revelations. He practices (practices 'renunciation' to begin with), reaches a stage, ... but it isn't complete, his &amp;quot;heart doesn't leap&amp;quot;, until he thinks or realizes something which completes that state and sees him enter the beginning of the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are many adjectives in that sutta which seem to me to describe desirable or pleasant mental states; for example, &amp;quot;confident&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;internal assurance&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;equanimity&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;pleasant abiding&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;peace&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;infinite space / non-resistance&amp;quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had a keen sense of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (the first noble truth). Assuming that he found a way to escape or avoid &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, to find states of being/mind which are 'better' than unsatisfactory, that seems to me a strong and perpetual incentive for him to remain enlightened (i.e. not &lt;strong&gt;distracted&lt;/strong&gt;, and his living as a monk means there is also not &lt;strong&gt;worldly behaviour&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My idea is that the Buddha found his 'awareness' to be rewarding; for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta: What is the Purpose?&lt;/a&gt; starts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the purpose of skillful virtues? What is their reward?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda,&#xA;and freedom from remorse as their reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the purpose of freedom from remorse? What is its reward?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Freedom from remorse has joy as its purpose, joy as its reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and ends ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dispassion has knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its purpose, knowledge&#xA;&amp;amp; vision of release as its reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this way, Ananda, skillful virtues lead step-by-step to the&#xA;consummation of arahantship.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If his awareness is rewarding and gives him positive feedback I think that's a reason why he would keep it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Our mundane awareness (chasing sense-objects and mental formations) is, comparatively, not very satisfactory (it's &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; and impermanent), which is a reason why we don't retain it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T10:17:18.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8689" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-17T10:42:15.813" Score="2" ViewCount="589" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as i know , there is no mention of god ( the word God in local parlance) in buddhist texts ,the term used is &lt;em&gt;Devas&lt;/em&gt; (beings in the higher realm). In ancient hindu texts there is mention of &lt;em&gt;devas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;asuras&lt;/em&gt; .Devas   representing good and asuras evil .The term asura is thought to be a corruption of the word Ahura of the ancient iranian Ahura mazda (possibly be a tribal conflict between hindus and zorastrian followers during ancient times).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the versions of buddhism practiced today are not the exact replicas of what was buddhism during buddha's times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;could this element be a corruption of the original meaning through  influence of hinduism...?&lt;/strong&gt;    I have read somewhere about the  heavy persecution of buddhists (to bring buddhists back to the hindu fold) by brahmins and hindu kings after the death of king Asoka.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth,reincarnation etc becomes more believable as metaphorical terms. &lt;strong&gt;So could the term may have had the meaning like good individuals or similiar in the past.?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorUserId="4812" LastEditDate="2015-04-17T11:13:37.173" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T17:11:01.163" Title="Devas as gods in buddhism ,is it a corruption of original teachings..?" Tags="|god|deva|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8684" CreationDate="2015-04-17T10:52:11.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your breath becomes shallower faster than the extent you have calmed down the fabrications this tend to happen. Sometimes the breathing stops and suddenly after someone time you gasp to breathe. But again these inconsistencies reduce after some practice so might be safe not to pay attention to it and keep your focus on the breathing process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively you might be trying to control the breath even without your knowledge. You might be &quot;forcing&quot; the breath to be shallow causing a gasp to breathe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T10:52:11.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8681" CreationDate="2015-04-17T11:28:14.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do not specify what sort of meditation you practice (saying vipassana or cessation-contemplation doesn't tell much), but Buddhist meditation shouldn't be a direct cause for &amp;quot;erratic energy-power&amp;quot;. It should lead to an overall more balanced, tranquil state of mind that is energetic, but not excessively so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is more likely is that your meditation has brought up or accentuated qualities of your own mind that lay dormant, and you are now being forced to deal with them. This is common, and these qualities should, in the case of vipassana meditation become objects of meditation themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In no case should one try to &amp;quot;remedy&amp;quot; phenomena in vipassana meditation - the object is to see things as they are, not change them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same goes for gaining a sense of control; this is in direct contravention of the concept of anatta, so it should not be aspired to. One should rather aspire to discard the need for control in favour of clear vision; it is through clear vision that one comes to navigate life's difficulties, not through forced change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“sabbe dhammā anattā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All dhammas are non-self&amp;quot; - when one sees this with wisdom,&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;and thence becomes diinterested in suffering, this is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 279&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is probably true that a successful meditator becomes less successful in certain social situations, e.g. picking up dates or entertaining friends, but this is more because of the unwholesome expectations of the other parties involved than a fault of the meditator who will still be friendly, cordial, and kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T11:28:14.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8195" CreationDate="2015-04-17T12:32:18.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#veggie&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;The Bhikkhus' Rules: A guide for Laypeople&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Ariyesako and might have found an answer to the almsgiving-part of your question. I am here quoting from the following chapters: &lt;em&gt;&quot;How to help a Bhikkhu - Invitation&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&quot;Receiving and Eating Food&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to help a Bhikkhu - Invitation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Normally a bhikkhu will not ask for things. Instead, he will wait for something to be offered. This is exemplified in the alms round where the bhikkhu makes no request, does not even look at people, although he may quietly wait to see if an offering is to be made before moving on. One way that lay people enable a bhikkhu to ask them for help is by making an invitation or pavaara.naa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Receiving and Eating Food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A whole section of the seventy-five Sekhiya Training guidelines is concerned with how a bhikkhu receives and eats his alms food. Although 'table manners' may differ from country to country, and from age to age, these Sekhiya rules still largely conform to what is considered good manners:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I will receive alms food appreciatively.&quot; (Sekhiya 27)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When receiving alms food, I will focus my attention on the bowl.&quot; (Sekhiya 28)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;◊ This explains why the bhikkhu may not look at the donor when accepting food — he is concentrating on properly receiving it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:12:15.953" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:12:15.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2015-04-17T12:52:01.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you meditate some of your old stock of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;conditioning / fabrications&lt;/a&gt; comes to the surface when you are not creating new fabrication. This is like old fuel burning (wood at the lower layers) when you are not adding new wood to the fire. When some of the old stock of fabrications or karma start coming out in quick succession this might lead to a &quot;storm&quot; or &quot;lollercoaster experience&quot; like vibration or pulsations or even eye movements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when concentration is deepening vibrations (twitching, pulsing, etc.) do arise. This is due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-01T04:24:14.957" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T04:24:14.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8535" CreationDate="2015-04-17T13:34:35.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For each person the sense faculties are different so the sensation in different. Say X has a numb spot and someone touches it then the sensation you get is different for a person who doesn't have such condition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No sum total of the fabrications in any two people are the same. So their faculties will be diverse and thesensory abilities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much of the sensation from contact is when you sense something, then recognised and you mentally react to it by how you perceive the experience. Also each persons perceptions are different thus this aspect of the feeling also differs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T13:34:35.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8246" CreationDate="2015-04-17T16:53:53.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The noble truth of unsatisfactory nature is called noble as anyone who looks at the unsatisfactory nature of all experiences will become a noble one eventually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any experience we perceive as pleasant, neutral or unpleasant has unsatisfactory nature in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T16:53:53.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8248" CreationDate="2015-04-17T17:01:35.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a average practitioner it might be see this at the level of physical birth and death. But this can be seen at the level of momentarily birth and death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T17:01:35.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8354" CreationDate="2015-04-17T18:28:55.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prior to the Buddha there were practitioners who practiced higher absolutions. Buddha's contribution was the practice of the right concentration. The right concentration is the concentration while being aware of the reality, i.e., arising and passing of phenomena and characteristics of the phenomena. (Different people and lineages may interpret right concentration differently.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Jhana is taken or interpreted in the context of the right type of concentration then it will exclude any other form of absorptions based concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T18:28:55.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8698" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8700" CreationDate="2015-04-17T20:34:11.870" Score="7" ViewCount="489" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing vipassanā and mettā at least six months and I have embraced the teachings and practice in my everyday life. However there are certain situations in life where I find difficult to apply the teachings, which are the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to respond to hate and violence to oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to deal with hypocrisy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to respond in situations of injustice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to deal when someone abuses of your kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to deal when someone takes advantage of your good intentions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to apply the teachings in a society where oneself and ego&#xA;predominates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope somebody can give me insights on how to deal with those situations.&#xA;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&#xA;Thank you everyone for your responses so far. I have learned something new in every single one of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be more clear regarding the questions, the objective is how to find the balance in embracing the teachings in our interactions with other beings, but also living by the rules of the capitalism society, which most of us lives on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, consider the following: someone treats you with bad speech in front of others, and you  react mindfully. In the society we live in, if you do not defend yourself and let it happen, it is highly probable that he will do it again, or others will start to take advantage of you, since you are not defending yourself. How to balance this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5019" LastEditorUserId="5019" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T12:26:12.413" LastActivityDate="2017-10-15T06:28:34.950" Title="How to apply meditation in the following difficult situations" Tags="|vipassana|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8699" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-17T21:24:46.043" Score="2" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I remember reading that the an unborn child or fetus exemplifies the nidanas in a different way to children and adults.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I right that for Buddhists life begins at conception, but this &quot;life&quot; isn't fully conscious, because nama-rupa has not yet developed and so the concomitant links likewise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is the difference between a fetus and a baby more like the difference between a child and an adult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T06:17:22.600" Title="The 12 links and the womb" Tags="|rebirth|consciousness|nidanas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8698" CreationDate="2015-04-17T22:47:17.640" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good for you that you're following the path. However, that first year on the path can be a sensitive time as there is a power in meditation. The Buddha talked about this power as being both a way to build your path but also a trap if you dwell in it too long. Meditation is making you more sensitive to the world around you and allowing you to perceive people in a more honest way. As you're seeing, that's not always pretty.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you practice right speech, which is a part of the Eightfold Path. Right speech forces us to be both compassionate to others while also being compassionate to ourselves. We should value ourselves as much as we value someone else. In every conversation -- in every relationship -- everyone should be equals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that good speech honors the other person while also honoring yourself. If someone does something you don't like, it's not honorable to tear them down with hurtful speech. However, it's also not right to dishonor yourself by saying things you don't believe just to make them feel good. You've got to live your truth while also recognizing theirs and do so in a compassionate way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a hard balancing act, but if you can do that, you'll find people will change the way they deal with you because you've changed the way you deal with the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastActivityDate="2015-04-17T22:47:17.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8698" CreationDate="2015-04-17T23:31:33.843" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;How to respond to hate and violence to oneself&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In any event, you should train yourselves&lt;/strong&gt;: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words [...]' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Kakacupama Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;How to deal with hypocrisy&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech; he speaks truth, adheres to truth, is trustworthy and reliable, one who is no deceiver of the world. Abandoning malicious speech, he abstains from malicious speech; he does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide [those people] from those; thus, he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of friendships, who enjoys concord, rejoices on concord, delights on concord, a speaker of words that promote concord. Abandoning harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech; he speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and lovable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable by many. Abandoning gossip, he abstains from gossip; he speaks at the right time, speaks what is fact, speaks on what is good, speaks on the Dhamma, and the Discipline; at the right time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, moderate, and beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Culahatthipadopama Sutta, MN 27 (Nanamoli/Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a meditation setting, concerning your own thoughts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. I understood thus: 'This thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna'. When I considered: 'This leads to my own affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to others affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to the affliction of both', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna', it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu  frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasanthāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, [Bodhi Trans.] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the next ones: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;How to respond in situations of injustice&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;How to deal when someone abuses of your kindness&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;How to deal when someone takes advantage of your good intentions&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer is &amp;quot;do the above, rinse &amp;amp; repeat&amp;quot;,  be just, don't abuse kindness of others or their good intentions. And if people are unjust and abuse kindness, still, be just and don't abuse them. If they harm you and become a hindrance, consider staying away from their reach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, in the suttas words, when these situations manifest, tolerate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intolerant practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, doesn’t return the insult; when abused, doesn’t return the abuse; when bickered with, doesn’t bicker in return. This is called tolerant practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.164&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.164&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and endure:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And how is a monk an endurer? There is the case where a monk is resilient to cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words &amp;amp; bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, &amp;amp; menacing to life. This is how a monk is an endurer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once it's clear the inclinations of the people around and their inclination to harm, decide how to protect yourself in the future:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) “And what kind of person, bhikkhus, is to be looked upon with disgust, not to be associated with, followed, and served? Here, some person is immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspect behavior, secretive in his actions, not an ascetic though claiming to be one, not a celibate though claiming to be one, inwardly rotten, corrupt, depraved. Such a person is to be looked upon with disgust, not to be associated with, followed, and served. For what reason? Even though one does not follow the example of such a person, a bad report still circulates about oneself: ‘He has bad friends, bad companions, bad comrades.’ Just as a snake that has passed through feces, though it does not bite one, would smear one, so too, though one does not follow the example of such a person, a bad report still circulates about oneself: ‘He has bad friends, bad companions, bad comrades.’ Therefore such a person is to be looked upon with disgust, not to be associated with, followed, and served.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) “And what kind of person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served? Here, some person is prone to anger an.i.127 and easily exasperated. Even if he is criticized slightly he loses his temper and becomes irritated, hostile, and stubborn; he displays irritation, hatred, and bitterness. Just as a festering sore, if struck by a stick or a shard, will discharge even more matter, so too … Just as a firebrand of the tinduka tree, if struck by a stick or shard, will sizzle and crackle even more, so too … Just as a pit of feces, if struck by a stick or a shard, becomes even more foul-smelling, so too some person here is prone to anger and … displays irritation, hatred, and bitterness. Such a person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served. For what reason? With the thought: ‘He might insult me, revile me, and do me harm.’ Therefore such a person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) “And what kind of person is to be associated with, followed, and served? Here, some person is virtuous and of good character. Such a person is to be associated with, followed, and served. For what reason? Even though one does not follow the example of such a person, a good report still circulates about oneself: ‘He has good friends, good companions, good comrades.’ Therefore such a person is to be associated with, followed, and served.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.27&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For illustration, here's a discourse where the Buddha is insulted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Angered &amp;amp; displeased, [the brahman Akkosaka] went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted &amp;amp; cursed him with rude, harsh words. [The Buddha replied]:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don't accept from you. It's all yours, brahman. It's all yours.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It's all yours. It's all yours.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 7.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;How to apply the teachings in a society where oneself and ego predominates&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-10-15T02:08:53.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8702" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-18T01:33:11.150" Score="1" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following on from a few question I've asked about nihilism, I wondered - quite casually if not in an idle way - whether seeking to enlighten other sentient beings (into Buddhahood) is ever redemptive of either stimulus or response (I just mean self and other)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because in zen you can't seek to be a buddha, and in pure land you seek deliverance from another buddha, and theravada teaches the path of the arhant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T08:22:31.967" Title="Seeking to enlighten other sentient beings - is it ever redemptive" Tags="|mahayana|nihilism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8699" CreationDate="2015-04-18T03:53:53.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The form may not be fully developed but the Dependent Origination (DO) continues to work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. in the formless realms DO continues to work though there is no form at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no difference what ever stage of life you are in. DO continues to work until you are either in Niroda Samapathi or pass away as a Arahath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T03:53:53.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8698" CreationDate="2015-04-18T04:06:28.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What ever the situation you mention, what happens is your sense a situation. You perceive it as positive or negative and then mentally react to it. When you sense it you get a sensation and when you mentally perceive the situation you get a sensation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In face of the sensations and feeling arising in whatever situation you should try to keep your composure and equanimity. 1st at&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;least to the extent you do not physically or verbally react, then &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;try to curtail your your mental reaction to the sensations with craving and clinging. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T04:06:28.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8702" CreationDate="2015-04-18T04:10:27.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You seek to enlighten others out of compassion and not as a form of redemption. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is your choice what path you take out of the 3 roads to liberation. Buddhahood being the longest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T01:29:07.263" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T01:29:07.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8686" CreationDate="2015-04-18T04:37:50.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As with any enlightened person (Buddha, Arahath) you cannot get &quot;distracted&quot; after getting enlightened. So no the Buddha would have not got distracted at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might have been such cases during the aspirant stages, which in his final birth can be divided into two parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Before renunciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After renunciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before renunciation there would have had some degree of distractions but due past practice over countless lifetimes his awareness would have been beyond any average person. Also he developed concentration as a child which would mean that the level of distractions would be limited though not absent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After renunciation with the development of high absorption concentrations his awareness would have increased substantially but would have been slightly short of perfect. The perfection of awareness would have been at Buddhahood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one thing to not is that awareness is just one ingredient in requisites for enlightenment though an important one. You have to develop the others as well. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T05:54:12.037" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T05:54:12.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8707" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-18T06:06:15.377" Score="2" ViewCount="201" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism, is it the true self that is reborn, or is it the empirical self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tend to see it described as if it's just the latter, but then if I am my true self, then doesn't that equate to annihilationism and nihilism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-04T17:05:03.780" LastActivityDate="2021-05-04T17:05:03.780" Title="Is the true self reborn?" Tags="|mahayana|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2015-04-18T06:35:57.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it some of the links are bidirectional while some links like between sensations and craving (the place you can break the cycle) unidirectional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If craving there should be sensations but in a liberated person thought he experiences sensations there is no craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T06:35:57.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8707" CreationDate="2015-04-18T07:00:20.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no rebirth or reincarnation in the sense that the soul takes on a new body (rebirth / reincarnation) after death. (In Sinhala Punarupathi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism conception which is the continuation of the Bhava from end of the previous life (death) in the cycle of Samsara. (Punarbhava)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words this is a process in which there are events like birth and death. In the light that there is no everlasting unchanging core this is not a rebirth as it is not the person from the previous existence nor it is a entirely different being, but just the continuous flow of the process of becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continuation of a core entity (rebirth / reincarnation) is a Hindu concept. Buddhist concept is the continuation of the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since there is a continuation (of the process), all doesn't end with death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The confusion about rebirth is due to rebirth being used in Buddhist translation due to the limitations of the vocabulary and there is no better world to use. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I am not sure if this fits into the Maha Yana take on the matter. )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T09:43:48.643" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T09:43:48.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3305" CreationDate="2015-04-18T07:05:17.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is we don't know and there is debate on the topic. However, it is likely that, as the Buddha taught in various locations to various audiences, he spoke in local dialects or languages (or perhaps had interpreters). Some believe that there was mutual intelligibility to some of the dialects or languages. Also, the Buddha clearly had different audiences, some more literate or educated than others. Languages used by the educated might have been used for some audiences, but not for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, it doesn't matter as what we do have is Pali language written in Sinhala script some 500 years after the Buddha died.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4988" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T07:05:17.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2015-04-18T07:39:09.520" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no rebirth / reincarnation (in the sense that the soul takes on a new body after the death of the previous body. )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our existence is changing process in which there are events like birth and death. In the absence of a unchanging everlasting core the person who is born is not the same as the person who died nor is he a deferent person but but just the continuation of the process of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism what is there is Jati /  birth and death as events in the process keeping us in the cycle of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no continuity of the person (or some core identity / entity) but there is a continuation of the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T15:20:06.197" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T15:20:06.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="215" CreationDate="2015-04-18T08:18:19.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People were afraid to depict the Buddha fearing that they might get the depictions of the 32 marks and 80 marks or any other physical characteristics wrong hence gaining demerit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T08:18:19.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2015-04-18T08:40:43.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mathematics, science, logic fall to the field of perception. If you conceptualize things and hold on to them as reality then this can be a hindrance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to try to see things as they are without the clouding of perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially perceptions will be strong, but when perceptions arise you should try to be equanimous without clinging or reacting to the sensations associated with the perception and it's trigger. With this your perception weakens, and ultimately when you realize some form of sainthood, it ceases momentarily.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T08:40:43.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="188" CreationDate="2015-04-18T09:09:57.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(The rest of the answers are rather comprehensive. My answer compliments them with some additional information. )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your mind's reaction to some sensation is the main cause of your mind wandering away from the meditation object. (Sensations is also the mind conditioner. ) So through Vipassana Meditation it would be beneficial to develop Piti and Passadhi. This will help you stay with the meditation object for a long time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get distracted 2 things are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some contact or sensation is what took your attention away (e.g. a sound)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You experience a mental reaction to the sensation by how you perceive the experience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sensations are compounded my other associated mental formations (memories, emotions, etc.) that arise (stories behind the sound)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when you realize and bring your attention to the sensations they dissappear leaving you in Piti, Suka, Passadhi state. As you do this the arising of distractions will loose vigor and frequency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentration on certain points like the upper lip. Upper palate generally tend to create more Piti. (Though not Buddhist concepts concentration on points of the Chakra has a similar effect. See Achan Lee, Thanisaro Bikkhu's manuals also.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be aware of the 5 hindrances. The easiest way to do this is to identify the sensations associated with the hindrances. When the come up look at the sensation until it passes away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T10:33:33.397" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T10:33:33.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8462" CreationDate="2015-04-18T09:59:29.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Dharmafarer's sutra discovery series is the best starting point. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-discovery/sutta-discovery-volume-1-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-discovery/sutta-discovery-volume-1-9&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can start your study with the trilinear Suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-discovery/trilinear-suttas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-discovery/trilinear-suttas&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T09:59:29.700" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-04-18T09:59:29.700" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8344" CreationDate="2015-04-18T10:29:58.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The test here is the volition behind the action is based on the 3 poisons (ignorance, greed, hatred). If it is the case the Karmic results are non favorable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final result of the action don't count towards the formation of Karma, for unintentional side effects or results. But if you ponder on such side effects this itself will create bad karma due to the negative thoughts and worry though the Karma is not linked to the original action or it's karmic results. So it is advisable not to think too much or worry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To feed yourself, if you through a stone at a fruit and it hits a bird this is not bad karma (unless the fruit belongs to someone else). If you see a bird and want to have it for dinner then proceed. The intention to kill is there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensations is the mind conditioner. So with every volition there is an associated sensation. From this sensation, your breath and heart rate you can decide if the volition is linked to bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion should not be a source of restless worry and cause you to loose the equanimity of your mind. If this is the case you have to deepen your equanimity. Equanimity should always be the main target then other wholesome mental cultivations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T10:29:58.373" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8698" CreationDate="2015-04-18T11:20:51.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To all your questions, the answer is to respond with the mindfulness of Metta as outlined in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. There's more in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.125.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are mindful at all waking times with Metta, then the benefits include sleeping and waking in comfort, as well as becoming dear to other human beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although these Suttas do not describe this detail, I believe that by this practice, you will begin to understand the deep-seated true motives of people who wish to do harm to others. For e.g. they may crave attention or praise, or they may want to hold on to their power or position, or they have greed or envy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you practise Metta, you don't set your self up as the victim or the receiving end of these people. Instead, with your mind not preoccupied with fighting or reacting back, it has the space to understand the true motives of people and deal with it in such a way that it will cease or be avoided. And for those people, without a receptive victim to attack, they may cease or take their harmful tendencies elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think: Happy, at rest, may all beings be happy at heart. Whatever&#xA;  beings there may be,  weak or strong, without exception,  long, large,&#xA;    middling, short,    subtle, blatant,    seen &amp;amp; unseen,  near &amp;amp; far,     born&#xA;  &amp;amp; seeking birth: May all beings be happy at heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through&#xA;  anger or irritation wish for another to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child,&#xA;  even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all&#xA;  beings. With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless&#xA;  heart: Above, below, &amp;amp; all around, unobstructed, without enmity or&#xA;  hate.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Whether standing, walking, sitting, or lying down,  as long as one is alert, one should be resolved on this mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;. This is called&#xA;  a sublime abiding here &amp;amp; now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The benefits of Metta is described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1.&quot;&lt;strong&gt;He sleeps in comfort.&lt;/strong&gt; 2. &lt;strong&gt;He awakes in comfort.&lt;/strong&gt; 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. &lt;strong&gt;He is dear to human beings.&lt;/strong&gt; 5. He is dear to non-human&#xA;  beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot&#xA;  touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is&#xA;  serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to&#xA;  attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be&#xA;  reborn in the brahma-world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T12:20:23.820" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T12:20:23.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="106" CreationDate="2015-04-18T12:44:27.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is determined by:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;intensity of ones own volition, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mental state of the recipient (which acts like an amplifier)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing a insect may not be as harmful as killing a person as the insert has a lower mental state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you give to a pious person and non pious person then the Karma from giving to the pious person is more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you give a small sum with a strong volition it will give better results than giving a large sum with a weak volition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T12:44:27.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-04-18T13:33:52.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perceptions don't completely disappear until enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensations is the mind conditioner, hence any volitional formations or mental reaction due to perception will have a sensation associated with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is to look at the sensations equanimously without craving and clinging. This way you are not creating new fabrications due to perception and volitional formations. You cannot get rid off perception altogether until the final leg of the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental activities will have an impact on your bodily fabrications also, hence when possible, while engaging in your normal activities, have a look at your breathing, heartbeat, perspiration (not due to external influences like weather). If there is an irregularity start looking at the full cycle of breathing noting it's speed and length also watching the sensation on the upper lip. As the bodily function calm you will experience better sensation in your body hence better mental state. (Don't crave or long for either.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you see something look at the sensations around your eyes and your head as you perceive it. Similarly to other sense inputs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are sitting in some posture by sensing the outline of your body though feelings on the body. Similarly when you walk, in which case you can see the sensation when your feet touch the ground maybe clothing touching your body when you move around the moving parts of your body. Then look at your body part by part by moving your attention to the relevant part, without trying to visualize, verbalize, imagine the part (otherwise you are dealing with concepts and / or verbal fabrications)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you meet people you will form perceptions about them. If it is not good try to develop compassion. It is is good do not get attached. If it is lustful think if their parts are separated whether you would consider the person beautiful (including you self). Again for food craving imagine excretion. When doing this be mindful of the sensation such actions create. If companion or sense of morality has made you loose the balance of your mind like you do not want to walk fearing that you might step on an insect then your perception has polarised in the opposite direction. The reason to practice antidotes to certain perception should generally be done in a situation when a stimuli causes a sensation which triggers associated memories or thoughts which further trigger sensation snowballing. The antidote is to neutralise the sensation to manageable levels so you mental balance is restored. If you perceive food as repulsive in a office party so you do not become glutton, but in effect loose apatite or feel like throwing up or even worse like become anorexic then you are going overboard in the opposite polarity. In either cause repulsiveness has sensation associated with it which can tell you if your have gone too far.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to do all this in such a way that others don't see something odd in you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you should not slack in order to do this or in anyway compromise on your work and responsibilities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of all sensation is the most important thing to pay attention in such a situation and it where all the aggregates meet and the bridge physical fabrication and metal fabrications. Your mind is always in touch with sensations and activities driven by sensations. Things trickle down and up from these ends (Kaya to and from Dhamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the best you can do while engaging in another activity at work in my opinion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T16:05:15.953" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T16:05:15.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-04-18T14:28:58.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer:&lt;/strong&gt; It isn't about having opinions, it's about clinging to or cherishing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Longer Answer:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find these lines from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/buddhism/third_patriarch_zen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Verses on the Faith Mind&lt;/a&gt; very helpful [emphasis mine]:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Do not search for the truth; &#xA;only cease to CHERISH opinions. &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice the key word here is &quot;cherish&quot;, not &quot;have&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People tend to hold opinions very tightly; they define themselves by them, refuse to change them when there is good reason to do so, and even present them when there is no reason to do so. However, there are situations in which (informed) opinions are appropriate, provided you do not cling to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, if you are at work and are discussing the best way to proceed on a project, and you have an opinion based on past experience, then it's important to present that opinion.  However, do this without clinging; be open to the possibility that other opinions are better and don't make the mistake of turning a pet theory into an &quot;informed&quot; opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, if you like a piece of music or think another is bad, there's no reason to present or forward it.  It's simply an opinion.  You can seek the music you want, but you needn't get into arguments over it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the key; understanding the difference between dropping and letting go (not clinging, not cherishing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T13:08:24.510" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T13:08:24.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8721" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-18T15:35:49.037" Score="6" ViewCount="1324" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to attain the bhumis a person needs to enter somewhere&#xA;so my question is pretty important in the way of the Bodhisattva. &#xA;How does a person enter the 1st Bhumi? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5027" LastActivityDate="2018-01-20T06:26:30.633" Title="How does a person enter the 1st bhumi" Tags="|personal-practice|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8722" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8725" CreationDate="2015-04-18T17:06:14.970" Score="4" ViewCount="1026" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his lecture course &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thegreatcourses.co.uk/courses/sacred-texts-of-the-world.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sacred Texts of the World&lt;/a&gt;, Grant Hardy said that the Buddha had instructed that the minor rules for monks could be ignored. However the Buddha didn't say which rules he considered minor so when the Vinaya was being compiled all the rules were included just to be sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find this intriguing. Does anyone know where the Buddha said this - is there a reference in the Pali Canon or elsewhere about this. I believe this happened near to the Buddha's death so it could be one of the sutras about his paranirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, within the Vinaya or commentaries is there any indications about which rules are considered minor or of lesser importance that the others. Did any of the Buddha's intention in this matter make it into the texts - assuming that Grant Hardy is accurate in this issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T19:56:45.780" Title="Where did the Buddha say that the minor rules for monks could be ignored?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|reference-request|monk|vinaya|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8722" CreationDate="2015-04-18T17:11:47.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Near Parinibbana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After I am gone, the sangha — if it wants — may abolish the lesser &amp;amp; minor training rules&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a confusion about that is minor or not as no body asked the Buddha for clarification on which rules are the minor rules hence it was decided to keep all the rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/148.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/148.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T17:38:08.853" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T17:38:08.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8722" CreationDate="2015-04-18T17:36:08.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although the Teacher before his Parinibbana spoke thus: &quot;After my&#xA;  passing Ananda, let the Sangha if it so desires abolish the lesser and&#xA;  minor rules of training,&quot; no Sangha anywhere actually ventured to do&#xA;  this, partly because of the uncertainty in defining &quot;the lesser and&#xA;  minor rules&quot; and partly because they were constrained out of respect&#xA;  to preserve that which had been instituted by the great Teacher.&#xA;  Acariya Nagasena explains that &quot;the Tathagata spoke thus testing the&#xA;  bhikkhus: 'Will my disciples on being left by me adhere to the&#xA;  passing, or will they repudiate them?'&quot; (Milinda Pañha text, PTS p.&#xA;  143). There is also the consideration that those of other sects might&#xA;  say, &quot;While the Teacher (Gotama) was alive, his disciples respected&#xA;  and honored his precepts but now that he is no more, they throw off&#xA;  the training.&quot; But principally the reason was devotion arising from&#xA;  the successful practice of Dhamma Vinaya.&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first Buddhist council&lt;/a&gt;, it was agreed by all the 500 Arahaths headed by venerable Maha Kassapa to preserve all the vinaya rules. The Theravada tradition has been following this ruling ever since.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-04-18T19:25:23.810" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T19:25:23.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8722" CreationDate="2015-04-18T17:59:18.117" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta is DN 16, where the Buddha is giving his last instructions. He gives four injunctions in total:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: &amp;quot;It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: 'Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.' But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And, Ananda, whereas now the bhikkhus address one another as 'friend,' let it not be so when I am gone. The senior bhikkhus, Ananda, may address the junior ones by their name, their family name, or as 'friend'; but the junior bhikkhus should address the senior ones as 'venerable sir' or 'your reverence.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;If it is desired, Ananda, the Sangha may, when I am gone, abolish the lesser and minor rules.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, when I am gone, let the higher penalty be imposed upon the bhikkhu Channa.&amp;quot;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;But what, Lord, is the higher penalty?&amp;quot;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;The bhikkhu Channa, Ananda, may say what he will, but the bhikkhus should neither converse with him, nor exhort him, nor admonish him.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#chap6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's an interesting allowance, given what he says earlier in the same sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not their decline, bhikkhus, so long as they ... appoint no new rules, and do not abolish the existing ones, but proceed in accordance with the code of training (Vinaya) laid down;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vinaya (Culavagga) gives an account of the sangha's decision in regards to this allowance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the venerable Ânanda spake thus to the Thera Bhikkhus: 'The Blessed One, Sirs, at the time of his passing away, spake thus to me &amp;quot;When I am gone, Ânanda, let the Samgha, if it should so wish, revoke all the lesser and minor precepts.&amp;quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Did you then, venerable Ânanda, ask the Blessed One which were the lesser and minor precepts?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'No, Sirs.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Theras then said that all the rules save the four Pârâgikas; others that all save those and the thirteen Samghâdisesas; others that all save those and the two Aniyatas; others that all save those and the thirty Nissaggiyas; others that all save those and the ninety-two Pâkittiyas; others that all save those and the four Pâtidesaniyas were lesser and minor precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the venerable Mahâ Kassapa laid a resolution before the Samgha: 'Let the venerable Samgha hear me. There are certain of our precepts which relate to matters in which the laity are concerned. Now the laity know of us that &amp;quot;such and such things are proper for you Samanas who are Sakyaputtiyas, and such and such things are not.&amp;quot; If we were to revoke the lesser and minor precepts, it will be said to us: &amp;quot;A set of precepts was laid down for his disciples by the Samana Gotama to endure until the smoke should rise from his funeral pyre. So long as their teacher remained with these men, so long did they train themselves in the precepts. Since their teacher has passed away from them, no longer do they now train themselves in the precepts.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'If the time seems meet to the Samgha, not ordaining what has not been ordained, and not revoking what has been ordained, let it take upon itself and ever direct itself in the precepts according as they have been laid down. This is the resolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Let the venerable Samgha hear me. [These things being so] the Samgha takes upon itself the precepts according as they have been laid down. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves thereof, let him keep silence. Whosoever approves not thereof, let him speak. The Samgha has taken upon itself the precepts according as they were laid down. Therefore does it keep silence. Thus do I understand.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe20/sbe20119.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is considered meaningful what language the Buddha used to give his allowance (&amp;quot;If it is desired&amp;quot;). The commentary to DN 16, picking up on this, explains the whole issue as a means of showing Maha-Kassapa's strength in leading the sangha to the right decision. The sub-commentary elaborates, explaining it as a means of showing that the sangha followed the Buddha's rules because they wanted to, not because they were forced to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary also comments on the issue of Nagasena's decisive answer (in the Milindapanha) in regards to what really constitutes &amp;quot;lesser and minor rules&amp;quot; (according to him it was the dukkata and dubhasita offences). It explains that some say Maha-Kassapa didn't know, and that was the reason why he decided they should keep them all. The commentary says this view should not be entertained; that Nagasena gave a decisive answer because he didn't want do give opportunity for debate, whereas Maha-Kassapa simply didn't want to abolish the lesser and minor rules (&lt;em&gt;khuddānukhuddakāpattiṃ na samūhanissāmi&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, the decision reached by the first council with Maha-Kassapa as its head is to be considered authoritative, until and unless someone decides to revoke that sangha-kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T19:56:45.780" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8727" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8730" CreationDate="2015-04-18T20:49:40.047" Score="2" ViewCount="302" Body="&lt;p&gt;When doing vipassana meditation and when one is observing an object - for how long does one keep observing and noting the object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been wondering about this for a while now since i do not know what the &quot;correct&quot; approach is if such an approach exist. I have once read that one should keep observing the object until it ceases to exist in order to clearly see the dissolution-step of the process that all objects follow -&gt; &lt;em&gt;Arising, Presence, Dissolution&lt;/em&gt;. Thereby one will be able to see the impermanent nature of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Help would be much appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:33:44.277" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T16:38:37.527" Title="In Vipassana meditation - How long does one keep watching an object?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8628" CreationDate="2015-04-18T23:55:35.030" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will jump into the fire of people's objections to posit that there is no achieving of true happiness. My intention is to reveal the truth that does exist beyond the bounds of our human expectation of ending suffering and attaining some new state or place where happiness is forever.&#xA;Zen does not look to attain or achieve a state but to awake to what is here. The Buddha replied when asked who he was: Awake. Any path can lead to awakening. The Buddha clearly defined the Middle Way, but it is not the only way. Even Buddhists who followed false teachers found awakening.&#xA;The intention is the key. If we intend to promote ourselves and our elusive and illusive personal self, we are bound to fail.&#xA;So to relate this to the Buddha's message here are the principles of the eight-fold path. Right intent or intention is here among them. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha101.com/p_path.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddha101.com/p_path.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The eightfold path is Right Understanding, Right Intent, Right Speech,&#xA;  Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and&#xA;  Right Concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that right does not mean right as opposed to wrong. Right can mean when things go in the flow or without resistance (same page further down)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meaning of Right has several aspects, and includes an ethical, and&#xA;  a balanced, or middle way. When things go &quot;right&quot;, we often experience&#xA;  a special feeling inside which confirms that this is the correct&#xA;  decision or action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further down the same page about intent&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right Intent:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second step on the Eightfold Path is Right Intent. This is the&#xA;  step where we become committed to the path. Right Understanding shows&#xA;  us what life really is and what life’s problems are composed of, Right&#xA;  Intent urges us to decide what our heart wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right Intent must come from the heart and involves recognising the&#xA;  equality of all life and compassion for all that life, beginning with&#xA;  yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right Intent means persistence and a passion for the journey. Setting&#xA;  out to climb a high mountain means you must understand the lay of the&#xA;  land and the pitfalls, the other team members, and the equipment you&#xA;  need. This is similar to Right Understanding. But you will only climb&#xA;  the mountain if you really want to and have a passion for the climb.&#xA;  This is Right Intent. The mountain we climb here is our journey though&#xA;  life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To summarise, Right Understanding will eliminate ignorance. With Right&#xA;  Intent and correct understanding, we then remove desire, which in turn&#xA;  causes the suffering defined in the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I rest here and leave it to those interested to find any other quotes of interest on that page. Thank you for the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-04-18T23:55:35.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8721" CreationDate="2015-04-19T00:09:35.900" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that one can enter the Bodhisattva way more easily than trying to attain the bhumis. Too much can be made of attaining, while not enough of serving others. I find the Dalai Lama's Book THE OPEN HEART to be a wonderful introduction to the Bodhisattva way. It is a book not only of words but pointing to action to free all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want more info on bhumis you will find it in this article that even describes the bhumis as &quot;hyperbolic&quot;. Perhaps that is a hint that we should stick more to basics and keep things simple. The Buddha gave us an example of a simple life. Some of those that followed tried to make it more complicated than it was. Remember the Flower Sermon. The Buddha holds up a flower and smiles. That is the whole sermon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://plus.google.com/+DenisWallez/posts/e4ungo3s4Fj&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://plus.google.com/+DenisWallez/posts/e4ungo3s4Fj&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The bodhisattva  path (with its descriptions of bhumis  so hyperbolic&#xA;  that they always amount to &quot;there's work to do&quot; no matter your&#xA;  attainments, even if you're an arhat! gplus.wallez.name/2Q5j3jM1oGC)&#xA;  is bringing back ethics into a practical approach:  you're not&#xA;  perfect, there's work to do, what matters is how hard you try and&#xA;  cultivate qualities…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life is dukkha  (1st noble truth), this is true even for ethical&#xA;  people (monastic or lay): failures will arise. What matters is to&#xA;  continue cultivating! The Mahayana approach sets extremely ambitious&#xA;  goals (when described with the bhumis)  and doesn't consider small&#xA;  failures as easily acceptable (a small moral failure might cancel eons&#xA;  of merit!), but it doesn't forget that even if the human birth is the&#xA;  most promising for Awakening, we cannot reasonably expect humans not&#xA;  to make mistakes! This is not about 'forgiving' lightly; instead, this&#xA;  is about accepting that amends (i.e. continued cultivation) are more&#xA;  important than snap judgements. If you did wrong, don't ignore it,&#xA;  what do you  plan to do to fix the situation, how do you take&#xA;  responsibility for it? This is, of course, perfectly aligned with the&#xA;  focus on emptiness, and on compassion as the root-quality giving rise&#xA;  to bodhicitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T00:09:35.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8727" CreationDate="2015-04-19T02:17:53.653" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;(This depends on the teacher or lineage.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally if you stay too long on a object the following can happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;get attached to it or obsessed with the object. Say you have a pain in your stomach then you will think this might be food poisoning. Also why is it lasting so long? It is supposed to be impermanent but why is it lingering. Likewise all kind of thoughts will keep arising due to the object. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can miss out on other experiences in other areas. Main thing is that you should be able to see all experiences through out the body. Staying in one object means that you miss many more subtle experiences. Say your stomach hurts but there is a itching on the head. If you stay with the pain you miss the itching. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So best is to systematically change the objects (emphasis on systematic and methodically here so you don't miss watching experiences even on a small part of your body,  i.e., you have to make every inch of your body sensitive to sense the subtlest of contact / sensation, e.g. the air touching your skin in absence of any other sensations. To see things as they are you have to horn your recognising or conscious part of your mind /  aggregates to register the subtlest of realities) so you experience everything on your body at most waiting on one object for for only a few minutes or so. If you are aware of the breathing, then you can see effects on it. In my case I stay on the breath only for few breaths. (No counting the breaths.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise if there are any parts of your body which is not sensitive enough to register any input / sensation (there is an object as your facilities are in contact with something or the other by your consciousness is not strong enough to recognize it), you have to wait on that place for a short time to see if you sense something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to be equanimous in facing the sensations. In the absence of craving and clinging, your perception / mental reaction towards such experiences will become weaker and weaker. Also your stop putting fuel to the fire by creating new fabrications which will create further sensual experiences in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you do this you will start seeing things dissappear faster and faster until it disappears instantly once your attention comes to the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any object, arises and passes away with such rapid succession. When you are sensitive to recognise it when your attention is brought to the object itself then you will see it happening. Otherwise by staying with the object your mind can get a bit concerned and then you will start seeing the arising and passing. (Keeping in mind the above arguments. ) In the latter case if the object is something like pain sometimes it may pass away before you can get concentrated enough to see the phenomena arising and passing. (At a grosser level this is arising and passing away also. ) Any case don't get excited or disappointed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T04:49:21.473" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T04:49:21.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8721" CreationDate="2015-04-19T02:39:00.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Short answer: you make a vow to become enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long answer:&#xA;I presume you are referring to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C5%ABmi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 Bhumis&lt;/a&gt;, as described in the Daśabhūmika, which is also the 26th Chapter of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0877739404&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avatamsaka Sutra&lt;/a&gt;, which you can get on Amazon in ebook format, also bootleg versions exist in PDF format on the internet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dasabhumika is interesting in the Avatamsaka Sutra because it has a lot of actionable advice-- much of the rest of the Avatamsaka Sutra has good stuff, but it isn't specific advice about what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The titles of the Bhumis, I find generally perplexing, I think they were intended to describe the consequences of achieving the Bhumi, not thing you do to achieve the Bhumi. The first is &quot;Extreme Joy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like everything in the Avatamaska Sutra, the First Bhumi has 10 parts, and I paraphrase:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to make offerings to all Buddhas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to maintain the teachings of all Buddhas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to go to all worlds where Buddhas appear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to teach (many aspects of Buddhism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to develop all beings (towards enlightenment)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to comprehend directly all the worlds&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to show all beings the pure lands (I think, the phrasing isn't clear)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to develop a number of talents of use in bringing other to enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vow to be a diligent teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vow to attain enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutra mentions many other common Buddhist themes for this Bhumi, such as achieving realizations about charity, desire, compassion, sunyata, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't find the quote, but I've seen the 1st Bhumi as equated to Bodhicitta-- developing the enthusiasm and will (or vow) to become enlightened. Since the 1st Bhumi is being described as a series of vows, I guess that makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for extra credit, the 2nd Bhumi mentions the 10 precepts. The 4th Bhumi mentions the 8 fold path. The 5th Bhumi mentions Bodhisattvas should learn and apply math, science, medicine, the arts, civil engineering and so on to be of use to all creatures. It's these pieces of this-worldly, highly actionable advice that make me like this chapter of the Avatamsaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reading on the internet the various summations of the Bhumis, keep in mind that each Bhumi is described over several pages of text that defy quick summation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huayenontario.org/pages/HY%20studies%20English%20Outline%20of%20Avatamsaka%20Sutra%20.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;outline of the Avatamasaka&lt;/a&gt; in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T02:39:00.247" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8707" CreationDate="2015-04-19T03:20:44.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;True self is a phrase that comes up in Chan/Zen. It sometimes considered indistinguishable from the idea of an eternal soul, but never stated so clearly as that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Empirical self, according to google is a phrase used by Kant, the psychologist William James, and I suppose it has a man in the street definition of &quot;who you are in the sense of what is empirically provable, observable.&quot;  I don't claim to understand Kant, and I don't have time to read James, I'll use the man in the street definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana philosopher who put the most thought into the question of eternalism vs extinctionalism is Nagarjuna, who came up with a two truth's doctrine, that there is a truth for the ordinary world and a truth for the transcendent, supermundane, supernatural world. I don't actually follow Nagarjuna's arguments, it's somewhat abstruse. I think he means to say in the conventional sense of truth, we're dead, in the transcendent truth, there wasn't a difference between being alive and dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also rejected that we were eternal, and rejected that we would become extinct (die for good), and appealed to a middle between these as the appropriate belief. This defies my man in the street sense of logic (mortality and immortality seem pretty exclusive and opposite), but I've read that this can also be interpreted to mean that they are both possibly true, meaning it's a statement with multiple truth values, (true, false, and just don't know) and this statement about life after death isn't true, isn't false, so that leaves &quot;just don't know&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that gets us to having to deal with life after death on faith, which is certainly a Mahayana concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T03:20:44.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8737" CreationDate="2015-04-19T10:02:49.120" Score="5" ViewCount="6378" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both Anapanasati and Vipassana are described as the direct path to Nibbana. What are the main differences along these paths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does one fully include the other, or do they diverge from each other, or they in a sense parallel to each?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2020-11-22T04:47:23.753" LastActivityDate="2020-11-26T17:02:30.410" Title="What is the difference between Anapanasati and Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8734" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-19T10:36:07.773" Score="3" ViewCount="396" Body="&lt;p&gt;I downloaded a lot of things for 16 years I guess.I now understood this is a form of stealing.And i decided to delete my downloaded content.But some material is not found in my country,or if i order them it takes too much hassle to get here or the material is for educational or self improvement purposes.And i never intended to steal.But still it was not respecting other people's work.With those intentions is it still bad karma?Is it still wrong if it is really really essential?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's actually about the NEED to the material.Like i want to learn speaking english and i need a book or a listening material which is not found in my country.And i really need it.And if I learn english or other things it will be beneficial to me and my environment&#xA; EDIT : Look what I found. Totally coincidence. Synchronisity ☺. &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/xMj_P_6H69g&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/xMj_P_6H69g&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5032" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T08:52:54.580" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T08:52:54.580" Title="If I download illegal material for my education and if the material is not in my reach in my country, is it still bad karma?" Tags="|karma|ethics|modern-world|media|justice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8735" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8765" CreationDate="2015-04-19T11:17:34.360" Score="4" ViewCount="829" Body="&lt;p&gt;What kind of practices can one do to neutralise a hateful temperament? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can i please have specific techniques.Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By temperament i mean a character or habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:31:05.397" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:31:05.397" Title="What is the Antidote for a Hateful Temperament?" Tags="|personal-practice|anger|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8735" CreationDate="2015-04-19T12:05:08.870" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The solution is to use &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt; (loving kindness). For canonical description of Metta, please see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.125.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Information on how to practise Metta can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/scrn_metta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. These are quite specific and written by Ven. Dhammarakkhita and Ven. Buddharakkhita. These are too long to quote here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hateful temperament is part of &quot;ill will&quot;, one of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; (also &lt;a href=&quot;http://insightmeditationcenter.org/articles/FiveHindrances.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) to meditation and practice. Ajahn Brahmavamso explains in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ill will refers to the desire to punish, hurt or destroy. &lt;strong&gt;It includes&#xA;  sheer hatred of a person, or even a situation&lt;/strong&gt;, and it can generate so&#xA;  much energy that it is both seductive and addictive. At the time, it&#xA;  always appears justified for such is its power that it easily corrupts&#xA;  our ability to judge fairly. It also includes ill will towards&#xA;  oneself, otherwise known as guilt, which denies oneself any&#xA;  possibility of happiness. In meditation, ill will can appear as&#xA;  dislike towards the meditation object itself, rejecting it so that&#xA;  one's attention is forced to wander elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha likened ill will to being sick. Just as sickness&#xA;  denies one the freedom and happiness of health, so ill will denies one&#xA;  the freedom and happiness of peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ill will is overcome by applying Metta, loving kindness&lt;/strong&gt;. When it is&#xA;  ill will towards a person, Metta teaches one to see more in that&#xA;  person than all that which hurts you, to understand why that person&#xA;  hurt you (often because they were hurting intensely themselves), and&#xA;  encourages one to put aside one's own pain to look with compassion on&#xA;  the other. But if this is more than one can do, Metta to oneself leads&#xA;  one to refuse to dwell in ill will to that person, so as to stop them&#xA;  from hurting you further with the memory of those deeds. Similarly, if&#xA;  it is ill will towards oneself, Metta sees more than one's own faults,&#xA;  can understand one's own faults, and finds the courage to forgive&#xA;  them, learn from their lesson and let them go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T12:51:49.600" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T12:51:49.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8733" CreationDate="2015-04-19T14:28:31.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapana is Vipassana Meditation also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has 16 stages. In sets of 4 (tetrads) they cover the 4 Satipatthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am to reinterpret the question above as &amp;quot;What is the difference between Anapansati and Satipatthana&amp;quot; as I feel this might be what you meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana shares as section on Anapana. They come up to &amp;quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi&amp;quot; - you are sensitive to your whole body; &amp;quot;Passambhayam kayasamkharam&amp;quot; - calming the body fabrication.&#xA;(Disclaimer: this might be interpreted differently by different linages / teachers.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Anapana you more on to feelings which has arisen (when you have calmed your bodily fabrications and you are sensitive on your whole body generally it is pleasant)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Satipatthana stay with the body, looking at it in more detail and remedying general miss perceptions about it if you have such polarity. When you are doing this you are looking at the feeling outline of the body as initially developed you sensitivity so you can feel the full outline of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though at the very high level the flow of both methods are the same. Body &amp;lt;=&amp;gt; feeling (**) &amp;lt;=&amp;gt; mind &amp;lt;=&amp;gt; dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any Buddhist Meditation you start off with you have to come to the junction of Sabbakayapatisamvedi and as you progress it will not be limited to the Satipatthana you started off with. In Anapana you start off with the breath but all 4 Satipatthana develops in the process. All 4 has to develop as the Satipatthana correspond to the aggregates. Also any impact on one aggregate effects the others. Hence something you observe in one foundation of mindfullness will impact the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2020-11-22T19:38:07.953" LastActivityDate="2020-11-22T19:38:07.953" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8738" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8743" CreationDate="2015-04-19T16:45:35.940" Score="4" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;First time poster here. I am very new to buddhism, so my understanding is very basic. My previous world views were very materialistic and deterministic. It might not be surprising that the most confusing concept I find so far is rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take this theoretical situation: We created AI that is indistinguishable from a human, capable of superior understanding of all the scientific concepts known to human and beyond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Will something have to be rebirth into it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imagine this AI starts to multiplicate unstoppably, from where will we source all the consciousness to get rebirth into it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastEditorUserId="5034" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T20:50:01.217" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T02:37:50.347" Title="Rebirth in regard to AI" Tags="|philosophy|rebirth|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8739" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8744" CreationDate="2015-04-19T17:01:05.850" Score="4" ViewCount="168" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very new to buddhism, so my understanding is very basic. My previous world views were very materialistic and deterministic. It might not be surprising that the most confusing concept I find so far is rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take this theoretical situation: Somebody is declared brain dead. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does this person gets reborn? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What if medicine improved and we would bring this person back to life?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What if this person would be left in this condition forever by keeping that person alive with medical resources?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-19T17:08:38.423" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T03:20:25.400" Title="Rebirth and brain death" Tags="|philosophy|rebirth|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8738" CreationDate="2015-04-19T20:38:20.350" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;AI is a concept. Not a reality. AI in essence is simply electrified hardware. &#xA;A computer is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt;. Electricity is Rupa. There has to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/naama.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nama&lt;/a&gt; involved to talk about rebirth or having a consciousness. A computer might beat a man in Chess. But it's still just matter. No mind involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-04-19T20:38:20.350" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8734" CreationDate="2015-04-20T02:21:42.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're lots of free legit. contents on the internet. If it's software, there're lots of high quality free open source programs at GNU, Apache. If it's educational material, there're lots of free education sites like Khan Academy, Coursera, Udacity, etc. When all else fail, there're always wikipedia and youtube, which are also legit. and free..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T02:21:42.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8738" CreationDate="2015-04-20T02:37:50.347" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;AI no matter how sophisticated, is still just a sophisticated computer. It can even be 100% &quot;human-like&quot; but it's still not &quot;human&quot;. See John Searle's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_room&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chinese room experiment&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T02:37:50.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8739" CreationDate="2015-04-20T03:20:25.400" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The common stock phrase the Buddha used to describe rebirth process in many suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, s/he reappears in a happy/unhappy destination..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A brain-dead person is not dead yet. When the body is officially dead, there'd be the full departure of 3 things: vitality, body heat, and consciousness (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;).&#xA;So, does this person gets reborn? No, since s/he's not dead yet. What if medicine brings him back to life? That'd be great. What if this person would be left in this condition forever by keeping that person alive with medical resources? S/he is still who s/he is, but just like taking a long deep sleep..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T03:20:25.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8745" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-20T03:47:08.677" Score="4" ViewCount="257" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a student, is it beneficial for me to take the practice of Buddhist meditation? If so what type of meditation should I incline myself into improving my concentration(tone down distraction) and dealing with stress? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am however familiar with the breathing meditation and have practiced it for some time. However, I call myself a beginner of this meditation and haven't reached any considerable depths in this technique. I would also like to know the benefits of using such method in a situation like this, if you are familiar with anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that their is another question related to 'exams'. However, I am not narrowing on just exams, but university life in general. And please don't hesitate to give any type of meditation within Buddhism that you would see somewhat useful for me, I am very pleased to hear such. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="658" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T10:12:19.677" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T01:21:20.283" Title="Can meditation help me in my academics?" Tags="|modern-world|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8735" CreationDate="2015-04-20T05:00:53.290" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The root of this is in the perception:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have perception of something which does not hold which you react to. You deluded by the perception and react with aversion or attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is directed at a person:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have a perception of your self as an entity and another person as an entity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in you entity view you attach or associate certain attributes with the entity, which you perceive positively or negatively and react to your perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have an entity view of your self and the other person to which you attach certain attributes, you measure what these attributes are favourably or unfavourably using some perceived yard stick and hence react to the measurement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then temperament arises as you do more of the above this becomes dominating habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what need to be done is to address the above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Break the habit&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When something negative happens, realise it, if it is intense and overpowering try to replace it with the opposite perception or view, if not ignore it by paying attention to something else like the breath, then try to calm the fabrication by looking at the sensation (passive approach) or by calming the breath and creating pleasant sensation in the body (active approach - faster), if it does not work brining you attention to the upper palate touching it with the tongue&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make it a habit to cultivate Metta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Changing the polarity of perception &#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You mental reaction will always associated with some sensation so do not cling or react to the sensation or generating reinforcing thoughts and views which might strengthen the perception (opposite thoughts are OK if it is over powering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Getting rid of perception altogether&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Through insight meditation, especially by strengthening your awareness of what ever that comes to your consciousness, diluting your perception and views, cultivating conducive view and perception aimed at reducing the polarity leading to the cessation of perception and the aggregates, calming the fabrications by not creating new fabrication and / or actively reducing them, etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T05:00:53.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8745" CreationDate="2015-04-20T05:10:11.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The negative affects on studies and overcoming them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Distraction when you study means you cannot learn something properly - meditation can help keep focus.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Memory may lapse if you are scatter-brained - when doing exams you might not be able to recall something. Focus by meditation will help you remember things.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Time spent on studies - by pursuing other pleasure activities you lose time for studies. Meditation helps by taming your senses so you can study more.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T01:21:20.283" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T01:21:20.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8748" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8750" CreationDate="2015-04-20T05:44:13.233" Score="9" ViewCount="2140" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am sensing this disenchantment from letting go. Meditating on impermanence feels like nihilism to me. There is a fleeting moment of joy from the liberation and just watching emotions go by. And I also notice the joy of it but I let it be and not cling. Then suddenly comes this pointlessness feeling. Something like nihilism. I also don't cling to that but it worries me I may lose control and just do things carelessly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any guidance on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T17:04:11.010" Title="How to not slip into Nihilism from Vipassana?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|philosophy|mindfulness|nihilism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8748" CreationDate="2015-04-20T05:59:33.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer depends on the polarity of the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you ego centric and think you have a mission or role in the the world a bit of nihilism would be of help but (sans any beliefs that action do not have consequences)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is not the case then there are two out looks of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The world and being are made of &quot;solid building blocks&quot; of which some elements persist. As for entities they have a core which you can identify the individual across rebirths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The world is a process and life it self a process which has certain events. In the case of the physical make up of a person or anything else the process takes the form of solids, liquid, gaseous and heat which are always changing. Life is a process also (with no core) which takes different forms, and events, stages along the way which is conditioned and driven by the process of Dependent Origination.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is in the world does have meaning but not conventionally accepted meaning. Like there is solidity, there is a permanent entity driving the whole process, there is and entity in one self which is permanent, there is no entity in one self and not process (everything is random and chaotic), &#xA;the world is random and chaotic and lacking a driving process which brings about cosmic order, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meaning is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is cosmic order of things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a process that ovens life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in a sense again it is not worthy to attach any value as in absolute terms it is beyond ones control. Trying to control is misery and attaching temperament attribute perception something which will change is also misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T06:09:38.640" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T06:09:38.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8748" CreationDate="2015-04-20T06:33:59.463" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; (also &lt;a href=&quot;http://insightmeditationcenter.org/articles/FiveHindrances.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) to meditation and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question can be part of restlessness-worry and also doubt. But it sounds to me more like doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the essay of Ajahn Brahmavamso&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Doubt refers to the disturbing inner questions at a time when one should be silently moving deeper.&lt;/strong&gt; Doubt can question one's own&#xA;  ability &quot;Can I do This?&quot;, or question the method &quot;Is this the right&#xA;  way?&quot;, or even question the meaning &quot;What is this?&quot;. It should be&#xA;  remembered that &lt;strong&gt;such questions are obstacles to meditation because&#xA;  they are asked at the wrong time and thus become an intrusion,&#xA;  obscuring one's clarity&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha likened doubt to being lost in a desert, not&#xA;  recognising any landmarks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Such doubt is overcome by gathering clear instruction, having a&#xA;  good map, so that one can recognise the subtle landmarks in the&#xA;  unfamiliar territory of deep meditation and so know which way to go.&#xA;  Doubt in one's ability is overcome by nurturing self confidence with a good teacher. A meditation teacher is like a coach who convinces&#xA;  the sports team that they can succeed. The Lord Buddha stated that one&#xA;  can, one will, reach Jhana and Enlightenment if one carefully and&#xA;  patiently follows the instructions. The only uncertainty is 'when'!&#xA;  Experience also overcomes doubt about one's ability and also doubt&#xA;  whether this is the right path. As one realised for oneself the&#xA;  beautiful stages of the path, one discovers that one is indeed capable&#xA;  of the very highest, and that this is the path that leads one there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The doubt that takes the form of constant assessing &quot;Is this Jhana?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;How am I going?&quot;, is overcome by realising that &lt;strong&gt;such questions are&#xA;  best left to the end&lt;/strong&gt;, to the final couple of minutes of the&#xA;  meditation. A jury only makes its judgement at the end of the trial,&#xA;  when all the evidence has been presented. Similarly, a skilful&#xA;  meditator pursues a silent gathering of evidence, reviewing it only at&#xA;  the end to uncover its meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The end of doubt, in meditation, is described by a mind which has full trust in the silence, and so doesn't interfere with any inner&#xA;  speech. Like having a good chauffeur, one sits silently on the journey&#xA;  out of trust in the driver&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T12:52:10.557" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T12:52:10.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8734" CreationDate="2015-04-20T06:52:56.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Downloading someone else's hard work and using it for your benefit without compensating them to me is a form of stealing in my opinion. Some other Buddhists think its only 'copying' and hence not stealing. That's a discussion which is continuing on another thread. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For arguments sake, lets consider it stealing for now. We then realize that people are sometimes compelled to steal. Does a war prisoner who is starving commit negative kamma by 'stealing' an apple from his well fed prison guard?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes in samsara people end up in dangerous places and situations, where people have to break the precepts just to survive. In such instances someone who has come into contact with the dhamma has to accept that they are doing is unskillful, reflect on the dangers of that unskillful act, as well as the dangers of coming into existence which led one to such a situation. If we justify the wrong doing and say that it is right, we then fall into even graver negative situation of perpetuating wrong view. For the Buddha says that all that who have attained to the path leading to Nibbana do so with right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So understand why you are doing it, what compels you to do it. Are there alternatives? Can you prevent doing it in the future? Can you 'cover up' the wrong deed by doing good deeds? Say once you learn English and improve yourself, use that knowledge to help others. Perhaps later once you are able make a donation to the company or person from whose material you benefited from. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also highly recommend the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which explains how positive skillful kamma can negate past negative unskillful kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2015-04-21T03:21:46.337" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T03:21:46.337" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8748" CreationDate="2015-04-20T10:07:31.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's perfectly normal.&#xA;The point is to accept that you have little to no control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It leads you to the &quot;I do things carelessly&quot; zone, or even &quot;I don't care&quot; zone.&#xA;You cared because you thought through permanence, so you're simply crossing an incomfort zone where you have to redefine what is relevant to YOU knowing that you have little to no control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Embrace uncomfort. If you're in an uncomfortable zone, then it means you're asking the right questions, even though it changes you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After this period, you'll start caring again, but you'll know why, and it won't be because you assumed so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5035" LastEditorUserId="5035" LastEditDate="2015-04-20T11:09:38.503" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T11:09:38.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8748" CreationDate="2015-04-20T14:03:39.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is only within the narrow focus of the ego that it fears 'nihilism'. Let it be there, and you may reveal that you truly 'do' favor spiritual purposes, and you do maintain an intention for the good; pointlessness cannot lie there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it is likely to be is &lt;em&gt;fear of boredom.&lt;/em&gt; Your mind is looking to cling to something, when you are still capable of letting go of that feeling. 'Slipping' into something in the future or becoming stuck are fears of what may come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is looking for amusements and novelty, and is clever to keep itself entertained. However, you may find yourself readjusting and moving through discomforts, which can be normal phases of growth. By letting the feeling be there for a while and decide for surrender, the feeling will dissolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The permanence of impermanence needs no purpose; it is abundantly fulfilled. Within that fulfillment is constant movement. It be help to also contemplate these dualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5036" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T14:03:39.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8748" CreationDate="2015-04-20T17:04:11.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're many categories of nihilism: metaphysical, epistemological, mereological, existential, moral nihilism, etc. The kind of nihilism the Buddha advises us to avoid is a kind of philosophical materialism which believes that life ends in death and that actions do not bring results in future lives. This type of nihilism is also called the doctrine of non-existence since it denies existence of afterlife and of kammic retribution taught by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajita_Kesakambali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajita Kesakambali&lt;/a&gt;, one of the Six Samana during the Buddha's time. So from what you described, you shouldn't worry too much about falling into this kind of nihilism. Just make sure to add a bit more &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Virya&lt;/a&gt; into the practice and you'll do fine. Also should check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.053.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 46.53&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha taught the right and wrong times to cultivate the various enlightenment factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Monks, when the mind is sluggish, that is the right time to cultivate the enlightenment-factor of investigation-of-states, the enlightenment-factor of energy, the enlightenment-factor of rapture. What is the reason? A sluggish mind is easy to arouse by these factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T17:04:11.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5716" CreationDate="2015-04-20T17:49:43.037" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You didn't mention whether you are a University student or a high school student. I'm going to assume you are in University for this answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you follow Buddhist ideas, you are likely familiar with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt; which are voluntarily taken by lay people who wish to follow the Buddha's teachings and who recognize that living in a manner that is harmless to others is needed as a first step. By taking the 5 precepts, a University student would be avoiding some of the worst problems that plague University populations many of which are related to alcohol and drug use and the regrettable behaviors that can follow. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-25/four-wesleyan-students-arrested-after-overdoses-of-molly&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here's a recent example&lt;/a&gt; of highly intelligent students ruining their reputations and educational opportunity by engaging in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wrong Livelihood&lt;/a&gt;. The practice of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;sīla&lt;/a&gt; can serve a student well and preserve educational opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The benefits to a student of practicing mindfulness are many and are briefly outlined here from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/common_college_health_issues/mindfulness.php&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brown University Student Health Services&lt;/a&gt; page.&#xA;An excerpt: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Several studies with college students suggest that the practice of mindfulness leads to decreases in stress and anxiety, improvements in concentration and attention, and increases in self-awareness and overall emotional well-being.  Professor Willoughby Britton, a clinical psychologist at Brown, has studied the effects of mindfulness meditation on Brown students and has found that meditation decreases anxiety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's enough data to make your head spin from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://goamra.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;American Mindfulness Research Association&lt;/a&gt;, much of it new and with mixed results. As is often said said regarding following Buddhist teachings and practices, try it for yourself. See if you see beneficial changes in yourself. When you see it for yourself; you'll know. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-04-20T17:49:43.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8757" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8762" CreationDate="2015-04-21T16:18:15.067" Score="8" ViewCount="1229" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes during everyday conversation, you can notice based on someone's subtle feedback, that they may be misinterpreting something you are telling them. For the sake of the question, please suspend doubt in the premise itself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This literal truth causes confusion and ignorance for them, but our hypothetical lie communicates the truth effectively and even helps gently erode away the delusions they suffer from. (Because our words were exactly what they needed to hear, so that when their delusions distort their understanding, it lands on the truth.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this really a lie, or is it perfect language? (Is it a corrupted compromise between them?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: More specifically, is it breaking the precept of false speech? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is a lie still false if it communicates the truth?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5037" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-09-14T13:40:50.303" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T13:40:50.303" Title="If the literal truth causes confusion, but a lie portrays the truth via a careful misunderstanding, is it really a lie?" Tags="|ethics|philosophy|right-speech|skillful-means|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8352" CreationDate="2015-04-21T16:39:27.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a simple answer to this:&#xA;understsand that &quot;dropping your opinions&quot; means that you &lt;strong&gt;drop holding onto them&lt;/strong&gt;--not &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; them. You will have them whether you like it or not: you will judge right and wrong instantly and will form categorizations of people--all valuable things... until you cling to them as complete facts!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through proper Practice in daily life, you will learn to let go of ALL facts. People will see you as extremely flexible and easygoing.&#xA;You will become very likeable because you dont disagree with anyone--you only disagree with their version of the facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is never any such thing as a conflict among people--only among ideas--however strongly held they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proper meditative practice frees up tremendous energies (that were used to hold onto and defend ego) and increases flexibility, speed, and efficiency!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you succeed in coming to the outskirts of this beautiful place of balance and unified consciousness, others will like you a lot but you will see how much further you have to go in figuring out the right way to practice dissolving your ego in myriad subtle but influential, karma-creating ways... and thus, the way of the bodhisattva becomes the way of daily life (to the degree that one can disentangle some of the energy that goes into one's job).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T16:39:27.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8757" CreationDate="2015-04-21T17:04:20.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer comes in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; from the Buddha himself, on the topic of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a&#xA;  sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense of the&#xA;  proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has&#xA;  sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-21T17:10:16.723" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T17:10:16.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8757" CreationDate="2015-04-21T17:42:01.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on whether you believe statements have a power to transform your consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, assume two statements -- X and Y.  Now assume that you utter X and later utter Y, with identical intentions.  If X impacts you differently than Y, then you are making a claim that the statements themselves have causal power over you -- apart from your own reactions to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now whether this is a problem or not depends on a few things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you believe that your personal development is driven by&#xA;intention? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you subscribe to a modern, scientific worldview?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the answer to either of the above is true, then the idea that a statement in and of itself would affect you in such a way is clearly absurd.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe one of the key criticisms the Buddha had with Brahmanism was in Brahmanism's focus on rituals as acts, whereas the Buddha stressed the intention behind the act as the causal principle.  I don't recall where this critique occurred sadly, so I can't give a reference.  Still, it seems to support this reading, and leads to the implicit critique of anyone who clings to actions in and of themselves as missing a key point of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, Buddhism's atheistic or non-theistic stance can be read as an implicit critique of this clinging to acts as having causality.  For if your own intentions play no role in an action, then clearly you are calling upon a higher power to reward or punish you for this act, even if you don't explicitly hold belief in such.  In this sense, Buddhism's stance is not one of rejecting a particular cosmology, but in attempting to bring people back to bearing responsibility for their actions and putting their focus where it belongs: on intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T17:42:01.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8761" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8766" CreationDate="2015-04-21T18:33:54.490" Score="3" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;Catharsis is described as &lt;code&gt;&quot;providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis&quot;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/desilva-p/wheel237.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;online resource&lt;/a&gt; mentions &lt;code&gt;&quot;The Buddha has thus presented the principles of the catharsis of emotions...&quot;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is my understanding that gossip is not looked upon favorably in Buddhism. I am unsure why though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rightly or wrongly, i practice catharsis through open dialogue with others. This may be in relation to others or myself. For example, if i am faced with a challenge which i am aware and mindful gives rise to emotions such as frustration, anger, helplessness, etc, i often discuss these with close family. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working with a real-world example, currently i am faced with someone who simply does not wish to work with others in a meaningful way nor takes proactive steps to work with others. Often this is seen as being a roadblock of sorts and more than often, there is little trust in working with the person. I have attempted on multiple occasions to work with this person in a way to go beyond the trifles and historical 'negative' experiences which has been less than successful. Now i undertake catharsis by discussing the concept of 'how it blows my mind&quot; that someone is not willing to work in meaningful ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T16:08:33.340" Title="How is catharsis different to gossiping in Buddhism?" Tags="|psychology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8757" CreationDate="2015-04-21T18:50:52.363" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a counter to the other answer, Wikipedia's article on &lt;em&gt;upāya&lt;/em&gt; ('skillful means') describes the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya#Parable_of_the_burning_house&quot;&gt;Parable of the burning house&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra contains a famous upaya story about using the expedient means of white lies to rescue children from a burning building.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a similar, modern. non-Buddhist term for this called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children&quot;&gt;Lie-to-children&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because some topics can be extremely difficult to understand without experience, introducing a full level of complexity to a student or child all at once can be overwhelming. Hence elementary explanations are simplified in a way that makes the lesson more understandable, though technically wrong. A lie-to-children is meant to be eventually replaced with a more sophisticated explanation which is closer to the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some lineages also apparently have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana#Esoteric_transmission&quot;&gt;secrets&lt;/a&gt; which may be similar to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder whether to deduce that it's OK as long there is no intent to deceive. But saying &quot;there are toys&quot; (in the 'Parable of the burning house') seems like an actual deception. It's beneficial/compassionate, at least. And skillful/necessary. Maybe it's not even deceptive (it's hard to tell when it's a parable or metaphor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes: &quot;portraying the truth via a careful miunderstanding&quot; seems to have a basis in literature (Mahayana and Vajrayāna, even if not Theravada). &lt;em&gt;Upāya&lt;/em&gt; is apparently a Mahayana concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Havig said this I hope you won't use it as an excuse to deceive people. I think there's some justification for saying that ignorance is a cause of suffering, and that deception goes with ignorance, so I hope you won't be deceiving people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T18:50:52.363" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8763" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-21T19:01:56.927" Score="3" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a spiritual and somewhat crazy person, and have been taught both zen and samatha meditation, though I rarely practice either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just underwent a series of short micros sleeps, which were accompanied by musical hypnagogic hallucinations. I've had both experiences many times, but never together - and it was the closest thing I can imagine to the &quot;sound of one hand clapping&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I felt sleepier, stopped fighting, right after I closed my eyes would hear someone singing, and then immediately seem to wake up again. This process repeated itself some four or five times, until I stopped being amazed by it (see the first paragraph) and just fell asleep (- until now).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do any sleep experiences, like hypnagogic hallucinations, micro sleeps, or even sleep paralysis, or anything else, have anything to do with meditation? It strikes me as one way that science might come to terms with the states associated with meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:32:10.027" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:32:10.027" Title="Sleep and meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|zen|sleep|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8763" CreationDate="2015-04-21T19:45:42.740" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have.  The hypnagogic/hypnaponic state is known for the interesting and even intense phenomena that can arise.  Here's my most vivid experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I woke up one morning, paralyzed.  This happened before (sleep paralysis), and I knew it was a symptom of the hypnagogic/hypnaponic state. Well, I had recently read a book on out-of-body experiences (OBE), and it stated that I should simply will myself to lift out of my body.  So I did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I then felt a buzzing sensation up and down my body that grew to a&#xA;  fevered pitch.  It was &lt;strong&gt;INTENSE&lt;/strong&gt;.  Then I felt myself lifting out of my&#xA;  body, with a static-electricity-like sensation at every point I exited. Then I&#xA;  saw the ceiling coming closer through &lt;strong&gt;CLOSED EYELIDS&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I was terrified, so terrified I wanted back in.  I ended up&#xA;  snapping back in, and literally shivered myself to sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then I woke up again, and heard strange music.  I never heard this song&#xA;  before, but the voice sounded like Sinead O'Connor's.  I then felt the&#xA;  buzzing again, like it was a spontaneous OBE.  I fought it hard, and&#xA;  it stopped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above was very vivid, more vivid than my waking experiences.  I chalk it up to the hallucinations (or lucid dreams) possible from this state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-04-23T13:24:05.330" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T13:24:05.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8735" CreationDate="2015-04-21T20:44:38.670" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a 'hateful temperament' means like 'ill-will', one source says that an antidote is metta meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Ill_will_.28vyapada.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ill will (vyapada)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The antidote to the hindrance of ill will (vyapada) is meditation on loving kindness (metta). Ajahn Brahmavamso states:[web 2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Ill will is overcome by applying Metta, loving kindness. When it is ill will towards a person, Metta teaches one to see more [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, &quot;hatred&quot; might be seen as a subtype of aversion, i.e. one of the three poisons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvesha (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dvesha (Sanskrit, also dveṣa; Pali: dosa; Tibetan: zhe sdang) - is a Buddhist term that is translated as &quot;aversion&quot;, &quot;aggression&quot;, &quot;anger&quot;, etc. It can be defined as a fear of getting what we don't want, or not getting what we do want.[1] Dvesha (dosa) is identified in the following contexts within the Buddhist teachings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt; within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One of the &lt;em&gt;three unwholesome roots&lt;/em&gt; within the Theravada Buddhist tradition&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)#Fourteen_unwholesome_mental_factors&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fourteen unwholesome mental factors&lt;/a&gt; within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Overcoming_the_kleshas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Overcoming the kleshas&lt;/a&gt; says (or at least, it claims that),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All Buddhist schools teach that through Tranquility (Samatha) meditation the kilesas are pacified, though not eradicated, and through Insight (Vipassana) the true nature of the kilesas and the mind itself is understood. When the empty nature of the Self and the Mind is fully understood, there is no longer a root for the disturbing emotions to be attached to, and the disturbing emotions lose their power to distract the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if 'metta' doesn't seem to work then perhaps samatha or vipassana might. But I think you've said that you have mostly been practicing samatha, already, in the past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from these three (metta, samatha, and vipasanna) the only other approach I know of is non-hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes Buddhism seems to be about, not replacing this with that (e.g. replacing hatred with loving-kindness), but letting go of this and that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_%28Buddhism%29#Opposite_wholesome_qualities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Opposite wholesome qualities&lt;/a&gt; lists two opposite qualities, not just one,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adve%E1%B9%A3a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;adveṣa&lt;/a&gt; (non-aggression, lack of hatred); &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mettā&lt;/a&gt; (loving-kindness)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advesha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Advesha&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Advesha (Sanskrit; Pali: adosa; Tibetan Wylie: zhes sdang med pa) is a Buddhist term translated as &quot;non-aggression&quot; or &quot;non-hatred&quot;. It is defined as the absence of an aggressive attitude towards someone or something that causes pain.[1][2] It is one of the mental factors within the Abhidharma teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidharma-samuccaya states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;What is advesha? It is the absence of the intention to harm sentient beings, to quarrel with frustrating situations, and to inflict suffering on those who are the cause of frustration. It functions as a basis for not getting involved with unwholesome behavior.[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This version of verse 5 from the start of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary ends with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They were made to see that hatred could only cause more hatred, and that it could only cease through friendship, understanding and goodwill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali version though is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Na hi verena verani&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sammantidha kudacanam&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  averena ca sammanti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  esa dhammo sanantano.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a word in the first line (&lt;em&gt;verani&lt;/em&gt;) meaning 'hatred', and one in the third (&lt;em&gt;averena&lt;/em&gt;) which is the opposite or more specifically the negation, 'non-hatred' (the prefix &lt;code&gt;a-&lt;/code&gt; seems to mean 'not-' or 'non-' in Pali, as it does also in English).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of more literal and less poetic translations of the Dhammapada &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example this one&lt;/a&gt; say &quot;non-hatred&quot; rather than &quot;loving-kindness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find it easier (or better) to feel non-hatred or rather to not feel hatred: to not 'feel'; or to aim for emptiness and transience (not constructing a self who feels hateful, not holding on to hate if it arises), than to aim for artificial loving-kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that goes with some of the other Buddhist teaching (especially the early and non-explicitly-altruistic teaching) which seem IMO to describe other concepts too such as 'nirvana' for example (or the third noble truth) as a bit of negation or a zero, for example as an &quot;unbinding&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-21T23:06:09.083" LastActivityDate="2015-04-21T23:06:09.083" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8761" CreationDate="2015-04-22T00:50:20.393" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe catharsis in your definition to be acceptable in Buddhism, only if the intention is purely wholesome. Recall that intention &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; karma, depending on whether it’s good or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&quot;&#xA;  - AN 6.63  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is my understanding that gossip is not looked upon favorably in Buddhism. I am unsure why though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gossiping is not part of Right Speech because it's considered to be not useful for the path and it tends to lead to a negative environment, because most people find it unacceptable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…Now i undertake catharsis by discussing the concept of 'how it blows my mind&quot; that someone is not willing to work in meaningful ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your intention is to acknowledge them of their unacceptable behaviour, and it contains no ill will towards them personally, then the intention is considered wholesome. Because the intention harbors no such greed, hatred or delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…which i am aware and mindful gives rise to emotions such as frustration, anger, helplessness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for this, you must be mindful of the emotions. If you cling to these, it will make you more frustrated, angry, etc, and stress accumulates. The act of clinging and the act of observing (mindfulness) are two different things, your emotions don't identify you, but you reactions does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="658" LastEditorUserId="658" LastEditDate="2015-04-22T03:18:28.300" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T03:18:28.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8767" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-22T06:04:04.743" Score="3" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the same way the buddha referred to those who wander through Jhana as foolish cows, can individuals wander and get lost within the cycles of insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the meditator has thus become skilled in achieving the fruition attainment, he should resolutely set his mind upon the task of attaining to the higher paths and fruitions. What should now be done by one who has set himself that task? Just as before, he should carry out the practice of noticing (anything occurring) at the six sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can next path start without being skilled in fruition attainment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if I am able to advert to A&amp;amp;P but not able to advert to fruition, is that proof I am still reviewing the last path, or can it be that I moved on too soon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if this is convoluted, I am looking for an actual answer as opposed to a non answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T05:22:30.973" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T05:22:30.973" Title="How do you tell the difference between review of a path and the next path?" Tags="|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8767" CreationDate="2015-04-22T07:38:50.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some useful &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;teachings by Ajaan Fuang&lt;/a&gt; on this topic below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajaan Fuang teaches not to plan how the meditation would go, or deliberately look out for signs to determine what stage you're at, or to be obsessed about what the next steps should be. Instead, he teaches to go on practising by oneself to find out how things will turn out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, one should not just reach one stage and then rush over to the next. One should instead master one stage, then go on to master the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, it is also useful to have such a teacher to guide the student when he finds that the student has reached an impasse or is going on the wrong path. Otherwise, if the teacher finds that the student is progressing on the right path, he should allow the student to discover the next steps on his own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ When Ajaan Fuang taught meditation, he didn't like to map things out&#xA;  in advance. As soon as he had explained the beginning steps, he'd have&#xA;  the student start sitting right in his presence, and then take the&#xA;  steps back home to work on there. If anything came up in the course of&#xA;  the practice, he'd explain how to deal with it and then go on to the&#xA;  next step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once a layman who had known more than his share of meditation teachers&#xA;  came to discuss the Dhamma with Ajaan Fuang, asking him many questions&#xA;  of an advanced nature as a way of testing his level of attainment.&#xA;  Ajaan Fuang asked him in return, &quot;Have you had these experiences in&#xA;  your own meditation yet?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, not yet.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then in that case I'd rather not discuss them, &lt;strong&gt;because if we discuss&#xA;  them when they're not yet a reality for you, they'll just be theories,&#xA;  and not the real Dhamma.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ One meditator noticed that his practice under Ajaan Fuang was making&#xA;  quick progress, and so he asked what the next step would be. &quot;I'm not&#xA;  going to tell you,&quot; Ajaan Fuang said. &quot;Otherwise you'll become the&#xA;  sort of amazing marvel who knows everything before he meets with it,&#xA;  and masters everything before he's tried his hand. &lt;strong&gt;Just keep&#xA;  practicing and you'll find out on your own.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;&lt;strong&gt;You can't plan the way your practice is going to go.&lt;/strong&gt; The mind has&#xA;  its own steps and stages, and you have to let the practice follow in&#xA;  line with them. That's the only way you'll get genuine results.&#xA;  Otherwise you'll turn into a half-baked arahant.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Don't make a journal of your meditation experiences. If you do,&#xA;  you'll start meditating in order to have this or that thing happen, so&#xA;  that you can write it down in your journal. And as a result, you'll&#xA;  end up with nothing but the things you've fabricated.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-24T03:20:07.257" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T03:20:07.257" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8757" CreationDate="2015-04-22T08:55:02.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Part of the answer to your question is already provided in your post. To your standards, there is nothing inherently wrong about your choice; you've even acknowledged why you must say what you have to, and that you are concerned about lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Truth depends on context, but your question is subtly attempting to mix levels. &lt;em&gt;To them,&lt;/em&gt; your words may be understood as truth, but &lt;em&gt;to yourself,&lt;/em&gt; you are knowingly communicating limited information, and &lt;em&gt;between you&lt;/em&gt; there is a seeming paradox. It is an unfair criticism on yourself to expect a 'perfect language' to use, which must arise out of idealism and the hypothetical. Or on the other hand, no better to think you are deceptive, when you've opted for the most suitable exchange (at the time). If the truth is communicated effectively, then perhaps there is no need at all for further reconciliation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Language itself is limited and prone to reinterpretation and revision. If you had asked for your message to be translated, it may be subject to error, but you cannot expect the 'same message' to remain the same once it is changed. Overall, it is inevitable that judgement and compromise must come into play for effective communication. Otherwise you would be uttering dull phrases, and not reading those signals that once registered something within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5036" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T08:55:02.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8761" CreationDate="2015-04-22T15:38:37.113" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A couple of reasons why your practice of catharsis, as described above, might not be considered a favorable thing to do in Buddhism even if you believe it's different enough from gossip to not be considered wrong speech. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It brings you out of the present moment and has you re-living or clinging to the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let one not trace back the past&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That which is past is left behind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unattained is the &quot;yet-to-come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But that which is present he discerns —&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With insight as and when it comes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Immovable — the-non-irritable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In that state should the wise one grow&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Today itself should one bestir&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tomorrow death may come — who knows?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For no bargain can we strike&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With Death who has his mighty hosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But one who dwells thus ardently&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By day, by night, untiringly&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Him the Tranquil Sage has called&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Ideal Lover of Solitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.131.nana.html&quot;&gt;MN 131&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it's the opposite of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equanimity&quot;&gt;Equanimity&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;which is prized as the 4th &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot;&gt;brahmavihāra&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot;&gt;7th Factor of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot;&gt;10th pāramī&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, spending time blowing off steam about another person comes close to gossip, ridicule, and other types of speech which are not considered Right Speech and could easily cross the line. As Anthony suggested above, reading up on Right Speech might help to make sense of all this. Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T15:38:37.113" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1891" CreationDate="2015-04-22T16:09:56.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;J. Krishnamurti, recent philosopher, stated: &quot;Observer is the observed&quot;. When one observes certain phenomena there is no distinction between the phenomena and the one who observes that phenomena because &quot;I&quot; the observer comes into being through a long series of imprints deposited on the brain of the person during interactions with other persons or things. Observer and observed both are dynamic processes which come into existence through certain combinations and are subject to change and dissolution. This phenomena is what may be termed as anatta and need to be understood in combination with the random nature of all processes which confirm that there are in essence nothing more than any material process one comes across in daily life. There is end to all such things of mind and matter and ,therefore, one needs to be careful in dealing with oneself as one is nothing but a material process. P. S. Rajpal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5046" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T16:09:56.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6012" CreationDate="2015-04-22T17:51:23.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;***Very simply, the illusory self. This is the director of one's actions. This is the orchestrator of our fantastic illusory dramas life-time after life-time.&#xA;You are responsible for your actions because you act on behalf of this illusory self and accumulate karmic traces and patterns in your mind stream because of your attachment to this illusory self. &#xA;On the basis of our extremely subtle luminous natures, the karmic winds transmute and propel you to your next life.&#xA;It is possible to do good and bad because we are very much caught in the relative manifestations that occur, despite the fact that they are illusory and that nothing - absolutely nothing exists as it appears. However, the lighter the karma becomes the easier it is to blend with our ultimate true nature. Eventually, we get to a stage, after a great deal of purification, accumulation of merit and meditation, where there is no distinction between good or bad - Everything is &quot;All Good&quot;. That is the Kingdom of Samantabhadra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5047" LastEditorUserId="5047" LastEditDate="2015-04-23T03:17:31.440" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T03:17:31.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8745" CreationDate="2015-04-22T22:27:32.570" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest benefits of meditation is reducing your stress reaction, partly by letting go of your attachment to certain words and situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, if a professor suddenly requires a 4 page essay on the macro economic effects of Britain's full entry into the EU and gives you only 24 hours to complete it, that may generate a stress response. And that stress grows as you think about the impossibility of the task and the ever approaching deadline. You're still going to do the paper, but your stress response makes it more difficult to do a good job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, with consistent meditation, you eventually develop a habit of letting go, faster. Instead of saying &quot;A 4 paper by tomorrow!!!&quot;, your response becomes, &quot;oh, a 4 page paper. Let's Google it.&quot;. It's like the Zen proverb &quot;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water.  After enlightenment chop wood, carry water.&quot; Life itself may not change with meditation, but your approach to life does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the type of meditation, you may enjoy a lecture, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/iR1k0yX1LSY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;We Create Our Reality&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, by Dr. Fred Travis (Director of the Stanford Center for Brain, Consciousness and Cognition), where he describes how different forms of meditation affect the brain. Note where he talks about &quot;neural plasticity&quot; and how the brain changes its response to stress with a consistent meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-20T20:22:04.370" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T20:22:04.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8734" CreationDate="2015-04-22T22:53:44.283" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Legally, unlawful downloads would probably be more akin to trespassing than stealing, as nothing was taken, but the legal rights to control property was infringed upon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering the precepts, however, the issue isn't really about theft but about &quot;undertaking the training to avoid taking things not given&quot;. Thus, it's a little more broad than theft. Instead, one should avoid even the perception of theft. Think of it like in a store where the &quot;free samples&quot; box is behind the counter and not easy to reach. To follow the precept, one should ask first and take if allowed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastActivityDate="2015-04-22T22:53:44.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8775" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9100" CreationDate="2015-04-23T00:15:37.267" Score="4" ViewCount="4653" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many times I've heard of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Budai&lt;/a&gt; (pictured below) being associated with Maitreya, the future Buddha. Why is this so and how widespread is this belief? Wikipedia lists a short verse uttered before Budai's death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Maitreya, the true Maitreya&#xA;  has billions of incarnations.&#xA;  Often he is shown to people at the time;&#xA;  other times they do not recognize him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there more to this association or was the simple utterance of that verse so long ago the sole reason for believing that Budai was the bodhisatta?&#xA;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jyp58.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2021-10-09T03:46:45.310" Title="Why is Budai often associated with the future Buddha Maitreya?" Tags="|buddhas|bodhisattva|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8776" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8778" CreationDate="2015-04-23T10:15:23.717" Score="8" ViewCount="3288" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one of the goals to becoming enlightened is to lose all craving, desire or Tanha how is one to do that without the craving, desire or tanha to do just that. In other words, is wanting to eradicate all craving and desires a craving or desire itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5049" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T15:56:13.200" Title="Stopping Tanha or craving" Tags="|tanha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8777" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8837" CreationDate="2015-04-23T10:54:57.037" Score="3" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that dependent on becoming birth arises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I understand becoming? What is becoming? Can you give me a simile by which I can understand it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example it is very easy to understand that dependent on birth, death arises because these two concepts are like the two faces of the same coin. You can't have one without the other.&#xA;How to see becoming to make it clear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T01:38:13.250" Title="Hard to understand becoming in paticca samupadda" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8776" CreationDate="2015-04-23T12:32:09.120" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very common misreading of the four noble truths.  Don't feel bad; you've got a lot of company!  The Buddha never actually said that all craving is bad.  In the 2nd noble truth, he is very specific about the kind of craving his path seeks to eradicate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the&#xA;craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp;&#xA;delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third noble truth is the extinction of that kind of craving -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the&#xA;remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment,&#xA;release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The desire that truly seeks liberation is not the same mind that craves for sensual pleasure, becoming, or not becoming.  Sure, there are people who begin practice because they believe that enlightenment will add something to their personality - as if nirvana will bring about something they are otherwise lacking.  Perhaps they crave for the pleasure of meditative absorption or believe that the wisdom that the path generates will give them a sense of personal power.  Perhaps they believe that the Buddhist path will lead to some sort of Schopenhauer paradise of pure nothingness.  Those lesser desires  for liberation need to be given up if one is to proceed past a certain point.  But the desire to put a final end to suffering?  If it's pure, there's nothing wrong with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T12:32:09.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8779" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8800" CreationDate="2015-04-23T15:38:29.067" Score="3" ViewCount="1900" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does there exists records of the Buddha talking about something that could be interpreted as an &quot;out of body&quot; experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia defines this as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE) is an experience&#xA;  that typically involves a sensation of floating outside one's body&#xA;  and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place&#xA;  outside one's body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A related, but different, question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3853/buddhist-view-on-out-of-body-experience-obe&quot;&gt;Buddhist view on out of body experience (OBE)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T13:58:18.687" Title="Did the Buddha talk about &quot;out of body&quot; experiences?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8776" CreationDate="2015-04-23T17:12:35.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with enenalan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i dont remember from what sutta.  it was something like, when one wants to be somewhere,  The desire to get there is ceased once you have reached your destination.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, in Buddha's first sermon, one of the causes of suffering (or stress -dhukka) is  &quot;craving for non-becoming or vibhava-tanha&quot;  .  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in all pali cannons, Buddha mentioned  &quot;craving for non-becoming&quot;  only once in his 40+ years of teaching.  this, i suspect,  is the last cause for suffering one has to abandon to become enlightened.   Those who reached this point is called anagami.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please let me know if anyone ever heard &quot; craving for non-becoming  or vibhava tanha&quot;  mentioned in any other sutta besides the Dhammacakkappavattana. I would greatly appreciate it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4727" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T17:12:35.063" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8783" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-23T18:08:03.843" Score="2" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've dropped out of three stable relationships back to back in 4 years, even though the women involved were very much in love with me, and were in quite a lot of misery when I left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than get the motivation to put my back into making things work by relocating or changing my life or whatever was required, each time, I took it to the point where firm commitment was needed and then backed out because I didn't see why it is worth it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A voice inevitably rings in my head that such effort is better expended in meditation and a life of service and purity rather than on silly selfish samsaric satisfaction. Anyway, I'd also see exactly how the relationship would fail a few years down the line, or where the cracks would appear and lose my energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had at least one very stable shift in my consciousness since at least 3 years now, which has reduced my mental/emotional chatter to nearly 0-5% of what it was, and I don't get attached to anything including partners the same way anymore. I've been almost coldly unemotional about victory or loss in love and death, and most other things that would make people ride emotional highs and lows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really care to define this change as an awakening or as a kensho/satori or whatever - I think these are useless definitions that don't matter -- still, it is a change whose vast effects on my life I can't deny.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can feel an all encompassing love and compassion for everyone yet a detachment from everyone. Which kind of complicates romantic life - do I really love my current partner any more than the rest of the world including exes etc. Confiding these feelings with the partner has never helped of course. Worse, they would very soon sense that I am not really bound down by anything, and resulting insecurity would lead to conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, I can still get angry but it is a powerless anger, and if I reflect on the anger or whatever mental feeling I have even for a moment, it will vanish instantly. If I choose to, I can always see the pure heart in anyone and fall in love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a period of intense thoughtless equanimity in my life, about 6-8 months after the awakening that lasted for several weeks. My mind had a vastness that left me in awe. At this point a bomb could have exploded next to me, and I would have observed it without a flutter, as if it was very normal. There were several other brilliant characteristics to this period, but the most important was a profound sense of balance I had between the ultimate truth and conventional truth. I could perfectly balance my inner life and my outer life without conflict no matter how heavy the samsaric context. There was an ever present wisdom that enabled this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't really care what I did with my life, there was no &quot;I&quot; - I did whatever was appropriate, I reacted to life perfectly yet effortlessly, as if I wasn't there, life just flowed and I with it exercising only the gentlest of effort to produce the wisest action possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seemed like a stable reality until it ended, and since then I've really yoyo-ed between ultimate truth and conventional truth. One moment wanting a relationship and the next day or week wanting to be a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My ability to lapse into universal love means I have even strayed to infidelity, due to deeply loving several people, and continuing to love to this moment everyone who has entered my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without the perfect wisdom that I had for those few weeks relationships feel like an accident waiting to happen, so I've now sworn off all relationships until I figure out what exactly to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any ideas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5052" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T20:47:12.580" Title="Saṃvega or something else? Integrating sammuti sacca with paramattha sacca" Tags="|stages-of-the-path|integration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8784" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8795" CreationDate="2015-04-23T20:28:54.213" Score="6" ViewCount="404" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often experience hallucinogenic images during meditation. I don't believe they are caused by lack of sleep as they occur irrespective of my state of tiredness. Typically the sequence goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditating with a lot of discursive thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discursive thoughts settling down&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Commencement of strange dream like images&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i go through this then thought drops away and it the start of a calmer more focused meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't always get the images but if I do then they are very difficult to work with. They are more dominating than the discursive thoughts and more difficult to see them for what they are. However I know that if I can go through this stage then meditation really becomes a lot easier and more pleasurable afterwards (fourth stage above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone got any advice about working with these kind of hallucinogenic images? Is there any advice either from traditional texts or contemporary teachers about them? Is it just me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:36:58.173" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:36:58.173" Title="Working with hallucinogenic images during meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8785" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8838" CreationDate="2015-04-23T22:20:49.570" Score="4" ViewCount="279" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just listened to a audio dhamma talk by Ajahn Punnadhammo. Its called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Stop thinking&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/?page=3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the last 5 minutes of the talk Ajahn Punnadhammo mentions some good exercises for learning about reality. He says that a good exercise is to try to be conscious while entering the dream state from waking state &lt;strong&gt;because the stages of falling asleep exactly mirror  the stages of dying!&lt;/strong&gt; He says its like a sneak preview of what happens when one dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is; if one trains in this and succeeds in being aware and conscious throughout the death process and into the next life will one then be able to remember the previous (this) life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-04-23T22:38:30.643" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T13:56:45.833" Title="Going from a waking state into the dream state while being conscious" Tags="|personal-practice|rebirth|sleep|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="9" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8786" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8790" CreationDate="2015-04-23T22:37:42.693" Score="5" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path factor &lt;em&gt;Right Effort&lt;/em&gt; in the noble eight-fold path contains 4 steps &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_effort&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;which are&lt;/a&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prevent the unwholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let go of the unwholesome that has arisen in oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bring up the wholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maintain the wholesome that has arisen in oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand 1, 3 and 4 but have trouble understanding no 2 - &lt;em&gt;&quot;Let go of unwholesome that has arisen in oneself&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that done by using the noting-technique and then observing and noting the phenomena until it disappears?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it that when e.g. anger has arisen and other techniques dont work then one uses Metta meditation as an anti-dote?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T03:12:49.807" Title="Trouble understanding the path factor of Right Effort" Tags="|personal-practice|four-noble-truths|right-effort|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8787" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-23T22:57:34.763" Score="5" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;I stumbled upon &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/mummified-200yearold-monk-found-in-mongolia-in-very-deep-meditation-buddhist-academic-claims-10023204.html&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt; about a 200 year old buddhist monk found in Mongolia where its claimed that he is not dead but instead in a very deep state of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard about dead meditating monks before where its been claimed that they are not really dead but in deep state of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some quotes from the story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, an expert has claimed the monk may have been in a rare spiritual state known as &quot;tukdam&quot;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When his body was examined by Buddhist monks in 1955 and again in 1973, Itigilov apparently remained in the lotus position and his body did not appear to show signs of decay.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He said while the salt in the coffin may have played a part in slowing decay, other factors may have included the soil and the coffin's condition, adding the possibility of &quot;some secret process of embalming&quot; could not be ruled out.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these stories ought to be taken as fake or superstition or are there any reliable proof based on facts if such can even exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T23:08:32.237" Title="Meditating dead monks" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8787" CreationDate="2015-04-23T23:08:32.237" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tired to answer that question on another site: &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/26659/2703&quot;&gt;see this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think (based on my reading, not being an expert) that &quot;&lt;em&gt;tukdam&lt;/em&gt;&quot; means 'dead and meditating' or 'meditating after death' (so, it doesn't mean, 'not dead' or 'body not dead').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The news article hyperlinked in &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/q/26658/2703&quot;&gt;that question&lt;/a&gt; includes a picture of the monk's mummified (dead) body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:46:45.550" LastActivityDate="2015-04-23T23:08:32.237" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8776" CreationDate="2015-04-23T23:55:08.187" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As dean mentioned, there is a sutta which seems to match your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the Brahman&lt;/a&gt;, Venerable Ananda says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that &amp;quot;founded on desire&amp;quot; might refer to what is called &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_intention&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right intention&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;right aspiration&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;the exertion of our own will to change&amp;quot;; although it (i.e. the second of the eightfold path) is also translated as '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Resolve&lt;/a&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &amp;quot;fabrications of exertion&amp;quot; is Right effort, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that explanation, the Brahman says that seems like a contradiction,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Sutta the answer is that the 'desire' ends when the goal is reached,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as&#xA;you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire,&#xA;thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park,&#xA;wasn't that particular desire allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,'&#xA;and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence&#xA;allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,'&#xA;and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent&#xA;allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go&#xA;to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that&#xA;particular act of discrimination allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has&#xA;reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the&#xA;true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is&#xA;released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the&#xA;attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the&#xA;attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the&#xA;attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the&#xA;attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular&#xA;discrimination is allayed. So what do you think, brahman? Is this an&#xA;endless path, or one with an end?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an&#xA;endless one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;path with an end&amp;quot; is I think a reference to the 3rd noble truth, and to nirvana or arahantship as an escape from samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;em&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/em&gt; is desire (or thirst) but not all desire is Taṇhā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#Contrast_to_wholesome_desire_.28chanda.29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Contrast to wholesome desire (chanda)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist teachings contrast the reflexive, self-centered desire of taṇhā with wholesome types of desire, such as the desire to benefit others or the desire to follow the Buddhist path.[c] Wholesome types of desire are traditionally identified as chanda.[20][21][d]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Sucitto states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes taṇhā is translated as “desire,” but that gives rise to some crucial misinterpretations with reference to the way of Liberation. As we shall see, some form of desire is essential in order to aspire to, and persist in, cultivating the path out of dukkha. Desire as an eagerness to offer, to commit, to apply oneself to meditation, is called chanda. It’s a psychological “yes,” a choice, not a pathology. In fact, you could summarize Dhamma training as the transformation of taṇhā into chanda. It’s a process whereby we guide volition, grab and hold on to the steering wheel, and travel with clarity toward our deeper well-being. So we’re not trying to get rid of desire (which would take another kind of desire, wouldn’t it). Instead, we are trying to transmute it, take it out of the shadow of gratification and need, and use its aspiration and vigor to bring us into light and clarity.[20]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T00:29:21.063" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8786" CreationDate="2015-04-24T01:40:39.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're different antidotes to the different unwholesome states that arise. Ven. Bodhi in his &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&quot;'s Chapter 5 wrote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For desire a remedy of general application is the meditation on impermanence, which knocks away the underlying prop of clinging, the implicit assumption that the objects clung to are stable and durable. For desire in the specific form of sensual lust the most potent antidote is the contemplation of the unattractive nature of the body, to be dealt with at greater length in the next chapter. Ill will meets its proper remedy in the meditation on loving-kindness (metta), which banishes all traces of hatred and anger through the methodical radiation of the altruistic wish that all beings be well and happy. The dispelling of dullness and drowsiness calls for a special effort to arouse energy, for which several methods are suggested: the visualization of a brilliant ball of light, getting up and doing a period of brisk walking meditation, reflection on death, or simply making a firm determination to continue striving. Restlessness and worry are most effectively countered by turning the mind to a simple object that tends to calm it down; the method usually recommended is mindfulness of breathing, attention to the in-and-out flow of the breath. In the case of doubt the special remedy is investigation: to make inquiries, ask questions, and study the teachings until the obscure points become clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T01:40:39.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8685" CreationDate="2015-04-24T03:05:43.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember vaguely about one sutta, A Prince heard about Buddha's great reputation and he was skeptical. He wanted to investigate that himself so he sent his most trusted advisor to camp out near jeta grove to report back his opinion and what he saw in buddha.  The advisor camped out for seven months to make sure he saw the true buddha not just an act.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the report contained mostly about buddha's demeanors ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA; Such as buddha would walk with his eyes  downward at the groud at a full length of a bamboo tree (about 50 feet).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Buddha would turn his entire body to look at something to his left or right (not just turning his head).&#xA;His shoulders would not sway as he walked.&#xA;He would not swing his arms as he walked.&#xA;He would step his right foot out first when he started to go somewhere. &#xA;His body would not go up and down as he walked.&#xA;When he sit to teach dhama or to eat, he would not rest his back on a backrest.&#xA;He would not sit with one knee up.&#xA;His robe was not too tight or too loose.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;He would speak just loud enough for all his audience to hear and not beyond..etc.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Many other things in that report.   It gives us some ideas to imagine what buddha was like in those time.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;But def the 9 Qualities in the first answer is something a buddhist has to learn.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could anyone please let me know if you know this sutta?   Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T03:05:43.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8591" CreationDate="2015-04-24T03:49:09.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is no.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember from one sutta, ven Ananda asked buddha about consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In five skandhas, form, sensation, perception, mental formation, and consciousness (vinnana).  Buddha told ven Ananda that consciousness could not exist alone by itself. It has to be conscious at one of the four skandhas. Ven Ananda asked Buddha further if vinnana could menefest in anything besides those 4 .    the answer was no..(thus nirvana is not part of five skandas, there fore, vinnana cannot take root there)  Every single being from lowest plane to highest heaven are conscious of one of four things, form,sensation, perception, and mental formation.  He also asked Buddha,when would a consciousness cease to exist..Buddha said when the other four skandhas cease.  So to answer your question,  consciousness and sensation is circular dependent (Buddha said many times, vinnana ceases when name and form cease ; name and form cease when vinnana ceases)  name and form is another term buddha often use for five skandhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think i answered ur question and then some..  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T03:49:09.120" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8784" CreationDate="2015-04-24T04:17:49.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an interesting section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#vision&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visions and Signs&lt;/a&gt; in the teachings of Ajaan Fuang.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Don't be amazed by people with visions. Visions are nothing else&#xA;  but dreams. There are true ones and false ones. You can't really trust&#xA;  them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A Bangkok housewife who was practicing meditation with Ajaan Fuang&#xA;  heard some of his other students say that meditation without visions&#xA;  was the straight path. It so happened that she had frequent visions in&#xA;  her meditation, and so hearing this made her wonder why her path was&#xA;  so winding and convoluted. When she asked Ajaan Fuang about this, he&#xA;  told her: &quot;Having visions in your meditation is like having lots of&#xA;  lush wild greens growing along the side of your path. You can gather&#xA;  them as you go along, so that you'll have something to eat along the&#xA;  way, and you'll reach the end of the path just like everyone else. As&#xA;  for other people, they might see the greens without gathering them, or&#xA;  may not even see them at all — because their path goes through arid&#xA;  land.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Visions — or whatever things appear in the course of your&#xA;  meditation: It's not the case that you shouldn't pay any attention to&#xA;  them, for some kinds of visions have important messages. So when&#xA;  things like this appear, you have to look into how they're appearing,&#xA;  why they're appearing, and for what purpose.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;There are true visions and false visions. So whenever you see one,&#xA;  just sit still and watch it. Don't get pulled into following it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;You should watch visions the same way you watch TV: Just watch it,&#xA;  without getting pulled inside the tube.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;If you can't let go of your visions, you'll never gain release.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ One of Ajaan Fuang's students asked him, &quot;When you see something in&#xA;  a vision, how can you know whether it's true or false?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His answer: &quot;Even when it's true, it's true only in terms of&#xA;  convention. You have to get your mind beyond both true and false.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;The purpose of the practice is to make the heart pure. All these&#xA;  other things are just games and entertainment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T04:17:49.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8783" CreationDate="2015-04-24T12:17:29.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Philosophical thoughts can come to the mind at anytime. You shouldn't get too excited about them as that can lead to complacency, ego and false self assessments. Simply note them rising and passing away. If you are not enlightened, you are not safe no matter how deep you feel or think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't focus much on love. Usually &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt; meditation is recommended to people with lust issues. The details are in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;. You can also do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.11-Silanussati-Vism-7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Silanussati&lt;/a&gt; and try to perfect your virtue. One suggestion is to stay in a forest monastery for a while, stay away from women and work on taming the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T13:02:19.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8784" CreationDate="2015-04-24T15:01:05.660" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;These sound like nimittas, often a precursor to jhanas. They can be deeply immersive, often you can interact with them, direct them, but as said elsewhere, they are akin to meditative dreams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Day 7 Morning Talk on Nimittas - Nov 2013 Ajahn B…: &lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/4tYf8ijMsxk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://youtu.be/4tYf8ijMsxk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;YouTube has several talks by Ajhan Brahm, his retreat series listened in entirety is beneficial. He also has a book on jhanas that deals with nimittas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T15:01:05.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8784" CreationDate="2015-04-24T15:29:52.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As ruben2020 wrote, &quot;Visions are nothing else but dreams&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that such might be happening all the time, like the air pump in an aquarium that's permanently blowing bubbles; but that usually there's so much other noise (sensory input including sight, sound, and haptic; and discursive thought) that we're not aware of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When other turbulence (senses and thoughts) in the aquarium (brain) calms down, then you may become aware of the stream of bubbles (hallucinogenic images).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you (I use the word &quot;you&quot; here but what I mean is, &quot;in my experience, if I&quot;) delight in such an image, &quot;what a delightful image!&quot;, then it's possible to keep the image in sight, to pursue the vision: the image becomes replaced with another image, your awareness is filled/taken over by images, and, that's like an ordinary dream-sequence. Maybe I guess doing that (delighting and pursuing) encourages your brain to dream, opens some kind of door or path between the image-bubble-producing part of the brain and the rest of the brain, and allows the images to take over. I imagine that if viewed with an EEG a doctor would see sleep-type or dream-type brain waves taking over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the way I try to 'work with' (i.e. overcome) these hallucinations is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Recognize them (e.g. think &quot;Ah yes, that vision of that image is the beginning of a dream&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to remember something else instead, perhaps remember Right View i.e. reason for meditating instead of for 'hallucinating'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the hallucinogenic images are conditioned and therefore impermanent, unsatisfactory, and anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's true that image-bubbles are generated in a continual stream by a mechanism in the brain, why doesn't it dominate our awareness all the time i.e. how do you ever make it go away again?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine it's like a waterfall, making a permanent noise: how would you make that go away? The answer is that you'd move yourself away from it, put some distance or close some doors between you and it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think my answer to that is that we learn to control, for example, our hands: you can open and close your hand if you want to: make a fist, make an open palm. There are connections (like paths or currents) between different parts of the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally, when you want to go to sleep for example, then you go to sleep. Your brain reconfigures itself for sleep. Your brain and body begin to go to sleep, you experience symptoms of beginning to sleep, you recognize those symptoms, you &lt;strong&gt;like&lt;/strong&gt; those experiences/symptoms (because you want to go to sleep), you don't resist/discourage/reverse those incremental changes, the changes &lt;strong&gt;remain&lt;/strong&gt; and are added to, and so you move (are moved) into deeper sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that if you &lt;strong&gt;don't&lt;/strong&gt; like/pursue the images, if you don't encourage (using your will) and therefore &lt;strong&gt;reinforce&lt;/strong&gt; (perhaps by subconscious neurochemical feedback) the state of mind in which they're generated, then they will go away again (being impermanent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're eventually no longer conscious of it, and if the image-bubble machine is nevertheless still ticking away somewhere in the brain, then at least its signals have become more insulated/disconnected from whatever part[s] of the brain my conscious/attention/awareness/self is at. Perhaps you could say I learned to &quot;shut the door&quot; through which those/its images had been manifesting to 'my consciousness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have a good answer a) because I don't have a good answer for myself b) because it's difficult to describe. I think it's a difficult question to answer: like asking, &quot;how do you see? how do you open your fist when you want to?&quot; I think it's a good and important question and I hope I've at least added to a description of the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T15:29:52.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8783" CreationDate="2015-04-24T16:58:27.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although you put a lot of detail into it I don't really understand the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally if all I can say is &quot;I don't understand the question&quot; then that's not really an answer and ought to be posted as a comment instead, if it's even posted at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case I'm hoping that the problem might be that you don't fully understand the question either; so if I explain where it's ambiguous that might give you some insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You use the word &quot;stable relationship&quot; a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In what sense are they &quot;stable&quot; if you keep dropping out?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's a &quot;relationship&quot;? Do you talk? Groom each other? Play together? Share friends? Share money? Share ethics? Work together on the same projects?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You said, &quot;I took it to the point where firm commitment was needed&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Who &quot;needed&quot; the firm commitment: you? Your 'partner'? Your 'society' or families? The relationship itself, somehow?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is &quot;firm commitment&quot; meant to be understood as a euphemism for &quot;marriage&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I took it&quot; sounds very active/dominating/manly. Do the women take it somewhere too or is the relating all quite one-sided?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You said, &quot;silly selfish samsaric satisfaction&quot;. Is that an accurate summary of how you view your relationship? Your intention for having a relationship?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might possibly enjoy the book which I described &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;. It's meant to describe what the Buddha said a good/ideal relationship might be. You might prefer that as a way between extremes, i.e. not just &quot;silly selfish samsaric satisfaction&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a &quot;relationship&quot; shouldn't be entirely &quot;selfish&quot;, and should at least include your partner, and benefit other people (perhaps including for example your friends, parents, children, and any teachers, subordinates, bosses, etc.) too.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If it's true that you can &quot;also see exactly how the relationship would fail a few years down the line&quot; then you're more prescient than I am: I doubt I can predict how people will be (the same and or different) in a few years&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say &quot;all encompassing love and compassion for everyone&quot;. What's &quot;love&quot; here: does it mean &quot;desire&quot; to have someone? Desire to please or flatter someone? Do you literally feel that for everyone, or only for potential &quot;partners&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say &quot;do I really love my current partner any more than the rest of the world&quot;. I don't know but is &quot;love&quot; all-important? You might know your partner, cooperate, and have negotiated agreements with your partner that you haven't with anyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say, &quot;Confiding these feelings with the partner has never helped of course.&quot; That's a big topic all of it's own: how to confide feelings with a partner. Maybe a relationship counsellor? Maybe confide potential feelings early in a relationship, perhaps while you're 'dating' e.g. selecting a future partner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, &quot;Worse, they would very soon sense that I am not really bound down by anything, and resulting insecurity would lead to conflict.&quot; Are your partners expected to find security in your being really bound down by something?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to skip (not address) the second half of your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Lapse into universal love&quot; is an odd turn of phrase, as if &quot;universal love&quot; is a flaw. Maybe there's some misunderstanding there, and something doesn't really mean what you think it means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mentioned the &quot;Two truths doctrine&quot; in the title but don't say &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;which school of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; you might be from or practising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can say so without being insulting, and not knowing where you're from or what your 'morals' are, your question slightly reminded me of &lt;a href=&quot;http://info-buddhism.com/Macho-Buddhism-Gender-and-Sexualities-in-the-Diamond%20Way-Scherer.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Macho Buddhism: Gender and Sexualities in the Diamond Way&lt;/a&gt; (a school/form of Buddhism which I otherwise know nearly nothing about).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One moment wanting a relationship and the next day or week wanting to be a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many monks, many types of monk's life in different places; but the choice between 'relationship' and 'being a monk' might be a 'false dichotomy': i.e. perhaps you could be a monk &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; have loving relationships, it's not an &quot;either-or&quot; choice. Now I don't mean sexual relationships, but if you read something like &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/blog/monastic/becoming-buddhas-disciple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Becoming Buddha’s Disciple&lt;/a&gt; or look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/galleries/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;some of the photos&lt;/a&gt; on that web site or read &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/category/blog/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;other blog entries&lt;/a&gt; it appears that monks have relationships and opportunities to &quot;love&quot; -- there's a monastic community (a Sangha) and relationships with the lay communities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your section title is about &quot;integrating&quot; the two truths: does that imply that you're interested in the slightly later &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism#Buddhism_-_levels_of_truth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lineages of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally &quot;figuring out exactly what to do&quot; might be difficult in a vacuum: because what you do and what you can do are conditioned by environment, and by inter-personal relationships. Might a slightly different perspective help: thinking about who you want to be, or how you want to practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to think about relationships (or a relationship), can you work  out what you expect? Whether that's a realistic expectation? As I wrote earlier I didn't understand what you wrote about love and relationships, so I don't know. But you said, &quot;were in quite a lot of misery when I left&quot; so that's cause for concern?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;relationships&quot; are a problem might that have anything to do with 'right speech': saying too much, too little, at the wrong time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, again trying to avoid a false dichotomy between &quot;silly selfish samsara&quot; and &quot;wanting to be a monk&quot; have you considered trying to be a &quot;good&quot; (or a better) lay-buddhist aka 'householder'? For example there's an article here on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Householder_%28Buddhism%29#Householder_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravada Housholder ethics&lt;/a&gt; which says, &quot;the Buddha defines an upāsaka in terms of faith (śraddhā), morality (śīla), liberality (tyāga), and wisdom (prajñā)&quot;. And later on the same Wikipedia page there's a tiny paragraph about &quot;Vajrayana perspectives&quot; too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T20:47:12.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8779" CreationDate="2015-04-24T17:28:55.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;OBE implies that something has to be &quot;out&quot;.  it would contradict every Buddha's teaching about none-self or none permanent soul.  First four jhannas focus on form from five skandhas .  (BTW jannha litterally means focus, or single pointed attention). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the next four jhannas (which Buddha no longer attached word Jhanna to their names, IMO because it is longer single pointed attention); infinite space, infinite consciousness, neither perception nor non-perception.  Meditatator is no longer direct his consciousness to a form (breathing in most cases) but to one of the other 3 names ( sensation, perception, and mental formation). Meditator would be released from &quot;form&quot;. its the closest to OBE i can think off.  However, almost all the time, when someone is having &quot;OBE&quot;, his mental construct would build another body and cling to it, so it gives feeling of having another body looking at old one.  thats how deities or being in lower realms got their form.  Buddha said, they build their new form from a mental construction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in short, when you are not clinging to your current body, you mental construct builds another one and cling to that new body is as yours.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-04-24T17:28:55.077" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8799" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-24T19:49:04.907" Score="6" ViewCount="386" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right Livelihood, as stated in the :&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could I argue that video games are intoxicants that allow players to escape from reality? Could one also say the video game maker is an adrenaline seller?(genre dependent)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I make a game with simulated weapon usage against other humans, is that business in weapons? Or is it harmless fun?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-24T20:38:29.990" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T09:45:11.347" Title="Would making a video game be considered &quot;business in intoxicants&quot; or &quot;business in poisons&quot;?" Tags="|modern-world|ethics|right-livelihood|media|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8779" CreationDate="2015-04-24T20:15:22.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to DN 2, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it seems that OOBEs are possible:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to creating a mind-made body. From this body he creates another body, endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not inferior in its faculties. Just as if a man were to draw a reed from its sheath. The thought would occur to him: 'This is the sheath, this is the reed. The sheath is one thing, the reed another, but the reed has been drawn out from the sheath.' Or as if a man were to draw a sword from its scabbard. The thought would occur to him: 'This is the sword, this is the scabbard. The sword is one thing, the scabbard another, but the sword has been drawn out from the scabbard.' Or as if a man were to pull a snake out from its slough. The thought would occur to him: 'This is the snake, this is the slough. The snake is one thing, the slough another, but the snake has been pulled out from the slough.' In the same way — with his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, the monk directs and inclines it to creating a mind-made body. From this body he creates another body, endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not inferior in its faculties.This, too, great king, is a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, more excellent than the previous ones and more sublime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Translator's Introduction to the Potthapada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Thanissaro Bhikku identifies the mind-made body as the astral body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mind-made acquisition can result from an experience of the mind-made body — the &quot;astral body&quot; — that constitutes one of the powers that can be developed through concentration practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind-made body is a body that is made out of, composed of mind. Seems you can probably OOB with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T13:58:18.687" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T13:58:18.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-24T20:50:26.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's more like entertainment: analogous to being an actor or a musician; or telling stories or making pictures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are vinaya rules about what constitutes killing: a condition is that there must be &quot;intention to kill&quot;. For example if you carelessly knock something off a cliff, which falls on someone underneath and kills them, doesn't count as &quot;killing&quot; because that's an accident, i.e. there's no intention to kill. I'd argue that similarly, when people play a video game there's no &quot;intention to kill&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could instead argue that playing is intoxicating; but I think there's a more direct analogy, i.e. it's like playing a game. I think there's a sutta which warns that too much game-playing (especially with disreputable companions, perhaps gambling, perhaps spending too much time at it, perhaps becoming 'addicted' to the activity) isn't profitable for a lay-person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another direct description of the activity is that it's pursuing sense-impressions: so maybe it's samsaric. I think it's more like the seventh of the eight precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the first (&quot;killing&quot;) nor the fifth (&quot;intoxicating drinks and drugs, which lead to carelessness&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could perhaps, possibly, argue that it's the fourth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I undertake to abstain from wrong speech: telling lies, deceiving others, manipulating others, using hurtful words.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T09:41:25.697" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T09:41:25.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8802" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-25T03:04:56.813" Score="4" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am attending a class in Vipassana meditation.  It's a series of three courses.  The second course is almost over.  The third course starts May 5.  The instructor says the third course will teach &quot;Inner meditation&quot; and &quot;Outer meditation&quot;.  He won't say what that means yet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The instructor told me he learned meditation from taking the Sarah Powers course.   I noticed you have a video called 'Insight Yoga with Sarah Powers&quot;.  A reviewer on Amazon says you explain  &quot;Inner meditation&quot; and &quot;Outer meditation&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you give me at least  a brief explanation of what that means as I am trying to decide whether or not I want to move on with the next course&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5058" LastEditorUserId="3551" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T07:40:05.947" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T22:33:30.227" Title="What is Meant by Inner and Outer Meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-25T04:41:53.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intoxicants here, I would think of as intoxicating chemical substances such as alcohol and drugs. When drunk or high with these, they may &lt;strong&gt;impair your ability to discern&lt;/strong&gt; between right and wrong, &lt;strong&gt;beyond your conscious control&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if nicotine can be considered an intoxicant, as it can be addictive but it does not impair judgment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Games can be addictive but it certainly does not impair one's judgment. It does not make you drunk or high, beyond your conscious control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some might argue that a romantic relationship might make you more drunk or high than games, but that too does not impair your judgment beyond your conscious control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to make a point here that games and entertainment should not be considered &quot;intoxicants&quot; in the context of Right Livelihood and the five professions that are unwholesome. But there is a question on whether &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7663/471&quot;&gt;actors may go to hell&lt;/a&gt;, which discusses the ethics of entertainment. You might find that more relevant to your situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, games with weapons do not injure anyone, so this would not violate Right Livelihood in the context of the five unwholesome professions. However, this too is subject to the ethical problem of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7663/471&quot;&gt;actors may go to hell&lt;/a&gt;&quot; question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T04:48:40.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8804" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8806" CreationDate="2015-04-25T04:56:20.083" Score="10" ViewCount="2365" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And to whom, worthless man, do you understand me to have taught the Dhamma like that? Haven't I, in many ways, said of dependently co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness'? [2] But you, through your own poor grasp, not only slander us but also dig yourself up [by the root] and produce much demerit for yourself. That will lead to your long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many suttas in the canon where the Buddha admonishes monks, and the above is a notable example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translations, at least to my eyes, come as particularly harsh: &quot;worthless&quot; (in Nanamoli/Bodhi, we read &quot;misguided&quot; instead of &quot;worthless&quot;. I've also read &quot;foolish&quot; elsewhere) -- there was another reprimand from the Buddha, almost mean as I recall how I felt while reading it, but which I could not find again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've constantly felt troubled with these passages. I also look with very suspicious eyes the dribbling with &quot;The buddha was harsh for their own good&quot; (unless, if it is the Buddha himself justifying his harsh words, not we trying to excuse him and spare the texts). I find it troubling specially in light of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the very explicit &lt;em&gt;right speech&lt;/em&gt; teachings, promoting the abandonment of harsh words.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the difficulty of reconcile harsh &quot;formations&quot; in a mind free of defilements.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the other/older versions (say, chinese, pali and tibetan) of these passages evoking somewhat equivalent harsh emotions on a reader? Or is it a particularity of the english translations? (Or is it just me?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, were these harsh reprimands ever discussed (in books, commentaries, etc)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T01:35:32.460" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T01:35:32.460" Title="Was the Buddha harsh?" Tags="|terminology|sutras|right-speech|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8804" CreationDate="2015-04-25T05:35:11.667" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a case of the Buddha himself justifying his speaking harsh words with a for-their-own-good type explanation from the Abhaya Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just yesterday, lord, I went to Nigantha Nataputta and... he said to&#xA;  me...'Come now, prince. Go to Gotama the contemplative and on arrival&#xA;  say this: &quot;Lord, would the Tathagata say words that are unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others?&quot;... Just as if a two-horned chestnut were&#xA;  stuck in a man's throat: he would not be able to swallow it down or&#xA;  spit it up. In the same way, when Gotama the contemplative is asked&#xA;  this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down&#xA;  or spit it up.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now at that time a baby boy was lying face-up on the prince's lap. So&#xA;  the Blessed One said to the prince, &quot;What do you think, prince: If&#xA;  this young boy, through your own negligence or that of the nurse, were&#xA;  to take a stick or a piece of gravel into its mouth, what would you&#xA;  do?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I would take it out, lord. If I couldn't get it out right away, then&#xA;  holding its head in my left hand and crooking a finger of my right, I&#xA;  would take it out, even if it meant drawing blood. Why is that?&#xA;  Because I have sympathy for the young boy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, prince:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;  of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(5) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense of the&#xA;  proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has&#xA;  sympathy for living beings.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T05:35:11.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8804" CreationDate="2015-04-25T05:38:02.773" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is addressed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; from the Buddha himself, on the topic of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question should fall under &quot;&lt;em&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From your same link on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, you can read the commentary by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha calls Sāti into his presence, and after ascertaining that&#xA;  Sāti will not abandon his view even when reprimanded by the Buddha&#xA;  himself, he abandons Sāti as too recalcitrant to teach, and turns to&#xA;  cross-question the monks as to the relevant right view of how&#xA;  consciousness functions in the process leading to repeated birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha's treatment of Sāti might seem harsh, but he is actually&#xA;  acting out of compassion for the monks in the assembly, in case any of&#xA;  them might be swayed by Sāti's position&lt;/strong&gt;. Seeing Sāti as a lost cause,&#xA;  the Buddha doesn't want this lost cause to cause further losses among&#xA;  the other monks. We have to remember that during the Buddha's lifetime&#xA;  there were no written accounts of his teachings; the monks and nuns&#xA;  all had to rely on their memory of what they had heard directly from&#xA;  him or through word-of-mouth from fellow members of the Saṅgha. Thus&#xA;  the Buddha saw the need to establish orthodoxy whenever a member of&#xA;  the Saṅgha was espousing false interpretations of his teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also discusses this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot;&gt;Kesi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which is summarized &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/power_of_judgment.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikku:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once, when a horse trainer came to see the Buddha, the Buddha&#xA;  asked him how he trained his horses. The trainer said that some horses&#xA;  responded to gentle training, others to harsh training, others&#xA;  required both harsh and gentle training, but if a horse didn't respond&#xA;  to either type of training, he'd kill the horse to maintain the&#xA;  reputation of his teachers' lineage. Then the trainer asked the Buddha&#xA;  how he trained his students, and the Buddha replied, &quot;In the same&#xA;  way.&quot; Some students responded to gentle criticism, others to harsh&#xA;  criticism, others to a mixture of the two, but if a student didn't&#xA;  respond to either type of criticism, he'd kill the student. This&#xA;  shocked the horse trainer, but then the Buddha explained what he meant&#xA;  by &quot;killing&quot;: He wouldn't train the student any further, which&#xA;  essentially killed the student's opportunity to grow in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T05:56:50.947" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T05:56:50.947" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8139" CreationDate="2015-04-25T07:58:16.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe both are good and important and help each other rather than contradict each other. &#xA;There can be no experience without a perceptual framework, conceptualizing sensations clarifies this perceptual framework and makes the experience deeper and more meaningful. &#xA;On the other hand, to conceptualize clearly, a keen experiencing mind is called for and developed. &#xA;Personally I would practice Vipassana meditation (and there only focus on sensations) but also write a diary or meet with a fellow practitioner and describe my sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5060" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T07:58:16.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-25T09:45:03.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I don't believe Buddha's advice here is merely pointed at the physical domain, or a matter of income, it is helpful to look beyond Right Livelihood and at all elements of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; together. Consider the impact of Wisdom (Right View, Right Intention), which, while being a different nature, can still relate strongly to Ethical conduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your questions seem to be more concerned about how &lt;em&gt;real&lt;/em&gt; videogames are within Buddha's principles. I don't suggest being light with it as though it is &quot;harmless fun,&quot; when in most cases, games are created for a certain kinds of indulgence and gain - their purpose for entertainment. A video game is arguably not much of a physical matter, but overall, it is indeed an astral matter that is capable of absorbing energy from most people (and even forming addictions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus it is not &lt;em&gt;just&lt;/em&gt; entertainment, but consider what emotional energy is being entertained. Is it hate? Anger? Pride? Popular games may take on such a quality, but not all games or companies are aligned with this. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://thatgamecompany.com/company/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;thatgamecompany&lt;/a&gt; has created positive gameplay, with games noted by many as &lt;em&gt;beautiful.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Videogame industry/market includes both its businesses and its consumers. Whether or not you are producing and selling a game as an form of business, consider that you are also accountable for playing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I would personally avoid playing such games (involving weapons, killing, etc.), there is great and simple wisdom in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/78.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Middle Way&lt;/a&gt;, which may suggest that if you play such games ('objects') occasionally, non-attached, perhaps the impact is insignificant, or less significant. When disinterested though, such games lose their appeal anyway, which may contrast with games that are naturally uplifting. For many other reasons, I am unconvinced that playing games is a trivial matter when devoting oneself to a spiritual/religious path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the aforementioned link provided by ruben2020, there is a link to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. A comparison can be made here with Buddha's words on actors, which show how the actor may become an agent - to the extent of becoming &lt;em&gt;&quot;intoxicated and heedless, having made others intoxicated and heedless&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. This illustrates laws between the &lt;em&gt;being&lt;/em&gt; watching and the &lt;em&gt;thing&lt;/em&gt; (or actor, game) that is entertaining:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with, who are bound&#xA;  by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on things&#xA;  inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a&#xA;  festival. Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who&#xA;  are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on&#xA;  things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst&#xA;  of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of delusion to begin&#xA;  with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even more&#xA;  delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on stage&#xA;  in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;amp;&#xA;  heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless — with the breakup&#xA;  of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of&#xA;  laughter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Entertainment itself is for the mind as a form of escape, it is simple enough to ask yourself if Buddha would advise for you to continue what you are doing, due to the level of intentions and mindset are you ascribing to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5036" LastEditorUserId="5036" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T09:51:21.827" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T09:51:21.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8721" CreationDate="2015-04-25T12:30:05.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13337070-record-of-awakening&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Record of an Awakening&lt;/a&gt; by David Smith. It is a detailed and compelling account of David Smith's spiritual journey from been a gardener in London to his awakening in Sri Lanka. He writes about his experiences in the context of the bhumis from the 1st through to the 7th and gives a very good account of the experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to David Smith on the way to the 1st bhumi there is equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Slowly the mind understands the true nature of itself and is no long&#xA;  deceived and driven by the nature of the self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then after two weeks of equanimity the consciousness 'winks out' for a moment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;there was a sudden heightened awareness about a few thoughts [...] and&#xA;  suddenly consciousness in its entirety vanished [briefly]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the tap root of ignorance [...] is broken. [...] Ignorance can appear&#xA;  to recover. But even if it takes a few lifetimes it will inevitably&#xA;  cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a very personal account and the experiences where mapped onto the bhumis afterwards so one could quibble with the interpretation - I'm certainly no expert.  However it's a short book and well worth your time and a quick read of it may illuminate and help with the 1st bhumi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T13:04:20.360" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T13:04:20.360" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8810" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8813" CreationDate="2015-04-25T13:26:52.523" Score="11" ViewCount="704" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada in the chapter 20 - The Path it says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I will make this my winter home have another house for the monsoon&#xA;  and dwell in a third for during the summer&quot;. Lost in such fancies, one&#xA;  forgets his final destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(translation by &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Dhammapada.html?id=ZtYYu6Z6_V0C&quot;&gt;Eknath Easwaran&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it clearly can't have been written with this intent - to me this reads like very pertinent critique of modern consumerism and capitalism. A lot of us find ourselves practicing in societies where this is the prevalent ethos so this feels relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something about modern capitalism that inherently conflicts with Buddhism? Or is it possible to find quotes from texts or established teachers that are more supportive of the kind of capitalism//consumerism that we find ourselves in now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2018-01-24T12:26:12.000" Title="Is modern capitalism inherently opposed to Buddhism?" Tags="|modern-world|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8811" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-04-25T13:31:23.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada (Pāli; Prakrit: धम्मपद Dhammapada; Sanskrit: धर्मपद Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka Nikaya, a division of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scholar and commentator Buddhaghosa explains that each saying recorded in the collection was made on a different occasion in response to a unique situation that had arisen in the life of the Buddha and his monastic community. His commentary, the Dhammapada Atthakatha, presents the details of these events and is a rich source of legend for the life and times of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:56:44.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:56:44.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8812" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-04-25T13:31:23.487" Score="0" Body="Short poetic text in the Pali canon found in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka, Many translations available and one of the most widely known of the early canonical texts." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T13:31:23.487" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T13:31:23.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8810" CreationDate="2015-04-25T14:19:48.230" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Capitalism' is something to do with 'capital', which I think implies,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ability to accumulate millions of dollars in order to build a new factory, a new ship, a new road, a new hospital (and/or one dollar to buy some butter, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ability to use such 'dollars' to rent labour (i.e. to pay wages)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see that as inherently anti-Buddhist: IMO it can fit into the 'Right Livelihood' category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=286&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;commentary to the Dhammapada Verse 286&lt;/a&gt; which you quoted above says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, do you see that merchant? He is thinking that he would stay here and sell his goods the whole year. He is not aware that he would die here in seven days' time. What should be done should be done today. Who would know that one would die tomorrow? We have no date fixed with the King of Death. For one who is mindful by day or by night, who is not disturbed by moral defilements and is energetic, to live for just one night is a well-spent life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the verse you quoted is not a critique of consumerism: rather it's a critique of believing that life is permanent or predictable, perhaps more especially of 'living in the future' instead of &amp;quot;What should be done should be done today&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, lay-people (monks having no money) are supposed to be generous, aren't they? I think it's not anti-Buddhist to become rich (even as a successful capitalist) and generous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe capitalism can explain where money comes from, and Buddhism explain how to spend it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that mentioning three houses (in the OP) isn't meant as a metaphor for &amp;quot;too much money&amp;quot; because instead I think that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In India it might be normal to live in different places at different seasons -- even the monks did?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a travelling merchant (who is the subect of the story in that verse), being in different places at different times is also normal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The fact of being in different places at different times is, perhaps etymologically, a metaphor or description for time itself -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;this description of 'time' (and/or immediacy)&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also (etymologically) the track of scat left by an animal (one week old, two days old, one day old, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T14:19:48.230" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8810" CreationDate="2015-04-25T16:14:49.113" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with @ChrisW. In addition to his answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; that supports investment in business.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wise endowed with virtue Shine forth like a burning fire,&#xA;  Gathering wealth as bees do honey And heaping it up like an ant hill.&#xA;  Once wealth is accumulated, Family and household life may follow. By&#xA;  dividing wealth into four parts, True friendships are bound; One part&#xA;  should be enjoyed; &lt;strong&gt;Two parts invested in business&lt;/strong&gt;; And the fourth set&#xA;  aside Against future misfortunes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses the five benefits that can be obtained from wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses how to maintain one's livelihood in tune:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what does it mean to maintain one's livelihood in tune? There is the case where a lay person, knowing the income and outflow of his&#xA;  wealth, maintains a livelihood in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a&#xA;  penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus will my income exceed my outflow, and&#xA;  my outflow will not exceed my income.' Just as when a weigher or his&#xA;  apprentice, when holding the scales, knows, 'It has tipped down so&#xA;  much or has tipped up so much,' in the same way, the lay person,&#xA;  knowing the income and outflow of his wealth, maintains a livelihood&#xA;  in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus&#xA;  will my income exceed my outflow, and my outflow will not exceed my&#xA;  income.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four drains on one's store of wealth: debauchery in sex; debauchery in drink; debauchery in gambling; and evil friendship,&#xA;  evil companionship, evil camaraderie. Just as if there were a great&#xA;  reservoir with four inlets and four drains, and a man were to close&#xA;  the inlets and open the drains, and the sky were not to pour down&#xA;  proper showers, the depletion of that great reservoir could be&#xA;  expected, not its increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T16:14:49.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8816" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-25T16:54:29.727" Score="3" ViewCount="464" Body="&lt;p&gt;Or must we just count our breaths and repeat the phrase?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was asked I think &quot;what is your original face&quot; - and I think it's the way / tao, but that's just something that occurred to me, I wrote down on a computer and it seemed alright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that I want to be a part of some tradition or church, really. But all I got out of counting breaths was a lot of leg pain, somewhat (but not completely) offset with some nice feelings and lots of stuff like this /&amp;lt;&amp;lt;&amp;lt;^^^^^&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T15:03:35.927" Title="Zen koans, is there any point in thinking about them?" Tags="|personal-practice|zen|taoism|koans|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8784" CreationDate="2015-04-25T17:03:32.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I may have synesthesia (I asked a scientist and he says that it sounds like it, anyway). When I e.g. get more tired, the colours and shapes get more vivid, more like the real thing (though very rarely quite the same). I suggest that you treat them like anything else which comes up in meditation, be that a belief, a thought, or whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS I suffered from psychosis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T17:03:32.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8818" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8819" CreationDate="2015-04-25T17:42:27.480" Score="4" ViewCount="255" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose Dave is a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does he want to be a Buddha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will he get what he wants - forever ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it matter ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T14:16:26.493" Title="is nirvana - just whatever a Buddha wants?" Tags="|nirvana|buddhas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8818" CreationDate="2015-04-25T18:08:22.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;1.Suppose Dave is a Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Does he want to be a Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well his already a Buddha isn't he.If he didn't want to be a Buddha he wouldn't have worked so hard for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Will he get what he wants - forever ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like you said Dave is &lt;strong&gt;Already&lt;/strong&gt; a Buddha.So there's no mystery,we know he got what he wanted.Forever? No. Only until his Parinibanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Does it matter ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think so yes.Becoming a Buddha means a lot to the person aspiring for Buddhahood.And it means a lot to the rest of us.So I think of course it would matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T18:08:22.810" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8820" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-25T19:23:51.220" Score="3" ViewCount="812" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen it on Buddhist temples in Thailand, I would like to understand more about this tradition: Where does it come from, if it dates from the time of the Buddha etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T22:43:02.453" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T08:07:27.243" Title="Buddhist holy water" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8821" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-25T19:27:35.167" Score="5" ViewCount="1729" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a tradition I have heard in Thailand: Many men become monk for a few months in order to transfer merits to his parents and so they can go to heaven. If I'm not mistaken the Buddha said you could only transfer merits for ghosts (according to teacher Dhammavvuddho Thero), it is not possible to transfer merits from man to man. Is it? Any text to help? I may be wrong so I appreciate the explanations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T17:48:36.263" LastActivityDate="2017-09-26T22:16:33.170" Title="Transfering merits" Tags="|theravada|texts|merit|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8818" CreationDate="2015-04-25T19:36:27.650" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does he want to be a Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's usually expressed as a negative:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Life (or the experience of life) is unsatisfactory when you're not a Buddha; many examples of its being unsatisfactory include poverty, illness, death, separation from people and things you love, inability to have what you want, inability to keep what you have, failure to do what you want to, etc. (sorry for all that bad news! :-) That's the so-called &quot;first noble truth&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This dissatisfaction is caused by desire: I want to live forever! I want all my friends and family, and everything I like, to live forever! I want no pain, no sickness, for anyone! Lots of money! Endless paradise! Never anything unpleasant! But I can't have any of these things and so life is unsatisfactory. That's the so-called &quot;second noble truth&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This dissatisfaction (and desire) can end. If I stop wanting things that are unreal, stop wanting to keep things that are impermanent, then I'll stop finding life unsatisfactory. That's the so-called &quot;third noble truth&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that the Buddha knows (and teaches) that wanting (thirsting for) the wrong things (e.g. impermanent things) causes unhappiness. Dave no longer wants those things and is, consequently, no longer unhappy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will he get what he wants - forever ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, yes: for as long as he's alive. It's assumed that once he became fully enlightened then he will no longer (or not again) become unenlightened. Because being unenlightened means wanting the wrong thing, wanting the kind of impermanent thing that will cause unhappiness: and the Buddha knows better (is wiser and has more discipline) than to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a bit in the literature where people asked what happens to a Buddha after he dies, and the Buddha says that's one of the questions that not worth asking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is nirvana - just whatever a Buddha wants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it can be described as being liberated (freed) from the dissatisfaction which is caused by wanting or clinging to impermanent things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I started to answer: what the Buddha taught might be summarized as &quot;the four noble truths&quot; or as &quot;causes of suffering, and his path or way to end suffering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I started this answer by saying it's expressed as a negative (&quot;end of suffering&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there's more to the teaching than that: joy; serenity; loving-kindness. Removing causes for suffering allows room for other, better experiences, more like the &quot;getting what he wants&quot; which you asked about. For example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions words like 'reward', 'joy', 'serenity', etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Buddha also decided that a cause of dissatisfaction (which, he freed himself from) was views about 'self': views like &quot;me&quot; and &quot;mine&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the biography, once he became enlightened he felt compassion for other people who were still suffering, and decided to try to teach to them (in case, with the help of his teaching, some of them too could free themselves from suffering). And so he began to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess we can say that that (i.e. helping to enlighten other people, other people becoming free and safe) was what he 'wanted'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-04-25T21:58:09.287" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T21:58:09.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8816" CreationDate="2015-04-25T20:33:16.110" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I apologize: I'm gong to try to answer this even though I have not been taught zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read a collection of zen koans a long time ago and I thought that they were cool (i.e. like an attractive puzzle) but kind of slippery (difficult to grasp or solve, difficult to get inside a koan and understand it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary my answer is going to be that, maybe koans are good but they're not enough?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say that because, since the time when I read those koans, I had more experience of life, and I learned (read, thought about, tried to learn some basic vocabulary of) a bit more Buddhist dharma. So now perhaps there's a bit of Buddhist dharma in me (or &quot;in my understanding / vocabulary / mind&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when I read a koan, instead of trying to get into it, instead of finding myself being able to get into it, my experience is that it gets into me. When I attempting to parse (make sense of) the koan's words, they connect with bits of dharma that are already in me. One koan is like a ball with several spikes, that sticks inside me, and each spike connects to or activates a different bit of dharma, and joins them together or, I don't know what (because I'm not practising that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you really want to pass this barrier, you should feel like drinking a hot iron ball that you can neither swallow nor spit out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &quot;what is your original face&quot; makes me think of what I've learned about what Buddhist dharma says about &quot;self&quot;, gets me thinking about that, and wondering &quot;if I understood this koan (and understood Buddhist dharma about 'self') then how would that affect 'me', would it change my behaviour or outlook or the way people see me, etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So again, in summary: maybe they (koans) are good but not enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're learning (or being taught) Zen, I've no idea what other Buddhist Dharma (sources of dharma, suttas, teachers, lectures maybe, vocabulary) you're exposed to; perhaps the koan combines with these somehow?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T20:33:16.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8816" CreationDate="2015-04-25T21:39:48.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That type of koan is called a breakthrough koan. It is meant to lead to a sudden, initial insight that is direct awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard practice of breakthrough koans described as, &quot;becoming one with the koan&quot;, which implies concentrating on it like a mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The insight it leads to is beyond concepts. So by becoming one with the koan, in a flash, you will actually experience &quot;Mu&quot;/tao/the way. As opposed to just conceptualizing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wuzu Fayan said, “It is like an Ox that passes through a latticed window. Its head, horns, and four legs all pass through. So, why can’t its tail also pass through?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ox, being conceptual thought, has been transcended; &quot;Mu&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think it's the way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't think. Transcend thinking. That is the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRl5ML0pW5I&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=1m30s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Venerable Chong An Sunim&lt;/a&gt; explains there are different ways to approach koans. His suggestion is to do regular meditation (e.g., mindfulness of breathing). Sometime later, either while meditating, or just in everyday life, you will have an epiphany in regards to the true meaning of the koan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2015-04-27T00:58:32.213" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T00:58:32.213" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8816" CreationDate="2015-04-25T22:13:20.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Say you're learning some complex kind of science, maths, or something, and at the end of the chapter there are some questions. In something like history there might be an essay or something. There's no test, or anything, the problems aren't very realistic. Actually, the causes of World War Two are pretty well known and Pythagoras' theorem well and truly proved for some Millennia, not only is an eighth-grader from rural Colorado unlikely to add anything to that body of knowledge, it's unlikely to be of any use to the eighth-grader in later life, either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the authors always tell you how really important it is to do them, and not to cheat, and the students never believe them. The teachers, they say that there's something which isn't the direct object of the exercise which happens if you do them. Not only can you recite bits of important texts for the test, but you really &lt;em&gt;get&lt;/em&gt; the idea. You can tell the difference between a kid who's memorised a textbook and one who just &lt;em&gt;gets&lt;/em&gt; it, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't treat them like an Agatha Christie novel, though, nor something with a one sentence answer, or a single number. Don't break them into parts or analyse them: just constantly bear the problem in mind -- sleep on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="720" LastActivityDate="2015-04-25T22:13:20.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2015-04-26T00:39:37.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the state of Nibbana the state of &quot;not existing at all in any way&quot; or is it nonexistence with benefits that are too deep to understand from the perspective of samsara?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's cessation, described in the third noble truth: no longer suffering because no longer clinging to that which is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does the only &quot;bliss&quot; pertaining to Nibbana happen during the Arahant's life or when an arahant dies?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the dharma is supposed to be immediate, and (with enough training and practice, and right view etc.) applicable and effective now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/akalika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akalika, Timelessness&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Akalika&lt;/strong&gt;: Timelessness, A synonym for Arahantship, An attribute of the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various translations include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Timeless, Outside of time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The negation of &quot;of the present, involving time, not immediate&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not a matter of time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not subject to time   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not dependent on time; not limited to a particular time; immediate, immediately effective&#xA;  etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what you mean by &quot;bliss pertaining to Nibbana&quot; but the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for example describes states (joy, rapture, serenity) which I infer are experienced during life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose it means something like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_continuous&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Present continuous&lt;/a&gt;, or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_(grammar)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Perfect&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just to be clear (because I hear conflicting words concerning this) we will be &quot;no more&quot; if we become enlightened and the path is learning how to accept this, right?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to ask about that in this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt; to try to understand what's meant by abandoning identify-view or self-view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question isn't great but I found all the answers helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identity view is just one of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Lists_of_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the fetters&lt;/a&gt;, and &quot;abandoning identity-view&quot; is the first of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenent&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sxr22.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that (&quot;identity-view&quot;) is what you were talking about, when you were asking about &quot;we will be 'no more'&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for what it is or isn't: I think it's what it is, i.e. it is &quot;such&quot;: see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tathat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tathatā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a &quot;non-returner&quot; (i.e. 'abandoning sensual desire') help make you immune to suffering in this world. Abandoning the final fetters (e.g. &quot;material-rebirth lust&quot; keep you from being reborn after you die, so you're immune to suffering in the next world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T00:51:51.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-26T01:41:35.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on what game one's making. There're games designed to boost memory and prevent Alzheimer's disease, or math games to help kids learn math, or various educational games to make learning more fun and interesting. On the other hand, there're games with sexual contents or violent contents which only increase one's defilements. There must be some bad kamma if one's involved in creating games for kids to enjoy blowing people's brains out or ripping their heads off (like Mortal Kombat and other fighting games)..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T01:41:35.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8828" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8839" CreationDate="2015-04-26T04:17:02.527" Score="16" ViewCount="1844" Body="&lt;p&gt;In religions with God, the believer or devotee can call on God for help during distress, pray to God to seek emotional relief, find a virtual shoulder to cry on and sing God's praises or glories for emotional upliftment (including the use of devotional music).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They also establish a personal relationship with God. In Christianity, one has the relationship of being a child of God. In Islam, one has the relationship of being a servant of God, created by Him and therefore must submit to Him. In Hinduism (Hare Krsna), one can see God as a friend, son, teacher, master, lover etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether God exists or not is not the point here for discussion. Certainly in the above cases, there may not be any tangible direct interaction with God, but the believer or devotee could often indirectly feel the presence of God or see good things that happen to them as miracles that come as a response to devotion and prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above describes the emotional support that one could get from religions that have a God. I know this exists in certain parts of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism too with Kwan Yin (Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara) and other Buddhist deities fulfilling the emotional support role of God. Chinese Buddhists have long composed songs and prayers to sing the glories of Kwan Yin, and they also call on Her during distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in Theravada Buddhism, there exists no such emotional support from any deity. So, what should the Theravada Buddhist do in these cases? For example, during sudden distress or grief or loneliness, how would the Theravada Buddhist seek emotional support or relief, without a deity? How does a Theravada Buddhist sooth his or her emotions without devotional music? With whom does the Theravada Buddhist seek a relationship when they find that their worldly relationships have failed them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T04:25:43.167" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:56:04.253" Title="Emotional Support without God in Theravada" Tags="|theravada|comparative-religion|god|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8828" CreationDate="2015-04-26T04:52:59.527" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually a Buddhist isn't completely only a Theravadin and does use mantrayana methods to generate merit and ask for assistance from various deities which exist only to serve.&#xA;There is no one to turn to in Theravada though (and in actuality) because there isn't really anyone that can absolve &quot;our own&quot; karma, Buddha or deity--otherwise the all-compassionate Buddhas would have already made things perfect for us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, there is a solution to removing the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all recognizing the disadvantage and &lt;strong&gt;unskillfulness&lt;/strong&gt; of experiencing sorrow or holding onto whatever emotion that is disadvantageous and generating a clear mind (that can actually accomplish one's goal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is done through a gradualistic means, starting with reasoning and gentle methods and if that doesn't work bashing and destroying the unskillful thoughts and emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look into their &lt;strong&gt;interdependent origination&lt;/strong&gt;, come to full acceptance of it (&quot;reality is reality whether you accept it or not&quot;) and then letting it go and exercising &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;upekkha&lt;/a&gt;. This does not mean indifference.&#xA;After coming to terms with the reality, one can become even more flexible, clear-minded, aware of the reality and &lt;strong&gt;able to create a better reality&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no magical process and the Buddhist psychology only facilitates the natural psychology of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabda&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DABDA&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; contains all these lessons of course and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T05:58:53.120" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T05:58:53.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8830" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-26T05:18:12.267" Score="8" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;When completely absorbed in a meaningful task, a friend or stranger passes by and says &quot;Hello&quot; or initiates a conversation. I now find myself not being as kind as I would like to be as my mind is still completely absorbed in the task at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation has helped improve my ability to focus like this and let external events just flow by, but from a Buddhist perspective, how can I practice my ability to &quot;switch&quot; and be more present in the interaction with the by-passer when I actually want to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5063" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T07:14:53.970" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T15:29:45.833" Title="&quot;Switching focus&quot;" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8831" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-26T05:29:58.983" Score="8" ViewCount="459" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question in the title. I'm looking for answers citing either canonical scripture or the position of any particular school of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;inner monologue&lt;/em&gt; in the question could also be read as mental chatter; mental noise; superfluous thoughts; extraneous thoughts; or the  unnecessary thoughts that normal people have every moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I mean when the inner monologue has stopped for good; that is, the case when it never comes back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to read this question might be, &lt;em&gt;Do arahants have an inner monologue?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T05:40:41.950" LastActivityDate="2019-07-23T18:57:21.103" Title="If one's inner monologue stops forever, is one necessarily an arahant?" Tags="|enlightenment|terminology|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8828" CreationDate="2015-04-26T06:12:58.337" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;However, in Theravada Buddhism, there exists no such emotional support from any deity.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes this is the same problem i experienced.Having come from a back ground of devout Christianity i was very used to being soothed by praying.Theravada Buddhism seemed to be almost indifferent about this subject.And i had to go through a period of a hybrid religion,where i still prayed to God and practiced meditation to maintain emotional support.Then i stopped doing that because God stopped becoming a Being to me and became more of an Embodiment of certain qualities i would like to emulate.Qualities such as love,kindness,generosity,patience,etc.Qualities that i can see in the Buddha and in different religions.Qualities that i see in human beings and even animals and nature and myself.I realised that these qualities were universal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, what should the Theravada Buddhist do in these cases&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My need for a God vanished without a trace when i saw the workings of &lt;strong&gt;Karma&lt;/strong&gt;. This is what changed my life.I saw it clearly and in some ways it took the place of God.So if anybody asked me what i believe in,i would say Karma.Like God,knowledge of karma protects your morality,it develops your wholesome qualities,it is what you base your aspirations on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For emotional support,i recognized the same mental quality in praying to God,singing,reading scriptures as &lt;strong&gt;piti and sukhha&lt;/strong&gt;.In fact i think some christians have an overwhelming amount of piti which puts them in a euphoric state.I can access these soothing states from samadhi meditation and it gives me a sense of contentment.Brahmaviharas gives the quality of &lt;strong&gt;spaciousness&lt;/strong&gt;.I also develop &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt; either through reading the scriptures or through having faith in my meditation object.This is important in both vipassanna and samadhi for example when developing the jhanas or gaining insight one can then see for themselves that the Buddha really knew what he was talking about and this dispel doubt.If he was right about this he could be right about Nibbanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another important quality that comes with seeing the workings of karma is &lt;strong&gt;Equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;.One just has to develop this because ..what other choice does one have.Especially when dealing with the result of past karma that is bearing fruit.You just have to meet it with equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore for me this let go of my need for a God.As a God doesn't give us these qualities,they don't come from anything external.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T06:12:58.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2015-04-26T09:36:17.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When an actor on the stage, [he thinks that] after death, he is reborn&#xA;  in the company of the laughing devas,' that is his wrong view.&#xA;  Now,there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell&#xA;  you: either hell or the animal womb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems quite straight forward. At the time some actors obviously believed they'd be going to be with the laughing devas after death. This was wrong view which meant they were buggered especially if they were born into the animal realm if the Chiggala Sutta is anything to go by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3596" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T09:36:17.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8828" CreationDate="2015-04-26T11:31:36.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In religions with God, the believer or devotee can call on God for help during distress&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the attributes of God include &quot;eternal&quot; and &quot;omni-present&quot; ... which (i.e. &quot;God is always present with you&quot;) is a useful attribute, when you want a friend (or when you want a father, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists are taught to avoid putting their trust/faith into things (sights, senses, feelings, other people) which are impermanent, so perhaps Buddhists too develop a relationship with (i.e. an attachment to) that which is ever-present or, if there's no such thing, then they develop non-attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They also establish a personal relationship with God&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from ideas like &quot;Jesus is God and is also the Son of Man, and therefore God i.e. Jesus is a person too who you can relate with&quot;, I think that when you say &quot;a personal relationship with God&quot;, there is only one person in that &quot;personal relationship&quot; (because God is not exactly a person).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so, &quot;a personal relationship with God&quot; means &quot;a person's relationship with God&quot; not &quot;a relationship between two people one of whom is God&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you're talking about &quot;a person's relationship&quot; it's possible for a person (i.e. a Buddhist) to develop their &quot;personal relationship&quot; with something other than the &quot;God&quot; of other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists develop some relationship with some combination of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, during sudden distress or grief or loneliness, how would the Theravada Buddhist seek emotional support or relief, without a deity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way that &quot;hatred is allayed by non-hatred&quot;, perhaps sudden distress (instability) is allayed by stability. It seems to me that Dharma is fairly stable: always the same. For example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Q: Why did my friend have to die?!!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A: Impermanence; non-self; suffering. Craving. Cessation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not for me to say, but perhaps the personal message which you're supposed to get from God is fairly simple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Don't worry: God still loves you.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Don't worry: what happens is God's will.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The message from Buddhist Dharma (impermanence, non-self, etc.) seems more complicated than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I don't believe or have faith in these messages from God (though maybe I should ;-).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have more faith in the Buddhist message so, although it's more complicated, it's how I have been seeking emotional support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does a Theravada Buddhist sooth his or her emotions without devotional music?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Poetry, maybe? Or perhaps suttas, meditation; waiting for emotions to sooth themselves. The whole eight-fold way possibly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With whom does the Theravada Buddhist seek a relationship when they find that their worldly relationships have failed them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really want inter-'personal' relationships, then maybe seek new (or renewed) relationships with other 'people' (or animals).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possibility is that my friend, being human, was not very different from me (also human). If I'm alone I might think, &quot;If my friend were here too ...&quot;. My friend would be more of the same (aggregates/skhandas) as me ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Worldy relationships have failed&quot; sounds quite apocalyptic by the way. It reminds me of something slightly off-topic (non-Buddhist) i.e. a poem written by a Shivaite i.e. someone who sought a personal relationship with Shiva,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;If it rains fire&#xA;    you have to be as the water;&#xA;&#xA;if it is a deluge of water&#xA;    you have to be as the wind;&#xA;&#xA;if it is the Great Flood&#xA;    you have to be as the sky;&#xA;&#xA;and if it is the Very Last Flood of all the worlds,&#xA;    you have to give up self&#xA;&#xA;and become the Lord.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on-topic I think that things like Metta meditation may be intended to help train you to have (i.e. 'have' in the sense of 'to control or generate') stable 'unconditioned' emotions and relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T11:31:36.057" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5716" CreationDate="2015-04-26T11:48:57.433" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can Buddhist practices increase my capabilities to be a better student?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absolutely: increased calm and alertness, improved memory and health, reduced daydreaming — how could it &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yoga too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What practices would be of the most benefit to achieve my academic goals?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sitting meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two main ways (that I know of) to do it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One is counting breaths. My mind is extremely active so that method wouldn't have worked well for me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What I used to do (for many years and hope to return to — it's much like the gym in that regard, I've found) is to watch your mind, your being itself; for example: &quot;now I'm feeling the heat from sunlight through the window, now I'm having an argument do-over from the real one yesterday, now I'm feeling awesome because I quickly came out of fantasy daydream to recall I'm sitting doing this practice, now I'm remembering...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sending and receiving&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Tibetan practice you and anyone, Buddhist or not (same as sitting meditation) can do — it's called &quot;sending and receiving&quot;: you breath in all the world's pain and other crap, hold it a sec to transform it, and breath it back as joy, health, and so on (this is an outline — instructions are good to do it right but they aren't complicated).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5065" LastEditorUserId="8475" LastEditDate="2016-09-12T03:28:54.137" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T03:28:54.137" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8777" CreationDate="2015-04-26T13:47:25.833" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, there are two kinds of bhava:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma-bhava - the becoming that is kamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;upapatti-bhava - the becoming that is coming-to-be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The former is what is directly understood to be referred to in the teaching on dependent origination. It refers to the wholesome or unwholesome mental formation that constitutes volitional activity. It is the result of clinging, since clinging leads directly to acting on one's intense desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second type of becoming is a by-product of kamma-bhava and is actually more or less synonymous with rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it is said, &amp;quot;Bhava paccaya jāti,&amp;quot; rebirth occurs in the human and deva worlds or in the lower worlds because of good or evil kamma-process. So rebirth stems from kammas which result from clinging (upādāna) and craving that is rooted in the contact between the six sense-objects and the corresponding sense-organs (āyatana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, there arise viññāna, nāmarūpa, salhāyatana, phassa and vedanā in the present life as the avijjā saṅkhāra, etc in a previous existence and now on top of that, taṇhā and upādāna give rise to new rebirth. The situation is like that of a man who has committed a crime while he is in prison for a previous conviction, or that of a man who has incurred new debt before he has fully settled his old debt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such new kammas accumulate by the thousands in a single lifetime. Under certain conditions one of these kammas becomes a death-bed vision and leads to rebirth while other kammas will create rebirth at other times in the life-cycle. If there are residual kammas from the previous lives that possess great force, they take precedence over present kamma, appear as death-bed visions and create rebirth in the lower or higher worlds. The post-mortem destiny of the person in such cases is determined by the nature of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Mahasi Sayadaw, Paticcasamuppada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a simile, upadana is like the heat of rubbing two sticks together, bhava is like the igniting of the spark, and jati is like the flame and smoke that arise based on the ignition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T13:47:25.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8785" CreationDate="2015-04-26T13:56:45.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is truly mindful during the process of death, then one of two possibilities exist; either one will pass away into complete liberation as an enlightened being or, if there is still some substratum of clinging, one will be reborn as a deva or brahma and be fully conscious of one's previous life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T13:56:45.833" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8828" CreationDate="2015-04-26T14:47:56.963" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;You point out several supposed benefits of God and then ask how the godless fare without these benefits. I would first challenge the virtue of the benefits mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In religions with God, the believer or devotee can call on God for help during distress&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless you believe God directly intervenes, for which there is no evidence whatsoever, calling on God for help seems as useful as calling on a milk carton for help. This cannot be accurately seen as a benefit, since it most obviously sets one up for disappointment and unreasonable expectation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who has eyes can see the sickening sight;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does not Brahma set his creatures right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If his wide power no limits can restrain,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why is his hand so rarely spread to bless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are his creatures all condemned to pain?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why does he not to all give happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do fraud, lies, and ignorance prevail?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Why triumphs falsehood,—truth and justice fail?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I count your Brahma one th’ injust among,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Who made a world in which to shelter wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Jat. 543 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pray to God to seek emotional relief&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prayer is a lot like meditation so it can certainly have beneficial side effects, but since it relies on the presumption that an imaginary being will prevent harm or bring fortune, it falls under the same pitfalls as the first benefit. It is a lot like depending on a father figure to protect one - it is only beneficial if one's father actually exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;find a virtual shoulder to cry on &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By virtual, we would understand you to mean &quot;imaginary&quot;. There is some benefit, surely, in imaginary friends, but in the end we would see this as a dependence. Catharsis is not recognized as beneficial in Theravada Buddhism; it is habit forming, and thus crying on anyone's shoulder, real or imaginary, is unwholesome behaviour that leads to craving, clinging, and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and sing God's praises or glories for emotional upliftment (including the use of devotional music).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do something similar in Buddhism, praising the virtues of the Buddha, and our chanting is similar in nature to this. So, this I would recognize as a virtue, qualified by the fact that the virtues of God are not all appealing to a Buddhist - believing God to be all-powerful, for example, is a sign of delusion, and not at all wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, there is a similar practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I also say unto you O monks — if any fear, terror or hair standing on end should arise in you when you have gone to the forest or to the foot of a tree, or to an empty house (lonely place), then think only of me thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Such Indeed is the Blessed One, arahant (Consummate One), supremely enlightened, endowed with knowledge and virtue, welcome being, knower of worlds, the peerless trainer of persons, teacher of gods and men, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' Monks, if you think of me, any fear, terror, or standing of hair on end, that may arise in you, will pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 11.3 (Piyadassi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They also establish a personal relationship with God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again the problem of an imaginary friend. Buddhism doesn't rely upon even the Buddha for support; as above, it's not that having imaginary friends is bad, it's that reliance on others is impractical, since all things change, including God, Buddha, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And those monks who had not yet overcome their passions wept and tore their hair, raising their arms, throwing themselves down and twisting and turning, crying: ‘All too soon the Blessed Lord has passed away, all too soon the Well-Farer has passed away, all too soon the Eye of the World has disappeared!’ But those monks who were free from craving endured mindfully and clearly aware, saying: ‘All compounded things are impermanent — what is the use of this?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Venerable Anuruddha said: ‘Friends, enough of your weeping and wailing! Has not the Lord already told you that all things that are pleasant and delightful are changeable, subject to separation and to becoming other? So why all this, friends? Whatever is born, become, compounded is subject to decay, it cannot be that it does not decay. The devas, friends, are grumbling.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 16 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Certainly in the above cases, there may not be any tangible direct interaction with God, but the believer or devotee could often indirectly feel the presence of God or see good things that happen to them as miracles that come as a response to devotion and prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling the presence of God is just a feeling; one's association of one's feelings with the existence of God is merely conjecture. Buddhists have the same sort of feelings, but they recognize them simply as feelings. It is not considered a positive activity to cling to such feelings or ascribe meaning to them beyond their existential nature, since that leads to craving, clinging, and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing the good things that happen to one as miracles is pure speculation; it is often accompanied by (similarly speculative) rationalization when bad things happen. Neither is particularly wholesome, since they lead to unreasonable expectations and disappointment. More directly, they ignore the fact that there are perfectly natural causes and conditions that lead to all of one's experiences, and thus fail to attain understanding about the nature of reality - chalking it all up to &quot;God's handiwork&quot;. This is a bad thing, since an understanding of reality is necessary to free oneself from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘This, monks, the Tathāgata understands: These viewpoints thus grasped and adhered to will lead to such-and-such destinations in another world. This the Tathāgata knows, and more, but he is not attached to that knowledge. And being thus unattached he has experienced for himself perfect peace, and having truly understood the arising and passing away of feelings, their attraction and peril and the deliverance from them, the Tathāgata is liberated without remainder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 1 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, your supposed benefits are, in all, not very impressive to a Theravada Buddhist. As to your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, during sudden distress or grief or loneliness, how would the Theravada Buddhist seek emotional support or relief, without a deity? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't seek relief from emotions, we seek to understand emotions. It is by understanding something that one becomes free from it. The need for relief implies aversion, which becomes habit forming and leads to craving, clinging, and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does a Theravada Buddhist sooth his or her emotions without devotional music? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same. Also, devotional music leads to sensual attachment, thus - you guessed it - craving, clinging, and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With whom does the Theravada Buddhist seek a relationship when they find that their worldly relationships have failed them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an underlying assumption here in the importance of relationships. In fact, Theravada Buddhism takes relationships quite seriously. As acknowledged, having a relationship with an imaginary friend can be helpful - a Buddhist's relationship with the Buddha is similar to this. But Theravada Buddhism sees more importance in one's relationship with one's teacher who is a tangible source of knowledge, advice, and exemplary behaviour very much unlike one's mental construction of God or the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Know I am Nārada by name,—a kassapa; my heavenly rest&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I have just left to tell thee this,—to associate with the wise is best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Jat. 539 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T14:47:56.963" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8831" CreationDate="2015-04-26T16:19:19.500" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thoughts are one of the six sense objects; there is no reason to think that they stop when one becomes an arahant. It is quite clear that both the Buddha and arahants did indeed have thoughts after becoming enlightened. E.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.’ I thought: ‘Āḷāra Kālāmaʹs loss is a great one. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 26 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does stop forever is &lt;em&gt;uddhacca&lt;/em&gt; or restlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Restlessness (or agitation) has the characteristic of disquietude, like water whipped up by the wind. Its function is to make the mind unsteady, as wind makes a banner ripple. It is manifested as turmoil. Its proximate cause is unwise attention to mental disquiet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Bhikkhu Bodhi, A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the case of the defilements, [false] view and uncertainty are eliminated by&#xA;  the first knowledge. Hate is eliminated by the third knowledge. Greed, delusion,&#xA;  conceit (pride), mental stiffness, agitation, consciencelessness, and shamelessness are eliminated by the fourth knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vism. XXII.65 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only case in which the inner monologue could possibly stop forever is at the moment of parinibbana, since that is the only event that could be said to be permanent. How else could one understand the word &quot;forever&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if one were to suddenly go without an inner monologue while still alive, there is no reason to infer that the monologue would not start up again; clearly both arahants and Buddhas still have some mental monologue as long as there is still the arising of sankharas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T16:19:19.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8802" CreationDate="2015-04-26T17:52:40.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In meditation instruction the following words occur frequently: &lt;code&gt;ajjhattam&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;bahiddha&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;ajjhatta-bahiddha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This corresponds to internal, external, internally and externally. The traditional outlook on this is to meditate on ones body and another's body. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Way of Mindfulness - Soma Thera&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But some traditions interpret this as differently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the Buddha’s words. Certain commentaries or subcommentaries have been written on them, some 1,000 to 1,500 years after the Buddha, and some even more recently. They give many good explanations of the Buddha’s words, and also descriptions of a whole spectrum of life and society at that time—political, social, educational, and economic aspects. However they give certain interpretations which this tradition of meditation cannot accept. For instance, here a commentary takes ajjhattaṃ as the meditator’s body—which is acceptable—but bahiddhā as the body of someone else, even though no one else is there. It explains that the meditator can simply think of someone else, and how all beings similarly breathe in and out. We cannot agree with this because this is imagination, and in this tradition vipassanā or anupassanā is to observe within your own body (kāye). Therefore for us bahiddhā is the surface of the body, but still within its framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajjhatta-bahiddhā can also be understood in relation to the five sense doors. When an outside object comes into contact with the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, or body surface, it is felt within the framework of the body, but on the surface of the body. Even the mind is within the framework of the body, although its object may be outside. The Sutta still does not intend you to start thinking of or seeing another body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another tradition interprets ajjhattaṃ as the feeling on one’s own body, bahiddhā as the feeling on someone else’s body, and ajjhatta-bahiddhā as switching between the two. As before, our tradition does not accept this. The meditator is working alone, whether in the forest, under a tree, or in a cell. It is argued that when begging for food the monk encounters others and has this opportunity to feel their breath or sensations. However the eyes of serious meditators are downcast (okkhitta-cakkhu) and at most they might see someone else’s legs as they walk: so this interpretation seems illogical. Of course, at a very high stage of observation the meditator becomes very sensitive to the sensations of others also, and to the vibrations of the surrounding atmosphere and of animate and inanimate objects. Possibly it could be understood in this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta - S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T17:52:40.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8786" CreationDate="2015-04-26T18:58:39.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abandoning is through:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;application of antidotes to common polarity of perception &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Girimanada, 10 perceptions]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;abandoning the by being mindful and equanimous towards sensation thus not craving and clinging knowing the impermanence of the sensation, thus not adding fuel to the conditioning process (&quot;normal&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/d22-Mahasatipatthana-S-tltr-piya_111203.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sattipatana&lt;/a&gt; method as generally taught)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;actively calming the fabrications (calming the breath and bodily functions, anchoring wondering the mind, etc.) while being mindful and equanimous to sensation. Here there is actively calming (fire fighting) than passively observing. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/m118-Anapanasati-S-v26-tlr-piya_2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana&lt;/a&gt; method)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eradicating the defilements, influxes, 3 poisons, 10 fetters, etc. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.3-Sabbasava-S-m2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;see [Sabbasava Sutta]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.2-Cattaro-Padhana-S-d33.1.11a4.14-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the (Four) Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T03:12:49.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-26T20:44:18.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Creating a video game doesn't fall into any of the 5 specific wrong livelihoods for lay people. A video game &lt;strong&gt;does&lt;/strong&gt; allow people to escape from reality but so do fiction books, music, delicious food, beautiful scenery, daydreams and countless other things. Our world is filled with things that can be &quot;intoxicating&quot; if we choose not to guard our sense gates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But a more straightforward concern might be that playing video games can create negative karma for the player because of the competitive &quot;win at all costs&quot; mind state you need to be in to play most games well. You can get blood thirsty due to the excitement of competition and greed for loot and status within the game can be overwhelming. And it seems unlikely a game developer would not play games along with developing them. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So though it may not be one of the 5 specific wrong livelihoods for lay people, it certainly comes with some karmic concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-04-26T20:53:09.047" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T20:53:09.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8844" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-26T22:07:32.950" Score="6" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;In daily life I'm trying to sense my body by directing  my attention to a body part ( e.g lips , throat ) while still engaging with activities . I know when I feel a sensation on that body part my attention is there or that body part is now included in my attention . Emotions and thoughts are so fast and most of the time I get Identified with them . But at rare moments where I manage to keep my attention on part of my body, help me to view my emotion or thought without totally identifying .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really want to practice , so would like to start from most basic , Mindfulness of body . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried mindfulness of breathing . I had following experience ,&#xA;When I pay attention to breath , its natural rhythm changes . Feel like I forcefully control the breath .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any teaching in Buddhism , that could use every day life to keep the attention on body? Instead  of sitting meditation .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:43:36.653" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:43:36.653" Title="Directing attention on body parts" Tags="|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8802" CreationDate="2015-04-26T22:18:31.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/frames.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Frames of Reference&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'The mind inside' refers to a state exclusively in the heart unrelated to any outer preoccupations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'The mind outside' refers to its interaction with such outer preoccupations as sights, sounds, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The mind inside&amp;quot; consists of the mental states of desire, aversion and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The mind outside&amp;quot; consists of these same mental states but now they have attached to something outside of ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, being angry would be an internal mind state. Being angry at something would be an external mind state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-26T22:33:30.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8830" CreationDate="2015-04-27T00:27:23.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness in daily activities can be very important to one's Buddhist practice. Meeting every and all social expectation isn't so important to one's practice. So to the extent possible, you may wish to remain mindfully absorbed in your task and not look for social cues that strangers want to talk to you. There is really no need to &quot;be more present in the interaction with the passerby than I actually want to&quot;. You can let go of the feeling that you need to be available to everyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this won't always work and sometimes it's a friend that's come to talk to you and you must stop what you're doing and respond. Noting your feelings (&quot;annoyed&quot; or &quot;bored&quot; or &quot;anxious&quot;) without judging the feelings can help you remain mindful throughout the time you are talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your friends drop by unexpectedly very often, they may not understand your need for time alone for your practice of mindfulness and meditation and the constant interruptions can make it hard for you to sustain your practice. Talking to them about this may be helpful especially since you are feeling &quot;not as kind&quot; as you'd like to be and that's not good for your mental state or the continuation of your friendship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, there is value to remaining mindfully absorbed at times and limiting the circumstances under which you even need to switch focus may be more beneficial than trying to learn a skillful way of switching focus quickly over and over through the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-05-09T15:29:45.833" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T15:29:45.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8844" CreationDate="2015-04-27T03:42:02.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should keep your attention in the 4 foundation of mindfulness from the time you wake to the point you sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two key elements for a beginner is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to make your body fully sensitive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to calm the fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key ingredient in mindfulness is what ever you sense you should not react with craving and clinging noting the sensation is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To make your body sensitive&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should make your body sensitive since all mind matter creates sensations and any changes in the aggregates is sensed through the sensation it creates. So in doing any of the 4 foundation of mindfulness sensation play a key role.&#xA;Scan your body from part to part systematically without missing any part until you feel some sensation in the part you examine. Start with small areas and linger on the part during the start but keep increasing the pace you move and the size of the area seeing if you are fully sensitive to any sensation in the whole area when doing so, i.e., when you sense something in the whole area move on to another area systemically - the time to sense any sensation will become shorter and shorter until it becomes instant and through out the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Calm the fabrications&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to calm all fabrication before realising the final goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Passive&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You keep looking at sensation the fabrications will disappear. First the gross sensations and then pleasant sensation leaving you with neutral sensations. After some practice, mere looking at any fabrication &#xA;it disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Active&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm the breath by looking at the process its speed and length, make the efforts to anchor the mind, if there are body sensations look at it until it disappears (it happens in a short duration) until you have pleasant or neutral sensations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Overcoming some of the hindrances&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I see it, there seams to be some hindrances to your daily practice. They might be the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Agitation&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your mind seams very active and restless then more from part to part fast scanning large areas but progressively staying longer and making the area a bit smaller. Note the speed and length or breathing also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Mental Lethargy&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Increase space of scanning to arouse energy. This is also a mental fabrication do generally you should do this in a medium pace (not too long or too short in any part). Do some intentional breathing increasing the length and speed &lt;strong&gt;marginally&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-04-29T05:25:17.130" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T05:25:17.130" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8831" CreationDate="2015-04-27T03:52:14.163" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anthony's definition of &quot;inner monologue&quot; is clear, but still no quite clear enough.What are these &quot;unnecessary thoughts that normal people have&quot; about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming we agree that some of these are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thoughts of future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thoughts of past&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thoughts arising from conceiving &quot;I am&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Arahant has none of these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Atītaṃ nānusocanti,&#xA;  nappajappanti nāgataṃ;&#xA;  Paccuppannena yāpenti&#xA;  They do not sorrow over the past,&#xA;  Nor do they hanker for the future.&#xA;  They maintain themselves with what is present&lt;/code&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Samo visesī uda vā nihīno,&#xA;  Yo maññatī so vivadetha tena;&#xA;  Tīsu vidhāsu avikampamāno,&#xA;  Samo visesīti na tassa hoti;&#xA;  One who conceives ‘I am equal, better, or worse,’&#xA;  Might on that account engage in disputes.&#xA;  But one not shaken in the three discriminations&#xA;  Does not think, ‘I am equal or better.‘&lt;/code&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the Arahant's mind is considerably quieter than a &quot;normal person&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4773" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T03:52:14.163" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2015-04-27T04:01:27.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each of us has a image of oneself and others. When there is a disparity on how you see the attributes you attach with the person and the perceived relative differences you react either positively or negatively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is when doing Metta note mental reaction and the sensations it brings. Do not react to the sensations. As you do this the reaction becomes lighter and lighter and actual Metta will sink in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally you should calm the fabrication before doing Metta to be effective. No harm doing this to start with also but end with Metta and the latter will be more effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T04:01:27.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8850" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-27T04:38:49.043" Score="2" ViewCount="52" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may sound like an unusual question, but - is it possible in theory to destroy the rupa heavens - not by avoiding rebirth there, but for other sentient beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not the tusita heaven - which I understand (correctly or not ha) is part of kamadhatu and strictly one of the jhanas :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T12:35:11.883" Title="Is it possible to destroy the rupa heavens?" Tags="|tendai|heavens|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8831" CreationDate="2015-04-27T04:43:30.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What stops is the &lt;code&gt;becoming&lt;/code&gt; and creation of new fabrications as you are devoid of clinging and craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T04:43:30.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8850" CreationDate="2015-04-27T04:48:34.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There should be an observer experience any plane of existence. Once the observer is no more, in a relative sense they cease to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these are experienced through consciousness. When consciousness cease to exist so does all the places of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-02T12:35:11.883" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T12:35:11.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2015-04-27T06:51:31.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The GOD concept on Buddhism is a wide scale subject, and according to my understanding Buddhism explain higher spirits who are called &quot;&lt;strong&gt;GOD&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; in English. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5076" LastEditorUserId="314" LastEditDate="2015-04-28T11:52:32.713" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T11:52:32.713" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-04-27T06:51:31.557" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8858" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8862" CreationDate="2015-04-27T13:09:25.680" Score="7" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8821/transfering-merits&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;a comment stated in part &quot;The old sense of transferring merit had to do with mudita, you tell other people about your success so that other people can be happy about that. Being happy about other people success is meritable, so it works like transfer.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that telling people about your success is wholesome, is very surprising to me. I somehow had the impression that from a Buddhist point of view, being very modest and not making such things known was better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach anything specific about this? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T10:31:36.430" Title="What is Right Action for a Buddhist regarding talking about personal success?" Tags="|right-speech|right-intention|right-action|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8858" CreationDate="2015-04-27T13:32:37.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a sutta in Majjhima Nikaya in which the Buddha says that one should not exalt oneself and disparage others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Boasting with success is not conducive to dispassion, detachment,&#xA; cessation, nibbana. On the contrary it creates attachment, it expands&#xA; the ego so it is not conducive to the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Telling others of one's own succes so they can develop muddita over the successes they hear about gives to many opportunities for the ego to grow, for defilements to come into the mind and play it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my personal advice would be against this, maybe because I know my ego better and how quickly it gets pumped up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-04-29T05:52:00.927" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T05:52:00.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8828" CreationDate="2015-04-27T16:03:44.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because there is no evidence that a God does anything to help (or even exists), we can't say that the activity of prayer doesn't seem soothing at all. It may be true that no real help may come from such a God, but the activity of prayer itself, might soothe the heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we as Buddhists deny this or refuse to accept it, just because of &quot;lack of evidence&quot;, we don't stand on very firm ground. In fact, there are many atheists and agnostics who claim that Buddhist meditation also doesn't have any of the positive effects that Buddhists attribute to it. Again, while the scriptures positively assert that in the fourth &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; one can gain supranormal powers, many people scoff at these claims. Even some secular Buddhists say that such ideas are implausible. They too stake their claims on the lacuna of direct evidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, prayer is not the &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; way to soothe the heart. It is &lt;em&gt;one&lt;/em&gt; of the ways. And it is not without serious dangers and pitfalls. Before I come to these, let me briefly talk about the ways of dealing with sudden sorrow, and briefly talk about the ways outlined in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A survey of ways to soothe the heart&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beings have invented a variety of techniques that help take the mind off of sudden grief and sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Activities such as drinking, smoking, adultery, etc. are the worst ways of dealing with pain. Even though they take the mind off the sorrow, they lead to regret, unhappiness, and ultimately to self-destruction - thus they are morally dark &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Incidentally, while some atheists or agnostics would recommend these activities, a Buddhist would never recommend these ways at all. In this sense, Buddhists are NOT your regular atheists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now come the morally neutral activities: really, prayer and calling God for help can be merely classed along with traveling, listening to music, reading books or poetry, or engaging in some hobby. This does not mean that a Buddhist would recommend prayer - it is just morally neutral, and takes the mind away from the sorrow temporarily. One may choose to use these if one sees them fit, but then again, one's judgement may not be very strong when struck by sudden sorrow. So these activities could even become a delusional prelude to something worse. Tread carefully when using these methods. We'll come to the pitfalls and dangers in a bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A better thing to do would be to engage in morally bright activities that can also take the mind off the sudden grief at the same time. This is what a Buddhist would recommend. Activities such as volunteering, donations, and community service are morally bright activities and help alleviate mental suffering, give the mind a sense of high self-esteem, and lighten the heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhist Ways of soothing the heart&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I listed above some morally bright activities that can take the mind off sudden grief. Many of these can be done by even non-Buddhists, but some of these are usually considered to be &quot;Theravada Buddhist&quot; methods. Although you don't have to be a Theravada Buddhist to try any of these, one could say so with due respect to the tradition that preserved these. It simply involves asking for advice and listening to &lt;em&gt;stories of people that dealt with similar circumstances in a better way&lt;/em&gt;. This helps one take courage from the lives of such people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus one can recollect the stories of the Buddha, his disciples, modern monks who faced similar circumstances, and even lay people among us that could serve as good examples. This sort of recollection (&lt;em&gt;anussati&lt;/em&gt;) is the best recommended strategy for dealing with sudden grief. From my own personal experience, even before I turned a Buddhist, I remember that the act of crying and praying was not as useful as someone pointing out examples of people that achieved despite the odds stacked up against them, and despite repeated loss. I am especially thankful to my mother for doing that when I was a young despondent teenager.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the whole of the Buddha's teaching is about providing a good example of a person that managed stress very skillfully. The Buddha says that there are two basic responses one may have to the web of &lt;em&gt;samsāra&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: a) bewilderment, b) seeking someone that knows a way or two out of this suffering. The Buddha's teaching supports precisely this second response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, there is the list of ten recollections, and at least the first four recollections - &lt;em&gt;buddhānussati&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dhammānussati&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;sanghānussati&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;devānussati&lt;/em&gt; - are truly activities of recollections that can lighten the heart. (I'll not go into details of how one uses these meditations. If you're not familiar with them, I recommend reading the book &lt;em&gt;&quot;A meditator's tools&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - by Thānissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this is not all! The other six reflections (6 &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;s in the ten recollections group) can also have a soothing effect on the heart if used skillfully. A young Indian boy named Venkataramana lost his father, whom he admired and loved a lot. In his grief, he recollected how his father's body had become upon death. He considered how it would be if he too were to die. He imagined his own body as dead, and reflected on the imminent possibility of death. While to some of us, this sort of thinking could drive us into depression, young Ramana became cool, and calm, entered meditative states and decided to renounce everything and search for inner peace. He went on to become one of the most famous spiritual masters of 20th century Asia: Sri Ramana Maharishi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the methods of practice that the Buddha recommended work even for non-Buddhists. You don't have to be a Buddhist for these methods to work. You only have to be skillful in using them. What's more: Theravada Buddhism offers a whole array of techniques. In fact the whole religion is about dealing with suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dangers and pitfalls of petitionary prayer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't matter if the one prayed to, is imaginary or not, or is even capable of helping or not. Even if one were to pray to one's political ruler (who may be living), and ask for help, there are significant dangers and pitfalls involved in the act of prayer and important reasons to be extremely careful. For brevity, I shall list only two dangers and two pitfalls, although there are many more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Danger 1: Justified aversion&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;When one sees oneself as a victim in need of help, one could see someone else as a villain. This could be anything between one that really makes fun of you in your misery, to one that is just indifferent to your misery. All of them are seen as villains. And these people can be the target of our aversion. We can see this tendency in almost every single religious lore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Numbers 31:1-4:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel&#xA;  of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.&#xA;  And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm ye men from among you for&#xA;  the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD'S&#xA;  vengeance on Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the&#xA;  tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the Mahabharata the battle of Kurukshetra is justified as it is said to be done for the &quot;establishment of Dharma&quot;. The Pandavas who patronize Krishna (considered God by the Hindus) avenge their humiliation, and even claim that God is on their side. Even killing one's grandfather and teacher are justified under the guise of social duty (caste duty for &lt;em&gt;kshatriya&lt;/em&gt;s).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even Germany justified starting WWII by reminding the world of the humiliation they had to undergo in 1919. And the people of Germany looked on for a savior. That this savior (Fuhrer) happened to be human doesn't make much difference - the people's attitude was that of praying to this savior to help Germany. And in the process, they justified everything this savior did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Danger 2: Being beguiled&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;In some cases, one may talk to a priest that may recommend a particular expensive religious service, where the religious body may benefit, but really gives little solace to the sponsor. Some may not see much danger in this, but the first danger is in trusting a person that makes a business out of people in distress. If the priest makes a business out of such activities, he is not gaining merit from the prayer - instead it can be dangerous for him. And if the sponsor pays his respects to such a misled priest it can be equally dangerous to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, some priests get you to perform some rituals - such as sacrificing an animal. Believing that such acts would help, one engages in what is actually dangerous &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;. And such &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; is detrimental in the long term, whether or not one is aware that it is immoral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pitfall 1: Breeds non-chalance and heedlessness&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;In a few cases, our misfortune is caused by our own stupid actions. In those cases, it is very important to learn from one's experience. Petitionary prayer could lead to complacency and heedlessness (&lt;em&gt;pamāda&lt;/em&gt;). The last words of the Buddha were about heedfulness (&lt;em&gt;appamāda&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pitfall 2: Deceptive consolation&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;Prayer and crying on someone's shoulder (whether virtual or real) could have the effect of generating self-pity and a growing sense of entitlement for self-pity. If one's parents or children die, grief is but inevitable. And people might even feel sympathy. But sometimes, people grieve just to win sympathy. The act of prayer feeds the mind's tendency to wish for sympathy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A donation made out of free will, as an expression of one's gratitude for the guidance provided is totally different from payment for a religious service meant to soothe the heart. The act of donating gives a sense of wealth. But the act of payment for a prayer service at a religious institution reinforces a sense of poverty and self-pity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prayer may be a morally neutral activity, but has some serious pitfalls that easily delude the psychologically weak. Instead of praying for help, it is much better to engage in activities such a donating, community service, volunteering, or even hearing stories of people that faced similar circumstances, and learning lessons from them. These activities can renew one's energy, lift one's mood, keep one engaged, and also enter deep states of concentration, which can act as a platform for developing insight and attain full liberation from all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5068" LastActivityDate="2015-04-27T16:03:44.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8858" CreationDate="2015-04-27T18:15:13.123" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that it depends on how you relate to the success, your attitude to it. Relating an experience can be beneficial to the recipient in many cases, both in terms of use as a teaching and possibly of merit as you mention. In terms of telling about a successful experience as a teaching, this can be related to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Udayi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in the Anguttara Nikaya, on how to teach the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's not easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ananda. The Dhamma should be taught to others only when five qualities are established within the person teaching. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak step-by-step.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak explaining the sequence [of cause &amp;amp; effect].'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak out of compassion.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak not for the purpose of material reward.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak without hurting myself or others.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's not easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ananda. The Dhamma should be taught to others only when these five qualities are established within the person teaching.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interpreting personal success as in the interest of self promotion is not helpful in terms of the teaching - so again it comes back to the attitude towards what is told. If for the benefit of the recipient (in terms of the Path), it could certainly be helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudita as a divine abiding is a wholesome state, and allowing mudita to arise in oneself and others by sharing a success experience would be beneficial. However, modesty and humility are beneficial traits to acquire, especially for those of us who have not entered the stream. For most of us, sharing success stories is more about self inflation than for the benefit of others, even though sometimes on a subtle level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this answer is 'it depends' - and hopefully the five guidelines above can be of help, when deciding whether to convey a success story, and how to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(edit: A few notes on Right Action and Right Speech, since they're mentioned in the question)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question refers to Right Action - &lt;code&gt;samma kammanto&lt;/code&gt; in Pali - which is part of the Noble Eightfold Path. Specifically, Right Action refers to action that is in accordance with three of the five precepts - namely abstaining from the taking of a life (i.e. not killing any living being), abstaining from taking what is not given (i.e. not stealing), and abstaining from sensual (or sexual) misconduct. I do not interpret sharing a success as related to Right Action. However, in communication, Right Speech may be more relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right Speech&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As translated on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ATI&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, &amp;amp; from idle chatter: This is called right speech.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be helpful in deciding what to say, when to say it, and whether to say something at all:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless &amp;amp; unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which&#xA;  five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken&#xA;  affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of&#xA;  good-will.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastEditorUserId="89" LastEditDate="2015-04-28T06:26:26.213" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T06:26:26.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8864" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8865" CreationDate="2015-04-28T00:14:22.350" Score="4" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a while now i have been wondering about how buddhist monks have time for their own practice. When i see buddhist monks like &lt;em&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo, Ajahn Brahm and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt; who contribute so much to the teaching of the dhamma and have set in motion so many initiatives like making videos, written books, teaching pali language, teaching on retreats etc. i wondered when and how they have time for their own practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2020-10-01T13:23:47.350" Title="How do buddhist monks who are teachers have time for their own practice?" Tags="|monk|teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8864" CreationDate="2015-04-28T07:27:31.317" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a part of their practice. Teaching the Dhamma helps one understand it better. The more one understands the Dhamma, the closer one gets to Nibbana. Besides, how do lay people find time for Dhamma while doing full time jobs? Monks don't do jobs. So they have plenty of time to both teach and meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-04-28T11:35:39.453" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T11:35:39.453" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8799" CreationDate="2015-04-28T09:34:20.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm of the view that if the question, &quot;is this wrong?&quot;, is worth asking, then it is wrong, at least for you. Your conscience has spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If my shoe hurts my feet, I don't continue to wear it merely because it's a brand name shoe that others wear without consequence. If my feet hurt, that should be enough. Of course I can still become a fashion victim and continue to wear it because it's cool or because I paid too much for it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, people often stay in careers they know is wrong for them because they've invested too many years in it, they are good at it or because they like the money or prestige or something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inner peace comes from listening to what goes on inside and reacting appropriately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to think games are addictive, which they are designed to be of course, and I recall studies have showed this objectively, especially in teen populations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;VC success metrics for game companies include statistics like duration of uninterrupted play for their titles. Comments by top gamers on steam, show they've logged thousands of hours on a game. I recall one comment went like this, 'my girlfriend has left me, I've lost my job, my friends don't speak to me anymore, but I can't stop playing and I love it'. It's almost like Vegas. Sadly, this outcome is not unusual for really hard core players. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, interviews with competition players, who stand to win millions of dollars in matches always indicate that these players somehow have mastered emotional independence from the outcome of the game, and this is what makes them better at matches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you have to respect your feelings rather than try to measure it across some universal standard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I want to add, please be smart about this. Most  people can't quit big parts of their life, like a career straight away, but eventually over several years they can taper it down to the point where they can quit. The idea isn't to become homeless. I say this as someone who's quit his job to focus on a richer spiritual life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-04-28T09:45:11.347" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T09:45:11.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1581" CreationDate="2015-04-28T14:40:02.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with catpnosis that a mere &lt;em&gt;belief&lt;/em&gt; in gods, as Buddhism understands them, does not entail anything that contradicts the law of kamma. Buddhism holds the view that there is no ruling god who is responsible for everything that happens, but also holds the view that there are great, virtuous, and powerful non-human beings who, on account of merit, have achieved great beauty, long life, and power. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, whether or not prayer is advised depends on what you mean by prayer. If you understand prayer to include merely the focusing of one's mind on a deity or some aspect of the deity then even Theravada Buddhism does allow and advocate it, through a practice called the recollection of the devas. One of the ten recollections, virtuous Buddhists are advised to recollect the virtues of the devas and to reflect that they have similar virtues in themselves. See the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.012.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahanama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-04-28T14:40:02.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8869" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-29T00:34:57.117" Score="8" ViewCount="23695" Body="&lt;p&gt;Will they get to suffer in hell? I am trying to find out more about their fate..I know that if you get angry a lot you get reborn ugly..But what happens to people who cheat on you??Will they get cheated on in a future life?Or will a worser fate await them..? I vaguely heard Ajahn Brahm talk about the Nirayas and he did mention a hell where adulterers go to.Is this true..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there really a special kind of hell for adulterers..if yes what happens to them there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-04-30T23:45:33.953" LastActivityDate="2022-11-29T11:27:06.930" Title="What Bad Karma Awaits Adulterers?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8870" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-29T00:55:33.337" Score="0" ViewCount="457" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any vampires in any living or dead (hah!) buddhist tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that there were kinda vampires in Tibetan Bon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure why I'm asking, probably spiritual &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ressentiment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ressentiment&lt;/a&gt; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Peace...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T19:31:46.843" Title="Are there any vampires?" Tags="|bon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8871" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-29T07:03:17.347" Score="2" ViewCount="2926" Body="&lt;p&gt;I currently do 15 minutes of meditation every morning. I use a stop watch. I see some people do more like 30 minutes. I was wondering how they kept track of time. Or is it roughly 30 minutes? I find that if I don't use a timer, I find myself thinking to myself during meditation, &quot;I wonder if it has been about 15 minutes&quot; and it seems distracting. I've tried meditation without a timer, but I guess the question is when do you feel you should cut it off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:04:55.653" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:04:55.653" Title="Should you meditate with a timer?" Tags="|time|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2015-05-01T17:56:41.880" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-29T10:38:16.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should meditate as much as possible. I session is ideally 1 hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, the best way to do this is by strong resolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You make a strong resolution as I will to this for 15 minutes. As you go on you will notice that the time you take is as much as you make the resolution. But be realistic when you start doing this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T10:38:16.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-29T10:40:26.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can train the mind to know when time's up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You make the resolution &quot;I will sit 30 minutes&quot; and then you sit and when you feel 30 minutes are up you get up, go in another room and check how much you sat.&#xA;Let's say you sat 24 minutes today. Almost the goal and the mind registers this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next day you make the same resolution &quot;I will sit 30 minutes&quot; and then when you feel the time is up you get up, go in another room and check how much you sat. Again, the mind register this and makes adjustments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some days of training the mind will know by itself when it is the time to get up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-04-29T10:47:09.630" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T10:47:09.630" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-29T12:37:43.580" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use a timer.  It's one less thing your mind has to concern itself with.  I find it utterly distracting to look at my watch to see if a session has elapsed.  Eventually, when you start sitting for an hour or more, that break in concentration becomes significantly distracting and disruptive.  Usually deep samadhi is the only thing keeping leg pain (for example) at bay.  It also fragments the concentration you've worked so hard to establish!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can just use an egg timer (preferably the non-ticking type).  There are also a bunch of smartphone apps.  I prefer the former as there are no guarantees that someone isn't going to text you twenty minutes in!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T12:37:43.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-29T13:40:35.110" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use a timer for the following reasons.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Worrying about whether your session is done is a distraction.  A timer will free you from this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A resolution to sit for X minutes may not work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even if the resolution does work, you could end up mistaking that for progress.  Don't laugh -- people mistake side effects of practice for the goals of practice. They'll ask if meditation can improve their grades, lead to particular hallucinations, etc...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's no harm to using a timer. After all, group meditations also use a timer, it just happens to be a human who hits a chime.  There's nothing magical about people that makes chimes hit by them any less disruptive than those generated by an electronic device.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T13:40:35.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-04-29T14:00:43.833" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being cheated on in return should be the last thing to worry about according to the SN suttas. In SN 3.9, Ven. Bodhi's note provided the background story to the huge animal sacrifice set up for king Pasenadi of Kosala:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..In brief: The king had become infatuated with a married woman and planned to have her husband killed so that he could take his wife. One night, unable to sleep, he heard eerie cries of inexplicable origin. The next day, when he anxiously asked his brahmin chaplain to explain the meaning, the priest told him that the voices portended his imminent death, which he could avert only by performing a great sacrifice. When the king later inquired from the Buddha about the voices, the Buddha told him these were the cries of adulterers boiling in a cauldron in the great hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN 19.11, Ven. Moggallana during his alms round in the city of Rajagaha reported seeing a man with head submerged in a pit of dung. The Buddha then explained the reason: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..That being, bhikkhus, used to be an adulterer in this same Rajagaha. Having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years as a result of that kamma, as a residual result of that same kamma he is experiencing such a form of individual existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T14:00:43.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-04-29T14:11:08.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I could find lying, stealing and coveting which is close to cheating. Illicit sex can also be considered, if it's with another person's spouse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;Ānanda, there are four kinds of person to be&#xA;  found in the world. Which four? There is the case where a certain&#xA;  person is one who takes life, &lt;strong&gt;takes what is not given (steals)&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  engages in &lt;strong&gt;illicit sex&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;lies&lt;/strong&gt;, speaks divisively, speaks abusively,&#xA;  engages in idle chatter; is &lt;strong&gt;covetous&lt;/strong&gt;, malevolent, &amp;amp; holds wrong view.&#xA;  With the breakup of the body, after death, he reappears in a plane of&#xA;  deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-29T14:16:26.477" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T14:16:26.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-29T16:27:42.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been using a meditation timer with great success (There are a number of meditation APPs you can leverage).  I actually started with a 5 minute timer (every morning) and since have added a minute each week as I build up to 30 minutes.  To me, it feels like slowly incrementing the length of meditation has kept me from internally  clock watching.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll echo other peoples comments by saying that trying to peek at a watch or think about the time would be pretty distracting and take away from the actual meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4992" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T16:27:42.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8433" CreationDate="2015-04-29T17:57:51.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like Orion says they are mind states as well.&#xA;This is why if someone is acting like X most of the time, which is a behavior of Y realm, then they will most likely go to that realm. So, yes, according to Hinduism and many other traditions and cultures, this is not your only incarnation, but just one of countless from the past and many more in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The magnificence of Buddhism is that it is beyond all these realms because every single one of them is temporary (on different time scales). No matter how enjoyable and how pleasureable, when one's karma for that realm runs out, one will drop or rise according to the new karma generated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Buddhism is to transcend them all and become someone who doesn't bob up and down uncontrollably according to one's whims and karmas, forced into this and that rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means to become a bodhisattva: someone who has mastered the incarnation process including the creation of karma and for the sake of all beings incarnates in order to teach and guide beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this effect is quite grand, the cause for this effect (&quot;ending birth-and-death&quot;) is quite simple: follow the Four Noble Truths on its mundane and super-mundane levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T17:57:51.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8433" CreationDate="2015-04-29T18:21:24.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;OP: I have heard several versions now of what &quot;levels of existence&quot; are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was quite explicit with the literal meaning of hell and other realms. The common stock phrase &quot;on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of [deprivation/happiness/..]&quot; was mentioned frequently in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Aal1bklhbjbi&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=break-up+of+the+body%2C+after+death&amp;amp;siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accesstoinsight.org%2F&amp;quot;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many suttas&lt;/a&gt;. Some realms are &quot;physical&quot; like animal's or human's, other are purely mental like those devas' Formless realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-04-29T18:21:24.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6028" CreationDate="2015-04-29T20:50:10.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is a practice that lends awareness to thought. Illuminates it in such a way that we realize that we have an awareness larger than thought... thought is not our identity and limit of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This gives us a larger space in which to live and create. Tightening around the thought, avoiding the thought, clinging to the thought, wishing to have no thought so we are more comfortable... these are all &quot;selfing&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let the thought go, let it come... freely. Say hello and give it a hug, kiss it goodbye it is just one thought. Another will come. Welcome it also. Have some tea with it. Ask it some questions. Why have you come? What do I need to know to help you? Why do I need you to be other than you are? This is nonresistance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thought comes from a place that fears an outcome or desires one is trapped by karma. A belief that &quot;Okayness&quot; is contingent. Freedom is free from karma, not trapped by the outcome or contingency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be aware that each moment arises independently. That there is no self. That possibilities exist to resolve the issue effortlessly and they will be revealed as the greater presence with our being takes hold more and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5086" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T13:23:09.073" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T13:23:09.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-30T01:55:00.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when do you feel you should cut it off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when it is not useful. For example, when you decide to sit for an unplanned period of time, and you find the noise of the alarm becomes a distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T01:55:00.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8883" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-04-30T02:34:53.397" Score="6" ViewCount="3599" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed that Thich Nhat Hanh refers to himself in the third person as &quot;Thay&quot;. Why is this, and what is its meaning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T08:52:01.530" Title="Why is Thich Nhat Hanh called Thay?" Tags="|vietnamese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5699" CreationDate="2015-04-30T04:14:42.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who ever stand against the words of lord buddha,I have only one thing to say that its the truth. Our mind is so much faster than the speed of light and no one to prove and find that except a buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to buddha, there is a smallest unit of time which is called &quot;Chiththakshana&quot; and no one can even think about it. Our mind has a life time of 1 Chiththakshana. So Birth,Life Time And Death of our mind has this 1 smallest unit. &#xA;So our mind is birthing,living and dying trillions and trillions times(Can't even think about it) during our life time. That's why it says the mind is more and more speeder than the light. Most of the people can't understand this because of the theories they have learnt. Finally I would like to say there are trillions (Even more) of earths which people live, in this universe. And the end of the universe is inside our own body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information refer &lt;strong&gt;Abhidhamma Pitaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5089" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T04:14:42.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8871" CreationDate="2015-04-30T06:23:37.633" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditate with timer is very rare in Theravada Buddhism. During meditation period, you might only need to focus on breath in and breath out. This time you do not need to hear, you do not feel pain, you do not need to be happy, you do not need to think about something, you do not need to think about the timer. This time you can feel everything is neutral. You only know the breath in and breath out. Meditation with a timer does not calm your mind. You worry when the time is finished, you worry you will miss the alert sound. Something you worry or something in your mind is not a good practice of meditation. So I personally suggest, do meditation when you have enough time.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4849" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-04-30T07:20:32.760" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T07:20:32.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-04-30T07:26:57.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe Niraya (hell) can found both inside and outside of our bodies, our minds.Let me explain a little bit details,I quote Newton's third law for this explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Newton's third law&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body&#xA;  simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in&#xA;  direction on the first body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cheating case scenario&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cheat someone intentionally.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You know that is cheating and cause someone gets trouble. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First your feel guilty yourself for this cheating. This is inside Niraya.&#xA;When you enter inside Niraya, you never satisfied yourself.You ever blame yourself and the others.You never happy in your life.You do something for someone, you get the same result likes the person you put into trouble.It is very similar likes Newton's law.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Second many Buddhists believe, the sinners will go real Niraya when they die.That is outside Niraya.The Buddhists believe Niraya is the worst place of the universe.You can roughly read so many types of Nirayas in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For adulterers, I believe they must face similar destiny as cheaters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4849" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T07:26:57.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8820" CreationDate="2015-04-30T08:07:27.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the basic mindset of theravada buddhism. We donate flowers, water, food,etc. for Buddha then we believe these things are holy things.Because these are for Buddha.We pray Buddha statue is not praying the statue that created by someone.We pray Buddha statue is represent our respect for Buddha knowledge and teachings.The holy water is not come from Buddha's age but we donate this water for Buddha(in Buddhist temple) and we believe this water is holy.It's only mindset.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4849" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T08:07:27.243" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8883" CreationDate="2015-04-30T08:40:36.890" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I grabbed this quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Nh%E1%BA%A5t_H%E1%BA%A1nh#Names_applied_to_him&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wiki, in the section &amp;quot;Names applied to him&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thich Nhat Hanh is often referred to as &amp;quot;Thay&amp;quot; (Vietnamese: Thầy, &amp;quot;master; teacher&amp;quot;) or Thay Nhat Hanh by his followers. On the Vietnamese version of the Plum Village website, he is also referred to as Thiền Sư Nhất Hạnh which can be translated as &amp;quot;Zen Master&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;Dhyana Master&amp;quot;.[37] Any Vietnamese monk or nun in the Mahayana tradition can be addressed as &amp;quot;Thầy&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;teacher&amp;quot;). Vietnamese Buddhist monks are addressed &amp;quot;Thầy tu&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;monk&amp;quot;) and nuns are addressed &amp;quot;Sư Cô&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;Sister&amp;quot;) or &amp;quot;Sư Bà&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;Elder Sister&amp;quot;)&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from a website named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thichnhathanhfoundation.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thich Nhat Hanh – affectionately referred to as Thay (means teacher in Vietnamese) by his students – brings the art of mindful living and engaged Buddhism to the world, transforming suffering and bringing peace to millions. Now, in this moment, we each have a joyful opportunity to support Thayʼs teachings&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from a website named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thichnhathanhfoundation.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism Guide&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thích Nhất Hạnh is often referred to as &amp;quot;Thầy&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;master; teacher&amp;quot;) or Thầy Nhất Hạnh by his followers. Any Vietnamese monk or nun can be referred to and are often addressed as &amp;quot;Thầy&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Thầy tu&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;priest; monk&amp;quot;)&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://dharmafolk.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/thich-and-thay-name-or-title/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Folk&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But I’m not done! Now what about the name Thầy?**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people refer to the Venerable Thích Nhất Hạnh as Thầy. Indeed, this is what most Vietnamese speakers use when we speak about him in Vietnamese. It is also the term we use when we talk about or to any monk or male teacher. After all, thầy is simply a title. Thầy means “teacher,” and in Vietnamese it’s also used like a pronoun with reference to teachers. When talking to a monk, thầy means “you,” and when a monk talks to you, then thầy means “me.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless, thầy has crossed linguistic barriers and has found a home of its own in the English language Buddhist community as Thay — a direct reference to Venerable Thầy Thích Nhất Hạnh. In this case, no matter how much it confuses me, Thay has become his English nickname, as used by hundreds (if not thousands) of English speakers worldwide&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T08:52:01.530" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8889" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8895" CreationDate="2015-04-30T08:53:59.090" Score="4" ViewCount="463" Body="&lt;p&gt;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Practice Mindfulness of Body&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to being present with the help of body sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I'm a beginner . I place my hand over my chest to feel that I'm live and presence. This is to ensure that I do not &quot;think&quot; that I'm being present but as a fact I'm .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After few minutes , I do feel tightness of my heart , breathing rhythm. Then starts to feel energy flow (tingling) inside my legs and Torso .This is like being my attention expanded beyond the chest .  When thoughts come I bring my attention back to chest .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I feel a calm state but it is again a temporary state . The moment I release my attention to include whole environment again it keeps going to whatever it &quot;wishes&quot; to be with .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could anyone help me with the next step that could help me to keep my attention where I wish it to be ? to ensure I would not identify with unnecessary feelings , emotions etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-11-08T07:53:53.013" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:53:53.013" Title="Being &quot;Present&quot; with the help of body sensations then how to proceed?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7534" CreationDate="2015-04-30T09:36:03.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please note below my answer is based on my personal experience.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can feel your question and I'm fully aware of this situation. What I'm doing is &quot;trying&quot; my best to keep my &quot;attention&quot; focused on part of the body . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start from something easily could feel in your body. In my case it was touch of lips and chest. To hold this attention you need effort . Be careful this does not mean that you have not kept your attention on your daily tasks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do an experiment when you walk next time in a park. You will notice even if you keep attention still you can walk without any problem . If not ,that is a warning that you have identified with the sensation of that body part. By balancing you will find your sweet spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;But still you will see all your &quot;ego&quot; plays only thing is now it will have less impact.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;In my experience still this was not help me with emotions . I'm still keep identifying with emotions. But this helped me most of the time with unnecessary Ego &quot;thoughts&quot; / inner chatter&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T09:36:03.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8889" CreationDate="2015-04-30T10:00:43.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion, &lt;code&gt;Being on Present&lt;/code&gt; is the hardest part of Buddhism. When your take meditation first time, the hardest thing is controlling your mind. Your mind are running like a wind.I think there are many techniques  of meditation.I use breath in and breath out technique.First you choose the suitable place for meditation (calm and silent place, not cold not hot). After that you can sit as you like then close your eyes.Then you breath normally means not too fast not too slow.And you concentrate breath in and breath out, don't feel anything. After a few minutes, your mind will calm.Your feeling only know breath in and breath out and you feel very calm in your mind. I could not explain using words about that feeling. You can do as much as you can before your mind is running out of your control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4849" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T10:00:43.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8889" CreationDate="2015-04-30T10:49:11.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This essay on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guided Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikku can help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I include a quote here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If your mind wanders off, gently bring it right back. If it wanders&#xA;  off ten times, a hundred times, bring it back ten times, a hundred&#xA;  times. Don't give in. This quality is called ardency. In other words,&#xA;  as soon as you realize that the mind has slipped away, you bring it&#xA;  right back. You don't spend time aimlessly sniffing at the flowers,&#xA;  looking at the sky, or listening to the birds. You've got work to do:&#xA;  work in learning how to breathe comfortably, how to let the mind&#xA;  settle down in a good space here in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the breath starts feeling comfortable, you can start exploring it&#xA;  in other areas of the body. If you simply stay with the comfortable&#xA;  breath in a narrow range, you'll tend to doze off. So consciously&#xA;  expand your awareness. A good place to focus first is right around the&#xA;  navel. Locate that part of the body in your awareness: where is it&#xA;  right now? Then notice: how does it feel there as you breathe in? How&#xA;  does it feel when you breathe out? Watch it for a couple of breaths,&#xA;  and notice if there's any sense of tension or tightness in that part&#xA;  of the body, either with the in-breath or with the out-breath. Is it&#xA;  tensing up as you breathe in? Are you holding onto the tension as you&#xA;  breathe out? Are you putting too much force on the out-breath? If you&#xA;  catch yourself doing any of these things, just relax. Think of that&#xA;  tension dissolving away in the sensation of the in-breath, the&#xA;  sensation of the out-breath. If you want, you can think of the breath&#xA;  energy coming into the body right there at the navel, working through&#xA;  any tension or tightness that you might feel there ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-04-30T11:32:32.413" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T11:32:32.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-04-30T13:32:17.523" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is really important to point out a couple of things. First, according to Buddhism, the results of kamma are said to be complex; one does &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; simply experience a 1 to 1 result as, at least on the face of it, the above quotation of Newton's third law seems to imply. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lonaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, e.g., explains that whether or not one has developed her mind will have a very big impact on how the result of some unwholesome kamma will be experienced and that the belief that one must experience the result in equal proportion to the volitional deed is wrong view. For one who holds such a view, 'there is no living the holy life'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, a kamma is not always productive of a specific rebirth, it can be the case that it produces its result within that 'life's continuance', meaning that it simply causes negative effects in this life. So, one committing sexual misconduct might only result in the 'trivial' result of 'rivalry and hatred' in this life. (Pa Auk Sayadaw, The Workings of Kamma)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the way kamma actually produces results in an individual case is quite complex; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the precise results of an kamma are said to be 'unconjecturable' and conjecturing about them to lead to 'madness and vexation.' If one reads the text cited above, The Workings of Kamma, one might get a sense for why this is said. According to that text and in line with the orthodox Theravadan view as I understand it, there are many kinds of kamma, wholesome and unwholesome, weighty and non-weighty, inferior and superior, there are frustrating kammas (which oppose kammas of the opposite kind, i.e., wholesome or unwholesome), there interceptive kammas, there are numerous mental factors that may make a kamma more or less unwholesome and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, at last, it is not possible to give a straightforward answer as to what will happen to people who cheat on others in a relationship. We can be sure, however, that if mental states of greed, hatred, and ignorance were active, Buddhism holds the kamma was unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T13:32:17.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8889" CreationDate="2015-04-30T17:10:32.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing you might not realize about being present is that it means standing in the river as the water goes by... meaning you can't cling to any one phenomenon or even type of phenomenon. You have to let it go by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of course I feel a calm state but it is again a temporary state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say, of course it is a temporary state... they all are. You have to let them go by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The moment I release my attention to include whole environment again it keeps going to what ever it &quot;wishes&quot; to be with .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the nature of the present moment. Not reacting with desire, aversion, or delusion is the only goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Could anyone help me with the next step that could help me to keep my attention where I wish it to be? to ensure I would not identify with unnecessary feelings , emotions etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an self-defeating... you are asking how to control and get what you want to ensure that you don't give rise to the identification. They are opposite goals and you have to choose one; trying to control and get what you want, or letting go of identification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught four foundations of mindfulness, one of which was on the body. I would suggest you study them all, and learn to incorporate them all into your meditation. Then it doesn't matter where your mind goes, you can meditate and stay present in the middle of the river of experience. Here's a good theoretical background on the four foundations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Way of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like a practical guide on implementing them all, here is a booklet I wrote, available in many different languages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://htm.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T17:10:32.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8889" CreationDate="2015-04-30T18:16:19.943" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm trying to being present with the help of body sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are with a sense input you are always in the present moment. The way to be in the present moment or bring your attention to the present moment is to look at sensations. So you are doing the right thing here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As I'm a beginner . I place my hand over my chest to feel that I'm live and presence. This is to ensure that I do not &quot;think&quot; that I'm being present but as a fact I'm .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might involve thinking or perceptions which can be building verbal fabrications (chattering mind). If possible avoid this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After few minutes , I do feel tightness of my heart , breathing rhythm. Then starts to feel energy flow (tingling) inside my legs and Torso .This is like being my attention expanded beyond the chest . When thoughts come I bring my attention back to chest .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In our body there a lot of sensations we are not aware of. In doing meditation you have to reach &lt;code&gt;Sabbakayapatisamvedi&lt;/code&gt; stage. This is where your attention spreads through out your body and you are aware of everything in your body. At a higher stage, bodily processors like breathing, arising and pass of all sensations. (&lt;code&gt;Samudaya-dhammanupassi&lt;/code&gt; .. &lt;code&gt;Vayadhammanupassi&lt;/code&gt; .. &lt;code&gt;Samudaya-vaya-dhammanupassi&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So keep spreading your attention and be mindful to the subtlest of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sensation in your body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;other bodily function like breathing &#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and if possible (all this coming through contact with the sense doors thus tied to sensations)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;heartbeat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perspiration process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;excretion and urination (&lt;code&gt;Uccara passavakamme&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of course I feel a calm state but it is again a temporary state . The moment I release my attention to include whole environment again it keeps going to what ever it &quot;wishes&quot; to be with .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to reach where your bodily fabrications are calmed (&lt;code&gt;Passambhayam kayasamkharam&lt;/code&gt;). At this stage you feel calm and your breath becomes shorter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with all senses this arises and passes with rapid succession. You have to keep looking at even that calm feeling until you see this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The calm sensations can be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pleasant, blissful - Patrice equanimity towards it and try to eliminate all fabrication of craving and clinging towards pleasant sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;painful - Patrice equanimity towards it and try to eliminate all fabrication of aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neutral - Patrice equanimity towards it and try to eliminate all fabrication of ignorance, i.e., even in this stage you see arising and passing, contacts creates sensation which you cling and crave, your perception creates a response to what you recognise, etc. As sensations are subtle you can try investigating these at a more subtler level.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensation are the mind conditioner. Buy using sensation to eliminate fabrication creation you calm your metal fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this sensation can be used to calm your metal chattering. Generally your mind wonders away then there is an overwhelming sensation coming from a sense door. If the sensation are generally pleasant or neutral your mind does not stray from your meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Could anyone help me with the next step that could help me to keep my attention where I wish it to be ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To keep you attention where it needs to be you can do the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realise your mind wonders away to from your anchor object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;experience the sensation this object creates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;due to thought proliferation and perceptional reaction this creates sensation in your body. Generally it dominates around the head. See if you can see these sensations in your body.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;at advance stages when you notice the sensations they just dispensary&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if not just stay with them for a few seconds and come back to your chosen object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when doing this smiling also might help, look at the sensations off the libs touching also. Smiling releases the tension in the facial mussels.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By looking at the sensation, in advance stages your are effectively dissolving the fabrication they have created. Since fabrications giving grosser sensation are dissolves your are left with more pleasantness and this helps with concentration as mentioned before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this can be used to eradicate mental defilements as mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... to ensure I would not identify with unnecessary feelings , emotions etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to see is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling and sensation as just feeling and sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also scrutinise the feeling and sensation, dividing and dissecting until you come to more and more subtler sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above goes for body, feeling / sensations, mind and Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately you have to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep equanimity (do not cling or crave) to any sensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be aware of the arising and passing of the sensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also pay attention to sensations as this is proxy to experiencing anything regarding your mind matter process and the other foundations of mindfulness. Even if you take the elements, we you one of our senses doors to sense it hence the primary characteristics and secondary characteristics based on a particular sense door like colour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T09:33:47.377" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8896" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8906" CreationDate="2015-04-30T20:33:42.017" Score="8" ViewCount="741" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most of the translations of the Dhammapada I have read the first lines of the Twin Verses (first chapter) are rendered using the words mind or thoughts. For instance &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt; by Buddharakkhita &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all&#xA;  mind-wrought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I recently read a translation by Thanissaro (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/lokabandhu/puja-readings-and-other-texts-as-used-in-the-triratna-buddhist-community/hardcover/product-21435684.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;in this book&lt;/a&gt;) that renders the lines as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phenomena are preceded by heart, ruled by heart, made of heart&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found the variation from mind (or thoughts) to heart quite striking. What is the original Pali phrasing and which words are able to be translated freely between mind and heart? What is the overall sense of the Pali words used i.e. what are the nuances or subtleties to the original Pali?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T01:34:38.700" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T21:20:41.037" Title="Why is the first lines of the Dhammapada twin verses sometimes translated using the word 'heart'?" Tags="|terminology|sutras|texts|pali-language|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-04-30T21:21:29.140" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The person that cheats &lt;strong&gt;maliciously&lt;/strong&gt; not only creates the long-term bad karma but also &lt;strong&gt;loses the opportunity to learn and develop skills&lt;/strong&gt;--as in cheating on a midterm and failing the proctered final.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This applies analogically to all situations, even non-malicious cheating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Playing by Rules of Reality, a.k.a. Hard Work, is not just a virtue: there is often the reward of becoming more free from ignorance, hatred, and delusion--a main objective of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-04-30T21:21:29.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8896" CreationDate="2015-05-01T00:09:35.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is what I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Manopubbangama dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  manosettha manomaya&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  manasa ce padutthena&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's translation and commentary on the page above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The associated story (&quot;The Story of Thera Cakkhupala&quot;) suggests it might be 'intention'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's kind of compatible with the poetic use of heart: &quot;he had a change of heart&quot;, &quot;his heart wasn't in it&quot;, &quot;he did it with all his heart&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root syllable in each line is &quot;mano&quot; and/or &quot;mana&quot;: which can also be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Eighteen_Dh.C4.81tus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; associated with &quot;mental consciousness&quot;; but see also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manas-vijnana#Overlapping_Pali_terms_for_.22mind.22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; says that it's used for &quot;mental action&quot; i.e. kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pali is constructed using short syllables like 'man'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The syllables have an approximate meaning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The suffix changes depending on grammar&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The syllables are aggregated into larger compound words and/or used with other words in a sentence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There may be a basic or root meaning (perhaps from the root's etymology) but the specific/precise  meaning (of a syllable) depends on context&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The original specific meaning is non-trivial for Pali scholars to render using single English words (for example the several words used to translate &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might find it useful to know at least the approximate/root meaning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might also find it useful to know that the meaning is a bit approximate!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of one word in English which has many specific meanings is, just to give an example, &quot;run&quot;: you can run a race, run a horse, run an engine, run a bath, run a business, let things run their course, run away, run the printing presses, run for President, etc. as described in a dictionary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T00:17:21.660" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T00:17:21.660" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8896" CreationDate="2015-05-01T01:15:55.090" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;What is the original Pali phrasing?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse I&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Manopubbangamā dhammā manosetthā manomayā,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;manasā che padutthena bhāsati vā karoti vā&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;tato nan dukkha manveti chakkan va vahato padan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse II&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Manopubbangamā dhammā manosetthā manomayā,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;manasā che pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;tato nan sukhamanveti chāyā va anapāyinī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;and which words are able to be translated freely between mind and heart?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8906/382&quot;&gt;@yuttadhammo's answer&lt;/a&gt;), but Thanissaro is using &amp;quot;heart&amp;quot; to translate &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manas_(early_Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;What is the overall sense of the Pali words used i.e. what are the nuances or subtleties to the original Pali?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sue Hamilton [1] discusses these passages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada however, both terms [&lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dhammā&lt;/em&gt;] are being used in their generic sense [not as sense and sense object, as elsewhere in the pali canon]: &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; is being used as 'mind' in general, and &lt;em&gt;dhammā&lt;/em&gt; is being used as it is in the &lt;em&gt;tilakkhana&lt;/em&gt; [2] formula [...].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When these terms are used generically, the precise meaning of the passage has to be determined from context. The [first line of both verses] literally means something like: &amp;quot;Phenomena are the result of mind (or are preceeded by mind), have mind as their best, are mind-made&amp;quot;. In isolation, this sentence might be construed as positing an idealistic ontology, that the phenomena which comprise the world as we know it, &lt;em&gt;dhammā&lt;/em&gt;, are nothing but the mind: the external world is magically created by the mind and consist of mind. There is an alternative way of interpreting this line, however, which is, in my opinion, the accurate one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then she offers a full translation of the rest of the passage. Excluding the first lines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a man speaks or acts with a wicked mind, sorrow follows him as wheel follows the foot of a draught [animal]...if a man speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows him as a shadow always follows [him].&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then she points out that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of these sentences is that one reaps the consequences of one's actions [...]. This corresponds to the Buddha's definition of karma [volition] [...]. The whole of the first chapter in Dhammapada is concerned with this teaching: that one reaps as one sows, and that sowing is qualitatively determined by intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the above in mind, and in the same vein as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8898/382&quot;&gt;@ChrisW answer&lt;/a&gt; , &amp;quot;heart&amp;quot; could've been a choice for someone's inclination. Perhaps to avoid giving the impression of an ontological statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned in chapter IV that when used in a non-technical sense, 'mind' (whatever term is being used) indicates general mental activity. So the first lines of the two verses in fact have the following meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dhammā&lt;/em&gt; are an individual's experiences -- everything, in fact, that is a part of the individual's life. And qualitatively those experiences follow from one's mental activity: &lt;em&gt;manopubbangamā&lt;/em&gt;, it is mental activity which principally governs the nature of life: &lt;em&gt;manosetthā&lt;/em&gt;, and it is in mental activity that what follows originates: &lt;em&gt;manomaya&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To interpret this sentence ontologically is completely to ignore the context in which it is found and to divorce it from the subject matter of the entire chapter. To convey the meaning of &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt; in this context accurately, it is better to translate it as a verbal noun, denoting the activity or process of the mind: 'thinking'. In english, this gives us a less ambiguous sentence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The individual's experiences are preceded by thinking, have thinking as their best, originate in thinking&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the reification of manas as 'mind' which tends to mislead here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism, pg 140ff&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[2] &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhāra aniccā. sabbe saṅkhāra dukkhā. sabbe dhammā anattā&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T21:20:41.037" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8900" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-01T01:53:52.003" Score="1" ViewCount="371" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not asking for a friend, or as a plan... I started doing this some 11-14 years ago, and wondered if it was over - in any significant sense. Not that it matters - I might take the bodhisattva vows, now :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: is self enlightenment achieved through contemplation of impermanence :) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T14:18:51.097" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T00:47:49.877" Title="Is self enlightenment achieved through contemplation of impermanence?" Tags="|enlightenment|impermanence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8900" CreationDate="2015-05-01T04:54:22.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to also recognize that what is impermanent is stressful and what is stressful and impermanent is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking upon this path you will make an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;. . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All conditioned things are impermanent&amp;quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&amp;quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All things are not-self&amp;quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada Ch. 20(275-279)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T00:47:49.877" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8900" CreationDate="2015-05-01T05:35:55.237" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contemplating will not take you all the way as there will be a perception or notional residue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can start with it and make efforts to see the phenomena relating to the aggregates arising and passing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will get you to the final goal as long as you do this with equanimity and non clinging and craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further details see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Girinananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Here the flow of instructions starts with various contemporary practice to reduce polarity of perception but finally switch to Anapana for the lasting or final solution which is to eradicate any residual perception and the aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T18:28:51.477" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8903" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-01T08:23:01.053" Score="3" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Practice : Mindfulness&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm taking a concrete example to get the right help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reading a book ,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reading without being absorbed , mind keeps wondering but still able&#xA;to read words&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reading with being absorbed , mind more likely continuously anchored &#xA;on reading with minimal mental movements &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I want to be aware about myself while being absorbed in reading or be aware about the reader while reading &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could anyone provide me a guide to proceed to that ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:28:16.197" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:28:16.197" Title="Moving from absorption to self-awareness" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8904" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-01T12:08:33.737" Score="2" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some 'Buddhists' believe that it is okay for one to be addicted to smoking and drinking. They give examples of Chogyam Trungpa and the like who were known to indulge in these and other addictions. &#xA;It might seem puritanical, but I don't agree with them, and I believe the Buddha wouldn't either. I think any kind of addiction is connected with cravings and a 'master' cannot be called one until he/she has at least mastered these cravings. I also think that as a Buddhist of any stripe, one follows the Four Noble Truths (and the 8-fold path within it) and if one does, one clearly understands the perils of unregulated cravings. And then there is the issue of creating wrong 'role models' for the followers of the 'master'.&#xA;What do people on this forum think about this issue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="602" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T12:08:33.737" Title="Is it okay to have addictions and still call yourself a Buddhist master?" Tags="|ethics|vinaya|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="8" ClosedDate="2015-05-01T13:21:33.580" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8903" CreationDate="2015-05-01T13:09:10.170" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;awareness is on:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arising and passing of phenomena pertaining to the mind and matter process (&lt;code&gt;Samudaya-vaya-dhammanupassi&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;more particularly:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;through sensations (as you experience phenomena and any characteristic of the aggregates or characteristics of matter though a sense door - &lt;code&gt;vidita vedana&lt;/code&gt; - and also make you whole body sensitive - &lt;code&gt;Sabbakayapatisamvedi&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;any mind and matter phenomena creates sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising from:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;internal and external sources (&lt;code&gt;Ajjhatta-bahiddha&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;equanimity, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;absence of clinging and craving of any type&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is good to be aware of the reading so you don't miss any facts, but this might not liberate you from stress and misery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If awareness alone did the trick then the happiest people would be the circus performers, gymnasts, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what ever you are absorbed in, be aware of the sensations and their arising and passing, keeping your mind firmly equanimous and devoid of craving and clinging. This is the type of awareness you have to develop in daily life including when reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading on its own creates verbal fabrications but if you can limit thought proliferation this is good. The though proliferation can be limited by:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calming the fabrication - less distraction from bodily pains&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;though observing the speed and length off the breath cycles - may be not easy while reading&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;passively looking at sensation, ideally in a small area like the upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;anchoring the mind&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realise your mind has left the anchoring object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;objectively looking at sensations or experience created by the distracting object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;objectively look at the sensations created by:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reaction of your perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;though proliferation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bring back your mind to the anchor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further details see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Significance-of-Vedana-in-Vipassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Significance-of-Vedana-in-Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Importance-of-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Importance-of-Vedana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en2003-02&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sampajañña&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna-the-Thorough-Understanding&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna-the-Thorough-Understanding&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T18:24:42.643" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T18:24:42.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8896" CreationDate="2015-05-01T13:16:45.067" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro's translations are... unique. The word being used, as others have pointed out, is &quot;mano&quot;, the leader of an irregular group of nouns called the &quot;manogana&quot; - &quot;the group with mano as its leader&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The PED has &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3860.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a huge article on mano&lt;/a&gt;, worth reading in full if you're interested. I've copied the gist of it below, but as you should see, it is probably misleading to translate it as &quot;heart&quot;. There is a word for that, &quot;hadaya&quot;, which is sometimes used as a synonym of mano, viññāṇa, etc., but also refers to the physical heart organ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is fair to say he is within his right to use poetic license in this case; it is, after all, poetry, and the mind and the heart are much the same in Buddhism. As you can see below, though, manas generally refers more to the thinking side of things, than the emotive or the substantial entity of &quot;the heart&quot; or &quot;the mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mano &amp;amp; Mana(s); (nt.) [Vedic manaḥ, see etym. under maññati]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;II. Meaning: mind, thought &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mano represents the intellectual functioning of consciousness, while viñnāṇa represents the field of sense and sense -- reaction (&quot;perception&quot;), and citta the subjective aspect of consciousness (cp. Mrs. Rh. D. Buddhist Psychology p. 19) -- The rendering with &quot;mind&quot; covers most of the connotation; sometimes it may be translated &quot;thought. As &quot;mind&quot; it embodies the rational faculty of man which, as the subjective side in our relation to the objective world, may be regarded as a special sense, acting on the world, a sense adapted to the rationality (reasonableness, dhamma) of the phenomena, as our eye is adapted to the visibility of the latter.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards the relation of manas to citta, it may be stated that citta is more substantial (as indicated by translation &quot;heart&quot;)&lt;/strong&gt;, more elemental as the seat of emotion, whereas manas is the finer element, a subtler feeling or thinking as such. See also citta2 I., and on rel. to viññāṇa &amp;amp; citta see citta;2 IV. 2b. In the more popular opinion and general phraseology however manas is almost synonymous with citta as opposed to body, cittaŋ iti pi mano iti pi S ii.94. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your ancillary questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is the original Pali phrasing?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As others have pointed out, the original is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;mano&lt;/strong&gt;pubbaṅgamā dhammā, &lt;strong&gt;mano&lt;/strong&gt;seṭṭhā &lt;strong&gt;mano&lt;/strong&gt;mayā.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;manasā&lt;/strong&gt; ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;tato naṃ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṃva vahato padaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Which words are able to be translated freely between mind and heart?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some words used more or less interchangeably are &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;hadaya&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;ceto&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nāma&lt;/em&gt;. Any one of these could ostensibly be translated as either &quot;heart&quot; or &quot;mind&quot;. The only one that literally means &quot;heart&quot;, as mentioned, is &lt;em&gt;hadaya&lt;/em&gt;. The rest have colloquial connotations and are derived from various roots, e.g. √cit = to think, √ñā = to know, √man = to consider, or not from roots at all (hadaya = heart, nāma = mentality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is the overall sense of the Pali words used i.e. what are the nuances or subtleties to the original Pali?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The technical meaning of the verse is that wholesome and unwholesome deeds come from wholesome or unwholesome mind states, not mere physical acts. In this, Thanissaro's translation is misleading. The emphasis should be on the fact that it is the mind as opposed to the body, not the heart as opposed to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The origin story about the elder Cakkhupala makes this clear; during his walking meditation, many insects were killed because he was blind. The Buddha spoke this verse to show that Cakkhupala was innocent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get an understanding of the colloquial meaning of this verse is a bit involved, but reading the PED's article on how &lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt; is generally used might help. Its usage here does seem to be to emphasise the mental nature of guilt and innocence. Otherwise, &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is a more common word. The word for heart, &lt;em&gt;hadaya&lt;/em&gt;, is used when talking about emotion, e.g. &lt;em&gt;hadayaṅgamā&lt;/em&gt; - going to one's heart (i.e. heartwarming), and doesn't seem appropriate in this context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-01T14:00:02.043" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T14:00:02.043" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8900" CreationDate="2015-05-01T14:16:47.800" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It really depends who you ask, and what you mean by &amp;quot;contemplate&amp;quot;. The Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one sees with wisdom that 'all formations are impermanent', this is the path of purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Dhp. 277)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the actual path is through &amp;quot;seeing&amp;quot; impermanence. One might correct your question to say that &lt;strong&gt;self-enlightenment &lt;em&gt;can be achieved&lt;/em&gt; through &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt; impermanence&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can also be achieved through seeing suffering, or non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could also adjust and say that &lt;strong&gt;self-enlightenment is achieved through contemplating &lt;em&gt;the impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, i.e. the five aggregates, since contemplating them - or observing objectively, rather - is what leads one to see impermanence, suffering, and non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN 22.59 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T16:10:23.403" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8909" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-01T21:22:12.007" Score="10" ViewCount="169" Body="&lt;p&gt;How are people supposed to practice sitting meditation &#xA;when there are so many distractions around like working, &#xA;internet social media pages and other things like that? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5027" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T10:11:37.113" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T10:11:37.113" Title="How to reduce distractions in sitting practice?" Tags="|the-buddha|modern-world|meditation-practicalities|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8909" CreationDate="2015-05-01T21:56:34.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While on the surface there are more distractions in today's day and age than any other before, there are in fact not any more distractions than there have ever been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it would appear that what pulls you away from meditation is &lt;code&gt;working, internet social media pages, and other things like that&lt;/code&gt;, these are not what pull you away.  What will always pull you away, and what has always pulled any human away is the stream of incessant chatter that you hear when you sit down and close your eyes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing in the external world that is capable of causing distraction by itself.  There are stories of Zen Monks who did not stir from Zazen as an earthquake struck.  Distractions happen internally; not externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to limit the scope of my answer to a specific kind of meditation - the kind of meditation where you sit and focus - but for the record, meditation is in no way limited to that one definition.  Meditation is available always; independent of circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For now, what would be powerful, I think, is if you really tell the truth to yourself about some things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First - I don't know anything about your circumstances; but I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that time is not the issue.  If you really confront how many hours you have in a day, and what it is that you are doing during each of those hours; I would be shocked if there were not 20 minutes you could claim for uninterrupted meditation time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people live their lives in a haze of abstractions and stories about reality.  Few people live their lives grounded in reality.  In reality, you can only ever do the thing you are doing when you are doing it; and whatever that thing is doesn't take a &lt;em&gt;long time&lt;/em&gt; or a &lt;em&gt;short time&lt;/em&gt; - it takes some specific relatively predictable amount of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In our stories, &lt;em&gt;&quot;I have too much to do&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;&quot;I never have enough time&quot;&lt;/em&gt; , etc.  In reality, quoting Werner Erhard:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The only thing you are going to do today is: what you do today.  Therefore, the only thing there is to do today is: what you do today.  That’s all there was to do when you started no matter what you thought or think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there is time for meditation.  There are no distractions that you deal with that are bigger than the distractions the millions of people who meditate deal with.  What it takes to meditate is to be willing to listen to the chatter in your head and to see it for what it is.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not you!  It is just noise.  There is nothing that happens in your mind that requires immediate action.  All there is to do when meditating is to give space to the noise; to observe the noise without becoming the noise.  Thoughts are just that; thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you will also find is that the moment you sit to meditate, your mind is suddenly a buzz with things you have to do.  You will notice yourself becoming overwhelmed with concerns about incomplete projects, promises un-kept, dreams unfulfilled, things you have to do today, etc.  All there is to do is to let the thoughts be...and eventually...they will let you be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-05-01T21:56:34.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2015-05-02T02:36:19.063" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem with most answers to this question is that they render Buddhism worthless to many people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of us here know exactly what the Fifth Precept means.  It is quite possible that what it means is to abstain completely from drug and alcohol usage; but it is equally possible that there is something else behind it.  In Christianity, literal interpretations of the Bible have lead to hatred, violence, and stupidity.  The examples abound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine someone who is suffering from some sort of chemical dependency - call it psychological.  Hypothetically; this person only knows how to feel confident meeting new people when they are drinking.  For this person, believing that they can only practice Buddhism by abstaining completely from intoxicants, will be completely dis-empowering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using the 'realms of existence' metaphor - we could say that this person is in a certain level of 'Hell'.  Since one can't attain liberation while in 'Hell', they should do nothing, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But of course this is not the case.  Inaction is mostly less useful than incomplete action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wittgenstein, a German philosopher once famously said, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My propositions serve as elucidations in the following sense: anyone who understands me eventually recognizes them as nonsensical, when he has used them - as steps - to climb up beyond them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(He must, so to speak, throw away the ladder after he has climbed up it.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is undertaking Buddhist practices, one is already doing something that will further their growth.  If one reaches the point where what is between him and the next level of awakening is to discontinue intoxicants, he will know that before he could learn it from a precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if one must first eradicate all desires and sensory pleasures before undertaking the journey, the journey will be a short one indeed - the journey before the journey will be the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is both dogmatic and non-dogmatic.  It's dogmatic nature can give rise to deep spiritual discipline when practiced with rigor at a very high level - but as with any dogma - it can strangle practitioners - confuse them into clinging to their own understanding of an interpretation rather than opening themselves to a larger context.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is easy to see the non-dogmatic aspects in Buddhism - as stated here by Venerable Sumedho:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell us what to believe. One should read them, listen to them, think about them, contemplate them, and investigate the present reality, the present experience with them. Then, and only then, can one insightfully know the truth beyond words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And two other quotes that seem to fit the context that I am creating:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I do not know who I am, I serve you.&#xA;  When I know who I am, I am you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indian Proverb&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...  and perhaps my all time favorite&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The genuine path of unminding is not a religion for the immature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Fen-Yang&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: I am aware that this response jumps around.  I was looking to capture the space of several points rather than promoting a well-founded point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly when looking up another quote for my response, I found the following quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The true meaning of the precepts is not just that one should refrain from drinking alcohol, but also from getting drunk on nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;attributed to Bassui &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another cool one from The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. ( quoting Jesus I've learned)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's not what enters men's mouth that is evil,&quot; said the alchemist. &quot;It's what comes out of their mouths that is&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T16:06:51.097" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T16:06:51.097" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8912" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8943" CreationDate="2015-05-02T09:23:50.650" Score="4" ViewCount="438" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fifth precept is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that&#xA;  causes heedlessness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but I have read interpretations that translate it as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake to abstain from intoxicants&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any references in the Buddhist scriptures about the fifth precept having a broader interpretations that refer to intoxicants of different forms - not just chemical stimulants? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in views of any schools as I imagine the interpretation of the precept may be different between them. I'm also interested in any references to more modern teachers who take this broader approach if anyone knows of them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-04T15:51:27.063" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:09:01.210" Title="Does the fifth precept refer exclusively to chemical stimulants?" Tags="|five-precepts|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5370" CreationDate="2015-05-02T19:39:53.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The already submitted answers explain the symbolism of the lotus very well. I'd like to add some important references to the lotus in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd often seen the lotus used in Mahayana Buddhist art such as this painting of Amitabha: &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/21m7l.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; is an important Mahayana sutra studied by numerous schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Om mani padme hum&lt;/a&gt; is a well known mantra which is translated various ways but a well known translation is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices/om-mani-padme-hum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Praise to the Jewel in the Lotus.&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lotus holds an important place in Pure Land Buddhism as seen in this excerpt from the translator's introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/pdf/bdk/digitaldl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three Pure Land Sutras&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha told Ānanda to worship Amitāyus. At once Amitāyus manifested&#xA;  himself with a majestic appearance and his light shone everywhere, so&#xA;  that Ānanda and all the others in the assembly clearly saw the Pure Land. They&#xA;  witnessed two types of birth: 1) that of those born from within the lotus flowers,&#xA;  and 2) that of those remaining in the lotus buds. Those aspirants who have&#xA;  accepted the Buddha’s wisdom with pure faith are to be born by instantaneous&#xA;  transformation and fully enjoy the highest bliss, but those with doubts must&#xA;  remain in the lotus buds for five hundred years (section 43).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I wondered about the importance of the lotus in my own tradition of Theravada and whether there were references to the lotus in the Pali Canon. Here's what I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.36&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just like a red, blue, or white lotus — born in the water, grown in the water, rising up above the water — stands unsmeared by the water, in the same way I — born in the world, grown in the world, having overcome the world — live unsmeared by the world. Remember me, brahman, as 'awakened.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fermentations by which I would go&#xA;  to a deva-state,&#xA;  or become a gandhabba in the sky,&#xA;  or go to a yakkha-state &amp;amp; human-state:&#xA;      Those have been destroyed by me,&#xA;      ruined, their stems removed.&#xA;  Like a blue lotus, rising up,&#xA;  unsmeared by water,&#xA;  unsmeared am I by the world,&#xA;  and so, brahman,&#xA;  I'm awake.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ireland/wheel107.html#passage-44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya 22:94&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as a water-lily or a blue lotus or a white lotus, born in water, growing in water, having arisen above the water stands unwetted by the water, similarly, bhikkhus, the Tathaagata, brought up in the world and conquering the world,[64] lives unsullied by the world.&quot;[65]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This poem by the Elder Udayin from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.15.02.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Theragatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the flower of a lotus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Arisen in water, blossoms,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pure-scented and pleasing the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet is not drenched by the water,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the same way, born in the world,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha abides in the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And like the lotus by water,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He does not get drenched by the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translator's note from the above poem states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Awakening (represented by the lotus blossom) is something that happens again and again in all different places and times, and is not limited to a single occurrence of it among the Sakya's of ancient India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The various Buddhist traditions don't agree on everything. But the usage of the beautiful lotus flower as a symbol for enlightenment cuts across traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-03T10:11:23.813" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T10:11:23.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8915" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8925" CreationDate="2015-05-02T19:50:53.037" Score="2" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice - Mindfulness of body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I move attention part by part in the body I don't feel sensations in every part . Is this right ? Or should I feel sensations in all body parts ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I do quick sweep of attention from head to feet . I do this at any moment during the day when I remember to be aware of my body . &#xA;Would this be helpful for practicing  mindfulness of body ? Or is there any better way of doing this ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T12:48:34.650" Title="Body scanning - right way of attention moving" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8916" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-02T22:11:47.833" Score="7" ViewCount="613" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm practising Vipassana meditation and I noticed that most of the time my mind thankfully doesn't wonder about things (past, future, judging).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I notice that my attention is not really sharp. It's like my mind its in standby not really paying attention to anything in particular. I lost my attention of my breath, sensations, etc.. but not because of wondering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's is happening?. Could I get further information about this issue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5096" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T15:38:46.817" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T15:38:46.817" Title="Lost mind while Meditating" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8915" CreationDate="2015-05-02T22:16:02.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Partial answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was told on a vipassana retreat in the tradition of S.N. Goenka that at first one may not be able to feel sensations in all of one's body, but being able to feel sensation in every part of one's body is a milestone that practitioners should reach as they advance in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems to accord with my experience as well, that after prolonged practice one's sensitivity to the body increases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in that tradition, one does a body sweep from the top of the head to the feet as you say you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps somewhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T22:16:02.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8916" CreationDate="2015-05-02T23:09:26.287" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;That sounds like the hindrance of &quot;sloth-torpor&quot;. There are lots of ways to counter this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#sloth&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest: Sloth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Six things are conducive to the abandonment of sloth and torpor:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Knowing that overeating is a cause of it;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Changing the bodily posture;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Thinking of the perception of light;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Staying in the open air;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Noble friendship;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Suitable conversation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness, investigation of reality and energy are factors that will help overcome sloth-torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, don't lay down when you are meditating and experiencing sloth-torpor or you will probably fall asleep. If you need to, get up and practice walking meditation . . . or splash water on your face.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2015-05-02T23:09:26.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8909" CreationDate="2015-05-03T01:26:40.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How are people supposed to practice sitting meditation when there are so many distractions around like working, internet social media pages and other things like that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.You can &lt;em&gt;try&lt;/em&gt; to make the time to do sitting meditation.Even if it's just for 5 minutes.Put it down in your organizer or calender. Hopefully this will give you the motivation to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Practice &lt;em&gt;working&lt;/em&gt; meditation,&lt;em&gt;social media&lt;/em&gt; meditation,and &lt;em&gt;other things like that&lt;/em&gt; meditation.&lt;strong&gt;What i mean is practice being aware of what you are doing&lt;/strong&gt;.If you are working be aware of working.If your on social media be aware of being on social media.Whatever you do just be aware of it.&lt;strong&gt;Nothing is beyond awareness&lt;/strong&gt;.You can be aware of anything from the greatest happiness to the most torturing pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically what you need is &lt;strong&gt;Right Effort&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T01:26:40.860" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8916" CreationDate="2015-05-03T04:45:43.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to this message board so please bare with me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I too am a practitioner of Vipassana meditation and have had the same challenges. The thing to remember is when you notice your mind loosing attention to the object of focus, gently note to yourself that you have wondered off and bring the mind back to the breath. You may have to do this many times but remember to not get discouraged. It is natural for the mind to wonders and with practice, you can learn to bring it back. Also, you can shorten the time you meditate until you feel more comfortable with your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5099" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T04:45:43.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8915" CreationDate="2015-05-03T05:07:24.990" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I do a body scan, I do a visualization of a &quot;golden nectar&quot; slowly filling my body from the toes all the way to the top of my head. This is a way of helping you keep a focus of attention to the body. For me, sometimes as I am doing this technique, there is a sensation of warmth that I feel or think I feel as my attention to the body scan grows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this also helps a bit during your meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5099" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T05:07:24.990" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8922" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-03T06:23:51.580" Score="5" ViewCount="317" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my copy of Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara, there is a footnote referencing a story about Shariputra losing bodhicitta.  Apparently a demon asked for his right arm, Shariputra willing gave it.  But the demon is offended that Shariputra offered it with his left hand, at which point Shariputra dispairs.  According to the footnote, this story is told in the Lotus Sutra.  But, I cannot find it there.  (Granted, I do not have complete version of the sutra to search through available to me.  So perhaps it's in the missing material.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I also have a vague memory of another story about a bodhisattva losing bodhicitta.  The story, as I recall it, recounts how the bodhisattva works tirelessly to save all hell beings and at long last manages to liberate the last being from hell.  Hell is empty.  Having completed his work, the bodhisattva lets out a sigh of relief.  And, in that instant, hell is completely repopulated once more.  The bodhisattva grows despondent that his efforts have been to no avail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've tried a web search for this last one. While, not surprisingly, I get many hits on bodhicitta, I haven't found this particular story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I have three closely related questions.  Where in the Lotus Sutra does this particular story about Shariputra's loss of bodhicitta occur?  And, who is the bodhisattva in this second story?  In which sutra(s) can this story be found?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="521" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-04T16:34:56.783" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T16:47:58.850" Title="Shariputra and a bodhisattva losing bodhicitta" Tags="|mahayana|reference-request|bodhisattva|shariputra|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2015-05-03T07:26:07.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is a Sanskrit word meaning knowledge. Thus a statue of Buddha is a personification of knowledge. Buddhists do not pray to Knowledge (Buddha statue). They venerate knowledge because 'knowledge is power'; they pursuit knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theists hope to get power by praying. Teaching of Lord Buddha (Budda is a statue) is for practice, diligent strenous practice, to get knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See definition of Buddha and Buddhism in Oxford Dictionaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T07:26:07.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8915" CreationDate="2015-05-03T12:48:34.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I move attention part by part in the body I don't feel sensations in every part . Is this right ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially you some times feel in some parts and not the other. Wait for a while to see if you feel something or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or should I feel sensations in all body parts ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes you might feel sensation on the whole body and some time not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not feel any sensations take those parts and look at them part by part, piecing and penetratingly, lingering until you see some sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes I do quick sweep of attention from head to feet . I do this at any moment during the day when I remember to be aware of my body . Would this be helpful for practicing mindfulness of body ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Try to do one down / up sweep in a in / out breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or is there any better way of doing this ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel your whole body in one instance just keep looking at the body at some occasion without sweeping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T12:48:34.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2015-05-03T17:02:31.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's likely that there were cultural and situational factors influencing this meal schedule, like others have mentioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing might have been that, at the time this was begun, there may have been less food overall for that population. Eating less might have been easier because there was not much more food to eat. There wasn't much temptation. They didn't live in a state of perpetual plenty like many people in many countries now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5100" LastActivityDate="2015-05-03T17:02:31.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8927" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-03T23:00:57.797" Score="3" ViewCount="4449" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been finding my hips to be getting super stiff after sitting practice. I have been stretching before and after, but it doesn't seem to help much. Does anyone have any tips to deal with this problem? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5027" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:27:04.657" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:27:04.657" Title="How to deal with sore hips during sitting?" Tags="|zen|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5565" CreationDate="2015-05-04T01:32:33.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the website &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.satdharma.org/about.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;satdharma.org&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;satdharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word means &amp;quot;the genuine teachings of things as they are&amp;quot; and refers to the stream of wisdom teachings that stems from the Buddha Shakyamuni. These teachings have been handed from master to student over centuries and are now established in the West through various lineages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satdharma organization is a non profit religious organization headed by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.satdharma.org/patrick_sweeney.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patrick Sweeney&lt;/a&gt;. Patrick Sweeney was chosen as lineage holder and successor of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96sel_Tendzin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ösel Tendzin&lt;/a&gt;. Ösel Tendzin was chosen as lineage holder and successor of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chögyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satdharma organization runs the Pullahari retreat center. Here is some information on their curriculum:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satdharma curriculum provides a contemporary framework that ensures a student's understanding does not stop at the cognitive level, and that relates to their physical, emotional and mental states as the working basis of transformation. Gentle yoga and energetic bodywork are an important part of the curriculum. Small groups meet regularly to study and practice, to refresh personal intention, and to receive mentorship when needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pullahari retreat center &amp;quot;serves the Satdharma community as a retreat space for group and solitary retreats throughout the year&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in addition to the excellent answer chosen; satdharma is also an organization and community run by Patrick Sweeney and founded by Ösel Tendzin both of whom are in the Chögyam Trungpa lineage as shown very concisely &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.satdharma.org/lineage_teachers.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here on this page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T01:50:20.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8927" CreationDate="2015-05-04T02:48:18.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to deal with sore hips during sitting?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Gradually increase your sitting time.This will help your body get used to the posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Continue to do gentle stretches before and after meditation.Try Yoga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Get up and do walking meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Also this depends on what meditation your doing if you practice samadhi breath meditation like i do don't worry the pain will disappear.If you practice vippassana you'll have to observe the pain but if it gets too much then gently and mindfully adjust it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope it works&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3551" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T02:48:18.930" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8927" CreationDate="2015-05-04T04:31:40.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;es_th=1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=burmese%20posture&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;burmese posture&lt;/a&gt; and experiment with different levels of cushion.&#xA;Do yoga postures which help open up the hips. One of the many purposes of yoga is to prepare and help the body for long periods of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Controversial suggestion&lt;/strong&gt;:&#xA;Ultimately train yourself to do the lotus posture (which is the most blissful and joyful too) because all other postures have side-effects associated with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T04:31:40.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8931" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-04T07:40:25.463" Score="3" ViewCount="923" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please someone clarify:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does Buddhism believe in rebirth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is an general belief in almost all religions that our good and bad will be carry forwarded to next and next to next generation and all, what does Buddhism say about that?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Almost all religions says give a part of money to god and that will be honoured after death. What is Buddhism's stand on that?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In many religions, if the leaders (monk, sadhu or what ever may be.. ) do something wrong other monks says that they will be punished after death by god,but they keep on doing it. If god punished him instantly many will be saved. But this is not happening. How does Buddhism look at this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5031" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-04T12:42:58.527" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:44:36.983" Title="What does Buddhism say about the consequences of good and bad behaviour?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|ethics|dana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2015-05-04T08:09:23.557" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the answers already provided which are quite accurate, one minor point that occurs to me is culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a long time in India yogis ate only one meal a day, even among Hindus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The saying is a yogi eats one meal a day, a commoner eats two meals a day and a sick man eats three meals a day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T08:09:23.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8927" CreationDate="2015-05-04T10:55:09.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a common problem for people who has a lot of sitting posture in their everyday lives e.g. meditators, office workers etc. due to mainly tight hip-flexors and weak gluteal muscles. These problems can usually be taken care of by stretching and strengthening exercises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8304/allow-myself-to-rock-or-sway-while-meditating/8313#8313&quot;&gt;I will refer you to my answer to this question. In here i address a similar problem from both a anatomical/physiological and theravada buddhist point of view&lt;/a&gt;. This might help you out or else you can write me and we will have a chat. I would also like to know if you are currently having or previously had problems with your lumbal spine, hips or pelvis. By the way i'm a physiotherapist thats why i ask about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T12:41:17.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8927" CreationDate="2015-05-04T12:14:09.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Zen meditation, posture is important. This is what I was taught. One sits on a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zafu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zafu&lt;/a&gt; placed on a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabuton&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zabuton&lt;/a&gt; as below. It's important that the hips be elevated above the knees. The spine is erect (imagine a string coming through the top of your head and pulling you upward) and the pelvis is tilted forward slightly. The knees form the stable base to support the posture; i.e. you are leaning on your knees a bit. Balance and symmetry is important so half lotus wouldn't be ideal; a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Burmese style&lt;/a&gt; would be more balanced and is also considered to be an easier position for those newer to sitting on the floor. Going from sitting kneeling style to sitting with the knees extended; it will take some time for the hip muscles to relax and become flexible. Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zg63B.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-04T12:27:09.407" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T12:27:09.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8931" CreationDate="2015-05-04T14:47:36.840" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Disclaimer: My answers may lean towards the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does Buddhism believe in rebirth?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. But there is no permanent soul that transmigrates from one body to another. Instead, just as how the flame of one candle could light another, one is reborn with the final state of mind (representing the overall volitional tendencies cultivated during life) of the previous birth shaping the circumstances of the future birth. You can read the essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Truth of Rebirth And Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikku. There is a section of another essay by Nyanatiloka Mahathera that discusses &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanatiloka/wheel394.html#ch2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma and Rebirth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is an general belief in almost all religions that our good and bad will be carry forwarded to next and next to next generation and all, what does Buddhism say about that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The past volitional actions of thoughts, words and deeds shape the future circumstances according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ekamsena Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (quoted below). There is a good essay on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;, again by Thanissaro Bhikku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Given that I have declared, Ananda, that bodily misconduct, verbal&#xA;  misconduct, &amp;amp; mental misconduct should not be done, these are the&#xA;  drawbacks one can expect when doing what should not be done: One can&#xA;  fault oneself; observant people, on close examination, criticize one;&#xA;  one's bad reputation gets spread about; one dies confused; and — on&#xA;  the break-up of the body, after death — one reappears in the plane of&#xA;  deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Given that I have declared, Ananda, that good bodily conduct, good&#xA;  verbal conduct, &amp;amp; good mental conduct should be done, these are the&#xA;  rewards one can expect when doing what should be done: One doesn't&#xA;  fault oneself; observant people, on close examination, praise one;&#xA;  one's good reputation gets spread about; one dies unconfused; and — on&#xA;  the break-up of the body, after death — one reappears in the good&#xA;  destinations, in the heavenly world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, not everything we experience is the result of past kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on phlegm... based on&#xA;  internal winds... based on a combination of bodily humors... from the&#xA;  change of the seasons... from uneven care of the body... from harsh&#xA;  treatment... from the result of kamma. You yourself should know how&#xA;  some feelings arise from the result of kamma. Even the world is agreed&#xA;  on how some feelings arise from the result of kamma. So any brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before — slip past what they&#xA;  themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by the world. Therefore I&#xA;  say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Almost all religions says give a part of money to god and that will be honoured after death. What is Buddhism's stand on that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism encourages Dana, the practice of giving. You can read the essay, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana: The Practice of Giving&lt;/a&gt; for details. Here, giving is not to the gods, but to monks, guests, travellers, the sick and the needy. The manner and attitude of giving is very important. The essay will tell you much more. There is a whole sutta for this, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. I quote from it here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then there is the case of a person who gives a gift not seeking his&#xA;  own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to&#xA;  store up for himself, nor [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after&#xA;  death.' Instead, he gives a gift with the thought, 'Giving is good.'&#xA;  He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland,&#xA;  perfume, &amp;amp; ointment; bedding, shelter, &amp;amp; a lamp — to a brahman or a&#xA;  contemplative. ... &quot;Having given this gift with the thought, 'Giving&#xA;  is good,' on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in&#xA;  the company of the Devas of the Thirty-three. Then, having exhausted&#xA;  that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a&#xA;  returner, coming back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In many religions, if the leaders (monk, sadhu or whatever may be.. ) do something wrong other monks says that they will be punished after death by god,but they keep on doing it. If god punished him instantly many will be saved. But this is not happening. How does Buddhism look at this?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surely one who does wrong would face the consequences of his words and actions. This applies to monks and religious leaders too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question hints that a religious leader who preaches wrong views or encourages wrong actions would influence many towards the wrong path. Hence, if such leaders get punished instantly, many would be saved from going down the wrong path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the onus is on the follower of the path to select his teachers wisely and to discern the right teachings wisely. There are some details on how to do this, in the sutta. Thanissaro Bhikku, the translator, has these comments for this sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although this discourse is often cited as the Buddha's carte blanche&#xA;  for following one's own sense of right and wrong, it actually says&#xA;  something much more rigorous than that. Traditions are not to be&#xA;  followed simply because they are traditions. Reports (such as&#xA;  historical accounts or news) are not to be followed simply because the&#xA;  source seems reliable. One's own preferences are not to be followed&#xA;  simply because they seem logical or resonate with one's feelings.&#xA;  Instead, any view or belief must be tested by the results it yields&#xA;  when put into practice; and — to guard against the possibility of any&#xA;  bias or limitations in one's understanding of those results — they&#xA;  must further be checked against the experience of people who are wise.&#xA;  The ability to question and test one's beliefs in an appropriate way&#xA;  is called appropriate attention. The ability to recognize and choose&#xA;  wise people as mentors is called having admirable friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-11-08T07:44:36.983" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:44:36.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2015-05-04T16:12:33.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've found some quotes from the Pali Canon that do seem to address ecological concerns directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a story from a Dhammapada commentary about Ananda receiving 500 robes and his recycling plans - to quote a part of it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What will you do with the old garments&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We will make bed covers out of them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What will you do with the old bed covers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We will make pillow cases with them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What will you do with the old pillow cases&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We will make floor covers out of them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[and so on]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source for the quote is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/lokabandhu/puja-readings-and-other-texts-as-used-in-the-triratna-buddhist-community/hardcover/product-21435684.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puja Readings and Other Texts as used in the Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt; pp 121. Unfortunately the quote doesn't appear to be on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/burlingame/wheel324.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; (well I can't find it) however &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/37.14-How-robes-are-recycled.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this link&lt;/a&gt; gives details of the Dhamapada commentorial account as well as related stories in the Jataka and Vinaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinaya&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a reference in the vinaya in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html#pc-part11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Living Plant chapter&lt;/a&gt; which may speak to environmental concerns&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhunī knowingly pour water containing living beings —&#xA;  or have it poured — on grass or on clay, it is to be confessed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/lokabandhu/puja-readings-and-other-texts-as-used-in-the-triratna-buddhist-community/hardcover/product-21435684.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;same Triratna book&lt;/a&gt; (pp 117) the commentary says that because of the Pali syntax the rule can be read both ways - so that pouring grass or clay into water is also to be confessed - i.e. water should not be polluted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This interpretation comes from Thanissaro in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/index.html#bmc1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code&lt;/a&gt; however it has been commented on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8906/157&quot;&gt;another question&lt;/a&gt; that Thanissaro's translations can be particular&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T16:20:34.730" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8937" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8963" CreationDate="2015-05-04T16:12:46.603" Score="4" ViewCount="1225" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who or what decides that someone has enlightened himself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's just about an urge to know the point where/how enlightened one's or their followers approve that 'they are enlightened'. What happens immediately after that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="5106" LastEditDate="2015-05-04T22:55:37.303" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T11:44:01.013" Title="Who or what decides that someone has enlightened himself?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-04T16:16:55.433" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only you can decide for yourself that you are truly enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why: Because enlightenment is overcoming any and all ideals and dogma you impose upon yourself, including the need for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5103" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T16:16:55.433" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8757" CreationDate="2015-05-04T16:22:21.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lie is a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive, what you describe is not actually a lie at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5103" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T16:22:21.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8922" CreationDate="2015-05-04T16:47:58.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can only answer the part of your question relating to the Lotus Sutra. I hope a partial answer is better than none.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my recollection of reading the Lotus Sutra - Shariputra is portrayed as someone who hasn't made the journey all the way to enlightenment yet. He believed he had however the Buddha clarified this and states that he is stuck on the lower teachings. Unlike some other Mahayana sutras he is portrayed in a positive light and it is predicted that he will attain full enlightenment and become a Buddha named Flower Glow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though it isn't translated as bodhicitta in my copy I think this might be the quote you are looking for &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shariputra in the past I taught you to aspire and vow to achieve the&#xA;  Buddha way. But now you have forgotten all that and instead suppose&#xA;  that you have already attained extinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Quote from pp 51 of the Burton Watson translation]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vow to achieve the Buddha way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as the bodhicitta - which I have previous heard translated as the 'will to enlightenment' which I propose is the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T16:47:58.850" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7534" CreationDate="2015-05-04T17:18:21.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dis-identification as a practice is really, really, hard.  Probably also not as helpful as you would want it to be either.&#xA;Even as you try and explain insights to yourself, you will find yourself confused, identified with your insight.  Given the way our language is constructed, we are hopelessly bound to conventions in our thinking and everyday experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Example: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; think &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; is going to rain&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sentence is just f*cked from the get go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First: &lt;em&gt;I think&lt;/em&gt; - implying that you are there apart from your thoughts, and you are taking the action called thinking - and as you're taking this action; thinking has revealed to you some content called &lt;strong&gt;going to rain&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it&lt;/strong&gt; is going to rain.&lt;/em&gt; -  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;It&lt;/strong&gt; is?&lt;/em&gt;  Who is going to rain?  What will he do after he is done raining?  Why is he doing it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there's no clear language for saying something like: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Consciousness says wetness coming&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, or whatever.  If you talk like that, people will stop listening to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as we are bound by convention, trying to disentangle the threads of identification is extremely difficult, because in our language; there is only identification.  The more you try and disentangle yourself, the tighter the trap gets (think Chinese handcuffs).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is powerful; what is extraordinary; what is beyond measure is to be aware of identification as it arises.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've played some powerful games in life; some ridiculously competitive games that bestow upon the winner the admiration of the spectators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are basically three ways to deal with winning a game like this inside the context of &lt;em&gt;dis-identification&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reject it completely.  Do not for one second take pleasure in the victory, and ignore the admiration.  Make sure that at no time do you in any way gain pleasure or conceit from the admiration, and focus at all times on the fact that &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; are not special; they don't admire &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;, but rather your position or accomplishment.  Know that it is impermanent - and the success can be taken away at any moment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Allow yourself to freely indulge in the admiration.  Become dependent upon it for self-worth, and freely step into the role you are playing.  Define yourself as your accomplishment, and embrace the status it bestows upon you.  Live in the role with all of yourself for as long as you can, and ignore any concerns you have about what the future may hold.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Love god and do what you will.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Okay.  The last one was spoken a bit tongue and cheek, and I'll say more about it, but #3 is where you will find peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;#1  Leaves you in a state of constant tension - embracing what is not so much a state of being open and aware as defensive posture designed to protect you from identification and subsequently loss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;#2 Thrusts you fully into the realm of the Gods.  Short lived and exciting, but devastating when lost, and difficult to escape from.  This is like the ultimate context of attachment for people with worldly success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;#3 Play the game fully.  Why not?  Holding back to protect yourself is every bit as egotistical and constraining as falling in love with yourself as a winner.  All the time playing the game though, you are open and aware of your sense of identification.  You can't stop it when it arises, but all there is to do, is to see it; to notice it; to bring the attachment into the light of consciousness and observe it.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever you truly give your whole self to something, you disappear.  There is no you as the doer; no thing that's getting done.  But if you find yourself indulging in identification, love yourself for it; laugh and let it be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing beyond this; no prize for dis-identifying completely.  There is just seeing and letting go.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T17:18:21.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8942" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8955" CreationDate="2015-05-04T18:30:20.583" Score="5" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a recent conversation and in an attempt to understand others, i found myself not able often understand the actions or behaviors of others to leading to a sense of mind numbness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i am not able to understand the actions of others, i find that i am in a state of not understanding and my mind/brain attempts to make sense of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be extremely vicious since i am unable to let go and i often find myself in an infinite loop of sorts which in many situations is very demotivating, depressing and saddening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should i not attempt to understand the behaviors of others especially if they have cause harm be it mental, physical or emotional?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i do not understand their actions, how does one approach the individual?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i &lt;em&gt;did&lt;/em&gt; understand, is it a form of value judgement?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i were to abandon the choice to understand, is it a form of value judgement?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Examples&lt;/strong&gt; - This are real-world situations i have faced&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For example, if i were approached by an individual who had&#xA;traumatized another and my inability to reconcile their behavior made&#xA;it highly saddening as to why one would hurt another?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another example is when i find others taking a short term view of&#xA;situations or simply not working with others in a cohesive manner&#xA;(looking after their own interests).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The unwillingness to help when help is sought or to forsake other priorities when attention is needed in other areas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am unsure what the Buddha would do in situations such as these. If he were approached by a murderer for example, what would the Buddha's do, say, not say, etc?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-05T08:42:32.987" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T19:15:10.807" Title="Is the attempt to understand others a form of value judgement?" Tags="|ethics|right-view|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8912" CreationDate="2015-05-04T18:54:14.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A modern teacher who takes a very broad approach is Thich Nhat Hanh. I became familiar with his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/2011/09/five-wonderful-precepts.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Five Wonderful Precepts&quot;&lt;/a&gt; at a Seon temple where his translation of the precepts is used regularly. This is his translation of the Fifth Precept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family and my society, by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming.  I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society.  I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant, or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations.  I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations.  I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society.   I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are from his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1888375078&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;For a Future to Be Possible: Commentaries on the Five Mindfulness Trainings&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/articles/mb02.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Mindfulness Bell&quot;&lt;/a&gt; newsletter, dated Spring/Summer 1990, Thich Nhat Hanh gives an in depth interview about his translations of the 5 precepts (which were in a slightly less detailed version back then). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Someone who practices the Fifth Precept could not say &quot;This is my body, I can do anything to it. I have the right to.&quot; They cannot say that because they know that their body belongs to all their ancestors, themselves, and the future generations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He talks about the interconnectedness of all things; how the grain used in the production of whiskey and meat can lead to starvation in the world when people don't have enough grains to eat. That particular idea may be arguable to some. But I think his statement below (also from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/articles/mb02.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Mindfulness Bell)&lt;/a&gt; is really a key point for those who aren't quite ready to accept the Fifth Precept: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So mindfulness is the base of all precepts. Drinking a glass of whiskey with mindfulness is already practicing the precepts, because if you drink with deep mindfulness, you will live with the reality of the world and you will stop drinking very soon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-05T11:52:39.350" LastActivityDate="2015-05-05T11:52:39.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-04T19:16:38.907" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-enlightened.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;See this article &quot;What Does It Mean To Be Enlightened?&quot; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this article it is explained how the Buddha views enlightenment. Its based on a conversation the Buddha had with a Brahmin where the Buddha explains what is meant by a &quot;Buddha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the Buddhas own words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What has to be known, that I have known;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What has to be abandoned, that I have abandoned; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What has to be developed, that I have developed; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, O brahmin, I am a Buddha.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the article Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi then takes each step and explains it, what it consists of and how it leads to enlightenment. I must say that this article is brilliantly written by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T19:16:38.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8945" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-04T19:58:42.810" Score="5" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the  correct use of manasikāra ( attention ) and Citta in the context of Mindfulness ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any difference in terms of spiritual  effect of keeping attention while I do daily works and keeping attention on breath with the mental recitation of &quot;Buddho&quot; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T10:52:43.110" Title="Mindfulness : relation between manasikāra and Citta" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-04T22:03:41.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I wish to read some incidents/examples. In the context of changed actions/way of living/thinking and perception making (Before enlightened vs. Now enlightened)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One theory is that there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first of these four stage is stream-enterer or &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stream-winner&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a Sotāpanna (Pali), Srotāpanna (Sanskrit; Chinese: 入流; pinyin: rùliú, Tibetan: རྒྱན་ཞུགས, Wylie: rgyun zhugs[1]), or &quot;stream-winner&quot;[2] is a person who has eradicated the first three fetters (sanyojanas) of the mind, namely self-view (or identity), clinging to rites and rituals, and skeptical doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To try to understand that, I asked this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt; It's not a great question (it's too long) but some people answered it well. If &quot;abandoning identity-view&quot; is a necessary characteristic of the first stage of enlightenment, you might like to read those answers to see what identity-view is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the comments to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3058/254&quot;&gt;Are there any living enlightened people?&lt;/a&gt; explain there's a taboo (i.e. it breaks a Vinaya rule) about claiming to be enlightened (especially about claiming to be enlightened when you're not), so beware of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T22:03:41.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2090" CreationDate="2015-05-04T23:52:10.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Satuuk, Satuuk, Satuuk; All the answers on the top are wonderful and inspiring. Just keep it in mind and heart, please always practice the five Fold and remember the eight and tenth fold's which is already describe at the top. Always do  Charities and meditattion...... Every wishes you should wish for is always to become the Buddha and reach Preah Nipean.......The procedure is so immensely long, this is a short detail in a nutshell......May your determination be fullfill. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5107" LastActivityDate="2015-05-04T23:52:10.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8945" CreationDate="2015-05-05T09:31:06.687" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Manasikara is a cognitive and thinking function of the mind and related to volition or sankharas. Basically you bring your attention to an object, but this can be tainted by our perception, views and habitual tendencies. Yonisho-manashikara is wise habits of thinking where attention is directed to the source or cause of experience and events. It is a factor of stream-entry (Sotapanna) or first stage of enlightenment. Ayonisho-manasikara is unskillful habits of thinking (paying attention or fixating on unwholesome thoughts, feelings, perception and irrelevant issues)  that perpetuates suffering and entanglements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your attention should be on the awareness of the arising and passing within the framework of the 4 foundation of mindfullness, without clinging and craving towards any sense inputs / sensations (equanimous). This way your attention is right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reciting a word it creates verbal fabrications. When you have sloth and torpor then this is fine, to stir up energy. But in general practice may not be the best thing to do, unless you are aware of it's implications. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing daily work be mindful of the breathing, postures by scanning the outline of your body, sensations on your body, as they are generally easy to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T10:52:43.110" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T10:52:43.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8949" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-05T11:15:04.053" Score="1" ViewCount="68" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if I am asking about Original Enlightenment, but suppose that a sentient being doesn't (really) know they are a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they really in e.g. a human or animal realm, or are they in a Buddha realm but experiencing obstructions to their awareness of that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T01:30:23.040" Title="Non Buddha Realms" Tags="|buddhas|tendai|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8950" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-05T11:25:45.037" Score="0" ViewCount="231" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it translates as e.g. &quot;one who has thus gone&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is whether any historical being has ever really and in entirety &quot;thus gone&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in spirit, or in expression, but if e.g. Gautama really did - wouldn't we all be likewise &quot;thus come&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-05-05T11:36:31.330" LastActivityDate="2024-01-23T12:36:27.147" Title="Is the title of tathagata ever literal?" Tags="|the-buddha|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2015-05-05T13:16:06.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unrul3r's answer includes that it might mean going or coming (&lt;em&gt;gata&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;agata&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Andrei's answer is that it means 'grounded' or 'rooted' (which makes sense to me: because if you go or come, have gone or have come, to somewhere then that is where you are).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Combined (and further to user319's answer) these remind me of a Zen story --  using Google I cannot find a reference to it at the moment, so I paraphrase it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone, who is dying, says, &amp;quot;We come from nowhere, and we go to nowhere.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His companion, to be helpful, replies, &amp;quot;Let me show you the road, where there is no 'coming' and no 'going'.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-05T15:16:23.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8954" CreationDate="2015-05-05T15:22:03.680" Score="3" ViewCount="284" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice : Meditation using breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm practicing sitting meditation using breath according to  Thai Forest Tradition method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mentally reciting of &quot;Buddho&quot; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practice at home so would like to get help based on my experience so far&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed my breath getting shorter and sometimes period of no breath or &quot;nano/very short&quot; size of breath .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When it is a series of &quot;nano/very short&quot; size of breath , mostly what I experience is &quot;waiting&quot; for next &quot;in&quot; breath ? Is this right or where should I concentrate during such occasions ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:26:06.360" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:26:06.360" Title="Breath getting shorter and shorter" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8953" CreationDate="2015-05-05T15:47:31.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may not be directly related to your tradition but maybe of some value to you or perhaps another reader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally when your bodily fabrications calm down, your breath becomes very short, becomes far apart and even stop for a while. At this point you have to switch to sensations. Generally this will be pleasant sensations but sometimes maybe even gross. If you want to increase your concentration keep it at a point in your upper lip. If not you can choose your whole body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 16 stages of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/m118-Anapanasati-S-v26-tlr-piya_2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana&lt;/a&gt;. This is where you transition at the 5th stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author), Santikaro Bhikkhu (Translator)&lt;/a&gt; which is a good book to read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another and free books is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh431-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapana Dipani) by Ledi Sayadaw Mahathera, Aggamahapandita, D. Litt.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T23:28:19.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8942" CreationDate="2015-05-05T17:27:54.497" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of the interesting aspects of Buddhism, that in its ideal form it doesn't allow prejudice (valid or otherwise) to interfere with the teaching. The Buddha taught people of all sorts, good and bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brethren, the omniscient Buddha whose wisdom is vast, ready, swift, sharp, crushing heretical doctrines, after having converted, by the power of his own knowledge, the Brahmins Kūṭadanta and the rest, the ascetics Sabhiya and the rest, the thieves Aṅgulimāla &amp;amp;c., the yakkhas Āḷavaka &amp;amp;c., the gods Sakka and the rest, and the Brahmins Baka &amp;amp;c., made them humble, and ordained a vast multitude as ascetics and established them in the fruition of the paths of sanctification.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Jāt 542 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only distinction he seems to have made when deciding who to teach is between worthwhile and pointless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the Blessed One thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mv 1.6 (Rhys-Davids, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhism teaches the overcoming of partiality, the first thing one should accomplish when trying to come to terms with other people's behaviour is to free oneself from sadness or anger at the bad deeds of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether that venerable one dwells in the Sangha or alone, while some there are well behaved and some are ill behaved and some there teach a group, while some here are seen concerned about material things and some are unsullied by material things, still that venerable one does not despise anyone because of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 47 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said and quoted all this, on to your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Should i not attempt to understand the behaviors of others especially if they have cause harm be it mental, physical or emotional?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no reason to single out such behaviours. But the question of whether one should ever attempt to understand the behaviours of others is more interesting. The goal of Buddhism is ostensibly the attainment of freedom from suffering. Insofar as understanding the behaviours of others leads to freedom from suffering, it should be pursued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly, understanding others is considered useful in understanding oneself; it is also useful in helping others to understand themselves, as you can then provide advice and point out (tactfully) facets the other person may be missing about their situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. If i do not understand their actions, how does one approach the individual?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't recognize the existence of an individual in ultimate reality. Hence, taking the present for what it is. This helps immensely in interpersonal relations, as one need not bear grudges or prejudge others based on their past. Since beings are fluid and dynamic, the best way to approach others is with an open mind, ready to take them at face value in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. If i did understand, is it a form of value judgement?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, we tend to think more in terms of partiality than judgement. Judging whether something is good or evil can be wisdom based; partiality is always based on delusion (or more directly, one of four: desire, anger, delusion, or fear - the four &lt;em&gt;agati&lt;/em&gt;). So, understanding whether someone's actions are good or bad is useful; liking or disliking them is harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. If i were to abandon the choice to understand, is it a form of value judgement?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you mean is it a form of e.g. aversion if you reject the impulse to understand others? If so, then for sure it can be; it all depends on one's mindset. In general, the Buddha was critical of those who refuse to help others:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘In the same way, Lohicca, if anyone should say: “Suppose an ascetic or Brahmin were to discover some good doctrine and thought he ought not to declare it to anyone else, for what can one man do for another?” he would be a source of danger to those young men of good family who, following the Dhamma and discipline taught by the Tathāgata, attain to such excellent distinction as to realise the fruit of Stream-Entry, of Once-Returning, of Non-Returning, of Arahantship — and to all who ripen the seeds of a rebirth in the deva-world. Being a source of danger to them, he is uncompassionate, and his heart is grounded in hostility, and that constitutes wrong view, which leads to ... hell or an animal rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 12 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but this doesn't mean one need go out of one's way to try and figure others out, just that one should help others as appropriate. And of course, in order to help, one must understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others. Thus the wise man will not be reproached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Dhp 158 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, understand others is useful in that it gives the potential to help oneself and others. It is partiality that is problematic, as well as obsession with others to the extent that one forgets oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-05T17:27:54.497" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2015-05-05T19:12:04.740" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Plants are amazingly sensitive to changes in their environments. However, there is no good evidence that they are sentient (i.e., &lt;em&gt;consciously aware&lt;/em&gt; of what is happening to them). I suggest that whoever posted this question actually read the two pieces linked to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5111" LastActivityDate="2015-05-05T19:12:04.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8950" CreationDate="2015-05-05T23:08:10.177" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is a clue when the Buddha was asked &quot;Who are you?&quot;&#xA;Buddha thought for awhile and then said I am awake.&#xA;Buddha did not say I am the son of a king, the father of a child and a husband, he did not say he was the head of a spiritual order.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.noble-buddhism-beliefs.com/buddha-quotes.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.noble-buddhism-beliefs.com/buddha-quotes.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am Awake&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Brahman saw the Buddha resting under a tree in meditation. The&#xA;  Brahman was impressed with the Buddha's disposition and demeanor.   He&#xA;  asked, &quot;Are you a god?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Brahman, I'm not a god.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Are you an angel?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No&quot;, replied the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You must be a spirit then?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, I'm not a spirit,&quot; said the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then what are you?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I'm awake.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am awake&quot; he said. In modern terms it is not a long stretch to say I am consciousness. Well if I am consciousness or I am awake, is there any historical figure the Buddha would point out to us? Is it not probable that those who are trying to establish historical figures waking up have missed a fine point? It is not the historical figure that changes, it is their state of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who has thus gone would then be one who has gone out of the awareness of the world seen as things to a state of seeing all as an expression of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all potential Buddha realized beings so we are all potentially &quot;One who has thus gone.&quot; The spiritual preparation does have steps of purifying intentions and disciplining an unruly sense of self. But the emphasis is more on realizing awakeness than on categorizing our unpolished diamond nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for me the question is what can I do to know in my heart without wavering or doubt that &quot;I am awake.&quot; No more illusions then. Perhaps that is the going beyond, going beyond illusions. More than that is difficult to say with certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-05-05T23:08:10.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8950" CreationDate="2015-05-06T02:10:48.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article is highly relevant&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.054.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.054.olen.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have time to write a full response, but that article (especially the Notes section) contains a lot of worthy information about the origins of the name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastActivityDate="2015-05-06T02:10:48.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8959" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-06T10:45:38.670" Score="1" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;1)  What does Buddhism’s religious texts say about the environment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2)  How much importance is placed environmental stewardship in Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3)  What is Buddhism’s beliefs on humans living with the environment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4)  What do Buddhism’s religious figures state about environmental stewardship &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5)  Are the teachings of Buddhism related to environmental stewardship open for interpretation &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5113" LastEditorUserId="5113" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T12:19:55.590" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T12:19:55.590" Title="Buddhism's views on environmental stewardship questions" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2015-05-06T22:20:32.353" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-06T11:24:56.587" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can read about Nibbana and what Enlightment means&#xA;in this excellent Nibbana Sermon by  Venerable Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 33 sermons and they combine deep insight into the Dhamma with academic erudition, being based on copious quotations from the Pāli discourses that alternate with illustrative similes and useful indications for meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm#Mindstilled33&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm#Mindstilled33&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as an example from the above link on an arahant (one who is enlightened)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tiṇakaṭṭhasamaṃ lokaṃ,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yadā paññāya passati,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mamattaṃ so asaṃvindaṃ,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'natthi me'ti na socati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When one sees with wisdom,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This world as comparable to grass and twigs,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not finding anything worthwhile holding onto as mine,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not grieve, saying: 'O! I have nothing!'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Th 717, Adhimutta Theragāthā,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the explanations are in the above link of the sermons  of Venerable Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-06T13:16:37.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8961" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8962" CreationDate="2015-05-06T12:38:57.147" Score="3" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the below from the book &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness with Breathing: A Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Breathing-Manual-Serious-Beginners/dp/0861711114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Breathing-Manual-Serious-Beginners/dp/0861711114&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Thai word &lt;strong&gt;kuab-kum&lt;/strong&gt; is used throughout these talks. It can be&#xA;  translated &lt;strong&gt;'to regulate&lt;/strong&gt;; to control or confine; to oversee,&#xA;  supervise, or superintend.' When one of these translations appear, all&#xA;  of the rest should be understood. In all cases, &lt;strong&gt;kuab-kum depends on&#xA;  sati and wisdom, never force or will-power&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could someone explains why &lt;strong&gt;will-power&lt;/strong&gt; could not be used to regulate kaya , vedana and citta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:25:25.493" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:25:25.493" Title="Why will-power could not be used to regulate kaya , vedana and citta?" Tags="|terminology|anapanasati|free-will|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8961" CreationDate="2015-05-06T14:13:26.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have no knowledge of Thai but what I think is said here is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; nature is such that you cannot effect any of the aggregates by will power alone in an absolute way ever lasting way. You can stay in one posture but this is to a limited time. So you have limited influence but not absolute at a grosser level. At the level of arising and passing you have no control, whatsoever. When phenomena arises you cannot make it not pass away. You cannot stop phenomena arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said this you can have limited influence over all the aggregates by what you do at the present moment though influencing the fabrication process (Karmic and Citta Niyama resultants). E.g. by calming the breath you can calm the bodily fabrications. Certain volitions give certain results later. These can be viewed as regulating, i.e. you regulate the present moment. Awareness of the arising and passing away of: the aggregates / mind matter process / within the 4 foundations of mindfulness, equanimous to sensations devoid of clinging and craving, creating positive fabrication (like Metta), etc. are forms of regulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T11:50:13.410" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T11:50:13.410" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-06T16:12:04.677" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dona Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Dona the brahmin observed the Buddha meditating under a tree and based on his demeanour, Dona thought that this cannot be an ordinary human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Dona asked the Buddha whether he is a god (deva), a celestial musician (gandhabba), a nature spirit (yakkha) or a human being. The Buddha answered &quot;No&quot; each time. Then when asked, &quot;Then what sort of being are you?&quot;, the Buddha replied:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;The fermentations by which I would go&#xA;to a deva-state,&#xA;or become a gandhabba in the sky,&#xA;or go to a yakkha-state &amp;amp; human-state:&#xA;    Those have been destroyed by me,&#xA;    ruined, their stems removed.&#xA;Like a blue lotus, rising up,&#xA;unsmeared by water,&#xA;unsmeared am I by the world,&#xA;and so, brahman,&#xA;I'm awake.&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the Buddha knows by himself that he is awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He knows by himself that he is not smeared by the world in the way that others are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He knows by himself that all fermentations have been destroyed permanently and would no longer arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is my take on your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a scenario where a bunch of people are soundly asleep and suddenly one of them wakes up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, he looks at the people around him who are still asleep, he knows for sure that he is awake and he knows for sure who else is sleeping and who else is awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for those who are still asleep, could they know who is awake? Could they know what it means to be awake?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, surely not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T13:00:37.613" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T13:00:37.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8964" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8972" CreationDate="2015-05-06T18:43:18.843" Score="5" ViewCount="577" Body="&lt;p&gt;My current understanding of dependent origination is that things cause other things to arise and cease and ultimately it a big interconnected web of influences. If that's reasonably correct (on a provisional level) then what meaning does right effort or just effort generally have in that context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I arise and cease dependent on other things then where does my own effort come into it? If I decide to practice the Dharma how does that come about? Isn't my decision to practice just the interplay of causes in a big interconnected web?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that this kind of questioning can be (rightly) criticised as metaphysical nitpicking. However when I meditate (or even just sit around and reflect) this kind of question comes up for me. It's like a little personal koan that keeps nagging at me so I would appreciate any input - even if it is just a reminder not to worry and get practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T10:03:16.723" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:03:47.880" Title="Is there a conflict between dependent origination and right effort?" Tags="|personal-practice|pratityasamutpada|right-effort|free-will|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-06T19:03:47.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My simple vision on this is that, while you being on an intrincate Web, you are part of this Web. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, even though you couldn't change the inputs you receive, it's your decision how to react to them, or whether not to react.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5110" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:03:47.880" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:03:47.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="8966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-06T21:09:43.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If I arise and cease dependent on other things then where does my own effort come into it? If I decide to practice the Dharma how does that come about? Isn't my decision to practice just the interplay of causes in a big interconnected web?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot, for the flapping of a butterfly's wings can result in a drastic change in a system's later state (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Butterfly effect&lt;/a&gt;). Also it's a mistaken view to believe that one has no freedom of choice. The Buddha refuted this view in &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/mn101&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 101&lt;/a&gt;. Therefore one's decision to practice or not practice the Dhamma now can result in 2 very different futures in this life and the many to come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-05-06T21:09:43.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-06T21:22:27.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short i would say do not worry that much about such matters. The thing is that intellectual knowledge will not get one to enlightenment or allow a deeper understanding of the dhamma. Like the onion-simile. By using the intellect one can only penetrate the top layers. By using the method of insight meditation one can penetrate into the core of the onion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be beneficial to try to contemplate such matters intellectually and to a certain extent it is helpful to try and grapple with these concepts but one should know the limit of the intellect. Intellectual knowledge also called &quot;book knowledge&quot; because it has no reference point to reality, will not set one free from samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For liberation to happen insight knowledge into how reality functions is needed. That can be gained through insight meditation practice. The experiental knowledge that is gained here is also called wisdom/insight and that knowledge will create understanding of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This understanding of reality will allow one to see clearly, also called clear comprehension of phenomena. One will come to see that both beings and non-beings consist of mental and physical phenomena that arise and cease on their own accord. These mental and physical phenomena consists of a configuration of the 5 aggregates. As we know from the Buddhas teachings then when these 5 aggregates come together and create a biophysio-psychological machine - a being - then there arises the false notion of an I, a Me, a Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This false idea of a Self is merely a mental formation belonging to the 4th aggregate of mental formations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For references to the texts please see &lt;em&gt;MN 28: Mahahatthipadopama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;. In here its talked about the 5 aggregates and how they are not a Self. I am here quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171072X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The chapter of The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant's Footprint on p. 281, in The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&quot;*:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;11&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Now both the internal earth element and the external earth element are simply earth element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: &quot;This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self&quot;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Now there comes a time when the water element is disturbed and then the external earth element vanishes. When even this external earth element, great as it is, is seen to be impermanent, subject to destruction, disappearance, and change, what of this body, which is clung to by craving and lasts but a while? There can be no considering that as &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot; or &quot;I am&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above quotes are concerning the earth and water element out of the four great elements which belongs to the 1st aggregate of form. The above words of course is the same for all the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So regarding your question; if you take out the I, Me, Self is there then a problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything becomes problematic and confusing when a Self is added to the equation. It reminds me of a story told by Ajahn Punnadhammo. The story is from Zen buddhism and involves a man looking for the owner of an empty house and not finding him. Then who is doing the looking? Ajahn Punnadhammo then explains that no one is doing the looking. There is nobody home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one does insight meditation and come to see that all phenomena are impermanent and unsatisfactory one will then come to understand and realize not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short. Its useful to contemplate such questions as you ask but only to a certain extent. One should not get obsessed with such matters since intellectual knowledge will not get one far. Insight practice is the way to go. Direct investigation and examinination of reality. That produces wisdom which will grant one access to understanding reality by realizing the drops of pure insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this might be of some help. On purpose i did not answer the relation between &lt;em&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Right Effort&lt;/em&gt; because as i understand it the combining factor was &lt;em&gt;&quot;an experiencing I, Me, Self&lt;/em&gt; and when that is added to the equation the question becomes meaningless. Like when the Buddha was asked questions about e.g. the infinite/finite universe i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Four Imponderables and The Ten Indeterminate Questions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the Buddha remained silent. Why? Because he knew that the question was framed in the wrong way. The question was already flawed from the beginning impliying something that is not there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through practice you will get an answer to your question but it might be an answer much different that what you think or expect. You might realize that there wasnt a question to begin with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-06T22:08:01.483" LastActivityDate="2015-05-06T22:08:01.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8950" CreationDate="2015-05-06T23:19:51.857" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term Tathagata is gramatically ambiguous. You can parse it in two main ways. You can parse it as Tatha+gata, &quot;He who has gone thus&quot; which refers to going over to the other shore, which is a title of Nirvana, or you can take it as Tatha+agata (in which case the first a in agata drops out due to Sandhi) which means &quot;He who has come thus&quot; referring to coming to see the truth, or as &quot;He who has come to see thus&quot; because the term thus here is related to the term Tathata, meaning suchness, which is another title of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-06T23:19:51.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8949" CreationDate="2015-05-07T01:30:23.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada point of view, a Buddha is an enlightened human with perfected insight and wisdom who lives in a human realm until he passes away into parinibbāna; at which point he would cease to exist. As an enlightened human with perfected insight and wisdom, it would not be possible to experience obstruction to awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From some Mahayana points of view, we are all Buddhas already:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another way of putting this is to say that Buddha Nature is &quot;something&quot; -- perhaps not the right word, but I don't think there is a right word -- that you are, together with all beings. And this &quot;something&quot; is already enlightened. Because beings cling to a false idea of a finite self, set apart from everything else, they do not experience themselves as Buddhas. But when beings clarify the nature of their existence they experience the Buddha Nature that was always there.&#xA;  Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/mahayanabuddhism/a/Buddha-Nature.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.about.com/od/mahayanabuddhism/a/Buddha-Nature.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The above is a very basic reference to Buddha Nature, but I didn't want to get off topic with too much detail of something I am not well versed in.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of Buddha Nature also allows for non humans to be Buddhas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra, written between 100 BCE and 200 CE, further developed and popularized the doctrine of the Buddha-nature. It influenced subsequent later sutras.[26]&#xA;  The tenth chapter emphasizes, in accordance with the Bodhisattva-ideal of the Mahayana teachings, that everyone can be liberated. All living beings can become a buddha, not only monks and nuns, but also laypeople, śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and non-human creatures.[26] It also details that all living beings can be a 'teacher of the Dharma'. Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from this point of view, with all beings as part of an enlightened &quot;something&quot; many of whom do not experience their enlightenment due to delusion of a separate self; it would be possible for a Buddha of any realm to not know they were a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T01:30:23.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-07T04:37:26.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimately one finds out if you are enlightened at the time of death and rebirth. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5099" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T04:37:26.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2015-05-07T04:54:03.787" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there is beauty, there must be ugliness;&#xA;If there is right, there must be wrong.&#xA;Wisdom and ignorance are complementary,&#xA;And illusion and enlightenment cannot be separated.&#xA;This is an old truth, don't think it was discovered recently.&#xA;&quot;I want this, I want that&quot;&#xA;Is nothing but foolishness.&#xA;I'll tell you a secret -&#xA;&quot;All things are impermanent!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ryokan, One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T04:54:03.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-07T05:25:15.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a conflict between dependent origination and right effort?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I understand...but I think one conflict is in the word &amp;quot;causes&amp;quot;, and also with how to interpret (and make use of) dependent origination. For example, one could express the following idea: &amp;quot;because of his effort, Gotama reached nibbāna&amp;quot;. Does that mean that nibbāna was conditioned by his efforts? And yet, where is the &amp;quot;effort&amp;quot; link in dependent origination formulation? Also, in that case, would it be proper to conclude that nibbāna is conditioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When dependent origination is taught in the suttas, often what seems to be stressed are, literally, &lt;em&gt;conditions&lt;/em&gt;, not &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt; as we often understand them (eg. agents that actively produce or directly contribute to a result).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this, that is.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;From the arising of this comes the arising of that&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;When this isn't, that isn't.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;-- Ud. 1:3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, we see in a sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with the six sense bases as condition, contact;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN 12:1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yet, we cannot say from above that the six sense bases &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; (or produce) contact; contact is the &amp;quot;meeting of the three&amp;quot; (which is detailed elsewhere). If a contact is present, it means the corresponding sense base is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;If I decide to practice the Dharma how does that come about? Isn't my decision to practice just the interplay of causes in a big interconnected web?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answering &amp;quot;yes&amp;quot; to &amp;quot;decision is just interplay of causes&amp;quot; could open to a deterministic view, depending on what these causes are. But here's a nice sutta that this reminds me of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Faith, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does not lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition for faith? 'Suffering' should be the reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.23&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, always good to have in mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Lord, who craves?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Not a valid question,&amp;quot; the Blessed One said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T05:25:15.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8973" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8997" CreationDate="2015-05-07T06:37:41.180" Score="3" ViewCount="770" Body="&lt;p&gt;When asking around, I've never heard anyone agree that a young, healthy person should end their life by suicide. But I also don't know what reason there is for that consensus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha teach anything regarding what makes life worth living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="2" LastEditDate="2015-05-11T17:35:36.293" LastActivityDate="2015-05-11T21:20:49.727" Title="Why is life so important?" Tags="|suicide|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-07T07:28:35.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question basically boils down to &quot;is there anything called free will?&quot;.&#xA;There is 'will'. But it is not necessarily free. Even when you get a decision made in the courts, if the jury or the judge is influenced by politicians or corporates, can you call it a free judgment? But it's a judgement nonetheless. Likewise, our will is influenced by greed, hatred and ignorance. So we can't really call it free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt; section of the Abhidhamma explains 17 thought moments of a thought. The 8th is the one responsible for decision making. But that doesn't mean the 8th cittakhana is uncaused. The only uncaused Nama Dhamma is Nibbana and it has nothing to do with decision making. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of the right effort, it is of four kinds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The effort&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this effort is not uncaused. It has multiple causes. Why would you want to make such an effort, if you didn't realise that it's important? How would you realise that it is important if you are deluded or if the Budhha did not preach the Dhamma or if there's no suffering in the world or if you were not born as a human etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T07:28:35.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-07T07:51:31.660" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits077.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sutta&lt;/a&gt; doesn't say that the Buddha allowed him to commit suicide. When Mara reported this to the Buddha, venerable Godhika committed suicide. Then the Buddha saw what has happened and said that he has attained Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Bhikkhu Vinaya, the only allowable act that comes close to committing suicide is rejecting medication, if you are suffering from a terminal illness and being a burden to everyone around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T07:51:31.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8870" CreationDate="2015-05-07T11:13:24.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Strangely there is a site about this. Check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism-for-vampires.com/the-tibetan-book-of-the-undead&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism for Vampires&lt;/a&gt;. Like Orion says in her comments the tantric beings &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vetala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vetala&lt;/a&gt; could be thought of as vampires or zombies. Certainly they seems to do a lot of hanging around in burial grounds and a bit of drinking of blood. If it looks like a vampire, drinks blood like a vampire then perhaps it is a vampire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T11:13:24.273" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8977" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-07T12:21:22.307" Score="3" ViewCount="736" Body="&lt;p&gt;My name is John and I am a grade 12 student living in Australia. I am currently in the process of doing research for a religion assignment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5113" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T16:19:20.863" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T16:19:20.863" Title="What do Buddhists religious texts say about the environment?" Tags="|ethics|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8977" CreationDate="2015-05-07T12:47:53.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each and every thing in the environment is consists of a basic structure called &lt;strong&gt;Suddashtaka&lt;/strong&gt;.And that is the smallest structure in the universe and each and every thing in the environment. Which  1 Suddashtaka is consists of 8 items.&#xA;They are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patawi - like Hardness /solid &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aapoo - like water (like a liquid..it 'll flow) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thejo - Hotness/Coldness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Waayo - air &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Warna - Colour &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gandha - Smell &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rasa  - Taste &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ojah  - Some kind of energy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And by connecting millions of Suddashtaka it creates an object (Human,House,Tree..etc)&#xA;According to the percentage which these items are available the object shows its behavior. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;eg: If Patawi (Solidness) percentage is high the object is solid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And each and every objects in this universe is vanishing (dying) and recreating (changing) trillions and trillions times (can't measure) withing a second. So that's why Buddha said each and everything in this universe is changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you need to find the end of the universe you must look in to your body. From there you can find the ultimate universal truth.Because each and every thing in this universe is consists of the above mentioned 8 items(Suddashtaka) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5089" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T12:47:53.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-07T13:43:58.607" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where we don't have a choice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;stop, maintain or prolong, create phenomena and influence, control arising and passing of phenomena. Even at a grosser level the influence is limited. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where we have a choice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not being reactive to sense stimulus but proactive to it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;influence and regulate your mind towards skillful states and away from unwholesome states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Exercising the latter help you to fabricate better existence or stop fabrications altogether. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two places to work on breaking the cycle of Dependent Origination (DO). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To keep your mind free from delusion focus on arising and passing of phenomena. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep your mind equanimous and devoid of craving and clinging thus not reacting to sense stimulus with unwholesome mental states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like any other processes DO needs it's fuel to continue. The fuel is an untamed mind influenced by craving. So you can extinguish this process by not feeding it with it's fuel, i.e. be equanimous without clinging and craving towards sensations and being mindful of arising and passing of phenomena of the aggregates. The existing fuel will burn out and DO will collapse. You can catalyse this process by actively calming the fabrications, i. e. do some fire fighting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-07T23:26:07.233" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T23:26:07.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8977" CreationDate="2015-05-07T14:26:39.390" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could start by reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.clear-vision.org/Schools/Students/Ages-17-18/natural-world/environment.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and environmental issues&lt;/a&gt; (which I found, just by doing a Google search for &lt;code&gt;Buddhism environment&lt;/code&gt; and which is intended as an educational resource).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read it and I mostly agree with it as a good beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It mentions the &quot;first precept&quot; (i.e. avoid killing) and the &quot;second precept&quot; (i.e. avoid taking what's not given) -- those are from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. the more basic ethical rules for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To that, I'd add that another place to look for ethical rules is in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Ethical_conduct&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;, of which three (i.e. speech, action, and livelihood) are to do with ethics again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There aren't many &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right livelihood rules&lt;/a&gt; but among them is &quot;Business in poison: producing or trading in any kind of poison or a toxic product designed to kill&quot;. I guess that a narrow view of that 'rule' might be that everything is alright except producing chemical warfare agents and pesticides. A much, much broader view might be to minimize 'pollution' of all kinds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there's some justification or precedent for 'interpreting' Buddhism's ethical rules. For example, one of the precepts is literally against &quot;fermented drink that causes heedlessness&quot; but Buddhists today usually understand that as including all &quot;recreational drugs and intoxicating beverages&quot;. The earliest Buddhist literature is from 2,500 years ago, which is before various problems of the modern world existed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note the second paragraph of &quot;Buddhism and environmental issues&quot;: it says, &quot;So, it should certainly not come as a shock to practising Buddhists to discover what environmentalists are now telling us.&quot; That's saying that environmentalists know more about the environment, these days, than is taught in Buddhist literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps you can look to Buddhist literature for generalities, or for hints on what attitude to have. I think that's what the Dalai Lama is doing when he gives &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/environment/buddhist-concept-of-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a speech like this one&lt;/a&gt; which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since I deeply believe that basically human beings are of a gentle nature so I think the human attitude towards our environment should be gentle. Therefore I believe that not only should we keep our relationship with our other fellow human beings very gentle and non-violent, but it is also very important to extend that kind of attitude to the natural environment. I think morally speaking we can think like that and we should all be concerned for our environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the central doctrines of Buddhism is that things are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence#Annica&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impermanent&lt;/a&gt;. I think it would be wrong, though, to interpret that as &quot;nothing matters&quot; ... to say for example, &quot;Oh let's go ahead and kill on the elephants, what does it matter, everything is impermanent anyway&quot; ... wrong because, as well as breaking the first precept (to avoid killing), there are other important Buddhist values including &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;loving-kindness and compassion&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few more things I think that maybe you could want to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The quantity of Buddhist literature is vast. So your question, &quot;what do buddhists religious texts say about the environment?&quot; is a little bit like asking, &quot;What do English-language scientific texts say about the environment?&quot;, i.e. it's difficult to summarize&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Most of Buddhist literature focuses on topics other than 'the environment'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are several &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (like there are many schools of Christianity). If you want to ask another question, one way to narrow it down would be to say whether you interested in the literature from a specific school, or from a specific time period: e.g. modern literature; medieval literature; or the earliest literature, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt; which is from about 2000 years ago.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are separate (and stricter or more numerous) rules of behaviour for Buddhist monks: which are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;. There's a bit of a symbiotic relationship between Buddhist monks and laypeople, for example monks shouldn't work for a living (shouldn't handle money) and laypeople should support them with gifts of food and other essentials (basically just food, a robe to wear, medicine when needed, and maybe a place to live). Someone who is living a monk's life (and a lot of Buddhist literature is by and perhaps for monks) might be unlikely to have a huge, negative environmental impact. This explanation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#harmlessness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya rules on Harmlessness&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Throughout its history Buddhism has been renowned for its tolerance and compassion towards all living beings and this is reflected in the Buddhist monks' Vinaya. Their rules cover situations of causing harm ranging from murder — which is universally accepted as a crime — to such things as destroying plant life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rules against &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#veggie&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;destroying vegetation&lt;/a&gt; include even digging the ground...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the historical Buddha lived and taught (2400 years ago) there were other religions ... which the Buddha probably learned before his enlightenment. One of these is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jainism&lt;/a&gt;. I mention Jainism because it's practice of &lt;em&gt;Amhisa&lt;/em&gt; (non-violence) is similar to or stricter than Buddhism's, even for laypeople; and because Jainism and Buddhism may have influenced each other, to some extent, historically.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can also look for guidance from specific Buddhists, Buddhist teachers, modern-day Buddhist teachers, if not from Buddhism-in-general or &quot;Buddhist religious texts&quot;. For example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2754/are-ecological-concerns-supported-explicitly-in-buddhism#comment3522_2754&quot;&gt;in this comment&lt;/a&gt;, Andrei said, &quot;17th Karmapa is very vocal about ecological concerns, perhaps more than any other major Buddhist figurehead so far&quot;. And indeed a Google search for &lt;code&gt;17th Karmapa environment&lt;/code&gt; returns many results, including for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://kagyuoffice.org/buddhism-and-the-environment-living-in-harmony-with-the-planet/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and the Environment: Living in Harmony with the Planet&lt;/a&gt; from his own web site.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that what I've written here is true, I hope it's not misleading. Two ways in which this isn't a good answer include,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It references vocabulary but don't quote texts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It talks about ethics in general rather than environmentalism specifically&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asking about the Buddhism and the environment might be a bit like asking, &quot;What does your sister write about football?&quot; ... when, she doesn't actually write about football very much at all.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact it seems to me that Buddhism writes more about people or 'the person' than it does about 'the environment'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the topics that are more central to Buddhism include the following -- perhaps you can see for yourself how these may be related to environmentalism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 'four noble truths', of which:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first is that &quot;Things are not satisfactory: you cannot get everything you might want, and you cannot keep everything you have.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samudaya_sacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;second&lt;/a&gt; is that &quot;The dissatisfaction is caused by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;greed&lt;/a&gt;.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;middle way&lt;/a&gt;' which says that eternalism and annihilationism are, both, extremes&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Being 'selfish' is problematic and unenlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T17:00:02.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8981" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8992" CreationDate="2015-05-07T18:01:37.763" Score="3" ViewCount="607" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noninterference_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stub Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; which says only,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Noninterference (Buddhism)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noninterference is a Buddhist concept and practice which relates to the idea that all things are impermanent, with a resignation to events beyond human control.[citation needed]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there such a concept in Buddhism? If so does this concept have other names?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that this Buddhist concept applies only to &amp;quot;events beyond human control&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question occurred to me when I was trying to answer the question about &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8977/254&quot;&gt;what do buddhists religious texts say about the environment?&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to look it up because I got the feeling (rightly or wrongly) that maybe Buddhists would agree it's better not to be greedy, but that even so they may not go out and campaign or lobby against greed, or argue in favour of preserving the environment, or indeed argue about anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guesses (my attempts to answer this question myself) were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that 'right speech' might be an argument for non-interference: don't say something unless you think it will be welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maybe non-attachment too would tend towards non-interference: perhaps I cannot try to promote some political view, unless I am attached to it. Maybe the Buddhist practice is that if the world doesn't seem to be as I'd want it to be then I should change my own view and not try to change the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maybe non-self might tend towards non-interference: &amp;quot;who am I to interfere?&amp;quot; ... or &amp;quot;why am I doing this, there are only two motives for doing something, i.e. greed and aversion, and both/either of these motives are wrong&amp;quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If it's true that it applies only to &amp;quot;events beyond human control&amp;quot; that perhaps that means hoping that some 'higher powers' (devas or bodhisattvas) will act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't find &amp;quot;noninterference&amp;quot; at all in a search of accesstoinsight.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Google suggests it might be a concept in Chinese Buddhism (so, Taoist-derived, perhaps?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if this question feels like I'm trying to make you write a Wikipedia article. The reason I'm asking is that I did have a feeling that non-interference might be an established practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely can you give some examples of when this 'noninterference concept' would be wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T17:13:32.100" Title="Is there a Buddhist 'noninterference' concept?" Tags="|impermanence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8981" CreationDate="2015-05-07T19:35:36.517" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you already answer your own question by mentioning impermanence. Why act upon something that will slip away between your fingers anyway, without anyone having the slightest control. Phenomena both mental and physical are uncontrollable and ungovernable. Interfering with them will not bring anything good out of it. Interfering with phenomena will bring suffering in the end. When i use the word interfere here i mean after the 7th link in &lt;em&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/em&gt; where &lt;em&gt;craving, attachment and becomming&lt;/em&gt; happens. That will only lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead non-interference is what one should practice meaning observing phenomena arising and passing away. The practice of insight meditation is your answer. As you mention yourself one should work on oneself and develop oneself instead of trying to change the world. Interfering with e.g. politics, environmental protection etc. will only treat symptoms since the root cause are &lt;em&gt;Greed&lt;/em&gt;. Only that can be reduced by working on ourselves trying to develop the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me try to give another example. One is sitting in insight meditation and observing phenomena. One is not mindful for a moment and the mind gets sucked into the maelstroem of e.g. a mental formation. Then when mindfulness returns one will see that suffering is gained through interfering with phenomena. When seeing that over and over the mind naturally begins to let go and just observe phenomena without interfering, engaging them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I dont know if this answers your question. I think the term non-interference might not directly be found in the texts under that name but its a derivative from the practice of insight meditation or a result of the impermanent nature of phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way i think its good that you mentioned the doctrine of Anatta. Everything just becomes problematic when an &lt;em&gt;I, Me of Self&lt;/em&gt; is added to the equation. This have also been discussed recently. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8964/is-there-a-conflict-between-dependent-origination-and-right-effort&quot;&gt;Take a look at this question here&lt;/a&gt;. You might be able to take the same perspective here that when adding an &lt;em&gt;experiencing, permanent entity or Self&lt;/em&gt; to the equation then suddently you have &lt;em&gt;&quot;someone&quot;&lt;/em&gt; that interferes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-05-07T19:43:22.510" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8983" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8988" CreationDate="2015-05-08T01:13:08.363" Score="3" ViewCount="79" Body="&lt;p&gt;was just wondering really how buddhists engage and see  the environment around them  and whether or not there are consequences if one does shows a disregard for the environment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5113" LastActivityDate="2015-05-08T20:14:05.167" Title="What is Buddhism’s beliefs on humans living with the environment ?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2015-05-08T08:57:12.800" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My theory is that it is not wrong to directly deprive plants of their life, in order to eat them, unlike animals, because they don't have &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the five aggregates&lt;/a&gt;. In my opinion, plants do not have mental formations and consciousness although they have form, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_perception_%28physiology%29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensations and perception&lt;/a&gt;. Without the five aggregates, they are not &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;sentient beings&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-08T09:33:30.467" LastActivityDate="2015-05-08T09:33:30.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8985" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9021" CreationDate="2015-05-08T12:21:49.190" Score="5" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan&quot;&gt;Ryōkan Taigu&lt;/a&gt; is described as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ryōkan Taigu (良寛大愚?) (1758–1831) was a quiet and eccentric Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit. Ryōkan is remembered for his poetry and calligraphy, which present the essence of Zen life. He is also known by the name Ryokwan in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm reading this poem and am puzzled by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://allpoetry.com/In-A-Dilapidated-Three-Room-Hut-&quot;&gt;In A Dilapidated Three-Room Hut&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;In a dilapidated three-room hut &#xA;I’ve grown old and tired; &#xA;This winter cold is the &#xA;Worst I’ve ever suffered through. &#xA;I sip thin gruel, waiting for the &#xA;Freezing night to pass. &#xA;Can I last until spring finally arrives? &#xA;Unable to beg for rice, &#xA;How will I survive the chill? &#xA;Even meditation helps no longer; &#xA;Nothing left to do but compose poems &#xA;In memory of deceased friends.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the things that puzzles me is the last line (&quot;memory of deceased friends&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought (I'm probably mistaken again :-) that Buddhists are advised to &quot;live in the present&quot; and to avoid living &quot;in memory&quot;, and to deconstruct the self instead of thinking &quot;I feel&quot; and &quot;I suffer&quot; and &quot;I last&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you say what Ryōkan's intention might have been in writing this poem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia says, of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%8Dt%C5%8D&quot;&gt;Sōtō&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meditator strives to be aware of the stream of thoughts, allowing them to arise and pass away without interference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that's what this poem is doing: simply awareness of a stream of thoughts? What's the difference between that and, I don't know, any other ordinary unenlightened mode of thought or life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-08T13:15:02.100" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T17:59:10.890" Title="Is this a Buddhist poem?" Tags="|zen|literature|roykan|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8985" CreationDate="2015-05-08T12:32:20.147" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are confounding Buddhist principles with Japanese culture - of which veneration of the dead is an important part.  If there is one thing you can say about Buddhism, it's that it doesn't exist in a vacuum and often takes on the cultural customs of its practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides, it's a poem.  He's trying to capture a moment for an audience, not make a statement about the dharma.  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-05-08T12:32:20.147" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8985" CreationDate="2015-05-08T14:40:25.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that Ryokan strived very hard to be identified neither as a poet, nor as a monk nor as anyone special. I wonder if an examination of his intentions isn't slipping away from this moment into judgment of the unknown. How can anyone know what he thought or meant - I can hardly comment on the intentions of people I meet everyday in my life, let alone of someone I've never met.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I read things I wrote a few years ago, and I wonder to myself, what was I thinking, and I say, it doesn't really matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone stand up to an examination of all their utterances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where beauty is, then there is ugliness;&#xA;  where right is, also there is wrong.&#xA;  Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent;&#xA;  delusion and enlightenment condition each other.&#xA;  Since olden times it has been so.&#xA;  How could it be otherwise now?&#xA;  Wanting to get rid of one and grab the other&#xA;  is merely realizing a scene of stupidity.&#xA;  Even if you speak of the wonder of it all,&#xA;  how do you deal with each thing changing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Ryokan﻿ ﻿&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-05-08T14:49:45.133" LastActivityDate="2015-05-08T14:49:45.133" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8983" CreationDate="2015-05-08T17:03:42.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answering one of the questions from a Deva, Buddha gave a discourse on the merit gained by planting groves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Those who set up a park or a grove, the people who construct a&#xA;bridge, a place to drink and a well, Those who give a residence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“For them merit always increases, Both by day and by night; Those are&#xA;the people going to heaven, Established in Dhamma, endowed with virtue.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Planters of Groves (SN 1.47)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there are no rules for lay people, there are several vinaya rules for monks for harming the environment such as cutting down trees, burning forests.&#xA;In one occasion, monks who were making some repairs, were cutting down trees and when Buddha heard about this he criticized them,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“How can you, foolish men, cut down trees and have them cut down? It&#xA;is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased …&#xA;And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and imposed a vinaya rule,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“For destruction of vegetable growth there is an offence of&#xA;expiation.”&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-pc11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monks’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net/pi/pv21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aṅkura­peta­vatthu&lt;/a&gt;, it is mentioned that if one gets some benefit from a tree such as lying in the shade, he should not harm even a leaf of that tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-08T20:14:05.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8989" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="8991" CreationDate="2015-05-09T01:26:38.733" Score="4" ViewCount="431" Body="&lt;p&gt;I received an email invite from a local Buddhist group that's holding a &quot;Dhammanusati practice&quot;. In part it stated &quot;Of the meditation practices, one of the most important practices is called Dhammanusati, the Contemplation of the Dharma&quot;. It was described as an ancient form of deep listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammanusati looked to me like a typical Pali word and I thought I'd have no problem googling it and getting more information. But the only things that came up were a few blogs and videos and no results at all on the sites I usually rely on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a Pali word? Is it more commonly known by a different name? From the email I have a pretty good idea of what the practice involves. It's actually the word itself that is curious to me due to the lack of information online about it. Thanks for any information. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T03:10:20.027" Title="The word Dhammanusati." Tags="|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8989" CreationDate="2015-05-09T01:29:28.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma - one of the four foundations of mindfulness. Sati - mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Dhammanusati probably means mindfulness of the dhamma. They probably mean dhammanupassana when using that word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T01:29:28.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8989" CreationDate="2015-05-09T01:34:11.613" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a word &lt;em&gt;Anussati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?p.0:44.pali&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anussati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anussati (f.) [Sk. anusmṛti, fr. anu + smṛ, cp. sati] remembrance, recollection, thinking of, mindfulness. A late list of subjects to be kept in mind comprises six anussati -- ṭṭhānāni, viz. Buddha˚, Dhamma˚, Sangha˚, sīla˚, cāga˚, devatā˚, i. e. proper attention to the Buddha, the Doctrines, the Church, to morality, charity, the gods. Thus at D iii.250, 280 (cp. A i.211); A iii.284, 312 sq., 452; v.329 sq.; Ps i.28. Expanded to 10 subjects (the above plus ānāpāna -- sati, maraṇa -- sati, kāyagatā -- sati, upasamânussati) at A i.30, 42 (cp. Lal. Vist 34). For other references see D i.81; S v.67 = It 107 (anussaraṇa at latter pass.); A iii.284, 325, 452. Ps i.48, 95, 186; Pug 25, 60; Dhs 14, 23, 1350 (anussati here to be corr. to asati, see Dhs. trsl. 351); Sdhp. 225, 231, 482. See also anuttariya (anussat -- ânuttariya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T01:34:11.613" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8981" CreationDate="2015-05-09T03:21:08.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism having so many different schools and lineages this maybe open to interpretation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But no there is no concept of non interference in Buddhism. General take on the matter regarding action is that you should act proactively than reactively, i.e., your actions should not be a reaction of clinging and craving towards sensations, and your actions should be devoid of delusion, agreed and aversion. Also you should be rightly motivated (non deluded state of mind, generous and comparisonate) when doing the action. You should not be attached to the outcome as you are not in absolute control over how it would materialise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also general tendency in taking action and interference is that you take sides where you have compassion towards one person and not the other. This should not be the case. If you see someone doing something wrong to another you have to have equal or more comparison to the offending party as he is creating bad Karma through ignorance. Your motivation should be able help the victim and save the would be offender from his Karma or at least help reduce it. In mediation this should be the right motivation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than non action or interference you should act with the right volition and state of mind without attachments to the results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further information see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;10 day Discourse Summaries by SN Goenka - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&lt;/a&gt; (Some parts of above adopted from this)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindful Mediation - a Handbook for Buddhist Peacemakers &lt;em&gt;by John A McConnell&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-09T05:58:07.690" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T05:58:07.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-09T06:42:22.037" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have you been to see a doctor about this? Depression can cause life to lack appeal. Why is life worth living is one of those questions that cannot be answered in words, it's an inner feeling that doesn't need an explanation that most have felt at some point. It's a sign of good health to have a passion for life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If whatever is causing you to feel that life is bleak changes, as it inevitably will, a passion for life can automatically emerge in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life and death are two aspects of the same movement. By dying, the Buddhist would say, you don't really escape, for your return to life is guaranteed. Whether it is life as a human or not is another matter. So, what else is left if suicide doesn't improve things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that life and death are one continuous movement, ever occurring, it makes sense to learn to live and learn to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Living in misery and dying in misery are common but not necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Get tested for depression, and perhaps meditate with a good teacher in a monastery. The compassionate surroundings may trigger a change towards joie de vivre in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T06:42:22.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-09T08:16:56.710" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You shouldn't even think about things like suicide. Thoughts will be full of negative emotions and states that it will drag you to lower planes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are doing the act you will have negative thoughts which would mean that your next life is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are also breaking the precept of not killing which is very grave. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is best you see a doctor but until then practice Metta to your self and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T08:16:56.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8916" CreationDate="2015-05-09T10:33:01.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since your attention is not sharp perhaps you had Sloth and Torpor hence you should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;start with a large areas and narrow down to small areas gradually trying to see the arising and passing of phenomena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;move your attention from object to object  starting at a slow pace and increase pace as time to experience arising and passing of phenomena in a particular areas becomes less.  In doing so your mind is always with a wholesome object and it also to stir up energy and increase alertness. As a result you will get Piti. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor =&gt; large areas, effort directed towards see arising and passing of phenomena in an area, mental movements, mental chattering / contemplations, physical movement / walking meditation, light&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in higher stages of Breath meditation you can experience Passadhi or equanimity which there is hardly any sensation and perhaps the breathing stops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T14:56:33.257" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T14:56:33.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8830" CreationDate="2015-05-09T12:22:50.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your awareness and focus should be on arising and passing of phenomena pertaining to the 4 foundations of mindfullness (impermanence if you still cannot see arising and passing of phenomena) with strong equanimity towards sensations and maintaining your mind free from clinging and craving. It is not the task that you should be absorbed in but experiencing phenomena as they come and go. Also any of the 4 foundations of mindfullness you have to experience at the experiential level hence through sensations. E.g. if you are looking at your body posture then it should be the outline of sensations that you experience through your sense faculties that any conceptualization of the particular posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever task you do keep looking at phenomena / sensations / elements arising and passing equnimously then it is enough. You can even multi task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-09T12:29:23.253" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T12:29:23.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-09T13:09:30.073" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first book I read about Buddhism described the Sermon at Benares, i.e. the &lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana&lt;/em&gt;, as explaining that the cause of suffering (the second noble truth) is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... the craving to have what you don't have; the craving to keep what you can't keep; the craving to live; even the &lt;em&gt;craving to die&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the same quote from Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, &lt;em&gt;craving for non-becoming&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;letting go of that very craving&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that suicide must be missing the most important, fundamental truth of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicidal_ideation&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suicidal ideation&lt;/a&gt; is a risk factor: Suminda said, &amp;quot;You shouldn't even think about things like suicide&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the &amp;quot;middle way&amp;quot; doctrine says not to afflict or self-mortify the body.&#xA;And, the doctrine of rebirth suggests that, although there are problems in life, these problems can't be escaped simply by dying. It was by 'unbinding' (not suicide) that in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta the Buddha said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reached the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge &amp;amp; vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; even 'describing the advantages of dying' is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, the third type of act covered by this&#xA;rule, can include [...] telling a&#xA;person of the miseries of life or the bliss of dying and going to heaven in such a&#xA;way that he/she might feel inspired to commit suicide or simply pine away to&#xA;death. [...] Thus, the Commentary notes, a bhikkhu talking to a dying patient should be&#xA;very circumspect in how he chooses his words, focusing not on how to speed up&#xA;the dying process but on how to inspire the patient with the following thoughts:&#xA;“The attainment of the paths and fruitions is not out of the ordinary for a&#xA;virtuous person. So, having formed no attachment for such things as your&#xA;dwelling, and establishing mindfulness in the Buddha, Dhamma, Saºgha, or the&#xA;body, you should be heedful in your attention.” The Vinita-vatthu to Pr 4&#xA;contains a number of stories in which bhikkhus comfort a dying bhikkhu by&#xA;asking him to reflect on what he has attained through the practice, which was&#xA;apparently a common way of encouraging a dying bhikkhu to focus his&#xA;thoughts on the best object possible. The suttas also contain advice on how to&#xA;encourage patients facing death. See, for example, MN 143, SN 36.7, and AN 6.16.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;In all of these cases, the advice is aimed not at precipitating death but at inspiring&#xA;calm and insight&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &amp;quot;what makes life worth living&amp;quot;: Buddhism can even seem quite 'negative' (&amp;quot;life is suffering&amp;quot;) ... and so I asked this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt; ... and people's answers to that explain it in more 'positive' or constructive terms: morality; concentration; and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My dad told me, when I was young, that suicide is painful for the friends and family who are left behind (i.e. it causes suffering for others): I thought, even that is enough reason to avoid suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, for example, I lived with a friend: who became relatively enlightened, especially during the last year of her life. So it was more perfect, for her and for others, that she lived as long as she did, instead of dying earlier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps what makes life worth living is that it's an opportunity to &amp;quot;live the holy life&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhist descriptions try to describe the experiences of one person (e.g. in meditation), or even of 'no self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But part of the &amp;quot;holy life&amp;quot; is in the relationships between people, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &amp;quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.&amp;quot;[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is &lt;strong&gt;actually the whole of the holy life&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you don't feel you have that (or are that) at the moment but there is every chance you might in future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately there are things which can make life &lt;strong&gt;seem&lt;/strong&gt; unimportant: bad companions, &amp;quot;heedlessness&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;restlessness&amp;quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, try to remember what Right intention is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, problems are fixable: problems, too, are 'conditioned' and therefore changeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T13:09:30.073" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8112" CreationDate="2015-05-09T13:43:27.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dont be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a break sometimes and some pads on the shoulder for wanting to deal with these things. You could just push it aside and fill your life with noise but instead you contemplate this and you try to practice daily mindfulness. That is great and that is what the Buddha taught us to do. So keep that in mind everyday that you are making an effort here. Its valueable. Not only to you but also for everyone who comes in contact with you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When feelings of guilt, inferiority or other negative feelings arise just note them and observe them. If you observe them from they arise until the point where they cease you will see that they are impermanent. What is impermanent is also suffering since one cannot rely on it. Also you will see that you have absolutely no control over the feelings. Its not like you can say: bad feeling, go away. That will not work. All the aggregates are subject to the 3 signs of existence, namely &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta, meaning impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self&lt;/em&gt;. They are uncontrollable and ungovernable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you guard yourself with mindfulness and thereby being able to see e.g. feelings and mental formations arise and cease you will see that they do so on their own accord. Because they are conditioned phenomena build upon other causes which again is build by other causes etc., they will exist as long as the causes sustaining them is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take the example with &lt;em&gt;guilt&lt;/em&gt;. When guilt arises, note it, observe it and watch it until it goes away. See that you have no control over it. When there arises an object to the sense door, there will be contact and when there is contact there arises feeling. That feeling can be pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. When guilt arises, there can arise aversion towards that feeling. If that happens then switch to the new object which is the aversion and note it as &quot;disliking&quot;. You can stop the process at that point or before that point if you are mindful about it. If you are not mindful or loose mindfulness for some reason the next step can be a bodily reaction to the guilt-based aversion. It might be heat in the body, increased respiration or other unpleasant bodily reactions. If that happens then swith to that new object e.g. heat in the body and not it as &quot;heat, heat or warm, warm&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is that feelings, mental formations and the other aggregates are not subject to our control. By seeing that in insight meditation one begins to gradually let go of the aggregates and when that happens its results in more freedom and equanimity. One sees that one does not have to react to e.g. feelings and thoughts. They arise and they cease and thats it. Dont interfere with them. They will go away again. If you interfere with them you will blow them up in size. Its like putting fuel on a fire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you dont react to them and just note them there will be no fuel for the fire and it will cease to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/em&gt; has made a video on youtube which i unfortunately dont remember the name of now. I will post the link if i find the name. In the video Ven. Yuttadhammo makes a simile of feelings and talk about how they can be viewed as a piece of burning wood taking from a camp fire. When one takes the piece of burning wood and puts it on the ground away from the fire, then it will burn for a while and then go out. No problem there. But if one takes the piece of burning wood and holds it in ones hand one will get burned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you &quot;take&quot; the feeling of guilt and interfere with it you will get burned. But if you dont interact with it and just note it then you will not get &quot;harmed&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this might be of some help to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T13:43:27.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="8999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8927" CreationDate="2015-05-09T14:37:32.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following strategy can help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When there is a urge to move recognise it and keep looking right at the stimulation that causes the pain. Look into the pain dividing and dissecting the pain.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have a determination to stay in the chosen posture. If you must move but try to gradually increase the time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try calming the bodily fabrication by looking at the breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental movement can stimulate Piti. So try scanning the body as a fast space.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try some metal recitations. Do Metta meditation focussing you attention on the pain.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T14:37:32.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8909" CreationDate="2015-05-09T14:48:37.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;1st you have to recognise the main source of distraction is within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to practice the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;recognise that the mind wondered away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there always some delight or sensation associated with the object. E.g. your phone. Recognise this and stay with it until it disappear.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;this will have rippling or other associated sensation in our whole body due to though proliferation or sustained thought. Recognise this and bring your attention to the chosen object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With practise your inclination for delight in external objects will diminish. Also have a strong determination that you will meditate for x time every day. As you go on increase the time actually spent without distraction to be in line with what you want it to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-09T14:48:37.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9001" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9107" CreationDate="2015-05-10T02:53:21.750" Score="14" ViewCount="2543" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a science student at an university and I practise mindfulness in the Mahasi tradition. My question is, how can I be mindful while studying? This is a very important question for me since most of my time as a student is spent in studying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you very much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:24:36.497" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:24:36.497" Title="How to be mindful while studying?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8821" CreationDate="2015-05-10T03:00:23.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can dedicate merit for anyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out some articles that can help on understanding it more intuitively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.vajrapani.org/featured/featured-authors-articles/item/407-gettin-our-merit-on.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://blog.vajrapani.org/featured/featured-authors-articles/item/407-gettin-our-merit-on.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5127" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T03:00:23.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9001" CreationDate="2015-05-10T05:10:05.093" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if this fits your tradition, but perhaps it might be a value addition to you or perhaps another reader. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best source to find out on how to be mindful is to get the information from the Maha Satipatthana Sutta. Here it mentioned that the awareness should be on the 4 foundations of mindfulness (these relate to the aggregates). In doing this you should pay particular attention to arising and passing of phenomena. You have to divide and dissect the foundation that you are looking at - e.g. if you look at body you should divide and dissect until you come to the level of Kalapa (sub atomic particles). You have to look piecing and penetratingly looking inside and out - e.g. if you take the body look at phenomena on the surface and also inside like in the organs. What ever part of the body or if you look at the whole body you should be sensitive to seeing phenomena arising and passing. You should try to actively or passively calm the fabrications. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming back to studying there will be a lot of mental activities. Some of this can be mental or verbal fabrications. You cannot avoid this. But any mental activity creates a sensation. You can keep looking at these sensations with out reaction. Pleasant sensation can be used to eradicate craving, stressful sensation to eradicate aversion and neutral sensations to eradicate delusion (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; for the technicalities). Also try keeping your mind focused on the studying. If it goes to something else bring back your mind to the breath for a short while and continue studying keeping your thinking limited to studying. When taking a break whatever object your mind is on keep dividing and dissecting and look at it piercing and penetratingly. Also look at your breathing if you feel agitated or restless when studying for long hours. If you feel sleepy scan your body part by part staying on one place until you can feel something; if your body is already sensitive scan in rapid space. What ever the case keep your mind equanimous (devoid of craving and clinging) towards any sensation you experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this is helpful. If you need anymore clarification please comment or post another question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-13T06:58:00.850" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T06:58:00.850" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9004" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9007" CreationDate="2015-05-10T06:50:22.613" Score="5" ViewCount="715" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to overcome feeling bored while doing anapanasati meditation ? I get this feeling after setting sati at the end of the nose and body is calmed .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:23:37.527" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:41:23.950" Title="Being bored :anapanasati meditation" Tags="|anapanasati|five-hindrances|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9005" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9013" CreationDate="2015-05-10T06:55:01.670" Score="2" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.trans4mind.com/personal_development/buddhist/path2RightIntention.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one&lt;/a&gt; of many sources, the definition of &lt;code&gt;intention&lt;/code&gt; is described as &lt;code&gt;Right intention is the intention and resolve to give up the causes of suffering, to give up ill-will and to adopt harmlessness. It contrasts with wrong intention, which involves craving for worldly things (wealth, sex, power) and the wish to harm&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is unclear is whether &lt;code&gt;intention&lt;/code&gt; is an &lt;code&gt;act&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;thought&lt;/code&gt; that precedes or follows rational thought?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that &lt;code&gt;intention&lt;/code&gt; plays a critical role in one karma. If my thought is the result of anger however i do not have intent to harm is that not the result of rational thought? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i do act irrationally, to save or protect a life, is that not intention without thought?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add to ChrisW's question on clarification, when i say that if my thought is of anger e.g. how this person would disappear or no longer be around, but this is not followed by action because rationally i do not wish to cause harm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second example of irrational thought is that when caught in the spur of the moment, i may say or do things however this is to protect a child. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="4841" LastEditDate="2015-05-11T07:37:42.300" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T10:32:06.203" Title="Is intention the result of rational or logical thinking or some other?" Tags="|right-intention|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9006" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9008" CreationDate="2015-05-10T07:10:36.720" Score="5" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2098/how-and-when-should-a-child-be-introduced-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;post here&lt;/a&gt; specifically refers to introducing Buddhism to a child as well as meditation and recitals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question i am seeking to answer though is the introduction of concepts such as &lt;code&gt;clinging&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;letting go&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;intent&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;no-self&lt;/code&gt; and the like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being surrounded by children under the age of 4, i can observe that certain behaviors are starting to take root e.g. clinging. If a particular toy is lost or not available, the child senses a deep loss which results in emotional and physical distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kids also identify with themselves with the things they are surrounded by e.g. friends, physical objects, etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-11T02:02:02.870" Title="Teaching Buddhist concepts to a child" Tags="|teaching|parents|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9004" CreationDate="2015-05-10T07:10:56.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Boredom is a sign of &lt;strong&gt;restlessness&lt;/strong&gt;. If you're bored, you want to try to do something else. You're not contented with the present moment. Please read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; on the five hindrances to meditation by Ajahn Brahmavamso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you're falling asleep or cannot focus, then that's &lt;strong&gt;sloth and torpor&lt;/strong&gt; (quoted below from essay). Since you have already commented that sloth and torpor is the likely cause, we will focus on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind&#xA;  which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. The&#xA;  Lord Buddha compared it to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell,&#xA;  unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside. In meditation,&#xA;  it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to&#xA;  falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy. Energy is always&#xA;  available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were. &lt;strong&gt;Setting&#xA;  a goal, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate&#xA;  energy, as is deliberately developing interest in the task at hand&lt;/strong&gt;. A&#xA;  young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy, because its&#xA;  world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's life, or&#xA;  one's meditation, with a 'beginner's mind' one can see ever new angles&#xA;  and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from sloth and torpor,&#xA;  alive and energetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use another essay entitled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guided Meditation&lt;/a&gt; (quoted below) by Thanissaro Bhikkhu to help you with this problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above essay, you know that you must set a goal to generate energy that is, by generating interest. In the following quote, the author suggests to explore sensations in other parts of the body (otherwise you will doze off). Please read the whole essay to get the whole picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If your mind wanders off, gently bring it right back. If it wanders&#xA;  off ten times, a hundred times, bring it back ten times, a hundred&#xA;  times. Don't give in. This quality is called ardency. In other words,&#xA;  as soon as you realize that the mind has slipped away, you bring it&#xA;  right back. You don't spend time aimlessly sniffing at the flowers,&#xA;  looking at the sky, or listening to the birds. You've got work to do:&#xA;  work in learning how to breathe comfortably, how to let the mind&#xA;  settle down in a good space here in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When the breath starts feeling comfortable, you can start exploring it&#xA;  in other areas of the body. If you simply stay with the comfortable&#xA;  breath in a narrow range, you'll tend to doze off&lt;/strong&gt;. So consciously&#xA;  expand your awareness. A good place to focus first is right around the&#xA;  navel. Locate that part of the body in your awareness: where is it&#xA;  right now? Then notice: how does it feel there as you breathe in? How&#xA;  does it feel when you breathe out? Watch it for a couple of breaths,&#xA;  and notice if there's any sense of tension or tightness in that part&#xA;  of the body, either with the in-breath or with the out-breath. Is it&#xA;  tensing up as you breathe in? Are you holding onto the tension as you&#xA;  breathe out? Are you putting too much force on the out-breath? If you&#xA;  catch yourself doing any of these things, just relax. Think of that&#xA;  tension dissolving away in the sensation of the in-breath, the&#xA;  sensation of the out-breath. If you want, you can think of the breath&#xA;  energy coming into the body right there at the navel, working through&#xA;  any tension or tightness that you might feel there ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T11:13:14.660" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T11:13:14.660" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9006" CreationDate="2015-05-10T07:19:49.103" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try the videos under the section of Children on &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some ebooks for children &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_childrens.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a simplified introduction to Buddhism for kids &lt;a href=&quot;http://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/Buddhism.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are websites on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_tales&quot;&gt;Jataka Tales&lt;/a&gt; for children &lt;a href=&quot;http://mocomi.com/fun/stories/jataka-tales/&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.balmitra.com/StoryBook/jataka/JatakaTales.asp&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.children.co.in/stories/jataka-tales.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a great way of teaching Buddhist concepts to children is through stories. Stories are entertaining to young children who need their creativity and imagination stimulated, in order to learn things happily and efficiently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of trying to teach very young children concepts like &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt; which may be too difficult for them, it might be better to teach them virtues and good moral values, which are available through the Jataka Tales and some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bmDamaStory.pdf&quot;&gt;Dhammapada stories&lt;/a&gt;. This is the foundation to inculcating &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T07:45:31.243" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T07:45:31.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9005" CreationDate="2015-05-10T07:36:35.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you think rationally, you may not have the intention to harm others. But in a moment of anger when you are not thinking rationally, you might suddenly have the intention followed by the action to cause harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Harm caused by anger to one who is angry is described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kodhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, that I quote here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;An angry person is ugly &amp;amp; sleeps poorly.&#xA;Gaining a profit, he turns it into a loss,&#xA;having done damage with word &amp;amp; deed.&#xA;A person overwhelmed with anger&#xA;    destroys his wealth.&#xA;Maddened with anger,&#xA;    he destroys his status.&#xA;Relatives, friends, &amp;amp; colleagues avoid him.&#xA;    Anger brings loss.&#xA;    Anger inflames the mind.&#xA;He doesn't realize&#xA;that his danger is born from within.&#xA;    An angry person doesn't know his own benefit.&#xA;    An angry person doesn't see the Dhamma.&#xA;A man conquered by anger is in a mass of darkness.&#xA;He takes pleasure in bad deeds as if they were good,&#xA;but later, when his anger is gone,&#xA;he suffers as if burned with fire.&#xA;He is spoiled, blotted out,&#xA;like fire enveloped in smoke.&#xA;&#xA;When anger spreads,&#xA;when a man becomes angry,&#xA;he has no shame, no fear of evil,&#xA;is not respectful in speech.&#xA;For a person overcome with anger,&#xA;nothing gives light.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T07:42:53.493" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T07:42:53.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9010" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9012" CreationDate="2015-05-10T08:04:29.427" Score="3" ViewCount="320" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist teaching (of any school) is it possible to be aware but not conscious? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm reading the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://seeingthatfrees.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seeing that Frees&lt;/a&gt; at the moment and Rob Burbea hints that although in the book he is going to use consciousness and awareness interchangeably, there is a sense that they are not the same. I'm hoping that answers to this question might help me dig into this a bit more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-14T18:18:05.487" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T18:18:05.487" Title="Can you be aware but not conscious?" Tags="|mindfulness|terminology|consciousness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2015-05-15T22:13:08.063" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9010" CreationDate="2015-05-10T10:23:25.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In descriptions of the five skandhas the fifth, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;, is described/translated as &quot;consciousness&quot; and &quot;awareness&quot;: as if they're interchangeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But maybe there are other types of awareness. Ibid. says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This type of awareness appears to be more refined and introspective than that associated with the aggregate of perception (saññā) which the Buddha describes in the same discourse as follows [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, in the traditionally venerated 5th-century CE commentary, the Visuddhimagga, there is an extended analogy about a child, an adult villager and an expert &quot;money-changer&quot; seeing a heap of coins; in this analogy, the child's experience is likened to perception, the villager's experience to consciousness, and the money-changer's experience to true understanding (paňňā).[15] Thus, in this context, &quot;consciousness&quot; denotes more than the irreducible subjective experience of sense data suggested in the discourses of &quot;the All&quot; (see prior section); here, &quot;consciousness&quot; additionally entails a depth of awareness reflecting a degree of memory and recognition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe &quot;awareness&quot; is also used for sense-impressions (e.g. visual sight), which &quot;consciousness&quot; then &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#No_essence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;reifies into a chariot&lt;/a&gt;, and/or &quot;consciousness&quot; is also used in the sense of &quot;wisdom&quot; (one word for which is '&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;higher consciousness&lt;/a&gt;')&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know about Buddhist teaching but it's reminding me of one time when my Tai Chi master pretended to attack me and I moved to block without thinking about it: so my action was aware (of what I saw) but unconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly when driving a car: when I was a student driver I had to consciously think about everything ... changing gear, other cars, road signs, stationary objects, indicators, the driving instructor, etc.  Now that I have more-or-less mastered driving it's sufficient to be aware of what I see around me, and to some extent being less conscious implies greater capacity for awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe I developed neural circuitry to handle the sense-input-signals from driving...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T10:23:25.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9005" CreationDate="2015-05-10T10:29:13.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lets take 2 examples where the action are the same:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A &lt;em&gt;surgeon&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;takes a knife and cuts through a person's stomach&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;to save his life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A &lt;em&gt;robber&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;takes a knife and cuts through a person's stomach&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;kill him and take his belongings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both cases the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt; is the same&lt;/strong&gt; but &lt;strong&gt;what differs is the &lt;em&gt;intentions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Hence it is the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; that counts&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets take another example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;A baby squirrel falls into the sea and is washed away. The mother squirrel dips her tail into the sea and runs to the shaking off water with the intention of drying water of the whole sea.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; is good but &lt;strong&gt;irrational&lt;/strong&gt;. Regardless of rationality the &lt;em&gt;Karmic effects&lt;/em&gt; would nevertheless &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt; as the &lt;strong&gt;intention is &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T10:29:13.403" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9004" CreationDate="2015-05-10T11:11:33.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating you have to balance &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy or rapture (pīti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigation (dhamma vicaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (viriya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relaxation (passaddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samādhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and also 5 &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indriya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;faith or conviction or belief (saddhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;energy or persistence or perseverance (viriya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness or memory (sati)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration or focus (samādhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wisdom or understanding or comprehension (pañña).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some cases where you get concentration unbalanced with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_right_exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;efforts&lt;/a&gt;. The strategy to over come this is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1st is realise it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you body is not sensitive then you investigate about the Dhamma by taking large parts, dividing and into smaller areas and looking to see arising and passing in the area. If your insight is not deep enough to see arising and passing look for a sensation or qualities of the elements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if your body is sensitive sweep the body from head to foot and foot to head as this will stir up Piti. Also there are places like the upper lip which are very sensitive and concentration of arising and passing in this spot will stir up Piti. Also you mind is directed from one object to another when you scan.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Like wise you can do mental chanting or contemplative meditation as this tend to also stir up Piti&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take extra efforts to be equanimous and devoid of craving and clinging&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More details can be found in the Wikipedia entry on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five hindrances&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T12:26:12.977" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T12:26:12.977" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8304" CreationDate="2015-05-10T11:30:01.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the stage of Piti or less likely but another possibility is some past fabrication surfacing. Generally practitioners to not get Piti stage quickly, hence take this as a something positive, due to your past practice you have got this easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this this is something like a double edge knife. If you get attached to it then you regress in your practice. (In your case it is something you are averse hence this is something you have to drop and accept it.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use this as a tool:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can use Piti as a tool to eradicate or weaken your craving. General tendency is to get attached. Try to be equanimous. This is the feeling resulting from your past craving. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; for the technicalities)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you have Piti you can practice concentration more easily as there are not pains in your body which might distract. Take this opportunity to do that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dividing and dissecting into progressively smaller areas look closely into this sensation being equanimous. After some practice this will pass and you will be left with a neutral feeling. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using concentration as a vehicle also you can achieve the above (at higher Jhana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations is the mind conditioner. Use this to calm your mental activity. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (read along with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Transcendental Dependent Arising&#xA;A Translation and Exposition of the Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The (eleven) “Without Need of Intention” Discourse - (Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The (ten) “Without Need of Intention” Discourse - (Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and other Suttas covers the formula for liberation (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nibiddā formula&lt;/a&gt;) which mentions who Piti as a &quot;mile stone&quot; in progress your practice until liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T04:34:23.477" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9010" CreationDate="2015-05-10T12:02:42.923" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you start meditation, your conscious is weak but it becomes stronger when you practice and your perception becomes weaker. Your perceptions and mental habits generally cloud your awareness. Generally many things comes to our consciousness but we are not aware at the surface level of the mind to start with but our awareness increases through more practice of meditation we become aware of what every that comes to our consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take an analogy from modern psychology we have the conscious mind and sub conscious mind. As we meditate your conscious mind expands to include our sub conscious mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one stage our whole body is sensitive to what every that comes to the consciousness hence our conscious mind has expanded to the extent there is not sub conscious mind. What ever that comes to our conciousness we are aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell generally it is the opposite for a non mediator. You can, at times, not be aware, as your consciousness has not made an strong imprint, but nevertheless conscious without the surface of you mind knowing. In developing awareness it should be done such that it does not get clouded by perception, i.e., should be rooted in phenomena when meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T18:25:49.153" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T18:25:49.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-10T12:51:31.270" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-mindfulness-good-medicine/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Scientific American article&lt;/a&gt; describes some of the benefits of mindfulness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a remedy for depression and anxiety, mindfulness meditation may&#xA;  help patients let go of negative thoughts instead of obsessing over&#xA;  them. Training people to experience the present, rather than reviewing&#xA;  the past or contemplating the future, may help keep the mind out of a&#xA;  depressive or anxious loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have thoughts that are repeating in a loop, perhaps you are focusing on those thoughts, intentionally or unintentionally, and as suggested above mindfulness meditation may be a solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/guided.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guided Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu to understand how to practise mindfulness meditation. If &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; to practice disturb you, you can find the antidotes in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahmavamso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the purpose of life? Well, the purpose of life is to experience true happiness.&lt;/strong&gt; That's one way to look at it. From the Thanissaro essay:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then bring your thoughts back to the present. &lt;strong&gt;If you want true&#xA;  happiness, you have to find it in the present&lt;/strong&gt;, for the past is gone&#xA;  and the future is an uncertainty. So you have to dig down into the&#xA;  present. What do you have right here? You've got the body, sitting&#xA;  here and breathing. And you've got the mind, thinking and aware. So&#xA;  bring all these things together. Think about the breath and then be&#xA;  aware of the breath as it comes in and goes out. Keeping your thoughts&#xA;  directed to the breath: that's mindfulness. Being aware of the breath&#xA;  as it comes in and out: that's alertness. Keep those two aspects of&#xA;  the mind together. If you want, you can use a meditation word to&#xA;  strengthen your mindfulness. Try &quot;Buddho,&quot; which means &quot;awake.&quot; Think&#xA;  &quot;bud-&quot; with the in-breath, &quot;dho&quot; with the out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Try to breathe as comfortably as possible. &lt;strong&gt;A very concrete way of&#xA;  learning how to provide for your own happiness in the immediate&#xA;  present&lt;/strong&gt; — and at the same time, strengthening your alertness — is to&#xA;  let yourself breathe in a way that's comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what to do when your negative thoughts come back over and over to disturb you? The essay continues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If your mind wanders off, gently bring it right back. If it wanders&#xA;  off ten times, a hundred times, bring it back ten times, a hundred&#xA;  times. Don't give in.&lt;/strong&gt; This quality is called ardency. In other words,&#xA;  as soon as you realize that the mind has slipped away, you bring it&#xA;  right back. You don't spend time aimlessly sniffing at the flowers,&#xA;  looking at the sky, or listening to the birds. You've got work to do:&#xA;  work in learning how to breathe comfortably, how to let the mind&#xA;  settle down in a good space here in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T13:03:34.170" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T13:03:34.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9006" CreationDate="2015-05-10T16:18:13.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My 2 year old toddler isn't ready for sunyata yet, I'm trying to teach him to be nice to the cat (not pull it's tail etc) because the cat feels pain-- as contrasted with, don't do that because I said so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of change is pretty straight forward. In moments of pain, you can remind kids that the pain doesn't last for long-- nothing last for long. In times where everything is going fine, or is fun, the Buddhist thing to do is to remember that nothing lasts for long and the fun of the moment will pass. In moments of tranquility, remind kids that peaceful tranquility doesn't involve pain, nor peaks of happiness, and it's a good state to be in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll report back in two years about if it works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-05-11T02:02:02.870" LastActivityDate="2015-05-11T02:02:02.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9005" CreationDate="2015-05-10T17:01:01.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;According to one of many sources, the definition of intention is described as 'Right intention [...]&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice that the source you link to is not defining &quot;intention&quot; (aka &quot;volition&quot; from pali &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;, or the related &quot;volitional formations&quot;, &quot;kamma formations&quot; or &quot;formations&quot; from pali &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt;), the psychological aspect of the mind associated to &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;, but &quot;Right Intention&quot; (also translated as &quot;right thought&quot;, &quot;right aspiration&quot;, &quot;right resolve&quot; from pali &lt;em&gt;sammā sankappa&lt;/em&gt;) which describes instructions to develop oneself in the path, not an element of the psychological framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If my thought is the result of anger however i do not have intent to harm is that not the result of rational thought?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to contextualize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] &quot;What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Rahula:] &quot;For reflection, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] &quot;In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts are to be done with repeated reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whenever you want to perform a bodily act, you should reflect on it: 'This bodily act I want to perform — would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results?' [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to affliction of others, or both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... you may continue with it.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we understand a thought as an (volitional) &lt;em&gt;act&lt;/em&gt; of angry thinking with intention to harm, and upon seeing the danger in such thinking, one abandons the intention to harm, you could call this reflection a &quot;rational thought&quot;. Afterwards, while still angry, if one has another thought, a non-harming thought, this is another act of thinking with another intention behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you could say this second intention is the &quot;result of a rational thought&quot;, but only to the extent you're explaning that this previous reflection influenced it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to the extent that &quot;result&quot; means a much closer relationship, I think it would risk hiding important details:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention [&lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;], I tell you, is kamma.&#xA;  Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, bhikkhus, is dependent origination? With ignorance as condition, volitional formations [&lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt;] come to be; [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If i do act irrationally, to save or protect a life, is that not intention without thought?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one acts &quot;irrationally to save a life&quot;, I'd say he is acting conscious and deliberately, not irrationally: that's his intention after all, &quot;to save&quot; (*). If he saves &quot;by accident&quot;, then I'd say it was an unreflected, unaware act (with regards to that specific outcome, at least), with no intention to save, but with intention to, say, obtain something else (which, by accident, resulted in saving).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding of Theravada point of view, (and grossly speaking) intention is always behind an (bodily, verbal, mental) act. Intentions, however, are subject to be reshaped by one's own will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, intentions may be succeeded by careful reflection, or not. They may be shaped by previous introspection, just by deep habits, etc. or any combination of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;&#xA;(*) He may be &quot;irrational&quot; in his method, not in absense of &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; or thought.&#xA;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-05-10T17:06:54.843" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T17:06:54.843" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8985" CreationDate="2015-05-10T17:59:10.890" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My heart goes out to him. I wish I could sit with him. There'd be no need to meditate. Maybe I could make him a cup of tea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5129" LastActivityDate="2015-05-10T17:59:10.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9022" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9029" CreationDate="2015-05-11T18:29:00.117" Score="2" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the request of yuttadhammo and Lanka, i am attempting to focus the question. Please let me know if it still remains unclear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The environment is full of daily encounters through the physical, visual, auditory, mental and emotional faculties. Some of these interactions are &lt;code&gt;positive&lt;/code&gt; in that they help promote the well being of one-self and other whilst others are &lt;code&gt;negative&lt;/code&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems all is an illusion especially when some of these interactions out-weigh the other e.g. &lt;code&gt;positive&lt;/code&gt; vs &lt;code&gt;negative&lt;/code&gt; and vice versa. Often this feels like a battle to bring more positive in light of the negative. The emotional and mental effort required to keep forging ahead seems futile. Repeatedly i am told that meditation is the path however i fail to see how when it seems that it is intended more for me than for me and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel like a battered and wounded lion or soldier. I feel lost. Concepts are unedifying since they further cloud the situation e.g. where truth end and lies start, where right and wrong are right and wrong, etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does one do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Original Question&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition of &lt;code&gt;environment&lt;/code&gt; in the context of the question is to do with the daily encounters one has with the world be it through physical interaction, auditory, visual, emotional or mental. Each day, these interactions are &lt;code&gt;positive&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;negative&lt;/code&gt;. An example of &lt;code&gt;positive&lt;/code&gt; may be someone assists another in need of help. An example of &lt;code&gt;negative&lt;/code&gt; may be when someone is not conducive to the problem or issue at hand or a war stricken land. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the &lt;code&gt;positive&lt;/code&gt; outweigh the &lt;code&gt;negative&lt;/code&gt; and vice versa. Sometimes it feels like a battle to bring positive possibilities as you are attempting to shine light in a large area of darkness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one approach this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one remain motivated?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one help another through their suffering?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one trust another?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I may be wrong in my understanding however meditation appears to be an activity for oneself. It does not encompass the wider world. If all is interdependent and interrelated, is this not futile?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="4841" LastEditDate="2015-05-12T08:16:14.937" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T14:45:17.233" Title="Buddhism and the surrounding environment" Tags="|fundamentals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8973" CreationDate="2015-05-11T21:20:49.727" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following only is relevant if you follow Buddhism\ the following are all from Shantideva's text: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Upon finding the boat of human birth now, cross the great river of suffering. O fool, there is no time to sleep, for this boat is hard to catch again.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When shall I encounter the extremely rare appearance of the Tathagata, faith, human existence and the ability to practice virtue,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Health , daily sustenance, and lack of adversity? life is momentary and deceptive; and the body is as if on loan. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With such behavior on my part, a human state is certainly not obtained again. When a human state is not achieved, there is only vice. When a human state is not achieved, there is only vice and how could there be blessing? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I do not perform virtue even when I am capable of it, what then shall I do when fully dazed by the sufferings of miserable states of existence&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For one who does not perform virtue but accumulates sin, even the expression &quot;favorable state of existence&quot; will be lost for a thousand million eons. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Blessed One (Buddha) stated that human existence is extremely hard to obtain, like a turtle's head emerging into the ring of a yoke on a vast ocean. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text goes on and on. Too lazy to type the rest. I'll leave you with one of my favorite lines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Enemies such as craving and hatred are without arms, legs and so on. They are neither courageous nor wise. How is it that they have enslaved me? &quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-If you are a Buddhist and accept certain Buddhist ideas and thoughts then the above may help answer your question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5133" LastActivityDate="2015-05-11T21:20:49.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2167" CreationDate="2015-05-12T12:39:04.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://home.comcast.net/~turning.point.meditation/kasina/kasina.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This link&lt;/a&gt; goes into detail about how to construct and use a colored-wheel kasina device. I have been using this 'method' for a few weeks now to some good effect...there is something about being able to concentrate on a tangible visual object that makes it easier for a beginner like myself to cultivate and sustain concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-05-12T12:39:04.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9022" CreationDate="2015-05-12T15:43:44.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you will end up getting better answers to your question. But I'll answer what I can. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It truly is exhausting to be in a mind state of continually judging every experience and every facet of life as positive or negative and trying to continually change things to be as you would have them. One of the reasons people come to mediation is because they realize they can't change the world and they want to learn to live in the world in a way that causes less suffering for themselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is something an individual does but because of the way it changes the individual; it also changes things in the individual's world. Spending time in meditation can help a meditator to become very aware of things they are doing which are causing suffering for themselves and others. It can help one to realize that suffering comes internally by identifying things as me and mine and trying desperately to prop up that fragile ego of me and mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relief of learning to loosen the grip of needing to have everything under your control and everything to your liking is tremendous. I don't think it can be properly explained; it's something that needs to be experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are concerned that meditating will make you indifferent to the needs of others, I can only say that because you are, examining your own mind when you meditate, you really can't hide anything from yourself. So if you are doing something that causes suffering to others, it'll be clear and you won't want to continue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-05-12T15:43:44.923" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9026" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-12T17:49:38.067" Score="6" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;I noticed in my practice that I was unable to sustain my attention on breath when it became relatively subtle . Is this because my mindfulness is not mature enough to hold on to subtle objects of meditation? What sort of action could help me to overcome this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-12T18:30:44.813" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T07:03:57.233" Title="Unable to sustain mindfulness on subtle breath" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9026" CreationDate="2015-05-12T21:54:10.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with losing your focus of the breath, as long as wherever the mind goes, you are aware of that moment. That is, in my view, perfect practice. You are not restricting yourself to the breath or anything. Which is correct! Wherever the mind goes, it goes... you can't control it. So by simply watching where the attention of the mind falls upon, you are fully focused in the moment. Just like watching a butterfly gently landing onto different flowers, being carried by the wind. We have no idea how strong the wind will blow nor do will know in which direction... but, you can still watch the butterfly attentively, as it lands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's just my view. My understanding of correct practice.&#xA;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-05-12T21:54:10.860" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9026" CreationDate="2015-05-13T03:38:11.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realise your mind has wandered away and bring it back. In doing this not the sensations caused by the your attention has gone to. Sensations arising from thought polifration. Apply efforts not to react with craving and clinging maintaining perfect equanimity. Investigate the Dhamma to see arising and passing, i.e., start of sensations, peaking and passing also dividing and dissecting it until you see what it is made of at the level of Kalapas (subatomic particles)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;until there is breathing there is some more opportunity to calm down the fabrications. Keep looking at it applying sustained and continuous effort. After each in breath reviews if you were with the breath for part breath had stopped (initially a small time like a blink of an eye) and the part that you breathed in. Likewise for the out breath. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to prepare your self to look at sensations. So focus on touch and bodily sensations on the chosen spot. (Step 5 to 8, 2nd triad.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also you have to make your self sensitive to all bodies, in order to see subtlest realities pertaining to phenomena at the level of Kalapa. So exercise of looking at the subtlest breath can help increase your sensitivity. Sustained and continuous effort to maintain the focus can help increase concentration. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-13T07:03:57.233" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T07:03:57.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9022" CreationDate="2015-05-13T09:47:41.447" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to 1st have a shift of paradigm in your thinking. This might help. The paradigm shift you need to experience is that anything external cannot really hurt you unless you hurt your self in reaction to and external input. What hurts you happen from within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to this keep in mind the environment for sensory input in conditioned by past fabrications and our natural tendency is that we consider this positive and negative. A source of misery is this classification by our perception in the 1st place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's loot at the process where you actually get hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A wanted thing has not happen&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An unwanted thing has happen&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st you recognise and perceive such thing has append. Then there is a mental reaction to such mental imprint. This causes a sensation either pleasant or unpleasant. Do cut off this experience of pleasantness or unpleasantness may be a bit far off but there is a nearer solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience the initial sensation this brings up more memories and thoughts which compound either to intensify or reduce the intensity of the sensation. Initially you can address this issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to address this is that 1st you experience a sensation you react with craving and aversion. Try your best to keep your mind equanimous. This will gradually reduce the potential proliferation with practice. Then you can look at distracting yourself from the cause. Generally it would be a good idea to look at your breath. You will see that it has become hard. Wait till it to become normal. If it is aversion do some Metta, if it is lustful imagine if body parts were separate will you still perceive the person as beautiful, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To drive out ignorance which is the root cause of misery, look at the sensation closely. Where is it the most intense, when you start from a bounty of the sensation what direction, it is intense, try dividing the areas of the sensation into smaller parts and look at the smaller areas. Look at changes in it and how its looses intensity and pass away. As you practice you should try to see it as more finer and finer levels until you see this at the level or arising and passing of Kalapa. Also also try to realise how it originates, i.e., some contact of the other. Be mindful of all contacts without reaction or craving and clinging being absolutely mindful or arising and passing of phenomena within the framework of the 4 foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the utmost level how this happens if when you get any sense input from the environment you piece together a picture to which you react. Once you see, hear or scene something, this alone causes a mild sensation. Piecing together the picture and reacting causes a larger sensation. With practice you can cut off the second reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last but not least, you can work yourself to cut out future unpleasant experiences from within and the environment. Even experiences we call pleasant are not that satisfactory as they do not last and we cannot control them. Your environment is created by fabrication of the past. At this moment by reacting you are creating fabrication for the future. There are 2 things you have to do. 1) Drive out ignorance (glossed over before) and understand the 4 Noble Truths and Dependent Origination 2) Stop putting more fuel experience future unpleasantness. The strategy to do this is in the light of sensations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasant sensations -  this is because of past fabrication of clinging and craving. The dander is that you will cling and crave for the pleasant sensations. Be equanimous with absolutely not clinging or craving. Look at the arising and passing of the elements and Kalapas which make the sensation to dispel any possible taint of ignorance at the particular time. If you cannot see arising and passing just look at the sensation analysing is breaking it into small areas and looking at the intensity and change of the sensation and eventual passing away of it keeping in mind at what every you experience will eventually pass away. Being eqaunimous towards pleasant sensation you are not creating new fabrication or future environment to experience unsatisfactory sensation of the same type and also depleting you old stock of fabrication created by clinging. Through in the future you may experience some pleasantness this will always result in disappointment due to the 3 marks of existance (Impermanence and change, un satisfactoriness, no absolute control). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Painful sensation - these are result of past aversion. Use this to deplete your old stock of fabrication of painful sensation hence you will not experience painful experiences in the future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral sensation - similarly for neutral sensation. Use this to deplete fabrication due to ignorance. This has some more dangers than pleasantness. There is a chance you might think you have reached the final goal when you experience neutral sensation. You have to look closely and then you still will see things are arising and passing. Also there is a danger this can bake you restless in which case best is to practice concentration. Also there is a chance you might get sloth and toper. Then it is best to practice investigation and practice which have some metal movement (like scanning the body) or mental chattering (like Metta, or in some cases chanting). These practices may make you fall back to Piti if you are experiencing Passaddhi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-13T14:45:17.233" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T14:45:17.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8159" CreationDate="2015-05-13T10:19:18.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assuming your main question is what is the middle path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There paths can be viewed as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeking pleasures to satisfy the sense bases&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeking pain as means to eradicate past fabrication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neither seek pleasure or pain but live peacefully with oneself and others (Middle path)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the middle path comprises morality, mastery over the mind and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1st you give up hurting others, hence establish in morality. (In many cases this is in seeking excessive worldly pleasures.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;2nd you develop mastery over the mind where you mind is devoid of clinging and craving, mindful on arising and passing of phenomena and focused on a wholesome object (like arising and passing of phenomena)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;3rd you develop wisdom by seeing: 3 characteristics, some understanding or karmic formations (any metal volition gives a subtle sensation of what the sensation would be when the results ripens), 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are under attack this environment is conditioned by perhaps past Karma. At this point you are agitated as you are under attack. Loosing the balance of you mind will hamper your cause of action to get out of the situation. The best is to use a clever tactic or flee. If not perhaps attack but without hatred. (I guess in martial arts this is what is advocated.). Try keeping your calm by watching your breath and sensations. You can use the sensation you experience in such a situation to eradicate your past stock of Karma. When the situation was created your past karma is bearing fruit. If you do not create new karma by reacting to the sensation you experience in the situation you are not creating new karma which might bring about similar situations in the future. Also try some Metta towards them. This way you are handling the situation within the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See @ChisW's and @ruben2020's answer to compliment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-13T14:59:18.177" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T14:59:18.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8225" CreationDate="2015-05-13T10:30:18.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Equanimity is being devoid of aversion and craving towards what every sensory input you get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also be devoid of ignorance by keeping your focus of arising and passing of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to practice equanimity towards sensory input as it is Anatman. You cannot control it. Since you cannot control it, i.e., you cannot create, prolong or prevent any sensations. All sensations are in a flux of change. If you try it will be stressful as you will either seek continues sense input hence Dukka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T10:30:18.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9001" CreationDate="2015-05-13T12:36:55.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Brahmin disciple approached Buddha and told&#xA;&quot;I've learnt many things in my life. But I really can't remember them&quot;&#xA;Buddha answered that the reason for forgetting what you learn are Pancha Nivarana(Five Mental Hindrances). They are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ill Will/Anger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sloth and torpor(Tiredness/Sleepiness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Excitement and Worry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perplexity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution to avoid this is practicing meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithri.com/links/articles/mind5hindrn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.maithri.com/links/articles/mind5hindrn.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="72" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T12:36:55.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9033" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9035" CreationDate="2015-05-13T16:04:29.087" Score="7" ViewCount="68986" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists like to say Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!, usually 3 times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some info &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2011/10/sadhu-sadhu-sabhu.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism4nirvana.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-very-first-step-for-buddhist.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How did this practice originate? Are there any references to the Pali Canon or other texts for this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it specific to a particular tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it necessary or useful to say this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2018-06-14T06:21:29.723" Title="Practice of saying Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!" Tags="|belief|traditions|mantra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9033" CreationDate="2015-05-13T17:27:13.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sadhu in this context is used for approval and agreement as well as saying &quot;well said&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other contexts it can be used for a holy or venerated person entity. Generally it is generally used for Hindu priests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sadhu/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sadhu/index.html&lt;/a&gt; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-13T17:33:11.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T17:33:11.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9033" CreationDate="2015-05-13T18:46:16.727" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw gives some insight, if not an actual answer in his discourse on the Hemavata Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was constantly into the jhāna, and for that He is adorable. While, after the end of a part of a sermon the audience exclaimed in one voice, &amp;quot;Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Well done!) the Buddha went into jhāna even during that brief interval. And then He resumed the sermon. Such constancy is really marvelous.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are occasions  for the audience to say &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; during my preaching but they are rather few. But in Myanmar it is usual for the audience to say &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; at the end of a Pāḷi gāthā (verse) of which the preaching monk gives a literal translation. When the monk ends in a long drawn-out voice with the (Myanmar) phrase &amp;quot;phyitkya le dawt tha dee&amp;quot; the audience says without any hesitation, Sādhu. They don't care to notice whether the verse so recited and translated relates to a subject which calls for an exultant hailing or not. They just note ending words &amp;quot;tha dee&amp;quot; and drone out &amp;quot;Sādhu.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, in the Vessantrā jātaka, king Vessantrā gave away his two children, a son and a daughter of tender ages of four or five, to Jujaka Brāhmin. The Pāḷi verse in that connection describes the Brāhmin's cruel treatment of the children who wept desolately; how the Brāhmin beat them cruelly and dragged them away. When the preaching monk recited that verse and translated it into Myanmar and ended his version with the usual &amp;quot;tha dee&amp;quot; the audience droned out the usual  &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot;. Well, that is the part of the story which calls for sympathy and sadness from the listeners, not exultation, and so the  &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; went awry. But in Myanmar the audience don't care to discriminate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka, however, the audience intones &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; three times only for the part of the sermon which related to attainment of Arahatship or Nibbāna, for that is an occasion of exultation when a congratulatory note of joy, such as &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot;, is called for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the time of the Buddha the practice of saying &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; must be of the Sri Lanka pattern. When the audience said &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; three times, the Buddha paused, and during that brief interval He went into jhāna, and soon after the saying of   &amp;quot;Sādhu&amp;quot; by the audience, He resumed His sermon, He never remained idle, How adorable!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The preaching monks of today may not be entering into the jhāna; that brief interval is probably the time of resting his voice or it is the time for him to think of the words he will utter when he resumes his sermon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was certainly common in the Buddha's time to respond to an appreciated statement with the word &amp;quot;sādhu&amp;quot;; this occurs throughout the tipitaka and commentaries. E.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“aparopi ce, cunda, sabrahmacārī saṅghe dhammaṃ bhāseyya. tatra ce tumhākaṃ evamassa — ‘ayaṃ kho āyasmā atthañceva sammā gaṇhāti byañjanāni ca sammā ropetī’ti. &lt;strong&gt;tassa ‘sādhū’’ti bhāsitaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; abhinanditabbaṃ anumoditabbaṃ; tassa ‘sādhū’’ti bhāsitaṃ abhinanditvā anumoditvā so evamassa vacanīyo — ‘lābhā no āvuso, suladdhaṃ no āvuso, ye mayaṃ āyasmantaṃ tādisaṃ sabrahmacāriṃ passāma evaṃ atthupetaṃ byañjanupetan’ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘But, Cunda, if you think he has got the right meaning and expressed it correctly,... &lt;strong&gt;you should say: ʺGood!ʺ&lt;/strong&gt; and should applaud and congratulate him, saying: “We are lucky, we are most fortunate to find in you, friend, a companion in the holy life who is so well-versed in both the meaning and the expression!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DN 29 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the tradition to repeat it three times, I can't find an example in the tipitaka; twice seems common - dual repetition in pali is certainly a common construction (e.g. punappuna.m - again and again):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;sādhu, sādhu, puṇṇa!&lt;/strong&gt; sakkhissasi kho tvaṃ, puṇṇa, iminā damūpasamena samannāgato sunāparantasmiṃ janapade viharituṃ. yassadāni tvaṃ, puṇṇa, kālaṃ maññasī”ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;Good, good, Puṇṇa!&lt;/strong&gt; Possessing such self-control and peacefulness, you will be able to dwell in the Sunāparanta country. Now, Puṇṇa, it is time to do as you think fit.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is mention in the commentaries (e.g. DN-A) of the phrase &amp;quot;tikkhattuṃ sādhukāramadāsi&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;giving a sādhu-making three times&amp;quot;) but I am not clear if this really means saying sādhu three times. In modern times, this is certainly how the Pali phrase is used and understood, but we also see (Jat-A 540):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“sādhu sādhu, bhikkhū”ti tikkhattuṃ sādhukāraṃ datvā...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;having given sādhu-making three times, [saying] &amp;quot;sādhu, sādhu, bhikkhu!&amp;quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, it's clearly a part of the tradition since ancient times in one form or another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to why it is considered beneficial, rejoicing in the the goodness of others is one of the ten means of acquiring goodness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T21:54:36.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9036" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9041" CreationDate="2015-05-13T19:08:04.193" Score="4" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alright, this will probably sound odd for most people on here: I cannot seem to place my mind on an object, as in make my attention rest upon an object as to define it more or emphasize it. However, I've managed to (from what I understand) diminish gross excitement and gross laxity, meaning I can sustain concentration but this concentration is not &lt;em&gt;of&lt;/em&gt; an object. I'm merely looking at the object, not concentrating on it. I'm having much trouble develop the mental factor of contact, which may seem impossible but I don't know how to explain this better. Any advice? Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5102" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:22:28.297" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:22:28.297" Title="I Seem to have Developed the Faculty of Introspection But Not Mindfulness (Contact)" Tags="|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9037" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-13T19:13:39.747" Score="3" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;Somehow, I seem to be forming mandalas within my psyche without any particular knowledge of how I'm doing so. I'm merely walking around, or meditating, and there will occur mandalas of great complexity (usually of the same shape) which arise in my mind. When they do, my mind will explore and think about them, almost obsessively, and attempt to understand them. Any idea about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5102" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T19:36:22.533" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:36:22.533" Title="Spontaneous Formation of Mandalas" Tags="|meditation-visualisation|mandala|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9001" CreationDate="2015-05-13T19:14:05.483" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a tricky one. I have my method, and hopefully you will find it useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During study the mind is actively engaged in understanding the subject at hand. So it is strenuous and perhaps pointless or even detrimental to try to understand the subject &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; penetrating deeply into the reality of the mental phenomena at play. To me, there is a very good compromise between the two goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the main characteristics of vipassana is to see things exactly as they are. There are many methods to acomplish this, among them the Mahasi Vipassana Technique. The famous instructions the Buddha gave to Bahya apply here, in my opinion. Namely &quot;In the seen, just the seen; in the sensed, just the sensed; &lt;strong&gt;in the cognised, just the cognised&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. Therefore, I usualy try to study with the aim of understanding the ideas without adding defilements to the ideas. During study you may not be directly concerned with deep insight, so you are not directing your mind to that purpose. But you will be more dispassionate, peaceful, alert and with more mental clarity. This is useful for vipassana, much like samatha is useful for vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-05-13T19:14:05.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9039" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9072" CreationDate="2015-05-13T19:26:21.733" Score="9" ViewCount="960" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many of us spend at least a couple of hours per day on public transport like bus, train or underground (for me it is around 2.5 hours).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How could we use that time to develop right mindfulness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2015-05-14T04:45:58.483" LastActivityDate="2017-09-13T16:48:24.620" Title="Mindfulness when on the train, underground and bus" Tags="|modern-world|mindfulness|daily-life|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9040" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9043" CreationDate="2015-05-14T08:39:10.400" Score="5" ViewCount="397" Body="&lt;p&gt;When staying at buddhist monasteries (Theravada for me so far) there are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Eight_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Eight Precepts&quot;&gt;Eight Precepts&lt;/a&gt; to be followed. I am familiar with the eight precepts. Regarding the precepts &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This bothers me already for a while: &quot;To refrain from any kind of erotic behaviour&quot; one thing bothers me already for a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cite from the information for guests from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; title=&quot;Amaravati Buddhist monastery&quot;&gt;Amaravati Buddhist monastery&lt;/a&gt; since the point which bothers me is well formulated there (I cannot directly link to the information for guests since it is mailed as PDF and not online on their website):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;To refrain from any kind of erotic behaviour&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] For lay guests, while you are here you should avoid&#xA;  cultivating intimate relationships. This means to avoid physical&#xA;  contact [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Full qoute for your reference at the bottom, here extracted the part relevant to the question extracted)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand (also by experience, although I've never done &quot;real&quot; sex up to now) why to refrain from erotic behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I never understand why physical contact is automatically&#xA;associated with erotic practices. Take bodywork (therapeutic) or massage for example. Take communication through physical contact than through words (as in&#xA;Shiatsu, or simple games with hands-on) for example. Take dance-forms that concentrate on the experience pf physical principles rather than&#xA;&quot;socialising-partnerfinding&quot; (such as Contact Improvisation) for example.  Acrobatics. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there may be many erotic scenarios without involving&#xA;physical contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what is so special about physical contact in the context of erotic/sexual behaviour that it needs to be forbidden at all at monasteries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;To refrain from any kind of erotic behaviour&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An important aspect of spiritual practice is the transformation of energy. This precept refers specifically to Sexual energy which can be transformed into 'heart energy'. To support this process, our training in the community requires that all behaviour supports the practice of celibacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For lay guests, while you are here you should avoid cultivating intimate relationships. This means to avoid physical contact or actively seeking out the company of anyone to whom you may feel sexually attracted. Even in speech, it is important to be sensitive to time, place and topic, not&#xA;  creating or furthering situations in which sexual attraction may arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is especially true in contact with the monastics. For the monks and nuns, even private conversation with the opposite sex has strict boundaries. Such contact must be in a public place, or with a chaperon present (and sensitive also to topics discussed). Certain times are available for&#xA;  you to speak with some of the senior monks and nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4994" LastActivityDate="2015-05-15T06:53:04.773" Title="What is special about physical contact in the context of erotic/sexual behaviour?" Tags="|sexuality|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9036" CreationDate="2015-05-14T08:53:12.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I cannot seem to place my mind on an object, as in make my attention rest upon an object as to define it more or emphasize it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many beginners have this problem. There are couple of solution:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breath Meditation&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When doing breath meditation when starting be aware of your surrounding like the sounds, touch of your shirt or air touching your body. Do this for a few minutes only. When doing breath meditation and you realise your mind has gone to a sound realise that and then stay with the sound and your breath for a short while and then bring it back. If this has caused any through proliferation and other sensations in the body look at them for a short while. These sensation can trigger other distractions so realise their presence and ensure equanimity towards them (if not already not their develop it). If there is a pleasant smell you might have delight in it and this might be turning up other memories which intern triggers other thoughts and memories in associating with the sensation, what you recognise this as and your mental reaction.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Awareness&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in developing awareness it might be worth while to try to switch from object to object. You can try systematically scanning your body. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, I've managed to (from what I understand) diminish gross excitement and gross laxity, meaning I can sustain concentration but this concentration is not of an object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist meditation your object should be a wholesome object. So see that you are concentrated on. Concentration by definition (in some traditions) your mind being in one object when there is many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm merely looking at the object, not concentrating on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the object is perhaps the same as staying with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm having much trouble develop the mental factor of contact, which may seem impossible but I don't know how to explain this better. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very difficult to see consciousness arising from contact. These can only be seen if at all at very later stages of the practice. So don't worry about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically progress is: &lt;code&gt;object &amp;gt; contact &amp;gt; conciousness &amp;gt; Feeling &amp;gt; Perception &amp;gt; volition &amp;gt; thinking &amp;gt; pondering&lt;/code&gt; of each of the sense door&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to catch the train at the stage of &lt;code&gt;Feeling &amp;gt; Perception &amp;gt; volition &amp;gt; thinking &amp;gt; pondering&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-14T10:07:40.153" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T10:07:40.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9039" CreationDate="2015-05-14T10:43:20.107" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;1st lets analyse the situation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There will be a lot of distraction like sounds, sites, chatting if with a colleges, reading, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are standing you have to keep your balance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are the driver you have to be mindful of the road and everything around you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the risks associated with the situation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your mind will wonder into an object and you loose awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Developing sloth and toper (especially in the case you are the driver)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not been effective at multi tasking to better utilise the time, like mediation while driving, chatting, doing a piece of work on your laptop, reading, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;missing your stop&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is not conducive in such a situation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;trying to keep your focus on one object if you are a beginner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;practices which might make you sleepy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;practices which might be prone to you loose your awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also key ingredients of the right type of mindfulness you have to develop (as per Buddha's instructions in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/d22-Mahasatipatthana-S-tltr-piya_111203.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on one or more of the 4 foundations of mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;aware of arising and passing or the constant thorough understanding of impermanence or clear compensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;inside and out side piercingly and penetratingly (examining elements and sensation arising in internal organs also)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;diving and dissecting&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;devoid of craving and aversion or strongly equanimous&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;working at the experiential level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets work out the strategy which will be effective in the situation mitigating the risks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satisfy the natural tendency of the mind to jump from object to object as you are among distractions. (Changing objects, multiple objects - anchor and secondary and tertiary objects)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Since there is chances of distraction try to change objects systematically with sustained and applied thought to do this in the chosen manner - e.g. scanning the body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make sure you have sustained and applied through on 1) some wholesome object 2) without loosing awareness, so you do not get sleepy. Again scanning the body is good. May be having an anchor or secondary object or tertiary object is good,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;have a anchor point while scanning. Use the breath or some sensation like your lips touching or just the upper lip. Having more objects mean that chances of loosing your awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;With regard to distractions &lt;code&gt;object &amp;gt; contact &amp;gt; conciousness &amp;gt; Feeling &amp;gt; Perception &amp;gt; volition &amp;gt; thinking &amp;gt; pondering&lt;/code&gt; of each of the sense door. Try to catch the train at the stage of &lt;code&gt;Feeling &amp;gt; Perception &amp;gt; volition &amp;gt; thinking &amp;gt; pondering&lt;/code&gt;, but earlier the better. When a distraction comes 1st be are of it. &lt;code&gt;Perception &amp;gt; volition &amp;gt; thinking &amp;gt; pondering&lt;/code&gt; stages also has sensation associated with them. So look at them. Make sure you are not taking craving, clinging or averse to any of the sensations. Look closely to see the sensations with the awareness of arising and passing (or the constant thorough understanding of impermanence or clear compensation). If it does not pass be aware of the sensations and continue scanning (come back to the anchor and then continue scanning if you are doing this). If the sensations seam to be lingering for some times let go of the sensation and pay more attention to the are you are scanning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you are doing a piece of office work, studying, reading, driving, etc. this causes sensations as there is mental activity involved. Keep your mind steadfastly on this sensations. If driving keep your focus on sensation around your eyes, ears, head, perception of what might happen, etc. but consciously switch objects so you do not get drowsy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T10:43:20.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9040" CreationDate="2015-05-14T15:24:38.943" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;...&quot;I never understand why physical contact is automatically associated with erotic practices&quot;... We are not in control of how sensual desires arise. The only thing we can do to control erotic desire is to cut out what has been known to make the erotic desire arise and that means abstaining from physical contact. Doesn't it help meditation practice when we don't do things that could possibly lead to defilement and distraction? Erotic desire entangles  and greatly distracts us from the task of seeing things as they are. Metta :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T15:24:38.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9039" CreationDate="2015-05-14T21:13:14.220" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too am on public transport for a reasonable part of the day. When I look around at my fellow passengers it's always notable to me how many are not present. The majority of people are on phones, checking social media, listening to music, flicking through a newspaper, doing anything but being present. It is rare to see people just sat there. This isn't to judge these people - commuting is tough particularly on some routes and people do what they feel they must do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's not just other people. I do it - listening to music, checking the phone etc... Recently I've challenged myself just to let go of these crutches to my commute. I don't listen to music etc.. etc.. I just sit there. I try to take notice. I wait and see what crazy thought pops into my head and try to spot where it came from. I try to be aware of my fellow commuters. I sometime play a game with myself where I wait and see how long it takes before I get bored. I never get bored. I get restless, frustrated but not bored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now this is a good practice for me. My life is busy but I just add to it. There are moments in the day when I can take in a bit less information - commuting is one of them. &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Guarding_the_Senses.htm&quot;&gt;Guarding the sense doors&lt;/a&gt; is an important (and difficult) practice for me. I truly believe that it's improved my mental state and is having a positive effect on my meditation practice. It's all conditions and if I spend my commute pumping extra information into my mind it's not surprising that at the end of the day I feel like I've poisoned my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer is just my personal experience but I hope it's of some interest to you. Good luck with the practice on your commute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T21:13:14.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9045" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9046" CreationDate="2015-05-14T21:38:14.987" Score="4" ViewCount="627" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for the most important Buddhist readings regarding vipassana teachings. I have read thoroughly the Satipatthana Sutta, but I wonder if there are other important texts regarding insight meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5019" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T04:04:27.203" Title="Important readings in vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-15T00:08:37.290" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9045" CreationDate="2015-05-14T22:07:00.527" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes there are some great teachings by the burmese meditation master &lt;em&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot;&gt;This website offers free books by Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; dealing with vipassana meditation and how to develop insight. This is a quote from the website regarding the free books:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The books in this section are free for downloads and personal uses. However, commercial uses are not allowed. The Buddha Sasana Online has acquired permission from Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization to post the books for free downloads as a gift for the Internet community. Therefore please keep these resources free, and if you wish to link to these files, please do not do so. Please copy the files to your own webspace, and save our bandwidth for other people. If you wish to distribute these books, you also need to ask permission from the publishers. Thank you&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find these books useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/VIPASSANA.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. A Discourse on Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An extensive guideline through the practice of Vipassana meditation and explanation of the Satipatthana medthod, including how Nibbana is realized through this method of practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/FUNDAMENTALS%20OF%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;21. Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book includes an explanation of the difference of Samatha and Vipassana meditation, how Vipassana is practiced, the theory behind the practice, and how the practice achieves the goal of Nibbana and fulfills the Eightfold Noble Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/PRACTICAL%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATIONAL%20EXERCISES.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;26. Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a brief look to the Vipassana meditation along with a few exercises to begin with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/PURPOSE%20OF%20PRACTISING%20KAMMATTHANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;28. Purpose of Practicing Kammatthana (Buddhist) Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw explains the two kinds of meditations taught by the Buddha as well as a brief teaching on how to practice the two methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;29. Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book explains the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation method that's taught by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta. It explains extensively the instructions given by the Buddha in the Satipatthana sutta, the practice, and the theory behind it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/VISUDDHI-NANA-KATTHA.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;30. Summary of Discourses on Purity and Insight (Visuddhi-Nana-Kattha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a collection of discourses given by the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw on the subjects of purity and insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/THE%20SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;31. The Satipatthana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is yet another discourse to extensively discuss the Satipatthana meditation method prescribed by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-14T22:07:00.527" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-15T00:08:37.290" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9047" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9049" CreationDate="2015-05-15T06:15:06.610" Score="8" ViewCount="1712" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taoism and Buddhism say we should distance our self from suffering and accept life as is if we cannot change it. But what if we have serious clinical depression or cannot provide properly for those we care about?&#xA;It is easy to distance when your self is the only factor but not when others depend on us. If we cannot make the lives of those we care about good then is the next step to teach them Buddhist or Tao values of accepting life as is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5144" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T13:48:09.153" Title="How does one escape suffering when they cannot provide for those they love" Tags="|lay-buddhism|suffering|daily-life|taoism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9040" CreationDate="2015-05-15T06:53:04.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me just tell you the story of a monk and his disciple... On a pilgrimage they came upto a shallow river where they are supposed to cross it by walking... At the same time on the banks they saw a beautiful young woman standing hesitated to cross ... To the bewilderment of the young disciple the monk calmly went to the woman and asked her to climb his shoulder and he carried her across... After crossing the river the monk dropped her down and walked on as if nothing happened... The disciple couldnot hold his frustration any longer and bursted out...&quot;what was that?&quot;.... The monk looked surprised and then he calmly replied...&quot;why are you still carrying the woman on your shoulders?&quot;.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it is all about your intentions... As long as you does not intend any sexuality in any of your actions there should be no taboo for physical contact... But you must be sure be like  the monk who was able to let down the woman from his shoulders...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3643" LastActivityDate="2015-05-15T06:53:04.773" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9047" CreationDate="2015-05-15T14:57:16.530" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a thoughtful question. I understand your sorrow and frustration. I find it very interesting though, in my conversations with rich and healthy people, many say that in fact they find it more difficult to distance themselves from life because &quot;Everything is going so well.&quot; Contrary to popular belief, having adversity in one life can make it easier to let go of the false sense of a material identity. There is a common misinterpretation that life is suffering only when we meet adversity. Life can also be suffering when we are rich and healthy too. What is the key: do we identify with a healthy body or a sick body. Either way it is impermanent. Meditation helps us experience the Permanent and non malleable part of being that is and is not. Meditation clarifies who we are. Words can confuse who we are. Use words sparingly but do not try to  identify yourself with them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an article giving more details.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp1_f6.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp1_f6.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a) Life is suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha told us that &quot;Life is Suffering&quot;. One who does not&#xA;  understand the Truth of this may think that life is meaningless and&#xA;  become negative and pessimistic. Actually, this theory is commonly&#xA;  misunderstood. People in society and even some Buddhists are trapped&#xA;  in this wrong and gloomy view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we encounter phenomena, and have a feeling of dislike, worry or&#xA;  pain, we say that there is &quot;suffering&quot;. This should not be generalised&#xA;  to &quot;all life is suffering&quot;, because there is also a lot of happiness&#xA;  in life! Noises are disturbing but nice melodies bring happiness. When&#xA;  one is sick, poor, separated from loved ones, one has suffering. But&#xA;  when one is healthy, wealthy, together with one’s family, one is very&#xA;  happy. Suffering and happiness exist in all phenomena. Actually where&#xA;  there is happiness, there will be suffering. They are in contrast with&#xA;  each other. If’ we only say that life is suffering when things do not&#xA;  go according to our wish we are rather foolish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha says, &quot;Life is suffering&quot;. What does &quot;suffering&quot; mean? The&#xA;  sutras say: &quot;Impermanence therefore suffering&quot;. Everything is&#xA;  impermanent and changeable. The Buddha says that life is suffering&#xA;  because it is impermanent and ever-changing. For example, a healthy&#xA;  body cannot last forever. It will gradually become weak, old. sick and&#xA;  die. One who is wealthy cannot maintain one’s wealth forever.&#xA;  Sometimes one may become poor. Power and status do not last as well,&#xA;  one will lose them finally. From this condition of changing and&#xA;  instability, although there is happiness and joy, they are not ever&#xA;  lasting and ultimate. When changes come, suffering arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, the Buddha says life is suffering. Suffering means&#xA;  dissatisfaction, impermanence and imperfection. If a practising&#xA;  Buddhist does not understand the real meaning of &quot;suffering&quot; and think&#xA;  that life is not perfect and ultimate, they become negative and&#xA;  pessimistic in their view of life. Those who really understand the&#xA;  teaching of the Buddha will have a totally different view. We should&#xA;  know that the theory of &quot;Life is suffering&quot; taught by the Buddha is to&#xA;  remind us that life is not ultimate and lasting, and hence we should&#xA;  strive towards Buddhahood — a permanent and perfect life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is similar to one who is sick. One must know that one is sick&#xA;  before wanting to seek the doctor’s treatment. Only then can the&#xA;  sickness be cured. Why is life not ultimate and permanent and full of&#xA;  suffering? There must be a cause for the suffering. Once one knows the&#xA;  cause of suffering, one will try one’s best to be rid of the causes,&#xA;  and hence end the suffering and attain ultimate peacefulness and&#xA;  happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A practising Buddhist should practice according to the Buddha’s&#xA;  instruction, and change this imperfect and non-ultimate life to a&#xA;  ultimate and perfect one. Then would come a state of permanent joy,&#xA;  personality, and purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Permanent means ever-lasting, joy means peacefulness and happiness,&#xA;  personality means freedom and non-attachment, purity means&#xA;  cleanliness. This highest aim of Buddhism is not only to break through&#xA;  the suffering of life but to transform this suffering life into a life&#xA;  that has permanent peacefulness, joy, freedom and purity. The Buddha&#xA;  told us the cause of suffering and instructed us to strive towards the&#xA;  goal. The stage of permanent, joy, personality and purity is an&#xA;  ultimate ideal phenomena. It is full of brightness and hope. It is a&#xA;  stage that is attainable by all of us. How can we say that Buddhism is&#xA;  negative and pessimistic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although not all practising Buddhists are able to attain this highest&#xA;  point of practice, there is still boundless benefit in knowing this&#xA;  theory. Most people know that they have to strive to do good when they&#xA;  are poor, but once they become rich, they forget about everything, and&#xA;  only think about their own enjoyment and hence walk towards the wrong&#xA;  path foolishly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A practising Buddhist should remember to strive not only when one is&#xA;  poor and in difficulties, but should also be mindful when one is&#xA;  enjoying, because happiness is not permanent. If one does not strive&#xA;  towards the good, they will degenerate and fall very quickly. The&#xA;  teaching of &quot;Life is suffering&quot; reminds us not to look forward for&#xA;  enjoyment only and go the wrong way. This is the important implication&#xA;  in the teaching of &quot;Life is suffering&quot;, taught by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-05-15T14:57:16.530" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9047" CreationDate="2015-05-15T16:50:45.010" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The real answer is that one cannot - it is the caring that causes the suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;210&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp 210-212 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact worrying about others, or feeling depressed about our situation, doesn't help others or our situation to improve. This is how we reconcile with the Buddha's teaching; it seems callous and cruel to give up our concern for others, and it seems unproductive and negligent to stop caring about our worldly affairs. In actual fact, both our relationships and our worldly affairs improve when we give up our attachments to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider our concern for others; we worry, we fear, we cling to their happiness and suffering - does any of that improve our ability to work for their betterment? Clearly not. There is a difference between fulfilling one's worldly responsibilities and actually caring about their success or failure. Unfortunately, our culture (most cultures, in fact - even supposedly Buddhist ones) encourages us to care and looks with scorn on those who don't care. This doesn't make it any more useful to cry and moan when suffering arises or any less useful to be impartial and objective when dealing with problems no matter how personal they may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, duty and responsibility should be what dictate our worldly affairs, not concern or care. As to what our responsibilities are, this differs from relationship to relationship; we don't have a duty or responsibility to teach our parents, for example, but we do have such a responsibility to our children. The point is, even if we fail in our responsibilities, we should not allow that to lead to sorrow or depression, neither of which is at all beneficial to self or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-15T17:21:16.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9037" CreationDate="2015-05-15T17:17:22.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've had similar experiences. Though Buddhism doesn't directly talk about the &lt;em&gt;Kundalini system&lt;/em&gt; or even use the terminology (though &lt;strong&gt;Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; has something close or maybe the same in &lt;em&gt;Thummo&lt;/em&gt;), reading about it was useful from a systemic analysis perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of any explanation I found, it was ultimately only for curiosity satisfaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the best approach is to continue to practice and to not get carried away by this. Especially not obsessively, as you state. Just observe, remain equanimous and go on about your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could term it a &lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt; in the  Theravada tradition, I suppose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, it is a good sign of powerful concentration, keep at it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-05-15T17:17:22.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9054" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9057" CreationDate="2015-05-16T16:35:40.130" Score="1" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does mindfulness include being &quot;mindful&quot; (noticing, etc.) of your world, or only sensations like the breath, walking. etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So e.g. - being mindful of the other things that I do or do not have to do, rather than the task which is stressing me out and I haven't started yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have &quot;pronounced negative symptoms&quot; of schizophrenia, and I badly need a way to be cognisant of tasks (like coursework) without approaching them directly and getting flustered. This may be one way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T14:16:17.703" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T14:16:17.703" Title="Mindfulness of the world - its being OK" Tags="|mindfulness|well-being|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-16T16:55:02.340" Score="4" ViewCount="649" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've never had a problem with sleepiness, and I only get impatient when sitting on my own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But oh &lt;em&gt;that leg pain is something else&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any advice from a Zen perspective - not necessarily how to reduce the pain, but how to not simply hate meditation because of it (at least the half lotus position, and at least when in that position).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T18:40:59.463" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T18:57:27.947" Title="Leg pain in retreats and even zen short sessions" Tags="|meditation-posture|meditation-zazen|lotus-position|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9056" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9058" CreationDate="2015-05-16T17:25:37.593" Score="3" ViewCount="644" Body="&lt;p&gt;By noticing my abdomen while breathing , I can feel up and down movement of it . Also I can keep a mental notes as &quot;up&quot; and &quot;down&quot;. When it is up there is &quot;rupa of up&quot; and &quot;Nama of up mental note &quot; and vice versa for down. But when it is down both &quot;up rupa and Nama &quot; already gone . So I have a glimpse of &quot; anicca&quot; .  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not feel directly  &quot;dukka&quot; relate to abdomen movement but by applying same &quot;anicca&quot; for other temporary things in life I can get an understanding about &quot;dukka&quot; too .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I do not still have any clue about &quot;anatta&quot; , how can I understand the &quot;anatta&quot; using above scenario?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T17:42:03.393" LastActivityDate="2021-05-10T02:31:14.253" Title="How to realise &quot;anatta&quot; of &quot;Nama-rupa&quot;" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-insight|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9054" CreationDate="2015-05-16T17:34:21.777" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a translation of a Buddhist term that generally means &amp;quot;recollection&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;remembrance&amp;quot;. It can be used in any number of ways, for example &amp;quot;recollection of the Buddha&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;recollection of past lives&amp;quot;, etc. In insight meditation, it refers to one's ability to recollect or remember the present moment, as taught in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four foundations are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;body&lt;/strong&gt; - recognizing and reminding oneself of bodily sensations as being simply bodily sensations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;feelings&lt;/strong&gt; - recognizing and reminding oneself of feelings (pain, pleasure, neutral) as being simply feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; recognizing and reminding oneself of one's state of mind (scattered, focussed, etc.) as being simply a state of mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dhammas&lt;/strong&gt; - recognizing and reminding oneself of various aspects of ones experience on the path to enlightenment as being simply what they are.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to answer your question, mindfulness is simply a tool used to focus one's attention on a specific object; what you are suggesting sounds like a conceptual object, e.g. something unrelated to the task at hand to take your mind off of the present moment. This could be called &amp;quot;mindfulness&amp;quot;, in the sense that you are actively working to recollect a specific object. It would be considered a form of samatha (tranquility) meditation, since it is no longer based on ultimate (i.e. present moment) reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with what you suggest is that it seems to likely involve aversion to the present moment, and so it is not likely to lead to true freedom from the suffering associated with aversion. For this, you will need to practice mindfulness as described above regarding the four foundations. There, it should be used to focus on the present moment and remind you that the stress you feel is merely stress - not me, not mine, not good, not bad, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist perscription for your condition would be to focus your attention on the state of being flustered, as such states are conditioned by habit and can be countered with new conditioning (i.e. objectivity) through simply recognizing them as they are. As the Buddha said, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sarāgaṃ vā cittaṃ ‘sarāgaṃ cittan’ti pajānāti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu clearly knows a mind with passion thus: &amp;quot;a mind with passion&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- MN 10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my tradition, this is accomplished by noting the flustered mind, for example, as &amp;quot;flustered, flustered...&amp;quot; somewhat akin to a mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-16T17:34:21.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9056" CreationDate="2015-05-16T18:18:41.670" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The three characteristics are not meant to be understood through analysis; they are meant to be understood through direct realization (paññā). Once you truly see anatta for yourself, the next moment is the realization of nibbana. So there is no reason or benefit in seeking out this knowledge intellectually; it has to come by itself through mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“sabbe dhammā anattā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Dhp 279&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In truth, you are seeing anatta at every moment - because the experiences arise and cease without remainder, they are not self or anything belonging to self. Eventually, through the practice of mindfulness, you begin to understand this clearly, and give up any attachment to experiences as me, mine, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He sees all formations as not-self for the following reasons: because they are alien, empty, vain, void, ownerless, with no Overlord, with none to wield power over them, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism XXI.48 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;then, seeing nothing to be taken as “I” or “mine,” he abandons both terror and delight and becomes indifferent and neutral towards all formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism XXI.61 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw acknowledges the difficulty in understanding the characteristic of non-self in comparison to understanding the other two characteristics, referring to the commentaries and sub-commentaries who acknowledge the same. The sub-commentary points out, however, that this is simply because intellectual knowledge is inadequate to truly understand any of the three characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The commentary states that the non-self doctrine is so deep that even the Enlightened One had to employ either the characteristics of impermanence or the characteristics of suffering or both of them to facilitate the teaching of the doctrine of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sub-commentary explained further that: 'In the above statement of the commentary, the anicca and dukkha known outside the Dispensation are mere conventional terms, by means of which idea of non-self could not be known. Only the anicca and dukkha realized in the absolute sense could be useful in explaining the doctrine of non-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Anattalakkhana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to understand the teaching on non-self intellectually, then, you can do so by reflecting on the characteristics of impermanence and suffering and inferring the characteristic of non-self in a way similar to the Buddha's exposition in the Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&quot; — &quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&quot; — &quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&quot;? — &quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 22.59 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will not, however, constitute true understanding of any of the characteristics, for which the culmination of insight meditation is required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-05-16T18:18:41.670" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9054" CreationDate="2015-05-17T03:24:15.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does mindfulness include being &quot;mindful&quot; (noticing, etc.) of your world, or only sensations like the breath, walking. etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This in of the 4 foundation of mindfulness at the experiential level. It is not the concept or head talk of waking, breathing, etc. If you want to look at you posture look at the outline of your body through what you sense. When walking see the change in posture through the change of the outline of the body through what you sense. You should be constantly aware of it's impermanence and changing nature of what you experience. E.g. any pain you get has a start and and end. Also at some point when you further analyse you will see it as smaller vibrations which make the large pain and they are arising and passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So e.g. - being mindful of the other things that I do or do not have to do, rather than the task which is stressing me out and I haven't started yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wrong type of Mindfulness is supporting to stress people out. (If you do a course at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; this is covered in the instructions given.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short right mindfulness is awareness of what is going on in the framework of you body and mind (through the 4 foundations of awareness) while being constantly aware of the impermanent and changing nature (at a deeper level arising and passing) of phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All metal and physical phenomena has sensations attached. Hence being with sensations will definitely help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have &quot;pronounced negative symptoms&quot; of schizophrenia, and I badly need a way to be cognisant of tasks (like coursework) without approaching them directly and getting flustered. This may be one way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are with the 4 foundations of mindfulness you are with the present moment. This way there is no room to misinterpret reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also it is best that you seek a good meditation instructor who can guide you in this case. Some on you can approach and reach out when there is a issue.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T03:24:15.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9045" CreationDate="2015-05-17T04:04:27.203" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following might be also of some use:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahajana.net/texts/kopia_lokalna/MANUAL01.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THE VIPASSANA-DIPANI (The Manual of Insight) by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita, D.Litt.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A collections of works: &lt;a href=&quot;https://ia700507.us.archive.org/19/items/LediSayadawManualOfBuddhism/LeDi-The-Manual-of-Buddhism.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Manuals of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Webu Sayadaw:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/publications/WebuSayadawDiscourses.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Way of Ultimate Calm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pa Auk&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana by Shaila Catherine&lt;/code&gt; - this is generally more accessible as well as comprehensive than other Pa Auk books. Other books can be obtained for free.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Forest Dhamma: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/books/english/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.forestdhamma.org/books/english/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thanisaro Bhikku: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&lt;/a&gt; (multiple good books)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Achan Brahm:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;MINDFULNESS, BLISS, AND BEYOND&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi : &lt;a href=&quot;http://library.dhammasukha.org/books.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://library.dhammasukha.org/books.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henepola_Gunaratana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhante Henepola Gunaratana&lt;/a&gt; : Many good books on Insight meditation. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/Bhante-Henepola-Gunaratana/e/B002LADY6O&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/Bhante-Henepola-Gunaratana/e/B002LADY6O&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T04:04:27.203" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-17T04:04:27.203" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9056" CreationDate="2015-05-17T04:30:43.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anicca:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At a gross level:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Each breath has the start, middle and end&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At a subtle level:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The wind element or breathing, touch sensation and portion of your body at the anchor can be observed until you see arising and passing or phenomena pertaining to the above&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot control any of the arisen and passing phenomena. Trying to hold on to or control changing something is stressful. If you expect something to be so or not to be so is stressful as something that is changing will not match your expectation. You can see when you see arising and passing through your practice. When you perceive this at the level of perception, the general rendering in the Suttas is: &lt;code&gt;anicce dukkha,saññā&lt;/code&gt; if all 3 are covered together. So when you realise Anicha intern you can use this to realise Dukka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no unchanging or permanent core (soul) or controller either internally (soul) or externally (God). Everything is in a flux of change, thus things are not in your control and always not to your expectation. This is a process through Dependent Origination. You can see when you see arising and passing through your practice, followed by unsatisfactory (Dukka). When you perceive this, the general rendering in the Suttas is: &lt;code&gt;dukkhe anatta,saññā&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.4-Satta-Sanna-S-a7.46-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Detailed Discourse on the (Seven) Perceptions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.12-Anicca-Sanna-S-s22.102-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Perception of Impermanence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.16-Dighavu-S-s55.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stream winning and the 6 things conducive to true knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T10:54:07.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9062" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9070" CreationDate="2015-05-17T11:27:08.917" Score="3" ViewCount="282" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist teachings (of any school) at what point does a human life begin? Is it at conception, during a particular point during pregnancy, at birth or even after birth? Does it differ between schools and Buddhist cultures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect the nidanas might be instructive on this point but I'm interested in answers that may or may not include them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T19:01:37.523" Title="At which point after conception does life begin?" Tags="|traditions|nidanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9063" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9069" CreationDate="2015-05-17T11:33:03.727" Score="5" ViewCount="4827" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm reading Rob Burbea's book Seeing That Frees. The book is about ways of working with emptiness. In the book he says that things lack inherent existence. I'm fairly sure this isnt the same as not been real. Is that right? Can things be real and lack inherent existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate the real answer will be to meditate on this but I find exploring the issues more intellectually helpful too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-17T16:12:30.710" LastActivityDate="2021-04-01T15:29:25.877" Title="Is lack of inherent existence the same as 'not real'?" Tags="|philosophy|sunyata|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9063" CreationDate="2015-05-17T12:22:05.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We could say that absolute reality is the antonym of emptiness in the Buddhist sense of the words. According to the Pali Canon (Sunya Sutta), everything is empty (therefore not absolutely real) as in they are empty of a self. That is, they don't have an inherent base or core of reality. Or that nothing has its own independent existence. This also relates to Buddha's statement &quot;sabbe dhamma anatta&quot; or &quot;all phenomena is not-self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that there is a lack of absolute reality, but not a lack of relative reality. What is relative reality? Things which are perceived to be true by your senses are relatively real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sunya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed&#xA;  down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the&#xA;  Blessed One, &quot;It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty,&#xA;  lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self:&#xA;  Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty. And what is empty of&#xA;  a self or of anything pertaining to a self? The eye (ear, nose, tongue,&#xA;  body ...) is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.&#xA;  Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above discusses emptiness from the perspective of the Pali Canon and the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want perspectives from other Buddhist traditions, please see the wikipedia page on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sunyata&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a related quote by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogyal_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sogyal Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; from the perspective of inter-dependence or conditioning (Sogyal Rinpoche (2009), The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Harper Collins, Kindle Edition):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...all things, when seen and understood in their true relation, are&#xA;  not independent but interdependent with all other things. The Buddha&#xA;  compared the universe to a vast net woven of a countless variety of&#xA;  brilliant jewels, each with a countless number of facets. Each jewel&#xA;  reflects in itself every other jewel in the net and is, in fact, one&#xA;  with every other jewel... Think of a tree. When you think of a tree,&#xA;  you tend to think of a distinctly defined object; and on a certain&#xA;  level...it is. But when you look more closely at the tree, you will&#xA;  see that ultimately it has no independent existence. When you&#xA;  contemplate it, you will find that it dissolves into an extremely&#xA;  subtle net of relationships that stretches across the universe. The&#xA;  rain that falls on its leaves, the wind that sways it, the soil that&#xA;  nourishes and sustains it, all the seasons and the weather, moonlight&#xA;  and starlight and sunlight—all form part of this tree. As you begin to&#xA;  think about the tree more and more, you will discover that everything&#xA;  in the universe helps to make the tree what it is; that it cannot at&#xA;  any moment be isolated from anything else; and that at every moment&#xA;  its nature is subtly changing. &lt;strong&gt;This is what we mean when we say things&#xA;  are empty, that they have no independent existence&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-17T13:33:46.880" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T13:33:46.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9062" CreationDate="2015-05-17T12:46:07.550" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Patisandhi Citta is the starting point of life. So life begins at conception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth Consciousness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called pa.tisandhi citta, literally &quot;relinking consciousness.&quot;&#xA;  The pa.tisandhi citta is the act of consciousness which arises at the&#xA;  first moment of life, the moment of conception. It is determined by&#xA;  the last kammic citta of the preceding life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This kammic factor for the arising of a being operates through the&#xA;  pa.tisandhi. The accumulated tendencies of past lives are carried on&#xA;  to the pa.tisandhi and so the process of being born, dying and being&#xA;  born again goes on. Each pa.tisandhi citta is a new one, not the&#xA;  continuation of the old one in the previous life. Thus there is no&#xA;  place for a soul concept in rebirth. In the course of one particular&#xA;  life there is only one pa.tisandhi citta. Once the function of linking&#xA;  two existences has been performed by the pa.tisandhi, consciousness in&#xA;  the newly formed embryo immediately goes into the bhava&quot;nga state.&#xA;  This flows along in the new existence with infinite interruptions by&#xA;  various stimuli and ends as the cuti citta of that particular&#xA;  existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T12:46:07.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9063" CreationDate="2015-05-17T13:04:39.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that a summary ruben2020's answer is that things have no independent existence i.e. they are conditioned: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think of that as meaning that the apparent boundary of a thing is artificial (i.e. not real). For example you may look at a car and think &quot;that's a car&quot;, but the boundary where the 'car' is isn't clear: a car wouldn't be the same without a driver, and a road to drive on, and fuel to put in it, and a mechanic to keep it running: so maybe all those seemingly-external-to-the-car-object are part of the car (or car-system) too. Similarly a car consists of wheels etc., and wheels consist of rubber and plastic etc., and those materials consist of subcomponents etc., so it's also true that the car doesn't have much inherent existence independent of its components. But then the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ship of Theseus paradox&lt;/a&gt; discounts the inherent importance of specific components too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're going to ask whether something is &quot;real&quot; I think that the antithesis of &quot;real&quot; in Western philosophy/ontology is &quot;ideal&quot;: i.e. &quot;real&quot; is to do with 'things' and &quot;ideal&quot; is to do with 'ideas'.&#xA;If you accept that definition of &quot;real&quot; then maybe sunyata implies that things are real but not ideal, i.e. they have physical existence but they're not what you think they are (i.e. your ideas about them are wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether Buddhism has a notion of thingness independent of the observer. I think that in the West it's more or less axiomatic to assume that there exists a 'me', and 'my sense of sight', and 'the things' which are the objects I see: and that the things I see have some independent or objective existence (independent of me). I'm not sure whether that kind of objective thingness, independent of the observer, is implied in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;saḷāyatana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Āyatana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I shouldn't be surprised if this relates to self-view (identity view) too, somehow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a fairly dry theory when you consider an object like a 'car', perhaps more important when you apply it to something for which you feel more emotional attachment/idealism, for example 'wife' or 'money'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practice I suspect it implies that feelings I experience about something are a property or attribute or description of me, not of the object: if I think &quot;that object is desirable&quot; then that's more a statement about my desire then inherent in the object itself. Conversely, &quot;that person makes me angry&quot; should be taken less as a statement about the other person and more as a statement about my susceptibility to anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-17T14:04:58.790" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T14:04:58.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9062" CreationDate="2015-05-17T14:32:22.657" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a quote from a description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tibetanmedicine-edu.org/index.php/n-articles/tibetan-embryology-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan embryology&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life and body begin their development right after the conception in the mother's womb, where the five basic and subtle elements start to be transformed into the physical body.&#xA;According to the conception theory, the Bardo consciousness and the two parents are brought together by the emotion of the Bardo consciousness.&#xA;When the Bardo consciousness sees the scene of a couple having sexual contacts, it also feels emotions, and desires to touch or hug the woman or man according to its karmic background.&#xA;If the Bardo consciousness is going to get a female body in this next life, [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It goes on to say the following, which implies that consciousness &amp;quot;wakes up&amp;quot; in the 26th week,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, after that, the Bardo consciousness falls into coma or loses consciousness. It remains in this state of fainting until the 25th week after the conception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The force of karma drives the power of attraction between the two parental physical energies and the consciousness; it is like magnet and iron, or earth and sky. On the 25th week, the child’s respiration (through the mother) starts and the sense of feeling begins. The consciousness wakes up on the 26th week and remembers some experiences of the past that happened during Bardo and even past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T14:32:22.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8821" CreationDate="2015-05-17T17:38:04.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You cannot transfer merit from man to man but others can have appreciative joy at some good deed you have done and also make merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can transfer merit to certain type of beings on sensing this develops appreciative joy for the deeds you have done and gain the merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.7-Tirokudda-S-khp7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiro,kudda Sutta: The Outside-the-Wall Discourse&lt;/a&gt; covers some interesting point on merit transfer. (In section 4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T16:38:17.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9063" CreationDate="2015-05-17T18:17:18.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Things do exist just not in the way they appear to be existing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lacking inherent existency means that things/objects/phenomena are not set up by themselves. They are set up dependent on other factors. In other words they are conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That can be seen with e.g. a tree. A tree changes during the different seasons. Why does it change? It changes due to being set up dependent on other factors which again is set up dependent on other factors etc. That means that objects are in a constant flux. They do not stay constant or stable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a tree where inherent existent it would never change. It would stay green with flowers on it forever. If it truly were inherent existent then it would be uncaused. It would be completely defined by its own nature. Nothing could be removed or added to it since that would change its inherent existent nature. It would be both eternal and indestructible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take a look at samsara the conditioned existence then we see that all physical and mental phenomena are caused by other factors. They are not stand-alone units. That does not mean that they are not real. It just means that they do not exist in the way they appear to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama has written many great sections on &lt;em&gt;Emptiness&lt;/em&gt; in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uUANX4j4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;How to See Yourself As You Really Are&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;. Here is a short quote on the existence of phenomena. The quote is from chapter 19: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Viewing Yourself As Like an Illusion&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 187-188:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;A face in a mirror appears to be a face, but this image is not a real face in any way; it is from all viewpoints empty of being a face. Likewise, a magician can conjure up illusions that seem to be certain things, like a person in a box being skewered by a sword, but they are not at all established as those things. Similarly, phenomena such as bodies appear to be established from the objects' own side but are empty of being established that way and always have been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that phenomena &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; illusions; rather, they are &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; illusions. Even if a mirror image of your face is not really your face, the reflection is not utterly nonexistent. Through its appearance you can understand how your actual face looks. Similarly, although persons and things are empty of existing the way they appear to be established in their own right, they are not utterly nonexistent; they can act and be experienced.&#xA;Therefore, being like an illusion is not the same as appearing to exist but actually not existing, like the horns of a rabbit, which do not exist at all.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another one with the title &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Emptiness does not mean Nothingness&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The quote is from chapter 5: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Appreciating the Reasoning of Dependent-Arising&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 71-73:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is no question that persons and things exist; the question is how, or in what manner, they exist. When we consider a flower, for instance, and think, &amp;quot;This flower has a nice shape, nice color, and nice texture,&amp;quot; it seems as if there is something concrete that possesses these qualities of shape, color, and texture. When we look into these qualities, as well as the parts of the flower, they seem to be qualities or parts &lt;em&gt;of the flower&lt;/em&gt;, such as the color of the flower, the shape of the flower, the stem of the flower, and the petals of the flower - as if there is a flower that possesses these qualities or parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if the flower really exists the way it appears, we should be able to come up with something separate from all of these qualities and parts that is the flower. But we cannot. Such a flower is not found upon analysis, or through other scientific tools, even though previously it seemed so substantial, so findable. Because a flower has effects, it certainly exists, but when we search to find a flower existing in accordance with our ideas about it, that is not at all findable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something that truly exists from its own side should become more and more obvious when analyzed - it should be clearly found. But the opposite is the case. Nevertheless, this does not meant hat it does not exist, for it is effective - it creates effects. The fact that it is not found under analysis just indicates that it does not exists the way it appear to our senses and to our thoughts - that is, so concretely established with itself.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would really recommend reading this book since it has a lot of insights about emptiness. I think sometimes its greatly beneficial to study another buddhists school's take on e.g. Anatta/Emptiness in order to &amp;quot;get it&amp;quot; cooked and prepared in another way. Of course the basic doctrine is the same but when reading about it in other terms and ways of expression that gives variety and nuances on the topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On purpose i did not go into the insight-meditational aspect of this profound teaching that emptiness is since you asked for an intellectual opinion. Hope this might be of some help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T18:31:38.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9062" CreationDate="2015-05-17T19:01:37.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, chapter 5: &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Process of Death and Rebirth&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 221-223.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;§36 The Mind at the Time of Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereafter, attending to that object thus presented, the stream of consciousness—in accordance with the kamma that is to be matured, whether pure or corrupted, and in conformity with the state into which one is to be reborn—continually flows, inclining mostly towards that state. Or that rebirth-productive kamma presents itself to a sense door in the way of renewing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼Guide to §36&#xA;  In the way of renewing (abhinavakaraoavasena): that is, the kamma presenting itself does not appear as a memory image of something that was previously done, but it appears to the mind door as if it were being done at that very moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§37 Death and Rebirth-Linking&#xA;  To one who is on the verge of death, either at the end of a cogni- tive process or at the dissolution of the life-continuum, the death con- sciousness, the consummation of the present life, arises and ceases in the way of death.&#xA;  Immediately after that (death consciousness) has ceased, a rebirth- linking consciousness arises and is established in the subsequent ex- istence, apprehending the object thus obtained, either supported by the heart-base or baseless, as is appropriate; it is generated by a vo- litional formation that is enveloped by latent ignorance and rooted in latent craving. That rebirth-linking consciousness, so called because it links together the two consecutive existences, is conjoined with its mental adjuncts, and acts as the forerunner to the conascent states as their locus (or foundation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guide to §37&#xA;  To one who is on the verge of death: The last cognitive process begins when the bhavanga is interrupted, vibrates for one moment, and is then arrested. Thereafter follows either a sense-door process taking as object some sense object presenting itself at one of the five sense doors or a bare mind-door process taking as object either some sense object or a mental object presenting itself at the mind door. Within this termi- nal process the javana phase, by reason of its weakness, runs for only five mind-moments rather than the usual seven. ￼￼&#xA;  ￼￼This process lacks original productive kammic potency, but acts rather as the channel for the past kamma that has assumed the rebirth-generative function. Following the javana stage two registration cittas (tad±rammaoa) may or may not fol- low. In some cases the bhavanga may follow the last process cittas. Then, as the very last citta, the death consciousness arises performing the func- tion of passing away from the present life. With the ceasing of the death consciousness, the life faculty is cut off. Then the body remains a mass of inanimate material phenomena born of temperature, and continues as such until the corpse is reduced to dust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Immediately after that has ceased:&lt;/strong&gt; Following the dissolution mo- ment of the death consciousness, there arises in a new existence the re- birth-linking consciousness apprehending the object thus obtained in the final javana process of the previous life. This citta is supported by the heart-base in realms which include matter, but is baseless in the imma- terial realms. It is generated by a volitional formation, i.e. the kamma of the previous javana process, which in turn is grounded in the twin roots of the round of existence, latent ignorance and latent craving. The rebirth consciousness is conjoined with its mental adjuncts, i.e. the cetasikas, which it serves as a forerunner not in the sense that it pre- cedes them, but in that it acts as their locus (or foundation).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is a short quote from Ven. K. Sri Dhammanandas book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, chapter 5: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Basic Doctrines&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 152.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dying Moment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are three types of consciousness (Viññana) functioning at the moment of death in a person: rebirth-linking consciousness (patisandhi- citta), the current of passive consciousness or the current of life- continuum (bhavanga) and consciousness disconnecting the present life (cuti-citta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the last moment of a person’s present life the patisandhi-citta or rebirth-linking consciousness arises, having the three signs as its objects. The patisandhi-citta remains in the course of cognition for five faint thought-moments or Javana and then sinks down into bhavanga. At the end of bhavanga the cuti-citta arises, disconnecting the present life and sinks down into bhavanga. At this very moment comes the end of the present life. At the end of that bhavanga another patisandhi-citta rises up in the next life and from this very moment the new life begins.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T19:01:37.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2015-05-17T19:30:13.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;See the Origins of Insight meditation written by one of the best academic on abhidhamma where vipassana meditation originates.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/documents/bForum/v4/03Cousins.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Link to Origins of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5152" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T19:30:13.867" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9039" CreationDate="2015-05-17T20:16:46.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When im taking public transportation i also like to read a book, write messages on mobile phone, look at people or look out of the window. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to be mindful in all those activities. I think that when one is guarding oneself with mindfulness then its not important what activity one is doing. One can read a book and be mindful about the activity of reading. If mental formations arise then one can be mindful of them, note them and return to the reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If doubt arises e.g. if one is worrying whether or not one is trying to escape the present moment by reading or being on the mobile phone then one can take that doubt as an meditation object. One can note the doubt a couple of times and then return the ones primary object of meditation. If the doubt keeps arising again and again one can then leave the primary object and then take the doubt and make that the primary object of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as one is mindful of whatever arises and ceases then one is practicing the &lt;em&gt;&quot;right mindfulness&quot;&lt;/em&gt; factor of the Noble EightFold Path. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a description of Right Mindfulness by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The mind is deliberately kept at the level of bare attention, a detached observation of what is happening within us and around us in the present moment. In the practice of right mindfulness the mind is trained to remain in the present, open, quiet, and alert, contemplating the present event. All judgments and interpretations have to be suspended, or if they occur, just registered and dropped.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might check out the chapter IV: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Right Mindfulness - Samma Sati&quot;&lt;/em&gt; to get a fuller description of it. Its very well described.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing i would like to mention is the obstacles to meditation and the practice of being mindful of the present moment. This teaching is called &quot;The Five Hindrances&quot;. You might have heard of them. They are what keeps one from developing in meditation. They are briefly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual Desire (kámacchanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion or Ill-will (vyápáda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sleepiness – sloth (thina), torpor (middha), sluggishness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restlessness – worry about the future, regret of the past, anxiety (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt (skeptical doubt) (vicikicchá)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  by Ven. Nyanaponika Thera and here is a great audio dhamma talk on the five hindrances by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2394&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Part 1&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2395&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Part 2&lt;/a&gt;. The dhamma talk really goes into depth of the hindrances and how to overcome them. When one gets to know the 5 hindrances as the inside of ones own pocket then one is well equipped to meet those obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May this be of some help to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-17T20:21:48.613" LastActivityDate="2015-05-17T20:21:48.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9073" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9083" CreationDate="2015-05-18T01:29:42.970" Score="8" ViewCount="1669" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is often said that Nibbana is unconditioned. But isn't Nibbana to be attained through practice of the Noble Eightfold Path (abandoning desire, meditation, realizing paticcasamuppada etc)? Aren't those practices conditions for Nibbana? What am I missing here :) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="125" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T20:07:23.580" Title="How is Nibbana unconditioned?" Tags="|nirvana|unconditioned|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-18T05:11:39.787" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the material world alls phenomena arises and passes based on conditionality (as opposed to totally random). In Nibbana there is no arising and passing away of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that realising Nibbana is the result of practising the path to realise it, hence if you have realised Nibbana then this is because you practice the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T05:11:39.787" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9075" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9081" CreationDate="2015-05-18T06:05:53.157" Score="5" ViewCount="328" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some person in my life and whenever I see his or her photo, or something related to him or her (e. g. reminder of the place he or she lives), I experience strong feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are totally irrational (I haven't been in contact with this person for years, I live thousands of kilometers apart from him or her) and I don't understand them (when you don't see a person for a long time, you tend to forget him or her, but I don't). No psychological technique I tried (all kind of NLP stuff, EMDR, meditations, relaxation tapes, long walks, sex, talking with lots of nice people, hard work and whatnot) didn't help me understand and get rid of those feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever I think I've forgotten him or her, I get a reminder from the outside world (someone mentions something related to him or her, or a there is a billboard with a message related to him or her, or I hear a piece of music from his or her region in the radio etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, I need to figure out whether&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I should do something with or about this person or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;just forget him or her.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What publicly available Buddhist teachnings can I read in order to learn in order to sort out these feelings (begin to understand their nature) &lt;strong&gt;on my own&lt;/strong&gt; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I don't want to discuss what kind of feelings they are. I just need a manual, which I can apply and do it myself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Going to a group, or talking to a psychologist or guru aren't viable options because according to my experience 99.9 % of advice you get from other people on important matters is wrong (in the past such advice caused more harm than good).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-22T10:27:47.527" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T10:27:47.527" Title="What Buddhist materials explain how to understand one's irrational feelings?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9075" CreationDate="2015-05-18T06:45:35.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Trying to forget is also being involved with the person. So you will not forget. Best way to forget it not try to remember or not to forget. If you hear something about the person or place analyse the feeling that arising and do not be averse or attached to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could try reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation by Marshall Glickman&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But best is to get a competent meditation teacher or take a Vipassana course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T06:45:35.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9075" CreationDate="2015-05-18T08:10:57.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could watch the feeling arising, staying and changing and then fading away. Seeing its impermanence will make it more bareable for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see its conditioned nature. Feeling is conditioned by contact. It can not arise without contact. In your case seeing a bilboard triggers a memory which is manifested as a thought. When mind is contacted by a thought a feeling arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is to diminish the resitance toward that feeling. Just let it arise and pass away, don't get involved with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-05-18T08:25:31.943" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T08:25:31.943" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9078" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9085" CreationDate="2015-05-18T08:32:29.417" Score="5" ViewCount="496" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Practice Ven . Mahasi Sayadaw tradition meditation&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had two incidents recently  . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Said something that should not have said&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stopped happening an argument that my mind really wanted to do&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when I do mindfulness meditation following happens &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Haunting &quot;bad feeling&quot; , so I make a mental note of &quot;thinking,&#xA;thinking&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mentally &quot;imagining&quot; that I'm performing that argument &quot; ,so I make a mental  note of &quot;Imagining , Imagining&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But above two process keep happening even I do relevant mental note for many times (around 20 times )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually they stop but later again pop up ( so I continue the same mental noting)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Should I keep continue mental noting or try to surpass those ? Is it OK to keep going such imagining / thinking for long time while keeping mental notes ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-18T13:44:31.077" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T14:53:58.113" Title="Meditation &quot;thinking&quot; &quot;imagining&quot; mental note : Ven . Mahasi Sayadaw tradition" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|mindfulness|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9078" CreationDate="2015-05-18T09:06:41.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are a beginner I would suggest that you start with samatha (calm) meditation first and then when your mind is strong in mindfulness and concentration then practice insight. The strength of mindfulness and concentration also burns (jhanneti) up the 5 hinderances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the usual path of practice for most mediators. &#xA;There are some who want to take short cuts and do insight (vipassana) only.&#xA;If you're lucky enough to have been born with strong mindfulness and concentration like Dipa Ma then you'll succeed else.. we all know how sometimes short cuts end up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://shin-ibs.edu/documents/bForum/v4/03Cousins.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paper: the Origins of Insight&lt;/a&gt; written by a renown abhidhamma scholar goes to great length to trawl through all the Buddhist cannon to work out when the Buddha recommended the practice of insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is much better to follow the path recommended by the Buddha to reach the end he promised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T09:06:41.867" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9063" CreationDate="2015-05-18T10:21:49.407" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the question whether things are &quot;real&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;real&quot; is meant independent objective existent then &quot;sabbe sankhara annica&quot; or &quot;anicca vata sankhara&quot; (all conditions things are impermanent) and that they are dependently originated, &quot;theory of dependent origination, paticcasamuppada); both would rule them out as having an objective existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, how things appear is dependent on the observer (e.g. eye-base). And as the observer's eye-base is a result of kamma the world is different for different observer within this world and also from brahma to peta.&#xA;If the reasonable assumption, that all beings can only observe with only the 5 senses and the mind sense.&#xA;Hope all this make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T10:21:49.407" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9075" CreationDate="2015-05-18T11:50:52.390" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist dependent origination, depending on contact feeling arise, depending on feeling craving arise, depending on craving clinging arise, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The feelings that arise is a result of past conditioning and when there is contact the past feeling that was conditioned arise, be that attachment, revulsion or neutral feeling. The practice to recondition how we look at a person, others and ourself included, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm&quot;&gt;32 parts of the body practice&lt;/a&gt; of which the link is one example. &#xA;Google for ways to practice the 32 parts of the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T11:50:52.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-18T12:14:47.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When it says that &quot;Anicca vata sankhara&quot; ( Impermanent are all conditioned things). &quot;Uppadavaya dhammino&quot; ( Of the nature to rise and fall).&#xA;It is saying that things arise dependent on conditions, things &quot;exist&quot; because of the conditions that support them. So we are talking about characteristic nature of things or its attribute.&#xA;The attributes of nibbana as pointed out above is permanent, does not arise depending on conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T12:14:47.450" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-18T14:23:37.800" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of the eightfold noble path leads to the &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; of nibbāna, just like the act of adverting the mind to the eye door leads to seeing light. Light, the object of seeing, is saṅkhata (conditioned), but nibbāna, the object of supermundane consciousness, is asaṅkhata (unconditioned). So nibbāna isn't the result of the eightfold noble path, the experience of it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T14:23:37.800" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-18T14:44:12.503" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, when we talk about conditions and conditioning there are 24 conditions found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdocuments.org/articles/Notes_on_PATTHANA_DHAMMA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Patthana Dhamma are packed into 24 Paccaya or 24 conditions.&#xA;They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Root condition                  ( Hetu Paccayo )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Object condition    ( Arammana Paccayo )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Predominance condition  ( Adhipati Paccayo ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Proximity condition          ( Anantara Paccayo )... etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T14:44:12.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9078" CreationDate="2015-05-18T14:53:58.113" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would advise three things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, given that you experience the thoughts as bad, it is possible that you are ignoring the emotions surrounding the thoughts. If you are upset by the thoughts that arise, it is also important to acknowledge that as &amp;quot;disliking&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;upset&amp;quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the satipaṭṭhāna suttaṃ, Buddha had stated that any consciousness, thought or impression associated with lust must be recognized and mentally noted as such. One must recognize and be aware of Citta (consciousness, thought or impression) which is associated with or dissociated from (a) lust or craving: (b) anger or hatred; and (c) ignorance or delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Mahasi Sayadaw, Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, the practice of insight meditation isn't to make thoughts or memories go away; what you are experiencing is the characteristic of non-self - that you can't control your mind, no matter how you try. Insight meditation helps you to see this, so you are less affected by the experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, the yogī will become convinced that all these psycho-physical phenomena are occurring of their own accord, following nobody's will and subject to nobody's control. They constitute no individual or ego-entity. This realization is anattānupassanā-ñāṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt;, Practical Vipassana Meditation Excercises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, meditation is a gradual training; just like any training, it takes time to become proficient.  As the Mahasi Sayadaw says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the yogī goes on noting thus, he will be able to note more and more of these happenings. In the beginning, as his mind wanders here and there, the yogī may miss noting many things. But he should not be disheartened. Every beginner in meditation encounters the same difficulty, but as he becomes more practised, he becomes aware of every act of mind wandering till eventually the mind does not wander any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T14:53:58.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8689" CreationDate="2015-05-18T15:17:25.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism there are 31 realms of existence and each realm is inhabited by beings: animal, petas, asuras, humans, devas, brahmas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now these are just inhabitants: beings with different appearances and abilities according to their kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if we translate brahma as god then it is different form the Hindu brahma in that the buddhist brahma does not create the universe etc.. buddhist do not unite with brahma in the end. Buddhist brahma dies after a few hundred aeons etc... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are some of the definitions of the buddhist brahma which is different from the Hindu brahma.&#xA;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://budsas.org/ebud/ebdha321.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and the Brahma concept&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-18T19:55:35.043" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T19:55:35.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9005" CreationDate="2015-05-18T16:12:12.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependant origination(DO): depending on contact feeling arise, depending on feeling craving arise, ..craving..clinging, ..clinging..becoming, ..becoming.. there is birth. etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From contact until the point of birth there is no kamma (to be precise it's becoming).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth of what? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth of another thought, of a person committing an action good or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling of anger leads to birth of angry thoughts. If the thought is hold onto and contact (bringing to mind of that thought), then feelings arise again( it may again be anger or sympathy depending on the thought) and the whole chain of DO repeats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through mindfulness of feeling we let it ceased before it goes to craving(or aversion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there is craving we let it go before it becomes clinging.&#xA;When there is clinging we let it go before it progresses to becoming.&#xA;When becoming, we let it go before the birth of another thought or action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention comes after becoming and when mindfulness is strong there is some space to reflect before the birth of acting. That's how I understand DO to operate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-19T10:32:06.203" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T10:32:06.203" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8981" CreationDate="2015-05-18T17:13:32.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My attempts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all on interference which means action:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'I am the owner of my actions (kamma), heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— AN 5.57&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So non-interference arises through cultivating the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now when a disciple of the noble ones discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma comes into play in this way, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said, and in reference to this was it said.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-interference comes through desiring cessation of contact to cessation of kamma. The most noble of all (actions)kamma is ending of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When then can there be inteference? When one is fully enlightened i.e. when ones actions do not lead to any further kamma, and those actions are performed from metta, karuna, mudita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To interfere means that one has a view on things and when one can be sure that the view created, is not from ignorance, then one can interfere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Needless to say acting out of compassion is skilful etc. but not the path of the noble disciples but path of the bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any why is non-interference desirable? From following it an arahant may arise that would benefit multitudes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That’s my take on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T17:13:32.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-18T17:31:13.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see two ambiguities here which might be the responsible for the confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;with the six sense bases as condition, contact;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 12:1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is one link of conditioned arising chain, which explain how many things are conditioned. Would it be correct to, according to the above, conclude that the six senses &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; (or produce) contact? That would be awkward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote means that if a &quot;contact experience&quot; is present, then the corresponding sense is present. A more verbose reading of the above would be &quot;six sense bases are a supporting condition for contact&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As another (unrelated to buddhism, and perhaps poorly chosen) example, if you study, you become more knowledgeable. But your knowledge, at any given point, is not  constituted by &quot;studies&quot;. There is an ambiguity in how we can interpret &quot;conditioned&quot;. Conditioned ≠ caused by. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matter in question is that it is more a statement about a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necessity_and_sufficiency&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;necessary condition&quot;&lt;/a&gt; than a statement about a particular cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also another ambiguity in play here. Nibbāna is unconditioned in the sense that &lt;strong&gt;it&lt;/strong&gt; has no supporting condition. Echoing &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9083/382&quot;&gt;yuttadhammo's answer&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;, nibbāna is &quot;one thing&quot; and the experience of attaining nibbāna (which requires all the proverbial effort) is &quot;something else&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T17:41:00.563" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9090" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-18T18:07:59.960" Score="16" ViewCount="1486" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is it like to expereince enlightenment? Does it change a person and if so, how?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-18T19:58:06.070" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T12:14:26.650" Title="What is it like to experience enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-18T18:20:22.650" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First a brief answer:&#xA;DO is in operation all the time and the reason we do not yet see it is because we have the wrong view that there is a self (me) doing all this things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the question is: if &quot;not I&quot; is doing all these things even though I have the wrong view that all this things are done by me, how then does things get done by &quot;not me&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here DO comes in (I use because instead of depending just to make it clearer):&#xA;Because there is contact, feeling arises, because of feeling craving( or its lesser form desire arises). At this point desire(craving) is a past conditioning, habit if you like, and conditioning takes over when mindfulness is weak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: what conditioning takes over when &quot;not me&quot; choose an orange instead of an apple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it because &quot;not me&quot; like an orange over an apple? No, because there is &quot;not me&quot; there cannot be like and dislike. So what conditioning then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is that there are 24 types of conditioning it could be:&#xA;Dominance condition, habitual condition, proximity condition, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subject of causal relationship is complex it is in the 7th book of Abhidhamma called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdocuments.org/articles/Notes_on_PATTHANA_DHAMMA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;patthana (contains summary of conditions)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patthana Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; is practically unreadable even for those who have some mastery of Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said of  the &quot;Patthana&quot;, or &quot;Causal Conditions and Relations&quot;. &#xA;... And while he contemplated the contents of the &quot;Dhammasangani&quot; (the first book) , his body did not emit rays; and similarly with the contemplation of the next five books. But when, coming to the &quot;Great Book&quot; (the seventh book) , he began to contemplate the twenty-four universal causal relations of condition, of presentation, and so on, his omniscience certainly found its opportunity therein. For as the great fish &quot;Timirati-pingala&quot; (a giant fish) finds room only in the great ocean, so his omniscience truly finds room only in the Great Book. Rays of six colours- indigo, golden, red, white, tawny, and dazzling- emitted from the Teacher's body, as he was contemplating the subtle and abstruse Dhamma by his omniscience which had found such opportunity....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T18:20:22.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8942" CreationDate="2015-05-18T19:15:10.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the reasons for not &quot;understanding&quot; others is our own unwillingness to accept that others can act out of malice, selfishness and basically unskillfully. Their actions are conditioned by their upbringing, their values, friends, families, books they read, goals they want etc.. Can we really understand their conditionings when they are that numerous?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We accept that they behave badly because of their conditioning. If you and I had their conditioning we would behave exactly the way they do, because we are conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People behave because they are conditioned both good and bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How hard is it to change our own conditioning and how much more difficult others conditioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we want (craves) to change others, and that craving is not satisfied, suffering arises (2nd noble truth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can earnestly try and then accept the results as there are and no suffering arises and then try again, and again..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T19:15:10.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8858" CreationDate="2015-05-18T19:38:55.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of mudita is counter against envy arising in ourself for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of metta is to counter against hate arising for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of karuna is to counter against cruelty for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't do something to try to encourage metta in others, though we can teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't do something to try to encourage karuna in others, ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My conclusion is so we don't do something to try to encourage mudita in others, ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO it sounds like the ego rationalising...sorry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-05-19T10:31:36.430" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T10:31:36.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9055" CreationDate="2015-05-18T20:28:10.300" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think of your leg as already broken and the pain is just a memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5159" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T20:28:10.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8055" CreationDate="2015-05-18T21:04:13.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Suchness mean when we say &quot;as it is&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes from the fact that whatever we see, is due to the eye perceiving an object and the mind creating an image of the object. If the eye is defective, say colour blind, then the appearance of the object in the mind is different from that for a normal eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though if we have normal eyes, the object we see is still created by the mind. So what difference is it from what we sometimes see in dreams?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can only perceived that which is created by the mind and not really know the essence of the objects out there in the world - &quot;as it is&quot; or suchness is the name given to these objects which are inexpressible. Images, sounds, texture, scents and tastes are all we know through the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover dogs perceive the world differently from us so do other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's my understanding from the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5160" LastActivityDate="2015-05-18T21:04:13.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8699" CreationDate="2015-05-19T06:17:22.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;DO starts with Depending on Ignorance, mental volition arise, depending on volitions consciousness arise, depending on consciousness, name &amp;amp; form, depending on name &amp;amp; form 6 sense base, depending on 6 sense base contact..etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is commonly accepted (?) that the re-birth linking consciousness(patisandhi) descends into the foetus around 6 months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At that stage of DO the resultant(vipaka) consciousness from previous existence give rise to name &amp;amp; form, which give rise to 6 sense base. These stages are when our form and senses are conditioned according to our resultant consciousness. The quality and characteristics of our senses etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until the 6 sense base become functional and there is a sense object then only is there contact, feeling and the rest of DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So things like people playing music for the yet to be born baby to listen to, do make sense when the ear base is developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's my take on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T06:17:22.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-19T09:34:26.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a bit more detail of the conditions that leads to one practising or not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If I arise and cease dependent on other things then where does my own effort come into it? If I decide to practice the Dharma how does that come about? Isn't my decision to practice just the interplay of causes in a big interconnected web?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not only our effort which gets us to continue our practice, there are lots of skilful/unskilful conditions that conditioned us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I’ve listed them down with their conditions. It is not exhaustive but just an indication of how complex are these interplay of conditions.&#xA;There is also the repetition (habit) condition (Asevana paccayo) when we do our practice daily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i.  There are six Roots Condition (Hetu paccayo): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Greed,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-attachment,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Goodwill,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and Wisdom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii. There are twelve constituents of the Path Condition (Magga paccayo) :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Understanding,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Thoughts,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Speech,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Action,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Livelihood,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Effort,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Mindfulness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Concentration,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wrong Views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wrong Thoughts,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wrong Effort,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wrong one-pointedness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Faculty condition (Indriya paccyo):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasure,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Displeasure,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Confidence,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four Dominating conditions (Upanissaya paccayo)  : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intention (or Wish-to-do),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (or Effort),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind (or Thought) ,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and Reason (or Intellect).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-19T09:57:01.723" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T09:57:01.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9090" CreationDate="2015-05-19T11:14:49.780" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theragatha&lt;/a&gt;&#xA; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Therigatha&lt;/a&gt; contains expressions/poems of being enlightened. A few excerpts from the theragatha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kankharevata (Thag 1.3)   {Thag 3}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    See this:&#xA;the discernment&#xA;of the Tathagatas,&#xA;like a fire ablaze in the night,&#xA;giving light, giving eyes,&#xA;to those who come,&#xA;subduing their doubt.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: Ud 5.7 (Kankharevata = Revata the Doubter).&#xA;Bhalliya (Thag 1.7)   {Thag 7}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Who scatters the troops&#xA;of the King of Death —&#xA;as a great flood,&#xA;a very weak bridge made of reeds —&#xA;    is victorious,&#xA;for his fears are dispersed.&#xA;    He's tamed,&#xA;    unbound,&#xA;    steadfast in himself.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-19T11:41:38.203" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T11:41:38.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8775" CreationDate="2015-05-19T12:04:42.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a reference to the Japanese &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/miroku.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miroku Bodhisatva&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reference says that Hotei was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/hotei_by_jennifer_polden.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaishi Zen priest&lt;/a&gt; and a Boddhisattva, the future Maitreya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hotei stands out from the other six Lucky Gods because he is the only one known to have been a real person, rather than a mythical being. According to Chiba, his Chinese name was Kaishi. His birth date is unknown, but his date of death was in March of the year 916. He was a Zen priest who could quote Buddhist text verses almost nonstop. Some sources affirm that he was an  incarnation of the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya in Sanskrit), the Buddhist Savior of the Future (Giraud 404). However, some of his actions would not be  considered particularly saintly. For example, he would beg for meat and fish  even though they were foods forbidden to priests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhasofthepalicanon/a/Maitreya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bits of details about claims to Maitreya&lt;/a&gt; and where references of it could be found in the pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-11-13T09:23:58.247" LastActivityDate="2018-11-13T09:23:58.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2015-05-19T12:20:29.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can analyse this with the following analogy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say I have a ball in my hand and I'm going to throw it for you to catch it. From an &lt;strong&gt;objective&lt;/strong&gt; point of view, we know with absolute certainty that the trajectory of the ball is subject to gravity, the wind, and depends on the initial push given to the ball. In fact, it is totaly determined by these factors. However, even though we are absolutelly sure of this, this doesn't help us a lot when we try to catch the ball. &lt;strong&gt;Subjectivelly&lt;/strong&gt;, you have to decide intuitivelly where you're going to put your hands to catch the ball. And the reason is simple: there's simply too much detailed information to take in so that you can calculate the trajectory with perfect precision. Instead you make an intuitive best decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same is true when you're in a situation where you have to make an effort to choose the best action. &lt;strong&gt;Objectivelly&lt;/strong&gt;, we can be absolutelly sure that the situation at hand is entirely subject to causes. But there is just too much detailed information for us to take in and &quot;calculate&quot; the absolute best action with perfect precision. Therefore, &lt;strong&gt;subjectivelly&lt;/strong&gt;, you have to apply effort to make the best decision with the limited information you can grasp. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastEditorUserId="2469" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T06:25:14.453" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T06:25:14.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9055" CreationDate="2015-05-19T12:27:05.253" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you progress in your sitting and develop samadhi, leg pain will become less of an issue.  You will still experience it along with the discomfort, but it stops being such a matter of &quot;oh-my-God-this-is-terrible-ring-the-bell-now&quot; and instead becomes less of an immediate concern.  It's almost as if it's happening in the background while your koan or mushin becomes the center of your attention.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of leg pain like a tooth ache.  When you are sitting around and watching TV with your mind diffused and disordered, you are very much aware of the discomfort.  If, however, your mind is absorbed in something else - and I don't know of a single person who'd complain about their molars during sex, for instance - that pain has less command of your attention.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important take away is to develop your concentration.  Follow the breath to its very outer limits.  Let your mind ride your exhalation all the way to the end.  If you allow your attention to break even for an instant, discomfort, thought, judgement, and opinion will arise in the vacuum.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note, don't sit in half lotus if it causes you pain!!!  Use the Burmese posture where you put one foot in front of the other.  There is no sense in torturing yourself.  If you hate meditation, you won't practice it.  Zen isn't about self injury, it's about waking up.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T12:27:05.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3283" CreationDate="2015-05-19T13:38:48.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the controversies and many others were concerned with attribution of the work of Abhidhamma and that some books contained errors&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;4. Paramatthadipani-Tika, &quot;The Elucidation of the Ultimate Meaning,&quot; by&#xA;Ledi Sayadaw. Ledi Sayadaw of Burma (1846-1923) was one of the greatest&#xA;scholar-monks and meditation masters of the Theravada tradition in recent&#xA;times. He was the author of over seventy manuals on different aspects of&#xA;Theravada Buddhism, including philosophy, ethics, meditation practice, and&#xA;Pali grammar. His tika created a sensation in the field of Abhidhamma&#xA;studies because he pointed out 325 places in the esteemed Vibhavini-tika&#xA;where he alleged that errors and misinterpretations had occurred, though&#xA;his criticisms also set off a reaction in defense of the older work.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=440&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Excerpts of some of the controversies&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T13:38:48.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9090" CreationDate="2015-05-19T16:00:59.210" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer does somewhat depend on which tradition you follow, and what you mean by &quot;enlightenment&quot;. For example, in Theravada Buddhism it could refer to either someone who has let go of everything (&lt;em&gt;āsavakkhaya&lt;/em&gt;), or someone who has come to understand everything (&lt;em&gt;sabbaññū&lt;/em&gt;). And in Mahayana, from what I've heard, a bodhisatta who is reborn again and again is considered to be enlightened (according to the Theravada, this would require attachment, a sign of lack of enlightenment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, here are some quotes and thoughts about what enlightenment is like (from a Theravada perspective):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Buddha&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, we have the Buddha's enlightenment. Given the profundity of his wisdom, compassion, and purity, it has a bit of a different flavour from that of an &quot;ordinary&quot; arahant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;At that time the blessed Buddha dwelt at Uruvelâ, on the bank of the river Nerañgarâ at the foot of the Bodhi tree (tree of wisdom), just after he had become Sambuddha. And the blessed Buddha sat cross-legged at the foot of the Bodhi tree uninterruptedly during seven days, enjoying the bliss of emancipation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Knowing this the Blessed One then on that occasion pronounced this solemn utterance: 'When the real nature of things becomes clear to the ardent, meditating Brâhmana, then all his doubts fade away, since he realises what is that nature and what its cause.'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Knowing this the Blessed One then on that occasion pronounced this solemn utterance: 'When the real nature of things becomes clear to the ardent, meditating Brâhmana, then all his doubts fade away, since he has understood the cessation of causation.'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Knowing this the Blessed One then on that occasion pronounced this solemn utterance: 'When the real nature of things becomes clear to the ardent, meditating Brâhmana, he stands, dispelling the hosts of Mâra, like the sun that illuminates the sky.'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Mv 1 (Rhys-Davids, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(These utterances are also found in the Udana.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's enlightenment changed him in several ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He gained unobstructed knowledge, meaning he could call forth the correct answer to any question he posed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, among this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, examined by the mind—that I know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- AN 4.24 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;His enlightenment removed not only all mental defilements (as would be the case with any arahant), but it also removed any &lt;em&gt;vāsanā&lt;/em&gt; - idiosyncracies - from his character. While ordinary arahants retain many of their idiocsyncracies gained from their parents, past lives, etc., a Buddha acts and speaks like a Buddha. (I don't have a reference off-hand; it's generally known in Theravada Buddhism, but I can find a source, if required)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;His knowledge led him to disinclination to teach:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And then the following . . . . stanzas, unheard before, occurred to the Blessed One: 'With great pains have I acquired it. Enough! why should I now proclaim it? This doctrine will not be easy to understand to beings that are lost in lust and hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Given to lust, surrounded with thick darkness, they will not see what is repugnant (to their minds), abstruse, profound, difficult to perceive, and subtle.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Mv 1 (Rhys-Davids, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That being said, his deeply ingrained compassion led him to accept the invitation to teach and work tirelessly for 45 years without concern for his own well-being; some arahants might refuse the invitation to teach, disinclined to bother themselves.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, when he had heard Brahmâ's solicitation, looked, full of compassion towards sentient beings, over the world, with his (all-perceiving) eye of a Buddha. And the Blessed One, looking over the world with his eye of a Buddha, saw beings whose mental eyes were darkened by scarcely any dust, and beings whose eyes were covered by much dust, beings sharp of sense and blunt of sense, of good disposition and of bad disposition, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some of them seeing the dangers of future life and of sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Pacceka-Buddha&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, we have the enlightenment of a private (&lt;em&gt;pacceka&lt;/em&gt;) Buddha. Private Buddhas are interesting and a bit of a mystery, I think. On the one hand, they have the ability to attain freedom from suffering themselves, but on the other hand, they lack the ability to teach what they have themselves learned. They could be likened to a street fighter who learned how to fight without instruction and so is unable to teach others how to fight beyond telling them to go figure it out on their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Private Buddhas are perfectly at peace with themselves, but solitary and unattached. They tend to retreat at the first sign of conflict and shy away from teaching or becoming religious leaders. Having neither the wisdom to see the potential in others nor the Buddha's compassion leading them to accept invitations to teach, they tend to offer simple lessons and live content in their own freedom. One of the great lessons we have from the private Buddhas is found in the Sutta Nipata, the Khaggavisana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one acquires a clever companion, an associate righteous and wise, let him, overcoming all dangers, wander about with him glad and, thoughtful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one does not acquire a clever companion, an associate righteous and wise, then as a king abandoning (his) conquered kingdom, let him wander alone like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Sn 44-45 (Fausboll, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an interesting story of a Pacceka-Buddha in the DhpA, where he befriends a dog and actually appears to play a game with the dog, testing its intelligence and loyalty:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The dog ran before him, barking constantly. From time to time the Private Buddha tested the dog by taking the wrong path; but every time he did so the dog, by standing across the path and barking, intimated to him to take the other path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day the Private Buddha took the wrong path, and when the dog tried to stop him, without turning back, he pushed away the dog with his foot and went on. The dog, perceiving that he did not intend to turn back, took the hem of his undergarment in his teeth and dragged him along until he brought him to the right path. Such was the strength of the affection of the dog for the Private Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DhpA 16 (Burlingame, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Private Buddha's do teach from time to time, and possess great wisdom in their own right. They also are represented as possessing compassion in their support for the spiritual development of others. One memorable story is in relation to the being who later became Anuruddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now one day a Private Buddha named Upariṭṭha arose from a Trance of Cessation in Gandhamādana, and considered within himself, “To whom shall I show favor to-day?” Straightway the thought came to him, “To-day I ought to show my favor to Annabhāra.” And perceiving within himself, “At this moment Annabhara is on the point of returning home from the forest with his grass,” he took bowl and robe, and proceeding by supernatural power, appeared before Annabhara. Annabhara, seeing that the bowl in his hand was empty, asked him, “Reverend Sir, have you received no food?” The Private Buddha replied, “It is my expectation to receive food, man of great merit.” “Well then, Reverend Sir, wait a moment,” said Annabhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DhpA 266 (Burlingame, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Annabhara gives him his meal, then is asked to &quot;sell&quot; the merit of his good deed to a rich man. Not sure what that would mean, he asks the Pacceka Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So he went quickly to the Private Buddha and asked him, “Reverend Sir, the Treasurer Sumana has offered me a thousand pieces of money, asking me to make over to him the merit I acquired by giving you a portion of alms. What shall I do?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Private Buddha answered by a simile: “Wise man, it is as if in a village consisting of a hundred families, a man were to light a lamp in a single house and the rest of the villagers were to moisten their wicks with their own oil, light their lamps, and take them away with them. [123] Is that light the light of the first lamp or not?” “Reverend Sir, in that case the light of the first lamp has multiplied itself.” “Wise man, precisely so is it with the alms you gave. Whether it be a ladleful of broth, or a spoonful of boiled rice, when a man makes over to others the merit of a portion of alms which he has given, the merit thereof increases according to the number of persons to whom he gives. To be sure, you have given but a single portion of alms. But in making over the merit thereof to the treasurer, that one portion of alms has become two, of which one belongs to you and the other to him.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that these are just stories, but they do offer some insight into the nature of a Pacceka Buddha according to tradition. I always think of Lao Tzu as fitting the role of a self-enlightened being who couldn't fully teach his enlightenment to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Arahant&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The arahant is the quintessential enlightened being in Theravada Buddhism; even the Buddha is described as being an arahant. Mahasi Sayadaw gives a good description of what an arahant is like in his discourse on Dependent Origination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Arahants have no illusions about the nature of sense-objects. They are aware of their unsatisfactoriness, which means they fully realise the truth of suffering because they are free from delusion. So they have no craving for anything. Inevitably, they have to fulfill the biological needs of the body such as eating, sleeping, etc., but they regard this as conditioned suffering and find nothing agreeable. The question arises whether they should long for a speedy death to end such suffering. Nevertheless, the desire for early death or dissolution of the physical body is aversion, which the arahant has also removed. In the Theragatha, the Elder’s Verses, an arahant says that he neither wishes to die nor to live. The arahant does not wish to live a long life, for life means a burden of suffering inherent in the aggregates. Although the aggregates need constant care and attention, they are not reliable in the least. To many middle-aged or old people, life offers little more than frustration, disappointment, and bitterness. Living conditions deteriorate, physical health declines and only disability and death await them. Yet, because of ignorance and attachment, many people take delight in existence. However, the arahants are disillusioned, so they find life unattractive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet the arahants don’t desire death either, since they have conquered ill-will. They equanimously anticipate their parinibbana, an expectation that is analogous to a worker’s expectation of wages. A worker does not like to face hardships and privations to make a living, but does not want to be unemployed either. A worker wants only money and expects payment. Likewise, the arahants await death, so when they think of their lifespan, they wonder how long they must bear the burden of the body. Because of their total disillusionment, their life-stream ceases completely after parinibbana, so it is called cessation without any remainder (anupadisesanibbana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is much to add to this description. The Visuddhimagga goes into great detail about what it means to be enlightened in the final chapter, like what fetters are destroyed at what stage, etc. The Thera and Theri gathas have verses from enlightened beings that offer a sense of their state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Sekkha&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides an arahant, it is proper to describe the other three types of ariya puggala as &quot;enlightened&quot;, or at least &quot;partially enlightened&quot;. They have all experienced nibbana for themselves, and it has changed them all profoundly. They are considered to have *become family&quot; (&lt;em&gt;gotrabhu&lt;/em&gt;) and will never return to the state of an ordinary being. They still have remenants of unwholesome behaviour - a sotapanna might still cry (e.g. Visakha when her granddaughter died), an anagami might still become distracted, etc. They all have unshakeable faith in the triple gem and no doubt or wrong views about the Buddhadhamma. More about the specific defilements discarded at each level can  be found in the last chapter of the Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Bodhisatta&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned, in Mayahana Buddhism, I understand that there are certain beings called Bodhisattvas who are considered enlightened but stay in samsara to help others. Some believe Buddhas do the same, I think. I don't have anything to say about such teachings, except that such beings would not be considered enlightened in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, it is worth talking about the Bodhisatta, a being who has made the determination to become a Buddha but hasn't yet attained Buddhahood, since this is a part of the process of change called enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Bodhisatta is a being who could become an enlightened arahant but does not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While thus I lay upon the ground,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Arose within me many thoughts:&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;&quot;To-day, if such were my desire,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I my corruptions might consume.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But why thus in an unknown guise&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Should I the Doctrine's fruit secure?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And be a Buddha in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or why should I, a valorous man,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;The ocean seek to cross alone?&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience first will I achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And men and gods convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since now I make this earnest wish,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;In presence of this Best of Men,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Omniscience sometime I'll achieve,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And multitudes convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I'll rebirth's circling stream arrest,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Destroy existence's three modes;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;I'll climb the sides of Doctrine's ship,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And men and gods convey across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Jat-A 46-69 (from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits001.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism In Translation&lt;/a&gt;, Warren, trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason it is worth mentioning is that a change overcomes one who makes this vow in front of a Buddha; they become a &lt;em&gt;niyata bodhisatta&lt;/em&gt; - one who is certainly destined for Buddhahood. As the Jataka stories show, they have many qualities that at times seem to surpass those of even arahants. They still, however, have not overcome all greed, anger or delusion, nor have they experienced nibbana or come to understand the four noble truths for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Nibbāna&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally a few words on the actual experience of nibbāna, since that is what is considered to be the experience of enlightenment. The Milinda-Panha has some things to say on the experience, comparing nibbana to a lotus, water, medicine, an ocean, etc. Some of these similes contain descriptions of the experience, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Like water, it cools the &#xA;  fever of defilements and&#xA;  quenches the thirst of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Like medicine, it protects beings who are poisoned&#xA;  by the defilements, cures the disease of suffering, and nour-&#xA;  ishes like nectar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Like food, which sustains life, &#xA;  nibbàna&#xA;   drives away&#xA;  old age and death; it increases the spiritual strength of&#xA;  beings; it gives the beauty of &#xA;  virtue, it removes the distress&#xA;  of the defilements, it relieves &#xA;  the exhaustion of all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Like a wish-fulfilling gem, it &#xA;  fulfils all desires, causes&#xA;  delight and is lustrous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- The Debate of King Milinda (Pesala, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena also says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“How is nibbàna to be shown? By freedom from distress and danger, by purity and by coolness. As a man, afraid and terrified at having fallen among enemies, would be relieved and blissful when he had escaped to a safe place; or as one fallen into a pit of filth would be at ease and glad when he had got out of the pit and cleaned up; or as one trapped in a forest fire would be calm and cool when he had reached a safe spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were looking for a short answer, apologies :) Unfortunately, the experience of enlightenment is &lt;em&gt;paccata&lt;/em&gt; (private), and not to be understood by ordinary beings. So in a sense, your question is only answerable by your own experience. Enlightenment is like the breaking of a dam; it can not be undone, and it signifies a profound and categorical change of one's entire being. It is called &quot;becoming family&quot; (&lt;em&gt;gotrabhu&lt;/em&gt;) in the sense of one being categorically different from an ordinary individual. In that sense, it is not gradual or graded, it is distinct and complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realization of enlightenment is best described as the attainment of the four noble truths. In brief, this means practicing until the moment where one realizes that the five aggregates are impermanent (unstable), suffering (unsatisfying or stressful), and non-self (empty and uncontrollable). The next moment one enters into nibbana, a complete cessation of arisen phenomena that is perfect and unadulterated peace. Subsequent to this, one dwells with clear knowledge of the nature of true peace and a freedom from attachment to suffering. It is the most profound change that could possibly occur for a sentient being, and it is considered to be the final goal of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T02:03:47.777" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T02:03:47.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-19T16:14:54.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not have sufficent knowledge to answer the question in a satisfactory way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So i will instead point you to some great ressources regarding your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one is a book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-1964_on_the_nature_of_nibbana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;On the Nature of Nibbana&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this book Nibbana is being discussed e.g. &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What is Nibbana and what is the meaning of it?, Mental Formation and Nibbana, The Nature and Attributes of Nibbana and many more things regarding Nibbana&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second source is a great audio dhamma talk called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBNMqqmZI6E&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Nibbana&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is also some text material on &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. A short quote from the section &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/nibbanaReal.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Nibbana is an existing reality&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Regarding the nature of Nibbana, the question is often asked: Does Nibbana signify only extinction of the defilements and liberation from samsara or does it signify some reality existing in itself? Nibbana is not only the destruction of defilements and the end of samsara but a reality transcendent to the entire world of mundane experience, a reality transcendent to all the realms of phenomenal existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha refers to Nibbana as a 'dhamma'. For example, he says &amp;quot;of all dhammas, conditioned or unconditioned, the most excellent dhamma, the supreme dhamma is, Nibbana&amp;quot;. 'Dhamma' signifies actual realities, the existing realities as opposed to conceptual things. Dhammas are of two types, conditioned and unconditioned. A conditioned dhamma is an actuality which has come into being through causes or conditions, something which arises through the workings of various conditions. The conditioned dhammas are the five aggregates: material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness. The conditioned dhammas, do not remain static. They go through a ceaseless process of becoming. They arise, undergo transformation and fall away due to its conditionality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the unconditioned dhamma is not produced by causes and conditions. It has the opposite characteristics from the conditioned: it has no arising, no falling away and it undergoes no transformation. Nevertheless, it is an actuality, and the Buddha refers to Nibbana as an unconditioned Dhamma.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May this be of some help to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T20:07:23.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-19T17:45:05.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana as stated in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/d/doc1829.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patthana&lt;/a&gt; with my summary below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;[]&lt;/code&gt; square brackets indicate my extra notes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;*&lt;/code&gt; asterisk indicates I've changed to the English rendering according to Nyanamoli as it appeals to me to be a closer rendering, otherwise it is straight from the Patthana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana the term derives from nivana or nirvana. Ni means nikkhanta or liberated from vana or binding. Vana is the dhamma that bind various different lives in the samsara. So nibbana means liberated from binding in the samsara. This binding is tanha. [Thanissaro Bhikkhu uses unbinding in most of his translation instead of using nibbana]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From view point of contemplation [at the time of release], there are three kinds of nibbana.&#xA;They are sunnata nibbana [*emptiness - attained thru seeing anatta],&#xA;animitta nibbana [*signless - attained thru seeing anicca],&#xA;and appanihita nibbana [*desireless - attained thru seeing dukkha]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All 3 are just one same nibbana perceived through different modes of release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not in one of the 5 aggregates, [it is there all the time but we don't have the mental capacity to see it]. It can be an object of the mind (arammana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who can see nibbana? Arahants, and Anagamis only when he enters (*the state of ceasation of consciousness) nirodha samapatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Sotapanas, Sakadagamis and Anagamis only have a glimps of nibbana]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhata dhatu [*conditioned elements] are those whose arising and existence are influenced by one of four causes namely kamma [*action], citta [*consciousness], utu [*climate], and ahara [*nutriment]. Nibbana cannot be influenced by these four causes. Nibbana is asankhata dhatu [*unconditioned element].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-19T18:03:24.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9001" CreationDate="2015-05-19T19:35:42.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great and important question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There isnt really anything different by being mindful while one is studying. Its not like the method or technique changes if one is studying or if one is e.g. doing the dishes. One is mindful of the 5 aggregates of clinging which are; &lt;em&gt;material form, feelings, perception, mental formations and consciousness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They take place all the time and are present in everything we do. When one is reading there is the awareness of the first aggregate of material form that is the &lt;em&gt;eye-sense-base&lt;/em&gt; and its corresponding external object which is &lt;em&gt;light and visible forms&lt;/em&gt;. There is also the feeling arising when contact happens i.e. when the mind contacts the object. Also there is perception and consciousness which work in tandem to cognize an object. And there is mental formations present i.e. the volition to see, to advert the mind to the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the same when one is studying. One can be aware of the reading, knowing that now reading is taking place. If one is studying in a chair or sofa one can be aware of the posture one uses. When one is turning the pages in a book one can be aware of the movement and note &amp;quot;turning, turning&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;moving, moving&amp;quot;. Of course one has to always sent the mind out to the object in order to be in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important thing here is the noting/reminding as these phenomena arises, are present and when they cease. Its important to catch them and observe them thereby guarding the sense doors. Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-1959_fundamentals_of_insight_meditation.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Fundamentals Of Insight Meditation&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, chapter: &lt;em&gt;The Right Method&lt;/em&gt;, p. 7-12:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Every time you see, hear, touch, or perceive, you must try to see the mental and physical processes that enter through the six sense doors as they really&#xA;are. When you see, the seeing is real. This you must note as “seeing, seeing.”&#xA;In the same way, when you hear, note “hearing.” When you smell, note “smelling.” When you taste, note “tasting. ” When you touch, note “touching.”&#xA;Tiredness, hotness, aches, and such unpleasant or unbearable sensations&#xA;arise from contact too. Observe them: “tiredness,” “hot,” “pain,” and so on.&#xA;Thoughts and ideas may also occur. Note them as “thinking,” “imagining,” “pleasure,” “delight,” etc., as they arise.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also another great book by Ven. Yuttadhammo called &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. This is a well written book with solid instructions and information about the technique. Here is a quote from &lt;em&gt;Chapter Four: Fundamentals&lt;/em&gt;, p. 19:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The first important principle is that meditation must be practiced in the present moment. During meditation, one's mind should be focused on the experience occurring at each moment, never dwelling in the past or skipping ahead to the future. One should avoid thoughts about how much time one has been sitting or how much time is left. One's mind should always be noting the objects as they arise in the present moment, not straying even one moment into the past or future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is out of touch with the present moment, one is out of touch with reality. Each experience only lasts a single moment, so it is important to note experiences at the moment they occur, recognizing their arising, persisting, and ceasing, using the mantra to create a clear awareness of their essential nature. Only in this way can we come to understand the true nature of reality.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as Ven. Yuttadhammo states, the practice of meditation must take place in the present moment and if one strays from the present moment i.e. when mindfulness is absent and the mind follows after an object and identifies with it, then one does not have reality as an object anymore meaning that insight knowledge into how reality functions, i.e. the 3 signs of existence, cannot arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its all much better decribed in Ven. Yuttadhammo's book. I think it will give you all the answers you need. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a website where you can find the other books written&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; here is a website that holds a categorized selection of the youtube videos made by Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;. You could look in the meditation category for further information about your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xLBrUFuyKg&amp;amp;list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;You might find this video useful&lt;/a&gt;. Its called Fundamentals of Meditation Practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this might be of some help to you. If you have any questions to what i wrote feel free to ask and i might be able to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T14:05:23.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7181" CreationDate="2015-05-20T02:19:18.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;IIs it possible to be on the path without wisdom? Is it possible to advance  &gt;along it, even to attain complete, and perfect enlightenment, without wisdom?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From mindfulness, clear comprehension arise, from clear comprehension, insight arise, from insight, wisdom arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without wisdom one would not know skilful from unskilful action, appropriate from inappropriate body, speech and mind cultivation. How then can one purify oneself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if the latter is in any way the case, then how so, and why would the  &gt;practitioner have to fall &quot;back&quot; into complete ignorance in order have any  &gt;semblance of enlightenment?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not the case that one can obtained enlightenment without wisdom. The word enlightenment itself also means wisdom. To be enlighten means to be wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T02:19:18.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3889" CreationDate="2015-05-20T03:16:57.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are so many stupas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagoda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pagodas&lt;/a&gt; as you call them which are chinese versions of stupas) which architectural meanings are never recorded, they are symbols for the viewer to interpret, especially the modern ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Symbolism&lt;/a&gt; from Wikipedia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne.&quot;[7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five purified elements&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although not described in any Tibetan text on stupa symbolism, the stupa may represent the five purified elements:[8]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;The square base represents earth&#xA;The hemispherical dome/vase represents water&#xA;The conical spire represents fire&#xA;The upper lotus parasol and the crescent moon represents air&#xA;The sun and the dissolving point represents the element of space&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-20T08:41:29.687" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T08:41:29.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8184" CreationDate="2015-05-20T03:43:19.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two implications to the question you ask:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you imply that being reborn so that they can come back to earth to teach again like the Tibetan lamas, the answer is no. That is the path of a bodhisattva. The zen tradition is to gain enlightenment, instantly or gradually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second is that, have those patriarch reached enlightenment so that they will never be reborn? If you believe they were enlightened then they will not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-20T08:48:56.183" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T08:48:56.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9111" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9112" CreationDate="2015-05-20T05:50:58.767" Score="12" ViewCount="988" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stream entry feels like a milestone where some very significant things happen and the practitioner cannot slide backwards from it. Do Zen sutras describe the concept of stream entry by that or any other name? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2022-09-15T23:48:59.560" Title="Does Zen have a concept similar to stream entry?" Tags="|zen|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9111" CreationDate="2015-05-20T06:06:13.373" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if it corresponds in every respect with stream entry but in Japanese Zen they generally distinguish Kenshō, the initial seeing of one's nature, from full Buddhahood so I think it is at least analogous to stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how this is talked about in forms of Zen outside of Japan (such as Chinese Chan, Vietnamese Zen, and Korean Seon) however, as I think the explicit distinction between Kenshō and Satori is a distinctively Japanese idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T06:06:13.373" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9075" CreationDate="2015-05-20T07:23:56.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;How about just accepting that the emotions are there? Sometimes fighting, struggling are the things that intensify emotions. Unfortunately emotions can't be erased, we can only try to observe them when they arise and acknowledge them as they are. Maybe accepting that these feelings toward this person may stay forever. Will it be that bad?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you tried writing a private journal? I've found that very therapeutic for letting out stuck emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5163" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T07:23:56.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9114" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-20T08:39:06.693" Score="4" ViewCount="298" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Practice Ven . Mahasi Sayadaw tradition&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I spend most of my unproductive time (traveling , when nothing special to do ) on reading Dhamma books using my iPhone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These moments are not appropriate for sitting or walking meditation , so I follow &quot;daily life&quot; instructions can be found here &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/chapter-six-daily-life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate/chapter-six-daily-life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But when I try to make a clear thought &quot;reading&quot; while reading I find it interfere with reading . How should I use clear thoughts to be mindful when reading ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2015-05-20T19:57:26.363" LastActivityDate="2018-09-12T07:25:16.287" Title="Mindfulness when “reading” : Ven . Mahasi Sayadaw tradition" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9115" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-20T11:45:14.033" Score="10" ViewCount="1883" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some very influential meditation masters of the 20th century such as Mahasi Sayadaw and S.N. Goenka who have many people today who follow their methods. Is it possible to summarize the methods particular to modern meditation masters (type of meditation, etc.) and provide links to their teachings? This might be helpful to those new to meditation or those looking to expand their understanding of the many styles of meditation available today. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a community wiki and a work in progress. Please consider adding your knowledge to this post. Thank you! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:16:28.670" LastActivityDate="2019-02-22T14:18:20.117" Title="Methods of Modern Meditation Masters" Tags="|mahasi-sayadaw|sn-goenka|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-20T12:44:01.630" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9114" CreationDate="2015-05-20T14:03:24.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yesterday I have answered a question similar to yours where i write about being mindful when studying/reading with basis in the Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition. There are also references to books and videos by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw and Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9001/how-to-be-mindful-while-studying/9107#9107&quot;&gt;You can find it here.&lt;/a&gt; Maybe it might be of some help to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T14:03:24.987" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-20T15:25:53.503" Score="7" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ledi Sayadaw -Vipassana movement pioneer. Extremely influential in spreading Vipassana Meditation among lay people. Considers the whole Tripitaka when formulating the meditation instructions of which many have their roots in the Abidhamma.&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mohnyin Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saya Thetgyi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;U Ba Khin - Lay student of  Saya Thetgyi (student of Ledi Sayadaw) but highly influenced by Webu Sayadaw&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mother Sayama Gyi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;S.N.Goenka -lay teacher that has many meditation centers worldwide that offer 10 day retreats on a Dana basis.,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ruth Denison -Elder lay teacher and former student of U Ba Khin&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Webu Sayadaw -believed to be an Arahat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mogok Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw - Most orthodox in following the Visuddhi Magga and commentaries. Course starts with Anapana or the 4 elements. If starting from Anapana the course covers all 40 meditation objects and covering all the Jhana. (A course may take upto 3 1/2 years to complete at the monastery.)&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nauyane Ariadhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thai Forrest Traditions &#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ven. Mun&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ven. Cha student of Ven.Mun&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Achan Bram -big help in the resurrection of the theravadin bhukkhuini order.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ven. Sujato -Dhamma Scholar. Began practice in the Mahasi tradition but is now a critic of the Mahasi appoach&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Achan Munido&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ven. Maha Boowa student of Ven. Mun&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Achan Lee&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thanisaro Bikkhu&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sun Lun Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;U Pandita -Former student if Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;U Silananda -Former Student of Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chanmyay Sayadaw (U Janaka) -Former Student of &#xA;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Oo Min Sayadaw - Taught cittanupassana rooted in Mahasi Style meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sayadaw U Tejaniya -student of Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sunlun Sayadaw -Vipassana movement pioneer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mingun Sayadaw -Vipassana movement pioneer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mogok Sayadaw -Vipassana movement pioneer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhante Yuttadhammo -Teaches Mahasi method online and offline&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Arahat Daniel M. Ingram -Teaches a radically western approach. Studied many traditions and recommends the Mahasi approach above all&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhadasa Bikkhu &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Banthe Vimalasiri former student of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw but devised his own technique after considering that technique to be flawed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-06-08T10:46:32.780" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T10:46:32.780" CommentCount="6" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-20T15:25:53.503" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2015-05-20T15:57:00.360" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/documents/bForum/v4/03Cousins.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Origins of Insights&lt;/a&gt; written by someone whom professor Richard Gombrich once described as the leading authority in the West in the field of abhidhamma, has pointed out through his extensive research of the whole tipitaka that the Buddha only teaches insight after the jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So samatha is required first before vipassana and not samatha or vipassana. I won't go into the differences as they have already been pointed in several posts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote a tiny excerpt from the paper:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In  the  Canon  the  development  of  insight  after  the &#xA;  jhānas is  certainly  the  normative pattern, where  a  full  process  is  described  at  all.  I  exclude  from  consideration  those  cases where  the dhamma eye,  etc.  are  said  to  arise  at  the  end  of  a  discourse,  apparently spontaneously.   There   is   no   indication,   or   at   least   not   much   indication,   of   the   prior background in most such cases and hence no way of telling if it is envisaged that jhāna had already been developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LATER EDIT:~~ And finally I quote from the paper:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most recently, both Johannes Bronkhorst and Tilman Vetter have for different reasons taken up the view that the jhānas are likely to be the original core of Buddhist meditative practice.&#xA;  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  contrast  here  with  the  view  of  many  modern  interpreters  of Buddhism, for whom it is precisely the insight approach which is the innovative creation of &#xA;  Buddhism — the  thing  the  Buddha added  to  what  was  known  before.  Of  course,  it  does  not &#xA;  necessarily follow that adding a rung or two to the top of the ladder means you can dispense with the ladder!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-20T20:45:04.760" LastActivityDate="2015-05-20T20:45:04.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9119" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9122" CreationDate="2015-05-21T01:12:02.193" Score="2" ViewCount="2925" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sammasambuddha (Skt: Samyaksambuddha) is also an Arahant according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.003.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhajagga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the Pacceka Buddha (Skt: Pratyeka Buddha) also an Arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's the difference between Pacceka Buddha and Arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are disciples of the Buddha who achieved Nibbana called Arahants, instead of being a type of Buddha? Although &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; calls them Sāvakabuddha (Skt: Śrāvakabuddha) though stating that this was not in the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T11:58:20.917" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T04:01:02.040" Title="Difference between Pacceka Buddha and Arahant?" Tags="|pali-canon|buddhas|arhats|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9120" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-21T05:08:26.963" Score="2" ViewCount="703" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per Buddhism, what are elements of soul, or what is soul made of?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(If we split body and soul to separate them, then what are elements of soul?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5167" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2022-10-03T08:19:39.027" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T08:19:39.027" Title="What is soul made of, as per Buddhism?" Tags="|soul|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9120" CreationDate="2015-05-21T06:21:15.540" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism a human being is composed of matter, feelings, perceptions &amp;amp; memories, mental fabrications (thinking) and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A soul is a conceptual belief which does not exist. It is concept which is deeply ingrained in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like a car is just a concept which is an accumulation of parts a steering wheel, chassis, wing mrrors etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more on consciousness in the Theravada tradition and how kamma transmigrate see my other &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9154/what-are-the-positions-of-the-different-schools-on-a-primordial-mind&quot;&gt;post&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T18:45:05.407" CommentCount="21" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9119" CreationDate="2015-05-21T06:29:09.933" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sravakabuddha is a Mahayana terminology so it's not found in the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the Buddha refers to himself as an Arahant because they have all attained releases which are the same, abandoning of greed, hate and delusion (it is like saying we are humans instead of men and women).&#xA;Only the wisdom of the Buddha is different to the rest, as the wisdom of Maha Arahant Sariputta is different from the other Arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism a Buddha is one who discovers Dhammma and starts a Buddha sasana. A Buddha usually mean Samasambuddha, self-enlightened one, not dependent on another's teaching. This definition is different from Mahayana, Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Pacceka Buddha is also one who has abandoned greed, hate and delusion but he does it by himself, when in an aeon, or time when there is no Buddha's teaching but his wisdom is limited in that he cannot start a Buddha sasana, He is called the silent Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T07:59:50.807" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T07:59:50.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5771" CreationDate="2015-05-21T08:35:21.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The tingling sensations may be the arising of Rapture (Pali : Piti).  This is a positive mental factor. When it arise, simply know it as it is, that it is impermanent and not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5168" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T08:35:21.343" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5529" CreationDate="2015-05-21T09:14:01.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To put it in another way Sujato Bhikkhu postulates a root text which he calls Satipatthana Mula which other later Satipatthana suttas and sutras &quot;added&quot; their own stuff. He derived a postulated root text not just by elision and finding common contents but other textual analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The results he obtained happened to be similar to those found in the Theravada Abidhamma Vibhanga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My quick and brief comparison from his table shows that the current pali version contains the following practices which according to Sujato Bhikkhu are not present in his postulated Satipatthana Mula:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Satipatthna Sutta adds:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four postures;&#xA;Clear comprehension;&#xA;Anapanasati;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 elements;&#xA;Food;&#xA;Space (5 element);&#xA;Oozing orifices;&#xA;Charnel ground;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6 sense media;&#xA;4 noble truths;&#xA;Rise/fall;&#xA;Knowledge;&#xA;Independence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ekayana Sutra added:&lt;/strong&gt; Arahantship&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T09:38:48.463" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T09:38:48.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-21T10:40:59.840" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahasiusa.org/sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a 20th century burmese meditation master. His teachings on Vipassana Meditation, also called Insight Meditation is derived from the so called &lt;em&gt;&quot;New Burmese Method&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement#The_Mahasi_.28.22New_Burmese.22.29_Method&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The following quote is from the wiki:&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The vipassanā Movement, also called the Insight Meditation Movement, refers to a number of branches of modern Theravāda Buddhism which stress insight into the three marks of existence as the main means to attain awakening and become a stream-enterer.&#xA;  It finds its origins in modernist influences on the traditions of Burma, Laos, Thailand and Sri Lanka, and the innovations and popularizations by Theravāda teachers as Mahasi Sayadaw.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/pracexer.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The vipassana meditation technique&lt;/a&gt; taught by Mahasi Sayadaw is characterized by the meditator anchoring his attention on the rising and falling sensations of the abdomen, making that the primary point of observation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for this is that the rising and falling of the abdomen is always present making that a suitable place for observing the transient and impermanent nature of phenomena. The breath rises and falls all the time. In the same way all phenomena both physical and mental rise and fall incessantly. Having an anchor serves as a way for the mind to not get lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In beginning of meditation practice the mind is like a little child always running out to the objects and getting lost. Having an anchor means that the meditator can always come back to the abdomen if things get too intense meaning if e.g. feelings or thoughts get too intense when observing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditator then carefully observes the five aggregates, i.e. &lt;em&gt;form, feeling, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. One does not interact with the objects of meditation. One simply observes them. One does not have to do anything. One only has to be a witness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part of the technique which is specific to the Mahasi Sayadaw method is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;noting&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Noting can also be understood as &lt;em&gt;&quot;naming or labelling&quot;&lt;/em&gt; of the object that are currently being observed. It can also mean to &lt;em&gt;&quot;remind&quot;&lt;/em&gt; oneself of the current object being observed so that the mind will not stray or follow after the object, identifying with it and getting lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one notes an object its important that the mind is sent out to the object. When observing the rising of the abdomen, the meditator simply notes &quot;rising, rising&quot; while attention is pointed at the abdomen and not the mental word in the mind. When the abdomen is falling one simply notes &quot;falling, falling&quot; again while keeping attention on the abdomen at all time. This ensures that the meditator sees the object for what it is - an arisen phenomena - so that the mind will stay in place and not follow after the object. The meditator is only interested in observing the bare phenomena - ultimate reality only. If one hears a sound one notes &quot;hearing, hearing&quot; and thereby ensuring that one observes only the ultimate reality of the object, i.e. the phenomena of sound. If one sees e.g. a tree one notes &quot;seeing, seeing&quot; thereby keeping the attention on the ultimate reality of the object which in this case is the phenomena of visible light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly when thoughts arise one notes &quot;thinking, thinking&quot;. If anger arises one notes &quot;angry, angry&quot; or &quot;anger, anger&quot;. One does not need to make long complicated words or sentences. A simple word is enough. If pain arises in the body due to e.g. long meditation sessions one notes &quot;pain, pain&quot;. If heat arises in the body one notes &quot;heat, heat&quot; or &quot;warm, warm&quot;. One can note the phenomena a couple of times and then return to the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up the technique. The meditator sits in a comfortable position and anchors the attention on the rising and falling sensations of the abdomen noting &quot;rising, rising&quot; or &quot;falling, falling&quot;. When other phenomena arises e.g. thoughts, feelings, sounds, sights, volitions etc. then one notes accordingly to the arisen phenomena. If there is e.g. both a loud sound arising and a strong itchy feeling on the nose then one chooses the object that is most dominant and notes that. In the beginning of practice the meditator can limit the observation to only e.g. the form aggregate. With practice the meditator can note more and more phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for observing and noting the aggregates of clinging is so that the meditator can develop insight into how reality functions, i.e. the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;annica, dukkha and anatta&lt;/em&gt;. By observing and noting phenomena the meditator comes to see that phenomena are impermanent. They arise and cease without any control. One sees that phenomena are uncontrollable and ungovernable. Then ones sees that phenomena are unsatisfactory and oppressing. When that is truly realized one comes to realize anatta, i.e. that phenomena have no inner core, no self. Realizing the signs of existence ultimately leads to realizing Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information and books on the &lt;em&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw Method&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the following books are available for free&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://saraniya.com/meditation/qa-with-mahasi-sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Q &amp;amp; A with Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are questions and answers that will explain the process of meditation. These explanations will assist, guide and inspire the meditators starting in their meditation practises. It is extracted from the &lt;em&gt;&quot;Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Mahasi Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement#The_Mahasi_.28.22New_Burmese.22.29_Method&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Discourse on Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An extensive guideline through the practice of Vipassana meditation and explanation of the Satipatthana medthod, including how Nibbana is realized through this method of practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/pracexer.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book includes an explanation of the difference of Samatha and Vipassana meditation, how Vipassana is practiced, the theory behind the practice, and how the practice achieves the goal of Nibbana and fulfills the Eightfold Noble Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a brief look to the Vipassana meditation along with a few exercises to begin with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Purpose of Practicing Kammatthana (Buddhist) Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw explains the two kinds of meditations taught by the Buddha as well as a brief teaching on how to practice the two methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book explains the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation method that's taught by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta. It explains extensively the instructions given by the Buddha in the Satipatthana sutta, the practice, and the theory behind it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/VISUDDHI-NANA-KATTHA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Summary of Discourses on Purity and Insight (Visuddhi-Nana-Kattha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a collection of discourses given by the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw on the subjects of purity and insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/THE%20SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Satipatthana Meditation &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is yet another discourse to extensively discuss the Satipatthana meditation method prescribed by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Current well known meditation teachers who teach this style of meditation include:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Ajahn_Yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; who teaches in person and online via &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;youtube&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information about Ven. Yuttadhammo the following sources are available:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sirimangalo International Video Wiki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here one can find a categorized selection of Youtube-videos made by Ven. Yuttadhammo. There are a total of 757 videos within a wide range of topics such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;Daily Life, Enlightenment, Mental Problems, Buddhist Theory, Karma, Morality, Monasticism etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &#xA;Most notably is the meditation category which holds 209 videos. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo/featured&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu Youtube Profile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one can find a wide range of different videos. Most notably is the series of &lt;em&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk, Monk Radio, The Dhammapada&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. There is also teachings for kids which takes place in &lt;a href=&quot;https://my.secondlife.com/yuttadhammo.darwinian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Second Life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/diraudio/Yuttadhammo/audio.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Audio Talks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one can find audio talks by Ven. Yuttadhammo. They are sorted by year and ranges from 2006-2015.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://radio.sirimangalo.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sirimangalo Live&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Live Sessions of Monk Radio.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Our Monk Radio program is an interactive broadcast allowing the audience to ask questions and receive answers about meditation, Buddhism, and the monastic life.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To watch the broadcast, you can visit this page, which will show the video shortly before we start. To participate, you can ask questions below or on Google Moderator.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo - Truth Is Within&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one can follow Ven. Yuttadhammo's blog. One can see his blog posts, schedule and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sirimangalo International Teachings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one can find text materials by Ven. Yuttadhammo. Currently there are 2 books available for download in &lt;em&gt;PDF, Ebook and Kindle&lt;/em&gt; and comes in a wide variety of languages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book 1: &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This book is meant to serve as an introductory discourse on how to meditate for those with little or no experience in the practice of meditation, as well as those who are experienced in other types of meditation but interested in learning a new meditation technique.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book 2: &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/lessons/Lessons.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lessons In Practical Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This book is based on a sample of audio and video teachings originally given via YouTube and as part of various local meditation courses.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;My hope in putting together this book is that more people may benefit from the teachings of the Buddha on a practical level; it seems to me proper that if one wishes to live in peace and happiness, it behoves one to work to spread peace and happiness in the world in which one lives.&#xA;May all beings be happy.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book 3: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate-ii&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Meditate II&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;This is where the sequel to my booklet on how to meditate will live. Below is a table of contents that will become an active list of links as chapters are added and finished.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Currently there are 2 chapters available which are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate-ii/chapter-one-benefits-of-meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Benefits of Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings/how-to-meditate-ii/chapter-two&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Nature of Reality&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu Twitter&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Facebook Page&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one can follow the life and teachings of Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recommended videos in random order:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpzurcpIDeY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to Meditate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF755B81CBBCA7B59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada Series&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4C918E1E338A6F1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation For Children&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEAF1C6352D4F61F9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk Series&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbcQFIUs-jE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Practical Application of the Eightfold Noble Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZqh29Chrpo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Realizations on the Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sagan3V2vI8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dangers on the Voyage&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjUkzRcNhK8&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Experience of Reality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih0moT0bvgM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Explanation of Karma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFqdlfeq7wE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How Mindfulness Creates Understanding&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqeXuC2sI5U&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Preparing for Death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Lg9P-VekA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Pornography and Masturbation (and Addiction in General)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WayL9-OtG94&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vigilance - The Heart of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldDclolLCg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Dealing With Pain and Using Suffering as a Vehicle for Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dt7RNkLn-4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Understanding the Mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-8aXvl1XXc&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Strong Attachments&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs7MsSPSrdI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Is There a Purpose In Life?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XClIR19eufc&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Nature of Reality (Death, Rebirth and Reincarnation)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVWCyaAmgSc&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;One Who Lives By The Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deWJp8kC9Jg&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right View: Long Island Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="14887" LastEditDate="2019-02-22T14:18:20.117" LastActivityDate="2019-02-22T14:18:20.117" CommentCount="6" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T10:40:59.840" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-21T10:47:40.073" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S.N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt; is a 20th century meditation master who developed a technique of meditation characterized by:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation in this style is taught through &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/locations/directory&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;these centers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T10:47:40.073" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T10:47:40.073" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9119" CreationDate="2015-05-21T11:37:32.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The following quotes is with basis in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is some videos about Buddhas, Pacceka Buddhas and Arahants by Ven. Yuttadhammo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8zhrCECEMI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monk Radio: Arahants and Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL-WydfdkOE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monk Radio: Do Arahants Know Everything About Reality?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdKyMeNwrU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monk Radio: Do Arahants Experience Extreme Suffering?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9E84KJ6k18&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monk Radio: Are Arahants Free from Karma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OihYSGviYE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Benefit of Pacceka Buddhas (Monk Radio)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote found in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What Buddhists Believe&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri. Dhammananda, chapter: &lt;em&gt;Attainment of Buddhahood&lt;/em&gt;, p. 47-49:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... Therefore, the Buddha’s advice to His followers is that in order to find their salvation it is not necessary for each and every person to wait until Buddhahood is gained. Aspirants can also find their salvation by becoming Pacceka Buddhas (Silent Buddhas) or Arahantas—(Perfected Ones). Pacceka Buddhas appear in this world during the period when there is no supreme Enlightened Buddha. They are also Enlightened. Although their degree of perfection is not similar to that of the Supreme Buddha, they experience the same Nirvanic bliss. Unlike the Supreme Buddha, however, they do not preach to the masses. They lead a life of solitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahantas can also experience the same Nirvanic bliss as the Buddhas do. There is no discrimination or status in Nirvana. The only difference is that Arahantas do not have the Supreme Enligh- tenment to be able to enlighten others in the same way as the Buddhas can. Arahantas have overcome all their desires and other human weaknesses. They can appreciate the Dharma which was discovered and taught by the Buddha. They also have some ability to show others the Path to salvation ...&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... There is also a third model of the Buddhist spiritual life, that of the paccekabuddha or pratyekabuddha. The paccekabuddha is similar in many respects to the disciple arahant, except that whereas the disciple arahant attains enlightenment under the guidance of a Buddha, the paccekabuddha gains enlightenment without any outside guidance. Otherwise, the combination of qualities that constitute this type is essentially the same. In the literature of the Buddhist systems, we often read of three types of enlightened ones — Pali: sāvakas, paccekabuddhas, and sammā sambuddhas (= Skt: śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and samyak sambuddhas) — and of the three vehicles that lead to these attainments: the śrāvaka-yāna, the pratyekabuddha-yāna, and the bodhisattva-yāna ...&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pa/pacceka_buddha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a definition of a &lt;em&gt;Pacceka Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and here is a website that contains the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/ftp07.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Story of Pacceka Buddha Matanga&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by U Chit Tin. The story is downloadable only. I have not read it i just found it. It might contain information regarding your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/dhammapadatxt1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Dhammapada&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Arahanta Vagga&lt;/em&gt;, Chapter 7: The Saints. See picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly here is a Buddhism SE-question which looks useful: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3057/buddhas-vs-bodhisattvas-vs-arhats-vs-devas-vs-brahmas&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Buddhas vs bodhisattvas vs arhats vs devas vs brahmas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. In here some users provide good answers to the differences between a Buddha, Pacceka Buddha &amp;amp; Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/R0rE1.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T13:33:21.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-21T14:05:11.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jackkornfield.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt;. Student of  Ajahn Chah. Co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Author of many books including After the Ecstasy, the Laundry and a Path with Heart&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T14:05:11.677" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T14:05:11.677" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-21T14:11:52.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chögyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt; taught Tibetan Buddhism, in Kagyu and Nyingma lineages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Author of many books including &lt;em&gt;Cutting through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T18:00:34.230" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T18:00:34.230" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T14:11:52.230" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5786" CreationDate="2015-05-21T15:15:04.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9045/important-readings-in-vipassana/9046#9046&quot;&gt;I have written an answer here which provides free books on the practice of &lt;em&gt;Vipassana medition&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the books are written by the late Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. You will find information about the practice of insight meditation, the fundamentals, the technique, development of insight etc. This might be of some help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T15:15:04.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-05-21T15:34:58.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the books are already mentioned and many of them are really good introductory books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have one more to add. Its called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by. Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here he discusses e.g. &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Life and Nature of the Buddha, His Message, Basic Doctrines, The Tipitaka, Kamma, Morality, Rebirth, Nibbana, How to lead a buddhist life and much more&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The book is highly recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Dictionary - Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&lt;/a&gt;  by Ven. Nyanatiloka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T17:42:49.843" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T17:42:49.843" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T16:07:09.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2015-05-21T16:02:00.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Theravada tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a audio dhamma talk by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Dependent Origination&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/the-buddhas-teaching-as-it-is.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;which can be found here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is also some text material about Dependent Origination, also from Ven. Bhikkhu Bodi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/BBodhiDependent.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/dependarising.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising : Patticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly there is an audio dhamma talk called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Dependent Origination&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Ajahn Punnadhammo &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/19339/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;which can be found here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T16:02:00.247" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-21T20:49:53.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9134" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9148" CreationDate="2015-05-21T17:58:00.790" Score="14" ViewCount="887" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen multiple references to &lt;code&gt;karma&lt;/code&gt; on this site, varying in its descriptions dependent on the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most answers appear to have the same answer e.g. &lt;code&gt;Whereas Karma is what happens as a result of your actions or your choices.&lt;/code&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5371/fate-and-karma-same-or-different&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If karma is the result of my actions or choices and it has a bearing on one's life now and in the next, who/what is the keeper of such actions and choices? Another way to ask the question is how is a record of my actions maintained and kept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-08-29T10:12:29.427" Title="Who/what/how is the keeper of karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9135" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9143" CreationDate="2015-05-21T18:08:50.360" Score="3" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my understanding that illusion, reality, rebirth and reincarnation are a result of the aggregates i.e. vision, taste, sound, emotions, smell and mind. - &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XClIR19eufc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is am simply a composition of these aggregates, how does one refer to oneself in everyday conversation? For example, when using the term &lt;code&gt;i&lt;/code&gt;, in sentences such as &lt;code&gt;i am ..&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for the question is to step away from being attached to one's identity which is generally reflected in &lt;code&gt;i&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2016-09-06T02:56:40.457" Title="If i am the result of an aggregate, how does one refer to oneself?" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9134" CreationDate="2015-05-21T18:16:08.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The kamma is stored in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bot/pdf/bot_09_01_01.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;subconscious&lt;/a&gt; as a resultant consciousness (vipaka citta) and remains there until a right condition present itself, when it would resurface. If it is strong it would be carried over to the next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9154/what-are-the-positions-of-the-different-schools-on-a-primordial-mind&quot;&gt;transmigration of kamma&lt;/a&gt; in the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T18:48:03.973" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9137" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9153" CreationDate="2015-05-21T18:18:04.347" Score="4" ViewCount="282" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Community&lt;/a&gt; we do a practice that we call Just Sitting. It's described as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just Sitting is a space of non-action in which anything can emerge.&#xA;  Often the fruit of the previous practice only emerges when you stop&#xA;  ‘doing’ it. And Just Sitting is the non-doing space in which that may&#xA;  (or may not) happen. Just Sitting also allows assimilation of what has&#xA;  just been done, and provides the necessary counterpoise to activity&#xA;  and effort. Just Sitting is a matter of simply ‘being’ with whatever&#xA;  happens in awareness, without attaching to it or rejecting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Link to quote is &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/just-sitting&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've always wondered if this is something that we've just kind of invented or adapted or is it common to other Buddhist traditions? Is it the same as zazen practice perhaps?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:18:46.363" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:18:46.363" Title="Is 'Just Sitting' the same as zazen?" Tags="|triratna-buddhism|meditation-zazen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-21T19:55:48.730" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one tries to search for this self by either using the method of analysis where one breaks things up into the constituent parts and look at them one will not find a self anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one uses the method of synthesis by looking at things in a relational/interdependent way by using the doctrine of dependent origination one will also not find a self anywhere. Why? Because according to dependent origination things only exist as a part/reflection of other things. Therefore no real self can be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The false idea of a self arises when the 5 aggregates work together as a physio-psychological machine. The false idea of a self is really just one of the 52 mental formations belonging to the 4th aggreate and all the aggregates are subject to the 3 signs of existence; anicca, dukkha, anatta.&#xA;For references see Dr. Walpola Rahula's book on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What The Buddha Taught&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 18.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, chapter: Compendium of Consciousness, Guide to §2, p. 25-26:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;From the standpoint of ultimate reality (paramatthato): According to the Abhidhamma philosophy, there are two kinds of realities — the conventional (sammuti) and the ultimate (paramattha). Conventional realities are the referents of ordinary conceptual thought (paññatti) and conventional modes of expression (vohara). They include such entities as living beings, persons, men, women, animals, and the apparently stable persisting objects that constitute our unanalyzed picture of the world. The Abhidhamma philosophy maintains that these notions do not possess ultimate validity, for the objects which they signify do not exist in their own right as irreducible realities. Their mode of being is conceptual, not actual. They are products of mental construction (parikappana), not realities existing by reason of their own nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate realities, in contrast, are things that exist by reason of their own intrinsic nature (sabh±va). These are the dhammas: the final, irre- ducible components of existence, the ultimate entities which result from a correctly performed analysis of experience. Such existents admit of no further reduction, but are themselves the final terms of analysis, the true constituents of the complex manifold of experience. Hence the word paramattha is applied to them, which is derived from parama = ulti- mate, highest, final, and attha = reality, thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate realities are characterized not only from the ontological angle as the ultimate existents, but also from the epistemological angle as the ultimate objects of right knowledge. As one extracts oil from sesame seed, so one can extract the ultimate realities from the conven- tional realities. For example “being,” and “man,” and “woman” are concepts suggesting that the things they signify possess irreducible ultimate unity. However, when we wisely investigate these things with the ana- lytical tools of the Abhidhamma, we find that they do not possess the ultimacy implied by the concepts, but only a conventional reality as an assemblage of impermanent factors, of mental and physical processes. Thus by examining the conventional realities with wisdom, we eventu- ally arrive at the objective actualities that lie behind our conceptual con- structs. It is these objective actualities - the dhammas, which maintain their intrinsic natures independently of the mind’s constructive functions - that form the ultimate realities of the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although ultimate realities exist as the concrete essences of things, they are so subtle and profound that an ordinary person who lacks training cannot perceive them. Such a person cannot see the ultimate realities because his mind is obscured by concepts, which shape reality into con- ventionally defined appearances. Only by means of wise or thorough attention to things (yoniso manasikara) can one see beyond the concepts and take the ultimate realities as one’s object of knowledge. Thus paramattha is described as that which belongs to the domain of ulti- mate or supreme knowledge&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is mentioned here is that in Conventional reality (sammuti-sacca) there exists beings, humans, cars, animals, an I, Me, Self. But these are merely concepts with no real point of reference. When one instead turns to Ultimate reality (paramattha-sacca) then one will see that everything is made up of these five aggregates. In Abhidhamma the five aggregates are instead divided into 4 categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me again use the same quote by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 26-27:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Suttas the Buddha usually analyzes a being or individual into five types of ultimate realities, the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha): matter, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. In the Abhidhamma teaching the ultimates are grouped into the four categories enumerated in the text. The first three - consciousness, mental factors, and matter - comprise all conditioned realities. The five aggregates of the Suttanta teaching fit within these three categories. The aggregate of consciousness (viññaoakkhandha) is here comprised by consciousness (citta), the word citta generally being employed to refer to different classes of consciousness distinguished by their concomitants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle three aggregates are, in the Abhidhamma, all included within the category of mental factors (cetasikas), the mental states that arise along with consciousness performing diverse functions. The Abhidhamma philosophy enumerates fifty-two mental factors: the aggregates of feeling and perception are each counted as one factor; the aggregate of mental formations (sankharakkhandha) of the Suttas is finely subdivided into fifty mental factors. The aggregate of matter is, of course, identical with the Abhidhamma category of matter, which will later be divided into twenty-eight types of material phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To these three types of reality, which are conditioned, is added a fourth reality, which is unconditioned. That reality, which is not included in the five aggregates, is Nibbana, the state of final deliverance from the suffering inherent in conditioned existence. Thus in the Abhidhamma philosophy there are altogether these four ultimate realities: consciousness, mental factors, matter, and Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing insight meditation one will come to realize the 3 signs of existence, i.e. &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha and anatta&lt;/em&gt; and thereby seeing for oneself that the conditioned reality is made up of mental and physical phenomena that arises and ceases all the time. There is no &amp;quot;owner&amp;quot; of these phenomena. There is &amp;quot;noone&amp;quot; in control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This short quote is from Mahasi Sayadaw regarding anatta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;There is deeds but no doer.&#xA;There is movement but no mover.&#xA;There is no unmoving mover behind the movement.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By realizing through insight meditation that phenomena are impermanent one will come to realize that they are also unsatisfactory. Something that arises, persists and then perishes cannot be relied on. One has no control over phenomena. They are thereby oppresive, uncontrollable and ungovernable. When one truly sees that in insight meditation one will come to realize anatta. One will come to see that what is both impermanent and unsatisfactory is not fit to be called a self. Something that is uncontrollable, oppresing and ever-changing cannot be a self. One will come to see that the notion of a self is merely a mental formation that also arises, persists and then perishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this might be of some help to you. If i forgot to mention something you can make a comment and i might be able to add to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T09:19:11.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9139" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-21T19:55:55.667" Score="9" ViewCount="1570" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Hey David you're a genius!&quot; &quot;Hey David you look so fine!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think blushing and feeling a little nervous isn't really buddhist... But sometimes if you don't react this way you might look as if youre being rude&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What exactly do the scriptures say of how one should respond in these situations? I've seen quotes about the Buddha saying the brahmin is &quot;indifferent to compliments and indifferent to criticism&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to know what the scriptures say about its possible harms, etc.  I think it is an interesting question that deserves some thought as it is part of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-21T19:58:36.660" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T04:54:55.260" Title="What is the buddhist way of responding to compliments?" Tags="|ethics|texts|scripture|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9140" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-21T20:18:14.963" Score="5" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading once, disciples of Sariputta were going out into the world and he ask them the question: &quot;Friend what if someone ask you is the world eternal or is not eternal&quot;. Then his passed his disciples when they just quote Dependent Origination &quot;depending on contact, feeling arises, depending on feeling, craving arises..etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to look for that sutta again. Anybody know which sutta is it or my memory has been corrupted, there never was such a sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:52:29.827" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:52:29.827" Title="Which sutta is it in which Sariputta asks his disciples .. friend if someone asks, is the world eternal" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|suttas|sariputta|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9140" CreationDate="2015-05-21T20:47:20.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found two that are similar, but not identical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; is similar, in that it's Sariputta talking about Dependent Origination. However, in that sutta, it's the Buddha who is asking the questions; Sariputta has no disciples; and instead of asking whether the world is eternal, the question is whether birth is ended. This could perhaps be the one you're thinking of, because the Buddha asks questions like, &quot;But, Sāriputta, if they were to ask you ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or there's the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh101.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Greater Discourse on the&#xA;Elephant-Footprint Simile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, which starts with Sariputta addressing the bhikkus as &quot;Friends&quot;, and ends by repeating that &quot;He who sees dependent origination sees the&#xA;Teaching; he who sees the Teaching sees dependent origination.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T20:47:20.203" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9139" CreationDate="2015-05-21T20:47:39.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because you're Buddhist doesn't mean you can't say &quot;thank you&quot; :P&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All facetiousness aside, Buddhism is clear about the practice.  For instance, it stresses compassion and non-attachment, so evaluate your course of action against those two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If someone compliments you and you don't politely acknowledge the&#xA;compliment, this person may be offended.  That isn't compassionate of you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If someone compliments you and you let it get to your head, you could&#xA;be fostering attachment towards self, the thing about which you were&#xA;complimented, and the praise of others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how can you approach compliments in a way that takes the above into account?  Well, you could thank the person while remembering that you are thanking them out of compassion and consideration for their feelings and not because they gave you some validation you needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, it's about skillful means.  Don't seek every possible situation in Buddhist texts; rather, make sure you &lt;strong&gt;understand&lt;/strong&gt; the principles and use that understanding to guide your actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-05-22T19:38:01.240" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T19:38:01.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-21T20:59:54.240" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer:&lt;/strong&gt; Use &quot;I&quot; like you always did, but be mindful of what it does (and doesn't) refer to.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Longer Answer:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't that &quot;I&quot; doesn't exist; rather, it doesn't exist in the way we normally think it does.  &quot;I&quot; does not denote a stable, independent entity that is &quot;us&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, &quot;I&quot; does exist in another sense; it's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine&quot;&gt;Conventionally Real&lt;/a&gt;. For instance, imagine you are with friends and you say something.  Then someone asks &quot;Who said that?&quot;. How will you respond?  Will you say...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Skhandas did? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talking is happening?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This biological unit has spoken?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope not! You can respond with &quot;I did&quot;, because that is the correct response.  After all, the other people didn't say that; if they didn't say that, then who did?  Further, if you talk about other people normally, but talk oddly about yourself, then aren't you still clinging to yourself, by holding yourself out as something different than what's around you?  Clinging is clinging; it doesn't magically stop being clinging because you clung to something different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue isn't using &quot;I&quot;, but your beliefs about it. Although language can affect thought, changing your words won't necessarily address the problem.  It's the thoughts and feelings behind those words that matter.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Words are meant to be used publicly, and as such, conventional rules regarding them should be observed if they are to be used effectively.  However, be mindful of those words; gauge the impact of certain words on your mind. When you say &quot;I&quot; are you really just being conventionally real, or is there a trace of clinging to self when those words leave your lips?  What feelings arise from using &quot;I&quot; when you are criticized or praised or threatened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you talk funny, you won't gain enlightenment; you'll just lose the ability to coherently communicate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-05-22T15:01:30.957" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T15:01:30.957" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-21T21:40:39.667" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Referring to yourself as 'i' means nothing, there is no attachment there, nor will it cause you to suffer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I refer to myself as 'i' all the time, but i'm also very aware of the insight gained from realising the 5 aggregates. Referring to youself as 'i' will never bring pain or suffering, but ... if it does, then you have bigger issues and more ignorance than simply a misunderstanding of a label.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 aggregates mean that you are everything and anything in a constant state of flux, forever changing. In any given moment you will and can be the full sensation, the full embodiment of hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking, whereas, an 'i' is just a generic term, a possible delusion that something, 'i' is permanent!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, this is just my view.&#xA;Good luck, metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T11:24:27.827" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T11:24:27.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9073" CreationDate="2015-05-21T23:06:53.653" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, the practices are causes of the unconditional result of Nibbana. Things in the past or future do not even exist to ultimate reality. We can't understand this without practicing virtue and  witnessing what really is in the present moment(mindfulness or Vipassana) moment by moment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-05-21T23:06:53.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9137" CreationDate="2015-05-22T00:40:50.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen Mind Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki might offer you the perspective that goes beyond words to intention. If we aim at beginner's mind, then just sitting or zazen or meditation is aiming at beginner's mind. The intention of the person sitting is the most significant factor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times I have fallen asleep sitting. Perhaps I was tired or my intention was not clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other times when intention is clear the sitting becomes the bow, the awareness the arrow and intention the one drawing the bow. When intention draws the bow, the arrow cannot miss the mark.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a copy of the book. Sip a page or two at a time and report back in a year - me saying words will not draw the bow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T00:40:50.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2015-05-22T01:55:25.097" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meat eating involves two rounds of killing sentient beings. First, insects and other small animals are killed when lands are cleared to grown the grains to feed animals.  Then we kill the animals for their meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vegan diet involves only one round of killing when the lands are cleared to plant the crops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5170" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T01:55:25.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9134" CreationDate="2015-05-22T02:02:40.040" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sanskrit word &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; means action. It was used in Brahmanism to refer to those physical and verbal acts that were considered to bring positive results to the individual performing the acts (or on behalf of whom the acts were performed by Brahmin priests).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha denounced this idea. In his teaching, that which was potent for the individual was the state of mind (&lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cetanāhaṃ, bhikkhave, kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is cetana, monks, that I call karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, anyone who tells you that &quot;Karma is what happens as a result of your actions or your choices&quot;, doesn't understand the meaning of the word. What they are referring to is &lt;em&gt;vipāka&lt;/em&gt; (result); &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; is that which brings &lt;em&gt;vipāka&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, your question still stands:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;who/what is the keeper of such actions and choices? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a common question, but it mostly stems from a lack of clear understanding that karma simply means action. It isn't a thing, it doesn't last from life to life or moment to moment, and it certainly doesn't come back to reward or punish the doer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The law of karma is simply an observable pattern or regularity that exists between ethical acts and the results that follow them. I don't know of any explanation for &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; the universe works this way, but that it does is readily apparent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't question, for example, whether torturing others is bad for the person doing the torturing (or at least we shouldn't). Obviously doing evil corrupts one's mind, destroys one's reputation, cultivates enmity, etc. (c.p. MN 129)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real question, I guess, is why this doesn't end at the moment of death. Of course, given that death of the individual is a concept (as is the individual), there really isn't as much trouble explaining this as one might think. One's rebirth is conditioned by one's death and the events leading up to one's death; a murderer is likely to be reborn entangled with the murdered, because murdering others involves karmically potent mind states that change one's future mind states including those involved with one's death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another way to ask the question is how is a record of my actions maintained and kept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't. Nothing that arises lasts more than a moment, and nothing that has ceased ever returns. Karma is simply a natural law, like the law of gravity or conservation of energy, that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“yādisaṃ vapate bījaṃ, tādisaṃ harate phalaṃ.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;kalyāṇakārī kalyāṇaṃ, pāpakārī ca pāpakaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever sort of seed one plants, that is the sort of fruit one will reap;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;A doer of good good, and a doer of evil evil. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 11.10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T02:02:40.040" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9134" CreationDate="2015-05-22T03:17:09.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a volitional thought comes &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankara&lt;/a&gt; is created. This in the subtlest forms this is Kalapa (Sub atomic particles which arise and pass causing other sub atomic particles to arise when they pass). Say when you are doing some action you feel the sensation associated with the action (p35 - Comprehensive Manual of Abidhamma by Bikkhu Bodhi) based on roots of the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These (&quot;seeds&quot;) stay dormant until the condition are right for them to give results. Here multiplication starts (&quot;fruit&quot;). When this happens you feel the associated sedations of the results. Each seed has a certain &quot;taste&quot; associated with the result (the same &quot;taste&quot; you felt when doing the action). By your reaction to this sensation (with craving or aversion) you multiply the results of future results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a new group of Sankara or seeds starts when these have the dominant taste off your past Karma and other Sankara lay dormant though still arising and passing as a group of Kalapas. Since this arising and passing is with decay if a condition does not come for its multiplication then some just passes away with no results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through meditation but making you self sensitive whilst not being reactive to the sensations associated with the formation you stop reacting new conditioning and also understand the process these are created. You might not be able to identify each and every Kalapa (only a Buddha can do this if I am not mistaken) which sums up as you total Sankara but you will identify more and more significant clusters. These might be small dot like areas where a certain sensation prevails where as maybe in the rest of the body other sensation are dominant. (These are also fruits due to some multiplication of the seeds as they maybe too minute for a normal person to identify.) By non reaction (devoid of craving and clinging) they loose there potent as they do not multiply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the moment of death what happens is this process passes away in one physical body an arises in another. Hence the seeds are still there whilst arising and passing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to look at this is in the process of doing Karma you create a cluster of Kalapas. This arise and pass giving arise to other Kalapas. When one Kalapa passes it creates a new one which is progressively less potent. Look at this as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_chain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discrete-time&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markov_process&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Markov process&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a memoryless process (hence no keeper). You have hidden states not observable over a threshold (based on strength of awareness). There are external perturbation (result of past Karma, hence contact with the taste pertaining to the state) based on the potent of the hidden states to which you react and cause them to (state based on response to stimuli) multiply the hidden states. Each state has a stopping time when they decay away without result. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T09:08:32.623" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T09:08:32.623" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9139" CreationDate="2015-05-22T03:41:18.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.printsasia.com/book/mindful-mediation-a-handbook-for-buddhist-peacemakers-john-a-mcconnell-9558540382-9789558540381&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindful mediation : a handbook for Buddhist peacemakers&lt;/a&gt; by John A McConnell` might be a good book to read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/22.2-Sundarika-Bharadvaja-S-sn3.4-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse to Sundarika Bhāra,dvāja&lt;/a&gt; mentions that if the complaint is irrelevant simply just do not accept it and react to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T09:04:16.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-22T03:48:30.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In conventional terms you have to deal with it at the level of perceptions. Hence &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot;, &quot;you&quot;, &quot;him/her&quot;, &quot;he/she&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is not to further build perceptions about ultimate reality but see it through meditation. If polarised you should reduce the polarity as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.4-Satta-Sanna-S-a7.46-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Detailed Discourse on the (Seven) Perceptions&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Giri-m-ananda Discourse&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T09:59:25.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9120" CreationDate="2015-05-22T03:58:57.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing worthy of calling the soul as the collection of aggregates, we call I, are changing and subjected to unsatisfactoriness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following might be off interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.16-Is-there-a-soul.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is There a Soul? A study based on the Pali Canon&#xA;From The Buddha’s Teachings (Piyasilo, 1991b), revised by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T04:08:56.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9137" CreationDate="2015-05-22T05:34:16.463" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term Zazen (Chinese 坐禪, zuò chán) just means seated meditation. It doesn't itself specify what kind of meditation is being practiced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just Sitting refers to Shikantaza, which is the type of meditation taught by Dōgen Zenji, the founder of the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen. He famously explained it in the Fukanzazengi saying :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once you have adjusted your posture, take a breath and exhale fully,&#xA;  rock your body right and left, and settle into steady, immovable&#xA;  sitting. Think of not thinking. Not thinking-what kind of thinking is&#xA;  that? Nonthinking. This is the essential art of zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are similar practices in other schools of Zen in China and Korea, but it is less prominent as Koan practice is more common. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T05:34:16.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9154" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9157" CreationDate="2015-05-22T06:47:37.827" Score="6" ViewCount="852" Body="&lt;p&gt;Different Buddhist traditions have some mention of an &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;original, primordial mind&lt;/a&gt; of some sort. If there is one, what are its attributes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T12:32:53.037" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:24:02.310" Title="What are the positions of the different schools on a primordial mind?" Tags="|buddha-nature|alaya-vijnana|bhavanga|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2015-05-22T15:04:58.337" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a &lt;em&gt;Theravada Buddhist perspective&lt;/em&gt; one does not have to be a vegetarian since the first precept is not broken if one is buying meat from the e.g. the supermarket or if one is passively revieving food/meat e.g. at family dinners etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The following conditions must all be met in order for the  1st precept to be broken&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;pano -- presence of a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;panasannita -- one knows that it is a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;vadhacittam -- the intention to kill&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;upakkamo -- the effort to kill&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;tena maranam -- the resulting death of that being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a video on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zisXgVnv-cI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Vegetarianism and Killing&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo. The video discusses buddhist ethics from a point of view of ultimate reality. It is talked about why killing is unethical and how it affects ones own state of mind and what kind of vegetarianism one could practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an interesting article with the title &lt;a href=&quot;http://serv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Life as a Vegetarian Tibetan Buddhist Practitioner - A Personal View&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Eileen Weintraub. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a short quote from the article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... It was not until the mid-1970s that mainstream Tibetan lamas started visiting America. Often their first contacts were with people from other Eastern spiritual traditions. American disciples were attracted to Tibetan Buddhism and migrated over from the mostly vegetarian Hindu traditions, including yoga and Transcendental Meditation practitioners. Did the Tibetans try to change their own meat-based diets? Did they try to embrace a new healthy, ethically conscious diet that was now available to them? More commonly the reverse happened—many Westerners graciously embraced the Tibetan diet. Students who were used to eating salads, brown rice and tofu learned to cook and eat lamb, beef and other Tibetan-style dishes to please their teachers... &quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-22T17:54:44.543" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T17:54:44.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9139" CreationDate="2015-05-22T17:17:00.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right Speech: be beneficial, timely, skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A: You are a genius!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B: Thank you, I appreciate it. [undazzled, undeluded]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A: You are a genius!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B: Ah shucks, no, no, not at all, I have a whole bunch of things I've been stupid it--it's just that--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;unbeneficial&lt;/strong&gt; because you are rejecting their positive esteem--which is all it is)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;untimely&lt;/strong&gt; because now is not the time to bring up &quot;whole bunch of things&quot;--especially after the person has just gained their trust in you)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;unskillful&lt;/strong&gt; because you are overtaken by the compliment rather than skillfully using it to keep their trust, move the conversation forward to more mutually beneficial topics)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T17:17:00.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9154" CreationDate="2015-05-22T18:16:14.820" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhavanga, Pabhassara-cita and Nibbana (Theravadin perspective from Ajahn Mun's Thai forest tradition)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get from bhavanga, pabhassaara to nibbana and understand how kamma effects are stored in the present and transmigrated to the future we have to explore some terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens in-between times when we are not thinking, when we are in a dreamless sleep? Is there still the arising and falling of consciousness (citta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this tradition there is the bhavanga-citta which arise after the rebirth-linking consciousness (patisandhi-citta) that form the “life-continuum” in the next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'Visuddhimagga' (XIV, 114) states with regard to the bhavanga-citta: &#xA;  When the patisandhi-citta has ceased, then, following on whatever kind of rebirth-consciousness it may be, the same kinds, being the result of the same kamma whatever it may be, occur as bhavanga-cittas with that same object; and again those same kinds. And as long as there is no other kind of arising of consciousness to interrupt the continuity they also go on occurring endlessly in periods of dreamless sleep, etc., like the current of a river. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhavanga citta is a vipaka citta (kamma-result), but called bhavanga (literally meaning “factor of life”) because it performs the function of the “life continuum”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we come to the question how is it stored?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dynamically maintained throughout one life to another is just a postulation with no-doctrinal evidence: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“.., kamma and vipaka don't get stored into some kind of immutable and centralized &quot;repository&quot;, instead they're continuously and dynamically re-inforced or weakened from life to life with the patisandhi citta acting as the &quot;link&quot;.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now onn how kamma is stored from doctrinal text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Questions about the persistence of latent dispositions and accumulation of karmic potential thus remain: once the cognitive processes are activated, are they transmitted through the six modes of cognitive awareness? If so, why do they not influence these forms of mind? If not, how do they persist from one moment of bhavaṅga-citta to the next without some contiguous conditioning medium? The bhavaṅga-citta does not directly address these persisting questions, adumbrated in the Kathavātthu so many centuries before. Nor, to my knowledge, do subsequent Theravādin Abhidhamma traditions discuss these questions in dhammic terms.”&#xA;  - Waldron, William S. Buddhist unconscious: the ālaya-vijñāna in the context of Indian Buddhist thought. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. p.83.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rupert Gethin in  'Bhavanga and Rebirth According to the Abhidhamma.' in The Buddhist Forum. Vol III. T. Skorupski and U. Pagel (eds.), London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, pp. 11–35.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“..it does not seem possible on the basis of what is said explicitly in the texts to justify the claim that the bhavanga carries with it all character traits, memories, habitual tendencies, etc.&quot; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above it appears that the Theravada Commentators have resisted the temptation to create mechanism for the &quot;transmission&quot; of kamma, in contrast to other traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Briefly, in the tradition of the Yogacara Buddhist they have a concept of store –consciousness  &lt;a href=&quot;http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bot/pdf/bot_09_01_01.pdf&quot;&gt;(alaya-vijnana)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We shall now leave the subject of bhavanga, and how kamma is stored in the consciousness and turn elsewhere for help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unable to find any doctrinal support, we shall now turn to the people most qualified to speak on the subject, the meditators, who many believed to have experience the ultimate and have spoken on it and I refer to Ajahn Mun of the Thai forest tradition and he spoke of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind&quot;&gt;luminous mind(pabhassara-citta)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote from the above link:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The mind is something more radiant than anything else can be, but because counterfeits – passing defilements – come and obscure it, it loses its radiance, like the sun when obscured by clouds. Don’t go thinking that the sun goes after the clouds. Instead, the clouds come drifting along and obscure the sun. So meditators, when they know in this manner, should do away with these counterfeits by analyzing them shrewdly... When they develop the mind to the stage of the primal mind, this will mean that all counterfeits are destroyed, or rather, counterfeit things won’t be able to reach into the primal mind, because the bridge making the connection will have been destroyed. Even though the mind may then still have to come into contact with the preoccupations of the world, its contact will be like that of a bead of water rolling over a lotus leaf.” ..from Ven. Ajahn Mun, ‘A Heart Released,’ p 23. Found in Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbāna, pages 212-213.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same link above Pabharassa-citta is identified as bhavanga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The Theravadin Angutta Nikaya Atthakatha identifies the luminous mind as the bhavanga, the &quot;ground of becoming&quot; or &quot;latent dynamic continuum&quot;, which is the most fundamental level of mental functioning in the Theravada Abhidhammic scheme.[11] Thanissaro Bhikkhu holds that the commentaries' identification of the luminous mind with the bhavanga is problematic, but Peter Harvey finds it to be a plausible interpretation.&#xA;  In Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.049.than.html&quot;&gt;Pabhassara Sutta&lt;/a&gt; he gives his reason in Note 1.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I’ll refer to Note 1 to it later).&#xA;I do not have access to Peter Harvey’s views. But in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot;&gt;Brahma-nimantanika Sutta(MN49)&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, there is a description of “'Consciousness without surface, endless, radiant all around” and in his Note no. 9 in MN49 he argues that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness without surface (viññanam anidassanam).. for the arahant, nibbana is not an object of consciousness. Instead it is directly known without mediation. Because consciousness without feature is directly known without mediation, there seems good reason to equate the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That this consciousness is Nibbana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yet in his Note 1(which I promise to come back) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.049.than.html&quot;&gt;Pabhassara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another interpretation equates the luminosity of the mind with the &quot;consciousness without feature,&quot; described as &quot;luminous&quot; in MN49, but this interpretation also has problems. According to MN 49, that consciousness partakes of nothing in the describable world, not even the &quot;Allness of the All,&quot; so how could it possibly be defiled? And, because it is not realized until the goal of the practice is reached, why would the perception of its luminosity be a prerequisite for developing the mind? And again, if &quot;mind&quot; here means consciousness without feature, how could the sutta talk of its development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is Ajahn Sujato's Pabhassara reading that the mind is somehow &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/on-the-radiant-mind/&quot;&gt;radiant!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The beginning of the Sutta has the Buddha (presumably, although it doesn’t actually say so), saying, “This mind is radiant…” The particle “idam”, “this”, functions to limit and specific: This mind, not “the mind” (as in Thanissaro’s translation). As well as the gold/samadhi passages, we might compare to the Upakkilesa Sutta, where the Buddha speaks of how he meditated, then light arose, but because of “defilements” (upakkilesa, the same word as our sutta), the light vanished. The word for light is different (obhasa), but is from the same root with the same basic meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the normal way the Buddha talked about the mind. It is not that it is “naturally” radiant or defiled: it is naturally conditioned. When the conditions for darkness are there, it is dark, when the conditions for light are there, it is light. Our passage, which is unique, without parallels in any early Suttas, syntactically awkward, clearly the subject of editing, can be read as suggesting a different take on things, that the mind is somehow “radiant” even when covered by defilements. Or it can be read in line with the other, more clear suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In either case, there is no suggestion here that the “radiant mind” be connected with Nibbana. Quite the opposite: the whole point of the sutta is that it can be defiled, so it cannot be Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Sujato stop short of connecting the &quot;radiant mind&quot; with Nibbana because &lt;em&gt;..it can be defiled&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is provided by Ajahn Mun’s description:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The mind is something more radiant than anything else can be, but because counterfeits – passing defilements – come and obscure it, it loses its radiance, like the sun when obscured by clouds”…. “When they develop the mind to the stage of the primal mind,..”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in the Pabhassara sutta  when it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Luminous, monks, is the mind.[1] And it is defiled by incoming defilements.&quot; {I,v,9}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements.&quot; {I,v,10}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed run-of-the-mill person doesn't discern that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person — there is no development of the mind.&quot; {I,vi,1}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones discerns that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — there is development of the mind.&quot; {I,vi,2}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Ajahn Mun and the Buddha are saying the same thing but Ajahn Mun had clarified that the luminous mind has lost it radiance when it is obscured by defilements and that we have to get rid of the defilements to reach the state of the primal mind (why would we want to go back to the primal mind, only if it is &lt;em&gt;inherently&lt;/em&gt; luminous).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha stated very clearly that whether the mind is defiled or not it is still an &lt;em&gt;inherently&lt;/em&gt; luminous mind. (&lt;em&gt;inherently&lt;/em&gt; - my addition in light of Ajahn Mun's clarification)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is an &lt;em&gt;inherently&lt;/em&gt; luminous mind therefore the same as &quot;consciousness without feature&quot; i.e. Nibbana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Ajahn Mun's has said is that the primeval mind is defiled in the way of being obscured by defilements and not as altered &quot;. What is intrinsically bright cannot be defiled by alteration but can be obscured, ...like the clouds covering the sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;inherent&lt;/em&gt; luminous mind obscured by defilements is therefore bhavanga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) So is the true characteristics of Bhavanga, Pabhassara and Nibbana, the same, &quot;consciousness without feature&quot;, except that Bhavanga has defilements obscuring its true nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Or is Bhavanga and Pabhassara the same, both luminous primodial mind, and different from Nibbana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) Or is Pabhassara, a luminous primodial mind with Avijja, not the same as Nibbana, pure awakened mind with vijja and Bhavanga just &quot;emanations&quot; of Pabhassara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Thai forest tradition of Ajahn Mun seems to adopts the third view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T13:32:31.973" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T13:32:31.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9158" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9162" CreationDate="2015-05-22T19:35:19.303" Score="3" ViewCount="106" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question is in the title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im aware of descriptions of the Buddha in which he is described as &quot;god-like&quot; or &quot;supernatural&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im looking for any canonical descriptions of the physical characteristics of the Buddha that are bit more down to earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-22T20:51:59.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T21:49:02.777" Title="Is there any canonical descriptions of the physical characteristics of the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9160" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9172" CreationDate="2015-05-22T21:20:27.553" Score="6" ViewCount="329" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the online book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot;&gt;Good Questions, Good Answers&lt;/a&gt;  there is the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do people do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the answer it says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's true that some of the things Buddhists do have their origin in&#xA;  popular superstition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no examples to illustrate this statement though in the text. So can anyone give one or two examples of Buddhist traditions (from any school) that owe more to cultural or popular superstitions than the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note - this is in no way meant to denigrate any particular school of Buddhism. I'm sure that the practices of many (all?) religions take something from local culture. I just would like some examples to illustrate this particular quote from this text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T06:39:47.527" Title="Examples of Buddhist traditions that are derived from popular superstitions" Tags="|traditions|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9161" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9166" CreationDate="2015-05-22T21:30:15.937" Score="10" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of the reading that I have been doing recently makes me wonder what is the place of mindfulness in the Buddhist path. My previous (current?) view is that mindfulness is central and is in some way the goal of the Buddhist path. As one progresses one gets more and more mindful until at the end you are mindful all the time in a absolutely complete way. Mindfulness becomes almost synonymous with Nirvana (almost).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I'm starting to think that mindfulness is just one tool among many and it may have a greater or lesser role as time goes on. It is just a way of seeing or helping us see more clearly and it is the clear seeing that is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So which view if any is closer to how things are? Is mindfulness a tool on the path or is its continuing refinement the entire point? Is it the path or the goal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T16:33:16.993" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T06:29:20.933" Title="Is mindfulness the path or the goal?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9158" CreationDate="2015-05-22T21:49:02.777" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 30 - Marks of the Superman&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are thirty-two special marks of the Super-man, brethren, and for the Superman possessing them two careers lie open, and none other. If he live the life of the House, he becomes Monarch, Turner of the Wheel, a righteous Lord of the Right, Ruler of the four quarters, Conqueror, Guardian of the people’s good, Owner of the Seven Treasures. His do those seven treasures become, to wit, the Wheel treasure, the Elephant treasure, the Horse treasure, the Gem treasure, the Woman treasure, the Housefather treasure, the Adviser treasure making the seventh. More than a thousand sons will be his, heroes, champions, vigorous of frame, crushers of the hosts of the enemy. He, when he has conquered this earth to its ocean bounds, is established not by the scourge, not by the sword, but by righteousness. But if such a boy go forth from the life of the House into the Homeless State, he becomes Arahant, a Buddha Supreme, rolling back the veil from the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Brahmayu_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 91 - Brahmayu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that time the Brahmin Brahmàyu had a pupil, a young man named Uttara who had learned the three Vedas, knew the rites and rituals as officiating priest, the phonology and etymology of words and the marks of a Great Man. The Brahmin Brahmàyu addressed his pupil and said. 'Dear Uttara, approach the recluse Gotama, son of the Sakyas, who is said to be perfect, ... re.... enlightened and blessed, and find out whether these qualities are really so, or not. You should examine good Gotama for me,' 'Sir, how should I know whether good Gotama is endowed with these qualities or not,' 'Uttara, the two and thirty marks of a Great Man have come down to us in the sayings. One endowed with these marks has two courses of action and not another. If he leads the household life, becomes the Universal Monarch, a stable, righteous king with power in the four directions, endowed with the seven jewels. They are the jewels of the, wheel, elephant, horse, gem, woman, householder, and the advisor. He has more than a thousand sons, with heroic figures, clever and able to subdue foreign armies. He rules over the country bounded by the ocean righteously, without stick or weapon. If he leaves the household and becomes hermit, he will be perfect and all knowing and would remove the veil of darkness. I have given you this knowledge and you know that.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T21:49:02.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9163" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9185" CreationDate="2015-05-22T21:54:37.537" Score="5" ViewCount="678" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have an issue picking meditation to practice during my free time as a medical student. My free time is limited and my stress levels are sky high. What is the best meditation practice for me out there? something that will keep me awake as well as improve my power of focus. My attention deficit is creating huge problems in my studies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks you guys... the 1st answer is the most comprehensive. I do remember when I was a teenager I used to practice Metta mediation and had a better time falling asleep. But as I became a medical student and am currently studying in my 3rd year, my mind got clogged with the ever increasing amount of knowledge and stress, that I felt like I was trapped in this dogma of man made knowledge and lost all the freedom I had as kid. But I feel now, that that freedom I lost is actually mostly because I lost my path as a meditator and a Buddhist practitioner more than anything else. I should find the time to do these little things, because they are those little things that makes us complete. Thanks so much for the responses! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T12:30:04.770" LastActivityDate="2017-12-14T07:02:31.413" Title="What meditation practice will allow me to sleep less and focus more?" Tags="|sleep|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-07T12:30:53.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-05-22T22:07:41.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the 'four noble truths' doctrine, mindfulness is the path (or part of the path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of &lt;strong&gt;the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress&lt;/strong&gt;: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the whole Noble Eightfold Path is described as the path rather than the goal (the goal is cessation of stress); and this Eightfold path &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Threefold_division&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;includes mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; ... and also includes what you call &amp;quot;clear seeing&amp;quot; (if that's the same as what it calls &amp;quot;right view&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However alternatively note that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; says that different schools of Buddhism appear to have different views about the goal, and about the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-22T22:07:41.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-05-22T23:44:25.970" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness (read: paying attention) is a vehicle to True Reality (seeing without the influence of kleshas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;After this permanent consciousness transformation has occured,&lt;/em&gt; the struggle at mindfulness is no longer required as it was during mindfulness training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone: Who are you? Are you a god?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha: I am Awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-09-14T06:29:20.933" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T06:29:20.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-05-23T01:34:53.433" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is very important, but it is part of the path, not the goal. It is the seventh of the eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path, and the path can be grouped into three trainings. The wisdom training, the morality training, and the concentration training. Mindfulness falls under the training of concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 29, the longer heartwood simile discourse, the Buddha talks about the different reasons for practicing and compares them with different parts of a tree, and he warns against thinking that the parts of the path (including morality, meditation, and wisdom) as being the goal. It says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as if a man in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering&#xA;  in search of heartwood — passing over the heartwood of a great&#xA;  standing tree possessed of heartwood — cutting away the sapwood, were&#xA;  to go off carrying it, thinking, 'heartwood.' A man with good&#xA;  eyesight, seeing him, would say, 'Ah, how this good man didn't know&#xA;  heartwood, didn't know sapwood, didn't know inner bark, didn't know&#xA;  outer bark, didn't know twigs &amp;amp; leaves! That's why he, in need of&#xA;  heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood —&#xA;  passing over the heartwood of a great standing tree possessed of&#xA;  heartwood — cutting away the sapwood, went off carrying it, thinking,&#xA;  &quot;heartwood.&quot; Whatever heartwood-business he had with heartwood, his&#xA;  purpose won't be served.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, there is the case where a certain son of good&#xA;  family, out of conviction, goes forth from the home life into&#xA;  homelessness, [thinking,] '...Perhaps the end of this entire mass of&#xA;  stress might be discerned!' Having thus gone forth, he encounters&#xA;  gain, offerings, &amp;amp; fame. He is not gratified with that gain,&#xA;  offerings, &amp;amp; fame, his resolve not fulfilled. He is not intoxicated&#xA;  with that gain, offerings, &amp;amp; fame, not heedless about it, and does not&#xA;  fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in&#xA;  virtue. He is gratified with that consummation in virtue, but his&#xA;  resolve is not fulfilled. Because of that consummation in virtue he&#xA;  does not exalt himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with&#xA;  that consummation in virtue, not heedless about it, and does not fall&#xA;  into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in&#xA;  concentration. He is gratified with that consummation in&#xA;  concentration, but his resolve is not fulfilled. He is not intoxicated&#xA;  with that consummation in concentration, not heedless about it, and&#xA;  does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves knowledge&#xA;  &amp;amp; vision. He is gratified with that knowledge &amp;amp; vision, his resolve&#xA;  fulfilled. Because of that knowledge &amp;amp; vision he exalts himself and&#xA;  disparages others: 'I dwell knowing &amp;amp; seeing, but these other monks&#xA;  dwell not knowing &amp;amp; not seeing.' He is intoxicated with that knowledge&#xA;  &amp;amp; vision, heedless about it, and falls into heedlessness. Being&#xA;  heedless, he dwells in suffering &amp;amp; stress. This, monks, is called a&#xA;  monk who grasps the sapwood of the holy life, and with that he falls&#xA;  short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, there is the case where a certain son of good family,&#xA;  out of conviction, goes forth from the home life into homelessness,&#xA;  [thinking,] 'I am beset by birth, by aging-&amp;amp;-death, by sorrows,&#xA;  lamentations, pains, distresses, &amp;amp; despairs, beset by stress, overcome&#xA;  with stress. Perhaps the end of this entire mass of stress might be&#xA;  discerned!' Having thus gone forth, he encounters gain, offerings, &amp;amp;&#xA;  fame. He is not gratified with that gain, offerings, &amp;amp; fame, his&#xA;  resolve not fulfilled. He is not intoxicated with that gain,&#xA;  offerings, &amp;amp; fame, not heedless about it, and does not fall into&#xA;  heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in virtue. He is&#xA;  gratified with that consummation in virtue, but his resolve is not&#xA;  fulfilled. Because of that consummation in virtue he does not exalt&#xA;  himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with that&#xA;  consummation in virtue, not heedless about it, and does not fall into&#xA;  heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in&#xA;  concentration. He is gratified with that consummation in&#xA;  concentration, but his resolve is not fulfilled. He is not intoxicated&#xA;  with that consummation in concentration, not heedless about it, and&#xA;  does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves knowledge&#xA;  &amp;amp; vision. He is gratified with that knowledge &amp;amp; vision, but his&#xA;  resolve is not fulfilled. Because of that knowledge &amp;amp; vision he does&#xA;  not exalt himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with that&#xA;  knowledge &amp;amp; vision, not heedless about it, and does not fall into&#xA;  heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves a non-occasional liberation.&#xA;  And it is impossible, monks, there is no opportunity, for that monk to&#xA;  fall from that non-occasional release. [1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as if a man in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering&#xA;  in search of heartwood, cutting away just the heartwood of a great&#xA;  standing tree possessed of heartwood, were to go off carrying it,&#xA;  knowing, 'heartwood.' A man with good eyesight, seeing him, would say,&#xA;  'Ah, how this good man did know heartwood, did know sapwood, did know&#xA;  inner bark, did know outer bark, did know twigs &amp;amp; leaves! That's why&#xA;  he, in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of&#xA;  heartwood, cutting away just the heartwood of a great standing tree&#xA;  possessed of heartwood, were to go off carrying it, knowing,&#xA;  &quot;heartwood.&quot; Whatever heartwood-business he had with heartwood, his&#xA;  purpose will be served.'&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.029.than.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.029.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Sutta makes it clear that it is incorrect to identify a part of the path such as mindfulness as somehow being identical with the goal. Mindfulness is a tool, not the result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T01:34:53.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9163" CreationDate="2015-05-23T01:37:56.680" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation on Metta (loving kindness, or good will) has a traditional list of 11 benefits, three of which are about good sleep:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, for one whose awareness-release through good will is&#xA;  cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis,&#xA;  given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven&#xA;  benefits can be expected. Which eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams.&lt;/strong&gt; One is&#xA;  dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one.&#xA;  Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains&#xA;  concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused&#xA;  and — if penetrating no higher — is headed for the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T02:36:56.967" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T02:36:56.967" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-07T12:30:53.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-05-23T03:15:54.147" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;37 factors (Bodhipakkhiyādhammā)&lt;/a&gt; you have to cultivate in balance to get to Nirvana. Out of which one (you can say the most important of them all) is Awareness. If you loose this you cannot cultivate the rest as it is the controller as well as the measuring instrument as to how much each factor has developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Measurer - awareness will tell you which factors are imbalanced&#xA;Controller - realising some factor is imbalanced you can start working on making it balanced&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T03:15:54.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-23T04:46:49.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My suggestion is to approach this the way the Buddha does. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dona Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (quoted below) and in many suttas, the Buddha refers to himself using &quot;I&quot;, despite achieving Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fermentations by which I would go to a deva-state, or become a&#xA;  gandhabba in the sky, or go to a yakkha-state &amp;amp; human-state: Those&#xA;  have been destroyed by me, ruined, their stems removed. Like a blue&#xA;  lotus, rising up, unsmeared by water, unsmeared am I by the world, and&#xA;  so, brahman, I'm awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people think that the self doesn't exist. That's not true. The self definitely exists. However, the self is not permanent and it's not independently or absolutely existing. It's formed out of its dependencies to different aggregates according to dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, you and I are therefore not wrong to use &quot;I&quot; to refer to ourselves. It's true in a relative sense but not in an absolute sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The achievement of Nirvana goes far deeper than the artificial correction of semantics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T04:46:49.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9139" CreationDate="2015-05-23T04:54:55.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reply with &quot;thank you&quot; but you don't necessarily have to blush and become nervous. The action of thanking others remain the same and is in accordance with politeness and the decorum of society. If you are internally not emotionally attached to what is praised (as Barzell says, don't let it get to your head), then you won't respond by blushing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, don't reply back with &quot;There is no need to praise me or others because according to the anatta principle, there is no self in all phenomena&quot;. Haha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T04:54:55.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9163" CreationDate="2015-05-23T05:09:25.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I practice mediation, I try to think as well as escape myself from thinking. &#xA;As a human being, I accept it without hesitation even when mediating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the best meditation practice for me out there? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Okay, for me (and you may like it too):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breath slowly and deeply&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think positively (the storm will go away, and the sky will be clear, ...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think for the good of another (my family members, my friends, ...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think for forgiveness (to those I want to apologize ...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, remember not to invoke the above thoughts if it does not come naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a happy life!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5178" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T05:09:25.170" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-07T12:30:53.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9160" CreationDate="2015-05-23T06:33:59.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=56,12296,0,0,1,0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; describes the celebration of Vesak Day or Wesak Day 2015 at a Thai Buddhist temple (and therefore of the Theravada tradition) in Malaysia, near the capital city.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author provides an example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This leads to the highlight of the day - chanting and blessings by&#xA;  monks and ending the short session (which lasts no more than 5&#xA;  minutes) with a shower of &quot;holy water&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monks softly chants a Thai variety of the Ti-Ratana Vandana&#xA;  (homage to the Triple Gem), five precepts and punnanumodana (sharing&#xA;  of merits). For most however, these chants are exotic and spiritual,&#xA;  and are perceived to have &quot;supra mundane&quot; powers. It is no wonder then&#xA;  that &lt;strong&gt;many devotees place their personal belongings - amulets,&#xA;  religious icons and even car keys - onto a tray held by the monk who&#xA;  performs the chanting&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Their belief - mistaken or otherwise - is that these chants contain&#xA;  &quot;spiritual powers&quot; which are then transcended into their items, &lt;strong&gt;which&#xA;  when worn or used, protects them from harm or danger&lt;/strong&gt;. The ceremony&#xA;  ends with the tying of yellow coloured strings on the wrist, a&#xA;  symbolic notion of the presence of the Sangha in the laity. Of course,&#xA;  if one wishes, they can also make a donation to the monk concerned for&#xA;  his service by putting money into a metal box.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T06:39:47.527" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T06:39:47.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-05-23T13:49:45.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two other co-founders of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation Society&lt;/a&gt; besides &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jackkornfield.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jack Kornfield&lt;/a&gt; (who is mentioned above), are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sharonsalzberg.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sharon Salzberg&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharma.org/joseph-goldstein&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Joseph Goldstein&lt;/a&gt;. They were taught by S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra and Dipa Ma, among other teachers. They still teach meditation today, especially vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jon Kabat-Zinn&lt;/a&gt;'s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;video on Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; which he taught at Google is quite popular on YouTube. He was taught by &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hahn&lt;/a&gt;. His teaching of mindfulness meditation is with special focus on stress reduction and healing. His profile according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Jon Kabat-Zinn is Professor of Medicine&#xA;  Emeritus and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for&#xA;  Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of&#xA;  Massachusetts Medical School. Kabat-Zinn was a student of Buddhist&#xA;  teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Zen Master Seung Sahn and a&#xA;  founding member of Cambridge Zen Center. His practice of yoga and&#xA;  studies with Buddhist teachers led him to integrate their teachings&#xA;  with those of science. He teaches mindfulness, which he says can help&#xA;  people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness. The stress&#xA;  reduction program created by Kabat-Zinn, called Mindfulness-based&#xA;  stress reduction, is offered by medical centers, hospitals, and health&#xA;  maintenance organizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T14:10:02.610" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T14:10:02.610" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-23T13:49:45.980" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9174" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-23T17:37:32.063" Score="5" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to Buddhism (Theravada). I am 80 years old and am keen to learn and practice it during my remaining time. I wish to get in touch with a well read person whom I could write and ask for explanations of aspects I find difficult to understand . It will be a great help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5180" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:10:08.883" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:29:58.753" Title="Elder Beginner Practicing Theravada" Tags="|theravada|beginner|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9174" CreationDate="2015-05-23T20:09:27.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am 80 years old ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Age is not barrier. You can start at any age. Maybe you can use a chair to sit if you find sitting difficult. Also double check with the centre about stairs and slopes. If you mention before hand about your age and if you do have any difficulties then you might be able to get a convenient location with less stair or slopes to climb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and am keen to learn and practice it during my remaining time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can locate a meditation centre from the following list for your practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;S.N. Goenka has about 200 centres world wide - &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;World Buddhist Directory also lists many centres by different masters which you can choose to pratice: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I wish to get in touch with a well read person whom I could write and ask for explanations of aspects I find difficult to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For theoretical understanding you can use a site like this. Best is you discuss with a meditation teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think many Buddhist meditations centres per say would really do correspondence in answering questions only as their focus is on the practice. Once you do a course you can stay in touch with the teachers and then ask them questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you can use forums like this for Q&amp;amp;A and there are other forums (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawheel.com/&lt;/a&gt;) which you can use for discussions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:29:58.753" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T16:29:58.753" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9174" CreationDate="2015-05-23T20:24:19.257" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why don't you post your deeper questions here just as you did now?&#xA;Reddit is also a fantastic place filled with even more intelligentsia and you can get answers very quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your other doubts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have an interest in learning the Path and can generate detachment, then you will easily adopt into this simple but important school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important process in Theravada is going through the Stages of Insight (see &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Stages of Insight process happens automatically when practicing awareness meditation (vipassana) correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must retreat: make an extensive amount of time to practice and pay clear attention to mind (strong Five Faculties on the Four Foundations) all day and night, with moderate sleep and food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though most of us are not actually Enlightened, walking the path to it is just as simple as this. &lt;strong&gt;Being clearly, effortlessly aware of present reality.&lt;/strong&gt; (read: high level of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya#Balancing_the_spiritual_faculties&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 Spiritual Faculties&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;advanced questions&quot; are all about Right View and understanding the component structures better and learning to let go of attachments (this might involve reading non-Buddhist things).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I do not recommend it for beginners, the retreat can be done without any retreat instructor. One may use a retreat manual.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;In many cases, a retreat manual is better than a bad retreat place where people just talk all day and share their problems/life-content.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Taoist wisdom here: conserve your jing (semen): be celibate. At your age, it is easy to calm your mind but the jing essence (life force) is already low. If one elder manages to reach the higher stages and then loses the sila of celibacy (due to increased sexual desire), then one can die due to one's higher energetic state. Conserve jing.&#xA;(Buddha says the same thing but smartly does not go into the energetics of it because people will focus on that too much.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-05-23T21:07:23.583" LastActivityDate="2015-05-23T21:07:23.583" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9177" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-24T01:39:14.350" Score="4" ViewCount="1531" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was just reading some of the commentarial literature in the Pali Canon and it occurred to me that there seems to be some kind of relationship between patience and kindness that I don't fully understand but would like to get clarity on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T02:34:49.510" Title="What is the relationship between patience and kindness?" Tags="|loving-kindness|patience|anger|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9177" CreationDate="2015-05-24T02:34:49.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kindness is descriptive of a wholesome state of mind encompassing love and compassion. These states of mind arise in the absence of states of mind having greed, anger and delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patience is the characteristic of bearing with some form of suffering (physical and/or mental). Being able to bear with suffering prevents mind states based on anger from arising. Hence developing patience allows one to bear with suffering without allowing anger to arise, which allows kindness to blossom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the relationship between patience and kindness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this is not your question, how is one able to bear with suffering and therefore develop patience? By seeing reality clearly. How does one see reality clearly? By paying attention to the four foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, practising the four foundations of mindfulness allows one to be patient such that anger does not arise while experiencing suffering, thus allowing one to be kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T02:34:49.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9174" CreationDate="2015-05-24T02:58:26.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many well read people in this forum itself who can help clarify aspects of Theravada that you find difficult to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a side note however, there is not much you need to learn or know about Theravada in order to practise it successfully during your remaining time, as long as you grasp the fundamental principle of Theravada and clearly understand what the path of Theravada Buddhism entails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal suggestion is that you watch and read some of this monk's (Yuttadhammo) essential video series and his book. Here are the links:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7082E5A733D89A15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist TV&lt;/a&gt; &amp;ndash; In this video series, he explains the core principles of Theravada buddhism and how to incorporate it into all aspects of your life&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to Meditation: How To Meditate&lt;/a&gt; &amp;ndash; In this video series, he explains what meditation is (the core practise of Theravada Buddhism) and instructions on how to practice it comprehensively&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt; &amp;ndash; This book is a written version of the video series on meditation, and is more detailed and comprehensive than the corresponding video series.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my personal experience, watching these video series and reading his book is sufficient to help you understand clearly the core of what the Buddha taught and how to practise it successfully, and thereby it will also set you on the path to the goal of Theravada Buddhism - destruction of the mental defilements and freedom from suffering. In the process, they will also clarify aspects that you find difficult to understand about what the Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-05-24T10:07:57.483" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T10:07:57.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9120" CreationDate="2015-05-24T03:44:01.250" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In your question, you appear to suggest that the soul and body are two separate things. From this, I am assuming that you are actually talking about the mind (which is associate with thoughts, emotions, intentions, etc.) when you say 'soul'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, I am assuming that you are interested in understanding what the mind is. The primary source in Buddhism which has comprehensive theoretical explanations about the mind is called 'Abhidhamma'. Here is the link to an English translation of the Abhidhamma: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;It is a very complicated text to study, but it will certainly answer your question about what the mind is made up of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it is my personal suggestion that it would be wise to have a comprehensive practical understanding of your mind instead. Then you can see for yourself what the mind is made up of, what are the elements of the mind, etc. without having to believe in theory. &#xA;It will also be much more of use to you to have a practical understanding of your mind, since it can lead you to being free from your mental defilements (which are one of the main elements of the mind) and therefore lead you to freedom from suffering (the goal of following the Buddhist path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to have a comprehensive practical understanding of your mind, you must learn to be aware of your mind correctly (the practice of following the Buddhist path). &#xA;If you want to learn to be aware of your mind, and therefore understand the mind, follow thoroughly the comprehensive meditation instructions of the great monk called Yuttadhammo which can be found in this book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T10:33:01.970" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T10:33:01.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9154" CreationDate="2015-05-24T04:17:03.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana(Primordial mind, clear light and Primordial Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana the primodial mind ((Wylie: 'hod-gsal, 'od gsal), &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96sel_%28yoga%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Clear light (Sanskrit prabhasvara)&lt;/a&gt;or &amp;quot;Radiant Light&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..refers to the intrinsic purity of the substratum of the mindstream , which is the moment-to-moment continuum (Sanskrit: saṃtāna) of awareness, which provides a continuity from one life to another.The concept developed in later Yogacara, to avoid “making real” of the store consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) – *which is a store for kamma results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitions&#xA;Patrul Rinpoche et al. (1994: p.410; p.403) define 'Clear light' (Tibetan: 'od gsal) as the:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...spontaneous, luminous (or knowing) aspect of the nature of Mind - or awareness (rig pa), the original state of Mind, fresh, vast, luminous, and beyond thought.[6]&#xA;In the tradition of Namkha'i, it is held that Ösel reveals the natural luminosity of emptiness, the 'true nature of Mind' (Sanskrit: cittatva).[citation needed] Ösel is taught as one part of the six yogas of Naropa.&#xA;Keown, et al. (2003) identify the Ösel or &amp;quot;clear light&amp;quot;, as that by which the natural luminosity (Five Pure Lights) of emptiness (Śūnyatā) is apprehended. [7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Berzin, in the Berzin Archives Glossary,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;identifies the &amp;quot;mental continuum&amp;quot; (Sanskrit: citta santana) as constituted by the &amp;quot;clear light awareness&amp;quot; which is his rendering of ‘od-gsal (Wylie). Berzin defines ‘od-gsal thus:&#xA;The subtlest level of mental activity (Mind), which continues with no beginning and no end, without any break, even during death and even into Buddhahood. It is individual and constitutes the mental continuum of each Being. It is naturally free of conceptual cognition, the appearance-making of true existence, and grasping for true existence, since it is more subtle than the grosser levels of mental activity with which these occur. IT is named the Light. [8]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commentary and critique:&#xA;Kapstein (2004: p.124) in mentioning the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā and Haribhadra states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though some later Tibetan authors do suggest that this lends support to the concept of a sort of luminous spiritual substance underlying the mind, the most influential of the Indian commentators on this text, Haribhadra, by contrast says: &amp;quot;Wherefore it is far removed from the nature of the one and the many, the nature, or essence, of Mind, being unoriginated, is clear Light&amp;quot; for the darkness of all conceptions of being is destroyed.&amp;quot; Thus, Haribhadra will commit himself to no more than a metaphorical interpretation of the Light of Mind. In this, his perspective seems entirely continuous with the dominant scholastic trends of early Buddhism.[9]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes22.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Clear light, Primodial Buddha and Creator God&lt;/a&gt; by Dalai Lama:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand the Primordial Buddha, also known as Buddha Samantabhadra, to be the ultimate reality, the realm of the Dharmakaya-- the space of emptiness--where all phenomena, pure and impure, are dissolved. This is the explanation taught by the Sutras and Tantras. However, in the context of your question, the tantric tradition is the only one which explains the Dharmakaya in terms of Inherent clear light, the essential nature of the mind; this would seem imply that all phenomena, samsara and nirvana, arise from this clear and luminous source. Even the New School of Translation came to the conclusion that the &amp;quot;state of rest&amp;quot; of a practitioner of the Great Yoga--Great Yoga implies here the state of the practitioner who has reached a stage in meditation where the most subtle experience of clear light has been realized--that for as long as the practitioner remains in this ultimate sphere he or she remains totally free of any sort of veil obscuring the mind, and is immersed in a state of great bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can say, therefore, that this ultimate source, clear light, is close to the notion of a Creator, since all phenomena, whether they belong to samsara or nirvana, originate therein. But we must be careful in speaking of this source, we must not be led into error. I do not mean chat there exists somewhere, there, a sort of collective clear light, analogous to the non-Buddhist concept of Brahma as a substratum. We must not be inclined to deify this luminous space. We must understand that when we speak of ultimate or inherent clear light, we are speaking on an individual level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, when we speak of karma as the cause of the universe we eliminate the notion of a unique entity called karma existing totally independently. Rather, collective karmic impressions, accumulated individually, are at the origin of the creation of a world. When, in the tantric context, we say that all worlds appear out of clear light, we do not visualize this source as a unique entity, but as the ultimate clear light of each being. We can also, on the basis of its pure essence, understand this clear light to be the Primordial Buddha. All the stages which make up the life of each living being--death, the intermediate state, and rebirth--represent nothing more than the various manifestations of the potential of clear light. It is both the most subtle consciousness and energy. The more clear light loses its subtlety, the more your experiences take shape. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T08:13:17.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2015-05-24T04:19:15.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From your question, I am assuming that you are concerned with the problem of how to refer to oneself because you believe that referring to yourself as 'I' causes you to become attached to your identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the real question is whether referring to yourself as 'I' causes you to be attached to your identity or not. According to what the Buddha taught, your attachment to your identity comes from your ignorance of the nature of reality. So I think we can conclude that referring to oneself as 'I' is not the cause for attachment to your identity and therefore not referring to yourself as 'I' will not cause you to step away from being attached to your identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might now ask, how can I come to understand the nature of reality so that I am no longer ignorant of the nature of reality, and therefore step away from my attachment to my identity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has the answer to your question. He said that by practising the 'Four foundations of mindfulness', you can come to understand the nature of reality. How can you practise the 'Four foundations of mindfulness'?&#xA;By following the instructions of this great monk called Yuttadhammo, who explains in this book (&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&lt;/a&gt;) how to practise comprehensively the four foundations of mindfulness according to how the Buddha taught it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that you are able to practise the four foundations of mindfulness successfully, and therefore come to understand the nature of reality, and therefore be able to solve your problem of being attached to your identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T10:32:31.637" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T10:32:31.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9134" CreationDate="2015-05-24T05:02:30.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, I would like to clarify that according to Theravada Buddhism, karma is not the 'result' of your 'actions' but the action itself. Performing certain kinds of actions (karma) leads to certain kinds of results. &#xA;What does ‘action’ mean? It exclusively means ‘intention’, in the context of Theravada Buddhism. The physical doing of something is equated with karma only insofar as that it is a physical manifestation of the intention.&#xA;With the above clarification, the question would be interpreted to mean ‘Who/What/How is the keeper of intentions’? The question is assuming that there is some kind of ‘keeping of intentions’ that occurs between the moment of intention and result. This assumption is wrong, and may be based on popular theories or misinterpretations of karma and how it leads to certain results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you might now ask, how does a specific intention lead to a specific result? The theoretical answer is quite complicated, and can be found by reading thoroughly the text called Abhidhamma (here is a link to an English translation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&lt;/a&gt;), which is the primary source of Theravada Buddhism where the subject of how specific karma leads to specific results is examined in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, my personal suggestion is that it would be a wise decision to understand for yourself how specific intentions (karma) leads to certain results, rather than trying to have an intellectual understanding of this process by reading the text. Having a practical understanding of this process of cause and effect (how karma works) is far more beneficial than having an intellectual understanding, because an intellectual understanding is simply based on concepts and is essentially meaningless apart from giving you a temporary sense of satisfaction whereas if you see how cause and effect works for yourself, it will lead you to being released from your mental defilements and therefore set you free from suffering permanently (the path that the Buddha taught). &#xA;So now you might ask me, how can you understand cause and effect for yourself? By understanding the experience of reality clearly. How can you understand the experience of reality? By practising the four foundations of mindfulness. &#xA;If you want to know how to practise the four foundations of mindfulness, please read this book (&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&lt;/a&gt;) written by a great monk called Yuttadhammo, who in this book clearly and comprehensively explains how to practise the path that the Buddha taught in order to understand reality clearly and therefore set yourself free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, by practising the path that the Buddha taught, you will come to understand for yourself the nature of karma, how it is not something that is recorded and how it actually leads to specific results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T10:32:04.513" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T10:32:04.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9163" CreationDate="2015-05-24T05:17:45.347" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am also a second year medical student, and I also used to face the same problems that you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditation practice of 'Anapanasati' will allow you to sleep less and focus more. For instructions on how to practise it, follow this link: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=206&amp;amp;v=YKFl4E3YhlI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=206&amp;amp;v=YKFl4E3YhlI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practising this meditation makes your mind calm, concentrated and will give you a lot of mental power. The strength and the duration of these effects are dependent on how long you practise (a session of 1 hour would be optimal, but feel free to get up and go if you wish to before the full four), how frequently you practise (at least twice a day would be optimal), how regularly you practise  (try to stick to the schedule as best as you can), and the intention with which you practise (intend to let your mind become calm and concentrated). This practise of Anapanasati is exactly for this purpose of building attention and eliminating any stress you have, and it is also very powerful at accomplishing this purpose, provided you practise correctly and appropriately.&#xA;If you practise this meditation appropriately, you will find that your attention will grow rapidly and that your stress levels will be non-existent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will also find that you will have a lot more free time, because your elevated attention and non-existent stress levels allows you to get a lot more study done in much less time.Because your mind is very calm (since practising this meditation will declutter your mind) as a result of successful and appropriate practise of this meditation, you will find that your sleep will become very deep, and so you will not only need less sleep but you will also be much more refreshed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The video that I linked to you that has the instructions on Anapanasati may seem too short, and not very comprehensive. But my advice to you is that comprehensiveness of instruction is not at all the key to success in this meditation, and not much more than what he says in the video needs to be known for successful practise of Anapanasati. The key is to be persistent and stick to the breath as much as you can, and gradually your concentration, calm and mental power will develop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although what I am about to say may cause some amount of sensation to arise in people who are attached to their insight meditation traditions, I would advice, from my personal experience, that you don't practise insight meditation exclusively (the anapanasati meditation that I recommend is not an insight meditation, it is a calming meditation) since it will cause many troubles, especially in a student life like ours. This is because exclusive practise of insight meditation will initially cause many defilements to come about (although the goal is the contrary) - for example, all kinds of craving will come about. This is not conducive at all to a successful student life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can, however, practise insight meditation during daily life (rather than the main meditation practise) such as while walking and eating and so on, without getting into much trouble, ASSUMING that you have a solid practise of Anapanasati going on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I said earlier in the post that a sitting session of one hour at least twice a day is optimal. This might seem too much in the beginning, but the effects of sticking to this regular schedule will change your life so much that you will find that it is not too much at all, given the benefits that it provides you, and you will find that in fact it gives you a lot more free time than before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To clarify what I meant by insight meditation, it is the exclusive practise taught by the Buddha whereby you will be able to understand reality clearly and therefore be free from suffering. Here is a manual on how to practise insight meditation, written by a great monk called Yuttadhammo: &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My addition of insight meditation here may seem irrelevant to your question, since Anapanasati is the exclusive answer to your question, but I am assuming that you understand the doctrine that the Buddha taught and that you have set yourself on the path to freedom from suffering. So do bear in mind my warnings regarding insight meditation in the context of student life, so make sure that you are only practising Anapanasati during your sitting meditation session, and practise insight meditation during your daily life to the best of your ability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will find that if the calming meditation (Anapanasati) and insight meditation (the exclusive practise that the Buddha taught to be free from suffering) are practised together in the manner I described above, insight meditation will not only no longer be a hindrance (because your mind has become powerful and stabilized by your solid practise of Anapanasati, you won't be overcome by craving and other defilements) but it will support your Anapanasati practise, which in turn will support your insight meditation practise as well. In fact, the meditation schedule that I prescribed to you seems to be also what  even the Buddha seems to have taught to some people on a certain occasion, where he provides instructions on both the Anapanasati meditation and the insight meditation (traditionally known as the practise of 'Satipattana').  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feel free to ask for any clarifications, I hope what I said makes sense to you and that you too will be able to solve your problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2016-09-03T19:44:53.440" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T19:44:53.440" CommentCount="4" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-07T12:30:53.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-05-24T06:17:17.883" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is the path which leads to the goal. You are right in saying that 'clear seeing is the most important' but I think you might be mistaken to think that mindfulness is just one of many ways to seeing clearly. This is because mindfulness IS the seeing clearly.This is what the Buddha himself said during an occasion. He said that the practise of mindfulness is the only path to Nibbana (the final goal that the Buddha taught us to achieve). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think your confusion might stem from those 'lists' of factors that you have to purify. By training in mindfulness, you can balance all the other factors automatically, whether you are thinking about the eight fold noble path or the 37 enlightenment factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other practises like Samatha meditation can be an aid to practising mindfulness, but it doesn't lead to clear seeing by itself (which is what the training in mindfulness does), and therefore can't lead to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T10:30:41.283" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T10:30:41.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9154" CreationDate="2015-05-24T07:53:09.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana (Tathagata-garbha, Buddha-nature, Buddhabood, Indra's net)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Consciousnesses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Eight Consciousnesses is a classification developed in the tradition of the Yogacara school of Buddhism. They enumerate the five senses, supplemented by the mind, defilements of the mind, and finally the fundamental store-house consciousness, which is the basis of the other seven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All surviving schools of buddhist thought accept – &quot;in common&quot; – the existence of the first six primary consciousnesses (Sanskrit: vijñāna, Tibetan: རྣམ་ཤེས་, Wylie: rnam-shes).[1] The internally coherent Yogācāra school associated with Maitreya, Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu, however, uniquely – or &quot;uncommonly&quot; – also posits the existence of two additional primary consciousnesses, kliṣṭamanas and ālayavijñāna, in order to explain the workings of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/12413/alaya-vijnana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ālaya-vijñāna &lt;/a&gt; doctrine arose on the Indian subcontinent about one thousand years before Tsong kha pa. It gained its place in a distinctly Yogācāra system over a period of some three hundred years stretching from 100 to 400 C.E., culminating in the Mahāyāna-saṁgraha, a short text by Asaṅga (circa 350), setting out a systematic presentation of the ālaya-vijñāna doctrine developed over the previous centuries. It is the doctrine found in this text in particular that Tsong kha pa, in his Ocean of Eloquence, treats as having been revealed in toto by the Buddha and transmitted to suffering humanity through the Yogācāra founding saints (Tib. shing rta srol byed): Maitreya[-nātha], Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana schools of Chan/Zen Buddhism, the alaya-vjnana is identical with the tathagata-garbha, and is fundamentally pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana other schools, starts with the interpretation of the Luminous Mind (Prabhasvara citta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Wayman, the idea of the tathagatagarbha is grounded on sayings by the Buddha that there is an innately pure luminous mind[18] (prabhasvara citta[19]), &quot;which is only adventitiously covered over by defilements (agantukaklesa)&quot;[19] This luminous mind is being mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya:[20] &quot;Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahāsāṃghika coupled this idea of the luminous mind with the idea of the mulavijnana (*Eight consciousnesses), the substratum consciousness that serves as the basis consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pure consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the idea of the luminous mind emerged the idea that the awakened mind is the pure, undefiled mind. In the tathagatagarbha-sutras it is this pure consciousness that is regarded to be the seed from which Buddhahood grows:&#xA;  When this intrinsically pure consciousness came to be regarded as an element capable of growing into Buddhahood, there was the &quot;embryo (garbha) of the Tathagata (=Buddha)&quot; doctrine, whether or not this term is employed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahayana further developed Dharma-dhātu - The realm of the Buddha in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; which results in the Tiantai, Tendai and Nicheren school of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra asserts ..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;..Skillful means of most enlightened Buddhas is itself the highest teaching (the Lotus Sūtra itself), in conjunction with the sutra's stated tenets that all other teachings are subservient to, propagated by and in the service of this highest truth, that there are not actually Three Vehicles (three kinds of teachings, each tailored to the capacity of a specific set of practitioners) as previously taught, but only One Vehicle (Skrt. Ekayāna, the Buddha’s ultimate teaching transcending limitations in the capacity of practitioners) leading to Buddhahood.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then came the development of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatamsaka_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AvataṃsakaSūtra&lt;/a&gt; – the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism , characterise by a philosophy of interpenetration: all levels of reality are related and interpenetrated. This is depicted in the image of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra%27s_net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indra's net&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-24T08:12:20.390" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T08:12:20.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9188" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9191" CreationDate="2015-05-24T09:10:45.597" Score="3" ViewCount="269" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice : Ven .Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing meditation &quot; in daily life &quot; for a week . I felt more relaxed and also noticed  having a thought of &quot;intention&quot;  before most of my actions of body .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But now I feel that I'm losing the interest of doing mediation practice but to go back again on reading or listing to Dhamma talks .( mostly due to having the thought of finding a &quot;better practice&quot; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And now I'm feeling the same delusion I had before and stress .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to to know how could I get my motivation back to stick with one method of meditation practice ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T13:35:27.403" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T13:35:27.403" Title="Keep motivation to stick on one meditation practice :Ven. Mahasi Saydaw" Tags="|personal-practice|right-effort|mahasi-sayadaw|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9189" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-24T12:15:21.560" Score="4" ViewCount="1507" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should one consider the impact or influence of the subconscious mind on one's conscious awareness and mental processes, especially during sitting meditation? My mind seems to often exhibit a proliferation of short-lived flashes of images &quot;from nowhere&quot;. Is consideration of the relationship between the subconscious mind and the conscious mind a futile endeavor or a worthwhile endeavor? Some brief exposé of how Buddhism views the importance (or unimportance) of the subconscious mind would be appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T16:19:26.370" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T17:42:10.243" Title="The impact of the subconscious mind on the conscious mind" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9190" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-24T12:35:02.573" Score="5" ViewCount="3805" Body="&lt;p&gt;During sitting meditation, I attempt to anchor attention to the breathe. I have read about anchoring on the sensation(s) of the breathe at the nostril, and I have read about anchoring on the rise and fall of the abdomen. Both techniques appear to be in concert with Theravada approaches. I recently read (Wikipedia article re Mahasi Sayadaw) that Mahasi Sayadaw taught attention at the abdomen. I need an explanation, please, of the two different approaches ... the impact of each on serenity and on insight. Perhaps one is &quot;better&quot; for serenity, and perhaps one is &quot;better&quot; for insight. Thx!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T12:00:00.447" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T17:20:30.443" Title="Attention to the breath: sensations at the nostrils vs sensations at the abdomen, as they relate to serenity and insight" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-insight|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9188" CreationDate="2015-05-24T12:45:14.433" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are the 5 five hindrances that stand in the way as obstacles for developing in ones practice and for reaching Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief the five hindrances are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual Desire (kámacchanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion or Ill-will (vyápáda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sleepiness – sloth (thina), torpor (middha), sluggishness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restlessness – worry about the future, regret of the past, anxiety (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt (skeptical doubt) (vicikicchá) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be no. 4, 5: &lt;em&gt;worries&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;doubt&lt;/em&gt; about the practice that you are experiencing. If you practice under the Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition then the way to deal with such hindrances is to turn them into an object of observation, i.e. a meditation object and thereby making them a foundation for realizing insights. So when worry arises one can simply note it as &quot;worried, worried&quot; and if doubt arises one can note it as &quot;doubting, doubting&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one takes them as meditation objects then one will come to see that they also are subject to the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha and anatta&lt;/em&gt;. One will come to see that all conditioned phenomena follows a standard formula which is: &lt;em&gt;Arising, Presence, Dissolution&lt;/em&gt;. So when taken as meditation objects one will see that the worry or doubt arises, is present and then disappears. It might come again multiple times but the same procedure should be used every time, i.e. to observe and note them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here you can read more about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Five Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here is a great audio dhamma talk on the five hindrances by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2394&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part 1&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2395&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part 2&lt;/a&gt;. This talk is highly recommended and i think it might be able to give you some answers. Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi talks in depth about the hindrances and gives tools that can be used to overcome them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a great dhamma talk by Ven. Yuttadhammo that might just address your question. Its called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWvLzeb_Pb8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Generating Motivation (Monk Radio)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Here its talked about how one can generate motivation to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-24T13:18:37.470" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T13:18:37.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9189" CreationDate="2015-05-24T12:47:15.950" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an interesting section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#vision&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visions and Signs&lt;/a&gt; in the teachings of Ajaan Fuang. I quote my &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8793/471&quot;&gt;other answer&lt;/a&gt; here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Don't be amazed by people with visions. Visions are nothing else&#xA;  but dreams. There are true ones and false ones. You can't really trust&#xA;  them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A Bangkok housewife who was practicing meditation with Ajaan Fuang&#xA;  heard some of his other students say that meditation without visions&#xA;  was the straight path. It so happened that she had frequent visions in&#xA;  her meditation, and so hearing this made her wonder why her path was&#xA;  so winding and convoluted. When she asked Ajaan Fuang about this, he&#xA;  told her: &quot;Having visions in your meditation is like having lots of&#xA;  lush wild greens growing along the side of your path. You can gather&#xA;  them as you go along, so that you'll have something to eat along the&#xA;  way, and you'll reach the end of the path just like everyone else. As&#xA;  for other people, they might see the greens without gathering them, or&#xA;  may not even see them at all — because their path goes through arid&#xA;  land.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Visions — or whatever things appear in the course of your&#xA;  meditation: It's not the case that you shouldn't pay any attention to&#xA;  them, for some kinds of visions have important messages. So when&#xA;  things like this appear, you have to look into how they're appearing,&#xA;  why they're appearing, and for what purpose.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;There are true visions and false visions. So whenever you see one,&#xA;  just sit still and watch it. Don't get pulled into following it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;You should watch visions the same way you watch TV: Just watch it,&#xA;  without getting pulled inside the tube.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;If you can't let go of your visions, you'll never gain release.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ One of Ajaan Fuang's students asked him, &quot;When you see something in&#xA;  a vision, how can you know whether it's true or false?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His answer: &quot;Even when it's true, it's true only in terms of&#xA;  convention. You have to get your mind beyond both true and false.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;The purpose of the practice is to make the heart pure. All these&#xA;  other things are just games and entertainment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T12:47:15.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9188" CreationDate="2015-05-24T13:03:17.993" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some advice by Ajaan Fuang &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html#med&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ Many were the times when people would tell Ajaan Fuang that — with&#xA;  all the work and responsibilities in their lives — they had no time to&#xA;  meditate. And many were the times he'd respond, &quot;And you think you'll&#xA;  have time after you're dead?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;If you're single-minded about whatever you think of doing, you're&#xA;  sure to succeed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;You can't plan the way your practice is going to go. The mind has&#xA;  its own steps and stages, and you have to let the practice follow in&#xA;  line with them. That's the only way you'll get genuine results.&#xA;  Otherwise you'll turn into a half-baked arahant.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Don't make a journal of your meditation experiences. If you do,&#xA;  you'll start meditating in order to have this or that thing happen, so&#xA;  that you can write it down in your journal. And as a result, you'll&#xA;  end up with nothing but the things you've fabricated.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;When the meditation goes well, don't get excited. When it doesn't&#xA;  go well, don't get depressed. Simply be observant to see why it's&#xA;  good, why it's bad. If you can be observant like this, it won't be&#xA;  long before your meditation becomes a skill.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A student came to complain to Ajaan Fuang that she had been&#xA;  meditating for years, and still hadn't gotten anything out of it. His&#xA;  immediate response: &quot;You don't meditate to 'get' anything. You&#xA;  meditate to let go.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ The seamstress, after practicing meditation with Ajaan Fuang for&#xA;  several months, told him that her mind seemed more of a mess than it&#xA;  was before she began meditating. &quot;Of course it does,&quot; he told her.&#xA;  &quot;It's like your house. If you polish the floor every day, you won't be&#xA;  able to stand the least little bit of dust on it. The cleaner the&#xA;  house, the more easily you'll see the dirt. If you don't keep&#xA;  polishing the mind, you can let it go out and sleep in the mud without&#xA;  any qualms at all. But once you get it to sleep on a polished floor,&#xA;  then if there's even a speck of dust, you'll have to sweep it away.&#xA;  You won't be able to stand the mess.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T13:03:17.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2015-05-24T14:20:04.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mantrayoga follows logically from the general doctrine of karma and the inclusion of mind as a &quot;sixth sense,&quot; both of which are fundamental to the Pali Canon and all Buddhist schools except perhaps for ultra-neo-Theravadin rationalists who want to expunge everything Indian from the Pali Canon, although the Buddha was an Indian. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter is generally associated with Sri Lanka.  Every cause has an effect, every effect is the result of a cause, mind is real. The theory of mantra (or mantrayoga, a synonym for Tantra) is universal and is even found in the &quot;barbarian dharma.&quot; All ancient peoples attributed a powerful significance to speech, since it is through speech that the world of differentiated objects is articulated. Curiously, one finds this doctrine also in quantum physics (&quot;the act of observation&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is simply stupid to demand that Buddhism or any other theosophy conform to the modern secular religion of scientism, and it is naive to believe that we know everything about the world simply because we have created powerful mathematical models of the parts of the world that we want to control. In fact, there are many aspects of life and consciousness that we simply don't understand in those terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is perhaps significant that science itself is moving away from the mechanist, materialist paradigm. In any case, it is best to keep an open mind. Mantrayoga involves many different aspects - the sounds themselves, the meaning of the words, the effect of the words on the mind and the brain, the conviction of that mind in the significance of the sounds and meanings, and the intention of the mind. Whether you choose to call this &quot;magical&quot; or not is really a matter of semantics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:47:47.883" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:47:47.883" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9188" CreationDate="2015-05-24T14:23:21.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditation is not forced, meditation comes spontaneously. When meditation comes spontaneously, awakening comes quickly. When awakening comes quickly, your meditation practice becomes the best practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any meditation practice, if not forced, becomes the best practice. There is no one practice better than the other. Choose one, don't force it (or yourself), do it spontaneously and you'll be on your way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T14:23:21.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9189" CreationDate="2015-05-24T14:27:50.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The subconscious mind in Buddhism is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhavanga&lt;/a&gt;, (mindstream, store-consciousness) where the results (vipaka)of past actions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kamma&lt;/a&gt; is deposited. In the silence of the meditation practice sometimes they &quot;bubble up&quot;. ruben2020 has outline what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T14:27:50.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9189" CreationDate="2015-05-24T14:40:35.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If meditation is done properly, kamma starts to unwind. When kamma is unwinding, visions arise. When visions arise, let them arise. When you let them arise, experience them. When you experience them, don't cling on them or be afraid of them. If you won't cling on them or be afraid of them, visions will cease and awakening will not be far away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visions during sitting meditation are signs of being on the right path towards awakening and final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T14:40:35.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9190" CreationDate="2015-05-24T17:38:42.807" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Breath at the upper lip&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(most effective even than the tip of the nose but you may choose the tip of the nose also. Traditional Theravada schools accepts either the tip of the nose and upper lip. Webu Sayadaw and teachers influenced by his teaching hold that upper lib is better. Also more consistent with &quot;around the mouth&quot; interpretation of &lt;code&gt;Parimukam&lt;/code&gt; found in multiple Suttas in the &lt;strong&gt;Theravada Tripitaka&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advantages:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Orthodox Theravada Interpretation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develops concentration - serenity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;More in line with many Buddhist masters and traditions (consensus)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One interpretation of &lt;code&gt;Parimukam&lt;/code&gt; with appear in nearly all Anapana related Suttas is around the mouth. Hence according to this interpretation more consistent with the Suttas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Covers air element, heat (change of temperature of in out breath) element, liquid element (moisture difference in the in and out breath, and perspiration at the base of the nose), solid element (body part - upper lip), sensation (of the touch of the air), and Kaya (body part - upper lip). Hence can be a basis of transitioning to this type of meditation. Also better insight since in combination with better insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Disadvantage:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For a some one starting this may be difficult to feel&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Abdomen:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advantages:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Easy for a beginners (&lt;strong&gt;as per justification of practitioners of the Mahasi Method itself&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Disadvantages:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Un Orthodox method&lt;/strong&gt; devised by  U Nārada and popularised by Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does not develop deep concentration (concentration can accelerate you development of insight.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Progress is slow as interpreted by Buddhist masters advocating the nose, as the surface area of the abdomen is large&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Based on general justification of the abdomen (&lt;strong&gt;from some of the practitioners from the Mahasi Method itself&lt;/strong&gt;) the primary discriminant is the air element. &lt;em&gt;A careful manuring so it does not contravene the commentaries as observed by traditional and orthodox Theravada masters. At least there seam to be some Mahasi method masters who do not hold to the traditional justification by this linage.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This tradition is considered unorthodox and controversial my some Buddhist master (See &lt;strong&gt;Banthe Vimalasiri's&lt;/strong&gt; videos on the Vissudhi Magga and Mahasi Method)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Following is directly from the Theravada Suttas. So compatible with any tradition which accepts the Theravada Tripitaka as the doctrinal basis.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;insight and serenity goes hand in hand. In Anapana Sutta the 5th and 6th steps in the 4 steps dealing with sensations has serenity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The 16 Steps of the Anâpāna,sati as satipatthāna&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 12 steps for getting into dhyana [mental absorption]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Contemplation of the body]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;`Step 1—Experiencing a long breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 2—Experiencing a short breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 3—Experiencing the whole breath (or whole body)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 4—Calming the breath`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Contemplation of feelings: Entry into dhyana]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;`Step 5—Arousing joy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 6—Arousing happiness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 7—Understanding mental functions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 8—Calming the joy and happiness`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Contemplation of the mind]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;`Step 9—Experiencing the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 10—Shining the nimitta [meditation sign]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 11—Sustaining the nimitta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 12—Freeing the mind`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Contemplation of dharmas]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;`The 4 steps to take after emerging from dhyana &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 13—Reflecting on impermanence (anicca)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 14—Reflecting on fading away [of lust] (virāga)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 15—Reflecting on cessation [of suffering] (nirodha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 16—Reflecting on letting go [of defilements] (patinissagga)`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/m118-Anapanasati-S-v26-tlr-piya_2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Mindfulness of the In-and-out-breathing&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (read along with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Transcendental Dependent Arising&#xA;A Translation and Exposition of the Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The (eleven) “Without Need of Intention” Discourse - (Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The (ten) “Without Need of Intention” Discourse - (Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and other Suttas covers the formula for liberation (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nibiddā formula&lt;/a&gt;). Extract from the elven link formulation (formula is more or less the same with minor variations):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;`(1) For the morally virtuous (sīla,vata), there arises freedom from remorse (appaṭisāra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) For the remorseless, there arises joy (pamudita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) For the joyful, there arises a zestful mind (pīta,mana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) For the zestful minded, there arises a calm body (passaddha,kāya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) For the calm-bodied, there arises happiness (sukha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(6) For the happy, there arises concentration (samādhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(7) For the concentrated, there arises the vision of true reality (yathā,bhūta,ñāṇa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(8) For one who sees true reality, there arises revulsion (nibbidā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(9) For the revulsed, there is letting go [dispassiom] (virāga),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(10) For the dispassionare, there is (10) the knowledge and&#xA;vision of liberation (vimutti,ñāṇa.dassana)`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus implies serenity is important. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.9-Maha-Salayatanika-S-m149-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Great Sixfold Sense-based Discourse - Mahā Saḷ-āyatanika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the need of both Samatha and Vippassana to be developed in a balanced way though the natural development (meditation method and temperament) one may precede the other though ultimately both develop (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yuga,naddha Sutta - The Discourse on the Twin Path&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T17:20:30.443" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9190" CreationDate="2015-05-24T18:02:12.923" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It really doesn't matter which location you meditate on. The only big difference between the two is that the movement of the abdomen is a very apparent thing while the movement near the nostrils is much more subtle and harder to catch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing that determines if you are practicing Vipassana-Bhavana versus Samatha-Bhavana isn't the location of what you are meditating on but rather the way in which you are looking at the object of meditation. This is clear if one looks carefully at the instructions in Chapter 18 of the Visuddhimagga. Paragraph 5 of said chapter describes Vipassana according to the four elements saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;But one whose vehicle is pure insight, or that same aforesaid one whose vehicle  is serenity, discerns the four elements in brief or in&#xA;  detail in one of the various ways  given in the chapter on the&#xA;  definition of the four elements (XI.27ff.). Then, when the  elements &#xA;  have  become  clear  in  their  correct  essential &#xA;  characteristics...there become plain ten instances of materiality &#xA;  (rupani) with the body decad...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later in the chapter it is described also in terms of the 18 Dhatus, the 12 Ayatanas, the 5 aggregates, and again the four elements. All of these different categories are classified as being ultimate realities within the Theravada school, whereas everything else is classified as Paññatti, or concepts, meaning that they are mental representations of experiences rather than the experiences themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the only thing that really makes a practice Vipassana meditation is that one is meditating on the object as an experience rather than as a concept. If one is meditating on the abdomen and sets their mind on the physical feelings of the movement themselves, then one is practicing Vipassana meditation but if they are meditating on the stomach itself as being an object, then that is not Vipassana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly if one is meditating at the nostrils and one is meditating on just the feelings of the air that happen at the walls of the nostril or the lip, that can be Vipassana, but if one is meditating on it just as air moving in and out, that is not Vipassana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T18:02:12.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7241" CreationDate="2015-05-24T18:29:23.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is it considered canon by all or most of Theravadan schools?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/dwi.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; A few Evidences on the Age of the Kathavatthu&lt;/a&gt; showed that an examination  of some of the materials  of&#xA;        the  K.  V.  and the Asokan  edicts  shows  that  the&#xA;        compilation of the K. V.  was made, at least in part,&#xA;        somewhere in the reign of king Asoka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810105208953&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kathavatthu&lt;/a&gt;‘The Book of Disputed Points’, being a canonical book belonging to the Abhidharma Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;How did the post-theravadan schools regard the texts?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Below are quotes on the Kathavatthu from wiki&lt;/a&gt;: (*I added bold to show emphasis)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Each chapter contains questions and answers by means of which the most diverse views are presented, refuted and rejected. The form of the debates gives &lt;strong&gt;no identification of the participants&lt;/strong&gt;, and does not step outside the debate to state explicitly &lt;strong&gt;which side is right&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The debates are understood by the tradition, followed by many scholars, as disputes between different schools of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, L. S. Cousins, described by Professor Gombrich as the West's leading abhidhamma scholar,[6] says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In spiritual traditions the world over, instructors have frequently employed apparent contradictions as part of their teaching method – perhaps to induce greater awareness in the pupil or to bring about a deeper and wider view of the subject in hand. The Pali Canon contains many explicit examples of such methods. (Indeed much of the Kathāvatthu makes better sense in these terms than as sectarian controversy.)&quot;[7]&#xA;  See also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seen in this light it is not a book on points of controversies but a teaching manual!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-24T18:42:08.313" LastActivityDate="2015-05-24T18:42:08.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9201" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9203" CreationDate="2015-05-25T02:06:29.387" Score="4" ViewCount="693" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are laity and given a Buddhist name does it change with different masters and temples or do you carry it with you for life? While mostly pertaining to the Vietnamese tradition I'm very curious about all. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T14:29:33.760" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T14:29:33.760" Title="Does your lay Buddhist name follow you for life or does it change with different temples and masters?" Tags="|mahayana|traditions|lay-buddhism|laity|vietnamese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2015-05-25T02:30:43.973" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this might be a pedantic discussion. We say &quot;Buddhist&quot; in English because we use -ist as a suffix in English to denote a role. It's from the Greek ιστής. In Vietnamese one would say &quot;Tôi theo Phật giáo.&quot; or basicly &quot;I follow the Buddha.&quot; There's no -ist in Vietnamese because there's no Greek roots so no &quot;Buddhist.&quot; IMO pick the one that works best for your language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="979" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T02:30:43.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9201" CreationDate="2015-05-25T06:31:40.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka it is generally the towns name followed by a name given at ordination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henepola_Gunaratana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Henepola Gunaratana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henepola&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Henepola&lt;/a&gt; is the village name&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gunaratana is the name given at ordination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda_Ananda_Maitreya_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Balangoda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess in other countries you might follow different schemes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might become famous by the monastery's name: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; (U Ñanadhaja), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;PA Auk Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; (U Āciṇṇa) though the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma name&lt;/a&gt; is different and hardly used. E.g. U Ñanadhaja, U Āciṇṇa. I guess you see this more in Burma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also names can be completely independent of monastery or town. E.g. Thanisaro Bikkhu, Achan Cha. I guess this is more seen in Thai Land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all of these cases the lay name has been changes and a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma name&lt;/a&gt; has been taken at ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T13:37:45.470" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T13:37:45.470" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8430" CreationDate="2015-05-25T11:26:08.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This belief comes from a popular Chinese Buddhist tale in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulian_Rescues_His_Mother&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulian saves his mother from Hell&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mulian Saves His Mother From Hell is a popular Chinese Buddhist tale originating in the 3rd century CE, inspired by tales from India of Maudgalyayana, who becomes Mulian in the Chinese stories. Mulian, a virtuous monk, seeks the help of the Buddha to rescue his mother, who has been condemned to the lowest and most painful purgatory in karmic retribution for her transgressions. Mulian cannot rescue her by his individual effort, however, but is instructed by the Buddha to offer food and gifts to monks and monasteries on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which established the Ghost Festival (Chinese: 鬼 節; pinyin: guijie). The monk's devotion to his mother reassured Chinese that Buddhism did not undermine Confucian filial piety and helped to make Buddhism into a Chinese religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story developed many variations and appeared in many forms..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many variations and from that comes the simple belief that if a filial son could descend to Avici Hell and save his mother, a filial son will will always saves his mother especially if he is a monk. In Confucianism filial duty is inculcated and taken for granted&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T11:26:08.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9189" CreationDate="2015-05-25T14:57:56.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Deep rooted Sankara in the sub concious mind bubbles up during meditation (in your case thought a vision) there will always a sensation which follows (in your case when the image - frightful, lustful, etc. make contact with the mind sense door). Keeping you mind devoid of craving and aversion (with equanimity) towards this sensation, you are not creating any new Sankara for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 3 types of sensation that arise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unpleasant - this is due to past Sankara of aversion. Reacting to this with aversion creates future Sankara giving again an unpleasant sensation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasant - this due to past Sankara of craving. Reacting to this with craving creates future Sankara of pleasant sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral - this is due to past Sankara of ignorance. Like wise this can create future Sankara of neutral sensation. Mainly in this case when effective there is a chance the Hindrances Sloth and Torpor and Restlessness will surface.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being neutral or equanimous to all these sensation lead to eradicating the Sankara which bubbled up while not creating new Sankara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through meditation as your awareness increase your consciousness becomes stronger, thus reaching into the depths of what you call the sub conscious mind, and finally coming to the stage where you are fully aware. Phenomena which you were not previously aware comes into your consciousness more easily. Your conscious mind becomes dominant, and what was previously sub concious mind becomes dormant. Everything comes into your consciousness you are aware. For a normal person when you are a sleep and have mosquito bites when you wake up you might notice that un intentionally you have scratched certain spots. When your sub conscious mind is fully encompassed by your conscious mind though you may be sleeping to give rest to your body, but still you would be awake and aware all the times - nothing escapes your conscious mind (consciousness) while you now do not have any sub conscious mind or it has lost its function.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T17:42:10.243" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T17:42:10.243" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9208" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9211" CreationDate="2015-05-25T17:28:33.843" Score="4" ViewCount="1800" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question aims towards to creating a new life and not to the desire from which said life is concived. Other way of this question would be: the act of giving a life which can be seen as a being with it's own karma, creates more karma to one self?&#xA; Has the buddha ever talked about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5162" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-25T18:34:20.067" LastActivityDate="2022-07-10T17:20:04.670" Title="Does having a child has a negative/positive impact in karma?" Tags="|karma|parents|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9209" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9210" CreationDate="2015-05-25T18:45:09.380" Score="6" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice? Are the terms completely interchangeable? I know there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement&quot;&gt;vipassana movement&lt;/a&gt; but this appears to be Theravadin so it makes me think that vipassana only applies to Theravadin Buddhism? However I'm sure it's broader than that - our &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/vipassana&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;vipassana&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;vipassana&lt;/a&gt; wiki says it is if that is anything to go by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T04:24:14.870" Title="Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|terminology|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9209" CreationDate="2015-05-25T19:21:52.253" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are synonymous. Insight is in fact the word that is used to translate the word Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All schools of Buddhism that talk about meditation talk about Samatha and Vipassana (but of course they'll use the sanskrit names Shamatha and Vipashyana, or their translated terms 止 観 (Chinese Zhi and Guan, Japanese Shi and Kan) or in Tibetan shiné and lhatong. They understand the meanings of these somewhat differently but no one has a monopoly on any of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vipassana movement is a particular trend of Buddhist meditation that started in Burma in the 1800's and encompases several traditions (Mahasi Sayadaw, Goenka, Pa Auk Sayadaw, etc..) and they are called the Vipassana movement just because that is their primary emphasis. But other traditions have it too, even though they might very well use very different sounding language to talk about it and have different meditation methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T19:21:52.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9208" CreationDate="2015-05-25T19:48:37.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; behind the action. If the intention is unwholesome then it will lead to unwhole resultants and vice versa if its wholesome. It is the intention that has kammic potency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C4%81hula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a quote from the wiki&lt;/a&gt; about what the Buddha said when he was about to leave his palace and at the same time got news about his newborn son:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Prince Siddhartha was preparing himself to leave the palace. One account claims that when he received the news of his son's birth he replied Rāhu jāto, bandhanam jātam — &amp;quot;A rāhu is born, a fetter has arisen.&amp;quot; Accordingly the child was named Rāhula, meaning &amp;quot;fetter&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;impediment&amp;quot;, recognizing that the child could be a tie that bound him to his wife Yashodhara, a binding that may impede a search for enlightenment. Others, however, feel rāhu does not mean &amp;quot;fetter&amp;quot; in this sense. The second account, found in the Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya, is that Rāhula received his name in accordance with an eclipse of the moon, caused by the snake Rahu. In Japanese he is called Ragora (羅睺羅).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Supporting the first account, in the Dhammapada, the pleasure and joy that a man receives in his wife and children is called a &amp;quot;soft fetter&amp;quot; that ties individuals to life and suffering, not just through eventual loss and separation of loved ones but more deeply and subtly may act as ties to cyclic existence (samsara)&amp;quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T06:49:08.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7414" CreationDate="2015-05-25T20:14:07.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Brahm_The_Jhanas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahmavamso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here he gives the following techniques to stabilize the &lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt;. He also discusses a suitable and a useless nimitta, how to shine it up and how to disturb a stable nimitta: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SUITABLE NIMITTA AND USELESS NIMITTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is very helpful to cultivate nimitta of the sort perceived as a light. These &quot;light nimittas&quot; are the best vehicle for transporting the meditator into the Jhanas. However, it is just possible, but rarely done, to enter a Jhana by using &quot;feeling nimittas&quot; instead. By this I mean that one sees no lights in the mind, instead one experiences a feeling of bliss in the mind. It is important to note that the sense of touch has been transcended and such a &quot;feeling&quot; of bliss is experienced completely by the mind sense. It is a pure mental object again, but perceived as relating closely to a physical feeling of bliss. This is a bona-fide nimitta. But it is much more difficult to work with such as a nimitta to gain access to Jhana, though it is not impossible. For these reasons, it is recommended to cultivate the light nimitta if one aspires for the Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are some visual nimittas that are of no use on the path into Jhana. It is helpful to know these &quot;useless&quot; nimitta so that one will waste no time with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visions. Sometimes whole scenes can appear clearly in the mind. There might be landscapes, buildings and people. They may appear familiar or strange. It might be fascinating to watch such visions, but they are of little use. Moreover, they are meaningless and one should certainly not take them as some revelation of truth! Experience shows that visions arising at this stage are notoriously deceptive and completely untrustworthy. If one likes to waste time, one can linger on them a while. But the recommended thing to do is to remove all interest and go back to the beautiful breath. Such complex nimitta are merely a reflection of an overcomplicated mind. The mind should have been calmed into simplicity much more effectively before letting go of the breath. When one sustains the attention on the beautiful breath, uninterrupted for long periods of time, then one is training in simplicity. Then when the breath disappears, a simple unified nimitta arises, one that is suitable for progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Firework Nimitta. A less elaborate nimitta, which is still overcomplicated, can be called the &quot;firework nimitta.&quot; As the name suggests, this consists of many bursts of light coming and going, never lasting long and exhibiting much movement. There may be several bursts of light at the same time, even of different colors. Again, this firework nimitta is a sign that the mind is still too complicated and very unstable. If one wants, one can enjoy the sideshow for a short time, but one should not waste too much time there. One should ignore all the razzele-dazzele of the firework nimitta, return to the breath, and develop more one-pointedness and calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Shy Nimitta. The next type of nimitta can be called the &quot;shy nimitta,&quot; a single pure light that flashes up quickly and then disappears. After a few moments, it flashes up again. Each time, it lasts only a second or two. Such a nimitta is much more encouraging. Its simplicity shows that the mind is one-pointed. Its power is a sign that pitisukha is strong. But its inability to remain after breaking through into consciousness shows that the level of calm is not quite enough. In such a situation, one need not return to the beautiful breath yet. Instead, one patiently waits, developing more calm, allowing the mind to become more receptive to the very shy nimitta. As will be explained at greater length later, this nimitta disappears because the mind overreacts to its arrival, usually with excitement or fear. By establishing more solid calm and having the confidence to not react at all, the shy nimitta returns and stays longer each time. Soon, such a nimitta loses its shyness and, feeling accepted within the mind's calmness, remains a long time. One should attempt this approach first; But if the nimitta continues being &quot;shy,&quot; with no indication that it is remaining longer, then one should return to the beautiful breath and ignore the shy nimitta. When one has built more tranquility of mind with the beautiful breath, then one can return to the shy nimitta to see if it will establish itself this time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Point Nimitta. Another type of nimitta is the &quot;point nimitta,&quot; a simple and powerful light, but ever so small, which persists many seconds. This nimitta can be very useful. It shows that one-pointedness is excellent, calm is sufficient, but pitisukha is still a bit lacking. However, all one needs to. do is gently look deeper into the point nimitta, letting mindfulness zero in, then it appears as if one's awareness comes closer to this nimitta and its size starts to increase. As it expands a little, one should keep one's focus on the center, not on the edges, nor beyond the edges. By maintaining the mind's focus sharply on the center of the point nimitta, it increases power, it grows in pitisukha. Soon the nimitta unfolds into the best nimitta of all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Best Nimitta. The best nimitta of all, that which is the most suitable for Jhanas, begins as being similar to the full moon at midnight in a sky free of clouds. It rises unhurried when the beautiful breath softly disappears. It takes three or four seconds to establish its presence and settle down, remaining still and very beautiful before the mind's eye. As it remains without effort it grows brighter, more luminous. Soon it appears brighter than the sun at midday, radiating bliss. It becomes, by far, the most beautiful thing one has ever seen. Its beauty and power will often feel more than one can bear. One wonders whether one can take so much bliss of such extreme power. But one can. There's no limit to the bliss one can feel. The nimitta explodes, drowning one in even more bliss, or one dives into the center of the radiating ecstasy. If one remains there, it is Jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SHINING UP THE NIMITTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is a far-reaching insight to realize that this nimitta is actually an image of one's mind. Just like one sees an image of one's face when one looks in a mirror, one sees an image of one's mind in the profound stillness of this meditation stage. The nimitta is a reflective image of one's mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Importance of Virtue. So when the nimitta appears dull, or even dirty, it means that one's mind is dull, even dirty! Usually, this is because one has been lacking in virtue recently, possibly angry, or maybe self centered. At this stage of meditation, one is looking directly at one's mind and there is no opportunity for deceit. One always sees the mind as it truly is. So, if one's nimitta appears dull and strained, then one should clean up one's act in daily life. One should undertake moral precepts, speak only kindly, and be selfless in service. This stage of meditation when nimittas appear makes it abundantly clear that virtue is an essential ingredient for success in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having taught many meditation retreats over the years, I have noticed that the meditators who have the easiest progress and most sensational results, are those who are joyously generous, whose nature would never allow them to harm another being, who are soft spoken, gentle and very happy. Their beautiful lifestyle gives them a beautiful mind. And their beautiful mind supports their virtuous lifestyle. Then when they reach this stage of the meditation and their mind is revealed in the image of the nimitta, it is so brilliant and pure that it leads them easily to Jhana. It demonstrates that one cannot lead a heedless life and self indulgent lifestyle and have easy success in one's meditation. On the other hand, purifying one's conduct and developing compassion, at the same time prepares the mid for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The best remedy, then, for shinning up a dull or dirty nimitta, is to purify one's conduct outside the meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Focusing On the Beautiful Center. The above being said, if one's conduct in daily life isn't too outrageous, one can shine up the dirty nimitta in the meditation itself This is achieved by focusing the attention on the center of the nimitta. Most areas of the nimitta may appear dull, but the very center of the nimitta is always the brightest and purest part. It is the soft center of an otherwise stiff and unworkable nimitta. As one focuses on the center, it expands like a balloon to produce a second nimitta, purer and brighter. One looks into the very center of this second nimitta, the spot where it is the brightest of all and that balloons up into a third nimitta even purer, even brighter. Gazing into the center effectively shines up the nimitta. One continues in this way until the nimitta is beautifully brilliant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, in life, one has developed a strong faultfinding mind, obsessively picking out what's wrong in this and that, then one will find it almost impossible to pick out the beautiful center of a dull nimitta and focus attention thereon. One has become so conditioned to pick out the blemishes in things that it goes against the grain to ignore all the dull and dirty areas of a nimitta to focus exclusively on the beautiful center. This demonstrates once again how unskillful attitudes in life can stop success in deep meditation. When one develops a more forgiving attitude to life, becoming more embracing of the duality of good and bad-not being a negative obsessive nor a positive excessive but balanced &quot;acceptive&quot; - then not only can one see the beauty in mistakes, but one can also see the beautiful center in a dull and dirty nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is essential to have a bright and luminous nimitta to take one through to Jhana. A dull and dirty one is like an old, beat up car that will break down on the journey. The dull nimitta, when not made to shine, usually vanishes after some time. So, if one is unable to shine up the nimitta, then go back to the beautiful breath and build up more energy on that part called the &quot;beautiful!&quot; Generate greater Pitisukha, huge happiness and joy, along with the breath. Then next time the breath disappears and a nimitta arises, it will not be a dull one but something more beautiful and luminous. In effect, one has shined up the nimitta in the stage of the beautiful breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;STABILIZING THE NIMITTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the nimitta is very bright, it is also very beautiful. It usually appears unearthly in the depth of its beauty and more wonderful than anything one has ever experienced before. Whatever the color of the nimitta, that color is a thousand times richer than anything that can be seen with one's eyes. Such awesome beauty will captivate one's attention, making the nimitta remain. The more beautiful the nimitta, the more likely is the nimitta to become stable and not jump about. Thus one of the best methods to stabilize the nimitta, so that it persists a long time, is to shine the nimitta into brilliance, as just explained above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, some brilliant nimittas still don't last long. They burst into the mental field of awareness with strong pitisukha, but they persist not much longer than a glorious shooting star in a clear night sky. These nimittas have power but lack sufficient stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order to stabilize such nimitta, it is important to know that the two enemies that disperse the nimitta are fear and excitement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Fear. Of the two enemies, fear is more common. These nimittas appear so immense in their sheer power and beauty, that one often becomes very afraid. Fear is a natural response to the recognition of something much more powerful than oneself. Moreover, the experience is so unfamiliar that one's personal security looks seriously threatened. It seems as if one might lose all control. And one will-blissfully so-if one would only let go of the &quot;self&quot; and trust in the nimitta! The one would experience desire and control overwhelmed by supramundane bliss, and, in consequence, much of what one took to be one's self would vanish leaving a real sense of freedom. It is the fear of losing part of one's ego that is the root cause of alarm when a powerful nimitta appears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who have understood something of the Buddha's teaching of Anatta, that there is no self, will have an easier time of transcending this fear and accepting the nimitta. They realize that they have nothing to protect and so can let go of control, trust in the emptiness, and selflessly enjoy the beauty and power. Thus the nimitta settles. Even an intellectual understanding that there is no one in here will help overcome the terror of letting go of the innermost controller. However, those who have no appreciation at all of the truth of no self, may overcome this fear by substituting it with the more powerful perception of bliss, as in the simile of the child and the swimming pool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a child, who has just learned to feel confident upright on dry land, sees for the first time a swimming pool of water, they are likely to be scared. The unfamiliar environment threatens their security, and they are deeply concerned how their little bodies can manage on such an unsolid material. They are afraid of losing control. So they put one toe into the water and quickly pull it out. That felt all right. So they place three toes into the water, just a little bit longer. That was okay too. Next they dip a whole foot in. Then a whole leg. As the confidence increases and the swimming pool begins to promise much fun, the anticipation of joy becomes stronger than the fear. The child jumps into the water and. immerse itself fully. Then they have such a great time that even their parents can hardly get them to leave!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, when fear arises with the powerful nimitta, it is all one can do to just stay there. for an instant. This is like the child dipping one toe in the water, and drawing it out in an instant. One then reflects how that felt. To say it felt wonderful is an understatement! So, next time, one is encouraged by they previous experience to stay longer. This is like putting three toes in the water, then a whole foot. Later, one will find oneself staying even longer with the strong nimitta, like putting the whole leg in the water, and it feels even better. By this gradual method, confidence soon becomes strong and the expectation of joy so dominant, that when the awesome nimitta arises one jumps right in and immerses oneself fully. Moreover, one has such a great time that it is only with great difficulty that anyone can make you come out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another skillful means for overcoming fear at this stage, especially when fear is not strong, is to perform a little mental ceremony of handing over trust. It is as if one has been the driver of one's meditation up until now, and now is the moment to hand over the control completely to the nimitta. One may imagine handing over a bunch of keys to the powerful nimitta, like getting a trusted friend to take over driving one's car. With the imaginary gesture of passing the keys, one passes over control. One then lets go of all driving and controlling, and puts full trust in the nimitta. Such a transfer of faith from oneself to the nimitta usually leads to stability of the nimitta and its subsequent deepening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indeed, one is placing faith in the knowing and taking it away from the doing. This is the theme underlying the whole of the meditation path. One trains from the very beginning in passive awareness, that is, the ability to be clearly aware without interfering at all with the object of awareness. Energy, with faith, goes into the mindfulness and away from activity. When one learns to watch with ease an ordinary object like the breath without meddling; then one's passive awareness will next be challenged with a more seductive object like the beautiful breath. If one passes this test, then the most challenging object of all, the nimitta, will be presented to you as the ultimate test of passive awareness. For if one gets involved with the nimitta with even the slightest of controlling, then one fails the final examination and gets sent back to the beautiful breath for remedial training. The more one meditates, the more one learns to be powerfully mindful while letting go of all doing. When this skill is fully perfected, it is easy to pass the final test and stabilize the nimitta with flawless passive awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The simile of the mirror is applicable here. When one looks in a mirror at the reflection of one's face and the image moves back and forth, then it is futile to try to stabilize the image by holding the mirror still! In fact, if you try this, the reflection moves even more. The image in the mirror is moving because that which is watching is moving. The mirror doesn't move and so does not need to be held still. The fault is with the knower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The nimitta is in reality a reflection of the mind, an image of that which is knowing. When this reflection, this nimitta, moves back and forth, then it is futile trying to stabilize the nimitta by holding the nimitta still! In fact, if you try this, the nimitta moves even more. The nimitta is moving because that which is watching the nimitta is moving. When this is understood, one gives up on doing any holding and, instead, focuses on that which knows, letting that come to stillness. Because when that which knows doesn't move, then neither does the nimitta. Like the reflection of one's face in the mirror, when the knower is still, then so is its reflection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Excitement. I mentioned above that the other enemy of the nimitta's stability is excitement or exhilaration, what I sometimes call the &quot;Wow!&quot; response. It is understandable that when there is success in the meditation and amazing thing happen, then the meditator can get very excited. This is especially so when a wonderful nimitta first appears, more radiant than the sun and more beautiful than the most exquisite of flowers! It is common, then, for the mind to say, &quot;Wow!&quot; Unfortunately, immediately after the &quot;Wow&quot; the nimitta disappears and may be reluctant to return for a very long time, even months. In order to avoid such a calamity, one should bear in mind Ajahn Chah's famous simile of the STILL FOREST POND.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the late afternoon, forest monks, wandering in the jun­gle for solitude, would seek out a river or pool. They needed the water to drink, bathe, and maybe wash a few robes. After drinking and washing, they would set up their forest monk's umbrella draped with mosquito netting away from the pool to spend the evening in meditation. Ajahn Chah said that some times he would sit in his mosquito net with his eyes open to watch the jungle animals come to the water at twilight, also to drink and bathe. But the animals would only come out to drink when he was very still. If he moved, they would sense his presence, run back into the jungle and not return for many days. Ajahn Chah knew how to sit very still, so that the jungle animals didn't know that he was there. He would enjoy watching them drinking and playing, sometimes squabbling, and he would delight in the antics of these wild children of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On some occasions, Ajahn Chah would sit extremely still. Then, after the usual jungle animals had finished by the lake, some strange and wonderful animals would cautiously emerge from the undergrowth's darkness. These beings, if they were animals at all, were so beautiful and rare that no one had ever told him about their existence. Or if they had, then he hadn't understood. He didn't know their names. As they came out from the jungle, their ears would scan the whole area and their noses would timidly sniff for any danger. If Ajahn Chah stirred, even slightly, or softly said, &quot;Wow,&quot; these beings would pick up his presence instantaneously and flee back into the jungle, not reemerging for months. They' were the shyest of all beings who live in the jungle, and also the most rare and wondrously beautiful. They are hard to describe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this accurate simile, the forest pool represents the mind, and the forest monk sitting near its edge stand for the mindfulness. When mindfulness is still, the &quot;animals&quot; like the beautiful breath and pitisukha come out from the &quot;jungle&quot; to &quot;play&quot; by the mind's edge. Mindfulness must remain still and not interfere otherwise the beautiful breath and pitisukha will nervously withdraw back into the jungle, not easily coming out again. But if the knower, mindfulness, remains extremely still, after the beautiful breath and pitisukha have finished their business in the mind, then the beautiful, shy nimitta will cautiously emerge to play in the mind. If the nimitta senses that mindfulness isn't so still, if it hears the knower thinking &quot;Wow,&quot; then the bashful nimitta will immediately run back into the jungle, and it will not re-emerge for a very long time. Mindfulness blew the opportunity by moving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So when the powerful and beautiful nimittas appear, one must remember this simile and watch with the stillness of an Ajahn Chah, sitting absolutely motionless by the remote forest lake. One must restrain all excitement. Then one will watch this strange and wonderful nimitta make merry in the mind for a very long time, until it is ready to take one into Jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DISTURBING THE STABLE NIMITTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the nimitta is stable and radiant, then one is at the entrance to Jhana. One must train to wait patiently here, maintaining the stillness through the lack of any doing, until the causes or conditions are ready for the transition into Jhana. However, at this stage some meditators make the mistake of disturbing the process by &quot;peeking&quot; at the edge of the nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the nimitta is stable and bright, one might become interested in its shape, or size. Is it circular or oblong? Are the edges precise or ill defined? Is it small or is it big? When one looks at the edge, mindfulness loses its one-pointedness. The edge is the place of duality, of inside and outside. And duality is the opposite of one-pointedness. If one looks at the edge, the nimitta will become unstable, and may even disappear. One should keep mindfulness on the very center of the nimitta, away from the edge, until any perception of edge vanishes into the non, duality of one-pointedness. Similarly, if one attempts to expand or contract the nimitta, then one will also be sacrificing the essential one, pointedness. Expansion and contraction involve the perception of size, and that involves awareness of the edge of the nimitta and the space that lies beyond. Again one is falling back into the trap of duality and losing one-pointedness, through this unprofitable expanding and contracting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So when the nimitta is stable and bright, just be patient. Don't move. One is building up the Jhana factors of pitisukha and one, pointedness. When they are built to sufficient power, they will unfold into Jhana by themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-25T20:14:07.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9209" CreationDate="2015-05-26T04:24:14.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a loose sense they are both the same in English rendering. But if you look more critically insight (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Panna&lt;/a&gt;) is the result of practising &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Etymology&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prajñā is often translated as &amp;quot;wisdom&amp;quot;, but is closer in meaning to &amp;quot;insight&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;discriminating knowledge&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;intuitive apprehension&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;jñā can be translated as &amp;quot;consciousness&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;knowledge&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;understanding.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as &amp;quot;higher&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;greater&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;supreme&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;premium&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;being born or springing up&amp;quot;, referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit; Chn. 觀 guān; Tib. ལྷག་མཐོང་, lhaktong; Wyl. lhag mthong) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality, namely as the Three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering or unsatisfactoriness, and the realisation of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T04:24:14.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9251" CreationDate="2015-05-26T06:53:54.787" Score="4" ViewCount="1555" Body="&lt;p&gt;Im 42 years old man...i have a girlfriend..and studying Yoga, Meditation and some basics of buddhism.&#xA;I came from a Hindu religion but somehow the buddhism suits me more.&#xA;I wonder if someone that is practicing buddhism or being a monk can be married to. Cos i love my girlfriend and thinking about getting married in couple of months...on the other hand i also feels like spending more time to study the buddhism and i also feel like to become a monk in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a middle way..like being married, studying buddhism and become a monk or is that not possible ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thank.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5183" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T04:57:56.443" Title="Can a buddhist get married?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|lay-buddhism|buddhas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9215" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9227" CreationDate="2015-05-26T08:49:17.507" Score="4" ViewCount="1036" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice : Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any &quot;Gatha&quot; (Verse) can be used to contemplate on &quot;Death&quot;?&#xA;The purpose is to use as an aid to generate necessary energy to continue practice [mostly as the first thing in the morning]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T08:56:42.883" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T10:31:23.813" Title="&quot;Gatha&quot; (Verse) on mindfulness/contemplation of Death : Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw" Tags="|personal-practice|death|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9214" CreationDate="2015-05-26T08:58:17.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks cannot marry, but in your case best course of action is to practice as a lay person until you are fully ready to leave the householders responsibility and and become a monk. Being a monk would mean you will have to leave your girlfriend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T08:58:17.440" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9208" CreationDate="2015-05-26T09:06:44.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having a child is a long term commitment, responsibility and attachment which comes part and parcel. Also raising a child can be a opportunity to do good as well in raising children the right way.  (Putta darasa sangaho. “cherishing of wife and children”- &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangala_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) This attachment can perhaps in the long run result in generation negative karma, while the positive aspects can lead to positive karma. It is up to you to balance the two, hence this aspect of Karma you accumulate more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T09:12:12.973" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T09:12:12.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9215" CreationDate="2015-05-26T10:22:58.530" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In The Dhammapada there are the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=046&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Verse 46: The King of Death&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Verse 46: One who knows that this body is impermanent like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial like a mirage, will cut the flowers of Mara (i.e., the three kinds of vatta or rounds), and pass out of sight of the King of Death.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a video dhamma talk on The Dhammapada by Ven. Yuttadhammo. The video is about how one should practice in order for the King of Death not to be able to find one.&#xA;The video is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsFxg1N0Bgc&amp;amp;spfreload=10%20Message%3A%20JSON%20Parse%20error%3A%20Unexpected%20EOF%20%28url%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrsFxg1N0Bgc%29&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada Verse 46: Where the King of Death Cannot See&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=021&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Verses 21, 22, 23: The Mindful Never Die&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Verse 21: Mindfulness is the way to the Deathless (Nibbana); unmindfulness is the way to Death. Those who are mindful do not die; those who are not mindful are as if already dead.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Verse 22: Fully comprehending this, the wise, who are mindful, rejoice in being mindful and find delight in the domain of the Noble Ones (Ariyas).&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Verse 23: The wise, constantly cultivating Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, being ever mindful and steadfastly striving, realize Nibbana: Nibbana, which is free from the bonds of yoga; Nibbana, the Incomparable!&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another video dhamma talk on The Dhammapada by Ven. Yuttadhammo. The video is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMLDb7FIJ4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verses 21, 22, and 23: The Mindful Never Die&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T10:52:38.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9219" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9221" CreationDate="2015-05-26T12:21:24.523" Score="6" ViewCount="425" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for books that go beyond the usual introduction on how to do various form of Buddhist meditation practice but rather, in addition to describing the practices themselves, discuss various difficulties that may arise during various stages of meditation practice and what can be actively done to address these difficulties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T14:26:26.943" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T04:40:23.523" Title="What books address various difficulties that may arise during various stages of meditation practice?" Tags="|reference-request|books|stages-of-the-path|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-26T16:23:18.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9219" CreationDate="2015-05-26T13:09:09.590" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a website with a teaching by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravada-dhamma.org/blog/?p=8905&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw – Endless Moments of Insight&lt;/a&gt;. In here he address obstacles such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;distracting thoughts, physical discomfort, how to work with mental states, how to increase the number of objects that are being observed, distractions from the path etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/page/meditation/ch1-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Q &amp;amp; A with Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; where he answers many important questions relating to the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is this website with a teaching by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahasiusa.org/meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation: Basic and Progressive Stages&lt;/a&gt;. In here obstacles such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;difficulties for the beginner, the wondering mind, pain, swaying, lazyness etc. are being addressed&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want some longer and more in-depth teachings &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here are some books by Ven. &lt;em&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following books discuss both the meditation practice and the obstacles one can meet on the path. There are also given antidotes and methods for how to deal with such obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/VIPASSANA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Discourse on Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An extensive guideline through the practice of Vipassana meditation and explanation of the Satipatthana medthod, including how Nibbana is realized through this method of practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/FUNDAMENTALS%20OF%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book includes an explanation of the difference of Samatha and Vipassana meditation, how Vipassana is practiced, the theory behind the practice, and how the practice achieves the goal of Nibbana and fulfills the Eightfold Noble Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/PRACTICAL%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATIONAL%20EXERCISES.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a brief look to the Vipassana meditation along with a few exercises to begin with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/PURPOSE%20OF%20PRACTISING%20KAMMATTHANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose of Practicing Kammatthana (Buddhist) Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw explains the two kinds of meditations taught by the Buddha as well as a brief teaching on how to practice the two methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book explains the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation method that's taught by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta. It explains extensively the instructions given by the Buddha in the Satipatthana sutta, the practice, and the theory behind it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/VISUDDHI-NANA-KATTHA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary of Discourses on Purity and Insight (Visuddhi-Nana-Kattha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a collection of discourses given by the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw on the subjects of purity and insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/THE%20SATIPATTHANA%20VIPASSANA%20MEDITATION.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Satipatthana Meditation&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is yet another discourse to extensively discuss the Satipatthana meditation method prescribed by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T13:09:09.590" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-26T16:23:18.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9219" CreationDate="2015-05-26T13:20:16.400" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; disturb one's path in meditation and practice. The canonical description can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.064.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nivarana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some useful resources:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book entitled &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0989833402&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unhindered: A Mindful Path Through the Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; by Gil Fronsdal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A selection of texts and their commentaries on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essay on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahmavamso. &lt;a href=&quot;http://the-wanderling.com/five_hindrances.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Another version&lt;/a&gt; of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1808/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Audio recordings on The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; by Gil Fronsdal and Ines Freedman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Online handouts: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/the-five-hindrances-handouts/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Hindrances: Handouts for 2008-2009 Dharma Study Program&lt;/a&gt;. These seem to come from Gil Fronsdal. Should match the audio recordings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/practice/practicing-five-hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practicing with the Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;, a Q&amp;amp;A with Geri Larkin, Lama Palden, Ajahn Amaro, Michael Liebenson Grady and Sharon Salzberg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhistmeditation/a/Working-With-The-Five-Hindrances.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Working with The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; by Barbara O'Brien.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet another article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kamalashila.co.uk/styled-45/page22/page22.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Methods of Working on the Five Hindrances&#xA;&lt;/a&gt; by Kamalashila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T13:54:29.730" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T13:54:29.730" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-26T16:23:18.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9219" CreationDate="2015-05-26T13:20:57.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... how to do various form of Buddhist meditation practice ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171623X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; by Shaila Catherine covers all 40 meditation objects / types and is more accessible than the Vissudhi Magga. In general other books in the Pa Auk tradition covers all 40 subjects of meditation as this is part of the training though finally may settle on what works best for you. &lt;em&gt;(This is one fully contained book covering &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; the Theravada meditation subjects.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in Anapana (limited to Anapana) have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; which is a very good book to read which covers all 16 steps of Anapana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for general Vippassana (limited to Vippassana) practice have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0060637242&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; (should be complimented with the instruction in the course) or &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1582900434&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; (this discusses some question and issues people may face - but keep in mind evey one is unique, hence what you may face maybe different). But best is that you complement this with a course which you can apply through: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T17:04:23.897" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T17:04:23.897" CommentCount="10" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-26T16:23:18.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9219" CreationDate="2015-05-26T14:33:53.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best I can think of for your purpose of methods, the practices, and difficulties that may arise is &quot;Twenty-Five Doors to Meditation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the purpose of your question this is the best book IMO but it is not limited to only Theravadin or even Buddhist practices for that matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(However, all are related to the quest for release from the hindrances and skandhas that bind us to non-enlightenment and it is explained in these Buddhist terms rather than any other tradition.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T14:33:53.520" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-05-26T16:23:18.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9215" CreationDate="2015-05-26T14:44:53.193" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upajjhatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upajjhatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; five remembrances is used in the evening chanting by many Theravadin temples and monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five remembrances&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Below are two English translations and the original Pali text of the &quot;five remembrances&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I cannot avoid ageing.  I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.  &lt;strong&gt;Jarādhammomhi jaraṃ anatīto....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I cannot avoid illness.     I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.  &lt;strong&gt;Vyādhidhammomhi vyādhiṃ anatīto....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I cannot avoid death.   I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.  &lt;strong&gt;Maraṇadhammomhi maraṇaṃ anatīto....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.  &lt;strong&gt;Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.[3]   &lt;strong&gt;Kammassakomhi kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhū kammapaṭisaraṇo yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī....&lt;/strong&gt;[4]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha advised: &quot;These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.&quot;[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Upajjhatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharma.org.sg/recollections.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;gatha for chanting&lt;/a&gt; itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T16:38:08.090" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T16:38:08.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9215" CreationDate="2015-05-26T15:17:37.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Aṅguttara Nikāya, Chakka Nipāta there are two discourses that helps the development of contemplation on death.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;... whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, &lt;em&gt;'O, that I might&#xA;  live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one&#xA;  morsel of food... for the interval that it takes to breathe out after&#xA;  breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might&#xA;  attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a&#xA;  great deal'&lt;/em&gt; — &quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maranassati Sutta: Mindfulness of Death (1)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk, as day departs and night returns,&#xA;  reflects: '&lt;em&gt;Many are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might&#xA;  bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me. That&#xA;  would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction&#xA;  for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might trouble me;&#xA;  my bile might be provoked, my phlegm... piercing wind forces [in the&#xA;  body] might be provoked. That would be how my death would come about.&#xA;  That would be an obstruction for me.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Further, there is the case where a monk, as night departs and day&#xA;  returns, reflects: [repitition]&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maranassati Sutta: Mindfulness of Death (2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T10:31:23.813" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T10:31:23.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9189" CreationDate="2015-05-26T15:46:44.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, there is no such thing as a sub-conscious mind. There is what is called &quot;bhavanga-citta&quot;, but it is not active in the sense of contributing to conscious activity; it is just a state of mind that lies in wait, kind of like a pilot light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Mahapatthana, the seventh book in the abhidhamma pitaka, there are many causal relationships, one of which is where the physical is causally connected to the arising of the mental (i.e., the physical brain at least partially conditions a thought). This is where your flashes are coming from; it also works the other way of course, where the mental affects the physical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be worth your while (if you are following the Theravada) to study at least Bhikkhu Bodhi's Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, since it describes some of the building blocks of reality that are involved in this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding causality, of course, is of great importance in Buddhism; it is the second stage of insight knowledge to understand how the physical and mental aspects of existence affect each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T15:46:44.677" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9215" CreationDate="2015-05-26T16:03:38.200" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because you mention the Mahasi Sayadaw in your question, most relevant is the Mahasi Sayadaw's discussion of the Purabheda Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Purabheda%20Sutta.htm&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Purabheda%20Sutta.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sorry, the formatting is off in this version)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some Pali phrases in that book that might be of interest, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vītataṇho purābhedā, pubbamanta manissito.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Vemajjhe nupasaṅkheyo, tassa natthi purekkhataṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The one who has removed craving before death, independent of past and future;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;who is not stuck in the present; for such a one there is no further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, it is customary to reflect on death before starting the practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fourth protection for your psychological benefit is to reflect on the phenomenon of &#xA;  ever-approaching death. Buddhist teachings stress that life is uncertain, but death is &#xA;  certain; life is precarious but death is sure. Life has death as its goal. There is birth, &#xA;  disease, suffering, old age, and eventually, death. These are all aspects of the process of &#xA;  existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saddhamma.org/pdfs/mahasi-practical-insight-meditation.pdf&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Practical Insight Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali for this is from the Dhammapada Commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;addhuvaṃ me jīvitaṃ, dhuvaṃ me maraṇaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My life is unsure; my death is sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;avassaṃ mayā maritabbameva,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indeed, in the future I must die. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;maraṇapariyosānaṃ me jīvitaṃ,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My life has death as its final end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;jīvitameva aniyataṃ, maraṇaṃ niyatanti&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life indeed is uncertain, death is certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp-A 174 (pesakāradhītāvatthu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are often chanted before starting a meditation course in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides this, there are many verses about death in the tipitaka; the most common is that spoken by Sakka when the Buddha passed away:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“aniccā vata saṅkhārā, uppādavayadhammino.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;uppajjitvā nirujjhanti, tesaṃ vūpasamo sukho”ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Impermanent indeed are all formations; of a nature to arise and pass.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Having arisen, they cease; their fading away is happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another similar one we use often is Dhp 41:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo, pathaviṃ adhisessati.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;chuddho apetaviññāṇo, niratthaṃva kaliṅgaraṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In no long time indeed will this body lie on the earth;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Discarded, consciousness having departed, as useless as a charred log.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T16:19:07.747" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T16:19:07.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9063" CreationDate="2015-05-26T16:18:47.843" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a little late to the party, but I love this question, so I'll offer my insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Things lack inherent existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is a great starting point for thinking.  The great thing about this is that the thinking that follows from this premise works like a diamond drill, chiseling through years of accumulated morass.  In other words, anyone can get themselves into this inquiry and roll it around in their mind; inspect it; test it; poke holes in it; and basically just look at it - and in thinking on this phrase, you will find yourself opening up.  Just using it as a tool to stimulate thinking can teach you how to think and open you up to different insights.  It is the perfect &quot;&lt;em&gt;koan&lt;/em&gt;&quot; for a person at any level of experience and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two guides that help for thinking about this - in a way they represent polar extremes of the spaces people often go through when considering notions like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don't be an idiot - There is a tiger in the field in front of you if you see him.  Do not chase him to prove that he doesn't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don't rule out anything - While not being an idiot, also allow your mind to venture far beyond what you consider to be possible or true; and don't get attached to anything you come up with.  A quote from &lt;em&gt;Dogen&lt;/em&gt;(I think) sums this up well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't cling to your own understanding. Even if you do understand something, you should ask yourself if there might be something you have not fully resolved, or if there maybe some higher meaning yet&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, the basic premise that will provide the basic entrance into this question can be stated another way, &quot;There is no independently existing thing called you, yourself, or your life&quot;.  And beginning there, we can immediately see aspects of truth in this.  Thoughts we have repeated to ourselves for decades have nothing in common with reality.  If I tell myself &quot;&lt;em&gt;I'm no good&lt;/em&gt;&quot; every time I fail, then I will come to believe that there is an '&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;' that failed, and that '&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;' has has a property called &lt;strong&gt;I'm no good&lt;/strong&gt;, and that property then becomes a plausible explanation for the failure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over time, the existence of the property gains form and mass, and becomes more and more certain.  However:  the '&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;' that '&lt;strong&gt;is no good&lt;/strong&gt;' can only exist with the support of the properties that construct it.  Before '&lt;strong&gt;I'm no good&lt;/strong&gt;, the '&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;' simply &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt;, and empty of content, it is likewise formless - rootless.  There is no &lt;strong&gt;true&lt;/strong&gt; you underneath the &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; that is constructed by repeated habits, constant dialogue, internal chatter, and unawareness.   To put it another way - if there is a &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;, then the &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; is the space that gives rise to properties as possibilities - that can create '&lt;strong&gt;I'm no good&lt;/strong&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That space, as space, has no existence independently in the universe.  The space that you are is neither separate from, nor distinct from the space that you are not.  The mind - which is also not divided - but appears to be -  is not separate from anything else (though our experience of the mind is that it is within us) - the wall in front of us cannot exist as it exists without us standing before it and perceiving it.  Does that mean that if I leave, the wall ceases to exist?  That is the type of thinking that traps us in duality.  The wall is not separate from you, nor you from the universe - so how can it not exist - and how can you leave?  Where would you go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything I'm writing here is merely like a sculptor's hammer.  I don't know you, and I am unable to offer you anything that would speak directly to your concerns without knowing them.  However, imagine I am offering you &lt;code&gt;piece[s] of tile&lt;/code&gt; that you can use to knock on the door of your own understanding.  Since everything is right here, quoting &lt;code&gt;ta-tu&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attaining Enlightenment shouldn't take a finger snap....Even so, you have to be the one to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T16:18:47.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9201" CreationDate="2015-05-26T17:24:46.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna Buddhist Order&lt;/a&gt;, an order member is given a name upon ordination by his or her preceptor. This is part of the &quot;private ordination&quot; at which the practice of the ordinand is witnessed by the &lt;em&gt;private preceptor&lt;/em&gt; as being &lt;em&gt;effective&lt;/em&gt;. At the &quot;public ordination&quot;, some time later, the name is made public and the ordinand is welcomed into the Order by a &lt;em&gt;public preceptor&lt;/em&gt; (sometimes, but not always, a more senior order member than the private preceptor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The name is both an aspiration and a recognition of something already present in the person, or one or the other (what may or may not be conveyed to the ordinand). The name may also hint at the individual path taken by the order member, as recognised by the private preceptor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some, but far from all, also change their legal name to the name given at ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It happens that people leave the order for various reasons. I believe that some choose to keep their &quot;Buddhist names&quot;. &lt;strong&gt;The name is, after all, actually not directly linked to them being member of the order, but to the recognition and witnessing of the effectiveness of their practice.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards,&#xA;Kusalananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5190" LastEditorUserId="5190" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T06:34:48.570" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T06:34:48.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2015-05-26T19:56:11.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a way they seem to contradict each other since they are each others opposites. How is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta-Bhavana belongs to the practice of Samatha meditation. In samatha meditation one is only dealing with &lt;em&gt;concepts&lt;/em&gt; in the &lt;em&gt;sammuti-sacca&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. Conventional Reality. So its okay to wish good well being for oneself and other beings since we are here dealing with such concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The anatta-doctrine deals with &lt;em&gt;paramattha-sacca&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. Ultimate Reality. Here we have the 3 signs of existence and Anatta is one them. So here there exists no concepts such as I, Me, Self etc. in Ultimate Reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When viewed from the perspective of Conventional vs. Ultimate Reality then the difference becomes more clear. Another way to look at it is to see what the meditation object of the 2 methods are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Metta-Bhavana we have a concept as meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Insight-Meditation we have reality as meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this be of some help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T19:56:11.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9231" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9234" CreationDate="2015-05-26T21:12:52.920" Score="4" ViewCount="447" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I practice mindfulness meditation I can sometimes become acutely aware of my sense of self. It seems to go from a dull background awareness of self to a feeling that the sense of self is very pervasive and almost invasive into all aspects of experience. Naively I would expect that meditation would have the opposite affect and weaken the sense of self. In fairness sometimes it does but sometimes it appears to have this opposite effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that a documented result of meditation. Is there advice out there from established teachers (of any schools) about working with this? Is it just me? Has anyone got advice based on their own experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T14:48:48.830" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T15:05:31.067" Title="Can meditation strengthen the sense of self?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-mindfulness|self|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9232" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-26T21:35:17.980" Score="5" ViewCount="723" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently completed a 10 day Goenka retreat. When we began vipassana on the 4th day, I noticed that I was getting a lot of tension/pressure/movement around my eyes. I informed the teacher of this and she instructed me to try practicing with my eyes open to train my eyes to not move to the same point of focus as my mind (presuming that that's what was happening). It's been several weeks now since the end of the retreat and I've remained practicing 2.5-3 hours a day, every day, except since the end of the retreat I've practiced with eyes closed. The tension/pressure/movement hasn't gone away; if anything its gotten worse, to the point now that it's getting very difficult to do full body scans because the intensity of sensation around my eyes fully averts my attention back to the forehead area. Sometimes it's just a very intense but dull pressure, other times it's random and very sporadic movement of sensations, other times its a very intense energetic feeling. How do I deal with this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-26T21:37:33.833" LastActivityDate="2018-10-18T09:28:50.237" Title="Distractions during practice ( Goenka)" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9232" CreationDate="2015-05-26T21:53:48.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just focus on the sensation and realise that it is your aversion to the sensation which is creating your suffering, and not...the sensation causing you to suffer. There is nothing intrinsically bad or painful about the sensation, the pain and suffering is coming from your aversion, you wish to experience different sensations during your meditation, you wish to control your mind... that is causing your pain and suffering, it's your ignorance of the truth- you control nothing!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps! Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T21:53:48.053" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-26T22:02:55.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just do what you're doing. When you notice your self, don't fight it. Your sense of self is there for a purpose. The purpose is to find out the cause. Once the cause of self is found, the cause is removed. When the cause is removed, self ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditation is done gently, spontaneously, peacefully, one becomes absorbed in meditation. When one is absorbed in meditation, thinking ceases. When thinking ceases, self ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T22:02:55.180" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-26T22:26:02.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Continue your meditation practice and eventually you will come to realise the 3 universal characteristics of impermanance, suffering and non-self, then you will realise the difference between self- ignorance- and non-self- wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T22:26:02.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9236" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9250" CreationDate="2015-05-26T23:25:05.150" Score="8" ViewCount="5257" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_Buddhism#In_Buddhist_doctrine&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article on animals in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; states that animals have Buddha nature, and therefore have potential for enlightenment. I do not dispute this as I sit here petting my cat, but wonder - what are the actual mechanics of how they might go about this? For humans, the path is laid out for us in the teachings of the Buddha. But how can an animal achieve the same final goal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T04:58:28.423" Title="How do animals attain enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|buddha-nature|animals|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9236" CreationDate="2015-05-26T23:45:58.453" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;An animal can't be liberated as an animal; that being itself may be liberated in future births in higher realms of being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-05-26T23:45:58.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9232" CreationDate="2015-05-27T05:01:02.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great answer by Lee Hebditch. Following is to compliment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your sub concious mind (Bhavanga) is the store of past Sankhara. They give results by &quot;bubbling up&quot;. The area may have relationship to where the Karma effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you get sensations tied to your eye faculty is perhaps (speculation here) you have done some Karma in the past relating to you eye like perhaps: making someone blind or maybe donating reading glasses. The resulting sensation can be either pleasant and unpleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the sensations are unpleasant this means your past Karma has aversion as the basis. If you react with aversion you multiply this fabrication (Karma) by creating new Karma which will give similar results in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the sensation is pleasant then this means your past Karma has craving as the base. If you react with craving, you you are again creating new fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So best cause of action is not to react and be mindful and being eqaunimous while analysing the sensation. Stay with the sensation with for a while and them more on. When you stay with the sensation, there is a tendency that it might pass away. But not for too long as you: will miss more subtle sensation arising and passing away in the rest of the body, you might develop a attachment or aversion to the sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can analyse this sensation in the following ways: the start (or from 1st time you noticed) to end of the sensation (if it is short lived), start from the boundary to the centre and then to the other side, dividing the areas into smaller pieces, if you can at the level of arising and passing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again something additional to compliment Lee Hebditch's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T05:01:02.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-27T05:34:54.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is because you don't notice the senses at their unadulterated state. Seeing is just seeing, hearing is just hearing, feeling is just feeling and so on. Your mind already has Sakkayaditti(the false view of taking the senses as self) which jumps the gun as soon as the sense doors receive Rupa. This is what's meant by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pamad%C4%81/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pamada&lt;/a&gt;. You have to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/appamada/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Appamada&lt;/a&gt; and catch the sense before Sakkayadhitti spoils it and turns you into Alice in the wonderland.:) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T05:34:54.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9232" CreationDate="2015-05-27T07:36:26.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have very strong concentration but your mindfulness is lacking behind. Every time you fix your mind on an area the concentration takes over and because you have strong sensations in the eyes your concentration takes you back to the eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution is to scan faster whereby you increase your mindfulness and not let concentration zoom in. When you have succeeded to prevent going back to the eyes then slowly slow down your scan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may have to start to scan as fast as a Xerox machine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T07:36:26.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-27T07:41:42.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana Sutta helps here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[5] &amp;quot;Furthermore...just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the monk contemplates this very body — however it stands, however it is disposed — in terms of properties: 'In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, &amp;amp; the wind property.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this way he remains focused internally on the body in &amp;amp; of itself, or focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[6] &amp;quot;Furthermore, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground — one day, two days, three days dead — bloated, livid, &amp;amp; festering, he applies it to this very body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or again, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground, picked at by crows, vultures, &amp;amp; hawks, by dogs, hyenas, &amp;amp; various other creatures... a skeleton smeared with flesh &amp;amp; blood, connected with tendons... a fleshless skeleton smeared with blood, connected with tendons... a skeleton without flesh or blood, connected with tendons... bones detached from their tendons, scattered in all directions — here a hand bone, there a foot bone, here a shin bone, there a thigh bone, here a hip bone, there a back bone, here a rib, there a breast bone, here a shoulder bone, there a neck bone, here a jaw bone, there a tooth, here a skull... the bones whitened, somewhat like the color of shells... piled up, more than a year old... decomposed into a powder: He applies it to this very body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this way he remains focused internally on the body in &amp;amp; of itself, or externally on the body in &amp;amp; of itself, or both internally &amp;amp; externally on the body in &amp;amp; of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination &amp;amp; passing away with regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that 'There is a body' is maintained to the extent of knowledge &amp;amp; remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T07:41:42.607" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-27T07:46:46.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When your sense of self arises it means you're holding on to something. So it's either a craving you're holding onto or a view. Either way your meditation has made you more aware of your sense of self; and that is good!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T07:46:46.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9236" CreationDate="2015-05-27T07:54:34.600" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short they get reborn as a human being sometime in the future and practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could help by reading some dhamma(suttas) to your cat if you wish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a precedence in a sutta where a frog was listening to a Buddha's discourse and got killed because someone accidentally impaled it with a walking stick. It was then reborn as a deva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T07:54:34.600" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9246" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9260" CreationDate="2015-05-27T09:18:16.163" Score="5" ViewCount="2484" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once saw a television program about Buddhist shaolin monks. They were extremely skilled in martial arts and begin their training as young as 3-4 years old. Their day consists of martial arts training and Buddhist practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about two things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhist tradition do shaolin monks follow?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What kind of meditation do they practice?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sJmiN.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sJmiNm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3yEWN.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3yEWNm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 2&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nKVrY.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nKVrYm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 3&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/BcOv5.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/BcOv5m.png&quot; alt=&quot;image 4&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T16:02:03.127" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T08:59:46.610" Title="Buddhist shaolin monks and their practice" Tags="|monk|meditation-classification|shaolin|martial-arts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9236" CreationDate="2015-05-27T11:25:48.057" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Dog tries to save fish with water&quot;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://youtu.be/Mx_X6hmhwrs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://youtu.be/Mx_X6hmhwrs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch it and it inspires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5195" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T11:25:48.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9236" CreationDate="2015-05-27T12:12:18.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is the cause of birth and death. Birth and death comes from craving. Craving comes from desire. Desire comes from wanting pleasure. Pleasure comes from avoiding suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a being comes to this plane, it comes because it's ignorant of who it is. That being starts to learn. While learning, it does many mistakes. It invents birth. It invents death. It searches for pleasure. It avoids suffering to find pleasure. It does so many many many many many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a lion came to this plane, it came because it was ignorant of who it was. That lion is learning. While learning, it did many many mistakes. It was born. It wanted to live. It searched for pleasure. It avoided suffering. The more it found pleasure and avoided suffering, the more it learned. The more it learned, the more it knew after death. The more it knew after death, the more it knew after rebirth. Positive kamma was building up many many many many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that being was reborn into this plane, it was reborn because it was ignorant of who it was. That being has learned. While learning, it did many many many mistakes. It was born. It wanted to live. It learned that by avoiding suffering, pleasure will come. By avoiding suffering and searching for pleasure, that being learned good-and-bad. The more it learned, the more it knew after death. The more it knew after death, the more it knew after rebirth. Positive kamma was building up many many many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that being was reborn into this plane, it was reborn because it was ignorant of who it was. That being has learned. While learning, it did many many many many mistakes. It was born. It wanted to live. From differentiating good-and-bad it learned to avoid suffering. The more it avoided suffering, the more it knew. The more it knew, the more it renounced suffering, pleasure, desire, craving, death and birth. Positive kamma was building up many many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a being comes to this plane and renounces birth, death, craving, desire, pleasure and suffering, that being is liberated. It knows: &quot;Oh, ignorance! Ignorant I was! I did many many many many many mistakes. That's the reason for all this mess.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By completely eliminating suffering, pleasure, desire, craving, death and birth, ignorance ceased. When ignorance ceased, it learned who it was. By learning who it was, kamma was found. By finding kamma, kamma was unwinded. By unwinding kamma, knowledge about previous lives arose. By arising knowledge of previous lives, that being knew: &quot;This is suffering. This is the cause of suffering. This is the end of suffering. This is the end of all this mess&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T12:12:18.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9214" CreationDate="2015-05-27T16:36:40.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One can't get married while a monastic but one doesn't have to get a divorce to ordain although it might make it more difficult to get ordained if one was already married. It really comes down to one's intentions. If one is trying to become  married and become a monk at the same time then one should deeply ponder one's intention. The Dhamma is truly about letting go and while in the beginning it is difficult to let go, mediators who are planning to ordain should plan to transcend sensual desire as well as planning on letting go of absolutely everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T16:36:40.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5999" CreationDate="2015-05-27T17:39:50.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to gradually start being mindful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well that's it isn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is in the question.  The beauty of the nonsense we tell ourselves is that as we become aware of it, it ceases to have power over us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:  I suspect that somewhere in the background you are harboring some notion that something will happen when you become sufficiently mindful - enlightement, happiness, perhaps something more subtle.  I suspect also that you think (I'm not picking on you - I promise this isn't personal to you) something like 'being mindful is a place you get to, and then you know you are mindful....maybe other people will notice too and treat you accordingly - and once you are there that's kind of it - that's now who you are and things work out nicely after that.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bad news - It isn't like that at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good news - It isn't like that at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's good news because there's nowhere to get.  Thus, you can't fail.  You can't succeed either, but you can master the game (mastery is not an endpoint).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the most self-aware / mindful thing to notice is when you are not being mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Huh.  I was just lost in my mind for like fifteen minutes.&quot;  As soon as you notice, you have the opportunity to return your attention to the present, regaining awareness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You go to 'sleep' 2 seconds later - start thinking about your favorite movie - no problem!  Notice that you went away - don't make it wrong or scold yourself - just notice - and then come back; ad infinitum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said; mindfulness is not the end - it's not even the goal - I sometimes allow myself to flow along with my thoughts for long periods at a time - I like my thoughts.  However, mindfulness allows for certain side effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The side effects of awareness include but are not limited to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Increased effectiveness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Less time spent upset&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hearing what other people are saying instead of what you say to yourself about what they are saying&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Increased capacity for ... anything.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Less time spent indulging in self-pity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any moment, your access to awareness is recognizing that you are not aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To listen to people better - notice how you don't listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To meditate more effectively, notice what it is that pulls you from the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be more compassionate - notice where you're being a jerk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have everything you need to work with wherever you are standing, because the only things there are to work with are what you bring with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By becoming aware of what is already there, you allow for the disappearance of what is there.  When what was in the way is no longer in the way, you can move freely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is not the 'mindfulness'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' is a word.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is emptiness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Mindfulness is like a master gardner preparing soil for growth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' is like trying to plant in rocky, weed infested sand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T17:39:50.370" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9253" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-27T17:57:40.140" Score="4" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the proper way one should incorporate the concept of the five hindrances into the practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, should a lustful thought arise in the mind, followed by a bodily sensation, at what point is the sensual desire noted and in what way do we go about &quot;overcoming&quot; it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the five hindrances done away with through proper understanding and experience of their impermanence? thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T18:09:11.993" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T19:07:14.860" Title="Proper practice with the five hindrances" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5999" CreationDate="2015-05-27T18:04:27.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to practice mindfulness during the day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are doing your daily activities be mindful off any sensation you get through objects that come to your come in contact with. If you are holding a broom be mindful of the touch sensation. When you are standing scan your body to see what posture you are in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have been know known to be absent minded and forgetful but perhaps it's due to my Karma. The problem is so bad that is someone else makes the mistake due to their mindlessness I am automatically blamed without knowing the facts!!!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This happens to everyone. When you realise this. Look at the sensations what the distractions has caused. Lets say you were day dreaming then what kind of sensations this cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have been told that meditation clears out ones' Karma and that mindfulness during the day is another form of meditation (I already sit on the floor Burmese pose 30 min twice daily and breathe in, breathe out)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation clears out your Karma. Past Karma (fabrication) create sensation now. What ever the sensation be equanimous without craving or aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to gradually start being mindful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This takes practice. Follow what has been said before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T18:04:27.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9255" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9261" CreationDate="2015-05-27T18:24:39.597" Score="2" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha wasn't a prince would his outlook on life been different? If he was a farmer looking after his land, feeding his family for example, would he have simply left his responsibilities behind to attain Nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he was the father or husband of a family that needed him, would he have left them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the question is to understand that the Buddha left his family who had all the comforts in life. He didn't need to be concerned with their welfare since they would be provided for. How does one relate this lives of those who do not have these safety nets?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T20:38:05.493" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T21:00:35.780" Title="What if the Buddha wasn't a prince?" Tags="|the-buddha|daily-life|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9255" CreationDate="2015-05-27T18:28:33.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha will always be of a Noble birth and high social status. Not all Buddhas were in the past were princes. This said, the rest of the hypothetical speculation will not hold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T18:28:33.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9253" CreationDate="2015-05-27T18:34:55.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the proper way one should incorporate the concept of the five hindrances into the practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensory desire and Ill-will - recognise the sensation associated with it, analyse this sensation by dividing and dissecting it and closely observing it, know what this is also arising and passing devoid of craving and aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restlessness - Recognise it and try to switch to Anapana for a while to develop more concentration. Also try scanning the body fast but progressively slow downing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sloth and torpor - can the body in rapid succession then try to investigate the Dhamma by looking smaller areas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt - When your faith is not as mature to the level of your theoretical knowledge - Intensify you practice to experience what you know as theory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For instance, should a lustful thought arise in the mind, followed by a bodily sensation, at what point is the sensual desire noted and in what way do we go about &quot;overcoming&quot; it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look as the sensation devoid of craving or clinging. Note the sensation of then you get the sensation. When you come in contact with the object of lust (the thought or contact). See above on overcoming it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are the five hindrances done away with through proper understanding and experience of their impermanence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is one as aspect of it. See above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T18:43:52.517" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T18:43:52.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9253" CreationDate="2015-05-27T18:43:49.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have recently posted an answer to a question very similar to yours. In there i write about &lt;em&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/em&gt; and give references to a book and an audio dhamma talk on the topic. In the book and audio talk a thourough description of the hindrances and their antidotes are given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9188/keep-motivation-to-stick-on-one-meditation-practice-ven-mahasi-saydaw/9191#9191&quot;&gt;You can find the answer here&lt;/a&gt;. Maybe it can be of help to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the proper way one should incorporate the concept of the five hindrances into the practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrances are what blocks one from developing in meditation. When the mind is obscurred by concepts, desires, doubts etc. and therefore not being able to &quot;see clearly&quot; there will be wavering in the mind. When there is wavering in the mind the true nature of phenomena cannot be seen, i.e. the 3 signs of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mention &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; yourself and that is one of them. The other two are; &lt;em&gt;dukkha = unsatisfactoriness and anatta = not-self, the impersonal nature of phenomena.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are different ways to deal with the hindrances. As Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi talks about in the audio dhamma talk one can note the hindrance a couple of times and return to the primary object of meditation e.g. the rising and falling of the abdomen. The hindrance might come back multiple times and with greater intensity. One can then leave the abdomen and instead take the hindrance as a primary meditation object. If that does not work too then one can begin to administer antidotes to the hindrance. See the quote in next section.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on how to overcome the first hindrance which is &lt;em&gt;&quot;Sensual Desire&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;SENSUAL DESIRE  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A. Nourishment of Sensual Desire&#xA;  There are beautiful objects; frequently giving unwise attention to them — this is the nourishment for the arising of sensual desire that has not arisen, and the nourishment for the increase and strengthening of sensual desire that has already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 46:51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;B. Denourishing of Sensual Desire&#xA;  There are impure objects (used for meditation); frequently giving wise attention to them — this is the denourishing of the arising of sensual desire that has not yet arisen, and the denourishing of the increase and strengthening of sensual desire that has already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 46:51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Six things are conducive to the abandonment of sensual desire:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Learning how to meditate on impure objects;&#xA;  Devoting oneself to the meditation on the impure;&#xA;  Guarding the sense doors;&#xA;  Moderation in eating;&#xA;  Noble friendship;&#xA;  Suitable conversation.&#xA;  — Commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Learning how to meditate about impure objects&#xA;  &amp;amp; 2. Devoting oneself to the meditation on the impure&#xA;  (a) Impure objects&#xA;  In him who is devoted to the meditation about impure objects, repulsion towards beautiful objects is firmly established. This is the result.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— AN 5:36&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Impure object&quot; refers, in particular, to the cemetery meditations as given in the Satipatthana Sutta and explained in the Visuddhimagga; but it refers also to the repulsive aspects of sense objects in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(b) The loathsomeness of the body&#xA;  Herein, monks, a monk reflects on just this body, confined within the skin and full of manifold impurities from the soles upward and from the top of the hair down: &quot;There is in this body: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, lymph, saliva, mucus, fluid of the joints, urine (and the brain in the skull).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By bones and sinews knit,&#xA;  With flesh and tissue smeared,&#xA;  And hidden by the skin, the body&#xA;  Does not appear as it really is...&#xA;  The fool thinks it beautiful,&#xA;  His ignorance misguiding him...&#xA;  — Sutta Nipata, v.194,199&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(c) Various contemplations&#xA;  Sense objects give little enjoyment, but much pain and much despair; the danger in them prevails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 14&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unpleasant overwhelms a thoughtless man in the guise of the pleasant, the disagreeable overwhelms him in the guise of the agreeable, the painful in the guise of pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Udana, 2:8&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Guarding the sense doors&#xA;  How does one guard the sense doors? Herein, a monk, having seen a form, does not seize upon its (delusive) appearance as a whole, nor on its details. If his sense of sight were uncontrolled, covetousness, grief and other evil, unwholesome states would flow into him. Therefore he practices for the sake of its control, he watches over the sense of sight, he enters upon its control. Having heard a sound... smelt an odor... tasted a taste... felt a touch... cognized a mental object, he does not seize upon its (delusive) appearance as a whole... he enters upon its control.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 35:120&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are forms perceptible by the eye, which are desirable, lovely, pleasing, agreeable, associated with desire, arousing lust. If the monk does not delight in them, is not attached to them, does not welcome them, then in him thus not delighting in them, not being attached to them and not welcoming them, delight (in these forms) ceases; if delight is absent, there is no bondage. There are sounds perceptible by the ear... odors perceptible by the mind... if delight is absent, there is no bondage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 35:63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Moderation in eating&#xA;  How is he moderate in eating? Herein a monk takes his food after wise consideration: not for the purpose of enjoyment, of pride, of beautifying the body or adorning it (with muscles); but only for the sake of maintaining and sustaining this body, to avoid harm and to support the holy life, thinking: &quot;Thus I shall destroy the old painful feeling and shall not let a new one rise. Long life will be mine, blamelessness and well-being.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 2; MN 39&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Noble friendship&#xA;  Reference is here, in particular, to such friends who have experience and can be a model and help in overcoming sensual desire, especially in meditating on impurity. But it applies also to noble friendship in general. The same twofold explanation holds true also for the other hindrances, with due alterations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The entire holy life, Ananda, is noble friendship, noble companionship, noble association. Of a monk, Ananda, who has a noble friend, a noble companion, a noble associate, it is to be expected that he will cultivate and practice the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 45:2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Suitable conversation&#xA;  Reference is here in particular to conversation about the overcoming of sensual desire, especially about meditating on impurity. But it applies also to every conversation which is suitable to advance one's progress on the path. With due alterations this explanation holds true also for the other hindrances.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the mind of a monk is bent on speaking, he (should remember this): &quot;Talk which is low, coarse, worldly, not noble, not salutary, not leading to detachment, not to freedom from passion, not to cessation, not to tranquillity, not to higher knowledge, not to enlightenment, not to Nibbana, namely, talk about kings, robbers and ministers, talk about armies, dangers and war, about food and drink, clothes, couches, garlands, perfumes, relatives, cars, villages, towns, cities, and provinces, about women and wine, gossip of the street and of the well, talk about the ancestors, about various trifles, tales about the origin of the world and the ocean, talk about what happened and what did not happen — such and similar talk I shall not entertain.&quot; Thus he is clearly conscious about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But talk about austere life, talk suitable for the unfolding of the mind, talk which is conducive to complete detachment, to freedom from passion, to cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment and to Nibbana, namely, talk about a life of frugality, about contentedness, solitude, aloofness from society, about rousing one's energy, talk about virtue, concentration, wisdom, deliverance, about the vision and knowledge of deliverance — such talk I shall entertain.&quot; Thus he is clearly conscious about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 122&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These things, too, are helpful in conquering sensual desire:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One-pointedness of mind, of the factors of absorption (jhananga);&#xA;  Mindfulness, of the spiritual faculties (indriya);&#xA;  Mindfulness, of the factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Ven. Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T19:07:14.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2015-05-27T20:02:00.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Delusion can manifest as mental vagueness, blankness, the appearance that time is going by and nothing's changing, boredom. It's like a gauzy veil drawn over the reality of constant change, allowing you to believe that &quot;nothing's happening&quot; (which is never true).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:02:00.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9246" CreationDate="2015-05-27T20:24:23.883" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shaolin Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Action Meditation&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically Shaolin martial arts come from the idea of “action meditation” of Chan (dhyana – Sanskrit, Jhana – pali) Buddhism (Mahayana).&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The first Shaolin temple was started by an Indian Theravada monk called Buddhabhadra and the next Abbot of the temple was the famous Indian Mahayana monk called Bodhidharma who brought Chan Buddhism to China.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usashaolintemple.org/chanbuddhism-shaolinhistory/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Batuo and the Shaolin Temple&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Shaolin Temple was founded in 495 by the Indian monk Batuo, or Buddhabhadra. After traveling to China, he received permission from Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei dynasty to build a temple at the foot of Shaoshi mountain in the Song mountain range in the Henan province. The word Lin means forest in Chinese, thus the temple was named Shaolin for the forest at the foot of Shaoshi mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Batuo preached the orthodox teachings of Hinayana, or Nikaya Buddhism (Xiao Sheng in Chinese). In this type of Buddhism, which closely follows the teachings of Shakyamuni, there are 250 rules for monks and 500 rules for nuns. Batuo had two disciples named Sengchou and Huiguang, who were both martial artists before becoming monks. They were the first ones to bring martial arts to the temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhidharma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma (PutiDamo or just Damo in Chinese) was another prince of a clan in what is now India. He also chose to leave the royal life to become a monk. When Bodhidharma came to the temple in 527, he brought the teachings of Chan Buddhism, part of the Mahayana (Da Cheng) school. This understanding had been passed down directly from Mahakasyapa to Bodhidharma's master Prajnatara, who was the 27th in the lineage. Bodhidharma was the 28th, and the first patriarch of Chan in China.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma created 4 integral parts of Shaolin Kungfu, also sutras. They were&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;2 qigong (Chi Kung) forms; the Yijin Jing (Muscle Tendon Changing Sutra) and the Xisui Jing (Bone Marrow Washing Sutra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Wuxing quan, the 5 original animal forms (Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Crane, and Snake)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Luohan Shiba Shou, The 18 Luohan Palms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma's disciple Huike was, like Sengchou and Huiguang, a military man before becoming a monk, and also brought martial arts knowledge to the temple. Huike became Damo's successor, and after him there were four more before the lineage ended. They were Sengcan, Daoxin, Hongren, and Huineng.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Kung_Fu&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shaolin Martial Arts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T20:24:23.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9255" CreationDate="2015-05-27T20:37:51.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To the first few questions the answer lies with &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;parami/paramitas&lt;/a&gt;. These are the perfections which someone who made a vow to become a Buddha will have to develop to perfection for countless aeons. So a Buddha is someone who have trained for aeons until he is perfect to re-discover dhamma and teach. So his last birth will always be of a high social class.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;How does one relate this lives of those who do not have these safety nets?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Develop the ten paramis and situations in life will change in such that one may have the opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pāli canon's Buddhavaṃsa[3] the Ten Perfections (dasa pāramiyo) are (original terms in Pāli):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Dāna pāramī : generosity, giving of oneself&#xA;Sīla pāramī : virtue, morality, proper conduct&#xA;Nekkhamma pāramī : renunciation&#xA;Paññā pāramī : transcendental wisdom, insight&#xA;Viriya (also spelled vīriya) pāramī : energy, diligence, vigour, effort&#xA;Khanti pāramī : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance&#xA;Sacca pāramī : truthfulness, honesty&#xA;Adhiṭṭhāna (adhitthana) pāramī : determination, resolution&#xA;Mettā pāramī : loving-kindness&#xA;Upekkhā (also spelled upekhā) pāramī : equanimity, serenity&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-27T21:00:35.780" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T21:00:35.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6046" CreationDate="2015-05-27T23:03:38.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Probably the closest that Buddhism comes to what you described is koan practice.  In that form of meditation, the meditator focuses on the &quot;turning phrase&quot; of the koan.  For instance, in regards to Joshu's Dog, the practitioner simply repeats the word &quot;mu&quot; on every out breath.  No discursive thought is made on that word.  You simply repeat it in your mind as if you were actually saying it aloud.  The difficulty here is that inevitably, discursive thought will arise - both about the koan and about things in general.  As the mind drifts down these avenues, the practitioner must reapply it to that word.  Eventually, the meditator will begin to notice certain things about that word; certain experiences will also arise.  These are the things that are then presented to the teacher who will in turn decided if the student has penetrated into the meaning of that particular koan.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-05-27T23:03:38.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9263" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9699" CreationDate="2015-05-28T00:08:54.837" Score="4" ViewCount="657" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone give me a brief introduction into practicing samadhi meditation? I could start saying i understand the common principles of meditation. I had practiced a peacefull breath based meditation in the past, but i didn't have any instruction whatsoever. Recently in my life i been practicing vipassana meditation, but i ended dropping it. I think samadhi meditation may be what i'm looking for for this moment in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5162" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T11:09:57.357" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T16:50:24.430" Title="Introduction to Samadhi meditation" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|samadhi|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9264" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9266" CreationDate="2015-05-28T02:04:08.840" Score="4" ViewCount="986" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a beginner, I practice two forms of meditation: one focusing on the breath (typically with eyes closed), and one focusing on a colored disc (kasina), obviously with eyes open (unless cultivating the after-image). All descriptions I have seen for the former describe the arising of the counterpart sign when the eyes are closed. However, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://home.comcast.net/~turning.point.meditation/kasina/kasina.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;what I have read on kasina meditation&lt;/a&gt;, the counterpart sign seems to arise with the eyes open. I have not experienced either of these myself (and in fact, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/nimitta.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this link&lt;/a&gt; dismisses its importance altogether), so I would like to ask: is it possible for nimitta to form iin either case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T14:24:32.157" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T13:02:21.533" Title="Is it possible to see the counterpart sign (nimitta) with eyes open?" Tags="|meditation-effects|meditation-samatha|nimitta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9263" CreationDate="2015-05-28T02:21:09.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation is what you ultimately strive at. You can start with Samadhi and progress to insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When getting instructions for Samadhi meditation it is best you get this from a competent teacher who can guide you. Have a look at the World Buddhist Directory to see if you can locate some on in your area: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;. If you want to try out using Anapana to develop Samadhi and them progress to Vippassana perhaps you can also try out a course at: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;. (There are over 200 centres world wide.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you are in the receptive area some relevant centres maybe (check if the do the type of Samatha mediation you want to practice):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://bhavanasociety.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imsb.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.imsb.org/&lt;/a&gt; (Though the name suggests insight the teacher is from Pa Auk tradition hence competent to teach Samatha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://cms.bswa.org.au/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://cms.bswa.org.au/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amaravati.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.samatha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.samatha.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T02:21:09.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9264" CreationDate="2015-05-28T02:32:07.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not practice Samatha also from what I have heard:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally you don't get the counterpart sign with eyes open, but there may be cases of practitioners who can enter the Jhanas with eyes open. Perhaps more among people who do the Akasa Kasina.  (If I remember write in a chronicle late &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda_Ananda_Maitreya_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Ananda Mitri Thero&lt;/a&gt; mentions such a Yogi doing the Akasa Kasina) In actually what needs to be done in Kasina is to create the perception of the meditation object in your minds eye. If it is Yellow, create a yellow circle in your mind. To do this generally it helps to have your eyes closed so you do not have any distractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another observation of the 2 links is: one in on Kasina and the other seams to be on Anapana. (I only skimmed through it.) So what is said for Anapana may not be generalised to Kasina.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, on a site note, it is advisable to always have a teacher when doing Samatha. It is generally dangerous to do by just reading books or material you collect from forums or the internet. If you are in US maybe you can try: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imsb.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.imsb.org/&lt;/a&gt;. Perhaps the teacher can teach Kasina. If you are in some other location try: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;. The Pa Auk tradition generally train their followers in all the 40 meditation subjects (you have to choose a suitable subject for your self), hence try to see if you can locate a teacher in this tradition in your area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T02:43:43.153" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T02:43:43.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9264" CreationDate="2015-05-28T06:22:17.493" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The proof of the pudding is in the eating, no matter how many books are written about the pudding. Once eaten there can be no mistake about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a samatha meditator, both the signs exist for both types of meditation and which still appear when the eyes are open if they are vivid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that I've quiet a few  fellow  meditators who do not see the signs but continue to develop Jhanas using feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T09:30:08.860" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T09:30:08.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9268" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-28T06:26:04.507" Score="6" ViewCount="1491" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious on how Buddhist Sacred Texts are used in teachings and in practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha often says not to solely follow transmitted tradition, instead Buddhists are &quot;exhorted to know for themselves.&quot; &#xA;(Pg 2-3, of &lt;a href=&quot;http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/buddhist-christian_studies/v030/30.zhiru.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Scriptural Authority: A Buddhist Perspective&lt;/a&gt; by Shi Zhiru).&#xA;However, some sutras give sacred texts a much stronger authority (Pg 4). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that some sacred texts are not evidently authentic, some of which are written hundreds or even thousands of years after the Buddha's passing, what authority do practicing monks and the Sangha give to the sacred texts? How are these texts used? Are they used merely as a guidebook or as intensely analyzed, as say, the Christian Bible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate any answers with any sources if used! Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5199" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T22:46:32.483" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T22:46:32.483" Title="How are Buddhist Sacred Texts used in practice and historically, given the questioned authenticity of some of them" Tags="|sutras|texts|scripture|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9263" CreationDate="2015-05-28T06:54:26.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need much (if any at all) instruction when beginning the practise, since the aim of the practise is to concentrate the mind.&#xA;The key to success in any kind of Samatha meditation is to concentrate on your meditation object for as long as you can, and keep coming back to it when your attention falls away. For example, you can use your breath as a meditation object. As you keep doing this, your mind becomes calmer and concentrated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you keep doing this for a long period of time (depends on how regularly you practise, how long you practise during each session, etc.), and your concentration becomes very good, then a sign of concentration appears. Here too, not much instruction is needed - you just keep concentrating on your meditation object as before, and your concentration will develop even more. As you do this, the sign of concentration becomes more and more stable. When the sign of concentration is very stable, then you switch your meditation object to the sign. The sign (if you are using the breath as an object) can be seen as a light in the inner eye, or it can be felt as a sensation at your nose tip. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you don't have to worry about the sign in the beginning. Just keep coming back to the object, be regular in your practise and practise frequently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T06:54:26.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-05-28T07:36:44.870" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tipitaka was written down during the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/councils.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4th Buddhist council&lt;/a&gt; which was held in Sri Lanka. It was headed by Venerable Maharakkhita and five hundred other Arahants. Lord Buddha never said not to accept the word of the Arahanths. Those who question the authenticity of the Tipitaka and the commentaries are just individuals surfacing from time to time. They don't represent any Buddhist council and they might not even have attained any stage of enlightenment. So unless you have undeniable proof that some teaching is not inline with Buddhism, it's best to accept the ruling of the councils instead of accepting the modern commentaries of certain individuals when you don't have proof either way. It takes away the worry of having to prove everything and gives you a nice state of mind to work on your salvation with confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T08:01:47.113" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T08:01:47.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7081" CreationDate="2015-05-28T07:42:13.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the following to be very useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Books&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715608&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaila Catherine writes with a precision and clarity that is missing from most texts on the subject. Great meditation manual as well as guide to the Jhanas. Shaila and Ayya Khema mentioned below seem to write from deep personal experience and this is backed up by their personal histories of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711270&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Who Is My Self?: A Guide to Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ayya Khema combines clear and concise instructions that are, for the most part, are a commentary on sections of the Potthapada Sutta that expound on the Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Articles&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1191517&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A General, All Purpose Jhana Thread&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/jhananumbers.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana Not by the Numbers by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/janas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THE JHANAS IN THERAVADAN BUDDHIST MEDITATION by LEIGH BRASINGTON&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T16:40:18.237" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T16:40:18.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9263" CreationDate="2015-05-28T08:33:03.937" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the best book I've read on Samadhi is by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Sucitto&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Sucitto&lt;/a&gt; called &lt;a href=&quot;http://forestsanghapublications.org/viewBook.php?id=12&amp;amp;ref=vec&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation:A way of Awakening&lt;/a&gt; especially about sitting posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we get the sitting posture right half the work of meditation is done. His description of sitting posture is unparalleled in its precision, i.e. from my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-28T13:04:25.960" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T13:04:25.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-05-28T08:50:41.940" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a more secular perspective the Pail Canon has the definite merit of being closer to the time of the Buddha so could (controversially?) be argued has the greatest authenticity. However there is an enormous canon of Mahayana literature that from a historic point of view was written hundreds of years after the time of the Historical Buddha. To the adherents of these forms of Buddhism these texts most certainly don't lack authenticity. In fact the ones that I'm familiar with go further and insist that they are higher teachings that build on more provisional early texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A couple of examples&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prajnaparamita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Perfection of Wisdom&lt;/a&gt; sutras are early Mahayana texts. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/401601/Nagarjuna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;tradition&lt;/a&gt; goes that the Buddha entrusted the texts to the Nagas (water snakes or dragons). Hundreds of years later &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nagarjuna&lt;/a&gt; rediscovered these from the nagas then redistributed them to the world. So according to tradition the texts are authentic although they were only available much later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Mahayana text the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/a&gt; goes to great lengths to point out that the text is the authentic word of the Buddha even though it was written after his death. It asserts that it is a higher teaching that augments and to some extent supersedes the early texts. In this case the Buddha is still teaching the text but in this work the Buddha is seen more as existing throughout time and takes on a more cosmic aspect so the words been written afterwards become less of a problem. This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/pdf/bdk/digitaldl/dBET_T0262_LotusSutra_2007.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt; illustrates the timeless aspect of the Buddha in the Lotus sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose all these worlds, whether or not a particle was left in them,&#xA;  were reduced to particles, and each particle represented a kalpa. The&#xA;  period of time since &lt;strong&gt;I became a buddha would exceed this by hundreds&#xA;  of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of incalculable kalpas.&#xA;  Since then I have constantly been residing in the sahā world&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  teaching the Dharma and inspiring sentient beings. I have also been&#xA;  leading and benefiting sentient beings in incalculable hundreds of&#xA;  thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of other worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use of the texts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to how people understand of use these texts - since the later texts are still seen as the authentic Buddhist text they will be used in that manner. Bear in mind also there are texts that do not make the claim to be the authentic word of the buddha such as Santideva's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra&lt;/a&gt;. A huge number of people, past and present, find these texts hugely rewarding spiritual works in the same way as people have an enormous regard for Christian works such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Imitation_of_Christ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An Imitation of Christ&lt;/a&gt;. It doesn't need to the the direct word of the the Buddha to be a valuable spiritual work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have personally read (a reasonable portion of) the Pali canon and the Mahayana works listed here (Diamond sutra and Heart sutra from the perfection of wisdom) and I would urge anyone who is interested to spend time with the Mahayana texts as well as the Pali Canon texts. It's my belief that these works aren't (just) instructional manuals - the reading of them is an act of devotion and Buddhist practice in and of itself. Read the Lotus Sutra and allow the great swirling cosmic vastness of it all transport you somewhere else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T10:14:10.490" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T10:14:10.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9276" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-28T15:18:01.293" Score="5" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is one able to be ordained if they have psoriasis? It's similar to eczema but not identical? Will this vary depending on where you go to ordain? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T17:43:45.740" LastActivityDate="2018-06-26T07:44:22.527" Title="Can I ordain if i have psoriasis?" Tags="|theravada|well-being|ordination|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5487" CreationDate="2015-05-28T17:22:56.260" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking drugs is does not provide any clarity only more maya or illusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5027" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:22:56.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3749" CreationDate="2015-05-28T17:59:22.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would very much consider adding walking meditation to your practice, both to potentially help your lower body issues and perhaps strengthen them at the same time. It is also a great tool for building concentration before doing sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T17:59:22.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9279" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9286" CreationDate="2015-05-28T19:01:59.833" Score="4" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a world system has gone through devolution and is in statis, before the next evolution, where are all the beings from that world system? I've read some of them are born into brahman realms, but surely not all of the trillions of different beings alive on earth are born there during this time? So what happens to them while there are no lower realms to be born into?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T05:30:03.050" Title="The time between kalpas" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-05-28T19:26:34.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is a prescriptions for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its main purpose is to cure the ailment of a dis-ease called suffering. Interminable suffering called Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over the centuries different traditions have added their own flavours to the original prescriptions to it make it much more appealing and less bitter. The prescriptions still work as can be attested by those who are cured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prescriptions nowadays have different sweeteners that all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T19:26:34.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9279" CreationDate="2015-05-28T19:52:04.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that, that's the only world available until new world system starts forming, and they start falling down again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can say we all have a little bit of respite but once in a kalpas, not much isn't it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T02:45:36.647" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T02:45:36.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2349" CreationDate="2015-05-28T19:55:06.467" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had the best retreat experience of my life at plumvillage.org - near Bordeaux. I think there's more than one Paris sangha of the Plum Village order. I don't want to sound like a proselytizer, but in my opinion, any serious practitioner must spend some time if possible with Thay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking English should not be a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-05-28T19:55:06.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9279" CreationDate="2015-05-29T00:08:21.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance in beings creates universes. Universes create suffering in beings. Suffering in beings creates evolution in universes. Evolution in universes creates knowledge in beings. Knowledge in beings creates karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Positive karma leads to the end of ignorance in beings. The end of ignorance in beings leads to the end of suffering in beings. The end of suffering in beings leads to awakening of beings. Awakening of beings leads to final liberation of beings. Final liberation of beings leads to deathless births of beings outside universes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deathless births of beings outside universes and karma of beings inside universes creates destruction of universes. When destruction of universes overweights creation of universes, devolution arises. When devolution arises, the bodies of beings in universes are destroyed. When bodies of beings in universes are destroyed, their karma remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remained karma creates ignorant beings. New ignorant beings come to universes from higher/lower planes. Ignorance in beings creates universes... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cycle is repeated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T00:08:21.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3749" CreationDate="2015-05-29T01:53:24.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Make sure your cushion or wooden block is slightly slope downward. It'll give multiple benefits: increase blood circulation in the lower body, creates a naturally lean-forward posture that straighten the back without tensing the muscles, and relieve some pressure off your buttock and that perineal region. Some images to illustrate &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?site=&amp;amp;tbm=isch&amp;amp;source=hp&amp;amp;biw=1920&amp;amp;bih=979&amp;amp;q=side+meditation+posture&amp;amp;oq=side+meditation+posture&amp;amp;gs_l=img.3...524.3629.0.3765.23.11.0.9.0.0.209.1110.0j7j1.8.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..16.7.991.8D6ujGFP8jY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T01:53:24.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-05-29T02:08:07.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some general guidelines the Buddha gave to Gotami in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.53&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to passion, not to dispassion; to being fettered, not to being unfettered; to accumulating, not to shedding; to self-aggrandizement, not to modesty; to discontent, not to contentment; to entanglement, not to seclusion; to laziness, not to aroused persistence; to being burdensome, not to being unburdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is not the Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher's instruction.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As for the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered, not to being fettered; to shedding, not to accumulating; to modesty, not to self-aggrandizement; to contentment, not to discontent; to seclusion, not to entanglement; to aroused persistence, not to laziness; to being unburdensome, not to being burdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's instruction.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further details to explain those themes are available in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.030.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T02:08:07.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9279" CreationDate="2015-05-29T05:17:36.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;During the destruction of the world, most living beings become Brahmas and dwell in Brahma realms which are not affected by the fire. One hundred thousand years prior to the end of the world, a type of Devas called Loka Viyuha, who foresee this doom, come down to human world disguised as humans, announce the coming obliteration. Most beings on hearing this warning get rid of their reckless way of life and practice meritorious deeds and are born in Deva realms. From there they meditate and attain Jhana to get to Brahma realms. Hell beings are also born in human realm due to their past good Kamma and go up from there. Therefore all beings except those who profess wrong views (&lt;strong&gt;Nihilism&lt;/strong&gt; AKA &lt;strong&gt;niyata miccha ditthi&lt;/strong&gt;) reach Brahma loka at least once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who cannot escape the destruction are born in a hell called Lokantharika Naraka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Lokantarika Hell&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When three universes meet, there is space where Lokantarika hell exists, where neither sunray nor moonbeam can reach. Complete darkness reigns there. Beings in this hell cling to the walls of the universe in complete darkness. They mistake the other sinner to be some food, and try to bite each other. On doing so, they fall down into the icy/acidic water and perish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T05:30:03.050" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T05:30:03.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9276" CreationDate="2015-05-29T06:20:36.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It all depends on how severe it is. Two things that are of concern are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Is it visible i.e. on the face or other exposed part of the body such that it puts the faithful followers off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Is it serious such that the itchyness interferes with the cultivation of the practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If answers to those two questions are no then there shouldn't be a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know of a monk who is allergic to wheat and lots who are lacto sensitive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T06:20:36.803" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9288" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9290" CreationDate="2015-05-29T07:07:54.480" Score="5" ViewCount="1176" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to share a situation that happened to me and brought me a question about this arising of arrogance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was driving and another driver got mad at me for a not-so-correct maneuver I did. At first I felt a bit uncomfortable for making him angry, but quickly I felt more compassion for the fact that he was feeling anger than any other un wholesome state of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until a bit of arrogance arose, when a thought appeared: I was able to feel in peace even though the situation, while he let that unrest him and feel anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that arising of this kind of &lt;em&gt;arrogance&lt;/em&gt; usual? How could I meditate upon it or think about the causes and consequences of it? The problem I have is that I &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; feel sometimes like I'm in a &lt;em&gt;better&lt;/em&gt; path to happiness (that is buddhism) than others but that makes this arrogance appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5110" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T07:44:41.513" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T09:47:51.950" Title="The arising of arrogance" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-hindrances|anger|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9288" CreationDate="2015-05-29T07:23:23.617" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The feeling of pride is okay in the sense that it is conditioned so long as you do not act following that feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That you are able to notice the arising of the feeling shows some mindfulness and restraint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit is one of the 10 fetters to be abandoned by an Anagami, the last stage of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So long as you are not holding on to that pride or perpetuating it you are doing fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To stop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&quot;&gt;pride &amp;amp; conceit&lt;/a&gt; from arising don't compare!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T07:31:28.780" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T07:31:28.780" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9288" CreationDate="2015-05-29T09:47:51.950" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I was able to feel in peace even though the situation, while he let that unrest him and feel anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (see also &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;) mentions 'sublime attitudes' including equanimity and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that you develop equanimity, to that extent perhaps you can be content. If arrogance arises, so that you are no longer in a state of equanimity (no longer &quot;devoid of ill will, unbewildered, alert, mindful&quot; and &quot;with detachment&quot;), then there's little to be proud about any more! So perhaps it's self-limiting, i.e. when you're arrogant then there's nothing to be arrogant about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is that the experiencing of anger is unsatisfactory. If you can skillfully avoid the experience of anger then you should probably feel &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Muditā&lt;/a&gt; i.e. &quot;the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings&quot; towards yourself, i.e. &quot;it's fortunate that this person didn't suffer from anger&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly if another person is suffering because they're angry then compassion, &quot;the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering&quot;, i.e. &quot;may this person become freed from anger&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you can sometimes 'turn it around' as well: instead of seeing the other person as angry, see them as not angry. If they didn't pull a gun on you or die of apoplexy, you could (possibly) think &quot;that person is doing quite well at controlling their anger&quot; as well as trying to root out the cause of that anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So 'metta meditation' might be a form of meditation to help inform &quot;the causes and consequences of it&quot;. You mention that you were already doing that, i.e. &quot;I felt more compassion for the fact that he was feeling anger&quot;. Maybe it would work to feel some compassion towards your own &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kilesas&lt;/a&gt; i.e. &quot;may this person become free of conceit, delusion, doubt&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that one of the worst things that could happen, a worst-case scenario, might be to welcome and to enjoy and to become attached to that arrogance: if you go around with the attitude, &quot;I'm so great and good, because other people get angry with me and I skillfully don't get angry with them in return&quot; and then because of that you're going around provoking other people to anger. So, instead, also avoid repeating the &quot;not-so-correct maneuver&quot; which provokes other people to anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T09:47:51.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9291" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9294" CreationDate="2015-05-29T10:07:57.480" Score="11" ViewCount="7588" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am in the habit of getting the concepts samatha and samadhi mixed up. To me they seem like related or even similar concepts. Is that correct? My understanding is that samatha seems like the process of integration and samadhi seems like the result of integration. Is that the correct interpretation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a related point are the underlying concepts related if you consider the Pali origins of the words i.e. do they have similar roots in the language?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T11:56:17.027" LastActivityDate="2019-01-21T14:22:08.887" Title="What is the difference between samadhi and samatha?" Tags="|terminology|pali-language|samatha|samadhi|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9292" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9293" CreationDate="2015-05-29T10:22:11.823" Score="3" ViewCount="362" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a story in the Pali Canon where the Buddha compares the Dharma to leaves on a tree. If I can give a very approximate quote to what I remember&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The dharma that I have taught is just a handful of leaves. The Dharma&#xA;  is actually all the leaves in all the trees&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the point been that there is a lot more to the Dharma then what the Buddha is teaching at that point. Can anyone give the exact reference for that story - I'm fairly certain it is from the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T10:42:01.483" Title="Where does the Buddha compare the Dharma to leaves on a tree?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2015-05-29T16:06:34.163" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9292" CreationDate="2015-05-29T10:42:01.483" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Pali canon perhaps it's the Simsapa Sutta (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main message I get from that story is a bit the opposite of what you suggested: i.e. not that &quot;The Dharma is actually all the leaves in all the trees&quot;, rather that the central doctrine is only the four noble truths (stress; origin of stress; cessation of stress; path of practice leading to the cessation of stress).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are other suttas in which he said, &quot;I have taught one thing and one thing only, i.e. dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T10:42:01.483" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9291" CreationDate="2015-05-29T10:53:49.760" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha is tranquility meditation, meditating on a stable object with the objective of reaching calm states/jhanas.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samadhi is concentration. The Buddha's teachings of the eightfold noble path are divided into three categories; sila (morality), samadhi (concentration), and panna (wisdom/understanding). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samadhi is the meditation portion of the Buddha's teachings (Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration) and would include Samatha plus other types of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T11:02:15.767" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T11:02:15.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-05-29T11:31:25.693" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm curious on how Buddhist Sacred Texts are used in teachings and in practice [...] what authority do practicing monks and the Sangha give to the sacred texts? How are these texts used? Are they used merely as a guidebook or as intensely analyzed, as say, the Christian Bible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, I think it really depends on the sangha and school. For example, in Sōtō Zen, probably the most read sutra is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Heart Suttra&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Dgen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dōgen Zengi&lt;/a&gt; texts are frequently used. Texts are used by monks in the context of practice and any analysis that sidetracks from this purpose or shows signs of intellectual exercise, even slightly, might be explicitly discouraged (e.g. left to academics). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks, in Zen, don't seem very inclined to scholasticism. Also, they don't seem to easily fall in the trap of mixing the value of texts and attachment to it -- as attaching to written words is famously made fun of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, scholastic work was not only common but prominent in many eras and many traditions. During the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;early sects&lt;/a&gt;, different &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidhamma_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; systems developed and were used as platform for discussing doctrinal points and divergences (even treatises on how to develop formal proofs were elaborated). Also, monks started writing exegesis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada inherited this tradition. In general, I think its monks, versed not only in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nik%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nikayas&lt;/a&gt; but in abhidhamma and exegetical literature would not hesitate to scrutinize any doctrinal text and analyze them in their minutia. In many lineages, abhidhamma has a distinguished role, though commentaries often receive surprising authoritative status. For example, some monks see buddhism strictly through the eyes of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhaghosa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhagosa&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; caused great turmoil for writing numerous corrections to a commentarial book -- this reaction certainly smell a little dogmatic and not showing much of the skills of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha's recommendation to the Kalamas&lt;/a&gt;. Also, it seems Ledi was a champion in turning abhidhamma as a guide for meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas are also not only restricted to be quoted in dhamma talks. They are chanted, memorized and studied by monks and lay people and they practice meditation following what has been taught in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T12:10:19.513" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T12:10:19.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2349" CreationDate="2015-05-29T12:44:46.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.centrebouddhisteparis.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Triratna centre in Paris&lt;/a&gt;. The people that I know who are running it speak English, but their website is in French and I'm not sure about what language is used in teachings etc. (never been there myself unfortunately).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards, Kusalananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5190" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T12:44:46.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9291" CreationDate="2015-05-29T14:27:37.327" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to add to what Robin has said and answer your last question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;..are the underlying concepts related if you consider the Pali origins of the words i.e. do they have similar roots in the language?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt; (Sanskrit: समाधि, ...), also called samāpatti, in Buddhism, ... is meditative absorption, attained by the practice of Jhana. In samadhi the mind becomes still, one-pointed or concentrated while individual awareness remains present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes upacara samadhi and appana samadhi is used to distinguished between threshold concentration and absorbed concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt; (Pāli), (Sanskrit: शमथ, śamatha[note 1] is the Buddhist practice (bhavana) of the calming of the mind (citta) and its 'formations' (sankhara). This is done by practicing single-pointed meditation most commonly through mindfulness of breathing. Samatha is common to all Buddhist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paring it down to a few words. Samadhi is concentration and Samatha is a practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My understanding is that samatha seems like the process of integration and samadhi seems like the result of integration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very close but if you replace &quot;integration&quot; with &quot;concentrating&quot; spot on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="2166" LastEditDate="2015-05-29T17:29:08.357" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T17:29:08.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9298" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9299" CreationDate="2015-05-29T16:29:16.943" Score="5" ViewCount="1767" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all is the &quot;rainbow body&quot; almost similar in the different lineages of Tibetan Buddhism? Then the above question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:15:30.220" Title="Is there a specific practice that leads to a &quot;rainbow body&quot;" Tags="|enlightenment|vajrayana|tibetan|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9298" CreationDate="2015-05-29T18:27:09.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote about the practice from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Rainbow_body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wiki&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Rainbow body (Tib. འཇའ་ལུས་, ja lü; Wyl. 'ja' lus) — fully accomplished Dzogchen practitioners can dissolve their body at the time of death.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Through the practice of trekchö, the practitioner can attain the so-called ‘rainbow body’, in which the body becomes smaller and smaller as it dissolves, emanating rainbow light, and finally only the hair and nails are left behind.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on The Rainbow Body from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Rainbow_body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The rainbow body phenomenon is a third person perspective of someone else attaining complete knowledge (rigpa). Knowledge is the absence of delusion regarding the display of the basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rigpa has three wisdoms, two of which are kadag and lhun grub. Kadag (primordial purity) is the Dzogchen view of emptiness. Lhun grub (natural formation) is the Dzogchen view of Dependent origination. Throughout Mahayana, emptiness and Dependent origination are two sides of the same coin. Kadag deals with tregchöd. The lhun grub aspect has to do with esoteric practices, such as (but not limited to) Thödgal, that self-liberate the dependently originated human body into the Sambhogakāya (rainbow body phenomenon). The symbol of Dzogchen is a Tibetan A wrapped in a thigle (see picture to the right). The A represents kadag while the thigle represents lhun grub. The third Wisdom, thugs rje (compassion), is the inseparability of the previous two wisdoms.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ultimate fruition of the thodgal practices is a body of pure light, called a rainbow body (Wylie 'ja' lus, pronounced Jalü.) If the four visions of thogal are not completed before death, then at death, from the point of view of an external observer, the following happens: the corpse does not start to decompose, but starts to shrink until it disappears. Usually fingernails, toenails and hair are left behind (see e.g. Togden Urgyen Tendzin, Ayu Khandro, Changchub Dorje.) The attainment of the rainbow body is typically accompanied by the appearance of lights and rainbows.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some exceptional practitioners such as Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra are held to have realized a higher type of rainbow body without dying. Having completed the four visions before death, the individual focuses on the lights that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a nonmaterial body of light (a Sambhogakāya) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-29T18:27:09.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3106" CreationDate="2015-05-29T20:46:52.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that a good thing is to read up on the basic method of whatever meditation practice one wants to learn and practice. By doing this one is making sure that one is really practicising e.g. Samatha Meditation and not Vipassana Meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could find a teacher in real life or tune into the enormous amount of meditation videos that are available on the internet. One could preferable find a small number of teachers/monks that teach the meditation method one wish to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could also sign up for a retreat and learn about the meditation-technique in this way. In retreats such as the Goenka 10-day retreat there are also teachers that one can have interviews with if one needs help or assesment of one's practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next there is the practice. Experience is ones friend. Errors will be made. Thats just how it is since its a learning experience and one will become better and better with time. Especially Samatha Meditation is an ability/skill that will improve over time with consistent practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I already mentioned it -&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Consistency&lt;/strong&gt; in practice is a key point in ones practice - especially in the beginning where the terratory is new. One does not have to meditate for hours everyday even 5-10 minutes is enough if done consistently. Then one can gradually extend ones sitting time and more importantly begin to carry the meditation over into daily life, i.e. mindfulness in daily activities such as walking, brushing teeth, taking shower etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly i want to mention &lt;strong&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/strong&gt; which are obstacles to meditative progress. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;One can read more about the hindrances here and how to overcome them.&lt;/a&gt; It helps a lot to know what obstacles one will be dealing with in meditation, especially in Samatha Meditation where concentration is the key point one is developing. When one knows how to deal with e.g. &lt;em&gt;sensual desires, ill-will or worries&lt;/em&gt; then one will be much better equipped to practice. Its similar to a soldier receiving combat training before going to war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:19:40.443" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:19:40.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9201" CreationDate="2015-05-29T20:57:53.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My experience with this is limited, but I'm happy to share what I've observed. My own practice is in the Theravada tradition where only ordained monastics and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anagarikas&lt;/a&gt; receive a Buddhist name. An ordinary lay person would not receive one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've visited three local Mahayana groups and temples (in the US) as a guest and at each one it was mentioned that for those new to Buddhism, if one was interested in taking refuge formally for the first time, a taking refuge ceremony was periodically available. In this taking refuge ceremony, a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dharma name&lt;/a&gt; would be given. Requirements varied from simple sincere interest in taking refuge (at two temples) to completing coursework in Buddhist studies and attending a retreat before the taking refuge ceremony became available (with a lay led group). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the two temples (one Korean Seon and the other a mixed tradition with a Chan monk who visits periodically), dharma names were chosen for each person taking refuge by the monks. At the lay led Buddhist group (Jōdo Shinshū), a dharma name was chosen by the person taking refuge themselves from this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ciolek.com/wwwvlpages/zenpages/ZenNames.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;list of names&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, this is nothing conclusive, but the offer at each of these locations was to those taking refuge/precepts &lt;em&gt;for the first time&lt;/em&gt; (or for the first time formally or publicly). These being English speaking groups in the US, it was understood that virtually everyone in attendance had converted to Buddhism and the taking refuge ceremony was considered quite meaningful to formalize one's intentions to follow the Buddha's teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Receiving a dharma name did not appear to be connected to the particular group, temple, teacher, or monk, but simply as part of an initiation into Buddhism for those who were regular members of each of the various groups.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T14:22:17.717" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T14:22:17.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9302" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-29T23:31:59.867" Score="4" ViewCount="1594" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would be the Theravada approach to people who have a transgender experience? As far as I understand it, the mind does not have a gender. So should a Buddhist, out of compassion alone, indulge a transgender person in their request to be regarded as a gender opposite that which they are born; or is this not compassion at all, to indulge one in things which you understand to not be based in reality? Where is the line drawn where one crosses over from being compassionate to being dishonest to oneself and what you have experienced to be true? I know this may be a sensitive subject to some, and I'm not trying to marginalize anyone else's experience of reality; only trying to gain some perspective on how to relate to the world. Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T11:38:20.413" LastActivityDate="2020-02-15T00:06:23.537" Title="Theravada perspective on transgender people" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|ethics|sexuality|gender|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9302" CreationDate="2015-05-30T00:21:31.317" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind can be seen as having a gender. Usually being very emotional, afraid and capricious are seen as a qualities of a female mind. Of course both men &amp;amp; women can be like that. That's when you say a man with female qualities or a woman with male qualities. &#xA;All Brahmas who have none of the above weaknesses are considered male, even though they don't have a physical gender.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as dealing with transgender, you can simply treat them as trasgender. In practical situations, if they look like women in appearance, address them as women. If they look like men, address them as men, regardless of what they want to be called. Or simply avoid using gender references at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T03:52:13.417" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T03:52:13.417" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9304" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9308" CreationDate="2015-05-30T03:58:46.717" Score="1" ViewCount="1277" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question is in the title. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about what this Qigong practice is and how it relates to Zen Buddhism. I've heard that it's a way of developing internal energy but I'm not sure what it's used for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for your time.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GN8QQ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/GN8QQm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eQZoE.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eQZoEm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 2&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T13:00:12.127" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T13:00:12.127" Title="What is Zen Qigong in Zen Buddhism?" Tags="|zen|qigong|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9302" CreationDate="2015-05-30T04:14:57.310" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stay with loving kindness (Metta) and act out of goodwill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have compassion (karuna) knowing that all people suffer and offer help when you have strength.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoid perceptions of gender and personalities as that would lead to conditioned responses or worst still stereotyped reactions. So with mindfulness intact act with goodwill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T04:14:57.310" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9306" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9316" CreationDate="2015-05-30T05:59:23.970" Score="3" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it just that we share our knowledge with others and then they interpret it as per their own individuality and spot benefit?&#xA;Do Buddhas ask questions of other humans as well?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T15:19:05.467" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:56:40.753" Title="When should one ask a question of someone other than themselves?" Tags="|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9307" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-30T06:49:05.390" Score="4" ViewCount="16874" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to ask a question from a Theravada Buddhism perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Sutta it's said having sex with particular people is considered as sexual misconduct:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has no intercourse with girls who are still under the protection of father or mother, brother, sister, or relative; nor with married women, nor female convicts; nor lastly with betrothed girls.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, why prostitute does not include in the prohibited person? Does it mean having sex with prostitute does not considered sexual misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second question is, from my understanding for married people having sex with their partner is not an offense but how about having oral sex or sodomy with your own wife or husband? &#xA;Is it true that oral sex and sodomy will make you take rebirth as an animal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5207" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T11:53:24.403" LastActivityDate="2018-03-19T18:51:59.237" Title="Buddhist attitude towards prostitution and non-procreative sexual activity" Tags="|theravada|ethics|five-precepts|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9304" CreationDate="2015-05-30T07:33:11.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Qigong in Zen Buddhism comprise the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shaolin.org/chikung/lohan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shaolin Eighteen Lohan Hands&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were taught by the great Bodhidharma in 527 CE to monks at the Shaolin Monastery in China when this First Patriarch of the Shaolin arts found the monks weak and often sleepy during meditaion...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lifting the Sky&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shooting Arrows&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Plucking Stars&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Turning Head&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thrust Punch&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Merry-go-Round&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Carrying the Moon&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nourishing Kidneys&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Three Levels to Ground&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dancing Crane&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Carrying Mountains&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Drawing Knife&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Presenting Claws&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pushing Mountains&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Separating Water&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Big Windmill&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deep Knee Bending&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rotating Knees&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/lohan.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction to Shaolin Temple Luohan Qigong&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luohan Qigong is the &amp;quot;Art of Breath of the Enlightened Ones.&amp;quot;  Luohan Qigong, or Lohan Chi Kung, is an system of exercises and breath control for improving your fitness, vitality, energy levels, concentration, poise, and well being.  Combined with seated or standing meditation, Luohan Qigong can also contribute to steady spiritual progress.  Numerous legends attribute the development of the Luohan Qigong methods, and the Muscle Tendon Changing Qigong methods, to the Buddhist leader Bodhidharma (Da Mo, Ta-Mo, Daruma), circa 525 CE, a early advocate of Chan (Zen) Buddhism.  There is little nor no written documentation of Luohan Qigong methods prior to 1880 CE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The native religion of China, Daoism, and the native social philosophy of China, Confucianism, antedate the arrival of Buddhism by over 300 years.  These three viewpoints have often conflicted with one another, with Buddhism often characterized as a &amp;quot;foreign&amp;quot; influence, and at other times the three schools have blended together as in Complete Reality Daoism.  The Daoist scholar, Livia Kohn, has researched the history of Taoist and Chinese medical practices using exercise methods as a cornerstone.  There is documentation back to 200 BCE regarding these practices, although specific movement descriptions are often lacking.  Clearly these Daoist Daoyin practices and secular medical exercise methods for health and longevity influenced and were influenced by the qigong and martial arts practices of Buddhists at places like the Shaolin Temple.  Numerous other authors, listed above, have explained the intertwining and cross fertilization of the related qigong practices of the Buddhists, Daoists, and traditional Chinese medicine doctors: Liang Shou-Yu, Yang Jwing-Ming, Andy James, and Kenneth Cohen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T07:33:11.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9306" CreationDate="2015-05-30T07:59:14.310" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We ask a question when we do not know.&#xA;To some questions the answer is definite and there is no other interpretation and it accords with the Buddha's dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To other questions of morality/ethic (sila) then it is relative to the person.&#xA;Buddhist monks keep the 227 rule; 8 preceptors, the 8 precepts; and ordinary people, 5 precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even within the first precept of &quot;abstaining from killing&quot; we practice according to our ability...do we kill  mosquitoes that spread malaria, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha knows so he only asks questions so he may show the  error of other peoples answer inorder to teach. That is one of his many teaching methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T07:59:14.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9298" CreationDate="2015-05-30T08:15:30.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering whether at the funeral (around 28th of August 2004) of &lt;a href=&quot;http://forestmeditation.com/teachings/forest_tradition/panya/ajaan_panya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Paññavaddho&lt;/a&gt; we are witnessing the emanations of a rainbow body (food for thought).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajaan Panya’s remains were cremated at Wat Pa Baan Taad 10 days later. His funeral ceremony was the largest event ever held there—an estimated 50,000 people attended to pay their final respects, including over 4,000 monks. Something extraordinary occurred on the day of his cremation. On 3 separate occasions, a circular rainbow appeared in the blue sky, each time encircling the sun like a large, luminous halo. The rainbow first appeared as his casket was being placed on the funeral pyre; it appeared again later when his life story was being read aloud; and yet a third time when Ajaan Mãha Boowa lit the funeral pyre. It was as though the power of his spiritual attainment had created an external, visual image to reflect the depth and subtly of his virtue for all to see. It marked a supremely graceful conclusion to the life and practice of a monk whose loving kindness and humility radiated softly from his presence to encompass the whole world of samsãra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T08:15:30.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2015-05-30T11:38:59.920" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it mean having sex with prostitute does not considered sexual&#xA;  misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not break the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3rd precept&lt;/a&gt;, if both parties are proper(not belonging to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;20 kinds&lt;/a&gt; of improper partners). However, not breaking the 3rd precept does not mean you are not committing unwholesome Kamma. All sexual activities are unwholesome regardless of if you are not breaking the 3rd precept. Because the root causes are always lust and delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are given as the minimal moral standard that is required for spiritual development. A person who keeps to the 5 precepts can still commit many unwholesome Kammas. But doing it with your spouse can potentially be less unwholesome compared to doing it with a prostitute. Because the relationship with your spouse can involve wholesome feelings as well. With your spouse you are not trying to have pleasure regardless of if she/he is enjoying it. You are usually more gentle and if she/he isn't ready or finds a certain method uncomfortable, you get to practice self restraint. That comes from Metta &amp;amp; Karuna. So it's not all lust. But with a prostitute, you are mostly trying to get your money's worth. Usually you don't care much for the other person. The focus is on extracting the maximum enjoyment you can, in whichever way you so desire during the time you get. The lust involved here can be much more stronger. So it can cause greater unwholesome Kamma. Also, there are other disadvantages to consider like your reputation being sullied and the higher possibility of catching STDs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it true that oral sex and sodomy will make you take rebirth as an&#xA;  animal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any kind of sexual activity has the potential to give you a unfavorable birth, if it comes forward at the time of your death. Read more about how the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mind works at the of death&lt;/a&gt;. However, engaging in unorthodox sexual activities usually requires a greater degree of lust and delusion. So the said methods can potentially cause stronger unwholesome Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T16:04:45.563" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T16:04:45.563" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9312" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9315" CreationDate="2015-05-30T11:53:37.073" Score="7" ViewCount="1629" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard that intensive meditation of certain kinds can lead to the development of supernormal powers such as penetration into others minds (reading minds) and hearing sounds from far away (Divine ear). From a Buddhist point of view, what is the benefit to being able to discern the thoughts and far away voices of others given that most people are not yet enlightened and their thoughts and words are likely colored with the defilement of desire, aversion, and delusion? It would seem possible that such an ability might lead to suffering for the one discerning the unguarded (and unenlightened) thoughts and words of others. &lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt; As an example, if one reflects on thoughts that have arisen in one's own mind, there are likely thoughts that you wouldn't share with anyone because they are base, mean, hurtful. Why would an advanced meditator want to subject themselves to being able to receive such thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a traditional Buddhist view on how such abilities are advantageous or even wholesome? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T14:19:34.227" LastActivityDate="2023-09-03T04:48:59.743" Title="From a Buddhist point of view, what are the benefits of supernormal powers?" Tags="|theravada|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-05-30T12:30:10.497" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just from inferring from the texts, you can see how the Buddhas ability to read people's minds allowed him to teach them exactly what they needed to hear. So such an ability would allow someone greater ability to teach people. I also seem to remember in the dhammapada, accounts of the Buddha using his omniscience, seeing understanding arising in monks minds, to telepathically communicate with the monks who were practicing far away in a forest to give them assurance on their path. So as far as I can tell, these powers are to be used to help others on their paths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-05-30T12:36:14.950" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T12:36:14.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-05-30T13:51:40.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a Buddhanet-quote from a section called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_26lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha's Attitude to Miracles&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The only miracles that should be performed are these: when you see a man full of passion, craving and greed and you teach him to free himself from passion, craving and greed; when you see that a man is a slave to hatred and anger and you use your powers to help him control his hatred and anger; when you come across a man who is ignorant and who cannot see the true nature of the world (everything in this world is impermanent, sorrowful and egoless) and you use your powers to help him overcome his ignorance. These are worthy &amp;quot;miracles&amp;quot; you can perform.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This advice to Kevaddha was also extended to the Vinaya rules that forbid monks from performing miracles to impress people and gain converts, without helping them to be enlightened. This was clear in the case of Pindola.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Arahant Pindola Bharadwaja was famous for miraculous psychic powers. A rich man, wanting this monk to prove his psychic powers, placed a beautiful bowl at the top of a high place and challenged any holy man to get the bowl down. If he could do it, he could keep the bowl.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pindola Bharadwaja flew up and took the bowl down easily. This was also done to prove to the rich man that there are saints in the world, a fact that the rich man did not believe. When the Buddha came to know about this incident, he called Pindola Bharadwaja to bring his bowl. He broke the bowl into pieces in front of a large gathering of monks, saying, &amp;quot;I am displeased about the demonstration of your psychic powers. You must never show off your powers just to impress simple ignorant people.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first paragraph illustrates how these powers should be used, i.e. to help other beings become free from the defilements so that they can develop their faculties. So i think that must be the some of the benefits. Being able to help other beings thereby doing wholesome actions creating wholesome effects to ripen in this life or future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we also see from this text is that the Buddha placed great emphaziz on people, especially monks not abusing these powers and thereby giving the Sangha and more broadly speaking Buddhism a negative reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that is said i think its of great importance that such powers should be in the hands of clear-seeing, highly developed beings and not beings who still have a gross level of the root defilements in them. If that is the case the powers might be abused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T13:51:40.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-05-30T14:06:41.910" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume you are asking about the disadvantages of unenlightened beings gaining magical powers. Devadatta is a good example for that. He used his magical powers to impress king Ajatasatta and intern caused much harm. They are like tools that can be used for both good and evil. But they don't last longer if you use them for evil. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attaining supernatural powers is done through Samatha meditation and it does not require you to be enlightened. So it is possible that your mind can also get defiled by watching the thoughts of others and things at a distance. In that case, you will lose the powers as you will lose the Jhana. There was a story about a king who developed the ability to fly through the air. One day when he was traveling in the sky, he saw a pretty woman in a village. Lust arose in his mind immediately and he lost the Jhana and fell to his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why would an advanced meditator want to subject themselves to being&#xA;  able to receive such thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can look into others' minds and notice the rising and falling of their thoughts too. That way you see them as instances of Panchaskanda rather than people. You can also see how they suffer and what causes that suffering. So the super powers can be used in ways to help one attain enlightenment. Divine eye can be used to see the impermanence at a microscopic level. That's much more powerful since it's instantaneous. Divine eye and ears can also be used to see and hear hell beings and how they suffer. That will motivate you in your meditation. Ability recall your past lives can be used to understand the danger of Samsara. ex: venerable Yashodara did this before she attained enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T03:26:19.870" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T03:26:19.870" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9306" CreationDate="2015-05-30T15:56:40.753" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asking questions is interesting in Buddhism; the Buddha had his own version of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Socratic method&lt;/a&gt;, and many of the discourses are comprised of back and the Buddha asking questions in order to lead his audience to their own wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See, for example, the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta, the Buddha's second discourse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other discourses are more traditional, wherein the Buddha is asked a question and responds in one of various ways. The Buddha himself said he responded to questions in one of four ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these four ways of answering questions. What four? (1) There is a question to be answered categorically; (2) there is a question to be answered after making a distinction; (3) there is a question to be answered with a counter-question; and (4) there is a question to be set aside. These are the four ways of answering questions.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 4.42 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet other teachings show the Buddha using questions out of compassion, to bring up a topic that his students are disinclined to bring to his attention out of consideration for his welfare. As the commentary explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;jānantāpi tathāgatā pucchanti, jānantāpi na pucchanti; kālaṃ viditvā pucchanti, kālaṃ viditvā na pucchanti; atthasaṃhitaṃ tathāgatā pucchanti, no anatthasaṃhitaṃ. anatthasaṃhite setughāto tathāgatānaṃ. dvīhi ākārehi buddhā bhagavanto bhikkhū paṭipucchanti — dhammaṃ vā desessāma, sāvakānaṃ vā sikkhāpadaṃ paññapessāmāti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, knowing, the Tathāgata asks, and sometimes, knowing, he doesn't ask. Knowing the time, he asks; knowing the time, he doesn't ask. He asks what is connected with benefit, not what is not connected with benefit; for the Tathāgata has destroyed the bridge in regards to what is not connected with benefit. With two intentions the Buddha, the Bhagava,  asks questions back to Bhikkhus: &amp;quot;We will discourse on the dhamma, or we will establish training rules for our disciples.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Pārājika, verañjakaṇḍa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To this end, we can see that the Buddha himself gave some significance to asking and answering questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to the purpose of questions, it is most obviously related to the way in which we acquire information, and how information informs our behaviour. Since asking questions can lead to hearing useful things, to broadening one's perspective, to reminding one of what one has forgotten, to helping one discard wrong views, and to many other good things as well, it seems obvious that questions should be asked and answered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't think of a specific reference for the above paragraph, though, except to say that a read through of the Buddha's forty-five years of teaching should give a good idea of how questions are effective in helping us progress on the path. The only specific teaching on benefits of questions I can think of off the top of my head is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Here, student, some man or woman does not visit a recluse or a brahmin and ask: ‘Venerable sir, what is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is blameable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What kind of action will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ Because of performing and undertaking such action…he reappears in a state of deprivation…But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is stupid. This is the way, student, that leads to stupidity, namely, one does not visit a recluse or brahmin and ask such questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“But here, student, some man or woman visits a recluse or a brahmin and asks: ‘Venerable sir, what is wholesome?…What kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ Because of performing and undertaking such action…he reappears in a happy destination…But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is wise. This is the way, student, that leads to wisdom, namely, one visits a recluse or brahmin and asks such questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 135 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there you have it. Asking questions leads to wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with all sorts of learning, it is important not to mistake asking questions with actual meditation and empirical realization of the truth. On the other hand, asking questions certainly has greater benefit that simply producing theoretical knowledge; it can challenge and encourage and be quite beneficial as a means of producing wholesome mind states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T15:56:40.753" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-05-30T16:52:41.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;An Indian yogi came to Japan and demonstrated his ability to levitate and other supernatural powers. The people who witnessed these miracles went to the Zen master living nearby (Bankei) and asked &quot;See what this yogi can do? What miracles can you perform?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen master responded &quot;When I'm hungry I eat, when I'm tired I sleep.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5211" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T16:52:41.943" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8485" CreationDate="2015-05-30T17:02:53.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it's wrong. Throw away your statues and burn your dharma books. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5211" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T17:02:53.260" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-05-30T21:08:24.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The greatest danger by far is always going to be emotional attachment to the attained skill, or to attainment itself.  Attachment is death, the only real death.  Our connection to any version of who we think we are limits our potential for movement and growth and any desire limits us similarly.  Power feeds the mind's yearning to solve problems, and that yearning manifests even larger problems, so despite our good intentions, we are working with the discipline of infants when provided with new tools of potentials previously seen as magical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5212" LastActivityDate="2015-05-30T21:08:24.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2015-05-30T22:48:02.077" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/04aZo.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well I feel that it is extremely naive to think that taking recreational drugs can help the mind build empathy. It is almost the same as saying that watching pornography helps build empathy towards women. I know what I say may sound controversial, but I will explain this from a medical perspective. In reality, consuming recreational drugs such as marijuana, cocaine etc. has almost the same medical effects as engaging in sexual activities, over consuming food, watching pornography, consuming large quantities of alcohol or engaging in any other activity deemed by Buddhism as &quot;Activities that disrupts focus, attention and concentration; while garnering unwholesome feelings such as distraction, lack of focus, attention deficit, impatience and anger, while over-accumulating uncontrolled negative energy within our mind and body (sexual/filled with greed)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is explained by taking into account the medical effects of the afforementioned &quot;addictive activities&quot;. All these activites succeed in doing almost the same thing within the brain matter: that is, elevating/creating imbalance in the chemicals in our bain. When we see a meal/person/situation that generates greed in our mind, it is actually something that causes release of DOPAMINE in our brains. Different activites have different levels of Dopamine releasing effects; with MORPHINE administration (as a painkiller in certain patients) , viewing pornography, consuming drugs that creates addiction having the highest degrees of dopamine release. Dopamine imbalance is caused by repeatedly engaging in such aforementioned activites, that leads the person into an Addictive Cycle, that is both viscous and extremelt difficult to overcome. This is quote on quote &quot;viciously addictive&quot; purely by the fact that all these activites done in immoderation causes what is reffered to as &quot;tolerance&quot; in our brains. That is, we need to consume/engage in ever increasing amounts of afforementioned activites, to create the same level of dopamine release in our brains, that ultimately results in our brain to experience the same level of satiety as before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are in reality, hijacking our brain's natural rewarding pathway. The pathway that normally cause us to &quot;feel rewarded by engaging in a wholesome activity&quot; is replaced by the &quot;perception of feeling rewarded&quot; purely by consuming a substance- that does not require hardwork, commitment and focus. Hence as an animal filled with greed, the mind would crave the easy route.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence in conclusion, such activities are unwholesome and creates lack of focus, which is the ultimate enemy for any meditator. Our level of focus is primarily our weapon in progressing our practice of meditation further than it was before. While engaging in such activities, the brain only percieves the feelings of empathy, happiness, fulfilment; and they aren't necessarily &quot;true feelings&quot;. I say this because, for a feeling to be &quot;true&quot;, it should not be codependant on consuming an unnatural substance. For example, empathy that arises from consuming drugs is not true empathy that we can garner say by practicing Metta meditation or by helping another human being, since the latter actually creates the feelings of happiness and compassion without co-dependance on consuming any other substance. Hence, it is extremely dangerous to be the victim of such dangerous habits that eventually breaks down our mind's eye of what might necessarily be &quot;right&quot; and &quot;wrong&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="422" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T07:34:03.180" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T07:34:03.180" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9321" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-05-31T03:17:51.337" Score="11" ViewCount="1758" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been a staunch follower of the Buddha's words for the past 1.5 years. I do believe in the Buddha in so far as the Denial of God, Creationism, Destiny is concerned but considering the events in my life and what I see around, I am now absolutely sure that there is no Karma nor Rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own life experience, I was married about an year back, arranged by my family according to the traditions. Obviously I did not know the Girl before marriage nor had any sexual relations with her. It so followed that after marriage following a few days of sex with me she went ahead and had sex with her boyfriend (her friend close to her before marriage).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What followed was - She obviously found him to be more suitable for her sexual desires and immediately after that she started mentally irritating me and abuse followed. She did other stuff (like creating fissures in family) and ultimately left me after a few months. Now she is extremely happy and posting happy messages and photos in social networking and abusing me happily. The marriage laws in my country are pro female and I cannot do absolutely anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the fact of the matter is that she is extremely happy (both sexually and otherwise) while I feel cheated and wronged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further I do see in my country in India due to a hierarchical Caste system, extremely poor people made to clean others toilets etc and pick trash due to their birth. I just spoke to an old man (about 65 years old) who told me (while crying) that he has been doing this job (cleaning toilets and picking trash) for 45 years and he is not allowed to do any other work except this and there is nobody to help him because the traditions in the country are like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to ask you for those who believe in Karma: Where is Karma acting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5215" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-29T12:20:26.693" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T05:23:22.820" Title="Doubts about Karma and/or Rebirth" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3431" CreationDate="2015-05-31T03:24:31.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the question is for academic research purpose, I will add one advantage in learning Sanskrit - it will greatly aid in researching ancient Buddhist documents in Nepal, where Sanskrit continues to be the liturgical language of Newar Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5214" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T03:24:31.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T08:36:01.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; is the evolving of the consciousness from one life form to another through kamma(skilful and unskilful action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone who wakes up in the middle of the night for just an hour and sees  that there is only darkness, comes to the conclusion that there is no such thing as light, is making a simple statement based on a very limited time period. Not knowing what happened before and could happen after.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has seen his own previous lives and the lives of many beings appearing and disappearing in one world after another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we experience now is the results of previous kamma, yourself and the old man. Is it not possible that you have been cruel in a previous life and the old man wicked, that such events are happening?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gist is skilful actions now and forbearance of the results of previous kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T16:37:03.253" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T16:37:03.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T10:00:18.407" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The failure of your marriage could be due to a past bad Kamma you have done. But it is also a result of you giving the chance for that past bad kamma to come into fruition. There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3159.html&quot;&gt;4 factors&lt;/a&gt; affecting the results of past Kamma. Payoga Sampatti is one of them. It means skillfulness, diligence and intelligence. You can use this to avoid the results of certain past bad Kamma. &#xA;You probably could have avoided such a heartbreak had you at least got to know her as a friend for about an year and studied her character. Even in proposals, you can do that, after both families agree. You didn't have to marry her immediately. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should stop focusing on the girl who left and use your Payoga Sampatti to do a better job in the future when selecting partners. Focusing on her will likely create hatred in your mind and make your situation worse. If she has done wrong, she will suffer for it in the future. But your situation will not improve whether she suffers or not. She could be enjoying life now because of her past good Kamma, her own Payoga Sampatti and Upadi(good looks) Sampatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of the old man, one is born into a low caste because of the following reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where a woman or man is obstinate &amp;amp; arrogant. He/she&#xA;  does not pay homage to those who deserve homage, rise up for those for&#xA;  whom one should rise up, give a seat to those to whom one should give&#xA;  a seat, make way for those for whom one should make way, worship those&#xA;  who should be worshipped, respect those who should be respected,&#xA;  revere those who should be revered, or honor those who should be&#xA;  honored. Through having adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of&#xA;  deprivation... If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she&#xA;  is low-born wherever reborn. This is the way leading to a low birth:&#xA;  to be obstinate &amp;amp; arrogant, not to pay homage to those who deserve&#xA;  homage, nor rise up for... nor give a seat to... nor make way for...&#xA;  nor worship... nor respect... nor revere... nor honor those who should&#xA;  be honored. -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot;&gt;Cula Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T10:05:54.490" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T10:05:54.490" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T10:25:47.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your desire for this woman and for sex and pleasure, and your feeling cheated that these things were not fulfilled, this is where Karma is acting. Your disappointment in the way things are, feeling they ought to be someway else, leading to your sadness that they aren't the way you feel they ought to be, this is where Karma is acting. Any time you come to be at odd's with the way that reality is, creating these states of mind thinking or feeling that you'd like something else to be, or even that the way things are is good and you enjoy it, this leads to your suffering and this is where, as you say, Karma is acting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you want to understand this for yourself, meditate. I would suggest if you can, undertake a meditation retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*vipassana, insight meditation, that is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T11:55:46.340" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T11:55:46.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T10:29:40.897" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You assume your marriage ending and the man cleaning the toilets is bad karma, why? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it not possible that your marriage could have lasted for many years ending with your ex-wife killing you for some reason, so karma could have intervened...my point is, you don't know for certainty whether or not the karma was good or bad. But you do know how you are preceiving the situation because you are experiencing pain and suffering...but that doesn't mean your interpretation of the situation is correct or accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the old man cleaning the toilets, firstly, do you know karmically if the old man was to go a different path in life, that in fact each other path than the one he is currently on, each other path would lead to instant death? So, it is possible that his karma could be keeping him alive!! It's possible. But again, we have another person who is preceiving the situation as negative and in doing so, is causing himself the pain and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, you don't believe in karma, and yet, you are going through a really tough time in your life, and then, all of a sudden karma connects you with a man who has a life of cleaning toilets. From my point of view, it's possible that karma is showing you something very important, that is... life may seem bad for you now, but... you could always have been born into a life of cleaning toilets!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's your negative interpretation of the objects, people and events around you which are causing your own pain, it's you holding those thoughts in your head, which is leading to your pain and suffering, you, no one else!!Even though, it is definitely possible that karma could be trying to save you and the old man, and if you and the old man viewed it that way, i guarantee your pain and suffering would instantly disappear!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have helped! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T10:29:40.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T11:18:24.040" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma means &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt;. We act through body, speech and mind. What you are experiencing now is the results of past actions in this life and possibly previous lives. If you have aversion towards the feelings and mental formations you experience now then that is a new unwholesome karma that is being created by reacting to the results of the past karma. I have tried to draw a picture of it. See illustration. You might have to zoom in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What im trying to show in the picture is that the way you react to the situation now will condition future results. So if you react in an unwholesome way now it will lead to future suffering. An unwholesome way of reacting would be to identify with- and take ownership of the mental formations or feelings of anger, sadness, irritation. It would be unwholesome to dwell in them and thereby providing them further fuel to burn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you react in a wholesome way, e.g. to accept it, learn from it and move on you will create wholesome results for yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best way to  deal with this would be to do insight meditation and observe the feelings and mental formations that arise in the mind due to the situation you are finding yourself in. Insight meditation will give you insights into how these phenomena occur and exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/crR0g.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T08:42:47.623" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T08:42:47.623" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-05-31T13:47:57.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know about (and cannot talk about) kamma from any previous life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe though that people's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intentions and actions&lt;/a&gt; have consequences during this life, at least.&#xA;For example if one is greedy or angry then that causes suffering;&#xA;and if one can renounce greed and anger then that's conducive towards the ending of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that Hinduism (not to mention Buddhism) sees a link between Karma and caste. For example, this article &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma in Hinduism&lt;/a&gt; claims that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.7 distinguishes between good birth such as birth in a spiritual family, i.e., (brahmin caste) ... Thus, the doctrine of karma comes to explain ... even differences between members of the same species, such as humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has also been argued that Karma has a role in Hindu society as a whole. When one abides by their caste duty good Karma is earned and vice versa; and the Karma one collects is reflected in the next life as movement within the Caste system. The promise of upward mobility appealed to people, and was made plausible through Karma. This effectively &amp;quot;tamed&amp;quot; the lower castes into passive acceptance of the status quo. Thus, the Karma doctrine discouraged actual social mobility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think I have a supernatural ability to see past lives or to know how they affect this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead I see the four noble truths as being true for everyone, applicable to everyone, in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually I recommend this short article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt;. It suggests as an experiment, imagine a prisoner: is he free? Take him out of prison, give him a middle-class lifestyle: now is he free? Make him a great king: now is he free?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the point of Buddhism is to acquire freedom (e.g. freedom from suffering i.e. cessation of dukkha, and also freedom meaning autonomy) somewhat regardless of our circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt;, Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote, talking about the Dhamma's being &amp;quot;universal&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Buddha placed no restrictions on the people to whom he taught the Dhamma. He held that what made a person noble was his personal character and conduct, not his family and caste status. Thus he opened the doors of liberation to people of all social classes. Brahmans, kings and princes, merchants, farmers, workers, even outcasts — all were welcome to hear the Dhamma without discrimination, and many from the lower classes attained the highest stage of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the wider Indian society the Buddha did not attempt to abolish the caste system, which, it seems, had not yet developed into the complex, oppressive system it became several centuries later. However, he flatly rejected the orthodox brahman view that a person's class status was an indication of his intrinsic worth. Within the Sangha, the monastic order, he completely disregarded all distinctions of social class, declaring,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as the waters of the four great rivers flow into the ocean and become known simply as the water of the ocean, so when people of all four social classes go forth as monks in my teaching, they give up their social status and become known simply as disciples of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry that your marriage hasn't worked out in the way you hoped it would. Romantic relations are often like that, even notoriously like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry too for the man you talked about, who was crying. I was told a story yesterday evening, of an Englishman:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An old labourer 85 years old remembers his hard life in Suffolk. &amp;quot;There was nothing in my childhood, only work and no games. One day a year I went to Felixstowe with the people from my church ... that was my pleasure. But I'd forgotten one thing: the singing, there was always singing then ... in the churches, in the fields, in the trenches during the war. So wasn't telling you the truth: I did have pleasure, I had singing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T16:21:54.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9231" CreationDate="2015-05-31T14:41:55.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one practices insight meditation correctly then the practice will actually weaken the sense of Self. One will come to realize that the idea/sense of self is merely a mental formation belonging to the 4th aggregate. &#xA;By diligent and repeated practice one will come to see the 3 signs of existence, i.e. the mental formation is both impermanent, unsatisfactory and uncontrollable/ungovernable meaning it cannot be a Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Self could exist it would be something that one is in control of, something that is amenable to ones will. Through insight meditation we find that nothing in the conditioned realm is really like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a great quote by Mahasi Sayadaw. Unfortunately i cannot find where he said it so there is no reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;There is deeds, but no doer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is movement, but no mover.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is no unmoving mover behind the movement.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Punnadhammo told in an audio dhamma talk that when he became a monk and did extensive walking meditation he would sometimes get caught up in phenomena and identifying with them. So what he did was to put up a sign at the end of his walking path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sign said: &lt;em&gt;NOT ME, NOT MINE&lt;/em&gt;. He looked at that everytime he got caught up in phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/19282/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is an audio dhamma talk on &lt;em&gt;Anatta&lt;/em&gt; by Ajahn Punnadhammo&lt;/a&gt;. In here he talks about how the Buddha explained the 4 four ways in which we create a Self and the 3 levels of which we create a Self. The talk is highly recommendable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T15:05:31.067" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T15:05:31.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9330" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9336" CreationDate="2015-05-31T14:54:59.807" Score="4" ViewCount="1948" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm reading a little bit from the Tibetan Buddhist lama &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhardo_Rimpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhardo Rimpoche&lt;/a&gt; at the moment. He keeps referring to Tantrayana not Vajrayana when discussing Buddhist philosophy and practice. It's pretty obvious from context that this is the diamond vehicle i.e. Vajrayana. However I'm not clear whether the two terms are the same and interchangeable. Would Tantrayana refer to non Tibetan Vajrayana schools such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingon_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shingon&lt;/a&gt;? Is Tantrayana  a subset of Vajrayana or is it a term only used by certain schools? Do they have a different nuances of meaning or are they genuinely exactly the same?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T16:33:09.733" Title="Is Tantrayana the same as Vajrayana?" Tags="|terminology|tibetan-buddhism|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2015-05-31T17:33:02.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being respectfull on everyones answers and to the question, i think that this question in particular doesn't need any references from buddhism knowledge. The answer would be no simply, because enlightment is not an experience you could replicate or that, the brain it self experiences, as, lets say lucid dreams or abnormal perceptions. Enlightment is the fully transformation of the mind and the brain you could say too. Enlightment is a path, it means a life of dedication. Psychoactive drugs, are just a pleasure ride in comparison. Good question nevertheless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5162" LastEditorUserId="5162" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T17:56:41.757" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T17:56:41.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2015-05-31T18:10:33.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You gain an intense and unbroken continuety in meditative practice. That can be a deep and profound way to experience the dhamma through practical realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially in beginning of ones practice it is useful to get a &lt;em&gt;point of reference&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhism is big and wide and holds a tremendous amount of teachings. One can read book after book but without any reference-point to reality, i.e. &lt;strong&gt;experiental knowledge&lt;/strong&gt; gained through insight meditation, one can easily fall into the &quot;believe or not-believe&quot; category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing an intense retreat with a teacher one will achieve insights for oneself that will serve to make one develop the first path factor of the noble eightfold path which is &lt;em&gt;&quot;Samma Ditthi, Right View&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. That is like our steering-wheel on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one does not achieve any insights on the retreat one will at least get a good feeling of what buddhism and meditation really is. One will also have a teacher to interact with and thats a great thing since in beginning of practice there will be a lot of questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that one will learn a lot about oneself in such an intense retreat. One will learn about ones own limitations, sitting postures, habits, aversions, likes, wantings etc. When one spends so much time with oneself one is bound to experience the content of ones mind. That can be a profound experience, even just to get a glimpse of what really happens inside ones own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One begins to see that phenomena are causally connected, that phenomena can cause new phenomena to arise and that objects will not spawn if the supporting conditions are not there or if they fall away. In an intense retreat like the 10-day retreat one could also get to see the impermanent nature of phenomena on a deeper level than the day to day level. So there are definitely a lot of advantages of these retreats. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also disadvantages as with everything in life. Maybe one has bodily limitations that limit one from sitting for long hours in the same position. Maybe one is stressed out and cannot focuz the mind. The point is that even if there are &quot;bad&quot; things that will affect one on the retreat one will get to know these things and be able to work with them. That is powerful because how often do lay-people have the oppertunity to really work deep on themselves in everyday life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-05-31T18:18:32.347" LastActivityDate="2015-05-31T18:18:32.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9334" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9335" CreationDate="2015-05-31T19:27:58.563" Score="4" ViewCount="4996" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ive seen television programmes and videos of buddhist shaolin monks who perfom incredible techniques such as breaking iron bars with their heads, impaling themselves with spears, throwing needles through glasses windows etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was said that these monks create, harness and use Qi Energy which makes it possible for them to perform these techniques. I have two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is this Qi Energy? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is it a strong and profound level of concentration like the Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/o2w4o.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/o2w4om.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cOTtx.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cOTtxm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 2&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T13:02:13.547" LastActivityDate="2019-11-19T16:22:46.170" Title="How is Qi Energy used in Buddhist practice?" Tags="|qigong|shaolin|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9334" CreationDate="2015-05-31T23:07:53.630" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;How is chi used in Buddhist practice?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha ignored the fascination people had with all this and classified it as &quot;the five elements&quot; knowing that even the slightest attraction to these low physical phenomena would waste people's time and detract from the many more worthwhile goals. &lt;strong&gt;You don't have to know anything about chi in Buddhism because in Buddhism the method of true awareness is enough to dissolve all blockages and problems that might come up.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why so many uneducated Buddhist monks who didn't know anything about any of the other traditions still won the prize of Enlightenment! One of them was the patriarch of the Zen school, whom other jealous disciples tried to hunt down..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In those times, monks would be all too interested in those things, at the expense of understanding one's True Mind, which is beyond body and mind... If Buddha even mentioned the word chi, there would be a million and one distracting questions popping into people's head at those times--that would probably derail people's focus entirely... which is why Gautama supposedly returned as Padmasambhava and created the Tibetan school--much much later after the heart of Buddhism was established. (Tibetan school by the way is still aligned with Buddhism but has an integrated focus on the wisdom-energies.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, chi is related to different karmic habits that we have and once these energies are dissolved the personality characteristic is also transformed--and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism aims at a much higher target than physical perfection, beyond even physical immortality, and this is why it is possible in Buddhism to go beyond the body to transform the mind at its root, attaining things that are definitely Buddhist (&quot;non-common supermundane achievements&quot;) and other things that are beyond form but common to all spiritual schools (&quot;common supermundane achievements&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism aims at the highest possible level: transforming the 8th consciousness, the storehouse of karmas from our endless lives... becoming a radiant actualized Buddha helping all beings win Awakening, becoming free from cycles like birth-and-death and suffering. To Buddhism, these super-powers are nothing but wasting time developing tricks, totally distracted from our human and spiritual problem. That is, unless it is for skillful means (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya#Parable_of_the_burning_house&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the parable of the burning house&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that Buddhist warning aside, to answer your first question, there are many different types of chi, based on various organs. This falls within the realm of TCM and there are many uses to knowing such things, especially in diagnosing one's body. I would love to have an intuitive TCM doctor analyze my sitting posture--lots of constructive advice can be gained from that!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is chi in related to Buddhist practice and meditation? How can we make use of such learnings to motivate our Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Taoists have mapped out a timeline for what the excellent cultivators and Buddhists go through:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;jing &gt; chi &gt; shen &gt; emptiness &gt;&gt; Tao&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When one practices Buddhism 100% correctly (celibacy + samatha-powered vipassana), this process happens automatically all the way to &quot;seeing the Tao&quot;/bodhisattvahood.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to one's celibacy, one has stored up jing (semen) which after 3 months of jhana eventually starts to transform into chi. One will feel less hungry and can fast for a long time. One is qualified to do the things posted in the picture. Eventually after at least a year like this, one's chi will transform to shen. For several years this process will continue, one's sleep needs will drastically reduce. After even more refined letting go, one will be at the stage of &quot;emptiness&quot; free from dualities and one step away from turning around and &quot;seeing the Tao&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Taoists have fancier, more interesting names than this - I'm just summarizing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend the dense book &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot; for a complete understanding of this subject of energetics and &lt;em&gt;where your concern on energetics absolutely must stop&lt;/em&gt; in order to progress and not subconsciously focus on lower things and hold yourself back from awakening the formless, nondual prajna wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether one is a monastic or a layman, in this day and age there is a lot of confusing bioenergetics fascination so it is important to clear up this matter for yourself because even if I say &quot;&lt;strong&gt;just study Buddhism, and keep noting, all that fancy stuff is nothing they will lose it after they die&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;... you are still curious and vulnerable to false information--especially since you want to be able to do cool things like be free of sexual desire (when your jing is full), no longer need to ingest food (when chi is full), and no longer need to sleep (when shen is full)... at the best false information + fixation might lead to nonbeneficial/retarding practices and at the worst, a painful fiery death (I refer you to the Buddhist story of Hakuin).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd question: yes, it is a result of staying in that state. After achieving the 1st jhana on a mental level, one must reside in this state until the body completes transforming. After one's body and mind are in sync (this may take a few months if one achieved jhana/insight quickly), one's state will stabilize (and one can go to even higher states more easily)... and one can feel and train one's chi to do various tricks--beneficial and harmful. One can also ignore those lateral pathways and continue on the Buddhist journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/yoga-kung-fu/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for more nondenominational info and definitions.&#xA;Also read &quot;Master Huai-Chin Nan - Internal Martial Arts Nei-Gong&quot; to have &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; your chi-related questions answered, especially related to Buddhist practice.&#xA;The dense book I mentioned earlier has excellent &lt;em&gt;case studies&lt;/em&gt; as well on how chi manifested in different practitioners' lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T15:44:58.093" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T15:44:58.093" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9330" CreationDate="2015-06-01T12:54:37.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajrayāna&lt;/a&gt; (Sanskrit: वज्रयान, Bengali:&#xA;বজ্রযান)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Way or Thunderbolt Way. The Lama and the Guru yoga are central in this system.[1] Vajrayāna is a complex and multifaceted system of Buddhist thought and practice which evolved over several centuries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although known with different names they are slightly different according to their practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many ways in which Vajrayana can be divided or classified and one way is to differentiate according to schools&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..there is historical evidence for Vajrayana Buddhism in Southeast Asia and elsewhere (see History of Vajrayana above), today the Vajrayana exists primarily in the form of the two major sub-schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism in Japan known as Shingon, with a handful of minor subschools utilising lesser amounts of esoteric or tantric materials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan schools are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nelpalese Newar Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ari Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Azhali region&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Japanese schools are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shingon Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tendai Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shugendo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;History of Vajrayāna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayāna probably came into existence in the 6th or 7th century, while the term Vajrayāna itself first appeared in the 8th century. The Vajrayāna was preceded by the Mantrayāna, and then followed by the Sahajayāna (*8th century - long haired Sahaja(founder of Mahamudra)-siddhis) and Kalacakrayāna (*10th century - which includes messianism and astrology).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fourfold division in Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best-known classification, by the Gelug, Sakya, and Kagyu schools, the so-called Sarma or New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism, is to divide the Tantras into four hierarchical categories:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;-Kriyayoga, action tantra, which emphasizes ritual;&#xA;-Charyayoga, performance tantra, which emphasizes meditation;&#xA;-Yogatantra, yoga tantra;&#xA;-Anuttarayogatantra, highest yoga tantra, which is further divided into &amp;quot;mother&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;father&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;non-dual&amp;quot; tantras.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shingon and Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The primary difference between Shingon and Tibetan Buddhism is that there is no Inner Tantra or Anuttarayoga Tantra in Shingon. Shingon has what corresponds to the Kriyā, Caryā, and Yoga classes of tantras in Tibetan Buddhism. The Tibetan system of classifying tantras into four classes is not used in Shingon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anuttarayoga Tantras such as the Yamantaka Tantra, Hevajra Tantra, Mahamaya Tantra, Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, and the Kalachakra Tantra were developed at a later period of Esoteric Buddhism and are not used in Shingon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Tantrayana as far as I know is another name for Vajrayana which is different from Shingon and other Chinese Esoteric Buddhism. Tantrayana or Vajrayana is the latest 10th century tradition which includes the highest yoga tantra (Anuttarayogatantra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T13:00:11.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9337" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9339" CreationDate="2015-06-01T15:18:11.163" Score="7" ViewCount="371" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been thinking around this recently ... we are privileged as a generation to have access to so much information - contemplative methods, traditions, teachers, books etc. How does this inform our Dharma - finding and sticking to one method, tradition, lineage or ... studying and practicing many in a more eclectic way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T22:20:03.160" Title="What is the benefit of staying with one method, lineage or Dharma tradition?" Tags="|personal-practice|traditions|study|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9338" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9340" CreationDate="2015-06-01T15:23:22.860" Score="1" ViewCount="287" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would it be true to say that cultivation of a non-dualistic view is more important in Mahayana Buddhism than Hinayana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-12-15T15:55:36.473" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T16:08:07.420" Title="Mahayana and Non-dualism" Tags="|mahayana|nonduality|hinayana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9337" CreationDate="2015-06-01T15:27:12.807" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This leads to great breadth, but little depth. If you want to get to the depth of a practice, where the true wisdom is, you need to stick to a practice and see it through. As Goenka said, if you are looking for water, you dig a well. But you don't start digging a well, stop digging down after 2 feet, then start a new well. Over and over again like this, you will never find the water that you are looking for. You must dig down deep to the depth that the water table is at. So you may start one or two wells, but you don't stop digging until you've gone to sufficient depth to know there is no water there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T16:06:35.437" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T16:06:35.437" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9338" CreationDate="2015-06-01T15:53:14.073" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The two traditions are different in that Mahayana uses a transformation process, that is, we try to &quot;be&quot; a bodhisattva which means incorporating their virtues and their mind. So we try to have a non-dualistic view. We don't get it in the beginning so we continue to refine our views. Question what do we do with hate and craving in Mahayana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada (which is similar to, but, is not hinayana) tradition it is a development process which means we deal with greed, hate and delusion until we eventually automatically come to posses a non-dualistic view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people find transformation easier, rewarding and enjoyable, while others find development easier, rewarding and enjoyable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which do you prefer tea or coffee to quench your thirst?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;nb similary with Vajrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T15:53:14.073" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9337" CreationDate="2015-06-01T16:09:50.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree totally with what Ryan posted and would like to add that even though you have the energy and time to practice, you still have to have the wisdom to penetrate all the different teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible and I know of a few people who are really gifted with insight and wisdom who could do one practice, move over to another to continue and moved to the yet another to further their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Few are those who thoroughly understood all the three traditions and just see it as different tools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To use the the Goenka analogy we dig the same hole but use different tools according to what we encounter on the way. Using the best tools that can do the job most effectively, and they progressed very fast. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very few indeed are those who posses those abilities and what's more they can teach their students who possess different tendencies and abilities different techniques according to type.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Needless to say the Buddha is one of the foremost, a teacher of men and gods!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T16:09:50.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9268" CreationDate="2015-06-01T18:29:58.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the perspective of authenticity, Pali tipitaka is the most reliable source. Most Mahayana sutras did not come into being until at least 700 years after Buddha's passing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5222" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T18:29:58.443" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9334" CreationDate="2015-06-01T18:55:58.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people will tell you that so-called Qi doesn't exist: that it has never been observed scientifically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;superhuman&quot; performances you saw or heard about came from Chinese street performers' gimmicks in the old days. For example, A bulky guy would have a heavy slate laid on his belly and let people smash it with a hammer. Then he would stand up and start selling elixirs to the audience that were supposed to give you super human strength. It's just tricks plus physical conditioning. Not sure why the monks picked up and carried on this &quot;glorious&quot; tradition. I guess it's because that real martial arts the monks used to practice were for killing or maiming your opponents. That's why they practiced weapon-based martial arts styles such as sticks and spears. However, the dawn of of the age of gunpowder-propelled weapons rendered their martial arts obsolete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5222" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T19:01:12.440" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T19:01:12.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9346" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-01T21:57:01.483" Score="6" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never been clear on the exact nature of rupa. Is rupa the experience of the physical, is rupa not experiential but instead it's what is in 3D space and is there whether or not it's being experienced(like how most people view material reality before practicing Dhamma) or can rupa be both  experiential and not experiential(conceptual?) at the same time? We are supposed to see reality through our individual experience but it seems to me that rupa might not be an &quot;experiential reality kind of teaching&quot;. Is rupa only about  when we are experiencing &quot;hardness&quot;,&quot;coldness&quot;,&quot;wetness&quot; when we touch an ice cube or is rupa the &quot;formation&quot; of the ice cube or could Rupa just be the concept of the ice cube?  How I interpreted the teachings on rupa told me rupa might be  conceptual at times and ultimate at other times but really I don't know. -Thank You :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T19:11:03.690" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T17:44:17.033" Title="Is Rupa an Experience?" Tags="|rupa|experiential|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9337" CreationDate="2015-06-01T22:12:51.110" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught a handful of leaves but the amount of things he could have taught was like the amount of leaves in an entire forest . He didn't teach all these things he could have taught because none but the handful of leaves he picked could lead one to the transcendence of suffering. It's not about grabbing hold of a whole lotta teachings, It's about letting go of a whole lotta everything. Metta :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-01T22:20:03.160" LastActivityDate="2015-06-01T22:20:03.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9346" CreationDate="2015-06-01T22:19:58.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rupa&lt;/em&gt; is also known as the 1st aggregate - the aggregate of material form. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/material.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here are some notes on it by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...This includes all the material factors of existence, every type of material phenomena. The most important of these is the body, the physical organism through which one experiences the world. The Buddha analyses the aggregate of material form into two basic substances...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2396&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;audio dhamma talk by him on &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Five Aggregates&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda, p. 111:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mind and Matter (Nama-Rupa)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ACCORDING to Buddhism, life is a combination of mind (nama) and matter (rupa). Mind consists of the combination of sensations, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness. Matter consists of the combination of the four elements of solidity, fluidity, motion and heat.&#xA;  Life is the co-existence of mind and matter. Decay is the lack of co-ordination of mind and matter. Death is the separation of mind and matter. Rebirth is the recombination of mind and matter. After the passing away of the physical body (matter), the mental forces (mind) recombine and assume a new combination in a different material form and condition another existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The relation of mind to matter is like the relation of a battery to an engine of a motor car. The battery helps to start the engine. The engine helps to charge the battery. The combination helps to run the motor car. In the same manner, matter helps the mind to function and the mind helps to set matter in motion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that life is not the property of matter alone, and that the life-process continues or flows as a result of cause and effect. The mental and material elements that compose sentient beings from amoeba to elephant and also to man, existed previously in other forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although some people hold the view that life originates in matter alone, the greatest scientists have accepted that mind precedes matter in order for life to originate. In Buddhism, this concept is called ‘relinking consciousness’.&#xA;  Each of us, in the ultimate sense, is mind and matter, a compound of mental and material phenomena, and nothing more. Apart from these realities that go to form the nama-rupa compound, there is no self, or soul. The mind part of the compound is what experiences an object. The matter part does not experience anything. When the body is injured, it is not the body that feels the pain, but the mental side. When we are hungry it is not the stomach that feels the hunger but the mind. However, mind cannot eat the food to ease the hunger. The mind and its factors, make the body digest the food. Thus neither the nama nor the rupa has any efficient power of its own. One is dependent on the other; one supports the other. Both mind and matter arise because of conditions and perish immediately, and this is happening every moment of our lives. By studying and experiencing these realities we will get insight into: (1) what we truly are; (2) what we find around us; (3) how and why we react to what is within and around us; and (4) what we should aspire to reach as a spiritual goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To gain insight into the nature of the psycho-physical life is to realise that life is an illusion, a mirage or a bubble, a mere process of becoming and dissolving, or arising and passing away. Whatever exists, arises from causes and conditions. When the causes and conditions cease to be, the thing will cease to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T15:02:20.260" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T15:02:20.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-06-02T00:27:21.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your actions have results don't they? Karma is your actions and your actions always have results even if you aren't aware of the results. We are reborn because we want to exist. If we stop wanting to exist and let go of everything then we attain Nibbana. If one practices &quot;seeing things as they are&quot; (Vipassana or Mindfulness) as well as concentration and virtue, then one will slowly start to notice one's experiences repeating over and over again. It can really seem to get ridiculous all the things that happen again and again during meditation. We begin to see that experiential phenomena are dying and becoming reborn over and over again very quickly. We must meditate to truly understand rebirth. We can't read our way to this understanding. We must have a little faith that the more we are mindful, the more we understand rebirth as the Buddha taught. Metta: )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T00:27:21.090" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-02T00:27:21.090" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9302" CreationDate="2015-06-02T00:52:17.580" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My opinion is that, being a transgender is not an unnatural phenomenon, since being a hermaphrodite by birth is a natural occurence, because it is an inherited mutation. So there is no question about that. But the question is, do we classify men who have decided by themselves that they are women, or whether we classify women who consider themselves men - purely on the basis if a cosmetical gender changing surgery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, the brain does have a gender. This is because the brain is a physical object, and humans are quite skilled at comparing physical objects. It is quite like comparing an orange and and apple and calling each by their own man-given name. A woman's brain has distinct differences from a male brain, since sensory centres relating to empathy, kindness, attachment are more well defined than in a man. A man's motor centres are more well defined in a woman. So we can see size differences in certain regions in the man's brain and woman's brain when comparing them physically (externally). But what if I ask you, what would you see when comparing a female bodybuilder's brain with that of a non-bodybuilder female's brain? Yes. The bodybuilder's motor centres are indeed more well defined than her non-bodybuilder counterpart. So, physical comparisons are quite lacking in truth. So we need to consider avout the mind's nature as well. A person's gender as well as their characters and personality depend on many factors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is stated that prince Siddhartha made five great considerations (Pas Maha Belum) before being born on earth. Those are time, continent, country, clan and mother. In addition, a person's aforementioned features depends on their Niyama Dharmas as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there are five orders or processes (niyama) which operate in the physical and mental realms.They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Utu Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - physical inorganic order, e.g. seasonal phenomena of winds and rains. The unerring order of seasons, characteristic seasonal changes and events, causes of winds and rains, nature of heat, etc., all belong to this group.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;2.Bija Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order of germs and seeds (physical organic order), e.g. rice produced from rice-seed, sugary taste from sugar-cane or honey, peculiar characteristics of certain fruits, etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;3.Karma Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level so does Karma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result, not in the form of a reward or punishment but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;4.Dhamma Niyama&lt;/strong&gt;- order of the norm, e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Bodhisattva in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature. The natural reason for being good and so forth, may be included in this group.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;5.Citta Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order or mind or psychic law, e.g., processes of consciousness, arising and perishing of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind, etc., including telepathy, telaesthesia, retro-cognition, premonition, clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought-reading and such other psychic phenomena which are inexplicable to modern science.&#xA;  Every mental or physical phenomenon could be explained by these all-embracing five orders or processes which are laws in themselves. Karma as such is only one of these five orders. Like all other natural laws they demand no lawgiver. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Quotes from here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, a person's gender has all these predeterminant factors as well. The issue is, gender - like race, religeon and caste, are just human classifications, just like an orange is different from an apple. What is more important is not the physical differences between individual objects/beings, but rather what lies within- their conscience and the karma they commit right here right now, which decides where they progress in this cosmic existence. So my opinion is that being a judge of what should be and what is ought to be, is not what Lord Buddha taught us to do. He taught us on repeated occasions to be compassionate, kind, gentle, wise and understanding. See beyond the barriers and see the being within the external covers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Purity or impurity depends on oneself,&#xA;  No one can purify another.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;True love is born from understanding.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Gautama Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By working together, we come to realize that no barriers to religion, race or gender exist.&quot;&#xA;  -Venerable Wuling, Path to Peace &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.lk/urlhttps://www.google.lk/url?sa=t&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;ei=Qv9sVZCnHMTEmwWCxYLYBQ&amp;amp;url=http://philrel.ysu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/A-Discussion-Towards-Transgenderism-within-Buddhism-D.-Hall.docx&amp;amp;ved=0CDcQFjAG&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNG--28ow3d3XABREjOUQcHnCwgAPQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist view of transgenderism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EXTRA READING:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.lk/urlhttps://www.google.lk/url?sa=t&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;ei=Qv9sVZCnHMTEmwWCxYLYBQ&amp;amp;url=http://philrel.ysu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/A-Discussion-Towards-Transgenderism-within-Buddhism-D.-Hall.docx&amp;amp;ved=0CDcQFjAG&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNG--28ow3d3XABREjOUQcHnCwgAPQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist view of transgenderism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="5143" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T01:51:00.737" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T01:51:00.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9346" CreationDate="2015-06-02T08:05:22.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well when you knock yourself against something hard? Do you feel the hardness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you drop something from you hand because it is too hot or too cold to hold, do you feel the heat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rupa&lt;/a&gt; is made up of the 4 great elements (mahabhuta) of pathavi(earth element -hardness), apo (water element - cohesiveness),  tejo(heat) and vayo (air element - motion). What you have sensed above would be the characteristic of one of the 4 elements of rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eye-object and the other sense-objects - which are derived matter -can only be sensed by their sense organ's sensitivity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of the secondary derived matter can only be sensed by the mind. Below are more details of rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are secondary derived matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Abhidhamma Pitaka and later Pali literature, rūpa is further analyzed in terms of ten or twenty-three or twenty-four types of secondary or derived (upādā) matter. In the list of ten types of secondary matter, the following are identified:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;eye&#xA;ear&#xA;nose&#xA;tongue&#xA;body[5]&#xA;form&#xA;sound&#xA;odour&#xA;taste&#xA;touch[6]&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If twenty-four secondary types are enumerated, then the following fifteen are added to the first nine of the above ten:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;femininity&#xA;masculinity or virility&#xA;life or vitality&#xA;heart or heart-basis&#xA;physical indications (movements that indicate intentions)&#xA;vocal indications&#xA;space element&#xA;physical lightness or buoyancy&#xA;physical yieldingness or plasticity&#xA;physical handiness or wieldiness&#xA;physical grouping or integration&#xA;physical extension or maintenance&#xA;physical aging or decay&#xA;physical impermanence&#xA;food&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though there are 28 paramattha rupas, they do not arise in isolation. At least some arise together. And they vanish together. They have to arise on mahabhuta rupas and they co exist in a form called rupa kalapa. There are 21 rupa kalapas. 9 kalapas are kammaja rupa kalapas, 6 are cittaja, 4 are utuja and 2 are aharaja rupa kalapas...etc &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All other rupas that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa or subtle materials are all sensed by mind only; that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa can never be sensed by any of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/d/doc1828.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rupa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahabhuta rupas are four great elements. They are pathavi or solidity, tejo or temperature, apo or liquidity, and vayo or movement or resistence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pathavi is earth element. It is the nature that is firmness or hardness or softness which depends on density and organisation between and among atoms, molecules, compounds, and complexes of materials from science sense. Its nature can be sensed through kaya pasada rupa that exist in the body and pathavi will be perceived as hardness softness of materials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tejo is the nature that can be known by sensing through the body as warmness or coldness or anything like that which serves as temperature. While temperature is a word, the true nature of tejo can clearly be sensed by the body. Any matter in conventional sense has a temperature and this can be sensed by the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apo is the nature that unites the materials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;It is cohesion.&#xA;It is flowability,&#xA;it is spreadability,&#xA;it is stickiness,&#xA;it is driness wetness state of materials in conventional sense.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the true nature of apo cannot be sensed through the body. It can only be sensed through mind sense door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vayo is the nature that pushes or pulls materials together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;It is compressibility repressibility.&#xA;It is supportiveness through pressure.&#xA;It is movement.&#xA;It is motion.&#xA;It is resilience.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The true nature of vayo can be sensed through the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T08:14:51.147" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T08:14:51.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9352" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9356" CreationDate="2015-06-02T09:52:10.980" Score="6" ViewCount="619" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Practice : Ven.Mahasi Sayadaw&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mostly practice &quot;daily life&quot; meditation and I found this specific question very important ( I have got some illnesses due to this too)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I get intention to eat when I see &quot;sweets&quot; even I'm not hungry . Also eat more if it is a food I really &quot;like&quot; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I use mental notes &quot;Craving  , Craving &quot; and &quot;liking , liking &quot; respectively .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it passes away . But mostly it moves to &quot; intending , intending &quot; and then &quot;eating&quot; steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppressing&quot; works temporally but I know this is not the purpose of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I always try my best to follow below instructions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; - When you look at the food, looking, seeing.&#xA;&#xA; - When you arrange the food, arranging.&#xA;&#xA; - When you bring the food to the mouth, bringing.&#xA;&#xA; - When you bend the neck forwards, bending.&#xA;&#xA; - When the food touches the mouth, touching.&#xA;&#xA; - When placing the food in the mouth, placing.&#xA;&#xA; - When the mouth closes, closing.&#xA;&#xA; - When withdrawing the hand, withdrawing.&#xA;&#xA; - Should the hand touch the plate, touching.&#xA;&#xA; - When straightening the neck, straightening.&#xA;&#xA; - When in the act of chewing, chewing.&#xA;&#xA; **- When you are aware of the taste, knowing.**&#xA;&#xA; - When swallowing the food, swallowing.&#xA;&#xA; - While swallowing the food, should the food be felt touching the sides    of the gullet, touching.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And I found &quot;- When you are aware of the taste, knowing&quot; is extremely momentary compare to other steps (relatively longer when having a beverage like coffee or soft drink) . Sometimes I miss that step completely .&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How should I handle &quot;intention&quot;(cetanaha) of eating without &quot;suppressing&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T10:04:03.267" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T22:00:00.667" Title="Noting craving for food : Ven. Mahasi Saydaw tradition" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|modern-world|food|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2155" CreationDate="2015-06-02T10:01:38.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Dvedhavitakka Sutta it is said that thinking tires the body. So I believe that meditation helps the body be more energetic by taking away some of the tiring thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, &amp;amp; resolute, thinking imbued with renunciation arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with renunciation has arisen in me; and that leads neither to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. It fosters discernment, promotes lack of vexation, &amp;amp; leads to Unbinding. If I were to think &amp;amp; ponder in line with that even for a night... even for a day... even for a day &amp;amp; night, I do not envision any danger that would come from it, &lt;strong&gt;except that thinking &amp;amp; pondering a long time would tire the body. When the body is tired, the mind is disturbed; and a disturbed mind is far from concentration.' So I steadied my mind right within, settled, unified, &amp;amp; concentrated it. Why is that? So that my mind would not be disturbed.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T10:19:07.017" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T10:19:07.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9352" CreationDate="2015-06-02T11:19:43.387" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not Mahasi noting, but the core of the Buddha's teaching: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/BBodhiDependent.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;(D0) and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on contact feeling arises, depending on feeling craving arises, depending on craving, clinging arises, depending on clinging becoming (this is when intention arises and action(kamma) begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first point is contact, don't go near food when it is not meal time!&#xA;For your mindfulness is not strong enough yet!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When feeling, craving arises you still have the choice of breaking away from contact with the food (move physically or mentally away)for clinging to arise. All this comes from the very basic practice which the Buddha taught &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Guarding_the_Senses.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;guarding the senses or sense door&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have strong attachment for food there is a practice recommended by the Buddha contemplation of the foulness of food, that the end product of eaten food is faeces. See food as also only the four great elements..and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;other insight practices&lt;/a&gt; to actually deal with the craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T14:28:53.910" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T14:28:53.910" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2015-06-02T11:19:57.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to bring forth the views of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, regarding Kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those of you who do not know him, here is a wiki article about him..&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the link regarding Rebirth and Kamma from his book 'Buddha and His Dhamma'&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/04_02.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/04_02.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full book can be accessed here&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/sectionmap.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_buddha/sectionmap.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T11:19:57.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9352" CreationDate="2015-06-02T12:48:02.850" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This doesn't quite answer the question, but because you said &quot;I have got some illnesses due to this too&quot; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find I'm bad with sweets. After I eat a sweet biscuit, I want another! After I eat a slice of bread, I want another!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently some people get addicted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consider alcohol, for example: many people are able to drink a glass or two regularly; some people aren't able to drink one glass, they want to drink the whole bottle, they want to drink several bottles, they don't want to stop. For people who are unable to moderate their drinking it's better to not drink at all.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or cigarettes: I heard of someone who used to have one cigarette per day. She was, perhaps not an addict? But for many people who smoke, once they start they can't stop.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, sweets and bread, a month or two ago I stopped eating them altogether: which is better for me. If I don't think of those foods (sugar and wheat) as &quot;mine&quot; any more if see them, then I don't start to eat them and then it's not difficult to stop (because I already successfully stopped a few months ago). Like looking at meat, I don't find it attractive: the thought doesn't occur, &quot;suppose I were to put that in my mouth and taste that ...&quot;, I lack any intention so there's never contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also easier to break contact if it's not around. If I stop buying meat, buying cigarettes, buying alcohol, buying bread, having biscuits in the cupboard and soft-drinks in the fridge, then it becomes easier not have them and to then be unable to stop having them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth when I quit eating meat (a long time ago) I found I'd still get hungry, so I learned to eat other things instead. If your intention when you eat is satiety and nutrition (which I think is canonical: wanting to remove the feeling of hunger but without causing a subsequent feeling such as feeling over-full) it's better to choose things other than sugar: e.g. vegetables, fibre, protein, fat, water, and traces of minerals and vitamins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains 'eating to destroy old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]',&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk, considering it thoughtfully, takes food — not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification — but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, [thinking,] 'Thus will I destroy old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]. I will maintain myself, be blameless, &amp;amp; live in comfort.' Then he eventually abandons food, having relied on food. 'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose there's one other thing I should say, about breaking the chain or changing the connection between &quot;liking&quot; and &quot;intending&quot;: which is that maybe not everything you 'like' is good for you; and that craving is known to be a cause of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you have experience of the consequences of &quot;eating when I see sweets even I'm not hungry&quot;. Perhaps you see disadvantage or dissatisfaction in that (health problems for example). So maybe when the thought occurs, &quot;I see a sweet: suppose I were to eat it...&quot; then maybe you ought to have some 'second thoughts' about it: like, &quot;... that would not be satisfying, I could eat it and then I would still want another&quot;; or, &quot;... I would feel remorse&quot;; or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-02T22:00:00.667" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T22:00:00.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9346" CreationDate="2015-06-02T14:57:39.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if this answer is ignorant but I think you're asking whether form has an existence independent of one's experience of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like asking, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_tree_falls_in_a_forest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that non-self (by which, I don't mean &quot;they're not me&quot;, I mean &quot;they are not themselves&quot;) implies that a form doesn't have any independent existence as that form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rupa means 'appearance'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I guess that that &lt;strong&gt;appearance&lt;/strong&gt; is experienced (by senses and/or mind)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I guess it seems to me unlikely that &lt;strong&gt;experienced-appearance&lt;/strong&gt; has (independent) existence (outside experience) (because if I describe what I see then without me there's no description).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether the &lt;strong&gt;thing-described&lt;/strong&gt; (whose appearance I experience) has some (independent) existence also seems to me unlikely (I suppose that would be some projection/fabrication on my part, similar to the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#No_essence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;chariot&lt;/a&gt;&quot; being a reification)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure of the above: hopefully someone will explain what's wrong about it if it is wrong or what else it's missing (or if it doesn't answer the question you were asking).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-02T14:57:39.953" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9358" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9404" CreationDate="2015-06-02T23:28:46.203" Score="7" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any references in the Pali canon to the experience of death and what one can expect? I looked for a similar question and couldn't find one, so apologies if this is redundant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-06T09:12:35.657" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T09:12:35.657" Title="Are there any references in the Pali canon to the experience of death?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9359" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9373" CreationDate="2015-06-03T05:12:32.680" Score="7" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there exceptions that pleasant feeling is not followed by craving, and unpleasant feeling not followed by aversion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand cases where when one is mindful, feeling does not lead to craving. Feeling just arises and ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way of phrasing the question is: apart from absence of craving/aversion or arising of craving/aversion, does pleasant and unpleasant feeling lead to something else, or it does not lead to something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-03T10:26:18.883" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T21:49:14.990" Title="According to Dependent Origination ..dependent on feeling, craving arises, are there exceptions?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9360" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9363" CreationDate="2015-06-03T06:29:43.290" Score="14" ViewCount="885" Body="&lt;p&gt;Am I correct in asserting that an increasing level of insight into the true nature of things leads to compassion. Or to put it another way insight is a condition for compassion. From my reading it seems that that is true and the more one practices the more one experiences compassion for other beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that is true, how does that occur? It has never been obvious to me how insight and compassion are connected. Or am I wrong and they are not connected at all and they are different aspects to the Buddhist path that are developed separately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T05:51:23.683" Title="Why does insight lead to to compassion?" Tags="|compassion|insight|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-03T07:13:53.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't compassion just a byproduct of the selflessness or egolessness that is a byproduct of a lot of insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T07:13:53.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-03T08:17:39.990" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one gains insight into how reality functions, i.e. the 3 signs of existence and one experiences how mental and physical phenomena are unsatisfactory and suffering then one gains a great deal of compassion for other beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One realizes that all other beings in conditioned existence is &quot;suffering&quot; from the same illness and that the Buddhas medicine can be applied for everyone to gain emancipation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one experiences that reality is oppressive and concealed Dukkha and one sees other beings who has not gotten these insights, then great and deep compassion arises because one understands that everyone is in the same boat. Especially when seeing other beings trying to achieve happiness by clinging to phenomena that will slip away and become dukkha a profound level of compassion arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T08:17:39.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5445" CreationDate="2015-06-03T08:19:46.600" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada pali cannon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devadaha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; , the Buddha refutes the theories of the Jains — here called the Niganthas — and heaps ridicule on the idea of trying to burn kamma by asceticism. First he notes that none of the Niganthas have ever come to the end of pain by trying to burn it away in this way;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Going to Niganthas who teach in this way, I have asked them, 'Is it true, friend Niganthas, that you teach in this way, that you have this view: &amp;quot;Whatever a person experiences — pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain — all is caused by what was done in the past. Thus, with the destruction of old actions through asceticism, and with the non-doing of new actions, there will be no flow into the future. With no flow into the future, there is the ending of action. With the ending of action, the ending of stress. With the ending of stress, the ending of feeling. With the ending of feeling, all suffering &amp;amp; stress will be exhausted&amp;quot;?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Having been asked this by me, the Niganthas admitted it, 'Yes.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So I said to them, 'But friends, do you know that you existed in the past, and that you did not not exist?' (*basically, have you seen your own past lives?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'And do you know that you did evil actions in the past, and that you did not not do them?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'And do you know that you did such-and-such evil actions in the past?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'And do you know that so-and-so much stress has been exhausted, or that so-and-so much stress remains to be exhausted, or that with the exhaustion of so-and-so much stress all stress will be exhausted?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'But do you know what is the abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&amp;amp;-now?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'So, friends, it seems that you don't know that you existed in the past, and that you did not not exist... you don't know what is the abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&amp;amp;-now. That being the case, it is not proper for you to assert that, &amp;quot;Whatever a person experiences — pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain — all is caused by what was done in the past. Thus, with the destruction of old actions through asceticism, and with the non-doing of new actions, there will be no flow into the future. With no flow into the future, there is the ending of action. With the ending of action, the ending of stress. With the ending of stress, the ending of feeling. With the ending of feeling, all suffering &amp;amp; stress will be exhausted.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T08:19:46.600" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9358" CreationDate="2015-06-03T08:27:39.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not know of any references to the Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But i can point you to a great video dhamma talk by Ven. Yuttadhammo. Its called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqeXuC2sI5U&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Preparing for Death&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. I think this video will give you some knowledge about death from a buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here Ven. Yuttadhammo talks about the concept of death and how to prepare for it. I will not say much more about it since its much better explained in the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-03T08:37:34.053" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T08:37:34.053" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-03T10:22:29.927" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Through the practice of insight hate is reduced, craving is reduced and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=4_Brahma_Viharas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Brahma Viharas&lt;/a&gt; develops as a result of those reduction, i.e Metta(loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (joy in the joy of others) and Upekkha ( Equnamity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the far enemies of the 4 Brahma Viharas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta - ill-will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karuna - cruelty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mudita - Envy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upekkha - Craving/Aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And through the insight practice of reducing hate and craving, ill-will is reduced, good-will increases; cruelty is reduced, harmlessness increases, envy is reduced, sympathetic joy increases, craving/aversion is reduced equanimity increases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Compassion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Compassion&lt;/a&gt; was more highly praised by the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;because it is the root of so many other virtues. The Jàtakamàlà says, ‘Compassion gives birth to all the other virtues just as cooling rain makes the crops grow. When a person is compassionate he has no desire to harm his neighbour, his body, speech and mind are purified, concern for one’s neighbour’s welfare increases and states like kindness, patience, happiness and good reputation grow. Being calm, the compassionate person does not arouse fear in the minds’ of others, he is trusted like a kinsman, he is not agitated by the passions, and quenched by the waters of compassion, the fire of hatred does not blaze in his heart…Remembering this strive to develop compassion towards others, as if they were yourself or your offspring.’ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T18:25:36.490" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T18:25:36.490" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-03T11:53:09.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination, just like the Four Noble Truths help to explain causality, cause and effect, karmic law. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/funbud12.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/funbud12.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let us take a few examples that establish the nature of dependent origination. Let us take first an example used by the Buddha Himself. The Buddha has said the flame in an oil lamp burns dependent upon the oil and the wick. When the oil and the wick are present, the flame in an oil lamp burns. If either of these is absent, the flame will cease to burn. This example illustrates the principle of dependent origination with respect to a flame in an oil lamp. Let us take the example of the sprout. Dependent upon the seed, earth, water, air and sunlight the sprout arises. There are in fact innumerable examples of dependent origination because there is no existing phenomenon that is not the effect of dependent origination. All these phenomena arise dependent upon a number of causal factors. Very simply, this is the principle of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, you can't have an emotion, feeling or thought without there being certain factors to create the phenomena- dependent origination. So, if you seek wholesomeness, then we need to practice wholesomeness because we know the relationship of cause and effect!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure if this is exactly what you wanted.&#xA;I hope it has been of some help.&#xA;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2015-06-03T11:58:45.407" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T11:58:45.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-03T12:34:17.870" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paticca Samuppada doesn't even include aversion. But that doesn't mean Vedana(feeling) doesn't lead to aversion. Just that in Paticca Samuppada we are focusing on what keeps us bound to Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you talk about it in general, Vedana can lead to ignorance, craving and aversion. If the feeling is pleasant, craving is prominent. If the feeling is unpleasant, aversion is prominent. If the feeling is neutral, ignorance is prominent. Ignorance is present in all 3 instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-03T18:05:03.057" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T18:05:03.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9369" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9371" CreationDate="2015-06-03T12:53:00.453" Score="4" ViewCount="242" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4059/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; yuttadhammo wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you want an &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; answer, you have to speak in &lt;em&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; terms. &quot;Wishing for pain to go away&quot; is a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; statement. It involves a wisher, and describes a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it might mean 'thread' ... or possibly 'sleep' ... or a type of description of reality that's found in the suttas, as opposed to the description of reality found in the Abhidhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you answer please assume that I have looked at the abhidhamma but never read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T13:43:45.043" Title="What is a &quot;sutta statement&quot; or &quot;sutta action&quot;?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-03T12:58:40.707" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;1 When our ignorance is removed, our suffering ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 When our suffering ends, the true nature of things is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3 When the true nature of things is known, the true nature of beings is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 When the true nature of beings is known, the cause of suffering in beings is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5 When the cause of suffering in beings is known, the strive of beings to end suffering is clearly seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6 When the strive of beings to end suffering is clearly seen, our compassion for all beings arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T12:58:40.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9369" CreationDate="2015-06-03T13:43:45.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka deals with conventional reality, i.e. concepts such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;a man, woman, person, a wisher&quot;&lt;/em&gt; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma Pitaka deals with ultimate reality, i.e. Citta, Cetasika, Rupa, Nibbana. These are &lt;em&gt;&quot;abhidhamma terms&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot;&gt;Here is a quote on Abhidhamma by Ven. K. Sri. Dhammanda, p. 107-108:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Abhidharma deals with realities existing in the ultimate sense, or paramattha dhamma in Pali. There are four such realities:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Citta, mind or consciousness, defined as ‘that which knows or experiences’ an object. Citta occurs as distinct momentary states of consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Cetasika, the mental factors that arise and occur along with the citta.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Rupa, physical phenomenon or material form.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Nirvana, the unconditioned state of bliss which is the final&#xA;  goal.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Citta, the cetasika, and rupa are conditioned realities. They arise because of conditions, and will disappear when the conditions sustaining them cease to continue to do so. They are impermanent states. Nirvana, on the other hand, is an unconditioned reality. It does not arise and, therefore, does not fall away. These four realities can be experienced regardless of the names we may choose to give them. Other than these realities, everything—be they within ourselves or without, whether in the past, present or future, whether coarse or subtle, low or lofty, far or near—is a concept and not the ultimate reality.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T13:43:45.043" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-03T13:57:18.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When ignorance is present, dependent on feeling, craving/aversion arises, pleasant/unpleasant feeling always leads to craving/aversion, without exceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ignorance is not present, dependent on feeling, craving/aversion does not arise, pleasant/unpleasant feeling does not lead to craving/aversion, pleasant/unpleasant feeling leads to feeling, without exceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving/aversion arises from feeling. Feeling arises from our 6 senses. 6 senses arise from our body. Our body arises from our birth. Our birth arises from our ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we end our ignorance in this body, the chain of dependent origination is broken. Craving/aversion ceases, but the rest remains until our body dies. When our body dies, no birth will follow because craving/aversion ceased. Without birth, no body will arise, no 6 senses will arise and no feeling will arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What will arise? Our true nature will arise. What is our true nature? Eternal bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-06-03T14:32:26.013" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T14:32:26.013" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-03T15:08:15.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A pleasant feeling might be followed by a smile -- the Buddha smiled sometimes. An unpleasant feeling might be followed by disenchantment -- e.g. meditation on dead corpses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A feeling alone is not a cause. It's a condition. So it's not that there are exceptions. It seems to me that grasping &lt;code&gt;feeling -&amp;gt; craving&lt;/code&gt; as a deterministic chain, upon matching with reality, it begs for exceptions.  And these are probably uncountable, and thus, possibly unrelated to what &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; is conveying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T15:08:15.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-03T21:59:03.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;insight&quot; typically is a short-hand way of saying &quot;insight into the true nature of Reality&quot; or &quot;insight into the true nature of our situation&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if insight (by meditating on selflessness, for example) leads one to see definitively, directly, and intuitively that there is no separate self, then the aims of the many and the aims of the nominal &quot;individual&quot; are seen as overlapping to say the least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what's the real condition?&#xA;In a sentence, all sentient beings want happiness / freedom from suffering.  They don't wish to suffer, they wish to be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight can lead to an experiential understanding of this, which is where insight into selflessness of all dharmas yields its fruit so-to-speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Selflessness can be demonstrated by various shapes of reasoning.  The computer monitor you see is not really &quot;a computer monitor&quot; because it's made of many separate parts.  Each part is itself not a computer monitor, you have the shell, the screen, the stand, the cable.  The shell is not a monitor, the stand is not a monitor, etc.  So where is the monitor?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, we can apply this clear and logical reasoning to a separate, independent, lasting self and see that truly no phenomenon has self-ity.  Some might jump to the conclusion and say &quot;well then everything is one!&quot; but that is also excess talk.  One is a word that comes up in dependence on the concept of Many and, therefore as dependent upon each other, neither one exists nor not-exists in the middle free of extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The logical part must always be supported by and footed in the understanding that we don't want to suffer.  From the largest man to the smallest insect, from the whales to the birds, all beings are day-and-night avoiding pain (or perceived pain) and working toward happiness (or the skewed cultural reinforcement of what happiness should look like).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight into the situation gives us compassion, which is a fundamental aspect of clarity.  Much like a person watching the inner workings of a clock, when we see the cyclic functioning of samsara, we feel for the beings who are trapped in unwholesome cycles.  Furthermore, the only separation between us and other beings is really just our karmic histories/trajectories.  Had we accomplished the same deeds and thoughts as other beings we would be on their exact paths, and thus knowing that we could just as easily be in switched places with others is another key element in understanding selflessness, which in turn gives the incipient awareness of true compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion (yearning for and acting for the end of all beings' sufferings) and Wisdom (that realizes emptiness) are what makes a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-06-03T21:59:03.933" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-03T21:59:03.933" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9375" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9387" CreationDate="2015-06-04T00:44:58.593" Score="9" ViewCount="4936" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is samsara nirvana? I have heard this mentioned in a couple books recently, but they never go into much detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5227" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T12:51:55.850" LastActivityDate="2018-05-03T22:23:48.090" Title="How is samsara nirvana?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|samsara|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9376" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-04T03:59:13.837" Score="1" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose we call &quot;extinction&quot; (by which I mean nirvana or final nirvana) whatever puts out the wandering mind / mental states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What reasons are there for supposing it does so &lt;strong&gt;after&lt;/strong&gt; the mind wanders, not before or during?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose (as no sort of authority) saying it does so inside the mind is eternalism, or before - annihilationism. But I'm interested in the question not as a facet of Buddhist doctrine: but the question of whether we &quot;die&quot; in the sense the atheist attaches to death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T08:11:53.760" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T19:57:58.893" Title="What puts out the mind" Tags="|nirvana|death|middle-way|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9376" CreationDate="2015-06-04T07:33:19.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to the question &quot;die in the sense atheist attaches to death&quot;.&#xA;The answer is no .i.e. complete extinction, total annihilation, because there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unborn&lt;/a&gt; which is deathless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Death has no (ultimate) reality.&quot;.. is the correct view (&quot;who&quot; dies?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T09:02:39.750" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T09:02:39.750" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9378" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9380" CreationDate="2015-06-04T08:39:41.003" Score="15" ViewCount="1847" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the 12 nidanas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental Volitions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Name&quot; and &quot;Form&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The six senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contact  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clinging&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Becoming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Birth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering and Death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between craving and clinging? They seem very similar to me. It would be helpful if someone could reference the original Pali and draw out the nuances of these terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T20:05:26.057" Title="What is the difference between craving and clinging?" Tags="|terminology|pali-language|nidanas|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9376" CreationDate="2015-06-04T09:08:41.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suppose we call &quot;extinction&quot; (by which I mean nirvana or final nirvana) whatever puts out the wandering mind / mental states.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the first paragraph, &quot;&lt;em&gt;extinction&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; is whatever puts out the mind&quot;, suggests that nirvana has been &lt;em&gt;reified&lt;/em&gt; and is seen as an agent which acts to put out the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I don't know that it's that: I see it as a description of a state (perhaps a state of mind), not an agent: it's the state-of-being-extinguished (or of having-been-extinguished), not the agent-which-does-the-extinguishing. It's like the difference between Enlightenment (which is a noun) and enlightened (which is an adjective).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the word &quot;extinguish&quot; comes I think from the analogy of a flame: if you look at it, a flame appears to cling to what it's burning ... if it's burning a match or a log, the flame kind of clings to and dances around the wood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &quot;nirvana is an extinguishing&quot; analogy comes from saying, &quot;what would happen to a flame if it stopped &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to its fuel source?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you're asking &quot;what puts out the mind&quot; then that's like asking &quot;how do you attain nirvana or become enlightened&quot;, and I think that the answer to that is &quot;Buddhist practice&quot; e.g. the Noble Eightfold Path (or something else though maybe perhaps similar in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;later versions of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;you might like to add extinction of greed, hate and delusion, which are the fuel. :)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case it would help you to know, there's some debate about &quot;what is the fuel?&quot; in the analogy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#Nirvana_with_and_without_remainder_of_fuel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nirvana&lt;/em&gt; with and without remainder of fuel&lt;/a&gt; references Gombridge. On page 66 of Gombridge's &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#CITEREFGombrich2006&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How Buddhism Began&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (in a chapter titled &quot;Metaphor, allegory, satire&quot;) he claims that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He showed in an earlier paper of his that the &quot;three fires&quot; was a reference to the (literally) three fires which a brahmin householder was expected to keep alight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Later generations of Buddhists weren't interested in debates with Vedic brahmans and forgot the origin of the metaphor.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In later (e.g. Mahayana) times the &quot;three fires&quot; became associated with the &quot;three poisons&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can maybe kind of see that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_fires_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three fires (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; link redirects to the three poisons&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The comments/conversation &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4060/254&quot;&gt;underneath this answer&lt;/a&gt; suggest that the &quot;three poisons&quot; are more central in a later version of Buddhism than an earlier version.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, the following suggest that it's the &lt;em&gt;khandhas&lt;/em&gt; which are the fuel:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/khandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Piles of Bricks &amp;ndash; The Khandhas as Burden &amp;amp; Path&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha introduced the concept of the khandhas in his first sermon in response to the first of these questions. His short definition of suffering was &quot;the five clinging-khandhas.&quot; This fairly cryptic phrase can be fleshed out by drawing on other passages in the canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The five khandhas are bundles or piles of form, feeling, perception, fabrications, and consciousness. None of the texts explain why the Buddha used the word khandha to describe these things. The meaning of &quot;tree trunk&quot; may be relevant to the pervasive fire imagery in the canon — nibbana being extinguishing of the fires of passion, aversion, and delusion — but none of the texts explicitly make this connection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Fire Sermon&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha asks, &quot;What is burning?&quot; and answers, that sense organs (e.g. eye), form, sense-contact, sense-consciousness, etc., are burning with the fires of lust and hate and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So apparently the three poisons are the three fires, but the &lt;em&gt;khandhas&lt;/em&gt; (to which these fires cling) are the fuel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is nirvana categorically &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; an agent?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, who knows, right? That's how I categorized it. If other people think I'm wrong then hopefully they won't let me mislead you, and will instead downvote this answer, or post a comment or post an alternative answer (currently it appears that two people agreed with it). Some people didn't understand your question though, which might be why it doesn't have more answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I think that maybe later schools of Buddhism might 'reify' more:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Later schools might (I don't know) see &quot;Buddha-nature&quot; as an agent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buried in Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature#La.E1.B9.85k.C4.81vat.C4.81ra_S.C5.ABtra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-nature article&lt;/a&gt; is the following quote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lankavatara-sutra contains tathagata-garba thought, but also warns against reification of the idea of Buddha-nature, and presents it as an aid to attaining awakening:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Is not this Tathagata-garbha taught by the Blessed One the same as the ego-substance taught by the philosophers? The ego as taught by the philosophers is an eternal creator, unqualified, omnipresent, and imperishable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One replied: [...] it is emptiness, reality-limit, Nirvana, being unborn, unqualified, and devoid of will-effort; the reason why the Tathagatas [...] teach the doctrine pointing to the Tathagata-garba is to make the ignorant cast aside their fear when they listen to the teaching of egolessness and to have them realise the state of non-discrimination and imagelessness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would you say that &quot;egolessness, non-discrimination and imagelessness&quot; can be &quot;categorized as an agent&quot;? I'd say no, that's not an agent. That might be splitting hairs though, because although not an &quot;agent&quot; I could call it a &quot;condition&quot;. The theory of Dependent Origination (and the second noble truth) emphasizes that things are conditioned/conditional/dependent, they arise or don't arise depending on certain conditions. Perhaps the condition could be called an &quot;agent&quot;, if it causes or allows something, but maybe it's not &quot;acting&quot; or &quot;taking an active role&quot;, not a doer of an action, not a subject of active verb, it is &quot;devoid of will-effort&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think that, certainly, some view &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattvas&lt;/em&gt; as agents.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are other 'states' which I view as being more 'active' than nirvana (although they're still just 'states' and not 'agents' themselves): i.e. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmavihāras (or &lt;em&gt;appamaññā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; i.e. the states like '&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;' and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gombridge also claims that &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; is viewed differently between Mahayana versus earlier schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I hope it is not too farfetched&#xA;  to suggest that this may have contributed to an important&#xA;  development in the Mahayana: that it came to separate nirvana&#xA;  from &lt;em&gt;bodhi&lt;/em&gt;, ‘awakening’ to the truth, Enlightenment, and to put a&#xA;  lower value on the former (Gombrich, 1992d). Originally nirvana&#xA;  and &lt;em&gt;bodhi&lt;/em&gt; refer to the same thing; they merely use different&#xA;  metaphors for the experience. But the Mahayana tradition&#xA;  separated them and considered that nirvana referred only&#xA;  to the extinction of craving (= passion and hatred), with the&#xA;  resultant escape from the cycle of rebirth. This interpretation&#xA;  ignores the third fire, delusion: the extinction of delusion is of&#xA;  course in the early texts identical with what can be positively&#xA;  expressed as gnosis, Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all that, it's still difficult to be sure of what nirvana is w.r.t. death. Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#Nirvana_with_and_without_remainder_of_fuel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;summarizes it&lt;/a&gt; as follows (and includes a lot of quotes to support that summary),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What happens with one who has reached nirvana after death is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswerable question&lt;/a&gt;. The five aggregates vanish, but there does not remain a mere &quot;nothingness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;*... puts out the wandering mind / mental states.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even apart from whether it's an agent, I don't know that nirvana (assuming you attain nirvana during your life, which is the only time you can attain it) &quot;puts out the wandering mind / mental states&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bit I mentioned earlier, above, about fire, suggests that nirvana puts out clinging (or craving), and/or that putting out of craving results in nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind continues (that's part of the &quot;burden&quot; that's talked about, which people put down when they die). Whether you'd call it a &quot;wandering&quot; mind I'm not sure. Ability to concentrate (right mindfulness, right concentration) are part of the eightfold path, so maybe not &quot;wandering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand some people (even before nirvana) are said to acquire &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81#Enumerations_of_special_knowledges&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unusual types of special knowledge&lt;/a&gt; so in a way perhaps you could say that their mind is able &quot;wander&quot; even further than usual (e.g. to see things far away, to view past lives, etc.) &amp;ndash; but maybe just this last paragraph is &quot;Buddhist doctrine&quot; and contradicts what you asked for i.e. an &quot;atheistic&quot; view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T19:57:58.893" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9378" CreationDate="2015-06-04T09:26:57.957" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving is when the baby reaches with desire for the pacifier and clinging is when the baby has the pacifier and won't let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To distinguish craving from clinging, Buddhaghosa uses the following metaphor in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Craving is the aspiring to an object that one has not yet reached,&#xA;  like a thief's stretching out his hand in the dark; clinging is the&#xA;  grasping of an object that one has reached, like the thief's grasping&#xA;  his objective.... They are the roots of the suffering due to seeking&#xA;  and guarding.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T11:05:54.343" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T11:05:54.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9381" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9383" CreationDate="2015-06-04T09:43:32.763" Score="6" ViewCount="1896" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Practical_Insight_Meditation.html?id=M2S-7-lWzHIC&amp;amp;hl=en&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Practical Insight Meditation: Basic and progressive stages&lt;/a&gt; by Mahasi Sayadaw. In the book he elaborates on the 16 stages of insight meditation as a kind of road map of what to expect. I was wondering if these stages are part of the Theravada tradition or an integral part of the Dharma canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T09:53:03.247" LastActivityDate="2020-05-15T15:36:09.337" Title="Are the 16 stages of Insight mentioned by the Buddha in the early Pali texts or are they a later addition to the Dharma?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|meditation-insight|stages-of-the-path|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9382" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9385" CreationDate="2015-06-04T09:49:12.150" Score="8" ViewCount="1332" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have on a few occasions come across the distinction between a 'hard' and 'soft' Jhana and would like to know what the experiential distinction between these two terms might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T09:51:43.277" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T10:25:09.597" Title="What is the difference between 'hard' and 'soft' Jhanas?" Tags="|terminology|jhana|experiential|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9381" CreationDate="2015-06-04T09:55:15.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Seven Stages of Purification are summarised in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification)&lt;/a&gt;, a 5th century Theravada text (about 800 years after the Buddha lived).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the seven visuddhis come from the Ratha-vinita Sutta (MN 24), and the sixteen stages of knowledge are found in the Patisambhidamagga. –  yuttadhammo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This comparison between practice and &quot;seven relay chariots&quot; points at the goal. Each purity is needed to attain the next. They are often referred to as the &quot;Seven Stages of Purification&quot; (satta-visuddhi):[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Purification of Conduct (sīla-visuddhi)&#xA;Purification of Mind (citta-visuddhi)&#xA;Purification of View (ditthi-visuddhi)&#xA;Purification by Overcoming Doubt (kankha-vitarana-visuddhi)&#xA;Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and Not Path (maggamagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Course of Practice (patipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;    Knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall (udayabbayanupassana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of contemplation of dissolution (bhanganupassana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of appearance as terror (bhayatupatthana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of contemplation of danger (adinavanupassana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of contemplation of dispassion (nibbidanupassana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of desire for deliverance (muncitukamyata-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of contemplation of reflection (patisankhanupassana-nana)&#xA;    Knowledge of equanimity about formations (sankharupekka-nana)&#xA;    Conformity knowledge (anuloma-nana)&#xA;Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;    Change of lineage&#xA;    The first path and fruit&#xA;    The second path and fruit&#xA;    The third path and fruit&#xA;    The fourth path and fruit&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &quot;Purification by Knowledge and Vision&quot; is the culmination of the practice, in four stages leading to liberation and Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The emphasis in this system is on understanding the three marks of existence, dukkha, anatta, anicca. This emphasis is recognizable in the value that is given to vipassana over samatha, especially in the contemporary vipassana movement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="11661" LastEditDate="2020-05-09T22:58:59.587" LastActivityDate="2020-05-09T22:58:59.587" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9382" CreationDate="2015-06-04T10:18:00.603" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on the terms &lt;em&gt;&quot;Hard and Soft Jhana&quot;&lt;/em&gt; from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055915f84aedaeee9181119/1347785055665/&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Mastering The Core Teachings Of The Buddha&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Daniel M. Ingram, p. 136-137:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Many traditions use the breath as the primary object initially and then shift to the qualities of the states themselves as the object of meditation when they arise and the concentration is strong. The quality of a jhana can either be “soft” or “hard” depending on how solidly one is in the state. In soft jhana, the qualities of that particular state are definitely recognizable in a way that is different from the ordinary experience of those qualities to the degree that we are confident we are in the altered state defined by those qualities.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  ￼￼￼￼￼￼&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Concentration vs. Insight&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In really hard jhana, it feels as if our mind has been fused to those&#xA;  qualities and the object with super glue, as if we were nothing but a solid block or field of those qualities or that object, as if they and the object were the whole world with nothing else remaining. Getting into really “hard” jhana states dramatically increases the beneficial effects of the practice, though it takes greater strength of concentration and usually requires more favorable practice conditions to do so. Taking the beneficial factors of the jhana solely as the object of concentration is helpful for this, as can be using an easily identified external object such as a candle flame or colored disk.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T10:25:09.597" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T10:25:09.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9386" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9388" CreationDate="2015-06-04T14:39:44.683" Score="5" ViewCount="308" Body="&lt;p&gt;As well as being a preeminent teacher of Tibetan Buddhist, Chögyam Trungpa was notorious for his more extreme behaviour such as drinking, smoking, sleeping with students, crashing cars and so forth. While this seems unusual behaviour for an advanced Buddhist practioner I was told that senior figures in his lineage (&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagyu&quot;&gt;Kagyu&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyingma&quot;&gt;Nyingma&lt;/a&gt;) and  were very comfortable with his actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how were his more controversial actions justified by others within his lineage? Is there a tradition within Tibetan Buddhism which encompasses seemingly unethical behaviour? Was there any precedence within his lineage for this kind of thing or was he just a very unusual character?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T17:13:03.047" Title="How was Chögyam Trungpa's behaviour justified by his lineage?" Tags="|ethics|tibetan-buddhism|chogyam-trungpa|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9375" CreationDate="2015-06-04T14:42:39.117" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Zen standpoint, the unification of samsara and nirvana cannot be comprehended by the discriminating mind.  Don't worry if you are having problems!  In fact, the more you try to rationalize it, the farther away you will be from truly comprehending it (to paraphrase Seng T'san's Hsin Hsin Ming).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you aren't a Zen student, this is going to sound a lot like the mumbo jumbo the school is famous for.  Apologies in advance!  All the same, putting samsara up against nirvana, and trying to see the distinction, is a product of the small mind.  Likewise, trying to intellectualize how they are the same is to miss what is meant by nirvana (and samsara too for that matter!).  Thinking will get you nowhere.  Only direct insight will show you the place where the boundaries between the two break down.  Emptiness must first be apprehended.  One then looks deeply into that emptiness.  Coming out of profound emptiness, and back to world of form, one directly perceives how the two are not distinct.  This is enlightenment.  And it takes years on the cushion to get there!  It also takes deep faith and trust.  Once that realization is reached, however, you know it just as well as the feeling of the shirt on your back.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T14:42:39.117" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9386" CreationDate="2015-06-04T16:20:13.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most famous Tibetan &quot;Mad monk of the Dragon Lineage&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drukpa_Kunley&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Drukpa Kunley&lt;/a&gt; would be an example and precedence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He was known for his crazy methods of enlightening other beings, mostly women, which earned him the title &quot;The Saint of 5,000 Women&quot;. Among other things, women would seek his blessing in the form of sex. His intention was to show that it is possible to be enlightened, impart enlightenment, and still lead a very healthy sex life. He demonstrated that celibacy was not necessary for being enlightened. In addition, he wanted to expand the range of means by which enlightenment could be imparted, while adding new evolutionary prospects to the overarching tradition. He is credited with introducing the practice of phallus paintings in Bhutan and placing statues of them on rooftops to drive away evil spirits.[2] Because of this power to awaken unenlightened beings, Kunley's penis is referred to as the &quot;Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom&quot; and he himself is known as the &quot;fertility saint&quot;. For this reason women from all around the world visited his monastery to seek his blessing.[3][4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://wine4soul.com/tag/drukpa-kunley/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The drunken saint&lt;/a&gt; Drukpa Kunley&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Poems and songs of Drukpa Kunley&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Poem about happiness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am happy that I am a free Yogi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So I grow more and more into my inner happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can have sex with many women,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;because I help them to go the path of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outwardly I'm a fool&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and inwardly I live with a clear spiritual system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outwardly, I enjoy wine, women and song.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And inwardly I work for the benefit of all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outwardly, I live for my pleasure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and inwardly I do everything in the right moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outwardly I am a ragged beggar&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and inwardly a blissful Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Song about the pleasure&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A young woman finds pleasure in love.&#xA;  A young man finds pleasure in sex.&#xA;  An old man finds pleasure in his memoirs.&#xA;  This is the doctrine of the three pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who does not know the truth, is confused.&#xA;  Those who have no goals, can not sacrifice.&#xA;  Those who have no courage, can not be a Yogi.&#xA;  This is the doctrine of the three missing things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if a person knows the way of wisdom;&#xA;  without practicing there is no realization.&#xA;  Even if a master shows you the way,&#xA;  you have to go it by yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The five spiritual ways&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I practice the path of self-discipline.&#xA;  I meditate every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I go the way of embracing love.&#xA;  I work as a mother and father of all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I do the deity yoga.&#xA;  I visualize myself as a Buddha in the cosmic unity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I read the books of all religions&#xA;  and practice all at the right moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The life is my teacher&#xA;  and my inner wisdom is my guide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.keithdowman.net/books/dm.htm#Sutra%20of%20Sex&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sublime Life and Songs of Drukpa Kunley&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T17:13:03.047" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T17:13:03.047" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9381" CreationDate="2015-06-04T16:36:59.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe they are later addition.  I have never come across any sutta or Buddha-Wajana about the 16 stages of insight.  Let me know if you saw one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-06-04T16:56:10.017" LastActivityDate="2015-06-04T16:56:10.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9378" CreationDate="2015-06-05T06:31:23.713" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Repeated craving becomes clinging. Another name for clinging is attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Craving:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Types of craving:&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual craving &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving to be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving not to be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Attachment:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once attachment forms it's painful to sever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We protect our object of attachment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We like to be with our object of attachment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We pine when we are apart from our object of attachment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa7.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;There are 4 types of attachments:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment to views&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment to our idea of self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment to rites &amp;amp; rituals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-05T20:05:26.057" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T20:05:26.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9391" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-05T07:29:38.320" Score="12" ViewCount="2587" Body="&lt;p&gt;Married life is a form of attachment. If one is in a commited relationship he/she is bound to have a multitude of attachments like a wife, children, personal belongings, wealth etc. But Buddha has once said : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Costumes Do Not Mar Virtue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even though adorned, if living in peace&#xA;  calm, tamed, established in the holy life,&#xA;  for beings all laying force aside:&#xA;  one pure, one peaceful, a bhikkhu is he.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 142, DHAMMAPADA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Need some verification as to how someone can be in a commited relationship and at the same time achieve nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T02:17:37.963" Title="Does being in a commited married life make it impossible to attain Nirvana? If not, how can one progress towards Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|marriage|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9391" CreationDate="2015-06-05T08:45:12.297" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how someone can be in a commited relationship and at the same time achieve nibbana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had a dream recently in which my wife went out for the evening without me: I was jealous, craving her and self-centred (wanting her to pay attention to me instead), clinging (wanting to not to lose her, wanting to not lose or to repeat the happy experience/relationship I had earlier with her), and averse to the situation (not wanting to be left alone), and angry (with her for making the decision to go out without me).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I was jealous and so on I was unhappy. Even when she came home she still seemed unhappy and avoided me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I thought (after I woke up), maybe it's because I was unhappy like that she wanted to go out without me. Who wants to spend time with some unhappy man? Can you even ever satisfy someone who is craving and clinging?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our relationship would be better if I were happier in myself, more &quot;unconditionally&quot; happy ... or more possessed of equanimity and metta and less of ego and so on. Then when she came home I could say, &quot;Oh, nice to see you, how are you?&quot; and so on and be a better friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;a commited relationship is bound to have a multitude of attachments&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's helpful to distinguish between &quot;attachment&quot; and &quot;responsibility&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example maybe you have a responsibility to try to help your children, feed and educate them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was first born my father wanted me to grow up to be a good cricket player: that was his ambition, he put a cricket bat in my cradle, etc. I tried cricket a few times (he played) but not very often. It's probably best that he wasn't too &quot;attached&quot; to the idea of me becoming a cricket player.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9050/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; yuttadhammo wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In brief, duty and responsibility should be what dictate our worldly affairs, not concern or care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;advice for marriage partners&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the book I mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; the author tries to summarize the Buddha's advice for laypeople. Chapter 6 of that book is about &quot;establishing a marital partnership&quot; and includes the following advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Show respect to her&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from words that might hurt her&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice faithfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give up dominance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Respect her fondness for beauty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For her:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Work in an organized way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handle family relationships&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be faithful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take steps to protect the family wealth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Show skill and energy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Play an active role as his companion and guide&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Te book mentions that a lot of Buddhist literature is written by and for monks, and that the role of lay people in society isn't the same as monks'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter 5 of that book suggests that your partner should be someone who might help your own spiritual progress and life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T08:45:12.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9393" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10112" CreationDate="2015-06-05T08:49:08.780" Score="5" ViewCount="778" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading yesterday this &lt;a href=&quot;http://thatssozen.blogspot.co.uk/&quot;&gt;blog by a Zen nun&lt;/a&gt; and in &lt;a href=&quot;http://thatssozen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/zen-and-japanese-culture.html&quot;&gt;this post&lt;/a&gt; she casually says in the third to last paragraph that we don't know in what posture the Buddha did sit under the Bodhi tree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found that curious because I always assumed that the Buddha sat in a full lotus position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this claim true? Do we not know the actual posture in which the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T16:04:39.823" Title="Do we know in what posture the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-06-05T13:25:29.300" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhist monks&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the vinaya forbids &lt;em&gt;monks&lt;/em&gt; to dig: see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#veggie&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Destroying Vegetation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That depends on the school/tradition though, e.g. in some countries where the lay society doesn't support the monks, the monks might do agriculture themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jains&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some historical relationship between Buddhism and the Jains. Perhaps Gautama studied with Jain teachers before his enlightenment? Jainism takes &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ahimsa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; to a level beyond that in Buddhist doctrine, e.g. vegetarianism is mandatory and it forbids the eating of roots etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tiny animals&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think too I read something of someone visiting Tibet a while ago and reporting that people there were careful about how they dug: very slowly, wanting to avoid hurting worms and so on that live in the soil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly here's a sentence from Wikipedia's description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism#Non-violence_.28ahimsa.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jainism&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Strict Jains, including Jain monks and nuns, do not eat root vegetables such as potatoes, onions and garlic, because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up, and also because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introduction to the Buddhist Vinaya that I mentioned above says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Digging, breaking the surface of the earth, lighting a fire on it, pounding a stake into it are all disallowed. (If such 'earth' is more gravel or sand than 'soil' — and has no living creatures in it — it may then be dug.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T07:31:52.567" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T07:31:52.567" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9381" CreationDate="2015-06-05T13:51:27.873" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The earliest source for the enumeration of sixteen stages of knowledge that I know of is the Paṭisambhidāmagga, a treatise ascribed to Sāriputta, included in the Myanmar version of the Khuddaka Nikāya. So yeah, pretty standard Theravada. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Discussion of the knowledges is found throughout the commentaries and makes up most of the section on wisdom in the Visuddhimagga. They are also enumerated in the Abhidhammattha-Sangaha, a famous summary of the Abhidhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference to each of the knowledges &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; be found in the Buddha's words, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;udayabbaya-ñāṇa:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato udayabbayaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And better than a hundred years lived without seeing arising &amp;amp; passing away, is one day lived seeing arising &amp;amp; passing away.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 113&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ādīnava-ñāṇa:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“katamā cānanda, ādīnavasaññā? idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘bahudukkho kho ayaṃ kāyo bahuādīnavo? iti imasmiṃ kāye vividhā ābādhā uppajjanti, seyyathidaṃ — cakkhurogo sotarogo ghānarogo jivhārogo kāyarogo sīsarogo kaṇṇarogo mukharogo dantarogo oṭṭharogo kāso sāso pināso ḍāho jaro kucchirogo mucchā pakkhandikā sūlā visūcikā kuṭṭhaṃ gaṇḍo kilāso soso apamāro daddu kaṇḍu kacchu nakhasā vitacchikā lohitaṃ pittaṃ madhumeho aṃsā piḷakā bhagandalā pittasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā semhasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā vātasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā sannipātikā ābādhā utupariṇāmajā ābādhā visamaparihārajā ābādhā opakkamikā ābādhā kammavipākajā ābādhā sītaṃ uṇhaṃ jighacchā pipāsā uccāro passāvo’ti. iti imasmiṃ kāye ādīnavānupassī viharati. ayaṃ vuccatānanda, ādīnavasaññā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What, Ananda, is contemplation of disadvantage (danger)? Herein, Ananda, a monk having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to a lonely place, contemplates thus: 'Many are the sufferings, many are the disadvantages (dangers) of this body since diverse diseases are engendered in this body, such as the following: Eye-disease, ear-disease, nose-disease, tongue-disease, body-disease, headache, mumps, mouth-disease, tooth-ache, cough, asthma, catarrh, heart-burn, fever, stomach ailment, fainting, dysentry, swelling, gripes, leprosy, boils, scrofula, consumption, epilepsy, ringworm, itch, eruption, tetter, pustule, plethora, diabetes, piles, cancer, fistula, and diseases originating from bile, from phlegm, from wind, from conflict of the humors, from changes of weather, from adverse condition (faulty deportment), from devices (practiced by others), from kamma-vipaka (results of kamma); and cold, heat, hunger, thirst, excrement, and urine.' Thus he dwells contemplating disadvantage (danger) in this body. This Ananda, is called contemplation of disadvantage (danger).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 10.60 (Piyadassi, trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nibbidā-ñāṇa:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā””ti, yadā paññāya passati.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;atha &lt;strong&gt;nibbindati&lt;/strong&gt; dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'All formations are impermanent' —  When one sees thus with wisdom, one becomes disenchanted in regards to dukkha. This is the path to purity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp 277&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2020-05-04T12:41:46.787" LastActivityDate="2020-05-04T12:41:46.787" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9396" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-05T17:10:09.767" Score="4" ViewCount="291" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen nirvana described as the unborn, unconditioned, etc, but then how is it possible to experience nirvana if the experiencer is a conditioned phenomena? I feel as though there is a causal connection implied by that, which would make nirvana dependently originated and subject to permanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1109" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-05T18:05:26.013" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T21:54:28.217" Title="In Mahayana Buddhism, what is the relation between nirvana and phenomenon?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9396" CreationDate="2015-06-05T18:11:06.893" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are look at this problem according to a dichotomy between a subject and an object - in this case the self that perceives and a nirvana that is experienced - then you will inevitably conclude that that one conditions the other.  After all, everything else we know in this world has a form that contacts the self through the sense gates and, in turn, gives rise to feelings and our thoughts about what we perceive.  But what happens when we gain insight and remove that thinking subject from the equation?  What happens when we gain the wisdom of non-self and directly see that everything shares in the same emptiness?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this wisdom, the entire conditioned chain is broken.  Vijja replaces avijja and action, rebirth, mind, matter, the senses, contact, feeling, birth, and all other links in the causal chain never arise.  Nirvana isn't something that a &quot;self&quot; perceives.  Nirvana is the extinction of self.  It is deathless because it is never born according to the twelve links of causation.  It doesn't exist &quot;out there&quot; in some secret place that the the mind has to discover.  One doesn't find nirvana, one becomes it.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-06-05T18:20:37.657" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T18:20:37.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9396" CreationDate="2015-06-05T19:47:15.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you said individual interpretations are ok, here is mine. I'm approaching this from a secular Buddhist perspective, one which treats Buddhism as a psychology and rejects anything unscientific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything is conditioned, including Nirvana.  Furthermore, since enlightenment is realizing the self is conditioned, it makes no sense to claim the enlightened &quot;self&quot; is unconditioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, one can use &quot;unconditioned&quot; in a relative sense when speaking of Nirvana.  Our contentment is usually a function of what we encounter, and in this we are conditioned.  Yet if our contentment is relatively independent of what we encounter (Nirvana) then we can speak of us/Nirvana being unconditioned -- relatively speaking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this is to be taken in a very relative, phenomenological sense.  Our biology is still conditioned, what brought us to Nirvana was conditioned, etc... Yet our experience &lt;strong&gt;feels&lt;/strong&gt; unconditioned as our well-being is not dependent upon the usual conditions, and in that sense we can say we are unconditioned or that Nirvana is unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T19:47:15.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9396" CreationDate="2015-06-05T21:18:28.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Chan tradition the primodial mind is called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha nature&lt;/a&gt;. But the zen tradition also emphasises that the Buddha nature is sunyata (emptiness),the absence of an independent and substantial &amp;quot;self&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hsing Yun, forty-eighth patriarch of the Linji school, equates the Buddha-nature with the dharmakāya in line with pronouncements in key tathāgatagarbha sūtras. He defines these two as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is the inherent nature that exists in all beings. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, enlightenment is a process of uncovering this inherent nature … The Buddha nature [is] identical with transcendental reality (*nibbana). The unity of the Buddha with everything that exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So awakening is the mind seeing it own primordial mind, unblemished.&lt;/strong&gt; Although they all have slightly different definitions of the Buddha nature(primordial mind). See below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gelug&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 14th Dalai Lama, an important Gelug figure, speaking from the Madhyamaka philosophical position, sees the Buddha-nature as the &amp;quot;original clear light of mind&amp;quot;, but points out that it ultimately does not exist independently, because, like all other phenomena, it is of the nature of emptiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one pronounces the words &amp;quot;emptiness&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;absolute&amp;quot;, one has the impression of speaking of the same thing, in fact of the absolute. If emptiness must be explained through the use of just one of these two terms, there will be confusion. I must say this; otherwise you might think that the innate original clear light as absolute truth really exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jeffrey Hopkins conveys the same understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basis of purification is the Buddha nature, which is viewed in two ways. One is the clear light nature of the mind, a positive phenomenon, and the other is the emptiness of inherent existence of the mind, a negative phenomenon, a mere absence of inherent establishment of the mind.[90]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bön/Dzogchen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Germano relates Dzogchen, via Buddha-nature to Madhyamaka, Yogācāra and Abhinavagupta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...the Great Perfection represents the most sophisticated interpretation of the so-called &amp;quot;Buddha nature&amp;quot; tradition within the context of Indo-Tibetan thought, and as such, is of extreme importance for research into classical esoteric philosophic systems such as Madhyamaka and Yogacara, while also providing fertile grounds for future explorations of the interconnections between Indo-Tibetan and East Asian forms of Buddhism, as well as between Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and contemporary Indian developments such as the tenth century non-dual Shaivism of Abhinavagupta.[96]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 19th/20th-century Tibetan Buddhist scholar, Shechen Gyaltsap Gyurme Pema Namgyal, sees the Buddha nature as ultimate truth,[97] nirvana, which is constituted of profundity, primordial peace and radiance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha-nature is immaculate. It is profound, serene, unfabricated suchness, an uncompounded expanse of luminosity; nonarising, unceasing, primordial peace, spontaneously present nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for phenomenon it is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_%28illusion%29#Mahayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maya - an illusion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana... Under the influence of ignorance, we believe objects and persons to be independently real, existing apart from causes and conditions. We fail to perceive them as being empty of a real essence, whereas in fact they exist much like māyā, the magical appearance created by the magician. The magician's illusion may exist and function in the world on the basis of some props, gestures, and incantations, yet the show is illusory. The viewers participate in creating the illusion by misperceiving and drawing false conclusions. Conversely, when appearances arise and are seen as illusory, that is considered more accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Altogether, there are &amp;quot;eight examples of illusion..: magic, a dream, a bubble, a rainbow, lightning, the moon reflected in water, a mirage, and a city of celestial musicians.&amp;quot; Understanding that what we experience is less substantial than we believe is intended to serve the purpose of liberation from ignorance, fear, and clinging and the attainment of enlightenment..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See post of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9154/what-are-the-positions-of-the-different-schools-on-a-primordial-mind&quot;&gt;Primordial mind of different schools&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-05T21:54:28.217" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9400" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-06T03:08:44.937" Score="1" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm vegan is about 1 year, and as time.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;I felt my voice became deeper and more resonant.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;I watched some of the monks has such voice&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Why is my voice changing?&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="811" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T14:15:05.197" Title="Why is my voice changing?" Tags="|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9391" CreationDate="2015-06-06T06:59:25.853" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.179.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gihi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Householder Sutta), the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, when you know of a householder clothed in white, that he&#xA;  is restrained in terms of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five training rules&lt;/a&gt; and that he&#xA;  obtains at will, without difficulty, without hardship, four pleasant&#xA;  mental abidings in the here &amp;amp; now, then if he wants he may state about&#xA;  himself: 'Hell is ended; animal wombs are ended; the state of the&#xA;  hungry shades is ended; states of deprivation, destitution, the bad&#xA;  bourns are ended! I am a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#part2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stream-winner&lt;/a&gt;, steadfast, never again&#xA;  destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may read the sutta for details of the five training rules and four pleasant mental abidings. Basically, it means that a householder can definitely reach at least &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/216/471&quot;&gt;stream entry&lt;/a&gt;, which is the first stage of enlightenment. After stream entry, he will attain Nirvana within seven rebirths, either as a human or in higher realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can remain a married householder with responsibilities, but you need to slowly get rid of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_%28Buddhism%29#Sutta_Pitaka.27s_list_of_ten_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; which are all within yourself and not in the people or situations around you. It's in your mind and heart, not in your life situation. Getting rid of the fetters is related to the fourth pleasant mental abiding. The importance of intention can be seen &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8121/471&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;, where the hunter's wife is a stream winner who is free from the sins of her husband's profession, because she does not harbour any ill intentions and only fulfills her responsibilities as his wife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. if your loved one passes away, you may grieve deeply for a long time, but, if you understand intellectually and subconsciously that nothing is permanent, then you can accept it easily and move beyond it quickly. This is possible when one has progressed well along the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is still new on the path, as suggested by @ChrisW in his comment with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=142&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt;, marriage and the lay life of a householder can provide stimuli e.g. in the form of grief in order to prod one towards the path to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find many more relevant advice from the Buddha for lay persons on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8518/471&quot;&gt;how to manage finances&lt;/a&gt; and on many other topics, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. These can be considered additional guidance on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the path to enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also enjoy the conversation between the Buddha and Dhaniya the cattleman-householder in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. A small part at the end quoted below. But you should read the whole thing - it's very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha: &quot;Having broken my bonds like a great bull, like a great&#xA;  elephant tearing a rotting vine, I never again will lie in the womb:&#xA;  so if you want, rain-god, go ahead &amp;amp; rain.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The great cloud rained down straightaway, filling the lowlands &amp;amp; high.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hearing the rain-god pour down, Dhaniya said: &quot;How great our gain that&#xA;  we've gazed on the Blessed One! We go to him, the One with vision, for&#xA;  refuge. May you be our teacher, Great Sage. My wife &amp;amp; I are compliant.&#xA;  Let's follow the holy life under the One Well-gone. Gone to the far&#xA;  shore of aging &amp;amp; death, let's put an end to suffering &amp;amp; stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T12:18:49.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9400" CreationDate="2015-06-06T07:00:36.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's probably to do with the absence of tension. When you're relaxed, your voice tends to be lower. If you meditate or do yoga the voice naturaly goes in that direction. It's possible something similar happens when you eat very healthy and remove other kinds of tensions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T07:00:36.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9358" CreationDate="2015-06-06T08:53:31.267" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death perspective from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/a-manual-of-abhidhamma/d/doc681.html&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; point of view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;51&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Death is the temporary end of a temporary phenomenon.&quot; By death is meant the extinction of psychic life (jīvitindriya), heat (usma = tejodhātu), and consciousness (viññāna), of one individual in a particular existence. Death is not the complete annihilation of a being. Death in one place means birth in another place, just as, in conventional terms, the rising of the sun in one place means the setting of the sun in another place.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are commonly understood to be natural deaths due to old age may be classed under this category.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To each of the various planes of existence is naturally assigned a definite age-limit, irrespective of the potential energy of the Reproductive Kamma that has yet to run. One must, however, succumb to death when the maximum age-limit is reached. It may also be said that if the Reproductive Kamma is extremely powerful, the Karmic energy rematerializes itself on the same plane, or on some higher plane as in the case of the devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;53&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a rule the thought, volition, or desire, which was extremely strong during lifetime becomes predominant at the moment of death, and conditions the subsequent birth. In this last thought-moment is present a special potentiality. When the potential energy of this Reproductive Kamma is exhausted, the organic activities of the material form, in which is corporealized the life-force, cease even before the approach of old age.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If a person is born at a time when the age-limit is 80 years, and he dies at 80 owing to the exhaustion of the potential force of his Reproductive Kamma, his death is due to the simultaneous expiration of both age and Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are powerful actions which suddenly cut off the force of the Reproductive Kamma, even before the expiration of the life-term. A more powerful opposing force, for instance, can check the path of a flying arrow and bring it down to the ground. Similarly, a very powerful Kammic force of the past is capable of nullifying the potential energy of the dying reproductive (janaka) thought-moment, and thus destroy the life of a being. The death of Devadatta was due to an upacchedaka kamma which he committed during his lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first three types of death are collectively called kālamarana (timely death), and the last one is known as akālamarana (untimely death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An oil lamp, for instance, may be extinguished owing to any of the following four causes, namely, the exhaustion of the wick, the exhaustion of oil, simultaneous exhaustion of both wick and oil, and some extraneous cause like the gust of a wind. Death of a person may similarly be caused by any of the aforesaid four ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;56&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a person is about to die, a good or bad action may present itself before his mind's eye. It may be either a meritorious or a demeritorious Weighty action (garuka kamma), such as jhānas (ecstasies), or parricide etc. They are so powerful that they totally eclipse all other actions, and appear very vividly before the mental eye. If there is no Weighty action, he may take for his object of the dying thought a Kamma done or remembered immediately before death (āsanna kamma).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is a past action, strictly speaking, it is the good or bad thought experienced at the moment of performing the action, that recurs at the death-moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;57&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma nimitta is any sight, sound, smell, taste, touch or idea which was obtained at the time of the commission of the Kamma, such as knives in the case of a butcher, patients in the case of a physician, flowers in the case of a devotee, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;By gati nimitta is meant some sign of the place where he is to take birth, an event which invariably happens to dying persons. When these indications of the future birth occur, and if they are bad, they can be turned into good. This is done by influencing the thoughts of the dying person, so that his good thoughts may now act as the Proximate Kamma and counteract the influence of the Reproductive Kamma which would otherwise affect his subsequent birth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These symbols of one's destiny may be hellish fires, forests, mountainous regions, mother's womb, celestial mansions, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Kamma is presented to the mind-door. Kamma nimitta may be presented to any of the six doors according to circumstances. Gati nimitta, being always a physical sight, is presented to the mind-door as a dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;59&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking one of the aforesaid objects, a thought-process runs its course even if the death be an instantaneous one. It is said that even the fly which is crushed by a hammer on the anvil also experiences such a thought-process before it actually dies.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if we practice jhanas (ecstasies), which is a weighty action (garuka kamma), we are destined to have that as the death nimitta, and reborn in the Brahma realm, unless other garuka kamma nimmitta intervenes.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T08:53:31.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9405" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9408" CreationDate="2015-06-06T09:01:04.390" Score="4" ViewCount="393" Body="&lt;p&gt;This month is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nbo.org.uk/get-involved/projects-campaigns/buddhist-action-month/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Action Month&lt;/a&gt; in the UK when we try to be a bit more socially engaged. To quote from the website &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Despite Buddhism's reputation for stillness and withdrawal from the&#xA;  world, UK Buddhists are engaged in a wide range of social-change&#xA;  projects, alleviating suffering at home and abroad&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So leading on from this, I was wondering whether the Buddha promoted this kind of social engagement. Was the Buddha active in addressing political and social injustices of his time or did he more work within the social norms and bring about liberation in that way. I'm particularly interested in references to the Pali Canon to illustrate answers but answers from other traditions and texts would also be interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T17:44:22.677" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T01:48:19.003" Title="Did the Buddha try to effect social change?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|ethics|politics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2262" CreationDate="2015-06-06T09:05:58.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the Dhammapada stories (for example) suggests it's possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=142&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 142 &amp;ndash; Santati Mahamatta Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In agony, he tried to think of a refuge and remembered the Buddha. He&#xA;  went to the Buddha, accompanied by his followers, and related to him&#xA;  about the grief and anguish he suffered on account of the sudden death&#xA;  of the dancer. He then said to the Buddha, &quot;Venerable Sir! Please help&#xA;  me get over my sorrow; be my refuge, and let me have the peace of&#xA;  mind.&quot; To him the Buddha replied,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Rest assured my son, you have come to one, who could help you, One who could be a constant solace to you and who will be your refuge. The&#xA;    tears you have shed due to the death of this dancer throughout the&#xA;    round of rebirths is more than the waters of all the oceans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha then instructed the minister in verse. The meaning of the&#xA;  verse is as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the past there has been in you clinging (upadana) due to craving; get rid of it. In future, do not let such clinging occur in&#xA;    you. Do not also harbour any clinging in the present; by not having&#xA;    any clinging, craving and passion will be calmed in you and you will&#xA;    realize Nibbana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After hearing the verse, the minister attained arahatship. Then,&#xA;  realizing that his life span was at an end, he said to the Buddha,&#xA;  &quot;Venerable Sir! Let me now realize parinibbana, for my time has come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that counts as Theravada: apparently the stories were compiled 5th century CE, by &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhaghosa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhaghosa&lt;/a&gt; who is called Theravadin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other things to note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was deep distress, sorrow, grief (perhaps disenchantment) that led to his seeking refuge. My guess is that at that point in his life perhaps he found that his clinging was no longer tenable, perhaps he then no longer had the attachments you'd expect to find in a lay person.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;His having attained arahatship, perhaps you would no longer call him a lay person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the congregation, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha, &quot;Venerable Sir! The minister had realized parinibbana dressed in full regalia; is he a samana on a brahmana?&quot; To them, the Buddha replied &quot;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus! My son can be called both a samana and a brahmana&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Verse 142: Though he is gaily decked, if he is calm, free from moral defilements, and has his senses controlled, if he is established in Magga Insight, if he is pure and has laid aside enmity (lit., weapons) towards all beings, he indeed is a brahmana, a samana, and a bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/santati.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This version of the story&lt;/a&gt; explains that Santati had been the follower of Vipassī Buddha in an earlier kalpa, had preached the Dhamma for eighty four thousand years ... perhaps that (i.e. his past life) helps to justify why he might be called &quot;a brahmana, a samana, and a bhikkhu&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-06T09:54:01.013" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T09:54:01.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9407" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17569" CreationDate="2015-06-06T09:11:12.830" Score="4" ViewCount="325" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this book in a local bookstore and went online to research it. I could not find much reference to it.  The author, George C. Adams Jr., purports to have been given a lost sutra of the Buddha, given on his deathbed, to Ananda. It looks like a work of complete fiction to me but was wondering if anyone has more information on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T03:55:06.907" Title="Is there any authenticity to the book 'The Deathbed Sutra of the Buddha: Or Siddhartha's Regrets'?" Tags="|sutras|books|controversy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9405" CreationDate="2015-06-06T09:41:32.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me narrow down &quot;engaged Buddhism&quot; to &quot;applying the Dharma to social and political injustices&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.069.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kathavatthu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha did not prefer monks to engage in discussions concerning mundane things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One ... addressed the monks: &quot;For what topic of&#xA;  conversation are you gathered together here? ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just now, lord, after the meal, ... we ... engaged in ... conversation about kings, robbers, &amp;amp;&#xA;  ministers of state; armies, alarms, &amp;amp; battles; food &amp;amp; drink; clothing,&#xA;  furniture, garlands, &amp;amp; scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns,&#xA;  cities, the countryside; women &amp;amp; heroes; the gossip of the street &amp;amp;&#xA;  the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the&#xA;  world &amp;amp; of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone&#xA;  forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged&#xA;  in such topics of conversation ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk&#xA;  on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on&#xA;  arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on&#xA;  release, and on the knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, the Buddha advised the lay followers in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on how good friends should be. From here, I extrapolate that lay Buddhists can become good friends of their fellow members of society, and exhort them to be likewise. This can be one way to Engaged Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;21&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and&#xA;  the compassionate friend.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when&#xA;  you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is&#xA;  requested.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in&#xA;  misfortune, and even dying for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what&#xA;  you ought to know, and showing you the path to heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune,&#xA;  preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who&#xA;  praise your good qualities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T09:41:32.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9409" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9410" CreationDate="2015-06-06T11:06:42.447" Score="7" ViewCount="1456" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lately I've been noticing how often people in my everyday life mention being proud of themselves or their loved ones for some good effort or action or being ashamed of themselves (or decrying others should be ashamed of themselves) for some lack of good effort or bad action. Even in court precedings, it seems judges take into account whether or not the convicted is &quot;showing remorse&quot; when sentencing. It seems to be considered a positive thing to display your pride or even your shame when appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my studies of Buddhism so far, I don't really recall learning anything specific about pride and shame but have only a vague notion that these emotions don't seem very &quot;Buddhist&quot;; maybe being related to ego or judgement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach anything about pride and shame? Are they ever considered positive mind states in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T09:44:20.737" Title="Pride and Shame in Buddhism" Tags="|ethics|right-view|mind-states|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9409" CreationDate="2015-06-06T11:31:31.420" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokavipatti Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on the eight worldly winds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions. Which eight? Gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, &amp;amp; pain. These are the eight worldly conditions that spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person there arise gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, &amp;amp; pain. For a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones there also arise gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, &amp;amp; pain. So what difference, what distinction, what distinguishing factor is there between the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones and the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;..the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person..he welcomes the arisen gain and rebels against the arisen loss. He welcomes the arisen status and rebels against the arisen disgrace. He welcomes the arisen praise and rebels against the arisen censure. He welcomes the arisen pleasure and rebels against the arisen pain. As he is thus engaged in welcoming &amp;amp; rebelling, he is not released from birth, aging, or death; from sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, or despairs. He is not released, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;..the disciple of the Noble ones does not welcome the arisen gain, or rebel against the arisen loss. He does not welcome the arisen status, or rebel against the arisen disgrace. He does not welcome the arisen praise, or rebel against the arisen censure. He does not welcome the arisen pleasure, or rebel against the arisen pain. As he thus abandons welcoming &amp;amp; rebelling, he is released from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death; from sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, &amp;amp; despairs. He is released, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor between the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones and the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I suppose before we gain enlightenment equipoise or equanimity would be the appropriate response, then again use Upaya-kaushalya (skilful means), if you have the wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T11:31:31.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9409" CreationDate="2015-06-06T11:53:57.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe what you are mentioning is called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/#formjhanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Eight Worldly Dhammas&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;These conditions are inconstant &amp;amp; impermanent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gain and Loss&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pleasure and Pain&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Praise and Blame&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Fame and Disrepute (status/disgrace)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo also writes about them in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/lessons/Lessons.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Lessons In Practical Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in the chapter: Dangers, p. 12-24. Here is quote from the chapter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The third set of dangers are most important for a meditator to become familiar with so as to not be dissuaded from the goal because of them. The Buddha taught these dangers using the metaphor of crossing a body of water. Just as one attempting to cross a large body of water, much danger awaits for a meditator wishing to escape from samsara to the farther shore where safety and freedom from suffering are found. The four dangers the Buddha enumerated are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1) waves&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2) crocodiles&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3) whirlpools&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4) sharks.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are four dangers for one wishing to reach the farther shore. They are also metaphors for the dangers that may stop us from reaching peace, happiness and freedom from suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The first danger, waves, is what the Buddha called the eight worldly dhammas, eight vicissitudes of life that we easily get caught up in, even though they are worldly things of no inherent benefit. When we come to practice meditation, we try to leave behind worldly things, doing away with our attachment and aversion to the ways of the world. If we get caught up in such things, they will toss us about like waves on the ocean, and may even drown us with their force.&#xA;  The eight worldly dhammas are fame and obscurity, praise and blame, gain and loss, and happiness and suffering. When we are famous, or have high status in society, it is easy to get caught up and proud of it. Some people become addicted to fame, constantly thinking of ways to become better-known or rise up in social status. Such people become devastated if they find themselves without status or fame, and thus are tossed about chasing after the peak of the next wave. Even meditators may succumb to such danger, letting their minds wander into thoughts of becoming famous or successful in the worldly sphere.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Likewise, when we receive praise, we can easily become caught up in it, addicted to the esteem of others, and tossed about whenever we receive dispraise. Some meditators become angry and obstinate when criticized by their teachers, refusing to listen and even leaving the meditation centre without finishing their training simply because of their inability to withstand criticism. Others become caught up in their worldly accomplishments, relishing the praise that comes from involvement in the world, and so are unable to focus their minds on meditation, thinking only of the pleasure that comes from being among those who shower them with praise.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gain as well can be a great hindrance to meditation if one worries about ones possessions or if craving for new possessions arises. Some monks become dissatisfied with the monastic life because of their remembrance of pleasant experiences when they were lay people. Some monks become infatuated with the lives of lay people and give rise to craving for what seems to be a life of happiness as compared to the difficult life of a monk. Some monks are even enticed by rich lay supporters to disrobe, with the promise of marriage or financial support once they disrobe. Likewise, those meditators who have much wealth will often fail to put out any real effort in the practice, unafraid as they are about the future, thinking that they are already safe and that their riches will protect them from all dangers. Often this prevents such people from even attending a meditation course, since they are unable to see the dangers that await even rich people if they are negligent.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are also mentioned in verse 29 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigdzindharma.org/uploads/6/9/5/6/6956478/nagarjunalettertoafriend.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;29) O Realizer of the Transitory World.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don't have as objects of your mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eight transitory things of the world:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namely, material gain and no gain, happiness and unhappiness, Things nice to&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hear and not nice to hear, or praise and scorn. Be indifferent (toward them)&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reading your question again i see i misunderstood it a bit when reading first. Now i see that you are asking about the internally generated pride, e.g. because of ones own achievements and the like. I think that too can fall under &quot;praising&quot;, here praising oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pride can be refered to the so called &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/asmi_maana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;asmi-māna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; meaning the &quot;I-am-conceit&quot;. Here the Buddha teaches that one can create a self on 3 levels: &lt;em&gt;I am inferior, I am superior or I am equal&lt;/em&gt;. They are all wrong view since they refer to a self of some kind which is not to be found anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also pride is one of the 10 fetters that are to be destroyed in order to reach Nibbana. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/maana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;According the palicanon.com&lt;/a&gt; pride vanishes completely only at the entrance to arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T09:44:20.737" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T09:44:20.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9409" CreationDate="2015-06-06T12:18:26.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;in court proceedings judges consider whether the convicted is &quot;showing remorse&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (that I mentioned in a comment a few days ago) says something,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the nun — getting up from her bed, arranging her upper robe over one shoulder, and bowing down with her head at Ven. Ananda's feet — said, &quot;A transgression has overcome me, venerable sir, in that I was so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to act in this way. May my lord Ananda please accept this confession of my transgression as such, so that I may restrain myself in the future.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sister, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to act in this way. But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a cause of growth in the Dhamma &amp;amp; Discipline of the noble ones when, seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot about &quot;confession&quot; in the Vinaya: the breaking of various rules is described as &quot;a fault of confession&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8243/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; mentions that &quot;skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, freedom from remorse as their reward&quot; etc. So a person's experiencing remorse might be seen as a motive or incentive for their not repeating the offence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;being proud of someone for some good effort or action or being ashamed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Māna (pride or conceit)&lt;/a&gt; is variously seen as a &quot;poison&quot;, as an &quot;unwholesome mental factor&quot;, as a &quot;fetter&quot;.&#xA;I don't see &quot;shame&quot; mentioned explicitly (as wholesome or unwholesome), but I wonder if maybe shame is the same coin as pride: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9415/how-are-conceit-and-identity-view-not-the-same#comment13253_9417&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; suggests, not that &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; actions don't exist, but that thinking &quot;I am better&quot; or &quot;I am not as good&quot; might indicate identity view or conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand (to take a more positive view), &quot;being proud of their loved one for some good effort or action&quot; sounds like it could be related to this one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt; (which is a &quot;positive mind state&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Empathetic joy (Pāli and Sanskrit: muditā):&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  joy in the accomplishments of a person—oneself or another; sympathetic joy; &quot;the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also answers to your question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8858/254&quot;&gt;What is Right Action for a Buddhist regarding talking about personal success?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned this psychology experiment to my mum yesterday:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Children are given a task&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At the end, praise some of the children for how clever they are; and praise others for how much effort they put into it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you then give them another difficult task, the observed results were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those who had been praised as clever would abandon the new task, when they found it difficult and that they weren't making progress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those who had been praised for persevering continued the task&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I don't know in what context you've been hearing &quot;proud&quot; but something like that better side of &quot;pride&quot; might be seen in some words/phrases of the suttas: &quot;well said!&quot;, &quot;praised by the wise&quot;, &quot;noble&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T09:03:32.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9409" CreationDate="2015-06-06T12:32:30.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be useful to be very precise about what we mean by &quot;pride&quot; and &quot;shame&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia mentions these relevant terms from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_%28Buddhism%29#Therav.C4.81da_Abhidharma_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada Abhidharma tradition&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unwholesome mental factors (akusala cetasikas) include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahirika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ahirika&lt;/a&gt; - lack of shame or disgust for doing evil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anottappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anottappa&lt;/a&gt; - disregard for consequence, lack of shame for consequences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Māna&lt;/a&gt; - conceit or pride&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukkucca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kukkucca&lt;/a&gt; - regret or remorse, shame of past mistakes or actions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beautiful mental factors (sobhana cetasikas) include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sati&lt;/a&gt; - mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiri_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hiri&lt;/a&gt; - shame or disgust at doing evil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ottappa&lt;/a&gt; - regard for consequence, or shame for consequences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T09:15:05.997" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T09:15:05.997" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9414" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9467" CreationDate="2015-06-06T12:34:24.243" Score="10" ViewCount="2078" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, for example, mentions &quot;effluent&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.16.01.than.html&quot;&gt;Adhimutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One gone to the far shore&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  without clinging&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  without effluent&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  his task completed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  welcomes the ending of life,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  as if freed from a place of execution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html#asava&quot;&gt;Glossary&lt;/a&gt; gives a definition but I don't really understand it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;āsava:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mental effluent, pollutant, or fermentation. Four qualities — sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance — that &quot;flow out&quot; of the mind and create the flood of the round of death and rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a longer (perhaps easier to understand) article on Wikipedia: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asava&quot;&gt;Āsava&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is &quot;effluent&quot; (do you have anything to add to the Glossary and Wikipedia definitions above)?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference (or connection) between &quot;karma&quot; and &quot;effluent&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there a specific practice for ending &quot;effluents&quot;? Are they an effect or a cause?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Three of these effluents (ignorance, becoming, and sensuality) are also listed as 'defilements' ... what kinds of 'views' are considered effluent?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is too many questions, please feel free to answer just one or two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T21:41:46.070" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T00:22:11.157" Title="What is effluent?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9415" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9424" CreationDate="2015-06-06T12:44:18.007" Score="17" ViewCount="2520" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Lists_of_fetters&quot;&gt;Lists of fetters&lt;/a&gt; I see &quot;conceit&quot; and &quot;identity view&quot; listed separately ... and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; say that identity view will be abandoned (in the first stage) before conceit (in the fourth stage).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia article about &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot;&gt;Conceit&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is conceit or pride when we consider ourselves important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is it that &quot;conceit&quot; could continue after &quot;identity view&quot; has been abandoned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2022-04-19T10:20:12.280" Title="How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?" Tags="|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9415" CreationDate="2015-06-06T14:17:28.670" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TL;DR version&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is self-view or self-belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit or māna is self-emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Long version&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identity view or personality belief (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/s_t/sakkaaya_ditthi.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/a&gt;) is the &amp;quot;theory of soul, heresy of individuality, speculation as to the eternity or otherwise of one's own individuality&amp;quot; according to Bhikkhu Bodhi. It's a &lt;strong&gt;wrong view&lt;/strong&gt; or belief that one is identical with, contained in, independent of, or is the owner of, the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's merely the wrong view or belief or conviction related to the self. For example, the belief in an absolute, eternal and independent self would be an example of identity view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view&#xA;arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp;&#xA;established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely&#xA;by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely&#xA;by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is&#xA;precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as&#xA;true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of&#xA;mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of&#xA;good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant,&#xA;everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it&#xA;is for eternity. This is called a ... a fetter of views.&#xA;Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is&#xA;not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp;&#xA;stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The statement &amp;quot;sabbe dhamma anatta&amp;quot; says that all phenomena is not self. It does not say that there is no self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/maana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;māna&lt;/a&gt;) on the other hand is not just a belief or view or conviction. It is also an emotion that is deep-seated. The deep-seated fetters are harder to remove than views. Only an arahant has dropped conceit completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Nyanaponika Thera writes as a footnote to his translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.003.nypo.html#fn-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Conceit&amp;quot; refers in particular to self-conceit (asmi-mano), i.e.,&#xA;personality belief, on &lt;strong&gt;both the intellectual and the emotional&#xA;levels&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.003.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a monk has given up the tendency to lust in regard to pleasant&#xA;feeling, the tendency to resistance in regard to painful feelings, and&#xA;the tendency to ignorance in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant&#xA;feelings, then he is called one who is free of (unwholesome)&#xA;tendencies, one who has the right outlook. He has cut off craving,&#xA;severed the fetters (to future existence), and &lt;strong&gt;through the full&#xA;penetration of conceit, he has made an end of suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Updated view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit in Buddhism is a technical term, referring to the deep-rooted habit or tendency of self-expression or self-clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's different from self-view or identity-view, which is more like a belief, than a habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference between overcoming self-view and overcoming conceit, is like the difference between overcoming wrong beliefs about diet and exercise, and overcoming obesity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-04-19T10:20:12.280" LastActivityDate="2022-04-19T10:20:12.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9415" CreationDate="2015-06-06T14:19:36.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Identity view is a view or belief that there is an entity that exist within one the five khandas, is one of the five khandas, apart from the five khandas, contains one, or more, or all of the five khandas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it is discerned that there isn't an entity called a &amp;quot;self&amp;quot;, that it doesn't exist, that it is a made up, mistaken view, held strongly, and there are only the five khandas and the workings of Dependent Origination, there still exist the view of &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot; as a reference point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where there still exist a sense of &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot; as a reference point, there automatically exist the view of &amp;quot;another&amp;quot; as the other reference point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this view of &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot; a comparison can be made with the &amp;quot;another&amp;quot; hence the arising of conceit at 9 levels. When one is better one makes the comparison &amp;quot;I am better&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;equal..&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;less than ..&amp;quot;, and their permutations( *sorry couldn't find the citation&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.089x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khemo Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it has been compared to a remaining scent:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, friends, I do not say this 'I am' is the body,... consciousness, nor that it is other than the body,... consciousness. Yet with regard to the five groups of clinging,[1] 'I am' comes to me,[2] but I do not consider it (by way of wrong views) as 'This I am.' It is just like the scent of a blue, red or white lotus.[3] If someone were to say, 'The scent belongs to the petals, or the color, or the fibers,'[4] would he be describing it correctly?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Surely not, friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then how would he describe it correctly?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As the scent of the flower, would be the correct explanation.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, friends, I do not say this 'I am' is the body,... consciousness, nor that it is other than the body,... consciousness. Yet with regard to the five groups of clinging, 'I am' comes to me, but I do not consider it as 'This I am.' Though, friends, an Ariyan disciple has abandoned the five lower fetters,[5] there still remains in him a subtle remnant[6] from among the five groups of clinging, a subtle remnant of the 'I'-conceit, of the 'I'-desire, an unextirpated lurking tendency[7] to think: 'I am.' Later on he dwells contemplating the rise and fall of the five groups of clinging,[8] and he sees: 'This is the body, this is its arising, this is its passing away. These are feelings,... perceptions,... mental formations,... this is consciousness, this is its arising, this is its passing away.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So, as he dwells thus in contemplation of the rise and fall of the five groups of clinging, this subtle remnant from among the five groups of clinging, this subtle remnant of the 'I'-conceit, of the 'I'-desire, this unextirpated lurking tendency to think: 'I am' is brought to an end.[9]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Friends, it is like a cloth, soiled and stained, whose owners give it to the washerman. He rubs it smooth with salt-earth, lye or cow-dung then rinses it in clean water. Now though the cloth has been cleaned and thoroughly purified, there still hangs about it, unremoved, the subtle smell of salt-earth, lye or cow-dung. The washerman returns it to the owners, who put it away carefully in a sweet-smelling box. Then the smell of salt-earth, lye or cow-dung that still clung to it disappears completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In just the same way, friends, though an Ariyan disciple has abandoned the five lower fetters... [as above]... this unextirpated lurking tendency to think: 'I am' is brought to an end.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T14:38:03.343" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9415" CreationDate="2015-06-06T14:36:34.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/EITYQJXiatM?t=1774&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This video&lt;/a&gt; which Sankha referenced says that there are levels of perversion i.e. &quot;perception&quot;, &quot;thought&quot;, and &quot;view&quot; &amp;ndash; and that Sakkayaditti is a view whereas Mana is a perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By analogy you might:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See food and get the impression of it as pleasant or attractive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start thinking about it, where the thought arises &quot;that food is pleasant&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actually believe or affirm that thought (i.e. hold the view that the food is pleasant).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-06T14:42:01.710" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T14:42:01.710" CommentCount="5" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-06T14:36:34.723" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9391" CreationDate="2015-06-06T16:29:26.687" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, being in a commited married life does not make it impossible to attain Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being in a commited married life helps you towards reaching Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering always helps you reach Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When suffering is present, commited married life can arise.&#xA;When commited married life arises, good action and bad action towards liberation arise.&#xA;When good action arises more than bad action, knowledge leading to liberation rises.&#xA;When knowledge leading to liberation has rised enough, liberation follows.&#xA;When liberation follows, suffering has come to an end.&#xA;When suffering comes to an end, compassion for suffering of other beings is arised.&#xA;When compassion for suffering of other beings is arised, only good action towards these beings is arised.&#xA;When good action towards beings is arised, your strive to help these beings become liberated is arised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If suffering comes to an end while being in a commited married life, your strive to help your woman (or child, or family,...) reach liberation is arised. Sometimes this means ending the relationship. Sometimes it means staying in the relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You see, when you reach Nirvana while being in a commited married life, it's like reaching Nirvana while being a butcher in your own farm (the case is extreme, but it is not impossible). When you reach Nirvana while being a butcher in your own farm, what do you do with your animals? Yes, you stop killing your animals. But, do you let them go? No, because letting them go, would be the same as killing them, as they don't know how to survive because they were domesticated by you. So, you decide paying the price for your past bad actions - you stay with the animals, feed them, nourish them, teach them how to survive, help them towards their strive to end their suffering. Only after you've done everything you could to help your animals, you let go of them. Only a liberated mind can know when he has done everything he could to cleanse his past deeds. Once you let go of them, you never, ever, build your own farm again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T16:29:26.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-06T18:11:35.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are exceptions to the chain of dependent origination and it is in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.co.uk/canon/majjhima/mn44.php#3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culavedallla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in which former husband Visakha questions nun Dhammadina. Here is the excerpts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what way is pleasant feeling pleasant, lady, and in what way painful?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Pleasant feeling is pleasant in remaining, &amp;amp; painful in changing, friend Visakha. Painful feeling is painful in remaining &amp;amp; pleasant in changing. Neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is pleasant in occurring together with knowledge, and painful in occurring without knowledge.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What latent tendency lies latent in pleasant feeling? What latent tendency lies latent in painful feeling? What latent tendency lies latent in neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The latent tendency to passion lies latent in pleasant feeling. The latent tendency to irritation lies latent in painful feeling. The latent tendency to ignorance lies latent in neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Does the latent tendency to passion lie latent in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; pleasant feeling? Does the latent tendency to irritation lie latent in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; painful feeling? Does the latent tendency to ignorance lie latent in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No....&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is to be abandoned in pleasant feeling? What is to be abandoned in painful feeling? What is to be abandoned in neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The latent tendency to passion is to be abandoned in pleasant feeling. The latent tendency to irritation is to be abandoned in painful feeling. The latent tendency to ignorance is to be abandoned in neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is the latent tendency to passion to be abandoned in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; pleasant feeling? Is the latent tendency to irritation to be abandoned in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; painful feeling? Is the latent tendency to ignorance to be abandoned in &lt;strong&gt;all&lt;/strong&gt; neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No .... There is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities -- enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. With that he abandons passion. No latent tendency to passion lies latent there.[4] There is the case where a monk considers, 'O when will I enter &amp;amp; remain in the sphere that those who are noble now enter &amp;amp; remain in?' And as he thus nurses this yearning for the unexcelled liberations, there arises within him sorrow based on that yearning. With that he abandons irritation. No latent tendency to irritation lies latent there.[5] There is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure &amp;amp; pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation &amp;amp; distress -- enters &amp;amp; remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp;amp; mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. With that he abandons ignorance. No latent tendency to ignorance lies latent there.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Depending on contact, feeling arises, depending on feeling, rapture (piti) &amp;amp; pleasure (sukha) arises, accompanied by direct thought (vitakka) and evaluation(vicara) - first jhanna factors.&lt;/strong&gt; With that he abandons passion (*becomes an Arahant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as he thus nurses this yearning for the unexcelled liberations, there arises within him &lt;strong&gt;sorrow based on that yearning (disenchantment)&lt;/strong&gt;. With that he abandons irritation(*becomes an Anagami).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..enters &amp;amp; remains in the &lt;strong&gt;fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp;amp; mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain&lt;/strong&gt;. With that he abandons ignorance(* becomes an Arahant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-06T18:55:38.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9407" CreationDate="2015-06-07T06:30:24.627" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1782796126&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Deathbed Sutra of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1782796126&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;customers' reviews&lt;/a&gt; of the book, I get the impression that it is a fictional work to provoke a reassessment of one's thinking in light of controversies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few reviews from customers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book a very clever merging of philosophy and fiction, which examines and challenges some fundamental Buddhist beliefs in a manner that manages to be both deeply insightful but also delightfully entertaining. It’s a short work, but packed full of dense analysis of Buddhist thought, using the clever device of a fictional conversation between Buddha and his attendant, Ananda. Readers are likely to love it or hate it, but in either case it’s definitely a great read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it's not a &amp;quot;DaVinci Code for Buddhists&amp;quot; as stated on the back cover, it does offer a fast moving narrative conversation that moves along through the final night of the Buddha's life. It left me wondering what will happen next, and what will the Buddha say next? Thought-provoking and fun at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MVFWIW is if you are new to Buddhism then it is advisable to learn about the authentic teachings first and when you have cultivated wisdom and faith then to challenge that faith and wisdom with controversies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it is Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana have provided enough divergent materials for your wisdom and faith to work on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T06:30:24.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9422" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9425" CreationDate="2015-06-07T10:32:48.377" Score="6" ViewCount="5496" Body="&lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; meant with 'kalapas' (those ultra small particles of existence, that arise and pass away at an incredible speed)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a correlation between those kalapas and the emptiness of all things (sunnata)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can those kalapas be considered as the 'source' for all manifestations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T18:30:30.637" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T01:54:44.853" Title="Meaning of 'kalapas'" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9400" CreationDate="2015-06-07T11:26:38.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The voice is a &quot;wind-instrument&quot; and it relies on resonance. We have different cavities in the body, e.g. the nasal cavity and the chest cavity. These cavities are where the sound vibrations resonate and thereby gain frequency, e.g. low or high frequency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there is tension in the body, i.e. in muscles and ligaments there is restriction and contraction creating less space for the sound vibrations to resonate in. Sound vibrations love more space and tension kills them. Relaxation is important in order to create rich sound vibrations. A lowering of the voice can take place if there is a &quot;bigger&quot; cavity to resonate in, due to less tension in the body, thereby giving the vibrations a larger range of frequency to resonate in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its difficult to answer whether or not vegetarianism plays a role in your voice changing. There are many factors involved. You could try asking the question on the other SE's, e.g. &lt;em&gt;&quot;Health and Biology&quot;&lt;/em&gt; to gain more answers or ask your doctor for a strictly medical answer if thats what your looking for. I would say get a lot of different opinions on it instead of limiting yourself to one perspective. Then you can evaluate the different answers you got and find out which one fits the best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a &lt;strong&gt;buddhist perspective&lt;/strong&gt; an answer will be that your voice changes because it belongs to the 5 aggregates, i.e. the 1st aggregate of form. These aggregates are subject to the 3 signs of existence and therefore they are unstable, in a constant flux and ever-changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T14:15:05.197" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T14:15:05.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9415" CreationDate="2015-06-07T12:13:49.710" Score="19" Body="&lt;p&gt;A view is taking something to be true, whereas conceit falls in the category of a simple experience, which one may or may not hold to be valid. It is similar with greed; one may want something without believing it proper to want, and one may likewise feel conceit (&amp;quot;I am better&amp;quot;, etc.) without actually believing in a self. This is seen when, after the arising of a conceited thought, one mentally discards it as being based on delusion rather than accepting it as valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identity view, sakkāya-diṭṭhi, is the belief that the aggregates are self; it is this belief that gives rise to conceit, greed, anger, etc., but it is seperate from all of these. It is useful to remember that, while one without sakkāya-diṭṭhi can still give rise to defilement, such defilements are only remnants of past belief in self and are certain to disappear within seven lifetimes at most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw discusses the difference and as always has interesting things to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the stage of Sotāpanna, Stream Enterer, the fetters of Personality-belief (false view of individuality), doubts and uncertainty, and adherence to rites and rituals have been completely eradicated. But a Stream Enterer is not yet free from Asmi-māna, the I-conceit. To take pride in one's ability, one's status, &amp;quot;I can do; I am noble,&amp;quot; is to hold on to the I-conceit. But a Stream Winner's conceit relates only to the genuine qualities and virtues, he actually possesses and is not false pride based on non-existing qualities and virtues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Anattalakkhana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What he is referring to is that fact that of the nine types of conceit, only three can arise in a sotapanna. The factors are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one is superior&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one equal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one lesser&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one is superior&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one is equal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one is lesser&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3x3=9)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and a Sotapanna can only give rise to true conceit, viz:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one is superior when one is superior&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one is equal when one is equal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking one is lesser when one is lesser&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw also discusses the curious case of Khemaka, who was struggling with the difference himself (&lt;em&gt;asmi&lt;/em&gt; means &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot;, &lt;em&gt;māna&lt;/em&gt; is conceit):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asmi māna was once the subject of discussion between the sixty elder monks and Ashin Khemaka, an Anāgāmi, on the question of Arahatship. The latter told them through their intermediary, Dasaka, that he could not discover atta-self, or its attributes in any of the upādānakkhandhās, aggregates of clinging. The elders then concluded that he had become an Arahat and asked him if he was. This called for further elucidation and so he said, &amp;quot;I cannot as yet own myself an Arahat, but I have the notion that I am still in the realm of the five aggregates of clinging (asmīti adhigatam), although I would hesitate to say that this particular thing is 'I'. Then the elders again enquired, &amp;quot;Does I exist in feeling, or perception, or mental formations or consciousness?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This drove Ashin Khemaka to the presence of the elders so that he could offer a personal explanation which runs as follows-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brothers! I cannot say I am matter; nor can I say I am feeling or perception or mental formation: or consciousness or any other beyond the five aggregates. But there still clings to me the notion that I am still in the realm of the five aggregates. But at the same time I cannot say, &amp;quot;This is I.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ashin Khemaka did not consider any one of the upādānakkhandhās as asmī in the conventional sense. This term suggests that he thought, &amp;quot;I know. I can. I am great.&amp;quot; This is self-conceit which grows out of the accomplishment of virtue that he had truly achieved. Consider the fragrance of a water-lily. Does it originate from its stem? From its petals? From its anothers? One can say only conventionally that it emanates from the lily, but one cannot find any rūpa matter that produces fragrance. The notion of asmī is there; but I cannot say, &amp;quot;This is I&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ashin Khemaka then continued, &amp;quot;An Ariya (the Noble One) destroys the bonds of individuality, doubts, false religious practices, lust and animosity. But at this stage he cannot break away from asmī māna, asmī chanda and anusaya māna. They are subtle kinds of attachment to self, desire for self and inclination toward self. If, however the Ariyan disciple notes with mindfulness the arising and passing away of the five aggregates of clinging, such subtle passions will subside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Consider this metaphor of a washerwoman. She washes clothes with soap and water and they become clean-white. Still they smell of soap. Only when they are kept in a scented box they lose their odour. If one continually meditates on the five aggregates of clinging, all these subtle passions will be washed away clean and one can remain without any vestiges of such passions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Silavanta%20Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw, Silavanta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2018-07-22T18:54:09.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9422" CreationDate="2015-06-07T13:38:12.613" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kalāpa&lt;/em&gt; in the sense you are thinking is used in the commentaries. The word is generally used in the suttas to mean &quot;bundle&quot;, as in &lt;em&gt;yavakalāpa&lt;/em&gt; - bundle of grass, or &lt;em&gt;dhanukalāpa&lt;/em&gt; - sheaf of arrows. I can't pinpoint the first usage of the word to mean &quot;smallest particle  of matter&quot;, but the Visuddhimagga uses it in this way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But since neither of these is a fact, you should therefore give up conjecturing&#xA;  the difference to be in the supporting primary elements. Just as the natures of visible&#xA;  objects, etc., are dissimilar from each other though there is no difference &lt;strong&gt;in the&#xA;  primaries that form a single group&lt;/strong&gt;, so too are eye-sensitivity, etc., though no other&#xA;  cause of their difference exists.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vism XIV.45 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali here is &lt;em&gt;ekakalāpe&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;in a single group&quot;. The meaning is that each instance of matter is made up of a single group of characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The abhidhammattha-sangaha also uses the term:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ekuppādā ekanirodhā ekanissayā sahavuttino ekavīsati rūpa&lt;strong&gt;kalāpā&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  nāma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are twenty-one material groups inasmuch as they arise together, cease together, have a common basis, and occur together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi's explanation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Material phenomena do not occur  singly,  but  in  combinations or&#xA;  groups known as rūpakalāpas, of which twenty-one are enumerated. Just&#xA;  as all the cetasikas possess four characteristics (see II, §1), so too do&#xA;  the material phenomena  in a group. All  the material phenomena in  a&#xA;  group arise together and cease  together.  They  have  a common base, namely, the conascent great essentials, which are the proximate cause&#xA;  for the derivative phenomena as well as for each other. And they all occur&#xA;  together from their arising to their cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(From A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, pp. 252-3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nyanatiloka gives the following explanation of rūpa-kalāpa in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/ruupa_kalaapa.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhist Terms&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'corporeal group', material unit, designates a combination of several physical phenomena constituting a temporary unity. Thus, for instance, the so-called 'dead matter' forms the most primitive group, consisting only of 8 physical phenomena, called the 'pure eightfold unit' or 'octad' (suddhatthakakalāpa), to wit: the 4 elements (the solid, fluid, heat, motion); colour, smell, taste, nutriment (pathavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo; vanna, gandha, rasa, ojā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Vis.M., and elsewhere, it is also called ojatthamaka-kalāpa, 'the octad with nutriment as the 8th factor'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The simplest form of living matter is the '9-fold vitality unit' or 'life-ennead' (jīvita-navaka-kalāpa), formed by adding 'vitality' to the octad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seven decades, or units of ten (dasaka-kalāpa), are formed by adding to the 9-fold unit one of the following corporeal phenomena: heart (physical seat of mind), sex, eye, ear, nose, tongue or body. -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;See Vis.M. XVIII, 4; Compendium of Buddhist Philosophy (PTS), p. 164, 250; Atthasālini Tr., II, 413f.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Mahasi Sayadaw talks about rūpa-kalāpa in the context of rebirth as a human in his discourse on Paticca-Samuppada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the arising of rebirth consciousness there occur simultaneously three kammajā-rūpakalāpas or thirty rūpas. These are rūpas that have their origin in kamma, viz., ten kāyarūpas, ten bhava-rūpas and ten vatthu rūpas. The nine rūpas, to wit, the solid, fluid, heat, motion, colour, smell, taste, nutriment and life together with the kāyapasāda (body-essence) rūpa form the ten kāyarūpas; bhava-rūpa and the solid, etc form the group of ten Bhavūpas. Bhavārūpa means two germinal rūpas, one for manhood and the other for womanhood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This embryonic rūpa has the size of a little drop of butter-oil scum on a fine woollen thread. It is so small that it is invisible to the naked eye. It does not exist by itself. We should assume that it arises from the fusion of the semen (sukka) and blood (sanita) of the parents. If we reject this view, it will be hard to explain the child's resemblance to his parents in physical appearance. It is also said in the suttas that the physical body is the product of the four primary elements and the parent's semen. Moreover, the piṭaka specifies three conditions necessary for conception, viz., the parent's intercourse, the menstrual discharge of the mother and the presence of something qualified to become an embryo. Thus it is clear that according to the scriptures, the embryonic kalāla has its origin in the fusion of parent's semen and blood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Western biologists, it is the fusion of the mother's ovum and the father's spermatozoa that gradually develops and becomes a child. The original embryo is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. The findings of these scientists fairly agree with what the Buddhist books say about conception. Without the help of microscope or other instruments but purely by means of his intellect the Buddha knew how life begins with three kalāpas or thirty rūpas as kalāpa on the basis of parents' semen and blood. This was the Buddha's teaching 2500 years ago and it was only during the last 300 years that Western scientists discovered the facts about conception after long investigation with microscopes. Their discoveries bear testimony to the Buddha's infinite intelligence. However, they are as yet unable to reveal the genesis of thirty rūpas probably because the extremely subtle kammajarūpas defy microscopic investigation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;UPDATE (to reflect your new questions):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there a correlation between those kalapas and the emptiness of all things (sunnata)?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theory of the kalāpa has no direct connection with the theory of suññatā; it simply describes the composition of individual groups of matter. Indirectly, though, since suññatā is very much connected with anattā (being devoid or &quot;empty&quot; of self), the fact that rūpa is made up of individual states that arise and cease without remainder is indeed an important part of the realization of this truth. E.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having thus discerned by knowledge of contemplation of reflection that&#xA;  “All formations are void” (see S III 167), he again discerns voidness in the double logical relation thus: “This is void of self or of what belongs to self” (M II 263; Paṭis II 36).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he has thus seen that there is neither a self nor any other [thing or&#xA;  being] occupying the position of a self's property, he again discerns voidness in the quadruple logical relation as set forth in this passage: “I am not anywhere anyone’s owning, nor is there anywhere my owning in anyone (nāhaṃ kvacani kassaci kiñcanat’ asmiṃ na ca mama kvacani kismiñci kiñcanat’ atthi)” (M II 263).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism XXI.53 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can those kalapas be considered as the 'source' for all manifestations?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kalāpa&lt;/em&gt;, or more properly &lt;em&gt;rūpa-kalāpa&lt;/em&gt;, are physical, so no they are only a source for certain other phenomena. &quot;source&quot; is a problematic term anyway, since the causal nature of reality is far more complex than simply A =&gt; B.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-10T16:39:18.933" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T16:39:18.933" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9426" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-07T15:39:02.480" Score="5" ViewCount="451" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many Theravada Vipassana traditions according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this wikipedia page&lt;/a&gt; and more according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9117/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are any, or all, of these traditions suited to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;beginners&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;?&#xA;And why? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are any of them &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; especially suited for beginners?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you recommend a tradition for beginner, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; can one begin it: books; weekly lessons with a teacher; ten-day retreats; Youtube; ... ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Please &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;reference&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e. quote, cite, or link to) advice, from any of them, that's especially intended for beginners.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the traditions include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ledi Lineage (Ledi Sayadaw, U Ba Khin, S.N.Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, Dipa Ma)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahasi Lineage (U Narada, Mahasi Sayadaw, Nyanaponika Thera, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Goldstein, Salzberg)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thai Forest Tradition (Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Kornfield)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw Lineage (based on Visuddhimagga)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mogok Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anagarika Munindra (combined Goenka and Mahasi methods)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and more&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T02:20:57.317" Title="Any advice for beginners about Vipassana traditions?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation-insight|beginner|teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-07T16:53:47.463" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9428" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9429" CreationDate="2015-06-07T17:40:30.223" Score="10" ViewCount="6310" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading that the Zen monk Hakuin suffered a debilitating condition called zen sickness before his enlightenment. This seem to be a direct result of his practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know what this was? Has there been a retrospective medical diagnosis of this? Are there equivalent stages of the path in other traditions? Should I be worried?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2022-08-19T08:31:43.097" Title="What is zen sickness?" Tags="|zen|well-being|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2015-06-07T21:26:04.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have done some research online and read articles about zen sickness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of problems when doing research, online, on an ailment which, can be &quot;bearing&quot; on enlightenment, because there are lots of  &quot;me too is having this ailment&quot;, in other words &quot;I too, am close to being enlightened&quot;; And suddenly, zen sickness symptoms multiplied: psychological depersonalisation, etc.. are linked to zen sickness and the definition of zen sickness becomes vague and fuzzy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when I confine my readings to only very few recorded accomplished zen/chan masters, who actually do intensive meditations, their descriptions of zen sickness differ, and that is perhaps due to incorrect attribution ( the &quot;me too&quot; phenomena) of an experience to zen sickness. (I decided, eventually, not to provide links because it would create more confusion/debate on it, so don't take my word on it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/yoga-kung-fu/y_zen_sickness_of_zen_master_han_shan.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zen sickness of Master Han Shan&lt;/a&gt;, IMHO, seems to be a genuine description, but I don't agree to some of the discussion, especially the last but one paragraph which begins with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The situation of Zen sickness is not something you should desire, and certainly not something you want to force into occurring. Since it is a trouble or affliction, you want to avoid it if you can, but the important thing is that there is a remedy if it occurs. Think of it in terms of ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is not something you can force or get into easily unless you want to reprogram your own mind, but that's my view.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Tradition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my reading and analysis it would correspond to an Anagami in the Theravada tradition working towards Arahatship, where at that stage the most prominent problem is restlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO, at the path stage of an Anagami it has seen emptiness clearly and enjoys the bliss of holding onto emptiness. To get to the fruit of Anagami it has to let go of that hold on emptiness. Once it has decided to let go of emptiness the bliss, vanished. The bliss makes the mind concentrated, I quote &quot;the purpose of bliss is concentration&quot;(.. in some sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the letting go of emptiness &amp;amp; bliss the mind will just grab at any thought,tune,occupations to concentrate the mind, because if it didn't, the restlessness of the mind is unbearable( we are here talking about a very sensitive fine mind; restlessness is one of the last five fetters ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why then can not an Anagami phala(phala sounds better than fruit, which reminds me of fruitcake) go back to holding onto emptiness again and get the bliss back? The answer is that it can't, but I won't go into that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada we would call it restlessness rather than a (zen) sickness. In the articles on zen sickness I've read, the recommendation is lots of sleep, or get drowsy with alcohol, if permitted, and then get to sleep. But if restlessness is, like I say, unbearable sleep is not an option.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is learning how to abide in emptiness after letting go of emptiness. How to do that is another topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The deep state of samadhi in which Master Han Shan was in for 5 days is, in the Theravada tradition equivalent to sanna-vedayita nirodha ( ceassation of perception and feeling) in which when one awakes, enlightenment is gain (but there are controversies, some say back to Anagami phala if it wasn't attained), I haven't a clue!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's a bit of way to go before you encounter it and when you encounter it just learn to abide in emptiness, then the restlessness will not go away but lessen. But if you practice jhannas the mind will lead you into sanna-vedayita nirodha for 7 days, like Master Han Shan. The you can tell us about it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-07T21:33:25.407" LastActivityDate="2015-06-07T21:33:25.407" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9430" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-07T23:09:26.827" Score="6" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;It gets really hard for me to meditate when there is something really important happening in my life, something that triggers overwhelming emotions such as fear, anger or total despair. Avoiding them is not a solution, they don't simply go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try the usual method to deal with them (seeing for what they are and repeting &quot;fear...fear...fear...&quot;), but it seems those big emotions and events can block or even stop my meditation. I'm 100% sure I'm not the first one to face this &quot;challenge&quot;, so any advises on how to deal with it would be great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-08T05:54:07.447" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T02:12:22.057" Title="Meditating with an overwhelming emotion" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9431" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-07T23:45:55.773" Score="5" ViewCount="313" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regardless of the medium, or the path, do you know of any other traditions, or religions, or ways to attain wisdom? Wisdom as it's known in buddhist tradition: Seeing things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5162" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T06:06:59.357" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T06:06:59.357" Title="Is the attainment of natural wisdom exclusive to Buddhism?" Tags="|comparative-religion|insight|reality|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9430" CreationDate="2015-06-08T00:24:05.977" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may try anapanasati meditation to try and help bring about more calm of mind. Here is one reference for this : &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKFl4E3YhlI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKFl4E3YhlI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But these fears and feelings and such will resurface through this calm once you begin again to practice vipassana. So while useful, anapanasati may only be a crutch, albeit a potentially useful one. This is no different than being stopped by pain while sitting and having your leg fall asleep and give rise to pain. No matter how intense the pain gets, your meditation will not bear good fruits unless you see reality through in any form it manifests itself.  Avoiding things is rarely the solution. An unkempt wound festers. And because you want them to, these &quot;blockages&quot; you speak of wont go away, . The only way to make peace with them and part ways is to look at them and let them be as they are, however they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is more food for thought: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFh7aeq7QaY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFh7aeq7QaY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T23:50:41.200" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T23:50:41.200" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9433" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-08T03:40:10.897" Score="4" ViewCount="910" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know there are three vehicles in Buddhism: Therevada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. It seems there are so many sects of buddhism. Each of these three vehicles has sub-sects, (Zen, Pureland). Do the majority of Buddhist study each in depth in order to choose which fits them best in order to study the sutras accordingly? I find comfort in reading small pieces of sutras from each sect, though I've always loved Vajrayana and Zen. Is there a large difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a side note: is the eightfold path is acknowledged by all three sects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="478" LastEditorUserId="478" LastEditDate="2015-06-08T03:51:01.380" LastActivityDate="2021-01-16T13:41:52.467" Title="Finding The Right Buddhist &quot;Vehicle&quot; / Sect For An Individual" Tags="|the-buddha|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9433" CreationDate="2015-06-08T13:44:09.173" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Demographically&lt;/a&gt; the majority of Buddhists today (nearly 99%) are born in Asia into Buddhists families and would likely follow their family or local tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But assuming your question is regarding those of us who have converted to Buddhism in primarily non Buddhist countries, there may still be no consensus on what the majority of these Buddhist converts do to select a tradition or sect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One important consideration is whether one wishes to practice with a local group. If so, it might be more practical to gather information on local Buddhist centers/monasteries/temples and visit each to see where one might comfortably fit in and have an opportunity to study and practice along with other like minded local people rather than spending time learning in depth about traditions which may not be represented locally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is more interested in studying and practicing alone or in online communities, the possibilities are far less limited and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/schools.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;studying at least the basics&lt;/a&gt; of each of 3 major branches and the major sub sects within the major branches could give one enough information to see which branch really peaked ones interest to begin a more in depth study into a particular branch. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2428/is-the-pali-canon-the-only-canon-in-modern-buddhism/2433#2433&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; links information on the various canons used in different traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finding a teacher whom one really feels they can learn from, whether a present day teacher teaching locally, online, or through books/videos or a historical teacher teaching through their writings, can certainly influence an individual's choice of sect too. When teachings resonate, the energy to learn more grows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is interesting to me because it's the same thing I wondered when I first began learning about Buddhism. The information on the various schools seemed overwhelming. I started with a local group to make things easier for myself. Then spotted some interesting online resources which made me think beyond the local group. Then found the energy to begin to study the different branches in a basic way and eventually found the tradition that really resonates for me. But I think if I had just sat down and tried to read up on everything all at once, it wouldn't have made much sense. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T14:23:55.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9430" CreationDate="2015-06-08T14:12:37.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the advice given on www.vipassanadhura.com (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#t&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;If strong emotions arise&lt;/a&gt;) very helpful. Specifically related to you question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Press the fist against the center of the chest (around the heart area) and repeat &quot;knowing, knowing, knowing,&quot; being aware of the&#xA;  sensation of pressure from your hand. Keep this up until the emotion&#xA;  subsides.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If you're sitting, get up and practice walking meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Temporarily switch to a concentration technique until you are able to resume vipassana practice. For example, you might repeat the word&#xA;  &quot;Buddho,&quot; or another mantra (a mantra is a special word or phrase&#xA;  repeated aloud and focused on in concentration meditation).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary of other advice given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The emotions are not 'you'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Insight meditation neither suppresses or indulges emotions. We acknowledge them by labeling them (fear, anxiety, depression etc.) and then return to the object of meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Emotions, like all phenomena, are transient and will pass.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Emotions usually occur through memory of past events and abiding in the present moment, through an object of meditation, is the ultimate antidote.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T14:12:37.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9426" CreationDate="2015-06-08T16:10:28.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beginners would benefit most from having an attitude of being a beginner. According to the Zen tradition of the Soto branch, the object of practice is not to achieve great knowledge, powers or concentration but to discover and weed out things that block the experience of what Shunryu Suzuki calls beginners mind. He is not talking to Soto Zen students. He is talking to Buddhists everywhere in all traditions. Every Buddhist tradition can lead to that fresh perception of reality that awakening reveals. If a tradition only provides you with a set of beliefs and does not point the way to awakening then keep looking. Everyone has the right to choose their own path, and if it serves its purpose or does not help you, move on.&#xA;www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/zenmind.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask myself daily, am I ready to be a beginner. There are no advanced students in Buddhism. We are all beginners. Some beginners have walked the path longer and are aware of the inner mysteries to a greater degree. The Buddha never said I am enlightened and you are just mere mortals. He recognized the Buddha consciousness in all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I came to Buddhism I attended meditations in as many traditions as possible. Sometimes I clicked when I read a book but did not click at a local meditation. It does not matter what path you choose as long as it is one that is in harmony with your inner self and one that you practice every day in your meditation and in your living. It is a path of yielding and melting away any sense of separate self so we do not need to attain or accomplish great things &#xA;&quot;just flow like the river &#xA;going to the sea, &#xA;flow around every bend and turn &#xA;Until all that's left is eternity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T16:10:28.243" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-08T16:10:28.243" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9359" CreationDate="2015-06-08T21:49:14.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The twelve links of dependent origination are talking about necessary conditions, not sufficient conditions, so when it says &quot;With feeling as a condition craving arises&quot; the meaning of this is not that feeling always produces craving, but rather that feeling is a necessary condition for craving, and that without it, craving cannot occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T21:49:14.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2015-06-08T23:59:12.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started experiencing the same phenomenon a few months back. Originally, the eyes movements were very controlled, but during one session they went absolutely insane, rapidly jerking in all directions. In the beginning, I was quite fascinated, as it reminded me of REM sleep as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,  I began experience these eyes movements incessantly, involuntarily, in and out of meditative states, to the point where it would happen at work and I would have to leave my desk until my eyes calmed down. To be honest it happened so much that my eyes actually physically hurt and I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I've had a CT SCAN, MRI, EEG, and so far they doctor's are very much out of their territory..in other words they have no idea what is going on. They do however don't believe it to be a seizure, so perhaps that will help calm your mother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would just say be careful, as this has caused a lot of unwanted chaos in my life. &#xA;Good luck with it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5244" LastActivityDate="2015-06-08T23:59:12.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9439" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-09T06:19:27.223" Score="1" ViewCount="1579" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a reason why I get this overwhelmed feeling and want to cry when I visit the Temple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5245" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T12:48:15.443" Title="Overwhelmed feeling when visiting Temple" Tags="|temples|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9115" CreationDate="2015-06-09T07:35:58.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo (who is the teacher of @yuttadhammo, mentioned in other answers) was a student of (among others) Mahasi Saydaw and developed a course structure using Mahasi-style noting and walking/sitting meditation (2-4 weeks foundational course, 10-day retreats). He was an abbot of several temples in Thailand (Wat Ram Poeng, then moving to Chom Tong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The international section of his monastery in Chom Tong, Thailand, headed by Thanat Chindaporn, coordinates a number of teachers and retreat centers around the world: Germany (&lt;a href=&quot;http://vipassana-dhammacari.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://vipassana-dhammacari.com&lt;/a&gt;), Israel (&lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.org.il&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://metta.org.il&lt;/a&gt;), Czech Republic (&lt;a href=&quot;http://tisarana.cz&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tisarana.cz&lt;/a&gt;), IIRC Mexico, plus a number of occasional retreat events elsewhere (Brazil, France, ...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T07:35:58.567" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-09T07:35:58.567" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9422" CreationDate="2015-06-09T08:12:23.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddah said the smallest unit of the universe is a &quot;Suddashtaka&quot; it contains following 8 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hardness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Air &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Liquid   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heat (Hot/Coolness)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Colour  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Smell  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taste &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy ( Ojah)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And each any every Kalapa are consists with 1 or more of this Suddashtaka.&#xA;Each and every thing in this universe consists of these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5089" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T08:12:23.437" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2015-06-09T12:14:26.733" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a question of kings! Many many years ago, a king asked the same question of a monk. Here is the dialogue from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mil3.5.5&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Central&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;code&gt;&#xA;The king said: ‘Where there is no transmigration, Nāgasena, can there be rebirth?’&#xA;‘Yes, there can.’&#xA;‘But how can that be? Give me an illustration.’&#xA;‘Suppose a man, O king, were to light a lamp from another lamp, can it be said that the one transmigrates from, or to, the other?’&#xA;‘Certainly not.’&#xA;‘Just so, great king, is rebirth without transmigration.’&#xA;‘Give me a further illustration.’&#xA;‘Do you recollect, great king, having learnt, when you were a boy, some verse or other from your teacher?’&#xA;‘Yes, I recollect that.’&#xA;‘Well then, did that verse transmigrate from your teacher?’&#xA;‘Certainly not.’&#xA;‘Just so, great king, is rebirth without transmigration.’&#xA;‘Very good, Nāgasena!’&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are metaphors, but what actually passes from life to life? Habits! All we have to do is break the habit of wrong desire. Here is another reference: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.53&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;sutta central&lt;/a&gt; where habits of wrong desire are compared to feeding the oil-lamp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4773" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T12:14:26.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9439" CreationDate="2015-06-09T12:48:15.443" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you like the Temple? Is it beautiful in your eyes? Judging by your response, it sounds as if it is very meaningful to you. I know that when I visit my local Zen center, entering the meditation hall causes such a reaction (along with a deep feeling of peace).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Crying is a natural human response to many situations and stimuli. &lt;a href=&quot;http://scienceline.org/2006/10/ask-driscoll-tears/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; offers a socio-biological reason for the crying response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, at least according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crying#Religious_views_on_crying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;, crying in Buddhism is considered unskillful, as it indicates clinging/attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T12:48:15.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9445" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-09T14:19:37.163" Score="10" ViewCount="3547" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the right mindset we should have towards physical exercises according to buddhist practice ? e.g. Weight training , cardio , running etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my case I'm spending most of my day sitting at desk , so having some exercise is necessary to be healthy . &lt;strong&gt;But would this consider as clinging to body?&lt;/strong&gt; I can understand having supplements such as protein shakes could be considered as clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T18:23:03.017" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T20:38:45.763" Title="Buddhist practice and physical exercises" Tags="|modern-world|well-being|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9445" CreationDate="2015-06-09T15:33:08.760" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is ok(ethically) to do physical exercises even for the purpose of being attractive. Lay people are not expected to follow the rules of monks. Such conflicts occur mostly when you try to live a monk's life as a lay person. Is it clinging/attachment that motivates you for physical exercises? Absolutely! But it's similar to asking if it is ok to have love affairs or get married.  They all involve unwholesome mind states. But you are mostly expected to keep to the 5 precepts as a Buddhist layman. So you should focus more on the 5 precepts as they can be easily broken if you are not mindful. If you want to live a more noble life, you can get ordained. Things become conflicting and confusing when you try to walk on the fence, not picking either lifestyle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, it is clinging that makes you do the job you do. It is clinging that keeps you in lay life. If you don't have clinging, you can't live as a householder. You have to go get ordained within 7 days or die(parinibbana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T15:55:27.787" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T15:55:27.787" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9445" CreationDate="2015-06-09T16:09:38.253" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind is no different than the body.  The state of one has a direct impact on the state of the other.  If you are out of shape and inflexible, you simply won't be very well prepared for sustained mediation sessions.  You are either going to fall asleep on the cushion (i.e. sloth and torpor) or your back, your legs, and/or your hips are going to be in agony.  You certainly won't be able to maintain the upright and invigorated positions necessary for deeper mediation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't get me wrong, some discomfort is inevitable.  In fact, a little discomfort is even encouraged.  But why compromise your sits when you can do something to combat the grosser disturbances that an out of shape body could cause?  Obviously, don't go overboard with it.  You also shouldn't select exercises that could cause you difficulties on the cushion (heavy back squats are just one example).  You aren't clinging to the body by exercising.  You are maximizing the benefit of the time you spend on the cushion!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And let's not forget - some taoist yoga, Vedic yoga, and Shaolin kung fu were all [to one extent or another] designed to bolster meditation practice!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T16:09:38.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2015-06-09T17:38:28.607" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Oh, In vinaya (code of conduct in monastery) Buddha allowed many types of die to be used for the robe.  Bark from different kinds of tree, or even red color from clay.  so naturally, there would be different shades.   Bark from Jack fruit tree produces brownish color where red clay (like what Andrei said above) produces reddish color.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T17:38:28.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9445" CreationDate="2015-06-09T18:06:13.200" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Health is the greatest gift&lt;/strong&gt;, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss. -&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=204&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 204&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person, moderate exercise, moderate diet and good hygiene can be considered as part of the middle way that the Buddha taught in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, as it contributes towards the maintenance of one's health, which is beneficial to practice. You also cannot practise Right Livelihood without good health. The purpose of Buddhism is to escape suffering. And with poor health, you would only be causing suffering for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one&#xA;  who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual&#xA;  pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common,&#xA;  ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction:&#xA;  painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the&#xA;  middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing&#xA;  knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to&#xA;  Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, excessive exercise either for vanity or as an addiction (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavior/seduction-addiction-runners-confession-75187&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing/diet/6066279/Confessions-of-a-running-addict.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for the case of running addiction), are not considered skillful. In case you are afflicted with exercise addiction, the Buddha has a remedy in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukhamala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement,&#xA;  the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person,&#xA;  himself subject to illness, not beyond illness, sees another who is&#xA;  ill, he is horrified, humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted, oblivious to himself&#xA;  that he too is subject to illness, not beyond illness. And if I — who&#xA;  am subject to illness, not beyond illness — were to be horrified,&#xA;  humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted on seeing another person who is ill, that&#xA;  would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the healthy person's&#xA;  intoxication with health entirely dropped away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of monks, the Buddha explains in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukhamala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Drunk with the intoxication of youth, a monk leaves the training and&#xA;  returns to the lower life. Drunk with the intoxication of health, a&#xA;  monk leaves the training and returns to the lower life. Drunk with the&#xA;  intoxication of life, a monk leaves the training and returns to the&#xA;  lower life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite this, I can still find some example of a monk trying to get light exercise, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meghiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (below). This leads me to think that light exercise without &quot;intoxication of health&quot; might still be considered acceptable to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then in the early morning, Ven. Meghiya adjusted his under robe and —&#xA;  carrying his bowl &amp;amp; robes — went into Jantu Village for alms. Having&#xA;  gone for alms in Jantu Village, after the meal, returning from his&#xA;  alms round, he went to the bank of the Kimikālā River. &lt;strong&gt;As he was&#xA;  walking up &amp;amp; down along the bank of the river to exercise his legs&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  he saw a pleasing, charming mango grove. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-06-09T18:49:10.660" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T18:49:10.660" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2015-06-09T18:53:18.413" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Health is the greatest gift&lt;/strong&gt;, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss. -&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=204&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 204&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person, moderate exercise, moderate diet and good hygiene can be considered as part of the middle way that the Buddha taught in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, as it contributes towards the maintenance of one's health, which is beneficial to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one&#xA;  who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual&#xA;  pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common,&#xA;  ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction:&#xA;  painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the&#xA;  middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing&#xA;  knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to&#xA;  Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of monks, the Buddha explains in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukhamala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Drunk with the intoxication of youth, a monk leaves the training and&#xA;  returns to the lower life. Drunk with the intoxication of health, a&#xA;  monk leaves the training and returns to the lower life. Drunk with the&#xA;  intoxication of life, a monk leaves the training and returns to the&#xA;  lower life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite this, I can still find some example of a monk trying to get light exercise, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meghiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (below). This leads me to think that light exercise without &quot;intoxication of health&quot; might still be considered acceptable to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then in the early morning, Ven. Meghiya adjusted his under robe and —&#xA;  carrying his bowl &amp;amp; robes — went into Jantu Village for alms. Having&#xA;  gone for alms in Jantu Village, after the meal, returning from his&#xA;  alms round, he went to the bank of the Kimikālā River. &lt;strong&gt;As he was&#xA;  walking up &amp;amp; down along the bank of the river to exercise his legs&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  he saw a pleasing, charming mango grove. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T18:53:18.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9451" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-09T19:13:50.777" Score="4" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I read/heard someone saying that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;agamas&lt;/a&gt; are/were dismissed and downplayed in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism throughout history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that Mahayana texts received much attention in these regions, but I wonder if the (presumably) lack of importance given to the agamas are simply due to them being neglected among the vast literature, or if they were explicitly disliked (for a specific reason?) or considered inferior, or obsolete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;: Trying to be clearer: I'm looking for historical evidence for either chinese/japanese appreciation of the agamas, or evidence of reasons for chinese/japanese to neglect these books across the centuries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-06-10T22:33:06.330" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T22:33:06.330" Title="What is/was the role of agamas in Chinese and Japanese history?" Tags="|history|chinese-canon|suttas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-06-09T20:19:54.710" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you begin to see the interdependence and interconnectedness of all beings through meditation you will also begin to see that we all suffer.  Naturally you do not want to suffer yourself, and see that others are suffering too, this begins to arise some compassion for 'their' sufferings... that's all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5237" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T08:54:33.003" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T08:54:33.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9445" CreationDate="2015-06-09T20:38:45.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Exercise can be healthy or delusional according to your intentions. If you believe that bodies can be beautiful and having a beautiful body (or a body that is somehow different than it is) will bring you true happiness; than that doesn't really accord with true happiness in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're trying to stay healthy to have the energy and vigor to study and practice with ardor, what could be wrong with that? Unless you go overboard and lose your wholesome intention of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing about sitting at work; see if you can possibly switch up your work station to stand. I did this 10 months ago and it feels very energizing. (I'd rather spend my sitting time on a mat at home!) If your employer is open to the idea, some creative re-arranging of your work station might be easier than you think. Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-09T20:38:45.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9455" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9470" CreationDate="2015-06-09T22:22:30.887" Score="6" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;On page 13 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot;&gt;Good Questions, Good Answers&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that we're taught to try to understand our fears?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming it's true, do you suppose it means nothing more or less than the first noble truth: i.e. that dukkha is fear and vice versa?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does it mean something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there techniques to &quot;understand our fear&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T06:23:35.630" Title="Are we taught to try to understand our fears?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9456" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9459" CreationDate="2015-06-09T23:33:00.190" Score="6" ViewCount="617" Body="&lt;p&gt;On page 24 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot;&gt;Good Questions, Good Answers&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The gentle, loving type of person tends to be reborn in a heaven realm or as a human being who has a predominance of pleasant experiences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The anxious, worried, or extremely cruel person tends to be reborn in a hell realm or as a human being who has a predominance of unpleasant experiences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The person who develops obsessive craving, fierce longings, and burning ambitions that can never be satisfied tends to be reborn as a hungry spirit or as a human being frustrated by longing and wanting.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have three questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a person is all three (i.e. gentle, loving, anxious, and longing) then what determines their future rebirth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why are 'anxious' and 'cruel' both reborn in hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Isn't someone who is cruel more harmful than someone who is anxious, and therefore more 'deserving' of hell?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is an anxious person reborn in hell because anxiety a hellish (unpleasant) experience, i.e. if you choose to live a life of anxiety you're therefore inclined to choose to be reborn in hell?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do cruelty and/or anxiety correspond to &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_%28Buddhism%29&quot;&gt;kilesas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;? The introduction to the Wikipedia article says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kleshas include states of mind such as anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, depression, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but I don't see anxiety (nor cruelty) listed later in the article, e.g. in the list of 10 defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T16:07:16.747" Title="Is anxiety as hell-bound as cruelty?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9430" CreationDate="2015-06-10T02:12:22.057" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally would recommend insight meditation, learn the 3 universal characteristics- impermanace, suffering and non-self. Hopefully once you realise such insight, you might question yourself, and ask: In a 100 years times, when i am dead, will the things that are causing me stress today, will they mean anything? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day,very soon, we will all be dead, and the stress, struggles and fighting through this life/existence will end. The reason why i'm saying this is because it will mean nothing!! Live your life, let go of things you can't change and let go of the things you can change... let it all go... just live and be happy, because one day, very soon, you will be dead and the only difference will be on your death bed, when you ask yourself... was i a happy person or an unhappy person? The choice is yours my friend!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T02:12:22.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9458" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-10T04:25:57.227" Score="4" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a practitioner of mindfulness has experienced cessation/fruition should they use the memory of that as their anchor or should they continue to use the perception of the arising and passing away of kalapas? Or does focusing on either one of these cause the practitioner to develop different skills?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T18:30:50.540" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T18:30:50.540" Title="What is the proper mindfulness anchor for a stream-winner?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9456" CreationDate="2015-06-10T04:44:10.823" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a person is all three (i.e. gentle, loving, anxious, and longing)&#xA;  then what determines their future rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's classification of Karma, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;priority of effect&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;WEIGHTY (GARUKA) KARMA.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;PROXIMATE (ASANNA) KARMA OR DEATH-PROXIMATE KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;HABITUAL (ACCINA) KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;RESERVE OR CUMULATIVE (KATATTA) KARMA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it depends on what comes forward at the time of your death to give your next birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are 'anxious' and 'cruel' both reborn in hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because they are both unwholesome mind states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Isn't someone who is cruel more harmful than someone who is anxious,&#xA;  and therefore more 'deserving' of hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That again depends on the strength of it. Killing a mosquito is cruel. Embarrassing someone to have fun at some point in your life is also cruel. But a lifetime of anxiety can potentially be much more harmful to the person. There was a monk who kept all the pātimokkha rules to the letter. Once when he was going on a wooden raft, he raised his hand to touch a leaf of a branch that was leaning towards him. Since the raft was still moving while he was holding the leaf, the leaf was broken. Then the thought came to his mind that he has broken 1 of the Vinaya rules. He kept worrying about this for the rest of his life. Because of that, after he died, he was born as a cobra at the river bank.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is an anxious person reborn in hell because anxiety a hellish&#xA;  (unpleasant) experience, i.e. if you choose to live a life of anxiety&#xA;  you're therefore inclined to choose to be reborn in hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't get to choose where you will be reborn. It depends on the Karma that comes forward to give the next life. If a Karma caused by anxiety comes into fruition at the time of death, it will lead you to a bad destination since it is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do cruelty and/or anxiety correspond to kilesas? But I don't see&#xA;  anxiety (nor cruelty) listed later in the article&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, cruelty and depression are instances of Dosa. Which means aversion in general. Wikipedia only gives a specific instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire is lobha. Greed, craving, lust are instances of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-10T10:11:04.823" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T10:11:04.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9460" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9468" CreationDate="2015-06-10T05:51:16.143" Score="8" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we are caught in the great web of desire and aversion, and are roiling in Samsara, helpful or well meaning advise (to let go, to be in the moment, to inspect the emptiness of reality, to not indulge in distractions, to not follow emotions blindly) may fall on deaf ears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes when the Buddha encountered such people, he seemed to have a knack to lead them to realization of the drawbacks of Samsara. Ex. Stories of Kisa Gotami or Patacara (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/thig.10.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/thig.10.01.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other times, he wasn't so successful in making others happy, as with the case of his father who was very aggrieved about losing a successor, or monks in his order who plotted against him or the sangha. Sometimes even expulsion didn't seem to help. In fact, Buddha initially had reservations about teaching the Dhamma at all - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is unclear whether it was his wise words, or his enlightened mindful compassionate energy presence or the receptiveness of the listener that led some lucky ones to this realization. In any case, lacking the wisdom of the Buddha, we may alienate those we seek to help by explaining the suffering of Samsara when they expect  conventional help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these situations, would it be wise for a Buddhist to offer everyday immediate &lt;em&gt;samsaric&lt;/em&gt; help, like, taking someone out to a movie or to a drink to forget their pain (obviously only works in suffering of a lower intensity than losing your family to death)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, would it harm the Buddhist himself, by weakening his/her belief in Dhamma? i.e. implying Dhamma isn't always the best cure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is more compassionate? Or, what would an aspiring Bodhisattva do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-09-14T13:37:48.410" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T13:37:48.410" Title="Are practical solutions to everyday suffering that contradict Buddhism Upaya or avidya?" Tags="|suffering|compassion|dukkha|skillful-means|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2015-06-10T07:01:41.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Short Essence of Eloquence&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Tsongkhapa, the 13th century Buddhist Pandita&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who sees the inexorable causality of things&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Of both cyclic life and liberation&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And destroys any objectivity conviction&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus finds the path&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that pleases Victors  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Appearance inevitably relative&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And voidness free from all assertions –&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  As long as these are understood apart&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The victors intent is not known.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But when they coincide not alternating&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mere sight of inevitable relativity&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Secures knowledge beyond objectivisms&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And investigation of the view is perfect  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;More, as experience dispels absolutism&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And voidness clears away nihilism&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You know voidness dawn as cause and effect&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  No more will you be deprived by extremist views  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy is very subtle non-dualism - one mustn't be caught in either position i.e. the self is empty, or the self is non-empty. One goes beyond (gate gate paragate, parasamgate Bodhi svaha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom and love are dualities, but enlightenment is non-dual yet includes both positions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Prajnaparamita Sutra - especially the bit about &quot;form is emptiness, emptiness is form&quot; is this paradox [Coinciding not alternating Madhyamika interpretations of paramartha and samvrti satya (&quot;ultimate&quot; and &quot;superficial reality&quot;)]. The entire spiritual path is a paradox, and enlightenment is being completely comfortable with this paradox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T07:01:41.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9460" CreationDate="2015-06-10T07:16:52.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;While you may not be able to emulate Buddha's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8222/471&quot;&gt;psychic powers&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha recommends in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on how good friends are. The role of mentor and compassionate friend applies to your case. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;21&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and&#xA;  the compassionate friend.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when&#xA;  you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is&#xA;  requested.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in&#xA;  misfortune, and even dying for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what&#xA;  you ought to know, and showing you the path to heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune,&#xA;  preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who&#xA;  praise your good qualities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another point is that the Buddha knew when to say the right things to people. So, as a good friend who is a mentor (above), you may want to consider the following from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 1] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;  of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ 6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true,&#xA;  beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense of the&#xA;  proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has&#xA;  sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T15:24:58.967" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9422" CreationDate="2015-06-10T08:25:26.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How A Kalapa Is Formed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A group of people association is called a club. In Pali kalapa also means a group. As said before rupa (matter) cannot exist in isolation. Appropriate units of matter combine to exist as a group or an aggregate. Such a group with common properties, existing together, disappearing together, is termed 'one kalapa'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Matter In Combination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The four fundamental elements - pathavi, tejo and apo - together with vanna (appearance), ghanda (scent), rasa (taste), oja (essence of nutrition) are the eight classes of matter found always in coexistence. A lump of soil is an aggregate of eight classes of matter too. It has a certain appearance and a specific smell and taste; it can be touched and felt. The same is true for water, wind, fire, heat, light etc. They are all aggregates of the eight classes of matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Size Of A Kalapa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Each kalapa is so minute that you cannot see it with your naked eye. Even the finest dust particle is an aggregate of a large number of kalapas. A bacterium, which can only be seen with the most powerful microscope is composed of countless kalapas formed by kamma, citta, utu and chara &lt;strong&gt;(*ahara)&lt;/strong&gt;. Therefore the minuteness of a kalapa is beyond description. (Reference may be made to text on Abhidhamma for classes of kalapas and their names). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before we can get to the understanding of Kalapas, we need to understand some of the characteristics of Rupas and their causes. The &quot;much easier and readable definition of Rupas&quot; happens to be in the introduction to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/d/doc1828.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pathana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rupas and their characteristic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;.. there are in total 28 paramattha rupa which are all realities and can be sensed by one of our 6 senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rupa or vanna is sensed by eye only,&#xA;      sadda is sensed by ear only,&#xA;      gandha is sensed by nose only,&#xA;      rasa is sensed by tongue only and&#xA;      pathavi, tejo, vayo three of mahabhuta rupa are sensed by body only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vanna, gandha, rasa, oja or ahara, pathavi, tejo, vayo and apo always co-exist and they are called &lt;strong&gt;avinibbhoga rupas&lt;/strong&gt; and other 20 rupas are called vinibbhoga rupas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All other rupas that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa or subtle materials are all sensed by mind only; that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa can never be sensed by any of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rupas and their relationship with causes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are kamma that can cause kammaja rupas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These kamma are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;12 akusala (* unskilful )kamma,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;8 kamavacara kusala (* skilful human) kamma, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;5 rupavacara kusala (* skilful Brahma) kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though there are 28 paramattha rupas, they do not arise in isolation. At least some arise together. And they vanish together. They have to arise on mahabhuta rupas and they co exist in a form called rupa kalapa. There are 21 rupa kalapas. 9 kalapas are kammaja rupa kalapas, 6 are cittaja, 4 are utuja and 2 are aharaja rupa kalapas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now we can classify kalapas according to their causes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kammaja rupa kalapas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cakkhudassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sotadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ghanadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;jivhadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kayadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ithibhavadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;punbhavadassaka,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vatthudassaka, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;jivitanava kalapa.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In cakkhudassaka kalapa, there are 8 avinibbhoga rupas, jivita rupa and cakkhu pasada rupa altogether 10 rupas arise together. Other kammaja kalapas are the same and just to replace cakkhu with their correspondent rupa. Jivitanava kalapa is a combination of 8 avinibbhoga rupas and jivita rupa itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6 cittaja rupa kalapas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;suddhattha kalapa which comprises 8 avinibbhoga rupas only,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;kayavinattinava kalapa which comprises 8 rupas and kayavinatti rupa,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;vacivinatti saddadassaka kalapa which is compsed of 8 rupas, vacivinatti and sadda,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lahutadi ekadassaka kalapa which is combination of 8 rupas and 3 lahutadi rupas,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;kayavinatti lahutadi dvadassa kalapa which comprises 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi and kayavinatti rupa, and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;vacivinatti sadda lahutadi terasaka kalapa which includes 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi, vacivinatti and sadda rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4 utuja kalapas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;suddhattha kalapa,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;saddanava kalapa,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lahutadiekadassaka kalapa which comprises 8 rupas and 3 lahutadi rupas, and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sadda lahutadi dvadassaka kalapa which comprises 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi rupa, and sadda rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2 aharaja rupa kalapas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;suddhattha rupa lakapa and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lahutadiekadassaka rupa kalapa which comprises 8 inseparable rupas and 3 lahutadi rupas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the 4 utuja rupa kalapas, suddhattha rupa kalapa and saddanava rupa kalapa can arise outside of beings or sattas. All other rupa kalapas only arise as ajjattika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Well in can only get easier when you have read it for about 10 times remembering the pali names that go along with it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Kalapas arise and pass away it does not posses and inherent existence nor an existing self so in that way it is empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All material manifestations produced by the 4 causes of kamma, citta, utu, ahara are in the form of kalapas. So yes! As there are no material manifestation that are not produced by these 4 causes (with ref. to the Abhidhammma, of course).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(* my additions/comments/terminology)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T10:29:03.420" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T10:29:03.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9458" CreationDate="2015-06-10T08:47:43.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recollection of the memory is not attending to the present but attending to sanna (past perception that has been stored). The best the recollection of the memory can do is inform one of the path that one has travelled and probably one can help other people along the same path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The continued perception of arising and passing away of dhammas will deepen the insight into the three characteristics. Each stage of the breakthrough occurs because one has clearer and clearer insights of the 3 characteristics and able to let go of further attachments until nothing sticks, and everything slips like &quot;a drop of water on a lotus leaf&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even at the stage of an Anagami, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.089x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khemaka&lt;/a&gt; still watch further the arising and passing away of dhammas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-10T12:16:25.207" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T12:16:25.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9460" CreationDate="2015-06-10T09:44:25.867" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately (because it doesn't answer your question), I'd guess it's better to find &amp;quot;practical solutions to everyday suffering&amp;quot; that &lt;em&gt;don't&lt;/em&gt; contradict Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When my father died, there's a couple of things people did for my mum which she appreciated (i.e. these are stories which she retold, of examples of how to help people who are grieving because she found them helpful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;People made and gave her cakes. This is useful because, she said, &amp;quot;you don't feel like cooking, people are coming to visit you every day, and it's nice to have some cake to offer your visitors.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't this is a practical and a Buddhist gift: because it helps the recipient to be generous?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;My parents moved to a new place when they retired. One of the people in the new village, who she hadn't met before (word of her loss had travelled), stopped to talk to her in the street of offer condolences. He said, &amp;quot;Neighbours are more important than family.&amp;quot; Oh: really? &amp;quot;Yes because we're &lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; (and your family is in another country).&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't that sort of Buddhist too? It's not Dhamma exactly (not talking about dukkha for example) but it's bringing attention to what is (instead of attention to what has gone), to human contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Several people told her to keep on making contact with other people. One told her &amp;quot;you mustn't just go home and close the curtains&amp;quot; (and told me not to let her do that). Another phoned a neighbour and told the neighbour to visit every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why &amp;quot;going to a movie&amp;quot; might help a person to &amp;quot;forget their pain&amp;quot;. Perhaps it's just the passing of time (impermanence of pain), or distraction (to stop clinging), or human contact (your company at the theatre, or compassion felt for the characters in the movie).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without saying that a movie is unwise, perhaps using conversation to touch on these topics or evoke them is a skillful alternative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way a friend once told me there are different axes along which a topic of conversation between two people is more or less intimate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's distant in time (past or future) is less intimate (less immediate) than the present (now)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's distant in space (other places) is less intimate than the present (here)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talking about other people is less intimate than talking about ourselves.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're trying to have a conversation with someone who is grieving, maybe that's good to remember. A person might get bored if the topic of conversation is too distant (&amp;quot;why is Buddho trying to tell me a story that happened to someone else a long time ago and far away?&amp;quot;), but uncomfortable if the topic is too intimate (&amp;quot;what do you mean, 'how do I feel?' I feel terrible, what do you expect?&amp;quot;), so adjusting that to find some topic in the middle might be skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess my mum enjoyed a couple of things I did for her, over the next months, she said: one was practical help, like helping her use her computer, helping her count her money (her budget); and the other was my acting silly sometimes which made her laugh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, I'm reading &amp;quot;Good Question Good Answer&amp;quot; by Bhante Dhammika at the moment. In the chapter about the five precepts, one of the question is whether you should lie to a killer to prevent them from killing. His answer was that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;If you were sitting in a park and a terrified man ran past you and then a few minutes later another man carrying a knife ran up to you and asked you if you had seen which way the first man had gone, would you tell him the truth or would you lie to him?&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If I had good reason to suspect that the second man was going to do serious harm to the first I would, as an intelligent caring Buddhist, have no hesitation in lying. We said before that one of the factors determining whether a deed is good or bad is intention. The intention to save a life is many times more positive than telling a lie is negative in circumstances such as these. If lying, drinking, or even stealing meant that I saved a life I should do it. I can always make amends for breaking these, but I can never bring a life back once it is gone. However, as I said before, please do not take this as a license to break the Precepts whenever it is convenient. The Precepts should be practiced with great care and only infringed in extreme cases.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T09:44:25.867" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9455" CreationDate="2015-06-10T10:11:23.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When training mindfulness (Vipassana), there are 4 foundations of mindfulness: body, feelings, mind, mental objects. &quot;Mental objects&quot; (also &quot;mind objects&quot;, or &quot;mind qualities&quot;) are usually sub-divided into 5 hindrances and 7 factors of enlightenment. Fear (also under the name of anxiety, worry, depending on translation) is one of the 5 hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing Vipassana based on 4 foundations of mindfulness (such as in the Mahasi tradition), fear is definitely something to be contemplated (acknowledged), acquainted with, mindful of. By acknowledging it every time it arises, it loses (some of) its magic power it has over an untrained mind, and is seen progressively more and more as a &quot;mental object&quot;, something which passes through the mind; thus is the mind purified of fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want the canonical text, here you go:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(D. Mental Qualities)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in &amp;amp; of&#xA;  themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) &quot;There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental&#xA;  qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves with reference to the five hindrances.&#xA;  And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in &amp;amp; of&#xA;  themselves with reference to the five hindrances? There is the case&#xA;  where, there being sensual desire present within, a monk discerns that&#xA;  'There is sensual desire present within me.' Or, there being no&#xA;  sensual desire present within, he discerns that 'There is no sensual&#xA;  desire present within me.' He discerns how there is the arising of&#xA;  unarisen sensual desire. And he discerns how there is the abandoning&#xA;  of sensual desire once it has arisen. And he discerns how there is no&#xA;  future arising of sensual desire that has been abandoned. (The same&#xA;  formula is repeated for the remaining hindrances: ill will, sloth &amp;amp;&#xA;  drowsiness, restlessness &amp;amp; anxiety, and uncertainty.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T10:11:23.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9414" CreationDate="2015-06-10T11:29:31.717" Score="5" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is &quot;effluent&quot; (do you have anything to add to the Glossary and Wikipedia definitions above)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Efflunent are &quot;outflows&quot;. How is it outflows? The mind which is the originator of &quot;things&quot;, thougts, &quot;goes-out&quot; and make things out that is seen, or heard..etc. When we stay with just the seeing and hearing, there is only visual  object as yet unidentified, sound as yet unrecognised, and it can stay that way. When it does stay that way the mind cannot make anything out of it so remains uninvolved with it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when it identifies it then it starts fondling it, and the chain/links of dependent origination runs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind stays with just the perceiving, i.e seeing, hearing, etc.. without &quot;making it out&quot; it is said to be in a state of awareness called &lt;a href=&quot;http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/appreciation-atammayata.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayata&lt;/a&gt;. This pali word is attributed to have been &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/sk/atm_lostword.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;discovered by Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the difference (or connection) between &quot;karma&quot; and &quot;effluent&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma ( usually meant as result,vipaka) is the result of an action. Whereas effluent is a tendency (kilesa, unskilfulness) of an untrained mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there a specific practice for ending &quot;effluents&quot;? Are they an effect or a cause?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing that all things are empty will stop the mind from fondling them.  They are tendencies so come under cause, see above link for Atammayata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Three of these effluents (ignorance, becoming, and sensuality) are also listed as 'defilements' ... what kinds of 'views' are considered effluent?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any views that incoporate dualities, i.e. subject and object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T11:29:31.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9460" CreationDate="2015-06-10T11:37:52.283" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;An aspiring bodhisattva would use Upaya and do anything to ease the suffering of another without &lt;strong&gt;breaking the five precepts&lt;/strong&gt;. Only when another person's &lt;strong&gt;mind/hearth is calmed and malleable&lt;/strong&gt; would it then be able to receive/absorb dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even then he can only act within the limits of his own wisdom, so his intention, skilful or unskilful, is very important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, again there are &quot;...people with little dusts in their eyes...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-10T13:33:28.800" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T13:33:28.800" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9422" CreationDate="2015-06-10T11:39:01.727" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of Kalapas in the context of how you form your question (What did the Buddha really mean by Kalapas) cannot be answered. In short, the only correlation between Kalapas and Sunnata (in the form that 'emptiness' is presently understood) is that neither are original teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kalapas&lt;/strong&gt; - &#xA;Kalalaps are first mentioned in the Abhidhamma, written in the 5th - 11th century. An excellent summary of misrepresentation of Buddhas original teachings by Christopher Titmuss (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaenquiry.org/index.php/welcome/eng/whatthebuddhadidnotteach&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Buddha did not teach&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sub atomic particle (kalapas). The Buddha did not teach development of&#xA;  the power of concentration (samadhi) in meditation in order to&#xA;  experience sub-atomic particles. The word ’kalapas’ does not appear&#xA;  anywhere in the suttas. The Buddha did not support such a&#xA;  materialistic view or non materialistic views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sunnata&lt;/strong&gt; - In the only Sutta where the Buddha discusses Sunnata directly (a translation can be found here &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-suññata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), he uses it as way to describe seeing existence as it is i.e. empty of personal interpretation or overlay:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever&#xA;  remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his&#xA;  entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in&#xA;  meaning, &amp;amp; pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T11:39:01.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9455" CreationDate="2015-06-10T11:56:16.373" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, we are taught to understand our fear and see where it comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/fear.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;projections of our mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As fear is based on something that we think may happen in the future, it is clearly a mental process which tries to predict the future - in that sense, the reason of fear is a projection of our mind.&#xA;  We can be afraid to fall, but once we are falling, we are afraid to hit the ground, once we hit the ground, we may fear we have a bad injury, once we know we have a bad injury, we may fear the pain and the consequences of not being able to work for some time or become disabled etc. So one could say that fear is always based on something that has not happened yet, and is therefore a fantasy of our mind rather than fact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some fears which are wholesome:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hiri and Otappa which are fear of shame and fear of unwholesomeness are called &quot;Guardians of the world&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Two lucid things, o monks, protect the world: moral shame and moral dread. If these two things were not to protect the world, then one would respect neither one's mother, nor one's mother's sister, nor one's brother's wife, nor one's teacher's wife ....&quot; (A. II, 7).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another fear which results from the practice of vipassana as pointed out by eudoxus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of fear - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/knowledg.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bhaya-nana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This gives way to the knowledge of fear, (bhaya-nana). In the disappearance of everything examined, the mind at some level begins to realise: there is nothing beneath this parade of changes. There is no foundation. At a fundamental level, there is nothing at all. The result is existential anxiety. In its strong form this can manifest as panic. In its weak form, it can be merely a sense of existential unease, a sense of nothing going right, a sense of helplessness, a sense of loss of control. At this stage of the practice, the meditator’s insight into anatta, not self, usually takes the form of a sense of loss of control. The realisation that &quot;I am not in control of ‘my’ life&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T06:23:35.630" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T06:23:35.630" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9451" CreationDate="2015-06-10T12:08:07.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are the practice of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81vaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sravakas&lt;/a&gt; (voice hearers, desciple), hinayana (though not Theravada) and not the practice of the Bodhisattva, so it is ignored, as not worthy of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana views in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81vaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sravaka link&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 4th century abhidharma work Abhidharmasamuccaya, Asaṅga describes those who follow the Śrāvaka Vehicle (Skt. śrāvakayanika). These people are described as having weak faculties, following the Śrāvaka Dharma, utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, being set on their own liberation, and cultivating detachment in order to attain liberation.[29] While those in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle (Skt. pratyekabuddhayānika) are portrayed as also utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, they are said to have medium faculties, to follow the Pratyekabuddha Dharma, and to be set on their own personal enlightenment.[30] Finally, those in the Mahāyāna (Skt. mahāyānika) are portrayed as utilizing the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, as having sharp faculties, following the Bodhisattva Dharma, and set on the perfection and liberation of all beings, and the attainment of complete enlightenment.[31]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Vasubandhu's Vijnanavada teachings, there are four types of Shravakas:[32]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fixed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The arrogant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The transformed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The converted (to &amp;quot;Bodhi&amp;quot; or Buddhism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The transformed and the converted (Buddhist) are assured in the Lotus Sutra of eventual Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SO SAYS MAHAYANIST&lt;/a&gt;....hmmmmm???&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T14:04:13.450" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9456" CreationDate="2015-06-10T16:07:16.747" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(N.B. This is from a Theravada perspective)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person is all three (i.e. gentle, loving, anxious, and longing) then what determines their future rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a complex system; there are three sets that you have to understand, one mentioned by Sankha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By order in which they operate:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;weighty karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;karma performed at death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;habitual karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;other karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By their function:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;productive of new results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;supportive of other results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;destructive of other results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;detractive from other results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By the time it takes them to bring results&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in this life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in the next life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in some future life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;already finished&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to say that behaviour X leads to hell is just a simplification - it should be taken as a guide, not a dogma. The Buddha himself said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Therein, Ānanda, when a recluse or brahmin says: ‘Indeed, there are evil actions, there is result of misconduct,’ I grant him this. When he says: ‘I saw a person here who killed living beings…and held wrong view, and I see that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he has reappeared in a state of deprivation…even in hell,’ I also grant him this. But when he says: ‘On the dissolution of the body, after death, everyone who kills living beings…and holds wrong view reappears in a state of deprivation…even in hell,’ I do not grant him this. And when he says: ‘Those who know thus know rightly; those who think otherwise are mistaken,’ I also do not grant him this. And when he obstinately adheres to what he himself has known, seen, and discovered, insisting: ‘Only this is true, anything else is wrong,’ I also do not grant him this. Why is that? Because, Ānanda, the Tathāgata’s knowledge of the great exposition of action is otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;--MN 130 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are 'anxious' and 'cruel' both reborn in hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Orthodox Theravada theory says that, in general, anger leads to the hell realm, greed leads to the ghost realm, and delusion leads to the animal realm&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety could refer either to worry or fear. If it refers to worry, it is a delusion-based state and will incline one towards the animal realm. If it refers to fear, it is an anger-based state and will incline one towards teh hell realm. Note that simple worry and fear shouldn't lead to either realm, unless it is serious enough to lead one to break precepts - harming others or oneself out of fear or worry. Taking strong anti-anxiety medication might arguably fit the bill (leading to animal realm); killing or stealing could lead one to hell, and could ostensibly be performed out of fear-based anxiety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cruelty is anger-based, so yeah, always inclining one towards hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't someone who is cruel more harmful than someone who is anxious, and therefore more 'deserving' of hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One would think so, probably because we use the word anxiety to refer to a mild form of anger (fear) or delusion (worry). These states can, however, become intense and destructive to the point of suicide, drug addiction, etc., which can in turn easily be more destructive than mild forms of cruelty, like insensitivity to the feelings of others, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is an anxious person reborn in hell because anxiety a hellish (unpleasant) experience, i.e. if you choose to live a life of anxiety you're therefore inclined to choose to be reborn in hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome-inclined individuals don't really get the chance to &amp;quot;choose&amp;quot; where they are born. Somewhere, the Buddha is said to have taught that it takes morality for one to have a stable enough mind to actually choose where one is born, IIRC (can't remember the source off-hand). But yes, the general idea is that one's prevalent state of mind inclines one towards hell; it doesn't have anything directly to do with the judgement of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do cruelty and/or anxiety correspond to kilesas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answered above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T16:07:16.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9473" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9479" CreationDate="2015-06-10T16:56:33.927" Score="11" ViewCount="497" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta has received plenty of attention and focus of practice. Even a search of Buddhism SE shows &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=metta&quot;&gt;over 170 posts&lt;/a&gt; with the word &quot;metta&quot; in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Comparatively, the other three &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1473/471&quot;&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt; are not so often discussed or focused in similar depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we practise them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the benefits that can be gained out of the practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Canonical quotes appreciated. Theravada preferable, but answers from the perspective of other traditions are also welcomed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:09:16.820" Title="Practice of the other three Brahmaviharas" Tags="|compassion|equanimity|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3301" CreationDate="2015-06-10T19:05:34.867" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his wonderful book &quot;A path with heart&quot;, by Jack Kornfield, the author, himself a Buddhist monk under Ajahn Chan for several years talks about exercise and several other normal things monks ignore in order to pursue enlightenment single mindedly. He advises against this extreme behaviour, and urges monks and spiritual seekers to not ignore normal healthy living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He recounts interviewing several monks who suffered from diabetes and other lifestyle diseases that came from not eating healthy food, from not exercising, from developing an aversion to their body and consequently not caring enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, Zen monks and nuns in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh perform the ten mindful movements as a group daily. It is a slow exercise set to be performed with mindfulness. In itself it is a meditation, when performed so beautifully by the monastics. His order breaks with tradition in several ways, including allowing monks to cook their own healthy food instead of depending on donated food. A logical thing to do in this age. Someone at plum village told me that they used to get catered food but it made everyone sick often, so Thay changed the rules to allow monks to take turns to cook their own healthy vegan food and eat thrice a day. The monks also modified their uniforms from traditional Vietnamese dresses to suit the French climate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in times when monks only walked around from place to place, that was more than enough exercise. In modern times, especially in countries like Thailand where monks often live in cities, and can ride for free on buses, trains where usually someone pays their fare, or offers a ride, walking is minimal. Plus, devout people often offer rich or special food into the monk's bowls because they think it gets them extra merit. So food for survival gets turned into abundance. Eating a single meal a day means the body goes into glycemic shock after the meal, which can affect the insulin secretion adversely in some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma according to some accounts allowed his legs to rot away by sitting in the cross legged posture for nine years. The cross legged position can cut off blood flow, which isn't a problem for a few hours, but if a monk sits in this position regularly for hours, bad side effects maybe expected. Such attitudes and role models don't help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-10T19:05:34.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9475" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-11T00:32:47.047" Score="3" ViewCount="791" Body="&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How is karma any &lt;strike&gt;different&lt;/strike&gt; more believable than supernatural gods passing judgement when we are talking about rebirth after the point of death - rebirth being inextricably linked to karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read a lot about how seeds of karma ripen into result, and what seem to me to be absurd cosmological realms existing under a flat earth, but then teachers have said karma is just moment to moment. Then it changes to it is not even moment to moment but a universal law like gravity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean no disrespect by this, but gravity is observable whereas being born as a human and then a dog after you die because of unskillful karma is not.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also some humans are born in such a way (severely disabled) that dogs are smarter than they are? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is rebirth in human realm classified as higher when some humans suffer more than some animals and have less of an intellectual ability to reason than dogs or crows?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are you sure this transition to lower rebirth exists, as in the hell realms which sound like really bad places that physically exist, aside from anecdotal evidence that cannot be observed through experience?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why does no one support rebirth with any solid evidence, but claim it as a result of karma where karma is portrayed as a natural law? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are claiming there is evidence, where is it and how were the observations conducted? Are you just taking this persons word for it, or can you reproduce the result? How do you know this?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, it seems to me that this notion of lower rebirth at the time of death could be true but is just as likely not to be true. So the people that claim it positively exists based off it just seeming to make sense or anecdotal evidence are no different than Christians or Muslims who believe in their gods because it just seems to make sense to them. There is an essay that explains this quite well and references Pali suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/rebirth-is-neither-plausible-nor.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rebirth is Neither Plausible nor Salient.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An excerpt that asks this a bit more eloquently than I can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is one more consideration here. Rebirth is intimately linked to the Buddhist doctrine of karma. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago (Son of the Śākyas) that the idea of being judged on the basis of your actions is one that might have come into Buddhism (and Hinduism) from Zoroastrianism. All large scale cultures seem to have a metaphysical overseer. In most cultures it comes in the form of a god who monitors your behaviour. Why do we need monitoring? In ancestral small scale societies we all knew what everyone was doing because we spent all of our time together. Privacy did not really exist. But as we became civilised and started living in larger scale communities it became impossible to keep everyone under surveillance to make sure they were keeping to the rules. Society is predicated on the idea that most people follow the rules most of the time, and if we catch someone breaking the rules we punish them somehow. One of the harshest non-fatal punishments is shunning which was practised in the early Buddhist Saṅgha for some offences (it still is). So gods like Indo-Iranian Mitra/Mithra, developed to keep a celestial eye on everyone and keep order. In non-Vedic India however the function was not divine, and not anthropomorphised, but became an impersonal built-in property of the universe, i.e. karma. However the function of karma is no different to the function carried out by judicial gods (e.g. Mitra or Zeus), or the oversight function of a mono-gods (e.g. Jehovah), and that karma is still a supernatural agency. Karma was invented to make sure that private actions have public consequences, though the astute reader will notice that the consequences are mostly private—that is divorced from the society in which the action was done—as well, since they are put-off till a future life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5252" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T08:22:11.610" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T15:00:32.310" Title="In Relation to Rebirth After Death, How is Karma any Different than Supernatural gods?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9475" CreationDate="2015-06-11T07:12:03.143" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I strike a white cue ball hard on a billard table, someone without an understanding of the transfer of momentum would say every thing that happen subsequently, happen by chance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone who sees the cue ball approaching a pack of balls could ask why should we expect any thing to happen to the pack of balls, there is no reason for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When subsequently all the balls come to rest in a particular configuration, someone else would say God arranged it. So it is understandable when God strike the white ball rolling he meant it to send some balls into the pockets of hell an others in perpetual purgatory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone else who have encountered both these views, will say that the view that the transfer of momentum from one ball to the rests that it come into contact are no different from the view of god. The function of the transfer of momentum is no different from the function carried out by a personal god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the transfer of momentum is still a supernatural agency, and so on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can you say to that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are views that arise without an understanding of transfer of momentum or kamma. This is just an analogy!  Please don't take me to task on this analogy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some times when we don't &lt;strong&gt;SEE&lt;/strong&gt; for ourself &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.purifymind.com/Introduction.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(Paccattam Veditabbo Vinnuhi)&lt;/a&gt; an underlying truth. Every view is possible!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when we &quot;see for ourself&quot;(Paccattam Veditabbo Vinnuhi) the workings of kamma then certain views are impossible, others are not plausible and we arrive to right views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only convincing evidence is to see our own past lives and if we are unable to do that, the other alternative is to have some faith in the saying of someone like the Buddha. If we can't do both, as in having no ability and no faith and no practice, we remain as we are full of delusion/confusion as to what are the right views. Practice leads to knowing for ourselves and also results in more confidence in the dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It starts with practice and ends in knowing (vijja or bodhi).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T15:00:32.310" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T15:00:32.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-06-11T07:18:00.360" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the story related to Angulimaan(later known as monk Ahinsak) could clear this doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not attacked him,neither defended himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5253" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T07:18:00.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9473" CreationDate="2015-06-11T08:01:08.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading a bit about them yesterday, in the references included with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9469/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9467/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaenquiry.org/index.php/welcome/eng/whatthebuddhadidnotteach&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What the Buddha did not teach&lt;/a&gt; by Christopher Titmuss is I suppose Theravada, and/or perhaps his own interpretation based on the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that article, section 4 describes &quot;Belief in God&quot;, and &quot;Brahma&quot;; and then section 25 says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;25&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Oneness is the ultimate realty. The Buddha did not refute the importance of Oneness. He refers to it in the experience of Brahma Viharas (Divine Abode or Abode of God ). He does not refer to this Abode as ultimate reality since it posits the notion of a self that unites with other. The Buddha refutes All is One and equally refutes All is Many and points to dependent arising. In MLD 117, the Buddha said: Unification of mind equipped with the other seven links of the Eighfold Path is called noble right rconcentation [sic] with its supports and requisites.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What the Buddha did not teach&lt;/em&gt; also has a couple of sections (19 and 20) about Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/sk/atm_lostword.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayata&lt;/a&gt; (see also Samadhi's answer which explains it) describes it as, I think, a necessary antidote to equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why does Tan Ajarn Buddhadasa consider atammayata so important? In the Salayatanavibhanga Sutta of the Majjhima-nikaya (#137) the Buddha describes a spiritual progression carried out by &quot;relying on this, to give up that.&quot; Relying on the pleasure, pain, and equanimity associated with renunciation, one gives up the pleasure and pain associated with worldliness. Relying on singular or one-pointed equanimity (ekaggata-upekkha), one gives up many-sided or multifaceted equanimity (nanatta-upekkha). Relying on atammayata, one gives up ekaggata-upekkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this sutta, nanatta-upekkha is explained as &quot;equanimity toward forms, sounds, odors, tastes, touches, and mind-objects,&quot; which implies the four meditative states known as the &quot;rupa-jhana.&quot; Ekaggata-upekkha is explained as &quot;equanimity dependent upon the four immaterial absorptions (arupa-jhana).&quot; To more easily understand what this means, we may compare it with the common Buddhist hierarchy of the sensual (kama-), pure material (rupa-), and non-material (arupa-) realms. The ordinary worldling or &quot;Thickster&quot; (putthujhana) clings to sensual experiences due to craving for sensual pleasures. One gets free of sensuality by relying on pure materiality, that is, steady concentration upon material objects (rupa-jhana). Pure materiality is abandoned by relying on the arupa-jhana. Finally, these exalted states of consciousness are abandoned through atammayata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This awareness-release through equanimity (and/or through good-will) should be developed whether one is a woman or a man. Neither a woman nor a man can go taking this body along. Death, monks, is but a gap of a thought away. One [who practices this awareness-release] discerns, 'Whatever evil action has been done by this body born of action, that will all be experienced here [in this life]. It will not come to be hereafter.' Thus developed, the awareness-release through equanimity leads to non-returning for the monk who has gained gnosis here and has penetrated to no higher release.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an article on accesstoinsight titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sublime States &amp;ndash;&#xA;Contemplations on Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera (a German-born Sri-Lanka-ordained Theravada monk).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It includes (without referencing suttas) a dozen short paragraphs on each of the four states; and another dozen at the end describing inter-relations between states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says, near the beginning,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (&lt;em&gt;sattesu samma patipatti&lt;/em&gt;). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9360/254&quot;&gt;Why does insight lead to to compassion?&lt;/a&gt; I wondered whether there's ever &quot;increasing levels of insight&quot; without any &quot;social contact&quot;: and decided it's unlikely, and that human existence (physical human livelihood) tends to depend on some social contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The non-Theravada probably have a lot more to say; for example the Dalai Lama says that people &quot;always feel happy&quot; from helping others, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T08:01:08.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9473" CreationDate="2015-06-11T09:46:48.780" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of the Brahmaviharas is comprehensively dealt in Chapter IX of the Visuddhimagga. Online resource :- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Daniel Ingram says that the Brahmaviharas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Loving-Kindness&lt;/em&gt; (Metta): the natural well-wishing for one's self and all beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Compassion&lt;/em&gt; (Karuna): the natural wishing that the suffering of one's self and all beings will cease.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sympathetic Joy&lt;/em&gt; (Mudita): the natural appreciation of the successes, good fortunes and joys of ourselves and all beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Equanimity&lt;/em&gt; (Upekkha): the feeling of peace that comes from realizing that all beings are the true heirs of their karma and that their well-being depends on their actions, and not on our wishes for them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He makes an important point that all the Brahmavihara practices share common ground - they are rooted in conscious intent. In this way they produce positive effects. The structure of the meditations are similar and it is merely the intent that changes, encapsulated by the meaning of the phrase that is used. As in Loving-Kindness meditation, so in the others we (substituting the appropriate pronoun in the blank spaces) we silently intend:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;For Loving-Kindness&lt;/em&gt;: May _____ be happy. May ____ be peaceful.  May _____ be safe. May _____ live with ease.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;For Compassion&lt;/em&gt;: May _____ be free from suffering. May their suffering finally cease.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;For Sympathetic Joy&lt;/em&gt;: May the happiness and good fortune of _____ always increase.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;For Equanimity&lt;/em&gt;: ____ is/are the true heirs of their karma. ____'s happiness depends upon their actions and not upon my wishes for them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/magick-and-the-brahma-viharas/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;integrateddaniel.info&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T10:08:28.710" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T10:08:28.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9475" CreationDate="2015-06-11T11:18:23.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, we need to use a rational mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a look into yourself. What do you see? Something.&#xA;Take a look deeper into yourself. How does everything arise in yourself? 5 senses make everything arise.&#xA;Take a look even deeper into yourself. How does everything arise in yourself? Feeling and contact makes everything arise.&#xA;...&#xA;Take a look the deepest possible in yourself. How does everything arise in yourself? Everything arises from desire/wanting. This is the ultimate truth why everything arises in yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a look at the ultimate truth of everything arising in yourself. How does EVERYTHING (a thought, visual representation, sound, smell, etc.) arises from nothing in yourself? First, desire/wanting for SOMETHING arises. Then, desire/wanting creates the effort to overcome the obstacles. When the effort is big enough, the obstacles are destroyed, and SOMETHING arises. This is the ultimate truth how everything arises from nothing in yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a look outside yourself and imagine time going backwards. What do you see? Everything going backwards in time.&#xA;Take a look closer outside yourself and imagine time going more backwards. How does everything arises outside yourself? From things mixing together everything arises.&#xA;Take a look even closer outside yourself and imagine time going backwards even more. How does everything arises outside yourself? From atoms, etc.&#xA;... Take a look the closest outside yourself and imagine time going backwards indefinitely. How does everything arises outside yourself? Everything arises from desire/wanting. This is the ultimate truth why everything arises outside yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a look at the ultimate truth of everything arising outside yourself. How does EVERYTHING (a rock, plant, animal, sand, etc.) arise from nothing outside yourself? First, desire/wanting for SOMETHING arises. Then, desire/wanting creates the effort to overcome the obstacles. When the effort is big enough, the obstacles are destroyed, and SOMETHING arises. This is the ultimate truth how everything arises from nothing outside yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Analyse the ultimate truth of how everything arises from nothing outside yourself. What do you see? You see centillions and centillions of desires/wanting chained one after the other, forming centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting.&#xA;From centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting everything arised.&#xA;From centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting galaxies, planets, plants, animals, etc., arised.&#xA;From centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting you arised. You are centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting. Everything is centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are centillions and centillions of layers of desire/wanting, you are more than your physical body.&#xA;If you are more than your physical body, centillions of layers of desire/wanting will remain after your death.&#xA;When centillions of layers of desire/wanting remain after your death, you remain.&#xA;When you remain, you are.&#xA;When you are, you become.&#xA;When you become, you are born.&#xA;When you are born, you desire.&#xA;When you desire, you cling and crave.&#xA;When you cling and crave, you suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you suffer, centillions of layers of desire/wanting are forming wanting you to suffer (remember: the ultimate truth why everything arises in yourself).&#xA;When centillions of layers of desire/wanting are formed wanting you to suffer, centillions of layers of desire/wanting are forming wanting you to cling and crave.&#xA;When centillions of layers of desire/wanting are formed wanting you to cling and crave, centillions of layers of desire/wanting are forming wanting you to desire.&#xA;When centillions of layers of desire/wanting are formed wanting you to desire, centillions of layers of desire/wanting are forming wanting you to be born.&#xA;When centillions of layers of desire/wanting are formed wanting you to be born, you will be reborn again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more you cling and crave, the more you suffer. The more you suffer, the more you sin. The more you sin, the angrier you are. The angrier you are, the more you are angry and the more you desire to be angry (remember: the ultimate truth why everything arises in yourself). The more you desire to be angry, the more centillions of layers of desire/wanting will be formed wanting you to be angry. The more centillions of layers of desire/wanting you to be angry are formed, the angrier you will be after death. The angrier you will be after death, the angrier being you will become after next birth. The angrier being you become after next birth, the more you will suffer. The more you suffer, the more in hell you will live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The less you cling and crave, the less you suffer. The less you suffer, the less you sin. The less you sin, the happier you are. The happier you are, the more you are happy and the more you desire to be happy (remember: the ultimate truth why everything arises in yourself). The more you desire to be happy, the more centillions of layers of desire/wanting will be formed wanting you to be happy. The more centillions of layers of desire/wanting you to be happy are formed, the happier you will be after death. The happier you will be after death, the happier being you will become after next birth. The happier being you become after next birth, the more you will be happy. The more you are happy, the more in paradise you will live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you stop clinging and craving, suffering will come to end. When suffering comes to end, you come to realise: &quot;in bliss I am&quot;. Thus, after you die, in bliss you will be reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T11:18:23.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9481" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-11T12:23:21.863" Score="2" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the right way of living in the Present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Present day living is full of challenges and with forces in play and to act in certain way. How does one follow the Path in these conditions without incurring  karma and its after-effects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T21:02:28.540" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:06:23.177" Title="What is the right way of living in the Present?" Tags="|karma|modern-world|zen|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9482" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9483" CreationDate="2015-06-11T12:45:29.047" Score="7" ViewCount="1667" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come across this term recently and have seen quite a few opinions and definitions. My understanding is that it is actually a hardcore Theravada movement that is in some ways a conservative backlash against watered down Buddhism in the West. Is this a correct assessment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T13:38:00.583" LastActivityDate="2019-06-22T01:58:29.400" Title="What is Hardcore (Pragmatic) Dharma?" Tags="|traditions|buddhadharma|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9482" CreationDate="2015-06-11T14:11:00.160" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The self proclaimed Arahant, Daniel Ingram &amp;amp; his book &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; is probably where the &quot;hardcore&quot; thing came from because the book covers supposedly &quot;hardcore&quot; and hard to find teachings like the &quot;stages of insight&quot; that are rarely covered in books. Dan seems very angry &amp;amp; ridiculous in certain rants in the book, I guess that is supposed to be some kind of &quot;hardcore&quot; teaching. I don't understand these rantings in an otherwise useful and informative book. Here's the link to his book that many have found useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;url=http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/mastering-vers-3.pdf&amp;amp;ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwiKq7L55IfGAhXLLIgKHe_dANE&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNFLc5TSZ67SHpRdffXNDgoa7xurQQ&amp;amp;sig2=U7KB_mwxkcCkzod2iEHKhA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha &amp;ndash; An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T21:37:56.763" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T21:37:56.763" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9475" CreationDate="2015-06-11T14:29:41.707" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is karma any different more believable than supernatural gods passing judgement when we are talking about rebirth after the point of death - rebirth being inextricably linked to karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The implication here is that death somehow negates the causal nature of mind states that is observed in the present moment; along with our ability to hold grudges from one life to the next, the continuation of physical changes effected by mental states, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is more believable than God, because karma is seen to work in this life on many levels - mental changes due to karma, changes to one's physical surrounding due to karma, changes in relationships due to karma, etc. The claim that this all ceases at the moment of death is just a claim. It makes sense from within a physicalist framework, but not from an experiential framework like Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I mean no disrespect by this, but gravity is observable whereas being born as a human and then a dog after you die because of unskillful karma is not.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure it is... the dog observes that it has been born a dog. How else could it be observed? The mind cannot be observed through physical means, so it's a fault of our instruments, not of the process itself. Certainly not reason to conclude &quot;therefore God&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is rebirth in human realm classified as higher when some humans suffer more than some animals and have less of an intellectual ability to reason than dogs or crows?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Classification is a human construct; there is no part of nature that says &quot;humans are better&quot;. Generally, it's considered to be more difficult to be born as a human, due to the complexity and sophistication of the organism (opposable thumbs apparently mean a lot; complex brain functions, etc.). It takes specific mind states to be born as specific individuals, e.g. humans with Down syndrome, etc., but they still have much in favour of them over dogs (longer life span, opposable thumbs, a place in human society, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How are you sure this transition to lower rebirth exists, as in the hell realms which sound like really bad places that physically exist, aside from anecdotal evidence that cannot be observed through experience?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have no reason to doubt that hell exists; it doesn't seem any less plausible than the fact that this realm exists. It seems reasonable that one's environment changes based on one's state of mind, since that is observable in this life, and it is reasonable to conclude that causality also plays a part in one's continuation after death. I am not sure that hell exists, but it seems reasonable to believe realms of that sort do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why does no one support rebirth with any solid evidence, but claim it as a result of karma where karma is portrayed as a natural law?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been many attempts to support rebirth with solid evidence, some quite convincing. E.g. the articles on this page:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/publications-page&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/publications-page&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the superior form of investigation that is meditation; through simple but dedicated practice, one can for oneself regain memories of past lives, according to Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;22&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So a bhikkhu who is a beginner and wants to recollect in this way should&#xA;  go into solitary retreat on return from his alms round after his meal. Then he&#xA;  should attain the four jhānas in succession and emerge from the fourth jhāna as&#xA;  basis for direct-knowledge. He should then advert to his most recent act of&#xA;  sitting down [for this purpose], next, to the preparation of the seat, to the entry&#xA;  into the lodging, to the putting away of the bowl and [outer] robe, to the time of&#xA;  eating, to the time of returning from the village, to the time of wandering for alms&#xA;  in the village, to the time of entering the village, to the time of setting out from the&#xA;  monastery, to the time of paying homage at the shrine terrace and the&#xA;  Enlightenment-tree terrace, to the time of washing the bowl, to the time of picking&#xA;  up the bowl, to the things done from the time of picking up the bowl back to the&#xA;  mouth washing, to the things done in the early morning, to the things done in&#xA;  the middle watch, in the first watch. In this way he should advert to all the things&#xA;  done during the whole night and day in reverse order.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;While this much, however, is evident even to his normal consciousness, it is&#xA;  especially evident to his preliminary-work consciousness. But if anything there&#xA;  is not evident, he should again attain the basic jhāna, emerge and advert. By so&#xA;  doing it becomes as evident as when a lamp is lit. And so, in reverse order too, he&#xA;  should advert to the things done on the second day back, and on the third,&#xA;  fourth and fifth day, and in the ten days, and in the fortnight, and as far back as&#xA;  a year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When by these means he adverts to ten years, twenty years, and so on as far&#xA;  back as his own rebirth-linking in this existence, he should advert to the&#xA;  mentality-materiality occurring at the moment of death in the preceding existence;&#xA;  for a wise bhikkhu is able at the first attempt to remove the rebirth-linking and&#xA;  make the mentality-materiality at the death moment his object.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism XII.22-4 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T14:29:41.707" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9482" CreationDate="2015-06-11T15:18:00.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assuming Uilium's answer is correct you can get a bit of a sense of what &amp;quot;hardcore&amp;quot; might mean by reading the book's &lt;em&gt;Forward and Warning&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says he deliberately wrote it in his own voice, that some of what he writes (whole chapters of social commentary) &amp;quot;has a definite bite to it&amp;quot;, and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;it is the unrestrained voice of one from a generation whose radicals wore spikes and combat boots rather than beads and sandals, listened to the Sex Pistols rather than the Moody Blues, wouldn't know a beat poet or an early '60s dharma bum from a hole in the ground, ...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;it is also the unrestrained voice of one whose practice has been dedicated to complete and unexcelled mastery of traditional and hardcore stages of the path rather than some sort of vapid New Age fluff or pop psychological head trip.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hardcore is a (slightly dated) musical term, associated with punk, &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardcore_punk#Characteristics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article in Drowned in Sound argues that 1980s-era &amp;quot;hardcore is the true spirit of punk&amp;quot;, because &amp;quot;after all the poseurs and fashionistas fucked off to the next trend of skinny pink ties with New Romantic haircuts, singing wimpy lyrics&amp;quot;, the punk scene consisted only of people &amp;quot;completely dedicated to the DIY ethics&amp;quot;. One definition of the genre is &amp;quot;a form of exceptionally harsh punk rock.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the important philosophies in the hardcore scene is authenticity. The pejorative term &amp;quot;poseur&amp;quot; is applied to those who associate with punk and adopt its stylistic attributes but are deemed not to share or understand the underlying values and philosophy. Joe Keithley, the singer for D.O.A. said in an interview that: &amp;quot;For every person sporting an anarchy symbol without understanding it there’s an older punk who thinks they’re a poseur.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T15:18:00.010" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9481" CreationDate="2015-06-11T16:23:01.527" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me, the challenges of living mindfully are related to wandering from the precepts. I get bogged down in work, driving, shopping, life in general... and just &lt;em&gt;forget&lt;/em&gt;. One tool I've found useful is chants -- I start each day listening to, and mumbling to myself, the 3 gems and 5 precepts chants. Those tend to &quot;stick&quot; in my mind, and I hear them in my mind throughout the day, which helps me remember to guide my mind away from work, driving, shopping, etc... and back to the present moment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T16:23:01.527" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9487" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-11T17:15:40.723" Score="6" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lately, i'm finding myself very confused. I don't know whether i'm trying to learn new things to become a better person for myself and the world around me, or am i in fact just a ' hungry ghost' unable to satisfy my hunger. I do feel like i'm constantly searching for something, something which even i do not know what it looks like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, my question is; How can i tell if my efforts are for good, or that of an insatiable hungry ghost?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All help is welcome!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-11T18:46:26.907" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T20:13:23.650" Title="The six realms of existence" Tags="|personal-practice|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9488" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-11T18:18:27.137" Score="7" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's significantly harder to be mindful when the language part of our brain is active. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how does one read theory about Buddhist meditation while actually being mindful of what is being read? How does one listen to Dhamma talks with moment by moment mindfulness?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is multitasking two birds with one stone, but should we study and practice at the same time? Also, should noting (as in the Mahasi tradition) be dropped in these situations, because noting a word with another word seems like it could be more trouble than it is worth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't heard of very many meditation techniques or methods that cover this area (mindfulness while reading, talking, listening &amp;amp; writing) and I am hoping someone else might know. METTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T15:01:50.847" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T15:04:41.260" Title="Mindfulness while Studying or Listening to Dhamma Talks" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9488" CreationDate="2015-06-11T20:01:35.173" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Uilium. I hope you are well my friend. I think if you were to view things from an experiencial point of view- so acknowledgement of all experience through sensory input ( the 5 aggregates)seeing, smelling, tasting, touching...etc. Also the body can multi-task but the brain can not, for example you can only think one thought at a time, you can't think of both a banana and an elephant simultaneously, unless you combine them, then it's still only one thought being processed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So back to your question specifically, when i read, i listen very attentively to my voice, but if i'm reading in my head, then i might focus on the touch or feeling of the book or pages. Wherever the mind goes, just focus on that during your studies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope i have helped in some way, my friend.&#xA;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T20:01:35.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9488" CreationDate="2015-06-11T20:47:49.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes being mindful can get in the way of learning--sometimes it can support it (for example, catching yourself when you are just drolling through the read not understanding anything).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; to learn things the &quot;ordinary&quot; non-mindful way until you understand what mindfulness feels like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So don't worry, just keep reading and learning about it, absorbing the right Buddhist material on your way to Right Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, when you have become used to mindfulness and you try to read, you will naturally be one-pointed and focused, as you go through a reading. Your target will be: your purpose for reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your distractions that you will learn to be aware of and transcend (be mindful of): distraction, self-doubt, expectation, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will be aware of the things in the distraction category and make the one-pointed target (ekagatta) the sun around which your actions revolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until you reach this foundation of mindfulness, don't try to do two things at one time.&#xA;You will only be creating more anxiety and false expectation--at least until you are familiar with mindfulness and have an overall more clear state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the answer to your question is: meditate more and get stronger in mindfulness before trying to carry your power in the midst of activity. Doing the latter is always more difficult and needs a good foundation in the former.&#xA;If you cannot do the latter, you need more foundation in the former.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use this as a rule of thumb for all activities you want to include into meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps, writing this helped me to answer a question I had before, haha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T20:47:49.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9491" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9496" CreationDate="2015-06-11T21:01:15.597" Score="8" ViewCount="2140" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the five aggregates and the sense in which they are all not-self. Thoughts (samskāra) are one of the five aggregates so they too are 'not me' or 'not mine'. In one sense this is a statement which accords with my own experience while on and off the meditation cushion. They display an impermanence and often they arising unbidden (or as part of a web of causal relationships that I don't control). In another sense however this doesn't accord with my experience. My thoughts don't happen to anyone else. They are thoughts in my head happening to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know (well I think I know) the second statement is a wrong view. So why are thoughts not mine if they never happen to other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T12:20:15.170" Title="My thoughts don't happen to other people so why are they 'not mine'?" Tags="|philosophy|anatman|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-11T21:23:43.643" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if this will help, but here goes. The reason the thought or anything isn't yours or mine, is because you can't control it, you can't keep hold of it. Trying to hold on to anything is like trying to grasp smoke in your hands, but, you can see the smoke- recognise the thought- but you can't hold or control it, so... can it or anything really be yours? Everything is just a sensation that will arise and cease out of your control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T21:23:43.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-11T21:56:51.823" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are the thoughts that happen to you in particular, so indeed you have &quot;your thoughts&quot;, but they are not &quot;yours&quot; in that you have no real ownership of them nor do they reflect your true self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5257" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T21:56:51.823" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-11T22:12:47.920" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta#Wrong_self-views&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says (although these statements are unreferenced),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three ways in which self views could be conceived and all three are said to be wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these views types of identity view fetter one to samsāra, and it is for this reason that they are wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No-self or Not-self?&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu ends with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense, the anatta teaching is not a doctrine of no-self, but &lt;strong&gt;a not-self strategy for shedding suffering by letting go of its cause&lt;/strong&gt;, leading to the highest, undying happiness. At that point, questions of self, no-self, and not-self fall aside. Once there's the experience of such total freedom, where would there be any concern about what's experiencing it, or whether or not it's a self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.083.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'What do you think, friend Ananda — Is consciousness constant or&#xA;inconstant?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Inconstant, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Stressful, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject&#xA;to change as: &amp;quot;This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am&amp;quot;?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Thus, friend Ananda, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or&#xA;present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;&#xA;far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right&#xA;discernment as: &amp;quot;This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not&#xA;what I am.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Any feeling whatsoever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Any perception whatsoever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Any fabrications whatsoever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present;&#xA;internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or&#xA;near: every consciousness is to be seen as it actually is with right&#xA;discernment as: &amp;quot;This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not&#xA;what I am.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows&#xA;disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with&#xA;perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with&#xA;consciousness. Through disenchantment, he becomes dispassionate.&#xA;Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is&#xA;the knowledge, &amp;quot;Fully released.&amp;quot; He discerns that &amp;quot;Birth is ended, the&#xA;holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this&#xA;world.&amp;quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary perhaps they're 'not mine' because (or if) you choose to disown or not identify with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, perhaps such thoughts do happen to other people? The Dalai Lama for example says that he likes to see himself as being the same (composed of 5 aggregates) as every one else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T00:09:56.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-11T22:33:40.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Thought&quot; indeed arises and falls but where does &quot;your&quot; arise? &quot;Your&quot;  only arises in conceptual reality. Your thoughts are not other people's and they aren't yours ultimately. Nothing is the possession of all beings and if we could all see that, we would all have everything. METTA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-11T22:33:40.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-11T23:06:14.833" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;When speaking in conventional terms, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&quot;my, mine, they, others, people etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; we are dealing with conventional reality. Here concepts such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;a man, woman, an animal, a Self&quot;&lt;/em&gt; etc. exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When instead we turn to ultimate reality we realize that there is no such thing as concepts. They are not findable in ultimate reality. They have no real point of reference. We realize that the question arose out of having &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;, as you also mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why &lt;em&gt;&quot;your&quot;&lt;/em&gt; thoughts do not happen to &lt;em&gt;&quot;other people&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is because they are concepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we instead construct the sentence in another way it might make more sense. The new sentence could be: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thoughts arise and cease. Mental formations arise and cease. They do not belong to anyone or anything. That is a mental formation itself and it itself is impermanent, unsatisfactory and not-self. There is no thinker behind the thought. There is no &quot;owner&quot; of phenomena. There is no experiencing entity. There are just physical and mental phenomena arising and ceasing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this shed some light onto it. If i may give an advice from personal practice, then do not think too much about these things. Instead keep doing insight meditation as you also mention you do. The experiental knowledge you gain will cast away all illusions and concepts and lay bare the true nature of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/19282/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lastly, i would like to point you to this dhamma talk by Ajahn Punnadhammo. Its called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Anatta&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Very good talk. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have attached a picture to illustrate what happens when we are &quot;trapped&quot; in conventional reality. The bottom of the picture is when one is without insight knowledge into the 3 signs of existence and thereby thinking one has a Self. When one begins practicing the path and gains insights then the breaking away of illusions and concepts happen like in the top of the picture. We become free from wrong view and gain right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/BAtGt.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T09:17:48.383" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T09:17:48.383" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9497" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9507" CreationDate="2015-06-12T01:32:15.120" Score="3" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;There are in this body head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), urine, and brain in the skull.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.1-9x.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems like a pretty comprehensive list, but semen and menses are noticeably missing; although if they were included, there would obviously have to be separate male and female versions of this contemplation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do we know why they are missing? Are other body parts missing? It seems unusual given how direct the Buddha's teachings normally are; so I imagine there is a reason. Thank you! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T10:20:48.080" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T23:49:14.703" Title="Why are some bodily fluids missing from the &quot;Thirty Two Parts of the Body&quot; teaching?" Tags="|science|sexuality|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9498" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9510" CreationDate="2015-06-12T01:58:56.250" Score="4" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question was prompted by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9488/254&quot;&gt;Mindfulness while Studying or Listening to Dhamma Talks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On page 31 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Good Questions, Good Answers&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Explain what insight meditation is&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During insight meditation a person just tries to be aware of whatever happens to them without thinking about it or reacting to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the purpose of that&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually we react to our experience by liking or disliking it or by letting it trigger thoughts, daydreams or memories. All these reactions distort or obscure our experience so that we fail to understand it properly. By developing a non-reactive awareness we begin to see why we think, speak and act the way we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &amp;quot;without thinking about or reacting to&amp;quot; experience, deliberately counter-productive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it counter-productive, in scenarios when you should be trying to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn something new (learning something is presumably trying to allow yourself to be affected, to &amp;quot;produce&amp;quot; a change in the knowledge you have)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Create something new (e.g. if you're making or writing something for your work/livelihood)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wouldn't it be better to be absorbed in or by the experience, to absorb the experience, in these scenarios?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I fear it's counter-productive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because it's intended to be (counter-productive)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because it's an addition (of some kind of awareness to the mind-state) and therefore a distraction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because having reaction (i.e. effect on your own knowledge) is the purpose or goal when learning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because having reaction (e.g. thoughts like &amp;quot;this is good or not good&amp;quot;) are the tool when creating&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T08:55:42.053" Title="Is insight meditation counter-productive (sometimes)?" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9497" CreationDate="2015-06-12T02:05:21.457" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could probably contemplate on it as blood. Women entered the Sangha somewhat later. So I would presume this meditation was taught to monks before that happened. You might have also noticed that seminal fluid is missing from the list.&#xA;Women having to contemplate on that might actually arouse their lust. Maybe it's the same case with men having to contemplate on women's period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T02:21:46.053" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T02:21:46.053" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9497" CreationDate="2015-06-12T02:25:31.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do we know why they are missing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't. Could it be because semen is not being produced/created?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are other body parts missing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a good list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For completeness, there is also cartilage (e.g. the trachea), pancreas, a gallbladder apparently, glands (salivary, thyroid, etc.), all the gender-specific reproductive organs, blood vessels (including arteries and veins) except heart, sensory and motor nerves (including spinal cord) except brain, sense-organs (eyes, ears) could be given a special mention, tongue, the lymphatic system, bladder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Flesh&quot; can be a catch-all though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T02:41:29.343" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T02:41:29.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9501" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9533" CreationDate="2015-06-12T05:16:25.863" Score="4" ViewCount="1535" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has been said to be compassion however i have not seen compassion described. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What does it mean to be compassionate?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How is it different to love, sympathy and empathy?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="4841" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T20:20:35.550" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T23:21:05.757" Title="What is the difference between love, compassion, sympathy and empathy in Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|compassion|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9502" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9555" CreationDate="2015-06-12T05:19:39.870" Score="2" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have found that if i do not share or understand the perspective of others, it is difficult to appreciate their point of view so that one is able to be the viewer as opposed to the actor. How does one experience the experience of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T22:27:09.113" Title="How does one experience or understand the experience of others?" Tags="|experiential|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9503" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9535" CreationDate="2015-06-12T05:24:22.540" Score="6" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is limited by the senses and the formation of the sense, how does one practice Buddhism which espouses interrelatedness and interconnectedness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if i simply taste the grape i have in mouth, how do i realize that the grape is the result of the elements of nature e.g. propagation of seed, pollination, inception of a seedling, sprout, etc which in turn is supported by the sun, rain, soil, etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T07:31:48.307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T19:52:40.530" Title="How does one practice Buddhism when experience is limited by the 6 senses?" Tags="|relationship|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9503" CreationDate="2015-06-12T06:48:05.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In insight meditation, you are trying to understand the interrelatedness and interconnectedness between different parts of yourself, as well as yourself and the world. Not parts of the world with itself, that has no relations to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. the taste of the grape? how do you sense it? how do you perceive it? how does the concept of its flavour appear in your mind? what kind of emotions and memories does it invoke in you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9498/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On page 31 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Good Questions, Good Answers&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Explain what insight meditation is&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During insight meditation a person just tries to be aware of whatever happens to them without thinking about it or reacting to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the purpose of that&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually we react to our experience by liking or disliking it or by letting it trigger thoughts, daydreams or memories. All these reactions distort or obscure our experience so that we fail to understand it properly. By developing a non-reactive awareness we begin to see why we think, speak and act the way we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T06:48:05.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9506" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-12T07:46:34.337" Score="6" ViewCount="257" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8449/471&quot;&gt;benefits of practising metta&lt;/a&gt; is that the Devas would protect him. This leads me to my question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism and the suttas, do the Brahmas and Devas have any direct interaction with human beings? Please provide examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these interactions all positive or also negative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which ones are initiated by humans and which ones are initiated by Brahmas and Devas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could this explain some interactions between God and human prophets in other religions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The God of the Old Testament sounds very much like the Mahabrahma of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the&#xA;  exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and&#xA;  re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made,&#xA;  feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in&#xA;  glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, as a result of dwelling there all alone for so long a time,&#xA;  there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation, (and he yearns):&#xA;  'Oh, that other beings might come to this place!' Just at that moment,&#xA;  due to the exhaustion of their life-span or the exhaustion of their&#xA;  merit, certain other beings pass away from the Ābhassara plane and&#xA;  re-arise in the palace of Brahmā, in companionship with him. There&#xA;  they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving&#xA;  through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long,&#xA;  long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereupon &lt;strong&gt;the being who re-arose there first thinks to himself: 'I am&#xA;  Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the&#xA;  Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator,&#xA;  the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that&#xA;  are and are to be. And these beings have been created by me.&lt;/strong&gt; What is&#xA;  the reason? Because first I made the wish: &quot;Oh, that other beings&#xA;  might come to this place!&quot; And after I made this resolution, now these&#xA;  beings have come.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2019-07-22T03:40:18.607" Title="Direct interaction between Gods and men" Tags="|comparative-religion|deva|brahma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9497" CreationDate="2015-06-12T07:56:53.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMHO, - Upaya (skilful means) - the purpose of the Buddha's teaching is liken to a raft to take us across the ocean of samsara to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;island of exquisite bliss&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence 32 parts of the body is adequate enough to accommodate various human tendencies to the attachment of the body. Whereas the classification of the the aggregates to only 5 is sufficient to lead one to see dukkha, anicca, anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some who think the Buddha taught realities, physical &amp;amp; mental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ask what does your teacher teach? &quot;,,there is suffering (or stress), the cause of suffering (or stress), that there is an end to suffering (or stress), and the path to the end of suffering (or stress).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T07:56:53.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9503" CreationDate="2015-06-12T08:10:19.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught about stress, the cause of stress, that there is an end to stress, the path to the ending of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He taught the way by means of using the 6 senses to see the 3 characteristic of conditioned thing, dukkha (stress), anatta ( non-self), anicca (impermanent) using the five aggregates and the law of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various other meditation practices, both insight and calm, are also taught to relieve attachments, hence suffering so that we are able to do the task of see the three characteristic in conditioned things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one of the three characteristics are seen clearly we pass through the gateway of voidness or emptiness ( when anatta is seen), the gateway of the signless ( when anicca is seen) and the gateway of the desirelessness ( when dukkha is seen). - Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T08:10:19.743" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9503" CreationDate="2015-06-12T08:34:16.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think Buddhism does &lt;em&gt;espouse interrelatedness and interconnectedness&lt;/em&gt; in such a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your story of the origin of the grape isn't what I'd expect to be aware of when I eat a grape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A story like that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; useful sometimes for teaching that things have no independent existence: without sun, no grape; without seedling, no grape; without soil, no grape; and without this body and this moment and hunger, no experience of grape; etc. Therefore grape is precarious, impermanent, and shouldn't be relied on to be permanently satisfactory. I don't know how many of those stories (about different things) you need to tell yourself before you generalize it to the realization that everything is &quot;conditioned&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way in which interconnected &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; used is in the sense of &quot;no self&quot;. The Dalai Lama said he would be &quot;imprisoning&quot; himself, if he were to think of himself as &quot;Buddhist, Dalai Lama, Nobel Prize Winner, etc.&quot; and that instead he prefers to think of himself as being &quot;just like everyone else&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; some other interconnectedness too, for example how you behave towards other people (e.g. whether you're kind or angry) allegedly has an effect on yourself (but I think that's an interconnectedness within you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9478/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; I mention that Christopher Titmuss writes explicitly that the Buddha &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;didn't&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; teach that &quot;oneness is the ultimate reality&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/in-separateness-lies-the-worlds-great-misery-in-compassion-lies-the-worlds-true-strength/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this source&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In my fairly extensive reading of the Pali canon (not to mention Mahayana Sutras) I don’t recall the Buddha ever talking about our “separateness.” It’s a popular topic of discourse in modern Buddhist writing (I’ve written about it myself in &lt;em&gt;Living as a River&lt;/em&gt;) but the Buddha just didn’t use that language (or if he did, it’s not been recorded). He talked a lot about misery, but he talked of the origins of misery lying in greed, hatred, and delusion. Now I know you can interpret greed, hatred, and delusion in terms of separateness (again, I’ve done so) but the point is that the Buddha didn’t use that language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I say that &quot;Buddhism doesn't espouse interrelatedness and interconnectedness&quot; then perhaps I'm wrong: perhaps that is &quot;a popular topic of discourse in modern Buddhist writing&quot;, even if &quot;the Buddha didn’t use that language&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T09:44:58.933" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9498" CreationDate="2015-06-12T08:55:42.053" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The statement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By developing a non-reactive awareness we begin to see why we think, speak and act the way we do&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there is awareness, there is mindfulness and clear comprehension of the situation, which is, the thinking, speaking and acting, which continues the way it is because it is conditioned; but because there is this clear comprehension, there is this &quot;pause&quot;, &quot;space&quot; to breathe before we commit to the thinking, speaking and acting, allowing the mind to depart from the conditioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is just like a mother watching over the child, doing her thing and only making the child more aware of what she is doing, so she contemplates before doing anything. The mother (awareness, sati-sampajanna) is one thing, the child (mind, vinnana) is another, &lt;strong&gt;eventually&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the beginning of the practice, awarenes is patchy; and the thing that interrupts thoughts in the mind is not the awareness itself but the thought to re-establish awareness again and the act of re-establishing this awareness. So in the beginning these interruptions are distracting but soon they are reduced depending on one's progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can learn, create and be absorbed with the awareness attending, and that &lt;strong&gt;learning, creating and absorbing is much more intense and wholesome.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T08:55:42.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9502" CreationDate="2015-06-12T11:36:12.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditate! Once you understand how your own mind works, understanding everyone else becomes easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T11:36:12.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9502" CreationDate="2015-06-12T11:55:04.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understood the question as, how to listen deeply, without imposing our will, our ego or impatience on the speaker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First we must still our mind of all chatter and impatience, which isn't possible without daily meditation and mindfulness, so we must learn to practice properly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are to be strong to help others, we must practice correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, we develop compassion and loving kindness towards the speaker. When our mind is not caught in its own web of suffering, compassion comes easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having developed the heart of compassion and loving kindness, we listen mindfully. Such deep listening, where we offer our true presence to our friend or partner will be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be effective, we must practice deep listening regularly, by being present in the moment, and allowing our heart of compassion and kindness to open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T11:55:04.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9491" CreationDate="2015-06-12T12:20:15.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose you have a big iron ball on which a bird comes and rests, stays some time and then goes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that bird yours?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T12:20:15.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9481" CreationDate="2015-06-12T12:32:08.983" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One piece of advice is to avoid planning for the future and dwelling on the past and instead focus your attention on your senses to observe your environment. I recall once I was feeling anxious and depressed and just happened to be taking out the trash—just walking outside, feeling the breeze and sun, hearing the birds, smelling the fresh air, seeing the blue sky, I laughed and smiled and immediately I felt uplifted. Having spent so much time in my apartment, I was almost numb to my environment, which promoted neurotic thinking. Moving my awareness to nature so that I had more stimulation in the present helped me to be more in the now, as it were, so that my mind was not stuck in the past or future. It was one of those &quot;looking at the flower and laughing&quot; realizations for me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T12:32:08.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9481" CreationDate="2015-06-12T13:33:26.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Approach each moment with the intent to live a more full, complete life with same intention and attention that you showed while asking this question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A willingness to question your sense of what you are experiencing and a desire to grow into a deeper understanding of yourself and the Dharma and others in your life are good starting points. If you have access to a sangha of some sort, in the town of your current home, online, etc, meeting with that group can offer more examples of a life that best suits your needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3595" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T13:33:26.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9502" CreationDate="2015-06-12T13:53:51.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Through unity one experience the experience of others.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one does not share other's view, there is duality, my view and the other's view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we fully understand views as just conditioned thoughts: conditioned by class, society, upbringing, books one reads, inclinations, peers, parents, teachers etc.. then we realise that our own views are just as conditioned as the others'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One view may be the result of more skilful thought, but it is also due to conditioning. So one may say this is skilful thought, this isn't but not this is yours and this is mine. When we see thoughts as just arising due to conditioning ( which is one, not your conditioning or mine conditioning) then there is unity. The arising of thoughts due to conditioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unification of self and others into a single entity called a conditioned being, results in one shared experience!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for understanding another's experience it comes through having &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;empathy&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Empathy is the capacity to understand what another person is experiencing from within the other person's frame of reference, i.e., the capacity to place oneself in another's shoes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we develop empathy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We learns to see things from another person's perspective but we must first reflect on our own feelings to understand causes for the arising of a particular feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when we have an understanding of these causes, we begin the appropriate association of causes with the feelings. So when we put ourselves in another persons perspective then these associated feelings arise, though not in the same way as they arise in the other person. They arise with the understanding that the perspective of the other person causes those feelings to rise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we experience those feelings conditioned by perspective as a third party or bystander or observer, then mudita (sympathetic joy) or karuna (compassion) may arise depending on the feeling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T15:05:09.237" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T15:05:09.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9518" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9534" CreationDate="2015-06-12T15:30:17.823" Score="14" ViewCount="3333" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can lying be the correct action in certain situations? Bhikkhu Bodhi gave an example of a situation where  lying might be appropriate:&#xA;  In World War II some nice people would hide those oppressed by the Nazis. If Nazis come and ask these nice people if they are hiding Jewish people, would it be the appropriate action to tell the truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T16:26:44.367" LastActivityDate="2021-06-13T09:11:24.203" Title="Enlightened Lies - Can lying be the correct action in certain situations?" Tags="|ethics|right-speech|precept|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-12T18:13:27.987" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe morality is more important. If we lie to cheat someone or to gain an advantage, then it would be wrong, but...to lie to save a persons life or lessen suffering, i think that is commendable, and it should be the foucs of all humans, regardless of race, ethnicty, religion or even viewed as an enemy or friend. We all know what pain feels like, we all know what suffering feels like, and if we have the opportunity to help reduce or end that suffering, then the opportunity should be taken regardless of who the other person is!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T18:13:27.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9520" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9521" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" Score="0" Body="Questions regarding meditation and its interaction with the body. This can be during formal body awareness type practice or the effects of other forms of practice on the body." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T18:29:20.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-12T20:28:45.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope you don't mind a personal story. Perhaps my earliest introduction to any Buddhism would have been my dad reading to me &lt;em&gt;Kim&lt;/em&gt; (a novel set in late 19th century India, in which a boy becomes friends and travels with a Tibetan Lama). The other characters are colourful, many of them working for the British secret service and acting against the Russians in Afghanistan. One is a Muslim horse trader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lama (an abbot who has come to India on a pilgrimage) is oblivious to such goings-on, but stops to explain the wheel of life and so on to people if they ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, towards the end and after the action is over, there's a conversation while other sleep between the Lama and the horse trader (who also works as a spy and who leads a complicated life). The contrast and conversation between the two characters is comedy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, a fragment of that conversation I've always remembered:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Thou hast never lied?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'What need?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'O Allah, hear him! &quot;What need&quot; in this Thy world! Nor ever harmed a&#xA;  man?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Once—with a pencase—before I was wise.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when the Lama is asked whether he has ever lied, his question is reply is &quot;what need?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The chief lesson I got from that was to live a life in which you don't need to lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose a secondary lesson is that he (remembering that this is an idealized character in a novel) is willing to ask whether there might be a need, just that now as an old man he hasn't ever found a need yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T20:28:45.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5978" CreationDate="2015-06-12T21:04:33.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thought it was fulfilled when china invaded Tibet, and the world took in the Tibetan people, and they brought us the glorious BuddhaDharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5268" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T21:04:33.370" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-12T21:16:13.143" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lying is never the correct answer. The answer to this question is explicitly stated in the fourth precept; to refrain from incorrect speech. You lying to &quot;save someone&quot; from some harm or danger will not break them free from the bonds of their karma, all it will do is weaken your own morality, cultivating delusion, aversion, and craving. If someone is to be murdered, they will be murdered. You have no say in this. I don't remember exactly which sutta it was, but the Buddha illustrated this very point. He was walking somewhere with a man, when the Buddha stopped, told the man to go ahead by himself, and the Buddha turned and went the other way. The man was mistaken as a deer by a hunter and shot and killed. When asked why he let the man continue ahead, knowing full well the danger that lie ahead for him, the Buddha said : even if he had gone north, south, east, or west, this man could not escape this fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T21:16:13.143" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9525" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9539" CreationDate="2015-06-12T21:24:54.187" Score="6" ViewCount="474" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't there a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;story where the Buddha accosts a monk&lt;/a&gt; who's bleeding from performing walking meditation for too long, and tells him practice must be like a Veena's string - not too tight, not too loose? i.e the middle way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, I remember a story in the Dhammapada (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZZiE-EofAE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Verse 1&lt;/a&gt;) about a monk who refused to take his eye medicine because he had vowed to not lie down for three months and remain practicing full time. Since the medicine wasn't effective unless taken lying down, he lost his eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text says he simultaneously lost his vision and gained his vision - i.e. he became an arahant by practicing so arduously. The Buddha peeks into his past lives, and says Karma dictates that he must lose his eyes in this lifetime for sins of the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It maybe so, but it was also his good karma to have access to medicine in this lifetime is it not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving everything to Karma has me confused - because if that is so, then why practice, even enlightenment if it is in our karma will be obtained without effort. Gautama the Buddha was certainly going to become a Buddha, his Buddhahood had been &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%ABpankara_Buddha#Prediction&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;foretold&lt;/a&gt;, so why did he practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, what's with the open praise of macho effort right at the start of the Dhammapada? What happened to the middle way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not an isolated instance, there are several stories about heroic efforts from monks. The most famous must be the version where Bodhidharma plucks out his eyelids. There's also another version where he loses his legs to atrophy by not moving for nine years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I got to thinking about this after reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3301/physical-exercise-as-a-monk&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; about monks and exercise. I am reminded of &quot;A path with heart&quot;, by Jack Kornfield, where the author, himself a Buddhist monk under Ajahn Chah for several years talks about exercise and several other normal healthy things monks ignore in order to pursue enlightenment single mindedly. He recounts interviewing several monks who suffered from diabetes and other lifestyle diseases that came from not eating healthy food, from not exercising, from developing an aversion to their body and consequently not caring enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in hearing opinions in general, or an answer that can reconcile the two if possible. Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T12:14:49.143" Title="Karma, right effort, letting go, heroic sacrifices: what's the right thing to do?" Tags="|karma|right-effort|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9526" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9550" CreationDate="2015-06-12T21:53:12.917" Score="7" ViewCount="1547" Body="&lt;p&gt;How would one recognise if a sangha or Buddhist group is a cult or has cult type tendencies. Are there well established things to look out for? Are there cult type behaviours or patterns that would be particularly linked with Buddhism or are all cults broadly similar irrespective of their religious inspiration? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have tried to answer questions about cults before &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8854/157&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9515/157&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; however these questions have been closed down as too opinion based. However I'm hoping by broadening the scope and moving it away from any one group it may help to keep this more objective. Also I would imagine that there are scholarly studies in this area so I'm hoping that this will also assist in objectivity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note I'm aware that the term cult is a controversial and emotionally weighted term. It's difficult to get a good definition but I found one &lt;a href=&quot;http://cultdefinition.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; that seems reasonable&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A group or movement is theologically a cult if it identifies itself as&#xA;  belonging to a mainstream, recognized religion — and yet rejects or&#xA;  otherwise violates one or more of the central, essential teachings of&#xA;  that religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;however I welcome any other definitions too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T06:54:58.793" Title="How would one recognise if a Buddhist group is a cult?" Tags="|sangha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9527" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9528" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" Score="0" Body="The practice of mindful investigation into the nature of reality and how things really are with the ultimate goal of the end of suffering." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T22:01:21.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9529" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9530" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" Score="0" Body="The practical aspects of meditation including but not limited to timing sits, equipment, suitable location and scheduling practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T22:03:18.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-12T22:56:33.487" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are no Enlightened lies. Fourth precept is the one precept that the Bodhisatta has never said to have broken since he started cultivating Paramita, many Kalpas ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four conditions must be met to break this precept&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The statement must be untrue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Causes of False Speech&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root causes of false speech are greed, hatred and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Greed is the root cause when false speech is used to obtain&#xA;material gain or status for oneself or someone dear to oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hatred is the root cause when false speech is used to cause loss&#xA;and bring harm and suffering to others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusion is the root cause when it is used neither for one's gain&#xA;nor to cause loss and harm to others, but for the sake of&#xA;enjoyment such as lying for the sake of a joke, exaggeration to&#xA;spice up a story, or flattery to please others, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what people forget is that not giving information is not the same as lying.&#xA;In the case of the Nazis example, they wouldn't have taken your word even if you did lie. They would have searched your house in any case. It's not like they needed a warrant back then. So, instead of saying &quot;yes we do have jews hiding in our house&quot;, you could improvise and say something to throw them off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: &quot;What?? You think we are that crazy? Heil hitler!!&quot; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T01:24:48.730" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T01:24:48.730" CommentCount="20" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2015-06-12T23:10:53.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The line between cults and regular groups is not always clear cut.  Groups are more or less cultish, so judgment must be exercised as to what level of cultish behavior you are willing to tolerate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what denotes cultish behavior?  Here's a good &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;checklist&lt;/a&gt; for starters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about Buddhist-specific cults?  Here are some questions to ask...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the leader claim to be Enlightened?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the leader behave immorally?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the leader's immoral behavior praised as &quot;crazy wisdom&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are people exploited under the guise of &quot;transcending their egos&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there levels of initiation/practice?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you encounter one of the above, be on alert.  If you encounter multiple instances, then run for the hills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, my use of #1 may distress some.  Don't I think Enlightenment exists?  I'm not sure... I think we can be more or less enlightened, but I'm suspicious of Enlightenment as an all-or-nothing claim.  Often, this becomes a claim of infallibility which is then used as a pretext to exploit people and is the driving force behind the transgressions of cults. So generally, if someone claims they're enlightened, I assume they're full of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T17:43:25.637" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T17:43:25.637" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9501" CreationDate="2015-06-12T23:21:05.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is it different to love, sympathy and empathy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a description of compassion, empathy, and love &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in the Brahmavihara article on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Loving-kindness&lt;/a&gt; (Pāli: mettā, Sanskrit: maitrī) towards all: the hope that a person will be well; &quot;the wish that all sentient beings, without any exception, be happy.&quot;[11]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Compassion&lt;/a&gt; (Pāli and Sanskrit: karuṇā): the hope that a person's sufferings will diminish; &quot;the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering.&quot;[11]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Empathetic joy&lt;/a&gt; (Pāli and Sanskrit: muditā): joy in the accomplishments of a person—oneself or another; sympathetic joy; &quot;the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings.&quot;[11]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What the word means in English&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Compassion&quot; is from a Latin word, &quot;co&quot; meaning &quot;with&quot; and &quot;pati/passio&quot; meaning &quot;suffer&quot;, so &quot;compassion&quot; means &quot;suffer with&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If someone is hungry then you think, &quot;I wouldn't like to be hungry&quot; so you feed them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If someone is being bullied then you think, &quot;I wouldn't like to be bullied&quot;  so you stop whoever is bullying.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If someone is suffering for any reason then you think, &quot;I wouldn't like to suffer for that reason&quot; and so you try to help them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're unable to help then it might mean literally suffering with: someone said of the earliest Christians that they'd love (have compassion for) each other; that if for example they didn't have enough food for two some day, then they would fast together and then eat together on the next day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sympathy&quot; is I think essentially just the same as &quot;compassion&quot;, only it derives from Greek instead of Latin: &quot;sym&quot; means &quot;with&quot; and &quot;pathos&quot; means &quot;feeling&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What the word means in Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; article seems like a fair introduction. It says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali commentaries distinguish between karuṇā and mettā in the following complementary manner: Karuna is the desire to remove harm and suffering (ahita-dukkha-apanaya-kāmatā) from others; while mettā is the desire to bring about the well-being and happiness (hita-sukha-upanaya-kāmatā) of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that the Dhammapada includes one classic example, at the start of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the chapter on Violence&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T23:21:05.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-12T23:24:13.510" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course lying is sometimes called for.  Morality is not about mindlessly following rules, but in seeing beyond our egoic concerns and doing what the situation calls for (Skillful Means).  Mindlessly following rules is how cults and death camps get started.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral guidelines have a place, and more often than not, they should be followed.  However, there is no replacement for using our brains to study the situation and decide if these rules are applicable there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about overcoming suffering, with a special focus on the self as the axis upon which suffering revolves.  So look at all Buddhist teachings through that lens.  Don't ask what the Buddhist teachings tell you to do; rather, ask what lies behind that teaching.  What is it about the self that lying perpetuates?  Is it really lies per se, or is it that...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lies often inflate our egos?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lies often hide our shame?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lies are ways we try to bail ourselves out of trouble and as such are&#xA;enablers of immoral behavior?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T23:24:13.510" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9503" CreationDate="2015-06-12T23:29:14.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're eating a grape and you are thinking about the soil and farmers and so on, then you are not eating the grape, you are thinking.  This isn't mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't try to be interconnected.  You let go of all the conceptualizing that infiltrates experience.  The idea here is that your concepts are the thing that blocks interconnection; let them go, and there's interconnection.  You needn't develop it, you just need to remove the barriers to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ironically, one of those barriers is precisely the exercise you mentioned.  Your thoughts about how you are interconnected to that grape is exactly what's keeping you from really being connected to that grape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't connect in an ecological or social sense, but in an experiential sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-16T19:52:40.530" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T19:52:40.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9497" CreationDate="2015-06-12T23:33:49.947" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The author of the Sutra wasn't a biologist and may not have intended this list to be biologically complete or even all that accurate. The issue here isn't the completeness of the list, but the purpose of working with those items.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why the overly specific number of 32?  Some have suggested mnemonics; perhaps -- Buddhism has made heavy use of numbered lists after all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But maybe it's because the Sutras used the concepts and imagery of a time and place far removed from our own?  So maybe there is some significance to this list that we're missing?  Since we aren't in the same historical context, many of the Sutras could seem jarring or confusing to modern ears. Fortunately this is not a problem, because the real message of the Sutras is timeless; we just need to look beyond the surface &quot;message&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is the real issue here.  Why does this question matter?  Are we perhaps getting side-tracked by the least important part of the Sutra?  Will our practice really be affected because of a missing body fluid or so?  For that matter, do body fluids matter, or is the exercise more about overcoming attachment to the body by a mental deconstruction of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-12T23:49:14.703" LastActivityDate="2015-06-12T23:49:14.703" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9503" CreationDate="2015-06-13T00:40:07.940" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh teaches an eating meditation which is very similar to what you describe in terms of understanding interconnectedness. From his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parallax.org/be-free-where-you-are-a-talk-given-at-the-maryland-correctional-institute/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;be free where you are&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you eat you can practice mindfulness. Mindful eating can bring you a lot of joy and happiness. In my tradition, eating is a deep practice. First we sit in a stable position and look at the food. Then, mindfully, we smile at it. We see the food as an ambassador that has come to us from the sky and from the Earth. Looking at a string bean, I can see a cloud floating on it. I can see the rain and the sunshine. I realize that this string bean is a part of the Earth and the sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I bite into the string bean, I am aware that this is a string bean that I have put into my mouth. There is nothing else in my mouth-not my sorrow or my fear. When I chew the string bean, I am just chewing a string bean-not my worries or my anger. I chew very carefully, with one hundred percent of myself. I feel a connection to the sky, the Earth, the farmers who grow the food, and the people who cook it. Eating like this, I feel that solidity, freedom, and joy are possible. The meal not only nourishes my body, but my soul, my consciousness, and my spirit. (pages 4 - 5)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is interesting to note that Thich Nhat Hanh gave this dharma talk at a prison. (The recording of the dharma talk was later transcribed to a book.) He was speaking to people who had very little freedom in the conventional sense, but as always, his message is that with mindfulness we free ourselves from everything whether it be concrete walls, fears, hatred, anxiety and every moment should be a moment of meditation and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding of this type of eating meditation would be not to think in a &amp;quot;busy&amp;quot; way about how a grape was grown, but to focus fully on the experience of eating the grape and understanding with gratitude all that has gone into the grape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here from Thich Nhat Hanh's &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/tea-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Plum Village website&lt;/a&gt; is a bit about tea meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At times, when we are drinking tea with a friend, we are not aware of the tea or even of our friend sitting there. Practicing tea meditation is to be truly present with our tea and our friends. We recognize that we can dwell happily in the present moment despite all of our sorrows and worries. We sit there relaxed without having to say anything. If we like, we may also share a song, a story or a dance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this particular style of teaching or practice is of interest to you, reading some of Thich Nhat Hanh's many books would be a good place to learn more. Best wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T00:49:54.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9525" CreationDate="2015-06-13T03:02:26.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Isn't there a story where the Buddha accosts a monk who's bleeding from performing walking meditation for too long, and tells him practice must be like a Veena's string - not too tight, not too loose? i.e the middle way&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The string story is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.55&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Yet, I remember a story in the Dhammapada (Verse 1) about a monk who refused to take his eye medicine because he had vowed to not lie down for three months and remain practicing full time. Since the medicine wasn't effective unless taken lying down, he lost his eyes.&#xA;The text says he simultaneously lost his vision and gained his vision - i.e. he became an arahant by practicing so arduously.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems this story is not described in Dhammapada, but in a commentary? I could not find a full text of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha peeks into his past lives, and says Karma dictates that he must lose his eyes in this lifetime for sins of the past.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never found this kind of wording in any sutta: &quot;karma dictates&quot; or &quot;because of karma, he must&quot;. Describing karma in this way is not only at odds with the actual karma doctrine taught by the Buddha, but he also criticized the idea that &quot;karma dictates&quot;: it would be impossible to anyone to live the holy life, become an arahant, become a Buddha, if that was the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Leaving everything to Karma has me confused - because if that is so, then why practice, even enlightenment if it is in our karma will be obtained without effort. Gautama the Buddha was certainly going to become a Buddha, his Buddhahood had been foretold, so why did he practice?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questioning above is similar to the way the Buddha often debunked this very idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma, that is how it is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life, there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. But for anyone who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in such &amp;amp; such a way, that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.99&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A book I would suggest here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/good_evil_beyond.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Good, Evil and Beyond: Kamma in the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/a&gt; (besides the suttas where karma law is taught).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Second, what's with the open praise of macho effort right at the start of the Dhammapada? What happened to the middle way?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's less about macho, and more about determination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &quot;middle way&quot; does not mean avoiding anything one may personally consider to be &quot;extreme&quot;. When this denomination is used by the Buddha, he is either talking about avoiding specific sterile and false/incorrect extremes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...or explaining how this is his strategy of teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle: : From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;This is not an isolated instance, there are several stories about heroic efforts from monks. The most famous must be the version where Bodhidharma plucks out his eyelids. There's also another version where he loses his legs to atrophy by not moving for nine years.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Zen has the habit of increasing the dramatic effects a noch, still, it's how determination is conveyed. Underlying this intense determination is a sense of &lt;em&gt;urgency&lt;/em&gt;, often produced by an experience of insight into the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it's not about heroism -- not in the western sense. Nor about sacrifices. The kind of sacrifices praised by the Buddha are sacrifices of unwholesome acts of body speech and mind. Are sacrifices related to the household life, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was pointed out that physical pain may significantly affect one's mind in a karmic way. But mostly as an explanation of the law of karma, not as a practice to be undertaken -- that is, to inflict pain in oneself. (I don't remember the sutta, unfortunately; it's a passage where the Buddha says someone who undergoes a lot of pain may find him/her self reappearing in a better realm because of that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;I got to thinking about this after reading this question about monks and exercise. I am reminded of &quot;A path with heart&quot;, by Jack Kornfield, where the author, himself a Buddhist monk under Ajahn Chah for several years talks about exercise and several other normal healthy things monks ignore in order to pursue enlightenment single mindedly. He recounts interviewing several monks who suffered from diabetes and other lifestyle diseases that came from not eating healthy food, from not exercising, from developing an aversion to their body and consequently not caring enough.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as their body negligence, from the point of view of Buddhism (and of the path to Nirvana) these monks are blameless or not depending on their intention. The bodily pain (or what one could see as a &quot;sacrifice&quot;) produced by these health disorders alone is not necessarily praiseworthy or blameworthy -- though it could present itself as an obstacle which could have been avoided. Finally, their suffering depends on their skill and maturity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T03:11:15.237" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T03:11:15.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9525" CreationDate="2015-06-13T03:37:05.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMHO:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;..his Buddhahood had been foretold, so why did he practice? &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the foretelling of his future, his future practice has also been seen but not mentioned. It is his practice in the past and the future which leads him to become a Buddha. He cannot &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; practice in the future, because that is his conditioning from the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we see kamma as conditioning/tendencies and particularly good tendencies then we can leave it all to kamma and concentrate on the unskilful tendencies in the present, changing them to skilful tendencies for the present and future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way is between two personal extremes and that is relative. So we can say that what looks like heroic to mere mortals is just the middle way for Bodhisattvas and Maha Arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For serious practitioners what matters in the end is the result of the state of their mind rather than their body. We can't tell by the end state of their body, the state of the mind, nor can we tell how much each one has to scarify or exert himself to attain liberation; but that he do the utmost he can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is that we cannot tell from observation of a person's practice whether he is practising in the middle way. That has been the case since the Buddha's time and in almost all cases the Buddha praise those who exert themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We find our own middle way to practice and leave it all to kamma (present skilful action) and vipaka (past conditioning/tendencies/seeds)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T03:37:05.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9525" CreationDate="2015-06-13T05:33:36.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teaching that the string on the stringed musical instrument must not be too taut or too loose, but it should be tuned precisely, is taught in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sona Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The middle path is also expounded in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (below) and discussed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;. I believe that the Buddha was very firm on the middle path teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practiced by one who has&#xA;  gone forth from the household life. (What are the two?) There is&#xA;  addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, the&#xA;  way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable; and there is&#xA;  addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, and&#xA;  unprofitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata (The Perfect One) has&#xA;  realized the Middle Path; it gives vision, gives knowledge, and leads&#xA;  to calm, to insight, to enlightenment and to Nibbana. And what is that&#xA;  Middle Path realized by the Tathagata...? It is the Noble Eightfold&#xA;  path, and nothing else ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, you found the story of Cakkhupāla Thera which is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://realtruthlife.blogspot.com/2011/07/dhammapada-commentary-yamaka-vagga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. You have got the story right, but I think you have misinterpreted the Buddha's reply as to why Ven. Cakkhupāla is blind despite being an arahat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said &quot;As a result of this evil deed the physician lost his eyesight many times in his later existences.&quot; He did not say, &quot;he did not take his medicine in this life and therefore became blind due to his past karma&quot;. Ven. Cakkhupāla definitely had the free will to accept or reject the medication, and this is not impaired by his past evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, we can say that he contracted the eye infection due to his past evil deed. If he had taken the medication, we still do not know whether he would end up cured or blind. Even if he was cured, he might still become blind later. Hence, there is no relationship between his decision to not take the medicine and his past evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Cakkhupāla's decision to not take medication, could be considered a form of self-mortification which may or may not be related to him achieving Nirvana. The Buddha did not comment about this. He only commented on how the arahat could be blind - the reason is his past deeds. And this only explains why he contracted the eye infection in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the Buddha says that not everything that we experience is the result of our past karma, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (below) and also discussed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8935/471&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;. Hence, Ven. Cakkhupāla rejecting his medicine or Gautama choosing to search for enlightenment is not completely the result of their karma. They had their own free will too, in their last lives. It is only that Gautama's past karma contributed towards his strong inclination towards enlightenment but did not absolutely fate him to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on phlegm... based on&#xA;  internal winds... based on a combination of bodily humors... from the&#xA;  change of the seasons... from uneven care of the body... from harsh&#xA;  treatment... from the result of kamma. You yourself should know how&#xA;  some feelings arise from the result of kamma. Even the world is agreed&#xA;  on how some feelings arise from the result of kamma. So any brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before — slip past what they&#xA;  themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by the world. Therefore I&#xA;  say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there may be stories of Buddhist monks who did not take care of their health or practised extreme ways in pursuit of enlightenment. But this does not meet Buddha's teaching of the middle path. The Vinaya rules laid down by the Buddha for monks, allows monks to have meals before noon daily, and also allows monks to take medicine at any time of the day for their illnesses. Hence, we must accept that this is inline with Buddha's middle path teaching, as laid down for monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The will and determination to achieve enlightenment can be strong but the middle path should still be followed. How would music be created, if the string is too taut or too loose? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T17:23:11.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-13T07:41:18.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We do not have a choice when we are faced with this condition, as we are conditioned being! How ever we act (i.e lie, or not lie) if we have not attained the state of an ariya (one of the 4 noble ones) our views are based on (avijja)ignorance or not knowing, because it is base on self ( us and others). Whatever views or actions that results from avijja are simply actions that are based on intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas the views and actions from the noble ones mainly come from wisdom and not intentions (ref somewhere in the Abhidhamma) as they are free from the delusion of self and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As kamma is based on our intention then our &lt;strong&gt;true intention to lie or not to lie is paramount!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how does wisdom come about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From mindfulness (sati), clear-comprehension (sampajanna) arise, from clear-comprehension wisdom (panna) arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T08:01:11.020" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T08:01:11.020" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9525" CreationDate="2015-06-13T12:57:35.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to say something, not about karma but about doing it now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way notwithstanding, perhaps it was essential to the Buddha's own enlightenment. I don't know in which sutta this appears, but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this narration&lt;/a&gt; of the life of the Buddha by Bikkhu Bodhi says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now he was alone, and complete solitude allowed him to pursue his quest undisturbed. One day, when his physical strength had returned, he approached a lovely spot in Uruvela by the bank of the Nerañjara River. Here he prepared a seat of straw beneath an asvattha tree (later called the Bodhi Tree) and sat down cross-legged, &lt;strong&gt;making a firm resolution that he would never rise up from that seat until he had won his goal&lt;/strong&gt;. As night descended [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thiago's answer says something about Zen and 'urgency'. That 'urgency' reminds me of a word I like, '&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;akalika&lt;/a&gt;' which meaning 'timeless' means immediately, without delay, continuous and eternal (and the absence of &lt;em&gt;kalika&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, maybe the following is a Zen story which helps to illustrate: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/25threedaysmore.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Days More&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T12:57:35.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7268" CreationDate="2015-06-13T13:35:45.427" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I definitely would have taken the experiential route. I would have sat the child down crossed-legged. I would have asked the child to take a deep breath and while exhaling ask the child to listen and feel the wind, listen to how it changes and even stops, feel how it touches the skin. Then i would ask the child to take another deep breath, this time, while exhaling, feel and see the sunshine. See how the light dances on everything it touches, feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin. Next, i would ask the child to take another deep breath, this time, i would ask the child to pick up a hand full of dirt/soil, i would ask the child to feel the texture of the soil in the hand and fingers, then smell the soil... i would continue through all the senses, hopefully arriving with the child calm, focused and relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would then explain that the Buddha was a very special man who taught people to focus on all the momentary changes within our senses, and in doing so, humanity, wherever they might be, they could always find their way back to this moment full of beauty and peacefulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T16:02:29.423" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T16:02:29.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2045" CreationDate="2015-06-13T14:37:47.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Albert Einstein apparently called Buddhism the religion of the future and the reason it is so popular in the west is because it gives you the choice to either believe in God or not to. Also you do not have to believe in anything you don't want to and have to focus on doing good work by following the 8 Fold Path. So the religion is more like a philosophy and a way of life and young people think that is very cool. Also Buddhism was never spread by violence like the Crusades and is very tolerant of all other religions. Plus many Hollywood movie stars are Buddhist and the Dalai Lama is the most popular religious figure on the world scene. Today in the west there are more Buddhists than Muslims and Hindus and it is the 3rd largest religion after Christianity and Judaism. Also many scholars believe that a lot of the NT is based on Buddhism and that Jesus studied Buddhism during what is referdd to as his &quot;lost years&quot; between the age of 12 and 30. Hence Buddhism is very compatible with Christians. Also many White people feel that their ancestors were actually closer to Buddhism than to Christianity and this feeling was also shared by Hitler of all people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5273" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T14:37:47.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9546" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9551" CreationDate="2015-06-13T16:22:35.183" Score="4" ViewCount="395" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes when I take a break from work and walk through a nature path, I listen to a podcast called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zencast.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zencast&lt;/a&gt; which is a collection of hundreds of Dharma talks by dozens of teachers over the decades such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Gil Fronsdal spanning a wide array of topics, such as Five Hindrances, mindfulness, meditation, etc. I highly recommend it, it's a great way to consume teachings on an iPod. When I do this, I am present with body in nature and with mind in enlightened knowledge, but is this technically a technique for a walking meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T11:40:54.223" Title="Is listening to a Dharma talk while walking considered a form of walking meditation?" Tags="|dharmas|meditation-walking|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9346" CreationDate="2015-06-13T17:44:17.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;So many great answers in this and the linked questions! Lots to consider. But I think that &lt;strong&gt;this is essentially a simple question&lt;/strong&gt; and should have a simple answer. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5665/do-buddhists-see-reality-as-consensual-or-individual&quot;&gt;I tried to ask it before here&lt;/a&gt;, got good answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is: &quot;&lt;em&gt;The realm of Experience (&quot;reality&quot;) is a hologram of light, with no screen and no projector.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; Carry that around and see if it reveals anything for you. But I think that this question is about words and concepts, and so has the potential to become &quot;vexatious&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T17:44:17.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-13T18:09:21.833" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it all a matter of perspective and/or perception? Each of us sees a circumstance from a set of values embedded in our experience &amp;amp; personality. Our culture, spiritual aspirations and social interactions also impose on us group expectations of how we should behave and in some respects what we do or do not say. There is most definitely the capacity to lie by commission which is not always considered [that bad, if at all] in the moment a lie is conceived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes lying can be a predictor of mental illness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/stop-walking-eggshells/201112/why-some-narcissists-and-borderlines-lie&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why Some Narcissists and Borderlines Lie&lt;/a&gt;), if not a manipulative and deceiving personality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199704/the-truth-about-lying&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Truth About Lying  — &#xA;Deception is rampant, and sometimes we tell the biggest lies to those we love most&lt;/a&gt;) but I urge consideration of the maxim 'walk a mile in their shoes'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are being lied to, does it not auger well to consider what it is about our behaviours that creates in that person the need to lie to us [whether that be to not hurt us, to leave a relationship or whatever]. Unless dealing with a psychopath, a dynamic that involves the intent and then the energy of concocting the details of the lie and then more than likely having to hold the lie for a period of time, must hold some resonance from the lie-ee. We are not always so innocent in these situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I work with offenders who can be deceitful and manipulative. When I get out of my professional 'presence' and consider what the future [and in fact the past] is for them, their families and others who have been impacted by their poor choices and associated behaviours [not least of whom is the victim of any crime] I still have to consider that my luck has held out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There but for the Grace of God go I, most of the people I have worked with in the forensic setting were not bad people. They were people who did what they could with the information and choices [mostly limited at the time] available to them when offending. Who am I to judge? I doubt that I would make similar choices, but quite frankly I don't know. What would I do if I suddenly found myself unemployed, on the streets or in what ever set of circumstances that might cause me to lie, deceive or manipulate so that I could increase my chances of surviving the next 24 hours, or may the next hour. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I know there are some pretty mean and nasty people out there, but before judging perhaps we should consider such things. We might also like to consider that the concept that lies can be elicited because of a fear of being judged and many who lie regularly are judged not because of what they have done but because of the expectations by others that they continue to misbehave or act in the judge's eyes inappropriately. The fallout of deceit can sustain negative attitudes and behaviours even when the person who betrayed the trust has in fact changed their ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point I am making here is that if I become aware that someone is lying to me or has done, then it is, in my view, my responsibility to consider my response to the situation. That is the only thing I have any chance of adjusting. I can't make someone not lie to me. I can't change them or the situation unless they have gained some insight into their behaviours and the repercussions of same and are ready to commit to a course of change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All I can do to change the dynamic is to behave in a manner which is protective of me and those around me and maintain my own moral and philosophical values. It is important also that whatever I do or say does not reinforce positively or negatively that person's behaviour. If bad enough and the trust is completely gone it is my duty to walk away, if the situation and/or person has not become so intractable that meaningful communication can be had then the long path to forgiveness and acceptance can begin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may even be that things evolve to a point whereby there is an acknowledgement that this lie may well have been the best thing that could happen to the connection [would be a pity to lose the lesson in all that pain and reactive moments] - for instance, had the situation not come to a head, attitudes, affections, friendships, etc would never had had the opportunity to become one in which an authentic existence had any potential of being achieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people do bad things to us. Sometimes life evolves into and out of bad situations. It is a testament to our individual resilience that is born out in our response to each and every one of those events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally... gotta say in my experience and seeking of information from many philosophical, religious, spiritual and psychological books/tomes I am minded that without exception the role of forgiveness is a significant one for all involved.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5276" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T18:33:53.640" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T18:33:53.640" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9518" CreationDate="2015-06-13T18:48:09.360" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If lying is the most appropriate thing to do, then developing the heart of compassion for the tormentors, so that they may not add to their evils by killing the victims, and developing the heart of compassion for the victims so that they may be saved, the aspiring Bodhisattva &lt;em&gt;(please read &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattvacary%C4%81vat%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shantideva's Bodhisattvaharyavitara&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt; may come forward to lie. By taking on the negative effects of the act, if there be any, upon the self,the Bodhisattva steps forward to save others, and that is the very definition of the Bodhisattva. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva is not afraid to live countless lives until all are saved, and can face the consequences bravely for their heart is pure and stainless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an aspiring Bodhisattva isn't afraid to even lay down their life in the service of others, will the consequence of a lie in this life or in next lives matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is never about the action, but the quality of the heart. Such a pure heart has a way of altering reality. When in the presence of such a resolute and pure heart, the tormentors may themselves turn back. Or, the victims may themselves take the opportunity to practice as Bodhisattvas and appear before their tormentors rather than allow a genuine heart to be hurt. The energy of goodness thus generated will bring out the best in others around it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada Verse 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Cakkhupalatthera Vatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Manopubbangama dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;manosettha manomaya&lt;br&gt;&#xA;manasa ce padutthena&lt;br&gt;&#xA;bhasati va karoti va&lt;br&gt;&#xA;tato nam dukkhamanveti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;cakkamva vahato padam.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Verse 1:&lt;/strong&gt; All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;[source]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having seen the emptiness of conditioned phenomena such as this life, the aspiring Bodhisattva is unfazed at every turn, guided only by the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention matters.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-13T19:04:16.347" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T19:04:16.347" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2015-06-13T19:37:36.123" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term is vague and (perhaps except in academic &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_(religious_practice)&quot;&gt;history of religion&lt;/a&gt; usage) pejorative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult&quot;&gt;Cult&lt;/a&gt; for a partial list of organizations/adjectives associated with the word 'cult':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;socially deviant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;novel&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;acts of violence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;excessive devotion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;faith healing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;heresy (unorthodoxy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sexual abuse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;financial extortion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;possibly criminal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word &quot;cult&quot; has always been controversial because it is (in a pejorative sense) considered a subjective term, used as an ad hominem attack against groups with differing doctrines or practices, which lacks a clear or consistent definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult#Stigmatization_and_discrimination&quot;&gt;Stigmatization and discrimination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you use the word, it's likely to be understood as having some pejorative meaning, but what that meaning is isn't clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you must say something critical of another person or another group, I think you should at least try to be clear/specific about what crime[s] or other defect you accuse them of, and therefore not say &quot;cult&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T19:37:36.123" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9546" CreationDate="2015-06-13T19:54:27.670" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, in walking meditation we can use any of the 40 objects of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Listening to Dhamma talks would put it under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/recollections.html#six&quot;&gt;recollection of the dhamma&lt;/a&gt;  as it gave you a sense of appreciation of the truth of the dhamma, IMHO,rather than the investigation of Dhamma (Dhammavicaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mahanama, you should develop this recollection of the Dhamma while you are walking, while you are standing, while you are sitting, while you are lying down, while you are busy at work, while you are resting in your home crowded with children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-13T19:54:27.670" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9552" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-13T23:19:57.213" Score="3" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any records of this? Though I'm more curious about the first council, I'm generally curious about their participation in any of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T07:27:40.030" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T07:27:40.030" Title="Did nuns participate in the councils?" Tags="|history|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2015-06-14T00:33:02.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/controversy-controversial-teacher-group-center-questionable.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Controversial 'Buddhist' Teachers &amp;amp; Groups&lt;/a&gt; page&#xA;includes these references in its &quot;Useful information in English&quot; section:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Freedom of Mind Center; quite a collection of information on cults and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/BITE/bitemodel.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;their page on cults&lt;/a&gt; in general, explaining the BITE model&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=70,4410,0,0,1,0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to spot a Buddhist cult&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.strippingthegurus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stripping the Gurus: Sex, Violence, Abuse and Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; by Geoffrey D. Falk available in print and as free e-book (see bottom of page)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sexandthespiritualteacher.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sex and the Spiritual Teacher&lt;/a&gt; by Scott Edelstein&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1305527811.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Relating to a Spiritual Teacher: Building a Healthy Relationship&lt;/a&gt; by Alex Berzin (also known under its new title: Wise teacher, wise student: Tibetan Approaches to a Healthy Relationship) available in print and as free e-book&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This page (probably the whole web site) is mostly about Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also links to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/openletteronabuse/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen teachers issue open letter confronting abuse&lt;/a&gt; from which you can read about some similar problems within Western Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you will not need such information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T00:33:02.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9552" CreationDate="2015-06-14T01:07:32.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://archive.thubtenchodron.org/BuddhistNunsMonasticLife/LifeAsAWesternBuddhistNun/the_history_of_the_bhikkhuni_sangha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The History of the Bhikkhuni Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;by Dr. Chatsumarn Kabilsingh (as well as another like it by Dhammananda bhikkhuni) says that their presence at the first council wasn't recorded (what was recorded was the council's making Ananda apologize for introducing women into the sangha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have doubts that only men-five hundred male arhats-were at this council. On uposatha days every new and full moon, the bhikkhunis would recite their Patimokkha Sutta apart from the monks. I believe that technically, it could not be possible for the monks to recite the Patimokkha Sutta of the nuns, and so bhikkhunis must have been present at the First Council. The recorders, who were all monks, may not have thought it important to mention their presence. Some monks have been kind enough to speak about this point: recently, a Sri Lankan monk told me that he too did not think that only men attended the First Council.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The official account says &quot;no&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T01:07:32.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9502" CreationDate="2015-06-14T04:36:21.953" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First - You may want to change your goal - or at least temper it in the short term.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one experience the experience of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This requires a very high state of being, and if the ego is trying to do it in order to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be a better person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be more successful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Become a &lt;em&gt;better&lt;/em&gt; Buddhist &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... Then you will harm people while not intending to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can see, there are two points of access for what you seek to accomplish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People always tell you everything.  They may not say it in a way that you are comfortable or familiar with; and they may not say it such that their words clearly match what they intend to communicate (mostly they don't).  But they reveal almost everything in their experience when they communicate.  It's there if you listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this is the tricky part.  Mostly what we do when we try to improve our listening skills is to try to listen better.  Maybe there are some pieces of advice we employ, or some tips on being a better listener we follow (e.g. &lt;em&gt;Ask lots of questions&lt;/em&gt;, etc).  The vast majority of those tips are absolute garbage.  They do nothing but strengthen the ego's ability to appear to be listening while providing nothing in the way of authentic listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Authentic listening is magic.  This quote from Siddhartha by Herman Hesse does a very good job of expressing what is possible with real listening:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vasudeva's listening gave Siddhartha a stronger sensation than ever before, he sensed how his pain, his fears flowed over to him, how his secret hope flowed over, came back at him from his counterpart. To show his wound to this listener was the same as bathing it in the river, until it had cooled and become one with the river.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Authentic listening grants freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is your access to listening:  Notice where you don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once received the following &lt;code&gt;koan&lt;/code&gt; (it was given with that label):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You don't listen.  You never have.  And you never will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To really get that.  To own that, and make it part of you - it allows for pure wonder.  You can discover how ridiculously little you listen.  Mostly we defend our lack of listening - trying to prove that we were listening - at least as best we could.  If you take the case that you are not listening from the start - there is nothing to defend.  What becomes possible is discovering the barriers between you and listening - and there are literally millions of them (e.g. &lt;em&gt;They said something that reminded you of something you had to do&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;Something in what they said threatened you&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;You want them to like you&lt;/em&gt;; ad infinitum).  Once there is awareness of an obstruction - the obstruction loses its grip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is present in the absence of the barriers to listening is listening.  It is not something done - it is something that arises in the absence of obstruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everything anyone says has value:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This closely ties into listening.  You can make anything anyone says gold - just because they said it.  They said it - it matters enough to them that they said it - it has value.  You don't have to like it.  You don't have to agree with it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A priori&lt;/em&gt; it has value.  Humans have value - language is rich with value - what they say matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you can have the opportunity to &lt;em&gt;get into another's world&lt;/em&gt; you must acknowledge to yourself (repeatedly) where you don't give a shit about their point of view.  It's okay - people proudly defend nonsense all the time.  More to the point - it's their point of view - what do you care?   Tell the truth about it though.  It's quite liberating.  Once you are aware that you don't care at all about what another person is saying - you again have access to listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may sound contradictory - it's not.  When you can tell the truth about what's in the way of you fully being with another - there is nothing more liberating.  We catch ourselves in kind of a trap otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are thrown to only care about ourselves - it's kind of our default way of being.  It doesn't look good to only care about ourselves, so we cover it up by pretending to care about others.  While pretending to care about others; we are simply incapable of caring for others (it's like pretending to enjoy running while running).  Once we can tell the truth (it's not a once and for all thing - it's ongoing) about where we're pretending (mostly just to ourselves - sometimes to others) - then we don't have to pretend anymore.  When we don't have to pretend anymore we are free to truly be with other people.  When we are free to truly be with other people; we can't help but love them.  We see their nastiness and pettiness and we don't consider ourselves superior.  We realize we are looking at ourselves - and what they are experiencing is instantly obvious because it is merely a shade of our own experience.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the barriers obstructing our listening disappear - there is no distance between self and other - no difference between speaker and listener - then you don't have to wonder about how to experience their experience - because it's right there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;:  There may come a point where one is always authentically interested and capable of listening and caring about another's experience.  I have never caught a glimmer of a persistent state like that.  For now it is enough for me to notice where I'm full of it - acknowledge it - and then allow the space for listening to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T04:36:21.953" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9552" CreationDate="2015-06-14T06:43:22.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Ariyas are &quot;breast born&quot; sons and daughters of the Buddha and they sometimes address each other as elder brother or sister as a mark of respect, according to their accomplishments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that it is a council of Arahants, would it even occur to them to notice  that there is a distinction, even in terms of class or sex amongst them, and that distinction is marked enough to make a separate representative body, which participation somehow adds or detracts something on the authority of the council?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The council of Arahants would look more suspicious if it was thought that some of those distinctions were relevant and recorded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The patimokkha is different, in that, later it was made up of ariyas and putthujannas and the rules of the women were slightly different and more than the men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T06:49:24.527" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T06:49:24.527" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9557" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9559" CreationDate="2015-06-14T08:27:26.713" Score="6" ViewCount="574" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is this explained in the Pali Canon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One went with a large number of monks to the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili. From afar he saw Ven. Vakkali lying dead on a couch. Now at that time a smokiness, a darkness was moving to the east, moving to the west, moving to the north, the south, above, below, moving to the intermediate directions. The Blessed One said, “Monks, do you see that smokiness, that darkness …?” “Yes, Lord.” “That is Mara, the Evil One. He is searching for the consciousness of Vakkali the clansman: “Where is the consciousness of Vakkali the clansman established?” But, monks, it is through unestablished consciousness that Vakkali the clansman has become totally unbound.”— SN 22:87 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:43:20.873" Title="Why does Mara, the Evil One one comes looking for consciousness at death?" Tags="|theravada|consciousness|mara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9558" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-14T08:39:57.980" Score="6" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am interested in what many ways &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhimoksha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adhimokkha&lt;/a&gt;(determination) is used in meditation or other purposes in different traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T17:00:57.360" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T19:46:46.147" Title="What is the mental factor of Adhimokkkha (determination) use for?" Tags="|theravada|traditions|meditation-classification|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9557" CreationDate="2015-06-14T09:10:20.070" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In many cases Mara the Evil One appears when he realises that someone somewhere is about to escape from his grips, when they are practising ardently, about to attain enlightenment, and his purpose is to arouse fear, trepidation, and so on to disrupt their practice.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn04/sn04.019.than.html&quot;&gt;Kassaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot;&gt;Brahma-nimananika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.002.bodh.html&quot;&gt;Soma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.than.html&quot;&gt;Sister Vajira Sutta&lt;/a&gt; etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO Mara is searching to see if Vakkali has actully escape from him. If Mara has to search, that means that that consciousness has already gone beyond his domain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T09:10:20.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9560" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9580" CreationDate="2015-06-14T16:39:52.550" Score="11" ViewCount="5126" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm listening to a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thegreatcourses.co.uk/courses/scientific-secrets-for-raising-kids-who-thrive.html&quot;&gt;lecture series about child development&lt;/a&gt; and in the first lecture it advocates teaching children martial arts as an aid to enhancing their self-control. I would quite like my daughter to learn a martial art (if she wants to). However I feel a bit conflicted about it as surely the lessons themselves are learning how to assault people or at the very least engage in potentially violent behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it justifiable for a Buddhist to learn or advocate the learning of a martial art? I appreciate that there is a cultural connection between martial arts and Buddhism in some cultures? How are the ethics of it dealt with? Generally how can I take my daughter off to a Buddhist family retreat one week then whisk her off to learn how to attack people the next? That seems inherently conflicted? Is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2020-08-27T04:50:28.397" Title="Should a Buddhist advocate the learning of a martial art?" Tags="|ethics|well-being|parents|martial-arts|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-14T17:05:57.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7767/471&quot;&gt;my other answer&lt;/a&gt; to support this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, self-defense is OK. You're teaching your daughter how to defend herself, not how to attack others. Please see quotes below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should a Buddhist advocate the teaching of martial arts? I would say yes, due to reasons below. I can see nothing wrong with the ethics of self-defense and defense of all that is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For cultural connection between Buddhism and martial arts, please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9260/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; on Shaolin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Protection of arahats (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis duly protect and guard the&#xA;  arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so,&#xA;  and those who have already come might live there in peace?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have heard, Lord, that they do.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to&#xA;  be expected, not their decline.&quot;&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel&lt;/a&gt; (Paul Carus, 1894) is based on canonical texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One continued: &quot;The Tathagata teaches that all warfare in&#xA;  which man tries to slay his brother is lamentable, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not&#xA;  teach that those who go to war in a righteous cause after having&#xA;  exhausted all means to preserve the peace are blameworthy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. He must&#xA;  be blamed who is the cause of war. The Tathagata teaches a complete&#xA;  surrender of self, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;but he does not teach a surrender of anything to&#xA;  those powers that are evil, be they men or gods or the elements of&#xA;  nature&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Struggle must be, for all life is a struggle of some kind.&#xA;  But he that struggles should look to it lest he struggle in the&#xA;  interest of self against truth and righteousness.&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha, The Gospel 52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T17:12:55.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9557" CreationDate="2015-06-14T17:28:01.810" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the &quot;death&quot; of the spiritual life. He wants to be a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making mundane things alluring, or the negative seem positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is about Mrtyu-mara who identifies with death (in the sense of the ceaseless round of birth and death) but Mara is more generally a metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence. The Pali canon nowhere gives Mara a skilful reason for his actions and instead suggests Mara's existence is nothing more than a samsaric error that vanishes upon Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole story of Buddha's confrontation with Mara is a mythological development that is not seen in the Pali canon except that phrases in some of the later parts such as Mara's army (Marasena), Mara's assembly (Maraparisa), victor of Mara (Marabhibhu) imply that the legend was then known. Rhys Davids has attempted to see in the Mara story &quot;a subjective experience under the form of objective reality&quot;. The struggle with Mara was really a psychological struggle with secular temptations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;G.C.Pande, &lt;em&gt;Studies in The Origins of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;, p.381&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="959" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T22:59:05.457" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T22:59:05.457" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-14T18:29:04.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're &quot;hard&quot; martial arts (like Karate, Taekwondo, MuayThai, etc.) and there're &quot;soft&quot; martial arts (like Judo, Aikido, Jiujitsu, etc.). The hard ones use punch and kick and could cause some serious harm to an opponent. The soft ones don't use punch and kick and mostly used for self-defense. The hard arts typically involves both defense and then using one's own force to counter attack. The soft arts basically just use the opponent's force and turn it against him. And since they don't use punch and kick, there's no potentially life-threatening injury to the body and its internal organs like those caused by a strike or a kick. Matter of fact, Aikido has no offensive move, it's a 100% defensive art. Your daughter might not appreciate the benefit of martial arts right now, but she definitely will when there're times she has to walk alone on the streets or a parking garage at night.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T18:29:04.330" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-14T18:32:16.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i may share my own practice. I am training kickboxing and before that MMA and ju-jitsu. Doing this type of sport is a unique way of learning to know the body and mind and also to meditate while doing the training, e.g. when doing stretches to increase flexibility or when training kicks, punches and other techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must again look at the &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; behind engaging in this type of training or any training at all. Are the intentions wholesome or unwholesome? To be able to defend oneself is not unwholesome. For you to wish for your daughter to be able to protect herself and be safe is not unwholesome. That is wholesome. That way she will have a safer life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one were to train martial arts with the intention of using it to harm other people that would be unwholesome and not beneficial in any way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training martial arts as a way to connect with the present, control the body as far as that goes, increase health and build a strong mind with lots of resolution that is what one can do with the martial arts training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its the same with weapons. Its not the weapon that is unwholesome or bad. Its the person handling it. If a person with ill-will and hatred in the mind would handle a rifle he might use it to hurt another being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person with loving-kindness and compassion handles a rifle he might take the iron from the rifle and melt it into something else. He might take the wooden shaft and use it as timber to burn. He might take the bullets out and use the gun powder to light a camp fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in that sense its the same with martial arts. What are ones intentions. Martial arts is like the weapon it can be used for both good and bad things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one gets really good at martial arts one can then very accurately &quot;measure&quot; how much force one should use in e.g. defending oneself whereas someone who is untrained in martial arts do not have that knowledge. He might hurt a being even more because he cannot control his anger or how much force he uses. A skilled martial artists is peaceful, serene, in control. He knows exactly how much force to use. Just the fact that he knows his body and his techniques so well makes him not want to hurt people. Reaching a high level in martial arts creates humility and calm in a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly i want to emphazize that i do not mean to say that martial arts should or could be a substitute for training in meditation. The training of martial arts can benefit one in a number of ways as described above. This answer only deals with the martial arts aspect and not the meditational aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T20:22:29.133" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T20:22:29.133" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9557" CreationDate="2015-06-14T18:35:21.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without sounding too general or non-specific, but Mara is always there. That is why pain and suffering can occur anywhere at anytime. That is why we must practise mindfulness through meditation.In doing so, we limit Mara's opportunities from our ignorance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think of death and rebirth on a sensory level, then if ignorance occurs during the changing of seeing,hearing,smelling, tasting..etc- death and rebirth of one moment to the next- then Mara is everpresent!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems crazy, the fixation we have on the physical death when the physical death can only be observered sensorily...so, the question could be; Is the physical just an illusional construct which brings untold amounts of pain and suffering?...unless realised!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2015-06-14T18:51:55.380" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T18:51:55.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-14T19:06:22.620" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;My own (limited) experience was learning Chen style Tai Chi (and a sword form) from a sifu, who also taught a &amp;quot;kung fu&amp;quot; to small children (a couple of years older than yours perhaps), and other forms (including diverse &amp;quot;weapon&amp;quot; forms) to teenagers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found it thoroughly harmless; and beneficial, good physical training. People told me it helped my posture, a lot. My class-mates were wholesome friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might even have helped to keep me &lt;em&gt;out&lt;/em&gt; of an &lt;em&gt;actual&lt;/em&gt; fight with a drunk one night (because it gave me experience of staying calm without panic when someone threatened me inside my &amp;quot;space&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO it's not meant to be &amp;quot;violent&amp;quot; behaviour: it's meant to be &amp;quot;controlled&amp;quot; behaviour (maybe, even, relaxed behaviour).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our sifu gave us a few &amp;quot;self-defence&amp;quot; tips (though it wasn't touted as a self-defence class), and the primary lessons were: &lt;strong&gt;don't&lt;/strong&gt; fight; &lt;strong&gt;avoid&lt;/strong&gt; a situation (e.g. accepting an unscheduled competition or lesson with a random person on the street or another school) that could ever escalate. I remember his demonstrating his number one self-defence move: &lt;strong&gt;run away&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e. &amp;quot;turn around and run away&amp;quot;, don't try to run backwards). A last resort, only if you couldn't run away, stop your attacker and &lt;em&gt;then&lt;/em&gt; run away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it's not about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a sport; it's self-control; and it's cooperative i.e. performed with willing partners or not at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose another possibility might be ... dance? But that idea does worry me a bit: because how careful are &lt;em&gt;dance&lt;/em&gt; teachers to avoid injuries? And I'd guess that a martial art could be more useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't advise on choosing a class, a form, or a teacher, but you might find advice on martialarts.SE or on parenting.SE&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And anyway surely kids always engage in &amp;quot;potentially violent&amp;quot; behaviour? A martial arts class must always distinguish between &amp;quot;potential&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;violent&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something I saw someone 'like' on Facebook recently was &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/amightygirl/posts/613287175374266&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;If She’s Not Having Fun You Have To Stop&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important lesson for all children: &amp;quot;A boy and a girl run around on the grass at the park. The boy tackles the girl. The girl laughs. She gets up and runs away. She loves to run. He chases, she turns and they grab each other, tumble and land in a pile, giggling. After a few minutes, he tackles her again and she lands a bit hard. She is bigger and physical, but he more than holds his own in roughhousing. She pauses for a second. Then she laughs again; she’s still having fun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dad gets his attention, and says, “If she’s not having fun, you have to stop.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose we were in that class for the health, fun and socializing, fresh air, self-improvement, learning about self (skandhas): and not violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess she won't be taught how to attack people (neither now at her age, nor later when she's older).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we learned to swim we were warned it's dangerous to approach a drowning person: in their panic they might try to climb on top of you to get out of the water, drowning you. It's ignorance and out-of-control panic, not knowing how to swim, that makes them and their situation dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not saying that a Buddhist should advocate it but I sure don't see it as contrary, any more than athletics or calligraphy or swimming lessons are &amp;quot;inherently conflicted&amp;quot;. I suppose beware that it's possible there are some 'cults' (unskilled or unqualified or even immoral teachers, or fellow-students), but I guess that's more a reason to be wise about it than a reason to be deterred from searching at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps I should add a disclaimer, than &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen-style_t%27ai_chi_ch%27uan#Chen_forms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the beginner's forms&lt;/a&gt; of Chen style Tai Chi are maybe such that people might not consider it a &amp;quot;martial art&amp;quot; at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cSSWcwXfQY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Peng Lu Ji An&lt;/a&gt; (like warm-up exercises)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZgYRS2Xok#t=0m12s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yi Lu&lt;/a&gt; (first form)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uHxgQ_hHs8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wudang Taichi Sword&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, the &amp;quot;kung fu&amp;quot; forms that he taught instead of Tai Chi to the small children were scarcely more: the one lesson of theirs I saw was only non-contact forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've no idea how they teach karate to five-year-olds. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parenting.com/article/karate-kids-the-benefits-of-martial-arts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is&lt;/a&gt; one introduction to different forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine (and I hope I'm not wrong in saying) that it's always training rather than fighting: never intention to fight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T21:37:45.817" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-14T20:43:13.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(I am no Buddhist, so take my words with a grain of salt.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For many who practice Kung-fu, Shaolin Kung-fu considered the focal point of their art.  The name Shaolin is so synonymous with Kung-fu that some of my American friends have trouble even explaining what art they practice.  Americans often cannot even tell the terms apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Kung_Fu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shaolin Kung-fu&lt;/a&gt; finds its center in the Shaolin temple in Henan, China.  &lt;strong&gt;This is a Buddhist temple where monks hold to a strict schedule intermixing Buddhist lessons with martial arts practice.&lt;/strong&gt;  That temple has done so for &lt;em&gt;one and a half millennia&lt;/em&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I cannot claim this is the direct word from Buddha, but it does seem reasonable to assume that, if there were an inherent and unavoidable conflict between martial arts and Buddhism, this would be quite the precarious balancing act.  This suggests that those monks may have found a way to incorporate martial arts into themselves in a way which is acceptable to Buddhism.  As a non-Buddhist, I have not needed to delve too deeply into why that balance is aligned with the Buddha's teachings, but it seems reasonable that that the Shaolin monks would have provided quite a substantial sum of evidence as such.  If you have a Shaolin Kung-fu group in your hometown, they may be able to provide you with substantial assistance in the form of a dialogue, answering any questions you may have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a martial arts practitioner myself, I agree with Lanka in that the intent matters far more than the training.  I can use my training handling a sword to assist me in diffusing a complicated situation at work involving two individuals engaging in conflict lashing out with logical arguments as though they wielded double-edged blades at each-other.  Contrariwise, I can use my entirely peaceful training of how to drive a car to run someone down and kill them, perhaps for as little as a perceived insult.  &lt;strong&gt;It is my intent that truly separates the two, not the action itself nor the content of the training.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T20:43:13.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9569" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9582" CreationDate="2015-06-14T20:53:22.077" Score="4" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are moments of clarity that I have experienced in which I finally but truly gain a sense of knowledge and comprehension about ...something.... In those moments it is like I have changed at a cellular level and that which I understood before no longer made sense. Assumptions upon which I had based decisions, attitudes etc. have been adjusted somehow and the fabric of my life is different. In my new state of clarity it is like I had been deceiving myself about [whatever] and the cloud of confusion imposed by being embedded in that particular delusion has lifted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is ... Does this mean that before I gained some sense of insight I was deceiving or lying to myself and others? Sometimes it feels like it, so profound is the clarifying moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5276" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T10:10:48.470" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T16:15:27.953" Title="If I can't tell if I'm lying to myself because I am yet to gain insight or clarity, am I truly lying?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9502" CreationDate="2015-06-14T22:27:09.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;With reference to both the question of how one experiences or understands the experience of others and also to the end note in post by User 1167442 about the impact of realising at times we 'are full of it' and how said realisation can, if noticed, cause us to pause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience has been that it is when I realise and acknowledge the moments in which I am 'full of it' [and there have been many] the fabric of that particular aspect of my journey falls away and the associated responses to the situation [emotional, behavioural, cognitive etc.] lose their potency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is in those moments that I am most able to connect at a meaningful level with others. However, I do have to say that at times speaking and listening impose on the purity of the connection, communication and sense of understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are moments; are there not? when the speaking and hearing of words [being mere symbolic representations of our experience] does not sufficiently embrace the totality of the connection or the experience of either individual. No matter how well I can communication and/or hear/understand another's description of their reality, my ability to truly comprehend what  that person is saying is always filtered by my experience and the meaning I subscribe to words/phrases being said etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm saying here really is that for me there are times when speaking and listening no matter how well intentioned and how well practiced provides a format for sharing/caring etc but that which is exchanged is merely a shadow of the experience being described - which when effected eloquently is sufficient for the needs of most situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes sitting quietly in the presence of another can soothe the soul more effectively than being cognitive and trying to understand the other's reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5276" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T22:27:09.113" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2870" CreationDate="2015-06-14T22:34:25.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forcing awareness is a tricky concept.  I would not be surprised if every practitioner of meditation has done it on occasion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best analysis I have found for the issue is that forcing awareness can, &lt;em&gt;in theory&lt;/em&gt;, allow one to become more insightful and aware.  However, the act of doing so admits the &quot;desire for insight and awareness.&quot;  By meditating in this fashion, it is not possible to simply let that desire pass through you.  It is held on to.  At the very least, this is a desire which will not pass.  It can obscure that which you are looking for.  At its worst, it can lead you down a false target leading you along a less ideal path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found that forcing awareness in meditation can be effective for identifying illusions and assumptions, but it is less effective at actually encouraging awareness.  Accordingly, in this complicated world with its many illusions and assumptions, I feel it has its place.  However, the traditional approaches as advised by the other answers are more effective as these things they do best.  A focus on them is wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-06-14T22:34:25.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9569" CreationDate="2015-06-15T00:11:45.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Christ or one of his disciples said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;we are all sinners in the eyes of God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While what I will suggest here isn't the TRUTH, it's a possible place to stand.  The ego tends to think it has improved when gaining insight into one's own self-deception.  And this is valid - if there were no short term accomplishments in a spiritual path, it would be a difficult path indeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it's this very sort of of short term gain that can inhibit spiritual growth.  We are prone to gain a greater sense of self-importance when proud or attached to our insights.  Yesterday's insight is today's ego trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point is that given we are all - when measured against the background of who we really are - quite small; I think it would be safe to assume that yes - you were lying with no caveats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, you are not now condemned eternally for your self deception, but it may be that you now feel obligated to make something right - to clean up actions you have taken in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking it too an extreme example - I killed your dog yesterday, because I thought dogs were wicked.  Today, I realized that I suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and as such, I now know that dogs are not wicked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't follow that I didn't kill your dog.  I still did, and even though my reasons for doing so were based upon faulty assumptions - there are a whole slew of consequences that flow from my action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But perhaps most importantly is the label you have attached to what happened.  We as humans unfailingly deceive nearly every time we open our mouth.  When I say to my wife, &quot;You make me so mad&quot;, that is a lie.  She didn't make me mad - I had a reaction to something and chose to blame her.  Variations on this abound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So - a question - what do you care if your statement was a lie or not?  Telling the truth won't make you a good person; nor lying a bad.  What matters is not how you choose to view what you said - what matters is what you might now need to do because of what you said.  If there were consequences that you can in some way be responsible for and if need be, clean up, then it would be wise to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T00:11:45.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-06-15T01:02:11.867" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want a really challenging look at your own life as a starting point, you could try &lt;em&gt;&quot;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&quot;&lt;/em&gt; By Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, an edited set of talks given in the early 1970's. He came from Tibet to the USA and saw that Western people need a very different approach to deal with cultural context and ego-psychology differences from the East. I think this is an important point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read it about 15 years ago, and recently began re-reading... It helped me all those years without me even being aware of it. Very powerful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T01:02:11.867" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-15T01:02:11.867" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9574" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-15T01:09:08.887" Score="15" ViewCount="4507" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have just found out that there is a person producing and selling a beer in my town called &quot;Buddha Beer&quot; with Hotei's picture on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially I found it offensive and disrespectful (marketing Buddha's name, associating it with alcohol and putting the image in the trash just like every bottle when it's empty). Well, I'm sure the person meant no disrespect, I know the producer, but I still didn't like it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Allow me to give more context: We live in a country with almost no Buddhism in it. People have no idea regarding what Buddhism is all about and commonly confuse the Buddha with Hotei.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though the person meant no disrespect I found it disrespectful and so this question came to my mind: If I felt offended by it, is this a problem that I have with attachment? So, where is the real problem, in the beer or in myself? Or maybe in both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought about talking to the person and explaining why this is a bad idea but I'm sure it will be completely useless (let's face it, no one will change a brand because of that as the commercial impact is irrelevant here and people dont believe in Kamma) and I will also look like &quot;that boring guy&quot; that complains because of religion. I guess I will do nothing unless someone asks for my opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, how a Buddhist should behave in such a situation. Shoud we feel offended? Should we discuss it with someone not Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-06-16T09:14:38.523" LastActivityDate="2018-01-19T11:00:34.490" Title="Should a Buddhist feel offended by misuses of Buddha's name or image?" Tags="|personal-practice|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-15T02:29:39.170" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;IAMAB (I am not a buddhist), but I am a martial artist.  In particular, I practice Gracie Jiujitsu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before practicing jiujitsu, I did karate at a school focused on &quot;self-defense&quot;.  We did not practice techniques at anything like full force, and the focus was on maiming ones attacker so that you could get away.  Things like eye gouges and the like.  This practice was not mentally or spiritually healthy for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BJJ, on the other hand, uses a more limited set of techniques which can be actually practiced against a fully resisting opponent without injuring them.  This allows the art to be practiced as a sport, and the atmosphere is one of play.  It is really as joyful and natural as toddlers wrestling, but with an added layer of structure, nuance, and skill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has the effect of training you to react to a physical confrontation in an intelligent and aware way rather than an emotional one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine being attacked by a larger opponent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have no training, no experience approximating such an encounter, then your response (no matter how good natured you are) will likely be one of fear and violence.  Injure and escape from the opponent in any way possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do have training, however, you are more well prepared.  You can think about the situation rationally, and choose a response appropriate to the threat. By physically taking control of the situation, you minimize the risk to both the opponent and yourself.  Instead of practicing fear and aggression, you can practice compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I know of buddhism, training oneself to be capable of a more compassionate response to personal violence fits well with the philosophy.  BJJ will (depending on the school!) certainly help one develop such a capacity in a supportive, friendly, and fun environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5285" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T02:29:39.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2015-06-15T02:49:22.447" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some answers from the suttas (emphasis mine):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: 'In a certain dwelling place live many elders, very learned, who have learned the traditions, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the Discipline, bearers of the Tabulation, I have heard this directly from those elders, directly I learned it: &quot;This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.&quot;' &lt;strong&gt;Those monks’ speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at&lt;/strong&gt;. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline&lt;/strong&gt;, you may here come to this conclusion: 'Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by those elders,' and, monks, &lt;strong&gt;you should abandon it&lt;/strong&gt;. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: 'Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by those elders.' This, monks, is the third Great Referral you should bear in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāparinibbāna sutta, DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] &quot;What is the cause, lord, what is the reason, why before there were fewer training rules and yet more monks established in final gnosis, whereas now there are more training rules and yet fewer monks established in final gnosis?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, Kassapa. When beings are degenerating and the true Dhamma is disappearing, there are more training rules and yet fewer monks established in final gnosis. There is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world. Just as there is no disappearance of gold as long as a counterfeit of gold has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of gold when a counterfeit of gold has arisen in the world, in the same way there is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world. [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These &lt;strong&gt;five downward-leading qualities&lt;/strong&gt; tend to the confusion and disappearance of the true Dhamma. Which five? There is the case where the monks, nuns, male lay followers, &amp;amp; female lay followers &lt;strong&gt;live without respect, without deference, for the Teacher. They live without respect, without deference, for the Dhamma... for the Sangha... for the Training... for concentration&lt;/strong&gt;. These are the five downward-leading qualities that tend to the confusion and disappearance of the true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn16/sn16.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 16.13&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-06-15T14:07:00.020" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T14:07:00.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T04:25:01.047" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would be your plan of action, if you saw someone running a brothel with your mother's name and picture on it? Feeling angry or not depends on if you have eradicated anger. You can do Metta meditation to deal with your anger. But that doesn't mean it is wrong to take action against such establishments, even if they mean no disrespect. There's nothing wrong in peacefully protesting, trying to make them come to their senses or using any legal options available. You don't actually have to get angry while doing it. You are doing them a favor since they are committing bad Karma due to their ignorance. Buddhists don't always have to accept people's ignorant acts meekly in the name of Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there was this cobra practicing loving-kindness in the forest saying: May all beings be well, may all beings be happy, may all beings be peaceful. And an old woman who was collecting firewood saw this cobra and mistook it for a rope. So she used it to tie up the firewood that she was carrying. As the cobra was doing loving-kindness practice, it allowed this woman to do anything. So after the woman carried the bundle of firewood home, the cobra escaped, but with a lot of wounds and physical pain. So he went to meet his teacher who was the hermit(Bodhisatta) staying in that forest. The cobra said: See what happened to me! I was practicing loving-kindness, and now see the wounds and all the pain that I'm experiencing in my body! The teacher very calmly said: You have not been practicing loving-kindness. You have been practicing idiotic compassion, because you should have shown that you were a cobra. You should at least have hissed! So with regards to people like the person you've described, you have to learn to hiss, and in doing so you'll also be doing a service for that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you have any crowd pull, go hiss without biting. :) Or use social media to protest and let them know about it. If business owners get the idea that whenever they do something like that, there will be negative consequences, they will be reluctant to do it in the future as it is bad for business.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T06:12:56.750" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T06:12:56.750" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T06:06:22.547" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any time we don't like the way reality is, exactly as it is, then that is pushing reality away. We are craving for something better. Any time we like something we pull it towards us increasing clinging  so that when it's gone we suffer. Are minds move so fast that it takes seeing things as they are moment by moment and that takes practice. We really, really, really need to practice. To many people are too intellectual and shun practice but love study because they haven't even practiced enough to understand why it's good to practice. Words like these aren't going to get people to practice. We have to be interested in not suffering. More of an interest in the heart instead of the intellect.:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T06:06:22.547" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-15T07:40:41.190" Score="7" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wholesome intent is important&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha learned archery as a kshatriya, but he didn't lose his compassion - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/5lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;see this story of when his cousin shot down a bird&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Martial arts can connect one deeply with the body, but so can Yoga and Tai Chi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism and violence have a long history, not always nice&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation was used to numb kamikaze pilots to commit suicide in WW2 Japan (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhist kingdoms Burma and Thailand were often at war, with monks on either side sometimes disrobing to fight and even lead armies. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese%E2%80%93Siamese_wars&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shaolin monks trained in martial arts to fight off bandits, but continued to train in those skills long after the threat of bandits was gone. This has destroyed their religion and holiness. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/why-the-kungfu-monks-are-losing-their-religion-2353184.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wholesome and wise company is important.&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not everyone is going to be perfectly enlightened about martial arts, and violent people or those on a power trip are generally attracted to violence. Choosing the right teacher and school is important.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Much less risk of this with Yoga, or with nature sports like mountaineering where solitude prompts the same body awakening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right recognition of your level of awakening is important&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jesus walked on water, and the Buddha breathed fire and water from his nostrils, but most of us can't do that. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Just because the Buddha remained untainted by training in martial arts is no guarantee that we will also remain so. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And, just because as a Bodhisattva he was ready to give up his life than raise a finger doesn't mean we can all be so. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We must rightly recognize our failings and abilities. Buddhism is not foolishness. Guilt tripping about our inability to be very non-violent is foolishness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Creating fortunate circumstances for practicing the holy life is important&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's violence all around us, not just on the mat. Competitive sports where opponents yell at each other, or careers where colleagues fear each other are also violence. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Just as the Buddha didn't want his monks to eat more than was enough to hold the body together, or wear more clothes than was needed to cover the body, violence in all spheres of life must be restricted to the bare minimum. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For example, pursuing a selfishly competitive and stressful career in pursuit of vanity is violence and greed. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there is no vegetarian food, then animals maybe killed, but only to the bare minimum. Gluttony of even the vegetarian sort is violence and greed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning violent skills when one doesn't live in violent times is needless.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism and life are not different - when there is violence in human life, how can there not be some violence in the life of a Buddhist? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not recommended, but Dharma can be realized even through extreme violence&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;King Ashoka had to feel and see the blood and gore of the Kalinga war first hand to change his views on violence - he was already a Buddhist or exposed to Buddhist views on violence, but the non-violent message didn't penetrate his being until he got a maximum dose of violence. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka#Buddhist_conversion&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T07:40:41.190" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2015-06-15T08:42:36.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sakkāro kāpurisaṃ hanti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To one who correctly understands the Dhamma, wealth and luxury should hold no attraction. I'd expect any teacher of mine to at least have grasped this much - else I don't benefit from such a teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking back at the history of Buddhism, this wouldn't be the first time someone profited off it. It used to happen even in the Buddha's time - and this was one of the grounds for expulsion of Devadutta from the order. Subsequently he created a schism and decamped with 500 followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha remarked that he was a fool to be captured by vanity, and it would lead to his downfall. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/04_fours/an04.068.wood.pts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an 4.68&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, gain, hospitality and fame arose to Devadatta for his&#xA;  destruction and defeat.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [...]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bearing fruit, indeed destroys the banana tree, bamboo grove and the reed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Hospitality destroys the low man as conception the she mule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was true in India even before the Buddha, and thus the Buddha doesn't elaborate much on the virtues of austerity because it was widely understood. All dharmic Indian texts also warn against the dangerous nature of human desire and remind us of boundaries. Even Vatsayana cautions in the Kamasutra that kama must be governed by dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vedas say gold, woman and land should hold no attraction to the teacher. Yet, even in the time of the Buddha, teachers found ways to justify their misdeeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-06-10T20:56:50.360" LastActivityDate="2019-06-10T20:56:50.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9569" CreationDate="2015-06-15T11:09:53.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am just speaking from my own experience with the Dharma, but I think that you cannot possibly be lying/deceiving yourself and others before your insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is why: 1st: This would mean that every living being that is not enlightened is lying and deceiving themselves and others. This is due to the fact that enlightenment is a journey, not just a sudden occurrence. You are sure to have more insights in the future, but does that mean you will also be lying to yourself and others before those insights? Of Course Not! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd: A lack of insight indicates ignorance, not lying and deceiving.&#xA;Here is why: One without insight, meaning the 'sight that see's into phenomena', merely has ignorance, meaning the 'ignoring of current phenomena' (to ignore means to be unaware of the senses, touch, sight, hearing, tasting, smelling, thinking and feeling) This does not mean however that you are lying or deceiving if your are ignorant (or have lack of insight) but rather that you have chosen to ignore the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3rd: Lying and deceiving is separated from ignorance because of intentions&#xA;Here is why: To use an example, my friend decided to buy herself a phone and not tell her boyfriend because she might get in trouble. If asked by her boyfriend whether she did that and she said 'no', then she would be lying. Although she has insight into what she has done (based on the memory she has of doing it) she has 'chosen' not to answer correctly because she is unwilling to face the negative consequences. This would therefore make this act a lie, not a lack of insight or 'ignorance'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T11:09:53.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T11:25:16.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately the answer would be yes, you do have an attachment to the Buddhism. You are therefore offended when you see that someone is selling Buddha beer, as this disregards one of the precepts of not consuming any alcohol or drugs. You have to remember however that if the beer was called 'awesome beer!' or 'great beer!' you would not be offended because these words don't mean anything to you. Fortunately however, there is a quick solution to this problem that will help you stay calm when the Buddha is 'disrespected'. The Buddha stressed himself that people should not take his word for anything and instead choose to practice meditation themselves and see where it leads them. The Buddha did not want to be worshiped but rather his teachings. If you and I mean 'YOU' think that alcohol is not such a good thing, then you should not need a Buddha to tell you so. Next time you see the word Buddha or a symbol of him, its helpful to remember that's all it is. Its not Buddha himself (too old to be alive now haha) and its not even his teachings. &#xA;It's just a word. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T11:25:16.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9546" CreationDate="2015-06-15T11:40:54.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess it depends on your motivation for meditation. If you are meditating to relax, than your doing a darn good job of it :). However if you are meditating to gain insight, you may or may not be doing so. This is from my own experience of the dharma and I too enjoy Thich Nhat Hanh, as well as Jon Kabat Zinn, Yuttadhammo bhikku etc. I think though, as far as listening to teachers, they can only motivate you to practice. Unfortunately the motivation to practice and the practice itself are definitely two different things. Some research of telepathy suggests that even just listening to teachers can create a connection with them but in the end however, you must walk the path alone. The path includes everything around you though :) and is the most beautiful thing ever! Would you rather be connected to your teachers in that moment your passing wildlife or the beautiful wildlife itself? I'm sure you can answer this one, but remember! enjoying nature comes at a cost, she may ask you to fertilise her once and a while and trim those overgrown hedges!&#xA;Anyways hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T11:40:54.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9525" CreationDate="2015-06-15T12:14:49.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great Question Buddho!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true, the middle way is always the best way. I think your understanding of Karma however may be slightly off the mark. This can all be explained in terms of qualities and quantities. The monk who lost his eyes in replace for the vision of enlightenment seems slightly absurd, losing your eyes due to bad karma however can be the case. &#xA;Here is why: If this person committed a terrible deed in their last life of lets say gauging someone's eyes out it would seem fitting that they lost their eyes in that life or the next. The bad karma however is not so Solid! If this person in the next life worked very hard to do good things for people and the earth than they could attain enlightenment without losing their eyesight! If they live a quite a good life but still have defilements this person might get cataracts instead of losing their eyes. If however, this person lives a life with no intention to remove defilements than they may very well lose their eyes. Does this make a man who sits for so long that he loses his eyes an enlightened being? Surely not. Meditation is helpful for gaining insight, better concentration, patience and contentment which are all good qualities. But if you want to generate good karma and in doing so remove bad karma, than you must work hard to improve the beings and planet around you. Buddhists refer to karma as 'action' and because 'action' is happening all the time than 'your' action or 'your' karma is also happening all the time. Work hard to do good and you will become a good karmic being, regardless of your passed sins. The only variable that you have to be concerned with is the weight of your passed sins, if they are heavy like killing than you will have to work extremely hard to redeem yourself. This is opposed to people who don't have heavy sins, and so your bad karma will need to be overthrown by your good karma before you are to achieve enlightenment. But you certainty don't have to lose your eyesight in order to do so!&#xA;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T12:14:49.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T12:37:32.397" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One should not. If one does one should instead observe that feeling of being offended and make it into a foundation for gaining insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its just a name belonging to the conventional reality. Its just an image belonging also to conventional reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling offended by it means one is attached. Its not the goal to become attached, the goal is to due away with attachment and clinging through renunciation and the gaining of insights through insight meditation practice and of course the rest of the Noble eight-fold path.  The suffering is created by ourselves by having aversion towards something and by wishing for reality to be different than it already is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling of being offended is just a &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An image of the Buddha is just &lt;strong&gt;seeing&lt;/strong&gt;. Thats all. When interfering with these phenomena and taking ownership of them one is prone to extrapolate on them. One has thereby moved away from ultimate reality and into conventional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one observes phenomena with mindfulness, e.g. &lt;em&gt;seeing, feeling, hearing etc&lt;/em&gt;. one is staying objective and experiencing the true nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha didnt want us to interfere with phenomena. He wanted us to see reality for what it is. To become awake and stop dreaming. When dreaming one is living in conventional reality where &lt;em&gt;persons, beings, entities exist&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha wanted us to experience ultimate reality where there exists no I, Self, Me or other conventions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being offended by something means that there has to be an I, Self or Me that this feeling of being offended can be attached to. It means that there has to be an experiencing entity that experiences this feeling of being offended. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is not the case. When seeing the true nature of reality, i.e. the 3 signs of existence one will come to realize that there is no such thing as an experiencing entity or a Self. One then sees that there really was no problem to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T12:37:32.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T13:18:19.120" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess you should feel compassion for people who know no more of Buddhism than the Buddha's name or image.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a version of the Sermon at Benares in which the Buddha reproves his former comrades for calling him &quot;friend&quot; instead of addressing him with proper respect: and the reason is because it's better for &lt;em&gt;them&lt;/em&gt; if they have proper respect. I don't know whether that story is canonical (i.e. what its source is &amp;ndash; I guess it's east asian), but it's found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/bud-ser.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this relatively early English version&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When they had thus received the Blessed One, he said: &quot;Do not call the Tathagata by his name nor address him as 'friend,' for he is the Buddha, the Holy One. The Buddha looks with a kind heart equally on all living beings, and they therefore call him 'Father.' To disrespect a father is wrong; to despise him, is wicked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T13:18:19.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1835" CreationDate="2015-06-15T13:46:55.530" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;What Buddhist Believe&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri. Dhammanda. The quote is from the chapter: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Historical Evidences of the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 38-41:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;GAUTAMA the Buddha is not a mythical figure but an actual, historical personality who introduced the religion known today as Buddhism. Evidences to prove the existence of this great religious Teacher are to be found in the following facts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The testimonies of those who knew Him personally. These testimonies are recorded in the rock-inscriptions, pillars and pagodas made in His honour. These testimonies and monuments to His memory were created by kings and others who were near enough to His time to be able to verify the story of His life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The discovery of places and the remains of buildings that were mentioned in the narratives of His time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sangha, the holy order which He founded, has had an unbroken existence to the present day. The Sangha possessed the facts of His life and Teachings which have been transmitted from generation to generation in various parts of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The fact that in the very year of His death, and at various times subsequently, conventions and councils of the Sanghawere held for the verification of the actual Teachings of the Founder. These verified Teachings have been passed on from teacher to pupil from His time to the present day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;After His passing away, His body was cremated and the bodily relics were divided among eight kingdoms in India. Each king built a pagoda to contain his portion of the relics. The portion given to King Ajatasatthu was enshrined by him in a pagoda at Rajagriha. Less than two centuries later, Emperor Asoka took the relics and distributed them throughout his empire. The inscriptions enshrined in this and other pagodas confirm that those were the relics of Gautama the Buddha. Some of these relics which were not touched by Emperor Asoka were discovered only as recently as one hundred years ago, with inscriptions to prove their authenticity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;‘The Mahavamsa’, the best and authentic ancient history known to us gives detailed particulars of life as well as details of the life of Emperor Asoka and all other sovereigns related to Buddhist history. Indian history has also given a prominent place to the Buddha’s life, activities, Buddhist traditions and customs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The records which we can find in the Buddhist countries where people received Buddhism a few hundred years after the Buddha’s passing away such as Sri Lanka, Myammar, China, Tibet, Nepal, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos show unbroken historical, cultural, religious, literary and traditional evidence that there was a religious teacher in India known as Gautama theBuddha. Many of these records are widely separated in time and space and yet they say exactly the same things about the Buddha—this proves that they could not have invented these stories independently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Tripitaka, an unbroken record of His 45 years of Teaching is more than sufficient to prove that the Buddha really lived in this world because no other religious leader has ever said anything like what the Buddha has taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The accuracy and authenticity of the Buddhist texts is supported by the fact that they provide information for historians to write Indian history during the 5th and 6th century B.C. The texts, which represent the earliest reliable written records in India, provide a profound insight into the socio-economic, cultural and political environment and conditions during the Buddha’s lifetime as well as into the lives of His contemporaries, such as King Bimbisara.&#xA;The names of the places where important events occurred during the Buddha’s time and which are recorded in the scriptures still exist today with slight modification in spelling and pronunciation. Examples of these are Buddha Gaya—Bodhagaya, Baranasi—Benares, Kusinara—Kusinagara, Rajagaha—Rajgiri, Lumbini—Rummini, Savatthi—Sahetmahet, Vihara—Bihar, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T13:46:55.530" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-06-15T15:10:21.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are CRAVING nibbana, Goenkaji says you are working contrary to Vipassana. Therefore, your craving causes new sankharas and you are pushing yourself that much farther away from nibbana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5292" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T15:10:21.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2015-06-15T15:10:28.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.purifymind.com/BuddhismAlcohol.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Alcohol&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;By Sanja Blackburn&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alcohol consumption is inconsistent with a Buddhist's quest to&#xA;understand and develop the mind. Buddhists believe that by practicing&#xA;meditation, wisdom and morality, every individual has the innate&#xA;ability to experience true happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha encouraged his&#xA;followers to refrain from consuming any kind of intoxicant. This&#xA;included alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. These substances are said to&#xA;be inconsistent with Buddhist beliefs as they distort the mind.&#xA;Buddhists regard the mind as precious; they work diligently, through&#xA;meditation, to master it.  Buddhists follow five precepts, serving as&#xA;guidelines for correct and moral behaviour. One of the precepts&#xA;clearly states that Buddhists should 'refrain from taking&#xA;intoxicants'. Buddhists adhere to these guidelines with differing&#xA;degrees of success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only a small number of followers practice&#xA;Buddhism seriously, even though an overwhelming number of people in&#xA;Buddhist countries, such as Thailand, identify as Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite&#xA;the Buddha's teachings, a number of Thai adolescents consume alcohol.&#xA;Despite the popularity of Buddhism as a philosophy in the west, few&#xA;people are willing to follow the Buddha's advice regarding alcohol.&#xA;People with a shallow understanding of Buddhism may believe that&#xA;alcohol is acceptable if used in moderation, justifying this in terms&#xA;of the Buddha's preaching of the 'Middle Way' philosophy.  The Buddha&#xA;was against any form of alcohol consumption, even in moderation,&#xA;because of the effect it has on the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is central to&#xA;Buddhist philosophy. This concept requires a constant awareness of&#xA;changes occurring in the mind and body. Mindfulness enables the&#xA;individual to react wisely to emotions and sensations when they arise.&#xA;Alcohol distorts the mind and makes it impossible to practice this&#xA;tenet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is another Buddhist teaching inconsistent with the use&#xA;of alcohol. The Buddha taught that each individual must be responsible&#xA;for one's own Karma. This involves being responsible for the&#xA;consequences of one's actions, speech and thoughts. Alcohol tends to&#xA;encourage irresponsibility. It is possible to generate much negative&#xA;karma while under the influence of alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that&#xA;true happiness was to be found in letting go of attachments. Many&#xA;people are deeply attached to the feelings they experience when&#xA;drinking alcohol. Through meditation it is possible to let go of this&#xA;attachment. Buddhist meditation has been successful in treating&#xA;alcoholism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people use alcohol as a means of avoiding problems&#xA;that arise in life. Buddhism encourages people to deal with life's&#xA;difficulties and challenges. It encourages individuals to view&#xA;problems as opportunities to learn and grow. By practicing meditation,&#xA;an individual can develop the courage and determination to deal with&#xA;life, rather than rely on alcohol to create an artificial sense of&#xA;contentment. Alcohol consumption is inconsistent with Buddhist beliefs&#xA;for a number of reasons. Buddhists exert an enormous amount of effort&#xA;through meditation in order to change the mind. By consuming alcohol&#xA;the individual is unable to have any control over the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like this one!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5293" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T15:46:50.047" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-15T15:15:34.520" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhabar.com/en/&quot;&gt;Buddha-Bar&lt;/a&gt; and both the bar and the beer might strike a practicing Buddhist as rather strange due to our understanding of the teaching of the 5th precept. While different traditions interpret the 5th precept somewhat differently (from undertaking to drink no alcohol at all to undertaking not to drink enough to cause heedlessness), the fact that one of 5 precepts concerns alcohol makes it clear that the Buddha was not a proponent of alcohol. Selling alcohol is considered a wrong livelihood as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that said, Buddhism doesn't generally have the strong emotional outrage sometimes seen in other religions when the founder's image is used in a unexpected way, or used at all. (There are exceptions to this as seen in this recent controversy in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/buddha-wearing-headphones-image-triggers-controversy-myanmar-n278386&quot;&gt;Myanmar&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest guarding your own mind state about becoming upset about a thing like this. I would suggest &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; would be an appropriate mind state to cultivate regarding this as those selling and drinking alcohol are both digging their way deeper into samsara. When you think about how sad it is for people to have to drink alcohol in an attempt to relax or find happiness; it can be easy to feel compassion. The Buddhist teaching of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt; is a blessing that isn't so well known outside of Buddhism. We're very lucky.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you find yourself next a person swilling down Buddha beer at a party or picnic, and you feel you can do so skillfully, you could point out that the Buddha actually taught against the use of alcohol so it's odd to see &quot;Buddha Beer&quot;. But you'd have to do it in a very non confrontational way just adding to the general knowledge of something dear to you that's not so well known in your country. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T15:15:34.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2015-06-15T16:50:26.863" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With great respect, if stream entry is sought for, I can recommend 'Liberation Unleashed'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a group run entirely free and by volunteers (of which I am one) who have also realised the emptiness of self, and are willing to guide others to the same realisation. Simply request a guide in the forum - Alternatively, visit us on Facebook and request a guide there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.liberationunleashed.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.liberationunleashed.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5295" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T16:50:26.863" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2015-06-15T16:52:31.410" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a different angle; but one worth considering as part of this overall topic. This is a passage from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; page 110-111. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;127&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Three bhikkhus came to the elder, it seems. One of them said, “Venerable sir,&#xA;  I am ready to fall from a cliff the height of one hundred men, if it is said to be to&#xA;  your advantage.” The second said, “Venerable sir, I am ready to grind away this&#xA;  body from the heels up without remainder on a flat stone, if it is said to be to your&#xA;  advantage.” The third said, “Venerable sir, I am ready to die by stopping breathing,if it is said to be to your advantage.” Observing, “These bhikkhus are certainly&#xA;  capable of progress,” the elder expounded a meditation subject to them. Following&#xA;  his advice, the three attained Arahantship.&#xA;  This is the benefit in self-dedication. Hence it was said above “dedicating himself&#xA;  to the Blessed One, the Enlightened One, or to a teacher.”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we today, found out that our cousin, or brother-in-law or whomever was making statements that they were willing to die for their religious teacher; we might rush to judgment that they had become involved in a cult. We might be terribly concerned about this situation. And yet, in the Visuddhimagga, this story is being told to show the benefit of having such extraordinary dedication. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two points of view regarding cults; the point of view of the person who is participating in the group and the point of view of concerned outsiders. It can be easy for outsiders to pass judgement particularly when things are new or strange of if there is a cultural overlay to Buddhist practice that's not well understood by outsiders. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to put it simply if you are worried about &lt;strong&gt;someone else&lt;/strong&gt; being involved in a Buddhist cult; take it slow and give it time. There is a huge variety of traditions in Buddhism and some seem very strange to newcomers and outsiders. Time will tell whether this association is good or bad for the individual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are worried about &lt;strong&gt;yourself&lt;/strong&gt; having become involved in a Buddhist cult, trust your gut feeling. If you feel too much is being asked of you in terms of money, time, dedication, or anything that makes you uncomfortable; leave and find a place that's better suited for you. Doesn't really matter if it's a cult by definition or not, it only matters that it's not the right place for you and time to move on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really appreciate @MatthewMartin 's comment above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Chinese Buddhists sort of have a similar concept-- &quot;outer path&quot; or &quot;tiirthika&quot;, which is sort like heretic or just &quot;not Buddhist&quot;. A lot of traditional texts seem to tolerate or encourage what us modern westerners would see as excessive on some dimension and would trigger people to use the word cult. –  MatthewMartin&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as trying to fit the vastness of Buddhism into a Western mindset regarding cults is very elusive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's good to see this thread here because it seems to be an ongoing concern and glad to have an opportunity to present this aspect as well. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-15T16:52:31.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9594" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9595" CreationDate="2015-06-16T00:29:34.693" Score="6" ViewCount="942" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is not &lt;em&gt;[was not]&lt;/em&gt; a tag for nonduality. Would someone please make a correspondence between nonduality and Buddhism as to &quot;stage&quot; or &quot;attainment&quot;, qualifications, or whatever is applicable?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt; I was thinking of Nonduality as a stage, but it is apparently seen more as a position or way of describing things? Mariana Caplan, in the book &lt;em&gt;&quot;Eyes Wide Open - Cultivating Discernement on the Spiritual Path&quot;&lt;/em&gt; has this paragraph at the top of page 163 (paperback): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ngakpa Chogyam, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher from Wales, offers a&#xA;  perspective on nonduality that includes all of life as a direct&#xA;  expression of the nondual core of truth. He explains that nonduality,&#xA;  or emptiness, has two facets: one is empty, or nondual, and the other&#xA;  is form, or duality. Therefore, duality is not illusory but is one&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;aspect&lt;/em&gt; of nonduality. Like the two sides of a coin, the formless reality has two dimensions -- one is form, the other is formless. When&#xA;  we perceive duality as separate from nonduality (or nonduality as&#xA;  separate from duality), we do not engage the world of manifestation&#xA;  from the perspective of oneness, and thereby we fall into an erroneous&#xA;  relationship with it. From this perspective it is not &quot;life&quot; or&#xA;  duality that is maya, or illusion: rather it is our relationship to&#xA;  the world that is illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This accords with the Heart Sutra. So, I was actually asking about &lt;strong&gt;the Experience of this&lt;/strong&gt;, rather than whether it is true or not. &lt;em&gt;&quot;Both is, and is not. Neither is, nor is not.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second Addition:&lt;/strong&gt; I find a correspondence between the &lt;strong&gt;formal / post-formal operations&lt;/strong&gt; distinction and the observation that some people get stuck when thinking of abstractions like nonduality, and others do not. Some people are more literal and fundamental, and others are more mystical. I think this is the key to understanding differences, and post-formal thought is an ability that develops through use. Here is a link from &lt;a href=&quot;http://siobhancurious.com/2007/09/08/formal-operational-vs-post-formal-thinking-in-adolescents-and-emerging-adults/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a teacher's experience&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T12:18:46.330" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T12:18:46.330" Title="What does Nonduality correspond to in Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|western-philosophy|stages-of-the-path|nonduality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9594" CreationDate="2015-06-16T01:13:00.187" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an article on that subject &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_27.html&quot;&gt;Dhamma and Non-duality&lt;/a&gt; by&#xA;Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is basically all direct quotes from that article, except very summarized (I'm extracting sentences and sentence fragments).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-dual system&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the Vedanta, non-duality (advaita) means the absence of an ultimate distinction between the Atman, the innermost self, and Brahman, the divine reality, the underlying ground of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana schools, despite their great differences, concur in upholding a thesis that, from the Theravada point of view, borders on the outrageous. This is the claim that there is no ultimate difference between samsara and Nirvana, defilement and purity, ignorance and enlightenment. For the Mahayana, the enlightenment which the Buddhist path is designed to awaken consists precisely in the realization of this non-dualistic perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Not a non-dual system&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Theravada tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Virtue&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-duality: the adept isn't bound by rules because &quot;The sage has transcended all conventional distinctions of good and evil&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada: &quot;the liberated one lives restrained by the rules of the Vinaya, seeing danger in the slightest faults&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-duality: defilements are mere appearances devoid of intrinsic reality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada: hindrances are &quot;causes of blindness, causes of ignorance, destructive to wisdom, not conducive to Nibbana&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-duality: concrete phenomena, in their distinctions and their plurality, are mere appearance, while true reality is the One: either a substantial Absolute (the Atman, Brahman, the Godhead, etc.), or a metaphysical zero (Sunyata, the Void Nature of Mind, etc.). For such systems, liberation comes with the arrival at the fundamental unity in which opposites merge and distinctions evaporate like dew&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada: wisdom not in the direction of an all-embracing identification with the All, but toward disengagement and detachment, release from the All&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question, if I understand the article, it's saying that &quot;non-duality&quot; in Buddhism includes statements like &quot;nirvana and samsara are the same&quot; and &quot;everything is equally empty&quot; ... but non-duality is not a feature of Theravada Buddhism (it's a feature of Mahayana Buddhism, and of Tantrayana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T01:13:00.187" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-16T08:25:47.493" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theres nothing wrong with raising the subject to your friend if you do it politely, skillfully and respectfully. Right speech is not always just about staying silent but saying the right thing at the right time out of compassion and kindness when you see something could cause harm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say that you don't want to have the problem of attachment to the symbols of Buddhism, but you also state that raising the topic to your friend will make you &quot;also look like &quot;that boring guy&quot; that complains because of religion&quot;, which shows that you already have attachment to who you don't want to be seen as. You also say &quot;let's face it, no one will change a brand because of that as the commercial impact is irrelevant here&quot;, but you maybe overlooking a good business case for changing the branding, especially when there are potential bad publicity associated with potential cries of outrage and/or petitions from conservative Buddhists. Whether you feel offended or not, or whether a &quot;good Buddhist&quot; should be or not, there's always going to be people out there who will get outraged and you can alert him to this. Branding and goodwill is one of the biggest assets to a business and I am sure he would want to be know any risks associated with what he has invested in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't need to get angry with the situation and you have already demonstrated you have exercised some wisdom by forgiving his ignorance. Even if you do get angry, thats ok, it's normal, just recognize there is anger there and observe it mindfully rather than feeding into it. Do some metta as others have suggested if that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you know the producer personally, you can just tell him that as a friend (assuming you are friends) you wanted to alert him that associating the image of the Buddha with alcohol:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is not compatible with the views of what the Buddha was about&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Could potentially lead to immense damage to their branding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, even if he might just ignore your advice and not do anything about it, at least he would appreciate that you have informed him about this because he would have had no idea if you didn't tell him and perhaps it will make them more mindful (and do more market research) in their actions in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5305" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T08:25:47.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-16T09:21:16.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find the idea of offence a difficult one. Considering the cause of many conflicts, religious offence has often been a factor. But why should a follower of a religion be offended? As a Christian, I wince when people use the name of Jesus as an expletive. I am sad but I can't say that &lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; am offended. Should I be? Surely the one whose name has been misused (Jesus) should be offended. He is the one who will take the necessary action. I think a god who can't look out for himself is not one who demands much respect anyway ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm afraid I know very little about Buddhism so I'd be interested to hear what people have to say. Just wanted to share my thoughts on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T09:21:16.710" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9598" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-16T11:07:27.007" Score="6" ViewCount="239" Body="&lt;p&gt;How a being (be it a Buddha) can remember its past lives, if there is no &quot;quid&quot;/soul/self enduring for more time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T15:01:56.770" Title="Without an enduring quid between lifes, how to explain past life recalling?" Tags="|theravada|anatman|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9599" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-16T11:59:51.250" Score="4" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can in Buddhistic terms explain life evolution, that is how can new beings evolve  from previous nama-rupa? How could a vipāka (resultant-consciousness) &quot;move&quot; from cuti-citta (dying-consciousness) to the patisandhi-citta (rebirth-consciousness) of a being not yet existing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T22:28:27.443" Title="How in buddhistic terms one can explain life evolution?" Tags="|theravada|abidhamma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9607" CreationDate="2015-06-16T12:28:33.973" Score="7" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice insight meditation (Theravada tradition), noting the rising and falling of the abdomen. It was suggested that one should make a mental note once per second, neither too frequently, nor too slowly. However, there are moments between the instances of rising and falling, when the abdomen does nothing. What should the practitioner note in these moments?&quot;Not moving&quot;? &quot;Resting&quot;? I note &quot;touching&quot;, as I become aware of the sensation of my T-shirt touching the skin on the abdomen. Is this right practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5308" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-16T13:21:38.190" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T19:54:19.917" Title="During insight meditation, what does the meditator note in-between the rising and falling of the abdomen?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-breath|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9600" CreationDate="2015-06-16T12:59:39.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should not have gaps in noting, but observe all the movements from the start to the end, without missing any step. So you should note &quot;raising raising raising&quot;, &quot;falling falling falling&quot; etc and in the same time noting the movements and the sensations. You should not feel accomplished for mere noting the raising just one time, otherwise all would become at best a concentration practice and at worst a boring homework with a mind asking &quot;now what?&quot; after each note.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T12:59:39.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9598" CreationDate="2015-06-16T13:14:06.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism kamma, the results of past deeds, is stored in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9154/what-are-the-positions-of-the-different-schools-on-a-primordial-mind&quot;&gt;primodial consciousness&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though different Buddhist schools have slightly different views of this consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T13:14:06.540" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-16T13:53:08.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;em&gt;The Dispute between Tea and Chang&lt;/em&gt;, from the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tea and Chang are in an unprecedented war.  The main cause of this situation, the root of their ulterior motives, is again caused by attachment to oneself.   This tree gave life to the boughs of other delusions: passionate attachment to misconception, as well as to various other branches and flowers.  From beginningless time until today, it has led to the fruition of cyclic existence, but of course it resulted in suffering.  Therefore, the root of grasping at oneself should be cut by the axe of knowledge and wisdom.  The branches of grasping at oneself and others should be sawed into pieces.  The leaves of the misperception of attachment and hatred are to be illuminated by the sun of wisdom.  If the fruition of the lower states of birth and experiences of self-grasping return to their natural state, then the '84,000 soldier army' of the three poisonous afflictions would be attacked and defeated completely.  Then the main army of the Great Blissful Buddha body would triumph: the entire process resembling the return of a rabbit to its hole.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three poisonous afflictions referred to are &lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt;, and &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5309" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T13:53:08.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9594" CreationDate="2015-06-16T14:57:40.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The experience of form is very sobering, that is when we encounter a person who is angry or destitute, we experience the wrath or the suffering of the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we experience the world as empty we see that the angry or destitute person is empty in that its physical existence is dependent on conditions and the the way we see the situation is dependent on our own conditioned mind, created by our own conditioned mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supposing we do not understand what the person is saying then our experience would be totally different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And supposing that someone tell us that some of these destitute persons are actually some stingy millionaires and we believe those stories, then our perspectives become different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are just simple examples on how the world is illusory because it is perceived in a way that is conditioned by the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if we pursue further we can say that since physical forms are empty and the visual forms are also empty because it is illusory. The world is empty!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we just engaged with just the formless then we become complacent and stay at equanimity, if we see emptiness correctly; if we did not see emptiness correctly, it becomes coldness, or even cruelty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Engaging with just the formless is an extreme. Just try saying to a tree, falling in your direction that it is empty and see what the result is!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Engaging with just the form is what most people do that, believing things to be solid, that there is a &quot;person&quot; purposely doing all those things to annoy us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we see the middle way, both the form and the formless as being the true aspects of reality (both conventional and absolute), then we can act compassionately, or with the perception of oneness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How? Is another question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="5154" LastEditDate="2015-06-16T15:04:23.077" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T15:04:23.077" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9606" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-16T15:45:03.363" Score="7" ViewCount="3598" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems certain Buddhist groups have come to believe in something they call the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind&quot;&gt;luminous mind&lt;/a&gt;&quot; or the &quot;primordial consciousness&quot;; in essence, a mind that is lasting, stable, and assumedly pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada point of view, this is terribly problematic; if this mind is able to know multiple consecutive objects, then it is indistinguishable from multiple cittas arising and ceasing, and thus not lasting at all. The idea that there is something lasting from moment to moment sounds very much like the concept of a soul. How does it differ? Or is the point that these Buddhists do believe in a soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T09:27:43.713" Title="What's the difference between a &quot;primordial consciousness&quot; and a soul?" Tags="|soul|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9600" CreationDate="2015-06-16T15:53:37.457" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you find yourself noticing the gap between the breath, then you are no longer focussed on the breath, which is fine, but you should then note &quot;knowing, knowing&quot; or &quot;noticing, noticing&quot;. Some also suggest to insert &quot;sitting&quot; in between to avoid having to do this, as in &quot;rising, sitting, falling, sitting&quot;. My teacher doesn't, but it's certainly a reasonable suggestion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T15:53:37.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9598" CreationDate="2015-06-16T16:03:45.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A self wouldn't help in this case; a self is an untenable entity - it is permanent yet able to change to know multiple objects, an illogical paradox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very idea that a memory can be stored isn't tenable, because memories don't exist, just as &quot;information&quot; doesn't exist. The &quot;information&quot; stored in the brain or on a floppy disk isn't information, it's just echos of experience. When one remembers, ostensibly it entails a convergence of many factors to contribute to the &quot;memory&quot;; given that precognition seems possible, even future events can contribute to &quot;memories&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't answer your question; I suspect the question is unanswerable, just as &quot;what causes gravity&quot; is unanswerable. The universe isn't responsible for giving us answers to all our questions, but it does reveal the basic mechanics to us if we take the time to investigate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T16:03:45.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9606" CreationDate="2015-06-16T17:29:06.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Luminous mind&quot; in pali is pabhassara citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There will always be a problem when we start translating: citta, sometimes as consciousness, sometimes as mind; and there is another word in pali, vinnana, which is sometimes translated as mind, discriminating mind etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding of pali translation, translation of the use of a pali word is dependent on context, precedence and a whole host of other things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are opinions that to translate the cannon, understanding its context, the translator would have to have some experience of Buddhist meditation to get its flavour. If we say that is so, then how do we know that the translator is not incorporating his experience, basic or advance into his translation? If it is necessary and desirable then an advanced practitioner's translation would be much preferred, than to one who has no experience at all (if it is even possible to translate without any Buddhist meditative experience). We are after all talking about practice and experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting the problem of translation aside I'm going to decipher, IMHO, my understanding and translation of citta, vinnana and phabassara citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First I would quickly translate vinnana as mind or discriminating mind, and put that aside or away as not concerned with citta, which is translated as consciousness and phabassara citta, which would be luminous consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we all know from our Abhidhamma there is only ONE consciousness (citta) and because of the many different mental contents (cetasikas) that arise with it we get different flavours of citta ( 89 flavours) etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now what is this ONE citta?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And what is this arising and ceasing of the different flavours of citta, if it is not this one citta?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean for the citta to cease: does it mean to disappear into nothingness or disappear into something? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If it is nothingness, where does what makes up the citta and mental contents (call it energies, tendencies or whatever) goes and how does it arise again from its cessation? If its further arising is due to tendencies, where are these tendencies stored when the citta disappear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If it is something, it must only be citta as there is nothing else that is other than citta.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes a lot of faith to believe that the citta disappears into nothingness and then arises again from nothingness almost intact with its kammic tendencies untouched.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What other traditions have explained (including the Thai forest Theravadin tradition, through the experiences of accomplished meditation masters like Ajahn mun) is that, that one citta that we have been talking about is the phabassara citta, &quot;luminious consciousness/mind(loosely)&quot; or primordial mind, clear light mind, buddha nature, bodhicitta, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That the arising and ceasing of consciousness is &quot;apparent&quot;. These flavours of consciousness arises and ceases within the &quot;primodial consciousness&quot; which is as yet, unseen, and seemed like nothingness. That is where avijja lies, where all the kammic tendencies are stored, the primordial consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we know it is there when it seemed like nothingness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a yet unenlightened being it is just &quot;awareness&quot;. When the mind is empty it has this basic quality of &quot;awareness and knowing&quot; in an advanced practitioner and &quot;awareness and knowing&quot; has no shape or form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end when we truly see it, it can be described as &quot;consciousness without surface&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've not found any description of soul that matches what I've said, so I'll pass it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDITS:  (I've added further explanations in my comments with @Sankha below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With a primordial consciousness, pabhassara citta ( which can be compared to an ocean with its waves), which is &quot;stained&quot; with kamma craving energies, creating the waves of these &quot;apparent&quot; arising and ceasing of the kusala/akusala/kiriya cittas, we continue to have the arising of the cuti (death) citta followed by the patisandhi (re-birth linking) cita. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end when craving is ended there is only the kiriya cittas waves in an Arahant's mind. When the last wave of the cuti citta ceased into the primordial consciousness, this primordial consciousness purified is the only permanent pure awareness, the nibanna without remainder, unestablished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing that I've said that is not in accord with the Abhidhamma with only the addition that other traditions have added, that the ceasing is not into nothingness but into a primordial consciousness. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9154/what-are-the-positions-of-the-different-schools-on-a-primordial-mind&quot;&gt;What is the primordial consciousness in different traditions? Is it permanent?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T07:53:50.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9600" CreationDate="2015-06-16T19:54:19.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't the whole point of such an exercise to remind us that we should be mindful, at all times?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I am a Vajrayana practitioner, I sat for years at the Cambridge insight meditation Center. Some teachers say that concentrating with such focus is no longer meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5314" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T19:54:19.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9606" CreationDate="2015-06-16T20:15:46.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, Buddhists do not believe in a &quot;soul&quot;. To confuse &quot;luminous mind&quot; with &quot;soul,&quot; would be a mistake. Certain Tibetan schools use the term &quot;clear mind,&quot;  and they are all referencing the same idea.This does differ from school to school and from Hinduism to Buddhism, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To say &quot;something arises&quot; or that &quot;something disappears into emptiness&quot; is confusing. Whatever it is that disappears does not disappear into emptiness — just as though we might find that there is nothing in a sealed metal barrel, simply because we cannot see it does it mean that it has not been there, that it has arisen, or that it at some time, disappeared. Science tells us, for example,that there are constituents in that barrel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote Sakya Trizin:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's not enough just to renounce attachment to this life. To be truly&#xA;  liberated we must transcend the idea of a solid reality altogether.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5314" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-17T09:27:43.713" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T09:27:43.713" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9433" CreationDate="2015-06-16T20:37:29.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I first was interested in Buddhism at the age of 15, but actually started meditating that year with Hindu yogis from India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some time, I practiced in a Japanese school of Buddhism but after seven years  but I realized I had joined a cult. That was very disappointing. Not only did they never meditate, but their practice consisted solely of  chanting one mantra. When I asked about emptiness, for example, they would just tell me that this was not important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later I found myself attending the Zen Center in my community, and then I would periodically attend the insight meditation Center in my city. The one day I met a Tibetan teacher and I realized that this was my path.&#xA;There is a somewhat mystical or maybe even silly belief in the Dharma community that one finds oneself exactly where one should be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found that many Catholics and Jews seem to enjoy the Tibetan practices, probably because of the ritualistic aspects. Who knows. It is not necessary to know everything about each school, for example, because the basics of Buddhism are 1, to be compassionate and loving towards all sentint and beings, and 2, a belief in awakening: that is to say that we can recognize our own true nature, the awakened state, or enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whichever path you choose, all you have to do is walk that path and practice. Some individuals are more cerebral, and enjoy reading, deliberating philosophy, and other &quot;academic&quot; endeavors, and they may find themselves enrolled in a Tibetan University for 12 years, in order  for them to obtain the equivalent to a doctoral degree, called a GESHE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As such,you may meet a Tibetan teacher who will be referred to as &quot;Geshe-la,&quot; an honorific title which denotes that he has received a PhD in Tibetan studies. most monks and nuns in University, at least in the Tibetan system, will study for many years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you the best in your search for awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5314" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T20:37:29.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9614" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9616" CreationDate="2015-06-16T20:43:20.077" Score="8" ViewCount="800" Body="&lt;p&gt;The book &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148596.Breath_by_Breath&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Breath by Breath&lt;/a&gt; by Larry Rosenberg splits the Anapanasati Sutta into 4 tetrads. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/texts/anapanasati/anapanasati3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;wildmind website&lt;/a&gt; does a similar thing. In the second tetrad there is a verse that is rendered&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental processes, and to&#xA;  breathe out sensitive to mental processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and in the third tetrad there is the verse&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe&#xA;  out sensitive to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between mental processes and the mind? In their English translations they look very similar. What is the original Pali words or phrases? Do they have difference translations or nuances that may make the differences clearer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-16T22:24:13.617" LastActivityDate="2019-09-26T10:36:29.517" Title="In the Anapanasati Sutta, what is the difference between mind and mental processes?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|pali-language|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1440" CreationDate="2015-06-16T21:14:12.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I disagree with the comment &quot;Don't accept money, especially for a teaching.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure where that particular comment comes from, but as both a Tibetan practitioner and an ordained monk, I have  Never seen it written that one should not accept a teacher who is paid for his/her teachings. In fact, and supporting teachers, who traveled from afar, individuals, benefactors, and Dharma centers all make donations to the teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most likely, the implication is that students should be wary of teachers who appear to be&quot;money – hungry.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, if you find yourself in a group where money and making money seem to be more important than teachings and/or Dharma, it is probably not a good place to be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5314" LastActivityDate="2015-06-16T21:14:12.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9614" CreationDate="2015-06-17T00:18:32.803" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, bring clear knowing &amp;amp; release to their culmination.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four tetrads correspond to The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/frames.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Frames of Reference&lt;/a&gt; referred to above. They are (in Pali and English):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kāyānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna: being mindful of the body as a frame of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vedanānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna: being mindful of feelings as a frame of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cittānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna: being mindful of the mind as a frame of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna: being mindful of mental qualities as a frame of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the second tetrad in your example is mindfulness of feelings (vedanā) and the third is mindfulness of mind (citta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A basic distinction of these is &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Straight_View.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1: The Body merely as a transient and compounded Form..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2: Feelings just as vanishing Reactions to sense-contact..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3: Mind only as a group of habitual and conditioned Moods..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4: All Phenomena (dhamma) simply as discrete momentary Mental States..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T03:26:28.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5445" CreationDate="2015-06-17T00:18:35.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, you cannot change the past. We are now is the result of the past actions whether mentally or physically. &#xA;There are some people who are ill and need to replace their failure organ with someone else's. However, not all organ replacement works well with the 'new' body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we can take care of the present moment and do good deeds as much as we can. This will add more 'water' so that the 'saltiness' of a glass of water can be reduced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T00:18:35.820" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9614" CreationDate="2015-06-17T00:41:14.920" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental processes, and to breathe out sensitive to mental processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmīti sikkhati. Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmīti sikkhati.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out sensitive to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Cittapaṭisaṃvedi assasissāmīti sikkhati. Cittapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmīti sikkhati.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt; we find an explanation for &lt;em&gt;cittasaṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, lady, what are fabrications?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are mental fabrications.&amp;quot; (Thanissaro trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāroti.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga says (VIII, 229ff):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The remaining [three] clauses should be understood in the same&#xA;way as to meaning; but there is this difference here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;experiencing of bliss&lt;/em&gt; must be understood to be through three jhanas, and that of the &lt;em&gt;mental formation&lt;/em&gt; through four.  The mental formation consists of the two aggregates of feeling and perception. And in the case of the clause, experiencing bliss, it is said in the Paþisambhidá in order to show the plane of insight here [as well]: “‘Bliss’: there are two kinds of bliss, bodily bliss and mental bliss” (Paþis I 188). &lt;em&gt;Tranquilizing the mental formation&lt;/em&gt;: tranquilizing the gross mental formation; stopping it, is the meaning. And this should be understood in detail in the same way as given under the bodily formation (see §§176–85). Here, moreover, in the “happiness” clause feeling [which is actually being contemplated in this tetrad] is stated under the heading of “happiness” [which is a formation] but in the “bliss” clause feeling is stated in its own form. In the two “mental-formation” clauses the feeling is that [necessarily] associated with perception because of the words, “Perception and feeling belong to the mind, these things being bound up with the mind are mental formations” (Paþis I 188). So this tetrad should be understood to deal with contemplation of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ix) In the third tetrad the &lt;em&gt;experiencing of the [manner of] consciousness&lt;/em&gt; must&#xA;be understood to be through four jhanas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Buddhadasa [1] explains that second tetrad as concerned  specifically with &lt;em&gt;pīti&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt; whereas the third is concerned with &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; in a broader and deeper way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] - Mindfulness With Breathing: A Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T00:41:14.920" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9606" CreationDate="2015-06-17T01:37:12.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;After reading the answer from @Samadhi, I think I have a better idea of what Luminous Mind, or Luminous Consciousness is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One interesting story is of Chuang Tzu. He dreamt one day of being a butterfly flying through a garden. When he awoke, he wasn't sure whether he was dreaming that he is the butterfly or whether the butterfly is dreaming that it is him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is common between the two experiences? Both had different identities, but the same base consciousness or awareness of itself. It is said that this is the same for all beings. So much so, that it is often conjectured in some other religions or philosophies, that this is permanent in the universe, or is a universal consciousness. This might also be the meaning of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81v%C4%81kyas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedic statement&lt;/a&gt; &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_%28Hinduism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;prajñānam brahma&lt;/a&gt;&quot; or &quot;Brahman is Consciousness&quot;. The luminous mind may be similar to the Hindu concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_%28Hinduism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;prajñā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, from the suttas, the Buddha denies that there is such a permanent or universal consciousness, by defining the concept of &quot;eye consciousness&quot;, &quot;ear consciousness&quot; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) etc. In other words, the &quot;luminous mind&quot;, while being common for all, is not permanent or universal, because it arises and falls according to dependent origination. But it is the base consciousness or mind of all beings, which is not defiled by anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The base consciousness, just like the sense of sight, is common for all of us, but it arises and falls, just like sight, based on dependent origination. It is a common experience, but it is not permanent and it is not all linked together in the universe. This may be the Buddhist perspective, as opposed to the Hindu perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-06-17T03:04:48.850" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T03:04:48.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9606" CreationDate="2015-06-17T05:27:31.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This belief of a lasting mind is challenging &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/BBodhiDependent.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt; itself. If there's a primordial mind, it has to be present at the time of birth. So it has to be none other than the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3179.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patisandi Citta&lt;/a&gt;. If this Citta is permanent, one of the following two major teachings of lord Buddha has to be false.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankhara Paccaya Vinnaya - Dependent on volitional formations, consciousness arises&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sabbe Sankhara Anicca - All conditioned phenomena are impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Luminous, monks, is the mind.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/BBodhiDependent.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; And it is defiled by incoming&#xA;  defilements.&quot; -Pabhassara Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the Buddha is saying that the mind as a process is luminous when there are no defilements. He never mentions anything about a lasting citta. It's the same Vinnana of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five aggregates&lt;/a&gt; which is conditioned. &#xA;If being luminous is enough to assume that it is permanent, the bodies of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aabhassara.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhassara Brahmas&lt;/a&gt; should be permanent too. Because they are said to be radiant. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-17T06:01:47.413" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T06:01:47.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9598" CreationDate="2015-06-17T05:58:00.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some questions are better left unanswerd and speculation about them should not obsess the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At one time the Sublime One was abiding at Kosambi in a siṃsapā forest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And there the Sublime One had taken up a few siṃsapā leaves in his hand and addressed the monks: &#xA;  “What do you think monks; which are greater in number, these few siṃsapā leaves in my hand or those that are in the siṃsapā forest above?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The siṃsapā leaves in the hand of the Sublime One are of smaller amount than those that are in the siṃsapā forest above.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Even so monks, it is just this way with those things of perfected knowledge that I have not taught. And why monks, have I not taught these?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, indeed because these are not of significance to what is beneficial; &#xA;  neither do they lead to the principles of the renounced life, nor to disillusionment, nor to dispassion, nor to cessation, nor to peacefulness, nor to perfected knowledge, nor to awakening, nor to Nibbāna. &#xA;  It is for this reason that I have not taught these.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Discourse in the Sīṃsapa Forest SN 5.12. 4. 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T05:58:00.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9433" CreationDate="2015-06-17T09:44:55.153" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each of the sects alive today originated to suit their time and place - they were a result of the personalities of the teachers, and the receptiveness of the population. There were other sects that have since perished and faded  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism#Early_schools&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;{source}&lt;/a&gt;, but enlightened a great many when they were popular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The truth of nirvana can be attained through a great many ways, and the Buddha himself never offered a single formula for all to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some find &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; or  meditation more appealing, some find &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; or ethical behavior more appealing, and some best respond to philosophical inquiry or &lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;. It depends on our respective past lives, past merits and available opportunities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some, especially those on the path of wisdom or &lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;, examining several schools maybe necessary. They are cautious by nature, and are fond of extensive verification. Their quest of inquiry may take them to several teachers, and even several religions. As long as their intent is to realize the truth, there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, the Buddha too was like this, and over his several lives, studied with a great many teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It works best if we find a teacher or school that resonates, that changes us deeply. We use what works, discard what doesn't. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people have bad allergies from good medicine, it is not the fault of the medicine or the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must ultimately be very practical about our choices. If we are not too hungry, we can wait until we find a restaurant we like, but if we are really hungry, we eat wherever we get food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T09:44:55.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9624" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9630" CreationDate="2015-06-17T10:30:15.867" Score="7" ViewCount="7097" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definitions of the term Jhana tend to emphasize the 'mind state' quality it refers to in various states of meditative absorption:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The jhanas are altered states of consciousness which are produced from periods of strong concentration. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=9_Jhanas&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Wiki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, it is a series of cultivated states of mind, which lead to &amp;quot;state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhii-sati-piirisuddhl).&amp;quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#CITEREFVetter1988&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in the context of Samatha (concentration) meditation, Jhana states naturally arise as a consequence of concentration. What I'm struggling to understand is the term 'Vipassana Jhana'. Is it a state of mind that arises from insight or a state of mind conducive to insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T14:40:14.603" Title="What is the difference between a Vipassana Jhana and a Samatha Jhana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|jhana|samatha|mind-states|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9624" CreationDate="2015-06-17T11:03:49.310" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnsDC7pchfQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Samatha Jhana, Vipassana Jhana&lt;/a&gt; says (if I paraphrase properly),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Samatha Jhana (e.g. concentrating on a white disk) cannot lead to insight because it's concentration on a conception (e.g. on the colour &quot;white&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha Jhana involves focus on something stable, but if you focus on something stable then you won't see &quot;impermanent, suffering, and non-self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana Jhana is meditation on the three characteristics, which are common to all real things. This Jhana is necessary to become enlightened because it's what allows you to let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha Jhana (concentration) was discovered before Buddhism (e.g. Hindu practitioners are expert).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana is necessary but Samatha Jhana is not necessary for enlightenment: what is required is to see things clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T11:03:49.310" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9624" CreationDate="2015-06-17T12:25:57.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no samatha jhana nor is there vipassana jhana mentioned in the suttas, I may have missed it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are the 4 rupa jhanas mentioned with each containing various jhana factors and 4 arupa jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMHO, the distinction is made to rationalise some meditation practices which dispense with the development of jhanas as a necessary step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81#Stages_in_the_practice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā jhanas&lt;/a&gt; are stages that describe the development of &amp;quot;vipassanā&amp;quot;meditation practice as described in modern Burmese Vipassana meditation.[31]&#xA; Mahasi Sayadaw&#xA;'s student Sayadaw U Pandita&#xA; describes the four &amp;quot;vipassanā jhanas&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81#Origins&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Origins&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta pitaka the term &amp;quot;vipassanā&amp;quot; is hardly mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look directly at the Pali discourses — the earliest extant sources for our knowledge of the Buddha's teachings — you'll find that although they do use the word samatha to mean tranquillity, and vipassanā to mean clear-seeing, they otherwise confirm none of the received wisdom about these terms. Only rarely do they make use of the word vipassanā — a sharp contrast to their frequent use of the word jhana. When they depict the Buddha telling his disciples to go meditate, they never quote him as saying &amp;quot;go do vipassanā,&amp;quot; but always &amp;quot;go do jhana.&amp;quot; And they never equate the word vipassanā with any mindfulness techniques.[8]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T16:36:54.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9598" CreationDate="2015-06-17T15:01:56.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can't remember past lives. Memory comes from your 5 senses. With death, your 5 senses cease to exist. When your 5 senses cease to exist, memory ceases to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can only observe the truth within and outside you, and with your observation you can deduct or reconstruct your past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like being a flower, not knowing who you are, observing, and then you realize: &quot;oh I'm a flower, I came from a seed, it was carried by a bee, it came from another flower. This is who I was. Now I am here&quot;. As you can see, this is not memory, but pure observation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way as a flower, you can observe and realize: &quot;oh I was a bird, I was suffering. Then I was a hunter in a forest, I was very angry. Then I was a farmer, I worked here and there, I was happy. Then I was... etc. This is who I was. Now I am here.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T15:01:56.770" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9574" CreationDate="2015-06-17T15:24:03.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feeling offended comes from suffering. Whenever you are offended, it is because of craving or clinging within you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling offended comes from within you, not outside you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you completely stop craving and clinging, suffering ceases. Feelings of being offended do not arise any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, a Buddhist should not feel offended by anything. He who is offended, should search deeper within to find the truth of his suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T15:24:03.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2512" CreationDate="2015-06-17T15:41:01.173" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Drinking without becoming intoxicated is acceptable in Buddhism. Anything, that you do without craving and clinging (suffering), is acceptable. Drinking without becoming intoxicated falls within that category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-06-17T21:10:06.263" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T21:10:06.263" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9624" CreationDate="2015-06-17T15:51:03.393" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has written an interesting post about this topic on his weblog &lt;em&gt;Truth Is Within&lt;/em&gt;. The post is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2011/02/mahasi-sayadaw-on-jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Mahasi Sayadaw on Jhana&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the section: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;First Absorption and Conceit&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Cunda, I will tell you about the cause of misconception and conceit in connection with the practice of meditation. Among my disciples, there are some monks who have attained the first absorption that is characterised by joy (pīti) and freedom from sensual desire, hindrances, and discursive thinking.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absorption (jhāna)² is the concentration of attention on one single object such as earth, water, in-and -out-breathing, an organ of the body or a corpse. This state of consciousness involving concentration and tranquillity is samatha jhāna. The other kind of absorption is vipassanā jhāna, which has as its object the contemplation and insight-knowledge of the three characteristics: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and insubstantiality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the section: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Abiding in Bliss Here and Now&#xA;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first absorption is not the practice of effacement that helps to root out the defilements. In the Sallekha Sutta, the Buddha calls it abiding in bliss here and now (ditthadhamma-sukhavihāra). While the meditator is in absorption, the mind is fixed on a single object. With the mind free from all unwholesome distractions, he or she is calm and peaceful. This state may continue for two or three hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also pointed out how illusion and complacency may arise from the second absorption with its three characteristics — rapture, joy, and one-pointedness, or from the third absorption with its joy and one-pointedness, or from the fourth absorption with its equanimity and one-pointedness. Of course, the second, third, and fourth absorptions are more sublime than the preceding states of consciousness, but they ensure only bliss in the present life, and can by no means be equated with practice of effacement that is designed to eliminate defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nor can the practice of effacement be equated with the absorptions of unbounded space (ākāsānañcāyatana), unbounded consciousness (viññānañcāyatana), nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana), and that of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññā-nāsaññāyatana), which do not help to overcome defilements. They lead only to peaceful bliss and as such are called peaceful abidings (santavihāra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Absorption in Insight Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation and absorption have some characteristics in common. When the practice of mindfulness is well established at the exploratory stage, i.e. knowledge by comprehension (sammasanañāna), there are initial application (vitakka), sustained application (vicāra), joy (pīti), bliss (sukha), and one-pointedness (ekagattā). Thus, whenever the meditator observes any phenomenon, his insight meditation is somewhat like the first absorption with its five characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the meditator gains insight-knowledge of the arising and passing away of all phenomena, he is fully aware of an arising object without initial or sustained application. He has intense joy, bliss, and tranquillity, thus his meditation is somewhat like the second absorption with its three attributes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The disappearance of the light, and so forth — the corruptions of insight (upakkilesa) — marks an advance in the insight-knowledge of the arising and passing away of phenomena. Then there is no joy, but bliss is very intense. The mind is tranquil and free from distractions. The meditator has the bliss and one-pointedness that are characteristics of the third absorption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The higher levels of insight-knowledge such as knowledge of dissolution (bhangañāna), wherein the meditator sees only the passing away usually have nothing to do with joy. They are characterised by equanimity and one-pointedness. The former is especially pronounced at the stage of knowledge of equanimity about formations. At this stage the insight meditation is akin to the fourth absorption with its two attributes of equanimity and one-pointedness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, at times the meditator’s whole body disappears, giving him the impression of being in space. At that moment he is like a person absorbed in ākāsānañcāyatana jhāna. At other times, attention is fixed exclusively on consciousness and then the meditator’s state of consciousness resembles viññānañcāyatana jhāna. On occasions, it seems as though he were noting nothingness, a state somewhat like ākiñcaññāyatana jhāna. Sometimes the consciousness may be so transcendental that it becomes non-existent, a state on par with that of nevasaññā-nāsaññāyatana jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These characteristics that insight meditation has in common with absorption often leads to complacency, which is an obstacle to spiritual progress. In meditation it is necessary to note these unusual experiences and reject them. In the Sallekha Sutta, the Buddha, after pointing out the misleading nature of absorption, proceeds to spell out the practice of effacement that is calculated to root out defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do recommend reading the whole &lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2011/02/mahasi-sayadaw-on-jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;blogpost&lt;/a&gt;. Its well written and i think it will provide the answers you are looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T15:51:03.393" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9631" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9652" CreationDate="2015-06-17T18:09:35.267" Score="6" ViewCount="3981" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's said that Buddhist practice can cause the arising of certain psychic powers. This &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9608/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; hints that one of those physic powers might be precognition. Have I understood that correctly? I've never read anything about this in any of the texts. I wonder if anyone else has and can provide a reference where precognition is written about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2022-08-24T23:53:36.630" Title="Can Buddhists see into the future?" Tags="|reference-request|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2015-06-17T18:55:49.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;With Buddhism practice you can see into the future, but that's not a psychic power, but just mere observation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A liberated mind gains knowledge about things and sees &quot;things as they really are. Thus, he can see with greater probability what these things will become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T18:55:49.780" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9633" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9636" CreationDate="2015-06-17T19:29:41.677" Score="5" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the past month or so, a number of people i know are suffering in a number of ways e.g. cancer, allergies, etc. Especially when a child is concerned, i am inclined to 'take on' their suffering. Despite everything i do to help, i am compelled to take more on for them as i would like their suffering to reduce or end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one help or take on the sufferings of others? This is especially so when in the company of children under the age of 4.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T13:04:21.013" Title="How do you help or take on the sufferings of others?" Tags="|suffering|relationship|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9634" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-17T20:24:09.630" Score="1" ViewCount="744" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope to have a go at reading a little about the Eucharist. Because my religious sympathies largely lie with Buddhism, I thought it'd be good to know of anything comparative therein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T00:35:51.037" LastActivityDate="2018-04-30T12:25:03.603" Title="Is there anything in Buddhism analogous to the Christian Eucharist?" Tags="|philosophy|christianity|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7709" CreationDate="2015-06-17T22:00:11.430" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're already doing great. Instead of focusing on achieving Nirvana, focus on smaller steps and forget about Nirvana completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditate upon these questions:&#xA;How does everything arises and ceases in myself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you find the answer, progress to the next question:&#xA;Who am I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so on...:&#xA;How everything arises and ceases outside myself?&#xA;Why does everything arises and ceases?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Questions will come and answers will come. Just don't force it. Let go and just let it happen. If you let it happen and it happens, Nirvana will come when you answer all your questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T22:00:11.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9633" CreationDate="2015-06-17T22:00:36.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lay practitioner here. I expect more educated answers will follow. But for me, I don't think a person can exactly &quot;take on&quot; the suffering of another. It is up to each of us to work our way through the mental delusions that permit our own suffering. Having said that, the peace we exude has, I believe, an effect on those around us. Just as when we act with anger in our hearts, our actions are likely to reflect this mental state, when we act with peace in our hearts, our actions will reflect that, and will have a positive effect on those with whom we interact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to look at it is that instead of the view that &quot;this person is suffering,&quot; think that, &quot;there is suffering.&quot; The fact that it's &quot;their&quot; suffering or &quot;your&quot; suffering is illusion. There is simply suffering, and the work &quot;you&quot; do to reduce the causes of suffering has an effect on all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T22:00:36.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9637" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9643" CreationDate="2015-06-17T22:34:07.453" Score="6" ViewCount="529" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ok, my &amp;quot;meditation&amp;quot; is physical exercise where I&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentrate on what I am doing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentrate on my breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I exercise in morning, I feel violent anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I confront why I feel such anger, I start to cry and talk to God Almighty (that is my believe system. I understand Buddhism doesn't believe in God, but rather, the awareness that we are living in illusion breaks you free. Similar belief in Hinduism except they believe in outer God and inner God and when those two reconcile, it gives awareness that we are living in illusion)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I exercise in afternoon after I come home from office, I feel heavy sadness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's as if I want to cry, but the tears cannot come out, and the only comfort I can get is a nice hug from a big teddy bear, or I will feel comfort in wearing a warm sweater, even though it is summer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to deal with it without being ashamed of such feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know Buddha just looked these feelings straight in the eye, but were these feelings ever so bad for him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe Buddhism and Hinduism say those feelings come from actions in past life, i.e. we weren't humans, but rather animals in the jungle who has a &amp;quot;kill or be killed&amp;quot; mentality, which is really similar for many humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I considered posting this in fitness.stackexchange.com, but I believe this falls more in line with meditation and what Buddha teaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Addition&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the following is relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was younger I had patellar sublaxation, where the knee patella would be unstable, come out of joint, and I would cry and scream in pain till the patella was put back in place. I would be traumatized rest of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was told to do exercises for patellar sublaxation, and to increase strength around knee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I jog (which is great for knee strength, and resistance), I have horrible flashbacks of that traumatic pain, and I keep trying to reassure myself that everything is ok, I am working towards a solution with exercise, but my thoughts keep going back to that dark place, and I keep thinking, what karmas must be worked out and resolved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any guidance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5242" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T15:02:29.550" Title="Dealing with angriness or sadness that comes up with &quot;meditation&quot;" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9638" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9684" CreationDate="2015-06-17T22:54:34.960" Score="4" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read that a person must get permission from his og her parents but what if that persons parents are not alive anymore. Can that person then not become ordained in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-17T23:08:17.003" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T20:56:08.763" Title="Ordination procedure in Theravada Buddhism - What if parents are not alive anymore?" Tags="|theravada|monk|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9639" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9642" CreationDate="2015-06-17T22:58:18.273" Score="5" ViewCount="351" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2783/what-are-the-requirements-or-preconditions-for-someone-to-ordain/2789#2789&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; that if one wants to become a Bhikkhu then &lt;em&gt;&quot;He must never have committed any grievous crimes&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What could examples of grievous crimes be?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What if crimes where committed many years ago. Does that have any value in the ordination procedure or does it automatically result in one not being able to become ordained in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T23:54:12.803" Title="Ordination procedure in Theravada Buddhism - What are grievous crimes?" Tags="|theravada|monk|ordination|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-06-17T23:21:07.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So you see, there needs to be an individual or self who needs to take the decision or make the will, so to speak. As a practical example, I decide to lift my hand right now, and lo and behold! my hand is lifted instantly. So, who is this decision-maker or will-maker that made the decision of lifting the hand? You say there is no self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self arose within you and moved your hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now saying that the conditional self made the decision is not something I'm going to buy. How can anything as lowly as an illusion, decides to take control of things and make an impact on the real world? It is just an illusion after all. That's the reason I'm unable to bring anatta in sync with this practicality of life, however hard I try. Please care explain how do you explain volition if anatta is a reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When self arose within you, the world arose outside you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your self arose within you, because your will to arise the self arose within you first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who or what wanted to arise the will to arise the self within you? This cannot be answered with our minds. It can only be experienced:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you completely stop wanting, nothing arises. When nothing arises perception of non-perception is perceived. When you stop wanting even that perception of non-perception, perception stops. When perception stops, you will experience &quot;who or what&quot; is the one wanting to arise the self within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience &quot;who or what&quot; is the one wanting to arise the self within you, you will experience the same &quot;who or what&quot; arising the world outside you. You will see why you become into this world, why you become what you become. You will see how you invented birth, happiness, suffering, death. You will see. You will know. Suffering will end and your purpose will be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T23:21:07.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-06-17T23:32:12.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You answered it yourself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm listening to a lecture series about child development and in the first lecture it advocates teaching children martial arts &lt;strong&gt;as an aid to enhancing their self-control&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enhancing your self-control is good karma. Enhancing your self control with the aid of martial arts, is good karma too. Just make sure it stays as &quot;an aid to enhancing self-control&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Martial arts, under a proper master's supervision, can be very good for the attainment of cleanliness and calmness of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T23:32:12.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9639" CreationDate="2015-06-17T23:54:12.803" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Page 99 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot;&gt;of this account of The&#xA;Buddhist&#xA;Monastic&#xA;Code&lt;/a&gt; list 11 types who should not be ordained as bhikkhus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a pandaka (essentially, a eunuch or a person born neuter—see Sanghadisesa&#xA;  2),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a “non-human” being, (this includes nagas, petas, devas, and yakkhas),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a hermaphrodite,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who poses as a bhikkhu without having been ordained,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a bhikkhu who has ordained in another religion without first giving up his&#xA;  status as a bhikkhu,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has murdered his father,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has murdered his mother,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has murdered an arahant,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has sexually molested a bhikkhuni,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has maliciously injured a Buddha to the point of causing him to&#xA;  bleed, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a person who has dishonestly caused a schism in the Sangha, knowing or&#xA;  suspecting that his position was contrary to the Dhamma-Vinaya.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pages 44 through 98 describe just four parajika rules, where if a bhikkhu breaks (or has broken) one of these rules then they are automatically no longer a bhikkhu and cannot ordain again in this life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual intercourse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Falsely claiming a superior human state&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-17T23:54:12.803" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9637" CreationDate="2015-06-18T00:06:56.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to deal with it without being ashamed of such feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's nothing wrong with feeling shame. How to deal with it? From a Buddhist point of view, you should practice meditation, and in my opinion, Vipassana meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing so you will come to terms with these feelings as they arise and they will no longer effect you in such a way, and by the sound if it, you will also be able to come to terms with this aversion you've built up to the intense experiences of pain you had in the past, which may have had some role to play in leading to your present experiences of anger and depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a brief article on pain and how meditation can help you come to terms with it: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shinzen.org/Articles/artPain.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.shinzen.org/Articles/artPain.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is a good talk from a Buddhist point of view on the experience of pain and how it can be useful for us: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldDclolLCg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldDclolLCg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, I would suggest you shift your focus from the healing of your knee, to the healing of your mind, as that is where both these negative emotions are arising, and the suffering from the pain in your knee. We dont always have a choice in experiencing pain, but suffering because of it is a choice. Best of luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T02:10:06.883" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T02:10:06.883" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3519" CreationDate="2015-06-18T01:14:25.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;oh holy beans. I'm about to go radical here and diverge from the dalai lama's take, but I can't speak from someone else's perceptions, so here goes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a system based on ever-increasing gains from a finite thing is inherently unsustainable. and lookie! does it kinda seem I'm right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm fine with making a living (and more fine just living) but not with profit. because I would prefer to continue rather than dwindle from lack of food, water, and liveable weather, and prefer doing so among healthy people whose basic needs are met. the bible doesn't like profit either. it calls profit &quot;usury.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;nutshell: profit is taking more than you give.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;profit is the essence of capitalism. you are looking to &quot;capitalize&quot; on what you encounter, to take from it to make yourself &quot;bigger&quot; if you will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;my experience in Buddhism and related things is that there's no need to fret over abstract things that are basically the water you, little fishie, swim in right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if you keep meditation, continue to refine your clear seeing of yourself and others, notice what happens when things are/aren't done, and how differences in doing/not doing get different results, notice how you feel after doing/skipping the things you do .... your views and habits will change to naturally reflect where you are at any given time. just as they change when you don't meditate,  but in ways that are more random and that you may not even like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the only universe, the only sentient being, you can directly and fully perfect is you. and you are the system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;whatever it is &quot;you&quot; are, that is what touches and changes every single part of our world, aka &quot;the world,&quot; reality, life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as my teacher says, &quot;just do your practice.&quot; people are all sorts of things. balance for living beings is a state  change that suits conditions at the time (homeostasis).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with clarity comes being more of what you are, be it student, statesman, horse trainer, layabout, kite maker, baby maker, musician, pizza guy. the title, like the name of a system, is just the moving form that contains a slice of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as a living being you will naturally be happiest with things that support life rather than suck it dry. if capitalism furthers living, how is it against Buddhism? if it does not, how will it continue to exist? beings are expressions of life. with clarity life flourishes. systems support life or fail to. our awareness is what decides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5065" LastEditorUserId="5065" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T17:03:59.413" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T17:03:59.413" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9637" CreationDate="2015-06-18T01:41:56.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read your question, and I think my opinion is that the Buddhist belief system is not exactly &quot;awareness that we are living in illusion&quot;, and it is not like a &quot;similar belief in Hinduism&quot; ... but Buddhism actually has wisdom and practices to help with sorrow and anger (in fact, &quot;to help with sorrow and anger&quot; is virtually the main purpose of Buddhism, i.e. the reason why the Buddha invented it) and so to answer your question I want to write a summary to introduce or explain Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhists' &quot;Noble Eightfold Path&quot; has &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot;&gt;three partitions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Virtue&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any one of these can be helpful (and people are encouraged to make progress in all three):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;virtue&quot; improves your relationship with yourself and other people, and can be helpful no matter what you think of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And &quot;mindfulness&quot; is to do with meditation, concentration, and insight.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The basis of wisdom is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths#Explanation_of_the_four_truths&quot;&gt;four noble truths&lt;/a&gt;, which are, something like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The origin of suffering is craving and ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering ceases with the cessation of craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Eightfold Path is the way which leads to the end of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect that both &quot;virtue&quot; and &quot;mindfulness&quot; can help with sadness (for example, one of the suttas says that &quot;skillful virtues&quot; leads to &quot;freedom from remorse&quot;, which leads to &quot;joy&quot;, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to say a bit about &quot;wisdom&quot;, how knowledge of the four noble truths might help with sadness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I am feel sad now: that's not surprising because things are well known to be unsatisfactory&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;If I feel sad that is because I am craving something&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;If I stop my ignorant craving then I will stop feeling sad&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary if I feel sad, then I recognize that I'm feeling sad; remember that sadness is associated with craving; wonder what craving is causing sadness; see that craving is or was ignorant (ignorant because it causes suffering); and intend for that craving to cease, and for the sadness which it originated to cease with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another fundamental of Buddhist wisdom is that things are impermanent. If you're not feeling sad, and suddenly you feel sad, then maybe soon you'll feel not sad again (the sadness being impermanent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for dealing with &quot;anger&quot;, the doctrine about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt; suggest that anger is related to aversion (&quot;I don't want that&quot;) which is again related to a type craving (&quot;I want that not to be&quot;); so anger too can be handled by non-craving ... or by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)#Opposite_wholesome_qualities&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;advesa&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I sometimes (hopefully briefly) feel angry there's a verse I like to remember &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot;&gt;from the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, I hope the above can be a useful introduction to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't mention karma. I suspect that karma may be more important in Hinduism than in Buddhism, because apparently (correct me if I'm wrong) Hindus believe that our current state is caused by past karma (which is why you might be wondering about actions in a past life), whereas Buddhism believes that karma is only one of the factors which affects our current state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what to tell you about your individual state. I'm not a doctor or a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For physical exercise I personally like bicycling more than jogging. I can cycle for hours (can't jog for hours), and find the exercise increases my breathing (more than walking does, e.g. because I try to cycle fast or up-hill) and it's relatively easy on my knees and hips etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer like this can't solve your problem (perhaps only you can solve your problem) but I hope you discover how to maintain equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T01:52:12.980" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T01:52:12.980" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9637" CreationDate="2015-06-18T06:48:34.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that you feel that you've been dealt with a raw deal in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accept who you are, what you've got and remind yourself the countless blessing you've got in this life and shun those negative thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start with the first blessing which is you are born human..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T06:48:34.763" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2015-06-18T12:17:28.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually it depends on the approach.You can practise the buddhism to attain nirvana without any such psychic power.There are two ways of mediation that is 1) Vipassana Meditation 2) Samatha Meditation&#xA;first one is what Lord Buddha specifically discovered and preached to attain the Nirvana (Practising this method alone will not gain such psychic powers it only helps to realized the nature of the world).&#xA;The second method which is also preached by Lord Buddha with some different ways even though the similar techniques were there even before Lord Buddha started preaching(e.g: in Hidunism).Actually this second way of meditation leads to different psychic powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5317" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T12:17:28.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2015-06-18T12:39:38.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess that the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ṛddhi (or iddhi)&lt;/a&gt; article is an overview of such powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that &quot;seeing the future&quot; is what's called &quot;Divine eye&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A quick search for &quot;Divine eye&quot; on accesstoinsight suggests it's used in the context of being able to see beings' kammic destination, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gradually there unfolded before his inner vision his experiences in many past births, even during many cosmic aeons; in the middle watch of the night he developed the &quot;divine eye&quot; by which he could see beings passing away and taking rebirth in accordance with their karma, their deeds; and in the last watch of the night he penetrated the deepest truths of existence, the most basic laws of reality, and thereby removed from his mind the subtlest veils of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A passage &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/knowledge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this one&lt;/a&gt; suggests it's not exactly about being able to see the future,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dibba-cakkhu: clairvoyance. You gain eyes on two levels. The outer level is called the mansa-cakkhu, the eye of the flesh, which enables you to look at human beings in the world, devas in the world. The eye of discernment allows you to examine the defilements of human beings: those with coarse defilements, those with thick defilements, those with faith in the Buddha's teachings, those with none, those who have the potential to be taught, those with no potential at all. You can consider them with your internal discernment. This is called pañña-cakkhu, the eye of discernment. In this way you have eyes on two levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This topic might be related too: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2762/254&quot;&gt;Predetermined future vs. Free will in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T12:39:38.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9651" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9666" CreationDate="2015-06-18T13:23:52.740" Score="5" ViewCount="449" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As this is my first posted question, I welcome input as to how to improve it. Many thanks in advance.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I have heard Mahayana practitioners discuss the concept of Bodhisatva as it varies from Theravadan teachings, it's spoken of as a mark &lt;em&gt;against&lt;/em&gt; Theravada. It's suggested that Theravada lacks compassion for others, and that the Bodhisatva ideal &quot;repairs&quot; this lack of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I consider this idea, I can't escape the feeling that the concept of a Bodhisatva (&quot;me&quot;) helping &quot;others&quot; seems contrary to the idea of anattā. The idea that I would focus on self-ness (either my own or that of another) seems like a mistaken view. Instead, when I think of suffering, I think that, &quot;there is suffering,&quot; not that &quot;I am suffering&quot; or &quot;they are suffering.&quot; As such, the Bodhisatva concept seems to guide my thinking away from what I believe is Buddha's teacing of correct understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to lack of compassion... my thinking is that the work I do in my practice is meant to reduce suffering. Not to reduce &lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt; suffering and ignore that of others, but to reduce suffering itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And so my question is this:&lt;/strong&gt; Am I understanding the pieces of this correctly? I realize some here adhere to different parts of this issue, and I appreciate feedback from both sides. Perhaps someone can explain how they think of the idea of &quot;no-self&quot; as it related to the Bodhisatva idea?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T21:47:09.903" Title="How does the idea of Bodhisatva in Mahayana mesh with anattā?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|anatman|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2015-06-18T13:25:21.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw treats this topic in &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/knowing_and_seeing_rev_ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, P. 190-196.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Sayadaw, follow the method given for discerning the past, making appropriate changes to see the future, including future lives. He says there are multiple methods and this is one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How You Discern the Past&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To discern the past, you begin by making an offering of either&#xA;  candles, flowers, or incense at a pagoda, or to a Buddha image. You&#xA;  should make a wish for the rebirth you desire, for example, to become&#xA;  a monk, nun, man, woman, or deva.&lt;p&gt;&#xA;    Afterwards, you should go and sit in&#xA;  meditation, develop concentration, and discern in turn internal and&#xA;  external mentality and materiality. This is neces- sary, because if&#xA;  you cannot discern external mentality and materiality, you will have&#xA;  great difficulty discern- ing past mentality and materiality. That is&#xA;  because the discernment of external mentality and materiality is&#xA;  similar to the discernment of past mentality and materiality. &lt;p&gt; Then you&#xA;  should discern the mentality and materiality that occurred at the time&#xA;  of making the offering at the pagoda or Buddha image, as if they were&#xA;  an external object. When doing this, an image of yourself at the time&#xA;  of offering appears. You should discern the four elements in that&#xA;  image. &lt;p&gt; When the image breaks into kalàpas, discern all 190 the types&#xA;  of materiality in the six doors, especially the fifty-four types in&#xA;  the heart-base. Then you will be able to discern the bhavaïga&#xA;  consciousnesses, and the mind- door thought-processes that that arise&#xA;  in-between. You should discern those mind-door thought-processes&#xA;  backwards and forwards, and find the defilement-round (kilesavañña)&#xA;  mind-door thought-process with twenty mental formations, and&#xA;  kamma-round (kammavañña) mind-door thought-process&#xA;  (manodvàra-vãthi) with thirty- four mental formations. &lt;p&gt; Let me&#xA;  illustrate with a practical example: the case of making an offering of&#xA;  candles, flowers, or incense to a Buddha image, and making a wish to&#xA;  be reborn to become a monk. &lt;p&gt; In this case, ignorance is to deludedly&#xA;  think that ‘a monk’ is an ultimate reality; craving is the desire and&#xA;  longing for life as a monk; and clinging is the attach- ment to life&#xA;  as a monk. These three, ignorance, craving, and clinging, are all&#xA;  found in the consciousness that makes up the round of defilements&#xA;  (kilesa-vañña). &lt;p&gt; If, instead of making a wish to be reborn to become&#xA;  a monk, you had made a wish to be reborn to become a woman, then the&#xA;  ignorance would be to deludedly think that ‘a woman’ is an ultimate&#xA;  reality; craving would be the desire and longing for life as a woman;&#xA;  and clinging the attachment to life as a woman. &lt;p&gt; In the examples,&#xA;  volitional formations (saïkhàra) are the wholesome intentions&#xA;  (kusala-cetanà) of the offering, and kamma is their force of kamma.&#xA;  Both are found in the consciousnesses that make up the kamma round of&#xA;  dependent-origination. &lt;p&gt; When you are thus able to discern the&#xA;  mentality and materiality of the defilement- and kamma-round of the&#xA;  recent past, you should go back to the more distant past time previous&#xA;  to the offering, and in the same way discern the mentality and&#xA;  materiality. Then go back a little further again, and repeat the&#xA;  process. In this way, you discern the mentality and materiality of one&#xA;  day ago, one week ago, one month ago, one year ago, two years ago,&#xA;  three years ago and so on. Eventually you will be able to discern&#xA;  right back to the mentality-materiality of the rebirth-linking&#xA;  consciousness (pañisandhi-citta) which arose at the conception of&#xA;  this life. &lt;p&gt; By looking for the causes of conception, you go back even&#xA;  further, and see either the mentality- materiality of the time near&#xA;  death in the previous life, or the object of the near-death&#xA;  impulsion-consciousness (maraõàsanna-javana-citta).&lt;p&gt; There are three&#xA;  possible objects for the near death impulsion: &lt;p&gt;&#xA;  1. Kamma; again having the thoughts that pro- duced a particular good or bad action in the past, for example, an offering.&lt;p&gt;&#xA;  2. Kamma sign (kamma-nimitta); for example, a pagoda, a monk, flowers, or an object offered.&lt;p&gt;&#xA;  3. Rebirth sign (gati-nimitta); the place where you will be reborn. For a human rebirth it is the future mother’s womb, and is usually red&#xA;  like a red carpet. &lt;p&gt; If you discern the mentality-materiality near&#xA;  death, you will also discern the object of the near death&#xA;  impulsion, be it kamma, kamma sign, or rebirth sign. This object&#xA;  appears because of the force of kamma which produced the&#xA;  rebirth-linking consciousness (pañisandhi-citta). When you discern&#xA;  this, you are able to discern also the volitional formations and kamma&#xA;  that produced the resultant aggre- gates of this life, and the&#xA;  preceding ignorance, craving, and clinging. After that, you should&#xA;  discern the other mental formations of that kamma- and&#xA;  defilement-round. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How You Discern the Future&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the power of this insight-knowledge has been de- veloped by&#xA;  discerning the causes and effects through those past lives, you can,&#xA;  in the same way, discern the causes and effects in future lives. The&#xA;  future you will see, and which may still change, is the result of both&#xA;  past and present causes, one of which is the medita- tion you are&#xA;  doing. To discern the future, you begin by discerning the present&#xA;  materiality-mentality, and then look into the future until the time of&#xA;  death in this life. Then either the kamma, kamma sign, or rebirth sign&#xA;  will appear, because of the force of a particular kamma you performed&#xA;  in this life. You will then be able to discern the rebirth-linking&#xA;  mentality-materiality to be produced in the future life. &lt;p&gt; You must&#xA;  discern as many lives into the future as it takes till ignorance&#xA;  ceases without remainder. This happens with the attainment of the&#xA;  arahant path(arahatta-magga), that is, your own attainment of&#xA;  ara- hantship. You should then continue discerning into the future,&#xA;  until you see that the five aggregates, mentality- materiality, cease&#xA;  without remainder, that is, at the end of the arahant life, at your&#xA;  own Parinibbàna. Thus you will have looked into the future, and seen&#xA;  the complete cessation of phenomena (dhamma). &lt;p&gt; Discerning the five&#xA;  aggregates of the past, present, and future, and also discerning their&#xA;  causal relation, is what I call the fifth method. Having completed the&#xA;  fifth method, you can now learn what is called the first method, the&#xA;  one taught by the Buddha. &lt;p&gt; The first method of discerning dependent-&#xA;  origination (pañiccasamuppàda) goes over three lives, and in forward&#xA;  order. It begins with the causes in the past life, that is, ignorance&#xA;  and volitional formations. They cause the results in the present life:&#xA;  the rebirth-linking consciousness, mentality-materiality, the six&#xA;  sense- bases, contact, and feeling. There are then the causes in this&#xA;  life, craving, clinging, and becoming, which cause the results of&#xA;  birth, ageing, death, and all forms of suffering in the future life. &lt;p&gt;&#xA;  You have to look for ignorance, craving and clinging in the defilement&#xA;  round, see how it causes the kamma round, and how the kammic force of&#xA;  the kamma round in turn causes the five aggregates of conception. &lt;p&gt; That&#xA;  concludes my brief explanation of how to discern dependent-origination&#xA;  according to the fifth and first methods. There are many more details&#xA;  which you can learn by practising with a proper teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The Buddha makes predictions about the future in the suttas and, in one case, if I recall correctly, takes action to prevent a disciple from having a bad rebirth; it is a female disciple who is a weaver or something if I am correct. If anyone knows what I am referring to, please do leave a comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T13:25:21.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2015-06-18T13:53:35.170" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Theravadian Buddhist tradition, I find it difficult to fathom the principle of accumulating 'Merit' or 'Punya kamma', as well as the popular practice of transferring 'merits' to one's departed loved ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like many other things in Buddhist practices and rituals, 'Punya kamma' also has the hallmark of a vestigial remnant of Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accumulation of merit has minimal input on purification of one's mind, which is the cornerstone of the Buddha-dhamma. There is mystic and a degree of 'lobha' when one collect merits hoping a better life, as practised and often preached today. Secondly, why make a case for one's relatives as there supposed to be 'No Self'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5323" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T14:25:28.790" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T14:25:28.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9651" CreationDate="2015-06-18T15:06:39.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One idea is that having a view-of-self is conducive to suffering (viewing a conditioned, impermanent and unsatisfactory thing as &quot;self&quot;), and therefore it's better to choose to develop a view of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to practice this view, is to view yourself as being like others (and others as being like yourself): because that avoids (or tries to avoid) putting undue emphasis on &quot;me&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a view like this (i.e &quot;treat others as yourself, with compassion&quot;) is common to many human cultures: see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Golden Rule&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;you&quot; wanted to attain liberation and you're eventually successful, don't you think it makes sense to help others do the same? If a bodhisattva is defined as one who has &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhicitta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhicitta&lt;/a&gt;, don't you find that's identical to the thought process of the Buddha soon after he attained his enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with little dust in their eyes [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the view of &quot;emptiness&quot; is to help you avoid clinging to the world: but it would be going too far, it would be untrue to say, &quot;there are no sentient beings in the world, who suffer and want enlightenment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T16:34:52.480" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T16:34:52.480" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9651" CreationDate="2015-06-18T15:39:10.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is related to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7986/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The anatta concept doesn't say that there is no self - it says &quot;not self&quot; as in &quot;all phenomena is not self&quot;. There is a self, but it is not permanent and is not independent from the inter-workings of the senses, sensation, perception, mind and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. a static image that is projected on the wall - it is a result of light projected onto a wall from a projector. If you dig deeper, you can explain how a projector works, how electronics and electricity works. The image does not exist permanently and independently from the wall or projector or electricity. But this does not mean that the image does not exist. Surely it exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, to quote &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7988/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, anatta relates to absolute truth, however, the self that exists relates to relative truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you have not yet attained Nirvana (Bodhisattvas included), suffering is still experienced, hence the self still persists and rebirth continues to take place. When you knock your head on the wall and say &quot;ouch&quot;, you know that you are still subject to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Kassapa asks the Buddha whether the suffering that one experiences, is caused by oneself, is caused by another, is caused both by oneself and another, is not caused by oneself or another but arises spontaneously, or it doesn't exist? The Buddha says that suffering exists, but it is not useful for us to speculate &quot;who&quot; ultimately caused it, from the perspective of absolute truth. If the self caused the suffering, then it is the eternalistic argument. If no one caused it, then it is the nihilistic argument. But instead, the Buddha taught Kassapa the middle path, which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is also not as easy as there is no self at all, or that there is definitely a self, and trying to link the effort to liberate oneself or other beings to one of these. Rather, the Buddha prefers us to ignore that part (&quot;&lt;em&gt;Don't say that, Kassapa&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) and focus on dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion by itself can be a contributor towards liberation from suffering according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nissaraniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's impossible, there is no way that — when compassion has been&#xA;  developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a&#xA;  grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an&#xA;  awareness-release — viciousness would still keep overpowering the&#xA;  mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from&#xA;  viciousness: compassion as an awareness-release.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think Theravada lacks compassion, as it teaches the practice of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;. But is it selfish to liberate oneself before trying to liberate others? Well, I think in Theravada there are the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; (which can last up to 7 births from the first stage), plus an Arahant can continue to teach, till parinibbana, so there is still plenty of chance for one to contribute towards the liberation of others, but not quite till the hells are empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T16:24:30.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9638" CreationDate="2015-06-18T17:23:38.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;but surely the why leads directly to the answer, no? common sense. my teacher once said this: all religions have a version of the same basic rules (don't kill, don't steal, don't become intoxicated, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;now why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it's because those activities cause turmoil and drama, which are obstacles to gaining clarity and equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;spiritual goals, like any goals, are reached more easily when you clear the path to them. the more barriers you have to climb, the longer it takes to reach your destination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;causing upset in your family creates an obstacle, both inner and outer. the ruminations and unhappy thoughts you will have from it will distract you from your purpose, and you family may also try to turn you from it because they too are unhappy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;better to spend the time cultivating patience and sensitivity to timing.  then, when the proper conditions arrive to become a monk without causing suffering to yourself and others, your path will be easier and more focused. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5065" LastEditorUserId="5065" LastEditDate="2015-06-18T17:31:39.163" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T17:31:39.163" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9660" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9674" CreationDate="2015-06-18T17:58:24.250" Score="3" ViewCount="902" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the tenets of the eight fold path is developing &lt;code&gt;right view&lt;/code&gt; which in my opinion can be subjective based on variables or factors such as your upbringing, exposure, experience and like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one develop &lt;code&gt;right views&lt;/code&gt; when there is a lack of information and knowledge and there is a constraint of time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively how does one maintain &lt;code&gt;right views&lt;/code&gt; when you may have some information and little knowledge and there is a constraint of time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:44:40.723" Title="How do you develop the right view with lack of information, knowledge and time?" Tags="|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9661" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9663" CreationDate="2015-06-18T18:03:52.407" Score="3" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the story of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;blind men and the elephant&lt;/a&gt; and each of the men had varying views of the elephant. Since none of them had the ability to have a complete view, they had differing &lt;code&gt;right views&lt;/code&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one develop &lt;code&gt;right view&lt;/code&gt; in the context of many views?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one determine &lt;code&gt;right views&lt;/code&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are examples of &lt;code&gt;right view&lt;/code&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:07:25.013" Title="How does one develop right view in the space of multiple views?" Tags="|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9651" CreationDate="2015-06-18T18:15:45.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to the first paragraph regarding selfishness of Theravada, I would say it's wrong view or misunderstanding from the Mahayana counter part as my explanations later would show.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to the second paragraph regarding compassion to oneself &amp;amp; others and difference between  &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9338/mahayana-and-non-dualism/9340#9340&quot;&gt;Mahayana and Theravada&lt;/a&gt; see my post there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way is seeing both ultimate &amp;amp; conventional reality and acting according to the reality of the situation, depending on personal characteristics. Acting according to just either one of realities is an extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When true compassion arises in one there is only concern for the relieving of suffering of the other, there isn't a sense of self that I'm doing this, but rather this needs to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for an accomplished person, an Anagami (whose sense of self is much reduced) and higher, there isn't a feeling of one doing it, nor is there a sense of achievement, but for lesser beings: feel-good to pride.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Theravadin Anagamis and above are true Bodhisattvas, but there's one caveat: most of those who chose the Theravadin path have concerns for me first others second, characteristics, make-up or tendencies. Those whose tendencies are others first and me second, are attracted to the Mahayana paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the suttas says, there are four types of persons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) One who does no good to himself or others. ( probably won't practice)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) One who does good for himself and not for others. ( will probably choose Theravada)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) One who does good for others but not for himself. ( Will probably choose Mahayana )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) One who does good for others and himself. ( Accomplished persons).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5154" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T21:34:47.963" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9661" CreationDate="2015-06-18T18:43:45.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one develop right view in the context of many views?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By asking yourself what is your goal? When you know what is your goal, what do you want, a view will be formed that will help you achieve that goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one determine right views?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are right views as many as there are beings in the universe. Each has it's own right view. Which view is right? It depends what your goal is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your goal is to experience the truth and become liberated from future deaths and births, there is only one right view to accomplish this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are examples of right view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your goal is liberation from future deaths and births, right view would be: to know the origin of suffering, to know the cessation to suffering and to know how to completely cease suffering within you. By having this right view ignorance would be removed, suffering would cease and you would be liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T18:43:45.570" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9664" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9671" CreationDate="2015-06-18T21:21:22.397" Score="4" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;Physics shows that what we percieve to be the unidirectional arrow of time is an illusion; that time doesn't necessary &quot;flow&quot; in any direction, and that the concepts of &lt;em&gt;past&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;present&lt;/em&gt; are ultimately meaningless. Is there any discussion of the nature of time as a concept in  Buddhist teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T10:36:43.650" Title="Does the Buddha speak of the nature of time, vis-à-vis &quot;past,&quot; &quot;future,&quot; and &quot;present?&quot;" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9661" CreationDate="2015-06-18T21:24:46.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ballanced skepticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot force yourself to believe in rebirth. You can only educate your mind not to grasp firmly to the view that there isn't. If you adopt a ballanced attitude, that considers the several options without being partial to any option, then I think it's close to the best possible attitude. The true right view, of believing in rebirth, non material worlds, the existence of arahats, and so on, can only arise when you verify it yourself, beyond doubt. Until then, it's all provisional. So don't grasp views, especially those that might become an obstacle to liberation. Because I believe this is actualy the main point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T21:24:46.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9651" CreationDate="2015-06-18T21:47:09.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lines between helping the self and helping others haven't always been very clear even to accomplished masters of either tradition,  for example, this is from Huang Po, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if you go through all the stages of a Bodhisattva's progress&#xA;  toward Buddhahood, one by one; when at last, in a single flash, you&#xA;  attain to full realization, you will only be realizing the&#xA;  Buddha-Nature which has been with you all the time; and by all the&#xA;  foregoing stages you will have added to it nothing at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dailyzen.com/journal/zen-teachings-of-huang-po&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is of course the position that the very idea of a Bodhisattva way of life isn't a purely Mahayana experiment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is a wide-spread belief, particularly in the West, that the&#xA;  ideal of the Theravada, which they conveniently identify with&#xA;  Hinayana, is to become an Arahant while that of the Mahayana is to&#xA;  become a Bodhisattva and finally to attain the state of a Buddha. It&#xA;  must be categorically stated that this is incorrect. This idea was&#xA;  spread by some early Orientalists at a time when Buddhist studies were&#xA;  beginning in the West, and the others who followed them accepted it&#xA;  without taking the trouble to go into the problem by examining the&#xA;  texts and living traditions in Buddhist countries. But the fact is&#xA;  that both the Theravada and the Mahayana unanimously accept the&#xA;  Bodhisattva ideal as the highest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha126.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one has gone beyond the idea of self in either case, where does the &lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; end and the &lt;em&gt;We&lt;/em&gt; begin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T21:47:09.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9660" CreationDate="2015-06-18T22:46:21.687" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right view is basically the knowledge/realisation of Four Nobel Truth, which is not subjective. Our current view about things we observe is subjective and we need to have the right effort to get to the right view. The main constraint is not the time, it's the priority I suppose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5325" LastActivityDate="2015-06-18T22:46:21.687" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9660" CreationDate="2015-06-19T03:53:00.447" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Seeing things as they are(ultimate reality) is right view. When practicing mindfulness any conceptual view is wrong view. When we have a foundation of virtue, we see things  as they are in the present moment, moment by moment, second by millisecond and along with concentration, that is the basic practice(mindfulness) we need to understand the difference between ultimate reality and conceptual reality.  A view can't fit into ultimate reality.  It would be great if you could get a teacher. One can actually get by with little theoretical knowledge, especially if they have a teacher. We all have a constraint on time, that's what we are trying to see deeply: Impermanence as well as dukkha and not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhante Yuttadhammo on right view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The first step towards enlightenment is right view, which simply means seeing reality from the proper paradigm. The theory, which holds perfectly in practice, is that if you are not looking at reality in the right way, you will never be able to approach the understanding of it. A physicalist paradigm is useless in practice - it gives rise to stress, depression, anger and immorality for the simple reason that it doesn't describe the first-hand experience of the mind that subscribes to it. An idealist paradigm (which says that reality is entirely mental) is equally useless, for similar reasons. An experientialist paradigm fits perfectly, by its very definition, with the reality it seeks to describe, focusing only on those phenomena as can be understood first-hand without postulating a physical or mental substratum. As a result, it can never fall prey to the dissociation from reality that plagues the other, more theoretical paradigms.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from his Bhante's blog here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2013/05/a-skeptic-guide-to-neuroscience.html?m=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/2013/05/a-skeptic-guide-to-neuroscience.html?m=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T16:06:24.497" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T16:06:24.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9634" CreationDate="2015-06-19T04:06:27.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Christ spoke in parables so it is difficult do say anything definite but it looks like it possibly could be  a mindfulness ritual to remember the teachings of Christ and the potential of Christ is inside everyone... like every one is a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T04:06:27.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9664" CreationDate="2015-06-19T04:24:50.770" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha definitely does talk about Past, Present and Future; but I guess your questions is mainly about, &quot;Do we have something called time?&quot; or &quot;What is time?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to Abidhamma, there is no &quot;Paramartha&quot; dhamma which we can relate to time: i.e. there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetasika&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt; and Nirvana, but no reference to time. One of the best explanations I've heard is that the impermanence (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt;) that we see is what we comprehend as time: i.e. the change that we see, is what we associate with time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if it's not very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5325" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T08:20:44.853" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T08:20:44.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9661" CreationDate="2015-06-19T05:51:29.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the point reffering to examples of right view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you fully reading the sutta &lt;em&gt;Apannaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this is just a piece of it as an example of right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Action &amp;amp; non-action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A. &amp;quot;There are some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans who hold this doctrine, hold this view: 'In acting or getting others to act, in mutilating or getting others to mutilate, in torturing or getting others to torture, in inflicting sorrow or in getting others to inflict sorrow, in tormenting or getting others to torment, in intimidating or getting others to intimidate, in taking life, taking what is not given, breaking into houses, plundering wealth, committing burglary, ambushing highways, committing adultery, speaking falsehood — one does no evil. If with a razor-edged disk one were to turn all the living beings on this earth to a single heap of flesh, a single pile of flesh, there would be no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go along the right bank of the Ganges, killing and getting others to kill, mutilating and getting others to mutilate, torturing and getting others to torture, there would be no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go along the left bank of the Ganges, giving and getting others to give, making sacrifices and getting others to make sacrifices, there would be no merit from that cause, no coming of merit. Through generosity, self-control, restraint, and truthful speech there is no merit from that cause, no coming of merit.'[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B. &amp;quot;Some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, speaking in direct opposition to those contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, say this: 'In acting or getting others to act, in mutilating or getting others to mutilate, in torturing or getting others to torture, in inflicting sorrow or in getting others to inflict sorrow, in tormenting or getting others to torment, in intimidating or getting others to intimidate, in taking life, taking what is not given, breaking into houses, plundering wealth, committing burglary, ambushing highways, committing adultery, speaking falsehood — one does evil. If with a razor-edged disk one were to turn all the living beings on this earth to a single heap of flesh, a single pile of flesh, there would be evil from that cause, there would be a coming of evil. If one were to go along the right bank of the Ganges, killing and getting others to kill, mutilating and getting others to mutilate, torturing and getting others to torture, there would be evil from that cause, there would be a coming of evil. If one were to go along the left bank of the Ganges, giving and getting others to give, making sacrifices and getting others to make sacrifices, there would be merit from that cause, there would be a coming of merit. Through generosity, self-control, restraint, and truthful speech there is merit from that cause, there is a coming of merit.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What do you think, householders? Don't these contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans speak in direct opposition to each other?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A1. &amp;quot;Now, householders, of those contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans who hold this doctrine, hold this view — 'In acting or getting others to act, in mutilating or getting others to mutilate, in torturing or getting others to torture... one does no evil... Through generosity, self-control, restraint, and truthful speech there is no merit from that cause, no coming of merit' — it can be expected that, shunning these three skillful activities — good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct — they will adopt &amp;amp; practice these three unskillful activities: bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct. Why is that? Because those venerable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans do not see, in unskillful activities, the drawbacks, the degradation, and the defilement; nor in skillful activities the rewards of renunciation, resembling cleansing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A2. &amp;quot;Because there actually is action, the view of one who thinks, 'There is no action' is his wrong view. Because there actually is action, when he is resolved that 'There is no action,' that is his wrong resolve. Because there actually is action, when he speaks the statement, 'There is no action,' that is his wrong speech. Because there actually is action, when he says that 'There is no action,' he makes himself an opponent to those arahants who teach action. Because there actually is action, when he persuades another that 'There is no action,' that is persuasion in what is not true Dhamma. And in that persuasion in what is not true Dhamma, he exalts himself and disparages others. Whatever good habituation he previously had is abandoned, while bad habituation is manifested. And this wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, opposition to the arahants, persuasion in what is not true Dhamma, exaltation of self, &amp;amp; disparagement of others: These many evil, unskillful activities come into play, in dependence on wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A3. &amp;quot;With regard to this, an observant person considers thus: 'If there is no action, then — with the breakup of the body, after death — this venerable person has made himself safe. But if there is action, then this venerable person — on the breakup of the body, after death — will reappear in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Even if we didn't speak of action, and there weren't the true statement of those venerable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, this venerable person is still criticized in the here-&amp;amp;-now by the observant as a person of bad habits &amp;amp; wrong view: one who holds to a doctrine of non-action.' If there really is action, then this venerable person has made a bad throw twice: in that he is criticized by the observant here-&amp;amp;-now; and in that — with the breakup of the body, after death — he will reappear in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Thus this safe-bet teaching, when poorly grasped &amp;amp; poorly adopted by him, covers (only) one side, and leaves behind the possibility of the skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T06:07:04.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9664" CreationDate="2015-06-19T09:03:45.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not the Buddha, but &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/akalika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;these dictionary entries&lt;/a&gt; define &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;kalika&lt;/em&gt;, and include these notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ñánavíra on Citta, see footnote: &quot;The notion of two successive 'moments', A and B, as akálika or non-temporal is a confusion. Either A and B are simultaneous (as e.g. viññána and námarúpa), in which case they are indeed akálika; or B follows A and they are successive (as e.g. the in-&amp;amp;-out-breaths), in which case they are kálika.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think this is sometimes the intended meaning in the Pali, sometimes not. When one speaks of the simultaneous arising of nama/rupa+consciousness the meaning is simultaneity; when one speaks of consciousness depending on nama/rupa or other cases of 'fruition' the use is without interval, immediately successive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is probably most useful here to go to the ultimate roots: a = no; ka = shit; li = line; ka = shit. The track of scat left by an animal. The hunter sees: This is the track a week old, this is only two days old, this is from yesterday, and here it is now, eating. That would point to the original meaning of the term to be closer to successive than to simultaneity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's describing two, or three, cases:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Immediate:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two events happen at the same time, or,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One event depends on (happens immediately after) the other&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Slow or delayed:&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One event succeeds (happens later, after) the other&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T10:36:43.650" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T10:36:43.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9660" CreationDate="2015-06-19T10:52:47.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, here is a short quote on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/rightView.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Right View&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Right view is placed first because right view is the eye that guides and directs all the other factors. In the practice of the path, we need the vision and understanding supplied by right views, in order to see the way to travel along the path. Then we need the other factors, conduct or practice, in order to bring us to our destination.&#xA;  Right view is placed at the begining of the path to show that before we can set foot on the actual practice, we need the understanding provided by right view, as our guide, our inner director, to show us where we are starting from, where we are heading, and what are the successive stages to be passed through in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Usually the Buddha defines right view as the understanding of the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the origin, its cessation and the way to its cessation. To follow the path right from the start we need a correct perspective on the human condition. We have to see that our lives are not fully satisfactory, that life is impermanent, that it is subject to suffering, and we have to understand that suffering is something that we have to penetrate by means of knowledge, something that we have to conquer, and not something we should escape from by pain removers, entertainment, distractions or dull forgetfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the deepest level we have to see that all things that make up our being, the five aggregates, are impermanent, constantly changing, and therefore cannot be held to as a basis for security or unchanging happiness. Then we have to see that the cause of Dukkha lies in our own mind. Nobody is imposing it on us. We cannot put the blame outside ourselves. It is through our own craving and clinging that we produce suffering and pain for ourselves. Then when we see that the cause of the Dukkha lies in our own mind, we understand that the key to liberation too lies in our own mind. That key is the overcoming of ignorance and craving by means of wisdom. Then, to enter the path, we need the confidence that by following the Noble Eightfold Path we can reach the goal, the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha defines right view as the understanding of the Four Noble Truths for a very improtant reason, namely, that he does not want his disciples to practice his teaching merely out of feelings of devotion. Rather, he wants them to follow the path on the basis of their own understanding. Their own insight into the nature of human life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As we'll see later, the path begins with an elementary level of right understanding. As the mind develops in the course of practice, the understanding will gradually deepen, expand and widen, and as it does so we come back again and again to right view.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a more in-depth quote on &lt;em&gt;&quot;Right View&quot;&lt;/em&gt; from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path -&#xA;The Way to the End of Suffering&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 13-15:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Right view provides the perspective for practice, right intention the sense of direction. But the two do not expire in this preparatory role. For when the mind has been refined by the training in moral discipline and concentration, it arrives at a superior right view and right intention, which now form the proper training in the higher wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right view is the forerunner of the entire path, the guide for all the other factors. It enables us to understand our starting point, our destination, and the successive landmarks to pass as practice advances. To attempt to engage in the practice without a foundation of right view is to risk getting lost in the futility of undirected movement. Doing so might be compared to wanting to drive someplace without consulting a roadmap or listening to the suggestions of an experienced driver. One might get into the car and start to drive, but rather than approaching closer to one’s destination, one is more likely to move farther away from it. To arrive at the desired place one has to have some idea of its general direction and of the roads leading to it. Analogous considerations apply to the practice of the path, which takes place in a framework of understanding established by right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The importance of right view can be gauged from the fact that our perspectives on the crucial issues of reality and value have a bearing that goes beyond mere theoretical convictions.&#xA;  They govern our attitudes, our actions, our whole orientation to existence. Our views might not be clearly formulated in our mind; we might have only a hazy conceptual grasp of our beliefs. But whether formulated or not, expressed or maintained in silence, these views have a far-reaching influence. They struc- ture our perceptions, order our values, crystallize into the idea- tional framework through which we interpret to ourselves the meaning of our being in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These views then condition action. They lie behind our choices and goals, and our efforts to turn these goals from ideals into actuality. The actions themselves might determine consequences, but the actions along with their consequences hinge on the views from which they spring. Since views imply an&#xA;  “ontological commitment,” a decision on the question of what is real and true, it follows that views divide into two classes, right views and wrong views. The former correspond to what is real, the latter deviate from the real and confirm the false in its place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These two different kinds of views, the Buddha teaches, lead to radically disparate lines of action, and thence to opposite results. If we hold a wrong view, even if that view is vague, it will lead us towards courses of action that eventuate in suffering. On the other hand, if we adopt a right view, that view will steer us towards right action, and thereby towards freedom from suffer- ing. Though our conceptual orientation towards the world might seem innocuous and inconsequential, when looked at closely it reveals itself to be the decisive determinant of our whole course of future development. The Buddha himself says that he sees no single factor so responsible for the arising of unwholesome states of mind as wrong view, and no factor so helpful for the arising of wholesome states of mind as right view. Again, he says that there is no single factor so responsible for the suffering of living beings as wrong view, and no factor so potent in promoting the good of living beings as right view (AN 1:16.2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In its fullest measure right view involves a correct understanding of the entire Dhamma or teaching of the Buddha, and thus its scope is equal to the range of the Dhamma itself. But for practical purposes two kinds of right view stand out as primary. One is mundane right view, right view which operates&#xA;  within the confines of the world. The other is supramundane right view, the superior right view which leads to liberation from the world. The first is concerned with the laws governing material and spiritual progress within the round of becoming, with the principles that lead to higher and lower states of exist- ence, to mundane happiness and suffering. The second is concerned with the principles essential to liberation. It does not aim merely at spiritual progress from life to life, but at emancipation from the cycle of recurring lives and deaths.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is a very detailed audio dhamma talk called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma10/bbodhi10.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. In here he talks about all the path factors and explains them. This is a very good talk that i highly recommend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T22:30:19.627" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T22:30:19.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9675" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9695" CreationDate="2015-06-19T13:12:28.970" Score="5" ViewCount="992" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original teachings of the Buddha as expressed in the satipatthana sutta, centres mainly in the development of an equanimity state of mind. Not driven by desire, greed or delusion. My question is what is the view of Buddhism (referring to the original teachings of the Buddha in particular) in terms of happiness and contentment not driven by the hindrances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5019" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T19:45:32.457" Title="Buddhism view regarding happiness and contentment" Tags="|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9676" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9681" CreationDate="2015-06-19T16:15:05.353" Score="5" ViewCount="702" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've often seen the question asked: &quot;How can we have metta for murderers, terrorists, criminals, etc.?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though there are many good answers to these questions, I've noticed that few of them tend to highlight the difference between 'having metta for something or someone', versus 'condoning, endorsing, or even simply tolerating their actions'. Most answers stress that the wicked be viewed as individuals, who -- if they were truly happy -- would not do such terrible things. Therefore, we should wish that they attain that very true happiness. But that doesn't seem to change the fact that by generating metta towards these people, I often feel as though I am passively accepting their terrible deeds, which caused tremendous suffering to others. Do not the wicked &quot;deserve&quot; suffering for the suffering they've caused? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we generate metta for the &quot;wicked&quot;, how do we thus distance ourselves from the horrible actions of our metta-recipients? How do we have unconditional loving-kindness for them without taking on their negative qualities and actions that make the metta so difficult to generate in the first-place? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T17:01:14.460" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T10:43:57.933" Title="'Metta' versus 'passive acceptance for the wicked'?" Tags="|meditation-metta|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9599" CreationDate="2015-06-19T17:07:29.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/abhiman.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. The quote is from the chapter: &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Process of Death and Rebirth&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 220-223:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§36 The Mind at the Time of Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereafter, attending to that object thus presented, the stream of consciousness in accordance with the kamma that is to be matured, whether pure or corrupted, and in conformity with the state into which one is to be reborn continually flows, inclining mostly towards that state. Or that rebirth productive kamma presents itself to a sense door in the way of renewing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guide to §36&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the way of renewing (abhinavakaraoavasena): that is, the kamma presenting itself does not appear as a memory image of something that was previously done, but it appears to the mind door as if it were being done at that very moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§37 Death and Rebirth-Linking&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To one who is on the verge of death, either at the end of a cogni- tive process or at the dissolution of the life-continuum, the death con- sciousness, the consummation of the present life, arises and ceases in the way of death.&#xA;  Immediately after that (death consciousness) has ceased, a rebirth-linking consciousness arises and is established in the subsequent existence, apprehending the object thus obtained, either supported by the heart-base or baseless, as is appropriate; it is generated by a volitional formation that is enveloped by latent ignorance and rooted in latent craving. That rebirth-linking consciousness, so called because it links together the two consecutive existences, is conjoined with its mental adjuncts, and acts as the forerunner to the conascent states as their locus (or foundation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guide to §37&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To one who is on the verge of death: The last cognitive process begins when the bhavanga is interrupted, vibrates for one moment, and is then arrested. Thereafter follows either a sense-door process taking as object some sense object presenting itself at one of the five sense doors or a bare mind-door process taking as object either some sense object or a mental object presenting itself at the mind door. Within this termi- nal process the javana phase, by reason of its weakness, runs for only five mind-moments rather than the usual seven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This process lacks original productive kammic potency, but acts rather as the channel for the past kamma that has assumed the rebirth-generative function. Following the javana stage two registration cittas (tad±rammaoa) may or may not fol- low. In some cases the bhavanga may follow the last process cittas. Then, as the very last citta, the death consciousness arises performing the func- tion of passing away from the present life. With the ceasing of the death consciousness, the life faculty is cut off. Then the body remains a mass of inanimate material phenomena born of temperature, and continues as such until the corpse is reduced to dust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Immediately after that has ceased&lt;/strong&gt;: Following the dissolution mo- ment of the death consciousness, there arises in a new existence the re- birth-linking consciousness apprehending the object thus obtained in the final javana process of the previous life. This citta is supported by the heart-base in realms which include matter, but is baseless in the imma- terial realms. It is generated by a volitional formation, i.e. the kamma of the previous javana process, which in turn is grounded in the twin roots of the round of existence, latent ignorance and latent craving. The rebirth consciousness is conjoined with its mental adjuncts, i.e. the cetasikas, which it serves as a forerunner not in the sense that it pre- cedes them, but in that it acts as their locus (or foundation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T22:28:27.443" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T22:28:27.443" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9676" CreationDate="2015-06-19T17:09:29.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hatred feelings spoils your mind, results in bad Karma, and this is despite it's being towards someone who has done something bad. Metta is for your mind and for your benifit. Fellings you get justifying being Hatred towards someone who has done something bad is refefferd as &quot;Wanchaka Dhamma&quot;, basically meaning deceiving thoughts. Makes your belive your are doing the right thing. It's quite subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5325" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T17:09:29.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9676" CreationDate="2015-06-19T17:33:01.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you think beyond this very lifetime, to the endless rounds of lifetimes, with the endless rounds of suffering through samsara amidst our greed, hatred, and delusions, it becomes a little easier to view &lt;strong&gt;everyone&lt;/strong&gt; with one of the other &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;brahmavihāras&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that when someone kills another, the person they killed had killed them in a previous life. It's hard to imagine how many times we've lived and all the effects of our kamma we are burning off and will continue to burn off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not to sympathize with evil actions. Evil actions continue this cycle of suffering. Those who continue to do evil actions just add to their own kammic burden; while those who are on the receiving end of evil actions may have finally burned off some of their own kammic burden. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evil is to be avoided. When people don't understand this and they engage in evil, they should be viewed with pity. It's very sad really. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Viewing everyone involved in a tragic incident with both Karuṇā and with Mettā can help your own mind state to recover from the shock of evil (and the greed, hatred, and delusion behind it) that we experience in samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T17:33:01.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9676" CreationDate="2015-06-19T17:43:58.123" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your question contains an implication that one practicing metta will be inclined to do nothing for the person they feel friendly towards. This is not the case at all. A person with metta is inclined towards the benefit of others:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For among these, loving-kindness is the way to purity for one who has&#xA;  much ill will, compassion is that for one who has much cruelty, gladness is that&#xA;  for one who has much aversion (boredom), and equanimity is that for one who&#xA;  has much greed. Also attention given to beings is only fourfold, that is to say, as&#xA;  bringing welfare, as removing suffering, as being glad at their success, and as&#xA;  unconcern, [that is to say, impartial neutrality]. And one abiding in the&#xA;  measureless states should practice loving-kindness and the rest like a mother&#xA;  with four sons, namely, a child, an invalid, one in the flush of youth, and one&#xA;  busy with his own affairs; for she wants the child to grow up, wants the invalid&#xA;  to get well, wants the one in the flush of youth to enjoy for long the benefits of&#xA;  youth, and is not at all bothered about the one who is busy with his own affairs.&#xA;  That is why the measureless states are only four as “due to paths to purity and&#xA;  other sets of four.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One who wants to develop these four should practice them towards beings&#xA;  first as the promotion of the aspect of welfare—and loving-kindness has the&#xA;  promotion of the aspect of welfare as its characteristic;&lt;/strong&gt; and next, on seeing or&#xA;  hearing or judging that beings whose welfare has been thus wished for are at&#xA;  the mercy of suffering, they should be practiced as the promotion of the aspect of&#xA;  the removal of suffering—and compassion has the promotion of the aspect of&#xA;  the removal of suffering as its characteristic; and then, on seeing the success of&#xA;  those whose welfare has been wished for and the removal of whose suffering&#xA;  has been wished for, they should be practiced as being glad—and gladness has&#xA;  the act of gladdening as its characteristic; but after that there is nothing to be&#xA;  done and so they should be practiced as the neutral aspect, in other words, the&#xA;  state of an onlooker—and equanimity has the promotion of the aspect of&#xA;  neutrality as its characteristic; therefore, since their respective aims are the aspect&#xA;  of welfare, etc., their order should be understood to correspond, with loving-&#xA;  kindness stated first, then compassion, gladness and equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism IX.108-9 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly a person with a mind of metta is more likely to work to help those most in need; not just to end the suffering of victims, but to end the evil of perpetrators that is the cause of suffering for both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do not the wicked &quot;deserve&quot; suffering for the suffering they've caused?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly, this seems reasonable, but does not relate to one's own state of mind. Anger is still evil even when it is based on true assessment of the situation; two wrongs don't make a right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When we generate metta for the &quot;wicked&quot;, how do we thus distance ourselves from the horrible actions of our metta-recipients?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do it by beginning with lovable beings, then slowly working our way up to neutral, then finally hostile individuals. Any time we find our state of friendliness slipping, we revert back to an easier object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If resentment arises in him when he applies his mind to a hostile person&#xA;  because he remembers wrongs done by that person, he should get rid of the&#xA;  resentment by entering repeatedly into loving-kindness [jhāna] towards any of&#xA;  the first-mentioned persons and then, after he has emerged each time, directing&#xA;  loving-kindness towards that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Vism IX.14 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is much more detailed info on dealing with anger in chapter nine of the Visuddhimagga, along with quotes from the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any concept of &quot;condemnation with metta&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are under the impression that metta is a mind state to be dwelt in constantly. Buddhism doesn't espouse such a view; constant attention to metta will lead to rebirth in the brahma realms, not enlightenment. No, it is not possible to condemn someone while absorbed in the practice of metta meditation, but it is possible for a person free from anger, who often practices metta, to do so. Metta may in fact lead someone to condemn others, thinking that the condemnation will help them overcome their evil deeds, or help keep others from falling prey to their evil deeds (which would probably be karuna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Then Sunakkhatta came to me, saluted me, and sat down to one side. I said to him: “You foolish man, do you claim to be a follower of the Sakyan?” “Lord, what do you mean by this question?” “Sunakkhatta, did you not go to see Kaḷāramuṭṭhaka and ask him a question he could not answer, and did he not thereupon show signs of anger, rage and petulance? And did you not think: ‘I might cause this real Arahant ascetic offence. I don’t want anything to happen that would be to my lasting harm and misfortune’?” “I did, Lord. Does the Blessed Lord begrudge others their Arahantship?” “I do not begrudge others their Arahantship, &lt;strong&gt;you foolish man. It is only in you that this evil view has arisen. Cast it aside lest it should be to your harm and sorrow for a long time!&lt;/strong&gt; This naked ascetic Kaḷāramuṭṭhaka, whom you regard as a true Arahant, will before long be living clothed and married, subsisting on boiled rice and sour milk. He will go beyond all the shrines of Vesālī, and will die having entirely lost his reputation.” And indeed all this came about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- DN 24 (Walshe, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T20:54:29.883" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T20:54:29.883" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9675" CreationDate="2015-06-19T17:52:09.530" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sort of happiness is certainly recognized by the Buddha; it is encouraged in many places as being conducive to concentration, e.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.“I thought: ‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states?’ I thought: ‘I am not afraid of that pleasure since it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 36 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In final analysis, however, it must be discarded as useless - unstable, unsatisfying and uncontrollable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) “And what, bhikkhus, is the gratification in the case of feelings? Here, bhikkhus, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. On such an occasion he does not choose for his own affliction, or for another’s affliction, or for the affliction of both. On that occasion he feels only feeling that is free from affliction. The highest gratification in the case of feelings is freedom from affliction, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;33–35.“Again, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…With the fading away as well of rapture…he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…With the abandoning of pleasure and pain he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna…On such an occasion he does not choose for his own affliction, or for another’s affliction, or for the affliction of both. On that occasion he feels only feeling that is free from affliction. The highest gratification in the case of feelings is freedom from affliction, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;36.(ii) &lt;strong&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the danger in the case of feelings? Feelings are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change. This is the danger in the case of feelings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;37.(iii) “And what, bhikkhus, is the escape in the case of feelings? It is the removal of desire and lust, the abandonment of desire and lust for feelings. This is the escape in the case of feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 13 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T17:52:09.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9676" CreationDate="2015-06-19T18:18:49.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When practicing metta on anyone we can focus on what is good in the person. If nothing good can be found then maybe compassion would work. When we cause suffering, we suffer ourselves and we can be compassionate to those that suffer by causing suffering. Compassion is a good replacement for any anger we might have for &quot;the wicked&quot;. Ultimately we practice metta for ourselves and not so much for the other person because when we help others, we help ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-19T18:23:53.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T18:23:53.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9638" CreationDate="2015-06-19T18:31:40.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The commentary to this rule has some interesting discussion, including an answer to your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;mātāpitaro matā, dārako cūḷamātādīnaṃ santike saṃvaddho, tasmiṃ pabbājiyamāne ñātakā kalahaṃ vā karonti, khiyyanti vā, tasmā vivādupacchedanatthaṃ āpucchitvāva pabbājetabbo. anāpucchā pabbājentassa pana āpatti natthi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case where one's mother and father are dead, a child brought up in the home of a &amp;quot;little-mother&amp;quot; (step-mother? aunt?) etc., when causing them to go forth their relatives make a quarrel or feel dejected, therefore, for the purpose of cutting off dispute, should also be made to go forth after asking leave. But in the case of causing them to go forth without asking leave, there is no offence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- mahāvagga-aṭṭhakathā, 1. mahākhandhakaṃ, rāhulavatthukathā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary then says something that is not quite clear to me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;putto attānaṃ nissāya jīvati, na mātāpitaro. sacepi rājā hoti, āpucchitvāva pabbājetabbo.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A son lives in dependence on himself, not on his mother or father. If he is a king, he should be made to go forth without having asked leave at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think these two sentences are meant to go together, and the period is a modern error, but it doesn't then say what a non-king should do in this instance. I don't see this as an issue, since clearly the previous statement still stands - &lt;strong&gt;without parents, asking permission is simply a courtesy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bonus&lt;/strong&gt; - the commentary also contains the following edification:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;eko mātāpitūhi saddhiṃ bhaṇḍitvā “pabbājetha man”ti āgacchati, “āpucchitvā ehī”ti ca vutto “nāhaṃ gacchāmi, sace maṃ na pabbājetha, vihāraṃ vā jhāpemi, satthena vā tumhe paharāmi, tumhākaṃ ñātakaupaṭṭhākānaṃ vā ārāmacchedanādīhi anatthaṃ uppādemi, rukkhā vā patitvā marāmi, coramajjhaṃ vā pavisāmi, desantaraṃ vā gacchāmī”ti vadati, taṃ jīvasseva rakkhaṇatthāya pabbājetuṃ vaṭṭati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One, having quarrelled with their mother and father, comes saying &amp;quot;cause me to go forth.&amp;quot; And when told, &amp;quot;having asked leave, come,&amp;quot; says, &amp;quot;I will not go. If you do not cause me to go forth, I will set the vihara on fire, or I will beat you with a stick, or I will bring about some unbeneficial thing like destroying the homes of your relatives and supporters, or I will fall from a tree and die, or enter into the midst of thieves, or go to the borderlands,&amp;quot; it is proper, for the sole purpose of protecting life, to cause him to go forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Ibid&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T20:56:08.763" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9599" CreationDate="2015-06-19T19:00:25.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How could a vipāka (resultant-consciousness) &quot;move&quot; from cuti-citta (dying-consciousness) to the patisandhi-citta (rebirth-consciousness) of a being not yet existing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness permeates everything. Consciousness is eternal bliss. If consciousness does not know that it is eternal bliss, that consciousness (unknowingly) arises a desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When consciousness arises a desire, eternal bliss becomes tainted with desire. When eternal bliss becomes tainted with desire, consciousness comes into existence. When consciousness comes into existence, birth of a being arises. When birth of a being arises, senses of that being arise. When senses of that being arise, feeling and contact arise. When feeling and contact arise, memory arise. When memory arise, knowledge arise. When knowledge arise, new desires arise. When new desires arise, eternal bliss becomes more and more tainted with desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more eternal bliss becomes tainted with desires, the more that consciousness craves for existence. The more a consciousness craves for existence, the more that consciousness is afraid of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more a consciousness is afraid of death, the more it clings on life. The more that consciousness clings on life, the more that consciousness arises new desires. The more that consciousness arises new desires, the more that consciousness suffers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the wheel starts spinning, it spins faster and faster after every spin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When consciousness is born for the 1st time, the wheel is almost motionless. Suffering is almost non existent. Knowledge is almost non existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When consciousness is born for the 1000000th time, the wheel spins a little faster. Suffering is very low. Knowledge is very low. A cell is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When consciousness is born for the 100000000000th time, the wheel spins a little faster. Suffering is low. Knowledge is low. A plant is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is high. Knowledge is higher. A bee is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is very high. Knowledge is a little higher. A lion is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is high but is becoming lower. Knowledge is even higher. A chimpanzee is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is high but is lowering even more. Knowledge is even higher. A dolphin is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is neither high and neither low. Knowledge is high. A human is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is low. Knowledge is very high. A deva is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suffering is 0. Knowledge is perfect. Nothing is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T19:00:25.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-06-19T21:54:17.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that Physics confirms some of the Buddha's teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how much value one should put into the phrase &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;confirming&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. That is because science is limited and that most of what we know is theories that change when new evidence is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have divided the answer into 2 parts. First part is about the &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;limitation-aspect&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; of modern science. The second part is about how science could confirm/back up some of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What Buddhists Believe&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda. The quote is from the chapter: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Limitations of Science&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 363-364:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Limitations of Science&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often one hears so much about science and what it can do, and so little about what it cannot do. Scientific knowledge is limited to the data received through the sense organs. It does not recognise reality which transcends sense-data. Scientific truth is built upon logical observations of sense data which are continually changing. Scientific truth is, therefore, relative truth not intended to stand the test of time. A scientist, being aware of this fact, is always willing to discard a theory if it can be replaced by a better one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science attempts to understand the outer world and has barely scratched the surface of humanity’s inner world. Even the science of psychology has not really fathomed the underlying cause of human mental unrest. When a person is frustrated and disgusted with life, and the inner world of this person is filled with disturbances and unrest, science today is very much ill-equipped to help him or her. The social sciences which cater for human environment may bring a certain degree of happiness. But unlike animals, humans require more than mere physical comfort andneed help to cope with their frustrations and miseries arising from their daily experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today so many people are plagued with fear, restlessness, and insecurity. Yet science fails to help them. Science is unable to teach the people to control their minds when they are driven by the animal nature that burns within themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can science make human beings morally better? If it can, why do violent acts and immoral practices increase in countries which are so advanced in science? Isn’t it fair to say that despite all the scientific progress achieved and the advantages conferred on humans, science leaves their inner selves unchanged: it has only heightened their feelings of dependence and insufficiency? In addition to its failure to bring security and confidence to mankind, science has also made everyone feel even more insecure by threatening the world with the possibility of mass destruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science is unable to provide a meaningful purpose of life. It cannot provide humanity with clear reasons for living. In fact, science is thoroughly secular in nature and unconcerned with their spiritual goal. The materialism inherent in scientific thought denies the psyche goals higher than material satisfaction. By its selective theorizing and relative truths, science disregards some of the most essential issues and leaves many questions unanswered. For instance, when asked why great inequalities exist among people, no scientific explanation can be given to such questions which are beyond its narrow confines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Buddha was sitting at the Ganges River with his monks. Then a piece of foam came floating down the river and the Buddha said, you see o'monks that piece of foam. The monks said yes we see Ven. Sir. The Buddha then said that &lt;em&gt;materiality&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the 1st aggregate of form is like that piece of foam. From a distance that foam looks solid. It looks like it has a structure. But when one inspects that foam closely one will come too see that it is hollow and empty of any structure. - Chris W. provided us with the text-reference &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.95: Phena Sutta: Foam&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern science have figured out that physical matter is almost empty space. It's like 99,9% is empty space and the rest is physical matter. But even that physical matter that looks so solid is also devoid of structure and solidity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one examines that matter in a powerful microscope one will come to see atoms. When examining those atoms one will come to see that they too are made up of smaller parts such protons, neutrons and electrons. When examining those parts one sees that they are made up of even smaller parts such as quarks. Science believes that quarks also have substructures but does not yet have the technology to confirm that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With quantum mechanics they have now gone a level deeper. All this have now turned out to be a cloud of probability meaning that an electron can be multiple places at once and that it &amp;quot;chooses&amp;quot; its location only when its measured by an external observer. For more information on that see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Double-slit_experiment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Double-Slit Experiment&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important thing to add to the need for an external observer is that without an observer there cannot be a universe existing outside the awareness of that observer, meaning that it makes no sense to talk about non-conscious experience. If there is no observer to consciously observe a phenomena then that becomes imagination. Imagination belongs to conventional reality which is based on concepts and has nothing to do with the true nature of reality, i.e. Ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These things could be understood to confirm or back up what the Buddha knew and taught 2500 years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T22:50:31.960" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9687" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-19T22:30:33.087" Score="7" ViewCount="588" Body="&lt;p&gt;A theravada monk would like to stay in my house for one night. I live with my parents, but  we don't have special room for guest. Should I suggest him to stay in monastery near my house?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T16:44:43.537" Title="Are theravada monks allowed to stay in lay people's house?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7440" CreationDate="2015-06-19T23:23:55.583" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda. The quote is from the chapter: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Fortune-Telling and Charms&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 422-424:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;ALTHOUGH Buddhism does not refute belief in deities, spirits, astrology and fortune-telling, the Buddha’s advice was that people should not be slaves to any of those forces. A good Buddhist can overcome all difficulties by knowing how to make use of intelligence and will-power. The above mentioned beliefs have no spiritual significance or value. A person must overcome all problems and difficulties by his or her own efforts and not through the medium of deities, spirits, astrology or fortune-telling. In one of the Buddhist JATAKA stories, the Bodhisatta said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘The fool may watch for lucky days, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet luck he shall always miss,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The luck itself is luck’s own star, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What can mere stars achieve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He believed that hard work was the luckiest star and one should not waste time by consulting stars and lucky days in order to achieve success. To do your best to help yourself is better than to rely solely on the stars or external sources.&#xA;  Although some Buddhists practise fortune-telling and dispense some forms of charms or amulets under the guise of religion, the Buddha at no time encouraged anyone to practise such things. Like fortune-telling, charms come under the category of superstition, and have no religious value. Yet there are many people today who, because of sickness and misfortunes attribute the cause of their illness and ill-luck to the power of charms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the cause of certain sicknesses and misfortunes cannot be ascertained or traced, many people tend to believe that their problems are due to charms or some other external causes. They have forgotten that they are now living in the twentieth century. This is the modern age of scientific development and achievement. Our leading scientists have thrown aside many superstitious beliefs and they have even placed men on the moon! And no matter how strongly traditionalist religions object, the first human clone is almost at our doorstep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All sicknesses owe their origin to either mental or physical causes. In Shakespeare, Macbeth asked a doctor if there was any medicine that could cure his wife and the doctor replied: ‘More needs she the divine than the physician.’ What he meant was that some diseases can only be cured if the mind is strong enough to face facts in life. Some severe mental disorders manifest themselves in a physical manner as in the case of ulcers, stomach aches, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of course certain diseases are purely physical and can be cured by a competent doctor. And finally, some inexplicable disorders could be caused by what Buddhists call the ripening of the karmic fruit. This means we have to pay for some evil deed that we had committed in a past life. If we can understand this in the case of some incurable diseases, we can bear it with greater patience, knowing its real cause. This is not fatalism: we must still make all reasonable efforts to find a cure. But we do not expend unnecessary energy feeling sorry for ourselves. This is what we would call a realistic attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People who cannot be cured of their sickness are advised to consult a medical specialist and obtain specialised attention. If after having gone through a medical check-up, a person still feels he or she is in need of attention, then he or she may want to seek spiritual guidance from a proper religious teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhists are strongly advised against falling into the miserable pit of superstitious beliefs and allowing the mind to be troubled by unnecessary and unfounded fears. Cultivate strong will-power by refusing to believe in the influence of charms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A short meditation course may also prove very helpful to clear the mind of unwholesome thoughts. Meditation leads to strengthen the mental energy. A developed mind automatically leads to a purified and healthy body. The Buddha-Dharma is a soothing balm to get rid of sickness of this nature.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-19T23:23:55.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9675" CreationDate="2015-06-20T01:40:55.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A comparison of sensual pleasures with other forms of happiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] The pleasure and joy arising dependent on these five strands of sense desire, that is called sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, if someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure and joy that can be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime. And what is this pleasure? Here, quite secluded from sensual desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana), which is accompanied by thought conception and discursive thinking and has in it joy and pleasure born of seclusion. This is the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that (sense) pleasure and is more sublime.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure that can be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime. And what is that pleasure? Here, with the stilling of thought conception and discursive thinking... a monk enters upon and abides in the second meditative absorption... in the sphere of the infinity of space... of the infinity of consciousness... of no-thingness... of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. [...] the cessation of perception and feeling. [...] This is the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It may happen, Ananda, that Wanderers of other sects will be saying this: 'The recluse Gotama speaks of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling and describes it as pleasure. What is this (pleasure) and how is this (a pleasure)?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who say so, should be told: 'The Blessed One describes as pleasure not only the feeling of pleasure. But a Tathagata describes as pleasure whenever and whereinsoever it is obtained.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.019.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcakanga Sutta, SN 36.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another exposition, the Buddha distinguishes between worldly joys and unworldly joys. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly joy? There are these five cords of sense desire [...]. It is the joy that arises dependent on these five cords of sense desire which is called 'worldly joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what is unworldly joy? Quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and abides in the first meditative absorption [...]. This is called 'unworldly joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niramisa Sutta: Unworldly, SN 36.31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be seen in the suttas that, in general, happiness, joy, contentment (or, specifically, the wholesome kinds) are at the very heart of the teachings, where nibbāna is declared to be the foremost happiness. On that note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, it is impossible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be suffering will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching]. [...] [But] it is possible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be hapiness will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi Trans.], AN 6:101&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as @yuttadhammo explained in his &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9682/382&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;, in the context of samatha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is directed to some satisfactory image, happiness is born. From this happiness, joy is then born. With a joyful mind, the body relaxes. A relaxed body feels content, and the mind of one content becomes concentrated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.010.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We also see qualities like rapture (&lt;em&gt;piti&lt;/em&gt;) in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;seven factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. Finally, in a dependent arising formulation of the path (see Ven. Bodhi's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;exposition on this particular sutta&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Emancipation &amp;lt;- Dispassion &amp;lt;- Disenchantment &amp;lt;- Knowledge-and-vision-of-things-as-they-are &amp;lt;- Concentration &amp;lt;- &lt;strong&gt;Happiness (Sukha)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;lt;- Tranquillity &amp;lt;- &lt;strong&gt;Rapture (Pīti)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;lt;- &lt;strong&gt;Joy (Pāmujja)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;lt;- Faith &amp;lt;- Suffering &amp;lt;- Birth &amp;lt;- Existence &amp;lt;- Clinging &amp;lt;- Craving &amp;lt;- Feeling &amp;lt;- Contact &amp;lt;- the Six Sense-Bases &amp;lt;- Name-and-Form &amp;lt;- Consciousness &amp;lt;- (kamma-) formations &amp;lt;- Ignorance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta, SN 12.23 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T16:20:47.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9690" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9692" CreationDate="2015-06-20T08:21:49.050" Score="4" ViewCount="1501" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does listening to Buddhist chants such the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz59yKyxNuU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wisdom Sutra&lt;/a&gt; bring any benefit when working, meditating or other activities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T15:43:13.107" Title="What effects do Buddhist chants have?" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9691" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9696" CreationDate="2015-06-20T08:24:52.920" Score="2" ViewCount="365" Body="&lt;p&gt;Often in conversation or interaction, one may have preconceived ideas, assumptions or notions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, since humans are creatures of habit and over time, one may have recognized a pattern of behaviour with a particular group of people or person, how does the practice of Buddhism approach this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:28:18.977" Title="How does the practice of Buddhism look at preconceived ideas, assumptions or notions?" Tags="|relationship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9690" CreationDate="2015-06-20T10:13:27.390" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Chanting&lt;/em&gt;. In here it's told why Buddhists chant and the benefits of it. The quote is from an article named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma2/chanting.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;The Practice of Chanting in Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Dhammasami:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Chanting is very common to any religion. Buddhism is no exception in this regard. However, the aim and purpose of chanting is different from one religion to another. Buddhism is unique in that it does not consider chanting to be prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha in many ways has shown us to have confidence in our own action and its results, and thereby encouraged us to depend on no one but ourselves. This in fact is the sum and substance of His last message in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. One of the passages in this discourse reads: &amp;quot;Ananda, be dependent on yourself, take refuge in yourself and not in others, by this mean be dependent on the Dhamma, go for refuge to the Dhamma -- the righteous principles&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a Buddhist does chanting, he is not asking some one to save him from evil nor is he hoping to be given a place in heaven as a result after he dies. Instead, through chanting he may be learning, teaching, philosophising or re-memorising the discourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, in the Anguttara Nikaya there are some discourses dealing with chanting like Dhammavihari Sutta. It mentions five categories of people who make use of the discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one studies it just for the sake of study without putting it into practice or explaining it to others. He even does not reflect deeply on what he has studied. He is known as 'Pariyatti-bahulo' who is keen on studying it alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second one preaches or teaches what he has learnt from the discourses but does not follow it himself. He is 'Pannyatti-bahulo' who is keen only on teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third one does chanting. He philosophises about the discourses, trying all the time to satisfy his philosophical thirst. He forgets to make use of as mode or life. He is called 'Vitakka-bahulo' who is eager only to indulge in philosophical aspects of the Suttas (Discourses).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth one is the one who chants the discourses to make them last for a long time in his memory. He memorises and re-memorises. Nevertheless, he does not go further to follow it in daily life. He is 'Sajjhayaka-bahulo' who is enthusiastic only in memorising or chanting the teachings of the Buddha, He may even expect some magical power from chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fifth and last one is who studies the discourses, teaches them to others, reflects on their philosophical points, chants them regularly and above all actually practices it in daily life. He is the one the Buddha praises to be 'Dhammavihari' -- a practitioner of the Dhamma, which he has learnt from the discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having reflected on this Sutta, it is left to us to judge ourselves to which category we belong and why we study or chant the discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to dwell a bit more on chanting in general. This is, after all, an All-night Chanting ceremony. It is nothing but right for us to be fully convinced of what we are doing. Initially I did mention that Buddhism is unique because it does not consider chanting to be a form of prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then why do we, Buddhists, chant?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the olden days, before there were sufficient support materials for study like books, translations and computers we had to memorise to learn a discourse. After we had learnt it, we still had to chant regularly to protect it and hand it down to future generations. If we did not recite it daily we might forget it and omit some part of it. The Anguttara Nikaya says that if the discourses are poorly maintained this will lead to the disappearance of the Sasana. It was so important those days to memorise and chant it regularly. This must have definitely contributed in developing chanting practice. Chanting meant almost for the survival of the Dhamma itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we have sufficient support materials, why we should then be still chanting? Is there any more reason to do this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some reasons sufficient to continue chanting practice. Regular chanting gives us confidence, joy and satisfaction, and increases devotion within us. This devotion is really a power. It is called the Power of Devotion (Saddhabala). It energises our life in general. I do not know about the others. For me I often have a joyous feeling when the chanting goes right. I become more confident of myself. I see it as a part of developing devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist monastic education tradition, chanting and learning by heart still forms a part of it. We study some of the Theravada Abhidhamma texts -- the highest teachings of the Buddha which deal with the ultimate nature of things -- in that way in Burma. We are explained the meaning and how the logic develops in the Abhidhamma. In the night we try to chant without having learnt it by heart. We could do it because of the technique. It is known as evening-class (nya-war) over there. It means a certain technique of studying the Abhidhamma and some of the Suttas. It is very helpful as it helps you to reflect very quickly&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-chant.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lastly, here is a website where you can listen to different Buddhist chantings e.g. &lt;em&gt;Chinese Pureland and Pali Devotional Chanting&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T10:24:18.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9687" CreationDate="2015-06-20T11:51:25.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;He would be committing an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#staying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;offence&lt;/a&gt;, if he spends the night under the same roof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a bhikkhu sleeps in a place where there is a surrounding wall and&#xA;under the same roof with a woman, even for one night, it is [an&#xA;offence of Confession.]&amp;quot; (Paac. 6; Nv p.14)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;A monk who lies down with a female in the same building under the&#xA;same roof and within walls, which are complete or almost complete,&#xA;commits [a Confession Offence.]&amp;quot; (Paac. 6; BBC p.120)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Lying down at the same time in the same lodging with a woman is [an&#xA;offence of Confession.]&amp;quot; (Paac. 6; BMC p.280)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've encountered this situation last year when venerable Yuttadhammo visited Sri Lanka. A wealthy lay family asked me through a mutual friend to arrange his accommodation at their house. But I had to refuse as it wasn't proper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T11:59:19.293" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9687" CreationDate="2015-06-20T12:34:55.467" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sankha's answer is technically right from an orthodox point of view, but may not be a correct interpretation of the texts. The word the Buddha used is &quot;sahaseyya&quot;, which means &quot;sharing a place to sleep&quot;, so the rules quoted about roofs and walls are not literal translations, they are extrapolations based on the commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The origin story is what makes me think this rule should be considered less strict; in it, Anuruddha goes to stay in a rest house (&lt;em&gt;āvasathāgāra&lt;/em&gt;) and is invited by the owner to sleep in a &quot;bed that is within&quot; (&lt;em&gt;mañcakaṃ abbhantaraṃ&lt;/em&gt;). Now, I understand that the commentary gets into an explanation of how even a seven-story palace is considered &quot;sahaseyya&quot;, but following the story, it seems likely that the point is not to stay in the same bedroom as the woman. The room where Anuruddha stayed, by the language used, seems to have been an inner room in the rest house that belonged to the owner herself; when he spent the night with her there (teaching her the dhamma, no less), he caused controversy, and instigated the rule - though it seems clear he never laid down, which would be necessary to break the rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Anuruddha had stayed in the outer room, he ostensibly would not have instigated the rule (provided there were no women staying there).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other reasons, however, for not staying in a lay person's house, especially that of a person of the opposite gender, and the strict interpretation of the rule is probably for the best - to keep monks in line and to keep lay people from becoming too intimate with the monks, leading to problems on both sides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reason for giving this answer is to reassure you about the monk's intentions - many Theravada monks have no problem with staying in the same building as a lay woman, as long as they are not in the same room. I don't personally think it is a good idea, but I'm not convinced that it is breaking any rule, especially in modern times, where our lives are lived inside single buildings that can even house multiple families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-20T16:44:43.537" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T16:44:43.537" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9675" CreationDate="2015-06-20T13:03:33.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The end of the Pañcakanga Sutta (which Thiago's answer quoted) appears to fit what the question is asking about (i.e., &quot;happiness and contentment referring to the original teachings of the Buddha&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It may happen, Ananda, that Wanderers of other sects will be saying this: 'The recluse Gotama speaks of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling and describes it as pleasure. What is this (pleasure) and how is this (a pleasure)?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who say so, should be told: 'The Blessed One describes as pleasure not only the feeling of pleasure. But a Tathagata describes as pleasure whenever and whereinsoever it is obtained.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word which was translated as &quot;pleasure&quot; there, is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sukha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe we can investigate a &quot;Buddhist view of happiness&quot;, by investigating &lt;em&gt;Sukha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several sources where there are descriptions, definitions, and references for this word:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here in Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sukha is a Sanskrit and Pāli word that is often translated as &quot;happiness&quot; or &quot;ease&quot; or &quot;pleasure&quot; or &quot;bliss.&quot;[1] From the time of Hinduism's early scriptures, sukha' is set up as a contrast to preya (pleasure), where happiness (sukha) is a deep and authentic positive, fulfilling state of being that is lasting and not merely transient and ultimately unsatisfying, requiring constant modification, like preya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So apparently it's translated as &quot;pleasure&quot; but can be set up as a contrast to &quot;pleasure&quot;. :-) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4:1:262.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here in the dictionary&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;agreeable, pleasant, blest; pleasant path, easy progress; wellbeing, happiness, ease; ideal, success&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think these are out-of-context definitions of a pre-Buddhist word, but gives an idea of how broad (or how vague) the definition/scope of the word is.&#xA;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha#Anana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; it's often used as part of a compound word, e.g. &lt;em&gt;atthi-sukha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;bhoga-sukha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anaṇa-sukha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anavajja-sukha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are 100 search results if you &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=sukha&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;search for &quot;sukha&quot; on accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one I read agreed with yuttadhammo's answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.002.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukha Sutta: Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, O monks, these three feelings: pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Be it a pleasant feeling, be it a painful feeling, be it neutral,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one's own or others', feelings of all kinds[1] —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he knows them all as ill, deceitful, evanescent.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Seeing how they impinge again, again, and disappear,[2]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he wins detachment from the feelings, passion-free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also want to reference this book, because so far as I know it's unusual in mining extracts from the Pali to present as advice to lay society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last chapter of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddhas-teachings-prosperity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, In the World&lt;/a&gt;, which is titled &quot;Lasting Happiness&quot;, starts by quoting the Dhammapada,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indeed we live happily. In the midst of&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  worried people, we live free from worry...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Happiness is the greatest wealth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -The Buddha, Dhammapada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that's a good/close translation; maybe it's a paraphrase/summary. See also this translation of the whole chapter: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.15.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukhavagga: Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The contents of (i.e. section titles in) that chapter are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The greatest wealth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking responsibility for happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beginning now&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seven steps to freedom from worry&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid mind-created reactions to everyday experiences (e.g. thinking &quot;he didn't smile because he doesn't like me&quot; would be adding a minded-created reaction to a visual observation&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let go of greed and malice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pursue a goal and enjoy achieving it (&lt;em&gt;atthi sukha&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Look at others' unpleasant actions with compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Work for others' benefit (&lt;em&gt;bhavana&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Live a principled life (&lt;em&gt;anavajja sukha&lt;/em&gt;: blameless; and &lt;em&gt;punna&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;: skillful)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept the inevitability of change as natural law (interpreting Dhammapada verse 277 as &quot;One who realizes the impermanence of all natural phenomena finds inner peace&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final paragraph,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thoughts and actions of compassion, generosity, dutifulness, and upright conduct are outstanding practices to soothe our minds. And the wisdom to accept inevitable change makes our inner peace and happiness lasting and complete. This truly is a teaching that &quot;is excellent at the beginning, excellent in the middle, excellent in the end.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-20T19:45:32.457" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T19:45:32.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9691" CreationDate="2015-06-20T13:46:19.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does the practice of Buddhism look at preconceived ideas, assumptions or notions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preconceived ideas, assumptions, notions and habits are what we try to understand and do away with in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the practice of the &lt;em&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt; we come to understand the &lt;em&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/em&gt;. We gain &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/nobleEight.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samma Ditthi - Right View&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. the understanding of the four noble truths and the true nature of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvU7ppM4vE&amp;amp;list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;insight meditation&lt;/a&gt; one is observing ones mind with detachment, objectivity, non-judgement and non-interfering. That allows the mental and physical phenomena to show themselves, to reveal there true nature. They are allowed to &quot;speak&quot; for themselves without us extrapolating on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When not being mindful and not guarding the sense doors, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the third and fifth aggregate, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Sanna and Vinyana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; creates misconceptions and extrapolates on phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paticca Sammupada - The doctrine of dependent origination&lt;/em&gt; shows how our misconceptions of reality arise. How we begin to like or dislike phenomena because we have wrong view. We think phenomena are permanent, satisfying and controllable and therefore we want them, we cling to them or we dont want them and try to get away from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When guarding the sense doors one is not falling into delusion. Instead one is seeing reality for what it is, i.e. the 3 signs of existence: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is practicing insight meditation one sees for oneself how conditioned habits, ideas and notions arise. Things that have been build up over a long period of time. In a way we learn to &quot;unlearn&quot;. When practicing this path we shed our delusional shell. We do away with illusions about reality. Things go from complex to very simple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practice gets more advanced one begins to see non-self, i.e. that phenomena are uncontrollable, ungovernable and thereby oppressing. One sees that there is no substantiality, no inner-core, no permanent self, no experiencing entity. Instead one sees that there is only phenomena arising and ceasing and mind arising to these phenomena. Thats all there is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preconceived ideas, assumptions and notions are conditioned and a product of having wrong view. It's like a scientist having a theory about gravity. When he is only intellectually interacting with the theory he will have no real point of reference and therefore he does not know whether or not his theory is correct.&#xA;He then decides to test his theory on reality and then finds out that his theory was not correct. He then got a point of reference. He has done away with wrong view and have now seen reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is example is not the best one but i hope it gives an idea of what we are talking about here. Before practicing insight meditation one might believe that conditioned phenomena will make one happy. After having practiced insight meditation and gotten some insight into how reality functions and one has seen that phenomena are impermanent one come to the conclusion that conditioned phenomena are not lasting and therefore not satisfying. One has then achieved a greater deal of Right View.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up. Preconceived ideas, habits, notions and assumptions cannot help us if they are blocking us from seeing the true nature of reality. The true nature of reality will reveal itself when practicing insight meditation and being mindful of phenomena. Then we come to develop right view and naturally wrong views fall away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/M0Xi3.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-20T14:07:23.910" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T14:07:23.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9690" CreationDate="2015-06-20T15:43:13.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Lanka answered from the perspective of the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Mahayana and Vajrayana perspective, you can find the answer &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/education/teachings/lama-zopa-rinpoche/the-benefits-of-chanting-om-mani-padme-hum/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if you don’t have much intellectual understanding of Dharma, even&#xA;  if the only thing you know is om mani padme hum, still the happiest&#xA;  life is one lived with an attitude free of the eight worldly concerns.&#xA;  If you live your life with the pure attitude free of attachment&#xA;  clinging to this life and simply spend your life chanting om mani&#xA;  padme hum—this six-syllable mantra that is the essence of all&#xA;  Dharma—that’s the purest Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It looks very simple, very easy to recite. But if you think of the&#xA;  benefits, it’s not at all simple. Here, I’d to mention just the&#xA;  essence of its infinite benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reciting the Compassion Buddha mantra just once completely purifies&#xA;  the four defeats of breaking the four root vows of self-liberation and&#xA;  the five uninterrupted negative karmas1.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is also mentioned in the tantras that by reciting this mantra you&#xA;  achieve the four qualities of being born in the Amitabha Buddha pure&#xA;  land and other pure lands; at the time of death, seeing Buddha and&#xA;  lights appearing in the sky; the devas making you offerings; and never&#xA;  being reborn in the hell, hungry ghost or animals realms. You will be&#xA;  reborn in the pure land of Buddha or as a happy transmigratory being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one who recites ten malas a day goes swimming, whether in a&#xA;  river, an ocean or some other body of water, the water that touches&#xA;  that person’s body gets blessed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said that up to seven generations of that person’s descendents&#xA;  won’t get reborn in the lower realms. The reason for this is that due&#xA;  to the power of mantra, the body is blessed by the person reciting the&#xA;  mantra and visualizing their body in form of the holy body of&#xA;  Chenrezig. Therefore, the body becomes so powerful, so blessed that&#xA;  this affects the consciousness up to seven generations and has the&#xA;  effect that if one dies with a non-virtuous thought, one is not reborn&#xA;  in a lower realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, when a person who has recited ten malas of om mani padme hum a&#xA;  day goes into a river or an ocean, the water that touches the person’s&#xA;  body gets blessed, and this blessed water then purifies all the&#xA;  billions and billions of sentient beings in the water. So it’s&#xA;  unbelievably beneficial; this person saves the animals in that water&#xA;  from the most unbelievable suffering of the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T15:43:13.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2015-06-20T15:48:49.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on the transfer of merit. Its discussed what the benefits are and how the transfer is done. The quote is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda, p. 409-410:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Significance of Transference of Merits to the Departed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;ACCORDING to Buddhism, good deeds or ‘acts of merit’ bring happiness to the doer both in this world and in the hereafter. Acts of merit are also believed to lead towards the final goal of everlasting happiness. The acts of merit can be performed through body, speech or mind. Every good deed produces ‘merit’ (store of positive spiritual well being) which accumulates to the ‘credit’ of the doer. Buddhism also teaches that the acquired merit can be transferred to others; it can be shared vicariously with others. In other words, the merit is ‘transferable’ and so can be shared with other persons. The persons who receive the merit can be either living or departed ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The method for transferring merits is quite simple. First some good deeds are performed. The doer of the good deeds has merely to wish that the merit gained accrues to someone in particular. This wish can be purely mental or it can be accompanied by an expression of words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wish could be made with the beneficiary being aware of it. When the beneficiary is aware of the act or wish, then a mutual ‘rejoicing in’ merit takes place. Here the beneficiary becomes a participant of the original deed by associating him or herself with the deed done. If the beneficiary identifies him or herself with both the deed and the doer, he or she can sometimes acquire even greater merit than the original doer, either because the elation is greater or because the appreciation of the value of the deed is based on an understanding of Dharma. Buddhist texts contain several stories of such instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ‘joy of transference of merits’ can also take place with or without the knowledge of the doer of the meritorious act. All that is necessary is for the beneficiary to feel gladness in the heart when he or she becomes aware of the good deed. If one wishes, one can express joy by saying ‘sadhu’ which means ‘well done’. What is being done is creating a kind of mental or verbal applause. In order to share the good deed done by another, what is important is that there must be actual approval of the deed and joy arising in the beneficiary’s heart.&#xA;  Even if so desired, the doer of a good deed cannot prevent another’s ‘rejoicing in the merit’ because he or she has no power over another’s thoughts. According to the Buddha, in all actions, thought is what really matters. Transference is primarily an act of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To transfer merit does not mean that a person is deprived of the merit originally acquired from his or her good deed. On the contrary, the very act of ‘transference’ is a good deed in itself and hence enhances the merit already earned&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/a-study-of-the-paramis.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a audio dhamma talk on the 10 pāramīs by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. The first perfection of giving might provide further information to your question.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T13:26:45.920" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T13:26:45.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9263" CreationDate="2015-06-20T16:45:06.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend three great dhamma talks for you. They contain in-depth descriptions of the practice of Samatha Meditation and also how to practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/desana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Samatha Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Punnadhammo. In here the basic principles are discussed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a second one by him called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/8906/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Samatha - Vipassana&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which i would also recommend. Here he talks about the differences between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third one is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma10/bbodhi10.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. In here he talks about both Samatha and Vipassana Meditation. He discusses many aspects of the practices both basic principles and obstacles to progression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-20T16:50:24.430" LastActivityDate="2015-06-20T16:50:24.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9558" CreationDate="2015-06-20T21:02:36.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Mahasi tradition (and perhaps others), resolutions are used when training the mind so that a certain type of insight (vipassana stage) arises during the practice -- most often the supramundane stage (cessation/fruition, magga-phala-nana), but also the lower stages (from A&amp;amp;P up to equanimity). The object of the resolution is stated in the mind (or aloud) before the practice, then let go. See Mahasi's great &lt;em&gt;Practical Insight Meditation&lt;/em&gt; for details on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T19:46:46.147" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T19:46:46.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9701" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9703" CreationDate="2015-06-21T01:27:44.517" Score="4" ViewCount="1202" Body="&lt;p&gt;My question relates to the view of and position on feng shui harmony by Buddhist traditions in general, and specifically in gemstones (which some believe have physical/metaphysical properties). How do Buddhists regard feng shui; at any rate, practically speaking, would a belief in the Chinese philosophical system by the meditator  potentially enhance his or her meditation practice? My understanding is that Buddhism is not a belief system but rather an education, and I lean towards an integral philosophy which integrates in a pragmatic way the best each culture and tradition has to offer, so I would appreciate answers without a binary, dualistic perspective, unless of course Buddhists are wholly antagonistic towards feng shui, then I can accept that as accurate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T14:08:29.093" Title="Do Buddhists put any stock in feng shui, particularly crystals?" Tags="|philosophy|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9702" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9795" CreationDate="2015-06-21T02:41:49.233" Score="5" ViewCount="502" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read about binaural tones and am about to experiment with them in my meditation sessions. I read that studies show mixed results, with 7Hz frequencies improving focus and 15Hz impeding concentration. What have you read? Have you any experiences or anecdotal stories to speak of? Can you recommend for or against?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some recent research coming out of the neurosciences reveals that brain imaging shows alterations in brainwave patterns typically only induced by meditative states. Therefore, is it logical to conclude that binaural beats can extend the powers of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some &lt;strong&gt;claim&lt;/strong&gt; the following frequencies are supposed to promote the following brain wavelengths and mental states and stages of consciousness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;0.1 - 0.4 Hz: Epsilon waves -- high-level inspiration states, spiritual insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;0.5 - 3.5 Hz: Delta waves -- pain relief, relaxation, reduced anxiety, feelings of unity, nerve cell regeneration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4 - 6.5 Hz: Theta waves -- Shamanic state of consciousness, Tibetan Buddhist chants, astral projection, increased problem solving, increased extrasensory perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;8 - 12 Hz: Alpha waves -- awareness of body imbalances, mental stability, faster learning, release of serotonin neural transmitter, centering, transitional point &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;13 - 29 Hz: Beta waves -- power of visualization, conceptualization, healing, mind-body unity, increased cognitive functions, calculations &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;30 - 40 Hz: Gamma waves -- awakening of mid-chakras, Christ consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And many, many more; I'm not going to endorse these claims, but I will say this: meditation itself has been shown, now backed by science, with the advent of brain imaging technologies indicate to be connected to changes in brain activity, patterns and states, to produce extraordinary changes in the body and mind, from healing to stress reduction to endorphin release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before arbitrarily dismissing the possibilities (which I've observed is common when someone lacks knowledge of the facts and any practical experience with a subject): over the years I've read books by the likes of Pema Chödrön on various meditation techniques -- sound, visualization, transcendental, walking, etc. -- and am open to experimenting with any and all and prefer to diversify my techniques and practices in order to allow more &quot;wiggle room&quot; for the Universal to make inputs, if you will -- if prayer is talking and meditation is listening, then there are many forms of listening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's not so much a question of whether these wavelengths promote these effects, or whether meditation promotes these wavelengths; rather, does one optional meditation technique combining audio technology enhance meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, I'm not a believer, I'm not a skeptic, I don't even identify as agnostic, I simply seek the truth and want to experience as much as I can in this physical form, if I am indeed a spiritual being just passing through.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastEditorUserId="5255" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T02:56:15.237" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:05:12.263" Title="Can binaural recordings enhance my meditative experiences?" Tags="|science|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9701" CreationDate="2015-06-21T04:47:16.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question relates to the view of and position on feng shui harmony by Buddhist traditions in general&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a first impression of feng shui (which I know &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_shui&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;almost nothing&lt;/a&gt;), they seem unrelated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as it concern disposition of things in space through some kind of theory and not with ethical and religious doctrines, there is no relation. In that respect, feng shui is unrelate to Buddhism as much as architecture is unrelated to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the metaphysical aspects of feng shui and its theory being correct or not will only provide one with a correct or incorrect understanding of its domain (as much as a physics theory will only provide one with a correct or incorrect understanding of its domain).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and specifically in gemstones (which some believe have physical/metaphysical properties).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be more controversial, as might be seen as lucky charm or similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with lucky amulets, I think, is that they add to the explanation of why something -- otherwise unrelated -- good or bad happened: say, because one was wearing (or not) such amulet. Therefore, wearing an amulet start to become a religious practice, something one does for his or her good fortune and spiritual well being. Then, it slowly obscures the ethical nature of the mind (specifically, of intention), and the laws of kamma, ultimately substituting real practices (meditation, study, striving for good/virtuous behavior) for mere usage of amulets -- it is so much easier after all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a religious practice, then, it might figure as Wrong View, specifically &quot;attachment to rites and rituals&quot;. In Buddhism, the rituals, carry its own usefulness and practical purposes, but have no spiritual value by themselves. However, attachment to them is considered very harmful to oneself, likely because rituals may end up substituting the real practice  (by looking like it's something important), and because clinging to it opens the door to all sorts of bad mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, reading about that feng shui energy, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Qi&lt;/a&gt;, I found the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The retention or dissipation of qi is believed to affect the health, wealth, energy level, luck and many other aspects of the occupants of the space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The claim to affect physical health might be OK (and we are all too familiar with invisible things to the eye that actually exist and causes harm) but luck, as I discussed above, might be problematic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do Buddhists regard feng shui; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine chinese buddhists probably dig it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;at any rate, practically speaking, would a belief in the Chinese philosophical system by the meditator potentially enhance his or her meditation practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;enhance meditation practice&quot;, in Buddhism, is understood as something that is effective in bringing one closer to permanent destruction of suffering, to nirvana. This may involve, for instance, attaining absorption concentration (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;jhana&lt;/a&gt;), but ultimately is concerned with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understanding and seeing the rising and cessation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;body/materiality, feeling, mind and dhammas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;penetrating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three marks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;eradicating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ten fetters&lt;/a&gt; (belief in a self, doubt or uncertainty, especially about the teachings, attachment to rites and rituals, sensual desire, ill will, lust for material existence, lust for material rebirth,&#xA;lust for immaterial existence, lust for rebirth in a formless realm,&#xA;conceit, restlessness, ignorance [of the four noble truths])&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My understanding is that Buddhism is not a belief system but rather an education, and I lean towards an integral philosophy which integrates in a pragmatic way the best each culture and tradition has to offer, so I would appreciate answers without a binary, dualistic perspective, unless of course Buddhists are wholly antagonistic towards feng shui, then I can accept that as accurate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Buddhism doesn't fit well as a &quot;belief&quot; (in general, it does not promote faith and the act of believing to any distinguished role as in other religions, though some schools assign more importance to it), there are beliefs, however provisional. Its virtue lies not in absence or presence of beliefs, but in instrumenting one with skills to investigate and see clearly beyond deceitful appearances. Thus, the full responsibility to not be fooled by one's mind and the world rests entirely in oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T14:08:29.093" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T14:08:29.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9704" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-21T07:10:56.073" Score="3" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding, Abidhamma explains the initial thinkings (citta -thought process) and models the final thinking patterns. If someone implements this known patterns in software, wouldn't it be helpful to identify possible abnormal mental conditions of people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="176" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T09:48:11.663" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:38:04.303" Title="Could a software model of Abidhamma ( human thought Process - citta) help in Psychology?" Tags="|academic-buddhism|abidhamma|mind|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9705" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-21T07:40:51.023" Score="4" ViewCount="212" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches the concept of &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;. In short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;soul&quot; or &quot;essence&quot;, only &quot;processes&quot; within the framework of the five &lt;em&gt;skandha&lt;/em&gt;s. This gives the illusion of the individual self/soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NOTE: This is just an approximation. I'm sure it can be put more elegantly, but you get the picture.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this understanding, what is the basis for ancestor worship/veneration? Who/What is being honoured or worshiped? Basically, how do practicing Buddhists reconcile the two world-views?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it about remembering shared experiences? Or a way of remembering family traditions and history? Any insights are appreciated!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5333" LastEditorUserId="5333" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T08:38:02.693" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T13:39:05.250" Title="Reconciling anātman and ancestor worship/veneration" Tags="|philosophy|anatman|self|worship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9701" CreationDate="2015-06-21T09:37:34.123" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;Culture does not go out of the window upon joining a religion. The religion invariably adapts to the culture, provided it does not prove too conflicting. Humans are a product of their environment - they are not born, raised or allowed to live in a vacuum. They have to make their beliefs fit into the existing world to some degree. Intention and effort trumps tradition every time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've seen crystals as well as the practice of acupuncture, ancestor worship and feng shui in Vietnamese Buddhist monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Culture like language is a vehicle, and people can sometimes get attached to their favorite views. There are some who believe the Dharma cannot be practiced in any language other than Pali or Sanskrit. Likewise some believe one can only get enlightened by living in the forest and walking barefoot. In both cases, learning to read Pali or to managing to walk barefoot in the forest will take a few years, but isn't directly related to understanding dharma. It may help, but it is obviously not a precondition for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a story in the Dhammapada (I can't remember the verse) where an old man ordains as a monk after hearing the Buddha and decides given his advancing age he doesn't have the time or mental faculty to memorize the suttas, so he chooses to solely practice meditation and nothing else despite the pessimism of other scholarly monks. He too becomes an Arahat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breaking from all culture and adopting an ancient or foreign tradition may help some, and hinder others, who may give up Buddhism as too difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha broke from Indian monastic tradition of his time - he didn't sport a long flowing beard, or dread locks or clutch prayer beads. I believe he was sending a message that dress code and other superficial things don't make one a monk. However, he warned his followers away from rites and rituals, luxuries, alcohol and other intoxicants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, Sake is an allowed drink for Zen monks in several Japanese monasteries, as is the propitiation of forest kamis (demi gods). Tibetan Buddhism too uses alcohol in certain ceremonies, as well as the worship of the Bon gods with rituals. Plus, the post of a Dalai Lama traditionally came with a palace with lots of luxuries and guards. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must cross the river by building a raft with whatever materials we have at hand - as long as it doesn't sink, it doesn't matter. One design may build a raft that never leaks, another design may include a bucket to bail out the bilge. As long as the raft crosses the river, it's okay. Some may choose to never stray from the original design, no matter what the trouble, and others may try to improvise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is a very personal responsibility - a great teacher or monastery or tradition or country maybe excellent to practice Buddhism, but even then there is no  enlightenment if we don't put in the effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern technology is bringing different traditions with their cultural quirks together, and making us ask such questions. This is the time for Buddhism to evolve to the digital age. Perhaps if the Buddha was alive today, &quot;don't post selfies or photos of your food on facebook&quot; would have been one of the minor precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T09:37:34.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9702" CreationDate="2015-06-21T09:53:59.397" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some sounds can help meditation. The vibrations arising from loudly reciting &lt;em&gt;Bija mantras&lt;/em&gt; like &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Om&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; can put one's mind at rest. Binaural sounds seem to work similarly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana Buddhism and Hinduism, the term bīja is used for mystical&#xA;  &quot;seed syllables&quot; contained within mantras.&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C4%ABja&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise pressing one's tongue against the roof of the mouth calms the mind, as does yogic breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are not essential, but if we know what we are doing they can help. Conversely, by misapplication, they can also hinder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when our concentration has passed higher than the point of a specific mantra or binaural sound, using them will bring us down in my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise yogic breathing exercises done without expert knowledge can lead to health problems and dullness of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think given the risks, we must let this binaural audio technology evolve some more before depending on them. Pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth, and uttering Om or other seed syllables have stood the test of time. The tongue technique is difficult to get wrong, and thus has the endorsement of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of&#xA;  those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts&#xA;  connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his&#xA;  teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth,&#xA;  he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind(&lt;strong&gt;) (*&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vitakkasanthāna Sutta, [Bodhi Trans.] (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T10:00:01.390" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T10:00:01.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9661" CreationDate="2015-06-21T11:07:25.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I do not think that a view can be completely right. Although some views can be more right than others. You can explain this in terms of strength, with some views possessing greater degrees of strength and others possessing lesser degrees of strength.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the obvious question is, what makes a view more right? Well the first part of your question already answers this &quot;How does one develop right view in the context of many views?&quot; For the very fact that human beings communicate to develop their skills in language and intellectual understanding suggests that views are created through the mergence of two views. This is especially interesting when people exercise their views against each other (otherwise known as an 'argument') where people can sometimes literally not stop going at each other until an appropriate view has been reached. Fortunately the view that is created will be stronger, as it transcends the two initially opposing views. To answer your question, one develops right view through the mergence of many views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer the second part of your question: right view is only a notion. Right view should really be called better view or greater view as it is only understood by more people. To illustrate this, one can examine history where people thought that the world was flat. This view was 'right' because most people thought that this was the truth, until of course Columbus proved that world was actually round. Ironically, even though this is true, right view for the time back then claimed that it was not true, that the world was flat. This would therefore show that 'right view' is only produced because most people think that it is 'right' even though it might not be. So how does one determine right view? Well it depends on whether you rely on your own judgement of what is right or the judgement of others. In the case of Columbus, sometimes its better to explore right view for yourself :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer the third part of your question, would be to say that the best examples of right view come from the acceptance of many views mixed with your own. To develop this right view, you need only to communicate with as many people about their views while also putting in an effort to create your own right view. The end product should be a view that can stand the test of time and is accepted as 'right' in the eyes of many.&#xA;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:07:25.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9691" CreationDate="2015-06-21T11:28:18.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism would approach these or solve these preconceived ideas, assumptions and notions through the concept of a beginners mind. Thich Nhat Hanh, a meditation master explains a beginners mind in terms of experiencing (stimulation through the senses, tasting, touching, smelling, hearing, seeing, feeling, thinking) everything as if it was experienced for the first time. This can also be explained in terms of mindfulness, choosing to immerse yourself in the present moment by discarding thoughts of the passed or future. So how does this help with preconceived ideas, assumptions or notions? Well overtime, ones understanding will deepen and preconceived ideas will have no grounding, assumptions will have no expectations to rely on and notions will have no concepts of creation. This is the practice, the removal of all concepts so that one is only left with direct experience and best reaction to this experience.&#xA;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:28:18.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9660" CreationDate="2015-06-21T11:44:40.723" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Developing and maintaining right view when there is a lack of information, knowledge and a constraint of time can be achieved with few things in mind. What view produces the most positive result in my environment and how can my view be improved is a good starting place. If you feel happy with your new found insight and your view seems to be doing wonders for your environment than you can rest assured that you (and your people) have generated a 'right view'. If you feel as if your energies are reducing after sometime though, than it may be time for some improvement (like tuning your car when its running a bit sluggish). Unfortunately there is no 'right view' that you can cling to that will keep you happy and satisfied. Hence the core teaching of Buddhism which refers to 'attachment'. Fortunately however, right views that have been generated overtime need not be thrown out and forgotten. Combining your best views can produce wonders for your life (kind of like the art of chemistry where two seemingly useless chemicals are combined to make a great product)! This makes view creation and maintenance a constant effort, as so mentioned in the eight-fold noble path. So don't be satisfied with one view no matter how shiny it is and don't be quick to chuck out other views because they deem no significance. Instead play with your box of views life a scientific lab and see what you can come up with! :D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T11:44:40.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9711" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-21T19:08:43.200" Score="4" ViewCount="728" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live in Dickinson, North Dakota USA and I am wanting to follow Buddha but have no one to teach me or to ask questions to. I has wondering if there is anyway to get in to contact with a Theravada Buddhist Monk to help guide me down my path? I have checked my local library and online for books but nothing comes up helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5335" LastEditorUserId="4863" LastEditDate="2015-06-23T09:17:52.563" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:26:47.337" Title="Lost and in need of guidance" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-06-21T19:47:49.583" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada spirit has always been the emphasis on the &quot;teaching&quot; over a teacher. A common analogy is that the teaching is like the US Constitution while the teachers are like the US presidents. Presidents come and go, and might say different things at different times, but the Constitution is always there, consistent, and timeless. There're many great web sites with detailed info. about the Theravada teaching, the most popular are: &lt;a href=&quot;http://accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;suttacentral.net&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://budsas.org/ebud/ebidx.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;budsas.org/ebud/ebidx.htm&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://palikanon.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;palikanon.com&lt;/a&gt;. The introductory section of accesstoinsight.org is particularly helpful and I'd strongly recommend you check it out if you haven't. Good luck.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T19:47:49.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-06-21T19:55:49.967" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for a place to ask questions about Buddhism (or to read through the many questions that have already been answered); this is a good place to do that. Our format is that anyone who believes they have the answer to a question may submit that answer for your consideration. So questions will be answered by both monastic and lay people of various traditions. If you are looking for an answer from a specific tradition, simple tag your question as you've done above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the many questions that have already been answered on this site are community wikis such as this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/60/introductory-books-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;list of introductory books&lt;/a&gt;. Another online resource is this &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;video wiki&lt;/a&gt; created by a Buddhism.SE moderator and frequent contributor, Venerable Yuttadhammo. Hundreds of questions and answers in video form are included here.&#xA;For local resources here is a short list of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&amp;amp;search=Search&amp;amp;country_id=0&amp;amp;province_id=55&amp;amp;tradition%5B%5D=theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravada centers&lt;/a&gt; in your area.&#xA;Once you've had a chance to check these resources, if you have additional questions, please feel free to submit them! Our &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1502/i-am-a-new-user-here-at-buddhism-se-what-should-i-know-before-i-post?&quot;&gt;New User Welcome&lt;/a&gt; gives some tips on how to best use this site. Best wishes!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T20:03:16.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-06-21T20:13:31.067" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unless there's someone who's a very good teacher at a local temple, meeting with a monk regularly may not be the easiest or best way to go about it.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestion is to find one or more good teachers that you can relate to, wherever they are in the world, and take a retreat with them. This will teach you enough to practice on your own. A local practice centre can be found just about anywhere, and if you develop ties with them, they will be a great motivation to practice.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Well known Theravada Retreat Centres in the USA:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.abhayagiri.org/visiting/directions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhayagiri Forest Monastery, California&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/contact/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhavana Society, West Virginia&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory#mt-us&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana Meditation Center, U Bha Khin/Goenka&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Other Resources:&lt;/strong&gt;      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/Dir/Sit/sitnd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practice groups in North Dakota&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/t-usa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Other Dhamma centres and groups in USA&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/l_thera.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravadan Websites to see&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some teachers and books have a study group or practice community that meets regularly online. For example,   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma Overground&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-21T20:21:20.123" LastActivityDate="2015-06-21T20:21:20.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9716" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-21T21:39:36.490" Score="1" ViewCount="6341" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose a father is abusing his 3 year old child. As a consequence, the child is suffering. Who is the cause of the child's suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T09:04:31.537" LastActivityDate="2018-04-17T19:36:24.193" Title="What is the Buddhist perspective on child abuse?" Tags="|karma|ethics|suffering|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-22T04:23:13.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;We suffer as a result of past unwholesome karma(action). In the next life it is likely the abuser becomes the abused. That's Buddhism and the reason we don't like it is because we cling to our ideas given by society and we have no deep understanding of how things are what they are and nothing more. We don't like children to be abused more than we don't like adults to be abused when ultimately in Samsara we are all infants making our way.  We can gradually grow up(become enlightened) when  we constantly practice virtue, concentration and mindfulness. In order to practice mindfulness we first must learn a meditation technique(hopefully under a teacher's guidance but a teacher isn't absolutely necessary). Then it takes a little faith to practice the technique that may appear, at first glance to be pointless and repetitive. Then it takes effort to practice, it takes interest in the practice. One should ask themselves if they are interested in not suffering. When practicing, we little by little see directly what the Buddha was trying to teach us and this gives us faith or rather it gives us confidence in the Buddha's teachings we still can't understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T16:19:44.387" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T16:19:44.387" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2015-06-22T05:18:48.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a Buddhist, but in reading &quot;the Essence of Buddhism&quot; by P. Lakshmi Nasaru, what strikes me is how the Buddha wants his followers not to accept blindly anything, but to question everything and come to realize their own conclusions. Independent thought and deep inquiry in oneself, seems to be the way of progress, not acceptance of authority. Perhaps this is the final test: after purifying consciousness through all the practices, over a long time, you finally realize you ARE an eternal soul, and then as a result, in the end, you must give up attachment to the Buddhist doctrine. Tricky, this Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5340" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T05:18:48.620" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9705" CreationDate="2015-06-22T07:21:39.600" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps ancestor worship began as a cultural overlay, but it is possible to use this as an important Buddhist tool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist teacher, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh often points out that he meditates on the cloud in his tea cup whenever he drinks tea. That is, the water in the tea was a cloud at some point, thus all things inter-are. Cognising the interbeing nature of reality is important to develop compassion and respect for all beings, plants, minerals and elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training the mind to see connections that aren't visible to the senses is important to realize the interbeing nature of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a cloud makes tea, ancestors make us. Ancestor veneration in this sense develops in us compassion for beings we can't see or normally perceive and reduces our selfish existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the ultimate reality there is anatta, but in conventional reality we do have ancestors. One must &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; abandon norms of conventional reality merely because one has understood ultimate reality. It is not nice to live in ultimate reality alone, just as it is not nice to live in conventional (materialistic) reality alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We must transcend the conventional and the ultimate, not be attached to either end.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Growing very strongly attached to emptiness produces a wisdom that is devoid of compassion. Compassion is most certainly a conventional truth. When the Buddha passed away, many Arahats objected to the first Buddhist council for they believed it was impossible to set down the teachings on emptiness in conventional language. Those who were in the presence of the Buddha could feel the boundless affection and compassion with which the words regarding emptiness were delivered. How can a Sutta even hope to convey that compassionate presence of the Buddha, they bemoaned? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the teachings on emptiness were guarded like a secret, and monks and dharma teachers only revealed the truth of emptiness to a select few when they believed the student was ready. I believe teaching emptiness to someone who isn't ready is a valid ground for expulsion from the order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also,    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/integrityofemptiness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Integrity of Emptiness&#xA;by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/emptiness-in-theravada-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Emptiness in Theravada Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T08:18:59.533" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T08:18:59.533" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9721" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9754" CreationDate="2015-06-22T14:30:45.633" Score="10" ViewCount="962" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some schools of Buddhism focus on the cultivation of wisdom/understanding as a way to reduce suffering in this lifetime and to move towards Nirvana. Other schools of Buddhism focus on cultivation of compassion as a means towards these same ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've occasionally heard and read statements to the effect that developing wisdom without compassion can be risky, dangerous, cold, cruel, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, can true wisdom ever be devoid of compassion? Or would true wisdom by it's nature necessarily contain compassion? In other words, is the risk of developing a cold, cruel wisdom a real possibility? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T10:22:12.187" Title="Wisdom Devoid of Compassion" Tags="|compassion|wisdom|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9721" CreationDate="2015-06-22T15:05:49.520" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't say cruel, but I certainly would say cold. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to enilghtenment is divided in 4 stages. Before reaching each stage there is a progression of the insight that is similar in structure in all of the stages, and culminates with the attainement of the next stage. A simplified description of this progression of insight is that it is divided in the knowledge of impermanence, followed by the knowledge of unsatisfactoriness, followed by the knowledge of no self. When this culminates, the next enlightenment stage is attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, during the period where you are at the knowledge of unsatisfactoriness, you feel a lot of negative emotions. Having known impermanence before this, you now feel everything around you, and inside you, is ending. This causes you enormous turmoil. This is where the concentration meditation and/or the compassion meditation are very helpful: to ease the suffering and to not allow this negativity to be destructive to you and to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The advanced meditators that are going trough this period again, many times feel subjectively that their negativity is not strong. And in fact it isn't. But what they say is perceived to be extremely cold and sometimes, yes, cruel. But this is because neither party is fully aware of the real situation. That's why I say it's not cruel, because it is not perceived correctly by those who hear it, nor it is spoken correctly by the meditator. But it can be perceived as cruelty, when in fact it's just coldness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the whole path reaches its end, this coldness is no longer there. There are some teachers who are somewhat cruel to a few of their disciples, but the fully enlightened teachers usually do this for the benefit of their students who are inclined to be instructed with strong words, or have a complicated karma to be resolved. But for a fully enlightened teacher there isn't a single drop of cruelty in their hearts. You have to be on the look out, though, for fake teachers who are genuinely cruel. The mind of the totaly enlightened teacher, while not having an intrinsic quality of compassion, inclines to compassion almost automatically because there is no negativity to be entertained by their minds. They feel compassion as naturally as we breathe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more about this look into Mahasi Sayadaw &quot;The Progress of Insight&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastEditorUserId="2469" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T17:43:22.827" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T17:43:22.827" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9723" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-22T15:06:58.277" Score="6" ViewCount="907" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not exactly a Buddhist, just a meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I was wondering if there are alternatives to just sitting and watching the breath? Especially, are there things I can practice throughout the day to accomplish the same effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is I, and many other people, will not have time to meditate consistently and see its benefits. I appreciate your responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5342" LastActivityDate="2017-09-21T17:59:09.943" Title="Alternatives to sitting meditation?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-06-22T15:18:24.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, you can apply a meditative mind to anything but in my experience, sitting meditation gives you the most opportunity to go deep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, there's walking meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga (including its more dynamic variants), eating meditations, and yes, even &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000K0CV0W&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;driving meditation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness can be applied to anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T15:18:24.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-22T15:42:53.313" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if you intentionally chose &quot;Who&quot;, since &quot;What&quot; seems a better question.   I'll take some license and rephrase the question (I hope you don't mind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Q&lt;/strong&gt;: What causes the child's suffering?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;A&lt;/strong&gt;: Many things.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For any event Y, X caused Y if removing X removes Y.  Note that Y can have many causes! For instance, some of the causes of the child's suffering include...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The abusive parent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The child's reaction.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The child's nervous system.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The laws of physics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so on.  Remove any of them from the equation and the suffering ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking in terms of a single cause of suffering (or in terms of who suffers) reinforces the kind of &quot;ownership&quot; of action or &quot;mental object&quot; that serves as a focus for clinging, especially to self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if you wish to relieve an abused child's suffering, then I recommend local law enforcement or a child protective agency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T15:51:22.120" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T15:51:22.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9704" CreationDate="2015-06-22T15:58:50.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I work as a software developer and think this is a fascinating project -- not because it will necessarily succeed, but because it will require us to think much more on Abhidhamma and abnormal mental conditions.  This in turn can teach us a lot.  I often found the best way to learn something is to try to write a program to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This project would face many challenges.  Two big ones off the top of my head are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How would you represent objects?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How would you define abnormality?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-06-23T13:26:48.123" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T13:26:48.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-06-22T17:33:47.917" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught many forms of mindfulness and meditation.  I encourage you to check out the Satipatthana Sutta and Ven. Analayo's absolutely indispensable &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1899579540&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;commentary&lt;/a&gt; on it.  Teachers like Goenka are also worth a look.  That being said, nothing can replace seated meditation; there is nothing available that has the same effect on consciousness.  You simply cannot calm and slow the mind to the same degree with any other practice.  Concentration is necessarily diffused when mindfulness is carried into activity.  With that limitation, mindfulness can only take you so far.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All teachings on mindfulness culminate in seated meditation.  In fact, awareness of the breath is one of the deepest mindfulness practices available.  While other mindfulness practices are a great supplement to your time on the cushion, they cannot replace it.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T17:33:47.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9728" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9737" CreationDate="2015-06-22T19:20:47.830" Score="5" ViewCount="578" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm reading the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. I'm currently reading about &lt;em&gt;&quot;Right View&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and i have a question regarding an explanation by the author.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote can be found on p. 19. The highlight in the quote is made by me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Kamma can operate across the succession of lifetimes; it can even remain dormant for aeons into the future. &lt;strong&gt;But whenever we perform a&#xA;  volitional action, the volition leaves its imprint on the mental continuum, where it remains as a stored up potency.&lt;/strong&gt; When the &lt;strong&gt;stored up kamma&lt;/strong&gt; meets with conditions favorable to its maturation, it awakens from its dormant state and triggers off some effect that brings due compensation for the original action.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should &lt;em&gt;&quot;stored up potency&quot;&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;&quot;stored up kamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt; be understood?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-23T09:52:15.850" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T14:10:24.487" Title="How should i understand &quot;Stored up kamma&quot;?" Tags="|karma|right-view|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-06-22T19:45:44.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some good answers in this thread already. What I would like to emphazize is &lt;em&gt;&quot;Walking meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. This type of meditation is very beneficial and its a great vehicle to carry over your sitting practice into daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing a &quot;moving&quot; meditation it will also become easier for you to remain mindful throughout your day while doing daily activities such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, doing the dishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are 2 videos on walking meditation by Ven. Yuttadhammo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IFvablc6EI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Meditate III - Walking Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aucEZdM9DKE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Why Walking Meditation Comes First&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here is an article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/silananda/bl137.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Benefits of Walking Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Silananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-30T19:29:24.393" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T19:29:24.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-22T20:26:03.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another way to answer this, is that there isn't really a child suffering in ultimate reality, and no father either...All there is is what we are truly experiencing in awareness, moment by moment. One really can't fit a child or father into moment by moment reality(ultimate reality). In ultimate reality no one is to blame, suffering is just suffering that is the effect of a previous cause. ...but that doesn't mean we throw conceptual reality out the window. All of the Pali Canon is conceptual after all. I doubt anyone could understand this without practicing continuous moment by moment mindfulness. That is why I stress that the answer to this question can be found eventually in the practice of mindfulness(along with virtue and concentration).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T20:26:03.587" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9721" CreationDate="2015-06-22T21:32:00.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is, can true wisdom ever be devoid of compassion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or would true wisdom by it's nature necessarily contain compassion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, is the risk of developing a cold, cruel wisdom a real possibility?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes but within Early Buddhism there is less of a chance since the very first training--which comes before the training in wisdom--includes loving-kindness meditation, as well as compassion, and mutual joy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, Wisdom is seeing the Three Characteristics, seeing that our reality is impermanent and interconnected--not being confused into thinking that anything really exists on its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own experience, knowing this does not necessitate compassion, but it certain makes compassion almost automatic.&#xA;It is unusual to be wise (read: to see the interconnected non-self nature) about something and not compassionate as well. Usually it is because when one has wisdom &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To explicate the word &quot;compassion&quot; further, in Buddhism, &lt;em&gt;there are four of these very wise emotions&lt;/em&gt;, the Four Brahmaviharas: loving-kindness, compassion, mutual joy, equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four qualities are interrelated with wisdom--especially the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone says &quot;compassion&quot; they are usually talking about the Four Brahmaviharas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should read about or do these meditations to find out how closely tied together they are with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, the two are not always synchronous and there do exist states of mind during the Stages of Insight where the one's wisdom and ability to see the Three Characteristics is high but one's compassion for oneself and others not so easily attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, compassion/the Brahmaviharas often lend to greater wisdom, relative and absolute, but in my experience, wisdom only occasionally leads to compassion--especially because wisdom is missing the element of calm and peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may also answer your question to think about The Five Faculties (wisdom, faith, energy, concentration, mindfulness). After learning what they are and having an idea how they inter-relate to each other it would be worth noting the following: no single factor is in its true form unless supported by the other. They are one cohesive organism... every organ is strengthened by the others. These five factors are recommended as evaluative gradients to be mindful of to enter into concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wisdom component has its opposite complement: faith. This is similar in energy to compassion in its unconditional love, acceptance, and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, contemplate about those 5 Faculties. Instead of just Wisdom and Compassion, there may be more fruit of thinking of Wisdom, Faith, Concentration, Energy, and Mindfulness and how they power each other up and may even be Ultimately the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, another perspective:&#xA;Dualism is the modality through which our thinking mind operates and is able to master the world--but it is also the very trap that sets us apart from Awakening. That previous sentence is a very trite sentence in Buddhism but it is valid and true: sometimes we can use our distinction-creating mind where it is not correct. At the Ultimate level Compassion and Wisdom are the same thing. Knowing is Loving, Loving is Knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-06-23T01:02:34.120" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T01:02:34.120" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-06-22T21:57:06.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could do walking meditation or you could just meditate while doing something (a sport, painting, cooking, washing dishes, doing the laundry, etc.). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are really busy, there is one more meditation that you can do:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have time to meditate consistently, then make a habit of going to bed 10 minutes earlier. Prepare as if you would go normally to sleep. Lay in your bed. Lay on your back, legs a little bit separated, hands on your sides, some 10-15 cm from your body, fists opened, palms on your bed, fingers spread. In this position you won't fall asleep immediately because it's not a comfortable position to fall asleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you are in position, empty your mind and meditate for 5-10 minutes (if you fall asleep before 5-10 minutes, there's nothing wrong with it, just go with it). Then turn in your favorite position and fall asleep as you normally would.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Repeat the above for a few days. Then, do the same, but don't change position to your favorite position. Just lay on your back and meditate until you fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The later you fall asleep the better as your meditation session will be longer. Don't worry, you won't feel sleepy when you wake up because your mind will rest during meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditate as described for as many days, months as you wish. If you wake up during the night and can't sleep, meditate as described. If you take a nap during the day, meditate as described. Also, try to meditate a few minutes immediately after you wake up. Just lay in your bed and feel your mind relaxed and empty. Enjoy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While doing this kind of meditation, before you fall asleep or immediately after you wake up, you will notice many unusual sensations arising in your body. You could hear things, see colors, feel vibrations, have lucid dreams, fly, travel to other dimensions. If it happens, don't worry, don't intellectualize, relax and enjoy the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you get comfortable meditating as described, you will realize that there is something in you that is yet unknown. The unusual experiences will confirm you the existence of this yet unknown &quot;you&quot; or &quot;something&quot;. This will hopefully motivate you into exploring this yet unknown &quot;you&quot; and you will move to sitting meditation spontaneously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T21:57:06.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9721" CreationDate="2015-06-22T22:35:44.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To liberate from suffering, both wisdom and compassion are needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you focus on the cultivation of wisdom/understanding, compassion will come with true wisdom/understanding. If you focus on the cultivation of compassion, true wisdom/understanding will come with cultivation of compassion, and true compassion will come with true wisdom/understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True wisdom, the one that leads to the cessation of suffering, cannot be devoid of compassion. True compassion, the one that leads to the cessation of suffering, cannot be devoid of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom without compassion is knowing without doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion without wisdom is doing without knowing. Doing without knowing is doing because &quot;it feels right&quot;. Doing because &quot;it feels right&quot; can lead to wrong doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T22:35:44.680" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-22T23:03:32.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It should be understood as it is said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whenever you perform a volitional action, the volition leaves its imprint on the mental continuum, where it remains as a stored up potency. When the stored up kamma meets with conditions favorable to its maturation, it awakens from its dormant state and triggers off some effect that brings due compensation for the original action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything else is mere speculation and does not lead to liberation, but to clinging and craving on views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel that the answer to the question will lead you closer to liberation, meditate on the question and you will eventually experience it. Once you experience it, you will answer it. Once you answer it, liberation will be closer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T23:03:32.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-22T23:18:41.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't need to be understood. Instead, look at your wanting, craving, to understand, learn, have an explanation. Understanding the totality of karma is not part of the Noble Eightfold path and will not lead you to cessation. The extent to which one should or is able to understand karma is experienced directly in the practice, beyond this for unenlightened beings is mere conjecture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-22T23:23:25.357" LastActivityDate="2015-06-22T23:23:25.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-22T23:25:48.760" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was just reminded of the wanting to understand kamma and how pondering about it is not relevant for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I then remembered &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Four Imponderables&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha taught that the workings of kamma should not be thought about since it hinders and distracts one from the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Pondering over the four acinteyya is a hindrance to the attainment of liberation&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, o monks, do not brood over [any of these views] Such brooding, O monks, is senseless, has nothing to do with genuine pure conduct (s. ādibrahmacariyaka-sīla), does not lead to aversion, detachment, extinction, nor to peace, to full comprehension, enlightenment and Nibbāna, etc&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T09:23:39.957" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-23T01:40:26.663" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's somewhat sloppy language... &quot;stored up potency&quot; doesn't really mean anything; it's a concept, the concept that certain experiences will somehow be related to other experiences. There is nothing in Theravada Buddhism, AFAIK, even hinting at karma being stored up, or of a continuum being imprinted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it should probably be understood as conventional language, similar to explaining how a seed from one tree makes a new tree - the potency of the first tree is stored in the seed, creating a tree continuum. In ultimate reality, the continuum doesn't exist, nor the potency, the tree, or the seed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T01:40:26.663" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-23T02:34:12.093" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha has rejected the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That everything happens automatically, for no specific reason or&#xA;force.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That everything happens according to a will of a God or similar&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That everything happens because of Karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the 3rd that you seem to question here.&#xA;The Father is definitely choosing to do the action. He is responsible for his own actions, he cannot leave the responsibility to Karma or anything else. Buddha had Vinaya Nikaya with set of consequences for those who miss-behave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How past Karma applied here is anyone's guess (except for Lord Buddha, who could see directly). It's extremely difficult to say, and the subject of &quot;Karma Pala&quot; (Karma Result) was once classified as &quot;Achinthya&quot; meaning infinite, which would be just too much for a normal mind to grasp. Note it's the result of the Karma which is hard to grasp, the Karma itself is well taught of. This could be because we accumulate an infinite amount of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5325" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-23T08:00:35.740" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T08:00:35.740" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-23T05:09:59.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's funny I read this, because I was just talking about this with a friend the other day (though not in this philosophical framework).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both him and I have been addicted to opiates, I have been clean of them for 2 years now and he is just starting to take seriously the concept of never doing them again.  He was talking about how he wishes he'd never started, that he would go back in time and change it if he could, but I know for myself that if it hadn't been opiates it would have been something.  &lt;i&gt;There are booby traps in the soul,&lt;/i&gt; is what I told him.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some experiences, you just have to go through because that is who you are.  The partner who ruined your life but was too awesome in bed to refuse.  The improbable business venture that ended in bankruptcy, but seemed too irresistibly lucrative.  Opiates.  These kinds of things are printed on your soul at birth, part of the fascination mechanism that drives your curiosity, appetite, and love of life.  Without these drives, there is no reason to exist.  But packaged with each one is a booby trap, and the only way to disarm the trap is to spring it and survive the consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the Man said, though...there is no use thinking too hard about how it works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5347" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T05:09:59.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-06-23T05:55:59.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;What the Buddha Taught&quot; is one of the best out there to get started. &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0802130313&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/What-Buddha-Taught-Expanded-Dhammapada/dp/0802130313&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Free PDF seems to be available at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammaweb.net/books/Dr_Walpola_Rahula_What_the_Buddha_Taught.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5325" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T05:55:59.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9742" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9744" CreationDate="2015-06-23T07:20:22.817" Score="3" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, If I ask the following question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose you completely empty your mind of all thoughts. You go into complete emptiness of mind, where nothing is arising.&#xA;  Suppose that in that state you make a choice to arise a thought. If in that state a choice is made to arise a thought, &quot;choice&quot; is the arising of &quot;this thought&quot;.&#xA;  &quot;Choice&quot; must be arisen before &quot;this thought&quot; is arisen.&#xA;  Is there something that must arise before &quot;choice&quot; in order for &quot;choice&quot; to arise?&#xA;  If there is &quot;something that must arise before 'choice' in order for 'choice' to arise&quot;, is there something that must arise before &quot;something that must arise before 'choice' in order for 'choice' to arise&quot;?&#xA;  etc. etc. etc.&#xA;  So, where does it end? &#xA;  What is the first &quot;thing&quot; that arises in your mind before the rest arises out from this first &quot;thing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the above question fall into the category of the Four imponderables? Specifically &quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana... [i.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana]&quot;? &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If yes, why? If no, why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T12:07:30.557" Title="Can this question be asked?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-23T09:57:37.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Phagguna, if anyone were to give you a blow with the hand, or hit you with a clod of earth, or with a stick, or with a sword, even then you should abandon those urges and thoughts which are worldly. There, Phagguna, you should train yourself thus: 'Neither shall my mind be affected by this, nor shall I give vent to evil words; but I shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of love, and I shall not give in to hatred.' This is how, Phagguna, you should train yourself.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at heart would not be upholding my Teaching. Monks, even in such a situation you should train yourselves thus: 'Neither shall our minds be affected by this, nor for this matter shall we give vent to evil words, but we shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of love, and we shall not give in to hatred. On the contrary, we shall live projecting thoughts of universal love to those very persons, making them as well as the whole world the object of our thoughts of universal love — thoughts that have grown great, exalted and measureless. We shall dwell radiating these thoughts which are void of hostility and ill will.' It is in this way, monks, that you should train yourselves.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;165. By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.12.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.12.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the father's abuse should be stopped if it can be stopped, but we should remain unaffected by his actions. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are trained like it is said above, the actions of the father should not give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness, ill will and similar in our minds. Only a delusioned mind, permeated with ignorance, could be affected by the father's actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the abuse of the father is wrong action done by the father. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the father would be trained like it is said above, his mind would never give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness and similar. Only a delusioned mind, permeated with ignorance, could be affected in such a way to give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness, ill will and similar. Thus, if the father knew this truth and practiced it, he would never abuse his child, his mind would be unaffected, ill will would never arise in him and the abuse stemming from ill will would never happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the father should be helped if he can be helped. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are trained like it is said above, we would feel an immense compassion towards all beings, especially towards the ones whose minds are permeated with ignorance who have not or cannot yet accept the truth like it is said above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, the abuse of the father is wrong action done by the father. The cause of abuse is in the father.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the truth of the cause of suffering of the father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the child's suffering should be stopped if it can be stopped, but we should remain unaffected if it can't be stopped. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are trained like it is said above, the suffering of the child should not give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness, ill will and similar in our minds. Only a delusioned mind, permeated with ignorance, could be affected by the child's suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering of the child is wrong action done by the child. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the child would be trained like it is said above, his mind would never give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness and similar. Only a delusioned mind, permeated with ignorance, could be affected in such a way to give raise to aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness, ill will and similar. Thus, if the child knew this truth and practiced it, he would never suffer, his mind would be unaffected, sadness, anger and fear would never arise in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could argue: &quot;Yes, but a 3 year old child cannot be trained like it is said above. He is too young to grasp the truth and liberate his mind from ignorance! Thus, the child's suffering is not wrong action done by the child!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is wrong action. Just as a lion cannot grasp that killing is wrong action, in the same way a 3 year old child cannot grasp that suffering is wrong action. Just as an adult cannot grasp that suffering is wrong action, in the same way a 3 year old child cannot grasp that suffering is wrong action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the child should be helped if he can be helped. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are trained like it is said above, we would feel an immense compassion towards all beings, especially towards the ones whose minds are permeated with ignorance who have not or cannot yet accept the truth like it is said above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, the suffering of the child is wrong action done by the child. The cause of suffering is in the child.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the truth of the cause of suffering of the child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What would a liberated Buddhist say is the cause of the child's suffering: the father, the child, both the father and the child or something (or someone) else?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer to the cause of suffering can only be one: the cause of suffering is always within the one who is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider a 3 year old child. His father is abusing him. As a consequence, the child is suffering. Remove the abuse and the child will stop to suffer. But, is the cause of suffering in the child really removed? No. Read the story about Mistress Vedehika &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the abuse is removed from the child, the cause of suffering is still present within him, his mind is still ignorant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if the child had a perfect father and perfect living conditions for the rest of his life, in such a way, that no aversion, hatred, evil words, hostility, anger, sadness, ill will and similar would arise in his mind until the moment of death, he would still not be liberated from suffering - he would still be reborn after death. Why? Because he still craves and clings, even though his life was perfect, without any suffering. He was clinging and craving. He was suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, if we take the view &quot;the cause of suffering is sometimes within me and sometimes outside me&quot;, we would make the same mistake described in the story of mistress Vedehika. We would remove the cause outside us, but the true cause of suffering would still be within us. By taking such a wrong view &quot;the cause of suffering is sometimes within me and sometimes outside me&quot; is like putting your head in the sand. No liberation would come in taking such wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, if we had a chance to help the child or the father, we would not say to them: the cause of suffering is always within the one who is suffering. Why? Because they wouldn't understand it properly because of ignorance. The child would probably become even more hurt because the blame for his suffering would be put on him. The father's evil doing would probably continue because he would have one more excuse to cause suffering to others: &quot;I'm not to blame, I'm not the cause of anybody's suffering&quot;. Thus, we would need to choose our words carefully and wisely. That was not the question. The question was, what's the cause of the child suffering, not what would be the best way to liberate the child from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose we have this view regarding the child's cause of suffering: &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is the father&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such a view, liberation from suffering comes from the child's ability to have control of his surrounding environment. When he will develop perfect control of his surrounding environment, his suffering will cease. Now suppose 20 years later a bandit comes into his perfect environment and abuses him. As a consequence, he suffers. Has the child really attained liberation from suffering? No. Why? Because the child clings on his surrounding environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, is his environment permanent or impermanent? Impermanent. &#xA;Can he have perfect control over his environment or can he not? He can not.&#xA;Is worldly existence satisfactory or unsatisfactory? Unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How could this be the right path towards liberation? It can't and it isn't. Why? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the child is searching for the cause of suffering outside, not within. The child had wrong view &quot;the cause of my suffering is outside me, in my environment, in beings that surround me, in actions these beings perform on me, in actions my environment performs on me, in actions my body performs on me, in actions bacterias and viruses perform on me, in actions bandits perform on me, in actions my father performs on me, ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such wrong view, clinging and craving cannot be removed. With such wrong view, the Second, Third and Fourth noble truths cannot come to fruition: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suffering, as a noble truth, is this: Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; association with the loathed is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering — in short, suffering is the five categories of clinging objects.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The origin of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is the craving that produces renewal of being accompanied by enjoyment and lust, and enjoying this and that; in other words, craving for sensual desires, craving for being, craving for non-being.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is remainderless fading and ceasing, giving up, relinquishing, letting go and rejecting, of that same craving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The way leading to cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is simply the noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose we have this view regarding the child's cause of suffering: &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in his fathers's Karma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such a view, liberation from suffering comes from the child's ability to have control of his father's Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can we have full control over the Karma of others? No.&#xA;Can we have &quot;some&quot; control over the Karma of others? Yes. How? By having the ability to control the actions of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to control the actions of others arises from the ability to have control of our surrounding environment. Again, liberation from suffering would come from our ability to have control of our surrounding environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the environment permanent or impermanent? Impermanent. &#xA;Can we have perfect control over our environment or can we not? We can not.&#xA;Is worldly existence satisfactory or unsatisfactory? Unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How could this be the right path towards liberation? It can't and it isn't. Why? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we are searching for the cause of suffering outside, not within. Our view &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in his fathers's Karma&quot; is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such wrong view, clinging and craving cannot be removed. With such wrong view, the Second, Third and Fourth noble truths cannot come to fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose we have this view regarding the child's cause of suffering: &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in the child's Karma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such a view, liberation from suffering comes from the child's ability to have control of his Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can we have full control over our Karma? No.&#xA;Can we have &quot;some&quot; control over our Karma? Yes. How? By having the ability to control our actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to control our actions arises from the ability to have control of our minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can we have perfect control over our minds or can we not? Yes we can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How could this be the right path towards liberation? It is. This is the right path to liberation. Why? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we are searching for the cause of suffering within. Our view &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in his Karma&quot; is right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such right view, clinging and craving can be removed. With such right view, the Second noble truth will come to fruition. When the Second noble truth comes to fruition, the Fourth noble truth will lead us to meditation - a search for the cause of suffering within, not outside. Once we find the cause within, the Third noble truth will come to fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the cause by which stress comes into play? Craving is the cause by which stress comes into play.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the result of stress? There are some cases in which a person overcome with pain, his mind exhausted, grieves, mourns, laments, beats his breast, &amp;amp; becomes bewildered. Or one overcome with pain, his mind exhausted, &lt;strong&gt;comes to search outside&lt;/strong&gt;, 'Who knows a way or two to stop this pain?' I tell you, monks, that stress results either in bewilderment or in search. This is called the result of stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the cessation of stress? From the cessation of craving is the cessation of stress&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose we have this view regarding the child's cause of suffering: &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in the child's mind&quot; or &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is in the child&quot; or &quot;The cause of the child's suffering is within the child&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such a view, liberation from suffering comes from the child's ability to have control of his mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such a view, liberation from suffering comes as already described above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever we are searching for the cause of suffering within us, sooner or later the four noble truths will come to fruition. Whenever we are searching for the cause of suffering outside us, the four noble truths will never come fully to fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving and clinging within the child is the cause of the child's stress. This is the only right view if we want to reach full liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional thinking about the cause of suffering goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When things are in order, I'm happy. When I'm happy, I will cling on things being in order.&#xA;When things are not in order, I'm not happy. When I'm not happy, I will crave for things coming into order.&#xA;Things are changing order, there is nothing I can do about it. Thus, sometimes I'll be happy, sometimes I'll be not happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist thinking about the cause of suffering goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things are changing order, there is nothing I can do about it. When things are in order, I will not cling on things being in order.&#xA;When things are not in order, I will not crave for things coming into order.&#xA;Thus, I'll not be, which is beyond happiness or anything you've ever imagined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T11:53:20.070" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T11:53:20.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9742" CreationDate="2015-06-23T10:11:06.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me try to answer the question with basis in the 2 of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Imponderables&lt;/a&gt; and with quotes from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What Buddhists Believe&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammanda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 4th acinteyya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Speculation about [the origin, etc., of] the cosmos is an imponderable that is not to be speculated about&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This acinteyya discusses the origin of the cosmos but i think the question about the origin of the intention that must give rise to the forming of a mental formation, here a &lt;em&gt;choice&lt;/em&gt;, might fall into the same category. Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is similar to be searching for a &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;first cause&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. A first cause complicates the entire picture. One can then ask what caused the first cause? Or what caused the cause that caused the first cause? And so to infinity. It will not give a satisfying answer, unless one is a Buddha. If one is not, then it will only leave the mind agitated and stressed out which is not conducieve to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some quotes that i think fit to your question. They can be found in above mentioned book, from the chapter: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Can the First Cause be Known?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 166-168:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;According to the Buddha, it is inconceivable to find a first cause for life or anything else. For in common experience, the cause becomes the effect and the effect becomes the cause. In the circle of cause and effect, a first cause is incomprehensible.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;With regard to the origin of life, the Buddha declares, ‘Without cognizable end is this recurrent wandering in Samsara (cycle of birth and death). Beings are obstructed by ignorance and fettered by craving. A first beginning of these beings is not to be perceived.’ (Anamatagga Samyutta in Samyutta Nikaya).&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... And it is more difficult to understand how that first cause came into existence at the beginning. For if the first cause can exist though uncreated, there is no reason why the other phenomena of the universe must not exist without having also been created.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As to the question how all beings came into existence without a first cause, the Buddhist’s reply is that there is no answer* because the question itself is merely a product of human beings’ limited compre- hension. If we can understand the nature of time and relativity; we must see that there could not have been any first beginning. It can only be pointed out that all the usual answers to the question are fundamentally defective. If it is assumed that for a thing to exist, it must have had a creator who existed before it, it follows logically that the creator himself must have had a creator, and so on back to infinity. On the other hand, if the creator could exist without a prior cause in the form of another creator, the whole argument falls to the ground. The theory of a creator does not solve any problems, it only complicates the existing ones.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the &lt;em&gt;2nd Acinteyya&lt;/em&gt; which says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana... [i.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana]&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on that i would think examples of questions could be: &lt;em&gt;Can one learn to fly? Can one read others minds? Can one travel in time? Can one become invinsible? Can one perform magic tricks? Can one see through walls? Can one transform into another physical form?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Visuddhimagga&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has a section called &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;THE SUPERNORMAL POWERS&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; on p. 369-400. In here you will find the benefits of concentration and the kinds of Supernormal Powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an example of a power:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;24. That given as follows, “Having abandoned his normal form, he shows [himself in] the form of a boy or the form of a serpent ... or he shows a manifold military array” (Paþis II 210), is called success as transformation because of the abandoning and alteration of the normal form.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T11:17:26.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9745" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9852" CreationDate="2015-06-23T10:32:02.403" Score="2" ViewCount="953" Body="&lt;p&gt;This has happened to me a few times  on Goenka retreats. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I have been practicing mindfulness of breath and body scanning for a while, near day 7 or so my attention will be moving quite quickly, rapidly, performing a scan of several points in the body every few seconds in a set pattern. By this point in the retreat my attention is flowing smoothly like water so it only takes a second or two for every cycle, which is very fast even if it can get quite tiring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At some point after this suddenly my attention gets hijacked by some autonomic process, and my attention will hit points in my body in a super complicated but precise pattern (I think it draws a mandala) that I can never hope to consciously replicate. It is ridiculously fast and precise, covering 50 or more  points in the body in under a second.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It happens only once, so a second later it is over, and now I note that my habitual set pattern I used to follow to scan the body is now in cruise control mode. I can actually sit back (metaphorically speaking) and let the body scan itself, or so it would seem. My mind will now go do other things, like contemplate dhamma or whatever, and when I return to attention of my body I would find it is still going strong, doing the auto pilot body scanning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will usually last a few days, even after the retreat. The funny thing is the attention is spatial. If I get up from the half lotus, the body scan still happens, but it is now hitting empty space near my hip where my thighs and legs used to be folded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often this means when I go to my room I won't lie down until I absolutely have to because it feels weird to have the body scan happen only to my upper body and not my knees and toes when I am lying flat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I wake up from sleep the body scan is still happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After day 13/14 slowly this auto scan will grow less and less pronounced until I can't sense it anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is happening here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:23:48.937" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:23:48.937" Title="Automatic body scanning? What is happening here?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-body|samadhi|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9742" CreationDate="2015-06-23T12:07:30.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Knowledge has limits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Mind is not Buddha. Knowledge is not the Way.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; But then, even saying this is leading you astray again, so I should shut up. Your question can be asked, because you have asked it. But not all questions make any sense. I think that the error is the choice of your second word, &quot;Suppose &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;...&quot; This word has no referent. But to communicate with you, I need to resort to meaningless terms like 'you' and 'I'. Try not to get hung up on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Have you had breakfast?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T12:07:30.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9747" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-23T12:26:31.523" Score="8" ViewCount="524" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhist psychology view the concept of &quot;fake it 'til you make it&quot; as an acceptable social behavior (eg, cheerful behavior rather than stressed behavior, or calm behavior rather than emotional behavior)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I recently attended my first meditation retreat (a weekend event). I was overcome with emotion a couple of times during meditation practice and teaching sessions, with quiet tearfulness. Also, during the sharing time, at the end of the retreat on the final day, I wept as I finished my expressions of gratitude to the teacher and group.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I have restrained that last public display of emotion? Was that display of emotion an ill-timed expression of ego/self, and, therefore, according to Buddhism, best to be avoided?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2019-05-21T15:48:43.000" Title="Is &quot;Fake it 'til you make it&quot; an acceptable Buddhist behavior?" Tags="|psychology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9747" CreationDate="2015-06-23T12:54:24.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd say NO. Buddhism is, if anything, about practice, practice, and more practice. If you don't do the work, results will never appear. Your expression of emotion was entirely appropriate, even expected. A meditation retreat is a challenging thing, and if it had had no effect on you, I'd have been more surprised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T12:54:24.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9728" CreationDate="2015-06-23T14:10:24.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the buddhist texts, 'storing up of kamma' is described best by the Pali word &lt;code&gt;vipāka&lt;/code&gt;, which is most commonly translated as the 'result', 'ripening' or 'effect' of kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three&#xA;  sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here &amp;amp; now, that which&#xA;  arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that.&#xA;  This is called the result of kamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't need to understand the mechanics for this - in fact, as you have said yourself, the Buddha encouraged us to avoid speculating on it. But we can start asking questions about our actions and their results. There is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;plenty written about it&lt;/a&gt;, but I will offer a few questions to perhaps start you thinking about it in a practical way: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do my actions in the present moment have any effect on the future?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any pattern I can experience in these effects? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do skilful actions lead to good results, and vice versa? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's the problem with harming others, or stealing? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What happens to this mind as a result? Is there any effect beyond the present moment?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, we can read what the Buddha said about what is skilful and unskilful, and take it as a 'working hypothesis'. Then see for ourselves the effect of our actions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5349" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T14:10:24.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9750" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9760" CreationDate="2015-06-23T14:48:34.733" Score="5" ViewCount="8080" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wish to know the circumstances where/when Buddha ever got angry and acted upon that anger. Thanks for your time. Love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:02:15.447" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:02:15.447" Title="When did the Buddha get angry?" Tags="|gautama-buddha|anger|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9750" CreationDate="2015-06-23T15:31:14.247" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anger is eradicated at the 3rd stage(&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot;&gt;Anagami&lt;/a&gt;) of enlightenment. Lord Buddha is fully enlightened. It is impossible to make him or any other being who has reached or passed the stage of Anagami, angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T15:31:14.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9506" CreationDate="2015-06-23T16:20:42.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your own thorough practice of Metta is your best protection. &#xA;Being reborn in a God realm is not the goal in Dharma Practice. &#xA;Leaving Samsara is the initial goal, and Buddhahood is the Ultimate Goal.&#xA;Gods and Devas also are within the rounds of Samsara.&#xA;As beings who take rebirth in the God realm also eventually have to leave that realm when their karma for that lofty position is finished.&#xA;Actually this human rebirth is the best for the full attainment of Enlightenment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is funny talk on just this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibx_2nmHyV0&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=960&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibx_2nmHyV0&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=960&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5339" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2019-07-21T22:57:11.423" LastActivityDate="2019-07-21T22:57:11.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9747" CreationDate="2015-06-23T17:27:50.450" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idiom &quot;Fake it until you make it&quot; or the recent turn of phrase &quot;Fake it until you become it&quot; used by Amy Cuddy in a Ted Talk about body posture and how it effects your psychology seems to focus mostly on the concept of confidence: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense in the west there seems to be an interesting idea that confidence is key to success and therefore one should be confident at all times. This is of course not possible and there is where this idiom comes in. The idea is that if one act and behaves as if one is confident, one becomes more confident by way of training. in other words: &quot;embody as best as you can, that which you want to be.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If taken in this way the idea may be applicable to Buddhists, not waiting for confidence, not being paralysed by uncertainty but practising being the person you want to be. Note that this is not the same as ignoring ones feeling or suppressing it. Nor is it a mode you don't allow yourself to fail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with the other answers that you did not act inappropriately. As long as one does not flinch because of it, or see it as a failure.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="179" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T17:27:50.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9721" CreationDate="2015-06-23T18:33:47.487" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you mean by wisdom. By wisdom, if you mean intelligence as well, it can be dangerous and cruel. ex: coming up with more effective ways to invade countries, deceive people to make more profit etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But wisdom from a Buddhist perspective can be seen as two fold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Worldly wisdom: Wisdom that helps you live a successful family life, be an ideal husband, wife, householder or worker; wisdom that helps you improve a good business; wisdom that leads you to a happy destination, next life. etc. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Singalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; has many such examples.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom that leads to Nibbana.&#xA;Basically this means the understanding of the four noble truths.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;can true wisdom ever be devoid of compassion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure! Wisdom need not be associated with compassion. &#xA;Ex: take each of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;16 Vipassana Nanas&lt;/a&gt;. Those mind states have nothing to do with compassion. Some of them are associated with fear towards Samsara. Wisdom can also come as disappointment towards sensual pleasures. Read the story of &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.lk/books?id=OCu4VLmX-H8C&amp;amp;printsec=frontcover&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upatissa &amp;amp; Kolitha&lt;/a&gt; who later became the chief disciples of the Buddha.&#xA;Even the four stages of enlightenment don't have compassion as a quality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To reach enlightenment, one needs to cultivate the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html#ch1.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Spiritual Faculties&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Faith&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vigor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html#ch2.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Balancing of these five faculties&lt;/a&gt; is more important to the progression in the path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For one who is strong in faith and weak in wisdom places his&#xA;  confidence foolishly in an unworthy object. One strong in wisdom and&#xA;  weak in faith errs on the side of cunning and is as hard to cure as a&#xA;  sickness caused by medicine. But with the balancing of the two, faith&#xA;  and wisdom, a man has confidence only in a deserving object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this doesn't imply compassion(Karuna) and kindness(Metta) are unimportant. They have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many useful benefits&lt;/a&gt; and they help us to stay away from hells by subduing our cruelty and hatred. That is very conducive to attaining Nibbana. Realising that is wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a being attains or passes the state of Anagami, he removes aversion completely. Then there's no obstacle in his mind for compassion and kindness to arise, when he interacts with people. That's why they are naturally inclined to help other beings attain enlightenment. That is the reason why we even have Buddhism today. If the Buddha did not have any compassion towards the worldlings, he wouldn't have preached the Dhamma just because the Maha Brahma invited. Compassion and wisdom can work in tandem. Ex: &lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2006/01/25/arts05.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Karuna Samapatti Nana&lt;/a&gt; of the Buddha. But compassion is not a requirement for wisdom to be present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T10:22:12.187" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T10:22:12.187" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9750" CreationDate="2015-06-23T18:56:35.267" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;i dont recall in any sutta even before the evening of enlightment that Buddha got angry.  IMO, The strongest/most firm words of his teaching was when Buddha corrected a monk (i dont recall name) who still taught others about existence of permanent soul (or transmigrating Vinnana) even after was told about the impermanent of vinnana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T18:56:35.267" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9750" CreationDate="2015-06-23T21:49:40.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha cannot get angry. Thus, he never acts upon it. The Buddha is completely liberated from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T21:49:40.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9747" CreationDate="2015-06-23T22:00:06.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Fake it till you make it&quot; is one of many views a disciple could endeavor on his way to liberation. It could be a good way to gain some knowledge/wisdom. Once knowledge/wisdom is gained, sooner or later one abandons the view &quot;fake it till you make it&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have done right by not restraining your last public display of emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if that emotion was coming from your ego, it should not be avoided. The reason the emotion came is to learn why it came. The whole universe is here for you to see the path leading to liberation. Even if you probably don't see it this way, your emotion was one of the many experiences that lead you closer to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T22:00:06.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9745" CreationDate="2015-06-23T22:14:12.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This automatic body scanning that you mentioned is your ego playing games with you. During meditation, your Self or ego is becoming weaker and weaker. When the ego sees he is dying, ego will do everything to not die. You could hear sounds, vibrations, gain supernatural powers, travel to distant galaxies, predict the future, read minds, gain magical powers, fly through walls, visit astral planes, talk with devas, have out of body experiences, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ego wants you to cling onto something. Ego wants you to crave. That's why he gives you weird experiences. If you show fear to such experiences, ego will give you experiences that you'll be afraid off. If you show attachment to such experiences, ego will give you experiences that you'll be attached to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important thing is not to get attached to these experiences and get beyond them. Don't worry, if the experience arises, just go with it, enjoy, relax, have fun and don't intellectualize. The most important thing: never, ever be afraid. If a bad experience arises, smile, don't worry, just go with it, enjoy, relax, have fun and don't intellectualize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closer you will be to liberation, the less such experiences will arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T22:14:12.797" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9747" CreationDate="2015-06-23T23:25:43.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to mention the difference between realities. We have &lt;em&gt;conventional reality&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ultimate reality&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional reality is based on concepts such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;I, Me, Self, Persons, things, entities, animals etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; Here there is a Self, an experiencing entity, a creator of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ultimate reality there is no concepts, meaning that there is no I or Self. In other words there is noone to blame or to restrain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the past. What have been done have been done. Pondering about it is not conduceive to ones practice. Reacting to these mental formations only serve to bring one away from the Present moment and into delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remorse, regret of the past, thinking about what could have been done differently belongs to the &lt;em&gt;4th hindrance, ie. Restlessness and Worry&lt;/em&gt;. The hindrances are what keeps on from developing in meditation. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;You can read more about them here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, in buddhism we try to develop a non-stick mind. A mind that does not cling or have aversion. We practice non-reaction, non-interfering with phenomena. Instead we observe them and learn from them. We observe phenomena and let them show us their true nature. When reacting to them, e.g. reacting to emotions we provide them further fuel to burn. We strengthen them. Its like taking a magnifying glass and concentrating the sun rays. They get stronger. In the same way if we have aversion towards them they also become stronger and grow bigger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When just observing phenomena without interfering they are not being provided any fuel. Instead we turn them into objects of observation. We make them into the soil that will nurture our spiritual growth. So when these mental formations arise you can observe them and note them (Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition) in order to realize their impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollable nature, i.e. the 3 signs of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-05-21T15:48:43.000" LastActivityDate="2019-05-21T15:48:43.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9750" CreationDate="2015-06-23T23:55:40.277" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;As others have said, the Buddha would not have gotten angry. There are however, suttas which show his sternness such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv.08.26.01-08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kucchivikara-vatthu: The Monk with Dysentery&lt;/a&gt; In this sutta, the Buddha and Venerable Ananda come across a very sick and neglected monk lying in his own filth in a monastery. The Buddha shows compassion and along with Ananda cleans the sick monk. But then he calls together the rest of the monks and gives them a talking to about taking responsibility for each other. While we can't know the tone the Buddha would have used; given the situation and the apparent lack of compassion shown by the monks; we can imagine it would have been stern.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha used the term &quot;worthless man&quot; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and others and the term &quot;foolish man&quot; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, as an enlightened being, none of this was done in anger. The Buddha would have known the best way to speak to each to make them understand and sometimes this would not have been in a gentle tone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another question on the site &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8804/was-the-buddha-harsh&quot;&gt;&quot;Was the Buddha Harsh?&quot;&lt;/a&gt; which has many more examples of this type of necessary speech. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-23T23:55:40.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9762" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10813" CreationDate="2015-06-24T06:39:16.477" Score="3" ViewCount="689" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that this sutra is one of the most direct routes to enlightenment and one of the most important, yet because future generations cannot handle this sutra, its disappearance  was foretold.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can find only a few English versions of this on the web and they each vary considerably, as if to indicate the prophecy is coming true. Among Buddhist teachers of certain (esoteric?)  sects this is a favorite, but most teachers largely ignore it.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone shed light on its relevance to the modern aspirant? What are its criticisms?         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it not more popular if its dire warnings are true? Are there reliable or canonical versions to follow? What is the history of this sutra?       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Within Buddhism, there are very many important sutras. However, the most important sutra is the Shurangama Sutra. If there are places which have the Shurangama Sutra, then the Proper Dharma dwells in the world. If there is no Shurangama Sutra, then the Dharma-ending Age appears. Therefore, we Buddhist disciples, each and every one, must use our strength and our blood, sweat, and toil to protect the Shurangama Sutra. In the Sutra of the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma, it says very, very clearly that in the Dharma-ending Age, the Shurangama Sutra will be the first to disappear. The rest of the sutras will follow. As long as Shurangama Sutra does not disappear, then the Proper Dharma Age is present.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama/shurangama_contents.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Extract from introduction to Sutra&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T07:38:08.387" LastActivityDate="2017-12-06T20:07:03.140" Title="Why isn't the S(h)urangama sutra more popular?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2015-06-24T12:12:49.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another user has already mentioned the different realities so i will make it short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In paramattha sacca, i.e. ultimate reality, there exists no conventions or concepts, meaning that there is no one who suffers, there is no creator of kamma or receiver of kammic results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In sammuti sacca, i.e. conventional reality there exists concepts such as people, entities, animals, a father, a child etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the father is the cause of his own suffering. He is creating his own suffering by giving rise to unwholesome intentions based on &lt;em&gt;Greed&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Delusion&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The child is the creator of its own suffering by reacting to the phenomena, i.e. the fathers abuse. There might arise &lt;em&gt;physical and mental pain, anger, sadness and the like&lt;/em&gt;. If the child reacts to these mental and physical phenomena the child is taking ownership of them and identifying with them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a difference between saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Pain, anger or sadness has arisen&quot; &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;I am angry, sad or feeling pain&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First one is objective. There is observation and non-interaction with the object(s).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second one is when one is having &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt; due to &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; and thinking that there is a Self that is experiencing and the owner of these phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up: The child is the cause for its own suffering. The father can only impinge on the child's senses. Its the identifying, taking ownership of and having aversion to the objects that creates the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T13:01:06.670" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T13:01:06.670" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9702" CreationDate="2015-06-24T21:17:44.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some sounds can help, but the purpose (the aim or intention) of practice is independence, so you must master the meditation regardless of sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5357" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T22:49:18.383" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T22:49:18.383" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9765" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9801" CreationDate="2015-06-24T21:36:01.707" Score="7" ViewCount="788" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm interested in the &lt;em&gt;1st Buddhist Council&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. why was it held, where was it held, who attended it and what were the outcome?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not looking for an in-depth and detailed answer. More like an overview of the 1st council and preferably a text-reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T07:46:42.837" LastActivityDate="2020-10-15T01:36:42.720" Title="What was the 1st Buddhist Council about?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|history|traditions|texts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9765" CreationDate="2015-06-24T22:51:51.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;tldr; some old guy thought that because the buddha was now passed into parinirvana, the monks could go crazy and do whatever they wanted, not adhering to the rules. so a council was called consisting of 500 arahants to codify the buddhas teachings and rules for the sangha so that going forth the dharma would not degenerate. Ananda, being foremost in memory and having heard nearly all of the buddhas teachings as he was the buddhas #1 monk, was asked to join but only if he was able to attain arahantship. So Ananda stayed up all night the night prior to the council, and finally on the morning of, attained Arahantship, and was able to attend and recite all the sutas and precepts for the sanga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The First Buddhist council was convened in the year following the Buddha's parinirvana,&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_32lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; which is 543–542 BCE according to Theravada tradition, at various earlier dates according to certain Mahayana traditions, and various later dates according to certain Western estimates.[2] According to late commentarial accounts, King Ajatashatru (Sanskrit अजातशत्रु) sponsored the council. Tradition holds that on the full moon day of Shravan lunar month the Council was held in a hall erected by Ajatasattu outside the Sattaparnaguha (Pali: Sattapanniguha) or Saptaparni Cave in Rajgir, three months after the Buddha had attained parinirvana (i.e. died). Detailed accounts of the council can be found in the Khandhaka sections of the canonical Vinayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However other sources reveal that the Buddha's parinirvana happened 218 years before the coronation of Emperor Ashoka. Emperor Ashoka was coronated in 269 BCE. So it can also be stated that the Buddha died in 483 BCE. The time matches the reign of King Ajathashatru. Hence it can also be argued that the First Buddhist Council was held in the year 483 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to this record the incident which prompted the Elder Mahakassapa to call this meeting was his hearing a disparaging remark about the strict rule of life for monks. The monk Subhadda, who had ordained late in life, upon hearing that the Buddha had expired, voiced his resentment at having to abide by all the rules for monks laid down by the Buddha. Many monks lamented the passing of the Buddha and were deeply grieved but Subhadda spoke up to show happiness and relief that Buddha was gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And Subhadda, the late-received one, said to the Bhikkhus: &quot;Enough, Sirs! Weep not, neither lament! We are well rid of the great Samana. We used to be annoyed by being told, 'This beseems you, this beseems you not.' But now we shall be able to do whatever we like; and what we do not like, that we shall not have to do.&quot;[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahakassapa was alarmed by his remark and feared that the Dhamma and the Vinaya might be corrupted and not survive intact if other monks were to behave like Subhadda and interpret the Dhamma and the Vinaya rules as they pleased. To avoid this he decided that the Dhamma must be preserved and protected. To this end after gaining the Sangha's approval he called to council five hundred Arahants.[3] Ananda was to be included in this provided he attained Arahanthood by the time the council convened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the Elder Mahakassapa presiding, the five hundred Arahant monks met in council during the rainy season. The first thing Mahakassapa did was to question the foremost expert on the Vinaya of the day, Venerable Upali on particulars of the monastic rule. This monk was well qualified for the task as the Buddha had taught him the whole of the Vinaya himself. The Elder Mahakassapa asked him specifically about the ruling on the first offense parajika, with regard to the subject, the occasion, the individual introduced, the proclamation, the repetition of the proclamation, the offense and the case of non-offense. Upali gave knowledgeable and adequate answers and his remarks met with the unanimous approval of the presiding Sangha. Thus, the Vinaya was formally approved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Elder Mahakassapa then turned his attention to Ananda in virtue of his reputable expertise in all matters connected with the Dhamma. Happily, the night before the Council was to meet, Ananda had attained Arahantship and joined the Council.&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_32lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;[4] The Elder Mahakassapa, therefore, was able to question him at length with complete confidence about the Dhamma with specific reference to the Buddha's sermons. This interrogation on the Dhamma sought to verify the place where all the discourses were first preached and the person to whom they had been addressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda aided by his word-perfect memory was able to answer accurately and so the Discourses met with the unanimous approval of the Sangha. The First Council also gave its official seal of approval for the closure of the chapter on the minor and lesser rules, and approval for their observance. It took the monks seven months to recite the whole of the Vinaya and the Dhamma and those monks sufficiently endowed with good memories retained all that had been recited. This historic first council came to be known as the Pancasatika because five hundred fully enlightened Arahants had taken part in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_32lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_32lbud.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-24T22:58:46.067" LastActivityDate="2015-06-24T22:58:46.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9767" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9775" CreationDate="2015-06-24T23:50:59.623" Score="4" ViewCount="220" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question is in the title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about the benefits of practicing with a teacher vs. practicing alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By alone i mean when one has a great deal of time to practice and no worldly responsibilities such as a marriage, children, being the owner of a car, house, flat etc. meaning that one can then spend a lot of time on studying and practicing the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T00:21:06.627" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T06:41:27.667" Title="What are the benefits of practicing under a teacher vs. practicing alone?" Tags="|personal-practice|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9768" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15915" CreationDate="2015-06-25T00:14:01.753" Score="6" ViewCount="771" Body="&lt;p&gt;I noticed some buddhist monks spend a lot of their time teaching and giving dhamma talks, while other monks spend minimal time on these things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if there are any rules in the monastic code for monks regarding how much time a monk should spent on teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T00:19:59.700" LastActivityDate="2019-09-09T08:42:21.517" Title="A question regarding the level of worldly participation for a buddhist monk" Tags="|monk|traditions|vinaya|monasticism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9769" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9776" CreationDate="2015-06-25T00:18:47.130" Score="3" ViewCount="1997" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard about buddhist monks who undertake strictly solitary practice for 6 months where they practice entirely by themselves. They have no human contact and some of the other monks will come and bring them their food. The other monks will leave the food at the entrance and only when they leave the solitary monk will come out to take the food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm very interested in this way of practicing and would like to know what the benefits of such concentrated practice is and the fact that there is no human contact or contact with the outside world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:18:13.107" LastActivityDate="2018-01-16T13:08:24.353" Title="What are the benefits of solitary practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|monk|meditation-recommendation|monasticism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3979" CreationDate="2015-06-25T03:13:52.863" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bit late, but I would like to contribute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the tiny fraction I know of Buddhism, any material phenomena of this world, shows the four fundamental characteristics (Maha Bhuta) of Patavi (Hardness, Solidity), Apo (Liquidity, Binding or flowing nature), Thejo (Heat) and Vayo (Movement, Air). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These characteristics appear, live and disappear. Billions of these sets of Bhutas appear live and disappear in a fraction of a time. This applies to all materials including our body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhuthas are not permanent (they disappear), so it is Anicca. Bhuthas getting aged and fade away during it's life time. So it is Dukkha. No one or no power in this universe can penetrate or force on the behaviour of these Bhuthas. So it is Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5361" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T03:13:52.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9769" CreationDate="2015-06-25T05:39:09.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation puts the body into a sort of state of hibernation, doesn't it, to some extent? The passage of time becomes very relative, and if the practitioner is accessing a bliss state, then...who needs human company? &#xA;Monks in isolation are involved in repeated intense inner-directed mental exercises.&#xA;[here]&#xA;you might find this useful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3532" LastEditorUserId="3532" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T03:52:19.880" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T03:52:19.880" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9767" CreationDate="2015-06-25T06:06:55.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practising alone will give you better experience and better overview, &#xA;Practising under teacher will be helpful initially I believe, But later on at some point or other you will need to practise alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3532" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T06:06:55.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-06-25T06:11:00.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is a health nut who goes to the gym daily, and only eats organic food, they can't really hang out at burger joints with their friends, the smell of deep frying will be revolting. Does this make their body volatile? We all know it isn't possible to stay as healthy by eating burgers and fries, so we allow them their salads, there is social acceptance for that. Hanging out at the gym or park instead of at the bar after work becomes their routine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sugary or deep fried junk food tastes bad to one who has been on a healthy diet of natural fruits and vegetables. Persist with eating junk, and the body adapts. Same with altitude sickness, dust, noise and other kinds of pollution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emotional body is the same - it doesn't like difficult emotions of the outside world. Since a few years now I find even regular family TV soaps featuring some manipulative characters very violent - just the idea of deceit and lies is revolting. This is not volatility, it is the emotional body protesting at toxins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our physical and emotional bodies are trained to recognize good health, and they guide us towards it by protesting harsh environments. They are keeping us safe. Ignore the warning for long enough, and they will lose the ability to warn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, there is a school of thought among a few modern teachers that one must remain emotionally healthy despite operating in toxic emotional environments.  Most modern successful work places are very toxic with lots of busy but shallow relationships where everyone is looking out for themselves. Showing an interest in the emotional affairs of another at the workplace is threatening, because everyone is trained to view the others as opponents. We are at war in such work places that emphasize &quot;professionalism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ambition and competition are violence&lt;/em&gt;, and there is violence in just about any modern activity. For example fashion that makes us regret our bodies is violence, food that is tasty by contains no nutrients is violence, entertainment is by definition violence because it takes us away from our inner self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is going to make us intolerant to violence at work, at home - and anywhere else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may mean giving up some things we previously loved - a job, a neighborhood, a city, a partner. Or it may mean giving up on a life of peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I moved to urban India I began coughing blood. I visited a doctor who pointed out that I simply wasn't used to high levels of pollution. I could either stay in the city and get used to it in a few months, or live in air conditioned environments and never mix with crowds or leave the city.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a choice we all have to make with emotional environments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T06:46:50.100" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T06:46:50.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9767" CreationDate="2015-06-25T07:19:09.833" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has found a good teacher who is willing to teach, nothing like it. Unfortunately, good teachers are rare, and most wander alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like climbing a mountain without a guide. Sometimes we get lost, wander around a lot, maybe learn a lot of things in the process, but also get hurt by falling down. Most times the learning is not really essential to climbing the mountain, it can sometimes feel like it is impossible to continue, and other times one can think, &quot;I have come so far, I can't turn back now&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the modern age with so many dharma books and teachers online, one may not always need a direct teacher. However, one can get confused with a multitude of approaches and schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a risk, but it also protects from getting locked into a dogma or school. This can happen to anyone who finds a teacher or school at an early age and never encounters other ideas. The Dalai Lama (in his book &quot;&lt;em&gt;Toward a True Kinship of Faiths: How the World's Religions Can Come Together&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) has said that &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theosophical.org/news/dalai-lama-2011/history-of-this-event&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;until he visited the Theosophical society in Chennai and met people of other faiths, he was pretty certain only Buddhism had all the answers, and every other approach was wrong.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately we make do with what we have. We don't abandon our practice merely because we can't find a good teacher, we do it the best way we can. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we accumulate merit by helping others it will lead to better guides, books and teachers - dharma will find us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T06:41:27.667" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T06:41:27.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9769" CreationDate="2015-06-25T07:25:46.283" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has the maturity, will and energy, this can be very good. Unfortunately, most lack that kind of will until they have progressed a good distance already. Bodhidharma, the Zen patriarch practiced this way for nine years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isolated practice can only cut us off from humans, when concentration deepens, it can often lead to encounters with non-humans :-) It's never possible to cut us off from all sentient existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are dangers and rewards with everything. Reintegration with society can be difficult, if we are not mature and stable enough, some experiences in solitary meditation can be very scary and disturbing, especially if we choose to practice in places with spirits, like graveyards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like free climbing without a rope, not for beginners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;p.s. if you have not already, read the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/aacariya-mun-bhuridatta-thera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;biography of Ajahn Mun Bhuridatto Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T07:25:46.283" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9777" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10806" CreationDate="2015-06-25T11:11:34.530" Score="7" ViewCount="1503" Body="&lt;p&gt;When starting a more in-depth study of the Dharma from a Mahayana and Vajrayana perspective, what are the core (3 most recommended) Sutras (or texts), and the reasons why they are considered important, to have on your reading list in each of those traditions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T12:14:50.403" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T12:10:41.650" Title="What are the core Mahayana and Vajrayana Sutras?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8366" CreationDate="2015-06-25T12:37:00.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I went through a period of about 4 years of increasingly &quot;over the top&quot; feelings, sensations, reactions, bliss, etc. It was a wild ride. At times it burst upwards in to what I call a &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Neo State&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; where verbal thought stopped and ego was not operating (temporarily). It was a bit like a drug trip for hours or a day or so. Former wife thought I was going insane. Eventually reached an experience of nonduality, which persisted and is usually hanging around somewhere nearby, or can be reached in about 2 seconds. This is a choice, but you have to be organized enough to get there, first comes the 'housecleaning'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see it as - you could say - larger and larger portions of mind activity coalescing into a growing Unitive state. At first you do not know how to handle it. Then it is confusing, but OK. Then... it does get better. Daily practice, hold to your teaching, try not to say wild things (the hardest thing for me, especially on web sites and e-mail, which has gotten me in trouble). The people around you have no idea what you are experiencing, but it is normal. Just 'growth' or development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have searched and searched for any scriptures, research or other things that describe this in the same way (ego &gt;&gt;&gt; Neo / no ego &gt;&gt;&gt; Nonduality / no-self) but there is not much. &lt;strong&gt;The current research in to Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience (PNSE) is very promising.&lt;/strong&gt; Most descriptions do not segregate out the &quot;self without ego operating&quot; situation. Chogyam Trungpa describes it in &quot;&lt;em&gt;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, if you are willing to receive his point of view on it. &lt;strong&gt;I think that it is related to the developmental stages from Concrete Operations to Formal Operations to Post-Formal&lt;/strong&gt;, but I am researching that at the moment. Good Luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T12:37:00.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9780" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9793" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:01:37.523" Score="9" ViewCount="9141" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.176&lt;/a&gt; idle chatter is defined as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance&#xA;  with the goal, the Dhamma, &amp;amp; the Vinaya. He speaks words worth&#xA;  treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the&#xA;  goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bearing this in mind - is right speech purely connected with the Dharma? Should one speak of the Dharma and nothing else? From my own perspective some idle chit chat which has the effect of putting someone at ease in a social situation is a kindness. Similarly chatting to the daughter about nothing in particular is building the bonds of caring and again feels like the right thing to do. However would both those actions be classified as idle chatter and would not be right speech?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a personal note I probably do talk too much so a bit less idle chatter would do me some good i think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T16:39:35.620" LastActivityDate="2022-08-27T03:22:44.653" Title="What is idle chatter?" Tags="|ethics|terminology|four-noble-truths|right-speech|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9781" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9782" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" Score="0" Body="Questions asking for recommendations for a particular type of meditation perhaps to remedy a particular difficulty or to enable the practitioner to deepen his or her practice" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:12:31.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9783" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9784" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" Score="0" Body="Questions regarding difficulties arising from meditation practice. These can be traditional hindrances such as sloth and torpor, doubt etc.. but the difficulties could fall outside of these categories," OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:14:43.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9785" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9786" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" Score="0" Body="Questions concerning mental and bodily effects arising from meditation practice. These could be effects extensively documented in canonical texts such as rapture or bliss. However they could fall outside of this or be a particular and idiosyncratic effect experienced by the questioner." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T15:17:04.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:01:02.203" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Divorce&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What Buddhists Belive&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda, p. 323-324:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Divorce&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Separation or divorce is not prohibited in Buddhism though the necessity would scarcely arise if the Buddha’s injunctions were strictly followed. Men and women must have the liberty to separate if they really cannot agree with each other. Separation is preferable to living a miserable family life for a long period of time for both partners and innocent children. The Buddha further advises old men not to have young wives as the old and young are unlikely to be compatible, which can create undue problems, disharmony and downfall (PARABHAVA SUTRA).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A society grows through a network of relationships which are mutually intertwined and inter-dependent. Every relationship is a wholehearted commitment to support and to protect others in a group or community. Marriage plays a very important part in this strong web of relationships of giving support and protection. A good marriage should grow and develop gradually from understanding and not impulse, from true loyalty and not just sheer indulgence. The institution of marriage provides a fine basis for the development of culture, a delightful association of two individuals to be nurtured, and to be free from loneliness, deprivation and fear. In marriage, each partner develops a complementary role, giving strength and moral courage to one another, each manifesting a supportive and appreciative recognition of the other’s skills. There must be no thought of either man or woman being superior; each is complementary to the other, in a partnership of equality, exuding gentleness, self-control, respect, generosity, calm and dedication&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:01:02.203" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9788" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:05:44.430" Score="5" ViewCount="925" Body="&lt;p&gt;I may be able to get into meditation. again. I wondered if it was worth setting oneself the goal of meditating on pain / frustration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a little masochistic, but it really does feel like the ultimate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally zen, but anything welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T16:32:43.240" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T20:26:52.307" Title="Meditation on pain?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9780" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:08:05.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book I quote sometimes for guidance on modern-day lay life, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddhas-teachings-prosperity&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/a&gt;, says &quot;avoid senseless talk&quot; (the Pali word for which, whose meaning we should try to understand, is &lt;em&gt;samphappalapa&lt;/em&gt;), which it categorizes as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words spoken at the wrong time&lt;/strong&gt; (e.g. inappropriate to the occasion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words that contain untruth or exaggeration&lt;/strong&gt; (instead present true information)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words that bring no benefit&lt;/strong&gt; (not self-display, long winded, meaningless topics; instead, use profitable words, &lt;em&gt;atthavadi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words that lead the listener to unwholesome thoughts and conduct&lt;/strong&gt; (not words that develop greed, instead words which lead to wholesome thoughts, &lt;em&gt;dhammavadi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words that threaten the listener's self-discipline&lt;/strong&gt; (words that persuade people to break rules and undisciplined actions, instead of &lt;em&gt;vinayavadi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Words that express trite and shallow ideas&lt;/strong&gt; (words that lack originality and depth, instead of important views and ideas, &lt;em&gt;ndhanavati vaca&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that still leaves scope for conversation with your daughter. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is formatted as a quote but I summarized it heavily: the words in bold are originally subsection titles each with a following paragraph or so; and the words in parentheses are words I extracted from those paragraphs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-25T16:13:18.880" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:13:18.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5163" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:18:38.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has made some great videos about this topic:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a video called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqeXuC2sI5U&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Preparing for Death&quot;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27GxuzxrJNI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk: What Do Buddhists Do When Someone Dies?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding mass casualties there is this video &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBmvLLffvg0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk: Karma in a Holocaust&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. In here Ven. Yuttadhammo discusses a holocaust, a tsunami and the planes crashing into World Trade Center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:18:38.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:28:04.960" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;To let go of the sensations of pain in the body or of memories of pain, we must practice loving kindness, towards our body and towards our mental contents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever pain affects us, we must be like a loving mother consoling her crying baby by cradling it. We pick up the pain, and love it. We care for it, we acknowledge it, we understand it, and we put it to bed. We say, &lt;em&gt;&quot;Dear painful knee, I am aware of you, I acknowledge your presence in my life, you are a valuable part of me, I love you.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Repeating like this we remain with the anxiety of being in pain, and the pain itself for as long as it takes for us to be calm and relaxed. We must feel &lt;strong&gt;deeply loved&lt;/strong&gt;. Soon the pain becomes an old friend, and we are able to say, &lt;em&gt;&quot;dear pain, welcome, come, sit with me and have a cup of tea. Thank you for your presence in my life, we are good friends now.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must not be in a hurry to let go of the pain, it is not our enemy, it is a part of us. Just like a loving mother ignores everything else in her life the moment the baby cries, we must be with the pain totally. We offer our complete presence to the pain, we love it unconditionally. A baby that has been ignored will cry harder for the mother's loving attention, and our pain is similar. We need not fear it, it is a part of us, and we must love all parts of ourselves. To offer our complete presence to ourself is the greatest gift we can give. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By bringing up the healing energies of mindfulness and love, we offer a very comfortable condition for our body to recover. The mind becomes a true friend of the body, allowing it to heal quickly.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are particularly damaging memories of pain, our mind will bring it up whenever physical conditions of pain are present. There is no need to fear this either. This is the normal and expected function of the mind. The mind is actually trying to help, we must understand this and not blame the mind, it is our dear friend. Practicing similarly, by loving the painful memories, we cradle them to rest.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain itself is not life threatening, even if it isn't pleasant. Everything is impermanent. Pondering on the fruitfulness and preciousness of human life, we remain thankful for experiencing it in all its shades. Developing a heart of gratitude, we welcome the difficulties as old friends.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you heal well soon, and be pain free.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(Much of this is based on the teachings of Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:28:04.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9780" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:38:55.597" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Idle chatter&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 48-49.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The highlights are made by me as an answer to your question regarding what idle chatter is and conversation with family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abstaining from idle chatter (samphappalapa veramani).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He avoids idle chatter and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks of the Dhamma and the discipline; his speech is like a treasure, uttered at the right moment, accompanied by reason, moderate and full of sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Idle chatter is pointless talk, speech that lacks purpose or depth. Such speech communicates nothing of value, but only stirs up the defilements in one’s own mind and in others&lt;/strong&gt;. The Buddha advises that idle talk should be curbed and speech restricted as much as possible to matters of genuine importance. In the case of a monk, the typical subject of the passage just quoted, his words should be selective and concerned primarily with the Dhamma. &lt;strong&gt;Lay persons will have more need for affectionate small talk with friends and family, polite conversation with acquaintances, and talk in connection with their line of work. But even then they should be mindful not to let the conversation stray into pastures where the restless mind, always eager for something sweet or spicy to feed on, might find the chance to indulge its defiling propensities&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional exegesis of abstaining from idle chatter refers only to avoiding engagement in such talk oneself. But today it might be of value to give this factor a different slant, made imperative by certain developments peculiar to our own time, unknown in the days of the Buddha and the ancient commen- tators. This is avoiding exposure to the idle chatter constantly bombarding us through the new media of communication cre- ated by modern technology. An incredible array of devices — television, radio, newspapers, pulp journals, the cinema — turns out a continuous stream of needless information and distracting entertainment the net effect of which is to leave the mind pas- sive, vacant, and sterile. All these developments, naively accepted as “progress,” threaten to blunt our aesthetic and spiritual sensi- tivities and deafen us to the higher call of the contemplative life. Serious aspirants on the path to liberation have to be extremely discerning in what they allow themselves to be exposed to. They&#xA;would greatly serve their aspirations by including these sources of amusement and needless information in the category of idle chatter and making an effort to avoid them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T16:38:55.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9780" CreationDate="2015-06-25T16:46:48.930" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a short piece called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/speech.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu he defines idle chatter as that &amp;quot;spoken with no purposeful intent at all&amp;quot;. and he stresses the important of &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; in speaking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right speech, explained in negative terms, means avoiding four types of harmful speech: lies (words spoken with the intent of misrepresenting the truth); divisive speech (spoken with the intent of creating rifts between people); harsh speech (spoken with the intent of hurting another person's feelings); and &lt;strong&gt;idle chatter (spoken with no purposeful intent at all)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice the focus on intent: this is where the practice of right speech intersects with the training of the mind. Before you speak, you focus on why you want to speak. This helps get you in touch with all the machinations taking place in the committee of voices running your mind. If you see any unskillful motives lurking behind the committee's decisions, you veto them. As a result, you become more aware of yourself, more honest with yourself, more firm with yourself. You also save yourself from saying things that you'll later regret. In this way you strengthen qualities of mind that will be helpful in meditation, at the same time avoiding any potentially painful memories that would get in the way of being attentive to the present moment when the time comes to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in your examples above, of putting someone at ease socially or bonding with your daughter, you have purposeful intent. With awareness of yourself and your motivations and mindfulness of what you are saying, there are surely many opportunities to engage in casual conversations with family and friends without letting it get out of hand and turn into truly idle and mindless chatter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your original quote, the mention of &amp;quot;what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, &amp;amp; the Vinaya&amp;quot; seems like it would be more geared towards monastics, but I lack the knowledge of the background of that sutta and the audience for whom it was intended to say for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Ajahn Brahm's book &lt;em&gt;The Art of Disappearing: Buddha's Path to Lasting Joy&lt;/em&gt;, he makes the statement that we talk to say we are here. It's interesting to pause and think of our intention and if it's really only to create attention and remind people that we exist (verbally or digitally with social media posts) with no other purposeful intent, that's definitely an opportunity to understand ourselves a little bit better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T11:44:30.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-25T17:38:51.980" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach masochism.  He tried that path for six years and it ultimately left him no closer to enlightenment than when he was a prince.  Pain and frustration will arise in your practice.  It's inevitable.  Become mindful of these things when they come about on their own.  They will teach you quite a bit about yourself.  To actively seek pain and frustration out, however, is setting yourself up for failure.  No one can continue on a path like that for very long.  To do so is also completely devoid of compassion for yourself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught a dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end (Kalama Sutta).  There is nothing good about self-inflicted suffering.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T17:38:51.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9702" CreationDate="2015-06-25T18:05:12.263" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this comes from a a common misapprehension of what meditation is and what it's supposed to do.  Simply sitting down on the cushion in search of a &quot;bliss out&quot; experience or for the purposes of changing one's consciousness is a dead end that even the Buddha wandered down early in his spiritual career (e.g. his time with Uddaka Ramaputta and Alara Kalama).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just changing brain waves literally disembodies your practice.  It bypasses the our physical form which is perhaps our greatest ally and teacher on the path. The path meditation is a gestalt that incorporates not just changes in brain patterns, but everything from how you cope with the pain in your legs and back, the effort and resolve it takes to sit day in and day out with no immediately perceivable results, the psychological snags we have to work through etc. etc. etc. [x1,000!]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you described may causes changes in consciousness, but these changes will ultimately prove to be superficial.  They are mere vacations from our suffering and not a complete termination of their causes.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:05:12.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9796" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-25T18:16:51.923" Score="1" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5364" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T11:30:02.593" LastActivityDate="2017-10-20T08:15:36.720" Title="Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-06-25T18:24:35.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to practice to become a Buddha in order to reach your goal and not just a silent Buddha but a fully enlightened Buddha. A fully enlightened Buddha can know everything and anything he directs his mind at, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Four Imponderables&lt;/a&gt; or the black hole phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:24:35.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-06-25T18:36:00.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, through proper (read Theravadin) Buddhist practice, an intellectual person, curious of many things will unwittingly, effortlessly gain understanding of many things about himself and the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He can intentionally direct his prajna wisdom to any subject and understand it completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is all I will share/write because there is so much information available. You can research the rest about the different types of prajna wisdom on Bill's meditationexpert.com site and most importantly cultivate mindfulness meditation (samatha) and vipassana. (When you have a question in your mind after stabilizing your mind through meditation, the answer will come--unless you crave the answer too strongly.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:36:00.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2015-06-25T18:46:33.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to answer your question with a quote on the Buddha. The quote is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda, p. 32-33:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... So special was He and so electrifying His message, that many people asked Him ‘What (not so much Who) He was’. The question of ‘Who He was’ would be with respect to His name, origin, ancestry, etc., while ‘What He was’ referred to the order of beings to which He belonged. So ‘godly’ and inspiring was He that even during His time, there were numerous attempts by others to turn Him into a god or a reincarnation of a god. He never agreed to be regarded as such. In the Anguttara Nikaya, He said: ‘I am indeed not a deva nor any other form of divine being; neither am I an ordinary human being. Know ye that I am the Buddha, the Awakened One.’ After Enlightenment, the Buddha could no longer be classified even as a&#xA;  ‘manusya’ or an ordinary human being. He belonged to the Buddha wangsa, a special class of enlightened beings, all of whom are Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhas appear in this world from time to time. But some people have the mistaken idea that it is the same Buddha who is reincarnated or appears in the world over and over again. Actually, they are not the same person, because then there would be no scope for others to attain to Buddhahood. Buddhists believe that anyone can become a Buddha if he develops his qualities to perfection and is able to remove his ignorance completely through his own efforts. After Enlightenment, however, all Buddhas become identical in their attainment and experience of Nirvana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you see that &lt;em&gt;&quot;Man or Woman&quot;&lt;/em&gt; do not really apply here. They are just a variation of the &lt;em&gt;1st aggregate of material form&lt;/em&gt;. They belong to conventional reality which deals with concepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T18:46:33.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9796" CreationDate="2015-06-25T19:11:25.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can you remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia's article&lt;/a&gt; suggests not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rhys Davids &amp;amp; Stede (1921–25) state in part that &quot;Freedom from the 'Āsavas' constitutes Arahantship.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These points are collected and summarized by Bhikkhu Bodhi thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The āsavas or taints are a classification of defilements considered in their role of sustaining the forward movement of the process of birth and death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The three taints mentioned in the Nikāyas are respectively synonyms for craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and ignorance. [The fourth āsava, attachment to views, appears in the commentaries.] When the disciple's mind is liberated from the taints by the completion of the path of arhantship, he reviews his newly won freedom and roars his lion's roar: &quot;Birth is destroyed, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is no more coming back to any state of being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's another question about &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9414/254&quot;&gt;What is effluent?&lt;/a&gt; The answer to that question is I think a good explanation, and it includes two references for further reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T19:11:25.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9765" CreationDate="2015-06-25T19:16:52.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The account of the first and second councils is found in the Cūḷavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka (Cv XI and XII). The first council (Cv XI) was held in Rajagaha, at what is known as the monastery of the seven caves, on the mountains above the city. Five hundred bhikkhus were in attendance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea for a council began with Mahakassapa relating to his fellow monks the story found in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN 16) wherein Mahakassapa finds out about the Buddha's passing. He relates how he encouraged the monks to remember that everything we hold dear must pass, so they shouldn't mourn, and how an old monk named Subhadda said they shouldn't mourn because they were now free to ignore the Buddha's words and do what they wanted. He then requests that they rehearse the dhamma and vinaya together, &quot;before what is not the dhamma shines and the dhamma is rejected; before what is not the vinaya shines and the vinaya is rejected; before those who speak what is not the dhamma become strong and those who speak the dhamma become weak; before those who speak what is not the vinaya become strong and those who speak the vinaya become weak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this, his fellow monks requested he select monks for the council, which he did - 499 of them, all arahants. The monks suggested he select ananda as the 500th, since he was a &lt;em&gt;sekha&lt;/em&gt;, unable to give rise to such defilement as would lead to the states of loss and of course because he had heard much of the dhamma and vinaya in the Buddha's presence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The elders asked themselves where they should meet, and agreed upon Rajagaha as being a great place to find the support they would need in terms of alms and dwellings. They proposed to stay there for the rains and hold the council there, and to agree that no other monk should stay in Rajagaha for the rains., Mahakassapa proposed it as a sanghakamma - any against should speak, those for it should stay silent - and it passed unanimously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They spent the first month making repairs to their dwellings, then began the council.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The events of the council itself are, in brief, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ananda, an arahant by this time, arrived just as the council was beginning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahakassapa questioned Upali on the vinaya, beginning with &quot;The first parajika, where was it laid down?&quot;. He asked about the story behind, the person behind, the issue behind, minor issues related to, what was an offence, and what was not, in relation to each of the precepts from each of the two codes of discipline and Upali responded.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahakassapa questioned Ananda on the dhamma, asking about the story behind and the person behind every sutta in the five nikayas, starting with the Brahmajala sutta and Ananda responded.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ananda related the Buddha's permission to discard the minor and lesser precepts; they asked him if he had gotten specification on what were the minor and lesser rules and he admitted he had not. They couldn't agree, so in the end, Mahakassapa made a formal proposal that they keep the rules as they were, since it was known to lay people what was proper for them and what was not. If they were to change the rules, it would be spread about that they were going against the Buddha while his funeral pyre still smouldered. There was unanimous consent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The elders questioned Ananda on several points where they felt he was deserving of rebuke, including that he didn't ask about the minor and lesser rules. He replied in defence, but accepted his actions as wrong doings out of faith in the elders.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The venerable Purana arrived and was told they had recited the dhamma and vinaya and that he should recite it with them. He replied by saying that while the dhamma and vinaya was well recited by them, he preferred to hold to the dhamma and vinaya as he had heard it from the Buddha himself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ananda related the Buddha's injunction that Channa was to receive the &lt;em&gt;brahmadaṇḍa&lt;/em&gt; (God's or highest punishment) - that no one should speak or teach or advise him. They told him to tell Channa himself, and he asked what to do if Channa was harsh and abusive in response. They told him to bring many monks with him. The council seems to have ended there, as the text then follows Ananda to a meeting with King Udena and eventually Channa. Either that, or the council ender before this and Ananda related the injunction regarding Channa to the elders on a later date.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T11:18:56.037" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T11:18:56.037" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9487" CreationDate="2015-06-25T20:13:23.650" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are worried that your current karmic existence is, or is related to, that of a hungry ghost you should apply the proper antidote. In this case the proper antidote is practicing/developing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://imhouston.wordpress.com/dharma-talks/ginger-clarkson/the-paramitas/first-paramita-generosity/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first paramita : generosity&lt;/a&gt;  Doing such and being aware of your desires and the desires of others can help curb the feeling of constantly searching for some unknown thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how to know if your efforts are proper, or for good as you say, I'll turn you to the short and sweet lojung saying &quot;Of the two witnesses, hold the principle &lt;a href=&quot;http://lojongmindtraining.com/Commentary.aspx?author=3&amp;amp;proverb=18&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try these things and meditate on them, see if they help, I hope they do. Remember, we all exist in this confusion together, you are not alone in this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T20:13:23.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-25T20:43:54.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is one Tibetan meditation designed to reduce the act of clinging to the body. It is not meditation on pain per se, but might be something you would find of interest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice can be done in different ways, and it is recommended you have prior meditation experience before engaging in it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it is done in cemeteries, sometimes with the aid of pictures, and sometimes with the imagination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process of the meditation is simple, take posture, visualize your body, then visualize the process of decay, the skin drying and cracking, falling off, the bugs eating your flesh, take it till there is nothing but bone left. Acknowledge the impermanence of your body, of your life, and try to let go of clinging that you may have towards your body, and the bodies of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This meditation is not uncontroversial, and not for everyone. &#xA;Here is one resource the &lt;a href=&quot;http://silentmindopenheart.org/docs/cemetery/Death.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; with commentary and pictures to aid in the visualization. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice described above is related to a more frequently referenced and practiced &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationiseasy.com/mCorner/techniques/Death_meditation.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Death meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T20:43:54.680" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-25T21:00:02.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what you mean by &quot;meditation on pain&quot;, but in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5142/experiencing-physical-pain/5143#comment6510_5143&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; Andrei wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Plus, my current mentor has us do pain tolerance exercises every week. Once you switch, pain feels more like heat, not like pain pain. (It's not a damaging pain, just static muscle exercise)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So apparently there is such a thing as self-inflicted (but non-damaging) pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2484/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; is probably a further reference to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T21:00:02.470" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-25T21:49:59.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No need to search pain out. Do sitting meditation, develop a practice, and pain and frustration will find you :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no need to go out of your way to fabricate any state. Pain and pleasure have the same intrinsic qualities. When you sit, you will see this. There is no need to condition oneself specifically for any state, since all states are impermanent, suffering, and nonself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T21:49:59.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9807" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-25T23:09:29.783" Score="6" ViewCount="949" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question is in the title. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these daily recollections and how can they be used in ones practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T23:11:16.740" Title="What are the &quot;Five Daily Recollections&quot; and their benefits?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|ethics|texts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9807" CreationDate="2015-06-25T23:11:16.740" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Five Daily Recollections can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Anguttara Nikaya - V.57 - Upajjhatthana Sutta: Subjects for Contemplation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are in brief:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Five Daily Recollections&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am of the nature to grow old; I cannot avoid aging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am of the nature to become ill or injured; I cannot avoid illness or injury.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am of the nature to die; I cannot avoid death.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am the owner of my actions; &#xA;  I am born of my actions;&#xA;  I am related to my actions;&#xA;  I am supported by my actions; &#xA;  Any thoughts, words or deeds I do, good or evil, those I will inherit. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha advised: &quot;These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upajjhatthana_Sutta#Rationale_and_contemplation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rationale and contemplation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this discourse, the Buddha explains that the rationale for contemplating (paccavekkhato) the first three facts is to weaken or overcome conceit (mada) in youth, in good health and in being alive; the fourth contemplation is to weaken or overcome lust (rāga); and, the fifth contemplation is weaken or overcome irresponsibility embodied in improper (duccarita) acts, speech and thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, by contemplating these facts, the Noble Eightfold Path (anchored in right understanding, conduct and effort) is cultivated and spiritual fetters are abandoned.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-25T23:11:16.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-06-26T00:16:23.193" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One could practice meditation until arriving at the knowledge of what is inside a black hole.  However, it is less clear how long such a meditation could take.  Perhaps it may take a million years or more to reach such extended awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Along the way, one's meditation may lead one to understand other things closer to home.  Perhaps on the way one acquires awareness of why a teacher never replies to emails, or just &lt;em&gt;exactly&lt;/em&gt; what is down in the crack between a car's seat and the center console, or where one's taxes go after they are sucked in by the IRS.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may even become aware of why one wishes to acquire knowledge of black holes, and find that the answer to &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; question is even more valuable than knowing the contents of black holes in the first place.  At this time, one could choose to set aside the search for such knowledge, and continue along a path of one's choosing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The choice is always your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T00:16:23.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9810" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-26T02:00:48.643" Score="6" ViewCount="751" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems clear to me that the Buddha's only intention throughout his life (after becoming a Buddha) was to help as many people as possible to reach Nibbana. But I think he gives different meditation instructions to different people with regard to the path to reach Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know what kind of meditation practice did the Buddha advise the monks to do, in contrast to lay people. Did he always teach them to practise Samatha first, and then Vipassana? Did he ever teach anyone to practice the 'dry insight' path, without ever doing Samatha meditation? As a general rule, were there any differences in the meditation practice that he advised between monks and lay people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am aware that the Buddha prescribed basic morality for all, and that some people would reach Nibbana at the same time as hearing him speak about some aspect of Dhamma without doing any kind of formal meditation practice. But I am only interested in the kind of meditation practices that he taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please add references where the Buddha advises on meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T11:37:18.170" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T02:40:01.773" Title="Buddha's advice regarding meditation practice" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|reference-request|meditation-insight|samatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9811" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9818" CreationDate="2015-06-26T03:28:36.023" Score="5" ViewCount="1230" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will often hear reference to the three poisons in Buddhism, What are they referring to exactly when they talk about the three poisons? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T11:32:31.413" Title="What are the three poisons?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5514" CreationDate="2015-06-26T03:33:30.810" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;people have five senses connected to their human organs .they work in normal natural  way that one can explain in medical terms.but if we look closely the linkage which they keep each other intact is the key to the understanding of the human mind. apart from these glands there is a misterical software that governs these  glands. the  store house conscience has the link to this entire function. that will also answer the question of reincarnation or Atman. and the yogacara   system has some explanation on this but  incomplete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5365" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T03:33:30.810" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9811" CreationDate="2015-06-26T04:14:29.163" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;three poisons&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Sanskrit: triviṣa; Tibetan: dug gsum&lt;/em&gt;) or the &lt;strong&gt;three unwholesome roots&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Sanskrit: akuśala-mūla; Pāli: akusala-mūla&lt;/em&gt;), in Buddhism, refer to the &lt;strong&gt;three root kleshas&lt;/strong&gt; of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;ignorance, attachment, and aversion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. These three poisons are considered to be the &lt;strong&gt;cause of suffering&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Sanskrit: dukkha&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three poisons (Buddhism) - Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are commonly circumvented by contemplating on the three characteristics or marks of all existence - &lt;em&gt;anicca, anatta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/vmed_8.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this talk&lt;/a&gt; in the Burmese vipassana tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/vmed_8.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kleshas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T04:14:29.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9811" CreationDate="2015-06-26T06:37:29.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Curiously on page 66 (page 87 of the PDF) of &lt;em&gt;How Buddhism Began – The conditioned genesis of the early teachings&lt;/em&gt;, the author suggests that the &quot;three poisons&quot; are the result of people misinterpreting (i.e. taking literally) a metaphor that the Buddha used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know (maybe didn't understand) but maybe that's reflected in the comments below &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4060/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, where Andrei (whose tradition is I think Tibetan Buddhism, compared with yuttadhammo's Theravada) ascribes more importance to &lt;em&gt;three&lt;/em&gt; poisons e.g. by including aversion as one of the causes of suffering in the second noble truth (that's maybe also visible in Buddho's answer to this question).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T06:45:41.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-26T07:42:25.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many times in the Suttas we find how the body should be seen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And although this body, Māgandiya, is a disease, a tumour, a dart, a&#xA;calamity, and an affliction, referring to this body you say: ‘This is that&#xA;health, Master Gotama, this is that Nibbāna.’ You do not have that&#xA;noble vision, Māgandiya, by means of which you might know health&#xA;and see Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Māgandiya Sutta,MN&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.075x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.075x.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion should not be directed to the body but to all living beings.&#xA;Clinging to the body must be destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain should be seen  be seen as impermanent and what is impermanent should be seen with wisdom as: &amp;quot;This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a painful feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a painful feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this painful feeling that has arisen is conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen, how could such a painful feeling be permanent?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In regard to both the body and the painful feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to resistance in regard to the body and painful feeling vanishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gelañña Sutta,SN  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.007.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.007.nypo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When an untaught worldling is touched by a painful (bodily) feeling, he worries and grieves, he laments, beats his breast, weeps and is distraught. He thus experiences two kinds of feelings, a bodily and a mental feeling. It is as if a man were pierced by a dart and, following the first piercing, he is hit by a second dart. So that person will experience feelings caused by two darts. It is similar with an untaught worldling: when touched by a painful (bodily) feeling, he worries and grieves, he laments, beats his breast, weeps and is distraught. So he experiences two kinds of feeling: a bodily and a mental feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Having been touched by that painful feeling, he resists (and resents) it. Then in him who so resists (and resents) that painful feeling, an underlying tendency of resistance against that painful feeling comes to underlie (his mind). Under the impact of that painful feeling he then proceeds to enjoy sensual happiness. And why does he do so? An untaught worldling, O monks, does not know of any other escape from painful feelings except the enjoyment of sensual happiness. Then in him who enjoys sensual happiness, an underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feelings comes to underlie (his mind). He does not know, according to facts, the arising and ending of these feelings, nor the gratification, the danger and the escape, connected with these feelings. In him who lacks that knowledge, an underlying tendency to ignorance as to neutral feelings comes to underlie (his mind). When he experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling or a neutral feeling, he feels it as one fettered by it. Such a one, O monks, is called an untaught worldling who is fettered by birth, by old age, by death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He is fettered by suffering, this I declare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But in the case of a well-taught noble disciple, O monks, when he is touched by a painful feeling, he will not worry nor grieve and lament, he will not beat his breast and weep, nor will he be distraught. It is one kind of feeling he experiences, a bodily one, but not a mental feeling. It is as if a man were pierced by a dart, but was not hit by a second dart following the first one. So this person experiences feelings caused by a single dart only. It is similar with a well-taught noble disciple: when touched by a painful feeling, he will no worry nor grieve and lament, he will not beat his breast and weep, nor will he be distraught. He experiences one single feeling, a bodily one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sallatha Sutta, SN  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T07:49:29.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9816" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-26T08:59:05.320" Score="7" ViewCount="1820" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=061&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 61:&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a person seeking a companion cannot find one who is better than or equal to him, let him resolutely go on alone; there can be no companionship with a fool.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is obviously self preserving pragmatism of the Aesop's Fables variety, it doesn't require a Buddha to say this, so perhaps there is a deeper meaning I don't spot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides, I spot a couple of problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One&lt;/strong&gt;: For me to associate with someone better, that person would have to accept me, his/her inferior. Ergo, one of us must break this rule and accept an inferior (not necessarily a fool) as partner or companion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Two&lt;/strong&gt;: This doesn't sound very loving and compassionate. Fools will remain fools without the company of intelligent partners or teachers, is it not? Plus, the Buddha himself tolerated Devadutta and others who were often comically stupid in his order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The accompanying story of the Thera who blindly trusts his disciples is a little too simplistic, how is it that a senior teacher (Thera) needed to be schooled on such a trivial principle of common sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone is obviously lazy and scheming, even treacherous, he or she should not be trusted. Did the Thera get undermined by a false sense of duty or compassion? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T09:05:30.620" LastActivityDate="2021-12-03T15:20:40.900" Title="Relationships with fools: Interpreting the Dhammapada" Tags="|daily-life|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9810" CreationDate="2015-06-26T10:06:30.710" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/busc/busc13.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;story of the blind weaver's daughter&lt;/a&gt;, Verse 174 of the Dhammapada,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 174: &lt;em&gt;Blind are the people of this world: only a few in this&#xA;  world see clearly (with Insight). Just as only a few birds escape from&#xA;  the net, so also, only a few get to the world of the devas, (and&#xA;  Nibbana).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The girl contemplates death and dying for three years having only heard a single sermon of the Buddha and having learned no samatha technique. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The main points the Buddha stressed on that day may be expressed as&#xA;  follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;My life is impermanent; for me, death only is permanent. I must certainly die; my life ends in death. Life is not permanent; death is&#xA;  permanent.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=174&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She is ready for stream entry by merely practicing this dry insight. The rest of the story is quite instructive too, but doesn't pertain to dry insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As regards the difference between meditation practices of monks and lay people, there are a few traditions today that seem to institute such differences for various reasons - too painful, too difficult, too complicated, however there is no practical barrier to practice per se. Painful ascetic practice of the Dhutanga monks were rarely attempted by lay people for obvious reasons. In the time of the Buddha it wasn't unusual for lay people to take temporary vows of monasticism on retreats lasting even a few years. This was more popular &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udayagiri_and_Khandagiri_Caves&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(see caves of lay people where they retreated a few months a year in India)&lt;/a&gt; in contemporary religions like Jainism which even included very painful penances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is synonymous with Buddhism today, but even in Buddhist countries like Burma meditation almost died out, with most monks eschewing meditation in favor of sutta practice. It was laypeople who sometimes preserved the tradition of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sayagyi U Ba Khin (1899-1971)&lt;/a&gt; and his disciple &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S.N. Goenka (1924-2013)&lt;/a&gt; are famous lay meditators of Burma who revived and spread a branch of the Vipassana system world wide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta: Mindfulness of Breathing&lt;/a&gt; is the canonical meditation taught by the Buddha. However, the Buddha taught over forty kinds of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T05:23:19.493" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T05:23:19.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9811" CreationDate="2015-06-26T11:22:41.570" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/#formjhanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Three Poisons/Defilements (Kilesas – lit. torments of the mind)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed (lobha) – mindfulness transforms this into Faith&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aversion/hatred (dosa) – mindfulness transforms this into discriminating Wisdom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Delusion (moha) – mindfulness transforms this into Equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi treats these poisons/kilesas on a deeper level in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;, p. 8, 80-81:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The most basic defilements are the triad of greed, aversion, and delusion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed (lobha) is self-centered desire: the desire for pleasure and possessions, the drive for survival, the urge to bolster the sense of ego with power, status, and prestige.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aversion (dosa) signifies the response of negation, expressed as rejection, irritation, condemnation, hatred, enmity, anger, and violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Delusion (moha) means mental darkness: the thick coat of insensitivity which blocks out clear understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From these three roots emerge the various other defilements — conceit, jealousy, ambition, lethargy, arrogance, and the rest — and from all these defilements together, the roots and the branches, comes dukkha in its diverse forms: as pain and sorrow, as fear and discontent, as the aimless drifting through the round of birth and death. To gain freedom from suffering, therefore,&#xA;we have to eliminate the defilements. But the work of removing the defilements has to proceed in a methodical way. It cannot be accomplished simply by an act of will, by wanting them to go away. The work must be guided by investigation. We have to find out what the defilements depend upon and then see how it lies within our power to remove their support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also very importantly how to deal with the defilements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...the root defilements is conditioned by a particular kind of feeling: greed by pleasant feeling, aversion by painful feeling, delusion by neutral feeling.&#xA;But the link between feelings and the defilements is not a necessary one. Pleasure does not always have to lead to greed, pain to aversion, neutral feeling to delusion. The tie between them can be snapped, and one essential means for snapping it is mindfulness. Feeling will stir up a defilement only when it is not noticed, when it is indulged rather than observed. By turning it into an object of observation, mindfulness defuses the feeling so that it cannot provoke an unwholesome response...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T11:32:31.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9816" CreationDate="2015-06-26T12:14:31.780" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The verse speaks from the point of view of the bhikku. The verse should be understood properly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bad and good bhikkhus were searching for companionship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They found companionship with Thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bad bhikkhu did not respect Thera, was not obedient and dutiful and was offended and extremely angry when Thera said something to him. Why? Because he thought that Thera was not better or equal to him. Thus, the bad bhikkhu choose a wrong companion. He should have let Thera go on alone and find a companion who is equal or better than him. There can be no companionship with a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good bhikku was respectful, obedient and dutiful. Why? Because he thought that Thera was equal or better than him. Thus, the good bhikku choose the right companion. He was not in a companionship with a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One: For me to associate with someone better, that person would have to accept me, his/her inferior. Ergo, one of us must break this rule and accept an inferior (not necessarily a fool) as partner or companion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This rule can apply and not be broken. If a man and a woman are seeking a relationship and they both think about each other as being equal or superior to the other, the relationship/companionship will work. Otherwise it will not work, as one will think about the other being a fool, or both will think about each other being a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a bhikku is seeking a companionship with a teacher and the bhikku thinks about the teacher being equal or superior to him, the companionship will work. Otherwise it will not work, as the bhikku will think about the teacher being a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Two: This doesn't sound very loving and compassionate. Fools will remain fools without the company of intelligent partners or teachers, is it not? Plus, the Buddha himself tolerated Devadutta and others who were often comically stupid in his order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verse speaks from the point of view of the bhikku, not from the point of view of Thera/teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we were to apply this verse as you’re suggesting, then the Buddha would never have taught the Dhamma to people obviously inferior to him, or less developed than him. &#xA;Or if we were to apply this verse as you’re suggesting, then the Buddha is contradicting himself. But he is not, which can be clearly seen by his actions - he thought the Dhamma, even to fools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T12:14:31.780" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9810" CreationDate="2015-06-26T12:53:01.617" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But I think he gives different meditation instructions to different people with regard to the path to reach Nibbana.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, according to current difficulties of his audience. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Develop the meditation of compassion. For when you are developing the meditation of compassion, cruelty will be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;would like to know what kind of meditation practice did the Buddha advise the monks to do, in contrast to lay people.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never seeing this distinction being drawn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Did he always teach them to practise Samatha first, and then Vipassana?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably not:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda said: &quot;Friends, whoever — monk or nun — declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of four paths. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquillity. As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it &amp;amp; pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded by insight. [...] Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity in tandem with insight [...] Then there is the case where a monk's mind has its restlessness concerning the Dhamma [Comm: the corruptions of insight] well under control. There comes a time when his mind grows steady inwardly, settles down, and becomes unified &amp;amp; concentrated. [...] Whoever — monk or nun — declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of these four paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.170.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.170&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Did he ever teach anyone to practice the 'dry insight' path, without ever doing Samatha meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hard to tell. But it's reasonable to think that he would not teach samatha to an accomplished &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt; meditator, and instead, would focus on what he or she is missing to attain nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;As a general rule, were there any differences in the meditation practice that he advised between monks and lay people?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that I know of. I didn't really keep track of who the Buddha was talking to, to be able to answer this conclusively. But there were lay disciples accomplished in meditation during the Buddha's time. For example, Citta, a householder, declares his ability to attain jhanas (see SN 41.8). Though I can't tell if he learned it from the Buddha's teachings, at least it seems unlikely any practice was kept away from lay disciples -- besides, lay disciples were known to be reciters of entire nikayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am aware that the Buddha prescribed basic morality for all, and that some people would reach Nibbana at the same time as hearing him speak about some aspect of Dhamma without doing any kind of formal meditation practice.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's generally believed the people who did not made much practice under the Buddha's guidance where already very accomplished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T06:20:38.273" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T06:20:38.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9821" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9823" CreationDate="2015-06-26T13:27:08.583" Score="6" ViewCount="1050" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm in a period of my practice where i feel ready for a retreat. I have been looking into different types of retreats and have found the Goenka 10-day retreat the most suitable one for me as a first-timer. I do however not now when i will be able to attend one due to long waiting time in the area close to me and my current job do not allow me to travel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about the reintegration-process back into society after 10 days with silence and minimal contact with people and no contact with the outside world. I have done small &quot;retreats&quot; by myself where i would buy food for 1-2 days and then stay inside and meditate. When i went outside after a couple of days and talked to other people i found that i had some aversion towards people and felt uncomfortable in their presence. I would rather stay for myself. I do not know how a 10-day retreat will affect me or if it will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personal experiences and methods for dealing with people when comming out of a retreat is what i'm looking for. A side note - i will be doing the 10-day retreat in another country than where i live. I dont know if that has something to say but now the information is there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you very much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T14:32:21.403" LastActivityDate="2018-01-16T12:33:01.693" Title="The process of reintegration back into society after a retreat" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|retreat|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9816" CreationDate="2015-06-26T13:48:07.853" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is obviously self preserving pragmatism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. It's a Sila, Samadhi, Panna preserving and improving principle. It is very conducive to the practice of the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp5.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The right effort&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who is your equal will help you maintain your wholesome qualities and alert you when you start to let your standards slip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who is higher than you will help you abandon your unwholesome states  and help you develop new wholesome qualities as well as perfect your current standards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So such persons are worthy of being considered as friends. But a fool is not worthy of being considered as a friend as he would only hinder your right effort and drag you down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For me to associate with someone better, that person would have to&#xA;  accept me, his/her inferior. Ergo, one of us must break this rule...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not necessarily. You can help someone to get better by giving him good advice. That doesn't make him your friend. That makes him your student or someone you practice compassion on. The other might consider you as a teacher or just a friend. But you don't follow him or participate in unworthy activities he might engage in.  A monk might advise many lay people on a daily basis. That doesn't make them his friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This doesn't sound very loving and compassionate. Fools will remain&#xA;  fools... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone need not be your friend for you to practice compassion towards him or her. The Buddha did not seek companionship with those whom he helped to become liberated. It was always an act of compassion. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kesi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains how the Buddha dealt with those who are too haughty to give up their unwholesome ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;But if a tamable person doesn't submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild &amp;amp; harsh training, then the Tathagata doesn't regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing. His knowledgeable fellows in the holy life don't regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha himself tolerated Devadatta and others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tolerating is not the same as making friends with someone. You can tolerate a dog barking while you try to listen to something. That doesn't make the dog your friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The accompanying story of the Thera who blindly trusts his disciples&#xA;  is a little too simplistic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Maha Kassapa is not trusting the disciple. He's simply trying to make him better. But only the Buddha could definitely know if someone cannot be helped. Who would've thought that Angulimala and the demon Alavaka could be helped?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the Thera get undermined by a false sense of duty or compassion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Venerable Mahakassapa was an Arahanth. So his association with the student did not undermine him as he can never fall back. Lord Buddha probably used this as a pretext to give this sermon to the other good student. As you can see, he attained the state of Sotapatti after listening to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T14:13:16.727" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T14:13:16.727" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9821" CreationDate="2015-06-26T15:30:56.810" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I attended a meditation course taught by Venerable Yuttadhammo which was, in total, a 21 day course. Due to inability to take 21 days off from work all at once, I had to split the course into two parts, 7 days &amp;amp; 14 days, giving me two periods of going from the busyness of daily life to the quiet of a monastery and back to busy daily life again in a 6 month period. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also wondered about how it would feel, after the course, to resume daily activities and to deal with people. I tried to provide a buffer period of quiet time for myself (for when I returned home) by making arrangements ahead of time to take off an extra day from work, stock up on frozen and non perishable groceries to avoid having to go to the store right away, running errands ahead of time when possible. It was helpful just to not have too much piled up needing to be done when I returned home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was surprised actually at how challenging it was to adjust to the quiet at the monastery. Being away from internet, music, and most noise in general proved quite challenging to me and it took me a few days to adjust. For future retreats, I plan to build in a buffer period of being offline and quiet for a bit before I go to the retreat too. After a few days though, the quiet felt normal and continued to feel normal until it was time to go home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't find myself with any strong aversion to people after the course. People seemed loud perhaps, laughing too much, crude sometimes, but nothing that I hadn't noticed or felt even before the retreat. On my way home I had a one hour layover at the Port Authority in New York City. Going from a quiet monastery to the New York Port Authority bus station is about as different as you can get. But it was fine. I was standing, smiling, noting things, while everyone else was running around, yelling, getting stressed out because the bus was late. I was so happy to have had the opportunity to practice mediation and feel so calm in the midst of such busyness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My best suggestion would be to try to build in buffer zones both before the retreat and after where you are not especially busy, social, (or spending lots of time online or listening to music before) to ease the transition both to the retreat and back to society afterwards. Best wishes for your retreat! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T17:07:12.477" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T17:07:12.477" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9824" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-26T15:32:53.750" Score="5" ViewCount="891" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are Eighteen Buddha Attributes, that belong only to a perfectly enlightened Buddha. What are they?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-26T15:36:09.113" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T15:36:09.113" Title="What are the Eighteen Buddha Attributes?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9824" CreationDate="2015-06-26T15:34:56.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/initial_scope/safe_direction/qualities_buddha_omniscient_deep_aw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Eighteen Unshared Features of a Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eighteen features of a Buddha that are not shared with those of lesser attainment – specifically, with shravaka or pratyekabuddha arhats – concern four general aspects of a Buddha: his behavior, realization, enlightening influence (‘ phrin-las, Skt. samudacara, Buddha-activity), and deep awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Six Unshared Features Grouped under a Buddha’s Behavior&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) A Buddha’s physical composure can never be ruffled. Wherever he goes and whatever he meets, he is never fooled by appearances. He is always calm and clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) A Buddha’s enlightening speech never cries out or makes meaningless sounds. No matter what happens, he is never shocked or surprised, and never exclaims anything in anger, pain, or pleasure. Furthermore, a Buddha does not have any melodies, songs, or meaningless phrases compulsively going through his head, and he never mindlessly hums or mutters to himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) An omniscient Buddha’s enlightening mind never forgets anything or anyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) There is never a time when his mind is not totally absorbed on voidness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) He never has even the slightest recognition or feeling of anything existing in a way other than the way in which it actually exists. Having rid himself of his cognitive obscurations concerning all knowables, he never experiences his mind giving rise to discordant, deceptive appearances of true existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(6) A Buddha is never so indifferent as not to check on others. He always cares about everyone equally and keeps a constant watch to see who is ready to make spiritual progress so as to help him or her accordingly. When someone is ripe, he never forgets to show him or her the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Six Unshared Features Grouped under a Buddha’s Realizations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(7) His intention to help everyone never declines. This is due to the force of his great compassion, as he cares for everyone as a mother would for her only child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(8) His joyful perseverance to help everyone never declines. He is never reluctant to go anywhere or do anything, even for the sake of one wandering being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(9) His mindfulness of everyone’s situation never declines. It requires no effort for an omniscient one to be aware of all beings. His awareness is like an enormous clear mirror reflecting the total extent of what exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(10) His absorbed concentration never declines. He is always totally focused on voidness, no matter what he does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the list of these unshared features given in The Furthest Everlasting Continuum, this feature is omitted and replaced by the fact that the sight of his deep awareness, which is utterly freed from all mental obscuration, never declines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(11) His discriminating awareness of voidness never declines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(12) His state of being utterly freed from the two types of mental obscuration never declines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Three Unshared Features Grouped under a Buddha’s Enlightening Influence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the actions of a Buddha’s enlightening (13) physical, (14) verbal, and (15) mental faculties are preceded upon and carried through with deep awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because he has deep awareness simultaneously of both appearances and their voidness of true existence, he can exert an enlightening influence on everything around him while always maintaining his omniscient awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Three Unshared Features Grouped under a Buddha’s Deep Awareness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha’s deep awareness permeates everything, in seeing (16) the time already-passed (‘ das-pa’i dus), (17) the time not-yet-come (ma-‘ongs-pa’i dus), and (18) the time presently-happening (da-lta-ba’i dus), all without any attachment or impediment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Time is an amount or length of duration measured in the continuum of the occurrence of a karmic causal action and its result, and is a nonconcomitant affecting variable (ldan-min ‘ du-byed) – a nonstatic (impermanent) factor that is neither a form of physical phenomenon nor a way of being aware of something and which is imputable on the mental continuum of a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha has no attachment to what he can see because he has rid himself of all emotional obscuration, and no impediment because he has no cognitive obscuration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T15:34:56.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9634" CreationDate="2015-06-26T16:56:56.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question asks if there is &quot;anything analogous.&quot; In my experience, the tsok feast fits that bill. Sharing the food gifts that were offered leads to a similar virtuous and calm mind, with feelings of gratitude and appreciation of community. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5363" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T16:56:56.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2015-06-26T18:44:39.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on the &lt;em&gt;four ways to arahantship&lt;/em&gt;. The quote is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209576.In_the_Buddha_s_Words&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;In The Buddha's Words&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 268-269:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four Ways to Arahantship&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Ananda was dwelling at Kosambi in Ghosita's monastery. There the Venerable Ananda addressed the monks thus:&#xA;  &quot;Friends!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, friend,&quot; the monks replied. Thereupon the Venerable Ananda said:&#xA;  &quot;Friends, whatever monks or nuns declare before me that they have attained the final knowledge of arahantship, all these do so in one of four ways. What four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, friends, a monk develops insight preceded by serenity. While he thus develops insight preceded by serenity, the path arises in him. He now pursues, develops, and cultivates that path, and while he is doing so the fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies eliminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or again, friends, a monk develops serenity preceded by insight.&#xA;  While he thus develops serenity preceded by insight, the path arises in him. He now pursues, develops, and cultivates that path, and while he is doing so the fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies eliminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or again, friends, a monk develops serenity and insight joined in pairs.&#xA;  path arises in him. He now pursues, develops, and cultivates that path, and while he is doing so the fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies eliminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or again, friends, a monk's mind is seized by agitation about the teaching.11 But there comes a time when his mind becomes internally steadied, composed, unified, and concentrated; then the path arises in him. He now pursues, develops, and cultivates that path, and while he is doing so the fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies eliminated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Friends, whatever monks or nuns declare before me that they have attained the final knowledge of arahantship, all these do so in one of these four ways.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(AN 4:170; II156-57)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T18:44:39.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-06-26T18:56:43.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is two ways to do the practice, go and read about the samatha and the vipassana way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5357" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T18:56:43.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7759" CreationDate="2015-06-26T19:30:15.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a video called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-4jhBBnLxg&amp;amp;app=desktop&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk: Correct Observation of Thoughts&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here its talked about how to observe thoughts and also about what happens when one is forcing thoughts to go away or to trying to stop thinking. You might this video useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a short quote on how to deal with thoughts from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo, p. 11:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...In regards to the mind, if thoughts arise during meditation, one should acknowledge them as “thinking”. It doesn't matter whether one is thinking about the past or future or whether one's thoughts are good or bad; instead of letting the mind wander and lose track of reality, bring the mind back to the reality of the thought with, &quot;thinking&quot;. Then return to the rising and falling and continue practice as normal...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T20:49:35.123" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T20:49:35.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7759" CreationDate="2015-06-26T22:00:37.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if the thoughts are too strong and persist, I tend to observe them impartially until they leave of their own accord (but during this time my observance of anicca has stopped). Am I doing this thing rightly or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your observance of anicca should not stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Secondly, I want to understand the reality of thoughts. I know that ultimately none of these have permanent reality, but compared to conditioned reality of sensations what is the conditioned reality of thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should answer your question yourself. Wisdom gained through experience is the right path to liberation. If you want to know what is the conditioned reality of thoughts, do this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mindfully observe your thoughts arising and ceasing until they leave of their own accord. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do step 1 until you mindfully observe: &quot;There are no thoughts arising in me&quot;. Once you note that your mind is completely stilled, proceed to the next step.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mindfully and slowly arise a thought, for example arise a visualization of an object. Observe how the thought visualization of the object arises. Then, mindfully and slowly let go of this same thought visualization of the object. Observe how the thought visualization of the object ceases. Repeat the process. The key here is mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like an experienced forensic who is dissecting every inch of a crime scene, so should you dissect your mind when a thought arises and ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing the above exercise and mindfully observing what happens in step 3, you will understand the reality of thoughts. You will see why they arise. You will see why they cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T22:00:37.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6009" CreationDate="2015-06-26T22:08:58.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If meditation is interfering with your life and relationships, then you are meditating too much. Follow the Middle Way. If you do not have a life, or relationships, then why are you bothering? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditation teacher (authorized by my guru to teach it) said that it is how you are in life that shows your progress, not how you personally feel, and that other people will probably see changes in you before you see them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T22:08:58.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2015-06-26T22:59:33.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is a useful one because: 1. it is inevitable, 2. it illustrates the kind of thing that is considered 'vexing' or leads to &quot;thicket of views&quot;, etc. So, plunge in! Knowing what not to waste one's time on is very beneficial! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha refused to answer, then as everyone has said, that should tell you something. A lot of breath is wasted on debate about what exists or does not. My Self Inquiry teachers talked about there being only &lt;strong&gt;Two Real Things: &lt;em&gt;The Void&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Experience&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Perhaps these correspond to Nirvana and reality as we perceive it. They are one, but that is not usually seen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The analogy of the flame going out - where did it go? - is a common one. I prefer this analogy: A life is like a musical performance: when it ends, it is done. It did not come from somewhere, and did not go anywhere. If it was an improvisation, like live Jazz or something, then it is not even written down. If it was not recorded, then other than peoples' memories, it has no enduring effect at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key to considering such an imponderable as Death is to ask oneself: &lt;strong&gt;Why does this matter to me?&lt;/strong&gt; Keep asking until you figure it out, then move on. That is Self Inquiry, which leads to Nonduality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T22:59:33.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9431" CreationDate="2015-06-26T23:23:50.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nonduality is part of all religions and cultures, and exists back through time, as best I can tell, so &lt;strong&gt;it is &quot;naturally&quot; part of the human experience&lt;/strong&gt;. It does not depend on a deity or scriptures or dogma, or any other artifact or particular: it depends only on increasing self-development and self-awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That there are as many descriptions of it as describers, and differing opinions on how to achieve it, should not deter anyone. &lt;em&gt;&quot;You are unique, just like everyone else.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Self Inquiry is the path to Nonduality&lt;/strong&gt; (along with anything else that you personally find helpful), and is increasingly well-known and practiced by peer-led groups around the world. I co-lead one where I live. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond, Gone Completely Beyond, Wisdom, So Be It!&lt;/em&gt; (The Mantra of Prajnaparamita - Supreme Wisdom - from The Heart Sutra - which explicitly disavows and overturns all of the basic tenets of Buddhism.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-26T23:23:50.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9431" CreationDate="2015-06-27T00:30:33.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In buddhism there are beings called paccekabuddhas, which are beings who attain enlightenment in a period where the dharma is not available in this world. Since this is possible, it's also possible that a practitioner of another tradition attains enlightenment, or at least some of the stages of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when the Buddha said, in the Satipatthana Sutta that &quot;This is the direct path&quot;, also translated as &quot;This is the only path&quot;, he meant that any person who wants to attain enlightenment has to have direct knowledge of what he was teaching in that sutta. In short, that the body, sensations, mind states and mental objects are impermanent, unsatisfactory and are not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means is that truth is truth, it's not buddhist truth. Whoever knows truth, he is enlightened. But he has to see the truth anyway, because there is no other way to liberation aside from directly knowing the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T00:30:33.560" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9821" CreationDate="2015-06-27T01:55:12.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to run a charitable retreat center that hosted scheduled Silent Retreats and also provided a retreat anytime someone requested. We always would explain the dynamics of going on retreat as it started, were available for questions that arose, and provided a closing talk to give suggestions on how to avoid unnecessary stress to one's being after. (And we would answer questions any time afterward.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suggestions&lt;/strong&gt; were: to not do anything loud or disruptive for a while after (check that your car stereo was switched OFF before starting the car, lest it startle you), let people you live with know that you are assimilating your experience and not avoiding them, avoid news programs and TV that tends to bring up a lot of emotion or buzziness (a technical term), caffeine, alcohol and anything else that would send you for a spin. Heat, hot baths and showers can be depleting, heavy food might not digest well, etc. All common-sense, but nice to have a list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have gone still and quiet for a while, anything jarring or energizing (inappropriately) will be especially disruptive. That said, &lt;strong&gt;I agree with Robin111&lt;/strong&gt; that the insight and calmness gained is immediately applicable and very empowering. Best Wishes on your retreat!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T01:55:12.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9431" CreationDate="2015-06-27T02:23:12.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the attainment of natural wisdom exclusive to Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you know other traditions, or religions or ways to attain wisdom?&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist wisdom is not an enterprise owned by any cultural stream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All spiritual attainments are beyond name and form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watching your mind (which includes the Four Foundations of Mindfulness) is recommended in almost every religious school and any self-developmental seminar worth a penny.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could go into a long tirade as to why spiritual self-development is similar across all religions but there are a limitless explanation on the phenomena of shared experiences (kundalini, chi, visions, emptiness, heat, sweating, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot do this topic justice though because there is a huge burden of proof that is already there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So where do I recommend you look to get a detailed answer to both of your questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read Spiritual Paths and Their Meditation Techniques ($)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization - A Short Multi-disciplinary Course on Evaluating and Elevating Your Meditation Progress and Spiritual Experiences ($$$)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read all the articles &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/comparative-religion/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. There are many guidances of other non-Buddhist techniques you may apply to grow spiritually. (free)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I am assuming that you did look into explanations there above. Now are full of understanding of the 5 Stages of the Spiritual Path that are common to &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; cultivation schools. Now you know for sure that the spiritual path is something beyond any prayer to any deity... it is developing Pure Presence and cultivating other features of Being-As-Is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I would like to tell you that despite the fact that various cultural streams have many of the same features as Buddhism... and even similar or even equivalent practices... (Early) Buddhism is still better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the most organized, systematic method available.&#xA;Buddhism, especially Theravadin Buddhism, is the &quot;only&quot; direct path. It is what the Buddha first spoke after all...! It contains within it the bare essentials to practice -- the &quot;extras&quot; are supportive practices like to improve your morality practice Brahmavihara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Although it may seem that some sects in some religions are exclusive&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;all the various methods within Buddhism and in all religions--fall under the 8/9 samadhi/dhyana/jhana that our Lord Buddha experimented with and shared.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Surangama Sutra&quot; or the more adaptable &quot;Twenty-Five Doors to Meditation - A Handbook to Entering Samadhi&quot; both expand and explain this in a practical way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T17:25:51.567" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T17:25:51.567" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9676" CreationDate="2015-06-27T10:43:57.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe if knowledge advances totally we will come to see that negative mind states like anger, fear, envy, jealousy are all signs of ill health. Just as a perfectly bodily healthy human doesn't fall ill often because of a strong immune system; similarly a perfectly emotionally healthy human doesn't fall ill often to negative emotions because of a well developed immune system of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The modern legal system does not punish murders committed under insanity; the Geneva convention states prisoners of war should be treated fairly; the modern hospital does not blame the ill, or consign those with infectious diseases to leper colonies. These are a few examples of how our relatively unenlightened society has already come to change its views and habits superficially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To not punish a murder committed in a fit of insanity is pretty new in human history: it required two things: one, an advancement in science that led to a better understanding of insanity that allayed our fear of the insane, and two, wealth to build safe places to house the insane humanely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With leper colonies of the past the case is the same, even if society felt sorry for the affected, it couldn't afford to care for them without the money and the knowledge to not fear the disease. Likewise, in the past, a country at war could ill afford to feed prisoners of war. Obviously, today  we have the wealth to care for prisoners of war, but we are still struggling with our anger resulting from fear, so we hear of cases of prisoner abuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to be compassionate while operating within a conventional view of the self, we need affordability (time, money, natural resources, physical strength) and absence of fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the case of holy men and women, who have gone beyond a sense of self and the resulting fears, they must nevertheless still deal with scarce resources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is often seen prioritising among his flock. Even if he has total lack of fear or care for his safety, he is constrained by time, because he wants to help as many people as possible before his death. So there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;suttas where he says he doesn't waste time on people of lesser capacities&lt;/a&gt;. Whereas, if he sees a deserving person, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/busc/busc13.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;he is ready to walk for several days to reach that deserving person and rescue him or her from samsara&lt;/a&gt;. This is purely a tactical problem - despite being enlightened he must chop wood and carry water, as the Zen saying goes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is thus possible to develop compassion for all when we see our anger results from fear, which results from a broken emotional immune system. However, being able to do something about it practically, other than sending metta energy is a different thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T10:43:57.933" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2015-06-27T11:00:57.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is actually a term describing this method of combining different religions. It's called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Eclectisism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has a section on it in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;, p. 2-3:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He writes about how religions and traditions have different ways of practice and that they were not &quot;made&quot; to be compatible with each other. So by combining them one risks having methods of practice that go against each other and thereby giving a blurred picture of a path that might not lead to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...One approach to resolving this problem that is popular today&#xA;  is the eclectic one: to pick and choose from the various traditions whatever seems amenable to our needs, welding together different practices and techniques into a synthetic whole that is personally satisfying. Thus one may combine Buddhist mindfulness meditation with sessions of Hindu mantra recitation, Christian prayer with Sufi dancing, Jewish Kabbala with Tibetan visualization exercises. Eclecticism, however, though sometimes helpful in making a transition from a predominantly worldly and materialistic way of life to one that takes on a spiritual hue, eventually wears thin. While it makes a comfortable halfway house, it is not comfortable as a final vehicle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are two interrelated flaws in eclecticism that account for its ultimate inadequacy. One is that eclecticism compromises the very traditions it draws upon. The great spiritual traditions themselves do not propose their disciplines as independent techniques that may be excised from their setting and freely recombined to enhance the felt quality of our lives. They present them, rather, as parts of an integral whole, of a coherent vision regard- ing the fundamental nature of reality and the final goal of the spiritual quest. A spiritual tradition is not a shallow stream in which one can wet one’s feet and then beat a quick retreat to the shore. It is a mighty, tumultuous river which would rush through the entire landscape of one’s life, and if one truly wishes to travel on it, one must be courageous enough to launch one’s boat and head out for the depths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second defect in eclecticism follows from the first. As spiritual practices are built upon visions regarding the nature of reality and the final good, these visions are not mutually compatible. When we honestly examine the teachings of these traditions, we will find that major differences in perspective reveal themselves to our sight, differences which cannot be easily dismissed as alternative ways of saying the same thing. Rather, they point to very different experiences constituting the supreme goal and the path that must be trodden to reach that goal...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T11:40:43.200" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T11:40:43.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9839" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-06-27T12:37:22.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nonduality has various meanings and is an overall term to cover various approaches, including Advaita and Emptiness. It primarily labels the experience of non-separation and non-distinction when it arises in daily life. People can be &lt;em&gt;thrown in to&lt;/em&gt; that state with &quot;sudden awakening&quot; (satori-like events) or &lt;em&gt;grow in to&lt;/em&gt; it through &quot;gradual awakening&quot;. The word explicitly does not refer to final emancipation or liberation, because most writers agree that people develop beyond nonduality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a philosophical perspective, this quote from Mariana Caplan's book &quot;Eyes Wide Open&quot; is ideal:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ngakpa Chogyam, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher from Wales, offers a&#xA;  perspective on nonduality that includes all of life as a direct&#xA;  expression of the nondual core of truth. He explains that nonduality,&#xA;  or emptiness, has two facets: one is empty, or nondual, and the other&#xA;  is form, or duality. Therefore, duality is not illusory but is one&#xA;  aspect of nonduality. Like the two sides of a coin, the formless&#xA;  reality has two dimensions -- one is form, the other is formless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we perceive duality as separate from nonduality (or nonduality as&#xA;  separate from duality), we do not engage the world of manifestation&#xA;  from the perspective of oneness, and thereby we fall into an erroneous&#xA;  relationship with it. From this perspective it is not &quot;life&quot; or&#xA;  duality that is maya, or illusion: rather it is our relationship to&#xA;  the world that is illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonduality is the occurrence of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:07:51.603" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:07:51.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9840" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-06-27T12:37:22.627" Score="0" Body="At any stage of a path, one can experience non-separation from what is - non-self. This can be developed using any methods that you find effective to increase awareness." OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-06-27T16:46:08.370" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T16:46:08.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9767" CreationDate="2015-06-27T14:27:00.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different personality types according to Buddhism. Basically three good types and three bad types although each person is a mixture. Different personalities need different meditation techniques. A teacher can find what your personality is and provide you with the relevant method of meditation. Further some types of meditation need the supervision of a teacher. So having a teacher is better. But you can practice Loving Kindness and Buddhanussathi etc. on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T14:27:00.467" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2015-06-27T16:16:57.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm sure they can coexist! My point here is more about stream-entry I guess&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that's difficult: difficult for someone to be a Buddhist &quot;stream-entrant&quot; as well as a stereotypical Christian &quot;true believer&quot;.&#xA;I say that, because some characteristics of a &quot;stream-entrant&quot; are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Three_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eradicated three fetters&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self-view (so, how would they hold beliefs that &quot;I will go to heaven&quot; or &quot;I am a Christian&quot; etc.?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals (so, would they go to mass/communion, etc.? is non-clinging, to rites and rituals, compatible with other religions?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skeptical doubt (?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The note about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#cite_note-22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Six actions that cannot be committed&lt;/a&gt; also claims that a stream-entrant cannot &quot;proclaim another Teacher&quot;, so I don't see how that's compatible with proclaiming Jesus, or the Church or the Pope, as a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Apparently one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Defilements&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Defilements&lt;/a&gt; that a stream entrant has abandoned includes &quot;Denigration&quot;. Perhaps that means that a stream entrant would avoid speaking ill of other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore some sects (some people) in other religions seem less &lt;em&gt;dogmatic&lt;/em&gt; than others. Within Christian congregations for example consider the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakers#Theology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quakers, some of whom are Christian but not theist&lt;/a&gt;, and are more-or-less opposed to rites and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wondering whether there's such a thing as a Buddhist Quaker I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.quakerquaker.org/forum/topics/buddhist-and-quaker&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this quote&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But it's as hard to know what a person will mean by calling theirself &quot;Buddhist,&quot; as it is knowing how to interpret someone calling theirself &quot;Christian.&quot; Van de Wettering asked the resident Master at his Zen Monastery whether he was a Buddhist, and was told, &quot;No.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I don't know the details of the quote but &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9775/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama has said that until he visited the Theosophical society in Chennai and met people of other faiths, he was pretty certain only Buddhism had all the answers, and every other approach was wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Let me add here that according to the Bible if you stop believing in God, you will go to hell no matter what, it is a serious offense for Christians.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't the place to discuss Christian doctrine but Buddhism might teach something analogous to that: i.e. that eternalism and nihilism are both wrong view, that right view is paramount, that intention has consequences, that materialism isn't enough, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jesus himself was accused of blasphemy, wasn't he? For what it's worth IMO &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_priesthood_(doctrine)#Priesthood_in_non-Protestant_faiths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;each believer has their own relationship with God&lt;/a&gt; and only a non-christian could &quot;pick up the first stone&quot; or any stone at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say that because IMO a believer literally &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; a personal relationship, &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; because Christian scripture gives them a &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt; to that relationship, and IMO someone who wants to criticize your views should &quot;take the plank out of their own eye first&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though IMO Buddhist doctrine suggests that such a view (of having a relationship with God) might not be wise (for example it might be fabrication leading to identity view, eternalism, a thicket of views etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can a person follow the Dhamma and be a Christian at the same time?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how to interpret this: does &quot;follow the Dhamma&quot; mean &quot;intend to be Buddhist&quot;, while &quot;be a Christian&quot; means &quot;be seen as obedient to the laws of Christianity?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you can be called Christian depends on your own conscience and/or on your priest's view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I lived in a country or society which used to be governed by the Catholic church but is no longer. I was taught (as I'm sure many others have been) that &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; religion is the only &lt;em&gt;true&lt;/em&gt; religion and that every &lt;em&gt;other&lt;/em&gt; religion was 'wrong'. In time my views broadened slightly: now IMO it's not that people with beliefs other than the Catholic beliefs are wrong, it's just that people with beliefs other than the Catholic beliefs would be wrong to call those beliefs &quot;Catholic&quot;; i.e. that doctrines of unity and infallibility are less about excluding and condemning people and are more about preserving the Church from schism (and for the good of your soul).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-27T17:23:01.997" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9431" CreationDate="2015-06-28T00:07:13.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A well known Vipassana meditation teacher, Mr. S.N. Goenka always refers to the Dharma (the truth or seeing things as they are) in a non denominational way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dharma is not Hindu nor Buddhist,&#xA;  not Sikh, Muslim, nor Jain;&#xA;  Dharma is purity of heart,&#xA;  peace, happiness, serenity.&#xA;  —Hindi doha of S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Two thousand years ago in India, there were two distinct traditions. One tradition gave importance to the purity of Dharma. The other gave importance to sectarian rites, rituals, religious ceremonies, external appearances, and so on. In those days the tradition of pure Dharma was quite strong, but slowly it became weaker and weaker, and eventually vanished from India. What was left had no trace of pure Dharma. It is very unfortunate that we have lost Dharma. When one speaks of Dharma in today’s India, the question that arises in the audience’s mind is: &quot;Which Dharma? Hindu-dharma, Buddhist-dharma, Jain-dharma, Christian-dharma, Muslim-dharma, Sikh-dharma, Parsi-dharma, or Jewish-dharma? Which Dharma?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is a great pity that we have totally forgotten pure Dharma. How can Dharma be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Parsi, or Sikh? This is impossible. If Dharma is pure Dharma, it is universal. It cannot be sectarian. Sectarian rites and rituals differ from one sect to another. The so-called &quot;Hindu-dharma&quot; has its own rites, rituals and religious ceromonies; its own beliefs, dogmas, and philosophies; and its own external appearances, and disciplines, such as fasting. It is the same with the Muslim-dharma, Christian-dharma, Sikh-dharma, and so on. But Dharma has nothing to do with all these. Sectarianism is divisive. Dharma is universal: it unites. Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Gracious-Flow-of-Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gracious Flow of Dharma - by S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Goenka's meditation centers around the world teach insight meditation in a completely non religious setting. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhara.dhamma.org/about-vipassana/code/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rules&lt;/a&gt; include not being able to bring religious items or continue with spiritual practices while you are there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;During the course it is absolutely essential that all forms of prayer, worship, or religious ceremony — fasting, burning incense, counting beads, reciting mantras, singing and dancing, etc. — be discontinued. All other meditation techniques and healing or spiritual practices should also be suspended. This is not to condemn any other technique or practice, but to give a fair trial to the technique of Vipassana in its purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe this to be an example of a practice of learning to attain wisdom, as it's known in the Buddhist tradition, outside of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T00:22:03.967" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T00:22:03.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9844" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9849" CreationDate="2015-06-28T01:10:35.367" Score="6" ViewCount="7638" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist view on crying? I don't remember hearing or reading about the Buddha ever crying. Is crying a consequence of &quot;lack of understanding&quot; of the ultimate reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T11:19:33.747" LastActivityDate="2018-12-07T23:20:48.543" Title="Do enlighted people cry? Did the Buddha ever cry?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|enlightenment|buddhas|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9845" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-28T05:12:14.310" Score="6" ViewCount="1217" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which biography of the Buddha is written in (or translated into) English, and is the most widely read (from a Theravada perspective)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T13:58:22.987" LastActivityDate="2021-02-12T18:36:09.903" Title="Looking for a book that covers the biography of the Buddha's life" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|reference-request|history|books|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2015-06-28T05:52:13.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist view on crying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must not pretend to be the Buddha, if tears come, we must respect that while investigating causes and conditions, using the moment as a teacher, to gather fresh insight. When true understanding is born, the tears will naturally dry up. New tears of compassion may form as one walks the path of the Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvas have cried at seeing the fate of those in pain, and enlightened people like Jesus have shed compassionate tears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't remember hearing or reading about the Buddha ever crying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't recall any suttas that talk about the Buddha crying or not, but I am not a Tipitaka master. It is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9824/what-are-the-eighteen-buddha-attributes&quot;&gt;not explicitly one of the 18 Buddha attributes&lt;/a&gt;. One can surmise therefore that this is not considered a very important distinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key aspect of a Buddha is volition. If he cried at all, it would not be meaningless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is crying a consequence of &quot;lack of understanding&quot; of the ultimate&#xA;  reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes and no - Involuntary crying of the nature humans often perform - where we try to hold back our tears, yet the circumstance overpowers us should not be the case for the Buddha. He has no remaining sankharas, no hidden traumas in the mind, no lack of control over his actions and perfect understanding of cause and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If his crying served a purpose, then he may cry because it is &lt;em&gt;Upaya&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Caveat:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;I am no Buddha, so I can't know for sure. It makes me a little uncomfortable to deal in the hypothetical.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T06:00:17.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2015-06-28T06:28:21.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to what &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/5191/ryan&quot;&gt;@Ryan&lt;/a&gt; wrote about the Buddha helping people with powers, it can also guide the aspirant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may use powers to read other people's minds for example, to understand the nature of &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;. Since one's own thoughts may appear too personal and arising with just cause, seeing the thoughts of others change from time to time, may drive home the point that it is affected by causes and conditions, and is compounded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though every mature teacher recommends not getting side tracked by powers, the lure of powers is like candy to children for some. Experiencing the powers can convince such people that they are not worth lusting after. Of course, they can also lose their head, and behave like &lt;a href=&quot;http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Ryuei/Devadatta_Story.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devadatta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself when he attained enlightenment analysed his past lives with great interest, and learned without a shred of doubt the futility of eons of lives spent lost in pleasures, not searching for the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T06:28:21.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2452" CreationDate="2015-06-28T06:56:32.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe the Buddha said whoever has awakened can only speak the Dhamma. And he asked his followers to respect any teaching that led to the cessation of suffering. &lt;em&gt;(I'll link to the sutta if I can find it)&lt;/em&gt; He never claimed his teachings to be his own, he credited all the Buddhas with having said the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own view is it's very simple - let's not complicate things with ideas of the dos and don'ts of a stream entrant, such lists cannot be perfect. Stream entrants too are made of dependant elements, and they will behave in subtle but different ways with respect to the time and place they live in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Respecting other religions is natural common courtesy. Humans everywhere share the same basic qualities, the same problems and fears. Some solutions may solve some things better than others. There isn't a Buddhist blood, and a Christian blood. There cannot be therefore a Buddhist enlightenment and a Christian enlightenment. The realization of truth has to be the same. If two people get well from an illness one using modern western drugs, and another using Ayurveda or TCM, one doesn't have to be wrong for the other to be right. The same person can even use different medical traditions for different diseases. Same with religion. If the Christian Sangha is more popular locally, by all means reach out to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know a lot of learned religious experts will disagree, but the truth is really simple. The qualities of compassion and kindness are the same in any human, and everyone has Buddha nature, which is not at odds with religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike any other time in the past we are a global community today - this brings several religions and ideas together, even within Buddhism. An integration of sorts is taking place if you read the works of the modern masters like Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, and teachers like Roshi Halifax and Shinzen Young - they want to see an integrative wisdom emerge that is not bound by a time and place in the past. The mindfulness movement of Jon Kabat-Zinn is a huge success because of its secular nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as there are so many kinds of food out there, some healthier than others, some others more affordable, some others more widely accessible, we must view religions as useful but not necessarily perfect. When I eat french fries, I know they are not healthy, and I don't like the taste of mayo on the side, but it doesn't mean I can't eat the fries once in a while with ketchup instead of mayo.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rains are considered happy events in Buddhism, because India was a dry land, and rain was the harbinger of life. In a wet country like Ireland, rains can seem depressing. Culture and Buddhism have deeply intertwined over the years, and they need to be understood and respected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks in the order of Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh are allowed to pray to Christ and the Buddha, revere St. Thomas and Avalokitesvara, read the Bible as well as the Tipitaka, there is no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HH The Dalai Lama offers very practical advice in his book, &lt;strong&gt;Toward a True Kinship of Faiths: How the World's Religions Can Come Together, 2010&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I was growing up in Tibet, and especially after my serious engagement in studies of classical Buddhist thought and practice from the age of fifteen, I used to feel that my own Buddhist religion was the best. I thought that there simply could not be any other faith tradition that could rival the depth, sophistication, and inspirational power of Buddhism. Other religions must, at best, be “so-so.” Looking back, I feel embarrassed by my naïveté, although it was the view of an adolescent boy immersed in his own inherited religious tradition. Yes, I was vaguely aware of the existence of a great world religion called Christianity that propounds the way of salvation through the life of its savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, as a child I had heard the story of how some Christian priests had once established a mission in western Tibet in the seventeenth century. There was also a small community of Tibetan Muslims right up until modern times, who had lived in Lhasa city for over four centuries. As for Hindus and Jains, followers of the two other major religions native to India, I was convinced that the philosophical arguments, found in the classical Buddhist critiques of their tenets, had effectively demonstrated the superiority of the Buddhist faith centuries ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Needless to say such naïveté could be sustained only so long as I remained isolated from any real contact with the world’s other religions. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Looking back to this trip in 1956, I realize that my visit to the Theosophical Society in Chennai (then Madras) left a powerful impression. There I was first directly exposed to people, and to a movement, that attempted to bring together the wisdom of the world’s spiritual traditions as well as science. I felt among the members a sense of tremendous openness to the world’s great religions and a genuine embracing of pluralism. When I returned to Tibet in 1957, after more than three months in what was a most amazing country for a young Tibetan monk, I was a changed man. I could no longer live in the comfort of an exclusivist standpoint that takes Buddhism to be the only true religion. When tragic political circumstances in 1959 forced me into exile in India to live as a refugee, I was paradoxically afforded the freedom to deepen my personal journey of understanding and engagement with the world’s faith traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-28T07:38:13.910" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T07:38:13.910" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2015-06-28T09:27:23.580" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Crying can be caused due to both physical and mental reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Physical reasons:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Irritation in the eyes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sickness affecting the eyes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Side effects of strong medication or extremely spicy food.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mental reasons:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sadness(obvious sadness and the sadness disguised as compassion), depression, aversion to pain, fear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clinging to happy/pleasant/joyful states of the mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that this question is aimed at the 2nd category, it is highly unlikely that a fully enlightened being would cry as they no longer become sad or cling to pleasant states of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arhanths only have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kiriya-citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kiriya Cittas&lt;/a&gt;. Those are of 3 types.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i. Consciousness turning to impressions at the five doors&#xA;(panca dvara-avajjana) accompanied by feeling of indifference(Upekkhā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii. Consciousness turning to impressions at the mind-door&#xA;(mana dvara-avajjana) accompanied by feeling of indifference(Upekkhā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii. Consciousness of the genesis of smile (hasitoppada&#xA;citta) accompanied by joy(Pīti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hasita(a smile which slightly reveals the tips of the teeth) is their reaction to joy. If they ever cried, there should be another called the Assuppada citta. But there isn't! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-23T01:22:18.037" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9745" CreationDate="2015-06-28T13:48:11.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While researching stages of meditation, I came across something which could shed some light on your experience. In a section covering Khanika Samadhi (momentary concentration) I found a similar description of your experience. While the author is writing specifically about the noting technique in Vipassnana, I think technically it has relevance to Goenka scanning as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pure Vipassana yogis can appreciate and understand the power of Khanika concentration. For when their noting gains momentum, they can see for themselves how the noting goes on by itself uninterruptedly without a break. The noting seems to run on its own steam without any need for the yogi to make any concerted or deliberate effort. Thus, it is not unusual for a yogi to be able to sit for an hour, and even several hours, absorbed in noting. During good noting, especially at the insight knowledge of equanimity (sankhara-upekkhañana), the mind just stays put on its objects and refuses to wander. Even if one wants to send the mind out, it refuses to go and it recoils back to whatever Vipassana object it is noting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/vip-jhana.html#N1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;KHANIKA SAMADHI: Momentary Concentration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T13:48:11.867" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9816" CreationDate="2015-06-28T16:10:20.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think part of the problem is the translation as fools. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10099454-the-dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eknath Easwaran&lt;/a&gt; translates this as spiritually immature. In the introduction to chapter six of the Dhammapada in his translation he says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The title of chapter 5 is normally translated as &quot;The Fool&quot;. [...].&#xA;  However bala means not only &quot;fool&quot; but &quot;child&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me the term fool is ladened with harsh feeling and judgement. If I call someone &quot;a fool&quot; the chances are that I'm not speaking kindly. However if I think of a child then my heart goes out to that being. I might not want to spend time with the child playing childish games (well not all the time) but I want the best for them and I think kindly of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am no Pali language expert so I can't speak to the accuracy of this translation. But when I'm reading this chapter the term fool doesn't seem helpful. Spiritual immature (or even child) helps me connect with the verses much better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T16:10:20.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9431" CreationDate="2015-06-28T17:46:33.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma isn't exclusive to Buddhism. As the story goes, wherever there are apple trees, there are apples; but one can't expect to find apples where there aren't apple trees. Likewise, can't expect to find wisdom teaching where wisdom is not being properly taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While sitting on one side the wanderer Subhadda said this to the Gracious One: “Those ascetics and brahmins, dear Gotama, who have a community, a group, who teach a group, well-known, famous, religious founders, agreed upon as good for the people, such as: Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambala, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, have they all understood, according to their own avowal? Have they all not understood? Or, have some understood? Or, have some not understood?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Enough, Subhadda, stop this: ‘Have they all understood, according to their own avowal? Have they all not understood? Or, have some understood? Or, have some not understood?’ I will teach the Teaching to you, Subhadda, listen to it, apply your mind well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” the wanderer Subhadda replied to the Gracious One, and the Gracious One said this: “Wherever, Subhadda, the Noble Eightfold Path is not found in a Teaching and Discipline there a true ascetic is not found, there a second true ascetic is not found, there a third true ascetic is not found, there a fourth true ascetic is not found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But wherever, Subhadda, the Noble Eightfold Path is found in a Teaching and Discipline there a true ascetic is found, there a second true ascetic is found, there a third true ascetic is found, there a fourth true ascetic is found.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāparinibbāna sutta, DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-06-28T17:46:33.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9855" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-28T20:21:30.797" Score="8" ViewCount="1784" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though I've seen dating of mahayana suttas here and there in passing with some analysis, I understand the pali canon has suttas of many ages. For example, one collection I've often heard to contain many old suttas is the &lt;em&gt;Itivuttaka&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I've don't recall seeing any information about dating of specific suttas, or what criteria for estimating the age are used. Is there a set of suttas which has been identified as the possibly oldest texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T20:34:00.170" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T18:46:28.880" Title="Which are considered to be the oldest suttas?" Tags="|pali-canon|history|suttas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9856" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-28T23:22:58.097" Score="5" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fellow travellers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I have experienced myself major benefits from the practicing of asanas the past two years; plus from my raw vegan diet the past three years and qigong meditation the past year; I was wondering if these concepts/ways of life could be combined with Buddhism in the context of a monastic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The past year I was living like an 'urban monk' or something; meaning that I am spending most of my free time on my daily routine disciplines (lengthy meditation both sitting and walking; asanas; qigong meditation). As I also have to work to make a living, I have come to realize that this is an unequal struggle for me; walking some steps forward and then going backward. Which keeps me away from the development of my spiritual Self; and that is what I am interested about the most in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concerning the raw vegan diet I have found amazing benefits in both mind and body. Alive food provides higher levels of energy and a lightweight sensation, both bodily and mentally (as what we eat affects both mind, body and spirit). We consume the alive consciousness of other forms of life such as fruits; greens; sprouts and that has an instant effect in our &quot;own&quot; consciousness as well. That led me to realize that.. in fact in fact, it is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; our consciousness in action, but instead, its the outcome of what we put into our system; and that is raw; alive; which changes us from within. It's not something dead, consuming food from the same kingdom (meat/flesh) as ourselves. Dark leafy greens have a higher alkaline pH, which aids to radiant health and elimination of all diseases. All these three years I was never sick. All diseases arise in a highly acidic environment. All processed foods and especially meat create a high acidic pH in our body. Therefore, the effects of a raw vegan diet are instant and they work deeply, in a psychosomatic level, affecting all that consists of what/who we are.&#xA;Combined with the asanas from yoga and the qigong meditation, where I learn to sense the pranic/chi bioenergy field around me, and how to work with it and use it in order to heal my body, all these disciplines are essential to me. The body is the temple of the mind. «Νούς υγιής εν σώματι υγιεί» were saying the ancient Greeks. Which means &quot;Healthy mind in a healthy body&quot;. As the body is the temple of the mind, both affect one another; a normally fit body will not suffer when we will be old. We are training our body as we are training our mind; these two go hand in hand for me (and for millions of others as well).&#xA;I won't go much into personal details, to not make this a lengthy post.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As about Buddhism, I am new, but as it seems from my research, it's the only system that offers this freedom of both spiritual; psychological and philosophical expansion and betterment in one system, which is what I need (not want), in order to develop myself from within (the only true development).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would heartily appreciate your advice on this very important path in my life. I am glad that I have found you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Peace and harmony to each one of you ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grigoris&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5375" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T03:58:50.863" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T05:21:47.733" Title="Combining yoga (asanas); qigong meditation and raw vegan diet with Buddhism" Tags="|beginner|impermanence|food|yoga|qigong|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2015-06-28T23:29:09.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is one theoretical answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that at the root of all virtue is gratitude. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many believe people cry when they are sad. This could be true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you noticed when people cry as they tell their story?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is uncommon for tears as they say they lost their job, they lost their house, they lost their wife....but then they say...&quot;...this person came...&quot;...and they choke up...&quot;...this person came and helped us when we needed it most...&quot;...then the tears begin to flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gratitude is the source of many tears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddha believed that gratitude was the source of all virtue - then certainly the Buddha had moments of profound gratitude...and thus tears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5379" LastEditorUserId="5379" LastEditDate="2016-12-26T11:26:32.657" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T11:26:32.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9856" CreationDate="2015-06-29T00:32:40.657" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a few things which come to mind that Buddhism may say about your current spiritual path;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surely, the practices you have described will bring you some beneficial results. But without proper insight, guided by the Noble Eightfold path, they will not lead you to liberation from old age, suffering, and death. And this is evident by the way in which you describe the body. The body is in fact a prison, not a temple. This body is not ours, and by its very nature seeks out death. Pursuing health is a useless endeaver, as the Buddha said :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.' ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.' ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upajjhatthana Sutta AN:5.57&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in fact, the mind has far more affect over the body than the body does over the mind, insofar as the mind is developed. An undeveloped mind can and will suffer in even the most healthy of bodies, but a well developed mind needs not suffer in even an ill and dying body. In this way, the two do not mutually affect each other, and therefore pursuing healthy things for the sake of health is of no benefit. Such clinging to your health and well being will only lead to suffering, as sooner or later it will come to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for asanas, or qigong meditation, I do not know. But unless their teachings ascribe the application of the Noble Eightfold path, they are not in line with the teaching of the Buddha, and will not lead one to final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps clarify some things with your current practice in regards to the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T02:14:06.967" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5862" CreationDate="2015-06-29T03:13:29.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;[warning, mystic tries to apply logic...] To prove that something is true, you can assert that it is false and show that it leads to a contradiction. (You cannot prove that something is false, you can only try to prove truth and fail in a blindingly obvious way.) So, assert that there is no self and then we can prove that there IS a self, right? But in the scriptures it has been shown that no contradiction is reached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a practical matter, if I tell you that there is no self because: 1. it would have to be impermanent 2. it is subject to change 3. it is not anything particular (I might have some of the details wrong here) then does that lead to a contradiction for you? No, life goes on pretty much the same, so it seems obvious that the theory of self has no support. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Eradication&quot; is an important word because it suggests a relentless process over a period of time, not a sudden insight (although it could become obvious suddenly, the groundwork must go in first). How to accomplish it? Accept that it is true and like Diogenes with his lamp, look for it everywhere you go. It MUST become obvious, because it is the truth. You ask why it is important to know this (being the first of the ten fetters it must be important): because it is the truth. We function properly with the truth and not so with error (for large values of error). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask if identity-view is various things and then seem to contradict yourself, so I will not address each separate question. Identity-view is simply the perspective of thought (view) that a particular, permanent, unchanging self of any kind at all must exist. Nothing in the world works this way, so why we think it would be uniquely true of a self is delusion. A wrong idea. If you think that there is a self, reconsider. At some stage, it will not make sense to you anymore, and later it will become clear why identity-view is just wrong. It amounts to superstition (also one of the ten fetters. 2 points!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, you can try to explain it to other people : ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T03:13:29.160" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9856" CreationDate="2015-06-29T03:58:16.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a beautiful thing what you are doing. Respecting your body, the environment and all beings is the first path of the Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Respect is not necessarily attachment. Buddhism recommends we have a healthy belief in impermanence, but not so much that we ignore caring for everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha warns his followers to practice hard while they still can. Because sickness, injuries and death can occur at any moment, and interrupt their  practice, they must not put off practice for later. Buddhism is not found in sutras and big and ancient words, it is found in the practice of seeing the truth in every moment.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We obviously can't practice if we are losing consciousness due to an injury, or delirious with fever. We must take medicines at this moment and respect that our practice is dependent on causes and conditions, such as our good health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We likewise cannot practice if we are lost in luxuries and delusions of reality, mistaking our comfortable conditions for permanent bliss.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The legend of the Buddha shows that Siddhartha, before he became the Buddha viewed his body as a defilement, hunger as a prison sentence that kept him trapped in this world, and practiced severe starvation penance. He couldn't sadly make meaningful spiritual progress towards Buddhahood with this belief system. When he learned to respect his human condition and eat food, his spiritual progress rapidly advanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By observing the beauty of nature interacting with our body, in a vegan diet, in asanas, in wild natural situations where our body helps us survive, we can practice a form of Vipassana or deep insight. We see that there is no independent existence, that all beings are interdependent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must see that the idea of &quot;I&quot; is a compounded reality. The &quot;I&quot; who is well rested, eating healthy and exercising is very different from the &quot;I&quot; who is sleep deprived, intoxicated and eating junk food. Thus we are our good or bad habits, we are nothing more than our thoughts, actions and speech in this present moment. By observing our body in sickness and health, in youth and old age we see the impermanence of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, respecting the body can lead to insight, but there is a danger that it can also lead to hubris and pride. If we spend a lot of time in front of the mirror basking in narcissism, that's dangerous :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must learn not to fear the environment. We cannot control all aspects of our life. Eating healthy vegan food is good, but if we can't find good food one day, and we must eat something, we must learn to make do with whatever is available with no regret or sadness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was often offered fancy meals in palaces when Kings and rich men invited him and his followers for lunch. No matter how good the hospitality, he didn't linger on in the palaces even though he could have. He kept wandering into forests and little villages, making no allowance for comfort. So one day he would eat in the palace, the next day he would be in the forest and drinking muddy water and eating grass to survive, but he wouldn't make a face or miss for one moment yesterday's lunch in the palace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He never recommends poisoning the body by eating poisonous mushrooms or berries, so some care must be taken, but not so much that we fall prey to comforts and luxuries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On his last meal, he knew the food he was being offered was dangerous (traditions do not agree on whether it was rotten pork or mushrooms or something else). In any case he knew it was toxic, so he asked his followers to not eat the food, and have the rest of the food buried. However, he ate the meal with the same beatific smile, and passed away with no regret about losing his body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the kind of wisdom and detachment we must follow.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/news/an-update-on-thays-health-28th-june-2015/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This health update&lt;/a&gt; from Plum Village, about the recovery of Buddhist teacher, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh or Thây from a life threatening stroke is a good teaching on enjoying the wonderful joy of being, whatever one's condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T05:21:47.733" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T05:21:47.733" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9861" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9866" CreationDate="2015-06-29T06:00:43.970" Score="8" ViewCount="804" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Noble Truths make us aware that the cause of suffering is desire. Isn't it a desire to become enlightened and attain Nirvana; thus, causes suffering? If you drop the desire, will it be possible to attain Nirvana, or for that matter, do anything at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&quot; -The Buddha (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T13:04:49.747" Title="Attainment of enlightenment without desire" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|the-buddha|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9862" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9864" CreationDate="2015-06-29T06:36:14.437" Score="5" ViewCount="882" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having read multiple sources about karma, there appear to be different interpretations. Some suggest that physical volitional acts bear the seeds of karma while others such as this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lifespurpose.info/buddha/causeandeffect/lawofcauseandeffect01.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one&lt;/a&gt;, suggest that karma is borne by thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is extremely confusing especially for someone new to the concepts since there doesn't appear to be an authoritative answer or reply. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are &quot;unwholesome&quot; (since i don't know what are wholesome or unwholesome aside from causing direct harm with no ill intentions) thoughts, is this considered thought crime in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="4841" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T06:40:32.207" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T15:23:08.780" Title="Buddhism and thought crime" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9863" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9882" CreationDate="2015-06-29T06:38:34.447" Score="5" ViewCount="615" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the result of one's karma is the combination of cause and condition, how does one account for all variables in the culmination of an effect? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is unable to include all variables, isn't that simply a limited view of the effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T06:41:02.117" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T16:12:22.203" Title="Cause, condition and effect in Buddhism" Tags="|karma|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9862" CreationDate="2015-06-29T07:13:07.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the intention that has the karmic effect in this life or future ones. This is made clear in the Abhidhamma, and by the Buddha &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three unwholesome roots. Which three?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Greed &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hatred &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusion &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three wholesome roots. Which three?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non greed &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non hatred&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non delusion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: &#xA;A blind monk, without intentions of any of the six intentions listed above, killed a bug when he was walking. And he was a thera. The fellow monks noted he squashed a bug, and were displeased with it because it is against the first precept to kill and to harm another living being. That is one of the ten unwholesome actions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here someone is a killer of living beings: he is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, and merciless to all living beings.&quot; -The Buddha (Saleyyaka Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later the Buddha became aware of what has happened. He told the monks that Cakkhupala's actions of squashing the bug will bear no karmic potency since he had no intention to kill it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt of the story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One day, Venerable Cakkhupala who was blind came to pay homage to the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery. While he was pacing up and down in meditation, he accidentally stepped on some insects. In the morning, some bhikkhus visiting him found the dead insects. They thought ill of him and reported the matter to the Buddha. When questioned by the Buddha whether they had seen Cakkhupala killing the insects, they answered in the negative. The Buddha then admonished them, 'Just as you had not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects. Besides, being an Arahant he had no intention of killing, and was not guilty of committing an unwholesome act.' On being asked why Cakkhupala was blind, the Buddha revealed the following story to explain the nature of kammic effects.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the Dhammapada Story that gives an explanation to the first verse of the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.&quot; The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/a.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada Stories for the explanation of the Dhp. verses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="5380" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T07:30:35.910" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T07:30:35.910" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2015-06-29T07:54:19.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the 33 Sermons on Nibbāna by Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda will offer many insights on the topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Introduction:&#xA;  The present set of thirty-three sermons on the topic of Nibbāna were originally delivered between 1988 and 1991 as fortnightly lectures at Meetirigala Forest Monastery of Sri Lanka by the Venerable Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda at the behest of the Venerable Mātara Sri Ñāṇarāma Mahāthera. They combine deep insight into the Dhamma with academic erudition, being based on copious quotations from the Pāli discourses that alternate with illustrative similes and useful indications for meditation practice.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm#Mindstilled33&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm#Mindstilled33&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T07:54:19.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9861" CreationDate="2015-06-29T07:59:17.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Desire is used to fabricate all the needed conditions to abandon desire once and for all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire should be dropped at the right time, after all the conditions for attaining Nibbana are generated. But it is used until that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So desire is used to abandon desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the Brahman&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of abandoning desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed. So what do you think, brahman? Is this an endless path, or one with an end?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an endless one. Magnificent, Master Ananda! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Ananda — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge, from this day forward, for life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T08:04:54.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9867" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9872" CreationDate="2015-06-29T08:45:30.750" Score="6" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;If everything in unstable, unsatisfying and out of control then what is the point in living? Isn't the 'point of life' meant to be a journey to stability, satisfaction and self control? Thanks :).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T11:48:24.377" Title="What is the nature of impermanence, desire and anatman?" Tags="|enlightenment|anatman|impermanence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9868" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9887" CreationDate="2015-06-29T08:58:51.820" Score="7" ViewCount="840" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me start off by saying that I can do Vipassana meditation for about 20 minutes at present. Accepting thoughts as they arise, noticing sensations without judging is relatively easy, compared to doing Samatha meditation. However, even though my body may feel relaxed and calm after doing Vipassana, my mind is still cloudy and obscured (I suffer from brain-fog and Depersonalization Disorder). Depersonalization Disorder is a sense that you don't really exist, almost as if you are outside your body, lost in a cloud. I feel calm, but my mind still feels foggy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I focus on the breath (Samatha), I find that I only manage to sit still for about 3-4 minutes before becoming physically agitated (to the point where my body will curl up in tension). I feel as if I need to go for a run; my mind kind of shouts at me, saying &quot;Go, go go! Get up. Go do something&quot;. There is no anxiety, just physical and mental agitation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mind feels fine doing Vipassana, jumping from moment to moment, letting things be. But when I tell the mind to focus single-pointedly, all hell breaks lose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I carry on with the breath, even though I can only do it minutes at a time, or should I do something entirely different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5382" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T09:12:58.633" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T18:36:30.657" Title="Vipassana meditation comes naturally; Samatha meditation incredibly hard." Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9861" CreationDate="2015-06-29T09:02:11.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good Question :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm only speaking from my own experience but I think that it is important to first properly define 'desire'. The term 'desire' in Buddhism, refers to one's state of being that wishes for satisfaction that is out of their &quot;current&quot; state of being. For example, a person wishes for pizza when they are given a hamburger. Interestingly, this also applies to one who wishes for tranquility during meditation. The key here however, is that one is 'unsatisfied' with what they currently have. So your question is definitely correct saying that the desire for nirvana causes suffering. Ironically though, I doubt you would even be practicing if it weren't for the shinny appeal of enlightenment or nirvana. Not to stress though, it is fine to want to be peaceful and tranquil :). You just have to change your view so that it correctly corresponds to this wish. Try improving your natural environment and supporting your family and loved ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T09:02:11.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9868" CreationDate="2015-06-29T10:49:56.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;have you tried counting your in and out breaths? this may be a good middle ground for you, as it will give your mind something to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKFl4E3YhlI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is instruction for anapana meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T10:49:56.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9863" CreationDate="2015-06-29T11:13:48.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One does not account for all variables in the culmination of an effect. Only a fully enlightened Buddha can know this. For the rest of us, the pursuit of full understanding of Karma will only impede our practice towards liberation, and should not be pursued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T11:13:48.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9867" CreationDate="2015-06-29T11:30:40.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Isn't the 'point of life' meant to be a journey to stability,&#xA;  satisfaction and self control?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no &quot;meant to be&quot; in life. It's not written in the stars that you must do this or that. But you can follow the noble 8 fold path and attain stability and satisfaction while you live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If everything in unstable, unsatisfying and out of control&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything is uncontrollable, but not unstable and unsatisfying. Only conditioned things are unstable and unsatisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T11:30:40.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9863" CreationDate="2015-06-29T11:32:40.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pondering the precise nature of karma is specifically taught against, so be careful in that regard, but contemplating karma in a general sense is actually recommended by many schools, and I'd say that applies here. It's often said that both present (conditions) and past (actions) are effects that cause the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is supported by quantum entanglement, if that interests you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5385" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T11:32:40.700" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9867" CreationDate="2015-06-29T11:35:46.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Living is a consequence of birth. Everything is unstable, unsatisfying and out of control because of birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth is a consequence of not knowing what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If everything in unstable, unsatisfying and out of control then what is the point in living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point in living is to learn what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Isn't the 'point of life' meant to be a journey to stability, satisfaction and self control?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, you are right in saying: that the 'point of life' is meant to be a journey to stability, satisfaction and self control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you realize what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering, you will enjoy the fruits of your realizations in this very same life - you will live a stable and satisfactory life, with no ill will, anger, sadness, fears, greed, hatred, envy, any kind of emotional negativity, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you realize what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering, you will live a life completely devoid of any kind of suffering and your death will be completely devoid of any kind of suffering. After death, you'll not be born again - you will be what you truly are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T11:48:24.377" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T11:48:24.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9863" CreationDate="2015-06-29T12:36:41.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need to account all variables in the culmination of an effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the culmination of an effect arises because of a chained reactions of previous effects, you don't need to take into account all the variables in the chain of effects leading to the culmination of the final effect. By taking into account just a few variables, all the other variables in the chain of effects leading to the final effect will be taken into account.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that you don't need to know all the combinations of causes and conditions resulting in one's karma in order to account for all variables in the culmination of an effect. By taking into account just a few combinations of causes and conditions, all the variables in the culmination of an effect will be taken into account.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the causes and conditions to be taken into account in order for all the variables in the culmination of an effect to be taken into account?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The variables are: what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering. Just by knowing these variables, you account for all the variables in the culmination of all effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By knowing what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering, karma stops having its effects on you. This does not mean you will be completely free of karma in this very same life. You could still suffer misfortune, pain, etc. due to bad karma, but if you know what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the end of suffering and what is the way leading to the end of suffering, karma will have no effect on your state of mind and karma will not be after your death, thus future births will not follow after your death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T12:36:41.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9861" CreationDate="2015-06-29T13:04:49.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Desire puts you on the path leading to attainment of Nirvana. When you walk down the path towards Nirvana, you gain knowledge on cessation of desires. When all your desires cease, including the desire that put you on the path leading to Nirvana, Nirvana is attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Nirvana is attained, right action and wrong action is fully known. Thus, after attaining Nirvana, one still has to do right action until death in order to attain Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To do right action until death, right desire is needed. Right desire is the way towards Nibbana. Just as desire lead you to Nirvana, right desire will lead you to Nibbana. When your time comes, all desires, including the right desires that put you on the path leading to Nibbana, will cease and Nibbana will come to fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T13:04:49.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2015-06-29T13:24:34.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the state of Nibbana the state of &quot;not existing at all in any way&quot; or is it nonexistence with benefits that are too deep to understand from the perspective of samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The state of Nibbana is neither &quot;not existing at all in any way&quot;, nor &quot;existing in all ways&quot;. It is neither &quot;nonexistence with benefits&quot;, nor &quot;existence with benefits&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does the only &quot;bliss&quot; pertaining to Nibbana happen during the Arahant's life or when an arahant dies?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;bliss&quot; pertaining to Nibbana happens during the Arahant's life when Nirvana is attained. When the arahant dies, Nibbana is attained, which is &quot;beyond bliss&quot; - neither &quot;bliss&quot;, nor &quot;not bliss&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just to be clear (because I hear conflicting words concerning this) we will be &quot;no more&quot; if we become enlightened and the path is learning how to accept this, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path is learning how to experience it. One of the prerequisite to experiencing it, is to accept we will be &quot;no more&quot; if we become enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T13:24:34.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9862" CreationDate="2015-06-29T14:12:53.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma means action and refers to actions of your body, speech, and mind. The effects of karma are related to your intentions in these actions of body, speech and mind. Regarding your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;If there are &amp;quot;unwholesome&amp;quot; (since i don't know what are wholesome or unwholesome aside from causing direct harm with no ill intentions) thoughts, is this considered thought crime in Buddhism?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't have control over what thoughts arise in our minds. We only have control over what we do with a thought once it's arisen. Do we act on that thought? Or discard it as unwholesome if we recognize it as being connected to greed/desire, hate/anger, or ignorance/delusion? Do we dwell on it? Or move on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is how the Buddha explained it in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;Monks, before my self-awakening, when I was still just an unawakened Bodhisatta, the thought occurred to me: 'Why don't I keep dividing my thinking into two sorts?' So I made thinking imbued with sensuality, thinking imbued with ill will, &amp;amp; thinking imbued with harmfulness one sort, and thinking imbued with renunciation, thinking imbued with non-ill will, &amp;amp; thinking imbued with harmlessness another sort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, &amp;amp; resolute, thinking imbued with sensuality arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with sensuality has arisen in me; and that leads to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Unbinding.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As I noticed that it leads to my own affliction, it subsided. As I noticed that it leads to the affliction of others... to the affliction of both... it obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Unbinding, it subsided. Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality had arisen, I simply abandoned it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta goes on to describe the process of similarly abandoning thoughts of ill will and harmfulness in the same way for the same reasons, that it &amp;quot;leads to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Unbinding.&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T15:23:08.780" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9862" CreationDate="2015-06-29T14:38:23.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not physical actions that create seeds for karma. It is volition that creates seeds for karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When volition arises, thoughts arise.&#xA;When thoughts arise, physical actions can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, all physical actions are volitional. All thoughts are volitional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Physical volitional acts arise because thoughts arise. Thus physical volitional acts can bear the seeds of karma.&#xA;Thoughts arise because of volition. Thus thoughts can bear the seeds of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome thoughts create bad karma, thus it can be said that unwholesome thoughts are considered thought crime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, an aspirant striving to attain liberation, should not see unwholesome thoughts as &quot;thought crime&quot; and neither unwholesome actions as &quot;crime&quot;. Unwholesome thoughts should remain &quot;unwholesome thoughts&quot;, without touching our hearts and giving rise to aversion or negative emotions. Unwholesome actions should remain &quot;unwholesome actions&quot;, without touching our hearts and giving rise to aversion or negative emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T14:38:23.753" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9880" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-29T15:11:16.560" Score="9" ViewCount="3711" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any punishments if a monk breaks vinaya rule on purpose..? ,if there is punishment ,then who would administer that punishment..?.How does buddhism deal with vinaya rule breakers..?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-30T02:04:22.407" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T08:36:35.473" Title="Punishments for breaking vinaya rules" Tags="|monk|vinaya|monasticism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9868" CreationDate="2015-06-29T15:14:43.490" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears your nervous system may need some help. You need to spend time in nature, also try walking meditation barefoot. Avoid caffeine, sugar, nicotine, excitable entertainment and other stimulants. If you can exercise, or perform yoga, that will help. Meditation needs a healthy body, brain and nerves for best functioning. However, this is hardly the end of the road - you can develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/vip-jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;khanika samadhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; / &lt;em&gt;moment-to-moment&lt;/em&gt; concentration with vipassana. This kind of meditation is ideal for insight and for progress on the path, so there's no need to worry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T15:14:43.490" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9863" CreationDate="2015-06-29T16:05:09.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As others have mentioned it's not recommended to attempt to account for all the variables in karmic effects. Here is the basis for this. It's the third on a short list of what is called the Four Imponderables or Unconjecturables:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta: Unconjecturable&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But while pondering the precise effects of karma is not something a person working toward Nirvana should do, as it's a distraction; a fully enlightened Buddha would know such effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, &amp;amp; attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away &amp;amp; reappearance of beings. I saw — by means of the divine eye, purified &amp;amp; surpassing the human — beings passing away &amp;amp; re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior &amp;amp; superior, beautiful &amp;amp; ugly, fortunate &amp;amp; unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified &amp;amp; surpassing the human — I saw beings passing away &amp;amp; re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior &amp;amp; superior, beautiful &amp;amp; ugly, fortunate &amp;amp; unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T16:12:22.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9796" CreationDate="2015-06-29T16:15:01.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Arahant is a person who successfully removed the asavas. Thus, you cannot become an arahant without removing the asavas. You cannot remove the asavas by not removing the asavas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T16:15:01.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1963" CreationDate="2015-06-29T16:24:44.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After attaining Nirvana, what happens to the person(conscious) after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attaining Nirvana, the person is and is not after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does the person cease to exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person does not cease to exist, nor the person exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If not, does the person go to some peaceful place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person does not go to some peaceful place, nor the person does go to some peaceful place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T16:24:44.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3731" CreationDate="2015-06-29T17:07:37.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a Buddhist and at the temple I attended, Rāhula mean &quot;a rope tying him back&quot;. Our temple has many monks so I find this information reliable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5388" LastEditorUserId="5388" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T17:17:41.857" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T17:17:41.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9886" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9892" CreationDate="2015-06-29T18:00:39.247" Score="4" ViewCount="396" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a number of the books I'm reading on Buddhism, and in a number of talks I've heard on the subject, I repeatedly encounter the idea that the Buddha &quot;saw the Dhamma&quot; or that he &quot;witnessed Dhamma&quot; or the like. Other times, I've heard/read that the Buddha &quot;saw&quot; beings dying and taking rebirth, or that he &quot;saw&quot; the reality of anicca, dukkha, anatta, and the Four Noble Truths, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm having difficulty understanding what this all means. Is this metaphorical sight? Is it literal sight, in the sense of a vision or dream?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of our own meditation practices, when we are told that we should &quot;see&quot; certain things, e.g. seeing a nimitta, should we expect something similar? Metaphorical &quot;sight&quot;? Literal sight? Something else entirely?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Thanks! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T12:43:27.460" Title="What does it mean to &quot;see the Dhamma&quot;" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|meditation-effects|dhammas|nimitta|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9868" CreationDate="2015-06-29T18:21:20.697" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have also found this to be the case when practicing samatha meditation. Here is my understanding of why that is, and how to deal with it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana meditation, you do not need to &quot;tune&quot; sensations out. In fact, noticing them is part and parcel of the practice itself. Restlessness and agitation are thus sensations to be noticed and analyzed, and their presence won't really pose a problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By contrast, samatha meditation is about concentration on one thing -- in the case of anapanasatti, the breath. One thus becomes far more sensitive to the hindrances that obscure the goal of single-pointed focus, and they actually become an obstacle. The agitation you describe is literally the fourth hindrance, which is described as an inability to calm the mind. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Restlessness-worry_.28uddhacca-kukkucca.29&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Restlessness-worry_.28uddhacca-kukkucca.29&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a deeper level, agitation / restlessness are manifestations of a mistaken belief that changing to some new state will end an unpleasant feeling. You thus experience the unpleasantness  of the sensation and react by attempting to change the situation.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to deal with it:&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;Whenever I practice samatha meditation, I invariably experience what you've described above. To overcome it, I walk through a counting exercise I learned in Bhante Gunaranta's book &quot;Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English&quot;. He recommends counting each in-out breath up to ten, then back down to one, then up to nine, then back down to one, then up to eight, etc. etc. until you reach one. Oh, and if you mess up, you need to re-establish your mindfulness, and start over :D &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From personal experience, I've found that this method works very, very well. I am an inexperienced, impatient meditator, but this method -- when applied with mindfulness and self-honesty -- completely subdues the grosser manifestation of the hindrances for me.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional suggestions:&lt;/strong&gt; Here is where your vipassana practice can and should bolster your samatha practice. Recognize the sensation objectively; recognize its impermanent nature, recognize that moving / shifting / getting up / etc won't truly eliminate the suffering within the experience, and recognize that there is not really a self behind the unpleasant experience -- it is merely an aggregation of perception resulting in you experiencing a hindrance to meditation. Through this process, you will calm the unpleasantness of the experience, and the hindrance will become subdued. Then you gently re-focus and proceed with the breath.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="3701" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T18:36:30.657" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T18:36:30.657" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9888" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9894" CreationDate="2015-06-29T18:35:56.180" Score="5" ViewCount="1097" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my basic understanding that certain actions such as killing one's parents or harming the Buddha has immediate karmic reactions. Are there actions that have immediate &quot;wholesome&quot; outcomes or ones that allow you to start with a clean slate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T12:58:50.793" Title="Is there a way to &quot;reset&quot; all karmic conditions with immediate effect?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9889" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9893" CreationDate="2015-06-29T18:37:48.910" Score="3" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently started watching a documentary about &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0MWAAykFuc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and animals&lt;/a&gt; and am curious to understand how the relationship extends to often what we as humans consider &quot;repulsive&quot; e.g. rodents, cockroaches, etc. If the intention is to keep these at bay without harm, how does one achieve that? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T20:00:42.187" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T20:28:00.350" Title="What is the attitude of Buddhists to &quot;repulsive animals&quot;?" Tags="|ethics|animals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9888" CreationDate="2015-06-29T19:25:20.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is actually Fourfold. Take a look at the picture i have attached. It shows the four aspects of kamma, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Function, Ripening, Time of Ripening and Place of Ripening&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ipIo9.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ipIo9m.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 3&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will be too lengthy to treat all four aspects here so i would recommend the reading of the chapter about kamma. It can be found in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 200-220.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I no not know how to answer the &quot;resetting-aspect&quot; of the question so i will instead address the 3. aspect of kamma, i.e. the &lt;em&gt;Time of Ripening&lt;/em&gt; of kamma and in here the &lt;em&gt;&quot;Immediately effective kamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First a definition of this type of kamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Immediately effective (diμμhadhammavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which, if it is to ripen, must yield its results in the same existence in which it is performed; otherwise, if it does not meet the opportunity to ripen in the same existence, it becomes defunct. According to the Abhidhamma, of the seven javanas in a javana process, the first javana moment, being the weakest of all, generates immediately effective kamma&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ibid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are 2 examples of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddha-teachingsurw6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Immediately Effective Kamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 280-281:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A husband and his wife possessed only one upper garment to wear when they went out-of-doors. One day the husband heard the Dhamma from the Buddha and was so pleased with the Doctrine that he wished to offer his only upper garment, but his innate greed would not permit him to do so. He com- batted with his mind and, ultimately overcoming his greed, offered the garment to the Buddha and exclaimed “I have won, I have won.” The king was delighted to hear his story and in appreciation of his generosity presented him thirty-two robes.&#xA;  The devout husband kept one for himself and another for his wife and offered the rest to the Buddha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A hunter who went hunting to the forest, followed by his dogs, met by the wayside a Bhikkhu who was proceed- ing on his alms round. As the hunter could not procure any game he thought it was due to the unfortunate meeting of the Bhikkhu. While returning home he met the same Bhikkhu and was deeply enraged at this second encounter. In spite of the entreaties of the innocent Bhikkhu the hunter set the dogs on him. Finding no escape therefrom, the Bhikkhu climbed a tree. The wicked hunter ran up to the tree, and pierced the soles of the Bhikkhu’s feet with the point of an arrow. The pain was so excruciating that the robe the Bhikkhu was wear- ing, fell upon the hunter completely covering him. The dogs, thinking that the Bhikkhu had fallen from the tree, devoured their own master.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Important note&lt;/strong&gt;: The &lt;em&gt;&quot;Javana-process&quot;&lt;/em&gt; of a thought-process is being mentioned. If you have questions about that i will try to explain it but if i do it here the post will be too lengthy and complex so maybe you could ask a new question about that or we could have a chat about it. Let me know if it becomes actuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T08:57:49.880" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T08:57:49.880" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9888" CreationDate="2015-06-29T19:32:38.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's because your slate is dirty, that you have come into being in this very same body and are subjected to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By attaining Nirvana in this very same body, your slate is not cleaned - you just become unaffected by your dirty slate due to attainment of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you become unaffected by your dirty slate, your dirty slate will have no effect, thus you will enjoy a happy life no matter what happens to you in this very same life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you become unaffected by your dirty slate, your dirty slate will have no effect, thus you will enjoy a happy death in this very same life no matter how you die. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you become unaffected by your dirty slate, your dirty slate will have no effect, thus it will not perpetuate future births after your death and you will be what you truly are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are what you truly are, the rest is extinct, even your slate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, you don't need to clean your slate to enjoy a happy life. You just need to find a way leading to Nirvana, thus making your mind unaffected by your slate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dirtier your slate is, the harder it will be for you to find a way leading to Nirvana. The dirt will cloud your mind and you won't be able to realize the truth leading to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter how dirty a slate is, the more a being strives to live life as Buddha taught his followers, the more the slate will become cleaner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, following the teachings of the Buddha is the way to clean ones slate enough in order to attain Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-06-29T20:06:50.797" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T20:06:50.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9886" CreationDate="2015-06-29T21:16:42.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &quot;seeing the Dhamma&quot;, it's figuratively said, that is he witnessed for him self experientially the nature of reality, as opposed to intellectually understanding it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[A] monk who cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path, who assiduously practices the Noble Eightfold Path, comprehends with higher knowledge those states that are to be so comprehended, abandons with higher knowledge those states that are to be so abandoned, comes to experience with higher knowledge those states that are to be so experienced, and cultivates with higher knowledge those states that are to be so cultivated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What, monks, are the states to be comprehended with higher knowledge?&#xA;  They are the five groups of clinging. Which five? The body-group, the feeling-group, the perception-group, the mental-formation group, the consciousness-group...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What, monks, are the states to be abandoned with higher knowledge?&#xA;  They are ignorance and the desire for [further] becoming. And what, monks, are the states to be experienced with higher knowledge?&#xA;  They are knowledge and liberation. And what, monk, are the states to be cultivated with higher knowledge?&#xA;  They are calm and insight.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.159.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 45.159&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as seeing other beings taking birth and dying, I don't have magical powers, but I understand this as being something like the eye of the mind expanding to actually witness this happening. With nimitas, they are lights that appear in the minds eye so are &quot;seen&quot; by the eye within as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dtMEroO3J0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Brahm talks a lot about Nimitas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T12:43:27.460" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T12:43:27.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9889" CreationDate="2015-06-29T21:23:00.013" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most skillful way would be to ordain as a monk, foregoing the ownership of a house and not having to worry about it. Aside from that, the most you can probably hope to do is keep a clean house and don't let the conditions arise for  them to come to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a good video on this issue: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk2bC0EaCm4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Dealing With Pests&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video includes advice that there are three Buddhist ways to deal with a problem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid the situation (e.g. shave head to avoid lice)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find alternative non-violent solutions (e.g. repel ants using talcum powder or butter instead of poison; catch rats using humane traps; catch mosquitos in a cup and carry them outside)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept the situation and let go (mental well-being is more important than physical well-being; and mindfulness often leads to being able to resolve a situation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T20:28:00.350" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T20:28:00.350" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9888" CreationDate="2015-06-29T21:24:57.443" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a very famous simile in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lonaphala Sutta: The Salt Crystal&lt;/a&gt;. An excerpt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gives a simile of dropping a salt crystal into a cup and asking if the water was fit to drink and, of course, the answer is no. It would be too salty due to the small amount of water in the cup. The Buddha then asks if a salt crystal were to be dropped into the  Ganges River if it would be fit to drink and, or course, the answer is yes because of the large amount of water in the river.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the same action does not necessarily lead to the same effect nor to the same length of time for the ripening of the effect. The Buddha then gave some very helpful details of what type of people may experience lessor effects of their bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual takes him to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in the body, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt; undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind [i.e., painful feelings can invade the mind and stay there], undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling with suffering.   A trifling evil act done by this sort of individual takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is developed in the body,[3] developed in virtue, developed in mind [i.e., painful feelings cannot invade the mind and stay there], developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil act done by this sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while there may not be an immediate reset button to avoid the effects of past karmic actions, there is the idea of performing wholesome actions now and building merit to dilute &amp;quot;the salt&amp;quot; of past bad deeds and to become the type of person who experiences lessor effects of bad karma. Some people concentrate on building &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;merit&lt;/a&gt; by giving offerings (dana), by practicing virtue (sila), and by practicing meditation (bhavana) in this effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-29T21:45:07.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9895" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-29T21:42:55.537" Score="1" ViewCount="1363" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any  contradictions between the Catholic Christianity and Buddhism(main stream)? Can someone be a Christian and Buddhist at the same time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am looking for &lt;strong&gt;contradictions&lt;/strong&gt;. Would you specify the &lt;strong&gt;inconsistencies&lt;/strong&gt; between the two ideas? Do these ideas logically negate each other? And besides, Are there any ritual or ceremonies in one system that are opposed in another?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5389" LastEditorUserId="5389" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T08:40:58.847" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T08:40:58.847" Title="Can someone be Buddhist and Christian at the same time?" Tags="|christianity|judaism|islam|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2015-06-30T07:09:37.667" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9896" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-30T01:30:11.930" Score="4" ViewCount="247" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddha/Bodhisattva is one who has Awakened and is free from some basic laws of the universe such as karma, reincarnation, the fetters, and various other afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the sutras, such as the Surangama Sutra and Diamond Sutra, such Ones are also able to manifest many other effects -- well beyond &lt;strong&gt;beyond cause-and-effect&lt;/strong&gt;, able to shape shift, squeeze thousands of beings into a small house, etc.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is understandable considering that a One is already beyond cause-and-effect and thus would be able to manifest such things skillfully and according to needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So my question is... how is this possible?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, it is the transformation of the aggregates including form and volition... it is still within realm of cause-and-effect... a Buddha is not free from &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; laws of cause-and-effect.&#xA;I'd like to know what others know about this rather unimportant topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T02:35:48.333" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T03:47:30.650" Title="How is a Buddha able to do things beyond the laws of cause-and-effect?" Tags="|mahayana|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9896" CreationDate="2015-06-30T01:40:23.707" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That sounds like it might be one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Unconjecturables&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas[ 1 ] is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...[ 2 ]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Notes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1.&#xA;  I.e., the range of powers a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2.&#xA;  I.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that is an interesting question. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T01:40:23.707" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9896" CreationDate="2015-06-30T03:47:30.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Buddha/Bodhisattva is one who has Awakened and is free from some basic laws of the universe such as karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not the case. The reason a Buddha has to continue to live out the remainder of his human life despite being enlightened is due to the weight of his karma that brought about the final human existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how it is possible? It is possible because such is the power of a developed mind. Just as it is possible for a child that has learned to walk to be able to walk, as the body is capable of such, so is it possible for the mind to interact with reality in this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T03:47:30.650" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9899" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-30T04:16:14.080" Score="4" ViewCount="749" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking for someone who could guide me to Theravada Buddhist monastery in France or Netherland on July &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T12:27:33.720" Title="Can someone please guide me to theravada buddhist monastery in France or Netherland?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9895" CreationDate="2015-06-30T05:49:52.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my knowledge, it night be quite difficult to practice both, but still might be possible. The Buddha had a few quotes that contradict the teachings of Jesus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘There are some monks and priests who believe that whatever pleasant, painful or neutral experience someone has, all that is due to a supreme god. I approached them and asked if they believed this and they said they did. Then I said, “So according to you, if someone is a murderer, thief, adulterer or liar, a foul-mouth, greedy, hate-filled heretic, all that must be due to a supreme god.” When someone falls back on a supreme god as the answer, there (should logically be) no will to do, no desire to do, no necessity to do this or avoid that. Such a person is confused, vulnerable and cannot honestly call themselves a true monk or priest. This is my rightful refutation to those who believe such ideas, such views.’ -The Buddha (Tittha Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other one I know about is the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Why does God not straighten out the world? If he really is the Controller, the Highest, Lord of All Beings, why is the whole world in such a mess? Why did he not make the world happy? If he really is the Controller, the Highest, Lord of All Beings, why is there so much deceit, lies, pride and unrighteousness? If he really is the Controller, the Highest, Lord of All Beings, then he must be unrighteous and cruel because it was he who made everything.’ -The Buddha (Ja. VI,208&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha makes it clear of when a teaching should be accepted: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything just because it is found in your religious books. Do not believe in anything  merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been passed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis. When you find that anything agrees with reason and is conductive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.&quot; -The Buddha (Kalama Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the Buddha makes it clear that you must not believe in anything on faith, and Christianity takes a little faith, no? I am also sure that there are Bible verses, and denominations of Christianity that might not allow you to follow Christianity with other religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now don't get me wrong. One could still follow the Eightfold Path that was taught by the Buddha while believing in Jesus Christ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right view &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right intention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right speech &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right livelihood &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right effort &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right mindfulness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right concentration &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T05:49:52.410" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9901" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9903" CreationDate="2015-06-30T07:21:26.157" Score="7" ViewCount="1077" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I found myself having a conversation about having to choose between wrong actions. It begun with the following scenario:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While walking through the forest a rabbit passes by your side, and you see the direction it goes. Seconds after that, a hunter arrives from the same direction the rabbit did, and asks you in which direction the rabit went. Everything points that the hunter wants to kill the rabbit. Would you lie to the hunter about the direction the rabbit went, in order to save the rabbit's life and the hunter's karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here I see at least two limbs of the eightfold path that collide. On one hand, right speech tells me not to lie. On the other, right action and intention tells me not to kill nor be accomplice of killing by acting in such a way that will lead to that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since that I'd been thinking about it, and about whether it has sense to balance my beliefs, to calculate which precepts, paramis, limbs, etc. are more important, or more leading to illumination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I think right now is that it could be that sometimes the best option would be to break a rule I decided to live by, but I lack the wisdom to make that calculation. Also, if I see myself in a situation where I have to choose between which belief to betray, most probably I'm lacking the wisdom to see the third choice, since, I don't have to choose which tool (thinking of this beliefs as tools) leave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to share it with you so new points of view and conclusions can arise and we can improve our understanding of our own paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PS: I tried to ask the question as clearly and neatly as I could, but I feel like it is a bit confusing. Please, feel free to change anything if you think that through that change it'll be clearer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5110" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T08:50:56.730" Title="Choosing between wrong actions" Tags="|karma|ethics|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T07:46:17.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose you were able to tell the hunter,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd guess that reply, that speech, would be neither lying nor being an accomplice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether that speech would be welcome (by the hunter) or timely, but that's a separate consideration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;most probably I'm lacking the wisdom to see the third choice&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I'm guessing that there is a third choice: if the question were &amp;quot;Should I choose 'this evil', or 'that evil'?&amp;quot; then the answer might be, ideally, &amp;quot;no&amp;quot; to both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T07:46:17.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T07:49:13.053" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could choose to say the following: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Yes i know which direction the rabbit went. I do however choose not to share that information since it will probably lead to the killing of the animal and the creation of unwholesome kamma for you (hunter)&quot;.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way you are honest but choose not to give the information because you know what might happen. This way the rabbit might still be found and killed by the hunter but you did what you could to prevent both the killing and the hunter from performing unwholesome deeds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can the rabbit perform unwholesome kamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind of the rabbit is not developed enough it might give rise to strong aversion when killed by a hunter. If the rabbit instead dies a natural death, e.g. of old age it might have less or no aversion to the experience thereby creating less unwholesome kamma. This might result in rebirth in a higher realm for the rabbit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important here is your &lt;em&gt;Volition and Intention&lt;/em&gt;. You have a wholesome intention that is based in one of the 3 wholesome roots (kusala-mula), namely &lt;em&gt;non-hatred&lt;/em&gt; (adosa). Since the intention is not tainted or polluted by the 3 unwholesome roots the action will be beneficial for oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Said in another way. If the source is not tainted the ones that drink from it risk no infection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T11:40:29.030" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T11:40:29.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T07:52:37.010" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because someone asks for something, does not mean you're obligated to provide it. The third option is to ask the hunter why, and say &quot;Not telling.&quot; if he's set out to kill the rabbit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5037" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T07:52:37.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9905" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9915" CreationDate="2015-06-30T08:42:43.863" Score="10" ViewCount="8237" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it true that the Buddha didn't allow women in the Sangha? If this is true then why is that? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T02:06:04.707" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T08:02:15.333" Title="Why the Buddha didn't originally allow ordination of women" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9906" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-30T08:46:02.573" Score="2" ViewCount="44" Body="&lt;p&gt;This community wiki post is about gathering lists that serve as a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;quick-overview&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of the different Dhammas in Buddhism. We are looking for dhamma-lists from all traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have found a list and want to post it please follow the same formating style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T08:49:22.683" Title="Quick-overview lists of Dhammas within Buddhism" Tags="|reference-request|media|learning-materials|community|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9906" CreationDate="2015-06-30T08:49:22.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma List that contains an overview of the most essential dhammas in theravada buddhism. They are ordered and downloadable in PDF-format. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here you will find the different &lt;em&gt;theravada dhammas&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;pali-to-english translation&lt;/em&gt; of most used words and a quick-guide to &lt;em&gt;the Tipitaka&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T08:49:22.683" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-06-30T08:49:22.683" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T09:09:56.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are stuck in a dilemma which is caused by your own suffering. If you lie to the hunter, you suffer. If you tell the truth to the hunter, you suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's because of your suffering that you have difficulties in choosing an appropriate action. It's because of your suffering your mind can't discern wrong action from right action, wrong view from right view, wrong doing from right doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In choosing between a set of actions and if one action from the set must be chosen, you should choose the one that creates lesser suffering to others. This is hard to do if you are not liberated from your own suffering. Your suffering would condition your decision, thus clouding your mind in discerning good from wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, you should always act according to your right view. While acting according to your right view, new knowledge will be gained and your right view would probably become wrong view. When right view becomes wrong view, wrong view will be replaced with a new right view, and so on, until the attainment of freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You already answered your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What I think right now is that it could be that sometimes the best option would be to break a rule I decided to live by, but I lack the wisdom to make that calculation. Also, if I see myself in a situation where I have to choose between which belief to betray, most probably I'm lacking the wisdom to see the third choice, since, I don't have to choose which tool (thinking of this beliefs as tools) leave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You lack wisdom. Why? Because suffering has not yet been extinct within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continue on your way towards illumination, strive as you're striving right now, new wisdom will be gained and sooner or later liberation from suffering will be reached and true wisdom attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T09:09:56.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9910" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9919" CreationDate="2015-06-30T12:49:12.710" Score="4" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;On work days (5 days a week), I'm normally able to get in around 4-4.5 hours of meditation a day, normally walking and sitting for 45 minutes each and then some Anapana meditation usually at the start and end of each day. On the weekends, I usually am able to do the same sort of practice but around 8-10 hours worth. Curiously though, on the weekends, it seems like my practice takes something of a slump, if it is even that. Towards the end of the day on weekends the pain that normally arises in my leg and I am normally able to be mindful of becomes exceptionally more intense, to the point that I'm sometimes only able to sit for 30 minutes. I know the length you sit isn't so much important as how mindful you're able to be; I guess what I'm trying to ask is, how should I reflect on this, and also how should I judge the &quot;progress&quot; of my personal practice in general? Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T18:30:44.660" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T18:30:44.660" Title="Help with a weekend slump in meditation practice" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|vipassana|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9911" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-30T13:56:09.083" Score="7" ViewCount="792" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do any english translations exist online for the Buddhavamsa ? I cannot find one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-04T11:01:36.293" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T11:01:36.293" Title="Buddhavamsa Translations?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2015-06-30T15:12:23.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's important to understand that the Buddha was very much a product of his culture.  It's a bit silly to judge him by current social mores and standards.  Initially, the Buddha believed that women were too important to the household to allow for their ordination.  I'm fairly sure that there were other reasons as well - not the least of which was the danger women might face wandering alone around ancient India, the sexual &quot;threat&quot; they might be to other monks, etc.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of quotes from the Vinaya cited in these to articles if you care to read more - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/buddhism/female-monks-in-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Female Monks In Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/older/mandala-issues-for-1988/april/focus-on-full-ordination-for-buddhist-women/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Focus on Full Ordination for Buddhist Women&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-06-30T17:45:53.730" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T17:45:53.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9911" CreationDate="2015-06-30T15:12:34.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not know about any translations but there is this book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Great Chronicles of Buddhas&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. It's a book only about the different Buddhas and the life of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a very interesting book with lots of material on them such as daily life, teachings, characteristics etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T15:12:34.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9910" CreationDate="2015-06-30T15:30:38.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the length of your sitting sessions is important.  It's kind of like running.  If you are bailing when things start to get unbearable, you aren't going to make any further progress.  It's only when we are confronted by obstacles and overcome them that we move forward.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice would be to start using a meditation timer if you aren't already doing so.  Try to make it to the end of those painful sits without giving up.  I'm not going to sugar coat it.  This will be difficult at first.  The best thing you can do to help alleviate your suffering is to follow your breath as closely as you can.  Try to let your attention ride your exhalation all the way to the end.  Keep it applied during the space between breaths and try to not lose it when you inhale.  As your concentration develops, the pain in your legs will be less of an immediate concern.  In fact, it usually vanishes entirely and can even be replaced by joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You and your pain are not different.  It's only when you see pain as something &quot;interfering&quot; with your meditation and blissful concentration that it becomes problematic.  Accept it as it arises.  The more you sit with your discomfort, the more it will bring you into immediacy and loosen your heart.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T15:30:38.007" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2015-06-30T15:41:14.220" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interesting, this is the first question answered in this month's Buddhism.SE Book-of-the-Month &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/qanda-women.pdf&quot;&gt;Women in Buddhism - Questions &amp;amp; Answers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was the right time for Maha Pajapati (the Buddha's step mother) to consider following&#xA;  the teaching and the practice of the Buddha seriously. But&#xA;  when she approached and asked for permission the Buddha&#xA;  simply said, “Please do not ask so.” The Tripitaka, which&#xA;  is the most important primary source, did not provide any&#xA;  reason for not allowing women to join the Order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Pajapati and 500 other women shaved their heads, donned yellow robes, and walked to where the Buddha was. Ananda went to the Buddha on their behalf to ask for their permission to join the sangha, but the Buddha's response was &quot;“Ananda, please do not ask so.”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the considerations and concerns that might have been present include the fact that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to&#xA;  Indian social mores, to lead a religious life is not the path&#xA;  for women. ibid&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may also have been practical concerns as these women had lived in comfort before and the reality of living a reclusive life outdoors might be difficult. The current sangha did not have enough teachers who would have been suitable to teach this large group of women. There could have been criticism that having women join the sangha was breaking up families. These may have been some of the reasons behind the Buddha's hesitation to allow women to join the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Ananda asked the Buddha if women were capable of attaining spiritual enlightenment; the Buddha's answer was yes. The book notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We have to mark this statement, as this is the first time&#xA;  in the history of religion that a religious leader declared&#xA;  openly that men and women are equal on spiritual grounds.&#xA;  Previously in the Hindu context, the Vedas, the most sacred&#xA;  religious texts, were available only to men. Buddhism has&#xA;  transcended race, nation, caste and gender differences to &#xA;  declare that the highest spiritual achievement transcends&#xA;  obstacles or discrimination of gender. With this important&#xA;  reason, the Buddha allowed women to join his Order. ibid&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while women weren't allowed to join the sangha immediately, eventually they were. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T15:41:14.220" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2015-06-30T15:57:00.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I can tell, the Buddha didn't really offer clear reasons for his reluctance to ordain women, yet being the Buddha, he must have given it a lot of consideration. He didn't think women were less capable, this much he makes clear, but he must have had his reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Lord Buddha, can women attain enlightenment?” The Buddha said to&#xA;  him, “Ananda, yes of course they can.” He said, “If they can, why&#xA;  don’t you allow them to join the Sangha, learning and practicing&#xA;  directly, especially your foster mother who looked after you when you&#xA;  were young.” In fact, the Buddha at first denied Gotami the chance to&#xA;  ordain so as to make them sure that this is what they wanted to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhapadipa.org/buddhism/female-monks-in-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Female monks in Buddhism, Bhikkhuni Dhammcaro&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are obvious practical reasons one can guess,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;safety of the women in the forests, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;safety of the monks and nuns from temptations, mental pollutants and false accusations, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;safety of the order from corruption and schisms over the issue, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;safety of the laity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha makes clear in the vinaya that he would like to make the true Dharma last as long as possible this time round, unlike previous times when some Buddhas didn't regulate the order. This may have also played on his mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After the disappearance of these Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and their&#xA;  immediate disciples (buddhanubuddha), those last disciples of various&#xA;  names, of various clans, of various births, who had gone forth from&#xA;  various families, the holy life too disappeared. It is as if,&#xA;  Sāriputta, various flowers lying loose on a piece of wood are&#xA;  scattered about and blown about by the wind. (V 3:8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some statements attributed to the Buddha that the admission of women in the order would shorten the lifespan of the Dhamma. However, this isn't universally accepted as having been said by the Buddha. Anyway, the dharma is now 2500 years old, so it hasn't come to pass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, Ananda, women had not obtained the going forth, the holy life,&#xA;  Ananda, would have lasted long, the True Teaching would have endured&#xA;  for a thousand years. But, Ananda, since women have gone forth, the&#xA;  holy life now would not last, the True Dharma would endure only for&#xA;  500 years. 10  (Vinaya Cullavagga 10.1.6/V 2:255; A 4:278; Miln&#xA;  4.1.55-61)    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.10-Dharma-ending-age-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma ending age, Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, we must learn to accept what has come to pass. Neither can we ever truly understand the responsibilities and complexities the Buddha had to balance to spread the dharma, nor can we rely on historical accounts to be accurate. There are historians (&lt;em&gt;Williams, Liz 2000 'A Whisper in the Silence: Nuns before Maha-paja-patı-?' Buddhist Studies Review&lt;/em&gt;) who have spent time trying to conjecture that there were nuns before Mahapajapati Gotami, which is well and good for a historian, but a waste of time for a practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At one time the Blessed One was staying at Kosambii in Simsapaa Grove. &#xA;  Then the Blessed One, taking a few Simsapaa leaves in his&#xA;  hand, said to the monks: &quot;What do you think, monks? Which are the more&#xA;  numerous, the few leaves I have here in my hand, or those up in the&#xA;  trees of the grove?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord, the Blessed One is holding only a few leaves: those up in the&#xA;  trees are far more numerous.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, there are many more things that I have found&#xA;  out, but not revealed to you. What I have revealed to you is only a&#xA;  little. And why, monks, have I not revealed it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Because, monks, it is not related to the goal, it is not fundamental&#xA;  to the holy life, does not conduce to disenchantment, dispassion,&#xA;  cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment or Nibbaana.&#xA;  That is why I have not revealed it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsappa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T16:03:09.573" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2015-06-30T16:02:24.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know what its reason is for saying this, but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html#fn-29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this footnote&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that the Buddha did not absolutely refuse Maha-Pajapati Gotami, but perhaps wished to test her determination. It would have been a very difficult thing for aristocratic ladies in those days to do — to become nuns and live a hard life in the forest, subsisting on almsfood. Ladies then had no experience in looking after themselves or organizing anything, as their social scope under Brahmanism was very much restricted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that alhough it's true to say (i.e. it agrees with the suttas to say) that the Buddha &amp;quot;didn't originally allow&amp;quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html#section-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;it's not true to say that &amp;quot;he didn't allow&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda saw the Buddha's step-mother with swollen feet, covered with dust, eyes full of tears at the gate of the monastery of Vesali. When he asked her compassionately for the reason of her sorrow, she replied that the Master had three times rejected her request for the establishment of an order of nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereupon Ananda rephrased his request [...] Ananda here brought two arguments to bear. [...] In response to these arguments the Buddha agreed to the establishment of an order of nuns, provided certain cautions and rules were followed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T16:02:24.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9899" CreationDate="2015-06-30T16:06:05.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&amp;amp;search=Search&amp;amp;country_id=70&amp;amp;province_id=0&amp;amp;tradition%5B%5D=theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt; you will see a list of theravada monasteries in The Netherlands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you press one of them there is more information such as &lt;em&gt;email, website&lt;/em&gt; and also &lt;em&gt;google maps&lt;/em&gt; to easier find their location.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T16:06:05.243" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9910" CreationDate="2015-06-30T16:23:07.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because of the longer sits you are likely graduating to the higher &lt;em&gt;Visuddhiñanas&lt;/em&gt;, such as &lt;em&gt;Visuddhiñana&lt;/em&gt; #3: &lt;em&gt;sammasana-ñana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing how each object, even while being noticed, comes to destruction&#xA;  and disappearance, the meditator comprehends it as impermanent in the&#xA;  sense of undergoing destruction. He further comprehends it as&#xA;  suffering (painful) in the sense of breaking up after each arising.&#xA;  Having seen how various painful feelings arise in continuous&#xA;  succession — how if one painful feeling ceases, another arises, and&#xA;  when that has ceased, again another arises — having seen that, he&#xA;  comprehends the respective objects as just a conglomeration of&#xA;  suffering. Further, he comprehends the object as consisting of mere&#xA;  impersonal phenomena without a master, in the sense of not arising of&#xA;  (or by) themselves, but arising subject to conditions and then&#xA;  breaking up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This comprehension of an object noticed, as being impermanent,&#xA;  painful, and without a self (impersonal), through knowing its nature&#xA;  of impermanency, etc., by means of simply noticing, without reflecting&#xA;  and reasoning, is called &quot;knowledge by comprehension through direct&#xA;  experience.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Progress of Insight, Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution is to intensify the observation of the sensations, and break down the pain into smaller component parts. Notice that even the most solidified pain has impermanence - it occurs in pulses and waves - the pain is not uniform from moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see the pain as not a solid mass but also born of the cycle of birth and death the pain should dissipate. Don't decommission your knee or joints by overdoing it, be gentle on your body and mindfully change positions if you can't bear it. Buddhism needn't be masochism :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next ñana (knowledge) Arising and Passing away is important. Good luck, your dedication is admirable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T16:23:07.763" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9911" CreationDate="2015-06-30T16:33:14.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/MinGunSayadawGyi/MinGunSayadawGyi-TGC-V1P2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt; by most venerable &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mingun_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mingun Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vicittasarabhivamsa&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;He is best known for his memory skills and his role in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sixth Buddhist Council&lt;/a&gt;. The late Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw was appointed to ask the required questions about the Dhamma to the Ven. Bhadanta Vicittasarabhivamsa, who answered them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T16:33:14.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9921" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9937" CreationDate="2015-06-30T16:33:52.203" Score="8" ViewCount="581" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understanding of 'Anatta' is key to so much Buddhist meditation practice and philosophy that I've been exposed to but (call me conservative) I gain great confidence when the Buddha himself had something direct to say about the term / concept. There seems to be common consensus that 'anatta' means there is no abiding self / Self. Christopher Titmuss in his list of what the Buddha did not teach says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No-Self.&lt;/strong&gt; The Buddha remained in noble silence when asked whether there was a self or no self. He simply stated that body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, including thoughts, and consciousness were not oneself and did not belong to self. he taught not self as vehicle for liberation from misperception. Anatta literally means ‘not-self’; if the buddha had meant ‘no self’ he would have said ‘na-atta’. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaenquiry.org/index.php/welcome/eng/whatthebuddhadidnotteach&quot;&gt;What the Buddha did not teach&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having studied Avaita Vedanta for some years, I recognise Buddha's early approach as pure self-inquiry i.e. recognising that the self is not in any of the skandhas, that we normally identify with, which leads to directly to the real Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that there no support in Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara, or Khuddaka Nikayas for the commonly held doctrine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel this is an important question as this view has implications for the commonly held view that Buddhism is humanist, nihilistic, compatible with atheism, secular etc., when the Buddha himself held no such position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T00:19:49.757" Title="Was the doctrine of 'Anatta', accepted as doctrine by modern Buddhism, actually taught by the Buddha?" Tags="|philosophy|anatman|doctrine|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T17:11:38.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What rabbit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The deep thinkers need to consider they are [likely] talking to an armed person.  This reduces the probability of unintended consequences for yourself and gives the rabbit a fighting chance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5390" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T17:11:38.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9911" CreationDate="2015-06-30T17:13:16.653" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavamsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; lists several translations, of which (at least) the last exists as a PDF online, i.e. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books14/Mingun_Sayadaw-The_Great_Chronicle_of_Buddhas_Vol-1_Part-2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The great chronicle of Buddhas, Volume One, Part Two&lt;/a&gt; (PDF) (1st ed.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T17:13:16.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-06-30T18:42:13.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am too concerned that I am hurting the 'weeds' when clearing my garden. It's hard to find a balance when you want to be clean of clutter in a communal space. For the most part, I have let the weeds flower at least, giving the insects plenty of available food sources. I've been particular about leaving certain plants ie. Ragwort, as I know cinnabar moth caterpillars eat only this. But now the flowers have died off, I'm now just going to have to dig them up. It's going to be a long task, but I'm also looking forward to the end result of a clean patio ready for my friends to come over and enjoy the summer with me in the garden :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5391" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T18:42:13.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9921" CreationDate="2015-06-30T18:44:08.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha in the Suttas taught not-self, not no self. In the Maha-Nidana Sutta, the Buddha speaks of not-self.&#xA;Here is what he says about people who say feelings are the Self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' should be addressed as follows: 'There are these three feelings, my friend — feelings of pleasure, feelings of pain, and feelings of neither pleasure nor pain. Which of these three feelings do you assume to be the self?' At a moment when a feeling of pleasure is sensed, no feeling of pain or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pleasure is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling of pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pain is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of pain is sensed. Only a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed at that moment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here's what the Buddha said who assume that there is no self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As for the person who says, 'Feeling is not the self: My self is oblivious [to feeling],' he should be addressed as follows: 'My friend, where nothing whatsoever is sensed (experienced) at all, would there be the thought, &quot;I am&quot;?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you're not feeling any feelings in the present moment, then does that mean you are experiencing a self? No of course not, the lack of feelings does not mean that the lack of feelings is the Self, or that you experience a Self when there is no feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Khandha-samyutta you will find numerous suttas talking on the nature of not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Maha-Nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T18:44:08.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-06-30T18:48:18.693" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The option remains to simply say nothing. I find that to be an often-forgotten option in many, &lt;em&gt;many&lt;/em&gt; circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastEditorUserId="4749" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T13:10:59.373" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T13:10:59.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9928" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-06-30T19:32:40.467" Score="6" ViewCount="4619" Body="&lt;p&gt;My roshi tells me to focus here. Before practicing, I spent most of my waking hours thinking, analyzing, living in my head. With practice, it has gotten easier to think when thought has a purpose, and to listen to my body and environment otherwise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book that introduced me to zen said to picture your breathing below your bellybutton. A friend said to focus your energy there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I build focus here, it is easier to let go of distraction and delusion. But why is this place significant? Why not focus on my chest of elbow or toes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5392" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T12:28:20.283" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T12:28:20.283" Title="Why focus below your bellybutton in meditation?" Tags="|science|meditation-practicalities|meditation-body|energy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9921" CreationDate="2015-06-30T19:33:40.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What I find in the suttas is that the skandhas are not the self: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt; -- this sutta says e.g. &quot;form is not self&quot; and doesn't say &quot;self is not eternal&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I find in the Pali dictionary is that there's no dictionary entry for &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; ... instead there's a dictionary entry for &lt;em&gt;Attan&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; is described as part of that. The dictionary entry for &lt;em&gt;Attan&lt;/em&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meanings. 1. The soul as postulated in the animistic theories held in N India in the 6th and 7th cent. B. C. It is described in the Upanishads as a small creature, in shape like a man, dwelling in ordinary times in the heart. It escapes from the body in sleep or trance; when it returns to the body life and motion reappear. It escapes from the body at death, then continues to carry on an everlasting life of its own. For numerous other details see Rh. D. Theory of Soul in the Upanishads J R A S 1899. Bt. India 251 -- 255. Buddhism repudiated all such theories, thus differing from other religions. Sixteen such theories about the soul D i.31. Seven other theories D i.34. Three others D i.186/7. A ʻ soul ʼ according to general belief was some thing permanent, unchangeable, not affected by sorrow S iv.54 = Kvu 67; Vin i.14; M i.138. See also M i.233; iii.265, 271; S ii.17, 109; iii.135; A i.284; ii.164, 171; v.188; S iv.400. Cp. ātuman, tuma, puggala, jīva, satta, pāṇa and nāma -- rūpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;anattā (n. and predicative adj.) not a soul, without a soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I suppose that &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt; wasn't denying the &quot;self&quot;, but was denying the &quot;soul&quot; which was taught by the Upanishads. It's interesting that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A ʻ soul ʼ according to general belief was some thing permanent, unchangeable, not affected by sorrow&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... because maybe that's more or less the opposite of the dukkha anattā anicca taught by Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &quot;identity view&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes various views about self (but also the opposites of those views) as an asava, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;18&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;That person considers improperly thus: 'Did I exist in the past? Did I not exist in the past? Who was I in the past? How was I in the past?[15] In the past, who had been I and who was I [in the subsequent existence]? Will I exist in the future? Will I not exist in the future? Who will I be in the future? How will I be in the future? In the future, having been who, who will I be?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Also as regards the present, uncertainty arises in him thus: 'Do I exist? Do I not exist? Who am I? How am I ? From where has this soul come? Where will this soul go?'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;In a person who thus considers improperly there arises one of the six [wrong] views. The view 'I have self'[16] arises in him really and firmly. Or, the view 'I have no self' arises in him really and firmly. Or, the view 'I perceive self through self' arises in him really and firmly. Or, the view 'I perceive non-self[17] through self' arises in him really and firmly. Or, the view 'I perceive self through non-self' arises in him really and firmly. Or, he has the view thus: 'That self of mine speaks, knows and experiences the results of wholesome and unwholesome actions.[18] That self of mine is permanent, stable, durable, incorruptible and will be eternal like all things permanent.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus! This wrong view is called a false belief, a jungle of false beliefs, a desert of false beliefs, a thorny spike of false beliefs, an agitation of false beliefs and a fetter of false beliefs. Bhikkhus! The ignorant worldling who is bound up with the fetter of false beliefs cannot escape rebirth, ageing, death, grief, lamentation, pain, distress and despair. I declare that he cannot escape dukkha.[19]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sutta, &quot;self&quot; and &quot;non-self&quot; are translations of &lt;em&gt;attā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Having studied Avaita Vedanta for some years, I recognise Buddha's early approach as pure self-inquiry i.e. recognising that the self is not in any of the skandhas, that we normally identify with, which leads to directly to the real Self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you thinking along the lines of &quot;neti neti&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be interested in this discussion, reportedly between B. Alan Wallace and Bikkhu Bodhi,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BB: Dear BAW, The relationship between nibbāna and consciousness was a topic of heated discussion among us Western monks in Sri Lanka, and our position in relation to this problem divided us into opposing camps. Though I have pondered the issue for long years, I have to admit I don’t have a clear solution to the problem. Perhaps the source of perplexity lies in Western modes of thinking. But maybe not. My teacher, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, used to tell me how his own interpretation of nibbāna came close to the Advaita Vedantin understanding of brahman (with some differences), and in this respect, he said, he disagreed with those Sri Lankan scholar-monks who considered nibbāna to be mere cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BAW: I was told that when Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya visited the Vedanta Temple in Montecito (adjacent to Santa Barbara, where I live), he was asked whether he thought the realization of nibbāna was identical to the Advaita Vedantin realization of ātman-brahman, and he allegedly replied that it was too close to call. As you may recall, I had the great privilege of training under his guidance for some months during 1980–81 at his home temple in Udumulla; and I regard him as my principal Theravāda mentor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BB: If I remember rightly, what Ven. Ananda Maitreya said is that unlike the Advaita Vedantin brahman, nibbāna does not have any cosmological function (in the way that brahman is the substrate of the manifest universe) nor does it give rise to a creator God (the saguṇa brahman) who periodically creates, sustains, and demolishes the apparent universe. But the descriptions of&#xA;  nirguṇa brahman and nibbāna share many similarities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If views of &quot;self&quot; and/or &quot;not-self&quot; are considered &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; (in the &lt;em&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/em&gt;) then you might want the answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9414/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;: which characterizes &quot;views that incorporate dualities&quot; as effluent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T23:55:21.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9930" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11603" CreationDate="2015-06-30T20:25:33.720" Score="4" ViewCount="344" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that there is a Tibetan word that roughly translates to &quot;The truth that we deny&quot; and sounded close to the English word &quot;gotcha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I however cannot locate this word or a source of it. Can anyone provide a source?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible that it translates to either &quot;The truth that I deny&quot; or &quot;The truth that you deny.&quot;&#xA;I am not sure if &quot;we&quot; was the right pronoun. &#xA;I think it might have been used in debates within the monasteries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T14:46:04.070" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T10:18:08.730" Title="What is the truth that you deny?" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|tibetan-buddhism|truth|tibetan|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9788" CreationDate="2015-06-30T20:26:52.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an organisation call &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Breathworks&lt;/a&gt; (associated with my Sangha - Triratna) whose aim is to help people with chronic pain through meditation. Just to quote &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jon Kabat-Zinn&lt;/a&gt; from the website&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Breathworks approach to Mindfulness-Based Pain Management (MBPM)&#xA;  is the most comprehensive, in-depth, scientifically up-to-date and&#xA;  user-friendly approach to learning the how of living with chronic pain&#xA;  and reclaiming one’s life that I know of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that it's not exactly what you asked for but part of the courses is to use mindfulness directed at the pain itself to enable people to better live with their conditions and enhance their quality of life. I've know many people who have done these courses and they benefitted enormously and in several cases people moved on from this course to more &quot;traditional&quot; Buddhist practice and became very committed practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a note - I'm not pushing this in any way. I just think it is a good example of an established way that people do meditate on pain and I thought you may find it interesting to check out the website.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T20:26:52.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9928" CreationDate="2015-06-30T21:34:22.150" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many types of meditation focus on the breath entering and leaving the body or moving through the body as a main object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the tradition of meditation which I practice, (Mahasi Sayadaw style), we focus on the rising and falling of the abdomen as a way of being mindful of the breath, but without focusing on the nostril area, which is considered to be more soothing. Focusing on the rising and fall of the abdomen is not soothing and works well as a meditation object which will keep us mindful of the three characteristics of impermanence, dissatisfaction, and uncontrollability/anatta which is useful in Vipassana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you mentioned zen, so your roshi's reason may be quite different and it would likely be best to ask your roshi directly. But if you cannot, here is a quote from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's book &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2314958-be-free-where-you-are&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;be free where you are&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In this chapter Thich Nhat Hanh is talking to prisoners about how to handle feeling overwhelmed by a strong emotion.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you notice that an emotion is beginning to come up, it is very important that you put yourself in a stable sitting position, or you lie down, which is also a very stable position. Then focus your attention on your belly. Your head is like the top of a tree in a storm. I would not stay there. Bring your attention down to the trunk of the tree, where there is stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have focused on your belly, bring your attention down to the level just below the naval and begin to practice mindful breathing. Breathing in and breathing out deeply, be aware of the rise and fall of the abdomen. After practicing like this for 10, 15, or 20 minutes you will see that you are strong - strong enough to withstand the storm. (page 38)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while both styles of meditation focus on the abdomen, the reason is a quite different. In one, the rise and fall of the abdomen is considered somewhat unstable as we notice slight irregularities in breathing. In the other, the abdomen is considered the stable part of the body as a tree trunk is to a tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to the many differences in interpretation, best to ask your own teacher if possible. But something to think about until you get the chance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Welcome to Buddhism.SE and glad to hear of the benefits meditation is bringing to you. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T23:37:41.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9939" CreationDate="2015-06-30T23:08:59.547" Score="6" ViewCount="2419" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any book or internet resource which has Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra in Sanskrit and word to word English translation? I am not exactly looking for commentaries(though I don't mind commentaries accompanying word to word translations).&#xA;The ones I found so far are only in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T06:10:07.520" LastActivityDate="2019-08-23T18:28:30.147" Title="Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra in Sanskrit with English translation" Tags="|mahayana|reference-request|books|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2015-06-30T23:29:02.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a non-traditional perspective:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All of our actions will have some effect on the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some effects are more desirable than others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ethics are typically an extension of the perception of effects with regards to others as the self. As people are complicated and have greatly differing and conflicting desires, there is much to be considered when choosing the best course of action. Note that there are many compounding issues, such as the limitations of your own perspective, knowledge and intelligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many buddhist teachings are to help guide one to typically good courses of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, for your example, killing is almost universally considered non-optimal, because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Most people enjoy living, and fear the unknown and rate death as an extremely negative experience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Most people enjoy other people, and do not want the other people around them to die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore typically, death is an extremely negative outcome, not only for the person killed, and but for many of the people that person interacts with. In addition to that, there's also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Death (discounting resuscitation) cannot be undone to any known degree.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are probably wrong about something. Many things about a given situation are currently unknowable. It's impossible to truly know what a person was thinking, and, more importantly, what they will do in the future. Often we misattribute the reasons for a persons action based on the person themself, rather than their situation (&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1905177445&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;there's a book about this&lt;/a&gt;). Because of this, its quite likely that our reasoning about another person is wrong. Much of Buddhism is about avoiding wrongs from this source of error (it's why intention is so important)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because it's difficult to be certain, the action is undoable, and its a strong negative for many people, few do it. The only time it might be considered morally justified, if it was certain that greater harm would come from not killing the person; but again, this depends on the relative certainties involved, and this is were most disagreement about things such as the death penalty come from. This uncertainty in the certainty is also a meta-factor; the permanence of death will almost always spark some disagreement, which then becomes a weight in determining if it is a right action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5395" LastActivityDate="2015-06-30T23:29:02.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9921" CreationDate="2015-07-01T01:51:40.003" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Was the doctrine of 'Anatta', accepted as doctrine by modern Buddhism, actually taught by the Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta -- &quot;not self&quot; -- is a doctrine broadly present in the discourses preserved and currently available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Is it true that there no support in Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara, or Khuddaka Nikayas for the commonly held doctrine?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no reasonable support for any doctrine of self in the collections above (and, just for completeness, there's no declaration &quot;there is no self&quot; in them as well, but more on that below).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The episode Christopher Titmuss refers to is probably the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: &quot;Now then, Venerable Gotama, is there a self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then is there no self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A second time, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Vacchagotta the wanderer got up from his seat and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 44.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha then proceeds to explain why he did not answer (another explanation is given in SN 44.7):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that death is the annihilation of consciousness]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— &quot;No, lord.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used to have now not exist?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This knowledge (&quot;that all phenomena are not-self&quot;) is famously repeated in the &lt;em&gt;tilakkhaṇa&lt;/em&gt; formula:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;all conditioned phenomea are impermanent (&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā'ti&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  all conditioned phenomena are suffering (&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā'ti&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  all phenomena are non-self (&lt;em&gt;sabbe dhammā anattā'ti.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 3.136 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commenting on it, Richard Gombrich -- an Indologist -- writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The third hallmark is very often mistranslated (sometimes by me too, in the past) as 'not having a self or essence'. That is indeed how later Buddhists came to interpret it, but that was not its original meaning -- in fact, it is doubly misleading. Both Pali grammar and a comparison with the Vedānta show that the word means 'is not ātman' rather than 'does not have ātman'. However, as time went by the term was taken as a possessive compound and also taken to refer to everything, so that it became the one-word expression of Buddha's anti-essentialism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- What The Buddha Taught, pg 70&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, some people find themselves understanding that the Buddha advocated annihilationism (because of anatta), or eternalism (as some sort of occult teaching of a real Self behind his words). But the most obvious answer to these understandings is his own words, since he explicitly rejected both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among his many self-doctrine refutations, my favorite is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, you may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. But do you see any such doctrine of self, bhikkhus?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T01:51:40.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9938" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-01T04:44:57.807" Score="10" ViewCount="3704" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I feel insecure and worry about my current relationship. I try to live with mindfulness each day, but it seems very hard because I still cannot forget my bad past experience. What should I do ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T14:07:31.880" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T02:20:47.477" Title="What would Buddhists do to get rid of the feeling of insecurity in relationships?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|relationship|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9934" CreationDate="2015-07-01T04:53:04.893" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The prajnaparamita canon is quite ancient going back to 1-2 BCE. It's not clear if the original set of sutras were composed in Sanskrit or Gandhari first and subsequently translated to Sanskrit. (Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prajnaparamita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the heart (&lt;em&gt;Hṛdaya&lt;/em&gt;) sutra, said to be part of the &lt;em&gt;Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; canon, and most famous certainly, is in the view of modern historians and scholars almost certainly not part of the original Indian compositions. It was likely composed in Chinese and later rendered in Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.com/2007/09/heart-stra-indian-or-chinese.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jan Nattier. 1992. The Heart Sūtra : a Chinese apocryphal text? Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. Vol. 15 (2), p.153-223.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a text that has caused a lot of confusion among students because it attempts to lay down the highest of realized truths using the inadequate vehicle of conventional language. Despite &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/news/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;several attempts&lt;/a&gt; at translating it to be less obscure, it is a text that needs to be meditated upon, and not merely understood through the intellect reading it - &lt;em&gt;(i.e. the language it is read in doesn't really matter as long as the translation is correct)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some side by side Sanskrit-English translations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmabliss.org/audio/heart-skt-audiotext.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Heart Sutra Chanted in Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/0256.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra in Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and one can find more of them using Google, but it is impossible to find the authentic original Sanskrit you're looking for (&lt;em&gt;because there is none?&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T13:43:52.067" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T13:43:52.067" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9938" CreationDate="2015-07-01T05:11:03.880" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insecurity is caused by wanting permanence, is it not? We feel fear and insecurity when we are anxious about the root anchors of our life being unstable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In truth, one who understands &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt; knows nothing is permanent. At a very deep level we must see that resting on inherently unstable emotional platforms and expecting stability is folly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no easy cure for this. We must  at the very least learn to dissociate our identity and sense of self from worldly factors such as a job, a relationship, a degree, a house, a bank balance etc. This can be done through any of the several forms of vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, we must lose all sense of self by seeing its illusory nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What helps me is to take time out to go on a retreat and try to solve a sticky problem in my life through better understanding of &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ULTIMATELY, there can be no perfect relationship where no one hurts the other, or misunderstands. If there were such perfection possible, then that would replace the dhamma, and everyone would aspire for the perfect parent or partner. These imperfections in relationships are our teachers, helping us realize the futility of chasing happiness in relatives and family. Every pleasure carries with it a tragedy - pleasure and pain cannot be separated. One can only go beyond both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Update: (This was part of my original answer but because of a bug in the mobile client of StackExchange it didn't get posted.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.drivingpeace.com/short-breathing-meditation-exercise-for-anxiety-with-thich-nhat-hanh/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;short meditation mindfulness exercise by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to deal with anxiety in the immediate moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sit comfortably. Close your eyes if possible. Gently focus your&#xA;  attention on your breathing. Don’t worry about deepening or&#xA;  controlling it in any way…just notice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As your breathe in, say to yourself “I am breathing in.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you breathe out, say to yourself “I am breathing out.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Continue for one minute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The effects are cumulative, so the more often you do it, the faster&#xA;  your overall level of calm increases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling&#xA;  in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”&lt;/strong&gt; – Thich Nhat&#xA;  Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T09:45:09.517" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T09:45:09.517" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-07-01T06:17:39.273" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not answering may be more evil than lying to the hunter, if the hunter is likely to find the rabbit anyway.  Lying may cause the hunter to actually lose the rabbit (through wasted search), so silence is not as neutral as some have portrayed it to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make the situation even more interesting, what if the hunter appeared to be emaciated, and you knew that any edible plants in the forest were the property of a jealous landlord, who would surely punish someone who chose to eat them?  Then, not helping the hunter may, in fact, be the greater evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, what if there are only two obvious paths the rabbit could take, and the hunter asks: &quot;Did you see the rabbit go to the left?  I will assume that any answer but an affirmative means that you saw it go to the right.&quot;  Now there is no such thing as a non-answer, because silence is explicitly taken as a response by the hunter, and if the answer is wrong, then you are surely lying (rather than merely witholding information).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, you cannot know whether it is better to help or hinder the hunter.  Perhaps the hunter is a fugitive from the law who has harmed many people.  Then, even if he appears to be a victim of a ruthless landlord, it is perhaps better to let him starve.  Or perhaps, after feasting upon the rabbit, the hunter is later enlightened and sacrifices his life for the greater good, which would not have occurred had you deterred him.  Both the past and the future determine the goodness or suffering of any given action.  You cannot possibly know all the facts, so really, all actions are right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5397" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T06:17:39.273" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9942" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-01T08:45:33.097" Score="4" ViewCount="416" Body="&lt;p&gt;One occasionally comes across stories in the Buddhist canon like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;story of Manduka (Sanskrit: frog) Devaputta (Sanskrit: son of devas)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Chronicle of the Buddhas, Page 1123)&lt;/em&gt; - a frog while listening to the Buddha's sermon, attains the Tavatimsa Deva realm when he is accidentally crushed by a member of the audience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story makes a big deal of the frog's deva mansion 12 yojanas long and fair deva maidens who wait on him day and night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do women who are born in the deva realm too get fair attendants who are men? Or are all devas men?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are the samsaric pleasures of a large palace and maidens the chief attraction of the deva realm? Don't the fair maidens of the deva realm get a lesser deal - having to wait on the devas - how do they make merit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know these are silly questions, little to do with the dhamma, but one wonders all the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These stories remind me of telemarketing slots on TV - &quot;call now, and we will throw in this 12-spanner set for free.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T09:05:24.953" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T09:18:03.133" Title="Deva realms with maidens - samsaric and sexist?" Tags="|deva|mythology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9942" CreationDate="2015-07-01T09:25:44.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd rather not answer my own question, but these thoughts occurred to me about the lure of deva realms in general, and I guess this is as good a place as any to put it down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are several kinds of people, some have strong delusion, so for these people a little incentive to make them commit is &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Dhammapada story of Buddha's nephew who follows the Buddha into monastic life yet yearns for his fair wife back home comes to mind. He agrees to practice hard only after the Buddha promises him fair maidens in the deva realms when he completes his attainment of arahatship. Fellow monks aren't so understanding and label him a mercenary monk. It appears only the Buddha is compassionate enough to not poke fun at him.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perhaps the Buddha's largely male audience was a bit of a boy's club - no harm in throwing in the lure of fair maidens - again &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;? He was after all preaching to cow herds and farmers who could only dream of riches and fair maidens. Then again, most monks and Arahats were royalty and Brahmins too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I guess they don't have to pay estate taxes, mop the floors and mow the lawn on mansions in deva realms. If someone else is doing all the heavy lifting then celestial mansions aren't as much of a bore. This is also why human life is considered good for spiritual attainment because every sense pleasure here carries a stinger unlike the deva realms. Perhaps the fair deva maidens never cling, never fight or demand expensive gifts (I can't help taking a sexist tone here, the situation is overtly so, my apologies). It will only bother those who realize it is all unreal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This still doesn't answer why women are nowhere in the equation. Aren't women equally tempted by luxuries? Shouldn't there be a deva realm filled with Adonisesque serving men? Or filled with babies that are always cute and never hurt the parent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T09:25:44.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9938" CreationDate="2015-07-01T10:11:08.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering comes from insecurity. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Insecurity comes from fear. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fear comes from beliefs. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beliefs come from knowledge. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge comes from good and bad. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Good and bad come from desire.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, there are 4 ways to remove fear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identify the beliefs that are causing you fear. Change those beliefs. Fear will vanish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to change your beliefs? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realize that all your beliefs which are the cause of your fear are based on future assumptions. Thus, your beliefs have no weight in the present moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realize that most beliefs are not rational. If you had a few bad experiences in the past, it does not mean that all similar experiences will end badly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Test your beliefs to reject their validity. If you're afraid of something, and you are sure that your fear is irrational, face your fear and realize nothing bad will happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many many ways to change your beliefs. That's why psychologists exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gain new knowledge. Specifically about your situation in the relationship. Remember, knowledge is rational, not emotional. Use your rational mind. Be a scientist. Read books about your situation. Read about relationships. Speak with people who had similar problems and have solved them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eliminate &quot;good and bad&quot; thinking. How to eliminate &quot;good and bad&quot; thinking?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realize there is no good and bad. How? By realizing: &quot;What one person thinks is good, another person thinks it's bad. What I think is good, another person thinks it's bad&quot;. Thus, something that is good can be at the same time good and bad. Something that is bad can be at the same time bad and good. If something can be black and white at the same time, which color is it? Think about it. Which color is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Buddhist would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Eliminate&quot; desire. How to eliminate desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow the four noble truths: Realize that desire is the cause of suffering. Realize that putting an end to desire, suffering no longer arises. Find the path leading to the elimination of desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T13:05:34.550" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T13:05:34.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9899" CreationDate="2015-07-01T10:11:56.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I just checked the link. Actually i don't have idea which monastery i should go. I will only two days in france and already have full schedule for city tour. I think I just have time night time. Are you from france @ChrisW&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am in France, but not near Paris. I can read French, if that's any help: if you want me to search for something specific on the internet. Two days with already a full schedule isn't very much time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This page, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.comprendrebouddhisme.com/centres/temple-france/ile-de-france/paris-75.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Les Centres et les Temples Bouddhistes à Paris (75)&lt;/a&gt; says it lists Buddhist centres and temples in Paris. Almost all of them are either Zen or Tibetan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This one is Theravada (Thai Forest):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;18. Association Bouddhique Theravâda &quot;Vivekârâma&quot;&#xA;école : Theravâda (tradition des &quot;moines de forêt&quot; de Thaïlande) &#xA;&#xA;lieu de pratique : 14 rue Philibert Lucot 75013 Paris&#xA;&#xA;siège social : c/o Michel-Henri Dufour &#xA;22 rue de la Grange Aubel 71000 Sancé Tél. 03.85.20.14.42&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their web site is at &lt;a href=&quot;http://vivekarama.fr/activites-3/activites-paris&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://vivekarama.fr/activites-3/activites-paris&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;which says they have 3-hour guided sessions every third Sunday, and free sessions once a month on Fridays (it's not a temple, they meet in a room somewhere).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have &lt;a href=&quot;http://vivekarama.fr/activites-3/activites-paris/activites-paris-infos#contact&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a calendar here&lt;/a&gt; and they ask you to contact them (by email I suppose) first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's not a monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&amp;amp;search=Search&amp;amp;country_id=62&amp;amp;province_id=761&amp;amp;tradition%5B%5D=theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This search&lt;/a&gt; finds no Theravada in Paris.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a centre that's near Paris: &lt;a href=&quot;http://centrebouddhique.fr/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://centrebouddhique.fr/&lt;/a&gt; It's near the &quot;Le Bourget&quot; airport. They have &lt;a href=&quot;http://centrebouddhique.fr/calendrier-2014/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a calendar here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagode_de_Vincennes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pagoda in Vincennes&lt;/a&gt; which is virtually inside Paris (Vincennes are a wood or park, on the south east edge of Paris): it's not Theravada and not a monastery but is a multi-denominational Buddhist place (without a teacher) that might be within your reach if you have limited time in Paris.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're looking for Theravada monasteries, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zc9KxYuVQykc.kfaX9cYKqd5o&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this map&lt;/a&gt; says it shows the Theravada monasteries in Europe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two which are near Paris have these web sites:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammayutta.free.fr/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhammayutta.free.fr/&lt;/a&gt; (located 11 km from Paris, beware that the web site is 2012)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.burmeseclassic.org/dir.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.burmeseclassic.org/dir.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;U Kumara Association Bouddhiste Birmane &#xA;63 Avenue Maurice Thorez 94200 Ivry sur seine France.&#xA;Tel: 33 (0) 146717240, 33 (0) 677463943&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I don't know whether you'll be able to go to a Theravada Buddhist monastery in France.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have questions about travel rather than Buddhism there's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://travel.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;Travel.SE&lt;/a&gt; site which may be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:52:14.480" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T10:11:56.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9899" CreationDate="2015-07-01T10:20:04.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you mentioned elsewhere that you like Thich Nhat Hanh, you may want to visit his monastery, Plum Village, in Bordeauax, France - &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://plumvillage.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a beautiful monastery with very mature practitioners both lay and ordained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh is Vietnamese Zen, not Theravada but a great practitioner and in my opinion a living Bodhisattva. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: You say you only have 2 days. I don't know where in France you will be, but it is a big country, and getting to Bordeaux from Paris will take a 1-2 hour flight, and a bus or car from there to the monastery - about 100kms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T10:20:04.570" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9947" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9959" CreationDate="2015-07-01T11:46:22.340" Score="3" ViewCount="437" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose you completely empty your mind of all thoughts. You go into complete emptiness of mind, where nothing is arising. Suppose that in that state you make a choice to arise a thought. If in that state a choice is made to arise a thought, &quot;choice&quot; is the arising of &quot;this thought&quot;. &quot;Choice&quot; must be arisen before &quot;this thought&quot; is arisen. Is there something that must arise before &quot;choice&quot; in order for &quot;choice&quot; to arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha say is the first thing that arises that leads to the arising of thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the answer to this question in the twelve nidanas: &lt;em&gt;&quot;'mental fermentations/volitions' lead to the arising of thoughts&quot;&lt;/em&gt;? &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I see it, consciousness (vinnana) arises from 'mental fermentations/volitions' (sankhara). Then, from consciousness arise 'name and form' (namarupa), which is constituted of 'matter, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness' (skandhas). I see skandhas as thoughts. Thus, the first thing that arise is 'mental fermentations/volitions', which leads to the arising of thoughts. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T13:48:27.220" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T16:20:41.800" Title="What's the first thing that arises, from which everything else arise?" Tags="|meditation-insight|pratityasamutpada|reality|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9947" CreationDate="2015-07-01T11:54:18.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anguttara Nikaya 4.77- Unconjecturable Questions:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll go ahead and answer since  you're probably on now, this question is one of the imponderable questions that will only serve to detract in your practice. Although the wording of your question in particular isn't exactly one of these four, your questions seems to lie both within the 3rd and 4th questions. I'm sure this question has been asked at least twice, though, so don't be surprised when Chris or whomever else comes along and closes it :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T12:00:59.780" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9414" CreationDate="2015-07-01T11:59:49.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interesting question, I have never heard 'effluent' referred to before. I would say that it is not the same as Karma (as you ask) because Karma means either &quot;What I am here to do&quot; (my duty or purpose) or: What comes back to me as a result of my actions - which is the usual understanding. If effluent refers to something flowing from me, then that does not line up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a famous quote from &lt;em&gt;At the Feet of the Master:&lt;/em&gt; &quot;&lt;strong&gt;You are not your mind, but it is yours to use.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; I think people focus way too much on the concept of self as some sort of repository of good and bad that must be purged, polished, purified, emptied, etc. I think of the mind as like a bucket that holds things temporarily. So, if I take a bucket of water and use it to wash my feet for example, then pour it back in the river, this has no effect on others: nothing &quot;flows out&quot;. But if I take the bucket of water and fling it at everyone around me, then something (my views, mood, etc) is going out from me and probably making others miserable! This is how I see this word at this time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T11:59:49.610" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9950" PostTypeId="7" CreationDate="2015-07-01T11:59:58.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Welcome&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1506/254&quot;&gt;Welcome to Buddhism.SE!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic&quot;&gt;What topics can I ask about here?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2108/254&quot;&gt;FAQ index (summary of site policies)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Help topics applicable to all Stack Exchange sites (including this one) are listed below the &quot;Useful resources&quot; section on this page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Useful resources&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a few web resources that you may find useful when asking and answering questions on Buddhism Stack Exchange&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Getting Started&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-triple-refugee/215-how-to-take-the-triple-refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to take the triple refuge&lt;/a&gt; - useful for new comers who wants to learn how to take refuge in the triple gem.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; - a wikipedia-overview of the different schools in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to take the 5 precepts&lt;/a&gt; - also aimed at new comers who wants to learn how to take the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/fundbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fundamentals in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; - for the new comer who wants to learn about Buddhism. In here is the basic doctrines covered, such as &lt;em&gt;The Buddha, The Four Noble Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, Kamma, 3 Characteristics etc.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/#formjhanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; - An excellent summary of Buddhist lists such as the 4 noble truths and others. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Buddhist Texts&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt; includes detailed references, shows relationships between texts in diverse collections, and, where possible, provides original text and translations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; - The Pali Canon online and more besides.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Publication Society&lt;/a&gt; - for authentic literature on Buddhism. The Buddhist Publication Society (BPS), founded in Sri Lanka in 1958, is an approved charity dedicated to making known the teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tipitaka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sets of the Pāli Canon in English Translation and in Pāli (Tipiṭaka)&lt;/a&gt; - here one can get a set of the tipitaka in english or pali.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Online Pail Dictionary&lt;/a&gt; from the Pali Text Society&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Vacana&lt;/a&gt; has Pali next to English for several suttas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories&lt;/a&gt; has the story as well as each verse.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm#jataka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jataka Tales&lt;/a&gt; Stories from the previous lives of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.realbuddhaquotes.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Real Buddha Quotes&lt;/a&gt; Verified Quotes from the Buddhist Scriptures&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fake Buddha Quotes&lt;/a&gt; - Companion site to the above. Dedicated to pinpointing fake buddha quotes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Meditation and Retreats&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory#dk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana 10-day Goenka Retreat Locations&lt;/a&gt; - For practitioners that would like to go on retreat. This is the 10-day Goenka retreat and the different locations where its being held.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/silananda/bl137.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Benefits of Walking Meditation&lt;/a&gt; - for meditators who are practicing walking meditation or wants to learn it. Here is a great article on it by Ven. Sayadaw U Silananda.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?num=X32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Guide to the Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - excellent lecture series on the mindfulness of breathing and the anapanasati sutta&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Going Further&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Free Books by Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; - for practitioners following the Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition. In here you can find books by Mahasi Sayadaw on topics such as &lt;em&gt;Vipassana techniques, different suttas, progress of insight, dependent origination and more&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSL1N5caXZM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Video Abhidhamma Retreat with Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; - here one can follow Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's Abhidhamma Retreat. The whole retreat is divided into 15 videos with a length of approx 1 hour.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Venerable Yuttadhammo's videos&lt;/a&gt; on a range of subjects and handily categorised &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Free Buddhist Audio&lt;/a&gt; free audio talks from the Triratna Buddhist community&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;www.dhammawheel.com&lt;/a&gt; A Buddhist discussion forum on the Dhamma of the Theravada&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmawheel.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;www.dharmawheel.net&lt;/a&gt; Companion site to the above. A Buddhist discussion forum on the Dhamma of the Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;www.buddhanet.net&lt;/a&gt; BuddhaNet is a not-for-profit organisation affiliated with the Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc has since evolved as a Buddhist Information and Education Service.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt; - a quick overview of the different planes of existence. Comes in handy when studying the texts and there is a reference to a realm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also for further dhamma lists see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acinteyya - The Four Imponderables&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satta Bojjhaṅgā - Seven Factors of Enlightenment &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-05-17T15:17:47.120" LastActivityDate="2020-05-17T15:17:47.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="9951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9888" CreationDate="2015-07-01T12:58:50.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A complete reset? I'm afraid not, unless you can save the entire world. I might recommend the book &quot;Instant Karma: 8,879 Ways to Give Yourself and Others Good Fortune Right Now&quot; with instruction on starting the process with practical suggestions ranging from quick and easy to very involved. It's simple but not easy. Unlike some religions in which you simply swear an oath, good karma demands effort and hard work. That is what will change your world and your life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T12:58:50.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9928" CreationDate="2015-07-01T13:02:04.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's your hara!  If you look at any chart of energy centers in the body - be they Vedic, Chinese, Taoist, etc. - they identify a major energy center right around that area.  Breathing into your hara serves two purposes.  On the more mundane level, it gets you breathing more deeply.  Most of the time, people tend to breath into the upper chest.  This can lead to tightness.  Belly breathing leads deeper breathing and in turn, greater calm in both body and mind.  At a second, more traditional level (and whether you accept this to be true isn't really of much importance), abdominal breathing helps cultivate qi.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T13:02:04.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9947" CreationDate="2015-07-01T13:36:37.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great Question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer to this question lies in the free will versus determinism debate. If you &quot;you make a choice to arise a thought&quot;, then you are in favor of 'free will', however if you think that your &quot;choice to arise a thought&quot;, is actually just determined by the universe and you actually made no choice at all, than you agree with determinism. Now a person that agrees with free will as the answer, will likely struggle to answer what's the first thing that arises from which everything else arises. This, however is not because the question is ignorant but because the essence of the question is so, that a free will individual cant answer it. Why? because a free will individual may also think that all their decisions are made by their own choosing and that outside factors don't have an influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A determinist however would argue that it is pointless asking this question because they have no say over their lives anyway so they may as well just accept these questions as if they weren't their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would also be wrong, because otherwise all criminals would not be accountable for their sins. Everyone would just say, &quot;its not his fault, because the universe 'determined' his fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question fully, I think a Buddha would likely answer this question by taking the 'middle way' of these extremes. Answering it by explaining, that you don't have to know &quot;what's the first thing that arises from which everything else arises&quot;. The way out of suffering is not accomplished by knowing the answer to this question. Instead he would probably ask you to watch your thoughts of choice and your thoughts of emptying your mind too (because that is also just a thought). By doing this, your likely to realize that 'your' thoughts are actually shared amongst your family and friends. Where 'you' actually becomes a very hard question to answer. Watch your thoughts for this and also ask your family too if they have that burning question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T13:36:37.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9947" CreationDate="2015-07-01T13:37:46.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well it is an an empty mind, not a stopped mind, so there's always something going on inside even if we can't know it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said even the Buddha has not delved to the complete depths of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is as illusory and empty as anything else - thus it leads a compounded existence, always reacting to inputs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Normal meditative equanimity:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Internal factors:&lt;/strong&gt; In intermediate states of meditation where the mind is resting in equanimity an increase or decrease in body temperature, a movement in the bowels, activity of various organs, circadian rhythm, change in visuddhinana cycles, change in concentration can all disturb the equanimity and cause thoughts to occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;External factors:&lt;/strong&gt; The mind is most reactive to noises, especially human voices, when in meditation, but also rain or an insect for example, may trigger thoughts. The connection may not be apparent, especially if the domino effect of unconscious thoughts takes a while to manifest as a visible thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Non-meditative equanimity or no-mind states:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;With deep and continuous mindfulness practice one can abide in no-mind states with no apparent thoughts, and in these cases one may appear to make a conscious decision to cogitate - however even this is typically motivated by an external factor - someone asking a question of us, or a decision or plan to be made and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, if the mind appears to come alive it is a result of a change in its compounded condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T13:37:46.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9938" CreationDate="2015-07-01T13:53:08.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a great tool to withdraw information through your senses but will not be enough to remove your insecurity and worry about your current relationship. The only way you can do this is by doing lots of reflecting (usually during mediation) and 'proper' communication with your partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you asked if your partner too has had some bad passed experiences with their exs? If so, don't panic because this can actually be a good thing. It will help you guys find something in common and therefore heal together. If not, that's ok too, it just means that you have to warn this person that you have had trouble in the passed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way (I think) to build security in a relationship and reduce worry is to find common interests. Avoid clinging to the person like their everything because when you realize they are not, you could be in a world of hurt. This teaching is very prevalent in the Buddha's teaching and relates to attachment. The reason why finding common interests, ie. soccer, running, yoga, gardening etc. (aim for positive ones of course) is  good is because you can not only enjoy the person's company, but together you guys can build as individuals too. This is so good, because even if you do break up at least you will have skills you can use on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think therefore that most of your security, worry issues arise from too much attachment to this person and also possibly too much expectation of what they 'should' do. People are powerful and so its best to improve yourself and people around you and if your partner 'chooses' to join in than great, there's the cherry on top! :D But remember to take care of your entire cake too :P (life too)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastEditorUserId="5286" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T02:20:47.477" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T02:20:47.477" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9956" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9958" CreationDate="2015-07-01T14:11:03.747" Score="3" ViewCount="2851" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that Buddhists practice compassionate mediation by wishing to free first their loved ones from suffering, than their friends and than the people they have trouble with. Is this only for the individual practicing or can the practice actually reach the object too? (ie. friend)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ps: There is recent scientific evidence for ESP or telepathic communication but did the Buddhists monks know this whole time? thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T14:28:21.740" LastActivityDate="2017-10-05T21:51:41.560" Title="Telepathic Communication, do Buddhists Believe in it?" Tags="|personal-practice|psychic-powers|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9880" CreationDate="2015-07-01T14:16:55.123" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In theory the Pāṭimokkha Rules: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Intro&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhus'&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhunis'&lt;/a&gt; is the basic code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227 rules for monks (bhikkhus) and 311 for nuns. It lays down offences and punishments leading to a maximum of expulsion from the order. The punishment is typically decided by the Sangha, but the presiding abbot may decide on occasion when it is not feasible to assemble the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/buddhist-monastic-discipline/d/doc4046.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/buddhist-monastic-discipline/d/doc4046.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The code of the Pātimokkha itself, in its details of disciplinary&#xA;  procedure, recommends certain forms of penalties for the categories of&#xA;  major offences. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html#pr&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pārājika&lt;/a&gt;, being the gravest of the monastic&#xA;  offences, admits of no remedies or atonements. The penalty for&#xA;  Pārājika offences being complete ex-communication and loss of monastic&#xA;  status, it is spontaneously brought about by the commission of the&#xA;  crime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All offences other than the Prājika are remediable in that every&#xA;  offender, barring one who is guilty of a Pārājika offence, who submits&#xA;  himself to the specified penalties and punishments and behaves himself&#xA;  in accordance with the law is considered as being purged of his guilt.&#xA;  The Saṇghādisesas include a host of offences for which specified&#xA;  penalties are to be imposed by the Saṇgha, taking into consideration&#xA;  the circumstances attendant on the commission of the crime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practice, it appears to vary depending on the monastery/monastic order, the country and the culture - barring the grave offences, there appears to be a lot of leeway in how the offences are viewed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some countries like Thailand have in the past got involved in the disciplining of monks because the monastic order itself wasn't doing enough, or because the state was outraged by certain infamous incidents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it appears that punishments are generally very rare in most Buddhist countries, Japanese Zen monasteries are famous for offering very tough disciplinary punishments for the smallest of offences, often decided solely by the abbot. So obviously culture has a large role to play in all this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A strict reading of the Pāṭimokkha would make cooking an offence worthy of confession. However, monks have to adapt to new cultures and times - for example the monks and nuns of the Plum Village order in France under the tradition of Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh do their own cooking and even cook for lay people  because it is nearly impossible to go on alms rounds in the countryside where they live. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was rather pragmatic about the rules it would appear,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.083.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.83: Vajjiputta Sutta — The Vajjian Monk {A i 230; Thai 3.85} [Thanissaro].&lt;/a&gt; A monk who is having difficulty following all the Pāṭimokkha training rules can boil them all down to these three: the training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T06:09:17.577" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T06:09:17.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9956" CreationDate="2015-07-01T14:28:07.743" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a well known super power attained by advanced meditators. You can find references to such powers in the stories of the Buddha, and in biographies of well known monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Kevatta, there are these three miracles that I have declared, having&#xA;  directly known and realized them for myself. Which three? The miracle&#xA;  of psychic power, the miracle of telepathy, and the miracle of&#xA;  instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition the Visuddhimagga is well known for speaking directly about mastering the occult powers, and in the Madhiyamika tradition (Tibet) the path of the Bodhisattva requires learning to see into the minds of others so they can be helped. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accounts from recent times, such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/acariya-mun-bio.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;biography of Ven. Acharya Mun Bhuridatta Thera&lt;/a&gt; include incidents where he communicated with other monks living elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah's telepathic powers: &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/mPIJhO8ipgs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/mPIJhO8ipgs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha forbade speaking about or giving importance to powers with good reason, so in general accounts are not first person, but third person where a monk (usually) talks about witnessing another's powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T15:45:21.367" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T15:45:21.367" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9947" CreationDate="2015-07-01T16:20:41.800" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose you completely empty your mind of all thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what happens when you go into deep sleep. When you don't dream, the mind falls back to the Bhavanga process. This is called the passive state of the mind. It is what keeps you alive, when there's no other thought. This Bhavanga process is the result of your birth Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose that in that state you make a choice to arise a thought&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, you can't make any choices when you are in Bhavanga state. The Bhavanga process should first be interrupted by one of the sense doors. Volition comes much later in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A complete thought process, occurring through the physical sense doors, is made up of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot;&gt;seventeen thought moments (citta kha.na)&lt;/a&gt;. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A bhava&quot;nga that flows by in a passive state when one of the five physical sense organs comes in contact with its object (atiita bhava&quot;nga).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A bhava&quot;nga that vibrates for one thought moment (bhava&quot;nga calana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A bhava&quot;nga that cuts off the flow (bhava&quot;nga upaccheda).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A citta that turns towards the object through the sense door that has been stimulated (pañcadvaara-vajjana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The appropriate sense consciousness; in the case of the eye, for example, eye consciousness (cakkhu viññaa.na).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Next a thought moment — the sampa.ticchana citta — which has the function of receiving the object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the object has been received another thought moment, called the santiirana citta, arises, performing the function of investigating the object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The act (kamma) itself, especially if it was a weighty one.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9 to 15. The object having been determined, the most important stage from an ethical standpoint follows. This stage, called javana, consists of seven consecutive thought moments all having an identical nature. It is at this stage that good or evil is done, depending on whether the cittas have wholesome or unwholesome roots. Therefore, these javana thought moments have roots and also produce new kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;16 and 17. Following the seventh javana the registering stage occurs, composed of two thought moments called tadaalambane. When the second registering citta has perished, the bhava&quot;nga follows, flowing on until interrupted by another thought process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, decision making starts at the 8th stage of the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, the first thing that arise is 'mental fermentations/volitions',&#xA;  which leads to the arising of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first unit of Paticca Samuppada is given as ignorance. But that doesn't mean it started from ignorance. There's no real starting point. It's like asking the starting point of a circle. It's wherever you hold it first. The standard Paticca Samuppada teaching spans over 3 consecutive lives. The past, the present and the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-01T16:20:41.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9960" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9981" CreationDate="2015-07-01T16:43:33.830" Score="5" ViewCount="670" Body="&lt;p&gt;The BBC has these two quotes attributed to the Buddha that strike me as suspiciously pop-culture-esque assumptions of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/capitalpunishment.shtml&quot;&gt;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/capitalpunishment.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote #1:    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered&#xA;  a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to another being.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote #2:    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a person foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him&#xA;  the protection of my boundless love. The more evil that comes from&#xA;  him, the more good will go from me.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The language isn't right, and they don't stand up to the test of logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example:&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1: A girl pesters a monk to marry her, and is heartbroken when the monk refuses and commits suicide out of heart break. I don't think Buddhism would blame the monk because his intention is not to hurt the girl.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2: The words &quot;protection of my boundless love&quot; seem odd, when actually per the laws of karma, none can protect another from the effects of their actions. Plus, the Buddha doesn't mind calling a spade a spade - he can't hate anyone obviously, but he isn't going to love the sinners more than the virtuous as the quote implies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-01T17:00:41.237" LastActivityDate="2018-05-05T08:03:46.637" Title="Are these valid Buddha quotes?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9962" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-02T07:09:46.387" Score="9" ViewCount="499" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hear a lot of &quot;spiritually awakened&quot; people, on shows like batgap.com and on forums like dharmaoverground.org claim that the age of the monastic life is over, and in the present day one must learn to mix the spiritual life with the ordinary life. There is also evidenced by popular lay leaders like John Kabat-Zinn, one-time monastic Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, Shinzen Young, Daniel Ingram, Kenneth Folk, Eckhart Tolle and others. Perhaps a lot of lay people on this forum are in this boat too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are largely sincere people from what I can tell, who have spent a lot of time looking for the truth. So why do they say this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have always been scandals and corruption in monastic orders since the time of the Buddha, as well as rather rigid and dogmatic views taken by some abbots. So, that cannot be a new reason to decry the tradition. The Buddha certainly appears to have spent a lot of time dealing with problem makers of this sort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And both problems continue to be pretty common in almost all Buddhist traditions today (Tibetan, Theravada, Zen etc) who in addition seem to have also confused culture with the pursuit of the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a monk who isn't a local, enrolling in any foreign tradition spends a lot of time learning the new culture, the language, the food, the social mores, often dealing with racism to boot - all of which appear to be a waste of time, taking away from actual time spent on spiritual development. The saving grace is that it teaches perseverance, patience and doggedness, but is it enough? What's the alternative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it is this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Religion is largely becoming a taboo word in modern times with the trend towards secular materialism ascending. So, it's not like the times of the Buddha when the entire Sakhyan clan decided to follow the Buddha into monkhood. The bar is quite high for someone in the west or in any westernized country really, to forsake all known things, and head off to the other side of the world to become a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course many still do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the time of the Buddha lay arhats were pretty rare, the general route was to become a monk. Certainly if one must remain immersed in meditation and dhammic thoughts all day and night, lay life with its smells, noises and temptations is far more dangerous today than at any time previously. This alone must make monasticism all the more necessary today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, some lay teachers I can think of like Daniel Ingram and Kenneth Folk (at least one of them claims to be an arhat) declare that the idea of 24x7 meditative or dhammic immersion is impossible. One must allow for simple lay pleasures they say. KF even teaches in Silicon Valley, a rather central hub of material pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't help that in Buddhist countries like Thailand and Indian-Tibet most monks don't spend all day in dharmic duties either - they can often been seen out in the city, listening to music or idly browsing their smart phones or even smoking. All variously (dubiously?) justified as not contravening the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is it this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the monastic life still relevant? The theoretical idea of samsaric seclusion, wise teachers and rigid routine is certainly attractive - but one's resolve is weakened when looking at the reality which often appears far different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd certainly be interested in hearing from monks on the forum like Ven. Yuttadhammo if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T20:18:01.327" Title="Is the age of monastic life over? Is it societal conditioning or keeping up with the times?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|monasticism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9963" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9964" CreationDate="2015-07-02T09:07:20.893" Score="11" ViewCount="3663" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If music is a sensual desire , what's wrong with that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensual desire is described as the first of the five hindrances. What I am a little perplexed by is the stance of Buddhism on the positive senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, if I desire to listen to a song, is the problem the desire, or the 'emotions and feelings' the song itself brings up?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Apart from sensual 'desire', what about just sensual 'enjoyment'?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I just happen to walk by an area in which music is playing, and I find myself tapping my feet, or feeling really good; is this seen as a state we must abandon? I mean, if we never desired the music in the first place and it just happens to play around us, what is the harm in seeing the beauty in it? If someone offers us food, are we required to not enjoy our sense pleasures of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isn't even metta meditation also a sensual desire?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, metta-meditation frequently uses people as objects of good-will and loving-kindness -- however, this is attaching sense pleasures to mental objects, which I thought are to be abandoned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does metta-meditation even make sense in the context of Buddhism when the meditation cultivates 'positive' states from mental objects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5382" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T11:08:04.390" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T03:59:19.163" Title="Three questions about sensual desire" Tags="|five-hindrances|meditation-metta|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9963" CreationDate="2015-07-02T09:46:03.010" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prevention is better than cure. It is easiest to tackle the mental pollution of unwholesome acts before it has happened - i.e. at the stage that desire is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the same reason, help groups like Alchoholics Anonymous say &quot;Say no to the first drink&quot; - call a sponsor or friend and get over the urge. Suicide hotlines work the same way - they would like us to call at the very first thought of self harm, and not when we are standing on the ledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, it is more effective to walk away or keep silent when we feel angry, than calm down after a long rant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preventing unwholesome desires from arising, or tackling them as soon as they have arisen with right contemplation is better than recovering from the addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samsara&lt;/em&gt; is a greater addiction than any drug or alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I just happen to walk by an area in which music is playing, and I&#xA;  find myself tapping my feet, or feeling really good; is this seen as a&#xA;  state we must abandon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a fundamental question about all entertainment - why must entertainment be eschewed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the nature of boredom is that it arises out of a mind that isn't at ease with itself. The nature of thought at the moment a bored mind arises is to gravitate towards the outside world - towards sense pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Distracted thought gets reinforced with every application of distraction, so much so, we live in a world where hardly anyone reads books, and more and more people even find Twitter too much text - they want videos or GIF images instead. If we make a habit of mindfulness, then the opposite is true, at every opportunity the mind will seek mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, the nature of boredom is that it gets excited by violence rather than peace - it is an existential threat mechanism that is woken up and makes us come alive. Thus entertainment is the enemy of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, entertainment reinforces duality, of the entertainer and the entertained. It makes us lapse into being controlled by external forces, rather than taking control of our mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is thus a quality of mind to be safe guarded against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Also, metta-meditation frequently uses people as objects of good-will&#xA;  and loving-kindness -- however, this is attaching sense pleasures to&#xA;  mental objects, which I thought are to be abandoned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All mind states come with a stinger of unwholesomeness, except four mind states. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four &lt;em&gt;Bramhaviharas&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Bramha abodes&lt;/em&gt; - namely, &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; (compassion), &lt;em&gt;maithri&lt;/em&gt; (loving kindness), &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt; (sympathetic joy at the well being of others, or the opposite of schadenfreude) and &lt;em&gt;upeksha&lt;/em&gt; (equanimity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind needs to be parked somewhere, and rather than park it in a state where it can be tempted by a more exciting desire, if we park it in these four areas the mind will remain at peace, occupied and not easily distracted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T09:46:03.010" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9963" CreationDate="2015-07-02T09:46:36.523" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the answer lies in the practical part of Buddhism, i.e. insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one practices insight meditation diligently one will come to see for oneself that all physical and mental phenomena are subject to the 3 signs of existence, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness and Not-self, i.e. the uncontrollable and ungovernable nature of phenomena&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When experiencing these signs of existence and gaining experiental knowledge about them one's outlook on reality changes. One can still enjoy wordly stuff but without attachment or clinging because one knows that the phenomena, e.g. music will come to an end sooner or later. At some point one will just not have an interest for worldly stuff because of the inherent suffering and deep instability that are build into conventional reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It becomes unwholesome if one sees the song or the emotions/feelings as being &lt;em&gt;permanent and satisfactory&lt;/em&gt; and thereby develops attachment and clinging towards them. Then one is having &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding metta-meditation then one develops loving-kindness towards other beings. Loving-kindness is an antidote for one of the 3 defilements, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Hatred&lt;/em&gt; and the second hindrance, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Ill-will&lt;/em&gt;. In this sense one is cultivating wholesome states from which wholesome actions and results can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta-meditation belongs to samatha meditation: which does not have 'reality' as the object of medication (meaning that one cannot use samatha meditation to develop insights into how reality functions and thereby eradicate &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;, Aviija). Instead of 'reality', one is having a 'concept' as the object of meditation, and one is trying to make that concept permanent and stable. In samatha meditation there is a risk of developing attachment towards these &lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt; states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is aware of that and knows experientially that all phenomena are subject to arising and ceasing then it should not be a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T10:59:52.650" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T10:59:52.650" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9962" CreationDate="2015-07-02T12:50:05.603" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;This series of questions is quite involved and surely a book could be written to properly assess the status of how well a very traditional monastic community is holding up in modern times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But a few things did come to mind that can be easily stated. Your comments are from people who are not currently part of the monastic tradition. They've made their decision and had their reasons. But the monastic community is alive and well without those individuals. It's far more interesting to hear the perspective of those actively a part of the monastic community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The bar is quite high for someone in the west or in any westernized country really, to forsake all known things, and head off to the other side of the world to become a monk.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that's true. And yet people do it and stick with it and find it to be a meaningful way to live. As far as forsaking material things, an interesting example of this is &lt;a href=&quot;http://kenwu.hubpages.com/hub/Modern-Age-Siddharta-Gautama&quot;&gt;Ajahn Siripanno&lt;/a&gt;. His father is a billionaire and he could have lived a life of extraordinary wealth and privilege. And he choose to ordain as a Theravada monk instead. That's a powerful statement about priority when people see clearly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, a monk who isn't a local, enrolling in any foreign tradition spends a lot of time learning the new culture, the language, the food, the social mores, often dealing with racism to boot - all of which appear to be a waste of time, taking away from actual time spent on spiritual development.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The head monk are our local Theravada monastery, originally from Laos, does not speak English despite having been in the US for a number of years now. Bilingual lay followers at the temple have told me his reason for not doing so is so that he will have fewer distractions. I think this is a smart approach really. Of course, he is not in a position of having to actively seek out lay followers, it's an ethnic community which seeks out the monastery. But that's certainly one way of avoiding the waste of time you speak of. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as whether we are moving towards some sort of a &quot;permanent&quot; secularization in society, that would be short sighted speculation. Throughout history, societies have changed and become more or less religious. Religious traditions have become corrupted and then reformed. Religious traditions become more heavily focused on one aspect over another and additional sects emerge (I think this latter is roughly how the &quot;forest traditions&quot; revived in modern times.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not for everyone. But I would think for those &quot;with little dust in their eyes&quot; monastic life will survive all that modern life can throw at it. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T13:05:16.027" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T13:05:16.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9967" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9968" CreationDate="2015-07-02T14:50:44.883" Score="4" ViewCount="113" Body="&lt;p&gt;When ever I see an individual that is suffering and I am able to tolerate their suffering, is also when I seem to learn and grow the most. Spiritual leaders get me on the path but the so called 'bad people' or 'obstacles' seem to teach me the most. Can Buddhists scriptures explain this? Many thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5286" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T15:13:58.800" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T17:11:07.920" Title="Why do I learn the most from people that suffer?" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|compassion|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9967" CreationDate="2015-07-02T16:46:35.617" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering is like the fertilizer for our spiritual growth. It is what drives people into religion and spirituality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is happy and content in life one sees no reason to change anything in ones life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one experience pain and suffering one naturally wants to seek a solution. For a lot of people that means coming to religion or spirituality to find a way out of their problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meeting a spiritually developed being one knows that this being has gone through suffering and come out on the other side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding &amp;quot;bad&amp;quot; people or obstacles as vehicles for developing knowledge. It might be because these phenomena obviously show the suffering inherent in them, thereby making them good teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Pleasant&amp;quot; phenomena can be teachers too but here the suffering is masked. This makes them important to reveal and understand. The Buddha called this &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;flower-tipped arrows&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Picturing a bhouket of flowers with arrow heads underneath so when one tries to pick a flower one is stung by the arrow. In the same way pleasant phenomena cause suffering when they change and disappear due to their impermanent nature. If one had attachment towards them one is left with suffering and a craving for more. That is how addiction is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For references to the texts we have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;. They are briefly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Truth of Dukkha is that all conditional phenomena and experiences are not ultimately satisfying;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Truth of the Origin of Dukkha is that craving for and clinging to what is pleasurable and aversion to what is not pleasurable result in becoming, rebirth, dissatisfaction, and redeath;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Truth of the Cessation of Dukkha is that putting an end to this craving and clinging also means that rebirth, dissatisfaction, and redeath can no longer arise;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Truth of the Path Of Liberation from Dukkha is that by following the Noble Eightfold Path—namely, behaving decently, cultivating discipline, and practicing mindfulness and meditation—an end can be put to craving, to clinging, to becoming, to rebirth, to dissatisfaction, and to redeath&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T17:11:07.920" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9962" CreationDate="2015-07-02T18:45:17.037" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you think, how many generations shall do that nice life that we have at the moment (do &quot;we&quot;?) Assembling and metabolizing the Dharma should point away from short-term perspectives. The Buddha - in my understanding - proposed a kind of living, a kind of needs, a kind of &quot;time-table&quot; for a life (little for physical needs, lot for reflecting, meditating and finally staying in an awakened and throughout happy and free mood). Let &quot;monkhood&quot; be &quot;out-of-style&quot; for the mainstream today and even unthinkable for the scene around - a community, staying together, cultivating the good manners of life (8-fold path, for a start) shall be useful for many of us, our children or grandchildren or ... when the current hype of ways-of-living gets down or possibly even breaks completely down.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a nice small sutra where the Buddha was asked what would happen if the Dharma goes down, and he tells a story of the people becoming unhappier, angrier, even physically smaller, and each one might kill each other one just like that... And that he expects, that even then some people get fed up with that unhappiness, glue themselves together in small communities, saying &quot;let's stop that mutual killing&quot; etc and a new cycle of the Dharma would occur. But such a sutra was not intended to describe the span of the 1970ies to 2010th, for instance, just one generation: it was intended to describe time-spans of, say, the birth to the dawn of the roman imperium and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the message is: let's see. Why not support people who say &quot;let's stop that mutual killing&quot; and... put themselves together in some community - with communication, with social life, with rules, with - let's call it: a &quot;vinaya&quot; for the between-friend-of-the-dharma-relations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T18:51:46.303" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T18:51:46.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9970" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-02T19:24:13.067" Score="4" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering about clarity within meditation. I seem to have diminished greatly the agitation I experience, but there is a degree of mental sinking, of mental tiredness which I have a hard time eliminating. This tiredness seemingly makes the meditation session a meditation on the feeling of lethargy and laxity, and I am having a really really hard time ridding myself of this dullness. I've tried antidotes of uplifting thoughts, I've tried having equanimity towards the sensations, and remaining with them. I've tried tightening the breath, focusing sensations more closely on a specific area close to the nostrils. Yet, I've not managed to rid myself of this dullness, and I wonder if I should keep meditating while it is within my mindstream. Any advice would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5102" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T14:11:01.527" Title="Clarity During Meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9970" CreationDate="2015-07-02T19:59:17.673" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you might be experiencing the third hindrance for meditative progress, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Sloth and Torpor&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; (thina-middha). This hindrance is a mental tiredness that arises and makes the mind cloudy and unwieldy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Five Hindrances are briefly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Sensory desire (kāmacchanda): the particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda): all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject, feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth-torpor (thīna-middha): heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): the inability to calm the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doubt (vicikicchā): lack of conviction or trust&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some information about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#sloth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sloth and Torpor&lt;/a&gt; and how to overcome it here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other solutions given could be to splash cold water in the face and then return to meditation or getting up and do walking meditation instead. The thing is that one has to balance the meditation practice meaning that if sloth and torpor arises then one must do the opposite in order to counter act it. In this case it would be to energize the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is a great dhamma talk on the five hindrances by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2394&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part 1&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaweb.net/dhammadb/view.php?id=2395&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part 2&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This talk is highly recommended it gives a lot of information and antidotes to all of the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-02T20:05:14.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9972" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-02T20:40:46.363" Score="3" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt; state the cause for coming into birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose we take a look at a being with the name Robert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we look at Robert and rewind time backwards to the time when Robert has not yet come into his first birth, can't we see how Robert came into his first birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I see it, the twelve nidanas state that the cause Robert came into his first birth was because he started doing volitional activities because of his ignorance. The first time he did a volitional activity he basically stepped in the circle of the twelve nidanas and destined himself to &quot;never ending&quot; births and deaths. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-02T21:18:19.477" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T04:06:09.420" Title="Is the beginning of coming into birth described in the twelve nidanas?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|nidanas|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9973" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9982" CreationDate="2015-07-03T00:55:20.227" Score="7" ViewCount="445" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, we believe in rebirth and karma. But was there a time when it was our first time in any of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is the case, how would we be reborn anywhere since we did not have any karma to pay off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is not the case, how were we just infinitely here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T14:16:34.910" Title="First life in samsara" Tags="|theravada|karma|rebirth|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9974" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9979" CreationDate="2015-07-03T01:05:25.170" Score="4" ViewCount="471" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any negative effects of samatha that were mentioned in the Pali Canon (Tripitaka), the commentaries, or just from your experience? &#xA;I have heard on an occasion that someone who might concentrate on a color such as a blue kasina might end up only seeing everything in blue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T13:51:26.863" Title="Effects of samatha" Tags="|meditation-concentration|meditation-samatha|samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9972" CreationDate="2015-07-03T01:27:05.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Haha yep!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Robert is fundamentally ignorant (does not know his True Nature) and unintentionally stirred up his volition aggregate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that transforming this aggregate is the work of a bodhisattva and Buddha and this work comes much after transforming form, sensation, conception skandhas which includes the totality of ones body, chakras, emotions, poisons, and attachments to thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Robert reincarnates because of the latter part of the chain and creates endless seeds in the process--seeds which he desires to try to satisfy, there by producing more seeds--making himself trapped in the latter stages of the nidanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Twelve Nidana wikipedia entry is explanatory but for a thorough, friendly discussion of the skandhas as a measurement system in parallel the process of becoming, see &quot;How to Measure&quot; by Bill Bodri.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T01:27:05.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9973" CreationDate="2015-07-03T02:08:52.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Buddha's famous &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;Tears&amp;quot; sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: &amp;quot;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is not the case, how were we just infinitely here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We're still here simply because our &amp;quot;fuel&amp;quot; (greed/anger/delusion) is still here. If the fuel's still here, the machine will keep on running. No more fuel means no more wandering in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T02:08:52.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9972" CreationDate="2015-07-03T04:06:09.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we look at Robert and rewind time backwards to the time when Robert&#xA;  has not yet come into his first birth, can't we see how Robert came&#xA;  into his first birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no first birth. Samsara is beginningless. But you can end it. Robert is a concept. There's no Robert existing in reality even from this moment to the next, let alone from life to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T04:06:09.420" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9942" CreationDate="2015-07-03T04:33:28.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do women who are born in the deva realm too get fair attendants who&#xA;  are men?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Women don't have to be born as nymphs. They can be born as Devas too. ex: Queen Maya was born as a male Deva, after she died 1 week after giving birth to prince Siddhartha. It depends on the power of your birth Karma. Men can be born as nymphs, if they go to heavens due to a lesser Karma. Nymph have companions nymphs. AFAIK, they play with each other and enjoy until their owner Deva arrives. Then they take pleasure in enjoying him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;are all devas men?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard stories of powerful nymphs with retinues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are the samsaric pleasures of a large palace and maidens the chief&#xA;  attraction of the deva realm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is their dwelling. Just like rich humans having houses like palaces. I'm sure they have many other means of entertainment, just like humans do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how do they make merit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have to ask permission from the owner Deva to leave and acquire new merits. Or they can participate in the good deeds done by the Deva himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T04:33:28.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9974" CreationDate="2015-07-03T04:48:01.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Summary: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Negative&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is a subjective term - I believe there is learning to be had in every moment in life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain Samatha and Vipassana experiences can puzzle the unstable or ignorant mind. The damage in these cases is self caused or self amplified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not saying one can be stuck seeing blue, but if one does, so what? Observe it too, like anything else, without a positive or negative attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mindset that wants some special experiences, and does not want other experiences is the real danger for any meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha jhanas and powers like any conditioned event are impermanent and will arise and pass away eventually. There is no wholesome joy to be had in special events in life - the wisdom is to be peaceful no matter what while developing the wisdom to know what is right and wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not a lot of harm in curiosity, and some thrill seeking, but it comes at the cost of delay in the arising of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is ideal, though not always possible to have the tactical knowledge or a knowledgeable teacher at hand to guide one through some of these experiences. This ensures one does not compound errors in method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not that, then, developing an equanimous mind that is unattached to  events is the best safety net.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether one is stuck in a sensation of bliss, or misery, the wise mind will remain unattached, unmoved, knowing it will all end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-03T07:33:09.003" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T07:33:09.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9963" CreationDate="2015-07-03T06:41:09.430" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If music is a sensual desire , what's wrong with that?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sense bases are &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, the &lt;strong&gt;ear is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering.&lt;/strong&gt; What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The danger of sensual pleasures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “And what, bhikkhus, is the bond of sensuality? Here, someone does not understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to sensual pleasures. When one does not understand these things as they really are, then &lt;strong&gt;sensual lust, sensual delight, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual passion, sensual attachment, and sensual craving lie deep within one in regard to sensual pleasures. This is called the bond of sensuality.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the source, sensual pleasures as the basis, the cause being simply sensual pleasures, people indulge in &lt;strong&gt;misconduct of body, speech, and mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 13 (Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How this danger takes place:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, when one does not know and see the ear as it actually is, when one does not know and see sounds as they actually are, when one does not know and see ear-consciousness as it actually is, when one does not know and see ear-contact as it actually is, when one does not know and see as it actually is the feeling felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with ear-contact as condition, then one is inflamed by lust for the ear, for sounds, for ear-consciousness, for ear-contact, for the feeling felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with ear-contact as condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When one abides inflamed by lust, fettered, infatuated, &lt;strong&gt;contemplating gratification&lt;/strong&gt;, then the five aggregates affected by clinging are built up for oneself in the future; and one’s craving—which brings renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delights in this and that—increases. One’s bodily and mental troubles increase, one’s bodily and mental torments increase, one’s bodily and mental fevers increase, and one experiences bodily and mental suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn149&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 149&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fully understanding and abandoning delight in the senses is a crucial aspect of the path to nibbāna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five cords of sensual pleasure, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.176&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.176&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Sensual desire is described as the first of the five hindrances. What I am a little perplexed by is the stance of Buddhism on the positive senses.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the gratification is acknowledged...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the gratification in the case of sensual pleasures? Bhikkhus, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure. What are the five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear ... Odours cognizable by the nose ... Flavours cognizable by the tongue ... Tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of lust. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. Now the pleasure and joy that arise dependent on these five cords of sensual pleasure are the gratification in the case of sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 13 (Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...the training requires abandoning delight on the senses, both in its method and in its culmination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration is impaired by the presence of sensual pleasures (thus, it's one of the five hindrances). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sense bases are the very source of craving -- one of the main fetters to be relinquished to attain &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;For instance, if I desire to listen to a song, is the problem the desire, or the 'emotions and feelings' the song itself brings up?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem (i.e. the obstacle to nibbāna) is the desire you mention and the absorption in the &quot;emotions and feelings&quot; which obscures wisdom and perpetuate ignorance of the reality. More generally, the problem  is the craving and the ignorance of it's functioning from the perspective of conditioned arising and the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some sensual pleasures might as well trigger wholesome states, but there is a very high risk of not being able to discern what is what (as mindfulness is neglected in delight) and fall in the trap of craving. Like an alcoholic feeling thirsty seeing a bottle of water and beer and deciding to have the beer without seeing the danger in it (to use  &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9964/382&quot;&gt;Buddho's analogy&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since wholesome states can be developed in other ways (safer ways, like drinking water)  and sensual pleasures always carry a high danger with them (like beer to an alcoholic), it is very reasonable, from the point of view of being effective and direct, to simply regard them as a treat and prescribe its immediate abandonment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards forms, revulsion towards sounds, revulsion towards odours, revulsion towards tastes, revulsion towards tactile objects, revulsion towards mental phenomena. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Apart from sensual 'desire', what about just sensual 'enjoyment'?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;sensual feelings are &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether it be pleasant or painful&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Along with the neither-painful-nor-pleasant,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Both the internal and the external,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whatever kind of feeling there is:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having known, “This is suffering,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Perishable, disintegrating,”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having touched and touched them, seeing their fall,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus one loses one’s passion for them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sāriputta: “If they were to ask me this, venerable sir, I would answer thus: ‘Friends, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These three feelings, friends, are impermanent; whatever is impermanent is suffering. &lt;strong&gt;When this was understood, delight in feelings no longer remained present in me&lt;/strong&gt;.’ Being asked thus, venerable sir, I would answer in such a way.” -- “Good, good, Sāriputta!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.32&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If I just happen to walk by an area in which music is playing, and I find myself tapping my feet, or feeling really good; is this seen as a state we must abandon?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If nibbana (or the fruits of this abandonment) is of concern, yes. Practice tends to naturally create dispassion towards the senses. For example, upon seeing how the sounds are gross in comparison to more sublime states of happiness and pleasures, and upon noticing how mindfulness weakens when embarking in sensual pleasures, one does not find much inclination to tap the feet anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I mean, if we never desired the music in the first place and it just happens to play around us, what is the harm in seeing the beauty in it?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no inherent harm in seeing beauty. You should see beauty where there's beauty, and pleasure were there's pleasure. But nurturing that sensual pleasure (craving it) and &lt;em&gt;giving attention&lt;/em&gt; to the sign of beauty is a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It would be better, bhikkhus, for the ear faculty to be lacerated by a sharp iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a sound cognizable by the ear. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.235&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 235&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If someone offers us food, are we required to not enjoy our sense pleasures of it?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, we are instructed to train to be equanimous towards the senses, watching out for the dangers of craving and not being infatuated by the pleasures felt, eg, by the flavors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Isn't even metta meditation also a sensual desire?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing metta develops pleasure, but of a wholesome kind. This pleasure is not related to the sense bases, and is regarded as sublime, unwordly. It also promotes concentration and the factors of enlightenment. Therefore, it's a practice that leads to nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Also, metta-meditation frequently uses people as objects of good-will and loving-kindness -- however, this is attaching sense pleasures to mental objects, which I thought are to be abandoned?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pleasure of metta meditation is not born from the craving for the mental objects. Its born from the mental state/attitude that are transformed using the mental objects as vehicle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T03:59:19.163" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9960" CreationDate="2015-07-03T09:13:35.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the first one I think they are summarizing the following from Ambalaṭṭhikā-Rāhulovada Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Whatever action you desire to do with the body &lt;em&gt;[similarly with mind and word]&lt;/em&gt; Rāhula, of that&#xA;  particular bodily action you should reflect: ‘Now, this action that I&#xA;  desire to do with the body—would this, my bodily action, be conducive&#xA;  to my own harm, or to the harm of others, or to that of both (myself&#xA;  and others)?—Then, unskilful is this bodily action, entailing&#xA;  suffering and productive of pain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh033-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other one seems to be coming from a Mahayana sutta, &quot;Sermon on Abuse&quot; in The sutta of 42 sections&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha said: A man foolishly stating or considering that I do that&#xA;  which is not right, will obtain no other refutation from me but that&#xA;  which proceeds from the exercise of my four qualities of love (?), so&#xA;  the more evil he brings against me, the more good will proceed from&#xA;  me; the influence of this resting on me, the effect of that returning&#xA;  to him&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/os19-14.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/os19-14.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T09:13:35.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9973" CreationDate="2015-07-03T10:45:10.420" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i may kindly correct the beginning sentence of your question, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;In Buddhism, we believe in rebirth and karma.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We actually try to verify these things for ourselves by studying reality through insight meditation, thereby gaining insights into how reality functions. We practice to gain experiental knowledge instead of believing things to be in a certain way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through insight meditation one will come to see that phenomena arise dependent on causes and conditions. One sees that phenomena can spawn new phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking for a first cause is problematic. Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A first cause breaks causality. One can then ask &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What caused the first cause? Or What caused the cause that caused the first cause? And so on ad infinitum&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question of origin also belongs to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Imponderables&lt;/a&gt;, namely the 4th one &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Speculation about [the origin, etc., of] the cosmos is an imponderable that is not to be speculated about&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explained that is it not conducive to ones practice to think about these things. That is because one cannot understand it unless one is a Buddha. If one is not a Buddha thinking about them will only leave the mind agitated and distressed which will not be beneficial for ones practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Therefore, o monks, do not brood over [any of these views] Such brooding, O monks, is senseless, has nothing to do with genuine pure conduct (s. ādibrahmacariyaka-sīla), does not lead to aversion, detachment, extinction, nor to peace, to full comprehension, enlightenment and Nibbāna.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN 56: Saccasamyutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T10:51:19.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9983" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-03T11:18:18.117" Score="15" ViewCount="1728" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find that the five Skandhas can be very confusing at times, as the Western idea of mind and perception is very different to the Buddhist idea of mind and perception. On top of that, many explanations of the five Skandhas online seem vague and sometimes seem to be interpreted differently, depending on where you go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The first Skandha: &lt;strong&gt;Form&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this refer to physical form? Can we only know form through the sense organs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The second Skandha: &lt;strong&gt;Sensation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these just sensations from the sense organs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One description online describes sensation as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... it is the sensation experienced through the contact of eye with&#xA;visible form, ear with sound, nose with odor, tongue with taste, body&#xA;with tangible things, mind (manas) with ideas or thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is the case, does emotion fall under sensation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The third Skandha: &lt;strong&gt;Perception&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A description I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samjna is the faculty that recognizes. Most of what we call thinking fits into the aggregate of samjna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &amp;quot;samjna&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;knowledge that puts together.&amp;quot; It is the&#xA;capacity to conceptualize and recognize things by associating them&#xA;with other things. For example, we recognize shoes as shoes because we&#xA;associate them with our previous experience with shoes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the faculty to recognize is consciousness. However, consciousness is said to be a different Skandha. My understanding is that consciousness is that which perceives the world around it. More broadly, how is perception and consciousness different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The fourth Skandha: &lt;strong&gt;Mental Formation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A description I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This aggregate includes all mental factors except feeling and&#xA;perception, which are two of the possible fifty-two mental factors&#xA;noted in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm assuming this is where emotions exist? Is happiness an emotion? Is loving-kindness an emotion? If not, were do they exist, in terms of the Skandhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The fifth Skandha: &lt;strong&gt;Consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A description I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vijnana is a reaction that has one of the six faculties as its basis and one of the six corresponding phenomena as its object. For example, aural consciousness -- hearing -- has the ear as its basis and a sound as its object. Mental consciousness has the mind (manas) as its basis and an idea or thought as its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is the case, then is consciousness that which &lt;em&gt;observes&lt;/em&gt; sensations, mental formations, perception and form, or that which &lt;em&gt;experiences&lt;/em&gt; sensation, perception, mental formations and form? Can the experience of sensation exist if we are not conscious of it? Are animals conscious? Maybe a more important question is: what is the difference between consciousness and self-awareness, in the Buddhist context?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize there are a lot of questions here, so thank you to whoever takes the time out of their day to answer them. Have a good day!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Comment: This is a very cogent, very important, even fundamental issue in the process of direct inquiry. The last question haunts me: what is the true definition of consciousness when referred to as a Buddhist skanda? Specifically, self reflexive awareness--for lack of a better term--seems fundamental, even unitary. Vedantic teachings inevitably lead to the direct discovery that &amp;quot;consciousness is all&amp;quot;. Consider Turyia. The Tibetan term, Rigpa, seems to point to the same realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2021-07-19T19:59:55.560" Title="Questions on the five Skandhas" Tags="|consciousness|five-skandas|alaya-vijnana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9934" CreationDate="2015-07-03T12:11:52.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ooCodjgjkY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; out. It has the Sanskrit version of the Sutra chanted in some 'Indian accent' and is easier to follow if you understand Sanskrit. The description has the sutra written in the Devanāgarī script and the caption has English and Tibetan translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5413" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T12:11:52.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9985" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9990" CreationDate="2015-07-03T12:26:55.787" Score="4" ViewCount="357" Body="&lt;p&gt;What to do when the mind starts moving so fast that individual experiences cannot be noted? And as far as I have experienced, the mind can only be in one place at a time, but it begins moving so fast between different experiences that it is as if there is awareness of nearly the entire body at once and all experience blurs together and the body feels like its humming?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: there seems to be some confusion..this didn't seem like a distracted state; it seems as if I was able to be mindful of multiple things happening at once all over my body. The normal areas where sensations occur that I'm only able to be mindful of one at a time i.e. sensations on my head, my arms, pain in the back, legs, I was nearly fully aware of all at once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-07-03T21:02:13.057" LastActivityDate="2022-09-02T01:49:08.083" Title="Mind moving too fast to note?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9985" CreationDate="2015-07-03T12:46:05.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A way to deal with this is to restrain the mind by choosing to note only experiences from e.g. the 1st and 2nd foundation of mindfulness. One could also start with only one foundation and then add more when mindfulness grows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's similar as to when one is starting to do walking meditation. One will start by noting only the &quot;stepping&quot; movement of the foot. When one gets better one can begin to include the &quot;lifting&quot; movement too and with more practice one can include the &quot;placing&quot; movement of the foot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way one is building more steps into the practice as mindfulness grows and one gains the ability to be aware of more phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T12:46:05.433" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9983" CreationDate="2015-07-03T13:11:52.567" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Aggregates&#xA;(A Study Guide&#xA;by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/a&gt;, which quotes what the Pali suttas say about the aggregates (i.e. the definitions of the aggregates in suttas), for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;§ 9. Feeling. &amp;quot;And what is feeling? These six bodies of feeling — feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of intellect-contact: this is called feeling.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.57&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could try to define them in my own words but, as you said, &amp;quot;many explanations of the five Skandhas online seem vague and sometimes seem to be interpreted differently, depending on where you go&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose you could read many definitions and try to synthesize them; or read or listen to definitions by reputable teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And/or, there's something called the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidharma&lt;/a&gt; (which I haven't read): I think the Abhidharma is not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt; but are a (only slightly later) more elaborate and perhaps more precise description of what various mental phenomena are and how they're related... and so if you want a detailed (or more detailed) description, perhaps (I don't know) you could look into the Abhidharma's description instead of the description implied by the list of Skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My new theory is as follows: that it's a simple list, into which you shouldn't try to read too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel017.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;: I suppose that (collection of three suttas) is a very high-level summary of the buddhavacana. In the &lt;em&gt;The Not-self Characteristic (Anatta-lakkhana-sutta)&lt;/em&gt; uses but doesn't define the list of skandhas. It uses words like &amp;quot;form&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;feeling&amp;quot; without defining them, except to say that they're &amp;quot;not self&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my theory is that the skandhas are a list of things which a person could possibly view as self (my form, my sense-impressions, my thoughts, etc.), but the purpose of this list is in order to say that these are &amp;quot;not self&amp;quot;: so that a person becomes &amp;quot;estranged&amp;quot; from (perhaps instead of &amp;quot;entangled&amp;quot; with) each skandha, and with estrangement is able to become dispassionate and therefore liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IOW it may not exactly matter what the skandhas are and the boundary of each one, how they map to English concepts such as &amp;quot;emotion&amp;quot;, or whether a dog has Buddha-nature: what matters (for the purpose of this lesson) is that they're all &amp;quot;not self&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9963/three-questions-about-sensual-desire/9980#comment14338_9980&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; you were asking about &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. Because I just mentioned &amp;quot;not-self&amp;quot; I should clarify that Buddhism calls these the &amp;quot;three characteristics&amp;quot; (or three facts or three marks) of existence -- i.e. is says that all conditioned things (&lt;em&gt;sankhāra&lt;/em&gt;) are impermanent (&lt;em&gt;aniccā&lt;/em&gt;), unsatisfactory (dukkhā), and not-self (&lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is another quote&lt;/a&gt; which says that the purpose of analyzing the human being into skandhas is (merely) to show that these things (form, senses, perceptions, etc.) are impermanent:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the concept of &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt; applies to all compounded and conditioned things, the Buddha is more concerned with the so-called being; for the problem is with man and not with dead things. Like an anatomist who resolves a limb into tissues and tissues into cells, the Buddha, the Analyzer (&lt;em&gt;Vibhajjavaadi&lt;/em&gt;), analyzed the so-called being, the &lt;em&gt;sankhaara pu~nja&lt;/em&gt;, the heap of processes, into five ever-changing aggregates, and made it clear that there is nothing abiding, nothing eternally conserved, in this conflux of aggregates (&lt;em&gt;khandhaa santati&lt;/em&gt;). They are: — — material form or body; feeling or sensation; perception; mental formations; consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Enlightened One explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates, monks, are &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;, impermanent; whatever is impermanent, that is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, unsatisfactory; whatever is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, that is without &lt;em&gt;attaa&lt;/em&gt;, self. What is without self, that is not mine, that I am not, that is not my self. Thus should it be seen by perfect wisdom (&lt;em&gt;sammappa~n~naaya&lt;/em&gt;) as it really is. Who sees by perfect wisdom, as it really is, his mind, not grasping, is detached from taints; he is liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SN 22.45&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the important thing to notice about the skandhas is that they're impermanent (and unsatisfactory and not-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T13:11:52.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9983" CreationDate="2015-07-03T13:28:34.077" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of questions in one question. You might consider splitting them up and asking separate questions. This ensures that other users will find it easier to answer the question and you will get better and more precise answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is based on the last section of your question, i.e. the part about the &lt;em&gt;5th aggregate of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness exists a taker of objects. Without consciousness there would be no awareness of the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might have experienced this before, e.g. if you have been fully absorped in a good book or movie and someone calls your name and you dont hear it. That is not because the sound of the voice is not there, its just because consciousness was not at the ear-sensebase at that moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 3 factors that must come together in order to talk about &lt;em&gt;conscious experience&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sense base, e.g. The eye-sensebase.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Visible light which is the corresponding object for the eye&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eye consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is further divided into the 6 types according to it's bases:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eye consciousness cognizes light, i.e. visible forms and objects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ear consciousness cognizes sound&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nose consciousness cognizes smell&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tongue consciousness cognizes taste&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Body consciousness cognizes tangible sensations&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind consciousness cognizes mental objects such as ideas, concepts, thoughts, volitions and other mental formations&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.noblepath.org/BB/20131005MN109-a.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;To gain more knowledge about this i would recommend listening to this dhamma talk on the 5 aggregates by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;. This talk gives a detailed explanation of all the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T13:28:34.077" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9985" CreationDate="2015-07-03T15:35:40.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try one of these to slow down your mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follow your breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follow the representation of your breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Walking meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration meditation (upon an object)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep the body still with eyes closed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice these in a quiet place. Usually within five to ten minutes you will notice a difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T15:35:40.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9985" CreationDate="2015-07-03T16:04:37.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strike&gt;There are always many things happening in the body, your mind is getting distracted trying to focus on everything.&lt;/strike&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strike&gt;You need to spend more time on your samatha (ex. anapana) practice, so that your mind can focus better on whatever object you direct it at in Vipassana.&lt;/strike&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&amp;gt; edit: there seems to be some confusion..this didn't seem like a&#xA;&amp;gt; distracted state; I was able to be mindful of multiple things&#xA;&amp;gt; happening at once all over my body. The normal areas where sensations&#xA;&amp;gt; occur that I'm only able to be mindful of one at a time i.e.&#xA;&amp;gt; sensations on my head, my arms, pain in the back, legs, I was nearly&#xA;&amp;gt; fully aware of all at once.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologies I misunderstood, then this sounds like &lt;em&gt;Bhanga nana&lt;/em&gt; - knowledge of dissolution. The best way to confirm this is if sooner or later you start hitting the bhaya (fear) nana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: &lt;em&gt;Identifying the nana category with certainty is difficult for the yogi himself/herself, let alone for a third party, so don't take any nana diagnosis as correct until it is verified a few different ways.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/knowledg.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/knowledg.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What happens next? The meditator’s awareness and concentration&#xA;  continues to develop. As a result, he now sees only the passing away&#xA;  of phenomena. It is as if his awareness is so fast, it is faster than&#xA;  the experiences he is examining, As soon as he places his attention on&#xA;  some aspect of his experience, it disappears. This is the knowledge of&#xA;  dissolution (bhanga-nana). In a weak aspect, this can take the form of&#xA;  the meditator apparently losing his concentration. It seems like he&#xA;  can no longer focus on anything; his attention keeps sliding off&#xA;  whatever he tries to look at. It can be lie trying to grasp something&#xA;  that slips out of your hand the moment you touch it. In a stronger&#xA;  aspect, it can be like falling into the black hole of Calcutta.&#xA;  Wherever you look, there is nothing - only blackness. The meditator is&#xA;  shocked, because he used to be able to focus on anything. Now, it&#xA;  seems, he can focus on nothing at all. All his good work has dissolved&#xA;  into nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just want to add the excellent advice that the same page gives about the nana categories - there are an infinite ways to map this journey, and the 16 nana map is good, but may not identify every sensation you encounter. The only way to practice is to continue the practice undaunted, whatever the feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 16 nanas constitute another way to categorise our experience.&#xA;  There are any number of ways we can analyse our experience; there are&#xA;  a potentially infinite number of categories we can invent into which&#xA;  we can classify our experiences. What is important is that we remember&#xA;  the difference between category and experience, and avoid becoming&#xA;  lost in the category. Our tendency is to get lost in the categories,&#xA;  and in doing so, lose touch with experience. When we create a system&#xA;  of categories we freeze the process of living experience and create a&#xA;  solid something in which our experience must now conform. We now&#xA;  divide our experience into two basic divisions: those experiences&#xA;  which we can fit into our system of categories, and which is therefore&#xA;  valid, real and useful; and those experiences which we cannot fit into&#xA;  our system of categories. Of course, in the act of meditating, we put&#xA;  more attention to our valid, real and useful experiences than we do to&#xA;  the other type. In brief, we become stuck in attachment and aversion,&#xA;  and instead of investigating our experience, we revert to manipulating&#xA;  it. We take the practice of freedom and turn it into a prison. This is&#xA;  inevitably the case when we project reality into the categories of&#xA;  analysis - whatever system we use - and not into the actual, living,&#xA;  stream of experience. Hence we must treat this system with great&#xA;  caution. We must learn to use it, and not be used by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also like to add something by Bodhipaksa, of Wildmind.org - it's more general advise, but I think you can make it work in your situation too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Our meditation practice never changes in a constant, linear way. There&#xA;  are always ups and downs. One day you’re sitting there and you&#xA;  unexpectedly find that you’re blissfully happy and almost totally&#xA;  without distraction. The next day your mind is all over the place.&#xA;  This is normal, and it’s good to relax, and not be obsessed about&#xA;  “getting somewhere.” Yes, it’s good to have the aspiration to move in&#xA;  the direction of greater calm and happiness, but the expectation that&#xA;  this is going to happen will bring us nothing but pain. Bearing in&#xA;  mind the aspiration to move in the direction of greater calm and&#xA;  happiness, we simply work with whatever arises, not worrying about&#xA;  whether it’s a “good” meditation or a “bad” meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-03T21:29:18.737" LastActivityDate="2015-07-03T21:29:18.737" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9983" CreationDate="2015-07-03T18:36:30.687" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rupa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this refer to physical form? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, anything physical is included in this category. Ex: light, sound, aromas,earth element, water element, heat element, air element  etc. &#xA;However, with regards to the five skandhas, a thought is also called a rupa when it becomes the object received by the mind sense faculty. Ex: a memory&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can we only know form through the sense organs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there'll be no knowing without the 6 senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/feelings.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are these just sensations from the sense organs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense organs cannot produce sensation by themselves. The contact should occur. That is the union of Rupa, sense organ and the relevant consciousness.&#xA;ex: light, eye and the eye consciousness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are basically 3 kinds of sensations: pleasant, painful and neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If this is the case, does emotion fall under sensation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, that is Sankhara(Mental Formation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/perceptions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanna(Perception)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the faculty to recognize is consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Consciousness is just base awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how is perception and consciousness different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanna(perception) is what recognizes the object specifically. Awareness cannot tell what it is. But awareness is present at this stage as they all rise together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/formations.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhara(Mental Formation)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm assuming this is where emotions exist? Is happiness an emotion? Is&#xA;  loving-kindness an emotion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, that's right. Happiness, loving kindness, hatred, jealousy, craving etc. belong to this group&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/consciousness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinnana(Consciousness)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If this is the case, then is consciousness that which observes&#xA;  sensations, mental formations, perception and form, or that which&#xA;  experiences sensation, perception, mental formations and form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A single experience contains all 5 of the Skhandas. They make up the whole experience. Think of it as drinking a chocolate milk shake. When you drink it, do you feel the taste of milk, chocolate, sugar separately? No. You feel them all together. Consciousness is like the water they are all mixed in. Consciousness cannot separately observe anything. Observing itself is an experience where all 5 skandhas are present.  In an experience, consciousness simply plays the role of being aware. When you are asleep, the ear consciousness may not be present at the ears. That's why you won't be able to hear, even if the sound hits the ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can the experience of sensation exist if we are not conscious of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Every experience has all the 5 skhandas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are animals conscious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, they are beings. It's Panchaskhandha for them as well&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is the difference between consciousness and self-awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is what plays the role of being aware in an experience. Self-awareness is an experience(5 skandhas) in which the perception identifies the object of the experience as a self.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give a common example to illustrate the functions of the Skandhas, say you are smelling something delicious. The smell and the nose here are Rupa. When they get together with the nose consciousness, contact happens. At that moment the Vinnana is aware that an object is present at the nose sense door. Vedana tells that it is pleasant. Sanna tells what it is: whether it's a pudding, cake, ice cream etc. Sankhara tells it's good and desires for it. Keep in mind that the event of smelling here involves many instances of five aggregates rising and passing away.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-04T11:57:44.653" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T11:57:44.653" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="253" CreationDate="2015-07-04T03:58:27.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes merits can cancel out bad kamma, known as &lt;em&gt;Ahosi Kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Yes good karma can cancel out some of bad karma. Good deeds with the seek for reputation, as far as I know, if someone does something with a good heart but expecting reputation as another result, it can be still merit. Because someone has to get to nirvana to stop collecting merits or kamma. Merits is a real concept. When someone does good deed even without affiliation for reputation, he will get it very soon, in this life itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of someone who gives alms to an arahat, he will receive the benefits this life itself or in the next and good results will come until he reaches Nirvana. The mind of the person who accepts alms also matters, the power of the will of the giver also matters. And Dana sila bawana are only the three main methods to get merit. There are ten methods known as Dasa Punya Kriya. Those three are the first three under the ten methods. Just search for &quot;Ten meritorious acts&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You made a question to clear and make your view correct. When you understand the answers for the question, u collect merit. It's the number ten in the meritorious acts. And I am trying to teach you something I know on Dhamma, it is also a merit, number eight in the list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I will mention the ten&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bawana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reverence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Services in helping others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Transferring merits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rejoicing merits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Preaching dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listening to Dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Straightening views&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Merits a good foundation for higher levels. Without merits, you cannot continue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-14T18:07:12.580" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T18:07:12.580" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9993" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-04T06:37:38.813" Score="4" ViewCount="632" Body="&lt;p&gt;How valid or verifiable is the claim that a sotapanna leads no more than seven lives? Or a once returner returns once?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another claim that practicing earnestly for seven days or seven weeks or a maximum of seven years should be enough to attain nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas as far as I can see, nibbana doesn't seem too common at all. Certainly not the kind of numbers one would expect if it was possible in a few years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there present day evidence for the latter? If there isn't then shouldn't it also lead me to wonder about the former?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note: I'm not saying arahatship or lesser ariya states are impossible, just not very sure about the maintainability and significance of the number 7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the learned opinion here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen approach of &lt;em&gt;nowhere to go, nowhere to arrive&lt;/em&gt; seems more commonsensical to the extent that there is nothing to disprove. On the flip side one can be really only wearing out one's cushion in the Zendo, and there'd be no way to verify one's attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-04T06:44:40.023" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T05:35:58.260" Title="7 lives/years: maintainability and significance of the number 7" Tags="|nirvana|stream-entry|arhats|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9994" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9995" CreationDate="2015-07-04T13:03:15.227" Score="12" ViewCount="810" Body="&lt;p&gt;References to a rebirth in the heavenly realms seems to be viewed in a positive light in Buddhism. It's easy to see why it would be considered more favorable than a rebirth in the hell realms of course. But my understanding is that beings in heaven don't practice the dhamma as there is no suffering to create conditions for them to seek the cessation of suffering, so they will not become enlightened there. Is there something positive that comes of a rebirth in the heavens other than a temporary respite from suffering? I realize we don't get to choose our rebirths, but I would like to know if heaven is considered to be a truly beneficial place and if so, why? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T17:37:01.490" Title="Why would anyone ever want to go to the heavens?" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|heavens|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9994" CreationDate="2015-07-04T16:35:03.630" Score="20" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is suffering in heaven. They still have to eat to maintain their bodies. They feel frightened when they get to know that their lives are running out. I've heard that there's a divine tree with flowers in the palaces of the Devas. When an year of their world comes to completion, a flower will wither and fall down. That is how they know that they are ageing. When they see this, they get upset and worried. Then they come to human world to acquire fresh merits. Also, their radiance diminishes as they age. When they are about to die, the flower garlands around their necks wither and they start to sweat as well. It is also said that they can perish if they get angry or forget to eat because they are too caught up with other pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are greater distractions to the path in heavens due to the extreme sensual pleasures, but there are Devas and Brahmas who spend their time meditating. Especially the ones who have attained Magga Phala. Also, in the suttas we hear about many Devas and Brahmas attaining enlightenment after listening to the Buddha's sermons. Ex: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Anatta Lakkhana Sutta etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some of the advantages of being a Deva or a Brahma with regards to practicing the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They are born in full form with palaces and all the other requirements. They are not clumsy like humans at birth. So they don't need to spend a childhood orienting themselves to the world, studying and acquiring skills to make money just to get food, clothes and lodging. That saves a lot of time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They don't get sick. It can be difficult to meditate if you get sick often.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They don't have bodily discomfort. So they can sit in one position for a long time. This is actually more useful if you do Samatha first and then turn it to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They don't have to take bath or cleanup as divine food has no excrements. So while meditations like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt; won't work in heavens, it saves time for other meditations. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Their life spans are huge. So once they learn a meditation technique, they can keep practicing it without having to learn it all over again.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They don't get angry easily, so they can possibly attain concentration faster, if they seclude themselves (helpful for samatha pubbangama vipassana).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;They possibly get to meet other Devas and Brahmas who have directly heard the Dhamma from the Buddha. The Abhidhamma was fully preached at Tavatimsa heaven. So there are Devas and Brahmas who have heard the comprehensive version. We humans only have the summarized version.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The higher chance of meeting enlightened beings in heaven compared to human world nowadays.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The ability to read the minds can help them recognize enlightened beings easily. The divine eyes and the divine ears can be used to listen to all the sermons of the Buddha even from the palace.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The chance to hear the Dhamma from several Buddhas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, bear in mind that suffering in the first noble truth doesn't just mean pain. A pleasurable experience is also an instance of suffering as it is subjected to change and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-04T17:37:01.490" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T17:37:01.490" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9996" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="9999" CreationDate="2015-07-04T18:18:10.700" Score="3" ViewCount="251" Body="&lt;p&gt;This collection of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; includes the following,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Three Poisons/Defilements (&lt;em&gt;Kilesas&lt;/em&gt; – lit. torments of the mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Greed (&lt;em&gt;lobha&lt;/em&gt;) – mindfulness transforms this into Faith&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Aversion/hatred (&lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;) – mindfulness transforms this into discriminating Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Delusion (&lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;) – mindfulness transforms this into Equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do the statements like &quot;mindfulness transforms this into Faith&quot; mean? Where else (in literature) is this explained? Why these particular pairs (Faith from Greed, Wisdom from Aversion, and Equanimity from Delusion), what is the connection or how is the transformation between each pair?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia gave a &lt;strong&gt;different&lt;/strong&gt; set of pairs as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)#Opposite_wholesome_qualities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Opposite wholesome qualities&lt;/a&gt;, which seem more obviously connected/related/opposite than the pairs or &quot;transformations&quot; listed above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three wholesome mental factors that are identified as the opposites of the three poisons are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;amoha (non-bewilderment); prajna (wisdom)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;alobha (non-attachment)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;adveṣa (non-aggression, lack of hatred); mettā (loving-kindness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The principal aim of the Buddhist path is to cultivate these and related positive qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T22:38:10.103" Title="Transforming the three poisons" Tags="|kleshas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9997" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10000" CreationDate="2015-07-04T20:00:18.673" Score="10" ViewCount="5634" Body="&lt;p&gt;This page of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot;&gt;Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four Brahma-viharas (Highest Attitudes/Emotions)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heavenly or sublime abodes (best home). Near enemy is a quality that can masquerade as the original, but is not the original. Far enemy is the opposite quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lovingkindness, good-will (metta): Near enemy – attachment; far enemy – hatred&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Compassion (karuna): Near enemy – pity; far enemy – cruelty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sympathetic joy, Appreciation (mudita), joy at the good fortune of others: Near enemy – comparison,hypocrisy, insincerity, joy for others but tinged with identification (my team, my child); far enemy – envy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkha): Near enemy – indifference; far enemy – anxiety, greed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that &quot;pity is the near enemy of compassion&quot;, then what is the difference between 'compassion' and 'pity' (e.g. what is present in compassion but absent in pity, or vice versa)? Does knowledge/awareness of that difference somehow inform your intentions and/or actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="10376" LastEditDate="2019-08-31T13:31:42.867" LastActivityDate="2019-08-31T13:31:42.867" Title="What is the difference between 'compassion' and 'pity'?" Tags="|compassion|metta|brahmavihara|karuna|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9997" CreationDate="2015-07-04T20:27:30.730" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This answer is based on my own understanding of &lt;em&gt;compassion&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;pity&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is an honest and true way of wanting to help another being. One sees and understands this beings situation and wants to help. In this type of help there is no attachment involved. This way of helping is pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pity is different. In pity there is an element of attachment present. One might even feel guilty or obliged to help. One helps because one wants to ease the bad conscience that has arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So compassion is a pure and genuine wanting to help while pity is wanting to help based on attachment in order to ease ones own guilty conscience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i can make a comparison then compassion is like having a real rose and taking care of it because of its gentle nature. Pity is like having a plastic rose that one does not need to give any special care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I stumbled upon a video by Ven. Yuttadhammo that you might find useful. It's called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAAGbEPRdQw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Compassion vs. Pity&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little summary of it is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The question was, &quot;It's easy to feel compassion for someone who's worse off than I am; but how can I feel compassion for someone who's better off, who I don't pity?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The answer started by saying that the &lt;em&gt;brahma viharas&lt;/em&gt; are meditations in their own right which you can practice if you feel yourself lacking in them; but that according to the tradition which he follows they are not considered to be crucial or essential because the more important thing is wisdom: if you have wisdom then you'll naturally be compassionate.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion manifests as &quot;non cruelty&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When someone else does evil things then you feel compassion because you know they're suffering or are going to suffer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion has no bearing on whether someone people is badly off or someone is well off: it's a state of non-cruelty, it's a state of wishing to help people who are in suffering and not wishing to hurt people; it's a state that's in harmony, that's free from the evil where we do hurt other people and try to get the better of them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T21:46:04.587" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T21:46:04.587" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="9999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9996" CreationDate="2015-07-04T21:08:59.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The article titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Way of Wisdom&lt;/a&gt; says the following, which explains a connection between greed and faith,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is usual to classify types of personality according to whether they are dominated by greed, hatred or confusion. Those who walk in greed are said to be more susceptible to faith than the other two, because of the kinship which exists between faith and greed. To quote Buddhaghosa (Visuddhimagga III,75):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As on the unwholesome plane greed clings and takes no offense, so faith on the wholesome plane. As greed searches for objects of sense-desire, so faith for the qualities of morality, etc. As greed does not let go that which is harmful, so faith does not let go that which is beneficial.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So then, looking at the next section of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, that explains a connection between aversion and wisdom (literally intelligence and understanding),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;76&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One of intelligent temperament is parallel to one of hating temperament&#xA;because understanding is strong when profitable [kamma] occurs in one of hating&#xA;temperament, owing to its special qualities being near to those of hate. For, in an&#xA;unprofitable way, hate is disaffected and does not hold to its object, and so, in a&#xA;profitable way, is understanding. Hate seeks out only unreal faults, while&#xA;understanding seeks out only real faults. And hate occurs in the mode of&#xA;condemning living beings, while understanding occurs in the mode of condemning&#xA;formations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading further in the Visuddhimagga I don't see a similar relation delusion and equanimity. Paragraph 77 relates delusion with a &amp;quot;speculative&amp;quot; temperament:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;77&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One of speculative temperament is parallel to one of deluded temperament&#xA;because obstructive applied thoughts arise often in one of deluded temperament&#xA;who is striving to arouse unarisen profitable states, owing to their special qualities&#xA;being near to those of delusion. For just as delusion is restless owing to perplexity,&#xA;so are applied thoughts that are due to thinking over various aspects. And just as&#xA;delusion vacillates owing to superficiality, so do applied thoughts that are due to&#xA;facile conjecturing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that &amp;quot;speculative&amp;quot; is good nor related to equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one paragraph later on, though, which clearly relates delusion with equanimity ... because, it says, delusion is an equanimity cased by unknowing,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;94&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And by seeing and so on: when one of greedy temperament sees even a slightly&#xA;pleasing visible object, he looks long as if surprised, he seizes on trivial virtues,&#xA;discounts genuine faults, and when departing, he does so with regret as if unwilling&#xA;to leave. When one of hating temperament sees even a slightly unpleasing visible&#xA;object, he avoids looking long as if he were tired, he picks out trivial faults, discounts&#xA;genuine virtues, and when departing, he does so without regret as if anxious to&#xA;leave. When one of deluded temperament sees any sort of visible object, he copies&#xA;what others do: if he hears others criticizing, he criticizes; if he hears others praising,&#xA;he praises; but actually he feels equanimity in himself—the equanimity of&#xA;unknowing. So too with sounds, and so on.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Greed searches for and tries to keep for objects of sense-desire – faith searches for and tries to keep qualities of morality.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion rejects things because it's of a hating temperament, and looks for unreal faults – wisdom rejects formations, and looks for real faults.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusion feels equanimity because it's ignorant.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The context comes from a previous paragraph, i.e. they're meant to be descriptions of different &amp;quot;temperaments&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;28&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But mundane concentration should be developed by one who has taken his&#xA;stand on virtue that is quite purified in the way already stated. He should sever&#xA;any of the ten impediments that he may have. He should then approach the good&#xA;friend, the giver of a meditation subject, and he should apprehend from among&#xA;the forty meditation subjects &lt;strong&gt;one that suits his own temperament&lt;/strong&gt;. After that he&#xA;should avoid a monastery unfavourable to the development of concentration and&#xA;go to live in one that is favourable. Then he should sever the lesser impediments&#xA;and not overlook any of the directions for development. This is in brief.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-04T22:38:10.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9997" CreationDate="2015-07-05T09:06:06.640" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The dictionary descriptions of compassion and pity are similar. But in modern English usage, pity has an element of holding yourself superior to whatever conditions are affecting the person you feel pity towards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you may feel sorrow for someone and pity them, but at the same time feel they are in some way responsible for their predicament. It's a subtle thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and sympathy are the words used to express the sorrow or concern you feel for someone when you don't have this same feeling of superiority or feeling that the person is somehow to blame for their misfortunes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of this is that to say to someone, &quot;I pity you&quot; is quite an insult while to say to someone &quot;I sympathize with you&quot; or &quot;You have my compassion&quot; is comforting or reassuring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've seen karuna described as compassionate pity. And with the qualifier of &quot;compassionate&quot; it works around this subtle element of superiority/blame. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of these words necessarily mean taking action to help or relieve the suffering of the being who has prompted your compassion, pity, or sympathy. You may feel moved to help or you may feel unable to help. Your decision to help, or not, is different than the feeling of sorrow for another being. An example: two people watch a documentary on drug addiction. One feels pity for the addicts as they believe them to be responsible for their predicament. The other feels compassion for the addicts as they view addiction more as an illness. Neither one takes any action to help but they have each experienced the emotion of sorrow for another being in different perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist point of view, feeling superior to someone else (by looking on their misfortunes with pity instead of compassion) would be short sighted as the ripening of our own karmic fruit is always unknown until it happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;It's possible this view of pity, as being sorrow touched with superiority to that which is being pitied, is not universal. However here in the United States, if a person were to say, &quot;you have my pity&quot; an expected response might be, &quot;I don't need your pity!&quot; or &quot;I don't want your pity!&quot;. Actually those words are said even in cases where a person suspects they are being pitied. In these parts, &quot;pity&quot; definitely has negative aspects which are not present in &quot;compassion&quot; or &quot;sympathy&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T13:04:55.843" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T13:04:55.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9974" CreationDate="2015-07-05T13:51:26.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practiced correctly, there aren't many negative effects of samatha meditation.  That being said, there are quite a few &quot;detours&quot; that one might stumble down without proper guidance.  I think the greatest danger is bliss seeking and clinging to the bliss of jhana.  From personal experience, I can tell you that this is particularly pernicious.  Even knowing full well how easy it is to slip into this sort of thing, the highs that sitting can usher in are spectacularly enticing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subtle craving that the adsorptions engender (and sometimes they ain't even that subtle) really throw up a number of road blocks in your practice.  For instance, you might start thinking sits where you don't get into jhana to be somehow &quot;missed opportunities&quot;, you might start trying to reconstruct the feeling of absorption without letting it arise naturally, and perhaps most damaging, you start to think of enlightenment as this kind of blissed out alternative to samsara and not the resolution of form and emptiness as taught by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana is Buddha, but pain in your legs is also Buddha.  Almost feverish restlessness is every bit as important to your practice as ascending to the Brahma heavens.  The danger is in distinction.                 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T13:51:26.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10003" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-05T15:56:23.950" Score="13" ViewCount="7098" Body="&lt;p&gt;I´m writing an article about pictures of the afterlifes/havens in different religions. But I wasn´t able to find pictures/paintings/artworks that picture Nirvana on the internet. So my question is: Are there pictures of Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5417" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-05T16:06:16.613" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T14:48:37.590" Title="Are there pictures/paintings of Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|art|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-05T16:31:42.107" Score="12" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirvana isn't a heaven, but a state or condition where there is no&#xA;  death, because there is also no birth, no coming into existence,&#xA;  nothing made by conditioning, and therefore no time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia - Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't a place of pleasures, like heavens typically are, but a state of no becoming, no dualities like pleasure and pain. It neither is, nor isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In a famous passage in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbana Sutta (Udana 8.1)&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha&#xA;  states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor&#xA;  fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor&#xA;  dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of&#xA;  nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception;&#xA;  neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there,&#xA;  I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor stasis; neither passing&#xA;  away nor arising: without stance, without foundation, without support&#xA;  [mental object]. This, just this, is the end of stress (dukkha;&#xA;  suffering)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that mean there are no heavens in Buddhism? Not like the Christian idea, as a final destination, no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are realms (ex. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C4%81yastri%E1%B9%83%C5%9Ba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Trayatimsa&lt;/a&gt;) which are more pleasurable than earth, where one can with enough merit be reborn and eventually die to be reborn again, ad inifinitum till Nirvana i.e. cessation. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia-Buddhist Cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's an artist's imagination of Trayatimsa realm, however there can be no picture of Nirvana. (Image source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha_preaching_Abhidhamma_in_Tavatimsa.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikimedia-commons&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/0Aoo6.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Buddha preaching to the devas in Trayatimsa&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;EDIT:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering it some more, I think the abstract expressionism of the Zen Ensō or circle is what you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ensō symbolizes absolute enlightenment, strength, elegance, the&#xA;  universe, and mu (the void). It is characterised by a minimalism born&#xA;  of Japanese aesthetics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Source: Ensō - Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mqpMR.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Enso&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T10:10:37.337" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T10:10:37.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-05T16:43:48.333" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; depictions of after-lifes (e.g. heavens and hells etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However Buddhism teaches that these too are impermanent and not ultimately satisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is meant to be &lt;em&gt;instead of&lt;/em&gt; afterlives such as those. It supposes a turning away from &lt;em&gt;form&lt;/em&gt;, from &lt;em&gt;sense-impressions&lt;/em&gt;, and from &lt;em&gt;mental imaginings&lt;/em&gt; (and so I don't see how to depict it as a picture).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need an equivalent, an equivalent might be a representation of the Buddha (there are many pictures of that).&#xA;Or the only other pictorial symbol I can think of, that's sometimes used to represent enlightenment, is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ensō&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T16:43:48.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-05T17:22:37.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only conceptual ones, IE only artists interpretations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/5iFdu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T17:22:37.287" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-05T19:41:49.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As others have mentioned, Nirvana is not a type of heaven, it's more of an extinguishing of conditioned things. It wouldn't make a very good picture. However Buddhism is not without its heavenly places. Some schools of Mahayana Buddhism have a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1389/what-is-the-pure-land&quot;&gt;Pure Land&lt;/a&gt; practice or consider the Pure Land to be a destination on the way to becoming a Buddha. Both the descriptions and depictions of the Pure Land are quite lovely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, Shariputra, in that Buddhaland there is always divine music and the ground is yellow gold. In the six periods of the day and night a heavenly rain of mandarava (white lotus) flowers fall, and throughout the clear morning, each living being of that land, offers sacks full of the myriad of wonderful flowers, to the hundreds of billions of Buddhas in the other directions…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shariputra, in that Buddhaland when the soft wind blows, the rows of jeweled trees and jeweled nets give forth subtle and wonderful sounds, like one hundred thousand kinds of music played in symphony. The hearts of all those who hear are naturally inspired with mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha…&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/J8No2.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt; Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://cttbusa.org/buddhism_brief_introduction/chapter7.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://cttbusa.org/buddhism_brief_introduction/chapter7.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T20:16:20.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10008" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10014" CreationDate="2015-07-05T19:43:51.373" Score="5" ViewCount="257" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a meditator achieves e.g. the 5th jhana of infinite space, is he or she still in this world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously the body is, but what about the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask this question for a broader one: can sentient beings perceive the world of form as something formless? i.e. can we imagine a termination of form as something which can happen to this mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-07-05T20:21:05.840" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T07:12:05.417" Title="The formless jhanas in this world" Tags="|jhana|meditation-effects|rupa|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9962" CreationDate="2015-07-05T20:18:01.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some people say (and others exemplify) that &quot;in the present day one&#xA;  must learn to mix the spiritual life with the ordinary life&quot;: why do&#xA;  they say this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Begging and homelessness is illegal. Buddhism has no state support in the West. Monasteries that do exist have long waiting lists for application. I hear that in Taiwan, though, it is fairly easy to become a full time monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is monasticism more a matter of &quot;culture&quot; than &quot;pursuit of the truth&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's all about economics. In the time of the Buddha, it was a stroke of genius to think up a way to get out of the rat race by going forth, begging and teaching and being moral in return for donations. The business model doesn't work in the west.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is racism and a language barrier a reason why people look for an&#xA;  alternative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sort of, at least in the case of westerners going to Nepal and India, where you can't get a visa to stay indefinitely-- but this is because of ordinary xenophobia and government just not wanting to be bothered with immigrants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does a modern social taboo on religion and an ascending trend towards&#xA;  secular materialism explain why people no longer &quot;go forth&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somewhat. If you are a secular Buddhist (I consider myself to be one), the focus is on this life and the collective that follows us on earth. In a Mahayanaist path to liberation, you practice in this life as a monk so that in future lives you become a Buddha where you can provide mundane benefits to others. If we don't live after death, then it's more important to be of use to others in a mundane sense now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is 24x7 immersion necessary to become an arhat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer depends on what you think enlightenment is. Some sects envision it as something that can be done soon, other in a virtually infinite amount of time, other see it as already done, what ever that means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about simple lay pleasures? Don't even monastics smoke and listen to music?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They couldn't if the laity didn't think they should. If a lay follower was going to gain merit by donating to a monk, if that monk was a goof off, then people wouldn't be incline to donate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe in the magical sin of alcohol, meat or tobacco. I believe in the real problem of alcoholism, heart disease and lung disease. If I gave a buck to a monk and they spent it on whiskey, hamburgers and ciggies-- all luxury goods, I would think they were probably rich enough to not need by dollar.  I imagine the problem with music is not so much that the music is evil, but if you have the leisure to listen to music, then what work of soteriological benefit is being skipped?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the monastic life still relevant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a vanishingly few monasteries, mostly far, far from where I live. I think I see in person a Buddhist monk or nun about every few years, only because I live in Washington, DC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-07-05T20:18:01.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10010" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-05T21:04:46.327" Score="2" ViewCount="247" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Might&lt;/em&gt; it be true that emptiness can be conceived of as the one taste of mind: that the world of mind has only one reality which is everywhere and always the same, unchanging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who (which groups or individuals) say so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And: what &lt;strong&gt;reasons&lt;/strong&gt; are there to believe it is a correct charaterisation of mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T19:07:41.817" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T19:07:41.817" Title="Emptiness and one taste" Tags="|philosophy|sunyata|mind|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-06T00:10:19.547" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;On traditional &lt;em&gt;bhavachakra&lt;/em&gt; images, Nirvana in its &quot;peace of mind&quot; aspect is symbolized by the full moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While sentient beings down in the realms of Samsara are busy chasing desires and experiencing fruits of their own actions, Buddha points his finger at the moon as if saying: &quot;if only you could let go of your attachments, you would get it right here and now&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/RL3nk.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;bhavachakra&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T00:35:47.273" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T00:35:47.273" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9993" CreationDate="2015-07-06T05:35:58.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm addresses this in his book &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness, Bliss, And Beyond&lt;/em&gt;. He notes that most people are not correctly practicing mindfulness such that it will allow them to attain stream entry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this is an alluring promise from the Buddha, understanding it requires a measure of brutal personal honesty: Are we in-fact practicing true, unwavering mindfulness during all waking moments of our lives for seven days straight? Such a task is actually quite difficult; even when we get a good, mindful groove going, it is exceedingly easy to lapse out of mindfulness and have to start again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine that much of the meditation average folks do is primarily aimed at cultivating (i.e. learning, developing, and strengthening) mindfulness. It takes full mastery of mindfulness to be able to apply it long enough to break down our delusions to attain enlightenment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One final point Ajahn Brahm notes: depending on an individuals level of attainment (i.e. once-returner, arahant, etc) it may be very difficult to truly identify them. Traditionally, only the Buddha himself could verify these attainments. Thus, we should be careful in assuming how likely or unlikely occurrences of enlightenment are, though it is clear that even basic stream-entry requires serious work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T05:35:58.260" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10008" CreationDate="2015-07-06T07:12:05.417" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a meditator achieves e.g. the 5th jhana of infinite space, is he&#xA;  or she still in this world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, he doesn't disappear. When you sleep, you are not aware of what's happening around you. But that doesn't mean the world is gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Obviously the body is, but what about the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the mind is still associated with the body. Just that it's focusing on the space element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;can sentient beings perceive the world of form as something formless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atoms are 99.9999999999999 percent empty space. They say If you remove all the space in the atoms, the entire human race could fit in the volume of a sugar cube. That gives you an idea of how much our senses fool us. It's mostly empty space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T07:12:05.417" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10010" CreationDate="2015-07-06T07:27:39.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one focuses on the emptiness of things, it will be the object of the mind at that time. Those(non Buddhists) who attain the Ākiṃcanyāyatana(7th Jhana) could get the false view that sphere of Nothingness is unchanging and permanent. But it isn't. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T12:28:34.743" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T12:28:34.743" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10010" CreationDate="2015-07-06T07:58:22.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think such experiential truths should not be intellectualised. Any intellectual stance - of permanence or impermanence will be outside of non-dual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silence is the right answer. cf. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra#Use_of_silence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vimalakirti sutra&lt;/a&gt; (Wikipedia).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vimalakīrti remains silent while discussing the subject of emptiness&#xA;  with an assembly of bodhisattvas. The bodhisattvas give a variety of&#xA;  answers on the question what non-duality is. Manjusri is the last&#xA;  bodhisattva to answer, and says that &quot;by giving an explanation they&#xA;  have already fallen into dualism&quot;. Vimalakirti, in his turn, answers&#xA;  with silence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;p.s. I didn't downvote, I don't object to the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T08:06:31.897" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T08:06:31.897" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10017" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-06T12:22:00.633" Score="8" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;I notice, in images of monks and lay people in seated meditation, that many of these various persons appear to be using very poor posture, e.g. slumped and not erect. Written instructions and video instructions often recommend adherence to a straight spine and/or an erect posture. I think the Buddha simply instructed that one sit, without specific instructions about an erect straight-spine posture. Therefore, I find myself confused and distracted regarding &quot;correct&quot; posture. My breathe seems to be more natural and relaxed if I &quot;slump&quot; just a bit and dispense with the &quot;straight spine&quot;. Although, I've also noticed that when I notice that my attention to the breathe has wavered I have gravitated into a more pronounced &quot;slump&quot;! SO, what is most acceptable and correct?&#xA;Thanks for any advice that is offered :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T13:11:22.103" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T13:31:54.937" Title="Is a straight spine/spinal posture during seated meditation critical?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10017" CreationDate="2015-07-06T13:31:54.937" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't look at posture as a matter of right and wrong, correct or incorrect.  Ideal posture exists for the sole purpose of helping you develop concentration.  The general idea is that an upright body equals an upright mind.  Slouching is going to cause you to fall into sleepiness.  Your mind will go as slack as your body.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a more mundane level, if you tend to tilt forward in your sitting, a couple of other things are going to happen.  For one, after about a half an hour, the middle of your back is going to start to hurt.  You might also feel tension in your shoulders as your muscles struggle to keep your body upright.  You might also notice that as you lean forward, you start to restrict air flow.  It's not like this is going to cause you to pass out, but it will be harder to do deep, abdominal breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And remember, this is an ideal.  No one is going to smack you upside the head if your posture goes a little slack (well, unless you are studying at a Rinzai temple!).  Maintaining correct posture is only going to benefit your sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T13:31:54.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10019" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-06T16:28:35.327" Score="9" ViewCount="1465" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read in many places about Cula Sotapanna or 'Lesser Sotapanna' and 'Faith Follower'. Are they the same or different? Do both of them attain to Sotapatti phala in the same lifetime?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5425" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T17:19:27.903" Title="What is the difference between a cula sotapanna and 'faith follower' ?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10028" CreationDate="2015-07-06T17:08:12.503" Score="6" ViewCount="4135" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come across a few references to Magga phala and can only find obscure half explanations of what it is referring to and some of the explanations seem to be contradictory.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-06T18:27:21.333" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T18:28:04.270" Title="What is Magga phala?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10019" CreationDate="2015-07-06T17:19:07.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cula litterally means small, less, tiny, microscopically small.  No record of Bhuddawajana (words from Buddha) of cula sotapanna.  It is later addition to pali cannon.  Personally I am very careful about later additions because it is not from Buddha.  One example of the danger of later additions, in 12 sutta, Buddha did not allow monks to make holy water but in 1 sutta, he himself gave his alm bowl to Anandha to make holy water.  that odd sutta is a later addition.   I dont know if i opened up a can of worms with my personal thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Back to the question,  Faith follower is one who firmly believes in Buddha's teaching that all things perceived by each faculty is not permanent and subject to decay and ending, and shall never die before reaching sodapanna.&#xA;Buddha categorized sotapanna into how many times he/she would return before reaching the enlightenment.  He did not use word &quot;cula&quot;.&#xA;here is a free book about stream enterer.  the author compiled the sutta which are reasonably believed to be Buddhawajana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://watnapahpong.com/static_media/Sotapanna_Handbook_English_version_30.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T17:19:07.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10019" CreationDate="2015-07-06T17:19:27.903" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definition of Faith follower and the timing of his attaining of stream-entry can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 25.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who has conviction &amp;amp; belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About Cula-Sotapanna, Piya Tan's comment on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.6-Sarakani-S-1-s55.24-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 55.24&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha goes on to list six categories of persons who are assured of liberation, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) arhats,&#xA;  (2) non-returners,&#xA;  (3) once-returnres&#xA;  (4) stream-winners,&#xA;  (5) [truth-followers] those who accept the Dharma only after pondering over it with wisdom&#xA;  (dhammā paññāya mattaso nijjhānaṃ khamanti) who do not have quick and sharp wisdom&#xA;  and have not attained complete release, but who do possess the five faculties (pañc'indriyani)&#xA;  of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom [sutta §11]; and&#xA;  (6) [faith-followers] those who only possess the five faculties but who have mere faith (saddhā,matta) in and mere love (pema,matta) for the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The elder monks of old (poraṇaka thera) call such spiritually developed persons like (5) and (6) as &quot;lesser &#xA;  stream-winners&quot; (cūḷa,sotāpanna) or &quot;maturing stream-winner&quot; (bala,sotāpanna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-07-06T17:19:27.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-07T05:54:51.953" Score="1" ViewCount="963" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tantra exists in certain traditions of Buddhism (I guess mostly in Tibetan and certain Theravada schools as well). It also exists in Kashmir Shaivism, as explained in the Vijnana Bhairava.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone please help me understand how the schools Buddhism and Kashmir Shaivism differ (and are similar) in their approaches as well as goals for Tantric practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="4830" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T08:14:57.563" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T08:14:02.523" Title="How similar or different is Tantric Buddhism from Vijnana Bhairava of Kashmir Shaivism?" Tags="|comparative-religion|tantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10020" CreationDate="2015-07-07T06:41:32.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Magga means Path. Phala means Fruit. They are both supramundane (lokuttara) consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is called&#xA;  ‘magga’ because it arises, destroying the passions.&#xA;  This Path thought-moment arises only once in the&#xA;  course of one’s lifetime, and is immediately followed&#xA;  by two or three ‘Fruit’ (phala) moments&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;. . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbàna . . . is termed supramundane, and is to&#xA;  be realized by the wisdom of the Four Paths. It becomes an&#xA;  object to the Paths and Fruits&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four types of Path and Fruit consciousness. A pair for each of the levels of enlightenment (stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner and arahant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each Path moment can only be experienced once but Fruit moments can be experienced by non-returners and arahants immediately after emerging from cessation-attainment (Nirodha-samapatti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: Just wanted to add that magga/phala are moments of nirvana. That is to say, the senses (physical and mental) stop coming into contact without outside objects. Said more conventionally, sense perceptions turn off. It is like blinking but with all the senses simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2016-01-28T05:57:25.840" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T05:57:25.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10026" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-07T07:23:02.583" Score="4" ViewCount="851" Body="&lt;p&gt;I go through my daily chores and it has become habituated to the extent that i do not need to concentrate on the action and my mind has some time to do thinking or just wander.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now monks life is also similar in that they repeat the activities over life time.&#xA;So my question, what does monk think on daily basis? &#xA;Does one control his thoughts or let it wander without attaching oneself to the thought? How does a monk achieve oneness or prepare to be in present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards,&#xA;Contemplating One&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T10:05:48.503" LastActivityDate="2020-06-20T19:18:49.760" Title="What does a monk think on a day to day basis?" Tags="|ethics|mindfulness|monk|monasticism|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10026" CreationDate="2015-07-07T11:17:38.997" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When waking, a monk thinks &amp;quot;waking, waking&amp;quot;. When chewing, a monk thinks &amp;quot;chewing, chewing&amp;quot;. When washing his bowl, a monk thinks &amp;quot;rubbing, rubbing&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'But,' [he resolves,] 'I will think thoughts that are noble, onward-leading, that lead to the right ending of stress for the person who acts on them — i.e., thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of no ill will, thoughts of harmlessness.' In this way he is alert there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-suññata Sutta: The Greater Discourse on Emptiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T22:22:43.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10020" CreationDate="2015-07-07T15:28:36.850" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Magga is Pali for &quot;path&quot; or &quot;road&quot;, and phala is Pali for &quot;fruit&quot; or &quot;result&quot;. Thus it is a compound word that can be understood as the result obtained by proceeding on the path to enlightenment. This is the general use of the term, whenever one refers to the benefits of enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can also be used as a precise technical term by some, but before I get to that I will take a moment to explain something about the path, and its destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhists believe in a graduated path towards enlightenment. The Theravadan belief describes a very precise &lt;em&gt;(some would even say too precise, but really there are always those who cast doubt on anything in any religion)&lt;/em&gt; mapping of these states, where, upon attaining each of these states one is expected to have graduated, and having locked in their attainments, cannot fall back to lower states of being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/a&gt; classifies the four levels according to the levels' attainments.  The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four Ariya (noble) states&lt;/a&gt; are, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stream-enterer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotapanna&lt;/a&gt; (stream-enterer), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once-returner&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sakadagami&lt;/a&gt; (once-returner), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-returner&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anagami&lt;/a&gt; (non-returner) and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arhat&lt;/a&gt; (completely unbound).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Stream-enterer is free from:&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Identity view&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Attachment to rites and rituals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doubt about the teachings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Once-returner has greatly attenuated:&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sensual desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ill will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Non-returner is free from:&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sensual desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ill will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An Arahant is free from all of the five lower fetters and the five&#xA;  higher fetters, which are:&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Craving for fine material existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Craving for existence on the level of formlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Conceit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Restlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; is a commentarial book written by Buddhagosa in Sri Lanka almost a millenium after the Buddha, and is the reference text for many when dealing with intricacies in the stages of the path leading to each of these 4 graduations or path attainments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a package tour covers the key tourist attractions in a foreign land, the Visuddhimagga lists the path in panoramic terms as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 stages of purification&lt;/a&gt;, and further subdivides them into specific terms as including &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;16 stages&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One hasn't simply not visited Paris, merely because one hasn't hit a key tourist attraction like the Eiffel tower; and one can visit Paris without using a specific tour operator. Similarly, one can proceed on the path without noticing clearly that one has crossed some of these stages, and one can notice other things not covered in these 16 stages, and one can even remain ignorant of the Visuddhimagga and attain these attainments. So I would say this list is a good way to examine the path, but not the only way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following attainment of each of the stages of enlightenment, several final stages of mind arise, of which two significant ones are, Magga and Phala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;15&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Path Knowledge (magga-ñana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  It is followed immediately by knowledge that abides in that same Nibbana, which is void of formations since it is&#xA;  the cessation of them. This is called &quot;path knowledge.&quot;[43] It is also&#xA;  called &quot;purification by knowledge and vision.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fruition Knowledge (phala-ñana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That again is immediately followed by knowledge that belongs to the final stage and continues in the course&#xA;  of its predecessor. It abides in that same Nibbana, which is void of&#xA;  formations since it is the cessation of them. This is called &quot;fruition&#xA;  knowledge.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(Visuddhiñana-katha) by The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an approachable examination of enlightenment in more detail, please see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/likefire/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mind like Fire, Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@EyeArrow mentions Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/On%20the%20Nature%20of%20Nibbana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Nature of Nibbana&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, I've not read it, but it looks interesting, so I'll probably read it soon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T18:56:48.947" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T18:56:48.947" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10029" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10030" CreationDate="2015-07-07T16:19:08.120" Score="8" ViewCount="5893" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does one control one's thoughts? ESPECIALLY the uncontrollable desires related to sexual drive which are built deep into our conscience. Answers are DEEPLY appreciated.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T18:28:34.083" LastActivityDate="2018-07-23T01:34:14.290" Title="Controlling one's sexual thoughts" Tags="|sexuality|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-07-07T17:02:19.523" Score="10" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Part 1&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of the mind is to produce thoughts. Your question about controlling thoughts seems to imply an act of force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Very well then, my friend, I will give you an analogy; for there are&#xA;  cases where it is through the use of an analogy that intelligent&#xA;  people can understand the meaning of what is being said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 24&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is similar to asking how does one make a cobra non-poisonous? Sure, one can remove its fangs temporarily until they grow back, but then is it still a real Cobra? If we forget to remove the fangs as and when they grow back, the Cobra will suddenly become dangerous when we least expect it to be, and it will remember the cruelty we inflicted upon it and will have cause to bite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking drugs, or alcohol, or indulging in pleasures and entertainment or even staying busy with a career and family often allows people to temporarily ignore their thoughts, but it always ends in getting bitten by the thoughts when they least expect it, and thus misery endures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Far better to learn how to not get bitten by the Cobra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path to not getting bitten by the Cobra is divided into prajna (wisdom), sila (ethics), and samadhi (concentration). It has eight parts, which are also called the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot;&gt;Noble eightfold path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Know that the Cobra always remains poisonous, and how it gets its poison&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i.e. understand reality as it is, and whence it gets its fangs from (&lt;em&gt;wisdom&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don't give the Cobra reason to bite&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i.e. don't commit acts that produce poisonous thoughts (&lt;em&gt;ethics&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn to leave the Cobra alone&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i.e. practice meditation and mindfulness. (&lt;em&gt;concentration&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Part 2&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism or meditation is not a pill one takes and immediately becomes free of thoughts. Learning to not get bitten by thoughts also takes lots of time and patient and wise effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lotus cannot flower without the mud, so it certainly does not help the lotus if it hates the mud. Don't hate the mind that produces sexual thoughts, or develop aversion towards yourself for having them. Nirvana is not obtained by hating Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, learn that this is natural, but you can slowly learn to handle it. Develop a desire for Nirvana, and practice with a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks often battle sexual thoughts after decades of being celibate, and this isn't because they are ignorant or stupid. It is a tough challenge, but one worth pursuing and succeeding at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot depends on why you want to control those thoughts, and your time line to achieve it in. Some people decide that it's too much to attempt at one go, and remain lay Buddhists who don't take vows of celibacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual thoughts that result in a breaking of the precepts on sexual misconduct are more dangerous, and can be treated more easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing the suffering of the person who is the victim of the misconduct and developing compassion for them is a very effective way to control this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if one is cheating on one's spouse, reading an internet forum where partners who get cheated on express their suicidal emotions, can for example be very sobering and shake one up to resolve to never do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watching a hard hitting documentary on sex workers, and their conditions, and listening to them speak of their psychological issues, again often leading them to commit suicide can make one resolve never to visit one, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recall a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Living_With_Cobra1.php&quot;&gt;Dharma talk by Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt; who uses the same Cobra analogy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T16:46:38.097" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T16:46:38.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-07-07T17:24:11.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex is something that is deeply progrmamed inside of you and if it wasn't, our biologies wouldn't be called biology and we may have never made it past the Stone Age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our sexuality is something that is deeply ingrained and takes &lt;em&gt;lifetimes&lt;/em&gt; to master, incarnating with certain proclivities, a monk in one life, a sex-fiend in another, learning new things, etc. until one is a more perfected balanced being, correcting the various facets of being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does have a &quot;tranquilization&quot; dart though that can help the rampaging elephant of sexuality from stomping on all your other good thoughts: jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For all problems though, Buddhism encourages transformation at the root level (8th consciousness) along with one's volitional habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To fix this sexual problem--to fix any issue--it requires Enlightenment aka cutting off of afflictions aka samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THEN, and only then, will you be able to truly see what your issue is and what you need to do. Many Zen masters, after Awakening, frequented brothels, in order to master something or the other (I don't know why, only they do since they Awakened).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, we are not at that stage, we are at the stage of &quot;tranquilizing&quot; our problems just enough so that we can practice correectly and work towards Awakening/Immortality/Godhood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have that -- all problems will lose their sway over you and you will be able to transform them at their root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So learn to tranquilize your problems for now by learning concentration practices, learning to calm your mind, anaerobic exercise, chakra tuning, or even using hypnosis methods to increase your satisfaction. A lot of times these frustrations can be due to a vacuum in other parts of your life (social for instance) and hanging out with your buddies or going clubbing can decrease your neediness. These are middle-ground paths that don't just tranquilize but &lt;em&gt;might&lt;/em&gt; actually transform the sexual frustration closer to the root.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice to you though on this matter would be to not spend too much of your life-time fixing this leaking bag of a problem trying every single solution I listed above because the Buddhist goal is more worthy than the task of understanding sexuality and incrementally mastering your sexuality and various sexual methodologies.. especially when you can learn to just tranquilize it through jhana and thus be free of it anytime you wish by simply relaxing and tuning into your jhana meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the overarching point of this is: &lt;strong&gt;master jhana because that is the Buddhist secret to tranquilizing any worldly problem. Tranquilizing is something you have to do until you have practiced vipassana enough to attain enough Wisdom/Insight/Prajna to work at the root-level. Don't dwell on your problems because the arrow stuck in your heart is the more important problem (google &quot;arrow parable buddhism&quot;)..&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, your chi power is connected to sexuality and sexual desire will increase when your chi power increases through the power of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, masturbation does help reduce this desire but if you are going for the Taoist attainments of physical immortality as well as the Buddhist spiritual immortality, then you need to reduce seminal loss and naturally become a celibate person. Hard to hear but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/yoga-kung-fu/y_celibacy_difficulties_in_spiritual_cultivation.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here's an article&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T18:43:36.230" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T18:43:36.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10026" CreationDate="2015-07-07T18:19:35.673" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll disregard the emphasis on monks, because mindfulness isn't exclusive to monastics, and secondly, the monk as a super-hero trope needs some critical examination. Most monks, like 90% of them in traditionally Buddhist countries follow the herd, and ordain because it is better than farming, or because their family gets some respect in the village, or some motive other than nibbana and buddhahood. This means, it is the rare monk generally that graduates to being a real super hero in the sense of an Arhat, or who can practice or even attempt 100% mindfulness. This doesn't mean the rest of them are bad monks, not at all. Monks are human after all, and they are attempting the near impossible, which is more than one can say of most. Even in the time of the Buddha, there were a good many monks who were earnest at least initially, but were not so special, it appears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say all this because I respect and love the idea of monasticism, and don't want to see it become a Potemkin village. I live in India, where the popular notion of a monastic (Hindu, Buddhist, what have you) has taken a real beating, and a monastic is viewed by the urban educated as a sex and money crazy conman. There are still enough of course who unquestioningly fall at the feet of anyone in saffron robes, but that isn't very healthy either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Politicians all claim to be incorruptible because no one votes for the one who is honest enough to admit he is a little dirty, because politics in general is a little dirty. And, monks and dharma teachers are similarly forced to at least tacitly let on that they are beyond simple human frailties, at least the really bad ones, and they constantly endeavor to live in mindfulness and bliss and speak in soothing voices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The love of Nibbana cannot be born out of a hatred for anything, not even Samsara. In fact there cannot be Nirvana without Samsara, they inter-depend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The old Zen saying is when sleeping sleep, when showering shower, when walking walk. This no-mind state is easier said than done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;By being regular in one's schedule and routine, and by having a time set apart each day to meditate one can bring about mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meditating daily or regularly, and attaining jhanas often is another good way to ensure constant mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Being in the presence of an enlightened teacher who radiates mindfulness is yet another way to boost our own mindfulness energy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Regular and heartfelt practice of Metta is another way to increase mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Making a habit of returning to the present moment, is another good way. See, &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh's mindfullness moment practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not dwelling in negative thoughts and practicing the Bramha viharas is another method.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T18:26:12.907" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T18:26:12.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-07-07T18:27:40.600" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;We don't control the thoughts that arise in our minds. But we can look mindfully at everything. Look at that which you crave but without any fantasy, romance, or delusion involved. Look at the physical process exactly as it realistically is, step by step and moment by moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can truly strip away the fantasy (delusion), reality is simply not as appealing without it. This is applicable to any sense desire.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T18:27:40.600" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-07-07T18:48:41.837" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#cemetery&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;nine types of cemetery contemplations&lt;/a&gt;, are the meditations practiced to subdue lust. Being a medical student, they should be easier for you to learn. You can train the mind to break through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/perceptions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanna&lt;/a&gt; 'woman' and see it instead as a collection of unattractive  things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to mentally analyze &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara#Objects_of_contemplation&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the body parts&lt;/a&gt;, or consider the body as a corpse, to see if the parts are still attractive; for example: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are attracted to a face, then consider the face without eyes, without hair, without skin, without veins and flesh attached to the skull.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then examine each part separately (eyes, skin, hair, veins) to see if you still see something attractive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imagine what happens to them in a day or two, if you leave them in the open. They start to discolor, stink and rot. Imagine the brain matter rotting and pus coming out of the eye sockets of the skull. Imagine the eyes rotting and worms coming out of them. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do the same for the other collections of body parts that you might be attracted to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T18:50:40.587" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T18:50:40.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10035" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-07T19:47:07.900" Score="4" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was, if I'm not mistaken, a privileged prince with money/health/a social life who realized that none of those things make you “happy” (or even content enough). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how can, for example, somebody who has only known poverty all his life attain a true realization that money won’t make him “happy” without firsthand experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, how is this poor person to realize that money won't make him content when he is constantly bombarded with &quot;evidence&quot; of the opposite, after all, most people with more than their basic needs covered (I mean people of average economy, not the filthy rich) are content enough to not seek a means to end their &quot;suffering&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T20:44:32.960" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T08:07:31.897" Title="How can a person realize that a particular thing doesn't bring &quot;happiness&quot; without personal experience?" Tags="|personal-practice|belief|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10035" CreationDate="2015-07-07T20:45:40.980" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The core teachings of the Buddha are universally applicable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is suffering. - Everyone knows suffering, rich and poor alike. The suffering of the poor may seem more obvious, but is there any doubt that the wealthy suffer mentally as well, regardless of their resources? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The cause of our suffering is our attachments. - The wealthy have more to be attached to, in fact. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is a way to end suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The way to end suffering is the practice of the Eightfold Noble Path. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We really only need to know that we suffer and that we seek relief from our own suffering. But it's a long path. If a person is convinced that money will end his or her suffering, they can give it a go; and then eventually realize that making money didn't end their suffering and pick up where they left off. That sort of thing probably happens a lot. My guess would be that many converts to Buddhism have found the teachings of the Buddha to resonate with them after having first tried other ways of finding happiness. It's because we try other ways of finding happiness first, and learn first hand that the things we thought would bring us happiness, didn't, that we can appreciate the wisdom of the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-07T20:53:10.630" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T20:53:10.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-07-07T21:39:09.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the things that has always impressed me about the Dalai Lama is that he has said that scientific discoveries should supersede scripture (exact wording may need correction, but that's the gist of it). Over the years I've followed science and technology news, and many times I've observed it appearing to provide evidence for Buddhist teachings, or beliefs, term used loosely. For instance, there's heavy emphasis on the notion of emptiness, and we've since learned that on a subatomic level, we're mostly empty space. That's just one of many examples. I would be extremely interested to see a listing/database of all of these occurrences supporting the insights from ancient wisdom traditions, realizations obtained by many generations of human mediation. Honestly, I'm a little baffled by some answers here--they appear to imply the question is almost irreverent, or view it as a forbidden question/knowledge, possibly because they are unaware that a very solid argument can be made that modern physics, chemistry and quantum theories actually very much tend to back up Buddhist perceptions. I think it would add quality and value to this Q&amp;amp;A site if we actually researched this question further and compiled a list, I know there are many more but can't think of them off the top of my head. In fact, I found your question by searching on whether this question had already been asked, because I am more than curious myself to see a compilation of such documented correlations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T21:39:09.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10038" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10043" CreationDate="2015-07-07T21:50:24.787" Score="8" ViewCount="843" Body="&lt;p&gt;His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recently celebrated his 80th birthday! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read that he is very conscious of the fact that after his death, there will be much turmoil, and it's something he thinks about often. &lt;a href=&quot;http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-31-lama30_ST_N.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;When I pass away, when I die, of course a setback. Very serious setback,&quot;&lt;/a&gt; he said in an interview. I have read/heard, though I cannot at present time point to the source (I can research further later and add citation, if necessary), that he is aware that many, perhaps thousands or tens of thousands, will commit suicide after he dies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the Dalai Lama has voiced opposition to suiciding for protests, that it violates Buddhist ethics— &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8874374/Dalai-Lama-blames-suicide-protests-on-Chinese-cultural-genocide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;In the past, he has condemned self-immolations, which many Buddhists&#xA;believe are contrary to their faith, but has until now kept a low&#xA;profile over the recent wave of protests.&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And he is quoted as saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Some people commit suicide; they seem to think that there is&#xA;  suffering simply because there is the human life, and that by cutting&#xA;  off the life there will be nothing... But, according to the Buddhist&#xA;  viewpoint, that's not the case; your consciousness will continue. Even&#xA;  if you take your own life, this life, you will have to take another&#xA;  body that again will be the basis of suffering. If you really want to&#xA;  get rid of all your suffering, all the difficulties you experience in&#xA;  your life, you have to get rid of the fundamental cause (greed, hatred&#xA;  and delusion) that gives rise to the aggregates that are the basis of&#xA;  all suffering. Killing yourself isn't going to solve your problems.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;—so my question is: If in fact many plan to suicide when he dies, why will they act in a way that is antithetical to their teachings, specifically the beliefs of their religious leader? It seems to this Westerner a totally illogical reaction. My perception, not criticism or judgment, is that it's especially irrational considering Dalai Lama's objection to suicide, Buddha notwithstanding: &quot;If one knows how to treasure oneself, one should protect oneself well.&quot;—The Buddha (Dhammapada)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can light be shed on this question? If I have been misled about the intentions of many followers to terminate their existence as a result of his passing, then my question should be deleted. Also, this is not the same question as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5916/what-are-the-consequences-of-the-14th-dalai-lama-being-the-last-one?s=1%7C3.3270&quot;&gt;&quot;What are the consequences of the 14th Dalai Lama being the last one?&quot;&lt;/a&gt; because it's not about the order of things but rather about the contradiction of ethics and action which I am unable to reconcile, hence the question, which I realize hinges completely on the report of planned suicides following his death, and I'm currently scouring for sources (I think it was an NPR radio program, perhaps).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5255" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T09:03:33.283" Title="Role of suicide in the context of Dalai Lama's birthday and inevitable deathday" Tags="|ethics|tibetan-buddhism|suicide|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10035" CreationDate="2015-07-07T22:13:05.680" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Through practicing insight meditation, one gains the knowledge of the arising and passing away of phenomenon, the suffering latent in all phenomenon, the uncontrollable nature of all phenomenon, and the cessation of phenomenon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-07T22:13:05.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10035" CreationDate="2015-07-07T23:57:18.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By realising that whatever it is you haven't had in life, it's not going to be anything other than seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking. In other words, the five aggregates. So it becomes all encompassing, when you see that the five aggregates are impermanent, unsatisfactory and uncontrollable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T03:32:01.420" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T03:32:01.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10035" CreationDate="2015-07-08T08:07:31.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;OP raises the question of the knowledge beyond some direct perceptions. can you know/comprehend/understand/explain something without experimenting it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, for many, no. We have either faith, or direct experience or we can use our intellect to derive conclusions, modulo the problem of inference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An  intellectual path will be able to remove doubts if it is honest, if we accept whatever results brought by the logic that we choose to deduce our conclusions; we must no have fears nor delusions, nor we reject conclusions that we do not like. Be open minded.&#xA;The intellectual path takes time, is almost necessary and sufficient to understand something, but the practice can consolidate whatever intellectual results you obtain. The intellectual path trims a lot of potential actions/discourses/thoughts that we can do before we perform them. It is reflecting before living, and the reflection gets us on some path, whereon we agree if the intellectual process has been honest and we destroyed any prejudices beforehand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the path of the intellect is not taken, then we have faith where you follow blindly, more or less  blindly since nobody start from scratch and everybody comes with a background on daily life and his view on pleasures and suffering, gradually until we agree unconditionally after we encounter a break point in our behaviours, discourses or thoughts. We understand whatever the doctrine is telling you, plateaux of progress and breaking points after plateaux of progress and breaking points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, if we are not capable of  understanding anything without living, then... just live; live until we take a step back of our experiences and turn to the doctrine wherewith we believe that we will be happy. Too many people  learn only through suffering, but they apply the reflexivity sooner or later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5430" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T08:07:31.897" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-07-08T08:22:49.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before answering this, you must know a bit about science, so read this: (it is an image)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://up1.ca/#DZ7gVZ7ijMLB1aRZCwNMEQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://up1.ca/#DZ7gVZ7ijMLB1aRZCwNMEQ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5431" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T08:22:49.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10038" CreationDate="2015-07-08T08:53:50.543" Score="6" Body="&lt;h2&gt;History of martyrdom in Buddhism&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qAsx7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Journalist Malcolm Browne&amp;#39;s photograph of Thich Quang Duc during his self-immolation; Wikipedia commons&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Burning monk of Saigon, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_%C4%90%E1%BB%A9c&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thích Quảng Đức&lt;/a&gt; is perhaps the most famous of monks in recent times who self immolated for a cause, however he is hardly the first, in fact he follows a very ancient precedent set since before the beginning of history in Buddhism. The Buddha in his life just preceding his Buddhahood offered himself to a hungry tiger in keeping with his Bodhisattva vow of placing others before the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see, Benn, James A. (2007), &lt;a href=&quot;http://books.google.com/books?id=dWL6EEkL8goC&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Burning for the Buddha: self-immolation in Chinese Buddhism, University of Hawaii Press, 9-10&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking the Bodhisattva precept of protecting others can mean sometimes, usually very senior monks, will set themselves alight, or feed themselves to insects or abandon their body in other ways for a worthy cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often the miraculously unburned tongue or heart is enshrined as a holy relic as a mark of the Bodhisattva's faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically, this isn't suicide but heroic martyrdom of the non-violent kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Specific case of Tibet&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a monk, the Dalai Lama is bound by the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#pr&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;pattimokha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (monastic rules) to not praise the desirability of death. Any monk who praises death, commits a &lt;em&gt;Pārājika&lt;/em&gt; (very grave) (literal translation: defeated one) offence, and entails expulsion from the &lt;em&gt;Sangha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama is not any ordinary monk, he knows his word carries enormous weight. If he were to even hint that martyrdom would be appropriate, tens of thousands would self immolate, or destroy themselves without a second's hesitation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore he is perfectly correct on both humanitarian and monastic grounds to insist vehemently that suicide is not an option. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last, but not least, it is also tactically wise, since the Chinese would wait for just such an opportunity where a nuanced but confusing utterance can be turned into a controversy. He has to be very careful as a leader of a people, in issuing fool proof statements that cannot be misinterpreted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddhism is first and foremost about personal responsibility. As rational beings, Buddhists can weigh the odds and decide for themselves if martyrdom is worthy. Certainly there is room for violating the mundane order of things, when one operates on a rather high level of attainment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, they are not disobeying the Dalai Lama, as much as respecting their inner conscience and spiritual path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often times such acts of martyrdom arise from pure Bodhisattva nature, however sometimes it is a copy-cat act done under peer pressure. Hopefully the Dalai Lama's objections will dissuade the latter kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T09:03:33.283" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T09:03:33.283" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7386" CreationDate="2015-07-08T10:37:33.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it true that Physics confirms some of the Buddha's teachings?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No: no, in my opinion that's basically not true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha wasn't teaching Physics. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha said&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly &amp;amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also said that things have characteristics: as stressful (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), as impermanent, and as not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are statements about the truth of conditioned things. They are not statements within the realm of Physics. Physics cannot make those statements. And Physics cannot talk about ethics or mindfulness or wisdom, about good or bad, about profitable and unprofitable, about the end of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose a poet were to say, &quot;When two people come together, then they love each other and they feel attracted to each other; but then when they're separated, they no longer feel that attraction.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose that a Physicist (Isaac Newton) were to come along later and discover &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton&amp;#39;s_law_of_universal_gravitation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the law of gravitation&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Newton's law of universal gravitation states that any two bodies in the universe attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; then say that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Newton's law, &quot;inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them&quot;, confirms what the poet said about &quot;love&quot;: i.e. attraction when they're close and less attraction when they're apart?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think you &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; say such a thing, I don't think such a claim would be true: they (i.e. the statements of the poet and of the physicist) are two different statements, describing different types of object and different types of behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose the Buddha were to say that it's not wise to see the skhandhas as self. Suppose that statement were understood as saying that skhandhas are &quot;not-self&quot; or &quot;empty of self&quot;. Suppose that &quot;everything is interdependent and conditioned&quot; were added, and that the statement were further revised so that now it says, &quot;everything is empty of self&quot;; and finally, just says &quot;everything is empty&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose your car were to become empty of fuel; or your bank account, empty of money; or your cup, empty of water. Would you say, &quot;This confirms what the Buddha said: everything is indeed empty&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose science were to discover that strong nuclear radiation can penetrate through brick and other matter. The fact that it can be penetrated by radiation shows that apparently-solid matter is mostly empty. Again, would you say, &quot;This confirms what the Buddha said: everything is indeed empty&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I don't think you should: they're different statements describing different types of object and different types of behaviour, based on different types of observation, and making different predictions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is the bulk of my answer, but I have a few small points left to clarify at the end:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physics does not contradict what the Buddha said. Insofar as it doesn't contradict, it is compatible with: so in that sense, it could be said to 'confirm' it (but not really: if they're talking about something different then they &quot;don't deny&quot; each other rather than &quot;confirming&quot; each other)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Modern physics (or more generally, modern science) does appear to contradict some aspects of Buddhist (a.k.a. Hindu) cosmology. For example Mount Meru (or Sumeru) isn't evident on any modern geological map of the world. I don't see that as important.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Modern physics is unable to contradict some other aspects of traditional cosmology. For example, maybe Buddhism and/or Hinduism says there's a sequence of universes. Physics supports &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_fate_of_the_universe#Theories_about_the_end_of_the_universe&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;several theories&lt;/a&gt;. Someone could point to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bounce&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Big Bounce&lt;/a&gt; theory and say that that &quot;confirms Buddhist and Hindu cosmology&quot;, but I don't think that's justified.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Statements about Buddhism remind some people about Physics, and vice versa. Some of these statements originated from Westerners who started to learn Physics and then started to learn Buddhism; they might read something about something like &quot;emptiness&quot; and think &quot;suppose that were connected to what I've learned about in Physics?&quot; Again I don't see that as important: it's just a subjective &quot;Do you know what? That reminds me of something else ...&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's a slight extent to which Buddhism does make statements about Physics, with claims like &quot;things are impermanent&quot; and &quot;things are interdependent&quot;. Physics may in various ways confirm those Buddhist observations; however I think those observations were probably meant to be so obvious that it didn't need modern Physics to prove it; it's almost on a par with saying that Biology confirms that creatures eat and breathe.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of &quot;this reminds me&quot;, this reminds me of the few paragraphs in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which begin ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aristotle fouled up what Phædrus wanted to say by placing rhetoric in an outrageously minor category in his hierarchic order of things.&#xA;  It was a branch of Practical Science, a kind of shirttail relation to the other category, Theoretical Science, which Aristotle was mainly&#xA;  involved in. As a branch of Practical Science it was isolated from any concern with Truth or Good or Beauty, except as devices to&#xA;  throw into an argument. Thus Quality, in Aristotle’s system, is totally divorced from rhetoric. This contempt for rhetoric, combined&#xA;  with Aristotle’s own atrocious quality of rhetoric, so completely alienated Phædrus he couldn’t read anything Aristotle said without&#xA;  seeking ways to despise it and attack it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and end with ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phædrus guessed that Aristotle’s diminution of dialectic, from Plato’s sole method of arriving at truth to a &quot;counterpart of rhetoric,&quot;&#xA;  might be as infuriating to modern Platonists as it would have been to Plato. Since the Professor of Philosophy didn’t know what&#xA;  Phædrus’ &quot;position&quot; was, this was what was making him edgy. He might be afraid that Phædrus the Platonist was going to jump him. If&#xA;  so, he certainly had nothing to worry about. Phædrus wasn’t insulted that dialectic had been brought down to the level of rhetoric. He&#xA;  was outraged that rhetoric had been brought down to the level of dialectic. Such was the confusion at the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, equating Buddhism with Physics seems to me mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T13:21:07.047" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T13:21:07.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10003" CreationDate="2015-07-08T14:48:37.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although not quite nibbāna, I will contribute a drawing inspired by the experience of the base of neither perception nor non-perception by Tina Rasmussen, student of Pa Auk Sayadaw. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q6LdG.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T14:48:37.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10047" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10052" CreationDate="2015-07-08T15:25:17.887" Score="6" ViewCount="699" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a bit confused about how, according to the Buddha, one is freed from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read that suffering is one of the marks of existence. So can one be freed from it at all? If it's an aspect of existing, is it just something to accept? So the freedom is in accepting the suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have also read that suffering is only caused by ignorance of the nature of reality. So to be free what does one have to understand?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No-self and impermanence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or does it mean to be mindful and see how things are at this very moment? Notice the breath, and your feelings, including the painful ones?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5321" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T19:07:58.180" Title="According to the Buddha, how is one freed from suffering?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10048" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10062" CreationDate="2015-07-08T15:33:55.307" Score="6" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read that Dharma refers to reality as-is (in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_in_Buddhism&quot;&gt;this wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have also read that it refers to the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Dharma refer to both these things? The former seems more like &quot;mindfulness of the present&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5321" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T16:10:52.487" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T00:58:45.093" Title="What is Dharma?" Tags="|terminology|mindfulness|fundamentals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5202" CreationDate="2015-07-08T16:03:06.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the booklet &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/qanda-women.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Women in Buddhism - Questions and Answers&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Chatsumarn Kabilsingh Ph.D., this question is answered in some detail with a comparison of the monks and nuns Pāṭimokkhas. This quote shows where a large amount of the difference lies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Patidesaniya section, there are eight rules for&#xA;  bhikkhunis. Bhikkhus have the same content of the rules but&#xA;  they are counted as one and classified under Sekhiya, another&#xA;  section. This is one of the reasons responsible for the bloated&#xA;  number of rules for bhikkhunis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Pacittiya section, bhikkhunis follow 166 rules as&#xA;  compared to 92 for bhikkhus. There are 70 common rules&#xA;  shared by both Sanghas. Then bhikkhus have another set&#xA;  of 22 exclusively for bhikkhus and bhikkhunis have another&#xA;  set of 76 rules exclusively for bhikkhunis. Within 76 rules&#xA;  exclusively for bhikkhunis, it is notable that there are many&#xA;  rules regarding ordination requirements which the bhikkhus&#xA;  also have to follow, but for bhikkhus they are not counted&#xA;  in the Patimokkha. This also results in a seemingly larger&#xA;  number of Patimokkha rules for bhikkhunis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Due to the above reasons, the bhikkhunis carry a higher&#xA;  number of rules in the Patimokkha than the monks, but in&#xA;  reality they follow a similar set of rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T16:08:25.437" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T16:08:25.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10050" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10051" CreationDate="2015-07-08T18:18:17.190" Score="2" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across the following image on China's Taobao online shopping site and was hoping someone could explain the content. (the seller could not) The central figure is Shakyamuni Buddha, that much is clear. I am unfamiliar with the rest of the setting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/aiynn.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5436" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T19:51:12.567" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T19:51:12.567" Title="Seeking explanation of this image's iconography" Tags="|art|iconography|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10050" CreationDate="2015-07-08T19:05:16.610" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The things I'm sure about - it's tough to see everything with the picture size, but this is a depiction of the Buddha's moment of enlightenment.  The fingers pointed down and the palm up are the &quot;world witnessing&quot; mudra - the Buddha's response to Mara the tempter when asked who would bear witness to his spiritual accomplishments.  The naked women on the lower right are Mara's three daughters - craving, passion, and antagonism (Tanha, Raga, Arati) who came to tempt the Buddha.  All the wacky looking beasts raging around the Buddha is Mara's army.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Less sure about - the &quot;Buddha&quot; up top is probably Maitreya - the Buddha who will supposedly follow the Shakyamuni.  I'm thinking maybe the folks in the two upper corners are depictions of the six paramitas (giving, concentration, energy, virtue, patience, wisdom)?  No idea about the stuff at the bottom.  Maybe that's Dipankara (the Buddha before the current one) in the middle with the attendants? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS - This should be a comment, but I don't have enough text space!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T19:10:21.260" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T19:10:21.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10047" CreationDate="2015-07-08T19:07:58.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm a bit confused about how, according to the Buddha, one is freed&#xA;  from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Glad to hear you are interested in the end of suffering.  Buddha laid out the Four Noble Truths as his very first sermon/teaching and they form the foundation of all Buddhist schools and thinking.  Don't be fooled into thinking it is a pessimistic doctrine simply because it talks so much about suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic idea is that everything in the world arises due to causes and supporting conditions.  This is like saying that everything that you feel, see, taste, sense, smell, touch, and experience, arises due to causes coming together in the proper conditions.  A cause is like a seed and the proper conditions are like fertile soil.. water.. sunshine.  When all the conditions are there and the cause is present, there will be a result very naturally.  This is the way things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught, out of compassion for the plight of all sentient beings, that some actions (of body, speech, and mind) are wholesome and some are unwholesome.  Those which are wholesome and virtuous are the causes of happiness, those which are unwholesome are the causes of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By abandoning that which creates the causes of suffering, and by acting in ways which create the causes of virtue, one is gradually eliminating the possibility of suffering to manifest in ones experience and increasing the growth and abundance of happiness, prosperity, joy, wealth, comfort, ease, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you want to know more about what actions are harmful and which are helpful, you can read sutras and learn the teachings and thanks to our karma this life we have a good connection with the Buddhas and we can learn a great deal to eliminate what are known as the Obstacles and Obscurations from our mind streams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindful awareness is indeed the greatest remedy of all.  With consistent practice, virtuous actions naturally increase and defiled actions naturally decrease.  One is no longer ruled or overcome by thoughts, and does not need to identify with emotions or thoughts, and one gains freedom from the extremes of &quot;existence&quot; and &quot;nonexistence&quot; as those are also just thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically, the Buddha laid out what is known as the Noble Eightfold Path.  They are like 8 threads which weave together to form a complete solution to our how-does-one-live-a-good-life question.  It is still very much about using our knowledge and understanding to make wise choices, but I think you would benefit from checking out this fundamental presentation of the way to the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemporary teachers and Buddhas of our day teach a variety of approaches, and so I would encourage you to develop strong aspirations to meet qualified teachers and sages in order to help you along the way.  We are truly blessed to live in a world where the teachings are available and people are gaining interest in their value, and we are truly fortunate to have so many noble beings and enlightened masters living in our world today.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, practice being aware of your bodily sensations, your feelings, and the current instant of the world you are in where-ever you may be.  Practice leaning into the awareness that recognizes and cognizes without identifying with what is recognized or cognized, and with consistent practice you will certainly see great benefits in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma is vast and there are many teachings one can read about but it is most important to put them into practice and really reap their value.  To contemplate them and to put them into your daily life and actions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T19:07:58.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8430" CreationDate="2015-07-08T19:20:36.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This doesn't answer your question directly, but it's good contextual information I think. From the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/qanda-women.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Women in Buddhism - Questions and Answers&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Chatsumarn Kabilsingh Ph.D. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An important point that Thai women put much emphasis&#xA;  on ordination of their sons is because they themselves have no&#xA;  opportunity to be ordained, so they depend totally on their&#xA;  sons to bring them this highest form of merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The emphasis on the value of ordaining a son is a very highly&#xA;  recognised social value particularly in the village. Ordination&#xA;  is the only time that the mother is given highest honour as she&#xA;  actually is allowed to lead the precession, a place of honour to&#xA;  walk in front of the would-be monk holding the robe in her&#xA;  hands. Normally it is the men who would take the lead in all&#xA;  rituals in connection with the monks and the temples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is in a section of the book asking the question why some (poor) families would sell their daughters (into work as a sex worker) in order to get up front money to provide an elaborate and expensive ceremony to mark the ordination of their sons. It's a very eye opening discussion and gives insight into just how much importance is placed upon having a son ordain. Within this context it's easier to see how such beliefs arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T12:02:15.163" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T12:02:15.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10054" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-08T19:46:13.300" Score="8" ViewCount="2559" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the Buddha's enlightenment, he pointed to the earth or touched the earth, meaning the earth (or world) was adequate witness to his spiritual accomplishment or new status, or, perhaps the only witness that would be acceptable to Mara. Mara accepted the witness. I do not understand the principle or truth of this event. Earth or the world seems to be personified in some way, or endowed with a capacity to accept or reject a plea for witnessing. Explanations and clarifications would be greatly appreciated. Thx. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:10:42.480" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T03:27:55.053" Title="Why did the Buddha touch the earth at his enlightenment?" Tags="|the-buddha|mudra|mara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10055" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10064" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:22:49.527" Score="7" ViewCount="394" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over the course of my meditation practice I experience pronounced cycles or ebbs and flows. This has been a feature of my practice for several years now and doesn't seem to be lessening - if anything it is intensifying. The pattern is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation goes well. Concentrated and experience vigour&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy, motivation and concentration increase to a peak&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Over the course of one or two days practice seems to fall apart. Poor concentration. Feelings of dullness and lethargy with meditation and lack of motivation. This can bleed over to time off the cushion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After weeks or even months meditation starts to become pleasurable again and the cycle starts again&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the low point isn't too bad but sometimes it is so dominating that I can't recognize it for what it is. I've cleared my shrine away before now. The Buddha goes away and it's only after some days I remember what is probably going on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any advice about the best way to work with these kind of cycles. Is it a well documented phenomena or documented at all? I would find references to established texts or teachers on this subject particularly helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T20:45:01.820" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T20:45:01.820" Title="Working with cycles in meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-hindrances|meditation-effects|energy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10056" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10057" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" Score="0" Body="Questions concerning meditation which focuses on the breath. This could be advice around certain aspects of this practice or questions around relevant texts such as the Anapanasati Sutta," OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T20:26:21.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10058" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10059" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" Score="0" Body="The Buddhist practice of calming the mind and the mental formations. This is done through practices such as body awareness and mindfulness of breathing. This contrast to vipassana or insight meditation." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T20:28:57.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10054" CreationDate="2015-07-08T20:33:29.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;PaPa, I believe touching the earth is a later addition to pali cannon, but i could be wrong.  Bodhirajakumara Sutta is one of the best sutta of autobiography of Bhudda.  Buddha also told Ven Anuruddha in dozens of sutta about himself from the history of sakaya clan, when he came down from Dusita into his mother's womb and so on to after the evening of enlightment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Bodhirajakumara_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Bodhirajakumara_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T20:33:29.390" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10055" CreationDate="2015-07-08T22:08:59.713" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about the clearing away of the shrine. It could be that there exists an attachment to the shrine. By clearing it away when periods of stagnation occurs it is like affirming that a period of stagnation is &quot;bad&quot; or &quot;not good&quot; or &quot;a problem&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are merely concepts designated to a certain situation. In ultimate reality what you experience is only a combination of &lt;em&gt;hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, feeling, thinking&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Making the situation into either positive or negative is one's own work. We create our own suffering by wishing for reality to be something different than it already is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clearing away of the shrine could indicate that there is a self involved in this. It is like saying &quot;i am angry&quot; or &quot;i am sad&quot;. There is an affirmation or validation going on here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality there is mental and physical phenomena arising and ceasing on their own accord. Do not identify or take ownership of these impersonal and uncontrollable phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By reacting to them you provide them further fuel to burn. See them for what they are. You can turn these phenomena into objects of observation and create a foundation for cultivation of insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.sirimangalo.org/live/20150704_0059_livestream.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lastly, here is a great dhamma talk by Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;. Robin was so sweet to post it in one of my questions. In here it is talked about how one can adjust ones own practice by using 4 different tools. This talk is very beneficial for any meditator. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you need me to elaborate on anything i've just said, please let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-08T22:45:42.933" LastActivityDate="2015-07-08T22:45:42.933" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10048" CreationDate="2015-07-09T00:58:45.093" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt; is understood to come from the Sanskrit root &lt;em&gt;dhṛ&lt;/em&gt; - in regards to holding or keeping. The word has its history in the vedas, where the meaning is something that holds the world together (i.e. maintains order) - religious hymns, gods, etc. Later texts use the word to refer to the order itself - e.g. &amp;quot;going against dharma&amp;quot;, etc. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The wikipedia article on Dharma&lt;/a&gt; says this and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time the Buddhism arose, there was already an understanding that different religious teachers described different theories of natural order, so the word dharma had come to have the connotation of &amp;quot;teaching&amp;quot;, as in &amp;quot;the dharma of the samana Gotama is different from the dharma of the Niganthas.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was also the sense that dharma was better than adharma, so dharma came to be associated with the idea of &amp;quot;righteousness&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha expanded upon these ideas, claiming that what he taught was the true natural order - that his dharma (teaching) was the true dharma (natural order). He went even further to describe reality itself as dharma, as in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, whether there is the arising of the Tathagatas or not, this property stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma: All dhammas are non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 3.134&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also used the word to refer to righteousness, as in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dhammacārī sukhaṃ seti, asmiṃ loke paramhi ca.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who fares by the dharma rests in happiness in this world and the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Dhp 169&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a full treatment of the word, the PED entry for dhamma would be a good source of how the word is used, but to answer your question, yes, it does refer to both those things, since the Buddha taught what he understood to be the natural order of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T00:58:45.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10063" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10065" CreationDate="2015-07-09T02:27:57.467" Score="8" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do all people practicing Buddhism have difficulty answering questions like these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;What gives your life meaning?&#xA;&#xA;What do you like about yourself?&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somebody asked me these questions, and I am having a difficult time answering them. I don't know if it's just me and my circumstances, or if it is my Buddhist practice that keeps me from verbalizing the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind&lt;/em&gt;, Shunyru Suzuki Roshi says a Buddhist should stay away from excitement which I agree with and try to follow. If I knew I wouldn't wake up tomorrow morning, I don't think I would be particularly upset. Is this a normal feeling Buddhists have or come to after they have been practicing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T10:06:01.780" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T15:52:54.920" Title="Answering Other's Questions About Oneself" Tags="|personal-practice|daily-life|self|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10055" CreationDate="2015-07-09T02:40:41.803" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everyone experiences ebbs and flows, it is the natural biological cycle of the mind. However its impact varies from individual to individual, and can definitely be controlled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, we need a good reason to continue practicing when meditation loses its stickiness. Second, we need to intervene early, before the multiplier effect sets in. If the dullness (which is what doubt is) of mind lasts for too long, then stronger and still stronger medicine becomes necessary, and it can be quite painful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Best case:&lt;/strong&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are in a retreat setting where our attention and mindfulness are excellent, we can spot the exact moment the mind changes its hum. Doubt begins to creep in, and a lack of confidence, or a desire for samsara grabs one. At these times, provided this change is noticed at the very first moment of arising, it maybe sufficient to just note the change, and it will vanish soon without much harm because our mind will multiply it no further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually for me this would happen on some days at around 3-4pm when I'm having a calorie crunch, being 4-5 hours after lunch, my mind is switching fuels, and has a lower performance initially when burning fat reserves.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fewer calories coming into the brain = Depression, despondence, laziness etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, I can't observe at this level of detail in everyday life, so this only works for me on a retreat or if I am already on the cushion when this happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next best case:&lt;/strong&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the philosophical approach, and ask, 'who is losing faith?', 'what is reality?' etc. Again, this works only if the intervention is quite early in the phase, when the mind still has enough strength to be reasoned with. Maybe within a few minutes of the dullness arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Medium - to - Hard cases:&lt;/strong&gt;      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the mind has become properly dull by lack of mindfulness, which takes only a few minutes (less than half hour) really, it becomes difficult to reason with. Moods and opinions take root rather firmly, and one may want to get up from meditation if one is already in meditation,  or take a break from reading a book on dhamma etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the lack of mindfulness lasts for a little longer, like an hour, then the mind becomes a proper bucking bronco. It wants pleasures, it wants a movie, it wants distraction, the works. It may want to leave the retreat right away etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we let the dullness persist for a day or two or a week, or more, then yeah, giving up the practice all together becomes a real possibility. There are people who abandon meditation for years because they got dragged away by dullness, and then got caught in daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Solution:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The only option that works on a dull mind that is not sharp enough to reason with is faith and perseverance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One time when I'd let my mindfulness slip on a retreat &lt;em&gt;(in this particular case it wasn't lack of calories, it was the dukkha nanas)&lt;/em&gt;, all of a sudden I had thoughts of quitting the retreat. It wasn't my first retreat, so I knew this isn't normal, this isn't right. I had no choice but to walk around in my room, cursing Mara, telling him he won't have his way, he is not going to weaken my resolve. I was simultaneously aware that I was talking to myself like one of those people in cults blaming the devil for everything, but what could I do, my mind was too dull for anything more rational or intelligent. The dull mind can't reflect within and see nuanced internal reality, so blaming the devil is what worked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It brought me back to the cushion within an hour, because I was quite angry with Mara and wasn't going to let him win. The mood had passed by the evening. All one needs is some convincing reason to continue to practice - devil, biology, philosophy - whatever resonates at that moment. The good thing about blaming the devil is it fights depression and self blame - I don't indulge in the '&quot;I&quot; screwed up' thinking and get demotivated, instead fury at being wronged by Mara gives strength to fight back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Off the retreat setting, there's been a few times, when I've abandoned all practice for 3-4 days, maybe a week, and binge watched some nonsense TV series or the other usually with a lot of stomach churning violence and sex. All the while knowing I don't really enjoy it, but I'll feel powerless. Of course in these cases I didn't catch the dullness early enough, and allowed it to multiply in strength. Once the mind is properly dull, it looks outside for entertainment. Sex and violence is popular in our present day culture because it is the lowest grade of entertainment - even the dullest mind can appreciate it even though it renders one even weaker. When my mindfulness is quite high I am repulsed by the sight of such things, and my mind will naturally stay away with no effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This situation is quite bad, because even after I've decided to pull myself up, which I usually do after a week maximum, I have to make up lost ground, and my concentration won't get back to normal for a week or two, and the whole time my mood and relaxation won't be so good. I might wake up a little extra tired, I might sleep late and wake up late etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Exception:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Some other times I've just zapped out of the dullness as if by magic, and got back on the cushion after watching 3 seasons of a TV show back to back, as if nothing happened, and my concentration has not suffered much. This I can't explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My problem these days is complacency: I know how all this works, and I know I will eventually always return to the cushion, so I no longer fight it as vehemently as I used to. I'm trying to fix this but I can tell I am taking it easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T10:34:52.027" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T10:34:52.027" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10063" CreationDate="2015-07-09T03:08:17.197" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;tl;dr:&lt;/strong&gt; I think it is normal, you just need time to get used to it. It will pass. I think it will be useful for you to investigate, why do you feel the desire to be &quot;normal&quot;? What part of you feels insecure?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can only offer my anecdotal support - yes, I've felt like this too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one point I couldn't even fill out the &quot;About me&quot; section of my social media profile, or a form for a retreat that asked me to describe myself. I mean, what do I put there? I couldn't really define myself by my samsaric interests of the past, and I didn't identify as a Buddhist or some other &quot;ist&quot; either because it's my present vehicle to the truth, it is not me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I began to wonder if my friends will consider me weird. And I also realized it didn't matter much to me what anyone thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It took me a while to accept totally that this identity-less person is who I am, and I am fine with it. What helped me was to listen to several interviews of spiritually awakening people on batgap.com - after hearing several hundred interviews I had the confidence that this is quite okay. I was not very different from the people being interviewed in my mind state and experiences, and they all seemed pretty together in their external identities after a few years of being lost, so I felt okay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days if someone asks me who I am, I don't have the deer in the headlights look - instead I try to imagine what the person wants to hear, and reveal that aspect of my externally visible identity, even though internally I have none.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yes, being okay with dying is pretty normal at this stage of acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T03:08:17.197" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8430" CreationDate="2015-07-09T03:45:57.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;[This is not a direct answer, but comment space is too limited]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of belief in short cuts to salvation appear to be a later cultural addition to Buddhism, though sending metta to ancestors is a well recognized aspect of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Texts like the Surangama Sutra, itself a later addition, says the Buddha participated in some such practices of saving ancestors from hells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then King Prasenajit, for the sake of his father, the late king,&#xA;  arranged on the day of mourning a vegetarian feast and invited the&#xA;  Buddha to the side rooms of the palace. He welcomed the Tathagata in&#xA;  person with a vast array of superb delicacies of unsurpassed wonderful&#xA;  flavors and himself invited the great Bodhisattvas. 1:121&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama/shurangama3.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;[Shuranagama Sutra]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acharya S.N. Goenka narrates a story that seems to imply nothing can improve one's lot except one's own merits. I can't find a source for this story independent of Goenkaji.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArHGqo3_GDs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Youtube-(4 minutes audio)&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.co.in/books?id=BQmsAAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA52&amp;amp;lpg=PA52&amp;amp;dq=buddha%20pot%20of%20ghee&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=P5TSlHaIhM&amp;amp;sig=_qot9iAFFvcrMeKDAcDpB0J0NR0&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCEQ6AEwAWoVChMIrqrvhI_NxgIVhwmOCh1iNA3E#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddha%20pot%20of%20ghee&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(Text version-Google Books)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pre-dating the Buddha, in Hindu brahmin culture the parents of a monk were guaranteed to go to heaven. This maybe a convenient form of consolation to a family that loses its healthy son who can plough the fields and serve them in old age. Promising rewards in the after life are the stock in trade of any religion to make people do something unpleasant right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was quite the exception to insist on dharma being good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While dharma and meditation may help the individual, it doesn't directly help the family that has to accept the loss of a son. This is also why monasteries began taking in children at an early age - this made the loss acceptable to the family, since it hasn't spent a whole lot of time and money raising the son.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T03:59:20.550" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T03:59:20.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10067" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-09T12:15:52.297" Score="5" ViewCount="1463" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suspect the Buddha used the term &quot;rebirth&quot; in a sense different from its traditional meaning. Probably he meant that our &lt;strong&gt;sense of separate self&lt;/strong&gt; is repeatedly being born, decaying, dying and being reborn until we attain Nirvana. In this sense, rebirth happens only in our &lt;strong&gt;present life and not after our physical death&lt;/strong&gt;. Is there any evidence in the early canon to support that the Buddha used the term &quot;rebirth&quot; in the above sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastEditorUserId="5442" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T16:29:57.607" LastActivityDate="2021-05-01T09:13:11.877" Title="Did the Buddha mean this by &quot;rebirth&quot;?" Tags="|rebirth|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10063" CreationDate="2015-07-09T14:18:06.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a subtle danger here that I think a lot of people fall into - namely identifying with non-identity (says the guy with the username Nemo...heh).  I think one of the more glaring examples of this sort of thing are the people who refuse to capitalize the letter &quot;I&quot; when talking about themselves.  They make a big show of being beyond the confines of ego.  They can't wait to tell you just how humble they are and how their existence and personal identity is of petty importance.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This a whole lot of rubbish, really.  Buddhism doesn't seek out to wipe away all traces of your personality.  It doesn't try to dash your dreams or eradicate the joys you find in life.  What it does try to do is keep your from being dominated by them.  If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting someone who has been practicing for awhile, one thing you'll notice is that they aren't stick-in-the-mud types, holier-than-thou, disconnected, or aloof.  If anything, they are a bigger, bolder, and braver version of who they were before they began practicing.  They are more themselves, not less.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I think anyone who says they have no fear of death is blowing smoke too.  I know people who are deeply enlightened who fear social gatherings, public speaking, and flying!  If you practice, you might not be faced with the same kind of existential dread of your own demise as someone else might be, but let's be honest here.  It's a journey into what poet Francois Rabelais called a &quot;great perhaps&quot;.  There's always some trepidation in journeying into the unknown. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little Zen story to summarize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In ancient days an old woman made offering to a hermit over a period&#xA;  of twenty years, and one day she sent her sixteen-year-old niece to&#xA;  take food to the hermit, telling her to make advances to him and to&#xA;  see what he would do.  So the girl lay her head on the hermits lap and&#xA;  said, How is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hermit said, The withered tree is rooted in an ancient rock in&#xA;  bitter cold during winter months; there is no warmth, no life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The girl reported this to her aunt, and the old woman said, That&#xA;  vulgarian!  How outrageous!  To think that I have made offerings to&#xA;  him for twenty years!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So she drove the hermit away and burnt down his cottage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T14:18:06.833" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10067" CreationDate="2015-07-09T17:07:37.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First I will offer some background before I say anything about what the Buddha said or didn't about rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Logically speaking, both view points are true since consciousness is not affected at the time of physical death or rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mention in the comments that you are not comfortable with the traditional idea of rebirth, which is okay, take what you can verify and trust. If tomorrow you change your mind because of new insights, that's okay. If not, that's okay too. You don't have to agree with others, be independent using your logical faculties as your guide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My submission is that in 2500 years the numerous brilliant minds in Buddhism and other Indian traditions were not all so dense as to not be aware of material reality, and there were certainly some schools (Lokayatika) who were only concerned with impermanence in the material reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokayatika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha specifically confronts the position of material reality being the only truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Heraclitus, a near contemporary of the Buddha has a pithy saying that &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;You could not step twice into the same river.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; meaning the body and mind is ever changing. This is often quoted by modern dharma teachers in the West because it perfectly reflects the Buddhist teaching on emptiness, and impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what the Dhammapada says on impermanence in the present moment -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbe sankhara anicca&amp;quot; ti yada pannaya passati atha nibbindati dukkhe&#xA;esa maggo visuddhiya.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada Verse 277&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;: &amp;quot;All conditioned phenomena are impermanent&amp;quot;; when one sees&#xA;this with Insight-wisdom, one becomes weary of dukkha (i.e., the&#xA;khandhas). This is the Path to Purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly traditional rebirth is heavily referenced in the earliest sutras of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many references to rebirth in the early Buddhist scriptures.&#xA;These are some of the more important; Mahakammavibhanga Sutta&#xA;(Majjhima Nikaya 136); Upali Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 56); Kukkuravatika&#xA;Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 57); Moliyasivaka Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya&#xA;36.21); Sankha Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya 42.8).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See more: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia-Rebirth(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The specifics of the concept of rebirth however was left sufficiently vague by the Buddha, since he was first and foremost concerned with liberation from suffering, and not in solving philosophical debates of the intellectual kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has led to several schools of thought regarding a persistent self and nuanced details of rebirth. However, there were no Buddhist schools of thought denying rebirths, which may be instructive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṅa Sūtra, especially influential in East&#xA;Asian Buddhist thought, goes so far as to speak of it as our true self&#xA;(ātman). Its precise metaphysical and ontolo-gical status is, however,&#xA;open to interpretation in the terms of different Mahāyāna&#xA;philosophical schools; for the Madhyamikas it must be empty of its own&#xA;existence like everything else; for the Yogacarins, following the&#xA;Laṅkāvatāra, it can be identified with store consciousness, as the&#xA;receptacle of the seeds of awakening.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/The%20Foundations%20of%20Buddhism_Gethin_1998.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Foundations of Buddhism, Gethin, 1998, page 52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll finally leave you with this,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.31 Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; forest.&#xA;Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the&#xA;monks, &amp;quot;What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few&#xA;simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord.&#xA;Those overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct&#xA;knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have&#xA;taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected&#xA;with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do&#xA;not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to&#xA;direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have&#xA;not taught them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what have I taught? 'This is stress... This is the origination of&#xA;stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of&#xA;practice leading to the cessation of stress': This is what I have&#xA;taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected&#xA;with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to&#xA;disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct&#xA;knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught&#xA;them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is&#xA;the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your&#xA;duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to&#xA;the cessation of stress.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T19:22:30.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10067" CreationDate="2015-07-09T17:20:11.003" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=death+reborn&amp;amp;sa=Search&amp;amp;siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accesstoinsight.org%2F&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;searching the Pali cannon for the words 'death' and 'reborn'&lt;/a&gt; there are many suttas which include the phrase,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Translator's Introduction&lt;/a&gt;, Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This sutta teaches how to understand the relationship of consciousness&#xA;  to rebirth in a way that helps put an end to rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha never used any word corresponding to &quot;rebirth&quot; in&#xA;  his teachings, he did describe birth as a process following on death&#xA;  again and again as long as the appropriate conditions are present. In&#xA;  other words, even though he didn't use the word &quot;rebirth,&quot; his&#xA;  teachings on birth are teachings on repeated birth: how it happens,&#xA;  how it inherently involves suffering and stress, and how it can be&#xA;  brought to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The idea that death can be followed by birth was not universally&#xA;  accepted in India in the Buddha's time. As DN 2 and MN 101 show, some&#xA;  prominent contemplative schools actively rejected the idea of rebirth&#xA;  while others affirmed it. Thus when the Buddha taught rebirth, he&#xA;  wasn't simply following an unexamined cultural assumption. He was&#xA;  consciously taking a stand on one of the controversial issues of his&#xA;  time. However, his explanation of rebirth differed from other schools&#xA;  on both sides of the issue in that he avoided the question of whether&#xA;  or not there's a &quot;what&quot; that gets reborn, or if there is a &quot;what,&quot;&#xA;  what it is (SN 12.12; SN 12.35). He also discouraged such speculations&#xA;  as, &quot;If I take rebirth, what was I in the past, and what will I be in&#xA;  the future?&quot; (MN 2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also writes the following, which agrees with what you asked in the question (not rebirth-during-this-life instead of rebirth-after-death, but at least rebirth-during-this-life as well as rebirth-after-death),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, a being — in the Buddha's sense of the term — not only takes birth after the death of the body, it can also take birth, die, and be reborn many times in the course of a day — as attachment develops for one desire, ends, and then develops for another desire. This is why the processes leading to rebirth after death can be observed and redirected in the present moment during life. This is why the ability to understand and observe the processes of dependent co-arising is so important in putting an end to rebirth on all its many levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T17:20:11.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10072" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10074" CreationDate="2015-07-09T17:36:29.840" Score="6" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that most of the dharma teachers in the West are lay people, as opposed to Asia where most of the teachers are ordained monks.  Many of the western teachers were monks for a while, but decided to disrobe.  My assumption is that these teachers are not enlightened because they usually get in relationships after disrobing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, is it wise to follow these lay teachers, or is it better to wait and try to find a monk who has made a firmer commitment to the dharma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to be disrespectful, it's just that it seems like the act of disrobing is sort of a rejection of Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5443" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T08:25:20.383" Title="Are monks better teachers than ex-monks?" Tags="|monk|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10054" CreationDate="2015-07-09T18:46:32.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because it was on this earth he cultivated the ten &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=10_Paramitas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paramithas&lt;/a&gt; in 3 different ways. He was training his generals(Dana, Sila, Nekkhamma etc.) for eons for the final battle against the evil one. It wasn't a plea, he was making the ultimate statement, saying that he needs no other witness when the great earth itself has witnessed it all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;perhaps the only witness that would be acceptable to Mara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it wasn't a case of finding something that the Mara would accept. Mara had no way to defeat the Buddha. He had no choice but to flee in fear because the earth started trembling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T01:38:48.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10072" CreationDate="2015-07-09T18:58:29.957" Score="8" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. There were lay Arhats&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's time there were lay Arhats such as the rich merchant Vimalakirti of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra&quot;&gt;Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra&lt;/a&gt;. His knowledge was considered by the Buddha (to the discomfiture of many monks) to far surpass most monks, and equal Bodhisattvas. Thus, being lay is no reason to look down upon a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Having the Buddha for a teacher does not guarantee enlightenment&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was frequented by several Kings, one of them, I can't remember his name right now, and I certainly don't want to defame the wrong King, was a regular patron of the Buddha, visiting him more than once. It so happened that at one point in a succession struggle he ended up killing his own brother. So much for having the Buddha as a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there was a blind weaver girl who heard the Buddha speak from afar only once, and that was enough for her to begin her contemplation on death and impermanence. She died a stream entrant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this age of the Internet, one can be like the blind weaver girl, and listen to the great teachers of our age anytime we like. There were even people who listened to the Buddha's teachings as it was narrated by someone who had heard it from someone else who had heard it from someone else and so on, handed down several times, and still attained enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Western teachers relate better to western students&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are definitely great eastern masters who have produced enlightened western students. Still,  several western students report getting very little out of the extended stays in Tibetan and Thai monasteries, other than a liking for strange food and exposure to a new culture. That's not to say it always works this way, but certainly more times than we care to admit. Especially monks who ordain as children are unfamiliar with anything other than the local culture and monastic setting, and are rather uncomfortable with foreign students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Western teachers, lay or otherwise are often times better at relating to western students, and vice versa. That is not to say, some of them are not Dharma politicians, several of them can be that way, always saying what the student wants to hear, and presenting a false facade of calm, peace  and enlightenment, but then such teachers are everywhere, even in the East.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One Western monk's account with his Burmese teacher went as follows - he confided  his problems in attaining deep concentration to the Senior abbot, and the Abbot's only question was - &quot;did you ever do drugs?&quot; As a college student he had taken his share of weed, which he admitted to. That was it, the teacher decided he was unfit to be taught, and ignored him for the rest of the time he was at the monastery. The teacher's cultural perception of drugs clouded his ability to nurture the student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not discouraging you from going out to find a supremely enlightened monk to learn from, but it is the equivalent of saying, &quot;I will not move from here until I can afford a Rolls Royce.&quot; Maybe all we need is a bicycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-09T19:05:16.010" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T19:05:16.010" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10072" CreationDate="2015-07-09T23:34:38.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person is not necessarily a better teacher because they are or are not a monk. The qualities that make a good teacher are related to how well they can teach their students. Of course, if a person is seeking to learn how to be a monk, in that case learning from a monk is a practical choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the West we have far fewer monasteries so it stands to reason we have fewer monastics than in Asia where there is a long standing and wide spread tradition of Buddhist monasteries. We can be thankful and supportive of Westerners who have trained and ordained in Asia and brought back what they've learned to teach us here. And we can be happy that there are committed lay teachers as well. Anyone who understands the Buddha's teachings well and can teach others is a jewel. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do understand what you're saying. A person who has ordained shows a level of dedication far beyond the level of an average person. But that dedication may or may not translate to being a good teacher; it's a separate set of qualities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly regarding your concern about disrobing being a sign of rejection of the Buddha's teachings; if a person disrobes and goes from being a &quot;bad&quot; monk to a &quot;good&quot; lay person, that's not disrespect. It actually may be a sign of respect for the sangha for a person who realizes they are not up to monastic disciplines to step down and be the best lay Buddhist they can. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes in finding a great teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-09T23:34:38.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10054" CreationDate="2015-07-10T03:27:55.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some versions of the story include a deva named &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prithvi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prithvi&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prithvi&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;pṛthvī&lt;/em&gt;, also &lt;em&gt;pṛthivī&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;quot;the Vast One&amp;quot; is the Sanskrit name for the earth as well as the name of a devi in Hinduism and Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist texts and visual representations, Pṛthvī is described as both protecting Gautama Buddha and as being his witness for his enlightenment. Prithvi appears in Early Buddhism in the Pāli Canon, dispelling the temptation figure Mara by attesting to Gautama Buddha's worthiness to attain enlightenment.[2] The Buddha is very frequently illustrated in figurative art wielding &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra#Bh.C5.ABmispar.C5.9Ba_Mudr.C4.81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhūmisparśa&lt;/a&gt; or &amp;quot;earth-touching&amp;quot; mudrā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't found it in the Pali cannon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various places though say that the story evolved, that people added to it or retold it; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/guruge/wheel419.html#ch-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One element, however, is still not evident: Maara does not claim the seat on which the Bodhisatta is seated, and hence the need to call as witness the earth (or the earth-goddess, as the later versions have it) has not arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T03:27:55.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9963" CreationDate="2015-07-10T07:05:12.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually there's nothing really wrong with sensual pleasure at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the sensual &lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt; that is the problem and if the pleasure is not aligned with the Eightfold path (e.g. pleasure from the four efforts, Right Livelihood, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd training, &lt;strong&gt;concentration/absorption&lt;/strong&gt;, is actually all about this training to be able to focus the mind through usage of the Five Faculties on a meditation object--&lt;strong&gt;it is a very pleasurable experience which is naturally cultivated&lt;/strong&gt;... like a final resting place.. which is why it is called samadhi/dhyana. Learn more about these 9 buddhist jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above can also be said about the 1st and 3rd Buddhist trainings for various reasons: there is pleasure associated with their cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, to answer the heart of your question:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We gain pleasure from typical things so... all that is fine, but &lt;strong&gt;you will have to learn the rules for these temporary pleasure&lt;/strong&gt;. This is all the 1st Training (morality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, exercise is pleasurable and healthy for the system which the Buddha has instructed us to take care of, a temple for Enlightenment. But we should not overexert ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eating is great, but you should not overeat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the things you kno about certain temporary pleasures are not what you really think they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, by doing anything non-Buddhist you are basically taking the risk of harming yourself if you do nor arm yourself with appropriate knowledge of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, in summary, the answer to your question is the &lt;strong&gt;1st Training&lt;/strong&gt; (morality), which really has no end to it, even after you are a Buddha with the full regalia of powers, you are learning things or unlearning things, developing skillful means to even greater perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T07:14:50.560" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T07:14:50.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10072" CreationDate="2015-07-10T08:14:01.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For starters I do not think your question is disrespectful at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this depends on the particular monk(s) or ex-monk(s) that you want to compare. There could be good or bad versions of both. &#xA;Keeping vows is not easy. Buddhism also has A LOT of different vow sets one can take. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refuge vows, Bodhisattva Vows, Monastic Vows, The five precepts, the list goes on... and on... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people get in over their heads and make vows they cannot keep. Everyone has their story and their path, if you are friends or comrades with an ex-monk, and you find the conversions about Buddhism informative and positive I do not see harm in this kind of relationship. In fact it might even be therapeutic to the ex-monk to be able to have those kinds of conversations. If not therapeutic at least interesting to them, and from a karmic perspective (assuming conversations are accurate) beneficial for both parties.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T08:14:01.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10079" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-10T09:19:01.197" Score="7" ViewCount="942" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to attain Nirvana, i.e., to stop the cycle of rebirth. Since a Buddhist is compassionate, she/he not only wants to stop her/his own rebirth but also wants that all beings will stop their rebirth. Now suppose this has happened: all beings have been able to stop the cycle of rebirth. Then what will be the picture of the world? There will be no life anywhere, let alone human civilization. The entire world will be like a land of the dead. Is that a desirable goal? If not, where is the fallacy in the above argument?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T16:22:33.667" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T16:25:55.197" Title="What will be the situation of the world when every beings will attain Nirvana?" Tags="|rebirth|nirvana|samsara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10079" CreationDate="2015-07-10T09:48:11.563" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Isd8tSOXw&quot;&gt;According to Ven. Ajaan Tong&lt;/a&gt;, there are four things without limit: The knowledge of a Buddha, the world of beings, the universe, and space. The idea of a limited reality is more of a western concept, tied in with the Abrahamic religions which purport a creation and end. If anyone has any reference to the &quot;four things without limit&quot; that the Venerable sir is talking about, that'd be great. I have no doubt he is quoting a Theravada text, I just don't know which.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that being said, as far as Buddhism is concerned, even if Samsara were &quot;depleted&quot; of beings, it would simply cease to exist altogether, as it arises due to supporting conditions. If you remove those supporting conditions, it no longer arises. And Buddhism views samsara as devoid of any useful or beneficial intrinsic qualities, so in  any case it is of no matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T09:48:11.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10081" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-10T10:22:29.117" Score="5" ViewCount="2025" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddhism's theory, one man's fate is destined by the past's karma.&#xA;Suppose that he faced an unfortunate incident at birth, which is due to past karma. Besides, his genes are inherited from his parents. In other words, his brain is also initiated by past karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this condition, all his ideas are also affected by the experience he has had, which is determined by past karma. To elaborate more, some are clever, some less, which can again be explained by karma.&#xA;But if the conventional human brain can be so strongly determined by the existence of karma, how can you say buddhism is not fatalism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5444" LastEditorUserId="10376" LastEditDate="2019-06-03T14:29:34.857" LastActivityDate="2021-09-06T07:16:34.420" Title="Buddhism is not fatalism?" Tags="|karma|philosophy|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-07-10T11:00:29.503" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question might have been asked and answered well already, e.g. please read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9327/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some reasons why 'belief in karma' is not 'fatalism' include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Fatalism' is often understood to mean &quot;fate assigned to us by God&quot;, however Buddhist believe that &quot;we are the author of our own karma&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma affects us, but it is not the only factor which affects us&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma means, something like, 'an act of intention': our present intention affects our future (our future and present state is not pre-determined by fate, but is instead determined by our intentions)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To elaborate more, someone are clever, some less, which can be explained by the karma. But if the conventional human brain can be affected by the existence of karma, how can you say buddhism is not fatalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether intelligence is a result of birth (i.e. genes) or education (i.e. action) is a complicated subject (for example a book called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blank_Slate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Blank Slate&lt;/a&gt; argued that it's the result of both).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intend to learn &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first verse of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a result of having formed the intention, perform the actions which are necessary to achieve that (e.g. read the verse repeatedly until you have memorized it and can repeat it from memory)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this example, because you had an intention, your brain was then affected: but it is not 'fatalism', instead it is you having an effect on your own brain as a result of your own choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T11:00:29.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-07-10T11:08:36.813" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to the Buddhism's theory, one man's fate is destined by the past's karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is true that our conditions are determined by past karma, but they are determined by present as well.&#xA;A Brahman asked the Buddha in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot;&gt;Cula Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the condition, why inferiority and superiority are met with among human beings, among mankind? For one meets with short-lived and long-lived people, sick and healthy people, ugly and beautiful people, insignificant and influential people, poor and rich people, low-born and high-born people, stupid and wise people. What is the reason, what is the condition, why superiority and inferiority are met with among human beings, among mankind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha replies by saying that our conditions are due to our past karma. This; however, is not fatalistic. The idea of karma revolves around the idea that we create our future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot;&gt;Devadaha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha refutes two Jainism theories about karma &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The past determines present pleasure and pain, and the present determines future present and pain. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The belief that you can do nothing in the present to get rid of suffering; all one could do is live with it. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha rejected both of those theories that were taught in Jainism. Those two statements sound fatalistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that the past and present determine the present; thus, making it not fatalistic. &#xA;Suffering, according to the Buddha, is due to past and present karma as well. &#xA;There is no fatalism in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The karma you mention in your question seems to be more of Jainist theories of karma than Buddhist theories of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="5380" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T11:14:46.587" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T11:14:46.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10079" CreationDate="2015-07-10T11:40:40.697" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explicitly declined to answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether or not the cosmos is eternal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether or not the cosmos is infinite&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether or not the Tathagata exists after death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot;&gt;Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He seems to imply that both views are wrong view (or at least, not &quot;right&quot; view):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is finite,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is infinite,' there is the living of the holy life. When there is the view, 'The cosmos is finite,' and when there is the view, 'The cosmos is infinite,' there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, &amp;amp; distress whose destruction I make known right in the here &amp;amp; now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If not, where is the fallacy in the above argument?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't mind me saying so, a fallacy seems to be to be that you're postulating something good (i.e. &quot;cessation of suffering&quot;); and then proposing your attachment to and your imagination of something (i.e. &quot;the picture of the world&quot; and &quot;the entire world&quot; and &quot;a land of the dead&quot; and &quot;a desirable goal&quot;) as a counter-argument; for example the following are meant as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum&quot;&gt;some absurd examples&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suppose nobody needed to die anymore: how could grave-diggers then earn their living?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suppose everyone's basic needs were magically taken care of, with enough food and shelter and protection from violence for everyone: society would collapse! Who would go to their jobs anymore? We'd be living in a world without slaves and without armies.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T11:40:40.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9845" CreationDate="2015-07-10T13:10:47.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can read old book with very details, you want might to consider '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammadownload.com/MinGunSayaDaw-eBookInEnglish.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Chronicle Of Buddha&lt;/a&gt;' by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mingun_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mingun Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;. The biography of Gautama Buddha starts at volume two, part one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T13:10:47.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9845" CreationDate="2015-07-10T13:49:25.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A book titled &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's words&lt;/em&gt; is &quot;An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&quot; by&#xA;Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find it online as a PDF.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its second chapter (only 25 pages) is titled &quot;The Bringer of Light&quot; and is a biography: it has section titles like, &quot;The Buddha's Conception and Birth&quot;, &quot;The Decision to Teach&quot;, and &quot;The First Discourse&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its advantage is that it's quoting suttas, so I guess that's &quot;widely read&quot; and reportedly autobiography.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T13:49:25.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10067" CreationDate="2015-07-10T15:27:31.347" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The interpretation you offer is not in line with the Buddha's teachings as I understand them. Other, western Buddhists have suggested similar interpretations, however, literal reincarnation is a repeated theme throughout the suttas. Here are a few reasons that I think the non-literal or 'this lifetime' interpretation of rebirth is not tenable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) When discussing rebirth, as ChrisW pointed out, the phrasing that thematically appears makes it clear that it is meant to be literal, as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saleyyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Householders, it is by reason of conduct not in accordance with the&#xA;  Dhamma, by reason of unrighteous conduct, that beings here &lt;strong&gt;on the&#xA;  dissolution of the body, after death&lt;/strong&gt; (emphasis mine), reappear in states of&#xA;  deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. It&#xA;  is by reason of conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of&#xA;  righteous conduct, that some beings here on the dissolution of the&#xA;  body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the&#xA;  heavenly world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same phrasing appears elsewhere, e.g., in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) The Buddha occasionally declares the destination of deceased persons; i.e., he says where they have been reborn (or that they will not be reborn).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) The Buddhist cosmology explicitly declares the existence of various hell and heaven realms and beings that populate them. These are possible destinations after death for a human being, as are rebirth as an animal or a hungry ghost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) The Buddha distinguishes between the fruits of kamma in the 'here and now' and those in future births. That the Buddha is talking about reincarnation is made perfectly clear by this conversation with his disciple, General Siha, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.034.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Siha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, General Siha said to the Blessed One: &quot;As for the&#xA;  four fruits of generosity visible in the here &amp;amp; now that have been&#xA;  pointed out by the Blessed One, it's not the case that I go by&#xA;  conviction in the Blessed One with regard to them. I know them, too. I&#xA;  am one who gives, a master of giving, dear &amp;amp; charming to people at&#xA;  large. I am one who gives, a master of giving; good people, people of&#xA;  integrity, admire me. I am one who gives, a master of giving, and my&#xA;  fine reputation is spread far &amp;amp; wide: 'Siha is generous, a doer, a&#xA;  supporter of the Sangha.' I am one who gives, a master of giving, and&#xA;  when I approach any assembly of people — noble warriors, brahmans,&#xA;  householders, or contemplatives — I do so confidently &amp;amp; without&#xA;  embarrassment. (&lt;strong&gt;Context note:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;The Buddha has just finished outlining the fruits of generosity in this life; they are those which the general says he enjoys, i.e., one is dear and charming, admired, of good reputation, and approaches assemblies confidently&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But when the Blessed One says to me, 'At the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death, one who gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a&#xA;  good destination, the heavenly world,' that I do not know. That is&#xA;  where I go by conviction in the Blessed One.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is, Siha. So it is. At the break-up of the body, after death,&#xA;  one who gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a good&#xA;  destination, the heavenly world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the general directly knows how generosity leads to good results and certain consequences within the present life, but needs to rely upon the Buddha in faith for knowledge of what happens after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are more reasons but this should be enough to establish that the Buddha of the suttas was talking about literal rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha declares that if one undertakes right actions, they will benefit in the here and now and can also be assured that (although they doubt the doctrine of reincarnation) if there is rebirth that is causally connected to one's deeds, then one will be born in a good destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Further reading:&lt;/strong&gt; For what I think is an interesting discussion of this and other issues of western Buddhist modernism, see B. Alan Wallace's critique of Stephen Batchelor's views on Buddhism: &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/mandala-issues-for-2010/october/distorted-visions-of-buddhism-agnostic-and-atheist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Distorted visions of Buddhism: Agnostic and atheist&lt;/a&gt; and Batchelor's reply: &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/mandala-issues-for-2011/january/an-open-letter-to-b-alan-wallace/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An open letter to B. Alan Wallace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T15:27:31.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9845" CreationDate="2015-07-10T15:31:59.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may see these two books:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; by Karen Armstrong,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Life of Buddha according to the Pali Canon&lt;/em&gt; by Bhikkhu Nanamoli.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T15:31:59.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10063" CreationDate="2015-07-10T15:47:07.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teachers on the retreat I went on a year ago spoke about &lt;strong&gt;Character, Story and Texture&lt;/strong&gt;. These are three important concepts for navigating an awakening life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Character&lt;/em&gt; is the person in the role of you at the time. You are free to do whatever you wish with this actor. It is put on, so you can change it. I actually have about 10 personality facets which respond to life and act at various times, although mostly it is &quot;just doing&quot;. People always wonder how this is progress, to have more facets and not just one. One is a trap. An inflexible one is a trap. A defined one is a trap. So, just get on with it, don't chain yourself to a self-image. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Story&lt;/em&gt; is what we tell ourselves and others to reinforce the safety of knowing what we are. Story is to be avoided, by not telling it to others, and not allowing the tape to run in your mind. We do not know what we are, and it is none of our business. In this way, as you said, it does not matter if &quot;we&quot; live or die. Good call. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Texture&lt;/em&gt; is the experience of living. Whatever is. It is irrefutable and unarguable, because it is what is happening. It needs no justification. If you are drinking bad coffee, the texture of your experience is bad. If you are having good sex, the texture of your experience is good. As one of the teachers said, &quot;Why would we want Texture to flatline?&quot; Why indeed? Texture is truth. Personally, I think you can learn a lot from excitement. The old Zen saying is: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Anyone can hold a sleeping baby!&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when people ask you questions about yourself, you should... haw haw, you thought I was going to answer, didn't you? This response will self-destruct in 5 seconds. (Cue Mission Impossible theme music) aaand... Cut! [This message was brought to you by Heiligtum, R'Tah and Gina]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T15:52:54.920" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T15:52:54.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10079" CreationDate="2015-07-10T16:13:09.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lotus cannot grow without the mud, the mud would be meaningless without the lotus. Thus the mud and the lotus are the same, they condition each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Ajahn Chah:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbāna is found in samsāra. Enlightenment and delusion (samsāra)&#xA;  exist in the same place, just as do hot and cold. It's hot where it&#xA;  was cold and cold where it was hot. When heat arises, the coolness&#xA;  disappears, and when there is coolness, there's no more heat. In this&#xA;  way Nibbāna and samsāra are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya sūtra:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;« There is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no end to suffering,&#xA;  no path to follow »&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Zen Master Ryōkan Taigu&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where beauty is, then there is ugliness;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  where right is, also there is wrong.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  delusion and enlightenment condition each other.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Since olden times it has been so.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  How could it be otherwise now?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wanting to get rid of one and grab the other&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  is merely realizing a scene of stupidity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Even if you speak of the wonder of it all,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  how do you deal with each thing changing?       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T16:25:55.197" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T16:25:55.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10067" CreationDate="2015-07-10T17:25:17.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I offer this article, &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://secularbuddhism.org/a-secular-evaluation-of-rebirth/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Secular Evaluation of Rebirth&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, as a possible answer to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insofar as we know anything about his dhamma, we know that the Buddha taught literal rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;After looking at evidence gathered by Ian Stevenson, considering whether memories are trustworthy, and whether we have any physical theories for rebirth, it concludes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is for reasons such as these that any contemporary, scientifically informed Buddhist practice should reject belief in rebirth and its associated kammic causation. The Path is rich enough without them. And while we can make good use of kamma and rebirth as metaphor for our moment-to-moment lived experience of change, or of skillful and unskillful action, we simply cannot make any more of it and expect to end up with a system which is compatible with our best understanding of the way the world works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, I think the Pali canon does &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; agree with your interpretation, though the article makes clear that there are Buddhists who do (I am one of them). You might look to &amp;quot;Secular&amp;quot; Buddhism for more about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastEditorUserId="21010" LastEditDate="2021-04-29T18:02:00.680" LastActivityDate="2021-04-29T18:02:00.680" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10092" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20697" CreationDate="2015-07-10T17:27:21.380" Score="8" ViewCount="7684" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha attained Nirvana at the age of 35. He lived 45 years more after which his Parinirvana occurred. Is it not somewhat contradictory? If Nirvana means the end of rebirth and rebirth means the evolution of consciousness, did the Buddha possess no consciousness during the last 45 years of his life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastActivityDate="2020-05-05T01:20:14.007" Title="What is the relation between Nirvana and Parinirvana?" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|nirvana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10111" CreationDate="2015-07-10T17:58:04.183" Score="7" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;My students' formal feedback about teaching makes me feel defeated. What would be a Buddhist view of this pain? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5449" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T18:14:17.477" LastActivityDate="2018-03-07T13:08:50.760" Title="Handling painful emotions" Tags="|mindfulness|suffering|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10093" CreationDate="2015-07-10T18:49:38.720" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most people have some story about who they are. They call this their identity, their role in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of this identity as a table with many legs. Each leg is one facet of their identity - for example, it maybe husband to the best wife, teacher to a loving children, son to wonderful parents, patriot of the greatest country, football fan of the greatest team, lover of the best food and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We even call this the well rounded person, and we want to be very proud about the many interests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good. Now what happens when one of them is no longer true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since life is impermanent, any one of these legs can collapse.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When one loses one's parents to old age, one is no longer a son.    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When one retires from one's job, one is no longer a teacher     &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When countries cease to exist, one is no longer a patriot or even a&#xA;citizen of the old country     &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When one's wife leaves, one is no longer a husband  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can all admit, we have seen this happen, time and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people will watch one leg collapse and quickly prop up the table with a new interest. This is why some people take up dancing or something to fill their time when they get divorced. Or reminisce old stories about the good old times after they retire. This is their identity surviving always in new forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meanwhile there is constant agony over the uncertainty about when one leg or the other is going to collapse, and they will rush to support it, and make sure it doesn't collapse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we aren't doing so well at work, we try to give the boss no excuse to be angry with us, is it not? We may never want to turn up late, or miss a day at work and so on. There is some fear here, and that is us trying to prop up that weak leg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now imagine we had no legs. Nothing to hold up. Then there'd be no fear, no pride, no ego, no sorrow. We can be whatever we want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of the mind is to produce thoughts, sometimes they can be pleasurable, and at other times they are painful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we identify with our thoughts, because they strengthen or weaken our identity - such as - &lt;em&gt;&quot;I am a very good teacher, or I am a sincere teacher, or I am a no good teacher&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - whatever the story, positive or negative, this gives stickiness to the thoughts that relate to the story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we can't let go of them. Even when they are hurting us, we hold on, obsessed with them, too attached to them, the thoughts are stuck to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything in this world is impermanent, yes? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore the wisdom is not to derive our identity from such impermanent objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We aren't a teacher or a husband or a son or whatever - we are empty. We really are, don't take my word for it, or even the word of the Buddha, or the Buddhists, ask yourself. Were you born a teacher? Were you born a husband?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, these things came into our lives at some point, and will leave our lives at some point. When we stop identifying with them, we are free, and our thoughts on them no longer matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T18:49:38.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10095" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-10T18:51:04.080" Score="7" ViewCount="3229" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am thinking about becoming a Buddhist, particularly a Theravada Buddhist but I must know about the lifestyle so I can change my lifestyle a bit. There is no Buddhist temple around where I am so I have nobody to ask. I do not wish to become a nun so the question are for more non-ordained Buddhist. So here are my questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What exactly is a lay Buddhist and what rules do they follow? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are all non-ordained Buddhist considered a lay person? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do certain things apply in Buddhism since I am female?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can I handle money? (cash, coins, cards, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What time of day are considered inappropriate to eat? How many meals can I have a day? Can I drink liquid any time? (Milk, Water, Juice, etc.) No alcohol.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do I need a shrine? What are considered luxury items? Should I not have luxury items?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can I have entertainment? (TV, Computer, Phone, Music, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do I fast? If so, when do I fast?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do I need to wear certain clothing if I become a Buddhist? Do I need to shave my head?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do I chant and meditate daily?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can I meditate without a monk/nun and without a temple?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is all I want to know. I hope all my questions can be answered. Thanks you and all may be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5450" LastEditorDisplayName="user5450" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T00:40:44.440" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T03:00:58.950" Title="What is the Theravada Buddhist lay lifestyle?" Tags="|theravada|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2015-07-10T19:27:40.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Parinirvana is the nirvana that occurs after death. You are no longer reborn in any of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt; Parinirvana is not a place.&#xA;The Buddha said what nibbana is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there, I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor stasis; neither passing away nor arising: without stance, without foundation, without support [mental object]. This, just this, is the end of stress.&#xA;  - (Udana 80)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what the Buddha said it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Nibbana.&#xA;  - (Anguttara Nikaya 3.32)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Entering Parinirvana after death is not a rebirth, nor a place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T19:27:40.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-10T20:42:53.950" Score="3" ViewCount="732" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lady at my work has a Buddha on her desk. She's on vacation an  today and i had to work at her desk. I accidentally touched it and her friend said oh 'my don't touch that she prays to that Buddha for bad things to happen to you all'. Well let me tell you I'm more than upset about this. Is this part of this religion? I will be demanding this to be removed from our work place. This seems like voodoo. It also has my hair tie around its neck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5451" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-10T21:41:30.520" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T08:25:34.140" Title="Is praying to a statue of the Buddha for bad things to happen part of Buddhism?" Tags="|traditions|rupa|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10097" CreationDate="2015-07-10T21:18:23.133" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no voodoo in Buddhism. Buddha preached his doctrine to help you get rid of hatred, greed and ignorance. Any curse or black magic is not a part of Buddhism, even if the lady ignorantly uses a Buddha statue for it. She only harms herself by being ignorant and disrespectful towards the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T21:18:23.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2015-07-10T21:25:32.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think buddha is peace and harmony. something all men and women in the world should strive to be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5454" LastActivityDate="2015-07-10T21:25:32.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10100" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10141" CreationDate="2015-07-10T22:00:02.803" Score="8" ViewCount="2114" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering these verses of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the commentaries I have read rapture and pleasure (bliss) are taken as jhana factors as detailed &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Rupa_Jhana_related_factors&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. What exactly is been suggested here? Is it possible to experience these factors in meditation without being in the jhanas and maybe encourage them? Can one encourage them by focusing on them and almost willing them into being? I was always told this was counterproductive. Presumably this part of the sutta is samatha. Is it being suggested that you should be in the jhanas before going on any further in this meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think generally I'm just wanting some additional explanation to what these verses mean and the implication of them to meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T05:51:16.057" Title="In the Anapanasati Sutta what is meant by 'sensitive to rapture/bliss'?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10101" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-11T00:36:36.667" Score="4" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do Paramittas need to be part of Theravada Buddhist training, much like keeping the 5 precepts or the noble eightfold path? Or are they just results/rewards we get for practicing the noble eightfold path/keeping the precepts? And is there are specific order (eg.Dhana--&gt;Seela--&gt;Nekkhamma etc. ) or should all be concentrated on at the same time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T20:50:32.357" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T20:50:32.357" Title="Do Paramittas need to be part of Theravada Buddhist training?" Tags="|personal-practice|reality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10095" CreationDate="2015-07-11T02:37:09.527" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, we try to submit each question individually, but I'll do my best to answer these briefly from the Theravada tradition and give links for further information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A lay Buddhist follows the teachings of the Buddha and observes the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt;. A lay Buddhist also &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17tUilnn_34&quot;&gt;Takes Refuge&lt;/a&gt; in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha defined 4 types of followers: monks, nuns, lay men and lay women. The special name for a lay man is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81saka_and_Up%C4%81sik%C4%81&quot;&gt;Upāsaka&lt;/a&gt; and for a lay woman is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81saka_and_Up%C4%81sik%C4%81&quot;&gt;Upāsikā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All four types of followers listed above are important. Buddhism was the first religion to accept women as equals. A woman can become enlightened. A Buddha however is always a man. However, with rebirths, we'll all be men, women, etc. at one time or another, so nothing needs to be ruled out. ;-)&#xA;As a practical matter, a woman in the Theravada tradition needs to keep some distance from an ordained male and a man needs to keep some distance from an ordained female. There is no physical contact such as a handshake with an ordained person of the opposite gender. Really the most appropriate way to greet a monastic is with palms together at the heart or at the forehead. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can handle money, only monastics have rules against that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On ordinary days you eat as normal, though mindful eating is always good. On &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot;&gt;Uposatha Days&lt;/a&gt; (or during a meditation course or retreat) you may wish to observe the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot;&gt;8 Precepts&lt;/a&gt; instead of 5 Precepts. In that case you would eat only between dawn and noontime. And yes, no alcohol at all.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You don't need a shrine. Some people like to have a statue of the Buddha or an area dedicated to meditation. But it's optional.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yes, you can have entertainment although if you are observing the 8 Precepts you would avoid entertainment during 8 Precept observation. Buddhists who are concentrating on beginning or continuing a meditation practice often limit entertainment as it's not conducive to meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you observe the 8 Precepts you wouldn't eat after noontime. But you would generally eat a full meal before noontime. So extended fasting is not really part of Buddhist tradition. It's considered an ascetic practice and Buddhism is more about the middle way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ordained Buddhists shave their heads. It's not necessary for lay followers; but not disallowed either. The only clothing that is different for lay followers is sometimes at intensive meditation courses or on Uposatha days or other special occasions, lay followers wear all white. It's a tradition in Thailand and other Buddhist countries in Asia and sometimes that tradition is followed in the West as well. But not always. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A regular meditation practice is considered very important. Not all Buddhists chant, but that too can be considered an important part of the practice. Some people feel chanting helps settle their mind for meditation. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yes, you can meditate at home and find support for your practice online in communities such as this and others. But the funny thing is, there can be Buddhist temples tucked away in lots of Western communities that people don't even know about. Many are smaller and don't really stand out. Some don't have websites or do any advertising or promotion. So it can take a while to know for sure whether or not there are any local Buddhist temples, groups, or meditation centers in an area. If there is a University near you, you might find a Buddhist group that meets there. I hope you'll be happily surprised to find something near you to support your practice. But if not, the online Buddhist community is a great help as well. Best wishes. :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T03:00:58.950" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T03:00:58.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10097" CreationDate="2015-07-11T03:37:54.927" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we engage in 4 special prayer-like practices regarding other beings. They are called the Four Brahma Viharas or sometimes the Four Heavenly Abodes or Four Sublime States. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love or Loving-kindness (metta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion (karuna)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sympathetic Joy (mudita)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity (upekkha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Praying for something unfortunate to happen is definitely not any part of Buddhism. For a Buddhist, keeping their mind clear of wrongdoings is a very important part of their practice and morality. Even &lt;strong&gt;thinking&lt;/strong&gt; of doing something wrong can create bad karma and also make it hard to meditate with a clear conscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible that the person who told you that might not really understand her friend's practice at all? Perhaps she is confused or thought it would be somehow funny to spread strange stories about her Buddhist friend? Or perhaps the Buddhist friend really doesn't understand the Buddha's teachings and has Wrong Views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, I'm glad you asked here so that we can confirm, praying for bad things to happen is not any part of Buddhism. You may already know that Buddhists don't believe in a creator god and praying to a god for things to be as we wish them to be, isn't part of Buddhist practice either. We simply send out thoughts of love, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity to other beings as our form of prayer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T04:07:06.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10101" CreationDate="2015-07-11T06:40:57.437" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sila grows Samadhi, Samadhi grows Panna, Panna grows Sila.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Paramitas grow the eight fold path, the eight fold path grows the 5 precepts, the 5 precepts grow the Paramitas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The human body needs a holistic balance of all its components, and weakness in one can lead to weakness in another, and growing good health by fixing one health problem will generally fix other problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are all interdependent. They all need to be at healthy levels for one to remain in good spiritual health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of Buddhism is inter dependence. Both inside ourselves, and outside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we live in a culture where generosity (dana) is frowned upon, then a little of that miserliness will stick to us, and the opposite is true - it's hard not to be infected by the abundant generosity of a culture that surrounds us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's not focus on things so much like a formula, instead we begin feeling with our heart instead of using only the head. Becoming aware of the emotions that arise from practicing dana, becoming aware of the emotions that arise from selfishness, becoming aware of the state of the body during the arising of the emotions, we can see for ourselves, which is gainful, which is painful and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma is not a race where one suffers a lot to win, it's an enjoyable path where one let's go of the self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as one realises the art of practicing without practicing, one succeeds beautifully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T07:41:41.503" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T07:41:41.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10093" CreationDate="2015-07-11T07:57:24.873" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your student's criticism is nothing to get upset about; on the contrary, criticism is a great treasure! It is very fortuitous that you post this now, as Ven. Yuttadhammo just posted a video about this very issue &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXsoIIBeTh0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a few days ago&lt;/a&gt;. Of course, being a teacher of (presumably) people younger than yourself, you must take the things they say, especially in a forum of anonymity where they submit feedback anonymously with no repercussion for what they might say, with a grain of salt. But with that being said, there probably is an air of truth to some if not a lot of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there were criticisms levied against you, those were clearly things that, to some degree, came to your student's minds at some point, and had some impact in coming between them and fully listening to what it was that you were trying to convey to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a great lesson in two regards: First and most importantly, as Buddho already alluded to more-or-less, this is a great chance to see the attachment you have to your &quot;ego&quot;. You feel harmed, defeated, dejected, at the idea that the thing you call yourself might dare be suggested to be less than what you thought it was. &quot;I'm a great teacher!&quot;, &quot;I do this well&quot;, etc etc. Letting go of these hang-ups will only open up potential for growth, and this ties-in with the more mundane issue of you becoming a better teacher by learning to take criticism and use it wisely and for your and your students benefit. I hope this helps, good luck, teaching others is a great thing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T07:57:24.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2015-07-11T08:08:31.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is it not somewhat contradictory?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well I guess it's difficult to understand, partly because it's an uncommon experience (there are some people who live in the tropics, and to whom it would be difficult to explain &quot;cold&quot; or &quot;snow&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If Nirvana means the end of rebirth ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=nirvana&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; as related to the 2nd and 3rd noble truths (i.e. that &quot;suffering is caused by craving&quot; and that &quot;suffering and craving can end&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvāṇa&lt;/a&gt; (Sanskrit: निर्वाण nirvāna ; Pali: निब्बान nibbāna ; Prakrit: णिव्वाण ṇivvāṇa ) literally means &quot;blown out&quot;, as in a candle. It is most commonly associated with Buddhism.&#xA;  In the Buddhist context nirvana refers to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been finally extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see a flame, the flame appears to 'cling to' or to be 'attached to' whatever is fuelling it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fire &quot;goes out&quot; when it is &quot;unbound&quot; from its fuel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an arahant or Buddha attains nirvana in this life, then they remain &quot;unbound&quot; for the rest of their life &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; are not subject to further rebirth. So it's true that after nirvanna there is no further rebirth, but nirvanna doesn't &lt;em&gt;mean&lt;/em&gt; &quot;no rebirth&quot;, it &lt;em&gt;means&lt;/em&gt; &quot;unbinding&quot; (i.e. &quot;no rebirth&quot; is a consequence of nirvanna, not the meaning of it).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;... and rebirth means the evolution of consciousness ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well I think that &quot;rebirth&quot; literally means physical &quot;birth&quot;: i.e. a consciousness embodied in an embryo that's subsequently born as an infant etc. Assuming you're already human, being born again is not a prerequisite to consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;... did the Buddha possess no consciousness during the last 45 years of his life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For example the Buddha remained able to see (mundane sight) which implies &quot;eye-consciousness&quot;; and the same for the various other senses.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha is also said to have developed extraordinary powers of consciousness (e.g. being able to remember previous lives, being aware of the karmic state of other people, etc.).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha attained meditative states, called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=buddhism+jhana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Jhanas&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (which were also a type of meditation which he used while his body was dying)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from the above there's something else unusual about his consciousness: which is that it's described as having &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9414/254&quot;&gt;no effluent (no &lt;em&gt;āsava&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the relation between Nirvana and Parinirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think &lt;em&gt;pari&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;total&quot;: Parinirvana means &quot;total nirvana&quot; or &quot;total unbinding&quot;. It implies the unbinding of the body, physical death.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T08:08:31.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10097" CreationDate="2015-07-11T08:25:34.140" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches the cessation of anger and hatred. Anger and hatred arise from a deep suffering inside of us, and we must learn to cool down this anger and erase the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this moment you suffer deeply because of what you heard, and this hurt has transformed into anger, and anger into hatred. It is not a pleasant feeling. But, it can be reversed. If we know how, we can transform garbage into good manure, and good manure into beautiful flowers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It occurs to me that your friend with the Buddha statue has sadly misunderstood Buddhism, or perhaps the person informing you that she prays for bad things to happen has wrong information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha statue isn't the cause of suffering in your life. With peaceful intentions it can also transform into a beautiful object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the harmful emotions of anger and doubt that are behind it that need to be addressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Complaining about the Buddha statue won't help things change, will it? In all likelihood, this can create more anger, and as a result your ill feelings for her will increase, as will her's. Even when the statue is removed, the anger will remain. Nothing is solved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To be happy, to me, is to suffer less. If we were not capable of&#xA;  transforming the pain within ourselves, happiness would not be&#xA;  possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a person’s speech is full of anger, it is because he or she&#xA;  suffers deeply. Because he has so much suffering, he becomes full of&#xA;  bitterness. He is always ready to complain and blame others for his&#xA;  problems. This is why you find it very unpleasant to listen to him and&#xA;  try to avoid him. To understand and transform anger, we must learn the&#xA;  practice of compassionate listening and using loving speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Compassionate listening is a very deep practice. You listen not to&#xA;  judge or to blame. You listen just because you want the other person&#xA;  to suffer less. The other person might be our father, our son, our&#xA;  daughter, or our partner. Learning to listen to the other person can&#xA;  really help her to transform her anger and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the practice is correct, if the practice is good, you don’t need&#xA;  five or ten years, just a few hours may be enough to produce&#xA;  transformation and healing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot do it immediately, or even tomorrow, but if we practice emotional awareness and deep listening in our life for a week or two, we can listen with compassion to those who hurt us, and help them transform their anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in learning more about deep and compassionate listening, I recommend a short but excellent book, by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95734.Anger&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh - &quot;Anger - wisdom for cooling the flames&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. You can also find it on the internet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T08:25:34.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10100" CreationDate="2015-07-11T09:40:06.057" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume that by rapture and bliss you mean the Pali words Piti and Sukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Piti and Sukha are supposed to be comfortable and pleasant states of mind that arise whenever the mind is sufficiently calm, abiding in itself. However, these states have degrees of maturity, and they are not always conventionally pleasant. Diarrhea or sensations of ants crawling for example are results of Piti that the commoner wouldn't enjoy as pleasures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Piti and Sukha can arise both in Samatha and Vipassana, leading some to compare the nanas of Vipassana with the Jhanas of Samatha, and claim they are one and the same with subtle differences. However, this is not agreed upon by all, who think there's a big difference between khanika samadhi and jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own view is nanas &amp;amp; jhanas are equally beneficial, but different in character to some extent, yet not as different as the hardliners make it out to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However Piti and Sukha are false fruits - one may be captured by them, and remaining content in them, may return to them time and again without making more effort to enter higher nanas or jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti#Fivefold_classification&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five types of Piti&lt;/a&gt; with the final kind being the jhana factor Piti. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can be practicing Vipassana, and from the final Piti depart to a Samadhi, or exit a jhana samadhi directly into a Vipassana nana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Five kinds or types of Piti&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;1. Khuddaka piti (minor rapture)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This state is characterized by the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The meditator may be aware of a white color. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be a feeling of coolness or dizziness and the hairs of the body may stand on end. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The meditator may cry or feel terrified.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;2. Khanika piti (momentary rapture)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Characteristics of this piti include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Seeing flashes of light. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Seeing sparks. Nervous twitching.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A feeling of stiffness all over the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A feeling as if ants were crawling on the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A feeling of heat all over the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Shivering.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Seeing red colors. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The hair on the body rising slightly. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Itchiness as if ants were crawling on one's face and body.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;3. Okkantika piti (flood of joy)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this piti:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body may shake and tremble.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The face, hands and feet may twitch.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There may be violent shaking as if the bed is going to turn upside&#xA;  down.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nausea and at times actual vomiting may occur.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be a&#xA;  rhythmic feeling like waves breaking on the shore.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ripples of energy&#xA;  may seem to flow over the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body may vibrate like a stick&#xA;  which is fixed in a flowing stream.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A light yellow color may be&#xA;  observed. The body may bend to and fro.      &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;4. Ubbenka piti (uplifting joy)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this piti:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body feels as if it is extending or moving upwards.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be a&#xA;  feeling as though lice are climbing on the face and body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Diarrhea may&#xA;  occur.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body may bend forwards or backwards.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One may feel that&#xA;  one's head has been moved backwards and forwards by somebody.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There&#xA;  may be a chewing movement with the mouth either open or closed.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The&#xA;  body sways like a tree being blown by the wind.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body bends&#xA;  forwards and may fall down.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be fidgeting movements of the&#xA;  body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be jumping movements of the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Arms and legs may be&#xA;  raised or may twitch.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body may bend forwards or may recline.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A&#xA;  silver gray color may be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;5. Pharana piti (pervading rapture)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this piti:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A feeling of coldness spreads through the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Peace of mind sets in&#xA;  occasionally.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be itchy feelings all over the body.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may&#xA;  be drowsy feelings and the meditator may not wish to open his or her&#xA;  eyes.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The meditator has no wish to move.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be a flushing&#xA;  sensation from feet to head or vice versa.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The body may feel cool as&#xA;  if taking a bath or touching ice.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The meditator may see blue or&#xA;  emerald green colors.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;An itchy feeling as though lice are crawling on&#xA;  the face may occur.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Sukha&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fourth defilement of vipassana is sukha which means &quot;bliss&quot; and&#xA;  has the following characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There may be a feeling of comfort.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Due to pleasant feelings the&#xA;  meditator may wish to continue practicing for a long time.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The&#xA;  meditator may wish to tell other people of the results which he has&#xA;  already gained.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The meditator may feel immeasurably proud and happy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some say that they have never known such happiness.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Some feel deeply&#xA;  grateful to their teachers.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Some meditators feel that their teacher is&#xA;  at hand to give help.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One cannot understand the meaning of these terms sufficiently by poring through a Pali dictionary; true understanding in these cases is experiential.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone attains these states in sequence, one's mind can skip some steps, or one's attention may not catch them when they occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is on a retreat, and only practicing Anapanasati for several days, one can certainly come very close to the textbook definitions, but that doesn't make the experience special. What makes the experience special is the several days of sustained practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If all the Buddha's teachings are lost, one can recover all of them by faithfully following the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I instinctively felt this statement arise in me with no doubt whatsoever when I first encountered the Anapanasati Sutta, which was the first Buddhist text of any sort that I had read. I was pleasantly surprised some days back to see the Buddha has said much the same - that one can reach enlightenment with just the Anapanasati practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most monasteries in ancient times only had a few suttas at any one time, and this accounts for the great profusion of texts today which were each written from an individual's personal realization of the grand truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ancient masters who took Buddhism to several distant lands had certainly not read every text there was on the topic - they couldn't have because many of them weren't yet written. Yet, their transmission was pure because their realization was personal - they had walked the same path as the Buddha, and seen the same things. That was enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being flooded with various texts from several traditions today thanks to the Internet, the challenge for each of us is to find time from reading to actually practice. A foundational text like Anapanasati actually contains all the necessary elements of practice. All we need is the confidence to read no more, and lock ourselves away in the practice room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;UPDATE:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are a few specific questions I forgot to answer:     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is it possible to experience these factors in meditation without being in the jhanas and maybe encourage them?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can one encourage them by focusing on them and almost willing them into being?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think this recent Dhamma talk by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/y2015/150630_Don&amp;#39;t_Focus_on_Jhana,_Focus_on_the_Breath.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Don't focus on Jhana, focus on the breath&quot; (mp3 linked)&lt;/a&gt; answers that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I was always told this was counterproductive.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Usually yes, because meditation becomes a strain, and goal oriented.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Presumably this part of the sutta is samatha.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is a core meditation technique for mindfulness and concentration - both. It is mentioned in the Satipatthana sutta as such. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to&#xA;  the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his&#xA;  legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the&#xA;  fore [lit: the front of the chest]. Always mindful, he breathes in;&#xA;  mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/onetool.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha himself rarely made a clear distinction between Samatha states and Vipassana states, to him it was all meditation that co-existed, he  often called out the jhanas specifically.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of the modern emphasis on Vipassana, and the resulting mindfulness movement is based on an excessive reliance on the Abhidhamma (itself a commentary), and the Visuddhimagga (which is brilliant, but has some controversial roots since Buddhagosa is said to have burned up ancient manuscripts that preceded it for reasons unknown).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the few instances where they do mention vipassana, they almost&#xA;  always pair it with samatha — not as two alternative methods, but as&#xA;  two qualities of mind that a person may &quot;gain&quot; or &quot;be endowed with,&quot;&#xA;  and that should be developed together. One simile, for instance (SN&#xA;  35.204), compares samatha and vipassana to a swift pair of messengers who enter the citadel of the body via the noble eightfold path and&#xA;  present their accurate report — Unbinding, or nibbana — to the&#xA;  consciousness acting as the citadel's commander. Another passage (AN&#xA;  10.71) recommends that anyone who wishes to put an end to mental defilement should — in addition to perfecting the principles of moral&#xA;  behavior and cultivating seclusion — be committed to samatha and&#xA;  endowed with vipassana. This last statement is unremarkable in itself,&#xA;  but the same discourse also gives the same advice to anyone who wants&#xA;  to master the jhanas: be committed to samatha and endowed with&#xA;  vipassana. This suggests that, in the eyes of those who assembled the&#xA;  Pali discourses, samatha, jhana, and vipassana were all part of a&#xA;  single path. Samatha and vipassana were used together to master jhana&#xA;  and then — based on jhana — were developed even further to give rise&#xA;  to the end of mental defilement and to bring release from suffering.&#xA;  This is a reading that finds support in other discourses as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is it being suggested that you should be in the jhanas before going on any further in this meditation?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No, that isn't the intent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T16:28:37.623" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T16:28:37.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10101" CreationDate="2015-07-11T10:52:09.573" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pāramitās, are &amp;quot;perfections&amp;quot; or ideals of different wholesome aspects of character that can be worked on (perfected) over the course of many lifetimes. A Buddha has already perfected all of these virtues in previous lives according to Theravada teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just for background information there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;10 Pāramitās&lt;/a&gt; in the Theravada tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dāna pāramī : generosity, giving of oneself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sīla pāramī : virtue, morality, proper conduct&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nekkhamma pāramī : renunciation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paññā pāramī : transcendental wisdom, insight&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Viriya (also spelled vīriya) pāramī : energy, diligence, vigour, effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khanti pāramī : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sacca pāramī : truthfulness, honesty&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adhiṭṭhāna (adhitthana) pāramī : determination, resolution&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mettā pāramī : loving-kindness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upekkhā (also spelled upekhā) pāramī : equanimity, serenity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;6 Pāramitās&lt;/a&gt; in the Mahayana tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dāna pāramitā: generosity, giving of oneself (in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, 布施波羅蜜; in Wylie Tibetan, sbyin-pa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Śīla pāramitā : virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct (持戒波羅蜜; tshul-khrims)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kṣānti (kshanti) pāramitā : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance (忍辱波羅蜜, bzod-pa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vīrya pāramitā : energy, diligence, vigor, effort (精進波羅蜜, brtson-’grus)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhyāna pāramitā : one-pointed concentration, contemplation (禪定波羅蜜, bsam-gtan)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prajñā pāramitā : wisdom, insight (般若波羅蜜, shes-rab)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, there is a lot of overlap with such things as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Precepts&lt;/a&gt; (sila parami, sacca parami), the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahma Viharas&lt;/a&gt; (metta parami, upekkha parami), the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Spiritual Faculties&lt;/a&gt; (viriya parami, panna parami) and other Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the perfections aren't something you work on separate from other things. They are intertwined with daily life and seeing opportunities everywhere to perfect your qualities. Stuck in a long line at the market? An opportunity to improve khanti parami. Feeling discouraged about your meditation practice? An opportunity to improve adhitthana parami and viriya parami. Realizing the tough things that arise in daily life are opportunities to perfect your qualities makes them easier to bear; even a challenge of sorts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember an awesome story from a dhamma talk about the Buddha (while he was still a Bhodisatta), finding himself buried up to his neck in the ground with a band of hungry jackals coming at him. He used this opportunity to perfect some of his, as yet to be perfected, qualities. Similar story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bt_1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can see there is nothing that can't be turned into an opportunity to work on Pāramitās! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T12:07:10.317" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10093" CreationDate="2015-07-11T12:06:31.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What would be a Buddhist view of this pain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer is based in Theravada Buddhism in the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As i understand it there are 2 aspects to this. The first aspect is about the feedback from the student. The content of this feedback must have had some amount of value to the student or else it would not have been mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The feedback is actually a treasure for you. It gives you an oppertunity to work on your teaching skills and improve them and to become an even better teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For other people to point out our flaws is great treasures for us. Sometimes we might not even be aware of a flaw we have. When getting this information it enables us to work on it and overcome it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second aspect is more of a practical aspect, i.e. how to deal with the flaws/feedback from other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahasi-method attention is placed on the dhammas, i.e. the objects that &lt;em&gt;Citta&lt;/em&gt; knows, the objects that &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt; takes. One is observing the objects with objectivity and non-interference. Interfering with the objects is what creates suffering. One does not identify or take ownership of the objects. If one identifies with the objects, e.g. by saying &quot;I am feeling defeated&quot; or &quot;I am feeling sad&quot; one is adding a Self to the equation. A self that is not to be found anywhere. That idea of a Self is itself a mental formation, an object that is taken by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objects do not belong to anyone. There is no experiencing entity. There is no thinker behind the thought. There are just impersonal mental and physical phenomena arising and ceasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw made a simily about this. Picturing one sitting in a car at a rail way crossing. One sits in the car watching the train go by. One is watching all the different rail road cars which is like the different mental and physical phenomena arising to mind. One does no go out of the car to chase down a particular rail road car one just sits in the car watching them go by. In the same way one just sits in insight meditation watching the different mental and physical phenomena arise and cease without chasing after them or running away from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahasi-method one uses a mantra to stay centered in the present. One &quot;notes&quot; phenomena in order for the mind to not follow after the objects getting immersed in them. The noting is done to remind oneself to stay objective. If a feeling of sadness arises one notes it as &quot;sadness, sadness&quot; or &quot;feeling, feeling&quot;. One notes it in the mind but keeps the attention on the object. One sends out the mind to the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We also have an anchor in the method of practice. That anchor is the feeling of the rising and falling of the abdomen. After one has noted an object a couple of times one goes back to the rising and falling and notes &quot;rising, rising&quot; or &quot;falling, falling&quot;. When a phenomena arises, e.g. a feeling or mental formation one goes to note that phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing this one is keeping oneself objective and centered in the Citta. One sees that there is only an object arising and mind arising to that object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T12:06:31.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10093" CreationDate="2015-07-11T15:42:01.887" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we learn that all conditioned things are anicca (impermanent), dukkha (unsatisfactory), and anatta (uncontrollable). So we try not to cling to conditioned things; because there is nothing permanent, satisfactory, or controllable about them to cling to. This is at the core of the Buddha's truth of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditioned things (in this case wanting a satisfied feeling from positive feedback) will not bring us lasting happiness. We know this. People's opinions of us can change like the wind, so we can't make it overly important to the extent of having it drag us down and depress us when we aren't perceived the way we wish to be perceived or on the opposite end having it pump up our ego too much when we are perceived favorably. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From pages 20 -21 of Venerable Yuttadhammo's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/lessons/Lessons.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lessons in Practical Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Likewise, when we receive praise, we can easily become&#xA;  caught up in it, addicted to the esteem of others, and tossed&#xA;  about whenever we receive dispraise. Some meditators&#xA;  become angry and obstinate when criticized by their&#xA;  teachers, refusing to listen and even leaving the meditation&#xA;  centre without finishing their training simply because of their&#xA;  inability to withstand criticism. Others become caught up in&#xA;  their worldly accomplishments, relishing the praise that&#xA;  comes from involvement in the world, and so are unable to&#xA;  focus their minds on meditation, thinking only of the&#xA;  pleasure that comes from being among those who shower&#xA;  them with praise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting caught up in praise or criticism is considered one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Worldly Vicissitudes&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions. Which eight? Gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, &amp;amp; pain. These are the eight worldly conditions that spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions.    &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist way is the way of Upekkha; not getting too excited either way. Remaining neutral in the face of the Eight Worldly Vicissitudes is one of the ways Wikipedia describes Upekkha. In the state of mind of being calm and not having a strong or quick emotional reaction, it's easier to consider the possible merit of what the students' feedback was. Generally there is room for improvement with everyone and as others have stated, the fact the students took the time to give you that feedback is a good thing regardless of whether they gave it skillfully or not.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever conditions caused you to be perceived as a teacher needing improvement are not permanent either. With wise consideration of the feedback you received, you can determine how best to proceed. Best wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T17:09:51.430" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T17:09:51.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9393" CreationDate="2015-07-11T16:04:39.823" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hunted down a reference to the lotus posture in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where it is stated in passing, as a matter of fact; so it is likely the lotus posture was one of those very obvious things to Indian yogis of the time that doesn't need much specific mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nisidati pallankam abhujitva ujum kayam panidhaya parimukham satim upatthapetva so satova assasati sato passasati = &quot;Sits down, bends in his legs crosswise on his lap, keeps his body erect, and arouses mindfulness in the object of meditation, namely, the breath which is in front of him. Mindful he breathes in, and mindful he breathes out.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, as I already mentioned in the comment above, according to Hindu scriptures and yoga manuals the advantage of the lotus position is that it is self supporting. In arupa-jhanas (also well known and practiced by Hindus) when one has lost all sense of the body and mind, a lotus posture will ensure one doesn't fall over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't specifically mean the Buddha sat in this posture under the Bodhi tree, but if he's advising others to do so, it is likely this was how he sat always.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T16:04:39.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10067" CreationDate="2015-07-11T17:51:16.053" Score="11" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I suspect the Buddha used the term &quot;rebirth&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire premise of your question is faulty, unfortunately. The Buddha never, afaik, used a term that could be translated as &quot;rebirth&quot;. In fact, the idea of anything being reborn goes against orthodox early Buddhist teachings. Throughout the Buddha's teachings, it is made clear that at the breakup of the body there is birth, not rebirth - as in birth of new things, not the return of anything old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Probably he meant that our sense of separate self is repeatedly being born, decaying, dying and being reborn until we attain Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the Buddha never taught the idea of self and denounced any view of self as leading to suffering (MN 22), this is highly unlikely to be correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this sense, rebirth happens only in our present life and not after our physical death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To repeat, according to early Buddhism, rebirth never happens. In this life, there is what is called &lt;em&gt;khaṇika-maraṇa&lt;/em&gt; - death of a moment. Each momentary experience is born and dies, never to arise again. At the moment of conceptual death (&lt;em&gt;sammuti-maraṇa&lt;/em&gt;), this process of momentary birth and death continues unimpeded unless one has experienced &quot;death by cutting off&quot; (&lt;em&gt;samuccheda-maraṇa&lt;/em&gt;) - i.e. of the defilements (q.v. Vism VIII.167) - in which case there is no further arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put it succinctly, physical death isn't even real according to early Buddhism; it is a concept based on the artificial construct of a &quot;being&quot; who is &quot;born&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any evidence in the early canon to support that the Buddha used the term &quot;rebirth&quot; in the above sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T17:51:16.053" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10114" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10116" CreationDate="2015-07-11T18:13:22.363" Score="4" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever the Buddha and his retinue were invited to the palace of a great King or a big merchant, the suttas don't forget to mention the feast was delicious and rich.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then King Prasenajit, for the sake of his father, the late king,&#xA;  arranged on the day of mourning a vegetarian feast and invited the&#xA;  Buddha to the side rooms of the palace. He welcomed the Tathagata in&#xA;  person with a vast array of superb delicacies of unsurpassed wonderful&#xA;  flavors and himself invited the great Bodhisattvas. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama/shurangama3.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SS 1:121&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course the Buddha was never attached to such things, as we are told he ate grass meant to feed horses offered by a stablehand with the same beatific smile as he ate palace delicacies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, how is it that when high beds, and perfumes and all manner of luxuries are disallowed, throwing a feast or banquet is actually encouraged as a means of merit making for the lay follower? Especially when one considers how this sets apart the poor lay follower who can only afford to feed the occasional monk on his alms rounds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A casual analysis of monastic accounts over the ages reveals to me a general tendency for monks to even look forward to such feasts. I can imagine there are good reasons for this loophole - after all, a feast probably was a good source of much needed calories while living in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still it is one of those odd things - who in their right mind could think they could honor the Buddha with a feast? If anything, he probably favored the simple flavors of fruits of the forest over puddings and rich food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T20:51:08.297" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T20:51:08.297" Title="Role of food as an allowed monastic luxury" Tags="|monasticism|eight-precepts|culture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2015-07-11T18:19:14.983" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha experienced at 35 was called &lt;em&gt;sa-upādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; - nirvana with remainder. What he experienced at 80 was called &lt;em&gt;anupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; - nirvana without remainder:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“dvemā, bhikkhave, nibbānadhātuyo. katame dve? saupādisesā ca nibbānadhātu, anupādisesā ca nibbānadhātu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these two, monks, elements of nibbāna. What two? The element of nibbāna with remainder and the element of nibbāna without remainder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Iti. 44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is that after the former, there is still sequences of physical and mental formations that continue as a consequence of the birth of the being and have to work themselves out, which they do at the latter, signifying an end to all such physical and mental formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual experience of nirvana during the former (which can last from a few moments up to seven days) and the latter (which, due to there being no remaining sequence of formations and no craving to create new ones, is permanent) is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T18:19:14.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10114" CreationDate="2015-07-11T18:22:01.293" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, high beds and seats are not disallowed; making them is. It's not really so cut and dried, and the Buddha seems to have allowed for the fact that (some) luxury is not the problem; attachment is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;throwing a feast or banquet is actually encouraged as a means of merit making for the lay follower? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not in the texts, it isn't. It is actually stated rather simply as &quot;refined food both hard and soft&quot;. If anything, the point is to make mention of the rich people putting care and sincerity into their gift, which is very important for cultivating wholesome mind states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Especially when one considers how this sets apart the poor lay follower who can only afford to feed the occasional monk on his alms rounds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts often make mention of the greatness of poor people giving coarse fare according to or beyond their means. The important point is one's quality of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;who in their right mind could think they could honor the Buddha with a feast? If anything, he probably favored the simple flavors of fruits of the forest over puddings and rich food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not according to the Buddha; he was raised as a prince and his palate was quite refined; when he first went on alms as a bodhisatta, he said that it felt like his stomach was going to come out of his throat in protest of the coarse fare. I think it is unfair, though, to suggest that the Buddha favoured any type of fare. He did praise a monk who  separated his food into wholesome and unwholesome once, though, so there is that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T18:30:40.497" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T18:30:40.497" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10117" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-11T20:43:18.933" Score="7" ViewCount="637" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would imagine the following may be a bit odd to be asking here outright and dare I say it, a little egoic to do so, but I was referred to this place to ask questions, and I have some questions. But first, some background on myself, what I know, and the finally the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, my experience with Buddhism is a bit all over the place. Mostly it's the domain of Zen Buddhism, and primarily it's from Alan Watts. This man was really my first gateway to dropping the illusion of ego, of separation from what is, and a better understanding that one &lt;em&gt;goes with&lt;/em&gt; existence as it is. I largely come from a Wattsian perspective, but other influences that stand out are the works of Jiddu Krishnamurti, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sam Harris, Thich Nhat Hanh, Eckhart Tolle, Moojiji, Sadhguru, Ram Dass, and Terrence McKenna, to name a few. The general themes on ego are especially topics I have absorbed, and have tried to take myself as something simply being, with as little subjective imposition as possible: to simply be instead of constantly caught up in games of past, of future, of being something of status or image, seeing through the various illusions of it all. All things are change in a society that infers constants. Regarding the experience of ego death, all I've done is meditation, such as vipassana, but mostly my views on the reality of no ego and embracing the &quot;eternal now&quot; as Alan put it mostly come from intellect: there's no thinker of thoughts, feeler of feelings. No constant caricature, for that ghost is mostly gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, all of this is great because one really gets a point of view more in line with the world in an objective sense, more in line with what is instead of what's inferred upon, judged upon, and the like. One may ask &quot;gosh, you have a vast amount of resources and you get the basic jist of the illusion of ego, so what's the problem?&quot; The problem actually comes from a perspective of ego, actually; &lt;strong&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/strong&gt; I've mostly realized what I've wanted to do with my life always came from the point of ego: to make money, to have status, to be a person of substance, and I want none of that anymore. I got into hospice care and nursing with my realization of going with the world, so I'd rather help those alive to be comfortable in what their state is in, but I now realize I am doing this from the view of forcing. To force myself to &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; this because of what I know, even if that's from the domain of the self illusion, that I am somewhat &quot;holier than thou&quot; with information and act in such a manner. In a sense, I would be using my ego against other egos, and that quite literally is egocentric doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's dawned on me I realize I have no interest in any of this line of work of itself any longer, and that actually kills it all for me. I'm doing it for ends, for goals, but reality has no ends or goals. I feel caught between subjective impositions of society and what we say we must do, against objective understanding of what world and what just is. &lt;strong&gt;Why should I continue to do this? For money? Who cares when my heart really isn't in it?&lt;/strong&gt; I feel constantly pushed around in a social context, that I am literally a skin-encapsulated ego that must do X and live like Y, but I see nothing of substance there. I literally feel my life is one where I am pushed around by others, and all of the reasons I am being pushed don't stand to any level of pressure, to be compatible with life in its most basic, naturalistic sense. I hold the view all I can do is offer my time for others, for that's the currency of all life, but I feel however sincere I care for others and their sorrows, it's not time I feel fully utilized for I feel I am pigeonholing it into the things I do as a vocation, as a back layer, instead of being the forefront, for it &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; a forefront to my life. &lt;strong&gt;I grasp the pain of others and understand that most of their pain comes from their point of reference mostly, and all I can do about that is reason in my head how their ego creates it. How do I help them see that?&lt;/strong&gt; I know it, but it's like I have some information, but I lack a language to speak it in for others to get it. It feels as if I'm trying to hammer a square peg into a circle hole; something goes into the hole, clearly, but it's not what I have on offer. I'm looking to put the square peg into a square hole, and here comes the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel a different course is in order. It's been in the back of my mind as I have been on this journey, but I feel with my understanding and taste of this is to perhaps delve deeper into Buddhism, Zen or otherwise, in a much more profound manner. Not as intellectually listening to hours of lectures on Youtube, to inquire in just my room, but to cultivate a life and a realm of being where this is the whole game of the show, perhaps not for just myself, but for others. Having more tools and especially other living people beside me to show me the way can help me have more ammunition to aid others, to potentially teach and help people be more at ease with the world that way. I know the central themes are that nothing is supposed to be done, that nothing has to be done, to improve oneself, but there's just something in my experience of ego death that makes the way I live like an odd filter, that I know far more of life than how I live it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My bind is I feel stuck: there's no places near me that appear to teach these concepts and how to apply them, there's no weekend retreats or ways I can ever imagining learning this stuff and finding a way to truly live it, to teach it and be with it not as a level of intellectual awareness in the back of the mind, but as the forefront and core to the goings on, for it matches the facts of life we can observe. I live in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, and the only thing here that is anything remotely spiritual is a church. I don't adhere to Christian canon, for it argues that a self/soul/ego must exist, and that's something that isn't true. I feel like all I know is thanks to the internet but am in such a specific social context that there's no place to really apply this as a way of life; it literally just stays in the back of the mind and not the forefront. Perhaps I'd be able to offer myself more by living and having a life where the tenants of no self, of one always being in a now-state would be helpful to teach and cultivate in others instead of having it merely in the back of my mind with what I do. &lt;strong&gt;I can avoid the pain of attachment to health, to status, to such ideas as constants, but what good am I trying to help others understand that too? I have the understanding of it for myself, but I truly lack the depth of it to teach this, to help people out.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to apologize for rambling, and I have very clearly written a novel, and I bet a lot of this looks like a job application of &quot;how can I live a career as a Buddhist&quot; or something, but the truth is what I feel about my relation to everything else is just so profound that I constantly feel I am in a Truman Show-like experience when I am around others. I cannot adhere to their views and ideas for I see them as affronts, and ultimately I cannot live a way that in my heart of hearts seems more truly to reality. I feel trapped and being forced to live as an ego, and I for one find it puzzling to be in that state, for the ego is an illusion! &lt;strong&gt;I guess I'm mostly asking for resources&lt;/strong&gt;, for something, anything, to help make these types of understanding of the world something more applicable to living in it instead of high-level contemplation in my room at home. &lt;strong&gt;What good does no self and realizing the unity with everything else that there is only to have it beaten out of you&lt;/strong&gt; and being forced to assimilate to a society and way of living that treats that reality as not practical? Ultimately, &lt;strong&gt;how can I make the experience and understanding of no self as a fabric to living a full life &lt;em&gt;with that understanding as the heart of it&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, not something that is often treated as an extra, an aside, to daily living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5456" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T21:37:49.697" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T07:34:27.380" Title="Caught in a bind; what to do?" Tags="|zen|teaching|anatman|daily-life|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2015-07-11T20:53:53.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need to do anything special to live mindfully. Your present situation is irrelevant. You can be mindful at work, and spend all the rest of your free time doing formal meditation. All things are the same, arising and passing away. If you feel you need more time for formal meditation and wish to do some real good teaching others what you learn, then ordain as a monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you attend an extended meditation course. Doing this will give you a much better feel of what the practice actually is than just doing it by yourself, and will equip you to seriously implement it into your life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say there's nothing around you to do this, but a google search of &quot;Pennsylvania Vipassana retreats&quot; yielded this immediately : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.midatlantic.us.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN Goenka Retreats&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mid-atlantic site lists retreat locations in several states near Pennsylvania.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if the Vipassana taught there isn't exactly the practice you'd prefer to do, its a good starting point and a great exposure to what practice really is to go and do a 10 day retreat. If you're able to travel even farther, then you could do a longer one somewhere else. What you're able to do depends only on how serious you are about it and how far you're willing to take it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-07-11T21:02:28.493" LastActivityDate="2015-07-11T21:02:28.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10100" CreationDate="2015-07-11T21:11:27.667" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Below are what I hope is some relevant material from several prominent teachers of jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Ajahn Brahm&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are what I take to be some helpful comments from Ajahn Brahm's book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Brahm_The_Jhanas.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Jhanas&lt;/a&gt; regarding pitisukha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pitisukha—Joy and Happiness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Pali, the compound word pitisukha means the combination of joy and&#xA;  happiness. One can use those words for all sorts of experiences, even&#xA;  for worldly experiences. But in meditation, pitisukha refers only to&#xA;  that joy and happiness that is generated through letting go. Just as&#xA;  various types of fire may be distinguished by their fuel—such as a&#xA;  wood fire, oil fire or brushfire—so the various types of happiness can&#xA;  be distinguished by their cause. The joy and happiness that arises&#xA;  with the beautiful breath is fueled by the letting go of burdens such&#xA;  as past and future, internal commentary and diversity of&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What if pitisukha hasn't appeared?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When pitisukha doesn’t arise, it must be because there is not enough&#xA;    contentment, that is, one is still trying too much. One should reflect&#xA;    on the first two of the five hindrances. The first hindrance, sensory&#xA;    desire, draws the attention towards the object of desire and thus away&#xA;    from the breath. The second hindrance, ill will, finds fault with the&#xA;    experience of breath, and the dissatisfaction repels the attention&#xA;    away from the breath. Contentment is the “middle way” between desire&#xA;    and ill will. It keeps one’s mindfulness with the breath long enough&#xA;    for the pitisukha to arise...Putting all one’s effort into the knowing is another way of generating pitisukha along with the breath.&#xA;    For the energy of the mind is equivalent to happiness. So if pitisukha&#xA;    hasn’t appeared yet, it might be that one is not directing effort away&#xA;    from the doer and into the knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultivate Sufficient Joy and Happiness (Pitisukha).&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The state above [nimitta doesn't appear] arises because one did not cultivate sufficient&#xA;  pitisukha along with the breath. There was not enough delight when the&#xA;  breath disappeared, so mindfulness had no clear mental object of&#xA;  beauty to latch on to. Understanding this, one needs to put more value&#xA;  on developing delight when one is watching the breath, and cultivating&#xA;  that delight into a strong sense of beauty. &lt;em&gt;For example, one may&#xA;  regard the breath as the messenger bringing you oxygen as a life&#xA;  support gift from the flowers and trees. The breath unites you vitally&#xA;  with all of the plant world, supporting one another with the pulse of&#xA;  the air. Whatever skillful means one employs, by paying careful&#xA;  attention to the beauty alongside the breath, the beauty will blossom.&#xA;  What one pays attention to usually grows.&lt;/em&gt; In the previous chapter, one&#xA;  was cautioned not to be afraid of delight in meditation. I regard this&#xA;  exhortation as so important that I am going to repeat it again almost&#xA;  word for word. (emphasis mine)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do not be afraid of delight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I want to stress that one should be cautious not to be afraid of&#xA;  delight in meditation.&lt;/em&gt; Too many meditators dismiss happiness thinking&#xA;  it unimportant or, even worse, thinking that they don’t deserve such&#xA;  delight. Happiness in meditation is important! Moreover, you deserve&#xA;  to bliss out! Blissing out on the breath is an essential part of the&#xA;  path. So when delight does arise alongside the breath, one should&#xA;  cherish it like a valuable treasure, and guard it accordingly. The&#xA;  delight that arises at the stage of the beautiful breath is the “glue”&#xA;  that holds the mind’s attention on the breath. It results in the&#xA;  mindfulness staying with the breath without effort. One stays with&#xA;  full attention on the breath because the mind wants to stay with the&#xA;  breath. The mind, at this stage, enjoys watching the breath so much&#xA;  that it doesn’t want to go anywhere else. It just remains with the&#xA;  breath, automatically. It is so content being with the delightful,&#xA;  beautiful breath that all wandering ceases. One remains fully aware of&#xA;  the breath without any need to control the mind. Mindfulness of the&#xA;  breath, here, becomes effortless. Without the experience of delight,&#xA;  there will be some discontent. And discontent is the source of the&#xA;  wandering mind. Before one reaches the stage of the beautiful breath,&#xA;  discontent pushes mindfulness away from the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Leigh Brasington&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Leigh Brasington&lt;/a&gt; and some others teach a 'soft' version of the jhanas insofar as the level of concentration and absorption is much lesser than the 'hard' jhānas taught by Ajahn Brahm, Pa Auk Sayadaw, and others; this method involves focusing explicitly on the feelings of pitisukha; his instructions are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Instructions for entering 'soft' jhāna&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So to summarize the method for entering the first jhana: You sit in a&#xA;  nice comfortable upright position, and generate access concentration&#xA;  by putting and maintaining your attention on a single meditation&#xA;  object. When access concentration arises, then you shift your&#xA;  attention from the breath (or whatever your method is) to a pleasant&#xA;  sensation, preferably a pleasant physical sensation. You put your&#xA;  attention on that sensation, and maintain your attention on that&#xA;  sensation, and do nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hard part is the do nothing else part. You put your attention on&#xA;  the pleasant sensation, and nothing happens, so you might think to&#xA;  yourself, &quot;He said something was supposed to happen.&quot; No, I did not&#xA;  say to make comments about watching the pleasant sensation. Or, you&#xA;  might put your attention on the pleasant sensation and it starts to&#xA;  increase, so you think, &quot;Oh! Oh! Something's happening!&quot; No. Or it&#xA;  comes up just a little bit and then it stops, and you sort of try and&#xA;  help it. No. None of this works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You are to simply observe the pleasant sensation. You become totally&#xA;  immersed in the pleasantness of the pleasant sensation. And I mean by&#xA;  this just what I say: the pleasantness of the pleasant sensation. I&#xA;  don't mean the location of the pleasant sensation; nor its intensity;&#xA;  nor its duration. I don't mean whether the pleasant sensation is&#xA;  increasing or decreasing or staying the same. Just focus entirely upon&#xA;  the pleasant aspect of the pleasant sensation, and the jhana will&#xA;  arise on its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All you can do is set up the conditions for the jhana to arise, by&#xA;  cultivating a calm and quiet mind focused on pleasantness. And then&#xA;  just let go -- be that calm quiet mind focused on pleasantness -- and&#xA;  the jhana will appear. Any attempt to do anything more does not work.&#xA;  You actually have to become a human being, as opposed to a human&#xA;  doing. You have to become a being that is simply focused on the&#xA;  pleasant sensation which is existing, and then the jhana comes all on&#xA;  its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two meditation teachers that I have worked with--&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.awakeningdharma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder&lt;/a&gt;--that teach jhānas in the tradition of Pa Auk Sayadaw give instructions, as you say, to initially not take pīti or sukha as meditation objects; rather, one is instructed to remain with the breath at the 'anapana spot' and ignore them (although not pushing them away). They teach that the jhāna factors may be present in varying strengths prior to actual absorption. I do recall them saying on retreat that if, after sustained practice, the factors are imbalanced, e.g., one has a lot of one-pointedness of mind (ekkagatā) but little joy is arising, that there are ways one can try to encourage pitisukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T19:01:21.227" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T19:01:21.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2015-07-11T23:06:20.890" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's amazing when you go from living a &quot;normal&quot; life of seeking pleasure,  comforts, possessions, status, etc. to recognizing that none of those things brings lasting happiness and seeking spiritual truths instead. It's also disorienting. What previously motivated you, may no longer do so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can begin a serious program of Buddhist practice and study to see where it leads you. The authors you mentioned are mostly modern authors. There is a world of ancient wisdom of the Buddha's teachings to be explored and more importantly, experienced both through formal meditation and by applying what you learn in daily life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why should I continue to do this? For money? Who cares when my heart really isn't in it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Money is useful for being charitable which is one of the first &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Perfections&lt;/a&gt; or virtues in Buddhism. It's an extraordinarily useful thing for a compassionate being to have to help where there is need. There is nothing wrong with seeking a job that's more in line with your new perspective; but don't think that money is worthless. In Buddhism, money is not considered evil. Attachment to money is the problem; hence the virtue of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dāna&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I grasp the pain of others and understand that most of their pain comes from their point of reference mostly, and all I can do about that is reason in my head how their ego creates it. How do I help them see that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot hand someone else wisdom. You can develop your own mind and your own understandings. This can make you a good role model (for lack of a better word) for those in your daily life who are suffering. People don't always notice or welcome the words you want to say to them. But they notice your actions and the manner in which you live your life. You might inspire some of them to consider practicing meditation too, by your example. This can help them to reduce their suffering by seeing the causes of greed, hatred, and delusion in their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can avoid the pain of attachment to health, to status, to such ideas as constants, but what good am I trying to help others understand that too? I have the understanding of it for myself, but I truly lack the depth of it to teach this, to help people out.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same as above. Developing your own wisdom and compassion spills over onto those around you. They may see the good changes in you and be inspired by those changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how can I make the experience and understanding of no self as a fabric to living a full life with that understanding as the heart of it, not something that is often treated as an extra, an aside, to daily living?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This goes back to your first question. Beginning a serious program of Buddhist practice and study can easily become the meaningful focus of your days, leading to changes in you which can both directly and indirectly help those around you. Spending time studying and practicing meditation is not a selfish pursuit, it's actually a great act of kindness and compassion to develop yourself in this way as it benefits both yourself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;edit:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/province.php?province_id=59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt; may be helpful to you to find places within traveling distance that could serve as local support to your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T12:01:29.300" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T12:01:29.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2015-07-12T00:06:52.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;h3&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry but I'm going to try to reply using 'received wisdom'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You presumably know, a famous 'zen proverb': &quot;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water.  After enlightenment chop wood, carry water.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you'll be looking at the ninth and tenth of the &lt;em&gt;Ten Bulls&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you met the &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahma viharas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;? For example do you know there is such a thing as &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;metta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;realization of no self&quot; might be an opportunity to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel170.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;practice &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Why should I continue to do this? For money? Who cares when my heart really isn't in it?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people recommend, not acting out of &quot;desire&quot;, but acting out of &quot;responsibility&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9050/254&quot;&gt;For example there's this answer&lt;/a&gt; (the following advice is from the Pali canon rather than Zen):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In brief, duty and responsibility should be what dictate our worldly affairs, not concern or care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9050/254&quot;&gt;See also this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a monk:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In an absolute sense, we only have two responsibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhante, in this religion, how many duties are there?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;The duty of study and the duty of insight. These are the only two duties, bhikkhu.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp-A 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In a practical sense, a lay person has duties towards six groups of people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how, young householder, does a noble disciple cover the six quarters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;The following should be looked upon as the six quarters. The parents should be looked upon as the East, teachers as the South, wife and children as the West, friends and associates as the North, servants and employees as the Nadir, ascetics and brahmans as the Zenith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31 (Narada, trans)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;I grasp the pain of others and understand that most of their pain comes from their point of reference mostly, and all I can do about that is reason in my head how their ego creates it. How do I help them see that?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People say that, of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt;, it's the first (i.e. &quot;virtue&quot;, i.e. relating with others) that's the most difficult to perfect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;I can avoid the pain of attachment to health, to status, to such ideas as constants, but what good am I trying to help others understand that too? I have the understanding of it for myself, but I truly lack the depth of it to teach this, to help people out.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people are helpful, friendly, compassionate, loving, kind, and good to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you can find work with someone like this. Perhaps you can become friends with someone like this. Perhaps you can find people who do have the depth to teach this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footnote says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.54&lt;/a&gt; points out, this means not only associating with good people, but also learning from them and emulating their good qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;I guess I'm mostly asking for resources&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People have suggested some &quot;useful resources&quot;, which are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help&quot;&gt;listed on this page&lt;/a&gt;. Please feel free to ask for anything more specific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few more random ideas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are, I don't know, other things you can do as a hobby. Hobbies are a way to connect. In the Zen tradition there's calligraphy (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/tag/calligraphy/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I don't know the States but you seem to be about two hours' drive from New York. Maybe there's someone to meet in or near New York. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can create a resource in your home/town: advertise that you're practising Buddhism (study, discussion, meditation, charity) and invite people to join you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;What good does no self and realizing the unity with everything else that there is only to have it beaten out of you&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll try to answer this literally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What good does no self ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good of &quot;no self&quot; is that things (including sensory experiences) are impermanent and unsatisfactory: and so you would risk feeling dissatisfaction if you took (mistook) these things to be yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People cause trouble (for themselves and others) by being greedy and angry i.e. &quot;selfish&quot;. If you can avoid contributing to that then so much the better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;... only to have it beaten out of you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sounds quite violent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also reminds me of the Zen story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine that, things being impermanent, anything &quot;beaten out&quot; can re-enter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T00:06:52.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10122" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10143" CreationDate="2015-07-12T00:56:48.460" Score="7" ViewCount="729" Body="&lt;p&gt;This blew, and is still kinda blowing, my mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha never, afaik, used a term that could be translated as&#xA;  &quot;rebirth&quot;. In fact, the idea of anything being reborn goes against&#xA;  orthodox early Buddhist teachings.&quot; (from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10067/did-the-buddha-mean-this-by-rebirth/10113#10113&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; by&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/18/yuttadhammo&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So... I have always thought of &quot;rebirth&quot; as being a fundamental concept of Buddhism. Sure, it's &quot;real&quot; meaning is debated, but the fact that there is &lt;em&gt;something&lt;/em&gt; to it has, in my studies thus far, never been brought into question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My real question might be something like, &quot;What the heck?!&quot;.... But in terms of presenting something here more formal, I ask: If this is the case (and if not, perhaps you can explain why you disagree with Yuttadhammo's assertion), then &lt;strong&gt;where did the concept of &quot;rebirth&quot; come from?&lt;/strong&gt; Why is it a topic of discussion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T13:04:10.783" Title="Then where did the concept of &quot;rebirth&quot; come from?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10122" CreationDate="2015-07-12T02:05:22.033" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you plant a mango seed and a mango plant comes out of it, what do you call it? Rebirth or the resurrection of the parents mango tree? Certainly not! The term 'rebirth' can be used at a conceptual level to tell a story, when we are not really focusing on whether or not there's a self or a soul. But it's inappropriate to use it when you are discussing ultimate realities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: &quot;Julia went to sleep last night. Julia woke up this morning&quot;. &#xA;That's how we tell a story. But there's no 'Julia' in reality. Julia is just a concept. In reality, it is just the five aggregates which is always changing. So the Julia who woke up this morning is not the same Julia who went to sleep last night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T03:29:12.603" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T03:29:12.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10124" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10128" CreationDate="2015-07-12T09:28:22.127" Score="5" ViewCount="301" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddhas-teachings-prosperity/selections&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople: Practical Advice for Prosperity and Lasting Happiness&lt;/a&gt; the author Bhikkhu Rahula Basnagoda claims that the Buddha actually had a lot of advice for the lay follower but that advice was most likely lost. A possible reason was that the first council emphasised the monastic content of the Buddha's teaching as this was of greatest concern to the council.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the bhikkus point of view such a partial preservation is&#xA;  understandable. [...] senior bhikkus found that the most urgent need&#xA;  was to retain unity and discipline amongst themselves&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(quoted from pp 10 of The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm intrigued by this claim and I would like it to be true. I like the idea that the Buddha had a lot of teachings for the lay community that perhaps we don't have now. But is this a common opinion. Is this claim made elsewhere by anyone or is it just a really way out opinion put forward by this author. Is there even any evidence of any kind for it - admittedly I find it difficult to see what kind of evidence there could be but you never know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I'm after an indication of the validity of this claim either by other reputable teachers or academics making the claim or by some kind of evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:21:10.027" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T15:36:48.793" Title="Did the Buddha have more advice for the lay follower than is typically supposed?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|texts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10125" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10132" CreationDate="2015-07-12T11:37:10.460" Score="0" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;In S. N. Goyenka Vipassana meditation you have to scan your body from head to foot and foot to head. Now I take my attention or [&lt;em&gt;ध्यान&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;dhyaan&lt;/em&gt;] at top point of my head, so it’s a 2d point now I move from this point in 2d on surface of my body and I can either go from my front side or from back toward my foot. I'm not getting how to scan my body in 3d? And if I scan in 2d its take too much time to scan whole body if I go inch by inch. People working in this mediation may get my point what I’m trying to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1060" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T16:24:45.053" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:24:45.053" Title="How to scan your body in 3d?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-hindrances|meditation-body|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10126" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-12T12:04:21.557" Score="3" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my 20's(I am now 55) I practiced light and sound meditation for 7 years. When I am doing vipassana which I started in March this year (having not meditated for 25 years) I get the 'sound' mainly engulfing me and it is very blissful I must say. I might also get a huge gushing out of the top of my head and that draws me in to. These moments can feel very blissful. &#xA;I made a conscious effort to ignore these events and have mainly succeeded but sometimes I still get sucked in because I want to or as a 'treat'. &#xA;What effect will this have on my vipassana? Is it safe to allot some time for that meditation outside of the vipassana meditation? Is it ok toward the end of a sitting to let myself focus on the sound instead? Should I let the sound buzz through me at the same time I focus on my body parts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5459" LastActivityDate="2017-10-04T15:58:06.953" Title="Interference from another meditation technique in my vipassana meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10122" CreationDate="2015-07-12T12:47:05.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the idea of anything being reborn goes against orthodox early Buddhist teachings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10067/did-the-buddha-mean-this-by-rebirth/10113#comment14641_10113&quot;&gt;this later comment&lt;/a&gt;, yuttadhammo wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the pali word is &quot;upapajjati&quot;, which means something like &quot;he arises&quot;. No sense of &quot;re-&quot; at all&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's the distinction that he's trying to make, in the context of that question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;OP is implying that something that has ceased might arise again. This doesn't happen. Talking about rebirth as a theory is fine, as long as we understand that in reality nothing is actually &quot;reborn&quot;. It's a poor name for what really happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I look in the Pali dictionary for the word &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:2929.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;punabbhava&lt;/a&gt; cited in Thiago's answer, the dictionary definition is &quot;renewed existence, new birth&quot; rather than &quot;rebirth&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the root of the word Puna it suggests meanings like &quot;again&quot; but also &quot;tail&quot;, &quot;poop&quot;, &quot;behind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reminds me of &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/akalika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this definition of the word &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (which means 'timeless'), which includes the following paragraph:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is probably most useful here to go to the ultimate roots: a = no; ka = shit; li = line; ka = shit. The track of scat left by an animal. The hunter sees: This is the track a week old, this is only two days old, this is from yesterday, and here it is now, eating. That would point to the original meaning of the term to be closer to successive than to simultaneity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So by analogy, &quot;born again&quot; or &quot;living again&quot; might be like &quot;pooping again&quot;: i.e. it is &quot;again&quot;, &quot;re-pooping&quot;, but let's be clear that they're two different poops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;where did the concept of &quot;rebirth&quot; come from&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a couple of articles from accesstoinsight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Truth of Rebirth&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rebirth has always been a central teaching in the Buddhist tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article includes hyperlinks to the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_46.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Does Rebirth Make Sense?&lt;/a&gt; doesn't include specific hyperlinks but does say things like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The teaching of rebirth crops up almost everywhere in the Canon, and is so closely bound to a host of other doctrines that to remove it would virtually reduce the Dhamma to tatters. Moreover, when the suttas speak about rebirth into the five realms — the hells, the animal world, the spirit realm, the human world, and the heavens — they never hint that these terms are meant symbolically. To the contrary, they even say that rebirth occurs &quot;with the breakup of the body, after death,&quot; which clearly implies they intend the idea of rebirth to be taken quite literally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is it a topic of discussion?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a topic of discussion because if a doctrine of &quot;rebirth&quot; implies there's something (perhaps a permanent self or soul) that &quot;is reborn&quot;, then that seems to contradict other Buddhist doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T13:04:10.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10124" CreationDate="2015-07-12T12:49:46.790" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen this listing of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/26lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Daily Routine&lt;/a&gt; where it is said the Buddha slept only one hour each night. He divided his days into a morning session and an afternoon session and his nights into 3 &quot;watches&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's said the monks would usually go to the Buddha to ask him questions during the afternoon session. The followers (which I assume means lay followers) would go to listen or ask questions in the first watch of the night (6 pm - 10 pm) and then the angels would do the same in the middle watch of the night from 10 pm - 2 am.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know the origin of this information, but I can't help but be inspired by both the orderliness of it and the kindness of it, for the Buddha to devote so much time to helping beings find their wisdom. We've had a good question here on the site about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9306/when-should-one-ask-a-question-of-someone-other-than-themselves&quot;&gt;asking questions&lt;/a&gt;. It's interesting that we here are still asking questions in this same spirit of seeking support for finding our own wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So with all that time devoted to answering the lay followers questions, one can imagine that there was plenty of advice given over the 45 years that the Buddha taught. How could there not have been? I think the monks who had to recite all the suttas orally for those many years before they were written down must have had their hands full. It seems logical that they would have focused on that which would bring the most benefit to those most dedicated to the goal of enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One sutta from the Pali Canon which is full of advice to lay people is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T15:36:48.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10126" CreationDate="2015-07-12T13:36:14.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do not go into any detail about what vipassana you are practicing but with the information on hand the following advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In insight meditation (vipassana) ALL phenomena have the following qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anicca&lt;/strong&gt; - they are impermanent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anatta&lt;/strong&gt; - they are not-self.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dukkha&lt;/strong&gt; - that if we cling or have aversion to these impermanent phenomena this creates suffereing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You 'sound' experience is fairly common, I have it as a constant meditation companion in some form or other, but it falls into the same category of any other phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These moments can feel very blissful. I made a conscious effort to ignore these events and have mainly succeeded but sometimes I still get sucked in because I want to or as a 'treat'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is both clinging and aversion here. Do neither (push away or hold onto) - just view both the bliss and the sound with equanimity. Equanimity is a core skill you are learning in any vipassana practice. So let go of the need to 'control' any of this and just try to see that all these phenomena have the same intrinsic nature as a 'thought', a body sensation, a physical sound. They are all phenomena with the same above three characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T13:36:14.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10130" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10133" CreationDate="2015-07-12T14:42:04.333" Score="3" ViewCount="156" Body="&lt;p&gt;I meditate for 30 minutes each day, focusing on the feeling of my breath moving through my throat. When I am not meditating, I try to mentally &quot;say&quot; whatever it is I am doing (e.g. if I am angry, I say &quot;angry&quot; in my head). I also adhere to the five precepts. I have been following this routine for about six months now, and at this point I feel like I am seeing fewer results than ever before. I often am unable to maintain focus for the full 30 minutes or even a substantial part of the meditation time; I still find myself becoming irrationally angry towards people...it is discouraging.&#xA;How can I augment or change my practice to find peace and be less angry?&#xA;Thx!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T17:08:36.367" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T21:19:39.563" Title="What are some ways to improve my practice?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|anger|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10131" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10139" CreationDate="2015-07-12T15:06:12.207" Score="5" ViewCount="148" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha preached about the importance of physical, social, mental and spiritual health. Lord Buddha has taught about the characteristics of the four Good friends and the four evil friends. Apart from that, what are the teachings on Buddhism which help somebody to have a good social health, trustworthy friendships etc.? Thanks for any answer in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T17:57:41.677" Title="What are the teachings in Buddhism for good social Social Health?" Tags="|philosophy|ethics|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10125" CreationDate="2015-07-12T15:18:59.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With sufficient practice one can develop the ability to very quickly and accurately observe several points in the body in very quick succession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a single mind moment only one point in the body is observed, however since mind moments are so fleetingly small, with good concentration intermediate meditators can pass attention to several points in quick succession such that it can appear as a single observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With good concentration one can pass the attention from top-down in a ray trace fashion, or left-right, and observe all points in between.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no reason to be in a hurry, or be impatient - the quality of meditation does not depend on the number of times the body scanned, but on the quality of the observation. If it takes a lot of time to go inch by inch, that is valuable practice too, since it develops patience and perseverance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T15:18:59.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10130" CreationDate="2015-07-12T15:26:25.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is hard to offer concrete suggestions or even precisely guess what's happening without more information about your practice and your background;  that said, it looks like your practice is sincere, and it is working. Often when the practice begins to bite, irritability and impatience may increase - it is a learning moment, and a teacher. Find the three characteristics of impermanence, non-self and suffering in each of those moments of irritability, dullness and anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without getting into too many technical details, I'd say, think of it as the next level in a game, your opponents are tougher, and that is what makes it more interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important thing is not to abandon practice at this point, but to continue, this is exactly when you need faith and perseverance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume you practice insight meditation (also called Vipassana), if you do, it is not about indulging in the pleasant moments, or treating ourselves to some peace and calm - it is about understanding reality - which means one encounters the good and bad mind moments, and learns to remain equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything is impermanent - even the good and calm times in meditation will go away, and be replaced with difficult times - this is the moment of wisdom, that reveals the suffering in being attached to any feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to take a look at another question where I've offered more advanced help - &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10055/working-with-cycles-in-meditation&quot;&gt;Working with cycles in meditation&lt;/a&gt; . Stop reading it if it gets confusing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T15:49:10.153" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-07-12T16:26:30.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhante Gunaratana's &quot;Mindfulness in Plain English&quot; is a good place to start in getting a meditation practice going and on track. He is abbot at the Bhavana Society forest monastery in West Virginia and at age 88 still leads retreats. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3653" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T16:26:30.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10135" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10138" CreationDate="2015-07-12T16:30:21.687" Score="4" ViewCount="372" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good friend emailed me about some troubles in a Buddhist meditation group she belongs to. It's a lay led group. The problems are some apparent power struggles about even routine matters and also an element of cliquishness. It seems to be just a small number of people out of the group that are creating the issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really know how this sort of thing should be viewed from a Buddhist point of view. But if anyone has a solution or a correct way of looking at this I'd like to pass it along to her. She likes the group overall and she really didn't expect to find this type of behavior among meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My specific question is &quot;From a Buddhist point of view, how do we view bad behavior specifically in a Buddhist setting? Should we allow for these very unenlightened behaviors as we ourselves are unenlightened too? Or should be expect more and move on as this type of behavior may indicate that the meditation is this group is just not working somehow.?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, if meditation is sincere and regular, can these types of defilements simply continue with no improvement in an individual? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2021-01-21T08:39:50.680" Title="Power Struggles in a Buddhist Group" Tags="|lay-buddhism|defilements|community|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10135" CreationDate="2015-07-12T17:19:24.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Part 1 - General&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation in groups can be both beneficial and tiresome as this might be an example of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing &lt;em&gt;vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt; one is working with one's defilements. That means that the &quot;filter or suppression&quot; is absent. Everything comes up in the meditation so that one can observe it and learn from it. That goes for all of the group members if they are practicing insight meditation. When a lot of defilements are being stirred up and dealt with it can also affect the behavior of the individuals in the group if they do not know how to handle it. It's easy to fall into the &quot;me too&quot; category and then begin to create small groups within the group creating separation and sabotage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be that the path factor of Sila is being neclected here. When one is practicing the factors of conduct that also means to stay centered in the present - to keep the mind in the present and thereby not following after objects. It seems that some of the meditators from this group is not centered, thereby attaching and clinging to objects, i.e. the pleasant feelings of the company of the other meditators creating the separation group. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The power struggles also indicate that some of the meditators are identifying and taking ownership of objects thereby creating a Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could also be that they are practicing &lt;em&gt;samatha meditation&lt;/em&gt; and thereby not working with the defilements but instead keeping them suspended and dormant. The latent defilements can then spring up at any time when they are triggered, e.g. by some of the group members being together in the same room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As meditators they should work to overcome these behaviors since they are obviously hindrances to progress both for themselves and the other meditators in the group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Part 2 - Possible Solutions&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An idea could be that for a certain duration of time, e.g. 2 months they all practiced silent meditation. They could meet together and meditate together but no talking. They could just say hello to each other in the beginning of the session and goodbye after the session. That could create more solitude in the practice and thereby emphazizing the fact that the practice for ones own liberation can only be done by oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another method would be to do group sessions in Metta-Bhavana and thereby replacing the separation/sabotage aspect which is based on the root defilement of Hatred with Loving-kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Power struggles are by default tainted with a strong attachment to Self. Another method would be to work on realizing the third sign of existence, i.e. anatta. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/19346/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;There are guided meditations that focus on the voidness and emptiness of phenomena&lt;/a&gt;. Or they could simply begin practicing vipassana more intensely thereby realizing all of the signs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A last method would be to open up a civilized discussion about the matter asking people in the group to deal with this in a grown up and &quot;buddhist&quot; way so that they can all benefit from the group meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If everything fails your friend can always go completely solo and practice for herself, thereby not being hindered in her meditative progress. She could also try to find another group or maybe meet only with 1 or 2 from the group that she likes. She could try to find a teacher or come to Buddhism SE and join the community. There are many different options for her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most important thing here is her own practice. In the end only she can set herself free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T17:56:32.097" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T17:56:32.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10135" CreationDate="2015-07-12T17:50:53.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The initial instinct will be to assign blame, or to approach the issue from a victim perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As meditators, we must know better and let go of these views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Powerful emotions can be very good teachers if we know how to harness the energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachers in the Thich Nhat Hanh sangha have a detailed conflict resolution guide for exactly this situation that I suggest you review &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://orderofinterbeing.org/docs/Conflict-Guide.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://orderofinterbeing.org/docs/Conflict-Guide.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Background: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.orderofinterbeing.org/2013/11/conflict-resolution-guide/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.orderofinterbeing.org/2013/11/conflict-resolution-guide/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are often the victims and the attackers, if we can realize this, we can solve anything.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A poem by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please Call Me by My True Names&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have a poem for you. This poem is about three of us. The first is a&#xA;  twelve-year-old girl, one of the boat people crossing the Gulf of&#xA;  Siam. She was raped by a sea pirate, and after that she threw herself&#xA;  into the sea. The second person is the sea pirate, who was born in a&#xA;  remote village in Thailand. And the third person is me. I was very&#xA;  angry, of course. But I could not take sides against the sea pirate.&#xA;  If I could have, it would have been easier, but I couldn’t. I realized&#xA;  that if I had been born in his village and had lived a similar life&#xA;  - economic, educational, and so on – it is likely that I would now be that sea pirate. So it is not easy to take sides. Out of suffering, I&#xA;  wrote this poem. It is called “Please Call Me by My True Names,”&#xA;  because I have many names, and when you call me by any of them, I have&#xA;  to say, “Yes.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don’t say that I will depart tomorrow — even today I am still&#xA;  arriving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look deeply: every second I am arriving to be a bud on a Spring&#xA;  branch, to be a tiny bird, with still-fragile wings, learning to sing&#xA;  in my new nest, to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower, to be a&#xA;  jewel hiding itself in a stone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry, to fear and to hope.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The rhythm of my heart is the birth and death of all that is alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am the mayfly metamorphosing on the surface of the river. And I am&#xA;  the bird that swoops down to swallow the mayfly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am the frog swimming happily in the clear water of a pond. And I am&#xA;  the grass-snake that silently feeds itself on the frog.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones, my legs as thin as&#xA;  bamboo sticks. And I am the arms merchant, selling deadly weapons to&#xA;  Uganda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am the twelve-year-old girl, refugee on a small boat, who throws&#xA;  herself into the ocean after being raped by a sea pirate. And I am the&#xA;  pirate, my heart not yet capable of seeing and loving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am a member of the politburo, with plenty of power in my hands. And&#xA;  I am the man who has to pay his “debt of blood” to my people dying&#xA;  slowly in a forced-labor camp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My joy is like Spring, so warm it makes flowers bloom all over the&#xA;  Earth. My pain is like a river of tears, so vast it fills the four&#xA;  oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please call me by my true names, so I can hear all my cries and my&#xA;  laughter at once, so I can see that my joy and pain are one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please call me by my true names, so I can wake up, and so the door of&#xA;  my heart can be left open, the door of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;~Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T17:56:34.760" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T17:56:34.760" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10131" CreationDate="2015-07-12T17:57:41.677" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.032.than.html&quot;&gt;Sangaha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; would be helpful here, It gives the following as the basis for the bonds of fellowship&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Generosity,  kind words,  beneficial help, &amp;amp; consistency in the face&#xA;  of events,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; has a lot of advice concerning ones social relationships. Advice is given to 6 groups corresponding to the six directions of worship. The groups are &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;North - Friends&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;East - Parents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;South - Teachers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;West - Wife&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Down - Workers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Up - Ascetics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Advice is given for each direction. I think this gives a good coverage of ones social obligations and interactions even today. The text is not too long and gives specific advice on each categories of interaction. Also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigalovada_Sutta#Protect_close_relationships&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; has a useful summary chart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot more advice from the Buddha. The book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0861715470?psc=1&amp;amp;redirect=true&amp;amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople: Practical Advice for Prosperity and Lasting Happiness&lt;/a&gt; is a useful jumping off point if you want to go into more depth. It goes into social relationships, business relationship, conflict etc... and gives the Buddha advice from the Pali canon. It makes one appreciate the depth of the advice the Buddha gave his lay followers in such matters,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T17:57:41.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5684" CreationDate="2015-07-12T18:47:09.830" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist texts claim that many things are possible that many people think are not possible. As Suminda said, the claim is that once one properly develops the four bases of power, i.e., profound concentration founded on (1) desire &amp;amp; effort, (2) persistence, (3) intent, and (4) discrimination, then one will be capable of gaining 'supranormal powers,' as described in this passage from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a monk has thus developed &amp;amp; pursued the four bases of power, he&#xA;  experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes&#xA;  many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He&#xA;  goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, &amp;amp; mountains as if through&#xA;  space. He dives in &amp;amp; out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on&#xA;  water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he&#xA;  flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches &amp;amp;&#xA;  strokes even the sun &amp;amp; moon, so mighty &amp;amp; powerful. He exercises&#xA;  influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These appear, at least at first glance, to be literal, bodily powers; i.e., he bodily walks on water without sinking, although perhaps one could claim that the 'body' referred to in this passage refers to the '&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8779/did-the-buddha-talk-about-out-of-body-experiences/8800#8800&quot;&gt;mind-made body&lt;/a&gt;.' This is at least prima facie plausible since, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the passage on the aformentioned powers occurs exactly as above but immediately follows a section on the 'mind-made body.' In either case, there are other powers mentioned in this sutta such as reading others' minds, recollecting past lives, and personally seeing how beings fare according to their kamma that contradict mainstream scientific views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes, there seems to be a contradiction between a worldview, perhaps a materialist scientific view, that holds that it is impossible to fly without technology and what is proclaimed in the suttas. Even if we interpret the suttas to be saying that one can physcially fly, I don't know that the Buddhist view conflicts with physics &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;; to borrow from author Sam Harris on this point, it would be a discovery for physics if human flight based on concentration were shown to be possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, even if we allow that the suttas are talking about physical flight, built into the details is an explanation of why this contradiction should occur; namely, (1) the degree of concentration required for the development of these powers is not attained by the average person (hence, supranormal) and (2) Whatever Buddhist monks do attain these powers are forbidden by the monastic code from displaying these powers. Based on these factors, it would make sense that mainstream scientists or your average layperson would have no knowledge of these possibilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if the suttas are talking about the mind-made body (astral body), then although I think the details will still reveal a conflict with mainstream physics, it will not be as gross a contradiction. In any case, there certainly is a contradiction between the physicalist view that death is annihilation and the view that 'there is another world'--i.e., rebirth (cf. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-60-apannaka-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apannaka sutta&lt;/a&gt;). So, ultimately Buddhism is at odds with mainstream views of physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T18:47:09.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10100" CreationDate="2015-07-12T19:38:18.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my experience, it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; correct to encourage and &quot;will the rapture into being&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important point perhaps is that the bliss/rapture here are not just &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; contrived bliss/rapture, they are bliss/rapture born of the (cultivated, confirmed with insight) &lt;em&gt;feeling that everything is right, that you are right&lt;/em&gt;. That's the key here. Suchness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Total complete non-conceptual Emptiness is like this. You don't have ground but (and therefore) you are very steady. Some call it unmovable diamond ground, or Diamond Samadhi. &lt;em&gt;That's&lt;/em&gt; the nature of bliss we are talking about!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deep Groundlessness and Complete Thusness-Confidence stemming from it. The bliss of meditation is a proximate cause thereof, to induce by virtue of being a simile of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(That said, it must be remembered that the rapture/bliss in-and-of-itself is not part of the liberating realization, groundlessness is)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. This is shamatha, yes, all jhanas are. But if you skip it and get to the realization through other (i.e. intellectual) means you will still have to come back and polish your suchness anyway, so why not do it upfront.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said before, jhanas is not something you find yourself in, it is what you work on. Any meditation that involves deliberate cultivation of certain mindset is not vipashyana. The four jhanas are a kind of shamatha specifically aimed at generation of rapture-bliss-suchness-groundlessness. Once the fourth jhana has been attained, our friend Gotama naturally found himself in vipashyana. Anapanasati is a very generic description of the same basic method, perhaps less centered on Gotama's personal experience than is the four jhanas story, a little more generalized for an average practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, the five precepts were the preliminary practice for taming the mind, followed by kasinas and cultivation of disgust (later replaced by Anapana!), followed by the four jhanas (generation of progressively subtler &lt;em&gt;suhkha&lt;/em&gt;-becoming-&lt;em&gt;suchness&lt;/em&gt;), followed by vipashyana. So it is like first you achieve basic isolation from unskillful qualities, then learn to focus inside and see your own mental and emotional obscurations, then learn to overcome these and generate certain mindset and mood, then start crossing over to the four noble truths while at the same time exploring relationship between suffering and craving on one hand, and bliss and suchness on the other, and then falling out from blissful kinds of suchness into true groundlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can see that the role of rapture/bliss generation here is to both provide pleasant dwelling in the here and now, but more importantly to serve as the stepping stone to suchness and then groundlessness of nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T13:01:52.797" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T13:01:52.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10130" CreationDate="2015-07-12T21:03:27.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When practicing insight meditation it can happen that latent defilements are being stirred up and surfaced. It can happen that a very calm person suddently experiences strong feelings of anger. One is &quot;cleaning out the closet&quot; in a way and stuff from the bottom can come to the surface. Do not worry too much about where that anger is coming from or what's the reason for it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important thing is to work with it. To try to understand it and learn from it. Turn it into a foundation for cultivation of insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger is a variation of the second hindrance, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Ill-will&lt;/em&gt;. A way to deal with this is to turn the feeling of anger into an object of observation. Try to see the 3 signs of existence in order to understand that this feeling of anger do not belong to anyone. The anger is not a Self, it is not you and it is not yours. It's an impersonal phenomena that has arisen and will cease to exist again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be very intense but it's impermanent so sooner or later it will burn out it's fuel. By observing it and not reacting to it one is robbing it of it's fuel. If one interact with it or has aversion towards it one will provide it with further fuel to burn thereby making it last longer and burn hotter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another approach is to do metta meditation and thereby replacing the anger with loving-kindness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is a video called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBVk0-pwlF0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Monk Radio: Dealing With Anger in Meditation&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me know if you have any questions to what i wrote and i will try to answer. May you be well and happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-12T21:19:39.563" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T21:19:39.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10122" CreationDate="2015-07-12T23:38:06.843" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha058.htm&quot;&gt;writes&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddhist term for rebirth in Pali is &quot;punabbhava&quot; which means &quot;again existence&quot;. Buddhism sees rebirth not as the transmigration of a conscious entity but as the repeated occurrence of the process of existence. There is a continuity, a transmission of influence, a causal connection between one life and another. But there is no soul, no permanent entity which transmigrates from one life to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;rebirth&quot; might be inappropriate since it implies something that borns again (and that's unlikely the meaning of what the Buddha meant). I understand this is what yutthadammo was saying. But, for better or worse, it is this english word that has been used to describe the process of &quot;continuous becoming&quot; in buddhism in english.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;With the break up of the body, after death, he/she reappears at ...&quot;, that's what we read. As ven. Bodhi said, The difficulty with this is the doctrine of anatta: if no part of our constitution is fixed, we can't talk about something that transmigrates or is reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But at the same time, we can't say the being that died and the one that reappeared are completely unrelated. What has been said is that the &quot;relation&quot; (or, perhaps better, continuity) is the kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Student, beings are owners of kammas, heirs of kammas, they have kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin, kammas a as their homing place. It is kammas that differentiate beings according to inferiority and superiority.&quot;&#xA;  -- MN 135&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-07-12T23:38:06.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10144" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10157" CreationDate="2015-07-13T00:38:50.503" Score="5" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that things like aikido, yoga, swimming, running are not meditation. How is walking meditation different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T02:12:52.970" LastActivityDate="2018-05-28T10:18:07.977" Title="How is walking meditation different than other forms of activity?" Tags="|theravada|meditation-walking|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10145" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-13T01:45:19.007" Score="9" ViewCount="485" Body="&lt;p&gt;I might like some advice about breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A doctor implied that I'm not very good at breathing: i.e. that I have &quot;central sleep apnea&quot; which probably means that the part of the brain-stem that controls breathing doesn't breathe/trigger enough, so I go for 30 to (while I'm asleep) 90 seconds between breaths, and don't get enough oxygen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The existing question that most closely matches this one, that I found, was &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8953/254&quot;&gt;Breath getting shorter and shorter&lt;/a&gt;. I don't understand the answer to that question (especially the answer's saying, &quot;you have to switch to sensations&quot; &amp;ndash; what else is there but sensations?). I downloaded the manual about &lt;a href=&quot;https://campuslink.okstate.edu/organization/buddhist-student-association/DocumentLibrary/View/234593&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt; which that answer recommended, and I hope I get a chance to read it, but it might be useful to read some other shorter/different answer of yours here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, some specific questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An instruction about &quot;how to breathe when meditating&quot; might include &quot;breathe naturally&quot;. I find that if I &quot;breathe naturally&quot; then:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My breathing gets shallow and then stops for a few seconds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I wait a bit, thinking &quot;I'm not breathing. But I shouldn't force my breathing, I'm supposed to wait for it to breathe naturally. So I'll wait until my next breath. Waiting. Waiting.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(My oxygenation depletes, which seems to manifest as a slight loss of consciousness, e.g. I'm no longer aware of what I'm seeing and/or of what I'm thinking)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My next moment of consciousness/lucidity is that I'm aware than I am in the process of taking my next breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I'm awake this period of 'unconsciousness' is probably (I guess) no more than half a second (though the period between breaths may be several seconds), and only happens while I'm physically at rest (not physically exercising) and emotionally dull (I think I keep a relatively lively interest when I'm driving a car for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does that sound normal?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it abnormal/pathological and e.g. a symptom of &quot;central apnea&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Am I interpreting &quot;breathe naturally&quot; a bit too literally: should I instead, for example, begin to inhale again as soon as I'm aware that I'm not breathing (i.e. that I am between breaths, or that my previous breath has finished)? Should I be trying to breath &lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.reference.com/help/faq/language/g05.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;continuously not just continually&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the thing with driving is that I'm not concentrated on / conscious of my breathing: instead, what I'm conscious of is my level of alertness and how well I'm seeing (how good my sight is), and so I suppose I unconsciously breathe (regularly enough) in order to maintain that level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the comments under &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3870/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; there are a couple of comments about the diaphragm:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I disagree. There is a reason why diaphragm works better -- it is a gateway to the emotional mind, so-called seventh consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also think the diaphragm region is better, but more so because the movement of the abdomen is much easier for a beginner mediator to discern.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can you tell me&lt;/strong&gt; something (that I don't already know &amp;ndash; you can assume I only/already have high-school-level biology) &lt;strong&gt;about the &lt;em&gt;diaphragm&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, and/or about the &quot;so-called &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;seventh consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'Anapanasati manual' which I reference above barely mentions &quot;diaphragm&quot; nor even &quot;abdomen&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watching a video of someone I notice &lt;strong&gt;that they appear to 'sniff' occasionally&lt;/strong&gt; while they're speaking. If I try to do the same, experimentally, do I experience a mild feeling of bliss? Either from the sudden intake of oxygen, or the motion of air through the nose, or from having triggered/activated the diaphragm to implement the sniff?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something I should know about that slightly implosive way of breathing, and/or activating of the diaphragm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I called 'bliss' might be increased alertness or awareness (or sensory input).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there some &lt;strong&gt;written text&lt;/strong&gt; about 'how to breathe' that you recommend?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;FYI some activities that I find relatively pleasurable are bicycling (e.g. fast or up-hill), the Tai Chi &quot;first form&quot;, and singing (in a choir), all of which involve &lt;strong&gt;continuous and/or controlled breathing&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should this contrast with some vague instruction to &quot;breathe naturally&quot; which I don't understand and don't seem to enjoy much?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible (and/or desirable) to learn to breathe more consciously (or regularly) while still using the brain for other purposes?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T01:46:52.440" Title="How to breathe?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10146" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10156" CreationDate="2015-07-13T02:26:39.127" Score="14" ViewCount="4099" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a person be an atheist and a Buddhist at the same time? Or are some beliefs in deities too important to the practice of Buddhism?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5463" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T08:49:20.523" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T23:52:47.517" Title="Do Buddhism and Atheism contradict each other?" Tags="|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T02:56:07.093" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the canonical texts of the various schools of Buddhism there are various beings that roughly correspond to that of deities, in particular Devas and Brahmas. Both Devas and Brahmas are particular types of beings who have taken very high rebirths as a result of their good Karma. They have very long lifespans and many wonderful benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However they aren't the objects of reverence that they are in other religions. Although one might pray to or request one of these beings for help in worldly matters it is understood that these beings are rather limited, and they eventually die like any other being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practical terms rejecting the existence of such beings doesn't really present major problems as it isn't an essential doctrinal teaching. One can be a practicing Buddhist without believing in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T02:56:07.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10145" CreationDate="2015-07-13T03:32:51.197" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My oxygenation depletes, which seems to manifest as a slight loss of consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That does not seem common/normal -- I'm not a doctor though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it helps if, instead of focusing on breathing instructions (which might be problematic in this case), get enough information about what exactly is to be accomplished (and work your way towards it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restricting ourselves to the first stage of anapanasati (samatha), breath should get calmer and calmer. However:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;this is done in concert with your entire body and mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing patterns and oxygenation changes the behavior of the physical body/brain and mind. As I understand, they get calmer, and allow the breath to get even more calm and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You should not lose consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you might need more conscious intervention in the breath to avoid this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your concentration should get stronger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's a main goal. Your thoughts should get very very calm, your alertness should get very strong, along with the ability to concentrate on a single point for long periods of time without being distracted (even slightly).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I interpreting &quot;breathe naturally&quot; a bit too literally [?]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe we are taught to &quot;breath naturally&quot; to avoid any creativeness and excess on our part while breathing. In reality, we do need to intervene in the breathing process to make it calmer. Otherwise, it will just be our &quot;everyday breathing&quot; and it won't get calm. But we can't be excessive -- in fact, very little force is usually too much force already. One does not force it into tranquility, but one does apply some control, mostly, avoiding gross in-out breaths and relaxing &quot;micro tensions&quot; wherever one identifies them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people teach students to make a resolution to be calm before meditation (by expecting the mind to &quot;take the inclination hint&quot; and do the calming without conscious intervention). Others teach something like zazen, or an open ended observation of sensations, so one gets familiar with the subtlest things that makes the body and mind a bit calmer or a bit upset. Once one understands how to observe, one can actively drive the breathing, body and mind to a calm state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'Anapanasati manual' which I reference above barely mentions &quot;diaphragm&quot; nor even &quot;abdomen&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha is usually taught on a fixed point -- I'm not sure it would work with the focus moving. A favorite point is the tip of the nose or right below it. I suppose one could try focusing on a fixed point in the diaphragm region, but it might be challenging to localize and stick to that fixed spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, mindfulness/satipathana have been taught using the diaphragm moviment as meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there some written text about 'how to breathe' that you recommend?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a short &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yogaanatomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Anatomy-of-Breath2.pdf&quot;&gt;pdf on breathing&lt;/a&gt;. This is what I read that made me look for authoritative resources (as I realized I know nothing about breathing). I ended up buying &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0471324361&quot;&gt;Breath Well, Be Well&lt;/a&gt; by  Robert Fried, Ph.D, which I'm still reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T03:32:51.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T05:01:53.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One can be an atheist and a Buddhist at the same time, if being atheist just means rejecting the concept of an almighty, all compassionate, creator God. &#xA;But if you mean rejecting swarga(higher realms), niraya(lower realms) and Samsaric existences, you can't really be called a Buddhist as you are rejecting the teachings of the Buddha. But you can still practice Buddhism at a certain level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T05:24:21.820" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T05:24:21.820" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10150" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-13T05:15:53.367" Score="0" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is reason of Buddhism mostly spread on hilltops of India then in plains of India? Moreover Dalai Lama lives on Hilltop; as he can live in plains. Is there any reason of choosing mountains for residence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5167" LastEditorUserId="5167" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T11:15:15.370" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T11:15:15.370" Title="Why buddhists love staying in hills?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10144" CreationDate="2015-07-13T07:56:35.057" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've read that things like aikido, yoga, swimming, running are not&#xA;  meditation. How is walking meditation different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could you cite the source or teacher who says this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experiential understanding, and in general, in Buddhist philosophy, any action done mindfully is meditation. The goal of Buddhism is to be mindful of our actions all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha goes so far as to say that it is not merely by reciting verses in praise of awakening, that we pay homage to the Buddha, but every moment we are mindful, we pay homage to the Buddha within us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can certainly practice running meditation if one's mindfulness is very strong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking meditation is safe for the beginner who can observe the action of raaaaiiiissssssing his feet, and loooowwwwwweeeeering his feet, in many dimensions - the tug of the muscles, the raising of the hem of his garment, the brush of wind under the foot, the weight of the sandal as it hangs loose and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine if one was learning to observe like this in detail with an activity like swimming where rapid strokes are required, it can lead to a dangerous situation. As it is, it is common to see people unused to walking meditation stumble on their first attempt because they are so lost in observation, they forget to balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Akido, and other martial arts, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state)&quot;&gt;Mushin&lt;/a&gt; is a prized quality of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T07:56:35.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10150" CreationDate="2015-07-13T08:37:10.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mostly lived and taught in the Gangetic plains of India, and there's no record of him sojourning to the Himalayas like most Indian mystics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However he is also said to have favored the Vulture peak near the city of Rajgir, so it's not like he exclusively preferred the plains either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most mystics like mountains for the solitude, in the Buddha's times it was possible to find it in the tropical Indian forests as well. In modern times, forest monks in Indochina keep the forest tradition alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha often chose meditative spots for the calm and tranquility, where meditation could proceed undisturbed, however he was also aware of spirits and other hinderances that could arise and rejected some otherwise calm places to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T08:37:10.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10144" CreationDate="2015-07-13T10:32:42.867" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings Robin,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AFAIK, in Buddhist meditation one is involved with observing &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; the mind's attention moves from one thing to another. In the beginning of the training, to do so, a quiet, non moving body posture has great benefit. And even later, as an advanced meditator, sitting is the preferred bodily activity while deep meditation. In fact, there are stages of advanced Buddhist meditation, that one is not able to attain while moving around (everything beyond the third Jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if one is very sleepy and is not able to overcome the sleepiness with bringing up more active interest in the object of meditation (pītī), it can be helpful to do walking meditation. Then, you walk to and fro a pre-set path, where you don't have to care about the path and where the walking will be free of disturbance. But the main thing will remain to observe the minds activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe now you understand, why activities like aikido, yoga, swimming or running are not suited very well for deep meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, here is an good article on walking meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://library.dhammasukha.org/walking-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Link&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best Wishes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastEditorUserId="5466" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T14:08:00.777" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T14:08:00.777" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10150" CreationDate="2015-07-13T10:47:17.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I remember, from the literature of the British Empire in India, that people spent time every year in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_station&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the hill country&lt;/a&gt;&quot;: because of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoon_of_South_Asia&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;monsoon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is thought that originally there were no rules and the Buddha and his disciples just lived in harmony when they were together. Most of the time they would have been wandering alone, but every year, during the monsoon season when travelling became impossible, the bhikkhus would come together for a few months. As the sangha became bigger and started accepting people of lesser ability who remained unenlightened, it became necessary to begin having rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know why &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharamsala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharamsala&lt;/a&gt; was chosen. It's on the edge of the Himalayas: maybe &quot;close to the Himalayas&quot; is why it's hilly and was suitable for Tibetans-in-exile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T10:47:17.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T11:45:55.853" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; movement that would be very compatible with atheistic beliefs. Secular Buddhists tend to reject any supernatural beliefs within Buddhism in favour of pragmatic or evidence based solutions. A good (short) text to look at if you are interested is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90557.Buddhism_without_Beliefs&quot;&gt;Buddhism without Beliefs&lt;/a&gt; by Stephen Batchelor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you could say 'Aha but these aren't real Buddhists'. But then you could take that attitude to any group of Buddhists that you find a bit unpalatable and to my mind this is getting towards the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman&quot;&gt;No True Scotsman fallacy&lt;/a&gt;. In short, if you identify as an atheist then it is perfectly possible to practice as a (secular) Buddhist and be part of a community identifies as both atheists and Buddhists and feel the same way as you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T11:45:55.853" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T12:08:49.120" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's something called &quot;Secular Buddhism&quot; in which, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Within the framework of secular Buddhism, Buddhist doctrine may be stripped of any unspecified combination of various traditional beliefs that could be considered superstitious, or that can't be tested through empirical research, namely: supernatural beings (such as devas, bodhisattvas, nāgas, pretas, Buddhas, etc.), merit and its transference, rebirth, Buddhist cosmology (including the existence of pure lands and hells), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After removing these elements of doctrine ('beliefs'), a lot remains; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;None of the elements in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this set of Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; depends on any supernatural doctrine (except perhaps the &quot;four stages of enlightenment&quot; which presupposes rebirth)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ditto the doctrines listed in the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; (except perhaps the &quot;supernatural powers&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm inclined to agree with other answers. Sankha's answer (&quot;you can't really be called a Buddhist&quot;) I would modify slightly: to say instead, for example, &quot;you can't really be called an 'orthodox' Buddhist&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People tend to see &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3973/254&quot;&gt;going for refuge&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (and not explicitly &quot;beliefs in deities&quot;) as the defining difference between &quot;a Buddhist&quot; and &quot;not a Buddhist&quot;.&#xA;Even so it's also more-or-less possible to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3052/254&quot;&gt;practice Buddhism without taking refuge&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possibility is that there's a sutta called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which famously says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering' — then you should abandon them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta then goes on to talk about a core aspect of Buddhism, i.e. whether greed causes suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still the part about &quot;don't go by reports&quot; is often interpreted as license to believe only what you know, what you can verify, what you have verified. So even an orthodox Buddhist view might be that you can (perhaps should) acknowledge devas etc. as a matter of faith, but that you're not required to. If you classified &quot;belief in devas&quot; as &quot;doctrine&quot; and as &quot;hypothesis&quot;, and practice Buddhism, then you may eventually develop the ability to determine the truth of that doctrine for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:19:44.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10144" CreationDate="2015-07-13T12:52:04.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, you want to stay away from things that have too many moving parts.  In fact, the more movement involved, the less conducive something is to meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are basically two mental factors that have to be balanced in order to give rise to a meditative mindset.  First, you need applied and sustained thought. Bascially, you have to pay attention to something.  That could be something as simple as breathing or complex as swimming.  The simpler the action, the easier it is to watch and concentrate your mind upon, but as your concentration develops, you can begin to work with more complicated actions.  Obviously, in order to concentrate on something in a sustained manor, the action itself must also be sustained.  It's fairly easy to keep breathing (I hope!) or continue walking.  Martial arts exchanges in aikido tend to be over quickly and asanas can only be held for as long as your body allows.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, (and I think this is what the quote you read might have been getting at), effective meditation requires a relaxation of the body-mind.  This is calm and settling (samatha) is a a keystone of all deep meditative practices.  Sitting meditation is ideal for this, but any activity that allows your mind and body to settle will be effective (just not as effective as sitting!).  Walking is a tenable option, but while practices like the martial arts, sports, etc. might give rise to applied and sustained thought, but they are not nearly as effective in allowing for this second aspect of settling.  The sympathetic nervous system is just too engaged.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T12:52:04.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10145" CreationDate="2015-07-13T13:37:18.913" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, it's one of two things.  It could be related to your apnea.  Like Mr. Silva says, I also am no doctor, so I can't comment on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when you wrote this - &quot;I'm no longer aware of what I'm seeing and/or of what I'm thinking&quot;, you got &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; thinking.  If you didn't have sleep apnea, and you wrote that line, I'd be shaking your hand and saying congratulations - you've stumbled upon a major milestone in your meditation.  That is the opening of no mind - what we Zen folk call mushin.  Obi wan would have called this your &quot;first step in to a larger world.&quot;  That blankness is where all the fun happens.  It's the boundary between yourself and your bigger mind.  It's ultimately what you are aiming for.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I'm awake this period of 'unconsciousness' is probably (I guess)&#xA;  no more than half a second (though the period between breaths may be&#xA;  several seconds), and only happens while I'm physically at rest (not&#xA;  physically exercising) and emotionally dull (I think I keep a&#xA;  relatively lively interest when I'm driving a car for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For most people during waking consciousness, this period of no-mind is only a second or two.  As your meditation develops, the period begins to last a bit longer.  Eventually, this will grow into minutes.  As you say, it may appear as dullness at first.  A common misconception people have is that meditative concentration is always marked by lucid clarity and the kind of alertness you might have when reading an engrossing book or playing and absorbing game.  It's not.  Don't let that get you discouraged.  Meditation is a totally different way of using your mind.  There is an adaption period that you are going to have to go through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To tie this back to breathing...  I think where a lot of people run into problems is when they try to breath naturally.  &quot;Try&quot; and &quot;naturally&quot; are antagonistic.  A better way to go about it is to simply watch your breathing.  Don't worry about the length of the breath or even [for now] what part of your body is rising or falling.  Follow the breath all the way out.  I mean allll the way out.  Don't short change it!  A habit that a lot of people develop is that they drop their attention about 3/4 into the exhalation.  Next, keep that attention applied during that blank space between breaths.  There is a space there and you need to keep your attention on it.  Lastly, don't let that concentration break as the air starts to come back in.  Another habit that people have is that they let their concentration go lax once the outgoing breath and blankness switch back to rising.  Don't do that.  Keep you attention fixed.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sometimes helps if you anchor that watch point.  Some people use their nostrils, others might pay attention to the belly, personally I use the tip of my nose.  That's mostly a matter of personal preference.  The ideal here is unbroken, fixed attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Frankly, it sounds like you are doing better than you're giving yourself credit for.  Don't worry about breathing right; just let the breath be!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T13:42:20.710" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T13:42:20.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10159" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-13T14:35:48.107" Score="8" ViewCount="686" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10116/18&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, I mention that the Bodhisatta had trouble keeping down coarse alms food, to the extent that he felt like his stomach was going to leap out of his throat. @ThiagoSilva asked in a comment where the story is found, and I can't quite remember. Does anyone have a reference handy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Here's an example of how the passage is described, though no mention of where it comes from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having enjoyed the kingly bliss which was as great as that of a Universal Monarch only a matter of days ago, he made an effort to eat a morsel of food which was a mixture of coarse and fine edible things in assorted colours. As he was about to put the morsel into his mouth he felt miserable and almost vomited with the intestines turning upside down, for he had never seen such kind of food in his life and found it particularly disgusting. Then he admonished himself by saying; &amp;quot;You Siddhattha, in spite of the fact that you have been reigning supreme in a palace where food and drinks are available at your pleasure and where you have meals of three-year-old seasoned fragrant rice with different delicacies whenever you like, you, on seeing a recluse in robe of rags contemplated, &amp;quot;When shall I eat the meals obtained by going on alms round from house to house after becoming a recluse like him? When will the time come for me to live on meals thus collected? And have you not renounced the world and become a recluse with such thoughts? Now that your dream has come true, why do you like to change your mind?&amp;quot; Then without the slightest revulsion he took the meal that was so rough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://realtruthlife.blogspot.ca/2011/08/maha-buddhavamsa-bodhisattas-visit-to.html#.VaPNy5NuB5E&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:58:46.937" Title="Where did the Buddha speak of his difficulty in eating almsfood as a Bodhisatta?" Tags="|reference-request|food|tipitaka|buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10145" CreationDate="2015-07-13T14:37:06.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apnea is a serious medical condition. I had an otherwise healthy colleague who had to be plugged to a machine overnight, to monitor his breathing cycles and supply oxygen when needed. This is no joke and requires professional medical attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, some of it may come from your deeper emotional blockages. What I would try if I were you is tapping of abdomen, diaphragm, and chest. Just tap one of those three spots, for 5-10 minutes at a time, with your two fists like King-Kong, or with your fingers if you are very sensitive. Chances are, you will discover layers and layers of blockages. Try to relax muscles of the area you tap. The more you let go, the less painful it becomes, but then you get to the next layer and it may get more painful again etc. Just try it gently. Ask your doctor before doing this, just in case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tai-chi and singing are good too. I encourage you to do more of those :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your experience during meditation, there is no hard boundary between &quot;watching&quot; and &quot;controlling&quot;. To the extent that you are watching your breathing, you are already interfering. The periods of no-thought between the breaths are fine, but they should not be associated with dullness. Breathing and discursive mind are related, so your inner monologue may pause or stop, but the rest of your mind should go on fresh and vibrant. When things go well you will fall into access consciousness, when you get to &quot;see&quot; directly what normally is your subconscious. It is a rather peculiar experience, akin to a drug trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know to what extent you are similar to me, so not all of my experience may even apply, but in your meditation try not to worry about breathing so much and focus on the feelings in and around your body instead, same areas I suggested you tap can be used as doors into the subconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T14:37:06.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T15:09:48.950" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll take an almost certainly unpopular tack here, and say that atheism &lt;em&gt;enhances&lt;/em&gt; Buddhism. What I mean by that, is that atheists tend to reject authority in favor of personal experience and investigation, and I think this goes hand-in-hand with the Buddha's teaching. I believe Buddha would be pleased if we critically examined the esoteric &quot;supernatural&quot; aspects taught by some Buddhists schools, and to determine the veracity of them for ourselves, through practice. I actually am of the opinion that the tenets of Buddhism, including kamma, punabbhava, and even Buddhist cosmology, fit into an atheistic viewpoint. To me, &quot;atheism&quot; is a particular way of looking at the mechanisms by which various things occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remind you, this is an unpopular viewpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T15:09:48.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10144" CreationDate="2015-07-13T16:08:25.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In walking meditation one tries to be mindful of the walking process, i.e. the movement of the feet (lifting, moving, placing, turning), the sensations of touch, wind and other elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In walking meditation the main thing we want to develop is &lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; of the different phenomena that arises. It's about keeping one's mindfulness throughout the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type of meditation is both slower and techniqally more simple than aikido, swimming or running thereby making it easier to keep one's mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one gets really good at it one can turn anything into meditation, e.g. the activities you mention. Brushing teeth, eating, climbing, doing office work, talking, watching a movie can also be turned into meditation. It depends on the skill level of the meditator and the pace and complexity of the activity than one wants to turn into a meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference in walking meditation is the slower pace and less complexity in the technique thereby making this method more approachable when developing mindfulness while moving. It's more difficult to be mindful when moving around than when sitting still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking meditation would be easier to begin with than e.g. running meditation or swimming meditation. In here it would be more difficult since the technique is more complex and the pace is quicker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is an interesting article on walking meditation called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/silananda/bl137.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Benefits of Walking Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Silananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T16:31:03.543" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:31:03.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10159" CreationDate="2015-07-13T16:14:48.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Great Chronicles of the Buddhas&lt;/a&gt; by venerable Mingun Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapter 4, page 280, paragraph 3. It is preceded by the following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Bodhishtta's Visit to Rajagaha City&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After becoming a recluse, the Bodhisatta, after spending seven full days in ascetic bliss in the nearby mango grove called Anupiya, travelled a journey of thirty yojanas on foot in one single day and entered the city of Rajagaha. (This is the statement made in the &lt;strong&gt;Buddhavamsa Commentary&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;Jataka Commentary&lt;/strong&gt;.)&#xA;(According to the &lt;strong&gt;Sutta Nipata Commentary&lt;/strong&gt;, however,) the Bodhisatta, after becoming a recluse, observed the Ajivattamaka sila, the Precepts with pure livelihood as the eighth, and journeyed to Rajagaha, thirty yojanas away from the banks of Anoma in seven days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:14:48.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10159" CreationDate="2015-07-13T16:17:15.600" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote appears in this text. However it appears to be a Victorian-era translation of the Jâtaka without much details about the version of the original from which it was translated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BUDDHISM&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;IN TRANSLATIONS&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Passages Selected from the Buddhist Sacred Books&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and Translated from the Original Pâli into English by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Henry Clarke Warren&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Published by Harvard University Press {1896}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits007.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits007.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ 7. THE GREAT STRUGGLE. Translated from the Introduction to the&#xA;  Jâtaka (i.6529).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;NOW the Future Buddha, having thus retired from the world,--in that&#xA;  place there was a mango-grove named Anupiya, and here he first spent a&#xA;  week in the joy of having retired from the world,--in one day went on&#xA;  foot to Râjagaha, a distance of thirty leagues, and entering the city,&#xA;  he begged for food from house to house without passing any by. By the&#xA;  beauty of the Future Buddha, the whole city was thrown into a&#xA;  commotion, like that into which Râjagaha was thrown by the entrance of&#xA;  Dhanapâlaka, or like that into which the&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;p. 68 [J.i.664 heavenly city was thrown by the entrance of the chief&#xA;  of the Titans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then ran the king's men to the palace, and made announcement,--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sire, there is a being of such and such appearance going about the&#xA;  city begging for food. Whether he be a god, or a man, or a serpent, or&#xA;  a bird, we do not know.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the king, standing on the roof of his palace, and thence&#xA;  beholding the Great Being, became amazed and astonished, and commanded&#xA;  his men,--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Look ye now! Go and investigate this! If this person be not a man,&#xA;  he will vanish from sight as soon as he leaves the city; if, namely,&#xA;  he be a god, he will depart by way of the air; if a serpent, he will&#xA;  sink into the ground. But if he be a human being, he will eat the food&#xA;  he has obtained in alms.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now the Great Being, after collecting a number of scraps,&#xA;  sufficient, as he judged, for his sustenance, left the city by the&#xA;  same gate he had entered, and sitting down with his face to the east,&#xA;  in the shade of Pandava rock, he attempted to eat his meal. But his&#xA;  stomach turned, and he felt as if his inwards were on the point of&#xA;  coming out by his mouth. Thereupon, in the midst of his distress at&#xA;  that repulsive food, --for in that existence he had never before so&#xA;  much as seen such fare,--he began to admonish himself, saying,&#xA;  &quot;Siddhattha, although you were born into a family having plenty to eat&#xA;  and drink, into a station in life where you lived on fragrant third&#xA;  season's rice1 with various sauces of the finest flavors, yet when you&#xA;  saw a monk clad in garments taken from the rubbish heap, you&#xA;  exclaimed, 'Oh, when shall I be like him, and eat food which I have&#xA;  begged? Will that time ever come?' And then you retired from the&#xA;  world. And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;p. 69 [J.i.6622 now that you have your wish, and have renounced all,&#xA;  what, pray, is this you are doing?&quot; When he had thus admonished&#xA;  himself, his disgust subsided, and he ate his meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:17:15.600" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10159" CreationDate="2015-07-13T16:19:34.200" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found it in the introduction to the Jatakas, which seems to be the original source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the Great Being, after collecting a number of scraps, sufficient, as he judged, for his sustenance, left the city by the same gate he had entered, and sitting down with his face to the east, in the shade of Pandava rock, he attempted to eat his meal. But his stomach turned, and he felt as if his inwards were on the point of coming out by his mouth. Thereupon, in the midst of his distress at that repulsive food, --for in that existence he had never before so much as seen such fare,--he began to admonish himself, saying, &amp;quot;Siddhattha, although you were born into a family having plenty to eat and drink, into a station in life where you lived on fragrant third season's rice1 with various sauces of the finest flavors, yet when you saw a monk clad in garments taken from the rubbish heap, you exclaimed, 'Oh, when shall I be like him, and eat food which I have begged? Will that time ever come?' And then you retired from the world. And now that you have your wish, and have renounced all, what, pray, is this you are doing?&amp;quot; When he had thus admonished himself, his disgust subsided, and he ate his meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- Jāt-A nidānakathā (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits007.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;from Buddhism In Translations, Henry Clarke Warren, trans.&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relevant Pali is &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;antāni parivattitvā mukhena nikkhamanākārappattāni viya ahesuṃ&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; - It was like the intestines, having churned, attained the state of leaving through the mouth.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhavamsa doesn't mention this reflection, saying of his first alms round simply:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;nisīditvā āhāraṃ paccavekkhitvā nibbikāro paribhuñji&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having sat down, having reflected on the food, unperturbed, he ate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Bv-A, nidānakathā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T16:58:46.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T18:26:56.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the primary tenets in Buddhism, across nearly all forms of Buddhism is part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1492/4710&quot;&gt;this list&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether Theravada or Mahayana, we do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a god at his will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, strictly speaking, one may believe and practice a form of Buddhism, and also believe and practice a form of Atheism without conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4710" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T18:26:56.033" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10167" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10169" CreationDate="2015-07-13T20:28:20.950" Score="6" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;It strikes me that it is very fortunate that meditation can be pleasurable. If there was no fairly immediate rewards then surely hardly anyone would make any kind of progress towards enlightenment. It almost like it is designed to have little pleasant staging posts where the practitioner can rest before continuing onward with the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But why is meditation pleasurable? Could it be insightful but barren or is there something inherent in the practice that is pleasant and the pleasant quality of meditation is a necessary quality? What do the texts say about the pleasant qualities of meditation? Is there any accounts about why it is pleasant perhaps mythic accounts or explanations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2017-09-25T16:03:50.047" Title="Why is meditation pleasurable?" Tags="|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10167" CreationDate="2015-07-13T22:10:38.890" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the mind becomes still and rests in the present it gradually becomes more and more free of hindrances and conditioned phenomena. Naturally it moves closer to Nibbana and begins to experience the bliss of freedom from samsaric winds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have tried to make a drawing of it. You might have to zoom in to see it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it shows is Nibbana in the bottom. &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; is perfect peace, bliss and happiness. As we move further away from Nibbana, i.e. towards the top we move through the different realms of existence. Next stop from Nibbana we have &lt;em&gt;Arupa-Loka&lt;/em&gt; (the formless realms) which holds the &quot;next-best&quot; peace, bliss and happiness. As we move towards &lt;em&gt;Rupa-Loka&lt;/em&gt; (fine-material world), &lt;em&gt;Kama-loka&lt;/em&gt; (sensuous plane) and &lt;em&gt;Apaya&lt;/em&gt; (deprivation realms) the mind will experience less and less peace, bliss and happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The arrow on the right side shows the degree of peace, bliss and happiness that the mind experiences when moving through the different planes of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When moving away from complexity and towards greater and greater simplicity the mind becomes more and more quiet and less disturbance will be experienced. That naturally results in a more peaceful and blissful mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to explain it is that the mind becomes less and less scattered when moving towards unity, i.e. Liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to the drawing let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TFZzp.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-13T22:37:26.593" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T22:37:26.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10167" CreationDate="2015-07-13T22:58:26.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I took the course Buddhism and Modern Psychology, the lecture delved into the neurobiology behind meditation. Material was presented that breaks up the conscious mind into 8 centers competing to be at the forefront of awareness. When meditating, the Default Mode Network(DMN) in the mind shows less activity in fMRI scans in studies led by Judson Brewer who himself used meditation as a coping mechanism during medical school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The DMN is the center of the mind thought to be responsible for daydreaming. The exact mechanism between meditation and pleasure in the mind is not known, but I speculate that a sort of rhythm develops between these competing centers and other parts of the brain that leads to decreased levels of cortisol and increase in pleasure neurotransmitters such as dopamine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A point to note: Suzuki Roshi mentions in &lt;em&gt;Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind&lt;/em&gt;, that the purpose of meditation is not too feel good or become a better person rather the purpose of meditation is to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Default_mode_network&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Default_mode_network&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yalescientific.org/2012/05/the-healing-art-of-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.yalescientific.org/2012/05/the-healing-art-of-meditation/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T22:58:26.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10146" CreationDate="2015-07-13T23:52:47.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The other answers have covered this from the Buddhist side, I'll try to answer from the Atheist side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Atheism&quot; in general is not a belief, it is a lack of belief.  It's a convenient label for an absence that is sometimes treated as a 'thing'. In this respect it is like &quot;vacuum&quot; (absence of matter), &quot;dark&quot; (absence of light), or &quot;freedom&quot; (absence of restriction).  &quot;Atheism&quot; is the absence of theism (Belief in one or more gods).  Atheists include people who have some idea of what a god is and believe none exist, people who think the word &quot;god&quot; is meaningless, and people who are unsure if gods exist and any other set of beliefs that does not include &quot;at least one god exists&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you'll pretty much have to decide if any of the entities claimed to exist in Buddhism (or in any particular variant thereof) are &quot;gods&quot;.  I'm in the &quot;god&quot; is a nonsense word camp myself (&quot;theological noncognitism&quot; if you really want the formal term for it) so I think the whole question is pointless.  You may disagree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Atheist&quot; is commonly conflated with other terms like Freethinker/Skeptic, Irreligious, and Agnostic.  In case that's what you are after, I'll address them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Agnosticism is about knowledge rather than belief, and it can be applied to things other than the existence of gods.  Knowledge in this sense is belief justified by evidence and reason.  Belief without such justification is faith.  Of course whether something thought to be justification really &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; makes things complicated in a way that's &lt;em&gt;way&lt;/em&gt; beyond the scope of this answer.  It's entirely possible to believe in a god while recognizing that that belief lacks justification.  Many Christians even claim faith to be superior to knowledge.  My understanding is that Buddhists generally see faith as less desirable than knowledge, but an acceptable alternative where knowledge is unavailable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Freethinkers and Skeptics are concerned with making our beliefs as close to reality as we can, no matter what that turns out to be. We want to verify those beliefs, and try to keep reverifying in case we made a mistake.  We seek knowledge and reject faith and dogma.  Ideally, we prefer to admit ignorance over clinging to a belief that lacks proper justification.  Although this is distinct from &quot;atheism&quot; it is the group most likely to self identify as &quot;atheist&quot;.  Buddhism makes unjustifed claims (Existence of a soul, reincarnation of those souls, etc) and so is not compatible with freethought.  Were all the claims to be justified by sufficient evidence, this would change. (Ideally, all free thinkers would then accept the claims of fact made by Buddhism.  We might still reject the ethical claims.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Irreligious just means &quot;not religious&quot; and the same way atheist means &quot;not theist&quot;.  Buddhism is a religion and so, obviously you can't be Buddhist and irreligious at the same time.  There is sometimes argument over exactly what constitutes a religion, and Buddhism is probably more amenable to this sort of semantic wiggling than many other religions (see the 'Secular Buddhism' described in some other answers)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturalism (In the context of Metaphysics and Epistemology) is the philosophy that the world behaves in a way that we can understand in terms of rules which we can then use to make predictions.  Where Freethought is the position that we &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; seek knowledge, naturalism is the belief that we have a chance (in principle) of succeeding.  That which can not be understood this way is &quot;supernatural&quot;.  Many of Buddhism's claims seem to be supernatural and so incompatible with naturalism.  Claims about the supernatural also mean that sufficient justification for those claims is never possible, so this would make it impossible to ever be compatible with Freethought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5470" LastActivityDate="2015-07-13T23:52:47.517" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10171" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10181" CreationDate="2015-07-14T05:51:35.033" Score="4" ViewCount="176" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everyone of us is unique, with different percepts, respective back ground &amp;amp; nature. although Way of living can be equally beneficial to everyone, inhaling &amp;amp; exhaling peace of mind, together. So many religions, text, even our history tell us about us. All these teach us while a few people get elevated level and again start teaching us. &#xA;I've learned a lot from them but the best i learn and adapt that comes within and stay within me IS ACTUALLY RESULT OF MY ABILITY TO BEND MY THINKING. My question is just this simple - is it right to share my thinking with others or not? Aren't we are becoming more dependent on others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T12:40:51.760" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T23:42:26.797" Title="Is it right to teach other people?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|texts|teaching|self|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10172" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10174" CreationDate="2015-07-14T06:27:21.000" Score="7" ViewCount="11883" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do music help? Why sometimes it feels equal to meditation in terms of achieving bliss (may be for short span of period) Or music is just an another time wasting thing? Text with links and pictorials in your answer are the most welcome. All are welcome. Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T08:59:42.990" LastActivityDate="2018-12-02T11:19:11.607" Title="What did the Buddha say about music?" Tags="|personal-practice|music|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10171" CreationDate="2015-07-14T07:12:17.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nah, because knowledge is not enough anyway. Even if someone is totally open to learning from you they must be even more eager to put things into practice in order to reach a particular field's skillful attainments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches the Middle ground: do enough learning but also do enough practice to achieve one's goal. Don't have too much pride in either knowledge nor practice because knowledge without practice is useless and practice without knowledge is blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, if there is something you can share with someone that you think &lt;strong&gt;for sure&lt;/strong&gt; would help them, then it is the poison of greed to hold it back!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, it is most likely that you are wrong because people can find all sorts of ways to ignroe excellent wisdom and intelligence, nothing is perfectly persuasive..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T07:12:17.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2015-07-14T08:56:22.077" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Music is not good as a meditation object as it arouses craving.&#xA;If you analyse the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot;&gt;40 meditation objects of Samatha&lt;/a&gt;, you can identify 3 kinds of objects: &#xA;neutral objects, virtuous or holy objects and unattractive or repulsive objects. All carefully chosen to subdue certain defilements or achieve Jhanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha say about music?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are, bhikkhus, these five drawbacks of reciting the Dhamma with a sustained melodic intonation.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which five? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Oneself gets attached to that intonation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Others get attached to that intonation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Householders get angry:&#xA;'Those ascetics who are followers of the Sakyans' son sing in the&#xA;same way that we do!'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is a break in concentration for those striving [to produce] musicality&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And the upcoming generations imitate what they see.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Lay people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot;&gt;7th of the 8 precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nacca-&lt;strong&gt;gita-vadita&lt;/strong&gt;-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;- I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, &lt;strong&gt;singing, music, going to see entertainments&lt;/strong&gt;, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 8 precepts are usually practiced on Poya days and when you stay in a meditation center&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T10:15:59.640" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T10:15:59.640" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10175" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10177" CreationDate="2015-07-14T11:50:46.003" Score="3" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sahampati/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This page&lt;/a&gt; mentions the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentaries say (SNA.ii.476; SA.i.155) that he was an Anagami&#xA;  Brahma born in the Suddhavasa, there to pass a whole kappa...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for an online resource for SNA.ii.476; SA.i.155.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T12:38:01.373" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T13:54:08.163" Title="Looking for an online resource of the commentary(SNA.ii.476; SA.i.155) which says that the Brahma Sahampati was an Anagami from the Suddhavasa realms" Tags="|reference-request|brahma|anagami|commentary|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10176" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10333" CreationDate="2015-07-14T12:07:19.037" Score="6" ViewCount="487" Body="&lt;p&gt;Instead of dwelling on the true nature of the body right in front of their eyes, Doctors have become PROBLEM SOLVERS. Doctors see birth, aging, sickness and death on a daily basis but have somehow become deaf,dumb and blind to all that they see and hear inside a ward. It is all just an addition subtraction formula where drugs/treatment are prescribed for easing a patient's suffering, while maybe giving a patient reassurance if needed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can a medical student or a doctor get across this barrier, and not be deconditioned to being blind to the truth, and how can he/she be strong and balanced enough mentally to cope up with the evergrowing needs/obligations that a doctor is cursed with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T17:39:41.110" Title="Do doctors waste their chance?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10175" CreationDate="2015-07-14T12:38:09.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Nipata source is Sn-A 3.10:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roman Pali:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0505a.att2.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0505a.att2.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sinhalese Pali:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/sinh/cscd/s0505a.att2.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.org/sinh/cscd/s0505a.att2.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relevant passage is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atha kho brahmā sahampatīti ko ayaṃ brahmā, kasmā ca bhagavantaṃ upasaṅkamitvā etadavocāti? Ayaṃ kassapassa bhagavato sāsane sahako nāma bhikkhu &lt;strong&gt;anāgāmī hutvā suddhāvāsesu uppanno, tattha naṃ ‘‘**sahampati brahmā’’ti sañjānanti.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;අථ ඛො බ්‍රහ්‌මා සහම්‌පතීති කො අයං බ්‍රහ්‌මා, කස්‌මා ච භගවන්‌තං උපසඞ්‌කමිත්‌වා එතදවොචාති? අයං කස්‌සපස්‌ස භගවතො සාසනෙ සහකො නාම භික්‌ඛු අනාගාමී හුත්‌වා සුද්‌ධාවාසෙසු උප්‌පන්‌නො, තත්‌ථ නං ‘‘සහම්‌පති බ්‍රහ්‌මා’’ති සඤ්‌ජානන්‌ති. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roughly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And then the Brahma Sahampati&quot; - Who was this brahma? And from what [cause] did he, having approached, say this? This one, a bhikkhu named Sahaka in the sasana of the Kassapa the Blessed One, having become an anagami, arose in the Pure Abodes; there, they knew him as &quot;Sahampati Brahma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T13:54:08.163" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T13:54:08.163" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10176" CreationDate="2015-07-14T12:38:21.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;General answer containing the perspective of Medical Science and Buddhism.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the difference lies in the approach that medical science and Buddhism uses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism deals with the true nature of reality, i.e. Ultimate Reality based on the gaining of experiental knowledge through insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medical science deals only with Conventional Reality, i.e. concepts, conventions and entities such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;a body, a man, a woman&quot;&lt;/em&gt; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is not dealing with the true nature of reality one cannot treat anything else than symptoms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medical science treats the symptoms of &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism treats the root cause of Dukkha by going to the root of the problem, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Avijja&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha's teaching is the only one that will ensure a permanent cure for suffering, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can a medical student or a doctor get across this barrier, and not be deconditioned to being blind to the truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to not being blind about the truth, i.e. the true nature of reality is to practice insight meditation and thereby gain insights into the 3 signs of existence; &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta&lt;/em&gt;. By doing that the meditator is transforming conventional knowledge (book-knowledge) into experiental knowledge (wisdom). This wisdom will shed away Avijja revealing the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add to that it's very important to know what kind of reality one is dealing with. As mentioned earlier in the answer, in buddhism we have 2 kinds of reality. The Conventional one and the Ultimate one. Dealing with conventional reality will not let one see the true nature of phenomena. To experience that one must deal with Ultimate reality, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Rupa, Citta, Cetasika, Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can he/she be strong and balanced enough mentally to cope up with the evergrowing needs/obligations that a doctor is cursed with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By following the Noble Eightfold Path the meditator will build up mental strength so that there will be less and less wavering in the mind. If one is practicing diligently and consistently the mind will become steady, strong and non-scattered. Having a strong mind enables one to stay mindful and centered even in the middle of a storm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can the mind become still and steady?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The morality section of the Noble Eightfold path is the foundation. With the practice of good conduct there will be less guilt and remorse in the mind, making it easier to practice the Concentration group of the path, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Right effort, Right concentration and Right mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To build a house we need a strong foundation. Moral restraint and good conduct is the foundation upon we develop concentration which we then use to penetrate reality and gain Wisdom about the true nature of phenomena. That will in the end lead to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do doctors waste their chance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is not for me to answer. That is up to the individual being to answer that one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T15:05:35.173" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T15:05:35.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10180" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11130" CreationDate="2015-07-14T15:27:59.553" Score="4" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRdiOoTZC3A&amp;amp;list=PLJUl8JyDRJlIrff45WdlX5LUbfm0ld_vz&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this set of videos&lt;/a&gt; two experts (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wired.com/2013/06/meditation-mindfulness-silicon-valley/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kenneth Folk&lt;/a&gt; and Nick Halay) go through the 13(?) jhanas &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several aspects of this video make me wonder - primarily, I find it curious that they can speak and move their limbs while being in a jhana. I notice Nick instinctively wipes his nose at &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/PRdiOoTZC3A?list=PLJUl8JyDRJlIrff45WdlX5LUbfm0ld_vz&amp;amp;t=438&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7:18&lt;/a&gt;, and rubs his eye a little later, all while supposedly in the third and fourth jhanas! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can others with jhana experience or with experience in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9482/what-is-hardcore-pragmatic-dharma&quot;&gt;pragmatic dhamma&lt;/a&gt; movement comment, and help me understand? What am I seeing here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they really speaking of the same jhanas that we commonly understand from the teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T04:13:18.880" Title="What to make of Jhanas as explained in the pragmatic dharma movement?" Tags="|traditions|jhana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10171" CreationDate="2015-07-14T15:30:23.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is it right to teach other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one's teachings teaches people how to become free from suffering and that teaching deals with ultimate reality then that would be considered wholesome way of acting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one teaches freedom from suffering but one's teachings are dealing with concepts such as a Creator God it is not wholesome since it will not lead people to Liberation. It will instead bring more &lt;em&gt;delusion&lt;/em&gt; into other beings minds and steer them further away from the path to end suffering. Since delusion is what is keeping beings in Samsara it would be considered unwholesome to input more delusion in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it right to share my thinking with others or not? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind thinking are we talking about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is sharing unwholesome ways of thinking with others that might lead to wrong speech, wrong action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another aspect to mention is also whether or not the other being in some way has agreed to be told about one's thoughts. Sometimes a being might have problems in his or her own life and might not have energy to listen to other beings problems. If one then just unloads on that being without that being wanting to listen that might not be a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way if one has criminal intentions and wants to commit a crime then if one tells another innocent being about ones plans one will actually involve that being in the act. Now that being has some unwanted knowledge which is placing that being in an unfortunate sitation. Should the being go to the police with the information or what to do? These are just examples of what might happen if we share wrong and unwholesome ways of thinking with other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could also choose to share wholesome thoughts, i.e. thoughts of renunciation, peace, friendliness, loving-kindness and the like. This would be beneficial not only for oneself but also for other beings. One might share an advice with another being who is in need for advice. Wholesome actions will produce wholesome results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aren't we are becoming more dependent on others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is difficult to answer since it can be answered in many different ways. It's actually subjective. Some people will say no while others will say yes. I do not have an answer for this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What i would like to point out is the &quot;attachment-factor&quot; in the question. The Buddha clearly stated that we should be our own refuge and not rely on other people for salvation. With that in mind one should strive to set oneself free. One should practice diligently and not be negligent. A human life is very short and we must practice while the body and mind is still intact. Old age, sickness and death will come to all of us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/dhammapadatxt1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;See Dhammapada Verse 166 - The Story of Venerable Attadattha&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being dependent on others will not set one free. The Buddha's only show the way. We ourselves must practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be well and happy and free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T15:42:24.967" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T15:42:24.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10182" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10183" CreationDate="2015-07-14T16:40:04.180" Score="5" ViewCount="70" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my readings so far (mostly Theravada based), I come across many scriptural references - for example, &quot;AN,&quot; &quot;MN 118,&quot; etc. To what do these designations refer? Is there some sort of concordance that summarizes the actual texts that these designations refer to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T17:10:55.420" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T17:20:04.730" Title="What are the various Buddhist scriptural designations and to what do they refer?" Tags="|pali-canon|terminology|texts|tipitaka|scripture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10182" CreationDate="2015-07-14T16:52:47.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;They refer to various sutra collections within the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tipitaka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like for example, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN = Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN = Maddhiyama Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 118 would be the 118th sutta in the MN - which can be found in the MN index linked previously; or, Google is many times pretty helpful if you put in &quot;MN 118 tipitaka&quot; it should lead you to  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tipitaka (Pali ti, &quot;three,&quot; + pitaka, &quot;baskets&quot;), or Pali canon,&#xA;  is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the&#xA;  doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The Tipitaka and the&#xA;  paracanonical Pali texts (commentaries, chronicles, etc.) together&#xA;  constitute the complete body of classical Theravada texts.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali canon is a vast body of literature: in English translation&#xA;  the texts add up to thousands of printed pages. Most (but not all) of&#xA;  the Canon has already been published in English over the years.&#xA;  Although only a small fraction of these texts are available on this&#xA;  website, this collection can be a good place to start.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three divisions of the Tipitaka are:    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Vinaya Pitaka&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The collection of texts concerning the rules of conduct&#xA;  governing the daily affairs within the Sangha — the community of&#xA;  bhikkhus (ordained monks) and bhikkhunis (ordained nuns). Far more&#xA;  than merely a list of rules, the Vinaya Pitaka also includes the&#xA;  stories behind the origin of each rule, providing a detailed account&#xA;  of the Buddha's solution to the question of how to maintain communal&#xA;  harmony within a large and diverse spiritual community.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The collection of suttas, or discourses, attributed to the Buddha and&#xA;  a few of his closest disciples, containing all the central teachings&#xA;  of Theravada Buddhism. (More than one thousand sutta translations are&#xA;  available on this website.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The suttas are divided among five nikayas&#xA;  (collections):&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Digha Nikaya — the &quot;long collection&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Majjhima Nikaya —&#xA;  the &quot;middle-length collection&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Samyutta Nikaya — the &quot;grouped&#xA;  collection&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Anguttara Nikaya — the &quot;further-factored collection&quot;&#xA;  Khuddaka Nikaya — the &quot;collection of little texts&quot;:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Khuddakapatha&#xA;  Dhammapada&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Udana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Itivuttaka&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sutta Nipata&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vimanavatthu&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Petavatthu&#xA;  Theragatha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Therigatha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Jataka&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Niddesa&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Patisambhidamagga&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Apadana&#xA;  Buddhavamsa&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Cariyapitaka&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nettippakarana (included only in the Burmese&#xA;  edition of the Tipitaka)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Petakopadesa (  &quot;   &quot;  )&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Milindapañha (  &quot;  &quot;  )        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Abhidhamma Pitaka&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The collection of texts in which the underlying doctrinal principles&#xA;  presented in the Sutta Pitaka are reworked and reorganized into a&#xA;  systematic framework that can be applied to an investigation into the&#xA;  nature of mind and matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T17:20:04.730" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T17:20:04.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10184" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-14T19:00:14.080" Score="3" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;We now have a global network, where English language is used as a primary language  and American culture has its own culture codes (you saw that rainbow flag, etc). Shouldn't Buddhist texts be rewritten with the goal of being easily understandable? If texts use modern vocabulary and describe our surroundings with everyday words, then the spreading of Buddhist ideas will be wider than it is now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5482" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T17:56:43.057" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T05:03:27.757" Title="Should modernization of the environment lead to renewal of teaching texts?" Tags="|modern-world|texts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10185" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-14T19:19:37.510" Score="2" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have done meditation for 6 week now. My pulse has now become so electric even not when I am meditating, before i was Activated my pulse used to pulsating back and forward but now its more alive. When i make a triangle/pyramid with my hands, i can make one electric ball inside and if really focus it will become a beam of electricity that feels like Oneness. When i breathe i feel a cold layer of electricity on my skin, the breathing is controlling my electricity.&#xA;My feelings are growing everyday i feel like i am getting strong for each day &#xA;I have very little experience with this so if anybody know anything please talk to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5478" LastEditorUserId="5478" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T04:56:07.177" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T06:06:25.327" Title="Electric blood, electric breathe, electric ball and one beam" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-14T19:36:38.227" Score="4" ViewCount="667" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I first started meditating and after a while, I had a period where I experienced extremely wonderful sensations in my body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It culminated one day when I was meditating, laying on my bed: I felt like my body has vanished, time stopped and extreme pleasure arose in my body. It was like I was floating in a substance full of pleasure to my mind. I didn't feel my body, it was like my body vanished, I had no thoughts, but was fully aware. I was in this state for 4 hours, and if it wasn't for somebody calling me, I would be even longer. When I emerged from this state it felt like 10 minutes passed. This experience was the most wonderful, joyful, pleasant experience I had ever experienced in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next time I went into meditation, I had &quot;a kind off&quot; similar experience as described above, but it was different: It was less &quot;mentally powerful&quot;. I didn't search for it, nor wanted to have it - I just went into meditation as in my last meditation session when the pleasurable experience arose, but this time the experience had a lesser impact on my mind and body: it didn't give that much pleasure to my body and mind as the first time. It was like I got accustomed to it, and my body and mind were more calm, thus I never noticed that much pleasure and joy as the previous time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one moment in the meditation I made an attempt to search for the pleasure I experienced the first time, but I quickly noticed that it just makes my mind wander away from meditation and fills it with &quot;want&quot;. So, I stopped &quot;wanting&quot; and just let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third time I went into meditation, the described experience subsided completely and only calmness, emptiness, no thoughts, neither pleasure nor non pleasure, remained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was not bothered forcing the described experience, because I knew that the experience came by not &quot;wanting&quot; it to came. I noticed that if I wanted it, the calmness, no thoughts, neither pleasure nor non pleasure, would subside and my mind would be permeated with &quot;want&quot;. Thus, I abandoned &quot;wanting&quot; completely and just let it go and never ever tried to search for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read about the 8 jhanas and during my meditation sessions I experienced &quot;infinite space&quot;, &quot;infinite consciousness&quot;, &quot;emptiness&quot;, &quot;neither perception nor non perception&quot;. I noticed this pattern: when the experience arose for the first time, it was the most powerful experience ever. It was like eating the most delicious cake for the first time in my life! The second time, it was less powerful. And so on, until it subsided and the experience &quot;just was&quot;. Nonetheless, these experiences were never that much powerful as the first experience I described at the beginning of this question. Is this normal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when I meditate, my mind is calm, one pointed, with no thoughts arising, and neither pleasure nor non pleasure. I can clearly see how and why everything is arising and ceasing in my mind. But I choose not to observe that anymore, I just let go of everything and the arising and ceasing in my mind stops. Everything stops, but I'm fully aware, and the experience is not that powerful as the experiences I described, when they arose for the first time. The experience that I have now during meditation &quot;neither is nor it isn't&quot;. I could turn my meditation in an experience that &quot;is&quot;, but i choose not to, because then &quot;I'm not&quot;. It's hard to explain. From a Buddhist perspective, is this ceasing and letting go of extremely blissful experiences during meditation normal? Or does meditation lead to more and more powerful experiences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since that first time, when the described pleasurable experiences arose, they were never again as powerful as the first time they arose. It's like they subsided and only the core remained. From a Buddhist perspective, is this normal? Or should the described experiences always arise and be as powerful as the first time they arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T20:35:26.530" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T05:36:53.983" Title="Repeated blissful experiences in meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10187" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-14T21:06:20.603" Score="10" ViewCount="2265" Body="&lt;p&gt;i have only a basic knowledge of Buddhist thought but have hit a problem that i have not been able to locate an answer to. so any pointers would be appreciated...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;everything i read suggests that to be born as a human being is very propitious as it allows the degree of reflection/mindfulness required to be able to understand the teachings and make progression towards enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but if these fortunate circumstances are wasted and actions in your current life result in rebirth in a lower form, there seems no way that i can see to progress even to another human birth, let alone anything else, if progress is predicated on awareness/mindfulness/ability to understand the teachings etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;how would something such as, for example, a dog ever be able to accumulate enough merit to warrant rebirth as a human? i have a dog and all he wants is food and walks, he never seems that reflective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;seems like a game of snakes and ladders in which - other than when playing as a human - its going to be all snakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks for reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5483" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-14T21:15:34.367" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T21:55:38.567" Title="How would an animal ever accumulate enough merit to warrant rebirth as a human?" Tags="|karma|animals|merit|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10186" CreationDate="2015-07-14T22:33:01.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Experiences are just experiences. As my Zen master said, they are dreams, hallucinations. They come and go, leaving behind only vague memories. The best experiences... the worst experiences... - what value do they have?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some experiences may give us perspective on where we are by showing us where we &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some experiences are byproducts of our incremental development, which is slow and gradual, and in the grand scheme of things is way more important than the flashes of experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you had great experiences in meditation, now where does it leave us?&#xA;What matters more in Buddhism is, how do you deal with what comes next. Do you have a way of dealing with life at large, a framework that would work well in all circumstances? Such framework is called Dharma and until you've had a direct experience of that, your meditation is just spacing out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not done for the sake of cool experiences. Meditation itself is &quot;pleasant dwelling in the here and now&quot;, sure - but the main goal is direct realization of Sat-Dharma, the Universal Framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these experiences normal? Sure. You happen to have a mind that is capable of both introspection and analysis, congrats! I've looked at your other questions and answers, you have figured some stuff right. Now, what is your place in the world? Where are you going? Where &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; you be going? -- If your meditation does not help you answer these questions, how is it better than smoking pot? ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-14T22:33:01.800" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10186" CreationDate="2015-07-15T05:18:24.587" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the theravada perspective, you ought to master each jhana. That is, you should have reasonable control of it, enter when you make a resolution to enter, keep it stable and leave when you make a resolution to leave. So you should be able to replicate it. If you identify important factors that are weak, these are factors that need further development. Weak jhana factors mean one does not fully understand their conditions, what obstructs them, how to cultivate them, control and keep them stable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is roughly the full jhana/samadhi meditation curriculum, though it can be argued that full mastering of jhanas are optional when pursuing the goal, in favor of mindfulness/sati meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe Pa Auk Sayadaw considers a student to have mastered a jhana if he or she is able to enter at will and stay for 3 hours in it (period that testify the meditator skills in stabilizing jhana). This is also what he recommends before moving to the next jhana, which can be impossible to access without a minimum control of the previous jhana (e.g. as the factors to be abandoned might be too strong and unfamiliar to be properly controlled)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T05:36:53.983" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T05:36:53.983" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10185" CreationDate="2015-07-15T06:06:25.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You started meditating. If you're having strange experiences, you're doing it right. The &quot;truth&quot; is coming into view and your ego is dying. When your ego is loosing control, he will do everything to gain that control back. Thus, your ego is giving you pleasant experiences. Your ego wants you to crave for these experiences. He wants you to play with them until your death. If you play with the experiences, you'll never see what's behind your ego, thus you'll never gain control of it, never see the &quot;truth&quot; and no liberation from suffering will follow in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these experiences are interesting to you and you crave for more, then explore the experiences you described, don't fight them or search them, if they arise just play with them. Sooner or later you'll reach a point where there will be nothing new to explore in these experiences. Nothing new to play with. When you reach this point, start asking yourself &quot;Why these experiences arise? What's behind these experiences? What's the cause?&quot;. Explore your mind and search for the cause. You'll find the &quot;truth&quot; and liberation from suffering will follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're willing to let go of these experiences now, then let go of them. If they arise, just relax, empty your mind, do nothing, and let them cease without trying or wanting anything. When you'll reach a point where you'll be able to just observe your mind, without reacting, without craving, clinging or aversion arising in your mind, these experiences will stop. Then, you'll be able to explore your mind further and you'll find the &quot;truth&quot; and liberation from suffering will follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T06:06:25.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10187" CreationDate="2015-07-15T06:42:15.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_tales&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jataka tales&lt;/a&gt; (Similar to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop%27s_Fables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aseop's Fables&lt;/a&gt; ) there are many stories about the Buddha's various past lives. These are tales for children and normally come with a moral. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a ton of them, and they normally end with the animal the Buddha is reborn as helping out in someway that is aligned with the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can see a few of them summarized quickly without the entire back plot of a fable &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=2vgbURej-qAC&amp;amp;pg=PA118&amp;amp;lpg=PA118&amp;amp;dq=buddhism%20rabbit%20feeds%20starving&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=iYxeUve-In&amp;amp;sig=lQ7KFfPob3UN_ePR1s7JA80-vEU&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CDcQ6AEwBWoVChMIh6np6sDcxgIVTDCICh2quwCf#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddhism%20rabbit%20feeds%20starving&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is absolutely correct that in the Buddhist worldview a human rebirth is of great advantage. Animal existence is not what most of us would consider fun. As one teacher once reminded me, you might be a pet, or you might be reborn a deer in a forest of wolves. An animal life is mainly fear and instinct. The characteristic of their realm is that of Ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you yourself pointed out, your dog (Who is lucky and has food, shelter, and someone looking out for them) is not often reflective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger the characteristic of the hell realms is more damaging, and can lead to a large snake on the game of chutes and ladders. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your dog though, in your ownership, is likely not accumulating massive amounts of negative karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helped to answer your question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T06:42:15.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10187" CreationDate="2015-07-15T07:35:23.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As @hellyale suggests in his answer, the Jataka is a good source for tales about the lives of animals, their actions and its consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually an animal attains merit by selfless acts of devotion - whether it is a dog running into a fire to save a child, or a cow fighting off a much larger animal to protect its calves, or a tiger not killing for wanton pleasure and not deriving pleasure in torturing its victims, such acts lead to an accumulation of merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way, though less certain, is, if one of the progeny from a previous life does great merit as a human or deva and offers it to her ancestors, in whatever realm they may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet another way: In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;story of Manduka (Sanskrit: frog) Devaputta (Sanskrit: son of devas) (Chronicle of the Buddhas, Page 1123)&lt;/a&gt; - a frog happens to die while listening to the Buddha's sermon, and attains the Tavatimsa Deva realm. The story says the animals can't understand the content of the speech of the Buddha, but the vibrations of love and peace and wisdom can certainly enter the animal. Just as a stray dog understands a boy intends harm even before he picks up a stone to throw at it, some animals are attracted to peaceful people, and the dharma without the need for any words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;seems like a game of snakes and ladders in which - other than when playing as a human - its going to be all snakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not really, the deva realms are not ideal only for those who are unenlightened, since they can get lost in the luxuries and pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when an Anagami dies (s)he heads to the deva or bramha realms to continue practicing until arhatship because it is better for practice at that stage - without the mundane worry of finding food and shelter or falling sick. The luxuries of that world won't affect their practice at all, but will only aid them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T07:35:23.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8012" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:15:47.150" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you see nama-rupa and sees thought as thoughts then the 1. samatha jhana is present as well, independently your eyes are open or during your daily avtivities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5487" LastEditorUserId="5487" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:21:45.207" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:21:45.207" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10194" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10195" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" Score="0" Body="Questions concerning how one sits during meditation including difficulties arising from position or recommendations for sitting positions to suit individual circumstances." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:27:42.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10196" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10197" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" Score="0" Body="Questions concerning concentration within meditation. This includes but is not limited to jhanas and one-pointed practice." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:30:30.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10198" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10199" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" Score="0" Body="Questions about mindfulness practice as part of meditation. This includes but is not limited to mindfulness on body, breath and thoughts and intentions." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:34:30.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10200" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10201" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" Score="0" Body="Questions concerning advice, practice and writings of established meditation teachers both past and present." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T09:35:35.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10180" CreationDate="2015-07-15T16:00:51.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the canonical definition for jhanas is too vague.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Quite secluded from sense pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, he enters and dwells in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. (M.i,1818; Vbh.245)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restricting only to the first jhana and Considering only the above, one could gloss over the seclusion part and interpret applied/sustained thought, rapture and happiness in any convenient way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably the most superficial understanding would further conflate rapture and happiness as just some pleasant feeling, and regard applied and sustained thought as a very ordinary kind of concentration (e.g the one required to read or observe and describe something). Naturally, this would make jhana a very ordinary experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Richard sankman wrote a book about jhanas (&quot;the experienxe of samadhi&quot;) where half of it is devoted to interviewing monks and lay teachers on how they interpret many of those things. Though some do not set the bar much higher, it seems none of them had such a loose understanding of jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a more traditional interpretation, the bar &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; higher (and jhana is nothing ordinary): the factors are more delineated, better identified and it takes a lot of practice to develop them -- like building the trust of an extremely scared animal. Even access concentration which precedes the first jhana requires some hard work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even here there are some disagreements (e.g. Can one hear sounds while absorbed?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, In this stronger interpretation, While it may take little time for a seasoned yogi to be absorbed (depending on how strong the factors are), i think the gross movements and speech are quite incompatible with this state. Thus, they might be telling a different story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, the depth of tranquility and concentration &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; the first jhana makes it quite challenging to articulate long discursive thoughts without causing disruption -- e.g. the mere lookup for analogies to describe something would weaken the concentration significantly, as the focus moves away from the meditation object. Let alone speak such descriptions during the absorption, specially when we feel very disinclined to say a word or make disruptive movements as we progress towards it (say, when we are so focused that it requires significant effort to use any mental faculty that was already put to rest or to drive the mind away from the object of meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T16:00:51.367" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10187" CreationDate="2015-07-15T16:10:53.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An important thing to mention regarding kamma and rebirth is that there are also past kamma that has not yet ripened and come to fruition. If the right conditions are present past kamma can come to fruition thereby resulting in a higher rebirth, e.g. as a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like a seed. If one nurtures the seed with water, nutritious soil, sunlight and other conditions the seed might blossom and turn into a flower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is fourfold and is divided into sections, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;by way of function, order of ripening, time of ripening and place of ripening&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kamma by time of ripening&lt;/em&gt; is further subdivided into 4 types according to the time of taking effect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) Immediately effective (diμμhadhammavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which, if it is to ripen, must yield its results in the same existence in which it is performed; otherwise, if it does not meet the opportunity to ripen in the same existence, it becomes defunct. According to the Abhidhamma, of the seven javanas in a javana process, the first javana moment, being the weakest of all, generates immediately effective kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) Subsequently effective (upapajjavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which, if it is to ripen, must yield its results in the existence immediately fol- lowing that in which it is performed; otherwise it becomes defunct. This type of kamma is generated by the last javana moment in a javana proc- ess, which is the second weakest in the series.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) Indefinitely effective (apar±pariyavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which can ripen at any time from the second future existence onwards, whenever it gains an opportunity to produce results. This kamma, gen- erated by the five intermediate javana moments of a cognitive process, never becomes defunct so long as the round of rebirths continues. No one, not even a Buddha or an Arahant, is exempt from experiencing the results of indefinitely effective kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) Defunct (ahosi) kamma: This term does not designate a special class of kamma, but applies to kamma that was due to ripen in either the present existence or the next existence but did not meet conditions con- ducive to its maturation. In the case of Arahants, all their accumulated kamma from the past which was due to ripen in future lives becomes defunct with their final passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 200-220.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the effects of kamma is impermanent the dog would sooner or later be reborn in either lower, same or higher realms. Here the different types of kamma can come to fruition if the right conditions for them to ripen is met.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T13:26:48.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10204" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10211" CreationDate="2015-07-15T16:44:43.947" Score="4" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have started practicing Vipassana meditation and seek information on the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. Could anyone provide me with some sources for learning about and understanding this tradition? Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T09:30:38.113" Title="Looking for info on the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw tradition" Tags="|vipassana|reference-request|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-15T17:50:47.610" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10184" CreationDate="2015-07-15T17:46:03.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is already happening but we perhaps don't recognise it. While I've not heard of any move to completely rewrite a Buddhist canon, it is easy to find examples of books that help the reader access Buddhists texts. These could be simple primers, commentaries or retelling of traditional stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148596.Breath_by_Breath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Breath by Breath&lt;/a&gt; is an example example of the extension of the commentarial  tradition of Buddhism. Larry Rosenberg picks apart the Anapanasati Sutta and really goes into each stage. I've read this twice and find it extremely useful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The anapanasati sutta isn't the only modern commentary. There's a lot more. Analayo has written &lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/satipatthana_the_direct_path_to_realization&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana The Direct Path to Realization&lt;/a&gt; which is a commentary on the Satipatthana Sutta. It's a real drill down into the sutta and is a bit more thorough and analytical than Breath by Breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you don't need to get all academic to enjoy Buddhists texts. My 4 year old daughter loves the Jataka Tales as retold in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1844836231&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha at Bedtime&lt;/a&gt;. It's a modern simplified version of canonical Buddhist texts - with lovely pictures and a summary from a cartoon Buddha at the end of each one. What's not to like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T17:46:03.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9855" CreationDate="2015-07-15T18:18:30.397" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was told that the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Nipata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta Nipata&lt;/a&gt; is a one of the oldest collections. I'm no Buddhist scholar so I can't help with any great textual analysis of the sutta. However Thanissaro Bhikkhu says &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/parayanavagga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; that the The Parayana Vagga is quoted in other (more recent) parts of the Pali Canon so this makes it a good candidate to be considered one of the oldest. To quote the relevant part of the passage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is evidence that these sixteen dialogues were highly regarded&#xA;  right from the very early centuries of the Buddhist tradition. [...]&#xA;  Most of the Cula Niddesa, a late addition to the Pali canon, is&#xA;  devoted to explaining them in detail. Five discourses — one in the&#xA;  Samyutta Nikaya, four in the Anguttara — discuss specific verses in&#xA;  the set&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T18:18:30.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10207" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-15T19:42:51.803" Score="4" ViewCount="2332" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do the suttas make any mention of a halo around the Buddha's head, or was it a later addition through the cultural influence of other religions? I recall mentions of a golden aura around the Buddha visible from a distance that attracted his first followers to him.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since the halo is a symbol common to most world religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism), is this a generally encountered spiritual attainment like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;six higher knowledges&lt;/a&gt;? Are there records of any arhats getting a halo?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some background that I was able to dig up:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhism uses haloes and aureoles of many types, drawing from both Indian and Chinese traditions, extensively in statues and Thangka paintings of Buddhist saints such as Milarepa and Padmasambhava and deities. Different coloured haloes have specific meanings: orange for monks, green for the Buddha and other more elevated beings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [...]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Theravada Buddhism and Jainism did not use the halo for many centuries, but later adopted it, though less thoroughly than other religious groups.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;source&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(religious_iconography)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(religious_iconography)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T08:31:30.337" LastActivityDate="2020-06-14T19:27:57.227" Title="Halo on the Buddha" Tags="|reference-request|enlightenment|history|psychic-powers|iconography|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9855" CreationDate="2015-07-15T20:16:51.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several collections of texts in the Khuddaka Nikaya that are very old. The Sutta Nipata and the Itivuttaka have already been mentioned, but possibly the Udana is very old as well. Also some of the short fragmentary material in the Samyutta Nikaya and the Anguttara Nikaya are hypothesized to be from the oldest stratum of the Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-07-15T20:16:51.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10207" CreationDate="2015-07-16T02:15:11.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Halos seem to be an artistic symbol to depict light. There are not really halos on people except in paintings unless of course you can see auras. I do not see auras. Here is an explanation of the symbology of light and halos.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhamind.info/riteside/reverse/bbpage26.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhamind.info/riteside/reverse/bbpage26.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the actual depiction of the Buddha happened long after cessation and nirvana. Here is more on that.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me a question that still tantalizes me, how can I experience the consciousness that Buddha experienced? I don't care about halos, or titles or attainments, I will forego all of those. Just give me that mind that was in Buddha. That is all I really want in this world or another. Just let me see with the illumined mind, the mind that has experienced cessation, the bodhisattva mind that will not cease suffering until all sentient beings experience release. That is enough for me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your question. Whether answer helped I am uncertain. But I know what is dearest in the center of my being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="832" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T02:15:11.367" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9855" CreationDate="2015-07-16T03:21:35.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first Sutta preached by Lord Buddha was &lt;em&gt;Dhamma Chakka Pawaththana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, the sutta which is about the Four Noble Truths. You can read it in detail &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebuddhism.net/books/our-gautama-buddhas-life/gautama-buddhas-life-3/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. The sutta was preached to the Five Ascetics. Konadanna Ascetic could become Sotapanna after listening to the Sutta. Other four Ascetics became Sotapanna after Lord Buddha guided each ascetic with &quot;Kamatahan&quot;. And the second Sutta preached was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anantha Lakkhana sutta&lt;/a&gt; which was about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/trilogy.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Not-Self&lt;/a&gt;. The second Sutta was also preached for the Five Ascetics(Or now the Five Sotapanna) who became Arahat after listening to the sutta. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adittapariyaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is also one of the oldest suttas which was preached for 1000 monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T03:21:35.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10204" CreationDate="2015-07-16T03:31:58.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for reading material, here are some good resources:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/page/ebooks/ebooks-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.saraniya.com/page/ebooks/ebooks-mahasi-sayadaw.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking to follow a course, it depends on where you are or where you can travel to.&#xA;If you are in Canada, checkout the courses page at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/courses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sirimangalo.org&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;If you come to Asia, there are many choices. Here are a few:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/m_centre.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Myanmar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/Chom+Tong+Insight+Meditation+Center&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thailand&lt;/a&gt; (besides Wat Chom Tong, where Ajahn Tong is the abbot, there is also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watrampoeng.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wat Ram Poeng&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fivethousandyears.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Doi Suthep&lt;/a&gt; - same tradition, all have instruction in English)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T09:30:38.113" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T09:30:38.113" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-16T03:31:58.033" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10207" CreationDate="2015-07-16T11:14:14.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interesting question. From my knowledge and research it seems that this is more of a history of art question than something specifically related to scriptural reference or spiritual attainment. No reference is made to Jesus having a halo in the Bible but the earliest depictions of him in art have the halo. So tracing this back we find some of the earliest depictions of the halo in the classical world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Homer describes a more-than-natural light around the heads of heroes in battle, Depictions of Perseus in the act of slaying Medusa, with lines radiating from his head, appear on a white-ground toiletry box in the Louvre and on a slightly later red-figured vase in the style of Polygnotos, ca. 450-30 BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(religious_iconography)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and this may go back further to ancient Egypt and the Sumerian cultures who worshiped Sun gods who had depictions of Sun disks around their heads. This in turn influenced early mystery schools in Greek and Roman culture such as Mithraism, where Mithras is often depicted with a halo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In addition to classical sources, the sun disk found in Egyptian crowns may have been an early manifestation of a halo-like form. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://albertis-window.com/2013/09/history-of-the-halo-in-art/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of the Halo in Art&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how does this relate to its depiction in Buddhism? You make reference to Buddha's Greek makeover and it seems some scholars assume this is the period when Hellenistic culture, spread through Alexander the Great's conquests, influenced, among other things, art in the East. This relates somewhat to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/215/why-did-physical-representations-of-the-buddha-only-start-to-appear-a-few-centur&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There exists an aesthetic tradition of depicting the Buddha with a halo. One of the most compelling facts about the Buddhist tradition is its involvement in the Hellenistic world. Being born out of the Hindu religion in India, much like the Christian religion being born out of Judaism; the aesthetic tradition of the Buddhist religion is rich with symbolic language indicating that the Buddha is a spiritual heavenly being. This was not always the case. We can think of the Buddhist aesthetic tradition, similarly to its teachings, as being a very complex evolution of Hellenistic principles and cultural awareness. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&amp;amp;context=honors_journal&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Religion, Art and Myth-Making: The Halo as an&#xA;  Aesthetic Expression of Ultimate Reality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Circumstantial evidence seems to point to Western influence in the halo depictions in Mahayana Buddhist art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Around the first century CE, the regions of present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan,&#xA;  and North India came under control of the Kushans…Exact dates are uncertain, but they ruled from the first to the third century CE. The beginning of the long&#xA;  reign of their most illustrious king, Kanishka, is variously dated from 78 to 143 CE. Kanishka‘s patronage supported the building of many stupas and Buddhist&#xA;  monasteries…Buddhism during this period underwent a profound evolution that&#xA;  resulted in the form known as Mahayana, or Great Vehicle. This vital new&#xA;  movement, which was to sweep most of northern India and eastern Asia,&#xA;  probably inspired the first depictions of the Buddha himself in art (Stokstad 322, 323). - &lt;em&gt;Art History a View of the World (Marilyn Stokstad)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T11:14:14.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5502" CreationDate="2015-07-16T13:58:46.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose a monk is invited to a house for food and the lay person asks how the food is? How does a monk reply to such a question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know how a monk would answer such questions since i'm not a monk myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being asked how the food is one could answer in different ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one answers: &lt;em&gt;&quot;The food is good. I like it&quot;&lt;/em&gt; one is in a way confirming one's own attachment to the food. That could become an issue since one is trying to overcome attachments and purify oneself of defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could instead answer: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Thank you for the food. I appreciate the effort put into making it. Food is important to the upkeep of the human body. Upkeeping the human body is important since it allows one to practice longer and help other beings more&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then one could as you suggest give a teaching on the impermanence of conditioned phenomena or one could give a teaching on dependent origination regarding the danger of attaching to sense pleasures and how that leads to suffering and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T13:58:46.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10225" CreationDate="2015-07-16T16:40:13.300" Score="5" ViewCount="280" Body="&lt;p&gt;Specifically, is there a difference between equanimity as a corruption of insight and the insight stage &quot;equanimity in regards to formations&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T13:52:20.007" Title="Are there different experiences of equanimity?" Tags="|stages-of-the-path|equanimity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10184" CreationDate="2015-07-16T17:26:18.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In all religions with written texts, it's important these are preserved and available: changing them (e.g modernizing) is very risky. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some authors do make translations with the aim of modernizing some texts (think of the many Tao te Ching books adapted to a certain modern subject). In the end, it's a trade off where the author invariably puts his own interpretation forward -- which is necessary in this process. So the resulting text might be more accessible, but at the risk of losing or distorting the original content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be ok or not depending on the text. For example, bibliographical episodes are frequently retold in different ways, and oral tradition has a tendency of add colors to them. For the purpose of storytelling, inspiration, etc. this is fine (the ones who will have a hard time with these are probably historians trying to get to actual events) but doctrinal texts raises concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of this risk, modernized translations of doctrines whose originals are not precisely clear are very susceptible to criticism, and could create more problems than help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in buddhist texts, many translators use the english translation &quot;internal and external feeling&quot;, even though an alternative translation like &quot;one's feeling and another's feeling&quot; could be used, apparently without loss of information (i read this translation from pali is fine). But traditionally people used the former, and it's believed this form carries important nuances about the philosophical forms used in this period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The standard alternative is to write &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; the subject (not a translation, but an explanation) or write exegesis around the originals, using modern vocabulary to explain them in detail, which explicitly points out what the original is, and where the author is driving his own interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T17:57:27.093" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T17:57:27.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10207" CreationDate="2015-07-16T18:41:21.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It happened on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/17lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fourth week after Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the fourth week, he created a beautiful jewelled chamber and&#xA;  sitting inside it meditated on what was later known as the &quot;Detailed&#xA;  Teaching&quot; (Abhidhamma). His mind and body were so purified that six&#xA;  coloured rays came out of his body — blue, yellow, red, white, orange&#xA;  and a mixture of these five. Today these six colours make up the&#xA;  Buddhist flag. Each colour represented one noble quality of the&#xA;  Buddha: yellow for holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence,&#xA;  red for wisdom and orange for desirelessness. The mixed colour&#xA;  represented all these noble qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the Buddha was preaching the Abhidhamma in the Tusita heaven, light rays emanated from him as he started preaching the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pattana (&quot;The Book of Relations&quot;)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammapada Verse 68: &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_68.story.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Story of Sumana, the Florist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A florist, named Sumana, had to supply King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with&#xA;  jasmine flowers every morning. One day, as he was going to the king's&#xA;  palace he saw the Buddha , with a halo of light-rays radiating from&#xA;  him, coming into town for alms-food accompanied by many Bhikkhus.&#xA;  Seeing the Buddha in his resplendent glory, the florist Sumana felt a&#xA;  strong desire to offer his flowers to the Buddha .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also, whenever the Buddha smiled, a white ray of light would emanate from his teeth. This is caused by a special citta called the &quot;Hasitoppada citta&quot; which only Arahants have.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://web.singnet.com.sg/~lohpc/dmpd2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mattakundali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his Maha Karuna Samapatti Nana saw Mattakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples,&#xA;  the Buddha stood near the door of the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The&#xA;  Buddha sent forth a ray of light to the interior of the house. The&#xA;  youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very weak he could only profess&#xA;  his faith in mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with&#xA;  his heart in devotion to the Buddha, he was reborn in the Tavatimsa&#xA;  celestial world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I've also heard about the story of venerable Moggallana getting lost in space, trying to look for the end of the universe. Then the Buddha said to have sent a beam of light to guide him back to earth. I couldn't find an online resource for the story.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't mean that the lord Buddha always appeared with a halo. It would seem that he appeared that way whenever it would cause Sadda in a person and bring them towards the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag#Colours&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;colors of the Buddhist flag&lt;/a&gt; are taken from the Aura of the Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T18:41:21.780" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10217" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10222" CreationDate="2015-07-16T20:12:15.397" Score="3" ViewCount="197" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Pali canon the Buddha often vigorously debates with Brahmin priests. However in the Buddha's time there were a lot of other spiritual traditions too. Did the Buddha have more cordial relationships with teachers of other faiths too? Are there examples of him working together with spiritual teachers of other traditions? I'm specifically asking about his teaching after he became enlightened. I know he studied with several teachers before that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T20:23:22.350" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T01:16:27.273" Title="Did the Buddha work with teachers from other spiritual traditions?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|history|teachers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10218" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10219" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" Score="0" Body="Questions around the categorisation of a meditation practice. Typical questions will describe a meditation and ask how it fits into a broader schema or school of Buddhism." OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" LastActivityDate="2015-07-16T20:15:07.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10220" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10223" CreationDate="2015-07-16T20:20:53.357" Score="3" ViewCount="1025" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen? I used to think that Zazen was synonymous with just sitting but I'm starting to doubt that. Is it Shikantaza that is synonymous with just sitting practice? It would help me if someone could define them and bring out the relationship between the two and the relationship between them both and just sitting practice. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T12:34:47.980" Title="What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen?" Tags="|terminology|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10221" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-16T21:04:41.757" Score="5" ViewCount="1529" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to devote my life to Buddhist way of meditation, I want to know more of Buddha teaching but my main interest is for go day and night actual meditation practices. I accidentally come across Sri S. N. Goyenka Vipassana retreats and attended one 10 day retreat at Dhamma Sota-New Delhi, after that from one year i'm practicing Vipassana meditation 2-4 hours daily at home. Now i'm very clear i want to devote my life for this.Its be very helpful if anyone can guide me into this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1060" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-07-17T13:05:10.700" LastActivityDate="2019-07-10T13:39:22.360" Title="How to ordain and become a monk?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|monk|meditation-recommendation|ordination|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10217" CreationDate="2015-07-17T12:20:29.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jatila brothers who had thousand disciples had some relationship with Lord Buddha. But they had evil intentions inside. But Lord Buddha knew their evil intentions. But they soon realized Lord Buddha was superior. Jatila brothers along with their thousand disciples became arhats after listening to Aditta Pariyaya Sutta. You can read the story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2011/11/06/imp01.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. I am unable to recall some other instances where other teachers had good relationships with Lord Buddha, but there must have been. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastEditorUserId="3597" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T01:16:27.273" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T01:16:27.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10220" CreationDate="2015-07-17T12:28:38.647" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shikantaza is a kind of Zazen. Any Zen meditation is called Zazen, including breath meditation, koan meditation, observing-the-thoughts meditation, &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; just-sitting-meditation (shikantaza).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote my buddhist friend J. from Japan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In shikantaza you don't focus on anything, just sit, until there is no observer, you really do nothing besides sitting there without reason, focus, observing, eventually you become thoughtless, and eventually unbecome you. No more than the wall, or better, everything and nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3885/43&quot;&gt;my answer about relationship between different kinds of Zazen&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T12:34:47.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10221" CreationDate="2015-07-17T12:30:15.933" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hope this video, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ittQd5zk0ok&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: How To Ordain As A Monk&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu would help you! And hope you will achieve what you want!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-17T12:44:49.290" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T12:44:49.290" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10214" CreationDate="2015-07-17T13:44:09.187" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;On an ultimate level, equanimity is simply a feeling associated with a mind state; it is the quality of the mind state itself, independent of the equanimity, that determines the ethical nature of the state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, lobha (greed) can arise with either a pleasant or a neutral feeling, both of which are unwholesome of course. Purely delusional mind states (moha-mūla-citta) arise only with equanimity - there are two of these, worry and doubt, and they are both unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, beautiful (sobhana) mind states also can arise with either pleasant or neutral feelings, and they are purely wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the middle, there are the six sense resultant consciousnesses that are always accompanied by a neutral feeling (except physical, which can be associated with painful or pleasant feeling, IIRC). None of these are wholesome or unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your specific question, equanimity as a defilement of insight is not necessarily qualitatively different from equanimity at the 11th stage, since the defilements of insight are none of them &quot;bad&quot;. It is only the clinging to the states as the path to enlightenment that causes the true path to be neglected, hence &quot;sullying&quot; one's insight. Ostensibly, the equanimity itself is a positive sign of progress, but it is not the path - the four satipatthana are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, the equanimity that arises prior to the eleventh stage of knowledge, even if based on insight (it is often based rather on tranquility), is immature and unstable, whereas at the 11th stage it is lasting and firm, unshakable, and universal. It is the culmination, or maturation, of any insight-based equanimity that may have arisen previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to equanimity in general, the Visuddhimagga (IV.84) lists ten types of equanimity, some of which are of the same quality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;six-factored equanimity - equanimity of an enlightened arahant&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity as a divine abiding - as a specific samatha meditation practice&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity as an enlightenment factor - having to do with relinquishment of desire&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity of energy - neither lax nor overexerted energy&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity about formations - 11th stage of knowledge, having overcome hindrances, regarding all formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity as a feeling - refers to the basic quality of neutrality common to many mind states&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity about insight - investigating states with objective intent&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity as specific neutrality - the balance of mental qualities as neither deficient or excessive&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity of jhāna - through being absorbed in an object to the point of abandoning pleasure and displeasure&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;equanimity of purification - describes the purification of the mind of partiality through various means.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of these just refer to different ways in which the concept of equanimity is used in the suttas and abhidhamma; in ultimate reality, as stated, most are called equanimity simply due to their shared quality of being associated with a neutral feeling. The difference is rather in their other specific qualities like wholesome or unwholesome roots, and the cause that brought about the equanimity - insight, tranquility, delusion, etc. More specifically, numbers 1-3 and 8-10 are all qualitatively the same as each other, as are 4 and 6 with each other. 5 and 7 are unique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-07-17T13:52:20.007" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T13:52:20.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10217" CreationDate="2015-07-17T15:11:32.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;maybe someone can help me find the reference faster.  I remember one sutta, Buddha told someone that a religious leader died and born in deva realm and then further explained that, one with different faith could possibly be born in heavenly realm after death as long as that faith didn't promote; harming/killing other beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, or lying/deceiving others.  ( for some reason, he didn't include consuming intoxicants in this sutta).      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T15:11:32.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10184" CreationDate="2015-07-17T17:32:42.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has so far struck a pretty good balance of cultural assimilation versus tradition wherever it has traveled. The thing with Buddhism is there is no central power figure like the Pope, so if the followers in a part of the world believe they need to fine tune the religion to suit their needs they don't need anyone's permission. In fact since Buddhism is constantly evolving without great hue and cry we may not notice it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Religions with a central authority figure can theoretically respond very powerfully to changing circumstances since a diktat from above must be respected by all. In practice we see that since such changes often require great courage and conviction from the top, they rarely happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A decentralized religion like Buddhism often makes changes pretty quickly, but hardly anybody has the power or authority to make it widespread.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both ideas are good in their own way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, compared to the momentous effort that was the introduction of liberation theology in Catholicism, changes of similar import like Engaged Buddhism happen all the time in Buddhism without raising eyebrows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will list here a few selected changes, though there are too many to list here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;1. John Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness based stress reduction&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John Kabat-Zinn's secular mindfulness based stress reduction program&lt;/a&gt; is one such independent offshoot of Buddhism, where the word Buddhism isn't even mentioned. It is administered in a hospital and academic setting, which is very appropriate, harking back to the roots of Buddhism where the monasteries were originally called &lt;em&gt;Viharas&lt;/em&gt; or Universities. The Buddha himself is often noted to be like a physician diagnosing and prescribing medicine for the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. The Dalai Lama's engagement with science and technology&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama is involved in bringing western scientific concepts into Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; with his involvement with several academics and by creating organizations like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mindandlife.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mind and Life Institute&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have often remarked to my Buddhist colleagues that the empirically&#xA;  verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now&#xA;  to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional&#xA;  cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ~&lt;strong&gt;H.H. The XIV Dalai Lama&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is not just Buddhism that must adapt to the modern world, but the modern world that must come to terms with the wisdom of ancient traditions like Buddhism which place great emphasis on empathy and compassion to nature and to humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Dalai Lama again says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Purely from the scientific point of view, the creation of nuclear&#xA;  weapons is a truly amazing achievement. However, since this creation&#xA;  has the potential to inflict so much suffering through unimaginable&#xA;  death and destruction, we regard it as destructive. It is the ethical&#xA;  evaluation that must determine what is positive and what is negative.&#xA;  Until recently, this approach of segregating ethics and science, with&#xA;  the understanding that the human capacity for moral thinking evolves&#xA;  alongside human knowledge, seems to have succeeded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Today, I believe that humanity is at a critical crossroad. The radical&#xA;  advances that took place in neuroscience and particularly in genetics&#xA;  towards the end of the twentieth century have led to a new era in&#xA;  human history. Our knowledge of the human brain and body at the&#xA;  cellular and genetic level, with the consequent technological&#xA;  possibilities offered for genetic manipulation, has reached such a&#xA;  stage that the ethical challenges of these scientific advances are&#xA;  enormous. It is all too evident that our moral thinking simply has not&#xA;  been able to keep pace with such rapid progress in our acquisition of&#xA;  knowledge and power. Yet the ramifications of these new findings and&#xA;  their applications are so far-reaching that they relate to the very&#xA;  conception of human nature and the preservation of the human species.&#xA;  So it is no longer adequate to adopt the view that our responsibility&#xA;  as a society is to simply further scientific knowledge and enhance&#xA;  technological power and that the choice of what to do with this&#xA;  knowledge and power should be left in the hands of the individual. We&#xA;  must find a way of bringing fundamental humanitarian and ethical&#xA;  considerations to bear upon the direction of scientific development,&#xA;  especially in the life sciences. By invoking fundamental ethical&#xA;  principles, I am not advocating a fusion of religious ethics and&#xA;  scientific inquiry. Rather, I am speaking of what I call &quot;secular&#xA;  ethics&quot; that embrace the key ethical principles, such as compassion,&#xA;  tolerance, a sense of caring, consideration of others, and the&#xA;  responsible use of knowledge and power - principles that transcend the&#xA;  barriers between religious believers and non-believers, and followers&#xA;  of this religion or that religion. I personally like to imagine all&#xA;  human activities, including science, as individual fingers of a palm.&#xA;  So long as each of these fingers is connected with the palm of basic&#xA;  human empathy and altruism, they will continue to serve the well-being&#xA;  of humanity. We are living in truly one world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Thich Nhat Hanh's Engaged Buddhism&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Engaged Buddhism is just Buddhism. When bombs begin to fall on people,&#xA;  you cannot stay in the meditation hall all of the time. Meditation is&#xA;  about the awareness of what is going on-not only in your body and in&#xA;  your feelings, but all around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I was a novice in Vietnam, we young monks witnessed the suffering&#xA;  caused by the war. So we were very eager to practice Buddhism in such&#xA;  a way that we could bring it into society. That was not easy because&#xA;  the tradition does not directly offer Engaged Buddhism. So we had to&#xA;  do it by ourselves. That was the birth of Engaged Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism has to do with your daily life, with your suffering and with&#xA;  the suffering of the people around you. You have to learn how to help&#xA;  a wounded child while still practicing mindful breathing. You should&#xA;  not allow yourself to get lost in action. Action should be meditation&#xA;  at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this message of Engaged Buddhism is a wake up call for many who would like nothing better than to retire to a mountain top and meditate all day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;John Malkin:&lt;/strong&gt; People often feel that they need to choose between being&#xA;  engaged in social change or working on personal and spiritual growth.&#xA;  What would you say to those people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh:&lt;/strong&gt; I think that view is rather dualistic. The practice&#xA;  should address suffering: the suffering within yourself and the&#xA;  suffering around you. They are linked to each other. When you go to&#xA;  the mountain and practice alone, you don’t have the chance to&#xA;  recognize the anger, jealousy and despair that’s in you. That’s why&#xA;  it’s good that you encounter people—so you know these emotions. So&#xA;  that you can recognize them and try to look into their nature. If you&#xA;  don’t know the roots of these afflictions, you cannot see the path&#xA;  leading to their cessation. That’s why suffering is very important for&#xA;  our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;4. The Revival of lay meditation in the Vipassana movement in Burma&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ledi Sayadaw and Mingun Sayadaw are credited with reviving contemplative Buddhism in Burma as a response to British Colonial rule. By bringing meditation outside monasteries to laity the meditative practices survived the British suspension of state support for monasteries. Since lay people couldn't be expected to spare the time to master the &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt; the new emphasis on &lt;em&gt;khanika-samadhi&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;dry-insight&lt;/em&gt; as a route to enlightenment was revolutionary. This very accessible meditation technique has spread widely across the world and is the basis for almost all popular Western meditation in the insight tradition. Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://cheetahhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Meditation-En-Masse_Erik-Braun.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an essay&lt;/a&gt; from Tricycle magazine by Erik Braun, who also has a book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17673990-the-birth-of-insight&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In less than 75 years, from 1886 to the mid-1950s, meditation had&#xA;  grown from the pursuit of the barest sliver of the population to the&#xA;  duty of the ideal citizen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T05:16:55.497" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T05:16:55.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1476" CreationDate="2015-07-17T19:44:53.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intent&lt;/strong&gt;.  Nothing less, nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An action is good simply if the intention was good.&#xA;And bad if the intention was bad.&#xA;Consequences and results don't change this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If an intent was good, which led to something 'bad' occurring, that's just how the outcome was subjectively judged.  What is a 'bad' outcome?  That's just someone's interpretation of the situation.  Two people could interpret the same results differently. One good, the other bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same goes for intention.  Two people could perform the exact same action and expect the same outcome, but one could have a good intention, and the other bad.  So the same action could be either good, or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would Karma, for example, 'punish' a soul for an intentionally good action when the result turned 'bad'.  Where would the guidance be?  What would be the reason of Karma?  To punish bad luck?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now that you know this, the only good response is an up-vote! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5498" LastActivityDate="2015-07-17T19:44:53.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9405" CreationDate="2015-07-18T01:48:19.003" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually for the followers, it is more about doing what they have to do for the closed ones as preached in Singalovada sutta. A good wife, a good son, a good friend can expect them to get rebirth in heaven. It is more about being the change you wan to make. But too much in Political involvement is never recommended in Buddhism and there are 31 topics a lay follower should avoid when he obeys the eight precepts or more. Kings and ministers are in the top of the not to list.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;Lord Buddha had made significant social changes, but followers who are not enlightened were never encouraged for waging in such a change. Equality in Buddhism, ie anyone one from any caste, country or such was ordained if he had the ability to understand Dhamma and practice. Lord Buddha denied caste discrimination totally and it was a social change. And the increased social status of the woman. They got the chance to get ordained and Mother was called as the Lord Buddha of home. And when Magadha tried to wage in war against Vajji and capture it, Lord Buddha preached about &lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.dailynews.lk/2001/12/31/fea01.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saptha Aparihaniya Dharma&lt;/a&gt;, which is can be thought to have the best elements from modern ideologies. Further, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/misc/ten_royal_qualities.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ten Royal qualities&lt;/a&gt; were also preached. And there are many other teachings for royalties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T01:48:19.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10231" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10236" CreationDate="2015-07-18T07:20:05.133" Score="5" ViewCount="428" Body="&lt;p&gt;When anger swells up and rears its head I wish to be rid of it quickly. &#xA;For a moment of anger is said to burn a mountain of merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal practice I have gotten quite adapt at controlling my negative emotions and dealing with them appropriately. Patience is something I used to not know at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I know patience well, and am able to keep my cool when things go sour. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lately though, even though I keep my cool, I can feel anger inside myself. It is not controlling my actions, but it is present, and I can feel it in my pulse, and in my body temperature when I breathe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to know if there are any practices related to this sort of anger. One that is not outwardly visible, but is present nonetheless.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T20:31:37.153" Title="Dispelling anger" Tags="|personal-practice|consciousness|anger|patience|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10231" CreationDate="2015-07-18T08:49:40.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do not wish to be rid of your anger quickly, your anger is a very good teacher. In the same way that you might observe pain that arises in your legs when in sitting meditation, equanimously, when anger arises, know that it has arisen, know &quot;this is anger&quot;, but do not be moved by it, let it arise and flow, feel its effects, and also observe it passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you are now seeing, so long as you are averse to anger, anger will arise, as the very nature of anger IS aversion. You must be compassionate and patient with your anger. There is nothing wrong with it at all, the only issue with it is that which arises in your mind that says &quot;No, I don't accept this experience, it is not suitable&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You did not mention what your practice is, but to help in this matter, you may try Vipassana, which will allow you to easily recognize these states arising and deal with them equanimously. And also, you may try taking up Metta meditation, perhaps for a few minutes after Vipassana, to help develop good will and compassion alongside your insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T08:49:40.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10204" CreationDate="2015-07-18T09:10:53.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Chom Tong tradition (linked in the answer above for Thailand already) also has a number of centers in Europe and around (incomplete list):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://vipassana-dhammacari.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacari&lt;/a&gt; (Germany)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tisarana.cz&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tisarana&lt;/a&gt; (Czech Republic)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.metta.org.il&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Newman Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt; (Israel)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also teachers not attached to a specific center, giving courses at various places (again, very incomplete list):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.risingfalling.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Martin Pack&lt;/a&gt; (UK, Austria, Thailand)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T09:10:53.823" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-18T09:10:53.823" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10221" CreationDate="2015-07-18T09:55:53.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Find a place where they can welcome you, stay a few months, practice. Ordaining is not for lifetime for Buddhists, and you may change your mind after a few days/weeks/months/years, that's quite unpredictable, even though you may feel now you will stay a monk forever. No need to know that in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can recommend the temple in Chom Tong, they have an international section (you don't have to speak Thai to train there) and do hardcore practice, which sounds like something you want. You can stay there both as a lay person or ordain if you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T09:55:53.017" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10235" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10238" CreationDate="2015-07-18T11:39:26.613" Score="5" ViewCount="350" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over the past few months I've been experiencing a lot of personal issues and as a result, my practice seems to not only have plateaued but also digressed. Sitting for an hour has become incredibly difficult physically and mentally. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to to return to the beginner's mind, or how to rid the mind of distractions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T15:09:18.030" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T16:44:17.310" Title="Suggestions for when practice has plateaued" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10231" CreationDate="2015-07-18T11:49:12.097" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a meditative context &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;anger&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; is one of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; which are obstacles to meditative progress. &lt;em&gt;Anger&lt;/em&gt; belongs to the 2nd hindrance, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Ill-will&lt;/em&gt; (hatred, anger, dislike, hostility, resentment etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are antidotes for these hindrances, i.e. ways to deal with them so that one can dispel of them and continue on with the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Majjhima Nikaya Verse 20: Vitakkasanthana Sutta: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; the Buddha gave 5 methods for dealing with the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will mention the 5 methods first and then there is a quote from &lt;em&gt;the Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt; where you can read them more in-depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make this easier to understand I want to give an idea of where in the Dhamma we are located right now. Take a look at the illustration. You might have to zoom in to see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jmhig.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five methods are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first method deals with the hindrance face-to-face. Let's take the example of &lt;em&gt;anger&lt;/em&gt;. Anger cannot be dispelled by using anger as a remedy. We must use it's opposite, i.e. non-anger. Here the meditation on loving-kindness (metta-bhavana) is the tool we want to use. Repeated practice of metta-meditation will clean out anger and traces of anger in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here one uses reflection/contemplation on the hindrance. One tries to view the hindrance as being dangerous and ignoble until there arises revulsion in one. This will drive the hindrance away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here one uses the tactic of diversion to dispel the hindrance. Some hindrances just keep coming back in one's meditation practice. One shifts the attention away from the hindrance and onto another object. One keeps doing that until the hindrance subsides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here one uses the opposite approach from method number 3. Instead of turning away from the hindrance one turns towards it. One confronts the object and thoroughly investigate it's features and it's source. This will drive it out in the open where it looses it's power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The last method should only be used as a last resort. Here one uses suppresion. One restrains the hindrance using the power of the will. One pins the hindrance to the ground with force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says in the sutta that if one learns how to use and apply these five remedies then one will no longer be the subject of the mind. One will become it's master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is pursuing the higher mind, from time to time he should give attention to five signs. What are the five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(i)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then arty evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the aban- doning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a skilled carpen- ter or his apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(ii)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is giving attention to some other sign con- nected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: 'These thoughts are unwholesome, they are rep- rehensible, they result in suffering. When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are aban- doned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man or a woman, young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, would be horrified, humiliated, and dis- gusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung around his or her neck, so too...when a bhikkhu examines the danger in those thoughts.. .his mind becomes stead- ied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(iii)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give atten- tion to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concen- trated. Just as a man with good eyes who did not want to see forms that had come within range of sight would either shut his eyes or look away, so too...when a bhikkhu tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(iv)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to sin- gleness, and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might con- sider: 'Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?' and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: 'Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?' and he would stand; then he might consider: 'Why am I standing? What if I sit?' and he would sit; then he might consider: 'Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?' and he would lie down. By doing so he would substitute for each grosser posture one that was subtler. So too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(v)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind. When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. }ust as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too...when, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a bhikkhu beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind.. .his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwhole- some thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delu- sion, then when he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him and subside, and with the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. When he examines the danger in those thoughts...When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him...and his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. This bhikkhu is then called a master of the courses of thought. He will think what- ever thought he wishes to think and he will not think any thought that he does not wish to think. He has severed craving, flung off the fetters, and with the complete penetration of con- ceit he has made an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- The Middle Length Discourses in the Majjhima Nikaya, MN: 20, Bodhi Translation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T16:17:48.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10235" CreationDate="2015-07-18T11:58:16.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10231/dispelling-anger/10236#10236&quot;&gt;I just gave an answer to another question dealing with the hindrances, i.e. the obstacles for meditative progress. Maybe you can find something useful in it.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief it deals with the five hindrances and how to overcome them in order to progress in ones practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T11:58:16.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10235" CreationDate="2015-07-18T11:58:23.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There could be several reasons why your practice has plateaued. Without more background it is difficult to help. Here are a few common ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;1. Ethical Transgression&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we have broken the &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; (moral precepts) in the course of our personal issues, that's a very effective dampener on the practice. Apologising or making amends, and letting go of guilt are the appropriate remedies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;2. Accepting plateaus as normal&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going for an intensive retreat, preferably with a good teacher might help, but to be honest, plateaus are a part and parcel of anyone's meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as our &lt;strong&gt;faith and perseverance&lt;/strong&gt; aren't fading, we can't wish for super deluxe concentration all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every athlete has periods when they are not in form, every meditator has periods when their mind isn't seemingly responding to their commands, but it is still evolving. This isn't regression, this is impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;3. Clinging to life situations&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learning to let go of challenging life situations is a skill to be constantly developed. Like a flower dies without water, our practice of letting go dies without watering it. If we are bothered very much by a life situation and retreat to meditation as a safe zone, it can help initially, but later meditation can become difficult until the life situation is handled or fully accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;4. Fading faith and perseverance&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doubts about the effectiveness of the dharma, questions about one's own practice, questions about one's method or teacher can all lead to lacklustre concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T14:11:26.177" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T14:11:26.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10231" CreationDate="2015-07-18T12:16:15.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some sutta references that deal with subduing ill will and offer techniques for doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.162.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.162.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.080.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.080.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.161.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.161.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/mahasati10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/mahasati10.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#ill&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#ill&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm also suggests these instructions in Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Forgive yourself or the other completely.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hindrances occur in the space between the awareness and the object of awareness; put lovingkindness or peace in the space between the knower and what is known.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T12:16:15.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10235" CreationDate="2015-07-18T15:22:04.213" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you mean your practice has plateaued?! Are you perfect? Don't you have day-to-day challenges?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice is not just meditation. Your &quot;personal issues&quot; &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; practice too. See if you can trace your personal issues to improvement opportunities. Take responsibility. Stalk your ego patterns. Reconcile with &quot;enemies&quot;. Break through your fears, stereotypes, projections. Life is an endless source of practice opportunities, day after day after day. If you are serious about this, you'll never get bored!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, sometimes we plateau when we solve one set of problems, and wallow around for a while until we can grasp the pattern in our behavior / situations that then can be traced the next set of problems. As Buddho said, this is perfectly normal - as long as you are aware that you are &lt;em&gt;in between jobs&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a rest, open your eyes and look around. The pathways to next levels are hiding among the obvious, long used to, unquestioned pains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T15:22:04.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10235" CreationDate="2015-07-18T15:46:07.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are operating under a false premise here.  Your practice hasn't plateaued.  It's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.  Sitting isn't about ascending to the heavens or blissing out.  Reaching jhana is great, but it's not why we sit.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Buddhist meditation isn't to replace our troubles with some blissed out alternative.  It doesn't seek to eliminate problems but rather fundamentally alter our relationship to them.  Sitting well isn't just about obtaining deep, unobstructed concentration.  It's more about being deeply intimate with our minds.  In developing that kind of intimacy, very often you are going to have to confront things that will be uncomfortable. In fact, that's pretty much the very definition of intimacy - staying with something even when it's causing you pain and discomfort.  I would go so far as to say that the sits where you are fully absorbed and tranquil don't do nearly as much for your practice as do the sits where your mind is scattered, legs hurt, and you are harboring deep doubt.  Becoming intimate with those states is far more productive than diving into a well of bliss.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Difficulties are the compost of practice.  They are the mud where the lotus sends down it's roots.  And if you are looking for some advice - the best solution for bad sitting is more sitting.  ;-)  Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T16:44:17.310" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T16:44:17.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10235" CreationDate="2015-07-18T16:05:02.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems you have arrived at a phase of the progression of insight that is characterised by an acute and intense perception of suffering. There is no other way out of that other than understanding the workings of suffering itself. To do that, when you meditate, contemplate how body, sensaions, mind states and thoughts arise due to causes. After sharpening the mind for a while with samatha meditation, contemplate how every one of these experiences has a cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, while observing your experience, you think of pizza and realise that the cause of that thought was hunger. You go back to your experience. You feel pain in the knee and realise the cause is sitting crosslegged. Go back to experiencing. You smell a pleasant flower smell coming through the window and realise that the smell arises due to contact between the substance in the smell with the nerves in your nose. Go back. You think of someone you miss and realise that your suffering is caused by attachment to that person. Go back. Etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplating in this way you'll realise two things: one is that suffering always arises due to causes, namely attachment and aversion to your experiences. Two is that your &quot;self&quot;, your &quot;I&quot;, is a false idea that arises in the deluded mind of a conditioned and sentient process constituted by your 5 aggregates. Mantain this perception of how everything works and you will break through a lot of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first result is that you'll be more equanimous and let the intense perception of suffering behind, because you understood the causes of suffering. The second maturation of this practice will be that you'll break through a cycle of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing metta meditation helps a lot. Never forget to practice it towards yourself because that's what aleviates your suffering during this phase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T16:05:02.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10243" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10255" CreationDate="2015-07-18T16:15:13.753" Score="5" ViewCount="3162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I organise an afternoon where we invite parents and children to out my &lt;a href=&quot;http://leedsbuddhistcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;local Buddhist centre&lt;/a&gt;. I put on some craft type activity for the children and then we do a mini reflection and a story. The adults eat cake. Previously I have been shamelessly inspired (i.e. pinched) the ideas for crafts from the local Methodist church (my wife used to go to their family afternoon). But I would really like some crafts and/or activity that are themed around Buddhist practice and or texts and stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The children are between 1 and about 7 years old but some older ones did attend last time and it was particularly challenging to think of something for them. I think they got bored. I don't mind spending money on materials - I do that anyway in the spirit of contribution to the centre.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks for any all ideas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T16:28:42.697" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T13:50:57.620" Title="Suggestions for Buddhist themed crafts and activities for children" Tags="|parents|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-18T16:15:34.057" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10243" CreationDate="2015-07-18T16:36:33.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could buy some clay and craft a Dhamma wheel or a lotus flower with the kids. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T13:50:57.620" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T13:50:57.620" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-18T16:36:33.477" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10243" CreationDate="2015-07-18T18:11:19.040" Score="4" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ficcEu-ns&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation for children&lt;/a&gt; is a good video series for kids. It's also available in DVD format. &lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZwgLJ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are some cartoons of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVvlxQT8PTs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jataka stories&lt;/a&gt; in youtube&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are about 550 Jataka stories available which you can read to kids. Here are some simple &lt;a href=&quot;http://usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Book/JATAKA_TALES.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;English translations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-18T23:50:24.120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-18T23:50:24.120" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-18T18:11:19.040" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10243" CreationDate="2015-07-19T11:14:53.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the story, where the Buddha explains how different people get a different perception of the world because of their individual access (sensual/mind-structure/etc) of the &quot;things&quot;. He took the example of an elephant where a group of blind people touch the elephant and shall describe the elephant by what they are sensing (and then extrapolating).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I think that would be a fun for the children - to get the eyes covered and then try to recognize some toy-animal by touching only a part. And then let the children compare what they found out...             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One need not reduce this to the question of form; the teacher/constructor of that animal (or whatever) can put different material to different places (feather, leather,...) and so on.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Possibly one can construct analogies to perception of interaction of the people in one family or school: there will be some short scene be played by the teacher (and helpers) and the children can observe the same scene from different locations and/or different filters (no sound, only a keyhole to look at). The scene might be something from the view of the kids: papa gives a bit money to one child and not to another one. Some kinds can see the face of the papa (and the grief on it, because there is not enough money for all) and some cannot see the face of the papa but something else...(room for your phantasy). Then let the kids re-tell what they have seen and how they felt, and let them compare...     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a spontaneous idea, for what it's worth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2015-07-19T11:20:20.757" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T11:20:20.757" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-19T11:14:53.020" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10247" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10276" CreationDate="2015-07-19T13:25:56.187" Score="17" ViewCount="5526" Body="&lt;p&gt;What if I play a bad person in a computer game, cheating people. Or I play an assassin who kills people. Or my character in a game belongs to some evil cult. Or I roleplay a thief and steal. Or my character has an affair with a woman without being married.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are all these actions in a virtual reality close to actions in a real world from a buddhist point of view? Yes, I do not do them for real, &lt;strong&gt;but I still make these choices using my free will&lt;/strong&gt;. So is it the same if I did all this in real life from? Are they bad for my karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5463" LastEditorDisplayName="user5463" LastEditDate="2015-07-19T16:01:41.140" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:49:30.480" Title="Are actions in computer games bad for karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-19T14:52:32.007" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two parts to karma: 1) external forces/energies you set in motion with your action and 2) latent tendencies and inclinations in your psyche - that later become your action and reaction, that then sets external forces in motion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you step away and look at it from a distance, there is really no hard line between &quot;external&quot; and &quot;internal&quot;; karma is a network of subtle potentialities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the potentialities are pretty subtle, yeah - like the ones involved in playing videogames - but they are still real. Very few of them translate 1:1 to analogous actions in real life though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, mass-shooting in games is not even remotely the same karma as real murder, &lt;em&gt;but you still separate &quot;yourself&quot; from &quot;others&quot;, and you still desire good for one's own character at the expense of everyone else's. Amassing golden coins in game is not real, but you still go after &quot;fruits&quot;, get frustrated when things you like a taken away&lt;/em&gt; and so on and so forth. Guess what kind of latent potentialities, however subtle, all this creates/reinforces?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, when it comes to karma, &quot;subtle&quot; does not mean &quot;weak&quot;. Some of our deepest hung-ups come from our subtlest preconceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd say in general the games you play may not create a lot of &lt;em&gt;new&lt;/em&gt; karma, but they certainly reinforce your inner tendencies and preconceptions that keep you chained in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T14:52:32.007" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-19T15:43:57.617" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;So is it the same if I did all this in real life from a spiritual perspective?&quot;. I did not get that part of the question. There is no way of doing evil deeds from a spiritual perspective if I understood the question.&#xA;“Discard all that is  immoral, what should not be done&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take in what is moral by sorting out “san”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do this by controlling one’s own thoughts (mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the doctrine of the Buddhas”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearing mind is a component of spirituality so &quot;Discarding all that is immoral&quot; is also a part of the teaching of all the Buddhas, no one can reach Nirvana while performing evil deeds.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I will give a detailed answer such that you can apply it in many other contexts too.&#xA;Please first go through the list of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ten evil deeds&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There are five conditions that must be fulfilled to happen the evil deed of killing. All of these should be fulfilled.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. Being should be living.(From this point itself you don't do killing karma on the virtual life.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. Knowing the being is living&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. Will to kill&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. Planning to kill&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. Living being dying due to the plan&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And the being should not be self, therefore suicide does not effect killing karma. But depending on the situation and in most of the times suicide comes with delusion.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;For the evil deed stealing all below should be fulfilled.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;1. Owned by someone else&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. Knowing someone else's property&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. Desire to take away&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. Planning to take away&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. Taking away&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Simply things on games are not owned by someone, owners are not real. So no evil deed happens.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The third part, affair with a woman without being married. Actually in Buddhism unlawful sensual/sexual misconduct is not synonymous with marriage and affiliated although they have some in common. Men are not supposed to have sexual relationships with these women. (However rape is sexual misconduct and the strength of the evil deed is often high)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. She being nurtured by her parents or other close relations(from this point itself no harm because the virtual women have no real owners)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. She being nurtured and protected by another man.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There is only one instance of men where women can get sexual misconduct. If the woman has a protector, she cannot seek for another protector.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;For a person to fulfill these conditions to have done sexual misconduct evil deed.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1. Man or woman should belong to the groups mentioned above&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2. Desire to have sensual pleasures with him/her&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3. Trying for pleasure&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4. Undergoing and feeling the pleasure.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Different variables affect the strength of the karma described above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastEditorUserId="3597" LastEditDate="2015-07-20T02:08:04.757" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T02:08:04.757" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-19T16:26:40.277" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There weren't PC games in the Buddha's time, but there were stage shows and music, and he asked people to eschew them both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One time an actor approached the Buddha and asked him if he would go to heaven with the devas because he made people happy and forget their worries The Buddha tried to dodge answering, but at the actor's insistence, he had to tell him that he'd probably go to hell or the animal realms. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talaputra Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. See also this question: (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7663/will-actors-really-go-to-hell&quot;&gt;Will actors really go to hell?&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems pretty odd and incompatible with our age of ubiquitous entertainment and distraction - would the Buddha say the same of Facebook? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;So you're happy your selfie just got a 1000 likes eh? Consider this, You're going to hell!&quot; :-)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sure the Buddha would have phrased it better, but this is pretty much the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma theory says one's dreams can also affect karma - if we harbor evil intentions towards someone in our dreams, that is enough to destroy accumulated merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is a fundamental question about all entertainment - why must entertainment be eschewed?&lt;/strong&gt;       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First&lt;/strong&gt;, the nature of boredom is that it arises out of a mind that isn't at ease with itself. The nature of thought at the moment a bored mind arises is to gravitate towards the outside world - towards sense pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Distracted thought gets reinforced with every application of distraction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A hundred years ago people read 700 page books for entertainment, today people find twitter too verbose and send each other Vine videos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we make a habit of mindfulness, then the opposite is true, at every opportunity the mind will seek mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second&lt;/strong&gt;, the nature of boredom is that it gets excited by violence rather than peace - it is an existential threat mechanism that is woken up and makes us come alive. Thus entertainment is the enemy of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Third&lt;/strong&gt;, entertainment reinforces duality, of the entertainer and the entertained. It makes us lapse into being controlled by external forces, rather than taking control of our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is thus a quality of mind to be safe guarded against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T16:33:46.597" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-19T20:13:44.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider it from the perspective of intention:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once had a guru who explained it thusly...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which intention will have the greatest effect on future actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shooting a crossbow at a pumpkin sitting on a fencepost late at night, then realizing that it is actually a boy popping his head up over the fence..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or shooting a crossbow at a boy's head popping up over a fencepost, then realizing it is only a pumpkin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different intentions, different end results. Christianity has a specific view of which is the sin (action) while buddhism considers more factors (right thought, right action, right intention etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to ask yourself honestly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this thought or action, as it comes into being, lead to suffering. If it does, we should avoid doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5508" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T20:13:44.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10231" CreationDate="2015-07-19T20:31:37.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The others have covered it above. I like Ryan's answer because it would be much like my own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was struck by the comment on 'controlling' anger. Most of the practices that I have studied deal with acknowledging emotions and letting them go, releasing them. this is of course after they have come into being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to get all western and freud about it, but controlling or suppressing an emotion holds it in place. This is different from what Sri Lanka was talking about as suppressing thoughts in their formation..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the cushion is the best place to feel the emotions as they come up and practice letting them go...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;======&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A student inquired, “Master, if I am eating, what should I do?” Master Li replied, “Eat”. The student continued, “And if I am walking?” Master Li answered “Walk”. The student persisted, “And if I am drowning?” Master Li answered, “Drown!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5508" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T20:31:37.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10171" CreationDate="2015-07-19T23:42:26.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way it was explained to me is that, similar to what Sri Lanka said, there is a risk of creating more delusion and dukkha if one is teaching while one has not fully attained enlightenment.. ie.  the way to liberation is not transmitted fully. Since I am just a pilgrim on the path of a thousand steps, I can only offer my own experience in support of other's paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people teach for the joy of it, some people for the ego gratification it supplies. I've always thought of buddhism as being about the 'doing' and not so much the 'talking'. So for me, I'd rather practice with others than try to 'teach' them about it...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5508" LastActivityDate="2015-07-19T23:42:26.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10254" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-20T03:26:49.303" Score="4" ViewCount="191" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &quot;The Connected Discourses&quot; Buddha says &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the gratification in form. Whatever &#xA;  gratification there is in form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen&#xA;  with  wisdom just how far the gratification in form extends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the danger in form. Whatever danger there is  in form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom&#xA;  just how far the  danger in form extends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the escape from form. Whatever escape there is  from form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with&#xA;  wisdom just how far the  escape from form extends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How might he have seen how far the gratification, danger and escape extend? Did he elaborate on this any where else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5437" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-20T10:23:42.437" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T13:53:51.820" Title="How might Buddha have seen how far the gratification, danger and escape extend?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10243" CreationDate="2015-07-20T04:27:59.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;*You may be able to build an ongoing lesson about the key Buddhist concept of impermanence and ongoing change using various aspects of growing things. From planting seeds indoors in the winter, (or bulbs outdoors in the fall), to caring for the plants, replanting them outdoors once it's warm, watching them grow, seeing them die, knowing they'll grow back next season (if they are perennial or if you save some seeds); tying in rebirth with the lesson. If outdoor space is not available, some indoor pots of herbs might offer the same concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Even if the monks' alms round is not a part of your tradition, it can be explained as part of the culture and practice at the time of the Buddha and a simple cooking or baking lesson (Bodhi leaf shaped cookies? ;-)) could allow the children to be generous and share with one another with a simplified children's alms round.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*The very famous images of the Buddha's footprints could be made in clay or something similar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*If you can find some tree branches which have fallen and can be cut to size to look like tree trunks, you may be able to make Bhodi trees with leaves cut from green paper and attached to the &quot;tree trunks&quot; with pipe cleaners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*You can adapt Valentine's Day to be &quot;Metta Day&quot; with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;blue&lt;/a&gt; hearts symbolizing loving-kindness, peace, and universal compassion and an explanation of what Metta means to a Buddhist and how to do a Metta prayer for loving-kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*You could have the children bring in healthy snacks and do an eating meditation; eating very slowly and mindfully and noting the movements and sensations such as lifting hand, bringing food to mouth, feeling warmth or coldness of food, tasting food, chewing, swallowing, etc. This could be paired with a lesson about the interdependence of all things or cause and effect for plants (animals?) to grow and result in food for us. (If it were me, I'd stick to plants to keep it simple.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Venerable Yuttadhammo recently mentioned in a dhamma talk, a simile comparing our moments of sila, samadhi, and panna to beads. As we make more and more of those beads, the string that goes through them and holds them together is mindfulness. I think this could be turned into a lesson for children as they hear a story about each bead representing an act of kind behavior (sila), or a moment of being settled and peaceful (samadhi), or an instance of quietly observing the world around us to understand it better (panna), as they string beads for their own &quot;mindfulness bracelet&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Does your tradition use &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_prayer_beads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist prayer beads&lt;/a&gt; to keep count while chanting? String 27, 54, or 108 beads with a tassel (or larger bead) in the middle to make their own set.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Paper lanterns are traditional for Buddha's birthday. Here's a couple of samples. &lt;a href=&quot;http://familycrafts.about.com/od/chinesenewyears/ss/eplantern.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://familycrafts.about.com/od/chinesenewyears/ss/eplantern.htm&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pinterest.com/pin/32299322300026496/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.pinterest.com/pin/32299322300026496/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*You could make a paper Buddhist flag and talk about the meaning of the colors. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Tibetan prayer flags are pretty to make and hang around the room and &quot;are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*The imagery of our &quot;Three Gems&quot; or &quot;Three Jewels&quot; is beautiful. Maybe coloring cutouts of the Buddha, Dhamma (books maybe?), and Sangha for the kids to color in and paste over brightly colored diamond shaped construction paper?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;added&lt;/strong&gt; The traditional &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Peanut-Butter-Pine-Cones-for-Birds&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Peanut Butter Pinecones&lt;/a&gt; or other simple ideas to feed birds and squirrels in the winter can be tied in with lessons on the first Buddhist perfection of Dāna as well as compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;added&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3527/where-is-the-story-of-the-non-returner-who-sold-pots-on-the-side-of-the-road&quot;&gt;The Story of the Non Returner who &quot;sold&quot; pots on the side of the road&lt;/a&gt; could be brought to life with a project of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pinterest.com/sara_nash/pottery-for-kids/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kids pottery making&lt;/a&gt; where the parents leave rice, beans, or lentils (i.e. food that can be donated to a charitable organization) as &quot;payment&quot; for one of the pots. If you think a lesson on non attachment might work here also, tell the children and parents the idea is to &quot;buy&quot; a pot that their own child didn't make. ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the older children:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*They may enjoy putting together some skits of the Jataka stories (referenced above by Sankha) for the younger ones to watch. (Some might be scary though.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;added&lt;/strong&gt; *Using colored sand, Tibetan-style sand mandalas can be put together, maybe as a group project. Mandalas always have a deeper meaning. A good article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/mandala-of-compassion_n_5942202.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; on one built to incite compassion for all living beings. When completed, mandalas are washed away into the ocean, or poured into a jar to be brought to a source of flowing water, as a reminder of the impermanence of all material things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck with your projects and in teaching the new generation about Buddhism. That is awesome. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, my crafty friends and relatives highly recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pinterest.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt; for sparking ideas in virtually any craft category. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T13:20:11.140" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-20T04:27:59.080" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10256" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10264" CreationDate="2015-07-20T06:01:08.213" Score="2" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any differences in Paṭiccasamuppāda ,Dependent arising and dependent co-arising?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T06:09:42.910" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T06:09:42.910" Title="What are the paṭiccasamuppāda theory and it's products?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|mahayana|terminology|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10257" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-20T10:35:48.853" Score="5" ViewCount="568" Body="&lt;p&gt;Time to time , feeling emptiness, do not see any value in goodness and badness. Some time, getting the question what is happiness, everything seems to be happiness, everything seems to be annoying. Feeling like to cry some times. But at the end, feeling some kind of fear in my mind whenever i get feel the mentioned above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the practice, or what is that  have to be done to understand or overcome this fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5517" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T12:53:24.533" Title="Why the emptiness brings fear in to our mind?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-20T11:05:12.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one performs negative actions against another soul, like another video game player, then yes, there would be karmic consequences. If it's regular competition during the course of a game, like player versus player combat, you're all willing participants, so very likely there would be no adverse  consequences. But bad sportsmanship, bullying, mean spirited communications, etc. would be bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should consider the effects on your consciousness of protraying villains. Actions performed in a game may have an effect on one's self. I'm not one of those people who condemns violent video games, but I believe engaging in villainous, murderous acts continually in a video game will inevitably form a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samskara_%28Indian_philosophy%29#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;samskara&lt;/a&gt; within the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5518" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T11:05:12.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10257" CreationDate="2015-07-20T11:29:52.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was an early teen, I too had the same issue. I believe this is due to non compatibility of the deepness of what he practices and what he is capable of at the moment. Have the big goal but divide it into chunks and start small. Start with restraining from all evil deeds and do a simple form of meditation like metta meditation where you do not need the help of a teacher. You can find some videos how to do and practice alone. Even reading and memorizing the story and qualities of the triple gem is good.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I was also just like you, was unhappy with no apparent reason. A friend reminded me this, &quot;health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss&quot; as preached by Lord Buddha to king Kosol. So never underestimate happiness, it is a thing you should meet on the way to nirvana. And merits roughly mean the happiness you get after doing something good. So if the happiness you get is low, you actually reduce the strength of the merit. &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As preached by Lord Buddha, when you get any fear, remind yourself the qualities of Lord Buddha. The nine qualities. If not working, remind the six qualities of dhamma, even if not working, remind the nine qualities of Sangha. You will be fine. You can listen to Ratana sutta often, the sutta contains many of the qualities of the triple gem. The sutta was specially preached to relieve fear. You can read the sutta, listen to the chanting etc. I am so sure it will work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T11:29:52.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10257" CreationDate="2015-07-20T12:53:24.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard to answer this kind of questions without seeing the questioner upclose. But from what I can see, here is what I can say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason Emptiness brings fear, is because it removes simple direction: go this way, do this. Indeed, if the world had simple moral imperative, or simple value imperative (&quot;&lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;so&lt;/em&gt; is the best&quot;) - it would be simply a matter of pursuing that. Instead, to accept Emptiness means to accept that &lt;em&gt;responsibility for making decisions lies upon ourselves&lt;/em&gt;. There is nothing in the world that has absolute value. So we can't just figure out what it is and thereby win the game!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you need to learn to trust yourself. Trust your &lt;em&gt;own&lt;/em&gt; judgement of goodness and badness, of happiness and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are very confused, you can use Buddhist precepts and principles as the first approximation. But eventually you have to discover your own source of wisdom, your own Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trungpa Rinpoche said, &quot;the bad news is we are falling -- the good news is, there is no ground&quot;. This is what it means to take the leap into Emptiness, to take responsibility. There is no guarantee that what you do will get you to a good destination -- so you have to keep your eyes open and rely on your own fundamental sanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, as Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, be islands unto yourselves, be your own refuge, having no other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T12:53:24.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10254" CreationDate="2015-07-20T13:53:51.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because He was the one who experienced it all. As a prince, He had all the necessary means to experience the maximum level of pleasure/gratification. Later on, as the most extreme self-mortified ascetic, He was able to experience the most terrible kinds of suffering. Abandoning both extremes, He meditated and penetrated the Four Noble Truths. Then after this major breakthrough, He was able to claim that He directly knew as they really are the gratification, the danger, the escape, etc. In short, due to various factors like his time as a prince, an extreme ascetic, and the final breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha was able to see the true nature of all phenomena. In SN 14.31, Ven. Bodhi provided the Commentary's note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Spk: In this sutta the Four Noble Truths are discussed. The &quot;gratification&quot; (assada) in the four elements is the truth of the origin; the &quot;danger&quot; (adinava) is the truth of suffering; the &quot;escape&quot; (nissarana) is the truth of cessation; the &quot;path&quot; that understands the escape is the truth of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T13:53:51.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-20T13:57:25.803" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The important thing to keep in mind is our own mind state. We try to purify ourselves of the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion. That's not really going to happen in a typical video game where our mind states can spike into intense feelings of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;greed&lt;/strong&gt; - (I should have won that loot! I deserved it!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;hatred&lt;/strong&gt; - (I can't stand that guy! He's such a jerk!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;delusion&lt;/strong&gt; - (I should have been at the top of the chart, I am the best in this group, the meter must be broken.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we open ourselves up to knowingly experiencing these intensely unwholesome mind states while we are trying to purify ourselves of the same; it really doesn't make much sense. It's also not &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Effort.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt; which specifies &quot;The effort to prevent future disadvantageous mental states from arising..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, it's a waste of time. There is a colorful quote from the Buddha about putting out effort &quot;as if your head was on fire&quot;. Here is the whole sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.051.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sacitta Sutta: One's Own Mind&lt;/a&gt;. It's short and well worth reading to understand the priority of choosing how to direct your efforts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-20T17:29:27.440" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T17:29:27.440" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10024" CreationDate="2015-07-20T15:42:17.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Load &lt;strong&gt;Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; was enlightened by understanding  the eternal law (of patichchasamuthpada) &#xA;OR four Noble truth, and Moksha. &#xA;OR delusion and how to avoid it. &#xA;OR Life is a dream and how to awake from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For explaining this he (and his followers) used several methods according to what the listener already believed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tantra-meditation and ritual practices that seeks to channel the divine energy of the macrocosm or godhead into the human microcosm&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thantra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhairav Tantra-it briefly presents 112 meditation methods or centering techniques (dharanas). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigyan_Bhairav_Tantra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhairav Tantra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These include several variants of &#xA;-breath awareness,(Ānāpānasati (Pali; Sanskrit ānāpānasmṛti, meaning &quot;mindfulness of breathing&quot;) is a form of Buddhist meditation now common to Tibetan, Zen, Tiantai and Theravada Buddhism as well as Western-based mindfulness programs.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-concentration on various centers in the body,(Sathipattana) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-imagination and visualization and contemplation through each of the senses.(Five Aggregates)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Moksha - Identity with Shiva(the deity who represents Universal Consciousness) - Link &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_Shaivism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kashmir Shaivism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dilution is I - (My Self) concept. To remove this need systematic process. Tantra images are intermediate steps of some traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="4830" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T08:14:02.523" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T08:14:02.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10256" CreationDate="2015-07-20T16:18:30.470" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings Gawesaka, the answer is: No. The first word is Pāḷi and second and third are just &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:1091.pali.490951&quot;&gt;different English renditions&lt;/a&gt; of that expression. Best Wishes &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T16:18:30.470" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10265" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10267" CreationDate="2015-07-20T18:56:25.350" Score="9" ViewCount="1155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Throughout the holy texts it is implied that the reader is looking for a way to stop the cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why should the reader want to stop the cycle?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5523" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T05:21:42.587" Title="Why should we stop the Samsara?" Tags="|samsara|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10265" CreationDate="2015-07-20T19:45:04.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unless we have great faith, we don't actually start with wanting cessation of Samsara. If we started out truly not wanting Samsara then we would be starting out almost enlightened, wouldn't we? &#xA;We start out practicing because we  want smaller attainments and realizations within Samsara(smaller than Nibbana) because we can only see things from the ego's point of view and to the ego, Nibbana looks very scary. At some point in our practice we drop our false ego view and can truly see deeply in our   hearts why we should get out of this endless prison towards freedom from suffering. &#xA; A little correct meditation practice will show that a little of the Buddha's teaching is in harmony with a little of the meditator's meditation experience and so the meditator gets a little faith in the rest of the Buddha's teaching that has only been read about. A lot of correct practice will result in a lot of the meditator's experience being inline with a lot of the Buddha's teaching and so the mediator gets a lot of faith in the  rest of the teachings not yet experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T21:23:27.640" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T21:23:27.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10265" CreationDate="2015-07-20T20:17:35.260" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is the reason why the reader is looking for a way to stop the cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, because the &quot;four noble truths&quot; were the first thing that the Buddha explained, during &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot;&gt;his first sermon after enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; (with &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; being the subject of the first of these four noble truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that dukkha is the cause of the search (i.e. that &quot;the search is the result of stress&quot;) is also stated explicitly, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Stress should be known. The cause by which stress comes into play should&#xA;  be known. The diversity in stress should be known. The result of&#xA;  stress should be known. The cessation of stress should be known. The&#xA;  path of practice for the cessation of stress should be known.' Thus it&#xA;  has been said. In reference to what was it said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Birth is stress, aging is stress, death is stress; sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stress; association with&#xA;  the unbeloved is stress; separation from the loved is stress; not&#xA;  getting what is wanted is stress. In short, the five&#xA;  clinging-aggregates are stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the cause by which stress comes into play? Craving is the&#xA;  cause by which stress comes into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the diversity in stress? There is major stress &amp;amp; minor,&#xA;  slowly fading &amp;amp; quickly fading. This is called the diversity in&#xA;  stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the result of stress? There are some cases in which a&#xA;  person overcome with pain, his mind exhausted, grieves, mourns,&#xA;  laments, beats his breast, &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;becomes bewildered&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Or&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; one overcome with&#xA;  pain, his mind exhausted, &lt;strong&gt;comes to search outside&lt;/strong&gt;, 'Who knows a way or&#xA;  two to stop this pain?' I tell you, monks, that &lt;strong&gt;stress results either&#xA;  in bewilderment or in search&lt;/strong&gt;. This is called the result of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying that &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; reason for the search might seem like a one-size-fits-all answer: if several/many people want to stop the cycle, do they all have the same reason for wanting to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For that reason, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; is a broad term with apparently several meanings or usages; the WIkipedia article starts with ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dukkha&lt;/strong&gt; (Pāli; Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt;; Tibetan: སྡུག་བསྔལ་ &lt;em&gt;sdug bsngal&lt;/em&gt;, pr. &quot;duk-ngel&quot;) is a Buddhist term commonly translated as &quot;suffering&quot;, &quot;anxiety&quot;, &quot;stress&quot;, or &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot;.[a] The principle of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is one of the most important concepts in the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha is reputed to have said: &quot;I have taught one thing and one thing only, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; and the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and then continues, with many various categories (and translations) of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-20T21:54:56.670" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T21:54:56.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10268" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10271" CreationDate="2015-07-20T20:43:50.470" Score="5" ViewCount="612" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've always experienced a lot of anxiety. In many ways that was and remains a driving force in my practice. More recently I've experienced more fear. I feel fearful and under threat. They do feel different but I'm still working with them and will be for a long time. In terms of the Buddhist texts and psychology what is the difference between fear and anxiety? Are they spoken about as different things? Are there different Pali/Sankrit terms for them? Is there different ways of working with them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T17:25:31.433" Title="What is the difference between fear and anxiety?" Tags="|personal-practice|psychology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10269" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10277" CreationDate="2015-07-20T21:14:25.043" Score="5" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was surprised by the answers to the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10247/5522&quot;&gt;Are actions in computer games bad for karma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10250/5522&quot;&gt;@BuddHo's answer&lt;/a&gt; which takes on the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why must entertainment be eschewed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought it was a great answer that clearly explained how being entertained &lt;em&gt;could be&lt;/em&gt; a means of escape - to get away from being bored and relying on outside influences to create happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I had some questions I had left in the comments, but thought I should perhaps expand them into a new question here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am still struggling with your explanation for &amp;quot;Why must entertainment be eschewed?&amp;quot; Is not any action we take, even mentally, technically a source of entertainment - even practicing mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think its the definition that causes me to struggle. &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Entertainment is the distractive cure for fear masked as boredom&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; - I consider boredom and entertainment to be opposites, but that definition suggests otherwise. If one was doing nothing, yet was fine (not bored) - I would consider that as being entertained. If it is not one or the other, what is it when one is not bored, and not being entertained?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is being entertained always considered a negative thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5522" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2022-09-27T10:26:26.133" Title="Is being entertained always considered a negative thing?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10268" CreationDate="2015-07-20T21:16:14.803" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can only speak form my own experience anxiety feels like i cant hardly breath and move, but when fear something i feel like you can deal with it better. In someways they are the same . I feel the best way to deal with is to open your hearth be more sosial and open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5478" LastActivityDate="2015-07-20T21:16:14.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10268" CreationDate="2015-07-20T22:08:33.850" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In traditional Pali, fear is &lt;code&gt;bhaya-bherava&lt;/code&gt; (lit. Fear-Panic), while anxiety is &lt;code&gt;udhacca-kukucca&lt;/code&gt; (lit. Worry-Wrongdoing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand from the way these are used in &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fear&lt;/strong&gt; is defined as an acute sense of danger. It is rather specific, like fear of something coming out of jungle and attacking you. Even if it is uncertain what exactly may happen when you sit in the middle of jungle, fear still has a very clear sense of directionality, there is no expectation that something good may happen, only bad -- otherwise it would not be fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Panic&lt;/strong&gt; is defined as the accompanying sense of helplessness, or sense of our inability to deal with the object of fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(More about these two can be found in Dharmafarer's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/44.3-Bhaya-Bherava-S-m4-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;great analysis of Bhaya-Bherava-Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While &lt;strong&gt;anxiety&lt;/strong&gt; is defined as either a wavering remorse of something you &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;should not have&lt;/em&gt; done (&lt;code&gt;kukucca&lt;/code&gt;), or a wavering expectation of remorse you suspect you may experience in the future because you are not doing enough of something you feel you should be doing (&lt;code&gt;udhacca&lt;/code&gt;). So unlike fear, anxiety involves wavering back-and-forth; there is an element of uncertainty in it. Also, the object of &lt;em&gt;anxiety&lt;/em&gt; is yourself, your own acts, while the object of &lt;em&gt;fear&lt;/em&gt; is external.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(More about anxiety &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.7-Uddhaccakukkucca-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;is also available on Dharmafarer&lt;/a&gt;. See also one of my favorite suttas, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.4-Arahatta-Anuruddha-S-a03.128-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Second Anuruddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained by Buddha, the recommended way to deal with fear is by switching focus from obsessive waiting for the object of fear to appear, to getting ready to deal with it should that actually happen. While the recommended way to deal with anxiety is by developing one's wisdom, esp. understanding of Dharma, Three Marks of Existence, and (in Mahayana) by deepening one's realization of Emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T00:48:32.407" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3519" CreationDate="2015-07-21T01:29:24.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know a lot about economics and the various &quot;isms&quot;, but Capitalism has accomplished things in a couple hundred years that probably never would have happened otherwise. Chief among those are improved means of providing food, safe water (which has prevented more illness than all medical advancements combined) and medical knowledge. Faster, safer travel makes many things possible. If you can go somewhere to learn and practice the Dharma, this brings untold benefits to all. Consider most of the world 100 years ago or even today: the vast majority did not even have iron or the wheel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has to be a certain minimal amount of beneficial activity to provide a better life for many people, and Capitalism seems to provide the environment for that, facilitating research and technology that no other system has produced. As Robert M. Pirsig said in &lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt;: &quot;From that agony of bare existence to modern life can be soberly described only as upward progress, and the sole agent for this progress is quite clearly reason itself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reason alone is not sufficient: you need money to do anything in today's world. If you have a better method, I would like to hear of it. That said, the ills of Capitalism need to be addressed, after recognizing that it is worth improving it. This is where Buddhism can be most helpful today. Right Livelihood is right there in the middle of the Eight-fold Path. Effort, Mindfulness and Concentration all fit in to performing work, and Aspiration is the way of defining goals. I see no conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T01:29:24.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10265" CreationDate="2015-07-21T03:02:53.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason is to stop the samsara is we are having more, more and more dukkha than the happiness in the samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It cannot be measured with only concerning one life. we have to consider massive collection of lives (example- billions of lives). After analyzing those massive number of lives Load Buddha have seen that largest portion of the lives we were in the hells (4 hells. narakaya, thirisan, pretha, asura. Sad but that's the truth). Because of the desires in creatures they always trends to make pleasure out of things. So the possibility of doing bad karma is very high. So out of Billions of lives, creatures come to human and heavens very few times that can be counted with fingers in one hand. That means time we spent in the good times are neglectable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we had a teachings of a Lord Buddha we can get rid of usual cycle for a time. But if we didn't take actions to attain nibbana, we have to face usual cycle again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we have to stop this cycle now or suffer from the sadness for unlimited number of times. Intelligent people understand this tragedy and get rid of samsara as soon as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="496" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T03:08:42.127" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T03:08:42.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10274" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-21T03:54:28.490" Score="2" ViewCount="498" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a couple of questions about Buddhism rituals. Were Buddhism's rituals performed by a certain social class, or for a particular political end? Also what else was happening in the culture at the time the ritual was created or performed? Did Buddhism's rituals serve to bolster the political interest of the status quo?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5524" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T06:07:51.760" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T09:39:33.007" Title="Social context of Buddhist rituals" Tags="|history|rituals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10269" CreationDate="2015-07-21T04:08:41.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's fear that is disguised as boredom, not entertainment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're afraid and anxious you may not feel these emotions directly. An indirect way of feeling them is to be always searching for something to do to focus your atention away from the fear and anxiety. The constant search for something to do, and for entertainment in particular, may be confused with boredom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T04:08:41.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-21T04:11:08.540" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Andrei Volkov aptly put it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Actually, when it comes to karma, &quot;subtle&quot; does not mean &quot;weak&quot;. Some of our deepest hung-ups come from our subtlest preconceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are already plenty of answers on this question, but I felt the need to add my two cents, as my view on this is slightly different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism there is an emphasis on purifying ones karma. &#xA;In a common mantra &lt;code&gt;OM AH HUM&lt;/code&gt; is contained within it a load of symbolism and varied traditions. &#xA;The order in which to purify ones behaviors was in these 3 syllables. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OM - Body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AH - Speech &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HUM - Mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within these 3 &quot;bodies&quot; as they referred to them, one must purify the actions of...&#xA;The body is considered the easiest of the 3 to control. &#xA;The speech the second easiest. &#xA;The mind of course, is the most difficult to master. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kind of karma that video games would create, if any, would fall under HUM. &#xA;Except some fringe conditions of course, like if you swear at relatives when you miss a re-spawn point. That would fall under AH.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you punch your dog because you got head shot in match of Call of Duty, then that would fall under an action of OM.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If those prior two examples resonate with you, you might want to take a step back to the basics. &#xA;If however they do not (I will just take your word for it) you might be concerned with the subtle aspects of mind. &#xA;In which I would argue that video games can be used as a tool, just like any other tool. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roleplaying games allow you to see your mind act as if it would if you were in situations you cannot be in within real life. If you observe your mind while you play, in a way it could become a kind of meditation. &#xA;If for example there was a hypothetical video game called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot;&gt;&quot;Bodhisattva&quot;&lt;/a&gt; or &#xA;&quot;Monk&quot; where one played those roles. Bodhisattva would essentially be the opposite of Call of Duty, think magical monks running around blocking bullets. (Keep in mind this is a hypothetical)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would these games have benefit ?    Depends on who develops them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But all this brings me to the point I want to make. A game like Bodhisattva is just simulation. You aren't saving lives, you are pretending to do so. &#xA;Same with Call of Duty. Doing and pretending are not equal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact if playing GTA is the worst thing you have done in your life, your karma is quite nice in comparison. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So let's be reasonable, yes there is an influence that like any other art form, book, music, painting, etc will have. However Buddhism is about neither acceptance nor rejection. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=fc21cVJExIUC&amp;amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;amp;dq=crazy%20wisdom%20dharmakaya%20acceptance&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCgQ6AEwAmoVChMI4pm3vqnrxgIV1VmICh2PZQWT#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=accept%20reject%20dharmakaya&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/a&gt; as described by Chogyam Trungpa is what I refer to here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The video game is empty of any inherent being. Our interaction with it is what we must watch. The video games influence on you might be null, it might be vast. You must be aware of what influence it has on you. The karma that you reap from those moments could be good or bad. Your reaction to it is what matters. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion I will more directly answer the 3 questions you asked:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How close are all these actions in a virtual reality  to actions in a real world from a Buddhist point of view? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Slightly reworded your question, but the answer is they are not close at all. Those scenarios would require action of body, speech, and mind. Doing them in real life would have much vaster karmic effect.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yes, I do not do them for real, but I still make these choices using&#xA;  my free will. So is it the same if I did all this in real life from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are they bad for my karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really just depends. There are so many factors, the game, your thoughts while playing it, and the influence it has on you. If you are playing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Layton&quot;&gt;Professor Layton&lt;/a&gt; games, I'd say the answer is most certainly a no. &#xA;Call of Duty is more likely a yes. But it is still not necessarily so... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bottom line / TL;DR : Analyze your life before your video games. Changes there are more likely to have karmic impact. But do not deceive your self, if video games are part of your life, you must include them in the analysis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T04:11:08.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10269" CreationDate="2015-07-21T06:35:13.497" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are wholesome actions that are not caused by boredom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any action arising out of compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt;), loving kindness (&lt;em&gt;maithri&lt;/em&gt;), sympathetic joy (&lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;), equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upeksha&lt;/em&gt;) is not born of boredom. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bramhaviharas&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2c2oP.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Bramhaviharas&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being resident in the &lt;em&gt;rupa jhanas&lt;/em&gt; (absorptions of form), and even deriving joy from them is not considered unwholesome, because it leads to insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one enters a state of &lt;em&gt;abhaya&lt;/em&gt; (fearlessness) one notices a total cessation of boredom. The mind is very content to stay idle, and do nothing. It isn't searching for peace in someone or something, it finds peace within itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind thus stilled doesn't engage in thoughtless action, such as humming a tune, or thinking about the past or future, or making idle gestures with the limbs and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind thus stilled has no need for sensory entertainment, and will find it an idle and wasteful use of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dreams and intellectual or ambitious ideation can occupy one's mind too, but it is unwholesome, and could be viewed as forms of entertainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence my statement - &quot;Entertainment is the distractive cure for fear masked as boredom&quot;        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.204.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;several ways to describe enlightenment [SN 35.204]&lt;/a&gt; - one can describe it as a lack of need for external entertainment, but there are other descriptions. I'll offer one more here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Enlightenment as an energy conservation model of the central nervous system.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All actions are born out of some root emotion, even so called neutral actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's examine some principal emotions in ascending order of fuel efficiency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the least fuel efficient and even dangerous end, there are anger and fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anger&lt;/strong&gt; - this is perhaps the most energetic of emotions, but also the least fuel efficient - it offers a sudden burst of energy but can deplete one's vital energy reserve (some systems call it &lt;em&gt;qi&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;prana&lt;/em&gt;) rather quickly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, notice that in boxing matches, and 100m sprints, the athletes typically produce a lot of energy through anger and bravado, and one even notices this in their pre-game interviews. However they cannot sustain this energy for very long, and grow tired quickly, thus these events are short and furious. At the opposite end, marathon runners are generally mild mannered and don't carry the same kind of hatred towards the opponent - an angry and furious marathoner will find it hard to even complete the event. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fear&lt;/strong&gt; is similar to anger, and anger is in fact derived from fear, but it doesn't end when energy runs out. One can be too tired to be angry, but one is never too tired to be afraid, and this leads to depression where the sufferer totally lacks any energy. An angry person who grows tired will sustain that anger as fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the most efficient end there are the peaceful emotions of compassion, loving kindness, sympathetic joy and equanimity. One can sustain compassion for a long while (even indefinitely) provided one doesn't let other emotions like despair eat into the energy body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a psychological concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;compassion fatigue&lt;/a&gt;, but this isn't pure compassion, it is compassion tinged with fear. The fear depletes energy reserves and even compassion becomes impossible. This is why there are records of field surgeons in WW2 committing suicide after saving hundreds of lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus enlightenment is about having maximum energy in the CNS through the wise use of highly efficient emotional states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unenlightened who are unwise in their use of emotions will need the use of CNS stimulants to sustain their energy levels. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1356551&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Caffeine&lt;/a&gt; is the most common, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.drugs.com/drug-class/cns-stimulants.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anti-depressants and pharma drugs&lt;/a&gt; are in the middle, and at the extreme end there are psychotropics like &lt;a href=&quot;http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1739&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cocaine&lt;/a&gt; and other drugs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Entertainment is a CNS stimulant like coffee. Some people wake up to dance music to feel happy, or dull their emotional pain with death metal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To one who has control over their emotions, and already conserves the vital energy of prana or qi, all entertainment is frivolous, because it messes with what is already perfect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment can thus be also viewed as a lack of need for CNS stimulants, including entertainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, anything that doesn't lead to enlightenment must be eschewed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T06:35:13.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10279" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-21T11:18:59.610" Score="6" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed in discussions of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that the way ordinary folk see things is described as 'defiled cognition'. I would like some pointers on what this means and where to do some reading on the idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also is there any cross-cultural equivalent, in Western philosophy or religion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5527" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T02:31:06.670" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T11:17:52.640" Title="What is the meaning of 'defiled cognition'?" Tags="|philosophy|mahayana|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10265" CreationDate="2015-07-21T11:39:26.937" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well there are things which all living beings undergo. Birth, Aging, Illnesses, death, loss of loved ones, company of disliking ones. Well people tend to believe birth is a good thing, but none of the babies smiles just after birth. No one is happy with aging, getting ill or dying. When you are done with all these four and loss of loved ones and company of bad ones, you again undergo this. You are a victim of something. That thing(Greed, aversion and delusion) have made you a servant of them. I explained this assuming a human life or something higher. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;Let us take a life in one of the four hells. Infinitely long times beings get so much harsh punishment. And what should a human do to have a birth in the hell? He just has to have a thought of greed, aversion or delusion at the moment of death. None of us know what will be our last thought. Although we have a control over it. A being in a hell is very unlikely to have a thought free of greed, aversion or delusion at the moment of death. So he gives a cycle of countless rebirths in a hell, it is an extremely lucky event for such a being to have birth as humans which is a very  unlikely event.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Some sentences like above cannot convince you why the samsara should be stopped. You have to really think deep on this case. Remember, a birth of a being in a hell is extremely punishing. And having birth in a hell is not a difficult thing at all. So we should all try to stop samsara. On the top of everything, human life is also not a place of happiness, even a heaven or higher is also the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T11:39:26.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10274" CreationDate="2015-07-21T12:02:06.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a sense, this series of questions is probably too broad to be answered in this format. Given Buddhism's 2,558 year history, it's rich and varied traditions, and it's spread throughout Asia and much of the world outside of Asia, Buddhism's history is not homogeneous. It's been adopted by many different cultures and each of those cultures adds it's own flavor to it's practice of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are some things that can be said. Unlike Hinduism, the prevalent religion in the region when Buddhism originated, a follower of the Buddha's teachings did not need to be born into any particular class or caste to be ordained or to be considered a teacher or leader. So the answer to your question about Buddhism's rituals being performed by a certain social class is, no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A section of the Dhammapada called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Brahmanavagga: The Holy Man&quot;&lt;/a&gt; reinforces this in quotes such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;393&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not by matted hair, nor by lineage, nor by birth does one become a holy man. But he in whom truth and righteousness exist — he is pure, he is a holy man.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;396&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I do not call him a holy man because of his lineage or high-born mother. If he is full of impeding attachments, he is just a supercilious man. But who is free from impediments and clinging — him do I call a holy man.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the most universal Buddhist rituals are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s17.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Taking Refuge&lt;/a&gt; in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Also accepting a number of precepts, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5&lt;/a&gt; for ordinary lay people, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;8&lt;/a&gt; for more serious or dedicated lay people, serious meditators, and ordinary lay people on an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha&lt;/a&gt; day and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hundreds of precepts&lt;/a&gt; for ordained men and women. Taking refuge and precepts might be considered a ritual in the sense that they are often stated aloud in a group; although these are equally valid when done privately. The fact that both of these &quot;rituals&quot; can be done privately without any connection to a religious institution or particular type of religious leader would seem to indicate no connection to furthering political ends or interests.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think anything else that would be considered a ritual in Buddhism is more related to the particular culture practicing it; a cultural overlay if you will. In fact, in Buddhism, release from adherence to rites and rituals is one of the hallmarks of a person who has reached a particular level of attainment. From Wikipedia's page on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotāpanna&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals - Eradication of the view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals (animal sacrifices, ablutions, chanting, etc.) or adhering to rigid moralism or relying on a god for non-causal delivery (issara nimmāna). Rites and rituals now function more to obscure, than to support the right view of the sotāpanna's now opened dharma eye. The sotāpanna realizes that deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. It is the elimination of the notion that there are miracles, or shortcuts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T09:39:33.007" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T09:39:33.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10279" CreationDate="2015-07-21T12:49:36.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kleshas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; are translated as &quot;defilements&quot;, and so I guess that &quot;defiled cognition&quot; means &quot;cognition with &lt;em&gt;kilesas&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, at least from a Mahayana point of view, the principle &lt;em&gt;kilesas&lt;/em&gt; are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the three poisons&lt;/a&gt; (i.e. confusion, attachment, and aversion) ... or &lt;em&gt;five&lt;/em&gt; poisons if you add pride and envy to the list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Also is there any cross-cultural equivalent, in Western philosophy or religion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well perhaps there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; something similar, in Christianity, i.e. a stereotypical Christian might be better off living without the so-called 'afflictive emotions', for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Instead of ignorance, &lt;em&gt;faith&lt;/em&gt; and/or &lt;em&gt;knowledge&lt;/em&gt; of God's will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Instead of anger, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/matthew/26-52.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;peace-loving&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/mark/12-31.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;neighbour-loving&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Instead of desire and greed, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;thy will be done&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-20.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;treasures in heaven&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And, counsel against pride (the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins#Pride&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first deadly sin&lt;/a&gt;) and envy (the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thou_shalt_not_covet&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;last of the ten commandments&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the symptoms (or lack of them) may be similar, the prescription recommended (by Buddhism and Christianity) is fairly different: especially on the subject of 'what is right view?' i.e. the opposite of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T09:35:02.290" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T09:35:02.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10279" CreationDate="2015-07-21T13:06:35.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, &quot;defiled cognition&quot; is ignorant apprehension of standalone (&lt;em&gt;svabhava&lt;/em&gt;) entities, both internally (as personal self) and externally (as various quasi-separate objects).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is on the basis of this that experience is then divided up into &quot;wanted&quot; and &quot;unwanted&quot;, a necessary condition of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T13:06:35.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10284" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10362" CreationDate="2015-07-21T15:11:46.717" Score="9" ViewCount="3353" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is this phrase analogous to over-indulgence in sense pleasures, or is indulgence in any sense pleasure at any level considered a form of misconduct? Thankya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T01:27:59.927" Title="Trouble understanding &quot;sensual misconduct&quot;" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-21T15:23:06.030" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as Buddhism and sila are concerned, &quot;over-indulgence&quot; is a bit redundant. To indulge is to gratify oneself with the object of desire; i.e. you desire chocolate, you then follow that craving and indulge in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are obviously varying degrees to this type of behavior, but even one taste of the chocolate you desire, with an unwholesome state of mind, is acting against the spirit of the precepts that one aims to keep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are kept as a solid foundation and basis for the meditation practice, helping to keep one in line with the basic behavior that is conducive to progress in the practice, and so a sense pleasure at any level could be considered misconduct, depending on the state of mind relating to the pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Starting out with the practice, you shouldn't beat yourself up over this stuff, because you WILL slip and mess up repeatedly. You will come to see through practice that these mess ups in keeping in line with your precepts actually do throw off your practice, and in this way you come to learn from your mistakes and see first hand the real value of keeping the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps clear this up!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T17:18:34.417" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T17:18:34.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-21T15:32:58.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since your question is tagged &amp;quot;5 precepts&amp;quot; I'm guessing you are referring to the 3rd precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's generally translated from the Pali as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while there are lots of considerations to indulging or overindulging in sense pleasures; the misconduct referred to in the precept is sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For additional context for the interpretation of the 3rd precept as such is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.39&lt;/a&gt; which describes the 8 rewards of merit (one each for taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and one each for each precept) and the 5 great gifts associated with the precepts. It reads in part:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the third gift, the third great gift... and this is the sixth reward of merit...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T16:38:19.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8761" CreationDate="2015-07-21T16:08:33.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A theory of mind/body therapy is that negative emotions make us tense up and we fail to release the physical tension. There is a psychological effect of negativity which is repressed emotion / neurosis. Meditation can trigger a psychophysical release of the tension/neurosis. That is catharsis. It can be triggered by thinking over and talking about situations but often this is just 'reliving the past' or 'blowing off steam'. When a person has released all there is to be released they are 'enlightened' with no neurotic component in their ego. Empty - of hang ups, prejudices, false fears etc. Modern people are very stressed with high muscle tension so this catharsis can be quite dramatic - it frightens some people. Others embrace it as the more you release the happier you get. When the processes of speedy catharsis start many meditators move or let their mind take them away from it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5529" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T16:08:33.340" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-21T16:13:32.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali text for third precept says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kāmesumicchācāra veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi&lt;/code&gt; is a standard phrase that means &quot;I undertake the training rule to abstain from ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key therefore is &lt;code&gt;Kāmesumicchācāra&lt;/code&gt;, or, parsed out, &lt;code&gt;Kamesu-Micchacara&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Kam-e-su&lt;/code&gt; is usually translated as &quot;sexual&quot; and &lt;code&gt;Miccha-cara&lt;/code&gt; as &quot;misconduct&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Miccha, the antonym of samma, generally means &quot;wrong&quot;, &quot;low quality&quot;, &quot;sloppy&quot; and literally &quot;opposite&quot;, &quot;contrary&quot;. Cara means &quot;conduct&quot;, or literally &quot;going about&quot;, &quot;walking&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kama, the root of kamesu, is often translated &quot;lust&quot; or &quot;sensual pleasure&quot; but its more precise meaning is fondness (combining such elements as love, desire, and taking pleasure in) for an object of material senses -- in other words &quot;sensual fondness&quot; -- not sexual but sensual!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key to understanding this phrase though is -e-su in Kam-e-su, which gives it the meaning of &quot;out of&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more precise translation IMO would be &quot;a conduct incorrectly motivated by desire to partake of sensual pleasure&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whether the act itself is of sexual nature or sensual nature or not at all, as long as it is motivated by desire to attain mere pleasure, it counts as sensual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time this means, even a forbidden sexual act should not count as misconduct if it pursues a higher goal - such as engaging in kamayoga for the sake of Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone interprets it this way though. This is a very &quot;Mahayanistic&quot;, or should I say, &quot;Vajrayanistic&quot; way of seeing things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-03-20T15:56:08.053" LastActivityDate="2018-03-20T15:56:08.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-21T16:49:10.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is indulgence in any sense pleasure at any level considered a form of misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not sensual indulgence can be regarded as misconduct we have to examine it from the perspective of the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here we have the &lt;em&gt;Concentration Group&lt;/em&gt; in which there is a factor called &quot;Right Mindfulness&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness means to keep the mind in the present and not let it stray off into the past or future or into processes of ideation. Right mindfulness when practiced correctly allows for what we call &lt;em&gt;&quot;bare attention&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. This level of attention is free from any extrapolations, thinkings, imaginings, judgings, ideations and other methods of conceptual proliferation that the mind can make use of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness lets the mind be with the object as it is. Objectivity and non-interference is present. The object is apprehended exactly as it is and one will be able to see it's true nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; practice right mindfulness the mind will only for a brief moment apprehend the true nature of the object whereafter it begins a cognitive process of mental fabrication in order to try to grasp the object. The mind will take the &quot;raw material&quot; of the object and thereafter bring forth subjective concepts and ideas about the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind then weaves together all these different concepts into more complex structures. These are embellishments fabricated by the mind and does not belong to the object. It's the mind superimposing qualities onto the object. This process of fabrication is fueled by the underlying latent defilements. The end result is an object which is now covered with a thick layer of mind-generated ideas and qualities. The original object is now hidden in a dense layer of subjective artwork that hides it true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the object is not viewed as it is but instead from a point of view controlled by the latent defilements the conduct has now turned into &lt;em&gt;misconduct&lt;/em&gt;. It is not considered right conduct if the mind has strayed off into the past of future or begins to superimpose qualities onto the object. One then begins to identify with object and thinking that &quot;I am seeing&quot; or &quot;I am thinking&quot;. This kind of belief is called &lt;em&gt;personality-belief&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Sakkayaditthi&lt;/em&gt;). &quot;Sakkaya&quot; means the group of materiality (rupa) and mentality (nama) and how they exist. &quot;Ditthi&quot; means a wrong view of belief, i.e. believing in a Self regarding &lt;em&gt;Nama/Rupa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right conduct is to guard the mind and guard the sense doors so that the defilements are not running the show.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:56:27.773" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:56:27.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10268" CreationDate="2015-07-21T17:25:31.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Andrei's answer defined &quot;anxiety&quot; as &quot;remorse&quot; or &quot;expectation of remorse&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that's so, then the &quot;way to work with it&quot; might be &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; i.e. virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cetana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue, there is no need for an act of will, 'May freedom from remorse arise in me.' It is in the nature of things that freedom from remorse arises in a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a layperson you presumably have a lot of responsibilities towards various people (which is perhaps why some people choose to ordain instead).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still I suppose the theory is that if you meet those responsibilities then you have nothing to feel remorseful about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe those suttas are intended for bhikkhus, whose responsibilities (and therefore whose virtues) are a bit different from laypeople's. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this introduction to the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; starts by quoting,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Discipline is for the sake of restraint,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  restraint for the sake of freedom from remorse,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  freedom from remorse for the sake of joy,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, maybe something analogous (i.e. practising virtue as an antidote for remorse and anxiety) is true for laypeople also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety is also one of the translations of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, so the nature of anxiety (and its cessation) might be fundamental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T17:25:31.433" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10187" CreationDate="2015-07-21T18:04:19.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Excellent line of inquiry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as you have proved, it takes a long time, sometimes thousands and millions of rebirths as a lower life forms to accumulate said merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, demigods can ruin or greatly increase their stores of merit (because their power is that much higher). A demigod can sink direectly into the deepest states of hell. Some demigods die even if they miss one meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human incarnation is in the middle and has all the advantages the lower and higher incarnations do not have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything I have said here is in the suttas and all Buddhist texts agree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T19:07:15.167" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T19:07:15.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-07-21T18:06:44.163" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind-state one is in is crucial, if not the most important thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind-state that is free from the Three Poisons and the Six Root Afflictions is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One that is practicing Three Poisons and afflictions, even in a virtual setting, will retain those seeds in his mind, attitude, and neurology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless that is of course one is mindful and detached from such gaming in the first place and is doing it for exercise purposes (for example playing a puzzle game). It is hard to be detached for longer, more immersive video games.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T18:06:44.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10294" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-21T18:09:49.937" Score="7" ViewCount="5222" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a person to have a will to change, there must be some dissonance between its real self and a mental image of ideal self. To put simply, one must be dissatisfied with oneself somehow. This dissatisfaction, or &quot;unacceptance&quot;, is the driving force that push people toward better, however they define it. Let it be a stronger physique, better social skills, greater knowledge, better money management, whatever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can think that such unacceptance of one's flaws is a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But here comes Buddhism, and tells you to 'let it go'. To stop focusing on your flaws, to stop creating mental images of yourself, to accept the world (including yourself) as it is. (I say generally 'Buddhism', since I believe this teaching is universal, although I was exposed to Zen mostly)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the question: &lt;strong&gt;how does Buddhism reconciles the teachings of dropping the ego with having goals to improve ones flaws?&lt;/strong&gt; It seems contradictory to me, as I assume it's impossible to work on my flaws without focusing on them and relating them to the image of myself, which I'm supposed to drop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5530" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T03:49:37.180" Title="Buddhism and self-improvement" Tags="|philosophy|zen|well-being|psychology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-21T18:10:41.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different gradients depending on your goal in Buddhism ranging from even sensual selectivity (a form of greed) being an evil (sin/error) all the way to consensual sexual promiscuity being quite alright! Read &quot;The Six Dharma Gates to the Sublime&quot; for information on the highly honorable former scenario. It is only meant for those aiming for bodhisattvahood or samadhi in this lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read some pick up artist books for advice on the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Across all traditions though, marital infidelity is considered wrong [although ultimately what does it matter because over millions of lifetimes how many vows of &quot;love&quot; are kept?].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a general moral construct created to help avoid bad karmas of many types--but not the bad karma of sexual suppression (that will eventually cause correlated rebirths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T18:10:41.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10294" CreationDate="2015-07-21T18:58:27.250" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fixing your ego isn't going to bring about lasting happiness.  That's the old Zen adage of polishing a stone to turn it into a mirror.  No matter how hard you rub, you are still going to have a stone.  From the Zen standpoint, at the core, we are already perfectly enlightened beings.  Compassion and wisdom is our natural state.  It makes no sense to try and improve the condition of our ego.  In fact, it's that very ego and its fears, attachments, and hang ups that gets in the way of our inherent, luminous nature.  The more you clear away those obstacles, and the less hold that your ego has on your mind, the more you your inner luminescence nature shines through.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The enlightened mind isn't something that can be reached by self improvement.  That's a contradiction in terms.  Enlightenment is something we find when our self is extinguished.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T19:23:00.080" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T19:23:00.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10294" CreationDate="2015-07-21T19:16:59.117" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about enlightened self interest - to sharpen one's focus onto the important things - and not just the things that are efficient distractions for most people. So, self improvement or societal improvement is definitely not a problem with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you woke me up at my deepest sleep, when I am the groggiest, I am of little use to anyone, until I wake up fully. Similarly, to be of use to anyone, whether ourselves or others in our lives, or the world at large, we must first be awakened to reality of life. Or we compound errors, like someone who's just woken up, and can't open his eyes too well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the case of a professional, say a doctor. A junior doctor will likely lose sleep over a mishap, like the loss of a patient, she will agonize over what went wrong, what could have been done to save him, and so on. Whereas, a senior doctor would know nothing more could have been done, and goes about life after a moment's reflection. Nothing surprises the senior professional in her sphere of competence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be a whole another story outside their sphere of competence - if the senior doctor lost a lot of money on the stock market, she may react like a child, crying over it, while the senior banker shuffles off home equanimously after a similar loss because this loss and gain happens to him every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life happens to all of us everyday but we cry like little children at&#xA;  life's agonies, and squeal at life's pleasures. We aren't very mature&#xA;  about life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened Buddhist looks at all life like a senior professional. With maturity. If something needs doing it is done, if something remains undone despite doing everything, there is no panic, it is just life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are in no hurry to arrive, we are in no reluctance to depart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism isn't only about denial of the self. That would be an extreme view. Just like belief in a self is an extreme view. Initially when people are unenlightened they can't even conceptualize the idea of a world without a self. At the next stage of awakening, they come to terms with the world that is empty of the self. At the next stage they come to terms with the world where a self is and isn't. They have successfully let go of either extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this final stage they are neither obsessed about lack of self improvement, nor are they lazing about without self improvement. They have developed a capacity to accept things for what they are, and react suitably. This doesn't mean they let life happen to them like an immobile rock, nor are they supermen who dodge everything life throws at them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are in one word - very mature. Like a consummate master of life who has seen it all, stepping out of the way of problems that can be avoided, and accepting what cannot be avoided as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-21T19:23:37.627" LastActivityDate="2015-07-21T19:23:37.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10294" CreationDate="2015-07-21T20:33:09.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how does Buddhism reconcile the teachings of dropping the ego with having goals to improve ones flaws?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very simple, it takes them as subsequent levels! Flaws are positioned as something that gets in the way of your happiness -- makes sense to get rid of them, right? Then you realize that your desire to get rid of flaws is your last remaining obstacle to happiness, you get rid of that and &lt;em&gt;voila&lt;/em&gt;, you are done ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of Zen teaching is for that last phase. A lot of Theravada teaching is for the initial phases. And then there are many levels of Mahayana in between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T00:05:20.767" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T00:05:20.767" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10299" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-22T00:16:31.993" Score="1" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a kind and generous Christian died 20 years ago today, 21July2015, might their rebirth have resulted in there being a 19 year old person in the human realm now? I want to assume that the kindness and generosity perhaps trumped the ignorance about samsara, resulting in a new individual array of aggregates and store consciousness inclined toward learning about Buddhism and Nibana. I wonder this basis Theravada approach to rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2019-07-16T00:30:33.173" Title="If a kind and generous Christian died 20 years ago, might their rebirth have resulted in there being a 19 year old person in the human realm now?" Tags="|rebirth|death|samsara|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10299" CreationDate="2015-07-22T02:12:14.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Tibetan Buddhism perspective this is a possible outcome. In philosophy David Lewis calls these possible worlds. It might even be true in the actual world. Which is the world we live in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bardo&lt;/a&gt; and rebirth would have to happen first of course. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also human rebirth is considered to be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism#Qualities_of_human_life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rare&lt;/a&gt;,  rarer still is human rebirth that is interested in the dharma. &#xA;But it seems if the worldview is correct, that human rebirths would become more common. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But all that aside, the human realm is still Saṃsāra. Being reborn is rough, relearning everything takes time. Where they were born and to what families will determine what they learn and in what order. &#xA;I think that covers the first question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the assumption after the first question, kindness and generosity is said to result in wealth, and being in safety respectively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not understand what you mean in your last sentence though.&#xA;You mention one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/vehicles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 vehicles&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T02:12:14.243" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10301" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10308" CreationDate="2015-07-22T02:12:24.640" Score="6" ViewCount="1567" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's very hard for me to discipline myself to practice meditation every day. Every time I decide I am going to meditate every day no matter what, after a few days I cannot not keep it up. Sometimes it is due to lack of time, but mostly it is because of laziness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure how I can get over it and keep practicing. What should I do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5536" LastEditorUserId="5" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T01:30:57.803" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T19:43:17.997" Title="How to discipline self to practice meditation everyday?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10301" CreationDate="2015-07-22T03:34:58.430" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a common problem. I'd suggest you get some &lt;strong&gt;inspiration&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;enthusiasm&lt;/strong&gt; from reading online about meditation and start doing it for even say, 30 seconds.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But most importantly, don't force yourself to do it or feel bad about not meditating. The moment you start forcing your mind to do something, it mostly doesn't work. Let your mind be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there could be external distractions apart from internal distractions. Try an early morning meditation sometime if that is the case. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, don't force yourself. Just sit down when you have the time/desire and let go of your mind. Let it wander aimlessly. But be with your mind. It's not what the mind is aware of, but how you are aware of the mind. Once this is done, start bringing the mind to your breath. This is a trick to deal with the mind. ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also try &lt;strong&gt;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; in your everyday activity. Say, your lunch or dinner time. It helps to get you started again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T03:34:58.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2015-07-22T04:17:25.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been to meetings over the past year and the purpose of chanting is to help eliminate bad karma and plant the seeds for Buddahood. Nichiren Buddhist practice consists of chanting usually the 2nd and 10th chapters of the Lotus Sutra (&quot;the last sutra&quot;) for long life and achievement of one's happiness. Usually this is done in front of a Gohonzon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no harm in adding the mantra &quot;Namyoho Renge Kyo&quot; to one's spiritual practices done at morning and night. If you want to know the exact practice to do in the morning and night, it is called the gongyo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will admit though that some members are averse to adding this practice but I believe this is because they would rather be ignorant of the rest of Buddhism because of the high promises of this Lotus Sutra from merely chanting its title. &#xA;Nonetheless, it is considered genuine so no harm in trying out the chanting! You will nonetheless benefit from chanting the simple mantra as well as the gongyo practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is probalby the most popular form of Mahayana Buddhism now because it is so easy to practice and because of the previous thing I wrote: &lt;strong&gt;chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra (Namyoho Renge Kyo) is said within the sutra to have myriad benefits.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question: &lt;strong&gt;the practice has remained the same since Nichiren introduced it: gongyo and daimoku to the gohonzon (a mystic seal) morning and night&lt;/strong&gt; (takes 10 minutes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T04:17:25.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10306" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-22T04:28:45.957" Score="2" ViewCount="161" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we stop chanting a Mahayana mantra/dharani for a few days how does this effect the gathering of merits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it a cumulative effect or multiplicative effect of chanting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or worse, does missing a chanting session reset the good merit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T06:44:06.967" Title="How much merit is lost if we miss chanting for a few days?" Tags="|mahayana|mantra|merit|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10299" CreationDate="2015-07-22T04:31:57.033" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To be born as a human, you need to keep to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt; well. To be born to a Buddhist family, you need to dedicate your good deeds towards attaining Nibbana. If your friend died 20 years ago, he could be 20 human years old now, wherever he is born, unless he died again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T04:31:57.033" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10301" CreationDate="2015-07-22T04:47:33.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While meditating did you ever get distracted with a thought before eventually returning? Sitting meditation is the same - somedays you will run away with your impulses to not sit. Confront it, accept it, deal with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditating at the same time, and at the same place can help some people. Having an alarm that goes off when it is time to sit is good. Better still, have an alarm every 30 minutes, and take a minute to be mindful every time it rings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T04:47:33.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10306" CreationDate="2015-07-22T06:44:06.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't this like any other meditation object, with vitaka and vicara the strength and sincerity of effort increases. To gauge sincerity, I rely on the generation of piti during recitation. No piti, no cookie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd assume a single sincerely uttered mantra is worth more than a thousand mantras uttered as habit. I'd also expect to become the feeling or the emotion the mantra intends to generate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a sutta were located that offered the precise formula for the question you pose, would you trust it? How can it be verified? Unless there is a giant merit counter in the sky, how can we know for sure? It can become spiritual materialism like prayer wheel spinning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha spoke of jhanas, and mindfulness, but he didn't say much about mantras. I can verify the prolonged or even permanent transformative efficacy of the former, but the efficacy of the latter beyond the immediate is less clear to my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T06:44:06.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10310" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-22T07:00:31.847" Score="4" ViewCount="158" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is traditionally believed that the Buddha was born, enlightened and passed away on the date(&lt;em&gt;tithi&lt;/em&gt;) of Vesak. Now it does not seem to be very probable that all three major incidents of one's life would occur on the same date. What is the earliest source of this information about Vesak in the scripture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-05-15T01:30:54.367" LastActivityDate="2022-05-15T08:52:15.373" Title="Where are the references of Vesak in the Pali canon?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|the-buddha|history|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10301" CreationDate="2015-07-22T08:13:07.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take a deep breath.&lt;/strong&gt; This &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; your moment of meditation. You're already living the most important and most powerful spiritual experience of your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Birdsong brings relief&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;to my longing&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm just as ecstatic as they are,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;but with nothing to say!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please, universal soul practice&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;some song or something through me!&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Rumi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5539" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T08:13:07.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10312" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10365" CreationDate="2015-07-22T09:40:18.800" Score="1" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a difference between 'please' and 'kindly'. Kindly don't take it otherwise, this is a question again very much important to me to be answered. Thank you so much for the support till now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is related to myself and my kind of personalities (practically I've observed) are available. This planet and life is full of endless possibilities. I observed that if I am following Buddhism and then I see others sleeping through that very time, then I call them (others) 'psycho', and if I don't then they (others) call &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; a psycho.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I precisely want to know (from the point of view of Buddhism):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it right to consider the term 'Psycho' or not?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it always required to make others understand about 'what you are up to'?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T09:48:35.373" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:29:38.917" Title="Are those who haven't attained enlightenment 'psycho'?" Tags="|psychology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10312" CreationDate="2015-07-22T09:53:02.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The commentary of Majjhima Nikaya ‘Papancasudani’ says that – &lt;strong&gt;“All worldly beings are deranged”, “Sabbe puthujjana ummataka”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even if you get a green light by the contemporary mental health standards, you can still be called a psycho according to Buddhism as long as you are not enlightened. The level of insanity varies from person to person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T09:53:02.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10301" CreationDate="2015-07-22T12:44:54.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try writing your resolve down (be very specific when you write it.) Perhaps with a cluster of resolves; make sure you feel very confident that you will be able to accomplish all of them (they can be a little bit more challenging once you gain momentum); make sure they all have a clear time frame and a way to measure when they are accomplished. (Cf. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SMART goals&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Every day indefinitely seems to be too high a bar; begin with an easier resolve that you are certain you can attain to build momentum, e.g., 'I will meditate 2 times a week for four weeks.' Once you achieve this, you can reevaluate how that went and make another resolve, again, that you feel confident you can accomplish, e.g., 'I will meditate 3 times a week for four weeks.' Be &lt;strong&gt;super slow&lt;/strong&gt; about increasing the frequency and build up momentum and confidence by accomplishing your resolves. Also, indefinite resolves are more difficult to work with because there is no clear end in sight. It is probably easier to work a resolve to do something for a specific amount of time, with the knowledge that you can reevaluate at that time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feel free to start with very very short sit times, as someone above recommended and maintain that until you are comfortable and stable in that, then increase &lt;strong&gt;very slowly&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Although some accomplished meditators I respect sit every day, I only sit 6 days a week, giving myself a day to completely have no responsibility. Consider only trying to sit 5 or 6 days a week.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find a teacher that you respect and find inspiring; if you can't find one in real life find one on the internet. Try to put their teachings into practice to improve. Ajahn Brahm is probably my absolute favorite; perhaps you can ask others to give you recommendations as well.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T12:44:54.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10299" CreationDate="2015-07-22T14:53:03.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's difficult to talk about rebirth as if it were a sure thing: for example because kamma comes from a being's previous life, but it also comes from the life before that, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma&quot; is said to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unconjecturable&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually being able to directly see others' karmic destinations is one of the miraculous powers &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;attributed to the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, the records tell us, in the first watch of the night he directed his concentrated mind to the recollection of his previous lives. Gradually there unfolded before his inner vision his experiences in many past births, even during many cosmic aeons; &lt;strong&gt;in the middle watch of the night he developed the &quot;divine eye&quot; by which he could see beings passing away and taking rebirth in accordance with their karma, their deeds&lt;/strong&gt;; and in the last watch of the night he penetrated the deepest truths of existence, the most basic laws of reality, and thereby removed from his mind the subtlest veils of ignorance. When dawn broke, the figure sitting beneath the tree was no longer a Bodhisatta, a seeker of enlightenment, but a Buddha, a Perfectly Enlightened One, one who had attained the Deathless in this very life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T14:53:03.570" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10312" CreationDate="2015-07-22T15:34:02.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Avidya is probably more direct than &quot;psycho&quot; .   ignorant of the 4 noble truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) I would use Avidya instead. 2) I'm not sure about this question. I'm guessing, practicing Buddhism is strange in other people's eyes (at least people around you)? sure, but no need for argument. one characteristic of a stream enterer is avoiding quarrel or distructive confrontation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T15:42:26.873" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T15:42:26.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10318" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10320" CreationDate="2015-07-22T15:34:31.023" Score="3" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once read a commentary by a Rinpoche talking about how the karma of killing a single fly grew at an exponential rate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since negative karma grows so quickly, what actions, and what amount of those actions, makes rebirth in a hell realm inevitable? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-07-22T17:46:21.363" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:38:46.767" Title="What must be done before rebirth in the hell realms becomes inevitable?" Tags="|karma|ethics|rebirth|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10312" CreationDate="2015-07-22T16:23:00.207" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is exactly the kind of dualistic thinking that has to be dropped on the way to enlightenment. &quot;If I'm good, the rest of the world is crazy / and if the rest of the world is good, I must be the crazy one&quot; - this is a kind of emergent-coarising (&quot;if this is, that is, if that is, this is&quot;) that you need to figure out in your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T16:23:00.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10318" CreationDate="2015-07-22T18:11:29.993" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Five offences in Buddhism which are said to irrevocably propel the offender into hell are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;patricide,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;matricide,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;killing an Arhat,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;injuring a Buddha,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;creating schism in the Sangha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Smaller offenses like common murder, adultery etc. can still be &quot;repaired&quot; even if with great difficulties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-25T23:38:46.767" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:38:46.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10321" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-22T20:56:49.807" Score="14" ViewCount="2352" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere (perhaps in an unreliable introduction to Tibetan beliefs) that rebirth is conditioned by the last thought before death (or perhaps affected by a thought or desire that you have &lt;em&gt;after&lt;/em&gt; death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another belief that's similar, if not the same, is that a person may have had some (good or bad) life but that having some (bad or good) final dying thought determines their rebirth (e.g. into hell or heaven).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When (historically) was this view introduced into scriptures?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the evidence and/or reasoning for this view?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is this view espoused by all schools of Buddhism, or do different traditions have different views?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that my mind has or generates lots of semi-random thoughts: they're like memories, or dream fragments, etc., they come and go. That kind of ideation (often visual images, fragmentary visions of people I've known or of places I've seen) is especially apparent when I'm asleep-and-dreaming. They're also apparent if I'm feverish and/or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delirious&quot;&gt;delirious&lt;/a&gt;. I expect that people often aren't at their most mentally acute when they're dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are we supposed/expected to have some kind of control over such thoughts/ideas/images? Or are these too &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, and neither 'self' nor 'controlled by self'? If it's true that they are not self, and not subject to control-by-self, then how are they associated with the &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; which affects rebirth? Or is it some other, different kind of &quot;last thought&quot; which affects rebirth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Googling to try to begin to research this topic I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=223&quot;&gt;this brief article which describes 'the Last Thought Moment'&lt;/a&gt; and which says for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Later still, the theory developed that the last thought moment (&lt;em&gt;cuticitta&lt;/em&gt;) a person has before they die will determine their next life. This idea, now current in &lt;strong&gt;Theravāda&lt;/strong&gt;, seems to be an unjustified development of the Buddha’s teachings and at odds with his idea of &lt;strong&gt;kamma&lt;/strong&gt; and the efficacy of morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is this article reliable, i.e. is true as far as you know, or does it say some things that would contradict or add to?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot;&gt;account of the Buddha's own death&lt;/a&gt; is of his having mastered &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt;, and making use of that ability at the time of his death:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Rising from the first jhana etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this what everyone is supposed to do when they die? Must we (and can we) hope that we will be so lucid at the time of death? Aren't people often unconscious or asleep or perhaps in a coma or something when they die?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can you summarize what conclusion you draw, about&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to practice Buddhism now?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What if anything to expect or hope at time of death?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether death and rebirth are even especially worth thinking about (or whether we're even capable of thinking about them), or whether it's more important/useful to think about this life?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2020-09-17T13:21:39.650" Title="Last thought before death?" Tags="|rebirth|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10322" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10323" CreationDate="2015-07-22T21:13:29.873" Score="1" ViewCount="629" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, when a person is old, bed-ridden and fulfilled all their obligations, they are able to fast to death to end their life. This is called &lt;em&gt;prayopavesa&lt;/em&gt; and is an acceptable practice in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do understand that the first precept in Buddhism says not to kill others which includes oneself. However, are there certain instances like those mentioned above where fasting to death is acceptable in Buddhism ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayopavesa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayopavesa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T15:42:36.030" LastActivityDate="2018-03-27T15:42:36.030" Title="Buddhist Equivalent to Prayopavesa (resolving to die through fasting)" Tags="|suicide|fasting|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-07-23T01:38:25.873" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10322" CreationDate="2015-07-22T21:54:00.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beware that even describing the advantages of dying is an offence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this commentary on the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 74:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhu intentionally deprive a human being of life, or search for an&#xA;  assassin for him, or praise the advantages of death, or incite him to die (saying): “My&#xA;  good man, what use is this evil, miserable life to you? Death would be better for you than&#xA;  life,” or with such an idea in mind, such a purpose in mind, should in various ways &#xA;  75&#xA;  praise the advantages of death or incite him to die, he also is defeated and no longer in&#xA;  affiliation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following fragment (quoted below) might be relevant to the case you're asking about e.g. when the person is terminally ill.&#xA;Don't take my word for it though!&#xA;Also this commentary is to do with whether the dying monk incurs a monastic penalty (not with whether it's a karmically optimal course of action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 85:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary extrapolates from this case to apply the dukkata to all&#xA;  attempts at suicide, including even the decision not to take food when motivated&#xA;  by a desire to die. However, it then runs into the question of how far this penalty&#xA;  applies to a bhikkhu who is ill. Its verdict: As long as medicine and attendants are&#xA;  available to him, the penalty would still apply. But then it lists two cases where&#xA;  the penalty would not apply: (a) A bhikkhu is suffering from a long and serious&#xA;  illness, and the attendant bhikkhus are fed up with caring for him, thinking,&#xA;  “When will we be free of this sick one?” If the bhikkhu reflects that, even with&#xA;  medical care, his body won’t last and that the bhikkhus are being put to&#xA;  difficulties, he incurs no penalty in refusing food and medicine. (b) A bhikkhu—&#xA;  reflecting that his illness is harsh, the forces of life are running out, and yet the&#xA;  noble attainments appear to be within his reach—may refuse food and medicine&#xA;  without penalty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary’s deliberations here show how difficult it is to legislate in&#xA;  this area, and there are reasons to question the way it applies the Great&#xA;  Standards here. Case (b) is apparently derived from SN 4.23, where Ven.&#xA;  Godhika takes his life and gains arahantship just moments before death; and&#xA;  from SN 35.87, where the Buddha says that one who puts down this body&#xA;  without taking up another body dies blamelessly. However, in arriving at its&#xA;  verdict in this case, the Commentary has to add the factors of motivation and&#xA;  perception to the equation, factors that are absent from the rule on which the&#xA;  judgment is based. It also leaves unanswered the question of how harsh the &#xA;  86&#xA;  disease has to be, and how near the anticipated attainments, to qualify for this&#xA;  exemption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This same holds true for case (a), which entails even more dubious reasoning.&#xA;  The Commentary’s judgment here has no clear precedent in the Canon; there is&#xA;  no clear line for deciding exactly how bad the illness and how fed up the&#xA;  attendants have to be for this case to apply; and why should the feelings of other&#xA;  people determine when it is or is not allowable to refuse food?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is worth noting that the origin story to the original rule here gave the&#xA;  Buddha the opportunity, had he wanted it, to formulate a general rule against&#xA;  attempted suicides, but he chose not to. He later formulated this subsidiary rule&#xA;  only when a bhikkhu attempted a suicide in a way that endangered the life and&#xA;  safety of another person. Thus a more appropriate way of applying the Great&#xA;  Standards to this subsidiary rule would be to extend it only to cases of that sort:&#xA;  where a bhikkhu’s attempts at suicide would bring danger to another person’s&#xA;  life and limb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for ways of attempting suicide that do not endanger others, it seems&#xA;  better to follow the Buddha’s wisdom in not legislating about this issue at all, and&#xA;  to treat it as a matter of Dhamma rather than Vinaya. In other words, &lt;strong&gt;one&#xA;  should keep in mind his comment in SN 35.87 that the only blameless death is an&#xA;  arahant’s. If, lacking that attainment, one chooses to refuse food when ill to&#xA;  speed up one’s death, one should be heedful of the risks that death and rebirth&#xA;  can involve.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess my personal/unreliable hypothesis on the subject is that it's like medicine: i.e. a patient may take medicine &lt;strong&gt;because&lt;/strong&gt; they are ill, &lt;strong&gt;not in order to cause&lt;/strong&gt; illness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly a patient might stop eating when (or &lt;strong&gt;because&lt;/strong&gt;) they are dying, &lt;strong&gt;not in order to cause&lt;/strong&gt; death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-22T21:54:00.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-07-23T00:07:02.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In AN 4.198  (quotes below from Bhikkhu Bodhi translation), we have the Buddha discussing four kinds of persons existing in the world: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the one who torments/tortures himself; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the one who torments/tortures others; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the one who torments/tortures himself and others;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and the one who does not torment/torture himself and others:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how is a person one who does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself and does not torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others -- the one who, since he torments neither himself nor others, in this very life dwells hungerless, quenched and cooled, experiencing bliss, having himself become divine?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the characteristics of this person, we find:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He abstains from injuring seeds and plants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T00:15:19.820" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T00:15:19.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10325" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10329" CreationDate="2015-07-23T02:03:27.517" Score="6" ViewCount="768" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will be completely honest in admit that I do not get sarcasm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person says something sarcastic I end up believing what they say, until they give that look that almost says &lt;em&gt;'Um, that was sarcastic. Duuh!&quot;&lt;/em&gt; And I'm left at the butt of the joke. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My problem here seems to stem from a simple truth to lie perspective. If I were to ask someone a question I expect an honest or helpful answer, where sarcasm may be neither of these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example:&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Do you have a bathroom?&quot; 'No, we go in a bucket.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say I'm at a new place, asking a person I've never met or only met once or twice. In this case I was hoping for a simple &lt;em&gt;'Down the hall to the left.'&lt;/em&gt; as an answer but I've been met with sarcasm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though I'm pretty sure this house has a bathroom I do not know this 100%. If I did not know sarcasm existed (which in my mind and experiences is basically the case) I have two options. Believe the information I have been given, or look that person in the face and say &lt;em&gt;&quot;You have just lied to me.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would seem that calling a person out on this deliberate lie (this sarcasm) would be extremely rude, and force the person to admit to giving me false information. At the same time this seems to be the only way to obtain the truth, the only real answer I ever even wanted to hear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that sarcasm can be funny, in context. My basic understanding is that once you get to know someone well enough you will catch those subtleties in there speech, whereas with another less known person they believe their own lie (sarcasm as knowing the information to be false but not sharing that fact) making it hard to tell if it truly was a lie simply because it was a joke 'Duuh!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many more examples of sarcasm I have come across, some easier to catch than others and some easily rectified by a simple 'Just kidding.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum all this up googling Sarcasm gives me: &lt;em&gt;The use of irony to mock or convey contempt&lt;/em&gt;. Which does not sound lighthearted at all, the word Mock standing out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not asking why people are sarcastic but &lt;strong&gt;why it's seen as such a go to form of comedy when it seems so detrimental to the person being mocked as well as detrimental to the person being sarcastic (at least from a Buddhist standpoint)? Is sarcasm as a response to a question, when that question is looking for an undeniable true answer, seen as bad Karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any information on the Buddhist thoughts on why we use sarcasm and what it is, as well as from other/more modern sources on the subject (ex.South Parks Sarcastiball episode) would be greatly appreciated if I Am to understand this experience more. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5543" LastEditorUserId="5543" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T21:47:20.420" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T04:56:29.953" Title="When seeking information is sarcasm seen as a deliberate lie?" Tags="|right-speech|right-intention|truth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-07-23T03:13:59.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17946664-what-the-buddha-never-taught&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;What the Buddha never taught&quot;, by Tim Ward&lt;/a&gt;, there's a rather humorous section describing the workarounds that monks resort to when they need to kill plants or disturb insects, either to collect firewood, or clear the walking path or empty a water bucket full of mosquito larvae. Since they can't ask a lay person to directly do these harmful deeds for them, they resort to innuendo and hints. This irks the author who resents being the lay assassin for the monks. The author points out that in the end, despite all the fussy rules, of course the jungle always gets cleared one way or the other, and the bucket full of mosquitoes always gets overturned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thai Buddhists love their meat, but they can't kill animals, so typically butchers in Thailand are Thai Muslims.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with the author, for I think such workarounds miss the point of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is precious, and life needs to be respected. There's no need to make a fuss about it, lest it become a rite and ritual. Nor is it right action to pass on the burden of destruction to someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a vegetarian because I respect life, but if I have to clear a garden I'd rather clear it out myself and take on the karmic consequence than get someone to do it for me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T04:07:11.933" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T04:07:11.933" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10176" CreationDate="2015-07-23T03:38:47.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple - we need to develop &quot;Right view&quot;. A Doctor's profession is not a curse; it is viewing it as such that makes it so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pranic energy or Qi energy is affected by the emotions we manifest. If we are angry, despondent or fearful we deplete this energy faster than if we were kind and compassionate. This is why happy and cheerful moods give lots of energy and depressed moods take away energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When our prana energy is low we can become tired, disaffected, depressed and despondent. Pure compassion and kindness can be life sustaining, even increasing prana energy. A doctor who practices compassion properly can actually continually increase his energy level through the practice of the profession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a psychological concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;compassion fatigue&lt;/a&gt;, but this isn't pure compassion, it is compassion tinged with fear. The fear depletes energy reserves and soon compassion becomes impossible. This is why there are records of field surgeons in WW2 committing suicide after saving hundreds of lives. How could they not despair at what they considered the meaninglessness of war? Yet, this is a wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To overcome this wrong view requires an awakening to the truth of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we think of death as bad, and life as good, we exist in a duality. We will then see only suffering in death and illness and be affected by our patients and friends who are ill and dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When we get rid of thinking in dualities where death is undesirable and life is desirable, then we won't be affected.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where there is life, there is death already there. How can one exist without the other? We must learn to see life and death as one movement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes life is apparent and visible, and sometimes death is apparent and visible, but it is the fault of our vision to not see both exist at the same time. Both are already there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a living body if we examine closely, we can see a dying body that is kept alive by new cells being born all the time. This much modern science already says. We lose millions of cells every day, and replace them with as many new cells. Thus life and death are ever occurring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a dead body that is buried in the ground we can see new fertilizer that will grow life soon. In a new born baby we see a being that will eventually die one day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha saw all life and death in all the realms of existence, but he was unaffected, he wasn't depressed because he saw them with pure compassion, without a tinge of fear or insecurity. He had the right view of life and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he saw pleasure he saw the suffering innate in pleasure; when he saw death and destruction, he saw the suffering innate in that too. Thus seeing that all existence is suffering, yet that all existence is empty of innate substance, he was liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T03:38:47.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10321" CreationDate="2015-07-23T03:52:21.123" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I read somewhere (perhaps in an unreliable introduction to Tibetan beliefs) that rebirth is conditioned by the last thought before death (or perhaps affected by a thought or desire that you have after death).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Another belief that's similar, if not the same, is that a person may have had some (good or bad) life but that having some (bad or good) final dying thought determines their rebirth (e.g. into hell or heaven).&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the pali canon there are suttas that suggest the &quot;state of mind&quot; in the last moments before death has a strong influence on where one reappears after dying. Two suttas on this subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It would be better, bhikkhus, for the ear faculty to be lacerated by a sharp iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a sound cognizable by the ear. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.235&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.235&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) “Now, Ananda, there is the person who has killed living beings here… has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But (perhaps) the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him earlier, or the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him later, or wrong view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. And that was why, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappeared in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But since he has killed living beings here… has had wrong view, he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next rebirth, or in some subsequent existence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) “Now there is the person who has killed living beings here… has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) “Now there is the person who has abstained from killing living beings here… has had right view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death.  [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) “Now there is the person who has abstained from killing living beings here… has had right view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But (perhaps) the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him earlier, or the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him later, or wrong view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn136&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, SN 35.235 discusses the danger of having consciousness tied to the gratification of sensual pleasures at the time of death. Also, even though we read frequently in the suttas that wrong view leads one to reappearing in hell, MN 136 discusses the (seemingly proeminent) role of right and wrong view at the time of the death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;[...] Are we supposed/expected to have some kind of control over such thoughts/ideas/images?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, to the extent we can think over, investigate, train and, thus, transform our thoughts, ideas, convictions, beliefs, and knowledges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, an untrained mind might easily produce thoughts, ideas and images against one's desire and a non virtuous person might easily incline her mind to unwholesome states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;If it's true that they [thoughts/ideasi/images] are not self, and not subject to control-by-self, then how are they associated with the kamma which affects rebirth?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is volition, bhikkhus, that I call kamma. For having willed, one acts by body, speech or mind&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts (perhaps specially the ones manifesting inclinations) are kamma. That is the association.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;: I don't believe that, say, if the thought of ceasing to exist after death, or if the thought of having a permanent soul (or any other wrong view) appears in one's mind, that it would constitute wrong view -- one needs to actually believe these. Additionally, I'm sure that a thought &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; hate is not a thought &lt;em&gt;of&lt;/em&gt; hate -- otherwise, it would be impossible to be virtuous and think &amp;amp; talk about such things. Furthermore, I understand thoughts originated by will are kamma, but still, one should ask what was that will that manifested such thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Is this article reliable, i.e. is true as far as you know, or does it say some things that would contradict or add to?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above we can conclude there is a basis in the suttas for the idea that the last moments may have a strong influence in determining one's destination (but I don't see how &quot;&lt;em&gt;the last &lt;strong&gt;thought moment&lt;/strong&gt; a person has before they die &lt;strong&gt;will determine&lt;/strong&gt; their next life.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; could be based on the suttas). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I fail to see this as conflicting, given the teachings on kamma -- specially the ones above, and this next one:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any kamma, bhikkhus, fashioned through [greed, hatred, delusion] [...] rippens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that kamma rippens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 3.34&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[there is a some polemic surrounding that particular passage, but the quote above should be safe to further elucidate these points].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;The account of the Buddha's own death is of his having mastered jhanas, and making use of that ability at the time of his death [...] Is this what everyone is supposed to do when they die? Must we (and can we) hope that we will be so lucid at the time of death? Aren't people often unconscious or asleep or perhaps in a coma or something when they die?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think most people are unconscious, asleep or confused when dying -- some, surely. Though I'm sure that some people are very lucid when dying (not necessarily buddhist monks).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't say for sure going through jhanas is the &quot;&lt;em&gt;de facto&lt;/em&gt; itinerary&quot; for &lt;em&gt;parinibbāna&lt;/em&gt;, only that this what the Buddha seemed to have done. And that if we know how to attain jhana, that that is probably what one wants to do before dying, if one hasn't attained arahantship:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures [...] some person enters and dwells in the first jhāna [...]. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of Brahmā's company.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] some person enters and dwells in the second jhāna [...]. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of streaming radiance. [...]&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] some person enters and dwells in the third jhāna [...]. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of refulgent glory. [...]&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] some person enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna [...]. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of great fruit. [...]&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 4.124&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, following the same formula of AN 4.124, AN 4.125 associates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;loving-kindness to the company of Brahmā's company&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;compassion to the company of devas of stream radiance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;altruistic joy to the company of devas of refulgent glory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;equanimity to the company of devas of great fruit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Additionally, it also states that a Buddha's disciple, at the end of the life span in these realms, attains nibbāna there, contrasted with a wordling that, after dying in such realms, reappears in a lower realm. AN 4.126 adds to the formula the contemplation of the three marks, which makes one reappears in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes -- a destination not shared with wordlings].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Can you summarize what conclusion you draw, about...&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard to the subject in question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How to practice Buddhism now?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay away from unwholesome acts of body, speech and mind, nurture wholesome acts, restrain the 6 senses (&lt;em&gt;sigh&lt;/em&gt; this is hard). Study, investigate, meditate. Rinse &amp;amp; repeat... (at least, this is what I try to do).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;What if anything to expect or hope at time of death?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If jhana is not an option, at the time of my death, I would like to remember to be mindful and equanimous while it happens -- no expectations or hope.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Whether death and rebirth are even especially worth thinking about (or whether we're even capable of thinking about them), or whether it's more important/useful to think about this life?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see no danger in thinking about it. It concerns our existence, after all. Moreover, many religions emphasize the prize of the after life -- this seems to be an important ad to gather adepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the canon, I think a particular sutta might tackle this, titled by Thanissaro Bhikkhu as &quot;A Safe Bet&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 60&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A1. &quot;Now, householders, of those contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans who hold this doctrine, hold this view — 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly, proclaim this world and the next after having directly known and realized it for themselves' — it can be expected that, shunning these three skillful activities — good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct — they will adopt &amp;amp; practice these three unskillful activities: bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct. Why is that? Because those venerable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans do not see, in unskillful activities, the drawbacks, the degradation, and the defilement; nor in skillful activities the rewards of renunciation, resembling cleansing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A2. &quot;Because there actually is the next world, the view of one who thinks, 'There is no next world' is his wrong view. Because there actually is the next world, when he is resolved that 'There is no next world,' that is his wrong resolve. Because there actually is the next world, when he speaks the statement, 'There is no next world,' that is his wrong speech. Because there actually is the next world, when he says that 'There is no next world,' he makes himself an opponent to those arahants who know the next world. Because there actually is the next world, when he persuades another that 'There is no next world,' that is persuasion in what is not true Dhamma. And in that persuasion in what is not true Dhamma, he exalts himself and disparages others. Whatever good habituation he previously had is abandoned, while bad habituation is manifested. And this wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, opposition to the arahants, persuasion in what is not true Dhamma, exaltation of self, &amp;amp; disparagement of others: These many evil, unskillful activities come into play, in dependence on wrong view.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A3. &quot;With regard to this, an observant person considers thus: 'If there is no next world, then — with the breakup of the body, after death — this venerable person has made himself safe. But if there is the next world, then this venerable person — on the breakup of the body, after death — will reappear in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Even if we didn't speak of the next world, and there weren't the true statement of those venerable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, this venerable person is still criticized in the here-&amp;amp;-now by the observant as a person of bad habits &amp;amp; wrong view: [2] one who holds to a doctrine of non-existence.' If there really is a next world, then this venerable person has made a bad throw twice: in that he is criticized by the observant here-&amp;amp;-now, and in that — with the breakup of the body, after death — he will reappear in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Thus this safe-bet teaching, when poorly grasped &amp;amp; poorly adopted by him, covers (only) one side, and leaves behind the possibility of the skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T01:42:30.720" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T01:42:30.720" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10325" CreationDate="2015-07-23T03:55:03.423" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sarcasm isn't a deliberate lie, because the intention isn't to lie or mislead, but it is wrong speech, because it has the capacity to hurt people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Per Buddhism, unless a statement is true and beneficial, it is not right speech. And joy derived from the suffering of others isn't wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ironically saying &quot;You lied&quot; to someone who is being obviously sarcastic can be seen as a kind of sarcasm itself, since it can be viewed as being affectedly sincere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;The criteria for deciding what is worth saying&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a&#xA;  sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;  of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata&#xA;  has sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 58&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T03:55:03.423" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10330" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10337" CreationDate="2015-07-23T05:01:38.800" Score="2" ViewCount="850" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use Maithree meditation for many moments of stress instead of Anapanasati. Is it a recommended practice? I find out this works for me and helps me move away from the stress at hand and find present moment peace in my mind. All ideas are welcome! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T13:57:55.893" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:06:15.360" Title="Is Maithree meditation a recommended practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|anapanasati|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10330" CreationDate="2015-07-23T07:29:01.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maithri or metta bhavana towards oneself is acceptable at most times. However, unless one is rested, is not stressed and not carrying unwholesome thoughts, performing it for others is not recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply because it's rare for one to wish harm to the self, but easier to wish it for others, even unintentionally, because we often pass judgement of slight proportions without being aware of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can also combine the Anapanasāti with metta by repeating this gātha as we breathe -       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Breathing in, I feel calm and relaxed in body and mind;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Breathing out, I see a beautiful smile appear on my lips&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Some comments have revealed a sentiment that it is okay to do metta in any quality of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very important to not practice metta bhavana with a mind of defilements, or we can transmit negativity, and harm our objects of metta instead of helping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The commentaries state: &lt;em&gt;Mijjati siniyhati 'ti mettā&lt;/em&gt; - that which&#xA;  inclines one to a friendly disposition is mettā. It is a sincere wish&#xA;  for the good and welfare of all, devoid of ill-will. &lt;em&gt;Adoso 'ti mettā&lt;/em&gt; -&#xA;  &quot;non-aversion is mettā.&quot; The chief characteristic of mettā is a&#xA;  benevolent attitude. It culminates in the identification of oneself&#xA;  with all beings, a recognition of the fellowship of all life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So long as negativities such as aversion dominate the mind, it is&#xA;  futile to formulate conscious thoughts of goodwill, and doing so would&#xA;  be a ritual devoid of inner meaning. However, when negativities are&#xA;  removed by the practice of Vipassana, goodwill naturally wells up in&#xA;  the mind; and emerging from the prison of self-obsession, we begin to&#xA;  concern ourselves with the welfare of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mettā is not prayer; nor is it the hope that an outside agency will&#xA;  help. On the contrary, it is a dynamic process producing a supportive&#xA;  atmosphere where others can act to help themselves. Mettā can be&#xA;  omni-directional or directed toward a particular person. In either&#xA;  case, meditators are simply providing an outlet; because the mettā we&#xA;  feel is not 'our' mettā. By eliminating egotism we open our minds and&#xA;  make them conduits for the forces of positivity throughout the&#xA;  universe. The realization that mettā is not produced by us makes its&#xA;  transmission truly selfless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order to conduct mettā, the mind must be calm, balanced and free&#xA;  from negativity. This is the type of mind developed in the practice of&#xA;  Vipassana. A meditator knows by experience how anger, antipathy, or&#xA;  ill-will destroys peace and frustrates any efforts to help others.&#xA;  Only as hatred is removed and equanimity is developed can we be happy&#xA;  and wish happiness for others. The words &quot;May all beings be happy&quot;&#xA;  have great force only when uttered from a pure mind. Backed by this&#xA;  purity, they will certainly be effective in fostering the happiness of&#xA;  others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We must therefore examine ourselves before practising mettā-bhāvanā to&#xA;  check whether we are really capable of transmitting mettā. If we find&#xA;  even a tinge of hatred or aversion in our minds, we should refrain at&#xA;  that time. Otherwise we would transmit that negativity, causing harm&#xA;  to others. However, if mind and body are filled with serenity and&#xA;  well-being, it is natural and appropriate to share this happiness with&#xA;  others: &quot;May you be happy, may you be liberated from the defilements&#xA;  that are the causes of suffering, may all beings be peaceful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en1992-02&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/en1992-02&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T13:16:32.560" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T13:16:32.560" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10176" CreationDate="2015-07-23T07:54:00.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being a doctor is just another service that you can do for others in order to perform Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, you can do whatever you want as your Right Livelihood, so long as it is moral and doesn't violate the other precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a doctor is very good for spiritual devleopment since you are seeing The Three Characteristics ever single day. There are also many diagnostic powers that come from success in meditation that one can use in being a doctor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many, many ways being a doctor is very complementary to spiritual practice.&#xA;What else would the great sages of the past that became Enlightened and understood the laws of the unvierse do but transform and heal others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many concentration meditation practices that are helpful to the doctor's practice and profession, skeleton meditation being the most prized (many monks attained super powers through this practice). For further reading, I recommend meditationexpert.com articles on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, every single profession has its challenges in integrating with your spiritual practice. Having good organization ability (of energy, time, and activities) is crucial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Daniel Ingram, is a doctor and holds Buddhist accomplishments. In his book, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;es_th=1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=mastering%20the%20core%20teachings%20draft&amp;amp;oq=mastering%20the%20core%20teachings%20draft&amp;amp;aqs=chrome..69i57.12064j0j7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&quot; he explains how he used original Buddhist teachings (Theravadin) to help him get through the hurdles of medical school... as well as controversial claims of Enlightenment and having achieved bhumihood/bodhisattvahood...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T05:27:17.810" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T05:27:17.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10176" CreationDate="2015-07-23T07:56:50.677" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do doctors waster their chance as you put it? They are human beings and so we could surmise most do and some don't. Do they have a privileged position to exercise their humanity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Doctors see birth, aging, sickness and death on a daily basis but have somehow become deaf,dumb and blind to all that they see and hear inside a ward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I totally agree with you! I recently watched &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2593392/&quot;&gt;Alive Inside&lt;/a&gt;, a brilliant documentary about the plight of the elderly in America who are struggling with dementia and other related diseases. The documentary clearly illustrates that the root cause of the problem is not that the care givers and doctors are inhuman but that the system in which they find themselves, conditions them to think of the elderly under their care as 'patients' not human beings. Until they are 'cured' we must hide them away in institutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science is great at solving problems but, in the medical profession, it has been taken too far and patients are seen as puzzles to solve, dials to turn and control rather than as HUMAN BEINGS. So what's missing is COMPASSION.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The modern Hypocratic Oath states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much of this warmth, sympathy and understanding is taught in medical school? Very little. It's all science - diagnosis and treatment of symptoms. Symptoms that present themselves in a biological machine not in a human being. Without the balance of a basic compassionate view, failure to cure every patient, will eventually take its emotional toll on the doctor. From a basic view of compassion there is no failure only a desire to help, to support and care for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ayurvedic medicine, doctors ask the following four questions upon seeing their patients: 1) Is there a disease? If so, what is it? 2) What is the cause of the disease? 3) Is there a cure for the disease? 4) If there is a cure, what is the treatment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like the Four Noble Truths right? Buddha must have been exposed to Ayurveda in India and re-framed these questions to diagnose the human condition. Buddha could have kept quiet about his great liberation under the Bodhi tree and just live out the rest of his life in bliss and happiness ... but he chose to teach and share with others out of COMPASSION.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think my answer is clear ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can a medical student or a doctor get across this barrier, and not be deconditioned to being blind to the truth, and how can he/she be strong and balanced enough mentally to cope up with the evergrowing needs/obligations that a doctor is cursed with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;COMPASSION :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T07:56:50.677" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8093" CreationDate="2015-07-23T09:07:24.560" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are examples of satires by the Buddha in the Pali canon. Presently I can remember two instances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) In &lt;em&gt;Tevijja Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (DN13), the Buddha compares the brahmans claiming to show the way to meet the Brahma without ever seeing him to a young man searching for the perfect girl, without seeing her or knowing her name and whereabouts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) In &lt;em&gt;Assalayana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (MN93), the Buddha ridicules the claimed superiority of the brahmans by birth by saying that the &quot;brahman-women are plainly seen having their periods, becoming pregnant, giving birth, and nursing [their children]. And yet the brahmans, being born through the birth canal, say, 'Brahmans are the superior caste; any other caste is inferior.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can have a look on &quot;What the Buddha Thought&quot; by Richard Gombrich where there is a chapter on Buddha's satire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T09:07:24.560" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10279" CreationDate="2015-07-23T11:17:52.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, the cognitive defilements prevent 'reality as it is' (inherently empty and dependently arising) to be known fully. In other earlier schools of Buddhism, seeing through the illusion of an independent self was seen as enough. Mahayana takes this a step further and points to the inherent emptiness of any independent phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Yagacara (Consciousness Only) Buddhist school the 'belief in an independent self' is seen as an afflicted defilement and 'the belief in independently real phenomena' as a cognitive defilement. These work in tandem to obscure direct apprehension of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further reading I recommend Edward Conze - &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0375726004&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Wisdom: The Diamond Sutra and The Heart Sutra&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Edward Conze ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Buddhist tradition distinguishes three types of hindrances: karmic, defilement-based and cognitive. Karmic hinderances comprise those residuals of past unwholesome actions that continue to seed the consciousness in unexamined ways. The defilement-based hinderences consist of those fueled by greed, hatred, delusion, and so forth. The third, cognitive hinderances include those that result from belief in things existing separately from the observing consciouness. &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=Jl9Nt7foXC0C&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Heart of the Universe: Exploring the Heart Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Western philosophy this Buddhist views comes pretty close to the views expressed by some idealist philosophers who generally argued against a materialist view of reality. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idealism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Idealism - Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, this idealist view is being expressed in modern science as well. A prominent proponent of this is Donald Hoffman, a neuroscientist, who proposes reality is actually a network of 'conscious agents', to use his terminology. Nice TED summary by himself here - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ted.com/talks/donald_hoffman_do_we_see_reality_as_it_is&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Do we see reality as it is?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T11:17:52.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10325" CreationDate="2015-07-23T11:38:25.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sarcasm is a type of humor and humor can be very unwholesome. What people are often trying to achieve with humor is to bring attention to themselves and make themselves look superior while making someone else look inferior. (There are other situations where someone is just trying to diffuse stress or lighten the mood; maybe by being self deprecating; which is not cruel.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before I began meditating regularly, I enjoyed watching comedy routines, giving quick sarcastic responses, and the feeling that my friends and I were very witty and smart. At this time, I see the cruelty and wrong speech far more in many types of humor and try to avoid being involved in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may not be a bad thing that you &quot;don't get&quot; sarcasm. Maybe that says something about the wholesomeness of your mind states. But to go so far as to judge someone else as telling a lie or having wrong speech isn't helpful to you. Slowing down and not reacting to such unskillful responses to your sincere questions may possibly cause the sarcastic person to feel uncomfortable enough to say &quot;just kidding&quot; and give you the real answer you needed. But if not, you can just say &quot;ok, thanks&quot; and move on to the next person who might be a little more helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my tradition, we just note &quot;hearing, hearing&quot; and try not to react to the aspects of what we are hearing, such as cruelty in this case. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T11:45:09.043" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T11:45:09.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10330" CreationDate="2015-07-23T11:51:11.770" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation will help you to reduce stress caused by hatred. But it won't be much effective against stress caused by craving or clinging. Anapanasati meditation can be used to get away from all kinds of stress and calm the mind. But it may require Metta meditation at the start as it is hard to concentrate, if you get irritated a lot. Ultimately, it is Vipassana meditation that will give a lasting solution for stress. There is no end to other meditation types. You will have to keep practicing them to maintain whatever peaceful state you may attain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use all these meditations in combination.&#xA;ex: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start with Metta and then do Anapanasati.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start with Metta and then do Vipassana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start with Metta and then Anapanasati to attain Samadhi and then turn it to Vipassana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or just do one of those meditations from the start.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have a teacher, you can experiment and see what works best for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T12:13:26.397" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T12:13:26.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10338" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-23T12:20:23.160" Score="7" ViewCount="647" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will try to fit that in a question so it will make sense in this forum: What are the resources a Buddhist can use during very hard times? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Currently I'm working 12h a day under a lot of pressure, everybody is so stressed out, on their limits, that it is easy to see all kinds of bad things: Anger, gossip, divisible speech, blame game, fears... we are living a serious economic crisis and no one wants to lose their jobs, people are terrified, this is the background.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite the hard times and the very long and stressful hours at work (that are killing my meditation practice) I'm trying, with not much success, to avoid bad kamma and protect my mind from this crazy situation, hoping it will pass next year. The problem is: I recognize I'm losing the battle, I'm being dragged by these things around me. So, what Buddhist tools can I use, assuming I will not have time for a decent meditation, assuming also the environment will not change and I cannot quit the job. Any advice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T17:34:17.103" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T22:30:52.093" Title="What are the resources a Buddhist can use during very hard times?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10339" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-23T13:04:24.657" Score="5" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practising Vipassana meditation for some years now.&#xA;Please advise me: why on my in-breath do my toes contract, and most times relax on my out-breath?&#xA;Sometimes my toes stay contracted for quite a few in- and out-breaths, then my toes relax. My toes' contracting usually starts over half-way through my 45 minute meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5546" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T21:31:15.233" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T21:31:15.233" Title="Body's response to meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10339" CreationDate="2015-07-23T13:35:14.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's not all that uncommon.  If it's not your toes, it'll be something else.  Personally, my hands will sometimes contract by themselves and my forearms will occasionally rotate a few degrees.  Other people usually report muscles in their faces that start to fire, maybe their shoulders will bounce a bit, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is a result of tension leaving the body.  The more you relax into your meditation, the more your body will loosen up.  The deeper the concentration, the more relaxed you'll get.  As you keep at your practice, you might even see other places start to loosen up - places of deep seated tension that you didn't even know existed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's nothing to be alarmed about if that's your concern.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T13:35:14.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10341" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-23T13:59:30.130" Score="5" ViewCount="1107" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a person has murdered someone: ie. A fellow human being (eg. By directly attacking someone; or by indirect attack- by speech/action ; or by other means such as abortion) , what methods are available for such a person for personal reconciliation? It is inevitable that the Law of Karma is in direct effect, but how can such a person attain peace of mind and repay for his sins truly? Many patients I meet in surgery wards have serious past histories of attacking/assaulting others and murder is inevitable sometimes. Please offer your advice. It will greatly help me when consoling such persons in the future. &#xA;Thank You!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T17:11:41.127" LastActivityDate="2017-10-28T07:35:59.810" Title="Reconciliation of Past Sins" Tags="|karma|ethics|self|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10338" CreationDate="2015-07-23T14:09:25.253" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This answer is based in the Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you have any regular breaks during your day? Like short minute breaks or lunch breaks. If so you could use these breaks as &quot;stations&quot; for re-centering yourself before going back into the storm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With 12 hour working days it's understandable that there is not much time for formal meditation. The best advice i know of is to carry the practice into your daily life, i.e. to work on staying mindful during the working day. Then how do do that in the middle of a storm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's about finding that still-center inside the tornado. In this center there is quiet and silent. That center is your abdomen. The rising and falling of the abdomen will take you back into the present. It will enable you to see things as they are and not to extrapolate on them, e.g. if a stressed out collague of yours decides to yell at you or say something infuriating then by noting it as &quot;hearing, hearing&quot; will let you see this as just being sound. If one is not mindful the mind begins to identify and take ownership of phenomena. It begins to extrapolate on phenomena and based on that cultivate a respons which might be to yell back or take revenge, thereby only adding to the suffering of oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To try to avoid these situations and when things get hectic and begin to spin out of control then try to remember to bring your attention back onto the abdomen. Just a few seconds is usually enough to ground oneself in the present and thereby getting a hold of oneself. From there you can then decide how to act accordingly to the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By remembering to center yourself throughout your working day you will be less likely to be tossed around by the waves. When mindful one is interacting instead of reacting to reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up. My best advice is to use your abdomen. Make a firm determination before going to bed in the evening, before going to work in the morning and throughout your working day (that's the hard part) to remember to center yourself by placing attention on the rising and falling sensation of the abdomen. Then note &quot;rising, rising&quot; or &quot;falling, falling&quot; accordingly to the motions of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back when i was a student i would have stressed out days and a lot of engaging with many people on a regular basis. At these times it would be difficult to remember being mindful. So every morning i took a pen and drew a little &quot;M&quot; on my wrist. I drew it there because i usually looked at my hands during daily activities so then i would see the &quot;M&quot; and instantly turn mindful. It's a great tool to use until mindfulness are so powerful that one does not need it anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this method could maybe help you out too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you have 3 methods now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First one is to make a firm determination to center yourself in evening, morning and throughtout the day. Second one is that you perform the actual centering throughtout your day, e.g. in the shorts breaks or better yet during activites and third one you have a safe guard in form of that little &quot;M&quot; on your wrist in order to remind you to center yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you the best of luck with your practice and your busy day. Remember all phenomena are impermanent. So hang in there and this situation will end too some day. Also never beat yourself up about not having time to practice. Practice accordingly to what your capacity is at a given time. A little practice is better than no practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to what i wrote please let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/30HPp.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/30HPpm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T20:14:15.623" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T20:14:15.623" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10339" CreationDate="2015-07-23T14:43:52.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, this means that you are suppressing something. Something deep in you comes up during that meditation, but you push it back down. It could be an issue you are long used to, and accepted as a part of &quot;normal life&quot;, but deep inside still have a conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T14:43:52.320" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10338" CreationDate="2015-07-23T16:19:46.740" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the movie &quot;The Forbidden Kingdom&quot;, the main charactrer Jason expressed his fear and anxiety about a dangerous journey of crossing the desert to get the mountains. He shared his thought with the Silent Monk:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Jason Tripitikas: We're not going to make it are we?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  The Silent Monk: [No response]&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  Jason Tripitikas: What if I can't handle it? What if I freeze?&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;  The Silent Monk: [Monk slowly turns and smiles] Don't forget to breathe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excellent advice! On a physical level, maintaining a nice and calm breathing pace makes a direct positive impact on your mental state. So do it as often as you can. On a deeper psychological level, the monk suggested to be mindful of what's going on around you, which the other post already gave some good advice. Mindfulness always reduce any stressful situation level by at least 50%. Why? Any stressful situation requires 2 negative mental states: one of the other person, and one of yourself. While you cannot control what other people think, say, or do, you CAN control what you think, say, or do. Being mindful takes care that half on your part, hence the automatic reduction of suffering by 50%. Lastly, don't forget to go outside. Just take your 5-minute break and get out of the office building. Take a quick walk and breathe deeply the fresh air outside. Again, that mutual relationship of mind/body..  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T16:19:46.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9330" CreationDate="2015-07-23T16:33:09.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tantrayana is another word to describe the tantric vehicle of Buddhism. From the Vajrayana view, the three vehicles include: Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. The nine vehicle system described by the Nyingmapa sect can be researched &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Nine_yanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;on the Rigpa wiki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that some of the other Buddhist traditions do not accommodate the assertions that Himalayan and Indian Buddhist traditions about the division of Dharma practice into 3 vehicles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5547" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T16:33:09.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10346" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-23T17:45:52.640" Score="4" ViewCount="654" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/7gIRPTAj_L4?t=4m22s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Nandasiri, if I am understanding him correctly, he equates appana samadhi and magga/phala enlightenment. Is this correct? I had understood momentary, access, and absorption to be referring to jhana. Do they also refer to magga/phala? Or are they one in the same?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T12:06:16.203" Title="Is appana samadhi the same as magga/phala?" Tags="|jhana|stages-of-the-path|samadhi|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10346" CreationDate="2015-07-23T18:56:27.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot answer the first part of the question so i will instead address the other part of the question, i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I had understood momentary, access, and absorption to be referring to jhana&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quote on the 3 different types of concentration is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/practicing-the-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Practicing The Jhanas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder. They were both students of Pa Auk Sayadaw and undertook a Samatha Meditation Course under his guidance. They write in the book that they achieved the 4 material jhanas and the 4 immaterial jhanas. Here is their description of the different types of concentration and in what practices they appear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MOMENTARY CONCENTRATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Momentary concentration is the most difficult to understand, because there are two types. The first develops in vipassanā practices in which the object changes frequently. In contrast to samantha practices in which the object is constant, in vipassanā the object is, in a way, changing or “moving.” As such, one could say that the ultimate object of vipassanā meditation is the present moment and what is being perceived in the present moment (hence, the relationship to “momentary” concentration).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight-oriented momentary concentration practices are widely used and can be found in meditation such as vipassanā (as it is commonly practiced in North America and Europe) as well as in the Tibetan dzogchen rigpa practice and the Zen shikantaza practice. The Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw presents the four elements meditation, which is a momentary concentration practice, as the entry point into the vipassanā practices. We describe this practice in chapter 8. The second type of momentary concentration arises during samatha practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw sometimes refers to this type of momentary concentration as “preparatory” concentration, because it prepares the meditator for and precedes access concentration (the second type of concentration). In samatha practice, the meditation object is consistent rather than changing. Having a consistent object leads to serenity and purification of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ACCESS CONCENTRATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditators can eventually attain access concentration using either type of momentary concentration practice—samatha or vipassanā. However, samatha practices are more likely to lead to access concentration because of their more stable nature. Access concentration is characterized by the significant reduction or complete dropping of the five hindrances and the arising and strengthening of the jhāna factors. For most people, a period of intensive practice is required to reach access concentration. In access concentration, the meditative experience becomes smoother, easier, and more pleasant because of this lessening of hindrances and the arising of the powerful and blissful sensations of the jhāna factors. This allows meditators to meditate longer and progress more easily in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It becomes a positive, self-reinforcing loop.It is easy to confuse momentary concentration with access concentration. One difference is that with access concentration, the meditator’s continuity with the object is much longer and more stable over time. Another difference is that with access concentration, the object is much more energized and “bright.”Most of the practices outlined in this book are samatha practices specifically designed to settle the mind and develop laserlike awareness, leading eventually to full absorption into the jhānas. Examples of samatha practices designed to develop access and absorption concentration are ānāpānasati meditation (as presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw), the kasiṇas, thirty-two-body-parts meditation, skeleton meditation, and the bramavihāras (sublime abidings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As access concentration develops, but prior to full absorption, it is also easy to confuse access with absorption concentration. In access concentration, the jhāna factors are present but insufficiently strong for full absorption into jhāna. (The differences between access and absorption are described below.)Even after a meditator has experienced full jhāna absorption and begins to move through the practice progression, access concentration continues to be used. With progression to each successive jhāna, the meditator first experiences access concentration as the awareness orients to the new experiences and increases in stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ABSORPTION CONCENTRATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words jhāna and absorption are synonymous. In absorption concentration, awareness is pulled into the jhāna with a “snap.” The beginning meditator cannot “will” the absorption to happen or “make” it happen. Full absorption arises only when the concentration is strong and ripe after many days, weeks, months, or even years of unwavering focus on a specific meditative object. Only later, as a meditator becomes more experienced with full jhāna absorption and more skilled with the progression of jhānas and the five “jhāna masteries,” is it possible to enter a jhāna at will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five jhāna masteries are specific attainments that meditators complete in each jhāna, as demonstrations of mastery, before they can progress to the next jhāna. They are described in chapter 5.In absorption, in addition to the strong presence of the appropriate jhāna factors, the awareness is extremely secluded and focused, and ongoing concentration is more easily maintained. Awareness fully penetrates and is suffused by the jhāna factors. The Visuddhimagga highlights the difference between access and absorption concentration using the analogy of walking. Access concentration is like a toddler learning to walk. The child can take a few steps but repeatedly falls down. In contrast, absorption concentration is like an adult who is able to stand and walk for an entire day without falling down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A modern metaphor would be of a top spinning. In access concentration, the top needs constant attention, wobbles frequently, and falls down. In absorption, the top spins in a centered way on its own.There may be misconceptions about the experience of full absorption in jhāna. First, there is awareness while in jhāna. It is not a zombie state, trance, or period of unconsciousness. However, there is no sense of “me” while in jhāna. The only awareness while in full absorption is of the object. If meditators have awareness of data from the five senses, it is because they are temporarily out of absorption. The five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) do not arise while in absorption jhāna. In addition, there is no thought or decision making while fully absorbed in jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beginning meditators who find that they are thinking or noticing input from the sense doors should view this as a slight imperfection of jhāna rather than full jhāna absorption. Meditators can also “pop out” of jhāna unintentionally because concentration wanes and the jhāna factors lessen. It is best not to worry about initial imperfections, which are bound to happen as beginners are developing mastery of the jhānas. As concentration increases, these imperfections wane and stability increases.Awareness in the jhānas is incredibly pristine, purifying, and indescribable. It is distinctly different from access concentration. Because access concentration can be so pleasant and nonordinary, however, people sometimes mistake access concentration for absorption, when it is not. This is one reason why it is important to receive guidance from a qualified teacher who knows the difference between access concentration and absorption concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Absorption concentration is an incredibly powerful tool for purification, refinement of awareness, and access to realms far beyond normal, everyday comprehension. In addition, this intense focus can be an incredibly powerful tool to apply to the vipassanā practice. Meditation powered by the supercharged energy of the jhānas, or even a strong access concentration, can provide a vehicle to insight beyond normal perception that may not be possible with momentary concentration alone.We should note that, because awareness is so refined in full absorption, sensory input that would seem minimal in ordinary consciousness can feel extremely jarring when emerging from jhāna. This experience is intensified further when a meditator has completed weeks or months of deep absorption practice and reenters worldly life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T18:56:27.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10301" CreationDate="2015-07-23T19:43:17.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very hard for me to discipline myself to practice meditation every day. Every time I decide I am going to meditate every day no matter what, after a few days I cannot not keep it up. Sometimes it is due to lack of time, but mostly it is because of laziness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure how I can get over it and keep practicing. What should I do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it can actually be counterproductive when setting &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;absolute&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; goals such as &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;from now on i will meditate 1 hour everyday&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; or as you mention that you would like to meditate everyday no matter what. This can become a hindrance for one' practice when the bar is set too high compared to how much effort and energy is available. Maybe one is spending a lot of energy on work, relationships, training etc. Then there will be less energy for the practice and when one then sets absolute goals these goals can seem so high that they are not possible to reach. One's determination and resolution then turns into laziness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like being giving a task that is above one's capacity at that given time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually laziness occurs when there is an excess of concentration and too little energy to drive it. It's like wanting to run an entire marathon but only having the energy and stamina to complete half of the run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should one do then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A way to deal with this is to set realistic goals for the time being. One can definitely get to a meditation practice that is once a day. That is far from impossible. That is actually recommended to practice as often as possible since the fruits will be bigger when practice is frequent and consistent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But one have to start some place. Maybe a goal could be to meditate 2 or 3 times a week. Or maybe every second day and only for 15 minutes. As practice builds and concentration builds one can sit longer sessions or more sessions or do both if the energy and concentration is cultivated. It's better to have shorter productive sessions than long sessions where the last half of the session is dominated by dulness and drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can one then adjust one's practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you have heard the phrase &amp;quot;Balancing the faculties&amp;quot;. We have 5 spiritual faculties that needs to be balanced. When the 5 faculties are matured they are called The 5 Powers. They are briefly; &lt;em&gt;Concentration, Energy, Faith, Discriminating Wisdom and Mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Energy and concentration needs to be balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith and Wisdom needs to be balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is general. It should always be cultivated and one can never get too much mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If concentration is high and energy is low one will experience laziness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If energy is high and concentration is low one will experience restlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith and Wisdom i will not go into here since they are not the issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to balance your energy faculty, i.e. to &lt;em&gt;arouse&lt;/em&gt; energy. There are several ways to do that. One can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Splash cold water in the face before a meditation session&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One can do walking meditation in a brisk pace before sitting meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One can go to a high place, e.g. a mountain or building and practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One can make a firm determination to practice effortly and sincerely&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One can do contemplation on Death as that will induce a feeling of &lt;em&gt;urgency&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One can reflect on the 5 daily recollections, i.e. That one will grow old, become sick and ill, die, loose everything that one holds dear and that one is the sole heir of one's actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are all methods to overcome laziness and arouse energy, i.e. to balance the energy faculty so that one has the stamina to reach the goals that one sets forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T19:43:17.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10325" CreationDate="2015-07-23T22:14:20.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sarcasm: even if it is sometimes hilarious--is (accidental) malice and is also a test of your dominance and strength in the conversation. People should stop being sarcastic because it is indeed Wrong Speech&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever you do, do not be malicious back (through sarcasm, assault, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Solution:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignore the emotion and reply back positively. &quot;Thanks I'll go use the bathroom&quot; or &quot;Thanks I'll go use the bucket&quot; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Laugh lightly and re-assert lightly. &quot;Haha. I really need to use the bathroom. Does that one work?&quot; Should they reply with further sarcasm, just go use it. They are feeling too close with you and want to just make you laugh.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first solution is better than the second due to neurological conditioning purposes -- the second solution works but it will train them to keep being sarcastic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st solution is best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a personal setting, sarcasm means that the person is too relaxed with you. In a group setting, sarcasm means that the person is being rude and testing you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T22:14:20.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10350" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10354" CreationDate="2015-07-23T22:57:37.557" Score="4" ViewCount="1356" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was on a Self Inquiry retreat last year, I was explaining why I wanted to help other people. One of the two teachers looked at me and said, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;There are no other people.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; That sort-of made sense to me. The next day I had a realization which made it make sense completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the other day (is there another day?) I saw it in a different way: that it simply does not matter whether there are other people or not, because I can never have real insight in to them, so I am completely alone in my path. My image of two people is like spheres touching at one hypothetical point (Indra's Net). I cannot see much through a point-sized window on to (hypothetical) someone-else's world. This is like &lt;strong&gt;Vivekacudemani #515&lt;/strong&gt;:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am Actionless.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I am Changeless.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I am Partless.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I am Without Purpose.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I am Eternal.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I do not require any prop.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;I am One, without a Second&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am One, can I know anyone else? What does Buddhism say on this point?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T11:58:32.670" LastActivityDate="2017-10-26T10:38:36.067" Title="Are there other people, according to Buddhism?" Tags="|nonduality|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10350" CreationDate="2015-07-23T23:12:19.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no not-others and there is no others. Buddhism teaches a nondual perspective beyond either extreme, beyond the dichotimization that is the habit of the intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not even that One because to mention that One is to already create a separateness. There is just is-ness.&#xA;There is not even just is-ness because is-ness implies separation from not-is-ness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being such, you may notice that the answers to these kind of questions are not given by words alone but the answer can only be tasted through experience and Insight, a process that obviates the intellect and uses intuition (primordial forms of awareness) to &quot;get it&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than_en.html#poison&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;arrow analogy here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-10-26T10:38:36.067" LastActivityDate="2017-10-26T10:38:36.067" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10350" CreationDate="2015-07-23T23:24:53.187" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The practice of a bodhisatvva&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The entire practice of a &lt;em&gt;bodhisattva&lt;/em&gt; is divided into six &lt;em&gt;perfections&lt;/em&gt;, which are generosity, discipline, patience, effort, meditative concentration, and wisdom.&#xA;  In order to fulfill the hopes of others, it is very important to engage in the practice of generosity, which in turn should be strengthened by a strict observance of ethical discipline, that is, of non-violence.&#xA;  The practice of discipline must itself be complemented by that of patience, because you will need to have forebearance when facing the harm inflicted on you by others.&#xA;  In order to succeed in these practices, your endeavour must be strong and stable.&#xA;  And without meditative concentration that effort will not be so effective.&#xA;  Finally if you do not have the wisdom that realizes the nature of all phenomena, you will not be capable of guiding others on the path that leads to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The sweet taste of bodhicitta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is one practice that is sufficient to bring about buddhahood, it is the practice of great compassion.&#xA;  Chandragomin, a sixth-century Indian poet, said that it is stupid to expect to change the taste of a very bitter fruit by simply adding one or two drops of sugar to it.&#xA;  In the same way, we cannot expect the fragrance of our minds, which are so contaminated by the bitter taste of delusion, to change instantaneously into the sweet taste of &lt;em&gt;boddhicitta&lt;/em&gt; or compassion on the basis of just one or two sessions of meditation.&#xA;  Sustained and continuous effort is extremely important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the Buddha himself said, on th strength of their wisdom &lt;em&gt;bodhisattvas&lt;/em&gt; abandon all delusion, but through the vigour of applying compassionate methods, they never abandon beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Dalai Lama's Little Book of Inner Peace -- The Essential Life and Teachings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was also a video in which the Dalai Lama said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I never consider myself as something special. If I consider myself as something different from you, like I am Buddhist, or even more, I am His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or even if I consider I am Nobel Laureate, then actually you create yourself as a prisoner. I forget these things, I simply consider I am one of the seven billion human beings. We are mentally, emotionally, intellectually, we are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He goes on to say that people get fulfillment of purpose, and &quot;always feel happy&quot;, from helping others, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that other people &quot;don't exist&quot;: it's that there are not &quot;other&quot; people, not different; i.e. &quot;we are the same&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T23:24:53.187" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10338" CreationDate="2015-07-23T23:29:45.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should speak with your boss about having a meditation break added into the work day for all employees. This would definitely increase productivity if everyone was given the opportunity to calm their mind and re-focus their attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T23:29:45.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10350" CreationDate="2015-07-23T23:36:37.647" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism the Abhidhamma Pitaka teaches that there are 2 kinds of realities, i.e. &lt;em&gt;the conventional reality (sammuti sacca) and ultimate reality (paramattha sacca)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional reality consists of concepts and entities, e.g. a man, woman, animal, car, planet, galaxy etc. These do not really exist since they are merely concepts with no real point of reference. A car or a person is merely a designation given to a collection of parts put together in a certain configuration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate reality consists of Citta (consciousness), Cetasika (mental concomitants), Rupa (materialty) and Nibbana (unconditioned realm). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when speaking about people we are dealing with conventional reality. In conventional reality concepts exist meaning that people exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ultimate reality people do not exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paramattha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a quote from the Palikanon.com:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha, in explaining his doctrine, sometimes used conventional language and sometimes the philosophical mode of expression which is in accordance with undeluded insight into reality. In that ultimate sense, existence is a mere process of physical and mental phenomena within which, or beyond which, no real ego-entity nor any abiding substance can ever be found. Thus, whenever the suttas speak of man, woman or person, or of the rebirth of a being, this must not be taken as being valid in the ultimate sense, but as a mere conventional mode of speech (vohāra-vacana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is one of the main characteristics of the Abhidhamma Pitaka, in distinction from most of the Sutta Pitaka, that it does not employ conventional language, but deals only with ultimates, or realities in the highest sense (paramattha-dhammā). But also in the Sutta Pitaka there are many expositions in terms of ultimate language (paramattha-desanā), namely, wherever these texts deal with the groups (khandha), elements (dhātu) or sense-bases (āyatana), and their components; and wherever the 3 characteristics (ti-lakkhana) are applied. The majority of Sutta texts, however, use the conventional language, as appropriate in a practical or ethical context, because it &quot;would not be right to say that 'the groups' (khandha) feel shame, etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to read a bit more about what the Abhidhamma and ultimate reality is there is a well written chapter called &lt;em&gt;&quot;What is Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt; in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda, p. 105-111. Here is a quote from the chapter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidharma teaches that the egoistic beliefs and other concepts such as ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘person’ and ‘the world’ , which we use in daily conversation, do not adequately describe the real nature of existence. The conventional concepts do not reflect the fleeting nature of pleasures, uncertainties, impermanence of every component thing, and the conflict among the elements and energies intrinsic in all animate or inanimate things. The Abhidharma doctrine gives a clear exposition of the ultimate nature of human beings and brings the analysis of the human condition further than other studies known to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidharma deals with realities existing in the ultimate sense, or paramattha dhamma in Pali. There are four such realities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Citta, mind or consciousness, defined as ‘that which knows or experiences’ an object. Citta occurs as distinct momentary states of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cetasika, the mental factors that arise and occur along with the citta.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rupa, physical phenomenon or material form.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana, the unconditioned state of bliss which is the final&#xA;  goal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta, the cetasika, and rupa are conditioned realities. They arise because of conditions, and will disappear when the conditions sustaining them cease to continue to do so. They are impermanent states. Nirvana, on the other hand, is an unconditioned reality. It does not arise and, therefore, does not fall away. These four realities can be experienced regardless of the names we may choose to give them. Other than these realities, everything—be they within ourselves or without, whether in the past, present or future, whether coarse or subtle, low or lofty, far or near—is a concept and not the ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta, cetasika, and Nirvana are also called nama. Nirvana is an unconditioned nama. The two conditioned nama, that is, citta and cetasika, together with rupa (form), make up psychophysical organisms, including human beings. Both mind and matter, or nama-rupa, are analysed in Abhidharma as though under a microscope. Events connected with the process of birth and death are explained in detail. The Abhidharma clarifies intricate points of the Dharma and enables the arising of an understanding of reality, thereby setting forth in clear terms the Path of Emancipation. The realization we gain from the Abhidharma with regard to our lives and the world is not to be understood in a conventional sense, but is an absolute reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-23T23:56:33.637" LastActivityDate="2015-07-23T23:56:33.637" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10338" CreationDate="2015-07-24T02:34:40.093" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can sympathize with this difficult situation. I work in an industry where downsizing is done regularly and it takes its toll on people. You've received some good suggestions. The only thing I can add is to remind you that your formal sitting meditation can become a refuge from this stress and may be worth losing sleep to resume. Formal meditation before you go to sleep can help you relax and sleep better. In the morning it can help you steady and calm yourself for another challenging day. We can sleep less when we meditate so you won't necessary feel sleepy for having traded sleep time for meditation time; you may even feel more energized and focused which can only help. Best wishes. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T10:27:06.640" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T10:27:06.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-07-24T03:20:19.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition, I would like to recommend you to follow Ven. Ajahn Brahmawamso's YouTube channel and read his publications. It is an easy method for new converts to understand the basic concepts in buddhism in an easy way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://m.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visit Ven.Ajahn Brahmawamso's YouTube channel!&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T03:20:19.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9711" CreationDate="2015-07-24T05:06:24.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Books are the way to go. There is simply no substitute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB;jsessionid=724101A9433ABCC269CB73F7CA399CE0?p_r_p_185834411_title=MCTB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; to develop a pragmatic Theravadin perspective with an &quot;American&quot; bite to it. It also educates you on how to evaluate other traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T05:06:24.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10265" CreationDate="2015-07-24T05:21:42.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is actually the cycle of dukkha/afflictions that is stopped (initially).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The interesting thing that should motivate everyone to work towards enlightenment is this: it is due to these afflictions/dukkha that we are &lt;em&gt;forced&lt;/em&gt; to take on certain rebirths&lt;/strong&gt;--as punishment/reward for our action... even the smallest action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, nothing is actually &quot;stopped&quot;... There is no end to the Buddhist quest, not even Buddahood! As a Buddha one still takes on rebirths but now these are intentional rebirths! One &lt;em&gt;intends&lt;/em&gt; to be reborn in such and such place and such and such place in order to accomplish Compassionate Action 924,322,322...&#xA;That is a Buddha's existence. Being perfectly at ease with the universe, free from dukkha and forced rebirth, emanating only to complete their vow to help all  beings and solve the universe's karma -- one of the many reasons that they have such power in the first place!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism places no strict timeline and potentially one can become a Buddha anytime (because one is fundamentally so). (Although this is like saying one can definitely win the lottery any time.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T05:21:42.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8599" CreationDate="2015-07-24T05:47:38.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They try to fulfill   &amp;quot;Muni vrutha&amp;quot; - Muni's=Saga's, vrutha=Duty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;refer - &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nalaka sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Nalaka:]  I ask you, Gotama, you who have gone to the beyond of all things. I'm intent on the homeless life; I long for the almsround. Tell me sage, when I ask you, the utmost state of sagacity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:]&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;I'll explain to you a sagacity hard to do, hard to endure.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Come now, I'll tell you.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Be steadfast. Be firm.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Practice even-mindedness, for in a village there's praise &amp;amp; abuse.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Ward off any flaw in the heart. Go about calmed &amp;amp; not haughty.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;High &amp;amp; low things will come up like fire-flames in a forest.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Women seduce a sage. May they not seduce you.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Abstaining from sexual intercourse,……..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2020-11-17T16:27:04.703" LastActivityDate="2020-11-17T16:27:04.703" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10361" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-24T08:21:18.120" Score="4" ViewCount="563" Body="&lt;p&gt;I simply ask myself rather one could make sense of the Dharma and apply it without the concepts of rebirth and kamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though for me it is my personal approach to the Dharma, which i find to be highly meaningful in both theoretical and practical manner. As like no other intellectual complex, I think the Dharma could claim something like describing the essence and nature of being - if such claim should ever be stressed.&#xA;I would not dare to discuss this question as a devout follower. My interest is simply philosophical in its nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So i am just about to read C.W.Gorwans &quot;Philosophy of the Buddha&quot; and I am very pleased about how well balanced and respectful he treats the topic as a scholar of analytic philosophy. &#xA;Considering the concepts of kamma and rebirth, ONE of the approaches the author offers, is that the Lord Buddha just simply took kamma and rebirth as beliefs deriving from his culture, beliefs so deep and taken for granted that he would not spend a second on doubting it - although he must have been very critical to all kinds of believe. But for example, if you consider doubtful questioning in western philosophy, such as &quot;the meditations&quot; of Descartes and Husserl, it seems mostly obvious that doubt could never ever stressed out in the whole sense. Even though while claiming that radical doubt will set up everything to the disposition of rational examination, there will always be some &quot;leftover&quot; belief as remains (for Descartes it was god , for Husserl it must have been the ego). The latter should also be a position that C.Taylor stresses in his historical treatise &quot;Sources of the Self&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, but coming back in addressing my question to you as experts in the Dharma, what are your opinions about this issue? Could we make sense of the teaching of the Lord Buddha without believing that we will be reborn? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the concept of kamma, it is possible to make sense of it without believing in rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well I do not expect a discussion on a very high intellectual level, but maybe an exchange of ideas and opinions on the applicability of &quot;Buddhism&quot; and its precious teaching in a mindset that could be called &quot;western&quot;. &#xA;As I found out that it is a major critique of native Buddhists about western fellows that they don't sufficiently reflect the teaching according to their own culture and should not simply adopt it as a belief - which would actually be contradicting the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;warm regards!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5550" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T19:28:48.107" LastActivityDate="2018-02-07T17:28:33.807" Title="Dharma without Karma?" Tags="|karma|philosophy|rebirth|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10284" CreationDate="2015-07-24T11:21:21.677" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true, the precept reads &amp;quot;kāmesu&amp;quot;, which literally means &amp;quot;in regards to sensuality&amp;quot;, but in this instance as elsewhere, &lt;em&gt;kāma&lt;/em&gt; refers specifically to sexual sensuality - it's one recognized meaning of the word:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kāmesū&lt;/strong&gt;ti methunasamācāresu methunavatthūsu vā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;kāmesu&amp;quot; means either &amp;quot;in regards to sexual activity&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;in regards to the objects of sexuality&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN-A 3.10.33&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the meaning really is &amp;quot;wrong behaviour in regards to sexuality&amp;quot;, and the definition of what is wrong is fairly specific; not all sexual behaviour is considered wrong for the purposes of this precept, and certainly not all sensual indulgence. This has been &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1371/18&quot;&gt;covered in answers to another question about this precept already&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T11:21:21.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10294" CreationDate="2015-07-24T11:36:08.760" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is easily reconciled by understanding that our flaws are all based on our desires. Enlightenment doesn't actually come through desire (though in early stages it may be wrongly pursued in such a way), it comes from the renunciation of desires, which, if you think about it, doesn't take desire to do away with. All it takes is wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;paññāya parisujjhati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through wisdom one is purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Sn 10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the simple abandoning of desire (including desire for self-improvement), through simply seeing desire as a cause for suffering, can be understood as the path to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note, that enlightened beings do often appear to seek out self-improvement, but this should be understood as merely functional behaviour - a natural outcome of the enlightened state, whereby one acts simply out of purity of mind, not out of desire (and so would not be upset by failure or elated by success).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T11:36:08.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10310" CreationDate="2015-07-24T11:41:41.070" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without looking too deeply, it seems that the word &quot;visākhapuṇṇamadivase&quot; (day of the full moon of Visākha) only appears in the commentaries. I don't think there is any canonical reference to that date; though I can't think offhand of any sutta that is precisely self-dated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T11:41:41.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10312" CreationDate="2015-07-24T11:48:42.253" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, the word &quot;psycho&quot; is actually slang, so it's not proper to use in any intellectual discussion. The word you are thinking of is &quot;psychotic&quot;, which technically refers to a person who suffers from or behaviour that stems from a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;psychosis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term &quot;psychosis&quot; is very broad and can mean &lt;strong&gt;anything from relatively normal aberrant experiences through to the complex and catatonic expressions of schizophrenia and bipolar type 1 disorder&lt;/strong&gt;. In properly diagnosed psychiatric disorders (where other causes have been excluded by extensive medical and biological laboratory tests), &lt;strong&gt;psychosis is a descriptive term for the hallucinations, delusions, sometimes violence, and impaired insight that may occur. Psychosis is generally the term given to noticeable deficits in normal behavior (negative signs) and more commonly to diverse types of hallucinations or delusional beliefs, especially as regards the relation between self and others as in grandiosity and pronoia/paranoia.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This definition could easily be interpreted loose enough to include all people with wrong views or conceit, but as the term is used in modern psychology, it wouldn't actually include most &quot;ordinary&quot; beings. So, as with all terms, it depends on who is doing the defining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, that should pretty much answer your first question - &quot;psycho&quot; is slang, but &quot;psychotic&quot; could be used to describe a non-enlightened person, though it would be quite a bit broader than what is generally accepted to be the meaning of the term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your second, fairly unrelated question, in regards to how it relates to your first question, the fact that ordinary people are mentally deranged means that sometimes indeed you will be unable to make them understand you. In fact, really the only one you should be worried about understanding you is yourself. There is nothing in the path to enlightenment that requires you to be understood by others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T16:29:38.917" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:29:38.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10346" CreationDate="2015-07-24T12:06:16.203" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the venerable means is that, according to the abhidhamma, magga and phala are both &lt;em&gt;types&lt;/em&gt; of appana samadhi, not that all appana samadhi is magga and phala (which would be silly anyway, because magga and phala themselves are distinct from each other). At the moment of enlightenment, one enters into a type of appana samadhi called &amp;quot;lokuttara samadhi&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;lokuttara jhāna&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt; meaning supramundane).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;katame dhammā kusalā? yasmiṃ samaye lokuttaraṃ jhānaṃ bhāveti niyyānikaṃ apacayagāmiṃ diṭṭhigatānaṃ pahānāya paṭhamāya bhūmiyā pattiyā vivicceva kāmehi . pe . paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What dhammas are wholesome? At whatever time, one cultivates supermundane jhāna that leads out (from samsara), that goes to diminution (of suffering), through the abandoning of gone-to views, through attaining the first realm (stream entry), having become thoroughly secluded from sensuality ... one enters and abides in the first jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- DhS 277&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a non-English native, it may be that he is not aware of the potential ambiguity of his grammatical structuring of the statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T12:06:16.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10367" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-24T12:45:47.553" Score="3" ViewCount="1115" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to buddhism, there exists 31 &amp;quot;planes of existence&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhist cosmology describes the 31 planes of existence in which rebirth takes place. The order of the planes are found in various discourses of the Gautama Buddha in the Sutta Pitaka. For example, in the Saleyyaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya the Buddha mentioned the planes above the human plane in ascending order.&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; In several sūtras in the Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha described the causes of rebirth in these planes in the same order. In Buddhism, the devas are not immortal gods that play a creative role in the cosmic process. They are simply elevated beings who had been reborn in the celestial planes as a result of their words, thoughts, and actions. Usually, they are just as much in bondage to delusion and desire as human beings, and as in need of guidance from the Enlightened One. The Buddha is the &amp;quot;teacher of devas and humans (satthadevamanussanam). The devas come to visit the Buddha in the night. The Devatasamyutta and the Devaputtasamyutta of the Samyutta Nikaya gives a record of their conversations. The devaputtas are young devas newly arisen in heavenly planes, and devatas are mature deities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more than 10,000 crore (100 billion) solar systems in our Galaxy, and more than 10,000 crore (100 billion) galaxies in our Universe. There are many Universes in space. Past and future lives may occur on other planets. The data for the 31 planes of existence in samsara are compiled from the Majjhima Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, Khuddaka Nikaya, and others. The 31 planes of existence can be perceived by a Buddha's Divine eye (dibbacakkhu) and some of his awakened disciples through the development of jhana meditation. According to the suttas, a Buddha can access all these planes and know all his past lives as well as those of other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school - Wikipedia &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the question:&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Are these 31 planes of existence actually existing all around us RIGHT HERE where we are (as in 31 'dimensions' per se), or are they belonging in different planets and galaxies far apart from each other? Since 'planes' can also mean 'dimensions' if viewed from such a perspective.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please verify! Thanks for your patience!&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VGjfG.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;IMAGE: 31 planes of existence - Ven.Suvanno Mahathera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2024-03-17T00:51:12.447" Title="On 31 planes of existence" Tags="|academic-buddhism|realms|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10368" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10369" CreationDate="2015-07-24T13:19:47.023" Score="4" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a great many Buddhist rituals which vary across Buddhist schools and traditions. Did the Buddha describe any rituals which were  to be done as part of practice in the Pali canon? Or are the rituals we see today later additions perhaps emerging from specific cultural or historic contexts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T13:34:42.930" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:19:41.580" Title="Is ritual described in the Pali canon?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|history|texts|rituals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10368" CreationDate="2015-07-24T14:30:35.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not know of a sutta where the Buddha suggested ritual. (There may be one; I just don't know of it.) But I do know of a sutta where the Buddha guided a follower to understand that ritual is ineffective. In SN 42.6, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paccha-bhumika Sutta: [Brahmans] of the Western Land&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha gave 4 examples of crowds trying to affect an outcome with rituals. Here are two for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Very well, then, headman, I will question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: There is the case where a man is one who takes life, steals, indulges in illicit sex; is a liar, one who speaks divisive speech, harsh speech, &amp;amp; idle chatter; is greedy, bears thoughts of ill-will, &amp;amp; holds to wrong views. &lt;strong&gt;Then a great crowd of people, gathering &amp;amp; congregating, would pray, praise, &amp;amp; circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart [saying,] 'May this man, at the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world!' What do you think: would that man — because of the prayers, praise, &amp;amp; circumambulation of that great crowd of people — at the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose a man were to throw a jar of ghee or a jar of oil into a deep lake of water, where it would break. There the shards &amp;amp; jar-fragments would go down, while the ghee or oil would come up. &lt;strong&gt;Then a great crowd of people, gathering &amp;amp; congregating, would pray, praise, &amp;amp; circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart [saying,] 'Sink, O ghee/oil! Submerge, O ghee/oil! Go down, O ghee/oil!' What do you think: would that ghee/oil, because of the prayers, praise, &amp;amp; circumambulation of that great crowd of people sink, submerge, or go down?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta ends with the only effective &amp;quot;ritual&amp;quot; that I'm aware of from this time; which is the listener going for refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, &amp;amp; to the community of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T15:14:36.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10370" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:04:46.873" Score="4" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I, this impermanent and suffering and no-self array of aggregates, am journeying through this human realm now, shall I assume that that which was &quot;my prior life&quot;, another impermanent and suffering and no-self array of aggregates, was also journeying through the human realm (i.e. a prior human existence is a prerequisite for a subsequent human existence)? I am inclined to think that it is possible for an individual array of ever-fluxuating potentialities to &quot;pass&quot; through the human realm consecutively a number of times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T00:52:33.357" Title="Is a prior human existence required for a current/subsequent human existence?" Tags="|rebirth|realms|human|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10330" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:06:15.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is recommended in the suttas; here is an excerpt from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana&#xA;  at Anathapindika's monastery. Then he addressed the monks saying,&#xA;  &quot;Monks.&quot; — &quot;Venerable Sir,&quot; said the monks, by way of reply. The&#xA;  Blessed One then spoke as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release&#xA;  (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of&#xA;  loving-kindness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by&#xA;  constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as&#xA;  a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by&#xA;  living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into&#xA;  practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human&#xA;  beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot&#xA;  touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is&#xA;  serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to&#xA;  attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be&#xA;  reborn in the brahma-world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emma-seppala-phd/18-sciencebased-reasons-t_b_5823952.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an article&lt;/a&gt; on the benefits of lovingkindness meditation according to science that may be of interest. Not sure how I feel about all the scientific research on meditation to this point but worth a look.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:06:15.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10372" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:09:49.977" Score="7" ViewCount="594" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this way he remains focused internally on the mind in &amp;amp; of itself, or externally on the mind in &amp;amp; of itself, or both internally &amp;amp; externally on the mind in &amp;amp; of itself. (Thanissaro)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should the fragment above be understood and practiced in detail, in particular, considering the last two alternatives: externally and internally/externally?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2018-09-26T21:59:45.967" Title="How should satipatthana be understood in regard to external/internal minds?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10368" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:19:41.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the Buddhist rituals are about paying respect to the Triple Gem. Paying respect is praised and encouraged in the Suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Asevanā ca bālānaṃ paṇḍitānañca sevanā, &#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Pūjā ca pūjanīyānaṃ etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ&lt;/strong&gt;. &#xA;  - Not to associate with the foolish, but to associate with the wise, &lt;strong&gt;and to honor those worthy of honor&lt;/strong&gt; — this is the highest blessing - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, student, some woman or man is obdurate and haughty; &lt;strong&gt;he does not&#xA;  pay homage to whom he should pay homage&lt;/strong&gt;, or rise up for whom he should&#xA;  rise up, or give a seat to whom he should give a seat, or make way for&#xA;  whom he should make way, &lt;strong&gt;or worship him who should be worshipped&lt;/strong&gt;, or&#xA;  respect him who should be respected, &lt;strong&gt;or revere him who should be&#xA;  revered&lt;/strong&gt;, or honor him who should be honored. Due to having performed&#xA;  and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after&#xA;  death, he reappears in a state of deprivation... - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:19:41.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10370" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:33:50.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it, if we assume a linear, unidirectional temporality, it is logically impossible that a prior human existence be necessary for a human existence since there could never be a first existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concerning the beginnings of existence, according to, e.g., the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Assu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance&#xA;  and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, it is not only possible to be reborn as a human many times but, as I take the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; to declare, certain that each person has:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A being who has not been your mother at one time in the past is not&#xA;  easy to find... A being who has not been your father... your&#xA;  brother... your sister... your son... your daughter at one time in the&#xA;  past is not easy to find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot think of any specific references about &lt;em&gt;consecutive&lt;/em&gt; human births in the Pāli Canon, but one may, given the appropriate conditions, e.g., having practised generosity, achieve their desires for some kinds of birth. So, it seems that one could theoretically be reborn several times in a row as a human if they desired it and accomplished the necessary conditions. (cf. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.35&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 8.35&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T16:39:24.647" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T16:39:24.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10367" CreationDate="2015-07-24T16:56:42.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are said to be located from a certain distance from the human realm. &#xA;ex: The closest heaven to us is the Chaturmaharajika heaven. It is located 42,000 Yojjanas above from the human realm. But the tree devas and certain Asuras/Yakkas also belong to this heaven. The closest hell realm 'Sanjiva' is located 15,000 Yojjanas below the human realm. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.net/Charts/Sakwala_-Ver_5..jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this chart&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I've heard, humans can't see the Devas unless they develop the divine eye or if the devas make their bodies solid and reflective. In the same way, Devas can't see the Brahmas. So I would assume that the places they dwell are also invisible to average humans. You can possibly call them other dimensions or just think of them as what you can't see yet in this world system. It's the same with hell realms. Peta Vattu has stories about hungry ghosts in the human relam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-24T17:20:36.830" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T17:20:36.830" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10370" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:15:41.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is possible to be born human again. As I've heard, if you keep to the five precepts well, you have a high chance of being born human again. If you practice the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=10_wholesome_actions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 wholesome actions&lt;/a&gt;, you have a high chance of being born in one of the heavens. If you meditate and attain Jhana, you will be born in Brahma realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T17:15:41.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10372" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:21:17.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a short quote from an article on BuddhaNet called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/retreat/retreat07.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Vipassana Retreat - The Six Sense-spheres&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. In here it's talked about how internally and externally should be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vipassana Retreat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;12&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Six Sense-spheres&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching of the sense-spheres is to be found in the Contemplation of Mind (dhammanupassana) in the text we are following: the Satipatthana Sutta, which by now is familiar to you as the Four Establishments of Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After each section in the text in the Satipathana Sutta, you will find this passage: &amp;quot;In this way he abides contemplating the body as a body (or feelings, mind states and mental phenomena) internally, externally, and both internally and externally&amp;quot;. What does this mean? It means that the focus of one's attention changes from the subjective (internal) to the objective (external) and by &amp;quot;both&amp;quot; is meant the understanding of the interrelationship or interdependence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The focus of the practice so far has been mainly introspective; now the watchfulness or attentiveness can be expanded to include the external as well. That is, the attention is switched from the subjective to the objective. This is done by orientating to the sense-spheres, which are about the relationship between oneself and the outer world. Practising both internal and external satipatthanas can prevent self-absorption, and achieve a skilled balanced between introversion and extroversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The importance of contemplation of the sense-spheres is that it directs awareness to the six “internal” and “external” sense-spheres and the fetters (samyojana) arising in dependence on them. Although a fetter arises dependent on sense and object, the attaching nature of such a fetter should not be attributed to the senses or objects themselves, but to the influence of the hankering pull of desire (tanha)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article says further on how to make an orientation to a sense-door:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Orientation to a Sense-door&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make an orientation to a sense-door, you start by literally coming to your senses - seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling. These are the five sense-doors or sense bases; the 'sixth sense' is 'consciousness of something', which is the mind-base with its eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, etc. You also need to be aware of the senses internally as well as externally. That is, the organs and their sense objects: nose/smell, tongue/taste, body/tactile objects, ear/sound, mind/mind-objects or consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attentiveness or 'presence of mind' at one of the sense-doors during a sense impression is the way to practice. For example, most people are predominantly visual, so being attentive at the eye-door allows you to notice the effects of the contact between the eye and the visible objects and how you are relating to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process is this: there is the eye (the internal base), and a visible object (the external base). With contact or a sense impression between the sense-door and external object, consciousness arises followed by feeling. The moment of consciousness ordinarily is too rapid to catch while the feeling tone can be more easily known and apprehended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This orientation to a sense-door brings awareness of what is happening during the moment of contact or the sense impression, and with it the ability to monitor the associated feelings and consciousness that arises. When this feeling tone is apprehended, the link to liking and disliking is broken and therefore one is free at that moment from conditioned suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a quote from the Wiki on the 6 sense bases:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ṣaḍāyatana (Sanskrit) or saḷāyatana (Pāli) means the six sense bases (Pāli, Skt.: āyatana), that is, the sense organs and their objects. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eye and Vision&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ear and Hearing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nose and Olfaction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tongue and Taste&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skin and Touch&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind and Thought&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, in Buddhism, the sixth &amp;quot;internal&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;external&amp;quot; sense bases are: mind (Skt., manas; Pali, mano); and, thought (along with memory and emotion) (Skt., dharma; Pali, dhamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ṣaḍāyatana is the fifth link in the Twelve Nidānas of Pratitya-Samutpada (Dependent Origination) and thus likewise in the fifth position on the Bhavacakra (Wheel of Becoming). Ṣaḍāyatana (Sense Gates) is dependent on Nāmarūpa (Name and Form) as condition before it can exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T18:55:53.117" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10341" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:27:19.857" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me, coming from a Christian soceity the word sin brings up issues of blame and guilt. I've found the words unskillful actions rather than sin more helpful when considering actions and their consequences. This seems to neutralise and depersonalise the blame aspect The task becomes one of moving forward and improving ones state of mind rather than one of redeeming oneself from a wretched and blame soaked place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From there I find verses such as this one from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; on how to view the world and move on with our lives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like&#xA;  his never-departing shadow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T17:27:19.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10341" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:39:01.227" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't have the concept of sin. It's more of a concept of unskillful or unwholesome action (Akusala Kamma). There is no God to please. There is no &quot;thing&quot; that needs to be done to gain approval. What there is, is bad karma and that the person will experience that karma and the worsening spiral of those problems until they let go of the attachment that caused them to enter that karmic state in the first place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my humble view, the best way to help someone caught in a difficult situation is to talk through the boundaries of the box they find themselves in. It's not the killing that's the problem. It's the &quot;why&quot; they killed that's the problem. Until the seed is removed, the plant can grow back again and again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are the ones who have to break out of the box, but most don't realize they're in the box to begin with. Listening, compassion, time: Almost always the best medicine for tough karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T17:39:01.227" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10380" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10381" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:39:42.917" Score="5" ViewCount="1044" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who said this as a complete description of the Buddhist path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cease to do evil&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to do good&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Purify the heart&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought it was Bodhidharma but I can't find the exact reference for the quote. Many Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T06:57:26.633" Title="Who said &quot;cease to do evil learn to do good purify the heart&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10380" CreationDate="2015-07-24T17:52:07.777" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot;&gt;verse 183 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T17:52:07.777" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10361" CreationDate="2015-07-24T18:07:23.687" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though &quot;dharma without rebirth&quot; have appeared here more than once ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2662/what-if-there-is-no-rebirth&quot;&gt;What if there is no rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/51/whats-the-value-or-harm-of-a-literal-belief-in-rebirth&quot;&gt;What's the value or harm of a literal belief in rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1456/is-a-belief-in-rebirth-a-necessity-for-buddhist-practice&quot;&gt;Is a belief in rebirth a necessity for Buddhist practice?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3420/is-rebirth-a-delusional-belief&quot;&gt;Is rebirth a delusional belief?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7098/is-rebirth-reincarnation-central-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;Is rebirth/reincarnation central to Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... I'll tackle some of the points as they come to me with a interesting clothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Considering the concepts of kamma and rebirth, ONE of the approaches the author offers, is that the Lord Buddha just simply took kamma and rebirth as beliefs deriving from his culture&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not a buddhologist, so personally, for me to take the proposed idea seriously, the author would have to show, at least:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;why the Buddha took the view of those that believe in rebirth and karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there's evidence that his context was diverse in regard to beliefs, and that belief in rebirth and karma may not have been as popular as we would think. So why picking this one in particular, when other views are available and believed?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If rebirth/karma was indeed such a deep part of the culture he was in, why he would &quot;sacrifice truth for pedagogy sake&quot; in that particular case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...when he clearly refused in other circumstances, let alone, that he stated &quot;whatever a Tathagata says from the moment of his enlightenment to his parinirvana, that is so, and not otherwise&quot; -- DN29.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the case of textual corruption inserting rebirth/karma doctrine, how these corruptions took place, and why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it would certainly have to happen very early on. Maybe with the cumplicity of all monks and disciples (an extremely ambitious project, I'd say).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...] beliefs so deep and taken for granted that he would not spend a second on doubting it&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's plenty of evidence of the Buddha being careful about his statements (see also number 2 above). Not having knowledge about something (specially something about dharma, his specialty) and declaring it would be quite careless on his part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Dharma without karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the above, the tradition rejects this view. It's not just a matter of &quot;because it's on the suttas&quot; -- though it's &lt;em&gt;overwhelmingly&lt;/em&gt; on the suttas. But I think that (a) the doctrine itself is intimately intertwined with these concepts; (b) it provides a complete picture of the grand scheme of things; and (c) it justifies in a very strong way the importance of the buddhist soteriology, nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But rebirth/karma seems to be something put aside by secular buddhists. I think their method for rejecting is through empirical evidence and their focus is on practicality. That is, they reject because of the lack of empirical evidence for both concepts, or inability to conciliate them with related empirical evidences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is for reasons such as these that any contemporary, scientifically informed Buddhist practice should reject belief in rebirth and its associated kammic causation. The Path is rich enough without them. And while we can make good use of kamma and rebirth as metaphor for our moment-to-moment lived experience of change, or of skillful and unskillful action, we simply cannot make any more of it and expect to end up with a system which is compatible with our best understanding of the way the world works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/05/29/a-secular-evaluation-of-rebirth/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/05/29/a-secular-evaluation-of-rebirth/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T02:59:21.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9768" CreationDate="2015-07-24T18:16:54.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main role of the monastic community is to preserve the Buddha's teaching, but I don't think that the Buddha gave a prescription on how exactly to do that. It's been left to each community to set rules of teaching and the level of community interaction. I don't think you're going to find one magic answer. In my tradition, you're expected to have some mastery over the subject matter before giving Dharma talks. It also helps to practice the Eightfold Path enough to where you are without reproach when you enter the community with instruction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe it's wrong to participate and reach out to the community at any time. It just may not be helpful. Maybe like this post ;-) Then again, mastery is hard to see from the outside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water.  After enlightenment chop wood, carry water.&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5012" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T18:16:54.270" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10341" CreationDate="2015-07-24T22:36:45.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/text/course14/C14Reading.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Wheel of Knives&lt;/a&gt; is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lojong&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lojung&lt;/a&gt; text in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The pdf contains other content. The Wheel of Knives begins on Page 45&#xA; you will have to scroll down.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An audio class on it can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/audio/course14/Course_14_08_32k.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Typed notes of this audio lecture can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/text/course14/C14Notes.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; &lt;code&gt;Ctrl + F Wheel of Knives to jump to the specific section&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A useful chart can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahasukha.org/documents/KARMICCORRELATIONSFROMWHEELOFKNIVES.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. It is in the reading as well, but in a less readable format. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetans believed that the purification of karma was possible. &#xA;The  Karmic Purification process has 4 steps. There is a class on that too on the same site. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;acidharma.org&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;I will provide a brief summary of the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first step is to take refuge in the 3 jewels, in your knowledge of karma and emptiness. I will not go to into depth on this step. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second step is called &quot;Destruction Force&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To rip out the roots of something (with power). This is &lt;strong&gt;regret&lt;/strong&gt;, not guilt. It is an intelligent, educated understanding that you just screwed up, based upon knowledge&#xA;  of karma and emptiness and how bakchaks work and are&#xA;  reaped. You know that you will suffer from what you did and&#xA;  why, karmically. You know you just caused yourself future&#xA;  suffering and regret it. You feel ill/bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You take the cause of the karma you are working with, remember all the times you did it, realize that it is going to cause you suffering. Regret that you commited the deeds in question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd step is called &quot;Restraint force&quot;&#xA;Here you take the cause of the karma you are working with, and you restrain yourself from doing it again. The longer you can restrain yourself the better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Restraint force. You don't do it again. Since we can't just stop&#xA;   cold for the rest of our lives, we need a plan. So we set a time&#xA;   restraint force limit to stop for awhile - not to do the deed for an hour, a day,&#xA;  a week, etc. and build up the time length to get used to the new&#xA;  habit of not doing the deed. For chronic habits, set a short time&#xA;  limit, say five minutes, and concentrate hard on not doing it. The&#xA;  mind can't concentrate tightly for longer periods to avoid the&#xA;  habit. If you break a vow of restraint, you are lying, and collect&#xA;  more bad karma, so keep the time realistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last step is called &quot;Applying the Antidote&quot;&#xA;Using the chart, or in some cases logical reasoning, you determine the antidote to the karma you are working with. Stealing would have an antidote of generosity for example. &#xA;In this step you will have to think about your individual conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think of karma like seeds, the idea is this, you stop watering the &quot;bad&quot; karmic seeds. You plant &quot;good&quot; seeds that are related to the &quot;bad&quot; seeds you wish to uproot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of killing, the antidote of protecting life should be applied. Getting and taking care of pets. Donating to disaster relief charities. Get creative, anything that prevents sickness and harm. Apply plenty of antidote, and try to keep the application up until the period you decided on in step 3 has passed.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go through these steps multiple times if necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One important thing to note:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Karma does not simply disappear, this purification process just speeds up the queue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The karmic seeds you have are in a queue to ripen. The most powerful ones go to the&#xA;  front of the queue and are experienced first. They delay the other seeds from ripening&#xA;  until the powerful ones are done. ...  ...The result of purification is that the intention part of the karmic path is ripped out and&#xA;  dramatically lessens the ripening impact. Karma ripens into a lesser result.&#xA;  It's very important after purification to believe that you're clean - you're pure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While working with these energies you will experience a period where the karma you are working with ripens quickly, the purification process is not easy, and you will experience suffering directly related to the karma you are working with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To wrap this up a quick quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/ENGLISH_Diamond_Cutter_Sutra_Pecha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Diamond Cutter Sutra&lt;/a&gt; and one from Tai Situ Rinpoche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O Subhuti, any son or daughter of noble family who takes up a sutra like this, or who holds it, or reads it, or comprehends it, will suffer. They will suffer&#xA;  intensely.&#xA;  Why is it so? Because, o Subhuti, such beings are purifying non-virtuous karma from the entire string of their previous lives, karma that would have&#xA;  taken them to the three lower realms. As they purify this karma, it causes them to suffer here in this life. As such they will succeed in cleaning away the&#xA;  karma of these non-virtuous deeds of their previous lifetimes, and they will as well achieve the enlightenment of a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tai Situ Rinpoche : Sometimes we do suffer intensely, when we are sick and so on. When we are sick we should resort to medicines and when we get into trouble with people we should try to get out of that trouble. Definitely. However, our attitude to the suffering and the trouble should not be one that defines them as solely negative. Suffering is like a broom that sweeps away the causes of suffering and when we understand this then the suffering is reduced to its true stature. Without the understanding it tends to become amplified to twice, ten or a hundred times its true size. The way we develop our understanding is to think, “The suffering that I am now experiencing is the result of previous karmic causes. Just as I do not want to suffer, neither does any being. Thus may this present suffering be of true benefit in removing the sufferings of all beings.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T22:36:45.957" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3923" CreationDate="2015-07-24T22:41:16.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/text/course14/C14Reading.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Wheel of Knives&lt;/a&gt; is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lojong&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lojung&lt;/a&gt; text in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The pdf contains other content. The Wheel of Knives begins on Page 45&#xA; you will have to scroll down.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An audio class on it can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/audio/course14/Course_14_08_32k.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Typed notes of this audio lecture can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/text/course14/C14Notes.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; &lt;code&gt;Ctrl + F Wheel of Knives to jump to the specific section&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A useful chart can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahasukha.org/documents/KARMICCORRELATIONSFROMWHEELOFKNIVES.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. It is in the reading as well, but in a less readable format. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetans believed that the purification of karma was possible. &#xA;The  Karmic Purification process has 4 steps. There is a class on that too on the same site. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;acidharma.org&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;I will provide a brief summary of the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first step is to take refuge in the 3 jewels, in your knowledge of karma and emptiness. I will not go to into depth on this step. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second step is called &quot;Destruction Force&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To rip out the roots of something (with power). This is &lt;strong&gt;regret&lt;/strong&gt;, not guilt. It is an intelligent, educated understanding that you just screwed up, based upon knowledge&#xA;  of karma and emptiness and how bakchaks work and are&#xA;  reaped. You know that you will suffer from what you did and&#xA;  why, karmically. You know you just caused yourself future&#xA;  suffering and regret it. You feel ill/bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You take the cause of the karma you are working with, remember all the times you did it, realize that it is going to cause you suffering. Regret that you commited the deeds in question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd step is called &quot;Restraint force&quot;&#xA;Here you take the cause of the karma you are working with, and you restrain yourself from doing it again. The longer you can restrain yourself the better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Restraint force. You don't do it again. Since we can't just stop&#xA;   cold for the rest of our lives, we need a plan. So we set a time&#xA;   restraint force limit to stop for awhile - not to do the deed for an hour, a day,&#xA;  a week, etc. and build up the time length to get used to the new&#xA;  habit of not doing the deed. For chronic habits, set a short time&#xA;  limit, say five minutes, and concentrate hard on not doing it. The&#xA;  mind can't concentrate tightly for longer periods to avoid the&#xA;  habit. If you break a vow of restraint, you are lying, and collect&#xA;  more bad karma, so keep the time realistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last step is called &quot;Applying the Antidote&quot;&#xA;Using the chart, or in some cases logical reasoning, you determine the antidote to the karma you are working with. Stealing would have an antidote of generosity for example. &#xA;In this step you will have to think about your individual conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think of karma like seeds, the idea is this, you stop watering the &quot;bad&quot; karmic seeds. You plant &quot;good&quot; seeds that are related to the &quot;bad&quot; seeds you wish to uproot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of killing, the antidote of protecting life should be applied. Getting and taking care of pets. Donating to disaster relief charities. Get creative, anything that prevents sickness and harm. Apply plenty of antidote, and try to keep the application up until the period you decided on in step 3 has passed.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go through these steps multiple times if necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One important thing to note:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Karma does not simply disappear, this purification process just speeds up the queue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The karmic seeds you have are in a queue to ripen. The most powerful ones go to the&#xA;  front of the queue and are experienced first. They delay the other seeds from ripening&#xA;  until the powerful ones are done. ...  ...The result of purification is that the intention part of the karmic path is ripped out and&#xA;  dramatically lessens the ripening impact. Karma ripens into a lesser result.&#xA;  It's very important after purification to believe that you're clean - you're pure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While working with these energies you will experience a period where the karma you are working with ripens quickly, the purification process is not easy, and you will experience suffering directly related to the karma you are working with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To wrap this up a quick quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/ENGLISH_Diamond_Cutter_Sutra_Pecha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Diamond Cutter Sutra&lt;/a&gt; and one from Tai Situ Rinpoche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O Subhuti, any son or daughter of noble family who takes up a sutra like this, or who holds it, or reads it, or comprehends it, will suffer. They will suffer&#xA;  intensely.&#xA;  Why is it so? Because, o Subhuti, such beings are purifying non-virtuous karma from the entire string of their previous lives, karma that would have&#xA;  taken them to the three lower realms. As they purify this karma, it causes them to suffer here in this life. As such they will succeed in cleaning away the&#xA;  karma of these non-virtuous deeds of their previous lifetimes, and they will as well achieve the enlightenment of a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tai Situ Rinpoche : Sometimes we do suffer intensely, when we are sick and so on. When we are sick we should resort to medicines and when we get into trouble with people we should try to get out of that trouble. Definitely. However, our attitude to the suffering and the trouble should not be one that defines them as solely negative. Suffering is like a broom that sweeps away the causes of suffering and when we understand this then the suffering is reduced to its true stature. Without the understanding it tends to become amplified to twice, ten or a hundred times its true size. The way we develop our understanding is to think, “The suffering that I am now experiencing is the result of previous karmic causes. Just as I do not want to suffer, neither does any being. Thus may this present suffering be of true benefit in removing the sufferings of all beings.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-24T22:41:16.570" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10387" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-24T22:57:46.600" Score="5" ViewCount="1898" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the buddhist perspective on lucid dreaming?&#xA;I am very curious about my first lucid dream last night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T17:46:17.300" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T04:40:13.763" Title="What is the Buddhist Perspective on Lucid Dreaming?" Tags="|sleep|early-buddhism|dreams|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10388" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10389" CreationDate="2015-07-25T07:12:11.600" Score="4" ViewCount="1309" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;code&gt;Art of War&lt;/code&gt; by &lt;code&gt;Sun Tzu&lt;/code&gt; is a philosophy espoused by military, politics and enterprises. I recent read of &lt;code&gt;The complete Art of War&lt;/code&gt; translated by &lt;code&gt;Ralph Sawyer&lt;/code&gt; proposes its use in personal relationships such as friendship and in marriage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does such philosophies align with the practices of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T08:05:40.413" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T21:20:53.930" Title="Can the practices of 'Art of War' align with Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|books|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10388" CreationDate="2015-07-25T09:04:44.953" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a cup is half empty, half full kind of thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One says, life is full of suffering so one succeeds by coming out a winner ahead of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other says the life is full of suffering, so one must help everyone out of suffering to personally come out of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One view point creates conflict, the other eliminates conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see Art of War as short term thinking, and Buddhism as long term thinking. The former has instant appeal, but the latter has appeal to those who are contemplative and not hasty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: I'd like to mention the short book (50 odd pages), &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Buddha-Taught-Nonviolence-Not-Pacifism--PDF-eBook_p_2597.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Buddha Taught Nonviolence, Not Pacifism&quot;&lt;/em&gt; by Paul R. Fleischman, MD&lt;/a&gt; on the subject of violence. It's a difficult subject, I can't say I agree with the entire book, but it has interesting ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T21:20:53.930" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T21:20:53.930" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10390" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10393" CreationDate="2015-07-25T11:10:17.683" Score="4" ViewCount="582" Body="&lt;p&gt;A painter whose painting hangs in a public museum, a writer that has their works checked out of the library frequently,  a singer with melodies that calm the mind, and a comedian that gets people laughing are some cases I have in mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A harder case would be a rapper. Say their song offends a few people, but doesn't actually hurt anyone. Further let's say that their target audience gets some value from their craft, be it enjoyment, being able to relax, or some other beneficial state. Get creative, feel free to discuss cases not listed here. I only list them to help clarify what I am asking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However impermanent and fleeting the benefit they provide to others is, when they provide it to thosands or millions of people how does it end up stacking out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can also consider the two cases of the artist being, or not being, a Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T14:15:34.590" Title="Do artists/entertainers accumulate positive merit when people enjoy their craft?" Tags="|karma|modern-world|art|merit|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10390" CreationDate="2015-07-25T11:18:00.743" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that this is akin to selling drugs to people. It is of no real benefit to them, and only cultivates in them craving for this pleasure. If anything, I would go as far as to say that such a profession is BORDERLINE on wrong livelihood; Business in intoxicants: manufacturing or selling intoxicating drinks or addictive drugs. Music elicits such a response in the form of hormones released that it is possible to become addicted to music.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T11:18:00.743" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10390" CreationDate="2015-07-25T11:47:05.547" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talaputra Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, one time an actor approached the Buddha and asked him if he would go to heaven with the devas because he made people happy and forget their worries.&#xA;The Buddha tried to dodge answering, but at the actor's insistence, he had to tell him that he'd probably go to hell or the animal realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7663/will-actors-really-go-to-hell&quot;&gt;Will actors really go to hell?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;My answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10250/715&quot;&gt;Are actions in computer games bad for karma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T12:28:25.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10390" CreationDate="2015-07-25T12:40:48.813" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The one thing that really jumps out at me is &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About 6% of the world's population is Buddhist and might be familiar with the concepts explained in Ryan and Buddho's answers. Not all Buddhists would though, due to differences in teachings, understandings, and traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So an overwhelming majority of the world's population (94% or more) may be unfamiliar with this idea of art forms as objects of desire and clinging. So with this, I think we have to allow that the majority of artists, musicians, writers of fiction books, etc. don't have an understanding that their works potentially create suffering. There is no bad intent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person (Buddhist or otherwise) truly understands the potential for their art to create desire, clinging, and rebirth into samsara, and continues to do so for the purpose of malice; that's a whole different thing. But also a very odd hypothetical situation; likely not the norm. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think you can paint this with a broad brush due to the relatively small number of people who potentially have the understanding of art as a source of suffering. For most of the world, art including fine art, music, books, etc. is considered a source of beauty and is crafted with love and passion; which is also not understood to tie one to samsara. It's hard to imagine that people with pure intentions would receive a significant demerit; but also hard to imagine they would receive merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't believe this view conflicts with the Talaputa Sutta in that, if a person is an artist and full of passion, they aren't leaving samsara anytime soon. There will be more rebirths and certainly some of those rebirths would be in hell realms. I don't understand the Talaputa Sutta to be any sort of a god like judgement or condemnation to a hell realm as a direct punishment for passion in art forms. That would be a theistic view, in my understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T14:15:34.590" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T14:15:34.590" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10390" CreationDate="2015-07-25T13:05:47.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when they provide it to thosands or millions of people how does it end up stacking out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that an artist might get &lt;em&gt;rich&lt;/em&gt;: which, is not necessarily the same as &quot;accumulating positive merit&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're asking about artists' livelihood, you might like to read quotes from the suttas &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;about Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Further let's say that their target audience gets some value from their craft, be it enjoyment, being able to relax, or some other beneficial state&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism might describe music and so on as &quot;conditioned&quot; (you can only hear it in certain conditions and you are unable to listen to it permanently); and, recommend that people seek or learn (instead) an &quot;unconditioned&quot; enjoyment and relaxation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that point of view, if you give someone music to help them relax, then they might find it pleasant (relaxing) albeit temporary, however maybe it doesn't for example help to make them a better person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might depend on the subject, too, for example books which spread Dhamma might be seen as more beneficial than books which don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as Robin's answer said it might depend on the artist's intent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T13:05:47.820" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10395" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10398" CreationDate="2015-07-25T13:37:52.823" Score="4" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live in a pleasant apartment complex and work as an Instructor. My job is cushy, which is good because I have health issues (and teach adults with health issues). But I watch workers mow the lawn at the apartment complex, re-shingle the roofs, etc. Other examples are food service workers and auto repair people with oil and sweat on them. I have worked on an assembly line for a while and the biggest problem for me was the intolerable loneliness. (It didn't do much for my feet, hands and back either.) I have cooked, cleaned, repaired cars and appliances and so on, but all in some moderation. I wonder about jobs where people do the same drudge work day after day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know about the idea of Karma, but it has gone flat for me, because the idea of Reincarnation has also. Leaving those aside (except for people getting good or bad consequences of their recent choices) &lt;strong&gt;what does Buddhism say about whether various work situations are more or less &lt;em&gt;Just / Fair&lt;/em&gt; to the workers?&lt;/strong&gt; This is not about &lt;em&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/em&gt;, because I am addressing the circumstances that workers are put in - the external world - rather than them choosing their work - the personal realm. [Consider only legally allowed work: I am not trying to deal with crime here. Also, don't try to solve the problem, only explain the perspective on it, please.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:49:50.913" Title="Are some forms of employment less just to workers, according to Buddhism?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|suffering|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2155" CreationDate="2015-07-25T15:06:45.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation can definitely cause you to sleep less. When meditating one is naturally entering a calmer state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing Samatha meditation one is temporarily suspending the hindrances thereby limiting the effect of &lt;em&gt;worries, excessive thinking, restlessness, cravings, aversions, anger etc.&lt;/em&gt; This naturally leads to a more simple and unified mind. Such a mind will affect the physical body and calm it down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The human brain uses more energy than both arms and legs together on e.g. cognitive processes. All the stress from the hindrances will sooner or later manifest itself in the physical body as stress, i.e. an increased secretion of stress hormones such as &lt;em&gt;cortisol and adrenalin&lt;/em&gt;. This will create a lot extra tension and load on the internal organs which in turn will increase the demand for energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The result of that is the need for more sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if one removes the above things then one naturally needs less sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take a look at Vipassana Meditation then here we are directly working with the hindrances, i.e. by weakening them to the point where they can be eradicated completely. In vipassana meditation we learn to see reality for what it is, meaning that the mind do not extrapolate on phenomena. The mind do no follow after phenomena thereby launching a process of ideation and planning on how to posess the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A non-meditator, i.e. the untrained mind will not have this ability to see clearly. The untrained mind will see an object for a brief moment whereafter it will launch the process of ideation, extrapolation, judging, imagining, liking, disliking etc. Imagine how much energy these cognitive processes demand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one trains in clear comprehension one gradually builds the ability to stop the mind from launching these cognitive processes by applying mindfulness to mental and physical phenomena as they arise and cease. With time and training the mind will become deeply rooted in the present. It will become calm, peaceful and equanimous no matter what arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A reduction in mental stress levels results in the physiological processes of secretion of stress hormones will be stopped and reversed resulting in a calmer body and a lot less load on internal organs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At night the body regrows tissue, builds muscle and bone and strengthens the immune system. When there is less load on the body then it also needs less time for restitution, i.e. less time to sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T15:06:45.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10395" CreationDate="2015-07-25T15:34:25.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The law of kamma is always in effect. Wholesome actions lead to wholesome results. Unwholesome actions lead to unwholesome results. &quot;Justness or fairness&quot; are both human conventional constructs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are acts of extrapolation or superimposing qualities onto reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is asking whether or not a specific situation is just or fair, one is no longer seeing reality for what it is. One is no longer being objective and non-interfering. When being objective it would only be &quot;seeing&quot; or &quot;hearing&quot; or any of the other senses at work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When being unmindful of phenomena the mind will follow after an object and begin to evaluate it and form opinions about it. These are mental constructs that have no real point of reference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be verified by doing insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:49:50.913" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:49:50.913" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10395" CreationDate="2015-07-25T15:51:00.690" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddhas-teachings-prosperity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&quot;&lt;/a&gt; there was an interesting section on the Buddha's advice to employers on how to treat their employees. I will fill in with direct quotes a bit later. But the message to employers was to treat their employees well and to give them benefits including something akin to modern day medical benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found this very interesting but not surprising. The Buddha was a social champion in compassion and treating people fairly. Many employers today could learn a lot from his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From page 16 of &quot;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha's recommendations for the welfare of employees further clarify an honorable path to prosperity. Specifically he mentioned five ways in which employers should treat workers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assign work and duties in accordance with their skills and abilities.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pay salaries befitting their work and service.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Provide medical assistance.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Make wholesome food availble.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Allow for leave and vacations at appropriate times.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These amazingly modern concepts confirm the Buddha's teaching that people are not entitled to wealth if they fail to follow ethical business practices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The books original source for this information was listed as DN 31: Sigalovada Sutta, The Long Discourses of the Buddha: 461-469.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And indeed from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways should a master minister to his servants and employees as the Nadir:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) by assigning them work according to their ability,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) by supplying them with food and with wages,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) by tending them in sickness,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) by sharing with them any delicacies,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(v) by granting them leave at times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as people doing routine work, that doesn't have to be a negative thing at all. Not being overly stimulated in your work can give you plenty of time for being meditative in daily life, being content with a simple life, and getting out of work on time as compared to executives who are married to their careers and stay occupied with them 24/7.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-07-25T22:11:30.467" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T22:11:30.467" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10399" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10406" CreationDate="2015-07-25T16:10:07.963" Score="8" ViewCount="317" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't have access to a Sangha just now, and I do frequent this very well conceived and helpful site. Recently I was writing a comment about no longer being a programmer because it was too isolating for my nature (&quot;square girlfriend&quot; = computer screen, ha ha) and I thought: gee, I am staring at a screen now... and for many hours today...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is vastly different to be reading and writing with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10350/are-there-other-people-according-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;other people&lt;/a&gt; (ahem) than to just do an &lt;em&gt;induhvidual&lt;/em&gt; activity like programming. Right? I am actually interacting, but somewhat ansynchronously. So I still use and develop some of my &lt;em&gt;Hetaira Archetype&lt;/em&gt; skills (more effortful and challenging with only text to interpret and reply by). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does asking and answering Questions here count as taking refuge in (and providing) The Sangha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2019-07-11T05:24:06.667" Title="Can the Buddhism.SE site function as &quot;the Sangha&quot; for me?" Tags="|personal-practice|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10400" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11234" CreationDate="2015-07-25T16:14:36.993" Score="-1" ViewCount="376" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Introduction&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Earlier I asked &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10390/do-artists-entertainers-accumulate-positive-merit-when-people-enjoy-their-craft/10394&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;. I think that was too broad, and I hope this question is more answerable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there exists &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;two truths&lt;/a&gt;, often called the Conventional and Ultimate truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first truth refers to the physical state of things,   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The world is all that is the case.  (Which is the first premise of Wittgenstein's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would be a loose and quick summery of such a truth, it is the Zen spirit of taking things as they are. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second truth is argued about by all the schools, each taking a position that is subtlety different in various ways. It has many forms and depending on the school of thought in question might be called other things besides ultimate truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Nagarjuna's own words: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The teaching by the Buddhas of the dharma has recourse to two truths:&#xA;  The world-ensconced truth and the truth which is the highest sense.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Those who do not know the distribution (vibhagam) of the two kinds of truth,&#xA;  Do not know the profound &quot;point&quot; (tattva) in the teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The highest sense of the truth is not taught apart from practical behavior,&#xA;  And without having understood the highest sense one cannot understand nirvana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna also opens the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā text with this gem &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither from itself nor from another,&#xA;  Nor from both,&#xA;  Nor without a cause,&#xA;  Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What an opening, it has that Eastern philosophy riddle like feel to it. I want to quickly compare it to the hindu text &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.venkatesaya.com/241_vasistha01_months_tags/index.vasistha01_months_tags.php?m=1&amp;amp;d=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoga Vasistha&lt;/a&gt;, sometimes called Vasistha's Yoga. Then we will quickly move on because an understanding of non-duality, emptiness, etc. is not required to ask the question that all of this is laying the foundation for... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who knows 'I am not', 'Nor does the other exist', &quot;Nor is there non-existence', and whose mental activity has thus come to a standstill, is not engrossed in acquisitiveness. &#xA;  O Rama, there is no bondage here other than craving for acquisition, and the anxiety to avoid what one considers undesirable. &#xA;  Do not succumb to such anxiety, and do not let acquisition of what is considered desirable be your goal.&#xA;  Giving up both these attitudes, rest in what remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Question&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what of the magician, what of the philosopher, who in their shows and conversations might, either accidentally or intentionally, create flickers of doubt in the Conventional truth. Enough so that the spectators might consider for the first time the possibility of underlying truths, or revisit the thoughts if they had been considered prior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For if someone were to hold the firm and scientifically correct view of the conventional truth, the thing that would hinder them from progress on the path would be knowledge of the ultimate truth. If they had never conceived of an Ultimate truth it could be the very thing that gets them investigating such a possibility. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if a Magician, with parlor card tricks, slight of hand, and means of illusion and tricks, was to without malice and without swindling an audience, only for entertainment, or perhaps also the case where it was their means to a right livelihood to take care of their responsibilities. The only possible transgression I can see is lying. But the deception in such shows is not to harm, and those going want to see these feats of showmanship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if a magic trick led to the thought process of searching for ultimate truth, while not rejecting conventional truth, as is the stance of most schools of Buddhism, what kind of karma would that create?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can see some edge cases where the wrong view of magic being real could be a possible down side, where causing another sentient being to chase this view would have some kind of possible repercussions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But also the less likely and hypothetical situation that these questions could lead one, maybe through many lives, to studying emptiness and dependent origination, and to the perfection of the 6th paramita of wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In closing, a &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=TWcmAS2h3YMC&amp;amp;pg=PT177&amp;amp;dq=here%20skillful%20means%20and%20wisdom%20should%20be%20treated%20as%20a%20pair&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMI2puFxNP2xgIVTzWICh16Lgyq#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=here%20skillful%20means%20and%20wisdom%20should%20be%20treated%20as%20a%20pair&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paragraph&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;em&gt;A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher&lt;/em&gt;, Which provides commentary to the work of Patrul Rinpoche. &#xA;  The paragraph starts with the word &quot;Here&quot; and ends with the word &quot;name.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T11:38:46.650" Title="Consider then the magician and the philosopher" Tags="|karma|ethics|merit|sunyata|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10401" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-25T16:44:16.467" Score="1" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that there is what is described as universal &lt;em&gt;True Nature&lt;/em&gt; - aspects common to everyone. I know about Karma, which can be seen as how beings have tendencies even from birth (which otherwise has no explanation that I can see). This question is whether &lt;strong&gt;each person&lt;/strong&gt; (regardless how you think they exist or not) &lt;strong&gt;has a particular set of characteristics&lt;/strong&gt; that are theirs to express in living their full potential? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is sometimes accused of being nihilistic in the way that it seems to leave no reason for people to function when they overcome ignorance and realize the truths. This is your chance to explain, using references, that no, &lt;strong&gt;every person is a valid and necessary part of the complex web of &lt;em&gt;Experience&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, not just a wrinkle that escaped temporarily from &lt;em&gt;The Void&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T19:50:55.560" Title="Does each person have a particular True Nature, according to Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|enlightenment|lay-buddhism|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10401" CreationDate="2015-07-25T19:50:55.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essentialism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Essentialism&lt;/a&gt; is not a part of any school of Buddhism. Essentialism deals with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essentialism#Metaphysical_essentialism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;metaphysical essentialism&lt;/a&gt;, and is essentially on the opposite end of the spectrum from emptiness/sunyata, which might be refereed to by some as &lt;a href=&quot;https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/5699&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metaphysical anti-realism&lt;/a&gt;. However I have not met many Buddhists that want to jump into that classification. Taoists love it though. The Buddhists will assert that there is an Ultimate truth, and so can never truely be metaphysical anti-realists. At least not in the most extreme case of the view. They do show some grey areas from time to time.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;A quick dirty and brief summery of metaphysical anti-realism is that there is no &quot;Truth&quot;&#xA;but some views are more true than others. It is found in various places within eastern philosophy.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism is not nihilistic, never do they throw up their hands and say, nothing matters do whatever you want. The only term with nihilism in it that might come close to paralleling with the Buddhist worldview that I can think of is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mereological_nihilism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mereological nihilism&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T19:50:55.560" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10387" CreationDate="2015-07-25T20:09:08.730" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lucid dream is a place where you can do more work, more Buddhist practice. For example, if you are afraid of fights you can pick a fight with anyone, man or monster. It's a safe place to try things you can't try in regular life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Reference: Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tarab Tulku. For more information read Chapter 19 of &lt;em&gt;The Psychology of Awakening&lt;/em&gt; anthology by Gay Watson and Stephen Batchelor.&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T20:09:08.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10399" CreationDate="2015-07-25T20:41:27.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;For years my sangha was audio recordings and books. I came and went from a couple of IRL (In real life) sanghas. I always found the experience of meeting and talking with like minded people to be beneficial. Even if only like minded in interests and/or curiosity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were both Buddhists and non-buddhists in one sangha, but they shared things in common. Meditation practices, belief in some type of morality, or sometimes even interests in psychology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people take the sangha and their practice extremely seriously, and some are more laid back about it. There exist people sprinkled between both extremes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say this could be a type of sangha, but I'd recommend having an IRL sangha in addition to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you do not have a Lama or Guru I would say that is more essential than a sangha. Especially if you have questions you wish to get clarification on, that you might not feel comfortable posting on the internet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have encountered one commentary after an introduction in a copy of The Tibetan Book of the Dead where the following claim was made. That ultimately the guru serves no function. It was one of the strangest statements I have encountered. I do not have that copy on hand, it is much older then the copy I currently have. I've placed an order for the copy that I read it in, so once it arrives I'll present the statement in its original wording.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pretty much every other conversation on the subject has said the opposite, that the Guru and a Sangha are necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;: So it was more of a statement then an argument. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ISBN is 9780394730646 and the commentary is by Rinpoche Chögyam Trungpa, for those that want to read it. The statement dealt more specifically with the topic at hand, and I don't want to quote it as it can easily be taken out of context. I find it useful read with the context of the commentary as a whole and with the book itself. (Which I got for 15 cents plus shipping, what a steal!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead I will quote &lt;em&gt;The Bardo Prayer which Protects from Fear&lt;/em&gt; which is at the back of the book with other prayers and verses related to the Bardo. I'll keep it as close to the original formatting as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;༔ (gter tsheg)&#xA;&#xA;A terma break, a treasure break (Unicode 0F14: ༔)&#xA;a punctuation mark or textual delimiter used in a fashion somewhat&#xA;comparable to a comma. This mark is known as གཏེར་ཚེག and may ligate &#xA;or combine with certain other signs.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the journey of my life has reached its end,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and since no relatives go with me from this world&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I wander in the bardo state alone,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the peaceful and wrathful buddhas send out the power of&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  their compassion&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and clear away the dense darkness of ignorance. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When parted from beloved friends, wandering alone,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  my own projections' empty forms appear,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the buddhas send out the power of their compassion&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  so that the bardo's terrors do not come. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the luminous lights of wisdom shine,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  fearlessly may I recognize myself;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when the forms of the peaceful and wrathful ones appear,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  fearless and confident may I recognize the bardo. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I suffer through the power of evil karma,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the peaceful and wrathful buddhas clear away suffering;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when the sound of dharmatā roars like a thousand thunders,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may it be transformed into the sound of mahāyāna teaching. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I follow my karma, without a refuge,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the peaceful and wrathful buddhas be my refuge;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when I suffer the karma of unconscious tendancies,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the samādhi of bliss and luminosity arise. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the moment of spontaneous birth in the bardo of becoming,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the false teachings of the tempters not arise;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when I arrive wherever I wish by supernatural power,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the illusory terrors of evil karma not arrise. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When savage beasts of prey are roaring,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may it become the sound of dharma, the six syllables;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when I am chased by snow, rain, wind and darkness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I receive the clear divine eye of wisdom. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May all sentient beings of the same realm in the bardo,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  free from jealousy, be born in a higher state;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when great thirst and hunger are caused by passions,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may the pain of thirst and hunger, heat and cold, not arise. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I see my future parents in union,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I see the peaceful and wrathful buddhas with their consorts;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  with power to choose my birthplace, for the good of others,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I receive a perfect body adorned with auspicious signs. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Obtaining for myself a perfect human body,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may all who see and hear me at once be liberated;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I not follow all my evil karma,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  but follow and increase what merit I may have. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wherever I am born, at that very place,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I meet the yidam of this life face to face;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  knowing how to walk and talk as soon as I am born,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I attain the power of non-forgetfulness and remembrance of past lives.༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In all stages of learning, high, middle, and low,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may I understand just by hearing, thinking and seeing;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  wherever I am born, may that land be blessed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  so that all sentient beings may be happy. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O peaceful and wrathful buddhas, may I and others&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  become like you yourselves, just as you are,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  with your forms and your auspicious marks,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  your retinues, your long life and your realms. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samantabhadra, the peaceful and wrathful ones, infinite compassion,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the power of truth of the pure dharmatā,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and followers of tantra in one-pointed meditation:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may their blessings fulfill this inspiration-prayer. ༔&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T11:28:34.530" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T11:28:34.530" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10387" CreationDate="2015-07-25T20:42:54.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you sleep, your mind is in somewhat of an uncontrolled state. I understand this to be the reason why monks sleep so few hours. The importance of lucid dreaming to your practice will likely depend on what tradition you adhere to and other aspects of your personal situation. For example, if you align with the Theravada tradition, lucid dreaming may be a helpful exercise in the way that you will be able to spend more time observing the actions of your mind. Beyond that though (in terms of Theravada), I don't think there could be many other benefits of lucid dreaming. If you get all caught up in the dream world and all that you can do while present there, the lucid dreaming may distract you from the real goal of your practice, and ultimately become just another addiction/attachment. But that's just my thought, I've never had a lucid dream so I can't say for sure!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-07-25T20:42:54.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10399" CreationDate="2015-07-26T04:45:11.657" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangha&lt;/a&gt; means different things to different people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people who &quot;take refuge in the sangha&quot; are referring to all the enlightened beings who have ever lived and their refuge is in being inspired by the example of such beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some are referring to the community of ordained monks and nuns and they look to the monastic community for teachings of the dhamma and guidance in their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some are referring to all followers of the Buddha's teachings not only the enlightened and ordained ones. It's more of a &quot;fellow travelers along the path&quot; concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;Some scholars have noted that sangha is frequently (and according to them, mistakenly) used in the West to refer to any sort of Buddhist community.&quot; The point being there is not one particular thing that is understood to be the sangha that one takes refuge in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To really answer your question, we'd have to know what you mean by a sangha. But from the context of your question, I'm guessing you mean a community revolving around Buddhism where you can learn and interact with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is what I'd like to think we're practicing here on Buddhism.SE. It's from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;43&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Then, Ananda, I answered Mara, the Evil One, saying: 'I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding by appropriate conduct and, having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a great and wonderful thing that we have a format to try our hand at explaining the dhamma to someone else. It's a great opportunity and a deep responsibility to try our best to get it right. This is a good place. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that said, I don't think it's wise to fully feel that one is taking refuge here as a sangha and depending heavily on it for learning. There are a lot of potential drawbacks. It's very democratic and that can sometimes result in unsound answers getting voted up. We welcome all traditions but that can result in such a mixture of views being expressed it can be confusing to newcomers to Buddhism. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9337/what-is-the-benefit-of-staying-with-one-method-lineage-or-dharma-tradition/9339#9339&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; to a question about the benefits of sticking to one tradition is a good explanation for what I'm getting at. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As great as the site is, it's not a solid substitute for learning from a teacher or at a center or in some manner of a structured program. It's not the same as walking into a physical location and feeling the quiet, calm, and peace of a space that is dedicated to meditation; even if you have to travel some distance for that experience occasionally. It's a great complimentary practice, but structured learning and meditation (whether local or online) in a particular tradition may offer the depth of the teachings and support for your particular practice that can't be offered in a short answer, democratic, Q &amp;amp; A format community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T12:11:22.080" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8093" CreationDate="2015-07-26T05:23:03.253" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is humour in the suttas, but inevitably it is used as a lead up to a more serious discussion of dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.090.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;M.N. 90&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The frame story of this sutta presents a gentle satire of royal life.&#xA;  Despite his position, King Pasenadi Kosala must still act the role of&#xA;  messenger for his wives. Because of his position, he finds himself&#xA;  surrounded by people he cannot trust — he never gets to the bottom of&#xA;  the question of who brought misinformation into the palace — and whose&#xA;  minds fasten on issues of overthrowing and banishing, possibly him. He&#xA;  is so preoccupied with his responsibilities that he doesn't pick up on&#xA;  the Buddha's gentle joke about his servitude to the sisters Soma and&#xA;  Sakula, can't stick with an issue for any length of time, sometimes&#xA;  can't even phrase his questions properly, and can arrive at no greater&#xA;  certainty about the Buddha's teachings than that they seem reasonable.&#xA;  At the end of the sutta he has to leave, not because he has exhausted&#xA;  the issues he would like to discuss, but because one of his courtiers&#xA;  tells him it is time to go. All in all, not an enviable position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also recommend Ajahn Sujato's blog post for more examples: &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-ten-funniest-scenes-from-the-pali-canon/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-ten-funniest-scenes-from-the-pali-canon/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T05:23:03.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1943" CreationDate="2015-07-26T11:32:06.093" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bhikku Bodhi writes about this type of meditation in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 77-78:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The next two sections on mindfulness of the body present analytical contemplations intended to expose the body’s real nature. One of these is the meditation on the body’s unattrac- tiveness, already touched on in connection with right effort; the other, the analysis of the body into the four primary elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first, the meditation on unattractiveness, is designed to counter infatuation with the body, especially in its form of sex- ual desire. The Buddha teaches that the sexual drive is a mani- festation of craving, thus a cause of dukkha that has to be reduced and extricated as a precondition for bringing dukkha to an end. The meditation aims at weakening sexual desire by depriving the sexual urge of its cognitive underpinning, the perception of the body as sensually alluring. Sensual desire rises and falls together with this perception. It springs up because we view the body as attractive; it declines when this perception of beauty is removed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The perception of bodily attractiveness in turn lasts only so long as the body is looked at superficially, grasped in terms of selected impressions. To counter that perception we have to refuse to stop with these impressions but proceed to inspect the body at a deeper level, with a probing scrutiny grounded in dispassion. Precisely this is what is undertaken in the meditation on unattractiveness, which turns back the tide of sensuality by pull- ing away its perceptual prop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meditation takes one’s own body as object, since for a neophyte to start off with the body of another, especially a member of the opposite sex, might fail to accomplish the desired result. Using visualization as an aid, one mentally dissects the body into its components and investi- gates them one by one, bringing their repulsive nature to light. The texts mention thirty-two parts: head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, stomach contents, excrement, brain, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, snot, spittle, sinovial fluid, and urine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The repulsiveness of the parts implies the same for the whole: the body seen closeup is truly unattractive, its beautiful appear- ance a mirage. But the aim of this meditation must not be mis- apprehended. The aim is not to produce aversion and disgust but detachment, to extinguish the fire of lust by removing its fuel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a reference to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Visuddhimagga, chapter 8: &quot;Mindfulness occupied with body&quot;, verses 42-144, p. 236-258&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Here it gives in-depth instructions on how to perform the technique and it takes all body parts and describes each in detail. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, Pa Auk Sayadaw gives a description of this type of meditation in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/know-see.pdf#page44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Knowing and Seeing&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 44-46:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Thirty-Two Parts of the Body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you want to develop meditation on the thirty-two parts of the body, you should first re-establish the fourth ànàpàna-jhàna. When the light of concentration is bright, brilliant, and radiant, you should use it to try to discern the thirty-two parts of the body, one at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The thirty-two parts of the body are twenty parts with predominantly the earth-element, and twelve parts with predominantly the water-element. The twenty earth-element parts should be discerned in four sets of five:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1-5. Head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin. 6-10. Flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;11-15. Heart, liver, membrane, spleen, lungs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;16-20. Intestines, mesentery, undigested food, faeces, brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The twelve water-element parts should be discerned in two sets of six:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1-6. Bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7-12. Tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Discern the parts in the given order, but one at a time. Try to see each of the parts, as distinctly as you would&#xA;  see your face in a clean mirror.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, while doing this, the light of concentration&#xA;  should fade, and the part of the body being discerned become unclear, you should re-establish the fourth ànàpàna-jhàna. When the light is again bright and strong, you should return to discerning the parts of the body. Do this whenever the light of concentration fades.&#xA;  Practise so that you are, from head hairs down to urine, or from urine back to head hairs, able to see each one clearly and with penetrating knowledge; keep practising until you become skilful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, again using the light of concentration and with your eyes still closed, you should try to discern another being close by. It is especially good to discern someone in front of you. Discern the thirty-two parts of the body in that person, or being, from head hairs down to urine, and from urine back to head hairs. Discern the thirty-two parts forwards and backwards many times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you have succeeded, discern the thirty-two parts once internally, that is in your own body, and once ex- ternally, that is in the other person’s body; do this many times, again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you are able to discern internally and externally like this, the power of meditation will in- crease. You should thus gradually extend your field of discernment bit by bit, from near to far. Do not worry that you cannot discern beings far away. Using the brilliant light of the fourth jhàna, you can easily see beings far away; not with the naked eye, but with the eye of wisdom (¤àõacakkhu). You should be able to extend your field of discernment in all ten directions: above, below, east, west, north, south, north east, south east, north west, south west. Take whomever you dis- cern, be they human, animal or other beings, in those ten directions, and discern the thirty-two parts, once internally and once externally, one person or other being at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you no longer see men, women, or buf- faloes, cows, and other animals, as such, but see only groups of thirty-two parts, whenever and wherever you look, internally or externally, then can you be said to be successful, skilful, and expert in discerning the thirty-two parts of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T12:05:19.577" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T12:05:19.577" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5264" CreationDate="2015-07-26T12:42:40.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha &lt;em&gt;didn't&lt;/em&gt; teach karmamudra. Read the Pali canon, in which the whole doctrine is laid out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5559" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T13:13:14.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T13:13:14.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10410" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10414" CreationDate="2015-07-26T15:08:18.123" Score="6" ViewCount="692" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, it is taught that walking and sitting meditation should be practiced balanced with one another. I am wondering where it can be found that the Buddha taught this, or how the venerable sir came to this instruction. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T17:40:56.223" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T03:09:55.280" Title="Mahasi Sayadaw Walking" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|mahasi-sayadaw|scripture|meditation-walking|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10410" CreationDate="2015-07-26T15:34:46.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that some foundation for this way of practicing can be derived from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Five Spiritual Faculties&lt;/em&gt; (when fully developed they are called the Five Powers)&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. These are briefly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (viriya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samadhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Faith (saddha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom (paññā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These five faculties must be balanced in order for one to progress on the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common example which Mahasi Sayadaw addresses in his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-1951_satipatthana_vipassana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Satipatthana Vipassana&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, p. 11&lt;/a&gt;, is the 3rd hindrance, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Sloth and torpor also called Dulness and drowsiness or short Laziness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sayadaw explains that laziness happens when there is an excess of concentration and too little energy to fuel or drive that concentration. On the other hand if one has too little concentration and too much energy there will arise restlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these faculties need to be balanced and one way of doing that is to balance sitting with walking meditation. If one's energy faculty is low but concentration high then one needs to arouse energy. There are several ways of doing that. One way is to do walking meditation in a brisk tempo before doing sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to partly answer your question. I think the answer could be based on the need for balancing the five spiritual faculties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is a great dhamma talk by Ajahn Punnadhammo (teaches the Mahasi-method) about how to balance the spiritual faculties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The website is down at the moment, I will add the link when it becomes available).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T15:48:39.777" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T15:48:39.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10412" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10415" CreationDate="2015-07-26T16:02:31.443" Score="11" ViewCount="794" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone could provide a list of all Buddhist schools (both extinct and extant) it would be much appreciated. If this is unmanageable due to the high number, major schools would be good, or a link to such a list would be great. Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T22:49:15.713" Title="Could someone provide a list of all Buddhist schools?" Tags="|traditions|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10412" CreationDate="2015-07-26T16:24:47.673" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are the following links to Buddhist Schools:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Schools of Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;BuddhaNet - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/schools.htm&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Schools / Lineages&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rigpawiki - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=The_four_main_schools_of_Tibetan_Buddhism&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;DharmaNet - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/traditionsbasicdn.htm&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Principal Spiritual Traditions of Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Budsas &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/59.htm&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Two Main Schools of Buddhism&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/schools-three-vehicles.shtml&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;History &amp;amp; Timeline of Buddhism’s Spread&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;SiddhartaBuddhism - &lt;a href=&quot;http://siddharthabhuddhism.weebly.com/5-different-sects-of-buddhism.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Buddhist Sects&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bloomingrosepress.com/BuddhistTraditions.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Schools of Buddhism and their countries: An overview&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-26T16:36:45.380" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T16:36:45.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10410" CreationDate="2015-07-26T17:04:00.423" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did in fact teach just this practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, you should train thus: ‘We will be devoted to wakefulness. During the day, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states. In the first watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states. In the middle watch of the night we will lie down on the right side in the lion’s pose with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and fully aware, after noting in our minds the time for rising. After rising, in the third watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 39 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This passage occurs frequently in the suttas. The Buddha taught there are five benefits to walking meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;addhānakkhamo hoti&lt;/strong&gt; - one is able to tolerate long-distance travel&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;padhānakkhamo hoti&lt;/strong&gt; - one is able to tolerate exertion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;appābādho hoti&lt;/strong&gt; - one has little sickness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;asitaṃ pītaṃ khāyitaṃ sāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchati&lt;/strong&gt; - what is eaten, drunk, chewed and tasted goes to proper digestion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;caṅkamādhigato samādhi ciraṭṭhitiko hoti&lt;/strong&gt; - walking-produced concentration is of long duration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 5.29&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-26T17:04:00.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10412" CreationDate="2015-07-26T17:29:47.593" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;Out of thousands schools, sub-schools, and hybrids, here are some of the most notable outlines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Early Buddhism and conservative descendants&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Popular wing=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahasanghika (developed into Mahayana)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gokulika (&lt;em&gt;in Varanasi/Pataliputra&lt;/em&gt;)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bahusrutiya (&lt;em&gt;in Kosala&lt;/em&gt;)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satyasiddhi / Tattvasiddhi (Chinese, extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jojitsu (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prajnaptivada (&lt;em&gt;in Magadha&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lokottaravada&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caitika&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pudgalavada heresy (extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vatsiputriya (extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sanmitiya (extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Conservative center=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tamraparniya (the Sri Lanka offshoot)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahisasaka (absorbed into Theravada)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dharmaguptaka (in Gandhara, extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ritsu (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Abhidharma wing=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sarvastivada (in Gandhara, extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vaibhashika (extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sautrantika (developed into Yogacara)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kusha (Japanese, extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Mahayana&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Prajnaparamita / emptiness group=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yogacara line&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Faxiang (Chinese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hosso (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Madhyamaka line&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tibetan family&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kadam (extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gelug (Dalai Lama's school)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sakya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sanlun (Chinese, extinct)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sanron (Japanese, extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chan (Chinese)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Zen (Japanese)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Soto&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rinzai&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fuke (extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Obaku&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seon (Korean)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jogye / Chogye (my Zen Master's school)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thien (Vietnamese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Tantric group=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tibetan tantra&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nyingma&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aro gTér&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kagyu&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma-Kagyu (Chogyam Trungpa's school)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;New Kadampa (Gelug breakaway)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tangmi (Chinese)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shingon (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Sincretic group=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bon-Nyingma hybrid (Tibetan)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shugendo (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ari Gaing (Burma, extinct)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Newar (Nepal)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;=======Popular wing / Ekayana=======&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pure Land / Amitabha line&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jodo (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yuzu Nembutsu (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lotus Sutra line&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tiantai (Chinese)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cheontae (Korean)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tendai (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nichiren (Japanese)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nipponzan-Myohoji (my first encounter with Buddhism)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avatamsaka Sutra line&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Huayan (Chinese)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kegon (Japanese)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hwaeom (Korean, subsumed by Seon)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T22:49:15.713" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T22:49:15.713" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-07-26T18:17:13.987" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10416" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-26T19:29:56.867" Score="5" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for first hand accounts of what might make a good sitting mat/cushion. I've been using regular bed pillows but the fabric in them has given way, offering little support aside from lumps of stuff. I looked around online, and the cushions sold are rather expensive, so I'd like some advice/input from people who have used specific cushions/equipment before I go and buy a glorified 80$ beanbag chair. Is there any one in particular that is worth the steep price tag associated with these products? What should I look for in particular? Is there anything I should look to avoid? I realize this is only tangential to the practice, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to ask such a specific question. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T09:40:34.003" Title="All about seats" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10416" CreationDate="2015-07-26T20:06:33.447" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been meditating for a couple years or so. I understand that, for sitting meditation (Burmese posture, half-louts, whatever), one should elevate the pelvis above the knees to gain a proper pelvis/spine posture. I've tried to use pillows, blankets, inflatable cushions, etc. Nothing that I tried to improvise worked for extended sitting (e.g. sitting for more than a few minutes). I have been sitting for an hour for a few months, and am gradually increasing the time beyond one hour. I finally bit the money bullet and bought a buckwheat hull Zafu from StillSitting. That purchase was well worthy the cost!! Yes, it's heavy; but,yes, it works great!! It perfectly supports the sitting bones and elevates the pelvis!! I put a folded (folded over half, I.e. one fold) ThermaRest Z-Lite backpacking sleeping pad on the floor; atop that I place a twice-folded yoga mat; atop that I place the Zafu. All of that supports my ankles, legs, knees and Zafu. I sit in what I call a quarter lotus posture. Note that one should sit on the front third of the Zafu, not in the middle. I also cut two discs from an old ensolite foam backpacking sleep mat, sized to the the diameter of the Zafu, and put those beneath the Zafu for a bit more elevation (~3/4&quot;). That all sounds involve; but, hey, I can sit comfortably enough to allow for extending the sit time. HAPPY SITTING &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="108" LastEditDate="2015-07-27T01:00:56.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T01:00:56.877" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-07-27T00:27:31.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a Buddhist, so I can't answer from that perspective, but I am a guy with a lot of experience training martial arts. And I can tell you that the more experience and skill I gained, the less I got into fights in real life. I also think that my training and calm makes people less inclined to attack me, people can sense these things. Take from that what you will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5562" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T00:27:31.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10419" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10420" CreationDate="2015-07-27T02:39:25.620" Score="4" ViewCount="1567" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most traditions of Buddhism there is talk of the Buddha, or various Bodhisattvas talking about their past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At what point in the path to enlightenment is the ability to remember ones past lives gained? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-07-27T02:45:39.227" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T12:32:13.990" Title="At what point in the path is one able to recall their past lives?" Tags="|karma|buddhas|bodhisattva|past-lives|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10419" CreationDate="2015-07-27T04:25:11.903" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Powers are generally orthogonal to insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most enlightened people have some powers, but not all people with powers are enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The six higher powers (&lt;em&gt;chalabhiññā&lt;/em&gt;) include the cessation of ignorance, leading to becoming an arhat and the knowledge of past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus theoretically one can be an arhat but not have knowledge of past lives, if one isn't interested in pursuing such skills or vice versa. However, this is contentious, since popular lore expects arhats to walk through walls or be able to perform other special deeds, but the Buddha himself never solely equates powers with enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devadutta, the villainous cousin of the Buddha had lots of powers, including transforming himself into other beings through jhana cultivation, but he was no arhat even though he was only a short hop away from it - he simply had no interest in enlightenment. He was interested instead in profiting from the psychic and political powers of being a spiritual guru.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Remember one's former abodes&amp;quot; (pubbe-nivāsanussati), that is, recalling ones own past lives;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Extinction of mental intoxicants&amp;quot; (āsavakkhaya), upon which arahantship follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhijñā or direct knowing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Are powers strictly necessary for enlightenment?&amp;quot; is a separate question. While they can be a distraction keeping one away from enlightenment, after enlightenment they can become useful tools. For example, those on the Bodhisattva path are expected at some point to focus their training on attaining mind reading powers so that they may help others to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, adherents of the Zen tradition would say enlightenment is very ordinary, it was never not there. Enlightenment is doing ordinary things in a most extraordinary way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch &amp;quot;Ten Oxherding Pictures&amp;quot; on YouTube - &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/bN126j4FH7g&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/bN126j4FH7g&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T04:50:36.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10421" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-27T06:41:36.103" Score="3" ViewCount="1312" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone explain the difference between the terms prajna and jnana and how they differ between schools? I learnt for several years with a chinese tradition, where we were taught that prajna is experiential wisdom as opposed to jnana being intellectual wisdom, a view which I am told by my friends who read pali is shared by the pali cannon, however my understanding is that in tibetan buddhism the useage often seems to be the opposite (see for example John Reynolds' &quot;the golden letters&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone shed some light on this issue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4941" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T18:02:24.327" Title="prajna vs jnana across schools" Tags="|pali-canon|vajrayana|chinese-buddhism|language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10419" CreationDate="2015-07-27T11:20:55.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember once in a talk by Ajahn Brahms he said that a lot of his monks would recall past life memories as they were coming out of dhyana states...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4941" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T11:20:55.353" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10419" CreationDate="2015-07-27T12:16:01.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true that one can gain the ability (Iddhividha-niddesa) to recall past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga has a large section on how to develop these supernatural powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here they go into great detail on how one can develop them. There is a section on &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Recollection of Past Lives&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; (p. 404-415), but it's too large to quote. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Instead here is a quote from the introduction chapter, p. 369.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CHAPTER XII&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THE SUPERNORMAL POWERS (Iddhividha-niddesa)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[THE BENEFITS OF CONCENTRATION (CONTINUED)]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was said above with reference to the mundane kinds of direct- knowledge that this development of concentration “provides ... the benefit of the kinds of direct-knowledge” (XI.122). Now, in order to perfect those kinds of direct-knowledge the task must be undertaken by &lt;strong&gt;a meditator who has reached the fourth jhána in the earth kasióa, and so on.&lt;/strong&gt; And in doing this, not only will this development of concentration have provided benefits in this way, it will also have become more advanced; and when he thus possesses concentration so developed as to have both provided benefits and become more advanced, he will then more easily perfect the development of understanding. So meanwhile we shall deal with the explanation of the kinds of direct-knowledge now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In order to show the benefits of developing concentration to clansmen whose concentration has reached the fourth jhána, and in order to teach progressively refined Dhamma, five kinds of mundane direct-knowledge have been described by the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are: (1) the kinds of supernormal power, described in the way beginning, “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, and has become malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability,1 he directs, he inclines, his mind to the kinds of supernormal power. He wields the various kinds of supernormal power. Having been one, he becomes many ...” (D I 77); (2) the knowledge of the divine ear element; (3) the knowledge of penetration of minds; &lt;strong&gt;(4) the knowledge of recollection of past lives;&lt;/strong&gt; and (5) the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to recall past lives (only one life though) is to remain conscious throughout the death-process. If you are fully conscious throughout the entire process you will become liberated. If there is still some clinging left you will be reborn as a Brahma or Deva and be able to recall fully the last life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked a question on exactly that and Ven. Yuttadhammo gave this answer to my question. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8785/going-from-a-waking-state-into-the-dream-state-while-being-conscious&quot;&gt;You can read the question and the answer here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T12:32:13.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9560" CreationDate="2015-07-27T15:32:37.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having been a martial artist for twenty years now (shotokan and tai chi), and a practitioner of Zen for about half as long, here are my two cents on the matter.  Or fifty cents.  This could get long.  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing martial about the martial arts until it's used martially.  A knife can cut vegetables or it can cut a person.  Bodhidharma (according to legend), taught tai chi to the Shaolin monks to help strengthen their meditation.  It was only when they had to defend their temple that it became a system of combat.  What's ultimately important is managing intent and action.  Most children don't have any sort of training like this.  Emotional reactions flow into physical action with very little discernment.  They react viscerally to how they feel.  They have no context for how their actions might play out, who they might harm, or what the consequences may be for &quot;acting out&quot; physically.  Any decent childrens martial arts instructor is going to emphasize all of these points in their teaching.  (And if he/she doesn't, run the hell away!)  For children, I think this is the main benefit of training.  Ballet, sports, etc. don't teach you how to manage anger, diffuse conflict, and negotiate difficult situations quite as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For adults, frankly, I think focusing on the combative elements of any martial system misses the point entirely.  By the time you've graduated high school, one would hope that you've picked up some decent anger management skills and aren't going to use what you learn to beat up on your coworkers!  (I say this in jest, but sadly people do get into martial arts for the wrong reasons.  But again, it's a problem of intent, not the martial arts themselves.)  At this stage in an adult's life, where the Buddhist and martial paths cross is how they handle the obstacles that come up in one's practice.  Simply put - there's nothing like sitting on the cushion to show you where your hang ups are.  The only thing that comes close is learning some sort of skill.  The martial arts provides innumerable opportunities where your ego is going to get squashed, you are going to have trouble with a form, or some new white belt is going to ring you up during free sparring.  How you react to any of these situations is going to teach you &lt;em&gt;volumes&lt;/em&gt; about yourself and how your small mind reacts to pettiness.  It's also an opportunity for tremendous honesty about your abilities (read: martial arts teaches you humility better than just about anything else).  Martial arts will also teach you that only perseverance leads to improvement.  You will come to really understand the meaning of the Buddha's last words - &quot;Strive with earnestness&quot;!  Improved concentration, mindfulness, etc. are really just an infinitesimal part of how the martial arts can benefit a Buddhist practice.  The other stuff is far more important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One final word if you do decided to go ahead with martial arts for your daughter - &lt;strong&gt;Vet the hell out of the instructor.&lt;/strong&gt;  I cannot stress this point enough.  In many cases, the school or the art do not matter.  What is important is the attitude of the person teaching.  The martial arts world is extremely ego driven (hint #1 why martial arts and Buddhism don't often go hand-in-hand).  In many cases, teaching for them is a power trip.  Many get off on their role as the disseminator of esoteric knowledge.  This manifests as withholding information from some students, the formation of cliques, favoritism, and TONS of politics.  You don't want that.  In the cases of other teachers, their ego manifests as &quot;trophy hunting&quot;.  Under instructors like these, your daughter is going to find herself at tons of tournaments and you are going to pay an arm and a leg entering her in the blasted things.  She might wind up catching trophy fever too - basing her happiness on what bling she takes home.  That's also not very Buddhist.  The last kind you need to watch out for are the woo woo types.  These are the kinds of people who put on airs of having special powers - qi, ninja-like awareness, whatever.  Yes, these things do happen, but just as the Buddha warned against becoming attached to siddhis, students sometimes become obsessed with this stuff to the detriment of the rest of their martial studies.  In summation, make sure you are handing your kid off to a nice person. She's going to be spending a lot of time with them and will likely be tremendously influenced by what they teach her.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T15:32:37.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10427" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10434" CreationDate="2015-07-27T16:26:09.813" Score="6" ViewCount="814" Body="&lt;p&gt;My boss has a tendency to gossip and speak negatively about his clients when they are not present. Sometimes he speaks to me about these people, and I am unsure of how to respond with regard to right speech. To not respond at all may hurt his feelings and create friction in our workplace. But to engage in such a discussion about others surely is wrong speech. How should one go about responding to gossip while maintaining right speech &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; prevent hurt feelings/social awkwardness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-27T17:12:10.310" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T02:14:25.227" Title="Right speech in social situations" Tags="|ethics|right-speech|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10421" CreationDate="2015-07-27T17:08:57.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Pali linguistics perspective, both words share the common root &lt;code&gt;jna&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;to know&quot;). So &lt;code&gt;jnana&lt;/code&gt; literally means &quot;knowledge&quot;, while &lt;code&gt;pra-&lt;/code&gt; in prajna means &quot;before&quot; and &quot;super&quot;, making it into &quot;super-knowledge&quot; or perhaps &quot;proto-knowledge&quot; or even &quot;meta-knowledge&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally in Buddhism (Tibetan or not), jnana is used to refer to various insights (realizations, recognitions) one gets along the way, while prajna is taken to mean the noumenal aspect of the Ultimate Realization (Enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately the schools disagree on what exactly it means to be enlightened, and therefore on the exact nature of prajna. Here I'll speak from Mahayana/Madhyamaka perspective, as I understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Mahayana schools of Madhyamaka heritage equate prajna with either direct supraconceptual realization of Emptiness (&quot;the ultimate reality&quot;) or, taking it a step further, with direct realization of inseparability of &quot;the ultimate reality&quot; and &quot;the conventional reality&quot; (the world as we know it in day-to-day living).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chan family of schools traditionally emphasizes the &quot;supraconceptual&quot; part of Realization, for them understanding is incomplete until your really &quot;get it&quot; deep in your guts, so to speak. So when they talk about prajna they mean not as much intellectual understanding of &quot;the two truths&quot;, as realization of its practical implications to our life -- and the resulting &lt;em&gt;modus-operandi&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From this realization comes certain skill in dealing with phenomena, now seen as lacking substantial existence. One can jungle alternative designations without getting stuck. This skill, in my understanding, is the prajna proper&lt;/em&gt;. At the same time the Realization comes with coemergent compassion towards sentient beings trying to organize their lives around the wrong assumption that reality they deal with is solid and reliable. As well as with clear understanding that a sentient being can't simply jump from its modus-operandi based on innate confusion, to the modus-operandi based on enlightenment. There is time and effort and the right conditions required. This drives even more compassion on the side of the ones acquainted with &quot;the knowledge of the two truths&quot;, due to which they see the need to employ &lt;code&gt;upaya&lt;/code&gt; or skillful means, to gradually take sentient begins from point A to point B.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This conglomerate of realizations, concerns, considerations, and the resulting behavior is known as &quot;prajna-karuna&quot;, the unity of wisdom and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason some teachers may downplay prajna, is because without the water of compassion it is considered a dry understanding of emptiness, lacking life, therefore incomplete. I suppose their praise of jnana could refer specifically to &quot;knowledge of the two truths&quot;, which is said to be the root of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As always in Buddhism, the words are used as designations to refer to some real stuff going on. As long as we know what we are talking about, we won't get confused as to what's what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-07-27T18:02:24.327" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T18:02:24.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10429" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11757" CreationDate="2015-07-27T17:48:12.307" Score="6" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we consider 'tathagatagarbha' and 'dhammakaya' as synonyms? If not, what is the difference between those words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T18:36:56.207" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T18:49:37.513" Title="Tathagatagarbha and dhammakaya" Tags="|mahayana|terminology|vajrayana|buddha-nature|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10430" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-27T19:51:32.437" Score="7" ViewCount="610" Body="&lt;p&gt;Am I wrong or is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;beginner's mind&lt;/a&gt;&quot; a Zen term that means &quot;seeing the experience you are aware of, moment by moment, as if you have never experienced concepts before... Like you have just been born with a mind that has not developed concepts yet and so you see things as they really are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;Beginner's Mind&quot; equivalent to  direct seeing or very related to direct seeing(or even clear comprehension)? Should insight meditators be &quot;trying&quot; to see this way, &quot;trying&quot; to see things as if the meditator was just born? &#xA; ...OR...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does direct seeing develop when a beginner starts by watching meditation objects &quot;imperfectly&quot; with all the concepts of each meditation object mixed with what really is and then  slowly through continuous practice the meditator  will be able to understand what is concept and what is direct experience? If this is true then its not a matter of effort or trying to see direct reality but more about &quot;discerning&quot;  what are concepts and what is the real object that is arising in experience by just seeing what the meditator sees. Maybe, I'm mistaken somewhere because it's not totally clear to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: to sum it up, I'm trying to see if I have the right idea about &quot;direct seeing&quot; and &quot;Beginner's Mind&quot;. Also, I'm  generally asking if we put forth effort to experience directly or not. --Thank You &amp;amp; Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beginner's Mind, or &lt;em&gt;Shoshin&lt;/em&gt;, is a Chinese Buddhist term exported Japan, translated into English. The Chinese 初心 (pinyin: Chūxīn) is from Avatamsaka Sutra 《華嚴經》, describing the Bodhisattva when first making the Bodhisattva vow:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;三世一切諸如來　　靡不護念&lt;strong&gt;初&lt;/strong&gt;發&lt;strong&gt;心&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All past, present and future Buddhas, none won't protect nor won't remember&#xA;  those who first set motion this &lt;em&gt;heart [citta/mind]&lt;/em&gt; (an usual&#xA;  Classical Chinese grammar unusal for English, for &lt;em&gt;will protect and&#xA;  remember&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;如菩薩&lt;strong&gt;初心&lt;/strong&gt;　　不與後心俱&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like the Bodhisattva's &lt;strong&gt;initial &lt;em&gt;heart&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (here it means the&#xA;  willing/vowing determination to go the Bodhisattva Path)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This initially may also include the meaning of &lt;code&gt;an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject&lt;/code&gt; as brutally hacked off 80% of the rest of the meaning by Wikipedia &lt;em&gt;amateur experts&lt;/em&gt;, further corrupted when hitch-hiking by book-writing Zen teachers such as wikipedia-ed Shunryū Suzuki. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of Import is, one shouldn't further corrupt this term with Theravadin's &lt;em&gt;Luminious Mind&lt;/em&gt;. It will be very hazardous to the normal Buddhist student's learning, like smoke is hazardous to health. The excitement caused by nicotine is like the student excited by novelty, both are trading excitement with detrimental to health. Like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Law of Entropy&lt;/a&gt; in Physics, this freely hitch-hiking terms activities will further pollute the Dharma/Dhamma; also like Entropy, the end result is un-pure Dharma/Dhamma, or, chaos. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Any method involving the notion of entropy, the very existence of&#xA;  which depends on the second law of thermodynamics, will doubtless seem&#xA;  to many far-fetched, and may &lt;strong&gt;repel beginners as obscure and&#xA;  difficult of comprehension&lt;/strong&gt;. Willard Gibbs, Graphical Methods in the&#xA;  Thermodynamics of Fluids&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-08-30T10:00:55.127" LastActivityDate="2017-08-30T10:00:55.127" Title="What is Direct Seeing?" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|experiential|wisdom|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10427" CreationDate="2015-07-27T20:02:13.953" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Antagonising a boss may bring difficulties, but this is exactly why it is very hard to break away from samsara, it is often too easy to fold, and compromise just this one time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma is not a magic formula that fixes all the problems of samsara, it merely teaches us to be okay with a hard landing if one's only choices are between soft quicksand, a rock and a hard place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there is a right time and way to tell him that you don't enjoy his gossip or a way to remain silent without giving offense, but it is also wise to consider that you may fail at this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a Zen saying that the tiger needs to live in the forest to be safe, a tiger out and about in the town is quickly dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Merely awakening to one's true self may even seem easier in comparison to mixing nirvana with samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several contemporary world leaders like the Dalai Lama, or Barack Obama who are in my opinion very skilled in saying the right thing to people at the right time, but they always have detractors. The Dalai Lama gets a number of negative comments on his social media posts, even if he is only saying something harmless and wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha too didn't attempt to make everyone happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is naive to assume that merely because one is pure hearted, soft spoken and gentle one won't have detractors. Following right speech or right action is not automatically easy, there are tough choices to be made all through life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha knew of several people who were angry with him, including his father at one time, and some of them regularly tried to harm or kill him, but this didn't stop him from doing what was correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are quite attached to their world view and will not agree to change their views no matter what is said. In these cases silence maybe the best among available choices even if they all appear unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When King Ajatasattu, newly coronated, meets the Buddha after killing his father King Bimbisara at the urging of Devadatta, the Buddha never brings up the topic of patricide; though it must have hung heavily in the air. Instead he speaks to him as if nothing had happened, telling him about the benefits of being a monastic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;See:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T08:16:12.347" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T08:16:12.347" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10432" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-27T20:35:31.220" Score="11" ViewCount="547" Body="&lt;p&gt;The second fetter to break when one becomes a stream entrant is given as 'Clinging to rites and rituals'. I've always found that one a little puzzling. How do you know if you are clinging to a ritual? What would be the signs of it? Does the fetter apply exclusively to Buddhist rituals or does it apply to the little rituals we all indulge in as we navigate our way through daily life? I think I'm after someone to help unpack this one a little bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2020-10-29T04:52:34.337" Title="What does breaking the fetter 'Clinging to rites and rituals' actually mean?" Tags="|stream-entry|rituals|fetters|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10427" CreationDate="2015-07-27T20:40:00.123" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What if you replied, something like, &quot;I'm sorry you feel that way&quot;?&#xA;If so then your talk with your boss would be about the boss' feelings, instead of gossip about the client.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or ask, &quot;Is he really so bad?&quot; That would give the boss feedback that he is speaking negatively, and an opportunity to come up with a more balanced view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or turn the conversation to the boss' opinion about the business relationship, rather than the boss' opinion about the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you know the client can you contradict the boss: &quot;Oh I don't think he's so bad. He's always polite when I talk with him. He's a good customer. He pays his bills on time.&quot; or whatever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I read through &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot;&gt;the right speech guidelines&lt;/a&gt; a lot of them are about being timely (not an issue in this case sine it's the boss that decided when to bring up the subject), gentle, and not malicious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T20:40:00.123" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10427" CreationDate="2015-07-27T20:57:31.977" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a few tactics which I have employed in the workplace when dealing with people such as this. They don't ALWAYS work, but with some practice they can definitely help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) You can try to push the conversation off tangentially to a different subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Such and such customer did this when we were talking about the smith account.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Oh right, about the smith account, I was meaning to ask you..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Little to no feedback&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pretty much just what it sounds like. Just be mindful of the persons rant as nothing but noise, only giving enough mindfulness to the actual content as to be able to interact when absolutely necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sometimes works when the person either takes the hint that you aren't interested, or they become bored that their need to gossip isn't being fulfilled by you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T20:57:31.977" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10436" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10441" CreationDate="2015-07-27T22:11:57.027" Score="13" ViewCount="647" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a crumbled up dollar bill on the stairs when I was coming out of work today. I looked around and didn't see anyone who might have dropped it. I picked it up and walked away. Pretty soon I went back and laid it back on the steps again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realized I really didn't know how the 2nd precept, &quot;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given&quot; should be applied to found items which don't have an apparent owner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are lots of examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*wild berries in the woods&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*wild flowers in a vacant lot&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*something interesting that washes up on the shore&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*something that's been left on the side of the road&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*money lying on the ground with no one anywhere around&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*an apparently abandoned item in a desolate area&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hadn't really thought about this before, but as I was walking away with that dollar I actually felt kind of guilty. So I'd like to know found items should be considered for the future. Thanks! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T16:02:48.207" Title="Found items and the Second Precept" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10436" CreationDate="2015-07-27T22:30:04.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe this is what you are looking for: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaGXA3vdEvw&amp;amp;index=51&amp;amp;list=PLF755B81CBBCA7B59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Burnt by the fruit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T22:30:04.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10436" CreationDate="2015-07-27T23:03:38.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it should be ok.  I asked myself similar question, a situation such as taking or using things in your house from your family members knowing in advance they dont care?  Example: using my gf's shaving cream she left in the bathroom?  I came across this sutta which i dont remember the reference number. It's called &quot;vissasa&quot;  literal translation means, &quot;intimate, confidential, trust worthy&quot;, but in a context, &quot;take liberty&quot; is probably more direct. if you take liberty of something, knowing in advance it would not cause the owner griefs, anger, etc, and the the owner would be happy sharing it with you then the precept is unbroken, untorn, unblemished,  (my further reading, unbroken = you dont break the precept your self, untorn = you dont ask someone to break the precepts on your behalf, unblemished = you dont feel joy when see, hear, or know if someone breaks a precept). I usually ask first before i take Vissasa, just to be sure.  vissasa has two features.. the owner dont mind you taking it, and the owner is happy you taking it.  very normal in every household, i think.  however, i wouldnt dare to use my gf $80 skin lotion, that's for sure  :-)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-07-27T23:03:38.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10439" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10448" CreationDate="2015-07-28T01:05:43.070" Score="3" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone knows where I can get my hands on Tattvasiddhi Śāstra by Harivarman, also known as Satyasiddhi Śāstra also known as Prodbhūtopadeśa also known as Chengshi lun. Paper or electronic format is fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T07:10:35.723" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T10:28:27.320" Title="where to get Tattvasiddhi Śāstra" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10440" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10446" CreationDate="2015-07-28T01:46:16.063" Score="8" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;During this current heat wave I've been struggling with heat related discomfort in my sits. (A/C isn't an option at my home) Any advise on dealing specifically with this, I'm sure the people who mediate in the east have it worse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T07:10:12.023" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T03:08:25.493" Title="Dealing with extreme temperatures" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10436" CreationDate="2015-07-28T02:09:02.173" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Vinaya actually goes into all of this under the rule against stealing. The question involves the factors involved in stealing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the object has an owner,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you perceive that the object has an owner,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you intend to steal it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you make effort to steal it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you succeed in stealing it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All have to be fulfilled in order for it to be stealing. So if you think something has been discarded, it is not stealing, even if it turns out that it has an owner. If you find out later that the item you took actually has an owner, any act you perform in relation to the item from that point on could potentially be an act of theft.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of the rule is to respect ownership; it has nothing to do with unowned items, or acts performed that do not breach that respect (e.g. taking something under the assumption that it has no owner).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The case where there is doubt about whether an object has an owner is more difficult, and it comes down to the third factor - intention. If you take an object that you think might have an owner with the intention to return it if you ever find out it has an owner, then it would not be considered stealing. Obviously, this becomes more unreasonable the more likely it is that the object has an owner. Really, the only way you could rationalize taking such an object is in the case where there is no compelling reason to think that the object has an owner still concerned with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it seems likely that the object has an owner who hasn't abandoned it, then it should be left alone - or the owner should be sought out. If it seems likely that the owner has long abandoned the object, then it may be taken as a possession if there is need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMC I&lt;/a&gt; has some discussion about this sort of question as it relates to monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because items that have been given away or discarded do not fulfil the factor of object here, there is no offense for a bhikkhu who takes a discarded object—such as rags from a pile of refuse—or unclaimed items from a wilderness. The Commentary, in some of its examples, includes items given up for lost under “abandoned,” but this interpretation has to be heavily qualified. If the owner retains a sense of ownership for the lost item, it would fall under the term claimed, and thus would still count as not given. Only if the owner abandons all sense of ownership would it genuinely count as abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of the texts discuss the possible case in which one might be in doubt as to whether the object in question is not given, perhaps because the compilers felt that the factor of intention, discussed next, would not apply in such cases. Thus it would not be an offense under this rule. However, the wise policy when one is in doubt about an item’s ownership would be not to take the item for one’s own, or at most to take it on loan, as explained below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T16:02:48.207" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10440" CreationDate="2015-07-28T02:19:27.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could try doing walking meditation prior to sitting, at a fast pace. This would accomplish two things: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) The walking itself would make you hot, therefore when you sit down, you would feel relatively cooler.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Doing walking meditation at a fast pace arouses energy, thereby making the drowsiness that comes along with being hot less of an issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you have a basement you could try sitting down there, instead. Basements are generally cooler.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T02:19:27.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10440" CreationDate="2015-07-28T03:36:20.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Put an icepack or a frozen waterbottle under/in between your feet. Remove it and replace as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T03:36:20.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10436" CreationDate="2015-07-28T05:01:53.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/atthasaalinii.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Atthasālinī&lt;/a&gt;, five conditions should be satisfied to break the 2nd precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An article belonging to another legally and blamelessly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge that the article belongs to another.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be the intention to steal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Action must be taken to steal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By the action, the article must be taken.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A dollar bill dropped on the stairs may not qualify as an abandoned object or an object without an owner like &quot;wild berries in the woods&quot;. Money is almost always owned by someone. People don't usually abandon it on purpose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The owner might not care too much, if it's just a dollar. But if it's a large amount, he or she could be so worried and looking for it already. So you could practice compassion and look for the owner. Alternatively, you could simply think of it as something you didn't earn or something that does not belong to you and walk away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it starts troubling you or if you start worrying whether the next person will pick it up, you are already clinging to it. Think of it as a problem you didn't have until you saw it and let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T05:36:30.520" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T05:36:30.520" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10430" CreationDate="2015-07-28T05:56:25.207" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, we learn &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Yoniso_manasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikhara&lt;/a&gt;. It means paying wise attention. And the knowledge or vision gained by paying wise attention is called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yath%C4%81-bh%C5%ABta-%C3%B1%C4%81na-dassana/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yathā Bhūta ñāna Dassana&lt;/a&gt; or the vision of manifestations in their real form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-22T09:39:10.487" LastActivityDate="2017-08-22T09:39:10.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10440" CreationDate="2015-07-28T08:37:12.727" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We must learn to thank the physically uncomfortable things in life, because it is a great teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The retreat center in my city is right beneath the primary flight path to a busy airport. New meditators on their first retreat often get very irritated by this - because not only is it hot and sweaty, especially if they aren't from India, but they didn't sign up to deal with this infernal din from above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We may not realize it, but we often live in our thoughts and memories and not in the present moment. Our memory of comfort is what comes in conflict with the present discomfort, not the physical pain itself, since it is the mind that gives meaning to pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When irritation swells up in us we must immediately thank it, and investigate it - who is getting irritated? Where is the clinging coming from? What exactly is uncomfortable? What is getting hurt? Is it our senses or our expectation? When exactly did the irritation begin? What happens to our attention at the moment of irritation? When does it end? How soon does it begin, and how soon does it end? What is its nature? Is it constant or does it arise and pass in waves? Can one see the three characteristics of anicca, anatta and dukkha in the irritation? and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the first aircraft flew above me, I was mildly irritated by it, but seeing that this was a great teacher who had come to guide me, I began to practice loving kindness towards the passengers in every aircraft that flew above me after that. Soon it became a habit, and so while there were some who would audibly sigh and hiss at the aircraft, I would be enveloped in a warm glow of love several times every hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't the physical reality but our reaction to it that matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T08:37:12.727" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10416" CreationDate="2015-07-28T08:55:56.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I lay out a yoga mat (1/2 inch thick) on the floor for cushioning my ankle(s), and a woollen blanket folded into an eighth to sit on. This is perfect for my sits for 2-3 hours. Both are very firm, and don't sag under my weight. As a bonus, if I am sitting for a long time through the night, it becomes my bed to sleep on when I am ready to sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For longer sits, because I have a back condition I find a wall to lean against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not uncommon here in India to find Brahmin priests who sit for long hours with crossed legs on the bare earth to develop hard calluses on the sides of their soles and ankles. It's a natural protection that works better than any zafu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10446/715&quot;&gt;my answer elsewhere to dealing with discomfort&lt;/a&gt;.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xmzrl.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xmzrl.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Woollen blankets&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/joc3X.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/joc3X.png&quot; alt=&quot;Yoga mats&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T09:40:34.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10439" CreationDate="2015-07-28T10:22:24.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/104775752/Satyasiddhisastra-of-Harivarman&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;It's available for download here at Scribd.com&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it looks like one must buy a subscription in order to read their books. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T10:28:27.320" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T10:28:27.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10449" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="36246" CreationDate="2015-07-28T11:09:53.440" Score="14" ViewCount="7658" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a business woman and my job is stressful. It is entirely motivated by greed. I want to leave my career but I have a dream to help poor people in my country and also to make my parents proud of me.&#xA;Could anyone please tell me what kind of career is compatible with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T22:13:14.090" LastActivityDate="2019-12-12T04:59:55.483" Title="A Good Career for a Buddhist?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|lay-buddhism|right-livelihood|parents|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10450" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10456" CreationDate="2015-07-28T11:14:30.927" Score="14" ViewCount="2011" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been told by someone close to me that my meditation and desire to let go are very threatening to her. She sees sense desires, ego and attachments as very natural and wholesome, and my way of life as a threat or a questionable choice at the very least. She's aware of Buddhism and renunciate ideals, but thinks the Buddha was an idiot for leaving his family and palace to chase nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was the essence of an hour long conversation, so there's lots I am leaving out. Seeing that I was very cheerful after an hour long harangue only infuriated her some more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the more colorful comments here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You're like the cartoonist who draws cartoons of Mohammed and incites&#xA;  terrorists. By meditating all the time you are trying to be perfect,&#xA;  you're actually making fun of us who don't meditate and like our egos.&#xA;  I get angry when I see you meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can you smile? Stop treating me like a child, you don't know&#xA;  better than me. I know what I am saying, the world thinks like me, not&#xA;  like you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to put it out there for general comment, but my specific question is, what to do when Dharma is (un)intentionally violent like this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I help or at least not hurt these people in my life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I was reminded to ask this when I came across: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10427/right-speech-in-social-situations&quot;&gt;Right speech in social situations&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;p.s.&lt;/em&gt; Being a vegetarian I'm used to such comments from people who think I am trying to be better than them. It became less of a problem over time, but it's of a much larger magnitude w.r.t Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T21:27:23.240" Title="Explaining non-attachment to the very attached" Tags="|personal-practice|samsara|attachment|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-28T12:42:11.343" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best option would be to keep following the noble eightfold path and observe the different path factors and the 5 precepts. This way you have your side of the coin clean and you are not pushing or preaching to her in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If she get's angry when seeing you meditate then that is her own doing. The untrained mind does not see reality for what it is. Instead it extrapolates and identifies with objects. In her experience she thinks you are doing something to her where in reality she is creating her own suffering. But how to explain that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be very difficult to explain or talk about the Dhamma to non-buddhists and especially non-meditators. The reason for this is the practical nature of buddhism and the emphasis on experiental knowledge instead of intellectual knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often tried this and have begun using the &quot;fruit-analogy&quot;. Imagine one has brought you a fruit from a country far away. You have never tasted the fruit and are curious about it's flavour. The bringer of the fruit tries to explain the flavour of the fruit to you. He uses all kinds of adjectives and descriptions but you can never fully understand the flavour of the fruit before taking a bite and tasting it for yourself. &#xA;So it is with some buddhist doctrines. They are so profound that they cannot be fully grasped by the intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This analogy usually puts people to sleep, i.e. ends the discussion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that is said then some people will just never understand the choices and ways of life that other people practice. In these cases one must ask oneself - &lt;em&gt;how much time and energy should I spend on explaining it then?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can I help or at least not hurt these people in my life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By keep practicing the noble eightfold path. Keep observing the precepts. Keep meditating and thereby puryfing yourself from the defilements. When doing that only pure intentions will come from you. When you are following the noble eightfold path your intentions will be; &lt;em&gt;intentions of renunciation, good will and harmlessness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When not having any unwholesome intentions then you are not hurting anyone. If anyone is getting hurt they are hurting themselves. In that case you can offer your advice and help. A good explanation could be to explain how human beings superimpose qualities onto objects, e.g. one experiences grey and rainy weather and says it's &lt;em&gt;&quot;sad&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The weather is not sad. The weather is neutral and objective. It is human beings themselves who put the quality of sadness onto the weather thereby making themselves sad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;fruit- and weather-analogies&lt;/em&gt; are good ones to use because they are simple. They are non-preaching and they are understandable also for non-meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T13:20:37.033" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T13:20:37.033" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-28T13:22:44.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How can you smile?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; -- I'm smiling simply because I'm happy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this is a case where it's best to simply say, &quot;This works for me, and is important to me, and I mean no harm to you by my practice,&quot; and walk away. I don't know if &quot;walk away&quot; is an option in this relationship, but if this person is having this hostile a reaction to your practice, then I don't know how you could resolve it in a way that will help the person. I think the best you may be able to do it maintain your practice, remain an example of the peace and happiness that it can bring (smile!), and let the person tread their path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T13:22:44.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10454" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-28T14:36:55.117" Score="7" ViewCount="560" Body="&lt;p&gt;A surprising number of people whom I know, who are generally kind and compassionate, are also avid hunters or at least enthusiastically support hunting by others. They feel hunting is a healthy activity and a good way to provide food. They site biblical references to man having dominion over animals. They feel hunting is part of a tradition that should be upheld. There are also a couple who feel it's a necessary skill to learn for the inevitable doomsday; but that's a whole other thing. ;-) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are people who feel good about hunting. At least in theory. But there is a phenomena called Buck Fever which is described as intense nervousness by inexperienced (and sometimes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nuts/2014/04/two-ways-deal-buck-fever&quot;&gt;very experienced&lt;/a&gt;) hunters. There is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv2KNq4Ib0U&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; circulating around the internet now showing a little girl experiencing this &quot;buck fever&quot; and while it's being shared by hunting enthusiasts who think it's great, I couldn't help but feeling disturbed watching it. To me it looks like horror in the guise of exhilaration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, we understand that any intentional killing will have consequences sooner or later and this is not something to be taken lightly. I wonder if this intense mind and body reaction to killing (or the intention to kill) can be explained by anything in the Abhidhamma or Buddhist theory in general. It's really intellectual curiosity about whether the mind can cause the body to malfunction when the mind perceives something on a deeper level than a person's logical reasoning. Or perhaps it's something else entirely. But I'm interested if Buddhism has anything to teach us about this. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T13:06:38.863" Title="Can anything in Buddhist theory explain phenomena like Buck Fever?" Tags="|ethics|mind-and-matter|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10449" CreationDate="2015-07-28T15:00:05.527" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion and experience, a job of a manager or executive/director is pretty compatible with Buddhism. If you apply all teachings of Buddha to managing people, you can be both very successful and help people under you grow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T15:14:31.600" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T15:14:31.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-28T15:10:04.553" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like your realization of Emptiness is not complete. Evidently, there are still some leftover attachments in you, specifically attachment to Dharma. Have you read Choguyam Trungpa's work? &quot;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&quot; comes to mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you worked with live Zen teachers or with higher levels of Tantra? Integrating Samsara and Nirvana is not a joke, and it is exactly simple but insightful women like this that were almost designed to call our bullshit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T15:10:04.553" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10454" CreationDate="2015-07-28T15:57:31.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Angulimala (finger garland) Bandit was probably the most ruthless serial killer during Buddha's time.  I read somewhere but didnt do much research on it that in his previous life he offered food to previous buddha or arahat who was tired and weak from hunger, after that in every life, Angulimala had extraordinary strength than everyone around him.  in one of his lives he was a wild buffalo attacking the domesticated buffaloes.  The villagers got upset and set up a lynching mob to hunt him down.  He was eventually captured, tortured, and killed.  He wanted to take revenge on those who killed him.  Among the villagers, there was a girl who watched the lynching with teary eyes.   She became his mother in his last life (which woulda been his last victim if Buddha didnt intervene) and the villagers became his victims.  However, i dont think he took pleasure in killing but rather was misguided.     Kalayanamitra is certainly a blessing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T16:03:04.227" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T16:03:04.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10449" CreationDate="2015-07-28T16:12:49.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can pick anything other than what is forbidden under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-ajiva/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Ajiva&lt;/a&gt; of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are few options:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teacher/Principal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doctor/Nurse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Farmer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Engineer(Civil/Mechanical/Software etc.) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Architect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Librarian&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accountant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seemstress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Baker&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Babysitter&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T16:35:30.147" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T16:35:30.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10430" CreationDate="2015-07-28T19:02:34.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before I get into the Zen part of this question, I'm going to lay out an assumption.  By &quot;direct seeing&quot; I'm assuming that you are referring to abhijna which is more often translated as &quot;direct knowing&quot;.  This direct knowing includes knowledge of the destruction of the taints, beings arising and passing away according to their karma, recollection of past lives, the uprooting of ignorance, etc.  If that's what you are referring to, then no, beginners mind is more mundane than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also use another phrase - clear comprehension.  In the mindfulness teachings of the Pali canon, this is the most commonly used translation of the word sampajanna.  This is most often taken to mean full awareness of an action.  If you are raising an arm, you are aware that you are raising an arm, when you are walking, you know that you are walking, etc.  This is getting a little closer to what is meant by beginners mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is beginners mind, then?  One way you might be able to get a handle on the concept is to think back to when you first started learning something.  We'll take driving a car for example.  During those first few times you drove, there was a sense of heightened awareness.  You probably remember everything about that experience - who you were with, what street you were driving down, etc.  You were extremely conscious of what your feet were doing, how you were holding your hands on the steering wheel, and so forth.  Your mind was in a place of novelty and immediacy.  It didn't wander very far from the task at hand.  It didn't devolve into conceptualizations about &quot;driving theory&quot; or other cars that you had driven before.  The more times you drove, the less immediacy that experience had for you.  Over time, you eventually started taking the whole thing for granted.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen mind is always at the beginning.  To lose that immediacy is to fall into duality and conceptualization.  Practically speaking, you can work on developing that kind of awareness.  That's really the thrust of all mindfulness practices (and I HIGHLY recommend Ven. Analayo's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1899579540&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Satipatthana&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;). Don't try and imagine what it would be like to see something as if you were just born.  Just be aware of what you are doing - thoughtlessly yet attentively.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T19:37:09.677" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T19:37:09.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10454" CreationDate="2015-07-28T19:45:56.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think &quot;&quot;vāsanā&quot;  might fit the situation best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from wiki &quot;vāsanā (Skt.). Habitual tendencies or dispositions, a term, often used synonymously with bīja (‘seed’). It is found in Pāli and early Sanskrit sources but comes to prominence with the Yogācāra, for whom it denotes the latent energy resulting from actions which are thought to become ‘imprinted’ in the subject's storehouse-consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna). The accumulation of these habitual tendencies is believed to predispose one to particular patterns of behaviour in the future.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone saw ven Sariputra jumped over the edge of a rice field and compliant to Buddha that the behavior was not worthy of a Bhikkhu.  Buddha explained that it was Ven Sariputra's Vasana from previos lives.  He was born as amonkey many life times, the vasana imprinted on him.  Only Bhudda could have his vasana wiped cleaned.  Maybe it was that little girl's vasana?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T19:45:56.650" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10449" CreationDate="2015-07-28T20:33:26.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Noble Eightfold Path is a thorough description of what qualifies as an acceptable career for a Buddhist. Also in this teaching are some examples of such a career. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right livelihood&lt;/a&gt; for a basic idea; you can use this as a framework for judging potential career choices in the future!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T22:07:56.040" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T22:07:56.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-28T21:28:30.103" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've been told by someone close to me that &lt;strong&gt;my&lt;/strong&gt; meditation and desire to let go are very &lt;strong&gt;threatening to her&lt;/strong&gt;. She sees sense desires, ego and attachments as very natural and wholesome, and my way of life as a threat or a questionable choice at the very least. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mind your own business, and you don't preach/push other people into your way of thinking, it's entirely &lt;em&gt;her&lt;/em&gt; decision to &lt;em&gt;feel&lt;/em&gt; threatened. it is important that &lt;em&gt;feeling&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;being&lt;/em&gt; are different things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, on the contrary, you are trying to sway her towards your beliefs, then she might be right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] thinks the Buddha was an idiot for leaving his family and palace to chase nirvana [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is &lt;em&gt;entirely up to her&lt;/em&gt; to think about whatever she wants in whatever way she wants. If you don't like that, then you are attached to the idea/facts she's against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing that I was very cheerful after an hour long harangue only infuriated her some more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is completely normal. Most people are infuriated when their aggressive response goes nowhere and they do not get the reaction they expected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They way you behave is also important. If you are simply peaceful and non-imposing, it is good. If you even seem to be patronizing, you should work on that. Having different beliefs does not make you superior (and neither it makes her so).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By meditating all the time you are trying to be perfect, you're actually making fun of us who don't meditate and like our egos. I get angry when I see you meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is twofold. You should take time to explain her that what you are doing is &lt;em&gt;your choice&lt;/em&gt;. You are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; doing it be better than others - but because you &lt;em&gt;feel&lt;/em&gt; that it is better for you. To give a vivid comparison: if I say that try to learn to drink ten pints of beer at one sitting because I like it drunk, it is one thing; if I say I do that to be better than others at drinking and will consider them inferior, it will be outright rude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second part is that she is angry when she sees you meditate. It is, again, &lt;em&gt;entirely her decision&lt;/em&gt; to become angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can you smile? Stop treating me like a child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This strongly hints that your communication leads her to think that you are patronizing. It takes two to cuddle, so you have to take steps to prevent that and communicate better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what to do when Dharma is (un)intentionally violent like this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not violent by itself. If you communicate with people well, they will usually leave you to your own devices, whatever they may be. Threat comes from the expansion on the views when you are trying to spread them. Be gentle: if a person doesn't want to know the details, don't push them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can I help or at least not hurt these people in my life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Frankly, people do not need your help. If you think that way, then it is partially a source of the trouble. You are doing things differently to them. If you explain that plainly, &lt;strong&gt;without&lt;/strong&gt; arguing that you are doing things &lt;strong&gt;better&lt;/strong&gt;, it will be the first step towards normal coexistence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5571" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T21:28:30.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10454" CreationDate="2015-07-28T22:53:28.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure of any specific theory, but just to throw in a bit of general philosophy/intellectual thought: Maybe because this girl is so young, her conscious mind is not yet developed enough to fully realize the consequences (kammic or otherwise) of the act of killing the deer. Or perhaps, since this is a case of &quot;buck fever&quot; it could apply to any who have not yet killed a sentient being of considerably higher level than say, a bug. For such people, the subconscious mind may be so strongly repulsed by the tremendous negative kamma of such an act, something almost foreign to it and yet extremely large and offensive, it is revolting. In the case of the girl, because she is so young, it may be the case that her body and mind are pure/sensitive/untainted as compared to older individuals who have spent more time in the world or who have become desensitized to killing. As a result, the incredible negative kammic force in her subconscious may be causing a physical reaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-07-28T23:38:43.677" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T23:38:43.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10449" CreationDate="2015-07-28T22:54:52.610" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Potentially, any job that doesn't violate the precepts is Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actuality of it though is that &lt;strong&gt;if you want to practice vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;, the heart of the Buddhist practices, &lt;strong&gt;it is better to do a job that does not have consideration of profit/loss&lt;/strong&gt; and does not have too much thinking/abstraction involved (slow manual labor is fine for developing vipassana and samatha through daily life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question though I believe is aimed more towards not vipassana cultivation, nor the &quot;potential&quot; of any job but ... what job is most stress-free?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for that, the answer is &quot;it depends.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the person and their character, inclinations, and tendencies.&#xA;I would look at what you like to do in your free time and consider what jobs pay you to do that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some people, due to their natural inclinations and habits, they may enjoy a jack-of-all-trades job, and would be able to squeeze in some meditaiton practice along with it.&#xA;For others, that are not so chronically intellectual, they may look for a job within a wide range of choices including: grocery bagging, greeting, sign-waving, farming, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really depends on the person and there is no high or low.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that matters is that you enjoy life without harm and gain some lasting benefit from it, especially in the form of mindfulness practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-28T22:54:52.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10465" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-29T01:05:16.443" Score="28" ViewCount="8801" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live with my mother in her house. There have been a mouse for a few months, living in the ceiling of my bedroom, and since a few weeks, it has been a nuisance for it scratches something, day and night, to the point of preventing me to sleep, even when wearing ear plugs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mouse does not seem to understand that it is not alone in the house and that it causes distress. I remember that There were mice long before and the rat poison was successful, until another mouse set in. They always find their way in, and always end up breeding and making a noisy mess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot access the ''thermal material''  which is between the ceiling of my bedroom and the  attic, because the attic has been covered up by some thermal blanket to better protect the house  thermally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not wish to kill the mouse with some  rat poison per se. but I  also fear that the mouse could chew some wires, electrical and telephonic, which pass above the ceiling and causing damage to the house. I also fear that the mouse breeds leading to even more mice, especially if I end up killing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are cats in the neighbourhood, and it is not clear to whom they belong, but they clearly did not catch the mouse thus far. I cannot get a cat myself, since there is no place and no means to sustain having a cat. I do not know the path to the garden that the mouse takes to leave the house, because there are plants and small trees preventing me to watch the ground and weed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there another solution than killing it in disposing some rat poison, in order to stop the noises and be assured that the house will not be damaged ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5574" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T08:51:36.397" LastActivityDate="2017-12-17T11:21:40.573" Title="How not to kill the mouse in my house?" Tags="|karma|ethics|killing|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-29T01:28:29.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;but my specific question is, what to do when Dharma is (un)intentionally violent like this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice the Five Faculties during and outside of meditation.&#xA;The Five Faculties are Mindfulness, Concentration, Faith, Energy, and &lt;strong&gt;Understanding&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are in no particular order and are like the wheels on a cart: if any of them are weak, idiotic extremes occur: mass genocide, stagnancy, zealotry, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest your question shows you need to actually study Dharma, at least read a few Buddhist works, preferably one old text and another more modern like &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; which is free online.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest having faith that Buddhism works for many of us and studying it further. It is not easy to get everything in life figured out but Buddhism makes it possible. Also the Buddha was not an &quot;idiot&quot; for his decision. At the very least, Gautama Buddha was a brave man and an opportunist with a good eye for what will eventually happen (death for all) and what excellent thing he can search for (Awakening, liberation from death) for the most benefit of all for all time.&#xA;He is the great hawk, your girl friend is the blind bat.&#xA;Life is never perfect and sometimes extremely difficult sacrifices must be made  for the highest good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T01:28:29.367" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T01:57:49.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to check out those Ultrasonic/Electromagnetic Pest Repellents available at Lowe's or Home Depot:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.homedepot.com/p/Aspectek-Home-Sentinel-5-in-1-Indoor-Ultrasonic-and-Electromagnetic-Pest-Repellent-HR211/205038495&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.homedepot.com/p/Aspectek-Home-Sentinel-5-in-1-Indoor-Ultrasonic-and-Electromagnetic-Pest-Repellent-HR211/205038495&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T01:57:49.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T02:42:06.207" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the past, I had some success with a no kill mouse trap like &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000YFA7HW&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;. It allows you to catch the mouse and release it in an appropriate area outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we share our home with 2 dogs and a cat. Mice don't seem to want to be here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T02:42:06.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T02:45:32.833" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Catch and release!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can make a simple trap with a paper towel roll, some leftover food, and a bucket.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are lots of clever, simple, humane traps.  In general you should just catch it and release it far away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T02:45:32.833" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10429" CreationDate="2015-07-29T04:39:39.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes they are synonyms but like every synonym there is a fine difference: the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya#Qualities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/a&gt; (dharmmakaya) refer to the non-physical component of the Trikaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find the dharmakaya to be a more useful understanding because it helps to contrasts the mental component of Buddhist practice with the physical component of Buddhist/Taoist practice (chi channels, chakras, kundalini, warmth, Taoist practices, etc.). This can help your practice because one principle of Mind is that the  body and mind are in sync and follow each other: if you train/purify the body, you also train/purify the mind... to a certain point. This rupakaya development has its limits and that is why the dharmakaya is helpful to be contrasted. The rupakaya goes very deep into the physical powers and improvements listed in Buddhism from just basic health to creating full on Taoist yang shen bodies (nirmanakaya). Anyway, it is more important to understand the contrast between the rupakaya and dharmakaya and focus on cultivating dharmakaya, because this is literally Reality. &lt;strong&gt;Ways to cultivate this tend to be non-physical, which in terms of self-actualization, means: achieving samadhis, prajnas, and stages described in the texts (through whatever method).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the lesson that the word &quot;dharmakaya&quot; teaches, which is why I like that term to help understand different practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gatagarbha_s%C5%ABtras#Tathagatagarbha_and_Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tathagatagarbha&lt;/a&gt; refers to the &quot;womb&quot; of reality/&quot;Buddha&quot;... basically Buddha-nature, basically dharmakaya.&#xA;In other sense: the Tathagatagarbha refers to a group of sutras for the most part, the Tathagatagarbha Sutras, but also to the Buddha-nature itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, it is disputed whether buddha-nature = Tathagatagarbha: the tathagatagarbha is thus described in Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia, the Tathagatagarbha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and the Buddha-nature have not exactly the same meaning, in the Buddhist tradition they became equated. In&#xA;  the Angulimaliya Sūtra and in the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra the&#xA;  terms &quot;Buddha-nature&quot; (Buddha-dhātu) and &quot;tathāgatagarbha&quot; are&#xA;  synonyms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All are agreed that the tathāgatagarbha is an immortal, inherent&#xA;  transcendental essence or potency and that it resides in a concealed&#xA;  state (concealed by mental and behavioural negativities) in every&#xA;  single being, even the worst - the icchantika.[citation needed]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although attempts are made in the Buddhist sutras to explain the&#xA;  tathāgatagarbha, it remains ultimately mysterious and allegedly&#xA;  unfathomable to the ordinary, unawakened person, being only fully&#xA;  knowable by perfect Buddhas themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The tathāgatagarbha itself needs no cultivation, only uncovering or&#xA;  dis-covery, as it is already present and perfect within each being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An unknown treasure exists under the home of a poor person that must&#xA;  be uncovered through removing obstructive dirt, yielding the treasure&#xA;  that always was there. Just as the treasure already exists and thus&#xA;  requires no further fashioning, so the matrix-of-one-gone-thus [i.e.&#xA;  the tathāgatagarbha], endowed with ultimate buddha qualities, already&#xA;  dwells within each sentient being and needs only to be freed from&#xA;  defilements.[8]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Charles Muller comments that the tathagatagarbha is the mind's&#xA;  original pure nature and has neither a point of origination nor a&#xA;  point of cessation: 'tathagatagarbha expresses the already perfect&#xA;  aspect of the original nature of the mind that is clear and pure&#xA;  without arising or cessation.'[9]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The tathāgatagarbha is the ultimate, pure, ungraspable, inconceivable,&#xA;  irreducible, unassailable, boundless, true and deathless quintessence&#xA;  of the Buddha's emancipatory reality, the very core of his sublime&#xA;  nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with the above that there is a small difference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My linguistic analysis is that &quot;garbha&quot; basically means womb, a word that emphasizes the &lt;em&gt;physical&lt;/em&gt;, whereas the &quot;tathagata&quot; is referring more to the formless component &quot;Buddha-nature.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term Trikaya, which is what the dhammakaya and rupakaya are collectively called, is more equatable to the term Tathagatagarbha. Dhammakaya refers more to just the mental component of the achievements while the Tathagatagarbha refers vaguely to the Buddha-nature, the dharmakaya.. especially as described in the respective Tathagatagarbha sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus... yes I would say they are essentially synonyms but one is more specific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T04:39:39.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T06:22:27.263" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mice are intensely territorial, it's hard to get them to walk away from their turf. Luckily they are also short lived. We often have little mice come in for a bite, and I try to block their entrances though not always successfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once I had a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_bandicoot_rat#Behaviour&quot;&gt;Bandicoot&lt;/a&gt; the size of a small cat  occupy the house. We live in a large old house with a garden that houses them, but they rarely come indoors. Since this guy had marked his territory in the stairwell and other places within the house with urine and faeces I knew there was no getting him out. He was too smart for traps, even if I could find a trap large enough for him. Besides if released within a few kilometres they have excellent sense of direction and will return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being longer lived than mice he wasn't going to die one day soon, and he was chewing wires, hissing &amp;amp; threatening when encountered and likely carrying disease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Large, aggressive bandicoot rats erect their guard hairs on their backs and emit grunts when disturbed. If caged with other bandicoots, it is likely to fight to death within a few hours. Usually, they occupy the outskirts of human dwellings such as compounds and gardens and are commonly found near garbage bins. Their burrowing habits cause great damage to grounds and flooring, as they can also tunnel through brick and masonry. Their characteristic large burrows give away their presence. They are not fastidious eaters, feeding on household refuse, grain, and vegetables, and are very serious pests in poultry farms. They are also a carrier for many diseases&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agonised with the decision to kill him for a little while and decided, we could either abandon the house to this guy and his friends, or he should be removed before he brought in more friends from outside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My father was going to poison it, but I beat him to it, wanting to take on the karma. I felt deep sorrow the next day handling the carcass, I came down with intense racking stomach pains the same night for no specific reason for several hours, and instinctively felt I was the bandicoot eating the poison. I observed this experience mindfully and with equanimity as my karma working itself out. I sent a lot of metta to the bandicoot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no correct answer. My actions were the best I could manage with the wisdom and compassion I had at hand, I still don't see a more acceptable course of action, but perhaps tomorrow I will be wiser and know better. In any case, it was a killing done mindfully and deliberately, and I live with the consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T06:28:07.847" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T06:28:07.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T10:13:12.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I also had this problem. The way I catched the mouse was using Humane Mouse Traps, which only catch mice but do not kill them. Take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwUm6hDFiy8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwUm6hDFiy8&lt;/a&gt; for instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS.: This made me laugh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The mouse does not seem to understand that it is not alone in the house and that it causes distress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5578" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T10:13:12.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10473" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10475" CreationDate="2015-07-29T10:42:35.113" Score="3" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am in sales line profession. Try believe that sales, here in India is at its worst now. Being a medical representative i know how much medicines mean to those who are in need of them. But this corporate/hardcore businessman world do not know about anything. Anything, anyhow, they know is how they have to take-out money out of their own society. They pick 8 members of society against remaining 72 members and do everything to go beyond the filth. being in association with them, daily i feel humiliated and harrased. They compel me to thug others, to push sales unneccesarily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am all here not by myself but by default. education system here is crap. I am doing this because i do not have support from our government at basic levels or as we (family) do not have so called financial background.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: &lt;em&gt;How can i left my family supposed to be survived in my absence while i'd be out in search of enlightenment?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please respond with everything possible you can express. Thanks and regards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:52:55.007" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:52:55.007" Title="What is struggle?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2015-07-29T12:18:03.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Several not-upvoted answers here so I am contributing. As a &lt;strong&gt;Hetaira Archetype&lt;/strong&gt; personality person, I have a specific perspective on Relationships. To answer any question, we have to get people to define their terms:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Love - &amp;lt;To Will The Good Of Another&amp;gt;&lt;/strong&gt; I use the definition from the &lt;em&gt;Catechism&lt;/em&gt; (not because I am Catholic, but because it is the best wording I have ever found).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Romantic - &amp;lt;you get to know your partner a lot more intimately&amp;gt;&lt;/strong&gt; I use the definition from the &lt;em&gt;Urban Dictionary&lt;/em&gt; because it is concise&#xA;and appealing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Attachment - (Tag on &lt;em&gt;this site&lt;/em&gt; has no description - bummer)&lt;/strong&gt; Well, this is the crux of the question then, so you-all will need to get to&#xA;work on it!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, with my personality type, non-attached love is my basic modality. But few people have this personality type, so relationships in general tend to be a mess. (For more info, you can search &quot;Hetaira Archetype&quot; and read the literature.) This personality type is a part of the nature of all humans, because it is part of core psychology (according to Jung and his followers). Everyone can realize it, so the answers saying that it is possible are correct. Good news!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So relationships and the love they express vary mainly in the level of  &lt;strong&gt;Intimacy&lt;/strong&gt;. This is really what we are getting at. Why bother to be intimate? To get to know someone better. Why bother to get to know someone better? Mmm, getting warm. What is your &lt;strong&gt;motive&lt;/strong&gt; for getting to know someone better? [answer for yourself] For Hetaira-people (found everywhere and doing all sorts of things) the motive is &lt;em&gt;to care for someone in personal and intimate ways&lt;/em&gt;. Ways that others &lt;strong&gt;can not&lt;/strong&gt; (being not developed and disposed to) or &lt;strong&gt;will not&lt;/strong&gt; (due to apparent issues with other relationships and society at large) or &lt;strong&gt;should not&lt;/strong&gt; (due to other constraints of the situation). IFF your motive and intent are pure - caring without attachment - then the relationship is positively-based. It could actually work. If not, not. You must be very strong in yourself already to live this way. Get strong!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding it being one-sided, I would say that everything is one-sided, and we need only concern ourselves with our own choices. Leave the other side to the other person. A relationship is not ownership or control, so yes, as one Answer states: if they leave for someone else, be happy that they have flitted to a different flower! Your own values should be &lt;em&gt;caring&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;appreciation&lt;/em&gt;, regardless of anything they do. Like a parent, but intimate in a different way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My Meditation Teacher said that the basis for your actions - your motive and intent - are what matters, in this as in everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T12:24:44.590" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T12:24:44.590" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10473" CreationDate="2015-07-29T12:20:49.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regarding right livelihood- taking care of the sick is one of the few areas of social responsibility that are regularly mentioned in the oldest Buddhist texts. By this, I mean, they hadn't started thinking about literacy, pollution, and other modern progressive issues. I agree the modern Pharmaceutical business has some nasty parts. Essentially you have to trust the that the doctors will give the right medicine when the time comes and leave the ineffective medicine on the shelf.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding &quot;absence while in search of enlightenment&quot;-- There are many versions, sects of Buddhism that do not make up a rule that says you have to be monk to be come Enlightened, and they are many version, sects of Buddhist that doesn't prohibit having a family if one is a monk.  Nyingma pa, all Japanese sects, some Korean Sects, probably most American sects allow the ordained to be married.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path of the serious Upāsaka (lay follower) is more than the 5 precepts. Depending on the tradition, lay followers take the 8 precepts, the Upāsaka precepts or the Bodhisattva Precepts, all of which are compatible with a lay life, i.e. holding a job and taking care of a family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, if you are serious about a career change, consider doing it in a way that allows you to continue to support your family. The historical Buddha after going forth eventually came back home after he had a successful sangha and a model for how to live without starving and his wife &amp;amp; child ordained.  This was in part lucky circumstances-- nowadays, to make a living in Buddhism, you write books, conduct retreats and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T12:20:49.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10454" CreationDate="2015-07-29T13:06:38.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I may be wrong but looking at the video, the little girl's face seems to me smiley (happy) while her hands (limbs) are shaking. She seemed to me happy that she's having a novel experience. That doesn't look like horror to me: it looks like, I don't know, an adrenaline rush or something like that. Her voice sounds whispery, I suspect that's because her heart is pounding (high breathing and heart rate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought she seemed to be enjoying or at least intrigued by the experience: it's as if her dad had given her &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/mim/drugs/html/adrenaline_text.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;amphetamines&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Amphetamines are synthetic chemicals based upon a structure closely resembling that of adrenaline and norepiniphrine. These chemicals, therefore, can induce similar biological responses, such as acting as a stimulant, and creating a greater alertness and a feeling of prowess&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that some of the comments under the &amp;quot;field and stream&amp;quot; article that you posted might support this diagnosis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;strong&gt;an elevated heart rate&lt;/strong&gt; is not the kiss of un-death ... for shots taken at acceptable ranges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;to be honest buck fever is why i go if i didnt get it i wouldnt hunt i get it even when im not gonna shoot it took me 21 years to be able to calm down enough to kill a deer with a bow. If you dont get excited why would you hunt?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I did read and interesting article (possibly here) that heart rates of hunters can more than double in just a couple of seconds. There are very few things that can cause a jump like that, maybe jumping out of an airplane because the engine just exploded, doing the running of the bulls blindfolded, and certain lapdances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you don't get a little adrenaline spike, why do it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not a very Buddhist answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I suppose that's the cause: it may be comparable in its (physiological and possibly/consequently attachment-inducing or habit-forming) effect to recreational drug use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Skill&lt;/em&gt; (in hunting) may require a person to avoid or overcome (or deny or control or dissipate) that effect (because it can be debilitating): I'd guess the physiological reaction/effect is more evolutionarily helpful for gross motor activities (running and fighting) than for fine motor activities (aiming and shooting).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wisdom&lt;/em&gt; is something else, presumably, i.e. seeing it for what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T13:06:38.863" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T15:54:56.100" Score="21" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Without wisdom, effort, restraint of the senses, without giving up everything, I see no well-being for beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- The Buddha (SN 2.17)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't have your cake and eat it too, unfortunately. The truth is the truth whether it is convenient or not. In this case, there are some fairly important truths that you have to consider when trying to decide what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First is the truth that being a nuisance is a far lesser evil than murder in cold-blood... the mouse has the moral higher ground over the mouse-trapper. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second is the truth that you don't want to be murdered yourself; knowing this, how can you contemplate it for a fellow being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Putting oneself in the place of another, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- The Buddha (Dhp. 130)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third is the truth that killing makes you a killer; it changes the direction of your life in a significant way that will have potentially far-reaching consequences, far beyond feeling a little guilty for a little while. There are karmically significant mind-states involved in killing that may not be evident to you until you actually kill. Once you've begun to kill, you start to desensitize yourself to killing; it gets easier and easier, and your mind becomes further and further sullied. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fourth is the truth that the reason you can't sleep has little to do with the mouse and much to do with your own state of mind. In fact, lack of sleep itself isn't really the problem either; if your mind is clear, you can stay awake all night and not suffer harmful consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is first, to come to terms with your mind's reaction to noise that keeps you from finding peace; reminding yourself &quot;hearing, hearing&quot; is a good way to keep yourself objective and alert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus:&#xA;  In what is seen there will be only what is seen,&#xA;  in what is heard there will be only what is heard,&#xA;  in what is sensed there will be only what is sensed,&#xA;  in what is cognized there will be only what is cognized.&#xA;  In this way, Bāhiya, you should train yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And since for you, Bāhiya, in what is seen there will be only what is seen,&#xA;  in what is heard there will be only what is heard,&#xA;  in what is sensed there will be only what is sensed,&#xA;  in what is cognized there will be only what is cognized,&#xA;  therefore, Bāhiya, you will not come to be because that;&#xA;  and since, Bāhiya, you will not come to be because that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be in regards to that;&#xA;  and since, Bāhiya, you will not be in regards to that, therefore, Bāhiya, you&#xA;  will not be here or hereafter or in between the two - just this is the end of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- The Buddha (Ud. 10)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, consider whether it is your duty as a householder to take care of the mouse, or whether you can just as well leave it be. Unless it is destroying insulation or wiring, I don't think there is a compelling reason to remove a mouse; a rat, maybe... Either way, there are many ways of relocating a mouse humanly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards to cats, if you in any way encourage a cat to catch and kill a mouse, well, it's not categorically different from killing it yourself...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T04:21:40.353" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T04:21:40.353" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10479" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first stage is that of Sotāpanna (Pali; Sanskrit: Srotāpanna), literally meaning &quot;one who enters (āpadyate) the stream (sotas),&quot; with the stream being the supermundane Noble Eightfold Path regarded as the highest Dharma. The stream-enterer is also said to have &quot;opened the eye of the Dharma&quot; (dhammacakkhu, Sanskrit: dharmacakṣus).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A stream-enterer reaches arahantship within seven rebirths upon opening the eye of the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to the fact that the stream-enterer has attained an intuitive grasp of Buddhist doctrine (samyagdṛṣṭi or sammādiṭṭhi, &quot;right view&quot;) and has complete confidence or Saddha in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and has removed the sankharas that force rebirth in lower planes, that individual will not be reborn in any plane lower than the human (animal, preta, or in hell).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10480" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" Score="0" Body="The first stage is that of Sotāpanna (Pali; Sanskrit: Srotāpanna), literally meaning &quot;one who enters (āpadyate) the stream (sotas),&quot; with the stream being the supermundane Noble Eightfold Path regarded as the highest Dharma. The stream-enterer is also said to have &quot;opened the eye of the Dharma&quot; (dhammacakkhu, Sanskrit: dharmacakṣus)." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T16:47:01.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2015-07-29T17:15:51.647" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to stop all these foolish mousy pranks. &#xA;Do what we did and get yourself a manx. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or just get a Havahart trap&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0000DINGG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/Havahart-1020-Animal-Two-Door-Mouse/dp/B0000DINGG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5585" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T17:15:51.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10176" CreationDate="2015-07-29T17:39:41.110" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do doctors waste their chance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When my friend was dying, and told me what I should say to people at a funeral speech, she said that the first thing was to &quot;&lt;strong&gt;don't forget&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; that she had &quot;&lt;strong&gt;loved&lt;/strong&gt; her doctors&quot; who had &quot;&lt;strong&gt;saved her life&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think she was grateful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I understand it, a mundane explanation of what she said was that, it the fact that they gave her medical care that made her life livable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different doctors cared for (helped) her in different ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Her surgeon for example was confident, self-confident: and that gave her some confidence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Another surgeon (who was inserting a stent under local anaesthetic) talked with her (e.g. about her and about what he was doing), became a friend, while he was working.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Her family doctor (general practitioner) gave her prescriptions but also good health-related advice, and said some psychological things like &quot;your family love you&quot; when that might have been helpful.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(None of the above is Buddhist advice.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Instead of dwelling on the true nature of the body right in front of their eyes, Doctors have become PROBLEM SOLVERS.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you could do both: i.e. understand the body (and other aspects of a human being's nature) AND solve problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's more or less what the Right Livelihood of being a doctor may consist of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Doctors see birth, aging, sickness and death on a daily basis but have somehow become deaf, dumb and blind to all that they see and hear inside a ward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Deaf, dumb and blind&quot; sounds quite dysfunctional. I don't understand it (what you're saying) so I can't try to answer this sentence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is all just an addition subtraction formula where drugs/treatment are prescribed for easing a patient's suffering, while maybe giving a patient reassurance if needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even ignoring that there are people in the equation, I suspect that a medical doctor's job may be much more complicated than &quot;an addition subtraction formula&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Diagnosis:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware that symptoms presented may have diverse etiologies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Examine for related symptoms to help make a differential diagnosis&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prescription&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right amount&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try something else if the first prescription doesn't work&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do it safely (&quot;the dose makes the poison&quot;, avoid iatrogenic and nosocomial problems)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do it bravely (medicine may be poison but disease may be worse than the treatment)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prevention&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't just fix a bullet wound, try to offer a treatment plan for the lifestyle which caused it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can a medical student or a doctor get across this barrier, and not be deconditioned to being blind to the truth, and how can he/she be strong and balanced enough mentally to cope up with the evergrowing needs/obligations that a doctor is cursed with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might help (you and others) to remember that you're not alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you'll hand over to a specialist: a surgeon, an otolaryngologist, a psychiatrist, an oncologist, or any number of other specialties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They in turn may hand their/your patient back to the GP / family doctor, for ongoing care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the hospital, maybe part of your job is to support the nurses: if they spend more time with the patient than you do, then maybe they know the patient better; nevertheless they (the nurses and the patient) need your technical support (e.g. for monitoring the effect of prescriptions) and that's what you can do for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for spiritual advice and comfort, you might be able to offer that as a friend, a fellow human being, a fellow Buddhist. Another option is to hope to delegate that too to another specialist: one of the patient's friend, family, or their teacher, or perhaps a chaplain, monk, or nun who will visit people in the hospital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might also be helpful to review what Right Speech is: timely, kind, and so on. As a doctor you may know things (about cause and prognosis) which a patient doesn't. Sharing that knowledge may help the patient to live with/within reality instead of fear (of the unknown) and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're looking for Buddhist advice about dying, there's a lot of that advice about; some I found include for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.academia.edu/2357157/What_nurses_need_to_know_about_Buddhist_perspectives_of_end-of-life_care_and_dying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What nurses need to know about Buddhist perspectives of end-of-life care and dying&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/dad.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Buddhist Guide to Death, Dying and Suffering &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=buddhist%20chaplain%20dying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Google&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think we &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8997/254&quot;&gt;shouldn't be in a hurry&lt;/a&gt; to reach the point of dying, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T17:39:41.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10450" CreationDate="2015-07-29T20:52:59.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How can I help or at least not hurt these people in my life?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't ask me that&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... said the Buddha to people asking him questions that would torn them. Following his example, we should not be careless towards others -- &quot;right speech bullet lists&quot; is just not enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, it's not wise to alienate someone who regard us as dear by selectively implying that the feeling might not be reciprocate (say, when talking about &quot;non-attachment&quot;). It's not fair to expect them to not be hurt, specially when we are the ones who study so intensely the causes of suffering (e.g. &quot;being apart from what is desirable&quot;). And specially when we actively participated in creating that very &quot;attachment&quot; in the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example would be when one uses &quot;non-attachment&quot; as an excuse for &quot;non-commitment&quot;, like a green card to be forever unreliable. The list of misuses and misunderstandings goes on. But the point, I think, of the quote above is we should ponder carefully about the benefit (or injuries)  our actions and words bring to others. And our responsibility in these acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body that is impermanent, painful and subject to change, what else is it than not seeing reality? Or if one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness, what else is it than not seeing reality? If one does not regard himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body, the feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness what else is it than seeing reality?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 22.49&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above, we should not regard, imply or entertain such comparisons. Some of us might regard the dhamma as perfect, and a path to perfection. But what is the use of such expressions when it brings people to dwell in these very same comparisons? Fundamentally, the Buddha dhamma is about &quot;relieving suffering&quot;. Isn't it enough when approaching what we are doing when following the dhamma? Is there any chance for one to be at blame for standing by this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-29T21:27:23.240" LastActivityDate="2015-07-29T21:27:23.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10485" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10489" CreationDate="2015-07-30T06:07:10.997" Score="8" ViewCount="657" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Abhidhamma, it makes mention to 89 and 121 states of consciousness. It says there are four ultimate realities namely&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental Factors &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Matter &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nibbana.&#xA;The first three are conditioned, nirvana is unconditioned. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According the Abhidhamma, It states that persons who've attained nirvana no longer have consciousness. What does this mean exactly? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mundane, sense-sphere, rootless consciousness, it says that “body consciousness, accompanied by pain” is the result of unwholesome karma. Does this mean that enlightened beings such as a Buddha or an arahant don't feel pain when they touch something hot? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="5380" LastEditDate="2015-07-30T21:30:56.090" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T15:49:46.067" Title="Consciousness in Nibbana" Tags="|theravada|nirvana|consciousness|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10486" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10488" CreationDate="2015-07-30T07:02:38.690" Score="5" ViewCount="1228" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of utilitarianism is that value is the result of an action e.g. which actions provide the most happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There appears to be an overlap between Buddhism and utilitarianism however am unsure how these come together or grow apart in the actions we perform as well as the value of the results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer posted to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2108/how-does-buddhism-define-abortion?rq=1&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; is a good candidate for the commonalities as well as differences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T11:30:39.587" Title="Where does utilitarianism sit with Buddhism and vice versa?" Tags="|philosophy|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10485" CreationDate="2015-07-30T10:15:51.710" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the mind takes Nibbana as the object, all experiencing cease. But when enlightened beings do day to day activities, Nibbana is not the object of the mind. They do feel pain since there is experiencing. But they do not suffer. Being conscious of the pain is different from suffering due to pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-07-30T10:15:51.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10486" CreationDate="2015-07-30T13:38:24.823" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;(Theravada) Buddhism is absolutely utilitarian... that's a pun, see, it's both &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_absolutism&quot;&gt;absolute&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism&quot;&gt;utilitarian&lt;/a&gt;. I guess the more accurate contrast is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_absolutism&quot;&gt;moral absolutism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consequentialism&quot;&gt;consequentialism&lt;/a&gt; (of which utilitarianism is a type).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism (again, Theravada, at least), it is certainly the consequences of the action that are important, though only for the actor - the consequences to others (or society, etc.) are, at least technically, discounted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ill done is that action of doing&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;which one repents later,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;and the fruit of which&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;one, weeping, reaps with tears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Well done is that action of doing&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;which one repents not later,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;and the fruit of which&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;one reaps with delight and happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 67-8 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let one not neglect one's own welfare&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;for the sake of another, however great.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Clearly understanding one's own welfare,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;let one be intent upon the good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 166 (Buddharakkhita, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, it is also understood that actions that one performs knowing they will harm others are generally not in one's own best interest, as they tend to sully the mind. By helping others, one helps oneself, and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, Buddhism is also clearly absolutist on the level of ultimate reality; whereas it acknowledges that physical and verbal acts are morally variable, the mind states that initiate them are not. Since the acts themselves are merely conventional terms describing a sequence of mental states and their physical consequences, it is the nature of the individual mental states themselves that determine the ethical value of the acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;katame dhammā akusalā? yasmiṃ samaye akusalaṃ cittaṃ uppannaṃ hoti ... tasmiṃ samaye aññepi atthi paṭiccasamuppannā arūpino dhammā — ime dhammā akusalā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What dhammas are unwholesome? At whatever time an unwholesome mind has arisen ... at that time, whatever other dependently arisen immaterial dhammas there are - these dhammas are unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, acts are only bad because of their consequences, but the consequences are dependent on the nature of the acts (on an ultimate level), so morality is both absolute and utilitarian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-07-30T13:38:24.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10485" CreationDate="2015-07-30T16:03:45.460" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of nirvana: &lt;em&gt;saupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; (nirvana with remainder) and &lt;em&gt;anupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; (nirvana without remainder) (Iti. 44). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that for one who has attained &lt;em&gt;anupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; there will be no more consciousness. This is because someone who has attained &lt;em&gt;anupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; is dead*. It is the equivalent to the more familiar &lt;em&gt;parinibbāna&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;complete&quot; nirvāna. For one who has attained &lt;em&gt;saupādisesa-nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;, there is still the physical and mental formations that have been created as a result of being born as a human that need to work themselves out, including consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;* Conventionally speaking; technically, they have become free from death, since they have become free from birth (arising).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-07-30T16:03:45.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10490" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-30T17:43:54.457" Score="5" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know a friend, who doesn't practice buddhism, and who is always worried about her young son. She is always concerned about everything that could go wrong, or things which could happen out of her control that she can do nothing about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've always been one who doesn't worry about the things that are out of my control, but I don't think that simple piece of advice is enough for her to act on it. I'm sure it's something that is &quot;easier said than done&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What advice can be found in buddhism for this situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5522" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:28:21.317" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T07:07:01.947" Title="How to talk to a friend about &quot;lack of control&quot; in what happens to her son?" Tags="|ethics|lay-buddhism|parents|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10490" CreationDate="2015-07-30T17:52:45.363" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose it largely depends on how close you are to her, or how seriously she would take and act on any advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These types of neurotic/anxious behaviors aren't something that are going to disappear by themselves overnight, or by you citing some scriptural passage to her that makes her see the light (most likely, there are cases where people do become enlightened in the scriptures from hearing verse, but in practice this is the exception not the rule).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most practical way would be for you to, depending on the type of friendship you have, introduce the idea of meditation to her. Spin it in such a way that she is able to see that it doesn't have to in any way be connected with a &quot;religion&quot; or sectarian ideology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what your experience with meditation is, but if you have some then you have even more authority it explaining to her that meditating will allow her to see experientially that things are largely uncontrollable, and that all she is doing is creating her own misery in worrying about these uncontrollable things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps even convince her to go to a retreat with you, if at all possible :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. If she isn't ready to hear this, all you'll be doing is blowing hot air into the room. The best way to show others the benefit of meditation is to live your life as an example of the benefits of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-07-30T17:52:45.363" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10492" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-31T01:18:16.330" Score="10" ViewCount="1316" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am doing vipassana meditation as taught by Goenka. I get numbness and tingling in my feet from nerve pressure while sitting cross legged. I put up with it for quite a long time and then the sensation becomes so unpleasant I have to move. &#xA;Do I have to get to a point where I can put up with quite severe discomfort in order to progress in meditation or can I progress even though I have to move. At the moment my choice to move feels like a damage to my progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5459" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T13:06:01.077" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T06:41:53.447" Title="How to deal with body pain during meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|pain|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10494" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-07-31T01:29:37.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia articles include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#Attachment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attachment&lt;/a&gt; as one of the Twelve Nidanas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T10:28:00.010" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T10:28:00.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10495" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-07-31T01:29:37.393" Score="0" Body="'Attachment' is a Buddhist concept which is sometimes also translated as 'clinging' or 'grasping'.&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;The Sanskrit and Pali word is *Upādāna*, and the Tibetan is *len.pa (lenpa)*." OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T10:28:00.010" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T10:28:00.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10427" CreationDate="2015-07-31T02:14:25.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Find out what is really bothering the other person and give them an opportunity to be heard about that. We have two ears and one mouth, so Right Listening is more important than planning a response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you redirect the conversation away from external things and back to how the person is feeling and what they want, then you will be assisting them to re-see, which is the most important thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was a programmer, lots of people used to &quot;chat me up&quot; because I would listen with empathy. Usually I could offer some kind of suggestion that they tried which helped. After the conversation they would be more focused and productive. (I usually had to go to the &quot;thinking room&quot; and splash water on my face or go outside for a non-smoking break. Being the &quot;Ship's Counsellor&quot; is not easy work.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone said, &quot;&lt;em&gt;90% of life is just showing up.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; If you work with others, then showing up &lt;em&gt;for them&lt;/em&gt; in a clear and unconditional way, with attunement and congruence, will solve most problems to a large degree. Please seek out the book &lt;strong&gt;Becoming a Technical Leader&lt;/strong&gt; by Gerald M. Weinberg and read the part called &quot;The Payoff For Being Congruent&quot; on pages 169-171. It could very well change your life, as it did mine. (But then, I am a Hetaira Archetype person, so I look for this sort of thing in striving to improve relationships.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T02:14:25.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10440" CreationDate="2015-07-31T02:53:25.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dealing with Heat: use a large and quiet fan on a slow setting. My Meditation Teacher said, &quot;there must be movement of air.&quot; Ceiling fans are amazingly helpful, if the ceiling is high enough for one in your room. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wear as little as possible. In your home you can wear a loose skirt even if you are male. (Perhaps in other situations people would not mind either.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the humidity is low, you should be comfortable in this way even at a fairly high temperature (90F / 32C). Most likely the problem is humidity, which impedes your body from cooling itself. The fan will help. If it is humid, dehumidify the room, or keep it closed to keep humidity out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some fresh air should be brought in while you are sitting, if at all possible. Cold is not so hard to deal with, as blankets wrapped around are comfortable. I used to live at a Retreat Centre, where outdoor temps varied from well below freezing for months, to &quot;blood heat&quot; (body temp) with humidity at times for weeks in the summer. For years we had no A/C, then only a large window unit for the whole house. But something can always be done, and it does not last forever in any case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T03:07:58.743" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T03:07:58.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10440" CreationDate="2015-07-31T03:08:25.493" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try meditating outside sometimes if you can, making sure you are safe and secure.&#xA;That's how the forest monks did it back in the day of Buddha-lectures-at-full-moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important &quot;technique&quot; is just being aware (vipassana). Be aware of everything recursively as it occurs including any scattering of awareness itself.&#xA;Eventually everything will calm down and you will be quite alright and cool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, take a cool shower and eat less (Buddhists do not eat past noon meal, thus reducing our sexual desires, creating a detox state, and many many positive effects including heat reduction).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T03:08:25.493" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10492" CreationDate="2015-07-31T08:33:19.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are quite a few things to consider here to become skillful at approaching pain and discomfort during practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people experience discomfort and pain in meditation from time to time - so don't let this get you down :) The body (or the mind ;) is not used to sitting still for too long and will complain in some form or another. This is balanced on the other hand by wisdom that in some situations the body complains for a reason and that perhaps you need to adjust how you sit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your instance I don't know if you're using a cushion ... if not, sitting cross legged style without support puts stress on the pelvis and creates pressure on the legs where they connect because of the weight of the legs. You have to (1) raise your buttocks with the aid of a cushion or zafu (2) provide support under your knees with smaller cushions if you are not flexible. Another option is a meditation bench.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If ... we simply generate the three primary gestures of alignment (the pelvis higher than the knees; the very bottom, or even a place just in front of the very bottom, of the sitting bones contacting the cushion; the upper torso balancing itself as effortlessly as possible over the stable base of support created by the first two gestures) and then allow the body to make whatever adjustments in posture spontaneously occur, the feeling tone of alignment gradually and inevitably begins to emerge. Paying more attention to the feeling tone of alignment rather than its spatial coordinates allows us to align ourselves with gravity from the inside out.&quot; - Will Johnson, The Posture of Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... after you have done the above preparations listen to Shinzen Young:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you sit and meditate you may sometimes be subject to discomforts, aches and pains, sleepiness, body sensations of agitation and impatience, itches and awkwardness from the posture. These discomforts are real but quite manageable. In the meditative state you can experience them with more mindfulness and equanimity than you would in daily life. As a result the mind and body go through a natural change, a deep learning process that affects the unconscious levels of neural processing ....True asceticism is a delicate skillful process that uses pain to overcome pain. When properly understood and practiced, it deepens our humanity, elevates our satisfaction with life and break up blockages in the deep reaches of the mind. When improperly understood, asceticism ceases to be delicate and skillful and degenerates into something pathological. One pathology is extremism, which can end up harming the body and weakening mental focus. A second pathology is spiritual macho, seeing how tough you can get. A third pathology is spiritual masochism, exposing yourself to discomfort because you consider yourself to be a worthless worm who deserves to suffer. Spiritual machismo and spiritual masochism both subtly reinforce a fixated ego; on the other hand, authentic asceticism shows us how to become free from the&#xA;  suffering self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-08-11T06:41:53.447" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T06:41:53.447" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10492" CreationDate="2015-07-31T08:55:19.490" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In principle, many contemplations that are part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; don't require our bodies to be still. In fact, a good portion of it are &quot;24/7&quot; practices to be developed whatever we are doing wherever we are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, all of these practices are immensely helped by concentration&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;  -- thus, the satipatthana sutta opens with concentration practice (calming of the breath). And some, I think, are particularly hard to do (that is, severely limited) without some degree of concentration. And concentration is hard (or seemly impossible) to develop in the presence of significant body discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, ideally, it's quite important to have a practice without discomfort. And here it's important to remember that, ultimately, the body form has little to do with the actual work: what is important is not the form, but if the posture (whatever it is) &lt;em&gt;enables&lt;/em&gt; the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the possibility that the pain from sitting in a certain posture is temporary and will not be an obstacle after a while. But there is the possibility that every sitting will be unbearable after a few minutes or a an hour or two (I meditate for over 15 years, and still can't sit cross legged for more than 30 minutes without discomfort, let alone ~2 hours -- which I've done twice in the past, enduring excruciating pain).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this last case, if your sitting is of 20 minutes, 1 hour or 4+ hours, I think the best long term solution for practicing is to find out a posture where your body can be still and rest comfortably for the desired period while your mind is alert. Finding out a solution may involve trying out cushions and leg positions, exercises, or entirely different alternatives (e.g meditating laid down or in a chair).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; a.k.a: tranquility, &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt; practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T10:42:17.200" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T10:42:17.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2015-07-31T09:36:10.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no love in attachment. Whenever attachment is present in the mind, there is no love in that mind. Why is that so? Attachment comes from clinging. Clinging comes from craving. Craving comes from willing. Willing comes from ignorance. From ignorance comes suffering. Thus, there is no love in attachment. Attachment is suffering. The more a mind is permeated with attachment, the more there is no love in that mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is love in non-attachment. Whenever non-attachment is present in the mind, there is love in that mind. Why is that so? Non-attachment comes from non-clinging. Non-clinging comes from non-craving. Non-craving comes from non-willing. Non-willing comes from wisdom. From wisdom comes liberation from suffering. Thus, there is love in non-attachment. Non-attachment is love. The more a mind is permeated with non-attachment, the more there is love in that mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Is it possible to have a romantic relationship without attachment? Just based on pure love and with equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, but only if both partners are liberated from suffering while being together in a romantic relationship. If a person liberates from suffering while not being in a romantic relationship, that person will not seek romantic relationships anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one partner liberates while being in a romantic relationship, he will not seek romantic relationships anymore, but his current romantic relationship will change to &quot;unconditioned love&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If both partners liberate while being together in a romantic relationship, they will not seek romantic relationships anymore, but their current romantic relationship will change to &quot;eternal love&quot;. How is a relationship based on &quot;eternal love&quot; experienced? Beyond words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T11:42:46.530" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T11:42:46.530" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10492" CreationDate="2015-07-31T09:53:13.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your body must get adapted to prolonged sitting. Your discomfort will cease with practice. Exercise if your body is not in a good shape. Eat adequately and drink enough fluids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When pain arises during your meditation, observe it and learn from it. See its impermanence. See as much as you can. Then, let go of it by moving your mind's focus on a different meditation object and notice how pain ceased. If pain arises again, repeat the process - observe the pain, then let go by moving your mind's focus on a different meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With time and practice, either your pain will subside or you'll learn to non perceive it, and you'll be able to sit still in your meditations without distractions from pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T09:53:13.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10504" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-31T09:55:39.407" Score="3" ViewCount="368" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the value in a regular vipassana meditation practice (e.g. almost daily, some days twice, typically 1hr+ per session) if, over the long haul (months), annicca, dukkha and annatta are not realized? Is the absence of these three very Buddhist characteristics an indication that the practice is, essentially, a secular practice with little-to-no spiritual value?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T16:57:32.480" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T16:57:32.480" Title="the value of a regular vipassana meditation practice" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10490" CreationDate="2015-07-31T10:30:12.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a mind is permeated with clinging, subdued by clinging, with a strong will to cling, and that same mind is not experiencing suffering due to that same clinging, there is little you can do to help that mind stop clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a mind is permeated with clinging, subdued by clinging, with a strong will to cling, and that same mind is experiencing a little suffering due to that same clinging, there is something you can do to help that mind to stop clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a mind is permeated with clinging, subdued by clinging, with a strong will to cling, and that same mind is experiencing immense suffering due to that same clinging, there is a lot you can do to help that mind to stop clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There comes a time when a mind permeated with clinging, subdued by clinging, with a strong will to cling, is happy in that same clinging: &quot;I'm happy. I have complete control over my son.&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there comes a time, when that same mind starts to experrience a little suffering due to that same clinging and realises: &quot;I have no control over my son. I'm suffering. Who knows the solution to stop my suffering?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there comes a time, when that same mind starts to experience immense suffering due to that same clinging and realises what is suffering, what are the types of suffering, how are the types of suffering experienced, what is the greatest suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there comes a time, when that same mind, fully aware of its own suffering and fully aware of the suffering of others, comes to realise: &quot;I have no control over my son, but he has a roof over his head. I have no control over my son, but he has food and water. I have no control over my son, but he has ears. I have no control over my son, but he has eyes. I have no control over my son, but he has legs and arms. I have no control over my son, but he is breathing. My suffering is nothing compared to the suffering of others.&quot;. By realising this same truth, clinging subsides and wisdom follows: &quot;I have no control over my son. I will never have complete control over my son. Thus, I will control him less.&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T10:30:12.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10486" CreationDate="2015-07-31T11:23:25.577" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a person has not yet attained Nirvana, actions of such a person come from a completely utilitarian point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person strives on the path towards Nirvana, actions of such a person come from a less and less utilitarian point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person attains Nirvana, actions of such a person come from an even less utilitarian point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person attains Nirvana, that person acquires immense compassion for other beings. Thus, actions of such a person come from his will to help other beings ease their suffering and attain Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do actions of such a person arise because he gets something in return from these actions? Yes. In order to help others attain Nirvana, he must survive. Thus, he must get food, water and shelter. In order to help others attain Nirvana, he must develop the wisdom for teaching. Thus, he must learn how to teach and gain experience. There are many things such a person must do to help others. Thus, on this level, in this &quot;reality&quot;, there is utilitarianism in Buddhism, but this utilitarianism is only visible to a mind which has not yet attained Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To a liberated mind which has attained Nirvana, there is no utilitarianism in his actions, nor in the actions of other minds which attained Nirvana. Why there is no utilitarianism in his actions?&#xA;To answer this question, we must answer this question: Why does the will to help other beings in attainment of Nirvana arise in a person who attains Nirvana? &#xA;To answer the previous question, we must answer this question: Why does the will arise? &#xA;To answer the previous question, we must answer this question: What is the cause of that will arising?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give an understandable answer to the last question (and to others in the chain of questions) is impossible. The answer must be experienced: &quot;will comes from ignorance&quot;. Does this mean that a person who attains Nirvana and helps other beings in attaining Nirvana is ignorant because there is &quot;will&quot; present in his mind? No, he is not ignorant. Such a person clearly sees what he is doing. He sees his ignorance. He understands it. He knows it fully. By seeing, understanding and knowing, he sees, understands and knows his &quot;will&quot;. He sees, understands and knows, that there is no utilitarianism in his &quot;will&quot;. To see this and understand it fully, it must be experienced. There is no other way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T11:30:39.587" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T11:30:39.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10504" CreationDate="2015-07-31T12:34:38.490" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a meditator is practicing diligently and with skillful effort the meditator will surely reap the fruits of insight meditational practice. What are these fruits? The 16 stages of Insight and eventually Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with other skills if one is practicing the technique correctly, diligently and persistently one will advance in the practice, method or technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana one trains to see reality for what it is, i.e. the true nature of reality free from concepts and superimpositions. One trains the mind to stay in the present, to stay with phenomena as they are without extrapolating on them, without liking or disliking them. One keeps the mind at a level of &lt;em&gt;&quot;bare attention&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the objective and non-interfering approach to phenomena. One trains to be with phenomena as they are when they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When interfering with phenomena one will obscure and mask their true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By not interfering with them and simply being objective towards them they will at some point begin to reveal their true nature for the meditator, i.e. &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and the ungovernable nature&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the absence of any insights one must assess and adjust one's practice and find out what causes one to not progress. Usually that is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which are obstacles to meditative progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are &lt;em&gt;The Ten Imperfections of Insight (vipassanupakilesas)&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Visuddhimagga, Chapter XX, p. 660-665&lt;/a&gt;, goes into detail about what these imperfections are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has also made a video about these imperfections called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNclAKV3fM0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Monk Radio: The Ten Imperfections of Insight (Vipassana Upakilesa)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;imperfections&lt;/em&gt; are not in themselves hindrances but they can become obstacles if the meditator clings to them or regards them as being important instead of continuing to note mental and physical phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have questions to anything i wrote let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/j6Ed5.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/j6Ed5.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zAh7e.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zAh7e.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T21:15:51.627" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T21:15:51.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9264" CreationDate="2015-07-31T14:56:46.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It might vary from meditator to meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quote is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/practicing-the-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Practicing The Jhanas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder. They were both students of Pa Auk Sayadaw and undertook a Samatha Meditation Course under his guidance.&#xA;They write in the book that they achieved the 4 material jhanas and the 4 immaterial jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a description of Tina Rasmussen's practice where it's talked about her being able to see the &lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt; with open eyes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... The nimitta will arise more and more often as continuity of practice continues. It will gradually increase in size and be present more continuously throughout sitting meditation and even while the meditator is moving around with eyes open. We each had the experience of seeing the nimitta, on occasion, when our eyes were open while walking or eating. For Tina, at some points the nimitta was visible consistently while walking around with eyes open. This is not required or necessary but can happen. Once the nimitta is present for the duration of nearly every meditation period, it is considered to be stable... &amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Practicing The Jhanas, Ch. 4, p. 181&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T14:56:46.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2015-07-31T18:19:57.067" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have to say that it is like a feeling of deep joy inside. Coming from our heart. Almost like when one falls in love. but then we let that feeling close up again. The key is to have that feeling always. A feeling of love with everything always.Partying and such just clouds the mind and takes us farther away fro  this true hapiness. It is the wrong direction to go in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5602" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T18:19:57.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10510" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-31T19:56:18.330" Score="6" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is mean, that if I am professional developer and I can help other people for free, can I think, that software development, that is my hobby and profession, in the same time is my &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot;&gt;Dharma&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5603" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-07-31T20:40:55.710" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T18:15:06.723" Title="Can I count my contribution to the open source as a dharma?" Tags="|modern-world|dharmas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3195" CreationDate="2015-07-31T20:26:04.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Niramisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is, O monks, worldly joy (piti) there is unworldly joy, and there&#xA;  is a still greater unworldly joy. There is worldly happiness, (sukha) there&#xA;  is unworldly happiness, and there is a still greater unworldly&#xA;  happiness. There is worldly equanimity, there is unworldly equanimity,&#xA;  and there a still greater unworldly equanimity. There is worldly&#xA;  freedom, there is unworldly freedom, and there is a still greater&#xA;  unworldly freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly joy? There are these five cords of&#xA;  sense desire: forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for and&#xA;  desired, agreeable and endearing, associated with sense-desire and&#xA;  tempting to lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear... odors cognizable by&#xA;  the nose... flavors cognizable by the tongue... tangibles cognizable&#xA;  by the body, wished for and desired, agreeable and endearing,&#xA;  associated with sense-desire and tempting to lust. It is the joy that&#xA;  arises dependent on these five cords of sense desire which is called&#xA;  'worldly joy.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what is unworldly joy? Quite secluded from sense desires,&#xA;  secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and&#xA;  abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana), which is accompanied by&#xA;  thought-conception and discursive thinking, and has joy and happiness&#xA;  born of seclusion. With the stilling of thought-conception and&#xA;  discursive thinking, he enters upon and abides in the second&#xA;  meditative absorption which has internal confidence and singleness of&#xA;  mind without thought conception and discursive thinking, and has joy&#xA;  and happiness born of concentration. This is called 'unworldly joy.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the still greater unworldly joy? When a taint-free monk&#xA;  looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of hatred, freed of&#xA;  delusion, then there arises joy. This called a 'still greater&#xA;  unworldly joy.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly happiness? There are these five cords&#xA;  of sense desire: forms cognizable by the eye... sounds cognizable by&#xA;  the ear... odors cognizable by the nose... flavors cognizable by the&#xA;  tongue... tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for and&#xA;  desired, agreeable and endearing, associated with sense desire and&#xA;  alluring. It is the happiness and gladness that arises dependent on&#xA;  these five cords of sense desire which are called 'worldly happiness.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what is unworldly happiness? Quite secluded from sense desires,&#xA;  secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and&#xA;  abides in the first meditative absorption... With the stilling of&#xA;  thought-conception and discursive thinking, he enters upon and abides&#xA;  in the second meditative absorption... With the fading away of joy as&#xA;  well, he dwells in equanimity, mindfully and fully aware he feels&#xA;  happiness within, and enters upon and abides in the third meditative&#xA;  absorption of which the Noble Ones announce: 'He dwells in happiness&#xA;  who has equanimity and is mindful.' This is called 'unworldly&#xA;  happiness.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the still greater unworldly happiness? When a taint-free&#xA;  monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of hatred,&#xA;  freed of delusion, then there arises happiness. This is called a&#xA;  'still greater unworldly happiness.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly equanimity? There are these five cords&#xA;  of sensual desire: forms cognizable by the eye... tangibles cognizable&#xA;  by the body that are wished for and desired, agreeable and endearing,&#xA;  associated with sense desire and alluring. It is the equanimity that&#xA;  arises with regard to these five cords of sense desire which is called&#xA;  'worldly equanimity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is unworldy equanimity? With the abandoning of pleasure and&#xA;  pain, and with the previous disappearance of gladness and sadness, a&#xA;  monk enters upon and abides in the fourth meditative absorption, which&#xA;  has neither pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of mindfulness due to&#xA;  equanimity. This is called 'unworldly equanimity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the still greater unworldly equanimity? When a taint-free&#xA;  monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of hatred and&#xA;  freed of delusion, then there arises equanimity. This is called a&#xA;  'still greater unworldly equanimity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly freedom? The freedom connected with the&#xA;  material. What is unworldly freedom? The freedom connected with the&#xA;  immaterial. And what is the still greater unworldly freedom? When a&#xA;  taint-free monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of&#xA;  hatred, and freed of delusion, then there arises freedom.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-07-31T20:26:04.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10512" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10519" CreationDate="2015-07-31T22:52:50.240" Score="4" ViewCount="1629" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen this translated as knower of worlds/cosmos and with relation to the senses as what arises, but I still don't have a solid understanding, can someone add clarity? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T14:26:42.707" Title="Detailed definition of Lokavidu" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|pali-language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10513" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-07-31T23:28:09.827" Score="1" ViewCount="824" Body="&lt;p&gt;You mentioned that one can enter the substrate consciousness through the shamatha practice of cultivating awareness or during sleep, death and such. Can you realize the substrate consciousness and the luminescence and the radiance of mind through visualization practices such as the one you lead to explore the hearts desire (in motivation to power the retreat talk), through reverence, feelings of gratitude, love, exaltation of breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been listening to your talk remotely now for years and I am so grateful to have this resource to go back to often enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5604" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T12:09:27.673" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T12:15:38.953" Title="Can you reach the substrate consciousness through visualization practices" Tags="|mindfulness|consciousness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10510" CreationDate="2015-08-01T07:51:44.817" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intention matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What brings one to open source decides whether it is completely wholesome or has taints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm in in open source because I hate Microsoft, it is unwholesome. If I'm writing software so that I become famous one day like Linus Torvalds and drive a BMW, that's unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm there to help people, teach students, solve problems for others it can be wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working for Google can be as wholesome and one's dharma as working in open source, it all depends on the state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if I'm at a profit making firm and I disagree with an unwholesome activity, I may be fired. So be it, that is still a wholesome outcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm writing open source software that I know is useful and wholesome, and only a few people use it, and I don't make unwholesome changes to get more users, that is wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma is what is wholesome,  adharma is what is unwholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T07:51:44.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2015-08-01T08:14:09.763" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you need to follow the Noble Eight Fold path to attain nirvana. It is further divided into three parts for simplicity - Sila (morality), Samadhi (mental culture) and Panna ( wisdom). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The noble eight fold path is as below :&#xA;Sila (Morality): 1) right speech 2) right action 3) right livelihood&#xA;Samadhi (mental culture): 4) right awareness 5) right concentration 6) right efforts &#xA;Panna (wisdom) : 7) right resolve 8) right view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In whichever teaching the components of Noble Eight Fold path is found there you will find source of Nirvana. So you can follow any sect you prefer. But right view is what differs in Buddhism which takes you in right direction. Understanding Buddhism's (right) view of rebirth, karma and three realities of life (impermanence, no soul and suffering) and dependent origination can help understand Nirvana better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5605" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T08:14:09.763" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10516" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10518" CreationDate="2015-08-01T10:18:20.523" Score="4" ViewCount="367" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recall the natural state of mind being referred to as luminous somewhere in Buddhist canonical texts. I've always been very taken with that imaginary. I'm sure it's quite a common image in the texts but can anyone give me one or two examples of it. Also is this concept/image linked to the notion of Buddha Nature in some way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T14:00:27.120" Title="Where is the mind referred to as being luminous?" Tags="|reference-request|texts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10517" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10635" CreationDate="2015-08-01T10:22:46.390" Score="2" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone help me out with the relationship between Tathāgatagarbha and Buddha Nature. The way that Tathāgatagarbha was described to me was it's like someone finding an amazing jewel in a great heap of dung. I take this to be like the natural state of mind been very pure or radiant in some way. My understanding of Buddha Nature is similar. So are they related concepts? Do they come from different traditions or is my naive understanding way off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T08:17:48.747" Title="What is the relationship between Tathāgatagarbha and Buddha Nature?" Tags="|philosophy|mahayana|terminology|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10516" CreationDate="2015-08-01T11:39:42.190" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following quotes describing the &lt;em&gt;Luminous Mind&lt;/em&gt; are from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://aromansse.com/gateway/PDF/The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Sogyal Rinpoche:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Nature of The Mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Profound and tranquil, free from complexity, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Uncompounded luminous clarity,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Beyond the mind of conceptual ideas;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the depth of the mind of the Victorious Ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this there is not a thing to be removed, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor anything that needs to be added.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is merely the immaculate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Looking naturally at itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&lt;/em&gt;, p. 50&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Innermost Essence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You might ask: &quot;If realizing the View is realizing the nature of mind, what then is the nature of mind like?&quot; Imagine a sky, empty, spacious, and pure from the beginning;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;its essence is like this. Imagine a sun, luminous, clear, unobstructed, and spontaneously present; its nature is like this. Imagine that sun shining out impartially on us and all things, penetrating all directions; its energy, which is the manifestation of compassion, is like this: nothing can obstruct it and it pervades everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&lt;/em&gt;, p. 157&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Practices For Dying&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;More intrinsically, Amitabha is the limitless, luminous nature of our mind. At death the true nature of mind will manifest at the moment of the dawning of the Ground Luminosity, yet not all of us may have the familiarity with it to recognize it. How skillful and compassionate the buddhas are to have handed down to us a method for invoking the very embodiment of the luminosity in the radiant presence of Amitabha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&lt;/em&gt;, p. 236-237&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Ground&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As I have explained, in death all the components of our body and mind are stripped away and disintegrate. As the body dies, the senses and subtle elements dissolve, and this is followed by the death of the ordinary aspect of our mind, with all its negative emotions of anger, desire, and ignorance. Finally nothing remains to obscure our true nature, as every- thing that in life has clouded the enlightened mind has fallen away. And what is revealed is the primordial ground of our absolute nature, which is like a pure and cloudless sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called the dawning of the Ground Luminosity, or &quot;Clear Light,&quot; where consciousness itself dissolves into the all- encompassing space of truth. The Tibetan Book of the Dead says of this moment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The nature of everything is open, empty and naked like the sky Luminous emptiness, without center or circumference: the pure,&#xA;  naked Rigpa dawns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Padmasambhava describes the luminosity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This self-originated Clear Light, which from the very beginning was never bom,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the child of Rigpa, which is itself without any parents—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This self-originated wisdom has not been created by anyone—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It has never experienced birth and has nothing in it that could cause it to die—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although it is evidently visible, yet there is no one there who sees it—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although it has wandered through samsara, no harm has come to it—how amazing}.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although it has seen buddhahood itself no good has come to it— how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although it exists in everyone everywhere, it has gone unrecog- nized—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And yet you go on hoping to attain some other fruit than this else- where—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though it is the thing that is most essentially yours, you seek for it elsewhere—how amazing!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is it that this state is called &quot;luminosity&quot; or Clear Light? The masters have different ways of explaining this. Some say that it expresses the radiant clarity of the nature of mind, its total freedom from darkness or obscuration: &quot;free from the darkness of unknowing and endowed with the abil- ity to cognize.&quot; Another master describes the luminosity or Clear Light as &quot;a state of minimum distraction,&quot; because all the elements, senses, and sense-objects are dissolved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is important is not to confuse it with the physical light that we know, nor with the experiences of light that will unfold presently in the next bardo; the luminosity that arises at death is the natural radiance of the wisdom of our own Rigpa, &quot;the uncompounded nature present throughout all of samsara and nirvana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The dawning of the Ground Luminosity, or Clear Light, at the moment of death is the great opportunity for liberation. But it is essential to realize on what terms this opportunity is given. Some modern writers and researchers on death have underestimated the profundity of this moment. Because they have read and interpreted the Tibetan Book of the Dead without the benefit of the oral instructions and training that fully explain its sacred meaning, they have oversimplified it and jumped to quick conclusions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One assumption they then make is that the dawning of the Ground Luminosity is enlighten- ment. We might all like to identify death with heaven or enlightenment; but more important than mere wishful think- ing is to know that only if we have really been introduced to the nature of our mind, our Rigpa, and only if we have estab- lished and stabilized it through meditation and integrated it into our life, does the moment of death offer a real opportu- nity for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though the Ground Luminosity presents itself natu- rally to us all, most of us are totally unprepared for its sheer immensity, the vast and subtle depth of its naked simplicity. The majority of us will simply have no means of recognizing it, because we have not made ourselves familiar with ways of recognizing it in life. What happens, then, is that we tend to react instinctively with all our past fears, habits, and condi- tioning, all our old reflexes. Though the negative emotions may have died for the luminosity to appear, the habits of lifetimes still remain, hidden in the background of our ordinary mind. Though all our confusion dies in death, instead of surrendering and opening to the luminosity, in our fear and ignorance we withdraw and instinctively hold onto our grasping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is what obstructs us from truly using this powerful moment as an opportunity for liberation. Padmasambhava says: &quot;All beings have lived and died and been reborn count- less times. Over and over again they have experienced the indescribable Clear Light. But because they are obscured by the darkness of ignorance, they wander endlessly in a limitless samsara.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&lt;/em&gt;, p. 263-265&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Universal Process&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Remember now that when we looked at the nature of mind, we saw that it had these three same aspects: its empty, skylike essence, its radiant luminous nature, and its unob- structed, all-pervasive, compassionate energy, which are all simultaneously present and interpenetrating as one within the Rigpa. &#xA;  Padmasambhava describes this in the following way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Within this Rigpa, the three kayas are inseparable and fully pres- ent as one:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since it is empty and not created anywhere whatsoever, it is the Dharmakaya,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since its luminous clarity represents the inherent transparent radi- ance of emptiness, it is the Sambhogakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since its arising is nowhere obstructed or interrupted, it is the Nir- manakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These three being complete and fully present as one, are its very essence}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three kayas, then, refer to these three intrinsic aspects of our enlightened mind; they also, of course, refer to different capacities of our perception. The vast majority of us are lim- ited in our vision, and only perceive the Nirmanakaya dimen- sion of form and manifestation. This is the reason that for most of us the moment of death is a blank and a state of oblivion, for we have neither encountered nor evolved any way of recognizing the Dharmakaya reality when it arises as the Ground Luminosity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor do we have any hope of recog- nizing the Sambhogakaya fields as they appear in the bardo of dharmata. Because our entire life has been lived out within the realm of the impure perceptions of the Nirmanakaya manifes- tation, so at the moment of death we are transported directlyback into that dimension; we awaken, frantic and distracted, in the bardo of becoming in the mental body, taking illusory experiences for solid and real just as we have in lives before, and stumbling helplessly, propelled by past karma, toward rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Highly realized beings, however, have awakened in them- selves a perception completely different from our own, one that is purified, evolved, and refined to such an extent that, while they still dwell in a human body, they actually perceive reality in a totally purified form, transparent to them in all its limitless dimension. And for them, as we have seen, the expe- rience of death holds no fear or surprises; it is embraced, in fact, as an opportunity for final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying&lt;/em&gt;, p. 347-348&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T11:39:42.190" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10512" CreationDate="2015-08-01T12:31:04.747" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lokavidu&lt;/em&gt; is one of the nine qualities of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Article/The%20Nine%20Qualities%20of%20Buddha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a definition of the quality:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;LOKAVIDU&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lokavidu is the person who knows about the world. What do we mean by&#xA;Loka? As There are six worlds; the seeing world, the hearing world, the smelling world, the tasting world, the touching world and the thinking world. There are no other worlds than these six. The Buddha understands how they arise and cease. He knows how clashes and harmony happen in this world. He knows why people can be trapped in them or be free from them. That is why He is called Lokavidu. You are in harmony with the world only when you know about it and live accordingly accepting as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Great Chronicles of Buddhas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 1164 :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) Āsayānusayan-ñāna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge that discuss the natural bent and latent proclivities of individuals. (Ref: original text at pp 597 on the Lokavidu attribute of the Buddha.) The term ÈsayÈnusaya, a compound may be rendered as ‚the seed-germ of an individual’s mental makeup.‛ By this special knowledge, the Buddha knows discriminately that such and such a being has such natural bent of mind, such latent potential for defilements that are dominant in his mental makeup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was due to the possession of the above two special knowledges that the Buddha could deliver the right message to the right-hearer. Even the Venerable SÈriputta, being not endowed with these special knowledges, could not know the state of readiness of his hearers to receive the message, i.e. about the ripeness or otherwise of the mental makeup of his hearers, with the result that his discourses, in a few occasions, fell flat on the hearers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhaviews.com/Learning_Dhamma/world_loka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Another quote on the term:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha's explanation on 'World' or 'Loka'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very significant word that comes in Gautama Buddha's Sutta discourses is the &amp;quot;Loka&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Loke&amp;quot; that is commonly regarded today as the &amp;quot;World&amp;quot;. One needs to have a proper understanding of what Gautama Buddha considered as the &amp;quot;World&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Loka &amp;quot; since Buddha is &amp;quot;Lokavidu&amp;quot; , one of the nine qualities Gautama Buddha had been ascribed to. The meaning of the word&amp;quot; Lokavidu&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;knowledge of entire worlds&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;loka&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Another quote on the term from &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Qualities and Virtues of the Buddha&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; By Mithra Wettimuny:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;V) Lokavidu means the seer of the world. He sees everything as it really is, with regard to this world. He sees all the conditions that bring about a situation, that bring about a dhamma, the root causes, the proximate causes, and the results that can come, that can flow from that situation. All that is his knowledge or his ability to see the world as it really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T12:31:04.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10504" CreationDate="2015-08-01T12:57:10.623" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;We practice meditation to purify our minds of greed, hatred, and delusion. We can't do this by yearning for ourselves to reach a particular stage of realization nor by yearning for special experiences within meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We purify our minds of greed, hatred, and delusion by seeings these tendencies within ourselves and by seeing the objects of our greed, hatred, and delusion for what they are and becoming bored with them. When we become bored with them; we stop clinging to them. When we stop clinging altogether; we'll reach Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't take months; it takes lifetimes. Who knows how many lifetimes we've already had to reach this point of being interested in bhavana at all? To be a human interested in the development of one's mind is very precious. You don't have to look far to see humans who are only interested in strengthening and beautifying the body, or accumulating money or possessions, or reputation or power, etc. But to be a human interested in the development of your mind, is an extraordinary opportunity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it's valuable to practice your meditation regularly even when you don't &quot;see&quot; the progress. Venerable Yuttadhammo recently gave an especially encouraging dhamma talk regarding when you feel like &quot;nothing is happening&quot;, in your meditation; it's actually bringing tremendous benefit. I will look for the dhamma talk and add it to this answer if possible. Be well. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;added&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 10 minute long &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.sirimangalo.org/live/20150721_0100_livestream.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dhamma talk&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable Yuttadhammo has some very encouraging words for this situation. He is reflecting on the July 20 passage from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/words_of_buddha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/words_of_buddha.pdf&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T13:28:36.643" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T13:28:36.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10510" CreationDate="2015-08-01T13:57:47.003" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;Open source is awesome philosophically speaking, and that's really what counts in the dharma, not the actual benefit that accrues to others. A core tenet of Buddhism is to not cling:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And he clings to nothing in the world.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- The Buddha (MN 10)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, regardless of the nature of your work, the fact that you are able to give up your attachment to its ownership is positive. If, for example, you produce pornography or a drink-mixing app, well, that's bad. If you make it open source, that is good, since the alternative is to cling to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some years ago, a Buddhist monk threatened me with legal action over a text translated from the Pali 60 years ago that his organization owned the copyright to and which I had posted on our website in HTML format. It was remarkable to note at the time that people in the FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) community sounded more Buddhist than the Buddhists. Mark Shuttleworth, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That’s the magical thing about creation and ownership. It creates the possibility for generosity. You can’t really give something you don’t own, but if you do, you’ve made a genuine contribution. A gift is different from a loan. It imposes no strings, it empowers the recipient and it frees the giver of the responsibilities of ownership. We tend to think that solving our own problems to produce a patch which is interesting to us and useful for us is the generosity. It isn’t. The opportunity for generosity comes thereafter. And in our ecosystem, generosity is important. It’s at the heart of the Ubuntu ethic, and it’s important even between competitors, because the competitors outside our ecosystem are impossible to beat if we are not supportive of one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/687&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or Richard Stallman (admittedly, not the best Buddhist role model):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm often asked to describe the “advantages” of free software. But the word “advantages” is too weak when it comes to freedom. Life without freedom is oppression, and that applies to computing as well as every other activity in our lives. We must refuse to give the developers of the programs or computing services control over the computing we do. This is the right thing to do, for selfish reasons; but not solely for selfish reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Freedom includes the freedom to cooperate with others. Denying people that freedom means keeping them divided, which is the start of a scheme to oppress them. In the free software community, we are very much aware of the importance of the freedom to cooperate because our work consists of organized cooperation. If your friend comes to visit and sees you use a program, she might ask for a copy. A program which stops you from redistributing it, or says you're “not supposed to”, is antisocial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, the FOSS movement is awesome; a lot of open source advocates &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; Buddhist, or at least Buddhaphiles. There's even a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhilinux.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhi Linux&lt;/a&gt;, for example. It runs on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.enlightenment.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; desktop. Actually, I'm not sure if that's dharmic or just crass...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you have one too many commas in your question, but if you are asking whether software development &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; dhamma practice, then I guess the answer is that the part of it that is you letting go of your attachment to stuff is dharmic. Coding software itself is not the same as developing your mind towards enlightenment, though...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T18:15:06.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10512" CreationDate="2015-08-01T14:26:42.707" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, we have to understand what is meant by &lt;em&gt;loka&lt;/em&gt;. There are three types of loka, according to type &lt;em&gt;(DN-A 2.189)&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;okāsaloka&lt;/em&gt; - the world of space&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;sattaloka&lt;/em&gt; - the world of beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;saṅkhāraloka&lt;/em&gt; - the world of formations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the commentaries (AN-A 3.40):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;lokavidū&lt;/strong&gt;ti tayo loke vidite pākaṭe katvā ṭhito&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;lokavidū&lt;/em&gt; means one who stands having made known, having made clear, the three worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga (VII.135) goes into detail about how the Buddha knows each of these three worlds, including quotes from the texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Tis utterly impossible&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;To reach by travel the world’s end;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;But there is no escape from pain&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Until the world’s end has been reached.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;It is a sage, a knower of the worlds,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Who gets to the world’s end, and it is he&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Whose life divine is lived out to its term;&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;He is at peace who the world’s end has known&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And hopes for neither this world nor the next” (S I 62).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;from Path of Purification VII.36 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T14:26:42.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10516" CreationDate="2015-08-01T14:40:57.000" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The earliest reference is from the Pali Tipitaka, AN 5.49-50:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;49. “pabhassaramidaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ. tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhan”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;50. “pabhassaramidaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ. tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi vippamuttan”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luminous, o Bhikkhus, is this mind. And indeed by those invading defilements it is defiled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luminous, o Bhikkhus, is this mind. And indeed from those invading defilements it is released.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T14:40:57.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10524" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10624" CreationDate="2015-08-01T16:08:48.390" Score="8" ViewCount="284" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, we carry out generous and selfless deeds for the purpose of acquiring positive kamma and/or promoting our spiritual quest. However, this seems like a form of greed, one of the three unwholesome roots (I think that's what it is labeled as, unsure). How can moral acts be qualified as free of greed, when it seems that the motive for morality is ultimately self-gain (greed)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T16:33:41.640" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T23:20:31.933" Title="A question on morality" Tags="|theravada|ethics|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10525" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-01T16:22:57.790" Score="6" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe that when I'm sitting to improve myself, I have to watch my mind to see what is passing through it, and to figure out the reason for that thought and then let it go sometime. But when I'm sitting, my mind doesn't seem to work the same way as when I am not sitting. I'm just there, sitting and watching my respiration without thoughts. And when I get up and go do other things, all of the thoughts and feelings come back.&#xA;What am I doing wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5607" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T17:00:19.227" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T21:15:59.973" Title="Why I can't think in anything while I'm meditating" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10525" CreationDate="2015-08-01T18:23:10.737" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are not necessarily doing anything wrong. It depends on what kind of meditation you are practicing and what your purpose with the meditation is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you are practicing Samatha Meditation (tranquility meditation) but instead you would like to practice Vipassana Meditation (insight meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In samatha meditation one keeps attention on a single object, e.g. the breath trying to make that object stable. This type of meditation is creating a unification of mind. The goal here is to build deep and powerful states of concentration. When the mind is concentrated, i.e. by only paying attention to one object, other objects disappear. They slowly stop arising. This is only temporarily. This only happens as long as the power of concentration is present. When concentration weakens or when one stops the session and goes up and do other things then slowly the unification wears off and other objects e.g. &lt;em&gt;thoughts and ideas&lt;/em&gt; come back into the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing samatha meditation one temporarily suspends mental activity. When finishing the session this suspension of mental activity can last for a while afterwards but will eventually stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana meditation one does not keep attention on a single object instead one is giving attention to whatever arises whenever it arises. One has the abdomen as an anchor (mahasi sayadaw tradition) which one comes back to after having observed or noted objects as they arise and fall in the present moment. The anchor is a tool that one uses so that the mind will not get lost and follow after objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is keeping attention on the rising and falling movements of the abdomen. When a thought arises then one shifts attention and watches the thought. One notes it a couple of times saying &quot;thinking, thinking&quot; and then returns to the abdomen. If a feeling or a sound arises then one shifts attention towards these objects and notes &quot;feeling, feeling&quot; or &quot;hearing, hearing&quot;. One can also note the feeling more specifically, e.g. if anger arises one notes &quot;angry, angry&quot; or &quot;sad, sad&quot; if sadness arises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing the noting it's important to sent the mind out to the object and &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; to keep attention on the &quot;mental label&quot;. So when noting e.g. pain in the leg one is noting &quot;pain, pain&quot; but ones attention is on the pain in the knee and not on the mental label. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vipassana meditation one tries to be with the objects as they arise when they arise. The goal is to learn about their true nature, i.e. the 3 signs of existence (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and the uncontrollable nature). One does not follow after objects. One also does not try to find out where e.g. a thought came from. This is not important. What is important is to see that thought as an object that arise and cease. One does not give special attention to any object at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information on how to practice this method see Ven. Yuttadhammo's video series called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How To Meditate&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; or his book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to anything i wrote let me know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T21:15:59.973" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T21:15:59.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10528" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10529" CreationDate="2015-08-01T21:30:33.393" Score="11" ViewCount="696" Body="&lt;p&gt;In  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 7.58&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha instructed Maha Moggallana on what do to about his nodding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then attend to the perception of light, resolve on the perception of daytime, [dwelling] by night as by day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open &amp;amp; unhampered, develop a brightened mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 4.41&lt;/a&gt;), this same practice is described as one that leads to &lt;code&gt;knowledge &amp;amp; vision&lt;/code&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this to be understood and practiced in detail? What is meant by &quot;perception of daytime, [dwelling] by night as by day, and by day as by night&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it as simple as imagining light? Are there ancient or modern detailed comments on this practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;In Bodhi translation, he says the &lt;em&gt;Manorathapūranī&lt;/em&gt; understand this as &lt;code&gt;divine eye&lt;/code&gt;, but in other places it can be &lt;code&gt;insight knowledge&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;full enlightement&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T02:06:55.527" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T02:06:55.527" Title="How to &quot;attend to the perception of light&quot;?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|five-hindrances|suttas|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10528" CreationDate="2015-08-01T21:55:42.097" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#sloth&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Way Of Mindfulness&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Soma Thera it's described how to overcome to the hindrance of &lt;em&gt;Sloth and Torpor&lt;/em&gt;. Here he writes about the perception of light. I have made highlights in the quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Sloth and Torpor&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through wrong reflection on a state of boredom and the like, sloth and torpor come to be. Boredom is just dissatisfaction. Lassitude is bodily laziness. Languidity of body is the bending of the body torpidly in getting up and in similar actions. Lethargy after a meal is a dizziness or slight faint which is due to eating a principal meal. It is also called the discomfort which follows such a meal. The mind's sluggishness is the dullness of the mind. An abundance of wrong reflection on boredom and similar states of mind produces sloth and torpor. Therefore the Blessed One said that much wrong reflection on boredom, lassitude, languidity of body, lethargy after a meal, and the mind's sluggishness, is a condition for the production of fresh sloth and torpor and the increase and expansion of sloth and torpor already come into being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through right reflection in inceptive energy and similar states of mind is brought about the overthrow of sloth and torpor. Inceptive energy is the effort first set afoot. Exertion is more powerful than the inceptive energy because it leaves indolence behind. And because of its assailing further and further of the destructive condition, progressive endeavor is more powerful than exertion. By the exercise of right reflection intensely on this threefold strenuousness sloth and torpor are cast out. Therefore the Blessed One said that the condition for keeping out new sloth and torpor, and for casting out sloth and torpor that is old, is abundant right reflection on the element of inceptive energy, of exertion and of progressive endeavor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six things which lead to the casting out of sloth and torpor: The seeing of the reason of sloth and torpor in the fact of eating too much or gluttony; the changing of the postures completely; reflection on the perception of light; staying in the open; sympathetic and helpful companionship of the good; and stimulating talk that assists in dispelling sloth an torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the following explanation of these six things: The bhikkhu who has eaten gluttonously is assailed by sloth and torpor while doing his recluse duty of meditation in his day or night quarters as by a mighty elephant pressing down on him, but that one who practices moderation in food is not troubled thus with these hindrances. In one who thus sees the characteristic of sloth and torpor in gluttony there is the casting out of sloth and torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sloth and torpor disappear in him who changes over from the posture which induces sloth and torpor to another; in him who reflects on the brightness or the light of the moon, a lamp or a torch by night, and on the light or brightness of the sun by day; in him who lives in the open; in him who associates with sympathetic and helpful companions, like the Elder Maha Kassapa, who have dispelled sloth and torpor; and by stimulating talk connected with a strict recluse-regimen.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore it is said: Six things lead to the casting out of sloth and torpor. The yogi understands thus: sloth and torpor cast out by these six things are stopped from arising forever in the future by the attainment of the path of arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhikkhu who has eaten gluttonously after the manner of the well-known types of Brahmanical gormandizers mentioned in ancient Indian books. There are five kinds of these greedy eaters: (1) He who eats until he has to be raised up by the hand from his seat. (2) He who lies rolling just where he has eaten and eats as long as he likes. (3) He who eats until he slips off his waist cloth. (4) He who fills himself with food in such a way that it seems as if a crow could peck at the food in him. (5) He who having filled his belly full and vomitted eats more food again, or he who eats until he vomits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the light or brightness of the sun by day: The meaning should be understood thus: Sloth and torpor vanish in him, too, who at night is reflecting on the image of the perception of the brightness of the sun he got by day.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here it may be helpful to state the eight ways of dealing with torpor taught by the Master to the Elder Maha Moggallana: (1) One should neglect to mind the thought which says that drowsiness is descending on one, or (2) one should reflect on the Dhamma, or (3) repeat or recite the Dhamma, or (4) pull both earlobes and rub or massage the limbs with the hands, or (5) getting up from the sitting position, apply water on and rub the eyes, and look into the distance, at the constellations in the starry sky, or (6) reflect on the thought of light, or (7) fix the thought on the ambulatory, aware of the ends of it with the controlling faculties of sense turned inwards and the mind kept in, or (8) sleep conscious of the time of waking and on awaking get up quickly thinking that one will not give oneself to the comforts of lying down, reclining and languor, when all other seven ways fail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is as simple as you mentioned, i.e. to just imagine a bright light or imagine the items described in the quote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T22:20:32.607" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10524" CreationDate="2015-08-01T22:03:36.730" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we're supposed to distinguish between wholesome and unwholesome desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the word for greed or unwholesome desire is &lt;em&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/em&gt; (literally &amp;quot;thirst&amp;quot;). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#Contrast_to_wholesome_desire_.28chanda.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Wikipedia article says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contrast to wholesome desire (chanda)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist teachings contrast the reflexive, self-centered desire of taṇhā with wholesome types of desire, such as the desire to benefit others or the desire to follow the Buddhist path.[c] Wholesome types of desire are traditionally identified as chanda.[20][21][d]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Sucitto states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes taṇhā is translated as “desire,” but that gives rise to some crucial misinterpretations with reference to the way of Liberation. As we shall see, some form of desire is essential in order to aspire to, and persist in, cultivating the path out of dukkha. Desire as an eagerness to offer, to commit, to apply oneself to meditation, is called chanda. It’s a psychological “yes,” a choice, not a pathology. In fact, you could summarize Dhamma training as the transformation of taṇhā into chanda. It’s a process whereby we guide volition, grab and hold on to the steering wheel, and travel with clarity toward our deeper well-being. So we’re not trying to get rid of desire (which would take another kind of desire, wouldn’t it). Instead, we are trying to transmute it, take it out of the shadow of gratification and need, and use its aspiration and vigor to bring us into light and clarity.[20]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose a poor analogy might be that drinking (alcohol) isn't wholesome, but that drinking &lt;em&gt;water&lt;/em&gt; is beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a sutta on the subject: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also two different objects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not being generous implies accumulating wealth for selfish ends (which doesn't make you happy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whereas being generous implies helping other people (which does make you happy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they're not entirely the same thing; if it is &amp;quot;a form of greed&amp;quot; at least it's not the same form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html#dana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this description of generosity&lt;/a&gt; says that &amp;quot;stinginess&amp;quot; is a &amp;quot;stain&amp;quot;. Presumably generosity then is the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the Zen story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/33mokusenshand.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mokusen's Hand&lt;/a&gt; implies that lay householders should aim for some medium.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T22:03:36.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10524" CreationDate="2015-08-01T22:45:54.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings Ian,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it works anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two things having influence on what will happen to you in the future are the deed itself and the intention you have in your heart/mind while doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The action determines the kind of Kamma-Vipaka and the intention has influence on how strong it will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you do good with selfish intention, it will not come back onto you as good as it will if you're just having fun doing good things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps and please correct me, if I am wrong ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be Well&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastEditorUserId="5466" LastEditDate="2015-08-01T22:53:03.010" LastActivityDate="2015-08-01T22:53:03.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10532" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10535" CreationDate="2015-08-01T23:17:12.837" Score="7" ViewCount="3945" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently came across the in depth teaching of Buddhism and have a few questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can a human through the right path be reborn a Deva or Asura? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And is there a type of &quot;god karma&quot; that will run out causing highly divine beings to be reborn as a human or can they repeats the cycle forever becoming higher devas &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5613" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T01:32:34.057" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T05:26:21.983" Title="Devas and Asura?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10532" CreationDate="2015-08-02T07:04:59.180" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can a human through the right path be reborn a Deva or Asura?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas are reborn in the sensuous planes&#xA;I will explain what you must develop to be reborn there. &#xA;Those who are reborn in the Sensuous places would have to develop virtue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then there is the case where a certain person refrains from taking life, refrains from taking what is not given, refrains from sensual misconduct, refrains from false speech, refrains from divisive speech, refrains from abusive speech, refrains from idle chatter, is not covetous, bears no ill will, and has right views. With the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the devas. He lives there, he remains there, by means of whatever is the food of devas. This, too, is an impossible place for that gift to accrue to one staying there. (AN 10.177)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They must develop generosity as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then there is the case where a certain person refrains from taking life... and has right views. And he gives food, drink, cloth, vehicles, garlands, scents, creams, bed, lodging, &amp;amp; lamps to brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives. With the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of devas. There he experiences the five strings of divine sensuality [delightful sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations]. It's because he refrained from taking what is not given... and had right views that he reappears in the company of devas. And it's because he gave food, drink, cloth, vehicles, garlands, scents, creams, bed, lodging, &amp;amp; lamps to brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives that he experiences the five strings of divine sensuality. But at any rate, brahman, the donor does not go without reward.&quot; (AN 10.177)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not see being born as an asura is a good thing. For they are overcome by wrath, jealousy, and envy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, they can drop and be reborn in the human destination. I'm not certain which sutta says that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is more info on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="5380" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T08:37:01.340" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T08:37:01.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10532" CreationDate="2015-08-02T07:12:22.763" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes a human can get rebirth(given that has not attained nirvana, or still has greed, aversion and delusion) in one of the four hells, in the human world, in one of the six heavens or in planes of forms or planes of formless. 16 planes of forms and 4 planes of formless. Altogether there are 31 places a human gets rebirth. Actually Asura term is ambiguous, it may mean one of four hells or devas in the tawtisa heaven. You can read in detail about the 31 planes in this book. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm&quot;&gt;Ten meritorious actions&lt;/a&gt; and avoiding ten evil acts and good thoughts at the moment of death can give a rebirth as a Deva.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh462.pdf&quot;&gt;www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh462.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Yes devas can get rebirth in any of the 31 planes including human or heaven. But I do not think any of Buddhist texts tell a case where a Deva gets rebirth as a Deva forever because the thought at the moment of death really matters in determining the next birth. An unwholesome thought can give a bad rebirth and it is not unlikely to happen.&#xA; Yes right path or kusal can give a human the rebirth in the heaven. But there is a lot of detail behind that. And I am not sure whether a being in a hell can get rebirth as a Deva when it is extremely difficult to get  a human rebirth. You can read more on Karma in this article.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T07:12:22.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10532" CreationDate="2015-08-02T07:16:59.893" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Devas and Asuras are not considered in depth teachings of Buddhism. Not all Asuras are in heavenly realms. Only those Asuras belong to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;Catumaharajika(the lowest heaven)&lt;/a&gt; are considered to be having a pleasant state of existence. But the Asuras who belong to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;Asura Apaya&lt;/a&gt; are born there due to bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, humans can keep to the 5 precepts and do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pu%C3%B1%C3%B1a-kiriya-vatthu/index.html&quot;&gt;Dasa Punna Kiriya&lt;/a&gt; to reach heavenly realms. But once the good Karma runs out, they can fall back. They can also keep doing more good deeds to extend their lives or to be born in higher realms. But it is easy to do bad and difficult to do good. Once they get intoxicated with the refined pleasures in heavens, they forget about impermanence and suffering. That could result in them being complacent and ignorant and not doing good deeds to extend their stay. It's easy to go to hells. But it's hard to get to heavens and stay in there. So except during the period when the world ends, hells are the most populated places among the planes of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T07:23:42.997" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T07:23:42.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10510" CreationDate="2015-08-02T11:26:53.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings user1835337,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha 'Dhamma' is the 'teaching' of the Buddha and Dāna (giving) is one part of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Openhearted giving (Dāna) is on of the three basic and main exercises recommended by the Buddha for lay people. It is a preparatory and accompanying exercise at the same time. Giving for the well-being of others just because one has fun doing it helps very much in the personal development. It' the first taste of letting go of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But one has to look at the intention: Do I have fun helping or am I grumpily  reacting on something and, in this case, trying to score of the propriety software producers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you can say, there is higher and lesser. I am sorry that I can't remember the exact &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, but the conclusion is like this: helping animals is good, helping non-spiritual poeple is better, helping spiritual people/teachers is  better than this and helping Buddhist teachers is the best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, contributing to the open source community is a good thing, if you connect it with contributing to Dhamma related projects it would be even better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best Wishes :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T11:26:53.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10537" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In linguistics and grammar, affirmative and negative are terms of opposite meaning which may be applied to statements, verb phrases, clauses, and some other utterances. Essentially an affirmative (positive) form is used to express the validity or truth of a basic assertion, while a negative form expresses its falsity. Examples are the sentences &quot;Jane is here&quot; and &quot;Jane is not here&quot;; the first is affirmative, while the second is negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The grammatical category associated with affirmative and negative is called polarity. This means that a sentence, verb phrase, etc. may be said to have either affirmative or negative polarity (its polarity may be either affirmative or negative). Affirmative is generally the unmarked polarity; the negative is marked by a negating word or particle such as the English not, German nicht, Swedish inte, and so on, which reverses the meaning of the predicate. The process of converting affirmative to negative is called negation – the grammatical rules for negation vary from language to language, and a given language may have more than one way of producing negations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Affirmative and negative responses (especially, though not exclusively, to questions) are often expressed using particles such as yes and no, where yes is the affirmative and no the negative particle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10538" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" Score="0" Body="In linguistics and grammar, affirmative and negative are terms of opposite meaning which may be applied to statements, verb phrases, clauses, and some other utterances. Essentially an affirmative (positive) form is used to express the validity or truth of a basic assertion, while a negative form expresses its falsity." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:13:09.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10539" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tathatā (Sanskrit, Pali tathatā; Chinese: 真如) is variously translated as &quot;thusness&quot; or &quot;suchness&quot;. It is a central concept in Buddhism and is of particular significance in Chan Buddhism. The synonym dharmatā is also often used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While alive the Buddha referred to himself as the Tathāgata, which can mean either &quot;One who has thus come&quot; or &quot;One who has thus gone&quot;,[1] and interpreted correctly can be read as &quot;One who has arrived at suchness&quot;. Tathatā as a central concept of Buddhism expresses appreciation of the ten suchnesses in any given moment.[citation needed] As no moment is exactly the same, each one can be savored for what occurs at that precise time, whether it is thought of as being &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the early texts, it is described as an aspect of nirvana.[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10540" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" Score="0" Body="Tathatā (Sanskrit, Pali tathatā; Chinese: 真如) is variously translated as &quot;thusness&quot; or &quot;suchness&quot;. It is a central concept in Buddhism and is of particular significance in Chan Buddhism. The synonym dharmatā is also often used." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:14:01.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10541" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (/ˈniːtʃə/[1] or /ˈniːtʃi/;[2] German: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈvɪlhɛlm ˈniːt͡sʃə]; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic, poet, composer, and Latin and Greek scholar. He wrote several critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy, and science, displaying a fondness for metaphor[3] and irony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nietzsche's key ideas include perspectivism, the will to power, master-slave morality, the death of God, the Übermensch and eternal recurrence. One of the key tenets of his philosophy is &quot;life-affirmation&quot;, which embraces the realities of the world in which we live over the idea of a world beyond. It further champions the creative powers of the individual to strive beyond social, cultural, and moral contexts.[4] Nietzsche's attitude towards religion and morality was marked with atheism, psychologism and historism: he considered them to be human creations ultimately produced by insecurities and flaws rather than effective means to alleviate those flaws.[5] His radical questioning of the value and objectivity of truth has been the focus of extensive commentary, and his influence remains substantial, especially in schools of continental philosophy such as existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism. His ideas of individual overcoming and transcendence beyond structure and context have had a profound impact on late-twentieth and early-twenty-first century thinkers, who have used these concepts as points of departure in the development of their philosophies.[6][7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nietzsche began his career as a classical philologist—a scholar of Greek and Roman textual criticism—before turning to philosophy. In 1869, at age 24, he became the youngest-ever occupant of the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel. He resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life.[8] In 1889, at age 44, he suffered a collapse and a complete loss of his mental faculties. The breakdown was later ascribed to atypical general paresis due to tertiary syphilis, but this diagnosis has come into question.[9] Nietzsche lived his remaining years in the care of his mother (until her death in 1897) and then his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. He died in 1900 of what was thought to be a stroke, however re-examination of Nietzsche's medical evaluation papers show that he almost certainly died of brain cancer.[10]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As his caretaker, his sister assumed the roles of curator and editor of Nietzsche's manuscripts. Förster-Nietzsche, the widow of prominent German nationalist and antisemite Bernhard Förster, reworked Nietzsche's unpublished writings to fit her own ideology. Often she did so in ways contrary to her brother's stated opinions, which were strongly and explicitly opposed to antisemitism and nationalism. Through Förster-Nietzsche's editions, Nietzsche's name became associated with German militarism and Nazism, although later 20th-century scholars have counteracted this conception of his ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10542" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" Score="0" Body="Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (/ˈniːtʃə/[1] or /ˈniːtʃi/;[2] German: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈvɪlhɛlm ˈniːt͡sʃə]; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic, poet, composer, and Latin and Greek scholar. He wrote several critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy, and science, displaying a fondness for metaphor[3] and irony." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:14:50.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10543" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a sotāpanna (Pali), srotāpanna (Sanskrit; Chinese: 入流; pinyin: rùliú, Tibetan: རྒྱན་ཞུགས, Wylie: rgyun zhugs), &quot;stream-winner&quot;, or &quot;stream-entrant&quot; is a person who has seen the Dharma and consequently, has dropped the first three fetters (saŋyojana) that bind a being to rebirth, namely self-view (sakkāya-ditthi), clinging to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), and skeptical doubt (vicikicchā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word sotāpanna literally means &quot;one who entered (āpanna) the stream (sota)&quot;, after a metaphor which calls the noble eightfold path a stream which leads to nibbāna.Entering the stream (sotāpatti) is the first of the four paths of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10544" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" Score="0" Body="In Buddhism, a sotāpanna (Pali), srotāpanna (Sanskrit; Chinese: 入流; pinyin: rùliú, Tibetan: རྒྱན་ཞུགས, Wylie: rgyun zhugs[1]), &quot;stream-winner&quot;,[2] or &quot;stream-entrant&quot;[3] is a person who has seen the Dharma and consequently, has dropped the first three fetters (saŋyojana) that bind a being to rebirth, namely self-view (sakkāya-ditthi), clinging to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), and skeptical doubt (vicikicchā)." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:15:38.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10545" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta (Pali) or Sanskrit Śāriputra was one of two chief male disciples of Gautama Buddha along with Moggallāna, counterparts to the bhikkhunis Khema and Uppalavanna, his two chief female disciples. He became an arhat renowned for his teaching and is depicted in the Theravada tradition as one of the most important disciples of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta came from a Brahmin[1] family and had already embarked on life as a spiritual ascetic when he encountered the teachings of the Buddha. Sāriputta had a close friend Moggallāna (Pāli: Maudgalyāyana), another wandering ascetic. They both renounced the world on the same day and became disciples of the sceptic Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta before converting to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After hearing of the Buddha's teachings from a monk named Assaji (Sanskrit: Asvajit), Sāriputta sought out the Buddha and became an adherent to his teachings. These two are often depicted together with the Buddha, and several sutras regard interactions between Sāriputta and Moggallāna (who became renowned among the early Buddhists for his mastery of supernatural powers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta often preached with the Buddha's approval and was awarded the title &quot;General of the Dharma&quot; (Pāli: Dhammasenāpati) for his propagation of the teachings and is regarded as the founder of the Abhidharma tradition. However, the Buddha also lightly reprimanded Sāriputta on occasion when he did not fully explain the Dhamma to a prince,[2] or when he allowed a group of novice monks to become too loud.[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, Sāriputta was one of the most highly praised disciples and on at least one occasion the Buddha declared him to be a true spiritual son and his chief assistant in &quot;turning the Wheel of the Dhamma&quot;:[4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If a person, rightly saying it of anyone, were to say, 'He is the Blessed One's son, his offspring — born of his mouth, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, his heir in the Dhamma, not his heir in material things,' he would be rightly saying it of Śāriputra if he were to say: 'He is the Blessed One's son, his offspring — born of his mouth, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, his heir in the Dhamma, not his heir in material things.' Sariputta, monks, takes the unexcelled wheel of Dhamma set rolling by the Tathagata, and keeps it rolling rightly.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10546" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" Score="0" Body="Sāriputta (Pali) or Sanskrit Śāriputra was one of two chief male disciples of Gautama Buddha along with Moggallāna, counterparts to the bhikkhunis Khema and Uppalavanna, his two chief female disciples. He became an arhat renowned for his teaching and is depicted in the Theravada tradition as one of the most important disciples of the Buddha." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:16:49.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10547" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the Sakadāgāmin (Pali; Sanskrit: Sakṛdāgāmin), &quot;returning once&quot;[1] or &quot;once-returner,&quot; is a partially enlightened person, who has cut off the first three chains with which the ordinary mind is bound, and significantly weakened the fourth and fifth. Sakadagaminship is the second stage of the four stages of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sakadagamin will be reborn into the realm of the senses at most once more. If, however, he attains the next stage of enlightenment (Anagamiship) in this life, he will not come back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three specific chains or fetters (Pali: saṃyojana) of which the Sakadagamin is free are:&#xA;1. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi (Pali) - Belief in self&#xA;2. Sīlabbata-parāmāsa (Pali) - Attachment to rites and rituals&#xA;3. Vicikicchā (Pali) - Skeptical doubt&#xA;The Sakadagami also significantly weakened the chains of:&#xA;4. Kāma-rāga (Pali) - Sensuous craving&#xA;5. Byāpāda (Pali) - Ill-will&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Sakadagamin is an intermediate stage between the Sotapanna, who still has comparatively strong sensuous desire and ill-will, and the Anagami, who is completely free from sensuous desire and ill-will. A Sakadagami's mind is very pure. Thoughts connected with greed, hatred and delusion do not arise often, and when they do, do not become obsessive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10548" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" Score="0" Body="In Buddhism, the Sakadāgāmin (Pali; Sanskrit: Sakṛdāgāmin), &quot;returning once&quot;[1] or &quot;once-returner,&quot; is a partially enlightened person, who has cut off the first three chains with which the ordinary mind is bound, and significantly weakened the fourth and fifth. Sakadagaminship is the second stage of the four stages of enlightenment." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:20:56.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10549" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mythology can refer to the collected myths of a group of people—their body of stories which they tell to explain nature, history, and customs —or to the study of such myths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a collection of such stories, mythology is a vital feature of every culture. Various origins for myths have been proposed, ranging from personification of nature, personification of natural phenomena to truthful or hyperbolic accounts of historical events, to explanations of existing ritual. Although the term is complicated by its implicit condescension, mythologizing is not just an ancient or primitive practice, as shown by contemporary mythopoeia such as urban legends and the expansive fictional mythoi created by fantasy novels and Japanese manga. A culture's collective mythology helps convey belonging, shared and religious experience, behavioural models, and moral and practical lessons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the study of myth, mythology dates back to antiquity. Rationalists in ancient Greece and China devised allegorical interpretations of their traditional stories. Rival classifications of the Greek myths by Euhemerus, Plato's Phaedrus, and Sallustius were developed by the Neoplatonists and revived by Renaissance mythographers. Nineteenth-century comparative mythology reinterpreted myth as a primitive and failed counterpart of science (E. B. Tylor), a &quot;disease of language&quot; (Max Müller), or a misinterpretation of magical ritual (James Frazer).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some recent approaches have rejected a conflict between the value of myth and rational thought, often viewing myths, rather than being merely inaccurate historical accounts, as expressions for understanding general psychological, cultural or societal truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10550" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" Score="0" Body="Mythology can refer to the collected myths of a group of people—their body of stories which they tell to explain nature, history, and customs—or to the study of such myths." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:21:48.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10551" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:24:25.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Spiritual materialism is a term coined by Chögyam Trungpa in his book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. The book is a compendium of his talks explaining Buddhism given while opening the Karma Dzong meditation center in Boulder, Colorado. He expands on the concept in later seminars that became books such as Work, Sex, Money. He uses the term to describe mistakes spiritual seekers commit which turn the pursuit of spirituality into an ego building and confusion creating endeavor, based on the idea that ego development is counter to spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventionally, it is used to describe capitalist and spiritual narcissism, commercial efforts such as &quot;new age&quot; bookstores and wealthy lecturers on spirituality; it might also mean the attempt to build up a list of credentials or accumulate teachings in order to present oneself as a more realized or holy person.[2] Author Jorge Ferrer equates the terms &quot;Spiritual materialism&quot; and &quot;Spiritual Narcissism&quot;,[1] though others draw a distinction that spiritual narcissism is believing that one deserves love and respect[3] or is better than another[4] because one has accumulated spiritual training instead of the belief that accumulating training will bring an end to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:24:25.933" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:24:25.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10552" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:24:25.933" Score="0" Body="Spiritual materialism is a term coined by Chögyam Trungpa. He uses the term to describe mistakes spiritual seekers commit which turn the pursuit of spirituality into an ego building and confusion creating endeavor, based on the idea that ego development is counter to spiritual progress." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2020-07-14T10:32:42.573" LastActivityDate="2020-07-14T10:32:42.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10553" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;1.&#xA;According to the Pāli canon commentary, access/neighbourhood concentration (upacāra-samādhi) is a stage of meditation that the meditator reaches before entering into jhāna. The overcoming of the five hindrances[note 5] mark the entry into access concentration.[citation needed] Access concentration is not mentioned in the discourses of the Buddha, but there are several suttas where a person gains insight into the Dhamma on hearing a teaching from the Buddha.[note 6][note 7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Tse-fu Kuan, at the state of access concentration, some meditators may experience vivid mental imagery,[note 8] which is similar to a vivid dream. They are as vividly as if seen by the eye, but in this case the meditator is fully aware and conscious that they are seeing mental images. According to Tse-fu Kuan, this is discussed in the early texts, and expanded upon in Theravāda commentaries.[42]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Venerable Sujivo, as the concentration becomes stronger, the feelings of breathing and of having a physical body will completely disappear, leaving only pure awareness. At this stage inexperienced meditators may become afraid, thinking that they are going to die if they continue the concentration, because the feeling of breathing and the feeling of having a physical body has completely disappeared. They should not be so afraid and should continue their concentration in order to reach &quot;full concentration&quot; (jhāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.&#xA;When it comes very close as if about to sink or merge with the object we may consider it as access concentration. By then one has overcome the hindrances as it is close to fixed absorption. The mind has reached a very subtle and sleeplike state. If one is not careful one may fall asleep. One has to be mindful to maintain the flow of metta and yet not too energetic that it stirs it up to a restless state. At this state visions may creep in but one has to be mindful enough to maintain the flow of metta. The Visuddhimagga describes this state as a state when the barriers are broken. That is, at that time one's metta is developed to the state that one is as if one with the person. One cannot be said to have any less or more metta one has for oneself than another or a close one from a hostile one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As concentration develops, the object of mind likewise becomes more refined and steady. It may be very gross ideas of the person at preliminary concentration to fine, transparent-like visualisations at access concentration. However the development of the object is not as obvious as in kasinas. So in initial stages the states of mind and metta are more obvious and important criteria for checking one's development. With frequent meditation one can also be aware of the nature of this fine object. I remember that the first time I noticed it was as the person outlined on a crystal-clear surface. It has appeared again in another way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10554" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" Score="0" Body="According to the Pāli canon commentary, access/neighbourhood concentration (upacāra-samādhi) is a stage of meditation that the meditator reaches before entering into jhāna." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:27:58.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10555" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" Score="0" Body="" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10556" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" Score="0" Body="Buddhist Monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism in the history of religion. It is also one of the most fundamental institutions of Buddhism. Monks and nuns are considered to be responsible for the preservation and dissemination of the Buddha's teaching and the guidance of Buddhist lay people." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:39:40.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10557" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Impermanence is one of the essential doctrines or three marks of existence in Buddhism. The term expresses the Buddhist notion that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is transient, or in a constant state of flux. The mutability of life, that time passes on no matter what happens, is an important aspect of impermanence. The Pali word anicca literally means &quot;inconstant&quot;, and arises from a synthesis of two separate words, 'Nicca' and the &quot;privative particle&quot; 'a'. Where the word 'Nicca' refers to the concept of continuity and permanence, 'Anicca' refers to its exact opposite; the absence of permanence and continuity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca or impermanence is understood by Buddhists as one of the three marks of existence, the others being dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta (non-selfhood). All things in the universe are understood by Buddhists to be characterised by these three marks of existence. According to the impermanence doctrine, human life embodies this flux in the aging process, the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara), and in any experience of loss. This is applicable to all beings and their environs including devas (mortal gods). The Buddha taught that because conditioned phenomena are impermanent, attachment to them becomes the cause for future suffering (dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditioned phenomena can also be referred to as compounded, constructed, or fabricated. This is in contrast to the unconditioned, uncompounded and unfabricated nirvana, the reality that knows no change, decay or death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence is intimately associated with the doctrine of anatta, according to which things have no fixed nature, essence, or self. For example, in Mahayana Buddhism, because all phenomena are impermanent, and in a state of flux, they are understood to be empty of an intrinsic self (shunyata).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10558" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" Score="0" Body="Impermanence is one of the essential doctrines or three marks of existence in Buddhism. The term expresses the Buddhist notion that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is transient, or in a constant state of flux." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:43:27.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10559" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saṃsāra (Sanskrit, Pali; also samsara) is a Buddhist term that literally means &quot;continuous movement&quot; and is commonly translated as &quot;cyclic existence&quot;, &quot;cycle of existence&quot;, etc. Within Buddhism, samsara is defined as the continual repetitive cycle of birth and death that arises from ordinary beings' grasping and fixating on a self and experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, samsara refers to the process of cycling through one rebirth after another within the six realms of existence, where each realm can be understood as either a physical realm or a psychological state characterized by a particular type of suffering. Samsara arises out of avidya (ignorance) and is characterized by dukkha (suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction). In the Buddhist view, liberation from samsara is possible by following the Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10560" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" Score="0" Body="Saṃsāra (Sanskrit, Pali; also samsara) is a Buddhist term that literally means &quot;continuous movement&quot; and is commonly translated as &quot;cyclic existence&quot;, &quot;cycle of existence&quot;, etc. Within Buddhism, samsara is defined as the continual repetitive cycle of birth and death that arises from ordinary beings' grasping and fixating on a self and experiences. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:45:42.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10561" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abhidharma (Sanskrit) or Abhidhamma (Pali) are ancient (3rd century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist sutras, according to schematic classifications. The Abhidhamma works do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or abstract and systematic lists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Collett Cox, Abhidhamma started as an elaboration of the teachings of the suttas, but later developed independent doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The literal translation of the term Abhidharma is unclear. Two possibilities are most commonly given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;abhi - higher or special + dharma- teaching, philosophy, thus making Abhidharma the &quot;higher teachings&quot;&#xA;abhi - about + dharma of the teaching, translating it instead as &quot;about the teaching&quot; or even &quot;metateaching&quot;.&#xA;In the West, the Abhidhamma has generally been considered the core of what is referred to as &quot;Buddhist Psychology&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10562" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" Score="0" Body="Abhidharma (Sanskrit) or Abhidhamma (Pali) are ancient (3rd century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist sutras, according to schematic classifications. The Abhidhamma works do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or abstract and systematic lists." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:48:23.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10563" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga (Pali; English The Path of Purification), is the 'great treatise' on Theravada Buddhist doctrine written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. It is a comprehensive manual condensing and systematizing the theoretical and practical teachings of the Buddha as they were understood by the elders of the Mahavihara Monastery in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is described as &quot;the hub of a complete and coherent method of exegesis of the Tipitaka, using the ‘Abhidhamma method' as it is called. And it sets out detailed practical instructions for developing purification of mind.&quot; (Bhikkhu Nyanamoli 2011 p. xxvii.) It is considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga′s structure is based on the Ratha-vinita Sutta (&quot;Relay Chariots Discourse,&quot; MN 24), which describes the progression from the purity of discipline to the final destination of nibbana in seven steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10564" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" Score="0" Body="The Visuddhimagga (Pali; English The Path of Purification), is the 'great treatise' on Theravada Buddhist doctrine written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. It is a comprehensive manual condensing and systematizing the theoretical and practical teachings of the Buddha as they were understood by the elders of the Mahavihara Monastery in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:55:50.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10565" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni, or simply the Buddha, was a sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in eastern India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word Buddha means &quot;awakened one&quot; or &quot;the enlightened one&quot;. &quot;Buddha&quot; is also used as a title for the first awakened being in a Yuga era. In most Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha Gautama is regarded as the Supreme Buddha (Pali sammāsambuddha, Sanskrit samyaksaṃbuddha) of our age. Gautama taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the śramaṇa movement common in his region. He later taught throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition and first committed to writing about 400 years later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10566" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" Score="0" Body="Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni, or simply the Buddha, was a sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in eastern India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:58:13.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10567" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sūnyatā (Sanskrit, also shunyata; Pali: suññatā), translated into English as emptiness, voidness,openness, spaciousness, or vacuity, is a Buddhist concept which has multiple meanings depending on its doctrinal context. In Theravada Buddhism, suññatā often refers to the not-self (Pāli: anatta, Sanskrit: anātman)[note 1] nature of the five aggregates of experience and the six sense spheres. Suññatā is also often used to refer to a meditative state or experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunyata is a key term in Mahayana Buddhism, and also influenced medieval Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10568" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" Score="0" Body="Sūnyatā (Sanskrit, also shunyata; Pali: suññatā), translated into English as emptiness, voidness,openness, spaciousness, or vacuity, is a Buddhist concept which has multiple meanings depending on its doctrinal context." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T13:58:50.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10569" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist studies, also known as Buddhology (although the latter term is sometimes reserved for the study of Buddhas rather than that of Buddhism as a whole), is the academic study of Buddhism. The term applies especially to the modern academic field, which is a subset of religious studies, and is distinct from Buddhist philosophy or Buddhist theology. Scholars of Buddhist studies represent a variety of disciplines including history, anthropology, and philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to the study of Judaism or Christianity, the field of Buddhist studies has been dominated by &quot;outsiders&quot; to Buddhist cultures and traditions. However, Japanese universities have also made major contributions, as have Asian immigrants to Western countries, and Western converts to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10570" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" Score="0" Body="Buddhist studies, also known as Buddhology (although the latter term is sometimes reserved for the study of Buddhas rather than that of Buddhism as a whole), is the academic study of Buddhism. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:00:41.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10571" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:02:33.213" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit; Pali: arahant-; &amp;quot;one who is&#xA;worthy&amp;quot;) is a &amp;quot;perfected person&amp;quot; who has attained nirvana. In other&#xA;Buddhist traditions the term has also been used for people far&#xA;advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached&#xA;full Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The understanding of the concept has changed over the centuries, and&#xA;varies between different schools of buddhism and different regions. A&#xA;range of views on the attainment of arhats existed in the early&#xA;Buddhist schools. The Sarvāstivāda, Kāśyapīya, Mahāsāṃghika,&#xA;Ekavyāvahārika, Lokottaravāda, Bahuśrutīya, Prajñaptivāda, and Caitika&#xA;schools all regarded arhats as being imperfect in their attainments&#xA;compared to buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana Buddhists are urged to take up the path of a bodhisattva, and&#xA;to not fall back to the level of arhats and śrāvakas. The arhats, or&#xA;at least the senior arhats, came to be widely regarded as &amp;quot;moving&#xA;beyond the state of personal freedom to join the Bodhisattva&#xA;enterprise in their own way&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism, a group of Eighteen Arhats with names and&#xA;personalities were regarded as awaiting the return of the Buddha as&#xA;Maitreya, and other groupings of 6, 8, 16, 100, and 500 also appear in&#xA;tradition and Buddhist art, especially in East Asia. They can be&#xA;seen as the Buddhist equivalents of the Christian saints, apostles and&#xA;early disciples and leaders of the faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Encyclopedia of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2020-08-03T21:26:25.560" LastActivityDate="2020-08-03T21:26:25.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10572" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:02:33.213" Score="0" Body="In Theravada Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit; Pali: arahant-; &quot;one who is worthy&quot;) is a &quot;perfected person&quot; who has attained nirvana. In other Buddhist traditions the term has also been used for people far advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached full Buddhahood." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:02:33.213" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:02:33.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10573" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, Sanskrit: āryāṣṭāṅgamārga) is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena (or reality) and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion. The Noble Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Buddha's Four Noble Truths; the first element of the Noble Eightfold Path is, in turn, an understanding of the Four Noble Truths. It is also known as the Middle Path or Middle Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All eight elements of the Path begin with the word &quot;right,&quot; which translates the word samyañc (in Sanskrit) or sammā (in Pāli). These denote completion, togetherness, and coherence, and can also suggest the senses of &quot;perfect&quot; or &quot;ideal.&quot; 'Samma' is also translated as &quot;wholesome,&quot; &quot;wise&quot; and &quot;skillful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist symbolism, the Noble Eightfold Path is often represented by means of the dharma wheel (dharmachakra), whose eight spokes represent the eight elements of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10574" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" Score="0" Body="The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, Sanskrit: āryāṣṭāṅgamārga) is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena (or reality) and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:04:56.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10575" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist phenomenology and soteriology, the skandhas (Sanskrit) or khandhas (Pāḷi), aggregates in English, are the five functions or aspects that constitute the sentient being: matter, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness. The Buddha teaches that nothing among them is really &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, suffering arises when one identifies with or clings to an aggregate. Suffering is extinguished by relinquishing attachments to aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana tradition further puts forth that ultimate freedom is realized by deeply penetrating the nature of all aggregates as intrinsically empty of independent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10576" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" Score="0" Body="In Buddhist phenomenology and soteriology, the skandhas (Sanskrit) or khandhas (Pāḷi), aggregates in English, are the five functions or aspects that constitute the sentient being: matter, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness. The Buddha teaches that nothing among them is really &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:05:54.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10577" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta (Pali) or Sanskrit Śāriputra was one of two chief male disciples of Gautama Buddha along with Moggallāna, counterparts to the bhikkhunis Khema and Uppalavanna, his two chief female disciples. He became an arhat renowned for his teaching and is depicted in the Theravada tradition as one of the most important disciples of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10578" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" Score="0" Body="Sāriputta (Pali) or Sanskrit Śāriputra was one of two chief male disciples of Gautama Buddha along with Moggallāna, counterparts to the bhikkhunis Khema and Uppalavanna, his two chief female disciples. He became an arhat renowned for his teaching and is depicted in the Theravada tradition as one of the most important disciples of the Buddha" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:11:24.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10579" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist chant is a form of musical verse or incantation, in some ways analogous to Hindu, Christian or Jewish religious recitations. They exist in just about every part of the Buddhist world, from the Wats in Thailand to the Tibetan Buddhist temples in India and Tibet. Almost every Buddhist school has some tradition of chanting associated with it, regardless of being Theravada or Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10580" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" Score="0" Body="A Buddhist chant is a form of musical verse or incantation, in some ways analogous to Hindu, Christian or Jewish religious recitations. They exist in just about every part of the Buddhist world, from the Wats in Thailand to the Tibetan Buddhist temples in India and Tibet. Almost every Buddhist school has some tradition of chanting associated with it, regardless of being Theravada or Mahayana." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:13:32.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10581" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:14:27.360" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhavanga (Pali, &amp;quot;ground of becoming&amp;quot;) is the most fundamental aspect&#xA;of mind in Theravada Buddhism. It is an exclusively Theravada doctrine&#xA;that differs from Sarvastivadin and Sautrantika theories of mind, and&#xA;has been compared to the Mahayana concept of store-consciousness. The&#xA;term does not occur in the Nikayas, though the Theravada tradition&#xA;identifies it with one that does; the phenomenon described as&#xA;&amp;quot;luminous mind.&amp;quot; The Theravada tradition asserts that it is the&#xA;bhavanga that motivates one to seek nibbana. It is first found in the&#xA;Patthana, part of the Theravada Abhidhamma Pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhavanga concept does not directly address certain questions first&#xA;raised in the Kathavatthu. The limits of Abhidharmic analysis were&#xA;first raised there, then more specifically by the Sautrantikas, and&#xA;then finally explicitly and systematically by the Yogacharins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravadin Abhidhamma, both conceptualizing and mental&#xA;consciousness normally arise conditioned by other mental states.&#xA;However, they also have an unspecified kind of rūpa (matter, form) as&#xA;&amp;quot;support condition&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;basis.&amp;quot; Peter Harvey finds that incorporating&#xA;this physical basis more fully may answer certain questions that the&#xA;Abhidhamma does not address.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern times, Theravadins such as Nyanatiloka Thera have departed&#xA;from traditional descriptions of the bhavanga, broadening the scope of&#xA;the concept. Nyanatiloka Thera suggests that the bhavanga can be used&#xA;to explain continuity of the personality in a lifetime, but that the&#xA;nervous system could also be the register in which sense impressions&#xA;are stored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://religion.fandom.com/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Religion Wiki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2022-02-02T11:18:04.967" LastActivityDate="2022-02-02T11:18:04.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10582" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:14:27.360" Score="0" Body="Bhavanga (Pali, &quot;ground of becoming&quot;) is the most fundamental aspect of mind in Theravada Buddhism. It is an exclusively Theravada doctrine that differs from Sarvastivadin and Sautrantika theories of mind, and has been compared to the Mahayana concept of store-consciousness" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:14:27.360" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:14:27.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10583" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A  bhikkhunī (Pali) or bhikṣuṇī (Sanskrit) is a fully ordained female monastic in Buddhism. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the Vinaya, a set of rules. Until recently, the lineages of female monastics only remained in Mahayana Buddhism and thus are prevalent in countries such as Korea, Vietnam, China, and Taiwan but a few women have taken the full monastic vows in the Theravada and Vajrayana schools over the last decade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, women are as capable of reaching nirvana as men. According to Buddhist scriptures, the order of bhikkhunis was first created by the Buddha at the specific request of his aunt and foster-mother Mahapajapati Gotami, who became the first ordained bhikkhuni. A famous work of the early Buddhist schools is the Therigatha, a collection of poems by elder nuns about enlightenment that was preserved in the Pāli Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhunis are required to take extra vows, the Eight Garudhammas, and are subordinate to and reliant upon the bhikkhu order. In places where the bhikkhuni lineage was historically missing or has died out, due to hardship, alternative forms of renunciation have developed. In Tibetan Buddhism, women officially take the vows of śrāmaṇerīs (novitiates); Theravadin woman may choose to take an informal and limited set of vows similar to the historical vows of the sāmaṇerī, like the maechi of Thailand and thilashin or Burma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10584" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" Score="0" Body="A  bhikkhunī (Pali) or bhikṣuṇī (Sanskrit) is a fully ordained female monastic in Buddhism. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the Vinaya, a set of rules. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:15:23.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10585" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right action (samyak-karmānta / sammā-kammanta) can also be translated as &quot;right conduct&quot;. As such, the practitioner should train oneself to be morally upright in one's activities, not acting in ways that would be corrupt or bring harm to oneself or to others. In the Chinese and Pali Canon, it is explained as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, from stealing, and from illicit sex [or sexual misconduct]. This is called right action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;—Saccavibhanga Sutta&#xA;And what, monks, is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks, is called right action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;—Magga-vibhanga Sutta&#xA;For the lay follower, the Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta elaborates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how is one made pure in three ways by bodily action? There is the case where a certain person, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his... knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. He does not take, in the manner of a thief, things in a village or a wilderness that belong to others and have not been given by them. Abandoning sensual misconduct, he abstains from sensual misconduct. He does not get sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives, or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man. This is how one is made pure in three ways by bodily action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the monastic, the Samaññaphala Sutta adds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act that is the villager's way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10586" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" Score="0" Body="Right action (samyak-karmānta / sammā-kammanta) can also be translated as &quot;right conduct&quot;. As such, the practitioner should train oneself to be morally upright in one's activities, not acting in ways that would be corrupt or bring harm to oneself or to others.&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;—Saccavibhanga Sutta&#xD;&#xA;And what, monks, is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks, is called right action." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:17:25.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10587" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ahimsa (Sanskrit: अहिंसा; IAST: ahiṃsā, Pāli: avihiṃsā) is a term meaning 'not to injure'. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsā is injury or harm, a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm. Ahimsa is also referred to as nonviolence, and it applies to all living beings - including all animals - according to many Indian religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ahimsa is one of the cardinal virtues and an important tenet of 3 major religions (Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism). Ahimsa is a multidimensional concept, inspired by the premise that all living beings have the spark of the divine spiritual energy; therefore, to hurt another being is to hurt oneself. Ahimsa has also been related to the notion that any violence has karmic consequences. While ancient scholars of Hinduism pioneered and over time perfected the principles of Ahimsa, the concept reached an extraordinary status in the ethical philosophy of Jainism. Most popularly, Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed in the principle of ahimsa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ahimsa's precept of 'cause no injury' includes one's deeds, words, and thoughts. Classical literature of Hinduism such as Mahabharata and Ramayana, as well as modern scholars[11] debate principles of Ahimsa when one is faced with war and situations requiring self-defense. The historic literature from India and modern discussions have contributed to theories of Just War, and theories of appropriate self-defense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10588" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" Score="0" Body="Ahimsa (Sanskrit: अहिंसा; IAST: ahiṃsā, Pāli: avihiṃsā) is a term meaning 'not to injure'. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsā is injury or harm, a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm. Ahimsa is also referred to as nonviolence, and it applies to all living beings - including all animals - according to many Indian religions." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:19:23.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10589" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a mental fetter, chain or bond (Pāli: samyojana, saŋyojana, saññojana) shackles a sentient being to saṃsāra, the cycle of lives with dukkha. By cutting through all fetters, one attains nibbāna (Pali; Skt.: nirvāṇa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta Pitaka's list of ten fetters:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon's Sutta Pitaka identifies ten &quot;fetters of becoming&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;belief in a self (Pali: sakkāya-diṭṭhi)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;doubt or uncertainty, especially about the teachings (vicikicchā)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;attachment to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sensual desire (kāmacchando)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ill will (vyāpādo or byāpādo)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lust for material existence, lust for material rebirth (rūparāgo)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lust for immaterial existence, lust for rebirth in a formless realm (arūparāgo)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;conceit (māna)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;restlessness (uddhacca)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ignorance (avijjā)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10590" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" Score="0" Body="In Buddhism, a mental fetter, chain or bond (Pāli: samyojana, saŋyojana, saññojana) shackles a sentient being to saṃsāra, the cycle of lives with dukkha. By cutting through all fetters, one attains nibbāna (Pali; Skt.: nirvāṇa)." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:21:36.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10591" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha (Pāli; Sanskrit: duḥkha; Tibetan: སྡུག་བསྔལ་ sdug bsngal, pr. &quot;duk-ngel&quot;) is a Buddhist term commonly translated as &quot;suffering&quot;, &quot;anxiety&quot;, &quot;stress&quot;, or &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot;. The principle of dukkha is one of the most important concepts in the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha is reputed to have said: &quot;I have taught one thing and one thing only, dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.&quot; The classic formulation of these teachings on dukkha is the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths, in which the Truth of Dukkha (Pali: dukkha saccã; Sanskrit: duḥkha-satya) is identified as the first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is commonly explained according to three categories:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The obvious physical and mental suffering associated with birth, growing old, illness and dying.&#xA;The anxiety or stress of trying to hold on to things that are constantly changing.&#xA;A basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all forms of existence, because all forms of life are changing, impermanent and without any inner core or substance.&#xA;The Buddhist tradition emphasizes the importance of developing insight into the nature of dukkha, the conditions that cause it, and how it can be overcome. This process is formulated in the teachings on the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10592" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" Score="0" Body="Dukkha (Pāli; Sanskrit: duḥkha; Tibetan: སྡུག་བསྔལ་ sdug bsngal, pr. &quot;duk-ngel&quot;) is a Buddhist term commonly translated as &quot;suffering&quot;, &quot;anxiety&quot;, &quot;stress&quot;, or &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot;. The principle of dukkha is one of the most important concepts in the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha is reputed to have said: &quot;I have taught one thing and one thing only, dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.&quot;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T14:22:39.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10593" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit; Pali: arahant-; &quot;one who is worthy&quot;) is a &quot;perfected person&quot; who has attained nirvana. In other Buddhist traditions the term has also been used for people far advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached full Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10594" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" Score="0" Body="In Theravada Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit; Pali: arahant-; &quot;one who is worthy&quot;) is a &quot;perfected person&quot; who has attained nirvana. In other Buddhist traditions the term has also been used for people far advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached full Buddhahood." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:16:22.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10595" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taṇhā (Pāli; Sanskrit: tṛṣṇā, also trishna) is a Buddhist term that literally means &quot;thirst,&quot; and is commonly translated as craving or desire. Within Buddhism, taṇhā is defined as the craving to hold on to pleasurable experiences, to be separated from painful or unpleasant experiences, and for neutral experiences or feelings not to decline. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist tradition identifies taṇhā as a self-centered type of desire that is based in ignorance. This type of desire is contrasted to wholesome types of desire such as the desire to benefit others or to follow the Buddhist path. In the first teaching of the Buddha on the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha identified taṇhā as a principal cause in the arising of dukkha (suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction). Taṇhā is also identified as the eighth link in the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10596" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" Score="0" Body="Taṇhā (Pāli; Sanskrit: tṛṣṇā, also trishna) is a Buddhist term that literally means &quot;thirst,&quot; and is commonly translated as craving or desire. Within Buddhism, taṇhā is defined as the craving to hold on to pleasurable experiences, to be separated from painful or unpleasant experiences, and for neutral experiences or feelings not to decline." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:17:26.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10597" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10598" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" Score="0" Body="Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:18:52.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10599" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Jātaka tales are a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of Gautama Buddha. These are the stories that tell about the previous lives of the Buddha, in both human and animal form. The future Buddha may appear in them as a king, an outcast, a god, an elephant—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, the Jatakas are a textual division of the Pāli Canon, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. The term Jātaka may also refer to a traditional commentary on this book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_tales&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10600" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" Score="0" Body="The Jātaka tales are a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of Gautama Buddha. These are the stories that tell about the previous lives of the Buddha, in both human and animal form. The future Buddha may appear in them as a king, an outcast, a god, an elephant—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:20:08.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10601" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abhidharma (Sanskrit) or Abhidhamma (Pali) are ancient (3rd century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist sutras, according to schematic classifications. The Abhidhamma works do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or abstract and systematic lists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Collett Cox, Abhidhamma started as an elaboration of the teachings of the suttas, but later developed independent doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The literal translation of the term Abhidharma is unclear. Two possibilities are most commonly given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;abhi - higher or special + dharma- teaching, philosophy, thus making Abhidharma the &quot;higher teachings&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;abhi - about + dharma of the teaching, translating it instead as &quot;about the teaching&quot; or even &quot;metateaching&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the West, the Abhidhamma has generally been considered the core of what is referred to as &quot;Buddhist Psychology&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10602" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" Score="0" Body="Abhidharma (Sanskrit) or Abhidhamma (Pali) are ancient (3rd century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist sutras, according to schematic classifications. The Abhidhamma works do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or abstract and systematic lists." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:22:11.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10603" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen (Wylie: dzogs chen) or &quot;Great Perfection&quot;, also called Atiyoga, is a tradition of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism aimed at attaining and maintaining the natural primordial state or natural condition. It is a central teaching of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and of Bon. In these traditions, Dzogchen is the highest and most definitive path of the nine vehicles to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10604" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" Score="0" Body="Dzogchen (Wylie: dzogs chen) or &quot;Great Perfection&quot;, also called Atiyoga, is a tradition of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism aimed at attaining and maintaining the natural primordial state or natural condition. It is a central teaching of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and of Bon. In these traditions, Dzogchen is the highest and most definitive path of the nine vehicles to liberation." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:23:14.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10605" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Qigong, qi gong, chi kung, or chi gung (simplified Chinese: 气功; traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: qìgōng; Wade–Giles: chi gong; literally: &quot;Life Energy Cultivation&quot;) is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, qigong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi (chi) or what has been translated as &quot;life energy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian philosophy, respectively, qigong allows access to higher realms of awareness, awakens one's &quot;true nature&quot;, and helps develop human potential.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Qigong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qigong is now practiced throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over the centuries, a diverse spectrum of qigong forms developed in different segments of Chinese society. Traditionally, qigong training has been esoteric and secretive, with knowledge passed from adept master to student in lineages that maintain their own unique interpretations and methods. Although the practice of qigong was prohibited during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s; it was once again allowed after 1976; and disparate approaches were merged and popularized, with emphasis shifted away from traditional philosophy, spiritual attainment, and folklore, and increasingly to health benefits, traditional medicine and martial arts applications, and a scientific perspective. Since a 1999 crackdown, practice of qigong in China has been restricted. Over the same period, interest in qigong has spread, with millions of practitioners worldwide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Research concerning qigong has been conducted for a wide range of medical conditions, including hypertension, pain, and cancer treatment. Most systematic reviews of clinical trials have not been conclusive, and all have been based on poor quality clinical studies, such that no firm conclusions about the health effects of qigong can be drawn at this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10606" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" Score="0" Body="Qigong, qi gong, chi kung, or chi gung (simplified Chinese: 气功; traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: qìgōng; Wade–Giles: chi gong; literally: &quot;Life Energy Cultivation&quot;) is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:25:16.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10607" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, rūpa (Sanskrit; Pāli; Devanagari: रूप; Thai: รูป) generally refers to material objects, particularly in regard to their appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, rūpa is the Buddhist concept of material form, including both the body and external matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically, in the Pali Canon, rūpa is contextualized in three significant frameworks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;rūpa-khandha – &quot;material forms,&quot; one of the five aggregates (khandha) by which all phenomena can be categorized&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;rūpa-āyatana – &quot;visible objects,&quot; the external sense objects of the eye, one of the six external sense bases (āyatana) by which the world is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;nāma-rūpa – &quot;name and form&quot; or &quot;mind and body,&quot; which in the causal chain of dependent origination (paticca-samuppāda) arises from consciousness and leads to the arising of the sense bases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, more generally, rūpa is used to describe a statue, in which it is sometimes called Buddharupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rūpa-khandha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rūpa is not matter as in the metaphysical substance of materialism. Instead it means both materiality and sensibility — signifying, for example, a tactile object both insofar as that object is made of matter and that the object can be tactically sensed. In fact rūpa is more essentially defined by its amenability to being sensed than its being matter: just like everything else it is defined in terms of its function; what it does, not what it is. As matter, rūpa is traditionally analysed in two ways: as four primary elements (Pali, mahābhūta); and, as ten or twenty-four secondary or derived elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10608" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" Score="0" Body="In Buddhism, rūpa (Sanskrit; Pāli; Devanagari: रूप; Thai: รูป) generally refers to material objects, particularly in regard to their appearance." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:27:54.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10609" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the term martial art has become associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, it originally referred to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. The term is derived from Latin, and means &quot;arts of Mars&quot;, the Roman god of war. Some authors have argued that fighting arts or fighting systems would be more appropriate on the basis that many martial arts were never &quot;martial&quot; in the sense of being used or created by professional warriors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10610" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" Score="0" Body="Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:29:29.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10611" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Lotus Position (Sanskrit: पद्मासन [pɐd̪mɑːs̪ɐn̪ɐ], IAST: padmāsana)&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; is a cross-legged sitting asana originating in meditative practices of ancient India, in which the feet are placed on the opposing thighs. It is an established asana, commonly used for meditation, in the Hindu Yoga, Jain and Buddhist contemplative traditions. The asana is said to resemble a lotus, to encourage breathing proper to associated meditative practice, and to foster physical stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10612" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" Score="0" Body="The Lotus Position (Sanskrit: पद्मासन [pɐd̪mɑːs̪ɐn̪ɐ], is a cross-legged sitting asana originating in meditative practices of ancient India, in which the feet are placed on the opposing thighs. It is an established asana, commonly used for meditation, in the Hindu Yoga, Jain and Buddhist contemplative traditions. The asana is said to resemble a lotus, to encourage breathing proper to associated meditative practice, and to foster physical stability." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:31:19.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10613" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Avidyā (Sanskrit; Pāli: avijjā; Tibetan phonetic: ma rigpa) is commonly translated as &quot;ignorance&quot; or &quot;delusion&quot;. It can be defined as not understanding the full meaning and implication of the four noble truths or as a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avidyā is identified within the Buddhist teachings as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first link in the twelve links of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the three poisons within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the six root kleshas within the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the ten fetters in the Theravada tradition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equivalent to moha within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, avidya is typically symbolized by a person who is blind or wearing a blindfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10614" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" Score="0" Body="Avidyā (Sanskrit; Pāli: avijjā; Tibetan phonetic: ma rigpa) is commonly translated as &quot;ignorance&quot; or &quot;delusion&quot;. It can be defined as not understanding the full meaning and implication of the four noble truths or as a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:33:24.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10615" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Experiential knowledge is knowledge gained through experience, as opposed to a priori (before experience) knowledge: it can also be contrasted both with propositional (textbook) knowledge, and with practical knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10616" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" Score="0" Body="Experiential knowledge is knowledge gained through experience, as opposed to a priori (before experience) knowledge: it can also be contrasted both with propositional (textbook) knowledge, and with practical knowledge." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:34:27.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10617" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Faith (Pāli: saddhā, Sanskrit: śraddhā) is an initial acceptance of the Buddha's teaching prior to realising its truth for oneself. It is an important constituent element of all traditions of Buddhism, although the kind and nature of faith changes in the different schools. Other translations of saddhā/śraddhā include confidence and trust. According to received Pali-Buddhist tradition, some of the first words voiced by the Buddha after resolving to teach Dharma were, &quot;Wide opened is the door of the Deathless to all who have ears to hear; let them send forth faith [saddhā] to meet it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10618" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" Score="0" Body="Faith (Pāli: saddhā, Sanskrit: śraddhā) is an initial acceptance of the Buddha's teaching prior to realising its truth for oneself. It is an important constituent element of all traditions of Buddhism, although the kind and nature of faith changes in the different schools. Other translations of saddhā/śraddhā include confidence and trust." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T15:35:46.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10619" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Central Path, Middle Way or Middle Path (Pali: Majjhimāpaṭipadā; Sanskrit: Madhyamāpratipad; Tibetan: དབུ་མའི་ལམ། Umélam; Vietnamese: Trung đạo; Thai: มัชฌิมา) is the term that Gautama Buddha used to describe the character of the Noble Eightfold Path he discovered that leads to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism, the expression Middle Way is used by the Buddha in his first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, to describe the Noble Eightfold Path as the way to achieve nibbana instead of employing extremes of austerities and sensual indulgence. Later Pali literature has also used the phrase Middle Way to refer to the Buddha's teaching of dependent origination as a view between the extremes of eternalism and annihilationism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10620" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" Score="0" Body="The Central Path, Middle Way or Middle Path (Pali: Majjhimāpaṭipadā; Sanskrit: Madhyamāpratipad; Tibetan: དབུ་མའི་ལམ། Umélam; Vietnamese: Trung đạo; Thai: มัชฌิมา) is the term that Gautama Buddha used to describe the character of the Noble Eightfold Path he discovered that leads to liberation." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T16:52:35.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7081" CreationDate="2015-08-02T17:23:47.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/practicing-the-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Practicing The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were both students of Pa Auk Sayadaw and undertook a Samatha Meditation Course under his guidance. Here they achieved the 4 material jhanas and the 4 immaterial jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book is streamlined and direct. Not much beating around the bush. They often refer to their own practice and how they trained under Pa Auk Sayadaw. This functions well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They give lots of useful information and guidance regarding the practice of the Jhanas. I have taken a screenshot of the &lt;em&gt;table of contents&lt;/em&gt; so you can see what the book contains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/aDZ5w.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/aDZ5w.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T17:23:47.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9246" CreationDate="2015-08-02T19:19:04.483" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shaolin monks practice Ch'an Buddhism. They say that the teachings of Ch'an Buddhism are inseperable from Shaolin martial arts, and that to reach the highest level both are required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often it is said that Bodhidharma visited the temple and found that the monks were not physically fit to make progress in meditation. This is why he created the chi kung forms Yi Jin Jing (Muscle Tendon Changing Sutra) and the Xi Sui Jing (Bone Marrow Washing Sutra). It is said that his teachings formed the basis for Shaolin martial arts. Martial arts were practiced in China long before this time, and other traditions including Taoism no doubt influenced the development of Shaolin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Western culture it is very natural to talk a lot and ask lots of questions. Also in the West, if someone wants to learn about Buddhism they often start to read lots of sutras and books. But Shaolin Buddhism in common with other types of &quot;Zen&quot; Buddhism places an emphasis on experience. It is &lt;em&gt;&quot;A transmission outside of the scriptures, not relying on words, pointing directly to one's mind. The attainment of Buddhahood by seeing into one's nature.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaolin Buddhism is an esoteric form of Buddhism which incorporates a thorough knowledge of internal energy (chi). Skill in cultivating this energy can lead to feats that appear superhuman. It is used both for healing and for martial arts. Also internal energy is considered essential for deep states of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaolin monks practice both mindfulness meditation and concentration meditation. There is also the philosophy that everything you do can be a form of meditation. Sometimes students are given a koan (gong'an), or a hua tou.&#xA;The master is able to tell which methods of meditation are best for the student at their particular stage of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaolin Buddhism has now spread worldwide with temples in many countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5617" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T19:19:04.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8295" CreationDate="2015-08-02T20:49:40.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you just have to endure these bad effects no matter how long they may last?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are things you can do such as making merit to deal with it. &#xA;There are Three Bases for Merit&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Virtue &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental Development&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay devotees make merit by the following ways &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giving alms (Dāna), Observing virtue (Śīla), Developing concentration (Bhāvana),&#xA;  Honoring others (apacayana-maya),&#xA;  Offering service (veyyavacca-maya),&#xA;  Dedicating (or transferring) merit to others (pattidana-maya),&#xA;  Rejoicing in other's merit. (pattanumodana-maya),&#xA;  Listening to Teachings (dhammassavana-maya),&#xA;  Instructing others in the Teachings (dhammadesana-maya),&#xA;  Straightening one's own views in accord with the Teachings (ditthujukamma)[6][7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list is according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Merit making is useful for getting rid of bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention (cetana) I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect. -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intentional action to do bad will cause negative effects on oneself. Intentional action to do good will bear positive results on oneself. If you did something bad unintentionally; like stepping on an insect while you were walking; there will be no karmic potency. This; however, does not mean that you get to walk around being completely mindless.&#xA;The cause of bad actions; which are done out of greed, hatred, or delusion; will cause bad effects on you. Such as killing living beings results in being reborn in a path of deprivation. If you still managed to be reborn as a human, you will be short-lived. That is mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must also develop virtue; which, means you &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=10_wholesome_actions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;abstain from unwholesome action&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental development would be to meditate. Such as vipassana or samatha meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastEditorUserId="5380" LastEditDate="2015-08-02T20:56:08.170" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T20:56:08.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10524" CreationDate="2015-08-02T23:20:31.933" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question might be considered a mixture of asking about sila (morality) and dana (giving). The reasons for doing each are a little different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most basic reason for acting with sila is to prevent remorse at our own wrongdoings which would make samadhi (concentration or meditation practice) far more difficult. Being able to practice proper samadhi leads to panna (wisdom). Sila, samadhi, and panna are all intricately connected and the whole thing breaks down when one is filled with remorse at wrong doing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be interested in your own enlightenment. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What Buddhist Believe&lt;/a&gt;, by Dr. K. Sri Dhammanada. (page 266-267)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You Have to Save Yourself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ONESELF, indeed, is one’s saviour, for what other saviour&#xA;  would there be? With oneself well controlled the problem&#xA;  of looking for an external saviour is solved.&#xA;  (DHAMMAPADA 166)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the Buddha was about to pass away, His disciples came from&#xA;  everywhere to be near Him. While the other disciples were constantly&#xA;  at His side and in deep sorrow over the impending loss of their&#xA;  Master, a monk named Attadatta went into his cell and practised&#xA;  meditation. The other monks, thinking that he was unconcerned&#xA;  about the welfare of the Buddha, were upset and reported the matter&#xA;  to Him. The monk, however, addressed the Buddha thus, ‘Lord as&#xA;  the Blessed One would be passing away soon, I thought the best way&#xA;  to honour the Blessed One would be by attaining Arahantship&#xA;  during the lifetime of the Blessed One itself’. The Buddha praised&#xA;  his attitude and his conduct and said that one’s spiritual welfare&#xA;  should not be abandoned for the sake of others.&#xA;  In this story is illustrated one of the most important aspects of&#xA;  Buddhism. A person must constantly be on the alert to seek his or&#xA;  her own deliverance from Samsara, and ‘salvation’ must be brought&#xA;  about by the individual alone. One cannot look to any external&#xA;  force or agency for help to attain Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working towards our own enlightenment is clearly acceptable and expected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most basic reason for acting with generosity, is to reduce our own greed or attachment to our own resources. If we cling to anything, we suffer. If we give with wholesome intentions, we reduce our clinging to our own resources which reduces our suffering. That's different than giving with the expectation of receiving a good kammic effect in return. There are good kammic effects connected with acts taken with wholesome intentions, but we don't know the timetable on receipt of such kammic fruits. It could be a long way off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we do good things because it's good for our mind states, which is good for our eventual enlightenment. The importance of creating the conditions for our own enlightenment was stressed by the Buddha among his last words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-08-02T23:20:31.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10532" CreationDate="2015-08-03T04:02:08.770" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer according to Buddhism is yes, you can be reborn in those realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is a reason &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṃsāra&lt;/a&gt; is refereed to as &quot;cyclic existence&quot;; &#xA;Because the cycle through these realms is like a spin cycle where you are thrown from realm to realm, life to life, with little control over which realm you land in, at least without some understanding of karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While shooting to be reborn in these rhealms will bring a life or two of comfert, and following the advices user5380 laid out will get the result.&#xA;These realms though, like everything else in Buddhism,&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; are impermanent &lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In those realms you are burning through large amounts of positive karma, while creating very little if any, good karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, rebirth in the human realm is considered to be a better outcome, and preferable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-11-25T05:26:21.983" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T05:26:21.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10626" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist cosmology is the description of the 31 planes of existence in samsara according to the Sutta Pitaka of the Theravada Pali Canon and commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more information see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10627" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" Score="0" Body="Buddhist cosmology is the description of the 31 planes of existence in samsara according to the Sutta Pitaka of the Theravada Pali Canon and commentaries." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:34:34.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10628" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A mudra (Listeni/muːˈdrɑː/; Sanskrit mudrā, &quot;seal&quot;, &quot;mark&quot;, or &quot;gesture&quot;; Tibetan: ཕྱག་རྒྱ་ THL chakgya) is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism.While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.A mudrā is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One hundred and eight mudras are used in regular Tantric rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), generally while seated in Padmasana, Sukhasana or Vajrasana pose, to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing and to affect the flow of prana in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;For more information see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/1B4Lo.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/1B4Lo.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10629" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" Score="0" Body="A mudra (Listeni/muːˈdrɑː/; Sanskrit mudrā, &quot;seal&quot;, &quot;mark&quot;, or &quot;gesture&quot;; Tibetan: ཕྱག་རྒྱ་ THL chakgya) is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism.While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.A mudrā is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:38:41.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10630" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mara (Sanskrit: māra; Chinese: 魔; pinyin: mó; Tibetan Wylie: bdud; Thai: มาร; Sinhalese: මාරයා), in Buddhism, is the demon that tempted Gautama Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the &quot;death&quot; of the spiritual life. He is a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making mundane things alluring, or the negative seem positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10631" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" Score="0" Body="Mara (Sanskrit: māra; Chinese: 魔; pinyin: mó; Tibetan Wylie: bdud; Thai: มาร; Sinhalese: මාරයා), in Buddhism, is the demon that tempted Gautama Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the &quot;death&quot; of the spiritual life. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:42:06.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10632" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nihilism (/ˈnaɪ.ɨlɪzəm/ or /ˈniː.ɨlɪzəm/; from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical doctrine that suggests the negation of one or more reputedly meaningful aspects of life. The Greek philosopher and Sophist, Gorgias (ca. 485 BCE–380 BCE), is perhaps the first to consider the Nihilistic belief. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Moral nihilists assert that morality does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived. Nihilism can also take epistemological or ontological/metaphysical forms, meaning respectively that, in some aspect, knowledge is not possible, or that reality does not actually exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10633" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" Score="0" Body="Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Moral nihilists assert that morality does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T05:48:21.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10490" CreationDate="2015-08-03T07:07:01.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The thing is if she keeps on worrying that way, she may end up with not doing at least what is in her control. Tell her the duties of a parent as preached by Lord Buddha in Singalovada Sutta and convince her that she should do or get ready for all of her duties. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;1. Not allowing to do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;evil actions&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.06.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;self destructive actions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;2. Guiding for proper or meritorious and good action.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;3. Providing proper education&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;4. Finding or helping to find a good spouse when the right age comes.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5. Passing on the inheritances.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;And she can be a good friend to her own son whenever he needs a good friend, someone who helps him when he is in danger or relieving his fears or sorrow etc.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Further, you can tell her about impermanance, suffering and non self. Nothing is in full control of anyone, that lack of control brings dissatisfaction and there is no one who does not undergo the the first two phenomena. In fact, all mothers have that worry to an extent, every mother cannot take full control of even themselves, so she is not the only mother who faces the issue. When she slowly understands that every mother feels that in different levels, she will slowly get away from that sorrow and fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T07:07:01.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10517" CreationDate="2015-08-03T08:17:48.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are the same thing. Tathagatagarbha is the most common Sanskrit term, but occasionally it is referred to with different terms like Sugatagarbha or Buddha-dhatu but they all mean the same thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T08:17:48.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2036" CreationDate="2015-08-03T08:30:02.927" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment like ice cream comes in different flavors, but in the end they are all ice cream, made from milk, cream and sugar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examined with the intellect there are a lot of seeming differences, even within a single religion's idea of enlightenment - Bodhisattva or Arhat? Japanese Zen or Thai Theravada? Realizing the Atman or becoming a deva? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examined with pure awareness where one loses the egotic sense of self, there is no difference, all paths lead here - but this is rarely said because it is impossible to explain this view in words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Emptiness’, after all, is not an idea to be grasped: it is&#xA;  a provocation, a literal insult to the intelligence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;discourse on Simsappa leaves&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha says such questions are not answered by him, because they don't solve the problem of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The personal enlightenment model of Buddhism says the Arhat is liberated from further becoming, but this doesn't mean annihilation, neither is it further existence. Arhats and Buddhas are said to guide others to enlightenment after their bodily death too by appearing in dreams and visions of aspirants, and hence the existence of Reliquaries to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tatagatha (i.e. Buddha) never answers this question: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 44.6 - Does the Tathagata exist after&#xA;  death?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva belief is that personal enlightenment is not possible until all beings are liberated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas by Ven. Bhikkhu&#xA;  Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two ideals may appear contradictory, but they are all compatible and become indistinct eventually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So too with Hinduism vs Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Buddhism and Hinduism agree that there is no end to the cycle of life per se, the universe or multiverse is created and destroyed perpetually despite all the many Arhats and Bodhisattvas, because they don't leave the system. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindus are not a single people, there are numerous ideas that all make one Hindu, since it is a Western classification of religion in the Indian subcontinent. Following this &quot;dharmic&quot; ideal, in Indian law there are no Buddhists or Jains in the Constitution, there are only those who follow Indian religions (Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, various kinds of animistic and vedic traditions commonly called Hindus) all referred to as Hindus (of India), and non Indian religions such as Christianity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, the Buddha is seen by many Hindus as an avatar of Vishnu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha statues sit side by side with Hindu gods in prayer rooms in homes in India, and Ganesha jostles with Buddha in Thailand, a Buddhist country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any event, Hinduism and Buddhism are not an Orthodoxy but an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthopraxy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Orthopraxy&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no correct belief, only correct action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no Hindu or Buddhist Pope who can lay down the law. Popularly though, it is common for Buddhists to believe Hindus are orthodox with rites and rituals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arhats and Bodhisattvas are not at war with creation, they are a part of creation, just as much as Samsara. There can be no left side without the right side, there can be no Nirvana without Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen movement in Japan is especially fascinated with this, a radical immersion in samsara because it is no different from Nirvana -  &lt;a href=&quot;http://aeon.co/magazine/society/did-zen-philosophy-create-the-kamikaze/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;It becomes less true to say that ‘an individual has experiences’ than that ‘experience has individuals’.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To say there is enlightenment is a lie, but to say there is no&#xA;  enlightenment is a bigger lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T11:26:35.320" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T11:26:35.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10637" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm or /ˈdʒaɪnɪzəm), traditionally known as the Jainasāsana or Jainadharma, belongs to the śramaṇa traditions and is one of the oldest Indian religions. It prescribes a path of nonviolence (ahimsa) towards all living beings. Practitioners believe nonviolence and self-control are the means to liberation. The three main principles of Jainism are nonviolence, non-absolutism (anekantavada) and non-possessiveness (aparigraha). Followers of Jainism take 5 major vows: nonviolence, not lying, not stealing (asteya), chastity, and non-attachment. Asceticism is thus a major focus of Jainism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;Jain&quot; derives from the Sanskrit word jina &quot;victor&quot;. A human being who has conquered all inner passions and achieved enlightenment is called a jina&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jains trace their history through a succession of twenty-four jinas who were also teachers and revivers of the Jain path known as tirthankaras starting with Rishabha and concluding with Mahavira, who was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;For more info see the Wiki&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10638" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" Score="0" Body="Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm or /ˈdʒaɪnɪzəm), traditionally known as the Jainasāsana or Jainadharma, belongs to the śramaṇa traditions and is one of the oldest Indian religions. It prescribes a path of nonviolence (ahimsa) towards all living beings. Practitioners believe nonviolence and self-control are the means to liberation. " OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T14:43:47.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10639" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10640" CreationDate="2015-08-03T15:01:19.643" Score="3" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8282/382&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; answer by @yuttadhammo, he quotes a section of the Visuddhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After reciting the Pātimokkha, it seems,&#xA;  on the Uposatha day of the full moon, one of the two elders who were brothers&#xA;  went to his own dwelling place surrounded by the Community of Bhikkhus. As&#xA;  he stood on the walk looking at the moonlight he calculated his own vital&#xA;  formations, and he said to the Community of Bhikkhus, “In what way have you&#xA;  seen bhikkhus attaining Nibbāna up till now?” Some answered, “Till now we&#xA;  have seen them attain Nibbāna sitting in their seats.” Others answered, “We&#xA;  have seen them sitting cross-legged in the air.” The elder said, “I shall now&#xA;  show you one attaining Nibbāna while walking.” He then drew a line on the&#xA;  walk, saying, “I shall go from this end of the walk to the other end and return;&#xA;  when I reach this line I shall attain Nibbāna.” So saying, he stepped on to the&#xA;  walk and went to the far end. On his return he attained Nibbāna in the same&#xA;  moment in which he stepped on the line.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Vism. VIII.244 (Nyanamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm echoing @Parag's inquiry, from the comments, here: what is meant by &quot;vital formations&quot; above?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T15:51:38.667" Title="What is &quot;vital formations&quot;?" Tags="|visuddhimagga|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10639" CreationDate="2015-08-03T15:16:33.287" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Majjhima Nikaya 43 - Mahavedalla Sutta: The Greater Series of Questions and Answers&quot;&lt;/em&gt; that explains the term &lt;em&gt;&quot;Vital Formations&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;VITAL FORMATIONS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Friend, are vital formations states of feeling or are vital formations one thing and states of feeling another?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vital formations, friend, are not states of feeling. If vital formations were states of feeling, then when a bhikkhu has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, he would not be seen to emerge from it. Because vital formations are one thing and states of feeling another, when a bhikkhu has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, he can be seen to emerge from it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;24&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend, when this body is bereft of how many states is it then discarded and forsaken, left lying senseless like a log?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;Friend, when this body is bereft of three states - vitality, heat, and consciousness - it is then discarded and forsaken, left lying senseless like a log.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend, what is the difference between one who is dead, who has completed his time, and a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend, in the case of one who is dead, who has completed his time, his bodily formations have ceased and subsided, his verbal formations have ceased and subsided, his mental formations have ceased arid subsided, his vitality is exhausted, his heat has keen dissipated, and his faculties are fully broken up. In the case of a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, his bodily formations have ceased and subsided, his verbal formations have ceased and subsided, his mental formations have ceased and subsided, but his vitality is not exhausted, his heat has not been dissipated, and his faculties become exceptionally clear. This is the difference between one who is dead, who has completed his time, and a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Middle Length Discourses in the Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, Ch. 5: The Shorter Division of Pairs, (Culayamakavagga), p. 392-393, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another quote from the same book. This is from the chapter &lt;em&gt;&quot;Notes to sutta MN 43&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vital formations&quot; (ayusankhara), according to MA, denotes vitality itself. They cannot be states of feeling because they are required to keep the body of a bhikkhu alive when he has attained to the cessation of perception and feeling. This special meditative attainment, in which all mental activity ceases, is accessible only to non- returners and arahants who also have mastery over the eight attainments on the side of serenity. For a brief discussion see the Introduction, p. 28, and for the full scholastic account, Vsm XXIII, 16-52. The cessation of perception and feeling will be taken up again in MN 44.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Ibid, p. 1237&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is a quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Visuddhimagga&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; explaining the term &quot;Vital Formations&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“‘Vital formations’ are the same as life span; though some say that they are the life span, heat and consciousness. These are the object only of his normal consciousness. There is no death during cessation because dying takes place by means of the final life-continuum [consciousness]. He should attain only after adverting thus, ‘Let sudden death not occur.’ For in the case of sudden death he would not be able to declare final knowledge, advise the bhikkhus, and testify to the Dispensation’s power. And there would be no reaching the highest path in the case of a non-returner” (Vism-mhþ 904).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Visuddhimagga - The Path of Purification, p. 740, by Ven. Buddhaghosa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T15:51:38.667" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T15:51:38.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10641" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10643" CreationDate="2015-08-03T16:12:35.257" Score="3" ViewCount="420" Body="&lt;p&gt;In many suttas in the Pali canon, the term headman is used; for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yodhajiva Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. What is the Buddha referring to when he calls his visitors &quot;headman&quot;? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T16:36:37.167" Title="What is a headman?" Tags="|pali-canon|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10641" CreationDate="2015-08-03T16:26:21.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found a book on &lt;em&gt;google books&lt;/em&gt; explaining what a &quot;Headman&quot; is and how he is elected. It's not possible to quote from the book so here is a screenshot and &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.dk/books?id=mzeTnSf4J1gC&amp;amp;pg=PA34&amp;amp;lpg=PA34&amp;amp;dq=headman%20buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=Tf4aGYzVlp&amp;amp;sig=3uJE6AaZkIXTsCB2nJDdiJx_T3c&amp;amp;hl=da&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CEkQ6AEwB2oVChMI_IKVwaeNxwIVC6lyCh1EpgBN#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=headman%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a link to the source.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short it says that a headman is elected by other villagers and that his asignments are administrative tasks in a village. He has other tasks too since in some litterature it's mentioned that he takes care of business when e.g. someone has stolen something in a village. &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.dk/books?id=OnjDUqgFvToC&amp;amp;pg=PA158&amp;amp;lpg=PA158&amp;amp;dq=headman%20buddhism&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=IJaUXVfCbF&amp;amp;sig=PMsKGewY9QAE_05rrkVuqE8CaU0&amp;amp;hl=da&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCcQ6AEwAWoVChMI-7mNuqqNxwIVSP9yCh3Uqwnp#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=headman%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is link to a book&lt;/a&gt; wherein a headman must make a decision about a wandering monk who has stolen twice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it sounds like a headman is the authoritative figure of a village. A boss of some sort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rIvme.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rIvme.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T16:32:24.427" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T16:32:24.427" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10641" CreationDate="2015-08-03T16:30:44.230" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The village headman or village chief is a local government or tribal&#xA;  post. The village headman is the person appointed to administer an&#xA;  area that is often a single village.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_head&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_head&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;India and much of the world at the time of the Buddha had a fairly decentralized devolution of power in keeping with the capabilities of the times. Often it would be months before news from the farthest corners of the kingdom reached the King's court, so real power and responsibility rested with local authorities like the headmen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were more than just bureaucrats, their function was more akin to a father figure, who would educate and care for his people. It was likely that the headman would take the day off to visit and listen to the Buddha, and then return home and recount the teachings of the Buddha for his village. In all likelihood the headman was also literally the father figure, since a large family of uncles, cousins and extended relations often settled down together to form a village (clan).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike modern day mayors who rotate out of office, the headman post was usually for life, and so it was a very personal relationship one had with one's village, and hence the care that head men often seem to take in quizzing the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415485432/3.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Megasthenes' account of India - 'Indika'&lt;/a&gt; is the earliest available written account of India's governance, written about 200 years after the Buddha. It refers to headmen as overseers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sixth class of Indians are those called over-seers. They supervise&#xA;  everything that goes on in the country and cities, and report it to&#xA;  the king, where the Indians are governed by kings, or to the&#xA;  authorities, where they are self-governing. It is not lawful to make&#xA;  any false report to them; and no Indian was ever accused of such&#xA;  falsification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T16:36:37.167" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T16:36:37.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10644" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-03T17:49:39.703" Score="9" ViewCount="907" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practicing meditation in South Mississippi, USA, without easy access to a sangha or teacher, and reading Buddhist literature (primarily Theravadan), I feel a need to attend a week to ten day meditation retreat in accordance with Theravadan practices. I am retired, so my typical daily practice comprises sitting for at least an hour in the wee hours, and occasionally another 1hr+ sit in the evening. I would like to attend a retreat that lasts at least a week. However, I can't afford to pay much money. Are there Theravada meditation retreat opportunities in the USA that offer a visitor the option to work for room and board?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T00:09:05.120" Title="Are there Theravada meditation retreats that allow one to work for room and board?" Tags="|theravada|meditation|retreat|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2015-08-03T17:52:11.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't spare yourself&quot; seems to be the key motivating factor in this Zen monastery. By working hard and not wasting a moment even in lying down they are training their subconscious to become infected with the enthusiasm. If they keep at this until it becomes a habit, soon the rest of their being obeys. Until then they need the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisaku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;keisaku&lt;/a&gt; (stick) wielding &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jikijitsu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jikijitsu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uGBE4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uGBE4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Keisaku&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada retreats can set a gruelling pace too - the make you wake up at dawn and meditate all day on one meal a day. The teacher can get quite worked up if a student misses a sitting. Of course, some Zendos like here can take it to the extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This harsh self denial isn't exclusively Zen or Buddhist, here's Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the Hindu mystic warning against mollycoddling the self in times of illness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzvT0vy5cjE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Youtube video&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Armies do this too; in boot camps new recruits wake up at the crack of dawn, and make the bed neatly in precise moves, and completed in 20 seconds. Next, a morning shower in exactly 2 minutes and so on. Initially they of course only act like they are self disciplined to avoid punishment, but soon acting sharp and smart becomes a life long habit even without the drill sergeant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;, the Vietnamese Zen master disagrees with the use of the keisaku and likes to joke that no one here beats people with a stick unlike in other Zen monasteries. Motivation and encouragement is given through love to oneself and one's inner subconscious. As the other answerer noted, Plum Village has an air of deliberate compassion. There's no hurry, but there's no laziness either. In my opinion, we could all use more places like Plum Village, but it is my experience that PV's gentle way is the exception not the rule. I haven't practiced with Ajahn Brahm, but from his talks he hints that he is very gentle with his students, unlike other Theravada retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-03T18:00:56.377" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T18:00:56.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2015-08-03T18:19:34.630" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here you can see the US locations for the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory#US&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;10-day S.N. Goenka Vipassana Meditation Retreat&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This retreat is free and is solely dependent on donations from past students. So a retreat is a gift from a past student. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more about the tradition and the course &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/vipassana&quot;&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T18:19:34.630" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2015-08-03T19:24:37.743" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Working while at a meditation retreat would not be ideal because your time there is limited and your opportunity to meditate intensively under a teacher's guidance is the priority. It's an invaluable experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, in the Theravada tradition, meditation instruction is offered at monasteries, (not all monasteries), at no charge. If a person is inclined to make a supporting donation, that is fine, but there is no requirement or expectation of that per the tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an alternative to the above mentioned S.N. Goenka courses, which can be booked solid for months in advance, is the option of seeking meditation instruction at a monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Yuttadhammo teaches meditation to individuals at a monastery in Canada. Although the course is considered a 21 day course, it is possible to split this up and complete the course in two or more parts if your schedule does not allow such a large block of time all at once. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/courses/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Course descriptions here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I attended this course and felt it was very beneficial both in terms of the individualized instruction and also the ability to work around my job schedule requirements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all monasteries have such an option, but many hold occasional meditation retreats. It's an alternative worth looking into. Best wishes with your retreat. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T19:49:34.503" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2015-08-03T19:33:47.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings PaPa,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend to ask at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/the-center.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt; in Annapolis (MO).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best Wishes, Mirco&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T19:33:47.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10492" CreationDate="2015-08-03T22:59:28.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prevent body pain by being limber and strong through &lt;strong&gt;Hatha Yoga. That is why it was developed!&lt;/strong&gt; If sitting hurts, you are doing it too much throughout the day, or you are not stretching and limbering... throughout the day. At my workplace I take walks outside on the morning and afternoon breaks and at lunch. On those walks I stop at benches to do an assortment of stretches that I have learnt over the years. You cannot do it just once a day and not move the rest of the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The body has needs, among which are to be used properly, exercised and stretched properly, and rested properly. These amount to laws of physics and cannot be ignored. There is no point whatsoever in denying your body to try to 'progress' faster spiritually. It is just as useless as not stopping driving your car to get more fuel, oil or whatever to &quot;arrive sooner&quot;. No. You will arrive at the side of the road with a disabled car. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I used to do lots of walking and stretching, and yes, often I would tense up after an hour or so of sitting meditation, but with the right exercise and &lt;strong&gt;a very good seat&lt;/strong&gt; (such as I used to build and sell) You can sit much longer on &quot;good days&quot;. Take care of yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-08-03T22:59:28.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10650" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-04T07:53:48.743" Score="6" ViewCount="472" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Progress of Insight by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, in the section The Attainment of Fruition, it is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This occurs in precisely the same way as the path and fruition consciousness that occurred earlier in the consciousness-sequence belonging to the initial attainment of the first path. The only difference here is the capacity of the fruition attainment to last long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Manual of Abhidhamma by Narada Maha Thera&lt;/a&gt; it is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Each of the four Supramundane Paths arises only once in the course of one’s life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Mahasi Sayadaw taking a differing position than what is said in the Abhidhamma or am I not understanding him correctly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-06T07:38:52.360" LastActivityDate="2018-10-29T05:06:13.067" Title="What is meant by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw in regards to &quot;The Attainment of Fruition&quot;?" Tags="|stages-of-the-path|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2015-08-04T13:14:59.137" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Edit - running helps purge the lactic acid out of legs that are almost always aching after long bouts of meditation.  Not sure how I forgot to mention that fairly obvious point in my original answer!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything that goes on at a Zen monastery is carefully considered.  From the time you wake up to the moment your eyes close for the night, everything is done to maximize the potential for awakening.  With that said, it is extremely difficult to pick out how one aspect of Zen training contributes to awakening.  The entire training has to be considered in gestalt.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of things at play here.  The main one to consider is that one of the most salient difficulties that practitioners face at sesshin is exhaustion.  In our sangha, we wake up at 3:30AM.  To quote Chris Griffin - &quot;3:30AM??  I didn't even know there was a 3:30AM!  What else haven't you told me?!&quot;  That's about four to five hours of sleep - tops.  Unless you've actually tried getting up that early to recite sutras for an hour and then sat for two hours before getting a break, you really can't wrap your head around how tiring that is.  By 6:00AM, you're done - despite the fact that you have a whole day of sitting ahead of you.  Those periods of intense, fast activity really help jar you out of sleepiness.  They are like a smack of the keisaku and help you from falling back into your own head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen (and I'm speaking of Rinzai Zen here...which is what I practice) doesn't really put a whole lot of weight behind mindfulness training.  All that running and scrubbing and what not are done for a very different purpose than what you might find at a Plum Village or Theravada retreat.  I think it's important to view this sort of training for what it is and not try to view it through the lens of other Buddhist practices.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T19:05:22.657" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T19:05:22.657" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10652" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tipitaka (Pali ti, &quot;three,&quot; + pitaka, &quot;baskets&quot;), or Pali canon, is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The Tipitaka and the paracanonical Pali texts (commentaries, chronicles, etc.) together constitute the complete body of classical Theravada texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon is a vast body of literature: in English translation the texts add up to thousands of printed pages. Most (but not all) of the Canon has already been published in English over the years. Although only a small fraction of these texts are available on this website, this collection can be a good place to start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three divisions of the Tipitaka are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinaya Pitaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The collection of texts concerning the rules of conduct governing the daily affairs within the Sangha — the community of bhikkhus (ordained monks) and bhikkhunis (ordained nuns). Far more than merely a list of rules, the Vinaya Pitaka also includes the stories behind the origin of each rule, providing a detailed account of the Buddha's solution to the question of how to maintain communal harmony within a large and diverse spiritual community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The collection of suttas, or discourses, attributed to the Buddha and a few of his closest disciples, containing all the central teachings of Theravada Buddhism. (More than one thousand sutta translations are available on this website.) The &#xA;suttas are divided among five nikayas (collections):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digha Nikaya — the &quot;long collection&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya — the &quot;middle-length collection&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samyutta Nikaya — the &quot;grouped collection&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anguttara Nikaya — the &quot;further-factored collection&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya — the &quot;collection of little texts&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khuddakapatha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Udana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Itivuttaka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipata&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vimanavatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Petavatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theragatha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therigatha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jataka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Niddesa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patisambhidamagga&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apadana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cariyapitaka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nettippakarana (included only in the Burmese edition of the Tipitaka)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Petakopadesa (  &quot;   &quot;  )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milindapañha (  &quot;   &quot;  )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abhidhamma Pitaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The collection of texts in which the underlying doctrinal principles presented in the Sutta Pitaka are reworked and reorganized into a systematic framework that can be applied to an investigation into the nature of mind and matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access To Insight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" LastActivityDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10653" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" Score="0" Body="The Tipitaka (Pali ti, &quot;three,&quot; + pitaka, &quot;baskets&quot;), or Pali canon, is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The Tipitaka and the paracanonical Pali texts (commentaries, chronicles, etc.) together constitute the complete body of classical Theravada texts." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" LastActivityDate="2015-08-04T15:07:16.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2015-08-04T15:36:38.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When beginning walking meditation, one should go very very very slow, noticing each gradation of each step: lifting, pushing, dropping, placing.&lt;/strong&gt; Repeat for each leg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This going slow is common practice instruction in all Buddhist walking meditation manuals if one will do some research.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, once one has dhyana, one's mind is fully absorbed into the meditation and one can walk much faster without having one's attention falter. Eventually, one can even run while in dhyana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-08-04T15:36:38.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-04T19:54:39.277" Score="4" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;By &quot;event&quot; I mean something that happens over some interval of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I right that for Buddhists, intervals don't exist (everything lasts only for an instant): so neither do events?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so may I ask about the experience of &quot;now&quot; or the present: i.e. the experience of impermanence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the experience of impermanence an event (i.e. with duration) or is it too only an instant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T23:56:43.537" Title="Buddhist philosophy and &quot;events&quot;" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|impermanence|time|mind|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10655" CreationDate="2015-08-05T00:22:16.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I right that for Buddhists, intervals don't exist (everything lasts only for an instant): so neither do events?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate reality exists only as momentary experiences of the six senses, experienced one after another. In this way, there is no &quot;interval&quot;, either for Buddhists or non-Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventionally speaking, Buddhists could employ the concept of intervals to explain phenomenon, I suppose. For instance: Experience A arises, experience A ceases, knowledge of impermanence arises, knowledge of impermanence ceases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within this interval of time, the conditions for the knowledge of impermanence to arise arose and ceased, moment by moment, and the knowledge of impermanence arose and ceased. As you alluded to, these are all individual momentary phenomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By &quot;event&quot; I mean something that happens over some interval of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an argument based on semantics, but I suppose sure, you could say &quot;events&quot;, as you have defined it, conceptually exist within Buddhism, inasmuch as some &quot;thing&quot; happens over a given interval of time: knowledge of impermanence (the thing) happening over given period of time, as defined above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T00:22:16.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10655" CreationDate="2015-08-05T02:55:54.590" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; challenges the notion of &quot;entities&quot; - objects with identity, independent of the rest of the world and observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, here is an alternative: try and see the world as a connected network of causation, with a system of nominal entities overlaid on top. In other words, consider that entity is a construct of the mind. (This simplifies things a bit, as the network of causation is a concept as well, and even the mind itself is dependently co-determined by its objects - for those Madhyamaka nitpickers - but stay with me). What's important is to understand that the real world is not discrete. Discreteness is mind-made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we extend this from spatial to temporal relationships, we can see that &lt;em&gt;event&lt;/em&gt; is a temporal counterpart of an entity. Indeed, event is something that has a definite identity, beginning, life span, and end. Exactly like an object. In our mind event is separated from its context, from the rest of the stuff going on before, in parallel with, and after.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in actuality, that's never the case. Objects and events don't exist by themselves. At first approximation we can say they arise from causes and conditions - so when those conditions and causes come together, thereby is an object or event. And when some of those conditions and causes fall apart (the necessary ones) - the object or event is no longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we look more carefully though, we will notice that causes and conditions don't live in isolation either - they are infinitely forking and joining, infinitely interacting. So it is the mind that picks a subset of causes and conditions to focus on and label; the mind assembles an object that would satisfy mind's predispositions. Similarly, the mind assembles an event, assigns it with identity, and cognizes its beginning, span, and ending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's not that events don't exist because everything lasts only an instant. Events don't exist because they are discrete constructs, overlaid on the (analogue?) fabric of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The experience of any (assembled!) entity or event is necessarily subject to beginning and ending, subject to impermanence. Because an assembled object cannot exist once its constituents fall apart. What you call &quot;now&quot; is itself an assembled entity. It depends on a number of conditions coming together in a certain way. When those conditions following their natural courses fall apart, that particular &quot;now&quot; is no longer, and a new &quot;now&quot; is assembled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we ourselves delineate the entities/events, we can choose the level of granularity to apply. We can designate big objects (systems of components) and big events (massive events) - or we can observe at the small scale. (Check out &quot;Hierarchy Theory&quot; by Valerie Ahl for a modern treatment of this thought.) So is with observation of present, it is up to us to decide when the given present has begun and when it has ended. Ground reality is analogue, not discrete. (Technically speaking, both analogue and discrete are two sides of the same coin, two truths are really one and the same truth.) &quot;Now&quot; is not instantaneous nor an interval. It's a nominal designation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All experienced phenomena are mere products of conceptualization, merely nominal entities without any ultimate existence. Therefore sentient existence necessarily involves suffering that comes from mismatch between the concept and reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mistake we make by default is to assume that experienced reality is made of stable entities. Then we build expectations around this assumption, and then we suffer. So once we know the trick, we can see through it. But because the nature of mind is to fabricate experience, it keeps doing it whether we want it or not. Not just fabricate, but use these fabrications as foundations for its interpretation and decision-making activity. There is simply no other way to operate. So all our experience and behavior is necessarily based on layers upon layers of fabricated quasi-stable virtual structures. Which means suffering will inevitably sneak in here and there. But at least now we can include the above in our working model of reality, and account for the non-substantiality in our interpretation and decision-making activity. So even when we have to walk on illusions, we know what we are doing, and are ready to deal with it once they collapse. It may still be painful when it happens, but we will have expected it, and will minimize the damage as much as we can. This is the extent to which there is an escape from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T23:56:43.537" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T23:56:43.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10658" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-05T03:18:20.563" Score="3" ViewCount="1432" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you have to do in order to transfer merit. Do you just do something wholesome, and wish for someone else to receive the karmic result? Etc…?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T10:25:52.827" Title="Actions taken to transfer merit" Tags="|theravada|merit|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10659" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-05T04:08:18.773" Score="9" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been dealing with negative mental states in my practice. When it gets overwhelming I lose my sense of mindfulness and get lost in the middle of all the noise and I guess I identify with it, otherwise I wouldn't feel pain when it happens. Is it a good idea to bring myself back to the breath or should I face this? I usually try to accept the experience and the moment but it usually brings more pain because I can't see  clearly what I am going through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namasté&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5630" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T21:02:11.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T18:52:04.573" Title="Losing awareness" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10659" CreationDate="2015-08-05T05:01:20.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question: You should face this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha is such a perfect and wonderful teacher in every way... I am thinking of many passages that may help your problem but I think the most fundamental understanding is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are trying to do the &lt;strong&gt;3rd Training&lt;/strong&gt;: Insight.&#xA;Ideally, &lt;strong&gt;the Buddha recommended that this 3rd training should come after some work in the 1st and 2nd training. He also recommended that should we have trouble with the 3rd training, come back and work on the 1st two trainings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are those two trainings?&#xA;They involve particularly the practices that would enable you to cut through these negative states and make them much more easy to overcome entirely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer to the section about The Three Trainings in the free book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/mastering-vers-3.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Mastering the Core Teachings.&quot;&lt;/a&gt; You will have a clearer understanding of how to solve this problem as well as navigate your self mastery training in general&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T19:41:46.733" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T19:41:46.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10658" CreationDate="2015-08-05T05:13:17.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, you may do something (chant, good karma) and simply intend for that karma to go to the destination of your choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there is metta practice. This is worthy of reading in-depth. You will see the whole process that you wish to see and come out feeling really happy and wonderful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A light intention is enough, although staying in this loving state is good and recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be careful though about expecting too much or wondering if its working. Just &lt;em&gt;believe&lt;/em&gt; that it works. Have faith. Doubt will impede. We don't always know what is best and sometimes a bit of suffering brings out something beautiful in the person (eventually). Anyway, let go of your expectations and expansively wish for the best--because we do not know what is best for others with certainty. We don't even know this for ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-buddhist keywords to research to understand how this oneness works: unified field theory, faith healing, yang shen bodies&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T05:13:17.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7584" CreationDate="2015-08-05T07:33:23.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is only teacher of All Buddhist. But in this present lifestyle,timeless busy people need guidence, so Buddhist monk could help us, n useful here. Karuna,Shila,Metta are the pillers of Buddhism, so accept the pancashila in your day to day life, which helps a person to become a buddhist. It is not a Damma, Lord Buddha never produce any damma, he guided us a new way of lifestyle, which help us to enlightened inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5634" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T07:33:23.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10659" CreationDate="2015-08-05T07:37:59.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can't put out a fire by burning in it. We must first distance ourself from it and use the right extinguisher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can get back to the breath, that's excellent, but it's not always possible. The rest of the answer is for this reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You haven't mentioned the kind of negative energy or thoughts that come up, knowing this is important in choosing the right extinguisher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, this is a good guide book to handle anger: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95734.Anger&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames&#xA;by Thích Nhất Hạnh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma must be good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end. There is no need to suffer through the negative emotions more than strictly necessary, sometimes further progress is impossible for a long time if we enter a downward spiral. Some call this the dark night or something equivalent. Facing our dark sides or Dukkha ñañas are unavoidable, but until we are prepared to handle it with equanimity we must have some shortcuts or hacks in our back pocket to get around the negativity, lest it consumes us in depression or hate and derails our life for years together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to practice loving kindness towards yourself and your mental formations, it is an excellent extinguisher of inner turmoil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Helping others and practicing loving kindness towards all produces a gentle lubrication to one's practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana does not have to mean only hard work and suffering through the harshest winters of the mind and body. It can be gentle, and was intended to be beneficial and pleasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a time for serious practice, but there must also be self compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May your practice succeed. May you be happy and well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;p.s. Knowing why an emotion arises is not always possible, the body is a highly complex system like the weather system, and like predicting the weather it is often impossible even with the best knowledge and equipment. Insisting on knowing why something happened before helping oneself by attending to it is unwise. It is like insisting an arrow not be pulled out until the shooter is found.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T10:56:31.753" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T10:56:31.753" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2015-08-05T07:53:27.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pratītyasamutpāda theory can be applied for different conceptual levels of life. The relation of the chain also differ accordingly.&#xA;Life can be defined as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a physical process.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a mental process.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a hybrid of both above.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a conceptual phenomenon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a combination of all these.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as three life -- past, present and future.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a moment of thought. Etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original meaning is not as sufficient, necessary, or bi conditions. &#xA;Pratītyasamutpāda is  ‘&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10789/what-is-the-relation-between-prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da-and-four-noble-truths/10965#10965&quot;&gt;THE RELATION&lt;/a&gt;’  that lord Buddha use to explain the worldly phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T13:18:49.800" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10665" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-05T12:06:57.653" Score="9" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could anyone share your experience and knowledge? People who have attained strong concentration have the ability to read other people's mind. My question is, what is the 'knowing'? Do they read other people based on what they feel? For example, one person concentrates his mind on a person, when his mind is calm, other people's mind will be felt and reflected in his feeling. Is this correct? How do they know, based on what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any reply would be great, thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5207" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T22:21:26.343" LastActivityDate="2019-10-27T04:55:27.063" Title="Jhanic concentration and feeling" Tags="|jhana|meditation-effects|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10650" CreationDate="2015-08-05T12:26:48.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Fruition Knowledge : That again is immediately followed by knowledge that belongs to the final stage and continues in the course of its predecessor. It abides in that same Nibbana, which is void of formations since it is the cessation of them. This is called &quot;fruition knowledge.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems they are both talking about the knowledge of cessation that arises after cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw is saying that each experience of Nibbana is approached and achieved in the same manner, each time( Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami, Arahant). Each time it is attained, however, it may last longer and is more purifying than the previous time, more complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Narada Maha Thera is pointing out is that each of the four instances of &quot;intuiting nibbana&quot;, as he puts it, i.e. attaining Sottapana, Sakadagami, Anagami, Arahant, each occur only once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thats the jist of it as far as I understand. Hopefully I didn't fumble any technicalities! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T12:26:48.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10658" CreationDate="2015-08-05T12:33:27.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Buddhists Believe&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also teaches that the acquired merit can be transferred to others' it can be shared vicariously with others. In other words, the merit is 'reversible' and so can be shared with other persons. The persons who receive the merit can be either living or departed ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method for transferring merits is quite simple. First some good deeds are performed. The doer of the good deeds has merely to wish that the merit he has gained accrues to someone in particular, or to 'all beings'. This wish can be purely mental or it can accompanied by an expression of words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This wish could be made with the beneficiary being aware of it. When the beneficiary is aware of the act or wish, then a mutual 'rejoicing in' merit takes place. Here the beneficiary becomes a participant of the original deed by associating himself with the deed done. If the beneficiary identifies himself with both the deed and the doer, he can sometimes acquire even greater merit than the original doer, either because his elation is greater or because his appreciation of the value of the deed is based on his understanding of Dhamma and, hence, more meritorious, Buddhist texts contain several stories of such instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'joy of transference of merits' can also take place with or without the knowledge of the doer of the meritorious act. All that is necessary is for the beneficiary to feel gladness in his heart when he becomes aware of the good deed. If he wishes, he can express his joy by saying 'sadhu' which means 'well done'. What he is doing is creating a kind of mental or verbal applause. In order to share the good deed done by another, what is important is that there must be actual approval of the deed and joy arising in the beneficiary's heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I encourage you to read the whole page devoted to this (linked above). There is a lot of interesting supplemental information including the reasons for transferring merit to the deceased and the right and wrong way to go about doing this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Author refers to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/pv/pv.1.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirokudda Kanda&lt;/a&gt; sutta which you may find interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T14:43:58.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10668" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-05T12:45:30.730" Score="1" ViewCount="180" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm confused. What is the distinction between craving/hating (desire/aversion) and &quot;ego&quot;? I am inclined to believe that ego, i.e. one's false sense of an independent separate eternal self, learns and developes craving/aversion, beginning during childhood. Perhaps there is no distinction, and the query is really a matter of semantics. Might &quot;ego&quot; be the noun that represents the verbs &quot;craving and hating&quot;; or, might the ego represent a broader condition than craving and hating? The word &quot;ego&quot; brings to mind &quot;I me mine&quot; identity, which might include &quot;craving/hating&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T13:41:29.463" Title="Is there a distinction between &quot;ego identity&quot; and &quot;craving/hating&quot;?" Tags="|self|craving|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8821" CreationDate="2015-08-05T12:58:46.313" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Buddhists Believe&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera, it is possible to transfer merit to living persons as well as deceased persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, good deeds or 'acts of merit' bring happiness to the doer both in this world and in the hereafter. Acts of merit are also believed to lead towards the final goal of everlasting happiness. The acts of merit can be performed through body, speech or mind. Every good deed produces 'merit' which accumulates to the 'credit' of the doer. Buddhism also teaches that the acquired merit can be transferred to others' it can be shared vicariously with others. In other words, the merit is 'reversible' and so can be shared with other persons. The persons who receive the merit can be either living or departed ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method for transferring merits is quite simple. First some good deeds are performed. The doer of the good deeds has merely to wish that the merit he has gained accrues to someone in particular, or to 'all beings'. This wish can be purely mental or it can accompanied by an expression of words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This wish could be made with the beneficiary being aware of it. When the beneficiary is aware of the act or wish, then a mutual 'rejoicing in' merit takes place. Here the beneficiary becomes a participant of the original deed by associating himself with the deed done. If the beneficiary identifies himself with both the deed and the doer, he can sometimes acquire even greater merit than the original doer, either because his elation is greater or because his appreciation of the value of the deed is based on his understanding of Dhamma and, hence, more meritorious, Buddhist texts contain several stories of such instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'joy of transference of merits' can also take place with or without the knowledge of the doer of the meritorious act. All that is necessary is for the beneficiary to feel gladness in his heart when he becomes aware of the good deed. If he wishes, he can express his joy by saying 'sadhu' which means 'well done'. What he is doing is creating a kind of mental or verbal applause. In order to share the good deed done by another, what is important is that there must be actual approval of the deed and joy arising in the beneficiary's heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I encourage you to read the whole page devoted to this (linked above). It has some interesting supplemental information that is related to, but a little outside of, what you had asked about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author refers to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/pv/pv.1.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirokudda Kanda&lt;/a&gt; sutta which you may find interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T14:58:38.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10670" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10672" CreationDate="2015-08-05T13:37:34.917" Score="8" ViewCount="338" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I enjoy Dungeons and Dragons a bunch, and have recently begun trying to follow the first 5 precepts of Buddhism. I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I think they are a good way to live my life. So I have lots of PDF's that I didn't pay for bookmarked so I can use them, but since I didn't buy them would that count as breaking the do not steal precept? Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5629" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-05T18:11:49.223" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T05:03:55.957" Title="Does using a pdf for sale for free violate the 2nd precept?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10668" CreationDate="2015-08-05T13:41:29.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The three poisons&lt;/a&gt;, greed, anger, and delusion, constitute the base-causes for beings stuck in samsara. Of these, delusion is the root cause from which greed and aversion arise. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avidya&lt;/a&gt; (delusion) is the root chain of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#The_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt; , from which all other conditions for continued becoming arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the arising of these twelve nidanas, based on ignorance/misapprehension of reality as it is, the constituent parts of what we consider an &quot;ego&quot; arise ( consciousness/perceptions of the sense organs, feelings, sensations, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this misapprehension of reality (ignorance) as either pleasant and something worth possessing, or unpleasant and unfit to endure, desire and anger arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps clear this up!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T13:41:29.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10670" CreationDate="2015-08-05T14:59:19.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 2nd precept states:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;2.&#xA;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to break the precept 5 factors must be fulfilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions that Break the Precept&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five factors of the second precept are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;para-parigga-hitam -- article(s) with a concerned owner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;para-parigga-hita-sannita -- one knows there is a concerned owner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;theyya-cittam -- the intention to steal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;upakkamo -- the effort to steal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;tena haranam -- the article(s) is (are) stolen through that effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above factors must be fulfilled in order to break the precept. So if you can answer &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; to one or more of them you didn't break the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T15:11:46.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10659" CreationDate="2015-08-05T15:49:04.337" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When negative mental states or strong feelings overwhelm one, one can go back to noting the rising and falling sensation of the abdomen. When one has collected oneself and regained mindfulness one can then go back into the storm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing how these mental states can harm one if identifying with them is also very valuable. One clearly sees how damaging it can be when one is following after these objects and taking ownership of them. When mindfulness is absent the mind will follow after objects that are pleasant and have aversion towards objects that are unpleasant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind will take ownership of these unpleasant objects. One will think that &quot;I am feeling pain&quot;, &quot;I am hurt&quot; or &quot;The pain belongs to me&quot;. These are examples of how a self is created if the mind is allowed to roam freely without the rope of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is mindful of these mental states they are simply phenomena that arise and cease. They do not belong to you. They are not you. You are not them. They are simply impersonal phenomena that arise and cease on their own accord. Actually what you have been experiencing is how phenomena are &lt;em&gt;uncontrollable and ungovernable&lt;/em&gt;. You have seen how reality is not pleasant and how reality cannot be controlled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry too much about these negative mental states. If you have the concentration and mindfulness then try to turn them into objects of observation. In this way you can use them to cultivate insight into how reality functions. If it gets too overwhelming you can return to your abdomen and calm yourself a bit before going back to observing the mental states. If any aversion towards these mental states arises then that should also be noted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With persistent practice mindfulness grows meaning that one will be able to in a greater degree be with reality as it is when it is. When the mind is kept in the present moment it cannot extrapolate on phenomena, e.g. identifying with phenomena, it just sees phenomena as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has made a video called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZXE4PtE9mM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk: Negative Mind States&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that you might find useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T13:57:58.220" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T13:57:58.220" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10659" CreationDate="2015-08-05T19:12:34.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several instructions from the Buddha that might help here, from specific approaches (e.g. &amp;quot;changing focus of attention&amp;quot;, recollections, etc) to broad practices (like meditation and loving-kindness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maba-usa.org/Uraga_Sutta_s_Related_Texts2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pdf from Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; which summarizes a large portion of practices from the suttas for dealing with unwholesome states in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of these suttas is the &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasaṇṭhāna&lt;/em&gt; (The Removal of Distracting Thoughts, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-20-vitakkasanthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;) which might come in hand. A few extracts from it below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is giving attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, they are reprehensible, they result in suffering.’ When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might consider: ‘Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?’ and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: ‘Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?’ and he would stand; then he might consider: ‘Why am I standing? What if I sit?’ and he would sit; then he might consider: ‘Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?’ and he would lie down. By doing so he would substitute for each grosser posture one that was subtler. So too … when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts … his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind. When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too … when, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a bhikkhu beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind … his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T19:12:34.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10677" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-05T20:08:45.373" Score="6" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the booklet &quot;A Discourse on the Bhāra Sutta&quot;, by The Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw, I read the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;As we make great efforts to fulfil desire, kamma and mental formations are brought into play. They create new aggregates. So, after one life we go over to another in a new groups of five aggregates, by virtue of the craving prompted by delusion. As a result, we are left with the burden of aggregates to carry.&quot; Please refer to Part II (Table of Contents), Threefold Craving (Section), Sensual Craving (Subsection)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this process to be learned or understood during the course of vipassana meditation, or taken on faith in the course of instruction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T22:24:39.783" Title="How does kamma create a new set of aggregates for a rebirth; how do the mechanics of this process work?" Tags="|karma|aggregates|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10677" CreationDate="2015-08-05T22:24:39.783" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The workings of kamma is actually one of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Four Imponderables (acinteyya)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. questions that the Buddha deliberately did not answer. These questions can only be understood by a fully enlightened Buddha. If one is not a fully enlightened Buddha then thinking about these questions will only leave the mind distressed and agitated, i.e. unfit for meditational practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing insight meditation one can verify for oneself that phenomena can spawn new phenomena thereby leading to further &lt;em&gt;becomming&lt;/em&gt;. This also occurs at the break up of the physical body. The defilements do not &quot;die&quot;. Only the physical body breaks up but the defilements find a new body to arise in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't take my word for it or any other persons word. Not even the Buddha's word. He taught that we should not blindly believe what he said but instead go and test these things for ourselves through experimentation on reality, i.e. by doing insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to what i wrote let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-05T22:24:39.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10679" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10842" CreationDate="2015-08-06T01:24:47.400" Score="13" ViewCount="1323" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Was Pali the language spoken during the time of the Buddha, and would he have spoken this language?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are the suttas contained in the Pali Canon verbatim what the Buddha said, or would things have been changed due to centuries of oral transmission?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-08-06T12:19:29.197" LastActivityDate="2018-12-22T16:13:07.967" Title="Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|pali-language|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10679" CreationDate="2015-08-06T03:42:50.883" Score="12" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha likely spoke in several dialects that were quite similar to Pali. He was immensely well traveled for his time, so in his travels he likely adopted the native dialect to be better understood by the locals. His words were only a small part of his teaching - his enlightened presence and conduct were likely better vessels of his teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon is a consolidation of his talks, created only after his death. The content is very likely the same, but the rendition is only as Ananda and other disciples remembered him. The standardized repetitive form was created as an aid to rote memorization and oral rendition. There was certainly doubt in their minds as they set down the teachings that they'd not be able to replicate the vastness of the Buddha's being in mere words, but all the same they resolved to make a sincere effort, and the Canon that emerged was a result of seven months of deliberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali (Pāli) is a Prakrit native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of many of the earliest extant literature of Buddhism as collected in the Pāli Canon or Tipiṭaka and is the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Theravada sources refer to the Pāli language as &amp;quot;Magadhan&amp;quot; or the &amp;quot;language of Magadha&amp;quot;. This identification first appears in the commentaries, and may have been an attempt by Buddhists to associate themselves more closely with the Maurya Empire. The Buddha taught in Magadha, but the four most important places in his life are all outside of it. It is likely that he taught in several closely related dialects of Middle Indo-Aryan, which had a high degree of mutual intelligibility. There is no attested dialect of Middle Indo-Aryan with all the features of Pāli. Pāli has some commonalities with both the western Ashokan Edicts at Girnar in Saurashtra, and the Central-Western Prakrit found in the eastern Hathigumpha inscription. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever the relationship of the Buddha's speech to Pāli, the Canon was eventually transcribed and preserved entirely in it, while the commentarial tradition that accompanied it (according to the information provided byBuddhaghosa) was translated into Sinhaleseand preserved in local languages for several generations. In Sri Lanka, Pāli is thought to have entered into a period of decline ending around the 4th or 5th century (as Sanskrit rose in prominence, and simultaneously, as Buddhism's adherents became a smaller portion of the subcontinent), but ultimately survived. The work of Buddhaghosa was largely responsible for its reemergence as an important scholarly language in Buddhist thought. The Visuddhimagga, and the other commentaries that Buddhaghosa compiled, codified and condensed the Sinhalesecommentarial tradition that had been preserved and expanded in Sri Lanka since the 3rd century BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also,  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Pali-Overview-94-Seminar&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Pali-Overview-94-Seminar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-06T03:49:39.830" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10658" CreationDate="2015-08-06T16:30:58.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma Greetings user5380,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;at the end of each Dhamma talk, my teacher recites the following to share the merit of that talk with the Devas and Nagas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May suffering ones, be suffering free&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the fear-struck, fearless be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the grieving shed all grief&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And may all beings find relief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings share this merit that we have thus acquired&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the acquisition of all kinds of happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May beings inhabiting space and earth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas and nagas of mighty power&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Share this merit of ours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May they long protect the&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha's dispensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadhu ... Sadhu... Sadhu...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best Wishes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mirco&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5466" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-06T16:30:58.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10682" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10685" CreationDate="2015-08-06T19:56:19.157" Score="7" ViewCount="526" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a question that I would like some input on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lately, I have been able to see the fruit that total acceptance and surrender can bring to one's experience. I have tasted moments of pure joy, compassion, and equanimity. In these states, everything appears very clear and I'm able to rest with the experience and not cling on to these pleasant feelings. Everything I have read about and heard from teachers seems crystal clear. Perception is completely altered and the mind is clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inevitably, these experience fall away and hindrances make their way back into the mind. In my experience, the hardest of these hindrances to overcome is doubt. Once doubt enters, it's easy for ill-will to follow as well as other hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intellectually, I'm aware of the Four Noble Truths and that desire causes suffering, and even that desire for the cessation of desire causes suffering. I'm aware that aversion to whatever state of mind and feelings are currently present only perpetuates them. However, when the pleasant states are gone and hindrances arise (especially doubt), I begin to question everything I know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have told myself and written down tips and advice on how to handle these kinds of situations when my mind was unhindered. Even though I know in my heart to trust my own words and experiences, when doubt is strong enough, everything is deluded. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have a single question, but I would appreciate input on how to handle strong moments of doubt and ill-will towards that doubt. In the past, I have always managed to accept the feelings and allow them to pass, which is what I know I need to do, however in the moment it can be incredibly difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The toughest thing for me to work with is getting angry at myself for not accepting the unpleasant feelings for how they are. I know that to move past them, I need to accept non-acceptance, but that is always easier said than done. This leads to a downward-spiral of aversion towards aversion of doubts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any words, tips, or tools you guys have are so very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I apologize if this is too much of a discussion-based question without a real definitive answer. I am new to SE in general, so please forgive me if this isn't an appropriate question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5627" LastEditorUserId="5627" LastEditDate="2015-08-06T21:13:17.867" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T14:19:15.603" Title="How to accept and surrender to the mind's non-acceptance of doubt and ill-will?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|meditation-hindrances|doubt|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10682" CreationDate="2015-08-06T20:37:55.657" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you resist persists, what you embrace dissolve. The more you will resist your tendancy to doubt, the more you will experiment doubt. Let it be, even if unpleasant, and cease to resist it in the present moment. It will then gradually go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yann&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5644" LastActivityDate="2015-08-06T20:37:55.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10682" CreationDate="2015-08-06T22:01:33.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice the Four Immeasurables, the four divine abodes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Potential practice methods:&#xA;There are four, pick one a day and spend a few twenty-minute sessions meditating on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Loving-kindness / loving-heartedness (metta)&#xA;&#xA;Empathic/empathetic/sympathetic joy (mudita)&#xA;&#xA;Compassion / &quot;to suffer with [and yearn to relieve]&quot; (karuna)&#xA;&#xA;Equanimity = deep equipoise (upekkha)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are called Brahmaviharas which translates roughly to &quot;divine fields of becoming&quot; or &quot;godly dwellings&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindrances and afflictions are overcome by wise effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-08-06T22:01:33.407" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-06T22:01:33.407" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10682" CreationDate="2015-08-06T22:17:55.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any words, tips, or tools you guys have are so very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it help to remember that &quot;doubt&quot; and &quot;identity view&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment#Path_and_Fruit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;belong together&lt;/a&gt;? If they eradicate together (at the same stage) then maybe they arise together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though I know in my heart to trust my own words and experiences, when doubt is strong enough, everything is deluded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't 'identity view' a bit deluded too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So like, &quot;&lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; am doubting&quot; and &quot;here is &lt;em&gt;myself&lt;/em&gt; experiencing doubt&quot;: just forget it. Experience it, recognize it, remember it's delusive, and put it away, do or be without it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I (subjectively or as an analogy) experience some kind of brain storm that's like an electrical short circuit, that draws all the electric current and does nothing. If it persists and I recognize it then I deliberately blow the fuse on it: i.e. recognize it as a fault, switch off the current (stop feeding it), try to see a bigger, more stable, more useful picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I label/name that storm &quot;a thicket of views&quot;, which the suttas say is associated with views about self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I'm trying to suggest that if you're experiencing &quot;doubt&quot; then maybe you're experiencing &quot;identity view&quot;; maybe you can already handle identity view, and/or recognize it as a cause of doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would appreciate input on how to handle strong moments of doubt and ill-will towards that doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Wikipedia article I cited above, doubt and identity-view go together but ill-will may remain until later. So don't be surprised if there's ill-will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean, you're saying &quot;ill-will towards doubt and delusion&quot;. I suppose you have to be free of the doubt and delusion you talked about, first and foremost; and once you see things clearly then you can (perhaps literally) &quot;sort out&quot; the ill-will (maybe ill-will goes after delusion stops, like you say it comes after delusion starts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This advice is partly based on the idea that &quot;right view&quot; is the first (or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Practice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;if it's called &quot;right knowledge&quot; then it's also nearly the last&lt;/a&gt;) factor on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-06T22:17:55.830" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10686" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10703" CreationDate="2015-08-07T00:39:54.650" Score="6" ViewCount="744" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am currently employed on an aquaculture farm that specializes in clams and oysters. According to our modern system of taxonomy, both of these organisms are considered animals. I also know that a profession in which one trades animals is not right livelihood. However, according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/index.html?/gastropoda/morphology/nervous_system.html&quot;&gt;this site&lt;/a&gt;, clams and oysters don't really have brains. Furthermore, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mollusca#Nervous_system&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;, it would seem that the nervous system of the mollusk doesn't really function to sense pleasure or pain. So, I am wondering- does trade in shellfish count as wrong livelihood? If so, how does one determine what is an animal and what is not according to Buddhism? If one is meant to go by whatever their respective society defines as an animal, surely this definition will change and therefore make this aspect of right livelihood unreliable, right?&#xA;Thankya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T00:26:19.880" Title="Is shellfish aquaculture considered a wrong livelihood?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|right-livelihood|animals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10687" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-07T02:12:45.440" Score="5" ViewCount="559" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that a practitioner does not go from first jhana directly to second jhana or from second jhana directly to third jhana and so on. Instead, they go through momentary and access concentration to get to first jhana; then they drop out of first jhana and go through momentary and access concentration to get to second jhana and so on. First of all, is this correct, am I totally wrong or is there debate with regards to this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, do the factors of access concentration change depending on which jhana someone is trying to enter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T15:00:09.810" Title="Are there different factors for access concentration depending on which jhana an individual is entering?" Tags="|jhana|meditation-concentration|access-concentration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10688" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10689" CreationDate="2015-08-07T04:57:42.190" Score="8" ViewCount="2625" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was told that intuition is not to be cultivated in Buddhism. Intuition is blind and not to be followed. Following something blind can be quite dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, there is a book called 'Intuitive Awareness' by Ajahn Sumedho.&#xA;So I'm confused now which one is the correct one. The more mindful you are, more things are opening up, you understand more things, some answers just come without any reasonable explanation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain Buddhism's view on intuition? Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T11:00:42.253" LastActivityDate="2022-10-14T12:14:09.463" Title="Intuition in Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10688" CreationDate="2015-08-07T07:01:49.710" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is probably just a case of a word having many (conflicting) uses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intuition is an elusive word. It seems we often associate it to a kind of feeling about something. Because that &quot;kind of feeling&quot; is also elusive and could be pretty much anything, it may be regarded as unreliable. Perhaps this explain why you were told it is not something to be valued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, intuition can be used to describe not-so-elusive kinds of knowledges, like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacit_knowledge&quot;&gt;tacit&lt;/a&gt;/implicit/non-verbal knowledge we all use daily (e.g. intuitively knowing where the north is, or how to solve a puzzling problem). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally intuition can also mean some kind of immediate knowledge of reality. I found the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intuition&quot;&gt;following dictionary descriptions&lt;/a&gt; interesting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a fact, truth, etc., perceived in this way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a keen and quick insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the quality or ability of having such direct perception or quick insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pure, untaught, noninferential knowledge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This description is close to wisdom (but in Buddhism, it's a little more specific than that: see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/pannaa.htm&quot;&gt;paññā&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vipassana/index.html&quot;&gt;vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdcu.org.au/Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada.pdf&quot;&gt;yoniso manasikāra&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yath%C4%81-bh%C5%ABta-%C3%B1%C4%81na-dassana/index.html&quot;&gt;yathā bhūta ñāna dassana&lt;/a&gt;). And wisdom is something that has been systematized in Buddhism: there is both a large body of practice and evaluation. One can speak of attainments, higher and lower wisdom. One can identify when one's wisdom is lacking, and when it improved. Finally, one can practice to develop it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Mere intuition&quot;, on the other hand, as just &quot;some feeling&quot;, has a high risk of being just this: a mere feeling. And mere feelings are often wrong. And once wrong or right, we are lost as to why. To explain it, one ends up creating some sort of (creative) theory or borrowing from some religious tradition or superstition (&quot;the channeling with spirits was not clear&quot;, &quot;I ate meat at an inappropriate time&quot;, etc.), which further tax one's beliefs, and might bring one closer to the blindness referred to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T07:23:43.697" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T07:23:43.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10688" CreationDate="2015-08-07T07:01:59.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism likes reason and origin, pratityasamutpada&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/106.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt; which tells that nothing happens without a reason. I do not think any sutta contains the term intuition, what Buddhism is interested in is pratityasamutpada when arriving at conclusions. The scientific method also has reason, but is more rigid than pratityasamutpada. More open and more realistic framework of pratityasamutpada can discover more than what scientific method discovers. If your current scenario fits with this frame pratityasamutpada, you can agree with it.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply I agree with Ajahn Sumedho, even without reading the book, that is via intuition. First of all we have six senses, not five senses. We cannot forget the mind. People should agree with the mind, the correct mind. You are more successful when using the mind because you cover a wider range, you are using your all six senses. I think you should continue according to the book. Some sources tell the sixth sense is intuition, but I am not sure whether mind in Buddhism and intuition in psychology, both being the sixth sense in respective fields refer to the same. I have read a lot of psychological stuff; books, articles and quotes etc. And I have a fair knowledge in basic Buddhism also. From what I have read, in a psychological or cognitive sense, there is no clear definition or agreed upon definition on intuition. I have read so many bad things on intuition in an organizational behavior textbook while Albert Einstein, Immanuel Kant and other great men have praised intuition a lot. If you go to mbti classification, most of those so called great men are intuitive types.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;I have not met intuition in a Buddhist source so far, but it is a good thing when backed up with some reasoning and experience of the individual. In a psychological sense, some men are gifted with intuition, they already know things, so they can read between lines, avoid choosing a tree over the forest and learn faster and move ahead faster. When you mediatate, when you read stuff, when you practice stuff, your intuition develops. You know more things and you have it in practice. Such a developed intuition can be believed and it should be chosen over a few ordinary tangible things we see at the moment, because intuition covers an wider range of experiences and knowledge. But yeah the people who don't have a developed intuition should not trust it, but when it is developed, should trust it. Intuition is not blind but very powerful when it is backed up with experience and knowledge which are mostly acquired via the other five senses. In fact, if you do not trust the intuition, you will stagnate. So move ahead reading and practicing the book. Hope you got some clarification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T07:01:59.033" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10691" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10693" CreationDate="2015-08-07T07:24:03.280" Score="9" ViewCount="755" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/cu/weai/exeas/resources/oxherding.html#picture10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ten Ox Herding Pictures of Zen&lt;/a&gt; the final picture is commonly depicted as returning to the marketplace. Enlightenment is said to be doing the most ordinary things in a most extraordinary way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very different at many levels from the Theravada model of an Arhat who recollects past lives, walks through walls, flies in the air and so on. Though there are references to &lt;em&gt;vasanas&lt;/em&gt; which prevent the Arhat from Buddha like perfection, they are not commonly what comes to mind when one thinks Arhat. It is reinforced by the belief that one who has such attainment will leave the family, never have romantic worldly ideas, become a monk and generally be holy, strictly confirming to popular ideas of what is holy - i.e separate from this undesirable world of samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen model doesn't even have the label Arhat that makes such attainment separate and special. Zen masters are of course famous for doing silly things like playing with kids, drinking wine, teaching in whore houses and so on. I've read similar things in the Tibetan tradition. Though it's another matter that most Zen masters obsess with lineage, robes, proper form and such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for sutras, books, biographies or examples and generally any text that deals with returning to the marketplace in various traditions. Any tradition is fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Theravada canon have such ideas anywhere at all? Perhaps Tibetan?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T02:27:17.233" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T13:56:56.767" Title="Returning to the marketplace - examples" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|zen|texts|daily-life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2015-08-07T07:35:17.667" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To do good deeds, avoid bad deeds and purify the mind.&#xA;And the practice to attain that is through Sila (morality), Samadhi (Meditation) and Panna (Wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5207" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T07:35:17.667" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10691" CreationDate="2015-08-07T10:48:04.893" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does the Theravada canon have such ideas anywhere at all?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a far-fetched example which barely answer your question but IMO the Buddha himself kind of returned to the market-place: not as a tradesman nor even a customer, but he did leave his solitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The description could almost fit him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;10&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;In the World&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Barefooted and naked of breast, I mingle with the people of the world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  My clothes are ragged and dust-laden, and I am ever blissful.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I use no magic to extend my life;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Now, before me, the dead trees become alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Comment: Inside my gate, a thousand sages do not know me. The beauty of my garden is invisible. Why should one search for the footprints of the patriarchs? I go to the market place with my wine bottle and return home with my staff. I visit the wineshop and the market, and everyone I look upon becomes enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any resemblance can't be entirely accident, presumably, to the extent that he was ever a role model for Buddhist enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few things seem to me anachronistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Magic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I use no magic to extend my life&quot; -- is that a reference to (rejection of) some Taoist-immortality-magic or -obsession: which, I'm not acquainted with, but might have been important when it was written?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;wineshop&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wine is forbidden in Islam too, but apparently some Sufis use &quot;wine&quot; as a metaphor for a divine love and loss of ego. That's esoteric (and orthodoxly a heresy) in Islam (it also reminds me of a family story: that when my grandfather bought a house in Morocco he met a &quot;hereditary saint&quot; there who was allowed to drink wine because the wine would turn to water in his mouth), but really I don't know anything esoteric especially about Buddhism. Apparently there was a Sufi doctrine which said that, &quot;Drinking 'wine' depends: on how much, and who with&quot;, but beware I think that advice is Delphic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another idea is that some of the versions of the ten bulls talk of carrying a &quot;gourd&quot;, &lt;em&gt;depicted&lt;/em&gt; as (or, who knows, perhaps &lt;em&gt;mistaken&lt;/em&gt; for) a wine gourd: but which (a gourd), someone else wrote, is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5615/254&quot;&gt;a metaphor for emptiness&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunyata might be a bit anachronistic too, i.e. a tenet developed in slightly later schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-duality&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a bit difficult to imagine the Buddha pulling a pint in the pub with his friends. If I see someone doing that though, then as long as they're not doing harm I'm conditioned not to say something like, &quot;You're a bad man: you shouldn't be drinking.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that what &quot;everyone I look upon becomes enlightened&quot; means, i.e. non-duality, and to whatever extent I hope to become enlightened, other people become so too? I mean there are two ways to see that: being &quot;looked upon&quot; (or talked with) helps to lead the seen person to enlightenment; doing the looking helps the seeing person see there is enlightenment (perhaps some &quot;Buddha nature&quot;) already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand maybe drinking is harmful, and if I were wise and kind and selfless then I would mingle with them there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway that leads to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9595/254&quot;&gt;this other answer about non-duality&lt;/a&gt; which I think you already know, which says there are real differences between Theravada and Mahayana practice. And so I present that answer as saying, &quot;No, I don't think you'll find exactly the same 'returning to the marketplace' within the Theravada Sangha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is reinforced by the belief that one who has such attainment will leave the family&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the Zen stories I admire is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt;. I like it because it reminds me that it's not to do with theorizing about the nature of external phenomena, but it's more about being prepared to behave myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a quote I read once, I haven't found it again since, someone was asked &quot;Why won't you become a Christian?&quot; and replied, &quot;If you mean 'Christian' like your Christ, it's because I don't have the courage. If you mean 'Christian' like you, it's because I wouldn't want to be.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that make sense, assuming you know the Christian metaphor for marriage? I don't know whether you are or have ever &lt;em&gt;been&lt;/em&gt; married, but how could you expect to control two people if you don't even control one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually I have the belief that Siddhartha left his family, not because he had such attainment but because he desired that attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/3isthatso.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is That So?&lt;/a&gt; might be a story of someone who already has some attainment and subsequently acquires a family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T10:48:04.893" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10694" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10700" CreationDate="2015-08-07T11:52:19.270" Score="7" ViewCount="3042" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10399/can-the-buddhism-se-site-function-as-the-sangha-for-me/10404#10404&quot;&gt;this answer to another question&lt;/a&gt; there were many references to &quot;the peaceful and wrathful buddhas&quot; in the quote from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This is a tradition that I'm not very familiar with. Is it possible to explain what a wrathful Buddha is and how Buddhist teachings on considering anger as a poison might align with the idea of a wrathful Buddha? Thanks for any clarification on this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T19:50:01.097" Title="What is a wrathful Buddha?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|vajrayana|buddhas|anger|bardo|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10687" CreationDate="2015-08-07T11:54:46.473" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can only answer first part of your question, i.e. if a meditator returns to &lt;em&gt;access concentration&lt;/em&gt; between Jhana-states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are correct in that understanding. Here is a quote from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/practicing-the-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Practicing The Jhanas&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder, which describes access concentration and that between entering the different Jhana-states the meditator returns to access concentration. Highlights in the quote are made by me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ACCESS CONCENTRATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditators can eventually attain access concentration using either type of momentary concentration practice—samatha or vipassanā. However, samatha practices are more likely to lead to access concentration because of their more stable nature. Access concentration is characterized by the significant reduction or complete dropping of the five hindrances and the arising and strengthening of the jhāna factors. For most people, a period of intensive practice is required to reach access concentration. In access concentration, the meditative experience becomes smoother, easier, and more pleasant because of this lessening of hindrances and the arising of the powerful and blissful sensations of the jhāna factors. This allows meditators to meditate longer and progress more easily in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It becomes a positive, self-reinforcing loop.It is easy to confuse momentary concentration with access concentration. One difference is that with access concentration, the meditator’s continuity with the object is much longer and more stable over time. Another difference is that with access concentration, the object is much more energized and “bright.”Most of the practices outlined in this book are samatha practices specifically designed to settle the mind and develop laserlike awareness, leading eventually to full absorption into the jhānas. Examples of samatha practices designed to develop access and absorption concentration are ānāpānasati meditation (as presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw), the kasiṇas, thirty-two-body-parts meditation, skeleton meditation, and the bramavihāras (sublime abidings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As access concentration develops, but prior to full absorption, it is also easy to confuse access with absorption concentration. In access concentration, the jhāna factors are present but insufficiently strong for full absorption into jhāna. (The differences between access and absorption are described below.) &lt;strong&gt;Even after a meditator has experienced full jhāna absorption and begins to move through the practice progression, access concentration continues to be used. With progression to each successive jhāna, the meditator first experiences access concentration as the awareness orients to the new experiences and increases in stability.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Practicing The Jhanas&lt;/em&gt;, p. 73-75&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T11:54:46.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10694" CreationDate="2015-08-07T12:03:07.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrathful_deities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wiki&lt;/a&gt; wrathful deities are representations of negative Kamma. It says that the wrathful forms of appearance is actually meant to lead beings towards enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, wrathful deities are enlightened beings who take on wrathful forms in order to lead sentient beings to enlightenment. They are a notable feature of the iconography of Mahayana Buddhism and of Tibetan Buddhism, and other Vajrayana traditions in particular. A wrathful deity is often an alternative manifestation of a bodhisattva or other normally peaceful figure, making the representations of all human vices and atrocities. True to their name, in Tibetan art, wrathful deities are presented as fearsome, demonic beings adorned with human skulls and other bone ornaments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wrathful (or terrifying deities) are representations of negative karmas, in the same way as peaceful deities are representations of positive karmas. The symbol of the wrathful ones is the kapala, a half skull filled with blood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not however answer what a wrathful Buddha is but if one follows the thought further one might suggest that the wrathful form of a Buddha might serve the same purpose as deities with wrathful appearances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another very interesting quote on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khandro.net/deities_wrathful.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wrathful Forms&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wrathful Forms&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People who are not accustomed to the &quot;language&quot; of Tibetan Buddhist images are often surprised to see the wrathful deities for the first time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One category of these is the herukas, a class of Vajrayana deities such as Chakrasamvara that is semi-wrathful with intimidating, even terrible, features.  They are represented as partially nude with an upper garment of human skin and a tiger skin around their hips.  They have a 5-skull headdress and carry bone rosaries, a staff or trident and a damaru (pellet drum) like the Hindu god, Shiva.  Herukas are described in Tibetan books as beautiful, heroic, awe-inspiring, stern and majestic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From Judith Simmer-Brown's, Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism (Boston &amp;amp; London: Shambhala Pub., 2001,) 154-156:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The heruka (tRak-thung) is a masculine deity, wrathful or semiwrathful, who represents the dynamic of compassion and skillful means in Tibetan tantra.  The heruka traces its origin to the same pre-Buddhist traditions of India as the dakini, in the retinues of wrathful Siva or Mahakala in which he served as terrifying demon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heruka literally means &quot;blood-drinker,&quot; and in a tantric Buddhist setting this refers to drinking the blood of self-cherishing, doubt, and dualistic confusion.* The tantric interpretation of the term heruka derives a further meaning: his nature is beyond conventional cause and effect, existence, and duality. He is the ultimate expression of the radiantly selfless qualities of the mind.  Having drunk the blood, the heruka experiences bliss. He is fearlessly at home in the charnel ground, and under his gaze it is no longer merely charnel -- it is a palace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The heruka is depicted with nine classical moods (Kartap gu) which gives clues about his manifestation. He is said to be charming, with dazzling ornaments; brave, posing and strutting; threatening, with rolling eyes and a wrathful grimace; laughing, a raucous &quot;ha ha&quot;; fierce, with laughter that mocks, &quot;hi, hi, hum, phat&quot;; fearsome, grinding his teeth and brandishing a weapon; compassionate; with bloodshot eyes and radiant skin; outrageous, with gaping mouth and clicking tongue; and peaceful, gently gazing at the tip of his nose.** The heruka embodies the mountain-like presence of the enlightened masculine principle in Vajrayana Buddhism, with its range of fierce, hearty, and gentle qualities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They also mention some of the &lt;em&gt;Attributes of Wrathful Deities&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some of the attributes (symbolic implements) wielded by Dharmapalas such as Mahakala and other wrathful manifestations can include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sword (T. rtse-mdun, Skt. khadga) symbolizes the wisdom, knowledge or ability to cut through delusion or obstacles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Flags, standards and banners (Skt. dhvaja) which represent the victory of Buddhist teaching over delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An elephant goad or ankh (Skt. ankusa) for taming desires. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Spears (T. mdun) that fix or pin down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hammer (Skt. mudgara) mace or club (Skt. gada) that crush opposition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bow (Skt. ripa) and arrows (Skt. sara):  action at a distance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vajra staff (Skt. vajradanda) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Trident (T. rtse-gsum, Skt. trishula) symbolizing the Three Jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lasso (Skt. pasa) that constrains negative forces.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here is an interesting short-text on &lt;a href=&quot;http://library.brown.edu/cds/BuddhistTempleArt/TibetanArt3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Peaceful and Wrathful Forms&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=2242.0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a link to a another question-site&lt;/a&gt; where a being has asked about wrathful deities. You might find some answers here too. Hope this helps. This was a very good question. I didn't know about this and have now learned a lot researching the topic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T12:09:49.783" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T12:09:49.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10691" CreationDate="2015-08-07T13:13:00.363" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This isn't really an answer - more of a comment.  I'll just end up pressed for space if I add it as such.  I think there is a certain presupposition that the person &quot;returning to the market&quot; actually left the market in the first place.  I think all traditions have this archetypal ideal of the ascetic who wanders into the wilderness, adopts the homeless life and then returns as a fully formed, enlightened sage.  It may work like that in some cases.  I would actually say that is an exception these days assuming that ideal every really existed in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice happens everywhere.  We all know that.  The thing is, it rarely looks like the great mythologies.  For every Buddha and Jesus and Muhammad wandering around in the wilderness and talking to burning things, there are billions of practitioners just finding better ways to talk to their daughter and smooth out relationships in the workplace.  No one writes stories about these folks because what they do is so mundane.  Their actions don't light up our brains in the same way that those great mythologies do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice isn't something that happens &quot;out there&quot;.  We don't find our enlightenment out on some sacred journey and come back to tell the tale.  There isn't one moment where we emerge as a fully enlightened being, come home to great fanfare, and start getting drunk with the butchers.  That's not even true of dai kensho.  Practice is here.  Practice is now.  Returning to the market &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; our practice.  It isn't something that happens bodily or sociologically or mythically.  It is something that happens in every instant of renewed awareness.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-08-07T15:22:36.117" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T15:22:36.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10687" CreationDate="2015-08-07T15:00:09.810" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To make sure we're on the same page, terminology wise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Factors&lt;/strong&gt; - these are the factors or qualities of the various Samatha Jhanas - joy, well-being, equanimity etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Momentary Concentration&lt;/strong&gt; (Kanika) - ability to stay focused on moment-by-moment arising and passing of phenomena.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Access Concentration&lt;/strong&gt; (Upacara) - ability to stay focused on on a somewhat contrived stable object i.e. the breath, color, shape etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Absorption&lt;/strong&gt; (Apana) - stable, one pointed mental state.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jhanas themselves are a continuum of mental states that don't exist as separate discrete entities. They are mental states that unfold depending on where in the continuum your experience lies. Somewhat like a rainbow - it is made up of different colors that have different qualities but on close examination they blend together seamlessly. The mind moves through these qualities in Jhana by focusing on the different qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, deepening of access concentration increases the chances of the unfolding of Jhana. Once the first Jhana is established no special factors of access concentration are required to move into the second. The qualities of the first Jhana are :- pleasant sensations, joy, and sense of well-being. The meditation object of concentration (Samatha) is left behind and the minds merely abides (is absorbed in the Jhana qualities). When shifting through the Jhanas the focus just changes to subtler and subtler factors - from sensations to joy, from joy to well-being, from well-being to equanimity. So IMHO there is no dropping out of Jhana to gain access to next etc. or special factors of access concentration required. Five factors help to navigate the jhanas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Directed attention&lt;/strong&gt; (Vitakka) - directing the attention to a particular perception.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustained attention&lt;/strong&gt; (Vicara) - sustain attention on an object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rapturous interest&lt;/strong&gt; (Pita) - When vitakka and vicara are steady, a feeling of lightness and pleasure naturally occur.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Deep ease&lt;/strong&gt; (Sukha) - Sukha is a quality of happiness that is much quieter and smoother than piti.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One-pointed attention&lt;/strong&gt; (Ekaggata) - Ekaggata’s characteristic quality is to lock on to the chosen object with an intimacy that rivets the attention, stills the mind, and settles into unwavering focus.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These five elements of concentration — connecting, sustaining, rapture, joy, one-pointedness — take center stage during jhanic experience. Each level of absorption has its characteristic blend of these factors. Skill in entering and maneuvering through the levels of absorption depends upon cultivating these five factors. &lt;em&gt;Catherine, Shaila. Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity (p. 108). Wisdom Publications.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Momentary concentration is cultivated specifically for vipassana practice but can result in Jhana as well. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/mastering-vers-3.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daniel Ingram&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The vipassana jhanas differ from the concentration jhanas (samatha jhanas) in that they include the perception of the Three Characteristics, rather than the “pure” samatha jhanas that require ignoring the Three Characteristics to get them to appear stable and clean. However, the two may share many qualities, including very similar widths of attention and other aspects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T15:00:09.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5972" CreationDate="2015-08-07T16:18:19.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are moving fast because they don't think. Acting on your non-conceptual (pre-conceptual) knowledge/wisdom/intuition is one of the most important Zen practices. So important that sometimes the word &quot;Zen&quot; itself is taken to mean such action. When action is mediated by thought it has an element of calculation in it, an element of doubt, an element of worrying about personal profit. &lt;em&gt;Wu-wei&lt;/em&gt; -- literally &quot;no action&quot; -- actually stands for action that is not based on dualistic mind, not targeted at attaining (an egoistic) goal, it is action without an actor and therefore fast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T16:18:19.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10694" CreationDate="2015-08-07T16:36:29.537" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wrathful Buddhas (or wrathful gurus for that matter) are not actually angry, in the way untrained people are. In Vajrayana before we even reach highest tantra, we learn to transmute emotions. If you are not good at it yet, at the very least you should be able to transmute anger into headache. Once you reach some mastery though, you can transmute &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; emotion into pure energy. When you have direct insight into the nature of mind, emptiness, attachments, and emotions - you can ride a wave of energy and even display wrath (an appearance of anger) without really taking it seriously. This is then used as a tool in those cases that demand such approach. Like getting angry at kids, you are half faking it, half letting yourself get carried by anger - to add your show more weight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T16:36:29.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10694" CreationDate="2015-08-07T17:58:59.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to the other answers here, the wrathful Buddhas are often seen as protectors. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81k%C4%81la&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahākāla&lt;/a&gt; for instance is just another form of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt;. He (mahakala) is considered the tantric &quot;watchdog&quot;, protecting those that appropriately practice Vajrayana, but is said to turn quickly on those that misuse those teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another well known wrathful diety is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrapani&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vajrapani&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the Pancavimsatisahasrika and Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita any Bodhisattva on the path to Buddhahood is eligible for Vajrapani's protection, making them invincible to any attacks &quot;by either men or ghosts&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is part of a trio with Manjushri and Avalokiteśvara. They represent power, wisdom, and compassion of the Buddhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the bardo the first set of deities you encounter are the peaceful ones. &#xA;Later you encounter the wrathful ones. &#xA;If one realizes that both are projections on ones own mind, and does not fear and embraces the energy involved it is said one can reach liberation in the in-between state in this way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The worst thing one can do is to fight or flee from them, these energies are not avoidable and are due to past karma/kamma. Just as when the &quot;mirror&quot; that reflects your last life might show you things that make you uncomfortable, to deny your bad deeds at this time magnifies the karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One important thing to note about these wrathful deities is that they are not devils, they are not like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mara&lt;/a&gt;. They are there for practitioners benefit and protection.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The peaceful and wrathful deities have a mantra as well called the 100 diety mantra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Om Ah Hung Bodhi Chitta Maha Sukha Jhana Dhatu Ah Om Rulu Rulu Hung Jo Hung&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To hear Tibetan pronunciation you can go &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFCWqLHoaRI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;More information about it &lt;a href=&quot;http://mybuddhadharma.blogspot.com/2010/10/100-deities-jang-chog-prayer.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T17:58:59.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8341" CreationDate="2015-08-07T18:47:52.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Buddhist traditions including the now extinct ones derived their rules from the original &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr%C4%81timok%E1%B9%A3a#Pr.C4.81timok.E1.B9.A3a_in_Buddhist_traditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prātimokṣa&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;path to liberation&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A number of prātimokṣa codes are extant, including those contained in the Theravāda, Mahāsāṃghika, Mahīśāsaka, Dharmaguptaka, Sarvāstivāda and Mūlasarvāstivāda vinayas. Prātimokṣa texts may also circulate in separate prātimokṣa sūtras, which are extracts from their respective vinayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia article on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr%C4%81timok%E1%B9%A3a#Pr.C4.81timok.E1.B9.A3a_in_Buddhist_traditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prātimokṣa&lt;/a&gt; covers the current and extinct derivatives in a little detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monastic rules aren't inviolable, though generally through the ages their importance has been largely respected, and only modified in exigent circumstances. Philosophical stances of the founders have often influenced how closely they stayed to the original.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharmaguptaka sect are known to have rejected the authority of the Sarvāstivāda pratimokṣa rules on the grounds that the original teachings of the Buddha had been lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha began teaching there were no rules, the rules were added on as the need arose. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://huayanzang.blogspot.in/2012/03/why-did-buddha-prohibit-alcohol.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the prohibition on alcohol began when there was an incident of drunkenness that reflected badly on the monks&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the organic growth of these rules, as times and cultures changed some might have felt the need to change the rules to keep the tradition living and not turn into an anachronism. As Buddhism spread to new cultures the original rules as they applied to the Gangetic plains of India may not have made sense. For example, in lands with snowy winters like Japan obviously the robes needed to be warmer and with more layers than in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One other example would be the leave to allow monks to cook for themselves when Buddhism had just entered China. There was no Chinese precedent of donating food to mendicants and beggars like in India, so in order to maintain the respect of the monks in the eyes of the community, cooking was allowed. This continues today in modern Zen monasteries, like Plum Village in France, for much the same reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other times it may have been corrupted transmission or interpretation as the religion traveled across hundreds of years, several thousand miles and cultures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scholar Tripitakamala felt the overall goal of Buddhahood overrides concerns for monastic vows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;cite: Gray, David (2007). The Cakrasamvara Tantra. New York, NY: Columbia University. p. 124.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism continues to evolve even today. The spread of Dharma in the West has brought with it changes to meet the unique challenges of the West. For example many modern Zen roshis in the US have dispensed with their robes except on ceremonial occasions, and wear every day lay person clothes. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chogyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt;, the Tibetan master was a firm believer in such pragmatic change when he set up &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.naropa.edu/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Naropa University&lt;/a&gt; and wore suits to lectures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T18:47:52.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10686" CreationDate="2015-08-07T19:24:38.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is the standard definition of &amp;quot;wrong livelihood&amp;quot; and is, as you saw, not specific. It says, in its entirety (at least in this translation),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, &lt;strong&gt;business in meat&lt;/strong&gt;, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These are the five types of business that a lay follower should not engage in.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary on the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;, on page 308, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Raw flesh and blood are allowed at Mv.VI.10.2 only when one is possessed&#xA;by non-human beings. Thus, in more ordinary circumstances, one may not eat&#xA;raw fish or meat even if of an allowable kind. This would include such things as&#xA;steak tartare, sashimi, oysters on the half-shell, raw eggs, and caviar.&#xA;Furthermore, even cooked fish or meat of an allowable kind is unallowable if the&#xA;bhikkhu sees, hears, or suspects that the animal was killed specifically for the&#xA;purpose of feeding bhikkhus (Mv.VI.31.14)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, apparently, according to this, oysters (and eggs and caviar too) are considered flesh or meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you're vegetarian is slightly up to you. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithri.com/articles_new/Buddhas_Advice_on_Killing_and_Consumption_of_Meat.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article too&lt;/a&gt; (of unknown authority) says not to &amp;quot;steam live clams or eat live oysters&amp;quot; but explains why it's seen as relatively OK to &lt;em&gt;buy&lt;/em&gt; meat under certain circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was an argument between the Buddha and Devadata apparently, with the Buddha's not mandating vegetarianism because he didn't want the Sangha to be difficult for lay people to support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI one of the criteria for the &amp;quot;no killing&amp;quot; precept is whether you're conscious that the being is alive and that you intend to kill them: killing someone by accident if you thought they were already dead, for example, wouldn't be breaking the precept. So, who knows, maybe it's partly up to you decide or to be aware of whether they count as &amp;quot;animals&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;meat&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;sentient&amp;quot;.&#xA;I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://sentientist.org/2013/05/20/the-ethical-case-for-eating-oysters-and-mussels/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this modern paper&lt;/a&gt; which claims that they're not especially sentient, but I doubt that's canonical.&#xA;And some people would have you know that even being a vegetable farmer or crop farmer presumably wouldn't prevent the deaths of worms and possibly field mice and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, good luck with finding a solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And don't know any context to the Vanijja Sutta (it's in the Anguttara Nikaya as a list of five things). You'd think that if &amp;quot;Right Livelihood&amp;quot; were important enough to be in the Eightfold path then &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;it would be better defined&lt;/a&gt;; but maybe it's better defined for monks than it is for laypeople; or maybe it's tangential to the main message, i.e. the Buddha's messages wasn't especially about right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/em&gt; which is a bit of compendium of rules for lay people doesn't talk about &amp;quot;right livelihood&amp;quot; exactly but does say &amp;quot;don't destroy life&amp;quot;. It claims that the Gihi Sutta (although &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.179.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;I don't see this there&lt;/a&gt;) says that you should avoid trapping animals unless you're too sick or weak to farm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T19:24:38.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10670" CreationDate="2015-08-07T20:51:41.640" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider the intent of the originator. We live in a world that &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; Copyright, which didn't exist at the time of the Buddha. If I walk into your house and remove your favourite object - how do you feel? If I make use of something that you have been led by the law of your land to believe that I am not allowed to use, how do you feel? The second precept is all about respecting others - we must not look at it in a legalistic way, as if it is a set of rules to be understood and then actioned rigidly. The intent is simply that we act in accordance with the first precept - with kindness, consideration, and respect. That, alone, would cause me to think very hard before copying something to which I do not have the rights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5650" LastActivityDate="2015-08-07T20:51:41.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10705" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-08T04:15:47.943" Score="0" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a Buddhist term for a lack of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;self identity&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't (of course) mean a radical acceptance of the anatta doctrine, but whether the Buddha or any Buddhist scholar or writer, talks explicitly about being unable to take one's own personal identity seriously enough: even to the extent of becoming quite thirsty for one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your compassion :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T13:22:11.570" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:49:24.763" Title="Is there a Buddhist term for a lack of self identity?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10706" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10715" CreationDate="2015-08-08T10:50:31.903" Score="6" ViewCount="2319" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10686/is-shellfish-aquaculture-considered-a-wrong-livelihood/10703#10703&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; there is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code 1&lt;/a&gt; - The Patimokkha Rules Translated and Explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, which reads in part &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;only when one is possessed by non-human beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that book there are several references to being possessed by spirits or non-human beings, such as this from page 44.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;State of mind. The bhikkhu must be in his right mind. Any statement he&#xA;  makes while insane, delirious with pain, or possessed by spirits does not count.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, &lt;strong&gt;who or what is doing the possessing&lt;/strong&gt;? Is there a belief in Buddhism that some being (a hungry ghost or something else?) would actually take over the mind of a human? Is that type of cross &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;realm&lt;/a&gt; interaction possible? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How literally is possession by spirits to be understood? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2023-12-23T04:26:59.857" Title="What is meant by &quot;possessed by spirits&quot; in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|vinaya|psychology|realms|evil|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10707" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10821" CreationDate="2015-08-08T11:14:33.247" Score="3" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;ARe there any schools which say that Shakyamuni the historical Buddha, alone, will &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;ever&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; be a Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that some might identify him &lt;em&gt;fully&lt;/em&gt; with the dharmakaya, but isn't it completely canonical that there is a Buddha vehicle for others, at some point in time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T15:16:05.027" Title="Does any sect claim that only Shakyamuni will ever achieve great nirvana" Tags="|the-buddha|gautama-buddha|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10708" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-08T11:18:51.520" Score="3" ViewCount="495" Body="&lt;p&gt;While practicing sitting vipassana meditation, using the felt sensations of the abdomen rising and falling with each breath as the meditation object, there is the frequent flood of mental images arising and passing away. The mental images seem much stronger, i.e. more noticeable, than the felt sensations of the meditation object. Is there a mind or mindfulness technique to make the felt sensations more noticeable, thus improving concentration on the chosen meditation object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T00:46:04.313" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T04:14:13.083" Title="How can the sensations of the meditation object (attention to the breath) be made more noticeable?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-breath|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10708" CreationDate="2015-08-08T11:24:49.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a mind or mindfulness technique to make the feeling sensations more noticeable, thus improving concentration on the chosen meditation object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes there is! Being mindful of whatever arises, i.e. mental images, clearly noting their arising and ceasing, will strengthen your mindfulness and concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of vipassana is to come to see the impermanent, unsatisfying, and uncontrollable nature of all phenomenon, and here, my friend, you have it! The goal is not to maintain concentration on one object of your choosing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: I'm assuming you're practicing vipassana? If this is the case, please edit and add the vipassana tag, as that would change the appropriate answer to the question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T11:42:37.967" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T11:42:37.967" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10706" CreationDate="2015-08-08T13:58:11.933" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my tradition, the Shambhala line of teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, ascending to Jamgon Kongtrul and ultimately Milarepa, the &quot;spiritual&quot; and the &quot;material&quot; phenomena are understood to be two narrative explanations of the same underlying reality. So when we talk about supernatural stuff like spirits etc. we always refer to phenomena that actually happen in everyday life but lack adequate representation in the mainstream narrative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern language, spirits are semi-stable configurations of information-causation that inhabit the noosphere and sustain themselves through behavioral patterns mediated by sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give an example you can relate to, you send your child to a summer camp and they come back intoxicated by the camp spirit. They act funny, and when you point it out, they say we don't get it and insist their gestures and attitude are their own, while you clearly see they've picked it up. After several days home the camp spirit rubs off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...In the adult world there may be a spirit of organization that influences all employees in certain ways etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example is campaign spirit - your teen daughter goes to a Greenpeace lecture and comes back possessed by the Greenpeace spirit. She donates her money to the ecological causes, spends her summer washing the birds caught in the oil spill etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at it this way, you will see the world full of spirits, large and small. Your husband purchases a new camera, and feels obliged to spend his weekend taking pictures - he is possessed by the camera spirit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These all seem harmless, until you remember all harm and violence incurred by religious and political fanatics - possessed by their respective spirits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know why late Theravada's Pratimoksha discounts misdeeds done while possessed by the spirits. From my perspective, guarding the doors of the senses is responsibility of the practitioner, and it is due to incorrectly applied attention that possession by spirit occurs. In the highly competitive world, where we are constantly bombarded by ads, campaigns and other forms of spirits, we must be very selective when it comes to which ones we give our attention to. As said in that Native American folktale, whichever wolf we feed is getting stronger. So is with spirits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can let ourselves be driven by spirits that correlate with greed, hatred, and confused values -- or we can feed useful spirits, conducive to health, peace, harmony, and informed, educated, strategic attitudes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism itself can be seen as a spirit, and as any spirit can only take us this far until we become its pawns. So in the advanced stages of Vajrayana practice, our game becomes to liberate ourselves from the spirit of Buddhism, just like we've worked to come out of influence of worldly spirits. Once we are past that phase, having awakened (bodhi) from the spirit dream, we can use spirits as tools to pay our student dues forward and save the rest of sentient beings from the matrix into the real world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T14:15:15.037" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T14:15:15.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10708" CreationDate="2015-08-08T14:13:28.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mental images seem much stronger, i.e. more noticeable, than the felt sensations of the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's hard to direct the mind to attend to something, if it's easily seduced and distracted by anything other than the object you want to give attention to, this means &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; is lacking. This is what gives one the ability to develop a unified mind (one pointedness), resting it on an observed object without distractions; &quot;applied and sustained thought&quot;. So, it might come in hand to train &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T14:19:16.993" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T14:19:16.993" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10712" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10722" CreationDate="2015-08-08T14:25:21.277" Score="13" ViewCount="6329" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may sound similar to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1766/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, but it's not the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice appears to be similar to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khecar%C4%AB_mudr%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khecari Mudra&lt;/a&gt; of Hindu yoga, but it's not the same, because the tongue need not be inserted into the nasal cavity. It is sufficient if it is pressed against the roof of the mouth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is based on the quote below from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Since this appears in the Pali Canon, do contemporary Theravada teachers teach this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does it work? Does it stimulate certain nerves?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this considered a last resort to controlling the mind, or is it a regular part of Buddhist practice?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or&#xA;  delusion — still arise in the monk while he is attending to the&#xA;  relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, then —&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth&lt;/strong&gt; — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with&#xA;  his awareness. As — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed&#xA;  against the roof of his mouth — he is beating down, constraining, and&#xA;  crushing his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts&#xA;  are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind&#xA;  right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a&#xA;  strong man, seizing a weaker man by the head or the throat or the&#xA;  shoulders, would beat him down, constrain, and crush him; in the same&#xA;  way, if evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or&#xA;  delusion — still arise in the monk while he is attending to the&#xA;  relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, then —&#xA;  with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his&#xA;  mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his&#xA;  awareness. As — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against&#xA;  the roof of his mouth — he is beating down, constraining, and crushing&#xA;  his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are&#xA;  abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind&#xA;  right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T12:57:53.997" Title="Clenching teeth and pressing tongue against roof of mouth" Tags="|personal-practice|mind|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10708" CreationDate="2015-08-08T15:10:20.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being mindful of the rise and fall of the abdomen is what you do when other phenomena are not occurring. If you are seeing mental images, note &quot;seeing...seeing....&quot; When the images fade, return to the rise and fall of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Venerable Yuttadhammo's booklet, &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Meditate, A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is this rising and falling motion that we will use as our&#xA;  first object of meditation. Once we are able to observe the&#xA;  motion of the abdomen without difficulty, it will serve as a&#xA;  default object of meditation for us to return to at any time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In regards to feelings, when a sensation arises in the&#xA;  body, one should fix one's attention on it, discarding the&#xA;  abdomen and focusing on the sensation. If a feeling of&#xA;  pain should arise, for example, one should take the pain&#xA;  itself as a meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any one of the four foundations may serve as a&#xA;  meditation object, as all four are aspects of reality. It isn't&#xA;  necessary to stay with the rising and falling of the&#xA;  abdomen at all times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org//mahasi/Practical%20Vipassana%20Meditation%20Exercises.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises&lt;/a&gt; by the Mahasi Sayadaw:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In short, whatever thought or reflection occurs should be noted. If you imagine, note as 'imagining'. If you think, 'thinking'. If you plan, 'planning'. If you perceive, 'perceiving'. If you reflect, 'reflecting'. If you feel happy, 'happy'. If you feel bored, bored. If you feel glad, 'glad'. If you feel disheartened, 'disheartened'. Noting all these acts of consciousness is called cittānupassanā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because we fail to note these acts of consciousness, we tend to identify them with a person or individual. We tend to think that it is 'I' Who is imagining, thinking, planning, knowing (or perceiving). We think that there is a person who from childhood onwards has been living and thinking. Actually, no such person exists. There are instead only these continuing and successive acts of consciousness. That is why we have to note these acts of consciousness and know them for what they are. That is why we have to note each and every act of consciousness as it arises. When so noted, it tends to disappear. We then go back to noting the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So just note &quot;seeing...seeing...&quot; with your mental images until they fade away then go back to the rising and falling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T15:10:20.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10688" CreationDate="2015-08-08T16:22:31.273" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it, &lt;strong&gt;Awareness&lt;/strong&gt; consists of Conscious awareness and Unconscious awareness. Countless things are going on in our minds all the time that we are not conscious of, yet they can come to consciousness when needed. A visual model would be &lt;em&gt;an Iceberg&lt;/em&gt;: most of it is below the waterline, like most of our sensing and cognition is not conscious to ourselves. (The 'unconscious' is conscious of itself and knows what it is doing. Animals, for example, have barely any 'consciousness', yet they function just fine.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As people develop, they &lt;strong&gt;grow in consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;, such that more and more of their awareness is known to their conscious mind, as if the Iceberg was to slowly rise from the water until it was mostly or entirely in the air. Realized people do this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intuition&lt;/strong&gt;, then, is simply that your 'unconscious' (the bulk of your mind) is doing its job of sensing, filtering and assessing below decks and sometimes it sends an alert to your conscious mind, which you are free to ignore (at your peril). It is not &lt;em&gt;infallible&lt;/em&gt; but it is the best thing we have for staying safe and happy, until we become more fully Realized. Make sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is related to the idea of &lt;strong&gt;Recruiting&lt;/strong&gt;, where as we develop, we can use larger and larger proportions of the mind / brain / consciousness / whatever and awareness deepens, widens and becomes more full and less about sequentially processing ideas. See the movie LUCY. There is a nice post about: &lt;em&gt;Recruiting &quot;points of view in the mind&quot;&lt;/em&gt; out there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simple example: I was walking in the woods with someone when I suddenly stopped and stooped down to peer at a spider that was about 3 mm across (1/8 inch). My friend asked how on earth I had noticed it while walking on a sandy, rocky, leaf-strewn path without looking down, and that most people could not have seen the blessed thing even if they were looking right at it! (I am over 6 feet tall). I said, &quot;it was moving and it caught my eye.&quot; Since I try not to step on things in my walks but I don't wish to spend all my thoughtpower on that, I have developed a &quot;process&quot; that looks for things throughout my visual range (spiderwebs?) and notifies me. You could call it Intuition as much as anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has this to do with Buddhism? &quot;&lt;em&gt;I have no idea&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (from the movie LUCY). See my profile also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T16:22:31.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10706" CreationDate="2015-08-08T17:23:10.963" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, various other beings can possess humans e.g. hungry ghosts, Yakṣas, Maras&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's one occasion where a human was possessed by a Mara named Dusi and the Mara being Moggallana himself in that life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At that time, Moggallana was Mara, chief of demons, lord of the lower&#xA;worlds, and his name was Mara Dusi. He had a sister by name of Kali&#xA;whose son was to become the Mara of our age. Hence Moggallana's own&#xA;nephew was now standing in front of him at the door post. While being&#xA;the Mara of that distant time, Moggallana had attacked a chief&#xA;disciple of the previous Buddha by taking possession of a boy and&#xA;making him throw a potsherd at the holy disciple's head so that blood&#xA;was flowing.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not only humans, even Brahmas can be possessed by Maras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then Mara, the Evil One, taking possession of an attendant of the&#xA;Brahma assembly, said to me, 'If, good sir, this is what you discern,&#xA;if this is what you have awakened to, do not lead (lay) disciples or&#xA;those gone forth. Do not teach the Dhamma to (lay) disciples or those&#xA;gone forth. Do not yearn for (lay) disciples or those gone forth.&#xA;There were, good sir, before your time, brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives in&#xA;the world who claimed to be worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened. They led&#xA;(lay) disciples &amp;amp; those gone forth. They taught the Dhamma to (lay)&#xA;disciples &amp;amp; those gone forth. They yearned for (lay) disciples &amp;amp; those&#xA;gone forth. Having led (lay) disciples &amp;amp; those gone forth, having&#xA;taught the Dhamma to (lay) disciples &amp;amp; those gone forth, having&#xA;yearned for (lay) disciples &amp;amp; those gone forth, they — on the break-up&#xA;of the body, with the cutting off of life — were established in a&#xA;coarse body.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; Brahma-nimantanika Sutta: The Brahma Invitation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also said that Ananda wasn't able to invite Buddha to prolong his life during the last days of his life because he was possessed by Mara during that time. During the first council monks accused Ananda for not doing that and he defended himself by giving this excuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth accusation which the monks leveled at Ananda, referred to&#xA;the time when he had neglected to beg the Blessed One to remain for an&#xA;aeon. Ananda defended himself by saying he had been possessed by Mara&#xA;at the time, and therefore had not been responsible for his actions —&#xA;how could he have otherwise failed to make this request?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html#section-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html#section-9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, according to Buddhist texts such cross realm interactions is possible and it seems that the victim is not responsible for his or her actions done at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T17:49:06.363" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10716" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10721" CreationDate="2015-08-08T20:19:09.553" Score="4" ViewCount="459" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started to read &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (the PDF, version 3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before page 22, there's some text which says that (I paraphrase) sensations are fleeting and that consciousness-of-sensation is consciousness just of the echo of an already-previous sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, on page 22, there's is a description of an exercise, which I quote below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He introduces it as being &quot;useful for jump-starting and developing insight into impermanence&quot;; later, says that this same exercise promotes concentration and stability; and finally says that it was the only technique he used for five years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you tell me more about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it some hybrid/mixture of insight and concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it at unusual exercise? It seems to take '&lt;em&gt;two&lt;/em&gt;-pointed concentration' as its object, which I haven't ever read about before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you aware of any specific advantages or disadvantages of this technique (or, whether and when it ought to be recommended or not recommended)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something it does well, too well, not well enough, not at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In one of these exercises, I sit quietly in a quiet place, close my eyes,&#xA;  put one hand on each knee, and concentrate just on my two index&#xA;  fingers. Basic dharma theory tells me that it is definitely not possible to&#xA;  perceive both fingers simultaneously, so with this knowledge I try to see&#xA;  in each instant which one of the two finger’s physical sensations are&#xA;  being perceived. Once the mind has speeded up a bit and yet become&#xA;  more stable, I try to perceive the arising and passing of each of these&#xA;  sensations. I may do this for half an hour or an hour, just staying with&#xA;  the sensations in my two fingers and perceiving when each sensation is&#xA;  and isn’t there. This might sound like a lot of work, and it definitely can&#xA;  be until the mind settles into it. It really requires the concentration of a&#xA;  fast sport like table tennis. This is such an engaging exercise and&#xA;  requires such precision that it is easy not to be lost in thought if I am&#xA;  really applying myself. I have found this to be a very useful practice for&#xA;  developing concentration and debunking the illusion of continuity. You&#xA;  can pick any two aspects of your experience for this exercise, be they&#xA;  physical or mental. I generally use my fingers only because through&#xA;  experimentation I have found that it is easy for me to perceive the&#xA;  sensations that make them up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In another related exercise, I do the same sort of thing, sitting&#xA;  quietly in a quiet place with my eyes closed, but instead I concentrate on&#xA;  the sensations of the front and back of my head. With the knowledge&#xA;  that the illusion of a separate perceiver is partially supported by one&#xA;  impermanent sensation incorrectly seeming to perceive another&#xA;  impermanent sensation which it follows, such as the sensations in the&#xA;  back of the head incorrectly seeming to perceive the sensations of the&#xA;  front of the head which they follow, I try to be really clear about these&#xA;  sensations and when they are and aren’t there. I try to be clear if the&#xA;  sensations in the head are from the front or the back of the head in each&#xA;  instant, and then try to experience clearly the beginning and ending of&#xA;  each individual sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This practice also requires a table tennis-like precision. Half an hour&#xA;  to an hour of this can be quite a workout until the mind speeds up and&#xA;  becomes more stable, but this sort of effort pays off. When I am&#xA;  engaged with this practice, there is little room to be lost in thought. I&#xA;  have also found this a very useful practice for developing concentration&#xA;  and debunking the illusion of continuity and the illusion of a separate&#xA;  self (more on that later).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The section ends with (one page 25),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For five years of my practice I was basically a One Technique Freak,&#xA;  and that technique was noticing how sensations flicker. I would do it as&#xA;  often as I could, i.e. basically whenever I didn’t have to be doing&#xA;  something that required concentration on the specifics of my life. I&#xA;  would be riding an elevator, just trying to see when I could feel each&#xA;  foot, or lying down to sleep and noticing how many times I could&#xA;  experience the sensations of my breath in each second. I also tried to&#xA;  notice this aspect of things for every single sensation that occurred&#xA;  during my formal practice. I used lots of objects, usually those that were&#xA;  presenting strongly at that time, and would use some variations on the&#xA;  above techniques as well as some others that I will mention shortly to&#xA;  keep me from getting stuck, but the aspect of my world that I tried to&#xA;  notice, things flickering, was always the same. I found that by making&#xA;  this sort of commitment to understanding one of the most basic&#xA;  assumptions of insight practices I was able to make fast progress and&#xA;  gain the ultimate insights I was looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Earlier (e.g. on page 20 and 21) it was talking about becoming aware of some number of sensations per second (&quot;maybe up to forty times per second&quot;) which he calls &quot;vibrations&quot;, and combines with a breath meditation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] It is also useful to check out exactly what happens at the&#xA;  bottom, middle, and top of the breath if you are using the breath as an&#xA;  object, and to examine if the frequency stays stable or changes in each&#xA;  phase of the breath. Never assume that what you have understood is the&#xA;  final answer! Be alert! Explore carefully and precisely with openness and&#xA;  acceptance! This is the door to understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One last thing about vibrations: looking into vibrations can be a lot&#xA;  like any other sport. It can be thought of the way we might think of&#xA;  surfing or playing tennis, and this sort of game-like attitude can actually&#xA;  help a lot. We're “out to bust some vibrations!” as a friend of mine&#xA;  enthusiastically put it. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I searched this site for the word &quot;vibrations&quot; thinking someone might have written something from this perspective already (if this were a well-known technique or &quot;basic dharma theory&quot;), but no, I don't see this mentioned in any previous topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T12:43:17.557" Title="Awareness of two things" Tags="|meditation-insight|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|meditation-breath|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10716" CreationDate="2015-08-08T21:06:46.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This seems to me to just be the Goenka method of Vipassana restricted down even further in terms of where you direct your awareness. So in essence, a partial Satipatthana practice? He states you can do this with any physical or mental aspects, although I'm not sure how you would manage juggling mental objects like this. Perhaps this is just beyond my capacity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are you aware of any specific advantages or disadvantages of this technique (or, whether and when it ought to be recommended or not recommended)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having started my meditation &quot;career&quot; with a Goenka retreat, in my opinion at least, restricting awareness down like this can be helpful for a beginner, as you aren't bombarded all at once with having to be mindful of EVERYTHING that can arise. But it can also leave you unprepared for having to be mindful of really powerful emotional/mental stuff that WILL eventually make its way to the surface.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it some hybrid/mixture of insight and concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It definitely does boost both faculties really well, in my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-08-08T21:12:38.177" LastActivityDate="2015-08-08T21:12:38.177" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10716" CreationDate="2015-08-08T23:13:36.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He introduces it as being &amp;quot;useful for jump-starting and developing insight into impermanence&amp;quot;; later, says that this same exercise promotes concentration and stability; and finally says that it was the only technique he used for five years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you tell me more about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It promotes concentration since it narrows the focus of the mind during the meditation practice -- it's not a single meditation object but the focus is still narrow. By resting the mind on specific experiences and making it the main interest of the mind it also helps weaken the hindrances, thus it promotes the stability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it some hybrid/mixture of insight and concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. His main practice is insight, but because his focus is sufficiently narrow and on subtle experiences, his concentration also develops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it at unusual exercise? It seems to take 'two-pointed concentration' as its object, which I haven't ever read about before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's unusual (in the sense of &amp;quot;unorthodox&amp;quot;). I think it's a sound experiment and exercise. Maybe having two fingers as his domain of interest is not too open ended (allowing him to develop enough concentration and use some degree of sharp penetration) but also not too narrow as to lose interest easily and sleep, e.g. by having sufficient/enough things going on to observe (and he says he finds this to be an engaging exercise). Maybe it also gives some base for contrasting experiences, helping to perceive the minutia of &lt;em&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/em&gt; workings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T00:53:00.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-08T23:35:35.550" Score="0" ViewCount="236" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been researching about Buddhism and their pursuit for peace and i have some questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you believe that Buddhism has shaped society today. If so how?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How has Buddhism influenced your life?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Where in Buddhism does it say that you have to live your life in peace?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you believe that a pursuit of peace is necessary in today's society?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a Buddhist, how does a pursuit of peace begin? (How do you pursue it, what does a &quot;pursuit&quot; of peace entail and when does your pursuit end?) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you believe that all people should follow a life of peace? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As a Buddhist, do you think that Buddhism has the idea of changing the world? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If Buddhism values finding peace within yourself, how is each person finding peace among themselves going to help change the world? Thank you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5654" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-09T00:48:34.450" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T12:31:06.453" Title="Buddhist pursuit of peace questions" Tags="|lay-buddhism|comparative-religion|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ClosedDate="2015-08-09T14:35:54.500" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10719" CreationDate="2015-08-09T02:21:26.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the questions are very broad (too broad), so this answer will be correspondingly (too) shallow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's 'community wiki' in case you want to edit (add to) it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Do you believe that Buddhism has shaped society today. If so how?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does so by providing an alternative. If your question is like, &amp;quot;&lt;code&gt;Do you believe 'that door over there' (Buddhism) has shaped 'prison' (society) today?&lt;/code&gt;&amp;quot;, then Buddhism might be about freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an article titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt; which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Just as in the great ocean there is but one taste — the taste of salt — so in this Doctrine and Discipline (dhammavinaya) there is but one taste — the taste of freedom&amp;quot;: with these words the Buddha vouches for the emancipating quality of His doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;How has Buddhism influenced your life?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that's on-topic on this site, because that isn't common/shared experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Where in Buddhism does it say that you have to live your life in peace?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a general concept called non-violence or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ahimsa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically there are rules of ethics which are called e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;: which include &amp;quot;peaceful&amp;quot; rules like &amp;quot;don't kill&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;don't steal&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;don't lie&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Do you believe that a pursuit of peace is necessary in today's society?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;people (in society) find stress unpleasant&lt;/a&gt;, and that too much stress (or greed) can lead to war and destruction of society. Even if there weren't inter-personal or international problems, there are still personal problems: for example your friends and family (and you) getting sick and old and dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes, some alternative to or relief from stress, some peace, is necessary to society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various members of society (i.e. people) learn about Buddhism when they feel motivated to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;As a Buddhist, how does a pursuit of peace begin? (How do you pursue it, what does a &amp;quot;pursuit&amp;quot; of peace entail and when does your pursuit end?)&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it begins with stress. When you experience stress then you pursue peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A way to pursue it by following the Buddhist &amp;quot;noble eightfold way&amp;quot; a.k.a. &amp;quot;three-fold training&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pursuit &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ends when it's successful&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is summarized in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stress exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stress has a cause&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a  way to end stress&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way to end stress is the &amp;quot;noble eightfold way&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is more than one school of Buddhism though. In this answer, with the &amp;quot;four noble truths&amp;quot;, I'm trying to summarize the earliest school, but see also e.g. the last paragraph of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10710/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which suggests that the pursuit ends when one is, also, liberated from the stress of (or perhaps peaceful even within the constraints of) Buddhism. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9595/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; suggests there some real difference in the end-stage of different Buddhist schools (but that's probably Too Much Information i.e. more detail than you were looking for).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Do you believe that all people should follow a life of peace?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes and no. I don't expect lions to stop hunting. I think people people might be happier and hurt each other less if they were more Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;As a Buddhist, do you think that Buddhism has the idea of changing the world?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes and no. Buddhism is mostly or originally about changing yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;have an effect&lt;/a&gt; on each other:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &amp;quot;This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.&amp;quot;[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists may also have an effect on society at large (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9405/254&quot;&gt;Did the Buddha try to effect social change?&lt;/a&gt;) and includes advice for laypeople who continue to live within society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana#Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahayana Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; includes the concept of not only liberating yourself but also &amp;quot;changing the word&amp;quot; (e.g. liberating &amp;quot;all other sentient beings&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;If Buddhism values finding peace within yourself, how is each person finding peace among themselves going to help change the world?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the better, presumably.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way is that the purpose of &amp;quot;virtue&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lack of remorse&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;. In order to find peace, people may find they need to become more effective (e.g. so they can fulfill &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;their social duties&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama says that happiness comes from making other people happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T12:31:06.453" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-09T08:52:15.197" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10716" CreationDate="2015-08-09T12:43:17.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My take on what Daniel is trying to describe here is a deepening appreciation of the granularity of perception. The use of the word 'vibrations' in this context is a bit unorthodox hence your search coming up short. In some of Burmese Vipassana traditions, emphasis is placed on the experiencing of arising and passing of phenomena at very subtle levels. In this context this is a powerful insight practice into impermanence at a fundamental level - arising and (complete) cessation. Ajahn Brahm mentions this in Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond (p. 203):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One now realizes that just as the stream of consciousness is granular, so is that component of the stream that is the citta. As noted earlier, sand on a beach appears continuous. Looking closely, however, one sees that the beach consists of tiny grains of silica. Looking even closer, one can see spaces between each grain, so that they aren’t even touching. The citta has this same granular quality. Instead of appearing as a continuous entity, it is now clearly recognized as made up of series of individual “knowings,” cittas or mind events, packed closely together and related to their neighbors by cause and effect. One can even discern that there is a gap between the mind events, between each knowing, where the citta has completely vanished from existence for a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Awareness of the granular nature of reality is not immediately obvious and Daniel's practice of the two-finger technique cleverly serves to concentrate the mind to notice at increasing frequency the arising of the perception one finger and then the other. Mahasi Sayadaw's noting technique has the same effect but is more open ended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it at unusual exercise? It seems to take 'two-pointed concentration' as its object, which I haven't ever read about before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is an unusual practice. I certainly haven't seen reference to it anywhere else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it some hybrid/mixture of insight and concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Kanika Samadhi - moment-to-moment concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are you aware of any specific advantages or disadvantages of this technique (or, whether and when it ought to be recommended or not recommended)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like noting, I find the technique very useful in developing Kanika which in turn is essential for insight practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note:- having been on a Goenka retreat myself, the use of the word 'vibrations' in a Goenka context is different. Goenka actively discourages noting as a technique. According to Goenka, noting increases our separation from raw sensate experience. From what I could glean from the Goenka discourses, what we experience at subtler and subtler levels beyond the gross bodily sensations are Kalapas (he actually uses this term and sticks to the Visuddhimagga doctrine that they extremely fast vibrations - billions of time per sec - of subtle reality). Our experience of these sensations at a body level has a vibratory quality to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T12:43:17.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2015-08-09T14:11:48.780" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, we take such things as &lt;em&gt;expression devices&lt;/em&gt; - not literal instructions. In this case clenched teeth are a pointer to &lt;em&gt;great effort&lt;/em&gt;, great application of willpower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objectives of samatha are to disidentify from the mind, to learn to control attention, to acquire concentration/willpower, to integrate the disjointed layers of psyche, and generally to attain a &quot;tamed&quot;, &quot;pliable&quot; mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is towards these that we apply the great effort. Especially when the inappropriate thoughts arise, and if other techniques did not work (such as switching attention to antidotes and other techniques described in that sutra), as a last resort, we apply the sheer willpower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T14:11:48.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10682" CreationDate="2015-08-09T14:19:15.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha comes from mismatch between &quot;what is&quot; and what you think &quot;should be&quot;. Keep repeating this until it sinks in :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T14:19:15.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2015-08-09T16:24:42.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes I have heard this, was taught by a Theravada teacher in Sri Lanka.&#xA;I am not sure how it works, in fact I cannot explain in neurological terms. However I know serotonin helps to go back to the thing we want to do, to concentrate on. Serotonin can be increased by physical activity, I do not whether pressing tongue does that, but there must be a mechanism behind. According to the sutta, this method is the last resort to be used when a distraction comes to mind when the practitioner attends to a particular or useful theme. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T16:24:42.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2015-08-09T16:40:05.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having the tongue pressed against the roof is standard practice through all traditions. This is basic meditation advice, part of 9-step preparation for meditation, because of the way the chi channels connect, this is good for one's health and growth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clenching one's teeth on the other hand I have only read in the suttas as a &quot;last resort&quot; in eliminating and resisting distractions/temptations.&#xA;It should be taken as a literary device expressing the Buddha's compassion for our suffering and his urging for us to head straight to what we seek, rather than be side-tracked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-08-09T16:40:05.213" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10726" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10733" CreationDate="2015-08-10T04:47:15.410" Score="6" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we practice mindfulness we notice our mental habit and mental pattern. What makes us angry, jealous, greedy, etc.. My question is, when you notice them, do you change it to positive mental quality or just watch it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone angry for 'no reason', but actually there is a reason if one keeps the mindfulness. With mindfulness, we realize that the trigger of the anger is for example a certain situation happened yesterday. By realizing this we are no longer angry. Is this also a practice of mindfulness or analyzing? Which one is the correct practice? Thanks all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:24:20.197" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T14:24:20.197" Title="Mindfulness and mental habits" Tags="|theravada|mindfulness|mind-states|habits|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2131" CreationDate="2015-08-10T06:26:33.117" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Navayana Buddhism is critical and radical movement towards building new society which is devoid of caste, class and other forms of inequality: a society which practices liberty, equality and fraternity in its true spirit based on Dhamma alternative to marxist ideology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more understanding read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ambedkar.org/ambcd/20.Buddha%20or%20Karl%20Marx.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha or Karl Marx&lt;/a&gt; on the ambedkar.org web site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5661" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-10T07:53:14.557" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T07:53:14.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10729" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-10T08:45:58.680" Score="4" ViewCount="253" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to understand in the short and simple how to deal in the daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I have the emotion and I feel the sensation i.e. cold in my palm, what should I do next?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I aware that this feeling cold will be gone sometime later. But how do I know that I do not react to that sensation blindly? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking forward to see your answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With a lot of metta,&#xA;PP&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5664" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-14T17:54:44.403" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T17:54:44.403" Title="How to maintenance equanimity in the daily life?" Tags="|daily-life|equanimity|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10729" CreationDate="2015-08-10T10:09:18.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If, during your formal practice, you are able to purify the mind of the hindrances then you can apply that level of concentration and purity of mind to experiences outside of formal meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Purity of mind means that you are able to attend to a sensation without adding stories to it that are rooted in the hindrances to mindfulness (attachment, aversion, doubt, worry and slackness/laziness/lethargy of body and mind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have warm hands and you say, &quot;I like warm hands; they are so pleasurable!&quot; That is attachment . . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you observe cold hands and you say/think something like, &quot;I hate cold hands.&quot; That is the hindrance of aversion . . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your hands are cold and you ignore mindfulness because you do not believe it is beneficial then you have doubt about the practice . . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have cold hands and you say something like, &quot;I am scared, what will happen if my hands get too cold, I could get hurt and experience painfulness.&quot; That is worry . . .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind becomes sluggish and ignores the sensation because of that sluggishness then you have lethargy of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of saying or thinking any of these things you should simply observe the sensation in the hands. If you can not do this it is a sign that there is still work to be done in regards to purifying your mind. If those thoughts arise notice them, then let them go and try to return to observing the bare sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2015-08-10T10:21:47.350" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T10:21:47.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2015-08-10T11:01:08.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Retreats run by monastics in the Theravada tradition of Ajahn Chah, tend to be free to all. For instance, I have heard that about 25% of the participants at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/retreat-centre/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Amaravati Retreat Centre&lt;/a&gt; are unable to (or otherwise chose not to) donate anything, which is fully accepted by the retreat center. On the other hand, retreatants tend to be generous and donate more than the cost of their own participation, also covering the costs of those unable to donate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is worth noting that the Buddhist teachings encourage generosity, for the benefit of both donors and recipients. The size and type of donation is up to each of us. Available means to each of us is different, and depends on both what we have available and what we are willing to donate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many retreat centers allow for work as a form of payment/donation, but the ones in the Ajahn Chah tradition also allow anyone to participate (although I would encourage to see specifics for each monastery or retreat center to verify). Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/about/associated-monasteries/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;map of associated monasteries&lt;/a&gt; you can check to see about their retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you the best in your practice and for your retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="89" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T11:01:08.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10732" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10736" CreationDate="2015-08-10T13:24:04.327" Score="3" ViewCount="640" Body="&lt;p&gt;An &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat#In_Therav.C4.81da_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;arahant&lt;/a&gt; is one who has eradicated all defilements and broken all &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Lists_of_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 fetters&lt;/a&gt;, namely &lt;em&gt;sensual desire and conceit&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would an arahant mention that he is one and does the texts say anything about the purpose of mentioning that one is an arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-10T14:58:27.563" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:24:59.230" Title="Does an arahant ever reveal that he is an arahant?" Tags="|arahant|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10726" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:12:49.713" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In mindfulness, we try to stay in the present moment, being aware of what we are doing and experiencing right here and right now. For the most part, the things that upset us are things that happened in the past, even if the past was just 5 minutes ago. Dwelling on the past would be outside of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great dhamma talk I've read on this subject is from Ajahn Sumedo called &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhismnow.com/2014/09/18/in-the-moment-of-mindfulness-there-is-no-suffering-by-ajahn-sumedho/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In the moment of mindfulness, there is no suffering.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the moment of mindfulness, there is no suffering. I can’t find any suffering in mindfulness; it’s impossible; there’s absolutely none. But when there’s heedlessness, there is a lot of suffering in my mind. If I give in to grasping things, to wanting things, to following emotions or doubts and worries and being caught up in things like that—then there is suffering. It all begins from my grasping. But when there is mindfulness and right understanding, then I can’t find any suffering at all in this moment, now. This is about this moment here and now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I encourage you to read the rest of the dhamma talk to be inspired to try to live in this present moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding realizing you are upset about something that occurred in the past, the simple technique of noting and observing your feeling, such as noting &quot;angry...angry&quot; or &quot;disappointed...disappointed&quot; without replaying in your mind the incident which made you angry or disappointed can help you see that feelings such as these are fleeting and impermanent. They come and go and we can help ourselves see their impermanent nature by not &quot;feeding&quot; them with overthinking them or dwelling in the past but remaining in the present moment and impartially observing that feelings arise and cease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:12:49.713" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10734" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:16:02.490" Score="3" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Anguttara Nikaya it is said that by possessing seven qualities one can attain direct knowledge of the Four Analytical Knowledges:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;41&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mastery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, possessing seven qualities, Sāriputta exercises mastery over his mind and is not a servant of his mind. What seven? Here, (1) Sāriputta is skilled in concentration, (2) skilled in the attainment of concentration, (3) skilled in the duration of concentration, (4) skilled in emergence from concentration, (5) skilled in fitness for concentration, (6) skilled in the area of concentration, and (7) skilled in resolution regarding concentra- tion. Possessing these seven qualities, Sāriputta exercises mas- tery over his mind and is not a servant of his mind&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, when he possessed seven qualities, Sāriputta realized for himself with direct knowledge the four analytical knowledges&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- T&lt;em&gt;he Numerical Discourses of the Buddha - A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: The Book of the Sevens, Sutta 39, p. 1023&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the Four Analytical Knowledges?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:17:05.507" Title="Differences in attainments among Arahants" Tags="|arahant|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10734" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:17:05.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali Canon Study &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/desilva/wheel407.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Nibbana as Living Experience / The Buddha and The Arahant&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Lily de Silva a well described section on the Four Analytical Knowledges can be found. Here is a quote from the study:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among arahants too there are differences in attainment. In one place the Buddha states that in a group of 500 monks sixty are arahants with the six higher knowledges (cha.labhi~n~naa), sixty are arahants with the three clear knowledges (tevijjaa), another sixty are arahants liberated from both parts (ubhatobhaagavimutta), while the rest are arahants liberated by wisdom (pa~n~naavimutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The highest qualifications among arahants are the six higher knowledges (cha.labhi~n~naa) and the four analytical knowledges (catupa.tisambhidaa) . The former comprise psychic powers, the divine ear, thought reading, retrocognition (the ability to recall one's former births), clairvoyance (the ability to see beings dying and being reborn according to their kamma), and the knowledge of the destruction of defilements. The four analytical knowledges comprise insight into the meaning of words (attha), truth (dhamma), use of language (nirutti), and originality of ideas (pa.tibhaana) . They seem to pivot round the ability to teach the Dhamma through the medium of verbal communication with appealing and meaningful ways of presentation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some arahants are endowed with the special accomplishment of the fourfold analytical knowledge (pa.tisambhidaa-~naa.na), which qualifies them even more thoroughly for creative work. These are spelt out as analytical knowledge of the meaning or goal, profound truth, language or the medium of communication, and originality of expression (attha, dhamma, nirutti, pa.tibhaana). These four special qualifications make arahants experts in communicating to their audience the exact meanings and goals of the profound truths they have discovered, through the medium of refined language, using their own original modes of expression such as eloquent similes, metaphors, etc. Several arahants, both male and female, are recorded as eloquent speakers and erudite exponents of the Dhamma. Special mention must be made of the Theragaathaa and Theriigaathaa, which comprise poems of exquisite beauty. They are utterances of monks and nuns embodying their varied experiences. Literary critics rank them among the best lyrics in Indian literature. They remain unrivalled in the literary history of the world as creative writing issuing forth from the undefiled purity of the human heart and the nobility of human wisdom. They are ever-fresh fountains of inspiration to the truth-seeker and lasting monuments to the creative genius of the liberated beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information on this topic there is a comprehensive and detailed exposition called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/catu/catu00.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Fourfold Analytical Knowledge in Pali Literature&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Kusalaguṇa. Here is a quote from the &lt;em&gt;abstract&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourfold analytical knowledge (catu-paṭisambhidā) is an integrated set of knowledge gained by the noble persons (ariya) who had developed necessary conditions eligible for this distinctive attainment. The fourfold analytical knowledge consists of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) The analytical knowledge of result (attha-paṭisambhidā),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) The analytical knowledge of cause (dhamma-paṭisambhidā),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) The analytical knowledge of language (nirutti-paṭisambhidā), and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) The analytical knowledge of knowledge (paṭibhāna-paṭisambhidā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The noble persons who possess these kinds of knowledge are able to penetratingly understand the four types of ultimate realities (paramattha-dhammā), namely, consciousness (citta), mental concomitants (cetasika), matters (rūpa) and Nibbāna, the unconditioned element, and are capable of elucidating them with lucid language and exposition. The Buddha, Venerable Sāriputta and other great noble disciples were real legends in this field of comprehension and explanatory dexterity, as evidently described in the Pāḷi literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the fourfold analytical knowledge possesses different analyticities. The analytical knowledge of result has the power to understand fully the so-called resultant phenomena including all cause-produced things, meanings of the Buddha’s Word classified into nine categories such as sutta (discourses in prose), geyya (discourses in prose and verse) and so on, and the unconditioned element, Nibbāna. Similarly, the analytical knowledge of cause has the ability to know various causative phenomena that comprise all result-generating causes, the Buddha’s Word, and the Noble Path leading to the realization of Nibbāna. The analytical knowledge of language, on the other hand, is endowed with the capability of recognizing the grammatically correct usage and the grammatically incorrect usage of Pāḷi language, and is able to understand a wide range of Pāḷi terminologies connected with the ultimate realities. The analytical knowledge of knowledge is, however, capable of taking the foregoing knowledge as objects, and of comprehending their functional activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The attainment of the fourfold analytical knowledge is nothing but the accomplishment of collectively conditioning factors accumulated in both the past and present lives. The eight conditions must be fulfilled in order to give rise to the fourfold analytical knowledge, they are: attainment of the highest mundane insight knowledge (knowledge of equanimity towards formations) in the past lives, great erudition, proficiency of dialects, knowledge of Scriptures, inquiry, attainment of the Noble Path, association with teachers, and acquisition of good friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:17:05.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10732" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:24:59.230" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the Buddha said he was an Arahant. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in Isipatana, to where the group of five monks were staying. From afar they saw me coming and, on seeing me, made a pact with one another, (saying,) 'Friends, here comes Gotama the contemplative: living luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance. He doesn't deserve to be bowed down to, to be greeted by standing up, or to have his robe &amp;amp; bowl received. Still, a seat should be set out; if he wants to, he can sit down.' But as I approached, they were unable to keep to their pact. One, standing up to greet me, received my robe &amp;amp; bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata  by name and as &amp;quot;friend.&amp;quot; The Tathagata, friends, &lt;strong&gt;is a worthy one&lt;/strong&gt;, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach &amp;amp; remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing &amp;amp; realizing it for yourselves in the here &amp;amp; now.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi translates &amp;quot;is a worthy one&amp;quot; in this sentence as &amp;quot;is an Arahant&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thereupon I told them: 'Monks, do not address the Tathagata by name and as &amp;quot;friend.&amp;quot; The Tathagata &lt;strong&gt;is an Arahant&lt;/strong&gt;, a Perfectly Enlightened One. Listen, monks, the Deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you, I shall teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as you are instructed, by realizing it for yourselves here and now through direct knowledge you will soon enter and dwell in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the reason was to persuade the five to listen to his teaching, to benefit them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI page 136 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would have led some people to&#xA;remain secretly convinced of Ven. Dabba Mallaputta’s guilt and—because he was&#xA;an arahant—would have been for their long-term detriment and harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which might imply that someone who is (secretly or not-so-secretly) against an arahant would be so to their detriment. So might that perhaps be another reason for an aharant's &amp;quot;revelation&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 86 through 98 explains the following rule,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhu, without direct knowledge, &lt;strong&gt;claim a superior human state&lt;/strong&gt;, a truly&#xA;noble knowledge and vision, as present in himself, saying, “Thus do I know; thus do I&#xA;see,” such that regardless of whether or not he is cross-examined on a later occasion,&#xA;he—being remorseful and desirous of purification—might say, “Friends, not knowing, I&#xA;said I know; not seeing, I said I see—vainly, falsely, idly,” unless it was from overestimation,&#xA;he also &lt;strong&gt;is defeated and no longer in affiliation&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I suppose the rule is to forbid knowingly lying about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might be another rule for not saying such a thing to a lay person (page 92),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Claiming a superior human state that one mistakenly thinks one&#xA;has achieved is no offense under this rule, although if addressed to a lay person&#xA;the claim would come under Pc 8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that &amp;quot;superior human state&amp;quot; is not just &amp;quot;being an aharant&amp;quot; but also attainments of &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;, fruits of the path, abandoning defilements, being free from hindrances, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:24:59.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10737" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10738" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:30:45.937" Score="3" ViewCount="980" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm aware of a story in the Pali Canon where a monk commited suicide by slitting his throat and achieved arahantship at the moment of death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where in the texts can i find this story?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-10T16:07:33.710" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T01:27:55.917" Title="Arahants and suicide" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|suicide|arahant|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10737" CreationDate="2015-08-10T15:35:59.883" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There might be something along those lines in SN 4.23 &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn4.23&quot;&gt;Godhika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 85 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Rules&#xA;Translated &amp;amp; Explained&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Case (b) is apparently derived from SN 4.23, where Ven.&#xA;  Godhika takes his life and gains arahantship just moments before death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T15:35:59.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10705" CreationDate="2015-08-10T17:34:54.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I understand this question, this might be a diffuse perception of the skhandas, as these are the groupings that might better translate as the identity constructs (in the modern sense).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, i'm not sure there is a word or discussion of identity disorders (if that is what you're referring to) -- i've never seeing this being discussed in any text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have seen (modern) people talk about supposed risks of mindfulness meditation for people with specific mental disorders who already have difficulties with making sense and perceiving or associating (or too inclined to disassociate) certain things. But whether these are real risks of what specific practice and to whom exactly i'm not sure (e.g. some researchers do advocate mindfulness meditation to people with specific identity disorders). This is the closest link to buddhism and this lack of self identity i've heard of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:49:24.763" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:49:24.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2015-08-10T22:59:36.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Insight Meditation Society in Massachussettes offers work to help with retreats in exchange for room and board plus a retirement package. You can find out more here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;IMS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-08-10T22:59:36.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10741" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-11T01:02:15.773" Score="8" ViewCount="1330" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was unable to meditate today and this left me feeling frustrated, disappointed and anxious about my practice. This type of emotional reaction seems equivalent to what occurs when one is prevented from gratifying one's sensual desires. So, I am concerned about a potential addiction to meditation practice. Did the Buddha have anything to say about this? If not, any advice from others? Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-08-11T16:03:24.553" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T16:58:23.223" Title="Did the Buddha say anything about attachment to meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|meditation-hindrances|attachment|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10741" CreationDate="2015-08-11T02:32:50.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is &quot;addicted&quot; to meditation or feels like one's sensual pleasure isn't satisfied, then one's probably been doing it wrong. However, in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn52&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 52&lt;/a&gt;, Ven. Ananda mentioned a subtle kind of &quot;delight&quot; during jhana which prevents the meditator from attaining Arahantship. Instead s/he only reaches Non-returning and due to reappear in the Pure Abodes to attain final Nibbana there:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, householder, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This first jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T02:32:50.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10741" CreationDate="2015-08-11T03:14:26.397" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the branch Bodhisattva vows is this : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; Regarding the taste of bliss from gaining mental stability as its main advantage&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Normally, we tie up a great deal of our energies in nervousness,&#xA;  worry, indecision, thoughts of longing or resentment, and so on, or&#xA;  weigh them down with dullness and sleepiness. As we concentrate and&#xA;  absorb our minds ever deeper, we release ever greater amounts of this&#xA;  energy. We experience this as a feeling of physical and mental bliss.&#xA;  The stronger that bliss, the further it draws us into absorption. For&#xA;  this reason, in anuttarayoga tantra, we generate and use even more&#xA;  intense blissful states of mind than those gained merely from perfect&#xA;  concentration, in order to reach subtlest clear light mental activity&#xA;  and absorb it in the understanding of voidness. If we become attached&#xA;  to the taste of bliss we gain at any stage of developing mental&#xA;  stability, whether or not in conjunction with tantra practice, and we&#xA;  regard enjoying the pleasure we gain from that bliss as the main goal&#xA;  of our practice, we seriously hinder our development of far-reaching&#xA;  stability of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this was not exactly your problem the two are similar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another advice I've received from a past teacher is to rotate my meditation types. Do each for about a month, and then rotate to the next one. &#xA;Sometimes practice goes well, sometimes it does not. &#xA;When it does not, watch your mind even in its reaction to the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not cling to any expected result, just accept what is... &#xA;Even though it is not a buddhist text I'll quote the Bhagavad Gita here as it is relavent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not those who lack energy or refrain from action, but those who work without expectation of reward who attain the goal of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I unfortunately do not have any direct quotes from the Buddha in my mind on this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T03:14:26.397" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10741" CreationDate="2015-08-11T06:50:52.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the &quot;wanting&quot; of the meditation session to be like this or like that that produces the dissapointment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not getting what we want, we get frustrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the practice is about letting go, when you see this &quot;wanting&quot;, let go of it, things already are the way they are so just be with the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the conditions are right, the results will appear without wanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you should read the &quot;Teachings of Ajahn Chah&quot; or other meditation masters, where you will find great advice for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-08-11T07:02:32.363" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T07:02:32.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10741" CreationDate="2015-08-11T07:20:17.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditation isn't proceeding properly one must always investigate if there are conditions that prevent meditation - such as a &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; transgression, or a non-ideal meditation environment &lt;em&gt;(very hard to meditate on an ant hill)&lt;/em&gt; or a full stomach or something else. If so, then these must be attended to, for trying to meditate when it isn't possible will lead to frustration in most people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if everything is correct and still meditation does not come, then just accept it as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Ajahn Brahm likes to say that for weekly labor the wage day is Saturday, but one has to work all week to collect the wages. Like that, in meditation one can have several unsatisfactory meditations and then a perfect session follows. The unsatisfactory was a prerequisite for the satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm unable to dig up exact quotes, maybe I'll add them later when I find them - but here's some more of what I remember.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha considers attachment to the jhanas a kind of wholesome attachment since one can do no wrong while in a jhana, and frequent immersion in the jhanas makes one seek out this state of perfection when not in jhana. However when one has attained the &lt;em&gt;ariya&lt;/em&gt; states one will know to let go of this attachment too in order to proceed to the higher states.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Frustration at not being able to meditate is wholesome initially when one is still perfecting one's technique and is good for building up one's &lt;em&gt;viriya&lt;/em&gt; or resolve and energy to meditate. However, as one's progress continues and one is no longer a beginner this frustration becomes a serious impediment and must be let go.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Make your aversion to non-meditation an object of meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; Often times the aversion and loathing at being unable to perform as expected is the strongest emotion in the body at that time - so it is a perfect object for Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Samatha practice pretty good determination is necessary, so when the mind wanders it is good to correct the straying - a different approach from Vipassana where momentary concentration or khanika samadhi is enough. Like a horse rider who uses the spurs to good effect but not so much as to hurt the horse.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T07:20:17.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10746" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-11T13:41:39.650" Score="9" ViewCount="2027" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a questions that often comes up when I visit study groups, particularly when the subject of everyone practicing like a monk/nun comes up. Wouldn't monastics be allowed to farm-just enough for sustenance?  It seems extreme that they would just starve because no one fed them. My understanding was that the food offering was mostly established for the lay people to have an opportunity  to give and gain merit, but I may be wrong. Is there a canonical reference saying monastics can only eat if given food? What did they do before the order was fully established? What about forest monastics who go of for extended periods alone? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="5250" LastEditDate="2015-08-11T15:14:40.830" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T05:39:13.200" Title="What if there was no one to offer food to monastics?" Tags="|theravada|monasticism|food|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2015-08-11T14:28:05.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What if there was no one to offer food to monastics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If such a scenario occured their might be held a world wide Buddhist Counsil in order to establish some new rules for monastics, e.g. that they could now grow their own food in the right amount and with all precautions taken so that they would do the smallest amount of harm possible to living beings and to Nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other option is that nothing would be done. It would just be seen for what it is, i.e. an absence of food. The dying process is not much different than the living process. It's still a combination of &lt;em&gt;seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a canonical reference saying monastics can only eat if given food?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is this rule in the &quot;Food Chapter&quot; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#pc-part4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Pāṭimokkha - The Bhikkhus' Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;40. Should any bhikkhu take into his mouth an edible that has not been given — except for water and tooth-cleaning sticks — it is to be confessed&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rule says that it is an offence to eat food that is not given.&#xA;There might be other rules and canonical references too. I just do not have knowledge about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about forest monastics who go of four extended periods alone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once listened to a dhamma talk by Ajahn Brahmali. He told that when Ajahn Brahmavamso went to into a 6 month solitude retreat the other monks brought Ajahn Brahm his food. They would place it outside his hut and then when they were gone he would come out and take it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-11T14:44:50.780" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T14:44:50.780" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2015-08-11T14:45:16.637" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several monastic orders that currently allow monks to cook their own food, but usually there is a lay community that donates the cash or food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know of anyone who starved merely because there was no one to offer food. The Vinaya is real but so is reality. I think most will find an empty stomach is more real than the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case the making an honest living, if absolutely necessary isn't a parajika offense - a monastic may prove to his/her peers that it was essential to earn money, and if the peers agree, there is no penalty. Even if it is found to be an honest mistake, it won't be treated as harshly as if one had broken a parajika vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The four transgressions which incur a Parajika, the penalty of&#xA;  automatic disrobal, are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Engaging in sexual intercourse with another being of either sex.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stealing something of value (which includes smuggling, cheating or deliberately avoiding payment of a tax).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Purposely killing a human being or encouraging him or her to commit suicide (this includes inciting another to murder somebody and it also&#xA;  includes convincing a woman to have an abortion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Boasting that one has realised a high spiritual attainment, knowing that one is lying. For example, claiming to be enlightened, to be&#xA;  Maitreya Buddha, to have entered Jhana (deep meditation-ecstasy) or&#xA;  that one can read minds when one knows that one hasn't reached any of&#xA;  these states.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut019.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut019.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T14:45:16.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10741" CreationDate="2015-08-11T15:19:59.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you had an expectation and when that expectation were not met it resulted in suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a way it's actually a good thing that you experienced this. You have now experienced the pain and suffering attachment will bring us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reality is in a constant flux. It is ever changing and impermanent. That is why an expectation might not be met. We wish we could meditate for 1 hour today. Then something happens that changes our plans and prevents us from being able to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is reality hitting us. That is the impermanent and ungovernable nature of reality right there. If we have attachment and wanting we will suffer. If we wish for reality to be different from what it is we will suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then what do to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When these things happen to us and when feelings of anxiety, frustration, disappointment etc. arise they should be made into objects of observation. This way one will take away their fuel. By having aversion towards them they will only grow bigger and stronger. By instead turning them into objects of observation you can cultivate insight from them. Use them as stepping stones for progressing in your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;SN 46: Bojjhanga-samyutta&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; the Buddha talks about how one can &lt;em&gt;nourish&lt;/em&gt; the hindrances, here the hindrance of Ill-will and how one can &lt;em&gt;denourish&lt;/em&gt; the hindrance of Ill-will:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The nutriments for the hindrances&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what, bhikkhus, is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen ill will and for the increase and expansion of arisen in will? There is, bhikkhus, the sign of the repulsive: frequently giv­ing careless attention to it is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen ill will and for the increase and expansion of arisen ill will&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The denourishment of the hindrances&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what, bhikkhus, is the denourishment that prevents unarisen ill will from arising and arisen ill will from increasing and expanding? There is, bhikkhus, the liberation of mind through lovingkindness: frequently giving careful attention to it is the denourishment that prevents unarisen ill will from arising and arisen ill will from increasing and expanding&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;The Connected Discourses of the Buddha - A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, SN 46, p. 1597-1600&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to what i wrote let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T16:58:23.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2015-08-11T15:37:34.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even when the Dhamma was at its peak (the time of Gautama Buddha ~ 2500 years ago), not everyone became monks and nuns. What would be the odds of all humans practicing like monks and nuns in this day and age?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-08-11T15:37:34.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10751" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10764" CreationDate="2015-08-11T18:26:13.963" Score="7" ViewCount="656" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism as I have been taught it, the mind is included as part of the six senses. So in contrast with the 'normal' five senses we have those five plus mind giving us six. However mind still feels different in some way to the other senses. Is there anywhere in the Buddhist texts where it is acknowledged that mind is in some way special or separate from the other senses. Or is that just an illusion and closer reflection would reveal that actually it is no more different to the others than hearing or vision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T16:43:49.107" Title="Is the mind different from the other 'six senses'?" Tags="|philosophy|experiential|six-senses|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10752" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10754" CreationDate="2015-08-11T18:31:38.027" Score="6" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the site I often read posts referencing gurus. My Buddhist group (&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/what-triratna-buddhist-community&quot;&gt;Triratna&lt;/a&gt;) doesn't really have a concept of gurus - certainly no-one uses the term. Which traditions have gurus? I most associate it with Tibetan Buddhism but I could be wrong in that. Also is there an difference between a Buddhist teacher and a guru or are they really just the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T02:48:27.577" Title="Which traditions have gurus?" Tags="|terminology|teachers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10753" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-11T21:24:55.660" Score="3" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada_(Radhakrishnan_translation)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Radhakrishnan's edition of The Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; provides the following quotation from Buddhaghosa as a commentary on Verse 179 (Chapt, 14, 1 Buddhavagga) where the Buddha is described as &lt;em&gt;apadam&lt;/em&gt; trackless/signless:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The man who is possessed of even a single one of such conditions as&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;raga&lt;/em&gt;, attachment, &amp;amp;c., him ye can lead forward; but the Buddha has not even one condition or basis of renewed existence, and therefore by&#xA;  what track will you lead this unconditioned Buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could anyone tell me the source of this quotation and also provide me with the Pali?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5588" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-12T07:21:04.387" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T10:48:21.180" Title="Source of quotation from Buddhaghosa about Buddha being trackless" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10752" CreationDate="2015-08-12T01:23:04.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not only in Tibetan Buddhism, they also have gurus in Zen Buddhism but there they are addressed as masters (sifu, sensei, sabunim etc). What counts is not a name but the personal relationship of mentorship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose &quot;mentor&quot; would be a better term than &quot;teacher&quot;. Other options I like include &quot;preceptor&quot; and &quot;benefactor&quot;. As was explained to me by one of my spiritual guides, a Chinese practitioner of Vajrayana, the word &quot;teacher&quot; emphasizes transfer of information, while &quot;guru&quot; stresses the upbringing / personal transformation aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan schools, esp. in Vajrayana they go as far as to say that the faith in one's guru is single most important factor of Enlightenment, and make guru-yoga, practice of deliberate worship of one's guru, the foundation of all other practices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The official term preferred by Tibetan texts is &quot;kalyanamitra&quot;, spiritual friend. This is supposed to make it sound a little more democratic than the overly patriarchal &quot;guru&quot;, although in practice the relationship is rarely as personal as a real friendship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nice Wikipedia article on &lt;em&gt;Kalyāṇa-mittatā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, which mentions an early occurrence of this special interpretation of spiritual friendship in Visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is also a Pali Canon quote that defines spiritual counseling (DN 31):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mentor (&lt;em&gt;atthakkhayi&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;the shower of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;goal&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) is known by four things to be a goodhearted friend (&lt;em&gt;suhada mitta&lt;/em&gt;):  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he restrains you from wrongdoing,  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he guides you towards doing good,  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he lets you know what you did not know before,  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he points out the path to heaven.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I suppose personal mentorship is not just a Mahayana thing if it can be traced back to Pali Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-12T02:48:27.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T02:48:27.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2015-08-12T06:59:28.773" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Thich Nhat Hanh's &quot;The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings&quot; this is a mistake in transmission:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.se/books?id=XJkmCgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA14&amp;amp;lpg=PA14&amp;amp;dq=heart+of+the+buddha%27s+teaching+%22Why+don%27t+I+grit+my%22&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=FZ8KTKK4jV&amp;amp;sig=NVGDFoCbza0ZSdJK6DIBP-Tbb1A&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCUQ6AEwAWoVChMI3s-f9vqixwIVQc9yCh2TRg0E#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=heart%20of%20the%20buddha%27s%20teaching%20%22Why%20don%27t%20I%20grit%20my%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;page 13-15 on google books&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;In reality he was asking us &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; to do this!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book quotes the Mahasaccaka Sutta, which contains a passage in which the Buddha said that &lt;em&gt;he&lt;/em&gt; tried this technique unsuccessfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even during the Buddha's lifetime, there were people such as the monk Arittha, who misunderstood the Buddha's teachings and conveyed them incorrectly (see the Arittha sutta). It is also apparent that some of the monks who memorized the sutras over the centuries did not understand their deepest meaning, or at the very least, they forgot or changed some words. As a result, some of the Buddha's teachings were distorted even before they were written down. Before the Buddha attained full realization of the path, for example, he tried various methods to suppress his mind, and they did not work. In one discourse (the &lt;em&gt;Mahasaccaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;), he recounted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought, Why don't I grit my teeth, press my tongue against my palate, and use my mind to repress my mind?&#xA;    Then, as a wrestler might take hold of the head or the shoulders of someone weaker than he, and, in order to restrain and coerce that person, he has to hold him down constantly without letting go for a moment, so I gritted my teeth, pressed my tongue against my palate, and used my mind to suppress my mind.&#xA;    As I did this, I was bathed in sweat.&#xA;    Although I was not lacking in strength, although I maintained mindfulness and did not fall from mindfulness, my body and my mind were not at peace, and I was exhausted by these efforts, This practice caused other feelings of pain to arise in me besides the pain associated with the austerities, and I was not able to tame my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Obviously the Buddha was telling us not to practice in this way.&#xA;  Yet this passage was later inserted into other discourses to convey exactly the opposite meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Just as a wrestler ... use his mind to defeat his mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Often we need to study several discourses and compare them in order to understand which is the true teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-12T08:03:14.963" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T08:03:14.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10756" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-12T07:42:23.323" Score="3" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The practice of precepts helps one to cultivate five ennobling virtues which correspond to each of the precepts. The first is the cultivation of compassion; the second, generosity and non-attachment; the third, contentment; the fourth truthfulness; and the fifth, mindfulness and clarity of the mind.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found this quote with a reference to &lt;em&gt;The Five Precepts and the Five Ennoblers (pañcasīla-pañcadhamma)&lt;/em&gt; by Prince Vajirañāṇavarorasa --&#xA;but I can't locate the text anywhere or find anything about it. Can any one shed some light on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5588" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T16:59:17.693" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T18:18:50.737" Title="What is the origin of the Five Enobling Virtues?" Tags="|reference-request|five-precepts|sila|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7453" CreationDate="2015-08-12T08:27:28.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While doing some reading I noticed the following which may shed more light on you question. Pa Auk Sayadaw and Tina Rasmussen teach that returning to bhavanga-consciousness between jhana states allows a review of the jhana factors that were present in the jhana which, according to them, is not possible when absorbed in jhana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You examine the bhavanga with the wisdom eye after exiting jhana and before entering the next higher jhana to determine which jhana factors are, or were, present. It is impossible to examine the jhana factors or bhavanga while in jhana because in jhana there is no volition or thinking. When you are checking the jhana factors, you are in access concentration, not absorbtion.&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Practicing the Jhanas by Tina Rasmussen (p.77)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books10/Pa_Auk_Sayadaw-Mindfulness_of_Breathing.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw - Mindfulness of Breathing (p.7)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once one can maintain the first jhana for about two or three hours, one may try to discern the five jhana factors. Whenever one emerges from jhana, one discerns the area in one's heart where the bhavanga-consciousness rests: that is the heart-materiality. The bhavanga-consciousness is bright and&#xA;  luminous, and looks like a mirror in the heart: that is the mind-door. And when one discerns the mind-door, one will see the anapana-patibhaga-nimitta appear there. Then one discerns the five jhana factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T08:27:28.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10758" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-12T08:49:50.577" Score="10" ViewCount="1535" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it difficult to meditate without guidance. I wish to use guided meditations for my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How effective are guided meditation sessions in achieving the benefits of meditation?&#xA;What is the best way to use guided meditations to maximise their benefits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5673" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-12T11:21:11.720" LastActivityDate="2023-01-12T18:05:05.193" Title="How effective are guided meditation sessions in achieving the benefits of meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10759" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10809" CreationDate="2015-08-12T09:05:15.357" Score="6" ViewCount="462" Body="&lt;p&gt;While reading Pa Auk Sayadaw I came across the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The bhavanga-consciousness is bright and luminous, and looks like a mirror in the heart: that is the mind-door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems to have qualities similar to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Dzogchen the fundamental, inherent nature of everything is called the &quot;Ground Luminosity&quot; or the &quot;Mother Luminosity.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these two qualities of mind related?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T11:57:52.400" LastActivityDate="2022-07-08T03:38:56.957" Title="Can bhavanga-consciousness be compared to the non-dual mind-state rigpa?" Tags="|mind-states|nonduality|bhavanga|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2015-08-12T09:33:58.067" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does it work? Does it stimulate certain nerves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Ahmed wrote, it is taught in Tai Chi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When my Tai Chi teacher taught and explained it, it was in terms of Chi flow. His English vocabulary was small and I don't understand Chinese at all, so he could only give a partial verbal explanation. If I recall correctly though, a fairly constant theme of his was that our Chi tends to be too high in our bodies (e.g. up in our heads), and that we should practice bringing it lower (e.g. to centre it around the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dan tien&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people (e.g. some Westerners) dispute whether there even is such a thing as Chi, calling it a &quot;pre-scientific&quot; description etc. Asking &quot;How does it work, physically?&quot; might not get satisfactory answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me it might work as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://martialarts.stackexchange.com/a/5116/5893&quot;&gt;learned compliance technique&lt;/a&gt;. Because I practised it (literally 'practice' i.e. deliberately repeating the same 'form' on many occasions), pressing my tongue to the roof of my mouth triggers many associated awarenesses (i.e. thoughts, movements, body-memories); it's a mnemonic which starts a whole check-list, for example, &quot;head up, chin back, shoulders down, back straight, pelvis forward, knees bent, and connect the direction (in or out) of the breath to the direction (pull or push) of the hands&quot;. So for me it's (at least) a trigger of learned reflexes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, perhaps if (or &lt;em&gt;assuming&lt;/em&gt; that) you have practised that way (with the tongue) then using your tongue will trigger a remembered state from your past practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth, it's a convenient gesture: like putting the palms of your hands together, or touching a thumb to a finger tip, it's almost always available, something that you can do in a moment, whether or not you're sitting down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also a constant physical/sensory reminder: if you do it then you feel it, so it's a feedback loop or a circuit. If your mind would otherwise wander maybe it gives you something to focus your attention on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gesture also blocks your mouth. Maybe (I'm guessing) that helps to prevent not only talking but even &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subvocalization&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;subvocalizing&lt;/a&gt; (of internal monologue), and maybe turn awareness towards breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe too (I don't know, maybe I'm reading the wrong thing into it), in the context of the passage quoted in the OP, maybe it's that even if ever you don't control the arising of &quot;evil, unskillful thoughts&quot; you can at least continue by controlling your tongue and so on i.e. controlling your physical form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:49:44.123" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T09:33:58.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10758" CreationDate="2015-08-12T12:45:42.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the purposes of relaxation, they are very effective.  If your goal is simply to de-stress, then by all means use what works.  Even the Buddha taught a gradual path and tailored his teaching to the station and goals of his audience.  Guided meditation is one shade on a spectrum ranging all the way to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However.  While guided meditation is an excellent way of slowing down mental chatter and decompressing, that's about as far as it will take you.  If you are really interested in Buddhism and wish to meditate for the purposes of developing insight and penetrating into the four noble truths, you have to go past the relaxed state of mind engendered by guided meditation.  You need to develop concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentration can only be developed by you.  It is a choice that you make every moment - a choice to return to the breath when your mind starts to wander.  It's no different than physical exercise.  The more often you make the choice to maintain your concentration, the stronger your meditation becomes.  It also gets much easier with time.  Concentration is also subtle.  While you can use props like a candle or another person's voice, objects like the breath, kasinas, the body, etc. require much more focus and delicate handling.  Too much effort and they dissolve.  If you don't apply enough, they slip away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this doesn't come across as me saying that there is anything necessarily wrong with meditating simply to calm your mind.  Destressing certainly has value.  Just be sure to ask yourself what your goals are.  Your answer will determine how to make the most of your time on the cushion.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T12:45:42.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10763" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10767" CreationDate="2015-08-12T15:41:19.557" Score="39" ViewCount="10905" Body="&lt;p&gt;An extension of this question posted earlier:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10465/how-not-to-kill-the-mouse-in-my-house&quot;&gt;How not to kill the mouse in my house?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where does one draw the line for which forms of life are ok to destroy, and which ones are not? Is it just a calculation of causing the least suffering? A human has a more complex nervous system than a worm, so to reduce his suffering is paramount? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can think of many ways to spin the issue so that the human must allow himself to die, and ways to spin it so that killing living creatures is acceptable. Are there some general guidelines?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5674" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2020-02-17T20:33:09.107" Title="If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms" Tags="|philosophy|ethics|five-precepts|suffering|killing|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10751" CreationDate="2015-08-12T16:43:49.107" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada Buddhism anyway, mind &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; different; it acts as both the receiver of the other five senses, as well as being a sense in and of itself. Meaning the mind can receive objects from any of the physical senses, but it can also receive mental objects. The reception of mental objects is different from receiving physical objects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The six types of cognitive processes are conveniently divided into&#xA;  two groups—the five-door process (pañcadvāravīthi), which includes the&#xA;  five processes occurring at  each of the physical sense  doors; and the&#xA;  mind-door process (manodvāravīthi), which comprises all processes that&#xA;  occur solely at the mind door. Since the bhavanga is also the channel&#xA;  from which the five-door processes  emerge,  the  latter  are sometimes&#xA;  called mixed door processes (missaka-dvāravīthi) as they involve both&#xA;  the mind door and a physical sense door. The processes that occur solely&#xA;  at the mind door are then called bare mind-door processes (suddha-mano-&#xA;  dvāravīthi) since they emerge from the bhavanga alone without the instrumentality of a  physical sense door.  As will be seen, the first five&#xA;  processes all follow a uniform pattern despite the difference in the sense&#xA;  faculty, while the sixth comprises a variety of processes which are alike&#xA;  only in that they occur independently of the external sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since, in regards to the sixth sense, the mind is both the object and the receiver, it my often appear as though the mind is outside of the senses; in a sense it is, since it covers all senses, and acts as receiver for each. The standard understanding is that just as there are six senses, there are also six types of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other ways of looking at reality that may shed light on the subject in a different way, e.g. the five aggregates, the elements, the faculties, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-08-12T16:43:49.107" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2015-08-12T17:53:32.240" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many people that are technically buddhas in this world right now (having removed the four veils, as described in &quot;the luminous mind: the way of the buddha&quot; by Kalu Rinpoche), however, according to the buddhist traditions, there are &quot;founder&quot; buddhas only from time to time. Each &quot;founder&quot; buddha guides many beings to buddhahood, that in turn will guide many beings to buddhahood. By many I don't mean millions, but I guess, without proof, that there are several thousand buddhas right now in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5676" LastEditorUserId="5676" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T20:48:32.040" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T20:48:32.040" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-12T18:08:19.110" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhist Answer.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whichever way you spin it, killing(intentionally) is bad Karma which you will have to pay for at some point in Samsara unless it becomes defunct. You can draw the line anywhere you like, but Karma is Karma. If the tapeworm can be removed without killing, you won't break the precept. Otherwise, you can use it to becomes dispassionate about the body and develop Vipassana. Meditate on your strong desire to live. Killing it will not solve your problem. You can have worse bodily conditions if you were born as an animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there was a farmer who, after having taken his precepts from a respected monk, went to look for his buffalo that had strayed into the forest. Along the way, he was caught by a python. His first thought was to use his axe to kill the snake coiled around him. Then he remembered that he had taken his precepts from a respected monk. The thought came to him for a second time and again he refrained from killing. The third time he was prompted to kill, he threw away his axe. The snake uncoiled itself and freed him! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2018-02-21T16:56:31.763" LastActivityDate="2018-02-21T16:56:31.763" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-12T18:13:53.327" Score="45" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana perspective on social and ecological ethics is based on the high ideals of symbiosis, harmony, and cooperation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the old times there were wandering monks who did not work and lived on alms - in return they shared the nectar of Dharma. They were no parasites. And if some of them were, Buddha encouraged the householders to be selective in choosing which monks to support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Symbiosis is defined as a relationship beneficial to both sides. &lt;em&gt;If the other side starts abusing its privileges to the extent that the relationship starts endangering your health and well-being, you have the right to withdraw your support.&lt;/em&gt; Meaning, you can stop feeding the beneficiary and let it find another sponsor. In the case of mice and other pests, this should be as simple as keeping your house clean and locking out access to food resources. In the case of the parasite, you can go on a 21-day fast; if worse comes to worst you have the right to expel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Trungpa Rinpoche explained, the samsaric approach involves solving the problems brute-force. The problem is solved at a very superficial level, the level of symptoms - but the root cause remains. No matter how much poison you waste on cockroaches, if your kitchen is dirty they'll keep coming back. In contrast with that, the Enlightened approach is to look in depth and solve the underlying problem. Prevent the problem altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Violence is a low-skill approach.&lt;/strong&gt; Instead, all arranged situations have supporting conditions they depend on. To the extent that you can identify and manage the supporting conditions you can control the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T15:54:14.997" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T15:54:14.997" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-13T01:59:27.373" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some thoughts based on my beginner's level knowledge of Buddhism and biology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prohibition on killing is based on the premise that we should not cause suffering. For something to suffer, it needs the capacity to suffer. In modern biological terms, that means an organism needs to have a nervous system and brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Currently it seems biologists don't agree about whether tapeworms have something that could be considered a brain (although they do have a nervous system). Thus, if you think they don't have brains, you might decide they do not suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way of looking at this is that if tapeworms don't have brains they are not sentient, and non-sentient organisms do not suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T01:59:27.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2015-08-13T02:10:28.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't believe that grading sensual experience by how corporale they are is the way one could tackle the question. One can easily have a more sensually rich imaginary intercourse then the one she has in reality. All western succubus/incubus mythology confirms that. In china there is a medical text that describes the cure for a girl that is haunted (frequently visited) by a ghost in her dreams. One of the symptoms of the condition is that she finds the ghost a better partner compared to what she has in waking.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;The key here for me at least is the uprooting of Saṅkhāras.&lt;/strong&gt; One grades them by how persistent they are during practice. Simply put how often similar ideas pop up on the surface. Therefore it seems that Virtual reality does not propose a special problem, it is again a question of how one is attached (pun unintended) to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can go scholastically on the question where I believe Ahmed gave a pretty good answer -  all phenomena are the same level of not-Real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can of course approach it phenomenologically. Here is a dirty question:&#xA; &lt;em&gt;How many of us have played video games or stared in front of a monitor and go about to do a sitting after that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For me at least the images and impressions appear as equally as anything else during the day and they are as persistent as I have persistently dwelled on them...&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5687" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T02:10:28.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10691" CreationDate="2015-08-13T07:30:16.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, from what I have understood, there is no returning to the marketplace ( if I understand this ideea correctly) after one reaches the final goal, Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another Sutta in which the Buddha is dwelling with Arahants and a brahman asks him if they all have supernormal powers, and the Buddha answers that not all of them have such powers. In Theravada, to be an Arahant you don't need to have superpowers. More knowledgeable colleagues can maybe point this Sutta name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Chabbisodhana Sutta, MN&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is one with taints destroyed, who has&#xA;lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely&#xA;liberated through final knowledge, this is the natural way for him to&#xA;answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“‘Friends, regarding the seen I abide unattracted, unrepelled,&#xA;independent, detached, free, dissociated, with a mind rid of barriers.&#xA;Regarding the heard…Regarding the sensed…Regarding the&#xA;cognized I abide unattracted, unrepelled, independent, detached, free,&#xA;dissociated, with a mind rid of barriers. It is by knowing thus, seeing&#xA;thus, regarding these four kinds of expression, that through not clinging&#xA;my mind is liberated from the taints.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend reading the 33 Sermons on Nibbāna by Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda too see how Nibbana is seen in Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/ms/html/Mind%20Stilled.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The present set of thirty-three sermons on the topic of Nibbāna were originally delivered between 1988 and 1991 as fortnightly lectures at Meetirigala Forest Monastery of Sri Lanka by the Venerable Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda at the behest of the Venerable Mātara Sri Ñāṇarāma Mahāthera. They combine deep insight into the Dhamma with academic erudition, being based on copious quotations from the Pāli discourses that alternate with illustrative similes and useful indications for meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T07:30:16.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10771" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-13T08:05:49.207" Score="3" ViewCount="319" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can I trust someone who lies, manipulates and hurts people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know a person who manipulates people and I know I can not trust him but recently, the mother of that person has health problems, and my group of friends want to integrate him. I do not agree and now I have the impression of lacking compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should I do? Should I be more compassionate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5689" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T19:05:29.133" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T19:05:29.133" Title="Trust and Compassion" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|compassion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-13T10:24:31.933" Score="12" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where does one draw the line for which forms of life are ok to destroy, and which ones are not?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That (i.e. &amp;quot;which forms of life?&amp;quot;) might be not the right question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're describing the situation based on a premise of &lt;em&gt;violence&lt;/em&gt; versus &lt;em&gt;non-violence&lt;/em&gt;, then another way to look at it might be &lt;em&gt;aggression&lt;/em&gt; versus &lt;em&gt;non-aggression&lt;/em&gt;, and/or &lt;em&gt;aggression&lt;/em&gt; versus &lt;em&gt;self-defence&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example Buddhists are typically forbidden to tell lies, but there's the following Q&amp;amp;A from &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Good Question Good Answer&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; by Bhante Dhammika. In the chapter about the five precepts, one of the question is whether you should lie to a killer to prevent them from killing. His answer was that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;If you were sitting in a park and a terrified man ran past you and then a few minutes later another man carrying a knife ran up to you and asked you if you had seen which way the first man had gone, would you tell him the truth or would you lie to him?&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If I had good reason to suspect that the second man was going to do serious harm to the first I would, as an intelligent caring Buddhist, have no hesitation in lying. We said before that one of the factors determining whether a deed is good or bad is intention. The intention to save a life is many times more positive than telling a lie is negative in circumstances such as these. If lying, drinking, or even stealing meant that I saved a life I should do it. I can always make amends for breaking these, but I can never bring a life back once it is gone. However, as I said before, please do not take this as a license to break the Precepts whenever it is convenient. The Precepts should be practiced with great care and only infringed in extreme cases.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could try to argue that the difference between the killing-the-mouse and killing-the-tapeworm scenarios isn't the &amp;quot;form of life&amp;quot; but rather the difference between aggression (against the mouse) and self-defence (against the tape-worm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing the mouse is a form of aggression (&amp;quot;I hate you, I kill you&amp;quot;).&#xA;Killing the tape-worm (or, more specifically, medicating your own body for its malady) is arguably a form of self-defence rather than aggression -- maybe it's that which makes the difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might argue that mouse-in-house is self-defence too, however IMO that (attacking-within-house) is straying ever further from defence-of-self: perhaps you ought to be thinking, of your house, &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; and therefore not trying to defend it as if it were yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that the mouse is in a &amp;quot;house&amp;quot; implies you're a house-holder or layperson and therefore have many social responsibilities. What if it wasn't a tapeworm in you but in your parent, child, friend, etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to say that it's clever to kill even tape-worms but maybe non-aggression (don't kill mice) versus self-defence (take medicine) is a way to distinguish the two scenarios.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another consideration is, if you kill a mouse today then what will you do tomorrow? Instead you might prefer to make your house mouse-proof, or perhaps store your food and clothing in mouse-proof containers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if you eliminate a tapeworm today then what will you do tomorrow? I looked in the introduction to the Vinaya to see whether I could see there any instructions about parasites: and didn't find them. A &amp;quot;purge&amp;quot; is a permitted type of medicine for what that's worth. There are however several instructions in the Vinaya: about keeping yourself clean, and about eating cooked food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T10:24:31.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10773" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-13T11:37:24.170" Score="5" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is usually clarified as an intrinsic characteristic of everything conditioned and to be as such a direct derivative of the characteristic of impermanence. &#xA;Does this also apply to the noble path(s)? &#xA;There is a discussion about that in the kathāvatthu (17.5), but that could not clarify it (at least for me).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I'm also bearing in mind, that the paths are classified as being anāsava. Would that imply that an anāsava-dhamma is not impermanent, suffering, not-self?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. In the cūḷa­ve­dalla­sutta, MN 44, it is stated explicitly that the noble eightfold path is conditioned: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] “Ariyo panāyye, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato udāhu asaṅkhato”ti?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ariyo kho, āvuso visākha, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato”ti. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] “But is the eightfold Noble Path, Noble Lady, conditioned or&#xA;  unconditioned?” “The eightfold Noble Path, friend Visākha, is&#xA;  conditioned.” [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5692" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T15:14:27.373" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T08:44:34.263" Title="Does the saṅ­kha­ta­lak­kha­ṇa of dukkha apply to the noble path?" Tags="|suffering|impermanence|four-noble-truths|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10771" CreationDate="2015-08-13T13:22:21.347" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person who has these tendencies is suffering greatly. He is causing great harm to himself and other beings by acting on the unwholesome roots of &lt;em&gt;greed, anger and delusion&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not really matter if you trust him or not. There is still the possibility that he could use or betray you. One cannot control reality. One is just given a hand of cards. It's up to oneself to find out how to play that hand in the most beneficial and wholesome way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at both scenarios. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You place your trust in him and he betrays you or uses you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All he can do is to impinge on your sense-faculties. Anger can arise, sadness or other negative mind states can arise in you. That is really it. Noone can force you to react to these states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you instead just observe them with mindfulness in the present moment then you can use these phenomena to cultivate insight. You can use them as a stepping stone to progress in your path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You place you trust in him and he does not use or betray you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This scenario is better for him since he does not create unwholesome kamma for himself since he is not doing those unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For you it's pretty much the same. If happiness arises in you because of that you can enjoy that happiness without being attached to it. As long as you know it is impermanent and unsatisfactory you can enjoy it without dwelling in it. In the same way you can contemplate the conditioned happiness and see the danger in it if one gets attached to it. Conditioned happiness is dukkha in disguise because when it's exhausted it will leave behind a void leaving one wanting for more. That is if one is attached to the happiness. If not you can again use it for the cultivation of insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you contemplate the situation you might find compassion for him. Why? Because he is dealing with the same &quot;illness&quot; that we are all dealing with, i.e. &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; of the true nature of reality. We are all in the same boat here. Some beings minds are just clouded in a heavier darkness than others. When thinking about these beings naturally a deep compassion can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all in this together. As long as we not enlightened we are all dealing with some level of ignorance meaning that we have a mind that is not fully trained to see reality clearly. Only the Buddhas and Arahants are fully awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By knowing that we are all in the same boat we can begin to view the situation in a different way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know if you are training in meditation at the moment but if you do and if you are practicing insight meditation (vipassana meditation) you will come to experience these things for yourself. By seeing this directly through observation of reality compassion can arise in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist ethics is centered on &lt;em&gt;intentions / volitions&lt;/em&gt;. When acting according to the Noble Eightfold Path one should cultivate &lt;em&gt;Right Intention (Samma Sankappa)&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. intentions of renunciation, good will and harmlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not your job to fix him or other people. By working on ourselves and purifying ourselves from defilements we can be good examples for other beings. Naturally people want to be around a person that is honest, wise, calm and peaceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-13T14:11:34.827" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T14:11:34.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10691" CreationDate="2015-08-13T13:56:56.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Theravada canon have such ideas anywhere at all? Perhaps Tibetan?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course Theravada monks returns to the marketplace everyday. They use their daily alms round as an opportunity to be around the lay community. It's just that the method they use to help people is different. One won't see them drinking wine to help the drunkards or become whore house's patrons to help the prostitutes, etc. Moral virtues and spreading the Buddha's words are their methods of helping. If somehow the approach seems to be a bit passive or weak, then the story of Ven. Punna in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.88&lt;/a&gt; should clear things up for you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Ven. Punna wanted to go and live among the fierce people of Sunaparanta to help them. The Buddha wanted to test his resolve and here goes the dialogue):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Punna, the Sunaparanta people are fierce. They are rough. If they insult and ridicule you, what will you think?&amp;quot;&#xA;&amp;quot;If they insult and ridicule me, I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with their hands.' That is what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I will think, O One Well-gone.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But if they hit you with their hands, what will you think?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with a clod.'...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But if they hit you with a clod...?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with a stick.'...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But if they hit you with a stick...?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with a knife.'...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But if they hit you with a knife...?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't take my life with a sharp knife.'...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But if they take your life with a sharp knife...?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but here I have met my assassin without searching for him.' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; That is what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I will think, O One Well-gone.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Good, Punna, very good. Possessing such calm and self-control you are fit to dwell among the Sunaparantans. Now it is time to do as you see fit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T13:56:56.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-13T15:01:29.470" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original poster asks:  &quot;Where to draw the line...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therein is the key to the answer:  there is noplace you can draw the line, thin and bright, therefore you cannot draw it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is, however, an answer.  The mouse and the tapeworm situations have similarities and also disparities.  The mouse will infiltrate and foul your food, and carry disease and vermin (fleas, etc) which can harm you, but practicing adequate cleanliness and good practices will mitigate that.  The mouse may find advantage not in your pantry, but simply in the safe, warm shelter.  The tapeworm is itself a disease, which will in time kill the host, and by doing so, itself perish.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therein lies the difference.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by your action a creature dies, and also by your inaction that creature also dies, then your action is not ultimately of significance to the death.  In that case, the course which prevents your own death also, is to be preferred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5693" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T15:01:29.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10773" CreationDate="2015-08-13T15:59:04.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada recognizes only &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt; as unconditioned -- thus, not dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other schools have disagreed on what is unconditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Sarvāstivādin tradition since the compilation of the Dharmaskhanda, three unconditioned dharmas have been recognized: analytical cessation (&lt;em&gt;pratisankhayā-nirodha&lt;/em&gt;), nonanalytical cessation (&lt;em&gt;apratisankhayā-nirodha&lt;/em&gt;) and space (&lt;em&gt;ākāśa&lt;/em&gt;). In the Theravada tradition, only one unconditioned &lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt;, nirvana, is recognized (Dhammasanghani p.244), a position also maintained in the Agamas and by the Vātsīputrīya school. According to the Samaya, the Mahāsanghika, Ekavyavahārika, Lokottaravādin, and Kaukutica schools all recognized the following nine unconditioned dharmas: (1) analytical cessation (2) nonanalytical cessation (3) space (4) the realm of infinity of space (5) the realm of infinity of consciousness (6) the realm of nothingness (7) the realm of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness (8) the law of dependent origination (9) the law of the noble path [...]. The Mahīsāsaka school also recognized nine unconditioned dharmas; but its list differed somewhat from that of the Mahāsanghika school and included such items as immovability, the eternal law of good dharma, the eternal law of bad dharma, the eternal law of indeterminate dharma, the eternal law of the path, and the eternal law of Dependent Origination. The law of Dependent Origination was included in the list of unconditioned dharmas because it was regarded as an unchanging principle. The Sarvāstivādins disagreed with this position and did not recognize the existence of a principle of Dependend Origination separate from conditioned dharmas. For the Sarvāstivādins, the law of Dependend Origination itself was conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the Mahaśiśākas, the path to nirvana was recognized as an unconditioned dharma because the practices established by the Buddha were considered to be eternal truths. The Sarvāstivādins opposed this position by maintaining that although nirvana was unconditioned, the wisdom the Buddha had realized was conditioned and not eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;A history of Indian Buddhism: From Sakyamuni to Early Mahayana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T15:59:04.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10773" CreationDate="2015-08-13T16:11:29.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;from description of Sariputta's attainments given by the Buddha himself, Ven Sariputta used Sati as vehicle to enter (tho entering is not quite correct term to use, but for clarification purpose only) cessation from neither perception nor non-perception. At cessation, sati ceases to exist (sati is part of name-form-and 7th of noble paths), therefore,  sati is Dukkha.  at cessation or Saññā Vedayita Nirodha all 8 noble paths cease , as does name-form.  noble paths are pratityasamutpana dhamma.  ven. sariputta continued to enter cessation in and out several times, to see the rise and fall of name-form.  wisdom or vimutti-yanatasana does not occure while one is in neither perception nor non perception or cessation state.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T16:11:29.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10773" CreationDate="2015-08-13T16:37:10.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 24&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;The Relay Chariots&quot; sutta, the Supramundane Path is the last stage of the Seven Stages of Purification. While being the highest, it's still 1 of the 7 &quot;Relay chariots&quot; used to reach the final destination which Nibbana the unconditioned. Since it's not the destination itself, it's still conditioned dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T16:37:10.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10771" CreationDate="2015-08-13T16:55:19.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is truly giving, then there is no expectation of a response.  Not thankfulness, not appreciation, not acknowledgement, not response in kind.  The word &quot;trust&quot; invokes the sense that there is an expectation of some kind of reciprocity from the receiver of your giving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is a form of giving.  In its true form it is not transactional. When one gives of oneself in some way, it is not for the benefit of the other, it is for the benefit of you.  When you give, what does it matter whether it is to a manipulative or &quot;taking&quot; person? The benefit accrues to you regardless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The disingenuous person will perhaps require a long string of interactions before the epiphanous one that changes that person presents itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5693" LastActivityDate="2015-08-13T16:55:19.533" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5942" CreationDate="2015-08-14T03:21:41.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No because anatta doesn't conclusively say that we do not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We do not exist nor do we not not-exist.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;(concept from Diamond Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T03:21:41.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10771" CreationDate="2015-08-14T10:45:57.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being compassionate doesn't mean that you have to trust him or agree with what he is doing. Compassion (Karuna in Pali/Sanskrit) is defined as the wish that being be free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see someone doing things that hurt other people, being compassionate in effect means that you want them to be free of the suffering they are undergoing. You don't have to trust them or let them walk all over you to be compassionate, so if you do let him join your circle of friends, you don't have to mistreat you or anyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, letting him mistreat others is actually the opposite of being compassionate because then they are only hurting themselves more. You need to be skillful in figuring out how to respond though. If you think that bringing it up to them would cause them to get defensive and just shut you out, then that would be a bad idea, but if you think you can get through to them in a way that won't cause more harm than good, then you should do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T10:45:57.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10784" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-14T12:00:06.250" Score="6" ViewCount="835" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's said that our actions are originated from unconscious mind. People are trying to become more patient, more tolerable, etc. but there are anger type of people, lustful type of people, etc.. Once the circumstances change, people also change according to their nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So can we change our 'true nature' by just doing good deeds? Or good deeds have to come from our true nature? Thanks all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T19:05:07.900" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T19:05:07.900" Title="Are good deeds superficial?" Tags="|theravada|karma|ethics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10784" CreationDate="2015-08-14T13:32:23.317" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Doing good deeds is very beneficial because our moral character is changeable. When we do good deeds, our moral character improves. When we do bad deeds, our character worsens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, according to the Buddha's teaching of dependent origination, the ultimate cause of all our negative qualities is much deeper than that. This underlying root cause is ignorance, so the only way to permanently change is to overcome ignorance. To do good deeds without overcoming ignorance is very good, but it isn't enough to become enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To overcome ignorance, one must develop wisdom by developing insight into the nature of reality. Once this wisdom is attained and brought to perfection, the ignorance that is the underlying cause of all suffering is brought to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T13:32:23.317" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10784" CreationDate="2015-08-14T13:48:06.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The three very basic aspects of any existence are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Impermanence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-Self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the 'true nature' is also subject to these aspects. It is also impermanent and hence can change for good or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important that one must realize these 3 aspects within oneself and not just understand them at a superficial mental level, the level of 'chintanmayi pradnya' - the one obtained by thinking, analyzing and pondering. These 3 aspects must be realized at the level of experience, the level of 'bhavanamayi pradnya' - experiential wisdom, which is gained through meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming one needs to change the 'true nature' for good, i.e. become less agitated, less lustful etc. Any true change can only come about when we change the way our unconscious mind works. This is only possible when we have access to the unconscious mind. For that one needs '&lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt;'. But concentration is antithetical to an agitated mind, to a lustful mind. Hence to gain concentration, one needs to practice '&lt;strong&gt;morality&lt;/strong&gt;' - one must try to keep the five precepts in daily life. One must try to do good deeds. With morality and concentration, one is able to develop '&lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;' - which will take us to final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you ask, 'So can we change our 'true nature' by just doing good deeds? Or good deeds have to come from our true nature?' Initially one must start by doing good deeds, keeping precepts. But one must graduate to meditation (start by going to a meditation retreat) to develop concentration and wisdom, so that every deed we perform is beneficial for us and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T13:48:06.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10784" CreationDate="2015-08-14T13:48:24.357" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good deeds help to develop and maintain wholesome mind states which is a very important part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Effort.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt; and can lead all the way to the stage of stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great in depth resource for understanding the benefit of our good deeds to ourselves is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Merit: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. From the intro:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of all the concepts central to Buddhism, merit (puñña) is one of the least known and least appreciated in the West. This is perhaps because the pursuit of merit seems to be a lowly practice, focused on getting and &quot;selfing,&quot; whereas higher Buddhist practice focuses on letting go, particularly of any sense of self. Because we in the West often feel pressed for time, we don't want to waste our time on lowly practices, and instead want to go straight to the higher levels. Yet the Buddha repeatedly warns that the higher levels cannot be practiced in a stable manner unless they develop on a strong foundation. The pursuit of merit provides that foundation. To paraphrase a modern Buddhist psychologist, one cannot wisely let go of one's sense of self until one has developed a wise sense of self. The pursuit of merit is the Buddhist way to develop a wise sense of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The section on merit then sets out in general terms the types of meritorious activities that conduce to that happiness, focusing primarily on three: giving, virtue, and meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All three of these forms of merit conduce to the highest form of merit: the realization of stream-entry, the first glimpse of the deathless. Thus the penultimate section of this study guide focuses on the happiness and well-being that derive from this attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is definitely an understanding that keeping your mind on doing good deeds is beneficial and important and can lead to the attainment of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotāpanna&lt;/a&gt;; which is not a superficial change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T15:04:21.227" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T15:04:21.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10759" CreationDate="2015-08-14T15:21:28.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, they are not the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhavanga is the most basic type of consciousness there is. It only has the factors that are common to all forms of consciousness, so it is totally blank. Mostly the Bhavanga is the state of mind that the mind defaults to in the tiny increments between the other mindstates, and also during what we would call complete unconsciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why it is said to be bright and luminous is that because it is so basic, there isn't any defilement in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Dzogchen, ground luminosity isn't a state that sometimes you are in and sometimes you aren't, it's just the nature of all things, and Rigpa is the knowledge of ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since rigpa is a kind of knowledge and Bhavanga is a pretty much unconscious state, it's fairly clear they are different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T15:21:28.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10789" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10792" CreationDate="2015-08-14T15:32:23.360" Score="5" ViewCount="824" Body="&lt;p&gt;First two truths are relate to &quot;samsara&quot;. But how 3rd and 4th truths relate to Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T19:06:44.737" Title="What is the relation between Pratītyasamutpāda and Four Noble truths?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2015-08-14T15:58:59.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to travel with your begging bowl until you find someone offer foods. or source of food.(eg. fruit tree not belong to anyone).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T15:58:59.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10791" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-14T16:31:41.123" Score="5" ViewCount="258" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading some comments on this subsite I ended up a couple of days ago reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://religiondispatches.org/is-buddhism-opposed-to-self-defense/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this secular article&lt;/a&gt; on the topic of self defence in Buddhism and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2071/can-or-should-a-buddhist-defend-themselves-physically?lq=1&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; on the site here. Now, based on this I seem to have deduced that there are three positions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2077/800&quot;&gt;Egocentric pacifism&lt;/a&gt;: You may hurt and maybe even kill others if it is to defend yourself, provided it's not out of hatred or similar emotions. E.g. stopping an intruder forcefully is fine.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2074/800&quot;&gt;Radical pacifism&lt;/a&gt;: You may not hurt others, even if you're &quot;being rendered limb from limb&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3094/800&quot;&gt;Utilitarianism&lt;/a&gt;: You may hurt and maybe even kill others if it's for the greater good and not out of hatred or similar emotions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, historically I only know of a few groups that practiced radical pacifism, and one of the most famous groups (the anabaptists/Mennonites) concluded that it was impossible for a Christian to be a worldly ruler (ignoring the radical anabaptists and the mess in Münster).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This got me wondering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In countries like Cambodia (97% Buddhists) and Thailand (93% Buddhists) does radical pacifism have any consequences at all at the government level?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or is (radical) pacifism just an insignificant minority position in Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, what I am mostly just asking is how Buddhism approaches issues of the power of governments to wield a mighty sword (army, police) versus the pacifism that is often taught by Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="800" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T04:33:35.513" Title="(Radical) pacifism and governmental force (army, police, etc.)" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|anger|non-violence|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10789" CreationDate="2015-08-14T16:33:44.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we divide Pratītyasamutpāda to three existences it's much easier to explain. (this can be explained for each moment as well) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First existence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   1. Ignorance &#xA;   2. Formations&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Second existence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   3. Consciousness  4. Nāma-rūpa   5. The six senses   6. Touch    7. Sensation&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   8. Craving&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   9. Clinging&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  10. Becoming&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Third existence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   11. Birth&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   12. Old age and death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If we take second existence as the current life, points 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (consciousness,  nāma-rūpa,  the six senses,  touch and sensation) are another form or representation of the &lt;em&gt;five aggregates&lt;/em&gt; which is same as &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt; or the &lt;em&gt;first noble truth&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you crave for the sensations (nourished by ignorance) in this existence, then this will form your next life. Although craving, clinging, becoming, ignorance and formations in this life are all causes for the next life, craving is the main culprit, hence &lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt; becomes the &lt;em&gt;second noble truth&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If craving is ceased in this very life, there won't be another existence,that means you've overcome the suffering, this can be achieved and has been achieved, hence this becomes the &lt;em&gt;third noble truth&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To realise this, you have to follow the &lt;em&gt;eightfold path&lt;/em&gt;, which is the &lt;em&gt;fourth noble truth.&lt;/em&gt; However, Pratītyasamutpāda doesn't straight away relate to the fourth noble truth as the other three here.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-08-14T17:41:56.793" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T17:41:56.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10793" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10796" CreationDate="2015-08-14T16:47:09.253" Score="15" ViewCount="2606" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that the Buddha became severely ill prior to his death as a result of eating bad food. I also was under the impression that perfectly enlightened beings have obliterated, or rendered ineffective, all of their karma. If this is the case, why would the Buddha, the most perfectly enlightened of all, experience great suffering at the end of his life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-14T17:19:11.847" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T18:56:50.033" Title="Why did the Buddha suffer before he died?" Tags="|theravada|karma|the-buddha|history|suffering|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13" CreationDate="2015-08-14T16:48:10.067" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The conditional relation of the links of dependent origination are necessary conditions, not sufficient conditions. This is clear when we compare the links in dependent origination with other teachings. For example, according to the twelve links, the sixfold sense-base is a condition for the arising of contact. But in many places in the Suttas it is taught that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises consciousness at the eye.&#xA;  The meeting of the three is contact. (Similarly with the other senses)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which indicates that the sense base isn't sufficient because contact also depends on an object and on the arising of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I don't see how &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that is, this is, through arising of that, this arises; when that&#xA;  is not, this is not, with cessation of that, this ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Implies biconditionality. It sounds like straightforward necessary causation to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T16:48:10.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10793" CreationDate="2015-08-14T17:09:49.910" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not experience suffering(mental). He experienced pain due to poor health during his final days. Enlightened beings do not create new Karmas. Also, they have removed the potential of all their past Karmas to give future births. But they can still face the consequences while they live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T17:09:49.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10793" CreationDate="2015-08-14T17:14:04.527" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I also was under the impression that perfectly enlightened beings have obliterated, or rendered ineffective, all of their karma&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five skhandas are roughly understood as &quot;past kamma&quot;. Even arahants experience the fruits of their past kamma and are only free of it in parinibbana. For example, there are suttas describing arahants being hurt. In the case of the Buddha specifically, there's a well known one where he had his foot hurt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha at the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed within him — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — but he endured them mindful, alert, &amp;amp; unperturbed. Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid out, he lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, with one foot placed on top of the other, mindful &amp;amp; alert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.038.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 1.38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If this is the case, why would the Buddha, the most perfectly enlightened of all, experience great suffering at the end of his life?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's generally understood that he suffered body pain (at least when not in jhana). His own teaching carries this (like the quote above):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He tolerates cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words &amp;amp; bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, &amp;amp; menacing to life. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to tolerate these things do not arise for him when he tolerates them. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A well known sutta on this subject is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot;&gt;The Arrow&lt;/a&gt; which illustrates the differences between pain and suffering. Thus, pain could be understood as simply bodily discomfort (even if sharp), but unable to do anything beyond that, say, to his mind (which is naturally not the case for any &quot;normal&quot; person). However, like in the foot episode, he does appear managing these discomforts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One — having spent most of the night instructing, urging, rousing, &amp;amp; encouraging the Kapilavatthu Sakyans with a Dhamma talk — said to Ven. Ananda, &quot;Ananda, speak to the Kapilavatthu Sakyans about the person who follows the practice for one in training. My back aches. I will rest it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 53&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, body pain (vedana in general) does not cease permanently with nibbana, if a body still has vitality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-08-14T19:29:48.323" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T19:29:48.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1800" CreationDate="2015-08-14T17:38:36.540" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following link provides a better pdf version:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.universaltheosophy.com/pdf-library/Nakamura-Haijime-Gotama-Buddha-Vol-I-Table%206.pdf&quot;&gt;Table 6. Gotama's Age, Years After Enlightenment,&#xA;and Sites of the Rainy-Season Retreats&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Buddhassa!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5706" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-14T18:30:26.087" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T18:30:26.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10729" CreationDate="2015-08-14T17:53:34.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This isn't a complete answer by any means but I hope it adds something &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10730/157&quot;&gt;user70's answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=4_Brahma_Viharas#Near_enemies_and_Far_enemies_of_Brahma_Viharas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;near enemies&lt;/a&gt; useful generally but particularly useful when working with equanimity in daily life. The near enemy of equanimity is indifference and on several occasions I have congratulated myself on being particularly equanimous but in reality I have been emotionally shut down. I've got this when on long difficult journey or dealing with people I find difficult. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say that when working with equanimity be very aware of your own emotional tone. Equanimity isn't the same as been emotionally deadened but it's easily mistaken for such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that's of some help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T17:53:34.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10791" CreationDate="2015-08-14T18:34:48.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this would take a political scientist to answer but I'll try to give a few thoughts on this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I listened to a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/03/26/episode-53-buddhism-and-naturalism-with-guest-owen-flanagan/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;podcast&lt;/a&gt; a while ago where &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Flanagan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Owen Flanagan&lt;/a&gt; was arguing that Buddhism was ill suited to form part of any political philosophy. Whereas a country may be Buddhist from a democratic perspective when it comes to the political sphere that country will operate with a different political philosophy such as monarchy, oligarchy etc... So whether a Buddhist does or doesn't subscribe to radical pacifism would be irrelevant in Buddhist countries as the political philosophy isn't actual based on Buddhism. I'm not agreeing or diagreeing with this - my knowledge of global political structures isn't strong enough to support that stance. However it was an interesting assertion and relevant here I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also for many people the Dalai Lama is the Buddhist political leader that they are most familiar with and his attitude to political force is complex. For instance he has given &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2010/jun/21/dalai-lama-armed-forces-day-message&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;messages of support to the armed forces&lt;/a&gt; - while that not directly advocating violence it isn't radical pacifism either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short although I do think that radical pacifism is a valid Buddhist position I don't believe it is a position that political figures hold whether in Buddhist countries or being Buddhist themselves. Very happy to be proved wrong on this of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-14T18:34:48.323" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10773" CreationDate="2015-08-14T21:09:00.753" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found an explicit statement in the Visuddhimagga (XVI.566):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] atthi cettha dukkhaṃ na ariyasaccaṃ, [...] tattha maggasampayuttā dhammā sāmaññaphalāni ca “yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhan”ti (saṃ. ni. 3.15) vacanato saṅkhāradukkhatāya dukkhaṃ, na ariyasaccaṃ[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(transl. Bhante Ñāṇamoli:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... (a) there is suffering that is not noble truth...&#xA;&amp;quot;89. Herein, (a) though states associated with the path and the fruits of asceticism are suffering since they are suffering due to to formations (see § 35) because of the words, &amp;quot;What is impermanent is painful&amp;quot; (S II 53; III 22), still they are not the noble truth [of suffering]...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks for your help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5692" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T08:44:34.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10793" CreationDate="2015-08-14T22:12:50.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bear in mind that there's Suffering and suffering.  &quot;suffering&quot; (lower-case &quot;s&quot;) is the typical way in which the word is used.  It is the workaday definition of &quot;suffering&quot;, i.e., to be in discomfort, to not like something because it brings about physical or mental anguish: being hungry, in pain, heartbroken, in grief, etc.  Believe it or not, these kinds of sufferings are rooted largely in our physiology, i.e., our nervous systems.  We are wired to be repelled by pain, want to sate hunger, have mate(s), etc., because it is how we have evolved as beings, and for good reason.  How long would any living thing live if it could simply ignore hunger or pain, or worse still, actually &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; it, esp. hunger?  Such a species would quickly die out, and that is contrary to life itself.  That we are alive shows our nature as living beings in this regard: we are alive because we do that which allows us to live, and that includes finding ways to sate hunger, address our wounds, find mate(s), etc.  Living things that don't do that quickly die out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Suffering&quot; (capital &quot;S&quot;) is a different sort; it's &quot;big-picture&quot; kind of Suffering.  All living things suffer (small &quot;s&quot;), and Buddha taught that and lived it (well, he had no choice).  &quot;Suffering&quot; however is a choice.  When a being chooses to accept as stimulation (or input) any sensation, feeling, or thought and simply acknowledge it without attaching to it (i.e., without identifying with it as being part of itself instead of it being a mere interpretation of stimuli), it is then that Suffering is avoided.  There may still be suffering and that suffering is often a good thing to listen to: hungry?  Get some food.  Lonely?  Get some company.  In pain?  Get some help.  Lower-case &quot;s&quot; suffering thus is a very useful thing to have around.  The mistake people make is that they over-identify with it sometimes and mistake it for being a permanent or definitive part of themselves, when in fact, it's transient input (whether generated by external force, as with pain from a medical condition, or internally, as when someone seems overly focused on pessimistic ideas).  That is what Buddha taught: rising and falling, coming and going, it's all impermanent.  Life itself is included in it; you were not alive before this life (well, leaving aside reincarnation ideas, at least not alive as you are today), then you are alive, then you'll die one day.  So if you had never lived, it'd be all the same.  You had to be born some time, so why kvetch about the fact that life is limited in duration?  And if life has so much suffering in it, even for relatively well-off people such as those living middle-class or better lives in a first world country, why then would anyone really want to live forever?  But our instincts naturally incline us to desire life, since that is a valuable (and evolutionarily advantageous) instinct to have.  It impels us to defend ourselves against attack, get food, seek shelter, and weather all manner of hardships.  So this desire to live is hardly useless.  Yes, even Buddha had it.  He just knew what place it held in the scheme of things and so didn't let it rule the very life that desire existed to protect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When once asked what he was: a god, a diva, or something else, he replied no to all of them.  He was then asked, well then, what are you?  His reply was simple: &quot;Awake&quot;.  Well, for what that's worth, he was known for leaving people with answers that raised more questions than they answered.  &lt;strike&gt;But he never claimed (to the best of my knowledge) to be THE most supremely enlightened being to ever walk the face of the Earth, though a lot of other people have said that about him.  Hard to say if they are right but if Buddha himself never claimed it, then I wonder what makes others think that about him?&lt;/strike&gt;  I'll say this about him: he got the whole all-is-impermanent thing down pretty good.  And teaching loads of people how to meditate was a pretty nice thing to have done, too.  So all in all, he was a pretty decent chap.  Perfect?  No.  No one is.  And perfect by whose standards, anyway?  I think he'd be the first to tell you that perfection is relative, and it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5708" LastEditorUserId="5708" LastEditDate="2015-08-16T15:13:50.870" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T15:13:50.870" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10803" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10804" CreationDate="2015-08-14T23:04:01.673" Score="7" ViewCount="5289" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodybuilding and powerlifting are making us stronger and more manliness, body can produce more testosterone and we're generally healthier. Yes, there are some bad things about this like anabolics or synthol, but in general - can someone who trains with weights become buddhist? Are they too agressive in eyes of buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5711" LastEditorUserId="10871" LastEditDate="2017-03-05T20:21:47.743" LastActivityDate="2022-07-14T20:10:35.003" Title="What does buddhism say about bodybuilding (and weights training)?" Tags="|ethics|well-being|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10803" CreationDate="2015-08-15T02:12:30.967" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;These practices are seeing just like any other sport that does not involve morally problematic activities like killing or hurting other beings: it's just a sport. I don't think power lifters et al. are seen as aggressive -- not like, say, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfighting&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bullfighting&lt;/a&gt; or any other blood sport. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But things might be different for a buddhist body builder or power lifter. In the buddhist training, there is a spectrum from lay to monastic, and in that spectrum, the inclination to engage in certain activities change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a lay buddhist might take to heart &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five buddhist precepts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.&lt;/em&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake the training rule to avoid sensual misconduct.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.&lt;/em&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are among the most basic buddhist training rules that enables one to practice buddhism and none has anything to say about body building  -- or sports for that matter (but drugs that cause heedlessness are breaking the fifth, which may obstruct the person's practice). So, lay buddhists can normally practice sports like body building etc. One of the main points of evaluation is ethical conduct and many sports do not present an ethical problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a more committed lay buddhist might take some extra precepts, like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking that vow likely conflicts with watching and participating on competitions. Even though, strictly speaking, it might not be a problem if one just wants to practice the sport, a person more committed to buddhist training might be less inclined to partake in activities that might hurt his or her buddhist training progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end of the spectrum there's the monk or nun. They are unlikely to devote themselves to activities that require too much (of time, energy, money, etc) and that do not benefit / or creates obstacles to their buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-08-15T14:47:16.247" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T14:47:16.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10805" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-15T08:39:43.067" Score="1" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is good action that is committed through self interest capable of creating good karma? &#xA;For example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;one may contemplate, “if I do action X, it will produce good effects in the future for me, or it may make me look like a good person, etc.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are such intentions viewed as greedy? &#xA;If such intentions are rooted in greed, then it is possible to do something good out of greed? What kind of karmic effect will that produce?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T14:44:27.163" Title="Action committed through self-interest" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9777" CreationDate="2015-08-15T10:29:44.927" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your question is much larger than can be answered with just three texts. Mahāyāna is not one thing, it is many Prajñāpāramitā, Madhyamaka, Pure Land, Yogacāra, Chan/Zen, Huayen etc. Similarly Vajrayāna is not one thing either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the Mahāyāna a comprehensive guide would have dozens of texts. At a minimum:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mulamadhyamikākārikā śastra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abhidharmakośabhāsya śāstra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yogacārabhumi Sāstra&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sukhāvativyūha Sūtra (x2)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sūtra of Huineng  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saddharmapuṇḍarikā Sūtra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avataṃsaka Sūtra   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Vajrayāna the situation is different. Tantras cannot be read on their own. For Shingon the two main texts are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahāvairocana Sutra (aka Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vajraśekhara Sutra (aka Sarvatathāgata-tattvasaṃgraha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good introduction can be found in &lt;em&gt;Kūkai: Major Works&lt;/em&gt; by Yoshito Hakeda. Tibetan Tantra includes many more texts, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Guhyasamāja Tantra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hevajra Tantra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kālacakra Tantra  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But most teaching is done through commentaries. Many of these texts cannot be understood without a commentary. Some of them require specific initiations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T11:23:53.123" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T11:23:53.123" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10753" CreationDate="2015-08-15T10:48:21.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Radhakrishnan is not a wholly reliable guide to the Dhammapada. One must read him with care. The Pāḷi is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kena padenāti yassa hi rāgapadādīsu ekapadampi atthi, taṃ tumhe tena&#xA;  padena nessatha. Buddhassa pana ekapadampi natthi, taṃ apadaṃ buddhaṃ tumhe kena padena nessatha.&lt;/em&gt; Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā, 3.196.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's from Buddhaghosa's commentary on the Dhammapada (Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā). This section comments on the words &quot;by what pada&quot; (&lt;em&gt;kena padena&lt;/em&gt;). My rough translation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he has even one from amongst the &lt;em&gt;padas&lt;/em&gt; such as desire (&lt;em&gt;rāga&lt;/em&gt;), then he can be led by that &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt;. But the Buddha has not even one of them, the Buddha is without a &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt;, there is no &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; by which you can lead him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question then is what &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; means here. If we read this along with Dhp 180 then it becomes clear that &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; means desire etc (&lt;em&gt;rāgapadādi&lt;/em&gt;). And it seems to me that &quot;track&quot; is a poor translation of &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; here. It does not convey that in this context &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; is referring to desire etc. I suggest that &quot;sign&quot; is somewhat better, but that even this is less than entirely satisfactory. Only the context can help us in this case. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what sense craving is a &quot;path&quot; or a &quot;track&quot; or even a &quot;sign&quot; is moot. But then these verses are rather esoteric and a simple answer might be misleading anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T10:48:21.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7307" CreationDate="2015-08-15T10:53:57.820" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha, the traditional Buddha is thought to have lived towards the end of the 5th century BC, about 480-400 BC. This date is the scholarly consensus. Traditional groups accept other dates, and there are a number of these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The previous Buddhas are a myth. By which I mean that no one thinks that they actually lived. The previous Buddhas were probably an invention along the lines of the Jain myth of the Jinas. The Buddha's mentioned in the Pāḷi Canon lived in the universes that preceded this one - an incalculably long time ago. This is based on the idea that the universe goes through cycles of creation, evolution, devolution and destruction over incredibly long periods of time (much longer than scientists give for the present age of our universe). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T10:53:57.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10759" CreationDate="2015-08-15T11:18:38.443" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking it is difficult to compare assertions made about the mind from different cultures many centuries apart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the Theravādins invented the bhavaṇgacitta for a specific purpose. There is a fundamental problem in Buddhist philosophy. Pratītyasamutpāda tells us that conditions must be present for effects to manifest (imassmim sati idam hoti) and that when the condition ceases the effect also ceases (imassa nirodhā idaṃ nirujjhati). However the idea of karma requires that effects (vipāka) manifest long after the condition (kamma) has ceased. The two do not work together. I call this the problem of &lt;em&gt;Action at a Temporal Distance&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to get around this early Buddhists invented several different new ideas. The Theravādins opted for the the idea that each dhamma is very short-lived and acts as the condition for a similar dhamma to arise immediately afterwards. This creates an unbroken chain of short-lived mental events that accounts for karmic effects long after the action that set them in motion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it has a number of downstream problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is that we go to sleep everyday and consciousness stops in deep sleep. The bhavaṅgacitta is like a neutral gear for the mind, it keeps ticking over while the mind is inactive when we are asleep or at other times such as deep meditation when sense experience stops, or even when we stare vacantly at the view and there are no thoughts in our minds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another problem the bhavaṅgacitta solves is that a wholesome mental event (kusala citta) cannot give rise to an unwholesome mental event (akusala citta). And because our minds alternate between kusala and akusala cittas there needs to be some way to get from one to the other. So the Theravādins say that when this happens a moment of bhavaṅgacitta has to be interposed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is that while this was satisfactory to medieval Buddhists the scheme doesn't really work, even on it's own terms. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-logic-of-karma.html&quot;&gt;The Logic of Karma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm much less familiar with the Dzogchen idea of &quot;Ground Luminosity&quot;, but it looks to be influenced by another solution to the problem of &lt;em&gt;Action at a Temporal Distance&lt;/em&gt;, the Yogācāra. In this view a metaphor from early Buddhism was taken up by Vasubandhu and reified by his followers. They liken an action to a seed and invoke the analogy of how the seed is planted in the ground and watered and eventually grows into a tree. Early Buddhists often used analogies from nature to try to explain their theories. The metaphor is that kamma is a seed. And of course the analogy requires a metaphorical &quot;ground&quot; for the seed to be planted in. And so the ālayavijñāna was invented as the metaphorical ground for the metaphorical seed to complete the analogy. Unfortunately Buddhists often lose sight of metaphors and reify them. The metaphor of ālayavijñāna as ground for karma seeds, became a real thing - an aspect of our minds that underlies all consciousness. Never mind that this becomes more or less identical to Brahmanical ideas of ātman/brahman and is thus eternalist. Not only does the underlying basis of consciousness become a real thing, but some meditative experiences are interpreted as contact with this luminous substrate - just as Brahmins had earlier mistaken such experiences for direct contact with Brahman centuries earlier. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no, the two ideas can't really be compared. Although at root they seem to stem from the problem of Action at a Temporal Distance and they both amount to reified metaphors. They may even amount to two different traditions interpreting similar meditative experiences according to their ideologies. But the interpretations themselves are not the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T11:18:38.443" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4061" CreationDate="2015-08-15T11:48:03.800" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As the other's have said the &lt;em&gt;pañcavidha niyāma&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;five-fold inevitability&quot; is a commentarial way of talking about dependent arising. That said the idea of a limitation (&lt;em&gt;niyāma&lt;/em&gt;) is found in many places in the Pāḷi Canon and was also taken up by the Yoga tradition. The term often occurs alongside the term &lt;em&gt;dhammatā&lt;/em&gt; 'natural' in relation to &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; - experiences that arise in dependence on conditions are &lt;em&gt;dhammatā&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 2012, I located all the Pāḷi texts which use this list and translated them. At present the draft is free and on my website: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/texts/the-five-Fold-niyama.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Source Texts for the&#xA;Five-fold Niyāma (pañcavidhaṃ niyāma)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. This document also includes mentions of &lt;em&gt;dhammatā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;niyāma&lt;/em&gt; in &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt;. I hope to turn this material into a book at some stage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two layers of commentary. Buddhaghosa, writing in about the 5th Century of the Common Era, and others writing in about the 13th Century, which was a very active time in Burma. Buddhaghosa is clearly most concerned with explaining karma in terms of &lt;em&gt;bījaniyāma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;utuniyāma&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. he uses analogies drawn from nature to explain why the effects of actions are appropriate and timely. The later Burmese commentators were more concerned with explaining how the &lt;em&gt;cittavīthi&lt;/em&gt; or process of mental activity (aka &lt;em&gt;cittaniyāma&lt;/em&gt;) worked using the same analogy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My friend and Colleague Dhīvan (aka Dr Thomas Jones) has written about the modern history of the idea. It seems that Ledi Sayadaw and C. A. F. Rhys Davids reinterpreted the &lt;em&gt;fivefold niyāma&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;the five niyāmas&quot; and made them into different &quot;orders of conditionality&quot;. A theme that was taken up by Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order. However this new formulation has almost nothing in common with the Pāḷi texts. Dhīvan's article for the &lt;em&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/2604884/The_Five_Niy%C4%81mas_as_Laws_of_Nature_an_Assessment_of_Modern_Western_Interpretations_of_Therav%C4%81da_Buddhist_Doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Five Niyāmas as Laws of Nature: an Assessment of Modern Western Interpretations of Theravāda Buddhist Doctrine&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Dhivan has also written a more accessible account of the &lt;em&gt;niyāmas&lt;/em&gt; on his blog: &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhivanthomasjones.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/the-five-niyamas-and-natural-order/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ‘Five Niyamas’ and Natural Order&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have also written some short essays about the term in other Indian darśanas, e.g.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/niyama-in-sankhyakarika-and.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Niyama in the Sāṅkhyakārikā and Buddhaghosa's Commentaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/dharma-niyama-in-vyakarana-mahabhasya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma-niyama in the Vyākaraṇa-Mahābhāṣya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T11:48:03.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10811" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10822" CreationDate="2015-08-15T12:04:19.687" Score="13" ViewCount="2877" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was talking to someone about my morning routine, which includes meditation. They asked me why do I do it. I didn't know what to say. Finally I said &quot;you should find out yourself&quot; with a smile. I don't know how to answer this question. I don't want to explain, don't want to preach and don't want to come off like I'm hiding something by not explaining myself. And it's rude to not answer the question. I felt what I said was not the right way to respond. Suggestions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-15T12:17:51.683" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:57:13.990" Title="What could I say to someone when they ask me &quot;why do you meditate?&quot;" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7108" CreationDate="2015-08-15T12:32:51.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Text Society Dictionary defines &lt;em&gt;nibbidā&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;weariness, disgust with worldly life, tedium, aversion, indifference, disenchantment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbidā&lt;/em&gt; occurs when one achieves &lt;em&gt;yathābhūtañānadassana&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;knowledge and vision of things as they are&quot;. By &quot;things&quot; we mean &lt;em&gt;dhammas&lt;/em&gt; as the objects of mental activity. One sees sense experience as it is and becomes fed up with it (&lt;em&gt;nibbidā&lt;/em&gt;). This in turn leads to &lt;em&gt;virāga&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PTSD defines &lt;em&gt;virāga&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;absence of &lt;em&gt;rāga&lt;/em&gt;, dispassionateness, indifference towards, disgust, absence of desire, destruction of passions; waning, fading away cleansing, purifying; emancipation, Arahantship.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally, we are intoxicated with sense experience. Once we have knowledge and vision, we sober up. Being fed up with sense experience, one is disenchanted and loses interest in it. And this leads to liberation (&lt;em&gt;vimutti&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sequence occurs very often in the Pāli suttas. It is also associated with the so-called Spiral Path which shows how &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; works to free us from suffering (See for example &lt;em&gt;Aṅguttara Nikāya&lt;/em&gt;, Chp 10, suttas 1-5). For a survey of the Spiral Path texts in Pāḷi see &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/system/files/groups/files/Jayarava-Spiral%20Path.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Spiral Path or Lokuttara Paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Western Buddhist Review&lt;/em&gt;. For the Chinese counterparts in the Madhymaāgama see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/texts/Chinese%20Spiral%20Path%20Texts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chinese Spiral Path Texts from the Madhyamāgama&lt;/a&gt;. The latter are also now available in professional translations: &lt;em&gt;The Madhyama Āgama (Middle Length Discourses: Taishō 2 no.26)&lt;/em&gt; Editor in Chief Marcus Bingenheimer. Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai America Inc. 2013.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T12:32:51.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9762" CreationDate="2015-08-15T12:50:06.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the introduction to her translation of the Ugraparipṛcchā Jan Nattier notes that texts are more likely to have been translated into English if they have two features: firstly if there is a extant Sanskrit text; and secondly if they have been influential in Japanese Buddhism. And thirdly if they:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;portray the Buddhist messages in terms congruent with certain core&#xA;  western values such as egalitarianism (e.g. the universal potential&#xA;  for Buddhahood according to the Lotus), lay-centred religion (e.g.,&#xA;  the ability of the lay Buddhist hero of the Vimalakīrti to confound&#xA;  highly educated clerics in debate), the simplicity and individuality&#xA;  of religious practice (e.g., the centrality of personal faith in&#xA;  Amitābha in the Sukhāvatīvyūha), and even anti-intellectualism (e.g.,&#xA;  the apparent rejection of the usefulness of rational thought in the&#xA;  Heart Sūtra, the Diamond Sūtra, and other Perfection of Wisdom texts).&#xA;  (Nattier. &lt;em&gt;A Few good Men&lt;/em&gt;. 2003, p.6)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many scholars consider the &lt;em&gt;Śūraṅgama Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; to have been composed, or compiled from other sources, in China. That the Chinese did this kind of thing is quite common. The well known Heart Sutra is another prominent example. There is no Sanskrit &quot;original&quot;. And on the whole the themes do not appeal to Westerners. So the text is unlikely to appeal to a Western Audience. Vast differences in English translations are common because of the range of ability of translators and the very great difficulties of rendering ancient Chinese into English. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The apocalyptic themes of the text are exaggerated versions of such predictions which occur throughout Buddhist literature. Like many millennial predictions of disaster they simply have not come true. The end of the world simply fails to happen, no matter who is predicting it, and there is always someone predicting it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the Śūraṅgama itself may be fading out as because it is irrelevant to modern Buddhist practice, there is resurgent interest in other Buddhist texts. Witness the massive project funded by the Numata Foundation to translation the entire Chinese tripiṭaka. Also the there is huge interest in doing comparative work on the Pāli Nikāyas and Chinese Āgamas. At the grass roots level Buddhism continues to be moderately popular in the West, but is being revived in China as restrictions on religious observance are relaxed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T12:50:06.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2064" CreationDate="2015-08-15T13:13:52.767" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first answer is only partly right. The main thing that links these texts is the reference to &lt;em&gt;prajñāpāramitā&lt;/em&gt;. They do share the point of view that elements of experience (dharmas) are empty of any self-existence (svabhāvaśūnya). They also seem to be against the tendency to Realism that emerged in the later Abhidharma traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the texts are obvious expansions of the original prajñāpāramitā. So Ratnaguṇasamcayagāthā (Collection of Verses on the Precious Qualities) and Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra (The Perfection of Wisdom Consisting of 8000) are early Sanskrit translations of the basic text which was composed in Gāndhārī ca. 100 BCE. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā was expanded into texts of 10, 18, 25, and 100 thousand lines. They are a distinct group and very closely related. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Heart Sutra or Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya was composed ca. 7th century in Chinese using quotes from a Chinese translation of the 25,000 line sūtra (Taishō 223) translated by Kumārajīva. It combined some themes from Chapter three of T223 with devotion to the Bodhisatva Avalokiteśvara and a dhāraṇī (magic spell) taken from the Chinese Mahāmegha Sūtra (T387). It was subsequently back translated into Sanskrit and then expanded and translated into both Chinese and Tibetan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Diamond Sūtra or Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā is another early sūtra on the subject of prajñāpāramitā which shares many features with the Aṣṭasāhasrikā but was written in a different milieu. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Aṣṭasāhasrikā and Vajracchedikā have obvious links to certain early Buddhist texts such as the Suññatā Suttas (MN 121 &amp;amp; 122). They both seem to focus on describing the point of view of someone who is immersed in the śūnyatā-samādhi. It seems likely that both were composed before the Mahāyāna became well defined as a distinct movement within Mainstream Buddhism (and modern scholarship suggests that this too centuries and was not complete until the 4th or 5th century CE).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the other Prajñāpāramitā texts are Tantric texts that are written very much later, but in the style of the earlier texts. They are really of a different type and emphasis, but are lumped in with the others mainly because they call themselves Prajñāpāramitā texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two excellent articles by David Drewes sum up and critique recent scholarship on the Mahāyāna. See his &lt;a href=&quot;https://umanitoba.academia.edu/DavidDrewes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;academia.edu page&lt;/a&gt;. On the very early history of the Prajñāpāramitā see the recent article by Karashima: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/9211788/Was_the_A%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%ADas%C4%81hasrik%C4%81_Praj%C3%B1%C4%81p%C4%81ramit%C4%81_Compiled_in_Gandh%C4%81ra_in_G%C4%81ndh%C4%81r%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Was the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Compiled in Gandhāra in Gāndhārī&lt;/a&gt;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T13:13:52.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1628" CreationDate="2015-08-15T13:24:21.810" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/9211788/Was_the_A%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%ADas%C4%81hasrik%C4%81_Praj%C3%B1%C4%81p%C4%81ramit%C4%81_Compiled_in_Gandh%C4%81ra_in_G%C4%81ndh%C4%81r%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;oldest existing manuscript&lt;/a&gt; clearly identified as Mahāyāna is a birch bark manuscript of the &lt;em&gt;Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sutra&lt;/em&gt; or Discourse on Perfect Wisdom consisting of 8000 [Lines]. This manuscript was carbon dated to  47~147 CE. A version of this text was translated into Chinese in 179 CE by Lokakṣema and was amongst the first few Buddhist texts translated into Chinese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However it's clear that some texts were being composed at quite an early period, perhaps as early as the 2nd Century BCE. One contender for the earliest Mahāyāna text is the &lt;em&gt;Ugraparipṛccha&lt;/em&gt;, translated by Jan Nattier as &lt;em&gt;A Few Good Men&lt;/em&gt; (2003). It shows a very early stage of Mahāyāna in which monks who dedicated themselves to meditation were known as &lt;em&gt;bodhisatvas&lt;/em&gt; and lived alongside Mainstream monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another serious contender is the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salistamba_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śālistamba Sūtra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (translation published by N Ross Reat, 1993), which is clearly a little more developed than early Buddhist texts, but not yet a full-blown Mahāyāna text. It may well be considered a kind of &quot;missing link&quot; between the two phases of Buddhism. According to N. Ross Reat, &lt;a href=&quot;http://read.84000.co/translation/UT22084-062-010.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the sutra&lt;/a&gt; could date as far back as 200 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently there were two very good articles on the very early Mahāyāna by David Drewes. See his &lt;a href=&quot;https://umanitoba.academia.edu/DavidDrewes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;academica.edu page&lt;/a&gt; &quot;Early Indian Mahayana Buddhism&quot; Parts I &amp;amp; II.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-07-07T13:03:08.130" LastActivityDate="2018-07-07T13:03:08.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10805" CreationDate="2015-08-15T13:40:09.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only wholesome actions can lead to wholesome resultants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way only unwholesome actions can lead to unwholesome resultants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is stated in the first 2 verses of the Dhammapada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/akf9S.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/akf9S.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the unwholesome actions based in? They are based in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 unwholesome roots (akusala-mūla)&lt;/a&gt; which are &lt;em&gt;greed, hatred and delusion&lt;/em&gt;. From these roots all other defilements emerge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To act in a wholesome way one needs to cultivate and act on the 3 wholesome roots which are &lt;em&gt;non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion (wisdom)&lt;/em&gt;. Actions based in these roots will lead to wholesome resultants for oneself and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to cultivate the wholesome roots? By following the Noble Eightfold Path. In here we have the recipe for overcoming suffering and ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially the Wisdom-group which contains &lt;em&gt;&quot;Right View and Right Intention&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is relevant here with regard to the twin verses in the Dhammapada, since it cultivates intentions based on &lt;em&gt;renunciation, good-will and harmlessness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-15T13:46:12.677" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T13:46:12.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2015-08-15T13:56:49.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't want to explain, don't want to preach and don't want to come off like I'm hiding something by not explaining myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to know that one does not have to answer all questions that are brought to one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are examples of the Buddha not answering questions when he knew that the answer would not be understandable or beneficial for the questioner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example when Queen Mallika were reborn in Hell for 7 days. In these 7 days her husband, King Pasenadi asked the Buddha about where his wife has been reborned. The King had great attachment to his wife. The Buddha did not want to trouble him by telling him she was now in Hell so he gave great dhamma discourses for seven days so that the King would only remember his question when he came home. After being in the hell realms Queen Mallika were reborn in the Heavenly Realms. On the seventh day when the King asked the Buddha again the Buddha answered that his wife has been reborn in the heavenly realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can ask oneself before answering questions if the answer is beneficial or detrimental to the questioner and oneself. Also we have the Right Speech faculty of the Noble Eightfold Path to guide us. No lying, harsh speech, slanderous speech or idle chatter is to be made. So one has a set of guidelines to act on basis of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One also has to think about one's own practice. By taking one's time and effort to answer a question will that then hinder ones own practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no definite answer to these questions. It's an evalution in the present moment what one should do. By being mindful of reality in the present moment one will know what to do and how to act. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7 Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; which should be cultivated in ones practice. The first factor is &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;. This factor comes first because mindfulness is what clears the cognitive ground. &#xA;Mindfulness allows the mind to experience reality as it is here and now without any extrapolations, likings, dislikings, interpretations or projections. When the ground is cleared one can then act accordingly to the situation (whether or not to answer a question or how to answer a question).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What could I say to someone when they ask me “why do you meditate?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you decide to answer the question there are several ways to approach this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could give a short and precise answer or maybe a longer and more in-depth answer. It really depends on your own mood and also who the questioner is. If the questioner is a person that does not seem interested in the topic then you could give the short answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one the other hand the questioner seems very interested in meditation and why you meditate you could give a longer and more in-depth answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should the answer consist of then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again this is up to you. You could give a general answer based on what meditation is and how it affects the mind and body. You could tell him about the different techniques e.g. Samatha and Vipasana and explain a bit about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you could give a more personal answer. You could explain why meditation is important to you and why you have chosen to incorporate it into your life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many options. In a way one has to find out who the questioner is so that one can give an answer that the person can understand. If it's a person who is unfamiliar with religion or spiritual practice then one could explain it on a more basic level, e.g. that some meditation techniques calm the mind by removing distracting thoughts and emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In everyday life most people's perspective is directed outwardly. In meditation one directs the focus inwardly and practices intense introspection. By directing the focus inwardly one can learn about oneself and see how the mind works. In this way one can improve oneself and rid oneself from bad habits and defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could also explain about the benefits of meditation and explain exactly which benefits you experience and how it makes you and your life better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:57:13.990" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:57:13.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10805" CreationDate="2015-08-15T14:44:27.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are such intentions viewed as greedy?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;good effect&quot; you mean it's a virtuous behavior that produces good kamma fruit, than I find the following blameless:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;if I do action X, it will produce good effects in the future for me&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person understand such is the case, the above is simply an acknowledgement of the outcomes that are expected. And if one knows this, one shouldn't refuse doing &lt;code&gt;X&lt;/code&gt; afraid of greed. The entirety of the virtue training is based on this very knowledge: of what actions produce what results. We are encouraged to know and see how doing &lt;code&gt;Y&lt;/code&gt; is not for our good, and how doing &lt;code&gt;X&lt;/code&gt; is; and we are encouraged to do things for our well-fare and well-fare of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The greed case likely would be one where &quot;good effects&quot; means producing things that are blameful or not connected to virtue or spiritual life, and there is a desire for these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;it may make me look like a good person&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above might also not be related to greed: say a person who is good, and is seeing as someone who is bad, because of some misunderstanding or something else. It's for their good to try to correct their views and be seeing as the good person they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a greedy case here would be one where the person is craving and collecting praises of him or herself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T14:44:27.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9762" CreationDate="2015-08-15T15:10:12.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read parts of the Shurangama-Samadhi Sutra, and I think the main reason it isn't so popular in the West is that it is written in a rather formal and verbose, and it has long passages with long lists. Most Sutras that are popular in the west have a much faster pace to them and are less formal in style, such as the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Lotus Sutra, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T15:10:12.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10707" CreationDate="2015-08-15T15:16:05.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, there are no schools that claim this. All the schools accept that there were previous Buddhas before Buddha Shakyamuni and that there will be Buddhas after him as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T15:16:05.027" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2015-08-15T15:40:11.410" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some suggestions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might phrase it as an invitation (&quot;you &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; find out yourself&quot;) instead of as an order (&quot;you &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; find out yourself&quot;); and then if they ask more, try to help with their next question.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might have a normal reluctance to be preachy; but because in this case someone asked (or invited) you to tell them, maybe it's OK for you to get over your normal reluctance and, instead, go ahead and tell them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You could give a short (one-sentence) reply and then wait for their response: &quot;I do it because (&lt;em&gt;state your reason here&lt;/em&gt;)&quot;. If the reason makes sense to you then maybe it'll make sense to them too; or if not then they can choose to ask (or choose not to ask) more about it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You could turn it into a dialog or discussion (instead of being preachy) by adding a question at the end; for example &quot;I do it because (&lt;em&gt;here's my reason&lt;/em&gt;). Am I right? :-)&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You could give an less-personal answer: instead of saying why &lt;em&gt;you personally&lt;/em&gt; meditate, you could reply, &quot;Actually there are some good answers to that: venerable Yuttadhammo posted a 'top five reasons why everyone should meditate' to Youtube&quot; (alternatively whatever or whoever else inspired you)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You could explain your feelings (which might be like discussing your relationship) with the person: for example, &quot;I don't know how to answer that; I wish I could, but ... I don't want to sound preachy.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You could also turn the question around, &quot;Oh! Why do you ask: do you meditate?&quot; Try to see why they're asking or what they know already (because knowing that might help you to answer them).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T15:40:11.410" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2015-08-15T16:58:09.417" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I answer as a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they ask why you meditate, it might be for many reasons - here are just three,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They believe that the practice is worthless. They want an opening to be contentious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They see something in you that they wish to emulate or have access to. They are interested in starting a journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They belong to a quiz team and are inveterate collectors of facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that we can never be sure of the motivation of others, I suggest that your reply could simply be,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Why do you ask?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once they explain their motivation, you can answer in terms that will be useful to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5612" LastEditorUserId="5612" LastEditDate="2015-08-15T17:13:50.063" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T17:13:50.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7519" CreationDate="2015-08-15T17:42:19.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm afraid the answer seems to be, no there isn't. This is somewhat surprising since many Sanskrit Buddhist texts were translated into German.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T17:42:19.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2015-08-15T18:07:09.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Because I enjoy it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They did not ask you what the benefits of meditation are, or if you think they should try it, etc.  They asked an extremely simple question, so I would answer it with an extremely simple answer.  If they want to know more, then they can continue to ask further, better questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5717" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T18:07:09.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10791" CreationDate="2015-08-15T21:28:33.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nations with Buddhism as a major religion are seldom pacifist. Take for example: Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Nepal, or China. None of these governments practice pacifism now, nor to my known have they ever in the past. Some of them are now run by military dictatorships and are characterised by authoritarian regimes which treat their people harshly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some smaller countries like Bhutan are quite peaceful in the sense of not being involved in wars, but Bhutan is currently persecuting Nepalese migrants, who themselves fled civil war in Nepal. The history of Buddhist Tibet is quite bloody at government level, despite the current pacifism of their leader in exile the Dalai lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say that if radical pacifism exists it is at the level of individuals and never at the level of governments. Where Buddhist monastics have engaged in politics, as they are in Tibet and Sri Lanka currently, it has tended to corrupt them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your comment above you question whether people vote against their conscience. Another feature of Buddhist countries is totalitarianism. Very few Buddhists have had the possibility of voting in the past. In the countries that are democratic no pacifist party has ever won power so far as I know. But if they did it is likely, until very recently, that a neighbouring country would simply invade and conquer them and replace the pacifist govt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A nation state is an entity created and sustained by violence or at the very least the threat of it. So in a sense the idea of a pacifist nation state it a contradiction in terms. One of the few examples of this comes not from Buddhism, but from the state within a state that is the Amish community in the USA. Again, not a democracy but a religious oligarchy (a hierarchy in the true sense of the word). Ironically the right to freedom of religion that many of us enjoy was won, and is sustained, by the threat of violence against those would would deny the right. And again in history most Buddhist countries did not have freedom of religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a rather complex question, and history is full of counterexamples, but I think this broad overview covers the facts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-15T21:28:33.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2015-08-16T03:00:28.320" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I usually give one of two answers. The first is simplest. &quot;I meditate to become&#xA;less of a person.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The longer answer is:&quot;I meditate because I had no choice. I have a very strong&#xA;karmic connection to meditation and path.&quot; Since I was a kid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually questions come after these answers are given. It's fun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5721" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T03:00:28.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8453" CreationDate="2015-08-16T09:30:34.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking the study of dhāraṇī has been sorely neglected until very recently. As such there is very little published information on the subject. For example Paul William's standard text on Mahāyāna Buddhism contains no reference to dhāraṇī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the article by the Lokesh Chandra says, the earliest extant texts of this particular dhāraṇī date from the 7th century Chinese translations (T1057 + Siddhaṃ). I see no sign of an independent Sanskrit text anywhere, and Chandra doesn't cite one either. So the Sanskrit texts that are floating around are from one or another of the Chinese texts. And be warned that these are almost certainly unreliable - particularly the Siddham script version (ironically).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that in the text, Avalokiteśvara has already taken on some of Śiva's attributes means that it was probably composed not much earlier than the 7th century. Nīlakaṇṭha is a name of Śiva, as is Īśvara (from Avalokita-īśvara). In Alexander Studholme's book &lt;em&gt;Origins of Om maṇipadme hūṃ&lt;/em&gt; he notes that the assimilation of Śiva into Buddhism is a theme in the &lt;em&gt;Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; which he dates to the 4th Century CE. I suspect that it must be a century or two later than this, just before the emergence of Tantric Buddhism. So the dhāraṇī in question is certainly no earlier than the 4th or 5th century CE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sanskrit text looks to be mainly classical Sanskrit. Although this could just be the bias of editors who reconstructed the Sanskrit from the Chinese! Presuming that the transcription is accurate, it also argues for a date of not earlier than the 4th century CE, since before that time Buddhist texts were composed in Prakrit. Many dhāraṇī's, such as those included in the &lt;em&gt;Saddharmapuṇḍarikā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Suvarṇabhāsottama Sūtras&lt;/em&gt; sometime around the 4th century CE, seem to have been composed in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit. There never was any text like this in Pāḷi, although Gāndhārī is a possibility since many early Mahāyāna texts were composed in that language. However, very few Gāndhārī texts have been found and not all of them have been edited and published. But see for example the article by Ingo Stauch &amp;quot;The evolution of the Buddhist rakṣā genre in the light of new evidence from Gandhāra: The &lt;em&gt;Manasvi-nāgarāja-sūtra&lt;/em&gt; from the Bajaur Collection of Kharoṣṭhī Manuscripts&amp;quot; in the &lt;em&gt;BSOAS&lt;/em&gt; issue listed below&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems to me that you have the earliest text already and that looking for the &amp;quot;original&amp;quot; is probably not going to turn up any more information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple of publications that you might want check are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Copp, Paul. (2014) &lt;em&gt;The Body Incantatory: Spells and the Ritual Imagination in Medieval Chinese Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;. Columbia University Press.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Studholme, Alexander (2002). &lt;em&gt;The origins of oṃ manipadme hūṃ: a study of the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;. Albany: State university of New York Press.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you can get hold of it the &lt;em&gt;Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies&lt;/em&gt;, Volume 77 - Issue 01 - February 2014. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/28963/toc-bulletin-school-oriental-and-african-studies-volume-77-issue-01&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;contents page is available here&lt;/a&gt;, and as you will see it has many articles on dhāraṇī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be info in &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://is.gd/W9EvbQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;edited by Charles Orzech, Henrik Sørensen, Richard Payne. I don't have it to hand and the Google Books version has no previews, though the word &lt;em&gt;nīlakaṇṭha&lt;/em&gt; is mentioned several times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T09:30:34.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10791" CreationDate="2015-08-16T12:56:12.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you said you wanted an example of an instance when pacifism prevailed (and that you're less interested in answers which cite other examples of pacifism not prevailing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the following might count as one example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumibol_Adulyadej#Crisis_of_1992&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhumibol Adulyadej -- Crisis of 1992&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1992, Bhumibol played a key role in Thailand's transition to a democratic system. A coup on 23 February 1991 returned Thailand back under military dictatorship. After a general election in 1992, the majority parties invited General Suchinda Kraprayoon, a leader of the coup group, to be the Prime Minister. This caused much dissent, which escalated into demonstrations that led to a large number of deaths when the military was brought in to control the protesters. The situation became increasingly critical as police and military forces clashed with the protesters. Violence and riots spread out in many areas of the capital with rumours of a rift among the armed forces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Amidst the fear of civil war, Bhumibol intervened. He summoned Suchinda and the leader of the pro-democracy movement, retired Major General Chamlong Srimuang, to a televised audience, and urged them to find a peaceful resolution. &lt;strong&gt;At the height of the crisis, the sight of both men appearing together on their knees (in accordance with royal protocol) made a strong impression on the nation, and led to Suchinda's resignation soon afterwards&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was one of the few occasions in which Bhumibol directly and publicly intervened in a political conflict. A general election was held shortly afterward, leading to a civilian government.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_May_(1992)#Royal_intervention&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Black May (1992) -- Royal intervention&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early on the morning of 20 May, the very popular Princess Sirindhorn addressed the country on television, calling for a stop to the violence. Her appeal was rebroadcast throughout the day. That evening, her brother, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, broadcast a similar appeal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, at 9:30 pm, a television broadcast of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Suchinda, and Chamlong was shown, in which the King demanded that the two men put an end to their confrontation and work together through parliamentary procedures. During the broadcast, the King addressed the two generals:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Nation belongs to everyone, not one or two specific people. The problems exist because we don't talk to each other and resolve them together. The problems arise from 'bloodthirstiness'. People can lose their minds when they resort to violence. Eventually, they don't know why they fight each other and what the problems they need to resolve are. They merely know that they must overcome each other and they must be the only winner. This no way leads to victory, but only danger. There will only be losers, only the losers. Those who confront each other will all be the losers. And the loser of the losers will be the Nation. ... For what purpose are you telling yourself that you're the winner when you're standing upon the ruins and debris?&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suchinda then released Chamlong and announced an amnesty for protesters&lt;/strong&gt;. He also agreed to support an amendment requiring the prime minister to be elected. &lt;strong&gt;Chamlong asked the demonstrators to disperse, which they did&lt;/strong&gt;. On 24 May 1992, Suchinda resigned as Prime Minister of Thailand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king's speech might be fairly explicitly Buddhist: warning people against the risk of &amp;quot;losing their minds&amp;quot; isn't something I'd expect to hear from a non-Buddhist leader, even during a speech against violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T12:56:12.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3080" CreationDate="2015-08-16T13:57:45.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective is there any problem with this? The companies are not stealing nor are they breaking any laws - tax avoidance is perfectly legal as opposed to evasion which is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's difficult to say why they avoid paying taxes. We cannot know the exact reason so this is based purely on theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most obvious reason for why they are avoiding taxes would be because they want to maximize profit. If that is the case one could argue that their actions are based on the unwholesome root of &lt;em&gt;Greed&lt;/em&gt;. In this case they are creating unwholesome kamma for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could also be that they want to earn as much money as possible so that they can give as much money as possible to charity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should Buddhists avoid Amazon and Starbucks out of concerns about tax avoidance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on one's intention. If one's intention is to contribute to he upkeeping of tax avoiding companies so that they can earn more money then one should probably avoid buying at those companies since it will create unwholesome kamma for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one's intention simply is to buy a cop of coffee then no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can also view it from the perspective of the company, i.e. from the perspective of the people who are doing the tax avoiding and thereby creating unwholesome kamma for themselves. One could minimize their ability to create unwholesome kamma for themselves by choosing to not buy from these companies. If more people choose not to support them it might end up in them choosing more carefully how they conduct their business.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are probably many more perspectives than i mention here. These are just the ones that were most important for me to mention. Again this is purely theory since we do not know the reason behind tax avoiding. It could simply be that they need the money to open up another office building so that more people will be able to get a job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T13:57:45.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10832" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10848" CreationDate="2015-08-16T14:26:08.883" Score="7" ViewCount="362" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a huge proponent of scientific skepticism, rationalism and critical thinking. As a former Christian, I enjoy watching debates and more recently, discussions on YouTube. I like the debate format because it allows for the use of cross-examination, which is a real art in my opinion; especially as demonstrated in the masterful use of rhetoric by say, the late Christopher Hitchens. Likewise, I enjoy a format geared more toward discussion as it allows me to truly &quot;step inside the head&quot; as it were, of people who I disagree with on a fundamental level and if the conversation is good, to grasp the concepts from angles that may never have occurred to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example of the difference between the two, let me recommend that you watch two videos. The first one being the debate between Sam Harris and noted Christian apologist, William Lane Craig that took place at Notre Dame. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/yqaHXKLRKzg&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/yqaHXKLRKzg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrast that one with Craig's performance in any of the three videos that were filmed in Australia, mainly in the discussion format with physicist Lawrence Krauss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/-b8t70_c8eE&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/-b8t70_c8eE&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/V82uGzgoajI&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/V82uGzgoajI&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/7xcgjtps5ks&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/7xcgjtps5ks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, honesty dictates that I admit my bias going into these. It is that I suspect that the natural world is all there is and that my experience after I die will probably be much like it was before I was born. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the aforementioned should in no way be taken as a discounting or criticism of personal experience, i.e. of the numinous or transcendent. I think that people have a basic right to believe whatever they want. What they don't get to have though is automatic immunity from criticism about things they tell others as matters of fact, and &lt;strong&gt;this is where my question begins...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where are the &lt;strong&gt;Buddhists engaging in either debate or discussion&lt;/strong&gt; wherein they are asked simple and direct questions about their epistemology? Debates with the form&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So you believe in and espouse &lt;strong&gt;the doctrine of rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;? That's great, but &lt;strong&gt;how do you know it's true&lt;/strong&gt;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By what method of inquiry did you come to this knowledge?&quot; and, &quot;Why is that method of determining what is true equally as or more valid than traditional western methodology?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only person I know about who has been willing to attempt this, to his credit, has been Ven. Brahmali in both &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuHi9Zpx7zo&quot;&gt;debate&lt;/a&gt; and discussion with Stephen Batchelor. I just wish that more people for whom I have a lot of respect due to their accessible teaching, like Ajahn Brahm and Mattieu Ricard, would follow suit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recommendations to videos and books are most welcome&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5727" LastEditorUserId="5727" LastEditDate="2015-08-16T16:06:49.723" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T19:14:41.087" Title="Looking for references to skeptical debates on the subject of rebirth" Tags="|reference-request|rebirth|truth|debate|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10791" CreationDate="2015-08-16T16:04:51.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since your question arose after reading the article, I guess it is essential to point out some misrepresentations in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, the premise of &lt;a href=&quot;http://religiondispatches.org/is-buddhism-opposed-to-self-defense/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this secular article &lt;/a&gt;is entirely false. Asaram Bapu is a Hindu self-styled Godman, who himself is jailed on charges of child molestation. The details of his case can be accessed here &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asaram#Gurukul_deaths_case&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asaram Child Abuse. &lt;/a&gt; Second, the idea that, and I am paraphrasing the author, Indians are joining similar violence prevention courses over the advice of religious opponents who echo Buddha, is entirely author's misconstrued imagination with no basis in reality. Buddha never figured in the contemporary discussion on sexual abuse in India post the December 2012 gangrape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, the Buddhist society in general can be divided in 4 different categories:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a. Bhikkhu (Male Monks)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b. Bhikkhuni (Female Monks)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;c. Upasak (Lay Male Follower)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;d. Upasika (Lay Female Follower)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kakacupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;' mentioned in the article is addressed to the monks who have renounced lay life and are determined and dedicated to the path of enlightenment. Its quotation is out of context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that Buddha never discouraged Kings (Govts in the modern context) from keeping a standing army. In fact, he even gave advice to the Licchavis on how to well defend their republic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A detailed explanation of the role of King and the Soldier in the society and their importance is given here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/soldier.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Role of the Soldier &lt;/a&gt;with proper references of the relevant Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the above link, it is quite clear that the idea of Radical Pacifism as 'You may not hurt others, even if you're &quot;being rendered limb from limb&quot;.' is not what Buddha taught in the context of Kings and Soldiers. This was a teaching given to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be a little off-topic but it is important to understand that in Buddhism, a lot of emphasis is put on meditation. The Dhamma says 'Ehipassiko' - i.e. come and see for yourself. So, on a personal level, if a soldier comes to realize the effects of his livelihood on the experiential level, he is welcome to become a monk. But while being a soldier, if he is practicing the teachings of monks, then he is harming himself and he will harm the nation. Buddha gave the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; to come out of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'•In countries like Cambodia (97% Buddhists) and Thailand (93% Buddhists) does radical pacifism have any consequences at all at the government level?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•Or is (radical) pacifism just an insignificant minority position in Buddhism?&#xA;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, since, Buddha never taught Radical Pacifism to Kings and Soldiers, I think the question is a non-issue. Also, even if the majority of population is Buddhist doesn't mean the state is Buddhist. In Cambodia, during the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_genocide&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cambodian Genocide&lt;/a&gt;, religion was banned and there was repression of even the Buddhists. Even during the rule of Mao in China, religion was heavily repressed. Japan had a pacifist constitution for a while before Abe but that was inspired by the second world war. I think a better question would be impact of Buddhism on general governance in different countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T04:33:35.513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T04:33:35.513" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10836" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10838" CreationDate="2015-08-16T18:12:41.130" Score="4" ViewCount="603" Body="&lt;p&gt;Undoubtedly Buddha was a very famous person. I am very eager to know who were his mother and father and when and where they were born?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5728" LastEditorUserId="5106" LastEditDate="2015-08-16T23:23:28.530" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T23:23:28.530" Title="When and where were the mother and father of Buddha born?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10836" CreationDate="2015-08-16T18:28:04.667" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_of_Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Family of Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was born into a family of the kshatriya varna in what is Nepal in 567BCE. He was called Siddhartha in his childhood. His father was King Suddhodana, leader of the Shakya clan in what was the growing state of Kosala, and his mother was Queen Maya. He was raised by his mother's younger sister Maha Pajapati after his mother's death seven days after childbirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He later married Yaśodharā, and together they had one child, a son, Rāhula. Both Yaśodharā and Rāhula later became disciples of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His first cousin, by his father, Ananda, joined the Buddha as his attendant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also recommend 2 books for you. The first one is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;What Buddhists Believe&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Sri Dhammanda and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddha-teachingsurw6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha and His Teachings&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada Mahathera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both books have an introductory section on the life of the Buddha. In the second book there are also 2 chapters on the Buddha's relatives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T18:36:12.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7980" CreationDate="2015-08-16T18:38:00.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apart from both being blue, the iconography of the two Buddha's is completely different - different mudras and implements for example. Their &quot;function&quot; is also different. One represents wisdom (Akṣobhya) and the other compassion (Bhaiṣajyaguru). if they are supposedly the same, then why are they so different? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T18:38:00.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10793" CreationDate="2015-08-16T18:56:50.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was still a human being in the sense that he had a physical body as a results of the 5 aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was once asked if he was in pain regarding his pains in the back. His answer was that there was pain but he was not bothered by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an enlightened being he had destroyed all defilements and fetters and would therefore not identify or take ownership of the pain. There would be noone to do that. There would just be pain - an impersonal phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T18:56:50.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3431" CreationDate="2015-08-16T19:04:22.760" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with those who praise learning Canonical languages. Studying Pāli texts in Pāli is very rewarding. I have found my understanding of the Buddha's teaching blossomed through reading Pāli texts. I enjoying reading texts in Pāḷi and I teach beginners Pāḷi around my local Buddhist Centre. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pāḷi is not a difficult language to learn. I would start there. It is always advantageous to learn Sanskrit because word morphology and derivations are much clearer and regular in Sanskrit. One can do without it to some extent, but especially once you start reading poetry Sanskrit comes in very useful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What else you learn will depend on your interests. If your interest is primarily early Buddhism then the language to learn is Chinese. Not Mandarin but Middle or Classical Chinese. Studying the parallels between Pāḷi, Gāndhārī and Chinese is a hot topic at present. Often a Chinese text cannot be understood without a Pāli or Sanskrit text to compare it to. The Chinese script is difficult, but the grammar is very simply and easy compared to Sanskrit!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanskrit requires a much greater commitment and perseverance to learn. It is mostly written in Devanāgarī and has many more declensions and conjugations as well as a dual in addition to singular and plural. However, if you are interested in Mahāyāna texts a combination of Sanskrit and Chinese unlocks the Canon, so you cannot do without it. Sanskrit is also useful for historical interests - it is more closely related to ancient Iranian for example. Sanskrit also helps with the Brahmanical texts which were being written and discussed at various times by Buddhists. Being at least a little bit familiar with the early Upaniṣads helps to clarify some of the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've not tried Tibetan or Japanese. The former can be very useful for Mahāyāna texts and of course for Tibetan Buddhism. The latter has a huge body of scholarship that does not get translated into European languages. Many of the early Japanese Buddhists, like Kūkai, wrote in Classical Chinese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know how people think, learn their language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T19:04:22.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10679" CreationDate="2015-08-16T19:19:05.620" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is no, and no. The Pāḷi Canon is a translation. Although people in Central Ganges Valley all spoke closely related dialects at the time we think the Buddha lived. The problem of having different words for things was noted at least once in a Pāli text. In MN iii.234 (&lt;em&gt;Araṇavibhanga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;) that there can be many local words for the same object, e.g. pāti, patta, vittha, serāva, dhāropa, poṇa or pisīla (all variations on 'bowl'). The text says that to insist on one name would be to cause conflict, and in any case one knows the object whatever it is called.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pāḷi is a kind of formal language which was no one's vernacular, but was probably widely understood. It is similar in some ways to two different dialects as represented by the Asoka inscriptions: one in the West of Indian (Girnar) and one in the East (Magadha). In some of the earlier parts of the Pāli Canon, such as the Suttanipāta, the dialects are quite mixed up and it is confusing trying to translate them. Later things settled down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first answer, by Buddho, is rather speculative about the Buddha's language. There is no basis for this speculation. It's a guess with no evidence one way or another. As I say we do not know what language the Buddha spoke. In fact we do not really know what his name was, so how could we know his language!?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly the texts are very clearly the result of a long process of telling, retelling, and editing. This is most clear when one compares the Pāli texts with those in Gāndhārī and Chinese. The different Canons are organised differently and within suttas words, phrases and large chunks of text get moved around. Some texts have clearly been tampered with and other were clearly written much later than the rest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's entirely possible that some of it was said by the Buddha and translated into Pāli with little loss of meaning. But we'll never know how much and how faithfully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the texts are no less fascinating for this I find. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-16T19:19:05.620" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10843" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-16T22:46:20.910" Score="5" ViewCount="2366" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard Nirvana described as a state of bliss, but if there is no self then how can it be described as bliss when nobody is there to experience it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5709" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T10:50:19.153" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T01:31:47.493" Title="If there is no self how can Nirvana be described as bliss?" Tags="|nirvana|self|nonduality|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10844" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-17T00:45:19.437" Score="3" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am wondering if &lt;a href=&quot;http://32parts.com/practice.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt;, and in particular, the guided audio meditations, are in line with the actual teaching of the 32 parts of the body meditation. I don't know much about it, so I thought I'd get a second opinion here, and also I thought that provided this is a good resource, I would at the same time share it with you all :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T09:39:25.877" Title="Reflections on Repulsiveness" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10843" CreationDate="2015-08-17T02:44:11.487" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, even when I am typing these words and seeing the screen, there is no one there. The 'person' isn't an existing thing, it is just a label we put on things to describe how things work, and the label of person refers to a large group of many different mental and physical processes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is ultimately no self, does that mean that all experience is impossible? No. There are individual parts that preform functions and made experience possible. When I look at the computer screen, it isn't some sort of seperate &quot;me&quot; inside my head that is seeing the screen. Rather, the coming together of the object, my eye, and and my brain, work together and as a result, awareness of the screen arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same way with Nibbana. There isn't anything there that you can really call a person, but there is Nibbana, and there is consciousness that is taking Nibbana as an object (called Lokuttara-Citta in the books of Abhidhamma). It is this consciousness that is blissful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T02:44:11.487" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10847" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10856" CreationDate="2015-08-17T06:03:20.113" Score="3" ViewCount="357" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the teachings from Pali canon on negotiation in a business or social context? I have read tips such as not to make a false negative attitude on someone's property and acquire it. It is a form of stealing. Or sometimes the buyer will make techniques not to pay the real value. It is also a form of stealing according to Buddhist texts. So my concern is on how to negotiate on things/price such that all the parties involved get happy. I will be really grateful for an answer with some references from Pali Canon or from the teachings of a Buddhist scholar. Thanks in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T20:39:16.533" Title="Tips for negotiation from Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|pali-canon|modern-world|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10832" CreationDate="2015-08-17T08:06:13.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem is not new. Several disputes on the subject of rebirth are recorded in traditional texts. In Pāḷi we have the &lt;em&gt;Katthāvatthu&lt;/em&gt; - a record of various intellectual disputes with other Buddhists by the Theravādins. In Sanskrit there is Nāgārjuna's &lt;em&gt;Mūlamadhyamakārikā&lt;/em&gt; (MMK) which disputes the Mainstream Buddhist view of karma and rebirth. Vasubandhu's &lt;em&gt;Abhidharmakośa&lt;/em&gt; records disputes between Sarvāstivādins, Sautrantikas, and others on this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a number of points of dispute, but two principle and related arguments. These arguments assume that rebirth is what happens after we die, and that karma is the driving force behind rebirth - or in other words, that rebirth is the primarily effect (vipāka) of actions (karma). It's not well understood that the early Buddhists texts in particular do not teach &quot;actions have consequences&quot; so much as they teach &quot;actions cause rebirth&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Firstly&lt;/strong&gt; there is the problem of &lt;em&gt;action at a temporal distance&lt;/em&gt;. I first described this problem in an essay called &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/does-karma-break-rules.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Does Karma Break the Rules&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&quot; The basic question here is, how does karma manifest an effect (vipāka) long after the cessation of the condition? This is specifically denied by the principle of dependent arising (pratītyasamutpāda), which says that when a condition ceases the effect must also cease, with the implication (in the grammar of the statement) that this happens either simultaneously or in immediate sequence. There is no question of a delayed effect from a condition in dependent arising. This argument is made by Nāgārjuna, for example, in chp 17 of MMK: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the action endures to the time of maturation, then it would permanent&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If it is destroyed, then being destroyed, what fruit will it produce?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (MMK 17.6. Siderits and Katsura, p.176)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the main &quot;effect&quot; of karma is precisely rebirth, then this is a very important question to decide. Nāgārjuna answers it by saying that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Defilements, actions, and bodies, agents, and fruits, are similar to the city of gandharvas; they are like a mirage, a dream (MMK 17.33, p.191)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this answer was not routinely accepted by other Buddhists, because even though it solves the problem on the surface, the implications are that nothing is real and most Buddhists found this unsatisfactory. Nāgārjuna was accused of being a nihilist. And in any case the Theravādins ignored these developments in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three main theories emerged to try to show how karma might cause rebirth. The doctrine of momentariness, the doctrine of always existent (sarva-asti) dharmas, and the seed theory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In momentariness, adopted by the Theravādins, each karma is conceived of as a citta (In AN 6.63 the Buddha says &lt;em&gt;cetanāhaṃ kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;intention is what I call karma&quot;). This citta arises and passes away in a very short space of time (a moment) and is the condition for the arising of a second &lt;em&gt;identical&lt;/em&gt; citta. That citta arises and passes away and is the condition for a third citta. And so on until the final effect of the action manifests, usually combined with other cittas to produce a final citta at death (cuticitta) that conditions the first citta of a new life elsewhere (paṭisandhicitta). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The always existent theory, associated with the Sarvāstivāda, argues that if a dharma (i.e. a mental event) has an effect in the future, then it must exist in the future, else it violates pratītyasamutpāda. Similarly if a past dharma has an effect in the present, then it must still exist in the past or it violates pratītyasamutpāda. Thus dharmas must always exist, in some form, but may only be &quot;active&quot; in the present - which is why we only perceive them in the present. This is a much better theory than most Buddhists give them credit for. Most other Buddhists modified dependent arising to allow for karma, but the Sarvāstivādins opted to retain dependent arising unchanged and modified dharmas. Of course other schools rejected this as a form of eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The seed theory starts off as a metaphor: cittas are like seeds that are planted in the soil and grow into a plant. The plant and the seed are not the same, nor do they co-exist in time, but one develops into the other. This is an elegant metaphor, but we have no idea of the underlying mechanism. Vasubandhu takes this metaphor and formalises it - this is definitely how karma and rebirth work. He introduces the idea of the &lt;em&gt;ālayavijñāna&lt;/em&gt; &quot;store consciousness&quot;. But his Yogācāra followers reified the metaphor and made the &lt;em&gt;ālayavijñāna&lt;/em&gt; a real thing, thus making the theory eternalist and a wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the three, only 1. and 3. are currently in use, but 2. was very prominent in North India for many centuries.  Each theory introduces a number of ad hoc alterations to the received tradition - indicating that they could not see how karma and rebirth worked as things stood. Unfortunately none of the new formulas really solved the problem (nor did any of the less influential attempts not mentioned here). In several articles on my blog I show that the logic of these solutions to the problem, though in some cases admirable and elegant, actually fail to explain how karma and rebirth work. See especially &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-logic-of-karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Logic of Karma&lt;/a&gt;. This leaves us in the present with no workable theory of karma and rebirth. And this is before we invoke science!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Secondly&lt;/strong&gt;, this led to another big argument, the one over the interim realm (antarābhava). The doctrine of momentariness requires that the stream of cittas be unbroken. For this purpose they had to invent a kind of &quot;neutral gear&quot; called the &lt;em&gt;bhavaṅgacitta&lt;/em&gt; which is what the mind is doing when it is not doing anything. It primarily provides continuity when our mind is inactive - such as when we sleep or in the &lt;em&gt;nirodhasamāpatti&lt;/em&gt; &quot;attainment of cessation&quot;. In this case there can be no gap between death and rebirth or the stream of cittas would be broken. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, for other Buddhists the idea of an instantaneous transition did not make sense. Some pointed out that a cart carrying rice from one village to another took an appreciable time to get there. How could a citta fly from one person to another in no time? So they had to invent the interim realm, the &lt;em&gt;antarābhava&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;bardo&lt;/em&gt; in Tibetan, to accommodate this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At most, only one of these views can be correct. There can either be an interim or not. This dispute is never resolved in Buddhism so that today the official position of the Theravāda school is that there can be no interim realm, and Tibetan schools make the bardo between death and rebirth a particular feature of their teaching. Ironically many modern Theravādins (such as Bhikkhu Sujato) find the interim realm plausible, even though it destroys the stream of cittas that underlies their view of karma and rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been writing essays on this subject for some years now including critiques of the traditionalist views of some prominent Buddhists. Some of my work has also been published in academic journals. A complete list can be found under the heading &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/p/afterlife.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Afterlife&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition I was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thesecularbuddhist.com/episode_038.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;interviewed&lt;/a&gt; by Ted Meissner of The Secular Buddhist on the subject of karma and rebirth: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doug Smith of the Secular Buddhist Association has also critiqued the Traditionalist view of rebirth: &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/05/29/a-secular-evaluation-of-rebirth/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/05/29/a-secular-evaluation-of-rebirth/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone put together &lt;a href=&quot;https://storify.com/ThatLastTurtle/no-karma-no-rebirth-no-enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this discussion between me and David Chapman on Twitter&lt;/a&gt; on storify. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T08:15:35.930" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T08:15:35.930" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2702" CreationDate="2015-08-17T08:39:12.467" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;he is considered a great leader. an unusual leader.  he represents Buddha not buddhism-which he was always against of. his books are largely accepted as Buddhist books because his style is very poetic and explains the raw ancient hard text in simple languages with jokes...he just want u to be buddha...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5731" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T08:39:12.467" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10843" CreationDate="2015-08-17T08:44:23.523" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One must be very careful with the idea that there is no self. This is not quite what the early Buddhist texts say. What they say is that when one examines one's experience (the five khandhas: form, sensations, perceptions, volitions and cognitions) one does not find a self, nor anything that belongs to a self (Alagaddupama Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta no.22). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because experience is constantly changing, whereas by the definitions of the time a self is not changing. The unchanging ātman which is not affected by actions or events is a feature of the early Upaniṣads and the Bhagavadgīta. But if your experience is always changing, which can be confirmed by simple introspection, then no unchanging thing will ever be perceptible or comprehensible. At no point did the Buddha say &quot;there is no self&quot;. He strongly implies that there is no possibility of an unchanging self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus if there is any unchanging element to a human being we cannot experience it. And thus from a Buddhist point of view it is irrelevant. In the Sabba Sutta (Saṃyutta Nikāya, 35.23), the Buddha defines &quot;everything&quot; (sabba) as the āyatanas: the six kinds of sense object and the corresponding kinds of sense faculty. Everything of interest to the Buddha is found in experience. And really this makes sense because outside of experience can only be speculated about (there are philosophical problems with this view, but it is conventional enough that most people accept it without question). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where Descarte said &quot;I think therefore I am&quot;, the Buddha might have said &quot;There is experience&quot;. He does not conclude that this implies &quot;being&quot;, he just acknowledges that there is experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand we do experience ourselves as having a first-person perspective. I experience myself &lt;em&gt;as a self&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha seems to have acknowledged this, but pointed to the fact that feeling like we are someone is just an experience and as such marked by the same characteristics as all experiences: impermanence, disappointment, and insubstantiality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem from a Buddhist point of view is that we are intoxicated with sense experience. And we have a view that happiness is about maximising pleasant sense experiences and minimising unpleasant ones. So we chase experiences in pursuit of happiness. But the nature of experience is impermanence and thus they cannot satisfy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, just because there is no permanent feature of experience does not deny that there is an experience we can call &quot;bliss&quot;. It is no different from other experiences. Even nibbāna is an experience. It's just that nibbāna radically transforms how we perceive other experiences once we have it. After Nibbāna we stop thinking about sense experience as leading to happiness. It's just what it is and nothing more. Happiness is not something that comes from sense experience at all. It comes from not being intoxicated with sense experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in this context the idea that nibbāna might be accompanied by an experience of bliss is certainly plausible, but not very interesting. In fact as with the Dhammapada verse mentioned above, it's doubtful that &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt; even means &quot;bliss&quot; in this context. In fact it is more likely to mean &quot;well-being&quot; or even &quot;happiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T08:44:23.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7187" CreationDate="2015-08-17T09:17:31.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've just been answering another question about &quot;self&quot; here &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10850/5715&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10850/5715&lt;/a&gt;.  Getting the background to such questions right is imperative. Self/selfless is so often misunderstood! The initial question here is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it right to say that &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; Buddhists both do and don't believe in the &quot;empirical self&quot;, as in the conscious mind and its concomitants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is never right to say that &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; Buddhists believe &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt;. Buddhism is very pluralistic. One has to take a point of view and then work outwards and look at the contrasts in other approaches. Some Buddhists accept the notion of an empirical self and others do not. Personally I don't see how we can understand our experience without some kind of acknowledgement that we at least have a first person perspective  - what I see through my eyes is not the same as what you see. But others are adamant that there is no self of any kind. The unfortunate influence of the Two truths Doctrine can be seen far and wide leading Buddhists to illogical conclusions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, does that reality include or consist of the Buddha and how can we unenlightened beings confirm that, besides confirming suchness, when it seems we cannot confirm suchness is known?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And again Buddhists disagree on the possibility of saying anything about &quot;reality&quot;. After many years of studying Buddhist texts I have yet to find a word in Pāḷi, Sanskrit or Chinese that directly corresponds to the European notion of &quot;reality&quot;. Indeed the early Buddhist epistemology, which is the point of view that I take as a matter of course, guarantees that we could not say anything about reality anyway. When it comes to knowledge, the only source we have is experience (and Kant says much the same thing in the opening pages of his &lt;em&gt;Critique of Pure reason&lt;/em&gt;). Experience is acknowledged by most Buddhists to consist of, at a minimum, a sense object, a working sense faculty, and sense cognition. Since the faculty and the cognition are conditioning factors, experience is always irreducible subjective. I tend to describe experience as being the events that happen when object and subject overlap. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Mainstream Buddhists and early Prajñāpāramitā Buddhists argued that though we have experiences, the experience itself is neither existent (astitā) nor non-existent (nāstitā) - it is &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; soap bubble, &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; a dream, &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; a flash of lightening, &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; an illusion. There is experience, but beyond that we cannot say anything. This is spelled out in the &lt;em&gt;Kaccānagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (Saṃyutta Nikāya 12.15) and picked up in the &lt;em&gt;8000 Perfection of Wisdom&lt;/em&gt; text and by Nāgārjuna. In other words &quot;real&quot; and &quot;unreal&quot; are not terms that can be applied to experience. And experience is all we have to go on (Sabba Sutta SN 35.23). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Crucially the first person perspective is also an experience. The feeling that &quot;I am someone&quot; or that &quot;this is my thought&quot; is also an experience. And like all experiences neither real nor unreal. Nor indicative of any noumenal reality (as far as Buddhists are concerned). So &quot;reality&quot; doesn't really come into it. Nothing about experience could help us to understand reality, though it can help us to understand experience!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this Buddhist point of view, therefore, your questions are not well formed. However, I still think of them as interesting questions because they highlight the kinds of assumptions we make when trying to think like a Buddhist. We have to keep asking these questions in this way until we become much more familiar with thinking like Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Peter Harvey made a good contribution to the field of Buddhist studies, but one must always read his work with a critical eye. He is not without his biases and presuppositions. As encyclopedic as his work tends to be, particularly his book on Self, he never quite thinks like a Buddhist in the way I've outlined. He collects all the relevant quotes from suttas, which is very useful, but he doesn't &lt;em&gt;get&lt;/em&gt; them in the way that say, Sue Hamilton, did. Her books on the Khandhas and Early Buddhism are revelatory (and every bit as difficult to read as Harvey unfortunately). &lt;em&gt;Early Buddhism a New Approach&lt;/em&gt; ought to be on every Buddhist intellectual's reading list. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By examining experience we can understand the nature of experience. And this is all that suchness and other terms refer to in my view. We have no faculty that would give us access to other kinds of knowledge and certainly not knowledge of &quot;reality&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T09:17:31.767" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7219" CreationDate="2015-08-17T09:32:38.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Paul Williams book on the Mahāyana Buddhism he notes that &quot;According to the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra: 'self [i.e. &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt;] is the meaning of &lt;em&gt;tathāgatgarbha&lt;/em&gt;.'&quot;  (p.98) and &quot;One thing is clear: the &lt;em&gt;Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; teaches a really existing, permanent element in sentient beings&quot; (p.99) (I'm quoting from the first edition, 1989. There is a revised edition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take this to mean that the &lt;em&gt;Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; has become infected with Vedantic ideas similar to the ātman. Certainly the basic teaching on &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt; has been lost sight of. Williams plausibly links this to the problem of how the unenlightened can escape from greed, hatred and delusion. This is a perennial problem in Buddhism. We keep losing sight of the possibility and having to reinvent it. Unfortunately some of the reinventions are better than others. As time goes on they tend to become more and more eternalistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so the answer is not a resounding &quot;no&quot;. It is a definite &quot;yes&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T09:32:38.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2341" CreationDate="2015-08-17T10:11:54.007" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In early Buddhist texts one gains nibbāna and is freed from ever having to be reborn again. Many people achieved this and in relatively short time frames. The Buddha of the early texts seems to have expected the enlightened practitioners he left behind (hundreds if not thousands of them according to the texts) to teach others how to achieve this. If each disciple themselves freed only two other people, the whole world would soon be free. The traditional Buddha told his followers that the Dhamma should be their refuge and teacher when he was gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However by the time the Mahāyāna sutras were being composed a significant level of doubt and insecurity seems to have crept into their minds. At the same time they began to inflate the role and the capabilities of the Buddha in their retelling of the stories. (This trend is covered in my article: Escaping the Inescapable: Changes in Buddhist Karma. &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/2014/06/04/changes-in-buddhist-karma/&quot;&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; Vol. 21. 2014). The dilemma is this: if the Buddha was truly compassionate, how could he die and leave us behind? Something of this dilemma is openly expressed in the opening of the &lt;em&gt;Suvarṇabhāsottama Sutra&lt;/em&gt; (Fantastic Golden Light) in which Ratnaketu asks why the Buddha only lived 80 years if merit increases lifespan and the Buddha had infinite merit. The answer is that the Buddha only appeared to live and die, but that in fact he is eternal. This is typical of the hyperbolic response of the Mahāyāna and the gradual conversion of Buddhism into a more theistic religion, with Buddha as God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to deal with this problem the Mahāyāna intellectuals conceived of the bodhisatva as getting to the threshold of awakening, and having more or less all the advantages of being awakened, but not attaining nirvāṇa which would ensure they could not be reborn. In this view the bodhisatva eschews enlightenment in favour of repeated rebirth to come back and help beings. In this view also we see a vastly inflated role for the bodhisatva. The Mahāyāna seems to have anxiety about the Dharma not being sufficient. One needs the (increasingly god-like) intervention of a Buddha or bodhisatva. Interestingly some Theravādins also lost heart. This view is seen, for example, in Peter Masefield's book &lt;em&gt;Divine Revelation in Pali Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;. Masefield, a respected translator and practising Theravādin, argues that without the physical presence of a Buddha nibbāna was not possible - and that the possibility of enlightenment would have died out within a generation of the Buddha's death. It's a view that is relatively easily refuted, Masefield cherry picks his Pāḷi quotes and studiously ignores any contradictory information. (see my unpublished &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/writing/Did-the-Dhamma-die-with-the-Buddha.pdf&quot;&gt;review of his book&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we are left with the image of the bodhisatva with many magical or godlike powers, a kind of messianic saviour figure, who helps otherwise helpless beings by being repeatedly reborn amongst us to lead us to the goal that we are otherwise incapable of reaching ourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many ways this is a profoundly pessimistic view of humanity, though a very positive view of bodhisatvas and buddhas. It reaches its apotheosis in the teachings of the Japanese Buddhist, Shinran, who entirely abandoned the idea that human beings could become enlightened and preached reliance on the vows of Amitābha (recorded in the Sukhavativyūha Sūtras) a Buddha who lives in another universe but who has promised to meet people after they die and lead them to his Pureland from where they can become enlightened with no effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, in Mahāyāna Buddhism one typically vows to become a Buddha, but a Buddha once dead cannot be reborn, so one, as it were, &lt;em&gt;puts off&lt;/em&gt; Buddhahood until all beings are free, which at the present rate of beings being freed is essentially forever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T10:11:54.007" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10854" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-17T10:55:57.030" Score="4" ViewCount="460" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like some resources on textual criticism of the pali canon and other ancient buddhist works generally considered to be trustworthy. These should include works from all three traditions if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be it via blog, video or audio I don't care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theologian Robert M. Price sets a good example example of the level of rigor I'm looking for here in this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/AyQPVytxbGI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/AyQPVytxbGI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, accessible to the lay person who doesn't speak in this case, Greek or Aramaic, but not dumbed down and pedantic to the point of being patronizing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5727" LastEditorUserId="5727" LastEditDate="2015-08-17T11:21:06.317" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T11:43:40.450" Title="Higher textual criticism resources" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|pali-language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10854" CreationDate="2015-08-17T11:43:40.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's not much of the kind of critical criticism of the kind that Price is giving in his talk. Scholars of Buddhism are largely in love with their subject. It is something I have complained about on my blog. Academia is still in the stage of trying to accurately describe what Buddhism is and generally likes what it sees. Few scholars are engaged with what it is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; or with the conflicts and contradictions within the tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the only prominent scholar who is actively critical is Greg Schopen though much of his criticism is based on the conflict between archaeological evidence and textual evidence. His collection of essays &quot;&lt;em&gt;Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is worth reading. This video &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GeZGFvbDzo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha as Businessman&lt;/a&gt; shows him giving a talk that gives a good idea of his approach.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;my blog&lt;/a&gt; there are a few online references which are openly critical of Buddhist ideas and practices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhist Association&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ted Meissner's  &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/category/podcasts/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhist podcast&lt;/a&gt; (now seems to have merged with the SBA),  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meaningness.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meaningness&lt;/a&gt; (by a Buddhist and sometimes about Buddhism, but with a much broader scope). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Glenn Wallis's &lt;a href=&quot;http://speculativenonbuddhism.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Speculative Non-Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is a rather acquired taste, but nothing if not critical. Strong influence from Post-modernism and Marxism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rkpayne.wordpress.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Richard K Payne&lt;/a&gt; is an academic who is frequently critical of modernist developments in Buddhism. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's also &lt;a href=&quot;https://enlightenmentward.wordpress.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Smiling Buddha Cabaret&lt;/a&gt; focus on feminist themes. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I have not reviewed Matthew O'Connell's &lt;a href=&quot;http://posttraditionalbuddhism.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Post-Traditional Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; seems to be in a similar vein (he's influenced by Wallis). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be more. But this lot will keep you busy for a while. There are a number of websites which are aimed at critical approaches to practice. This is not really my area of expertise, but one can look into the phrase &quot;dharma overground&quot; for example. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T11:43:40.450" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10847" CreationDate="2015-08-17T13:51:23.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha gives the following advice regarding wealth creation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He who acquires his wealth in harmless ways&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;like to a bee that honey gathers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;riches mount up for him&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;like ant hill's rapid growth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the bee gains from the flower and the flower remains as radiant as ever after the bee has visited. The bee doesn't just buzz off leaving the flower an absolute wreck. From that I would suggest that the important point is that during the negotiation neither party is harmed at the end. Negotiation is a part of business and a part of life that many lay followers must engage in but nevertheless it is an activity that should not cause harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an aside, Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddhas-teachings-prosperity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's teaching on Prosperity&lt;/a&gt; gives much more of the Buddhas advice on wealth and wealth creation which you may find interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-17T20:39:16.533" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2015-08-18T03:02:47.363" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is all about intention. you must set your intention on peaceable love, fruition of that love in your garden. there are weeds which are essentially herbs, and you may want to leaner a little of them, as they are actually medicine, and food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the weekend we had lectures from the venerable Robina Courtin who spoke of a child crying that his shaved head would take the home from his lice. but if you take yogurt, garlic, you kill the bad flora in your gut. If you take sugar, you kill the good bacteria.if you take medicine, you do the same. everything you do, every action is constructive and destructive. and that is beautiful. it is not the action, but the mind. it is vitriol, pleasure in killing, hatred we must steer clear of. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your intention is to create a thing of beauty, food for others, something lovely and peaceful to provide retreat. I would build on those thoughts. In good health. Do your best. forget the rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5733" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-21T10:13:09.203" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T10:13:09.203" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2627" CreationDate="2015-08-18T07:34:58.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhas are born once in a Kalpa. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_named_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Altogether there are 28 buddhas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kalpa is a time period which is described as when deva(similar angel) flys among the skys once a hundred years when her clothe brush against himalayas a little of himalayas will fall. like that one day it will come to the ground level. That period is know as kalpa.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is no famous in famous in Buddhism. Every buddha's story is given as example in buddha's preaching.&lt;/strong&gt; Maybe you have heard of few. Because Every bodhisatwa(one who travel's in the path of buddha) have to get niyatha wiwarana(prediction from buddha). &lt;br&gt;&#xA;In that case on one got prediction from buddha to be Maytree in next kalpa.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No he is not living in this world now. Maybe there are one bodhisatwa.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Once he got predictions he will live in thawsitha diwya(like a heaven) waiting for his time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="610" LastActivityDate="2015-08-18T07:34:58.523" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2702" CreationDate="2015-08-18T08:41:33.207" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am uncomfortable with the question because any possible answer is going to be opinion based, and StackExchange in general frowns up on such questions. But then in any philosophy/religion forum several things are obviously going to be opinion based, so if anything the choice of StackExchange as a medium is probably more at fault.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Osho calls himself a Zen master, in fact the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osh%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;word Osho means teacher in Japanese Zen&lt;/a&gt;, but he also doesn't fit into any of the usual pigeon holes of Buddhism or even the ones of Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Osho Rajneesh often has some great ideas, but he also draws fantastic conclusions now and then that aren't backed by any logic, data or reason and appear to be self serving. One could make the case that this was an intentional trap for his unwary students, but then everything can be turned upside down in dharma if you try hard enough. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't recall specific examples of such missteps since I stopped turning to his ideas a while back, but he's like the Tibetan saying, &lt;em&gt;honey on a razor blade&lt;/em&gt;, if you are careful there's honey to be tasted, but if you are careless there's the razor blade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sex and money itself isn't a turnoff for me - religion works in many ways, and crazy wisdom has a long tradition of such persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drukpa_Kunley&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Drukpa Kunley&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; the 15th century Mahamudra master wasn't called the &quot;The Saint of 5,000 Women&quot; for nothing, his principal method to enlighten women by having sex with them. So too to a lesser extent with Chogyam Trungpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately it comes down to the student more than the teacher - there are students of the Buddha, like the King Ajatasatru who starved his father to death despite having listened to the Buddha several times, and there are those who get enlightened despite following a fake teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sure Osho has helped a few people out of their problems and addictions in his life, in the end we cannot judge others or guess their karma, we can only safeguard our virtues and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-18T08:41:33.207" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10860" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-18T20:40:54.917" Score="4" ViewCount="286" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read a lot of english language scholarship on the mahayana, probably about 150 books thoroughly, with notes, though not always with very good notes. I wanted an opinion from a broadly Mahayana perspective, so here's my story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was a sensitive youth, and had a number of religious like epiphanies while backpacking, before a more intense near visionary one with a basic Buddhist textbook.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this was truncated by a frank insanity: there is schizophrenia in my family. Anyway, my psychosis is doing a good job of shrivelling up with medication and therapy. But before all that, and before I clawed back some sense of Buddhism from my relatively committed reading habits, did I have an authentic religious (or Mahayana) moment? Or was it a religious delusion and / or escapism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I tell? I had taken a couple of Thai meditation classes, and since then have sat with a couple of zen groups, and attended a 7 day ch'an retreat. No-one took much interest, but then I am &lt;strong&gt;near&lt;/strong&gt; broken now. I'm not asking for authentication from a web community, only:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is bodhisattvahood in personal practice: is it OK to believe one (has or) did have that quality?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anyone &lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; suppose they are a bodhisattva, without any group accreditation and with little engagement - outside their own personal striving / story / narrative?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More esoteric or indeed polemical answers, are of course weclome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T10:49:13.270" LastActivityDate="2023-01-09T10:20:01.933" Title="What is bodhisattvahood in personal practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|mahayana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10860" CreationDate="2015-08-18T21:30:05.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvahood, is not really a quality, at least not in the sense you are saying. A Bodhisattva is a being striving to reach enlightenment as quickly as possible, for the benefit of all beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have a set of vows that they must take and keep. They are similar to monks, except their vows are of a different variety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are thinking of the term &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ahrat&lt;/a&gt;, or someone who has obtained nirvana. Yet the two terms are related in a way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing about a realization of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Śūnyatā&lt;/a&gt;, at least in the teachings I have heard, is that you know, there is no doubt. This is of course a direct understanding I refer to, not an intellectual theoretical understanding. Those who experience it directly do not have to ask for a clarification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your personal experience, don't get me wrong, it is your experience. What value it has is not for others to determine. You must decide what impact to let it have on you. I spent years chasing after answers after an experience I had in my teenage years, and though I learned a ton about myself, and many other things, ultimately I came to the conclusion that the experience was a dead end, and not to pursue it further. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One Rinpoche who I went to talk to about the experience advised me to just passively watch and observe if it were to happen again. He explained to me about how when he was a boy he had to reach out and touch objects to ensure that they were really there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now just because my experience was a dead end does not necessarily mean yours was. There are two possibilities, it was a genuine experience, or it was somehow related to your condition. &#xA;Either way, it is your mind, and you can analyze it as an aspect of yourself. Where you go from here, and what you decide to do with the experience and the memory of it though, is completely up to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-08-18T21:30:05.043" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10862" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-18T22:25:31.550" Score="6" ViewCount="351" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is good and bad according to Buddhism? Is there good and bad? What is it's cause? What defines good and bad? Why some people think &quot;this same X is bad&quot; and others think &quot;this same X is good&quot;? What's the cause of this difference in thinking &quot;this same X is bad&quot; and &quot;this same X is good&quot;? Are there any suttas talking about all this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T18:44:44.340" Title="What is morality according to Buddhism?" Tags="|ethics|evil|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10763" CreationDate="2015-08-19T00:08:31.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I decide these things is thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all One being. We are all One God, sharing the same Buddahood.&#xA;There is no real individuality. Let us leave behind the world with as much good as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, the way a Bodhisattva works in the world is a mystery, especially because those of us without jhana and prajna powers cannot penetrate into the ultimate causes and conditions. They frequently do not stick to rules and conventions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But always, a Bodhisattva acts doing what is best for everyone.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, even though we do not have the omniscience of a Bodhisattva, we can act intuitively within our own understanding that a tapeworm is a lower being and you can do much more good for the universe than a tapeworm. Think of the cyclic reincarnation and realize that there is not much good that it is doing in the world anyway..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In this way, a being's worth is measured by its ultimate service in helping Us achieve the Goal: for all to realize Complete Buddahood, complete Trikaya.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Go ahead and kill the tapeworm, but do not raise any seeds or poisons while doing so. Do it with love and generosity for the highest good of all.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, a measure of moderation is needed and when one experiences doubt one should not do such a &quot;bad action.&quot; (Doubt is one of the 6 root afflictions and a good indicator of a wrong pathway, just like the other afflictions, when they arise are also a useful indicator.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T00:08:31.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10758" CreationDate="2015-08-19T00:19:51.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it helps you center your mind then &lt;strong&gt;it is a good start.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually though after you have become familiar with this state of peace, it can help you to to reach actual states of jhana (not just a general calming of mind) but you must have a meditation object that you can choose to enter and leave at your own decision--not at the will of the guide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do binaural beats and I find it very helpful prior to meditation, although some of the beats influence my brainwaves too much. Which is another topic entirely but goes with the principle that I mentioned in the previous paragraph: concentration states &lt;strong&gt;are traditionally advised to be achieved with kasinas and breathing.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Right Meditation leading to Right Concentration (the last stage) is &lt;strong&gt;cultivated in a quiet isolated environment&lt;/strong&gt; not one with some guided meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T14:09:23.090" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T14:09:23.090" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10862" CreationDate="2015-08-19T00:52:09.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The respective key words for &amp;quot;good&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;bad&amp;quot; in the suttas are &amp;quot;wholesome&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kusala/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kusala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) and &amp;quot;unwholesome&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/akusala/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;akusala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kusala (adj.) [cp. Sk. kuśala] 1. (adj.) clever, skilful, expert; good, right, meritorious.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;akusala : (nt.) demerit; sin; bad action. (adj.), unskilful.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Wholesome&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;unwholesome&amp;quot; here are qualifications for action/&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Keeping in mind that, to the Buddha, &lt;em&gt;volition&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;) manifested by body, speech and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, friends, is the unwholesome, what is the root of the unwholesome, what is the wholesome, what is the root of the wholesome? Killing living beings is unwholesome; taking what is not given is unwholesome; misconduct in sensual pleasures is unwholesome; false speech is unwholesome; malicious speech is unwholesome; harsh speech is unwholesome; gossip is unwholesome; covetousness is unwholesome; ill will is unwholesome; wrong view is unwholesome. This is called the unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what is the root of the unwholesome? Greed is a root of the unwholesome; hate is a root of the unwholesome; delusion is a root of the unwholesome. This is called the root of the unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what is the wholesome? Abstention from killing living beings is wholesome; abstention from taking what is not given is wholesome; abstention from misconduct in sensual pleasures is wholesome; abstention from false speech is wholesome; abstention from malicious speech is wholesome; abstention from harsh speech is wholesome; abstention from gossip is wholesome; uncovetousness is wholesome; non-ill will is wholesome; right view is wholesome. This is called the wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what is the root of the wholesome? Non-greed is a root of the wholesome; non-hate is a root of the wholesome; non-delusion is a root of the wholesome. This is called the root of the wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(the causes are also repeated and further explained in the Nidana sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.33&lt;/a&gt;)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above definitions are more general, based on the 3 defilements (greed/&lt;em&gt;lobha&lt;/em&gt;, hate/&lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;, delusion/&lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;) but the list of mental states can expand to more specific ones. For example, any of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; are also understood as &lt;em&gt;unwholesome&lt;/em&gt;. In Theravada tradition, the Abhidhamma and Visuddhimagga lists 10  defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another exposition, the Buddha further distinguishes between four kinds of &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.235.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.235&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly realized, verified, &amp;amp; made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark &amp;amp; bright with dark &amp;amp; bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, generally speaking, it is said that wholesome actions are those that lead to a favorable rebirth and lead to &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;, whereas unwholesome actions are those that lead to suffering, perdition, hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an interesting read in this subject, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Roots of Good and Evil&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T00:58:01.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10866" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-19T01:56:14.933" Score="10" ViewCount="874" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a question on my mind lately, regarding ego. It is not paradox per se but I find it slightly paradoxical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because people have such a strong ego, humanity has risen above the animal level. Our ego was main reason that we progressed, our desire to improve etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it wasn't for our ego, we would still be in caves, struggling and Buddhism would never exist. Isn't this paradoxical? Ego is the main reason that we came to the point where we are trying to forget our ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T10:51:56.313" LastActivityDate="2023-11-17T21:01:37.683" Title="Paradox of the ego - our desire to improve vs Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10867" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-19T01:59:47.107" Score="3" ViewCount="334" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't help myself not to find Buddhism utopic. A concept that can only exist for a small group of people. What is the long term plan of the Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How would Buddhist monks organize countries, world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;e. g.:&#xA;Imagine you got 95% Buddhist countries, but ISIS pops up, how would Buddhist countries react, given that non-violence is preached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T10:48:20.007" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T18:54:57.773" Title="How would Buddhist monks organize countries and the world?" Tags="|philosophy|western-buddhism|politics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10867" CreationDate="2015-08-19T03:05:59.213" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can't help myself not to find Buddhism utopic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one assumes that it's purpose is to make the earth a place with no violence, or to make peaceful beings not die from life-threatening attacks, it is utopic. But that assumption is incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the long term plan of the Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not an abstract view of society. It does not put forward any grand vision of what an ideal society should be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But within a society (a real one), it offers useful principles to guide human affairs. The utility of these are always within the theme of decreasing suffering of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How would Buddhist monks organize countries, world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monastic person is one who put aside most wordly matters, which include governing. Having them organizing countries, the world, would be to put back on their plate what they specifically put aside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a historical understanding of how buddhism have being put to use on government affairs, I suggest as a starting point of research the emperor &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ashoka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imagine you got 95% Buddhist countries, but ISIS pops up, how would Buddhist countries react, given that non-violence is preached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very speculative question, which not only is something that buddhists are taught to avoid, but the policy of this community also does not promote developing such discussions. However, if this question's subject is reduced to an individual instead of countries, the dilemma might be preserved and maybe a satisfying answer can be given. So, to the reformulated question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how a buddhist person reacts to a life-threatening situation, given that non-violence is preached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...while it's hard to say how buddhists reacts (any attempt in my part would be factually wrong), the Buddha taught abandoning ill-will. Note I'm not saying buddhists react with non-violence. I'm saying that the Buddha drew a very strong line on this matter&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; (and its up to each one to decide to live by it): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at heart would not be upholding my Teaching.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, Buddhism is not something that needs the agreement of everyone (or from a large group of people) to operate satisfactorily. It's not about society. It's a road for an individual to decide if that is the kind of person he or she wants to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; this is not without it's nuances and polemics, say, when it comes to the use of violence in self-defense or helping others by means of harming. Without going into detail, what seems generally accepted is if the state of mind that manifested violence came from greed, hatred or ignorance, it is blameful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T18:54:57.773" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T18:54:57.773" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10862" CreationDate="2015-08-19T09:04:33.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conceptions of what is good and evil are depend on what frame of reference you apply. Certain religious traditions that sprang up in the Middle East, the earliest of which was Zoroastrianism which most probably influenced all that followed, see life as a battle between the fundamental and &lt;strong&gt;external&lt;/strong&gt; forces of good and evil:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Zoroastrianism states that active participation in life through good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. This active participation is a central element in Zoroaster's concept of free will, and Zoroastrianism rejects all forms of monasticism. Ahura Mazda will ultimately prevail over the evil Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, at which point the universe will undergo a cosmic renovation and time will end. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is no cosmic fight between good and evil. Buddha pragmatically lays the origin of good and evil at the door of each persons individual actions. Greedy, hateful and delusional actions lead to bad results &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.069.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Unwholesome Roots AN 3.69&lt;/a&gt;; Generous, compassionate and wise actions lead to good results - for you and the people around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there is no fight between good and evil—that is the most wonderful thing in the Buddhist practice! There is no fight between good and evil. Good and evil are both organic matters. If you have understanding and wisdom, you will know how to handle both the flower and the garbage in you, you can make the Buddha be born every moment of your life, and peace and happiness will be possible. &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/transcriptions/mara-and-the-buddha-embracing-our-suffering/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why some people think &quot;this same X is bad&quot; and others think &quot;this same X is good&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are applying their frame of reference to the world. For Buddha even if they think X is good but this belief leads to suffering then they are delusional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting and related topic worth mentioning here is the role of Mara. In Buddhist stories, that have their origins in the Pali Canon, relate how Buddha was tempted by Mara (a kind of demon figure) - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/guruge/wheel419.html#ch-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maara Legends in Canonical Texts&lt;/a&gt;. You could equate the temptation of Buddha by Mara to the temptation of Christ by Satan. The two stories are very similar. However, without the underpinnings of a cosmic battle between good and evil, Buddhism's view of what Mara is, or represents, in these stories is much more nuanced than Christianities concept of the devil. In Buddhism the general consensus is that Mara is merely the personification of all the unwholesome (akasula) qualities and so ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mara is not very pleasant, but if you know how to help Mara, to transform Mara, Mara will become Buddha. If you don’t know how to take care of the Buddha, Buddha will become Mara. &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/transcriptions/mara-and-the-buddha-embracing-our-suffering/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T09:04:33.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10866" CreationDate="2015-08-19T09:17:40.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important to realise that ego is not something we have, but something that we do. At least in Freud's use of the word, ego is a &lt;em&gt;function&lt;/em&gt; of the mind, not an &lt;em&gt;entity&lt;/em&gt;. And yes it makes all kinds of things possible, not the least of which is empathy for other beings. There is a Pāḷi verse on this subject in the &lt;em&gt;Rāja Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Udāna&lt;/em&gt; 5.1; PTS: Ud 47 &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/em&gt; 3.8; PTS: SN i.75):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbā disā anuparigamma cetasā,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nevajjhagā piyataramattanā kvaci;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Evaṃ piyo puthu attā paresaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Tasmā na hiṃse paramattakāmoti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Going around all the directions in imagination&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [Something] more dear than one's self, is nowhere found&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The self of other individuals is similarly dear&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Therefore don't harm another self that is loved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that ego is strong or weak, but that we clearly distinguish ourselves as individuals against a social background. In some places where there is less individualism, identity (and therefore ego) can be more strongly linked to one's family and/or social group. On the other hand ego allows us to see and respond to others as individuals, to communicate, to learn, and so on. Ego is effectively the process of interacting with the world. Buddhism says there are better ways to interact with the world. People who reorganise their minds to bypass ego (or however we describe enlightenment) do not there by lose their individuality. If anything they are more distinctively individual. Think of the all the arahants in the Pāḷi texts and how each of them has a distinct personality and personal strengths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my view, it is civilisation that upset the natural balance that humans have with nature and experience. It has made our lives immeasurably better, and considerably longer, but it has also warped our relationship to sensory experience and lead us toward the warped view that happiness is attained through sense pleasures. I was quite interested in this question a few years ago and wrote a series of essays, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/why-do-we-suffer-alternate-take.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why do we suffer? An alternate take&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T09:17:40.017" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10860" CreationDate="2015-08-19T09:35:56.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might like to compare your story with that of &lt;a href=&quot;http://sallyclay.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sally Clay&lt;/a&gt;. Many years ago I discovered her essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://sallyclay.net/Z.text/Prophet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Wounded Prophet&lt;/a&gt; and found it very inspiring. She has written a number of other reflections on madness, visionary experiences, and Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the literature on madness there is a similar pattern: beautiful visions which give way to a more disordered and frightening state of confusion and delusion. I'm thinking of, for example, &lt;em&gt;The Faber Book of Madness&lt;/em&gt;, and Roy Porter's book &lt;em&gt;Madness&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clay argues for the validity of her initial visions, and she was led to this conclusion by interacting with a Tibetan Lama (I think they compared visions). While I do not practice Tibetan Buddhism, it seems to me that it might suit you better than Thai or Zen Buddhism. It is more at home with visions and unusual experiences, closer to the Shamanic roots of Tantra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ironic thing about a bodhisatva is that traditionally they don't think &quot;I am a bodhisatva&quot; or worry about if they might be one. So perhaps you are not one. But many people have transformative visions of one kind of another without becoming &quot;special&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sally Clay's way forward was helping other people, or in other words the bodhisatva way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T09:35:56.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10867" CreationDate="2015-08-19T10:29:58.147" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;We do not have to wonder about the answer to the question of &quot;&lt;em&gt;How would Buddhist monks organize countries, world?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; We have plenty of historical examples of just this. There is no need to speculate. In Tibet for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Until 1959... around 98% of the population was enslaved in serfdom. Drepung monastery, on the outskirts of Lhasa, was one of the world's largest landowners with 185 manors, 25,000 serfs, 300 pastures, and 16,000 herdsmen. High-ranking lamas and secular landowners imposed crippling taxes, forced boys into monastic slavery and pilfered most of the country's wealth – torturing disobedient serfs by gouging out their eyes or severing their hamstrings.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/feb/10/tibet-china-feudalism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Guardian. 11 Feb 2009&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Buddhist countries are no better. Buddhist monks are currently leading the ethnic cleansing in Burma for example - openly and actively encouraging the murder of Muslims. Buddhist monks supported the government of Sri Lanka in their genocidal war against the Tamils (who had only started fighting after decades of persecution and injustice). Even the happy Bhutanese are persecuting Nepalese refugees - not forgetting that in nominally Buddhist Nepal there was a decades long civil war. Japanese monks encouraged the imperial ambitions of the Japanese government in the early 20th Century, supporting the invasion of China and what they call The Pacific War (aka World War II). Pacifism was finally imposed on Japan not by Buddhist monks, who had been there for 14 centuries supporting one militaristic government after another, but by American generals and nuclear weapons (as sick as that was). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the modern countries that are notionally Buddhist or have a majority of Buddhists, we have Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia (Jesus, Cambodia!), Korea (Nth and Sth), China, and Japan. A brief look at the history of these countries is not encouraging when it comes to the political influence of centuries of Buddhism. The characteristic government of a Buddhist country in practice would on average be a repressive totalitarian state. The worst of them are also militaristic and imperialistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just going on the &lt;em&gt;real politik&lt;/em&gt; of Buddhist states that we know about, in a world that was 95% Buddhists and ISIS popped up we would almost certainly just systematically slaughter them. But since we would almost certainly have suppressed their religion and ethnically cleansed their region to begin with, they probably wouldn't have popped up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one who has even a beginners knowledge of the facts of history in Buddhist countries could sustain a Utopic illusion. But most of us prefer to remain ignorant and keep our illusions. The best chance for world peace is the real tolerance that comes with secularism! Compare also Stephen Pinker's book &lt;em&gt;The Angels of Our Better Nature&lt;/em&gt;, which not uncontroversially, tries to prove that violence has decreased with the spread of rationalist secularism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T10:29:58.147" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10866" CreationDate="2015-08-19T10:46:16.537" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that views about the self are problematic. For example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is quoted as describing an &quot;identity view&quot; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is how he attends inappropriately: 'Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in him: The view &lt;em&gt;I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self&lt;/em&gt;... or the view &lt;em&gt;It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self&lt;/em&gt;... or the view &lt;em&gt;It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self&lt;/em&gt;... or the view &lt;em&gt;It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self&lt;/em&gt; arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: &lt;em&gt;This very self of mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity&lt;/em&gt;. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. &lt;strong&gt;He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... where &quot;identity view&quot; is one of the &quot;fetters&quot; associated with suffering, and &quot;eradicating&quot; this view is one of the stages of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when I read your question about &quot;ego&quot;, I associated the word &quot;ego&quot; with dukkha and with desire; and so I re-read your question, substituting &quot;suffering&quot; and &quot;desire&quot; instead of &quot;ego&quot; into the question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because people have such a strong &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, humanity has risen above the animal level. Our &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; was main reason that we progressed, our desire to improve etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it wasn't for our &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, we would still be in caves, struggling and Buddhism would never exist. Isn't this paradoxical?  &lt;strong&gt;Suffering&lt;/strong&gt; is the main reason that we came to the point where we are trying to forget our &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because people have such a strong &lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt;, humanity has risen above the animal level. Our &lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt; was main reason that we progressed, our desire to improve etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it wasn't for our &lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt;, we would still be in caves, struggling and Buddhism would never exist. Isn't this paradoxical? &lt;strong&gt;Desire&lt;/strong&gt; is the main reason that we came to the point where we are trying to forget our &lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask whether that's &quot;paradoxical&quot; and therefore the question reminds me of this question (and the answers to that question) about whether it's &quot;paradoxical&quot; to want to end desire: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8776/254&quot;&gt;Stopping Tanha or craving&lt;/a&gt;. I recommend you read the answers to that question; but I won't requote those answers here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you phrase the question like that (i.e. &quot;&lt;em&gt;Suffering&lt;/em&gt; is the main reason that we came to the point where we are trying to forget our &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) then I don't see see it as paradoxical. Phrasing it like that depends on the idea that &quot;ego&quot; (and/or a process related to ego for example &quot;attachment&quot;) contributes to suffering. In the same way that there is wholesome desire and unwholesome desire, perhaps there is unwholesome ego; and to whatever extent ego contributes to suffering, to that extent we might want to forget ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/selvesnotself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Selves &amp;amp; Not-self&lt;/a&gt; by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu, says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The path begins with discernment — the factors of right view and right resolve — and discernment begins with this basic question about which actions are really skillful: &quot;What, when I do it, will lead to long-term welfare and happiness?&quot; [§8] The Buddha's teaching on not-self — and his teaching on self — are, in part, answers to this question. To fit into this question, perceptions of self and perceptions of not-self are best viewed as kamma or actions: actions of identification and dis-identification. In the terms of the texts, the perception of self is called an action of &quot;I-making&quot; and &quot;my-making (ahaṅkāra mamaṅkāra).&quot; The perception of not-self is part of an activity called the &quot;not-self contemplation (anattānupassanā).&quot; &lt;strong&gt;Thus the question becomes: When is the perception of self a skillful action that leads to long-term welfare and happiness, when is the perception of not-self a skillful action that leads to long-term welfare and happiness?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T10:46:16.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10874" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10876" CreationDate="2015-08-19T10:59:56.603" Score="3" ViewCount="833" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that one understanding of Bodhisattvas is that they postpone their enlightenment until all sentient beings have entered Nirvana? That's always struck me as odd. Why would this be necessary? Surely the Buddha was enlightened and he worked for the benefit of all beings too. Or is that an incorrect understanding of what a Bodhisattva is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-08-19T13:00:26.087" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T13:00:26.087" Title="Why do Bodhisattvas postpone enlightenment?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-08-19T14:17:18.667" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10866" CreationDate="2015-08-19T11:20:01.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because people have such a strong ego, humanity has risen above the animal level. Our ego was main reason that we progressed, our desire to improve etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as Buddhism is concerned, humanity began at a far elevated level, and has declined, not progressed, since then, due to the rise of greed, anger, and delusion. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.basicbuddhism.org/index.cfm?GPID=29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Lion's Roar on the Turning of the Wheel (Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it wasn't for our ego, we would still be in caves, struggling and Buddhism would never exist. Isn't this paradoxical? Ego is the main reason that we came to the point where we are trying to forget our ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question presumes an ego. Within the Buddhist framework of ultimate reality, there is no ego. There are only the 6 experiences of reality, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, and thinking. &quot;Ego&quot; is a concept, an artificial construct that exists only within the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question also presumes that humanity wasn't aware of its present state of suffering and seeking to alleviate it prior to the conditions of Buddhism arising being met, which according to the Buddha's teaching is not the case. The Buddha taught that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pacceka Buddha's&lt;/a&gt; arise during the times in human history when there is not a Buddha's dispensation to be heard and practiced, and instead achieve an enlightenment by themselves, but don't/aren't able to teach it en mass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T11:20:01.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10874" CreationDate="2015-08-19T12:19:18.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question (more or less) was asked a year ago. I recently gave a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10853/5715&quot;&gt;fairly fully answer to it&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T12:19:18.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10866" CreationDate="2015-08-19T12:55:25.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it, there is a progression of development: pre-ego (child, animal), ego (corresponding approximately to Concrete Operations stage), mature ego (Formal Operations), Neo (self with ego temporarily not operating, like satori or other trans-personal experiences), non-self (nonduality, early &quot;stages&quot; of enlightenment / realization), liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, ego is not a paradox, any more than adolescence is. Buddhism simply urges us not to remain teen-agers forever. If someone remained a child, yes they would not have all the urges toward self-improvement that more mature people do. Or even if they did, they would not be developed enough to coherently act on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard that Ram Dass said, &quot;&lt;em&gt;Ego is like an office that we go in to when we need to be efficient.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; Just remember to go home and have your real life as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T12:55:25.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10878" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10879" CreationDate="2015-08-19T13:47:25.160" Score="11" ViewCount="4513" Body="&lt;p&gt;Aren't Buddhists (with Buddhist I refer to an ideal Buddhist or Buddhists monk) actually not doing enough to prevent harm in this world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Buddhists don't have any attachment to things and work towards reduction of suffering in the world. Given the focus and discipline dedicated Buddhist has, they could use this to become successful businessmen for example and use that money/power to help people. But many don't, they seem very passive from what I have read so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a sense Buddhist not trying to accumulate money/power and use it to help people and change world, is hypocritical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T20:40:47.920" Title="Hypocrisy of Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10878" CreationDate="2015-08-19T15:31:27.343" Score="37" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist master, Ajahn Brahm, answered a similar question as follows in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/articles/item/1205-a-forest-monk-an-interview-with-ajahn-brahmavamso.html&quot;&gt;interview with Rachael Kohn&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rachael Kohn&lt;/strong&gt;: I know that your message is often about happiness, and how the point of life...is all about changing one’s attitude, not&#xA;  really about changing the world. And yet you would know that that kind&#xA;  of an attitude can also be breeding a certain indifference to the&#xA;  world...Does Buddhism ever teach a resistance to things which are&#xA;  dangerous, which are bad, which are evil?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ajahn Brahmavamso&lt;/strong&gt;: Yes, we teach a resistance to anger, we teach a resistance to jealousies, we teach a resistance to stupidity. Those&#xA;  are the things which we should really be resisting, you know, the&#xA;  anger and the feelings of revenge, the hurt, the grief, the guilt&#xA;  inside of us, all those negative emotions which make our world. Those&#xA;  are the things which we want to resist, to understand, to overcome, by&#xA;  letting go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Buddhists claim that harm in this world arises because of greed, hatred, and delusion; they seek to eliminate these sources of harm within themselves and to educate others so that they may do the same. So, on this view, Buddhists are addressing the root causes of suffering in themselves and others and helping people in this way--the most effective way. As the passage above implies, an ideal Buddhist is far from passive internally and, although she may appear to be so externally, one could argue that she is simply skillful/technical in her approach to the suffering of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, Buddhists want to use wisdom, rather than money and power, to help others. According to them, this is the most effective way to do so, and the only way to get to the cause of the problem; using power and money to alleviate worldly problems can be a temporary, palliative solution at best. The Buddha often compared himself to a doctor, treating the causes of suffering rather than exclusively treating the symptoms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T14:57:49.423" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T14:57:49.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7348" CreationDate="2015-08-19T17:23:01.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good question. But hampered, as are many such discussions by mismatched terminology. There is no Buddhist concept that quite matches the idea of &quot;consciousness&quot;. We don't really notice this because the early translators used quite imprecise terminology and we're stuck with it. If there is one thing that &lt;em&gt;vijñāna&lt;/em&gt; is not, it is &quot;consciousness&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another factor that one must take into account is that what ancient Buddhists meant by &quot;mind&quot; and what modern philosophers, like David &quot;The Hard problem Chalmers mean by it are two different things. Buddhists for example make no categorical distinction between thought and emotion. There is no word for emotion in either Pāḷi or Sanskrit. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/emotions-in-buddhism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Emotions in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;. Emotion is a kind of citta, as it thought, or perception. And yet the distinction between thoughts and emotions is critical to modern philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nor is there any notion of the mind as a container for experience. The metaphor of the &quot;theatre of consciousness&quot; is entirely absent from Buddhist thought. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-mind-as-container-metaphor.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The 'Mind as Container' Metaphor&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The early Buddhists never claimed to fully explain conscious thought. The project would not have interested them. They were trying to understand dukkha - unenlightened experience. They were interested in the intoxication (&lt;em&gt;pamāda&lt;/em&gt;) of ordinary people with sense experience and how to sober up. However as I understand it they would probably have agreed that because experience arises in dependence on sense object, sense faculty and sense cognition, and that most of us proceed without pause to proliferation, that a complete explanation of a conscious thought would be difficult. But I don't think anattā has anything to do with this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand experience of samādhi changes the ball game. One can get a kind of insight into the arising of cittas that are as yet not incorporated into the modern theories of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness is only explicable by way of an explanation of some particular conscious thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trouble is that what you are calling &quot;consciousness&quot; is almost certainly ruled out in Buddhist thought by &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;. From the early Buddhist point of view there is no such thing as &quot;consciousness&quot; in the sense that, say, David Chalmers uses it. There's just conscious experience. Chalmers own solution that &quot;consciousness&quot; must be different from matter is also ruled out - if something is not accessible to the senses then we can have no knowledge of it. And this is the most important implication of anattā. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does leave open the question of the Hard Problem though, because there is still something that it is like to have an experience. It's just that solving this problem would not tell us anything interesting about why we suffer. We suffer because we have an aberrant relationship to pleasure/pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems to me that you're barking up the wrong philosophical tree with this question. However, it's worth asking because it helps to clarify the distinctions between Buddhism and philosophy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T17:23:01.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10862" CreationDate="2015-08-19T18:44:44.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta is a good sutta for this question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from my study of Buddhism, what is good and bad can be determine by:&#xA;1) determine the intention.&#xA;2) Results.&#xA;3) compare it with the wise (is it blameless?).  Tons of sutta about who is wise and who isn't.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T18:44:44.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10878" CreationDate="2015-08-19T19:57:22.737" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very complex question. You start by positing an &quot;ideal Buddhist&quot;, which cannot really exist by virtue of all Buddhists generally being human, thus flawed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are asking about &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; a Buddhist goes about reducing suffering in others - or put the other way, acting on the kindness and compassion that they practice will, hopefully, bring into being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are different &quot;venues&quot; in which this might take place. The majority of Buddhists, I would say, are ordinary people, not entrepreneurs. Thus, their kindness and compassion will flow to those they have immediate contact with. They may decide to help run a small meditation class, or may just resolve to be kinder to their kids. In the end, if as a result of their practice there is more kindness in the world, then this is a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people have a more entrepreneurial spirit, or perhaps have skills that might let them create organisations that improve the lives of a larger number of people. There are a number of Buddhist run charities, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karuna.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Karuna Trust&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rokpa.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rokpa&lt;/a&gt;, charities set up by Buddhists to try and solve some of the world's problems. There are many more than these two examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ancient times, an example to note is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;King Ashoka&lt;/a&gt; who, after realising the folly of his ways, used his influence to improve the lives of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is important not to discount the simple kindness of listening to a colleague who is struggling, or sharing with those interested some of the lessons learned through one's own practice. These also change the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists, we must all seek to find the most effective means to act out that desire to make the world a better place, and the choices we make will each be very individual to our sensibilities, talents and circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5650" LastActivityDate="2015-08-19T19:57:22.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10843" CreationDate="2015-08-20T06:46:28.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To make answer clear to you I describe difference between the self, soul, nibbana and parinibbana. There is no soul but there is a collection of temporary things which can call as self. Self is consists of body and mind. Anyone can easily understand that body is not immortal but it is very hard to realize that mind is dying and generating in ultra high speeds. One particle of the mind is called as naama and you can understand the structure of naama in following image which I used to describe same in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5288/is-it-me-or-someone-else-paying-karma-for-my-sins&quot;&gt;previous answer&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3w2wv.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3w2wv.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here 3t&lt;sub&gt;1 &lt;/sub&gt; is the time taken to one naama's existence. naama has 3 states in it's life time - Borning, Existence and destroying. There are billions and billions of naamas generated in eye blink time. So that's why we feel continuous mind. So collection of this continuously dying mind and body you call it as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After Intelligent person realizing that there is nothing which can be called as me and mine, He realizes the uselessness of giving comfort to the body to generate some collections of naamas to make it feel as comfort. Due to the efforts of giving comfort to the body with foolishness, we were born in the hell in very very big numbers compared to the heavens and Brahmans. So Intelligent person determine to stop generating these naama and meditate more. After achieve nibbana person get ability to stop naama after parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Bliss&lt;/strong&gt;  can be experienced by the person who attained nibbana and not yet had parinibbana. He knows the danger he has bypassed with the dhyanas and that will make blissed happiness in the mind. After parinibbana there is no mind, so no physical body and self. Blissness after the parinibbana is there is no self to get hurt by the hell and sadness including upper states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T06:46:28.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-08-20T07:41:30.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To control the sexual desire&lt;/strong&gt; you &lt;strong&gt;must realize the disgusting nature of human body&lt;/strong&gt; and temporary nature of the comfort we feel. You have to perform &lt;strong&gt;aversion meditation&lt;/strong&gt;(Meditation method to realize disgusting nature of the body) . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;aversion meditation&lt;/strong&gt; (Pilikul Bawana), we have to realize that our body is filled up with things that cannot even be bared by the person himself or herself. Load Buddha has described that our body is poring excrement form 9 different doors. eyes(2 doors), nose(2 doors), mouth(1 door), ears(2 doors), sexual organ(1 door) and anus(1 door). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inside the body is filled with excrement, urine, unprocessed food mixed with saliva and other disgusting liquids, skeleton and muscle tissues covered with stinky cover called as skin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is another meditation method called as &lt;strong&gt;Asuba Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;. In this the meditator looks at a dead body which is rotten. It is very powerful meditation method. But now we cannot see abandoned dead bodies in cemeteries now. (I think you are intelligent enough to realize that you must not kill anyone to do this meditation.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With these meditation methods people can control their lust and sexual desire for short time period. Can be used to control until perform vipassana meditation and attain nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attain &lt;strong&gt;anagami&lt;/strong&gt;, Lust and sexual desire will completely destroyed and never arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T07:41:30.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10885" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10903" CreationDate="2015-08-20T10:58:56.943" Score="6" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;In multiple Jataka stories, the Buddha tells of his different past lives, multiple of which occurred under King Brahmadatta. Am I missing something here? How is it that the Buddha was living multiple past lives, all during the lifetime of one king? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for example : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1010.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1010.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1008.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1008.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T11:04:39.460" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T19:19:06.747" Title="Buddha's past lives in the Jatakas" Tags="|the-buddha|bodhisattva|scripture|jataka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10885" CreationDate="2015-08-20T11:39:32.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are missing something important. But you are also adding something. What you are adding is that you are taking the Jātaka's literally. What you are missing is that these are simple morality stories that are not meant to be taken literally. They illustrate principles. In fact they are not even particularly Buddhist since many of the stories occur in both Jain and Vedic literature as well. They are just a way of conveying values in a way that uneducated people can appreciate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern treatments of religion veers away from taking the words of religious texts on face value. There is no reason, except for uncritical acceptance of religious stories, to believe that anything preserved in a traditional text is &quot;the word of the Buddha&quot;. When the material involved supernatural beliefs such as rebirth then we have even less reason to take such texts on face value. In the case of the Jātakas the very strong implications of personal continuity between lives conflicts with the fundamental metaphysics of Buddhism which deny the possibility of any kind of personal continuity. Such continuity as might be discerned is entirely impersonal. The fact is that this metaphysic produces unworkable morality and so early Buddhists maintained a doubt standard - arguing vociferously against personal continuity in more theoretical texts, and tacitly allowing for strong forms of personal continuity in morality stories. The contradiction is never acknowledged in traditional texts, never noticed by modern Buddhists, and seldom discussed even by scholars of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from the outright doctrinal clashes and the supernatural elements, especially of the Jātakas, there is the kind of historical conflict that is embedded in the question: events that are supposed to have happened in a particular time frame that physically cannot have happened in that time frame. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jātakas as a body of literature use miracles and other supernatural occurrences to create compelling narratives for the communication of Buddhist values. Until the twentieth century the Jātakas remained some of the most revered Buddhist texts and the main vehicle for communicating morality in tradition Theravāda countries. However, precisely because of the supernatural elements the texts have never been as popular or significant in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long ago as 1748, philosopher David Hume wrote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavours to establish...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly the testimony of the Jātakas fails this simple test. It would certainly not be miraculous if the Jātakas turned out to be fictions. However we can re-evaluate the stories as myths which use people in unusual circumstances, performing incredible deeds of magic and supernatural power, in order to convey values. According to Evolutionary Psychologist Justin Barrett imbueing a story or character just enough counter-intuitive properties makes the story memorable and interesting. A figure like the talking wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood was probably never intended to be taken literally. Even if we reject the idea of a talking wolf, the story retains a certain fascination as a act of story telling. A story need not be the literal truth to elicit an emotional response. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus taking the Jātakas at face value as literal accounts of history are naive at best. The question could only arise as part of a literalist/fundamentalist worldview in which miracles are in fact routine rather than miraculous. But this is far from tenable outside of a religious milieu which allows members to reinforce false beliefs and rewards members for reciting them. As another modern Psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, has said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“We know that people can maintain an unshakable faith in any proposition, however absurd, when they are sustained by a community of like-minded believers.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For anyone with a Western education the question of the literal truth or reality of the Jātakas seldom arises, because miracles and magic are rightly not part of our worldview. The major contribution of the European Enlightenment was to free people from the tyranny of religious dogmas and ordinary superstitions. Which we largely see as an important element of the progression of civilisation. That some Buddhists abandon reason to embrace the magical thinking and superstitions of Classical Buddhism is a quirky feature of modern Buddhism, but fortunately not very widespread. Most Buddhists are content to read the Jātakas and myths - fictional stories which communicate a set of important values. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T13:03:06.230" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T13:03:06.230" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10887" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-20T11:44:10.213" Score="5" ViewCount="429" Body="&lt;p&gt;What role if any does academic scholarship play in Buddhism? Should Buddhists be concerned with what scholars say, or can we safely ignore them? How should we resolve conflicts between tradition and academia?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For specific conflicts I can cite some of my own work. See for example my discovery that karma and dependent arising are mutual contradictory: See &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/does-karma-break-rules.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Does Karma Break the Rules?&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/sarvastivada-approach-to-problem-of.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sarvāstivāda Approach to the Problem of Action at a Temporal Distance&lt;/a&gt;. I have subsequently discovered that Nāgārjuna also thought so (MMK 17.1-6). Or my discover that &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-logic-of-karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;all theories of karma are internally inconsistent&lt;/a&gt;: ; or the conflict between &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/unresolvable-plurality-in-buddhist.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;metaphysics and morality&lt;/a&gt;; or the assertion made by Sean Carroll that &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/there-is-no-life-after-death-sorry.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no afterlife of any kind is possible&lt;/a&gt; (including rebirth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T21:04:01.057" LastActivityDate="2022-01-25T14:57:43.237" Title="Scholarship and Buddhism" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7727" CreationDate="2015-08-20T11:52:57.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one seems to have answered this from the obvious point of view: &lt;em&gt;tantra&lt;/em&gt;. According to the 9th century Japanese Tantric Buddhist practitioner, Kūkai, the abhiṣekha, or initiation, is a communication aimed at the body, speech and mind of the practitioner. As such it consists of gestures, words, and images (mudra, mantra, and maṇḍala). The communication of the abhiṣekha recapitulates the first communication of the Dharma from Mahāvairocana to Vajrasatva. The primordial Buddha, Mahāvairocana had been sitting in the perfect equanimity of full and perfect awakening, but realised that until he communicated his experience. So he manifested a being called Vajrasatva and through mudra, mantra and maṇḍala directly communicated his experience to Vajrasatva who was immediately fully and perfectly awakened. Mahāvairocana then asked Vajrasatva to pass on the abhiṣekha to other beings (who are also manifestations of Mahāvairocana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This all takes place in a world conceived of as the body, speech and mind of Mahāvairocana. All phenomena are the body of Mahāvairocana; all sounds are the speech of Mahāvairocana. All mental acticity is the mind of Mahāvairocana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in terms of Tantric Buddhist practice, yes, the mudras are a vital part of the process. In doing a Tantric visualisation one is attempting to repeat that first ever conversation in mudra, mantra, and maṇḍala. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T11:52:57.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10029" CreationDate="2015-08-20T12:07:09.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As some of the answers have already noted, you can't control which thoughts arise in the mind. However, to deal with your problem at hand, you must understand the process of thought and action and addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, The process is a constant loop between thought then action... then a new thought- normally a stronger emotional thought- which was created by the previous- first thought and action. This new stronger emotional thought leads to a new stronger emotional action... and the loop continues until it becomes so power that you then give-in to the unwholesome act or addiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, how to end this loop and thus remove the power of the constant loop. The solution is mindfulness. It's awareness. I can only think of one way to increase such virtues, and that is through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With an ever-increasing state of mindfulness, you will become aware of the beginning of each and every loop in your waking life- whether it's anger, love, pain or sexual- the loop will always begin as a thought and proceed to an action, again becoming stronger and stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so, you need to focus on whatever part of the loop you are experiencing, either the thought or the action. By focusing fully on one or the other, the loop will become nomore!! The loop can not exist when you have mindfully focused on one thing- the loop can not continue. I personally would use a mantra- thinking thinking- feeling feeling. But, you need to increase you mindfulness. That is why correctly performed meditation is so important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user476" LastEditorDisplayName="user476" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T20:26:43.260" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T20:26:43.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7629" CreationDate="2015-08-20T12:33:21.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The earliest records we have refer to Ānanda in many ways. But bhikkhu is one of them. For example in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahāpadāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; we find&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etarahi ānando nāma bhikkhu upaṭṭhāko ahosi aggupaṭṭhāko&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A bhikkhu called Ānanda, monks, was our servant, the best of servants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kalyaṇamitta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (SN i.87)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Atha kho, mahārāja, ānando bhikkhu yenāhaṃ tenupasaṅkami&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Then, your Majesty, I approached the bhikkhu Ānanda... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However he is frequently referred to as &lt;em&gt;āyasmā ānando&lt;/em&gt; roughly Elder Ānanda. His ordination as a bhikkhu was probably fairly conventional. It's not recounted in full. But at least twice his preceptor (upajjhāya) is mentioned, e.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa upajjhāyo āyasmā belaṭṭhasīso araññe viharati.  (Vin 4.86)&#xA;  At that time Belaṭṭhaṣīso, the preceptor of Ānanda, was living in the wilderness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta's ordination was a bit less convention. He was converted by Assaji and already a stream-entrant when he met the Buddha. Curiously I cannot find any evidence of Sāriputta being called a bhikkhu in Pāḷi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some discourses that seem to be early the Buddha ordains men by saying &lt;em&gt;ehi bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; &quot;come monk&quot;, but this was soon replaced by the more formal two stage ordination process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the whole I think &lt;em&gt;bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;bhikkhunī&lt;/em&gt; are fine. They really refer to a lifestyle rather than being an ecclesiastical title. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T12:33:21.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10891" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10898" CreationDate="2015-08-20T14:04:50.757" Score="10" ViewCount="850" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10885/buddhas-past-lives-in-the-jatakas&quot;&gt;This question is motivated by a comment from another user&lt;/a&gt;. Highlights in the quote are made by me. It's written:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;You have no reason to believe that any words of the Buddha are preserved except uncritical acceptance of traditional narratives. There are some Buddhist words, but to attribute them to the Buddha is simple, blind religious faith&lt;/strong&gt;. If your criteria is practical application, then your question is meaningless in any case. You can verify the truth of the quotations by putting them into practice. Why have you not done so?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What reasons are there for believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What reasons are there for not believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do these reasons apply equally to all &quot;words&quot; or, for example, is it more believable of the suttas than of the Jataka tales, or of some suttas more than others?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2023-07-10T07:43:40.597" Title="Words of the Buddha" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10891" CreationDate="2015-08-20T14:09:17.120" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The goal of the Buddhist councils is to preserve the word of the Buddha and to remove alien elements. They are headed by enlightened monks. So the faith in the scriptures isn't blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T14:09:17.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10887" CreationDate="2015-08-20T15:25:55.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What role if any does academic scholarship play in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's beneficial to know ones way around the Pali canon and to have knowledge about the different doctrines and suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is a teacher then one would have to do some level of studying the canon in order to teach others what the content is. It might also be beneficial to learn how to read the Pali language in order to get the &quot;full&quot; meaning of the words. It's not uncommon that pali words loose part of their meaning when tranlated into other languages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's important to study but that studying cannot stand alone. It must be combined with practice in meditation in order to fully understand what has been studied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember hearing a story about a young monk (or maybe he wasn't yet a monk) that were described as not being very bright. He could not read and had a hard time understanding what has been taught to him. He was simple and pure. One day a teacher told him to just go and observe his mind. He did that and he won Nibbana in no time while the other hard-studying student with clever minds took a lot longer to win Nibbana because their heads were filled with intellectual knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately i do not remember where i heard the story and i do not know if i have used the correct words to describe it. But the essence of the story is that one does not need to have a large amount of intellectual knowledge to win Nibbana. To win Nibbana practice is needed and that can be gained by simple instructions from a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should Buddhists be concerned with what scholars say, or can we safely ignore them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes down to what the goal of the Buddha's teaching is, i.e. to achieve freedom from suffering. To win Nibbana one has to practice insight meditation. Studying is simply not enough since the intellect cannot penetrate reality to it's core. Intellectual knowledge (book knowledge) will only get one so far. Experiental knowledge (insights into reality) is needed in order to fully understand the immense deepth of doctrines such as anatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These concepts cannot be grasped by the intellect. They are too profound. They must be experienced directly through insight meditation. Nibbana cannot be won by studying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like to use the &lt;em&gt;onion-simile&lt;/em&gt; for illustration. Imagine we have an onion with it's many layers and a core. Intellectual knowledge can only penetrate the top layers of the onion while experiental knowledge can penetrate all the layers and into the core of the onion, i.e. Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not the words of scholars should be ignored is really up to the individual being. If we take the perspective of gaining freedom from suffering then the words can be ignored if they do not have a direct relation to the decreasing of suffering, the winning of Nibbana or can be tested in insight meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How should we resolve conflicts between tradition and academia?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing insight meditation one gets a point of reference to reality. When one has seen for oneself how reality functions then there is no need for academic discussion. Buddhism is not like philosophy where there are multiple opinions or views on a topic. We can go and test everything in insight meditation and thereby gain the right understanding of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not like other religions where there is only faith. In Buddhism faith is balanced and guided by wisdom so that it does not become blind faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many more aspects to the questions. I have only brought up a few which i found important in the relation between &lt;em&gt;Intellectual buddhism and Practical buddhism.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: The story i told above is not the correct one. Bhante has provided the true story. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/c/cuula_panthaka_th.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;It's the story of Cula-panthaka&lt;/a&gt;. He was a monk who could not remember a single stanza and because of that he was ordered to leave the Order. He was very sad about this and on his way out of the monastery he met the Buddha who comforted him and gave him a clean piece of cloth and said &quot;Sit with your face to the East,&quot; and &quot;repeat the words 'rajoha-ranam' and wipe your face with the cloth&quot;. Cula-panthaka did what the Buddha told him and wiped his face with the cloth. He saw that the cloth became dirty and then concentrated his mind on the impermanence of all things. The Buddha gave him a discourse telling about the importance of getting rid og impurities and other evils. At the end of the discourse Cupa-panthaka attained arahantship with knowledge of all the Pitakas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:58:11.213" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:58:11.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10891" CreationDate="2015-08-20T16:07:06.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I summarised the problems with Buddhist history in an essay entitled &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-very-idea-of-buddhist-history.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Very Idea of Buddhist History&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is only one reason to believe that Buddhist text are the words of the Buddha. It is because the Buddhist tradition says they are. There is no other reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reasons for not believing are more numerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we talk about the historical Buddha for example there is no corroborating evidence from another tradition that he existed. Buddhist texts mention the Jain leader, Mahāvīra, or at least we think they do. They never use the name Mahāvīra but do refer to a person called Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta whose views are very similar to the early Jains. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/n/nigantha_nataputta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dictionary of Pali Names sv Nigantha&lt;/a&gt;. However Jain texts don't return the favour. Nor do the late Vedic texts record anyone called &amp;quot;Buddha&amp;quot;. They do record many Gautamas, since the original Gotama was one of the ṛṣis who wrote the Ṛgveda, but not our Gautama. This is particularly surprising since Brahmins were frequently mentioned in Buddhist texts and they were actively composing new texts at the time. The first solid evidence for Buddhism is a brief mention in one of the inscriptions left by Asoka, ca. 250 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as the name Siddhartha Gautama is concerned, the Pāḷi version of the first name Siddhattha is never used of the Buddha in the Pāḷi Suttas. The name is a later invention. Indeed it had competition in the early Sanskrit Buddhist texts like the Mahāvāstu and Lalitavistara which tended to call him Sarvarthasiddha instead. What's more, as mentioned, Gautama is a high status Brahmin gotra (roughly &amp;quot;clan&amp;quot;) name. Gotra names were used to mediate exogamous marriages. There is no obvious way that a non-Brahmin of that time, and of that culture which was not even part of the Vedic milieu, could have had a name like Gautama. If the name was adopted by the family, then it is strange that neither the Buddha's father nor any of his male relatives are ever called Gautama. It is even more strange that the Buddha's mother and maternal aunt were called Gautamī. Māyā wouldn't have changed her name at marriage. So it's possible that she as Prajāpatī were called Gautama and married into the Śākya family. Both Māyā and Prajāpatī are also distinctively Brahmanical names. The suttas have nothing to say on these matters. But the upshot is that we do not know with any certainty what the name of the historical Buddha was. I discuss this at length in an as yet unpublished article: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/4866512/Siddh%C4%81rtha_Gautama_Whats_in_a_Name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Siddhārtha Gautama: What's in a Name?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's more there are at least two biographical traditions about the early life of the Buddha. The standard narrative says that he is a prince, married with a child, his mother is dead, and leaves home in the middle of the night. And the alternative in the Ariyapariyesanā Sutta tells us he is a youth, does not mention any wife of child, and his parents are both still alive and present when he leaves. Since it is less familiar here is the Paḷi, with my translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena daharova samāno susukāḷakeso, bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato paṭhamena vayasā akāmakānaṃ mātāpitūnaṃ assumukhānaṃ rudantānaṃ kesamassuṃ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajiṃ&lt;/em&gt;. [M i.163]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a later time, though still only a boy, with much black hair, in the first stage of life, and endowed with youth and good fortune; with my mother and father unwilling, tearful and wailing, I cut off my hair and beard, donned brown robes, and went forth from home, into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The contraction cannot be easily revolved. I've discussed the contradiction and it's implications in an essay called: &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/buddhas-biography.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Biography&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A minor point is that the Pāḷi Canon is almost certainly a translation. No one spoke Pāli as a mother tongue, it was a lingua franca created for the purpose of recording the Buddhist texts. Of course it was probably very like the Prakrit or vernacular languages spoken in the region at the time. The Canon has quite clearly been edited and added to at different periods. Another problem is that by their own admission the texts were preserved orally for something like three centuries before being written down in Sri Lanka, ca. 100 BC. In other words the texts were preserved as stories told and retold. The dynamics of this kind of transmission are explored by Bhikkhu Anālayo in a paper called: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/oral-dimensions.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Oral Dimensions of Pāli Discourses: Pericopes, other Mnemonic Techniques and the Oral Performance Context&lt;/a&gt;. It's clear when one reads the suttas that they are made up of modules - a bit like lego bricks. One meets the same bricks again and again in different contexts. This is typical of a story telling tradition. But it does not guarantee verbal fidelity. The best we could hope with three centuries of oral tradition, is that the suttas contain the gist of the what the Buddha, if he existed, might have said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another problem is that the Pāḷi Canon is inconsistent in some respects that make it unlikely to have been composed by one philosophical genius. For example dependent arising says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;imasmiṃ sati idaṃ hoti... imassa nirodhā idaṃ nirujjhati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when this exists, that exist... when this ceases, that ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that when the condition ceases the effect must cease at the same time or immediately afterwards (this is implied by the grammatical form of the statement - a locative absolute using present participles). However for karma to work the effect (vipāka) must manifest long after the action (kamma)&#xA;has ceased. This problem was noticed by Nāgārjuna in the 2nd Century (&lt;em&gt;Mūlamadhyamakakārikā&lt;/em&gt; 17.6). Another (topical) inconsistency is that between metaphysics and morality. The metaphysical insistence on the impossibility of personal continuity because there is no substantial entity to persist (anattā) contracts with the explicit personal continuity in the Jātakas and some suttas. These inconsistencies undermine the idea of the historical Buddha was we read about him in the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the innovations in Buddhist theory and practice have been because Buddhists have found the earlier accounts intellectually flawed and practically unworkable. The question of authenticity comes up constantly. Modern day Buddhists still compose apologetics for the authenticity of the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over all what we see when we look with an open mind is a series of not entirely consistent stories about a traditional, legendary figure. His name is unknown, nor the language he spoke. Details of his biography are sketchy and contradictory. The literature which we take to be authoritative are characteristic of an oral, story telling body of traditional stories. The doctrines that we take to be the unifying factor of Buddhism on closer inspection turn out to be internally inconsistent (according to Nāgāruna anyway). We note that the Buddha was protagonist in our stories performed magic and miracles at times and that such stories are not distinguished from historical facts. And there is no external corroborations for any of the facts (which ever version of events we think are the authentic version).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are intellectually honest we have to admit that we know nothing at all about the Buddha for certain. There is doubt about every detail, about every word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those who claim that we can trust the word of the Buddha because when put into practice the techniques work, for example Bhikkhu Yuttadhammo makes this claim in his answer to this question. In fact this is also rather doubtful. After 2500 years of practising what purport to be the very techniques employed by the Buddha, places like Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand ought to be overflowing with arahants and every other person ought to be a stream entrant. But in fact there are at present no confirmed arahants in the world (I'm reliably informed that Daniel Ingram has recanted his claim). In which case the techniques in the suttas clearly &lt;em&gt;do not work&lt;/em&gt;. Or at best they work rather partially to make people more relaxed about being unenlightened. If the suttas &amp;quot;worked&amp;quot; then many people would be arahants presently. So this argument from experience fails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the final analysis those people - both lay and scholars - who argue for the authenticity of the Buddhist texts either have to redefine &amp;quot;authenticity&amp;quot; to mean something less than 100% authentic; or admit that they are not willing to accept the facts and simply believe it to be so. In which case they are the same as religious people everywhere who just happen to believe that &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; teachings are the God's Honest Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is not to say that the methods of Buddhism are not valuable. They are valuable. Extremely so. Just not in the way that the tradition or Traditionalists claim they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T11:43:33.470" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10896" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10899" CreationDate="2015-08-20T16:10:35.683" Score="7" ViewCount="930" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm confused over Buddhism's lack of afterlife, yet belief in rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/26/if-there-is-no-soul-how-can-there-be-rebirth&quot;&gt;If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7733/what-happens-to-the-five-aggregates-after-death?lq=1&quot;&gt;What happens to the five aggregates after death?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10485/consciousness-in-nibbana&quot;&gt;Consciousness in Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From reading answers given on this site, there is no rebirth of the self or consciousness. Logically then any concern of either suffering from bad karma in a next life, or being reborn as an animal is unwarranted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although apparently death leads to rebirth, Nirvana appears futile as life will continue to reproduce unhindered. Life is far more effective at producing more life than death is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Nirvana offer that death does not? It would seem they both lead to oblivion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5755" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T14:44:19.940" Title="Is Nirvana redundant?" Tags="|rebirth|nirvana|death|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10896" CreationDate="2015-08-20T16:59:18.513" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Buddhist perspective, consciousness is not an entity. Instead, life is like the sea, with currents mixing and separating all the time. In that sea of life, there is rebirth of hangups (pathological preconceptions) - and with them comes the rebirth of suffering patterns. That's the perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is better than death because &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A.&lt;/strong&gt; you can be free from suffering while still alive, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B.&lt;/strong&gt; the lives downstream will not inherit your share of ignorance-suffering and will hopefully inherit some wisdom-freedom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T16:59:18.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10891" CreationDate="2015-08-20T17:05:36.713" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What reasons are there for believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can think of three reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;blind faith&lt;/strong&gt; - believing it to be true without any rational reason to believe.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;argument from authority&lt;/strong&gt; - believing it to be true because of the authority of the tradition that has preserved the teachings&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;argument from the nature of the teachings&lt;/strong&gt; - believing it to be true because the teachings accord with expectations of the calibre to be expected from a Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think only the third argument holds much weight in this instance. It can be divided into two categories as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;that the teachings are so ostensibly profound as to convince one who reads/listens to them that only an enlightened being could have being their author;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;that the teachings, when practiced, lead one to enlightenment, thereby providing evidence to the practitioner of the enlightenment of their author.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either of these seems a reasonable argument for claiming that Buddhist teachings come from the Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What reasons are there for not believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy to find reasons for doubting if you're looking for them... even if they are not actually there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, all of this ignores that fact that historical authenticity isn't really of any intrinsic value. What is important is the &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; of the teachings; that is what should really be up for debate. As the Buddha said, &quot;Come! See!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do these reasons apply equally to all &quot;words&quot; or, for example, is it more believable of the suttas than of the Jataka tales, or of some suttas more than others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think the jataka commentaries claim to be the words of the Buddha; they are retellings of the stories that the verses (which &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; claimed to be the words of the Buddha) are supposed to be based upon. Same goes for the dhammapada stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T17:05:36.713" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10896" CreationDate="2015-08-20T17:16:12.940" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question of what happens to a tathāgata after death is said to be &lt;em&gt;avyākata&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;unexplained&quot;. We know, negatively, that they do not undergo rebirth, since that is explicit, but we have no positive knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of how rebirth can work with no medium of continuity is not a trivial one. It has consumed Buddhist philosophers for centuries and we still debate the finer points. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, an orthodox Theravādin would say that each moment of mental activity is short lived and acts as a condition for the next moment. The last moment of mental activity (cuticitta) gives rise to a moment of consciousness somewhere else (paṭisandhicitta). But the Sarvāstivādins pointed out that the transition could not be instantaneous. The Theravādins had to insist it was instantaneous because any break in the stream would prevent the connection of causes to effects. The Sarvāstivādins had to invent a kind of interim realm (anatarābhava) which was not a rebirth, but which could account for the time it took for the citta to get from one to the next body). Unfortunately neither theory really explains rebirth. In the end there is no Buddhist description of conditionality that is entirely compatible with rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you have hit upon a real weakness in Buddhist doctrine. And what we see is that in Buddhists texts where the message is about morality, a quite explicit personal continuity is implied that is quite at odds with the metaphysics of dependent arising. In fact Buddhists seem to switch back and forth between denying continuity and stressing the consequences of actions without noticing the howling contradiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of the five aggregates is also non-trivial. These have typically been seen as summing up all the physical and mental phenomena of existence (Nyanatiloka, &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Dictionary&lt;/em&gt;). An important contribution to understanding the khandhas was made by Dr Sue Hamilton in two Books, the most accessible of which is &lt;em&gt;Early Buddhism: A New Approach&lt;/em&gt;. In these books Dr Hamilton shared the results of studying every reference to khandhas in the Pāḷi suttas. Firstly they seemed to have nothing to do with existence. Dr Hamilton argued that the khandhas were more like the factors of &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt;. Indeed she influentially argued that Buddhist texts in general were commenting on experience rather than existence (or reality). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be useful to ask what the Buddhist texts refer to when they say that &quot;things arise independence on causes&quot;. What is meant by things. A careful reading of Buddhist texts shows that was is mainly meant is dhammas - the objects of the mind sense (manas). Sometimes this is metaphorically linked to the world (loka), meaning &quot;the world of experience&quot; and sometimes to dukkha, which in this case is equivalent to unenlightened experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the &lt;em&gt;Kaccānagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (SN 12.15) says of this world of experience that talking about it in terms of existence (atthi) or non-existence (n'atthi). when experiences arise, it's not that experience exists or doesn't. It arises and it passes away. We have an experience and then it's gone. What was it that could have existed? Since the khandhas are just the factors, or even processes that make up experience, they have the same characteristics. The don't exist while you have an experience, or cease to exist when the experience stops. Experience is presence without substance. This is why experience is likened to a soap bubble, a dream, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvāṇa only really makes sense in an intellectual milieu in which rebirth is a given and seen as something to be avoided. But as prof. Richard Hayes once said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And if there is no rebirth, then the very goal of attaining nirvāṇa, understood as the cessation of rebirth, becomes almost perfectly meaningless. Or rather, nirvāṇa comes automatically to every living being that dies, regardless of how that being has lived.” (Hayes 1993: 13)*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For many of us who are engaged with both tradition and modernity this poses a major problem. It is apparent that there can be no rebirth under the known natural laws of universe. And yet this statement appears to disembowel traditional Buddhism and make it meaningless. And yet in the face of this theoretical argument, many people find Buddhist practices very helpful in many different kinds of ways. Whether or not there is rebirth, the practice of meditation, puja, mantra chanting, etc remains. As yet there is no very good way of explaining why we would still call this Buddhism. Maybe in the future we won't. Some people who think like this call themselves &lt;em&gt;Secular Buddhists&lt;/em&gt;. Other labels are being tried. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hayes, Richard (1993). ‘Dharmakīrti on punarbhava’ In Egaku Maeda (ed), Studies in Original Buddhism and Mahayāna Buddhism. Kyōto: Nagata Bunshodo. Volume One, p. 111–30.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T17:16:12.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10878" CreationDate="2015-08-20T17:23:09.387" Score="11" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist not trying to accumulate money/power and use it to help people and change world, is hypocritical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hypocrisy is defined as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hypocrisy&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the above behaviour would only be considered hypocritical if the Buddhist in question actually pretended to possess intentions and behaviours relating to &amp;quot;accumulating money/power and using it to help people and change world&amp;quot;. Some Buddhists actually do claim to possess such intentions; some are hypocritical, some are, in my experience, not, as they do actually &amp;quot;accumulate money/power and use it to help people and change world&amp;quot;. I imagine the Dalai Lama would be a well-known example of the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not hypocritical, for example, to &amp;quot;not hold any attachment&amp;quot;, as you claim generally to be a quality of Buddhists, and yet not accumulate... etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also not hypocritical to &amp;quot;work towards reduction of suffering in the world&amp;quot; and yet still not accumulate... etc. Many Buddhists believe that the accumulation of money and (worldly) power are detrimental to one's ability to truly effect change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, many Buddhists have no interest in changing the world; they see the world as inherently unfixable, and strive simply to be free from its seductive pull. So, it is a straw person argument to suggest that all Buddhists are hypocrites for claiming to uphold a belief in changing the world while not acting on said belief. Many Buddhists hold no such belief, and many who do act upon it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T17:23:09.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10901" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-20T18:02:34.057" Score="2" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;Approaching yr68, I have committed my share of unwholesome conduct over the years, the typical errors of middle-class youth and adulthood in this USofA. I've been practicing sitting meditation for close to two years, and am most comfortable with Theravada vipassana  concepts and practices, though I have not taken lay Buddhist vows. I generally sit &quot;with the breath&quot; for one hour most every day, some days see two sessions. I have not yet realized &quot;access concentration&quot;. I am perplexed that I never have feelings of remorse or shame or guilt over past deeds arise during sitting, and only rarely have I experienced strong feelings of gratitude or happiness. Might I assume that it is only a matter of time before &quot;the stuff hits the fan&quot; and I find myself overwhelmed with &quot;remorse or shame or guilt&quot; during sitting meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T18:38:15.467" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:05:05.640" Title="Is it only a matter of time before expected feelings of &quot;remorse or shame or guilt&quot; surface during meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10896" CreationDate="2015-08-20T18:42:52.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When it looks as though someone has died, the someone is  really just experiencing  another change and then is changed(rebirth). Death and rebirth is just change. When we are alive, we die and are reborn ever moment in the form of changes in the mind-body. Nirvana means you have let go of everything, even your desire to exist or not to exist. So the difference between Nibbana and death is that one has to desire to understand the reality of the body and mind's experience to achieve Nibbana because otherwise we will desire to go on existing and dying. The only requirement for death is birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T18:42:52.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10885" CreationDate="2015-08-20T19:19:06.747" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't say that it is the same king Brahmadatta. It's probably a different king with the same name or a descendant of the original Brahmadatta. Just like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Edward&quot;&gt;king Edward the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara is very long and it's not unlikely that the Bodhisatta met many kings with similar names ruling the same land. Once there was a Brahmin who wanted to bury his corpse in a place where no other person has been buried. He found a large tree with roots sunk deep into earth. He thought &quot;surely there can be none buried here&quot;. But when he was ready to uproot the tree, the Buddha told him that he had been buried in the same place with the same name for fourteen thousand times in his previous lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T19:19:06.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10904" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10906" CreationDate="2015-08-20T19:35:28.463" Score="3" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does craving (taṇhā) manifest with respect to neutral feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Dependent Origination (or dependent co-arising, however you'd like to call it), it is said that Craving (taṇhā) follows on the heels of Feeling (vedanā). Feeling, in general, is of 3 main types: pleasant, unpleasant, neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do see how craving/aversion manifests with respect to both pleasant and unpleasant feeling. But how does it relate to neutral feeling? How is it that I either lust after or try to avoid something that is truly neutral?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2023-12-03T02:24:53.247" Title="How does craving (taṇhā) relate to neutral feelings?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|tanha|craving|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10904" CreationDate="2015-08-20T20:16:09.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taṇhā doesn't automatically have to relate to neutral feelings. Remember, the twelve links of dependent origination are talking about nessisary causation, not sufficient causation, so when the Buddha says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[W]ith feeling as condition, craving [comes to be]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the meaning is that feeling is necessary for craving to arise, and without feeling, craving can never arise. But it does not mean that if there is feeling, craving will always arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-08-20T20:50:32.097" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T20:50:32.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10904" CreationDate="2015-08-20T20:21:03.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is more subtlety to the mind's relationship to feelings than only craving or aversion. The Vedanās and the underlying tendencies that arise are described in the Pahana Sutta (SN 36.3) like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the case of pleasant feelings, O monks, the underlying tendency to lust should be given up; in the case of painful feelings, the underlying tendency to resistance (aversion) should be given up; &lt;strong&gt;in the case of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings, the underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.003.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahana Sutta: Giving Up&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neutral feeling can give rise to boredom, restlessness and confusion which are clearly obstacles to insight and equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T20:21:03.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10887" CreationDate="2015-08-20T20:27:44.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What role if any does academic scholarship play in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't answer well, but I don't want to 'just leave a comment' instead of answering, so ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To reference one example, it was nice to see people happily welcoming &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3336/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. It's based on the comparison (by some academic scholars I presume, i.e. at the university of Hamburg) of a sutta with its Chinese equivalent. And the comments to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3326/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; to the same question are interesting too: i.e. various people seem to be aware that the texts may have changed or been misinterpreted over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of evident scholarship was &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9467/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which references this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/sk/atm_lostword.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayata (The Rebirth of a Lost Word)&lt;/a&gt;: in that case the word was &quot;recovered&quot; by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (I'm not sure whether you want to exclude someone like him, when you ask about &quot;academic scholarship&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T20:41:09.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10901" CreationDate="2015-08-20T20:32:57.103" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest that no-one can predict what comes next for someone in meditation. Perhaps there is 'stuff' that has yet to arise into consciousness, but if there is, there's no point trying to 'predict' what it is. That would just be unhelpful speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say, if you stick with sensing what is in your physical experience in a kindly way, if there's something there, it'll make itself known. In the meantime, just enjoy the practice :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5650" LastActivityDate="2015-08-20T20:32:57.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10901" CreationDate="2015-08-21T00:15:48.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something might surface at some point in time. Maybe in this life, maybe in the next or maybe in future lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe something from earlier in this life will surface, maybe something from last life or maybe something from previous lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not really that important to speculate what comes up at what time since that will only serve to take us out of the present momement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until one is enlightened then every moment is either a &lt;em&gt;kamma-receiving-moment&lt;/em&gt; or a &lt;em&gt;kamma-making-moment&lt;/em&gt;. When receiving kamma it's like being dealt a fistful of cards. Now it's up to oneself to play that hand of cards in the most skillful and beneficial way. Here we have the noble eightfold path to guide us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry too much about what comes up or if anything comes up. Just keep practicing so that you are fit for fight when/if something comes up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One important thing in Vipassana meditation is to treat all phenomena equally. No matter what arises, you treat it the same. Nothing is more or less important than something else. Everything is of equal importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:05:05.640" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:05:05.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10910" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-21T00:47:59.040" Score="5" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;Slaughtering an animal for meat or a  person for wealth is not right livelihood, nor is it right to pay someone else to do so. So far, so good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern corporations allow individuals to amass more wealth and power than Genghis Khan while not having to lead the charge from up front. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy and direct enough to link Genghis Khan to the invasion of Eurasia, but it's nearly impossible to link a billionaire to a war in Iraq or Congo, though it is common knowledge that the modern economic system since colonial times promotes wars in natural resource rich parts of the world  all the time for economic gain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The billionaire beneficiary is often on a yacht thousands of miles away, while ordering the war through middle men, board room decisions, corporate interests, political lobbyists and hedge funds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such specifically designed to be tenuous connections to the scene of the violence allow the shot caller to even forget there's violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind of like how when people pick up shrink wrapped meat in a supermarket it's a very different sterile experience from going out into the backyard with a cleaver and a cackling hen and returning with bloody hands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in his time the Buddha did not criticize wars or say being a king isn't right livelihood. So where's the line in the sand, how many intermediaries does it take to make the wrong right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T19:49:02.413" Title="Right livelihood - how many cutouts is enough?" Tags="|karma|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-21T00:57:49.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My thinking on this is along the lines of, a king isn't only functioning as a general for his people; he (should) be maintaining social order, providing aid to those in need, providing security to his people. And if he is acting morally, should be defending his people from invasion if the situation arises and is unavoidable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, as not to disturb the social order, I would imagine the Buddha did not speak against the &quot;agency&quot; of kingship, but rather probably tried to impress upon the royalty the need for morality and skillful means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear to see, I believe, with this in mind, the distinction between a king, and a billionaire on a yacht orchestrating foreign conflicts to drive up profit margins. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T00:57:49.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10887" CreationDate="2015-08-21T01:00:45.793" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my teachers explicitly warned me: do not put too much trust in books written by Buddhist scholars unless they are also Buddhist practitioners themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In hindsight, having attained &amp;quot;independence of others in regards to Buddha's message&amp;quot;, I now see why: Buddhist texts are ambiguous enough that correct interpretation of the &lt;em&gt;points made&lt;/em&gt; (as opposed to the literal meaning) requires understanding of Buddhist path as a whole, in context of personal practice -- what's known as &amp;quot;ground, path, fruition&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back when I was a baby-Buddhist, I used to study all kinds of materials, written by both practicing teachers and scholars alike. Now I see that most of the scholar work that focused primarily on translation have been correct, while many of scholarly &lt;em&gt;interpretations&lt;/em&gt; of Buddhism were rather mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that translation is quite possible without &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; measure of interpretation. But there seems to be a difference between following a text and following your own train of thoughts. If you think about it, the purpose of writing is very different between the two cases. A realized teacher does &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; write to express his or her understanding. That's not the goal. A teacher writes in order to &amp;quot;deliver&amp;quot; the students (professional slang for &amp;quot;to get them to Realize&amp;quot;). Whereas a scholar writes to explore and explain a particular thread of reasoning they invented that seems to explain Buddhist artifacts in a cohesive and logically consistent manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not unheard of for a scholar to slip into metaphysics (how things supposedly are) as opposed to soteriological methodology (how to achieve the Goal in practice). The tradition refers to this difference as &amp;quot;Buddha-eye&amp;quot; vs. &amp;quot;Dharma-eye&amp;quot;. Buddha-eye is the enlightened perspective. The elements of it may or may not be helpful to a given student at a given point in time. Whereas Dharma-eye is the perspective presented to student by the teacher, whose concerns as I said above, are primarily didactic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, don't get me wrong, many lineages have professional scholars within the tradition. &amp;quot;Traditional&amp;quot; does not always equate with &amp;quot;sloppy&amp;quot; you know. I've known of teachers in both Theravada and Mahayana schools who did care about careful choice of words, precise phrasing, and clear reasoning. It is just that in the world of realized teachers conveying information is always secondary to the real objective. To entertain you with a metaphor, not every student can handle pure spirit, so teacher ought to mix in the additives according to student's capacity. Such additive, known as &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt; or skilfull mean -- basically a useful simplification -- is something non-existent in the work of a pure scholar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's not assume scholarly works are 100% truth either. I've seen so many cases of scholars misrepresenting evolution of Mahayana as progressive loss of the original meaning -- that every time I see a new one I don't even cringe anymore :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm telling responsibly, unless one clearly sees that elusive Truth the Buddha has found under the Bodhi tree, one should be very careful making assumptions about a particular Buddhist school or individual teacher being authentic or a &amp;quot;mere religion&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude this post which is already getting too long, the answer to your question I'm afraid is &amp;quot;it depends&amp;quot;. The further the scholar is from putting the teaching to his or her personal practice, the likelier they are to misunderstand what Buddhism is really about, the more they're prone to skewing the message, the less we can trust them. The more the scholar is &lt;em&gt;also&lt;/em&gt; a practitioner, the more credibility they can have in our eyes. After all, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1302/43&quot;&gt;the proof is in the pudding&lt;/a&gt; - and how can you trust a cook who's never tried his own recipe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2022-01-19T22:18:51.410" LastActivityDate="2022-01-19T22:18:51.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10913" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10972" CreationDate="2015-08-21T01:07:41.140" Score="4" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;We know that there are combinations of Cetasikas that are used to identify different Cittas. I want to know how to determine Cetasikas in a naama who is having the udaya waya gana (or steps ahead like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhanga-khana/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bhanga khana&lt;/a&gt;). If we consider one naama, there are multiple cetasikas in different amounts.If a person can see naama with their meditation power, how they ditermine what are the Cetasikas in one naama and what are the amounts were there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a example, lets suppose that the meditator had a &quot;somanassa sahagatha Khana(Gana) sampayuthha asankarika&quot; citta (This is having 17 naama). How to determine what are the cetasikas were at each of 17 naama, out of 52 cetasikas? We know there must be Aloba, Adosa and Amoha cetasikas in naamas at previously mentioned citta, but how to determine the amount or the power of these cetasikas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it must be a really tough exercise and very tricky one to the meditator. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know the strategy in step by step. I need abidhamma expert's answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastEditorUserId="496" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T02:22:24.457" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T00:12:27.537" Title="How to determine Chithasikas in Naama?" Tags="|abidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-21T01:20:17.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote on &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Right Livelihood&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 55-56:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right Livelihood (samma ajiva)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right livelihood is concerned with ensuring that one earns one’s living in a righteous way. For a lay disciple the Buddha teaches that wealth should be gained in accordance with certain standards. One should acquire it only by legal means, not illegally; one should acquire it peacefully, without coercion or violence; one should acquire it honestly, not by trickery or deceit; and one should acquire it in ways which do not entail harm and suffering for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mentions five specific kinds of livelihood which bring harm to others and are therefore to be avoided: dealing in weapons, in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution), in meat production and butchery, in poisons, and in intoxicants (AN 5:177). He further names several dishonest means of gaining wealth which fall under wrong livelihood: practicing deceit, treachery, soothsaying, trickery, and usury (MN 117). Obviously any occupation that requires violation of right speech and right action is a wrong form of livelihood, but other occupations, such as selling weapons or intoxicants, may not violate those factors and yet be wrong because of their consequences for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Thai treatise discusses the positive aspects of right livelihood under the three convenient headings of rightness regard- ing actions, rightness regarding persons, and rightness regarding objects. “Rightness regarding actions” means that workers should fulfill their duties diligently and conscientiously, not idling away time, claiming to have worked longer hours than they did, or pocketing the company’s goods. “Rightness regarding persons” means that due respect and consideration should be shown to employers, employees, colleagues, and customers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An employer, for example, should assign his workers chores according to their ability, pay them adequately, promote them when they deserve a promotion and give them occasional vacations and bonuses. Colleagues should try to cooperate rather than compete, while merchants should be equitable in their dealings with customers. “Rightness regarding objects” means that in business transactions and sales the articles to be sold should be presented truthfully. There should be no deceptive advertising, misrepresentations of quality or quantity, or dishonest manoeuvers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 3 important points here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One should acquire it only by legal means, not illegally; one should acquire it peacefully, without coercion or violence; one should acquire it honestly, not by trickery or deceit; and one should acquire it in ways which do not entail harm and suffering for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He further names several dishonest means of gaining wealth which fall under wrong livelihood: practicing deceit, treachery, soothsaying, trickery, and usury (MN 117). Obviously any occupation that requires violation of right speech and right action is a wrong form of livelihood, but other occupations, such as selling weapons or intoxicants, may not violate those factors and yet be wrong because of their consequences for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Rightness regarding objects” means that in business transactions and sales the articles to be sold should be presented truthfully. There should be no deceptive advertising, misrepresentations of quality or quantity, or dishonest manoeuvers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing to add to all this is the &lt;em&gt;intention / volition&lt;/em&gt; behind the actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a billionaire acts in a way that violates the above mentioned points then it would, according to the text, make it &lt;em&gt;wrong livelihood&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T01:20:17.773" CommentCount="19" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10896" CreationDate="2015-08-21T01:45:27.047" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;No afterlife&quot; means, from a Buddhist perspective, that there is no ego-centered identity to experience that afterlife. After life, the ego entity created by the human mind is no more but the consciousness in which that individual was operating in never dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Andrei_Volkov answered, the Buddhist perspective likens consciousness to a vast ocean. The Five Aggregates are what happens as consciousness becomes embroiled and enmeshed in straits and currents, like tidepools on the coastline where water can be &quot;trapped&quot;. If it mixes with pollutants here, it will still contain them if swallowed by a stork or channeled elsewhere. This is karma and it is a causative process stretching infinitely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The human brain reasons and automates judgement which can blind one and veil true causation and the true nature of things. For instance, the human brain contains two dedicated regions in the parietal lobe: one to keep track of the body's boundaries (&quot;elbow: check! nose: check! right arm: check!...&quot; and another to keep track of the body in space. These regions greatly contribute to the human sense of ego or I-ness or self. There is no afterlife for this sense of self that is delimited by skin and bound in space. However, consciousness channeled through the eddies of the individual will forever return to the ocean (rebirth) carrying the traces of its course (the five aggregates).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana, the great blowing or washing out, is only possible when the water returns to its pure and primordial state. Death will always accompany life, and to the Buddhist death is only a turning point on a great wheel of eternity. Nirvana refers to the complete freedom, beyond conception. Nirvana is not a possibility only after death. Despite the rendering of the phrase &quot;to enter Nirvana&quot;, it is not an &quot;arrival&quot; like you die and you go there instead of somewhere else. It is freedom from the perspective that otherwise glues consciousness to life, but in an ultimate sense - not a temporary conceptualization within an individual mind's understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To explicitly answer your question, Nirvana offers nothing -- and death doesn't exist -- it begets more life. Like night and day, they are just vantages from a stationary point on the rotating earth. The sun just shines and gravity just propels and it makes a whole horse-and-pony show out of next to nothing. Again, Nirvana offers nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5761" LastEditorUserId="5761" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T04:16:18.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T04:16:18.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10913" CreationDate="2015-08-21T04:39:59.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although i am not an expert, but i like to mention some facts.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Chathasikas collectively determine as Chitta(Naama).&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;Banga &amp;quot; is current situation of &amp;quot;Chitta -(Naama-roopa)&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The persion who can feel(see/live) now have experiance &amp;quot;Banga Gana&amp;quot; and-&amp;quot;UdayaWaya&amp;quot;. rising and decaying of &amp;quot;NaamaRoopa&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &amp;quot;life&amp;quot; is a flow then the Attributes of current moment as follows;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;perception - &amp;quot;sangna&amp;quot;. feeling - &amp;quot;Veedana&amp;quot;.  Action - &amp;quot;Sankara&amp;quot;. are some chethasikas belongs to Naama. There are also &amp;quot;roopa&amp;quot; and consiouness - &amp;quot;Vingnana&amp;quot; - in background.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;There can be other Sankaras or chathsikas according the situation. (Depend on the roopa and Kamma-Vingnana). feeling and perception are also chathsikas belong to 52 chathasika (Model).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The strategy to understand above is:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Follow &amp;quot;Mahasathipattana Suttha&amp;quot;- (Ekayano Maggo).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the help of clear understanding we take smiler example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a example, lets suppose that the meditator had a &amp;quot;kaya(physical BODY)&amp;quot;. How to determine what are the elements were at each of 32 parts, out of 4 &amp;quot;Mahabootha&amp;quot;? We know there must be patavi apoo thego and vayo boothas in  roopa at previously mentioned kaya, but how to determine the amount or the power of these boothas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here BODY(kaya) is one.  (physio-physical level)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;32 parts are small bodies.  (Bio-chemical level)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;4 MahaBoothas are Lover level energy. (physical)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Like this&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Mana is collective chttha.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Chitta is collective chathasika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/practical-dependent-origination/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does the process work?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; The mind – consciousness – gives rise to our experience of reality. We experience the physical and mental reality around us according to our state of mind. So this conscious mind is said to give rise to the mental-physical reality we experience from one moment to the next. For instance, when we practice meditation, we experience the stomach, rising and falling. When we breathe, when the stomach rises, when the stomach falls, there is the physical and the mental aspects of the experience. The rising is physical and the knowing of the rising is mental. When we walk, there’s the foot moving, which is physical, and the mind knowing it, which is mental. When we feel pain, there’s the physical experience and there’s the mind that knows it and doesn’t like it and decides that it is unpleasant. And so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/practical-dependent-origination/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/lessons-in-practical-buddhism/practical-dependent-origination/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T10:01:59.073" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1459" CreationDate="2015-08-21T05:59:35.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna uses Pratityasamutpada as a proof for emptiness by means of his many arguments found in chapter 1 of the Mulamadhyamakakarika. Basically he lays out a series of reductio ad absurdum arguments that show that if you posit real phenomena, it absurdly follows that change and arising cannon occur. But because Pratityasamutpada does occur, the initial assumption that phenomena are real is refuted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later in the work (i.e. Chapter 24) he says basically the same thing but the other way around. He addresses the possible criticism that emptiness negates core Buddhist teachings, and Nagarjuna argues that because of the fact that if emptiness were false, change could not occur, emptiness doesn't negate core Buddhist teachings, but is in fact the only thing that makes them possible in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting these together we conclude that Pratityasamutpada proves emptiness, and emptiness makes Pratityasamutpada possible. Pratityasamutpada explains the conventional level of things, and emptiness explains them on the ultimate level, and these two fit together in the union of appearance and emptiness, and Nagarjuna famously declares:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever is dependently co-arisen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is explained to be emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That, being a dependent designation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is itself the middle way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;XXIV.18&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T05:59:35.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10904" CreationDate="2015-08-21T07:13:23.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Neutral feeling can be course in two ways. for normally it course to ignorance (creates Ego). for Buddhas(pure minds) it is not course to ignorance .&lt;br&gt;&#xA;For eg. Normal person feels Neutral feeling as i feel.(something).  but for Buddhas its only feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T07:13:23.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10920" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10939" CreationDate="2015-08-21T07:19:00.170" Score="3" ViewCount="1035" Body="&lt;p&gt;What Buddism teaches about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Spiritism&lt;/a&gt;, especially the Kardecist Spiritualism Doctrine (link above)? &#xA;Is it wrong to try to communicate with the ghosts and to learn from spirits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-21T09:54:20.047" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T08:13:12.457" Title="What does Buddhism say about practicing Spiritism?" Tags="|ethics|belief|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-21T07:35:03.597" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If anyone feels he is guilty of doing bad behave yer, they should correct it immediately, otherwise they get the natural reaction. (Low of karma).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Money or wealth is not the happiness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Are the all great personals are rich?.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T07:35:03.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10887" CreationDate="2015-08-21T08:58:48.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure my question was well enough formed for a really satisfying answer to emerge. But the answers do bring to mind the Mahācunda Sutta (AN 6.46) which I translated and commented on some years ago in this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/meditation-scholarship.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation &amp;amp; Scholarship&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My article comments that this sutta describes &quot;two kinds of monks&quot; i.e. those 'keen on dhamma' (which Bikkhu Bodhi thinks means 'a scholar') and those 'keen on meditation'. According to the sutta the two groups disparaged each other, but instead they ought to train themselves to see both groups as equally valuable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meditator is of value because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...ye amataṃ dhātuṃ kāyena phusitvā viharanti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    ...they dwell having touched the deathless state with the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The scholar is of value because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;gambhīraṃ atthapadaṃ paññāya ativijjha passantī&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    they see, they penetrate with wisdom into the depths of texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahācunda Sutta is a plea for tolerance of different temperaments leading people towards the Dhamma in different ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-21T09:38:19.030" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T09:38:19.030" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-21T09:32:28.773" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand the Buddhist approach to ethics we are all responsible for our own actions, and the Buddha defined significant actions as &quot;intention&quot; (AN 6.63 cetanāhaṃ bhikkhave kammaṃ vadāmi). It is the impact of our intention that is under our influence (control would be too strong a word).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How well we understand something like the food chain will be dependent on how much effort we put in. Clearly meat always comes from dead animals. More subtly we know that animals are often mistreated in the production of food. So free range eggs most likely involve less cruelty than battery eggs. Diary products always involve killing off most of the male calves very early, and rennet for cheese often comes from the stomachs of those same calves. A little research can reveal much about such things.  But ignorance is also a karmically significant intention, especially if it is based on laziness or deliberate shying away from the truth. Intending to remain ignorant so as to continue to enjoy a sensory pleasure is an unskilful action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the whole we have little influence beyond our own actions. We may have some influence on our intimates, but even that is limited. The point of application of Buddhist ethics is our own mind. We certainly have little influence over billionaires. But then the theory of karma supposedly takes care of this. We take care of our karma and karma takes care of the problem of the actions of others. Everyone gets the fate they have worked towards. The multi-life perspective allows for localised unfairness to persist because the afterlife sorts out the discrepancy between action and reward/punishment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course these ideas of morality were conceived in an environment with very short food chains - most people probably knew the source of their food. The rich directly exploited their serfs for wealth, but this was pretty much out in the open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course bhikkhus (literally &quot;beggars&quot;) made a decision to accept whatever food they were given, excepting only when they knew that an animal had been killed specifically for the. So the bhikkhu purposefully distances themselves from knowledge of the food chain and accepts whatever comes. The morality of this seems moot from a modern point of view. Accepting alms from someone who is am arms dealer for example, would seem to be unethical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it's true that the Buddha did not criticise war. He did tend to stay out of politics. But for example in the opening pages of the &lt;em&gt;Mahānibbāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt; he subtlety dissuades Ajātasattu from attacking the Vajjis. And keep in mind that the tradition says that Ajātasattu had already tried to assassinate the Buddha. in any case the Buddhist texts are unequivocal in denouncing violence. And war is only violence on a larger scale. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T09:32:28.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8138" CreationDate="2015-08-21T09:47:03.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He claims that &quot;my death&quot; is inalienably mine: that no one can die my death for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, but what is the phenomenology of &quot;me&quot; and &quot;my&quot;. It is an experience that arises and passes away. In fact no experience is inalienably yours. The experience of &quot;mine&quot; (a sense of ownership over the object of experience) arises and passes away. &quot;Mine&quot; is an illusion. It certainly true that you have a first person perspective while you are conscious. But you don't have it when you are asleep for example. Nor when in deep samādhi. If there is no first person perspective then there is no sense of &quot;mine&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in order to argue that death is &quot;yours&quot; you would have to argue that the first person perspective is a constant. In fact it is dependent on functioning senses - the five physical senses and the mind. If we are referencing Heidegger then we must admit that the brain and the senses stop working at death. So one can never experience death. At best one might experience the moment immediately preceding death, though I could not say that this moment is different in any way from other moments, but one could not experience death per se because experience ceases with death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now orthodox Theravādins say that after the final moment of mental activity in one body, a new moment of mental activity arises in another body. If we take this to mean experience arises, then the experience is of the moment before death, and then the moment of rebirth. With no gap. There is no experience of death. Sarvāstivādins in particular critiqued the idea that the transition was instantaneous - they argued that the transition involved travelling in space and thus must involve an appreciable time. For them there was an interim realm between death and rebirth called an antarābhava (Tibetan &quot;bardo&quot;). But the nature of experience in a mind that has no sense organs or brain is moot. It cannot possibly be experience in the sense that we normally use the word. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems that you are right that &quot;your&quot; death never arrives, at least from your point of view, because your point of view is contingent on being alive. At best it can involve a shift in perspective: from one first perspective to another, either via a mysterious interim or instantaneously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T09:47:03.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10925" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10930" CreationDate="2015-08-21T10:25:02.650" Score="3" ViewCount="2025" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've often heard the Yogacara school of Buddhism being described as 'Mind Only'. To my untutored mind this seems reminiscent of the western philosophy of Idealism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhismglossaryy/g/yogacaradef.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;description of Yogacara&lt;/a&gt; which goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the reality we think we perceive does not exist except as as a process&#xA;  of knowing. Phenomena, anything that can be experienced, have no&#xA;  reality in themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idealism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;description from Idealism&lt;/a&gt; which goes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[..] reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally&#xA;  constructed, or otherwise immaterial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me they seem similar but actually my feeling is in reality the two philosophies are very different. Can someone help me understand how they are different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt; I know the two quotes are from sources that have been identified as potentially unreliable (Barbara O'Brien and Wikipedia) but really I'm just want to use them as an illustration of how similar the two philosophies appear to me. I'm not claiming accuracy - in fact they could well lack it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-03-03T12:52:37.633" LastActivityDate="2021-05-11T15:04:26.877" Title="What is the difference between Yogacara Buddhism and Idealism?" Tags="|philosophy|consciousness|western-philosophy|reality|yogacara|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10926" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10927" CreationDate="2015-08-21T13:04:42.420" Score="5" ViewCount="5681" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=deathless&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;deathless&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is used sometimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean? Are there non-obvious or non-English meanings to the words translated as 'death' and/or 'deathless'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly what does &quot;attaining the deathless&quot; mean, in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv.01.23.01-10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upatissa-pasine&lt;/a&gt;,  for example ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whoever attains the Deathless first will inform the other&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... how are they supposed to recognize when they &quot;attain the deathless&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;deathless&quot; predicated on the idea that practitioners are trying to escape some dukkha associated with death, or escape death itself? Does that sutta conflate &quot;deathless&quot; with &quot;sorrowless&quot;, or are the two distinct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I notice there's also a word &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;Timeless&lt;/a&gt;. Deathless is a different word (&lt;em&gt;amata&lt;/em&gt; instead of &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt;), does the word 'deathless' have a different meaning and/or different usage?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The expression is used in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata  by name and as &quot;friend.&quot; The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the &lt;strong&gt;Deathless&lt;/strong&gt; has been attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That suggests to me (I may be wrong) that deathless might be associated with an ultimate stage of enlightenment (or perhaps that it's specifically intended/designed for the five in that audience, e.g. perhaps the Buddha knew that they were seeking &quot;the deathless&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T11:53:49.557" Title="What does deathless mean?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-08-21T14:29:14.530" Score="14" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does deathless mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Deathless is a synonym for Nibbana. The Deathless state is the state where one is freed from birth and thereby death. Conditioned phenomena constantly arise and fall. In other words: They must die. Nibbana is unconditioned, unborn, it does not arise and fall and therefore must not die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some quotes from the Majjhima Nikaya and Samyutta Nikaya where the Buddha talks about The Deathless state in relation to Nibbana. There are also some notes from the author (Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: &quot;This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 64: Mahamalunkyaputta Sutta, p. 540, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then at that point the Blessed One uttered this exclamation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The greatest of all gains is health, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbana is the greatest bliss,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The eightfold path is the best of paths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For it leads safely to the Deathless.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 75: Magandiya Sutta, p. 613, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The eleven &quot;doors to the Deathless&quot; are the four jhanas, the four brahmaviharas, and the first three immaterial attainments used as bases for the development of insight and attainment of arahantship.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Notes to sutta 52, p. 1252&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MA: He &quot;turns his mind away&quot; from the five aggregates included within the jhana, which he has seen to be stamped with the three characteristics. The &quot;deathless element&quot; (amata-dhatu) is Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Notes to sutta 64, p. 1266 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;MA says that the arahantship of the dry-insight meditator is intended. MT adds that arahantship is called &quot;the Deathless&quot; because it has the flavour of the Deathless, being attained on the basis of Nibbana the Deathless.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Notes to sutta 106, p. 1312&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the Samyutta Nikaya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One who desires merit, established in the wholesome, Develops the path to attain the Deathless;&#xA;  He who has reached the Dhamma's core,&#xA;  Delighting in destruction,&#xA;  Does not tremble thinking,&#xA;  'The King of Death will come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 55: Sotapattisamyutta, p. 1829, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach you the taintless and the path leading to the taintless. Listen to that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach you the truth and the path leading to the truth ... I will teach you the far shore ... the subtle ... the very difficult to see ... the unaging ... the stable ... the undis­ integrating ... the unmanifest ... the unproliferated ... the peaceful ... the deathless ... the sublime ... the auspicious ... the secure ... the destruction of craving ... the wonderful ... the amazing ... the unailing ... the unailing state ... Nibbana ... the unafflicted ... dispassion ... purity ... freedom ... the unadhesive ... the island .., the shelter ... the asylum ... the&#xA;  refuge ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 43: Asankhatasamyutta, p. 1378, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The removal of lust, etc., is a designation for the unconditioned, deathless Nibbana element. The destruc­tion of the taints is arahantship. The removal of lust, etc., is a name for arahantship too.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Notes to sutta 45, p. 1893&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Nibbana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Wiki has a list of &quot;33 Synonyms for Nibbana&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ShaWW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ShaWW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T16:58:12.823" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T16:58:12.823" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10925" CreationDate="2015-08-21T16:20:11.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yogacara &lt;strong&gt;is&lt;/strong&gt; a form of idealism. Classical subjective idealism developed by George Berkeley says that everything that we think to be external objects are really just purely internal representations, and Yogacara says the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Yogacara is a lot more than just saying that. Yogacara also has detailed descriptions for how this process of mental projection occurs within the mind, how it is dictated by karma, and how to meditate to gain insight into how all things are mind created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T16:20:11.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-08-21T16:32:09.037" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Deathless&quot; typically translates &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amrita&quot;&gt;amrita&lt;/a&gt; (lit. &quot;no-death&quot;), also translated as &quot;the nectar&quot;, using the useful parallel with Greek mythology. Another translation of &quot;to attain deathless&quot; is &quot;to partake of the nectar&quot; - just another metaphorical way to refer to The Fruit. I suppose we could compare this with the modern American idiom &quot;drank the Kool-Aid&quot; - although the latter has rather satirical connotations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically &quot;the deathless aspect&quot; (amrita-dhatu) is (seems to be?) a synonym with what Mahayana calls &quot;the absolute truth&quot; -- the perspective of Three Marks Of Existence, Emptiness, and Pratityasamutpada -- as opposed to &quot;the conventional truth&quot; -- the perspective of Rebirth, Karma, and Samsara vs. Nirvana dichotomy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-21T17:41:41.080" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T17:41:41.080" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10925" CreationDate="2015-08-21T17:35:18.473" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some scholars, notably Dan Lusthaus, have argued that Yogācāra is not a form of Idealism. Lusthaus is one of the leading living authorities on Yogācāra and author of the authoritative analysis, &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Phenomenology&lt;/em&gt;. The charge of Idealism is simply a mistaken reading of Yogācāra. For example in the introduction to his paper, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/articles/intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is and isn't Yogācāra&lt;/a&gt; he argues&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yogācāra focused on the processes involved in cognition in order to overcome the ignorance that prevents one from attaining liberation from the karmic rounds of birth and death. Yogācārins' sustained attention to issues such as cognition, consciousness, perception, and epistemology, coupled with claims such as &quot;external objects do not exist,&quot; has led some to misinterpret Yogācāra as a form of metaphysical idealism. They did not focus on consciousness to assert it as ultimately real (Yogācāra claims consciousness is only conventionally real since it arises from moment to moment due to fluctuating causes and conditions), but rather because it is the cause of the karmic problem they are seeking to eliminate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, some scholars, for example Sean Butler, in his essay &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/10130400/Idealism_in_Yog%C4%81c%C4%81ra_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Idealism in Yogācāra Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; *, remain unconvinced by Lusthaus's argument. Butler cites Vasubandhu's Trimsika for example (and here he cite's Lusthaus's own translations):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The transformation of consciousness is imagination. What is imagined by&#xA;  it does not exist. Therefore everything is representation-only.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For consciousness is the seed of everything. Transformation in such and such ways Proceeds through mutual influence, so that such and such imagination is born.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A note of caution is that Butler seems to be confused by Kant's Transcendental Idealism, which is not really a form of Idealism, in that it does not argue that the mind is all &lt;em&gt;there is&lt;/em&gt;, but does argued that experience is all that can be &lt;em&gt;known&lt;/em&gt; (Transcendental Idealism is not an ontological theory in the way that Idealism is). But he does go on to discuss more relevant definitions of Idealism. Butler weighs the arguments for and against labelling Yogācāra as Idealist and considers that he has decisively shown that it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although Yogācāra is not my area of speciality, I am an advocate for Dr Sue Hamilton's hermeneutic strategy of treating all Buddhist doctrines as though they are addressing the topic of what we experience rather than what exists, which she outlines in Early Buddhism a New Approach. This outlook is in fact evident in Early Buddhist texts. As Bhikkhu Bodhi says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The world with which the Buddha’s teaching is principally concerned is ‘the world of experience,’ and even the objective world is of interest only to the extent that it serves as that necessary external condition for experience.” (Bodhi 2000, &lt;em&gt;The Connected Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;: 394, n.182)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we read the early Buddhist texts as being concerned with experience, or in Buddhist terms with the arising and passing away of mental states, then a number of confusions are resolved. We can for example dispense with the confusing Two Truths doctrine that phenomena are both existent and non-existent. Early Buddhist texts take the view that when it comes to experience, ontological commitments like &quot;existent&quot; (&lt;em&gt;atthitā&lt;/em&gt;) and non-existence (&lt;em&gt;n'atthitā&lt;/em&gt;) simply do not and cannot apply. This need not imply a commitment to the proposition that only mental states exist (which is what Bishop Berkeley claims). But like Kant, in the &lt;em&gt;Critique of Pure Reason&lt;/em&gt;, we might have to conclude that there is an epistemological limit on what we can know, since all of our knowledge comes via experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is accumulating evidence that this early Buddhist outlook continues into the Prajñāpāramitā literature (See my long essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/writing/form-is-not-emptiness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Form is (Not) Emptiness&lt;/a&gt;). So that it might persist into the Yogācāra ought not to surprise us. And for this reason I am predisposed to give Lusthaus the benefit of the doubt and accept his assertion that Yogācāra is not Idealist because it sees &lt;em&gt;vijñāna&lt;/em&gt; as only conventionally real, in line with the Yogacāra interpretation of the Two Truths, which is distinctive to the Yogācāra. (Incidentally Lusthaus has written a good article on this subject: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/225209/The_Two_Truths_Sa%E1%B9%83v%E1%B9%9Bti-satya_and_Param%C4%81rtha-satya_in_Early_Yog%C4%81c%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Two Truths (Saṃvṛti-satya and Paramārtha-satya) in Early Yogācāra&lt;/a&gt;. Despite the philosophical problems entailed by the Two Truths, the fact that Yogācārins accept the consequences of their version of the doctrine makes it unlikely that they fell into the Idealist trap. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However one has to weigh the criticism of Butler and others. I think the jury is still out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T07:41:00.557" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T07:41:00.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-08-21T17:49:05.377" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10927/5715&quot;&gt;Lanka's answer&lt;/a&gt; strikes me as comprehensive. Except for the etymology of the word. Pali &lt;em&gt;amata&lt;/em&gt; and Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;amṛta&lt;/em&gt; derive from the root √mṛ 'die'. The form here is a past participle used as adjective - &lt;em&gt;mṛta&lt;/em&gt; means 'died, dead'; compounded with the 'a', &lt;em&gt;amṛta&lt;/em&gt; means 'undying, deathless'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately it probably comes from Vedic, as the Upaniṣads more frequently speak of the cyclic afterlife as &lt;em&gt;punarmṛta&lt;/em&gt; 're-death' or &lt;em&gt;punarmṛtyu&lt;/em&gt; 'repeated dying'. It's this repeated death that makes the fact of cyclic existence ultimately unbearable and motivates the search for the deathless. And the opposite of repeated death is no death, the deathless. It can mean &quot;immortality&quot; in Vedic, in the sense that one's &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt; exists permanently and once one transcends repeated death, then ātman rejoins and attains union with the universal principle of being, Brahman. Notably in the &lt;em&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; it is Brahmā, the personification of Brahman, who urges the Buddha to teach after he opens the doors to the deathless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as Lanka says, in Buddhism it is one of many synonyms for &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T07:37:46.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10832" CreationDate="2015-08-21T19:14:41.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95fKS5P16Q&amp;amp;feature=em-uploademail&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is a debate from the World Science Festival called &amp;quot;Faith and Science 2010&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Buddhist scholar, namely &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thupten_Jinpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thupten Jinpa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; participating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a description of the debate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For all their historical tensions, scientists and religious scholars from a wide variety of faiths ponder many similar questions—how did the universe begin? How might it end? What is the origin of matter, energy, and life? The modes of inquiry and standards for judging progress are, to be sure, very different. But is there a common ground to be found?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ABC News’ Bill Blakemore moderates a panel that includes evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala, astrobiologist Paul Davies, Biblical scholar Elaine Pagels and Buddhist scholar Thupten Jinpa. These leading thinkers who come at these issues from a range of perspectives address the evolving relationship between science and faith.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Important note:&lt;/strong&gt; I have not seen it yet but i have to point out that it does not say anything about rebirth anywhere here. It might be that a the question will arise in the debate. I don't know yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, enjoy the debate. World Science Festival usually produces some very high quality content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T19:14:41.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2015-08-21T20:46:57.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said it was heresy to claim he invented the dharma or that what he was teaching was anything original. He was very clear that he was just recovering an ancient path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5767" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T20:46:57.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-08-21T20:57:45.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, to be deathless means you have realized Nirvana and are liberated from samsara and will have no more rebirths and thus no more deaths. This does not mean you cease to exist for that would be nihilism and the Budha was clear that to say his teachings were nihilist was heresy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5767" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T20:57:45.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10896" CreationDate="2015-08-21T21:06:45.570" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never ever taught the concept of &quot; emptiness&quot; (all phenomena is empty of inherent existence). This concept was added by later Buddhist schools hundreds of years after the Buddha died. The Buddha taught that all phenomenon is empty of self because the self transcends all phenomenon. If this were not so, then the self woul be temporal and we would all be up s creek without a paddle.This realization is Nirvana, and because Nirvana exists, you have hope of escape from eternal suffering of samsara and this life is not a tale told by an idiot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5767" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T21:06:45.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10878" CreationDate="2015-08-21T21:28:29.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The job of Buddhism is to teach the dharma and prove its truth by being a living example of it which involves many acts of social charity and offering comfort and hope to the lost and suffering souls of this world, Getting too wrapped up in being an institution out to save the world and right all its wrongs would corrupt it, History is full of people who caused untold suffering by imposing their &quot; moral world view&quot; to make the world a &quot; better place&quot; The value add of the Buddhist spiritual path is that it fixes you and makes you happier which translates into one less dangerous moron in the world, I mean who else are you ultimately responsible for,,,YOURSELF&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5767" LastEditorUserId="5767" LastEditDate="2015-08-21T21:48:44.097" LastActivityDate="2015-08-21T21:48:44.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-22T06:00:15.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can appreciate why the Buddha didn't believe in using his position for social reform, like perhaps encouraging the many kings who worshipped him to give up war. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with social reform is it doesn't address the root of the problem. It can result in a superficial change - but the underlying mental conditions that caused the problem remain intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, take the racial integration movement in America - after a long and hard fought struggle there's a modicum of equality and respect for the African American community, but the engine of hate in American society remains intact and has found new targets - like gays or Muslims or fat people - essentially anyone noticeably different and vulnerable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't isolated, I am unable to find a single example where social reform changed the underlying psychological condition that caused it. The dirt merely got swept under the carpet to emerge sooner or later in a different place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the Buddha struggled with this too, because he didn't totally stay away from attempting social reform. &lt;em&gt;&quot;Don't butcher your own meat or cause it to be butchered&quot;&lt;/em&gt; seems like one of the well meaning attempts, but in the light of over two millennia of evidence it is safe to say, it has largely failed even though there were a few isolated periods where it worked. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no room for reform if people don't fundamentally change. Change has to be at the individual level, not at the social level. They have to become deeply aware of their intentions leading to actions, and optimise their existence for freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where the Buddha or Buddhists did attempt social reform it has become farcically tragi-comic. Some Asian Buddhists release birds to gain merit, except it produces a thriving trade in trapping birds to sell to Buddhists. Likewise, since slaughter is against Buddhist ethics butchers in Thailand are generally from the Muslim minority. Neither attempt at social reform actually works as intended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't a purely Buddhist finding. It is a very Indian sentiment. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna doesn't ask Arjuna to stop being a warrior or give up fighting, for he knows that his destiny in this life is to be a warrior. However, he teaches him to stop reacting to pain and pleasure with aversion and desire. As far as I know, nothing is ever said of what happened to Arjuna in later life times, but if he did follow the teachings of Krishna, I imagine he became a non-violent person in a few lifetimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was hoping to trigger a reexamination of platforms like right livelihood with this question - because too often I see examples of arms trade or butchery as proscribed activities, but both continue to happen in Buddhist lands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal view is intentions matter. Right livelihood isn't so automatic as not being a butcher or arms dealer. Many people are looking for a table of modern professions with a checkbox of wrongness or rightness next to it. That's never going to happen because it is a doomed exercise. After all, these days a company like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/05/monsanto200805&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Monsanto can even turn selling farm supplies into an unethical profession&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T06:23:29.017" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T06:23:29.017" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10920" CreationDate="2015-08-22T07:03:14.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if buddhist schools explicitly forbid communicating with ghosts and spirtis, but I'm quite sure that in the theravadian vipassana-movement it is stressed that one should be aware of directing one's mental and physical ressources towards liberation (whatever that means) and the so-called psychic powers like being able to communicate with demons and angels don't have much to do with that. &#xA;On the contrary, in books it is often warned that one should not get attached to funny powers or incredible mind-stated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in the end, it probably depends on your attitude towards these phenomena. If you're conversing wiht some ghosts and are at the same time aware that these ghosts are annica, annata and ducca, it should be no problem ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5758" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T07:03:14.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10920" CreationDate="2015-08-22T08:13:12.457" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Despite the idealised and Romanticised versions of Buddhism popular in the West, which suggests that Buddhists are only interested in Enlightenment, historically and presently Buddhists have always maintained social practices which are unrelated to the such lofty goals. Amongst these are belief in and practices related to unseen entities which can loosely be called &quot;spirits&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spirits play an important role in daily life in almost all traditional Buddhist countries. In Burma for example, spirits are called &quot;&lt;em&gt;nat&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and in Thailand &quot;&lt;em&gt;phi&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/topic/nat&quot;&gt;Encylcopedia Britannica&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;em&gt;Phi&lt;/em&gt; are spirits of towns, homes, caves, and so on. Such spirits are the object of rituals and superstitions. &lt;em&gt;Nats&lt;/em&gt; are imagined to look like humans. Thai people make little houses for spirits to live in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the traditional texts of Buddhism are full of references to spirits (devatā) of various kinds. Prominent types include &lt;em&gt;yakkha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;nāga&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;kinnara&lt;/em&gt;. Tree spirits were, and still are in modern India, a focus of religious activity. The commentarial back story to the famous Karaṇīya Metta Sutta tells of how the sutta was spoken after some monks disturbed a family of 'tree spirits' or rukkhadevatā, who responded with fearful apparitions and terrible smells. (See &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/how-karaniya-metta-sutta-came-about.html&quot;&gt;How the Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta Came About&lt;/a&gt;). Tree spirit worship is also common in Thailand. Across India and Asia large old trees become shrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that Buddhists assimilated animistic beliefs very early on, along with ideas and practices from Brahmin culture, and possible Zoroastrianism (via migrating Iranian tribes). Buddhism has always been syncretistic (i.e. it assimilates elements from other traditions). It's very likely that when speakers of Indic languages, who eventually became the dominant culture, first ventured into the Ganges Valley, they encountered people who spoke Austroasiatic and Tibeto-Burman languages for whom animism was a principle form of religion. They are the likely source of &lt;em&gt;yakkhas&lt;/em&gt; for example, who share many characteristics with Burmese &lt;em&gt;nats&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many modern day Buddhists of my acquaintance are firm believers in ghosts, spirits and minor deities. I have been present at and even participated in more than one ritual to propitiate local spirits for example (in New Zealand, Britain and Spain). An account of some of these modern practices can be found in a book by Sally McAra, &lt;em&gt;Land of Beautiful Vision&lt;/em&gt;, which is an anthropological account of a stupa building project by a Triratna Buddhist group in New Zealand. This includes discussion of the idea of local spirits, influenced by Māori beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while the specific form of spiritualism you ask about is unfamiliar, Buddhists through the ages have believed in and engaged with spirits of many different kinds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T08:13:12.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10844" CreationDate="2015-08-22T08:18:14.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you for sharing the resource.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The complete guide of meditation is given in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/digha/dn22.html#1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot; DN 22 (D ii 290) in pali thipitaka .&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In this sutta the whole meditation topics are group in four main categories.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I. Kāyānupassanā     - Observation of Kāya&lt;br&gt;&#xA;II. Vedanānupassanā -  Observation of Vedanā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;III. Cittānupassanā  - Observation of Citta&lt;br&gt;&#xA;IV. Dhammānupassanā -  Observation of Dhammas.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Kāyānupassanā &quot; section has 6 sub sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A. Ānāpāna Pabba              - Section on ānāpāna&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   B. Iriyāpatha Pabba           - Section on postures&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   C. Sampajāna Pabba            - Section on sampajañña&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   D. Paṭikūlamanasikāra Pabba   - Section on repulsiveness&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   E. Dhātumanasikāra Pabba      - Section on the Elements&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   F. Navasivathika Pabba        - Section on the nine charnel grounds  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 32 part body meditation is relate to section D.E.&amp;amp; F.- &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To get a idea some extracts are shown bellow. but it is recommend to read from beginning.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu considers this very body, from the soles of the feet up and from the hair on the head down, which is delimited by its skin and full of various kinds of impurities: &quot;In this kāya, there are the hairs of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach with its contents, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid and urine.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Just as if, bhikkhus, there was a bag having two openings and filled with various kinds of grain,.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects on this very kāya, however it is placed, however it is disposed: &quot;In this kāya, there is the earth element, the water element, the fire element and the air element.&quot;  ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, just as if he was seeing a dead body, cast away in a charnel ground, one day dead, or two days dead or three days dead, swollen, bluish and festering, he considers this very kāya: &quot;This kāya also is of such a nature, it is going to become like this, and is not free from such a condition ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The method of practicing is given as .&lt;/strong&gt;.     Thus he dwells observing kāya in kāya internally, or he dwells observing kāya in kāya&#xA;  externally, or he dwells observing kāya in kāya internally and&#xA;  externally; he dwells observing the samudaya of phenomena in kāya, or&#xA;  he dwells observing the passing away of phenomena in kāya, or he&#xA;  dwells observing the samudaya and passing away of phenomena in kāya;&#xA;  or else, [realizing:] &quot;this is kāya!&quot; sati is present in him, just to&#xA;  the extent of mere ñāṇa and mere paṭissati, he dwells detached, and&#xA;  does not cling to anything in the world. Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu&#xA;  dwells observing kāya in kāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T09:39:25.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T09:39:25.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9624" CreationDate="2015-08-22T10:53:25.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The confusion arise because the Burmese use vipassana to mean the method of meditation as taught by mahasi sayadaw. It is also used by those in the vipassana/goenka tradition/movement. These teachers discourage the practise of jhana. To have an understanding of jhana, you need to look at teachers from other traditions eg Ayya Khema, Ajahn Brahm etc. As Thanissaro bhikkhu has pointed out, there is no such thing as vipassana jhana in the suttas. In fact, jhana is the word used often by Buddha not vipassana. And, yes Leigh brasington is an expert on jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5771" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T10:53:25.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-08-22T15:01:51.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To break through to even so much as Metta (Lovingkindness), is a taste of the deathless (for as long as it's sustained).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So all these definitions above are helpful, but &lt;em&gt;you can't truly know what the deathless is&lt;/em&gt; until you practice the 8-fold path enough that a Brahmavihara (or higher) occurs as a resultant.  Experiential knowledge is &quot;Knowledge&quot; in Buddhism, not mere book-reading, intellectual-level &quot;knowledge&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel it's important for this distinction to be mentioned.  &lt;strong&gt;It's a feeling&lt;/strong&gt; (which is &quot;not of the flesh&quot;, as opposed to a &quot;worldly feeling&quot;), &lt;strong&gt;and not a concept&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: I'm a Buddhist monk, however I wish to remain anonymous.  I am bound by Vinaya to not discuss any attainment's I might have, so please don't ask (if &quot;I've ever experienced the deathless&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5774" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T15:01:51.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2801" CreationDate="2015-08-22T15:19:03.933" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The presence of Greek kingdoms in (what are now) Afganistan, Pakistan and India after the time of Alexander, implies that the evolution of (some schools of) Buddhism was to some extent (small or large depending on what scholar you ask) influenced by Greek thinking. So, it might be that Stoicism influenced the evolution of Buddhism (but then there must likely have been some common ground in terms of thinking already for this to have happened).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HQ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5775" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T16:06:59.230" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T16:06:59.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10901" CreationDate="2015-08-22T16:34:00.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now is the time to take lay Buddhist wows. Try to keep them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;If you can, your &quot;concentration&quot; will develop gradually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you success to keep them, then try to take advance steps.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The order is as follows,&#xA;FAITH (Saddhā)  GIVING (Dāna)   VIRTUE (Sīla)   MIND (Bhāvanā)  WISDOM (Paññā)&#xA;refer &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Householder_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;House Holder Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T16:34:00.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10756" CreationDate="2015-08-22T16:47:57.763" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found it here for free download:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmaflower.net/_collection/5p-princevajira.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Precepts :&#xA;The Buddhist Golden Rule&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;By His Royal Highness the late Supreme&#xA;Patriarch Prince Vajirananavarorasa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found it linked from this page: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmaflower.net/_dharma/precept.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'The 5 Precepts' at dharmaflower.net&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote you're looking for is on page 2:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Contrasted with the negative virtues of precepts, there is also a set of five&#xA;  positive practices, which correspond to them, thus forming a complete practice&#xA;  of virtue. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Loving-kindness and compassion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Patience in the right means of livelihood.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contentment in married life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Truthfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Watchfulness. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are described further on pages 4 through 34. Starting on page 34 it begins to describe the corresponding virtues; for example it starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Five Ennobling Virtues&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The qualities of a virtuous person are mentioned in the scriptures, referring to&#xA;  precepts (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;síla&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;) and ennobling virtues (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;kalyana dhamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;). One who has fully&#xA;  observed the precepts is not necessarily one who is equipped with virtue. For&#xA;  example, when such a person happens to see a drowning man while he is&#xA;  passing by in a boat, he is morally bound to stop the boat and to save that&#xA;  man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he cannot be bothered to do so, in spite of his ability, and he leaves the man&#xA;  to drown. However, one can say that he has not broken any precepts, but he&#xA;  has certainly lost something higher than precepts and will surely be severely&#xA;  censured for his positive lack of virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of the article (through page 49) describes the virtues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've just started reading it, an interesting text and author. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajirananavarorasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He helped to institutionalize Thai Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and I think this was probably a primary function of this text based on how it reconciles Buddhism with the needs of a state. A striking example: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the point of view of both Buddhism and the state, killing is held to be a capital crime. In the case of Buddhism, a Bhikkhu (monk) who is guilty of such an offense is called a defeated one (parajika) and is to be expelled from the Order of Monks (Sangha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the case of the state, unless the accused can prove himself to be deserving of leniency due to some reasonable excuse, the law of the country generally metes out some form of capital punishment or mitigates this to life imprisonment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T18:18:50.737" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T18:18:50.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10946" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10949" CreationDate="2015-08-22T17:14:53.243" Score="1" ViewCount="482" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as the Buddha referred to those who achieved the goal as &quot;My Son&quot;, I am wondering if the Buddha made any similar distinctions between monks who lived by the precepts and practiced according to the teachings, and those who were there for reasons of their own, not in line with the teachings of the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did he give any teachings on how to deal with monastics who abuse their position for unwholesome motivations i.e. monks amassing wealth, gaining political influence, acting as antagonists for violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as high-profile leaders in other religions have given their respective faith a tarnished reputation with shady dealings in the past, is there anything to be done to protect the dignity of the Buddhas teaching from those with less than wholesome intentions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T10:40:15.863" Title="Real Monk vs Fake Monk" Tags="|ethics|monasticism|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10947" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-22T18:46:35.060" Score="4" ViewCount="673" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a bit confused by contradicting statements about the noting/labeling-technique. On the one hand, one teacher has once told me to note as fast as possible to not let anything else enter the mind, than the chosen meditation object e.g. the belly or the tip of the nose.&#xA;On the other hand, this seems to make the practice very cognitive and another teacher suggested that one should have a few seconds of pause to become aware of other things and induce more calmness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what do you think? Are there simply two ways of handling noting? (one being to note very fast and the other one at a moderate speed) &#xA;Or has it something to do with how advanced one is practicing? (the first teacher also pointed out, when I correctly remember that one needs to do that this fast to enter vipassana-jhanas or something like this...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would be nice to hear your opinions and experiences on this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind regards&#xA;Rafi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5758" LastActivityDate="2016-11-17T04:15:40.930" Title="Noting-Technique: How many notes per second/minute?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10910" CreationDate="2015-08-22T19:26:15.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider this: the billionaire is not an entirely independent decision-maker. He too is &lt;em&gt;a subject&lt;/em&gt; to the corporation's interests, not an absolute sovereign. The life of a billionaire is only as pleasant as it aligns with the needs of his god, the corporation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as billionaire's life revolves around his corporation, it may resemble paradise as far as physical comfort. But that is no freedom. It's not what you imagine it is. You could say the billionaire is possessed by the corporation, not the other way around. Naturally, since corporation involves extracting profit - money being its blood -- some of it is used to keep the human puppet (the billionaire) on the hook.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as karma is concerned, a corporation itself is a sum total of karma created by a huge number of people: consumers, vendors, partners, investors, politicians, etc -- it is a living embodiment of their karma. Your question is, with corporations doing much harm, to what extent should their human agents expect retribution. The answer is, it does come, though not always immediately but over the course of many lives. Some of today's harm being done by corporations is fruition of karma performed 2-3 hundred years ago or more!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is like a heavy wheel rolling, there is a lot of inertia passed on from generation to generation. The king may temporarily enjoy being the head of the dragon but if his karma is of such nature that fruits as negative experience, it &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; fruit as negative experience in this life or in future lives, you can count on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T19:49:02.413" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T19:49:02.413" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10946" CreationDate="2015-08-22T20:20:27.067" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you can do to protect the dignity of the Buddha's teaching is to practice the noble eightfold path to the best of your ability while the true Dhamma can still be heard in the world. There is nothing else to be done. The teaching will inevitably become corrupt and disappear from the world. There is nothing that you or anybody else in the world can do to prevent that. It's only a matter of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you witness others acting in ways that dishonor the Buddha's teaching, your mind will likely respond with aversion. Identify this aversion and let go of it. If you cling to this aversion and let it be a basis for further action you're only working against yourself, even if you think that you're trying to protect the dignity of the Buddha's teaching. Mindfully recognize the impermanence of the teaching itself and use that to cultivate samvega (urgency).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cultivate compassion towards those who, intentionally or otherwise, dishonor the Buddha's teaching. Recognize how helpless these beings are. Recognize that under different circumstances you also have the capacity to act in similar ways due to delusion. Recognize that you're just as helpless as these beings because you aren't yet free from delusion. Then work towards realizing the Dhamma in this very lifetime because you can't help anybody else without helping yourself first. Otherwise it'll be the blind leading the blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T20:34:58.003" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T20:34:58.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10878" CreationDate="2015-08-22T20:40:47.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paraphrasing Einstein, you can't solve a problem with the same paradigm that creates it. Just to put it in the context, you can't solve greed using wealth, and you can't solve desire using power. You can't &quot;save the world&quot; from suffering by the means that creates suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From another perspective, the only way to lessen the suffering of the world is lessening your own suffering. Paraphrasing Gandhi, be the change you want to see in the world. If you seek wealth and power, you are just feeding the status quo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And lastly, if you are able to transcend the common state of mind, you are far from passive. Although your personal revolution might be small in the face of all humanity and faint near powerful people, it is a great step in means of example and legacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Buddhism isn't about radical revolutions, but small incremental improvements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T20:40:47.920" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2015-08-22T20:44:51.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what do you think, Sona. Before, when you were a house-dweller,&#xA;  were you skilled at playing the vina?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too taut,&#xA;  was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too loose,&#xA;  was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were neither too&#xA;  taut nor too loose, but tuned&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; to be right on pitch, was your vina&#xA;  in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to&#xA;  restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you&#xA;  should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attune[2]the&#xA;  pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your&#xA;  theme.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sona Sutta - Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T22:39:51.820" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T22:39:51.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2015-08-22T22:14:22.330" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One does not have to note everything that arises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important is to see the objects clearly so that one can come to see their true nature, i.e. the 3 signs of existence (impermance, unsatisfactoriness and not-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you note too fast it can result in a restless and agitated mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you note too slow sloth and torpor might arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should not note too fast or too slow but a place in the middle (way). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-22T23:14:21.840" LastActivityDate="2015-08-22T23:14:21.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10954" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10961" CreationDate="2015-08-22T22:42:37.300" Score="5" ViewCount="1654" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine this scenario: A serial killer is pointing his gun at an innocent person John and wants to kill John. An arahant is near the killer and knows that the killer will kill 5 more innocent people after he kills the innocent person John. The arahant can choose to kill the killer before the killer kills John and the other 5 innocent persons. Would the arahant kill the killer? Would a Buddha kill the killer? If yes, why? If no, why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:20:47.440" Title="The buddhist dillema on lesser evil" Tags="|ethics|killing|arhats|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2015-08-23T00:21:12.207" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Trungpa Rinpoche explained, noting/labeling is done &lt;strong&gt;at the time of recovering from distraction&lt;/strong&gt;, not all the time!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You sit and breathe and let your mind expand in its natural state, while the fishes of psychosomatic shadows swim deep under the ice, and then sooner or later one of the them raises up getting progressively sharper, becomes a fully-formed thought, then suddenly swallows you and carries away. As soon as you can, you notice that you got carried away, mentally label this very fact (silently saying &quot;thought&quot; in your head, or just making a mental note), and come back to just sitting. Makes sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't rigidly fasten the mind to the here-and-now, nor do you mechanically attach discursive evaluation (&quot;thought&quot; or whatever) to each and every mental phenomena. You give your mind some room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like watching the airplanes do the touch-and-goes, you don't shut down the sky, you don't forcefully control every airplane, you wide open the sky and let them fly -- but when one of them tries to land on your airport and grasp you, you allow it to just brush your airstrip with its wheels, and then slip away letting it dissolve back to the pregnant emptiness it came from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if it does land and capture you, then by definition you are no longer watching. You can setup a subconscious alarm though, that will ring soon after you're caught -- and this is when you wake up, say &quot;thought!&quot;, let go of the thought, and come back to watching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T01:16:30.187" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T01:16:30.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T02:07:04.043" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;An arahant would certainly have perfected the 5 precepts at the least and would abstain from harming anyone. I also belive that the Buddha might have said that an arahant was even incapable of killing. Any enlightened being would certainly try and find another option even if doing so resulted in failure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="5250" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T13:20:11.310" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T13:20:11.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T02:23:34.560" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's impossible for an Arahant to kill intentionally as he has no aversion. An Arahant might try to bring the killer into his senses if he thought it's possible. Just like how the Buddha distracted Angulimala when he was trying to kill his mother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T02:23:34.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9704" CreationDate="2015-08-23T03:43:40.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am an Abhidhamma teacher and used to be a software programmer. Your suggestion is very noble and innovative. I am not sure that the sensing process / thinking process found in the commentaries is the right starting point for such a software program.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is that the sensing process / thinking process were developed to show how sensing and thinking can be natural processes (without a &quot;self&quot; who senses or thinks). The Abhidhamma focuses on the &quot;micro&quot; scale whereas the problem that you are trying to solve is at the &quot;macro&quot; scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an analogy, the &quot;water cycle&quot; (evaporation - condensation - precipitation) that we learned in primary school shows how rain is a natural phenomena. The &quot;water cycle&quot; is not useful for meteorologists in predicting weather; they use other tools. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As another analogy, the models of how atoms and molecules are constructed are not going to help much if you want to build a house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are aspects of Buddhism that can help people with problems such as MBSR (mindfulness meditation) or the application of natural decisive support condition (from the Abhidhamma). My impression is that these do not naturally lend themselves to software programs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You asked specifically about software model of the thought process, but the more general question &quot;Could Abhidhamma help in Psychology?&quot; is even more intriguing (at least for me). I have a couple of interesting books by Mirko Frýba (&quot;The Art of Happiness&quot; and &quot;The Practice of Happiness&quot;) that connect Abhidhamma with modern Psychology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T04:34:26.623" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T04:34:26.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9704" CreationDate="2015-08-23T04:51:42.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a software engineer and I've been playing around with different ideas, very similar to this, about how technology could be combined with Buddhism to create something that could potentially be very useful for many people. If anyone has similar inclinations and would like to brainstorm please feel free to email me (address on profile) as I don't think this is the right context for this discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T14:38:04.303" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:38:04.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T05:03:38.610" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;MN 1.3.1 Kakachupama sutta&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Majjhima Nikāya 21 - Kaka­cūpama­sutta   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Parable of the Saw&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with&#xA;  a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at&#xA;  heart would not be upholding my Teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, even in such a situation you should train yourselves thus:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Neither shall our minds be affected by this, nor for this matter shall we give vent to evil&#xA;  words, but we shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of&#xA;  love, and we shall not give in to hatred. On the contrary, we shall&#xA;  live projecting thoughts of universal love to those very persons,&#xA;  making them as well as the whole world the object of our thoughts of&#xA;  universal love — thoughts that have grown great, exalted and&#xA;  measureless. We shall dwell radiating these thoughts which are void of&#xA;  hostility and ill will.' It is in this way, monks, that you should&#xA;  train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot;&gt;Kakachupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T05:03:38.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T05:14:51.547" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Would the arahant kill the killer? Would a Buddha kill the killer?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Yes, Sutavā, you heard correctly [...]. A bhikkhu who is an arahant [...] is incapable of transgression in nine cases. (1) He is incapable of intentionally depriving a living being of life&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;--  AN 9.7 (Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, Visakha, a noble disciple considers thus: 'For all their lives the arahants dwell having abandoned killing living beings, refrain from killing living beings, they have laid down their staffs, laid down their weapons, they are conscientious, sympathetic, compassionate for the good of all living beings; so today I dwell, for this night and day, having abandoned killing living beings, refraining from killing living beings, I am one who has laid down my staff, laid down my weapon, I am conscientious, sympathetic, compassionate for the good of all living beings. By this practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be entered on by me.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot;&gt;AN 8.43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If no, why?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through greed a covetous man kills breathing things [...]. Through hate a malevolent man kills breathing things[...]. Through ignorance a deluded man kills breathing things... Will that be long for his harm and suffering?&quot; — &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot;&#xA;  [...]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Through non-greed an uncovetous man does not kill breathing things [...]. Through non ill-will an unmalevolent man does not kill breathing things. [...] Through non-delusion a man with true knowledge does not kill breathing things... Will that be long for his welfare and happiness?&quot; — &quot;Yes, venerable sir.&quot;&#xA;  -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.066.nymo.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.66&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summarizing, it's wrong action:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is wrong action? Killing, taking what is not given, illicit sex. This is wrong action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 17&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T05:14:51.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T07:08:36.747" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also known at the Trolley Problem from Game Theory. My answer is that this kind of question is a red herring. Ethics is about how you wrestle with experience to try to minimise suffering. Hypothetical questions like this one are pointless because they will never occur as real dilemmas. Buddhist ethics is focussed on how one actually behaves in every day life. This kind of scenario has never happened in anyone's life. The fact is that presently there is no Buddha and as far as I know, no arahants. So the answer to the question can make no possible different to how you or I conduct ourselves. And what's worse is that while we spend time on such problems we are being distracted from what is actually going on right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of thing comes under the heading of samphapalāpa - frivolous speech. And as such is something to be avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T07:08:36.747" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10946" CreationDate="2015-08-23T07:30:39.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Did he give any teachings on how to deal with monastics who abuse their position for unwholesome motivations i.e. monks amassing wealth, gaining political influence, acting as antagonists for violence.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the answer is yes! The five books of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/guide-tipitaka/guidetipitaka-02.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; aim to do exactly this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T12:58:14.477" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T12:58:14.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T07:41:40.237" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such a question assumes death is the cessation of existence. This is not the Buddhist view. Killing the murderer won't solve anything, it merely brushes the dirt under the carpet. Since violent thoughts will reemerge in the killer's next life, and grow once more because they weren't ever eradicated, nothing is achieved by killing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing someone is passing the buck, and an attempt to make it someone else's problem in the next lifetime. It is wrong view to believe there is an &quot;I&quot; to preserve and that there is a someone else out there to load our burdens on. Karma takes care of such problems by presenting us with the same problems we ran away from in our subsequent lives until we learn to handle it with enlightened wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lotus isn't born by waging a war on dirt, it is a transformation of dirt that produces the lotus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only solution for ignorance is wisdom. Even before the murderer was pushed to the brink of action, there was deep suffering in him or her, and it was permitted to grow. Thus the well meaning Buddhist is constantly working to heal the suffering in others around them, to eradicate pain and suffering everywhere so that such deep suffering leading to murderous thoughts don't manifest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would an arhat or Buddha do is immaterial. What would each of us do is more pertinent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T07:49:45.150" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T07:49:45.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10789" CreationDate="2015-08-23T10:16:13.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teaching of Dependent Origination is part of what is known as the Middle Teaching (majjhena-dhammadesana). It is taught as an impersonal, natural truth, a description of the nature of things as they are, avoiding the extreme theories or biased views that human beings are want to fall into as a result of their distorted perceptions of the world and their attachments and desires within it. The cycle of Dependent Origination which describes the problem of human suffering comes in two limbs: the first limb, called the samudayavara (origination mode), is a description of the arising of suffering, corresponding with the second Noble Truth, the cause of suffering; the second limb, called the nirodhavara (cessation mode), is a description of the cessation of suffering, corresponding with the third Noble Truth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm#C9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Payutto_Bhikkhu_Dependent_Origination.htm#C9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T10:16:13.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T10:19:36.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The arahant would not kill the killer. A Buddha would not kill the killer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if by killing the killer, lives would be saved in thousands, the arahant or a Buddha would not kill the killer. Even if by killing the killer, lives would be saved in millions, the arahant or a Buddha would not kill the killer. Even if by killing the killer, lives would be saved in billions, the arahant or a Buddha would not kill the killer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so? Because the action of the arahant or a Buddha killing the killer would lead to more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by killing the killer, one life would be saved, what would the consequence of killing the killer be? The thought &quot;It's ok to kill killers&quot; would sprinkle in people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by killing the killer, thousand lives would be saved, what would the consequence of killing the killer be? The thought &quot;It's ok to kill crazy people&quot; would sprinkle in people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by killing the killer, millions lives would be saved, what would the consequence of killing the killer be? The thought &quot;It's ok to kill evil people&quot; would sprinkle in people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by killing the killer, billions lives would be saved, what would the consequence of killing the killer be? The thought &quot;It's ok to kill destructive people&quot; would sprinkle in people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what does a delusioned mind, seeking liberation from pain, permeated with pain and the thought &quot;It's ok to kill killers, crazy people, evil people and destructive people&quot; think? &quot;It's ok to do evil for lesser evil&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a delusioned mind, seeking liberation from pain, permeated with pain, thinks &quot;It's ok to do evil for lesser evil&quot;, that mind, to liberate from this same pain, because of its delusion, will do evil for more evil. And the seed of suffering would spread.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the action of &quot;justifying killings&quot;, leads to more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an arahant or a Buddha abstains from killing any living creature in any way, what would the consequence of such action be? The thought &quot;It's not ok to kill no matter what, even if it needs to be for lesser evil&quot; would sprinkle in people's minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a delusioned mind, seeking liberation from pain, permeated with pain, thinks &quot;It's not ok to kill no matter what, even if it needs to be for lesser evil&quot;, that mind, even though he is delusional, because of that same thought, to liberate from pain, will not do evil for more evil. And the seed of wisdom would be spread.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the action of &quot;always abstaining from killing no matter what&quot;, leads to less suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T10:34:23.383" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T10:34:23.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10513" CreationDate="2015-08-23T12:15:38.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is what Alan Wallace says in 'Stilling the Mind' (p 62) - I think this speaks to your question: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Visualizations are fine. The stage of generation is important. Yet you must still confront your mind; you have to go right through it. That is taking the mind as your path. You need to go to the very ground of the ordinary mind. This requires shamatha. You don't need vipashyana for that nor Dzogchen, nor bodhichitta. But you do need to go right to the ground of your ordinary mind and let the mind settle, unforced. When the mind is quiescent — no turbulent thoughts or emotions arising — it is relaxed, still, luminous, and free from effort. That is shamatha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;ground of the ordinary mind&quot; is the substrate consciousness; and shamatha is the essential practice for realizing this ground. Of course we don't want to stop there. I understand the visualizations of the stage of generation practice as a way to keep our eyes on the real prize:  'piercing through' the substrate to realize rigpa (pristine awareness) for the sake of all mother sentient beings. This is important to cultivate from the outset, considering how attractive and seemingly ultimate the experience of shamatha will be. But we must keep going to realize our deepest aspirations. Dudjom Lingpa teaches that stopping in the substrate &quot;does not bring you even a hair's breadth closer to the paths of liberation and omniscience.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Sharing this without any special authority, but as a grateful fellow student of these teachings. I welcome any corrections to this answer.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T12:15:38.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10968" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10971" CreationDate="2015-08-23T12:56:11.697" Score="2" ViewCount="3298" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the 3 recollection (protection) chants of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's told that they can be used to dispel fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T13:22:03.210" LastActivityDate="2020-01-02T21:46:42.727" Title="What are the 3 recollection chants?" Tags="|personal-practice|chant|chanting|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3246" CreationDate="2015-08-23T12:57:49.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of practice, the key point I've learned is that thögal can only be practiced from the perspective of rigpa (pristine awareness); which in turn assumes that one has achieved shamatha, perfected vipashyana, and completed trekchö. Even kind, authentic teachers that openly and lucidly teach Dzogchen do not generally teach thögal, simply because there is absolutely no benefit in doing so until the student has truly realized rigpa. In the meantime, pretending to practice it is a distracting fantasy at best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T12:57:49.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T13:35:15.187" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an alternate perspective from the Mahayana tradition. (I'm not equating arahant &amp;amp; bodhisattva, but if you are asking what a Buddha would do it is perfectly legitimate in my mind to consider also what a bodhisattva would do.)  In 'Words of My Perfect Teacher,' Patrul Rinpoche says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;For all good or bad actions, the intention is by far the most important factor that determines whether they are positive or negative, heavy or light. It is like a tree: if the root is medicinal, the trunk and leaves will also be medicinal. If the root is poisonous, the trunk and leaves will be poisonous too. Medicinal leaves cannot grow from a poisonous root. In the same way, if an intention develops from aggression or attachment and is thus not entirely pure, the action that follows is bound to be negative, however positive it might seem. On the other hand, if the intention is pure, even acts that appear negative will in fact be positive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then tells a story (also found in Gampopa's 'Jewel Ornament of Liberation' I believe) to illustrate the point:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Once in a previous life, the Buddha was a captain called Compassionate Heart. He was sailing upon the ocean with five hundred merchants when the evil pirate called Black Spearman appeared, threatening to kill them all. The captain realized that these merchants were all non-returning Bodhisattvas, and that if one man killed them all he would have to suffer in the hells for an incalculable number of kalpas. Moved by an intense feeling of compassion, he thought: &quot;If I kill him, he will not have to go to hell. So I have no choice, even if it means that I have to go to hell myself.&quot; With this great courage he killed the pirate, and in so doing gained as much merit as would normally take seventy thousand kalpas to achieve. On the face of it, the act was a harmful one, since the Bodhisattva was committing the physical act of murder. But it was done without the least selfish motivation. In the short term, it saved the lives of the five hundred merchants. And in the long term it saved Black Spearman from the sufferings of hell. In reality, therefore, it was a very powerful positive act.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, I will not pretend to have even a shadow of this level of insight and freedom from the poisons of afflictive emotions; and therefore I try my best to abide by the precept of not killing. But it is important for us no matter where we are on the path to remember that motivation is essential in determining karmic consequences, not mere outward acts. It reminds us to look deeply into our own hearts in order to skillfully respond to such ethical quandaries when they actually arise in our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T13:35:15.187" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10968" CreationDate="2015-08-23T13:40:01.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's the chant with translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Itipiso Bhagava (He is indeed the Exalted One)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Araham (far from&#xA;  defilements)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Samma Sambuddho (perfectly enlightened by Himself)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vijjacaranasampanno (fully possessed of wisdom and excellent conduct)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sugato Lokavidu (knower of the worlds)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Anutaro Purisadhammasarathi&#xA;  Sattha (unexcelled Trainer of tamable men)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Devamanussanam (teacher of&#xA;  deities and men)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Buddho (the Awakened One)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bhagavati (the Lord skilled&#xA;  in teaching Dhamma)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Svakkato Bhagavata Dhammo (well expounded is the Exalted One’s Dhamma)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sanditthiko (to be seen here and now)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Akaliko (not delayed in time)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ehipassiko ( (inviting one to) come and see)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Opanayiko (leading&#xA;  inwards)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Paccatam Veditabbo Vinnuhiti (to be seen by each wise man for&#xA;  himself)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Supatipanno Bhagavato Savakasangho (that which is the Sangha of the&#xA;  Exalted One’s disciple who have practiced well)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ujupatipanno Bhagavato&#xA;  Savakasangho (that which is the Sangha of the Exalted One’s disciple&#xA;  who have practiced straightly)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nayapatipanno Bhagavato Savakasangho&#xA;  (that which is the Sangha of the Exalted One’s disciple who have&#xA;  practiced rightly)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Samicipatipanno Bhagavato Savakasangho (that which&#xA;  is the Sangha of the Exalted One’s disciple who have practiced&#xA;  properly)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Yadittam (that is to say)  Cattari Purisayugani (the four&#xA;  pairs of men- those who are in the four pairs of Noble Path and&#xA;  Fruition)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Attha Purisapuggala (the eight types of individual persons-&#xA;  those who are with the mind of a Stream Winner up to Fruition of&#xA;  Arahantship)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Esa Bhagavato Savakasangho (that is the Sangha of the&#xA;  Exalted One’s disciples)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ahuneyyo (worthy of gifts)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Pahuneyyo (worthy&#xA;  of hospitality)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Dakkkhineyyo (worthy of offerings)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Anjalikaraniyo (who&#xA;  should be respected)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Anuttaram Punakkhetam Lokassati (incomparable&#xA;  field of merit to the world)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(source &lt;a href=&quot;http://methika.com/pali-chanting/itipiso-chant/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://methika.com/pali-chanting/itipiso-chant/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-01-02T21:46:42.727" LastActivityDate="2020-01-02T21:46:42.727" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="10972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10913" CreationDate="2015-08-23T13:56:22.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am an Abhidhamma teacher. I am going to try and help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are asking how to identify the list of cetasika within a nāma and the intensity of the various cetasika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Abhidhamma text such as the Abhidhammattha Sangaha will provide the list of cetasika. You mentioned &quot;&lt;em&gt;somanassasahagata ñāṇasampayutta asaṅkhārika&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (accompanied by joy, associated with knowledge, unprompted) as an example. Chapter 2, paragraph 23 of the Abhidhammattha Sangaha indicates that there are 38 cetasika in this nāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are asking about how to identify cetasika as part of a meditative practice. Here is a relevant quote from the Milindapañha, &quot;If a man were to take a handful of water from the ocean and tasting it could say, ‘This water is from the Ganges, this from the Jumna, this from the Gandak, this from the Sarabhu, and this from the Mahi.’ More difficult than this is the distinguishing of those mental states that accompany any one of the senses.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Anupada Sutta (MN 111), the Buddha praised Sāriputta for being able to recognize the cetasika accompanying jhāna states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, I do not think that it is practical to expect to be able to identify the cetasika in a nāma as part of your meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also asked about identifying the intensity of the various cetasika within a nāma. You are correct that varying the intensity of the cetasika provides a very  different experience of the nāma, however the Abhidhamma does not differentiate  levels of intensity, except in the most broad of terms (because of kamma-result condition &quot;&lt;em&gt;vipākapaccaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, consciousness and the mental factors of the resultant nāma are passive and weak). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T13:56:22.500" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2358" CreationDate="2015-08-23T14:06:28.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cultivating bodhicitta (both ultimate and relative) is absolutely indispensable on the Mahayana path; and one who has vowed to do so is called a bodhisattva. From my understanding, this vow can be made with as little or as much pomp and circumstance as befits one's mind - the key is to inspire confidence and commitment. Check out Shantideva's 'Way of the Bodhisattva' for a truly awesome and beautiful way to undertake this path.  Also see Patrul Rinpoche's 'Words of My Perfect Teacher' and his discussion of the vow of bodicitta starting at p. 220. He says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;True absolute bodhicitta is attained by the power of meditation and does not depend on rituals. To generate relative bodhicitta, however, as beginners we need some procedure to follow, a ritual through which we can take the vow in the presence of a spiritual teacher. We then need to constantly renew that vow, in the same way, over and over again, so that the bodhicitta we have aroused does not decline but becomes more and more powerful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;presence of a spiritual teacher&quot; can be either physical or visualized, based on the various presentations I've encountered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on commitment to bodhichitta, one trains in the precepts of aspiration and application. The final fruit is perfect Buddhahood expressed in perfect wisdom and effortless compassion toward all sentient beings - nothing at all limited or 'private' about it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:06:28.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10954" CreationDate="2015-08-23T14:08:48.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Volitionally taking the life of another living being is only possible if one has defilements left. Killing is rooted in &lt;em&gt;hatred&lt;/em&gt; (dosa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened being such as an Arahant or a Buddha has eradicated all defilements and fetters and are therefore not capable of killing since the unwholesome root is simply not there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T14:20:47.440" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:20:47.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10968" CreationDate="2015-08-23T14:24:19.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;itipi so bhagavā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇa-sampanno sugato lokavidū&#xA;anuttaro purisadamma-sārathi satthā deva-manussānaṃ buddho bhagavā ti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opanayiko,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho&lt;br&gt;&#xA;uju-paṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho&lt;br&gt;&#xA;ñāya-paṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho&lt;br&gt;&#xA;sāmīci-paṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho&lt;br&gt;&#xA;yadidaṃ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho&lt;br&gt;&#xA;āhuṇeyyo pāhuṇeyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjali-karaṇīyo&lt;br&gt;&#xA;anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T14:24:19.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="244" CreationDate="2015-08-23T15:09:18.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravāda school has 1 citta (arising in 89 or 121 combinations), 52 cetasika, 28 rūpa and 1 unconditioned element (Nibbāna). The Sarvāstivāda school had 1 citta, 60 cetasika, 11 rūpa and 3 unconditioned elements. The Sautrāntika school had 6 citta, 29 cetasika, 8 rūpa and 1 unconditioned element. The Yogācāra school had 8 citta, 75 cetasika, 11 rūpa and 6 unconditioned elements. Each of these schools used the same set of Suttas, but analyzed them in a different way, according to their own doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T15:09:18.093" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10977" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-23T15:15:53.660" Score="5" ViewCount="458" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism describe how best to live a married life? Please provide some short excerpts. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T02:28:09.010" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T17:08:46.880" Title="What are the Buddhist teachings on how best to live a married life?" Tags="|compassion|relationship|marriage|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10485" CreationDate="2015-08-23T15:49:46.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will answer your second question regarding enlightened beings feeling pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An arahat / Buddha does not create any new kamma, but they are still subject to the maturing of past kamma. This means that they can suffer physical pain but unlike us, there is no associated mental pain. See Sallatha Sutta (SN 36.6).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T15:49:46.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8358" CreationDate="2015-08-23T16:24:22.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people try to read too much into the &quot;17 thought moment sensing process&quot;. Please see page 164 of Bhikkhu Bodhi's &quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot; which gives Ledi Sayadaw's explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, in the case of eye-door, the &quot;17 thought moment sensing process&quot; captures a small patch of colour. This is followed by gazillions of mind-door processes that glue the entire field of vision together, grasp shapes, recognize shapes, grasp the name, recognize the name, etc. The comparing the object to past experiences comes much later after lots of thinking has been done. In other words, in the case of the eye-door, the &quot;17 thought moment sensing process&quot; brings a small patch of colour into the mind. That's it. All the subsequent analysis is done by gazillions of mind-door processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want the &quot;bigger picture&quot;, the best place to start is the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta (MN 18), &quot;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind). What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one objectifies. Based on what a person objectifies, the perceptions &amp;amp; categories of objectification assail him/her with regard to past, present, &amp;amp; future forms cognizable via the eye.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sutta, the &quot;compared / coupled to past experiences&quot; that you are asking about happens at the final stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T16:24:22.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10977" CreationDate="2015-08-23T16:45:08.130" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Access to Insight website has a number of related translations and essays;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suttas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to ensure that you'll be with your spouse in future lives: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spouses' duties to each other: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html#to-spouse&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essays&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/single.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;A Single Mind&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; (Fuang)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammananda/marriage.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Happy Married Life: A Buddhist Perspective&lt;/a&gt; (Dhammananda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/price/bl124.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Higher to Live For&lt;/a&gt; (Nyanasobhano)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel225.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Sex&lt;/a&gt; (Walshe)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all seems to boil down to &amp;quot;be ethical&amp;quot;. Although on the other hand ideally one would not get married, but would take up celibacy and reject family life. For example in the &lt;em&gt;Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta&lt;/em&gt; the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;so tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajopatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. nayidaṃ sukaraṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṃ ekantaparisuddhaṃ saṅkhalikhitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ carituṃ.&lt;/em&gt; [MN 27; i.179&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And having become possessed of faith [from hearing the dhamma] he thinks: household life is crowed and dirty; having gone forth one is wide open. It is not easy to live the religious life, so perfect and pure like a polished shell, while living in a home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short the best way to do marriage, is not to do it all, but to dedicate yourself to practising the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is similar to a previous one:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3766/what-does-a-traditional-buddhist-wedding-look-like/3769#3769&quot;&gt;What does a traditional Buddhist wedding look like?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T16:45:08.130" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10981" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="10984" CreationDate="2015-08-23T16:49:47.517" Score="2" ViewCount="348" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though my practice is &quot;Mahayana&quot; (in quotes), I have a great and abiding respect for the Theravada school and consider (as many do) the term &quot;Hinayana&quot; (Sanskrit for Smaller Vehicle) disrespectful of that tradition.  My question is, using the term &quot;Mahayana&quot; (Sanskrit for Great Vehicle) has a built-in comparison and seeming insult to that other tradition.  Therefore, is there another term for &quot;Mahayana&quot; that can be used to discuss that remarkable tradition without bringing in that un-needed and negative comparison to another school? Thanks, greatly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2486" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T17:31:26.087" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T13:03:43.820" Title="Is there another term than &quot;Mahayana&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10981" CreationDate="2015-08-23T17:38:00.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't have to abandon the term Mahayana if the term Hinayana makes you uncomfortable. You could replace Hinayana with something like Shravakayana, or something. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has proposed using the term Mula-yana, meaning root vehicle, or fundamental vehicle also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T17:38:00.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10983" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-23T18:08:10.587" Score="4" ViewCount="932" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&quot;&gt;MahaNidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ānanda, if one is asked: ‘Is clinging due to a specific condition?’ one should say: ‘It is.’ If one is asked: ‘Through what condition is there clinging?’ one should say: ‘With craving as condition there is clinging.’’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the cause of attachment is desire. However, my question is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can desire without the attachment still lead to suffering?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T12:35:49.077" Title="Desire without attachment" Tags="|suttas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10981" CreationDate="2015-08-23T18:20:06.827" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a fellow 'Mahayana' practitioner, I share your great respect for Theravadin buddhism and appreciate your sensitivity to the polemical origins of the term 'Mahayana' (I've used it many times myself, hopefully without causing offense; but try not to ever use the term 'Hinayana'). Because the term 'Mahayana'covers an extraordinary diversity of paths, you may want to just name your specific  tradition if the implication of this general term troubles you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possible approach: 'bodhisattva-yana' is sometimes suggested as a general substitute term. In historical terms (according to Buswell's Encyclopedia of Buddhism), it apparently refers to a development in India that preceded Mahayana. However, it seems that for practical purposes, referring to yourself as a follower of the bodhisattva way would give fellow practitioners in any school of buddhism enough context to understand where you were coming from, without any derogatory implications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T18:20:06.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10983" CreationDate="2015-08-23T19:31:15.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can desire without the attachment still lead to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When attachment is ceased desire is ceased. When desire is ceased, suffering is ceased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should be understood correctly. The statement &quot;When attachment is ceased desire is ceased&quot; does not mean that a person devoid of attachment, has no desires. Desire is still present, but the person can freely choose what he wishes to desire. His desires are not conditioned by past kamma anymore. So, when he notices &quot;oh this is suffering&quot;, he simply frees himself from these desires which cause this same suffering, to the point when he is completely liberated from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire without attachment can still lead to suffering, but this suffering is short lived, because a person with non-attachment can easily free himself from this same desire. That's how a person free from attachment identifies desires that cause him suffering. By seeing and knowing desires that lead to suffering, he acquires wisdom about his own suffering and stops it completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened being is free from all desires that cause him suffering. He could choose to be unwise and desire to suffer, but he chooses not to because he knows &quot;suffering creates more suffering&quot;. Thus, because he doesn't want to create more suffering, he chooses to completely stop suffering. By seeing and knowing &quot;suffering creates more suffering&quot;, he acquires wisdom about his own suffering and the suffering of other beings and minimizes it as much as he can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-08-23T19:52:12.050" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T19:52:12.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10987" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13034" CreationDate="2015-08-23T20:02:48.780" Score="6" ViewCount="3768" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been reading books written by, or associated with Alan Wallace, that describe a period of time that is new to me - Ghatika (24 minute period). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A session of twenty-four minutes is a good starting interval; for most people, it is neither too short nor too long ... and this is the session duration that the eighth-century Indian Buddhist contemplative Kamalashila recommended for begining meditators. &lt;em&gt;(Minding Closely: The Four Applications of Mindfulness&#xA;   By B. Alan Wallace p.33)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wallace goes on to claim that in the Vajrayana tradition a Ghatika is also considered an ideal meditation time because it is the time it takes for the subtle energies to do a full body circuit. Longer duration sits will of course be multiples of a Ghatika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some poking around on the internet reveals it is a Vedic measure of time - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.astrojyoti.com/vedictimecalculations.htm&quot;&gt;Vedic calculations of time and creation&lt;/a&gt; and was measured using a Ghatika Yantra, &lt;a href=&quot;https://cognitiongalaxy.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/the-ancient-indian-water-clock/&quot;&gt;an ancient Indian water clock&lt;/a&gt;. I can find no reference to meditation apart from Alan Wallace references. Can anyone else perhaps shed more light on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-09T10:30:41.123" LastActivityDate="2018-03-03T02:18:49.643" Title="Is a Ghatika an ideal minimum meditation duration?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|time|alan-wallace|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10987" CreationDate="2015-08-23T23:26:57.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think I would claim that 24-minute increments are 'ideal', but they've worked in my experience. Perhaps this is simply because I feel tremendous confidence and respect toward Alan Wallace, and am used to working with 24-minute increments in following his instructions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I encourage you to experiment (perhaps taking the gathika as a working hypothesis) and find out what works for your mindstream in light of your aspirations and the specific forms of meditation you wish to pursue. There are many variables to explore! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, here's some interesting food for thought, which I think highlights how the appropriate length of a meditation period corresponds to the condition of one's mind, and requires introspective assessment of one's own meditative experience. Padmasambhava has been quoted as saying: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is better to persevere with meditation at short intervals, than to meditate for a long period of time without any results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche explains in the context of teaching shamatha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one meditates, do it for a short time; but do it again and again and again. The whole point is to develop a habit of meditation. If one meditates at first for too long, the mind just becomes more and more agitated and difficult to control. If one meditates for a short time and renews the session many times, then each time the mind will be fresh and clear and able to settle down more easily. So meditate again and again until the habit of meditation grows stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-23T23:26:57.230" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10913" CreationDate="2015-08-24T00:12:27.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Q1). how to determine the amount or the power of these cetasikas?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A1). We have to follow &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/#&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meditation practice&lt;/a&gt; to feel these. this will be a really tough exercise for beginner. But for experience practitioner it is very tricky one. Because he/she use it every moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q2). I would like to know the strategy in step by step.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A2). The Seven steps of purification are as folows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    Purification of Conduct (sīla-visuddhi)&#xA;    Purification of Mind (citta-visuddhi)&#xA;    Purification of View (ditthi-visuddhi)&#xA;    Purification by Overcoming Doubt (kankha-vitarana-visuddhi)&#xA;    Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and Not Path (maggamagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;    Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Course of Practice (patipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;        Knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall (udayabbayanupassana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of contemplation of dissolution (bhanganupassana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of appearance as terror (bhayatupatthana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of contemplation of danger (adinavanupassana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of contemplation of dispassion (nibbidanupassana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of desire for deliverance (muncitukamyata-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of contemplation of reflection (patisankhanupassana-nana)&#xA;        Knowledge of equanimity about formations (sankharupekka-nana)&#xA;        Conformity knowledge (anuloma-nana)&#xA;    Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q3). Who is Abidhamma Expert?&#xA;A3). First we have to clarify whit is Abidhamma?&#xA;The core of Buddhism is four Noble Truth. To Understand it we need some path. it consists samatha and Vipassana. In samatha concentrate on (mental) object as Kama, Roopa and Aroopa. for Nibbana the object is &quot;Niroda&quot;.(Chetho Vimuktha).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In Vipassana (As in Sathipattana Sutta) start from Body then Feelings then Thoughts finally mental Objects. For Niroda &quot;The Object&quot; must be &quot;Sunnya&quot;(No-Self).(Pangna Vimuktha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How the Self creates and How it Not creates (Niroda) is explains using patithchasamuthpada. There are 12 Links in this Model. How these 12 links are Inter Depend (AnnaManna Prathya) is ex-planes using 24 &quot;Prathyas&quot;(course and effects) in -&quot;PattanaPakarana&quot; the 7th book of Abidamma. This is in Theravada view point. In Mahayana view point (Hua yen) it explane as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra%27s_net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indras'Net&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T00:12:27.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8358" CreationDate="2015-08-24T01:01:49.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It has happens in 7th and 8th steps as &quot;investigating&quot; and &quot;Determining&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shown as Madhupiṇḍika Sutta (MN 18),&lt;br&gt;&#xA; &quot;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises. (Step 5).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The meeting of the three is contact.(&quot;Passa&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With contact as a requisite condition, there is feeling.(Step 6 &quot;Vedana&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA; What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind)(Step 7 &quot;Sanna&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA; What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one objectifies.(Step 8 &quot;Chethana&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA; Based on what a person objectifies, the perceptions &amp;amp; categories of objectification assail him/her with regard to past, present, &amp;amp; future forms cognizable via the eye.&quot;(Step 9-15 &quot;Manasikara&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The place we can break this process at step 7. We can change &quot;the Sanna&quot; by learning or understanding. permannet to Unpermanent Etc..by worldly concepts from Transcendental.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T01:01:49.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10992" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-24T06:41:18.810" Score="3" ViewCount="2604" Body="&lt;p&gt;Often in the suttas one finds Bhikkhus who approach the Buddha reverentially uncover their right shoulder as a mark of respect. What is the significance of this practice? Is it cultural or is there a deeper significance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0310_LL_30_sumati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ratnakuta sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana then arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, and bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere in the sutra,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Perceiving Sumati Bodhisattva’s extraordinary intention, good roots, and sovereign authority, each bhikṣu uncovered his upper robe. They gave an offering to the Tathāgata by developing a great vow, saying...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T11:31:39.513" Title="Significance of Bhikkhus uncovering their right shoulder" Tags="|history|monasticism|culture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10983" CreationDate="2015-08-24T07:14:28.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can desire without the attachment still lead to suffering?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  . .   &lt;strong&gt;YES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MahaNidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Ānanda, if one is asked: ‘Are &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;aging and death&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; due to a specific condition?’ one should say: ‘They are.’ If one is asked: ‘Through what condition is there aging and death?’ one should say: ‘With &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;birth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; as condition there is aging and death.’&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;“Ānanda, if one is asked: ‘Is &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;birth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; due to a specific condition?’ one should say: ‘It is.’ If one is asked: ‘Through what condition is there birth?’ one should say: ‘With &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;existence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; as condition there is birth.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So   aging and death(&lt;strong&gt;Suffering&lt;/strong&gt;) &amp;lt;-- birth &amp;lt;--existence &amp;lt;--clinging (&lt;strong&gt;attachment&lt;/strong&gt;) &amp;lt;--craving (&lt;strong&gt;desire&lt;/strong&gt;) &amp;lt;--feeling &amp;lt;-- contact &amp;lt;-- mentality-materiality &amp;lt;-- consciousness &amp;lt;--mentality-materiality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Ānanda, if one is asked: ‘Is &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; due to a specific condition?’ one should say: ‘It is.’ If one is asked: ‘Through what condition is there consciousness?’ one should say: ‘With &lt;em&gt;mentality-materiality&lt;/em&gt; as condition there is consciousness.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;consciousness &amp;lt;&amp;lt; == &amp;gt;&amp;gt;  mentality-materiality (FORM)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Thus, Ānanda, with mentality-materiality as condition there is&#xA;consciousness; with consciousness as condition there is&#xA;mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition there&#xA;is contact; with contact as condition there is feeling; with feeling&#xA;as condition there is craving; with craving as condition there is&#xA;clinging; with clinging as condition there is existence; with&#xA;existence as condition there is birth; and with birth as condition,&#xA;aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair come to&#xA;be. Such is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is &lt;strong&gt;interdependent&lt;/strong&gt; state.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Now,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Q1). What is desire without the attachment mean?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Q2). In what situations this happen?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Q3). If the interdependency exist that situation?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Q4). Whit are the situations the interdependency not exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anyway if interdependency is, then the suffering may arise.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for example infant child (without attachment-&amp;quot;kama&amp;quot;) will suffer future..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T07:14:28.007" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10983" CreationDate="2015-08-24T09:57:54.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can desire without the attachment still lead to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have at least one concrete example of a negative answer to this question, from the Theravāda tradition which is the case of &lt;em&gt;dhammachanda&lt;/em&gt; - desire for the Dhamma. This kind of desire, does not result in attachment or suffering. Quite the opposite. There is also the desire for the well-being of others that is such a vital part of Mahāyāna Buddhist practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is certainly possible for someone to experience the attractive aspect of a sense experience without trying to grasp it. We do not noticeably grasp after every single pleasant experience we have for example. Some simply come and go. But the tendency which associates happiness with pleasant sense experience runs very deep and in practice we are usually grasping after some pleasant experience - trying to prevent it ceasing, or trying to recapture it through repetition. So desire without attachment is in fact extremely rare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravāda model of the fetters, desire for sense experience (kāmarāga) is the 4th of the ten fetters (saṃyojana), but more subtle kinds of desire also exist, 6th is desire for material existence (rūparāga) and 7th is desire for immaterial existence (arūparāga). A once returner has weakened the 4th and 5th fetters; a non-returner has broken them, but is still subject to the more subtle forms of craving. Only the Arahant is entirely free from craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahāyāna Buddhists use a different model - the ten bodhisatva bhūmis. As one progresses through the bhūmis or &quot;levels&quot;. The first bhūmi involves a very strong desire to help all beings to be liberated (bodhicitta). Since bodhicitta involves a direct experience of śūnyatā or emptiness, even the beginning bodhisatva is already free from the grosser aspects of desire. Through success stages the bodhisatva purifies their mind and their karma, through the practice of the six perfections, until they are completely free of any negative mental events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the two models are almost complete unrelated. Sometimes answers to questions like this are given in strongly sectarian terms - as though, for example, the Theravāda model is the only possible way of seeing the answer. For Buddhism as a whole this is always a distortion - sectarian views are seldom representative of Buddhists as a whole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we find in practice, however, is that these models are highly hypothetical and theoretical and can be entirely unrelated to one's experience of progress in the spiritual life. If I may be permitted an anecdote from my own life, I used to eat meat. I even worked in a butchers shop when I was a student (mostly cleaning, but also making small goods like sausages). I loved eating meat. But later when I discovered Buddhism I took on being a vegetarian, at first for ideological reasons, then later because I came to love animals. More than 20 years later I now never crave meat. I am entirely cured of any desire or attachment to eating the stuff. I find the very idea disgusting. I never knowingly eat anything that has or had neurons. Even if I was to cease being a Buddhist, I cannot imagine ever eating meat, except perhaps in the direst emergency (I feel about meat the way most people feel about cannibalism). So it is entirely possible to break some attachments, while still operating in a mode which is underpinned by patterns of desire and attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can gradually reduce the amount of desire one experiences - especially, I think, as one gets older and the blood cools. And as far as I know, there is no discussion of this phenomenon in any Buddhist text. Buddhists tend to present desire in terms of idealised models involving desire being an all or nothing proposition. I think we need to be wary of any kind of absolute, or any opinion stated as &quot;Truth&quot;. We Buddhists all too often seem to fall for our own propaganda. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T12:25:23.490" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T12:25:23.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10981" CreationDate="2015-08-24T11:16:46.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've also heard it said that the term Hinayana was mostly referring to traditions that are long since dead. To identify the term &quot;Hinayana&quot; with the Theravadin tradition would be mixing up history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry that I can't provide references other than an ages old recollection :-(&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5650" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T11:16:46.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10992" CreationDate="2015-08-24T11:31:39.513" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pāḷi texts, the right shoulder is not specified. The standard description of a monk meeting the Buddha says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsaṅgaṃ karoti&lt;/em&gt; (Vin 1.46)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he arranged his robe over one shoulder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the right side of the body is generally emphasised, e.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atha kho so, bhikkhave, mahābrahmā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsaṅgaṃ karitvā dakkhiṇaṃ jāṇumaṇḍalaṃ pathaviyaṃ nihantvā... (DN ii.36; cf. MN i.168, i.177 etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then indeed, monks, the Great God, having arranged his robe over one shoulder, placing his right (&lt;em&gt;dakkhiṇaṃ&lt;/em&gt;) knee-cap on the earth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atha kho rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto ... uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā pakkāmi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then indeed Ajātasattu Son of Vedehi, King of Māgadha... rose from his seat, saluted the Bhagavan, and keeping to the right (&lt;em&gt;padakkhiṇaṃ katvā&lt;/em&gt;), he left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verb many of these is √&lt;em&gt;kṛ&lt;/em&gt; - &amp;quot;doing, making&amp;quot;. So &lt;em&gt;ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsaṅgaṃ karoti&lt;/em&gt; literally means &amp;quot;he makes his upper-robe one-shouldered&amp;quot; and  padakkhiṇaṃ katvā means something like &amp;quot;making right-handed&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The connotation of auspiciousness with the right side of the body is something shared with the Romans from whom we get words like &amp;quot;dextrous&amp;quot; from &lt;em&gt;dexter&lt;/em&gt; &amp;quot;right, right hand side, south (facing the the rising sun)&amp;quot;; and it's opposite &amp;quot;sinister&amp;quot; (literally &amp;quot;left). In fact the Pāḷi word &lt;em&gt;dakkhina&lt;/em&gt; is cognate with Latin &amp;quot;dexterous&amp;quot; (they both come from the same Proto-Indo-European root). And just like it, it can mean &amp;quot;skilful, clever, and quick to learn&amp;quot;, but also &amp;quot;lucky, auspicious, etc&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One explanation might be deduced from the modern day Indian practice of using the left hand to wash the backside after defecating. If this is an ancient practice, which it may well be, then the left hand was ritually (and factually)  polluted and the right hand ritual pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I cannot find a single reference to the robe going over the right shoulder in either the &lt;em&gt;Nikāyas&lt;/em&gt; or the &lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt;. It is always simply &lt;em&gt;ekaṃsa&lt;/em&gt; &amp;quot;one shoulder&amp;quot;. So this is apparently a later tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NOTE Apparently Stack Exchange doesn't allow me to post Chinese characters! So I'm having to give Romanji instead which is much less satisfactory!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to check the Lapis Lazuli citation, but he doesn't give enough information to locate the particular sūtra in the massive “&lt;em&gt;Dàbǎojī jīng&lt;/em&gt;” or Mahāratnakuṭa - it runs to 120 fascicles in the CBETA version of the Chinese Tripiṭaka. But plenty of other Mahāyāna texts use this kind of phrase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;eg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ěr shí ānán cóng zuò ér qǐ, piān tǎn yòu jiān, yòu xī zhuó dì&lt;/em&gt;, (T232 729.b17)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Then Ānanda rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder (yòu jiān), and knelt on his right knee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we can search for the phrase &amp;quot;yòu jiān&amp;quot; and see when it started appearing in Chinese translations. It turns up in some early translations, e.g. T156 which is an Avadāna Sūtra translated during the Wei Dynasty (220-265 CE); in T1428 and  T1432 some of the Chinese Vinaya Texts. It also turns up in the Āgama texts. So this suggests that the introduction of specifying the right shoulder occurred after the closing of the Pāḷi Canon (which occurred quite early), but still fairly early.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T11:31:39.513" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="10999" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-24T11:42:26.403" Score="4" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Beacon of Certainty&lt;/em&gt; (tr. Pettit), Mipham Rinpoche addresses key questions about how to practice based on Madhyamaka philosophy. The first question has to do with distinguishing absolute negation from implicative negation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An affirming negative (or “implicative negation”) “expresses the absence of one predicate while implying some other.” (Pettit 109)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, this is not a good way to conceive how &lt;em&gt;appearances&lt;/em&gt; are empty of any true and inherent existence: because the implied &lt;em&gt;object&lt;/em&gt; has to somehow stand apart and have some kind of inherent existence that is immune from further analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A non-affirming negative (or “absolute negation”) “simply excludes something, without implying anything else.” (Pettit 109)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a much more fruitful stance because it does not hold some kind of appearance as standing separate from emptiness; and therefore it can serve as a conceptual segue to meditative experience of the coalescence of emptiness and appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this distinction is a very powerful tool in overcoming the tendency to take appearances as concrete realities that somehow have emptiness within them; and to understand how appearance and emptiness coalesce. Is there a similar distinction within Theravadin buddhism? It seems like this would be a useful distinction when exploring the 3 Dharma seals, particularly that of not-self &lt;em&gt;(sabbe dhammā anattā&lt;/em&gt;). But I've never encountered such an analysis when reading in the Pali Canon or Theravadin commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2023-11-16T18:26:10.857" Title="Does Theravadin analysis distinguish between implicative and absolute negations?" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|tibetan-buddhism|sunyata|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10981" CreationDate="2015-08-24T13:03:43.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hīnayāna&lt;/em&gt; means &amp;quot;a defective vehicle&amp;quot;. Hīna does not mean &amp;quot;lesser&amp;quot;. The reason we think it might is because of Kumārajīva's influential Chinese translation of the &lt;em&gt;Saddharmapuṇḍarikā Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; which translates &lt;em&gt;hīna&lt;/em&gt; as 小 xiǎo 'small'. But this is misleading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in the &lt;em&gt;Saddharmapuṇḍarikā Sūtra&lt;/em&gt; we find the following stanza:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ekaṁ hi kāryaṁ dvitiyaṁ na vidyate&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;na hīnayānena nayanti buddhāḥ&lt;/em&gt; ||55||&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one method, not a second,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The Buddhas do not lead by a defective way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Give that this text is often cited as a locus classicus for prejudice against the so-called Hīnayāna, a supposedly lesser Buddhist teaching, this verse shows that it might need to be reconsidered. The Buddha's do not teach defective ways to awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the reason the pejorative sense was lost was that Buddhists outside India stopped using Sanskrit and didn't really understand the history of the Sanskrit words they retained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Up to about the 4th century one can use the term &amp;quot;Mainstream&amp;quot; to refer to Buddhism that is not Mahāyāna. Around this time Mahāyāna itself was becoming the Mainstream in India (for the first time). Indeed in medieval India non-Mahāyāna Buddhism is almost irrelevant, except that all ordinations are still done according to &lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt; rules that stretch back to early Buddhism (which is still true of Vinaya ordinations). Perhaps the first non-&lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt; ordination was conducted in Japan in 822 CE by Saichō, founder of the Tendai School. Far more relevant in Indian at this time are distinctions such as Madhyamaka and Yogācāra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sectarian divides of India were not necessarily reproduced outside India.  The Mahāyāna/Hīnayāna distinction never really meant anything in Tibet for example because there never were any Buddhists who might have worn the latter label. Tibetans use the word entirely differently. China did at least receive a substantial number of Mainstream Buddhist texts, but not until the very end of the Mainstream period (ca. 4th-5th century). But from the first Mahāyāna texts were important in China.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the terms to use depends to some extent whether one is referring to ordination or to doctrinal differences. And what time period and place one is referring to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the present day there is only one school that might have been traditionally associated with Mainstream Buddhism (by this definition). This is Theravāda. They are not part of a broader category on any doctrinal basis and mostly based on early medieval interpretations of early Buddhist teachings, so not Mainstream doctrinally anyway. So the term Theravāda is adequate for most purposes. However they share with &lt;em&gt;Vinaya&lt;/em&gt; monks everywhere the same kind of ordinations (albeit with substantial differences from sect to sect).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I see no reason not to use the term Mahāyāna. It's a bit vague, considering how much internal disputing goes on between Mahāyāna sects, but it is the right word to use. Though modern scholarship has substantially &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/early-mahayana-everything-you-know-is.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;changed the view of Mahāyāna recently&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T13:03:43.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9414" CreationDate="2015-08-24T13:18:31.493" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asava was a type of liquor, a sweet fermented barley drink with honey and spices. Here in Buddhism it is used as a metaphor for mental intoxicant. Usually it is used in functional sense, anything that intoxicates the mind can be called an asava. Upon requests to provide examples, Buddha sometimes gave major types of asava:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kama-asava (the intoxicant of sensual desire)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;avijja-asava (the intoxicant of ignorance -- or rather delusion/confusion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ditthi-asava (the intoxicant of a fixed viewpoint or position)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bhava-asava (the intoxicant of quasi-individual existence)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list should not be understood categorically, but rather as a set of examples. In the broad sense four asavas (intoxicants), four oghas (floods), four yogas (bonds), four ganthas (ties), four upadanas (fuels), five or six nivaranas (hindrances), seven anusayas (latent tendencies), ten sannojanas (fetters), ten kleshas (affects, poisons) -- all are examples of obstacles to enlightenment, given by Buddha to different levels of students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T14:58:53.853" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T14:58:53.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10999" CreationDate="2015-08-24T13:20:55.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't recall any discussion of this nature in any early Buddhist texts or books about early Buddhist philosophy. Mind you I think the early Buddhists were much clearer that their ideas applied only to experience, and were thus far less likely to stumble into the kind of ontological speculation about existence and non-existence that plagues Buddhist thought from Nāgārjuna onwards. They were not bogged down in the Two Truths debacle for example. In other words they probably had less need for this kind of distinction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important touchstone of this view on what Buddhist analysis applies to is the &lt;em&gt;Kaccānagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (SN 12.15) which says that neither existence (&lt;em&gt;astitā&lt;/em&gt;) nor non-existence (&lt;em&gt;nāstitā&lt;/em&gt;) apply to the world of experience (loka). Famously Nāgārjuna cites a version of this text by name, but he is still stuck with Two truth style arguments that insist on the language of &lt;em&gt;astitā/nāstitā&lt;/em&gt; and are thus completely misleading about the nature of experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure that if one is mistakenly trying apply the idea of &lt;em&gt;pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/em&gt; outside the domain of experience, then major philosophical problems do ensue that require &lt;em&gt;ad hoc&lt;/em&gt; solutions. But if one is clear from the outset that there are no ontological implications to the Buddhist analysis of experience then one is much less likely to start drawing ontological conclusions and be in need of some kind of corrective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is an interesting example of the kind of difficulty that crops up in later Buddhism due to losing sight of scope of the early Buddhist texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T13:20:55.543" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10999" CreationDate="2015-08-24T14:37:25.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a practicing (non-academic) Theravada perspective philosophical analysis/speculation of this form would be simply considered playing with vaci-sankhara (verbal formations). Realization of anattā for a Theravadin comes from meditative practice alone. No amount of fiddling around with words or expertise in the written Pali scriptures or associated philosophical intricacies brings one any closer to the goal. Any and all thoughts one has about anattā are merely formations based on craving (tanha) which must be let go before one can actually realize anattā. There is a feeling associated with every sense object that comes in contact with the senses. Based on this feeling one perceives the object as good, bad, or neither and then one's intellect explores this object as a source of happiness, unhappiness, or neither respectively. In this case one's mind comes into contact with an idea about anattā and it evokes some feeling. If this feeling is positive then one will be attracted to the idea (as a source of happiness) and will attempt to further justify this idea with the intellect. Similarly, if the idea evokes a negative feeling then the intellect will attempt to refute this idea as it perceived the idea as a source of unhappiness. The irony is that both of these explorations about anattā (really intellectual exploration about any subject) are psychologically based on self-view (sakkaya-ditti). The intellect is always biased by the fundamental perceptions one has about the object that are based on nothing more than feelings. In order to realize the truth about anything these thoughts (explorations of the intellect) must be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T15:03:21.207" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T15:03:21.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10999" CreationDate="2015-08-24T14:50:56.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theravada school doesn't use what the Tibetans would call analytical meditation, so the question doesn't even come up as to whether or not the object of negation is to be negated through an implicative or non-implicative negation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of the rational analysis type of meditation, the Theravada school relies on a more experiential process of setting one's mindfulness on the objects of experience as they arise and simply watching them, and then the three characteristics appear not through rational analysis, but through direct experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a good freely available book on how this is done in the Theravada school, I would recommend the Ven. Nyanaponika Thera's book &lt;em&gt;The Heart of Buddhist Meditation&lt;/em&gt;. You can find it freely available legally just by googling &quot;the Heart of Buddhist Meditation&quot; PDF.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T14:50:56.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11005" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-24T17:05:57.430" Score="3" ViewCount="1817" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I studied Spanish, I better understood my native English language. I wondered if the same kind of thing can happen in the realm of religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the pros and cons of studying other religions and their practices as a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be clear, I do mean &quot;studying&quot; (and not &quot;practising&quot;) another religion's practices... not that answers about the pros and cons of &quot;practising&quot; another practice wouldn't be most welcome, I just assume that practising another practice would be too confusing. Maybe someone will give an answer that challenges this assumption - Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T22:41:28.383" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T23:51:20.577" Title="What are the reasons for and against studying other religions?" Tags="|religion|buddhadharma|study|vedas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11005" CreationDate="2015-08-24T17:16:43.110" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my personal perspective I think it can be extremely beneficial and everyone should be encouraged to study the doctrine and practices of many religions. Even though I grew up in Sri Lanka for 17 years I was never a Buddhist and I dismissed Buddhism as just another religion. I used to be a very devout atheist, aspired to become a theoretical physicist, and had no interest in anything that even remotely resembled religion. While I was studying in Australia and the US I was exposed to a variety of different religious and philosophical traditions. It allowed me to gain an understanding of why different people believe what they believe, what impact these traditions have had on the cultures that adopted them, how different belief systems introduce bias not only at the level of the individual but also at the societal level, how certain biases extend across space and time, and ultimately gain an appreciation for the Dhamma that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to achieve. Now it's only a matter of time before I go forth from home into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T17:39:59.760" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T17:39:59.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11005" CreationDate="2015-08-24T17:58:24.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the individual. I've heard several people say it would be too confusing or wasteful. The analogy offered in Advaita Hinduism is that it is far better to dig one deep well than several shallow wells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal experience the opposite is true, much to the chagrin of some spiritual friends and family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must each obey whatever is our reality. My reality was to reject at an early age the style of Hinduism I was born into, mainly for its unthinking rituals and corruption, and explored Catholicism and then Communism, and Socialism, looking for a means to end human suffering. I settled on agnosticism and atheism-lite with an emphasis on science and technology before seeing that it was hollow too, and riddled with the same rites and rituals and corruption as every system I had encountered so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I finally broke into a true form of spirituality when experiencing the spirituality of mountains, rivers and forests. They allowed me to experience the reality of my own body, they allowed me to see that reality was dependant and conditioned. They opened my eyes to some of the same truths as the Buddha speaks of, which left me utterly confused or disillusioned with samsara and forced me to set out on a quest for unconditional freedom guided by philosophers like Thoreau, and Jiddu Krishnamurti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stumbling across Buddhism I found a lot of familiar patterns and was impressed with the unquestionable wisdom of the Buddha and decided to stay there a while. Soon enough I found such experiences were also to be found in other religions, like the Hinduism I had abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In time I saw that the labels didn't matter - whoever had experienced the true essence of reality, had expressed it in their religion, and I saw that the truest scientists like Einstein, and spiritual masters of various religions had experienced the same oneness of creation that I was being exposed to. I don't think Buddhism or Hinduism or any ism has all the answers. The answers are all around us and not within a book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any system will be laden with corruption and rites and rituals, it is inescapable. Thus the answers are not in systems, but in a direct dance with reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've settled on Buddhism and Hinduism as the places today to dig my well, but I am not attached to them. It's just a vehicle - not my destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T17:58:24.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11008" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11028" CreationDate="2015-08-24T18:09:45.420" Score="3" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my understanding that there were instances that the Buddha discontinued the teachings to a number of people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting aside the concept of me and others, i am often in the situation whereby i have continued to demonstrate that there are better ways to a given situation e.g. conflict, methodology, etc. People often continue down this path where it often leads to the very situation that could be avoided. This in turn results in more conflict, distrust, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This often leads to a moment of befuddlement since i am unable to comprehend the nature of people. Although we appear to have evolved and consider ourselves civilized, rather than direct conflict, these often result in passive aggressiveness which further erodes relationships and growth since now people harbor negative or non-conducive emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also requires substantial emotional, mental and physical investment to help others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one step away from 'teaching' or 'imparting' to others especially if one is in regular contact with them and depend on them to complete their responsibilities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T13:06:26.543" Title="How and when does one not invest in others in Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10977" CreationDate="2015-08-24T18:24:25.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha saw a young householder &amp;quot;with palms together held up in reverence, [...] paying respect towards the six directions: that is east, south, west, north, lower and upper.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, after asking what he was doing, said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But, young man, that is not how the six directions should be worshipped according to the discipline of the noble ones.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and then, proceeded to explain it. At some point, he said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how, young man, does the noble disciple protect the six directions? These six directions should be known: mother and father as the east, teachers as the south, spouse and family as the west, friends and colleagues as the north, workers and servants as the lower direction, and ascetics and Brahmans as the upper direction.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In five ways should a wife as the western direction be respected by a husband: by honoring, not disrespecting, being faithful, sharing authority, and by giving gifts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And, the wife so respected reciprocates with compassion in five ways: by being well-organized, being kindly disposed to the in-laws and household workers, being faithful, looking after the household goods, and being skillful and diligent in all duties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, the western direction is protected and made peaceful and secure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T18:24:25.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11005" CreationDate="2015-08-24T18:52:09.763" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of general knowledge, it can be helpful to be familiar with the religions of the world on a basic level and there are many books which compare the world's religions in an easy format such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/732677.The_Handy_Religion_Answer_Book&quot;&gt;The Handy Religion Answer Book&lt;/a&gt;. Reading a book such as this gives an interesting glimpse into the vastness of the the world's religious traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Studying all or many of the world's religious traditions on an in depth level however, would take large amounts of time and effort which could take away from Buddhist practice. As people familiar with Buddhism, we can probably easily appreciate that even within a single religion there can be vast difference in practice and beliefs and to study multiple religions in depth would be a major undertaking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention is everything. An intention to add a bit of general knowledge about a subject or to confirm that your current religion and practice is right for you may be wholesome. An intention to compare your own religion and practice against others in a conceited way or to avoid a tough part of your own practice by busying yourself with endless study could be not-so-wholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When preparing to leave the religious tradition I had been born into, I read a general book comparing religions and it was helpful for putting things into perspective. But, using the example of reading about meditation vs practicing meditation, one doesn't get a true sense of what a religion consists of by reading about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T23:51:20.577" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T23:51:20.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11005" CreationDate="2015-08-24T19:01:15.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it can definitely provide a better understanding of ones own field by studying other fields.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me give you an example from my own life. I work as a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists on e.g. clinics and hospitals work closely together with nurses, ergotherapists, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Working with other professions has taught me a lot about where the &quot;lines&quot; of my own profession go to. What my territory is. It's important to know so one does not cross a line and begin to do nurses work for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way i experience that after having gained a better understanding of the Dhamma through study and practice that when reading or hearing about other religions that it serves to enhance my own understanding of the Dhamma by making the lines sharper and the doctrines stand out more clearly. &lt;em&gt;(I'm not myself actively using this method of studying other fields. I just occasionally bump into other religions when watching debates or reading buddhist litterature where there are references or comparisons to other religions)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a way one works &quot;backwards&quot; when using the method of studying other fields in order to make one's own territory more visible and understable. It can be a good method to use but i think it requires that one has a good understanding of whatever topic one wants to understand better (in our case, the Dhamma). Also it's time-consuming and might limit ones own time to practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When i first began with Buddhism i think it would have mudded the picture if i had also studied about other religions at the same time. So based on my own experience i think one should acquire some level of experience before using this method of studying other fields.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-24T19:08:24.060" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T19:08:24.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10977" CreationDate="2015-08-24T19:20:36.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the Anguttara Nikaya where the Buddha explains how to live together in a marriage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;53 (3) Living Together (1)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the high- way between Madhurā and Verañjā. A number of male and female householders were also traveling along the same high- way. Then the Blessed One left the highway and sat down at the foot of a tree. The male and female householders saw the Blessed One sitting there and approached him, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Householders, there are these four ways of living together. What four? A wretch lives together with a wretch;739 a wretch lives together with a female deva; a deva lives together with a wretch; a deva lives together with a female deva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a wretch? [58] Here, the husband is one who destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of bad character; he dwells at home with a heart obsessed by the stain of miserli- ness; he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a wretch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) “And how does a wretch live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who destroys life . . . he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; she is virtuous, of good character; she dwells at home with a heart free from the stain of miserliness; she does not insult or revile ascetics and&#xA;  brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a female deva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) “And how does a deva live together with a wretch? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a wretch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) “And how does a deva live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . she does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a female deva. [59]&#xA;  “These are the four ways of living together.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When both are immoral, miserly and abusive, husband and wife&#xA;  live together as wretches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The husband is immoral, miserly and abusive,&#xA;  but his wife is virtuous, charitable, generous.&#xA;  She is a female deva living with a wretched husband.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The husband is virtuous, charitable, generous,&#xA;  but his wife is immoral, miserly and abusive. She is a wretch living with a deva husband.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both husband and wife are endowed with faith, charitable and self-controlled,&#xA;  living their lives righteously,&#xA;  addressing each other with pleasant words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then many benefits accrue to them and they dwell at ease.&#xA;  Their enemies are saddened&#xA;  when both are the same in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having practiced the Dhamma here,&#xA;  the same in virtuous behavior and observances, delighting [after death] in a deva world,&#xA;  they rejoice, enjoying sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN: 53, p. 443-445, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T19:20:36.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11005" CreationDate="2015-08-24T22:27:09.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not Buddhist, but from what I have heard from them, my experiences are sufficiently applicable to be worth voicing here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found great value in studying religions that I do not necessarily believe in.  I find it to be a very powerful way to learn from a culture that is very different from my own.  In particular, I have found it very effective at highlighting causes of suffering in my own life.  The world is an amazing and beautifully diverse place.  We have found many ways to live.  Many things I was brought up to assume were simply &quot;the way humanity acts&quot; have been shown to be very culturally specific as I study how other cultures work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example in my own life, I have been raised as an American and thus naturally raised to believe in the &quot;equality&quot; of the sexes.  Exploring other cultures, I found that the other cultures did not always have what I would call &quot;equality.&quot;  Studying the religions of these cultures helped me understand how a society could be &quot;good&quot; without equality of the sexes.  At the end of the journey, I identified that it was not my fellow cultures that were wrong, it was that my personal definition of &quot;equality of the sexes.&quot;   My concept of what that phrase could mean was too rigid.  Studying other cultures which have succeeded with different meanings helped me widen my opinions.  I now hold a wider belief (preferring the word &quot;incomparable&quot; over &quot;equal&quot;) which helped me elevate above self-inflicted suffering caused by my overly rigid definitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is a difficult counterpoint to this.  Studying other religions is an easy question.  However, some things cannot simply be studied in isolation.  They must be lived.  For these things, I recommend not seeking any carte blanche directive.  Your life is too important to sign a blank checque.  Seek those in your life that you respect for guidance on such things.  It is my belief that much of the richness of life is found by experiencing contrasting worlds, but it can be difficult to do.  It is easy to blur the worlds together, and miss out on the most important part of both worlds.  This is why I recommend seeking guidance from those you respect on such activities.  They may be able to help you set yourself on a path which gains as much as possible from the interaction without doing harm to either group, nor yourself.  However, there's no one way to do it.  Those in your life can help you find &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; way to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-08-24T22:27:09.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11008" CreationDate="2015-08-25T09:49:42.313" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;These kinds of questions will always be difficult to answer because we only have one side of the story. We lack the vital perspective that comes from a. knowing you, and b. knowing the people that you are in conflict with. The fact that you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; in conflict, but don't seem to be able to acknowledge your part in creating the conflict tells me that I don't have the full story. However, one of my teachers gave me some excellent general advice on communication some years ago: he said that if a communication goes badly, then assume that you have not expressed enough mettā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to relate empathetically one must drop one's own agenda (as teacher or benefactor) and try to feel what they feel and then ascertain the reasons they feel that way. One has to put oneself in their shoes. To do this one must drop all pretence of being superior and of having something to teach them. Drop all the conceit. If you have something they value, they'll ask you about it. That the situation has devolved to the extent you intimate, suggests that &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; are in conflict with &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; values. Perhaps you present yourself to them incongruously - you see yourself as having something to teach them, but they don't think of you as having anything to teach them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think one is already in trouble if one is modelling oneself on the Buddha or if one is relating to people on the basis of &quot;teaching&quot; them or having something to &quot;impart&quot;. It sounds like this is getting in the way of you establishing an empathetic relationship with them. Is the problem that they refuse to see you as a &quot;teacher&quot;? Is that why you are labelling their response to you as &quot;passive aggressive&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general principle of Buddhist ethics is that when things go wrong, that we looks for our own unskilful motivations. The unenlightened (dare I presume you are one of us?) are always motivated by attraction and aversion. Sometimes when things go wrong, one must just own up to one's own unskilful motivations. It can be difficult, because it is humiliating or humbling (depending on how you see it). In relating to other people we only have control of our side of the relationship. If things don't go right, we can only ask ourselves if our own attraction or aversion has soured things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course there are times when it is better to walk away. If one realises that one is too entrenched in attraction and aversion to make a change, for example. Sometimes the necessary change is too great to manage in the short term. But one cannot blame the other. For this. If relations break down, it is our own failure. Generally speaking if we are expressing mettā rather than conceit, there is no need for relations to break down. Of course, it's a big ask. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if the thought is &quot;if only these people would follow my advice&quot; then I would see this as problem of conceit, not of unreceptiveness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T09:49:42.313" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10946" CreationDate="2015-08-25T10:45:41.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This answer is not about the [&quot;my son&quot;-or-not] part, but about a monk which developed later as a &quot;fake monk&quot; (your term, I think it is not the best here for my example).&lt;/em&gt;                      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would the story about Devadatta(&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devadatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wiki&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/d/devadatta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;palikanon.com&lt;/a&gt;) fit your question? Devadatta was a long time much respected bhikkhu, part of the sangha, but then built community with the son (Ajatasattu (?)) of the local king Bimbisara (the latter a friend of the Buddha) to overtake the order resp. the kingdom (the latter was successful for Ajatasattu).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;One sutra is for instance A 5.100 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/angutt/a05_081-100.html#a_v100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in German&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara3/5-pancakanipata/010-kakudhavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in english&lt;/a&gt;, but there are several ones which -in my view- together show how the Buddha handled that problem.&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Following Jayarava's request:&lt;/strong&gt; I remember what I'd read about the process only roughly today, but some milestones might be interesting [and/or also correct ;-)] .&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;[update]&lt;/strong&gt; here is a link to a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/vinaya/cullavagga/cv_vii_2-5.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;german translation&lt;/a&gt; of the Culla Vagga, chap 7.  and here to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/pali/vinaya/cullavagga/cv07.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the pali-text&lt;/a&gt; at palikanon.com (the pali version seems to begin at chap 331 or 333, but I don't know for sure: I can't read Pali except that I recognize some names). I didn't find english translations at access-to-insight.org, perhaps &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Chulavagga_7.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this wiki&lt;/a&gt; provides a full source in english&lt;/em&gt;                    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, Devadatta (also cousin of the Buddha) was much respected in the sangha. When now the Buddha was reported that Devadatta wanted to overtake the order, he advised his Bhikkhus to spread the word to the country, that Devadatta would no more speak for the order, that he's no more to be seen as a follower of the Buddha. Some monks were afraid (maybe even Sariputta) to tell now in the open, that the so long high valued monk would now be disrespected, because: what light would this shed on the order?! But the Buddha said: no way, we always must say the truth about the case.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Next (or before, I don't know the actual timeline at the moment), Devadatta collected a non neglectable number of followers in the sangha and made separate teachings. The Buddha seemed not to react. But Sariputta and Mogallana went to the place - seemingly let it happen, that Devadatta and his friends assumed they came as interested ones and possibly followers. Having such eminent arhats at his place they were allowed to teach, and the legend tells, that Devadatta was tired and fell asleep. While he was sleeping, Sariputta and Mogallana managed to change the mind of the monks with their talk and to lead them back to the Buddha's sangha.                  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of Devadatta's initiative had been to claim that the order's rules (for collecting food, for eating etc) were too weak, too little ascetic (today we would say &quot;too little radical&quot;) and challenged the Buddha openly. But the Buddha defended the rules as the appropriate middle path - but left it to the taste of each one to behave individually the more ascetic way. (Ironically, that ascetic way was not what Devadatta in company with Ajatattu lived later on, if I recall the tellings in the sutras correctly).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Devadatta undertook also a life-threat to the Buddha, trying to kill him with a rock falling down the hill. The Buddha stayed &quot;easy&quot; after that, saying, that Devadatta would never be able to kill a Buddha. Well, this was an attack at the person, not one focusing the order, so this might be a little less relevant for your question.                  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, what I've got from it, was that the Buddha let him do things until it would come out from the deeds themselves what's going on. Which does not mean he did him allow to proceed in secrecy - as far as the order was concerned the Buddha was not silent about the dissens, even although he had to correct a widely spread opinion about that monk and his high reputation.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And later, after Ajatattu had overtaken the kingdom (from the Buddha's friend and his own father Bimbisara) and even had put Bimbisara in jail to let him die there by starving, the Buddha still accepted (again later) an invitation of the ruthless new king - but even managed to make him regret his deeds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T10:40:15.863" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T10:40:15.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7549" CreationDate="2015-08-25T12:09:09.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my knowledge, there are six realms if we are talking about the Living Buddha. &#xA;He mentioned it during his teachings on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.burmese-art.com/blog/bhavachakra-the-wheel-of-life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhavachakra&lt;/a&gt;, known as wheel of life. &#xA;These realms are taught based on the lives of all sentient beings in earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5789" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T12:09:09.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11018" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11024" CreationDate="2015-08-25T12:50:13.723" Score="8" ViewCount="1424" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any Buddhist school or tradition make the assertion that all human beings have the capacity to be enlightened in this lifetime? Or to put it the other way are there groups of people who it just is not possible for them to become enlightened and they have to wait for a better rebirth? Do different traditions differ on this? Does any tradition make the claim that particular human beings will never be enlightened no matter what even in subsequent rebirths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-03-01T03:45:39.487" Title="Can all human beings potentially be enlightened in this lifetime?" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11019" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11039" CreationDate="2015-08-25T13:06:49.307" Score="3" ViewCount="653" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Yogacara Buddhism practiced today or is it an entirely dead school of Buddhist thought. If it is no longer in existence did it have any influence in Buddhist schools that are around today? For instance do any schools or traditions have a notion of storehouse consciousness or have a strain of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10925/what-is-the-different-between-yogacara-buddhism-and-idealism&quot;&gt;mind only or even idealist type philosophy&lt;/a&gt; in their teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-11-05T11:58:47.380" Title="Is Yogacara Buddhism still practiced today?" Tags="|yogacara|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11030" CreationDate="2015-08-25T13:19:37.293" Score="4" ViewCount="876" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read in Peter Harvey's book an &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Buddhism.html?id=bj-ds_jd8QYC&quot;&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; that there was a syncretistic religion in Bali that was a mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism. He didn't give many details as it was a very minor point. Has anyone got any details about this religion. I'm particular interested on how it deals with the notion of the self. My rudimentary understanding of Hinduism is that there is most definitely a self (atman??) whereas in Buddhism a central tenant is that there is no fixed self (anatman). The two religions seem to conflict on this point so I'm interested how this is reconciled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a note I think there is also this kind of religion in Cambodia but I could be wrong in that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T03:13:37.153" Title="Notions of self in religions that blend Buddhism and Hinduism" Tags="|comparative-religion|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11018" CreationDate="2015-08-25T13:22:39.067" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the &lt;strong&gt;Ugghaṭitaññū Sutta (AN. ii. 135)&lt;/strong&gt; the Buddha says that there are&#xA;  four kinds of person found in this world: those who are quick in&#xA;  acquiring, those who learn by means of a detailed exposition, those&#xA;  who may be guided, and those for whom the letter [of the Teaching]&#xA;  alone is the highest thing. In the Abhidhamma Piṭaka these are defined&#xA;  as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What sort of person is quick in acquiring (&lt;strong&gt;ugghaṭitaññū&lt;/strong&gt;)? The person&#xA;  for whom there is penetration of the Dhamma at the very time when it&#xA;  is being taught is called “quick in acquiring.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What sort of person is one who learns by means of a detailed&#xA;  exposition (&lt;strong&gt;vipañcitaññū&lt;/strong&gt;)? The person for whom there is penetration of&#xA;  the Dhamma when the meaning of what has been taught in brief is later&#xA;  analysed in detail is called “one who learns by means of a detailed&#xA;  exposition.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What sort of person is one who may be guided (&lt;strong&gt;neyya&lt;/strong&gt;)? The person for&#xA;  whom penetration of the Dhamma comes gradually by means of recitation,&#xA;  questioning, proper attention, and by serving, cultivating and waiting&#xA;  upon kalyānamittas is called “one who may be guided.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What sort of person is one for whom the letter alone is the highest&#xA;  thing (&lt;strong&gt;padaparama&lt;/strong&gt;)? The person for whom penetration of the Dhamma will&#xA;  not come in this life, however much [of the Teaching] he may hear and&#xA;  speak and bear in mind or recite, is called to be “one for whom the&#xA;  letter alone is the highest thing.” (Puggalapaññatti 41-2; Designation&#xA;  of Human Types 58)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Regarding the fourth type, the padaparama, his lack of potential for&#xA;  awakening in the present life may be due to a number of factors. Most&#xA;  padaparamas were already such before they were even born, when still&#xA;  in their mothers' wombs. Only humans conceived with a triple-rooted&#xA;  relinking consciousness (i.e., one accompanied by all three kusala&#xA;  roots: non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion) have the possibility of&#xA;  attaining jhāna or the noble path in their present life. Those with&#xA;  fewer kusala roots than this are all padaparamas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even those who have been reborn with such a consciousness may still be&#xA;  padaparamas. In the Puggalapaññati Atthakathā (PuggA. 184-5)&#xA;  Buddhaghosa lists six causes for incapacity to attain the paths and&#xA;  fruits in the present life; in each case the state is reckoned as one&#xA;  that lacks the requisite decisive support condition&#xA;  (upanissaya-paccaya). A similar list is also given in the&#xA;  Paṭisambhidāmagga (Paṭi. i. 123), but here I will use Buddhaghosa's as&#xA;  the Paṭisambhidāmagga's version does not supply any explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Obstruction by kamma (kammāvaraṇa); meaning those who have committed one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anantarika-karma&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;five anantariyaka kammas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Obstruction by defilement (kilesāvaraṇa); meaning those who hold to any of the ten niyata wrong views (&quot;there is no giving, no&#xA;  sacrifice... etc.&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Obstruction by kammic ripening (vipākāvaraṇa); meaning those who were reborn with only a double-rooted or a rootless relinking&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lack of faith (assaddha); &quot;one lacking faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lack of zeal/desire-to-act (acchandika); defined as being one who either lacks chanda in the sense of desiring to undertake what is&#xA;  kusala.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Being weak in wisdom (duppañña); defined as those in whom the bhavaṅga-citta of that lifetime lacks the mental factor of paññā (this&#xA;  in fact overlaps with #3, for it is the relinking consciousness that&#xA;  determines the character of the bhavaṅga-citta in any lifetime).&#xA;  Blockquote&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above is copied from the answer given &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&amp;amp;t=1067&amp;amp;start=20&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; by ven. Dhammanado &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does any tradition make the claim that particular human beings will&#xA;  never be enlightened no matter what even in subsequent rebirths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that those who are with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/niyata-micch%C4%81ditthi/index.html&quot;&gt;Niyata Micchāditthi&lt;/a&gt; will be stuck in Samsara indefinitely. They are also called as beings who are tied to a pole in Samsara. They are said to be born in the Lokantarika hell when the world system gets destroyed. It is considered even worse than committing one of the 5 heinous crimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T14:41:48.427" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T14:41:48.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11022" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11025" CreationDate="2015-08-25T13:31:26.493" Score="5" ViewCount="1868" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has anyone ever tried to measure happiness of Buddhist practitioners and compare it in a scientific or analytically way to other religious groups or the population as a whole? If there are studies what were the results and are the measurements reliable or meaningful in any way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate that the notion of happiness is an incredibly slippy notion but people do crop up from time to time who talk about happiness as a (sort of) scientific study and try to compare different locations and so forth e.g. this study indicates that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livescience.com/51327-happiest-countries-list.html&quot;&gt;Panama is the happiest country&lt;/a&gt; on earth. I'm not claiming that this is a great or accurate study but it's just an example of this kind of thing. Also perhaps a better word might be well-being rather than happiness but I'm not sure that does much to tighten the definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T13:42:18.070" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T20:29:00.270" Title="Are Buddhists happier than average?" Tags="|science|well-being|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11018" CreationDate="2015-08-25T14:12:18.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone who simply changes the way they think could potentially be enlightened in this lifetime. The critical point is that people are not willing or able to change their viewpoint. If one thinks that what s/he is experiencing is happiness then that individual would not have use for a Dhamma expounded by a Buddha for the purpose of elimination of suffering. People only care about doctors when they get sick. If they don't even know that they are sick in the first place why would they go to a doctor much less take the medicine they prescribe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion one of the biggest barriers to entry aside from obvious ones (like having a debilitating mental disability) are the three distortions of perception (sanna-vipallasa). Which three? Perceiving that which is inconstant as constant, perceiving that which is unsatisfactory as satisfactory, and perceiving that which is not-self as self. There are so many extremely intelligent individuals in my life that would be able to appreciate the Dhamma if only they were willing to consider the possibility that life is unsatisfactory. An individual can abandon wrong views if they're humble enough to admit to themselves that they could be wrong, otherwise they are stuck indefinitely in the perceptual cages that they've built for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T14:21:34.257" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T14:21:34.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11018" CreationDate="2015-08-25T14:30:32.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understood, the (Mahayana-) Mahaparinirvana-Sutra was composed some generations after the Buddha's death; but it might be interesting that it contains the new, previously unknown, notion of &lt;em&gt;&quot;icchantica(s)&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - people who are not able to become enlightended because they are so ... evil? stupid? compassionless? (Don't know the exact idea).   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Update&lt;/em&gt;: Ah, here is some paraphrase from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nirvanasutra.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;presenting site, Dr. Tony Page&lt;/a&gt;:      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(...)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  i) That the noble Mahaparinirvana Sutra possesses the power to&#xA;  bring about &quot;benefit, happiness and kindness for all beings&quot; - with&#xA;  the one possible exception of those termed icchantikas, the most&#xA;  spiritually deluded of persons, who disparage the sutra and reject its&#xA;  teachings on the Tathagatagarbha; (...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here some excerpts from the Sutra (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nirvanasutra.net/convenient/Mahaparinirvana_Sutra_Yamamoto_Page_2007.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;.pdf-file&lt;/a&gt;) itself:          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let us hope always to learn Dharma. We shall draw out the tongues of&#xA;  those who slander the Buddha’s Wonderful Dharma.  (pg. 5)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The icchantika possesses the Buddha-Nature, but overspread by&#xA;  innumerable defilements, he cannot hope to get out [of his cocoon of&#xA;  defilements], analogous to the silkworm.  For this reason, he cannot&#xA;  gain the all-wonderful cause of Enlightenment, but repeats birth and&#xA;  death unendingly. (p.128)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All this comes about through the working of the divine medicine of&#xA;  the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. All beings are deposited in peace,&#xA;  except the mahanaga and the icchantika (p.130)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ever since, I have never once had occasion to commit myself to the&#xA;  evil actions of defilement and evil karmic relations, or to slander&#xA;  Wonderful Dharma, to become an iccantika, to be born with imperfect&#xA;  genital organs, or no genital organs, or dual genital organs, to act&#xA;  against my parents, to kill an arhat, to break a stupa or the law of&#xA;  the Sangha, to cause blood to flow from a Buddha’s body, or to commit&#xA;  the four grace offences.   (p.156)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note, that this sutra (at least in its translation) refers in its text to &lt;strong&gt;itself&lt;/strong&gt; , similar to a platform of a political party...&lt;/em&gt;          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additional remark: for me things like those (the appearance of new ideas later in history, and for instance the idea of attacking people because they disparage &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;the sutra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and reject &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;its&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; teachings) are strong signals/markers/alarms that something is beginning to go wrong with the transmission of the dharma (I didn't see something similar in the palicanon-suttas) So I don't think, the idea of enlightnenment-disabled people is not historic in the palicanon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T15:34:54.403" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T15:34:54.403" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11022" CreationDate="2015-08-25T14:44:45.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhutan is a Buddhist country famous for its Gross National Happiness metric. So far, poverty is a drag on that metric: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/bhutan-happiness-index-gnh-gross-national-happiness_n_1324918.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhutan Happiness Index: Buddhist Country Fails On Its 'Gross National Happiness'&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other economists have thought about happiness and how Buddhism might figure in to it, ref. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/management/059.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Happiness and economics: a&#xA;Buddhist perspective&lt;/a&gt; (too much material to summarize quickly).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T14:50:56.920" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T14:50:56.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11008" CreationDate="2015-08-25T15:11:01.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have only a little to add as the answer submitted by Jayarava Attwood is quite comprehensive. But here is the little bit I would add.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple of things in your question, such as the reference to depending on people to complete their responsibilities, made me wonder if you were referring to a work situation. If that is the case, it's extremely important to not try to impart your religious values on others with whom you work or supervise. It's not fair and one needs to imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and someone was trying to impart their own religious teachings on you. It could be quite unwelcome and depending on where you live, even against various laws governing the workplace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modeling the behavior you want others to emulate is always safest. A steady meditation practice can help greatly in reducing or even eliminating the irritation one feels at the behavior of others. It's possible to develop a bit of equanimity within oneself that allows one to function effectively in the workplace without becoming ruffled by those who are less than ideal in their behavior. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if it wasn't the workplace you were referring to, hopefully something here is helpful anyway. Best wishes. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T15:11:01.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11020" CreationDate="2015-08-25T15:34:09.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please do not vote on this answer since it doesn't directly address the question about the religion in Bali, but does go to a nearby place. I misread the question and wrote out this answer, and don't want to throw it away, in case it maybe of use to someone. Happy to delete it if anyone objects to it staying here.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've personally found the idea of &lt;a href=&quot;https://translate.google.co.in/translate?sl=fr&amp;amp;tl=en&amp;amp;js=y&amp;amp;prev=_t&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.centrebouddhisteparis.org%2FBouddhisme%2FBodhicitta_utpada%2Fbodhicitta_absolue_relative.html&amp;amp;edit-text=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;samvritti bodhicitta to be indistinguishable from the Atman&lt;/a&gt;. However I am no expert. FWIW, the exact position of the five skandhas / heaps as defining the self is hotly debated within Buddhism, there is no single position on this matter that satisfies all schools, past and present, as far as I know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find there's a lot of Hindu opinion that Buddhism is really not a different religion, so much as a clearly refactored expression of Hindu ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Famous Indian Hindu scholars like the ex-President of India the late Radhakrishnan state ‘The Buddha did not feel that he was announcing a new religion. He was born, grew up, and died a Hindu. He was restating with a new emphasis the ancient ideals of the Indo-Aryan civilization.’ (2500 Years of Buddhism, 1971, Government of India, foreword, p.ix). Swami Vivekananda said that the Buddha was a great Vedantist for Buddhism was really only an offshoot of Vedanta (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, volume 7, p. 59 and Inspired Talks, volume 3, p. 527). Likewise, Nepalese scholars like Mr. Chudanath Bhattarai, Swami Prapannacharya and scores other Nepalese and Indian scholars, too numerous to be mentioned here, have written that Buddhism is a reaction, a reformation of Hinduism. The Buddha tried to reform some of the malpractice within Hinduism and he never wanted to create a new religion. In short, according to these scholars, Buddhism is correct Hinduism without any malpractice and evils and what is called Hinduism is the malpractice and distorted form of the Vedas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.byomakusuma.org/teachings/MadhyamikaBuddhismVisAVisHinduVedanta.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.byomakusuma.org/teachings/MadhyamikaBuddhismVisAVisHinduVedanta.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;p.s. &lt;em&gt;above source goes on to refute this position - but it occurs to me this is treading in muddy water territory since it's the kind of debate no one is truly equipped to answer. Anyone unenlightened would be arguing from a position of bias, and be worried about the implications of consequent gain or loss of power. An enlightened one would probably find the whole debate silly. I find it hard to side with either the Buddhists or the Hindus on this.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also said by Hindus that Shankaracharya, a leading Hindu saint of the 8th century defeated the leading Buddhist scholars of his day {&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%E1%B9%87%E1%B8%8Dana_Mi%C5%9Bra#Legendary_debate_with_Adi_Shankara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;}, {&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.esamskriti.com/essay-chapters/The-classic-debate-between-Mandana-Misra-and-Adi-Shankara-1.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;source 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;} in debate and converted them to Hinduism by showing them that their position on self wasn't so unique. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara#Shankara.27s_Vedanta_and_Mahayana_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article on Shankara&lt;/a&gt; -  this debate incident is often not mentioned on Wikipedia because of its obvious capacity to incite emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hindu belief is that the various Buddhas are an avatar of Bhagavan Mahavishnu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My off the cuff comment on all this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no heresy or apostasy in Hinduism, it is the most accommodating of any religion I've known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike several religions including Islam and Christianity, there was never any effort at the harmonization of Hinduism into one standard religious idea; because the very idea of Hinduism as a distinct religion is a recent Westerner's view of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the modern Indian constitution (since 1950) all believers in Indian religions such as Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs are clubbed together as Hindus. So that's what it says on the Indian passport unless one is a believer in an imported religion such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism in the way that appeals to me at least has a breathtakingly grand view of religion as its core definition, according to which all beings share the same spiritual essence since they share the same physical essence. There isn't a special Christian blood group or a Christian planet earth and a Hindu planet earth, so how can there be different truths of the world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone has an idea of God, and godliness is found in all, then aren't all ideas of God manifestations of God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note however, the Buddha doesn't go anywhere near such philosophy. He simply wasn't interested, because it wasn't going to lead to the end of suffering. He wasn't interested in absolute ultimate truths that didn't liberate people from everyday suffering. (see Simsappa sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in this grand view, the essence of religion is that there is no religion. There is no beginning, no founder, no end. The cosmic truth is too vast to be divided along the lines of human thought. The only things that matter are ethical living and peace in the here and now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://veda.wikidot.com/sanatana-dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Hinduism is about correct action, not correct belief. Orthopraxy not Orthodoxy.&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like this definition, and it isn't very far at all from Buddhism. However as Buddhism traveled across other cultures, a bit of orthodoxy of the lands did slip in, unused as they were to the idea of orthopraxy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as one believes like the original idea of Hinduism as the all religion, anyone can be a Hindu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is easier said than done - religious conflicts have festered in India for a very long time, with Siva temples being destroyed to make way for Vishnu temples, or the other way around; or Buddhist monasteries being razed to make way for Siva temples or the other way round; or temples being razed to make way for mosques and churches and so on, ad infinitum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is as if no one wants this memo that all religious identity is unreal, because it all arises from thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-25T16:27:35.000" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T16:27:35.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11008" CreationDate="2015-08-25T16:15:06.110" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha discusses this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kesi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which is summarized &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/power_of_judgment.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikku. Some students are more prepared to learn, some need to be coaxed to learn, and then there are others who never want to learn. And similarly in your case with whom to help and whom not to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once, when a horse trainer came to see the Buddha, the Buddha asked him how he trained his horses. The trainer said that some horses&#xA;  responded to gentle training, others to harsh training, others&#xA;  required both harsh and gentle training, but if a horse didn't respond&#xA;  to either type of training, he'd kill the horse to maintain the&#xA;  reputation of his teachers' lineage. Then the trainer asked the Buddha&#xA;  how he trained his students, and the Buddha replied, &quot;In the same&#xA;  way.&quot; Some students responded to gentle criticism, others to harsh&#xA;  criticism, others to a mixture of the two, but if a student didn't&#xA;  respond to either type of criticism, he'd kill the student. This&#xA;  shocked the horse trainer, but then the Buddha explained what he meant&#xA;  by &quot;killing&quot;: He wouldn't train the student any further, which&#xA;  essentially killed the student's opportunity to grow in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T16:15:06.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11019" CreationDate="2015-08-25T16:22:01.283" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen does.  In fact, it's hugely important.  Hakuin's Precious Mirror Cave (the title alone of which refers to alaya) mentions it at length; it also comes up in his verses of the Ten Kings.  I wouldn't view Yogacara as a school like Shingon or Nichren is a school/tradition.  Yogacara is more of a permeating idea.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T16:22:01.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11020" CreationDate="2015-08-25T16:54:58.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://donlehmanjr.com/SEA/SEA8%20Chap/SEA8%20Ch17B.htm#5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this source&lt;/a&gt; (from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/shop/don-lehman-jr/colonialism-independence-southeast-asia-1511-2014/paperback/product-21866620.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this book&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All Southeast Asians had practiced a mixture of Hinduism, Buddhism and&#xA;  native religions since the beginning of the modern era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mixture of Hinduism, Buddhism and native religions is likely to be cultural and superficially philosophical, similar to the mixture of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three teachings&lt;/a&gt;) among the Chinese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a philosophical perspective, Buddhism and Hinduism appear to be superficially compatible or harmonious except in the area of anatta. Those who do not look closely, may think both religions have many common philosophical elements e.g. rebirth, dharma, karma, monasticism, meditation, enlightenment etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Advaita developed in Hinduism after contact with Buddhism, and Mahayana developed in Buddhism after contact with Hinduism. Tibetan Buddhism absorbed deities, yoga, tantra, mandalas and other similar elements from Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if you study deeper into the details, you will find that rebirth, dharma and karma all do not have the exact same meaning between the two religions. Anatta is a major difference, that is said to have been pioneered by the Buddha in his era. And in terms of meditation, both religions have Samatha, but Buddhism claims that only Buddha had invented Vipassana. Meanwhile, Hinduism has more esoteric techniques like Hatha Yoga and Pranayama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, there are many cultural and philosophical similarities between the two religions, at least at the surface, that it is not impossible for certain South East Asians to appear to practise a mixture of the two religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for a way to reconcile Atma and Anatta, take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5762/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;. From the definitions there, it is possible to see Brahman and Atman (from an Advaita perspective), as being similar to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T03:13:37.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10977" CreationDate="2015-08-25T17:08:46.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few other selections from the Pāḷi texts, since they seem to be what people respond to (I'm not bothering to offer my own translations this evening, these are by Thanissaro and can be taken with a pinch of salt). From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rhinoceros Horn Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a sociable person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  there are allurements;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  on the heels of allurement, this pain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Seeing allurement's drawback,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  wander alone&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One whose mind&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  is enmeshed in sympathy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  for friends &amp;amp; companions,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  neglects the true goal.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Seeing this danger in intimacy,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  wander alone&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piyajātika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, householder. That's the way it is — for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what may be said to be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement? Spouses &amp;amp; children... men &amp;amp; women slaves... goats &amp;amp; sheep... fowl &amp;amp; pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, &amp;amp; mares... gold &amp;amp; silver are subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement. Subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement. This is ignoble search.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I could go on and on, citing dozens of texts which emphasise that, although there are some concessions to lay people in some places, they are not really taken seriously as Buddhist practitioners, nor expected to make much progress in the spiritual life. Certainly they are not expected to be liberated - the conditions are simply not in place for lay people. The best they can hope for, according to this point of view, is to generate enough merit to obtain a better rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahāyāna sects were more accommodating of lay people, but the extent of this is often over-stated. For example the idea that Mahāyāna was primarily a lay movement is now thoroughly discredited. It was essentially an offshoot of mainstream monastic Buddhism. For an overview of recent research on Mahāyāna history see: David Drewes, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/9226456/Early_Indian_Mahayana_Buddhism_I_Recent_scholarship&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Early Indian Mahayana Buddhism I: Recent scholarship&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course one is free to pursue what the Buddha calls the &quot;ignoble search&quot; (i.e. marriage, relationships, socialising, career, and all that lay oriented stuff). But it is &lt;em&gt;ignoble&lt;/em&gt; and it does &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; lead to liberation. Of course because supporting monks is the principle source of merit for laypeople, the monks have made a few concessions over the years to keep the lay people onside. But the basic message of Buddhism has not changed in many centuries, &quot;Seeing this danger in intimacy, wander alone like a rhinoceros.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exception is the &lt;em&gt;kalyāṇa mitta&lt;/em&gt; one who is able to guide and support one in the spiritual life. But it's pretty clear who this might be - the Buddha is the template, so it really refers to arahants and other members of the &lt;em&gt;ariyasaṅgha&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phenomenon of modern lay people redefining the Buddha's message to fit the preconceptions of a modern world, with undigested lumps of popular psychology, so that more or less any lifestyle is seen as conducive to religious practice, is at best unfortunate. It is a serious misrepresentation of the Buddha's message as far as it is represented in the Pāḷi texts. In Buddhism one cannot have one's cake and eat it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T17:08:46.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11032" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11047" CreationDate="2015-08-25T17:12:48.010" Score="3" ViewCount="1741" Body="&lt;p&gt;The founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community, Sangharaskshita, stated that he thinks &lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/system/files/groups/files/Bodhiketu-Stages-of-the-path.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;stream entry is realistic after twenty or thirty years&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In fact, it would be surprising if, after 20 or 30 years of life in&#xA;  the Order, you were not a Stream Entrant. It would seem to be very&#xA;  surprising, if you have done all the other things - maybe you have&#xA;  founded Centres and written books and given so many lectures and gone&#xA;  on so many retreats, that you were not a Stream Entrant: why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's obviously a very bold statement. Does anyone else give that kind of timescale for stream entry or do any modern traditions give any kind of timescale at all. Or is Sangharaskshita a complete outlier with this kind of estimation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: Tiratna is my Sangha which I think is right to acknowledge in the question. That said it doesn't stop me finding some of Sangharaskshita's statements bold or even controversial and I'm always interested on outside perspectives on his statements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2018-09-13T16:57:54.977" Title="Is stream entry in 20 or 30 years of practice realistic?" Tags="|stream-entry|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11033" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-25T19:06:07.697" Score="3" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does it claim to perfectly describe the nature of this world and all of mankind without contradiction as other religions do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read this article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://approachingaro.org/certainty&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://approachingaro.org/certainty&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism is unique, as far as I know, in insisting that the kind of answers we want cannot be had, anywhere. Emptiness—inherent uncertainty—is at the heart of Buddhism. For this reason, Buddhism is sometimes described as “The Way of Disappointment.” If we follow it sincerely, Buddhism repeatedly crushes our hope that somehow it will satisfy our longing for answers; for ground we can build on; for reliable order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this may just be an opinion. If this is true, it seems contradictory to me. It's in and of itself a claim of certainty that we, as human beings, can never attain certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5791" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T07:54:42.953" Title="Does Buddhism claim perfection?" Tags="|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-25T19:18:09.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I kinda agree, 20 years should be enough if you are serious. The problem is, not many people are that serious, so it takes them longer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T19:18:09.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11033" CreationDate="2015-08-25T19:28:32.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's a ridiculous statement.  How could you follow something sincerely that wasn't built on solid ground?  If the dharma wasn't certain, pursuing it would be a complete waste of time.  While it might not answer larger, existential questions like &quot;why are we here&quot;, it is a fairly reliable point of departure.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uncertainty is, however, a very important part of practice.  In fact, doubt and frustration are one of the most salient features of the path.  Buddhism doesn't seek to give answers.  Instead it asks us to reevaluate our assumptions.  It's very aim is to disrupt the order we've conjured around ourselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't go so far as to say that Buddhism tries to perfectly describe the nature of the world.  The very act of describing it inevitably reduces it to ideas and descriptions.  What Buddhism does attempt to do is give us an opportunity to see the nature of the world perfectly.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T19:28:32.883" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-25T19:48:49.553" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;It can be difficult to give an exact timescale since there are different factors involved in the practice, for each being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some beings might have done extensive and concentrated practice in past lives allowing them to reach &lt;em&gt;stream entry&lt;/em&gt; quickly in this life or future lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other beings might not have accumulated that kind of practice. All beings have different kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be dangerous to put a timescale on the achievement of &lt;em&gt;stream entry&lt;/em&gt; since it takes one out of the present moment and into the future. It can also build expectations to the practice which can hinder ones progress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might not solve all problems in this life or the next one but by practicing diligently one is altering ones habits towards goodness and these habits is what eventually leads us to enlightenment. If one does good things and practice diligently then the mind is inclined towards Nibbana. This means that when one is on the path it will eventually lead to liberation. Don't worry too much about when it's going to happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T19:48:49.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-25T20:49:20.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That sounds very reasonable provided of course that the practitioner is keeping the 5 precepts, meditate a good amount each day, have studied enough to abandon wrong views, and are very consistent in their practice. I think in that case the biggest obstacle would be making sure that they are properly developing the quality of Vipassana in their meditation along side Samatha. If they can do that, then I think 20 or 30 years is quite realistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T20:49:20.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11033" CreationDate="2015-08-25T20:51:14.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If this is true, it seems contradictory to me.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect it's based on Buddhism's claim that everything (or, more specifically than &quot;everything&quot;, all &quot;conditioned things&quot; -- however that includes all the things which the mind perceives i.e. ideas) are imperfect: or not imperfect but, more specifically, &quot;impermanent&quot; and &quot;disappointing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's in and of itself a claim of certainty that we, as human beings, can never attain certainty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well no, there is said to be a Way (depending on which Buddhist tradition, perhaps more than one way) towards liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the resolution to the apparent paradox is the object of certainty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the &lt;em&gt;world&lt;/em&gt; is uncertain (e.g. if things and ideas are impermanent, and keep changing, then you find disappointment and not certainty in things and ideas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhist &lt;em&gt;doctrine&lt;/em&gt; says that: it literally says, that &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;things are impermanent and disappointing&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sufficiently enlightened Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; will experience certainty about the doctrine, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Skeptical doubt&lt;/strong&gt; - Doubt about the Buddha, his teaching (Dharma), and his community (Sangha) is eradicated because the sotāpanna personally experiences the true nature of reality through insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha’s teaching. Seeing removes doubt, because the sight is a form of vision (dassana), that allows one to know (ñāṇa).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another clue in the phrase you quoted is, &quot;the kind of answers &lt;strong&gt;we want&lt;/strong&gt; cannot be had&quot; -- I understand that to mean that there &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; answers of which we can be certain ... but they're not the kind of answers which we 'want'. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T20:51:14.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11019" CreationDate="2015-08-25T21:10:47.230" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yogacara as a distinct &lt;em&gt;institutional&lt;/em&gt; school of Buddhism is almost totally extinct. There are two temples of the Hosso sect (which is the only remaining sect of Buddhism that calls itself Yogacara) of Buddhism in Japan ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dfuku-ji&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kōfuku-ji&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakushi-ji&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yakushi-ji&lt;/a&gt;) but that's really about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Yogacara as a distinct theoretical school has been preserved both in East Asia and also in Tibet. Within China, many Yogacara texts translated by Xuanzang are still read, and are incorporated into Chinese Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within Tibet, Yogacara has been preserved as part of the teachings on the different Tenet systems. Usually Yogacara is classified as being just below Madhyamaka in terms of the profundity of the view, so relatively few people accept all of its doctrines as the highest teaching, but it was very influential in a lot of meditational teachings in Mahamudra, some of the general terminology, and many in the Nyingma school combine Yogacara and Madhyamaka, using Madhyamaka as the perfect model for describing ultimate truth (i.e. emptiness) and using Yogacara as a model for describing conventional truth as all things appearing from the storehouse consciousness as a result of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in Tibet there is a tradition of Madhyamaka called Shentong which takes the teachings of Buddha nature as definitive, and a large amount of their vocabulary is derived from Yogacara. Some have criticised Shentong for bending certain Yogacara doctrines to make them fit, but it is a very popular interpretation within the Kagyu and Nyingma schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, there aren't any Buddhist sects around nowadays that explicitly say &quot;We are the Yogacara school&quot; but the Yogacara teachings are still very much alive as a set of doctrines passed down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="745" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T02:05:54.283" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T02:05:54.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11022" CreationDate="2015-08-25T21:36:45.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need to be careful with how you use statistics to demonstrate things because there can be a lot of confounding variables. Many Buddhist countries have political instability, poverty, various public health problems, and much of the population aren't full blown practitioners of the teachings, but are mostly nominal Buddhists who might occasionally participate in a festival or ceremonies, but don't know much about the teachings and how to practice them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To draw scientific conclusions you would need to be able to compare groups of people who are similarly situated in things except for practicing Buddhists and everyone else, and that would be very hard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T21:36:45.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11022" CreationDate="2015-08-25T22:16:58.270" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article describes a study from 2001, involving monks with EEGs and functional MRIs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;INDEPTH: MEDITATION&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The Pursuit of Happiness&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;CBC News Online | April 23, 2004&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His prize subjects – and collaborators – are the Dalai Lama's lamas, the monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The monks, we believe, are the Olympic athletes of certain kinds of mental training,&amp;quot; Davidson says. &amp;quot;These are individuals who have spent years in practice. To recruit individuals who have undergone more than 10,000 hours of training of their mind is not an easy task and there aren't that many of these individuals on the planet.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter part of the article describes meditation's also being useful to non-Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-25T22:16:58.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11042" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T00:49:54.573" Score="17" ViewCount="1310" Body="&lt;p&gt;To be precise, can anyone provide a one page summary of Buddhism as a whole, suitable to distribute to someone who knows nothing about the religion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Yes, this is a &quot;please do my homework for me&quot; question - we're starting up a university Buddhist club, and need a handout to give out at the club fair).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T00:38:45.863" Title="What is Buddhism?" Tags="|beginner|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11043" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T01:57:23.320" Score="6" ViewCount="1799" Body="&lt;p&gt;So, let me start with the disclaimer that I am not a Buddhist and I am just asking this to further my understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, the thing I was wondering about, does Buddhism hold that in most cases karma will balance out within a single lifetime? Or will it only balance out 'in due time' which could be after many many rebirths? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reason I am asking is because for Buddhists I 'know' (no actual friends) they always seem to live in the expectation that it will soon balance. To me that entitled behaviour is always incredibly off putting, but that's &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; the point, I am just purely curious whether the expectation (not the entitlement) actually makes sense at least from a theoretical Buddhist believe point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="800" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T16:42:22.697" Title="Will Karma 'balance out' in most cases by the end of a lifetime?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11043" CreationDate="2015-08-26T02:03:43.280" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is extremely unlikely that one's karma would balance out by the end of one's life. Quite often, a particular action will not ripen and produce a karmic result for many lifetimes, so even if all of the karma which one has done in THIS life is spent, there is likely some karma from previous lifetimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even that is unlikely, as it is much more likely that one's karma from previous lives will ripen in this life before the karma from this life starts to ripen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tl;dr version is that karma is something that works itself out over many lifetimes, so it is extremely unlikely that one would have most of their karma spent by the time of their death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T02:03:43.280" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11043" CreationDate="2015-08-26T02:41:36.450" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not that simple. Kamma is possibly one of the least understood aspects of Buddhism as it's incredibly difficult to verify through direct experience. There are four types: kamma that is bright with bright results, kamma that is dark with dark results, kamma that is bright and dark with bright and dark results, kamma that is neither bright nor dark that essentially cancels out previous kamma. Kamma (action) can come to fruition (consequence) within this lifetime, in the next lifetime, or many lifetimes in the future. In some cases kamma will never come to fruition. Also dark kamma generated by an individual of higher virtue will have less severe consequences than the same kamma generated by an individual of lesser virtue, similar to how a crystal of salt put into a cup of water will make the water taste salty but the same crystal put into a river will not have any noticeable effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also similar to how a seed will take root and grow only in fertile soil with adequate moisture and sunlight, different types of kamma will also only ripen under specific conditions (specific mind-states). For example, if someone is generating a lot of loving-kindness then it's easier for past bright kamma to come to fruition than it is for dark kamma. People who start practicing loving-kindness meditation intensely might notice an increase in positive events in their lives because they have prepared the soil, so to speak, for bright kamma accumulated over past lifetimes to ripen. This is an example of the non-deterministic aspect of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Side note: if the person you know is wishing/expecting payback (assuming in a negative sense) on someone else then this person is actually accumulating dark kamma him/herself simply by making that wish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T03:38:03.217" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T03:38:03.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11043" CreationDate="2015-08-26T03:01:14.163" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Short answer : No, good and bad karma do not cancel each other out like positive and negative numbers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four principles of karma in the Tibetan tradition they are called &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LE NGE-PA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LE PEL CHE-WA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LE MA-JE-PA DANG MI-TRE-PA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LE JE-PA CHU MI-SA-WA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which translates to english as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma definite&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma increase bigger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma not did and not make contact / touch&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma  just not disappear&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To simplify it is easy to think of them as seeds for a second. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma planted will grow. (Good results in good, bad in bad)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It grows. (Karma planted grows bigger than the initial seed)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot harvest what you did not plant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma never just disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are ways to &quot;purify&quot; your karma in the Tibetan tradition, but this does not make the seeds disappear, merely ripen quickly. If you are interested in that you can read my answer to another question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3923/how-to-deal-with-bad-past-karma-that-makes-my-current-life-miserable/10386#10386&quot;&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also an 10 session audio course on how karma works (It goes into much greater detail) located &lt;a href=&quot;http://acidharma.org/aci/online/onlineformal.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt; (Course 5) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T03:01:14.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-26T06:42:33.077" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think one would find it nearly impossible &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; to gain stream entry if they've been observing their emotions and reality for two or more decades. I'm even inclined to take the Buddha's estimate of 7 days and nights to a maximum of 7 years to gain arhatship on face value. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's that difficult, most people spend 15 years studying hard to become a surgeon. We live in times of prosperity where people can afford to take that kind of time to better themselves that would have been impossible 2600 years ago without making huge sacrifices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure there are more distractions today, but if someone put in similar effort, arhatship should be possible. Modern society largely lacks appreciation for the goals of arhatship and that is the primary impediment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, please see&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.091.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.91: Accayika Sutta — Urgent {A i 239; Thai 3.93} [Thanissaro]&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;  Just as a farmer can't predict when the fruit will ripen, so we can't&#xA;  predict when Awakening will occur. So just keep your practice strong;&#xA;  the rest will take care of itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One maybe tempted to ask where are these numerous stream entrants or arhats if the western buddhist order practice leads to stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking from the ultimate view, aspiring or even positing that there is a stream entrant or arhat after the event is &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sakkaya-ditthi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sakkāya diṭṭhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  or personality view. Since enlightenment is the loss of personality or realization of anatta, there can be no personage who is enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like the the Zen terminology in this matter for its lack of confusion. There is only satori or kensho, but no person who is &lt;em&gt;satoried&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know why the Pali/Theravada terms are laden with the personality view, of a walking talking stream entrant / arhat as an individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is an exercise in futility if one sets forth to find and interview an arhat. One might have better success sitting down and resolving to attain arhatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dharma Talk by Ajahn Sumedho - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/audio/freedom-can-be-experienced-but-not-attained/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Freedom can be Experienced but not Attained&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T05:45:47.537" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T05:45:47.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11043" CreationDate="2015-08-26T07:12:17.210" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Clearly there are already different answers to this. In fact the different answers are indicative of the problems of Buddhist karma. I've published two articles which touch on this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/05/attwood-article.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Did King Ajātasattu Confess to the Buddha, and did the Buddha Forgive Him?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/em&gt;. Vol. 15, 2008.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/2014/06/04/changes-in-buddhist-karma/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Escaping the Inescapable: Changes in Buddhist Karma&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/em&gt; Vol. 21. 2014.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main point of the 2014 article is that the theory of karma changes over time. I trace one particular major change from the earliest records into the later records (and add some more speculative thoughts on the origins of karma theory).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhists believed that karma must ripen no matter what. There is no escape from the consequences of one's actions. On the whole one's actions ripen as rebirth (punabhava). A few of them might ripen in this life as &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; or sensations, and a few in subsequent lives (as rebirth or sensations), but most of them go to conditioning the next life. At least one Pāḷi sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/alternate-karma-theory.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Karajakāyasuttaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (AN 10.219; v.299-301), claims that in causing rebirth all unripened karma comes to fruition and we start each life with a clean slate. Though typically early Buddhists allow for karma to come to fruition after many lifetimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only light in this picture is that through religious practices one can make oneself less vulnerable to the ripening of karma in this life (whether it was caused in this or a previous life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However this changes. We begin to see more possibilities in the Theravāda Abhidhamma which invents a new kind of karma - upapīḷakakamma &amp;quot;counteracting karma - which can counteract or suppress the ripening of karma. Buddhaghosa, the great 5th Century father of Theravāda orthodoxy, is clearly still in the &amp;quot;Karma must ripen&amp;quot; camp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Mahāyāna Buddhists there are a whole range of religious practices one can do, including confession and dhāraṇī chanting, that can mitigate the effects of karma ripening, or even eliminate karma completely. Many of these are listed in the &lt;em&gt;Śikṣasamucaya&lt;/em&gt;, a sūtra compilation by Śantideva (ca 7th or 8th century)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is epitomised in the story of King Ajātasattu (2008) as found in the &lt;em&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;. Having killed his father Ajātasattu experiences some uneasiness and goes to see the Buddha. After telling the Buddha what he has done and promising to be good from then on, the king leaves. In the Pāḷi version of the story the Buddha turns to the monks and says &amp;quot;Well, he's done for&amp;quot;. Having killed his father even meeting the Buddha is not enough to save him. And indeed the commentaries say he went to Hell when he died. In the later retellings of this same story (ca. 4th-6th centuries) in Sanskrit and Chinese however, the king is miraculously saved by his meeting with the Buddha. The whole attitude to karma and how and when it ripens has changed. Karma is no longer inevitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The early Tantras, particularly the &lt;em&gt;Sarvatathāgata-tattvasaṃgraha&lt;/em&gt;, take this to its apotheosis by introducing the &lt;em&gt;100 Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra&lt;/em&gt; (see also my &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.westernbuddhistreview.com/vol5/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Western Buddhist Review&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; article on this mantra). This mantra, when chanted, is supposed to clear away any unripened karma, even of the most serious kind. Chanting it purifies all karma. Chanting it 100,000 times is a common prerequisite to receiving a Tantric initiation. Although it is interesting to note that at least one Tibetan group seems to be teaching the old story of inescapable karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly there is no single &amp;quot;Buddhist&amp;quot; view on this question. Karma undergoes many changes over time and a number of mutually exclusive karma theories survive in the present. That said, I have yet to find any documented Buddhist teaching which suggests that karma will &amp;quot;balance out&amp;quot; in a single lifetime. The whole point of karma is that it is the mechanism that drives rebirth. And while many modernist Buddhists are dismissive of karma and rebirth, history shows that it was almost always a priority for historical Buddhists - I have informally written about a number of doctrinal changes in which the supposedly fundamental theory of dependent arising is modified to make for a better karma theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We also see that modernist Buddhists are apt to delude themselves about traditional Buddhist teaching. Buddhist ideas often suffer from &lt;em&gt;ad hoc&lt;/em&gt; changes to bring it into line with psychology or modern views on rights for example. Rather than reject concepts which conflict with our values, we tacitly (perhaps even unconsciously) alter them to fit and then claim that this is what the Buddha intended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T07:12:17.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11033" CreationDate="2015-08-26T07:54:42.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The author of that quote, David Chapman, is a very interesting man! An expert on artificial intelligence, a philosopher, and novelist, as well as a long time Buddhist. But the idea that we can never have complete knowledge is not specific to Buddhism. It is built into mathematics for example, as set out in Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems. Then we have the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle which limits our knowledge of the quantum states of sub-atomic particles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think what David is trying to get at here is that the answers to our big questions cannot be had on the same level as the question. Unawakened beings do not see experience clearly enough to ask good questions. So for example we might be asking &quot;What will make me happy?&quot; And we'll expect the answer to be something simple, and probably related to pleasurable sense experience (this belief is deeply ingrained even in people who profess to believe it is not true). But search as we may we cannot find the one thing that will make us happy. Some forms of Buddhism tell us that happiness is not attained through acquisition, but through relinquishing. The question &quot;What will make me happy?&quot; can never have a satisfactory answer because it's framed in a worldview that precludes ultimate happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;groundlessness&quot; is a strong feature of Tibetan Buddhist teaching. Another author who talks like this is Pema Chödrön. My take on this might be different to David's and Pema's. All that we know about anything comes through experience. When we say &quot;things arise in dependence on conditions&quot; we mean &lt;em&gt;experiences&lt;/em&gt; arise in dependence on conditions. And experiences themselves, are neither existent, nor non-existent. When we have an experience nothing &quot;new&quot; comes into being and when an experience ceases, nothing existing ceases to exist. Experiences are empty of self or anything related to self, they are empty of self-existence (i.e. an existence for which the thing itself is a condition). Therefore in experience there is nothing which is stable or lasting. When we say &quot;things are impermanent&quot; we mean &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; is impermanent. And because experience is impermanent it cannot offer permanent solutions -  not to unhappiness or suffering or any of our other problems. Experience simply cannot be relied on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists do claim to &quot;perfectly describe the nature of this world&quot;. But a close reading of early Buddhist texts and, for example, the Perfection of Wisdom texts, makes it clear that they are not concerned with the nature of the world oe reality, but with the nature of experience. The idea that Buddhism describes the nature of the world is an error that crept into Buddhism very early on, and there have been repeated reformations to re-establish the focus on experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T07:54:42.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11050" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T08:16:00.583" Score="4" ViewCount="498" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Germany it is not illegal to steal food when  you're about to starve. Would someone who does this still would have to face negative consequences because of  this stealing in the future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5795" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T08:56:32.167" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T03:04:11.903" Title="Is a starving person justified in stealing food?" Tags="|ethics|food|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-26T08:16:40.967" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a number of Thera- and Therī-gāthā poems which feature men and women with many years experience and no realisation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anon (Thī 67-71) begins:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;paṇṇavīsativassāni, yato pabbajitā ahaṃ.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;nāccharāsaṅghātamattampi, cittassūpasamajjhagaṃ&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;25 rainy season since I went forth and,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Peace of mind has eluded me, even for a finger snap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Sāmā (Thī 39-41) and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T08:16:40.967" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11022" CreationDate="2015-08-26T11:51:30.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the point of happiness as a 'slippery notion', I think there's a very helpful distinction to make between hedonic and eudaemonic happiness. Roughly speaking (and this is just my take - I welcome refinements or corrections): through the first 2 noble truths, a Buddhist practitioner stops seeking ultimate refuge in hedonic happiness, turning away from the sorrow and disappointment that inevitably follow from putting all of one's eggs in this basket; and through the 3rd and 4th noble truths a practitioner begins to perfect his or her eudaemonic happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to how successful Buddhist practitioners are in this endeavor as a whole... honestly, it's a fascinating question but I have no idea how to answer it empirically on a large scale. For myself and the practitioners I've met, simply turning toward eudaemonic happiness has been a profound and lasting source of joy - a path good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T11:51:30.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11053" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T12:12:51.520" Score="2" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;The English language edition's article on the original &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze_(typhoon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kamikaze&lt;/a&gt; (divine wind) against the Mongol empire (not WWII) refers to Buddhism, though it also mentions Japanese &quot;gods&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...1274 and again in 1281.  Due to growth of Zen Buddhism among Samurai at the time, these were the first events where the typhoons were described as &quot;divine wind&quot; as much by their timing as by their force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This surprised me a little - I thought the &quot;kami&quot; in kamikaze referred to beings from Japan's native shinto belief system, which many Japanese have alongside Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was kamikaze typically regarded as a supernatural event in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4818" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T12:57:18.063" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T15:40:56.340" Title="Was the kamikaze against the Mongol empire considered a supernatural event in Buddhism?" Tags="|history|god|japan|mythology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11054" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T13:06:50.153" Score="8" ViewCount="1191" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Milindapanha, Nagasena points out to king Milinda that doing evil knowingly accrues lesser demerit than doing evil unknowingly. Does the Buddha make the same statement anywhere in the Suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king asked: &amp;quot;Venerable Nagasena, for whom is the greater demerit, one who knowingly does evil, or one who does evil unknowingly?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The elder replied: &amp;quot;Indeed, your majesty, for him who does evil not knowing is the greater demerit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that case, venerable Nagasena, would we doubly punish one who is our prince or king's chief minister who not knowing does evil?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What do you think, your majesty, who would get burned more, one who knowing picks up a hot iron ball, ablaze and glowing, or one who not knowing picks it up?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Indeed, venerable sir, he who not knowing picks it up would get burned more.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Indeed, your majesty, in the same way the greater demerit is for him who does evil not knowing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You are clever, venerable Nagasena.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-7-08&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapanha - Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My interpretation of this is not about unintended action vs intended action as one of the answers suggests. Instead I see it as comparing intended action with the view that the action is unwholesome vs intended action with the view that the action is wholesome. It's not about intending harm vs not intending harm, instead it's about intending harm knowing that causing harm is bad vs intending harm not knowing that causing harm is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2020-04-21T16:22:31.297" Title="Doing evil knowingly and unknowingly" Tags="|karma|ethics|texts|milindapanha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11054" CreationDate="2015-08-26T14:22:58.830" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The source is Miln III,7,8 [84].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other day, I happened to read a discussion of this passage in &quot;Development in the Early Buddhist Concept of Kamma/Karma&quot; by James Paul McDermott (page 113-114).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on what I have read, I do not believe that there is any specific quote in the Suttas / Vinaya that specifically supports this passage. The Suttas (AN 6.63) equate kamma with volition / intention and as McDermott explains, this was developed in the Abhidhamma (particularly the Kathāvatthu), further developed in Milindapañha and even further developed in the Abhidharmakośa. Of course, the commentaries developed the concept of kamma to a new level again (this was beyond the scope of McDermott's book).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One has to be careful with interpreting this parable of getting burned by the hot iron. The point is that a unskillful act done with wrong view will generate more weighty kamma... somebody who knows that the unskillful act is wrong will have less volition / intention when performing the unskillful act as compared to another person who sees absolutely nothing wrong with the unskillful act (i.e. accompanied by wrong view). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@Jayarava, I have admired some of your writings / posts. Thanks for prompting me to look deeper at this passage (I love to learn). Here is the passage in Pāḷi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rājā āha ‘‘bhante nāgasena, yo jānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, kassa bahutaraṃ apuñña’’nti? Thero āha ‘‘yo kho, mahārāja, ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, tassa bahutaraṃ apuñña’’nti. ‘‘Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, yo amhākaṃ rājaputto vā rājamahāmatto vā ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, taṃ mayaṃ diguṇaṃ daṇḍemā’’ti? ‘‘Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, mahārāja, tattaṃ ayoguḷaṃ ādittaṃ sampajjalitaṃ sajotibhūtaṃ eko jānanto gaṇheyya, eko ajānanto gaṇheyya, katamo [kassa (ka.)] balavataraṃ ḍayheyyā’’ti. ‘‘Yo kho, bhante, ajānanto gaṇheyya, so [tassa (pī. ka.)] balavataraṃ ḍayheyyā’’ti. ‘‘Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, tassa bahutaraṃ apuñña’’nti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that the key word is &quot;&lt;em&gt;ajānanto&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. In the translation above, it is rendered as &quot;unknowingly&quot;. T.W. Rhys Davids translates this as &quot;inadvertently&quot;. Bhikkhu Pesala translates this as &quot;unconsciously&quot;. PED uses translations such as &quot;unaware&quot; and &quot;unsuspecting&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not think &quot;&lt;em&gt;ajānanto&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is equivalent to &quot;ignorance&quot; (delusion / &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;). &quot;&lt;em&gt;Ajānanto&lt;/em&gt;&quot; seems to be closer to &quot;unwise attention&quot;, not seeing things as they truly are. For this reason, I think wrong view is a better handling, even though &quot;&lt;em&gt;micchādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is not used in the text. @Jayarava, your knowledge of Pāḷi is far superior to mine, so I would be very willing to be corrected. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oops, I just read your answer below, so let me add more...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am an Abhidhamma teacher and this certainly colours my world view :-) Let me put an Abhidhamma spin on this to see if it helps. The Milindapañha was written after the Abhidhamma, so it is possible that in this passage, Nāgasena is attempting to clarify a doubt from the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma comes from intention. The ethical quality of the kamma created comes from the roots (attachment / aversion / delusion for unwholesome, non-attachment / non-aversion / understanding for wholesome). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;strong&gt;do not&lt;/strong&gt; believe that this passage from the Milindapañha is talking about the ethical quality of the kamma created. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;strong&gt;do&lt;/strong&gt; believe that this passage from the Milindapañha is talking about the weightiness / intensity of the kamma created... and this is a different issue. The weightiness / intensity of the kamma created is a question of strength of volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of unwholesome kamma-creating mental states, the strength of volition can depend on pleasant / neutral feeling (pleasant feeling contributes to stronger volition), prompted / spontaneous (spontaneous contributes to stronger volition) and associated / disassociated with wrong view (associated with wrong view contributes to stronger volition). I believe that this passage from the Milindapañha is talking about the third factor; &quot;associated / disassociated with wrong view&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T01:44:27.147" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T01:44:27.147" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11053" CreationDate="2015-08-26T15:29:36.430" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think the line between Shinto and Buddhism has been very clear in Japan, just as the line between Hinduism and Buddhism was never very clear in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For that matter, whenever any religion travels it is forced to either defeat or integrate its newest cultures. Religion can't take prisoners of war, it has to conquer by assimilation or destruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I don't have personal knowledge of this branch of Buddhism, but I've made use of a search engine to find these sources.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Syncretism of Shinto &amp;amp; Buddhism in Japan&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/09/04/reference/japans-shinto-buddhist-religious-medley/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/09/04/reference/japans-shinto-buddhist-religious-medley/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most in Japan may know Buddhism has something to do with controlling&#xA;  lust and anger, and is associated with funerals and graves, while&#xA;  Shinto involves venerating nature, and weddings. But many people have&#xA;  trouble making theological distinctions between the two or even&#xA;  telling a Buddhist temple from a Shinto shrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The internationalists in the Japanese court welcomed Buddhism. Others&#xA;  saw it as a threat to the status quo, with Buddha nothing more than a&#xA;  “jajin,” or devil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prince Shotoku (574-622) promoted Buddhism and it took hold. Still,&#xA;  Japan would never see a full conversion away from its indigenous&#xA;  religion, as occurred to a much greater extent across pagan Europe&#xA;  with the introduction of Christianity. Rather, Japanese absorbed&#xA;  Buddhism gradually, mixing it with local folk religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This process played out in the divine realm, too, with certain Shinto&#xA;  gods coming to be seen as protectors of the Buddha. One was Hachiman,&#xA;  the Shinto god of war, who legend has it aided the construction of the&#xA;  Great Buddha statue in Nara during the Nara Period (710-784). This act&#xA;  of kindness won him the name “Great Bodhisattva (Buddhist saint)&#xA;  Hachiman” in 781.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reflecting this meeting of religions, Hachiman was sometimes depicted&#xA;  in sculptures as a very unwarlike Buddhist monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But what does the eighth century have to do with mixups over temples&#xA;  and shrines now?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The syncretism, or weaving together of religions, would continue over&#xA;  centuries as Japan went about absorbing Pure Land, Zen and other&#xA;  Buddhist sects from China. Over time, cross-pollination between&#xA;  Buddhism and Shinto would deepen in a process known as “shin-butsu&#xA;  shugo” (Shinto-Buddhism coalescence), or less flatteringly as the&#xA;  “shin-butsu konko” (Shinto-Buddhism jumble).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Much of the convergence amounted to Buddhism trying to make a mark on&#xA;  the host culture. Buddhist monks felt certain Shinto divinities needed&#xA;  salvation. So they chanted sutras in front of shrines that were the&#xA;  gods’ sacred homes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meanwhile, temples started sprouting up next to Shinto shrines, to be&#xA;  called “jingu-ji,” meaning “shrine-temples.” By the 16th century, such&#xA;  mixing and matching had become official policy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Kamis vs Butsus&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shinto-deities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shinto-deities.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In modern Japan, both Shintō and Buddhist practice among the common&#xA;  folk has taken on the air of “this-worldly benefits” (concrete rewards&#xA;  now; Genze Riyaku). To many Japanese, Shintō and Buddhist&#xA;  faith is primarily involved with petitions and prayers for business&#xA;  profits, the safety of the household, success on school entrance&#xA;  exams, painless child birth, and other concrete rewards now, in this&#xA;  life. Shintō deities are called KAMI, SHIN , JIN , SAMA , TENJIN&#xA;  , GONGEN , and MYŌJIN  to distinguish them from their Buddhist&#xA;  counterparts. The latter are known as BUTSU  and NYORAI (all&#xA;  mean Buddha or Tathagata), BOSATSU (meaning Bodhisattva), TEN &#xA;  (meaning Deva), MYŌ-Ō  (meaning Luminescent Kings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T15:40:56.340" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T15:40:56.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10784" CreationDate="2015-08-26T15:33:43.860" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to give you an answer from an Abhidhamma perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens to us arises because of kamma and many other conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no “decider” to determine the reaction (wholesome or unwholesome) to what happens, but a decision is made naturally (without a “decider”). The decision is a natural result of defilements / accumulations / habits / &lt;em&gt;pārami&lt;/em&gt; / vows / tendencies / the environment / your mood / recent events. The mechanism by which the decision is made is called “natural decisive support condition” (&lt;em&gt;pakatūpanissayapaccaya&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intensity of the volition associated with the reaction (and therefore the weightiness of the kamma produced) and the intensity of the other mental factors (how strong the attachment, the amount of compassion, etc.) is also determined by “natural decisive support condition”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that “natural decisive support condition” sounds like a healthcare product :-), but it is a very important concept at the heart of the strategy to spiritual development. The cause (conditioning state) of “natural decisive support condition” is something &lt;strong&gt;“strong”&lt;/strong&gt; that happened in the past (mental state, sensed object or idea). The result (conditioned state) of “natural decisive support condition” is the current mental state (all mental states).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when good things are done repeatedly, this creates a “strong” past conditioning state (strong because of repetition) that will naturally influence future decisions and the weightiness of the future kamma produced. This is why we undertake “rules of training” (precepts). This is why the Buddha talked of “training” monks (see MN 107). The mind cannot be controlled, but it can be trained. One should approach spiritual development with a training paradigm, not a control paradigm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training the mind is like any type of training. It is not a “control&quot; paradigm, it is a “working with&quot; approach. The mind is like a little puppy dog, it cannot be controlled but it can be trained. It requires patience, repetition, patience, energy, patience, commitment, patience and consistency. It also takes a lot of patience!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your specific question... wholesome deeds performed in the past condition present wholesome deeds through “natural decisive support condition”. Unwholesome deeds performed in the past condition present unwholesome deeds through “natural decisive support condition”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T15:33:43.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11043" CreationDate="2015-08-26T16:42:22.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;theoretically yes, if you become a stream enterer or enlightened, but for most no. You pay your karmic debts over multiple lifetimes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5767" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T16:42:22.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-26T16:52:28.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;to be a Buddhist you must believe the Buddha achieved supreme enlightenment and that Nirvana is a real thing that can be experienced directly by following the 8 fold path as the Buddha taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T16:52:28.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11054" CreationDate="2015-08-26T17:28:55.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With regard to karma one of the most cited Pāli passages is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cetanāhaṃ bhakkhave kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/em&gt; - AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, monks, is what I call action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, only intentional actions are karma. On the other hand Jains considered that all actions whatever were karmic. They developed the idea that inactivity was the best religious practice, taking it as far as starving themselves to death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This passage from Miln seems to contradict this important principle. It is very curious. I will have to give this a good deal more thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think it's fair to say that just because someone can come up with the plausible reading of this text by changing the meaning of the words somewhat, doesn't mean that this is what was intended. A more sound procedure is to exhaust the possibilities of the text itself, then look for a traditional commentary, before starting to make &lt;em&gt;ad hoc&lt;/em&gt; assumptions that simply fit a desired interpretation. One always has to allow that the text simply does not make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In checking the Pāḷi passage (Miln 84) (in the Burmese 6th council Ed.) I had to translate it anyway, So I'll include my translation for reference. If there are any supplementary questions about the translation, leave a comment, and I'll edit this answer to try to explain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jānantājānantapāpakaraṇapañho&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;The question on doing evil knowingly or unknowingly.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rājā āha &quot;bhante nāgasena, yo jānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, kassa bahutaraṃ apuññan&quot; ti?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The King said, &quot;Bhante Nāgasena, he who does an evil action (&lt;em&gt;pāpakamma&lt;/em&gt;) knowingly (&lt;em&gt;jānanto&lt;/em&gt;), he who does an evil action unknowingly (&lt;em&gt;ajānanto&lt;/em&gt;); which has the greater demerit (&lt;em&gt;apuñña&lt;/em&gt;).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thero āha &quot;yo kho, mahārāja, ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, tassa bahutaraṃ apuññan&quot; ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Elder said, &quot;Majesty, he who does an evil action unknowingly, he has the greater demerit&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, yo amhākaṃ rājaputto vā rājamahāmatto vā ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, taṃ mayaṃ diguṇaṃ daṇḍemā&quot; ti?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;By this [reasoning], Bhante Nāgasena, should we punish our royal son or royal minister twofold (diguṇa) for doing an evil action unknowingly?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, mahārāja, tattaṃ ayoguḷaṃ ādittaṃ sampajjalitaṃ sajotibhūtaṃ eko jānanto gaṇheyya, eko ajānanto gaṇheyya, katamo balavataraṃ ḍayheyyā&quot; ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;What do you think, Majesty, if someone were to knowingly grasp a glowing iron ball, aflame, burning, or to unknowingly grasp it, who would receive the worse burn?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yo kho, bhante, ajānanto gaṇheyya, so [tassa] balavataraṃ ḍayheyyā&quot; ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Bhante, the one who grasped it unknowingly, he would receive the worst burn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti, tassa bahutaraṃ apuññan&quot; ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Just so, Majesty. he who does an evil action unknowingly, makes the most demerit.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā&quot; ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;You are skilled, Bhante Nāgasena&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot here to digest. If Nāgasena is correct, why does Milinda say he should punish members of the royal court twofold (diguṇa)? I don't see the logic of this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the analogy even work? Is it true that grasping a burning iron ball on purpose would mean one would be burned less? Who would grasp a burning hot iron ball on purpose anyway? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is one of the most bizarre pieces of Pāḷi prose I've ever looked at!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see how one can separate intention and understanding. &lt;em&gt;Jānanto&lt;/em&gt; is just a very broad word for &quot;knowing&quot;. So we must interpret &lt;em&gt;yo ajānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;does an evil action without knowing that he does evil&quot; and &lt;em&gt;yo jānanto pāpakammaṃ karoti&lt;/em&gt; &quot;does an evil action knowing that he does evil&quot;. The one who acts with knowing clearly must incur the greater consequences, but this text reverses the natural order. On face value it simply does not make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been suggested by @RobM that this passage is referring not to the ethical quality of the action (and therefore of the &lt;em&gt;vipāka&lt;/em&gt; it will generate), but to weightiness of the &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;. In fact I do not see any meaningful separation of these, since it is the ethical quality of an action that determines how weighty it is. Furthermore the passage itself is talking about who accrues the most &lt;em&gt;apuñña&lt;/em&gt; or demerit. How can one separate &lt;em&gt;puñña/apuñña&lt;/em&gt; from the &quot;ethical quality of the action that generates it? An action generates &lt;em&gt;puñña/apuñña&lt;/em&gt; in precise proportion to the &lt;em&gt;kusala/akusala&lt;/em&gt; of the intention (&lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;) behind it. What's more the passage does not contain any word implying weightiness (&lt;em&gt;garu, garutara&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;garutā&lt;/em&gt; etc). So although @RobM has produced a reading that is consistent with his understanding (and therefore pleasing), it is unrelated to the words he is attempting to interpret. This is an unsound exegetical methodology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exegetical strategy of all those answers so far which claim to understand this passage (which I do not) is that the words &lt;em&gt;jānanto/ajānanto&lt;/em&gt; mean something other than what they mean. Either &lt;em&gt;ajānanto&lt;/em&gt; means &lt;em&gt;micchādiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt; or it means &lt;em&gt;garutā&lt;/em&gt; (weightiness) or something else that makes the passage make simple sense. In order to establish such a reading the person proposing it would need to show that this esoteric substitution was a regular feature of either the &lt;em&gt;Milindapañha&lt;/em&gt; or the Pāḷi literature as a whole. One of the attractions of the Pāḷi literature is that on the whole it is quite straightforward. Metaphors and similes are occasionally reified by later tradition, but they stand out in the texts. So, on the face of it, an esoteric reading, where the text &lt;em&gt;says&lt;/em&gt; one thing but &lt;em&gt;means&lt;/em&gt; another would require some strong evidential support in the form of many quotations of similar substitutions. I don't see any evidence to date. So far I have not understood this text, but I don't believe that anyone else has either. &quot;Don't know&quot; must always be a possible, if unsatisfactory solution to any problem. And if one does not know then there is no shame in saying so. To over-ride unknowing and superimpose something familiar on a text to force it into a familiar pattern is not a good practice. At best it is a form of self-deception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T08:04:36.023" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T08:04:36.023" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11050" CreationDate="2015-08-26T17:33:19.963" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general, in Buddhism taking without asking would still be considered unskilful. The relevant precept is &lt;em&gt;adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi&lt;/em&gt; &quot;I undertake the training principle of not taking the not given&quot;. There is nothing to stop someone asking for food if they are hungry. Indeed by stealing one also deprives the other of the opportunity of gaining the merit of generosity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T17:33:19.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11064" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11065" CreationDate="2015-08-26T18:43:48.307" Score="6" ViewCount="1555" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering how the mental factors of &lt;em&gt;Fear and Shame&lt;/em&gt; should be understood. Normally I would understand them both as being unwholesome but I guess in Abhidhamma-perspective they have a different meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should they be understood according to the Abhidhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are both listed as belonging to the group of &lt;em&gt;Beautiful or Moral&lt;/em&gt; cetasikas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LILAQ.jpg&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LILAQ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T09:08:26.757" Title="Why are &quot;Fear and Shame&quot; listed among the beautiful cetasikas?" Tags="|abhidhamma|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11064" CreationDate="2015-08-26T19:00:34.183" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a translation issue. The Pali terms are &lt;em&gt;Hiri&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ottappa,&lt;/em&gt; and they are hard to translate into English because they have no one-word equivalents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hiri refers to the feeling of not wanting to do a bad deed because you know the deed itself is bad, and Ottappa refers to the feeling of not wanting to do an evil deed because you know that the consequences of it are bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They definitely do not mean what is normally meant by the English words fear and shame. Many suttas speak of fear as unwholesome, and shame in the sense of remorse is mentioned as unwholesome in other Buddhist writings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this reason, the translator Ajahn Thanissaro prefers to translate these terms as &lt;em&gt;conscience&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;concern.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote a good article on these two terms called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_23.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Guardians of the World.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Here's a very good excerpt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While moral shame and fear of wrongdoing are united in the common task&#xA;of protecting the mind from moral defilement, they differ in their&#xA;individual characteristics and modes of operation. Hiri, the sense of&#xA;shame, has an internal reference; it is rooted in self-respect and&#xA;induces us to shrink from wrongdoing out of a feeling of personal&#xA;honor. Ottappa, fear of wrongdoing, has an external orientation. It is&#xA;the voice of conscience that warns us of the dire consequences of&#xA;moral transgression: blame and punishment by others, the painful&#xA;kammic results of evil deeds, the impediment to our desire for&#xA;liberation from suffering. Acariya Buddhaghosa illustrates the&#xA;difference between the two with the simile of an iron rod smeared with&#xA;excrement at one end and heated to a glow at the other end: hiri is&#xA;like one's disgust at grabbing the rod in the place where it is&#xA;smeared with excrement, ottappa is like one's fear of grabbing it in&#xA;the place where it is red hot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-10-03T08:19:29.220" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T08:19:29.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11064" CreationDate="2015-08-26T19:00:59.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear and shame I believe are referring to the words hiri and ottappa. Hiri-ottappa is not fear and shame in the ordinary sense of these words but it refers to something like the self-correcting concern that a stream enterer has even for making minor transgressions that could hinder progress towards Nibbana. This concern comes through understanding that these actions really are unskillful and having seen a glimpse of Nibbana and having unshakable confidence in the Buddha makes this individual shameful of committing even minor acts that are unskillful. Similar to how a minor blemish on an otherwise dirty piece of cloth doesn't really make a difference, a stream enterer on the other hand sees his/her weaknesses as a blemish on a pure white cloth that needs to be erased. Hiri-otappa is one of the reasons why a stream enterer is on a path of continual improvement that inevitably leads to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T19:07:06.313" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T19:07:06.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2015-08-26T19:56:40.833" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To say after so and so years you will earn stream entry is utter nonsense. You can advance spiritually in a second the same way a single momentous decision can transform your life in a second. The truth is nobody knows squat about what stage you are at spiritually. In the time of the Buddha, deciples were achieving full enlightenment in a matter of weeks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T19:56:40.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-26T20:06:31.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a tough question and just about any attempt to define Buddhism can run into problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the most general level, Buddhism is any religion/philosophy that traces its lineage back to Gotama Siddartha (known as the Buddha after his enlightenment).  Now this definition -- while being general -- may also be too general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more specific definition is that Buddhism is a belief system and way of life rooted in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The 4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T20:06:31.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11054" CreationDate="2015-08-26T20:10:59.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Pesala's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;translation&lt;/a&gt; has a footnote to clarify the meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All wrong-doing is rooted in ignorance, so one who does wrong knowingly will feel remorse and correct himself sooner than one who is deluded (Editor’s Note).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So based on his note, &quot;knowingly&quot; here means knowing that the unwholesome deed does create unwholesome results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T20:10:59.277" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-26T20:17:09.867" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, okay... I'll do my own homework. Here's a one page summary of Buddhism (adapted from Wikipedia) directed towards newcomers to Buddhism. Please comment with suggestions, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.png&quot; alt=&quot;What Is Buddhism Handout&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is Buddhism?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a nontheistic religion or philosophy (Sanskrit: dharma; Pali: dhamma) that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha, commonly known as the Buddha (&quot;the awakened one&quot;). According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent around the 5th century BCE. He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings put an end to suffering through the elimination of ignorance and craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two major branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;The Teaching of the Elders&quot;) is followed mainly in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. In Theravada Buddhism, the ultimate goal is the attainment of Nirvana (Pali: Nibbana), or freedom from suffering, achieved by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path (a.k.a. the Middle Way), thus escaping what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahayana Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;The Great Vehicle&quot;) is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism (a.k.a. Vajrayana - “Diamond Vehicle”), Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai). Mahayana Buddhists aspire to Buddhahood via the bodhisattva path, a state wherein one remains in the cycle of suffering and rebirth to help other beings reach awakening. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The foundations of Buddhist tradition and practice are the Three Jewels: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; – One who attains enlightenment by oneself, then teaches others to become enlightened;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Dharma&lt;/strong&gt; – the theory and practice taught by a self-enlightened Buddha; and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sangha&lt;/strong&gt; – the community who attained enlightenment following the teachings of Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking &quot;refuge” in the triple gem has traditionally been recoginized as a declaration and commitment to being on the Buddhist path, and in general distinguishes a Buddhist from a non-Buddhist. Beyond this, Buddhist traditions generally incorporate some or all of the following practices:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Following ethical precepts&lt;/strong&gt; – a set of general ethical rules to be followed as a support for spiritual practice: abstention from killing, stealing, cheating, lying, and drugs and alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Renouncing conventional living and becoming a monastic&lt;/strong&gt; – an optional path for those wishing to dedicate their lives to Buddhist practice by donning robes and following the example of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The development of mindfulness and practice of meditation&lt;/strong&gt; – the practice of mental development as a means of freeing oneself from mental defilement and being of benefit both to oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultivation of higher wisdom and discernment&lt;/strong&gt; – the ultimate goal of mental development, generally seen as necessary for true spiritual enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Study of scriptures&lt;/strong&gt; – generally distinguished from true wisdom but still held as important for purposes of learning to differentiate between right and wrong practice and development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Devotional practices&lt;/strong&gt; – non-theistic objects of devotion include the Buddha, past enlightened followers of the Buddha, Bodhisatvas, angels, gods, and living spiritual teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ceremonies&lt;/strong&gt; – common physical and verbal rituals used to focus the mind include: mantra and scriptural recitation; lighting candles, flowers, and incense; bowing; circumambulating objects of reverence; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.odt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.odt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://static.sirimangalo.org/resources/WhatIsBuddhism.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(All files are dedicated to the public domain)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-10T09:42:42.360" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T00:24:23.363" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11022" CreationDate="2015-08-26T20:29:00.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not about happiness.  Its about letting go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5803" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T20:29:00.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11075" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-26T20:36:10.067" Score="3" ViewCount="1143" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Theory of &quot;Emptiness&quot; is the concept that all phenomenon are empty of inherent existence. Something has the illusion of existence when the right causes and conditions arise. Example: there is no inherently existing chicken soup. You only get chicken soup when you put together a dead chicken, hot water. Veggies etc. in this theory, you illusory sense of self comes from the right causes and conditions, parents, a body, a brain etc. following this logic, upon death, the self should simply cease to exist because that which made you a self has dissolved and since you do not inherently exist you should just vanish, and yet the Buddha is clear we take rebirth. This is illogical and makes no sense. Perhaps this is why the Buddha never taught a theory of emptiness. This idea is nowhere in the entire Pali Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2018-04-24T13:23:28.383" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T08:19:45.337" Title="How can the theory of emptiness be true and yet the self still transmigrates and takes rebirth?" Tags="|philosophy|rebirth|anatman|sunyata|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-26T21:03:18.297" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thebuddhistcentre.com/buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to&#xA;  Insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist practices like&#xA;  meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the&#xA;  qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed&#xA;  within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an&#xA;  incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path&#xA;  which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An&#xA;  enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly, just&#xA;  as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that&#xA;  vision. This is the goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing&#xA;  the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator&#xA;  god, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal, Western&#xA;  sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and&#xA;  practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences;&#xA;  change is possible. So Buddhism addresses itself to all people&#xA;  irrespective of race, nationality, caste, sexuality, or gender. It&#xA;  teaches practical methods which enable people to realise and use its&#xA;  teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully&#xA;  responsible for their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are around 350 million Buddhists and a growing number of them&#xA;  are Westerners. They follow many different forms of Buddhism, but all&#xA;  traditions are characterised by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance&#xA;  of differences, and, usually, by the practice of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="734" LastEditorUserId="575" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T09:33:03.843" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T09:33:03.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-26T21:14:42.223" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My last year's entry for Justin Whitaker's &quot;Buddhism in 200 words&quot; challenge, based on the Associated Press' Style Book entry for Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha, Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt; A major religion founded in India about 450 B.C. by Siddharth Shakya, popularly known as the Buddha (&quot;awakened&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists believe that human experiences originate in the mind, training which through cultivation of ethics, meditation, and wisdom leads to &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; (the release from suffering) or &lt;em&gt;enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; -- the insight into the true nature of things. Until the goal is attained, believers experience the cycle of death and rebirth (&lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Major traditions within Buddhism include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;: Seeing themselves as orthodox adherents to the original teaching, followers emphasize monastic discipline for individual attainment of nirvana, and lay ethics for a better rebirth. Dominant in Cambodia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, and Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;: Seeing themselves as upholders of the true spirit of the teaching, followers emphasize altruism and compassion, exemplified in the bodhisattva’s vow to bring all beings, prior to oneself, to enlightenment. Mahayana is found mostly in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. The major branches are Pure Land, devoted to attaining rebirth in a blissful land, Zen, which focuses on intuitive insight and meditation, and Vajrayana, a synthesis of Buddhist and yogic elements that promises special, often secret, techniques to cleanse one's mind from obscurations and achieve enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-26T21:22:09.297" LastActivityDate="2015-08-26T21:22:09.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-26T22:14:29.883" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teaching that all things composed of parts are without self, but are mere names and labels designated in dependence on their parts, is something that most definitely is taught in the Pali canon, quite explicitly in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/a&gt; with the analogy of the analysis of the Chariot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason this doesn't contradict rebirth is that when a person dies, their final consciousnesses cause the arising of a new consciousness in dependence on a new body, and this new mind and body can be conventionally called a self, and there is a causal relationship between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditDate="2022-10-03T08:19:45.337" LastActivityDate="2022-10-03T08:19:45.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-26T23:17:43.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can tell you this, nothing exists in Samsara that does not change from one moment to the next, so we must be empty of a self that never changes, empty of an atomic self that can't be divided or quite simply empty of a soul. Conceptual things are empty of existence, like &quot;chicken soup&quot; because we make them up, we assume them into existence...in ultimate reality &quot;chicken soup&quot; is just what it is in the experience of the one experiencing the chicken soup, moment by moment, there are no words in ultimate reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok now, you write, &quot;...in this theory, your illusory sense of self comes from the right causes and conditions, parents, a body, a brain etc. following this logic, upon death, the self should simply cease to exist because that which made you a self has dissolved and since you do not inherently exist you should just vanish...&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are we talking about &quot;the self&quot; or &quot;the sense of self&quot;? Why follow this theory or this logic that most people who don't meditate just assume makes sense, when we as Buddhists can come up with theories based on our faith in the Buddha's teaching and/or our inner experience through practices such as meditation? I mean theories that are in harmony with the Buddha's teaching such as, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) &quot;the body or brain receives the mind(home of the delusion of self) much like a radio and does not actually make the mind.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) &quot;Death of the body from the point of view of the one dying is just another change and delusions will come along with the one dying to the next life unless the one dying has reached Nibbana.&quot;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) &quot;When we let go of our delusions is when we vanish like some kind of super hermit that needs absolutely nothing to be happy and at peace because being attached to nothing is what gives one real authentic peace and happiness.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, how does something that doesn't exist vanish except perhaps through realization? I hope I understood the question correctly. -metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T12:05:00.273" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T12:05:00.273" CommentCount="5" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-27T02:52:00.127" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-26T23:42:07.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as when, with an assemblage of parts,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  there’s the word,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  chariot,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  even so when aggregates are present,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  there’s the convention of&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  living being&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To say an assemblage of parts constitutes the word &quot;chariot&quot; as a convention is not saying whatever the chariot really is lacks inherent existence. Its fundamental reality could be transcendent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The self cannot be found within the aggregates within our conventions of self that identify with the body...because the true self TRANSCENDS the aggregates and the body. If this were not so, and you did not inherently exist, the convention of self would simply cease to exists once the aggregates dissolve in dukkha in the same why a &quot;chariot&quot; ceases to exist once the wood, wheels, etc of the chariot are taken apart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using your logic, the chariot would also take rebirth because the &quot;chariot&quot; would be a cause of the next chariot on some undefined spiritual plane. It is all nonsense. The Buddha never taught a theory of emptiness. If he did, then there would be no concept of the &quot;Chitta&quot; or illumined mind and no hope of salvation from Samsara, because there is no one to be liberated and nothing really to be liberated from. Just a big mirage of emptiness. But the Buddha is clear that the citta, or illumined mind, transcends the 5 aggregates. From Pali Canon...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[MN 1.436, AN&#xA;  4.422] &quot;Whatever form there is, feelings, perceptions, experiences, or&#xA;  consciousness (the five aggregates), these he sees to be without&#xA;  permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil, a sting, a&#xA;  pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty (suññato), as&#xA;  Selfless (anattato). So he turns (pativapeti) his mind (citta,&#xA;  Non-aggregate) away from these (aggregates); therein he gathers&#xA;  (upasamharati) his mind within the realm of Immortality. This is&#xA;  tranquility; this is that which is most excellent!&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[DN 1.76]&#xA;  &quot;This is the quelled and thoroughly purified mind (citta) cleansed,&#xA;  unblemished, devoid of impurities, pliable, manageable, steadfast,&#xA;  adamantine, so he directs his mind towards gnosis and vision; such&#xA;  that he knows: 'This is my body made up of materiality, and the four&#xA;  great elements, come from mother and father, kept going on rice and&#xA;  gruel, without permanence, liable to be broken and destroyed, and here&#xA;  also is my consciousness (vinnana) which is entirely dependent upon&#xA;  it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[SN 3.234] The Aggregate Sutra. At&#xA;  Savatthi &quot;Followers, the desire and lust for formations is a&#xA;  defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for feelings is a&#xA;  defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for cognition is a&#xA;  defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for experiences is a&#xA;  defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for vinnana is a&#xA;  defilement of the citta. But, followers, when one abandons the&#xA;  defilements of the citta regarding these five stations (aggregates),&#xA;  then ones citta inclines towards renunciation. Ones citta is made&#xA;  pliable and firm in renunciation by direct gnosis.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To repeat, my position is that the Buddha absolutely DID NOT teach a theory of emptiness. He taught anatta...a theory of non-self. In other words the self cannot be found in phenomenon because it transcends the world of phenomenon. This is supported by Buddha's description of Citta..the illumined mind, all over the Pali Canon as a transcendent property beyond the 5 aggregates (I have sited various quotes here already to support this). In addition, here is the Buddha's description of Nirvana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;“There is, monks, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-formed. If, monks, there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-formed, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, formed. But since there is a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-formed, therefore an escape is discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, formed. (Udana, p. 109)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once again, notice the Buddha is describing a reality that transcends Samsara. Does that sound like a theory of emptiness to you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T13:33:22.297" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T13:33:22.297" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-27T02:06:13.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to these other answers, the question seems to overemphasize the 'dependent' aspect of dependent origination. See the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), which also points out the resulting risk of deviating into nihilistic views. At XVII, 20-23:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;20&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Among the conditions described under the headings of ignorance, etc., the respective conditions that make the [conditionally-arisen] states beginning with formations arise are incapable of making them arise when not mutually dependent and when deficient. Therefore this conditionality by depending (paþicca—ger.) makes states arise (uppádeti) equally and together (samaí saha ca), not piecemeal and successively—so it has been termed here thus by the Sage who is skilled in phraseology that conforms to its meaning: it has been accurately termed “dependent origination” (paþicca samuppáda), is the meaning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And while so termed:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first component will deny the false view of eternity /&#xA;  And so on, and the second will prevent /&#xA;  The nihilistic type of view and others like it, while the two /&#xA;  Together show the true way that is meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;22&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first: the word “dependent” (paþicca) indicates the combination of the conditions, [522] since states in the process of occurring exist in dependence on the combining of their conditions; and it shows that they are not eternal, etc., thus denying the various doctrines of eternalism, no-cause, fictitious-cause, and power-wielder.3 What purpose indeed would the combining of conditions serve, if things were eternal, or if they occurred without cause, and so on?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second: the word “origination” (samuppáda) indicates the arising of the states, since these occur when their conditions combine, and it shows how to prevent annihilationism, etc., thus preventing the various doctrines of annihilation [of a soul], nihilism, [“there is no use in giving,” etc.,] and moral-inefficacy-of- action, [“there is no other world,” etc.]; for when states [are seen to] arise again and again, each conditioned by its predecessor, how can the doctrines of annihilationism, nihilism, and moral-inefficacy-of-action be maintained?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="5777" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T17:55:29.697" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T17:55:29.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-27T08:56:49.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all the idea of emptiness doesn't really apply to chicken soup. This is a widespread misinterpretation. It principally applies to experiences. The basic idea is that there is a sense-object (&lt;em&gt;arambaṇa&lt;/em&gt;) and a sense-faculty (&lt;em&gt;indriya&lt;/em&gt;) and when the two come together in the presence of sense-cognition (&lt;em&gt;vijñāna&lt;/em&gt;) then this produces an experience (&lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;), which then gives rise to a whole range of speculative mental processes (&lt;em&gt;prapañca&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; comes from a verbal root &lt;em&gt;√vid&lt;/em&gt;, meaning &quot;to know, to discover&quot;. We have &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; when we &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; we are experiencing something. So dependent arising is describing, not the arising of chicken soup, but the arising of a conscious experience. And of course experience is characterised by impermanence (&lt;em&gt;anitya&lt;/em&gt;), disappointment (&lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt;), and lack of substance (&lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this theory, the experience of being a self happens in just the same way. The first-person perspective and the sense of being someone who is having an experience, are just more kinds of experience. The kind that happen then the &lt;em&gt;arambaṇa&lt;/em&gt; is a mental process and the &lt;em&gt;indriya&lt;/em&gt; is the mental faculty and there is mental cognition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any arguments over whether the experience exists (&lt;em&gt;asti&lt;/em&gt;) or does not exist (&lt;em&gt;nāsti&lt;/em&gt;) are kind of meaningless. When you eat a peach, does the taste of peach exist? Or not? Or is the language of &quot;being&quot; inappropriate here? Early Buddhist texts argue that &lt;em&gt;asti&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nāsti&lt;/em&gt; don't apply to the world of experience (e.g. &lt;em&gt;Kaccānagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; SN 12.15). And one of the ways of expressing this is to say that experiences are &lt;em&gt;anātman&lt;/em&gt; - they don't have any kind of substance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to say that the self exists, or that at death it ceases to exist, is simply to misunderstand the situation. The sense of being a self, like the taste of peach, only persists when the conditions are present. It ceases, for example, if one is knocked unconscious! Or if one experiences &lt;em&gt;nirodhasamāpatti&lt;/em&gt; in meditation. What we loosely call &quot;self&quot; is just an experience. At death that experience stops arising in us. Buddhists argue that either immediately, or after a period of time, that the experience arises in another being, based on the condition of the last moments of the dead persons conscious experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The implication here is similar to what we find in the philosophy of Kant. Everything we know comes from experience. Experience is constantly changing. Therefore we cannot know anything that is permanent. If something were permanent we'd either have to always know it or always be ignorant of it. In fact simple introspection shows that experience is constantly changing and nothing is constantly in our minds - ergo we can have no knowledge of anything permanent. If there is a permanent &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt;, we could never know anything about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important for Buddhism that rebirth happens. Without it the morality of Buddhism falls apart. Buddhists are realistic enough to see that in this life the wicked frequently go unpunished and the good go unrewarded. All moral systems of thought are oriented towards a &quot;Just World&quot; in which everyone gets what they deserve. In most moral systems this is overseen by a supernatural agent, a god of justice (e.g. in the Vedas Mitra and Varuṇa over see different aspects of keeping things in balance). Without a supernatural agent, it is necessary that the moral agent live again so as to experience the consequences of their actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the India systems with an &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;jīva&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. a permanent aspect of the psyche) that passes from life to life this is straightforward. For Buddhists it is complicated by our denial of personal continuity. An &lt;em&gt;ātman&lt;/em&gt; would wreck our metaphysics and so we have this on going tension between morality which demands continuity to obtain a just world, and metaphysics which denies continuity because permanence would ruin dependent arising. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we try to apply this theory to objects that exist independently of our experience (such as in the chicken soup example) then the theory does not hold together. Buddhists who tried this ended up proposing contradictory notions such as the Two Truths, which rather than rejecting &lt;em&gt;asti&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nāsti&lt;/em&gt;, try to argue that objects are both &lt;em&gt;asti&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nāsti&lt;/em&gt;. This is because objects and experiences are of a very different nature. What is true of experience is not necessarily true of objects. It is a bad mistake to use a theory of experience as a theory of objects; and a catastrophe to use it as a theory of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a theory was never meant to stand up to the kind of scrutiny we now subject it to. It was an ad hoc explanation for something that was widely believed to be the case in North Indian by at least the 8th century BCE. and for centuries people all over the world found it plausible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theories of Emptiness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite wrong to say that the Buddha did not teach a theory of emptiness. If you look for the Pāḷi words &lt;em&gt;suññā&lt;/em&gt; (empty) and &lt;em&gt;suññatā&lt;/em&gt; (emptiness) you will find that they occur many times. A survey of these uses in the Pāḷi texts and their Chinese counterparts can be found in &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;CHOONG, Mun-keat. (1999) The Notion of Emptiness in Early Buddhism. 2nd. Ed. Motilal Banarsidass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I believe that Bhikkhu Anālayo's new book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/compassion_and_emptiness_in_early_buddhist_meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, tackles some of the same themes (though I have not read it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that the doctrine of emptiness changed over the centuries, but the Buddha (if the early Buddhist texts do represent his words) did indeed teach about emptiness. The early Buddhist texts (and the Āgamas more so than the Nikāya) use the idea of emptiness in a number of ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An empty place (i.e. where there are no people), which is used as a metaphor for ... &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A samādhi state (Pali suññatāvihāra; Chinese &amp;#31354;&amp;#19977;&amp;#26151; = Skt &lt;em&gt;śūnyasamādhi&lt;/em&gt;) in which there is no experience, i.e. a state in which there is no conscious mental activity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The emptiness of the world (&lt;em&gt;suñño loko&lt;/em&gt;) of self or anything belonging to self (&lt;em&gt;suññaṃ attena vā attaniyena vā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A synonym for &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These meanings were developed over time into the various theories of emptiness we know about today. The 3rd use in Pāḷi is adapted by Nāgārjuna to give the classic early Madhyamaka interpretation of emptiness which is that dharmas are empty of svabhāva - i.e. that nothing can be a condition for it's own existence (which was an implication of later Abhidharma speculation). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T08:56:49.450" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11084" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11096" CreationDate="2015-08-27T09:32:50.020" Score="7" ViewCount="1125" Body="&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I'll try to be clearer in what I want to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The philosophy of good/bad, like/dislike is really irrelevant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: If karma is neutral, then how come &quot;good&quot; karma leads to &quot;good&quot; rebirth. These aren't my words, I've heard it being said: &quot;good karma leads to good rebirth&quot;. What &quot;good&quot; means in the context of Buddhism is beside the point and why Buddhists even use the term &quot;good rebirth&quot; is another question. Weather or not being rich is ultimately a &quot;good&quot; thing, &quot;good&quot; karma still leads, rather conveniently, to &quot;good&quot; rebirth, which I take as meaning rich and healthy since that is the only interpretation I've heard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what I want to understand is why doing good can't lead to rebirth as, for example, a worm? Why does &quot;good rebirth&quot; mean to be born generally fortunate (by unenlightened standards) when karma is neutral?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that clarifies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="5805" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T12:58:45.533" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T23:38:21.090" Title="If karma is objective, how come it's cause for &quot;good&quot; rebirth?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11064" CreationDate="2015-08-27T10:09:32.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the answers above it might help to reflect on the opposites of &lt;em&gt;Hiri&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ottappa&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Ahirika&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Anottappa&lt;/em&gt;). Just as &lt;em&gt;Hiri&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ottappa&lt;/em&gt; arise in all wholesome mental states, &lt;em&gt;Ahirika&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Anottappa&lt;/em&gt; arise in all unwholesome states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ahirika&lt;/em&gt; (shamelessness / immodesty) has a characteristic of “no disgust over misconduct”, a function of “doing evil without shame”, a manifestation of “not shrinking away from evil” and a proximate cause of “lack of respect for self”. Just as a pig is not ashamed to roll in sewage, the mind is not disgusted with unwholesome actions, speech or thought. The Buddha said to his son, “Of anyone for whom there is no shame at intentional lying; of him I say that there is no evil he cannot do. ‘I will not speak a lie, even for fun’ – this is how you must train yourself”. In other words, there is no room for “white lies”. To check if there is Shamelessness in the mind, ask yourself, “Is this the kind of Mental State that could arise in an Arahat?” or ask yourself, “Would I be proud if my thought were reported as a headline in tomorrow’s newspaper?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anottappa&lt;/em&gt; (recklessness / lack of moral dread) has a characteristic of “no dread over misconduct”, a function of “doing evil without dread”, a manifestation of “not shrinking away from evil” and a proximate cause of “lack of respect for others”. Just as a moth gets attracted by fire and is burned, Recklessness is unaware of consequences, gets attracted by the unwholesome and plunges into the danger zone. To check if there is Recklessness in the mind, ask yourself, “Is this Mental State going to be the wind under my wings to lift me up, or the weight around my neck to drag me down?” or ask yourself, “What kind of kamma is this Mental State creating?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T10:09:32.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11086" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-27T10:23:04.320" Score="4" ViewCount="1779" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are sharing merit with someone, are you visualizing the person you are sharing the merit with? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are sharing merit with all living beings, are you imagining all beings? How do you do that? What do you really do from Theravada perspective? Thanks all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T11:32:22.950" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T09:46:22.950" Title="Sharing merit in Theravada Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|merit|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11086" CreationDate="2015-08-27T11:16:51.797" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;sharing merit&quot; or &quot;transferring merit&quot; is very popular in Theravāda Buddhism. I do not believe that it has a basis in the Suttas. I have read that this concept was introduced much later because of folk beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest thing in the Suttas to sharing or transferring of merit is in Pv 1.5 / Khp 7, which talks about food / drink and ghosts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outside the walls they stand and at crossroads. At door posts they stand, returning to their old homes.&#xA;  But when a meal with plentiful food &amp;amp; drink is served, no one remembers them: Such is the kamma of living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus those who feel sympathy for their dead relatives give timely donations of proper food &amp;amp; drink — exquisite, clean — [thinking:] &quot;May this be for our relatives. May our relatives be happy!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And those who have gathered there, the assembled ghosts of the relatives, with appreciation give their blessing for the plentiful food &amp;amp; drink: &quot;May our relatives live long because of whom we have gained [this gift]. We have been honored, and the donors are not without reward!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For there [in the ghost realm] there's no farming, no herding of cattle, no commerce, no trading with money. They live on what is given here, hungry ghosts whose time here is done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As water raining on a hill flows down to the valley, even so does what is given here benefit the dead. As rivers full of water fill the ocean full, even so does what is given here benefit the dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He gave to me, she acted on my behalf, they were my relatives, companions, friends&quot;: Offerings should be given for the dead when one reflects thus on things done in the past. For no weeping, no sorrowing no other lamentation benefits the dead whose relatives persist in that way.&#xA;  But when this offering is given, well-placed in the Sangha, it works for their long-term benefit and they profit immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way the proper duty to relatives has been shown, great honor has been done to the dead, and monks have been given strength: The merit you've acquired isn't small.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is how I understand this Sutta... Dead relatives hang around things to which they were attached during their lives (places and relatives), but nobody cares. When you see good food and drink, you should think &quot;May my deceased relatives be happy&quot;. When this is done, your deceased relatives will rejoice because they have been honoured. Ghosts lead a difficult life and offering the thought &quot;May my deceased relatives be happy&quot; helps and sustains the ghosts. Crying and lamentation does not help the deceased relatives, but offering the thought &quot;May my deceased relatives be happy&quot; helps and sustains the ghosts. If the food and drink is offered to the Sangha, the there is even more merit because the monks gain strength as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another popular chant sometimes called &quot;Sharing Merit with Devas&quot; (not sure where this originated... can't find it in the Tipiṭaka or commentaries):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ākāsaṭṭhā ca bhummaṭṭhā&#xA;  devā nāgā mahiddhikā&#xA;  Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā&#xA;  ciraṃ rakkhantu sāsanaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ākāsaṭṭhā ca bhummaṭṭhā&#xA;  devā nāgā mahiddhikā&#xA;  Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā&#xA;  ciraṃ rakkhantu desanaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ākāsaṭṭhā ca bhummaṭṭhā&#xA;  devā nāgā mahiddhikā&#xA;  Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā&#xA;  ciraṃ rakkhantu maṃ paran&quot;ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key word here is &quot;&lt;em&gt;anumoditvā&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which is sometimes incorrectly translated as &quot;sharing&quot;; what it really means is &quot;to rejoice&quot; / &quot;to be thankful&quot; / &quot;to appreciate&quot;. In other words, we are inviting the Devā to rejoice in what merit we have done... we are not transferring anything to them. Anyway, Devā have lots of merits of their own, so why would they need ours? :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T11:16:51.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-08-27T11:29:10.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma doesn't have or reflect an agenda, so it's not agreeing with or encouraging behavior any more than the law of gravity is &quot;punishing&quot; someone who steps off a cliff by smashing them into the ground. But it still hurts or kills us if we step off a cliff - even if we do so mistakenly thinking we can fly. Gravity won't stop and go: &quot;hmm, this is a perfectly nice person who is just confused and not suicidal, I think I'll let him/her down gently this time.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A major difference between karma and rules like the law of gravity is that karma is cause-and-effect of the mind, not just the body. Because we have minds, we can be happy and we can suffer. Each of us wants to be happy, so karma is called &quot;good&quot; when it brings about happiness. None of us want to suffer, and we call karma &quot;bad&quot; when it brings suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, we're just sentient beings so we are very confused about things most of the time, including about what intentions and actions will &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; bring happiness and end suffering. (All too often, we're the well-intentioned fool stepping off a cliff and meaning to fly.) The ethical teachings we study and practice in Buddhism are trying to guide us out of this confusion, as we train in more skillful kinds of behavior and thought. Most importantly, they call for long-term thinking: yes, being rich (if it makes you happy) is the fruit of good karma; but what use is it to build up good karma and then burn up the ensuing good fortune in mundane pursuits? On the other hand, if we adopt a vast motivation (such as bodhichitta) and aim toward awakening as a Buddha for the sake of ourselves and all sentient beings, all the acts of body and mind directed toward this end will eventually lead to stainless, perfect happiness of a different nature, one entirely beyond the stimulus-driven ups and downs of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T11:29:10.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-08-27T12:21:32.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &quot;good rebirth&quot;, or more precisely rebirth in a beneficial destination (&lt;em&gt;sugati&lt;/em&gt;), is good because it is &lt;em&gt;conducive to liberation&lt;/em&gt;. It seems to me that you are defining &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; in decidedly non-Buddhist terms. Likes and dislikes contribute mainly to suffering, not to happiness. And the view that likes will make you happy is the main wrong view Buddhists are trying to correct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being rich, for example, sounds like a &lt;em&gt;bad&lt;/em&gt; rebirth since too much wealth can get in the way of intention to practice, because you'll spend all your time indulging your likes and dislikes. Though there are one or two notable exceptions to this in the traditional legends, like Anathapiṇḍika for example who gave all his wealth to the Saṅgha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as Buddhism is concerned there is only one really good state to be in and that is &lt;em&gt;nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;, and that does not involve rebirth (&lt;em&gt;punabhava&lt;/em&gt;). So any life in which the conditions are good for ending rebirth are &quot;good&quot; conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T12:21:32.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11008" CreationDate="2015-08-27T13:06:26.543" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are all quite good answers to my mind. The essential point is that we must always work first and foremost on ourselves, starting wherever we are. The more we clean up our own hearts and minds, the more helpful we will be to ourselves and others- with absolutely no need to assert any doctrine. I wanted to add that at least in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism there's a strong tradition of the teacher carefully examining the student and vice versa before the process of teaching ever begins. So it is really important to consider the situation and to have a student who really wants to learn and enact something you are confident you actually understand  before ever presuming to teach.  Without that, much better to treat your friends, family and colleagues as quite possibly having more to teach you than you have to teach them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T13:06:26.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-27T14:28:14.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a little different approach, bhante. Young university students might get more attracted to a rebellious and in your face style of presentation. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is the doctrine of the Buddha. It is commonly referred to as the Dhamma.&#xA;The Dhamma is like the great ocean. The great ocean tastes the same(salty) wherever you dip your mouth in it. Similarly, the Dhamma tastes the same regardless of which part you start to learn it from. What is that taste? It is the taste of liberation(vimutti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What does Buddhism offer you?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have been searching for satisfaction since the day you were born, have you not? If you are already satisfied, you wouldn't be coming to this university to study. You wouldn't be spending sleepless nights, just to pass exams.You wouldn't be looking for various methods to make yourself happy on a daily basis. You spend most of your time on any given day in search of satisfaction, yet you can't see an end in sight. You still have to keep doing things to keep yourself happy. It doesn't stop even if you get a doctorate. Even the richest man in the world has to keep doing things everyday to make himself happy. Ever stopped to think why that is, instead of trying the same methods over and over again? Ever wondered if there is a better way? Well, there is! Thanks to a young prince named Siddhartha who lived in India over 2500 years ago. He thought differently from the rest. He saw the dissatisfaction in the world and the things people do to mitigate it. He realised that whatever they do doesn't seem to give a permanent solution to suffering. He refused to submit to this like the rest of the world. He didn't want to keep doing the same things people have been doing which have failed since time immemorial. He left his palace in search of a happiness that does not fade.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 2 way to search for happiness in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;ignoble search&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;noble search&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth.&#xA;There is the case where a person, being subject himself to aging, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to aging.&#xA;There is the case where a person, being subject himself to illness, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness. &#xA;There is the case where a person, being subject himself to death, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to death etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Himself being subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. This is the noble search. It is the search that led prince Siddhartha to become the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the advantage of learning Buddhism over other religions or over science for that matter?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't have to wait till you die to realise the final goal. There's a clear path defined which you can practice and reach the destination while you are still alive. So there's no risk involved. There's no waiting in hope. The Buddha achieved this at the age of 35. What he realised is through direct knowledge. It's not a hypothesis created in the mind to explain certain behavior that might change in the future. It neither requires faith or verification by others. Once you achieve the goal, you will be satisfied and the search ends for good. For thousands of years, many who have followed the same path have achieved the same satisfaction that never fades. You can too!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T15:10:34.133" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T15:10:34.133" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11095" CreationDate="2015-08-27T15:03:29.917" Score="3" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;An ordained Bhikkhu shared the following with me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You have done what is good and wholesome, you have made a shelter&#xA;  from fear. You have not done anything to harm other. You have not been&#xA;  greedy and immoral. You have forgiven the world difficult life&#xA;  pleasure and pain with compassion and after death you will be reborn&#xA;  in a happy destination.&quot; … said Buddha before death when he invited&#xA;  all the monks and followers to come and watch how the noble one dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know if he paraphrased and I could not find it with a Google search... he was saying the idea that Buddha died from eating bad pork was incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was vaguely referencing mushrooms as a possible cause and then also mentioned that Buddha died through some supernatural phenomenon and this was in some Pali sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if anyone knew where this quote is from (and hence the rest of the story)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T15:56:37.980" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T16:28:22.997" Title="Which sutta is this excerpt about Buddha's death from?" Tags="|reference-request|death|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11093" CreationDate="2015-08-27T15:25:58.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's final days and death are described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see anything there quite like the quote you mentioned. According to the sutta, the Buddha's final words were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject&#xA;  to vanish. Strive with earnestness!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concerning the final meal, the text says that the Buddha's final meal was 'Sukara-maddava'. The translators of the version I linked to have noted several possible interpretations of this phrase, including that it was a tender pork dish, a dish containing some kind of mushrooms that pigs find delightful, and a dish that has bamboo that has been trampled by pigs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T16:01:44.497" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T16:01:44.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11093" CreationDate="2015-08-27T15:55:17.747" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quoted passage sounds vaguely like the last paragraph of Ud 8.5 the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cunda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. For example you quoted,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You have done what is good and wholesome ... after death you will be reborn in a happy destination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro's version of that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cunda's remorse should be allayed ... it's well-done by you ... Venerable Cunda the silversmith has accumulated kamma that leads to heaven&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However much of the rest of it doesn't match the your quote, e.g. &quot;you have made a shelter from fear&quot; sounds like it's addressed to people who have taken refuge (i.e. &quot;all the monks and followers&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then again it is a bit like the poem at the end of that sutta (&quot;not greedy&quot; -&gt; &quot;giving&quot; and &quot;You have forgiven&quot; -&gt; &quot;no animosity&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;For a person giving,  &#xA;merit increases.  &#xA;For one self-restraining,     &#xA;no animosity is amassed.  &#xA;One who is skillful  &#xA;    leaves evil behind  &#xA;and  &#xA; — from the ending of passion,  &#xA;    aversion,  &#xA;    delusion —  &#xA;is totally unbound.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway (whether or not this is the sutta which the Bikkhu wanted to share with you) this sutta too is from towards the end of the Buddha's life, and may or may not mention pork,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary notes a wide range of opinions on what &quot;pig-delicacy&quot; means. The opinion given in the Mahā Aṭṭhakathā — the primary source for the Commentary we now have — is that pig-delicacy is tender pork. Other opinions include soft bamboo shoots or mushrooms that pigs like to nibble on, or a special elixir. Given that India has long had a history of giving fanciful names to its foods and elixirs, it's hard to say for sure what the Buddha ate for his last meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T16:28:22.997" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T16:28:22.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-08-27T16:00:32.883" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, I will take a shot. As I understand it...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma (Pali: kamma) cannot judge actions because 'kamma' refers to the intentional actions of persons. The result or fruit (Pali: phala) of some intentional act (kamma) is related to that act in a lawful (although complex) way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say that healthy habits tend to lead to having a healthy body because of a causal relationship between the action and result. If one exercises, eats healthy food, and keeps her body clean, this tends to promote bodily health. The laws of physics and biology are not judging someone's bodily habits; it is simply the case that, the laws being what they are, 'healthy choices' such as exercise  tend to lead to healthy results (cardiovascular health), and 'unhealthy choices' such as smoking cigarettes, tend to lead to unhealthy results or disease (cancer).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, according to Buddhism, the nature of the universe is such that certain kinds of bodily, verbal, and mental actions are causally related to certain kinds of results. If, e.g., one initiates good actions, i.e., one intentionally gives, is kind to others, and seeks to learn from the wise, this will tend to produce good results including fortunate future birth. As in the above analogy, the laws governing kamma are not judging you; it is simply the case that, the laws being what they are, 'good/skillful actions' such as kindness tend to lead to good/desirable results (being born beautiful), and 'bad/unskillful choices' such as intentionally killing beings, tend to lead to bad/undesirable results (short life as a human or birth in animal or hell realm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationships between intentional action and its results were well-known, we hear, by the Buddha, who taught them to others. See, e.g., the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T20:29:37.777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T20:29:37.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-08-27T17:11:28.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's another view of Karma that's more &quot;objective&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma = the motivations for your actions. These motivations have nothing to do with &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; actions, but rather whether you're acting out of attachment or non-attachment.  Your actions will strengthen or loosen your attachments, and your attachments when you die govern whether you're reborn or not.  If you're reborn, you're reborn with your attachments at death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since attachments = suffering, the quality of your new life has nothing to do with your material conditions.  It doesn't matter if you're born rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, healthy or diseased.  Die with a lot of attachments and you'll suffer more in the next life because of those attachments, and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, Karma doesn't determine the quality of your birth by some decision made based on whether you were &quot;good&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Full Disclosure&lt;/strong&gt;: I treat Buddhism as a philosophy and thus don't believe in Karma or any other metaphysics. However, I encountered this view of Karma previously and felt I could contribute it despite my beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-08-27T19:29:27.967" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T19:29:27.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-08-27T18:14:36.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you might be getting hung up on the idea of neutrality.  Karma isn't a system of divine justice dolled out by a celestial being.  It isn't vindictive or rewarding - karma just is.  You might want to try to understand it as a kind of natural force like gravity or electromagnetism.  Karma is &quot;neutral&quot; in the same way.  For instance, we don't go about our days worrying about offending gravity!  Of course, we certainly know that if we decided to jump off of a building, we might not like the result.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the second sticking point here is a very common one - namely that karma has anything to do with good and bad.  Jayarava Attwood touches on this in his answer, but I think it can be taken a step further.  You have to remember, karma literally means action.  The Buddha's great discovery was that correct action (of which right action - samyak-karmanta - is a part) had nothing to do with expressing your caste as in the Brahamanical system of his day.  Instead, right karma were those actions that expressed virtue and renunciation.  These actions lead to better conditions in this life because they create a kind of moral momentum.  The same deeds become easier the more often they are done.  They also help people arrive at better life circumstances.  You see this all the time in individuals who change their behavior and suddenly find their relationships going better and their general lot in life improving.  From life to life, good karma can also result in rebirths were enlightenment is easier to attain (i.e. the human realm).  Obviously, it works the same way for negative karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up, yes karma is neutral but just as a balanced scale will tip if you add too much to one side, karma does reflect those actions that one is putting their volitional weight behind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T18:14:36.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4118" CreationDate="2015-08-27T19:22:47.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate problem is ignorance, not cruelty. It's from the ignorance of the four noble truths that every suffering arises. Pragmatically, the problem is the ignorance of the nature of reality, namely that every composed phenomenon is impermanent, unsatisfactory and empty. You cannot destroy this ignorance by concentration alone. You need to &lt;strong&gt;understand&lt;/strong&gt; the nature of reality so that you can let it go. I'm afraid there is no other way around this and every buddhist path converges here: &lt;strong&gt;direct experiencial understanding&lt;/strong&gt; of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of room to emphasize the practice of love and compassion and it should be done. But not to the point where the only real solution to suffering is removed from the practice. Wise attention is what destroys ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a &lt;strong&gt;personal speculation&lt;/strong&gt;, I believe that liberation by &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; (loving kindness), or &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; release, means another thing. When a meditator attains any of the 4 levels of awakening described in the pali canon, he gets access to the practice of &lt;em&gt;phala samapatti&lt;/em&gt;. The attainment of a level of awakening is marked by two consecutive events: path and fruit, or &lt;em&gt;magga&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;phala&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Phala samapatti&lt;/em&gt; is the recolection of the fruit consciousness that arises after a level of awakening is reached. I believe that &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; release is in fact the recollection of the fruit consciousness brought about by the practice of &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;. It's a particularly powerful way of abiding in the fruit consciousness and perfecting the release of the level of awakening the meditator is at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2469" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T19:22:47.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5916" CreationDate="2015-08-27T21:58:17.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am in no position to speak for the Dalai Lama, though personally confident that he will  never abandon  Bodhichitta. But I think I can partly answer your question even so. Choosing not to be reborn as the Dalai Lama of Tibet says nothing about whether he might choose to reincarnate in some other form and position that is of greater benefit to beings, and in particular better serves the further development of Tibetan politics and culture. In other words, it certainly doesn't follow from HHDL's statement that he has foregone reincarnation altogether. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-27T21:58:17.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11101" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-27T22:17:12.157" Score="1" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11081/254&quot;&gt;the suttas quoted in this answer&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha describes the Citta as pure, free from defilement and transcending the 5 aggregates, and its liberation from samsara as the highest aim of his teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this evidence that the Buddha never taught &quot;emptiness&quot; (in the Mahayana sense of &quot;emptiness of inherent existence&quot;), and does it contradict the Mahayana doctrine of &quot;emptiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pabhassara Sutta&#xA;AN 1.49-52 PTS: A i 10 (I,v,9-10; I,vi,1-2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T10:35:32.960" Title="Does the Buddha's concept of Citta contradict the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness?" Tags="|sunyata|mind|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11101" CreationDate="2015-08-28T01:01:24.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;While &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; seems to show some variations according to context, it's literal meaning is &quot;thought&quot;, but also has been identified primarily with &quot;state of mind&quot;. Here's Sue Hamilton analysis&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By this I mean that &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is the term used to refer to the qualitative picture, as it were, of the way all one's mental processes are functioning at any given moment. This is very different from any of the different mental processes of which the whole 'mind' is comprised: &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is neither an entity nor a process (which probably accounts for its not being classified as a khandha, nor mentioned in the paticcasamuppada formula), but is a term which abstractly indicates one's progress on the path, or even more generally, one's mental condition.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Understanding &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; to mean 'state of mind' clarifies otherwise confusing passages, such as the following examples: &quot;Without understanding the thoughts of his mind, one is reborn in life after life [...] with a restless state of mind&quot;. Likewise: &quot;My state of mind is not of such nature that it will return to kamabhava levels of existence; knowing this, one's state of mind is well acquainted with wisdom&quot;. Johansson suggests these (and other similar) passages imply that &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;  &quot;seems to signify a surviving entity&quot;. But what they are indicating is that one's state of mind reflects one's progress, or lack of it, on the path to insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Claiming that &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is everlasting is not just a challenge to &lt;em&gt;suññatā&lt;/em&gt;, but a challenge to &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, and thus, a contradiction to pretty much the entire canon on that matter (whose summary has been written as &lt;em&gt;sabbe dhamma anatta&lt;/em&gt;: all dhammas are not-self). Finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, you may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. But do you see any such doctrine of self, bhikkhus?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; See &quot;&lt;em&gt;Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T01:01:24.743" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11103" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-28T04:18:54.573" Score="4" ViewCount="2046" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many examples, a couple wants to be together but break up after long-term dating, they want to get married but they never get married. A person wants to get close with another person and vice versa but they can never get together no matter how hard they try, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, our life is not destined so how are we supposed to understand above situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes someone has the affinity to become someone's parents or children for, for example, two lifetimes? What power determine the meeting? Is the affinity merely automatically created from the person we normally associate with in daily life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T05:21:43.823" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T05:21:43.823" Title="Is love a destiny or coincidence in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-08-28T09:10:31.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An Introduction&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Once upon a time there lived a prince called Siddhartha. One day he went to royal garden. By the way he sees a dead body accompanying suffering relatives. Then he start to think deeply about suffering. why i don't feel suffer, why only they suffer, because if bondage then only suffering arise. then he see a &quot;Bikku&quot; who searchers the way to illuminate bondage that create life sufferings. On his return way a lady called &quot;KisaGothami&quot; says &quot;Nibbutha Gata&quot;,  with that encouragement he decide to find Vimukthi or end of suffering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So he search teachers who can show how to overcome life sufferings.&#xA;One of them teach him everything consist Four &quot;MahaButha&quot; (elements) so develop concentrate on it and realize only &quot;Akasa&quot; is. then only &quot;Vingnana&quot; as the reality.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Another teacher shows the person(Athma) is when only feels it. if there is not &quot;Sagna&quot; then no self.(&quot;Newer sangna na sagnayathanaya&quot;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Maha Bodhisattva&quot; realize they are not the complete solutions for the life problem and decide to find his own path. He follows &quot;Aththakilamathanu yoga&quot; that popular Yoga technique. After about six years he give up it and follows his own experience at his very young age - Anapanasathi. After enlightenment at first sermon teach four Noble Truths.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11775/5513&quot;&gt;In Short:&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The point here is that phenomenal reality is projection, an&#xA;  interpretation that depends on the point of view. Because experienced&#xA;  reality is projection, we can control it by controlling our point of&#xA;  view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T00:38:45.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11103" CreationDate="2015-08-28T09:38:16.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there is some more in-depth explanation but if a couple breaks up there are probably reasons for it, maybe they have communication issues or somebody cheated on the other (I believe the latter is a no-no according to most religions, Buddhism included). As for communication issues, if people don't talk and are unmindful they will bottle things up until they blow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If two people want to be together but can't because they, for example, live on opposite sides of the world and can't afford to move, that must surely be related to karma. Whether they were born too poor or did deeds that led to that situation, I leave that to the experts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T09:38:16.707" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11106" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-28T11:10:49.203" Score="10" ViewCount="2367" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dipankara, Siddhartha Gotama, Maithreya to name a few (&lt;em&gt;of the 28 named in the Buddhavamsa&lt;/em&gt;) - it feels a bit like a Hollywood plot where it's always only an all American hero that fights off the alien invasion of planet Earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that the dharma is universal why isn't a Buddha a deva or a Pacific islander or a woman?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it also always only one person and not like say a united nations of Buddhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-28T12:15:26.713" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:27:23.843" Title="Why are Buddhas always Indian, male and human?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10400" CreationDate="2015-08-28T11:11:08.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I understand and in line with Buddho's comments above, the kind of karma created depends on the motivation of the magician or philosopher (at least as far as he/she is concerned).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more complete understanding of conventional would help here I think. It is not limited to the physical, but consists of all appearances that make up our ordinary experience (whether taken as physical or mental). The sanskrit is &lt;em&gt;saṃvṛtisatya&lt;/em&gt;, with a root meaning of something that 'covers' or 'conceals' truth (&lt;em&gt;satya&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So by its very nature conventional truth &lt;em&gt;always&lt;/em&gt; give us opportunities to recognize its delusive and obscuring qualities, simply through looking directly into it. Being misleading (generating the impression of reified subjects and objects from the experience of dependent origination) is simply the nature of conventional experience; and something's true nature will become more evident the more it is examined.  Not only a magician, but a rainbow or your reflection in a pond can trigger insight by highlighting this pervasive quality of conventional truth. I'm not used to seeing philosophers added to the mix - but why not, unless the philosopher is teaching some intellectual viewpoint (like reductive materialism) that further obscures direct experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, great teachers such as Āryadeva encourage us to contemplate various examples that highlight this pervasive quality of conventional reality: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samsaric existence is the same as / A fire-brand wheel, an emanation, a dream, / An illusion, a moon in water, fog, / An interior echo, a mirage, a cloud” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T11:11:08.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8374" CreationDate="2015-08-28T11:23:31.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha was asked shortly after his enlightenment: &quot;are you human&quot;?  He answered: &quot;no, I'm awake.&quot; (Paraphrase from a more extended passage in a sutra from the Pali Canon.) So I consider Buddhas as trans-human, beyond being labeled as any kind of sentient being. That said, the great physician Buddha sure has given us humans some wonderful medicine, exactly tailored to our human condition!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T11:23:31.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11106" CreationDate="2015-08-28T12:01:25.017" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question has two parts. Why only one Buddha? This is only in the Theravāda. In other Buddhist schools two, five, or up to millions of Buddhas can be seen. Two in the White Lotus, Five in the five Buddha Maṇḍala (featuring Vairocana Tathāgata, Akṣobhya Tathāgata, Ratnasambhava Tathāgata, Amitābha Tathāgata, and Amoghasiddhi Tathāgata), and an infinite number in the Avatamsaka Sūtra. Most non-Theravādin schools accept the existence of multiple Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rY6ai.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rY6ai.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Five Buddha Maṇḍala painted by Dharmacārī Āloka&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part is why ethnically North Indian? Artists in different countries tend to depict the Buddha as having features similar to their own ethnic group, and besides have nationally distinctive styles, so one can usually tell say a Khmer Buddha from a Chinese, or a Tibetan. Many of the Buddhist artists (the image is by my colleague Dharmacārī Āloka) I know paint the Buddha as similar to themselves - since most of the artists I know are English or Kiwis, their paintings tend to look Anglo-Saxon. But there's nothing to stop, say someone of African descent portraying the Buddha as African. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course there is some cross over. So Khmer artists tend to portray solitary Buddhas but with Khmer features, whereas Tibetans portray many Buddhas with Tibetan features. For some artists it makes sense to portray Gautama Buddha as an Indian because it seems more historically authentic, though of course we do not know the ethnic identity of Buddha - it's possible the Śākyas originally came from Iran for example. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-28T12:49:19.187" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T12:49:19.187" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2479" CreationDate="2015-08-28T12:33:23.433" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;One must be quite careful with this formula. In fact it never mentions causation and in general early Buddhist texts do not. Even if it purported to be a theory of causation, it tells us nothing at all about causation. It simply tells us that one thing arises in the presence of another and ceases in its absence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Causality is a very tricky subject. As David Hume pointed out in the 1700s one never sees &quot;causation&quot; one only ever sees sequence. We assume that when one event follows another in close proximity in space and time. But the assumption is impossible to prove one way or another, and we a frequently wrong about it. Immanuel Kant argued that the idea of &quot;causation&quot; is something that we humans bring to the interpretation of sense experience, a preconceived notion that we use to make sense of experience. So &quot;causation&quot; is still not something we can observe, but something we assume must be present because we cannot conceive of the world any other way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The formula of conditionality specifically refers to the arising of the items on the list of twelve nidānas. Although I think we can better understand it as applying to experience arising from the contact between sense-object, sense-faculty, and sense-cognition. One image for understanding it is that it's like relationship between the foundations, walls and roof of a house. The foundations must be in place for the walls to stand, but the foundations certainly don't &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; the walls. And similarly for the walls and roof. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the short answer is that &lt;em&gt;imassmim sati idaṃ hoti&lt;/em&gt; formula is emphatically not intended as a theory of cause and effect. The early Buddhists were interested in the conditions that contributed to the arising of experience, which they also called &quot;dukkha&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, later Buddhists tried to apply this idea conditionality to many things besides experience, creating huge unresolved philosophical problems. And at the same time it is often presented these days as a theory of causation - even by quite clever people who should know better. So modern Buddhists are often quite confused about what the &lt;em&gt;imassmim sati idaṃ hoti&lt;/em&gt; relates to and attempts to describe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T12:33:23.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1992" CreationDate="2015-08-28T13:15:09.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Trackless is a translation of &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;. It's an adjective for the Buddha, but literally means &quot;foot, foot-print&quot; and thus a &quot;sign&quot; or &quot;word&quot; and by association &quot;a path or track&quot;. A verse like Dhp 179 is said to consist of four feet (&lt;em&gt;catu padāni&lt;/em&gt;) which is to say four measures of 9 or 11 syllables in a particular rhythmic pattern - I label the four a,b,c, &amp;amp; d. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verbs used with it here are from the root √&lt;em&gt;nī&lt;/em&gt; which does mean &quot;lead&quot; but also &quot;take away&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in verse 180 we see the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yassa jālinī visattikā taṇhā n'atthi kuhiñci netave&lt;/em&gt; |180ab|&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He has no lust, clinging, or craving to take [him] anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;jitaṃ yassa no yāti koci loke&lt;/em&gt; |179b|&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;his victory does not go anywhere in the world&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the verses ask: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kena padena nessatha?&lt;/em&gt; |179d = 180d|&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By what &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; could he be taken?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The upshot is that taken together the verses seem to equate &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; with craving for sense experience. An the Buddha is someone who does not have craving so he is &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;. Craving is the agent that does the leading or taking away. The agent is not the path itself, though of course we have the English idiom of a path &quot;leading&quot; somewhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these two verses, &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; refers to the presence and &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt; to the absence of craving for sense experience. The Buddha is characterised by a lack of craving, he is &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And thus &quot;trackless&quot; as a translation obscures the connection between &lt;em&gt;pada&lt;/em&gt; and craving. It's a rather obscure metaphor, but when the two verses are taken together it's clear enough what it means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update 4 Sept&lt;/strong&gt;. I've now completed and published the essay I was working on for my blog when I wrote this answer. &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-trackless-one.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Trackless One?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this essay I show that &quot;trackless&quot; is probably not the correct translation of &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt; in this context. I establish this by examining every occurrence of the word in the Pāḷi suttas. It is used in precisely three contexts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a very difficult idiom to understand. The idea that it is explained by &quot;tracks&quot; or &quot;leaving  tracks&quot; seems a bit far-fetched. There are three apparently unrelated uses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;When an animal has no feet, it is &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;When the Buddha is without craving he is &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;When Māra is without sight, blinded, he is also &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think all three are in fact connected by an obscure metaphor which relies not on the &quot;track&quot; sense of pada, but on &quot;foot&quot;. The arising of craving is what propels people towards the object of desire. If craving is the &quot;foot&quot; that propels people around, then the Buddha is &quot;footless&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I suggest the following reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The range of that awakened one is limitless&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    By what footpath could you lead the footless?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think this is a superior reading. It nicely exploits the ambiguity of pada in a play on words. We get something of the flavour of it by using &quot;footpath&quot; to juxtapose with &quot;footless&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yuttadhammo's explanation of this text, though extensive and highly rated, is wrong on many counts. He has not understood the metaphors at work in this text, nor clocked the word play involved. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-04T19:11:51.110" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T19:11:51.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11075" CreationDate="2015-08-28T14:15:02.337" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not all forms of Buddhism define emptiness in the way you describe; in Theravada Buddhism, for example, emptiness mainly means &quot;empty of self&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“katamā cāvuso, suññatā cetovimutti”?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“idhāvuso, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘suññamidaṃ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti. ayaṃ vuccatāvuso, suññatā cetovimutti”.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, friend, is liberation of mind through emptiness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, friend, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling reflects thus: 'empty is this of self or what belongs to self.' This one calls, friend, liberation of mind through emptiness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 43&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being empty of self is different from not existing; it simply means that, from the point of view of experience, that which comes into existence does so from non-existence, and subsequently returns to non-existence; it has no existence outside of the single moment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“aniccā vata saṅkhārā, uppādavayadhammino.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;uppajjitvā nirujjhanti, tesaṃ vūpasamo sukho”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent indeed are formations, of a nature to arise and fall.&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Having arisen, they cease, their tranquillizing is happiness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“yaṃ kiñci samudayadhammaṃ sabbaṃ taṃ nirodhadhamman”ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whatever is of a nature to arise, all of that is of a nature to cease.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yasmā ca kho, ānanda, suññaṃ attena vā attaniyena vā tasmā suñño lokoti vuccati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because it is, Ananda, empty by way of self or what belongs to self, therefore 'the world is empty' is said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;--SN 35.68&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one example in Theravada Buddhism that I know of that is cited as support for the idea of emptiness being related to non-existence - in the Patisambhidamagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;katamaṃ vipariṇāmasuññaṃ? jātaṃ rūpaṃ sabhāvena suññaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is emptiness due to change? Born form is empty by way of intrinsic existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Paṭis. XX.5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary to this passage refutes the idea that this refers to non-existence, however:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Void of individual essense': here &lt;em&gt;sabhāva&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;sayaṃ bhāvo&lt;/em&gt;; arising of itself is the meaning. Or &lt;em&gt;sabhāva&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;sako bhāvo&lt;/em&gt;; own arising. Because of existence in dependence on conditions there is in it no essence by itself or essence of its own, thus it is &quot;void of individual essence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if someone should say: &quot;Own essence is individual essence; it is void of that individual essence. ... Because of the non-existence of any idea whatever it is the non-existence of materiality that is expressed by the words 'born materiality is void of individual essence.'&quot; It should be argued thus: that being so, the words 'born materiality' would be contradicted; for what is devoid of arising is not called 'born'. ... And the word 'void' for what is non-existent contradicts the Blessed One's use of it above for the 'world' and also the words of the books of logic and linguistics; and it contradicts many logical arguments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Path of Discrimination, p. 362 (Ñāṇamoli, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while to say that &quot;the Buddha never taught a theory of emptiness. This idea is nowhere in the entire Pali Canon.&quot; is clearly false (and should really be removed from your question), there are ways of understanding emptiness that don't contradict existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the Buddha taught non-self; he didn't precisely teach &quot;rebirth&quot; - he never actually used a word, that I know of, that implies such an idea. He taught dependent origination; that mental formations lead to further becoming. It is pretty clear from reading the earlier texts (e.g. those cited above) that experiences arise and cease, being replaced by new experiences. This occurs even at the moment of physical death, hence &quot;rebirth&quot;, or more accurately &quot;birth&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, emptiness can be understood to refer to absence of self (i.e. something eternal or immutable) and rebirth isn't really a Buddhist concept. Birth comes about because of mind states in one existence leading to future mind states in another existence - the separation between existences is merely conventional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T14:15:02.337" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11106" CreationDate="2015-08-28T14:33:12.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given my time with the reading &amp;amp; practice of Zen, Buddhism &amp;amp; Sanatan dharma with a lot of spiritual people, I'll answer this from a different Point of View. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jayarava's answer is perfectly accurate to say why people in various places and cultures portray the enlightened Master the look up to in different ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it feels a bit like a Hollywood plot where it's always only an all&#xA;  American hero that fights off the alien invasion of planet Earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lovely thing I remember hearing some time back if you want to learn: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Marketing - Americans&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Manufacturing, Precision, Quality - Germans / Japanese&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and so on.. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;India, or I will refer to a more accurate word for the region currently labeled by the British as India; &lt;strong&gt;Bharat&lt;/strong&gt; by its name &amp;amp; history has been the center of spiritual evolution &amp;amp; wisdom; flavors of knowledge &amp;amp; wisdom have emanated from that region. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each person &amp;amp; place has to play a role, something special to play its karma in the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while Americans always fight off alien invasions courtesy of their Hollywood machinery and brilliant influence on world pop culture, silently the spiritual flavors of ancient wisdom have been reaching the corners of the world over centuries or more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SideNote:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word Hindu is inaccurate as it was derived from 3 pieces&#xA;  that make up &lt;strong&gt;H-Indu-Sthan&lt;/strong&gt;. It was the name given by those that traveled to the Indu river valley &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;H - Persian / Farsiy had no way to speak / write Indu so the 'H' sound got prepended&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Indu - They meant to point to the River Indu &#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;For most people, things were mapped by major landmarks - Rivers, Seas, Mountains, Valleys, Forests. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sthan - Sanskrit loosely translate to 'Place, Spot, location'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;India's name is / was - Bha-rat - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Bha&quot; means Light and Knowledge,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;rata&quot; means “Devoted”.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone, every place, every nation, every atom &amp;amp; molecule have to play their part in the universe which has been labeled as both: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nothing - Nir-guna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everything - Sa-guna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: Guna - loosely translated attributes/ properties&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Given that the dharma is universal why isn't a Buddha a deva or a&#xA;  Pacific islander or a woman?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is the reason why people traveled to spread the word. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its also the reason why the missing years of Jesus, it is said he was in Bharat, in an area called Kashmir where his name has been found mentioned as 'Isa' or 'Issa' {pronounced: Eee- Saa - h} &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is it also always only one person and not like say a united&#xA;  nations of Buddhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have always been Masters like that all over the world. If you look for them, you will see there above lies your United Nations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spirituality unites or actually reminds us its all one.. Union.. Yog.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Ego &amp;amp; material nature of human beings draws lines &amp;amp; divides us into Nations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adding a note since someone hit negative on my answer :) just because they disagree - opposite of what Buddha or any enlightened master teaches us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Masters did not belong to Nations. If anything, every time a Master has come to the planet, they have come to help whoever they can reach, directly or indirectly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masters do not associate with Nations, Cultures or People, &#xA;It is the Nations, Cultures and People who identify with associate with a Master.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, people take on rituals &amp;amp; rites, methods &amp;amp; flavors; and later even fight with other groups over those details.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masters do not create factions, they join everyone, or should I say they are here to &quot;remind&quot; and &quot;make us realize&quot; that we are already ONE.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when they teach LOVE thy neighbor or Compassion, those are not for the other, but to for US, to realize the Oneness and practice it as something you are not doing for other, but for yourself :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the term &quot;self realization&quot;, reminding and realizing that we are the all-pervasive universe - everything &amp;amp; nothing. :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5609" LastEditorUserId="5609" LastEditDate="2015-10-25T22:27:23.843" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:27:23.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11114" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-28T15:19:44.567" Score="7" ViewCount="445" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is the connection between &lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt; (as &lt;em&gt;kamma-bhava&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;upapatti-bhava&lt;/em&gt;) and &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt; as links in the twelve link formula of dependant arising  to be understood?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5692" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T17:43:57.377" Title="bhava (kammabhava, upapattibhava) and jati" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11101" CreationDate="2015-08-28T16:56:36.653" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wiki entry&lt;/a&gt; talks about the meaning of &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; and the different ways various traditions have conceived of the purified, luminous &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;. As is the case for all appearances (whether pure or impure) there is no contradiction between appearance and emptiness from a Mahayana perspective (at least the Indo-Tibetan flavor): &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is not taken as having true, inherent existence in the reified and impossible sense that is refuted by the view of emptiness. As simply one example of the coalescence of appearances and emptiness, go back to the Heart Sutra.  In Thich Nhat Hanh's lovely &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014-Thich-Nhat-Hanh-New-Heart-Sutra-letter-cc.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;translation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;this Body itself is Emptiness and Emptiness itself is this Body. This&#xA;  Body is not other than Emptiness and Emptiness is not other than this&#xA;  Body. The same is true of Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations,&#xA;  and Consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one's understanding of emptiness and dependent origination deepens, the reasoning that &quot;things appear because they are empty, and are empty because they appear&quot; actually becomes quite compelling and seems quite simple (though profound) when compared to more elaborate analyses such as the &quot;vajra splinters&quot; reasoning (referenced &lt;a href=&quot;https://randrolsramblings.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/tiny-vajra-vajra-splinter-analyses-of-madhyamaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T16:56:36.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11117" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11120" CreationDate="2015-08-28T18:01:15.543" Score="7" ViewCount="1227" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha have any personal experience with maras and devas and supernatural beings in general? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, if I'm not mistaken, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt; is something he taught. So, how did he come to know of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-28T21:26:31.140" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T22:19:39.850" Title="Supernatural beings and the 31 planes of existence" Tags="|the-buddha|realms|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2015-08-28T18:17:18.667" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Disclaimer: This is not a Buddhist perspective this is just what I think about the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've had my fair share of experiences with various mind-altering substances. When I first had those experiences they challenged many assumptions that I had about pretty much everything. Those experiences allowed me to see how fallible this mind is. They also allowed me to see just how dependent my experience was on the neurochemical activity of the body. That was a long time ago. I was not practicing Buddhism back then. These days I derive no benefit whatsoever from drugs and I see them as a hindrance to the path. It's just another thing that belongs to the world and is bound up with suffering. If you're really curious about something and decide to take something please do as much research as possible and take all the necessary precautions before you do. But no drug is going to make you enlightened, I guarantee you that much. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-28T18:23:30.810" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T18:23:30.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11117" CreationDate="2015-08-28T19:00:12.647" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, it might help to probe the meaning of &amp;quot;supernatural&amp;quot; in the Buddhist context.  I think this &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/buddhism-the-supernatural/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;blog post&lt;/a&gt; covers it pretty well. In particular:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very notion of ‘Supernatural’ is one that, it seems to me, arises from Western philosophical assumptions. the basic idea is that there is ‘this world’, which is rational and subject to explanation according to the laws of physics, and the ‘other world’, which operates according to a quite different set of principles, and where the laws of physics no longer apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, however, the essential description of the world is not provided by the laws of physics, or other material phenomena. The most important ‘laws’ are the three characteristics – impermanence, suffering, not-self. And these describe any other state of being just as well as they describe ours. For theistic religions, ‘heaven’ is eternal – that is, not subject to conditions, and independent from Time. But for Buddhists, heaven is just as temporary as anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sri Lankan philosopher David Kalupahana has developed this idea in detail. he argues that Buddhism is empirical through and through; that even those aspects of Buddhist belief that seem to invoke the ‘supernatural’ in fact merely involve a refining and extension of ordinary sensory capacities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Starting from that perspective, I would say: yes, in every tradition of Buddhism I'm aware of it is agreed that Buddha knew the beings we refer to as &amp;quot;supernatural&amp;quot; in our culture - which, from a Buddhist perspective, are  just other varieties of sentient beings. Because Buddha is omniscient, he has the same comprehensive knowledge of these beings as of any other sentient being. As summarized &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/initial_scope/safe_direction/qualities_buddha_omniscient_deep_aw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, that knowledge includes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) The force of being omnisciently aware of the various spiritual aspirations (mos-pa) of all limited beings (sentient beings): the inferior ones for this life, the middling ones for liberation, the superior ones for enlightenment, and those that are concealed (unconscious or expressed unclearly). In this way, he can guide each being accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) The force of being omnisciently aware of the source of everyone’s cognitions, as well as the source of their enlightenment (khams, their Buddha family-traits, Buddha-natures). He knows where all their thoughts, ideas, and misunderstandings have come from and also those factors in each of them that will lead to their realization of their fullest potential. In this way, he can correct all others when they have gone astray and draw out their strongest points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) The force of being omnisciently aware of the superior and less-than-superior levels of everyone’s powers (dbang-po). Thus, he always teaches others in accordance with their intelligence and abilities so that they never become discouraged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry, but I am not familiar with the &amp;quot;31 planes of existence&amp;quot; so hopefully someone else can speak to that specifically. But the bottom line to me is that if Buddha knows all beings, he knows their various abodes as well however they are categorized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T19:00:12.647" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11117" CreationDate="2015-08-28T20:24:11.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Suttas, the Buddha frequently interacted with Devā and Māra. In the Saṃyutta Nikāya, Chapter 1 is &amp;quot;Discourses with  Devatās&amp;quot;, Chapter 2 is &amp;quot;Discourses with Young Devas&amp;quot; and Chapter 4 is &amp;quot;Discourses with Māra&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, the Devā and Māra would come and visit the Buddha and the monastics; the Devā to ask the Buddha questions, Māra to try and disrupt spiritual progress (especially when appearing to monks / nuns). On rare occasions, the Buddha would use his psychic power to visit the Deva realms. The implications from the Suttas is that the Buddha was able to view all the planes of existence, either by reviewing his past existences or using his psychic powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;31 planes of existence&amp;quot; is a later Theravāda summary of the realms. Other traditions have different numbers of realms. Nowhere in the Suttas does it explicitly state 31 realms, though most of the realms are mentioned in various Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an interesting quote from the Conclusion (page 70) of &amp;quot;The Ethico-psychological Basis of the Concept of Gods in Early Buddhist Literature&amp;quot; by Ven. Dr. Hindagala Gnanadhara Thera:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ancient India, people were inclined to seek refuge in divine beings as they were frightened by the forces of nature. This had become the nature of the majority of the people. In view of this fact, some suggest that it is psychological, but there is no basis for that presumption. They are naturally subjected to diverse rites and rituals, because they are haunted by natural disasters such as epidemics and other inauspicious forces. They beseech gods for help. Such rites and rituals are observed, not only by the illiterate people, but also the educated ones. It is quite clear from the above examples that man is degraded mentally. The weak people seek refuge in the mighty ones. Such things cannot be averted as long as this process of thinking is not reversed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, it does not deny the existence of gods, as non-human beings who are subject to all weaknesses as other human beings are. At the same time, it does not believe in a creator god. Nevertheless, it accepts the existence of various invisible powers such as yakkha, pisāca, etc. These invisible powers are not capable of helping men to get to the highest bliss Nibbāna, or salvation. It cannot be denied that these invisible forces for mankind for a short while as they are transient. A person who is cultured and ethically elevated does not need such help or assistance from any divine forces, visible or invisible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, belief in supernatural beings is not required to be a Buddhist; they play no role in the Theravāda doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that Buddhism “imported” gods from the popular Vedic culture (and sometimes changed their personalities). I see the Devā and Māra as a literary device, like the Jātakas, not to be taken literally. Great for story-telling, but not at all central to Buddhist beliefs (Jātakas have talking animals... they are the ancient Indian equivalent to cartoons and Sesame Street).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-28T20:29:29.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11117" CreationDate="2015-08-29T00:35:40.703" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha have any personal experience with maras and devas and&#xA;  supernatural beings in general?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, throughout the suttas and many of the Mahayana sutras, like the Lotus Sutra, it is mentioned the various respledent powers that Gautama Buddha shows but also noteworthy is Buddha's personal attendant Ananda who is able to memorize everything the Buddha says but isn't able to get into the assembly of monks meeting after Buddha's death because he does not have samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only when Ananda is able to attain samadhi (an actual achievement rather than just memorization) is he able to use super powers and join the assembly in discussion of Buddhism's fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And, if I'm not mistaken, the 31 planes of existence is something he&#xA;  taught. So, how did he come to know of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He viewed them directly when he entered samadhi, visiting each realm in turn.&#xA;This is a scientific experiment because it is something that we ourselves can do, as well, after we achieve state of concentration (samadhi). Little is left to blind belief in Buddhism.&#xA;The state of samadhi is also useful in investigating the other dharmas in Buddhism, such as the various mind objects and maras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T01:22:52.237" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T01:22:52.237" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11122" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T01:16:02.220" Score="3" ViewCount="771" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see the ambatta sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.pbworks.com/w/page/22282003/Amba%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADhasutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in pali&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/dob/dob-03tx.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in English&lt;/a&gt;, but my personal preference is to read it in Sanskrit. Is there a sanskrit translation available online (say in a scanned book at archive.org)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5819" LastEditorUserId="135" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T03:07:24.763" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T07:26:28.447" Title="Is there a sanskrit translation of the Pali tipitaka online?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|books|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10400" CreationDate="2015-08-29T01:39:24.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would create good karma. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T01:39:24.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11117" CreationDate="2015-08-29T02:00:37.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very clear to me that Maras, Devas and other supernatural beings are real phenomena that you can observe directly, if you know where to look. When ancients spoke of souls, spirits, demons etc. they were not crazy. They just did not mean it in the naive sense we think they meant it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T22:19:39.850" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T22:19:39.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2015-08-29T02:43:45.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we learn to ride a snowboard with recreational drugs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is not something you &amp;quot;see&amp;quot;. It is more like a skill. Like riding a snowboard, you can't quite put it into words, but you once you have acquired it, you know how it works. Like with snowboarding, there is a bunch of little elements that go into it: you know how gravity works with different types of terrain, you have a good feel for different snow conditions, you have intimate familiarity with the edges of your board etc. A drug may make you temporarily more sensitive to some of these, and less sensitive to others, but it won't make you a good rider, only practice will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is a skill in the area of experiencing reality, shaping reality, and interacting with reality. A drug may show you some interesting sides of reality. But it won't make you a good shaper and surfer of reality. Only practice will. And the practice involves learning to control your perception, starting with basic reactions, like getting frustrated or obsessed, all the way to your perception of your own identity. By working with your emotions and thoughts, both in day to day life &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; in meditation, you become intimately familiar with &amp;quot;the edge of your board&amp;quot;. You get my metaphor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Drugs may be useful for someone stuck in a bad loop  - to help them realize that &lt;em&gt;reality is an interpretation we make&lt;/em&gt;. But that's about all they can do. If you are not too stupid you can achieve the same result by crossing your eyes. The rest of the path requires effort, lots and lots of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2020-09-23T14:53:37.030" LastActivityDate="2020-09-23T14:53:37.030" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11114" CreationDate="2015-08-29T02:52:46.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is actually pretty simple. Once you have identified &quot;yourself&quot; and equated it with an organism, you must have been born. Makes sense? If you don't think you are this organism, moreover, you don't think there is any &quot;you&quot; at all, the notion of birth no longer applies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T02:52:46.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11114" CreationDate="2015-08-29T04:03:42.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Visuddhimagga XVII.270, jāti arises due to kamma condition and decisive support condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a more detailed explanation taken from Nyanatiloka's &amp;quot;Buddhist Dictionary&amp;quot; (part of the definition of paṭiccasamuppāda):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Through the process of becoming is conditioned rebirth&amp;quot; (Bhava-paccayā jāti), i.e. through the wholesome and unwholesome kamma-process (kamma-bhava) is conditioned the rebirth-process (upapatti-bhava). The 2nd and 10th propositions, as already pointed out, practically teach one and the same thing, namely, that kamma is the cause of rebirth; in other words, that the kammical volition (cetanā) is the seed out of which springs the new life, just as from the mango-seed is generated the new mango-tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, the 5 kammical causes (ignorance, etc.) of the past birth are the condition for the kamma-results of the present birth; and the 5 kammical causes of the present birth are the condition for the 5 kamma-results of the next birth (s. diagram). As it is said in Vis.M. XVII: &amp;quot;Five causes were there in the past, Five fruits we find in present life; Five causes do we now produce, Five fruits we reap in future life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, just as in this process of continually changing mental and bodily phenomena, nothing can be found that would pass from one moment to the next moment, so also there is no enduring entity, ego, or personality, within this process of existence that would transmigrate from one life to the next (s. nāma-rūpa, anattā, paṭisandhi, khandha). &amp;quot;No being and no living soul passed from the former life to this life, and yet this present embryo could not have entered into existence without the preceding causes&amp;quot; (Vis.M. XVII). &amp;quot;Many things may serve to illustrate this fact, as for example the echo, the light of a lamp, the impression of a seal, or the image produced by a mirror&amp;quot; (ib.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Whosoever is in the dark with regard to the conditionally arisen things, and does not understand that kamma originates from ignorance, etc., he thinks that it must be his ego that knows or does not know, acts and causes to act, and that arises at rebirth. Or he thinks that the atoms, or a creator, with the help of this embryonic process, must have formed this body, or that it is the ego endowed with faculties that has impressions, feels, desires, clings, continues and enters again into existence in a new birth. Or he thinks that all beings have been born through fate, or fortuitously&amp;quot; (Vis.M. XVII).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, on hearing that Buddhism teaches that everything whatever in the world is determined by conditions some might come to the conclusion that Buddhism teaches some sort of fatalism, and that man has no free will, or that will is not free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem 'whether man has a free will' does not exist for, the Buddhist, since he knows that, apart from these everchanging mental and physical phenomena, no such entity as 'man' can be found, and that 'man' is merely a name not relating to any reality. And the question, 'whether will is free', must be rejected for the reason that 'will', or volition, is a mental phenomenon flashing forth only for a moment, and that as such it had not any existence at the preceding moment. For of a thing which is not, or is not yet, one cannot, properly speaking, ask whether it is free or unfree. The only admissible question would be whether the arising of 'will' is independent of conditions, or whether it is conditioned. But the same question would equally apply also to all the other mental phenomena, as well as to all physical phenomena, in other words: to everything and every occurrence whatever. And the answer would be: whether will arises, or whether feeling arises, or whether any other mental or any physical phenomenon arises, the arising of anything whatsoever is dependent on conditions, and without conditions nothing ever can arise or enter into existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, everything mental or physical happens in accordance with laws and conditions; and if it were otherwise, chaos and blind chance would reign. But such a thing is impossible and contradicts all laws of thinking. Cf. Fund. III (end).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T04:03:42.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11128" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T04:39:34.333" Score="1" ViewCount="79" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a person enters phala(nibbana) too frequently can they develop a tolerance to the peacefulness of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T06:35:27.603" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T20:22:13.667" Title="Can phala be experienced too often?" Tags="|nirvana|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10180" CreationDate="2015-08-29T04:55:19.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mindstates talked about in those videos are more related to the notion of &quot;vipassana jhanas&quot; rather than the visudhimagga-style very hard jhanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/talking-in-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Talking in Jhanas - A Clarification Of The Relationship Between Jhanas And Ñanas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is familiar with the stages of insight such as talked about by the late Mahasi Sayadaw (regardless of whether one feels they are valid or not), when one reaches what he calls the 11th nana (equanimity towards formations), and experiences a moment of discontinuity which leads to a profound perceptual baseline shift (regardless of what conceptual overlay one would like to such a shift), it does give access, to many yogis I have talked with and in my own experience, to at least 4 significantly formed physically based absorption mind states and depending on the yogi, 4 more after these which are mentally based. Regardless of what you want to conceptually call them, these mind states or mental postures or fabrications of mind or are able to be called up at will of mind all due to the first cessation of the senses or discontonuity that Mahasi Sayadaw talked of occuring after the 11th nana or whatever you want to term a mind state that is wide, all encompassing, as panoramic as experience can be, seeing all phenomena of mind and body at once, even the &quot;assumed&quot; sensations that are misread as &quot;self&quot;, all a flux and all a flow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other 4 &quot;jhanas&quot; referred in those videos, have been called the &quot;pureland jhanas&quot; in the pragmatic tradition due to Kenneth Folk naming them so. They are simply mind states that are accessible to anyone with significant mental control over the territory just pre-cessation/discontinuity at what's been called 11th nana. Regardless of what one ones to conceptually call it, the territory right before a cessation of the senses occurs, a brief discontinuity,  is fertile territory to fabricate some interesting mind states off of. Still just more fabricated compoundings though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5820" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T06:44:26.600" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T06:44:26.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11128" CreationDate="2015-08-29T05:13:24.240" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no question of tolerance or intolerance. Nibbana is non-experiential(Avedeita) peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T05:13:24.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11133" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T05:54:40.080" Score="5" ViewCount="310" Body="&lt;p&gt;All five precepts are relatively clearly defined except maybe the third precept. There are different types of women that are prohibited, prostitute is not one of the requirement to break the third precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, for example, someone likes to visit prostitute, that person does not break the third precept. Do five precepts protect us from falling to lower realms? What is the purpose of practicing five precepts? What protects you from taking rebirth in the realms lower than human? Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T13:49:39.513" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T21:23:18.873" Title="Do five precepts protect?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11134" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T06:24:37.833" Score="4" ViewCount="416" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is one of the thing that is not ponderable. &#xA;We experience many things in life, if a fatal accident is often understood as a result of kamma then what about other relatively small things such as forget to turn off the stove, not preparing oneself well enough before attending a job interview, etc.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is everything not kamma until it becomes a big event?&#xA;What are they if they are not kamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T08:49:57.837" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T09:22:39.967" Title="If kamma is not everything, then what is that?" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11133" CreationDate="2015-08-29T08:15:02.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the threefold training, sila (morality) corresponds to the precepts. Sila conditions samadhi (concentration) which in turn conditions panna (wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common theme across the Buddha's teachings is that of nekkhamma (renunciation and pleasures borne of it). The precepts develop the quality of nekkhamma since the individual is practicing giving up certain unskillful qualities. When living by the precepts correctly the individual is practicing the following: abandoning arisen unskillful qualities, guarding against unarisen unskillful qualities, arousing unarisen wholesome qualities, and maintaining/cultivating arisen wholesome qualities. These four cases are known as cattaro-sammappadhana (four right exertions) which are associated with the path factor samma vayama (right effort).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can meditate all they want but if sila is broken, i.e. the individual is deficient in virtue, then any samadhi attained is also going to be broken. Broken in the sense that it won't be samma samadhi (right concentration), so it wouldn't be conducive to attaining wisdom. From the perspective of the noble eightfold path, the path factors condition each other successively. Samma ditti (right view) conditions all other path factors, which is why it's listed as the first path factor, so it's not possible to have samma samadhi without first having samma ditti. And it's not possible to have samma ditti without being compassionate towards oneself and others since true wisdom goes hand in hand with compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The training rules (precepts) are not hard and fast rules intended as prescriptive laws. Individuals who are advanced in virtue would go above and beyond the minimum criteria specified in the rules. For example, after having experienced peace of mind as a consequence of abstaining from killing, individuals are inclined to also give up any other type of physical or psychological harm. It's a positive feedback loop that leads to the abandonment of the second hindrance (nivarana) which is ill-will (vyapada). In the case of the third precept, a beginning practitioner will abstain from non-consensual sex. One who is slightly more advanced might give up visiting prostitutes. One who is much more advanced would give up porn and masturbation because they see through practice that doing so is conducive to their meditation practice. The positive feedback in this case is conducive to the abandonment of the first hindrance which is sensual desire (kamachhanda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With respect to rebirth in the lower realms, there is no guarantee that you will not be reborn in the lower realms unless you have attained stream entry. Practicing the five precepts can reduce the risk of being born in the lower realms, but understand that this is only temporary. A lot of Buddhists that believe in literal rebirth are very miopic about this. They think that making merit in this lifetime will help them secure a good birth in the next life. However, they fail to see that once that merit runs out they fall back down even lower than where they are now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5770" LastEditorDisplayName="user5770" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T21:23:18.873" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T21:23:18.873" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11122" CreationDate="2015-08-29T08:49:14.627" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very few of the early Buddhist texts survive in Sanskrit translation. Also the Sanskrit translations were made relatively late, perhaps the 4th or 5th century CE and they had frequently been substantially changed by this point. For example the &lt;em&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt; does survive in Sanskrit, but it is a very different text (and as far as I know, only available in a PhD thesis).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a comprehensive list of parallels in different languages on a website called &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Central&lt;/a&gt;. In the case of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambaṭṭa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; there are only fragments of a Sanskrit text extant. Most of these are only in &lt;a href=&quot;http://idp.bl.uk/database/oo_scroll_h.a4d?uid=9054871317;recnum=102375;index=2&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;manuscript form.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pāḷi Canon (in the Burmese, 6th Council Edition) is available in Devanārarī and a number of other non-Roman scripts via &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;tipitaka.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T16:38:03.937" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T16:38:03.937" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11134" CreationDate="2015-08-29T09:22:39.967" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea that everything that happens is a result of kamma is a common enough wrong view to have a name in Pāḷi: &lt;em&gt;Pubbekata-hetu-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt; (literally &quot;the with-past-actions-as-cause view&quot;). For a canonical discussion of this you could try the &lt;em&gt;Devadaha Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (Majjhima Nikāya 101). It's a long and complex argument that is difficult to summarise, the Buddha works through a range of combinations and shows that most of them, including the view that everything that one experiences is a result of past actions, are illogical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main result of accumulated karma is usually rebirth, although some karma may ripen as &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; &quot;sensations&quot;. Karma was not, at least originally, intended to describe every little thing that happens, it was intended to explain how mental states drive the cycles of rebirth. At least one sutta, Karajakāyasuttaṃ (AN 10.219; v.299-301), argues that rebirth wipes the slate clean, but most karma theories allow for karma to ripen many lifetimes hence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least one text describes many different kinds of causes for misfortunes. In the &lt;em&gt;Sīvaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (SN 36.21) eight different causes are summarised in a verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pittaṃ semhañca vāto ca, sannipātā utūni ca;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Visamaṃ opakkamikaṃ, kammavipākena aṭṭhamī ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bile, phlegm, wind, combinations of them, and regular processes;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Something disagreeable, sudden pains, and kamma as eighth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regular processes (&lt;em&gt;utu&lt;/em&gt;) might be seasons, but it can also refer, for example, to the menstrual cycle. In this view a fatal car accident is not necessarily to do with karma, though where you are reborn afterwards is. Note that Bhikkhu Thanissaro has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;argued against this interpretation&lt;/a&gt; of the &lt;em&gt;Sīvaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The point here is that old and new kamma do not override other causal factors operating in the universe — such as those recognized by the physical sciences — but instead find their expression within those factors.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However this &quot;everything happens for a reason&quot; (teleological) argument is weak by modern philosophical standards. It's a kin to the Christian claim that &quot;God moves in mysterious ways&quot; - there is a reason, but mere mortals cannot understand it. It only works in Buddhism because on the whole the conditions for an event are said to be in a past life and therefore unknown to us (until we begin to develop the three mystical skills or &lt;em&gt;tevijjā&lt;/em&gt;, one of which is knowledge of former lives).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a very changeable doctrine. So that many modern traditions teach something different. Many Tibetan schools, for example, say that karma &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; responsible for everything that happens. The car accident would be the result of some action or actions in the past. I personally do not find this teaching compelling, and it has many philosophical problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The standard view of karma is that it determines which of the five &quot;realms&quot; (Hell, gods &amp;amp; asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts) you are born into, and perhaps the original circumstances of your birth. After that things unfold in their own way according to the nature of the realm and the choices one makes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T09:22:39.967" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11133" CreationDate="2015-08-29T09:47:03.443" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precepts are generally considered to be training principles (&lt;em&gt;sikkhapada&lt;/em&gt;) which prepare us for more rigorous practice or which generate merit in order to gain a more fortunate rebirth (&lt;em&gt;sugati&lt;/em&gt;) in the next life. And by &quot;more fortunate&quot; we definitely mean circumstances in which one meets and can practice the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Pāḷi suttas outline how sīla (practising the precepts) leads onto more intensive practices such as &lt;em&gt;saṃvara&lt;/em&gt; &quot;restraint with the respect to the senses&quot; or &lt;em&gt;indriyesu guttdvara&lt;/em&gt; &quot;guarding the doors of the senses&quot;. And these in turn lead into more intensive practises like eliminating the hindrances, and then into practising &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt;. Of course in other schools of Buddhism the progression into more intensive practice follows different paths, but on the whole the precepts are seen as preliminary to practising more intensively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally for lay people, who do not undertake intensive religious practices, practising the precepts is an important source of merit (&lt;em&gt;puñña&lt;/em&gt;) which they hope will accumulate enough to crate a fortunate rebirth next time. Thus traditionally we could say that the precepts protect one from a bad destination (&lt;em&gt;duggati&lt;/em&gt;). Traditionally making gifts to monastics and supporting their lifestyle is an important source of merit. Generosity generally is seen as generating merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern times the distinction between monastics and lay people has begun to break down. Some groups see monasticism as far less important that it has been traditionally, or indeed as irrelevant, and many lay people have now taken up practices traditionally only done by monastics. So it's not always clear how the tradition applies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the issue of visiting prostitutes I would say that if one has made a commitment to be faithful to a sexual partner, such as one does in marriage, then visiting a prostitute is clearly a breach of that commitment. It is a lie, and therefore a breach of the precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one has no such commitment then the situation is more ambiguous. But in order for the act to be completely ethical one would need to know for sure, for example, that the prostitute was not under any compulsion &lt;em&gt;whatever&lt;/em&gt;, to do sex work. One would need to be sure that the agreed fee was absolutely fair and that the prostitute received their full share of that money. In my view one could never be certain of these, and thus one would always be risking demerit or &lt;em&gt;apuñña&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with all the precepts, one must look at the &lt;em&gt;spirit&lt;/em&gt; of them as well as the &lt;em&gt;letter&lt;/em&gt;. The fundamental principle is &quot;&lt;strong&gt;do no harm&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. One cannot choose to do a harmful action and claim that it is not mentioned in the letter of the precepts. Harm is harm. The institution of prostitution almost always does harm to someone. One can always ask oneself the question: &quot;Would I want my son or daughter to earn their living having sex with strangers for money, risking catching AIDS and so on? Is that what I would want for my children?&quot; My answer to this, despite not having children, is &quot;no&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T09:47:03.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11117" CreationDate="2015-08-29T10:28:52.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha have any personal experience with maras and devas and supernatural beings in general?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We have no idea what the Buddha experienced - we know nothing at all about the Buddha as a person (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/4866512/Siddh%C4%81rtha_Gautama_Whats_in_a_Name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;not even his name&lt;/a&gt;). But the traditional stories about someone called &quot;Buddha&quot; certainly portray him as having such experiences. In this Buddhists myths and legends are much like any religious literature. If we take the Buddhists texts literally, then there is no reason not to also take religious texts like the Christian Bible literally also. Though the two are mutually exclusive on many matters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Humans beings evolved to attribute agency to unexplained events, in fact most mammals and birds do this to some extent. And to attribute human qualities to such agents. This is why gods have human motivations. We also have a tolerance for minimally counter-intuitive concepts like invisible agents. Certain events like out-of-body experiences act to convince us of the required ontological dualism, so that belief in a disembodied mind is possible. Without a careful analysis such things seem plausible to most people. But with careful analysis invisible agents vanish (as it were). See also &lt;em&gt;Why Are Karma and Rebirth (Still) Plausible (for Many People)?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/why-are-karma-and-rebirth-still.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Part I&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/why-are-karma-and-rebirth-still_21.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Part II&lt;/a&gt; which summarise ideas from Justin L Barrett's book on the psychology of belief and relate them to Buddhist beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhists adopted supernatural beings from local animistic cults (rukkhadevatā, yakkha, nāga, kinnnara etc) as well as gods from Brahmanism (Brahmā, Indra aka Sakka, and Agni; and more generally the devas and asuras). They also adapted some other beliefs from Brahmanism, often in the form of some kind of parody, such as hungry ghosts (preta - literally &quot;the departed&quot;), the spirits of the recently dead, to which Brahmins made food offerings to sustain them on their journey to Brahman. The idea of Hell probably came from Zoroastrianism. There do not seem to be any characteristically &quot;Buddhist&quot; supernatural agents, except for the Buddha himself who is apparently able to see back in time, travel to heavenly worlds, see the spirits of the departed, fly through the air, and read minds. Such skills as we rarely see these days. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately for Buddhism, the laws of physics now completely preclude life after death. See my essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/there-is-no-life-after-death-sorry.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;There is No Life After Death, Sorry&lt;/a&gt;. Unfortunately there is just no way to accommodate invisible agents that can interact with matter and remain undetectable by scientific instruments. Either something interacts with matter in a way that makes a difference on the human scale, and we can see how this happens because it happens on a human scale, in which case we ought to be able to incorporate it into theories of matter; or no such interactions take place, and we must seek other explanations for the things we believe to be supernatural agents. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taken together we see that this kind of question makes many assumptions that are not valid. Once we eliminate the parts of it that are based on one or another fallacy, there is nothing left to answer. The best we can do is rephrase it in terms of what the tradition says about the mythical Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the &lt;em&gt;mythical&lt;/em&gt; Buddha &lt;em&gt;portrayed&lt;/em&gt; as having experiences of supernatural beings? Yes, he is. He is portrayed, for example, as able to travel to the deva and Brahmā worlds at will. And he can see where beings are born after they die. He also converses with yakkhas and devas, often devas that no one else can see. In the tradition the Buddha himself has all kinds of supernatural abilities. Indeed over time the Buddha came to be attribute with more and greater supernatural abilities and magical abilities, and ultimately Gautama became a mere physical manifestation of a cosmic principle of Buddhahood (which is an idea that parallels the Upaniṣadic &lt;em&gt;brahman&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T10:28:52.590" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11142" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11143" CreationDate="2015-08-29T11:47:45.477" Score="9" ViewCount="904" Body="&lt;p&gt;“finding a place for the mind in a world that is fundamentally physical” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;—has been puzzled over for centuries, and is unlikely to be resolved any time soon. The reason is that apparently every possible solution has inadequacies. Anyone familiar with the philosophical literature is aware of all the problems with Cartesian substance dualism, reductive physicalism, eliminative materialism, behaviorism and functionalism, non-reductive physicalism and emergentism. One is tempted to agree with Colin McGinn that the cognitive apparatus of humans is intrinsically inadequate to the problem of explaining the relation between the mind and the brain.  How something like consciousness can emerge from something like the brain seems totally inexplicable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist explanation for Mind-Body problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T21:33:30.843" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:45:39.897" Title="mind-body relationship" Tags="|philosophy|consciousness|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-08-29T13:36:30.460" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Mind-Body problem is based on a mistaken and non-empirical premise: that the world is “fundamentally physical.” Because every school of Buddhism that I’m aware of has avoided this error, it is hard to find any Buddhist explanations that address it in the terms of modern philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, all the various theories you refer to stemmed from the basic project of trying to discern the mind of an inaccessible Creator through understanding his works (like we might try to understand a clockmaker’s mind by examining his clocks); and subsequently having to deal with the collapse of faith in such a Creator by trying to understand how the clocks could build and run themselves (so to speak).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This dead-end philosophizing has sustained itself not because of any advances in solving the problem created by this error; but by taking a free ride on the extraordinary scientific and technological advances that have been made without needing to question ontological assumptions. Yet it has left our society deeply impoverished in our knowledge and use of consciousness, which makes Buddhism a vital corrective for our modern age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The one Buddhist teacher I know who has devoted significant attention to this issue is B. Alan Wallace. While embracing the scientific method, he is sharply critical of the kinds of philosophical baggage that shortcut applying this method to consciousness.  To give a sense of his analysis, I’ll quote an extended passage from his chapter in an excellent book he edited, called “Buddhism &amp;amp; Science - Breaking New Ground” (pp 13-14), in which he addresses the 'physicalist' assumption of the dogma of scientific materialism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The research instruments of science, since the time of Galileo, have been designed to measure physical phenomena only. Thus if other types of phenomena exist, they must lie outside the domain of science as it has developed thus far. Advocates of the metaphysical principle of physicalism, however, have concluded that only those phenomena that can be detected with the tools of science actually exist. The universe is believed to consist solely of matter and its emergent properties. To understand this principle, it is crucial to recognize that the matter in question is not the familiar stuff that we bump into in everyday experience. A rock held in the hand, for instance, is experienced as having a certain color, texture, and weight. But all those qualities are secondary attributes that exist, according to [sociobiologist Edward O.] Wilson, not in the objective world but as representations inside our heads. The matter that is the fundamental stuff of the objective universe, according to scientific materialism, exists independently of all such secondary attributes that arise only in relation to a conscious subject. The real properties of matter are its inherent primary attributes that exist independently of all modes of detection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does science know today about the nature of matter? Physicists agree that matter consists of atoms, which in turn are made up of elementary particles such as electrons and protons. There are then further speculations concerning quarks, superstrings, and so on with regard to the component parts of elementary particles. But the actual nature of these fundamental building blocks of the universe is somewhat shrouded in mystery. Some physicists argue that atoms are emergent properties of space or space-time. But which space are they referring to? There are actually countless possible spaces with their own geometries, each of which is equally valid and self-consistent. Others maintain that atoms are not things at all but are better viewed as sets of relationships (Wallace 1996:55).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if matter is regarded as some independent stuff existing independently in the objective universe, its mass and spatial and temporal dimensions are not fixed or absolute but, according to relativity theory, depend upon the inertial frame of reference from which they are measured. And, in terms of quantum mechanics, it appears increasingly dubious whether the elementary particles of matter have any discrete location independent of all systems of measurement. Ever since the origins of quantum mechanics experts have expressed diverse views, ranging from the assertion that elementary particles exist independently as real, distinct entities to the view that there is no objectively existing quantum realm at all (Herbert 1985)! As physics continues to progress, the primary status of matter appears to be on the decline. As physicist Steven Weinberg recently commented, “In the physicist’s recipe for the world, the list of ingredients no longer includes particles. Matter thus loses its central role in physics. All that is left are principles of symmetry” (Cole 1999).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upon confronting such startling lack of consensus about the nature and primacy of matter, the physicalist may take refuge in the notion of energy and its conservation as the primary stuff of the universe. But, once again, one is bound for disappointment, for, according to physicist Richard Feynman, the conservation of energy is a mathematical principle, not a description of a mechanism or anything concrete. He then goes on to acknowledge, “It is important to realize that in physics today we have no knowledge of what energy is” (Feynman, Leighton, and Sands 1963:4–2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For scientific materialists such as Edward Wilson, signs of the existence and primacy of matter are to be found everywhere, even though those signs are all indirect (existing, as they do, as mere mental representations). Although matter is never detected as an independently existent stuff in the objective world, it is assumed to be the origin and basis of all that we experience. As to its actual nature, there have always been many competing views, and the number of hypotheses does not appear to be on the decline. Upon reflection, it seems that matter presently fills the role for the materialist that God has traditionally filled for the theist. And the diverse speculative theories of “materialogians” provide little support for the belief that such mysterious stuff can support the ontological burden of the entire universe of subjective and objective phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T13:36:30.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11145" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T14:43:46.913" Score="17" ViewCount="3005" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that some Buddhists do not believe in the literality of rebirth. As someone who is new to the study of Buddhism, this is confusing to me. My understanding, which perhaps is incorrect, is that a Buddhist seeks enlightenment in order to obtain emancipation from Samsara. Yet Samsara is a cycle of rebirth, thus if rebirth is not taken literally it seems natural to then not take Samsara literally. If this is so, then what kind of emancipation is sought after in seeking enlightenment? Isn't the goal of seeking enlightenment to eliminate rebirth? What then are other reasons for seeking enlightenment apart from the emancipation from Samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5709" LastEditorUserId="5709" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T16:06:39.907" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T10:47:05.543" Title="If Rebirth is not taken literally then why seek Enlightenment?" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|belief|samsara|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-29T15:01:31.973" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While a moment-to-moment interpretation of rebirth might be useful for insight practice, the Buddha actually was quite explicit in describing rebirth as a concrete physical process. A common stock phrase being used in many suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...It's by reason of un-Dhamma conduct, dissonant conduct that some beings here, with the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell..&#xA;...It's by reason of this Dhamma conduct &amp;amp; harmonious conduct that some beings here, with the break-up of the body, after death, re-appear in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.&#xA;~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 41&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T15:01:31.973" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2628" CreationDate="2015-08-29T15:32:12.260" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conventional reality has an almost unshakeable hold on people leading almost everyone to accept the common game plan of life unquestioningly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some LSD or other drugs have led them to question their own unchallenged assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ram Dass nee Richard Alpert, Timothy Leary, Alan Watts and others of the 60s went pretty radically into such experimentation, and some teachers like Osho Rajneesh were known to be sympathetic to these attractions among their followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately these only get one to give up the traditional hoarding patterns of life - to the point that one decides to seriously knock on the door of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether the invisible gatekeepers will open the door depends on a lot of factors (some unknowns for sure, but generally morality &amp;amp; ethics, concentration and wisdom), but LSD isn't one of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, with prolonged use some brain damage can occur which can seriously hamper practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T15:32:12.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-29T15:56:17.150" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The true miracle is not to walk on water. The true miracle is to walk&#xA;  peacefully on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment&#xA;  and feeling truly alive.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;― Thích Nhất Hạnh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is about peacefully walking here on this earth in the here and now. It isn't for the fruits of after-life though there's that angle to it. In my view it is worth the price of admission, if, in the here and now I can be less of a burden on others; and be compassionate and helpful to all around me. I view enlightenment as radical maturity and responsibility. It's not a supernormal power as much as an expertise of very human powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lots of people equate enlightenment with magical powers, or perfection, or immortality, even though even the Buddha specifically made none of these a condition for arhatship. There were schisms in ancient Buddhist schools over this very point in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't deny most accounts of the famous enlightened ones tend to emphasise that angle of better than human, but I think it is just commonplace elevation of the standard, just like most gyms tend to use a Mr. Universe kind of model for their advertising brochure. It's not a waste of time to go to the gym just because I am personally unlikely to become Mr. Universe. It's also not misleading, because with the right effort one can become so. We go to the gym to become healthy, if we can become even better, that's fantastic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Growing less angry or sad, less lustful and grasping and more present and available to all beings is a useful way to live. If other positive attributes accumulate, that's even better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's not that satori is unimportant, but it's not the part of Zen&#xA;  that needs to be stressed.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Shunryu Suzuki&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Apropos rebirth:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't believe in the Buddha or science blindly. One says rebirth exists, the other says &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.npr.org/2014/01/05/259886077/searching-for-science-behind-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;it's not proven even though there's periodically things that appear to be evidence for it&lt;/a&gt;. Enter &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; and investigate for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, someone who believes in rebirth is definitely going to be more responsible about their actions towards others and the planet than someone who firmly believes in you-only-live-once. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T06:30:36.333" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T06:30:36.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-29T16:51:15.247" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's consider &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11077/254&quot;&gt;Andrei's definition of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, for example (because it's a short and easy definition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhists believe that human experiences originate in the mind, training which through cultivation of ethics, meditation, and wisdom leads to nirvana (the release from suffering) or enlightenment -- the insight into the true nature of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;experiences originate in the mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, if you believe that experiences originate in the mind, then you might prefer Buddhism to other religions (which, tend to suggest that God is the creator; alternatively, atheistic views which suggest there is no creator): and then, if you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; attracted to Buddhism for any reason, you might then align with or adopt Buddhist goals (e.g. for enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cultivation of ethics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly you might admire Buddhism's system of ethics (e.g. &quot;don't kill&quot;, &quot;don't steal&quot;, and &quot;don't lie&quot;, etc.); and, you might prefer or choose those precepts instead of other religions' (whose most important commandments include for example &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thou_shalt_have_no_other_gods_before_me&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thou shalt have no other gods before me&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nirvana (the release from suffering)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If (or assuming that) you are aware of suffering (or 'anxiety') in this life, isn't it true that &quot;the release from suffering&quot; is obviously (or self-evidently) desirable, &lt;em&gt;in this life&lt;/em&gt;? You may not need to believe in rebirth, in order to want release from suffering (perhaps you &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; need to believe in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths#First_truth:_dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suffering&lt;/a&gt;, though).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;enlightenment (the insight into the true nature of things)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what this ('enlightenment' and 'insight') means, but I understand it to mean &quot;having insight, can now help &lt;em&gt;others&lt;/em&gt; to release &lt;em&gt;them&lt;/em&gt;selves from suffering.&quot; Again, I think that wanting that probably only requires a belief in suffering and some compassion for others (i.e. you can want that for your sake and for other's sake regardless of whether and how you understand the word &quot;rebirth&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary it's not necessarily only emancipation from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samsara&lt;/a&gt; (i.e. the cycle of rebirth): it could be emancipation from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dukkha&lt;/a&gt;; and also emancipation from the various &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kleshas&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt;, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not they understand &quot;rebirth&quot;, someone might feel a desire for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;refuge&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T17:20:44.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11150" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T17:35:02.013" Score="2" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Context&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, let me frame my question by establishing a shared understanding of what I mean by &quot;view.&quot; Throughout all forms of Buddhism as far as I know, the Four Noble Truths are considered essential Buddhadharma. Included in the 4th Truth is the Eightfold Path, which Bhikkhu Bodhi (in &lt;em&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;) describes as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path are not steps to be followed in sequence, one after another. They can be more aptly described as components rather than as steps.... With a certain degree of progress all eight factors can be present simultaneously, each supporting the others. However, until that point is reached, some sequence in the unfolding of the path is inevitable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view has a very important role in that unfolding. One's very definition of &quot;Noble&quot; or &quot;wisdom&quot; reflects one's view, and in fact it seems that inquiry into and transformation of view is integral to how and where one travels as a sentient being. As Bhikkhu Bodhi writes in the same book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right view is the forerunner of the entire path, the guide for all the other factors. It enables us to understand our starting point, our destination, and the successive landmarks to pass as practice advances. To attempt to engage in the practice without a foundation of right view is to risk getting lost in the futility of undirected movement. Doing so might be compared to wanting to drive someplace without consulting a roadmap or listening to the suggestions of an experienced driver. One might get into the car and start to drive, but rather than approaching closer to one’s destination, one is more likely to move farther away from it. To arrive at the desired place one has to have some idea of its general direction and of the roads leading to it. Analogous considerations apply to the practice of the path, which takes place in a framework of understanding established by right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back in the full context of the Eightfold Path: among the three trainings, Right View and Right Intention make up the &quot;training in the higher wisdom.&quot; This goes along with training in two other sets of Path elements. Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the moral discipline group [is] made up of right speech, right action, and right livelihood; [and] the concentration group [is] made up of right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give an example of the role of View from an Indo-Tibetan tradition, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo had a vision in which Manjushri &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Parting_from_the_Four_Attachments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;taught&lt;/a&gt;: &quot;If there is grasping, you do not have the View.” This same teaching includes 3 specific attachments to relinquish leading up to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are attached to this life, you are not a true spiritual&#xA;practitioner. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are attached to samsara, you do not have&#xA;renunciation. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are attached to your own self-interest, you have&#xA;no bodhichitta. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, as is true throughout the Indo-Tibetan traditions I've encountered, the Right View must include a perspective that looks across countless lifetimes as well as beyond samsara; and that takes consciousness as somehow more primary than the physical. The ontological assumptions behind both &quot;matter&quot; and &quot;mind&quot; can certainly be tested, but by framing this in terms of View I want to focus on how one's convictions about the relationship between the physical world and consciousness (whatever one's ontological stance about them) shapes the way one interprets and practices Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, let me try to explicitly name my motivations in asking this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask partly as someone born into an environment of unexamined scientific materialsm, who has found greater sanity and happiness extending beyond its bounds as I've inquired into my assumptions. I hope to uncover and test more such assumptions within myself by asking others about their views, and thereby to keep getting more sane and happy for the sake of my own good and that of all sentient beings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also ask hoping to become more skillful when I encounter people who are both materialists and Buddhists. I've definitely gotten perturbed before (and probably will again) in reacting to materialist views that I consider unhelpful or already refuted. Beyond the afflictive emotion involved, it seems like such a critique on my part is &quot;wrong speech&quot; if it drives someone away from wanting to study and practice Buddhadharma.  Given the interdependent and holistic nature of the Eightfold Path, how could wrong speech possibly help to advance right view or anything else? Further, given the immense range of skillful means employed by Buddhas in training beings, why should I assume that a materialist stance (especially given the dominant cultural assumptions of modern civilization) might not fall within one or more of these skillful means, at least as a provisional adaptation to social mores? With a more complete understanding, I can still speak my own truth but do so in more compassionate and constructive ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Question&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hoping I've now given enough context to avoid coming across as rude or provocative, I'll present my question: if as part of your view you find that what you call physical reality (e.g., &quot;matter &amp;amp; energy&quot;) encompasses and underpins what you call mind (e.g., &quot;the space of mental events that includes qualia, thoughts, images and feelings&quot;), how do you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Express this view in your own words; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Carry this view (or not) into how you travel the Eightfold Path? In particular, what are its implications for how you train in ethical discipline and/or concentration? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastEditorUserId="5777" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T10:59:08.377" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:35:38.657" Title="What is the practical effect for a Buddhist whose view is materialist?" Tags="|mind-and-matter|right-view|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-29T18:08:11.450" Score="-3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And if there is no rebirth, then the very goal of attaining nirvāṇa, understood as the cessation of rebirth, becomes almost perfectly meaningless. Or rather, nirvāṇa comes automatically to every living being that dies, regardless of how that being has lived.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hayes, Richard (1993). ‘Dharmakīrti on punarbhava’ In Egaku Maeda (ed), &lt;em&gt;Studies in Original Buddhism and Mahayāna Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;. Kyōto: Nagata Bunshodo. Volume One, p. 111–30.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T18:08:11.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-08-29T18:14:45.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;A Buddhist whose view is materialist&quot; can only mean someone who has just taken refuge in the triple gem, but has no idea what the Buddha taught on the subject matter. If he repudiates the teachings of the Buddha knowingly, the refuge is broken and he is no longer a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajita_Kesakambali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajita Kesakambali&lt;/a&gt; was a well known materialist during the time of the Buddha. He argued that there is no such thing as alms or sacrifice or offering. There is neither fruit nor result of good or evil deeds...A human being is built up of four elements. When he dies the earthly in him returns and relapses to the earth, the fluid to the water, the heat to the fire, the wind to the air, and his faculties pass into space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Materialism falls under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha263.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ucchedavada&lt;/a&gt;. It is one of the 2 misbeliefs that blocks the noble eightfold path. The other one being the belief of an eternal soul. Those who believe in an eternal soul can still get into heavenly realms. But those who are with materialistic views are said to be destined for hells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T13:00:22.913" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T13:00:22.913" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11153" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11156" CreationDate="2015-08-29T19:23:46.197" Score="5" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I first started meditating I was very eager to progress. I started with five minutes and added another five with every week. I probably made it to 30 minutes or something when I just quit altogether. It was all quantity-over-quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Towards the end there I lost a lot of will and motivation to keep going, I just wanted to do other things. I got bored and I let my mind wander and distract me, not making much effort in bringing the attention back to the stomach. Meditation became a chore and the only reason I kept going was because I didn't want to lose the routine, and also I hoped it was perhaps just a phase or something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, to make a short story long, I've started meditating again now, 10 minutes at a time and since I have a cold and am tired all day as a result I don't become so restless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when can I start adding more time? Will I &quot;feel&quot; it, or is it a question of discipline? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it better to meditate poorly than not at all? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I add time, and find that I get really bored, is it because I'm doing it wrong or is it simply the nature of the mind?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T22:22:05.283" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T13:24:10.647" Title="Will I know when it's time to meditate longer?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-29T19:24:01.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What then are other reasons for seeking enlightenment apart from the emancipation from Samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samsara, the conditioned reality, everything exists due to causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental and physical phenomena are constantly arising and ceasing. They are ever-changing, uncontrollable and oppressive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned phenomena follows a certain &quot;order or recipe&quot;. I have made a drawing to illustrate this process. What can be seen here is that phenomena has 3 phases, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Arising - Presence - Dissolution&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;Click on photos for full size&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/C1wXg.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/C1wXgm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;image 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the &quot;&lt;em&gt;presence-phase&lt;/em&gt;&quot; phenomena are not stable or permanent but in a constant flux heading towards their own break up. Phenomena that exists due to causes and conditions are impermanent, meaning that they cannot be relied on. If one tries to rely on them or put trust in them, they will break up and leave one with only suffering and a void.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not caused or conditioned, it is &lt;em&gt;unconditioned, unborn, uncaused, permanent, secure, stable&lt;/em&gt;. It does not rise and fall. It does not produce suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a description of Nibbana from the Buddha himself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach you the taintless and the path leading to the taintless. Listen to that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach you the truth and the path leading to the truth ... I will teach you the far shore ... the subtle ... the very difficult to see ... the unaging ... the stable ... the undis­ integrating ... the unmanifest ... the unproliferated ... the peaceful ... the deathless ... the sublime ... the auspicious ... the secure ... the destruction of craving ... the wonderful ... the amazing ... the unailing ... the unailing state ... Nibbana ... the unafflicted ... dispassion ... purity ... freedom ... the unadhesive ... the island .., the shelter ... the asylum ... the&#xA;  refuge ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 43: Asankhatasamyutta, p. 1378, Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The stable, the secure, the wonderful, freedom, the shelter&lt;/em&gt;.. I don't know about other beings, but these words/reasons seem pretty compelling to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T19:24:01.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-08-29T19:33:46.383" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Despite the name (which I dislike), &lt;em&gt;The Monk and the Philosopher&lt;/em&gt; is a great introduction to Buddhism from a Western point of view. It's a series of conversations between a French-Buddhist monk, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthieu_Ricard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Matthieu Ricard&lt;/a&gt;, and his father, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Revel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jean-François Revel&lt;/a&gt;, a philosopher. I found it more compelling than classical Buddhist texts, including some of the ones suggested here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="195" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T19:33:46.383" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-29T19:33:46.383" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11153" CreationDate="2015-08-29T19:54:50.550" Score="5" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;This answer is based in the practice of insight meditation.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will know when to begin adding more time to your sitting practice. In the beginning quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to meditation. What does quality mean when it comes to meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quality means to make an effort to keep the mind in the present moment, so that one can observe the arising and ceasing of phenomena without the mind following after them or running away from them and getting lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By keeping the mind in the present moment one ties the monkey down. The mind is like a monkey jumping from branch to branch. By keeping the mind in the present moment is like taking the monkey in the hand and walking him to another area, an area that has only one tree. Now the monkey cannot jump anywhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In samsara, conditioned reality, the mind can never be satisfied with anything because all objects are impermanent meaning they cannot bring any lasting and permanent happiness to the mind. So the mind jumps from object to object but everytime it's left with suffering. The hardest thing in the world is actually to do &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt;. So don't be too hard on yourself. It's the nature of mind to wander. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tibetan buddhists have a saying that goes like this: &quot;&lt;em&gt;If the Mind wanders a Thousand times, bring it back a Thousand times&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step by step we train the mind so that it will not stray from the present moment. It's usually a long process so don't get stressed about it. You might also not see any apparent changes at first but everytime you meditate you are changing something. You are untying the knots, slowly. Don't be fooled by not seeing any changes from day to day or even from week to week. There are changes happening but in the beginning they are subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Results come not from how long one sits but from &lt;em&gt;consistency, diligency and the ability to keep the mind in the present moment&lt;/em&gt;. It's like learning to play football. If one only plays once a week one will not improve that fast. If one practices let's say 1 hour every day then the benefits will be more solid and apparent. So to become good at any skill in life, one has to practice consistently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry if you sit 30 minutes or 10 minutes everyday, just try to make an effort to do a little bit of meditation every day. Then naturally you will increase your physical and mental stamina and then you can begin to increase your sitting time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-29T20:28:42.120" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T20:28:42.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-08-29T20:16:08.387" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lots of great suggestions above, but it looks to me like there's plenty of room to add a foundational Mahayana text to the mix. I suggest a complete presentation of the path in the form of a poem: Shantideva's &quot;Way of the Bodhisattva&quot; (Bodhicaryāvatāra).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An especially poetic translation with commentary that helps make the immediate practical value of this text evident (omitting the very challenging 9th Chapter on the perfection of wisdom, which is really hard going if you're looking for introductory material anyway) is in Pema Chödrön's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/no-time-to-lose-3438.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;No Time to Lose -A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva&lt;/a&gt;. There are excellent materials that convey some of the functions of this text in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, along with translations of the first 3 chapters, freely offered by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lotsawahouse.org/topics/bodhicharyavatara/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lotsawa House&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also certainly worth hearing commentary from the Dalai Lama on this text, who has said: &quot;If I have any understanding of compassion and the bodhisattva path, it all comes from studying this text.&quot; (Cited from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Bodhicharyavatara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;RigpaWiki&lt;/a&gt;) These teachings may be a little more challenging for a beginning student than &lt;em&gt;No Time to Lose&lt;/em&gt;, but I think they are still immensely helpful and accessible commentaries for those who feel inspired by this extraordinary work. Maybe start with &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590306937&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;For the Benefit of All Beings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the studies of all students of Buddhadharma bear the fine fruit of realization!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T20:16:08.387" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-29T20:16:08.387" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11128" CreationDate="2015-08-29T20:22:13.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Developing tolerance for anything means that there is change, transformation, conditionality and causation present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is unchanging, unconditioned and uncaused so developing tolerance would not be possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tolerance is a phenomena that belongs to conditioned reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T20:22:13.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-08-29T21:02:19.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no &lt;em&gt;Mind-Body&lt;/em&gt; problem in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationship between body and mind is well described by the Buddha in form of e.g. the 5 aggregates i.e., &lt;em&gt;materiality, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But not only is it well described, the Buddha teaches us to go and find out for ourselves through the practice of insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophy and science fails the perspective by both holding an extreme view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophy is only based on intellectual knowledge, i.e. knowledge without any reference point (experiental knowledge) to reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science holds the annihilationist-view and believes that the Mind/Consciousness is created by the brain and that when the physical body breaks down then the Mind will also &quot;die&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism sits in the middle (way), steering away from both extremes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T21:02:19.987" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11162" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11179" CreationDate="2015-08-29T21:42:42.220" Score="7" ViewCount="347" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm aware that other religions such as Islam have a great emphasis on pilgrimage.  Do any Buddhist schools or traditions also have an emphasis on pilgrimage and if so where do they go? I know that there are places with particular significance for Buddhism such as Bodhi Gaya and Buddhists do go there. But is that journey actually a significant part of their practice or tradition or is it just that it's personally inspirational to go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own point of view I would love to go see places of historical and religious significance to Buddhism. If I did though I wouldn't view this as part of my practice as a Buddhist. It would almost be religious sightseeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T10:32:25.470" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T13:33:11.970" Title="Do any Buddhist traditions emphasize pilgrimage?" Tags="|traditions|pilgrimage|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11163" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11165" CreationDate="2015-08-29T21:56:50.277" Score="5" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember an image of the Buddha being surrounded by animals. I think the story is that they all flocked around after his enlightenment though I could be wrong. Does anyone know what the story is that goes with this picture and where if anywhere it is in the Buddhist texts. Also if someone can point me to a particularly good picture I would be grateful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My motivation for asking this is I'm due to run a family afternoon in my local centre and my idea is to get the children making clay animals (with googly eyes) that we can then arrange arround a Buddha to recreate this scene. Then we will all eat some cake!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T22:40:49.283" Title="When did the Buddha get surrounded by lots of animals?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|animals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11164" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11168" CreationDate="2015-08-29T22:17:37.327" Score="1" ViewCount="1179" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've always found the imagery of Vajrapani (a wrathful Bodhisattva) very evocative. I'm reading a little bit about him and how his form is to do with energy and power in service of the Dharma so he is of course a positive figure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/8gIbG.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/8gIbG.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Vajrapani&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm just wondering if anyone knows about the history of this figure and wrathful deities like him. Is he from the Tibetan culture and does he predate Buddhism coming into that country. Also is he a deity that perhaps had negative connotations (a demon perhaps) that Buddhism has co-opted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T15:38:58.400" Title="What is the historical origin of Vajrapani?" Tags="|history|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11163" CreationDate="2015-08-29T22:40:49.283" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;An image (a painting) of the Buddha with many animals is the subject of the children's story, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cat_Who_Went_to_Heaven&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Cat Who Went to Heaven&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the animal vignettes in this are each taken from a traditional story (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/5lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha and swan&lt;/a&gt;, and e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bt1_13.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha and Banyan deer&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The painting is of the following scene:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he was eighty, he knew he was near&#xA;  death, and he saw the skies open and all the Hindu gods of the heavens, and&#xA;  of the trees, and the mountains, with his disciples, and the animals of the&#xA;  earth came to bid him farewell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether that scene is from any traditional story (I don't think it's a Pali sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-08-29T22:40:49.283" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11166" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-29T22:54:34.423" Score="5" ViewCount="6411" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always thought that &quot;Vajra Posture&quot; and &quot;Lotus Posture&quot; were simply two names for the same thing. But recently somebody told me that Vajra Posture is for males and Lotus Posture for females, though without explaining any physical difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Searching turns up mostly interchangeable usage, and a few instances that confirm the male/female difference, though without explanation -- for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://goo.gl/fxIi2Y&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://goo.gl/fxIi2Y&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://goo.gl/U0KKb1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://goo.gl/U0KKb1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anybody know the story? Is there a male vs female difference? If so, is it the same physical posture, differing only in the gender of the practitioner, or is there an actual physical difference? Does it vary by tradition? (I suspect the difference is mainly found in the Tibetan / Vajrayana tradition, where the vajra symbolizes a male genital organ and the lotus a female organ.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum 8/30/2015. I wonder if what's called &quot;half lotus position&quot; in yoga is lotus position in Buddhism. In other words, in Buddhism vajra position is both feet up on opposite thighs, lotus position is just one foot up with the other on the mat. Evidence for this comes from this web site -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.himalayanart.org/pages/glossary.cfm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.himalayanart.org/pages/glossary.cfm&lt;/a&gt; -- which is associated with the Rubin Museum (&lt;a href=&quot;http://rubinmuseum.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://rubinmuseum.org/&lt;/a&gt;) -- this entry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Asana (Skt.): seated or standing postures of which there are a variety&#xA;  of prescribed forms arising from iconographic descriptions found in&#xA;  religious texts. The names of the postures differ between religious&#xA;  traditions. For example the lotus posture in Hatha Yoga is called&#xA;  vajra posture in Buddhism. The half yoga posture in Hatha Yoga is&#xA;  called the lotus posture in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A problem here is that the term &quot;half yoga posture&quot; is not a standard yoga term (according to a web search). But perhaps they meant &quot;half lotus&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, by the way, is a site showing both, using the names from yoga: lotus and half-lotus -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/posture/lotus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wildmind.org/posture/lotus&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUaKa.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUaKa.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;yoga -- full lotus position (same as Buddhism -- vajra position?)&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WJEsV.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WJEsV.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;yoga -- half lotus position (same as Buddhism -- lotus position?)&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If my conjecture is correct, these are what's known in Buddhsim as vajra and lotus position respectively. Even if this is correct, however, it does not address the gender connection. Maybe that is just a Vajrayana (Tantric) convention -- male figures use the vajra position and female figures the lotus position. But even if so, I'm sure there is a story behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T14:56:22.637" LastActivityDate="2019-08-24T22:39:51.273" Title="Vajra Posture vs Lotus Posture -- the same or male vs female?" Tags="|vajrayana|meditation-posture|sexuality|gender|tantra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11164" CreationDate="2015-08-30T03:19:09.817" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Longchen Rabjam's &lt;em&gt;Precious Treasury of Philosophical Systems&lt;/em&gt; (tr. Richard Barron) says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Traditionally, Manjushri is renowned for having compiled the tantras of enlightened form, Avalokiteshvara the tantras of enlightened speech, and Vajrapani the tantras of enlightened mind, qualities, and activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A footnote fills this out:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the sutra teachings, ''the lords of the three families&quot; -- Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, and Vajrapani -- are among the eight great bodhisattvas in the retinue of every nirmanakaya buddha such as Shakyamuni. In the ... context ... of the Vajrayana teachings, they are emanations who are not separate from the expounder of the tantras, whether Buddha Shakyamuni or the primordial buddha (usually referred to as Samantabhadra or Vajradhara, who expounded tantras considered to predate the historical Buddha). In the tantras, these emanations are part of the naturally manifest retinue that appears in the sambhogakaya realm of Akanishtha. In the sutras, these bodhisattvas are peaceful manifestations; in the Vajrayana, the emanations may appear in either peaceful or wrathful forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, no negative connotations I'd say! I know Vajrapani appeared in Sanskrit first because he's mentioned in Ch. 10 of 'Way of the Bodhisattvas,' by the 8th century Indian buddhist monk Shantideva. Wiki mentions the earlier sutra that may have been Shantideva's reference (see link in comment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5777" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T03:19:09.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11162" CreationDate="2015-08-30T05:44:20.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Original Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&quot; if there is such a thing, did not emphasise pilgrimages or even statues. It was about one's personal practice and not the worship of the Buddha, the individual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice itself was the worship of the Buddha (awakening) within. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't recall the text (&lt;em&gt;I'd be grateful if someone can help me locate it&lt;/em&gt;) but there's a verse where the Buddha praises a single moment of true mindfulness in action as greater veneration of the ideal than chanting several times '&lt;em&gt;namo tasso bhagavato arahato samma sambuddasa&lt;/em&gt;' without feeling mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas talk of Arhats in the Buddha's time who had never met the Buddha though they had heard the teachings by word of mouth and become enlightened. In a sense they had met the Buddha within already through the practice. This did not stop them however from feeling joyful upon actually meeting the tatagatha in person; if they ever did, which is quite natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly pilgrimages are joyful things but when they are mandatory or made the central component of practice, they distance the practitioner from the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a long time the bodhi tree, the dharma wheel or the foot print of the Buddha were the only sanctioned symbols of Buddhism. The grander elements of tradition came later as a sense of history and distance from the actual events developed. The signs and reminders needed to get super-sized it seems, as the physical, calendar and mental distance made the heart fonder. The Buddha statues even seem to grow in size and stature in direct correlation to the distance from India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some historians and theologians I've read on Christianity say the idea of Jesus, son of God, developed in later times as a pleasant intermediary, a personal deity, a friend almost to intervene between the devotee and the rather harsh and imposing Abrahamic God of smiting fire of the Old testament. It was a much needed correction since God had gotten too distant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people worship personal bodhisattvas similarly, because the Buddha ideal is too vast. Their personal Bodhisattva is their friend who they can reveal their failings to, since the Buddha is too awesome (in the original sense of the term). Even in the Buddha's later years junior disciples sought out senior disciples like Ven. Ananda or Ven. Sariputta to intervene on their behalf with the Buddha since they didn't feel worthy of walking up to him directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Buddhist practice began as a very personal route to access the Buddha within, for some people this was too much. They couldn't imagine they were worthy of inhabiting such godlike perfection. They couldn't help but think their Buddha nature was somehow inferior, so they found peace in worshipping the Buddha outside. Nothing wrong in this, different strokes for different folks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a religion that started out with no statues, it is interesting to see that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statues_by_height&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many of the tallest statues in the world today&lt;/a&gt; are Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, like early Christianity of a distant God, the enlightenment ideal did become far removed from daily life, with many insisting even stream entry is impossible in this day and age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The devout often use statues and pilgrimages quite like soldiers on the battle front walking around with pictures of hearth and home; to remind them of a better place. It allows us to think nirvana is found outside of samsara. A safe place from the harsh winter of reality, when the winter is too real and imposing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of these same soldiers have trouble adjusting to the real people back home after the war, because the photograph that brought them comfort during the war was perfect, it accepted all mental projections: not so with reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, by projecting a perfect Buddha ideal, or enlightenment ideal outside of human fragility and venerating it through pilgrimages and such, we can rejoice in surrendering to the absolute but we also run the risk of never making it personal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara will always appear dull to us, yet we will never be good enough to escape it. As the Zen teaching goes, after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. Enlightenment does not allow us to get on a celestial vehicle and zoom off from samsara into the heavens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara is the mud in which the lotus of enlightenment grows. If we think the mud isn't good enough for the lotus, and always paint the lotus as growing on pristine marble, we will only have a beautiful painting but we will never be able to grow the lotus on marble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not saying pilgrimages aren't a good thing to do, but let's not mistake it for the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lest this sounds far-fetched, I'm not saying anything new. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Zen monks have made the point I am making by burning sutras, and by reciting koans like - &quot;&lt;em&gt;if you meet the Buddha on the journey to enlightenment, kill him&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom and love are two facets of enlightenment when viewed dualistically. Wisdom is to see the Buddha within, and love is to see the Buddha without, they are like the in breath and the out breath. One is not better than the other. Seen deeply, one can see love in wisdom, and wisdom in love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Zen ancestor burned all the commentaries on texts, the texts were soon replaced by koan sayings of new Zen masters, recreating the hole he had filled. It wasn't a failing of the Zen ancestor to fail to anticipate this, it was his wisdom to see that the rise and fall of the tide is the nature of the ocean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be trapped by neither extreme is sublime freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T08:31:20.187" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T08:31:20.187" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11164" CreationDate="2015-08-30T06:48:24.847" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;David Lewis is correct that Vajrapani is mentioned in the Pali Canon. It's hard to tell though, because his name is just translated rather than being left alone. He is mentioned in DN 3, the Ambaṭṭha Sutta. The relavent passage is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now at that time the spirit who bears the thunderbolt stood over above&#xA;  Ambaṭṭha in the sky with a mighty mass of iron, all fiery, dazzling,&#xA;  and aglow, with the intention, if he did not answer, there and then to&#xA;  split his head in pieces. And the Blessed One perceived the spirit&#xA;  bearing the thunderbolt, and so did Ambaṭṭha the Brahman. And Ambaṭṭha&#xA;  on becoming aware of it, terrified, startled, and agitated, seeking&#xA;  safety and protection and help from the Blessed One, crouched down&#xA;  beside him in awe, and said: ‘What was it the Blessed One said? Say it&#xA;  once again!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we look in the Pali this paragraph goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tena kho pana samayena &lt;strong&gt;vajirapāṇī&lt;/strong&gt; yakkho mahantaṃ ayokūṭaṃ ādāya&#xA;  ādittaṃ sampajjalitaṃ sajotibhūtaṃ ambaṭṭhassa māṇavassa upari vehāsaṃ&#xA;  ṭhito hoti: “sacāyaṃ ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavatā yāvatatiyakaṃ&#xA;  sahadhammikaṃ pañhaṃ puṭṭho na byākarissati, etthevassa sattadhā&#xA;  muddhaṃ phālessāmī”ti. Taṃ kho pana &lt;strong&gt;vajirapāṇiṃ&lt;/strong&gt; yakkhaṃ bhagavā&#xA;  ceva passati ambaṭṭho ca māṇavo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/dn3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/dn3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is spelled vajirapāṇī just because in Pali you aren't allowed to have an r immediately after a j at the end of a syllable, so an I is added to make it easier to pronounce. The meaning is the same, and it means one who bears the Vajra (thunderbolt)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T06:48:24.847" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-30T07:31:27.943" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Rinzai Zen Monk with a decade-long monastic background so my answer will be relevant within our school's framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Zen POV being 'reborn' exists only within Reality.&#xA;Reality is purely this one moment here and now.&#xA;With each breath, with each action we are reborn. The choices we make are fresh and new. The Enlightened being will make those choices in accordance with what they experience.&#xA;Because they are living in the here and now they are also making these choices without any reference to the past or the future because these are purely abstract concepts since neither of them is here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Enlightened person is literally reborn with each and every experience (in Japanese Zen terms these are known as 'Nen' - ie. the time it takes to register each experience). An Enlightenment experience is when you fully experience this for the first time: when a drop of water falling on your head or the call of a crow suddenly awaken you to this new awareness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other types of rebirth of course. Such as the delusional rebirths, when one succumbs to any of the poisons (Ignorance, Anger, Greed) and is reborn in 'hell'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a very wide philosophy with a wide application of the same basic terms and concepts. What i have just said is not really valid for a Theravada Buddhist. It would be explained, understood and practiced differently by someone of a Pure land Path (JoDo ShinShu for instance) even though they are part of the Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5825" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T07:31:27.943" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11162" CreationDate="2015-08-30T08:01:58.750" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are four main places that most Buddhists visit at least once in their lifetime. According to Buddha's words in Mahaparinibbana sutta those are&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Lumbini, Buddhagaya, Sarnath and Kusinara&lt;/em&gt; in Nepal and India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;21&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;These, Ananda, are the four places that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. And truly there will&#xA;  come to these places, Ananda, pious bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen&#xA;  and laywomen, reflecting: 'Here the Tathagata was born! Here the&#xA;  Tathagata became fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supreme&#xA;  Enlightenment! Here the Tathagata set rolling the unexcelled Wheel of&#xA;  the Dhamma! Here the Tathagata passed away into the state of Nibbana&#xA;  in which no element of clinging remains!'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And whoever, Ananda, should die on such a pilgrimage with his heart established in faith, at the breaking up of the body, after&#xA;  death, will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pilgrimages however are not a significant part of the practice, but these visits can inspire us to put more effort into our practice. Some groups of people observe eight precepts and practice meditation as a part of the pilgrimage as well.   By showing reverence at these places, the person is able to purify his thoughts, speech and action. So by visiting these places with the correct mental attitude can help us in our practice as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T08:40:32.153" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T08:40:32.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11173" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-30T08:47:50.473" Score="5" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;On the other hand, superior Bodhisattvas, who have attained the path of seeing, are not reborn through the force of their karma and destructive emotions, but due to the power of their compassion for sentient beings and based on their prayers to benefit others. They are able to choose their place and time of birth as well as their future parents&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reincarnation by The Dalai Lama&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Superior Bodhisattvas can choose where to take rebirth, but the rest of us can't. So, what chooses where the rest of us get to take rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does &amp;quot;the force of karma&amp;quot; determine where the mind stream goes after physical death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of the Bodhisattvas, is it their mind stream that makes the choice? And when they make this choice, do they choose from available alternatives and just pick what suits them best or do they have the power to create their ideal rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2018-04-23T14:46:25.093" Title="How does the force of ones karma determine where the mind stream goes?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|bodhisattva|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11174" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11187" CreationDate="2015-08-30T09:11:44.130" Score="4" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our body will die but not our good deeds. If nothing can erase our good deeds, does it mean everyone will become enlightened eventually? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T09:18:39.690" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T07:15:11.890" Title="What will erase our good deeds?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11173" CreationDate="2015-08-30T11:46:19.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is very similar to another: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2341/does-mahayana-buddhism-discourage-attaining-enlightenment-under-the-gautama-budd/10853#10853&quot;&gt;Does Mahayana Buddhism discourage attaining enlightenment under the Gautama Buddha Sasana?&lt;/a&gt; In my &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10853/5715&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; to that question I explained how the bodhisatva who post-pones enlightenment developed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does &quot;the force of karma&quot; determine where the mind stream goes after a physical death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many different answers have been proposed and adopted by Buddhists of different schools at different times to try to account for how karma determines where the mind stream goes after death. But no one really &lt;em&gt;knows&lt;/em&gt;. We say that this is what happens, but a satisfactory explanation of the process is entirely lacking. We sometimes use analogies to try to explain, but they don't really tell us anything about the reality of this process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bodhisatva choosing their rebirth is simply an article of faith. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T11:46:19.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11174" CreationDate="2015-08-30T12:10:47.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my article, Escaping the Inescapable: Changes in Buddhist Karma. (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/2014/06/04/changes-in-buddhist-karma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; Vol. 21. 2014), I explain that karma was initially believed to be inevitable and that one had to live the consequences of one's actions no matter what. But this changed over time and various practices were developed to mitigate and eradicate evil karma. I didn't study &quot;good&quot; karma, but I see no reason for the same kind of reasoning to apply, i.e. good karma must be erasable in the systems of though in which the consequences of deeds are erasable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the perennial problems for Buddhists is that, for the unenlightened, there is a vast predominance of craving and aversion, due to ignorance. Buddhists swing between enlightenment as transcendental (and therefore more or less unobtainable) and immanent in all beings (and therefore inevitable). The trouble is an immanent model is that it devalues the idea of enlightenment if everyone can get there, and &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; get there more or less with no effort. The trouble with transcendent models is no one is motivated by the unobtainable for long. Both extremes demotivate people and if on looks at Buddhist history we can see periods of stagnation when one or other model is unchallenged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As part of this process. earlier models seem to get forgotten or repudiated and new ideas such as &quot;interdependence&quot; or &quot;buddha-nature&quot; get invented to fill the gap. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people think that Buddhism will inevitably mean that everyone will get enlightened. Mahāyāna Buddhism makes a big deal of the idea of &quot;saving all being from suffering.&quot; Which suggests that they think such a thing is possible (despite the evidence of 2500 year of Buddhism). On the other hand &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt; (the cycle of death and rebirth) is usually portrayed in Mainstream Early Buddhist texts as beginningless and &lt;em&gt;endless&lt;/em&gt;. Liberation is not found in &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt;, but by leaving it behind through ending rebirth. In this case we could have no expectation of everyone getting enlightened because that would mean the end of &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt; - a logical inconsistency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A standard way of looking at karma is that none of our deeds &quot;die&quot; when our body dies. They are the condition which determines our next rebirth which will, in the more general way, reflect the life we have lived, for better or worse. But all deeds come to fruition at some point. Good deeds have to have a time limit also, else they would be permanent, and it is axiomatic in Buddhism that all things are impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nāgārjuna spotted a little problem with this standard view however (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā Chp 17). It is this: dependent arising specifies that when a condition ceases, the effect for which it is a condition also ceases. Thus there is a problem with karma because it requires that effects manifest a very long time after the condition has ceased. Again Buddhists proposed many solutions to this problem, but none of them actually solve the problem. The arguments are quite complex, but I tried to summarise them in an essay called &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-logic-of-karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Logic of Karma&lt;/a&gt;. Unfortunately my conclusion is that the internal logic of all the existing explanations for karma are internally inconsistent. Nāgārjuna's answer was to argue that actions, agents, consequences, etc are all just illusions, which is not very satisfying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T12:10:47.680" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11164" CreationDate="2015-08-30T12:20:00.500" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One source in which the history of Vajrapāṇi is discussed is the book &lt;em&gt;Indo-Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; by Snellgrove. He traces him to the Pāḷi figure Vajirapāṇi, and tries to show how we developed. Another useful source for Vajrapāni and wrathful deities generally, is the book &lt;em&gt;Ruthless Compassion&lt;/em&gt; by Rob Linrothe, which focusses on changes in Indian art over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a long gap in the story from Pāḷi to Tantra. It took many centuries for the worship of bodhisatvas to develop (ca. 4-5th centuries CE) and more centuries again for images of them to start appearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T12:20:00.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11153" CreationDate="2015-08-30T13:24:10.647" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This answer brought to you by samatha (calm meditation).  ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We've all heard this metaphor a thousand times.  A glass full of muddy water will only settle out once movement is stopped and then only after the passage of some time.  There is no way of getting it to settle faster.   Any effort made is just going to disturb the water and throw the dirt particles back into a tumble.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity your very effort fills you with activity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seng-T'san from the Hsin Hsin Ming&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a bad idea to start labeling your sessions as good meditation and bad meditation.  Every sit accomplishes something.  The only bad meditation is no meditation.  In fact, those sits where your legs hurt and your mind kicking around like a bull in a china shop are &lt;em&gt;far more important&lt;/em&gt; initially than those sits where your mind is collected and the breath is easily followed.  Those are the times when learning is taking place.  Those are the extra five lbs. on the barbell or the two extra reps that end up making you stronger.  The restlessness that you are experiencing is actually something to be celebrated!  That's your small mind going into panic mode.  You are doing something it doesn't like, and like a cornered animal, it's showing it's teeth trying to get you to stop.  It's very important that you don't let it scare you away.  Set a time - a reasonable time...maybe 15 minutes now - and commit yourself to staying absolutely still on the cushion for that duration.  If you can't focus your mind, that's OK.  Just remain still.  Stillness in your body will eventually translate to stillness in the mind.  When you can do that, add a minute or so like you were doing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, you can overdo things.  It would make no sense at this point for you to start sitting for two hours.  Establish a habit first and then build from there.  If you can find a meditation group, start sitting with them.  Just like it's easier to exercise with another person, it is far easier to sit for lengths of time when you are around other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not jhana during every sit.  Not for a very, very long time anyway.  Meditation is frustration.  Meditation is failure.  But every time you push past that frustration and failure, meditation is growth.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T13:24:10.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11162" CreationDate="2015-08-30T13:33:11.970" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Several Books have been written about the practice of pilgrimage. See for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddhistpilgrimage.pdf&quot;&gt;Buddhist Pilgrimage&lt;/a&gt;, by Chan Khoon San (via buddhanet). &lt;em&gt;Holy Places of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, Crystal Mirror Vol. 9 is packed with details about the Buddhist pilgrimage places, though it is strongly biased towards traditional Tibetan views of history. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a discussion about pilgrimage places in the &lt;em&gt;Mahāparinibbāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Dīghanikāya&lt;/em&gt; 16; p.263 in Walshe's translation). It's widely thought that such passages come relatively late, but we do not really know how long after the Buddha. On the other hand there are stories in the Pāḷi &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; of people undertaking long journeys to meet the Buddha when he was alive. The famous &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot;&gt;Bahiya&lt;/a&gt; (Udāna 1.10) for example. The practice of &lt;em&gt;buddhānussati&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;recollection of the Buddha&quot; is important in early Buddhist texts and continues to be important in Mahāyāna and Tantric Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time of Asoka at the very latest (ca 250 BCE) there were stupas in place at many sites associated with the Buddha, e.g. at Sarnath and Buddhist pilgrimage as well as other places that were associated with important people in the Buddhist stories, such as the stupa complex at Sanchi. Asoka enlarged many of these existing stupas and built new ones. Many of these important archaeological sites were lost following the decline and death of Indian Buddhism and only rediscovered in the 19th century by officers of British Government and the East India Company. Many have since been plundered. Charles Allen's book &lt;em&gt;Asoka&lt;/em&gt; describes the great king's role in this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the most famous Buddhists in history have been Chinese pilgrims to India. They undertook an enormously long journey, usually on foot, crossing deserts and high mountains and returning laden with sutras and travel stories. Perhaps the most famous of all is Xuanzang who is also renowned as a translator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pilgrimage is a very important practice in Shingon Buddhism in Japan. One circles Shikoku Island visiting 88 temples associated with Kūkai the founder. &#xA;There are many accounts of this pilgrimage trail, but &lt;em&gt;Japanese Pilgrimage&lt;/em&gt; by Oliver Statler is a very good read (now out of print unfortunately). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern times, pilgrimage is an important practice in the Triratna Buddhist Order, of which I am a member. I myself went on pilgrimage with a group of Buddhists in 2003/4 and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lulu.com/shop/jayarava/pilgrimage-diary/paperback/product-14407930.html&quot;&gt;wrote a short book&lt;/a&gt; about it. The Indian wing of our Order regularly organise and lead pilgrimages in the Indian winter (when it is much cooler). In addition Triratna Buddhists will often visit cites associated with the lives of Sangharakshita (our founder) and Dr Ambedkar, the leader of the Buddhist conversion movement that began in the 1950s.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one travels around the pilgrimage sites of Indian they are often packed with Buddhists from all over the world. The variety can be astounding. It is one of the practices that really brings people from different faiths within Buddhism together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically pilgrimage is an important &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt;. One can see it as an extension of &lt;em&gt;buddhānussati&lt;/em&gt; or the &quot;recollection of the Buddha&quot;, a key early Buddhist practice. By following in the Buddha's footsteps one brings him strongly to mind, one inhabits (in imagination) the world the Buddha lived in. It also enriches one's experience of reading Buddhist texts - when one can bring to mind the road from Anathapindika's Garden to Sāvatthī, or the view from Vulture's peak, then the stories come to life. Bringing the Buddha to mind is very important practice. As Buddhaghosa says in the Visuddhimagga (Vism VII,6)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And his body, when the recollection of the Buddha’s special qualities dwells in it, becomes worthy of veneration [pūjārahaṃ] like a shrine room [cetiyaghara]&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T13:33:11.970" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-08-30T16:10:43.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wrong view is words. What is in your experience, what you are focusing on within your experience moment by moment is right view. Really no opinion or laws are right view. They are agreements, assumptions and premade arguments. They can point to what is right view but they aren't right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T16:11:23.203" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T16:11:23.203" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-19T16:11:23.203" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11181" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-30T16:12:34.447" Score="3" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's the rationale or logic behind the precepts? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does fairness come into it? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are the list of precepts ever expanded to accommodate changing contexts?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being very unfair to someone who trusts one is pretty similar in emotional harm to cheating on a spouse or lying, especially when the unfairness is made possible because of an abuse of a position of power. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, employees of large corporations often feel lied to, even cheated when they are laid off by their employer because of new management policy. Yet, these are explicitly the terms of most employment contracts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, a home owner can feel pretty awful when evicted by the bank or lender for failure to pay the mortgage, especially when the bank is usually writing all the rules ab-initio protecting itself from market risks. Yet, this too is an agreed upon constraint because one party operates from a position of power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern life relies on governments, corporations and other faceless institutions to a large degree, and they do wield a great deal of power, so a lot of their transgressions fall afoul of the fairness test, though technically none of them are lies. This has to be a large source of misery in this world today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, going by the precepts, at least to me, such behaviour doesn't seem to be overtly criticised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have anything to say to such scenarios?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T16:42:32.277" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T04:56:33.827" Title="Why is 'do not be unfair' not a precept? And some related questions on precepts" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11166" CreationDate="2015-08-30T16:14:34.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is both no gender difference in the Lotus Posture and Vajra Posture or any other difference whatsoever as far as I'm aware. These are interchangeable terms for the same posture - the former has its root in Hatha Yoga and latter in Tibetan Vajrayana. There is, however, a gender difference in the &lt;strong&gt;Sattva Posture&lt;/strong&gt; which is often recommended in Tibetan traditions if full lotus is not possible. This is maybe where the misunderstanding may have started? In the  '&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1611800889&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Tibetan Yoga of Breath: Breathing Practices for Healing the Body and Cultivating Wisdom&lt;/a&gt;':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sattva posture is done differently for males and females, but both can begin by sitting cross-legged on the floor. Elevating the hips so that they rest above the knees makes the posture easier to hold, so we need to sit on a pillow or cushion. For males, the left leg is tucked in closer to the body and the left foot placed on the inner right thigh, while the right leg rests in the front. For females it is the opposite: the left leg rests in the front and the right leg is tucked, with the right foot resting on the inner left thigh. This posture is similar to a half lotus posture, except that one leg rests in front of the body for balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T16:14:34.990" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-08-30T17:25:55.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i can be permitted to answer this from my own personal experience and feelings about this - I think for a practitioner in the west materialism is a difficult view to work with. For many of us a materialist view is what we have been brought up with and it is a very dominant (the dominant?) paradigm in the west. We are fishes swimming in the waters of materialism and fishes don't see the water and many of us don't question our materialist assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've had a few conversations with order members in my sangha about materialism. While no-one in my sangha will stop you practicing if you are an unreconstructed materialist it is ultimately a view like all the other views and like all views it needs to be ultimately transcended. For many of us (for me anyway) we can see materialism as the unquestioned truth but then other times the dominant world view (christianity, paganism etc...) would also have been the unquestioned truth and in 500 years time there will be another unquestioned truth. We are not living at the end of history where the answer is a materialist western liberal democracy - but at times it feels like that how things are presented in our culture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I'm sure you can tell it's a struggle for me but your materialist views are something to work with. Right now I feel things are just a lot more unknowable than I appreciated for most of my life. But then the unknowable nature of reality is surely just a view of itself. The work continues!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T17:25:55.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11181" CreationDate="2015-08-30T17:45:30.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People in the societies of ancient India do seem to have believed in a &quot;just world&quot; (which is the most widely used term in the social science literature). They acknowledged that life was unjust. There are many Buddhist stories, for example, involving infant mortality (&lt;em&gt;Piyajātika Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, MN 87) and in the &lt;em&gt;Therīgāthā&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. Thī 127-132). Buddhists characterised ordinary life as &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt; which can mean &quot;disappointment, dissatisfaction, misery, and suffering&quot;. Though they also believed in a way to completely eliminate &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt; as well (though notable after 2500 there seems to be as much &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt; as ever). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way they dealt with &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt; was to imagine that all actions would produce consequences that could not be escaped - a theory they called &quot;karma&quot; meaning &quot;action&quot;. Technically, we talk about actions (karma) and their results (vipāka) or fruits (phala), but even the early Buddhists referred to this idea simply as &quot;karma&quot;. But an important caveat is that action that is morally significant is defined as &quot;intention&quot; (AN 6.63). So it's, generally speaking, not the act itself, but the intention that determines the morality of an action in Buddhism. It is believed that unwholesome intentions always cause unpleasant consequences; and wholesome intentions cause pleasant consequences. Those who cause misery are said to suffer misery commensurate with their actions. The principle outcome of karma is in fact rebirth in one of the realms (loka) of this universe - each representing a predominant experience of pleasure, pain, or ignorance. The human realm is predominantly miserable, but has the bonus of being the only realm from which we can escape &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist worldview, karma ensures that everyone lives out the consequences of their actions, death not withstanding, so that &lt;em&gt;in the long run&lt;/em&gt; everyone gets what they have earned by way of consequences. Later in the Mahāyāna it becomes possible to do religious practices to avoid the consequences, and for a while they are quite arduous, but eventually in Tantric Buddhism you can just chant a magic mantra to clear things up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A really wicked person is likely to be reborn in hell. One down side of karma, though, is that you have to wait for someone to die, perhaps repeatedly, for the consequences to catch up with them. So you probably won't be around to witness it. Karma is a very impersonal approach to a just world. Karmic justice is usually invisible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another downside is that it's very difficult to conceive of a theory of how karma works that is entirely consistent with other Buddhist ideas, like dependent arising, so there are multiple competing theories of how karma works, and some rather tetchy traditional polemics survive in the old texts. Most Buddhists don't really want to know about this downside and are happy to just go along with the tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The invisibility of justice is apparently difficult for Buddhists as they prone to paying lip service to karma, but taking matters into their own hands if they disapprove of something. Justice has to be seen to be done. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the greedy businessman and corrupt politician will get what they have earned by way of consequences. Just not from us. And not where we can see it. Many traditionalist Buddhists insist that we believe this as an article of faith &lt;em&gt;or we are not Buddhists&lt;/em&gt;. On the other hand so-called &quot;Secular Buddhists&quot; have no real replacement and end up simply espousing Humanism, but with meditation. The problem of how to understand karma without falling into a superstitious and backwards worldview is waiting to be solved. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T17:45:30.117" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11181" CreationDate="2015-08-30T18:29:12.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Do not be unfair&quot; is pretty vague. Do not lie and do not steal, those are easy recognize and not do. What is fair and unfair is subject to debate, well so are perhaps all precepts but I would say unfairness even more so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who says its unfair to sack an employee? The entire system is unfair if it forces a company to sack anybody. The problem isn't with the individual, not in the scenarios you mentioned anyway. Does an economic system accumulate good and bad karma? They're not sentient so they can't follow precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because a home owner feels awful doesn't mean its unfair. Don't get into the game if you don't want to play, meaning don't make loans if you might not be able to pay them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what Buddhism has to say, but escaping the hassle of financial injustice does seem to be one of the perks of becoming a monk. Maybe the Buddha felt great leaving royal life behind and not having to concern himself with taxes, but this is just speculation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T18:29:12.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11181" CreationDate="2015-08-30T18:42:28.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have anything to say to such scenarios?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are in a way minimum requirements. There are lots of actions that are unwholesome, that are not specifically listed in the precepts, but that does not make them any less unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One cannot simply say that if an action does not violate a precept, then it must be okay to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must both observe the &lt;em&gt;intention (cetanā)&lt;/em&gt; behind the action, i.e. is it based in the 3 unwholesome roots and what kind of consequences will be the result of the action, i.e. will the action be wholesome for oneself and for other beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must also strive to not only fulfill the minimum requirements but all the time see how one can improve one's mind and do as much good as one is capable off while keeping true to both oneself and other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the action is based in the 3 unwholesome roots then we already know that it cannot lead to wholesome resultants for oneself or other people. Such actions will only lead one further away from Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does fairness come into it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fairness can be implicit or derived from the precepts or from the reflection-quotes given by the Buddha, e.g. when he talks about how actions that are displeasing and disagreeable to him, how can he then inflict them upon another being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again, householders, a noble disciple reflects thus: 'If some­ one were to address me with harsh speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to address another with harsh speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and dis­agreeable to me?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Sotapatti Samyutta: Veludvareyya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T18:53:58.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11174" CreationDate="2015-08-30T19:05:40.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is impermanent and has a finite duration, meaning that the kammic results of an action last only for a certain duration of time, after which it becomes exhausted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=338&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a Brahma God can be reborn as a pig&lt;/a&gt; in the animal realm. That happens because the kamma from the good deeds has been exhausted which in turn leads to other kamma to come to fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means also that no being will be in the Hell realms for eternity since a being can only stay there until the unwholesome kamma has been exhausted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-30T19:14:56.297" LastActivityDate="2015-08-30T19:14:56.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11188" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T00:28:16.443" Score="6" ViewCount="401" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha states that he sees no other thing that is so much responsible for the arising of unwholesome qualities in a person as bad friendship, nothing so helpful for the arising of wholesome qualities as good friendship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is associating with good and wise people only useful for direct experience in this present life or is it right to assume that it will carry on to the next life e.g. reborn among the wise and good people or have good companionship?  Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T06:37:24.717" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T08:52:37.360" Title="The purpose of associating with the wise" Tags="|theravada|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11188" CreationDate="2015-08-31T00:49:24.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any action will have a result somewhere in Samsara. Obviously a student performing correct practice kamma with a wise teacher of kamma will have fruits in this life such as jhana or the 16 stages of insight. -Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T00:49:24.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11103" CreationDate="2015-08-31T01:00:15.747" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samajivina Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, as follows, can hopefully shed some light on this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One was staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at&#xA;  Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. Then early in the morning the&#xA;  Blessed One put on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe,&#xA;  went to the home of the householder, Nakula's father. On arrival, he&#xA;  sat down on a seat made ready. Then Nakula's father &amp;amp; Nakula's mother&#xA;  went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat&#xA;  to one side. As they were sitting there, Nakula's father said to the&#xA;  Blessed One: &quot;Lord, ever since Nakula's mother as a young girl was&#xA;  brought to me [to be my wife] when I was just a young boy, I am not&#xA;  conscious of being unfaithful to her even in mind, much less in body.&#xA;  We want to see one another not only in the present life but also in&#xA;  the life to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And Nakula's mother said to the Blessed One: &quot;Lord, ever since I as a&#xA;  young girl was brought to Nakula's father [to be his wife] when he was&#xA;  just a young boy, I am not conscious of being unfaithful to him even&#xA;  in mind, much less in body. We want to see one another not only in the&#xA;  present life but also in the life to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Blessed One said:] &quot;If both husband &amp;amp; wife want to see one&#xA;  another not only in the present life but also in the life to come,&#xA;  they should be in tune [with each other] in conviction, in tune in&#xA;  virtue, in tune in generosity, and in tune in discernment. Then they&#xA;  will see one another not only in the present life but also in the life&#xA;  to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Husband &amp;amp; wife, both of them  having conviction,  being responsive,&#xA;    being restrained,   living by the Dhamma,   addressing each other   with&#xA;  loving words: they benefit in manifold ways.  To them comes bliss.&#xA;  Their enemies are dejected    when both are in tune in virtue. Having&#xA;  followed the Dhamma here in this world,   both in tune in precepts &amp;amp;&#xA;  practices, they delight in the world of the devas, enjoying the&#xA;  pleasures they desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T01:00:15.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11174" CreationDate="2015-08-31T01:14:11.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What will erase our good deeds?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the karma for that action bears fruits, that &quot;good deed&quot; will &quot;erase&quot; so to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fruit that is borne from this good deed creates new situations and karma, good and bad. Thus, &quot;that&quot; good deed will never stop producing and in itself probably came from some other karma ad nauseum..&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to the section about &quot;regret&quot; (one of the 10 root afflictions) in &quot;How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization&quot;: if you have strong regret/doubt about a good action that you did, then it will diminish the good karma for that action. For example, if you saw a beggar on the street and you gave them all your change and felt great about it: great. But if after, you start regretting and second-guessing it... the &quot;good karma&quot; for that will nearly away. The same principle can be said for &quot;bad karma.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If nothing can erase our good deeds, does it mean everyone will become&#xA;  enlightened eventually?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No karma is permanent, good or bad.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is not associated with enlightenment: the worst person can still technically attain Awakening because it is a non-dual penetration beyond good or bad. That being said, even though Enlightenment comes from reasons beyond conditions and environment and karma.. of course Enlightenment is still easier to attain with a propitious environment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T07:15:11.890" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T07:15:11.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11192" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T01:21:13.637" Score="2" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intention that is good will have a good result and bring happiness, bad intention will have a bad result and suffering as a result. But many things have been experienced in life, one thing can be experienced many times in different situation, condition and time. These all together with one's habit will give rise to different kind of intentions only for one action. The first intention will be followed by the second or maybe the third.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally intention that first comes up is closely related to someone character/behavior, realizing this he corrects his mistake. Along with this correction, there will be another intention over two previous intentions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, is one intention better than the other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T09:56:05.570" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T12:53:46.370" Title="Is one intention better than the other?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|volition|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11188" CreationDate="2015-08-31T01:21:53.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, let us define 'wholesome' and 'unwholesome' qualities, which can be applied to our state of mind, our intention (which follows that state of mind) to act upon it, and the physical manifestation of it. Wholesome is based on unselfishness - kindness, compassion and basically giving up unwholesomeness (which is based on selfishness - wanting things for ourselves - greed and anger). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You question the 'purpose' of associating with the wise. Let us assume that you agree that Buddha is right in saying that some kind of 'association' with wise people (we will here define wise people as people who appear to express the wholesome qualities according to the definition given above on a physical level, i.e. speech and action) will lead you to develop wholesome qualities as opposed to association with unwise/bad people (people who express unwholesome qualities - i.e. selfishness, greed, unfriendliness, etc.). This would mean that you questioning the purpose of associating with the wise is the same as you questioning the purpose of developing wholesome qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of developing wholesomeness is happiness. Giving up wanting, wanting to help others, wanting others to be happy, doing things with the intention of making others happy, and all those kinds of kinds will make you a happy person. I mean happy here as in you will be free from worries (which is due to a state of wanting things for yourself - a state that is rooted upon selfishness) so you will be calm, but at the same time you will also be cultivating energy for trying to help others (knowing that you are acting for the good of others) and this create a joy in you. The more wholesomeness you develop, the more calm and joyful you become, and its a kind of a cycle. This cycle is accelerated by associating with good people (who also have wholesome qualities), and the rate at which this process of wholesomeness development accelerates depends upon the extent to which that person themselves have developed wholesomeness, and many other factors. So yeah, its useful for direct experience in this present life, as you could probably guess by my defining the purpose of developing wholesomeness. If you think about what I said about the cycle of generating wholesomeness - i.e. the rate at which you develop wholesomeness depends upon how wholesome you already are, and therefore the benefits of wholesomeness will also multiply along the same rate (i.e. you will become more and more calm + joyful, states of mind which by the way cause you to develop more wholesomeness, i.e. give up more and more and help others more and more), then you will get your answer of the 'will it help in the next life?' question. The answer will become clearer and clearer when you develop those wholesome qualities yourself, but then you won't care about the benefits of wholesomeness any more (whether of present or future life) if you actually develop wholesomeness, because worry/caring about 'what is in it for me?' and calm/giving up/contentment are opposites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exact mechanism of how association with good/wise people will lead to development of wholesome qualities within yourself is somewhat complicated, because it would depend on who you are. They might not associate with you if you don't already have goodness/wholesome qualities within you. You won't seek out friendship with good people if you already don't have goodness/wholesomeness within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal opinion, there are other things that led me very effectively on starting up the process of wholesomeness development. Insight and Samatha meditation.&#xA;If you do a lot and lot of insight and samatha meditation, you will grow rapidly in wholesomeness. These two meditation techniques are the core teachings of the Buddha, which will lead you to expression of the wholesomeness on a physical level (which is called 'morality' in Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you seem interested in developing wholesomeness, so I recommend that you master the core teachings of the Buddha by firstly mastering the meditation techniques and progressing in them. Here is a suggestion, read parts of this book as you see fit then practise intensively: &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055915f84aedaeee9181119/1347785055665/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the technique of insight meditation, I strongly recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practise is key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5123" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T07:12:35.607" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T07:12:35.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-31T03:27:01.117" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider the film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, and his cycle of hedonism and depression as he lives the same week over and over again. Yet, you need not actually relive the same day to experience saṃsāra. For some unenlightened people, hell is a 9 to 5 job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5830" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T03:27:01.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11192" CreationDate="2015-08-31T03:43:13.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each intention is it's own Karma. Whether one intention is better than the other depends on the purity of the intention. In other words, if it's defiled by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;greed, hatred and ignorance&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T03:43:13.733" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11181" CreationDate="2015-08-31T04:56:33.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sallekha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What's the rationale or logic behind the precepts? Does fairness come into it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the rationale is 'effacement', a.k.a. removal of personal defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Are the list of precepts ever expanded to accommodate changing contexts?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sallekha Sutta seems to do that, by including 44 items:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Starting with being harmful or harmless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then four of the traditional precepts (killing, stealing, lying, and unchastity)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Different types of wrong speech (false, malicious, harsh, gossip)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Covetousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Each of the eightfold way (wrong view etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Various other defilements and fetters (agitation, doubt, anger, envy, arrogance, bad friends, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For example, employees of large corporations often feel lied to, even cheated when they are laid off by their employer because of new management policy. Yet, these are explicitly the terms of most employment contracts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People lose their jobs, even permanent jobs are impermanent (in France they're not called &quot;temporary job&quot; and &quot;permanent job&quot;, they're called &quot;defined duration contract&quot; and &quot;indefinite duration contact&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However because that is &quot;explicitly the terms of most employment contracts&quot; so I'm not sure why a person should &quot;feel lied to&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the past I've tried to negotiate &quot;fairness&quot; in my own employment contract, e.g. when the contract says that the employer can end the contract by giving X amount (e.g. 2 weeks or 6 weeks) of notice, I asked that I be allowed to give the same X amount of notice for me to be allowed to end the contract.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unrelated to Buddhism, Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Contract&lt;/a&gt; article (including the related articles in the sidebar) implies that law has made an effort to promote and regulate &quot;fairness&quot; in contracts -- so that although some people/parties are richer than others they have (in theory) equal or equitable legal rights. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yet, this too is an agreed upon constraint because one party operates from a position of power.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's asymmetrical: one bank has thousands of clients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Modern life relies on governments, corporations and other faceless institutions to a large degree, and they do wield a great deal of power, so a lot of their transgressions fall afoul of the fairness test, though technically none of them are lies. This has to be a large source of misery in this world today. Yet, going by the precepts, at least to me, such behaviour doesn't seem to be overtly criticised. Does Buddhism have anything to say to such scenarios?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some advice in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In five ways should workers and servants as the lower direction be&#xA;  respected by an employer: by allocating work according to aptitude,&#xA;  providing wages and food, looking after the sick, sharing special&#xA;  treats, and giving reasonable time off work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, workers and servants so respected reciprocate with compassion in&#xA;  five ways: being willing to start early and finish late when&#xA;  necessary, taking only what is given, doing work well, and promoting a&#xA;  good reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this way, the lower direction is protected and made peaceful and&#xA;  secure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know but that might have been advice for a feudal society, a society with less labour mobility (i.e. where people had fewer employers, perhaps only one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism I suppose has been applied to lots of different societies: monarchies, feudal systems, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1529/254&quot;&gt;How compatible are Buddhism and Communism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO Buddhism isn't very responsible for the state of society or modern society. It's more responsible for (and has a lot more to say about, see e.g. the Vinaya) Buddhist monastic society: so far as I know the Buddha put more into organizing the Sangha than into organizing society-at-large. I don't know whether you consider monastic life &quot;fair&quot; or &quot;unfair&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T04:56:33.827" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-08-31T05:30:50.503" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came from a background in Stoicism. While there are many differences, I have found it very similar to what might be considered a materialist view of Buddhism. Attachment is referred to as passion, and happiness is said to come from being virtuous. The &lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt; become (paraphrasing Epictetus):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Somethings things are in our control, others not. Things we control: our actions, thoughts, words, intentions. Things we don't control: everything else.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focusing our efforts on things we don't control is unproductive and leads to suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Only minding what is in our control ends suffering (leading to nirvana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Minding what is in our control is the domain of ethics and virtue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aristotle discuses virtue in the Nicomachean Ethics. He defines ethics as doing what a human does well. The same way a calculator that evaluates 2+2 as 4 is a good computer, a human that acts right is a good human. He defines a virtue as the &lt;strong&gt;middle path&lt;/strong&gt; between two vices. Leading to the stoic version of the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;, the cardinal virtues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prudence: Right view, Right intention are the natural extension of a sound mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Justice: Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Temperance: Right mindfulness, Right concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Courage: Right effort. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roughly, prudence is the &quot;higher wisdom&quot;, justice is the &quot;moral discipline group&quot;, courage and temperance are the &quot;concentration group&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So taking the assumption that ethics and logic are the same thing, we can look at the relationship of physicality and the consciousness underpinning our path. Personally, as a materialist, I look at this as the relationship between causality and matter - or math and physics. Some things are &lt;em&gt;evidently&lt;/em&gt; true, others are &lt;em&gt;necessarily&lt;/em&gt; true. The latter is Formal Ethics. Harry Gensler has book on it where he shows that the golden rule is formally true in all cases. A materialist avoids stealing because it is nonsensical to do this. &quot;Bad&quot; actions rightly lead to their consequences. This is true regardless of what the &lt;strong&gt;physical&lt;/strong&gt; specifics are: what life you live, how you live it (samsara), what you hope to gain... Personally, I see &lt;strong&gt;consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; as the causal relation of matter, like calculation (the Curry-Howard Isomorphism). By this I don't mean that consciousness is a property &lt;em&gt;of&lt;/em&gt; matter per se, but that it is inextricably linked and emerges with it, like the internal language in a cartesian closed category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whatever your view of consciousness is, you can see how the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; be seen as a necessary truth without mentioning consciousness at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for #2, Harry Gensler's &lt;em&gt;Formal Ethics&lt;/em&gt; is good reading. Practical training in ethics comes down to the Law of Universality (fair should be consistently fair in all cases, not just when it's convenient). Practical training in concentration is aided by continence (Smoking kills; I don't care for dying; Therefore I won't smoke) and ends-means (If I want to stop smoking I should actually do the work of quitting).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Honestly though, I don't think most scientists &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; strictly atheists or materialists. The nice thing about framing the issue this way is that it works with or without a duality of consciousness or a god. So you can be Buddhist, Atheist, Christian, Muslim, Nihilist, etc. and these principles still apply just as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize this answer strays a bit from Buddhism proper. I mean only to shed a different light on the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5830" LastEditorUserId="5830" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T06:55:54.533" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T06:55:54.533" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9942" CreationDate="2015-08-31T08:58:39.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fair maidens do indeed get the lesser deal in that realm, much like women get the lesser deal in this realm. Since being a woman is an inferior birth (according &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Women:_a_Buddhist_View%E2%80%94An_Interview_with_Jetsun_Chimey&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this person anyway&lt;/a&gt;) the similar must apply to these so called nymphs, which I can't find any information on. If now Queen Maya was born a male deva, that still doesn't make the entire realm not-sexist. It arguably makes it more sexist that she couldn't be born a highly regarded nymph/maiden if female devas simply don't exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One wonders if there are nymph suffragettes in these higher realms, who demand to be treated equally and dishy servants... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T08:58:39.123" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9942" CreationDate="2015-08-31T09:18:03.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a ladder still be useful if all rungs were the top rung? Abandon all views, goes the Zen saying - the superiority complex, the inferiority complex and the equality complex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we were to abandon titles such as deva, male, female, dog, insect, hell dweller etc. and merely view them as rungs on a ladder, then they are all useful and have a place in the system. If all are merely rungs, then a dog has an equal right to bark for equality as a hell dweller or woman or man, but can it? Would that make any sense? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much better to see that each has a place, and none defines the self. If we identify with womanhood, then yes, we feel insulted by sexism. If we identify with anatta then we won't suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is meaningless to chafe at somethings and not others. If sexism is unfair, then it is also unfair that a rock needs no food or air to live, but a human does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is in our identification with identities. This is our costume for today, nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is the canonical karma theory answer I believe to the problem of sexism, social station and racism. It doesn't comfort the ego, it doesn't assure us that our identities are sacred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It just tells things as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure the above is always my position, but it is very useful sometimes to think clearly without getting caught in social drama. Other times it does lead to what can be perceived as a lack of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T09:18:03.133" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-08-31T09:21:48.990" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is not taken literally when you don't believe in an existence of an absolute (non-relative) reality. In a thinking system where you consider reality literally , rebirth should be taken literally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4756" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T09:21:48.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-08-31T12:28:48.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One answer is that reality is neither primarily physical nor mind, but &lt;em&gt;awareness&lt;/em&gt;. Looking at Physics, we see the two-slit experiment, which seems to indicate that objects such as photons are &quot;aware&quot; of their environment and &quot;make choices&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the simplest answer is to remove the quotes. Every thing, down to the lowest level of being, has awareness, and makes choices. Done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T12:28:48.730" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11202" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T14:03:24.170" Score="3" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm referring to the chapter in the Avatamsaka. Here is one &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistbooks.info/avatam/chapt27.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;summary&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Universal Light&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Wondrous Light&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Sequentially Going throughout all Buddhalands&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Purifying the Activities in the Depths of the Mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of the Magnificent Treasury of Knowing the Past.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of a Treasury of Wisdom Light&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Fathoming the Adornments of Buddhas in all Worlds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Distinguishing the Bodies of Living Beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of Ease and Comfort in the Dharma Realm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Great Samadhi of the Unhindered Wheel.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huayenontario.org/pages/HY%20studies%20English%20Outline%20of%20Avatamsaka%20Sutra%20.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;outline of the whole thing that mentions the 10 Samadis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3 is clear enough, there is a chapter in the Avatamsaka that does this, (chapter 4 I think).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5, 7, and 8 are results of meditation rather than steps leading to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Were these Samadhi's something that a lay or monastic bodhisattva would be expected to practice, or are these Samadhis that an already enlightened or nearly englightened Bodhisattva would engage in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sorry I don't have a link to the full text, I only know of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0877739404&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cleary translation which is available on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T16:15:24.007" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T16:15:24.007" Title="What are the 10 Samadhis of the Avatamsaka Sutra?" Tags="|mahayana|samadhi|avatamsaka-suttra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11202" CreationDate="2015-08-31T15:51:23.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My take on these kinds of lists in Mahāyāna sūtras, especially late ones like the &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka&lt;/em&gt;, is that they are literary devices. The &lt;em&gt;Avatamsaka&lt;/em&gt; is a particularly literary text. It's mainly a work of imagination, a kind of elaborate, surrealist Buddhist novel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The link appears to be to a summary rather than a translation. There's a ( illegal) copy of Leary's translation from the Chinese online &lt;a href=&quot;http://zen-ua.org/wp-content/uploads/avatamsaka-cleary.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. (Chapter 27, page 811-862). A quick skim suggests that it may not give you the kind of information you are interested in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T15:51:23.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11205" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T16:14:38.730" Score="7" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some questions about metta meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- When I send love to myself, my cat, the world etc. Do I have to feel something? Do I have to sit and repeat the mantra May I Be Happy until I feel love for myself and not move on to my cat until I've reached that point? (If yes, what if that takes forever? If I don't feel a thing, why might that be? Do I move on anyway? How much time should I spend on each thing?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- When I imagine myself, my cat, my neighbour and so forth, how much energy should I put into visualizing these things? Do I need to see it all clearly or is it enough to keep them in mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T15:09:39.443" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T15:09:39.443" Title="New to metta meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|beginner|meditation-metta|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11206" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T16:55:46.043" Score="2" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading about one sutta  &quot;emptiness in small gap&quot;. Since consciousness (Vijñāna) raises and falls all the time, between each consciousness there is a very small and briefest gap where Vijñāna doesn't take place. If i remember correctly, Buddha might have said about this emptiness as FYI. Anyone could help me find sutta about &quot;emptiness in small gap&quot; or &quot;emptiness in small space&quot;, or &quot;void in tight space&quot;.  i want to study this sutta again to see if buddha ralated this emptiness to vimutti or maha-sunyata.    thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T19:03:41.410" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T19:03:41.410" Title="What sutta refers to 'emptiness in small space'?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|texts|sunyata|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11207" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-08-31T16:56:29.380" Score="8" ViewCount="3134" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can understand that within the social context of the historical Buddha, being homosexual or bisexual could have possibly been damaging to the Sangha's image as there is still a lot of gay/bisexual/transgender discrimination today. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On Wikipedia, it said a pandaka is unable to attain enlightenment. It sounded like a pandaka might be someone who swings both ways to fulfill sexual desires but I am unclear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about someone who has sexual relations with men but who is heterosexual?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Possibly with the shedding of an identity view we lose our interpretation of ourselves as one way, but I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I probably need to learn Pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5836" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T20:16:05.050" LastActivityDate="2022-02-23T13:45:02.217" Title="What is a pandaka?" Tags="|terminology|sexuality|gender|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11207" CreationDate="2015-08-31T17:17:49.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not an expert in pali, and this word &quot;pandaka&quot; is much debated among experts as to its true meaning during Buddha's time.  One of the meanings is, one who cant control his sexual appetite.  There are many reasons why Buddha would not allowed &quot;bandaka&quot; to join a Sangha.  Perhaps, one of the reasons is a person would advance in dhamma better if not join in group of men.  It's for his own good.  From my study, Buddha has never mentioned that Pandaka is in the unfortunate group who couldn't reach the enlightenment.  It only mentioned in later additions and couldnt be given credit to Buddha.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T17:17:49.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11207" CreationDate="2015-08-31T17:18:27.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That usually gets translated as hermaphrodite, it looks like it means more generally someone who isn't conforming to the ordinary gender role.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The situation probably refers to ordination. By some ordinary arm chair reasoning-- the historical sangha was clearly sexist. Even just allowing women to participate at all was a major point of progress. But they set up different organizations with different rules, any new members would have to participate in one or the other. So I imagine there would have been a problem if faced with a cross dresser or biological hermaphrodite. They'd be too rare to set up a new organization for them and probably were an even less sympathetic group than women. So they just prohibited entry into the Sangha. Enlightenment was a status reserved for the sangha. A lay person would become enlightened only via reincarnation. So pandakas would be unable to reach arhatship in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time of the Mahayana, sutras were taking on the gender issue head on-- with sutras where the enlightened Buddha was a woman or even a young girl, or capable of magically shifting gender from one to the other (without first dying and reincarnating)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T17:18:27.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11205" CreationDate="2015-08-31T17:37:19.573" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many approaches. A bit of  training in mindfulness helps to see our internal moment by moment experiences so we can interact with them with lovingkindness and better understand what's going on with us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I do it, developed by listening to guided metta and practicing Satipatthana Vipassana:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While smiling, I imagine puppies, kittens or something cute like that and then move to people after I develop  a bit of this fuzzy feeling around the heart area. I focus on this feeling, befriending it so that the loving kindness gets stronger. If I can't get this feeling to come up then I say things like &quot;that's OK&quot;,  &quot;I accept that&quot; or &quot;I can accept that I can't accept that&quot;. I treat pain, tension or a bad feeling as though it was a person I want to welcome. &quot;Welcome!&quot;, &quot;may you be happy&quot;, or &quot;you are free and aren't possessed by anything&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose I add elements of compassion as well as lovingkindness. The key is  &quot;acceptance&quot;. You don't need to visualize things clearly or have all your faculties perfect to practice metta but if I am worried about not doing the practice correctly, during the practice, then I try to have an attitude of friendship towards that worry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you haven't already, I seriously recommend learning a little mindfulness to aid your Metta practice. Guided lovingkindness seriously helped me a lot, so maybe try that out. - Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T15:15:23.367" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T15:15:23.367" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-08-31T17:37:19.573" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11206" CreationDate="2015-08-31T18:38:57.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never read a Sutta talking about emptiness in terms of a gap or a small space, and to my knowledge the Suttas don't explicitly talk about what happens between individual consciousnesses (although the commentaries on the Suttas do interpret certain passages as referring to it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the Theravada Abhidhamma, this issue is taken up more explicitly. According to the Abhidhamma, between individual consciousnesses there is another type of mind-state called the Bhavanga-citta. The Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi in his book &lt;em&gt;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; explains the Bhavanga quite succinctly as follows on page 106:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Life-continuum (bhavanga):  The word bhavanga means “factor (anga)&#xA;  of  existence (bhava),” that is, “the indispensable condition of&#xA;  existence.”  Bhavanga is the  function of consciousness by which the&#xA;  continuity of the individual is preserved through  the duration of any&#xA;  single existence, from conception to death.  After the paṭisandhicitta&#xA;  has arisen and fallen away, it is then followed by the bhavangacitta,&#xA;  which is a resultant  consciousness  of  the  same  type  as  the &#xA;  paṭisandhicitta  but  which  performs  a  different  function, &#xA;  namely,  the  function  of  preserving  the  continuity  of &#xA;  individual  existence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Bhavangacittas  arise  and  pass  away  every  moment  during  life  whenever  there  is  no  active cognitive process taking place.  This&#xA;  type of consciousness is most evident during deep dreamless sleep, but&#xA;  it also occurs momentarily during waking life countless times  between&#xA;  occasions of active cognition.&lt;/strong&gt;  When an object impinges on a sense&#xA;  door, the bhavanga is arrested, and an active  cognitive process&#xA;  ensues for the purpose of cognizing the object.  Immediately after the&#xA;  cognitive process is completed, again the bhavanga supervenes and&#xA;  continues until the  next cognitive process arises.  Arising and&#xA;  perishing at every moment during this passive  phase of consciousness,&#xA;  the bhavanga flows on like a stream (sota), without remaining  static&#xA;  for two consecutive moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Emphasis added)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T18:38:57.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11212" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11216" CreationDate="2015-08-31T18:58:21.733" Score="5" ViewCount="1322" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been meditating for me get a week and have always felt connected to my spiritual side. My dad has been meditating for about 30 years so I go by his guilds. &#xA;I just wanted to know if anyone else felt what I have been feeing. &#xA;After a few try's I saw an eye approach me and it kind of scared me away so I stopped the meditation till the next day. &#xA;After that I've been getting vibrations coming through my body (from my feet to shoulders) every time I meditate. &#xA;What should I expect next? Are there levels of meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5837" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T19:38:06.103" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T21:40:23.780" Title="Opening my third eye experience" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11205" CreationDate="2015-08-31T19:30:10.017" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way Trungpa Rinpoche explained metta, you must start with yourself. Sit and love yourself, respect yourself, give yourself a break - &lt;strong&gt;until you feel a relief.&lt;/strong&gt; This may take days, weeks, or months - do not rush. The goal is to recover your sense of your own basic goodness, your fundamental sanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often we judge others because we are strict to ourselves. Often we are strict to ourselves because our parents were strict to us, or our early environment was, like school teachers or peers. We may feel like we are high strung, we are under pressure to deliver excellent result, we are afraid to be a failure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes a lot of courage to surrender, to sink into your own suchness, whatever it is. When you do it right you can feel the changes in your body. Your breath should get deeper and calmer. Your body should sink down and get more steady. At the same time you will feel like you can move your body freely without loosing your balance. Your face muscles should relax.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It feels like you can almost have a conversation with your own heart. &quot;Forgive me my heart that I was so tough on you all these years. I'm so sorry, now I know how painful it was. Thank you for staying alive through all that. I love you, together we are one&quot;. You don't need to actually say or think any of this - but this is the feeling the right metta gives. The feeling of warmth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is 75% of the work. Then from this warmth, from this acceptance of yourself, you expand to accept and give warmth to everyone else. This is like having the same Sorry-Thanks-Love conversation with your cat, relatives, friends, strangers, enemies, and then the rest of the world, back to past ages, and forward to future ages. You don't need to visualize every one of them in great details, what matters is the sense of connection, the sense of appreciation, the sense of mutual acceptance, validation, and support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a very heart-warming exercise. Don't be surprised if you find yourself overwhelmed with emotions and sob, that's a good sign. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T21:14:20.090" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T21:14:20.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11207" CreationDate="2015-08-31T19:31:09.387" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can start with the PTS dictionary. &lt;em&gt;Paṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt; &quot;a eunuch, weakling&quot;. This definition is repeated in Monier-Williams sv &lt;em&gt;paṇḍa&lt;/em&gt;. As far as the early Buddhist texts, they are clearly not to be ordained, but I cannot see it said anywhere what the word means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two places in the traditional commentaries which have explanations. The first is on the Mahānidessa and from the 6th or 9th century CE:. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paṇḍakāti lokāmisa-nissitakathā-bahulā ussanna-kilesā avūpasanta-pariḷāhā na puṃsakā. Tesaṃ sabbesampi upasaṅkamane ādīnavo vutta-nayen'eva veditabbo&lt;/em&gt;. (Saddhammappajjotikāya 2.541)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rough translation might be&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paṇḍakas&lt;/em&gt; are great adherents to the pleasures of the world, rife with defilement, burning with desire, and without gender (&lt;em&gt;napuṃsaka&lt;/em&gt;). It should be understood as just a way of saying that all of them are evil (ādīnavo).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of interest here is the word &lt;em&gt;napuṃsaka&lt;/em&gt;, PED &quot;of no sex&quot;. Fortunately Margaret Cone's &lt;em&gt;Dictionary of Pāli&lt;/em&gt; has reached &quot;n&quot; and she defines as &quot;one is neither male nor female; sexless; a eunuch&quot;; and notes masculine and neuter grammatical forms.&quot; Kaccāyana, the great Pāli grammarian, uses &lt;em&gt;napuṃsaka&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;napuṃsakaliṅga&lt;/em&gt; as terms for the grammatical neuter gender or words of that gender. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word originally comes from a Vedic noun &lt;em&gt;puṃs&lt;/em&gt; meaning &quot;man&quot;. &quot;Na&quot; means &quot;not&quot;. In Pāḷi the semantic field of &lt;em&gt;puṃs&lt;/em&gt; has been taken over by &lt;em&gt;purisa&lt;/em&gt; (except once in the compound &lt;em&gt;itthi-pumā&lt;/em&gt; &quot;women and men&quot;). The word &lt;em&gt;pudgala&lt;/em&gt; is sometimes written &lt;em&gt;puṃgala&lt;/em&gt;, in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit (suggesting a relationship). So we can take the -&lt;em&gt;ka&lt;/em&gt; either as a diminutive (&quot;not even a man&quot;) or as an adjectival suffix &quot;one who is not a man&quot; [and by implication not female either]. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other commentarial passage comes from Buddhaghosa's Vinaya commentary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paṇḍakāti ussannakilesā avūpasantapariḷāhā napuṃsakā; te pariḷāhavegābhibhūtā yena kenaci saddhiṃ mittabhāvaṃ patthenti.&lt;/em&gt; (VinA 5.991) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving out the repetition this quote adds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They overcome with force of their burning [sexual] desire, anyone whom they desire to become friends (mitta) together with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter simply suggests prejudice to me. There is a discussion on &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=1698&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammawheel&lt;/a&gt; about this term. It cites a Theravāda Bhikkhu (I have not traced the source) however the list is from the Vinaya commentary (VinA 5.1016). What follows looks to be a fair translation (ascribed to Thanissaro):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Regarding &lt;em&gt;paṇḍakas&lt;/em&gt;, in the &lt;em&gt;Vinaya Atthakathā&lt;/em&gt; these are classified as being of five types:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) &lt;em&gt;āsitta-paṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt;: — (literally, a &quot;sprinkled one&quot;) a man who finds sexual fulfillment in performing fellatio on another man and bringing him to climax. (For some reason, other homosexual acts, even though they were known in ancient India, are not included under this type nor under any of the types in this list.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  2) &lt;em&gt;usūya-paṇḍaka:&lt;/em&gt; — a voyeur a man who finds sexual fulfillment in watching other people have sex.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  3) &lt;em&gt;opakkamika-paṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt;: — A eunuch - one who has been castrated.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  4) &lt;em&gt;pakkha-paṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt;: — A half-time paṇḍaka - one who is a paṇḍaka only during the waning moon.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  5) &lt;em&gt;napuṃsaka-paṇḍaka&lt;/em&gt;: — A neuter - a person born without sexual organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of these five kinds, the first two may ordain as bhikkhus, the other three may not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further discussion follows, though it is far from conclusive. No.4 sounds mythical. This tends to confirm the Saṅgha traditionally had an open attitude to sexual orientation, though of course once ordained monks are expected to give up &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; sexual activity. I found no evidence to suggest that &lt;em&gt;Paṇḍakas&lt;/em&gt; are not capable of enlightenment in older traditional texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a modern practising Buddhist I see no reason that any person should not become enlightened regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or any of the other traditional pivot points of bigotry, provided that they apply themselves. The last thing we need in Buddhism is irrational prejudice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yes, everyone should learn Pāḷi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T19:31:09.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-08-31T20:59:30.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada Buddhism, Right view (Samma Ditti) should eliminate both extreme ideologies( materialistic -&quot;Everything exists&quot; view and &quot;Everything doesn't exist&quot;). This is very clear per most of the suttas. For example. pls refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also if you could read Bhikku K Nanananda's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net/files/eng/books/other/concept_and_reality.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought&lt;/a&gt; that'd be helpful to clear your right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T20:59:30.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11212" CreationDate="2015-08-31T21:31:00.803" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yeah, initially you may experience all kinds of glitches. When you don't meditate a lot of energy is stuck at different layers of your body-mind, and when you start meditating those layers start connecting to each other and energy starts flowing up and down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you may get a headache or feel like you are flying or see some flashes of colors, or get various body experiences etc. These are all like hallucinations, don't take them too serious. It is only a side effect of your energy moving to a more balanced state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them are very cool. Some of them can be super interesting thoughts or intellectual realizations. You job is to not fall in love with them on one hand, and don't fight them on the other hand, but let them come up and pass away so you can keep going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next you may expect funny dreams. Maybe lucid dreams when you know you're dreaming. Maybe flying dreams. Maybe dreams in which you go through walls. You may also start noticing how in your post meditation you become more steady and your senses get a lot brighter, like you feel more awaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, at some point you may feel like meditation gets very frustrating. For some reason you start hating it. Usually that means you got stuck on some preconceived notion of how meditation is supposed to go. If that happens, let go of that!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-08-31T21:40:23.780" LastActivityDate="2015-08-31T21:40:23.780" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11217" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11231" CreationDate="2015-09-01T09:34:17.710" Score="7" ViewCount="1704" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of dependent origination is that it asserts that all things are empty of inherent existence. On an intellectual level I can appreciate and accept this however I struggle when it comes to time. Is time included in this? Is it dependent on something else and if so what kind of things are conditions for time? In my mental picture of the world time is kind of a backdrop for everything else but clearly this mental picture conflicts with dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T23:53:41.803" Title="Is time empty of inherent existence?" Tags="|philosophy|pratityasamutpada|time|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-01T09:41:09.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Time is merely the concept humans use when trying to apprehend impermanence. Time is the measurement of the rate of change of things around us that are appreciable to the scale of which we experience reality. All conditioned things being unable to maintain a constant form, and thus being in constant flux, give the appearance of &quot;time&quot;, but there is no time as we conventionally think of it, only constant change, impermanence. Therefore, time is dependent on greed, anger, and delusion, a misapprehension of reality as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T13:21:47.910" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T13:21:47.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11219" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11235" CreationDate="2015-09-01T09:45:21.673" Score="2" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1899579842/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&amp;amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&amp;amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;amp;pf_rd_i=0904766535&amp;amp;pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&amp;amp;pf_rd_r=12C1R9QXH323NKECHYK2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;book about Bodhisattvas&lt;/a&gt; it says that  traditionally Buddhism can cause longevity in a way that parallels the longevity that is sought after by Taoism. This kind of longevity arises in the same way that the psychic powers do i.e. it is a natural result of practice but it isn't the end point and it isn't something that should be grasped after. This is the first time I have heard of Buddhism in connection with longevity. Has anyone got any further details about this and perhaps some textual references where this is referred to? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note - I'm not interested in scientific studies or connections to well-being/stress reduction and similar in this question. I want to focus on the texts and traditions rather than more modern studies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T18:48:01.333" Title="Does Buddhism cause longevity?" Tags="|traditions|meditation-effects|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11220" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11256" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:00:41.767" Score="3" ViewCount="251" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3358245-land-of-no-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Land of No Buddha&lt;/a&gt; the author interviews a Tibetan lama in which he talks about collective karma - to quote &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All groups have karma that is more than just the collection of the&#xA;  karma of the individuals of the group. For example a group can decide&#xA;  collectively to start a war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(pp 76 of above book)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the first and only time I have heard of collective karma. Is this a concept purely within Tibetan Buddhism? Is it wider than that or is it perhaps just this lama's understanding and it not really a concept in Buddhism generally? If it is a genuine concept then can someone give some more details and perhaps how it fits in with karma at an individual level?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T13:40:55.833" Title="Can karma operate at the level of groups i.e. collectively?" Tags="|karma|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11219" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:10:32.527" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said: &quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;  brought to perfection the four constituents of psychic power could, if&#xA;  he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it. [21] The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata&#xA;  could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the&#xA;  end of it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the Venerable Ananda was unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the significant prompting, given by the Blessed One. As though his&#xA;  mind was influenced by Mara, [22] he did not beseech the Blessed One:&#xA;  &quot;May the Blessed One remain, O Lord!. May the Happy One remain, O&#xA;  Lord, throughout the world-period, for the welfare and happiness of&#xA;  the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well&#xA;  being, and happiness of gods and men!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And when for a second and a third time the Blessed One repeated his words, the Venerable Ananda remained silent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ananda: &quot;Go now, Ananda, and do as seems fit to you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the above is a textual reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Off-topic to the question, this (i.e. not having asked the Buddha to remain) is a reason why Ananda was reproached at the first council after the Buddha's death. Later in the same sutta Ananda realizes what the Buddha had been saying and asks him then (asks him three times), but the Buddha says no:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;49&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And the Blessed One answered, saying: &quot;Enough, Ananda. Do not entreat the Tathagata, for the time is past, Ananda, for such an entreaty.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;57&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;So also at Vesali, Ananda, at different times the Tathagata has spoken to you, saying: 'Pleasant, Ananda, is Vesali; pleasant are the shrines of Udena, Gotamaka, Sattambaka, Bahuputta, Sarandada, and Capala. Whosoever, Ananda, has developed... Therefore the Tathagata could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But you, Ananda, were unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the significant prompting, given you by the Tathagata, and you did not entreat the Tathagata to remain. For if you had done so, Ananda, twice the Tathagata might have declined, but the third time he would have consented. Therefore, Ananda, the fault is yours; herein you have failed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yet, Ananda, have I not taught from the very beginning that with all that is dear and beloved there must be change, separation, and severance? Of that which is born, come into being, is compounded and subject to decay, how can one say: 'May it not come to dissolution!' There can be no such state of things. And of that, Ananda, which the Tathagata has finished with, that which he has relinquished, given up, abandoned, and rejected — his will to live on — the Tathagata's word has been spoken once for all: 'Before long the Parinibbana of the Tathagata will come about. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.' And that the Tathagata should withdraw his words for the sake of living on — this is an impossibility.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T13:05:07.330" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T13:05:07.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11222" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11247" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:21:37.927" Score="9" ViewCount="2738" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read in many places in the Pali canon that the Buddha will answer a question if asked three times even if the Buddha is extremely reluctant to give the answer. For instance in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha is asked by Talaputa ,the leader of a troupe of actors, about what will happen to actors when they are reborn. The Buddha clearly doesn't want to say (it's not good news) but Talaputa really pushes it and asks him three times&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A second time... A third time Talaputa, the head of an acting troupe,&#xA;  said: &quot;Lord, I have heard that [...]  What does the Blessed One have&#xA;  to say about that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gives in and delivers the bad news.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is the origin of this questioning technique? Why does he always give an answer if pushed like that? Was it a traditional thing in Indian society at that time or was it just a thing with the Buddha? I've only read this in the Pali canon. Does it crop up in other texts and traditions too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T03:17:06.873" Title="Why does the Buddha always answer a question if asked three times?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|texts|debate|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11223" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11236" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:29:45.233" Score="5" ViewCount="1176" Body="&lt;p&gt;We often see things scattered under the main tree in the Buddhist Theravada temple yard. There is also fresh fruit cut open. It seems they are put under the tree deliberately and regularly. Does anyone know what is the purpose of this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T10:30:10.337" LastActivityDate="2017-03-04T01:56:56.163" Title="Purpose of scattered thing or food under tree?" Tags="|theravada|traditions|food|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:35:44.003" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ultimately&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, Time exists only conceptually, i.e. as a mental formation. Thinking about &lt;em&gt;past, present and future&lt;/em&gt; are mental events, happening in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We live only for one thought-moment at a time (momentary death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind might be chasing after some object or running away from another object but that also takes place in the present moment, thus we are always in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conventionally&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, we can speak of Time as existing and exercising some kind of control over beings in conditioned existence. That can be seen in the workings of &lt;em&gt;Kamma&lt;/em&gt;. Kamma is fourfold and one of its classifications are called &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Time of Ripening&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, i.e. when the kamma is coming into fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are actions that might produce their effects in this very life, they are called &lt;em&gt;Immediately-Effective-Kamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are actions that might produce their effect in a subsequent life, they are called &lt;em&gt;Subsequently-Effective-Kamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there are actions that might produce their effects in any life as long as one is in the conditioned realm, they are called &lt;em&gt;Indefinitely-Effective-Kamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As seen here Time exists conventionally, as do beings and rebirth, since they are merely concepts, conventions and designations. Ultimately though, these concepts are not findable or inherently existing. In other words they fall under the doctrine of &lt;em&gt;Emptiness&lt;/em&gt; (Śūnyatā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To further illustrate the difference between &lt;em&gt;Conventional and Ultimate&lt;/em&gt; reality let's take a look at a quote from the Milindapañhā&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; where King Melinda discuss Time with Ven. Nāgasena:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Nàgasena, when you say, ‘Time immemorial’, what does time mean? Is there any such thing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Time means past, present and future. There are some for whom time exists and some for whom it doesn’t. Where there are beings who will be reborn, for them time exists; where there are beings who will not be reborn, for them time does not exist.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Well put, Nàgasena, you are clever in reply.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we see here Nāgasena explains that Time exists for beings that will be reborn, i.e. beings that are still wandering in the realm of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Time does not exist for beings that will not get reborn, i.e. those who have won Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Ch. 5: &amp;quot;Compendium of the Process-Freed&amp;quot;, p. 201, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Debate of King Melinda&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Ch. 2: &amp;quot;Rebirth&amp;quot;, p. 47, by Ven. Bhikkhu Pesala&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T19:16:11.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:35:53.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; implies that (passage of) time depends on (two, separated in time) events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example 'the time elapsed between today and tomorrow' depends on 'today' and on 'tomorrow'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly maybe space (a.k.a. distance) depends on (two, separated in distance) objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7926/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; which suggests that there have been conflicting opinions/definitions about whether space is conditioned or unconditioned. An argument for its being called unconditioned is that it's eternal (I'm not sure what the word for &quot;eternal&quot; was, I wonder whether it was &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; i.e. timeless).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T10:35:53.020" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:49:45.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One has to understand that the texts referred to were written in the Iron Age in India. They were not very sophisticated in how they thought about the physical world. For example, they understood it to be made of just 5 elements: earth, water, wind, fire, space. There is no sophisticated discussion of time as a concept. Indeed in the West there is almost no sensible discussion of time until the Enlightenment. Our understanding of time was completely wrong until just a century ago, this year, when Albert Einstein published his General Theory of Relativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's simply unlikely that one will find any satisfactory explanation of time in traditional Buddhist texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To complicate things some people (Ñāṇavīra and Buddhadasa) have argued that the Buddha claimed that his dharma was &lt;em&gt;akāliko&lt;/em&gt; and that this means that dependent arising cannot be understood in temporal terms. They use the building block approach instead: for example when the walls are present, the roof is able to stay up. When the walls are absent the roof does not stay up (it either cannot be put up or it falls down). The walls must precede the roof in sequence, but the argument is that this does not imply a temporal sequence. I don't find this entirely plausible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the language allows us to talk about time as though it is an entity, this is philosophically untenable. Time is not a feature of the world, it's a feature of how we conceptualise sequences of experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A modern argument would say that time is a Kantian &lt;em&gt;a priori&lt;/em&gt;. Like causation, time, is simply a pre-existing concept we superimpose on experience when we observe sequences of events. Hawking argues that the Second Law of Thermodynamics (i.e. entropy increases over time) imposes an direction on time. We can always tell when a film is being played backwards partly because of how we understand causality and partly because of how we understand entropy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But so what? What soteriological value does this knowledge have? What difference will it make to how you practice or relate to people. None that I can see. The fact is that most of don't need an abstract understanding of time in order to live. If you really want to understand time, then trying to do so in terms of a theory which only seeks to understand how experiences arise in awareness is never going to be very satisfying. There's not a bad description in Stephen Hawking's book &lt;em&gt;A Brief History of Time&lt;/em&gt;. Although it is not easy to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think perhaps that we would need to clarify the purpose of this question. What would one gain by an intellectual understanding of time that is rooted in an Iron Age worldview? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T10:49:45.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11222" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:52:24.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one knows. It was probably just a social convention of the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T10:52:24.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11222" CreationDate="2015-09-01T10:58:17.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always assumed it was a skillful means of getting the person to go away as soon as possible. Not relenting after two rebukes, at that point, the Buddha assuming this person was not getting the hint, did what was necessary to return to seclusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I don't believe I have ever seen any mention of this in the Pali Canon, so this is only conjecture. Conjecture based on the Buddha's teaching of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right speech&lt;/a&gt; and on the virtue of seclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He avoids idle chatter and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks of the Dhamma and the discipline; his speech is like a treasure, uttered at the right moment, accompanied by reason, moderate and full of sense.&#xA;  – AN 10:176&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, one can see that the Buddha was purposeful in the manner in which he spoke, and as such would not be doing so simply as a cultural norm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T11:42:30.423" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T11:42:30.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11220" CreationDate="2015-09-01T11:13:54.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of collective karma also crops up in the Pāḷi commentarial tradition, though it is not called that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma as we find it in the suttas is hardly unified, but generally speaking it is purely a matter of individual practice. But the theories of karma in the suttas don't seem to have survived in practice - every sect of Buddhism mucked about with the theories of the Pāḷi Canon because they are internally inconsistent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my first published article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.westernbuddhistreview.com/vol4/suicide_as_a_response_to_suffering.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suicide as a Response to Suffering&lt;/a&gt;, on suicide in the Pāḷi Canon, I noted the example (SN 54.9) of the dozens of monks who committed mass suicide after being taught the meditation on the foulness of the body and the decomposition of the corpse by the Buddha. Now on face value this is a tragic mistake on the Buddha's part, and the tradition seems to have felt that it needed explaining. Buddhaghosa's commentary explains it with a story about the monks concerned being connected by a common fate. They had all lived together as hunters in the past. See Bodhi's &lt;em&gt;Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/em&gt; translation, &lt;em&gt;The Connected Discourses&lt;/em&gt;, p.1951, note 301. In this story the Buddha implausibly knows that the monks are going to commit suicide and can do nothing except relieve their attachment to their bodies, so that suicide is easier. This is all wildly implausible, but presumably Buddhaghosa felt it was better than admitting the Buddha had made a gigantic mistake. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Collective karma&quot; used to be a favourite subject for arguments amongst Buddhists in the early forms of internet social networking such as Newsgroups and Listservs. I never found such discussions very helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prof Richard Hayes (aka Dharmacārī Dayāmati) wrote a talk about it for his visiting professorship in Leiden in 2009. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.unm.edu/~rhayes/Lecture10.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Is there such a thing as collective karma&lt;/a&gt;? Here he covers the ground pretty well, though he leaves the question of whether the idea has any real value open. Personally I don't see much value in it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T11:13:54.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11220" CreationDate="2015-09-01T11:30:02.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is probably too long to post as a comment, but isn't totally an answer either, in any case it's something of a reference to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This summary is in reference to the commentary of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMLDb7FIJ4&amp;amp;index=15&amp;amp;list=PLF755B81CBBCA7B59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verses 21-23&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was some king in the Buddha's time ( I don't remember which), whom had two Queen consorts. One of them was virtuous, the other evil and scheming. The virtuous one had a hand maiden who would buy flowers for her Queen every day, but stole from her in doing so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hand maiden would take the money the queen gave her for flowers, keep half the money, and return to the Queen only half as many flowers and she had ought to, the Queen not knowing any better. Until one day, this hand maiden heard the Buddha teach, attained stream entry, and then returned to the Queen, confessing her transgression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Queen was not mad, but impressed that the Buddha's teaching was this profound. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fast forwarding, Ananda ends up coming to the palace to teach the Queen and her attendants, the evil Queen wanting to get rid of the good queen, as the evil queen had qualms with the Buddha due to a past misgiving, but was unable to get at him, plots against the good queen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The evil queen ends up burning the good queen and her attendants alive in a bed chamber, although while they are burning to death they are able to be mindful and attain the path. It is explained in the sutta that the queen and her attendants suffered this kamma because of a misdeed they all committed in a past life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They had started a fire in a field where a Pacceka Buddha was in a deep state of meditation. Because of this deep state of meditation, he was unharmed. But they not being aware of this, thinking he was burnt and dead, built another fire around his body to fully dispose of the evidence, and left him. The Pacceka Buddha was fine, but the weight of this action followed them all into this life, all of them suffering the same fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T11:18:52.210" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T11:18:52.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-01T13:15:19.233" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understanding time is an important part of insight into the nature of things. How can you understand the empty nature of entities if you don't understand their relationship with time? How can you be free of self, of the dictate of the form, if you don't see beyond time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In traditional literature this topic is famously addressed by the founding father of Japanese Zen, Master Dogen, in his essay &lt;em&gt;U-ji&lt;/em&gt; - usually translated as &quot;Being-Time&quot; or &quot;Existence-Time&quot;. While I would not give justice to it here by quoting or paraphrasing, here are my own limited glimpses of understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Time is not a container. Entities do &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; &quot;move&quot; through time. Nor the time &quot;moves&quot; while entities &quot;stay in place and age on&quot;. Instead, time is existence itself, time is not separate from the state of things. Because entities are empty they do not have an identity that would be retained and would pass from one moment of time to the next. That identity is a conceptual overlay. If you think of transformations like wood=&gt;ashes or milk=&gt;yogurt it becomes very clear. At what point does wood stop being wood and becomes ashes? At what point milk dies and yogurt is born?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...There cannot be such thing as time travel, because the notion of travel itself requires time for the travel to occur in. If you could skip through time, what time would that skipping occur in? Thinking in terms of entities moving through time is a deep-ingrained samsaric thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All compound things exist in some configuration in one point in time, and in a different configuration in another point. Consciousness (awareness) exists as part of that same setup. It looks like it changes, but just like everything else, it just exhibits different configuration at different points in time-space. All phenomena exist as a web of connections across time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T13:15:19.233" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2015-09-01T14:04:47.213" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another reason is the connection to the Divine. Hair stop energy moving, and in meditation practices they need to connect the Sahasrara as best as possible with the Divine, thus shaving the head allows for better &quot;connection&quot;. There are also specific rituals and procedures for that part of the body that take place after death, but that's another story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5843" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T14:38:47.597" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T14:38:47.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10400" CreationDate="2015-09-01T15:19:00.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please edit. all are welcome .  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is base on the previous asked question’s answer.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;That question was &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10390/do-artists-entertainers-accumulate-positive-merit-when-people-enjoy-their-craft&quot;&gt;Do artists/entertainers accumulate positive merit when people enjoy their craft?&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer depends on the questioner’s '&lt;strong&gt;world view&lt;/strong&gt;'. If the person belongs to the ’&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;normal world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;’ (Laymen life) the answer is YES. But if he considering the '&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;transcendental world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' view then the answer is NO.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.43 If the good or bad exercise of the will does alter the world, it can alter only the limits of the world, not the facts—not what can be&#xA;  expressed by means of language. In short the effect must be that it&#xA;  becomes an altogether different world. It must, so to speak, wax and&#xA;  wane as a whole. The world of the happy man is a different one from&#xA;  that of the unhappy man.( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SO the magician belongs to the lay world, But the philosopher is different.  He may belong to the lay world or the transcendental world according to his wish.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Conventional truths belong to the lay world and Ultimate truths are for the transcendental word. The merits and sins are related to the lay world. Comparing the transcendental world to merits and sins should be avoided. (&quot;Pungna papa paheenassa..&quot; or Avid merit and sin) ('Thalaputta sutta' should consider on this view.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get some idea about the &lt;strong&gt;normal world&lt;/strong&gt;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.41 The sense of the world must lie outside the world. In the world everything is as it is, and everything happens as it does happen: in&#xA;  it no value exists—and if it did exist, it would have no value. If&#xA;  there is any value that does have value, it must lie outside the whole&#xA;  sphere of what happens and is the case. For all that happens and is&#xA;  the case is accidental. What makes it non-accidental cannot lie within&#xA;  the world, since if it did it would itself be accidental. It must lie&#xA;  outside the world.( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example take &lt;strong&gt;forest and trees&lt;/strong&gt;  paradox.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is there a forest? Only trees.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Only trees are real , Forest is a construct of a viewer.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.45 To view the world sub specie aeterni is to view it as a whole—a limited whole. Feeling the world as a limited whole—it is this that is&#xA;  mystical. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the &lt;strong&gt;forest&lt;/strong&gt; is the ( limited) &lt;strong&gt;world&lt;/strong&gt;.  That is   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither from itself nor from another, Nor from both, Nor without a&#xA;  cause, Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.5  When the answer cannot be put into words, neither can the question be put into words. The riddle does not exist. If a question&#xA;  can be framed at all, it is also possible to answer it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5.6 The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5.61 Logic pervades the world: the limits of the world are also its limits. So we cannot say in logic, 'The world has this in it, and&#xA;  this, but not that.' For that would appear to presuppose that we were&#xA;  excluding certain possibilities, and this cannot be the case, since it&#xA;  would require that logic should go beyond the limits of the world; for&#xA;  only in that way could it view those limits from the other side as&#xA;  well. We cannot think what we cannot think; so what we cannot think we&#xA;  cannot say either. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Eastern philosophy riddle – In Yoga Vasistha,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“O sage, kindly enlighten me on this problem of liberation - which one&#xA;  of the two is conducive to liberation, work or knowledge?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Agastya  replied:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, birds are able to fly with their two wings; even so&#xA;  both work and knowledge together lead to the supreme goal of&#xA;  liberation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here work means &lt;strong&gt;ethics&lt;/strong&gt;,  and knowledge   is for &lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; about the reality.   Both factors are essential for liberation.(Ultimate truth).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.42 So too it is impossible for there to be propositions of ethics. Propositions can express nothing that is higher. &#xA;  6.421 It is clear that ethics cannot be put into words. Ethics is transcendental. (Ethics and aesthetics are one and the same.)&#xA;  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So What is Ultimate Truth?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who knows 'I am not', 'Nor does the other exist', &quot;Nor is there&#xA;  non-existence', and whose mental activity has thus come to a&#xA;  standstill, is not engrossed in acquisitiveness. O Rama, there is no&#xA;  bondage here other than craving for acquisition, and the anxiety to&#xA;  avoid what one considers undesirable. Do not succumb to such anxiety,&#xA;  and do not let acquisition of what is considered desirable be your&#xA;  goal. Giving up both these attitudes, rest in what remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some might say this contradicts with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;• 5.621 The world and life are one.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    •5.63  I am my world. (The&#xA;  microcosm.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel different then consider this, In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tractatuslogico-philosophicus.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tractatus&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 6.54 he states &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My propositions are elucidatory in this way: he who understands me&#xA;  finally recognizes them as senseless, when he has climbed out through&#xA;  them, on them, over them. (He must so to speak throw away the ladder,&#xA;  after he has climbed up on it.) He must transcend these propositions,&#xA;  and then he will see the world aright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now the &lt;strong&gt;question&lt;/strong&gt;;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a magic trick led to the thought process of searching for ultimate truth, while not rejecting conventional truth, as is the stance of most schools of Buddhism, what kind of karma would that create?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the &lt;strong&gt;answer&lt;/strong&gt; will be depend on the world.(regarding)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your closing &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=TWcmAS2h3YMC&amp;amp;pg=PT177&amp;amp;dq=here%20skillful%20means%20and%20wisdom%20should%20be%20treated%20as%20a%20pair&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMI2puFxNP2xgIVTzWICh16Lgyq#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=here%20skillful%20means%20and%20wisdom%20should%20be%20treated%20as%20a%20pair&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paragraph&lt;/a&gt; should be read in context with the paragraph before and after it. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jb324.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jb324.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T03:55:21.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11219" CreationDate="2015-09-01T17:39:39.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Longevity, especially the longevity of the Buddha, comes up quite often. @ChrisW has cited the, probably apocryphal, story from the &lt;em&gt;Mahāparinibbāna&lt;/em&gt; Sutta. It's very puzzling and unlikely way for the Buddha to behave, far too arbitrary. If he could live longer, then why not simply do it. Why set up harmless, lovable Ānanda to take the fall. I think this reflects early anxieties following the Buddha's death that things would not continue. However it is, I think, the first reference to the longevity of the Buddha in a Buddhist text. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Longevity is one of the classic payoffs from puñña or merit in the early Buddhist texts, i.e Appamāda Sutta SN 3.17:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Āyuṃ arogiyaṃ vaṇṇaṃ, saggaṃ uccākulīnataṃ;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ratiyo patthayantena, uḷārā aparāparā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  appamādaṃ pasaṃsanti, puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā.&lt;/em&gt; (SN i.87)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life, health, good looks, heaven, a good rebirth&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Every wonderful thing one could wish,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The wise praise vigilance amongst all the merit making activities.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the Buddha had acquired an essentially infinite amount of merit. So the question is why did he die at all? This question is actually asked by Ruchiraketu in the (Mahāyāna) &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/4_rellit/buddh/bsu035_u.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (chapter 2). In response he has a vision which a mandala of buddhas appear and answer his question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;mā tvaṃ kulaputraivaṃ cintaya evaṃ parīttaṃ bhagavataḥ śākyamunerāyuḥpramāṇam / tatkasya hetoḥ / na vayaṃ kulaputra taṃ samanupaśyāmaḥ sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake saśramaṇabrāhmaṇikāyāṃ prajāyāṃ sadevamānuṣāsurāyāṃ yaḥ samarthaḥ syādbhagavataḥ śākyamunestathāgatasyāyuḥpramāṇaparyantamadhigantuṃ yāvadaparāntakoṭibhiḥ sthāpayitvā tathāgatairarhadbhiḥ samyaksambuddhaiḥ /&lt;/em&gt; [9-10]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don't you even think it, good man, that the lifespan of the Bhagavan Śākyamuṇi was limited. What is the reason? Good man, we do not see anyone in this world with it's devas, māras, brahmās, people who are ascetics &amp;amp; Brahmins, with kings, men and lords, who could understand, to the fullest possible extent, the lifespan of Śākyamuṇi Tathāgata, apart from the fully enlightened tathāgatas and arhats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is followed up by some verses including&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;jalārṇaveṣu sarveṣu śakyante bindubhir gaṇayitum /&#xA;  na tu śākyamunerāyuḥ śakyaṃ gaṇayituṃ kvacit // Suv_2.1 //&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The drops of water contained in all the oceans could be counted;&#xA;  But no one can count the life of Śākyamuni&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so on. His apparent life and death are not to be taken seriously. His lifespan is infinite. BTW Sangharakshita covers this material in his talk: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Bodhisattva’s Dream&lt;/a&gt;. And also in his book on the &lt;em&gt;Suvarṇa&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any perceived short-comings on the part of the Buddha become increasingly problematic as time goes on. Apparent faults, such as a relatively short lifespan, are corrected by the invention of new myths and legends as time goes on. The principle reason for a bodhisatva to wish for a long life, is of course the same one that makes them put off awakening, so that they may help many beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tantra there are specific sādhana practices aimed at bestowing long life. These are often associated with &lt;em&gt;Amitāyus&lt;/em&gt; (Whose name means &quot;infinite life&quot;), &lt;em&gt;White Tārā&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Uṣṇiṣavijāya&lt;/em&gt;. Some of the relevant ceremonies are described in stephan Beyer's book &lt;em&gt;Magic and Ritual in Tibet: The Cult of Tārā&lt;/em&gt;. A brief example is the well known &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.visiblemantra.org/white-tara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;White Tārā Mantra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;oṃ tāre tuttāre ture mama āyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-puṣṭiṃ kuru svāhā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although most elements of the mantra are untranslatable the section &quot;&lt;em&gt;mama āyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-puṣṭiṃ kuru&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is a Sanskrit sentence reading &quot;Give me long-life, merit, knowledge and propersity&quot;. (BTW The Vulcan salute &quot;life long and prosper might be &quot;&lt;em&gt;āyuḥ puṣṭiṃ bhavatu&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) One chants this mantra and hopes that White Tārā will bestow these qualities on one. The word &quot;mama&quot; can be substituted with the name of someone else we want to have these blessings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we can see that a concern with longevity is actually quite pervasive in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T17:39:39.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11223" CreationDate="2015-09-01T18:06:13.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fruit etc is probably offerings to the spirit that lives in the tree. Worship of tree spirits (or dryads) is widespread through South and South-East Asia, and a very common element of traditional Buddhism. In Thailand such spirits are known as Nang Mai.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hftCP.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hftCP.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;A Buddhist Tree Shrine, Thailand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tree spirits (Pāḷi &lt;em&gt;rukkhadevatā&lt;/em&gt;) can be found in the Cūḷadhammasamādāna Sutta (MN 45; p.406 in the Ñānamoḷi and Bodhi translation). Tree spirits along with other nature spirits are also found in the Gilānadassana Sutta (SN 41.10). They are also found in a number of Jātaka tales. According to Bhante Dhammika, in his essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bhantedhammika.net/essays/trees-in-the-buddhist-scriptures&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Trees in the Buddhist Scriptures&lt;/a&gt;, it was common practice to make offerings to such tree spirits:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other trees were worshipped and given offerings because the spirits were believed to grant wishes. Milk and water were poured on the roots, garlands were hung in the branches, lamps of scented oil were burned around them and cloth was tied around their trunks (Ja.II,104). There is the occasional mention of animal and even human sacrifices being made to trees. The victim’s blood was poured around the foot of the tree and the entrails were draped over the branches (Ja.I,260; III,160).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note Ja = Jātaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many animist elements, such as &lt;em&gt;yakṣas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nāgas&lt;/em&gt;, are evident at every level of the early Buddhist texts and must have been assimilated very early on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.londonbuddhistvihara.org/qa/qa_practices.htm#qa_practices3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;London Buddhist Vihara website&lt;/a&gt; offerings of flowers etc, and food, are made from feelings of devotion and not with the expectation of reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T10:45:17.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11219" CreationDate="2015-09-01T18:40:01.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.013.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Donapaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a person is constantly mindful,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And knows when enough food has been taken,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All their afflictions become more slender&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   — They age more gradually, protecting their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T18:48:01.333" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T18:48:01.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11238" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11239" CreationDate="2015-09-01T19:14:02.113" Score="6" ViewCount="3204" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one was to ordain, would they ever be able to see their friends and family again? If so, how often? Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T20:26:16.227" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T09:14:38.647" Title="What is the monastic policy on family visitations?" Tags="|theravada|monasticism|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11238" CreationDate="2015-09-01T20:33:23.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one was to ordain, would they ever be able to see their friends and family again?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quote is from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Bhikkhus' Rules&#xA;A Guide for Laypeople&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Chapter: &lt;em&gt;Intimacy - Touching&lt;/em&gt;. The last part of the paragraph is interesting. I have highlighted it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If a bhikkhu touches his mother out of affection, then this is still an offence but the lesser one of wrong-doing (dukka.ta). [46] While gratitude to parents was strongly emphasized by the Buddha, the bhikkhu having left the home-life and his family should not cling to worldly relationships. &lt;strong&gt;The only true way for him to fulfill his filial obligations is by gaining insight into Dhamma and then teaching his parents.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here it's stated that if possible one should teach the Dhamma to ones parents, meaning that one will be able to see them again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another quote from the same book, Chapter: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#rains&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rains Retreat&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu must make a formal determination to be resident at dawn every day in that place for the whole three month period. (There are exceptional circumstances when he may be allowed to be away, but even then he should return within seven days.)[26] These three months are often a special time of study or meditation and so are sometimes known as the Rains Retreat or Rains Residence. This is also the normal time when the young men of South East Asia become monks for the traditional three month period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[26]: This special leave of absence (sattaaha) can only be taken in order to: visit or nurse ill Dhamma-friends and parents; support fellow bhikkhus who are thinking of disrobing; to attend to some essential duty of the Community; to support faithful lay devotees who make an invitation. (See EV,II,pp.84; 89-90)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here it's mentioned that a monk is allowed to take leave from the Rain Retreat only under special circumstances, e.g. to visit or nurse ill parents. One should return in seven days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If so, how often?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could not find anything within the Theravada Tradition as to how often one is allowed to visit family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/becoming-a-monastic/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plum Village (Zen Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you are ordained as a monk or a nun, you make a commitment to stay with the Plum Village Sangha for the rest of your life.  The Sangha is your family and our monasteries are your home.  Even when difficulties arise, we do our best to live in harmony with our brothers and sisters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Your immediate family is welcome to visit you and they do not have to contribute to expenses. You can also have leave to visit your family every two years, or, in the case of an emergency, sooner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-01T20:54:13.450" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T20:54:13.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11223" CreationDate="2015-09-01T22:35:26.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some Asian countries they will set out food as offerings so that hungry ghosts can make merit. In some instances they will even build tiny houses for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T22:35:26.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11241" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11244" CreationDate="2015-09-01T22:38:34.957" Score="12" ViewCount="581" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently found a book called &quot;A Buddhist Bible&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In it, Buddha refers to that there have been many Buddhas before him.&#xA;If Buddha was the one to put the foundations of Buddhism, what &quot;religions&quot; did the previous Buddhas practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this question even make any sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastActivityDate="2022-08-22T12:47:08.413" Title="What &quot;religions&quot; did previous Buddhas practice?" Tags="|the-buddha|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11242" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11245" CreationDate="2015-09-01T22:50:17.840" Score="6" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is really just that - &quot;What is stream&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've recently found this forum, and recently started reading some Buddhist scriptures, and I've seen the term a few times and have no understanding of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T06:14:13.300" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T06:14:13.300" Title="What is &quot;stream&quot;" Tags="|terminology|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11241" CreationDate="2015-09-01T23:07:20.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the story which accompanies the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verses 183, 184 and 185&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses&#xA;  (183), (184) and (185) of this book, with reference to the question&#xA;  raised by Thera Ananda regarding Fundamental Instructions to bhikkhus&#xA;  by the preceding Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Ananda asked the Buddha whether the Fundamental&#xA;  Instructions to bhikkhus given by the preceding Buddhas were the same&#xA;  as those of the Buddha himself. To him the Buddha replied that the&#xA;  instructions given by all the Buddhas are as given in the following&#xA;  verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;183&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind -&#xA;  this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The best moral practice is patience and forbearance;&#xA;  &quot;Nibbana is Supreme&quot;, said the Buddhas. A bhikkhu does not harm&#xA;  others; one who harms others is not a bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not to revile, not to do any harm, to practise restraint&#xA;  according to the Fundamental Instructions for the bhikkhus, to be&#xA;  moderate in taking food, to dwell in a secluded place, to devote&#xA;  oneself to higher concentration - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T23:07:20.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11241" CreationDate="2015-09-01T23:25:21.720" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to tradition, as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.065.than.html&quot;&gt;Nagara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Buddhas all discover the path to enlightenment and teach that same path to their followers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to&#xA;  see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former&#xA;  times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city,&#xA;  an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with&#xA;  parks, groves, &amp;amp; ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the&#xA;  king or the king's minister, saying, 'Sire, you should know that while&#xA;  traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path... I followed&#xA;  it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with&#xA;  parks, groves, &amp;amp; ponds, walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!'&#xA;  The king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later&#xA;  date the city would become powerful, rich, &amp;amp; well-populated, fully&#xA;  grown &amp;amp; prosperous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by&#xA;  the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that&#xA;  ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened&#xA;  Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view,&#xA;  right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right&#xA;  effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient&#xA;  path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of&#xA;  former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct&#xA;  knowledge of aging &amp;amp; death, direct knowledge of the origination of&#xA;  aging &amp;amp; death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging &amp;amp; death,&#xA;  direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging &amp;amp;&#xA;  death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge&#xA;  of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact...&#xA;  the six sense media... name-&amp;amp;-form... consciousness, direct knowledge&#xA;  of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation&#xA;  of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the&#xA;  cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Following it, I came to direct knowledge of fabrications, direct&#xA;  knowledge of the origination of fabrications, direct knowledge of the&#xA;  cessation of fabrications, direct knowledge of the path leading to the&#xA;  cessation of fabrications. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it&#xA;  to monks, nuns, male lay followers &amp;amp; female lay followers, so that&#xA;  this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated,&#xA;  wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial &amp;amp; human beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, all Buddhas essentially practice and preach the same religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T23:25:21.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11242" CreationDate="2015-09-01T23:55:24.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Into the Stream --&#xA;A Study Guide on the First Stage of Awakening&lt;/a&gt; (by&#xA;Thanissaro Bhikkhu) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon recognizes four levels of Awakening, the first of which is called stream entry. This gains its name from the fact that a person who has attained this level has entered the &quot;stream&quot; flowing inevitably to nibbana. He/she is guaranteed to achieve full awakening within seven lifetimes at most, and in the interim will not be reborn in any of the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It includes the following definition,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term &quot;stream&quot; in &quot;stream entry&quot; refers to the point where all eight factors of the noble eightfold path come together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, 'The stream, the stream': thus it is said. And what,&#xA;    Sariputta, is the stream?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;This noble eightfold path, lord, is the stream: right view, right&#xA;    resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,&#xA;    right mindfulness, right concentration.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Very good, Sariputta! Very good! This noble eightfold path — right&#xA;    view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,&#xA;    right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the stream.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;— SN 55.5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The coming-together of these factors is called the stream because it leads inevitably to two things, just as the current of a tributary will lead inevitably to a major river and then to the sea. In the immediate present, the stream leads directly to the arising of the Dhamma eye, the vision that actually constitutes this first awakening. Over time, the stream ensures that — in no more than seven lifetimes — one will be totally unbound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This definition relates it to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-01T23:55:24.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11223" CreationDate="2015-09-02T02:33:37.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feeding local animals is also a form of generosity, it could be for that reason as well. You could wait near the tree in silent meditation until the food scattering person arrives and ask them personally for the best answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T02:33:37.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11222" CreationDate="2015-09-02T03:17:06.873" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's fairly clear that three times was a social convention for crossing some sort of line; either that or just a convention of the Buddha. See also DN 3:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Reverend Gotama, there are four castes: the Khattiyas, the Brahmins, the merchants and the artisans. And of these four castes three — the Khattiyas, the merchants and the artisans — are entirely subservient to the Brahmins. With regard to this, it is not proper that they should not pay homage to the Brahmins.’ This was the third time Ambattha accused the Sakyans of being menials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Lord thought: ‘This young man goes too far in abusing the Sakyans.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again Ambattha remained silent, and the Lord said: ‘Answer me now, Ambattha, this is not a time for silence. Whoever, Ambattha, does not answer a fundamental question put to him by a Tathāgata by the third asking has his head split into seven pieces.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walshe, the translator of the above, gives as a note for the second passage, &amp;quot;A curious threat that (as RD observes) never comes to anything, and is of course pre-Buddhist.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure if the &amp;quot;third time&amp;quot; is also pre-Buddhist, but again, it appears to be some sort of line in the sand for the Buddha at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T03:17:06.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-09-02T03:47:35.930" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the problem stems from a desire to know the mechanistic workings of reality; e.g. &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; one thing affects or effects another, rather than simple &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; it does so.  Buddhism is, for the most part, terribly devoid of explanations about the former, since it is ultimately a practical path. As the Buddha said time and again,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, both formerly and now what I teach is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 22 (Bodhi, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of your question, as others have pointed out, there really isn't any problem on the surface: physical reality clearly exists, as does mental reality; they also clearly interact with each other in a manner that is fairly easily definable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem comes when you try to know more beyond these simple facts, i.e. &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; they exist and interact the way they do. These questions are foreign to Buddhism because they are not really useful at all, and moreover are probably ultimately outside of the realm of what can be empirically known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T03:47:35.930" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-09-02T04:32:11.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The evidence or proof your looking for won't come by using intellectual concepts or material tools.  The mind-body relationship happens at extremly fast speeds, in the labratory of one's moment by moment experience, something like this: Eye consciousness(mind) makes contact with a rose that causes desire to have the rose(mind). That causes the arm to go reaching out(body) to pick the rose. Accidently a thorn pricks the finger causing a pain signal to go to the brain(body) causing a negative reaction to the pain(mind) causing the arm to move away from the threat(body) and so on. I hope this helps. -Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T04:32:11.427" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-02T04:32:11.427" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11250" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11252" CreationDate="2015-09-02T06:01:03.997" Score="9" ViewCount="1846" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to become a kinder person. Sometimes I feel bad ( guilty) after not doing a service for someone, even if it's not in my benefit to do that thing. How can I understand when it's kindness toward another and when it's &quot;stepping over me&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T08:49:43.867" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T00:25:05.723" Title="Should I always put another person's interest before mine?" Tags="|ethics|lay-buddhism|compassion|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T08:00:17.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't follow blindly ,you have to think and find what is better for common good and do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per kalama sutta &quot; don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness’ then you should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4812" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T08:00:17.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T08:04:38.397" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are fundamental realizations that help you answer these kinds of questions via direct experience, especially the realization of non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is in fact no &quot;other&quot; that does stepping on.&#xA;There is in fact no &quot;me&quot; that is being stepped on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are not just yourself. &quot;You&quot; are the whole universe (in a sense).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, when you can realize that then you will be able to let go enough to stop feeling sorry for yourself and be able to see things objectively more clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what the following advice is based on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If people did not pay for services and people just gave them away then two things would happen:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those people would in fact not value the service/gift that they are receiving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The person doing the giving will go hungry and perish, one way or another&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, this delicate exchange that I am referring to, if disrespected by letting other people &quot;step on you&quot; by not getting something back in value (whether it is the practice itself be it teaching or whatever service you are offering), then they will eventually form a debt with you and a chronicity of theievery in their own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist tradition, monks don't just beg and run off after they get a meal. They tend to share dharma with their benefactor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something to think about: by letting other people &quot;step on you&quot;, you are enabling them to do an evil deed! Do not let them use you! This evil deed is not only their seed of retribution but your own to experience in the future as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So be strong, be assertive. Make sure you are happy with the exchange! Give and take value. &lt;strong&gt;Even if that value is just the action itself, make sure you are happy with it before doing it and not doing it too much out of guilt or pity.&lt;/strong&gt; If you have to do it out of pity, then try to assert that you are just &quot;making one exception&quot; so that there is no chronicity in the person's mind (which strangely enough is your mind as well!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sure I lost you somewhere and I would need to talk much longer in order to clarify this deep, deep matter but the following things will help you solidify and strengthen your thinking in this regard as you live in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read MindOS 2nd edition (the best psychology book that exists)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read Diamond Sutra Explained&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do Metta meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditate on the feeling of being &quot;stepped on&quot;... find out where it is coming from... talk to it in a journal. Ask this feeling what will make it feel better and happy. You will have surprising insights when you can open up to.. yourself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T08:04:38.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T08:45:45.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;How can I understand when it's kindness toward another and when it's &quot;stepping over me&quot;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like it's been said, there is no &quot;you&quot; to be stepped over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would add that it could depend on what is asked of you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is kindness if the service genuinely helps the other person in some way or has a positive effect, but if they only call when they need a ride to a party then it is not wholesome to encourage their partying nor is it wholesome for them to party. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they ask you to teach them to meditate, then it would be very kind of you to do so and it would benefit you as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T08:45:45.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T09:00:10.763" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Someone once familiarised me with the word &quot;idiot compassion&quot;, and it stuck with me. Even for one on the path of the Bodhisattva, who sees the universe as one being, there's a lot to learn about being wise in compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist teachings aren't separate from nature, so there's nothing non-Buddhist about learning from one's own body and nature. We can see in our body a beautiful coexistence between disparate organs each with a function, they sometimes cooperate, and other times they can fight each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the stomach was very compassionate and kept an excess amount of alcohol or bacteria inside it without nausea and vomiting, very soon alcohol or bacterial poisoning will kill the entire body. In this case the stomach is carrying out its duty in causing trouble for the body for the sake of greater good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't violence, this is compassionate coexistence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bodhisattva too should take appropriate action to serve the greater good, but how exactly that works comes from experiential knowledge. I don't know of any text or sutra that can teach one suitably to perform so, but a lot of times the right course of action is very clear after a brief meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T09:00:10.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2015-09-02T13:29:43.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it dependent on something else and if so what kind of things are conditions for time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Time, like any other conditioned phenomena lacks an inherent existence for it also depends on various factors. There's a concept called time dilation from the theory of relativity which shows that time can stretch or shrink depending on the observers and their moving speed relative to each other or the different positions from a gravitational mass or masses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T13:29:43.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11220" CreationDate="2015-09-02T13:40:55.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, of course, there can be group karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To begin with, individual karma is only a useful approximation. Because of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, what we conventionally call individual is merely an assembly point of contributing factors. &lt;em&gt;It is these factors that are referred to as karma.&lt;/em&gt; They don't belong to anyone, really.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0231084811&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hierarchy Theory&lt;/a&gt;, useful notions of groups can be arbitrarily designated at any level of observation. Individual being, family, social group, country etc. -- all of these are abstractions. Some of the karmic patterns make better sense when looked from far away, in which case it may be helpful to attribute them to a group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T13:40:55.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T14:30:38.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I always put another person's interest before mine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, what's the person's interest? It's happiness. No matter what a person does, a person is always searching for happiness, even though at first glance it doesn't always seem like that because we lack wisdom to see it. Nonetheless, due to this very same ignorance, beings don't know how to find happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They could be doing something or wanting something from you, and that same &quot;doing&quot; and/or &quot;wanting&quot;, due to their ignorance, will make them even sadder. In such cases, you must not put a person's interest before yours. Instead, you should teach them to act in a different way in order for them to become happier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They could be doing something or wanting something from you, and that same &quot;doing&quot; and/or &quot;wanting&quot;, will make them happier. In such cases, you must put a person's interest before yours and you should teach them what else they could do to become even happier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order for you to know exactly when to put a person's interest before yours, you must first become happy yourself. Thus, you must follow the Dhamma, learn and aquire wisdom. The more wisdom you'll have, the more you'll be happy and the more you'll know how to help others on their path towards happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's your lack of wisdom that prevents you from knowing when to put another person's interest before yours. What happens when you don't have enough wisdom? You suffer. In your case, you feel guilty when not doing a service for someone. Why? Because you can't discern good from wrong. What is good? Good is doing actions that make beings happier. Wrong is the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct discernment between good and wrong comes from wisdom. Wisdom comes from following and experiencing the teachings in the Dhamma. With wisdom comes liberation from suffering. When you liberate completely from suffering, your wisdom is perfect. When your wisdom is perfect, you'll know exactly what's best for others to liberate from their suffering too. Thus, you'll know exactly when to put another person's interest before yours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T14:30:38.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11258" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-02T15:03:07.363" Score="11" ViewCount="648" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked this question earlier: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11241/what-religions-did-previous-buddhas-practice/11244&quot;&gt;What &amp;quot;religions&amp;quot; did previous Buddhas practice?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I'm wondering if any teachings from earlier (or later) Buddhas have been passed down to our time. And if not, why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T11:00:38.780" Title="Teachings from Buddhas other than Gautama" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|scripture|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11258" CreationDate="2015-09-02T15:22:02.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no evidence external to the Buddhists texts that Gautama ever existed, late references to the Buddha as Viṣṇu in some Purāṇas are part of a move to assimilate the Buddha into Vaiṣṇavism (not before the 8th Century CE). My unpublished article on The Buddha's supposed names, for example, shows that these names were made up some time later for an audience familiar with and probably immersed in Brahmanical culture norms: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/4866512/Siddh%C4%81rtha_Gautama_Whats_in_a_Name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Siddhārtha Gautama: What's in a Name?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the lineage of past Buddhas there is no evidence at all, except for some texts composed by Buddhists to support the assertion. The only people who take these texts as anything like history are religious Buddhists. They have precisely the same status as other religious texts which claim to have knowledge beyond the human sphere. We have to take these texts alongside, say, the Genesis chapter in the Bible as myths specific to a time and place. To take them literally is naive at best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The consensus of scholars is that the stories about the past Buddhas are part of a myth which seeks to make Buddhism seem more authentic to the Iron Age Indian audience by making it seem to be a lineage of teachings. This story exists in tension with the idea that Buddhism is an entirely new teaching. A key article in this line of thinking is Richard Gombrich's 1980 article &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ocbs.org/richard-gombrich-library-ocbsmain-148/40-richard-gombrich/181-1980-the-significance-of-former-buddhas-in-the-theravadin-tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Significance of Former Buddhas in the Theravadin Tradition&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; (online courtesy of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[The Buddha] differed from [Brhamins] in his failure to authenticare his position by reference to a long line of teachers. Sages proclaiming bold ideas in the Upaniṣads at least presented their credentials by listing their teachers, their geneaology in sacred lore, all the way back to omse mythical culture hero such as an inpsired reciter of the original Veda. The fabrication of such a genealogy for the Buddha, however, present insuperable problems... [because he had no teachers].&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha's authentication could therefore only be mythological. It is here that we find the fundamental raison d'etre for the doctrine of previous Buddhas. A model lay close at hand, in Jainism... that the analogous Buddhist doctrine of previous Buddhas was influenced by Jainism seems much more likely than that the Jains borrowed their doctrine from the Buddhists.&amp;quot; (Gombrich p.64)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another article to read, if you can get hold of it is, Naomi Appleton's  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/BSR/article/viewArticle/14035&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Multi-life Stories of Gautama Buddha and Vardhamana Mahavira&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhist Studies Review. Vol 29, No 1 (2012) [Link is to abstract]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also that the lineage lists found in the &lt;em&gt;Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad&lt;/em&gt; list many men named &lt;em&gt;Guatama&lt;/em&gt;. It was a high status Brahmin name dating back to the Ṛgvedic period (ca 1500-1200 BCE). It's highly likely that the Chan/Zen lineages that link Chan patriarchs back to the Buddha are also fabrications for the same reasons. On this subject see John McRae's book &lt;em&gt;Seeing Through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given this, We would not expect such mythic figures to have passed down actual teachings. The teachings we have probably date from a period some centuries after the putative life of the Buddha. However as the other answers to this question show, stories were fabricated and authenticated to make this lineage seem plausible. Gombrich discusses most of these texts in his article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahāyāna Sukhāvativyūha Sūtras purport to be teaching by or about Amitābha Tathāgata, who lives in another universe than out one, but is able to intersect with our universe at the point of death and guide a being to be reborn in his universe where enlightenment is very easy. A number of other Pure Land sūtras explore similar themes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T11:00:38.780" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11260" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11262" CreationDate="2015-09-02T15:51:14.623" Score="4" ViewCount="230" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lately I've been wondering if I (or someone, any person) is religious, agnostic, etc., by nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5853" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T16:27:31.890" Title="Is it possible to be Buddhist by nature, or only by indoctrination?" Tags="|beginner|conversion|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11258" CreationDate="2015-09-02T15:57:12.387" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada tradition, a Buddha appears in this world only after the teachings of the previous Buddha completely vanishes. It is also mentioned that the teachings of a Buddha will survive after his parinibbāna only if he teaches the Vinaya pitaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T15:57:12.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11260" CreationDate="2015-09-02T16:27:31.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many evolutionary psychologists, eg. Justin L Barrett and Ara Norenzayan, do argue that religion is a natural phenomenon. The argument are quite complex. Barrett for example argues that our brain contains various modules or devices. For example the &lt;em&gt;Agent Detection Device&lt;/em&gt; helps us distinguish agents that are capable of directed motion, from objects which simply follow the laws of physics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having detected an agent another module which Barrett calls &lt;em&gt;Theory of Mind&lt;/em&gt;, describes the object in terms of it's desires, motivations, and goals in order to help anticipate how it might act. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However if we mistake a stick for a snake we don't lose much. If mistake a snake for a stick we may die. So better to err on the side of seeing agents. But this means we tend to see agents everywhere. Plus our Theory of Mind Device means that we tent of think of agents as being like us - as having a human-like mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Barrett adds another element - the &lt;em&gt;Minimally Counter-intuitive concept&lt;/em&gt;. If something we think we see is complete counter-intuitive we won't believe it. If it is completely intuitive, we'll believe it, but hardly even notice that we do. But something that is mostly intuitive but counter-intuitive in small number of ways we not only tend believe it, but to find it interesting and memorable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition many experiences, such as the classic out-of-body experiences, make it very easy for people to believe in mind separate from body. This is more or less the default position for most people. This idea is discussed by Thomas Metzinger, in his 2005 article 'Out-of-Body Experiences as the Origin of the Concept of a &quot;Soul&quot;.' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.philosophie.uni-mainz.de/metzinger/publikationen/OBE_M&amp;amp;M_2005.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mind &amp;amp; Matter&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Vol. 3(1), pp. 57–84; I have written a &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/origin-of-idea-of-soul.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;precise for my blog&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All combined we get invisible agents as partially counter-intuitive, but interesting and memorable propositions. For many people these take the form of spirits. Spirits are common throughout the Asian Buddhist world. and some become gods. Of course in Buddhism we have both, but tend to down-play this. Still it's possible to apply these ideas to more abstract concepts like karma as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the work of these scholars is focussed on theistic religion. I'm beginning to apply their ideas to Buddhism to see if it can add to our understanding of it. See for example my recent essay on Barrett's work in relation to belief in karma and rebirth: &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/why-are-karma-and-rebirth-still.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why Are Karma and Rebirth (Still) Plausible (for Many People)&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a very important invisible agent that ensures a just world by making sure that people get the rebirth they have earned. Many people of my acquaintance find the twin ideas of karma and rebirth entirely plausible and likely even. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems there is a good argument for saying that most people are religious by nature, but that some are not. It's entirely possible that someone could come to the same conclusions as a Buddhist about the world. Indeed these evolutionary approaches seem to be saying that it is atheism and materialism that require a more detailed explanation. Not believing in the supernatural is almost unknown in traditional societies, and yet it is quite widespread in the West, especially outside of America. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T16:27:31.890" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11263" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11264" CreationDate="2015-09-02T17:12:07.460" Score="6" ViewCount="242" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard Samsara as the term to describe a world with suffering. And it's my simple understanding that Nirvana is the absence of suffering. Correct me if I'm mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is fairly simple, i.e., do all beings in this world &quot;get reborn&quot; through karma, or are there ascended beings in this world, living as human beings, free of all suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5853" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T06:12:23.600" Title="Can a human being reside both in this world and Nirvana at the same time?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|suffering|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11263" CreationDate="2015-09-02T17:46:35.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambhogak%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sambhogakāya&lt;/a&gt; or enjoyment body is part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Trikaya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is used by enlightened beings to try and help and guide those out of Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is only found in the Mahayana and Vajrayana Tibetan traditions. These beings can come and go from our world as they please, and reside in their own &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_land&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pure lands.&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;Some practices have the stated goal of being reborn in a particular Buddha's or Bodhisattva's pure land, in order to receive teachings directly from them for a lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are stories of Bodhisattvas that chose to be reborn in the human realm rather than a pure land, and live entire lives (suffering and all) in our world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also Bodhisattvas that choose to be reborn in the hell realms in order to help beings there.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T12:12:53.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T12:12:53.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11263" CreationDate="2015-09-02T18:30:03.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is fairly simple, i.e., do all beings in this world &quot;get reborn&quot; through karma, or are there ascended beings in this world, living as human beings, free of all suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is correct, that beings get reborned due to their kamma. Kamma means action, but not just any action. The type we are talking about here is &lt;em&gt;volitional action&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. actions where intentionality is present. This type of action is kamically potent. Kamma is created by &lt;em&gt;body, speech and mind&lt;/em&gt;. It originates from the Mind and is based in either wholesome or unwholesome roots. Volitional actions have consequences, we call that &lt;em&gt;vipakka&lt;/em&gt; which means &quot;ripening&quot; or &lt;em&gt;phala&lt;/em&gt; (fruits). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ripening need not to come right away, i.e. in this life. It can also come in the next life or operate across the succession of lifetimes. If you are interested in reading more about kamma and rebirth, references by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/kamma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are beings in this world that are free some suffering, i.e. Arahants and possibly Pacceka Buddhas (silent Buddhas). These Buddhas are self-enlightened and arise between the time of two fully enlightened Buddhas, e.g. our Buddha, Gautama and the next Buddha to be, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maitreya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to read more about &lt;em&gt;Arahants, Pacceka Buddhas and Buddhas&lt;/em&gt;, Ven. Yuttadhammo has written about all of them in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9090/what-is-it-like-to-experience-enlightenment/9104#9104&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T20:54:04.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11266" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-02T21:35:10.697" Score="32" ViewCount="18857" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to the concept of Buddhism, and am failing to understand perhaps something very basic. I understand that one is not expected to hold anything close or dear as it is impermanent and could change at any moment so how does one love another person? How does one become close to another person. As I understand it, a relationship would just consist of two people who aren't &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; close to one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful&quot; - this seems to suggest that you should build a wall around yourself and separate yourself from potentially wonderful feelings just because they could cause pain, and pain is bad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think pain is a part of life; denying that pain, or ignoring it is not part of a healthy life. I think of this concept of Buddhism similar to &quot;don't smell the flowers because you may prick yourself on a thorn&quot; thus denying yourself of the delights found in the smell and also the growth / knowledge from the pain of the thorn prick. Both of which you can learn and grow from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I missing something here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5857" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T12:29:28.893" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T20:49:53.590" Title="Do buddhists fall in love?" Tags="|relationship|fundamentals|love|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-02T21:49:00.640" Score="4" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Answer based in Conventional reality (sammuti-sacca).&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be quite challenging to deal with people sometimes. Especially when one is practicing the Dhamma and trying to do what's best for oneself and for other beings. This is often a delicate balance that one has to find. It takes practice and often by trial and error, until one becomes familiar with both the Dhamma and the different situations in life. Like any other training, one will improve with time, if one works diligently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rule of thumb is to never allow yourself to step on yourself, in order to help another being. You are just as important. Actually in Buddhism, it's greatly emphasized that one gets to know oneself and develop oneself, in order to be able to help other beings. Or else it is like the blind leading the blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Helping other beings is an important part of Buddhism but there are many ways to help other people. Sometimes it's just lending an ear or a shoulder, while other times it might be more practical or complex in nature. What is important here is the ethical foundation one is building ones help on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When performing an action it's important that our intention / volition is wholesome, meaning that it is based in the wholesome roots of &lt;em&gt;&quot;renunciation, good-will and harmlessness&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. If our actions are based in wholesomeness then the resultants will also become wholesome. That is a feature of kamma, that it produces results corresponding to the ethical quality of the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If ones actions are based in the unwholesome roots, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&quot;greed, hatred and delusion&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, then unwholesome resultants will be produced. An example could be, if another being is asking for ones help but one does not really want to do it or one does not have the time to help, so there arises &lt;em&gt;guilt&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Guilt is an unwholesome mental factor so if one acts upon it, one will experience its results which will be unwholesome. In other words, suffering will be produced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how to deal with these things? How to stop creating unwholesome kamma for oneself and other beings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism offers a solution called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/nobleEight.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;the Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which is the path that leads to Nibbana. By following it, one undertakes the training and development of ones mind, meaning that one will gradually reduce the unwholesome roots until they can be eradicated permanently, while cultivating the wholesome roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Answer based in Ultimate reality (paramattha-sacca).&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it has already been mentioned, then when dealing with this issue in ultimate reality, there exists no &lt;em&gt;&quot;Self, I or Me&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. In fact there exists no &lt;em&gt;persons, animals, cars, planets&lt;/em&gt; or other conventional stuff. These are merely conventions that when searched for cannot be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to truly understand this, one will have to do insight meditation. By practicing this type of meditation, one will gain experiental knowledge of reality and thereby realize that there is no person to begin with. When one first begins to see this, gradually ones problems begin to fade away. One realizes that all problems are caused by this non-existing &quot;Self, I or Me&quot;, that is identifying with stuff and taking ownership of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a huge difference in saying: &quot;I am angry&quot; and &quot;Anger has arisen&quot;, or &quot;I'm feeling guilty&quot; and &quot;Guilt has arisen&quot;. It is the second option one will come to realize by doing insight meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to read more about insight meditation, references can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/pracexer.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has also made a video series, called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Introduction to Meditation: How To Meditate&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and a book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/twotruth.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Conventional Reality &amp;amp; Ultimate Reality&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T02:46:51.707" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T02:46:51.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-02T22:22:43.387" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;All beings &quot;fall in love&quot; as a result of desire (&lt;em&gt;Tanha&lt;/em&gt;) and attachment in our mind.  Desire is caused by not transcending the true nature of our experience (&lt;em&gt;Avijja&lt;/em&gt;). The Buddhist path is to eradicate Avijja which causes endless mental and physical suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pemato jayati soko&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;pemato jayati bhayam&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;pemato vippamuttassa&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;natthi soko kuto bhayam.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Endearment begets sorrow, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;endearment begets fear. &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;For him who is free from endearment &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhammapada Verse 213: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore the term you use is correct; we &quot;fall&quot; in love blindly because we don't see the true nature of things. So the person who follows the buddha dhamma (a Buddhist) falls in love as long as the right skills are gained to realize the true nature of things we experience (&lt;em&gt;Yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T10:14:22.937" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T10:14:22.937" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-02T22:28:50.703" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's true that a partner in love can make one happy, no doubt. That love can be liberating, deep and precious. The downside, is that, this happiness is not permanent or lasting. It will disappear again and one will experience suffering as a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhism teaches, is that if one would like to achieve a permanent happiness then one should not look for it in conditioned existence (samsara), because it cannot be found in a world that is impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To achieve lasting and permanent happiness one must realize Nibbana, the unconditioned, unborn and uncaused state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not subject to incessant arising and falling away, thus it is stable, secure and permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-02T23:30:37.980" LastActivityDate="2015-09-02T23:30:37.980" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-02T23:16:54.370" Score="30" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends which Buddhism we are talking about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Theravada &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; Mahayana, including Zen, would consider romantic love a disease of the mind, a kind of pathological obsession. Theravada would offer the more universal emotion of &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; instead -- the loving-kindness, although in Theravada it is usually applied as an antidote against hatred, for the benefit of one who experiences it. Most schools of Mahayana would sincerely rejoice in the selfless aspect of love. In Mahayana one is supposed to sacrifice one's interests for the benefit of others. Dropping one's ego is Mahayana's path to Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana schools though, emotions, including romantic love, are considered a form of energy that can be put to use, or at least accepted as part of the given. Vajrayana perspective would more likely align with your &quot;pain is part of life&quot; and &quot;might as well enjoy the flower&quot; conjectures. With one caveat though: Vajrayana would still appreciate the inherent fakeness of love, the mechanical nature of which comes from a match of partners' stereotypes and preconceptions. So even if a Vajrayana practitioner could play with the fire both in context of its ego-melting properties as well as for pleasure, they would not take it one-sidedly as an untrained run-of-the-mill person would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: what I meant by &quot;Vajrayana practitioner ... would not take it one-sidedly&quot; -- I meant that Vajrayana view includes both &lt;em&gt;sacred&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;illusory&lt;/em&gt; aspects of love. In Vajrayana we are trained to see things from all the sides at the same time. Love is &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; sacred &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; a giant trick, as far as Vajrayana is concerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The predominant Buddhist sentiment here is that being disappointed/disenchanted (=&quot;sober&quot;) is a helluva lot healthier state than the state of intoxication by an object of mind. While Vajrayana is 100% aligned with this most fundamental of Buddhist principles, we do allow ourselves to get drunk, both metaphorically with love, and occasionally even literally - while staying fully accountable for the consequences - a trait of the universal adult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T22:14:55.310" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T22:14:55.310" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11188" CreationDate="2015-09-03T00:47:07.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Associating with the wise&amp;quot; is a translation of &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;paṇḍitīnaṃ sevanā&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context, &amp;quot;associating&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;sevanā&lt;/em&gt;) means &amp;quot;serving&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;following&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;subordinating&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;idolizing&amp;quot;. I have been told that &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;sevanā&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; is linguistically connected to the English word &amp;quot;serve&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from Itivitutakka 76:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever person one befriends, whomever one associates with, one becomes of like quality, one become like one’s companion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The follower and the followed, one who contacts and one contacted, are like an arrow coated with poison that contaminates its quiver. Fearing contamination, the wise person should not have evil friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A man who ties up putrid fish with some blades of kusa-grass makes the kusa-grass smell putrid; so it is with those who follow fools. But a man who wraps powdered incense in the broad leaf of a tree makes the leaf smell fragrant; so it is with those who follow the wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore as with the leaf container, understanding the outcome for oneself, the unvirtuous should not be followed, a wise person should follow the virtuous. The unvirtuous lead one to hell, the virtuous help one to reach heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this quote, associating with the wise helps one in this life and helps to a good rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also add that associating with the wise cultivates one's own virtues and as these virtues become reinforced through repetition, this results in these virtues being present in your next life. &amp;quot;Birds of a feather flock together&amp;quot; and so one would naturally associate with like-minded wise, virtuous people in the next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some additional information...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In AN 4.55, the Buddha was approached by a couple who had been happily married for many years and they wanted to know how to ensure that they would see each other again in future lives. The Buddha said they would see each other in future lives if they had the &amp;quot;same faith, same morality, same generosity and same wisdom&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are probably familiar with Dhammapada verse 5: &amp;quot;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the background story from the commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there lived a householder, whose wife was barren; later he took another wife. The feud started when the elder wife caused abortion of the other one, who eventually died in child birth. In later existences the two were reborn as a hen and a cat; a doe and a leopardess; and finally as the daughter of a nobleman in Savatthi and an ogress named Kali. The ogress (Kalayakkhini) was in hot pursuit of the lady with the baby, when the latter learned that the Buddha was nearby, giving a religious discourse at the Jetavana monastery. She fled to him and placed her son at his feet for protection. The ogress was stopped at the door by the guardian spirit of the monastery and was refused admission. She was later called in and both the lady and the ogress were reprimanded by the Buddha. The Buddha told them about their past feuds as rival wives of a common husband, as a cat and a hen, and as a doe and a leopardess. They were made to see that hatred could only cause more hatred, and that it could only cease through friendship, understanding and goodwill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary is full of stories of enemies meeting each other in repeated rebirths (though I am not aware of any stories from the Suttas like this... there may well be).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My conclusion is that there is a kammic affinity that extends beyond lifetimes that causes people who were connected in one lifetime (either as friends, enemies or family) to  be connected in future lifetimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If interacting only bring out the worst in you, is it wise to figure out approximately how much interaction is useful?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that there is a person with an angry character, a latent tendency toward anger, an “ill-tempered person”. This person is driving and encounters a red light, a traffic jam and a jerk who cuts them off. On all three occasions, anger arises in this person. If you ask this person, they will tell you that the cause of their anger was the external factors (red light, traffic jam, jerk who cut them off). Actually, the root cause is their character; there will always be external triggers. Do what you can to reduce the frequency of the triggers, but you can’t eliminate them. The good news is that you can work on your character. It is a three step process of Sīla, Samadhi, Paññā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sīla means discipline. Regularly commit oneself to controlling wrong actions (for example, commit to non-violence, if violence is a weakness that you have). Regularly commit oneself to controlling wrong speech (for example, commit to avoiding harsh speech or slandering, if these are weaknesses that you have).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since actions and speech originate in the mind, calming the mind (Samadhi) can prevent wrong actions and wrong speech. Regularly use Mettā to steady, still, unify and compose the mind. If you are lost in thought (spinning emotions out of control), then come back to your senses; be aware of what your senses are experiencing by observing a neutral object such as your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A calm mind is needed to tackle the underlying tendencies using understanding / wisdom (Paññā). With a calm mind, observe the way that the mind is reacting to the triggers, observe how the reaction arises naturally and observe how the mind keeps changing. Just as Māra disappears once he is recognized, defilements are weakened when exposed to the spotlight of understanding / wisdom. Those defilements took a long time to accumulate and won’t disappear quickly, but repeated Paññā weakens them over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is natural that interacting with certain family members may bring out the worst in you. If you live with them there will be frequent interactions. They may also be intentionally “pushing your buttons”. Cutting off all interaction with them may not be practical (for logistical reasons, such as you live under the same roof). My advice to you is to reserve some personal time each day and regularly focus on developing Sīla, Samadhi and Paññā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not worry too much about meeting the same individuals in the next life. If you don’t meet these people again, there will be other people who act as triggers. Do what you can about the triggers in this life and put lots of focus on training the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that your suffering reduces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the definition of a fool / wise person from AN 3.2:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, a fool is characterized by his/her actions. A wise person is characterized by his/her actions. It is through the activities of one's life that one's discernment shines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;A person endowed with three things is to be recognized as a fool. Which three? Bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct. A person endowed with these three things is to be recognized as a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;A person endowed with three things is to be recognized as a wise person. Which three? Good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct. A person endowed with these three things is to be recognized as a wise person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus, monks, you should train yourselves: 'We will avoid the three things that, endowed with which, one is to be recognized as a fool. We will undertake &amp;amp; maintain the three things that, endowed with which, one is to be recognized as a wise person.' That's how you should train yourselves.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the most obvious indication that someone is a fool is by watching them and listening to them. If they demonstrate unwholesome conduct or unwholesome speech without remorse, then they are a fool. But watching / listening is not enough. As you get closer to the person, you can discern their views / opinions. If their views / opinions are not rooted in hiri (conscience) and ottappa (acknowledging consequences), then they are a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T08:52:37.360" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11258" CreationDate="2015-09-03T02:15:34.380" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the historical Buddha is said to have related teachings of other Buddhas; one that stands out is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/amagandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amagandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which relates the teaching of Kassapa Buddha. Another is MN 81, which relates some aspects of Kassapa Buddha's life, and some words of Kassapa Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The king thought: ‘The Blessed One Kassapa, [51] accomplished and fully enlightened, does not accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares,’ and he was very disappointed and sad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Then he said: ‘Venerable sir, have you a better supporter than I am?’—‘I have, great king. There is a market town called Vebhalinga where a potter named Ghaṭīkāra lives. He is my supporter, my chief supporter. Now you, great king, thought: “The Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, does not accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares,” and you were very disappointed and sad; but the potter Ghaṭīkāra is not and will not be so. The potter Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. He abstains from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sensual pleasures, from false speech, and from wine, liquor, and intoxicants, which are the basis of negligence. He has unwavering confidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and he possesses the virtues loved by noble ones. He is free from doubt about suffering, about the origin of suffering, about the cessation of suffering, and about the way leading to the cessation of suffering. He eats only one meal a day, he observes celibacy, he is virtuous, of good character. He has laid aside gems and gold, he has given up gold and silver. He does not dig the ground for clay with a pick or with his own hands; what has broken off riverbanks or is thrown up by rats, he brings home in a carrier; when he has made a pot he says: “Let anyone who likes set down some selected rice or selected beans or selected lentils, and let him take away whatever he likes. He supports his blind and aged parents. Having destroyed the five lower fetters, he is one who will reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;from Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Bodhi, trans&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are probably others I can't think of off-hand, but they all would have to have come from the current Buddha, since the interval between Buddhas is invariably so vast as to not allow for any trace of the previous Buddha's teachings to remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;This all from a Theravada Buddhist POV&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T02:15:34.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-03T04:04:20.720" Score="15" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do buddhists fall in love?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yes, certainly they do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm new to the concept of Buddhism, and am failing to understand perhaps something very basic. I understand that one is not expected to hold anything close or dear as it is impermanent and could change at any moment so how does one love another person? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, not all buddhists are fully and exclusively devoted to Buddhism, to it's fulfillment. This means that most buddhists live much like any other non-buddhist. They engage in all kinds of affairs of daily life, including work, marriage and so on. Others, like monks, likely renunciate romance in favor of their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that distinction in mind, we need some care when applying a teaching of the Buddha originally directed to someone fully devoted to the path, to a person who does not have the same commitment, disposition, preparation, etc. Otherwise, this could lead to something like taking a person who does jogging as someone who is (or should be) following a training program of an olympic coach (and worse, criticizing that person's performance on olympic standards).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Romance&quot; and passion are looked upon with caution, as they manifest quite explicitly strong craving and attachment. These are keywords of things buddhists often try in their mind to dodge. In the west, &quot;romance&quot; is a package of fantasies: find someone who is the source of one's happiness, the idea that the desire for each other is long lasting (or forever lasting), and often an implicit sense of ownership from both sides finds itself in as well....and all other things everyone knows are silly or unrealistic or simply unhealthy (say, from a psychological/therapeutic point of view).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, an hypothetical/stereotypical non-monk buddhist may still have a companion and cherish that companionship. And their relationship might as well be called a loving one (the kind that is commonly said to be healthy: actively caring for their well being), even if lacking the aforementioned fantasies and delusions of romance, which are often born from our neurosis and fears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The attitude this hypothetical buddhist would put an effort to have towards the companionship would be of focusing more on virtuous behaviors (of respect, kindness, faithfulness, honesty, etc) and relinquishing the blameful ones (jealously, dishonesty, disrespect, etc), bringing to peace strong unbalanced feelings. That is a good life, and according to Buddhism, one that may lead to a destination with less suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many traditions, &quot;destination with less suffering&quot; is what many buddhists look for when they do not set their current lives to shoot for nirvana. It's also how the Buddha &quot;sold&quot; buddha-dhamma in the pali suttas: if you don't feel like you can bear the dedication for nirvana right now, at least become a &quot;good person&quot;: abandon most of the bad behaviors tied to greed, hatred and delusion in order to have less suffering in the future (and perhaps, find yourself in a position to finally go for it). That's a gist of his teaching: extinguish suffering, or at least lessen suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful&quot; - this seems to suggest that you should build a wall around yourself &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote above is a strong statement about our desires and the nature of the objects we desire. It's an ultimate diagnostic of our condition, and an ultimate solution. But the actual method the Buddha proposed is not much building a wall between oneself and everybody/everything else (though a wall analogy can make some sense if it refers to seclusion from unwholesome states). It's about understanding these things in such a deep way that a natural dispassion towards them is developed -- like an adult who does not crave for child toys.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and separate yourself from potentially wonderful feelings just because they could cause pain, and pain is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not about separating ourselves from potentially &quot;wonderful feelings&quot;. It's about having a deep understanding and appreciation for how these things are unable to provide everlasting shelter, and how feeble and really not that &quot;wonderful&quot; these &quot;feelings&quot; are -- when compared to other things, specially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think pain is a part of life; denying that pain, or ignoring it is not part of a healthy life. I think of this concept of Buddhism similar to &quot;don't smell the flowers because you may prick yourself on a thorn&quot; thus denying yourself of the delights found in the smell and also the growth / knowledge from the pain of the thorn prick. Both of which you can learn and grow from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is reasonably in agreement that &quot;pain is part of life&quot;, and never &quot;denies pain&quot; or ignores it: suffering is a prime subject of study in Buddhism and,  among many things, has been put in perspective how it supports the development in the buddhist path (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.23&lt;/a&gt;) -- that is, suffering ends up being the reason for looking for an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain and pleasure are part of our world. Fully embracing them as some sort of life ideology makes sense if one believes it will lead to either the same things (more pleasure and more pain, and this might be regarded as ok) or it will lead to a better existence -- e.g. one with less suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, if one believes one's life will lead to the same things in the future, and one is fine with it, Buddhism might not be much appealing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if one hopes one's life/death will lead, eventually, to the permanent cessation of suffering, and a higher kind of happiness, then at least one can appreciate what the Buddha and the other ascetics of his time were trying to do. Many of them just did not believe this was the proper method for reaching this goal. Namely, that living a normal life delighting in pleasures of the senses and just trying to take a few lessons from the pain would lead to permanent cessation of suffering after this life (it could be said is somewhat in the direction, but it's not enough). In case of Nirvana as the ultimate destiny, the Buddha had an explanation for why this method is bogus and can't work. In few words: craving, in particular, for impermanent things as expedient for something permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one accepts all &quot;these things around&quot; as impermanent, than one is forced to accept that they cannot provide everlasting happiness. Thus, the idea that we can reach permanent happiness and escape from suffering by relying on &quot;wonderful feelings&quot; or delighting ourselves on mundane experiences of pleasure can be refuted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This eagerness to have random experiences to fuel &quot;wonderful feelings&quot; into our senses, ultimately, ends up perceived as a distraction that seem to have no end, even though the feelings and experiences themselves do have an end, either exhausting themselves or becoming stressed by the sudden inability to get satisfied. Thus, any surprise on our part when facing changes around us are an indication of expectations disagreeing with reality -- in essence, &lt;em&gt;delusion&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that does not mean buddhists should be cold and void as rocks. There are pleasures that are praised by the Buddha (&quot;wonderful feelings&quot; worthy of being cultivated), but all of them have a much lesser risk for craving (than sensual pleasures), and have a much better potential to help one out on a more sustained, healthier, wiser, pleasing life. So, it really depends what you refer to as &quot;wonderful feelings&quot;, since these are scrutinized in detail in buddhism, where some are seeing as helpful, and some are not. Ultimately though (and the aspect you bring of buddhism is about the ultimate condition of things), they are still not the final answer since they are impermanent, even though they might be important to be cultivated  -- to move towards a life with less suffering, or in order to fulfill the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, it's worthy to note that there are many subtleties and important distinctions for a range of feelings and emotions in Buddhism, and these are very technical. For example, if one reads a buddhist text with the word &quot;feeling&quot; in it (translating &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;), without proper background the reader's interpretation is likely to be off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T19:58:41.483" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T19:58:41.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11274" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-03T05:17:30.663" Score="4" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes during meditation (Vipassana), I've noticed how the mind tends to get back to breathing by itself, without effort. Can I consider this a progress in meditation? I know that it would be a hindrance to like this when it happens or to dislike when it doesn't happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is: does this say something about the mind? (I've been practicing daily for the last 9 months).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T10:18:29.067" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T15:09:27.727" Title="Is this progress in meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11258" CreationDate="2015-09-03T05:18:57.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhavamsa (a very late addition to the Pali canon) gives accounts of the 24 previous Buddhas. For each of the past 24 Buddhas, it describes the &quot;three occasions of the Buddha's teaching&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They all started by teaching the same sutta (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) this is always the first occasion of a Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second and third occasions of a Buddha's teachings vary according to the Buddha involved. For nine of the 24 previous Buddhas, the second occasion was going to Tāvatiṃsa heaven to teach the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the previous Buddhas also taught suttas such as the Mangala Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T05:18:57.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-03T05:23:00.113" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Modern neuroscience is catching up with Buddhism in this department it appears. Scientists have found romantic love activates the same addictive parts of the brain as cocaine. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.salon.com/2015/02/14/love_is_like_cocaine_the_remarkable_terrifying_neuroscience_of_romance/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;One journalist calls it the &quot;&lt;em&gt;terrifying neuroscience of romance&lt;/em&gt;,&quot;&lt;/a&gt; perhaps because to fault romance in our present culture is heresy, but equally science is the Oracle on the mountain top that no one dares argue with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Romantic love arises to a great degree  out of fear. There's a sense of loneliness in this world felt by most, that romance attempts to eliminate. Most people call their partners a witness to their life, a shoulder to lean on, a companion on the journey etc. When one perceives life as harsh and lonely, then a partner is a wise investment for success and comfort. However it's only a temporary relief from the perceived solitary nature of existence, which will arise like sobriety, eventually to harsh the mellow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The old habit of seeing the world as separate from the self will also intrude upon family life and cause disharmony between the couple. It's inevitable, because such lonely attitudes honor the egotic self. Bickering divorces are purely a result of both partners formerly in love, now pulling at each other for their &quot;rights&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, Buddhism likens romantic love to an addiction, an attachment, and a danger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's natural to feel intoxicated with cocaine, but it's not wise to seek out the addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, love isn't solely about addiction. It can also be about selflessness, sacrifice and self-improvement—but in a statistical sampling of love, this would be a minority.  This is the &lt;i&gt;raison d'être&lt;/i&gt; for the Vajrayana school's point of view, of romance as a valid path to enlightenment. It's like the medical uses of cocaine, which needs to be administered by experts: it's easy to get it wrong, as the cases of those addicted to oxycodone show.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="6886" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T12:34:44.717" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T12:34:44.717" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11277" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-03T07:19:29.357" Score="8" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone help ?  i am looking for fun teaching of meditation and Buddhist teaching from age 4 ~ 13 old. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also help with morality, environmental protection, chanting, Buddhist religion's etiquette and meditation would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5861" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T10:23:10.857" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T18:46:46.153" Title="Fun teaching techniques for children meditation class" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|parents|learning-materials|learning|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-03T11:21:14.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11274" CreationDate="2015-09-03T08:13:48.040" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Returning to the object of noting sounds like Khanika Samadhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pure Vipassana yogis can appreciate and understand the power of Khanika concentration. For when their noting gains momentum, they can see for themselves how the noting goes on by itself uninterruptedly without a break. The noting seems to run on its own steam without any need for the yogi to make any concerted or deliberate effort. Thus, it is not unusual for a yogi to be able to sit for an hour, and even several hours, absorbed in noting. During good noting, especially at the insight knowledge of equanimity (sankhara-upekkhañana), the mind just stays put on its objects and refuses to wander. Even if one wants to send the mind out, it refuses to go and it recoils back to whatever Vipassana object it is noting. There have been cases of yogis being able to sit for six or seven hours in a stretch, or even longer. From this, one can deduce that there must be strength in Khanika concentration; otherwise how would yogis be able to sit in rapt concentration for such lengths of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/vip-jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/vip-jhana.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T08:13:48.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-03T09:02:53.287" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not about ignoring, denying or suppressing any feelings, it's about seeing them objectively- as feelings that have nothing to do with the self, states that simply arise and cease in the mind and nothing more. There is nothing unhealthy about this, in fact I think it is more unhealthy to obsess over strong emotions, crave for them to be returned and become blind with jealousy and rage when they aren't. People commit murder for these reasons. An extreme example, but I would argue that sure, if one wants to indulge in pleasures and are ok with the impermanence and risks, fine, it's your call. But people who are are devoted buddhists can develop into very genuinely selfless and compassionate beings and whether or not you believe in karma and rebirth, the world could use more selflessness and compassion and less craving and entitlement. Just because it's normal and natural doesn't mean it's healthy.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T09:02:53.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11280" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-03T10:39:36.043" Score="5" ViewCount="2206" Body="&lt;p&gt;My decrease in creativity does most likely not have anything to do with my feeble meditation attempts, because it is natural to have ups and downs, even when it comes to creativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But still, meditation deals with ridding oneself of attachments by observing mind states objectively and I think that following through an idea and turning it into a finished piece of work requires quite a lot of attachment and devotion to the project. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose my real question is: is it possible to balance being a practicing Buddhist and a creative artist? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T13:03:37.093" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T10:26:37.503" Title="Does Buddhism kill creativity?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|art|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11277" CreationDate="2015-09-03T11:25:03.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a video series on how to meditate for children:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4C918E1E338A6F1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4C918E1E338A6F1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DVDs are also available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T11:25:03.470" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-03T11:25:03.470" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2015-09-03T11:43:07.877" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can use your (new) interest for Buddhism as a new subject of your work - like focusing more on themes like human emotions (compassion), impermanence etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T11:43:07.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11283" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="24678" CreationDate="2015-09-03T11:48:26.353" Score="2" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different kinds of birth in Buddhism, depending on what realm one is reborn in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these kinds of birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2018-01-16T10:25:21.180" Title="What kind of births are recognized in Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|realms|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11283" CreationDate="2015-09-03T11:49:27.363" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada Abhidhamma, four different kinds of birth are recognized&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;egg-born beings (Aṇḍaja), such as birds, fish and reptiles. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;womb-born beings (Jalābuja), such as mammals. Egg-born beings are also included in this category. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;moisture-born beings (Saṃsedaja), includes certain lowly forms of animals, such as worms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;spontaneously-born beings (Opapatika), such as petas and devas. These beings are generally invisible to the physical eye. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Ch. 5: &quot;Compendium of Matter&quot;, p. 256, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T12:20:05.443" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T12:20:05.443" CommentCount="6" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-03T12:20:05.443" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2015-09-03T12:12:02.873" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many working artists are also Buddhists. A number of high profile creative people such as Leonard Cohen, Herbie Hancock and Steve Jobs are Buddhists. See Wikipedia's long &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=List_of_Celebrity_Buddhists&quot;&gt;list of celebrity Buddhists&lt;/a&gt;, many of whom work in creative industries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people report that creativity increased after taking up meditation. At least one &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141028082355.htm&quot;&gt;scientific study&lt;/a&gt; reported that meditation enhances creativity. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bianca-rothschild/the-science-of-how-medita_b_5579901.html&quot;&gt;Huffington Post&lt;/a&gt; has reported much the same news. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice requires not just moment to moment awareness, but also considerable continuity of purpose. If one emphasises only the former then one is unlikely to make much progress. It's a bit like walking downstairs and forgetting why you went down there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there seems to be no reason to think that being a practising Buddhist would &quot;kill creativity&quot;. And no reason to think you cannot balance being a practising Buddhist and a creative artist. I personally know at least a dozen people who do just this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T12:12:02.873" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-03T12:21:49.437" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My friend, you are mistaken, what is nowadays considered falling in love only causes suffering, people want to feel loved because they think that will make them happy, that naturally creates suffering since they go through life seeking love as they think it will make them happy, &#xA;when you are free, you only have love to give, this is what makes us truly happy, you don't just love your partner: you love everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5864" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T12:25:28.313" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T12:25:28.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2220" CreationDate="2015-09-03T12:46:25.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question highlights the real problems of trying to marry Iron Age theology and Anthropocene science. The assumptions in the two worldviews simply do not fit together. The answers to this question which try to make them seem compatible contain a lot of nonsense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want incorporate the evolutionary record into Buddhism then you have to ditch the traditional views and rethink the whole concept. Else the implication you have noticed becomes obvious: there were no anatomically modern humans before about 200,000 years ago. Thus no human realm to be born into per se. Enlightenment was not possible at all, since it can only occur from the human realm. And evolution of humanity is a one time thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are a lot of other problems too. On one hand you have science and evolution and on the other myth, superstition and supernatural beings. There's simply no place for supernatural beings in science. Such things are entirely ruled out. &lt;em&gt;Science and religion are incompatible&lt;/em&gt;. This is why so few Buddhists take science seriously, and why so many Buddhists are openly hostile to science. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Agañña Sutta&lt;/em&gt; gets mentioned a lot in this context. It's a satire on Vedic cosmogony - something acknowledged by scholars for 20 years now. See for example Richard Gombrich's 1992 article '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ocbs.org/richard-gombrich-library-ocbsmain-148/40-richard-gombrich/308-1992-the-buddhas-book-of-genesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Book of Genesis&lt;/a&gt;?'. Only Buddhists forgot the joke and started to take it literally as an account of the origin of the world. One of many examples of early literalism that either forgot a joke or reified a metaphor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yet many early Buddhist texts make very clear that the &quot;world&quot; the Buddha is talking about is the &lt;em&gt;world of experience&lt;/em&gt;. He has nothing to say on the subject of &quot;reality&quot;, nor even a word for the concept as we understand it. He seeks to understand the arising of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (the experience of misery or disappointment) and in the &lt;em&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;Kaccānagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; says explicitly that &quot;only dukkha arises, only dukkha ceases&quot;. In other words the main point of Buddhism is that only experience arises and passes away. It has nothing to do with the evolution of species or worlds or any of that. Only the momentary evolution of experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This precise focus is soon lost. And Buddhist &quot;philosophy&quot; starts to produce a good deal of nonsense that masquerades as wisdom. And so far it has not stopped. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T12:46:25.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9090" CreationDate="2015-09-03T13:51:41.927" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;An account of Je Tsongkhapa's enlightenment, from &lt;em&gt;The Central Philosophy of Tibet&lt;/em&gt;, by Robert A.F. Thurman, pp. 84-85&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, in 1398, the long years of effort came to fruition. The seed&#xA;  planted by Manjushri produced its flower. One night in the late spring&#xA;  of 1398, Tsong Khapa dreamed that he was in a heavenly realm, probably&#xA;  the Tushita heaven where Maitreya dwells surrounded by the great&#xA;  masters of earth’s history, according to tradition. He was sitting on&#xA;  the fringe of a gathering of Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita,&#xA;  Bhavaviveka, and Chandrakirti, who were lucidly discussing the&#xA;  uttermost subtleties of the central way, to his great delight. At one&#xA;  point, Buddhapalita, whom he recognized for his dark bluish complexion&#xA;  and unusually tall stature, arose from the conversation; holding a&#xA;  Sanskrit volume in his hand, he approached Tsong Khapa smiling&#xA;  radiantly, and touched him on the head with the book in the gesture of&#xA;  blessing. Tsong Khapa awoke at this, filled with bliss, and, in the&#xA;  predawn light, opened his own Tibetan copy of the Buddhapalita&#xA;  commentary to the page he had been reading the day before. His finger&#xA;  traced the words at the beginning of the eighteenth chapter, “it is an&#xA;  imperative consequence that the self is not the same as the&#xA;  aggregates, and the self is not different from the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that instant, the perfect realization of the central way arose&#xA;  within him effortlessly—the essential keys of the dialecticist view,&#xA;  the criteria of the logical negatee, and so on—all with profound&#xA;  certitude. All his “sign-habit-orientations” dissolved, and all his&#xA;  perplexities about the import of ultimate Thatness disappeared. He&#xA;  said later that his view of the world changed radically, that it had&#xA;  been exactly upside down before, and that the authentic view was&#xA;  precisely the opposite from what he had expected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[My attempt to translate that paragraph into more common language] &lt;em&gt;At&#xA;  that instant, the perfect realization of the Madhyamika arose within&#xA;  him effortlessly -- the essential keys of the Prasangika view, the&#xA;  criteria of inherent existence, and so on – all with profound&#xA;  certitude. All his misapprehensions of ordinary appearance dissolved,&#xA;  and all his perplexities about the import of emptiness disappeared. He&#xA;  said later that his view of the world changed radically, that it had&#xA;  been exactly upside down before, and that the authentic view was&#xA;  precisely the opposite from what he had expected.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In a very real sense, this moment in 1398 can be understood as the end&#xA;  of Tsong Khapa’s life-story in ordinary time. The subsequent events of&#xA;  the final twenty one years of his physical life are merely the&#xA;  unfolding of the tremendous impact of his realization throughout Tibet&#xA;  and the world. For, when a single heart opens into Buddhahood, the&#xA;  entire universe of living beings is included with it. And it is&#xA;  characteristic of him, and of his renewal of the transformative&#xA;  commitment of the path of philosophy embodied in the Essence, that his&#xA;  eyes were on a text at the very moment, not half-shut in transic&#xA;  absorption. Immediately afterward, as the sun rose on that day of&#xA;  1398, he wrote the Essence of True Eloquence (the concise version),&#xA;  called “Praise of Shakyamuni for his Teaching of Relativity,”&#xA;  translated below as Praise for Relativity. Again, he did not lounge in&#xA;  bliss in his total enlightenment; he poured forth his wisdom for&#xA;  others in a hymn of gratitude to the teaching that made it possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T13:51:41.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10665" CreationDate="2015-09-03T14:06:24.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, people who become deeply quiesent and stable do aquire such abiility.  I'm no expert,  but have seen it in action and have discussed with one person who was very profoundly skilled.  You just &quot;know&quot;.    Specific mode of perception (knowing) is highly individual. Some get visual images.  It is akin to when you &quot;know&quot; something by direct experience vs &quot;think so&quot;.... it seems one can bypass the direct experience part and arrive at &quot;know&quot; without it.  If you have ever known a skilled clarvoyant its less of a stretch to accommodate this fact.  Its well known and refered to in samatha teaching settings.   It is said to be important to not get too occupied by this,  it is a distraction (maybe the booby prize) from more important goals. I think its a by product of quiescence and stability.  If it is your goal ... that will be an obstacle.  The very strong source I'm heard refer to this is Alan Wallace,  super brilliant, a guy who has tremendous training and experience.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5865" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditorDisplayName="user5865" LastEditDate="2019-10-27T04:55:27.063" LastActivityDate="2019-10-27T04:55:27.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11290" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-03T14:40:33.283" Score="5" ViewCount="179" Body="&lt;p&gt;From infancy till old age, our bodily, psychological and even spiritual change and evolve. Also, their faults or risks differ at each stage of life. For instance, the greatest &quot;fault&quot; of an infant is ignorance of the world, and simultaneously, her greatest need is to physically explore. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same infant may grow into a youth whose greatest fault is lack of self-knowledge, and his/her greatest need is to explore the word of relationships and seek romance. The same youth may grow into an old person whose greatest fault may be a false sense of power, authority and ownership over other people, and whose deepest need may simply be peace and rest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is there one dharma preaching for all stages of life (or stages of evolution) in Buddhism? or are there many?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T13:24:28.603" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T13:24:28.603" Title="The needs of the same human being may differ at different stages of life. Can there be one Dharma for all stages?" Tags="|teaching|stages-of-the-path|evolution|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11290" CreationDate="2015-09-03T14:49:56.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there one dharma preaching for all stages of life (or stages of evolution) in Buddhism? or are there many?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many dharma preachings relevant to life stages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Niyamas&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Kamma Niyama, it says every action has reaction. So don't do to others what you dislike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5867" LastEditorUserId="18" LastEditDate="2015-09-04T02:56:12.130" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T02:56:12.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11290" CreationDate="2015-09-03T18:27:42.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is one Dharma for all, however one may emphasize certain aspects of Dharma to take on certain challenges.  For instance, some Buddhist teachings will prescribe certain types of meditations for certain temperaments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with trying to have a different Dharma for different life stages is that it assumes that every person faces the same challenge at any given stage in life, and this is simply untrue.  People's challenges are a function of their genetic dispositions, circumstances, stage in life and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, there very well may be broad themes that come into play in the stage of life.  For instance, in old age, issues of health, impending morality and even irrelevance can come into play. However, it's dangerous to focus exclusively on those themes as how they manifest as challenges is still based on the individual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, even if one were to focus on those broad themes, the Dharma would remain the same, one would simply shift one's energies to different aspects that seem most suited to the theme.  For instance, how does the theme of mortality factor into one's ego-lessness?  Would something like increased death contemplation be appropriate?  What about if one is concerned with physical appearance at a certain age?  Would contemplation on the unattractiveness of the body be appropriate here?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this comes back to different temperaments; entering a life stage (along with one's other factors) could be &quot;reduced&quot; to a shift in temperament, with the appropriate shift in emphasis on the practices involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On an unrelated note, what you ask seems more in line with Hinduism, which acknowledges different practices for different life stages, but that's not relevant here.  I just thought it interesting given the common religious mileu from which both arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-09-04T16:42:41.517" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T16:42:41.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11263" CreationDate="2015-09-03T18:43:34.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on how you interpret Samsara/Nirvana.  If you give it a psychological interpretation then yes, one can live in Nirvana and be in this world at the same time because suffering is mental and thus Samsara/Nirvana are in our heads, not &quot;out there&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if you're talking about what happens after one who enters Nirvana then dies, then that's another matter entirely.  For that, perhaps read up on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#Nirvana_with_and_without_remainder_of_fuel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana with and without Remainder&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T18:43:34.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11277" CreationDate="2015-09-03T18:46:46.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some guided meditations for children on BuddhaNet: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/meditate/guide.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Teaching Meditation in the Classroom&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T18:46:46.153" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-03T18:46:46.153" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11274" CreationDate="2015-09-03T18:51:33.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A way to measure ones overall progress in the practice, is to see if the root defilements of &lt;em&gt;&quot;Greed, Hatred and Delusion&quot;&lt;/em&gt; are either increased or decreased. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T18:59:57.660" LastActivityDate="2015-09-03T18:59:57.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11296" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-03T21:37:31.033" Score="8" ViewCount="341" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Theravada Buddhism, a sotāpanna can be born in 7 existence in kama-loka which includes human realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yê ariya saccâni vibhâvayanti - gambhira paññnêna sudêsitâni, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Kincâpi tê honti bhusappamattâ - na te bhavam attamam âdiyanti, &#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;Idampi sanghê ratanam panîtam - êtêna saccêna suvatthi hôtu.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who realized the Noble Truths well taught by him who is profound in wisdom (the Buddha), even though they may be exceedingly heedless, they will not take an eighth existence (in the realm of sense spheres).This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot;&gt;Ratana Sutta Verse 9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any such instance in the pali canon, in the commentaries or in any Buddhist culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2015-09-03T22:06:56.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T05:12:47.737" Title="Any instance in the pali canon where a sotāpanna born as a human?" Tags="|pali-canon|rebirth|sangha|commentary|human|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2015-09-04T04:52:00.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am personally experiencing that no one should predetermine the time required. its like when you are jogging. Your body speaks for you and tell you how long you can continue and at what pace. The more you do, the more you can. Simply sit down and start. With time, you will begin to find a better pace. May triple gems bless you !!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6869" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T04:52:00.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-04T08:59:07.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I understand that one is not expected to hold anything close or dear as it is impermanent and could change at any moment so how does one love another person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving aside &quot;love&quot; for a moment, Buddhism teaches that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditioned things are impermanent and dissatisfactory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example you might have a nice evening out with someone, however that evening won't last. You might marry the person hoping for a repeat of the experience but most of life isn't like that. If you become attached to a specific experience you'll be disappointed: because experiences don't last; and because temporary experiences can't be permanently satisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to the subject of love, then, there are various types of people and various types of love:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Love someone, get married, don't find that satisfying, get divorced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Love someone, get married, don't find that satisfying, stay married&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Love someone, don't get married, don't find that satisfying...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other forms of love, other than romantic/sexual love:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The love of parents for their children and vice versa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving a teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving a friend&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving a neighbour&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do want to marry, there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;some advice on how to choose a marriage partner&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful&quot; - this seems to suggest that you should build a wall around yourself and separate yourself from potentially wonderful feelings just because they could cause pain, and pain is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it means &quot;build a wall&quot;. It means that when you see someone you should understand that they will change (e.g. they'll go away, become sick, maybe get angry sometimes, die), that whatever you experience now will change, that it would be unskillful (unhappy-making) to become attached to something (or to someone or to some experience) in the expectation or hope that it will never change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think pain is a part of life; denying that pain, or ignoring it is not part of a healthy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addiction (e.g. addiction to alcohol) is also part of life. It's addictive, a) because it's enjoyable b) the enjoyment isn't permanent, it fades c) therefore if you crave (or thirst for or become attached to) that enjoyment then you'll try to repeat (and drink again or drink continuously, therefore becoming alcoholic). The fact that it's &quot;part of life&quot; doesn't make it &quot;healthy&quot;. The same is true for other addictions to apparently-pleasurable-however-impermanent things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both of which you can learn and grow from. Am I missing something here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, two things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first is that you might be arguing that it's good to burn your hand on the hot stove: because you learn from that, i.e. you learn that it hurts and that it damages your hand and that you shouldn't burn your hand on the hot stove!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Slightly more subtly, you might learn the trick to how to hold a hot coal in your hand without getting burned: you have to hold it lightly without grasping it, without becoming attached to it. Similarly it may be possible to love without becoming attached, without getting burned. This type (these several types) of unselfish love are called the brahma-viharas (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=brahma+vihara&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for some further explanation), of which perhaps the most famous is &quot;compassion&quot; a.k.a. &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T08:59:07.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11290" CreationDate="2015-09-04T13:13:03.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The needs of the same human being may differ at different stages of life. Can there be one Dharma for all stages?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes there can be one Dhamma for all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma taught by the Buddhas is timeless and does not change. These rare beings discover the path for themselves, they discover an &lt;em&gt;ancient path&lt;/em&gt;, after which they teach it to other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is always the same. The Four Noble Truths do not change whether one is 5, 30 or 90 years old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is though, different approaches to the Dhamma, depending on what age a human being has. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is 5 years old, then a more simple and fantastic approach might be used. For example one uses in greater deal the stories from the Jatakas, to illustrate the different path factors such as &lt;em&gt;ethical conduct.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might also approach it from a school teachers angle as Crab Bucket has done. He used clay to form dhamma wheels and drawings of the Buddha surrounded by animals. Ven. Yuttadhammo has made a video-series on how to do Metta meditation for kids. In the videos he speak very slowly, calmly and simply. It works really well for kids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in other words. If one is pretty young in age then the complexity of the Dhamma, such as the technicalities of the Abhidhamma might not be the best approach:)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is 30 or 90 years old, there are many different approaches. The best way to explain this, is to look at the different affiliations of Buddhism and then find an affiliation or several affiliations, that fits ones own understanding of the Dhamma. In the end, they all lead to the same goal, &lt;em&gt;Liberation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, to understand the Dhamma, one has to practice meditation. In the meditation one will truly understand that the Dhamma is timeless and always the same for all ages and stages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-04T13:21:16.217" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T13:21:16.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11301" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11303" CreationDate="2015-09-04T16:08:09.837" Score="8" ViewCount="3014" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question says it all.&#xA;I'm not much familiar with either. I've read the book of Tao a few times and have read a few Buddhist scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me they seem so different and so alike at the same time, but I barely have any surface knowledge to draw any conclusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastActivityDate="2019-03-10T06:40:55.307" Title="Are there many differences between Taoism and Buddhism?" Tags="|comparative-religion|taoism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11301" CreationDate="2015-09-04T16:55:12.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are enough schools/interpretations of both that any answer would have to be highly qualified. Furthermore, there's a crossover that confuses things further.  For instance, Zen is widely seen as a mixture of Buddhism and Taoism, so you may find great similarities between that branch of Buddhism and Taoism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An overview is that Buddhism seeks to transcend suffering while Taoism seeks unity with nature.  However, consider this...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism transcends suffering by transcending the self. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does Taoism's unity with nature require transcending the self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is Taoism's goal of unity with nature motivated by seeking happiness/eliminating suffering?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on how you answer the above, you may find great similarities, but it may require a fair bit of inference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T16:55:12.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11301" CreationDate="2015-09-04T17:05:33.577" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many different kinds of Daoism and many different kinds of Buddhism. All with different views on important issues. Generally speaking Chinese Daoism and Indian Buddhism are different in their worldview, aims, and methods. However, Chinese Buddhism is massively influenced by Taoism and vice versa, over the entire history of Buddhism in China, so they can sometimes seem related.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most salient different might be with respect to nature. Daoists aim to be in harmony with nature, through balancing out opposites, and through this to attain physical immortality. Indian Buddhists saw nature as the problem and escaping from rebirth in the world as the answer to this problem. On the other Buddhist these days are quite interested in environmental issues as an extension of Green politics and notions of compassion and are thus also quite interested in nature these days. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Daoists believe in a soul that survives death; Indian Buddhists believed that nothing like a soul can exist. Though arguably Buddhists capitulated to a soul when they invented &quot;Buddha nature&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The methods of Daoism aim to bring about balance of the elements. The methods of Buddhism aim to help us see that our views about the elements are wrong and through seeing them correctly we can be free from being composed of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the massive influence of Daoism on Chinese Buddhism means that an understanding of Daoism is very relevant for understanding East Asian forms of Buddhism. The influence began at least with the earliest translations of Buddhist texts into Chinese. For example the character &amp;#36947; was used to translate &lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;marga&lt;/em&gt; (way); and the character &amp;#31070; is a term from Daoism that generally means “spirit”, “soul”, (sometimes translated as ‘divinity’). It is also used to translate Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;ṛddhi&lt;/em&gt; “supernatural power”, &lt;em&gt;anubhava&lt;/em&gt; “power, majesty”, or &lt;em&gt;deva&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later Daoism was profoundly influential on Zen Buddhism, and Zen has been one of the most influential forms of Buddhism in America (less so in Europe). According to one source Daoim introduced &quot;elements like the concept of naturalness, distrust of scripture and text, and emphasis on embracing 'this life' and living in the 'every-moment'.&quot; Dumoulin, Heisig, &amp;amp; Knitter. &lt;em&gt;Zen Buddhism: A History&lt;/em&gt; (2005).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Re spelling: &quot;Daoism&quot; uses the modern Pinyin system of transliteration for the Chinese character &amp;#36947; i.e. dào; whereas the older and largely deprecated Wade-Giles system transcribes it tao. Apparently there is much discussion over which is &quot;correct&quot;. I prefer Pinyin, but one can argue that Taoism is an existing Anglicisation that ought not to be affected by fashions in transcription. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question has some crossover with others questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7625/why-is-zen-chan-thought-to-be-more-related-to-buddhism-than-to-taoism?rq=1&quot;&gt;Why is Zen/Chan thought to be more related to Buddhism than to Taoism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5762/comparison-of-nirvana-tao-and-brahman-atma?rq=1&quot;&gt;Comparison of Nirvana, Tao and Brahman/Atma.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2552/was-the-influence-of-taoism-on-buddhism-responsible-for-the-development-of-mahay?rq=1&quot;&gt;Was the influence of Taoism on Buddhism responsible for the development of Mahayana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-04T17:05:33.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11304" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11305" CreationDate="2015-09-04T17:23:26.297" Score="6" ViewCount="1239" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10332/254&quot;&gt;I came across a skeleton meditation mentioned in this answer on this site&lt;/a&gt;, and I was interested because it supposedly grants interesting special abilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Googling it, I just found pages about something called white skeleton meditation, which I assume is the same thing (although according to guesswork on other forums it is either a Tibetan Buddhist type of meditation or a Taoist meditation but apparently NOT zen). Most sites that describe WSM talk of qi (because it &quot;nourishes ones qi&quot;), something I've never heard mentioned in a Buddhist context but I've heard very little. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia seems to have nothing on the subject, so what is the origin of skeleton meditation? Is it a Buddhist meditation? A skeleton meditation is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/nibbana1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this little book by Pa Auk Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; (which I suppose is the same as the meditation mentioned in the answer referenced above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha ever talk of/teach this meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T08:45:46.770" Title="Is the skeleton meditation of Buddhist origin?" Tags="|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11304" CreationDate="2015-09-04T18:28:51.210" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it's a Buddhist teaching. Contemplation on a skeleton is called &lt;em&gt;atthika-sanna&lt;/em&gt; in Pali. Buddha's teaching of this is in Atthikamahapphala sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn46.57&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 46.57&lt;/a&gt;), however, there's no English translation of this .This technique is commonly used by forest monks to overcome sensual desires. You can practice it with a real skeleton, a picture of it or visualizing a skeleton in mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-05T08:45:46.770" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T08:45:46.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11306" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-04T19:35:41.157" Score="7" ViewCount="3891" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone that is actively seeking to be a Buddhist, how does one show emotional support for others in time of need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christians offer to pray for them if someone or some person is going through a difficult situation. &#xA;For example, during 9/11 often leaders would pray for people and their nation who are going through loss. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something in Buddhism that is similar? Is there something similar that Buddhists can offer to show that they are offering emotional or spiritual support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="594" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T18:50:27.680" LastActivityDate="2021-03-24T21:49:00.163" Title="Providing a prayer for others" Tags="|ethics|christianity|prayer|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11306" CreationDate="2015-09-05T01:37:30.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Tibetan Buddhist practices are for the benefit of both oneself and others. In the book, &lt;em&gt;How to Meditate: A Practical Guide&lt;/em&gt;, by Kathleen McDonald is such a practice, using the enlightened figure Tara, who is particularly dedicated to health and long life. It is composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, co-founder and head of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is the crucial part of this practice. You might acquire the book to see the full practice. It's a lovely, widely used book, with much practical advice on meditation in the Tibetan forms, plus many actual meditations in a variety of styles: on mind, analytical meditations on important topics such as impermanence, visualizations, prayers and devotional practices (like this one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now recall any special request you want to make—success in your&#xA;  spiritual or worldly activities, the health and long life of your&#xA;  relatives, friends, or yourself, or anything at all that you want.&#xA;  With these needs in mind, recite the short prayer to Tara as many&#xA;  times as you can, while either remaining seated or making&#xA;  prostrations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;Om&lt;/em&gt; I prostrate to the goddess foe destroyer, liberating lady Tara,&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Homage to &lt;em&gt;tare&lt;/em&gt;, savioress, heroine, &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;With &lt;em&gt;tuttare&lt;/em&gt; dispelling all fears,&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Granting all benefits with &lt;em&gt;ture&lt;/em&gt;, &#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;To her with sound &lt;em&gt;svaha&lt;/em&gt;, I bow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you recite the prayer visualize rays of light with nectar running&#xA;  down them (like raindrops running down a wire) emanating from the&#xA;  point where Tara’s left thumb and ring finger touch. The rays and&#xA;  nectar flow continuously, reaching you and all the beings surrounding&#xA;  you, purifying your hindrances to Dharma practice and the obscurations&#xA;  to liberation and enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Remember the problems of all the people you are praying for. Think&#xA;  also of the sufferings and troubles being experienced by the sentient&#xA;  beings surrounding you: people fighting wars, feeling ill or lonely;&#xA;  those full of anger, pride, or jealousy. As the rays and nectar enter&#xA;  their bodies and minds, their suffering and the causes of their&#xA;  suffering are completely extinguished. All sentient beings become&#xA;  totally liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think with deep conviction that Tara has accepted your requests and&#xA;  answered your prayers. During the first half of your recitation you&#xA;  can visualize the purification described above, and during the second&#xA;  half you can visualize that you and all beings become one with Tara:&#xA;  with each prayer an identical Tara emanates from the Tara visualized&#xA;  in front of you and dissolves into you and everyone else. You all&#xA;  become completely one with Tara’s holy body, speech, and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum -- Sept 7&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the very valid observation that one must liberate oneself we can add that, like all things, liberation is the result of countless causes and conditions, including the kindness of others. The kindness of the teacher is particularly important, but so are the material conditions that provide the leisures and endowments needed to practice Buddhadharma: adequate food and shelter, good health, the support of the sangha, the availability of texts and teachings, and so on. So the idea that one liberates oneself does not exclude the fact that that we must help each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we can view lesser goals such as recovery from illness, pain or deprivation as the causes and conditions for liberation. The crucial factor is motivation -- all acts, prayers and practices done with the motivation of liberation for oneself and others are positive and help create wholesome karma that impels us toward that goal. That is why the above practice weaves together lesser goals with the motivation for enlightenment, and is therefore a legitimate, effective Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T13:02:15.967" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T13:02:15.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11296" CreationDate="2015-09-05T03:05:50.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;AN 3.87 didn't provide any specific instance but in this sutta, the Buddha talked about 3 grades of stream enterers from low to high:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a seven-times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on &lt;strong&gt;among devas and humans seven times at most&lt;/strong&gt;, makes an end of suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on &lt;strong&gt;among good families two or three times&lt;/strong&gt;, makes an end of suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seed attainer who, after being &lt;strong&gt;reborn once more in human existence&lt;/strong&gt;, makes an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T05:12:47.737" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1992" CreationDate="2015-09-05T03:39:30.963" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this case &lt;code&gt;apada&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;stationless&quot;) means the same thing as &lt;code&gt;animitta&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;groundless&quot;, &quot;unconditioned&quot;, &quot;motiveless&quot;) and &lt;code&gt;aniketa&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;homeless&quot;). This refers to what some modern practitioners like your faithful call &quot;losing the form&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it means exactly is that Buddha has no footing in any single standpoint or position. So you can't pinpoint Buddha and Buddha's realization, nor can Buddha ever get stuck. This is because anuttara-samyak-sambodhi involves going beyond the belief in silver bullet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-05T12:52:16.107" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T12:52:16.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11274" CreationDate="2015-09-05T04:18:46.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Notice your mind, now feel your feet, did the quality of your mind change?  Often, this is enough to see something.  Rather than feeling your feet, which you can do, though you generally don't... or feeling your back, similarly, Zen practitioners simply feeling their 2nd chakra.  Through that alone they appear to be able to reach the highest levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another style which feels the whole body.  Having some awareness of the body allows the subtle-body to begin to form.  This will over time help to release energy-blockages and eventually activate the whole energy system.  The only requirement is to keep from &quot;putting gasoline in the water tank&quot; (aka, over-stimulating your system with non-stop entertainment, just to have to clear out everything put in), and keep from exhausting the energy-body as it builds up (aka, staying up to 3am every night, or non-stop sex, etc...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you progress along your experience of existing will, well..., it is tricky without a teacher to tell you that you've fallen back into old habits, or that you are doing well.  But, once you are able to see how you drain yourself &amp;amp; cut that out, and how you &quot;loose your center&quot; so that you can get it back, you can make progress.  The progress is to catch yourself doing something that makes you tired, and stop it, over time your energy increases (sealing up the holes in the water bucket, such as eating heavy meals).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll experience your system coming to life, then do something to back up a few steps, and you'll get there again... and avoid the things to pull you back, over time more and more progress towards another kind of existance...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6878" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-05T18:11:33.827" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T18:11:33.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-09-05T04:25:29.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Besides the other answers, rebirth and &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; can be interpreted from a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_(Buddhism)#Equivalence_of_cosmology_and_psychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;psychological point of view&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realms (or kingdoms) of &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; can be seen as mind states, and rebirth like the change of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samsara&lt;/em&gt;, in short, represents the vicissitude of the human condition. Or in plain Buddhist, it shows us the impermanence of material and psychological states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day it is all good and happy, the next is not so good, than you feel OK, but something makes you upset, then you get a lot of work to forget those troubles and everything, then you start to feel better, but soon you start to feel stressed, and then you get a nice weekend, and so on. That's &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;, the ups and downs of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And about death and rebirth, you aren't the same person you were 10 years ago, and within 10 years you will be another person (if you keep on dying and rebirthing). In other words, the person of 10 years ago is dead, and now you are another one. And the person you are now, will be gone as you become another one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One characteristic of Enlightenment is equanimity, that is, mental and emotional stability. Life will still have its ups and downs, but it won't be like a roller coaster, but more like a boat on a calm lake. And also, you won't rebirth anymore, in the sense that your personality and behavior will stabilize and you won't change from that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T04:25:29.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-09-05T05:31:24.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You of course can  be silent or state that you cannot tell as you are a Buddhist opposed to killing. However the bigger issue is in most cultures including some Buddhist cultures killing animals for food is quite acceptable.  Should we not accept this as the way it is?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6879" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T05:31:24.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9901" CreationDate="2015-09-05T08:50:56.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assuming you have to pick one and &quot;not telling&quot; is  too much of an easy way out, I would say be honest with the hunter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hunter is a hunter, has hunted plenty and if he fails to catch one rabbit, that is hardly going to, for want of better word, &quot;save&quot; him from an undesirable rebirth (because he still wants to kill it). He breaks a precept for a living, but if you're honest, at least he has a chance at making the right choice if you also try to appeal to his compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the rabbit is killed, then that isn't so bad for will it really be reborn as something lesser than a rabbit? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just my two cents. Not sure how this option would affect you, the person that has to make the choice, karma-wise. You're indirectly responsible for killing, if that is what the hunter decides to do, but your intent is still good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T08:50:56.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-09-05T12:08:49.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If Rebirth is not taken literally then why seek Enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Enlightenment is at the top of Maslow's Pyramid. No matter what you do, no matter how satisfied you are, there is always something missing. We could almost say, sentient beings are pre-wired to want nothing less than Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-05T13:34:55.640" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T13:34:55.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11316" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11319" CreationDate="2015-09-05T12:57:42.503" Score="5" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would the buddha advise to someone considering reducing or eliminating visting a parent that causes emotional distress and fear after one has tried to practice patience, acceptance, acknowledement that this behavior is coming from their own suffeirng, metta practice, meditation, along with trying different ways to communicate so as to not arouse negative statements to an adult child? Also, a reference text, if any could be appreciated. Would distancing onself not be in accordance with the path of a bodhisattva?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These dynamics have always existed and it has become worse. Recently the sibling of this parent that distanced herself years ago from this parent and validated the narcissistic behavior of this parent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this specific situation and which is a factor in the level of difficulty dealing with this parent is that the other parent requires 24 hour nursing care at home and is unable to care for herself (including the inability to communicate).  The other parent/caretaker has refused to disginate the next of kin (adult child) living in a reasonable distance from their home in the event that something unforeseen happens to the caretaker.  Even a short hospitalization would require someone to step in immediately.  The rationale has to do with the fear of not being in control with money. After trying to assure this parent that this is not about money, rather the other parents coordination of outside care, in different ways and at different times, it is met with cruel, untruthful statements about the adult child that is willing to step in. The response also included a statement that if something did happen he didn't care if the estate all went to the State. Again, money and control of money was not mentioned to this parent.  This parent was told by the adult child that the statements were hurtful and not true. The response from the parent was that it was not his responsibility how this adult child felt and would not take any responsibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fear and emotional distress mentioned above mainly is the result not having an emergency plan in place and second the acknowledgment of the diffence in character, values and feelings of loss of both parents. Exposure to this parent tends to water the unwholesome seeds of unsatifactory feelings of this adult child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5490" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T16:19:51.887" Title="Are there situations where it is wise to remove oneself from parents? My philosophy is to set an example to others though the path of a bodhisattva." Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|well-being|right-speech|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-09-05T14:34:53.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fundamental problem in most forms of Buddhism is suffering. If there is no afterlife, the problem of suffering can be solved with suicide. The historical Buddha's solution was tightly related to a realization about the nature of who we really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a secular Buddhist. I read other modern secular Buddhists and also think of solutions to the problem on my own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tom Pepper's Naturanlistic anatman, roughly says the the relevant unit of analysis is the collective consciousness. Individually, we don't exist, i.e. we lack certain desirable features of existence, such as a permanent, unchanging core. Collectively, we will live for a very long time, or at least until we render the planet uninhabitable. The goal is the liberation of this collective consciousness. Individual suicide will not help and killing everyone is impractical, to say nothing of the additional suffering it would create to even try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, on my own, I've thought a lot about what the historical Buddha may have been like. He strikes me as a depressed young man who lived in a world where everyone around him said were he to die, he'd be right back in the miserable world again.  He didn't go forth into homelessness because he was happy and well adjusted at home. Normally, we are eager to believe we are immortal. We fear death more than anything, so much so that we will tell ourselves any lie to convince ourselves of our immortality. If you are depressed, you want the pain to stop. Not surprisingly, many depressed people take euthanasia into their own hands. For the Buddha, were he to literally believe in reincarnation, even this won't help. But after meditating, he realized no part of himself was eternal. And consequence is that reincarnation and all beliefs in immortality of the self are bunk. Liberation is liberation from the belief in reincarnation.  Further more, he realized that if he stop expecting things to last, he could gain some equanimity and peace and step out of the rat race. That state is nirvana, where you aren't exactly happy, but are in a comfortable state of anhedonia, something modern psychologists wouldn't think well of.  The Buddha originally was going to keep his mouth shut about this realization, since he didn't think anyone would get it. Within in one generation, no one got it anymore. Nirvana was heaven and enlightenment was just the path to a better heaven in the old system of reincarnation.  This process accelerated with arrival of Pure Land ideologies and the influence of Zoroastrianism in Mahayana and Hinduism in everything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T14:34:53.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11316" CreationDate="2015-09-05T16:19:51.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When offers of help are denied, one has done what they can. &#xA;I'd say a temporary distance is acceptable in this situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the adult child of the sick one, maintain the intent to help and the compassion and bodhicitta for both parents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a rough time for all involved, in times like these emotions tend to cause conflicts that might seem to be about one thing,  but are actually about the emotions caused by the looming death of the loved one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the adult child my advice would be as follows :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try not to take things personally here.&#xA;Drop off care packages for both parents. &#xA;Make sure to let it be known (in a positive way, text or short polite letter) that if you are needed you are a phone call away.&#xA;Do not worry about or mention next of kin.&#xA;Remember that others actions and words are not an excuse to &quot;Water unwholesome seeds&quot; &#xA;Do not hold a grudge, and give yourself as much distance as you need. &#xA;After the parent dies, if the remaining parent needs it, be there to comfort and ease the grieving process. &#xA;Reread all the branch and root Bodhisattva vows, one by one, and ask yourself where you are doing well for each vow, and how you could improve on each vow. &#xA;Remember that the vows apply to all beings, not just family. Treat yourself to some ice cream and some activities you enjoy. Spend time with friends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of situation is an incredibly difficult one. For everyone involved. &#xA;It can be trying and emotionally draining.&#xA;I do not know the full situation, only what is in the question. I've tried to keep this advice in line with the Buddhist tradition and Bodhisattva tradition to the best of my abilities. If there is some error please comment and I will edit accordingly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T16:19:51.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11320" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-05T17:13:31.723" Score="4" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a practitioner (but a beginner) of Anapana and Vipassana meditation, I have realized and experienced the immense benefits of the technique and the immense potential of Dhamma to bring change and goodness in whoever applies it in life. As is natural, when one samples something as beneficial as the Dhamma, one cannot contain the benefits to oneself and is always tempted to suggest the practise of Vipassana to those around us, so that they may also start coming out of their misery. This is what I understand is one of the qualities of Dhamma, &quot;Ehipassiko&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, the question really is, should a beginner like me even talk about it to others? Because, I still have my share of mental defilements and as a result I'm still prone to wrong thoughts, words and deeds. Therefore, although I genuinely feel like recommending the practise of Vipassana to others out of compassion, I'm apprehensive that I may not be the best example to show others what practitioners of Vipassana really are and that may as a result corrupt the idea of the Buddha's teachings in the minds of someone who may be listening to Dhamma for the first time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, should one really talk about the Dhamma and Vipassana to others and if yes, when (at what minimum level of advancement or personal progress on the path, so that one inspires others as a personal living example)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastEditorUserId="6870" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T15:17:22.203" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T15:09:39.390" Title="Should a beginner try to educate others about the benefits of Vipassana?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11306" CreationDate="2015-09-05T18:02:20.993" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is on how to show that one is offering help or support. But I'm assuming that what you really meant is how to actually help or support and not just show that one is helping or supporting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhism does not acknowledge the existence of a God or Supreme Being to whom one can pray, prayer in the sense practised in other religions may not be applicable in Buddhism. This therefore, eliminates the need for any rites, rituals, ceremonies or prayer to any particular entity for the well being of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, one can help or support others by practising Metta meditation. The effectiveness of Metta meditation depends on both the level of purity of your mind and that of the receiver. Therefore, practise of Vipassana meditation to purify one's mind may be considered to be a pre-requisite for effective Metta meditation. Metta meditation is essentially about sharing the good vibrations and energy that one generates by purifying one's own mind with others for their well being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia has an overview of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettā&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The cultivation of benevolence (&lt;em&gt;mettā bhāvanā&lt;/em&gt;) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism. In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravadin Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; tradition, this practice begins with the meditator cultivating benevolence towards themselves, then one's loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings. In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan Buddhist&lt;/a&gt; tradition, this practice is associated with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonglen&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;tonglen&lt;/a&gt; (cf.), whereby one breathes out (&quot;sends&quot;) happiness and breathes in (&quot;receives&quot;) suffering. Tibetan Buddhists also practice contemplation of the Brahmavihāras, also called the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four immeasurables&lt;/a&gt;, which is sometimes called 'compassion meditation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-05T19:24:41.830" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T19:24:41.830" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11306" CreationDate="2015-09-05T22:03:14.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wishing well for others is in itself a prayer. In the earliest form of Buddhism, this is called metta practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this practice can be combined with various mantras to enhance the effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nichiren Buddhism, the most popular sect within Mahayana Buddhism and maybe all of Buddhism in general, has the Lotus Sutra mantra which goes &quot;Nam Myo Renge Kyo.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mantra is associated to myriad different Buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities, mystic forces, including the Buddha nature within us all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can chant this but there are many other mantras that are indeed powerful.&#xA;I won't go into which ones but here are the ones that have had a strong positive impact on my own life and others: zhunti mantra (recommended by Master Huai-Chin Nan), Amitofo mantra, Kuan yin mantra, surangama mantra, and many more.&#xA;All of them have a beautiful vibratory effect within your heart after you have reached a level of affinity with them. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important thing is the metta practice itself (as well as the other brahmaviharas) because no chanting will have any effect without the heart behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T22:03:14.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11320" CreationDate="2015-09-05T22:43:17.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a very simple thing to talk about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;observe &quot;yourself&quot; (a collection of factors)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;accept yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;do not get caught up in yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, vipassana is surprisingly simple and most people will not try it even if they understand the above facts and even if they understand the tremendous benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself need to practice much much more even though I understand all the benefits, I do not do pure vipassana often enough (although I integrate vipassana within other activities and meditations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go ahead and try sharing it to anyone in an unobtrusive, gentle manner. You may need to call &quot;vipassana&quot; self-observation for those of a close-minded religious background such as Islam or Catholics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Give instruction and explanation if they are curious but do not speak (or be very conservative) about your personal experiences though, that will have negative psychic effects on your own practice if revealed to non-Buddhists and may also have a negative impact on them unless you are giving them a guided meditation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-09-05T22:43:17.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11324" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11330" CreationDate="2015-09-06T00:33:43.170" Score="3" ViewCount="522" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the answer given to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11296/any-instance-in-the-pali-canon-where-a-sot%C4%81panna-born-as-a-human&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, AN 3.87 was cited as such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a seven-times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among devas and humans seven times at most, makes an end of suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among good families two or three times, makes an end of suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seed attainer who, after being reborn once more in human existence, makes an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not able to find an English translation of this sutta online, but the individual who posted this said that the third individual described, a &amp;quot;one-seeder&amp;quot;, is actually not a Sakadagami, but an Ekabiji, the highest degree of Sotapanna? And the first two are lower degrees of Sotapanna. Does anyone have any insight into this? I was unaware that there were varying degrees of stream-winners. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T18:20:40.357" Title="What are Ekabiji?" Tags="|pali-canon|enlightenment|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11325" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11327" CreationDate="2015-09-06T00:38:38.910" Score="3" ViewCount="295" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are Kusala roots, how are they determined, what effects do they have? And where in the Buddha's teaching are they mentioned? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T07:33:10.737" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T07:33:10.737" Title="What are Kusala roots?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11324" CreationDate="2015-09-06T01:04:28.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not able to find an English translation of this sutta online&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's referenced as (or, at least, that list is also quoted in) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.86 Sekhin Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on access to insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few other reference numbers (which I can't chase but which you may be able to) are given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:4275.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;PTS dictionary definition for &lt;em&gt;Eka&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;bījin&lt;/strong&gt; having only one (more) seed, i. e. destined to be reborn only once S v.205; A i.233; iv.380; Nett 189.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T01:04:28.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11325" CreationDate="2015-09-06T01:47:14.040" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'three poisons', or three 'unwholesome roots' (&lt;em&gt;akusala-mūla&lt;/em&gt;), are named as ignorance, attachment, and aversion &amp;mdash; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)#Opposite_wholesome_qualities&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the &quot;wholesome roots&quot; are their opposites&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;h2&gt;Opposite wholesome qualities&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three wholesome mental factors that are identified as the opposites of the three poisons are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;amoha (non-bewilderment); prajna (wisdom)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;alobha (non-attachment)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;adveṣa (non-aggression, lack of hatred); mettā (loving-kindness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The principal aim of the Buddhist path is to cultivate these and related positive qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They're mentioned in for example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html#kusala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And what is the root of the wholesome? Non-greed is a root of the wholesome; non-hate is a root of the wholesome; non-delusion is a root of the wholesome. This is called the root of the wholesome.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T04:00:24.483" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T04:00:24.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11306" CreationDate="2015-09-06T02:47:00.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the question a Buddhist (one like me, anyway) would ask is, what the heck good does it do to pray for someone? Even if there is a God and even if they do listen to prayers? But most especially if there isn't or they aren't listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many types of Buddhism &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; promote what is called &quot;determination&quot; or &quot;aspiration&quot;, in the sense of wishing for something to come true, e.g. &quot;Through the power of X may Y occur.&quot; &quot;Y&quot; may be any good result one hopes for, but &quot;X&quot; is generally some wholesome quality of mind or wholesome deed one has performed. There is a sense that wholesomeness has an inherent power that can lead to positive consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common example in the commentaries is of &quot;truth&quot; - where the power of a statement of truth is acknowledged, especially when it describes a difficult accomplishment, or is the admission of something difficult to admit. E.g. in the Jatakas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On hearing his words, she said: &quot;My lord, though you do not believe me, by virtue of the truth I speak, I will heal you.&quot; So, filling a pot of water and performing an Act of Truth, she poured the water on his head and spoke this stanza:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May Truth for aye my shelter be,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;As I love no man more than thee,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;And by this Act of Truth, I pray,&#xA;  &lt;br/&gt;May thy disease be healed to-day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When she had thus performed an Act of Truth, no sooner was the water sprinkled over Sotthisena than the leprosy straightway left him, as it were copper rust washed in some acid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Jāt. 519 (Cowell, trans)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the positive result is usually physical, because Buddhism doesn't recognize the power of others to bring us emotional well-being. In fact, reliance on others is generally seen as a crutch that leads to further emotional instability. One must be an island unto oneself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Oneself is one's own refuge; who else could a refuge be?&#xA;  Indeed, with a self well-tamed, one obtains a refuge difficult to obtain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp. 160&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about empowerment, not dependence; an enlightened being is said to live independent, not clinging to anything in the world (MN 10).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it was &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/DtkzVUpR3iE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;attributed to the Dalai Lama in &lt;em&gt;Kundun&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;You cannot liberate me... I can only liberate myself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T03:43:01.993" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T03:43:01.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11324" CreationDate="2015-09-06T02:50:55.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, so-called &quot;stages of enlightenment&quot; indicate likelihood of someone attaining Nirvana in this very life -- based on their rate of progress abandoning fetters so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is according to Satyasiddhisastra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kulankula&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;family-to-family attainer&quot;) is an intermediate stage prior to Sakadagami. This is someone who has abandoned a couple of fetters, and will abandon a couple more in this life. Even though &lt;em&gt;kulankula&lt;/em&gt; may in theory attain Nirvana in this life, with this rate they would need 2-3 more lives ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sakadagamin&lt;/em&gt; (once-returner) is one who has abandoned/attenuated a good chunk of fetters and therefore in theory &lt;em&gt;may&lt;/em&gt; abandon them all and attain Nirvana in this very life, but who still has enough fetters that will most likely not be abandoned in this life yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ekabijin&lt;/em&gt; (one-seed one) is a highest intermediate degree between Sakadagami and Anagami, not a kind of Sotapanna. &lt;strong&gt;Ekabijin is one who has only one empirical-world-level fetter left&lt;/strong&gt; -- hence the name. This last fetter is the only remaining tie that keeps them attached to the empirical world. Therefore it becomes very likely that they will actually abandon this last fetter and attain Nirvana in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anagamin&lt;/em&gt; (never-returner) is one who has abandoned all empirical-world-level fetters and is therefore pretty much guaranteed to attain Nirvana in this life, or right after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Arahant&lt;/em&gt; (accomplished one) is one who has abandoned the abstract fetters as well -- meaning the form- and formless-level fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T05:24:00.203" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T05:24:00.203" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11324" CreationDate="2015-09-06T03:05:49.803" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is indeed the standard categorization of sotāpanna in the Theravada. The Puggala-paññatti gives definitions for ekabījī and sakadāgāmī:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;33&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;katamo ca puggalo &lt;strong&gt;ekabījī&lt;/strong&gt;? idhekacco puggalo tiṇṇaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā &lt;strong&gt;sotāpanno&lt;/strong&gt; hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano. so ekaṃyeva mānusakaṃ bhavaṃ nibbattetvā dukkhassantaṃ karoti — ayaṃ vuccati puggalo “ekabījī”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;katamo ca puggalo sakadāgāmī? idhekacco puggalo tiṇṇaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṃ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṃ lokaṃ āgantvā dukkhassantaṃ karoti — ayaṃ vuccati puggalo “sakadāgāmī”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ostensible difference is twofold:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ekabījī&lt;/em&gt; have not reduced &lt;em&gt;rāga&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt; beyond breaking the first three fetters. &lt;em&gt;sakadāgāmī&lt;/em&gt; have reduced the defilements beyond simply breaking the first three fetters. I guess the meaning is that whereas some &lt;em&gt;sotāpanna&lt;/em&gt; will indeed only be born one more time, the reason for it isn't due to their lack of defilements that would allow them to be born a second time. Other circumstances will lead them to enlightenment in the next life, I think is the meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ekabījī&lt;/em&gt; are said to be born again (only?) as humans, which seems a bit strange; &lt;em&gt;sakadāgāmī&lt;/em&gt; are just &amp;quot;come again to this world&amp;quot;, which means maybe as an angel, maybe as a human, maybe as a god, I guess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="18" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T18:20:40.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11331" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11340" CreationDate="2015-09-06T05:57:50.700" Score="3" ViewCount="237" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regarding previous Question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10983/desire-without-attachment/10993#10993&quot;&gt;Desire without attachment&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;If desire without the attachment still lead to suffering then how abandon desire without desire?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As shown by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unnabha the Brahman&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T15:05:18.327" Title="Is it possible to abandon desire by means of desire" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|teaching|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-09-06T16:04:52.390" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2015-09-06T06:41:37.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzongsar_Jamyang_Khyentse_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dzongsar Jamyang Khyenste Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt;, puts it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If you don't believe in Rebirth, you are NOT a Buddhist; you are a&#xA;  materialist&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He recently (July 2015) gave a talk in Berkeley University on &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Is there Buddhism without Rebith?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Answer is NO&lt;/strong&gt;!. Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.siddharthasintent.org/resources/podcasts/podcasts/is-there-buddhism-without-rebirth/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; to videos of the talk. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your understanding is correct - Buddhist seeks enlightenment in order to obtain emancipation from Samsara. There is &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt; other reason. All other reasons as invalid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3708" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T06:41:37.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11333" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11339" CreationDate="2015-09-06T06:52:24.253" Score="2" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.042.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unnabho Brahmano Sutta: The Brahman Unnabha&lt;/a&gt;  says  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, Brahman, these five sense-faculties... which do not share&#xA;  in each other's sphere of action. Mind is their resort, and it is mind&#xA;  that profits from their combined activity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But, good Gotama, what is mind's resort?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mind's resort, Brahman, is mindfulness.&quot;[4]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, good Gotama, what is the resort of mindfulness?&quot;[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The resort of mindfulness, Brahman, is liberation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, good Gotama, what is the resort of liberation?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The resort of liberation is Nibbaana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, good Gotama, what is the resort of Nibbaana?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That question goes too far Brahman. No answer can encompass it. The&#xA;  aim of the holy life, Brahman, is immersion[6] in Nibbaana, it has&#xA;  Nibbaana for its final end, Nibbaana for its conclusion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this suttha says Nibbaana resort on five seance faculties?  or If Not how can it seance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T18:53:00.350" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T18:53:00.350" Title="What is the resort of Nibbaana?" Tags="|pali-canon|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11333" CreationDate="2015-09-06T07:30:07.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That question goes too far Brahman. No answer can encompass it. The&#xA;  aim of the holy life, Brahman, is immersion[6] in Nibbaana, it has&#xA;  Nibbaana for its final end, Nibbaana for its conclusion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T07:30:07.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11337" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-06T12:11:41.177" Score="4" ViewCount="554" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the equivalent to the 3 Marks of Existence in Vajrayana or Mahayana Buddhism? I heard a version of the Buddha's enlightenment¹, where the Buddha  didn't realize impermanence, dukkha and no-self but in place of that he realized the past, the present and the future. That sounded a bit odd to me, is that a popular Vajrayana version of the Buddha's enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;¹ Here is how the Buddha's enlightenment is narrated in the movie &quot;&lt;em&gt;Kundun&lt;/em&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, at the time of midnight,&#xA;  the Bodhisattva saw a clear light. Then he saw in a single instant &#xA;  the three states of existence,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the past,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   the present,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   and the future  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;purified by the clear light.&#xA;  Then, sitting at the Tree of Enlightenment, he conquered&#xA;  all the devils.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" OwnerDisplayName="Uilium" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T16:29:33.603" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T09:23:42.707" Title="Three Marks of Existence in Mahayana" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11337" CreationDate="2015-09-06T13:06:28.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the time in Mahayana (both Vajrayana and Zen) I hear of &lt;strong&gt;Four&lt;/strong&gt; Marks of Existence: Transience, Unsatisfactoriness, Corelessness, &lt;strong&gt;and Nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;. All four are subsumed under Shunyata (Emptiness) which is equated with Pratitya-Samutpada (Dependent Co-Arising).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure about past, present and future. Anyone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T17:42:35.017" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T17:42:35.017" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11333" CreationDate="2015-09-06T13:48:17.083" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, &quot;resort&quot; is a bad translation for &lt;code&gt;patisaranam&lt;/code&gt; (literally, something other things rest on) -- a better option in this particular context would be &quot;apex&quot;. Compare with following simile from Milindapanha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like in a building with a pointed roof: whatever rafters they are, they all rest on the apex, lean towards the apex, meet at the apex, and the apex is pointed to as their chief. So is the &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; in its relation to the other wholesome dharmas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does make more sense this way, doesn't it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brahman Unnabha&lt;/strong&gt;: As the five faculties are of different scope and range, and do not share in each other's sphere of action, what is their &lt;em&gt;apex&lt;/em&gt;, and who profits from their combined activity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;: Mind is their apex, and it is mind that profits from their combined activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B.U.&lt;/strong&gt;: But, good Gotama, what is mind's apex?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B&lt;/strong&gt;: Mind's apex, Brahman, is mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B.U.&lt;/strong&gt;: Then, good Gotama, what is the apex of mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B&lt;/strong&gt;: The apex of mindfulness, Brahman, is liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B.U.&lt;/strong&gt;: Then, good Gotama, what is the apex of liberation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B&lt;/strong&gt;: The apex of liberation is Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B.U.&lt;/strong&gt;: Then, good Gotama, what is the apex of Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;B&lt;/strong&gt;: That question goes too far, Brahman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T14:17:42.470" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T14:17:42.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11331" CreationDate="2015-09-06T14:55:17.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's kinda simple. First we abandon desires. Only then we abandon the desire to give up desires. As per the traditional metaphor, you should not leave &quot;the raft&quot; until you are safely &quot;on the other shore&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, the desire to abandon desires also causes suffering. But that's the price we pay. It is like with the surgeon inflicting more pain short-term to end the pain long-term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point is, it is only a paradox in theory, once we get to real kitchen-level practice, to action -- there is no paradox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T15:05:18.327" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T15:05:18.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11341" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11343" CreationDate="2015-09-06T15:12:15.603" Score="9" ViewCount="1247" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a strict vegetarian and non-alcoholic. But all my friends are non-vegetarians and alcohol consumers. So, when I host a party at my place, it becomes obligatory of me to host them with alcohol and non-vegetarian food (bought from a restaurant). Although, I have done this in the past, I have started to think if it is really right of me to do so, since I may be aiding them in breaking their Sila. But, coming from a culture where guests are to be treated as Gods, I also wonder if it will be rude of me to call them home and not serve to their liking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, should I, at the cost of hosting a boring(for them) party, appearing rude and risk losing their company, help them keep their Sila intact (if at all it does) at least for an evening? Or should I not bother about trying to combine preaching and hosting and keep my ethics limited to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. I'm convinced that consumption of meat and alcohol is breaking of Sila in the true spirit of the Buddha's teachings, irrespective of how certain sects or traditions of Buddhism may justify alcohol and meat consumption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T15:37:33.637" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T10:40:52.483" Title="Does hosting guests at home with meat and alcohol (because they are fond of it) amount to aiding the guests break their Sila?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|sila|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-06T15:28:53.560" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Party is made fun by people sharing their love and life experiences with each other, not by meat and alcohol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly, in this case, I think you should uphold your spirit and not bend to your friends' opinions. Do not be afraid to show your friends who you really are, your real value system. Living authentic life is better in long-term, than pretending to be someone else out of fear of losing the little you have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need to boast or preach. Just do what you truly believe in, they will see and ask, and then you can answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T15:37:21.627" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T15:37:21.627" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-06T16:33:19.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good friend is one who helps his friend become a better person, even at the cost of popularity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think reasonable people definitely do understand dietary choices when it's explained with humility and reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As your friends, they ought to be capable of respecting your wise choices in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a bodhisattva sense one must engage with society, and host guests properly, but it's very tricky, and in many ways far tougher than wandering alone as a hermit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're being trapped into confirming to social norms as well as your beliefs. You need to decide which between the two is the tie breaker when they come in conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your friends don't understand your beliefs, and if you are of the Theravada bent of mind, then the answer is very clear - go alone, avoiding false companions. If you are more worldly, then there's other very sociable passages to quote from elsewhere in the Buddhist canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are verses in the &lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt; (verse 61 onwards) about choosing one's companions wisely. This is also reflected in some of the earliest suttas like the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.hermitary.com/solitude/rhinoceros.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rhinoceros (sword horn) sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which precisely warns of this trap of being waylaid by misdirected compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm quoting here select portions of the sutra linked above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a sociable person&#xA;  there are allurements;&#xA;  on the heels of allurement, this pain.&#xA;  Seeing allurement's drawback,&#xA;  wander alone&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One whose mind&#xA;  is enmeshed in sympathy&#xA;  for friends and companions,&#xA;  neglects the true goal.&#xA;  Seeing this danger in intimacy,&#xA;  wander alone&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is sporting and love&#xA;  in the midst of companions,&#xA;  and abundant fondness for offspring.&#xA;  Feeling disgust&#xA;  at the prospect of parting&#xA;  from those who would be dear,&#xA;  wander alone&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We praise companionship&#xA;  -- yes!&#xA;  Those on a par, or better,&#xA;  should be chosen as friends.&#xA;  If they are not to be found,&#xA;  living faultlessly,&#xA;  wander alone&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People follow and associate&#xA;  for a motive.&#xA;  Friends without a motive these days&#xA;  are rare.&#xA;  They are shrewd for their own ends, and impure.&#xA;  Wander alone&#xA;  like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T16:33:19.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-06T17:16:28.683" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;So, when I host a party at my place, it becomes obligatory of me to host them with alcohol and non-vegetarian food (bought from a restaurant). &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see how it is &lt;em&gt;obligatory&lt;/em&gt;. You could serve delicious vegetarian food and non-alcoholic drinks. If you take your Buddhist precepts you are not supposed break them yourself or encourage others to break them. I think your instincts on this are correct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be so boring? Have you spoken to your friends about this? Why not raise the subject and see what they say? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T17:16:28.683" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11345" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-06T20:00:24.067" Score="10" ViewCount="435" Body="&lt;p&gt;Somewhat loaded question... According to Buddha, what is more reliable -- textual reference or one's own direct insight that came from experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one's own insight is in conflict with a text, should one trust the text or one's own insight? Is there anything Buddha said about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T02:33:38.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T20:29:09.483" Title="Textual reference vs. Direct insight" Tags="|personal-practice|texts|experiential|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-11-19T01:36:51.307" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-06T21:17:06.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 70&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha taught about the Gradual Training:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, I do not say that the attainment of gnosis is all at once. Rather, the attainment of gnosis is after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice. And how is there the attainment of gnosis after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice? There is the case where, when conviction has arisen, one visits [a teacher]. Having visited, one grows close. Having grown close, one lends ear. Having lent ear, one hears the Dhamma. Having heard the Dhamma, one remembers it. Remembering, one penetrates the meaning of the teachings. Penetrating the meaning, one comes to an agreement through pondering the teachings. There being an agreement through pondering the teachings, desire arises. When desire has arisen, one is willing. When one is willing, one contemplates. Having contemplated, one makes an exertion. Having made an exertion, one realizes with the body the ultimate truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T21:17:06.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-06T21:28:53.517" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that you should &quot;know for yourselves&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It &lt;em&gt;also&lt;/em&gt; suggests that one should consider the opinion of &quot;the wise&quot;. Elsewhere too it's said to be important to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html#iti-017&quot;&gt;have admirable people as friends&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.024.wlsh.html&quot;&gt;Sarakaani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggests that faith (faith in the &quot;text&quot;, perhaps) is beneficial; but that it's also possible to &quot;destroy three fetters&quot;. The commentary says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the first three of the five lower fetters, i.e., &lt;em&gt;sakkaaya-ditthi&lt;/em&gt; &quot;personality-view&quot; or belief in a permanent, really existing self; &lt;em&gt;vicikicchaa&lt;/em&gt; &quot;doubt&quot; (once the &quot;personality-view&quot; has been shattered, there can be no further fundamental doubt about the Dhamma); and &lt;em&gt;siilabbata-paraamaasa&lt;/em&gt; &quot;attachment to rites and rituals&quot; (siila + vata).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you reach the state of &quot;lack of doubt&quot; I think that implies you trust your own insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vicikiccha/index.html&quot;&gt;long definition of Vicikiccha&lt;/a&gt; (perhaps several definitions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the things you shouldn't doubt include the Buddha, Sangha, and Dhamma (which might mean, &quot;you shouldn't doubt &lt;em&gt;the text&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, i.e. &quot;insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha’s teaching&quot;). But then the last paragraph i.e. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why, Mahaanaama, if these great sal trees could distinguish what is well spoken from what is ill spoken, I would proclaim these great sal trees to be Stream-Winners...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... implies that a stream-winner is defined by the ability to &quot;distinguish what is well spoken from what is ill spoken&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot;&gt;Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that right view is a knowledge that is independent of others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty or doubt that just stress, when arising, is arising; stress, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T21:28:53.517" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-06T21:40:33.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never relied on text even to record his teachings but he did rely on direct insight to get his students to Nirvana. One can't reach liberation without direct insight. Text is very conceptual and of course the Buddha taught to transcend conceptual reality because it can't be relied on to give %100 truth but direct experience can be relied on as perfect truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-06T21:58:42.300" LastActivityDate="2015-09-06T21:58:42.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-06T22:51:49.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Above all, Buddhists teach not to obstruct one's own emotion... rather to accept and observe it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So don't let the idea of what an Arhat (a real Buddhist) would do to obstruct your own heart because if one does so... it will create even more karma. The behavior of a Buddha is not merely emulated but is the product of moral discipline, meditation, contemplation, and concentration. Merely copying a Buddha's results will only result in frustration--not being more Buddhist or closer to the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to answer your question: a real Buddhist aka an Arhat on his way to Buddahood, does not fall in love. They simply cannot generate such a tremendous amount of ignorance and greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They may still develop an appreciation for someone, a preference for someone but they do not develop the romantic obsession known commonly as love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for a practicing Buddhist... depending on what their goal is, be it Enlightenment in this very lifetime or just enough merit to improve their current life and be reborn in a better place, the answer is different.&#xA;Obviously, romantic life is frequently a waste of time and a cause of suffering and bad karma. A marriage of purpose and unity is far superior compared to &quot;falling in love.&quot;&#xA;Anyway, if &quot;falling in love&quot;, an unfortunate phenomenon, does happen to oneself, it is best not to repress it or exaggerate it but rather &lt;strong&gt;one should go along with it and use it as a metta meditation&lt;/strong&gt; and eventually integrating upekkha meditation into it, all the while creating as few of The Three Poisons as one can (via naturally avoiding craving), maintaining one's practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T03:56:38.910" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T03:56:38.910" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-07T06:06:26.060" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever there's a conflict between the text and your personal experience, several things could go wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What you think as direct insight could easily be a misjudgement on your part.&#xA;ex: 500 years ago, if an average person read in a book that the earth goes around the sun or the earth is round, he would've felt such teachings go against what he took to be his direct experience. A meditator can sit for an hour and feel pain in his legs the whole time and think that pain doesn't go away until he does something about it. And when he moves his legs, the pain goes away. So he could take that view as insight.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Same text can be interpreted in different ways by different teachers. So it could be that you or your teacher is interpreting the text wrong. This is one place where the commentaries are useful. Cross check your understanding of the text with the commentaries to see if it deviates a lot. If it does, most probably you got it wrong. Reevaluate your understanding to see whether it leads you to detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compilers of the text heard it wrong or understood it wrong. This is highly unlikely as the text(Tipitaka) has survived several Buddhist councils which were headed by many enlightened monks. So this is the last thing one should be worried about.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T09:03:06.240" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T09:03:06.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-07T07:58:55.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since in the Buddha's time there were no Buddhist texts this is indeed a loaded question. And the second unanswerable is unanswerable from a putative Buddha's point of view, because there were no texts for him to have a view of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand Prof.s Richard Gombrich, K R Norman and, to lesser extent,  Johannes Bronkhorst pointed out the the Buddha of the Pāḷi Canon seems to have known some Brahmanical texts. Some he cited as an example of wrong view (texts relating to ātman) and some he cited as a parody (Agañña Sutta). Later the parodies were often taken seriously (the joke was forgotten and the Agañña becomes official cosmology). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is badly formed. It ought to be &quot;What is the role of texts in Buddhism?&quot; Texts play many roles in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Recipes for lifestyles and practices&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Inspiring stories&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Corporate memory - a record of what Buddhists have thought over centuries&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maintaining group identity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days we also tend to mistake method for doctrine and specific doctrine for universal doctrine. The classic case of this is the 12 Nidānas. They were originally a list for reflection on experience. But they became reified into a doctrine of what experience is. And then further degraded into a universal theory of conditionality, and again to be a universal theory of causality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts we have inherited are a ragtag collection of bits and pieces, ostensibly preserved orally for some centuries before being written down. They are full of internal contradictions and often philosophically incoherent. But of course Buddhists do not like to talk about this much. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must always take the texts with a grain of salt. They are literary products; tall stories, legends, and myths; full of miracles, magic, and supernatural beings. They represent the imagination of Iron Age religieux in North India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T07:58:55.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11355" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T08:31:55.720" Score="2" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Kālāma Sutta is often cited with approval by Modernist Buddhists as affirming a Libertarian ideology in which one need not take cognisance of anyone else's opinions or group norms, but one can simply decide for oneself what is important and meaningful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Libertarianism (Latin: liber, &quot;free&quot;) is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as its principal objective. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and freedom of choice, emphasizing political freedom, voluntary association and the primacy of individual judgement.&quot; (As good a definition as any)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The part of the text so often cited is the negative criteria for decision making:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here Kālāmas: don't use revelation, don't use lineage, don't use quotations, don't use tradition; don't use speculation, don't use inference, don't use signs, don't use understanding based on views, don't uncritically accept what seems likely; don't use respect for a &lt;em&gt;sāmaṇa&lt;/em&gt;. When you know for yourselves &quot;these things are unskilful, offensive (sāvajja), criticised by&#xA;  the wise, these things undertaken and accomplished result in harm and misery‟ then you should abandon them.” &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/texts/talking-to-the-kalamas.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;My translation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The negative criteria are phrased in Pāḷi as, for example &lt;em&gt;mā anussavena&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the prohibitive particle (&lt;em&gt;mā&lt;/em&gt;) with an noun in the instrumental case and no verb. So in fact it is difficult to tell what the prohibition refers to except from the context. Buddhaghosa supplies the verb &lt;em&gt;gaṇhittha&lt;/em&gt;, the past participle of &lt;em&gt;gaṇhati&lt;/em&gt; &quot;to grasp&quot;. So his view seems to be that the first criteria is &quot;don't be gripped by revelation&quot;. The context shows that these are various means for making decisions about how to behave. They are not used for testing the validity of beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the Kālāma Sutta really encourage libertarianism?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why do people read the negative criteria as referring to test beliefs? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the Kālāmas themselves embody Libertarianism in their own lives, in this or any other sutra?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T11:02:55.207" LastActivityDate="2018-11-13T01:17:46.767" Title="Is The Kālāma Sutta Really Libertarian?" Tags="|suttas|pali|modernism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11355" CreationDate="2015-09-07T09:08:36.383" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;one need not take cognisance of anyone else's opinions or group norms, but one can simply decide for oneself what is important and meaningful&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not what I read into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A question you should consider, one of the yardsticks by which to measure or test a belief ('doctrine', 'quality', or 'behaviour') is whether it is &quot;praised by the wise&quot; and &quot;blameless&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also states several bits of Buddhist doctrine as self-evident, for example ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When greed arises in a person ... it arises for harm not for welfare&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and/or axiomatic, for example ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that if what you &quot;simply decide for yourself&quot; contradicts these (Buddhist) axioms then I don't see such a decision as being supported by the sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead I think it's saying that if you practice the (Buddha's) doctrine then you will experience (i.e. &quot;know for yourself&quot;) the result (and that the result will be a better result).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it more prescriptive than permissive, for example ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who is a disciple of the noble ones — his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, &amp;amp; pure — acquires four assurances in the here-&amp;amp;-now&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... is prescribing a &quot;mind thus free from hostility&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is The Kālāma Sutta Really Libertarian?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/believe-nothing-no-matter-where-you-read-it/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; on fakebuddhaquotes which gives what the author describes as a &quot;libertarian&quot; interpretation of the sutta ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and which it says is ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... is a bad translation of the Kalama Sutta — so bad, in fact, that it contradicts the message of the sutta, which says that reason and common sense are not sufficient for ascertaining the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His view of the sutta is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha’s reply is very full, but it’s clear he says that “reason” (logical conjecture, inference, analogies, agreement through pondering views) and “common sense” (probability) are not sufficient bases for determining what the truth is. It’s not that these things should be discarded, but ultimately it’s &lt;strong&gt;experience &lt;em&gt;and the opinion of the wise&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; that is our guide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further to that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now you don’t have to take everything they say as being the absolute truth. You can use your reason, your common sense, and your experience as a guide. Not all of “the wise” will agree, for example, so you’re still going to have to figure things out for yourself ultimately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still he claims that the criterion that &quot;the opinion of the wise should be a guide&quot; is often overlooked, and he describes this (overlooking this criterion) as a &quot;libertarian&quot; position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IOW (to answer your question) I think the author believes that the sutta isn't really &quot;libertarian&quot; in that sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;a political philosophy that upholds liberty as its principal objective&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well that might have a parallel in Buddhism, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As though in response to mankind's call for wider frontiers of freedom, the Buddha offers to the world His Teaching, the Dhamma, as a pathway to liberation as applicable today as it was when first proclaimed twenty-five centuries ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as in the great ocean there is but one taste — the taste of salt — so in this Doctrine and Discipline (&lt;em&gt;dhammavinaya&lt;/em&gt;) there is but one taste — the taste of freedom&quot;: with these words the Buddha vouches for the emancipating quality of His doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or for example the word &lt;em&gt;ananta&lt;/em&gt; (endless, limitless, infinite) was mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;another topic&lt;/a&gt; that people were discussing recently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However that's not the same interpretation of &quot;liberty&quot; as various &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism#Prominent_currents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;modern versions of 'libertarian'&lt;/a&gt; some of which say (if I'm not misrepresenting them) for example that people are well-advised to arm themselves in order to be able to defend their own property with lethal violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're looking for a parallel outside Buddhism, I know hardly nothing about schools of politics or philosophy but I'd guess that Buddhism might be closer to stoicism than libertarianism; in that for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;something like this&lt;/a&gt; sounds Buddhist to me,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of &quot;moral and intellectual perfection&quot;, would not suffer such emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of &quot;freedom&quot;, it doesn't mean (doesn't teach) freedom to &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; destructive emotions (and/or behaviours): what it's teaching is freedom &lt;em&gt;from&lt;/em&gt; destructive emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why do people read the negative criteria as referring to test beliefs?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're saying it's about behaviour not belief, i.e. it's about &quot;making decisions about how to behave&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see that as a &quot;belief&quot; for these reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the translation I'm  using&lt;/a&gt; the Kalamas start with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They expound &amp;amp; glorify their own doctrines etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question then is about &quot;doctrine&quot; which I equate with &quot;belief&quot; (even when the subject of the belief is &quot;how to behave&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha asks them,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm equating that question &quot;what do you think&quot; with a question about belief, i.e. &quot;what do you believe?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The subject of the Buddha's questions is the three unwholesome roots, and I think he's saying &quot;Buddhist doctrine is that these are unwholesome&quot; and is asking various questions about this doctrine:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you believe this doctrine? Given that you do ...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the wise agree with this doctrine? And ...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you practice this doctrine does it lead to welfare?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So again it's talking about doctrine, for example the belief that greed is an unwholesome root.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I equate 'belief' with 'view'; Wikipedia's description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt; suggests that it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... acts as the reasoning with which someone starts practicing the path. Right view gives direction and efficacy to the other seven path factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So behaviour is important, but perhaps action proceeds from view, i.e. you behave a certain way because you have a view (or belief) about behaviour and about how to train your behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T13:15:19.133" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11357" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T09:45:54.333" Score="2" ViewCount="337" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists often cite the research of people like Ian Stevenson or Jim Tucker in support of their views on rebirth. My understanding however is that these researchers consider their evidence supports the idea of reincarnation - i.e. that they believe in a strong form of body/mind or matter/spirit dualism which allows for the same spirit to inhabit a series of new bodies and thus retain their memories (which are perforce not stored physically in the brain, but psychically in some as yet unknown medium that is available to beings whatever body they happen to be in).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising?&#xA;Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:55:52.980" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T12:55:52.980" Title="Scientific Reincarnation Research" Tags="|rebirth|science|reincarnation|sceptic|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7938" CreationDate="2015-09-07T10:39:50.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very good question that has been answered particularly poorly in the past. The concept of karma in the early Buddhist texts does indeed imply persistence of an effect long after the condition is ceases - in our terms storage of a memory somewhere or other. And dependent arising forbids any effect to outlive the cessation of its conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my informal (as yet unpublished) writing on this I have referred to this problem as the problem of &lt;strong&gt;Action at a Temporal Distance&lt;/strong&gt;. I discovered this problem independently, while study the writings of Prof Collett Cox on Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma texts. However I subsequently discovered that Nāgārjuna has also complained about this in his &lt;em&gt;Mūlamadhyamakakārikā&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tiṣṭhaty ā pākakālāc cet karma tan nityatām iyāt /&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  niruddhaṃ cen niruddhaṃ sat kiṃ phalaṃ janayiṣyati&lt;/em&gt; // MMK 17.6 //   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the action remains until the time of maturation, then it would be eternal&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If it ceases, being ceased, how does it produce a fruit? [My translation]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nāgārjuna's response was to argue that all the components: agent, action, maturation, fruit, sufferer were all &quot;like illusions&quot; - ie. because of &lt;em&gt;śūnyatā&lt;/em&gt; these entities have only relative and not ultimate existence. Karma only operates at the conventional level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/action-at-temporal-distance-in-theravada.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravādins&lt;/a&gt; chose to respond to this one way:  They proposed that each short lived citta that arose as a vipāka also became a kamma that was a condition for another &lt;em&gt;identical&lt;/em&gt; citta. This introduced a number of other problems, chief amongst was how to account for moments when there was no apparent citta - such as deep sleep, experiences of cessation (nirodhasamāpatti), and (of course) death. To solve this they invented the bhavaṅgacitta to bridge the gap. The Theravādin view was only relevant in Sri Lanka and South East Asia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/sarvastivada-approach-to-problem-of.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vaibhāṣikas&lt;/a&gt; went about dealing the problem in an entirely different way. They reasoned that if a vipāka could be experienced in the future then the cause (hetu) must still exist as a condition in the future. And similarly for past karmas that we experience in the present. This earned them the nickname Sarvāstivādins because they believed that dharma always (sarva) exist (asti). The Sarvāstivādin view dominated North India and in China. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sautrāntikas opted for a similar approach in the form of a metaphor. Karma, they argued, was like a seed. The rice seed grows into a rice plant, but there is no direct connection from one to the other. This is an argument that karma is a &quot;natural&quot; process. Of course such metaphors are superficially pleasing, but explain nothing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sautrāntika version was taken up by Vasubandhu and proposed as the solution to Action at a Temporal Distance in his Abhidharmakośa and it's autocommentary the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya (incidentally this is also the only extant source for the Sautrāntika view). And this became the Yogācāra view as well. Yogācāra exegetes did two things. They invented the alāyavijñāna as the repository of karma &quot;seeds&quot; and they reified the metaphor taking these images as facts. This version of karma overtook Nāgārjuna and became the standard Mahāyāna version. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Links above are to a series of essays I wrote on this problem that will also appear in my forthcoming book on Karma &amp;amp; rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now unfortunately for us moderns, none of these proposed solutions really solves the problem of Action at a Temporal Distance. &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-logic-of-karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma cannot work with dependent arising&lt;/a&gt;. The ancients actually knew about this and we have their records of trying to fix the problem, but innovation simply stopped at some point and most of the theories died with the decline of Buddhism in India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Discussion of this major problem in Buddhist doctrine simply ceased. The Theravādins retreated into formalism - an uncritical acceptance of whatever Buddhaghosa said and are leading the world in the production of apologetics for karma and rebirth. Similarly in the rest of the world the Mainstream became Mahāyāna and the Yogācāra view was taken on uncritically. The spirit of inquiry and problem solving simply went out of Buddhism and has yet to resurface in any major way. Regrettably not even academics seem to engage critically with Buddhist doctrine - they are in love with Buddhism it seems and reluctant to critique it. So while we get ever more refined views of history we see very little in the way of disagreement with the views in Buddhist texts - despite the fact that Buddhists of an earlier age are on record and thinking many of them demonstrably wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T10:39:50.123" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11359" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T12:29:18.393" Score="9" ViewCount="395" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there some website or book somewhere that lists suttas on different criteria like what suttas are more core or more likely to be authentic do to scholarly analysis like comparing Chinese translations or other ways of analysis...that brings me to another question. What are the different ways scholars can find clues or evidence of a sutta's authenticity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T15:49:42.187" LastActivityDate="2019-04-29T18:41:06.820" Title="Finding Authentic Suttas" Tags="|pali-canon|suttas|truth|dilemma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11357" CreationDate="2015-09-07T12:41:25.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I'm aware, experiments of Dr.Ian Stevenson are referred to by Buddhists to convince materialists &amp;amp; the followers of monotheistic religions that there's a Samsara. There's no intention of getting them to believe in a soul. The approach isn't perfect as you have pointed out. But it could be effective for monotheists and those who refuse to accept anything other than what scientists say. Putting Anatta into the mix can make it too confusing for newbies. So as long as the emphasis is put on Samsaric existences, it should be ok.&#xA;A question related to memory and persistance is answered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7949/111&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T15:12:32.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11266" CreationDate="2015-09-07T12:59:34.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many ways to look at the same thing in the Buddha's teaching. It can be very hard to keep up a good practice when with another person. I have really struggled with being married and trying to keep a continuous practice but were else would I get so much opportunity to practice so much patience? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T12:59:34.050" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-07T12:59:34.050" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11359" CreationDate="2015-09-07T13:01:16.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, the criteria for teaching authenticity are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it must not contradict the observable facts and laws of nature,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it must not contradict commonly recognized moral rules,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it should lead to letting go, cooling down, emancipation, liberation,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it should be traceable to a remark made in the suttas, preferably in multiple places.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T13:12:36.693" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T13:12:36.693" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11363" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11388" CreationDate="2015-09-07T13:50:47.973" Score="11" ViewCount="2181" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was born (according to Wikipedia) somewhere around 563 BCE to 480 BCE, and lived 80 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I have understood, no teachings that made it to this day, have been written down when he was alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the earliest scriptures (or other writings) that we know of, and when were they created?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T14:15:59.387" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T16:26:40.997" Title="When were the earliest Buddhist writings created" Tags="|history|texts|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11357" CreationDate="2015-09-07T14:28:47.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that some forms of Buddhism have a doctrine of reincarnation. I'm unqualified to explain it but for example, there's a page about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Reincarnation&lt;/a&gt; on the Dalai Lama's web site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know that they are especially popular but you can &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=stevenson&quot;&gt;use this search&lt;/a&gt; to see the contexts in which Stevenson is cited on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T14:28:47.327" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11365" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11369" CreationDate="2015-09-07T15:39:22.643" Score="14" ViewCount="578" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1693/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; to my question about why we keep referring to antiquated old parables and similes, Inzenity wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The scriptures are part of the teachings, the source of the teachings. It makes sense that to learn the teachings, what you call true Buddhism, they must go to the source material.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The source material is not really straight from Buddha's pen, is it; nor is it even from the pens of his contemporaries or his disciples. What anybody may call source material was first committed to writing many centuries after the death of Gautam Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isn't that's a bit like a whole bunch of us on this forum sitting down to commit to writing what was said by some guru who lived 10 generations ago, after about 500 years of oral transmission at least?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then all that was translated from Pali into English -- possibly not in a single step either. And in between, there were commentaries in many languages, and many diverse traditions of speech and thought...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, is it really &quot;source material&quot;, just because it has bits and pieces of Pali tradition and ancient similes attached to it, imparting a certain quaint orientalism to the whole conglomerate? And if this body of work somehow acquired bits and pieces of Nordic or Mayan similes, parables etc, then would it stop suddenly being &quot;Buddhist source material&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inzenity also wrote (about use of original explanations and logical arguments, as against the old well-worn ones from various Buddhist texts), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When they go to another person's teachings, are they still Buddhists or followers of the new guru? New religions are created this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True that! Being original about it may mean that we may drift away from Buddhist teachings, and end up starting new religions or, alternatively, following new religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are we hanging on to quaint old parables and similes and Pali aphorisms translated painfully into English, for the luxury of calling ourselves Buddhists, instead of, say, &quot;Robertists&quot; or &quot;Umeshists&quot; or &quot;followers of Osho Rajneesh&quot;? &#xA;How sure are we that we haven't unknowingly gone to &quot;another person's teaching&quot; already -- those persons being numerous disciples and commentarists who willy-nilly added their own substantial philosophical DNA to Buddha's teachings, or alternatively, excised crucial teachings from Buddha's body of thought?&#xA;What is Buddhism about, anyway? Is Buddhism about learning precepts about the nature of existence &quot;at the feet of a master&quot; as it were? Or is it about a fearless enquiry into the nature of existence, guided by numerous masters who broadly follow Buddha's school of thought, but not enchained to the philosophies of these masters?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T15:33:25.173" Title="How sacrosanct is the &quot;source material&quot; of Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|comparative-religion|pali-language|sceptic|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-07T15:44:06.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the subject of food, I do not see any issue with not serving meat. I would not expect any of my vegetarian friends to prepare meat for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With alcohol, the same applies, but because it's more &quot;expected&quot; in a party (depending on how it's advertised to the invitees), it would make sense to mention this and allow people to bring their own. &quot;Alcohol will not be served but feel free to bring your own.&quot; This reduces the extent to which you could be seen as an &quot;enabler&quot; of their &quot;sin&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Bring your own&quot; can also apply to food in some cases - when hosting a barbecue for example, you could provide vegetarian options while allowing guests to bring (and if necessary, cook) their own meat. You may need a separate grill in that case though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6888" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T15:44:06.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11368" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11448" CreationDate="2015-09-07T15:54:54.087" Score="1" ViewCount="253" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose a leading Buddhist figure -- say a well-known Tibetan monk -- were to suddenly start displaying cultural behavior appropriate to other religious faiths. For instance, suppose this monk were to start performing namaz like a Muslim five times a day, and frequently make the sign-of-the-cross gesture during conversations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would this result in loss of rank, social standing and credibility in his own circles? Or would this cause others around him to start looking up to him? What's your opinion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are Buddhist cultural habits and traditional ways of dress, behavior, speech etc. important for making spiritual progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T09:33:27.143" Title="A thought-experiment about the importance of Buddhist traditions" Tags="|traditions|comparative-religion|culture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11365" CreationDate="2015-09-07T17:26:02.157" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are some very good and apposite questions here. I find I meet two kinds of Buddhists online. Those committed to the idea that the Pāḷi Canon is something like the Bible, the words of the Buddha and thus an ultimate authority. These kind are mostly, but not only, Theravādin Buddhists. To a lesser extent one also sees this kind of ideological commitment from Mādhyamikas about Nāgārjuna as well. The second kind take the opposite view. That the texts are worthless and that apart from the some of the practices that there is nothing worth saving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a kind of middle way. No modern historian treats the Pāḷi Canon as historically accurate any more. Apologetics which argue for the authenticity of the suttas tend to come from establishment figures within one or other Theravādin movement. Thanissaro and Sujato have both written apologetics in recent times for example. But this is what we expect of men who have made a strong commitment to a Buddhist sect (especially one which involves life-long chastity). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However many of the stories in the texts are still of considerable interest for their insights into the historical development of Buddhism and the changes that Buddhist doctrines undergo over time. I am particularly interested in these kinds of changes. And of course some stories are timeless. This is why we preserve and retell stories from the distant past: the Mahābharat in India and the Greek myths in Europe are good examples. Good story telling is timeless and fictional characters no less moving and educative for being unreal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's widely acknowledged, by scholars at least, that Buddhism is syncretic from the first evidence we have of it. The earliest records of Buddhism show influence from a number of other cultures not limited to Brahmanism, Jainism, local animistic cults, and Zoroastrianism (the latter discovery is relatively old, my own contribution to the field has been to put the case more systematically). Such syncretism continues throughout the life of Buddhism in India and outside it, right down to the present. With more or less success. Usually the process involves subordinating the assimilated material to Buddhism in some explicit fashion, though sometimes the process is implicit, and often it is transparent to Buddhists (e.g. the Vedic myth in the Agañña Sutta quoted time and again as a &quot;Buddhist&quot; creation story).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said I think the identity of &quot;Buddhist&quot; is meaningful for many people in many ways. The history of Buddhism is not one in which everyone is a full-time practitioner devoted to awakening. Such people were and will continue to be relatively rare. Most of us aspire to more than we can achieve. This does not invalidate the aspiration or the achievement. Most of us require positive conditions to flourish, and a positive experience of Buddhist community can contribute to that. As such membership of a Buddhist group is a necessary facet of life as a Buddhist for many of us. And part of group membership is conformity to group norms, including taking on the jargon and mythology of the group. Being able to recite popular stories is a mark of membership.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said I think there is a problem in Buddhism with people not correctly assessing their own limitations. The wide availability of Buddhist texts to lay people with no training in linguistics or critical thinking has led to a glut of uncritical opinions. The internet has only exacerbated the trend. Some of us have very limited experience of living a Buddhist life, but full access to multiple translations of Buddhists texts. With no basis for assessing the value of translations or other sources of information, they tend to be cited indiscriminately (to support views). I notice it is routine in this website to cite Thanissaro's translations, which happen to be the easiest to get hold of because they are online for free. But Thanissaro is an eccentric translator, to say the least. All his translations need to be carefully assessed before being cited - but they &lt;em&gt;never&lt;/em&gt; are. I would put Access to Insight on a par with Wikipedia as a source. Use with caution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is good to see some hard questions being asked of Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T17:26:02.157" CommentCount="25" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11370" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T18:31:41.003" Score="12" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just wanted to hopefully get some ideas on how some of the fellow users of this site motivate themselves to meditate on a more frequent basis. What ultimately motivates each one of you to continue meditating? The good feelings of samadhi or the tranquility of insight? I'm struggling with staying with the object of meditation as my mind is extremely restless. Anyways, this is my first time here so I'll leave it at that. Thanks in advance! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6889" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T18:36:03.603" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T17:39:05.323" Title="Question about how to generate more motivation to meditate." Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11359" CreationDate="2015-09-07T19:58:26.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, the criteria for accepting any teaching as authentic is based on &lt;em&gt;Mahapadesa sutta&lt;/em&gt;, also found in &lt;em&gt;Mahaparinibbana sutta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Nettipakarana&lt;/em&gt;. Accordingly, any Dhamma that's heard as a Buddha's statement must be verified with the &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;vinaya&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also indicates that the authority increases from a single monk to a group of monks, and the highest authority is given to the words directly heard from the Buddha. Even so, it must be cross checked with the suttas and vinaya to see if they were interpreted correctly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said: &quot;In this fashion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might&#xA;  speak: 'Face to face with the Blessed One, brethren, I have heard and&#xA;  learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's&#xA;  Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives a&#xA;  community with elders and a chief. Face to face with that community, I&#xA;  have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline,&#xA;  the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name&#xA;  live several bhikkhus who are elders, who are learned, who have&#xA;  accomplished their course, who are preservers of the Dhamma, the&#xA;  Discipline, and the Summaries. Face to face with those elders, I have&#xA;  heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the&#xA;  Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives&#xA;  a single bhikkhu who is an elder, who is learned, who has accomplished&#xA;  his course, who is a preserver of the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the&#xA;  Summaries. Face to face with that elder, I have heard and learned&#xA;  thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's&#xA;  Dispensation.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;In such a case, bhikkhus, the declaration of such a bhikkhu is&#xA;  neither to be received with approval nor with scorn. Without approval&#xA;  and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word,&#xA;  one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the&#xA;  Discipline.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor&#xA;  verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this&#xA;  is not the Blessed One's utterance; this has been misunderstood by&#xA;  that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that&#xA;  elder.' In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it. But if the&#xA;  sentences concerned are traceable in the Discourses and verifiable by&#xA;  the Discipline, then one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is the&#xA;  Blessed One's utterance; this has been well understood by that bhikkhu&#xA;  — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' And in&#xA;  that way, bhikkhus, you may accept it on the first, second, third, or&#xA;  fourth reference. These, bhikkhus, are the four great references for&#xA;  you to preserve.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#fnt-37&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāpadesā sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T21:49:50.977" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T21:49:50.977" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11373" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T20:02:52.600" Score="7" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was out walking today when my eyes were intially attracted to a butterfly that was on the ground to my right. I stopped to have a quick look at it to notice that it couldnt' fly very well. I picked it up, it fluttered about in my hand and then flew a bit and landed on my jacket where I could see it better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It turned out there was a bit of (what looked like) brown leaf which was stuck to one of its wings, which didn't seem fully developed / opened. I made the decision to pull this bit of brown off away from the wing thinking it'd help the butterfly. As I pulled it cafefully off, I noticed a tiny speck of the wing came off too. However, after I pulled it off, the butterfly flew away over my head - something it couldn't do before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I'm thinking was it so panicked that it managed to fly away in terms of a short burst (it fluttered away fairly quickly) or was I able to help it do what it wanted to do in the first place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realise that I imposed my will onto something thinking I know best which I feel bad about but I possibly also helped it do something that it wanted to do in the first place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also realise that in the grand system, maybe that butterfly was to become food for another creature which I've now deprived it of. So I'm not sure whether I did something worthwhile or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it wasn't worthwhile, then is helping another creature / person frowned upon because it isn't as it should be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5857" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-07T21:17:47.047" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T21:17:47.047" Title="Did I do more harm than good?" Tags="|personal-practice|buddha-nature|free-will|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11320" CreationDate="2015-09-07T20:18:00.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, if you take your own case as a guideline, most people really just need a point or nudge in the right direction.  Depending on how interested people are, you might share the benefits you've discovered.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's a teacher or another great being who is putting practice into their daily life, talking and discussing can be great.  Especially view these people as pure guides so you can benefit as much as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the whole, the practice should transform your life and pysche, so if you are talking about practice without letting the transformation happen first, it's no good.  We must transform, then let our lives-as-examples embody the truth we wish to speak. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Writing is also very important, so if you have a friend with whom you can write back and forth about Dharma, so much the better.  To journal your own notes and gather your thoughts is prime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, if you are really interested in bettering someone else's life, a master would spend a decent amount of their effort trying to understand what that person needed and how they could present it in a gradual and follow-able way that would lead to fruition for the person, but also the knowledge that it is effort which carries you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T20:18:00.403" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-07T20:18:00.403" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11370" CreationDate="2015-09-07T20:27:25.123" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's really important to do wise and healthy things even if they take a bit of effort to get the ball rolling.  Very fortunately, we can use habit to overcome our habits, which is something very beautiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, on days when I do not formally sit I cultivate many aspirations and cast the thought (joyously) &quot;How good it would be to sit and meditate, to cultivate wisdom and insight, to perfect samadhi.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not the only branch of the Eightfold path as was historically presented by Shakyamuni Buddha, so keeping all the folds in balance will help with your meditation, and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of meditation is to uncover these enlightened qualities that are within us all.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a mundane, physical level meditation strengthens the density of the cortical structure of the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read about the methods of calm abiding, insight, and the altruistic motivation, because knowing what those are can really help nudge our patterned-ways into open ways.  In general, reflecting on the many benefits and really making a strong wish to spend more time and regular time meditating will be great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been taught that beings should seek enlightenment like trying to put out a fire on their heads.  It's true!  Based on how well we can see the value of our present condition (!) and how well we understand what we can accomplish through practice, the more clear it will be the need for meditation in our daily life, until the blurry edge between formal and off-the-cushion becomes such a natural and melodious flow that we will wonder why we had not been doing it this way the whole time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T20:27:25.123" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-07T20:27:25.123" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11365" CreationDate="2015-09-07T20:53:55.030" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist scriptures are not as sacrosanct as in the way the Quran is where the Quran is divinely guaranteed to be incorruptible till the end of time and cannot be questioned. However, at the same time, there is a distinction between what is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt; (words of the Buddha) and what isn't. The Buddha's own stand on this matter is reflected in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where he says about discerning teachings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by&#xA;  traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are skillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities,&#xA;  when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness&quot; — then you&#xA;  should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears that Buddhists of the Theravada tradition do take the Tipitaka and especially the Buddha's teachings in the Sutta Pitaka very seriously for study, while Buddhists of some other traditions, especially Zen, may focus more on practice, rather than conceptual study. But this is not to say that the Zen practitioner does not have any scriptural study whatsoever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the perspective of syncretism, Buddhism is not as syncretic as Hinduism but is more syncretic than Christianity or Islam. Hinduism has soaked up very diverse and even conflicting schools of thought and modes of worship, under its vast umbrella, as long as the Vedas, Brahman, karma and reincarnation are not rejected. On the other hand, Islam and Christianity are intolerant, sometimes even violently, to those who diverge from the mainstream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism of the times after the Buddha's parinibbana, on the other hand, takes the middle path of practising syncretism to the extent that sectarianism is tolerated, but within a minimum boundary of framework. You can take a look at the situation of sectarianism among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Early Buddhist Schools&lt;/a&gt; and of course the later traditions of Mahayana and Vajrayana. During the time of the Buddha of course, creating schisms was strongly reprimanded and is a reason for expulsion from the sangha, showing the Buddha's own preference for the sangha to remain united under the same dhamma and vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned that there are different preferences to practice and conceptual study, different sects etc. and also different sets of canons between traditions, but there is definitely a minimum boundary of framework by which any teachings, texts or sects are accepted as coming under Buddhism. Falling outside this boundary means definite rejection. This is analogous to the Christian Nicene Creed or Islam's Five Pillars of Practice and Six Pillars of Faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Triple Gem&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Three Marks of Existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamma and Rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's own stand on the matter is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Blessed One said, &quot;In any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble&#xA;  eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of the first...&#xA;  second... third... fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner,&#xA;  non-returner, or arahant] is found. But in any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline&#xA;  where the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the&#xA;  first... second... third... fourth order are found. The noble&#xA;  eightfold path is found in this doctrine &amp;amp; discipline, and right here&#xA;  there are contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth&#xA;  order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And&#xA;  if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path is like a summary that contains the whole boundary of framework for the &quot;right teachings&quot; and the Buddha is fine with other doctrines and disciplines, taught by others, as long as it is compliant with the Noble Eightfold Path. And as far as I can see, the main traditions of Buddhism are definitely compliant, though appearing divergent on the details of concepts and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, if I were to reduce the doctrinal framework to the bare minimum, it would be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Three Marks of Existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we compare Buddhism to other traditions of India (Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism), it is clear that anatta separates them from Buddhism. But anatta is common between the various Buddhist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-08T13:57:45.733" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T13:57:45.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11365" CreationDate="2015-09-07T20:59:39.010" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contrary to popular misapprehension, Buddhism is not a cult of &quot;source material&quot;. It is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; actually the case that the point of Buddha's message has been lost, and now generations after generations of practitioners try to deduce it from texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a living tradition, that &lt;em&gt;at large&lt;/em&gt; has never lost the path. Sure, there were some misunderstandings here and there over the centuries, small and large. In fact, every student goes through the phase of gross confusion, until they hopefully see the light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As any area of human activity, such as politics or academia, Buddhism has layers, and if you explore the populations of practicing representatives, you will always find a wide gamut of sophistication, from the most superficial to the most profound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is to say that the texts are not alpha and omega, &lt;em&gt;interpretation&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;application&lt;/em&gt; are. The texts do have their place though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They create a structure, the game rules, within which the practice may take place, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They dress the naked truth in some feathers to make it more presentable to a normal human practitioner. There is some charm in the ancient mystique, don't you find?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T20:59:39.010" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11373" CreationDate="2015-09-07T21:17:01.100" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... I realize that I imposed my will...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No you did not. The spirit (in an abstract sense!) brought you and the butterfly together. You played your role, butterfly played its.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was your intent pure? Have you felt the sacredness of the moment? Were you acting foolishly or have your weighted the possibilities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life and death is around us and inside us all the time. The fact that butterfly was on your right is a good sign. Life gives us chances once in a while, sometimes it's a chance to change someone's life - and sometimes it's a chance to have someone change our life, to be in the role of the butterfly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the day we are not Gods - we can't foresee all repercussions of our acts, even such simple ones as yours. But we can do our best, and if we do it consistently then in the long run we will all be in the best place we could have possibly been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-07T21:17:01.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11379" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T23:25:13.003" Score="3" ViewCount="329" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perception&lt;/a&gt; and discrimination relate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember thinking (when reading) that they were near synonyms&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T13:15:07.513" LastActivityDate="2016-05-28T20:47:10.330" Title="Perception (saṃjñā) and discrimination" Tags="|terminology|five-skandas|aggregates|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11380" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-07T23:27:04.213" Score="9" ViewCount="357" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.161.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aghatavinaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, there are five antidotes given for arisen ill-will(āghāto). I am puzzled because one of these is to develop equanimity (&quot;upekkhā tasmiṃ puggale bhāvetabbā&quot;) and another is to reflect on ownership of kamma, which is used to generate (/is the cause of) equanimity as I understand it. I don't understand what is intended by having these separate. Full text follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these five ways of subduing hatred by which, when hatred&#xA;  arises in a monk, he should wipe it out completely. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one gives birth to hatred for an individual, one should develop&#xA;  good will for that individual. Thus the hatred for that individual&#xA;  should be subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one gives birth to hatred for an individual, one should develop&#xA;  compassion for that individual. Thus the hatred for that individual&#xA;  should be subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one gives birth to hatred for an individual, one should develop&#xA;  equanimity toward that individual. Thus the hatred for that individual&#xA;  should be subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one gives birth to hatred for an individual, one should pay him&#xA;  no mind &amp;amp; pay him no attention. Thus the hatred for that individual&#xA;  should be subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one gives birth to hatred for an individual, one should direct&#xA;  one's thoughts to the fact of his being the product of his actions:&#xA;  'This venerable one is the doer of his actions, heir to his actions,&#xA;  born of his actions, related by his actions, and has his actions as&#xA;  his arbitrator. Whatever action he does, for good or for evil, to that&#xA;  will he fall heir.' Thus the hatred for that individual should be&#xA;  subdued.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are five ways of subduing hatred by which, when hatred arises&#xA;  in a monk, he should wipe it out completely.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T18:51:24.770" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T11:09:38.817" Title="Equanimity in the Aghatavinaya Sutta" Tags="|pali-canon|equanimity|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11381" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-08T00:18:11.997" Score="6" ViewCount="495" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are (from wikipedia)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.     &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to avoid sensual misconduct.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am very new to Buddhism, but from what I'm understanding right now, Buddha's teachings are very simple.&#xA;The first 4 rules make sense. They are all forms of practicing detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the 5th... it's too human. Too specific. I just don't see Buddha teaching it to his disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same as with &lt;code&gt;Ānantarika-karma&lt;/code&gt;, where the last crime is &lt;code&gt;creating a schism in the sangha (the community of Buddhist monks and nuns)&lt;/code&gt;. It's too specific and so Buddhist oriented. Once again, I just don't see Buddha teaching it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, did Buddha teach the five precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T10:37:07.897" Title="Five Precepts - did Buddha really preach them?" Tags="|five-precepts|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11381" CreationDate="2015-09-08T00:25:30.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thus I have heard...a monk got drunk and pointed his feet at the Buddha (a serious sign of disrespect in the Buddha's culture). At this, the Buddha banned the drinking of alcohol based on the fact that it can cause such serious lapses in mindfulness so as to lead a monk to show an extreme lack of respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T00:25:30.787" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11383" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-08T03:30:50.280" Score="5" ViewCount="7420" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, once a person dies he or she will be reborn immediately. Each person dies at a different time. How is it possible for a husband and a wife to meet again in the future consecutively for hundreds of times?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T18:51:57.187" LastActivityDate="2020-01-13T02:41:14.770" Title="Husband and wife for hundreds of times of consecutive rebirth. How?" Tags="|theravada|karma|rebirth|death|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11384" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-08T03:43:36.657" Score="6" ViewCount="1066" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Lakkhana Sutta says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Endowed with three things, monks, a fool can be known as a fool. What three? By bodily misconduct, by verbal misconduct, by mental misconduct. Endowed with these three things, monks, a fool can known as a fool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But everyone has bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct and mental misconduct (I say that because we make mistakes from time to time, at least to a certain extent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how to differentiate between a fool's (bodily, verbal and mental) misconduct, compared to a wise person's (bodily, verbal and mental) misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T10:25:10.720" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T13:33:52.523" Title="What is the definition of 'fool' in Theravada Buddhist text?" Tags="|theravada|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11381" CreationDate="2015-09-08T09:06:16.103" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are mentioned in Dhammika sutta. The main reason for teaching the fifth precept is said to be that intoxication easily instigates people to break other precepts by concealing the seriousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now I will tell you the layman's duty. Following it a lay-disciple&#xA;  would be virtuous; for it is not possible for one occupied with the&#xA;  household life to realize the complete bhikkhu practice (dhamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor&#xA;  should he incite another to kill. Do not injure any being, either&#xA;  strong or weak, in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A disciple should avoid taking anything from anywhere knowing it (to&#xA;  belong to another). He should not steal nor incite another to steal.&#xA;  He should completely avoid theft.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A wise man should avoid unchastity as (he would avoid falling into) a&#xA;  pit of glowing charcoal. If unable to lead a celibate life, he should&#xA;  not go to another's wife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having entered a royal court or a company of people he should not&#xA;  speak lies. He should not speak lies (himself) nor incite others to do&#xA;  so. He should completely avoid falsehood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;A layman who has chosen to practice this Dhamma should not indulge in&#xA;  the drinking of intoxicants. He should not drink them nor encourage&#xA;  others to do so; realizing that it leads to madness. Through&#xA;  intoxication foolish people perform evil deeds and cause other&#xA;  heedless people to do likewise. He should avoid intoxication, this&#xA;  occasion for demerit, which stupefies the mind, and is the pleasure of&#xA;  foolish people&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for creating a schism in the sangha, my understanding is that this is not applicable for laypeople. Only monks are capable of causing a split. But a layperson can be a cause indirectly which isn't a severe offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-08T21:35:36.567" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T21:35:36.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11363" CreationDate="2015-09-08T13:18:46.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no external evidence for the Buddhist texts before Asoka. The evidence for Asoka's time is extremely limited - a few texts mentioned by name with no content. All dates in early Indian history are highly conjectural. There is for example no other evidence than Buddhist texts for if or when the Buddha lived, and that evidence has produced a number of different dates. &lt;a href=&quot;https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/viewFile/8810/2717&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A symposium on the dates of the Buddha in 1991&lt;/a&gt; concluded that he lived ca 480-400 BCE. In 1992 Richard Gombrich independently reasoned from the texts a very similar date - see &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ocbs.org/richard-gombrich-library-ocbsmain-148/40-richard-gombrich/311-1992-dating-the-buddha-a-red-herring-revealed&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dating the Buddha A Red Herring Revealed&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. These are the currently accepted dates amongst most scholars. It looks like Wikipedia is drawing on the traditional Theravādin date, which is only accepted within the Theravāda sect and no longer accepted by non-sectarian scholars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dates of Asoka are reasonably certain, since four Bactrian kings are mentioned in the edicts and these can be aligned with physical evidence of these kings (such as coins) in Bactria. So we know that Asoka flourished in the mid-3rd century BCE (ca. 250 BCE). On Asoka and his dates, see Charles Allen's excellent book &lt;em&gt;Asoka&lt;/em&gt;. Similarly, in the texts the Magadhan Empire has yet to expand beyond Magadha, and it's future capital at Patna (Trad. Pataliputta) is still a small frontier town of little significance. Suggesting a time before the Moryan Dynasty founded by Asoka's grandfather Candragupta - so probably at least a century before Asoka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Less precise, but of considerable importance is the beginning of the second urbanisation in the Ganges Valley ca. 7th century BCE. Evidence for this is extensive, for example, in the form of the ruins of walled cities at Rajgir and Shravasti (See Romila Thapar's &lt;em&gt;Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the texts the Magadhan Empire is not yet an empire and Pataliputta is unimportant. Early Buddhist texts do not mention Asoka, so we &lt;em&gt;assume&lt;/em&gt; that they predate him, at least by a century, ca 350 BCE. The texts do mention well established walled cities so we &lt;em&gt;assume&lt;/em&gt; that the antedate them. If these assumptions are valid (and not every scholar agrees that they are) this gives us a range of ca. 600-350 for the composition of the Buddhist texts. This is at least not inconsistent with most of the dates derived from the texts, which place the Buddha somewhere in the middle of this range. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts show considerable evidence of having composed orally and existing as a widely dispersed oral literature for a considerable time before being collected and written down. See for example Anālayo's article &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/oral-dimensions.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Oral Dimensions of Pāli Discourses: Pericopes, other Mnemonic Techniques and the Oral Performance Context&lt;/a&gt;. This is consistent with the Sri Lankan chronicle &lt;em&gt;Mahāvaṃsa&lt;/em&gt; which asserts that the texts were not written down in Sri Lanka until about the first century BCE during the reign of King Vaṭṭagāmini. Writing texts down in India is less certain, but probably began around the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest physical evidence of early Buddhist texts are birch bark manuscripts from what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan (ancient Gandhāra). One or two texts are carbon14 dated to the 1st century BCE, and a few more to the first two centuries CE. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/25/theme/25T6.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;oldest Pali text&lt;/a&gt; is a small manuscript written on gold from the 5th or 5th century CE. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-08T16:26:40.997" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T16:26:40.997" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11387" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-08T15:16:35.363" Score="4" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_monasticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist monasticism&lt;/a&gt; article, the Buddha formed the first monastery. There is no source, 'though. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism in the history of religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The order of Buddhist monks and nuns was founded by Gautama Buddha during his lifetime over 2500 years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, so it doesn't specifically say 'monastery' here but still, an order of monks and nuns, some sort of precursor to a monastery at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to History World's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab88#2058&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of Monasticism&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leading his followers into holiness a generation after Mahavira, Buddha also organizes them into communities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this just &amp;quot;according to tradition&amp;quot; or is there historical evidence of him forming a monastery/order/community: such as archaeological findings or non-religious texts? If yes, is there's anything left of the original or has it all branched out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2021-12-06T13:19:11.590" Title="Did the Buddha form a monastery?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|monasticism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11363" CreationDate="2015-09-08T16:07:15.400" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to Theravada tradiation:&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;563 BCE - (Buddha) was born.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;528 - Enlighten.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;483 - Parinirvana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;483 - First council ,(After 3 month of parinirvana.) collected Dhamma as (Deega, Maggima, Sanuktha, Anguthara) Nikayas or Agamas and Vinaya.&#xA;Assign Bikkus('Banaka') for memorize and recite.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;386 - Second council - separated Mahāsāṃghika and  Sthaviras(Theravāda) schools. six Abidhamma books, Niddasa, patisambidaMagga ,Jathaka and parivara were developed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;250 - 3rd Council   -( King Asoka's Era ) Vibhajjavāda 'Kathawatuppakarana'( 7th book of Abidhamma pitaka - Arguments and Explanations) create.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;250 - Atthakatha or Commentaries, the original version of which is believed to have been taken over to Sri Lanka by Thera Mahinda, the missionary sent by Asoka, and translate to Sinhalese language(&quot;Hela Atuwa&quot;).  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(180 - Greco-Buddhism Developed)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;150 - &quot;Milinda Pañha.&quot;  Dialog with king Milinda and Sage Nagasena.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;29-17  Orally preserved (Pali/Pela)Dhamma was committed to write(in pali). During the Fourth (Theravada)Buddhist Council in Sri Lanka in 29 BCE, approximately four hundred and fifty four years after the death of Gautama Buddha.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1 -67 CE -&quot; Saddamma Pundareeka Sutta&quot;(Mahayana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;78 -101 - 4th Council (Mahayana).  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;150-250 - Nagarjuna's -  Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;296 - Chinese translations of pali and sanskrit thipitaka. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;372 -Korean thripitaka.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The traditional Theravādin (Mahavihārin) interpretation of the Pali Canon is given in a series of commentaries (Hela Ayuwa) covering nearly the whole Canon, Translate and compiled to pali language by Buddhaghosa (fl. 4th–5th century CE) and later monks, mainly on the basis of earlier materials(Hela Atuwa) now lost. Subcommentaries have been written afterward, commenting further on the Canon and its commentaries. The traditional Theravādin interpretation is summarized in Buddhaghosa's &lt;strong&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1954 -A Burmese monk named Vicittasara even learned the entire Canon by heart for the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon#The_Canon_in_the_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sixth Council&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon#Printed_editions_and_digitalized_editions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;printed Editions&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bT99n.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bT99n.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/s_canon.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;More details&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-08T16:18:28.040" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T16:18:28.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11389" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-08T16:51:50.357" Score="7" ViewCount="471" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tried Vipassana for some time. I feel some fear of death and reality of life. So what do I want to do? When I do anapanasathi, I feel relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6894" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T13:58:56.340" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T04:48:08.773" Title="Can vipassana cause mental stress?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11389" CreationDate="2015-09-08T17:56:20.410" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is about seeing things as they are. If you fear death during vipassana meditation then be mindful of the fear. One has to let go of comfort when practicing Vipassana. Anapana leads to temporary comfort, calm and relaxation but one could not become liberated with an anapana practice alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T17:56:20.410" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-08T17:56:20.410" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11365" CreationDate="2015-09-08T18:26:34.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a few reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's the religious aspect. To most Buddhists, Buddhism is a religion and the texts are sacred.  They are so sacred, that simply chanting them is believed to bring merit. So you've got people chanting Pali (which they don't understand) in the belief that merely saying the words will bring supernatural benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even outside of religion people venerate older texts. For instance, people still read the works of Plato today, even though he was wrong about a lot. Schools require reading literature from hundreds of years back, even though there's a lot of excellent literature that's been released since. Others insist on reading original works from authors (like Kant) even though the works are widely acknowledged to be poorly written and even though excellent third party sources exist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was believed to be enlightened, and since he got there, he's seen as the best source of information on that subject.  Well certain texts are believed to be closer to his words (e.g.: because they're closer to his time or part of a school that claims it's closer to his vision, etc...) so by their perceived proximity to the source, they are seen as more accurate.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T12:50:48.403" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T12:50:48.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11392" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11402" CreationDate="2015-09-08T18:33:30.127" Score="3" ViewCount="324" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard Steve Jobs described as a Buddhist but is that actually true? I know that he was married by Zen monks but did he actually have a Buddhist practice, meditate or was associated with a particular sangha. Or was it just more of an interest with him rather than him actually identifying as a Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2017-12-21T17:55:10.963" Title="Was Steve Jobs a Buddhist?" Tags="|modern-world|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11384" CreationDate="2015-09-08T20:08:11.120" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In SN 12.19 (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bala-pandita Sutta: The Fool &amp;amp; the Wise Person&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) the Buddha explains &amp;quot;what distinguishing factor is there between the wise person &amp;amp; the fool&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;The ignorance with which the fool is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: &lt;strong&gt;that ignorance has not been abandoned by the fool; that craving has not been destroyed. Why is that? The fool has not practiced the holy life&lt;/strong&gt; for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is headed for a [new] body. Headed for a body, he is not entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. I tell you, he is not entirely freed from stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The ignorance with which the wise person is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: &lt;strong&gt;that ignorance has been abandoned by the wise person; that craving has been destroyed. Why is that? The wise person has practiced the holy life&lt;/strong&gt; for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is not headed for a [new] body. Not headed for a body, he is entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is, I tell you, entirely freed from stress &amp;amp; suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T10:18:34.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11345" CreationDate="2015-09-08T20:29:09.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Exerpts from Mahaparinibbana sutta DN 16:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Four Great References&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  7. And there the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: &quot;Now, bhikkhus, I shall make known to you the four great references. Listen and pay heed to my words.&quot; And those bhikkhus answered, saying:&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;So be it, Lord.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  8-11. Then the Blessed One said: &quot;In this fashion, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might speak: 'Face to face with the Blessed One, brethren, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives a community with elders and a chief. Face to face with that community, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name live several bhikkhus who are elders, who are learned, who have accomplished their course, who are preservers of the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the Summaries. Face to face with those elders, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation'; or: 'In an abode of such and such a name lives a single bhikkhu who is an elder, who is learned, who has accomplished his course, who is a preserver of the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the Summaries. Face to face with that elder, I have heard and learned thus: This is the Dhamma and the Discipline, the Master's Dispensation.'&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;In such a case, bhikkhus, the declaration of such a bhikkhu is neither to be received with approval nor with scorn. Without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is not the Blessed One's utterance; this has been misunderstood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it. But if the sentences concerned are traceable in the Discourses and verifiable by the Discipline, then one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is the Blessed One's utterance; this has been well understood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' And in that way, bhikkhus, you may accept it on the first, second, third, or fourth reference. These, bhikkhus, are the four great references for you to preserve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T20:29:09.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11387" CreationDate="2015-09-08T22:32:48.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the communities didn't exactly live in &amp;quot;monasteries&amp;quot; during the Buddha's time (though Buddhist monasteries were built later). See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8490/254&quot;&gt;What exactly were the parks that the Buddha spent time in?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://forestsangha.org/history/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai Forest Tradition&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was born in the forest, enlightened in the forest, taught in the forest, and passed away in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monks are described as &amp;quot;going forth&amp;quot; and as being &amp;quot;homeless&amp;quot;. If they did have shelters during the rainy season, perhaps they were modest, not the kind of building that would leave archaeological remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might be wrong though: I don't know when the first monastery building is alleged to have built.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabodhi_Temple&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahabodhi Temple&lt;/a&gt; was apparently built maybe a hundred and fifty years after Buddha, when Buddhism became the state religion under the Emperor Ashoka, likewise the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Devi_Temple,_Lumbini&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maya Devi Temple&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-08T22:32:48.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11387" CreationDate="2015-09-08T22:33:52.673" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha often taught in forest groves, the most famous being &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Isipatana&lt;/a&gt; (Deer park) where he &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;delivered his first lecture (&lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yJOj1.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yJOj1.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;The first five disciples pay respects to the Wheel of the Dharma at the deerpark of Isipatana.&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jetavana (Jeta Grove)&lt;/a&gt; (famously recorded in Buddhist epics as purchased by Anadapindika by paving the ground with gold) where there's still believed to be architectural &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetavana#The_Gandhakuti:_Buddha.27s_dwelling_in_Jetavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;remains of the Buddha's hut (Gandhakuti)&lt;/a&gt; from his stay there. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/j/jetavana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist texts&lt;/a&gt; record that there were several imposing architectural structures constructed there, including an imposing arch, though almost none of it remains today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some of the chief buildings attached to the Jetavana are mentioned in the books by special names, viz., Mahāgandhakuti, Kaverimandalamāla, Kosambakuti and Candanamāla. SNA.ii.403. Other buildings are also mentioned - e.g., the Ambalakotthaka-āsanasālā (J.ii.246). According to Tibetan sources the vihāra was built according to a plan sent by the devas of Tusita and contained sixty large halls and sixty small. The Dulva also gives details of the decorative scheme of the vihāra (Rockhill: op. cit.48 and n.2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/j/jetavana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/j/jetavana.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xWKa4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xWKa4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Mulagandhakuti. The remains of Buddha&amp;#39;s hut in Jetavana Monastery.&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulture_Peak&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vulture's peak&lt;/a&gt;, frequently &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Vulture_Peak&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;referred in the suttas&lt;/a&gt; as one of the Buddha's favoured places to retreat to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mtO8V.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mtO8V.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Vulture Peak, Rajgir&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the other locations that are referenced in the suttas, or where ruins of buildings still exist feature prominently on &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Category:Pilgrimage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;buddhist pilgrimage routes&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In later periods very prominent Buddhist Viharas, or universities functioned for over a 1000 years at the same spots, namely at &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxila&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taxila (present day Pakistan)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nalanda (present day India)&lt;/a&gt;. They housed at their peak thousands of monks and novices, living and training for years together.&#xA;Eminent personages such as Shantideva, the 8th-century Indian Buddhist monk and scholar emerged from these universities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/svcva.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/svcva.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Taxila, Pakistan&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UPmNT.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UPmNT.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Nalanda ruins&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T04:54:26.523" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T04:54:26.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11384" CreationDate="2015-09-09T00:32:27.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how to differentiate between fool's misconduct and wise's misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per my penetration of the property of Sat-Dharma: fool is someone who thinks that he knows, while in reality not knowing, and acts accordingly. Wise knows what he knows and what he doesn't know - and acts accordingly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;King Milinda&lt;/strong&gt;: Venerable Nagasena, for whom is the greater demerit, one who performs misconduct knowingly, or one who performs misconduct unknowingly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nagasena&lt;/strong&gt;: What do you think, your majesty, who would get burned more, one who knowingly picks up a hot iron ball, ablaze and glowing, or one who not knowingly picks it up?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Dhammapada 5.69:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So long as misconduct has yet to ripen, the fool mistakes it for honey. But [only] when that misconduct ripens, the fool comes to grief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- the implied contrast here is that the wise recognizes his own misconduct as misconduct &lt;em&gt;before it ripens&lt;/em&gt; and &quot;drops the iron ball&quot; before it burns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My commentary: the wise may not know, and can make mistakes - but he understands the limits of his knowledge and acts cautiously, in little steps, verifying his theory from received feedback and adjusting his model accordingly. The fool is assured of his (incorrect) knowledge and is attached to it. He does not actively look out for feedback and does not adjust his understanding and action. The fool is attached to his incorrect understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how the fool is setup for suffering: because of his attachment to incorrect understanding which mismatches the reality and provides an incorrect basis for decision-making. The wise adjusts his model all the time to better match the reality, even as reality changes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine two Roombas (robotic vacuum cleaners), both with incorrect map of the house. One Roomba updates its internal map as it goes around and bumps into things. Another Roomba keeps going based on a wrong map. Which Roomba will clean the house better and which will likely get stuck?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T23:41:47.417" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T23:41:47.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11357" CreationDate="2015-09-09T00:58:53.940" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;Buddhist more frequently refers Edgar Cayce:&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) founded the non-profit Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) in 1931, to explore spirituality, holistic health, intuition, dream interpretation, psychic development, reincarnation, and ancient mysteries—all subjects that frequently came up in the &lt;strong&gt;more than 14,000 documented psychic readings given by Cayce.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The concept of reincarnation shocked and challenged Edgar Cayce and&#xA;  his family. They were deeply religious people, doing this work to help&#xA;  others because that's what their Christian faith taught. Reincarnation&#xA;  was not part of their reality.Yet, the healings and help continued to&#xA;  come. So, the Cayce family continued with the physical material, but&#xA;  cautiously reflected on the strange philosophical material.&#xA;  Ultimately, the Cayce's began to accept the ideas, though not as&#xA;  &quot;reincarnation.&quot; Edgar Cayce preferred to call it, &quot;The Continuity of&#xA;  Life.&quot; As a child, he began to read the Bible from front to back, and&#xA;  did so for every year of his life. He felt that it did contain much&#xA;  evidence that life, the true life in the Spirit, is continual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With an international headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va., a regional headquarters in Houston, regional representatives throughout the U.S., Edgar Cayce Centers in 37 countries, and individual members in more than 70 countries, the A.R.E. community is a global network of individuals. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.edgarcayce.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.edgarcayce.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;**Body/mind or matter/spirit dualism**&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist equivalent is nāma-rūpa/viññāna.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Explained using Dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T07:53:10.157" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T07:53:10.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11383" CreationDate="2015-09-09T03:48:47.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think everyone will reborn when he or she dies. As far as i know, there are also many places like heavens and hells, not just this human life. For couples to meet again in later lives, they have to do good deeds together or say prayers. That shows great bond between them. But it also does not make sure to be born again together in consecutive life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6896" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T03:48:47.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11392" CreationDate="2015-09-09T08:03:22.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why not just google him? I see dozens of articles. Including:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.plos.org/neurotribes/2011/10/28/what-kind-of-buddhist-was-steve-jobs-really/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What Kind of Buddhist was Steve Jobs, Really?&lt;/a&gt; PLosOneBlog&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://uk.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-zen-meditation-buddhism-2015-1?r=US&amp;amp;IR=T&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here's How Zen Meditation Changed Steve Jobs' Life And Sparked A Design Revolution&lt;/a&gt;. Business Insider&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-11-02/steve-jobs-faith-buddhism/51049772/1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Steve Jobs' private spirituality now an open book&lt;/a&gt;. USAToday.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take your pick. I don't see how StackExchange/Buddhism is going to help you here. Unless of course there is someone who writes answers that knew him personally, we're all reliant on what is in the media. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T08:03:22.557" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11384" CreationDate="2015-09-09T10:02:01.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a dictionary definition: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3294.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bāla&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bāla1 (adj.) [cp. Sk. bāla (rarely Vedic, more freq. in Ep. &amp;amp; Class. Sk.); its orig. meaning is &quot;young, unable to speak,&quot; cp. Lat. infans, hence &quot;like a child, childish; infantile&quot;] 1. ignorant (often with ref. to ignorance in a moral sense, of the common people, the puthujjana), foolish (as contrasted with paṇḍita cp. the Bālapaṇḍita -- sutta M iii.163 sq.; D ii.305 sq.; Vism 499, and contrasts at Sn 578; Dh 63, 64; Pv iv.332; Dhs 1300), lacking in reason, devoid of the power to think &amp;amp; act right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth I learned that a preschool teacher isn't supposed to think or say, &quot;That is a good child&quot; and &quot;That is a bad child.&quot;&#xA;Instead if a child behaves well, &quot;That is good behaviour&quot; and if the child behaves badly, &quot;That is bad behaviour&quot;.&#xA;Having an attitude like that, i.e. that it's behaviour (&quot;misconduct is foolish&quot;), instead of the person (&quot;that person is or is not a fool&quot;), means you don't have to try to discern some artificial distinction between &quot;misconduct of a fool&quot; versus &quot;misconduct of a non-fool&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T10:02:01.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11404" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-09T10:50:48.050" Score="10" ViewCount="7329" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often see the first noble truth (&lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt;) stated as &quot;life is suffering&quot;. I have yet to come across a passage in a Buddhist text which phrases it like this - mostly they don't talk about &quot;life&quot; in this sense. So where does the idea that &quot;&lt;em&gt;life is suffering&lt;/em&gt;&quot; come from? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's been some discussion about the definition and translation of the word &quot;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&quot; also. Is there a definitive definition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2021-11-11T06:54:10.010" Title="Did the Buddha really say that &quot;life is suffering&quot;?" Tags="|suffering|dukkha|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11359" CreationDate="2015-09-09T11:33:06.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The trouble with the question is that it uses a very vague term: &quot;authenticity&quot;. We don't really know what this means to the questioner. And it is likely that it means different things to different people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a scholars point of view, if &lt;em&gt;authentic&lt;/em&gt; means that the texts are what they themselves say they are, the there are probably no authentic texts. If &lt;em&gt;authentic&lt;/em&gt; means, texts that were accepted as authentic by a Buddhist tradition at some point, then almost everything written is authentic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that authenticity is a trivial issue for Buddhists. One could go as far as to say that it is an obsession. But authenticity is not so much a part of the scholarly approach to texts. A scholar may try to pin down the provenance of a text, but whether knowing this makes a text authentic or not is probably not an issue for a scholar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I work on the Heart Sutra. Since Jan Nattier's &lt;a href=&quot;http://terebess.hu/zen/szoto/Heart-Sutra-Jan-Nattier.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1992 article&lt;/a&gt; on it, the Heart Sutra is now widely regarded, by scholars though not religieux, as having been compiled in China from quotations from other sutras, mainly the 25,000 line Perfection of Wisdom text, in Kumārajīva's Chinese translation. This probably happened ca. 7th century. It was later translated into Sanskrit, and then added to leaving a short text and a long text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For religieux the text is authentic because they saw it has having a Sanskrit &quot;original&quot; and because centuries of teaching lineages proclaimed it &quot;authentic&quot;. Scholar's now think that Mahāyāna texts were composed in Middle-Indic and translated into Sanskrit in the 4th or 5th century (during the Gupta Empire the use of Sanskrit as a literary language was widespread in North India). So having a Sanskrit text no longer signifies authenticity. Having a Gāndhārī text is more likely to be considered a measure of antiquity and therefore authenticity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand the Heart Sutra seems to an authentic product of the Buddhist milieu in 7th century China which combined the cult of Avalokiteśvara, with study of Perfection of Wisdom, and the use of magic spells for protection (Pāḷi parrita; Skt dhāraṇī). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ironically the long Sanskrit Heart Sutra which has the traditional trappings of authenticity (eg. it begins एवं मया श्रुतं) is now seen as less authentic because it's apparent that the standard sutra beginning was added later. The short text is more authentic because it is closer to the &lt;em&gt;original&lt;/em&gt; Chinese versions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until recently the Chinese version attributed to Xuanzang (T251) was considered more authentic, but Nattier cast doubt on the attribution so now it seems less authentic. Indeed the version attributed to Xuanzang (T251) or the version attributed to Kumārajīva (T250) can not have been the product of these men, and neither of them can have been the model for the extant Sanskrit version. So the original text, the most authentic text, is actually missing. No attempt has yet been made to reconstruct the original (though I think it ought to be possible). But then the question of how authentic a reconstructed text would be is a big one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more than 60 years the Sanskrit text, edited and published by Edward Conze in 1948 and revised in 1967, was considered the authentic Sanskrit Heart Sutra. Conze compared many manuscripts and tried to imagine what the author had intended. But Conze made a number of mistakes (one of which I identified and corrected in my &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jocbs.org/index.php/jocbs/article/view/104&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2015 article for the JOCBS&lt;/a&gt;). So Conze's edition, long treated as the authentic Heart Sutra must now considered rather inauthentic - indeed Conze's version is a badly edited version of a poor translation of a Chinese text. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's apparent that authentic is a very difficult concept to pin down. What it might mean to a scholar is quite different from what it might mean to a religieux. A Theravādin will most likely not consider any Mahāyāna texts as authentic. But then most scholars don't find the Theravādin idea of &quot;authentic&quot; meaningful - it's wholly an insider perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Authenticity is important to religious sectarians primary, In my opinion, because they are involved in a competition for resources with other sects (Buddhist and non-Buddhist). &quot;Authenticity&quot; is like a seal of approval. For lay Buddhists it is a means of ensuring maximum merit from generosity to religious organisations. For monastic Buddhists it helps to ensure their continued hegemony and control of resources. In terms of the study of texts none of this is very relevant. I can't be sure, but in eight published articles on Buddhist texts I don't think I have used the word authentic or any derivative of it. It's just not a very interesting concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T11:33:06.400" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T11:39:58.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that your assertion that, if you look in the Pali Cannon that you do not find the phrase, &quot;life is suffering,&quot; is absolutely correct. I am not a renown scholar or monk, but in my own studies and readings, I have also never once come across that phrase, so if it is merely a personal failure to discover it, it is both of ours, at the least!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To my understanding, what was taught was the noble truth of dukkha, which is, in its essence, that all phenomena are conditioned by dukkha. Translating that in a way that is packaged neatly for a western audience, a way which lends itself to easy digestion by the western view... this is, in my estimation, the most likely culprit for that bumper sticker variation, fast food for thought, but this is admittedly mere speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4740" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T11:39:58.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T11:42:51.383" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9047/how-does-one-escape-suffering-when-they-cannot-provide-for-those-they-love#comment12615_9049&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo wrote&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know of any example where the Buddha actually said &amp;quot;life is suffering&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first noble truth is simply &amp;quot;This is the truth of suffering.&amp;quot; Nowhere in the enumeration of what is suffering does it refer to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Life is suffering&amp;quot; isn't listed in fakebuddhaquotes; but it is the first item in a list of &amp;quot;Misunderstanding that arises from the teachings&amp;quot; on this page titled, &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp1_f6.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Common Buddhist Misunderstandings&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;a) Life is suffering&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha told us that &amp;quot;Life is Suffering&amp;quot;. One who does not understand the Truth of this may think that life is meaningless and become negative and pessimistic. Actually, this theory is commonly misunderstood. People in society and even some Buddhists are trapped in this wrong and gloomy view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest this one actually claims that &lt;code&gt;The Buddha told us that &amp;quot;Life is Suffering&amp;quot;&lt;/code&gt; though it then goes on to say that's misinterpreted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article is translated, perhaps from Chinese, in case that's relevant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Article titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lifeisnt.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Life Isn't Just Suffering&lt;/a&gt;, Thanissaro Bhikku wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You've probably heard the rumor that &amp;quot;Life is suffering&amp;quot; is Buddhism's first principle, the Buddha's first noble truth. It's a rumor with good credentials, spread by well-respected academics and Dharma teachers alike, but a rumor nonetheless. The truth about the noble truths is far more interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a comment to another answer, you wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example sukkhavedanā or &amp;quot;pleasant sensations&amp;quot; are also, in the broadest sense, dukkha! PTSD doesn't cope with that observation. For example: &lt;em&gt;Nāññatra dukkhā sambhoti, nāññaṃ dukkhā nirujjhatī’’ti&lt;/em&gt; &amp;quot;Nothing other than dukkha arises, nothing other than dukkha ceases.&amp;quot; This does not make sense if dukkha simply means &amp;quot;misery&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;sorrow&amp;quot;. Because also we have experiences like ānanda, pamoda, pīti, sanutuṭṭha, sukha sukhita, somanassa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the context of that quote (i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) I think that's a reference to &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;a characteristic of existence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given texts like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; perhaps it's reasonable (if a bit loose) to summarize &amp;quot;the aggregates&amp;quot; as &amp;quot;life&amp;quot; — and then the word &amp;quot;suffering&amp;quot; obviously comes as a translation of dukkha, though in context it might mean something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that (as well as being defined in isolation) the meaning of dukkha as it's used in a Buddhist context might be hinted at, defined, informed by or inferred from the second and third noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that Vajira Sutta isn't easy to understand in isolation (i.e. if you're trying to use it as a stand-alone definition of dukkha) because I suspect that to understand it you should also understand identity-view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T14:32:10.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11250" CreationDate="2015-09-09T11:54:53.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel your pain, i don't think it's a good idea to put other's needs in front of your own, please see this article to get out of this thinking:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.whatdoyouthinkmyfriend.com/Treasure/circus.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.whatdoyouthinkmyfriend.com/Treasure/circus.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course sometimes our selfless action can be give hope etc to others, even if we sacrifice our needs for those of a single other person. For example the priest Maximilian Kolbe helped inspire many people by volunteering to take a stranger's place and be killed in Auschwitz&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience sometimes people will harass even if i give them what they want, what happens is that the goal posts are moved instead. Unfortunately this indicates that they themselves do not know what they need. My guess is that these people have a big need for caring, empathy, and to have a sense that they matter. Isn't it sad that they are not able to see this, and that they express themselves using punishment or psychological violence? This almost guarantees that they will not get these needs met in their interactions with other people. It would be even more sad if we as Buddhists aren't able to see their beauty&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many different mental attitudes i've taken over the years (that can sometimes lead to a wide variety of actions long-term). One is - as mentioned above - to focus on their needs. Another to focus on our own needs, we may have a need for care and consideration for example. Yet another alternative that has been useful for me is to work with my thinking, the Sutra &quot;the Parable of the Saw&quot; can help:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general i find helping others is one of the best ways to help myself. And vice versa. For example if let my meditation be pleasant i will be pleasant when i'm with other people&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T19:37:35.940" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T19:37:35.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11054" CreationDate="2015-09-09T13:14:01.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;See Dhammapada 5.69:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So long as evil deed has yet to ripen, the fool mistakes it for honey. But [only] when that deed ripens, the fool comes to grief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- the implied contrast here is that the wise recognizes his own misconduct as misconduct before it ripens &lt;strong&gt;and &quot;drops the iron ball&quot; before it burns&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My commentary: the wise may not know, and can make mistakes - but he understands the limits of his knowledge and acts cautiously, in little steps, verifying his theory from received feedback and adjusting his model accordingly. The fool is assured of his (incorrect) knowledge and is attached to it. He does not actively look out for feedback and does not adjust his understanding and action. The fool is attached to his incorrect understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how the fool is setup for suffering: because of his attachment to incorrect understanding which mismatches the reality and provides an incorrect basis for decision-making. The wise adjusts his model all the time to better match the reality, even as reality changes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine two Roombas (robotic vacuum cleaners), both with incorrect map of the house. One Roomba updates its internal map as it goes around and bumps into things. Another Roomba keeps going based on a wrong map. Which Roomba will clean the house better and which will likely get stuck? &quot;For whom is the greater demerit?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T13:37:46.733" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T13:37:46.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11410" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17638" CreationDate="2015-09-09T13:59:36.570" Score="5" ViewCount="829" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just asking if someone is aware of a &lt;strong&gt;complete English translation&lt;/strong&gt; of &lt;em&gt;Anattadīpanī&lt;/em&gt; by Ledi Sayadaw. While an extract is contained in &quot;A Collection of Manuals of Buddhism by Ledi Sayadaw&quot; I was unable to locate a full translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for my interest is the following: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According Braun's &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.it/books?id=ZX7GAQAAQBAJ&amp;amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;amp;hl=it&amp;amp;source=gbs_ge_summary_r&amp;amp;cad=0#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Birth of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Anattadīpanī&lt;/em&gt; was focused on &lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt; contemplation (pag. 132):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even the Manual on No-Self, which takes the feelings (vedana) as its subject matter, still begins with an explanation of meditative mindfulness of the body (kayagatasati) and its physical elements as a preparatory exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And according the book &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.myanmarbookshop.com/EnglishBooks/BookDetails/32738&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Brief Biography of Anagam Sayagyi U Thet And His Teaching&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (pag. 124), U Thet found inside that book (as well as in &lt;em&gt;Bhāvanādīpanī&lt;/em&gt;) a confirmation of his experience and &quot;technique&quot; which he later would pass to U Ba Khin and finally would arrive to Goenka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He [Saya Thet] was quite satisfied with his new-found insightful perceptions of the continually changing nature of rupa and nama. But his findings need to be verified or validated by some authority. [...] Saya Thet read &quot;Anatta Dipani&quot; and &quot;Bavana Dipani&quot;, the books he had brought back from his home, and checked up all his findings by personal experience. He felt as if the [Ledi] Sayadaw was teaching him at close quarters. The concepts, explanations and instructions heard over ten years ago came back bit by bit, and checked well against his personal findings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastEditorUserId="3631" LastEditDate="2017-01-10T09:06:46.980" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T09:06:46.980" Title="Ledi Sayadaw's &quot;Anatta Dipani&quot; in English? (And Ledi/Saya Thet relationship)" Tags="|reference-request|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11412" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11461" CreationDate="2015-09-09T14:47:11.160" Score="4" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just finished re-watching this lecture by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbFCXBcGdGE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jan Nattier&lt;/a&gt;, an academic expert in Mahayhana Buddhism. She mentioned that the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C5%ABmi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 Bhumis in the 26th chapter of the Avatamsaka&lt;/a&gt; had a predecessor called the Buddavatamasaka which had a more coherent enumeration of 10 Bhumis and had steps that mere mortals could follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't find it it anywhere. Wikipedia does mention the Daśabhūmika Sūtra, but that appears to be the free standing later version of the 10 Bhumis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Cleary translation of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra is the later version of the 10 Bhumis that is mostly opaque literary bombast, describes the results of the steps but not the steps and other than bodhicitta, doesn't describe any steps that mere mortals can engage in in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T18:06:37.697" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T21:04:27.507" Title="Where can I find an English translation of the Buddhavatamasaka Sutra?" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T15:20:19.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't comment on whether or not Buddha said those exact words (I rather doubt it, since he didn't speak English). That translation has always seemed to me to be a bit off the mark and doesn't get to the heart of the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me it's simple: All life is not necessarily suffering. But life CAN include a lot of suffering if one chooses to cling to things that are subject to change and cessation (which is pretty much everything in our world...thoughts, feelings, objects including our bodies, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relax. Nothing lasts forever, including whatever is happening right here and right now. Let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T15:20:19.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11414" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11423" CreationDate="2015-09-09T15:38:15.693" Score="5" ViewCount="862" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find that a good number of believing Christians and Muslims think that Satan literally exists and is a very real actor in the real world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;Mara the Evil One, the Tempter&quot; a rhetoric device in Buddhist tales -- a personification to enable the construction of a certain kind of parable? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is &quot;Mara&quot; understood by contemporary Buddhists as an evil being who actually exists in the physical plane that we inhabit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:42:27.823" LastActivityDate="2019-12-28T20:26:26.990" Title="Do modern-day Buddhists take &quot;Mara The Evil One&quot; literally?" Tags="|evil|experiential|mara|sceptic|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T15:55:20.650" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the first noble truth, the five clinging aggregates are defined as dukkha. Since all experiences are reduced to the five aggregates, I think the &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; of all things (and not the things experienced &lt;em&gt;themselves&lt;/em&gt;) is dukkha. At least this is how I have understood the First Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have much knowledge about the translation/etymology of the word &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. However, if the modern usage of the word &lt;em&gt;duḥkha&lt;/em&gt; in my native Nepali (which has roots in &lt;em&gt;Saṃskṛtā&lt;/em&gt; and other &lt;em&gt;Prākṛta&lt;/em&gt;s) is anything to go by, then it can be used to describe anything causing a minor annoyance to the biggest problems of life. From what I understand, it has similar connotations in other modern Indic languages as well. This, of course, does not mean that it was used similarly in &lt;em&gt;Pāli&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5413" LastEditorUserId="5413" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T19:28:33.650" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T19:28:33.650" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11414" CreationDate="2015-09-09T16:39:06.863" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course, I can't speak for all modern-day Buddhists, but for myself, those that I have learned from, and those that I have known, we believe that Mara is the metaphorical personification of the forces that oppose enlightenment. I've not met any Buddhist who believes that Mara is a literal personal being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6901" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T16:39:06.863" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11412" CreationDate="2015-09-09T17:21:47.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge there is no other translation of the &lt;em&gt;Avataṃsaka Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as text called Buddhāvataṃsaka - there is nothing in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-texts/romanized&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon&lt;/a&gt;; nor in &lt;a href=&quot;http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;GRETIL - Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This suggests that no Sanskrit manuscript survives. Searching for a Sanskrit name in the Chinese Canon is not quite impossible, but very very difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Responding to the comment:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taisho Edition of the Chinese Tripiṭaka (with links to the online CBETA version):  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;T280 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbeta.org/result/T10/T10n0280.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&amp;#20315;&amp;#35498;&amp;#20828;&amp;#27801;&amp;#32147;&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;em&gt;Scripture on the Original Deeds of the Bodhisattva as Explained by the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (Ch 7 &amp;amp; 8 of Avataṃsaka)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;T282 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbeta.org/result/T10/T10n0282.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&amp;#20315;&amp;#35498;&amp;#33769;&amp;#34217;&amp;#27714;&amp;#20315;&amp;#26412;&amp;#26989;&amp;#32147;&lt;/a&gt;; Original Deeds of Bodhisattvas Seeking Buddhahood. (Ch 11)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;T282 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbeta.org/result/T10/T10n0283.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&amp;#33769;&amp;#34217;&amp;#21313;&amp;#20303;&amp;#34892;&amp;#36947;&amp;#21697;&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;em&gt;Book on Bodhisattvas’ Ten Abodes in the Practice of the Way&lt;/em&gt; (Ch 15)   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But these are not all attributed to Lokakṣema. The last looks most promising, but is attributed to Dharmarakṣa in some sources. However see Nattier: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/8629096/A_Guide_to_the_Earliest_Chinese_Buddhist_Translations_Texts_from_the_Eastern_Han_and_Three_Kingdoms_Periods&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guide to the Earliest Chinese Buddhist Translations: Texts from the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms Periods&lt;/a&gt;. This article questions the traditional attributions and assigns T280, T282 and T283 to Lokakṣema. The last looks most promising as a source for the &lt;em&gt;Daśabhūmi&lt;/em&gt; or 10 Levels, but I cannot see any English translations online. Unfortunately very little of the Chinese Tripiṭaka is yet available in English. Though there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdkamerica.org/book-product&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Numata Foundation project&lt;/a&gt; under way to translate it all, it will take decades. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="5715" LastEditDate="2015-09-09T19:03:00.403" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T19:03:00.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9934" CreationDate="2015-09-09T17:35:56.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is that Edward Conze published a little book with his Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra translations, and included the Sanskrit text of the Heart Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Conze, Edward. (1975). &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Wisdom Books : Containing the Diamond Sūtra and the Heart Sūtra&lt;/em&gt;. 2nd Ed. London : George Allen &amp;amp; Unwin. First Ed. 1957.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book seems to be in print still and is moderately priced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One little note however is that the Sanskrit contains a mistake. I discovered this in 2012 and finally published my explanation of the mistake and suggested correction earlier this year. It's quite minor, but important in how the text is interpreted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attwood, Jayarava (2015) Heart Murmurs: Some Problems with Conze’s Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya. &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/ojs/index.php/jocbs/article/view/104&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies&lt;/a&gt;. Vol 8, 2015. Paid Access until 2016. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've produced a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/writing/heart-murmur-summary.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;less technical and free summary&lt;/a&gt; of this article primarily for the Triratna community, but suitable for everyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also written a number of informal essays about the Sanskrit text, some of which are based on my study of the surviving manuscripts and some on the early Prajñāpāramitā tradition or the Chinese versions. A list of these essays can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/p/prajnaparamita.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T17:35:56.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T19:16:19.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/4_noble_truths.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;I teach about suffering and the way to end it&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Shakyamuni Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4781" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-10T10:01:18.327" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T10:01:18.327" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11421" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11434" CreationDate="2015-09-09T19:21:10.577" Score="4" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is not doing what others tell you to do a wholesome or unwholesome act? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone tells you to do something, and you decline, when it's a wholesome act and when it's an unwholesome act from your part?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone tells you to do something, and you accept, when it's a wholesome act and when it's an unwholesome act from your part?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 1:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A looks at the lawn in front of the house and tells to person B: &quot;The yard is ugly with that high lawn. Go mow that lawn now!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B looks at the lawn and says to person A: &quot;The yard is just the yard. The lawn is just the lawn. Neither cannot be beautiful nor ugly. &lt;strong&gt;The lawn is not too high.&lt;/strong&gt; I'll mow the lawn when it grows higher.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A, angrily: &quot;No, you mow the lawn now because it's too high and the yard is ugly with that lawn!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B, calmly: &quot;The yard cannot be ugly nor beautiful. The yard is just the yard. The lawn is not too high. If you think it's too high, mow it yourself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Both persons have the same capabilities and resources to mow the lawn and no time constraints. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A is angry with person B. Person B is calm, unaffected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which person has acted wholesomely or unwholesomely , A, B or both? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 2:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A looks at the lawn in front of the house and tells to person B: &quot;The yard is ugly with that high lawn. Go mow that lawn now!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B looks at the lawn and says to person A: &quot;The yard is just the yard. The lawn is just the lawn. Neither cannot be beautiful nor ugly. &lt;strong&gt;Yes, the lawn is very very high.&lt;/strong&gt; I'll mow the lawn when it grows higher.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A, angrily: &quot;No, you mow the lawn now because it's too high and the yard is ugly with that lawn!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B, calmly: &quot;The yard cannot be ugly nor beautiful. The yard is just the yard. Yes, the lawn is very very high, but I'll wait until it grows higher. If you think it's too high, mow it yourself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Both persons have the same capabilities and resources to mow the lawn and no time constraints. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A is angry with person B. Person B is calm, unaffected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which person has acted wholesomely or unwholesomely, A, B or both? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 3:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same example as example 1, but person A takes a pistol and kills 10 persons out of his anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has person B acted more or less wholesomely or unwholesomely than in example 1?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 4:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same example as example 2, but person A takes a pistol and kills 10 persons out of his anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has person B acted more or less wholesomely or unwholesomely than in example 2?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Example 4:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same example as examples 1 and 2, but:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A tells madly at person B: &quot;Go mow the lawn now!!&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B clearly sees person A is mad and will probably kill someone because of that madness, and because person A sees person B could go to hell because of his actions, person A says: &quot;Ok ok. I'll mow the lawn. No problem.&quot; and mows the lawn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A is happy. Person B is calm, unaffected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, what would happen if person B would not give in to the demands of person A? Would that be an unwholesome act for person B?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-10T14:28:44.480" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T14:28:44.480" Title="Doing versus not doing what others tell you to do" Tags="|karma|dukkha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-09T23:15:52.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically speaking, the Buddha did not say that Life is suffering.  This is what he said (translations vary, so be warned)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the Noble Truth of dukkha? Birth is dukkha, aging is&#xA;  dukkha, sickness is dukkha, dissociation from the loved is&#xA;  dukkha, not to get what one wants is dukkha: in short the five&#xA;  categories affected by clinging are dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, dukkha is a word with no precise English translation, and it denotes things that we normally think of as suffering, but also things being &quot;out of kilter&quot;.  In fact, it's etymology comes from a wheel being out of kilter.  I've seen dukkha translated as everything from stress to existential angst.  However, suffering is the most common translation I've read, but has always been followed by a disclaimer that it's not a completely adequate translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, the Buddha didn't say all life was dukkha.  Instead, he listed things that were dukkha (which covered much of life) and summed it up by saying the categories (aggregates/skhandas) subject to clinging were dukkha.  Now these skhandas account for all our experience, but it's only if they're subject to clinging that they are dukkha.  I imagine most Buddhists would say they are subject to clinging in most people and hence justify the expansion of dukkha to cover all life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-09T23:15:52.933" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11414" CreationDate="2015-09-10T01:41:34.550" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1592/what-who-is-mara-in-buddhism/1611#1611&quot;&gt;5 kinds of Maras&lt;/a&gt;. The fifth is Devaputta Mara who is an actual being(god) who controls a portion of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paranimmita-vasavatti&lt;/a&gt; heaven. But he is not similar to the Satan concept in Christianity. Mara is not an eternal being. Unlike Satan, Mara is not against doing good deeds. He at times encourages beings to do good deeds and prolong their Samsara. Mara is only against attaining Nibbana. It is a position taken up by different beings from time to time. During the time of Buddha Kakusandha who was the first Buddha in this eon, venerable Moggallana himself was the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mara(Dusi)&lt;/a&gt;. The Mara during the time of Gautama Buddha is his nephew who took up the position when Dusi perished trying to attack the chief disciple of the Buddha Kakusandha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a whole section in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;, listing the Mara's encounters with the Buddha who was already enlightened. If Mara is merely a personification of defilements, there can be no encounters with enlightened beings as they have already removed all defilements. Refusing to accept Mara as an actual being seems to be nothing more than the discomfort of accepting the existence of heavenly and hell beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T01:59:57.207" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11424" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11510" CreationDate="2015-09-10T02:31:18.780" Score="4" ViewCount="552" Body="&lt;p&gt;Irreverent humour is reasonably well-tolerated in some sections of modern society. For instance, jokes about the pope and about pastors' wives are fairly widespread among even church-going Christians. There are also plenty of God and Devil jokes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What, if any, role does humour play in Buddhism? Are jokes about The Buddha, or Buddhist gurus and their disciples taboo or in bad taste? If so, what is the basis for this? Is humour discouraged for reasons such as, say, retarding progress towards Nirvana? Are such jokes considered against Vinaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="143" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T11:30:59.020" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T00:00:22.750" Title="Are there examples of humor and irreverence in Buddhist scriptures?" Tags="|ethics|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-10T03:27:48.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that when the Buddha taught the 1st Noble Truth, he intended it to be interpreted by each listener based on the predisposition of their mind, therefore no interpretation is 'incorrect' - the main difference among various interpretations therefore is one of depth of insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not really such a thing as one unique truth - resonance with an insight depends on the framing context, such as the person's IQ score, culture and knowledge, and personality ... Each would experience the same insight differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who cannot accept that &quot;Life is suffering&quot; are welcome to use the interpretation &quot;Existence means conflict&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I like &quot;Life is suffering&quot; because it helps combat the false expectation of wishy-washy wishful nonsense about &quot;perfect balance&quot;, &quot;perfect harmony&quot;, &quot;everything is good&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I like &quot;Existence means conflict&quot; because that's also the insight of Daoism, Sufism (Islam), Vedanta (Hinduism), and yes, also of the Kybalion (hermetic Christian scripture) - and also Kiekegaard, Wittgenstein, Derrida, Schopenhauer, Kant, and Homer Simpson  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6905" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T03:27:48.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-10T04:46:37.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most general form of this is usually given in the Pali, as &lt;em&gt;sabbam dukkham&lt;/em&gt;. This phrase has worked its way into several English explanations of the Buddha's teachings. Translated literally it would mean &lt;em&gt;all pain&lt;/em&gt;. From my limited understanding of Pali it does not seem to be grammatically correct as a cohesive sentence, and would need to be taken out of context. The word &lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt; here is often translated &quot;suffering&quot; or &quot;unsatisfactory&quot; or such because it's clear from both this and other writings that the statement means more than just &quot;dukkha-dukkha&quot;, &quot;&lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt; pain&quot;, and in some ways it refers to a sickness which is upon humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I have not yet found any sutta where the Buddha just says &lt;em&gt;sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ&lt;/em&gt; as its own sentence, or something which would look more grammatically correct to me. The fragment is found often in a larger context, like &lt;em&gt;sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ bhavissatī’ti&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;all pain shall be exhausted&quot; -- e.g. &lt;em&gt;Cūladukkhakkhandha Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhadust.com/a/dhamma-vinaya/pali/mn/mn.014.pali.bd.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/014-culadukkhakkhanda-sutta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English&lt;/a&gt;), &lt;em&gt;Devadaha Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/pali/majjhima/maj101.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English&lt;/a&gt;). But I have not seen the fragment by itself indicating that the Buddha really believes that everything is painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another specious claim seen in English-speaking places is &quot;The Buddha never refers to &quot;sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ,&quot; only &quot;sabbaṃ idaṃ dukkhaṃ,&quot; &quot;all &lt;strong&gt;of this&lt;/strong&gt; is suffering.&quot; It seems to have the same grammatical funkiness to it that I don't like, and I have not yet found a Pali source that says this precisely. One of the closest I got was &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=F8wBAAAAMAAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PA176&amp;amp;ots=Wd2BAfxt3p&amp;amp;dq=vediyamanassa%20kho%20panaham&amp;amp;pg=PA176#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=vediyamanassa%20kho%20&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anguttara Nikaya III.61 (Pali)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imâni cattâri ariyasaccânî ti bhikkave mayâ dhammo desito... pe...viññûhî ti--iti kho pan ' etaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñ c'etaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Channaṃ bhikkhave dhâtûnaṃ upâdâya gabbhassâvakkanti hoti okkantiyâ sati nâmarûpaṃ, nâmarûpapaccayâsaḷâyatanaṃ, saḷâyatanapaccayâ phasso, phassupaccayâ vedanâ. Vediyamânassa kho panâhaṃ bhikkhave &lt;strong&gt;idaṃ dukkhan&lt;/strong&gt; ti paññâpemi ayaṃ dukkhasamudayo ti paññâpemi ayaṃ dukkhanirodho ti paññâpemi ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagâminî paṭipadâ ti paññâpemi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to prove that I'm not pulling this out of nowhere, we have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a translation into English&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'&quot;There are these four noble truths&quot; is a Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not faulted by knowledgeable brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives': Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? Sustained by/clinging to the six properties, there is an alighting of an embryo. There being an alighting, there is name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. To one experiencing feeling I declare, '&lt;strong&gt;This is stress&lt;/strong&gt;.' I declare, 'This is the origination of stress.' I declare, 'This is the cessation of stress.' I declare, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is a straightforward statement of the four noble truths where instead of saying &quot;everything is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; [pain/stress/suffering/sickness]&quot; Gautama Buddha is saying &quot;All of this phenomena-stuff (feelings due to being in the world) is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;,&quot; rather than &quot;All life is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6903" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T04:46:37.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11368" CreationDate="2015-09-10T07:45:09.670" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, Buddhist monks are subject to rules. The Theravada monk has to follow the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;227 Patimokkha rules&lt;/a&gt;. Of course, for other traditions, it may be different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these rules can be quite detailed like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;11&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[12.] I will not go [sit] laughing loudly in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;13&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[14.] I will go [sit] (speaking) with a lowered voice in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;15&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[16.] I will not go [sit] swinging my body in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[18.] I will not go [sit] swinging my arms in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;19&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[20.] I will not go [sit] swinging my head in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sex, murder, theft and false representation of one's spiritual progress constitutes the worst transgression (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#pr&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;parajika offenses&lt;/a&gt;) that results in the monk's ipso facto expulsion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rules regarding attire:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[2.] I will wear the lower robe [upper robe] wrapped around (me): a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;[10.] I will not go [sit] with robes hitched up in inhabited areas: a training to be observed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your example of a monk praying like a Muslim or Christian, we must wonder what is his intention. If he is worshipping God, then that would be contradictory to the Buddhist teaching that there is no Supreme Creator God, hence the well known monk's followers might leave him. But this is only my speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-10T19:25:55.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T19:25:55.773" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11430" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11457" CreationDate="2015-09-10T09:00:53.430" Score="1" ViewCount="522" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/180/the-seven-factors-of-enlightenment&quot;&gt;The Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; shown, Tranquility, Concentration, Equanimity, Investigation of dhammas, Effort and Rapture as specific phases in the path of enlightenment (also in a linear progression), and how to apply them. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/howtomeditate.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seven levels of consciousness which make up the &lt;a href=&quot;http://tmhome.com/books-videos/7-states-of-consciousness-video-interview/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;path of spiritual development&lt;/a&gt;, shown in TM as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the state of waking consciousness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;deep sleep;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dreaming;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;transcendental consciousness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;cosmic consciousness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;god consciousness;&#xA;unity consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these steps equally valued in the Buddhist path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T17:41:46.760" Title="Is the path of enlightenment consists 7 levels?" Tags="|personal-practice|enlightenment|comparative-religion|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11421" CreationDate="2015-09-10T10:26:54.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/wheel014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a definition of 'wholesome act'&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Righteous conduct is the observance of the ten good actions (kusala-kammapatha) in thought, word and deed: freeing the mind of greed, ill-will and wrong views; avoiding speech that is untruthful, slanderous, abusive and frivolous; and the non- committal acts of killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's up to you to apply that to real-life scenarios.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sutta which I referenced above also has some guideliness for employer/employee relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T10:26:54.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2015-09-10T11:54:26.617" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first noble truth is actually amazingly relatable for the most part, as in no reasonable person could find fault with it. Since it doesn't appear to have been mentioned, I will post a full literal translation of the first noble truth from the Dhamma­cakkap­pa­vat­ta­na­sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;jātipi dukkhā&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;  Birth is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;jarāpi dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  Old age is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;byādhipi dukkho&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;  Sickness is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;maraṇampi dukkhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  Death is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;appiyehi sampayogo dukkho&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;  Association with the disliked is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;piyehi vippayogo dukkho&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  Separation from the beloved is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  Not obtaining one's wishes is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;—saṃkhittena pañcu­pādā­nak­khan­dhā&#xA;   dukkhā.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  In brief, the five clinging aggregates are dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People have a tendency to focus overly much on the final one, which is terribly difficult to translate into english, it can be explained but can't be rendered in a pithy way which does justice to the meaning. Putting aside that which is difficult to translate, the rest of it is very straightforward, and are about the actual physical and emotional sufferings in life we can all relate to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These points are easily understood at a conceptual level, and make an excellent starting point of investigation. For example with the emotional pain of &quot;being separated from the loved&quot;, I noticed I would experience a piercing pain the chest in association with being rejected by someone I loved, and I would note that that person was not in fact stabbing me in the chest and that therefore the painful feeling warranted serious investigation since it did not make sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be noted that the first noble truth does not make irrational statements such as &quot;Association with the beloved is suffering&quot;, we may reason that being separated from the loved is inevitable and so that kind of pleasure is like a honeyed barb, it is pleasant at first but will cut us later. Nevertheless the first noble truth does not deny the reality of that pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6907" LastEditorUserId="6907" LastEditDate="2015-09-10T18:27:08.047" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T18:27:08.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11421" CreationDate="2015-09-10T12:33:02.150" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In all examples both acted suboptimally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It looks like person B should learn to understand and appreciate other people's perspectives. Perhaps he should say: &quot;I understand why you worry about the lawn. It does look very high by normal standards. The normal standards are X inches and the lawn is Y. But I am not declining to mow it out of laziness, believe me. I think at this moment it is advantageous &lt;strong&gt;to everybody, including you&lt;/strong&gt; to not mow it. Here is why: A) B) C).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, don't drive people mad with your &quot;superior understanding&quot;. If your understanding is better than others' -- invest your energy in teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, always remember that people (including yourself!) are rarely truly objective. Instead they often act in line with their interests, or with the group interests, or with the &quot;party line&quot; or with their philosophy. It helps to rephrase your understanding in that context as to help them relate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;em&gt;One of the very prominent characteristics of Buddha's method was to always work within the person's perspective, not against it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speak in terms of what they know, what they value, what they have experienced before - then they will hear and understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-10T12:57:21.667" LastActivityDate="2015-09-10T12:57:21.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11435" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11502" CreationDate="2015-09-10T14:52:34.337" Score="7" ViewCount="488" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears that Buddhism depends on a central premise -- that all worldly existence = suffering / dukkha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there Buddhist teachers or traditions that teach a joyous approach to worldly life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any teachings that profess existence is a joyous, if sometimes painful experience, or at least a tolerably pleasant experience? An eternal roller-coaster ride of birth-and-death, joy and sorrow, that one need not seek to escape?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T12:35:40.433" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T07:27:10.647" Title="Is it necessary for a Buddhist to believe that existence is suffering?" Tags="|rebirth|nirvana|dukkha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11436" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-10T15:20:14.473" Score="7" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was under the impression that the end of buddha sāsana occurs when noble eight-fold path(and the dhamma practitioners) disappear form all the realms including Śuddhāvāsa where only anāgāmins live. This contradicts with &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.50&quot;&gt;Ghatikara sutta&lt;/a&gt;.  It consists of a lord buddha's conversion with an anāgāmi brahma Ghatikara form Kashyapa buddha sāsana. That means at least anāgāmins and arahants from previous buddhas might still live in arupa brahma realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did anyone come across a canonical reference for end of buddha sāsana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:48:38.387" Title="What's the canonical definition of end of the buddha sāsana?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|realms|eightfold-path|anagami|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-11T02:01:35.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone has already mentioned, a social gathering of any sort is for people to meet, share their troubles and joys and to unburden themselves from their daily routine. The food and drink served is secondary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From your question it seems like your friends are important to you and so are your beliefs. It is not impossible for them to coexist peacefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed you may think that by serving them meat and alcohol you are aiding them break their Sila but by forcing them to abide by the &quot;my house, my rules&quot; you would be seen as trying too hard to get them to see your opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Losing friends just because they don't think like you is also not an option I'd suggest - you're never going to find people who think exactly like you do, and also it would be uninteresting. I'd find nothing new to learn if I wasn't in the company of people who were not like me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest a gentler approach. If you are happy to continue serving meat and alcohol, maybe talk to them about how you think being a vegetarian has been beneficial to you in more ways than one, how it is probably better for the environment and to our health, talk about some really delicious vegetarian dishes you managed to cook, talk about your beliefs and how they are important to you and gradually suggest going for a vegetarian only meal the next time they are around. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way they will gradually and hopefully grow to respect your beliefs. It is a slow process but it bears more fruit than imposing a meat and alcohol ban or losing your friends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5848" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T02:01:35.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11341" CreationDate="2015-09-11T06:15:32.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with, who are bound&#xA;  by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on things&#xA;  inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a&#xA;  festival. Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who&#xA;  are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on&#xA;  things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst&#xA;  of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of delusion to begin&#xA;  with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even more&#xA;  delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on stage&#xA;  in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;amp;&#xA;  heedless, &lt;strong&gt;having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless&lt;/strong&gt; — with the&#xA;  breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell&#xA;  of laughter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a discussion in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7673/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha quote from the sutta says that anyone with some passion,&#xA;  aversion or delusion, reinforces it by watching the actor's&#xA;  performance. The actor too is intoxicated with emotions due to getting&#xA;  into character to play the role. And by acting out the role on stage,&#xA;  the actor has the intention of getting the audience to experience the&#xA;  same emotions. This intention is karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this applies to your question too, if you had the intention to satisfy their craving for alcoholic intoxication, which is not allowed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the five precepts&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meat on the other hand, may be a different story according to the Theravada tradition, based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/07/the-buddha%E2%80%99s-real-views-on-meat-eating/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5948/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, as picking out meat from the supermarket does not count as having the intention of taking the animal's life, since it was already dead and you did not select it to be slaughtered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it could be argued that serving meat satisfies the craving for its taste, but then again, meat and any food is required for our physical sustenance, regardless of craving for sensual pleasure. So, this is OK in my opinion. Of course, good vegetarian food is also sufficient for physical sustenance and meat is not required (in most cases).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alcohol on the other hand, is not needed for physical sustenance. It is used only for intoxication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T10:40:52.483" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11443" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11454" CreationDate="2015-09-11T07:31:40.837" Score="4" ViewCount="1180" Body="&lt;p&gt;Walking meditation : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationoasis.com/how-to-meditate/simple-meditations/walking-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.meditationoasis.com/how-to-meditate/simple-meditations/walking-meditation/&lt;/a&gt; is considered as &quot;just as profound as sitting meditation&quot;. If we were to extrapolate this idea into a situation where instead of walking you were on a bike, would an expert's opinion consider this meditating on the bike at the gym an effective practice of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6916" LastActivityDate="2018-07-14T18:14:44.753" Title="Is meditating while on the bike at the gym an effective method of meditation?" Tags="|meditation-walking|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11444" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-11T07:35:28.043" Score="8" ViewCount="220" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read many books on Buddhism in the last 3 years and I started to meditate daily 10 months ago. I have a general idea about many topics, without a deep understanding of any of it. Is there a specific way in which a lay person with a deep commitment for Buddhism should approach the teachings? Is there a specific order of the subjects? Can you, please, give me some advice about where to start and how to proceed? Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T09:10:46.090" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T05:21:13.547" Title="How can a lay person approach the learning process of Buddhism?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|beginner|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11380" CreationDate="2015-09-11T07:37:29.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a footnote from Wheel 208 regarding the first three methods:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the first, second and fourth of the four divine abodes (brahma-vihāra). According to A-a, the third abode, altruistic joy, is not mentioned here because it is difficult to practise it towards those against whom one has a grudge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the first three form a set of meditative practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lists in the Suttas are usually given in ascending order, but sometimes are given in descending order. My guess is that this is an example of a descending order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most effective way to dislodge ill-will is mettā meditation, less effective is karuṇā meditation, even less effective is upekkhā meditation. Less effective than meditation is ignoring and the least effective would be reflecting on kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on kamma may be effective in the short term, but if the perspective is from the long term, the other methods will be more effective in eliminating ill-will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T07:37:29.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11444" CreationDate="2015-09-11T07:53:23.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many specific ways, giving you the best way requires a scientific study done on every possible way buddism can be taught and then finding a distinct right answer from that, which is currently, and probably never be available. I will give you a source that teaches you in a very specific and effect way of practicing buddism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/ActualizedOrg/videos&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/user/ActualizedOrg/videos&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically his meditation videos guide you through to enlightenment very effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6916" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T07:53:23.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11368" CreationDate="2015-09-11T08:19:27.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have asked two questions here... one about &quot;spiritual progress&quot; and the other about &quot;excommunication&quot; / &quot;status&quot;. I can hazard a guess from the Theravāda tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spiritual Progress&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16) the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, spiritual progress depends on the Noble Eightfold Path, not on the kinds of superficial things that you mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Excommunication / Status&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravāda tradition, &quot;excommunication&quot; only happens in the case of the four defeaters (&lt;em&gt;pārājika&lt;/em&gt;): incelibacy, theft, killing, false claim of attainments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next most serious offenses are the twelve offenses requiring a formal meeting (&lt;em&gt;saṅghādisesa&lt;/em&gt;). Once a monk confesses to one of these offenses during the &lt;em&gt;uposatha&lt;/em&gt; ceremony, the monk is &quot;put under probation&quot; (some reduced freedoms) until the probation is lifted at a subsequent &lt;em&gt;uposatha&lt;/em&gt; ceremony (in other words, the probation can be two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk's  &quot;status&quot; is based on the number of &lt;em&gt;vassa&lt;/em&gt; that they have completed (date that they were ordained).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the behaviours that you describe would certainly be strange for a monk, they do not seem to contravene either the &lt;em&gt;pārājika&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;saṅghādisesa&lt;/em&gt; so they would not legally impact the monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Faxian visited Sri Lanka around 400AD, he reported seeing Bodhisatta worship happening alongside traditional Theravāda practices within the same temple. It is not difference in practice that splits the Sangha, it is difference in Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T08:19:27.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11368" CreationDate="2015-09-11T09:33:27.143" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would this result in loss of rank, social standing and credibility in his own circles? Or would this cause others around him to start looking up to him? What's your opinion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would undoubtedly result in loss of all of these. Particularly in the case of adopting the rites and rituals of a theistic religion. I'm trying to think of an example where this actually happened, but cannot. Nor can I find any examples on the internet. Lots of converts to Buddhism, very few high profile converts from Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We might take the example of the conversion of the British academic Paul Williams from Tibetan Buddhism (back) to Catholicism. Williams is the notable author of a standard text on Mahāyāna Buddhism, which is now in a second edition and still used in many universities around the world. He had practised Buddhism in the Tibetan Gelug tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This caused quite a stir when it happened, fanned by his writing a book and at least one article about the reasons for his conversion. Of course it did not affect his standing in academia which is based on his published works on Buddhism. Buddhist responses mostly seemed to be couched in polite terms, but to be quite dismissive of William's understanding of Buddhism. One comment which stood out from &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/16918/paul-williams-from-buddhism-to-catholicism&quot;&gt;NewBuddhist.com&lt;/a&gt; was &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This exact topic was raised on another Buddhist forum and provoked more anger and rejection than almost any other, with the possible exception of vegetarianism, a topic which reduces some of those who value ahimsa to homicidal rage... In short Williams was seen as a turncoat, a traitor...a threat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And remember that Williams was not a religious leader, simply a moderately prominent academic. If we were talking about a Buddhist leader apparently converting I think this would cause a great deal of upset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part of your question is easier to answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are Buddhist cultural habits and traditional ways of dress, behavior, speech etc. important for making spiritual progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is &quot;no&quot;. And the early Buddhists seem to have been aware of this. A number of Pāli texts admonish that a robe and a bald head do not make a bhikkhu. A bhikkhu is someone who exemplifies Buddhist virtues. See for example Dhammapada vs 264-266; e.g. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;na muṇḍakena samaṇo, abbato alikaṃ bhaṇaṃ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  icchālobhasamāpanno, samaṇo kiṃ bhavissati&lt;/em&gt;. | Dhp 264|  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He is not a practitioner because he is bald.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He is not a preacher who is immoral and lies.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  How will he become a practitioner,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who is given over to desire and acquisition?  [My translation]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T09:33:27.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11380" CreationDate="2015-09-11T10:40:04.627" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at the text, it does not recommend reflecting on the ownership etc of kamma as a method of developing equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt;). Here it is specifically for removing resentment (&lt;em&gt;āghāta&lt;/em&gt;). As far as I can tell from searching the electronic Pāli Canon the idea of reflecting on kamma is never linked with &lt;em&gt;upekkhā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reflecting on kamma one is taking the approach to hindrances (&lt;em&gt;nīvaraṇa&lt;/em&gt;), which Kamalashila in his book &lt;em&gt;Meditation: The Buddhist Way of Tranquility and Insight&lt;/em&gt; calls, &amp;quot;considering the consequences&amp;quot; (pg 54-5). The other four are: cultivate the opposite (&lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;karuṇā&lt;/em&gt;); cultivate a &amp;quot;sky-like mind&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;upekkhā&lt;/em&gt;); suppression (don't think of the person or &lt;em&gt;asatiamanasikāro&lt;/em&gt;); and lastly going for refuge (not included here). This list and Kamalashila's are not a perfect match, but seem to be similar in intent. They are methods for dealing with the hindrances in preparation for practising &lt;em&gt;jhāna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether it is helpful to think in terms of a hierarchy of &amp;quot;effectiveness&amp;quot;. One has a number of techniques one can use to help deal with the hindrances, and tries each of them until one works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reflection on kamma comes from a list of &lt;a href=&quot;http://jayarava.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/five-facts-to-continuously-reflect-on.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;five things to continuously reflect on&lt;/a&gt; famously found at AN 5.57, titled &lt;em&gt;Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (The Discourse of Facts to be Continuously reflected On) in the Burmese Ed. of the Canon. In this text it gives the benefit (&lt;em&gt;athavasa&lt;/em&gt;) of doing this practice of reflecting on the consequences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṃ kāyaduccaritaṃ vacīduccaritaṃ manoduccaritaṃ. tassa taṃ ṭhānaṃ abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhato sabbaso vā duccaritaṃ pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti. idaṃ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṃ paṭicca ‘kammassakomhi, kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo, yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi — kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā — tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is, Monks, bad conduct (&lt;em&gt;duccarita&lt;/em&gt;) of body, speech and mind by beings. But when one continuously reflects on [this reflection on kamma], then such wickedness is completely abandoned or it is [at least] diminished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the point of this practice is not so much generating &lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt; as it is the elimination of wicked conduct (&lt;em&gt;duccarita&lt;/em&gt;). And resentment (&lt;em&gt;āghāta&lt;/em&gt;) is clearly a form of mental wicked conduct, a &lt;em&gt;mano-duccarita&lt;/em&gt;, in the language of the &lt;em&gt;Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;. Reflecting on the consequences of such wickedness will help the person who aims to eliminate the hindrance in preparation for meditation. Clearly this has more general ethical applications as well, but it seems the main context is meditation and eliminating the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T10:40:04.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11443" CreationDate="2015-09-11T11:15:17.893" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationoasis.com/about/our-philosophy/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This philosophy&lt;/a&gt; (which is used in the 'meditationoasis.com' practice, which you you were asking about), is different from Buddhist philosophy.&#xA;So the effectiveness cannot compare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T12:47:31.390" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T12:47:31.390" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11443" CreationDate="2015-09-11T13:25:48.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've always considered the ultimate mindfulness practice to be that which is constant: that is, a meditative state of mind every moment of every day, no matter what else is happening. However if you start by running a marathon before you've trained on smaller runs, your body won't be prepared to fully benefit from the marathon. Similarly, while I think meditating on an exercise bike &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; be effective, starting with &quot;easier&quot; methods, especially sitting meditation, and careful walking meditation, will build your ability to be successful in other methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;TL;DR: Better to start small and simple, and eventually, your meditative state of mind will carry over into everything else you do, including exercising.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T13:25:48.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3096" CreationDate="2015-09-11T13:38:15.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short: No, because wrong action cannot, and does not EVER, yield &quot;right&quot; results. A wrong action taints the outcome of that action; the quality of an action is born in the intention that led to that action. The difficulty in practicing right action comes from our misperception of the results of wrong action as being &lt;em&gt;desireable&lt;/em&gt;, which is not the same as &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T13:38:15.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11443" CreationDate="2015-09-11T14:22:05.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short Answer&lt;/strong&gt;: Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Longer Answer&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://plumblossomsangha.wordpress.com/more/essential-sutras-2-the-four-establishments-of-mindfulness-satipatthana-sutra/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutra&lt;/a&gt; implies this.  Here's a snippet...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, when a practitioner walks, he is aware, ‘I am walking.’ When&#xA;  he is standing, he is aware, ‘I am standing.’ When he is sitting, he&#xA;  is aware, ‘I am sitting.’ When he is lying down, he is aware, ‘I am&#xA;  lying down.’ In whatever position his body happens to be, he is aware&#xA;  of the position of his body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, when the practitioner is going forward or backward, he&#xA;  applies full awareness to his going forward or backward. When he looks&#xA;  in front or looks behind, bends down or stands up, he also applies&#xA;  full awareness to what he is doing. He applies full awareness to&#xA;  wearing the sanghati robe or carrying the alms bowl. When he eats or&#xA;  drinks, chews, or savors the food, he applies full awareness to all&#xA;  this. When passing excrement or urinating, he applies full awareness&#xA;  to this. When he walks, stands, lies down, sits, sleeps or wakes up,&#xA;  speaks or is silent, he shines his awareness on all this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gist of the above is that mindfulness should be applied throughout the day -- including time on the exercise bike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I don't think this should replace formal meditation practice.  Setting aside time for meditation allows you to better control distractions, which in turn can allow you to go deeper. Meditating on the exercise bike should be done in addition to your regular meditative practice, and should be part of an attempt to maintain continuous mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T14:22:05.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11379" CreationDate="2015-09-11T14:55:43.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question tagged as five-skandas. So the words perception and  discrimination may relate to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In pali  (Thipitaka - language) 'five-skandas' are &quot;aggregates&quot; (Pali: khandha; Skt.: skandha) are material &quot;form&quot; (rupa), &quot;feeling&quot; or &quot;sensation&quot; (vedana), &quot;perception&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṃjñā&lt;/a&gt;), &quot;volitional formations&quot; or &quot;fabrications&quot; (sankhara) and consciousness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#The_aggregates&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/a&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the word &quot;discrimination&quot; is meen by (viññāṇa) consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;taking two examples A) seeing Flower, and b) seeing leaf.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The action of separating (recognition) flower and leaf is perception (Saṃjñā).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The action of separating flower and I, leaf and I is discrimination (viññāṇa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from Maha Thera Nyanatiloka. Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, Buddhist Publication Society, first edition 1952.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Viññāna&lt;/strong&gt;: 'consciousness', is one of the 5 groups of existence&#xA;  aggregates or clusters;khandha, one of the 4 nutriments āhāra, the 3rd&#xA;  link of the dependent origination paticcasamuppāda, the 5th in the&#xA;  sixfold division of elements; dhatu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Viewed as one of the 5 groups; khandha it is inseparably linked with&#xA;  the 3 other mental groups feeling, perception and constructions and&#xA;  furnishes the bare cognition of the object, while the other 3&#xA;  contribute more specific functions. Its ethical and kammic character,&#xA;  and its greater or lesser degree of intensity and clarity, are chiefly&#xA;  determined by the mental constructions associated with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1946/5513&quot;&gt;Andarei&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nothing is solid, everything is made of pieces or depends on&#xA;  conditions. This includes &quot;I&quot; which cannot possibly be a&#xA;  solid/independent entity. Since &quot;I&quot; is really just a compound&#xA;  phenomena, it is not independent and too is subject to conditions.&#xA;  What we call &quot;consciousness&quot; is too an interplay of conditions and not&#xA;  a substance or entity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T09:58:57.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11380" CreationDate="2015-09-11T15:58:34.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To put it very succinctly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Developing equanimity&lt;/em&gt;: do not mentally react to any sensation resulting from stimulus due to contact hence not creating any further fabrications. If you are dealing with ill will this is mainly triggered by preconceived perception (Sanna) in combination with a stimuli like the sight, through or memory about the person and one's mental reaction to this perception. Here you are cutting the defilements at the root by not feeding into new perceptions which lead to unskillful action of ill will or what might proliferate from this. Not feeding into perception eliminates or reduces the past build up of the aggregate of perceptions and the potential future fabrication created by means of reaction to these perceptions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Contemplating that someone is the heir to one's own Karma&lt;/em&gt;: this is more primitive or basic that the above, but nevertheless another way to develop a shallow form of equanimity especially for beginners or when the above way does not work because you are overpowered by strength or the perception, where one tries to mend or sooth the ill feeling by means of contemplating thus changing the perception of the situation or person. Due to the changed perception you reduce creating new fabrications. Here you are reducing defilements through developing conducive perceptions or eliminating unconducive perception (ill will).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T16:17:03.190" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T16:17:03.190" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11430" CreationDate="2015-09-11T17:35:16.727" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to point out the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcendental_Meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;TM&lt;/a&gt; and Buddhist path are not the same. TM aim at &lt;code&gt;method for relaxation, stress reduction, and self-development&lt;/code&gt; while Buddhism aims at eliminating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Defilement&lt;/a&gt; and one's attachment to the 5 aggregates hence reduce the process of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt; thus experiencing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 7 factors of enlightenment are not linear. An interesting article which shows their interaction is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://journal.samatha.org/issues/2014/bojjhangas%E2%80%93-another-view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bojjhangas– Another View&lt;/a&gt;. Also look at the table &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment#Meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;balancing the factors&lt;/a&gt; in the Wikipedia entry on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; which gives when to emphasize each of the factors.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-09-11T17:41:46.760" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T17:41:46.760" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5879" CreationDate="2015-09-11T19:55:33.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I appreciate you wanting to be sure that I am enjoying myself, and I understand that you do not perceive me as doing so, but I assure you, I very much am!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T19:55:33.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11460" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11564" CreationDate="2015-09-11T20:46:44.050" Score="5" ViewCount="761" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is 'secular Buddhism', and what does it say about Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastActivityDate="2023-10-06T01:58:53.297" Title="What do secular Buddhists say about Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11412" CreationDate="2015-09-11T21:04:27.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, with some help I tracked down &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/7175896/Indian_Antecedents_of_Huayan_Thought_New_Light_from_Chinese_Sources&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jan Nattier's paper on the Buddhavatamsaka which summarizes the 10 Bhumis&lt;/a&gt;. The original text provided 20 bullet points for each Bhumi. I'll summarize the summary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See the Buddhas of the 10 directions, learns their qualities.  (Sounds to me like a meditative visualization exercise similar to the Pure Land visualizations)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maitri/Metta practice. Seeing oneself as others. Dharma study.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Detachment from experience. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Determining that everything is empty.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working for the benefit &amp;amp; enlightenment of all beings, even though they are empty.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Working on equanimity. More work on seeing things as empty.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the cut off point for non-retrogression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can switch back and forth between seeing things conventionally and seeing things as empty.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prince stage-- cultivates siddhis, various magical powers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Crown prince stage-- cultivates siddhis, various magical powers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Establishes the dharma in various other worlds, cultivates various siddhis.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So so everything up to the 7th Bhumi is something that could be done without being reborn elsewhere or as a superbeing.  The middle Bhumis, 4-7 sound like variations on the same thing. This is a quality of the Avatamsaka in general-- the authors are always trying to hit a list of 10 things, and sometimes they run out of items and just repeat one a few times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-11T21:04:27.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11462" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11475" CreationDate="2015-09-11T21:12:27.757" Score="5" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;This seems to be a common trope-- samnaha. I honestly have no idea what they mean, it strikes me as a &quot;it's raining cats and dogs&quot; sort of idiom. Is there an explanation for what it means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For they wear the armor of great vows, accumulate merits, deliver all&#xA;  beings from birth-and-death, visit Buddha-lands to perform the&#xA;  bodhisattva practices, make offerings to Buddhas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/48-bosatsu-vows.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/48-bosatsu-vows.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in Shingon, they visualize themselves putting on armor (or physically don?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://townsendgroups.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/sharf-thinking_through_shingon_ritual.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thinking Through Shingon Ritutual&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&quot;Then one protects the body by donning armor...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T03:03:54.273" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T14:45:11.017" Title="What does the phrase &quot;to armor oneself with vows&quot; mean?" Tags="|karma|sutras|merit|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11380" CreationDate="2015-09-12T02:59:00.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;In the Aghatavinaya Sutta, there are five antidotes given for arisen ill-will(āghāto).&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These content should be relevant to Monks, those separate from lay life, and devote to meditate in the jangles.  As shown in sutta (&lt;strong&gt;'when hatred arises in a monk&lt;/strong&gt;') These  antidotes should be used within the meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;I am puzzled because one of these is to develop equanimity  and another is  kamma. &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The given antidotes are:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop good will for that individual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop compassion for that individual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop equanimity toward that individual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pay him no mind &amp;amp; pay him no attention.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Direct one's thoughts to the fact of his being the product of his actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;These are five ways of subduing hatred by which, when hatred arises in a monk, he should wipe it out completely.&quot; &#xA;(When somebody make disturbances, the Monk in meditate should develop) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Use Metta(Good will), so the arisen ill-will(āghāto) will be wipe out.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If not wipe out ill-will, then try develop compassion.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Still ill-will arises develop equanimity.ill-will should be wipe out.    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If above three methods not success then pay him no mind &amp;amp; no attention(Neglect).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any of above not removes ill-will then &lt;strong&gt;Reject&lt;/strong&gt; him.(See Note).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are five ways of subduing hatred by which, when hatred arises&#xA;  in a monk, he should wipe it out completely.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;So none of the above factors produces karma.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are used here for self protection or removes developing ill-will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;**`Notes`*&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reject = release responsibility to him&lt;/strong&gt; 'This venerable one is the doer of his actions, heir to his actions, born of his actions, related by his actions, and has his actions as his arbitrator. Whatever action he does, for good or for evil, to that will he fall heir.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the other party not effects, That is the highest penalty for Buddhist monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The highest penalty&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, Ānanda, after my passing away, is to be handed out to the monk Channa.” “But what is the highest penalty, reverend Sir?” “The monk Channa, Ānanda, may say whatever he wishes but he is not to be spoken to or advised or instructed by the monks.” - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāparinibbānasutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T11:09:38.817" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T11:09:38.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11384" CreationDate="2015-09-12T05:10:09.947" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the Sutta, 'fool' is described in many different situations and conditions. Sutta doesn't define exactly what is the meaning of 'fool'. It's us with our own understanding, try to understand Dhamma. Our understanding itself is subject to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Endowed with misconducts, someone is a fool. A person who is attached to worldly pleasure also a fool. Even those who have left home for the life of homelessness but is attached to jhana, deviate from true goal, is also considered as a fool, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, Buddha encourages us to strive to Further Shore. Be diligent and learn from those who are endowed with purity in conducts. Be compassionate to those who need our guidance as we would want to be treated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our practice in helping others should not affect and deviate us from the path, if we are not ready, it's good to take a step back. While learning and practicing, we need to keep wise companion and strive to the state 'devoid of foolishness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: Just to add, the word 'fool' is translated into English as 'young child' or childish. It's figurative language to describe someone who is spiritually immature and certainly is not the same as 'fool' in English word. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5229" LastEditorUserId="5229" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T11:44:11.017" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T11:44:11.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2015-09-12T07:05:54.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Nobody here or there could write this question just as you have managed to ask. &#xA;Buddhism is not all about ending the suffering, it is also about ending self, right. But by committing suicide the unknown purpose might not fullfill. Consider life as a chance. Do not ask. Do it independently, practically and then confirm it to us. Help us. Do not live in confusion for so long. Confirm your doubts practically, do not follow any buddhist but yourself and reach at a status where you would even reject yourself. If you got a question then you got a job, a job assigned to you by your own nature to find an ultimate answer. Remember when you start invading your illusion, you start hurting yourself. But still 'oneself would be there to you to address and improve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T07:05:54.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11460" CreationDate="2015-09-12T07:50:27.427" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;While there is considerable variety of views amongst people who identify themselves as secular Buddhists, they all seem to converge in rejecting what is often loosely called &amp;quot;metaphysics&amp;quot;. This means that they reject all forms of belief that are not rooted in science and/or common sense. Thus they reject any and all supernatural entities, forces, or states, not so much from an ideological point of view, but because of a long history of such things being debunked; because of the exposure of many, many hoaxes; and because the theories of science are so very successful and the supernatural is ruled out by these theories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhists seem to identify with the European Enlightenment which aimed to free people from the despotism of the Church, the oppression of superstition, and general ignorance. Secular Buddhists take nothing on faith, whereas traditionalist Buddhists take a great deal on faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some answers to these specific questions can be found on the Secular Buddhist Association Website. &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://secularbuddhism.org/&lt;/a&gt;. Doug Smith, who holds a PhD in philosophy, has written a number of essays on these and related subjects, for example he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Nevertheless from my limited perspective on the path it would seem as though nibbāna is not, should not, and cannot be entirely beyond our ability to comprehend. If it were, it would be of correspondingly scant interest to us. Therefore we are to take expressions of its ineffability as a kind of poetic attempt to express the extremity of its greatness. Nibbāna is the extinction — or perhaps the near extinction — of greed, hatred, and certain forms of ignorance. And parinibbāna does not amount to some “diffuse, indeterminate” way of being, but rather is the simple death of an enlightened person, without remainder.&amp;quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;https://secularbuddhism.org/two-issues-with-nibbana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Two Issues With Nibbāna&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere (&lt;a href=&quot;https://secularbuddhism.org/can-a-layperson-attain-nibbana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Can a Layperson Attain Nibbāna&lt;/a&gt;?) Smith discusses the traditional view that only monastics can attain nibbāna and gives a response from a secular point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the most prominent secular Buddhist is Stephen Batchelor, a former monk and translator of Buddhist texts. He has downplayed the issue of nibbāna&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a secular Buddhist. It has taken me years to fully “come out,” and I still feel a nagging tug of insecurity, a faint aura of betrayal in declaring myself in these terms. As a secular Buddhist my practice is concerned with responding as sincerely and urgently as possible to the suffering of life in this world, in this century (our saeculum) where we find ourselves now and future generations will find themselves later. Rather than attaining nirvana, I see the aim of Buddhist practice to be the moment-to-moment flourishing of human life within the ethical framework of the eightfold path here on earth. – Stephen Batchelor, “A Secular Buddhist,” Tricycle Magazine, Fall 2012.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this rejection of the supernatural, and nibbāna in particular, has wide ranging doctrinal consequences. Secular Buddhists de-emphasise traditional Buddhist theories of the world which seem to revolve around supernatural concepts such as karma, rebirth, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, and focus on the experience of maintaining ethical and meditation practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2023-10-01T09:53:57.413" LastActivityDate="2023-10-01T09:53:57.413" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11469" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-12T09:10:31.673" Score="7" ViewCount="2096" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't find the breath (sometimes I can, but the majority of the time I can't) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I can't notice the rising and falling of the stomach even when lying and putting my hand on it and also to notice the breath in general is very hard for me.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I understand I can say if I don't notice it &quot;knowing&quot; or &quot;breath&quot; etc - but then I wait and wait and nothing - and in the mean time lots of secondary objects come up. If I follow them though its not good- because you should have a primary object to build concentration, so I need an &quot;anchor&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when I say &quot;knowing&quot; and then what should I do? Just focus on my belly? And if i don't feel anything? Not even in other areas like the nose - what should I do - focus harder? Follow secondary objects only? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have practiced for a long time now (did retreats etc) and I thought this problem would fix itself, but I still have this problem. When I meditate I do 1 hour walking, then 1 hour sitting (mahasi style).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T18:03:31.193" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T00:33:47.367" Title="Can't notice the breath" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2015-09-12T10:00:19.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would advise you to try the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) You need to greatly decrease your sitting and walking time. If you aren't yet able to stay with the breath, you will be better off doing smaller sessions since , presumably, your ability to do walking is fine, this will help build concentration (/as walking does in general). There is also not much sense doing such long sessions if you haven't properly worked up to that level. It's far more beneficial to meditate mindfully for 10 minutes than to sit there unmindfully for 60. Start much smaller, and very gradually increase :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) I would try laying down if you find it this difficult to find the breath. Instead of sitting, lay on your back, and even place your hands on your stomach if need be. Lying is a more relaxed position and should put you more at ease, making it easier to focus on your breath. Once you find you are able to focus on the breath while lying, perhaps increase your time lying from 10 to 15 to 20 minutes, over the course of a couple weeks. And then from there you may consider to begin doing sitting again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So when I say &quot;knowing&quot; and then what should I do? Just focus on my belly? &gt;And if i don't feel anything? Not even in other areas like the nose - what &gt;should I do - focus harder? Follow secondary objects only?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should attempt to return your focus to the rising and falling of the stomach, however, it's more important to develop a clear comprehension of where the mind is and what state it is in at any particular moment. You don't HAVE to be with or stay with the breath. You will be better off letting go of the desire to have awareness of the breath, as this will only create suffering. Have no expectation of the breath being there for you. Instead, with compassion, just observe where the mind is and in what state it is in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are experiencing here is the uncontrollable nature of all phenomenon :) As you can see, because you have an expectation that your meditation should be like X, and instead it is like Y, you suffer. You must let go of this, and instead, just know, &quot;this is how it is for now&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also advise you read Ven. Yuttadhammos booklet : &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to meditate&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also teaches in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, so this booklet will give you good instruction into your own practice, and should help clear up any confusion for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps - best of luck&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T12:11:02.727" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T12:11:02.727" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2015-09-12T10:00:38.000" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress&#xA;(suffering): the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied&#xA;by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving&#xA;for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, &lt;strong&gt;craving for&#xA;non-becoming&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is that suffering is caused by craving. And there are 3 types of craving (sensual pleasure, becoming and non-becoming).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third type is &lt;strong&gt;vibhava tanha&lt;/strong&gt; (craving for non-becoming), which is discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7806/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, suicide is the idea to cease existing by death, in order to avoid suffering. It is also a form of craving according to the Buddha i.e. a craving to cease existing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And these 3 different types of craving are the origin of suffering. So, suicide is in fact counter-productive to the attempt to end suffering. If you examine the rest of the noble truths, the Buddha has other solutions to end suffering, instead of suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-05-08T08:53:58.140" LastActivityDate="2021-05-08T08:53:58.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2015-09-12T13:16:08.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;I have practiced for a long time now (did retreats etc) and I thought  this problem would fix itself&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1).&quot;I have practiced for a long time now (did retreats etc)&quot; this sound like you are expecting something.(think about what is that? )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are willing to calmness - That is it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Do not fear it. Let it be happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2). in question say ..because you should have a primary object...(to whom?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;so I need an &quot;anchor&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3). Theoretically  &quot;The Anchor&quot; is &quot;Reality&quot;(or any other similar word.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.) &quot;Follow secondary objects only?&quot; Can you explain them. (Are they same or differ in time).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.) &quot;So when I say &quot;knowing&quot; then what should I do?&quot;&#xA;Try to know &quot;knowing&quot; (Keep awareness what is happening, just see, no need to think).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T13:50:35.250" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T13:50:35.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2015-09-12T13:50:56.510" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hmmmm... interesting. Try this: do controlled breathing for a dozen breaths (count breaths on fingers and do a moderately-slow deliberate breath-ins and breath-outs), then for a dozen breaths let the breathing happen on auto-pilot (keep counting on fingers. I assume you have twelve fingers LOL).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you breathe deliberately you can't possibly NOT notice the breath, right? After all, at that time you are deliberately using the muscles of the chest and diaphragm to suck air into your lungs. So you should feel yourself pulling pulling pulling not too fast, slowing down, then stopping, holding a little, then going down and out out out not too fast, slowing down again, a tiny pause. It is what you yourself are doing, so you can't miss it, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then when you let it happen naturally, the same attention you used for deliberate breathing should continue on to natural breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, do you sit in Lotus / Half-lotus? Try sitting in Vajrasana - it arches your back a little more and forces to open the chest and diaphragm. Perhaps (I don't really know but I'm guessing) your breathing is too shallow because you are in the habit of blocking your lower abdomen? Vajrasana is a good posture for this kind of practice, to penetrate the lower chakras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T17:18:57.823" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T17:18:57.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10679" CreationDate="2015-09-12T13:58:56.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most important and genuine sayings are preserved, albeit scattered around, in Pali Tripitaka. Most are latter commentaries though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T14:06:09.243" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T14:06:09.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11462" CreationDate="2015-09-12T14:45:11.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What does the phrase “to armor oneself with vows” mean?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't recall seeing that exact phrase in the texts that I've read but the analogy of the vows being used as an armor symbolizes the protection they provide to oneself and others by observing them. You can see this theme in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Self-protected Discourse (&lt;em&gt;Atta-rakkhita Sutta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said&#xA;  to the Blessed One: &quot;Just now, lord, while I was alone in seclusion,&#xA;  this train of thought arose in my awareness: 'Who have themselves&#xA;  protected, and who leave themselves unprotected?' Then it occurred to&#xA;  me: 'Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, &amp;amp;&#xA;  mental misconduct leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron&#xA;  of elephant troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a&#xA;  squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might&#xA;  protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that?&#xA;  Because that's an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore&#xA;  they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily&#xA;  conduct, good verbal conduct, &amp;amp; good mental conduct have themselves&#xA;  protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a&#xA;  squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a&#xA;  squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they have&#xA;  themselves protected. Why is that? Because that's an internal&#xA;  protection, not an external one. Therefore they have themselves&#xA;  protected.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, great king! That's the way it is! Those who&#xA;  engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, &amp;amp; mental misconduct&#xA;  leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron of elephant&#xA;  troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of&#xA;  chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might protect them,&#xA;  still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that? Because that's&#xA;  an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore they leave&#xA;  themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily conduct,&#xA;  good verbal conduct, &amp;amp; good mental conduct have themselves protected.&#xA;  Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a squadron of&#xA;  cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a squadron of&#xA;  infantry troops might protect them, still they have themselves&#xA;  protected. Why is that? Because that's an internal protection, not an&#xA;  external one. Therefore they have themselves protected.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are others discourses that touch on this. I particularly have one in mind that relates very closely to this theme. I'll reference when I find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="92" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T14:45:11.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11476" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-12T14:46:18.223" Score="8" ViewCount="1552" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know if one can fall asleep into a dream while in the process of mindful insight practice and still maintain mindfulness and concentration? This would be different than establishing mindfulness while dreaming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2018-11-19T12:55:18.193" Title="Meditation Into A Dream State" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-concentration|sleep|dreams|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11477" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11479" CreationDate="2015-09-12T14:55:28.270" Score="5" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we consider person(Arthma) as a consciousness. When undergoing an operation, we are temporarily unconscious. Then what happens to that person while unconscious?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some related discussion are here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7810/i-want-to-understand-the-technicality-of-rebirth-and-what-happens-to-conditioned?rq=1&quot;&gt;I want to understand the technicality of rebirth and what happens to conditioned self&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/26/if-there-is-no-soul-how-can-there-be-rebirth&quot;&gt;If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3420/is-rebirth-a-delusional-belief&quot;&gt;Is rebirth a delusional belief?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5862/what-are-examples-of-identity-view&quot;&gt;What are examples of identity-view?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If we say these things are temporary illusions then how it is continued?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the similes use to explain this phenomena in any tradition?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-04-22T20:04:19.157" LastActivityDate="2019-04-23T06:44:39.727" Title="Is there person without consciousness?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|anatman|pratityasamutpada|aggregates|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11320" CreationDate="2015-09-12T15:09:39.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are all always beginners; so one could say that it is only beginners who give instruction. However, if you've only just started on your path not long ago, I would agree with the gist of the above posts: Give them the information you have found, give them your experiences, and explain what you know. With this, if they are interested, they will be able to learn more about it and exercise in their own way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real big thing here is that Vipassana doesn't require Dhamma to practice. You can walk a person to the waters of Vipassana, but you can't make them drink. Similarly, you can bring someone the Dhamma, but you can't make them know. The best way to share the Dhamma is through action. Cultivate Metta in your daily life, practice Dana, and exercise the refrain suggested in the 5 precepts. If a person wants to learn of course share what you know, but don't try to force the information on anyone. They will follow the path if it is right for them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6922" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T15:09:39.390" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11477" CreationDate="2015-09-12T15:18:29.750" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing happens to that person when consciousness ceases - there was never a person to begin with, only arising and ceasing of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realized after the fact that I can't sufficiently cite sources while on my phone - apologies for such an incomplete answer, I'll try and expand later :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-12T15:35:55.730" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T15:35:55.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2015-09-12T15:55:24.007" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That shouldn't be a problem. Putting the hand on the abdomen is acceptable and probably, after awhile, the rise and fall should be able to be seen without the hand. Also, it's ok to meditate while laying down were the abdomen is easier to experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really can't experience the rise and fall of the breath then another object can be used as the primary object as I mention below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question starts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now I understand I can say if I don't notice it &amp;quot;knowing&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;breath&amp;quot; etc - but then I wait and wait and nothing - and in the mean time lots of secondary objects come up.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are noting and are mindful that you are &amp;quot;knowing&amp;quot; then when are you waiting? Never wait while practicing. One  meditation object is not better or worse than any other meditation object. One's attitude towards anything during practice should be nonjudgmental and impersonal. If there is a judgment or a reaction then try to catch that phenomena and note it. I mean, if one is waiting and waiting, one might notice that one dislikes the waiting. Then one should try to catch that feeling of disliking so one can be mindful of the disliking(as a secondary object) and note it as &amp;quot;disliking&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;aversion&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I follow them though its not good- because you should have a primary object to build concentration, so I need an &amp;quot;anchor&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowing of the breath as undetectable is a fine anchor, you can change the anchor but maybe not if you can never detect the breath. It's commonly changed to the feeling of the body touching whatever it touches such as the feeling of ones bottom touching floor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have practiced for a long time now (did retreats etc) and I thought this problem would fix itself, but I still have this problem. When I meditate I do 1 hour walking, then 1 hour sitting (mahasi style).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a teacher you should listen like you have never listened before. Everyone who meditates can cut out years of bad  practice by getting good guidance from a good teacher and by listening very carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T16:01:32.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10887" CreationDate="2015-09-12T18:54:34.687" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Academic research is the raw material for my practice.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a secular Mahayana Buddhist. I'm skeptical of the traditional lineages. I don't think they transmit any single person's system and there is no particular reason to think any current one of them is better than the others. Also I'm not bothered by the fact that I have &quot;non-negotiable cultural demands&quot;-- the sexism, authoritarianism and the cultural conservatism are nonstarters. I can't in good consciousness sign up to be a Buddhist in any orthodox organization. But here I am! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a independent secular Buddhist, I have a project more than an orthodoxy to follow. I'm constructing my own Buddhism. The raw materials are modern day authors and academic scholars. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Sources I Use&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Some secular Buddhists believe that the historical Buddha was a crypto-Enlightenment era progressive and that his true words are in the Pali texts. I find the original texts to be unreadable jumbles. The real signal in the noise is the numerous commentaries, especially from the scholars because have the least incentive to put words into the mouth of the Buddha. Stephen Batchelor's work on reconstructing the politics and intrigue drenched life of the Buddha are highly influential for me, for example, I think it is important to think about how Mahakasyapa &amp;amp; other early leaders of the Sangha may have made rules because they needed to keep order in the ranks &amp;amp; not because it was in accord with the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The things that brought me to Buddhism in the first place were the Mahayana ideals of universalism, interconnection, social concern for the sick &amp;amp; poor, ahimsa and so on. So my next source is Chinese Buddhism, despite the celestial Buddhas and immortality cults. Again, I can't read it in the original and the most important thinkers, the Huayen, have no modern teachers. Chan &amp;amp; Zen have completely eclipsed Huayen, so the only modern masters of Huayen are the scholars who aren't usually self identifying Bodhisattvas let alone self identifying Buddhists! Jan Nattier and to a lesser extent Donald Lopez are my guides here. I try to read the original Sutras as translated by Cleary and the English translations of the Taisho, but my goodness, standards of acceptability of a text have changed so much.  Without the scholars to explain what the original authors were driving at and what mistakes the translators made, these sutras would only be useful for bird cage liner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm also influenced by Tom Pepper, Glenn Wallis-- I learn more from the criticism and the apollogia that I learn from emotional appeals to orthodoxy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of Shingon, the value of academia is to figure out what Esoteric Buddhism is at all. The material is officially secret, but the academics aren't paying attention to abiseka and creating a &quot;media blackout&quot; on the content of Shingon or esoteric Buddhism in general.  I haven't much decided what to do with ritual, but what ritual I do adopt is influenced by the academics, not the traditional teacher's books that pretty much assume you are an illiterate peasant and at best can aspire to be reborn as a monk and follow the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other thing I use academic Buddhism for is the game &quot;are they a believer or not&quot; The best you just can't tell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T18:54:34.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11482" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-12T19:02:33.230" Score="3" ViewCount="588" Body="&lt;p&gt;How are the elements of Buddhist Cosmology (31 planes of existence, hungry ghosts/shades, angry deities, etc.) confirmed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there writings of recent gurus in the past 50 years or so, confirming, questioning or analyzing the elements of this cosmology in the light of modern science and their own experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than faith in the ancient texts, is there any other basis for modern Buddhists to believe in Buddhist Cosmology? If so, what is that basis?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:42:10.917" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T15:41:57.633" Title="Can the elements of Buddhist Cosmology be confirmed?" Tags="|science|buddhist-cosmology|sceptic|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11483" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13788" CreationDate="2015-09-12T19:04:28.450" Score="10" ViewCount="495" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha give any teachings on how to deal with individuals spreading wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone is expounding their beliefs in a public forum under the guise of the Buddha's teaching, given the possibility that these views may misinform and lead others astray, does one have any responsibility to try to rectify this, and if so, what would be the proper way of addressing such an issue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T21:31:41.410" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T08:38:14.040" Title="How to address wrong view" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|mahayana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11435" CreationDate="2015-09-12T19:12:13.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Speaking from the position of the third (insight) training in Theravada: it is not necessary to believe that existence is suffering; it is important to train insight and see for yourself how things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha (which is perhaps better translated as unsatisfactoriness) is one of the three characteristics of everything (= all mind states -- except of the state of complete extinction of consciousness, nibbana), and is closely related to anatta (non-self, i.e. that you don't have 100% control over your experience) and anicca (everything is changing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, on a finer level, even positive mind-states (including blissful states of samatha) have a trace of dukkha. However, that does not mean that one should be demolishing everything positive by concentrating on that negative trace. Mindfulness strives to see things as they are, including the positive and negative, without blowing either of them out of proportion. That automatically includes deepening insight into what is dukkha, which is completely different from conceptual conviction about everything being &quot;suffering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The progress of insight training, as I understand it, is getting gradually beyond the positive/negative/neutral programming (i.e. positive → wanting, negative → avoiding, neutral → switching off; those 3 reactions are traditionally translated as greed/hatred/delusion) and accept with awareness whatever comes as it is, as a part of experience. One can/&quot;should&quot; fully enjoy what is enjoyable, mindfully, without attaching (attachment would cause suffering when the joy goes away), and truly appreciate joy while it is here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like middle way between renunciation and submergence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T19:12:13.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11460" CreationDate="2015-09-12T19:50:56.473" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regarding the secular aspect. Many Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including at least &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; Zen sects and &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; Tibetan Vajrayana lineages, understand the supernatural as skillful means (&lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;), that is to say, as useful metaphors/simplifications pointing to the real, but non-obvious, aspects of the so-called &quot;reality&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not to say that these schools subscribe to a naive form of materialism. Rather, this means that the Mahayana Buddhism (as much as I can claim to understand it) is &lt;em&gt;non-dualistic&lt;/em&gt; in its nature. It denies existence of multiple types of &lt;em&gt;principally&lt;/em&gt; different stuff, like consciousness made of some essence that scientists can't see with their tools, and other types of dualistic &quot;magic&quot;. Instead, in non-dualistic Mahayana view, &quot;the magic&quot; and the mundane are made of the same stuff, and are inherently interlocked as two aspects of the same nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this standpoint, there is no need to posit any special kind of &quot;secular&quot; Buddhism, because Buddhism, from such a standpoint, already &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; and always has been non-theistic. Now, for practical reasons, I would not mind if Sat-Dharma presented itself as Secular Buddhism in this age, as an time-appropriate kind of &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;. This could work very well, as long as we respect the crucial difference between the perspective presented in the previous paragraph vs. the crude materialistic perspective of pretending that the &quot;subtle&quot; side of phenomena does not exist, which would be like throwing the baby out with the water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T16:36:42.857" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T16:36:42.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11487" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11495" CreationDate="2015-09-12T21:40:01.820" Score="2" ViewCount="553" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before Siddhartha Gautama attained Enlightenment, did he have a normal human body with normal human attributes? Or was his body anatomically different or superior to yours and mine in its physical attributes? If different, in what ways was it different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before Enlightenment, did Siddhartha Gautama have a &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; (or mental/spiritual capabilities) that was different from a normal human mind? If his mind differed from yours and mine, in what ways did it differ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do scriptural writings and recent gurus say about this? What are your own thoughts about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T19:49:08.920" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T19:49:08.920" Title="Was The Buddha only human, or was he super-human?" Tags="|the-buddha|sceptic|medical-science|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11488" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11490" CreationDate="2015-09-12T21:50:02.110" Score="6" ViewCount="335" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere that the Middle Length and Long Discourses in the Pali Canon were intended for different audiences. I think it was that the Long Discourses were intended to convert people to Buddhism and the Middle Length discourses were targeted at experienced practitioners. I could have got that the wrong way around or just generally wrong but I do remember that someone said they were intended for different groups of people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that ring true with anyone? Can anyone give any further details of whether these parts where for different people and if any of the other parts of the Pali Canon would also be intended for different people. I'm more thinking about the Sutta Pitaka. Clearly the Vinaya Pitaka was for monks and the Abhidhamma Pitaka would have been more advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T15:58:30.360" Title="Were different parts of the Pali Canon intended for different audiences?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|sutras|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11383" CreationDate="2015-09-12T23:10:36.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually wife is younger than husband. So they do not need to die at the same time to be marry on the next life. The real difficult part of here is to born in same world (for example both become humans) in a manner that they meet again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one can control this and no one can guarantee that they will meet again. (But there can be people who can tell whether they are going to meet again or not.) It's Karma which going to decide all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For your reference, this is how rebirth happens as of my understanding. I am calling 'thought' a single 'Sitha'. Correct word is not thought. But I don't know what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person is about to die, one of three things comes to his mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Karma Nimiththa' This is either tools, people or  animals, helped to do the Karma caused to next life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Gathi nimiththa' This is something related to next life he is about to reborn. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Karma' This is Karma itself, which caused to next life. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once this thought comes, he begins to think in that direction. When the last thought of this life ends, the next thought of the same thought generation will generate on the body of the new life. This is saying person go to a new life. There is no intermediate body and nothing goes to next life from this life. Just a connection between the generation of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-12T23:10:36.757" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11488" CreationDate="2015-09-13T00:23:34.693" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each Sutta was intended for a specific audience to address a specific issue. This is one of the reasons why there was a need for an Abhidhamma that consolidated the messages from all of the Suttas into a overarching framework.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are absolutely correct that each Nikāya has a different &quot;character&quot;. The Dīgha Nikāya tends to include a lot of mythological material and complex arguments. The Majjhima Nikāya tends to include clear explanations of fundamental doctrines. Because of these differences, the different Nikāya appeal to different people for different reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that it is important to view the Sutta Piṭaka as collections that evolved over hundreds of years. There was no &quot;master compiler&quot; who said, &quot;Okay, let's put that here for this reason...&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recent scholarship has compared the Pāḷi Suttas with the Sutras from other schools. Schools started to diverge about 100 years after the Buddha's parinibbāna. In general, the core messages contained in the Suttas and the core messages contained in the Sutras are almost the same, suggesting that the core messages predate the split. Some of the details contained in the Suttas and the details contained in the Sutras are different, suggesting that some of the details were added / deleted / changed after the split. In many cases, the organization of the Suttas is different from the organization of the Sutras, suggesting that the final compilation into Nikāya / Āgama was not determined until after the split. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;BTW, the Abhidhamma and the Abhidharma are quite different, suggesting that these were not &quot;fully baked&quot; at the time of the split.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So getting back to your main question... I do not believe that the different &quot;character&quot; of each Nikāya was by grand design, it was more &quot;evolution&quot; rather than &quot;creationism&quot; :-) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, the Suttas (MN 22) mention nine ways of presenting the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dialogues (&lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt;), narratives of mixed prose and verse (&lt;em&gt;geyya&lt;/em&gt;), explanations (&lt;em&gt;veyyakaraṇa&lt;/em&gt;), verses (&lt;em&gt;gāthā&lt;/em&gt;), spontaneous exclamations (&lt;em&gt;udāna&lt;/em&gt;), quotations (&lt;em&gt;itivuttaka&lt;/em&gt;), birth stories (&lt;em&gt;jātaka&lt;/em&gt;), amazing events (&lt;em&gt;abbhutadhamma&lt;/em&gt;), question &amp;amp; answer sessions (&lt;em&gt;vedalla&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at this list, it appears to be grouped according to style of presentation rather than by intended audience. Some of these (&lt;em&gt;udāna&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;itivuttaka&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;jātaka&lt;/em&gt;) ended up being separate texts in the Khuddaka Nikāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T08:02:18.017" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T08:02:18.017" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11487" CreationDate="2015-09-13T00:27:10.553" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Gautama Buddha had &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_32_Signs_of_a_Great_Man&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;32 major qualities&lt;/a&gt;, as do all Buddhas a.k.a. one who has attained the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, as well as the nirmanakaya--the latter two of which correspond to the physical attainments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These physical attainments progress according to the Taoist timeline of physical transformation of jing, chi, shen transformation but in Buddhism, which focuses on Wisdom, it is not necessary to focus on the physical aspect because this occurs automatically when one's mind is in the right place (Four Noble Truths, Right Samadhi, 8 + 2 Eightfold Path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His mind is a mind free from the skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for atman... He &lt;strong&gt;experientially&lt;/strong&gt; discovered that there is no atman, that it is a causation illusion via the aggregates/skandhas, that we are the an ocean of interdependence... of Self and thus paradoxically, he attained the true Atman, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya#Tibetan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/a&gt;, becoming free from birth-and-death and forever serving ourself as a Buddha because such a perfectly compassionate &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya#Immortality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;immortal&lt;/a&gt; has nothing better to do with their time... this didn't happen at once and occured in a step-wise progression through the Four Noble Truths (which includes letting go of the things that bind one to Atman).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above idea would be a Mahayana and Tibetan idea... less a Theravadin idea which insists on &quot;annihilation&quot; of self... (which in a sense is the same meaning because one annihilates oneself into the Buddhahood of serving others manifesting limitless skillful means and having uprooted one's poisons and afflictions already...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T07:19:45.290" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T07:19:45.290" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11487" CreationDate="2015-09-13T03:28:48.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adding to Ahmed's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level2_lamrim/initial_scope/safe_direction/thirty_excellent_signs_major_marks_.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;32 physical characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. They are too detailed to be listed here. Please see the link.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for mind, heart and character, he had all the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paramis&lt;/a&gt;. The Theravada paramis are listed here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Dāna pāramī : generosity, giving of oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sīla pāramī : virtue, morality, proper conduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nekkhamma pāramī : renunciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Paññā pāramī : transcendental wisdom, insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Viriya pāramī : energy, diligence, vigour, effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Khanti pāramī : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sacca pāramī : truthfulness, honesty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Adhiṭṭhāna pāramī : determination, resolution&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mettā pāramī : loving-kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Upekkhā pāramī : equanimity, serenity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as for Atman, he had just the same as everybody else, which is no Atman i.e. no permanent absolute soul or self. You can read on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt;, which is from the Third Mark of Existence. It is said that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt; was uniquely discovered and taught by the Buddha and is not part of Hinduism and Jainism. The other two marks of existence may overlap with Hindu and Jain teachings. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; may also be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your question on whether I believe in these or not, well, to be honest, I'm a little skeptical that any human had 40 teeth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T03:41:02.427" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T03:41:02.427" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11383" CreationDate="2015-09-13T07:27:38.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Time is different in the heaven realms and animal realms. This is a Buddhist cosmological fact that I can reference the Buddhist scholar Brian Ruhe's books and youtube videos for... and then can find which Theravadin sutra talks about it (it should be the one about The Thirty-One Planes of Existence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compared to the human plane, time is faster in the lower planes and much slower in the higher planes (1 day in the heavenly realm is equal to thousands of days in the human [or was it a million?]).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, to answer your question, that is how; one partner may have spent some time in animal realm while the other may have spent some time in heaven and then they both sank to human realm at same time, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This cycle of break-up and getting back together happened again and again hundreds of times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Sounds like my last relationship.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can give you a precise answer if you have a textual reference where such a story came from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If such a story was from gossip alone, then you may know that it came from the Buddhist cosmological time difference fact that I stated above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T07:27:38.173" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11487" CreationDate="2015-09-13T08:29:24.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 32 attributes are a very curious feature of early Buddhist texts. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to trace them to any other system of thought. They are sometimes hinted to have come from Brahmins, but do not occur in any of the Vedas or Upaniṣads. The characteristics could not be seen by most people anyway, so to argue that they were &quot;physical characteristics&quot; is inaccurate. Only people with psychic powers were able to discern the marks, and some of them could not see all of the marks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all other respects the Buddha as portrayed in the early Buddhist texts had an ordinary human body. He had to sleep, eat and defecate; he felt pain; he grew old; and he died. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later Buddhists however began to make the Buddha more and more super-human. Some Mahāyāna texts argue that his human body was simply a manifestation of a higher order existence. By the mature Mahāyāna the Buddha is fully superhuman and somehow still not a god, like Jehovah. He did not create the world and karma is still largely responsible for morality, though the Buddha has a godlike perspective on the workings of karma right from the beginning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A similar story seems to play out with the Buddha's mind. Through his practices he gains knowledge (ñāna) that sets him free, but that knowledge includes all kinds of supernatural powers, ESP and so on. He becomes omniscient and omnipresent, but not omnipotent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very important to emphasise that Buddhists do not believe in ātman. Indeed we would argue that we &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; that there is no ātman. Thus nothing could be said about the Buddha's ātman, since he does not have one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T08:29:24.483" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2015-09-13T08:38:00.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;From what arise contentions and disputes, lamentations and sorrows, along with selfishness and conceit, and arrogance along with slander? From where do these various things arise? Come tell me this.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;From being too endeared (to objects and persons) arise contentions and disputes, lamentations and sorrows along with avarice, selfishness and conceit, arrogance and slander. Contentions and disputes are linked with selfishness, and slander is born of contention.&quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.11.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalahavivada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Sn 862-877). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T08:38:00.557" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11497" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11511" CreationDate="2015-09-13T10:37:49.797" Score="3" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am given to understand that a true Buddhist seeks tirelessly to liberate from the suffering (dukkha) of existence all living beings, and not only humans. Attainment of Buddhahood depends on such actions on an ongoing basis, I am told. Based on this, my question is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Apart from generally showing compassion and benevolence towards all living beings, in what ways do accomplished Buddhism practitioners work for the liberation of living being as diverse as, say, ants, pine trees, salmon and e-coli bacteria? What do the scriptures say, and what do the more recent writings say on this matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) How do accomplished Buddhism practitioners liberate from dukkha the beings of non-earthly nature of other lokas, such as angry deities and hungry ghosts? What do the scriptures say, and what does recent literature say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T00:56:48.663" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T01:30:29.230" Title="How to work for liberating ALL living beings?" Tags="|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11498" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-13T11:23:18.733" Score="2" ViewCount="950" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the descriptions of stream-enterer (sotāpanna) is one which says that they is not capable of committing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Six_actions_that_cannot_be_committed&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;six wrong actions&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Murdering one's own mother.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Murdering one's own father.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Murdering an arahant.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Maliciously injuring the Buddha to the point of drawing blood.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Deliberately creating a schism in the monastic community.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Taking another teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do the scriptures and/or commentators say something&lt;/strong&gt; about the significance of this particular selection of actions? Why are these (and not some other) actions the ones which cannot be committed?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is it suggested hereby that &lt;strong&gt;creating a schism&lt;/strong&gt; in the monastic community &lt;strong&gt;is as grave an action&lt;/strong&gt; as patricide, matricide or murder of a holy and peaceful person? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does it also mean that taking another teacher &lt;strong&gt;is like wounding one's teacher&lt;/strong&gt;, which is as terrible an offence as patricide, matricide, murder etc?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T12:43:54.327" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T05:59:12.800" Title="Why is a sotāpanna defined as unable to take another teacher and unable to commit matricide?" Tags="|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11499" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Scepticism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skepticism or scepticism (see spelling differences) is generally any questioning attitude towards unempirical knowledge or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophical skepticism is a systematic approach that questions the notion that absolutely certain knowledge is possible. Classical philosophical skepticism derives from the 'Skeptikoi', a school who &quot;asserted nothing&quot;. Adherents of Pyrrhonism (and more recently, partially synonymous with Fallibilism), for instance, suspend judgment in investigations. Skeptics may even doubt the reliability of their own senses. Religious skepticism, on the other hand, is &quot;doubt concerning basic religious principles (such as immortality, providence, and revelation)&quot;. Scientific skepticism is about testing scientific beliefs for reliability, by subjecting them to systematic investigation using the scientific method, to discover empirical evidence for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Philosophical skepticism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In philosophical skepticism, pyrrhonism is a position that refrains from making truth claims. A philosophical skeptic does not claim that truth is impossible (which itself would be a truth claim), instead it recommends &quot;suspending belief&quot;. The term is commonly used to describe philosophies which are similar to philosophical skepticism, such as academic skepticism, an ancient variant of Platonism that claimed knowledge of truth was impossible. Empiricism is a closely related, but not identical, philosophy to philosophical skepticism. Empiricists claim empiricism is a pragmatic compromise between philosophical skepticism and nomothetic science; philosophical skepticism is in turn sometimes referred to as &quot;radical empiricism.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Western Philosophical skepticism originated in ancient Greek philosophy. The Greek Sophists of the 5th century BC were partially skeptics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pyrrho of Elis (365–275 BC) is usually credited with founding the &quot;school&quot; of skepticism. He traveled to India and studied with the &quot;gymnosophists&quot; (naked lovers of wisdom), which could have been any number of Indian sects. From there, he brought back the idea that nothing can be known for certain. The senses are easily fooled, and reason follows too easily our desires. Pyrrhonism was a school of skepticism founded by his follower Aenesidemus in the first century BC and recorded by Sextus Empiricus in the late 2nd century or early 3rd century AD. Subsequently, in the &quot;New Academy&quot; Arcesilaus (c. 315–241 BC) and Carneades (c. 213–129 BC) developed more theoretical perspectives by which conceptions of absolute truth and falsity were refuted as uncertain. Carneades criticized the claims of the Dogmatists, especially supporters of Stoicism, asserting that absolute certainty of knowledge is impossible. Sextus Empiricus (c. AD 200), the main authority for Greek skepticism, developed the philosophy further, incorporating aspects of empiricism into the basis for asserting knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greek skeptics criticized the Stoics, accusing them of dogmatism. For the skeptics, the logical mode of argument was untenable, as it relied on propositions which could not be said to be either true or false without relying on further propositions. This was the regress argument, whereby every proposition must rely on other propositions in order to maintain its validity (see the five tropes of Agrippa the Sceptic). In addition, the skeptics argued that two propositions could not rely on each other, as this would create a circular argument (as p implies q and q implies p). For the skeptics, such logic was thus an inadequate measure of truth and could create as many problems as it claimed to have solved. Truth was not, however, necessarily unobtainable, but rather an idea which did not yet exist in a pure form. Although skepticism was accused of denying the possibility of truth, in fact it appears to have mainly been a critical school which merely claimed that logicians had not discovered truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Islamic philosophy, skepticism was established by Al-Ghazali (1058–1111), known in the West as &quot;Algazel&quot;, as part of the Ash'ari school of Islamic theology, whose method of skepticism shares many similarities with Descartes' method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an effort to avoid skepticism, René Descartes begins his Meditations on First Philosophy attempting to find indubitable truth on which to base his knowledge. He later recognizes this truth as &quot;I think, therefore I am,&quot; but before he finds this truth, he briefly entertains the skeptical arguments from dreaming and radical deception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;David Hume has also been described as a skeptic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pierre Le Morvan (2011) has distinguished between three philosophical approaches to skepticism. The first he terms the &quot;Foil Approach.&quot; According to this approach, skepticism is treated as a problem to be solved, or challenge to be met, or threat to be parried; skepticism's value according to this method, insofar as it is deemed to have one, accrues from its role as a foil contrastively illuminating what is required for knowledge and justified belief. The second he calls the &quot;Bypass Approach&quot; according to which skepticism is bypassed as a major concern of epistemology. Le Morvan advocates a third approach—he dubs it the &quot;Health Approach&quot;—that explores when skepticism is healthy and when it is not, or when it is virtuous and when it is vicious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Scientific skepticism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A scientific (or empirical) skeptic is one who questions beliefs on the basis of scientific understanding. Most scientists, being scientific skeptics, test the reliability of certain kinds of claims by subjecting them to a systematic investigation using some form of the scientific method. As a result, a number of claims are considered &quot;pseudoscience&quot; if they are found to improperly apply or ignore the fundamental aspects of the scientific method. Scientific skepticism may discard beliefs pertaining to things outside perceivable observation and thus outside the realm of systematic, empirical falsifiability/testability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Religious skepticism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Religious skepticism generally refers to doubting given religious beliefs or claims. Historically, religious skepticism can be traced back to Socrates, who doubted many religious claims of the time. Modern religious skepticism typically emphasizes scientific and historical methods or evidence, with Michael Shermer writing that it is a process for discovering the truth rather than general non-acceptance. For this reason a religious skeptic might believe that Jesus existed while questioning claims that he was the messiah or performed miracles (see historicity of Jesus). Religious skepticism is not the same as atheism or agnosticism, though these often do involve skeptical attitudes toward religion and philosophical theology (for example, towards divine omnipotence). Religious people are generally skeptical about claims of other religions, at least when the two denominations conflict concerning some stated belief. Additionally, they may also be skeptical of the claims made by atheists. The historian Will Durant writes that Plato was &quot;as skeptical of atheism as of any other dogma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skepticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://meta.buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1715/should-we-have-a-tag-for-sceptical-questions&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Meta-Discussion on Scepticism.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11500" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" Score="0" Body="Skepticism or scepticism (see spelling differences) is generally any questioning attitude towards unempirical knowledge or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere." OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T12:53:04.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2015-09-13T14:05:00.557" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course others have responsibility to rectify the wrong views. There were several individuals spreading wrongly grasped views on Dhamma even during Buddha's time like &lt;em&gt;Arittha, Sati and Sunakkhattha&lt;/em&gt;. Buddha's and other monks' reactions on such situations are detailed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha explains the plight of such people, as if grasping a snake from it's coils in the water snake simile in Alagaddupama sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;there is the case where some worthless men study the Dhamma... Having studied the Dhamma, they don't ascertain the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment. Not having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment, they don't come to an agreement through pondering. They study the Dhamma both for attacking others and for defending themselves in debate. &lt;em&gt;They don't reach the goal for which [people] study the Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Their wrong grasp of those Dhammas will lead to their long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering. Why is that? Because of the wrong-graspedness of the Dhammas.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alagaddupama sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for people studying the Dhamma for its real purpose, that is the cessation of suffering, Buddha's advice is to question &lt;em&gt;him&lt;/em&gt; or an &lt;em&gt;experienced monk&lt;/em&gt; when there's doubt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, monks, when you understand the meaning of any statement of mine, that is how you should remember it. But when you don't understand the meaning of any statement of mine, then right there you should cross-question me or the experienced monks.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alagaddupama sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T14:05:00.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11435" CreationDate="2015-09-13T14:36:00.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You got &quot;existence is suffering&quot; right. Some people think &quot;life is suffering&quot;, which is the wrong interpretation. Life as you say, is a roller coaster of many emotions and experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one's neverending existence, one is subject to birth, death, rebirth, experiencing endless ups and downs of pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, gaining and losing loved ones, having unfulfilled desires, experience good and bad health etc. Nothing that is joyful lasts forever. Nothing that is sorrowful can be avoided forever. Just imagine undergoing these for eternity without rest. Not just as a human, but also in other realms. This is the &lt;strong&gt;first noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Of course, you are not compelled to try to escape this &quot;suffering&quot;. If you enjoy your current state of existence and life, you should really continue with it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.&lt;/strong&gt; There are many who come to Buddhism, for reasons other than Nirvana, like seeking peace of mind through the meditation techniques, even if it's only for a short time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;second noble truth&lt;/strong&gt; states that this suffering is caused by craving to what is satisfying and aversion to what isn't satisfying. Of course, one type of craving is to sensual pleasures that doesn't require explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another is the craving for &quot;becoming&quot;, meaning, the craving to be a person, to live a life, to thrive, to seek happiness, to build a career, to raise a family, to be your own man or woman, to experience all that life has to offer, to have a personal history that is worth looking back to and telling to your grandchildren. But unfortunately, this will not last forever, and everything that you have built will pass away, just as you would. Family members could turn against you, wealth can suddenly diminish, careers can crumble, things that you desire can be taken away from you etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then this leads to the &lt;strong&gt;third noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;. That suffering can be ended, by removing this craving and clinging. When suffering is ended, Nirvana is reached. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/studysn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This source&lt;/a&gt; defines Nirvana in a number of ways including &quot;the stable, the peaceful, the deathless, the sublime, the auspicious, the secure, the wonderful, the amazing, the unailing, the unafflicted, purity, freedom, the island, the shelter, the asylum, the refuge, the destination.&quot; In other words, the goal of Buddhism is to provide everlasting bliss in Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what does this mean to ordinary beings who are far away from the destination and refuge of Nirvana? Buddha wants us to seek joy, but not in things that are impermanent, because things that are impermanent will not provide you with that stable joy that you seek. But does this mean that we should avoid life and avoid pleasures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This then leads to the &lt;strong&gt;fourth noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;, that the path to Nirvana is through the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;, that supports a balanced life. So, that you may still live a life, seek happiness, raise a family, build a career, thrive, enjoy pleasures etc. but within a framework that will eventually lead you towards Nirvana, rather than spiralling towards the perpetuation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha also taught the practice of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;. The first three of these are loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna) and empathetic joy (taking delight in others' well being). So, Buddhists are not meant to be dead serious. They are meant to radiate with joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T15:02:51.100" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T15:02:51.100" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11384" CreationDate="2015-09-13T15:32:35.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;h2&gt;From Dīgha Nikāya 16 - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāparinibbānasutta&lt;/a&gt; The Discourse about the Great Emancipation&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Gracious One said this, and after saying this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, said something more:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;“Youths and also the old, fools and also the wise,&#xA;Rich and also the poor—all end in death.&#xA;Like an earthen vessel made by a potter&#xA;Small and great, that which is baked and unbaked,&#xA;All end in breakage, just so life ends in death.”&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Teacher, said something more:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;“Well-matured, decayed, with little of my life remaining,&#xA;Having abandoned rebirth I will go, having made myself a refuge.&#xA;Be heedful, mindful, and virtuous, monks,&#xA;With well-reasoned thoughts, protect your minds.&#xA;&#xA;Whoever in this Teaching and Discipline will live heedful,&#xA;Having given up the round of rebirths, he will put an end to suffering.”&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T15:32:35.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2015-09-13T15:34:47.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   &lt;sub&gt;--&lt;em&gt;MN 58&lt;/em&gt;, Prince Abhaya Sutra&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this vein, I think you can address the problem by showing how &quot;someone's expounding their beliefs in a public forum&quot; is &quot;unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are here, O monks, some foolish men who study the Teaching; having studied it, they do not wisely examine &lt;strong&gt;the purpose&lt;/strong&gt; of those teachings. To those who do not wisely examine &lt;strong&gt;the purpose&lt;/strong&gt;, these teachings will not yield insight.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;--&lt;em&gt;MN 22, The Snake Simile Sutra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the above I feel that by shifting our focus from the metaphysics (&quot;how things &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) and towards &lt;strong&gt;the purpose&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e. soteriological methodology -- &quot;how to &lt;em&gt;act&lt;/em&gt; towards Bodhi&quot;) we can all avoid hurtful and non-productive arguments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T21:35:16.463" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T21:35:16.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2015-09-13T16:07:31.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Extract from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One together with a great Community of monks arrived at Bhoganagara. There the Gracious One lived near Bhoganagara at the Joyous Shrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying: “I will teach these Four Great Referrals, monks, listen to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One, and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) “Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘I have heard this directly from the Gracious One, friends, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that monk,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that monk.’ This, monks, is the first Great Referral you should bear in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place lives a Community with elders and leaders, I have heard this directly from that Community, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ Those monks’ speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that Community,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that Community.’ This, monks, is the second Great Referral you should bear in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place live many elders, very learned, who have learned the traditions, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the Discipline, bearers of the Tabulation, I have heard this directly from those elders, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ Those monks’ speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by those elders,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by those elders.’ This, monks, is the third Great Referral you should bear in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7) Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘In a certain dwelling place lives one elder, very learned, who has learned the traditions, a bearer of the Teaching, a bearer of the Discipline, a bearer of the Tabulation, I have heard this directly from that elder, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that elder,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that elder.’ This, monks, is the fourth Great Referral you should bear in mind. These, monks, are the Four Great Referrals you should bear in mind.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T16:07:31.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11482" CreationDate="2015-09-13T16:33:58.383" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha's response to such questions has been that whether or not other worlds exist, his teaching is still beneficial if applied in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, for example, if it is said that acting on an extreme negativity-rooted-in-confusion leads to hell, whether the hell is taken literally as a place you go to or metaphorically as a highly disagreeable state of subjective experience, in either case it is something a sane person would definitely prefer to avoid, and so refraining from acting out one's negativity rooted in confusion should be beneficial in either case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I personally lean towards &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11485/43&quot;&gt;a more &quot;secular&quot; view&lt;/a&gt;, I feel that by shifting my focus from the metaphysics (&quot;how things are&quot;) and towards soteriological methodology (&quot;how to act towards Bodhi&quot;) I can avoid hurtful and non-productive arguments in the public space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T23:34:58.753" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11508" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-13T16:35:23.663" Score="4" ViewCount="858" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11482/can-the-elements-of-buddhist-cosmology-be-confirmed/11507#comment19041_11482&quot;&gt;This comment&lt;/a&gt; suggests that the various lokas and beings inhabiting them can be taken metaphorically, i.e. it said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of these can be answered with references back to metaphorical interpretations, by both traditional lineages and by the modern secular Buddhism movement. If I were you I would ask questions about the meaning behind the metaphorical language and how it can be applied to solve the problems of life and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as a follow-on from that comment — i.e. if or when they &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; interpreted metaphorically:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there an overarching metaphorical meaning of the 31 lokas, and the various kinds of beings that inhabit them? What is the meaning, and how does this meaning help the practitioners of Buddhism, and all earthly beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia descrides the Bṛhatphala planes as follows — unless this reference is inaccurate, would you explain how &lt;em&gt;its&lt;/em&gt; metaphorical meaning can help practitioners and all earthly beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school#B.E1.B9.9Bhatphala_Planes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bṛhatphala Planes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two realms are a result of attaining the fourth jhana. They remain in the tranquil state attained in the 4th Jhana, and is characterized by equanimity (upekṣā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;22 - Unconscious beings (Asaññasatta) Realm of mindless beings who have only bodies without consciousness. Rebirth into this plane results from a meditative practice aimed at the suppression of consciousness. Those who take up this practice assume release from suffering can be achieved by attaining unconsciousness. However, when the life span in this realm ends, the beings pass away and are born in other planes where consciousness returns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;21 - Very Fruitful devas (vehapphala deva) In the Jhana Sutta of the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha said &amp;quot;The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a life-span of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T13:17:01.077" Title="How are the 31 planes of existence (especially Bṛhatphala planes) a practical metaphor?" Tags="|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11508" CreationDate="2015-09-13T18:37:00.920" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there an overarching metaphorical meaning of the 31 lokas, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the metaphorical style of interpretation, 31 planes of existence are a map of various lifestyles and mind states (with lower realms corresponding to neurotic conditions, and the higher realms to the meditative trance states) with examples of attitudes leading to and perpetuating such states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and the various kinds of beings that inhabit them? What is the meaning, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on my study of texts and my insight meditation, here are some very condensed and simplified descriptions. Please don't take these as all-encompassing definitions, they are just basic pointers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hell is a subjective state characterized by heavy antipathy and helplessness, in which &quot;how things are&quot; is 100% opposite of &quot;how you think it should be&quot; and you can't do anything about it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;animal realm is a life style characterized by complacency towards hardships and inconveniences, ignorance, lowly values and lack of ownership over one's destiny.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;preta's realm is a neurotic condition in which confusion, craving and negative prejudice continuously give rise to a cycle of false hope to attain something 100% worthy, alternating with bitter disappointment when &lt;em&gt;every consecutive&lt;/em&gt; object of one's pursuit fails to satisfy one's childishly simplified expectations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;human's realm is lifestyle and condition dominated by attachment to and preoccupation with what one holds important or dear, such as errands, projects, group interests, conflicts etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;asura's realm is a mindset and attitude of extreme intelligence and ambition / competitiveness, without regards for others' well-being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gods' realm or heaven is a temporary state when the objective state of things 100% matches one's expectations and one is deluded into assuming that things will never change. Deva' realms from 6 to 11 are different kinds of this state.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the form realms (#12 to 27) are semi-enlightened lifestyles and mindstates characterized by predominance of abstract thinking and substantial levels of insight into the nature of phenomena, resulting in relative absence of strong emotions. The only remaining source of conflicts and suffering in these realms is rigid adherence to one or the other philosophic position.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the formless realms (#28 to 31) are the predominant mindstates of yogis bent on the practice of transcendental absorption (cultivation of meditative trance) which are characterized by a temporary bliss followed by the inevitable return to the empirical world with its problems and pains.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and how does this meaning help the practitioners of Buddhism, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Study and meditation on the realms helps practitioners of Buddhism to disidentify / step aside from their own biases and states of mind, as well as to identify the conditions of others, and hopefully pick an appropriate corrective action towards the Liberation-By-Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... how [realms #21 and 22] metaphorical meaning helps practitioners ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realms #21 and 22 is a reference to mindstates of non-buddhist practitioners succeeding in meditation. Even though they may achieve bliss (#21) or suspension of consciousness (#22) because of their Wrong View they are bound to fall back to the lower realms. Metaphorical illustrations like these help the practitioners of Buddhism understand the subtle differences between correct and incorrect practices at advanced stages of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and all earthly beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All Buddhist practices directly or indirectly help &quot;all earthly beings&quot; as you call them, by reducing the amount of &quot;suffering pollution&quot; generated due to confusion and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T23:21:23.770" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T23:21:23.770" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11424" CreationDate="2015-09-13T22:23:41.360" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As ChrisW said, there are numerous examples of humor and irreverence in Zen lore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, unlike most of the jokes about e.g. Christianity which are often said without a wholesome purpose, or sometimes with the objective of pointing out an inconsistency in Christian declared values vs. practice, in Buddhism all activities, including jokes, are 100% subordinated to the primary goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you can understand the role of jokes in Zen Buddhism, you should understand the crucial role of attachments as obstacles to enlightenment. (I think you are very close to this already, since you have a natural antipathy to superstitions, unexamined beliefs, and rigid/stubborn adherence to subjective points of view &amp;amp; philosophical abstractions.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I can't give justice to this topic in one short answer, the idea is that attachments both bias the mind off an ideal objective basis AND lead onto dangerous and often harmful pursuits AND constitute the necessary condition of suffering due to a mismatch between &quot;how is&quot; and &quot;how should be&quot; (the target of attachment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional Buddhist device against an attachment is known as &lt;em&gt;an antidote&lt;/em&gt;. Often antidote takes form of an object opposite to the target of attachment. For example, when attachment is to sexual pleasures, the antidote is contemplation of decomposing corpses. When attachment is to negative attitude towards society, the antidote is generation of loving-kindness, etc. Which leads us to the role of humor as an antidote to attachment to ... the very Buddha Dharma itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for example, if a Zen master notices that his student lost his fundamental sanity and has &quot;gotten drunk on the shravaka wine&quot; to use Dogen's parable, he might offer a following piece of wisdom:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A monk once asked Ummon, &quot;What is the Buddha?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;A dried shit-stick!&quot;  -- was the answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Last night, this mountain monk [Dogen] unintentionally stepped on a dried turd and it jumped up and covered heaven and earth. This mountain monk unintentionally stepped on it again, and it introduced itself, saying, &quot;My name is Shakyamuni.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhi and Nirvana are poles for tying up donkeys.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you understand? Buddha-dharma is medicine for suffering caused by ignorance and attachment, including both intellectual ignorance and attachment, and emotional ignorance and attachment. There are very many different forms of delusion and attachment. Buddha said there are 84000 kinds! A particular form of medicine works better for a particular form of disease. Buddhist humor is one of such medicines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-13T23:27:18.237" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T23:27:18.237" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11497" CreationDate="2015-09-13T23:52:59.000" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the &quot;Heart Sutra in 8000 Lines&quot;, you liberate all &lt;em&gt;sentient&lt;/em&gt; beings by attaining direct realization that in fact there are no any such &quot;sentient beings&quot; to talk about. &quot;Sentient being&quot; is only a nominal designation. Two keywords to study are &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (sanskt., &lt;em&gt;anatman&lt;/em&gt;) and &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as a practice of &lt;em&gt;paramitas&lt;/em&gt; (of generosity, forbearance, renunciation, loving-kindness, and equanimity), the commitment to staying in samsara and deferring one's own liberation until all sentient beings attain nirvana, requires complete surrendering of one's antipathy to samsara and craving for peace, complete surrendering of one's ego - which (the surrendering) paradoxically becomes the gate to Realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-13T23:52:59.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11424" CreationDate="2015-09-14T00:00:22.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Re: Jokes in the canon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, in Mahayana, Sariputra was the butt of jokes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In in Theravada/Early Buddhistm, the ones that &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=BVvFBQAAQBAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PT41&amp;amp;ots=zevGnjK9z_&amp;amp;dq=gombrich%20buddha%20joke&amp;amp;pg=PT41#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=gombrich%20buddha%20joke&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gombrich found are considered to be the oldest and most authentic in the Pali texts because&lt;/a&gt; jokes can't be &quot;created by committee&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Re: Rules against jokes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some versions of the Vinaya included a rule against joking about the triple gem (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). I'll link to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/buddhist-jokes/#comment-4705&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;full comment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This rule is found in the orgin story to Sekhiya 51, and it imposes a&#xA;  so-called dukkata (lit. ‘badly done’) offence for making a joke about&#xA;  the Buddha, Dhamma or Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is difficult to interpret this kind of rule. What are the exact&#xA;  boundaries for the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha? Was this rule ever laid&#xA;  down by the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To answer the second question first, it seems unlikely that this rule&#xA;  goes all the way back to the Buddha. Firstly, the Sekhiya rules are&#xA;  the only Patimokkha rules for bhikkhus that vary considerably between&#xA;  the different schools of Buddhism; see e.g. W. Pachow’s “A Comparative&#xA;  Study of the Patimokkha”. This means that many of these rules belong&#xA;  to the sectarian period of Buddhism, a period that commenced perhaps&#xA;  200 years after the Buddha’s parinibbana. Secondly, it is generally&#xA;  accepted by scholars that the origin stories to the Patimokkha rules&#xA;  are later than the rules themselves. In my opinion, it is thus very&#xA;  unlikely that the Buddha ever laid down this rule. And if the Buddha&#xA;  didn’t lay it down, then it is not really binding on the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the same time, the Dhamma is clearly a serious matter. It would be&#xA;  irresponsible to poke fun at the Dhamma in such a way that people lose&#xA;  their respect for it. There is a fine line between reasonable&#xA;  merrymaking and degradation of the Dhamma, and I am not sure it is&#xA;  possible to make any hard and fast judgement as to what is acceptable&#xA;  and what is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alas, this world of ours is so full of grey areas! We crave the&#xA;  certainty of clear guidelines, yet often we have to rely on our own&#xA;  imperfect judgement to decide what is right and what is not. But if&#xA;  you are reasonably clear about your motivation, and you keep in mind&#xA;  the effect your speech probably will have on your listeners, then you&#xA;  can’t go far wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T00:00:22.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11497" CreationDate="2015-09-14T00:55:57.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Apart from generally showing compassion and benevolence towards all&#xA;  living beings, in what ways do accomplished Buddhism practitioners&#xA;  work for the liberation of living being as diverse as, say, ants, pine&#xA;  trees, salmon and e-coli bacteria? What do the scriptures say, and&#xA;  what do the more recent writings say on this matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the traditional Mahayana systems, not all living things are sentient, (else why would the traditional formulation even include the word?) True, some versions of Mahayana Buddhism incorporate &quot;nature&quot;, including trees and rocks. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This, but I'm looking for a better reference about the status of trees and rocks&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) How do accomplished Buddhism practitioners liberate from dukkha the&#xA;  beings of non-earthly nature of other lokas, such as angry deities and&#xA;  hungry ghosts? What do the scriptures say, and what does recent&#xA;  literature say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kṣitigarbha is an Bodhisattva (portrayed as an ordinary looking monk) who rescues people in the hells. Depending on the flavor of Mahayana Buddhism, this is either meant literally, or it is a story about what behavior that a Bodhisattva practicioner should emulate. (Scholar Jan Nattier in &quot;A Few Good Men&quot;, where she notes, &quot;After paying homage to the Tathagata at the entrance to the vihara, the bodhisattva is told to remind himself that &quot;I, too, should become one who is worthy of this kind of worship&quot;&quot;-- i.e. capital-B Bodhisattva's like Ksitigarbha are to be copied, not so much adored &amp;amp; petitioned for help. (This isn't true for all of subsequent Mahayana!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His greatest compassionate Vow being: &quot;If I do not go to the hell to&#xA;  help the suffering beings there, who else will go? ... if the hells&#xA;  are not empty I will not become a Buddha. Only when all living beings&#xA;  have been saved, will I attain Bodhi.&quot;&#xA;  ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/tstang-txt.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhanet&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullambana_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ullambana&lt;/a&gt; is about merit a son whose mother has become a hungry ghosts. He holds vegetarian feasts for monks, and then some percent of the merit accrues to his mother so that she can exit that realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Buddhists went through periods of reification of metaphors and de-reifications of metaphors. When sutras swing towards talking about sunyata/emptiness and the way our mind shapes our experience, then the heavens and hells are in our heads, metaphors for states of mind. And then next chapter they are reified again and people are taking the consequences of these stories very seriously. If there really are hells, it is our responsibility as Bodhisattvas to do something about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, often the &quot;doing something about it&quot; was deferred to the next life time. Ancient Buddhists were called upon to care for the sick, sometimes called on to give to the poor, particularly beggars, but the bulk of the good deeds done would be done in the next life.  In modern times, we're starting to see Humanistic Buddhism and Engaged Buddhism, so while I don't know how effective it is, some Buddhists have their heart in the right place when it comes to dealing with people who are in the metaphorical hells at the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T00:55:57.163" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11435" CreationDate="2015-09-14T02:21:19.020" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The gateway premise is not that &quot;existence is suffering&quot;, it is that &lt;strong&gt;&quot;something is wrong here&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. In other words, if you are perfectly satisfied with everything (are you?), if you are clear about the purpose of life, if you are a master in dealing with all possible kinds of situations -- then there is no reason for you to look out for anything at all, be it wisdom or liberation. If that is the case, then you are in a temporary heavenly state (to use Buddhist metaphorical language, wink-wink), which temporarily precludes any motivation to set on a spiritual quest to get to the bottom of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you feel that you are not living the life you should be living, if you clearly see society as fundamentally messed-up, and are not willing to be complacent about that, if you are haunted by the underlying feeling of wrongness, of incompleteness, if you feel that something is missing - then obviously you will be very motivated to seek a solution!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if life is relatively good - still, if you are any attentive and smart, you may find yourself not being satisfied with superficial success, with solving problems at superficial level -- instead you may want to take a step back and solve the underlying problem, and the problem underlying the underlying problem, and the problem underlying that problem, and so on - you want to get leverage over things, you want to find the fundamental solution, the universal principle... You have a sense that the way you deal with things, however well, still leaves something to be desired - but what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This feeling of deep buried wrongness, of aching incompleteness, of fundamental restlessness, of subtle unsatisfactoriness - that's what we're talking about here. This is where Buddhism begins: &quot;something is wrong here&quot;. This is known as &quot;the ground&quot;. You begin with what you have right here and now, the feeling of underlying incompleteness - and you are determined to not stop until you solve this most fundamental of all problems. The having solved the problem is known as &quot;the fruition&quot;. And the steps from here to there are called &quot;the path&quot;. These are the basic rules of the game. Makes sense, huh? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T02:21:19.020" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11497" CreationDate="2015-09-14T02:55:36.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This answer is based on Theravada. so it may not appropriate here, comparing with Andrei's answer.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Hasthipadopama Sutra&lt;/a&gt; in a paragraph&amp;quot;, you liberate '&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Your Self&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;' by attaining direct realization that in fact there are no any such &amp;quot;sentient beings&amp;quot; to talk about. &amp;quot;Sentient being&amp;quot; is only a nominal designation. Two keywords to study are anatta (sanskt., anatman) and shunyata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as a practice of paramitas (of generosity, forbearance, renunciation, loving-kindness, and equanimity + &lt;strong&gt;4&lt;/strong&gt;), the commitment to staying in samsara and deferring one's own liberation until all sentient beings attain nirvana, requires complete surrendering of one's antipathy to samsara and craving for peace, complete surrendering of one's ego - which (the surrendering) paradoxically becomes the gate to Realization.(&lt;em&gt;by removing the lock of it&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Hasthipadopama Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Friends, just as when a space is enclosed by timber and creepers,&#xA;grass, and clay, it comes to be termed just ‘house,’ so too, when a&#xA;space is enclosed by bones and sinews, flesh and skin, it comes to be&#xA;termed just ‘material form.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, friends, internally the eye is intact but no external forms come&#xA;into its range, and there is no corresponding conscious engagement,&#xA;then there is no manifestation of the corresponding section of&#xA;consciousness.    If internally the eye is intact and external forms&#xA;come into its range, but there is no corresponding conscious&#xA;engagement, then there is no manifestation of the corresponding&#xA;section of consciousness.    But when internally the eye is intact and&#xA;external forms come into its range and there is the corresponding&#xA;conscious engagement, then there is the manifestation of the&#xA;corresponding section of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The material form in what has thus come to be is included in the&#xA;material form aggregate affected by clinging. The feeling in what has&#xA;thus come to be is included in the feeling aggregate affected by&#xA;clinging. The perception in what has thus come to be is included in&#xA;the perception aggregate affected by clinging. The formations in what&#xA;has thus come to be are included in the formations aggregate affected&#xA;by clinging. The consciousness in what has thus come to be is included&#xA;in the consciousness aggregate affected by clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He understands thus: ‘This, indeed, is how there comes to be the&#xA;inclusion, gathering, and amassing of things into these five&#xA;aggregates affected by clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this has been said by the Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“One who sees dependent origination sees the Dhamma; one who sees the&#xA;Dhamma sees dependent origination.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And these five aggregates affected by clinging are dependently arisen.&#xA;The desire, indulgence, inclination, and holding based on these five&#xA;aggregates affected by clinging is the origin of suffering. The&#xA;removal of desire and lust, the abandonment of desire and lust for&#xA;these five aggregates affected by clinging is the cessation of&#xA;suffering.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At that point too, friends, much has been done by that bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T01:30:29.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11516" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T03:00:10.800" Score="6" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;I realize that at least the first part of the title is probably the most easily researched question with relevance to Buddhism possible, but I'd say I've read quite a bit and though I've seen very appealing and interesting ideas, I have no idea how to actually apply many of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a fourteen year old male. I've always sorta felt like there was something more but that Christianity always looked outside yourself seemed wrong. Recently I had a spiritual experience and soon after read Be Here Now and it all seems to fit perfectly. I just have no idea what to do. I have little choice in what I eat, wear, how I look, none in what I live (etc)... what do I do? I'm trying to meditate and though it does make me conscious and alert, I feel like soon after I feel a strange warm sensation I &quot;snap out of it&quot; automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More than the actual lifestyle changes, of course, I'm looking for changes in the way I think and act. The spiritual experience sorta let me see the degree to which almost everything around me is fake and wrong. I feel like I'm a much better person compared to the guy I was before but I'm just having incredible difficulties making it stay because though my state of mind and experience has changed, my surroundings have not and I feel like due to my confidence problems I conform.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize that this journey lasts a lifetime and forever, but I'm afraid that if I don't make progress and begin it'll just be a forgotten memory. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Any tips? What did you do that finally made you adopt the lifestyle? I'd be perfectly satisfied with a link or a name of a book but I need something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6928" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T07:16:05.343" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T04:31:18.213" Title="Getting started young with many attachments" Tags="|beginner|christianity|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11516" CreationDate="2015-09-14T04:31:18.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even if you might not see it, you are very lucky to start this journey (Buddhism?) at such a young age. Just having a sense of a direction shapes to some degree the choises you make and the way you approch life situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this age you might not have control of many decisions that affect you,so becomes even more important what you do with the aspects you can control ( who you spend your free time with, the books you read).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's very important to be kind with yourself. Like you've said, it's a long journey. Try to rejoyce for the smallest progress you make (maybe you're controling your temper for 5 minutes longer than you normally do, maybe you are a little bit kinder to stranger than you were before); don't condamne yourself for the mistakes, just make a mental note to try to do it better the next time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in Buddhism, the precepts are very important guides in our life journey. The important thing is they are trainings, aspects we can continuously work on. So maybe you would like to read more about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is the Eight Noble Path, the important training in morality, concentration and wisdom. I found very helpful the book of Lama Surya Das - Awakaning the Buddha within. There are many books on the topic, so just give it a try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Yuttadhammo has a series of youtube videos on diffrent aspects of life and meditation. I highly recommand theme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one last idea, try to focus on the things you can control, understand that continous insight takes a lot of work and meditate. &#xA;Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorUserId="5850" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T05:44:38.070" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T05:44:38.070" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11498" CreationDate="2015-09-14T06:31:42.850" Score="-1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What is &quot;Entering the Stream&quot;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta3/21-Khandha-Samyutta/03-01-Antavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;holding masses&lt;/strong&gt;, ( matter, feelings, perceptions, intentions, and consciousness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, when the noble disciple knows the arising, fading, satisfaction, danger, and the escape from these &lt;em&gt;five holding masses&lt;/em&gt; as&#xA;  they really are,it is said he has &lt;strong&gt;entered&lt;/strong&gt; the &lt;strong&gt;Stream of the&#xA;  Teaching&lt;/strong&gt;, would not fall from it, would directly aim extinction.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What are the &quot;Rewards&quot;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting from the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.097.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anisansa Sutta: Rewards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One is certain of the true Dhamma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   One is not subject to falling back.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   There is no suffering over what has had a limit placed on it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   One is endowed with uncommon knowledge.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   One rightly sees cause, along with causally-originated phenomena.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What are the &quot;Impossibles&quot; that &quot;Stream enterer&quot; cannot do.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the signs (or proofs) that one has entered the stream?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Quoting from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara4/6-chakkanipata/009-sitivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aṅguttara Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Impossible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The view about a self, (Identical View),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  doubts,(About Teacher, Doctrine and Community),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  grasping to the idea of breaking the rules and greed (Accept another teaching),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  hate and delusion (Karma) which lead to hellish results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;– Third on impossibilities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is impossible that one come to right view should. &lt;strong&gt;deprive the&#xA;    life of mother, father, of a noble one, with a defiled mind cause the&#xA;    blood of the Thus Gone One to spill, split the Community of bhikkhus,&#xA;    or appoint another, as teacher.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the reason?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The one come to right view, has thoroughly seen the&#xA;  reason that pleasantness and unpleasantness arises on account of some&#xA;  reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why a stream-winner cannot commit matricide etc. is because there is no such stress with him that capable enough to matricide etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most normal persons when get angry they behave without self control. A sothapanna has no wrong view such as &quot;The view about a self, doubts, grasping to the idea of breaking the rules and greed, hate and delusion which lead to hellish results.&quot; So there is no reasons to get angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T05:09:51.820" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T05:09:51.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11488" CreationDate="2015-09-14T07:07:46.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the first council collect Dhamma(suttas) from those who have listened from the teacher and check for correctness. After that group them as DN - Long, MN-Middle and (KN) Shorter ( Books) collections. Also some suttas group according to topics base in SN. In AN group in numerical base of topics for easy reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T07:07:46.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11482" CreationDate="2015-09-14T07:51:37.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; How are the elements of Buddhist Cosmology (31 planes of existence, hungry&#xA; ghosts/shades, angry deities, etc.) confirmed? &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those that are born natural Mediums. Their ability to detect outside the normal human frequency, like many animals, is heightened. Their E.S.P., or extra sensory perception, extends beyond the normal physical senses. They simply are able to tune into a frequency band greater than most. Some can see ghosts; some can only hear them, while other Mediums are shown visions and guidance in their mind's eye, or &quot;third eye&quot; from the beyond. These are the John Edwards of the world, or the crime solving specialists..... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Are there writings of recent gurus in the past 50 years or so, confirming,&#xA;questioning or analyzing the elements of this cosmology in the light of modern&#xA;science and their own experience?&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/edgarcayce.aspx?id=1036&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Edgar Cayce&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YO049.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YO049.png&quot; alt=&quot;http://www.edgarcayce.org/search.aspx?searchtext=cosmology&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    Other than faith in the ancient texts, is there any other basis for modern&#xA;Buddhists to believe in Buddhist Cosmology? If so, what is that basis?&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;parallel universes.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The multiverse&lt;/a&gt; (or meta-universe) is the hypothetical set of infinite or finite possible universes (including the Universe we consistently experience) that together comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy as well as the physical laws and constants that describe them. The various universes within the multiverse are also called &quot;parallel universes&quot; or &quot;alternate universes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The structure of the multiverse, the nature of each universe within it and the relationships among the various constituent universes, depend on the specific multiverse hypothesis considered. Multiple universes have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy, religion, philosophy, transpersonal psychology, and fiction, particularly in science fiction and fantasy. In these contexts, parallel universes are also called &quot;alternate universes&quot;, &quot;quantum universes&quot;, &quot;interpenetrating dimensions&quot;, &quot;parallel dimensions&quot;, &quot;parallel worlds&quot;, &quot;alternate realities&quot;, &quot;alternate timelines&quot;, and &quot;dimensional planes&quot;, among other names.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T15:41:57.633" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T15:41:57.633" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11522" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T09:33:54.030" Score="8" ViewCount="1815" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being married, I have of late been coming across the dilemma of whether to have a child or not and if yes, if a biological child or not (which by itself may be another question which I may ask separately).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when I ponder on the subject, I get the thought if it may be more meaningful to adopt an orphaned child instead of having a biological child. But again, although at the surface adoption appears to be an altruistic and more meaningful thought, if I think deeper, I really wonder if the desires as a result of which I would want to have a biological child (and which I want to avoid) are pretty much the same as those which want me to adopt one. Additionally, adopting a child has its own administrative and emotional complications, which may result in unhappy experiences and which may therefore defeat the entire purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I thought it may help me build a perspective on the subject, if I come to know what is the opinion on child adoption with regard to the Buddha's teachings. So, my questions are:-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any mention of the merits/ demrits of adoption in the Tipitika or any other Buddhist writings? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any incident from during the life of the Buddha in which child adoption was involved? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Would it help to strengthen one's ethics by adopting a child? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How can we compare or weigh the merits of dana to several orphan children vs adopting and nurturing one?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T09:55:41.310" LastActivityDate="2021-05-23T13:06:20.213" Title="Is there any mention of child adoption in any Buddhist writings and what is the view on child adoption with regard to Buddhism?" Tags="|ethics|parents|tipitaka|sila|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11523" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T10:03:39.000" Score="7" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether it is booking a flight ticket, hotel room, buying an electronic gadget etc there are so many online stores which offer so many deals, that I spend a good deal of time finding the right deal, before spending. Furthermore, where I belong its common to haggle with shopkeepers to get a good deal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then, I occasionally donate money to some cause as Dana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That makes me think, what is the real purpose of Dana? Is it more about detachment from material possessions and sharing one's merits/ earnings with others to dissolve the ego or is it more about helping those in need? If it is the former, I might not as well worry about haggling with a shopkeeper or try finding a good deal online, and buy things at first sight, with metta to the seller considering I have donated the amount I could have bargained for to him. If it is the latter, I continue finding good deals and then donate the saved up money to those &quot;I feel&quot; (very subjective) are in need. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how can Dana be explained in this context?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastActivityDate="2022-07-07T16:24:50.553" Title="Is Dana (donation) more about detachment from one's possessions &amp; to break one's ego or is it more about helping others?" Tags="|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11524" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T11:19:19.770" Score="7" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;I generally had the understanding that there is no way one can save the deceased from the consequences of their Kamma. At most, we can send Metta to the deceased which may comfort them wherever they exist. This understanding of mine is based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en2008-04&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt;, wherein the Buddha using the analogy of butter and stones in two earthen pots makes the son of a deceased father understand that one cannot help the deceased escape from their Kamma by performing rites and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I was surprised to come across the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/ullambana/ullambana.asp&quot;&gt;Ullambana Sutra &lt;/a&gt; in another answer in this forum, where the Budhha seems to suggest the contrary - recommending rites and rituals for the benefit of the deceased and in fact their liberation from woeful states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone clarify this contradiction and elaborate on how one can help the deceased? Is Metta for the deceased effective for their well being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. My question is not to create controversy. I'm more interested in learning the right view than the contradiction, if that helps anyone answer. I would be glad even if anyone answered the question without touching upon the contradiction part. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastEditorUserId="6870" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T11:48:44.193" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T16:59:03.113" Title="Is there anything one can do to save the deceased from the consequences of their Kamma?" Tags="|parents|rituals|suttas|doubt|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11498" CreationDate="2015-09-14T14:35:47.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A stream winner is not capable of creating schism and taking another teacher, because a stream winner has verified confidence (i.e. conviction resulting from experiential realization) in the Buddha, the Dhamma (his teachings) and the Sangha (the monastic community).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.092.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vera Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And which are the four factors of stream-entry with which he is&#xA;  endowed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed&#xA;  with verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One&#xA;  is worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; conduct,&#xA;  well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer&#xA;  for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine &amp;amp; human&#xA;  beings, awakened, blessed.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is&#xA;  well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless,&#xA;  inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for&#xA;  themselves.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of&#xA;  the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who have&#xA;  practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced methodically... who&#xA;  have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four pairs, the eight&#xA;  individuals [1] — they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples:&#xA;  worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of&#xA;  respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sangha referred above is composed of eight types of individuals:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The four pairs are (1) the person on the path to stream-entry, the&#xA;  person experiencing the fruit of stream-entry; (2) the person on the&#xA;  path to once-returning, the person experiencing the fruit of&#xA;  once-returning; (3) the person on the path to non-returning, the&#xA;  person experiencing the fruit of non-returning; (4) the person on the&#xA;  path to arahantship, the person experiencing the fruit of arahantship.&#xA;  The eight individuals are the eight types forming these four pairs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't say that those are offences. It says that a stream winner is not capable of these acts. Since a stream winner is fully convinced in the Buddha and his teachings, he is not capable of taking another teacher. A stream winner has also reached the level of spiritual maturity that makes him incapable of committing matricide, patricide and murder of an enlightened person.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not just matricide, patricide and killing arahant, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cakkhu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the stream winner &quot;is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades.&quot; Also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this verse&lt;/a&gt;, The Buddha said &quot;the sotapannas do not kill, they do not wish others to get killed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T05:59:12.800" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T05:59:12.800" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11476" CreationDate="2015-09-14T15:29:42.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are in deep sleep your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhavanga&lt;/a&gt; consciousness is active and at this stage you are not mindful. If you are in a dream state there is some metal activity hence there can be some mindfulness and concentration, but this goes in hand with Sloth and Torpor hence the level of mindfulness and concentration would be weak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T15:29:42.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2015-09-14T15:41:58.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You really do not have to feel the touch sensation of the breath to start with. Look directly into Lord Buddha's words in Anapanasathi Sutta. You have to establish your awareness at the center of the upper lip and you should be aware whether you are breathing in or out, long or short, etc. If you do feel any sensations at the center of the upper lip notice it also. If you cannot track whether you are breathing in out out, long or short few intentional slightly deep breaths are OK but you should stop making intentional breathing once you get to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondary objects (thinking and pondering) are verbal fabrications. Since you are trying to calm these and other fabrication you have to anchor your mind on an object which like the center of the upper lip (both Kaya and Vedana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On Anapana&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIGZcoKeeWI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 118 Mindfulness of Breathing - Ānāpānasati Sutta (Anapanasati Sutta)&lt;/a&gt; commentary by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/ven-bhante-vimalaramsi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DhammaSukha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasathi Sutta translated by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasathi Sutta another translation by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On Fabrications&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dutiya Kāma,bhū Sutta translated by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta translated by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T02:27:09.183" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11528" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11529" CreationDate="2015-09-14T17:09:41.050" Score="5" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've looked around here for things related to this but keep coming up dry... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As is fairly common these days, I've been tracking/logging a lot of different things over the past several years such as my diet,  exercise, certain specific activities or actions taken etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm curious to hear opinions/advice and if anyone is aware of any references in the suttas on the topic of tracking and logging each time you sit &amp;amp; the duration of the sit. Particularly when establishing or modifying a  habit, I've found logging to be extremely helpful --&gt; but at times the idea of logging my sits also seems counter to the teachings and especially counter to &quot;just being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any references in the canon or other teachings that might point to or be a helpful guide in this area?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5576" LastEditorUserId="6870" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T03:34:07.487" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T03:53:35.963" Title="Quantified Self and Meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|pali-canon|reference-request|suttas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11528" CreationDate="2015-09-14T17:42:40.030" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;towards the end of the sutta, Buddha talked about daily progress of Dharma development.  My take on it, it is hard to track quantifiable progress daily.  You just know.  Though the sutta talks about effluents in general, it might be applicable to meditation as well.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as when a carpenter or carpenter's apprentice sees the marks of&#xA;  his fingers or thumb on the handle of his adze but does not know,&#xA;  'Today my adze handle wore down this much, or yesterday it wore down&#xA;  that much, or the day before yesterday it wore down this much,' still&#xA;  he knows it is worn through when it is worn through. In the same way,&#xA;  when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, he does not know,&#xA;  'Today my effluents wore down this much, or yesterday they wore down&#xA;  that much, or the day before yesterday they wore down this much,'&#xA;  still he knows they are worn through when they are worn through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T15:16:02.883" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T15:16:02.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11523" CreationDate="2015-09-14T18:09:16.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DANA SUTTA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta, Buddha broke it down to 7 categories of why people give Dana &#xA;(1) To answer your question as to purpose of dana, people give for many reasons. &#xA;(2) some give to detach(ornament of mind) which bears great fruit and great benefit. &#xA;(3) some people give to help others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you can answer yourself if the reason you want the merchant to maximize his profit is because you want to help him out or you are doing it to let go of your attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T18:09:16.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11528" CreationDate="2015-09-14T18:10:16.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is unrealistic to project a quantified mindset onto early Buddhists. They didn't have paper to write on. They didn't have writing. Without writing, math must have been rather limited, let alone mathematical thinking. Later on, Buddhist universities developed logic, which is a sort of propositional math. There were whole manuals for Buddhist logic exercises. In Mahayana, there are sutras with chapters that discuss powers of 10 and extremely large numbers (Avatamsaka is one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My personal thoughts on the matter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently started using beeminder.com to track my meditation. I give my self a point a day for meditating. If I'm derailed on my goal, I pay a small fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most measurable things are going to be inputs, e.g. minutes meditating. The outputs might be measurable using techniques of modern psychologists, by say by writing 20 similar questions that elicit if you are exhibiting this or that quality. Adding up the &quot;yes&quot;es is a score of the outputs of contemplation. Even in psychology, these metrics are controversial as to if they really measure what they purport to measure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Measurable Practices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the universe of all Buddhist practices, some are more measurable that others (keep in mind, I'm not promoting any of these, just making a comment on what Buddhist broadly defined do that is quantifiable)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chanting- # of matra repetitions. Chanting is noisy meditation, usually counted with mala beads.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prostrations- # of prostrations. Prostrations are like meditation, but with constant motion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Infractions of precepts - Even early Buddhists were expected to list their infractions at Uposotha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation time. I know monks used to use incense sticks as timers, so they'd meditate for n incense sticks.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meritable acts. In Mahayana texts there are many rhetorical flourishes that involve merit accounting, such as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/201182&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;you can transfer 1/8 of the merit of a good act to your deceased kin.&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, or the merit of doing this is more than the merit of doing that (i.e. a measure that is rankable) The math geek in me wishes they'd fully developed the system, but AFAIK, it wasn't a fully developed system. It sort of reminds me of the Boy Scouts effort to do one good deed a day.  Vajrayana also has many practices that are done n times, with merit accruing for each, such as turning prayer wheels, making flags, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T18:10:16.643" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11532" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T18:18:54.263" Score="5" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to hear all the ways to strengthen the feeling of the breath so i will know when it enters the body and when it leaves it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i tried to put a hand on the stomach and feel the air go out and in of the nose - with limited success   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;would like to hear tips on how to do the standard methods people use above - maybe i can improve them - and also i wonder if there are different ways to know strengthen my ability to know when the breath enters and leaves the body   -   any interesting way you have i would love to hear about it - it dosnt have to be buddhist in any way it can involve equipment even - whatever can help improve my skill of sensing the breathing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not looking for different ways to meditate without the breath (only for ways to iprove my breath sensing skill) - thats a different subject and it can be addressed in another thread i created :  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11469/cant-notice-the-breath&quot;&gt;Can&amp;#39;t notice the breath&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-09-17T02:17:57.893" Title="Ways to strengthen the perception of the breath" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11498" CreationDate="2015-09-14T18:19:51.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have an armchair philosophy answer to this one, (i.e. I can't cite any one on it, but it makes sense). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the following is different than the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Murdering one's own mother. Murdering one's own father. Murdering an&#xA;  arahant. Maliciously injuring the Buddha to the point of drawing&#xA;  blood. &lt;strong&gt;Deliberately creating a schism in the monastic community.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing parents is incredibly rare-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=how%20many%20people%20murder%20their%20parents&amp;amp;oq=how%20man&amp;amp;aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i59l2.1630j0j4&amp;amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;amp;es_sm=122&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a quick google is showing small 2 digit numbers for typical large countries&lt;/a&gt;. In the time when these rules were made up, the population was probably too small to find more than one or two a year or decade.  Arahats and Buddhas were exceedingly rare-- even if you wanted to kill one, there weren't any available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bit about wounding was because at one point someone made up the &quot;fact&quot; that you couldn't kill a Buddha, so in that case, you could only wound them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But schism? It was a something that the leaders of Sanghas worried about. Someone who was intent on committing a crime, could commit this one, the rest are just not something anyone does or can do. This list of rules essentially says, schism is as bad as the worst imaginable crime. This list is normally combined with the penalty of never being able to reach enlightenment. The particular enumerated crimes are rhetorical flourishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Taking up a new teacher is just a variation on the rule against schism, I don't see it as often.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In sum, the whole point of this list of rules is to say &quot;Schism is the worst crime imaginable&quot; It is a self serving rule that would have been made by a leader worried about challenges to his authority. Me not being a monk, when I first saw this rule (which gets told to lay followers as well), I thought, how quaint, a list of rules that are near impossible for me to personally violate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T21:04:10.867" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T21:04:10.867" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11476" CreationDate="2015-09-14T19:16:42.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before I became Buddhist I did a lot of random &quot;spiritual&quot; practices, including &quot;astral travel&quot;. The later is when you try to retain &quot;waking&quot; consciousness as you fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I only had mixed success with the various techniques for achieving that, but the one that worked more or less well was to relax the body and completely refrain from any movement until you lose all bodily sensations. So effectively you let the body &quot;fall asleep&quot; while keeping the mind awaken. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The major difficulty for me was (to avoid) getting overexcited at the moment the body falls asleep - which (overexcitement) resulted in hyperventilation and loss of control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually I realized that establishing lucid mind inside the dream was easier for me than carrying it over from the waking state, and so I dropped that frustrating practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another related technique I had better success with was doing the Four Immeasurables type meditation at that same moment of falling asleep. This works better as you don't have to artificially restrict body movements, which seems to go counter to deep meditation in my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T19:16:42.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11535" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-14T20:38:18.777" Score="7" ViewCount="1397" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to analyse NDE stories from a meditator's point of view. The way people change after a NDE is, in some cases, similar to the changes a person goes through after meditating for a while (i. e. less materialist, more calm, serene, not affraid of dying, less attachment to the &quot;I&quot;...). It is a life changing experience just like meditation when taken seriously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general NDE fits well in the Dhamma, showing for instance that the mind does not depend upon the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's accept NDE as true for a while.&#xA;What I don't get and want some help is: almost all NDE are nice and positive (similarly to going to heaven). In the Dhamma we usually hear that most people are reborn in the awful planes due to their kamma. Some monks even say people sometimes get a glimpse of their future realm of rebirth. That would suggest NDE should be bad and traumatic for most people, but it is not! I don't believe so many people are going to be reborn in heaven, based on the way people live and all ignorance and anger in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, most people after a NDE claim to have seen and talked to dead family members or even pets, would that imply necessarily that they were all in the hungry ghost realm? Or could they be devas, but keeping the same old shape?!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know fitting NDE 100% into the Dhamma may be impossible, but I appreciate any help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastEditorUserId="533" LastEditDate="2015-09-14T21:20:29.563" LastActivityDate="2018-12-28T09:32:12.183" Title="Near death experience and meditation" Tags="|theravada|meditation-insight|death|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11535" CreationDate="2015-09-14T22:19:46.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend studying the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Yogas_of_Naropa#The_six_yogas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Six Yogas of Naropa&lt;/a&gt; and The Tibetan Book of the Dead, specificlaly the pre-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bardo&lt;/a&gt; stages which is the Buddhist equivalent of NDE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing in particular that is mentioned is that people's wishful thinking will be actualized. If a person believed in the Buddha, they will see the Buddha, if a person believed they were a bad person, they will see hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a precursor to the &lt;strong&gt;actual&lt;/strong&gt; stage of Bardo and is also why it is important to die happy. I have read some good books about this topic, some of which explains tricks and tactics to succeed in gaining Enlightenment after death (mainly it involves maintaining composure and not being alarmed by anything that may arise) from the Tibetan school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-09-14T22:19:46.883" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11535" CreationDate="2015-09-15T01:30:23.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;NDE's are true. Just as true as any other experience. When there is seeing, this is the experience of seeing. It arises and ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Again, bhikkhus, when walking, a bhikkhu understands: ‘I am walking’; when standing, he understands: ‘I am standing’; when sitting, [57] he understands: ‘I am sitting’; when lying down, he understands: ‘I am lying down’; or he understands accordingly however his body is disposed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating feelings as feelings? Here, when feeling a pleasant feeling, a bhikkhu understands: ‘I feel a pleasant feeling’; when feeling a painful feeling, he understands: ‘I feel a painful feeling’; when feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘I feel a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.’ When feeling a worldly pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘I feel a worldly pleasant feeling’; when feeling an unworldly pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘I feel an unworldly pleasant feeling’; when feeling a worldly painful feeling, he understands: ‘I feel a worldly painful feeling’; when feeling an unworldly painful feeling, he understands: ‘I feel an unworldly painful feeling’; when feeling a worldly neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘I feel a worldly neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling’; when feeling an unworldly neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘I feel an unworldly neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects? Here a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the five hindrances. And how does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the five hindrances? Here, there being sensual desire in him, a bhikkhu understands: ‘There is sensual desire in me’; or there being no sensual desire in him, he understands: ‘There is no sensual desire in me’; and he also understands how there comes to be the arising of unarisen sensual desire, and how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen sensual desire, and how there comes to be the future non-arising of abandoned sensual desire.’&#xA;      “There being ill will in him … There being sloth and torpor in him … There being restlessness and remorse in him … There being doubt in him, a bhikkhu understands: ‘There is doubt in me’; or there being no doubt in him, he understands: ‘There is no doubt in me’; and he understands how there comes to be the arising of unarisen doubt, and how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen doubt, and how there comes to be the future non-arising of abandoned doubt.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects [61] in terms of the five aggregates affected by clinging. And how does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the five aggregates affected by clinging? Here a bhikkhu understands: ‘Such is material form, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is perception, such its origin, such its disappearance; such are the formations, such their origin, such their disappearance; such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.’&#xA;      39. “In this way he abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects internally, externally, and both internally and externally … And he abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That is how a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the five aggregates affected by clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, seeing is seeing. Trying to prescribe anything else to it in an ultimate sense is false attribution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T01:30:23.450" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11540" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-15T02:52:11.927" Score="1" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;Learning Buddha dharma we need to dive in to the dharma world. Without knowing the truth about Dharma we can not reach our enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6931" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T08:41:39.863" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T14:32:01.663" Title="Anybody know what is Nirvana and where we can find it?" Tags="|nirvana|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-09-15T13:12:27.077" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11543" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-15T04:34:02.540" Score="11" ViewCount="447" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does the Buddha say about dating, in general? This is a fairly open-ended question, and any scriptural references would help. &#xA;I would have lustful thoughts when I look at a pretty girl (though I try not to act on it and meditate on impermanence as I walk by her.) But, it just occurred to me that if I eradicate lust, then do I even need a girlfriend in the first place?? Thus, I'm really confused about how the mechanism of dating works. &#xA;Is it even possible to have a girlfriend/wife without lust?&#xA;Or, is there an entirely different answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question has been bugging me for at least a year, I would really appreciate anyone's efforts in helping me resolve this. &#xA;Thanks! Answers with Scriptural references is preferred, but personal experiences are also welcomed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Praises to the Dharma!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6932" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T00:29:29.953" Title="How does Dating work in Buddhism" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|scripture|love|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11540" CreationDate="2015-09-15T04:44:18.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's  hard to know what Nibbana is without experiencing  it. The same as it  can't be known what an orange tastes like until it's taste is experienced, it can only be described with words. It's easier to say what it's not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not nothingness or annihilation. Nibbana is the highest goal, better than the bliss of Heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is a state of great renunciation. There is Heaven within Samsara but it's imperminent and Nibbana is the   final permanent liberation beyond Heaven and outside of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is an end of the cravings which cause all the suffering of birth, old age, disease, death, lamentation and fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the cure for our suffering here in the material world of Samsara caused by craving sensual pleasure and seeing reality as we want to see it rather than how it really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the correct understandung, virtue, peace and clarity of reality as it really is that leads to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T04:44:18.493" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-15T04:44:18.493" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11370" CreationDate="2015-09-15T05:10:56.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book 'Good to Great', author Jim Collins describes how to build a great business using an analogy of a flywheel. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right now, the flywheel is at a standstill. To get it moving, you make&#xA;  a tremendous effort. You push with all your might, and finally you get&#xA;  the flywheel to inch forward. After two or three days of sustained&#xA;  effort, you get the flywheel to complete one entire turn. You keep&#xA;  pushing, and the flywheel begins to move a bit faster. It takes a lot&#xA;  of work, but at last the flywheel makes a second rotation. You keep&#xA;  pushing steadily. It makes three turns, four turns, five, six. With&#xA;  each turn, it moves faster, and then—at some point, you can’'t say&#xA;  exactly when—you break through. The momentum of the heavy wheel kicks&#xA;  in your favor. It spins faster and faster, with its own weight&#xA;  propelling it. You aren't pushing any harder, but the flywheel is&#xA;  accelerating, its momentum building, its speed increasing. -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Source: See the&#xA;  section titled 'How change does happen'&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This concept works very well with meditation also. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to generate motivation is to think of your current effort as the necessary labor to get the flywheel moving until it works in your favor and becomes second nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T05:10:56.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11546" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11559" CreationDate="2015-09-15T05:32:43.167" Score="5" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before Siddhartha Gautama became The Omniscient Buddha, did he believe in, support and uphold the religious beliefs that the commoners and/or learned persons practiced at the time that he lived?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or alternatively, did he question the established religious beliefs of his time, and in his culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, did Siddhartha Gautama arrive at his Enlightenment by BELIEVING in prevailing religious mythology and principles, or did he arrive at his Enlightenment by QUESTIONING, EXAMINING and REJECTING them?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T19:23:04.697" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T19:30:14.853" Title="Was Gautama Buddha a believer of the religious beliefs prevalent in his time and in his cultural context?" Tags="|comparative-religion|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11540" CreationDate="2015-09-15T07:32:12.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Acoording to the Theravada tradition (or more precisely, the Mahasi tradition), Nibbana is state which is achieved towards the end of the insight cycle (magga-nana and phala-nana, fruition, called also &quot;touch of Nibbana&quot;); it is a state of extinction of consciousness, so there is nothing which can be said about it, there is no experience at all, and only when consciousness reappears, there is the knowledge that something has happened. It is said to have profound effect on the mind in destroying defilements. The state is termed supramundane, since there is nothing &quot;mundane&quot; (no time, no space, no consciousness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kenneth Folk talks about this in his excellent inverview at &lt;a href=&quot;https://batgap.com/kenneth-folk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://batgap.com/kenneth-folk/&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T07:32:12.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11546" CreationDate="2015-09-15T07:51:14.360" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no belief for a Buddha. A Buddha is omniscient. He knows what is right and what is wrong by direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the Buddha did uphold certain religious practices of the time which are congenial to the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: The five precepts, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot;&gt;13 Dutangas&lt;/a&gt;, attainment of the Janas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also rejected many false views which the contemporary religions were based on. They are grouped into 62 in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T07:51:14.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11543" CreationDate="2015-09-15T08:12:03.307" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A wise man should avoid unchastity as (he would avoid falling into) a&#xA;  pit of glowing charcoal. If unable to lead a celibate life, he should&#xA;  not go to another's wife. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html&quot;&gt;Dhammika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A layman is not expected to lead a celibate life. What you are expected as a Buddhist is to avoid sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it even possible to have a girlfriend/wife without lust?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, but not necessarily for the good. ex: marrying to get citizenship, marrying for money, power, marrying to cover up sexuality etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good example would be a married man becoming an Anagami later. He can still live in the lay life, but girlfriend/wife will merely be ceremonial positions. He will just treat her as a sister or a friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T11:20:58.957" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T11:20:58.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11551" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11552" CreationDate="2015-09-15T10:47:35.607" Score="7" ViewCount="1486" Body="&lt;p&gt;So consider the situation where you did something bad like killing someone (or something less serious) which means that you now have bad karma. So now something bad needs to happen to you, considering all things this thing will statistically caused by another person doing something to hurt you (physically or mentally) which adds to their bad karma and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is what would have to be done to stop this chain reaction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6935" LastActivityDate="2018-06-09T20:02:17.243" Title="Won't bad karma cause a chain reaction?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11551" CreationDate="2015-09-15T11:46:57.273" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your bad Karma does not cause bad Karma for others. If another person gets a mindset to kill, it's not a result of your bad Karma. It's a result of his own aversion and volition. But your bad karma can place you at the wrong place at the wrong time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: A crocodile might attack anyone who gets into the water. Your bad karma can place you at the river when the crocodile is waiting to grab a meal. &#xA;Coconuts fall down from coconut trees whether you killed someone or not. But your bad Karma can place you under a coconut tree when a coconut is falling down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T13:36:39.817" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T13:36:39.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11551" CreationDate="2015-09-15T13:18:30.850" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not that the first offender's karma &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt; the second offender's karma. Instead, as my first teacher explained, in context of the victim-and-offender relationship karma works as a giant matchmaking machine, bringing the two together to rip the fruits of the seeds once sawn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you are right in that the mutual evil deeds don't cancel themselves out. Instead, karma has self-sustaining inertia, like a heavy spinning wheel - the more you spin it the more it spins you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as Buddha has shown, not all of the future is determined solely by past karma. Our decision-making NOW is the most important factor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your example, both people, the original offender and the second offender, would commit their crimes due to 1) their own bad karma, PLUS 2) their own bad decision-making on the spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &quot;to stop the chain reaction&quot;, &lt;strong&gt;the only thing we can control is ourselves&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Am I choosing to act out my previous pain, insults and injuries -- and by doing  thus to spin the wheel of evil? Or should the chain of evil stop on myself? Let me spin the wheel of love and compassion instead!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T16:18:52.150" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T16:18:52.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11554" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11562" CreationDate="2015-09-15T14:37:10.380" Score="7" ViewCount="1680" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/11488/193&quot;&gt;question and its accepted answer&lt;/a&gt; prompted me to ask the following question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between Suttas and Sutras? and, if so, what is the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T21:23:07.290" Title="What is the difference between Suttas and Sutras?" Tags="|terminology|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11554" CreationDate="2015-09-15T14:57:46.340" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;TO start, Sutta is Pali and Sutra is Sanskrit.  Just like Latin and Greek.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the meanings of Sutta is &quot;acquired knowledge&quot;.  That is why most if not all, Pali sutta start with Evaṃ me sutaṃ (sutta).  [one time, i  have heard...] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T15:05:02.627" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T15:05:02.627" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11524" CreationDate="2015-09-15T16:36:50.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to make the following points (from a Theravada standpoint.):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.9-Sancetanika-S-a10.206-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sañcetanika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.5-Lonaphala-S-a03.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loṇa,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; deals with how Karma can be eradicated or results can be limited.&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you have done a large amount of +ve Karma then a litter -ve Karma has limited effect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your Karma ceases to exist when you experience the result. This is something you want to avoid if it is a bad Karma but when doing Vipassana your old stock of fabrication come into the surface and gives you a sensation and passes away if you are equanimous to the experience. These experiences tend to be more milder than Karma giving results in the normal course. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rights and rituals have a place in Buddhism:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is to keep the institution going and as means to attract people to Buddhism especially who are not yet ready or mature for deep insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rights and rituals can be a steppingstone to liberation if the rights and rituals foster morality (sīla,vata), as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rites and rituals cannot eradicate Karma at least as per Theravada tradition&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T16:36:50.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11557" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11560" CreationDate="2015-09-15T16:48:43.043" Score="5" ViewCount="510" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm asking about what ancient traditionalist wrote or believed, particularly the ones the reified the narkas, i.e. took them literally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Us humans don't normally remember our past lives and this is made explicit in Mahayana, where one of the qualities of a Buddha is that they can remember past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If people are reborn in hells and they don't know why they are there, I'm not sure how effective the punishment is. Did anyone come up with a rationalization for punishment for crimes they don't remember, or did people in the hells remember what they did?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T20:39:35.343" Title="Do people in the Narakas (or non-human realms) remember their past lives?" Tags="|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11524" CreationDate="2015-09-15T16:53:43.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a sutta (can't find it now) documenting a case when someone asked Buddha about posthumous prayers helping a sinful person obtain better rebirth and his reply basically was that this was like throwing a heavy rock into a lake and chanting &quot;swim good rock, swim&quot; :))&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here is your Theravada answer :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, Ulambana Sutra is a Mahayana sutra and as such should be taken as a skillful mean to motivate people to spread Dharma and make offerings &lt;em&gt;to improve the future rebirths situation in general&lt;/em&gt; - not to circumvent individual karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T16:59:03.113" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T16:59:03.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11546" CreationDate="2015-09-15T19:42:13.950" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search&lt;/a&gt; is a partial description of his quest for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It contains passages like the following,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having thus gone forth in search of what might be skillful, seeking&#xA;  the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to Alara Kalama and, on&#xA;  arrival, said to him: 'Friend Kalama, I want to practice in this&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; discipline.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this was said, he replied to me, 'You may stay here, my friend.&#xA;  This doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter &amp;amp; dwell in his&#xA;  own teacher's knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct&#xA;  knowledge.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere&#xA;  lip-reciting &amp;amp; repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the&#xA;  words of the elders, and I could affirm that I knew &amp;amp; saw — I, along&#xA;  with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I thought: 'It isn't through mere conviction alone that Alara Kalama&#xA;  declares, &quot;I have entered &amp;amp; dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it&#xA;  for myself through direct knowledge.&quot; Certainly he dwells knowing &amp;amp;&#xA;  seeing this Dhamma.' So I went to him and said, 'To what extent do you&#xA;  declare that you have entered &amp;amp; dwell in this Dhamma?' When this was&#xA;  said, he declared the dimension of nothingness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I thought: 'Not only does Alara Kalama have conviction, persistence,&#xA;  mindfulness, concentration, &amp;amp; discernment. I, too, have conviction,&#xA;  persistence, mindfulness, concentration, &amp;amp; discernment. What if I were&#xA;  to endeavor to realize for myself the Dhamma that Alara Kalama&#xA;  declares he has entered &amp;amp; dwells in, having realized it for himself&#xA;  through direct knowledge.' So it was not long before I quickly entered&#xA;  &amp;amp; dwelled in that Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct&#xA;  knowledge. I went to him and said, 'Friend Kalama, is this the extent&#xA;  to which you have entered &amp;amp; dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it&#xA;  for yourself through direct knowledge?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Yes, my friend...'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered &amp;amp; dwell in&#xA;  this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'It is a gain for us, my friend, a great gain for us, that we have&#xA;  such a companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma I declare I have&#xA;  entered &amp;amp; dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct&#xA;  knowledge, is the Dhamma you declare you have entered &amp;amp; dwell in,&#xA;  having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge. And the&#xA;  Dhamma you declare you have entered &amp;amp; dwell in, having realized it for&#xA;  yourself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma I declare I have&#xA;  entered &amp;amp; dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct&#xA;  knowledge. The Dhamma I know is the Dhamma you know; the Dhamma you&#xA;  know is the Dhamma I know. As I am, so are you; as you are, so am I.&#xA;  Come friend, let us now lead this community together.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this way did Alara Kalama, my teacher, place me, his pupil, on the&#xA;  same level with himself and pay me great honor. But the thought&#xA;  occurred to me, 'This Dhamma leads not to disenchantment, to&#xA;  dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  Awakening, nor to Unbinding, but only to reappearance in the dimension&#xA;  of nothingness.' So, dissatisfied with that Dhamma, I left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of&#xA;  sublime peace, I went to Uddaka Ramaputta and, on arrival, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words he studied with various teachers, and successfully learned what they were teaching, but wasn't satisfied (and therefore went to another teacher, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, did Siddhartha Gautama arrive at his Enlightenment by BELIEVING in prevailing religious mythology and principles, or did he arrive at his Enlightenment by QUESTIONING, EXAMINING and REJECTING them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think he started by learning teachers' doctrines and practices, but (having understood them) finding them unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T19:42:13.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11557" CreationDate="2015-09-15T19:44:50.667" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, they do know the &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; that lead them there. In fact, the governer in hell (king &lt;em&gt;Yama&lt;/em&gt;) is regarded as a nice person who tries to help them recall any of their past good deeds before throwing them away to torture. If they happen to recall any good action, they'll be turned away to be born again in a higher realm. Such an instance is given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.130.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Devaduta sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; where king &lt;em&gt;Yama&lt;/em&gt; tries to remind a new entrant of the five deva messengers that instigate people to do good in the human world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a nice background story to a &lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt; verse where king &lt;em&gt;Pasenadi&lt;/em&gt; consulted Buddha on hearing some weird sounds at night and this turning out to be four of his former friends now in &lt;em&gt;Lohakumbhi hell&lt;/em&gt; trying to convey him a message on consequences of their sexual misconducts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meanwhile, King Pasenadi, obsessed with sexual desire, could not&#xA;  sleep, and kept thinking out how he would get rid of the husband in&#xA;  the morning and take his wife. At about midnight, he heard some eerie&#xA;  sounds; actually, these were the doleful voices of four persons&#xA;  suffering in Lohakumbhi Niraya . Hearing those weird voices, the king&#xA;  was terrified. Early in the morning, he went to the Buddha, as advised&#xA;  by Queen Mallika. When the Buddha was told about the four voices the&#xA;  king heard in the night, he explained to the king that those were the&#xA;  voices of four beings, who were the sons of rich men during the time&#xA;  of Kassapa Buddha, and that now they were suffering in Lohakumbhi&#xA;  Niraya because they had committed sexual misconduct with other&#xA;  people's wives. Then, the king came to realize the depravity of the&#xA;  deed and the severity of the punishment. So, he decided then and there&#xA;  that he would no longer covet another man's wife.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_60.story.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_60.story.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for other realms, hungry ghosts and &lt;em&gt;devas&lt;/em&gt; are also said to recall the &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;  that brought them there. &lt;em&gt;Petavatthu&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Vimanavatthu&lt;/em&gt; provide a number of stories of monks who encountered such beings and heard their stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T20:39:35.343" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T20:39:35.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11551" CreationDate="2015-09-15T19:49:47.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a cafeteria Buddhist, blending what I understand of it with what I understand of behavioral science and physics. Karma literally translates as &quot;action.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Newton's third law: for ever action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So for a good action, there is a generally equal in magnitude good action coming back to you. For a bad action, likewise. These actions aren't necessarily for another day... or lifetime... to come. Actions could be immediate, in the way a waiter treats you, someone responds to a post or comment, you are apprehended by the law, and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good actions beget good, and the more you do, the more you tend to be the recipient of good action. The good energy this produces within you and around you is a virtuous cycle with many benefits for health and well being. Bad actions beget bad. The world is very much a mirror for who you are being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see karma as a way of understanding the interaction of all the phenomena surrounding us and a guidepost for happiness and peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6939" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T19:49:47.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11554" CreationDate="2015-09-15T20:08:17.567" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sutra (Skt.), Sutta (Pali) is a term for any literary composition. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra&lt;/a&gt; should get you started.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word was in use in India before Buddhism, so you can find it used in all Indic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) as well as in Sanskrit grammar and poetry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with anything from as far back as two millenia, there's dissenting opinions, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some scholars consider that the Buddhist use of sutra is a faulty&#xA;  Sanskritization of the Prakrit or Pali word sutta and that the latter&#xA;  actually represented Sanskrit sūkta, &quot;well spoken, good news&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SOURCE: K. R. Norman: &lt;em&gt;A philological approach to Buddhism: the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Lectures 1994&lt;/em&gt;. (Buddhist Forum, Vol. v.) xx, 193 pp. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 1997. p. 104&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;alpākṣaraṃ asandigdhaṃ sāravad viśvatomukham astobhaṃ anavadyaṃ ca&#xA;  sūtram sūtravido viduḥ.&lt;/em&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of minimal syllabary, unambiguous, pithy,&#xA;  comprehensive, continuous, and without flaw: who knows the sutra knows&#xA;  it to be thus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SOURCE: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Purana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vayu Purana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-15T22:13:13.883" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T22:13:13.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11498" CreationDate="2015-09-15T20:30:47.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a theory or opinion as follows (not a canonical explanation).&#xA;&quot;Stream-winner&quot; is one of the stages of enlightenment.&#xA;Essential or defining characteristics of a stream-winner are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understands the Buddha's teaching sufficiently well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will therefore become enlightened within a few lifetimes (e.g. within seven lifetimes) furthermore none of those lifetimes will be in hell.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;impossibilities&quot; which were listed follow from these characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because they understand Dhamma sufficiently well, they won't split the Sangha and won't seek another teacher. It may be a slightly circular definition, in that the &lt;em&gt;ariya-sangha&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;is defined as&lt;/a&gt; being composed of stream-winners etc. (i.e. those who attained those various stages enlightenment).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because they're enlightened they won't do things which will cause them to be reborn in hell; matricide is an example of an action which will cause a person to be reborn in hell; so the syllogism is that they won't commit something like matricide.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may well be (and presumably is somewhere) a commentary, but I don't know it. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11519/254&quot;&gt;Shrawaka's answer&lt;/a&gt; shows the list is taken from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; ... that doesn't add much context except what we already know i.e. that it's a list of six things (because the Anguttara Nikaya consists of lists).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T20:30:47.453" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11460" CreationDate="2015-09-15T21:42:10.323" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some other references (which three people suggested in comments, which I have deleted and moved here):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think you will enjoy &lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2011/09/03/letting-go-of-the-raft/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt;. The Buddha has taught in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; that his teachings are like a boat to be used for crossing over, but you should not hold on to the boat. That is not it's purpose. Similarly, you may not like the fervour or ardency of some &quot;non-secular Buddhists&quot;, but then again, neither does the Buddha, if this fervour is really the fanaticism and over-attachment to his teachings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You'll want to check out two books by Stephen Batchelor on this subject - Buddhist atheist and Buddhism without beliefs. He also has given a few interviews like &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.upaya.org/2015/04/stephen-batchelor-03-25-2015-the-secular-buddha-what-it-means-to-be-radicalized/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If Kenneth Folk can be considered a secular buddhist, then &lt;a href=&quot;https://batgap.com/kenneth-folk/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://batgap.com/kenneth-folk/&lt;/a&gt; is something to watch -- he speaks about nibbana (in the interpretation of the Burmese Mahasi tradition) as extinction of consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-15T21:42:10.323" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-15T21:42:10.323" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11565" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-16T01:27:08.533" Score="4" ViewCount="823" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/monks/become.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; site, one of the questions asked at ordination is &quot;do you have eczema?&quot; to which the reply must be &quot;No, Venerable&quot; in order to ordain. Is this accurate? Is it the case the one with eczema cannot ever become a monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T13:43:50.903" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T14:38:28.893" Title="Can one with eczema become a monk?" Tags="|theravada|monasticism|well-being|ordination|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11565" CreationDate="2015-09-16T01:44:39.230" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;An explanation (including the origin story) of this rule is given on pages 194 through 195 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot;&gt;The&#xA;Buddhist&#xA;Monastic&#xA;Code II -- The Khandhaka Rules&#xA;Translated &amp;amp; Explained&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eczema covers a wide variety of skin diseases, differing from those included under&#xA;  “leprosy” in that they are not debilitating and do not ulcerate or ooze. Thus ringworm&#xA;  and athlete’s foot would come under this category. As under the preceding category,&#xA;  small, non-spreading infestations in an area covered when fully robed would be&#xA;  allowable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T01:44:39.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11567" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11699" CreationDate="2015-09-16T04:45:56.573" Score="5" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;I may be a little off-mark here, but if I understand correctly there are two broad opinions on liberation. The first where a practitioner works towards her own liberation (the way of the Sravaka or Pratyek-Buddha) and the second where they work towards the liberation of all sentient being (the way of the Boddhisattva).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a middle way between these two? Perhaps surrendering a specific desire and to work towards removing one's defilements and allow liberation to come when it does and as many sentient beings be helped as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T21:17:49.080" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T21:17:49.080" Title="Is there a middle way between working towards personal liberation and liberation for all sentient beings?" Tags="|bodhisattva|middle-way|liberation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11565" CreationDate="2015-09-16T05:33:40.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing that such rules were the compulsions of &quot;maintaining the health of the flock/herd by sacrificing the individual&quot;. In those ancient days when antibiotics and anti-fungal creams were undiscovered, the teachers had the duty of constantly ensuring the physical well-being of the monks and disciples in the monastery by eliminating contagious diseases. Such practical/physical problems and challenges may have taken precedence over philosophical concerns on a day-to-day basis, and such rules, though situational, may have been worded as absolutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't know the historical context when such rules were written, and one can only speculate. I am speculating that in some decades or centuries when skin diseases assumed epidemic proportions, these rules may have been written, and may have seemed like absolute imperatives at the time. Later on, the threat of skin diseases may have diminished somewhat, but, in the possible absence of a system within the Sangha to review, amend or cull the rules that had lost their need or context, such rules may have become frozen in time, and may even have acquired the halo of ancient-therefore-immutable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have any authorities to cite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T05:33:40.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11570" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-16T05:43:08.280" Score="8" ViewCount="432" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the sutta quoted here the Buddha recommends cultivating in equal measure concentration, equanimity and uplifted energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, in order to develop concentration one focuses the mind on an immobile object like a kasina, and for developing equanimity one observes the rise and fall of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, what practice can one perform in order to cultivate uplifted energy? Would shraddha (pious faith) and belief in the dhamma qualify? Or does it refer to moment to moment mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a specific meditation practice recommended? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A monk intent on heightened mind should attend periodically to three themes: He should attend periodically to the theme of concentration; he should attend periodically to the theme of uplifted energy; he should attend periodically to the theme of equanimity. If the monk intent on heightened mind were to attend solely to the theme of concentration, it is possible that his mind would tend to laziness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of uplifted energy, it is possible that his mind would tend to restlessness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of equanimity, it is possible that his mind would not be rightly concentrated for the ending of the fermentations. But when he attends periodically to the theme of concentration, attends periodically to the theme of uplifted energy, attends periodically to the theme of equanimity, his mind is pliant, malleable, luminous, &amp;amp; not brittle. It is rightly centered for the stopping of the fermentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SOURCE: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.100.11-15.than.html&quot;&gt;Nimitta Sutta: Themes - AN 3.100 (xi-xv) PTS: A i 255 Thai 3.103&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T15:29:12.830" LastActivityDate="2022-07-13T10:06:03.560" Title="How does one cultivate uplifted energy (paggaha)?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-concentration|energy|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9930" CreationDate="2015-09-16T05:53:44.520" Score="-1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;&quot;The truth that we deny&quot;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist concepts &quot;All are in illusion&quot;.(pali:Avijja)-&quot;Fault view&quot;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;That is &quot;I' or &quot;My Self&quot; or &quot;Mine&quot; like concepts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So your Word 'gotcha' may relate those ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another area may be&lt;br&gt;&#xA; The &quot;Word is&quot; is another concept.(The matter exists)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Based on permenent( opposite- Annichcha), good(op- Dukka), Arthma(op -anathma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better Try with similar words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;hay it may be Avidyā (Sanskrit; Pāli: avijjā; Tibetan phonetic: &lt;strong&gt;ma rigpa&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T06:05:28.627" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T06:05:28.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11565" CreationDate="2015-09-16T05:58:20.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The degree of strict interpretation of such rules largely depends on the monastery, tradition and abbot under whom one ordains. Most monastic orders I know adapt these rules to suit their circumstance in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/monks/become.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link you've quoted&lt;/a&gt; a reasonable explanation is offered&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are bhikkhus who could enter the sangha exclusively to benefit&#xA;  from care by doctors who provide free health care to the bhikkhus.&#xA;  Others could enter to elude legal obligations. To avoid problems of&#xA;  this type, in the first part of the procedure the postulant is asked&#xA;  fifteen questions, which he must be able to answer satisfactorily in&#xA;  order to be accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pragmatism vs dogmatism is a common theme in all religions. The Buddha warns about falling into the textbook learning trap on several occasions. His teaching fundamentally is about right action stemming from right intention cultivated through direct insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the order of Plum Village, established by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, all monks are covered by basic health insurance (as mandated by French law (h/t @chrisw)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T14:38:28.893" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T14:38:28.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11570" CreationDate="2015-09-16T06:11:35.803" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From your quote, it sounds like the lack of uplifted energy is the hindrance of sloth and torpor, one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five hindrances to practice&lt;/a&gt;. To quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed051.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Brahmavamso&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind&#xA;  which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. The&#xA;  Lord Buddha compared it to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell,&#xA;  unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside. In meditation,&#xA;  it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to&#xA;  falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy&lt;/strong&gt;. Energy is always available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Setting a goal&lt;/strong&gt;, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate energy, as is deliberately &lt;strong&gt;developing interest&lt;/strong&gt; in the task at&#xA;  hand. A young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy,&#xA;  because its world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's&#xA;  life, or one's meditation, with a '&lt;strong&gt;beginner's mind'&lt;/strong&gt; one can see&#xA;  ever new angles and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from&#xA;  sloth and torpor, alive and energetic. Similarly, one can develop&#xA;  delight in whatever one is doing by training one's perception to &lt;strong&gt;see&#xA;  the beautiful in the ordinary&lt;/strong&gt;, thereby &lt;strong&gt;generating the interest&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  which avoids the half-death that is sloth and torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mind has two main functions, 'doing' and 'knowing'. The way of&#xA;  meditation is to calm the 'doing' to complete tranquillity while&#xA;  maintaining the 'knowing'. Sloth and torpor occur when one carelessly&#xA;  calms both the 'doing' and the 'knowing', unable to distinguish&#xA;  between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor is a common problem which can creep up and smother&#xA;  one slowly. A skilful meditator &lt;strong&gt;keeps a sharp look-out&lt;/strong&gt; for the&#xA;  first signs of sloth and torpor and is thus able to spot its approach&#xA;  and take evasive action before it's too late. Like coming to a fork in&#xA;  a road, one can take that mental path leading away from sloth and&#xA;  torpor. Sloth and torpor is an unpleasant state of body and mind, too&#xA;  stiff to leap into the bliss of Jhana and too blinded to spot any&#xA;  insights. In short, it is a complete waste of precious time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T06:11:35.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11574" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11587" CreationDate="2015-09-16T06:45:59.113" Score="3" ViewCount="559" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard there are 4 unthinkable (acinteyya) concepts in Buddhism. Not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acintya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four imponderables are identified in the Acintita Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya 4.77, as follows:[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers a Buddha&#xA;  develops as a result of becoming a Buddha];  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The jhana-range of one absorbed in jhana [i.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana];  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Speculation about [the origin, etc., of] the cosmos is an imponderable that is not to be speculated about.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why It says Unthinkable? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T08:07:53.497" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T10:54:39.227" Title="What are the unthinkable (acinteyya) dhamma?" Tags="|reference-request|dhammas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11575" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-16T08:21:43.780" Score="7" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=155&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of the Son of Mahadhana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither living the chaste life&#xA;  nor gaining wealth in their youth,&#xA;  they waste away like old herons&#xA;  in a dried-up lake&#xA;  depleted of fish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither living the chaste life&#xA;  nor gaining wealth in their youth,&#xA;  they lie around,&#xA;  misfired from the bow,&#xA;  sighing over old times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagined &quot;gaining wealth in their youth&quot; would mean spiritual wealth, after all a lot of materially rich old people I know do &lt;strong&gt;sigh&lt;/strong&gt; at old age, because material pleasures are often best enjoyed in youth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, the back story seems to indicate the Buddha did mean material wealth, which is odd. Granted,  being rich and old is better than poor and old, still, old age to the unwise is great suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, Buddhism doesn't &lt;em&gt;ab initio&lt;/em&gt; criticize wealth, or beauty. They are said to accrue as a result of good deeds, and are desirable as long as they don't interfere in bettering one's virtues and mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, it's not a perfectly flawless argument to equate pious virtue and shrewdness in wealth. Billionaires could even make a case of being equal to Arhats, more or less, as I currently understand this verse. &#xA;This is made all the more odd on account of the Buddha's own rejection of wealth and kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone shed more light? Are there two sets of guidelines that the Buddha advocated? One for those enmeshed in Samsara, and another for those gone forth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=155&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of the Son of Mahadhana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While residing at the Migadaya wood, the Buddha uttered Verses (155) and (156) of this book, with reference to the son of Mahadhana, a rich man from Baranasi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The son of Mahadhana did not study while he was young; when he came of age he married the daughter of a rich man, who, like him, also had no education. When the parents on both sides died, they inherited eighty crores from each side and so were very rich. But both of them were ignorant and knew only how to spend money and not how to keep it or to make it grow. They just ate and drank and had a good time, squandering their money. When they had spent all, they sold their fields and gardens and finally their house. Thus, they became very poor and helpless; and because they did not know how to earn a living they had to go begging. One day, the Buddha saw the rich man's son leaning against a wall of the monastery, taking the leftovers given him by the samaneras; seeing him, the Buddha smiled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha why he smiled, and the Buddha replied, &quot;Ananda, look at this son of a very rich man; he had lived a useless life, an aimless life of pleasure. If he had learnt to look after his riches in the first stage of his life he would have been a top-ranking rich man; or if he had become a bhikkhu, he could have been an arahat, and his wife could have been an anagami. If he had learnt to look after his riches in the second stage of his life he would have been a second rank rich man, or if he had become a bhikkhu he could have been an anagami, and his wife could have been a sakadagami. If he had learnt to look after his riches in the third stage of his life he would have been a third rank rich man, or if he had become a bhikkhu he could have been a sakadagami, and his wife could have been a sotapanna. However, because he had done nothing in all the three stages of his life he had lost all his worldly riches, he had also lost all opportunities of attaining any of the Maggas and Phalas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to contrast this with another verse from the Dhammapada which is an emphatic put down of worldly gains. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.phphttp://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=178&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 178&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  Anathapindikaputtakala Vatthu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pathabya ekarajjena&#xA;  saggassa gamanena va&#xA;  sabbalokadhipacce na&#xA;  sotapattiphalam varam.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 178: Far better than sovereignty over the earth, or far better than going to the abodes of the devas, or far better than ruling supreme over the entire universe, is (the attainment of) Sotapatti Fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T03:25:17.807" LastActivityDate="2021-02-03T07:11:37.927" Title="Significance of the word &quot;wealth&quot; in Jaravagga" Tags="|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11575" CreationDate="2015-09-16T08:54:32.187" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:2639.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;PTS dictionary says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhana (nt.) [Ved. dhana; usually taken to &lt;strong&gt;dhā&lt;/strong&gt; (see dadhāti) as &quot;stake, prize at game, booty,&quot; cp. pradhāna &amp;amp; Gr. qe/ma; but more likely in orig. meaning &quot;grain, possession of corn, crops etc.,&quot; cp. Lith. dūna bread, Sk. dhānā pl. grains &amp;amp; dhañña=dhana -- like, i. e. corn, grain] wealth, usually wealth of money, riches, treasures. 1. &lt;em&gt;Lit&lt;/em&gt;. D i.73 (sa˚); M ii.180.; A iii.222; iv.4 sq.; Nd2 135 (+yasa, issariya etc.) Th 2, 464 (+issariya); J i.225 (paṭhavigataŋ karoti: hide in the ground), 262, 289; ii.112; iv.2; Sn 60, 185, 302; Pv ii.610; DhA i.238. Often in combn &lt;strong&gt;aḍḍha mahaddhana mahābhoga&lt;/strong&gt; to indicate immense wealth (see aḍḍha) PvA 3, 214 etc. (see also below ˚dhañña). -- 2. fig. Used in the expression &lt;strong&gt;sattavidha -- ariya -- dhana&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;the 7 fold noble treasure&quot; of the good qualities or virtues, viz. saddhā, cāga etc. (see enumd under cāga) D iii.163, 164, 251; VvA 113; ThA 240.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary it means something like &quot;treasure&quot;: whether that's money or good qualities or virtues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some comments:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It can't mean (wouldn't make sense meaning) literally only 'money' because it says, &quot; If he had learnt to look after his riches in the first stage of his life...,  if he had become a bhikkhu, he could have been an arahat&quot; because though bhikkhus &quot;accumulate virtue&quot; they don't &quot;look after money&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An origin story of the Buddha was that someone (I have forgotten who) prophesied that he would become a world-ruler or a spiritual emancipator (and his father wanted the former which is why he tried to keep him isolated in his palace, unaware of the wide world and of its spiritual needs).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;According to what I've read e.g. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/a&gt;) Buddha doesn't condemn riches for the layperson. Although they're not ultimately or permanently satisfying (which is a reason why he suggests 'renunciation' instead, for monks), but riches are useful and there's some advice in the canon about how a lay person should fulfill their role within society.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T08:54:32.187" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11567" CreationDate="2015-09-16T08:59:53.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=166&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammapada verse 166&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the sake of another's benefit, however great it may be, do not neglect one's own (moral) benefit. Clearly perceiving one's own benefit one should make every effort to attain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own approach is to help others, but when it's not possible, or if such help, though well intentioned will not be effective, and worse, if it will harm me (morally), then I choose personal liberation. It's a case by case thing, no single answer for all situations. Compassion towards all should mean compassion towards oneself too. To not be captured by either extreme is the essence of Buddhist wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole of Buddhism is the middle way. Initially, when someone is introduced to Buddhist ideas it can be explained in stark contrasts to help the learner understand. As learning matures though one must learn to deftly weigh the situation and choose the teaching appropriately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way teaching is to cut through this morass of opposites. The middle way is not the half point, or doing things in half measure, or being confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See Dharma talk by &lt;strong&gt;Thích Nhất Hạnh&lt;/strong&gt; on the &lt;strong&gt;Sutra on the Middle way&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/site/tnhdhamma/Home/test-list/sutra-on-the-middle-way-part-1-of-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part 1&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/site/tnhdhamma/Home/test-list/sutra-on-the-middle-way-part-2-of-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way is not a simplistic teaching, it is not mere common sense. It is perhaps the most sophisticated of Buddha's teachings, requiring a working understanding of both emptiness and dependant origination. In the above talk Thầy Nhất Hạnh so eloquently teaches it, do read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T00:25:14.523" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11337" CreationDate="2015-09-16T09:23:42.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here the 'Theravada' Tag is added.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So The definitions for &quot;Timeless&quot; is given as like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;akaliko [&lt;strong&gt;akaaliko&lt;/strong&gt;]: Timeless; unconditioned by time or season. The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T09:23:42.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11532" CreationDate="2015-09-16T10:47:04.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should put your attention to the centre of the upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should be aware of if breath is in or out, long or short to start with&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to feel anything like the touch sensation thought this also becomes apparent with practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you should do to strengthen your perception of breath is the to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sense the start of the breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The acceleration of the inhaling or exhaling process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The peak of the process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The deceleration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The gap between breaths (This is split second and many miss this as loose or weaken your attention breath at this point. Hence this is the point mostly your mind starts wandering away from the breath.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the following book might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T10:56:31.397" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T10:56:31.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11580" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11640" CreationDate="2015-09-16T10:53:53.213" Score="5" ViewCount="384" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Three gates and Four marks&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  are shown using these tearms -Impermanence,  Suffering, Non-self, Voidness, Nirvana,Shunyata (Emptiness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some questions discuss them separatly. But some conflicts can see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1876/5513&quot;&gt;FullPeaceOrg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Three marks of existence (Pali: tilakkhaṇa; Sanskrit: trilakṣaṇa),&#xA;  are these three characteristics (&lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Impermanence (Anicca)&#xA;Suffering or unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha)&#xA;Non-self or not-self (Anatta)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a central teaching in Buddhism - completely understanding&#xA;  these three leads to the liberation of Nirvana/Nibbana. All sentient&#xA;  beings experience these marks of existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1946/5513&quot;&gt;Andrei&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In an interesting twist, my present teacher, who comes from a&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Taoism&lt;/strong&gt;-influenced non-sectarian tradition, speaks of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Three Gates To&#xA;  Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, the experiential realizations one must go through on&#xA;  one's way to Completion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Pain or Suffering. One must realize that life is painful and accept pain as necessary condition for one's growth. This involves&#xA;  dropping resistance that comes from seeing pain as important factor of&#xA;  one's decisions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Impermanence or Transience. One must fully accept that nothing is permanent in one's life, and admit the inevitability of death. This&#xA;  involves dropping attachments to what one holds as dear.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nothingness or Voidness. One must go through the realization that life is pointless and has no meaning in the absolute sense. This&#xA;  involves dropping fundamental preconceptions or imperatives about the&#xA;  purpose of one's life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/11337/5513&quot;&gt;Three Marks of&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most of the time in Mahayana (both &lt;strong&gt;Vajrayana&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Zen&lt;/strong&gt;) &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11338/5513&quot;&gt;I hear of&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;Four Marks of Existence&lt;/strong&gt;: Transience, Unsatisfactoriness, Corelessness, and&#xA;  Nirvana. All four are subsumed under Shunyata (Emptiness) which is&#xA;  equated with Pratitya-Samutpada (Dependent Co-Arising).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is something missing there?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any common agreement?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T17:52:02.073" Title="&quot;Marks of Existence&quot; and &quot;Gates To Enlightenment&quot;, are they Same?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|terminology|texts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11567" CreationDate="2015-09-16T12:50:44.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you or your school has decided about the nature of who we really are. If we are so throughly interconnected, interdepedent, either in a Huayen way or maybe just as one big shared soul, (albeit a changeable, mortal one) then the relevant unit for liberation is all of us. Either we all make it to the other side or none of us do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way applied outside of it's original domain, debauchery vs asceticism, can lead to some weird results. The sum divided by two of any pair of actions that are opposing on some scale isn't necessarily going to be the point of wisdom or even coherent. Should I take a girlfriend? Well, how about for 1/2 the time. Or 1/2 a girlfriend. Shall I buy a car? Well, I'll buy 1/2 car.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Mahayana thinking in general are often at danger of this, especially when applying sunyata/emptiness to things outside of its original domain-- the investigation of experience.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The logic of the Bodhisattva vow leads people towards various theories of univeralism. The Lotus Sutra is a good example, where it is posited that the other two paths (arhat and pratyekabuddha) are illusory, rest areas on the way to full Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Lotus Sutra, and other Mahayana systems, the difficulty level of achieving full Buddhahood declined, where it sufficied to have faith in the Lotus Sutra, or where it sufficed to do nothing at all and rely on Amida's vow, and in many text I read, I feel like it is saying that vows and bodhicitta are like lighting the fuse on dynamite, once it is started, it creates an inevitable chain reaction. So the task of the Bodhisattva is to light these fuses more than to work on each step of everone's enlightenment. (That said,  in both the Brahma Net Sutra, Avatamsaka, etc, the lay and monastic bodhisattva is expected to above all teach as the primary way of helping others reach the other side.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-09-16T14:40:30.113" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T14:40:30.113" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11532" CreationDate="2015-09-16T14:18:43.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could also &quot;breathe strongly, firmly and rapidly&quot;, as they do in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sunlun.com/sunlway.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sunlun&lt;/strong&gt;'s method&lt;/a&gt;. Rapidly means really rapidly, see the last part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sunlun-meditation.net/videoen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T14:18:43.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11567" CreationDate="2015-09-16T20:12:45.303" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no conflict, the dichotomy is false and is based on incorrect understanding. As Buddha said in Sedaka Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how do you watch after others when &lt;strong&gt;watching after yourself&lt;/strong&gt;? Through &lt;strong&gt;cultivating&lt;/strong&gt;, through &lt;strong&gt;developing&lt;/strong&gt;, through &lt;strong&gt;pursuing&lt;/strong&gt;. This is how you watch after others when watching after yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how do you watch after yourself when &lt;strong&gt;watching after others&lt;/strong&gt;? Through &lt;strong&gt;endurance&lt;/strong&gt;, through &lt;strong&gt;harmlessness&lt;/strong&gt;, through &lt;strong&gt;a mind of goodwill&lt;/strong&gt;, &amp;amp; through &lt;strong&gt;sympathy&lt;/strong&gt;. This is how you watch after yourself when watching after others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-16T20:12:45.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11192" CreationDate="2015-09-17T05:46:34.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not a teacher but let me share.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I can not disagree with &quot; O monk, it's intention what I call kamma, intending, one does action through body, speech and mind.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Action is kamma according to theory of kamma of other religion or belief. But in Buddhism, particularly Theravada Buddhism, kamma is intentional action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do many actions during the day but not all actions are kamma. We have and can make a choice. If unintentional bad thought is kamma then it'll be the same as predestined fate. You can drive a car with the intention going to work but at the same you may also have many unintentional actions. Insects that you kill unintentionally while driving, the death of those insects are not your responsibility. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T05:59:11.393" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T05:59:11.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11585" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-17T09:19:43.630" Score="9" ViewCount="963" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, is the Mind (known by Citta, Manas, Vinnana or any other name that corresponds to Mind/Consciousness) connected with the organ called Brain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the brain (or loosely speaking, head) referred to in Buddhist writings as the seat of mind, consciousness or the cause of human behaviour?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T19:40:59.150" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T14:56:26.923" Title="Is Mind in Buddhism connected to Brain (the physical organ)?" Tags="|sceptic|mind|medical-science|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11586" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11589" CreationDate="2015-09-17T10:45:17.173" Score="10" ViewCount="3690" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel that in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot;&gt;Ball Of Honey Discourse&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha advised his followers to reflect within whenever they felt offended: and to identify the processes of their mind that caused perceptions or sensations to arise, which then led to anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of this teaching, can a Buddhist ever truthfully say, &quot;By your wrong speech or wrong action, you have insulted / hurt / offended / angered me. You are responsible for this offence, and therefore, it is your responsibility to stop doing this thing that makes me offended, hurt etc.?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please reply with references to recent gurus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T16:21:31.553" LastActivityDate="2023-06-19T01:27:26.697" Title="Can a Buddhist truthfully say, &quot;You insulted / offended / angered / hurt me?&quot;" Tags="|mindfulness|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11574" CreationDate="2015-09-17T10:47:34.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason is given in the sutta itself. Pondering on these brings &lt;em&gt;madness&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;frustration&lt;/em&gt; for someone with an undeveloped mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html#fnt-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html#fnt-1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T10:54:39.227" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T10:54:39.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-17T12:16:45.323" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a nice analysis in this article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha205.htm&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. But basically, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body of mine, made of material form, consisting of the four great elements, procreated by a mother and father, and built up out of boiled rice and porridge, is subject to impermanence, to being worn and rubbed away, to dissolution and disintegration, &lt;strong&gt;and this consciousness of mine is supported by it and bound up with it&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My comment: mind is an informational phenomena. The information is made of relations that are passed from one carrier (not necessarily human or even a sentient being!) to another, through various media. In case of a sentient being, body is one of such temporary carriers of the information. When information is embodied in a living organism, it is known as mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T12:16:45.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2015-09-17T12:25:10.993" Score="14" Body="&lt;p&gt;One could &amp;quot;say&amp;quot; anything but that would only be a relative truth. Ultimately one person doesn't cause another person's anger. One causes their own anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is hard to understand ultimate reality unless one reflects within by attempting to experience things that arise in one's experience, moment by moment in the present moment. Remembering to see things moment by moment is basically what is meant by mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason the Buddha's teaching is so seemingly contradictory is because of these two ways of approaching reality called ultimate and relative(conceptual) reality.  Reality is an other word for truth. Ultimate truth means an individual's own instance of moment by moment atomic experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people are asleep to the ultimate, experiential and moment by moment approach to reality. When we are not aware of our individual  experience then we let defilements like anger and greed take us over. This is called mental proliferation and is basically the opposite of mindfulness. Mental proliferation is the reason everyone suffers. Moment by moment mindfulness of the things that arise in one's own experience, kills mental proliferation. Mindfulness is the cure for our suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a video, which hints that it's possible to use mindfulness to avoid reacting angrily:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wUIMgnENjw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Criticism and Insults&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's only 5 minutes long; I don't have a complete transcript but here are some selected extracts/sentences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No other person can cause &amp;quot;suffering&amp;quot; for you, all they can do is impinge upon your six senses. ... They can make you see etc. but they can't make you get angry ... or make you get attached, only you can do that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The problem is not the dirty look or the criticism, the problem is your reaction to it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... we can change that through the meditation. ... that's quite difficult, that takes a lot of training but we are training to get to that level ... and it does work if that's continuous, even in daily life when it's difficult to do so, if you're careful and especially if you're prepared for it. ... If you prepare yourself in advance then when the situation comes up then you find yourself really able to deal with it in a much more profitable way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(you can use a similar technique to stop anger snowballing if it does arise)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You mentioned losing all energy when you're criticized, don't worry about that, I think even if you're enlightened it would be very tiresome to be around, they say even the Buddha was tired when he was around such people and would often dismiss them. ... if you're going to live your life in a peaceful and happy way you're going to have to surround yourself with peaceful and happy people ... if you can't do that then try to say to yourself the greatest treasure that we have is our solitude.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2023-06-19T01:27:26.697" LastActivityDate="2023-06-19T01:27:26.697" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="11590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2015-09-17T12:49:15.993" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In any dialog you play two roles: the one who speaks and the one who listens. Buddha gave one common advice that applies to both roles, and two specific ones that apply for each of the two roles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;common advice&lt;/a&gt; (to listeners and to speakers) is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not keep quarreling with anyone in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, &amp;amp; Brahmas, with its contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, its royalty &amp;amp; commonfolk;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are in the listener's position, the advice is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If ... there is nothing there to relish, welcome, or remain fastened to, then that is the end of the obsessions of passion, the obsessions of resistance, the obsessions of views, the obsessions of uncertainty, the obsessions of conceit, the obsessions of passion for becoming, &amp;amp; the obsessions of ignorance. That is the end of taking up rods &amp;amp; bladed weapons, of arguments, quarrels, disputes, accusations, divisive tale-bearing, &amp;amp; false speech. That is where these evil, unskillful things cease without remainder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in the speaker's position, the advice&lt;/a&gt; is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech. What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not tell here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing &amp;amp; pleasing to people at large.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as they say in Communication Skills 101 courses, you are always responsible for your side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T00:59:51.243" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11591" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11596" CreationDate="2015-09-17T12:59:47.253" Score="-1" ViewCount="209" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11485/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, I was told,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including at least &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; Zen sects and &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; Tibetan Vajrayana lineages, understand the supernatural as skillful means (&lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;), i.e. useful metaphors/simplifications pointing to aspects of &quot;reality&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming this to be true, can these schools of thought discard the supernatural aspects (which we may refer to as &quot;myths of Buddhism&quot;), as such metaphors may be less useful or not useful in the modern age? In other words, may we &quot;modernize&quot; Buddhism as an upaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the supernatural elements or &quot;myths&quot; (such as Buddhist cosmology etc.) are skillful means rather than integral to The Buddha's teachings, then is it correct to say that &quot;modernizing&quot; the teachings could also be an Upaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has any recent guru (within the past 50 years or so) mentioned such a possibility of &quot;modernizing Buddhism&quot; in his writings or his speeches? Kindly give references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T19:32:46.697" Title="Can Buddhism be &quot;modernized&quot; by discarding the supernatural mythological content?" Tags="|zen|tibetan-buddhism|sceptic|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2015-09-19T19:57:33.003" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11570" CreationDate="2015-09-17T13:04:29.540" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think something is lost in translation here. It has been mentioned before that Thanissaro Bhikkhu sometimes is off the mark in his translations. If we look at some other translations of the Nimitta Sutta - Piya Tan argues that the three bases mentioned in the sutta are: Basis of samadhi, The effort sign and The equanimity sign. So 'uplifted energy' here equates to 'the effort sign'. He argues further that the three nimitta are specific conditions for meditation in the sutta and that they are conflated with the 5 spiritual faculties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three “bases” of the Nimitta Sutta are, in fact, conflated forms of the five spiritual faculties. The Sutta’s commentary (AA 2:364) glosses nimitta with karana, whose meanings include the following: (1) cause, reason, ground, motive, means; (2) valid reason or argument; (3) event, matter; (4) proper action,&#xA;  task (DP, abridged). Here nimitta is best taken in the sense of “means,” since it refers to conditions for mental focus. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.12-Nimitta-S-a3.100b-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Namitta Sutta - Translated &amp;amp; annotated by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we end up with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Basis of samadhi = Faith &amp;amp; Samadhi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The effort sign = Effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The equanimity sign = Mindfulness &amp;amp; Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context, rather than being 'states' to be attained, as you seem to allude to in your question, the three bases point to a particular mental orientation in meditation session itself. Applying too much concentration, energy or equanimity in a sitting leads to unsatisfactory results. This is illustrated further in the Namitta Sutta by Buddha in the simile of gold refining:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose, bhikshus, a goldsmith or a goldsmith’s apprentice prepares a furnace. Having prepared it, he starts a blaze in the furnace mouth. Having started the blaze, he places the gold [in a crucible] in the furnace mouth.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;From time to time, he blows on it.&#xA;  From time to time, he sprinkles water on it.&#xA;  From time to time, he simply looks on at it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  Bhikshus, if the goldsmith or the goldsmith’s apprentice were only to blow on that gold, it is possible that it would burn.&#xA;  Bhikshus, if the goldsmith or the goldsmith’s apprentice were only to sprinkle water on that gold, it is possible that it would cool down.&#xA;  Bhikshus, if the goldsmith or the goldsmith’s apprentice only to look on that gold, it is possible that it would not come to full refinement.&#xA;  But if he were&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;only from time to time to blow on it,&#xA;  only from time to time to sprinkle water on it,&#xA;  only from time to time to simply look on,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  the gold would then become pliant, malleable and bright, uncorrupted, and it could be properly worked on. Whatever ornament that he wishes to make, be it a diadem, a gold plate, earrings, a necklace, or a gold chain, that gold can now be used for that purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So concentration, energy or equanimity need to be applied skillfully in the moments when they are appropriate to deepen the meditation (refine the gold).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This brings to mind intensifying in the &quot;The Brahmin's Thread&quot; method, one of four methods to set up Samadhi in the Mahamudra Tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is necessary for &lt;strong&gt;intensifying&lt;/strong&gt; and easing up to become balanced, so set it up as if spinning a Brahman’s thread. If there is too much &lt;strong&gt;intensifying&lt;/strong&gt; when meditating, thoughts go astray. If there is too much easing up, you get slothful, so make intensifying and easing up balanced. Moreover, a beginner initially &lt;strong&gt;intensifies&lt;/strong&gt; to cut off moment-by-moment occurrences and then, when overdoing it, ease up and tries not to react to whatever has arisen. After alternating between one and the other of these, try to make &lt;strong&gt;intensifying&lt;/strong&gt; and easing up balanced. &lt;strong&gt;Intensifying&lt;/strong&gt; and easing up the mind again and again like this is called “spinning the Brahman’s thread.” &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861713044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pointing Out the Great Way - Dan Brown&lt;/a&gt; (p. 244)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T16:09:44.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2015-09-17T14:40:06.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the contemplative's doctrine? What does he proclaim?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The sort of doctrine, friend, where one does not keep quarreling with&#xA;anyone in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, &amp;amp; Brahmas, with its&#xA;contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, its royalty &amp;amp; commonfolk; the sort [of&#xA;doctrine] where perceptions no longer obsess the brahman who remains&#xA;dissociated from sensuality, free from perplexity, his uncertainty cut&#xA;away, devoid of craving for becoming &amp;amp; non-. Such is my doctrine, such&#xA;is what I proclaim.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this was said, Dandapani the Sakyan — shaking his head, wagging his tongue, raising his eyebrows so that his forehead was wrinkled in three furrows — left, leaning on his stick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madupindika sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T23:46:27.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-17T14:42:50.337" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Abhidhamma commentary it seems that the seat of consciousness is in the heart. However, in the suttas Buddha seems to have only mentioned ‘&lt;em&gt;yam rupam nissaya&lt;/em&gt;’—depending on that ‘&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;98. Hadayavatthu&lt;/strong&gt; — heart-base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the commentators hadayavatthu is the seat of&#xA;consciousness. Tradition says that within the cavity of the heart&#xA;there is some blood, and depending on which lies the seat of&#xA;consciousness. It was this cardiac theory that prevailed in the&#xA;Buddha’s time, and this was evidently supported by the Upanishads.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The&#xA;Buddha could have adopted this popular theory, but He did not commit&#xA;Himself.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Mr. Aung in his Compendium argues that the Buddha was silent&#xA;on this point. He did not positively assert that the seat of&#xA;consciousness was either in the heart or in the brain. In the&#xA;Dhammasangani the term hadayavatthu has purposely been omitted. In the&#xA;Patthana, instead of using hadaya as the seat of consciousness, the&#xA;Buddha has simply stated ‘yam rupam nissaya’—depending on that ‘rupa’.&#xA;Mr. Aung’s opinion is that the Buddha did not want to reject the&#xA;popular theory. Nor did He advance a new theory that brain is the seat&#xA;of consciousness as is regarded by modern scientists&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&lt;/a&gt; page 228&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T14:42:50.337" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2015-09-17T14:52:41.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can a Buddhist truthfully say, “You insulted / offended / angered / hurt me?”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person can say that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada warns&lt;/a&gt;, however, that saying such a thing is not a cure for anger and aversion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand that doesn't mean that people want to listen to &amp;quot;wrong speech&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess a reason why some people ordain (or seek the company of other Buddhists) might be to enjoy the company of a like-minded community. The same Dhammapada (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.23.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chapter 23&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chapter 5&lt;/a&gt;) says that it's good to have wise friends, but also that &amp;quot;there is no fellowship with the fool&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T14:52:41.247" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11591" CreationDate="2015-09-17T15:41:21.450" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Science at the Crossroads&lt;/a&gt; by Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because of this methodological standpoint, I have often remarked to my Buddhist colleagues that the empirically verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether this quote (therefore this answer) addresses the &quot;metaphor&quot; and &quot;upaya&quot; and &quot;supernatural&quot; parts of your question, but I think it's partially relevant given your mention of cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This speech was composed for &quot;the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T15:41:21.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11379" CreationDate="2015-09-17T16:20:31.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Discriminant is wisdom. You try to see things clearly or as they are, especially uncluttered by perception. (See introduction of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Discernment_v140930.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discernment: The Buddha’s Strategies for Happiness II&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is your outlook of the world or mind map of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception clouds seeing things as they are hence the relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T16:20:31.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11482" CreationDate="2015-09-17T16:42:29.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a mention in the biography of Dipa Ma. A student was comparing the beautiful Massachussets sky to a heavenly realm, when Dipa Ma retorted it was ordinary in comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6949" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T16:42:29.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-17T20:55:40.263" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently read this book ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6796675-buddha-s-brain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... where he says about it that it's very much linked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6946" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-17T21:09:29.890" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T21:09:29.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-17T21:49:23.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11248/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; suggests there's not much explanation of any such connection in the Theravada texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think the problem stems from a desire to know the mechanistic workings of reality; e.g. how one thing affects or effects another, rather than simply that it does so. Buddhism is, for the most part, terribly devoid of explanations about the former, since it is ultimately a practical path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those Buddhist doctrines do mention the senses and sense-organs (e.g. the eye) though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11041/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; suggests that modern Buddhists know of some such doctrines. See also for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944261/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation&lt;/a&gt;; and for example the fact that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11596/254&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; which you liked was the Dalai Lama speaking at a meeting of the &quot;Society for Neuroscience&quot; in Washington.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T21:55:55.390" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11601" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-17T22:07:24.253" Score="8" ViewCount="1108" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible for a monk to be called for jury duty in the U.S.A.? If so, does the Buddhist religion prevent them from taking part int he judicial process, as it involves passing judgment on others? Furthermore, would it be considered an offense for a lay person to be a member of a jury that had to decide on a death penalty case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T10:32:28.107" LastActivityDate="2019-06-30T04:37:47.677" Title="What happens if a monk is called for jury duty?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|modern-world|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11602" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11605" CreationDate="2015-09-17T23:10:26.997" Score="0" ViewCount="313" Body="&lt;p&gt;During the last part of a concentration exercise (focusing eyes on a point between eyebrows) I felt a need to contract my &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pubococcygeus_muscle&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pubococcygeus muscle&lt;/a&gt;. During contraction I was feeling some vibration in my left wrist. What was that? It was nice vibration while my mind was clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6952" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T20:21:11.497" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T20:24:06.733" Title="Diagnose: Samatha practice led to an urge to contract PC muscle, and pleasant vibrations resulted" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9930" CreationDate="2015-09-17T23:40:01.090" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word, as spelled in english, is &quot;gak-cha,&quot; and it refers to the object whose existence we deny.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is that things, including our selves, do not exist &quot;out there, independently,&quot; or &quot;from their own side.&quot;  Such a thing, according to Mahayana buddhism, could never exist.  When we catch our mind falling prey to relating to some thing (including our &quot;self&quot;) as if it really existed independently from our perceiving mind, then we have located the &quot;gak-cha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a transcription of a talk by Lama Yeshe that goes into some depth:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/identifying-gak-cha&quot;&gt;Lama Yeshe Archive&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="376" LastActivityDate="2015-09-17T23:40:01.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11604" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-18T05:20:17.887" Score="1" ViewCount="236" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his talk titled, &lt;a href=&quot;http://dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Science at the Crossroads&lt;/a&gt;, the Dalai Lama said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the philosophical level, both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any notion of absolutes, whether conceptualized as a transcendent being, as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental substratum of reality. Both Buddhism and science prefer to account for the evolution and emergence of the cosmos and life in terms of the complex interrelations of the natural laws of cause and effect. From the methodological perspective, both traditions emphasize the role of empiricism. For example, in the Buddhist investigative tradition, between the three recognized sources of knowledge - experience, reason and testimony - it is the evidence of the experience that takes precedence, with reason coming second and testimony last. This means that, in the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With specific reference to the last line: in the &quot;Buddhist investigation of reality&quot;, when does empirical evidence &quot;triumph over&quot; or even challenge, scriptural authority?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the Dalai Lama's point of view confirmed or contradicted by other points of view in the scriptures, or in the talks and writings of recent Gurus?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T22:19:04.013" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T08:57:40.380" Title="Does &quot;empirical evidence&quot; challenge &quot;scriptural authority&quot;?" Tags="|science|sceptic|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11602" CreationDate="2015-09-18T06:14:21.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DISCLAIMER: It isn't that such phenomenons don't occur during Buddhist meditation, but typically such bodily phenomenons are not emphasized in most Buddhist traditions, and thus Buddhists lack the vocabulary. Tibetan Tantra practice is an exception, but that's because it derives a lot of its vocabulary and practices from tantric yoga. The subtle body is viewed in Buddhism as &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/comment/243812/#Comment_243812&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;personified impermanence.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From your description it appears to be a spontaneous &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mula_Bandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mula Bhandha&lt;/a&gt;. Like sneezing or coughing, spontaneous yogic postures are natural bodily occurrences, and are nothing to be wary of. They are triggered by conditions. For example, we sneeze in response to being in a room full of dust, similarly, when there are certain subtle energy manifestations in the body that are in need of correction, the body makes use of such locks or yoga mudras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/tU9ID.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/tU9ID.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bandhas&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Image source:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://sequencewiz.org/2014/09/10/mula-bandha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://sequencewiz.org/2014/09/10/mula-bandha/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without knowing more details about the quality and nature of vibration you felt, it would be hard to say for sure, but it sounds like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;. The clear mind you mention is likely the mind born of seclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more about Jhana factors by searching the web, but here's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://the-wanderling.com/jhana_factors.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;helpful summary&lt;/a&gt;. Also see a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5996/kundalini-experiences-during-meditation?s=1%7C1.4567&quot;&gt;similar question on this site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd recommend gaining reasonable perfection in either Hatha Yoga meditation, or in Buddhist meditation. Unless you have strong reasons for doing so, dabbling with both at the same time can be unproductive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-18T20:24:06.733" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T20:24:06.733" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11604" CreationDate="2015-09-18T09:50:21.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You May find your answer here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/SIcGM.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/SIcGM.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/u4hHp.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/u4hHp.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zhMIx.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zhMIx.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T09:50:21.843" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11607" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-18T09:54:15.187" Score="4" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes we do thing intentionally sometimes unintentionally. But is there such thing such as unconscious intention in Buddhism (Theravada)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T10:26:25.553" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T11:10:34.767" Title="Unconscious intention?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|psychology|mind|volition|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11570" CreationDate="2015-09-18T12:59:53.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like this part of a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10529/43&quot;&gt;Lanka's answer&lt;/a&gt; to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10528/how-to-attend-to-the-perception-of-light&quot;&gt;How to “attend to the perception of light”?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through right reflection in inceptive energy and similar states of mind is brought about the overthrow of sloth and torpor. &lt;strong&gt;Inceptive energy&lt;/strong&gt; is the effort first set afoot. &lt;strong&gt;Exertion&lt;/strong&gt; is more powerful than the inceptive energy because it leaves indolence behind. And because of its assailing further and further of the destructive condition, &lt;strong&gt;progressive endeavor&lt;/strong&gt; is more powerful than exertion. By the exercise of right reflection intensely on this threefold strenuousness sloth and torpor are cast out. Therefore the Blessed One said that the condition for keeping out new sloth and torpor, and for casting out sloth and torpor that is old, is abundant right reflection &lt;strong&gt;on the element of inceptive energy, of exertion and of progressive endeavor&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, in my understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;inceptive energy is the enthusiastic force of new beginning, rooted in faith,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;exertion is sustained effort, rooted in conviction, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;progressive endeavor is the positive reinforcement from seeing oneself making progress.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be interesting to see someone explore the notion of progressive endeavor. What is the Pali word? Is it used in more places in the Canon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally connect generation of uplifted energy with the practice of Jhana, specifically the First and Second Jhanas (Third and Forth being more focused on Equanimity):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;First Jhana:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not drip; &lt;strong&gt;just so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of [directed thought and evaluation on one's successful] withdrawal [from sensuality, from unskillful qualities]&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Second Jhana:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from within, having no inflow from east, west, north, or south, and with the skies periodically supplying abundant showers, so that the cool fount of water welling up from within the lake would permeate and pervade, suffuse and fill it with cool waters, there being no part of the lake unpervaded by the cool waters; &lt;strong&gt;just so, the monk permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of composure [=unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance].&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In support of this, there are many places in the Canon that speak about connection of joy (gladness, rapture) with concentration e.g. Vatthupama Sutta: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he has given up, expelled, released, abandoned, and relinquished [the imperfections of the mind] in part, he considers thus: ‘I am possessed of perfect confidence in the Buddha,’ and he gains inspiration in the meaning, gains inspiration in the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma. When he is glad, rapture is born in him; in one who is rapturous, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels pleasure; in one who feels pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This looks like a perfect description of the First Jhana to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T15:20:29.047" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11604" CreationDate="2015-09-18T13:07:11.177" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the Dalai Lama is making a tactical retreat on issues he doesn't care about. He isn't claiming he's a modern secular Buddhist. I'm looking for a Donald Lopez quote but can't find one. Anyhow, Lopez often writes about how west projects more progressive &amp;amp; (western) Age of Englightenment ideas on the Buddhism than really are there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was in uni doing economics, one of the professor's there was keenly interested in epistemology and theories of truth. There are a great many theories of truth and they vary from community from community-- what passes as true among economists, doesn't for Christians and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for Buddhists, some theories of truth I can see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Personal experience&lt;/strong&gt;. This is the theory of truth that is recounted in the traditional life story of the Buddha. He sat under a tree, saw things as they really are (and you can too).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personal experiences don't settle arguments &amp;amp; disagreements among people and early Buddhist knew this as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/strong&gt;. This is truth via authority. The Buddha said it, it is true. This is moderated by the phrase &quot;what ever is well said is Buddhavana&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/quote-of-the-month/whatever-is-well-said-is-the-word-of-the-buddha-maybe-not&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;And a blog post that says even that isn't as progressive as it sounds&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Epistimology Depends on Which Buddhist Organization&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theory of truth is all wrapped up in organizational matters. An organization, especially one whose product is a set of teachings, needs to present a coherent face to its customers. We can't rationally expect an organization to be self sabotaging when it comes to projecting a message to the community-- the message has to be coherent to gain new followers, donations and so on. No one joins a group because all of their members have radically opposed views found as a result of idiosyncratic personal decisions about what is true. The join because they got the message and agree with most of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To appeal to scripture you first have to figure out what group you are in and what texts are authoritative. That is why answering these questions without a tag indicating what school makes it hard to answer. In the Dalai Lama's world, his gurus, the Dalai Lama's expriences are authoritative, probably followed by texts from the Gulugpa tradition. Texts in general are not authoritative. The texts themselves, again depending on the tradition, will have in them some sort of epistimilogical claims (a theory of truth and assertions on why this text meets that standard of truth). In Vajrayana and Zen, things are true because of lineage and something was said by a teacher in that lineage going back to the historical Buddha. In other schools of Buddhism, lineage isn't important, the internal qualities of the text are, e.g. Tien Tai/Nichirenism, which posit the text is authoritative-- period (i.e. doesn't matter who said it or how it came about).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visionary Experience.&lt;/strong&gt; Mahayana writers expanded truth to include visions seen in dreams and meditation.  In the Avatamsaka, we have what appears to be the name of the monk who had the experience that provides the basis for the sutra, Dharmamati. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/7175896/Indian_Antecedents_of_Huayan_Thought_New_Light_from_Chinese_Sources&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ref Nattier&lt;/a&gt;. In otherwords, the sutra said it was legit because Dharmamati had a vision of Buddhas which preached this doctrine. Later authors just followed the style and form of earlier sutras and attributed it to the historical Buddha or a celestial Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dealing with Conflicting Evidence&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;When things contradict evidence, we get the theory of two truths, where there is a conventional truth and an &quot;absolute&quot; truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In organizations, the precepts, usually a few of the 6th to 10th precepts and many of the minor precepts will talk about intragroup harmony. It is more important for the organization to endure than for an argument to be settled. People are encouraged to defer to others based on rank regardless of who is wrong (the rules about the nuns having to defer to male monks regardless to the male monk being wrong on a matter is an example). The point isn't that they don't care about what is true, the point is that a rational organization that doesn't want to self destruct has to do &lt;em&gt;something&lt;/em&gt; to maintain harmony. It isn't rational to expect an organization  to allow and encourage a lot of heterodoxy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T13:07:11.177" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11611" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-18T16:10:14.453" Score="-4" ViewCount="68" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose A's granddad died many years ago and was buried in the back yard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right next to his tomb, grows a very fruitful apple tree. There are many delicious apples on that tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it ok to eat these apples?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a very high chance, that the tree obtained energy from the tomb. When the granddad's corpse decayed, it released a lot of biological substances that are good for the tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6953" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T10:19:45.490" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T10:19:45.490" Title="Is eating an apple from a tree planted right next to a granddad's tomb not permitted?" Tags="|impermanence|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2015-09-19T08:12:18.300" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11611" CreationDate="2015-09-18T16:22:42.780" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.                   It is ok.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T16:22:42.780" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11607" CreationDate="2015-09-18T17:16:21.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No such thing! Consciousness(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/consciousness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vinnana&lt;/a&gt;) is present in all &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/feelings.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedana&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/perceptions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sanna&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/formations.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt;. Intention falls under Sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T17:16:21.900" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11607" CreationDate="2015-09-18T18:16:10.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We may be fooled into thinking there is unconscious intention, because we are ignorant in some moments of the nature of dependant arising of that moment, but in reality every moment is conditional arising, and intention is a component of such arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we were to observe deeply every moment in life, and trace the origins of every thought and impulse, it will firmly convince us from our own experience that this is how it works at all times. Of course, initially this may only be possible on a retreat or while in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;begins&lt;/a&gt; by stating this, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Manopubbangama dhamma&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  manosettha manomaya manasa ce padutthena&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  bhasati va karoti va&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  tato nam dukkhamanveti cakkamva vahato padam.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 1: All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have&#xA;  mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an&#xA;  evil mind, 'dukkha'&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; follows him just as the wheel follows the&#xA;  hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;manopubbangama dhamma&lt;/em&gt;: All mental phenomena have Mind as their forerunner in the sense that Mind is the most dominant, and it is the&#xA;  cause of the other three mental phenomena, namely, Feeling (vedana),&#xA;  Perception (sanna) and Mental Formations or Mental Concomitants&#xA;  (sankhara). These three have Mind or Consciousness (vinnana) as their&#xA;  forerunner, because although they arise simultaneously with Mind they&#xA;  cannot arise if Mind does not arise. (The Commentary)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;manasa ce padutthena (Verse 1) and manasi ce pasannena (Verse 2)&lt;/em&gt;: Manasa here means intention or volition (cetana); volition leads one&#xA;  to the performance of volitional actions, both good and evil. This&#xA;  volition and the resultant actions constitute kamma; and kamma always&#xA;  follows one to produce results. Cakkhupala's blindness (Verse 1) was&#xA;  the consequence of his having acted with an evil intention in a&#xA;  previous existence and Matthakundali's happy existence in Tavatimsa&#xA;  celestial world (Verse 2) was the result of his mental devotion&#xA;  (manopasada) to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;: In this context, dukkha mens suffering, or physical or mental pain, misfortune, unsatisfactoriness, evil consequences, etc.,&#xA;  and rebirth in the lower planes of existence or in the lower strata of&#xA;  human society if born in the human world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-18T18:16:10.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11615" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-18T23:52:41.300" Score="7" ViewCount="825" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the 3 commom and 3 uncommon preliminaries in Tibetan Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6956" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T10:14:58.207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T08:05:39.863" Title="Preliminaries (common and uncommon) in Tibetan Buddhism" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7426" CreationDate="2015-09-19T05:12:01.847" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Nagarjuna's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C5%ABlamadhyamakak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulamadhyamakakarika&lt;/a&gt; is the work you are looking for. Just like Brahma-sutras does not mention specific Buddhist sutras it debates with, Mulamadhyamakakarika does not mention Brahma-sutras, but it does methodically address the same points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As ancient texts go, Mulamadhyamakakarika is way too obscure to be brought in here and contrasted point by point, luckily the details of the polemics between the two commentary traditions are surveyed in the book you mentioned, a modern (1980s) work &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/8120803639&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Evaluation of the Vedantic Critique of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. The author concludes (emphasis mine):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this work, an attempt has been made to compare the interpretations by Shankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva of those sutras of the Vedantic texts, the Brahma-sutra, devoted to a refutation of Buddhism. An attempt has also been made to compare the interpretation by each Vedantic commentator of a particular Buddhist school's position with the actual Buddhist school's position as set forth in its own texts. &lt;strong&gt;It has been discovered that Buddhist positions were often distorted out of ignorance or deliberate intent, and that the Vedantic commentators proceeded to build their refutations of Buddhism on the basis of incorrect assumptions.&lt;/strong&gt; It may have been the case that other matters were of more pressing concerns to the Vedantic commentators than the refutation of Buddhism. [...] &lt;strong&gt;In any case, however, it may be concluded that Buddhist positions have not been portrayed correctly in the Vedantic commentaries to the Brahma-sutra.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another work that compares and contrasts Vedanta and Buddhism is Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche's essay &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-BH/bh117532.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhyamika Buddhism vis-à-vis Hindu Vedanta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. Instead of debating with Brahma-sutras it addresses Swami Vivekananda's claim that Buddhism was an offshoot of Vedanta. Although it does not directly address your question, the essay is very informative if you are interested in comparative studies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In conclusion, I would like to sum it up by stating that Buddhism (especially Mahayana/Vajrayana) is not a reformulation of Hinduism or a negative way of expressing what Hinduism has formulated positively. Hinduism and Buddhism share a common cultural matrix and therefore tend to use the same or similar words. Even though they share certain concepts like karma and re-incarnation, their interpretations differ. Hindu concepts of karma and reincarnation tend to be rather linear, whereas the Buddhist concept is linked with pratityasamutpada. [...] However, all similarities to Hinduism end there. The Shunyata of the Buddha, Nagarjuna and Candrakirti is by no means a negative way of describing the Brahman of the Upanishad, Samkara and Vidhyaranya groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T06:32:04.770" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T06:32:04.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11617" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11632" CreationDate="2015-09-19T09:02:01.630" Score="3" ViewCount="479" Body="&lt;p&gt;CONTEXT: In everyday conversations, we often blame other things or persons for causing our positive or negative emotions. For example, people say things like, &quot;That dog disturbs me by always barking&quot;, &quot;My daughter angers me by disobeying me&quot;, &quot;My computer makes me anxious because it hangs in the middle of my work&quot;, or &quot;My son made me very happy by scoring good marks&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite often, people feel that they are not in control of their own emotions. They think and/or say things like, &quot;How can I help being anxious/angry/sad while my boss/husband/neighbour/dog/computer stops behaving as he/she/it does?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is considered normal in daily life to put the onus of change on the external factor/person, and think along the lines of: &quot;I will become happy after I get more money/better job/trendier smartphone&quot; or &quot;I will start talking calmly after my daughter-in-law stops back-answering me.&quot; In other words, if Condition A is fulfilled by someone or something else, I will become happy&quot;, or &quot;If Condition B is fulfilled by the world around me, I will gain control over my anger/sadness/anxiety etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;QUESTIONS: What does the Buddha and modern gurus say about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Taking agency/responsibility for our state of mind and our behaviour? Where does agency/responsibility for our positive/negative emotions lie? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Taking the responsibility ourselves, or putting the responsibility on other things/persons/situations where we ourselves have no control?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) On the correctness of saying to another person, &quot;Unless you exercise right-speech or right-action, I am unable to exercise right-speech, right-intention and right-mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="5866" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T19:17:12.687" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T15:10:49.107" Title="Can another being/thing be credited or blamed for causing your emotions?" Tags="|ethics|right-speech|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11617" CreationDate="2015-09-19T09:56:34.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does not admit to a self AFAIK, therefore the presumptions your question are based on don't have a great base to start on. However, conventionally , this can be said in regards to your question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) What does the Buddha say about agency for our state of mind and our behaviour? Where does agency for our positive/negative emotions lie?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone, having not followed and understood the Buddhas teaching, regards the hot ball of iron in their hand as themselves, not knowing to put it down, they create their own suffering. When someone offers them another Hot ball of iron, they gladly accept it, and when it burns their other hand, they blame that person for their suffering. It certainly isn't wholesome to offer to hand such a thing to someone else, but it is out of ignorance to the way things are that someone should choose to hold onto it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person regards form as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' He regards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' If he walks, he walks right around these five clinging-aggregates. If he stands, he stands right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he sits, he sits right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he lies down, he lies down right next to these five clinging-aggregates. Thus one should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long time has this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion.' From the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From the purification of the mind are beings purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) On whom (or where) does the onus/responsibility for changing a negative situation lie? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution for such suffering lies in following the teaching of the Buddha, following the Noble Eightfold Path, and developing wisdom and understanding into the nature of phenomenon and described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-10-satipatthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, this is the direct path for the purification of beings [56], for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realisation of Nibbāna—namely, the four foundations of mindfulness.&#xA;      3. “What are the four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating feelings as feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating mind as mind, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) What do modern-day gurus say about taking the onus or alternatively, putting the onus on external agents, whether human or otherwise? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people say many things. Unless a teaching contains the Noble Eightfold Path, it will not produce noble disciples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” the wanderer Subhadda replied to the Gracious One, and the Gracious One said this: “Wherever, Subhadda, the Noble Eightfold Path is not found in a Teaching and Discipline there a true ascetic is not found, there a second true ascetic is not found, there a third true ascetic is not found, there a fourth true ascetic is not found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) Is it correct to say to another person, &quot;Unless you exercise right-speech, I am unable to have right-speech, right-intention and right-mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. see the answers to question 1 and 2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T15:26:12.803" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T15:26:12.803" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7315" CreationDate="2015-09-19T11:31:16.450" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because it is not the middle way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Representing the Buddha as emaciated is likely to lead others to fast like the Buddha, thereby repeating his follies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The representation of the Buddha is not primarily a representation of the human or of history alone, but of the realized wisdom of a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T11:31:16.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11570" CreationDate="2015-09-19T12:02:49.723" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Right Effort with a view to develop Mastery Over the Mind (sometimes translated as Concentration) is uplifting energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly this is the effort to abaddon and prevent unwholesomeness arising effort must be applied to develop the wholesome qualities of Mindfulness on the 4 Frames of Mindfulness pertaining to Arising and Passing Away of Phenomena, equanimity and active calming the Fabrication - by claiming the breath to calm bodily fabrications, anchoring the mind to calm verbal fabrication and diluting perception and sensations to calm metal fabrications - thus increasing Concentration based on the arising and passing away of phenomena pertaining to the aggregates. If you are using something like a Ksina to develop concentration you should be looking at arising and passing nature of your mental perception of the image, otherwise just choosing the breath or sensation one a part of the body like the centre of the upper lip maybe more advisable. Also before coming to calming bodily, verbal and mental fabrication you have practice moral restraint to limit unwholesome bodily, verbal and mental action. Also your should actively direct your effort to abandon the 5 Hindrances by balancing Wisdom with Faith, Effort with Samadhi and the 7 Enlightenment Factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to check at regular intervals by reviewing whether your are applying effort to maintain equanimity and mindfulness hence not creating new fabrication from stimuli, actively calming the fabrications hence increasing concentration and one-pointedness on the 4 Frames of Mindfulness. If you do this too often then you get frustrated as you do not see progress and you are expecting to see some progress. Also to move to higher concentration you have to abandon applied effort to maintaining connectedness. If your effort is lax then your might will wander away mostly to unwholesome thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.12-Nimitta-S-a3.100b-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - Right View should define what you practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.11-Ahara-Tanha-S-a10.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Āhāra) Taṇhā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T12:48:18.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11625" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-19T12:41:30.387" Score="8" ViewCount="645" Body="&lt;p&gt;People sometimes qualify their statements, by adding the word, &quot;conventionally&quot; &amp;mdash; and people distinguish between Conventional Truth (&lt;em&gt;Sammuti Sacca&lt;/em&gt;) versus Ultimate Truth (&lt;em&gt;Paramattha Sacca&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When (historically) does this distinction begin: if the distinction is made in the Abhidhamma Pitaka, is there also doctrine like that in the Sutta Pitaka (and if not, do we know &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; not)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine#Pali_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This Wikipedia section&lt;/a&gt; says that the &quot;two truths&quot; distinction is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; made in the suttas, though there are some &quot;suttas of indirect meaning&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;ultimate&quot; in some way better or more right than &quot;conventional&quot;? Or are they both mere views or descriptions of reality, more or less equal (like a left hand and a right hand) and it's important to select (perhaps, I guess, by using 'wisdom') whichever of the two may be the more appropriate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it OK to regard them both as &quot;views&quot; instead of as &quot;truths&quot;? Is there an important difference between e.g. &lt;em&gt;sacca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;vacana&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;ditthi&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If/when/after people have made a distinction between &quot;conventional&quot; and &quot;ultimate&quot;, do people subsequently try to recombine these views? I'm thinking of the Zen-like aphorism, &quot;after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water&quot;: is that something to do with &quot;two truths&quot;? Does it imply a continuation of or a return to the conventional? Or does it differ/vary a lot from school to school?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine these questions could be answered with a paragraph each; but please tell me if any of them need to be separate questions, to allow a longer or more detailed answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T10:21:30.577" LastActivityDate="2023-07-31T19:30:15.797" Title="Conventional versus Ultimate" Tags="|pali-canon|terminology|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11626" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11653" CreationDate="2015-09-19T12:53:12.643" Score="18" ViewCount="7808" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists in general also believe there is no supreme being, or do they settle on that there is no intervening supreme being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these the Buddha's thoughts or a deductive conclusion from some type of logical reasoning? If they are mainly the Buddha's, how come they are generally accepted - as far as I understand it, he encouraged everyone to not take his word for anything, but instead seek the truth for themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you understand I'm a total Buddhist noob, please correct me where I'm wrong and clarify where needed!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3666" LastEditorUserId="3666" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T13:26:46.703" LastActivityDate="2018-11-20T07:31:00.227" Title="Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?" Tags="|the-buddha|beginner|god|right-view|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11627" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11649" CreationDate="2015-09-19T12:55:58.060" Score="6" ViewCount="364" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine#Pali_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This subsection of Wikipedia's &lt;em&gt;Two Truths&lt;/em&gt; article&lt;/a&gt; says that the &amp;quot;two truths&amp;quot; distinction is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; made in the suttas, but that there are some &amp;quot;suttas of indirect meaning&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Two Truths &amp;gt; Origin and development &amp;gt; Early Indian Buddhism &amp;gt; Pali Canon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali canon, the distinction is not made between a lower &lt;em&gt;truth&lt;/em&gt; and a higher &lt;em&gt;truth&lt;/em&gt;, but rather between two kinds of expressions of the same truth, which must be interpreted differently. Thus a phrase or passage, or a whole sutta, might be classed as &lt;em&gt;neyyattha&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;samuti&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;vohāra&lt;/em&gt;, but it is not regarded at this stage as expressing or conveying a different level of truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nītattha&lt;/em&gt; (Pāli; Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;nītārtha&lt;/em&gt;), &amp;quot;of plain or clear meaning&amp;quot; and &lt;em&gt;neyyattha&lt;/em&gt; (Pāli; Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;neyartha&lt;/em&gt;), &amp;quot;[a word or sentence] having a sense that can only be guessed&amp;quot;. These terms were used to identify texts or statements that either did or did not require additional interpretation. A &lt;em&gt;nītattha&lt;/em&gt; text required no explanation, while a &lt;em&gt;neyyattha&lt;/em&gt; one might mislead some people unless properly explained:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these two who misrepresent the Tathagata. Which two? He who represents a Sutta of indirect meaning as a Sutta of direct meaning and he who represents a Sutta of direct meaning as a Sutta of indirect meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you diagree with these statements, please say so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or if you agree with these statements, then please explain again: what is &amp;quot;a sutta of indirect meaning&amp;quot; (either in your own words or by referencing someone else's explanation); and cite some illustrative example[s] of &amp;quot;a sutta of indirect meaning&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also is there a specific, official, or famous commentary on the suttas where they're &amp;quot;classed&amp;quot; like that (i.e. classified or described as &lt;em&gt;neyyattha&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;samuti&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;vohāra&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T02:22:41.477" Title="What are 'suttas of indirect meaning' in the Pali canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|reference-request|terminology|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11617" CreationDate="2015-09-19T12:57:48.190" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a famous parable by a founder of Tibetan Buddhism guru Padmasabhava comparing Right Concentration / Attention with &lt;strong&gt;Lion's Gaze&lt;/strong&gt;. Modern Tibetan Buddhism teacher ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Padmasambhava said that when a stick is thrown to a dog, the dog will chase the stick. A dog’s gaze follows the object, the stick. The lion gazes steadily at the source, the thrower. We need to look at our mind, the source of the emotion. An emotion like anger is the stick. The source hurling that emotion is our mind. It is the mind that projects. The source of our experience is our own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen [Buddhism] turns our gaze inward toward the source of experience, which is mind. Pristine mind is our lion's gaze.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to my last teacher, the whole point of the above is to help us get out of &amp;quot;victim consciousness&amp;quot; and attain what he calls &amp;quot;master consciousness&amp;quot;. Victim consciousness is when we blame our problems on other people or on the circumstances. Master consciousness is when we take ownership of everything that happens in our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The flip side of the above is, if you are the one exercising the speech, you can't say &amp;quot;according to Buddha your mind is the source of your emotions, so I will say whatever I want, but the onus is on you to not get upset&amp;quot;. Indeed, if that was the case, Buddha would only teach the non-attachment and not teach the Right Speech. But Buddha taught both. &lt;em&gt;In all circumstances, the onus, according to Buddha's teaching, is always on us.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T13:16:22.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11570" CreationDate="2015-09-19T13:22:06.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sutta is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; page 242 paragraphs 74,75 and 76 as part of a training process in mindfulness on the foulness of 32 parts of the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 238 says, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, a clansman who, as a beginner, wants to develop this meditation&#xA;  subject should go to a good friend of the kind already described&#xA;  (III.61–73) and learn it. And the teacher who expounds it to him&#xA;  should tell him the &lt;em&gt;sevenfold skill&lt;/em&gt; in learning and the &lt;em&gt;tenfold skill&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  in giving attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sevenfold skill in learning of the 32 parts are,&#xA; (1) as verbal recitation,&#xA;(2) as mental recitation, (3) as to colour, (4) as to shape, (5) as to direction, (6) as&#xA;to location, (7) as to delimitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having thus told the sevenfold skill in learning, he should tell the&#xA;  tenfold skill in giving attention as follows: (1) as to following the&#xA;  order, (2) not too quickly, (3) not too slowly (4) as to warding off&#xA;  distraction, (5) as to surmounting the concept, (6) as to successive&#xA;  leaving, (7) as to absorption, (8)–(10) as to the &lt;strong&gt;three suttantas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who develops the first 6 parts in the tenfold training achieves &lt;em&gt;appana samadhi&lt;/em&gt; (7. absorption). In the pali version of the book this is mentioned as &lt;em&gt;appanāto&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aim of the three suttas, &lt;strong&gt;8. higher consciousness, 9. coolness, and 10. skill in the enlightenment factors&lt;/strong&gt;, have as their purpose the linking of energy with concentration. Nimitta sutta should be studied to understand on balancing the high consciousness (&lt;em&gt;Jhana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;74&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Herein, this sutta should be understood to deal with higher&#xA;  consciousness: “Bhikkhus, there are three signs that should be given attention from&#xA;  time to time by a bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness. The sign of&#xA;  concentration should be given attention from time to time, the sign of&#xA;  exertion should be given attention from time to time, the sign of&#xA;  equanimity should be given attention from time to time. [247] If a&#xA;  bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness gives attention only to the&#xA;  sign of concentration, then his consciousness may conduce to idleness.&#xA;  If a bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness gives attention only to&#xA;  the sign of exertion, then his consciousness may conduce to agitation.&#xA;  If a bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness gives attention only to&#xA;  the sign of equanimity, then his consciousness may not become rightly&#xA;  concentrated for the destruction of cankers. But, bhikkhus, when a&#xA;  bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness gives attention from time to&#xA;  time to the sign of concentration … to the sign of exertion … to the&#xA;  sign of equanimity, then his consciousness becomes malleable, wieldy&#xA;  and bright, it is not brittle and becomes rightly concentrated for the&#xA;  destruction of cankers.                &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, just as a skilled goldsmith or goldsmith’s apprentice prepares his furnace and heats it up and puts crude gold into it with&#xA;  tongs; and he blows on it from time to time, sprinkles water on it&#xA;  from time to time, and looks on at it from time to time; and if the&#xA;  goldsmith or goldsmith’s apprentice only blew on the crude gold, it&#xA;  would burn and if he only sprinkled water on it, it would cool down,&#xA;  and if he only looked on at it, it would not get rightly refined; but,&#xA;  when the goldsmith or goldsmith’s apprentice blows on the crude gold from time to&#xA;  time, sprinkles water on it from time to time, and looks on at it from time to time,&#xA;  then it becomes malleable, wieldy and bright, it is not brittle, and it submits&#xA;  rightly to being wrought; whatever kind of ornament he wants to work it into,&#xA;  whether a chain or a ring or a necklace or a gold fillet, it serves his purpose.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“So too, bhikkhus, there are three signs that should be given attention from&#xA;  time to time by a bhikkhu intent on higher consciousness … becomes rightly&#xA;  concentrated for the destruction of cankers. [248] He attains the ability to be a&#xA;  witness, through realization by direct-knowledge, of any state realizable by&#xA;  direct-knowledge to which he inclines his mind, whenever there is occasion”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T13:22:06.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-19T13:58:21.193" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;For most people God is a dualistic concept. Meaning, for a typical person the unspoken assumption is: &quot;I am &lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; and God is &lt;em&gt;over there&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. So when I think about God, when I speak to God -- I inevitably imagine some power &lt;em&gt;outside&lt;/em&gt; of myself. It is in this power that I place hope for good life and for salvation; it is this power that I blame for unfairness etc. According to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, by attributing to God the power to save us or to send difficulties etc. we alienate ourselves from our own power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, in Buddhism our liberation is always in our hands. As Trungpa Rinpoche said, no one is going to descent in the golden chariot to take care of you. As long as you keep looking up to some higher power, how can you be the master of your life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two of my teachers emphasized such &quot;master consciousness&quot;. My Zen Master said: &quot;People say, 'God bless you', but Enlightenment is when &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; bless &lt;em&gt;God&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. My last teacher said: &quot;Utilize God&quot;. Both remind us to take ownership of our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that [Mahayana] Buddhists deny the Absolute. What they deny is existence of independent &quot;I&quot; in the absolute sense. &quot;I&quot; is a label, a nominal designation that only exists relatively to other things. However, because the relative is subsumed in the absolute - not opposed to it - we can't deny existence of the relative either. This (here simplified) position is known as the unity of two truths. From this non-dualistic perspective, my power and the power of Absolute is the same power, my will and the will of Absolute is the same will, and my spontaneity and the spontaneity of Absolute is the same spontaneity. Using it and being used by it refers to the same activity. As Jesus said, &quot;I and the Father are one.&quot; So, like I said &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3694/43&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;Could we go as far as to say that Buddhist path culminates in the first-hand knowledge ... of God?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T14:45:04.883" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11625" CreationDate="2015-09-19T14:28:20.793" Score="4" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The distinction goes back all the way to Buddha's students' original Maha-Sangha and its two sub-schools &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahu%C5%9Brut%C4%ABya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bahushrutiya&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1aptiv%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Prajnaptivada&lt;/a&gt;. From Wikipedia:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Paramārtha, the Bahuśrutīya school was formed in order to fully embrace both &quot;conventional truth&quot; and &quot;ultimate truth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Prajñaptivādins were early articulators of the two truths doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The relationship of the two truths is the main concern of Buddhist ontological tradition called &quot;Madhyamaka&quot;. According to them, the &quot;ultimate&quot; that is defined in opposition to &quot;conventional&quot; is not the true ultimate. As you say, these two are mere views or descriptions of reality. The true &quot;ultimate&quot;, they argue, is beyond all descriptions, and therefore complete and does not stand in opposition to anything (is all inclusive). One of the very many texts that elaborate on this point and its implications is Karmapa's commentary on an ancient little stanza known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/texts/the-cuckoo-of-awareness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Cuckoo of Awareness&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As my Zen Master said, it is one thing if I explain this, and another thing if you get it yourself. Therefore I will leave this one unanswered.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T14:28:20.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11617" CreationDate="2015-09-19T16:20:43.547" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If something upsets you, it is because you are delusional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something upsets someone else, it is because they are delusional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to avoid upsetting someone out of compassion then avoid the object of their delusional hatred, but if anyone claims that because the onus is on the other to avoid being upset that I can do whatever I want to, then they are probably lacking in compassion and empathy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, if you are trying to lay blame and your argument is that somebody or something is to blame, then clearly it is anger, ignorance or greed which is to blame for anger, ignorance or greed and neither the offender nor the offended is truly to blame. That said, the responsibility for fixing the corruption in themselves lies with them because no one else can clean the defilements for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@Ryan the Buddha also never admits to an absence of a self. And to confuse things further, the hot ball of iron is actually no hot ball of iron and that is why it is called a hot ball of iron.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-19T16:29:59.563" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T16:29:59.563" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-09-19T16:30:14.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing is only reasonable if it is the only way to prevent worse circumstances. In the Jatakas there is the story of a bodhisattva who anticipates by his clairvoyance that a crew member of the ship is planning to kill all 500 others, so to prevent this person from causing all this suffering and simultaneously condemning himself to a hell rebirth, the bodhisattva compassionately kills him. Whether or not this results in the bodhisattva being reborn in hell is unclear, but I would guess not since karmic results are frame of mind induced, and his frame of mind was pure.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If buddhism really does advocate war under any circumstances where it does not lead to a better outcome then it has come far away from the teaching of mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T16:30:14.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-19T16:44:18.710" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, I will teach you the All. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will&#xA;  speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, lord,&quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;What is the All? Simply the eye &amp;amp; forms, ear &amp;amp;&#xA;  sounds, nose &amp;amp; aromas, tongue &amp;amp; flavors, body &amp;amp; tactile sensations,&#xA;  intellect &amp;amp; ideas. This, monks, is called the All. [1] Anyone who&#xA;  would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if&#xA;  questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement,&#xA;  would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief.&#xA;  Why? Because it lies beyond range.       - Sabba sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if someone claims that 'God' is something other than a sensation or an idea(that simply arises and ceases), if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-09-21T11:22:58.633" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T11:22:58.633" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-09-19T16:53:03.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could physically prevent the attacker from killing you, which would be a compassionate act since if they did kill you it would torment them.&#xA;If in the act of trying to prevent the catastrophe they were to accidentally die, it would be unpleasant (for everyone) but not unwholesome.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their karma would be light(attempt to cause harm) and you only accidentally killed them. If, however, someone sees an intruder in their home and as a result becomes frightened. And due to being scared decides to kill the intruder (from malice), the result would be quite terrible for everyone. Since if they are successful, torture ensues for them. And if you are successful, torture ensues for you instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T16:53:03.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2015-09-19T17:09:45.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@THelper to elaborate on Toby's point. To call oneself a buddhist is to identify oneself with an ideological construct and therefore to dwell in a mental fabrication. The ideas of buddhism are arranged into a belief system more commonly known as a view. To associate your self with this view, is exactly the kind of housebuilding which the buddha espoused against in practically every sutra. Buddhism is the only &quot;religion&quot; which fervently encourages its followers to abandon any part of the belief system when it begins to hold them back rather than help them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T17:09:45.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10665" CreationDate="2015-09-19T17:15:51.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is inappropriate to ask such questions, because they unequivocally end in an argument which is basically the same as trying to convince someone in the 14th century of how an aeroplane works. It simply isn't possible to explain without the experience.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine trying to describe the colour blue to someone who has not seen it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T17:15:51.227" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11522" CreationDate="2015-09-19T17:46:26.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only my opinion, but since you will be looking after and caring for another being, supplying them with food, water, shelter and affection, I cannot see that being anything but positive. There is no specific mention of child adoption as far as I know but there is mention of compassion and loving-kindness. As long as the intent is good it does not matter whether you adopt someone who already has a body or if you create a body for a being to manifest as. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should probably avoid adopting lots of orphans if you have financial or administrative concerns for the reasons you stated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T17:46:26.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11639" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-19T17:48:03.493" Score="4" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen question-and-answers and talks like the ones &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11424/are-there-examples-of-humor-and-irreverence-in-buddhist-scriptures/11510#11510&quot;&gt;described here&lt;/a&gt; don't seem like commonly accepted 'right speech'; yet, they are believed or intended to trigger spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what way do such Zen interactions deliver benefits? For example, are they meant to be thought-provoking dissonance, discomfort and anger, and thereby cause dissatisfaction with habitually-held positions, and thereby create scope for spiritual progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have the teachers specified (in any writings or talks) how to distinguish such dissonance-causing dialectics from &quot;wrong speech&quot; which causes hindrance in spiritual progress and delivers no spiritual benefits to listeners/readers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T02:07:27.137" Title="How does &quot;thought-provoking dissonance&quot; in Zen Buddhist dialectics differ from &quot;wrong speech&quot;?" Tags="|mindfulness|zen|right-speech|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11580" CreationDate="2015-09-19T17:52:02.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pretty generally speaking, realising the truth is enlightenment. So if the three(or four) marks of existence are true then realising them would be the gates to enlightenment.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different sects of buddhism are forming distinct views and belief systems, which is not wise, this is what results in very confusing and difficult reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T17:52:02.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11436" CreationDate="2015-09-19T18:09:41.850" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This answer won't be very helpful but many of the sutras are meant to be helpful expedients. If you take them too seriously you will emerge with this problem. (The lotus sutra contains the least expedients of them all, as far as I recall.) Even if I knew where this is referenced, the numbers given would be shaky and subject to interpretation. For example it says that the average lifespan of a human being varies between 10 and 10^140 years according to wikipedia.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you good luck but it seems unlikely that a satisfactory answer can be found and even if one was found, there would probably be more than one text claiming more contradictory figures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T18:09:41.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11625" CreationDate="2015-09-19T18:29:16.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purely from a language perspective, usage of Ultimate Truth suggests a truth of a fundamental nature in relation to existence, or to the religion being discussed. This term may be used to describe a God-like quality such as Enlightenment, or an immutable law of nature. Ultimate Truths are thought to be of an esoteric nature, usually beyond the comprehension of lay people, and possibly of interest only in discussions among monks, scholars etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By contrast, usage of a Conventional Truth indicates a truth of a more mundane nature, which is generally accepted more-or-less by lay people. It indicates a &quot;worldly-wise&quot; or &quot;normal&quot; position regarding factuality of ordinary things, societal norms or ways of life, regularly accepted does-and-don'ts of the business of daily life, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen proverb such as the one you quoted sounds like an injunction not to shake the boat of normal living even after the extraordinary event of Enlightenment. It appears to stress the importance of maintaining the fabric of ones personal reality by not rejecting Conventional Truth, despite having seen or attained the Ultimate Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Zen proverb that seems to juxtapose Ultimate Truth and Conventional Truth is this one: “Before I sought enlightenment, the mountains were mountains and the rivers were rivers.&#xA;While I sought enlightenment, the mountains were not mountains and the rivers were not rivers.&#xA;After I attained enlightenment, the mountains were mountains and the rivers were rivers.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the essence of Zen appears to be the coexistence, inseparability and complementarity of Ultimate Truth and Conventional Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T18:29:16.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11627" CreationDate="2015-09-19T18:41:09.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This idea of indirect and direct sutras is itself misleading. I found a book, &quot;Nāgārjuna and the Philosophy of Openness&quot; which claims that the buddha himself never made exactly such a distinction but that such distinctions seem valid on the basis that the Buddha said that there were some words and phrases which he used without being led astray by them. But as far as I can tell these indirect and direct phrases are present consistently throughout all sutras. The diamond sutra for example, is full of direct meaning like there is really no object that is why it is called &quot;object&quot;, but references &quot;I&quot; many times. At the beginning Thus I have heard, taken literally would contradict the later assertion that there is no I.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think some people are reading too seriously, mostly the sutras are intended to be a helpful expedient to enlightenment.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything that is read whether it is from a sutra or not will be interpreted by the reader which will cast a different shadow on the meaning. It is often that the original intent of the author is lost to the readers especially after a lot of time has passed and the language has changed. So it is no surprise that the texts contain expedients that look like they are literal, which led to a schism where some people interpreted sections literally while others did not. And then people started categorising sections of text into direct and indirect or higher and lower. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly doubt that there really is a sutra &quot;of indirect meaning&quot; in that all of it is intended to be further analysed nor a sutra &quot;of direct meaning&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T18:41:09.220" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11601" CreationDate="2015-09-19T18:48:35.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is another question on here about whether or not a buddhist can harm another person &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7767/471&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7767/471&lt;/a&gt; it claims that the buddha said that judicial action wasn't blameworthy.&#xA;So you could get away with saying that taking part in judicial action was not blameworty, but if it was me, I would have great difficulty in judging whether or not they had actually committed the crime. And it would be upsetting to discover that they were innocent but my vote was for guilty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T18:48:35.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11192" CreationDate="2015-09-19T19:18:09.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Building on B1100, unintentional bad thoughts arise as a result of previously having had bad thoughts or committing bad actions, they do sow seeds of further bad thoughts, however, each bad thought which is discarded weakens the karma so that it is possible to slowly diminish the frequency of such thoughts until they don't occur. This is the idea of conditioned choices, i.e that we are conditioned by karma to make the same mistakes but it is possible to tame the karma. More determinism discussed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3827/whats-buddhism-view-on-choice-choicelesness-and-causality&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the intention has changed but the action remains the same, assuming that the new intention is good and the old is bad, then yes even though they have the same action, the good intention will yield better results for you because your frame of mind is purer so everything that happens will be seen with that same purity. The results for others may even be better, because your mental state might influence them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T19:18:09.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11639" CreationDate="2015-09-19T19:33:36.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Zen teachers have spiritual insight into the minds of their listeners I reckon they could tailor their teaching in order to stir those minds into spiritual progress. But if they are simply trying to elicit a reaction from the audience to try and force them to participate, that would have mixed results.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;some people will be turned away and then it would be wrong speech. But it might work anyway with some people. I forget where I read this but - in order to properly assess whether or not a teaching is going to be understood or not and whether it will be beneficial or a hindrance one would need to possess some kind of supernatural power, or have a keen understanding of the mental state of the listener. Despite this many still try to teach dharma without knowing if it will be successful.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have also had some personal experience trying to convince people of rebirth or anatta etc.. and even the recommended approach backfired leading them to become agitated and defensive.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd say that their approach is probably as good as any, so that only certain people will benefit from their type of discourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T19:33:36.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-19T20:10:58.343" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Admittedly, I'm a beginner myself.  However, it is my understanding that the Buddha took no position as to the existence/non-existence of a God who created everything we see, on the grounds that there is no way of knowing - at least within this life - for certain whether such a being exists. Instead, the Buddha tried to re-focus people on what they could do in this life to improve their circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T20:10:58.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8137" CreationDate="2015-09-19T21:27:18.923" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand there &quot;is&quot; a substantial underlying nature pervading the all. I say &quot;is&quot; with speech marks because technically the normal 'is' has the opposite 'is not' and refers to the arbitrary conception of existence vs non-existence. (For which this nature is the host and therefore cannot be subject to.) Therefore, although the existents do not fundamentally exist because they are without essence, they are composed of the fundamental substance, which is why they are visible. It is only our conception of their existence which is in error, for phenomena are truly composed of an eternal nature.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So back to the question, cause and effect refers to one inherently existent object being a prime mover to result in another, which is sheer nonsense. Since it is impossible for an inherently existent object to be created or destroyed or even change. But anyway, the true nature produces a continuum of states, no one state can be considered to be ultimate or self-possessing, however we sentient beings use conceptual constructs to point at particular( and arbitrary) definitions of the intermediate states.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be pertinent to mention, therefore, that there are really no causes, that is why they are called causes. In as much as the continuum is ever propelled forwards without a hint of any objects. As a result to speak of birth or cessation would be to talk relatively and within an arbitrarily defined set of parameters, a subset of the continuum, whose criteria is the presentation of a set of characteristics that correspond to somebody's idea of what things should be like. A chair is not actually a solid object, it is constantly undergoing changes, but its noticeable characteristics are still close enough to its original form that we aren't aware that it is different. It also still behaves as we would expect a chair to behave. It's birth point is when it behaves enough like a chair to pass examination, it's cessation point is when the continuum in the vicinity of the chair no longer behaves in a way that corresponds to our ideas about chairhood.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally then you are correct there are no causes, but there is also no causation and no ending of causation. There is only this. However 'this' closely corresponds with the ideas of 'causation' and therefore I can conventionally claim that 'causation' is true. Likewise I can conventionally claim that, since &quot;this&quot; does display the characteristics of &quot;x&quot; then I would also be wrong to say that it was different, therefore &quot;this&quot; is &quot;x&quot; and that therefore causes do exist. But the reality is that the continuum has no position where it becomes that or stops being that, it does what it does.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of science is built upon the presupposition that an object is self-possessed, first there was a list of elements which were atoms(indivisible) then they realised it was not indivisible and posited that protons, neutrons and electrons were indivisible. Then they created the so-called fundamental particles list. And then quantum physics which seems to have no main interpretation. Take away existents and all but quantum physics falls into dust. All fabrications are empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-09-19T21:27:18.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11627" CreationDate="2015-09-19T22:42:19.887" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Neyyattha Sutta (A 2.3):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, there are these two who misrepresent the Tathagata. What are the two?&#xA;  Those who explain a sutta whose sense is direct as indirect. Those who explain a sutta whose sense is indirect as direct. These, bhikshus, are the two who misrepresent the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of provisional teachings from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.6b_Neyyattha_Nitattha_S_a2.3.5-6_piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer's analysis of Neyyattha Nītattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those suttas or teachings that tell stories, describe ritual acts, or that talk of “beings,” “gods,” etc,&#xA;  need to have their meaning drawn out (neyyattha), as they do not directly refer to true reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Certain passages in the Mahā Parinibbāna Sutta (D 16) and related texts, for example, refer to a post-Buddha non-Buddhist situation, reminiscent of strategic placement or geomancy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;offering to the devas&quot; as mentioned in the Ādiya Sutta (A 5.41)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Nandamātā Sutta (A 7.50) gives an account of dedication of merit to the deva Vessavaṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dedicating merit&quot; is a provisional teaching.  The point is clear that merit is non-negotiable and non-transferable, as stated in the Nidhikaṇḍa Sutta (Khp&#xA;  8).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=The_Heretic_Sage,_Part_4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;interview with Ven. Bhikkhu K. Ñānananda&lt;/a&gt; (&quot;comments on the Neyyattha Sutta, which seems to have been the seed out of which the Two Truths doctrine has been developed&quot;): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The traditional interpretation, as you get in the commentaries, is very simple: it says neyyattha would be such suttas where the ordinary concepts of beings etc. come in, &lt;strong&gt;but nītattha is where you get anicca, dukkha, anattā&lt;/strong&gt;. That’s a very simple definition of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There’s just a flux of life, a functioning, but no agent in it. But the language requires both. That is why we have to say ‘it rains’, leaving the room for someone to ask ‘what is this ‘it’?’. The fire goes out: where has it ‘gone’? The Buddha from time to time had to show the absurdity of such questions. In such contexts you come across the nītattha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For all practical purposes, the Buddha’s words are enough. But for those who do not practice, but who are armchair critics, there is so much contradiction in the Buddha’s words. Sometimes He says there is dukkha only, and sometimes He says you are suffering. This is also the reason why there is such a mess...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://bpustudents.blogspot.com/2015/04/early-buddhist-teaching-and-abhidhamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Early Buddhist Teaching and Abhidhamma by ven. Tezaniya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;neyyattha suttas are, for example: „O monk, there is one individual, there are two individuals, there are three individuals&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nītattha sutta is „this is impermanent, this is sorrowful, this is soulless.“&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahu%C5%9Brut%C4%ABya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Vasumitra, the Bahuśrutīyas considered the Buddha's teachings of &lt;strong&gt;impermanence, suffering, emptiness, anātman, and Nirvāṇa to be supramundane&lt;/strong&gt;, while his expositions on other subjects were to be considered mundane.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right view? Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions [of becoming]; there is right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the right view &lt;strong&gt;with effluents&lt;/strong&gt;, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions. There is this world &amp;amp; the next world. There is mother &amp;amp; father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the right view that is noble, &lt;strong&gt;without effluents&lt;/strong&gt;, transcendent, a factor of the path? The discernment, the faculty of discernment, the strength of discernment, analysis of qualities [in terms of the four noble truths].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T00:38:04.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11639" CreationDate="2015-09-20T01:30:45.887" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First off, I think it's important to understand that Zen isn't something that should be greased up and crammed into the strictures of traditional Buddhist teachings.  Zen makes no overt attempt to follow the path as laid out in the Sutta Pitaka (i.e. in the Samanaphala Sutta) nor does it conform to the gradual training as described in texts like the Vissuddhimagga.  Topics like right action, sila, and virtue, while undoubtedly present in the Zen tradition, are meant to be arrived at through direct insight.  They are realities to be discovered, not guidelines to be followed during the initial stages of practice.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The particular quotes that you are referring to are from two koans.  Specifically, they come from cases 1 and 21 from the koan collection entitled the Mumokan.  In Zen practice, koans are designed to point at some subtle experience of reality (i.e. big mind) that is often missed by our discursive and discriminating smaller minds.  They are not designed to be &quot;thought provoking&quot;, nor do they try to be necessarily humorous, provoke anger, or instill discomfort.  They don't even try to cause dissonance.  For these reasons, they can often sound completely nonsensical.  In fact, koans are &quot;none-sense&quot; in the purest definition of the word.  No amount of reasoning will help you arrive at the experience they are pointing to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, koans are surgically precise.  They aren't just &quot;right speech&quot; they are &quot;exact speech&quot;.  The experiences that a koan points to are ridiculously specific and, in the hands of a master teacher, can be used to great affect in awakening a student.  A good teacher knows exactly when to introduce a certain koan.  Like someone playing a game of Jenga, he knows just what block to pull out in order to get a student's whole mental edifice to come toppling down.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All koans seek to awaken the mind.   Not a single word of them is tossed off haphazardly.  They are skillful means - upaya - but are functionally quite distinct from anything you might find in the Theravadan tradition.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T01:30:45.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11639" CreationDate="2015-09-20T02:07:27.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Andrei's answer said that the &quot;antidote&quot; could be used, for example, as follows,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So for example, if a Zen master notices that his student lost his fundamental sanity and has &quot;gotten drunk on the shravaka wine&quot; to use Dogen's parable, he might etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following talk about Dogen's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Db%C5%8Dgenz%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shobogenzo&lt;/a&gt; mentions the context of &quot;intoxication on the wine of the sravaka&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dogensangha.org.uk/Talks/8%20Rahai-tokuzui%204.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Talk on Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We’re on page 78, it’s fairly straightforward now. A description about&#xA;  discrimination against women in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Even in China, there was a stupid monk who made the following vow: “Through every life, in every age, I shall never look at a woman.”&#xA;  Upon what morality is this vow based? Is it based on secular morality?&#xA;  Is it based on the Buddha-Dharma? Is it based on the morality of&#xA;  non-Buddhists? Or is it based on the morality of heavenly demons? What&#xA;  wrong is there in a woman? What virtue is there in a man? Among bad&#xA;  people there are men who are bad people. Among good people there are&#xA;  women who are good people. Wanting to hear the Dharma, and wanting to&#xA;  get liberation, never depend on whether we are a man or a woman. When&#xA;  they have yet to cut delusion, men and women alike have yet to cut&#xA;  delusion. When they have cut delusion and experienced the principle,&#xA;  there is nothing at all to choose between a man and a woman.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So a very clear statement of equality, which unfortunately doesn’t&#xA;  exist in Japan, even Nishijima Roshi finds it difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moreover, if [a man] has vowed never to look at a woman, must he discard women even when vowing to save limitlessly many living beings?&#xA;  If he discards them he is not a bodhisattva. How much less [does he&#xA;  have] the Buddha’s compassion. This [vow] is just a drunken utterance&#xA;  caused by a deep intoxication on the wine of the sravaka.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words it’s a mental delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ch: What does the wine of the sravaka mean?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He just means the delusion of becoming enlightened. So he means the&#xA;  romantic idea that we attain some special state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Neither human beings nor gods should believe this [vow] to be true.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He’s talking about that monk’s vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that explains what &quot;drunk on the shravaka wine&quot; means (where &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81vaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Śrāvaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;disciple&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now &lt;em&gt;in context&lt;/em&gt; perhaps you understand the effect of such speech and why and when it's effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would work because (and only because) it's from the &quot;drunken&quot; disciple's formal teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also IMO perhaps it happens to be not incompatible with the formal rules of orthodox/traditional &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt; of which one of the important definitions is (third item in the following list),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp;&#xA;  disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] &quot;&lt;strong&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be &lt;strike&gt;factual,&#xA;  true,&lt;/strike&gt; beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, &lt;em&gt;he has a&#xA;  sense of the proper time&lt;/em&gt; for saying them.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual,&#xA;  untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not&#xA;  say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] &quot;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual,&#xA;  true, beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense&#xA;  of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata&#xA;  has sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T02:07:27.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11652" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11662" CreationDate="2015-09-20T02:49:46.053" Score="6" ViewCount="895" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was part of a religious group that claimed to be everything that the Buddha teaches. But, when you listen to their teachings, you can tell discrepancies between their teachings and Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just saw many people being misguided, but I do not know what to do. (Just to clarify, the religious group I'm referring to is neither Mahayana nor Theravada. But, the question can be generalized further if necessary.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one end, I do not wish to create any conflict among anyone. &#xA;On the other end, I feel sad that many people are misguided into the teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the question is: What should I do? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any answers based on experience would be AWESOME, and experience + Scripture references (said by famous teachers or based on Pali Canon) would be an Awesome+++infinity. :) Once again, I hope to find a method that does not create animosity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks Buddhist Community! Praises to the Dharma.&#xA;******As for an explanation on how this question is different from the forum titled &quot;How to address wrong view&quot;, it's pretty much the same, except this is more scenario-based. I just wanted a different perspective/insight to this specific scenario. My ultimate goal is to avoid conflict!!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6932" LastEditorUserId="6932" LastEditDate="2015-09-21T06:02:58.780" LastActivityDate="2019-03-01T17:40:02.377" Title="What should you do when someone teaches false Dharma?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|teachers|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-20T03:41:36.803" Score="13" Body="&lt;h2&gt;First, some canonical background:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, speculating on the origin of the cosmos or similar topics will lead one to confusion i.e. it cannot be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-Malunkyavada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in the Parable of the Poisoned Arrow, the speculation of the origin of cosmos or suffering or similar topics is not useful, because the more important and urgent matter is to attend to the topic of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as quoted in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9506/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, temporal beings who have very long lives in the Brahma realm, sometimes may think that they are the Immortal Supreme God, when that is not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states that the Buddha teaches neither eternalism nor annihilationism, but the middle way in terms of philosophy. Eternalism is the idea that anything (that is conditioned) can exist eternally more or less in its original form e.g. consciousness, happiness etc. Annihilationism is the idea that consciousness and existence completely vanishes at death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditioning means something that is affected or influenced or conditioned by other things. For e.g. the tree grows because of sunlight, water, dropping of seed, climate etc. and does not exist as a standalone absolute entity by itself. The Buddha also said that all conditioned things are not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Now for some discussion:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The human person is conditioned, hence he does not exist eternally i.e. there is no eternal soul, but at the same time, his existence does not completely vanish, and he continues again in another birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different worlds in the Buddhist cosmos are also conditioned and experience change. They too will pass away and return. In other words, there is no single point of creation and destruction for the universe. It comes and goes eternally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now assume that there is a Supreme Creator God. He must be a being who can observe the world, who thinks, who does things like creation and who communicates with other beings. This supreme being can be satisfied with his creation and could reward them. Or he could be unhappy with his creation and punish them. He could decide to punish, and then change his mind and grant pardon. He could communicate laws to his creation at some point, then change or update the laws later. He might want his creation to worship him and could reward them for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the perspective of Buddhism, &lt;strong&gt;such a being displays all the marks of conditioning, hence cannot be eternal or absolute&lt;/strong&gt;. Such a being must be within the realm of suffering just as you and I, and must at some point pass away. It is not inconceivable that there are beings with extremely long lives, who have powers and influence over other beings, but they cannot possibly be eternal, absolute or exclusively unique, according to Buddhism. Even the Buddha himself (the person who thinks and moves and communicates) had passed away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T03:48:18.470" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11604" CreationDate="2015-09-20T03:57:25.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Scientists can't all run down to the lab and analyze this &lt;strong&gt;experiential evidence&lt;/strong&gt; firsthand. They can't stand around it, pass tools back and forth and tweek it until they can throw it into some supercollider somewhere...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He must mean evidence found out in the laboratory that is one's own mind and body. This evidence can only be known firsthand by the individual who experiences it and nobody else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...This means that, in the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be.&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems to be a very vague statement. What kind of empirical evidence is needed to throw out a given venerated scripture? Who is having the experience, one or many meditators?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T03:57:25.367" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-20T03:57:25.367" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-20T04:21:16.363" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Sufis, Jains and Christian mystics point to God, I almost know for sure that they are pointing to the same thing as Nibbana anyway...or at least they are both pointing in the same direction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A God that created the universe  is irrelevant in Buddhism anyway.  If God exists or God doesn't exist then either way it has no effect on the Buddha's path to end our suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the creator doesn't need a creator then the universe doesn't need a creator also. One can't say &quot;the universe needs to have a creator because something had to create it&quot; because they would also have to say &quot;The creator needs to have a creator because something had to create the creator&quot;. If the creator needs no creator then why can't the universe need no creator as well? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-09-15T19:02:19.760" LastActivityDate="2017-09-15T19:02:19.760" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-20T04:21:16.363" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11656" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11674" CreationDate="2015-09-20T05:00:55.267" Score="4" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read it a long time back, I remember it had something to do with someone meditating in a field of grass, and watching the wind go through the individual blades of grass and how they swayed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was a specific term and dealt with emptiness and the uniqueness of each passing moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T10:26:05.860" Title="What is the Buddhist term for each moment being subtlety unique?" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|sunyata|time|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11604" CreationDate="2015-09-20T07:04:44.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll start this with my analysis of the text, then your questions and my answers at the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is the Dalai Lama's point of view, as explained in the article you referenced:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Science at the Crossroads&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      This article is based on a talk given by the Dalai Lama at the annual&#xA;      meeting of the Society for Neuroscience on November 12, 2005 in Washington DC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He (Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama) as a scientist:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;....The specific areas of science I have explored most over the years&#xA;  are subatomic physics, cosmology, biology and psychology. For my&#xA;  limited understanding of these fields I am deeply indebted to the&#xA;  hours of generous time shared with me by Carl von Weizsacker and the&#xA;  late David Bohm both of whom I consider to be my teachers in quantum&#xA;  mechanics, and in the field of biology, especially neuroscience, .....&#xA;  ....which initiated the Mind and Life conferences that began in 1987&#xA;  at my residence in Dharamsala, India. These dialogues have continued&#xA;  over the years and in fact the latest Mind and Life dialogue concluded&#xA;  here in Washington just this week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Him as a religionist:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..Since the primary motive underlying the Buddhist investigation of&#xA;  reality is the fundamental quest for overcoming suffering and&#xA;  perfecting the human condition, the primary orientation of the&#xA;  Buddhist investigative tradition has been toward understanding the&#xA;  human mind and its various functions. The assumption here is that by&#xA;  gaining deeper insight into the human psyche, we might find ways of&#xA;  transforming our thoughts, emotions and their underlying propensities&#xA;  so that a more wholesome and fulfilling way of being can be found. It&#xA;  is in this context that the Buddhist tradition has devised a rich&#xA;  classification of mental states, as well as contemplative techniques&#xA;  for refining specific mental qualities.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..Some might wonder &quot;What is a Buddhist monk doing taking such a deep&#xA;  interest in science? What relation could there be between Buddhism, an&#xA;  ancient Indian philosophical and spiritual tradition, and modern&#xA;  science? What possible benefit could there be for a scientific&#xA;  discipline such as neuroscience in engaging in dialogue with Buddhist&#xA;  contemplative tradition?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two trends - a part, and a whole (a soul, and a stream):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any&#xA;  notion of absolutes, whether conceptualized as a transcendent being,&#xA;  as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental&#xA;  substratum of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Goal - (Paradigm Shift):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...complex world of inner subjective experience that we call the&#xA;  mind...the effects of mental training, such as simple mindfulness&#xA;  practice on a regular basis or the deliberate cultivation of&#xA;  compassion as developed ....that mental practice can effect observable&#xA;  synaptic and neural changes in the brain ....the deliberate&#xA;  cultivation of compassion can lead to a &lt;strong&gt;radical shift&lt;/strong&gt; in the&#xA;  individual's outlook,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Paradigm shift? World and beyond the world (Change in Outlook):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...I am not advocating a fusion of religious ethics and scientific&#xA;  inquiry. Rather, I am speaking of what I call &quot;secular ethics&quot; that&#xA;  embrace the key ethical principles, such as compassion, tolerance, a&#xA;  sense of caring, consideration of others, and the responsible use of&#xA;  knowledge and power - principles that transcend the barriers between&#xA;  religious believers and non-believers, and followers of this religion&#xA;  or that religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Problem domain - (world within):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..do individuals have a fixed capacity to regulate their emotions and&#xA;  attention or, as Buddhist tradition argues, their capacity for&#xA;  regulating these processes are greatly amenable to change suggesting&#xA;  similar degree of amenability of the behavioral and brain systems&#xA;  associated....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Solution domain - (beyond the world):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..modern neuroscience has developed a rich understanding of the brain&#xA;  mechanisms that are associated with both attention and emotion.&#xA;  Buddhist contemplative tradition, given its long history of interest&#xA;  in the practice of mental training, offers on the other hand practical&#xA;  techniques for refining attention and regulating and transforming&#xA;  emotion...the cultivation of a compassionate heart and the cultivation&#xA;  of deep insights into the nature of reality, which are referred to as&#xA;  the union of compassion and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difficulty is searching for solutions within the world; but the solution is beyond the world. So only the path can be shown, not the end result. (It should be taste and see).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Path? or Paths? (Or suits?):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...in its traditional context, the term for meditation is bhavana (in&#xA;  Sanskrit) or gom (in Tibetan).   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..The assumption here is that by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;gaining deeper insight into the human psyche, we might find ways of&#xA;  transforming our thoughts, emotions and their underlying propensities&#xA;  so that a more wholesome and fulfilling way of being can be found...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the heart of these meditation practices lie two key techniques, the&#xA;  refinement of attention and its sustained application on the one hand,&#xA;  and the regulation and transformation of emotions on the other...    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Broadly speaking, there are two categories of meditation practice -&#xA;  one focusing on stilling the mind and the other on the cognitive&#xA;  processes of understanding. The two are referred to as (i) stabilizing&#xA;  meditation and (ii) discursive meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who has gone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... insofar as empirical facts are concerned, facts must remain facts,&#xA;  no matter how one may choose to describe them. Whatever the truth&#xA;  about the final nature of consciousness - whether or not it is&#xA;  ultimately reducible to physical processes - I believe there can be&#xA;  shared understanding of the experiential facts of the various aspects&#xA;  of our perceptions, thoughts and emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So Now the Q &amp;amp; A.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;With specific reference to the last line: in the &quot;Buddhist investigation of reality&quot;, what are the instances where empirical&#xA;  evidence &quot;should triumph over&quot; (or even challenge) scriptural&#xA;  authority?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditional cosmology ( IF found in ) ancient Buddhist texts. But It&#xA;     cannot compare cosmology and Buddhist 31 planes each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are there alternative/contradictory points of view in the scriptures, or in the talks and writings of recent Gurus, to the Dalai&#xA;  Lama's point of view (i.e. wherein it is posited that scriptural&#xA;  authority should prevail over empirical evidence)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no  Scriptural authority  in Buddhism. (As shown in &quot;Kalama &#xA;    Sutta&quot;). Empirical evidence and other facts found in ancient Buddhist texts are &#xA;    used as &quot;Uppaya&quot;. Like &quot;finger&quot; to point the &quot;Moon&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T08:57:40.380" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T08:57:40.380" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11615" CreationDate="2015-09-20T07:58:15.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many Buddhist lineages in Tibet and all of these have variations on what they consider to be preliminary practices or ngondro. So in order to answer your question generally you have to look for preliminary practices that are common to all of the main lineages - Kagyu, Sakya, Nyingma and Gelugpa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'common' or 'ordinary' or 'outer' practices are generally considered to be the &lt;strong&gt;Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind&lt;/strong&gt; or the &lt;strong&gt;Four Reminders&lt;/strong&gt;. These are more philosophical musings that prepare the mind and motivate the person to continue their practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Difficulty of obtaining a free and favorable human life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of impermanence and death.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of cause and effect (karma).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of endless cycle of suffering (samsara).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A poem by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on the Four Reminders:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Joyful to have&#xA;  such a human birth,&#xA;  difficult to find,&#xA;  free and well-favored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But death is real, &#xA;  comes without warning. &#xA;  This body will be a corpse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unalterable&#xA;  are the laws of karma;&#xA;  Cause and effect&#xA;  cannot be escaped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samsara&#xA;  is an ocean of suffering,&#xA;  unendurable,&#xA;  unbearably intense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is in the uncommon or extraordinary or inner practices where there is great variability from tradition to tradition but the following are fairly common:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking refuge in the three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Developing Bodhicitta.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vajrasattva practice and mandala offerings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Guru yoga.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These preliminary practices are considered essential before journeying into the intermediate and completion stages of Vajrayana which, traditionally, cannot be done without a qualified teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recommended reading - &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559392118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Beginner's Guide to Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T08:05:39.863" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T08:05:39.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11625" CreationDate="2015-09-20T14:22:23.397" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is tagged &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; and &quot;Pāḷi Canon&quot;, so I am going to limit my answer to the Theravāda perspective. I am only going to answer the first part of the question. Please leave me a comment if you want me to answer the other parts of the question (I want to make sure that we are on the same wavelength before proceeding).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an entry as part of Nyanatiloka’s Buddhist Dictionary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;paramattha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (-&lt;em&gt;sacca&lt;/em&gt;, -&lt;em&gt;vacana&lt;/em&gt;, -&lt;em&gt;desanā&lt;/em&gt;): 'truth (or term, exposition) that is true in the highest (or ultimate) sense', as contrasted with the 'conventional truth' (&lt;em&gt;vohāra-sacca&lt;/em&gt;), which is also called 'commonly accepted truth' (&lt;em&gt;sammuti-sacca&lt;/em&gt;; in Skr: &lt;em&gt;samvrti-satya&lt;/em&gt;). The Buddha, in explaining his doctrine, sometimes used conventional language and sometimes the philosophical mode of expression which is in accordance with undeluded insight into reality. In that ultimate sense, existence is a mere process of physical and mental phenomena within which, or beyond which, no real ego-entity nor any abiding substance can ever be found. Thus, whenever the Suttas speak of man, woman or person, or of the rebirth of a being, this must not be taken as being valid in the ultimate sense, but as a mere conventional mode of speech (&lt;em&gt;vohāra-vacana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is one of the main characteristics of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, in distinction from most of the Sutta Piṭaka, that it does not employ conventional language, but deals only with ultimates, or realities in the highest sense (&lt;em&gt;paramattha-dhammā&lt;/em&gt;). But also in the Sutta Piṭaka there are many expositions in terms of ultimate language (&lt;em&gt;paramattha-desanā&lt;/em&gt;), namely, wherever these texts deal with the groups (&lt;em&gt;khandha&lt;/em&gt;), elements (&lt;em&gt;dhātu&lt;/em&gt;) or sense-bases (&lt;em&gt;āyatana&lt;/em&gt;), and their components; and wherever the 3 characteristics (&lt;em&gt;ti-lakkhaṇa&lt;/em&gt;, q.v.) are applied. The majority of Sutta texts, however, use the conventional language, as appropriate in a practical or ethical context, because it “would not be right to say that 'the groups' (&lt;em&gt;khandha&lt;/em&gt;) feel shame, etc.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It should be noted, however, that also statements of the Buddha couched in conventional language, are called 'truth' (&lt;em&gt;vohāra-sacca&lt;/em&gt;), being correct on their own level, which does not contradict the fact that such statements ultimately refer to impermanent and impersonal processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The two truths - ultimate and conventional - appear in that form only in the commentaries, but are implied in a Sutta-distinction of 'explicit (or direct) meaning' (&lt;em&gt;nītattha&lt;/em&gt;, q.v.) and 'implicit meaning (to be inferred)' (&lt;em&gt;neyyattha&lt;/em&gt;). Further, the Buddha repeatedly mentioned his reservations when using conventional speech, e.g. in D. 9: &quot;These are merely names, expressions, turns of speech, designations in common use in the world, which the Perfect Qne (&lt;em&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/em&gt;) uses without misapprehending them.&quot; See also S. I. 25.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term paramattha, in the sense here used, occurs in the first para. of the Kathāvatthu, a work of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka (s. Guide, p. 62). (App: &lt;em&gt;vohāra&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The commentarial discussions on these truths (Com. to D. 9 and M. 5) have not yet been translated in full. On these see K N. Jayatilleke, Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge (London, 1963), pp. 361ff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Mahāyana, the Mādhyamika school has given a prominent place to the teaching of the two truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In DN 9, you will find the quote, &quot;[names] are the world's designations, the world's expressions, the world's ways of speaking, the world's descriptions, with which the Tathāgata expresses himself but without grasping to them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding this verse, Thanissaro Bhikkhu &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html#fn-10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;makes the comment&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary takes this is as the Buddha's affirmation of the idea — which in later centuries became current in all schools of Buddhism — that he spoke truth on two levels: conventional and ultimate. In context, though, the Buddha seems to be referring merely to the fact that he has adopted the linguistic usages of his interlocutors simply for the sake of discussion, and that they should not be interpreted out of context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding this verse, Maurice Walshe &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palicanon.org/en/sutta-pitaka/transcribed-suttas/majjhima-nikaya/124-mn-19-dvedhvitakka-sutta-two-kinds-of-thought.html#calibre_link-296&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;makes the comment&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An important reference to the two truths referred in [the Dīgha Nikāya commentary] as 'conventional speech' (&lt;em&gt;sammuti-kathā&lt;/em&gt;) and 'ultimately true speech' (&lt;em&gt;paramattha-kathā&lt;/em&gt;). It is important to be aware of the level of truth at which any statements are made. In the [Majjhimma commentary to MN 5], the following verse is quoted (source unknown), 'Two truths the Buddha, best of all who speak, declared: conventional and ultimate – no third can be. Terms agreed are true by usage of the world; words of ultimate significance are true in terms of dhammas. Thus the Lord, a Teacher, he who is skilled in this world’s speech can use it, and not lie.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is my personal conjecture (this is my own assumption, I have not seen this anywhere else, so take it with a grain of salt). According to the Wikipedia page on “Atomism”, the idea of breaking things into “ultimate realities” arose in India around the time of the Buddha and was adopted by some of the Buddha’s “competitors” such as the Jains, Ājīvikas (followers of Makkhali Gosala) and Carvaka schools. My assumption is that Buddhist had to defend themselves in debates against these “competitors” and felt that the Buddha’s overlapping analysis of aggregates / bases / elements was not “robust” enough to counter the detailed ontological arguments put forth by the “competition”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a response, each Buddhist school created their own set of &quot;ultimate realities&quot;. Just to give an indication of the differences between schools: the Theravāda school has 1 citta (arising in 89 or 121 combinations, Mental States), 52 cetasika, 28 rūpa and 1 unconditioned element. The Sarvāstivāda school had 1 citta, 60 cetasika, 11 rūpa and 3 unconditioned elements. The Sautrāntika school had 6 citta, 29 cetasika, 8 rūpa and 1 unconditioned element. The Yogācāra school had 8 citta, 75 cetasika, 11 rūpa and 6 unconditioned elements. Each of these schools used the same set of Suttas, but analyzed them in a different way, according to their own doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second part of the question&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In AN 4.94, the Buddha defined &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; as a process of steadying, settling, unifying and composing (&lt;em&gt;saṇṭhapetabbaṁ&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;sannisādetabbaṁ&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;ekodi kātabbaṁ&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;samādahātabban&lt;/em&gt;) the mind. When discussing samatha, the Suttas do not specify an object or a type of object (concept or ultimate reality). Samatha is a process, irrespective of the object. The result of samatha is internal tranquility. Of course, the commentaries focus on the object of samatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same sutta describes &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; as distinct seeing of things through higher wisdom. &lt;em&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; is described as viewing &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt;, investigating &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt; and distinctly seeing &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt;. The object of &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt;. In this context, &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt; can be interpreted as being the three characteristics (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;). The result of &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; is the insight knowledges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concepts do not possess the three characteristics and are therefore not valid objects of &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; meditation. On the other hand, &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;cetasika&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; do possess the three characteristics and are therefore valid objects of &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is important to know the difference between conventional realities and ultimate realities to understand the teachings. It is also important to only use ultimate realities as the object of &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T15:34:10.407" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T15:34:10.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11661" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11663" CreationDate="2015-09-20T15:23:02.473" Score="3" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone stops going to a temple because he/she doesn't feel comfortable in that particular temple. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a right thing to do or is this a kind of aversion she/he needs to worry therefore should keep going to that temple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T15:36:49.073" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T01:21:41.520" Title="Is this aversion?" Tags="|ethics|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11652" CreationDate="2015-09-20T16:49:10.813" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can share with them &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;'s Four Great Referrals:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘I have heard this directly from the Gracious One, friends, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that monk,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that monk.’ This, monks, is the first Great Referral you should bear in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That religious group will have no ground to criticize you for the above comes straight out of the Buddha's Discourses. Also freely share good Dhamma resources like accesstoinsight.org, suttacentral.net, tipitaka.wikia.com, etc. so that group members can go and find out the truth for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T16:49:10.813" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11661" CreationDate="2015-09-20T17:34:33.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More info. is needed before making a conclusion. Ex: what is the root cause to that person not feeling comfortable at that temple. Is the teaching at the temple in line with the Buddha's Discourses and Discipline? (see related topic &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11652/what-should-you-do-when-someone-teaches-false-dharma&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) Does the abbot break the Bhikkhus' Code of Discipline? Do the forms or methods of practice not quite suitable to the person and as a result s/he doesn't make much progress on the Path? etc. It's important to keep in mind that the real metrics to Dhamma practice is not the frequency of one's visit to a temple but instead, should be ones' own progress on precepts observance, insight into conditioned phenomena, and meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T17:34:33.993" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11652" CreationDate="2015-09-20T17:52:31.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should see if the interpretations given are in fact:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In line with the Dhamma as per the Suttas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even if they seem to be from the Suttas, see if the interpretation can be put in practice and not philosophical and abstract. Dhamma is meant to be practised to experience the result here and now. Hence if it is philosophical or abstract then this is not pure Dhamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the best course of action would be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to bring up Sutta discussions with a view toward reconciliation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it seems to be in line with the Suttas, see if some interpretations are abstract and philosophical rather than simple practice, in which case you can bring up an alternate interpretation to see how this resonates among the practitioners.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.13-Ani-S-s20.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which describes how Dhamma gets polluted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T13:26:32.177" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11665" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-20T18:17:13.467" Score="2" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious: how do Buddhist traditions treat senses other than the six that are traditionally given, e.g., &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroreception&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;electroreception&lt;/a&gt; (the ability to detect electrical fields/stimuli)? If there are actually more than six senses in some cases, it seems mildly problematic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related question: how do Buddhists talk about synaesthesia? Are there any interesting issues surrounding this phenomenon? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T22:54:51.933" Title="The senses, electroreception, synaesthesia" Tags="|six-senses|perception|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11661" CreationDate="2015-09-20T18:43:24.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you push anything away so as to not accept things as they are, then that is aversion. So if fear, anger or disliking arise and it causes you to react by pushing the temple away then that is not seeing reality as it is. It is a defilement as a result of mental  proliferation(being unaware). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we are mindful of the averse feeling then we will not react to it and we will be taking reality as it is in that instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Liking, lust and greed work the same way except we pull the object(in this case the object is the temple) towards us instead of pushing it away. Not being mindful of our desire to pull something we like towards us will result in not seeing things as they are as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T18:43:24.743" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-20T18:43:24.743" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-20T19:08:40.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All these are as of my understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are questioning about several things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citta&lt;/strong&gt; - This is where generation of thoughts are flowing in a nonstop manner, As some readings, this is related to heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Manas&lt;/strong&gt; - This can takes purposes and help other organs like eye to see and make vinnana,  This is brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinnana&lt;/strong&gt; - This is a term which means, 'knowing' (Let's say we saw a girl, we know that this is a girl, that knowing is called 'Vinnana'. This is neither brain nor heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Process is like this. Say there is a girl, and our eye and other&#xA;  things like line of sight, sufficient amount of light etc. Since all&#xA;  the requirements are completed, our eye &lt;code&gt;collide&lt;/code&gt; with the sight of&#xA;  the girl. Then with the help of 'Manas' we identified this object as a&#xA;  girl. After that, according to the object and our mind, we generate&#xA;  either like, dislike or neutral thoughts about the object. Then these&#xA;  thoughts can be continue to lead for a Kamma  or just vanished)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T19:08:40.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11668" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-20T19:22:22.370" Score="2" ViewCount="190" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=pMAIAAAAQAAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA75&amp;amp;lpg=PA75&amp;amp;dq=is%20gotama%20afraid%20of%20me%20sutta&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=6BoNJZrTKa&amp;amp;sig=HtcmUFaEf6bLk5-rvu8owXQDgKE&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCwQ6AEwAmoVChMIqeKrvKaGyAIVkwiSCh2wbAhh#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=is%20gotama%20afraid%20of%20me%20sutta&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suchiloma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; other than the one I have found through searching on Google or some insight into the Pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the story, the Demon Suchiloma wants to test the Buddha and 'strikes him with his body' whereupon the Buddha withdraws his own body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the passage I am interested in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereupon the demon Suchiloma addressed Bhagava thus: &quot;O Samana! Are&#xA;  you afraid of me?&quot; (Bhagava said,) &quot;Friend! though your touching me is&#xA;  sinful, (yet) I am not afraid of you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I seem to recall reading a translation of this sutta in which the Buddha's words are translated as something like: Friend, I am not afraid of you, but still, contact with you is not pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone point to an alternate translation or to a Pali version of the sutta (along with any insight into the meaning of the passage in question)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T07:11:00.367" Title="Suchiloma Sutta translation" Tags="|suttas|pali|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11546" CreationDate="2015-09-20T19:30:14.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, did Siddhartha Gautama arrive at his Enlightenment by&#xA;  BELIEVING in prevailing religious mythology and principles&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. He tried many teachers. But he couldn't find what he is looking for. So ultimately he himself found the what he looked for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;did he arrive at his Enlightenment by QUESTIONING, EXAMINING and&#xA;  REJECTING them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No for this too. He found his enlightenment by himself. Not by questioning, examining someone else. He didn't directly go to Jungle and start meditation nor he questioned from the very first moment from other teachers. He tried patiently. And once he understood that this is not he was looking for, he left. He did this several times. Finally he decided to search it by himself and arrived at his enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T19:30:14.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-20T19:49:11.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches the 31 parts of the body as mentioned in the Satipatthana Sutta but  the brain is never mentioned. I am certain the brain isn't mentioned anywhere in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha relates the mind with the whole body not any one part of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T20:10:13.280" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T20:10:13.280" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-20T20:10:13.280" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11668" CreationDate="2015-09-20T19:59:43.440" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an alternative translation up on Sutta Central: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp2.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp2.5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the sentence you are looking for is translated as so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Friend, I am not afraid of you, but your touch is evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;evil&quot; here translates Pali &lt;code&gt;pāpako&lt;/code&gt; - bad, malignant, evil, wrong, sinful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the meaning is that, although Enlightened One is not afraid to come in contact with demonic influences, even for Buddha the close contact with them is not beneficial. As poisonous food may upset the stomach, so poisonous thoughts may upset the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-20T20:30:21.590" LastActivityDate="2015-09-20T20:30:21.590" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11672" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-20T20:02:53.197" Score="5" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it a good idea to make a strong commitment\determination  to be mindful or to meditate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we can't really control what we do in the future, is there a use to make a commitment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the answer is yes   - how to make it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would love to hear tips on how to make the commitment/determination better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I would also like to hear your opinion about celibacy in this context - including celibacy from tasty food and from funny videos, from music, from entertainment in general, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-21T06:20:44.137" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T13:30:30.807" Title="Is 'making a strong commitment' a good idea?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11672" CreationDate="2015-09-20T20:30:54.203" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To make a  strong commitment,  you want to cultivate right effort by making a continuous effort, by hanging out with wise spiritual friends, by balancing energy with concentration and by not doing things that suck the energy out of you like reacting to your arising defilements, eating too much and getting lost in mental proliferation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Ajahn Chah says &quot;Just do it&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could reflect on death. This can really be motivating because it lets us know we are pressed for time not just on the surface but in the heart as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T13:30:30.807" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T13:30:30.807" CommentCount="5" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-20T20:30:54.203" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11656" CreationDate="2015-09-20T20:39:00.220" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe the term is &quot;Tathata&quot; that means &quot;suchness&quot; or &quot;thusness&quot;. It is a Mahayana term. It means &quot;Things as they are&quot; or &quot;reality&quot;. It's ultimate reality as opposed to conceptual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes from the word the Buddha used to describe himself,&quot; Tathagata&quot; that means &quot;one thus gone&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Chan stories, tathātā is often best revealed in the seemingly mundane or meaningless, such as noticing the way the wind blows through a field of grass, or watching someone's face light up as they smile.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81t%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81t%C4%81&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-21T10:26:05.860" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T10:26:05.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11661" CreationDate="2015-09-20T23:19:41.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Is this aversion?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, of course. &quot;Doesn't feel comfortable&quot; sounds like a kind of aversion. The keyword is &quot;comfortable&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An attitude &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; rooted in aversion would sound like &quot;I stopped going because I saw it having more harmful effect and little beneficial effect&quot; - see the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As my last teacher explained, any time we feel strong aversion to going somewhere / doing something - we should take a really good look inside to see if  the feeling comes from a deep-lying &lt;em&gt;preconception&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preconception (in this context corresponding to &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) is an abstract formula we have adopted based on some previous experience, some sort of wrong overgeneralization we cling to. A complex of preconceptions constitutes person's ego, or image-of-self-and-the-world. Buddha compared ego with &lt;em&gt;banyan tree&lt;/em&gt; that grows by shooting down the prop roots (=preconceptions) which become the second-order trunks and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-21T01:21:41.520" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T01:21:41.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11668" CreationDate="2015-09-21T00:26:38.393" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to download Bhikkhu Bodhi's one hour talk on this Sutta from&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/sutta-nipata.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://bodhimonastery.org/sutta-nipata.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is track 31.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was curious, so I listened to this track and Bhikkhu Bodhi explains the point that you are asking about. The Yakkha's name is &quot;Sūciloma&quot;; &quot;sūci&quot; means needle and &quot;loma&quot; means hair of the body (one of the 32 parts). So this particular Yakkha had body hairs that were sharp like needles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sūciloma wanted to determine if the Buddha was a &quot;real ascetic&quot; or a &quot;fake ascetic&quot;. A &quot;real ascetic&quot; would not be afraid of a Yakkha while a &quot;fake ascetic&quot; would show fear. So Sūciloma approaches the Buddha and bends over the Buddha. Your translation of &quot;strikes him with his body&quot; is not correct; the Pāḷi word &lt;em&gt;upanāmesi&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;to bend over to, to place against or close to, to approach, bring near&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha withdraws his body, Sūciloma asks &quot;Are you afraid of me?&quot; The Buddha replies, &quot;Friend, I am not afraid of you, though your touch is painful&quot;. Bhikkhu Bodhi explains that the Pāḷi word &lt;em&gt;pāpako&lt;/em&gt; literally means &quot;evil&quot; but in this context should be interpreted as meaning painful to the touch [because of your sharp body hairs].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T07:11:00.367" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T07:11:00.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11677" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11683" CreationDate="2015-09-21T02:46:12.177" Score="5" ViewCount="877" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does sexual activity (masturbation and beyond) hinder vipassana meditation practice? If so, does anyone know through experience or references exactly how this activity affects the practice? For example, does it decrease one's ability to focus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T16:23:51.477" Title="In what way(s) does engaging in sexual activity affect meditation practice?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|sexuality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11677" CreationDate="2015-09-21T04:22:51.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana you have to maintain equanimity without clinging and craving. When engaging in sexual activity you entertain clinging and craving. This your weakens your mindfulness and concentration hence your ability to see things as they really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T04:22:51.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11672" CreationDate="2015-09-21T06:38:53.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some advice from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Fuang&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;If you're single-minded about whatever you think of doing, you're&#xA;  sure to succeed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Persistence comes from conviction, discernment from being mindful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Persistence in the practice is a matter of the mind, and not of&#xA;  your posture. In other words, whatever you do, keep your mindfulness&#xA;  constant and don't let it lapse. No matter what your activity, make&#xA;  sure the mind sticks with its meditation work.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ Another student disappeared for several months, and on her return&#xA;  told Ajaan Fuang, &quot;The reason I didn't show up is that my boss sent me&#xA;  to night school for a semester, so I didn't have any time to meditate&#xA;  at all. But now that the course is over, I don't want to do anything&#xA;  but meditate — no work, no study, just let the mind be still.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;She thought he'd be pleased to hear how intent she still was on&#xA;  meditating, but he disappointed her. &quot;So you don't want to work —&#xA;  that's a defilement, isn't it? Whoever said that people can't work and&#xA;  meditate at the same time?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ Many were the times when people would tell Ajaan Fuang that — with&#xA;  all the work and responsibilities in their lives — they had no time to&#xA;  meditate. And many were the times he'd respond, &quot;And you think you'll&#xA;  have time after you're dead?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T06:38:53.007" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11389" CreationDate="2015-09-21T12:24:08.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sure it can. The path is all about balance, that's why it's called the &quot;middle way&quot;. Find a balance that works for you between calming meditation and investigative meditation (samatha/vipassana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6955" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T12:24:08.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11652" CreationDate="2015-09-21T12:49:41.473" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Dogen's Shobogenzo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some hear of Anuttara-Samyak-Sam-Bodhi from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;good friend&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, and some hear of it from the sutras. What one hears first is, &quot;Not doing wrong action.&quot; If one does not hear “not doing wrong action,” one is not hearing the Buddhas' true Dharma but demonic talk. Know that hearing “not doing wrong action” is hearing the Buddhas' true Dharma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The essence of the Dharma proclaimed by all Buddhas of the three worlds is the same, yet the actual words used depend on the time and circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My comment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was a little boy back in the dark soviet years, I could not possibly come in contact with True Dharma. My glimpse of light was a song by an alcoholic folk singer who sang: &quot;&lt;em&gt;The Indians have made up a nice religion: when we kick the bucket we don't die forever. If you lived like a pig, you'll be reborn a pig. If you were dumb like a tree, you'll come back a baobab. You could become a parrot or a poisonous snake. Isn't it better to be a decent man?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this world there are people who are not confused, people who are mildly confused, and people who are very confused. This includes students of Dharma, teachers of Dharma, and people who have never heard of Dharma. So if your &quot;ultimate goal is to avoid conflict&quot; then don't judge the work of others -- even if they are somewhat confused at least they can help people who are &lt;em&gt;even more&lt;/em&gt; confused. For someone deep in the darkness even a little glimpse of light can show the direction out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your literal question, &quot;what should you &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; when someone teaches false Dharma?&quot; -- my answer is: &quot;why, teach the true Dharma of course!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T22:59:23.080" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T22:59:23.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11677" CreationDate="2015-09-21T15:04:18.620" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensual pleasure is one of the Five Hindrances which are like &amp;quot;canals dissipating the force [awareness/discernment strength] of a river current&amp;quot; as taught by the Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.051.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.51&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Sensual desire is an obstacle, a hindrance that overwhelms awareness and weakens discernment. Ill will... Sloth &amp;amp; drowsiness... Restlessness &amp;amp; anxiety... Uncertainty is an obstacle, a hindrance that overwhelms awareness and weakens discernment. These are the five obstacles, hindrances that overwhelm awareness and weaken discernment. And when a monk has not abandoned these five obstacles, hindrances that overwhelm awareness and weaken discernment, when he is without strength and weak in discernment: for him to understand what is for his own benefit, to understand what is for the benefit of others, to understand what is for the benefit of both, to realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision: that is impossible.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose there were a river, flowing down from the mountains — going far, its current swift, carrying everything with it — and a man would open channels leading away from it on both sides, so that the current in the middle of the river would be dispersed, diffused, &amp;amp; dissipated; it wouldn't go far, its current wouldn't be swift, and it wouldn't carry everything with it. In the same way, when a monk has not abandoned these five obstacles, hindrances that overwhelm awareness and weaken discernment, when he is without strength and weak in discernment for him to understand what is for his own benefit, to understand what is for the benefit of others, to understand what is for the benefit of both, to realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision: that is impossible.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T15:04:18.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11684" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-21T15:35:38.227" Score="6" ViewCount="1164" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been meditating for 2.5 years, and have done two retreats before (Goenka and Gil Fronsdal). I'm looking forward to expanding to my understanding of the practice in South East Asia. I was wondering which 10 day retreat people here recommend for westerners (i.e. English is available, and there isn't any esoteric content being taught). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My most likely bet seems to be Suan Mokkh in Thailand, but was wondering if there are others in the Theravada tradition that are recommended by people here (i.e. Burma, or other places in Thailand)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An up to date list of centers would also be appreciated. Most of the information I've been able to gather through googling seems quite out-dated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6971" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T11:47:24.020" Title="What kind of vipassana retreats do you recommend in South East Asia?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|retreat|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11684" CreationDate="2015-09-21T19:01:52.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you come to Sri Lanka, there's nice place up in hill country called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rathmalkanda Meditation Center for Insight Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;. The head monk there is venerable Madawala Upali thera who has been a meditation teacher over 40 years. The main meditation taught there is the Vipassana(insight) meditation of the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. But venerable Upali also teaches Anapanasati, Kasina and other Samatha(tranquility) meditation techniques as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-09-21T19:01:52.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-21T21:01:24.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people have claimed to me that the brain is the mind. I was so perturbed by this that I spent time considering it. My thought process:&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind were the brain then the parts of the brain would be the parts of the mind, consequently there should be a part of my brain that has the ability to see, since I can. However no object can have characteristics or abilities which are not inherited from their parts, (a kettle can boil water because the element can heat up) therefore there should be a part or parts of this part of the brain which can see. It is obvious that neither neurons nor flesh has the capacity to see, or else the dead would see things. No amount of massing together of neurons could ever acquire an ability for which no part is capable, therefore if we remove all the neurons and flesh from the brain then what is left should have the capacity for sight, however there is nothing left.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind were in the brain then you should see inside the brain first before seeing outside, and if the mind were outside the brain then you should see your own face, and then how would you form a common awareness with your brain. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind was not connected to the brain, then it couldn't form a common awareness, if it is connected then how could you have thoughts that are completely different from the brain's awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastEditorUserId="6961" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T12:34:19.793" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T12:34:19.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11687" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11689" CreationDate="2015-09-21T22:31:05.710" Score="4" ViewCount="257" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard it said that meditation is &quot;the greatest good deed&quot;. Is this considered to be true in Buddhism? If so, how is meditation superior to all other good deeds? It seems self serving compared to other good deeds, such as generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T18:56:39.707" Title="How is meditation considered a good deed?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11687" CreationDate="2015-09-22T00:31:40.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation lessens the practitioners suffering and the suffering of all those around the practitioner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you meditate then you are being the change that you would like to see in this world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you meditate you are learning  to be selfless. You learn to help yourself by helping others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T00:31:40.723" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-22T00:31:40.723" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11687" CreationDate="2015-09-22T02:56:53.257" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because generosity alone can only get you so far. One's hindrances, defilements, ignorance, etc. are still there. Meditation and moral virtues are required to get one further on the Path. Matter of fact, through meditation, one becomes a more virtuous person and that itself is a superior kind of generosity. As taught by the Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.39&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.39&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Here, a noble disciple, having abandoned the destruction of life, abstains from the destruction of life. By abstaining from the destruction of life, the noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. He himself in turn enjoys immeasurable freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. This is the first gift, a great gift, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. This is the fourth stream of merit … that leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to one’s welfare and happiness.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Again, a noble disciple, having abandoned the taking of what is not given, abstains from taking what is not given … abstains from sexual misconduct … abstains from false speech … abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness. By abstaining from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, the noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. He himself in turn enjoys immeasurable freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. This is the fifth gift, a great gift, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. This is the eighth stream of merit … that leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to one’s welfare and happiness.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T02:56:53.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-22T03:00:10.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Suttas, the brain is usually omitted when the parts of the body are listed (See DN 22, DN 28 and MN 119). The brain is added to the list in the commentaries (See Visuddhimagga VIII.44) and the description of the brain in Visuddhimagga VIII.126 makes no reference to consciousness... it likens the brain to bone marrow (where the bone itself would be the skull).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental States start to arise in the new existence immediately after conception. At that time, there is no brain (and no heart) to support these Mental States. This is why the Abhidhamma does not specify any specific organ as the base for the mind but rather uses the description, “that &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; upon which the mind depends”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, eye-consciousness arises dependent on eye-sensitivity, which is the sensitive part of the eye-organ (in modern parlance, the rods and cones of the retina). Similarly, ear-consciousness arises dependent on ear-sensitivity, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term “Heart-base” is from the Commentary. The Dhammasaṅgaṇi omits “Heart-base” from the list of &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; and the reference to “that &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; upon which the mind depends” is from the Paṭṭhāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of the Buddha, people recognized that sense data arose at different locations and needed to be combined. The only thing that they saw moving in the body was blood and the heart obviously plays an important role in moving the blood and this led to a cardio-centric view of the base of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T04:58:41.340" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T04:58:41.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11691" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-22T03:14:19.070" Score="9" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;To watch the mind, as far as I understand, is to simply watch the mind without judging it. But there is a method, which teaches us to note sad when we are sad, dislike when we dislike something, happy when we are happy, etc.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this mental labeling different to judgemental mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will this indirectly train someone's mind, to become more judgemental of oneself and others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T12:01:36.050" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T05:15:50.363" Title="Discernment vs. judgement in the labeling meditation" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11691" CreationDate="2015-09-22T03:37:26.200" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the big difference between mentally noting vs judging what you are experiencing is the degree of objectivity. Noting helps you to perceive your experiences with clarity, which should in turn allow you to gain wisdom through insight into the nature of all experiences/phenomena. For example, if you are experiencing sadness and you note, &quot;sad&quot; you remain impartial. In this way, you clearly observe and experience the feeling of sadness. Your field of experiential perception remains unhindered by inner conflict (reacting to the sadness, rather than just noting it) and you are able to understand the ultimate reality of your sadness. This, applied to all experiences, should also allow you to develop equanimity, one of the seven factors of enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, if you experience sadness and mentally oppose the sadness, you fail to remain objective through your experience and hinder your ability to perceive and learn about/come to understand your experience. This obviously prevents equanimity but, perhaps more importantly, prevents one from clear comprehension of events (such as a sad state of mind) and thus prevents insight into the nature of such events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the &quot;mental-labeling&quot; technique, as described by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, is actually intended (and more likely than not) to help one become LESS judgmental to oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;/\&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T03:37:26.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-22T07:56:20.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Citta (mind) is not one of the khandhas, therefore what you know as 'mind' is not perception, thought and consciousness. It is like an evolving soul.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T07:56:20.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-22T08:14:18.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The universe/totality is the creator itself, isn't it obvious? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We simply don't believe in a 'creator god', which is a whole nother story. Nevertheless, the three marks of existence points to the fact that 'personality' cannot exist in the ultimate reality.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T08:14:18.200" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11617" CreationDate="2015-09-22T08:53:01.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If anyone abuses you, hits you, throws stones at you or strikes you with a stick or a sword, you must put aside all worldly desires and considerations and think, ‘My heart will not be moved. I shall speak no evil words. I will feel no resentment but maintain kindness and compassion for all beings.’ You should think like this. M.I,126&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Irrigators lead  the  water,  fletchers  bend  the  shaft,  carpenters  shape  the  wood,  the wise mold themselves. &#xA;Dhp.80&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The  Buddha asked  Anuruddha  how  he  was  able  to  live in  harmony with  his  fellow monks and he replied; ‘I always consider what a blessing it is, what a real blessing, that I am living with such companions in the spiritual life. I think, speak and act with love towards them, both in public and in private. I always consider that I should put aside my own wishes and acquiesce to what they want, and then I do that. Thus we are many in body but one in mind.’&#xA;M.III,156&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T08:53:01.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11585" CreationDate="2015-09-22T13:18:18.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is about the role of the brain specifically, and about our normal lives long after birth. –  Krishnaraj Rao &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To answer this I use our community’s comments :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism can be practised without &quot;relating the human mind to the organ called the brain&quot;. –  ChrisW   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge and study, and within my limited understanding, it appears that Buddhist literature that relates the human mind to the organ called the brain is scarce.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;However  the “Manasa” has considered as ‘mana’, ‘mano’.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Abhidhamma commentary it seems that the seat of consciousness is in the heart. However, in the suttas Buddha seems to have only mentioned ‘yam rupam nissaya’—depending on that ‘rupa’. - dmsp  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind-body relationship happens at extremely fast speeds, in the laboratory of one's moment by moment experience, something like this: Eye consciousness(mind) makes contact with a rose that causes desire to have the rose(mind). That causes the arm to go reaching out(body) to pick the rose. - Uilium&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;different functions of the mind associate different places. For example, you see an object with eye-consciousness (viññāna) that arises in the eye (cakkhuppasada). You recognize the object through perception (sañña) that arises in the brain. Your subsequent thought process (Citta, cetasika) arise in the heart-base. That's why buddha says nama associates a rupa. But the seat of consciousness is the heart-base because bhavanga-citta and other citta, cetasika arise and cease there. –  dmsp  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;intellect&quot; sense-organ is the closest to the mention of a brain in the literature. –  Sam Reeve  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So we consider a example.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;“Players can change,  but the team continues”&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Individual players may add or remove from the team time to time. After some&#xA;time there may be no any founders plays in the team. But the team may&#xA;continue many generations with it’s identity and some special qualities.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We can compare &lt;strong&gt;team&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;players&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;strong&gt;thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mind is an informational phenomena. The information is made of relations that are passed from one carrier (not necessarily human or even a sentient being!) to another, through various media. In case of a sentient being, body is one of such temporary carriers of the information. When information is embodied in a living organism, it is known as mind.- Andrei Volkov  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here this phenomena is stated as consciousness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Certainly, the start of life, at conception, is seen as involving the&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;flux-of-consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;, from a past life, entering the womb and, along&#xA;  with the requisite physical conditions, leading to the development of&#xA;  a new being in the womb:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   'Were consciousness, Ananda, not to fall into&#xA;  the mother's womb, would mind-and-body (nama-rupa) be constituted&#xA;  there?' 'It would not, Lord'. 'Were consciousness, having fallen into&#xA;  the mother's womb, to turn aside from it, would mind-and-body come to&#xA;  birth in this present state?'. 'It would not, Lord.' (D. II. 62-3 &#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha205.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha205.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;physical reality clearly exists, as does mental reality; they also clearly interact with each other in a manner that is fairly easily definable. The problem comes when you try to know more beyond these simple facts, i.e. how and why they exist and interact the way they do. - yuttadhammo  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here that  phenomena  is describe as awareness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer is that reality is neither primarily physical nor mind, but &lt;strong&gt;awareness&lt;/strong&gt;. Looking at Physics, we see the two-slit experiment, which seems to indicate that objects such as photons are &quot;aware&quot; of their environment and &quot;make choices&quot;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So, the simplest answer is to remove the quotes. Every thing, down to the lowest level of being, has awareness, and makes choices. Done. - no comprende&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In here that phenomena is considered as aggregates&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationship between body and mind is well described by the Buddha in form of e.g. the &lt;strong&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/strong&gt; i.e., materiality, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness and Dependent Origination.- Lanka  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sometimes we need to engage with team. (means with players). So we have &lt;strong&gt;paradox&lt;/strong&gt;. Say winning a goal by a player is a wining of the team.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Likewise&lt;/em&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citta -, .. related to heart. ..Manas - ..help ..eye to see .. make vinnana, This is brain..Vinnana -, 'knowing'  - John Fonseka  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental States start to arise in the new existence immediately after conception ( Like TEAM). At that time, there is no brain (and no heart)( No PLAYERS In THE Team) to support these Mental States. This is why the Abhidhamma does not specify any specific organ as the base for the mind but rather uses the description, “that rūpa upon which the mind depends”- RobM  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…Buddhist thinkers tried to analyse phenomena into their most basic&#xA;  units which they called dhammas and then attempted to describe their&#xA;  characteristics, their duration, their interaction with one another&#xA;  and their kammic results. Whereas the Buddha generally restricted&#xA;  himself to empirical experience, abhidhamma tends to be more&#xA;  speculative. Abhidhamma Studies, Nyanaponika, 1985.&#xA;  - See more at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=1#sthash.qwYypzzY.dpuf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=1#sthash.qwYypzzY.dpuf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anyway  what is the reason for continuity of this phenomena?&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citta (mind) is not one of the khandhas,( aggregates), therefore what you know as 'mind' is not perception, thought and consciousness. &lt;strong&gt;It is like an evolving soul.(Like Team)&lt;/strong&gt;.- mad buddhist  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;…..the brain is the mind. I was so perturbed…- Sam Reeve  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;….this consciousness of mine is supported by &lt;strong&gt;it(?)&lt;/strong&gt; and bound up with it. ..  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;It&lt;/strong&gt; is the &lt;strong&gt;“Root”&lt;/strong&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In The Root of All Things &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He perceives the base of infinite consciousness as the base of&#xA;  infinite consciousness. Having perceived the base of infinite&#xA;  consciousness as the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives&#xA;  himself as the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives himself in&#xA;  the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives himself apart from&#xA;  the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives the base of infinite&#xA;  consciousness to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the base of infinite&#xA;  consciousness. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I&#xA;  say. suttacentral.net/en/mn1 –  Shrawaka  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May All removes the Roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that [Mahayana] Buddhists deny the Absolute. What they deny is existence of independent &quot;I&quot; in the absolute sense. &quot;I&quot; is a label,(TEAM) a nominal designation that only exists relatively to other things(PLAYERS). However, because the relative is subsumed in the absolute - not opposed to it - we can't deny existence of the relative either. This (here simplified) position is known as the unity of two truths. From this non-dualistic perspective, my power and the power of Absolute is the same power, my will and the will of Absolute is the same will, and my spontaneity and the spontaneity of Absolute is the same spontaneity. Using it and being used by it refers to the same activity. As Jesus said, &quot;I and the Father are one.&quot; So, like I said in this answer, &quot;Could we go as far as to say that Buddhist path culminates in the first-hand knowledge ... of God?&quot; -Andrei Volkov  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T14:56:26.923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T14:56:26.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11684" CreationDate="2015-09-22T13:55:09.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will be taking a retreat near Kuala Lumpur starting 1st December (Mahasi style). Full retreat is one month, but no problem leaving early. Let me know if you are interested in more details. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T13:55:09.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11684" CreationDate="2015-09-22T15:14:54.670" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would look for monastery that is absent of tiracchana vijja &#xA;(tiracchana literally means non-human animal, or crossed animals (animals that cant make progress in Dhamma). tiracchana vijja means low art.  Or practices that crossed with path to nirvana.     Also monasteries that do not have donation box every 10 ft.  Ajahn Cha's monasteries are nice.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the appendices of this books shows tiracchana vijja or wrong livelihood for Bhikkhus.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.scribd.com/doc/86140815/76/Twen-one-Kinds-of-Wrong-Livelihood-for-Bhikkhus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;tiracchana vijja&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T15:14:54.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11567" CreationDate="2015-09-22T15:34:48.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many thanks to everyone who answered. All the answers got me to think of the issue in different ways and to refer to Suttas to get a better understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently came upon &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/buddhist-traditions/bodhisattva-vows&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article on the Bodhisattva Vows&lt;/a&gt;, and Hui-neng's explanation finally lit the lightbulb for me. Perhaps this is what Andrei and Buddo also meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Beginning students commonly ask how they can honestly vow to save all&#xA;  beings. It sounds like missionary arrogance. Hui-neng offers a&#xA;  response: &quot;You are saving them in your own mind.&quot; It is bodhichitta&#xA;  that you are cultivating—your own aspiration for wisdom and&#xA;  compassion, and your determination to practice it in the world as best&#xA;  you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T15:34:48.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11700" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-22T15:57:56.720" Score="7" ViewCount="1118" Body="&lt;p&gt;A recent &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11673/254&quot;&gt;answer on this site&lt;/a&gt; was as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To make a strong commitment, you want to cultivate right effort by making a continuous effort, by hanging out with wise spiritual friends, by balancing energy with concentration and by &lt;strong&gt;not doing things that suck the energy out of you like reacting to your arising defilements&lt;/strong&gt;, eating too much and getting lost in mental proliferation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would love an explanation, specifically, about the part in it which I &lt;strong&gt;highlighted in bold&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e. about &quot;sucking energy&quot; and &quot;reacting to defilements&quot;).&#xA;My questions include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are all the things that &quot;suck our energy&quot; ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why does reacting to defilements suck our energy ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything else people want to add about this subject will be welcomed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T08:57:16.703" Title="How to avoid doing things that suck the energy out of you?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11687" CreationDate="2015-09-22T16:50:01.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, meditation is the 'greatest good deed' in Buddhism, specially contemplation on &lt;em&gt;anicca, dukkha, anatta&lt;/em&gt; or the meditation types that are conducive to the cessation of suffering i.e. &lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;. Generosity (&lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;) and other meritorious acts can be beneficial for a better birth in future lives but they are subject to impermanence. But results gained through meditation - &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; is not subject to decay. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is what Buddha said in &lt;em&gt;Velāma Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, how heart of good will (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; meditation) is greater than dana, taking refuge or being virtuous  and perception on inconstancy (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) is greater than all the other good acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one person consummate in view, that would be more&#xA;  fruitful than the gift, the great gift, that Velāma the brahman gave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one once-returner, that would be more fruitful&#xA;  than the gift, the great gift, that Velāma the brahman gave, and if&#xA;  [in addition to that] one were to feed one person consummate in view,&#xA;  and to feed 100 people consummate in view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one non-returner, that would be more fruitful&#xA;  than... if one were to feed 100 once-returners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one arahant, that would be more fruitful than...&#xA;  if one were to feed 100 non-returners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one Private Buddha, that would be more fruitful&#xA;  than... if one were to feed 100 arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed one Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly&#xA;  self-awakened — that would be more fruitful than... if one were to&#xA;  feed 100 Private Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, that&#xA;  would be more fruitful than... if one were to feed a Tathagata — a&#xA;  worthy one, rightly self-awakened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community&#xA;  of the four directions, that would be more fruitful than... if one&#xA;  were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, &amp;amp;&#xA;  Sangha for refuge, that would be more fruitful than... if one were to&#xA;  have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four&#xA;  directions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules —&#xA;  refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given,&#xA;  refraining from illicit sex, refraining from lying, refraining from&#xA;  distilled &amp;amp; fermented drinks that cause heedlessness — that would be&#xA;  more fruitful than... if one with a confident mind were to go to the&#xA;  Buddha, Dhamma, &amp;amp; Sangha for refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to develop even &lt;strong&gt;just one whiff of a heart of good will,&#xA;  that would be more fruitful than&lt;/strong&gt;... if one with a confident mind were&#xA;  to undertake the training rules...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to develop even for &lt;strong&gt;just a finger-snap the perception of&#xA;  inconstancy&lt;/strong&gt;, that would be more fruitful than the gift, the great gift that Velāma the brahman gave, -and all above-.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T18:42:21.403" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T18:42:21.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11687" CreationDate="2015-09-22T18:56:39.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It seems self serving compared to other good deeds, such as generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a personal opinion (it's not an expert or referenced or Theravada answer).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In swimming lessons they try to teach you how to rescue drowning people.&#xA;An important consideration in the lesson is how to rescue someone, without the person desperately grabbing and drowning you.&#xA;It sounds selfish but it's not just selfish: if you were drowned or drowning then you couldn't rescue them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a maybe-analogous situation (and lesson) if you want to help someone who, for example, is an addict: if their life is chaotic and so on, you can't help them to escape (e.g. with good advice, a good example, maybe some selflessness to spare) if your life is deep in chaos too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T18:56:39.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11703" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-22T19:43:47.953" Score="-1" ViewCount="508" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist scripture describes other worlds (i.e. &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;), with various kinds of beings who may interact with our human world in varying degrees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists accept &lt;a href=&quot;http://burro.case.edu/Academics/Astr201/Chap01.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the modern view of the universe&lt;/a&gt;, consisting of galaxies, solar systems, planets, discovered experientially by astronomers with their telescopes (which the Buddha and his followers don't seem to have thought about or discussed very much)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, how do Buddhists reconcile this modern view of the universe with the 31 lokas and their other-worldly inhabitants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists feel that if the Buddha and Buddhist gurus did not speak or think about some things (for instance, about &amp;quot;the modern view of the universe&amp;quot; such as galaxies or solar systems), maybe those things aren't worth speaking or thinking about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5866" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T08:49:09.357" Title="How to reconcile Buddhist Cosmology with modern worldview, especially astronomy?" Tags="|modern-world|sceptic|buddhist-cosmology|modernism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ClosedDate="2015-09-25T18:57:06.320" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11700" CreationDate="2015-09-22T20:22:07.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cultivating a mindful attitude to towards negative emotions has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety etc. in a variety of studies - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-mindfulness-good-medicine/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Is Mindfulness Good Medicine?&lt;/a&gt; Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT) have also shown great promise to alleviate anxiety and depression - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20547435&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Is cognitive-behavioral therapy more effective than other therapies?&lt;/a&gt; The CBT approach basically states that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;what we think we feel&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. So when you find yourself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... reacting to your arising defilements&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are using enormous amounts of unnecessary energy identifying with these emotions i.e. not being mindful. This is likely to lead to other negative emotions like depression which in its turn leads to negative thinking patterns which then cause more negative emotions. So in a very real sense you are falling into patterns that quite literally&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... suck the energy out of you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha wisely recognized these truths that are now being verified in the laboratory. So this is very sage advice and I second it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To make a strong commitment, you want to cultivate right effort by making a continuous effort, by hanging out with wise spiritual friends, by balancing energy with concentration and by not doing things that suck the energy out of you like reacting to your arising defilements, eating too much and getting lost in mental proliferation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be of interest to note that in Buddhism the three main causes for all the other defilements are &lt;strong&gt;ignorance, attachment, and aversion&lt;/strong&gt; which then lead to anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, depression, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="5188" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T20:28:49.343" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T20:28:49.343" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11703" CreationDate="2015-09-22T21:12:17.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionalists either believe the cosmologies literally, or as myths (instructive stories). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Donald Lopez did write a book about some of the earlier attempts to reconcile science &amp;amp; traditionalist Buddhism. I only read the sample, so I can't vouch for it to speak to your whole question, but it came to mind: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0300159129&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Scientific Buddha: His Short and Happy Life (The Terry Lectures Series)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-22T21:24:26.607" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T21:24:26.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11703" CreationDate="2015-09-22T21:18:27.663" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all you have misunderstood the meaning of 31 planes of existence. It doesn't mean there are 30 other planets in the universe. This simply suggests that there are 30 other realms that are inhabited other than the human realm in this solar system. Four of the 31 are said to be on earth itself: human, animal, hungry ghost and hell realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand Buddha says the universe is so vast that you cannot reach the end of it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling&#xA;to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not&#xA;take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rohitassa sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In theravada, a universe is described in three tiers: galaxies, cluster of galaxies, meta-galaxies consisting of a large number of solar systems. I don't see a conflict of this with science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This culanika-loka-dhatu or Minor World-System, which is the smallest&#xA;unit in the universe though it contains thousands of suns, moons and&#xA;inhabited planets, can only be compared with the modern conception of&#xA;a galaxy, the majority of which have about a million suns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next unit in the universe according to the early Buddhist texts is&#xA;described as consisting of thousands of minor world-systems. This is&#xA;called a “Twice-a-Thousand Middling World-System” (dvisahassi&#xA;majjhimika-loka-dhatu). It would correspond to a cluster of galaxies&#xA;according to modern conceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the Middling World-Systems consisted of a few up to a hundred or&#xA;even thousand galaxies, the next unit is the whole cluster of Middling&#xA;World-Systems. For it is said that thousands of Middling World Systems&#xA;(i. e. clusters of galaxies) go to form the vast universe or the Major&#xA;World-System (maha lokadhatu), which some texts on astronomy refer to&#xA;as the meta-galaxy.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh162-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh162-p.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe those things aren't worth speaking or thinking about?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Indeed, these aren't worth talking about because knowledge about them doesn't bring an end to suffering which is the main issue that Buddhism tries to address. Hence, Buddha encourages to discover yourself rather than the vast universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp;&#xA;intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of&#xA;the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice&#xA;leading to the cessation of the cosmos.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rohitassa sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T08:49:09.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11707" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11711" CreationDate="2015-09-22T22:14:34.817" Score="5" ViewCount="6024" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple question, but I would like to know- what are the defilements, according to Theravada Buddhism? I keep hearing this term and would like to find out what it means, according to the original teachings of the Buddha. Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2018-09-13T08:04:13.880" Title="What are the &quot;defilements&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|defilements|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11707" CreationDate="2015-09-22T23:15:45.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term is used differently in different places in Theravada literature. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn27/sn27.001-010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;27th Samyutta&lt;/a&gt; of the Samyutta Nikaya, there are ten Suttas that talk about the kilesas, and the term is equated with desire-passion (Chanda-rago). For example, the first Sutta reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. &quot;Monks, any desire-passion with regard to the eye is a&#xA;  defilement of the mind. Any desire-passion with regard to the ear...&#xA;  the nose... the tongue... the body... the intellect is a defilement of&#xA;  the mind. When, with regard to these six bases, the defilements of&#xA;  awareness are abandoned, then the mind is inclined to renunciation.&#xA;  The mind fostered by renunciation feels malleable for the direct&#xA;  knowing of those qualities worth realizing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the other nine suttas are the same, but just apply this stalk formula to different thigs such as forms, consciousness, contact, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T23:15:45.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11703" CreationDate="2015-09-22T23:17:51.347" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists accept the modern view of the universe&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was about to answer, &quot;Yes, &lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt; do&quot;: but in a way I don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By that I mean that in fact I go about my daily life without thinking of astronomy (in fact I go all year without it, except a handful of moments per year if I think about the tides or an equinox or etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it happened I studied the maths of astrophysics at university and so I suppose I more-or-less understand what scientists do, and I don't disagree with that on the whole (though I wouldn't make a religion of it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But a &quot;view&quot; I think is something more: a &quot;view&quot; IMO is something you actually/often think about, something you &lt;em&gt;use&lt;/em&gt; to measure experience, to try to understand or to make sense of existence: examples of &quot;views&quot; include &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view (&lt;em&gt;samma ditthi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;identity view (&lt;em&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compared with these examples of a &quot;view&quot; (or using this kind of understanding of the word &quot;view&quot;) I think that maybe I don't, in practice, have a modern &quot;view&quot; of &quot;the universe&quot; ... except, if or when I think about it, I suppose that the &quot;modern view of the universe&quot; is alright in its place, which is in the minds of astronomers and so on who care about that kind of thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I probably &quot;accept&quot; it as a thing (a coherent belief-system with all its own rules and its own limitations too), but I don't spend much time thinking about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If so, how do Buddhists reconcile this modern view of the universe with the 31 lokas and their other-worldly inhabitants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the lokas are a description of morality and psychological states (i.e. it's a descriptions of a model of states attained by the mind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I actually don't think much (i.e. I don't think often) about the description of the 31 lokas either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I thought that the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11682/254&quot;&gt;simple description in this answer&lt;/a&gt; was brilliant: I have been thinking about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists feel that if the Buddha and Buddhist gurus did not speak or think about some things (for instance, about &quot;the modern view of the universe&quot; such as galaxies or solar systems), maybe those things aren't worth speaking or thinking about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes that's pretty well the case, i.e. I think that's what I felt about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO perhaps &quot;the modern view of the universe&quot; is a category of &quot;right livelihood&quot; for astronomers and geophysicists and navigators etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, given the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the fact that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; was the first Buddha's first lesson, IMO it's &quot;stress and the ending of stress&quot; that's relatively important in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-22T23:17:51.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11710" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-23T01:25:33.037" Score="7" ViewCount="1563" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the gentleman in this video ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zIKQCwDXsA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment, DP/DR &amp;amp; Falling Into the Pit of the Void ~ Shinzen Young&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shinzen talks about the empowering facets of enlightenment and compares this to &amp;quot;enlightenments evil twin&amp;quot; DP/DR. He talks about the rare occasions that he's encountered a meditator moving in the direction of DP/DR and the strategy he used to &amp;quot;cure&amp;quot; it using mindfulness methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... the phenomenon of &amp;quot;depersonalization&amp;quot; is described in the Pali Canon. Could anyone provide the source(s) of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a secondary question- could anyone share their personal experience with/knowledge of depersonalization occurring as a result of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2018-01-11T20:16:15.447" Title="Depersonalization phenomenon as described in the Pali Canon" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|reference-request|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11707" CreationDate="2015-09-23T02:32:46.843" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;In simple words, defilements are like little clouds that descend on the head -- and when you look around through one of them, you see everything in a different color or blurry or distorted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's what they are, they are glitches that affect your interpretation and evaluation. The problem with defilements is that subjectively they are indistinguishable from reality, it just looks like that's the way the external object actually is -- not a cloud over your head. Or you may get really angry with someone and yell at them, thinking your anger is justified - but it really just a defilement, a temporary madness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the original Buddha's teaching, as recorded in Pali Canon, the major types of defilements are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;lobha&lt;/code&gt; -- usually translated as desire or greed -- that's the defilement that suddenly makes some things appear very likable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;code&gt;dosa&lt;/code&gt; -- usually translated as anger or hatred -- that's the defilement that makes some things appear very wrong.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and &lt;code&gt;moha&lt;/code&gt; -- usually translated as ignorance or delusion -- that's the defilement that makes you confused about what's what.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional metaphor is that these three are like the three base paints that mix in various proportions to create the innumerable variety of defilements observed in real life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T20:43:58.947" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T20:43:58.947" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11703" CreationDate="2015-09-23T02:49:23.313" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the 31 planes of existence, two of it are the realm of humans and the realm of animals. Both of it exist right here on Earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the realms are more from the perspective of different kind of beings, rather than different kind of planets and galaxies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you may ask, where are the tusita devas located? How can I find them? Well, I don't have the answer to that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But think about this. Ajaan Lee described how the realm of hungry shades look like (from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/knowledge.html#shades&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The world of the hungry shades is even more fun. Hungry shades come in&#xA;  all different shapes and sizes — really entertaining, the hungry&#xA;  shades. Some of them have heads as big as large water jars, but their&#xA;  mouths are just like the eye of a needle: that's all, no bigger than&#xA;  the eye of a needle! Some of them have legs six yards long, but hands&#xA;  only half a foot. They're amazing to watch, just like a cartoon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how he knows this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read it, it sounds to me like the world of microbes. Your amoebas and paramecia and millions or billions of other types of microbes definitely come in all shapes and sizes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until the invention of the microscope, we couldn't see microbes, but that does not mean that they do not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it's good to keep an open mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LwoWF.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LwoWF.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;microbes&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Photo credit: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/life-would-go-hot-stinky-world-without-microbes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;iflscience.com&lt;/a&gt;, Macrovector / Shutterstock.com &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T06:13:43.773" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T06:13:43.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2015-09-23T12:18:39.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the mind-body problem is NOT a problem - it an interaction between the mind and the body.  I do agree with earlier yuttadhammo's comments and with the other similar comments.&#xA;The mind and the body influence one another in one or another way. Mostly the mind governs the body.&#xA;There are mounting evidence of how the mind affect the body. If you have a look the outcomes of implication of mindfulness practices/meditation in psychotherapy you will be convinced. You will find that even a few meditation sessions enhance people's well-being. These outcomes of mindfulness meditations say that the mind reduces symptoms of psychopathologies such as stress and depression levels. You may ask what is about? From perspective of biological psychology and body physiology, it says that by meditating you training your mind ( about your feeling, cognition and emotion), which in turn influence your neurons and endocrine system to decrease or increase particular neurotransmitters, and of course taking, controlling neuron firing. This is the final outcome that we can measure in numbers. Don't we? In is not introspective evidence, not subjective it is measurable biochemical stuff in your in my body.&#xA;Bringing these together it become clear that the mind governs the body in one or another way. That mean they interact with each other. In other words, by training your mind (mindfulness meditation) you influencing your body through  through emotion regulation, feeling and cognition (letting go, accepting thing you can not control and so on).  These changes in turn in one or another way affect you body physiology (hormones, neurotransmitters..). And the final outcome are reduced ill health symptoms and enhanced well-being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please go through this article (&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/havery.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/havery.htm&lt;/a&gt;) and you and will find profound, valid and sound explanation on this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6982" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T12:18:39.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11707" CreationDate="2015-09-23T12:53:36.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to bookmark the following site that gives excellent definitions for common Buddhist terms: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm&lt;/a&gt; or download the PDF of this dictionary from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf&lt;/a&gt;. I have a hard copy of this dictionary and it is the most used book in my collection. An excellent resource for beginners and intermediate level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the definition of kilesa (defilements) from that source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kilesa:&lt;/strong&gt; 'defilements', are mind-defiling, unwholesome qualities. Vis.M. XXII, 49, 65: &amp;quot;There are 10 defilements, thus called because they are themselves defiled, and because they defile the mental factors associated with them. They are: (1) greed (&lt;em&gt;lobha&lt;/em&gt;), (2) hate (&lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;), (3) delusion (&lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;), (4) conceit (&lt;em&gt;māna&lt;/em&gt;), (5) speculative views (&lt;em&gt;diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;), (6) skeptical doubt (&lt;em&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/em&gt;), (7) mental torpor (&lt;em&gt;thīna&lt;/em&gt;), (8) restlessness (&lt;em&gt;uddhacca&lt;/em&gt;); (9) shamelessness (&lt;em&gt;ahirika&lt;/em&gt;), (10) lack of moral dread or unconscientiousness (&lt;em&gt;anottappa&lt;/em&gt;).&amp;quot; For 1-3, s. &lt;em&gt;mūla&lt;/em&gt;; 4, s. &lt;em&gt;māna&lt;/em&gt;; 5, s. &lt;em&gt;diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;; 6-8, s. &lt;em&gt;nīvaraṇa&lt;/em&gt;; 9 and 10, s. &lt;em&gt;ahirika&lt;/em&gt; -&lt;em&gt;anottappa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ten are explained in Dhs. 1229f and enumerated in Vibh. XII. No classification of the kilesa is found in the Suttas , though the term occurs quite often in them. For the related term, upakkilesa  (q.v.; 'impurities') different lists are given - (App.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T12:53:36.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-09-23T12:56:21.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once Load Buddha said these lines to a person(&lt;code&gt;Bahiya Daruciriya&lt;/code&gt;) who really wants to know what Buddhism is really quickly. Please forgive me for my worst English translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where there is seeing, there is only the seeing &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Where there is listen,heard there is only heard &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Where there is a taste there is only taste &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Where there is a feel, there is only the feeling &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Where there is a thought, there is only thought. &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;If so, you not here. You are not anywhere else. And you are not in between.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can say this more clearly in Sinhalese, so a person with more linguistic ability sees this, he can translate this more clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit Sinhala text as per the comment by 'Shrawaka'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;දැකීමෙහි දැකීමක්ම පමණි &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;ඇසීමෙහි ඇසීමක්ම පමණි &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;දැන‍ෙන්නෙහි දැනීමක්ම පමණි &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;සිතිමෙහි සිතුවිලි මාත්‍රයක්ම පමණි &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;එසේ නම් ඔබ එතැන නැත. ඔබ අන් තැනකද නැත &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;ඔබ ඒ අතරත් නැත.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Buddhism. This is all you need to do to attain Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastEditorUserId="6923" LastEditDate="2015-09-28T01:46:03.453" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T01:46:03.453" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11700" CreationDate="2015-09-23T13:11:26.553" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of the things you learn from a live teacher, not usually found in books. Briefly, few of the main points I was taught, in no particular order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ego&lt;/strong&gt; - a lot of energy is spent on defending the self-image, rationalizing, finding excuses etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;negative/pessimistic thinking&lt;/strong&gt; - another major energy hog is thinking of the kind &quot;things are wrong and are impossible to fix&quot;, excessive focusing on the issues and bad news.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;masturbation and sexual activity&lt;/strong&gt; - orgasm is traditionally considered a major point of energy loss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;non-spartan lifestyle&lt;/strong&gt; - relaxing into one's weakness for sensuous comfort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;having no agenda&lt;/strong&gt; - allowing other people, things, and circumstances drive you around.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;inner conflict&lt;/strong&gt; - blaming or judging oneself non-constructively.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;doubt&lt;/strong&gt; - anxious wavering back and forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;not taking responsibility&lt;/strong&gt; - organizing one's action around other people's approval and acceptance instead of taking ownership of one's choices.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;alcohol&lt;/strong&gt; - consumption of alcoholic beverages.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;low energy food&lt;/strong&gt; - food that is spoiled, expired, frozen and reheated, over-processed, lifeless, and generally bad quality.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;posture&lt;/strong&gt; - an important factor of energy loss is a posture and gait that moves the body weight off the center of the feet and too much towards the toes or the heels.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will add more points here if I remember any.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-12-01T08:57:16.703" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T08:57:16.703" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11717" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-23T13:53:00.040" Score="3" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where, on the internet, are motivational ebooks, blog entries or whatever that have concise motivating advice, excerpts, quotes and koans  that might motivate one to practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T17:17:31.033" Title="Teachings that Inspire Practice" Tags="|teaching|right-effort|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-23T13:56:21.440" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11718" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-23T14:16:41.480" Score="2" ViewCount="432" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we see &quot;a car' then there is the &quot;seeing of the car formation&quot; and that is mind or &quot;nama&quot;. At the same time there is the rupa car formation that is not a concept from our mind. I always thought rupa was &quot;the experience or hardness , softness, roughness ect.. but I guess this is wrong because rupa is it's own ultimate reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T22:56:47.830" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T11:45:15.163" Title="Why is Rupa (not) Ultimate Reality?" Tags="|experiential|rupa|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11719" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11725" CreationDate="2015-09-23T16:26:24.873" Score="3" ViewCount="559" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism what information is there regarding the ability to communicate back to Earth from those who have transcended and reached Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible or probable that those who attain Nirvana, die, and reach Parinibbana would/could try to help guide others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6983" LastEditorUserId="6983" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T16:52:34.913" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T14:55:20.340" Title="Once nirvana is reached is there any connection to earth available?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11719" CreationDate="2015-09-23T17:08:49.137" Score="-5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some misconception floating around regarding nirvana. Nirvana doe NOT mean that one is free from the cycle of rebirth. It means that one is free from suffering in the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth in Buddhism is inevitable and cannot be escaped from. This is because of the law of causality - since every moment we create causes, we must exprience the effects in later times in our lives and environment. These effects are created in the depths of one's life the moment a cause is made (through action, word and thoughts), but much of it may not be apparent till it manifests in real life. Such effects exist, but stay in latent form in the depths of our lives till a manifest cause brings them into the fore. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Active life is the manifestation of such effects - latent karma brought into action. Life is an expression of the law of causality. Death (or passive life) is the other manifestation. Since the law is constant, so is life and death, therefore the cycle of birth and rebirth is constant. There is no escape from it, I think its a misconception that nirvana means freedom from this cycle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True freedom is not being free of problems - it is to be able to employ the power of Buddhism freely to overcome sufferings and create a truly happy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6984" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T17:08:49.137" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11717" CreationDate="2015-09-23T17:17:31.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read the nice anecdotes of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajaan Fuang&lt;/a&gt;. A small selection below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A woman came to Wat Dhammasathit to observe the precepts and&#xA;  meditate for a week, but by the end of the second day she told Ajaan&#xA;  Fuang that she had to return home, because she was afraid her family&#xA;  couldn't get along without her. He taught her to cut through her&#xA;  worries by saying, &quot;When you come here, tell yourself that you've&#xA;  died. One way or another, your family will have to learn to fend for&#xA;  themselves.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;We keep disagreeable people around the monastery as a way of&#xA;  testing to see if our defilements really are all gone.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;Don't make a journal of your meditation experiences. If you do,&#xA;  you'll start meditating in order to have this or that thing happen, so&#xA;  that you can write it down in your journal. And as a result, you'll&#xA;  end up with nothing but the things you've fabricated.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;When the meditation goes well, don't get excited. When it doesn't&#xA;  go well, don't get depressed. Simply be observant to see why it's&#xA;  good, why it's bad. If you can be observant like this, it won't be&#xA;  long before your meditation becomes a skill.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ A student came to complain to Ajaan Fuang that she had been&#xA;  meditating for years, and still hadn't gotten anything out of it. His&#xA;  immediate response: &quot;You don't meditate to 'get' anything. You&#xA;  meditate to let go.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;§ &quot;You should watch visions (in meditation) the same way you watch TV:&#xA;  Just watch it, without getting pulled inside the tube.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T17:17:31.033" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-23T17:17:31.033" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11042" CreationDate="2015-09-23T17:19:18.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In very brief, Buddhism is a teaching to create value and absolute happiness in daily life. It is a teaching available to all. It is a philosophy which has profound reason and is applicable to all facets of life. It is based on the unchanging and all-encompassing law of causality, and teaches how life works. The only purpose of Buddhism is value creation and true happiness in daily life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6984" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T17:19:18.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11719" CreationDate="2015-09-23T18:00:35.387" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha attained Nirvana, he exclaimed (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.budd.html&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 153 - 154&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through many a birth in samsara have I wandered in vain, seeking the builder of this house (of life). Repeated birth is indeed&#xA;  suffering!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My&#xA;  mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of&#xA;  craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Explanation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the commentary, these verses are the Buddha's &quot;Song of&#xA;  Victory,&quot; his first utterance after his Enlightenment. The house is&#xA;  individualized existence in samsara, the house-builder craving, the&#xA;  rafters the passions and the ridge-pole ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, thereafter, he would no longer be born again in any world or in any form again. Hence, there is no way that he can communicate with Earth directly. So, how does the Buddha reach people now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot;&gt;Vakkali Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For a long time, Lord, I have wanted to come and set eyes on the&#xA;  Blessed One, but I had not the strength in this body to come and see&#xA;  the Blessed One.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees&#xA;  Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing&#xA;  Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that when one sees his teachings, one sees him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html#chap5&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, &quot;Now, if it occurs to any of&#xA;  you — 'The teaching has lost its authority; we are without a Teacher'&#xA;  — do not view it in that way. Whatever Dhamma &amp;amp; Vinaya I have pointed&#xA;  out &amp;amp; formulated for you, that will be your Teacher when I am gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-23T18:15:00.250" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T18:15:00.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-23T20:55:49.070" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa#N.C4.81mar.C5.ABpa_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In traditional Hindu use&lt;/a&gt; of the words Rupa and Nama (in context of ontology), Rupa meant a configuration of matter and Nama meant a spirit or an identity embodied in that configuration. For example this particular combination of wooden planks is a Rupa, while the chair it embodies is a Nama. Even if some parts of the chair can get broken and replaced making it a different Rupa, it still remains the same Nama. Similarly, as the person gets older, the previous Rupa is nowhere to be found, but the Nama remains the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this you can see that Rupa is not the Ultimate Reality, far from it. Rupa is just a transient configuration. This was well-known even before the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddha brought in, is clear understanding that Nama is a projection of the mind, that Nama is a conditioned phenomena too and is therefore impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As was famously said (SN 5.10):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So do you believe there's &quot;a being&quot;?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- this is a view of Mara.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In a pile of mere components (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   no any such being found.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Just as they say 'chariot'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  of an assemblage of parts,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  So they'll call &quot;a being&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the mere heaps of components (&lt;em&gt;skandha&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the pile of components is the Rupa, and the being / the chariot is the Nama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Rupa cannot be the Ultimate Reality, because it is compound and transient. Now, your next question could be, &quot;but what about matter? can't matter be considered the Ultimate Reality?&quot; - and the traditional answer to that is, the atoms are still made from pieces and those pieces are too made from pieces, so no matter how small we go things are always compound and transient. That is to say, as you go all the way down there is nothing like solid matter, there is only Rupa, transient configuration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T11:29:17.227" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T11:29:17.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-23T21:07:34.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is not correct to say &quot;seeing of the car formation&quot;. When &quot;you&quot; see &quot;a car&quot; that is nama-rupa; it is just seeing - no doer nor object. The concept of &quot;Car&quot; is just mind-made.  Yes rupa is the experience of hardness, softness etc. But when you see a car, can you &quot;see&quot; the hardness, softness etc? So rupa is not the ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T21:07:34.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-23T21:29:08.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's my guess — however it's an unreferenced statement in Wikipedia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_in_Buddhism#Reality_in_Buddhist_sutras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Reality in Buddhist sutras&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can look at the concepts of impermanence and not-self in objective terms, for example by &lt;strong&gt;deconstructing the concept&lt;/strong&gt; of an aggregated object such as a lotus and seeing that the flower is made up entirely of non-flower elements like soil, nutrients, photosynthetic energy, rain water and the effort of the entities that nourished and grew the flower. All of these factors, according to the Diamond Sutra, co-exist with each other to manifest what we call a 'flower'. In other words, there is no essence arisen from nothingness that is unique and personal to any being. In particular, there is neither a human soul that lives on beyond the death of the physical body nor one that is extinguished at death since, strictly speaking, there is nothing to extinguish. &lt;strong&gt;The relative reality&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e., the illusory perceived reality) comes from our belief that we are separate from the rest of the things in the universe and, at times, at odds with the processes of nature and other beings. &lt;strong&gt;The ultimate or absolute reality, in some schools of Buddhist thought, shows that we are inter-connected with all things&lt;/strong&gt;. The concept of non-discrimination expands on this by saying that, while a chair is different from a flower, they 'inter-are' because they are each made of non-flower and non-chair elements. Ultimately those elements are the same, so the distinction between chair and flower is one of quantity not of quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The quote starts with &amp;quot;deconstructing the concept&amp;quot; (to see Rupa instead of seeing Nama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Secondly it mentions &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;relative&lt;/em&gt; reality&amp;quot; which I think refers to Nama again, e.g. &amp;quot;that thing is named 'chair' and that other thing is named 'table': by comparing and naming them we see them as relatively different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(see also &amp;quot;the Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao&amp;quot; etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lastly it says that &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;ultimate&lt;/em&gt; reality&amp;quot; (which is what the OP asks about) is that we are interconnected, and I think its reason for saying that is that everything is created from the same stuff (i.e. Rupa) -- maybe that's saying that Rupa is more ultimately real (at the risk of introducing an anachronistic modern-science word, maybe Rupa is more &amp;quot;elemental&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the context of the Wikipedia quote it might be a Mahayana doctrine (e.g. the quote mentions the Diamond sutra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-23T21:45:15.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-23T23:54:39.920" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, we don't &quot;see a car&quot;. It is a bit more complicated :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, sensing involves seeing a small patch of colour. The small patch of colour is &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt;, an ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How small is this patch of colour? Extend your arm and hold out your thumb. Scientists say that the size of your thumbnail as compared to your entire field of vision is what that retina can process at one instant. The rods and cones of the retina respond to specific colours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once this small patch of colour (the ultimate reality) has been seen, it becomes a concept (the &lt;em&gt;tadanuvattikā manodvāravīthi&lt;/em&gt; process). Sensing is finished and now thinking takes over. The first thing that thinking does is the “grasp the object as a whole” (&lt;em&gt;samudāyagāhikā&lt;/em&gt;); in other words, thinking builds up the entire field of vision from these “thumbnail-sized” patches of colour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this done? It is not in the linear mechanical way that a TV screen image is built up. Scientists say that the eye focuses first on areas of high contrast, on faces and on movement before filling in the rest of the scene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the entire scene has been built up, the thinking mind recognizes colours (&lt;em&gt;vaṇṇasallakkhaṇā&lt;/em&gt;). Next, a shape or “entity” is extracted from the pattern of colours (&lt;em&gt;vatthugāhikā&lt;/em&gt;). Next is the thinking process of recognizing the share or “entity” (&lt;em&gt;vatthusallakkhaṇā&lt;/em&gt;). Next is a thinking process of gasping the name (&lt;strong&gt;car&lt;/strong&gt; in the example you gave) (&lt;em&gt;nāmagāhikā&lt;/em&gt;) and the thinking process of recognizing the name (&lt;em&gt;nāmasallakkhaṇā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientists explain that the activity in the brain extends from the visual cortex to involve memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, next comes the idea of the &lt;strong&gt;car&lt;/strong&gt;, judgements and associations regarding the &lt;strong&gt;car&lt;/strong&gt;, obsessions and fantasies about the &lt;strong&gt;car&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we see is the ultimate reality of a small patch of colour. Once seeing of this small patch of colour is complete, then thinking of concepts takes over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is explained in Bhikkhu Bodhi's &quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot; (page 164).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-09-24T00:01:38.663" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T00:01:38.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11710" CreationDate="2015-09-24T00:55:55.477" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 9 'successive extinctions'( as it is said in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A. IX, 31&lt;/a&gt;) :&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In the step 7 it says &quot;..., the perception ... consciousness is extinguished&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In him who has entered the 1st absorption, the sensuous perceptions&#xA;  (kāma-saññā) are extinguished. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the 2nd absorption, thought-conception and discursive&#xA;  thinking (vitakkavicāra, q.v.) are extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the 3rd absorption, rapture (pīti, q.v.) is&#xA;  extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the 4th absorption, in-and-out breathing&#xA;  (assāsa-passāsa, q.v.) are extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the sphere of boundless space (ākāsānañcāyatana), the&#xA;  corporeality perceptions (rūpa-saññā) are extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the sphere of boundless consciousness&#xA;  (viññānañcāyatana), the perception of the sphere of boundless space is&#xA;  extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana), the&#xA;  perception of the sphere of boundless consciousness is extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception&#xA;  (neva-saññā-nāsaññāyatana) the perception of the sphere of nothingness&#xA;  is extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having entered the extinction of perception and feeling&#xA;  (saññāvedayitanirodha) perception and feeling are extinguished.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T10:21:24.213" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T10:21:24.213" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-24T01:26:52.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Ven. Bodhi's &quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot;, ultimate reality(paramattha) can be seen as 4-fold: citta, cetasika, rupa, and Nibbana. These 4 are further classified into Sankhata(the conditioned) and ASankhata(the un-conditioned). Citta(mind/consciousness) and cetasika(mental factors) belong to the Nama(mentality) group, while Rupa is the materiality group. Both are under Sankhata. Only Nibbana is under ASankhata. A quick layout as below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paramattha(ultimate reality):&lt;br/&gt;&#xA; |__1. Sankhata(the conditioned)&lt;br/&gt;&#xA; |       &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;i. Nama(mentality): citta(mind/consciousness) and cetasika(mental factors)&lt;br/&gt;&#xA; |       &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;ii. Rupa(materiality): forms&lt;br/&gt; &#xA; |&lt;br/&gt;&#xA; |__2. ASankhata(the un-conditioned)&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;         &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Nibbana&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T01:26:52.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11734" CreationDate="2015-09-24T03:43:21.043" Score="1" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/nonduality/classnotes/sep17/62_false_convictions.htm#Vimalakirti%20Take&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, there are &quot;62 False Convictions&quot; (Views) regarding the Past &amp;amp; Future.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;False Convictions Regarding the Past  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Eternity of the Self and World,   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Partial Eternity and Partial Non-Eternity of the Self and World.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Finitude and/or Infinitude of the World.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Evasive Strategies Resorted to by &quot;Eel-Wrigglers&quot; [or Endless Equivocators].  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Chance Origination of the World.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;False Convictions Regarding the Future &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Conscious Post-Mortem Survival.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Unconscious Post-Mortem Survival.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Neither Conscious Nor Unconscious Post-Mortem Survival.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nihilistic Views Regarding Post-Mortem Survival.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nirvana Here and Now.    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are they considered as false?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-24T13:34:06.310" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T13:34:06.310" Title="What are the views considered &quot;false convictions&quot;, and why are they false?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|mahayana|modern-world|right-view|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11733" CreationDate="2015-09-24T04:00:01.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following quotes are extracts from the Pali Deeganikaya  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta: The All-embracing Net of Views.&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speculations about the Past (Pubbantakappika)&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, bhikkhus, other dhammas, deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful and sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible only to the wise, which the Tathāgata, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, propounds to others; and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak. And what are these dhammas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past, who hold settled views about the past, and who on eighteen grounds assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honorable recluses and brahmins frame their speculations?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Eternalism (Sassatavāda): Views 1–4  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Partial-Eternalism (Ekaccasassatavāda): Views 5–8  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of the Finitude and Infinity of the World (Antānantavāda): Views 9–12  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Endless Equivocation (Amarāvikkhepavāda): Views 13–16  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the fourth case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honorable recluses and brahmins endless equivocators, resorting to evasive statements and to endless equivocation?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin is dull and stupid. Due to his dullness and stupidity, when he is questioned about this or that point, he resorts to evasive statements and to endless equivocation: 'If you ask me whether there is a world beyond — if I thought there is another world, I would declare that there is. But I do not take it thus, nor do I take it in that way, nor do I take it in some other way. I do not say that it is not, nor do I say that is neither this nor that.'   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Similarly, when asked any of the following questions, he resorts to the same evasive statements and to endless equivocation:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. Is there no world beyond?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. Is it that there both is and is not a world beyond?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. Is it that there neither is nor is not a world beyond?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  B.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. Are there beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. Are there no beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. Is it that there both are and are not beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. Is it that there neither are nor are not beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  C.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. Is there fruit and result of good and bad action?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. Is there no fruit and result of good and bad action?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. Is it that there both is and is not fruit and result of good and bad action?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. Is it that there neither is nor is not fruit and result of good and bad action?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  D.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1.Does the Tathāgata exist after death?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2.Does the Tathāgata not exist after death?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3.Does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4.Does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This bhikkhus, is the fourth case.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is on these four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are endless equivocators resort to evasive statements and to endless equivocation when questioned about this or that point. Whatever recluses or brahmins there may be who resort to evasive statements and to endless equivocation, all of them do so on these four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands... and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Fortuitous Origination (Adhiccasamuppannavāda): Views 17–18&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speculations about the Future (Aparantakappika)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the future, who hold settled views about the future, and who on forty-four grounds assert various conceptual theorems referring to the future. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honorable recluses and brahmins frame their speculations?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Percipient Immortality (Saññīvāda): Views 19–34&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality[10] and who on sixteen grounds proclaim the self to survive percipient after death. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honorable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;They proclaim: 'The self is immutable after death, percipient, and:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. material&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. immaterial&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. both material and immaterial&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. neither material nor immaterial&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  B.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. finite&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. infinite&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. both finite and infinite&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. neither finite nor infinite&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  C.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. of uniform perception&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. of diversified perception&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. of limited perception&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. of boundless perception&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  D.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   1. exclusively happy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   2. exclusively miserable&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   3. both happy and miserable&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   4. neither happy nor miserable.'  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is on these sixteen grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality proclaim the self to survive percipient after death. Whatever recluses or brahmins maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality, all of them do so on these sixteen grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understand... and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Non-percipient Immortality (Asaññīvāda): Views 35–42  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Neither Percipient Nor Non-Percipient Immortality (N'evasaññī-nāsaññīvāda): Views 43–50  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Annihilationism (Ucchedavāda): Views 51–57  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doctrines of Nibbāna Here and Now (Diṭṭhadhammanibbānavāda): Views 58–62  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/nonduality/classnotes/sep17/62_false_convictions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This teaching&lt;/a&gt; on the 62 (false) convictions is from the Brahmajala Sutta (in the Pali Digha Nikaya -- adapted herein from Walshe).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the end of this Sutta the Buddha declares that this teaching may be known by the following names:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;• The Net of Advantage (Attha = Artha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   The Net of Dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   The Supreme Net&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   The Net of Views&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   The Incomparable Victory in Battle  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In his glossary entry on the “sixty-two convictions” in the &lt;strong&gt;Vimalakirti Sutra&lt;/strong&gt;, Thurman states:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;These ... consist of all views other than the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;right view&quot; of selflessness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. All sixty-two fall into either one of the two categories known as the &quot;two extremisms&quot;: &quot;eternalism&quot; (sashvatavada) and &quot;nihilism&quot; (ucchedavada).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[However,] for Vimalakirti’s take on this subject, see his exchange with Manjushri below.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vimalakirti’s Take on the 62 Convictions&lt;/strong&gt; (From p. 44 of Thurman’s translation):  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mañjushri: Householder, where should emptiness be sought?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vimalakirti: Mañjushri, emptiness should be sought among the sixty-two&#xA;  convictions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mañjushri: Where should the sixty-two convictions be sought?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vimalakirti: They should be sought in the liberation of the&#xA;  Tathagatas.    Mañjushri: Where should the liberation of the&#xA;  Tathagatas be sought?    Vimalakirti: It should be sought in the prime&#xA;  mental activity of all living beings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mañjushri, you ask me why I am without servants, but all Maras and&#xA;  opponents are my servants. Why? The Maras advocate this life of birth&#xA;  and death, and the bodhisattva does not avoid life. The heterodox&#xA;  opponents advocate convictions, and the bodhisattva is not troubled by&#xA;  convictions. Therefore, all Maras and opponents are my servants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)#Buddha.27s_conclusion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha's conclusion&lt;/a&gt; (From Wikipedia)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Tathagata knows these sixty-two views. He also knows the dhamma&#xA;  which surpasses them. Knowing that dhamma, he does not view it in the&#xA;  wrong way. Since he does not view it in the wrong way, he realizes by&#xA;  himself the extinction of defilements (i.e., greed, anger, and&#xA;  ignorance of the Four Ariya Truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha finally concludes the exposition of these 'wrong' beliefs by&#xA;  stating that these (62) beliefs, if they are believed, will certainly&#xA;  cause agitations and cravings. It implies that the beliefs come to&#xA;  conclusion due to the inability to see the truth, as they are seized&#xA;  by craving (clinging), agitated by longing (feeling).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha further explains that the beliefs are originated from&#xA;  Contact (Phassa) as the cause. The contact is a phenomenon when the&#xA;  perception recognised an object beyond our Self. Then, from this brief&#xA;  (like lightning in the sky, Nagasena analogued in Milinda Panha)&#xA;  event, rise up feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha states that there are no possibilities of feeling without&#xA;  contact. Thus, according to the law of Twelve Related Chain of Cause&#xA;  and Effects (Pratitya-samutpada), the people who believe in one of&#xA;  many of these sixty-two beliefs, will end up in round cycle of&#xA;  sufferings; as they have not found the truth on the cease of&#xA;  sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Due to their faith, they will experience feelings as a result of&#xA;  repeated contact through the six sense bases. In them feeling gives&#xA;  rise to craving; craving gives rise to clinging; clinging gives rise&#xA;  to current existence (upapatti bhava) and the kammic causal process&#xA;  (kamma bhava); the kammic causal process gives rise to rebirth; and&#xA;  rebirth gives rise to ageing, death, grief, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress and despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha states that Monks who have realized and understood the&#xA;  origin of contact of the six senses, and escaped the round of&#xA;  sufferings, would see Dhamma (Truth) of Precepts (Śīla), Concentration&#xA;  (Samadhi) and Wisdom (Pańńa) which surpassed all the wrong beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha then makes an analogy of a fisherman using a fine-meshed&#xA;  net to catch the fish in the pond. The fish represent the ascetics who&#xA;  cling to their beliefs. They will rise and sink in the pond, but in&#xA;  the end will unavoidably be caught in the net. Whereas the Buddha, who&#xA;  stand outside the net has found the truth and has transcended the&#xA;  cycle of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; ends with this quotation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;When the Bhagava had delivered this discourse, the Venerable Ananda&#xA;    addressed him thus: &quot;Marvellous indeed, Venerable Sir! Extraordinary&#xA;    indeed, Venerable Sir! What is the name of this exposition of the&#xA;    dhamma?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda!&quot; said the Bhagava, &quot;Bear in mind that this exposition of the&#xA;    dhamma is called Atthajala, the Net of Essence, as well as Dhammajala,&#xA;    the Net of the Dhamma, as well as Brahmajala, the Net of Perfect&#xA;    Wisdom, as well as Ditthijala, the Net of Views, as well as&#xA;    Anuttarasangama Vijaya, the Incomparable Victory in Battle.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus said&#xA;  the Bhagava.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-24T12:01:59.107" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T12:01:59.107" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-24T14:57:35.063" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha used to remain silent, when Hindu Brahmins used to ask him about his views on God. He used to give the example of a man carrying a &lt;em&gt;lamp&lt;/em&gt; and walking along a village road &lt;em&gt;in the night&lt;/em&gt;, trying to reach another village. &lt;em&gt;Human knowledge is like that&lt;/em&gt;, he used to say, &lt;em&gt;it can show you the path&lt;/em&gt; as you travel along, but it cannot give you the &lt;em&gt;knowledge of the whole Universe&lt;/em&gt;, just as &lt;em&gt;the small lamp cannot remove the entire darkness of the Night&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such arguments and discussions, the Buddha used to think, is a waste of &lt;em&gt;time and effort&lt;/em&gt;. &quot;Since &lt;em&gt;Human beings&lt;/em&gt; have a &lt;em&gt;limited life  and limited capabilities&lt;/em&gt; it is better to optimise their uses &quot; -- this was the thinking of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what was taught to us in &lt;em&gt;School&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-24T15:04:45.560" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T15:04:45.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2015-09-24T18:37:22.230" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my reading it appears he didn't oppose Vedic religion though he dismissed the Brahmins of his times as being false Brahmins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;brāhmaṇavagga&lt;/em&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20150416065137/http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara3/5-pancakanipata/020-sonavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;aṅguttara nikāya&lt;/em&gt; 5. 20&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhp. 26&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha reframes what it means to be a Brahmin, to one who is pious, celibate, free of mental defilements etc. - namely all the qualities of an arhat or other members of the Ariyas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the AN &lt;em&gt;brāhmaṇavagga&lt;/em&gt; he debates several Brahmins, and shows a superior understanding of Brahminical history, and teaches that the present fallen state of Brahmins was not always so. In old times, per the teachings of the ten Rishis (Aññhaka, Vàmaka, Vàmadeva, Vessàmitta, Yamtaggi, Angãrasa, Bhàradvàja, Vàseññha, Kassapa and Bhagu) the meaning of Brahmin was equal to what the Buddha teaches, but over the years it had decayed to the point of being riddled with flaws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to quote lengthy sections of the chapter on Brahmins here, but suffice to say, he wasn't opposed to the Vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In AN 5.20 he mentions mastery of the Vedas as a notable feature of a good Brahmin, but by reading other suttas in the vagga we see it not the only criteria. If anything, he emphasises pious conduct and freedom from mental defilements a lot more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-24T18:48:31.953" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T18:48:31.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11626" CreationDate="2015-09-24T18:42:40.260" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;For completeness, there isn't &lt;em&gt;one&lt;/em&gt; Buddhism, there are many &lt;em&gt;Buddhisms&lt;/em&gt;. The other questions already address the Buddhisms with either no god or no &lt;em&gt;interesting&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;relevant&lt;/em&gt; gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By a process of fascinating evolution, Buddhism evolved from early Buddhism, which arguable didn't care or want take a stand on gods or their lack there of, to one that said Gods existed, but made a hairsplitting distinction that they were long lived, but mortal and didn't create the world. And then sometime in the Mahayana phase, Buddhas gained a Pure Land, superhuman powers equatable to a god, and with the Amitabha, infinite life, not merely stupendously long life. See Jan Nattier, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/7175819/The_Indian_Roots_of_Pure_Land_Buddhism_Insights_from_the_Oldest_Chinese_Versions_of_the_Larger_Sukh%C4%81vat%C4%ABvy%C5%ABha&quot;&gt;The Indian Roots of Pure Land Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&quot; for a paper about this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone is looking for a Christian-like god in Buddhism where the standard questions on atheism and theism apply, they should be looking at Amitabhism/Amidaism. Interesting to me, the typical arguments for the efficacy of Amidaism have a logical form, but make some large assumptions-- namely, The Amitabha vowed to save all beings before becoming a Buddha, the Amitabha has become a Buddha, therefore faith in Amitabha is efficacious. The question about if Amitabha is a story that we just made up isn't even addressed. Believers take this all very literally, some intellectuals like Taitetsu Unno seem to take it as somewhat metaphorical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the rest of Buddhism, a good argument could be made that Karma is as sort of god like the one that atheists are disbelieving. Karma can tell if you did an act intentionally or accidentally. This implies a certain amount of discretion and intelligence on the part of Karma, unlike gravity, which drops you on the nearest large object regardless to, well, anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SGI/Nichiren Buddhism, people talk about the Mystic Law as if it has agency, see JM Walsh's book &quot;Your Enlightened Mind Wants to Know&quot; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-24T18:42:40.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11744" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11753" CreationDate="2015-09-25T00:58:21.283" Score="3" ViewCount="497" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp1.9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hemawatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Is a (very old)? sutta in &amp;quot;Sutha Nipatha&amp;quot; of KN, Just after the first sermon of &amp;quot;Dammachakka&amp;quot;. 'Hemawata' (General of yakka's ) is also a listener of that. He give the news about Buddha to his friend 'sathagira' and both came to meet load. That Dialog is in this sutta. some extract of it as follows&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The Great One like a lion who lives alone,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;among all pleasures he’s expectation-free,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;let us draw near that we may ask of him&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;how to escape from the snarefulness of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;O proclaimer of the Dharma, expounding it too,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;one who’s beyond all dharmas’ Further Shore,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;all fear and hatred you’ve utterly overcome&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;both of us then of Gotama inquire—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hemavata&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;What co-arises with the &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;world&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;With what’s it make acquaintance?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;The &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;world&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; grasps after what indeed?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Why’s the &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;world&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; afflicted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Six with the world do co-arise,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;with six becomes acquainted,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;the world’s attached to six indeed,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;so, world’s by six afflicted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'world' is used in this verses and throughout the thipitaka.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;What is the meaning of this word in this context?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T15:08:37.233" Title="What does the word &quot;world&quot; mean in the Buddhist context?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|mahayana|terminology|texts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11744" CreationDate="2015-09-25T01:16:09.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe by &quot;world&quot; Buddha usually means the human civilisation, the society, the world of people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This world is blind! There are so few who see things as they truly are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whose Dhamma is well-taught? Who has practiced well in this world? Who in the world is well-gone?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, maras, &amp;amp; brahmas, its generations with their contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, their rulers &amp;amp; common people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who in this world takes nothing that is not given to him, be it long or short, small or big, good or bad — him do I call a holy man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This world completely lacks essence \ It trembles in all directions \ I longed to find myself a place \ Unscathed — but I could not see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who having been heedless is heedless no more, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T15:42:57.080" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T15:42:57.080" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11744" CreationDate="2015-09-25T04:34:39.900" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the quote you have provided, the “world” is the six senses. The Buddha often used the word “world” in a metaphorical sense. Here are some Suttas where &quot;world&quot; is used in a similar way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 35.82:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: &quot;'The world, the world' it is said. In what respect does the word 'world' apply?&#xA;  &quot;Insofar as it disintegrates, monk, it is called the 'world.' Now what disintegrates? The eye disintegrates. Forms disintegrate. Consciousness at the eye disintegrates. Contact at the eye disintegrates. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too disintegrates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(repeat for ear, nose, tongue, body and mind-sense)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 12.44:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One addressed the monks: &quot;I will teach you the origination of the world &amp;amp; the ending of the world. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, lord,&quot; the monks responded to the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;And what is the origination of the world? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. This is the origination of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(repeat for ear, nose, tongue, body and mind-sense)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T04:34:39.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11748" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11754" CreationDate="2015-09-25T10:16:26.893" Score="5" ViewCount="1716" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone enters the stream and becomes a sotapanna (stream winner), then he would have at most, seven lifetimes left. What the stream is, is defined in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11245/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech,&#xA;  right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right&#xA;  concentration — is the stream. (SN 55.5)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro Bhikku further comments &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The coming-together of these factors is called the stream because it&#xA;  leads inevitably to two things, just as the current of a tributary&#xA;  will lead inevitably to a major river and then to the sea. In the&#xA;  immediate present, the stream leads directly to the arising of the&#xA;  Dhamma eye, the vision that actually constitutes this first awakening.&#xA;  Over time, the stream ensures that — in no more than seven lifetimes —&#xA;  one will be totally unbound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma eye is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#arising&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;explained&lt;/a&gt; as the ability to see firsthand and experientially, the impermanence of the five aggregates and dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are (for rebirths as a human):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How does a reborn stream-winner know that he or she is one?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does being a stream-winner in a previous lifetime, mean that one would be reborn into a devout Buddhist family in this lifetime or would definitely be led to the Dhamma eventually?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the reborn stream-winner's Dhamma eye open immediately at birth, or only after he or she encounters the Dhamma and returns back to the Noble Eightfold Path?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How is it guaranteed that the reborn stream-winner would not choose another path or another teacher, and drop out of the stream, considering that we do not remember previous lifetimes?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Please provide any info from the canon regarding this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2023-05-31T07:06:10.823" Title="Stream winner reborn as human" Tags="|rebirth|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2015-09-25T11:47:26.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does a reborn stream-winner know that he or she is one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is no sign or feeling about this. (Is there any sign or feeling when one reach the sotapanna even in this life time?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person &quot;who attains a clear understanding of Three Marks of Existence and Four Noble Truths - and therefore cutting all doubts&quot; as discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/216/5513&quot;&gt;How does stream entry occur?&lt;/a&gt; becomes a stream enterer/Sotapanna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They no longer have the first 3 fetters:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Belief in a self,     &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubts about the Buddha, his teachings or the&#xA;    noble sangha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attachments to rites and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1). He does not have a view of &quot;Atman&quot; or permenent self (Identity&#xA;view). But he leaves the feeling of &quot;I&quot;, My,Myself like &quot;Avijja&quot; or&#xA;ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2). If he finds (True) Buddha, Dhamma, or sangha he insistently&#xA;accepts them or understands what they realize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3). He has the thinking power to select or understand what is write&#xA;or wrong to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &lt;em&gt;Question 2&lt;/em&gt; is not necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For &lt;em&gt;Question 3 &amp;amp; 4&lt;/em&gt;, The Dhamma eye (Understanding - clarity of thinking) is already with him and it is not lost (it improves continuously until final liberation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shall we consider this quart from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7400/5513&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I believe there are probably a few ways to enter the stream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have entered the stream (as a lay person) Having no parents has&#xA;  really helped me to connect more deeply with the true nature of the&#xA;  way things are. I have had little conditioning, no preconceptions. As&#xA;  an autodidact, things have been revealed to me intuitively over many&#xA;  years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the last 20 years I have been going on walks (walking meditation)&#xA;  in the local forests asking questions. Nature has been my mother and&#xA;  father, my teacher. My eye has always been open on these walks. I&#xA;  realized that whatever arises would cease and it was heartwarming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For me, being a stream winner is like this: When you have to overcome&#xA;  extreme trauma and appalling loss and you don't become cruel and you&#xA;  can forgive and you can &lt;strong&gt;let it go&lt;/strong&gt;, you stop the cycle. You have done&#xA;  what you came here for and you transform. That and maybe 20 years of&#xA;  walking in woods...lol. I doubt I could do another 20! Be Well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T23:12:22.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11750" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11751" CreationDate="2015-09-25T12:57:40.240" Score="6" ViewCount="801" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand the English dictionary definition of patience, the ability to wait.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reading about the paramitas, it seems like this word in the original language covered forbearance, i.e. the ability to suffer other people's anger and insults calmly, in addition to the sense of be capable of waiting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was patience added to the list because of the huge time required to achieve full Buddhahood? Or is patience a sloppy translation and is this paramita really about forbearance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, in personal practice, if it means the ability to wait, then it isn't &lt;em&gt;actionable&lt;/em&gt; since, patient or not, there is little risk of me reaching full Buddhahood on any given day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T13:11:18.317" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T11:33:57.823" Title="In the five paramitas, what is patience and why is it on the list?" Tags="|mahayana|terminology|paramitas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11750" CreationDate="2015-09-25T13:10:24.237" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Patience is actually a great translation.  Think of the etymology of the English word:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;patience (n.) - c. 1200, &quot;quality of being willing to bear&#xA;  adversities, calm endurance of misfortune, suffering, etc.,&quot; from Old&#xA;  French pacience &quot;patience; sufferance, permission&quot; (12c.) and directly&#xA;  from Latin patientia &quot;patience, endurance, submission&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patience is to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.  It is to endure, without complaint.  When one is patient, they turn headlong into discomfort and do so with a mind marked by equanimity.  Think of the countless lives of the Buddha - all of the suffering he had to endure in order to achieve nirvana.  His was a patience par excellence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patience is an indispensable virtue on the road to Buddhahood and absolutely deserves to be on this list!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T13:10:24.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5175" CreationDate="2015-09-25T13:48:04.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The traditional presentation is not that our minds used to be pure. Rather, our mind is defiled from beginningless time. 'Defilements' refer to the two obscurations: (1) afflictive obstructions, impediment to liberation and (2) knowledge obscurations (or 'obstruction to omniscience'), impediment to buddhahood.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maitreya explains nine types of defilements (the first three being the three poisons, and so forth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;From Maitreiya's Great Vehicle Treatise on the Sublime Continuum differentiating the Lineage of the Three Jewels (mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga), I know of three illustrations of 'buddha nature'. The one we usually speak of is the second: buddha nature as the suchness of the minds of sentient beings (i.e. non-buddhas), that is also called 'suchness with defilements'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suchness with defilement is pure by nature, yet it is 'with defilements'. There is no contradiction. It is because suchness is not the basis [of the quality of] being defiled. Maitreya asserts that buddha nature is 'inconceivable in the sense of being difficult to understand' because of being 'pure [by nature] and yet with defilements'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Very important point: A Buddha does not have buddha nature. This is because buddha nature is the emptiness of the mind of sentient beings (i.e. non-buddhas). The emptiness of the mind of a buddha is suchness without defilements and is called Dharmakāya (or more accurately the 'nature truth body'-part of the Dharmakaya). In other words, Dharmakāya (suchness without defilement) is not Tathāgatagarbha (suchness with defilements, buddha nature).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the emptiness of a pillar (an instance of emptiness) is not the emptiness of a table, the emptiness of the mind of a sentient being is not the emptiness of the mind of a Buddha. This is because emptiness and its basis are one entity (yet mutually exclusive contradictory). In other words, emptiness is always emptiness &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; something, and so forth.  Thus, there is no way one can accurately say “we are buddhas but we just don't know it”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha nature is called a cause but is not an actual cause. It is called a cause because, if our afflicted minds were not empty of true existence (this emptiness being buddha nature), it would not be subject to purification, change, transformation, could not 'interact' or 'be pervaded' by the deeds of a Buddha, etc. It is not an actual cause because buddha nature is suchness with defilements, and a suchness is permanent, and whatever is permanent is unable to perform a function [of causing anything, etc].&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you studying Maitreiya's 'Sublime Continuum...' which was commented upon by Asanga. Asanga's commentary was also commented by Gyaltsab-je.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T17:25:41.023" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T17:25:41.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11744" CreationDate="2015-09-25T14:05:08.610" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In the context of presentations of dependent-arising as exposed in the Pali canon&lt;/strong&gt; (as in, for instance, the quotes you give, or also Thanissaro Bhikkhu phrasing &quot;There is nothing further for this world&quot; at the end of the Adittapariyaya Sutta) I would trust Geshe Sonam Rinchen's explanation (in &quot;How Karma Works&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The world,&quot;&lt;/em&gt; used to translate the Tibetan term &lt;em&gt;jigten&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;jig rten&lt;/em&gt;), here has a very specific meaning because it refers to the five&#xA;  aggregates - forms, feelings, discriminations, compositional factors,&#xA;  and the six kinds of consciousnesses - which constitute our own and&#xA;  others' bodies and minds. The person[...] depends on these five&#xA;  aggregates, and it is in relation to them that we come into existence&#xA;  and disintegrate. Thus &quot;basis of disintegration&quot; is one meaning for&#xA;  jigten.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T15:43:25.567" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T15:43:25.567" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2015-09-25T15:11:58.817" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How does a reborn stream-winner know that he or she is one?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a math or music prodigy who can easily recall their skillset through just some basic exposure to music or math, a stream-winner would be like that, if not much quicker or even instantaneous since Path/Fruit are supra-mundane skills, unlike mundane fields like math/music.&#xA;There're concrete metrics to determine a stream-winner. Details are available in many suttas like AN 9.12, AN 3.87, SN 12.41, etc. (ref: suttacentral.net)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Does being a stream-winner in a previous lifetime, mean that one would be reborn into a devout Buddhist family in this lifetime or would definitely be led to the Dhamma eventually?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;S/he's to be born into any place(devas or humans) and time where the conditions are conducive to guarantee enlightenment at most 7 more life times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Is the reborn stream-winner's Dhamma eye open immediately at birth, or only after he or she encounters the Dhamma and returns back to the Noble Eightfold Path?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The DhammaEye opens just once and will stay there when the noble disciple makes the breakthrough to StreamEntry, as said in AN 3.94:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, just as, in the autumn, when the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun, ascending in the sky, dispels all darkness from space as it shines and beams and radiates, so too, when the dust-free, stainless Dhamma-eye arises in the noble disciple, then, together with the arising of vision, the noble disciple abandons three fetters: personal-existence view, doubt, and wrong grasp of behavior and observances&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How is it guaranteed that the reborn stream-winner would not choose another path or another teacher, and drop out of the stream, considering that we do not remember previous lifetimes?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;S/he won't switch path since they possess the Seven Great Reviewing Knowledges of Stream Entry (MN 48), one of which is: &quot;Knowledge that no other recluse or brahmin outside the Buddha's Dispensation possessed of a view that one possess.&quot; Also see the child prodigy analogy mention in question 1.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Please provide any info from the canon regarding this&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All refs. should be available on accesstoinsight.org or suttacentral.net&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T15:11:58.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2015-09-25T15:12:34.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youblisher.com/p/623524-Sotapanna-Handbook-English/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotapanna handbook&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;I have posted this book couple of times.  The publisher compiled nearly 50 suttas about stream enterer mentioned by Buddha. I'm wondering the same thing about reborn-stream enterer but couldnt find one mentioned by Buddha.  IMO, it is like parents sending a child who is on a right track off to college.  A child might get into some minor problems along the way but eventually will graduate. Parents dont have real concern knowing their child will reach his/her destination.  Bhuddha mentioned a few reborn places of Stream enterers and once returners but not more than one life so we dont know what will become of them next. (Ex. anathapindika, lady visaka, lady Sumana (once returner, anathapindika's daughter.  All reborn in heavenly realms)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T15:20:42.020" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T15:20:42.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11750" CreationDate="2015-09-25T15:37:42.423" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Patience is a mind that abides in its natural state unaffected by harm and suffering. It strongly abides in the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The division is threefold:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patience bearing suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patience not paying heed to those who cause harm&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patience stable in the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be a &lt;strong&gt;fully qualified perfection&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;it must&lt;/strong&gt; be conjoined with the wisdom realizing emptiness and effortless bodhicitta. The perfection of patience is so perfected on the level of the 3rd ground (bhumi) on the supra-mundane path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The six perfections are related to the two accumulations of (1) merits and (2) wisdom that lead to buddhahood. The accumulation of merits is related to the first three perfections: generosity, ethics and patience. (that partly explains why patience is a perfection)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, from the point of view of the result: the fruit of patience [and so forth] is buddhahood. The two essential causes for that fruit are: (1) myself practicing patience, and (2) the enemy that is the object of patience. One can not achieve enlightenment in isolation, since it depends on others. As in Shantideva:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.108 Because I am able to practice this, He is worthy of being the very first to be given The fruit of my patience, For in this way he is&#xA;  the cause of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationship between ethics (2nd perfection) and patience (3rd perfection) is such that if one wants to practice the three aspects of ethics, it will involve hardships. This is where patience comes into the picture. We need to learn how to endure those hardships. (that also explains that it is a perfection, since it is in that sequence)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of benefits, as anger is greatly disadvantageous since it destroys roots of virtue (the meaning of which is discussed at length by Tsongkhapa in the Middle Length Lam Rim and the Chen Mo as well), patience, on the other hand, is the direct antidote to anger. Thus, it prevents one from getting his roots of virtue destroyed: As in Gyaltsab Je's commentary to Shantideva:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although one meditates the virtue of generosity and the like for eons,&#xA;  they are destroyed by     the fire tongue of anger. Therefore, one needs&#xA;  to generate the force of patience again and   again and not give anger&#xA;  any chance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patience has other benefits as well, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being a way to purify negativities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being “the best way to accumulate merit” (I quote here one of my teachers, Kyabje Geshe Gyaltsen)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Increasing our qualities and happiness (i.e. if one did not react with anger but practiced patience the mind would not be affected by the harm and pain)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being a way to take the essence of this precious human rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That cultivating patience is a way to accumulate merit is shown in Shantideva:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.103 If by my own fault I am not patient with this, Then it is only I myself hindering Involvement in the cause of merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-25T17:26:47.947" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T17:26:47.947" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10429" CreationDate="2015-09-25T18:21:43.333" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, they are not synonyms. They are mutually exclusive: If it is 'tathagatagarbha', then it is not 'dhammakaya'. If it is 'dhammakaya', it is not 'tathagatagarbha'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tathagatagarbha is 'suchness with defilement', which is the emptiness of the minds of sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmakaya is 'suchness without defilement', which is the emptiness of the omniscient mind of a buddha. (more specifically any of the 'nature truth body', according to Prasangika). Although they are undifferenciated in nature (pure by nature), Dharmakaya and Tathagatagarbha are not the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Gyaltsab-Je states in his commentary to Maitreya's &lt;em&gt;Sublime Continuum&#xA;differentiating the Lineage of the Three Jewels&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suchness with defilement is the basic element not liberated from the&#xA;  obscurations of mental afflictions, and is known as tathagata&#xA;  essence.&quot; By nature it is pure and is the ultimate truth. The term&#xA;  &quot;tathagata essence&quot; is not used anywhere by either the Tathagata&#xA;  Essence Sutra or this treatise and its commentary, which explain the&#xA;  thinking of that sutra, to teach the  twofold purity [i.e. the&#xA;  dharmakaya endowed with the twofold purity]. Therefore, to apply the&#xA;  ultimate dharmakaya to &quot;tathagata essence&quot; is a mere fabrication&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-09-25T18:21:43.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11758" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-25T23:14:33.197" Score="7" ViewCount="2196" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist forums where I had asked this question, there are always &quot;advanced&quot; practitioners who say that there is no benefit for a lay person to be celibate. So every time i read that, I stop trying to be celibate, although I see some benefit from it (though I'm not sure of it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to hear the opinions of different users on this subject. Are there any benefits from practising celibacy or is it not useful? (I mean full time celibacy, not only on retreats or at Uposatha days)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the answer is that it's useful, then why is it not more recommended in Theravada Buddhism? Also monks do not recommend celibacy to lay people outside of Uposatha and retreats. Why not? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am mainly interested in the view of Theravada Buddhism, but I appreciate all views on this subject also from other sects of Buddhism and other religions like Hinduism etc. All answers are more than welcome. Please specify which tradition of Buddhism or Hinduism that you are basing your answer on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T12:42:12.360" LastActivityDate="2018-03-04T14:25:25.693" Title="Celibacy - why not?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11744" CreationDate="2015-09-25T23:58:49.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Load Buddha has realize new visions. to communicate those ideas he need new words (for new concepts). Instead of defining new words he sometimes use them  with new meaning.(This is one example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;world&quot; has two usages, one for normal meaning as shown in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11745/5513&quot;&gt;Andrei's answer&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other meaning is for new understanding about the 'world' we create by our self. It create by 'Six sense doors'.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pCK3M.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pCK3M.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of using the word &quot;world&quot;, '5 Aggregate', '12 Ayathana'(faculty),' 18 Dathu' or 'Dukka'(suffering), 'Bimba'(Illusion), 'Maya', etc also used to as appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp1.9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hemawatha sutta&lt;/a&gt;' the dialog goes as..&#xA;....  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hemavata&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The grasping—what is it then&lt;br&gt;&#xA;by which the world’s afflicted?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;When asked about this, please do speak:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;how to be free from dukkha?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The sensual pleasures five are taught&lt;br&gt;&#xA;in the world with mind as six,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;having &lt;strong&gt;let go&lt;/strong&gt; of all desire for those,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;be thus from dukkha free.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This for the world’s the leading out,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;its “as-it-is” declared to you,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;and this to you I do declare:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;be thus from dukkha free.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T15:08:37.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11760" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11762" CreationDate="2015-09-26T00:47:28.740" Score="4" ViewCount="246" Body="&lt;p&gt;For experience to occur you need to have an object(&lt;strong&gt;sound or speaking man?&lt;/strong&gt;), a sense faculty(ear) and a sense consciousness(hearing). If a sound is an object, what is then an experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6962" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:58:27.960" Title="Is the sound an object or an experience?" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11668" CreationDate="2015-09-26T00:49:16.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can anyone point to an alternate translation or to a Pali version of&#xA;  the sutta (along with any insight into the meaning of the passage in&#xA;  question)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see this type of another situation in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp1.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;With the Yakkha Āḷavaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At one time the Lord dwelt at Āḷavī in the haunt of the yakkha&#xA;  Āḷavaka. Then the latter went to the Lord’s dwelling and spoke to him&#xA;  as follows: “Monk, come out!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, friend” said the Buddha (and came out).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monk, go in!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, friend” said the Buddha and entered his dwelling. He&#xA;  repeated these demands twice, but on the fourth demand the Buddha&#xA;  said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I shall not come out to you, friend, do what you will.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monk, I shall ask you a question and if you cannot answer it I shall&#xA;  either overthrow your mind, split your heart, or seizing you by the&#xA;  feet, throw you to the other side of the Ganges river.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I do not see, friend, anyone in the world with its devas, Māras and&#xA;  Brahmās, in this generation with its monks and brahmins, princes and&#xA;  men who can either overthrow my mind, or split my heart, or seize me&#xA;  by the feet and throw me to the other side of the Ganges river.&#xA;  However, friend, ask what you will.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By considering these two occasions we can assume Load Buddha gave an example, How to handle a tough (difficult) situation when one goes to preach someone. &#xA;They are not ready to accept, and in aggressive moods. So the preacher must have develop the quality '&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11756/5513&quot;&gt;patience&lt;/a&gt;' as shown in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11756/5513&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T00:49:16.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11760" CreationDate="2015-09-26T02:08:50.247" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to MN 18:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ear = the sensitive part of the ear that is able to detect sound&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sound = vibration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ear-consciousness = the Thought Moment that is aware of sound&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the sensing process by which a vibration is registered by the mind. Later thinking processes may combine multiple vibrations into a syllable and multiple syllables into a word. Later thinking processes may recognize the word and start associating a meaning with the word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you &quot;hear a person speaking&quot;, it is actually a large number of sensing processes followed by a much larger number of thinking processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sensing process is &quot;impersonal&quot;; a mechanical process that would be the same for you and for me. The thinking process is &quot;personal&quot;; your thinking sequence and my thinking sequence will be different based on our individual past experiences (for example, if the word is in a language that you know but I do not know, then obviously your associations will be very different from my associations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T02:08:50.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11760" CreationDate="2015-09-26T04:40:11.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sound&quot; is an oject and an experience. &quot;Sound&quot; is a certain experience  that is an object. Anything or anybody can be the object of experience. &lt;strong&gt;The object&lt;/strong&gt; is the part of the experience that is being experienced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The subject&lt;/strong&gt; is what is experiencing or witnessing the object of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T04:40:11.193" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-26T04:40:11.193" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11764" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-26T07:15:08.630" Score="5" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;The more we do wholesome deeds the more the inclination to do more good deeds and avoid unwholesome deeds. &#xA;Wholesome deeds are encouraged but not unwholesome deeds.&#xA;We need to keep doing wholesome actions, (attach to them) make them become our habit, the same thing with unwholesome actions if we do not want suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is avoiding unwholesome actions the same thing as aversion? It's said even Sakka Devaraja is not free from aversion. Is it normal and necessary to have or cultivate aversion toward unwholesome actions than toward wholesome actions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T07:36:45.703" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:20:08.940" Title="Is aversion toward unwholesome deeds normal?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-26T07:26:25.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the cycle of existence, there is no satisfaction in sensual desires, which are like honey on a razor's edge. ~Shantideva, Bodhisattvacharyavittara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Celibacy is certainly good but it isn't easy in the modern world, like being healthy is good, but being healthy in the middle of a pandemic isn't easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We live in a hyper-sexualized world today where even cars need sexy lines to sell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a Vietnamese Zen saying that a tiger is safe in the forest, but at risk when he enters the village. Similarly, a Yogi is safest when he's away from sense triggers: sex, money, luxurious food, liquor, bad companions - all of which can bring up base desires and aversions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Thai forest monks, Himalayan tapas-yogis of Hinduism, desert fathers of Christianity all sought relief from such triggers by avoiding worldly contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's age exposure to sense desires would have been fewer, and solitude would have been easier to find (no TV, social media, electricity, mobile phones, traffic). Yet, he recommended seclusion, because sense desire is a furious fire that's hard to put out once started. It's basic mental hygiene and sanitisation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are going to perform surgery on our minds (i.e.) serious meditation, then we don't want to do it in an unhygienic condition. Retreats are designed to offer hygienic conditions for the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of &lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://puredhamma.net/moral-living/ten-immoral-actions-dasa-akusala/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right livelihood&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; ensures there are few opportunities to tells lies, act dishonestly or violently. Similarly, one must find a place to live where sexual energy is not omnipresent to learn to be celibate, otherwise frustration will set in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such frustration arising from ignorance of causes and conditions might then turn practitioners away from the whole of Dhamma. Some teachers might have this in mind while recommending celibacy only on retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not a universal rule, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mro.org/mr/archive/25-3/articles/ThePracticeOfZeal.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;to a determined one no wall is too high&lt;/a&gt;, but parents often tell their little kids to not climb tall structures until they are older.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am independent of any sectarian affiliation, so my answer draws from my interpretation of personal experience guided by Theravada, Zen, Hinduism (several kinds), Christianity, modern science and humanities etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T14:16:17.407" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:16:17.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11764" CreationDate="2015-09-26T08:06:17.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abiding amidst a multitude of mental afflictions, one should be vigorous in a thousand ways and unconquerable by the hosts of mental afflictions, like a lion by a herd of deer. ~Shantideva&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear of the unholy born of an enthusiasm for virtue is justified. Otherwise, we would be like the buffalo that falls asleep among butchers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it should not turn into aversion of those still afflicted by it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The great and noble &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantideva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shantideva&lt;/a&gt;, writes frequently on this subject in his guide to the Bodhisattva way of life (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://hoavouu.com/images/file/AkMNdk9R0QgQAAoD/shantideva-bodhicaryavatara-wallace.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhisattvacharyavittara&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) -especially in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mro.org/mr/archive/25-3/articles/ThePracticeOfZeal.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;chapter on perfection of zeal&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[I just noticed the Theravada tag, apologies]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than phrase your position as aversion to the unwholesome, it might be better to describe it as wise pursuit of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please see sections 7,8 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/281-araavibhanga-sutta-the-exposition-of-non-conflict.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 139 Araṇavibhanga Sutta - The Exposition of Non-Conflict&lt;/a&gt; - one must neither extol nor disparage but teach only the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T08:55:07.993" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T08:55:07.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11760" CreationDate="2015-09-26T08:50:26.330" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Tibetan point of view, it concerns what is referred to as &lt;em&gt;Lo Rig&lt;/em&gt; (epistemology), 'Awarenesses and knowers' and 'Minds and mental factors'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strictly speaking, experience refers to a characteristic of the 'feeling' mental factor. As in Yeshe Gyeltsen's &lt;em&gt;Necklace for Those of Clear Awareness&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;QUESTION: What is the defining characteristic of feeling?&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;RESPONSE: It&#xA;  has the characteristic of experience through the entity of experience,&#xA;  it experiences individually the fruitional results of virtuous and&#xA;  non-virtuous actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Also, from a Sautrantika point of view (Dignaga's &lt;em&gt;Compendium of Valid Cognition&lt;/em&gt;, Dharmakirti's commentary, &#xA;Purbuchok's Explanation), sound would be the observed object condition, casting its aspects onto the ear-consciousness apprehending it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sound is an object of a sense direct perceiver (ear-consciousness). As such, it is form. Sautrantika characterize form as being “atomically established”, contrary to Yogacara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, if you states that “sound is [an] experience”, if absurdly follows that “experience is form... experience is atomically established... experience is an object of a sense direct perceiver... so experience must be seen, heard, tasted, touched or smelled”. As it is not so, experience is not form, and &lt;strong&gt;sound is not an experience&lt;/strong&gt; [because sound is form].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might assert that the ear-consciousness, “perceives its object” or “experiences its object”, and in this way “has an experience” or “possesses an experience” and is an object-possessor of both the sound and the experience. It would probably not stand in debate, but we might present things like that generally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T13:14:50.453" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T13:14:50.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11410" CreationDate="2015-09-26T10:38:12.370" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can you provide the complete references from Braun, and is the other U Htay Hlaing? I have never read anything like a complete technique being passed to Saya Thet Gyi. Following is our take (shared here from a draft) concerning the question of Saya Thet Gyi's teachings:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are very few surviving records of Saya Thet Gyi’s instructions,&#xA;  discourses, or details about his own meditation practice and&#xA;  development.  Erik Braun examined Saya Thet Gyi’s famous student&#xA;  Sayagyi U Ba Khin’s biography and teaching, and this analysis gives a&#xA;  window into Saya Thet. Braun notes that while U Ba Khin’s teachings&#xA;  reference Abhidhamma concepts and the observation of impermanence of&#xA;  physical sensations, “[h]is teachings…simplify the technique further&#xA;  than Ledi had.” For example, U Ba Khin mentions kalāpas “rather than&#xA;  the four elements, which together comprise the kalāpas… This method is&#xA;  not a dramatic divergence from Ledi, but such a fine-tuning points to&#xA;  the fact that meditation teachers who considered his teachings to be&#xA;  authoritative did not necessarily preserve exactly the same approach&#xA;  to meditation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In contrast to Ledi Sayadaw, who developed remarkable mastery of many&#xA;  key areas of Buddhist scholarship and practice, Saya Thet Gyi’s&#xA;  activities were centered on formal meditation instruction. Because he&#xA;  did not possess the level of mastery or textual authority of Ledi&#xA;  Sayadaw, he was more limited in how he could best disseminate the&#xA;  Buddha’s teachings. In understanding where Saya Thet fits into the&#xA;  overall Ledi framework, Anauk Sayadaw (အေနာက္ ဆရာေတာ, who himself&#xA;  teaches in the Saya Thet tradition) referred to the concept of Ledi&#xA;  “mu” and Saya Thet Gyi “ni.” This refers on one hand to the written&#xA;  oeuvre and scriptural mastery of Ledi Sayadaw, and on the other to the&#xA;  specific meditation technique as taught by Saya Thet Gyi, which fit&#xA;  within the general constructs laid out by his teacher. Expanding&#xA;  further, Anauk Sayadaw noted that within the enormous breadth of&#xA;  Ledi’s teachings, Saya Thet Gyi fashioned a particular and specific&#xA;  way to practice, of which Ledi Sayadaw gave his explicit stamp of&#xA;  approval.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At his tazaung, Saya Thet Gyi offered no structured courses of a&#xA;  specified time length (indeed, the very concept of formal “courses”&#xA;  likely did not exist in those days), but rather yogis were invited to&#xA;  come and practice for however long they chose, with many staying&#xA;  between one to two weeks. Instructions were not formalized and&#xA;  depended more on the teacher-student relationship, as well as the&#xA;  student’s own background, aptitude, and progress. When a new student&#xA;  arrived, Saya Thet Gyi would begin by teaching ānāpāna, and only if he&#xA;  felt the student was ready would he switch to Vipassanā practice,&#xA;  sometimes directing them to focus on the awareness of anicca at the&#xA;  top of the head, or center of the chest, while doing so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way one can see how Saya Thet Gyi occupied the middle station&#xA;  between the giants of Ledi Sayadaw and Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who both&#xA;  transformed Buddhist practice in unprecedented ways. Braun notes that&#xA;  the “most salient difference between Ledi and U Ba Khin… is not in the&#xA;  theory of meditation but in the practicalities of its teaching. In&#xA;  sharp contrast to Ledi’s more flexible approach to meditation&#xA;  instructions, U Ba Khin established a rigid timetable for practice&#xA;  throughout the day at his center.” Thus, while Saya Thet Gyi may not&#xA;  have turned his tazaung into a fully functioning meditation center&#xA;  churning out regular courses as U Ba Khin eventually did, he plays an&#xA;  important intermediary position, by narrowing down Ledi’s teachings—&#xA;  in large part due to the simple fact that Saya Thet did not have the&#xA;  same breadth and depth of knowledge as his teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Regarding his teaching style, Saya Thet Gyi did not meditate all day&#xA;  with students, and when in the tazaung with them, he spent most of his&#xA;  time in the single cell, from which he sent mettā. He typically came&#xA;  in the mornings to check in and give instructions, at which time he&#xA;  would sit upon a small raised platform in front of the three Buddha&#xA;  statues still existing today. Aware of the sensitivities of being a&#xA;  lay teacher and deeply respectful of the Saṅgha, he was careful not to&#xA;  sit in anything that resembled a formal monk’s seat. In fact, he&#xA;  forewent a higher seat of any kind because he did not wish to put&#xA;  himself in a position of power or being above others. And if a monk&#xA;  came to learn from him, he was sure to pay formal respects prior to&#xA;  teaching, and would see that the monk sat higher than him. On many&#xA;  days Saya Thet Gyi gave no discourses at all, but only meditation&#xA;  instructions, so that students would focus entirely on the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In his early days as a teacher, he tended to advise students to stay&#xA;  with the mindfulness of breathing for several years, but as he&#xA;  progressed as a teacher he was said to bring students to change the&#xA;  focus of their attention after less time, sometimes as short as a&#xA;  week. To assist newcomers in improving mindfulness of their body&#xA;  elements, Saya Thet Gyi sometimes forbade yogis to shower up till or&#xA;  on the day when Vipassanā instructions were given.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some of the few anecdotes that survive suggest how much Saya Thet Gyi&#xA;  tailored his teachings to the individual student. For one student who&#xA;  was quite learned in the Abhidhamma and had extensive intellectual&#xA;  understanding of samatha and jhana practice, Saya Thet Gyi counseled&#xA;  him to be aware of the breath, either by counting breaths or feeling&#xA;  its touch.  After one week, he taught the man vipassanā. For another&#xA;  student who was in his older years and in ill-health, he instructed&#xA;  him in the practice of ānāpāna along with odata kasina (developing&#xA;  concentration via a continuous focus on the color white). While the&#xA;  primary intention was to help the man accumulate paramis for the next&#xA;  life, the practice eventually led him to understand the four elements;&#xA;  and he also reported some relief from his heart disease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6997" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T10:38:12.370" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11192" CreationDate="2015-09-26T12:53:46.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhists say that a violation of the first precepts involves five factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, there is a living being.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Second, there is the perception that the being is a living being.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Third, there is the volition thought of killing.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fourth, the killing is carried out.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Fifth, the being dies.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be a Kamma all five factors must present.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So intention alone cannot produces kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T12:53:46.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11764" CreationDate="2015-09-26T13:18:52.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the initial stages, cultivation of aversion towards unwholesome is normal, one might say even critical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are numerous examples in the Pali Canon suggesting cultivation of aversion to the unwholesome, many of them revolving around cultivation of disgust with the body as an antidote to lust:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Since your perception is distorted&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Your heart with passion is aflame.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The marks of beauty should you shun,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bound up with lustful longing and desire.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Your mind, one-pointed and collected,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;In seeing foulness should be cultivated&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With mindfulness directed on the body,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Dwell often in disgust concerning it&lt;/strong&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But also more generally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having done a mental action, you should reflect on it: 'This mental action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful mental action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it was an unskillful mental action with painful consequences, painful results, &lt;strong&gt;then you should feel distressed, ashamed, &amp;amp; disgusted with it. Feeling distressed, ashamed, &amp;amp; disgusted with it, you should exercise restraint in the future.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the middling stages, once the separation from the &lt;em&gt;coarse&lt;/em&gt; unwholesome qualities (habitual tendencies) has been accomplished, cultivation of aversion is substituted for cultivation of joy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not drip; just so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of [directed thought and evaluation on one's successful] withdrawal [from sensuality, from unskillful qualities].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then on the advanced stages, cultivation of joy (and then equanimity) is superseded by cultivation of &lt;em&gt;disenchantment&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to form, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to feeling, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to perception, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to fabrications, that he keep cultivating disenchantment with regard to consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ananda&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;And what is the purpose of disenchantment? What is its reward?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Disenchantment has dispassion as its purpose, dispassion as its reward.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;A&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;And what is the purpose of dispassion? What is its reward?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;B&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Dispassion has knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its purpose, knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its reward.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda, &lt;strong&gt;skillful virtues&lt;/strong&gt; have freedom from remorse as their purpose, freedom from remorse as their reward. Freedom from remorse has &lt;strong&gt;joy&lt;/strong&gt; as its purpose, joy as its reward. Joy has rapture as its purpose, rapture as its reward. Rapture has &lt;strong&gt;serenity&lt;/strong&gt; as its purpose, serenity as its reward. Serenity has pleasure as its purpose, pleasure as its reward. Pleasure has concentration as its purpose, concentration as its reward. Concentration has &lt;strong&gt;knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are&lt;/strong&gt; as its purpose, knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are as its reward. Knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are has &lt;strong&gt;disenchantment&lt;/strong&gt; as its purpose, disenchantment as its reward. Disenchantment has dispassion as its purpose, dispassion as its reward. Dispassion has knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its purpose, knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release as its reward. In this way, Ananda, skillful virtues lead step-by-step to the consummation of arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These disenchantment and dispassion born of &quot;the knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are&quot; is the very end of the path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Tathagata — the worthy one, the rightly self-awakened one, who &lt;strong&gt;from disenchantment with form, from dispassion, from cessation, from lack of clinging (for form and the rest of the five skandhas) is released&lt;/strong&gt; — is termed 'rightly self-awakened.' And a discernment-released monk — who from disenchantment with form, from dispassion, from cessation, from lack of clinging (for form etc.) is released — is termed 'discernment-released.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once &quot;the knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release&quot; has been achieved, there is no cultivation at all:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who is dependent has wavering. One who is independent has no wavering. There being no wavering, there is calm. There being calm, there is no yearning. There being no yearning, there is no coming or going. There being no coming or going, there is no passing away or arising. There being no passing away or arising, there is neither a here nor a there nor a between-the-two. This, just this, is the end of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, total unbinding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any form (and the rest of five skandhas) by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. &lt;strong&gt;Freed from the classification (of form etc.), Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T14:20:08.940" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:20:08.940" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-26T13:45:30.687" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one&#xA;  who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual&#xA;  pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common,&#xA;  ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction:&#xA;  painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the&#xA;  middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing&#xA;  knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to&#xA;  Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing&#xA;  vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path:&#xA;  right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right&#xA;  livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here we have the teaching of the middle path between two extremes (sensual indulgence and austerities).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, based on this, the following were developed (Theravada tradition) for full time practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fully ordained monks (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;) - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;227 Patimokkha rules&lt;/a&gt; and Vinaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Novice monks (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81ma%E1%B9%87era&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samanera&lt;/a&gt;) - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/dasasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ten Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Homeless ones&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anagarika&lt;/a&gt;) - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Eight Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lay persons - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt; (full time), eight precepts (Uposatha, retreats)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for all categories, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main idea is that these four different levels of practice were created or evolved, based on the four different types of needs of training of practitioners, which fall under the middle path of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be stretched even further in both directions, for e.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even then, the five precepts are not mandatory to lay persons. It is a voluntary training that lay persons can choose to undergo or not. However, it is very highly recommended to serious Buddhists.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhus can voluntarily follow the 13 ascetic practices known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/dhutanga.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhutanga&lt;/a&gt; which are even more strict than usual.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while part time celibacy may be useful for lay persons according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/11677/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, it is not a good idea to stray from the middle path by suggesting that lay persons adopt full time celibacy. Lay persons can always choose the other three paths (anagarika, samanera, bhikkhu) if they want to deepen their training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2018-03-04T14:25:25.693" LastActivityDate="2018-03-04T14:25:25.693" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-26T13:53:38.243" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From non-celibacy arises suffering. How could that be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From non-celibacy arises jealousy, fear, hatred, tension and all the worries and consequences that arise from lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would like to hear the opinions of different users on this subject. Are there any benefits from practising celibacy or is it not useful? (I mean full time celibacy, not only on retreats or at Uposatha days)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Benefits are less jealousy, fear, hatred, tension and all the worries and consequences that arise from lust. You should self asses yourself and determine if your lust is hindering your spiritual advancement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more lust there is, the more the mind is cluttered, clouded and confused, and the harder it is for that mind to concentrate and attain higher concentration levels where the ultimate truth could be experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the answer is that it's useful, then why is it not more recommended in Theravada Buddhism? Also monks do not recommend celibacy to lay people outside of Uposatha and retreats. Why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no good in forcing lay-people to become celibate. They should gradually work towards detachment from their desires (including lust), and celibacy will follow naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is not based on any tradition of Buddhism or Hinduism. It's my personal experience gained from meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T13:53:38.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11760" CreationDate="2015-09-26T14:22:24.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sound is an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind directs itself towards an object, that is the experience. What is the experience? Whatever arises when the mind directs itself towards an object. What arises? Senses and consciousness. Then, thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:22:24.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-26T14:22:52.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many of the rules of the vinaya and precepts are clearly concerned with the organization of a sangha in the sense of a band of people who take care of each other. Should any member get married and have kids, this would divert that member's attention to his biological family.  This particular concern is irrelevant for a lay Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next point is that a householder's time and attention are divided, but a monk attention can be devoted to the dharma full time. This concern would be true for a lay or monastic Buddhist. The Upaseka Sutra ends each chapter with a reminder of how much more difficult it is to gain enlightenment as a lay follower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, from the traditional life story of the Buddha, householding is seen as part of the problem with the world. Householding (and by extension, having girlfriends, and all that goes with that) has certain complications (and a less pessimistic person would say certain benefits). This would be true for the lay and monastic Buddhist.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The old monastic system relies on the existence of laity-- the monks were forbidden by the vinaya from engaging in any self sufficient economic activity. So I imagine it was in the interest of the sangha to encourage the laity to farm, do business and in those days, farming meant also having a family as reliable source of labor.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, economic conditions are entirely different.  Serious Buddhist can take long vacations from work every year to sit and meditate, with a college education they can participate in reading and writing of Buddhist philosopy. This is a very modern phenomenon and the traditional schools haven't really decided what to do with the &quot;very serious but not monastic Buddhist&quot;. The closest traditional thing I can find is from the Mahayana Tradition where lay Buddhist could take the Upaseka and Bodhisattva precepts as a way of being very serious about Buddhism while still being a lay householder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:22:52.353" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11760" CreationDate="2015-09-26T14:58:27.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Master Dogen said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The ways of viewing&lt;/strong&gt; mountains and waters &lt;strong&gt;are different depending upon what kind of beings we are&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;There are some beings that view water as a jewel&lt;/strong&gt;. However, this does not mean that they view a jewel [for human beings] as water. How do we see what they view as water? &lt;strong&gt;What they see as a jewel is what we see as water&lt;/strong&gt;. Some beings see water as wondrous flowers. But they do not use flowers [for human beings] as water. Hungry ghosts view water as raging fire or as pus and blood. &lt;strong&gt;Dragons and fish view it as a palace or a lofty building&lt;/strong&gt;. [Some beings] see it as the seven treasures or the mani jewel. [Others] see it as a forest or walls, or as the dharma nature of immaculate liberation, or as the true human body, or as body as the form and mind as the nature. &lt;strong&gt;Human beings view it as water&lt;/strong&gt;. And these [different ways of viewing] are the conditions under which [water] is killed or given life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some beings (dogs) perceive vibrations of higher frequencies that other beings do not perceive as sound at all. For some (tiny) beings, the vibrations we perceive as sound are perceived as physical movement. Some beings, like bats, perceive sound as vision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing inherent in the vibration that makes it sound. Very slow vibrations (&amp;lt; 1Hz) are not perceived as sound at all. Vibration itself is not an entity either - it is a process of cause-and-effect propagating through various media.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point here is that phenomenal reality is projection, an interpretation that depends on the point of view. Because experienced reality is projection, we can control it by controlling our point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T14:58:27.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11750" CreationDate="2015-09-26T15:54:24.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add few points to nemo's answer which is basically correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, &lt;strong&gt;the Buddhist definition of patience&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;ksanti&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;strong&gt;is freedom from aversion&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;). Such aversion often manifests as one of: aggression, irritation, anger, resentment or depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important idea to get is that fully developed &lt;strong&gt;transcendental patience (kshanti-paramita) is not based on suppression!&lt;/strong&gt; It is not forbearing an annoying person or cold winter or the sounds distracting one from the sitting meditation &lt;em&gt;while silently hating it!&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, transcendental patience is based on A) realizing the nature of the problem, B) realizing the nature of one's own aversion and C) realizing the constructive attitude leading towards the Higher Goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing the nature of the problem is to see and acknowledge the objective causes of the situation. It may be atmospheric conditions, or other person's pain and confusion due to their own childhood living conditions or whatever. By analyzing and tracing back the sources of the issue you no longer see it at the superficial level, which removes a lot of negativity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing the nature of one's own aversion is to see and acknowledge own's own preconceptions / stereotypes / attachments that contribute to superficial vision of the situation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing the constructive attitude is to abandon the reactive response to the unacceptable situation, a response designed to protect one's ego and to uphold one's preconceptions - and instead to chose a course of action that optimizes the future outcomes. If conflict with a person is brewing, would passive-aggressive behavior and patronizing improve the situation, or should you change the strategy and try and make the person your ally - or on the contrary to come out openly with your issue. Sometimes (usually when you are in the role of a parent or teacher or manager) manifesting aggression is more constructive than suppressing the resentment. What's important to keep in mind is the Higher Goal. Instead of getting obsessed with an obstacle causing our irritation, we can almost always find an alternative way to work around it and get back on the path to the goal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point here is that &lt;strong&gt;transcendental patience is not a patience of a victim, it is patience of a master.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Development of patience-paramita is related to Buddhist training point known as &quot;taking all bad circumstances onto the path&quot;. Instead of mentally labeling problems as punishment or aggression coming from the world, we mentally thank the world for the opportunity to improve our practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very specific part of this is the practice of &lt;em&gt;taking all the blame&lt;/em&gt; upon oneself. When we meet any unacceptable situation with a very bold and ego-less step of taking all the blame, taking responsibility unconditionally, regardless of who is right -- something magical begins to happen. The bubble of ego energy that was getting pumped by the aversion bursts and a true opening can take place, a true awakening and opening of the eyes. This opening is the paramita of patience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T18:18:06.170" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T18:18:06.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11488" CreationDate="2015-09-26T18:07:37.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purely subjectively, to me, it looks like DN suttas are rather artificial compilations, followed closely by MN suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of these two DN suttas seem the most contrived - none of them look like Buddha's direct words to me but rather like nice and clear summaries assembled from Buddha's quotes with some glue added for smoothness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samyutta and Anguttara Nikayas are very different from the above, esp. Anguttara feels like an anthology of raw quotes as close as it gets to Buddha's own words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My speculation&lt;/strong&gt; is that Nikayas were created not with specific audiences in mind, but rather by following four very different methodologies. Perhaps DN were created as all-encompassing summaries of the entire teaching across wide range of Buddhist topics, by people who believed that the raw unedited teaching was too fragmented and incomprehensible to most people. MN was seemingly made by picking the points that were most often debated by the non-Buddhist sects and creating nice clear arguments against them. SN feels like a result of an enormous effort to organize the quotes by topics, by people who must have believed in the power of reason. AN seems like a simple collection of all kinds of quotes by rather practical people who believed in K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid). KN is various useful and not-so-useful Buddhist folklore that is not made of Buddha's quotes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, the methods and attitudes of the compilers reflected in the suitability of this or that collection for certain audience. But I don't think they were specifically intended for different audiences, no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-26T18:13:24.270" LastActivityDate="2015-09-26T18:13:24.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2015-09-26T23:31:51.723" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;this sutta explains the mechanism of how one makes progress in dhamma after he/she is reborn in heaven.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an4.191&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN4.191&lt;/a&gt; (i couldn't find English translation, but you could change language from pali-english text to Russian and then use google translation to English).   BAsically the sutta teaches us, if one remembers Buddha's teaching (even just one verse) and accepts it, memorizes it by heart. Even if that person passes away with cloudy mind (without sati), he or she will be born in deva world and will remember Buddha's teaching in 4 different ways.  He  will make progress (becomes stream enterer) in that realm.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastEditorUserId="6999" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T04:23:55.997" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T04:23:55.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-27T00:43:25.687" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was notorious for only saying things that no one (ethical and reasonable person) could disagree with. His doctrine of Sat Dharma (true/eternal way/dharma) was specifically designed to be irrefutable. In order to be irrefutable it had to be always true and win/win. In order to be always true and win/win it had to be well-specified. Well-specified means specified as broadly or as precisely as needed, worded very carefully. (This is portrayed in many places in Pali Canon but is subtle enough that I can't easily search for references.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case we can imagine that to require the laity to be celibate would be rather &quot;refutable&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that the goal of laity is good happy living, not nirvana. While some of the Buddhist practices lead to both happy life and nirvana, some like celibacy are not conducive to happy living in the long run. Indeed, imagine if Buddha said &quot;everyone should abstain from sex&quot;. If everyone agreed, the civilization would die out. So much for the happy living! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if everyone disagreed, Buddha would likely lose some of his credibility. If some people agreed and some disagreed, there would be a lot of arguments in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However you look at it, it just doesn't make sense to advise the laity to be celibate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are there any benefits from practicing celibacy or is it not useful?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, of course if celibacy was not useful for attaining the goal of spiritual life, Buddha would not recommend it to his serious students. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my teachers, the main reasons for celibacy are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual lust is one of the strongest defilements, so being able to abstain is a huge step towards mental/emotional sobriety.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual relationships bring up lots of people problems like attachments, conflicts, breakups etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Orgasm is a giant waste of psychosomatic energy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana, there are also reasons &lt;em&gt;against&lt;/em&gt; celibacy, particularly if you are the kind of person who has fears around sexuality and intimacy. If that is the case, your teacher may prescribe sex as a kind of spiritual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T02:45:33.503" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T02:45:33.503" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11780" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11781" CreationDate="2015-09-27T01:32:56.437" Score="3" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html#rules&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; list of the Patimokkha Rules,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using water, or getting others to use it, knowing that it contains&#xA;living beings that will die from that use, is a pācittiya offense. (Pc&#xA;62)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, does this refer even to microbes in water? If so, how would a monk boil water for food and/or tea without committing an offense? Or even drink water without committing an offense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T13:05:49.573" Title="How careful must monks be about their use of water?" Tags="|theravada|monasticism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11780" CreationDate="2015-09-27T06:52:57.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The common answer is that microbes and smaller life forms are exempt from Buddhist classifications of sentient life forms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to make a more nuanced point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time it was written, this rule probably had mosquito larvae in mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking, even abiding by this ontological line in the sand is difficult if the only source of water is infested with mosquitoes or the numerous life forms of tropical Asia. Most monasteries therefore often rely on lay helpers to perform water boiling and several other life tasks that might break the vinaya if a monk were to perform it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To an outside observer this can appear dogmatic or a farce, and depending on the individuals involved sometimes it is so, but not always so. It aids in cultivation of zeal, and respect for the expectation placed on the monastic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole of the spiritual life is doing one's best in trying conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva vows reflect this,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  However&#xA;  inexhaustible the defilements are, I vow to extinguish them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  However&#xA;  immeasurable the dharmas are, I vow to master them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  However&#xA;  incomparable enlightenment is, I vow to attain it.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In traditional Asian cultures the laity often view these small inconveniences the monks undertake, like waiting around for a lay person to give them potable water as resolve strengthening sacrifices the monks make in the pursuit of the holy life. It also gives the laity a meritorious role in the life of the monastic, and keeps them inter-dependant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can also be a very instructive exercise in patience and virtue when applied correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if a novice monk is alone and thirsty in the forest, it must be very tempting to drink a cup of water after pushing aside the larvae on top of the forest pool. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This simple physical act is not so simple in the mind of a monk, given the vinaya. It leads him weigh his life against that of the organisms in the water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way the monk comes to directly feel the enormous burden human life places on the planet, and the numerous beings and life forms including plants that we inadvertently or unavoidably destroy or disturb in order to live. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus chastised, the monk will truly consider the cup of water a precious cup of life, and endeavour to uphold the ideals of the holy life so stiffly purchased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rules are meant to aid the holy life, not become obstacles or rituals. The Buddha reveals this pragmatic distinction here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.083.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.83: Vajjiputta Sutta — The Vajjian Monk {A i 230; Thai 3.85} [Thanissaro].&lt;/a&gt; A monk who is having difficulty following all the Pāṭimokkha training rules can boil them all down to these three: the training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T13:05:49.573" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T13:05:49.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11782" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-27T07:14:55.163" Score="4" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you first feel the touch (pleasant, unpleasant or indifferent) or do you first identify it? Or is it all at the same time?&#xA;Is the order of aggregates always the same for all the senses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6962" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T16:53:55.193" Title="Which aggregate appears before...perception or feeling?" Tags="|aggregates|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11782" CreationDate="2015-09-27T07:46:45.660" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The same terms are often used at a &quot;microscopic-view&quot; level, at a &quot;day-to-day-view&quot; level and at a &quot;macro-view&quot;. This leads to a lot of confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, feeling / sensation / experience (&lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt;) and perception / recognition (&lt;em&gt;saññā&lt;/em&gt;) arise simultaneously in every Thought Moment (&lt;em&gt;cittakhaṇa&lt;/em&gt;). The Abhidhamma looks at things at a &quot;microscopic-view&quot; level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Suttas (MN 18 is an example) describe how sensing leads to thinking. At this &quot;day-to-day-view&quot; level, &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; (part of the sensing process that is the same for everybody) leads to &lt;em&gt;saññā&lt;/em&gt; (start of the thinking process; a subjective process influenced by latent defilements leading to distortion of perception).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aggregates are a way of describing what constitutes a being (what a being is or what a being does). This is the &quot;macro-view&quot; level that describes the nature of existence. The aggregates do not have a sequence (they are not describing a process), so &lt;em&gt;vedanākkhanda&lt;/em&gt; (feeling aggregate) and &lt;em&gt;saññākkhanda&lt;/em&gt; (perception aggregate) arise simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T07:46:45.660" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11782" CreationDate="2015-09-27T13:58:38.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Feeling' and 'discrimination' are not only aggregates, they are first and foremost mental factors. As such, they accompany main minds with which they share similarities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Tibetan Lo Rig (&lt;em&gt;Mind and  mental factors&lt;/em&gt;), the five omnipresent mental factors (intention, attention, contact, feeling, discrimination) are so called because there is not one main mind (such as an instance of an eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness... mental consciousness) that is not associated with the five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance... an eye-consciousness apprehending blue is necessarily accompanied with the five omnipresent mental factors. The main mind and the five share five similarities and are one entity:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;br&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;Time&lt;/strong&gt; (they arise, abide, cease simultaneously),&#xA;&lt;br&gt;2. object of observation,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;3. Subjective aspect&#xA;&lt;br&gt;4. Support&#xA;&lt;br&gt;5. Substance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yeshe Gyeltsen's &lt;em&gt;Necklace for Those of Clear Awareness&lt;/em&gt; writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;QUALM: Are a mind and its mental factors one entity or different&#xA;  entities? &lt;br&gt;RESPONSE: The Treasury of Knowledge (stanza 2.23) says:&#xA;  A mind and its mental factors are definitely simultaneous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;If you want more on this topic such as exposed by Tibetan Geluk scholars, I suggest &lt;em&gt;The Mind and Its Functions&lt;/em&gt;, by Geshe Rabten.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T16:53:55.193" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T16:53:55.193" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2192" CreationDate="2015-09-27T15:09:36.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Repaying the kindness of parents applies when acts of kindness has been done. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha spoke about this, he was speaking in a general case, i.e. most parents have been very kind, which means they have done acts of kindness, like take care of children, bear them, love them unconditionally. However, nothing has inherent existence, this means that parents are not, by their nature of being parents, people who have done such acts of kindness - some parents are cruel, and may do very few or no acts of kindness towards their children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, we should take the Buddha's advice on similar &quot;friends&quot;:&#xA;&quot;The friend who is all take,&#xA;The friend of empty words,&#xA;The friend full of flattery,&#xA;And the reckless friend;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four are not friends, but enemies;&#xA;The wise understand this&#xA;And keep them at a distance&#xA;As they would a dangerous path.&quot; (DN31)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, we can show compassion to a parent, and try to guide them to the Dharma, but if their karma is clearly not ripe, they may not be worth the effort, &quot;A fool can attend on a wise man even for whole his life,&#xA;he will not understand the Dharma, like a spoon does not know the taste of the soup.&quot; (Dhp. 64).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone who has experience with, for instance, a &quot;reckless&quot; parent, who may be an alcoholic, knows that you cannot just &quot;take them to rehab&quot; and take care of them - they can only help themselves. The best thing you can do is keep a distance. If this isn't possible, and you are still staying at home, ideally you take the advice of Crab Bucket, and practice patience, but try to avoid them when they are drunk and try to stay pleasant, but distant, unless they become more agreeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a tendency for some people to want to be super heroes, but we also have to be realistic. The Buddha was realistic too, that's why he simply recognised that sometimes we just have to stay away from such people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7000" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T15:09:36.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2015-09-27T16:05:42.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find a very practical approach of Bill Hamilton in &lt;em&gt;Saints &amp;amp; Psychopaths&lt;/em&gt; useful (pg. 95; emphasis mine, as it concerns this topic the most; the rest is for context):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The purpose of Buddhist precepts is pragmatic in that they are&#xA;  directed at achieving a quiet mind. If your sex life is causing mental&#xA;  agitation in your meditations, you should change your behavior. While&#xA;  on retreat, you should avoid letting your senses wander to sexually&#xA;  stimulating objects and direct your attention to meditation objects.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;In the daily life situation this may result in becoming a horny, neurotic celibate which may not be good for your practice.&lt;/strong&gt; It is&#xA;  better to be simple and direct in your views, instead of getting&#xA;  involved in elaborate logical reasoning about right and wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T16:05:42.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2015-09-27T18:19:35.940" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a major problem of most of the people practicing meditation.&#xA;There are many ways to avoid this problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1)using cushion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) adjust your sitting posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) adjust your sitting height using additional cushion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this is what i feel as assisting yourself.&#xA;The solution to it is your mind`s concentration.&#xA;when your leg starts to feel numb, your leg sends a signal to your brain about the pain.&#xA;but if you increase your concentration, your brain will be busy and focused to feel the sensations of other part.it will not notice the numbness.&#xA;This i what i experienced on the last day of my 10 day course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When i sat for meditating after 20 mins my legs started to become numb. but i concentrated my mind so hard on other part, i never realized and felt the pain.&#xA;i sat for 1 hr and after 1 hr i got up without any ticking sensation.&#xA;the solution lies in our mind. i mind is so powerful that if we concentrate very hard on one thing it will not notice other things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This i again experienced during watching a short film at dhammagiri on the last day. i purposely focused my entire concentration on the film. even after 1 hr i didnt realised the numbness of my leg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, if you increase your concentration you will overcome this problem.&#xA;and this is what we learn in meditation, focused, aware and equanimous mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7002" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-27T18:52:48.523" LastActivityDate="2015-09-27T18:52:48.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11791" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11795" CreationDate="2015-09-27T21:06:09.587" Score="6" ViewCount="410" Body="&lt;p&gt;To preface my question, I will add that I am very unfamiliar with Buddhism.  My knowledge consists of some historical anecdotes, and I also know some of the basic tenets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, is there a difference between &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becoming_(philosophy)&quot;&gt;&quot;Becoming&quot;&lt;/a&gt; and Anicca/Impermanence?  The former is a philosophy that originated in the West, and is nearly as old as Buddhism itself.  Are they essentially the same thing, but stated differently?  Or am I overlooking a huge fundamental difference which delineates the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7003" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T14:44:24.707" Title="Difference between &quot;Becoming&quot; and Anicca" Tags="|impermanence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11719" CreationDate="2015-09-28T02:40:18.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This should be a comment, But I can't comment yet since my points are less than 50 and below is as of my understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are in a wrong view called 'Sakkaya Ditti' in Pali. You always think there is person, and he will attain Nirvana. But it is wrong. What lord Buddha praeches is neither 'Sakkaya Ditti' nor a 'Uchcheda Ditti'. He didn't preach there is a person. and He didn't preach there is not a person. There is only connections between continuously changing things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we took a tower build by stones, actually there is nothing called 'tower' but set of stones. Like wise, if we consider a person, there is nothing but set of things. Lets say you are 40 years old now. What are the things you have in your body when you are 1 year old? Nothing right? But how you can be recognize now as same you in age 1? because of the connection between things changed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is ending of having these set of things (person). That means, there will not be 'a person' when you attain Nirvana. I suggest you to read more about 'Pattichcha Samudpaada'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T02:40:18.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11794" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-28T09:23:41.727" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;By watching crime in mobile apps or in website , is one actually participating in the incident? If one thinks about it, is one perpetuating the incident again? Does it add to one's karma? How does one react to this kind of situation ? if we ignore the video , are we creating a bigger incident?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-28T12:56:22.720" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T22:03:47.663" Title="Watching crime in apps or website" Tags="|modern-world|buddha-nature|media|mind-states|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11791" CreationDate="2015-09-28T10:32:41.883" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer assumes you are specifically referring to the ideas of Heraclitus (the originator of Western ideas of Becoming). There are some interesting correlates between the origins of the Western idea of flux or becoming which was first articulated by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus and the Buddha's idea of Impermanence (Anicca). For Heraclitus ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Everything flows and nothing stays.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Everything flows and nothing abides.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Everything gives way and nothing stays fixed.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Everything flows; nothing remains.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All is flux, nothing is stationary.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All is flux, nothing stays still.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All flows, nothing stays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No man ever steps in the same river twice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is subtle distinction between the Buddha and Heraclitus on the mechanism of change. For Buddha the process of change is driven by dependent origination - the idea that every phenomena exists entirely dependent on the causes that proceed it. Heraclitus had more of a transformative concept of change - that phenomena are the result of the tension and flux of the opposites. The end result is the same however - constant change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So essentially there is very little difference between the Buddha's concept of  Annica and Heraclitus's ideas of Becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other interesting similarities between Heraclitus and Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both were born into aristocratic families and were first in line to inherit.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both rejected their inheritance and chose rather to pursue a life of contemplation instead.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both their philosophies rejected the prevailing eternalism of their respective cultures and chose rather to rely on reason and personal experience to arrive at the truth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They were fairly contemporaneous with each other - Heraclitus (c. 535 – c. 475 BCE) &amp;amp; Buddha (6th century BCE)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many articles and books dedicated to investigating the similarities between the views of Heraclitus and Buddha on the internet. Nice summary here -  &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb_mqrLhTDo&quot;&gt;Heraclitus and the Buddha on Impermanence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-09-28T10:39:30.693" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T10:39:30.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3401" CreationDate="2015-09-28T12:05:17.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, the person is empty of inherent existence. It is also empty of being a car or a boat, and so forth. However, a person is not empty of being a person. In the same way, John is empty of inherent existence, but is not empty of being John.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Far from being contradictory, it is precisely because a person is empty of inherent existence that a person is able to perform the function of a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We believe that after death, John's continuum (which is neither inherently existent, nor John, but just one of the basis of designation of John) is going to take on new bodily aggregates. To come to understand better this issue, you will have to ascertain the [meaning of] the object of negation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know even of monks who argue that &quot;H.H. the Dalaï-Lama was reborn as a Tibetan for at least 14 times, whereby he mastered Tibetan every time, so that makes him an authority, not only with regard Dharma, but also in relation to Tibetan language itself. The normalization of Tibetan language should thus consider H.H. the Dalaï-Lama's use of Tibetan language the valid use.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T12:05:17.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11794" CreationDate="2015-09-28T12:34:33.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intentionally watching or thinking about a negative thing (like a violent incident) is wrong concentration. Especially if one is not having equanimity while watching the violent scenes ( something that takes a lot o practice to develop), that person is generating strong emotions that have huge impact on the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By watching crime in mobile apps or in website , is one actually participating in the incident? If one thinks about it, is one perpetuating the incident again&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the first few times one watches those images, they have the same impact as watching those events live. In time, the emotional impact of those images might weaken, as mind might try to avoid the intense negative emotion generated by those scenes ( habituation) . Even in the absence of strong emotions (like intense sadness, rage), a still negative state of mind is generated when one thinks about the incident, perpetuating the negativity generated by that incident. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does it add to one's karma?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These very strong emotions can create new karma, as they can influence the mind and the actions of that person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does one react to this kind of situation ? if we ignore the video , are we creating a bigger incident?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all depends on the reason one watches these images and the stability of mind that person has. &#xA;Might be wrong understanding to think that watching those kind of scenes help improve the mind in some way - to make it stronger or ready to face the brutal aspects of life( a reason why someone would see a benefit in watching those images). If after watching the video, someone does something positive (like helping the victims), that reaction would be beneficial. But only by watching the video, is one changing the suffering of the persons involved in the video?!  Until one has the ability to watch these violent scenes without getting caught -up in them, they do more harm than good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T12:34:33.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11794" CreationDate="2015-09-28T12:52:53.513" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's separate this out. If you watch a recording of a crime on a website, does it impact the victim of the crime? Not in itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It DOES give a &quot;view&quot; to the video, and thus you are, in a sense, giving your tacit support to the recording, and publishing, of the event. THAT is, for me, the reason not to watch such events, as far as the world impact is concerned. I guess one needs to attempt to assess the motive of the publisher - was it to shock? Or to educate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as impact upon oneself is concerned, this is another question. Are we adding to our own karma? It depends entirely upon the intent with which we are watching. Sooooo much consumption of internet material is quietly mindless - which means we are blindly watching with no concern for what impact it might have on us: because someone has published it, it must be okay. This attitude allows others to have control over our minds! As a meditator, I'd rather that weren't the case!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking about karma is tough - does it affect my Karma? Can I ever experience my karma as a tangible sensation? I'm not sure I ever have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I see impacts on my experience that demonstrate that certain kinds of actions have noticeable impacts on my experience? For sure, and some have impacts on my experience in meditation. Some I can learn to work with. For others, I just practice &quot;guarding the gates of the senses&quot; and avoid that stimulus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5650" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T12:52:53.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11799" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-28T12:58:06.030" Score="5" ViewCount="1051" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many religions claim we came to this earth on a mission, everyone has a different mission, a specific reason to be here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism I couldn't find anything like that, the &quot;mission&quot; would be the same for every one: Become an Arahant and scape samsara. There is nothing we should achieve here, except from that. Is that a fair statement?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know a sutta, speech or book related to Buddhism that states otherwise? That we do have a specific mission on this planet?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="533" LastActivityDate="2017-09-02T17:27:50.897" Title="Mission on earth (In Buddhism)" Tags="|lay-buddhism|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-28T13:34:29.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I won't mention saving others at all (i.e. the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva#Bodhisattva_ideal&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhisattva ideal&lt;/a&gt;), but instead take a look at for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the background story to verse 5 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot;everyone has a different mission, a specific reason to be here&quot; and maybe this story is a Buddhist version of that: i.e. these specific women had a personal feud, which continued through rebirths, until eventually they learned to stop feuding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could phrase that as saying that their &quot;specific reason to be here&quot; was to learn that &quot;hatred could only cause more hatred, and that it could only cease through friendship, understanding and goodwill&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the end of the discourse, the ogress was established in Sotapatti Fruition and the long-standing feud came to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T13:34:29.440" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-28T13:43:24.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing Buddhism, yes your goal should be ending the 'Sansara'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism describes Sansara is a very painful journey which we are roaming without knowing that. Therefore ending Sansara is a fair statement in that sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know any Sutta or speech which load Buddha preaches about anything else but ending Sansara and it's brutality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T13:43:24.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-28T14:00:29.283" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is going to be one of those Zen answers that tend to irritate people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I asked my teacher this question, he said something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mission, hmm... You want to be told what to do? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not meant as teasing, it's a sincere invitation to sit and contemplate your personal answer to the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-28T14:39:18.323" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T14:39:18.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-28T14:09:59.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For analogy, in war time, the ultimate mission of the military is to win the war. But to achieve that mission, many sub-missions would also need to be completed successfully: winning battles on various fronts: intelligence, logistics, politic, economic, etc. Similarly for Buddhism, to successfully defeat Mara's army and put an end to Samsara, there're many &quot;sub-missions&quot; to be done. A lot of these like observing the precepts, practicing loving-kindness, generosity, etc. are also common missions across religions. Ven. Bodhi in his &quot;In the Buddha's Words&quot; did a good job in organizing the Buddha's teaching into systematic and gradual Dhamma &quot;missions&quot;: Happiness visible in this present life, the way to a fortunate rebirth, mastering the mind and the Path to Liberation, attaining the Light of Wisdom, and ultimately, Final Liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T14:09:59.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-28T17:55:18.303" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there are different levels of motivation, on the &quot;lower&quot; levels of motivation are the range of goals to escape suffering for oneself only. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &quot;higher&quot; scopes of motivation there is the goal to not only escape suffering, but to help others escape as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;highest&quot; scope would be a goal to help all beings escape suffering (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhicitta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhichitta&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I put the words lower, higher, and highest in parenthesis as they are what I believe to be part of a false critique the mahayana/vajrayana holds of the other schools. In reality the other schools are a prereq to even attempting Mahayana practices in most cases. I don't like or agree with the critique but it helps to explain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva vows and the goal of the higher schools could be considered a mission. But is not a requirement in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T17:55:18.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11806" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11810" CreationDate="2015-09-28T18:08:04.870" Score="3" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;So lets take all humans currently alive in the human world. They all have the karma to be reborn in this realm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Computers exist in our world, and in some places (Not all) public libraries provide them and access to them / the internet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there cases where karma would prevent someone from using a computer? Say even that one was right in front of them, would karmic forces prevent them from using it? Could karmic forces prevent them from touching it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like say, if you tried to give to someone that had a lot of karma from stealing in a previous life. Would it be possible? Or would events always unfold that prevent you from giving in some way or another? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am trying to ask is if karma can make events that seem possible conventionally (IE Hand someone a 20$ bill) be impossible in practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-10-01T20:50:05.683" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T20:50:05.683" Title="Do you have to have certain pastlife karma to use a computer?" Tags="|karma|modern-world|merit|past-lives|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8556" CreationDate="2015-09-28T18:44:21.210" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of ignorance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance of not knowing (such as explained by Orion; and there is also not knowing [about] karma, and so forth). As Tsongkhapa writes in the &lt;em&gt;Middle-Length Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ignorance Ignorance is afflicted un-knowing due to a mind that is&#xA;  unclear with regard to the nature of the four truths, actions and&#xA;  their effects, and the Three Jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ignorance which is a mistaken mode of apprehension.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entity of ignorance which is 'a mistaken mode of apprehension' vary depending Tenets. For instance, Prasangika-Madhyamikas tend to define it as the &lt;strong&gt;conception of inherent existence&lt;/strong&gt; of person and phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though, all Tenets posit this ignorance as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An affliction. It is thus called 'afflicted ignorance'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first of the twelve links of dependent-arising&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The root of cyclic existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The basis on which depend all other afflictions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Likewise, through the darkness of ignorance obscuring the clear mode&#xA;  of subsistence of the aggregates, the deception regarding the&#xA;  aggregates as a self arises, and from that the other mental&#xA;  afflictions arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A wrong consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A conceptual consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concealing reality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The exact opposite of the exalted wisdom directly realizing emptiness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although in general ignorance is posited as the mere opposite of&#xA;  knowledge, here it is the opposite of the knowledge realizing the lack&#xA;  of true existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Superimposition of [a non-existent mode of existence, which vary in dependence of Tenets]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-09-28T19:02:14.167" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T19:02:14.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11806" CreationDate="2015-09-28T22:44:37.240" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is a complex dhamma that only Buddha saw it thru and thru..   However, Buddha taught us 6 things to know about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fundamentals of karma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For sure, Karma is not a fate.  In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, a Sutta about a misguided serial killer who would have committed matricide if Buddha didn't interfere with his killing mission.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can give $20 to someone but then you will never know if it was his good karma that let him run into you?  or his good karma that you have money to share.   Karma is a complex thing that is imponderable or incomprehensible, Acinteyya (Pali).   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T22:44:37.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11806" CreationDate="2015-09-28T22:59:46.363" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma need not be manifested physically.  A poor rebirth need not be rebirth as a poor person, a person who's despised, or one who can't access a computer.  In fact, you can have someone who is filthy rich, admired by all, who is still suffering far more than someone who is penniless and hated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's because suffering is in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To even suggest that material &quot;well-being&quot; is a result of Karma is to imply that happiness is physical, which is an implicit rejection of what Buddhism teaches, that it's what's within (e.g.: desire, clinging to self) that cause suffering and not one's material circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2015-09-28T22:59:46.363" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11811" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-29T01:08:04.363" Score="6" ViewCount="524" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the relation between the five aggregates and the dependent origination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6962" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T03:41:04.650" Title="Five aggregates vs dependent origination" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|five-skandas|aggregates|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11794" CreationDate="2015-09-29T01:50:00.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Watching a crime anywhere, on TV, the computer or in one's memories has potential to cause unwholesome states to arise within one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why we try to be mindful on a moment by moment basis. If one knows that  something(like crime) is around that might make unwholesome states arise inside a person then that can be reminder for one to be mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is correctly mindful when an unwholesome state like anger arises inside oneself then one doesn't act on anger. If one isn't mindful when anger arises then one is in the proliferation zone, unaware of the whole prosess of anger and is liable to react  unwholesomly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-09-29T17:22:15.943" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T17:22:15.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11811" CreationDate="2015-09-29T02:59:41.047" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can't see five aggregates as it is. We can see a men, animals, Devas. Or good thing, bad thing. Or a beautiful thing, a ugly thing etc. But in reality, there is nothing like that. Everything just a thing or collection of several things. We only making things matter to us. Nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11792/6923&quot;&gt;Refer this answer&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we took a tower build by stones, actually there is nothing called&#xA;  'tower' but set of stones. Like wise, if we consider a person, there&#xA;  is nothing but set of things. Lets say you are 40 years old now. What&#xA;  are the things you have in your body when you are 1 year old? Nothing&#xA;  right? But how you can be recognize now as same you in age 1? because&#xA;  of the connection between things changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11730/6923&quot;&gt;How we see&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since we can't see things in their actual state, we make wrong decisions and doing things and making desires, clinging(උපාදාන) etc. (May be a man really loves his parents. May be we will kill animals to feed our children etc). This cause us to rebirth and we will reborn according to Karma we made. This cycle of born and death is dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the times lord Budhdha preaches not knowing things correctly is the starting point of the cycle. and then sanskaara, vinnana etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T02:59:41.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="60" CreationDate="2015-09-29T05:08:59.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To the already very useful answers, I would like to add Joseph Goldstein's excellent book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1622036050&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness: A Practical Guide To Awakening&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He explains Buddhism from the perspective of the Satipatthana Sutta, so there is a huge focus on Mindfulness, but he does explain (very well) the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Noble Path as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the title explains the book is very hands on and practical in working with the mind, while also explaining enough of the theory that's required.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am still reading this book, but am really delighted with everything I have read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T05:08:59.547" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-09-29T05:08:59.547" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11691" CreationDate="2015-09-29T05:15:50.363" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mental labeling is the act of saying 'sad' or 'happy', when such thoughts occur, &lt;em&gt;without wanting anything to be different&lt;/em&gt;. The last part is important, because it means we are recognizing our states for what they are, but not judging them from the perspective of generating aversion of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judging always has a little flavor of wanting or 'not wanting', or at least an opinion about something being good or bad. Labelling on the other hand is recognizing (and being with) what's there without any of the attached filters of the mind as Joseph Goldstein calls them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps not directly related to your question, but cultivating the right state of mind does sometimes involve discerning. However, the difference is in what we discern. We only discern our own state of mind as either skillful or unskillful in dealing with what is arising in the present moment. We do not judge that which is arising however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T05:15:50.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2015-09-29T09:26:03.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To continue this discussion further we must have an agreement of the (Dhamm) terms &quot;Nama&quot;, &quot;Rupa&quot; and &quot;Nama-Rupa&quot; that we are using in this Question and answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three things to consider.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1). The Basic materials (Rupa Dhatu)/(particles).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2). The material creation / Form/physical phenomena- (a car)(Nama-Rupa).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3). The Perception/ Mental Formations.- (Nama Dhamma)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two usages according the difference of the understanding about the &quot;car&quot;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1). There is a car. (Aththi) - considering the structure as a thing.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2). There is no car. (Naththi) - considering the parts, No whole-( a thing).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;But there is a “Mid point” (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘All exists’: Kaccana, this is one extreme. ‘All does not exist’:&#xA;  this is the second extreme. Without veering towards either of these&#xA;  extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma by the middle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3). When there is a person to perceive, then only &quot;the car&quot; exist.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(There is no sound in the forest-This is very special-Unique- finding in Buddhism). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should use &quot;Nama-Rupa&quot; for this car. Because it is mental formation (sankhara).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is Mind-made. (“Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,manoseṭṭhā manomayā;”).&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dhp#1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;mind-wrought&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there three things?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1). Can we sence/ identify (Rupa)Dhatu? - (Particals) -    No.  -  (Allways we sence whole lot).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2). Can we identify/ Sence separate (Nama) Dhatu? -    No.  -  (Allways we sence whole( single) feeling/Thought).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3). Can we sence/identify Consepts (Nama-Rupa)? -     Yes.  -  (It is mental creation).&lt;br&gt;&#xA; (In Any scale we sence only &quot;Nama-Rupa&quot;). So we cannot divide this to three. Only Nama-Rupa process(Vinnana) is the reality.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an6.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhesutta&lt;/a&gt; - 'Nama' is one end, 'Rupa' is the second end, Vinnana is middle,.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“nāmaṃ kho, āvuso, eko anto, rūpaṃ dutiyo anto, viññāṇaṃ majjhe,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then what is Rupa?(Rupa Dhatu)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;We may assume we feel hardness, softness, roughness ext.  ...But they are all mental creations.&#xA;We can Know only the nature / Behavior of Rupa, Or its own ultimate reality - The Impermanency (Anithya) . (By using our own developed &quot;Dhamma Chakku&quot;-(Using Vipassana Mditation)/(Zazen)). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then what is Nama?(Nama Dhamma)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Our Thought process)/(Vinnana process) may identify (intention, attention, contact, feeling, discrimination) or (Vedana, Sanna, Chethana, Passa, manasikara) and any other mental factors(combination of Chathasikas).&#xA;But these are also mental creations. (There is no way -other than analyzing -to identify them. Except Using vipassana  to see the Anithya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot divide our experiences to”Nama” or “Rupa”. Because every experience need Rupa for create form(Nama-Rupa) and Nama for identifying or feel them.  without “Nama” no experience and none can be happen without &quot;Rupa&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So finally we can consider only &quot;&lt;em&gt;Nama-Rupa&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In English What is the word for this?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/276376/when-somebody-is-watching-something-for-so-long-they-stop-seeing-details&quot;&gt;When somebody is watching something for so long they stop seeing details.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:38:46.170" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T10:08:09.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11791" CreationDate="2015-09-29T11:52:27.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11818/5513&quot;&gt;Becoming&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is define as create &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11727/5513&quot;&gt;Nama-Rupa&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&#xA;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8329/5513&quot;&gt;Alternatives&lt;/a&gt; for nāmarūpa is saṅkhāra.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;All the sankaras are impermanence. That is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn23.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anicca&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/santati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;saṅkhāra˚&lt;/a&gt;;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Definition for the pāli word Santati (line)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  continuity of states rūpa˚ of form;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  causal connection of material things  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Empty is this, bhikkhus—the saṅkhāras—either of soul or of what&#xA;  belongs to soul”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T14:44:24.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11811" CreationDate="2015-09-29T14:37:10.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;5 Aggregates can be consider as a combination of vinnana &amp;amp; namarupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some times the Dependent Origination is consider as a cycle.&#xA;Past Life, present life and next life formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it can used to show the continuity of the thought sequence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally it take avijja(ignorance) - not knowing things(Sunya) correctly - as the starting point - the Main/foundation reason. If avijja is presence then the sankhra (mental formations) arise. It effect to arise Unpure-vinnana(Moha).&#xA;When Vinnana(consciousness) is dull it create/accept &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11727/5513&quot;&gt;nama-rupa&lt;/a&gt; as a reality (Things). So (she) accept what six faculties produces. what faculties produce is passa(contact), cause to feelings(vedana).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;While there is avijja (she) greed to the vedana and attach to the namarupa.&#xA;It is called Upadana(clinging). So (she) accsepts continuity of (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11763/5513&quot;&gt;inside and outside&lt;/a&gt;) namarupa, means Bava(&lt;strong&gt;Becomming&lt;/strong&gt;) &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11787/5513&quot;&gt;Simultaneously&lt;/a&gt;. That is the view of I, Myself, others, things, world etc(Avijja).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the result Dukka - birth, decay, ill, die, sorrow,sufferings etc - (Attributes of things) arises.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8030/5513&quot;&gt;5 aggrigates&lt;/a&gt; are connect with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8329/5513&quot;&gt;other facts&lt;/a&gt; of Dependent arising (patchchasamutpada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T14:57:14.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11719" CreationDate="2015-09-29T14:55:20.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Lotus Sutra chapter &quot;Immeasurable Life Span of the Thus Come One&quot;, Buddha states - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“You must listen carefully and hear of the thus come one’s secret and his transcendental powers. In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of enlightenment not far from the city of Gaya and there attained supreme perfect enlightenment. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained buddhahood.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further he states - &#xA;At that time the Buddha said to the multitude of great bodhisattvas: “Good men, now I will state this to you clearly. Suppose all these worlds, whether they received a particle of dust or not, are once more reduced to dust. Let one particle represent one kalpa. The time that has passed since I attained buddhahood surpasses this by a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million nayuta asamkhya kalpas.&#xA;“Ever since then I have been constantly in this saha world, preaching the Law, teaching, and converting. And elsewhere I have led and benefited living beings in hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas and asamkhyas of lands.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Shakyamuni Buddha states he had been enlightened since the remote past, unlike what people believed that he attained Buddhahood for the first time under the Bodhi tree. Since he attained Buddhahood, he had been preaching the Law to countless beings. That should be documentary proof enough that nirvana does not stop rebirth - even the Buddha is born time and again in order to preach the Great Law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6984" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T14:55:20.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11811" CreationDate="2015-09-29T21:35:30.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Five aggregates are pratityasamutpana-dhamma (dependent origination or conditioned).  things that come from causal.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when this thing exists (the causal) that thing  exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when this thing comes to be , that thing comes to be;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when this thing doesnt exist, that thing doesnt exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when this thing ends, that things ends &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five aggregates are conditioned things.  they exist because their causal exist, and end because their causal end.     Buddha corrected monk &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sati&lt;/a&gt; regarding his idea about permanent soul.  Buddha said &quot;vinnaya is pratituasamupana-dhamma&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five aggregates is conditioned, therefore,  they are impermanence, dukkha (ever changing), and non-self.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T21:35:30.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11811" CreationDate="2015-09-29T21:46:31.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates are the factors / activities that make up a &quot;being&quot;, what is conventionally called a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is the set of natural laws that keep a &quot;being&quot; bound to samsara (cycle of rebirth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one could say that the five aggregates continue to exist from one existence to the next due to the natural law of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T21:46:31.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11794" CreationDate="2015-09-29T21:49:07.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the heart that is important. In other words, your intention while you are watching a crime on TV, for example. Do you enjoy it and reinforce the idea that crime is justified to a very strong degree? Or do you watch it from an apathetic perspective (the opposite extreme). There are so many videos, literature, etc, that depict violence or crime as entertainment, so in that case do the people accumulate negative karma? What about people who eat non-vegetarian food? Are they all accumulating bad karma? Which leads us to ask what about the animals who eat others for survival?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism talks about varying degrees of negative causes we make. Some are very mild and can be easily expiated, while others are very deep and require great deal of effort. It teaches that the greatest negative cause is slander of the Buddha's highest teachings, which assert that every living being is a Buddha. In other words, disregard for life itself, especially that of another human being, is a huge negative cause. On top of that, Buddhism teaches that slandering or causing harm to a &quot;Buddha&quot; (in this context, one who propagates the true teachings of the Buddhism) is the greatest possible negative cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say, one need not worry about such small things as what would happen if one watches violence on website or phone or any other medium. The most important question is, do I believe in the immense worth of my own life and others, and do I make efforts to create value in my life and others? What is my behavior like?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The purpose of the appearance in this world of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in his behavior as a human being&quot; - Nichiren Daishonin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6984" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T21:49:07.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11794" CreationDate="2015-09-29T22:03:47.663" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is one actually participating in the incident?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No it is a recording, you do not take on the karma of the criminal or the victim. &#xA;You only gain knowledge that the event occurred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it add to one's karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How you react to the video determines the karma acquired from watching the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Empathy and compassion for the victim? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy and pleasure in watching the crime&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Detached indifference&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;With the motivation of trying to increase security / prevent crime by learning about such&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are just some situational conditions, reasons for watching, and reaction to the video determines the karma. Each has its own separate effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we ignore the video , are we creating a bigger incident?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is situational as well. Is it a video of something we have no control over? If so the answer is no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is our job to stop crime, or does the video give you some knowledge that could stop the criminal etc. and you choose (Through apathy or other reasons) to ignore it, then the answer is yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However if it is a youtube fail compilation video, or just a compilation of random crimes, that have nothing to do with you, or your community, ignoring it, would be the best option. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By that I mean, not seeking more out to watch as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A side note : Seeking these videos out merely for self entertainment would not be participating in the event, but would in my opinion be negative karma. Watching movies is one thing, they are fictional, but when you are at a point where watching real world people suffer at the hands of others is what you need for entertainment, I do not think there is any way you could say that you are accumulating good karma. Though you are absolutely not accumulating the same kind of karma as the criminal, the kind you are accumulating would not be favorable.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T22:03:47.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11799" CreationDate="2015-09-29T22:04:46.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply put, your mission is to be absolutely happy, happiness that does not depend on circumstances but comes forth through your own Buddha nature manifesting. At the same time, enabling others to do the same. In this Saha world which is full of suffering and negativity, in order to do that one needs to &quot;demonstrate&quot; to others how.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where our desires and social roles come into play. To create value as a family member, doctor, teacher (pick your profession), to be able to create value in other ways in society centered on Buddhist practice, etc is the &quot;role&quot; one plays to display the immense power of Buddhism and lead others to absolute happiness. Buddhism and daily life are one and the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To say that our mission as Buddhists is to escape Samsara (this world) or in other words to escape from the cycle of birth and death (wrongly interpreted as nirvana) is to be selfish. That is not the way a Buddha or a Bodhisattva thinks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Expedient Means chapter of the Lotus Sutra - &#xA;&quot;At all times, I think to myself: how can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that Lord Buddha says that everyone can become a Buddha, and he says that at all times he exerts himself to enable others to become like him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, to enable ourselves to reveal our Buddha nature and helping others do the same is our true mission as Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6984" LastActivityDate="2015-09-29T22:04:46.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11826" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-30T01:04:39.663" Score="3" ViewCount="534" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is incident where Mara is trying to get to Buddha even after he became enlightened.&#xA;Finally Mara win him over by his death.&#xA;With that knowledge is it correct to assume he had hunger feeling and sexual feelings too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;42&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There was a time, Ananda, when I dwelt at Uruvela, on the bank of the Nerañjara River, at the foot of the goatherds' banyan-tree, soon after my supreme Enlightenment. And Mara, the Evil One, approached me, saying: 'Now, O Lord, let the Blessed One come to his final passing away! Let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then, Ananda, I answered Mara, the Evil One, saying: 'I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding by appropriate conduct and, having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until this holy life taught by me has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular, and widespread, until it is well proclaimed among gods and men.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And again today, Ananda, at the Capala shrine, Mara, the Evil One, approached me, saying: 'Now, O Lord, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples of the Blessed One — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding in the appropriate conduct, and having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; and when adverse opinions arise, they are now able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And now, O Lord, this holy life taught by the Blessed One has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular and widespread, and it is well proclaimed among gods and men. Therefore, O Lord, let the Blessed One come to his final passing away! Let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And then, Ananda, I answered Mara, the Evil One, saying: 'Do not trouble yourself, Evil One. Before long the Parinibbana of the Tathagata will come about. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And in this way, Ananda, today at the Capala shrine the Tathagata has renounced his will to live on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T07:58:51.130" LastActivityDate="2024-01-08T16:42:37.040" Title="Did Mara win over Buddha?" Tags="|theravada|mara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3113" CreationDate="2015-09-30T02:56:49.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhahood can be viewed as what is left when you purify/rip the veils covering the mind since time immemorial. The term path doesn't mean that a distance is there to be crossed, but describes a purification process. &quot;The first obscures the aspect of the purity of the dharmakaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second obscures the aspect of its being true self. The third obscures the aspect of its being true happiness, and the fourth obscures the aspect that the dharmakaya is of true permanence. The cause that purifies these veils consists of the four qualities of the path, which are outstanding devotion towards the sacred Dharma and so on, that is, the perfection of discriminative wisdom, immeasurable samadhi, and great compassion.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra by Arya Maitreya/Jamgon Kongtrül Lodrö Thayé/Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term Dharma, how I understand it, means &quot;what truly is, inside you and outside you&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5676" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T13:09:45.187" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T13:09:45.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-09-30T03:20:28.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I remember well, in the gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, private buddhas are synonymous with &quot;small arhats&quot;, that have attained the &quot;small nirvana&quot;, if they renounce it, they can go on and remove the first veil, at which time they become &quot;aryas&quot;, and then the three others, at which time they become buddhas, alias fully awakened, alias &quot;great arhats&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somehow private buddhas blocked their sufferings without removing the causes, and their state is an intermediary stage for those who want to reach buddhahood for the benefits of others and themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5676" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T13:09:10.927" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T13:09:10.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9375" CreationDate="2015-09-30T03:41:03.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;How I understand it, &quot;what is&quot; seen as divided is samsara (with self, non-self etc) and seen as undivided is nirvana (with no independent self etc). So samsara and nirvana are the same stuff viewed differently, in other words samsara is the superficial view and nirvana is the deep view of the same stuff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5676" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T03:41:03.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11826" CreationDate="2015-09-30T03:49:43.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, where is the place that says  &quot;&lt;code&gt;Finally Mara wins him over by his death.&quot;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, &lt;strong&gt;Load Buddha Win the Mara at the Boo Tree shrine.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist literature  says in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;63&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus: &quot;So, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with&#xA;  earnestness. The time of the Tathagata's Parinibbana is near. Three&#xA;  months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And having spoken these words, the Happy One, the Master, spoke again, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My years are now full ripe, the life span left is short.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Departing, I go hence from you, relying on myself alone.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Be earnest, then, O bhikkhus, be mindful and of virtue pure!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With firm resolve, guard your own mind!&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whoso untiringly pursues the Dhamma and the Discipline&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Shall go beyond the round of births and make an end of suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here &lt;strong&gt;Parinibbana&lt;/strong&gt; is defer from death. After parinibbana there is &lt;strong&gt;no rebirth&lt;/strong&gt; as a normal human. Others will have rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who is Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who remove the roots that course to sexual feelings(“Kama Thanha”) and  Becoming(“Bava Thanha”) is Buddha.  But He has hunger feelings until death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** “Kama Thanha&quot; is not just &quot;sexual feelings&quot;. It represents all the  desires generated through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="7023" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T14:59:55.053" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T14:59:55.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7466" CreationDate="2015-09-30T06:06:26.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right occupation is a limited term, it is meant to steer one clear of the most toxic professions, where just by association, one can accumulate negative karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most occupations including the sciences are neutral in this regard. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A monk would sooner walk among mother tigers than tread the path of&#xA;  fame and fortune. ~Ryokan (Zen Master)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most high profile occupations today are about more than putting food on the table. Fame and fortune are definitely ingredients of ambition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In places like Silicon Valley the ambitious and busy pursuit of wealth, power and fame are considered unquestionable virtues. Of course many try to balance it out with a focus on charity, or by building meditation rooms in the workplace. Often they approach these activities too with the busy mind, of trying to get somewhere, be something, and that defeats the purpose. If one is truly dedicated to Dharma this isn't enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless we are very clear about why we don't want only these values of material success, of more becoming for ourselves, these goals will soon become dear to us by being around materialists. At that point it can edge out thoughts of just being, co-existence, compassion and letting go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus choosing right co-workers and objectives is a more important aid to the holy life than just choosing an occupation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often this decision will come at the cost of some material success and busyness, since wealth tends to accumulate faster when ethics are thin and people are busy doing things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Man's mind is filled with dangers; the mind of the Way is subtle; make your mind pure and dedicated and adhere to the Mean.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T06:06:26.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11826" CreationDate="2015-09-30T06:49:42.827" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, the Blessed One renounced his will to live-on on his own volition since the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples... just like the paragraph says. It's not like Mara could've done anything about it, had the lord said no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightened beings feel hunger, taste, smell and other bodily sensations caused by contact as long as they have functional sense doors. But they do not get sexual feelings as it requires lust to play it's part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T06:49:42.827" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9375" CreationDate="2015-09-30T06:50:39.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is this beautiful story, once Buddha preached to some of his disciples when they ask about Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They asked from Buddha, &quot;Blessed one, please tell us what Nirvana looks like, feels like. So we can try to attain it.&quot; Buddha said nothing. They asked several times and Buddha continued his silence. When these disciples went out, he preaches others below story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I am (Buddha) going on a journey, I saw this house full of&#xA;  flames. It is burning so badly with everything in it. And I saw&#xA;  some people still in there. I went to this burning house, open the&#xA;  door and said them, &quot;This house is burning. Please come out&quot;. Instead&#xA;  of coming out, these people asked me, How is outside, is it raining?&#xA;  will there be a place for us if we leave this house etc&quot;. So I didn't&#xA;  tell them anything. Just came out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T06:50:39.923" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9375" CreationDate="2015-09-30T07:01:34.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya sūtra: « There is no suffering, no cause of&#xA;  suffering, no end to suffering, no path to follow »&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where beauty is, then there is ugliness;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   where right is, also&#xA;  there is wrong.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  delusion and enlightenment condition each other.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Since olden&#xA;  times it has been so.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  How could it be otherwise now?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wanting to get rid of one and grab the other&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  is merely realizing&#xA;  a scene of stupidity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Even if you speak of the wonder of it all,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  how do you deal with each thing changing?       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Ryokan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As @Nemo says this is the highest truth that is grasped fully only by self-realization. It would be ineffectual to explain it. This being the case, why did the enlightened ones speak about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For two reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, these quotes are mysterious statements designed to awake in one the deep introspection that leads one to awakening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly they act as sign posts to dispel doubt when such contrary views are realised for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These were expressed more frequently in Japanese Zen in times when the monastic order had become excessively institutionalised, and monks started to expect the laity to honour, respect and feed them as if they laity were a lower order of being. At this time the enlightened ones recalled these views to show the right way. It is not meant as a a ridicule or insult of tradition, but a gentle nudge to not forget the ideals and get caught in value judgements and dualistic discursive convention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Outwardly they pretend to be superior, praying on the gullibility of&#xA;  old peasant women and congratulating themselves on their cleverness.&#xA;  Alas! Will they ever come to their senses? A monk would sooner walk&#xA;  among a pride of mother tigers than tread the path of fame and&#xA;  fortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vimalakirti sutra is important and well known in the Mahayana tradition, and is famous for expressing this higher ideal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story in the sutra is Vimalakirti, the lay Buddhist known to be a Bodhisattva falls ill, and he uses it as a convenient excuse to teach everyone who visits him. Even in his period of convalescence he spreads the truth of the Bodhisattva way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Manjushri rides on the lion&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Samanthabhadra mounts the elephant&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ghosa enters nirvana on his jeweled seat&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And Vimalakirti lies ill on his bed     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Ryokan compares the sick bed of Vimalakirti to the mounts of fabled Buddhist teachers. In his sickness Vimalakirti embodies the Bodhisattva's grasp of non-duality, using it to teach many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T07:01:34.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9375" CreationDate="2015-09-30T08:04:32.767" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;The Jewel Ornament Of Liberation&lt;/em&gt; (which I have only begun to read) has some paragraphs near its beginning which juxtapose samsara with nirvana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In general, all phenomena are included in the two categories of samsara and nirvana. That which is called samsara is empty by nature, a confused projection. Its defining characteristic is that it manifests as suffering. That which is called nirvana is also empty by nature, but all the confused projections are exhausted and dissipated. Its defining characteristic is freedom from all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;III. HEARER FAMILY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The family of Hearers consists of those who fear samsara and yearn to achieve nirvana, but who have little compassion. It has been said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;One who is afraid upon seeing the suffering of samsara&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    And yearns to achieve nirvana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    But has little interest in benefitting sentient beings—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    These three are the marks of the Hearer family&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;IV. SOLITARY REALIZER FAMILY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Solitary Realizer family includes those who possess the above three attributes and in addition are arrogant, keep their masters’ identities secret, and prefer to stay in solitary places. It has been said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Fear at the thought of samsara, yearning for nirvana,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Little compassion, arrogance,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Secretive about their teachers, and enjoying solitude—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    A wise one should understand that these are the marks of the Solitary Realizer family&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So these two families, the Hearers and the Solitary Realizers, engage in their respective vehicles and even though they achieve the results of their practices, these results are not the final nirvana. How do they abide when they achieve their fruits? They maintain unafflicted states of meditative concentration, but those states are based on the psychic imprint of ignorance. Since their meditative concentrations are unafflicted, they believe that they have achieved nirvana and remain that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If their states are not the final nirvana, then one might argue that the Buddha should not have taught these two paths. Is there a reason the Buddha should teach such paths? Yes. For example, suppose great merchants from this Jambudvipa are traveling the ocean searching for jewels. After many months at sea, in some desolate place, they become completely tired and exhausted and think, “There is no way to get the jewels now”. When they feel discouraged and prepare to turn back, the merchant captain manifests a huge island through his miracle power and lets all his followers rest there. After a few days, when they are fully rested and relaxed, the captain says, “We have not achieved our goal. Now we should go farther to get our jewels.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, sentient beings without courage are frightened when they hear about the Buddha’s wisdom. They believe attaining Buddhahood is a great hardship, and think, “I have no ability to do this.” There are other people who are not interested in entering the path, or who enter the path but turn back. To counter these problems, Buddha presented these two paths, and allows them to rest in these states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As said in the &lt;em&gt;White Lotus of Sublime Dharma Sutra&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Likewise, all the Hearers&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Think that they achieved nirvana,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    But they have not achieved the final nirvana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Revealed by the Buddha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    They are only resting&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T08:04:32.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11838" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-09-30T09:33:32.897" Score="1" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;Up until now when i change postures i said in my language the word for changing to a sitting posture and then &quot;sitting&quot; three times - now i think it overdoing it and i think maybe its best just to say &quot;sitting sitting sitting&quot; when changing posture form standing to sitting &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and also the opposite instead of say &quot;rising rising rising&quot; and than &quot;standing standing standing&quot; i wonder if its best just to say &quot;standing standing standing&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the offical accepted view on how one should lable the changing of postures in the mahasi sayadaw technique - specifically what ven.yuttdhammo is teaching ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i wouldnt mind hearing opinions about this subject on whats best to do ect - but i would also like to know what is commonly recommended to most practitioners officially to do, what is the standard way of labeling the changing of postures - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also im asking on how to this in daily life and also when mediating or at a retreat -   if i dont have time to label 3 times &quot;sitting sitting sitting&quot;  but only 1 time &quot;sitting&quot; - whats the way to label in that case ?  (im asking what to label in on both scenarios)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T10:37:57.003" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T03:18:09.503" Title="how to label changing postures?" Tags="|meditation-posture|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9930" CreationDate="2015-09-30T10:18:08.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pron.: gakja&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Wil.: dgag bya&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Unicode: དགག་བྱ།&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Usually translated by Jeffrey Hopkins as 'object of negation'. Although the object of negation is twofold: (1) the objective aspect (&lt;em&gt;true existence&lt;/em&gt;) and (2) the subjective aspect (ignorance), 'object of negation' usually refers to &lt;em&gt;true existence&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is explained at length in the 'Special Insight' chapter of the Lam Rim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Third volume of Tsongkhapa's the Lam Rim Chen Mo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5th chapter of Tsongkhapa's Middle-Length Lam Rim&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also explained at length in the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tsongkhapa's Final Exposition of Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khedrup Je's A dose of Emptiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;The object of negation is a 'truth to be denied' or a 'concealer truth'. It is &lt;em&gt;true existence&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;inherent existence&lt;/em&gt; according to Prasangika-Madhyamika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since true existence appears as if existing but is actually utterly non-existent, why do we call it a truth? What is the meaning of 'truth' in 'truth for a concealer'? It is called a [concealer] truth because although it is not a truth (since it doesn't exist the way it appears) it is &lt;strong&gt;true in relation to ignorance&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is explained in the Explanation of Candrakīrti’s &lt;em&gt;Commentary on&#xA;the ‘Middle Way’&lt;/em&gt; as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That which appears truly existent and inherently&#xA;  separate due to a concealer while not existing inherently is true for&#xA;  a worldly, mistaken concealer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strictly speaking, a truth is &lt;em&gt;an object that exists the way it appears&lt;/em&gt; (its mode of existence is concordant with its mode of existence). Example: emptiness is an [ultimate] truth, and is an actual truth, because it exists the way it appears to the mind directly realizing it. However, a conventional truth is a truth only in relation to ignorance. A concealer truth is also a truth only in relation to ignorance: it is not an actual truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T10:18:08.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-09-30T13:11:08.077" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;They do know. They're just not comfortable with teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chapter III, karika 94c of Abhidharmakosabhasya, Vasubandhu explains that Pratyekabuddhas do not teach others because teaching Dharma requires pushing the students &quot;against the current&quot; to &quot;make them understand the profound Dharma&quot;, which &quot;is a difficult thing&quot; and causes &quot;turmoil&quot; to Pratyekabuddha, who finds pleasure in the peace of Jhanas and is averse to human contact with its trouble:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why does he not apply himself to the conversion of others? He is certainly capable of teaching the Dharma: he possesses the comprehensions, he can remember the teachings of the ancient Buddhas. He is no longer deprived of compassion, for he manifests his supernormal power with a view to being of service to beings.  He can no longer say that beings are &quot;unconvertible&quot; in the period in which he&#xA;  lives, for, in this period—the period of decrease of life—beings can detach themselves from The Realm of Desire by the worldly path. Why then does he not teach the Dharma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By reason of his previous habit, he finds pleasure in,&#xA;  and aspires to absence of turmoil; he does not have the courage to apply&#xA;  himself to making others understand the profound Dharma: he would have to make disciples; he would have to conduct the multitude who&#xA;  follow the current against the current, and this is a difficult thing. Now&#xA;  he fears being distracted from his absorption and of entering into&#xA;  contact with humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Pratyekabuddha has understood and pierced through his/her own obstacles (defilements, obscurations). He &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; know how he himself achieved Enlightenment. But in order to teach others one must pierce through the veils of million other combinations of karma and defilements that other beings may have. That's the difficult part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus, because Enlightenment is non-conceptual, explaining it with concepts may seem like heaping further B.S. on top of existing heaps of B.S. Very burdensome and not always rewarding. Effectively, for the time you teach you have to step out of Nirvana and back into the pain of Samsara or at least on the edge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Pratyekabuddha teaching is both difficult and a pain in the butt, so it is absolutely not worth the effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-11-05T15:38:06.987" LastActivityDate="2017-11-05T15:38:06.987" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11842" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11845" CreationDate="2015-09-30T13:58:34.167" Score="2" ViewCount="2234" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the terms &quot;samsara&quot; and &quot;dukkha&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the relationship between the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2018-01-20T10:00:30.573" Title="Difference between Samsara and Dukkha" Tags="|samsara|dukkha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11826" CreationDate="2015-09-30T14:13:38.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You misread the story. Mara did not win over the Buddha. Rather, Mara successfully influenced Ananda, to not request the Buddha to extend his life, when the Buddha dropped the hint that he could choose to extend his life, because he had the ability to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said: &quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed,&#xA;  practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;  brought to perfection the four constituents of psychic power could, if&#xA;  he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could,&#xA;  if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But the Venerable Ananda was unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the&#xA;  significant prompting, given by the Blessed One. &lt;strong&gt;As though his mind&#xA;  was influenced by Mara&lt;/strong&gt;, he did not beseech the Blessed One: &quot;May the&#xA;  Blessed One remain, O Lord!. May the Happy One remain, O Lord,&#xA;  throughout the world-period, for the welfare and happiness of the&#xA;  multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well&#xA;  being, and happiness of gods and men!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And when for a second and a third time the Blessed One repeated his&#xA;  words, the Venerable Ananda remained silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ananda: &quot;Go now, Ananda,&#xA;  and do as seems fit to you.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even so, O Lord.&quot; And the Venerable Ananda, rising from his seat,&#xA;  respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and keeping his right side&#xA;  towards him, took his seat under a tree some distance away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Commentary&lt;/em&gt;: According to Comy., Ananda's mind had been influenced&#xA;  (pariyutthitacitto) by Mara's exhibiting a frightful sight which&#xA;  distracted his attention, preventing him from grasping the Buddha's&#xA;  suggestion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T14:18:48.990" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T14:18:48.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11842" CreationDate="2015-09-30T14:37:45.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saṃsāra is endless cyclic existence (&lt;em&gt;Anamataggo bhikkawe samsaro pubbha kota na pannayati&lt;/em&gt;) caused by Avijja and Tanha (&lt;em&gt;Avijja neevarananang thanha sanyojanag&lt;/em&gt;). Note that Avijja means ignorance about four noble truths including Dukkha.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avijja Sutta -SN 45&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T14:37:45.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11842" CreationDate="2015-09-30T14:43:09.993" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara is a continuum of our  individual mind moments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is the deep down feeling that something is missing or wrong that occurs throughout Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T14:43:09.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11842" CreationDate="2015-09-30T15:44:47.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my own words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samsara&lt;/em&gt; is the same world you see on TV and read about in newspapers. This world is a hallucination (a subjective reality) fabricated in dependence on the fundamental confusion caused by the fundamental ignorance. This confusion causes &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; causes further confusion, which is why Samsara is dubbed &quot;cyclic existence&quot; - but also because the confusion is passed on from previous lives to future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is the painful and bitter feeling of wrongness you experience while in Samsara, because of the mismatch between the hallucination and reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-09-30T16:29:41.510" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T16:29:41.510" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11848" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11860" CreationDate="2015-09-30T19:08:36.613" Score="1" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;A central concept in the Buddhist tradition that all things (X) arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions (C).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this imply a certain causality or order ( &lt;code&gt;C -&amp;gt; X&lt;/code&gt; ) or does it mean that the conditions might also dependant on a or all things (&lt;code&gt;C &amp;lt;-&amp;gt; X&lt;/code&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question arose in a comment to the question if &lt;a href=&quot;https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/11501/are-axioms-non-empty?noredirect=1#comment29774_11501&quot;&gt;&quot;Axioms are non-empty?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, saying that &quot;Axioms are basically constructed for theorems. So they are still created things, and thus dependent. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I always wondered if the dependance concept also works the other way round...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:42:22.893" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T14:40:20.440" Title="...or does it mean that the conditions might also dependant on a or all things?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11842" CreationDate="2015-09-30T19:34:50.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha not only means suffering but means breakable, changing, fragile, breaking, falling apart, changes, stressful etc..   it is clearer with buddha quote &quot;all Vedana [feelings; pleasurable, suffering, or equanimity] end with Dukkha.  So dukkha is a property of those who are traveling in Samsara  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T19:34:50.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2015-09-30T21:36:02.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What I learned at a Vipassana meditation retreat: we were instructed to meditate for at least an hour without moving. The pain does get intense but you simply watch it happen. It ebbs and flows and insight can come from realizing that it is temporary. You can allow it to happen and be with it and it will go away. Seriously. What I was amazed to find out was how much the intensity of the pain was connected to what was bubbling up in my consciousness! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7026" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T21:36:02.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11665" CreationDate="2015-09-30T22:54:51.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is based on my experience with Buddhist thought (about 13 years of study and 1-2 years of retreat)--when it comes down to it, it would not be problematic if there were to be a seventh sense door. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Buddhism talks about the six sense doors (the regular five plus anything experienced purely in the mind [emotion, thought, etc]) which are said to encompass all that a human being could experience in this conditioned world, in theory you could throw in as many sense doors as you like and it doesn't make a difference--just be mindful, practice the eightfold path, and see dukkha as dukkha, and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another vein, having had some experience with what seems to be electroreception, it seems to fall under the realm of the physical or body sense door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding synesthesia, I have not heard about that in a Buddhist context, but I would extrapolate from what the Abhidharma says--each second contains millions and millions of mind moments, so no matter how fast or simultaneous anything seems to be, only one mind moment at a time ever happens. I haven't mastered meditation to the extent that I can verify that the Abidharma matches my experience, but from a intellectual standpoint, that would seem to be the answer, i.e. senses mixing is really just rapidly flowing sense perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some interesting questions--all sense contact would fall on the wheel of dependent origination, so that would be a fruitful line of inquiry. And with regard to any sense contact, feeling, perception, etc., as Joseph Goldstein (American Buddhist teacher) once said, &quot;Just notice what arises and don't cling.&quot; Can't go wrong with that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7027" LastActivityDate="2015-09-30T22:54:51.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11852" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-01T02:38:23.303" Score="4" ViewCount="2857" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could anyone provide links and/or info about Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka that offer extended meditation retreats?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who have taken part in such retreats, how was the experience? Would it be challenging in any way for me, an American, who has never been to Asia before, to travel there/adapt to the culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2017-09-05T16:34:20.263" Title="Any recommended monasteries in Sri Lanka that offer extended meditation retreats?" Tags="|theravada|monastery|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11838" CreationDate="2015-10-01T03:06:51.833" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if i dont have time to label 3 times &quot;sitting sitting sitting&quot; but&#xA;  only 1 time &quot;sitting&quot; - whats the way to label in that case ? (im&#xA;  asking what to label in on both scenarios)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According above statement you may have bypass the preliminary steps. That is the reason for asking &quot;What to label&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By practicing technique like walking meditation from beginners steps.(I think you know how to walk) you may understand what to label. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T03:06:51.833" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11838" CreationDate="2015-10-01T03:18:09.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The whole point of using words to note is that you are labeling the thing you are meditating on in accordance with what it is. If you are rising up to stand, you aren't actually standing at that time, so it is inappropriate to note it with the word standing, as you want the noting to be simultaneous with the object itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Yuttadhammo explains some of the principles of the labeling being simultaneous in his section on walking meditation on page 16 of his &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meditation booklet&lt;/a&gt; where he writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One should make the mental note   at the exact moment of each&#xA;  movement,  neither before or after the movement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the mental note, &quot;stepping right&quot;,  is made before the foot moves ,&#xA;  one is noting  something that has not yet occurred. If  one  move s&#xA;  the  foot first and then note s,  &quot;stepping right&quot;, one is noting&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  something in the past. Either way,   this cannot   be   considered&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  meditation,   as   there   is   no awareness of reality in either case&#xA;  .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T03:18:09.503" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11852" CreationDate="2015-10-01T05:51:40.510" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please refer these links.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nauyana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://nauyana.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sadahamarana.org/?page_id=48&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sadahamarana.org/?page_id=48&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can google for these links. Please do some background checks, before you go there. False teachers can be exists like infamous 'Pitiduwe Siri Damma'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T02:02:09.840" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T02:02:09.840" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11856" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-01T06:07:17.603" Score="2" ViewCount="53" Body="&lt;p&gt;what are the other models analogue of the ''five aggregates'' USED BY THE BUDDHA, and their references in the sutas used by the buddha that mentioned at the end of this video.&#xA;[YouTube] The Five Aggregates Part 2&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&amp;amp;v=Oo0ad9Ptf-w#t=924&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&amp;amp;v=Oo0ad9Ptf-w#t=924&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there is form and the the mind is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mental formation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;conciousness of senses&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but what are the other models for this ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7029" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T02:03:31.597" Title="other models analogue of the ''five aggregates''" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2015-10-03T08:07:21.653" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11857" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-01T06:17:23.007" Score="8" ViewCount="2335" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have often come across this - our past karma will bear its fruits in the present life or in the future one. So how does one identify the events is the because of past karma? Where is information about previous life stored? Is it recorded in the soul? Does soul have answers of all our questions? How do I access this information? Am I delusional? I wonder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-11-20T00:05:06.153" LastActivityDate="2018-12-18T15:38:21.797" Title="What is Buddhism's view on past lives?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|soul|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11857" CreationDate="2015-10-01T06:33:18.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such a thing called 'soul', which we take from this life to next life ans so forth. There is only continuous thought sequence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How I thinks these Karma works on our lives is this. Once we did a thing which cause to a Karma, immediately it generates it's fruits which we will experience either this life or in future. It's like Newton's third law. If we did something, there are counter forces which generated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say I offered a flower to the Blessed one. First I think I should do this and then I do it. this action has a power which generates a counter power as well. Our thought sequence will experience this counter power in someway. All the incidents, situations to experience this counter power will done by the world/universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What lord Buddha said about this is, We as normal people can't think how this happens with our normal minds. But we can think that it happens (like if we did a good thing, a good thing will happen to us. If we did a bad thing a bad thing will happen to us. like wise).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-21T18:27:59.153" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T18:27:59.153" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11859" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-01T08:14:20.803" Score="5" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the early stage, it's said that radiating loving kindness to opposite sex can potentially arouse lust. While I'm not sure if the person who we radiate loving kindness to can have their lust aroused, is radiating loving kindness in any stage of practice by any means can increase the attachment to that person? What is the proper way to do this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T04:54:59.607" Title="Is radiating loving kindness increase attachment?" Tags="|theravada|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11848" CreationDate="2015-10-01T09:17:31.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quate from ~ NO INNER CORE ~&#xA;An Introduction to the Doctrine of Anatta&#xA;by Sayadaw U Sãlànanda pg-26&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, we must remember that nàma-råpa or khandhas are merely&#xA;  abstract classifications made by the Buddha, and, as such, they have&#xA;  no real existence as groups. That is, there is never the functioning&#xA;  of an entire entity or group known as corporeality or feeling or&#xA;  perception or mental formations or consciousness, but only the&#xA;  functioning of individual representatives of these groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For&#xA;  example, with one unit of consciousness, only one single kind of&#xA;  feeling can be associated. Two different units of perception cannot&#xA;  arise at the same moment, and only one kind of consciousness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  For example seeing consciousness, can arise at one time. A smaller or&#xA;  larger number of mental formations can arise with every state of&#xA;  consciousness. The groups never arise as a totality; only constituents&#xA;  or bits from a certain group can arise &lt;strong&gt;depending on conditions&lt;/strong&gt;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;There&#xA;  are no integrally functioning groups which can be called a self or a&#xA;  mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My Story,   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The conditions might also dependent on a or all things (C &amp;lt;-&gt; X).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider a group of ants. willingness to talk each other the group emerge (Pali:&quot;Uppaggathi&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11787/5513&quot;&gt;group&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(each ant is not the group, the group is not the collection of ants, without ants also no group, group is not a separate thing from ants, ......).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is reality?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Actually there is no group( according to our view only ants), but according the view of ants there is a group.(&quot;Avijja&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to communication, The group behave it's own will.(&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11783/5513&quot;&gt;Consciousness&lt;/a&gt; -Intelligent/Madness)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the madness?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I am a Group. (My name is 'G'). I have my ants...and getting the feelings of pride, satisfaction...lost, die, decay, feel bad etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the intelligent?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Get understand  the reason for the process.&#xA;Find the way to stop this suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Nibbana?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;realize How it create and process. Hence escape from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(c &amp;lt;-&gt; x)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;c = Group's Consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;x = Group Concept( with ants).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;====================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Exsample 2.  &quot;Players change but Team continues&quot;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By considering a team the players always join and replace. but the team has its popularity glory etc continues to generations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a team? we can't say 'yes' or 'no'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1).If some one is considering the team then the team is.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2).If anybody considering the players then no team.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we can't say both is correct, or wrong.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3). The team is relative to the viewers.(May be players or audience)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like wise what we believe the &quot;Soul&quot; or &quot;person(personality)&quot; is a &quot;Thing&quot;. But it is relative to the perception(subject) and precept(object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, We cant say there is something in every process. Also we cannot say there is nothing in any process. To be a process there should be a process viewer.&#xA;again the viewer is also a process. That is Interdependent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;c = players, x = team, so (c&amp;lt;-&gt;x)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T14:40:20.440" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11861" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11865" CreationDate="2015-10-01T10:55:39.870" Score="3" ViewCount="88" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is he connected to the Buddhist community?  Is he a to be Buddhist leader or simply a successor?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And does his imprisonment by china has anything to do with Buddhism or is it just a political matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did his imprisonment affected the Buddhist community? If yes, then how?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-01T13:06:57.090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T15:06:53.737" Title="How is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima connected to the Buddhist community?" Tags="|dalai-lama|politics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11862" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11864" CreationDate="2015-10-01T11:04:38.417" Score="6" ViewCount="5877" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry, as I don't know the right term for them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, I have noticed these huge copper cylinders(when I went to visit a temple in Dharmashala), which are kept like 5-6 in a row.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They have engravings (probably in some script) on them, and they are rotated by the people who are walking past them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what are they?  And what are the engravings on them?  And why people are rotating them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-01T13:06:39.343" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T13:06:39.343" Title="What are the rotating cylinders in monastries, and why are they there?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|traditions|monastery|temples|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11862" CreationDate="2015-10-01T11:27:11.340" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's called &lt;strong&gt;Prayer wheel&lt;/strong&gt;. These round cylinders are mantras, with thousands of prayers handwritten outside each in Sanskrit and Tibetan letters. Each full clockwise turn of the mantra is said to work the good merit of the prayers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="67" LastEditorUserId="67" LastEditDate="2015-10-01T11:32:11.043" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T11:32:11.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11862" CreationDate="2015-10-01T11:30:04.610" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheels and they often have 'Om mani padme hum' engraved on them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Tibetan Buddhist belief, spinning a prayer wheel is just as effective as reciting the sacred texts aloud. This belief derives from the Buddhist belief in the power of sound and the formulas to which deities are subject. For many Buddhists, the prayer wheel also represents the Wheel of the Law (or Dharma) set in motion by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The prayer wheel is also useful for illiterate members of the lay Buddhist community, since they can &quot;read&quot; the prayers by turning the wheel. Prayer wheels come in many sizes: they may be small and attached to a stick, and spun around by hand; medium-sized and set up at monasteries or temples; or very large and continuously spun by a water mill. Prayer wheels at monasteries and temples are located at the gates of the property, and devotees spin the wheels before passing through the gates.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.religionfacts.com/prayer-wheel&quot;&gt;Prayer Wheels&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5188" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T11:30:04.610" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11861" CreationDate="2015-10-01T12:26:45.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The founder of the Gelug tradition, Lama Je Tsongkhapa, had two main disciples: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gyaltsab Je and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khedrup Je&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Khedrup Je was the 1st Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was recognized, by H.H. the Dalaï-Lama, as the 11th Panchen Lama. He was also recognized as such by the Chinese government that decided to have a say in the so-called “Tulku system [of recognition]”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although Gyaltsab Je was the Spiritual Leader of the Gelug tradition (Ganden Tripa) after Tsongkhapa, Khedup Je also became the Ganden Tripa in time, after Gyaltsab Je's passing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, their philosophical work is highly regarded by Gelug teachers and students. Gelug students still study the 1st Panchen Lama's commenteries, along with Gyaltsab Je's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khedrup Je was also a teacher of Gendün Druppa, the 1st Dalaï-Lama. From the time of the 5th Dalaï-Lama, the Dalaï-Lama &amp;amp; the Panchen Lama held the responsibility of recognizing one another['s reincarnation].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is believed that Khedrup Je was a reincarnation of Subhuti (the one depicted in the Vajra Cutter Sutra, a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether his imprisonment affected the Buddhist community, and if so, in what way, is difficult to tell. His imprisonment means:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;… a teacher of H.H. the Dalaï-Lama being imprisoned&#xA;&lt;br&gt;… a candidate to the regency of H.H. the Dalaï-Lama being imprisoned&#xA;&lt;br&gt;… one of the main disciples of the founder of the Geluk tradition being imprisoned&#xA;&lt;br&gt;… a candidate to the position of &lt;strong&gt;Ganden Tripa&lt;/strong&gt; being imprisoned&#xA;&lt;br&gt;… a potentially influential of textual commentaries being imprisoned&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Most Tibetans still mourn him. If you go to McLeod Ganj or Boudhanath, you will see plenty of posters with his pictures, and printed characters such as “Give back the Panchen Lama!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche (that many think of as clairvoyant, or even enlightened and thus omniscient) said that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (from whom we have never heard of again otherwise) is still alive, safe and sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T15:06:53.737" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T15:06:53.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11866" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11885" CreationDate="2015-10-01T15:42:09.897" Score="5" ViewCount="404" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does the buddhist teachings differentiate between reality and perception ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone point me to on-line resources where in I can read more about this topic ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7032" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T11:37:43.060" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T00:57:40.877" Title="How does the buddhist teachings differentiate between reality and perception?" Tags="|philosophy|teaching|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11852" CreationDate="2015-10-01T15:49:38.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mithrigala Nissarana Vanaya&lt;/a&gt; is a good place. I don't know if they do long retreats but most monasteries will accommodate the sincere aspirants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Burma, I've personally hoped to someday spend a long retreat at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saddhamma.org/html/panditarama.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Panditarama&lt;/a&gt; (Vipassana) and/or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pa Auk&lt;/a&gt; (Samatha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Thailand I've considered &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/Chom+Tong+Insight+Meditation+Center&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wat Chom Tong&lt;/a&gt; near Chiang Mai.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.panditarama-lumbini.info/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Panditarama center in Nepal&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Goenka centers&lt;/a&gt; are located around the world, as well as in the above countries, but they are aplenty in India, including at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhi.dhamma.org/about.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodh Gaya&lt;/a&gt;. They do 45-60 day retreats, but one needs to work up to it over a few years since they require one to have graduated several preparatory retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are all Theravada retreats. If one is interested in the Mahayana tradition I would unhesitatingly recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plum Village&lt;/a&gt; in France.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T15:49:38.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11852" CreationDate="2015-10-01T16:29:57.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rathmalkanda Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation Techniques&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana(Mahasi Sayadaw)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samatha(Anapanasati/ Kasina)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I stayed there for a short period about 8 years ago. You have to call the number in the website and book in advance. Mostly foreigners come to meditate there. Its free of charge but donations are accepted. Interactions with the locals are minimal. So you wouldn't face any cultural difficulties. The food is quite good. It is situated at a cold mountain area. So you neither need A/C nor have to worry about mosquitoes and snakes. Rooms are clean, spacious and have electricity. The beds are comfortable with warm blankets. There are several mats lying on the floor as well. The bathrooms are western style with hot showers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Attire&lt;/strong&gt;: Anything that is decent. It doesn't have to be white.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rules&lt;/strong&gt;: Keep quiet and keep clean. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sila&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Precepts&lt;/a&gt; (you will be given refreshments in the evening. You can bring a snack to eat at nights if you find it hard to keep to the 6th precept)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually I got meditation instructions after the breakfast or lunch. In the evening you can meet venerable Madawala Upali(the head monk) to have a Dhamma discussion. He speaks English well. If you are into Abhidhamma or a fan of modern science, you will enjoy the talks as he was a former science teacher and a visiting lecturer of Buddhist philosophy at the Kelaniya University&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Course duration&lt;/strong&gt;: 2 weeks. But you can stay longer or leave before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-01T16:53:27.473" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T16:53:27.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11859" CreationDate="2015-10-01T17:30:00.833" Score="7" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lovingkindness&lt;/strong&gt;, good-will (metta): &lt;strong&gt;Near enemy&lt;/strong&gt; – &lt;strong&gt;attachment/lust&lt;/strong&gt;; far enemy – hatred&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion (karuna): Near enemy – pity; far enemy – cruelty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sympathetic joy, Appreciation (mudita), joy at the good fortune of&#xA;others: Near enemy – comparison,hypocrisy, insincerity, joy for&#xA;others but tinged with identification (my team, my child); far enemy&#xA;– envy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkha): Near enemy – indifference; far enemy – anxiety, greed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing loving kindness towards the opposite sex does not increase attachment or arouse lust. But if you are a lustful person, you can easily mistake the counterfeit near enemy as the loving kindness and as a result arouse lust and increase attachment in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you have an urge to make physical contact with someone or chat up and winover, you should avoid practicing loving kindness towards them until you are skilled enough to identify the counterfeit from authentic Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-01T17:30:00.833" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11870" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-01T21:14:38.663" Score="3" ViewCount="867" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been thinking on the notion of desiring to have no desire. The idea of striving to not grasp, therefore grasping onto the idea in the first place and rendering it a contradiction and inevitably a failure(?). Is this simply the Great Paradox of Buddhism? Of life? Is it better to act through impartial/passive acceptance of things, and does this come from longterm, present and active striving to 'abolish' desire, or from gradual, passive acceptance of the self to be translated into a lack of desire? Or do the two intermingle?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, do these different courses of action depend on the specific sect of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be way too simple, or way too complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if I'm not translating my thoughts too well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5842" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T09:24:40.373" Title="The desire of no desire" Tags="|reality|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2015-10-03T17:18:58.530" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11870" CreationDate="2015-10-01T23:34:19.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wow, the modern man is really in danger of getting lost in his own abstractions! :) There is no &quot;desire of no desire&quot; in Buddhism, it is something people's logical minds make up out of mathematical relationships between things they hear about. There is no &quot;desiring to have no desire&quot;. There is no &quot;striving to abolish desire&quot; either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is my understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What there is, is desire to be free of pain, desire to not be driven by troubles - the desire of peace. Consequently, there is striving for peace. There is nothing contradictory in striving for peace. You need to identify the obstacles to peace and remove them. Accepting the obstacles to peace will not lead to peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the obstacles to peace are, starting from the coarse ones: actions like stealing, violence, lying and verbal abuse, sexually-motivated trouble, and getting intoxicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is pretty clear that these cause trouble, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, we get to understand that the cause of trouble is not just our behavior, it is our mind, our attitude. So we speak about the Three Root Poisons: attraction, repulsion, and confusion. Or obsession, aversion, and delusion. Or lust, hate, and ignorance. Many partial synonyms, same idea. Our minds are colored by various mixtures of these three &quot;kleshas&quot; - as a result we see things in wrong light - and - get in trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, we understand that the above really boils down to getting stuck on stuff, what's known as attachment. This is a very broad category. Getting stuck is when reality moves on, but your mind is still in the old place. Or when, reality does not move, but your mind wants to get to some imaginary point. From this mismatch between &quot;is&quot; and &quot;should&quot; comes &quot;dukkha&quot; the feeling of wrongness, colloquially known as suffering. This is the First and Second Noble Truths, dukkha and origination of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All things exist in dependence on some necessary and sufficient conditions. When the necessary conditions are no longer in effect, the things can no longer exist. This gives us leverage over things, including leverage over dukkha. By dropping the attachment we remove the basis of dukkha -- the mismatch, and dukkha disappears. This is the Third Noble Truth - cessation of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, because all circumstances depend on some conditions, and those conditions depend on other conditions - all circumstances are inevitably subject to cessation, whether we want it or not. So our idea of permanent peace is a big fiction. Permanent peace would need to not depend on any conditions in order to be permanent. Which is impossible. Hence, permanent peace is false. Things are impermanent. This is first Mark of Existence, &quot;anicca&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, because things depend on conditions and always in flux, having &quot;me&quot; be always happy or always free would require a permanent &quot;me&quot; - otherwise the freedom will end with the end of the &quot;me&quot;. Because &quot;me&quot; depends on causes-n-conditions, it is conditional just like everything else. There is no solid core that is &quot;me&quot;, it is only a temporary arrangement. This is second Mark of Existence, &quot;anatta&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All things are like this, only temporary arrangements. But for simplicity our mind builds a semi-static model of reality, in which it fabricates the notion of &quot;objects&quot;, as if things existed statically. Because this is the way mind works, the stable objects it sees are only virtual constructs, conceptual overlays, on top of the soup that is always in flux. Because the things in flux always change, the mind always falls behind updating its models. So the mind model of reality is always mismatching the actual reality, at least to some degree. As we saw above, it is exactly this mismatch from which comes the dukkha or suffering. Therefore the mind that builds models of reality is always subject to suffering. This is third Mark of Existance, &quot;dukkha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we understand the above, we understand to which degree we can have control over our experience, and how to minimize dukkha by dropping attachment to legacy  or unrealistic models, and keeping our models in sync with reality as much as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the mind generates joy when its model does match reality. In modern psychology this is known as the reward mechanism. When we know this we can hack the mechanism. We can generate joy by following these steps: 1) getting rid of course action that gets us in trouble (violence etc.), 2) then by getting rid of the three &quot;klesha&quot;s of attraction, aversion, and confusion (the coarse mismatch) - and their derivatives; and then 3) by contemplating the Noble Truths and three Marks of Existence and appreciating how lucky we are to have achieved such insight into the nature of phenomena and control over our experiences. This self-generated joy can give us some nice refuge to dwell in. This is First Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jhanas then naturally progress from more coarse and artificially generated happiness, to more subtle and natural happiness, then to calmness and surety. These are Second, Third, and Fourth Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then you realize that to be stuck in calmness is rather constricting - and allow yourself to get disenchanted and lose any form altogether. You are no longer defined by any strategy. You are done. But by having gone through all the previous stages you ensure you are not caught up in the coarser issues either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this stage the question of reality is no longer relevant. Reality is an interpretation we make. We choose the interpretation as needed to face the situation at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as you see, desire of no desire is a very naive simplification. In practice it is not desire that we are working with, it is attachment, in its various forms, and the process goes through many stages from coarser to subtler until it gets thin enough to short circuit. This process is the Fourth Noble Truth, the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't skip the obstacles by dropping the path, the peace is not achieved by accepting the war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T02:13:46.427" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T02:13:46.427" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11866" CreationDate="2015-10-02T01:39:05.867" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reality is that which stays the same when you try to subdivide. They are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/paramattha-dhamma/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paramatta Dhammas&lt;/a&gt;. Perception is that which changes when you subdivide the supposed object it points to.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;ex: Table is a perception. If you break it into pieces, it becomes a pile of wood. It's not a table anymore. Man is a perception. If you pile up the bones and flesh separately, it's not a man anymore. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T01:39:05.867" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11870" CreationDate="2015-10-02T01:56:27.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Identifying that you are doing something wrong and doing it right is called wisdom. Not desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, coming to the realization that drinking is not the answer to your problems and stopping it is wisdom. It's stopping of wrongdoing. Craving in itself is wrongdoing. Not craving is stopping of that wrongdoing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sabba papassa akaranam - do no evil!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not craving that makes a being progress towards Nibbana. It is the understanding of the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't crave to stop doing something wrong. You just don't do it :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T09:24:40.373" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T09:24:40.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11842" CreationDate="2015-10-02T02:39:06.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Others have nicely explained the different meanings of the two terms. As for their relationship, I'd actually say that &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; are the same thing from different perspectives -- samsara from a cosmological standpoint, dukkha from an individual (psychological) standpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be in samsara is to experience pervasive, self-reinforcing (cyclic) dukkha due to ignorance. To be in ignorance is to suffer and hence to be in samsara. So samsara =&gt; dukkha and dukkha =&gt; samsara, hence samsara &amp;lt;=&gt; dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an elementary example of how cosmology and psychology (phenomenology, experience) mirror each other. Rupert Gethin treats this at some length in a great series of papers, though with more intricate concepts. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_%28Buddhism%29#Equivalence_of_cosmology_and_psychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; it is summarized in the Wikipedia article on samsara. You can look up his papers on the subject, and he also treats it in chapter 5 of his text, &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=al_Wlh2mwWIC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Foundations of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could also add &lt;em&gt;avidya&lt;/em&gt; (ignorance) as a third element of the equivalence, perhaps from the philosophical or conceptual perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T02:39:06.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11870" CreationDate="2015-10-02T05:28:27.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question was also asked 2500 years ago:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the Brahman &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Master Ananda, what is the aim of this holy life lived under Gotama the contemplative?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of abandoning desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed. So what do you think, brahman? Is this an endless path, or one with an end?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an endless one. Magnificent, Master Ananda! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Ananda — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge, from this day forward, for life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T05:28:27.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11877" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-02T06:05:57.037" Score="5" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that there many words translate from Buddha Sutra and I want to ask is there any website can translate the words meaning in English? Example Samman Samadhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7036" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-03T17:17:52.733" LastActivityDate="2018-01-22T15:53:07.840" Title="Are there any websites that contain Buddhist dictionaries?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11877" CreationDate="2015-10-02T09:20:58.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wisdom Library&lt;/a&gt; is one of the most reliable. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-samadhi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Samadhi&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access To Insight&lt;/a&gt; has a glossary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T09:28:19.533" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T09:28:19.533" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11750" CreationDate="2015-10-02T09:52:46.637" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Patience&quot; can be seen as passive, or active.  If I simply endure whatever occurs (even, perhaps, if I am aware of it, and of my experience of it), I am patient in a passive sense; but to &quot;suffer&quot; can also have more active senses.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the added element would then be intentionality, or an aligning of my will with, the fact of my experience. At which point, the will can evaporate out of the interaction, leaving reality.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acceptance, to put it more simply.  A whole-hearted engagement with my experience of suffering (or of whatever I am experiencing, including &quot;good&quot; experiences), unconditioned by judgement, reservations, expectations - by &quot;thinking&quot;, as it works against reality - and perhaps grounded on the assurance that this, and nothing else, is the reality of the universe for me, now, and to  imagine / crave / hope for / plan for / long for anything other than what my experience is, here and now, is a form of self-annihilation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7038" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T11:33:57.823" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T11:33:57.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2192" CreationDate="2015-10-02T10:03:40.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are living together, in harmony and without contention, a certain person might do something wrong or transgress.  Concerning this, you should not hasten to reproof.  The person should be examined.  In correcting him you might think: ‘I won’t get annoyed, nor will he, for he is without irritation and anger, he is quick to see and easy to convince.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  If you think: ‘I won’t get annoyed but he will, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see but easy to convince.  I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.  His annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think: ‘I will get annoyed but he won’t, for he is not prone to irritability or anger, he is quick to see but difficult to convince.  But I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.  My annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  If you think: ‘I will get annoyed and so will he, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see and hard to convince.  But still, I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  However, if you think: ‘I will get annoyed and so will he, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see and difficult to convince, and I don’t think I have the power to raise him from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.’ Then in this case have equanimity towards that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- M.II,241&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7031" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T11:34:41.740" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11877" CreationDate="2015-10-02T10:07:06.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Digital Pali Reader&lt;/a&gt; (a browser extension for Firefox and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.palemoon.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pale Moon&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7031" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T10:37:48.897" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T10:37:48.897" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11882" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11886" CreationDate="2015-10-02T10:57:06.500" Score="2" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;As there are sequence of events which happen in other religions, do such things happen in Buddhism also?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider Christianity, it starts with a worship, then a sermon follows, followed by offerings and then end with a blessing from the priest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider Hinduism, it starts with entering the temple, a silent prayer, followed by a blessing from the priest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is there a defined set of sequences when a Buddhist enters the (Buddhist) temple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T17:16:16.837" Title="Is there a defined sequence of events when a Buddhist enters a temple?" Tags="|traditions|monastery|temples|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2192" CreationDate="2015-10-02T11:48:54.387" Score="24" Body="&lt;p&gt;My father was an alcoholic, and I suffered a lot of grief from him - so I might as well try and answer this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way my first teacher taught me about this (back when my father was still alive and I still encountered him a lot) the circumstances like this come from our karma, specifically from our &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;em&gt;decency&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;spirituality&lt;/em&gt;. The more we are attached to decency and to spirituality, the more we hate people who are indecent and lowly, the more we will have to face them. So the only way to stop this particular kind of painful circumstances, is to drop the attachment to decency and to spirituality, by no longer putting decency and spirituality above love and above existence itself. This was the teaching method my first teacher employed, very effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way my last teacher taught me about this, long after my father passed away, is that in such cases freedom comes from forgiveness, understanding, the intent to stop the chain of suffering. We should understand that family issues are passed down the chain, although not necessarily in the same form. When father has certain issues, the child will have certain other issues - that will affect lives of &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; children and so on. Even my father's behavior was not his own, he inherited it from his childhood family - his father was a very violent guy, a commander of a penal military unit, a place where the criminal soldiers served. Behind a violent alcoholic there is often a hurt little boy. This is important to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are two lessons from my Buddhism teachers, one is to let go of attachment to decency and spirituality and abandon hatred and aversion based on them, and two is to understand your parent's own background and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to what to do, I think the best way to work with such people is as if you were working with a child. No matter how adult they look or pretend to be, if they act like that they are still immature, far from it. So working with them like you would with your own child, with tough love, compassionate but strict, seems to be the best course of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T11:48:54.387" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11877" CreationDate="2015-10-02T13:46:28.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Sanskrit I use &lt;a href=&quot;http://spokensanskrit.de/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://spokensanskrit.de/&lt;/a&gt; and for Pali &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T13:46:28.577" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11866" CreationDate="2015-10-02T15:33:48.083" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a topic expounded in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;philosophical texts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;classifications and presentations of tenets (Tib. &lt;em&gt;grub mtha'&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In several instances, &quot;reality&quot; refers to &quot;ultimate truth&quot;. You will find it so meaning in expressions such as &quot;concealing reality&quot;, &quot;seeing reality&quot;, &quot;understanding or ascertaining the meaning of reality&quot;. It seems it is also how &lt;em&gt;Sankha Kulathantille&lt;/em&gt; understood it, since he gave the Vaibhashika definition of ultimate truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will indicate how Geluk presentations of tenets (&lt;em&gt;grub mtha'&lt;/em&gt;) define ultimate truth in relation to different philosophical school. My main sources here are Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen's &lt;em&gt;Presentation of Tenets&lt;/em&gt; and Geshe Sopa's &lt;em&gt;Cutting Through Appearances&lt;/em&gt;. These sources are more &quot;doxographical&quot; than they are philosophical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vaïbashika&lt;/strong&gt; definition [of ultimate truth] : A phenomenon that is such that, if it were broken or mentally separated into parts, the mind apprehending  that object would not cease. Ex.: directionally partless particles, temporally partless moments of consciousness, uncompounded space, any of the five aggreegates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sautrantika&lt;/strong&gt; definition: A phenomenon that is able to perform a function ultimately. Ex.: Any impermanent phenomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(That is to say an appearing object of a conceptual consciousness is not an ultimate truth, and a conceptual consciousness is necessarily mistaken with regard to its appearing object)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cittamatrin&lt;/strong&gt; definition: That which is realized by means of a valid direct perceiver that realizes it clearly without dualistic appearance. Ex.: An emptiness that is a form and its form-apprehending valid cognizer’s&#xA;emptiness of being other substances, and an emptiness that is a form’s&#xA;emptiness of existing by way of its own characteristics as a base for assigning the term ‘form’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Madhyamika-Svatantrika&lt;/strong&gt; definition: An object that is realized in a non-dualistic manner by the direct valid cognizer that directly realizes it. Ex.: A pot’s emptiness of true existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Madhyamika-Prasangika&lt;/strong&gt; definition: An object which is found by a valid cognizer analyzing the final mode of existence and with respect to which a valid cognizer analyzing the final mode of existence become a valid cognizer analyzing for the final mode of existence. Ex.: A pot’s emptiness of inherent&#xA;existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Prasangika stand is, in brief: anytime a conventional truth appears to the mind of a sentient being (i.e. a non-buddha), it appears together with the appearance of inherent existence. Thus, all conventional cognizers in the continuum of a sentient being are mistaken with regard, not to the thing, but to the mode of existence [of things]. Innate ignorance is the mistaken conception of true existence that conceals reality (i.e. emptiness which is the absence of inherent existence) and is the opposite of wisdom directly realizing emptiness (which is the absence of inherent existence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-10-03T08:37:35.187" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T08:37:35.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11882" CreationDate="2015-10-02T16:11:52.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the temple and what part of it you're entering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, I used to be involved with my local Mahayana Temple.  Whenever we entered the meditation hall, we did the following..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Took off our shoes &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bowed to the altar, with our hands together in front of our chest. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After meditation, bowed each time the meditation leader rang a bell (some leaders had us do full prostrations instead).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When leaving, we turned to face the altar and repeated #2.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1, 2 and 4 were common to all the Buddhist Temple meditation halls I visited. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-10-02T17:16:16.837" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T17:16:16.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11877" CreationDate="2015-10-02T19:30:57.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've tried &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the PTS Pali-English dictionary&lt;/a&gt; (for Pali).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a trick to using it though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enable &lt;code&gt;Search entry words only (not definitions)&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Type in the word you're looking for e.g. &lt;code&gt;Samadhi&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you search it may not find the result. So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also select &lt;code&gt;Words starting with  (Example: bud)&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Type in fewer (just the first few) letters of the word you're looking for e.g. &lt;code&gt;Sama&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may display &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=pali&amp;amp;query=sama&amp;amp;searchdomain=headwords&amp;amp;matchtype=start&amp;amp;display=utf8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;several results&lt;/a&gt; -- hopefully you can find the word you're looking for on this list (maybe &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.3:1:3317.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt; in this case).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This searching for a prefix (instead of for the full word) if often necessary, because Pali words have declensions and conjugations when they're used in sentences, which alters their suffixes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that samadhi versus samatha (used in the example above) is a difference between Sanskrit and Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact remains, however, that when looking for Pali words in the PTS dictionary it's often necessary to search for the prefix.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason why that's so is, I think, that Pali words are joined together (like in German). Look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8493/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for example (which uses the &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.hum.ku.dk/cpd/search.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Critical Pali Dictionary&lt;/a&gt; instead of the PTS dictionary), which shows for example various words created from &lt;em&gt;ārāma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I note that &lt;em&gt;ārāma&lt;/em&gt; isn't in the PTS dictionary however &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:2069.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;arañña&lt;/a&gt; is &amp;mdash; which is another reason why you may need to look for prefixes (I found it by searching the PTS dictionary for &lt;code&gt;ara&lt;/code&gt; after a search for &lt;code&gt;aram&lt;/code&gt; found no results), i.e. that the Latinesque alphabet spelling might not be standardized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that the PTS dictionary requires of you a semi-exact spelling when you do a lookup, for example to find &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:498.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kālika&lt;/a&gt; you must search for &lt;code&gt;Kālika&lt;/code&gt; (and searching for &lt;code&gt;Kalika&lt;/code&gt; won't find it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossologytoc.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Glossology&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It only lists dhamma-related words (so it's not a full dictionary), but its entries are a bit fuller than the dictionaries'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T21:26:07.833" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2015-10-02T20:10:56.153" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/glg01.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Division is violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mainstream of any religion tend to be pretty hard-core about the uniqueness of their belief system because they derive an identity from it, and most people will even share the food on their plate, but not their sense of identity. This is the basis for all religious conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All the adjectives and nouns that we use to describe waves cannot be used to describe God. We can say that this wave is high or low, big or small, beautiful or ugly, has a beginning and an end. But all these notions cannot be applied to water. God is neither small nor big. God has no beginning or end. God is not more or less beautiful. All the ideas we use to describe the phenomenal world cannot be applied to God. So it's very wise not to say anything about God. To me the wisest theologian is the one who never speaks about God.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read the books&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/263325.Going_Home&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73184.Living_Buddha_Living_Christ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Living Buddha, Living Christ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;both by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Going Home, he focuses on fundamental concepts that still drive a wedge between the two religions--such as rebirth vs. eternal life, God vs. nirvana, and so on. After praising the differences between Christianity and Buddhism, Nhat Hanh proceeds to dissolve them in virtuosic style. Not only did Jesus meditate, he says, but God is equivalent to nirvana. This effort to free us from limiting concepts is Nhat Hanh's way of paving a road back to Christianity for Christians who have been attracted to Buddhism but alienated from their original faith. In effect, Nhat Hanh is dressing up Christianity in the garb of philosophical Buddhism, which isn't too far off from what certain progressive Christian thinkers have themselves done in different terms. Mindfulness engenders concentration, concentration leads to understanding, understanding strengthens faith, and faith provides the energy to practice mindfulness. More conventional Christians may balk at this blending of traditions, but for many lost souls, it will be a beacon back to a warm hearth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He considers it a &lt;strong&gt;waste of time to discuss &amp;quot;whether God is a person or not a person,&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt; although the Incarnation question carries profound weight in Christianity; he also asserts that &amp;quot;nothing can come from nothing,&amp;quot; although creatio ex nihilo is a fundamental Christian tenet. Buddhism is better understood in these pages, but distinctive Buddhist beliefs can also stand in the way, says Hanh: &lt;strong&gt;individuals can become too attached to their own ideas of nirvana, forgetting that &amp;quot;nirvana means extinction of all notions.&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T20:10:56.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11889" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-02T23:02:26.033" Score="2" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you become unhappy when happiness disappears? Or is there some other state of mind between happiness and unhappiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6962" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-03T17:15:22.427" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T20:38:16.750" Title="Do you become unhappy when happiness disappears?" Tags="|suffering|dukkha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11877" CreationDate="2015-10-02T23:54:30.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism is another source. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.international.ucla.edu/institute/article/149341&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.international.ucla.edu/institute/article/149341&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5437" LastActivityDate="2015-10-02T23:54:30.853" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-03T17:16:44.043" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11889" CreationDate="2015-10-03T00:33:20.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happiness is used to mention Nirvanic bliss (&quot;Vimukthi suka&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;According to that the other mind states are Unhappy(Dukka).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Because the roots of unhappiness(&quot; greed, hate, ignorance) are still in the background  of mind. So there can be blissful overjoyed states to sorrowful miserable states.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In between there can be deep sleep states. But when we awake, we are in the same (dull/joyful) world. It can be change in between any time. But if we have a 'State' that not change/varying for worldly things('8 world dhamma'). It is called the real Liberation/ Happiness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T00:33:20.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11856" CreationDate="2015-10-03T02:03:31.597" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One = Life, Dukka, Samsara, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two = Body and Mind, namarupa and vinnana, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;five = 5 aggregate  (Skanda),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Twelve = 12 faculties,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eighteen = 18 Dhathu,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T02:03:31.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11893" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-03T06:31:45.777" Score="3" ViewCount="3310" Body="&lt;p&gt;This precept is often translated as harsh speech or false speech. The meaning of this precept is often understood as not to tell lie. But how are we supposed to define &quot;lie&quot; in Buddhist context particularly fourth precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example:&#xA;One student got kicked out from a University because of unacceptable conducts. Someone knows this and is asked by his friend what has happened to that student. &#xA;Instead of telling his friend that student got kicked out, his answer is, that student probably already moved to other University.&#xA;The truth is, the student has committed unacceptable conducts therefore the student got kicked out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many cases in life because of security reason, sensitive information, privacy, etc. we say another thing when we are asked. But is this the same as telling lie e.g. harmful food is said/declared as healthy food, counterfeit product is answered as genuine product? Is being honest the same as having wisdom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2015-10-03T07:33:54.600" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T09:38:22.567" Title="What is considered lying in Buddhist (five) precepts?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11889" CreationDate="2015-10-03T08:31:45.360" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are hungry and you take a first bite of your favorite meal, the &lt;em&gt;happiness in the aspect of a pleasant feeling&lt;/em&gt; that you experience is not actual happiness, it is not in the nature of happiness: it is &lt;em&gt;contaminated happiness&lt;/em&gt;. That pleasant feeling you experience is merely a relief. You experience the first bite as [contaminated] happiness only because it relieves you from a greater suffering (i.e. hunger), not because it is in the nature of happiness. It is actually in the nature of suffering; it is suffering of change (a quiet subtle form of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Tsongkhapa puts it in the Middle-Length Lam Rim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At present most of the happy feelings that increase our attachment are&#xA;  minds of happiness that arise with respect to a relief of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;If you eat when you are not hungry, there is no such relief, no such pleasant feeling, no such experience of &quot;happiness in the aspect of a pleasant feeling&quot;, and it is experienced as suffering  of suffering (a quiet gross form of suffering). You are not mislead to conceive of the object as being in the nature of happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three types of equanimity. The first of the three is 'equanimity feeling', which his neutral feelings.  Furthermore, when pleasant feeling arise, you wish to associate further with it. When suffering arises, you wish to be separated from it. Tsongkhapa writes further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That which is neither pleasant nor suffering is that which, when it&#xA;  arises, neither of the two wishes occurs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;You can think of it this way: you enter a crowded room, you look at people and you immediately have “I like this one... I like that one... I don't like this one... and so forth” in dependence upon pleasant and unpleasant feelings. There also will be plenty of people you will not have really noticed, you are indifferent to, your attention wasn't drawn towards, because of neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another more abstract examples of arising of neutral feeling (which is other than neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling arising in the 4th concentration of the form realm) is: the conception of the body as permanent , that produces neutral feeling and increases ignorance. Tsongkhapa also adds in the &lt;em&gt;Lam Rim Chen Mo&lt;/em&gt; that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the case of [these] neutral feelings, ignorance ceases when you see&#xA;  that they are impermanent, permanent, exhaustible, and perishable in&#xA;  nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T08:31:45.360" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11893" CreationDate="2015-10-03T11:02:49.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following is extracted from &amp;quot;One Life Five Precepts&amp;quot; by Venerable Faxun:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions Under Which A Violation Is Considered to Have Occurred&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Object: A human being other than oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intention: The intent to misrepresent the truth and to deceive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Act: The act of communicating the untruth through words or gestures or by being silent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consequence: The person comprehends the meaning of the lie. Otherwise, our words are considered idle talk&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Exception:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unintentional misrepresentation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The use of speech to deceive is obvious, but the body too can be used as an instrument of communication – such as in writing (email, SMS, etc), hand signals, and gestures – all can be used to deceive others. The key element in this transgression is the intention. Therefore, there is no offense if a person misrepresents the truth unintentionally. For example, speaking too quickly and saying one thing while meaning to say another, such as a slip of the tongue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Intensity / Severity of Violation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intensity of violation depends on the content of the untruth and the consequence of the untruthfulness. For example, it is a serious offense when a person, out of greed, lies that he/she has attained arahanthood, and the other person believes him/her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aim of observing this precept is to respect truthfulness. Speech is a way of expressing our thoughts. By being mindful with what we say and how we say it, we train ourselves to be more skillful speakers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By giving up false speech, one becomes a speaker of truth. He does not deceive others, thus becoming a trustworthy and reliable person. Giving up slander, he reconciles those who are divided and brings them closer together. He strengthens friendships by living with love and harmony. Giving up harsh speech, he says what is gentle and pleasant, pleasing to the ear, affectionate and liked by most. Giving up idle chatter, he speaks at the right time in accordance with facts appropriate to the purpose, in accordance with the Dhamma. He speaks words worth treasuring, reasonable, appropriate, discriminating and to the point. (DN 1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, abandoning lying, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from lying. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the fourth gift... (AN8.39)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at the specific examples that you gave. I know that John was kicked out of university because of bad conduct but when asked by a friend, I say, &amp;quot;John probably already moved to another university&amp;quot;. All four criteria listed above are fulfilled, so this is considered a lie. According to the commentary, since all the criteria are fulfilled, the &amp;quot;kamma is completed&amp;quot;, which means that the intention can potentially cause rebirth in an unwholesome plane of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also faced difficult situations when asked questions. In some cases, such as SN 42.2 and SN 42.3, the Buddha said, &amp;quot;Don't ask that question&amp;quot; in other cases, he refused to answer. In AN 5.198, the Buddha gave the criteria for Right Speech as &amp;quot;It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You asked &amp;quot;Is being honest the same as having wisdom?&amp;quot; Being honest is one aspect of Right Speech. Wisdom (&lt;em&gt;paññā&lt;/em&gt;) involves turning the mind inwards through activities such as meditation, studying the Dhamma, teaching the Dhamma and straightening of views. So honesty can arise with or without wisdom. When honesty arises with wisdom there is awareness of the honesty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T07:24:50.440" CommentCount="23" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11896" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-03T12:29:21.070" Score="2" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a monk saying, in the beginning of this kappa Earth was covered with water. And a god or a brahma, I dont remember exactly whom, had put a lotus seed into that water and there grown 5 flowers and they represented the 5 Buddhas (Kakusanda, Konagama, Kashyapa, Gautama, Meithri) in this kappa. But I could not find where in Tripitaka did the lord Buddha say that. So I highly apreciate if someone could help me to find any reference to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="993" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T18:42:25.913" Title="Earth covered with water in the beginning?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|beginner|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11897" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11969" CreationDate="2015-10-03T13:41:58.987" Score="0" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, how would the end of times look like?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it just be the end of a pre-defined period, or would it be something different like the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rapture&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in Christianity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2019-01-28T06:28:06.797" LastActivityDate="2019-01-28T06:28:06.797" Title="How would the END look like?" Tags="|future|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11893" CreationDate="2015-10-03T15:24:52.203" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not providing all information, changing the subject or staying silent does not break the precept. But, marketing harmful food as healthy food or selling counterfeits as originals does break the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding the importance of honesty and knowing when to speak,what to speak and whom to speak are all instances of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T15:24:52.203" CommentCount="25" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11897" CreationDate="2015-10-03T16:16:56.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as there is becoming due to ignorance there will be existence in some form. Perhaps not as humans or planet earth, but further becoming is only extinguished through &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such questions don't hold much value in Buddhism for they don't lead to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa[1] forest. Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, &amp;quot;What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what have I taught? 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T16:16:56.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11889" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:03:43.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are very correct to point out the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;false dichotomy&lt;/a&gt; of happiness and unhappiness. If you are not unhappy then surely you are happy? Perhaps it's the way that language works that makes us think in black and white terms. Or maybe it's the way that our minds work that makes language black and white. However as Ben Goldacre says - t&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23132200-i-think-you-ll-find-it-s-a-bit-more-complicated-than-that&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hings are a bit more complicated than that&lt;/a&gt;. There are many states that equate to happiness and unhappiness and in between states too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you consider the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Rupa_Jhana_related_factors&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dyana factors&lt;/a&gt; then there are states accessible that normally people might equate to happiness but in fact are subtle (and not so subtle) manifestations of various mental processes. For instance rapture (pīti) and bliss (sukha) could both be said to be related to happiness but are different. Then after this there is equanimity (upekkhā) which could be though of as happiness but could be thought of as a stage in between. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it isn't just Buddhists that recognise the subtley in happiness. Aristole spoke of happiness as flourishing (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eudaimonia&lt;/a&gt;) but this wasn't something that could be said to occur moment by moment. I've heard it said that it someone could only have been judged to have (or have not) eudaimonia at the end of their life. So in a way that is happiness - &lt;a href=&quot;https://scifi.stackexchange.com/q/5238&quot;&gt;but not as we know it&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we can perhaps indulge in some dichotomies in the Pali language. It have been taught that a antonymn of dukkha (suffering) is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sukha&lt;/a&gt; (bliss). Which seems straightforward. However if we consider what the four noble truths tell us then the end of suffering is Nirvana. Is Nirvana then the inbetween state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:43:40.640" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T20:38:16.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11901" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11963" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:23:03.740" Score="3" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a Buddhist concept that maps to the western concept of the will? For instance the will to get up on a morning, to go to work, practice Buddhism etc... One of my teachers said that it is just another name for our greed, hatred and delusion. I really like that concept but I wonder if the will is discussed in Buddhist texts or by established teachers and in what terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-03T20:31:58.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:49:49.047" Title="In Buddhism what is 'the will'?" Tags="|terminology|free-will|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:42:21.787" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The will to do something would probably be equivalent to the term cetana, which means intention or an act of will. The term itself doesn't have any particular positive or negative connotation, as you can have a cetana that is good just as easily as a cetana to do something bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most significantly, the cetana formed with an act is what determines the kind of karma that is produced, as is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.063&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of&#xA;  body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T17:42:21.787" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11903" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11905" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:44:42.280" Score="9" ViewCount="1443" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I've slipped back into playing computers games. This morning I had a moment of clarity and realised that for me it is not a good activity and I've uninstalled them and I feel a lot better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But generally from a Buddhist perspective is playing computer games an unwholesome activity? If so what aspects of it make it so. Or could one be a committed practitioner and still do a bit of gaming on the side. I appreciate we have &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10247/157&quot;&gt;discussed the impacts on violent games on Karma before&lt;/a&gt; but I would like to know if computer games of any description are unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note - I'm not looking for my own computer game playing habit to be legitimatised so I can start it again. I'm satisfied that for me it is something best avoided. I am just wondering if it is something that Buddhists generally should avoid and if any modern teachers have discussed the issue).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-12-29T22:17:48.337" Title="Is playing computer games an unwholesome activity?" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|media|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11889" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:53:43.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many states of mind that can be categorized either as happy or unhappy. This categorization is individual. This categorization arises because of lack of knowledge about our-self and the reality outside our-self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happiness is satisfying desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unhappiness is not being able to satisfy desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a lay person, he becomes unhappy when happiness disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When happiness disappears, desires are not satisfied and a lay person becomes unhappy. He has 3 choices:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satisfies his desires -&gt; becomes happy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doesn't satisfy his desires -&gt; is unhappy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knows his unhappiness, the cause of his unhappiness and removes the cause of his unhappiness -&gt; becomes enlightened.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an enlightened person:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By abandoning both happiness and unhappiness, a person becomes liberated. Liberated is beyond happiness and unhappiness. It is neither happiness, nor unhappiness. It is the ultimate. The all and beyond all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person cannot become unhappy. He knows unhappiness leads to a bad future. Knowing, he abandons unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person can become happy. He knows happiness which leads to a bad future and happiness which leads to a good future. Knowing, he abandons happiness which leads to a bad future and accepts happiness which leads to a good future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T17:53:43.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:54:32.633" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different degrees of unwholesome activity. The term akusala (lit. unskillful, unwholesome) is a broad term that in addition to referring to 'bad' deeds (e.g. killing, stealing, adultery etc...) can refer to any kind of action that doesn't lead to the highest happiness. In this broader sense, all types of sensual indulgence such as food, sex, entertainment, wanting good clothes, etc... are akusala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By teaching that sensuality is akusala the Buddha wasn't teaching that everyone must abstain from them or else they are being bad Buddhists, but rather that they don't lead towards Nirvana, and that renouncing them is superior, and that in the end when one becomes Enlightened, one will give up the desire for them. That doesn't mean that as practicing Buddhists we cannot enjoy sensual pleasures within moderation, but giving them up is in the long run a much better way of finding happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T17:54:32.633" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11436" CreationDate="2015-10-03T17:55:48.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas say that the Buddha sasana will last five thousand years (at the midpoint of which we are now, incidentally), followed (about 4600 CE) by a long dark age during which dharma is completely forgotten as humanity continues to degenerate and the age of degeneration reaches its nadir.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point humanity will enter an evolutionary arc and pateccabuddhas will arise but not teach dharma till the appearance of Lord Metteyya, the Fifth Buddha of the current age, who will initiate a new dharma sasana in the far distant future (most estimates vary from tens of thousands to millions of years). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have always found it interesting that humanity enters an evolutionary arc automatically as it were without a corresponding Buddha appearing till it is near its zenith, described as a golden age including advanced scientific and technical knowledge and a large terrestrial population and great cities, which contradicts the common view that buddhas only appear at the nadir of the age. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:48:38.387" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:48:38.387" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-03T18:12:44.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The will&quot; is any kind of desiring, wanting, thinking, intending, choosing, doing, ... Be it very very subtle, very subtle, not very subtle, strong, very strong, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, &quot;the will&quot; comes from greed, hatred and delusion. All come from delusion. When all delusion is removed, &quot;the will&quot; is extinguished. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way as a flame is extinguished when all the fuel is removed, &quot;the will&quot; is extinguished when all delusion is removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By removing all delusion, &quot;the will&quot; remains until our bodies die, but because delusion is removed, &quot;the will&quot; is known, it's cause is known and it's ending is known. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing&quot; leads to final liberation: complete extinguishing of all will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T21:26:20.710" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T21:26:20.710" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11908" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-03T18:18:49.850" Score="4" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard a couple of mentions (but seen no direct reference) that there is a (presumably canonical) formal list of certain activities that you can attain enlightenment during.  I'm guessing it's the &quot;sudden&quot; the kind of enlightenment which is being implied in this list (not &quot;gradual&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This list includes formal sitting meditation, and chanting. Yes, you can apparently attain enlightenment right in the middle of a chant you are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone point at a particular canonical Sutta that says this?  Also, I do not recall even one Canonical reference to any arahant claiming they attained their full enlightenment during chanting. And this includes the Theragata, and Therigata. Can anyone else remember a person in the Canon who said they were enlightened during chanting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7046" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T17:19:11.120" Title="Does any canonical sutta say you can attain enlightenment *while* chanting?" Tags="|enlightenment|chanting|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11866" CreationDate="2015-10-03T18:20:54.953" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Plato's Cave&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/BxveP.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/BxveP.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 3 groups of peoples are there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1). Prisoners  (  world of faculty's)-Believe perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Plato has Socrates describe a gathering of people who have lived&#xA;  chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall.&#xA;  The people watch shadows projected on the wall from things passing in&#xA;  front of a fire behind them, and they begin to give names to these&#xA;  shadows. The shadows are as close as the prisoners get to viewing&#xA;  reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2). Philosophers (world of sankara) - Believe Reality.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed&#xA;  from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall do&#xA;  not make up reality at all, for he can perceive the true form of&#xA;  reality rather than the mere shadows seen by the prisoners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3). Those who escape from the cave.(Buddhists who liberated from the samsara)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Nirvana - Beyond the world&lt;/em&gt; - who can see through the reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Socrates remarks that this allegory can be taken with what was said&#xA;  before, namely the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;analogy of the sun&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;analogy of the divided&#xA;  line&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. In particular, he likens our perception of the world around us&#xA;  &quot;to the habitation in prison, the firelight there to the sunlight&#xA;  here, the ascent and the view of the upper world [to] the rising of&#xA;  the soul into the world of the mind&quot; (517b).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-04T00:57:40.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T00:57:40.877" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-04T00:57:40.877" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11897" CreationDate="2015-10-03T18:22:44.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no known beginning nor end of times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T18:22:44.087" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11896" CreationDate="2015-10-03T18:42:25.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently discussed this in my blog. Here is a quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha proceeds to tell Vasettha a cosmogony, a myth about the&#xA;  origin of the world and life. The earth was originally entirely&#xA;  covered by water, and everything was blinding darkness. There were no&#xA;  sun, moon, stars, night, day, months, fortnights, years, seasons, or&#xA;  gender. Interestingly, scientists believe that the earth was&#xA;  originally a “waterworld,” almost entirely covered by water, about 2.5&#xA;  billion years ago. The only life on earth at that time was sexless&#xA;  algae and bacteria. After a very long period, a skin formed on the&#xA;  surface of the water like the skin that forms over hot milk as it&#xA;  cools. In this passage, the Buddha demonstrates that he understands&#xA;  that the cause of the one world ocean at that time was the deep mantle&#xA;  of the earth, which was 200 degrees hotter than it is now, and also&#xA;  that it was cooling. As the deep mantle cooled, the continental crust&#xA;  formed must have been as described in the sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;During the waterworld era, any oxygen produced by photosynthesising&#xA;  bacteria would have been quickly used up through reactions with&#xA;  decaying organic matter in the oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the newly emerged land eroded, it produced sediment that washed&#xA;  into the oceans and buried the organic matter, preventing further&#xA;  reactions with oxygen, the scientists believe. As a result, oxygen was&#xA;  allowed to build up in the atmosphere and enable oxygen-breathing life&#xA;  to evolve and flourish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The eroded sediment would also have fertilised the oceans with&#xA;  phosphorous, an important nutrient for living things.[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon calls this phosphorus “skin” rasa-pathavi (lit.&#xA;  ‘earth-sap’). Interestingly in view of the subsequent reference to&#xA;  luminance, phosphorus emits a faint glow when exposed to oxygen. It is&#xA;  also an essential element of the human genetic material, DNA and RNA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://palisuttas.com/2015/04/26/aganna-sutta-dn-dn-27/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://palisuttas.com/2015/04/26/aganna-sutta-dn-dn-27/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T18:42:25.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11908" CreationDate="2015-10-03T19:29:43.283" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I posted an answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/does-any-canonical-sutta-say-you-can-attain-enlightenment-while-chanting/2194/4&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here, over at Sutta Central Forum&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... in the Aṅguttara Nikāya The Book of the Fives, Sutta 26, &amp;quot;Liberation&amp;quot;, the &amp;quot;five bases of liberation&amp;quot; are listed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Number three is &amp;quot;Reciting the Dhamma&amp;quot;. The pali term for &amp;quot;Reciting&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;sajjhāyaṃ karoti&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, which can also be translated as &amp;quot;chanting&amp;quot;, however the chanting referred to here must be deeply understood by the one chanting. That is to say, the type of chanting here is not as in incanting a mystical, magical spell in an arcane language, where you don't know what the words mean, where the power is inherent to the sound of the words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7046" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T19:48:36.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11897" CreationDate="2015-10-03T19:37:32.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;end of times&quot; is not a Buddhist concept so the meaning of the question is ambiguous. If by the end of times you mean the end of the earth, the teaching of the Pali Canon is expressed in the Sermon of the Seven Suns. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta appears to describe a supernova of our sun millions or billions of years in the future, including progressive global desertification, death of vegetation and species, and finally the earth itself being consumed in an expanded solar conflagration that takes tens or hundreds of thousands of years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;end of times&quot; you mean the end of samsara, religious Buddhism refers to this as the goal of the bodhisattva but I am not aware of any canonical references to the end of samsara. Logically, it seems that samsara, having no origin, cannot have an end either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:49:35.630" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:49:35.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11897" CreationDate="2015-10-03T21:32:32.807" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism isn't Christianity, so it is concerned with a different set of question and has different assumptions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the area of metaphysical speculation, the early Buddhist either explicitly put those questions outside of Buddhism, or assumed that the current assumptions of their day was correct, name that time has been going on for ever, will continue to do so, but go through cycles of things getting better and worse, falling apart and restarting. This is essentially the same world view of anyone in India at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something unique to Buddhism though, was speculation on how long Buddhism itself would last. All things change and disintegrate including Buddhism, as a movement and coherent set of teachings. Some early predictions thought 500 years, but as that time period came and passed, it was bumped up to a higher number.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest thing in the Buddhist system to end times is Mappo, the time of the decline of the Dharma. Many systems of Buddhism believed we were in the time of decline of the Dharma, and therefore we needed new creative ways to practice Buddhism that differed from early Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get a good understanding, read Jan Natiers paper on the topic: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/7175816/Buddhist_Eschatology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.academia.edu/7175816/Buddhist_Eschatology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-10-03T21:32:32.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11915" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11923" CreationDate="2015-10-04T01:20:17.963" Score="-2" ViewCount="1242" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11909/5513&quot;&gt;In this Answer&lt;/a&gt; for escaping the analogy as shown in Plato's cave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Socrates remarks that this allegory can be taken with what was said&#xA;  before, namely the &lt;strong&gt;analogy of the sun and the analogy of the divided&#xA;  line&lt;/strong&gt;. In particular, he likens our perception of the world around us&#xA;  &quot;to the habitation in prison, the firelight there to the sunlight&#xA;  here, the ascent and the view of the upper world [to] the rising of&#xA;  the soul into the world of the mind&quot; (517b).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He shows two analogy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1). Analogy of the sun. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2). Analogy of the divided line. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this two has any relationship with Buddhist two truths(Conventional and Ultimate)?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;conventional truths is believing worldly things.(eg. the car Is). If so what is the &quot; Divided line&quot;?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or else, What is then 'Majjima &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patipada&lt;/a&gt;'(Middle path)? Why Middle?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T03:48:15.250" Title="Is Lord Buddha's way applicable to escape from the 'Plato's cave'?" Tags="|philosophy|stages-of-the-path|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2015-10-04T01:35:07.323" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While we playing games we are prisoners of that and limited opportunity to escape from it. Life has same bondage. The unwholesome or wholesome is depends not on the activity itself, but which type of habit it generate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T12:16:53.317" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T12:16:53.317" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11436" CreationDate="2015-10-04T03:22:10.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was under the impression that the end of buddha sāsana occurs when noble eight-fold path(and the dhamma practitioners) disappear form all the realms including Śuddhāvāsa where only anāgāmins live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a school where only music prodigies or math prodigies attend, one would never have to worry about the decay of the school's reputation. The Pure Abodes are also like that. Since it's a realm where Non-Returners reside, it'll never face the problem of Dhamma decline there. Earthlings on the other hands, are much more inclined towards sensual pleasures and many other unwholesome deeds. It's the Dhamma on earth that's facing a serious danger of going into decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 20.7&lt;/a&gt;, although the Buddha didn't give an exact number on the life span of the Dhamma, He did give the clear sign and cause to its disappearance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...In the same way, in the course of the future there will be monks who won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing them, won't regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — will come about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T03:22:10.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-04T03:45:59.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a Buddhist concept that maps to the western concept of the will? For instance the will to get up on a morning, to go to work, practice Buddhism etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's the Four Right Kinds of Striving (Sammappadhana), part of the 37 Aids to Enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn77&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 77&lt;/a&gt;: “Again, Udāyin, I have proclaimed to my disciples the way to develop the four right kinds of striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He awakens zeal for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He awakens zeal for the arising of unarisen wholesome states…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He awakens zeal for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. And thereby many disciples of mine abide having reached the consummation and perfection of direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T03:45:59.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2015-10-04T04:24:11.857" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Sutta (SN42.2) where the Buddha is approached by the head of an acting troupe and asked, “I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of actors that 'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh &amp;amp; gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After twice refusing to reply, the Buddha said, “Any beings who are not devoid of passion / aversion / delusion to begin with focus with even more passion / aversion / delusion on things inspiring passion / aversion / delusion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless — with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of laughter. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh &amp;amp; gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2500 years ago, just as today, actors make people laugh and give them delight with their imitation of reality. With today’s technology, we have new ways of making ourselves “intoxicated and heedless” (such as computer games) but the effect on the mind (and our spiritual development) is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to AN 8.40 (and elsewhere) “idle chatter” leads to rebirth in a woeful state. In many Suttas (such as AN 10.69), the Buddha defined “idle chatter” as “conversation about kings, robbers, ministers of state, armies, alarms, battles, food and drink, clothing, furniture, garlands, scents, relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, the countryside, women and heroes, the gossip of the street and the well, tales of the dead, tales of diversity, the creation of the world and of the sea, talk of whether things exist or not.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With today’s technology (newspapers, Facebook, etc.) we have new ways of indulging in “idle chatter” but the effect on the mind (and our spiritual development) is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will notice that the five precepts (the moral code for laypeople) do not mention giving up wrong view or idle chatter. This is because the five precepts are ethical in nature. Only once there is a strong foundation of ethics can one consider spiritual development (taking on eight or more precepts). So playing computer games is not an ethically unwholesome activity, but the mental states that playing computer games engenders are not conducive to spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T04:24:11.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-10-04T08:39:37.877" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The deathless element refers to the aspect of your existence which is persistent through all mental states and conditions. It is not death in the sense of physical life or death, but in the sense of being eternally persistent within all conscious existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this interpretation, it shows that Nibbana is not a state to be attained, but is instead an element of being, which is to be recognized as ever-present and then aligned with. Through recognizing yourself only as the deathless element, and only as a witness to the conditioned phenomenon, you reach the state of Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7052" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T08:39:37.877" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11893" CreationDate="2015-10-04T10:20:35.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When information is private, then instead of lying you could say, &quot;I can't tell you&quot;, &quot;I'm not allowed to say&quot;, or &quot;That's private&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you could just not talk about it: and not say anything, or talk about something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the definition of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right speech&lt;/a&gt;&quot; includes &quot;abstaining from speech&quot;, and &quot;not saying&quot; things at the wrong time and/or without affection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 245 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this description of the Monastic Code&lt;/a&gt; explains lying in a bit more detail. It says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A deliberate lie is a statement or gesture made with the aim of&#xA;  misrepresenting the truth to someone else. The K/Commentary, summarizing&#xA;  the long “wheels” in the Vibhaºga, states that a violation of this rule requires&#xA;  two factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Intention&lt;/em&gt;: the aim to misrepresent the truth; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Effort&lt;/em&gt;: the effort to make another individual know whatever one wants to&#xA;  communicate based on that aim.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intention&lt;/strong&gt;. The aim to misrepresent the truth fulfills this factor regardless of&#xA;  what one’s motives are. Thus “white lies”—made with benevolent intentions&#xA;  (e.g., to a person whose state of mind is too weak to take the truth)—would fall&#xA;  under this rule, so a bhikkhu who wants to shield an emotionally weak person&#xA;  from harsh truths has to be very skillful in phrasing his statements. Also,&#xA;  outrageous lies meant as jokes—to amuse rather than to deceive—would fall&#xA;  under this rule as well, a point we will discuss further in the non-offense section.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Effort&lt;/strong&gt;. According to the Vibhanga, to misrepresent the truth means to say&#xA;  that one has seen X when one hasn’t, that one hasn’t seen X when one has, or&#xA;  that one has seen X clearly when one is in doubt about the matter. This pattern&#xA;  holds for the other senses—hearing, smell, taste, touch, and ideation—as well.&#xA;  Thus to repeat what one has heard, seen, etc., even if it actually is&#xA;  misinformation, does not count as a misrepresentation of the truth under this&#xA;  rule, as one is truthfully reporting what one has seen, etc. If, however, one says&#xA;  that one believes in such misinformation—when one actually doesn’t—one’s&#xA;  statement would count as a misrepresentation of the truth and so would fulfill&#xA;  this factor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So apparently a &quot;white lie&quot; intended benevolently to shield someone from harsh truth must be phrased skillfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of &quot;the student got kicked out from a University&quot;, if you wanted to white-wash that, perhaps you could reply to repeated direct questioning by saying things like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I understand he's left the university&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;If you want to know why, perhaps you could ask his tutor -- I suppose his tutor would know why&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Yes he did explain that to me but it was a private conversation&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The training rules (precepts) are typically more to do with 'acts of commission' (i.e. saying or doing the wrong thing) than 'acts of omission' (i.e. not saying or not doing the right thing). For example if a person were drowning and you could save them but don't, then technically that isn't killing: morally wrong perhaps, but not killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly to &quot;be quiet about the truth&quot; isn't the same thing as &quot;tell a lie&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T10:20:35.567" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11915" CreationDate="2015-10-04T14:57:40.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why this got so many down votes.  It is a very valid question.  If this site is going to take up a discussion on topics on comparative religion (i.e. whether or not &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2182/is-jesus-considered-to-be-a-buddha&quot;&gt;Jesus was a Buddha&lt;/a&gt;), there's no reason why questions of comparative philosophy can't also be entertained.  In fact, I'd say that this is actually an important question because it really gets at the heart of the difference between Buddhism and Western philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think you can draw a perfect parallel between Buddhism and Plato Cave, but there are some fleeting similarities specifically between what is written in the Republic and the use of koans in Zen Buddhism.  In Plato's cave, we find Socrates advising Glaucon that the most effective form of study &quot;has a power of drawing and converting the mind to the contemplation of true being&quot;. Knowledge of the sciences has the double use of being functional (as for the military leader) and revelatory (for the philosopher).  It is at once pragmatic and soteriological. For the philosopher, study of a single aspect of reality reveals a kind of universal truth.  Socrates for example, uses the perception of fingers giving rise to a conceptualization of unity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sciences, we study one specific aspect of reality. The value in the scientific method is in it's keen ability to narrow the focus of an experiment, be able to control for variables, and draw conclusions.  Zen koans are also extremely specific.  Koan literally means &quot;public case&quot;.  Their scope is as narrow as a legal decision.  A koan is given to alert the student to a very specific aspect of reality. Just as Socrates uses the external sciences and geometry, the phenomenon addressed by koans can often be a matter of external sense perception.  The Buddha Holds Out a Flower, Hsiang-yen's sweeping, and many other koans use an isolated case of sensory perception as a means of revealing something about the nature of reality.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While external nature is revelatory in both systems, it's the difference in approach that really distinguishes Buddhism from the methodology used by Socrates.  Over and over again in the Republic, Socrates' philosopher is using his discriminating mind - his reason - as a means of apprehending the truth.  He thinks about the ramifications of his subjects.   Consider the following passage:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Until the person is able to abstract and define rationally the idea of&#xA;  good, and unless he can run the gauntlet of all objections, and is&#xA;  ready to disprove them, not by appeals to opinion, but to absolute&#xA;  truth, never faltering at any step of the argument --unless he can do&#xA;  all this, you would say that he knows neither the idea of good nor any&#xA;  other good; he apprehends only a shadow, if anything at all, which is&#xA;  given by opinion and not by science; --dreaming and slumbering in this&#xA;  life, before he is well awake here, he arrives at the world below, and&#xA;  has his final quietus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The man liberated from Socrates' cave is a rational being of intellectual understanding.  The philosophy that rises out of his study of science lives in the world of conceptualization.  Contrast that with the student of Zen.  The value of his study isn't based on what Buddha's flower means intellectually, but rather in the actual perception of that flower in a mind marked by emptiness.  The student of Zen isn't concerned with the philosophical implications of why Hsiang-yen was liberated when the rock hit the bamboo.  A student of Zen, in a state of emptiness, wants to hear the &quot;tock&quot; for themselves.  The kind of sensory experience used in Zen can only be had through deep meditation and the emptying the mind of forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The western philosophy uses the mind to escape the cave.  Zen uses no-mind.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T15:16:53.903" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-04T15:14:09.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Will is cetana, 'consciousness, sense, thought, intention,' the original and originating kinetic aspect of trans-dual reality. Intention is of course the essence of karma, correlative to the &quot;act of observation&quot; in quantum physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the root of samsara, the principle where samsara originates in reality, not in the sense of a temporal sequence but in the sense of logical primacy. Desirous attachment is will in its objectifying mode. Based on your examples it might also be correlated with 'energy' (viriya'), to which the Buddha frequently exhorts his followers, contrary to the view that Buddhist practitioners are &quot;passive.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:49:49.047" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:49:49.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2015-10-04T15:21:52.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I addressed this in my blog recently. Quotation follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches the path of the arhant, the Noble Eightfold Path,&#xA;  consisting of four levels of attainment of degrees of progressive&#xA;  realization or accomplishment: stream entrant, whereby one achieves&#xA;  emancipation within seven rebirths without ever experiencing a lower&#xA;  non-human rebirth; a once-returner, whereby one is reborn as a human&#xA;  being once more only; a non-returner, whereby one is never again&#xA;  reborn as a human being, but will be born as a deva being in the Five&#xA;  Pure Abodes; or an arhant, in which on death one achieves parinibbana&#xA;  (lit. ‘complete snuffing out,’ as of a fire) and subsequent&#xA;  ‘immortality’ (amata). This Pali word, amata, pervades the Pali Canon,&#xA;  and is generally translated as ‘deathlessness,’ but the PED makes it&#xA;  clear that the primary meaning is amrita, translated by Rhys Davids as&#xA;  ‘ambrosia’ or ‘water of immorality,’ from the Sanskrit root MR,&#xA;  ‘death.’ Amrita, which is also described in the PED as a “medicine,”&#xA;  is the Buddhist word for soma, the Vedic mind-altering beverage that&#xA;  is identical with the plant-based psychedelic that was worshipped by&#xA;  the early Aryans and inspired the rishis, including the Seven Sages,&#xA;  to write the ecstatic hymns of the Rig Veda. Mata means both ‘thought’&#xA;  and ‘dead,’ so the state of amata is a state beyond both death and&#xA;  thinking. Paradoxically, a state of apparent ‘impercipience’ is&#xA;  identical with the realization of essential sentience itself. Hence,&#xA;  ‘deathlessness.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://palisuttas.com/2015/06/07/epitome-of-the-pali-canon/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://palisuttas.com/2015/06/07/epitome-of-the-pali-canon/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T15:21:52.530" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11915" CreationDate="2015-10-04T16:22:18.250" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that it is a serious misreading of both Buddhism and Platonism to try to conflate these different metaphors. They are given in very different contexts to very different audiences with very different sets of assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Plato, the analogy of the cave isn't just a dramatic fable about abandoning falsehood and coming to see the truth, but instead is a parable that is deeply intertwined with his metaphysics. For Plato, objects of the physical world are but mere shadows cast which are cast by abstract concepts called forms. For example, all the chairs in the physical world are but mere crude reflections of a single perfect immaterial form called the form of chair, which resides off in the world of forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context, Plato's cave allegory is about abandoning the physical world of mere reflections and instead turning towards the contemplation of these immaterial forms, and ultimately, to the highest form known as the form of good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist understanding of the two truths is fundamentally different from this in many respects. In Buddhism, the two truths aren't two different levels of metaphysics, but rather two different levels of inquiry. Conventional truth is done from the perspective of ordinary language and human perception, and ultimate truth asks deeper questions that go beyond that. For example, if I look at a car and think &quot;That's a car&quot; I am working on the level of conventional truth, and if I instead look at that same car and after reflecting on it think &quot;a 'car' is merely a name which we give to a collection of parts' then that is ultimate truth. But at the same time, there is only one car that I am looking at. Conventional truth and ultimate truth are two different perspectives we can use to look at things, not two layers of reality as is the case for Plato contrasting the world of forms with the world of matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T16:22:18.250" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11915" CreationDate="2015-10-04T16:31:59.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's been a long time since I read Plato, so beware this answer may be based on childish misunderstandings and bad memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave#Themes_in_the_allegory_appearing_elsewhere_in_Plato.27s_work&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mentioned here&lt;/a&gt; the &quot;shadows&quot; which people see in the cave are a metaphor for &quot;real&quot; objects perceived by the senses, which are shadows of &quot;ideal&quot; or &quot;spiritual&quot; objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if we're in the cave and if we see for example a (real) horse, Plato wants us to understand/believe that there's such a thing as an &quot;ideal&quot; horse, of which the real (visible) horse is a projection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this is similar to some Buddhism doctrine but actually almost the opposite. Buddhism says there's no ideal horse, in fact there's never even a real horse, instead there's just some assemblage of bones and guts and so on. I suspect that the Anatta doctrine of Buddhism might be the opposite of Platonic Idealism: Anatta would say there's no self in the world, maybe also no horseness (no horse-ideal or no soul-of-horse) in the alleged horse , etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist &quot;escape from the cave&quot; might be to understand that the cave is just an analogy, an idea with little or no basis in reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T16:31:59.280" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11930" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-04T16:33:18.433" Score="1" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any meditation computer  feedback programs out there? Like Biofeedback.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What could they do? Allow a teacher much insight into a student? Allow a meditator to know when wandering is happening,  when subtle thinking is happening or to know when reality is seen directly or with concepts? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would this be a helpful tool to be used all the time, only  sometimes or never?-(Perhaps because it creates a duality, it creates aversion, it's unnessasary, it's not in the Pali Canon or anything).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T14:42:35.100" Title="Computer Feedback in Meditation" Tags="|modern-world|meditation-insight|teaching|samatha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11930" CreationDate="2015-10-04T17:56:15.950" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Biofeedback programs just take data such as heart rate, blood pressure, etc... and display them on a screen so that the person can see them. The underlying theory is that if a person can directly see what's going on, they would be better able to adjust themselves to slow them down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because these devices cannot directly access the mental activity of the meditator, I don't see how they could be of much use. Certainly if one is developing some form of calm abiding it might be useful to an absolute beginner, but once they start making progress, even stopping to check the machine readout would be comparatively distracting and would erode one's concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T17:56:15.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11930" CreationDate="2015-10-04T19:30:46.887" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard of some meditators who use tools like EEGs. Of late these models are becoming pretty cheap, USD 100-500, which was unthinkable even a few years ago. They can't be very accurate at this price but they are there, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.neurosky.com/products/brainwave-starter-kit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Neurosky Brainwave&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in theory they can reveal whether thoughts stray frequently or stay in one spot, and we can train using the feedback to move brain waves to certain areas and stay there. I don't immediately see how this will add any more than novelty value to my meditation practice, since I already know the familiar zones my brain hits by observing the breath and other bodily signs. If I was more curious I'd probably read up on the possible patterns of breaths and their associated brain states, as far as I know the advanced Buddhist meditation literature is pretty encyclopaedic about such patterns. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, such tools might be very useful - having never tried one I can't be certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of reviews I've read claim these don't work very well. They seem to be mostly marketed for kids with ADD, but the geeky meditator is an emerging sub-category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone I knew had one around I'd try it since I am curious, but since I know it'll probably be a useless toy on the shelf after a few weeks, in the spirit of letting go, I've skipped buying one for myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-10-04T19:38:34.567" LastActivityDate="2015-10-04T19:38:34.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11933" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-04T19:47:13.140" Score="6" ViewCount="144" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the canonical reference if I wanted to read about breath patterns and their mapping to specific mind states? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A while back I came across an online text which contained some very hard-to-remember tables of breath sequences. It was, if I remember correctly, a &lt;em&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/em&gt; style Theravada text. It listed breath sequences such as a 2s-4l-2s breath sequence (s-short, l-long) followed by 2s-2l-2s etc. and mapped them to specific stages on the way to Jhanas and nanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also had explanations about the kind of person who would get a certain sequence - for example a person who's upheld sila would get so-and-so breath pattern as opposed to a person strong in samadhi etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this sound familiar to anyone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm open to such texts from any tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T05:42:32.860" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T18:37:09.507" Title="Breath patterns in texts" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11999" CreationDate="2015-10-04T21:33:46.690" Score="4" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not have a strong theoretical grasp of the concept of rebirth, so I am wondering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is each Buddha that has existed/will exist the same being, reincarnated? Or is each Buddha a totally unrelated person from the previous Buddhas and Buddhas to come, who just happens to realize all of the same truths that the previous Buddha realized?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T07:51:52.470" Title="Is the next Buddha the same entity/being as the previous Buddha, or another discrete being who comes to the same realizations as the previous Buddha?" Tags="|theravada|buddhas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11935" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-05T00:00:38.997" Score="2" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a legal, online version of the Abhidhamma in English. Can anyone point me towards some good online sources, especially for the major books of the Abhidhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T05:03:05.290" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T03:20:49.443" Title="Text request--Abhidhamma" Tags="|reference-request|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11936" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-05T00:05:50.597" Score="4" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for some legal, online Tibetan Buddhist texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been studying Buddhism for a long time (although mostly Theravada) and so I am not looking for something at the beginner level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something that involves specific, meditative techniques/instructions and/or deals with emotional development would especially relevant to me. A list of major texts would also be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T15:03:56.663" Title="Text request--Tibetan Buddhism" Tags="|mahayana|texts|tibetan-buddhism|technique|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11936" CreationDate="2015-10-05T01:47:36.987" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Karma Kagyu school several legal, online, free, traditional sacred texts are available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T02:23:11.137" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T02:23:11.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11935" CreationDate="2015-10-05T03:09:48.133" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot; is an excellent translation of the Abhidhammattha Sangaha with extensive explanation / charts by Bhikkhu Bodhi. It can be legally downloaded from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;CMA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are scanned copies of some of the Abhidhamma Pitaka available at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammasangani &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/dhammasangani.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khmerbuddhism.net/ebooks/english/DHAMMASANGANI.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vibhanga &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/vibhanga.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khmerbuddhism.net/ebooks/english/VIBHANGA.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali versions appear to be legal, the legality of the English versions is questionable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My strong advice to you is to start with the CMA. Only once you have &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;truly mastered&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; this text should you even consider looking at the original Abhidhamma Pitaka texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T03:09:48.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11915" CreationDate="2015-10-05T03:13:45.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the Middle path leads to Escape.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/first-principles-of-buddha-dharma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Seventh Principle: The Absolute in its absoluteness – Paramartha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the principle which states that awareness (vidya) is the&#xA;  inherent condition of Being itself. There is no 'Being' beyond the&#xA;  awareness of that Being. This means that awakening (or&#xA;  'enlightenment') is already a done deal. Nothing 'in Being' needs be&#xA;  awakened, or cleaned up, or changed – made more spiritual, more aware&#xA;  – for it must already Be. Which means that the world of Samsara, just&#xA;  as it is, already is Nirvana, and vice versa. Mundane existence is&#xA;  simultaneously absolute transcendence. Ignorance dawns as Gnosis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To Achieve  this have to follow the path witch has &lt;strong&gt;two ways&lt;/strong&gt;:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/HpUQZ.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/HpUQZ.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T03:48:15.250" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T03:48:15.250" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11934" CreationDate="2015-10-05T03:55:51.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Next Buddha is a totally unrelated separate person to previous Buddha. He will realize the same truth as previous Buddha when his(previous Buddha) teachings are no longer among us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once someone becomes Arahant, He will never be born again. The whole purpose of being Arahant is not to be born again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can previous Buddha can tell prophecy about next Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be a Buddha, its saying we have to do lot of good Karma and endless sacrifices. Buddha can see someone's Karma and how these Karma going to effect them. Therefore, Buddha can see whose Karma is fulfilled to be next Buddha and when it happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As become a Buddha is so difficult, it's only for great persons who has endless courage and such a kind heart for all beings to preach them Dharma and make them aware of Samsara.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T03:55:51.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11943" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11952" CreationDate="2015-10-05T05:18:25.003" Score="1" ViewCount="88" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the end of this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/first-principles-of-buddha-dharma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;First Principles of Buddha Dharma&lt;/a&gt;, in the  'Summing Up' section, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the sense of Dharma being the 'teachings' of the Buddha, the teachings that explain the Path of Awakening, we find them composed in twelve types of scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(12) &lt;em&gt;Upadesa&lt;/em&gt;, concerning esoteric doctrines, the equivalent to Tantra ('tradition'), in which the Buddha appears in various archetypal forms, for the illumination of beings. These tantrika works are quite numerous, but not readily comprehensible except for &lt;strong&gt;those who have the correct key&lt;/strong&gt; to their meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is that Key ?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;What is the meaning of it?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is it a secret of that tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T11:53:21.047" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T12:09:46.583" Title="What is the 'key' to these tantrika works?" Tags="|mahayana|terminology|texts|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11944" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-05T05:39:19.680" Score="2" ViewCount="1632" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if I should expect any problems after I have done my meditation in the morning for a half hour? For the whole morning afterwards, my mind felt very slow to think of anything. Is that a good or bad sign?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7061" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T15:00:36.377" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T09:31:48.777" Title="Why does my mind feel slow to think nearly half day after my meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-effects|meditation-breath|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11945" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-05T09:34:16.400" Score="7" ViewCount="798" Body="&lt;p&gt;By following the Buddha's Path, when will I realize that I am free from rebirth and suffering? Is there any indication or sign ? Does one knows it at one's death bed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T10:43:08.993" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T21:01:09.920" Title="When do I realize that I am free from rebirth?" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11936" CreationDate="2015-10-05T09:50:32.710" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Gelug tradition expounds on the following five types of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You find &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fpmtabc.org/teaching_files/resources_dltra2bpm1.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; teachings (for free) related to Tsongkhapa's Middle-Length Lam Rim. They must cover the first, second and third types of the five types of meditation I list below. They were given by my teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also have the possibility to subscribe to the FPMT &lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#homestudy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Online Basic Program&lt;/a&gt;. It provides with study material on twelve subjects. You can chose which subject(s) you wish to study. Again, the &lt;em&gt;Stages of the Path&lt;/em&gt; (Lam Rim) module relates to the first, second and third of the 5 types of meditation listed below, while the Ornament for Clear Realization, Ch 4 relates to the practice of the four placements (as well as to actual vipassana, meditation on emptiness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five types of meditation you find in the Gelug tradition are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of the type of Vipassana (i.e. analytical), but not actual vipassana&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Most &lt;strong&gt;Lam Rim&lt;/strong&gt; topics are objects of such analytical meditations.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Ani Karin Valham (a quiet inspiring nun and teacher from Kopan, ordained for almost 40 years now) wrote outlines called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/lam_rim_outline.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beginner's meditation guide&lt;/a&gt;. It's best is you already know Tsongkhapa's Middle-Length or Greater Lam Rim text. There are other Lam Rim such as Atisha's &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.fr/Atishas-Enlightenment-Geshe-Sonam-Rinchen/dp/1559390824/ref=sr_1_1?s=english-books&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1466607552&amp;amp;sr=1-1&amp;amp;keywords=atisa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lamp for the path to enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Calm Abiding&lt;/strong&gt; (non-analytical)&#xA;&lt;br&gt;In Tibetan tradition, we cultivate calm abiding mostly by focusing on a [mental image of] the body of the Buddha. Not so much on one's breath. Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo, volume 3, explains the practice. Commentaries on this are:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Samatha Meditation&lt;/em&gt;, by Gen Lamrimpa.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Balancing the Mind&lt;/em&gt;, by Alan Wallace.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Study and Practice of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;, Leah Zahler.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- Gyaltsab Je's &lt;em&gt;Explanation: Ornament of the Essence Chapter 1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Actual &lt;strong&gt;Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt; (i.e. analytical meditation on emptiness)&#xA;As commentaries to the 2nd part of the 3rd volume of Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo, the FPMT advises these:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- Tsongkhapa's &lt;em&gt;Final Exposition of Wisdom&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Insight into Emptiness&lt;/em&gt;, by Khensur Tegchok&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Meditation on Emptiness&lt;/em&gt;, by Jeffrey Hopkins.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- &lt;em&gt;Emptiness Yoga&lt;/em&gt;, by Jeffrey Hopkins.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four Placements&lt;/strong&gt; (close to Sathipattana, but not as elaborated as the typically Theravadin practice)&#xA;&lt;br&gt;- Maitreya's Ornament of clear Realization (and commentaries by Haribhadra, Gyaltsab Je, etc)&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For further study, the four placements are &lt;strong&gt;the first of the 37 aids to Enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt; (Skt.: &lt;em&gt;bodhipakṣa dharma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mahamudra&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;&lt;br&gt;It is meditation of the conventional nature of the mind (clear light - or 'clear and knowing') and its ultimate nature. Exercises such as 'the mind like a mirror', or 'the mind like the sky', or 'four placements without an anchor' are preliminaries to it. One can study &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1559390727&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra&lt;/a&gt; from H.H. the Dalaï-Lama &amp;amp; Alexander Berzin. Mahamudra is divided into two: (1) sutra and (2) tantra.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-06-22T15:03:56.663" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T15:03:56.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11947" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11956" CreationDate="2015-10-05T10:48:55.627" Score="3" ViewCount="169" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is pain comprised of the four great elements. I believe it is because  it has hardness/softness, coolness/hotness, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T11:20:14.213" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:31:41.870" Title="Is pain comprised of the four great elements?" Tags="|rupa|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11945" CreationDate="2015-10-05T10:51:23.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As soon as you become an Arahant. In other words, when you attain the undying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T10:51:23.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11947" CreationDate="2015-10-05T10:55:54.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No! Patavi, Apo, Tejo, Vayo are elements of Rupa. Pain is a sensation caused by those elements coming into contact with the sense doors while the the mind is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T10:55:54.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11945" CreationDate="2015-10-05T11:51:14.700" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf&quot;&gt;Milindapanha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king said, “Is there anyone who is not reborn&#xA;  after death?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   “Yes there is. The one who has no defilements is not&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  reborn after death; the one who has defilements is reborn.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   “Will you be reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   “&lt;strong&gt;If I die with attachment in my mind, yes; but if not,&#xA;  no.&lt;/strong&gt;”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who is reborn, Nàgasena, is he the&#xA;  same person or another?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Neither the same nor another.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Is the man who will not be reborn aware of the fact?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Yes, O king.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “How does he know it?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “&lt;strong&gt;By the cessation of all that is cause or condition of&#xA;  rebirth. As a farmer who does not plough or sow or reap&#xA;  would know that his granary is not getting filled up.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it, Nàgasena, that is reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Mind and matter (&lt;em&gt;namarupa&lt;/em&gt;).”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Is it this very mind and matter that is reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “No, it is not, but by this mind and matter deeds are&#xA;  done and because of those deeds another mind and matter&#xA;  is reborn; but that mind and matter is not thereby released&#xA;  from the results of its previous deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Does he who will not be reborn feel any painful&#xA;  feeling?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “He may feel physical pain, O king, but not mental&#xA;  pain.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “If he feels painful feelings then why doesn’t he just&#xA;  die and attain the extinction of grasping, and put an end to&#xA;  suffering?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “The arahant has no fondness for or aversion to life...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Will you, Nàgasena, be reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “What is the use of asking that question again? Have&#xA;  I not already told you that if I die with attachment in my&#xA;  mind I shall be reborn, if not I shall not.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Would he who is about to be reborn know it?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Yes he would, &lt;strong&gt;just as a farmer who puts seed into the&#xA;  ground, seeing it rain well, would know that a crop will be&#xA;  produced.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, do you feel that you still have attachments, mental or emotional? That's how you know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T13:31:45.133" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T13:31:45.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11945" CreationDate="2015-10-05T12:05:56.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As soon as you become an Arahant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, when you fully realize the&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three marks of existence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Emptiness(Sunya).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;No personal viewpoint.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Nature of without cravings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Elimination of the 3 roots of carving.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-09T21:01:09.920" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T21:01:09.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11943" CreationDate="2015-10-05T12:09:46.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Lotus Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has thus taught this sutra in many places for the sake of the&#xA;  sentient beings. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Brahma. Sometimes&#xA;  he has appeared in the form of Śakra. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Īśvara. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Maheśvara.&#xA;  Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the great commander of the devas.&#xA;  Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Vaiśravaṇa. Sometimes he has&#xA;  appeared in the form of a noble emperor. Sometimes he has appeared in the&#xA;  form of a minor king. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a wealthy&#xA;  man. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a householder. Sometimes&#xA;  he has appeared in the form of a state official. Sometimes he has appeared in&#xA;  the form of a brahman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a monk, nun,&#xA;  layman, or laywoman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the wife of&#xA;  a wealthy man or a householder. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of&#xA;  the wife of a state official. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the wife&#xA;  of a brahman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a boy or a girl. Sometimes&#xA;  he has appeared in the form of a human, or a nonhuman such as a deva,&#xA;  nāga, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kiṃnara, or mahoraga.&#xA;  “In this way he has expounded this sutra and saved those in the states&#xA;  of being of hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, animals, and those in difficult circumstances.&#xA;  Sometimes he has transformed himself into a female in royal harems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he is able to save them in the form of a śrāvaka, he teaches&#xA;  the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a śrāvaka. If he is able to&#xA;  save them in the form of a pratyekabuddha, he teaches the Dharma by changing&#xA;  himself into the form of a pratyekabuddha. If he is able to save them in&#xA;  the form of a bodhisattva, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into&#xA;  the form of a bodhisattva. If he is able to save them in the form of a buddha,&#xA;  he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a buddha. &lt;strong&gt;Thus&#xA;  he transforms himself in various ways according to the capacities of those&#xA;  who are to be saved.&lt;/strong&gt; If he is able to save them by means of parinirvāṇa, he&#xA;  manifests parinirvāṇa to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T12:09:46.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11955" CreationDate="2015-10-05T12:34:05.793" Score="4" ViewCount="1613" Body="&lt;p&gt;If they exist, then how are they connected to the God(s)/Lord Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T12:12:22.160" LastActivityDate="2018-10-28T05:46:55.403" Title="Are there Goddesses in Buddhism? If yes, who are they?" Tags="|the-buddha|belief|god|deva|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11953" CreationDate="2015-10-05T13:00:44.740" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depending on who you ask, Buddhism does or doesn't have Goddesses. The issue is complex because people define these terms differently, and Buddhism often co-opted the practices of the cultures in which it entered.  So some schools of Buddhism may have dieties, others may have Bodhisattvas they venerate, others may claim those Bodhisattvas are de facto dieties and accuse those who claim otherwise of equivocation...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great example of this is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Quan Yin (Guanyin)&lt;/a&gt;.  She is the symbol of compassion and thus she figures very prominently in Buddhist iconography.  For instance, at my local Mahayana Temple, there are far more statues of Quan Yin than of The Buddha himself.  Quan Yin is not related to The Buddha, she seems to have been a pre-existing Goddess who got co-opted into Mahayana Buddhist belief.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T13:19:13.143" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T13:19:13.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11953" CreationDate="2015-10-05T15:14:42.607" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll answer in two parts-- what sort of looks like a god in Buddhism and which of those are female.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhism didn't see gods as important to solving their fundamental problem of ending suffering. Gods were seen as a possible destination for our reincarnation. Gods didn't provide any help to us humans, they were too busy enjoying themselves (devas) or jealously fighting each other (asuras). In Mahayana Buddhism, the devas are not the target of devotionalism, respect and appeal for help, so I'll skip over them. (Except maybe to the extent that they were recast as Bodhisattvas &amp;amp; Buddhas)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later Buddhism developed the Bodhisattva Path, which was based on the idea that one should strive to become a Buddha. The Bodhisattvas were models of behavior, but rapidly also became devotional targets who would provide various this-worldly benefits, such as defense against snakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also by this time, the Buddha and enlightened people in general were supposed to have extreme long life, the ability to know past lives, to do &quot;astral projection&quot;, and so on. As sutras evolved, Buddhas gained more powers until they were indistinguishable from a conventional god from a more familiar religion like devotional Hinduism, Christianity, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a lot of controversy about if a woman could reach enlightenment (arahathood) or become a Buddha (full Buddhahood). I think it's not controversial to say that from the time of the historical Buddha the relevant societies were deeply sexist and reluctant to admit that woman could become Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avalokiteśvara was Bodhisattva who once the story arrived in China became a woman (Kwan Yin). Kwan Yin is both a devotional target and a model.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tara is an important Yidam in the Tantric system. People appeal to Tara both for this-worldly aid and use visualization techniques to imagine themselves as a Tara-- i.e. an enlightened being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jan Natier has a good discussion about women in Buddhism, in this paper, although it is is somewhat specific to the Lotus Sutra by the end: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/8164216/Gender_and_Hierarchy_in_the_Lotus_S%C5%ABtra&quot;&gt;https://www.academia.edu/8164216/Gender_and_Hierarchy_in_the_Lotus_S%C5%ABtra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T15:14:42.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11947" CreationDate="2015-10-05T15:16:28.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is better to use awareness or sensation than pain. Brain get information from sense devises. Mind is macro level than bio-chemistry(Micro level) signals . So mind feels hardness/softness, coolness/hotness, etc.&#xA;This is how maps reality with experience. without physical contact no real sensations create. But in dreams an in trance mind can imagine anything as real.&#xA;How it works telepathy and extra sensations are beyond this topic.  They may be lower level communications. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism's  main aim is not scientific analyses of physical body. But how to create, process and continuous mind(consciousness) and  effect of actions('kamma') to it. Studying using meditation as a tool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as shown in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MahaSathipattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This is a one-way path, monks, for the purification of beings, for&#xA;  the overcoming of grief and lamentation, for the extinction of pain&#xA;  and sorrow, for attaining the right way, for the direct realisation of&#xA;  Nibbāna, that is to say, the four ways of attending to mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in&#xA;  the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and&#xA;  sorrow regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings, ardent,&#xA;  fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding&#xA;  the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He dwells contemplating (the nature of) the mind in the mind, ardent,&#xA;  fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding&#xA;  the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things,&#xA;  ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow&#xA;  regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context all physical things are consider as 'Rupa' and assume they consists with 4 'Maha Butha'('Datu') Patavi, Apo, Tejo, Vayo.&#xA;The main advantage of this method is reduce complexity to identify &quot;The Body&quot; exactly not more not less. (&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Body as body&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in&#xA;  regard to himself, or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body&#xA;  in the body in regard to others, or he dwells contemplating (the&#xA;  nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in regard to&#xA;  others, or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the&#xA;  body, or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the&#xA;  body, or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and&#xA;  dissolution in the body, or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is&#xA;  established in him just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of&#xA;  knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness, and he dwells&#xA;  independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the&#xA;  body in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation the pain is assume as mind object or experience. this can be consider a single object, (as 'vedana' or 'chiththa') or complex object (&lt;strong&gt;5 aggrigate&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As shown In The Section on the Constituents (of Mind &amp;amp; Matter)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in&#xA;  (various) things, in the five constituents (of mind and body) that&#xA;  provide fuel for attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how, monks, does a monk dwell contemplating (the nature of) things&#xA;  in (various) things, in the five constituents (of mind and body) that&#xA;  provide fuel for attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, monks, a monk (knows): “such is form , such is the origination&#xA;  of form, such is the passing away of form; such is feeling , such is&#xA;  the origination of feeling, such is the passing away of feeling; such&#xA;  is perception , such is the origination of perception, such is the&#xA;  passing away of perception; such are (mental) processes , such is the&#xA;  origination of (mental) processes, such is the passing away of&#xA;  (mental) processes; such is consciousness , such is the origination of&#xA;  consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T15:24:02.210" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T15:24:02.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11953" CreationDate="2015-10-05T15:26:17.697" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There're many planes of existence (ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;). The upper planes are where the devas (gods/godesses) live. Although possessing various supernormal powers, they are still un-enlightened beings like us humans and are still subjected to the cycle of birth and death. Prior to His last rebirth on earth, the Buddha resided on the deva realm called the Tusita Heaven. After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha was no longer a god for He's no longer subjected to the cycle of birth and death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T15:26:17.697" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11944" CreationDate="2015-10-05T16:58:22.733" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If &quot;slow to think of anything&quot; means less distracted thoughts then that's good. But if that means your overall awareness/mindfulness decreases instead of increases then you might want to check your meditation technique. A nice effect of meditation is a decrease of the Five Hindrances: desire, ill-will, sloth/torpor, restlessness/worry, and doubt. (ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T07:26:34.783" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T07:26:34.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11959" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11989" CreationDate="2015-10-05T17:37:21.880" Score="3" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since my journey began, i have looked to understanding myself and the world that surrounds me. I endeavor to look at my interactions with as many views as possible as well as make attempts to make peace with myself and those of my interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am frustrated and this sometimes leads to nihilistic views. I cannot express my inability to realize and actualize the concepts offered by the path. I understand it. I comprehend it. I am confounded with what i deem as imbalance. I am grateful and appreciative of my good fortune however i want to realize and actualize so that i can look at all aspects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seems to be a disconnect between what i see, feel, hear, smell and taste. It is akin to cognitive dissonance. I understand awareness, mindfulness and realization however it seems to be at polar opposites with    the 6 senses or 12 ayatanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T02:08:46.833" Title="Difficulty in realizing and actualizing precepts" Tags="|modern-world|right-speech|right-effort|right-view|right-intention|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11945" CreationDate="2015-10-05T22:09:33.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By following the Buddha's Path, liberation from birth is realized when your past lives are experienced, known, seen, looked into and the answer to the question &quot;Why was I born?&quot; is answered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only then, the cause of birth is known, its cessation is known and birth is: removed, removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T22:09:33.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11944" CreationDate="2015-10-05T22:44:58.060" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re: mind feeling &quot;very slow&quot;, &quot;very slow to think of anything&quot; -- when someone tells you something, can you reply immediately without thinking? That's a sign of good meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your &quot;very slow to think of anything&quot; just means you are going around basically without thoughts, and you can respond to anything spontaneously with no blockages / no doubts - that's good. While, if your &quot;mind very slow&quot; means you can't respond - that means your meditation was basically cultivation of sloth/torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said, if your meditation is wrong it can be a cause of being reborn in an animal world! Meaning, if in your meditation you generate &quot;laxity&quot;, then you are only training in making your mind dull, like the mind of a cow or sheep! So you need to know what is laxity in real experience, and must be able to recognize it when it arises. Laxity is when your mind is not &lt;strong&gt;sharp and bright&lt;/strong&gt; during meditation. Meditation mind should be very sober, not like a drunk mind or sleeping mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-05T22:51:13.577" LastActivityDate="2015-10-05T22:51:13.577" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-06T03:16:48.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;the will to get up on a morning, to go to work, practice Buddhism etc&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sounds similar to Mahayana's &lt;em&gt;virya-paramita&lt;/em&gt;, paramita of exertion or energy. According to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the key factor of this is joy. The key to exertion is not as much forcing oneself, as it is an ability to derive delight from the element of doing the right thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My last teacher called this the power of good news. He said we should be the masters of information, instead of letting the information drive us around. My Zen master said the same about meditation: don't fight the thoughts but don't let them drive you either. Buddha called this the right attention, focusing on things that help us, not on things that wreck us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The will your teacher referred to as &lt;em&gt;the three poisons&lt;/em&gt; is the samsaric will, the will that &lt;em&gt;drives us&lt;/em&gt;. Even the will to practice Buddhism on the initial stages can be a type of samsaric will. We hear a nice story about Nirvana and we get inspired to practice. Like a donkey following a carrot on a stick. This is what he must have meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The will that is without defilements -- the Enlightened will we could say -- is not dependent on a carrot. It is the choice you make to be motivated by whatever it is that you chose. It is like making yourself fall in love and then maintaining the affair by deliberately focusing only on signs that stimulate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The will that is like &quot;another name for our greed, hatred and delusion&quot; seems the same from non-dualistic no-free-will victim perspective, but from Enlightened master's perspective it is quite the opposite. Enlightenment does entail disenchantment and exhaustion of all projects or impulses, but that only means the projects/impulses that come from greed, hatred and delusion. It does not mean you don't have will to do things you see as worth of doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T03:16:48.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11936" CreationDate="2015-10-06T07:42:18.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://acidharma.org/aci/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Asian Classics Institute&lt;/a&gt; is a free resource that has texts from all the Tibetan schools in PDF form, with both the original Tibetan and English translations. They also have free audio courses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T07:44:51.750" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T07:44:51.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11944" CreationDate="2015-10-06T07:52:05.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since this episode when you wake from sleep are you groggy and tired or relaxed and alert?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lack of activity isn't an indicator of anything, the quality of the mind and body is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you see a decrease in sense desires and aversions? Do you see a decrease in any addictions or obsessive habits, such as checking your phone for notifications?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be a very good sign if any of the above positives are true. Otherwise something is seriously wrong with your meditation technique, but not to worry such errors are early corrected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T07:52:05.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11966" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-06T09:08:15.710" Score="2" ViewCount="571" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Abhidhamma, the smallest unit of Rupa is called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suddhashtaka(Pure Octad)&lt;/a&gt; which has the following 8 elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;patavi, apo, tejo, vayo, vanna, gandha, rasa, and oja&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding Sunlight, the tejo(heat) and the vanna(color) elements seem obvious, but how does one understand others? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Vipassana point of view, is this problem occurring because the mind is getting stuck at the concept of Sunlight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T09:45:33.100" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T13:20:53.013" Title="How does one understand the elements of the Pure Octad in Sunlight?" Tags="|vipassana|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11901" CreationDate="2015-10-06T10:00:39.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a sutta called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.2 Cetana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which Thanissaro Bhikkhu subtitled &quot;An Act of Will&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Cetana Sutta is similar to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.1&lt;/a&gt;, which is quoted as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The rewards of virtue&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, the Cetana Sutta starts with...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue, there is no need for an act of will, 'May freedom from remorse arise in me.' It is in the nature of things that freedom from remorse arises in a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and continues in a similar way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that as saying that being &quot;consummate in virtue&quot; is sufficient: that leads to freedom from remorse, to joy, to etc., through to dispassion, and to knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this is similar to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11963/254&quot;&gt;Andrei's answer&lt;/a&gt; which says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The key to exertion is not as much forcing oneself, as it is an ability to derive delight from the element of doing the right thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also seems to match other answers in identifying 'will' as '&lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal guess/opinion/interpretation of how it works as described in the sutta is an internal monologue that goes something like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If I do the wrong thing or don't do the right thing then I'll regret it (i.e. feel remorse) which is unpleasant/regrettable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I don't want to feel remorse (or don't want to continue to feel remorse)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i.e. what I do want instead of remorse is that &quot;may freedom from remorse arise in me&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having desired freedom of remorse, and having seen (right view) that what leads to freedom from remorse is virtue (including Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood), then I (naturally want to) do the right thing in order to attain the desired result.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying &quot;there is no need for an act of will&quot; reminds me of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wu wei&lt;/a&gt; -- a way in which I interpret that is that if I want to score a goal in football then it doesn't take an act of will to kick the ball ... instead kicking the ball follows naturally from being a good football player, from the desire to play football and to score a goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another interpretation is based on dependent arising: when that when virtue is present then that's the condition for no-remorse to arise naturally (like soil and seed and nutrients and water and sun is the condition for a plant to arise naturally).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, Buddhism doctrine talks about fetters and hindrances and so on. So what an English-speaker might want to characterize as &quot;an absence of will&quot; (e.g. &quot;I don't want to get up in the morning&quot;), a Buddhist might characterize as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;presence of hindrances&lt;/a&gt; e.g. of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#sloth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth and torpor&lt;/a&gt; (but see also Hui-neng's mirror).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T10:14:40.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11968" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-06T12:50:56.447" Score="2" ViewCount="295" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've recently been following along on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H7YI4qX7BI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; video series on the Gomchen Lam Rim and would very much like to find a copy of the root text so I can follow along better and read ahead, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I would especially like to find a free pdf somewhere, but I'm also okay with proprietary books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-06T13:11:50.313" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T11:19:16.277" Title="Gomchen Lam Rim Text Request" Tags="|reference-request|texts|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11897" CreationDate="2015-10-06T13:29:43.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This isn't an easy question to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia, at least, claims that there is such a thing as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_eschatology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist eschatology&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are two major points of Buddhist eschatology: the appearance of Maitreya and the Sermon of the Seven Suns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think (I may be wrong) that these two are of two different schools of Buddhism (&quot;Maitreya&quot; being Mahayana, and the &quot;Sermon of the Seven Suns&quot; in the Pali Canon being presumably Theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasutra.com/files/sermon_of_the_seven_suns.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a translation of The Seven Suns&lt;/a&gt; (but there isn't a translation of it on accesstoinsight). I don't know how people interpret it (e.g. whether literally, or as a parable about impermanence, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi (a Theravada monk) writes what might be a mainstream Theravada view, i.e.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Now, since cosmic time is without any discernible beginning or conceivable end&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's supported by Suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gaddula Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: &quot;Monks, from an inconstruable&#xA;  beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident,&#xA;  although beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are&#xA;  transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There comes a time when the great ocean evaporates, dries up, &amp;amp; does&#xA;  not exist. But for beings — as long as they are hindered by ignorance,&#xA;  fettered by craving, transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on — I don't say that&#xA;  there is an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There comes a time when Sineru, king of mountains, is consumed with&#xA;  flame, is destroyed, &amp;amp; does not exist. But for beings — as long as&#xA;  they are hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating &amp;amp;&#xA;  wandering on — I don't say that there is an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There comes a time when the great earth is consumed with flame, is&#xA;  destroyed, &amp;amp; does not exist. But for beings — as long as they are&#xA;  hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering&#xA;  on — I don't say that there is an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as a dog, tied by a leash to a post or stake, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's saying we can't afford to just assume that suffering will inevitably come to an end some day (a view which might, contrary to Buddhism, assume some form of predetermination or nihilism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the famously &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt; is one of which asks whether the world is eternal (see also the Simsapa Sutta referenced &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11899/254&quot;&gt;in Buddho's answer&lt;/a&gt;).&#xA;I think that these being &quot;unanswered&quot; implies that the Buddha (who was supernaturally omniscient) decided not to answer these questions because the answer wouldn't be helpful (e.g. the answer isn't relevant to the Buddhist goal of ending suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Slightly off-topic but still on the subject of time and of not-time, there is a concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8053/254&quot;&gt;timelessness&lt;/a&gt;, which may or may not interest you. Some of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#The_Arupa_Jh.C4.81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;formless&quot; meditative states&lt;/a&gt; may I guess be timeless too (if time is a property of form); and nirvana is certainly sometimes described as &quot;deathless&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T13:29:43.610" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11966" CreationDate="2015-10-06T13:34:34.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism focuses on spiritual development, so the Buddhist analysis of &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; focuses on sense objects, the sense organs and the body. Non-living things are made up of temperature-born pure-octad groups or temperature-born sound groups. The relevance of non-living things in the Buddhist analysis of &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; is that non-living things are sense objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say that sunlight itself does not impact the sense directly, only indirectly. When sunlight bounces off a speck of dust or a wall, then we “perceive” the sunlight through the eye sense. When sunlight makes our skin warm or a rock warm, we “perceive” sunlight through the tactile sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The speck of dust, the wall, the skin and the rock… all of these are “non-living things” and are temperature-born pure-octad groups (the eight &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; that you listed above). They are all to be understood as sense objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using fire-element (&lt;em&gt;tejo&lt;/em&gt;) as one example, some sense objects have greater intensity of the fire-element and will be “warmer” to the tactile sense than other sense objects with less intensity of the fire-element, but all sense objects include the fire-element &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt;. The other seven &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; in the temperature-born pure-octad group can be seen in a similar way... always present, but with different intensities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T13:34:34.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2015-10-06T13:45:17.973" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Buddhist, happy, content prostitute.  I am not a greedy person, nor am a sex addict (or anything of the like).  This is the chapter in which my life is.  I have used my current profession to touch the lives of many humans, male and female.  I also do advocacy work for prostitutes and know that there are many different types of persons in the sex trade industry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I cannot answer the specific question regarding the Third Precept, I would like to offer that my work and my Buddhist practice have played on one another in regards to my own livelihood.  Until another path appears to me where I can effect positive change AND make a living in NYC to support my children, I CHOOSE this work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am open to my friends, family, and community about my sex work.  I don't walk in darkness, but in beauty and light.  The compassion that I have is very much felt by all those around me, within and outside of my trade.  I give of my true self, but I keep an open mind and heart until the next chapter (which is probably soon because I have done this work for  almost five years).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have gone a bit off topic, I know, but in my advocacy work I have met prostitutes from all over the world...all whom chose this, not all were necessarily happy while doing this, but often as a means to am end.  Many while working on the undergrad, and a surprising percentage while working on their masters.  Our goal is to humanize the the trade, and to give sex workers a voice because, as you see, not many out there are educated as to the actual lives of prostitutes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for allowing me to share.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7067" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T13:45:17.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11966" CreationDate="2015-10-06T14:43:31.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Scientist in modern day believes &quot;Energy and particles&quot;. (weakons = the weak nuclear force, gluon= the strong nuclear force, photon = the electromagnetic force, graviton = the force of gravity.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In early days they believes   &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/defin%20ition/dhatu/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Maha Buta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;- Pure elements (are abstractions) and &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rupa-kalapa/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Rupa Kalapa&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is the smallest reality consists &quot;Suddashtaka&quot;(Pure Octed) as attributes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#top&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The material elements never occur in isolation but in groups or&#xA;  clusters called kalaapas. A kalaapa can contain from &lt;strong&gt;eight to thirteen&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  material elements. There is no cluster of matter without at least&#xA;  eight elements, the four primary elements and four secondary elements&#xA;  — namely color, taste, smell, and nutriment. &lt;em&gt;A unit containing only&#xA;  these is called a &lt;strong&gt;Pure Octad&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Material phenomena arise through four causes: kamma, consciousness(chita),&#xA;  heat(Utu), and nutriment(Ahara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has long been — and still is — a common tendency to create a &quot;Buddhist&quot; metaphysics in which the experience of emptiness, the Unconditioned, the Dharma-body, Buddha-nature, rigpa, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that clinging to views is one of the four forms of clinging that tie the mind to the processes of suffering. He thus recommended that his followers relinquish their clinging, not only to views in their full-blown form as specific positions, but also in their rudimentary form as the &lt;strong&gt;categories &amp;amp; relationships&lt;/strong&gt; that the mind reads into experience. This is a point he makes in the following discourse &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mulapariyaya Sutta: The Root Sequence&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;There is the case, monks, where an uninstructed&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men&#xA;  of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma —&#xA;  perceives &lt;strong&gt;earth as earth&lt;/strong&gt;. Perceiving earth as earth, he conceives&#xA;  [things] about earth, he conceives [things] in earth, he conceives&#xA;  [things] coming out of earth, he conceives earth as 'mine,' he&#xA;  delights in earth. Why is that? Because he has not comprehended it, I&#xA;  tell you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From a Vipassana point of view, is this problem occurring because the&#xA;  mind is getting stuck at the concept of Sunlight?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/med_exercises/practical_meditation.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practical Vipassanā Meditation Exercises&lt;/a&gt; -Mahāsī Sayādaw - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The practice of Vipassanā or Insight Meditation is the effort made by&#xA;  the meditator to understand correctly the nature of the&#xA;  psycho-physical phenomena taking place in his own body. Physical&#xA;  phenomena are the things or objects which one clearly perceives around&#xA;  one. The whole of one’s body that one clearly perceives constitutes a&#xA;  group of material qualities (rūpa). Psychical or mental phenomena are&#xA;  acts of consciousness or awareness (nāma). These (nāma-rūpa) are&#xA;  clearly perceived to be happening whenever they are seen, heard,&#xA;  smelt, tasted, touched, or thought of. We must make ourselves aware of&#xA;  them by observing them and noting thus: ‘Seeing, seeing’, ‘hearing,&#xA;  hearing,’ ‘smelling smelling,’ ‘tasting, tasting,’ ‘touching,&#xA;  touching,’ or thinking, thinking.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T13:20:53.013" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T13:20:53.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11973" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-06T21:08:42.373" Score="1" ViewCount="40" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can easily find the Pali versions and their translations online. How about the Sanskrit versions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5437" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-07T06:27:07.243" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T06:27:07.243" Title="Where can I find the Sanskrit versions of Tripitaka?" Tags="|reference-request|canon|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2015-10-07T06:26:52.323" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11945" CreationDate="2015-10-06T22:22:30.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the training that I've received (Soto Zen), both rebirth and being free from it are considered completely metaphorical. As such, it's something that changes about your experience of your current life, when you break yourself of the cyclical behavior of clinging to your thoughts as though they are real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="223" LastActivityDate="2015-10-06T22:22:30.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2015-10-06T23:03:11.353" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From a scientific point of view, is Buddhism a religion, or is it&#xA;  not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khmerbuddhism.net/ebooks/english/DHAMMASANGANI.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammasangani preface&lt;/a&gt; PTS translation.&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vnLzv.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vnLzv.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing to consider. &quot;What we see is, what we want&quot;. So first decide what to see? Good or Bad. View is like a &quot;colored glass&quot;. To see the Buddhism as it is, we have to remove &quot;color glass&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-07T03:47:37.013" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T03:47:37.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11935" CreationDate="2015-10-07T02:53:12.370" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;strong&gt;Preface&lt;/strong&gt; of this book,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book is not a synopsis of the Abhidhamma which, in itself, comprises seven volumes of the Pali Canon. Here, some aspects of the Abhidhamma have been related to practice. If this little book helps the reader to appreciate that the teachings of the Enlightened One are never mere theories but always stand to reason and can be verified in the crucible of his or her experience, then its purpose will have been served....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T03:20:49.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11959" CreationDate="2015-10-07T04:02:34.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As your comments  &lt;code&gt;&amp;quot;since my memories still haunt me especially when attempting to make peace with myself and others. The question why keeps pursuing me. e.g. Why is there hate? Why do others not see the destruction? Since i am unable to answer this in any meaningful way, it frustrates me leading to nihilistic views.&amp;quot;&lt;/code&gt; I think &amp;quot;Kamma&amp;quot; and it's reaction always with us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every action, every thought, every idle word sets up reactions,&#xA;according to the Universal Law. When one thinks a thought, that&#xA;thought makes an impression on the Universal Consciousness. Nothing is&#xA;lost or done in secret. Everything is done within the Universal&#xA;Consciousness, and the Whole is affected by it (as well as all others&#xA;within the Whole).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.edgarcayce.org/ps2/soul_life_destiny_fate_karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.edgarcayce.org/ps2/soul_life_destiny_fate_karma.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone involved in our present lives was very likely involved in our&#xA;past lives. Actually, it is likely they have been involved in many of&#xA;our past lives. Our parents, brothers and sisters, spouses, children,&#xA;friends, colleagues, bosses and employees, and even our enemies began&#xA;sharing life with us long before the present lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.edgarcayce.org/ps2/soul_life_past_lives.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Past Lives &amp;amp; Present Relationships&lt;/a&gt; -   by John Van Auken&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to end this 'karmic action' and earn 'Peace' is shown in Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T04:10:20.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11979" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-07T06:15:27.133" Score="7" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;p&gt;With dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) underlying much of the doctrinal aspects of the Buddha's teaching - and all formation having concomitance to avijja as condition, is it correct to assume that all mundane consciousness regardless whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in root occur with ignorance as a condition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically with regards to rebirth-linking consciousness. Is birth not dependent on the existence clinging and the desire of being (due to ignorance)? If truly a rebirth-consciousness is rooted in knowledge - wouldn't the momentary access and concentration suppress ones desire to cling and thereby not result in a rebirth-consciousness at the cessation of a beings bhavanga if the final consciousness is truly rooted in knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow on Question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to the arising of great wholesome cittas associated with knowledge and one of its great resultant consciousness performing the four functions that leads to a triple rooted rebirth consciousness: does this mean that the tihetuka beings born of this superior rebirth consciousness is at the point of (re)birth sotapanna. If a rebirth-linking root of knowledge is perquisite for the development of absorption (as stated in the Abhidhamma), can most worldings even cultivate samadhi much less investigate and eventually realize direct knowledge &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastEditorUserId="7069" LastEditDate="2015-10-07T17:05:18.667" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T22:25:32.987" Title="Can rebirth-linking conciousness (patisandhi-citta) actually be rooted in knowledge?" Tags="|rebirth|pratityasamutpada|consciousness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11966" CreationDate="2015-10-07T08:49:48.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you'll forgive an uneducated guess of mine...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine you're in a forest, after a rain storm: and then the sun comes out and shines. When that happens, then the air you breathe, the forest warmed by the sunlight, would be heavy with moisture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that's how there are other elements (for example moisture) in sunlight: in the real world, the elements are mixed together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the mental world (of ideas) you separate/isolate components/elements, you say, &quot;this is sunlight, whereas that is moisture&quot;. But that ideal view (I'm using the word &quot;ideal&quot; as an antonym for &quot;real&quot;) would be like asking, &quot;where is the &lt;em&gt;aapo&lt;/em&gt; in the &lt;em&gt;tejo&lt;/em&gt;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in the real world, even if you're in a desert, there's some moisture, although only an infinitesimal amount.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T08:49:48.387" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11981" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-07T11:02:02.867" Score="7" ViewCount="1219" Body="&lt;p&gt;i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T14:47:02.977" Title="What to focus on between breaths" Tags="|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11979" CreationDate="2015-10-07T11:23:34.440" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first link of &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; is “&lt;em&gt;avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt;” (conditioned by ignorance, formations arise). Analyzing this from the perspective of the Abhidhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt; concomitant with the 12 &lt;em&gt;akusala cittas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Formations is &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; (volition) in the 12 &lt;em&gt;akusala cittas&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; in the 8 &lt;em&gt;kāmāvacara kusala cittas&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; in the 5 &lt;em&gt;rūpavacara kusala cittas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; in the 5 &lt;em&gt;arūpavacara kusala cittas&lt;/em&gt; (these are the kamma that have the potential to create rebirth, both unwholesome kamma and wholesome kamma)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second link of &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt; is “&lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā paccayā viññāṇaṃ&lt;/em&gt;” (conditioned by formations, consciousness arise). Analyzing this from the perspective of the Abhidhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Formations are defined as part of the first link&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is the 32 &lt;em&gt;lokiya vipāka cittas&lt;/em&gt; (sense-consciousness, receiving, investigating and all the life-continuum &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt;); does not include the kamma-creating &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt;, the supramundane &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; or the functional &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So your assumption that &quot;all mundane consciousness regardless whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in root occur with ignorance as a condition&quot; is not correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are correct that birth is dependent on the existence clinging and the desire of being (due to ignorance). However, this does not imply that the specific kamma-creating citta which generates rebirth into an existence contains a root of ignorance. If this were true, then there could only be rebirth in the Woeful Planes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fetters, the things that bind one to &lt;em&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/em&gt; are latent and do not arise in every citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth-consciousness is a life-continuum &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;. Jhānic states are kamma-creating &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt; (not life-continuum).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@Amansa, you seem to be conflating things from the macro-view (&lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt;) with things from the microscopic-view (Abhidhamma) and this may be the source of your confusion. I suggest that you start with reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; (page 295 - 298 analyze &lt;em&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow on Answer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What causes rebirth with three wholesome roots? Superior three-rooted wholesome kamma (See page 214 of Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma). Three-rooted wholesome kamma arises when a wholesome intention arises together with understanding. Superior means supported before and after by other wholesome kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I offer food to a monk, that is wholesome. If I offer food with an understanding that this is a meritorious deed, then this is three-rooted. If I offer food reluctantly, or regret later, then this is inferior (not qualifying as superior). If I rejoice before and after the offering and the offering is done with understanding then superior three-rooted wholesome kamma is created. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this superior three-rooted wholesome kamma plays the role of rebirth-linking at the end of my existence, then the next life will have a life-continuum citta containing three wholesome roots (maybe human, perhaps even deva). A being whose life-continuum citta has three roots has the potential to attain jhāna and sainthood. A being whose life-continuum citta does lacks three roots cannot attain jhāna or sainthood in that lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having a life-continuum with three roots is a &lt;strong&gt;minimum&lt;/strong&gt; requirement for jhāna and sainthood. Actually attaining jhāna requires developing the accumulations to temporarily supress the five hindrances. Actually attaining sainthood requires developing the accumulations of the pārami. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, a being whose life-continuum citta has three roots is likely to be “spiritually inclined”. In other words, they want to develop the accumulations. In my opinion, a being whose life-continuum citta does lacks three roots is unlikely to be “spiritually inclined”, more likely to be hedonistic, so they don’t have the motivation to develop accumulations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that there are many, many humans whose life-continuum citta has three roots. Based on the fact that you are asking these questions, I suspect that your life-continuum citta has three roots. But having a life-continuum citta with three roots is only the starting point. Spiritual development is necessary to build accumulations for jhāna or sainthood (and this takes a lot of training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-10-07T22:25:32.987" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T22:25:32.987" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-07T11:39:44.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to focus on anything that arises in that moment. Is it waiting for something? Then say &quot;Waiting, Waiting&quot;. If it's a feeling (of peace, impatience, longing or something else), you could say &quot;feeling,feeling&quot; or the name of that specific emotion. If a thought appear, say &quot;thinking, thinking&quot;. Just be aware of what happens then and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T11:39:44.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-07T11:54:12.823" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would advise labeling the in and out-breath by using the same name (for instance just 'breath'). In time, you will be able to observe the whole in and out-breath, including the moment in between, as a whole, in the same way you are able to see (quiet naturally) someone's body as a whole although it is made of parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would advise against the counting of the breath, but if you do count, rather count the in and out breath as one [of the same cycle]. The in-between is in-between two moments of the same cycle of breath. Maybe see it as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T11:54:12.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-07T17:18:35.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to focus on movement of air in breathing in and out.Feel the air in and out this helps you from diverting and thinking.your thinking slowly stops concentrating on breath helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7075" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T17:18:35.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-07T17:51:14.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;consciousness manifests in 4 of the skandha only  (form, feeling, perception, and mental formation).  Buddha said, breaths are part of the form.  i put it together that in between breaths, there is no form to be conscious about (unless you're conscious about other forms of your body like arms, legs etc. during that brief moment) ,so naturally our (new) consciousness will raise in some other places in 3 skandhas. that is normal behavior of consciousness.  They raise and fall all the time (except when ur in the state of cessation).   if you are in state of first Jhanna, consciousness will not involve in 5 sensual pleasures, or ill-will ( or 5 hindrances).  wherever your consciousness raises in between your breaths, it will fall and then another consciousness will raise when the next breath comes.   From my experience, i don't try too hard. Just be a good observer.   Maybe you can tell us where your consciousness raises and falls (when breathing returns) next time you meditate.  :-)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T17:51:14.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11987" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="11990" CreationDate="2015-10-07T18:20:47.360" Score="2" ViewCount="2995" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been starting meditation more recently for about twenty minutes at a time. I am able to slightly focus on the breath and have noticed I focus better when the breathes are long. I have also noticed after these sessions I may have air in my stomach possibly that leads to gas buildup and stomach discomfort. Is this something others have had before? If so how can I prevent this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5763" LastActivityDate="2020-02-06T12:44:44.080" Title="Possible to get stomach discomfort because of meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11979" CreationDate="2015-10-07T21:08:20.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is it right to assume that all mundane consciousness regardless whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in root occur with ignorance as a condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;no&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;consider water in the hose that continues to pour even after the faucet is switched off&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Specifically with regards to rebirth-linking consciousness. Is birth not dependent on the existence clinging and the desire of being (due to ignorance)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;unwilled rebirth is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a rebirth-linking root of knowledge is perquisite for the development of absorption &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;rebirth means life to life or moment to moment? (both are possible and to my knowledge interchangeable.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, how can we fit this question or understanding into suffering and the end of suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha would not say &quot;cultivate absorption, realize ultimate reality, free yourself&quot; if it were not possible for us to do so.  Is it rare?  Probably.  Is it something that we all have access to as human beings?  Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-10-07T21:08:20.427" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-07T21:08:20.427" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11959" CreationDate="2015-10-08T01:37:02.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not easy to actualize the high Buddhist ideals in the turbulent waters of everyday living. Three things can help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It helps to have a very clear understanding what the Buddhist concepts like &quot;right-intention&quot; etc. really refer to. Often the canonical definitions don't provide enough details to latch on in immediate experience. This is where a live teacher can help, or ask specific questions here on Q&amp;amp;A: &quot;how does the right-intention manifest in real-life practice? what are the typical challenges and are there any techniques for overcoming them?&quot;. It is said that the most difficult problem in Buddhism is to get the sense of &lt;em&gt;immediacy&lt;/em&gt;, and once you got that -- Enlightenment is within reach.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Shrawaka correctly pointed out, you can't expect to skip from your current karmic situation to a perfect karmic situation - with no intermediate steps. As my first teacher explained, karma exhibits inertia, it is very inertial. So you need to start seeding better karmic seeds now, and patiently hold on until the situation will change. If you seed better seeds more or less consistently over a long time - the external situation will change, I promise -- as I was promised to, back in the day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As my last teacher said, many of our precept breaches / behavior problems (losing temper or giving in to obsession or panicking etc.) come from &lt;strong&gt;not staying inside our bodies&lt;/strong&gt; (losing what's traditionally called &lt;em&gt;kayagata-sati&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;mindfulness of the body&quot;). In simple words, when something non-trivial happens we very often &quot;fly over&quot; from our body to a place &quot;over there&quot; -- that being either the other person's perspective or some imaginary point in abstract space. This somatic disconnect is the first step in the chain of events leading to a loss of control to &lt;em&gt;kleshas&lt;/em&gt; (blinding affects). Instead, we should train to retain the sense of our bodies, phenomenologicaly always being &quot;inside&quot; our body (leaving aside the philosophical implications) - esp. continuously staying in touch with our lower abdomen, but also feet and face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-08T02:08:46.833" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T02:08:46.833" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11987" CreationDate="2015-10-08T02:44:12.747" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Possible Causes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are eating too much and too soon to doing sitting meditation. &lt;strong&gt;While meditating or doing any relaxing activity, your digestive system functions much better&lt;/strong&gt; thus producing more gas along with other things. Solutions: eat less and have at least an hour or two gap for meditation or try a different posture like standing/non-lotus.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are stresing out (more than normal) while you are trying to relax (meditate) thus causing intenstinal ineffectiveness. Let go of those thinkings and be present and pleasant.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are already quite gassy. Have some probiotics in the form of yogurt, kombucha, or fermented food.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T02:44:12.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11966" CreationDate="2015-10-08T02:51:56.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharma-kosa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kosa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visible matter (&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;) is twofold.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Visible matter is color and shape. Color is fourfold: blue, red,&#xA;  yellow, white; other colors proceed from out of these four colors. Shape is eightfold: long, short, square, round, high, low, even, uneven.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or twentyfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or there are some twenty types: the four primary colors, the&#xA;  eight shapes, and eight more colors: cloud, smoke, dust, mist, shade,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;heat, light,&lt;/strong&gt; darkness. Some make a color of the firmament [which&#xA;  appears like a wall of lapiz-lazuli]; this would give us the number&#xA;  twenty-one.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even&quot; signifies &quot;of even shape;&quot; &quot;uneven&quot; is the opposite; mist is&#xA;  the vapor which rises from the ground and from water; &lt;strong&gt;&quot;heat&quot; is&#xA;  the light of the sun; &quot;light&quot; is the light of the moon, the stars, fire,&#xA;  grasses and gems;&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;shade&quot;—arisen from an obstacle to light—is where&#xA;  forms still remain visible; &quot;darkness&quot; is the opposite. The other terms do not call for any explanation.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visible matter (&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;) can be color without being shape:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  blue, red, yellow, white, shade, &lt;strong&gt;heat, light&lt;/strong&gt;, darkness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There can be shapes without there being color: that part of the&#xA;  long, of the short, etc., which constitutes bodily action.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There can be color and shape at one and the same time: all the&#xA;  other categories of visible matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some other Masters maintain that only &lt;strong&gt;heat and light are&#xA;  exclusively color&lt;/strong&gt;; for blue, red, etc., present themselves to the sight&#xA;  under the aspect of long, short, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this you can see that according to Abhidharma of Vaibhasika school which is what Mahayana follows, sunlight &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; be pure color without shape. As Jayarava used to be fond of repeating (and as Thanissaro Bhikkhu is equally fond of hammering in), the perspective of Buddhism is that of phenomenology and not of metaphysics. From phenomenological standpoint there is absolutely no problem with having a perception of color without a perception of shape (nor taste, smell, nutriment, solidity, adhesion, and motion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-08T12:46:17.133" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T12:46:17.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11992" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-08T03:11:43.637" Score="3" ViewCount="517" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice for something like at least two years--maybe more I don't remember when I started.  I did one 16 day retreat Mahsasi style - as well as two  10 day retreats.  I did periods of meditation at home where I meditated every day. I also keep the 5 precepts   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I don't see my practice advancing. Maybe it's because I don't do a constant practice and sometimes I stop and don't meditate for a month or two.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I can't be sure that if I decided to meditate constantly that I won't stop in two or three weeks so it also makes me not want to try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now because I don't see results or at least not strong ones--and I'm aware that results can be less anger, etc--I'm very skeptical of the practice. I don't have motivation to practice. When I thought I am advancing than I was ready for a long road  but I'm not sure I'm advancing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I still procrastinate the same as I did before, which is a big problem for me. The most important thing is that I don't see that I am more mindful in daily life than when i started! I don't notice more things. I don't label more things. I usually don't label a single thing all day and not only not label but not notice them as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt; : still would like to get answers - just saying that for now i started trying tthe idea of &quot;tiny habits&quot; of doing AT LEAST 5 minute walking than 5 minute sitting meditation after i wake up and after i eat - if i feel like more than i will do more  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i did try 5 minute meditation in the past - but i didnt try to attach it to an existing habit -   adn i raised the time very fast and i got disapointed when i didnt do the full meditation so i gave up on the 5 minute meditation  - so this time i hope i will keep the 5 minute as the basic  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;got inspired by this video : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T12:12:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T17:32:56.750" Title="What is the minimum I need to do to advance?" Tags="|personal-practice|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-08T03:31:56.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your practice isn't constant, that will have a major effect on your progress. If sometimes you don't meditate for over a month, that's probably the reason you have had difficulty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the reason you're practice isn't constant is because you can't squeeze in long sessions, then it would be better to break them up into several smaller ones. Even just meditating 15 minutes in the morning and evening is much better than getting an hour done but then giving up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T03:31:56.587" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2015-10-08T08:05:50.323" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is useful to believe that we do have self will to the degree that we have the capacity to do wrong. We can feed our negative energies like sloth, torpor, ill will, anger etc. By not doing wrong we automatically do right. Which is why the &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; is a list of prohibitions or inactions, and not a list of mandatory actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A notable feature of spiritual growth is the dropping away of self will. If one no longer thinks in terms of &quot;I&quot;, that is really good progress. That is not an argument for a magical or fatalistic world view however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self will is only one of the several variables determining any outcome.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sitting in meditation is a simple but good example. There are times when one desires a specific meditative state, puts in the necessary effort to attain it, and it has come to nought, the mind simply won't cooperate. There are other times when one has been scarcely seated in any deep concentration and the meditation automatically pays dividends beyond belief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary mortals can predict the future too. Almanacs predict the time of sunrise with a knowledge of astronomy. Any of us can predict rain when we see a stormy sky. However in most walks of life we don't know what's going to happen next because we are ignorant of so many causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhas and arhats predict the future by possessing an understanding of all the variables of reality. There is no magic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The future depends on causes and conditions, if the dependant conditions change, the future changes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-10-08T08:24:37.457" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T08:24:37.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-08T16:34:33.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;maybe you have made progress but you didnt know it? One of the ways to measure progress is how fast you let go of things that come into contact with your faculties, whether they are agreeable (like) or disagreeable (dislike), and remain in equanimity.  As expressed in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.152.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indriya-Bhavaba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Indriya = Faculty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha used the speed of letting go things in many other sutta such as, drop of water onto hot pan, sparks flying from a blacksmith's hammer, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in simpler term,  you are making excellent progress if you can let go of anger (and other feelings)  at blink of an eye.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you might be interested in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Cook Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.  Pay attention to details of your progress, take note, and make adjustments.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-10-08T17:06:51.090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T17:06:51.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11934" CreationDate="2015-10-08T17:35:57.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which you believe will depend on tradition since it is impossible to determine without insight. &#xA;Some believe he is a different being, others that he is a manifestation of the same entity. It does not really matter does it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The lotus sutra may ease your curiosity, however there were many arrogant disciples who were frightened and could not bear to hear it. If you have a teacher you may want to ask them whether you should read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6961" LastActivityDate="2015-10-08T17:35:57.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="11999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11934" CreationDate="2015-10-09T00:55:27.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, they are totally different beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhism is saying that the very nature of your question is incorrect... that there is no self nor no-self. That these individuation of consciousness into selves is by itself incorrect for myriad reasons, one of them being that the 'new Buddha' could not exist without the 'old Buddha' ... and even the 'old Buddha' won't exist without the possibility of the 'new Buddha', someone to help This is especially because in order to become a Buddha, one's resolve for helping others (compassion paramita) must become completely pure, including taking the 1st Mahayana Vow to &quot;not enter Nirvana until all beings are saved.&quot; We must look to the Mahayana to explain the concept of Buddahood because a Buddha is certainly different from an Arhat who would rather abide in emptiness (which is still helping beings) but that is another argument entirely..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, you won't understand till you are Enlightened yourself (not that I am) because the illusion of self-and-other is from whence your question comes in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is the perspective that bodhisattvas are nirmanakaya manifestations of the Buddha. So if you became Enlightened, it might be because you are a projection body of a Buddha (who has a spiritual parent as well)! Don't let this discourage you from practice though: this and the previous illusion mentioned are important at the Ultimate level of reality and in the relative senses of things, the answer reigns that yes, there is a relative person who mustered up the characteristics necessary to become a bodhisattva/Buddha and escaping forced rebirth and afflictions, consciously able to manifest myriad powers and help others according to causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-10-09T04:26:25.777" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T04:26:25.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-09T01:49:29.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do a great pianist, a great martial artist, and a great scientist have in common? They work their butts off to perfect their skills. And these are just mundane skillset, not supra-mundane one. The suttas use a popular simile to express the urgency to practice the Dhamma: one should train as if one's clothes or head is on fire! While the exact amount of time for practice varies for different people, a regular daily sitting meditation and precepts observance is a must-have minimum requirement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.34&lt;/a&gt;: &amp;quot;Bhikkhus, if one’s clothes or head were ablaze, what should be done about it?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Venerable sir, if one’s clothes or head were ablaze, to extinguish one’s blazing clothes or head one should arouse extraordinary desire, make an extraordinary effort, stir up zeal and enthusiasm, be unremitting, and exercise mindfulness and clear comprehension.”&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T01:49:29.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11966" CreationDate="2015-10-09T02:51:28.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Octad for sunlight:&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;1. Pathavi/earth: solidity is present in photons existing in particle form (the other is wave form)&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;2. Aapo/water: adhesion is present since light emitts &quot;packets&quot; of photons&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;3. Tejo/fire: in the form of heat&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;4. Vaayo/wind: motion is present in photons' traveling speed&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;5. Vanna/color: present in the light spectrum&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;6. Gandha/smell: a little tricky but we'll get there fairly soon according to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.howitworksdaily.com/does-the-sun-smell-of-anything/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;7. Rasa/taste: similar to 6.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;8. Oja/nutriment: without sunlight, we wouldn't have sat here chatting and earth would've been a dead planet&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T02:51:28.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-09T03:13:54.027" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;While heavily focused on by western practitioners - meditation is only one aspect towards the cultivation of the mind. If unsupported by the right morality and faith, your mind will be too troubled and unfocused to concentrate on the object of your meditation. In the case of Anapanasati and Vipassana, your object is your breath - but even as you're practicing under Mahasi Sayadaw's teachings, you probably notice that you start off focusing on your breath and noting phenomenons as they arise, but somewhere down the line you realize you've been swept away by a stream of consciousness. Only after the arising of many thoughts, do you even realize this has happened and you try to steer your concentration back to your main object and start once more with the noting. Before you're swept away again... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus even if you are able to sit there for a long period of time with the initial intention of practicing meditation, it is difficult to advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The keeping of the 5 precepts is a good place to start. But perhaps by investigating the conditioned reality brought forth by the 5 precepts, you can realize for yourself their effects on morality and their qualities of non doubt, non remorse, and arouse sufficient investigative faith to progress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T03:13:54.027" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11122" CreationDate="2015-10-09T07:26:28.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/a3JNY.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/a3JNY.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Link: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Buddhist-Texts/BT-index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Buddhist-Texts/BT-index.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pāḷi Dhammapada is the second collection in the same Nikāya. Although many of the texts in the Suttanipāta are found to have parallels in Sanskrit (and also in Chinese and Tibetan translations), there is no sign that this collection as such ever existed outside of the Theravāda tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T07:26:28.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11934" CreationDate="2015-10-09T07:51:52.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's famously difficult to identity the Buddha; for example, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sariputta-Kotthita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, what more do you want, friend Kotthita? When a monk has been freed from the classification of craving, there exists no cycle for describing him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of form, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does &amp;amp; does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any feeling... Any perception... Any fabrication...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does &amp;amp; does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being so I don't see how it's possible to compare two Buddhas, to ask whether they're the same or different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking the question might presume some &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Identity_view_.28sakk.C4.81ya-di.E1.B9.AD.E1.B9.ADhi.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Identity view (&lt;em&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;, which the Buddha denied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently there's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Trikaya&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmakāya&lt;/a&gt; doctrine. I don't know, maybe you might want to say that all Buddhas are of the same Dharmakāya -- perhaps analagous to saying that there's no such thing as two different nirvanas. But Dhammakaya is not especially a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmak%C4%81ya#Therav.C4.81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravāda&lt;/a&gt; doctrine (except see also the 'Dhammakaya Movement of Thailand').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T07:51:52.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-09T15:36:33.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A little narrative about people and exercise habits.  I think it might be helpful in giving you context for your practice.  In the years I've worked as a personal trainer, I've seen the same behaviors exhibited by all of my clients.  In fact, I can pretty safely predict who will lose weight, get in shape, and keep it off and who will drop out after five weeks.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Client A comes to see me.  He tells me that he wants to look good and put on twenty pounds of muscle.  Client A has never worked out.  I go over my plan of attack with him.  Three days a week, no more than an hour a day.  I don't even talk about diet or supplementation.  He tells me that he thinks my plan is too easy.  He wants to workout seven days a week.  He wants to know what he can take to drop weight.  During workouts, he gets frustrated because he's not seeing enough progress.  After about a month, he burns outs, calls me a terrible trainer, and I never see him again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrast this with Client B.  She comes in and tells me that she knows she should be exercising but doesn't know where to start.  I go over my simple, introductory protocol.  She follows it to a T.  Bit by bit, she starts to wonder what other changes she could make.  She asks questions.  We introduce new exercises.  She starts reading about nutrition.  Slowly, she starts to develop fitness interests - CrossFit, powerlifting, aesthetics, etc.  After a couple of months, she knows her strengths and weaknesses better than I do and addresses them under her own volition.  Years down the line, I see her sharing advice with other gym members.  She's made fitness a part of her lifestyle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, like fitness, is a gradual path.  Going on those retreats is like signing up for a marathon when you've never run a mile in your life.  You need to start out small.  Just fifteen minutes a day will suffice at first.  If you can sincerely commit yourself to that small amount of time, gradually your momentum is going to carry you into longer and longer sits (that's the very definition of karma!).  The more you sit, the more evident the rest of the eightfold path is going to become.  You are going to see how action effects your sitting and how sitting effects your actions.  You will see how mindfulness and concentration are like two hands holding up the same cup.  You will learn the skillful application of effort and how to keep yourself from burning out.  You will also learn what parts of the path are important for you to focus on.  When you do, you are going to start asking some very practically oriented questions of your teacher.  After a while, the path will become effortless.  You'd no sooner skip a day of mediation as you would skip a day of bathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But most importantly - all of these gains will be incremental.  You won't even notice that they are happening.  One day, however, you are going to look in the mirror and notice a very different person looking back at you.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-10-09T18:25:11.380" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T18:25:11.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12006" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-09T16:38:28.343" Score="4" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dear Buddhist Community, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would someone help to explain how eradicating/suppressing the five hindrances and right mindfulness can go together?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha: (&lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Feeding_the_Hindrances.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Feeding_the_Hindrances.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as this body, is sustained by food, is dependent on food, and&#xA;  cannot  continue without food, even so, friends, are the five mental&#xA;  hindrances  indeed also sustained by a kind of food, they are also&#xA;  dependent on food,  and cannot continue without ever renewed feeding!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, friends, is feeding for the arising and growth of&#xA;  sense-desire?  &lt;strong&gt;It is frequent and careless attention&lt;/strong&gt; to the alluring&#xA;  and attractive features! This food makes sensual lust arise, and feeds&#xA;  also growth of habitual greed…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, friends, is feeding for the arising and aggravation of&#xA;  ill-will?  &lt;strong&gt;It is frequent and careless attention&lt;/strong&gt; to the displeasing&#xA;  and repulsive features! This food makes aversion arise, and boosts&#xA;  also any habitual irritation…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what feeds the emergence and deterioration of&#xA;  lethargy-and-laziness?  &lt;strong&gt;It is frequent and careless&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;attention&lt;/strong&gt; to&#xA;  drowsiness, and too much  eaten  dullness! This is feeding makes sloth&#xA;  arise, and feeds also worsening of habitual laziness…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what feeds the arising and escalation of restlessness-and-regret? &#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;It is&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;frequent and careless attention&lt;/strong&gt; to the excited, agitated, and&#xA;  stressed up mind! This food upsets and stirs the mind, and intensifies&#xA;  also habitual anxiety and worry…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what feeds the arising, deepening, and  expansion of &#xA;  doubt-and-uncertainty? &lt;strong&gt;It is&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;frequent and careless attention&lt;/strong&gt; to&#xA;  doubtful theories and speculative views! This food bewilders the mind,&#xA;  and feeds also the escalation of habitual confusion...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice, the key phrase the Buddha used is: IT IS THE FREQUENCT AND CARELESS ATTENTION to the hindrances listed above. So, are we supposed to be simply ignoring these thoughts of hindrance as they arise? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, more generally, would someone explain how hindrances and right mindfulness go together? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that it might be a silly question, but this question has bugged me for some time now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your help everyone! &#xA;Reid&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6932" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T03:55:20.960" Title="Five Hindrances Right Mindfulness Interrelated?" Tags="|theravada|five-hindrances|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12006" CreationDate="2015-10-09T18:02:05.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd be really interested to see the Pali for the refrain you put in bold - specifically what the word &quot;attention&quot; was in the original.  That is the turning phrase for that passage, but I don't think it has so much to do with right mindfulness in this context as it does with right concentration.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrances find suppression in samadhi or &quot;concentration&quot;.  Not to get too technical, but they find full suppression in the first jhana which is a product of deep absorption with a meditative object.  According to the sutras, such suppression is dependent upon a number of factors - applied and sustained thought being the most important.  It's kind of like canoeing down a river.  Applied thought is the paddling.  It's the energy needed to enter absorption.  Sustained thought is the buoyancy of the boat as rides the current and momentum of the paddling.  It's the factor responsible for holding the attention in place.  Mindfulness also plays an important part.  In regards to the suppression of the hindrances in this analogy, it is like the rudder that keeps the boat on course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a boatman who isn't mindful of where his bow is pointed, the meditator who isn't mindful of the hindrances as they arise is going to crash into all sorts of things.  I don't know if you've ever been boating, but when you get snagged, it's very hard to get out sometimes.  It takes profound effort just to get yourself back on course.  The same thing goes for meditation.  Just crashing into a hindrance can throw you off your meditative object for an entire sit.  It's going to take you out of the current and it might even sink your boat.  It's far better practice to notice these things as they begin to arise and and use mindfulness to keep you from steering headlong into them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a much more mundane level, think of it this way - the more mental energy you give to a hindrance, the less energy you are going to have for the other path factors.  It's going to take away your attention whether that's being used for the cultivation of concentration or the establishment of mindfulness.  The hindrances have a nasty way of sucking up your mental energy.  What's worse, just running into them makes them more powerful.  Mindfulness helps you watch where you're going.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-10-09T18:37:25.083" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T18:37:25.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12006" CreationDate="2015-10-09T21:21:55.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pāḷi phrase for &quot;frequent and careless attention in the Sutta (SN 46.2) is &quot;&lt;em&gt;ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ayoniso&lt;/em&gt; = unwise, &lt;em&gt;manasikāra&lt;/em&gt; = attention, &lt;em&gt;bahulīkāro&lt;/em&gt; = continuous practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The role of &lt;em&gt;manasikāra&lt;/em&gt; is to direct the mind, just as a rudder steers a boat. &lt;em&gt;Manasikāra&lt;/em&gt; can be wholesome or unwholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;em&gt;manasikāra&lt;/em&gt; is steering the mind in a way that is in concordance with the dhamma, this is called &quot;wise attention&quot; (&lt;em&gt;yonisomanasikāra&lt;/em&gt;). Wise attention is a proximate cause for non-attachment (&lt;em&gt;alobha&lt;/em&gt;), non-aversion (&lt;em&gt;adosa&lt;/em&gt;), equanimity (&lt;em&gt;tatramajjhattatā&lt;/em&gt;) and understanding (&lt;em&gt;paññā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;em&gt;manasikāra&lt;/em&gt; is steering the mind in a way that is not in concordance with the dhamma, this is called &quot;unwise attention&quot; (&lt;em&gt;ayonisomanasikāra&lt;/em&gt;). Unwise attention is a proximate cause for delusion (&lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt;), restlessness (&lt;em&gt;uddhacca&lt;/em&gt;) and doubt (&lt;em&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accoding to Iti 1.16:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;With regard to internal factors, I don't envision any other single factor like wise attention as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who attends appropriately abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-10-09T21:21:55.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12006" CreationDate="2015-10-09T22:50:59.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How hindrances and right mindfulness go together?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When hindrances are there, right mindfulness is absent. And when right mindfulness is, hindrances are not there.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are we supposed to be simply ignoring these thoughts of hindrance as&#xA;  they arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping right mindfulness is the answer. It is not just ignoring, (counteract the fermentations āsava, it is a condition for the arising of right view)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How eradicating the five hindrances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By suppressing (Not giving foods) as shown in the sutta . That is “&lt;strong&gt;It is frequent and CAREFULL attention&lt;/strong&gt;”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under the section heedfulness of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dhp#table-of-contents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to&#xA;  death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead already.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult&#xA;  therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wise ones, ever&#xA;  meditative and steadfastly persevering, alone experience Nibbana, the&#xA;  incomparable freedom from bondage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.110.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Arahant&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And when, monks, a monk, having seen as they really are the arising&#xA;  and the passing away, the attractiveness and the danger, and the&#xA;  deliverance from the five groups of clinging, is released without&#xA;  clinging, he, monks, is called a monk in whom the cankers are&#xA;  destroyed, who has lived the life to perfection, done what had to be&#xA;  done, put down the burden, gained the highest goal, worn through the&#xA;  fetters of rebirth, and is liberated by perfect insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T03:55:20.960" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T03:55:20.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12010" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12030" CreationDate="2015-10-10T00:41:20.833" Score="1" ViewCount="302" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many times I see myself flying/floating in dreams. Not so high, but 1-2 feet above the surface. I make a second step upwards before my first step touches the surface/while my first step also holds up in air. Last night i was asked by myself (in the dream) how I am doing this. I don't know why but i replied 'its all about breath control'.&#xA;Whenever this flying happens in dreams, it leaves behind an amazing experience. I recall everything of those scenes. Whenever I breath-in, I raise up in parts and whenever I breath-out or lose control, I touch back the floor.&#xA;Almost 1 year back I had watched a programme on discovery channel which was about a monk who can fly/stay uplifted.&#xA;I wish to know, 'is it possible to actually fly? If yes, then how? If yes, then why one should do this 'as per buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-10-11T09:21:59.110" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T09:21:59.110" Title="Is it possible to fly?" Tags="|personal-practice|belief|psychic-powers|dreams|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-10T01:37:45.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depend on the method of breath there are various practitioners. for ex. 'Pranayama' in hindu style for health, Buddhist use 'Samatha' is for calm and 'Vipassana' for insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 'Samatha' there are five(or 4) stages of ruupa jhaana and four of aruupa jhaana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For  'Vipassana' the stages are shown in&#xA;Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Book of the Tens - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.60&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;60 Girimānanda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s&#xA;  Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable&#xA;  Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, and gravely ill. Then the Venerable&#xA;  Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one&#xA;  side, and said to him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhante, the Venerable Girimānanda is sick, afflicted, and gravely&#xA;  ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit him out of&#xA;  compassion.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;ten perceptions&lt;/strong&gt;, it is possible that on hearing about them his&#xA;  affliction will immediately subside. What are the ten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“(1) The perception of impermanence, (2) the perception of non-self,&#xA;  (3) the perception of unattractiveness, (4) the perception of danger,&#xA;  (5) the perception of abandoning, (6) the perception of dispassion,&#xA;  (7) the perception of cessation, (8) the perception of non-delight in&#xA;  the entire world, (9) the perception of impermanence in all&#xA;  conditioned phenomena, and &lt;strong&gt;(10) mindfulness of breathing&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Pali: Katamā dasa? Aniccasaññā, anattasaññā, asubhasaññā, ādīnavasaññā,&#xA;  pahānasaññā, virāgasaññā, nirodhasaññā, sabbaloke anabhi­rata­saññā,&#xA;  sabba­saṅ­khā­resu anicchāsaññā, &lt;strong&gt;ānāpānassati&lt;/strong&gt;.....)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According the sutta before starting ānāpānassati(mindfulness of breathing) meditation, one should develop other 9 perceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For ex. nirodhasaññā (the perception of cessation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;( ‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ sabba­saṅ­khā­ra­sama­tho sab­būpadhip­paṭi­nissaggo taṇhākkhayo nirodho nibbānan’ti)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is,&#xA;  the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all&#xA;  acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbāna.’ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are the '&lt;strong&gt;perceptions&lt;/strong&gt;' that to focus on &lt;strong&gt;between two breaths&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(But practically to 'vipassana samapaththi' those perceptions already  gains. so let quit the breath. Do not try to control, let it gone. If the vipassana perceptions are not developed enough strength, one can fell to sleep. Better to have find a experience teacher.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The detail stages in developing as follows&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(10) “And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, a bhikkhu,&#xA;  having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut,&#xA;  sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body,&#xA;  and established mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes&#xA;  in, mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out&#xA;  long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I&#xA;  breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out&#xA;  short.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe&#xA;  in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe&#xA;  out.’ He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I will&#xA;  breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I&#xA;  will breathe out.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’; he trains&#xA;  thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’ He trains&#xA;  thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he&#xA;  trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains&#xA;  thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Gladdening&#xA;  the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Concentrating the&#xA;  mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I&#xA;  will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will&#xA;  breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe&#xA;  out.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’; he&#xA;  trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out.’ He&#xA;  trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’; he trains&#xA;  thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:&#xA;  ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This is called mindfulness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about&#xA;  these ten perceptions, it is possible that on hearing about them he&#xA;  will immediately recover from his affliction.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T14:47:02.977" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T14:47:02.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11981" CreationDate="2015-10-10T03:24:07.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should have the analyse the breath in parts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Start of the in breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;acceleration of the in breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;peak of the in breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;deceleration of the in breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;end of the in breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;start of the momentarily gap&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;review if the mind wondered away&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;effort and determination to keep focus (no verbalisation or visualisation)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;end of the momentary gap&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cycle starts again for the out breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Continue from the start again&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When micro analysing it does not wonder away. Then this will at some time become natural in which case you drop &lt;em&gt;reviewing and determination&lt;/em&gt; and just watch the process. But when you start each session it is good to have &lt;em&gt;reviewing and determination&lt;/em&gt; for sometime before dropping it regardless of how second nature staying with the breath has become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind wonders away and your mindfulness and equanimity has lapsed you have started creating verbal fabrications. Anchoring the mind is to stop creating verbal fabrications. When new fabrications are created there will always be some sensation associated with it (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral). When you realise that your mindfulness has lapsed, 1st realise it, examine your body and mind staying with the sensation with equanimity for a short while (few breaths) or until the tenseness has gone (at later stages this happens instantly - when you look at fabrications the fabrications pass away), which ever comes sooner, then return to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T12:31:01.177" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T12:31:01.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12010" CreationDate="2015-10-10T03:33:49.533" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is actually nothing special to feel excited about. In Ayurvedic terms, when Vatha(air element) is imbalanced in the body, people tend to see dreams of flying. More information &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashtangayogashala.net/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=202&amp;amp;Itemid=165&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the ability to fly through the air is just one of the many psychic feats an advanced meditator can perform. It has nothing to do with dreaming. It requires great dedication in the practice of Samatha meditation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; explains how it can be achieved based on the 4th Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If yes then why one should do this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same reason why one gets into an airplane. To travel longer distances easily. According to the stories, in the past, monks with psychic powers have used this method to travel when they don't have a specific destination in mind. ex: when going on alms round. &#xA;But if they want to go to a specific place, they would simply disappear from where they are and appear in the destination. &#xA;Lord Buddha himself has said to have used this method when he visited Sri Lanka 3 times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T03:33:49.533" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11811" CreationDate="2015-10-10T03:41:04.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nama rupa is one and the same as the 5 Aggregates, hence the relationship of nama rupa holds for the 5 Aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T03:41:04.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11947" CreationDate="2015-10-10T03:45:21.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 4 elements can only be sensed through the scene doors, hence in the stand point of a mediator the 4 elements are sensations too. Without a living observer there cannot be any scene of the elements, hence consciousness, faculty, contact, sensation are essential and any experience of the elements is always through sensations or the characteristics of the elements which are felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note, in case this question was motivated by trying to reconcile Pa Auk and U Ba Khin methods. This is one of the &lt;em&gt;potential perceived&lt;/em&gt; differences between the Goenka/U Ba Khin meditation method and Pa Auk 4 elements meditation methods but at essence they are the same through 4 elements based method is slightly more granularity by further sub dividing the sensation based experiences based on the characteristics of the elements. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bcbsdharma.org/article/the-dynamics-of-theravada-insight-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dynamics of Theravāda Insight Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/ancientroots.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Ancient Roots of the U Ba Khin Vipassanā Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fuyan.org.tw/download/FBS_vol6-6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Development of Insight – A Study of the U Ba Khin Vipassanā Meditation Tradition as Taught by S.N. Goenka in Comparison with Insight Teachings in the Early Discourses&lt;/a&gt; for Bhikkhu Anālayo's perspective on the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T16:06:32.747" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T16:06:32.747" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11968" CreationDate="2015-10-10T05:23:34.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have just been trying to locate the text also. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.jangchuplamrim.org/2014/12/12/todays-lamrim-quote-12-december-2014/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This link&lt;/a&gt; mentions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Pearl Garland: An Anthology of Lamrims&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;translated from the Tibetan under Venerable Dagpo Rinpoche’s guidance by Rosemary Patton, Editions Guepele (France), 2012.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7086" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T11:19:16.277" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T11:19:16.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12018" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-10T09:10:41.810" Score="4" ViewCount="1067" Body="&lt;p&gt;The introduction to the Dhamma Wiki's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Misogyny&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Misogyny&lt;/a&gt; article says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, there are some non-Buddhists and even some Buddhists that contend that the Buddha was misogynistic. This is because of some passages in the Buddhist scriptures, the Tipitaka that appear sexist, that the Buddha was reluctant to ordain women, that the bhikkhuni line ended and cannot be revived, that the Buddha said that the teachings (religion) would only last 500 years because women were given permission to ordain as nuns (bhikkhunis), because of the extra rules that were imposed on the female monastics, including the eight ‘heavy rules,’ and the passage that states that only a man can be a samma-sam-buddha who teaches the masses after the teachings have died out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was the Buddha misogynistic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7048" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T10:43:48.357" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T13:43:39.210" Title="Was the Buddha misogynistic?" Tags="|the-buddha|gender|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12019" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-10T11:45:56.667" Score="6" ViewCount="506" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to apply Buddhist principles to the way I lead my life, but right now I'm struggling with an issue.&#xA;In short, the problem is that someone caused damage to our home and refuses to acknowledge this and pay the damages. The problem is that I'm having difficulty deciding whether to stick up for myself and my family and pursue this matter, or to simply let things be and go on with our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are 2 conflicting Buddhist principles that apply here (or perhaps more, but I just don't see them?): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One shouldn't attach him/herself (to material matters).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should move toward truthfulness in all things and correct harm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess what decision to make is somewhat subjective and depends on the exact circumstances, but I'm very much interested in what Buddhism in general has to say about making decisions like this. When should you stick up for yourself and when should you let things be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T15:03:03.533" Title="How do you decide when to stick up for yourself and when to let things go?" Tags="|philosophy|right-speech|right-intention|dilemma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-10T12:18:39.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a householder and a lay person, I don't really feel that buddhist principles conflict with everyday life in any meaningful way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because you see your material belonging as what they are - be it an aggregate of stones, wood, cloth, or other synthetic material does not mean you have to allow others to damage or steal them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pursuit of truth is ultimately what brings you dissipation and emancipation from conventonal attachments. You have no obligation to correct any perceived harm done to you. That is your self view arousing ill will. Kamma inforces itself. You don't need to act as an enforcer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether to pursue damages or not pursue damages is entirely up to you. As long as you maintain wise attention by not acting out of averice, ill will, or restlessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T12:18:39.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12018" CreationDate="2015-10-10T13:08:54.150" Score="10" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said women &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; be Enlightened.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In an unprecedented move for the times, Buddha allowed women to ordain as Buddhist wanderers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha added numerous rules to Vinaya to protect women practitioners from the abuse of men practitioners.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said that part of the path to Enlightenment is abandoning gender biases (AN 7.48)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha was a big opponent of the traditional practice of having widows join their deceased husbands on the funeral pyre.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha gave many teachings specifically for lay women.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both the 500 years prediction and the idea that only man can be a buddha seem to be later additions as they are present in some versions of texts and absent from others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T13:08:54.150" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-10T13:23:05.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think there are 2 conflicting Buddhist principles that apply here (or perhaps more, but I just don't see them)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FWIW I think that these are some other principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This seems typical of the sort of material problem you may face as a lay householder. If you didn't want that, why aren't you a monk? if you aren't a monk, then perhaps you did want that?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be guided, not by your desires, but by your responsibilities: i.e. try to fulfill your responsibilities.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think (I'm not sure) that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; implies you have (more) responsibilities towards those who are close[r] to you: your parents, your children, your teachers, your employees, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But another principle is to consider the welfare of others: if you &quot;stick up for yourself&quot; then would that harm others or would that benefit others? What about the attitude of &quot;sticking up for others&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When should you stick up for yourself and when should you let things be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you might find theoretical or scriptural justification for both/either course of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also apart from these two courses of action, is there a third, or a compromise? E.g. offer to share the cost of repairs? Or ask your lawyer's opinion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T13:23:05.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-10T13:26:08.477" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is up to you, since it will be you who affirms his power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting go of the outcome means that you can be ok with either decision, I.e. You can act accordingly either way without becoming attached and overcome with grief. If you let it be, so you let it be. Do you think that would be wise? If you follow it up, that's ok too. In the next instant, the opportunity will arise again, and you simply follow what you believe and what is in your heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is in your best interest and strength to pursue the matter further, then it would be Buddhas recommendation to correct and act accordingly to your knowledge, and not be cowardly or lazy. After all, you clearly value your family and seek to protect them, so you should question the importance of the matter and for what purpose are you seeking to fulfill. If you or your family are not impacted whatsoever, could you still let it go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you continue following up, it may come as a surprise to what consequences arise. Even if you are patient with your own choices, you may still take action at a more appropriate time and remain happy. It is important to notice whether feelings of guilt, fear or grief arise with any choice, as they indicate attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5036" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T13:26:08.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12018" CreationDate="2015-10-10T13:43:39.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=misogyny&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the root/etymology of the word misogyny&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;misogyny&lt;/strong&gt; (n.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  1650s, from Modern Latin &lt;em&gt;misogynia&lt;/em&gt;, from Greek &lt;em&gt;misogynia&lt;/em&gt;, from &lt;em&gt;misogynes&lt;/em&gt; &quot;woman-hater,&quot; from &lt;em&gt;miso&lt;/em&gt;- (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=miso-&amp;amp;allowed_in_frame=0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;miso&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;/a&gt;) + &lt;em&gt;gyne&lt;/em&gt; &quot;woman&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;miso-&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  word-forming element meaning &quot;hater, hatred,&quot; before vowels, &lt;em&gt;mis&lt;/em&gt;-, comb. form of Greek &lt;em&gt;misos&lt;/em&gt; &quot;hatred,&quot; &lt;em&gt;misein&lt;/em&gt; &quot;to hate.&quot; Productive as a word-forming element in ancient Greek, for instance &lt;em&gt;misoagathia&lt;/em&gt; &quot;hatred of good or goodness;&quot; &lt;em&gt;misoponein&lt;/em&gt; &quot;to hate work.&quot; Forming many compounds in English, most of them obscure or recherche, but some perhaps useful, for example &lt;em&gt;misocapnic&lt;/em&gt; (adj.) &quot;hating (tobacco) smoke,&quot; &lt;em&gt;misocyny&lt;/em&gt; &quot;hatred of dogs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the word &quot;misogyny&quot; does mean something like that, then I think that the answer is &quot;no&quot;: i.e. it doesn't seem to me plausible to attribute &quot;hatred&quot; to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;WIthin Buddhism, hatred (which is also translated as &quot;aversion&quot;) is (together with greed and delusion) called a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;root of evil&lt;/a&gt; -- and the opposites of hatred i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adve%E1%B9%A3a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;adveṣa&lt;/a&gt; (non-aggression, lack of hatred), and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mettā&lt;/a&gt; (loving-kindness) are seen as &quot;wholesome&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T13:43:39.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-10T15:03:09.973" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;you said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One shouldn't attach him/herself (to material matters).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One should move toward truthfulness in all things and correct harm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but... the second one does not sound like a Buddhist principle... where did you get that from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one (nonattachment, dispassion) &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a universally valid Buddhist principle. As a rule of thumb I would stick with this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, according to training I received, there are two &lt;em&gt;places&lt;/em&gt; detachment can come from: &lt;strong&gt;1) from strength or 2) from weakness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when detachment comes &lt;strong&gt;from strength&lt;/strong&gt; -- it comes from the idea of freedom, of independence, of being one's own island, of needlessness and emancipation, from wisdom, from compassion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when detachment comes &lt;strong&gt;from weakness&lt;/strong&gt; -- it comes from fear of confrontation or involvement, from laziness, from doubts, from incomplete understanding, from &quot;spiritual materialism&quot;, from attachment to private peace of mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you should look inside and see where your detachment comes from. If it comes from weakness then, while on the surface it looks like detachment, it really is a form of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is the case then you should definitely engage with that &quot;someone&quot; - not as much for the sake of what you see as &quot;truth&quot; from your side - as for the practice of overcoming your (hidden) attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T20:14:17.687" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T20:14:17.687" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12026" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12028" CreationDate="2015-10-10T15:08:23.733" Score="4" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Bhikkhu Bodhi's &quot;In the Buddha's Words&quot;, venerable Sariputta gives a discourse on &quot;The Conditions for Wisdom&quot;, which contains eight causes and conditions for obtaining wisdom. He says,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having learned the Dhamma, he dwells withdrawn by way of two kinds of withdrawal: withdrawal of body and withdrawal of mind. This is the third cause and condition for obtaining the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life.... (AN 8:2, abridged; IV 151-155) pg. 322&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean to be withdrawn in these two ways?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-10T15:20:59.313" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T14:54:53.103" Title="What does venerable Sariputta mean by &quot;dwelling withdrawn&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|texts|sariputta|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2015-10-10T15:21:42.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happiness in a worldly way is conditional. When cancer is cured and one becomes happy, it is conditional- the curing of cancer. When one eats chocolate and becomes happy, it is conditional-eating chocolate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happiness in Nibbana is non-conditional. It is happiness without any condition. Example of natural happiness is like the sun happily gives heat and light without any condition. Most happiness from  motherly love in the animal kingdom is also unconditional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This explains happiness without suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T15:21:42.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12026" CreationDate="2015-10-10T17:22:01.827" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Piya Tan's comment for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/44.13-Atthaka-Panna-S-a8.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.2&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third factor that conduces to developing wisdom in an individual is &lt;strong&gt;aloneness of body and of mind&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;kāya,vūpakāsa citta,vūpakāsa&lt;/em&gt;), that is, cultivating aloneness of both the body and the mind. The word &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;vūpakāsa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (“estrangement, alienation, separation, seclusion”) comes from the verb &lt;em&gt;vūpakāseti&lt;/em&gt; (causative of &lt;em&gt;vavakassati&lt;/em&gt;, “to be drawn away, to withdraw”). It is found in only as a suffix (in fine compositi) to these two compounds: &lt;em&gt;kāya,vūpakāsa&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;citta,vūpakāsa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt; These two terms also appear in &lt;strong&gt;the (Bojjhaṅga) Sīla Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (S 46.3), which should be studied with this Sutta.&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Aloneness” is not “loneliness” (where we miss someone or something familiar). Here, aloneness is where we leave behind the world we were familiar with to face ourself so that we dedicate ourself fully to the spiritual life. It means being undistracted by the world and worldliness, and to commit all our body and heart to our training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote is only the first subsection: see the PDF (pages 145 through 147) for further explanation (which describes bodily solitude, mental solitude, and spiritual solitude).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T17:33:22.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12029" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12042" CreationDate="2015-10-10T21:35:37.837" Score="5" ViewCount="619" Body="&lt;p&gt;Naturally as humans we feel many forms of attraction to other humans, but I am curious to know:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is attraction (or more so, a mere appreciation of the human form) considered a form of desire and, by extension, attachment to be consciously avoided?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7073" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T15:07:17.880" Title="Is Physical Attraction or Appreciation of the Human Form Considered Attachment?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12010" CreationDate="2015-10-10T21:48:07.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah once answered this similar question with something like; &quot;dung beetles can fly, what is so special about flying?&quot;.  He was asked if he could fly.  IMO ajahn Chah tried to say that the curiosity was misplaced and it would never lead to cessation or total liberation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2015-10-10T21:48:07.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12029" CreationDate="2015-10-11T02:27:50.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering (attachment) &amp;lt;= attraction &amp;lt;= (desire + other reasons + conscious).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally,&lt;br&gt;&#xA; We feel many forms of attractions,&lt;br&gt;&#xA; We feel many forms of repulsions,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering &amp;lt;= (attraction / repulsion) &amp;lt;= attachment &amp;lt;= (desire + other reasons + conscious).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a Natural process.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is a cyclic process.(desire to attachment).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    Attachment &amp;lt;= (desire + other reasons + conscious).  &#xA;&#xA;        |&amp;gt;-------------------------&amp;gt;--|  &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we want to avoid suffering, we should behave against the natural process.&#xA; This will seems unbelievable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without other reasons, conscious only, not get desired.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;trick&lt;/strong&gt; is not removing desire or attachment, but the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;other reasons&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two processes.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1). reducing the governing force of the cycle.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2). removing the other reason (Catalysts).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;These two process mutually helpful to each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the &quot;&lt;strong&gt;attachment to be consciously avoided&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is first process. It reduces the forward cycle. But to completely stop, need completely remove the 'catalyst'(Avijja - Delusion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sallekha Sutta: The Discourse on Effacement&lt;/a&gt;  Load Buddha shows how to remove this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then one evening the venerable Maha-Cunda&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; rose from meditative seclusion and went to the Blessed One. Having paid homage to him, he&#xA;  sat down at one side and spoke thus to the Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Venerable sir, there are these various views that arise in the world concerning self-doctrines or world-doctrines.[2] Does the&#xA;  abandoning and discarding of such views come about in a monk who is&#xA;  only at the beginning of his [meditative] reflections?&quot;[3]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Cunda, as to those several views that arise in the world concerning&#xA;  self-doctrines and world-doctrines, if [the object] in which[4] these&#xA;  views arise, in which they underlie and become active,[5] is seen with&#xA;  right wisdom[6] as it actually is,[7] thus: 'This is not mine,[8] this&#xA;  I am not,[9] this is not my self'[10] — then the abandoning of these&#xA;  views, their discarding,[11] takes place in him [who thus sees].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So, Cunda, the way of effacement has been taught by me, the way of&#xA;  inclining the mind has been taught by me, the way of avoidance has&#xA;  been taught by me, the way leading upwards has been taught by me, and&#xA;  the way of extinguishing has been taught by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What should be done for his disciples out of compassion by a teacher&#xA;  who seeks their welfare and has compassion for them, that I have done&#xA;  for you, Cunda. There are these roots of trees, these empty huts.&#xA;  Meditate, Cunda, do not delay or else you will regret it later. This&#xA;  is our instruction to you.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Mahā Cunda was&#xA;  satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-11T04:26:57.780" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T04:26:57.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12032" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-11T03:13:22.443" Score="9" ViewCount="898" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is it possible that he had past lives and how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7093" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-10-11T05:27:07.917" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T09:35:10.907" Title="If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?" Tags="|the-buddha|anatman|self|soul|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12032" CreationDate="2015-10-11T04:07:10.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-sihanada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;: The Great Discourse on the Lion's Roar&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;section of Ten Powers of a Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;Sariputta, the Tathagata has these ten Tathagata's powers, possessing which he claims the herd-leader's place, roars his lion's&#xA;roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahma.[5] What&#xA;are the ten?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(8) &amp;quot;Again, the Tathagata recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten&#xA;births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a&#xA;hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many&#xA;aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons&#xA;of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a&#xA;clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my&#xA;experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away&#xA;from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of&#xA;such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my&#xA;experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away&#xA;from there, I reappeared here.' Thus with their aspects and&#xA;particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. That too is a&#xA;Tathagata's power...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(9) &amp;quot;Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathagata sees beings passing away and reappearing,&#xA;inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and&#xA;he understands how beings pass on according to their actions thus:&#xA;'These worthy beings who were ill-conducted in body, speech and mind,&#xA;revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong&#xA;view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, [71] after&#xA;death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad&#xA;destination, in perdition, even in hell; but these worthy beings who&#xA;were well-conducted in body, speech and mind, not revilers of noble&#xA;ones, right in their views, giving effect to right view in their&#xA;actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared&#xA;in a good destination, even in the heavenly world.' Thus with the&#xA;divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings&#xA;passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly,&#xA;fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on&#xA;according to their actions. That too is a Tathagata's power...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T12:27:19.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12032" CreationDate="2015-10-11T07:11:39.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no independent soul, there is no independent self. Everything depends on something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's past life depends on his past deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus there are souls and self but they are dependent on past causes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T07:11:39.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12029" CreationDate="2015-10-11T07:17:19.927" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Appreciation or physically attraction per se are not attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, appreciation of Dharma is not attachment. &#xA;Another example, like being attracted to a beautifully crafted Buddha statue is not attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only when it is accompanied by greed and ignorance and hatred that it become attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since attachment causes us to lose wisdom, it should be avoided if we wish to gain wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T15:07:17.880" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T15:07:17.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-11T07:22:12.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says you need to obey the country's law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the law says that it is an offence to rob, then it is an offence and you have to report it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the law says that it is an offence to damage others property, then it is an offence, and you have to report the matter, regardless of whether the property is your property or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise you are seen as a Buddhist conspiring with the offender, which is contradictory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, you can take the &quot;see no evil&quot;, &quot;hear no evil&quot;, &quot;speak no evil&quot; approach, but that is quite a high level practice, and takes many years to reach that level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T15:03:03.533" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T15:03:03.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12019" CreationDate="2015-10-11T07:59:20.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right Speech and Right Effort. Those are the two pieces of the Eightfold Path that will answer your question in regards to decisive action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is Right Speech?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_effort&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is Right Effort?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Speech is speaking for a purpose that is beneficial to all parties involved and at the right time and in the right way (nicely, usually). In short, Speak effectively for a universally beneficial cause at the most effective time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is taking efforts that increase the total good and reduce the total bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope the above Buddhist principles of action help to guide you to the correct behavior for the highest good of all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T07:59:20.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2015-10-11T08:21:50.663" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara is (wholly, entirely) Dukka (Suffering). Nibbana is (wholly) Happiness. This kind of thought clearly fits with the concept of Nibbana, where there is only Happiness and no suffering at all: so Happiness in Nibbana is not relative, it is something absolute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quotes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Blessed One was &lt;em&gt;totally Unbound&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;simultaneously&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; with&#xA;  the &lt;em&gt;total Unbinding,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;....without peer in the world the Tathagata, with strength attained,&#xA;  the Rightly Self-Awakened One, has been &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;totally Unbound&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How inconstant are compounded things! Their nature: to arise &amp;amp; pass&#xA;  away. They disband as they are arising. Their &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;total stilling&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is&#xA;  bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With heart unbowed he endured the pain. Like a flame's unbinding was&#xA;  the liberation of awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was awe-inspiring. It was hair-raising when, displaying the&#xA;  foremost accomplishment in all things, the Rightly Self-Awakened One&#xA;  was &lt;em&gt;totally Unbound&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Blessed One was &lt;strong&gt;totally Unbound, simultaneously with the&#xA;  total Unbinding,&lt;/strong&gt; some of the monks present who were not without&#xA;  passion wept, uplifting their arms. As if their feet were cut out from&#xA;  under them, they fell down and rolled back &amp;amp; forth, crying, &quot;All too&#xA;  soon is the Blessed One totally unbound! All too soon is the One&#xA;  Well-gone totally unbound! All too soon, the One with Eyes has&#xA;  disappeared from the world!&lt;strong&gt;&quot; But those monks who were free from&#xA;  passion acquiesced, mindful &amp;amp; alert: &quot;Fabrications are inconstant.&#xA;  What else is there to expect?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-23T11:06:44.380" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:06:44.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8330" CreationDate="2015-10-11T09:12:50.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is monastic life like?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nalaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;: Gurgling Loudly (excerpt) translated from the Pali by&#xA;Andrew Olendzki -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Listen to the sound of water&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    In the clefts and in the gullies:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The tiny streams gurgle loudly&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    — Mighty waters flow in silence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   ...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how do the challenges?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nalaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;: To Nalaka translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Nalaka:]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Now that I know&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Asita's words to be true,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   I ask you, Gotama,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  you who have gone&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   to the beyond of all things.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   I'm intent on the homeless life;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   I long for the almsround.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Tell me sage, when I ask you,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the utmost state of sagacity.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   I'll explain to you&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   a sagacity hard to do,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   hard to endure.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Come now, I'll tell you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Be steadfast. Be firm.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Practice even-mindedness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   for in a village there's praise &amp;amp; abuse.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Ward off any flaw in the heart. Go about calmed &amp;amp; not haughty.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   High &amp;amp; low things  will come up like fire-flames in a forest.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Women seduce a sage. May they not seduce you.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Abstaining from sexual intercourse, abandoning various sensual pleasures,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   be unopposed, unattached, to beings moving &amp;amp; still.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   'As I am, so are these. As are these, so am I.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Drawing the parallel to yourself, neither kill nor get others to kill.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Abandoning the wants &amp;amp; greed where people run-of-the-mill are stuck,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   practice with vision, cross over this hell.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Stomach not full, moderate in food,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  having few wants, not being greedy, always not hankering after desire:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one without hankering, is one who's unbound.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Having gone on his almsround, the sage should then go to the forest,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   standing or taking a seat at the foot of a tree.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   The enlightened one, intent on jhana,&#xA;  should find delight in the forest,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   should practice jhana at the foot of a tree,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   attaining his own satisfaction.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Then, at the end of the night, he should go to the village,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   not delighting in an invitation or gift from the village.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Having gone to the village,&#xA;   the sage should not carelessly go among families.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Cutting off chatter, he shouldn't utter a scheming word.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   'I got something, that's fine. I got nothing, that's good.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Being such with regard to both, he returns to the very same tree.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Wandering with his bowl in hand — not dumb, but seemingly dumb —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he shouldn't despise a piddling gift nor disparage the giver.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   High &amp;amp; low are the practices proclaimed by the contemplative.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   They don't go twice to the further shore.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   This [Unbinding] isn't sensed only once.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   In one who has no attachment — the monk who has cut the stream,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   abandoning what is &amp;amp; isn't a duty — no fever is found. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'll explain to you sagacity:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   be like a razor's edge.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Pressing tongue against palate,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   restrain your stomach.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Neither be lazy in mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   nor have many thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Be committed to taintlessness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   independent, having the holy life as your aim.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Train in solitude &amp;amp; the contemplative's task,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Solitude is called sagacity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Alone, you truly delight &amp;amp; shine in the ten directions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   On hearing the fame of the enlightened&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   — those who practice jhana,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;     relinquishing sensual pleasures&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   — my disciple should&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  foster all the more conviction &amp;amp; conscience.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Know from the rivers in clefts &amp;amp; in crevices:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   those in small channels flow noisily,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   the great flow silent.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Whatever's not full makes noise.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whatever is full is quiet.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   The fool is like a half-empty pot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   one who is wise,   a full lake.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A contemplative who speaks a great deal endowed with meaning:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  knowing, he teaches the Dhamma, knowing, he speaks a great deal.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   But he who, knowing, is restrained, knowing, doesn't speak a great deal:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he is a sage worthy of sagehood; he is a sage, his sagehood attained.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T09:12:50.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12041" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12046" CreationDate="2015-10-11T09:14:34.687" Score="6" ViewCount="903" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understanding that there various kinds of knowledge, could somone please help elaborate on the kind of direct knowledge the Buddha referred to in the context of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a conditioned being who tends to base his understanding of the world on observations, how does one differentiate between conventional knowledge and direct knowledge?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While conceptually there may be an understanding of the Dhamma, how do we know if truly this is knowledge that has been realized through investigation, or merely a manifestation of a wrong view aided by the ego? Even if supported by morality and concentration how do we know if we actually know what we believe we know if the root of doubt and restlessness are the last to go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-11T14:42:49.057" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T11:14:48.013" Title="What is knowledge?" Tags="|wrongview|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12029" CreationDate="2015-10-11T10:32:15.897" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you say &quot;attachment&quot;, I think that the Pali word for 'attachment' is &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, upādāna is a critical link in the arising of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it says &quot;link&quot;, there, it means that it is, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#As_part_of_the_causal_chain_of_suffering&quot;&gt;part of the causal chain of suffering&lt;/a&gt;&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the twelve-linked chain of Dependent Origination (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratitya-samutpada&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;, also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;), clinging (upādāna) is the ninth causal link:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Upādāna (Clinging) is dependent on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanha&quot;&gt;Tṛṣṇā&lt;/a&gt; (Craving) as a condition before it can exist.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;With Craving as condition, Clinging arises&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That Wikipedia article (as well as other references, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/u_v/upaadaana.htm&quot;&gt;like this one&lt;/a&gt;) also says that there are different types of attachment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Sutta Pitaka, the Buddha states that there are four types of clinging:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sense-pleasure&lt;/strong&gt; clinging (&lt;em&gt;kamupadana&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;wrong-view&lt;/strong&gt; clinging (&lt;em&gt;ditthupadana&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;rites-and-rituals&lt;/strong&gt; clinging (&lt;em&gt;silabbatupadana&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;self-doctrine&lt;/strong&gt; clinging (&lt;em&gt;attavadupadana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you can see how &quot;physical attraction&quot; might be related to all four types of clinging; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;That person looks and feels and smells and sounds pleasurable, I enjoy perceiving them&quot; (sense pleasure)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I'll love that person forever&quot; alternatively &quot;It's just a one-night stand with no consequences&quot; (wrong view e.g. eternalism or nihilism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &quot;dating game&quot; and &quot;marriage&quot; as a source of happiness (rites and rituals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I am attractive or unattractive, because I do or don't have a romantic partner&quot; (self-doctrine)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.052.than.html&quot;&gt;Upadana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In one who keeps focusing on the allure of clingable phenomena (or: phenomena that offer sustenance = the five aggregates), craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, in one who keeps focusing on the drawbacks of clingable phenomena, craving ceases. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging, illness &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the first paragraph is saying that attachment arises as a result of a process like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;That person is physically attractive&quot; (is focus on the allure of clingable phenomena)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I enjoy the attraction, I like being attracted&quot; followed by &quot;That enjoyment/attraction has vanished, I wish it would reoccur&quot; (is craving)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I want that person, because they're attractive&quot; (is attachment)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely the second paragraph is recommending a process like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Sensual pleasures are impermanent and cannot be satisfactory (focus on the drawbacks of clingable phenomena ... not only sensual pleasures but the other types of clinging too)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Seeing their drawbacks therefore I don't actually find them very attractive&quot; (craving ceases)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm not attracted so I don't become attached (no attachment so the cycle doesn't continue).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are mental exercises purposely designed to make the body seem unattractive (e.g. imagine it as a corpse, as a skeleton, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are also other ways to approach the problem. One way might be via self-doctrine, for example, if you have the thought, &quot;I want that person, because they're attractive&quot; then you might think ... &quot;Wait, it's not that '&lt;em&gt;they are&lt;/em&gt; attractive' it's that '&lt;em&gt;I perceive&lt;/em&gt; them as, I consider them, I find them to be, attractive. However '&lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt;' am impermanent, the 'I' is just a reification of impermanent senses, and so that (i.e. 'my' view, that they are attractive) is impermanent and not something to 'attach myself' to.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Thundering Silence: Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Catch a Snake&lt;/em&gt;&#xA; by Thich Nhat Hanh, he writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many people think that to undergo spiritual discipline is to practice asceticism and austerities. But to others, the practice of the Dharma does not exclude the enjoyment of the fresh air, the setting sun, a glass of cool water, and so on. Enjoying things in moderation does not bring us suffering or tie us with the bonds of attachment. Once we recognize that all of these things are impermanent, we have no problem enjoying them. In fact, real peace and joy are only possible when we see clearly into the nature of impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It then mentions times in the suttas where the Buddha expressed appreciation for a good meal, or commented on the beauty of a landscape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh is a Zen Buddhist monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think he's saying that perceiving a sense-pleasure as unpleasurable isn't the only way to avoid craving and attachment: that you may be able to avoid attachment by enjoying such things in moderation and remaining mindful of impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware though that doctrine may warn there's a difference between food and sex (if &quot;sex&quot; is what you mean by &quot;physical attraction and appreciation of the human form&quot;) -- e.g. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist &lt;em&gt;monks&lt;/em&gt; (at least, if not lay people) are celibate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T10:32:15.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12032" CreationDate="2015-10-11T12:25:48.787" Score="15" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is it possible that he had past lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because until he became the Buddha he hadn't eliminated craving.&#xA;Craving leads to clinging, clinging leads to becoming, becoming leads to birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you remember your childhood? If so, why do you call it your childhood? Because your current existence(assuming you are an adult now) is conditioned by how the child behaved. In the same manner, if your mind had the power to go further back in time, even before your birth, you would see what actions you performed in your last life to condition your present birth. In that sense, it makes it your past life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But here we are merely talking about a causes and effect relationship. Such a relationship does not require an existence of a soul. A mango seed does not require a soul to result into a mango tree. It rather requires sunlight, water, fertilizer, air etc. Water does not require a soul to turn into steam. It requires heat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order for something to qualify as a soul, it has to be under your total control. Which means, it shouldn't be existing without your consent, it shouldn't be changing without your consent, it shouldn't be dying without your consent. Can you find anything in your mind or body that meets those conditions? Could the child have stayed as a child if he/she didn't like to become an adult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T15:21:19.343" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T15:21:19.343" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12041" CreationDate="2015-10-11T14:23:11.737" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conventional Knowledge is those worldly things discussed in everyday life, ranging from law, science, business etc. Knowledge needs Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom (Direct knowledge) in Buddhism refers to the mind stream of beings. Wisdom is there all the time, like clear blue sky. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas wisdom is spontaneous, conventional knowledge takes time, and creates karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T11:14:48.013" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T11:14:48.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12041" CreationDate="2015-10-11T19:46:18.933" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Direct knowledge is the immediate intuitive apprehension of the transcendental object without the participation of any cognitive process. It is transdual, transrational, and translinguistic, ultimately uncharacterizable and yet expressible in rational language (which is nevertheless not it). It is doubtless so if there is any doubt that is not it. It is inherently beneficial so if there is any &quot;bad fruit&quot; then that is not it, but &quot;bad fruit&quot; must be understood in essential, not social conventional terms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-10-11T19:46:18.933" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12041" CreationDate="2015-10-11T20:34:31.833" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kosa, there are three types of knowledge:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) conceptual or discursive knowledge, 2) knowledge of the underlying meaning or point, and 3) direct knowledge or insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The object of conceptual or discursive knowledge is &lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt; (name or concept). This type of knowledge depends on hearing about or reading about things and relationships between them, designated by some names. As a result of acquiring this type of knowledge, one can share this knowledge in more or less the same form and closely follow the instructions contained therein. For example, if one is told an allegorical story, having conceptual knowledge of the story would enable one to retell the story with its characters and events, in one's own words.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The object of the second type of knowledge is &lt;em&gt;artha&lt;/em&gt; (meaning, point, purpose). This knowledge requires some deep thinking about the layer behind the words, what's often called principle-and-function. In the story example, having this type of knowledge means understanding the moral of the story. Having this type of knowledge one can then share the same point in completely different shape and form.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The object of the third type of knowledge is &lt;em&gt;tatha&lt;/em&gt; (suchness or truth). It is said that this type of knowledge comes from meditation on one's experience. The object of insight is the immediate experience, with no connection to words or their points. In the story example, insight is the type of knowledge that may for example start with recognizing the elements of the story in ones own life, and proceed to discover a whole new pattern in one's life and/or the world around that one has never noticed before. Insight means clearly seeing &lt;em&gt;how things work&lt;/em&gt; - which then allows one to formulate various practical points and principles - that work and make sense exactly because they are based on how things work. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there are all kinds of words, points, principles, and things in the world - many of which have nothing to do with Buddhism - the doctrine of awakening. So in Buddhist context when we are talking about liberating knowledge - we are talking about the ultimate referent of the above three types of knowledge as they pertain to what at conceptual level is known as the Four Noble Truths and the Three Marks of Existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, at the level of concepts, this is being able to give the definitions of the Truths, the Marks, and various other Buddhist lists of N - and to literally follow the instructions contained therein. At the level of analytical knowledge, this is being able to explain the significance of, the role and application of, and the relationships between each of them - and to integrate the main points of practice with one's everyday living. And at the level of direct insight, this means to actualize the immediacy of more or less the same basic experience that Buddha had, in one's own life - which allows one to understand and explain all Buddhist literature effortlessly and perhaps, depending on one's capacity and temperament, to even formulate new points - based on the same vision of things that Buddha had had (same in principle, not in all aspects).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how do you know if your insight is true or fake? From the same Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kosa it follows that true insight (pure wisdom) is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;permanent (as in, you can't lose or forget it - because it's kinda in your face all the time),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;complete (meaning, you know there is nothing more to get or attain &lt;em&gt;in principle&lt;/em&gt;, so for all practical purposes you feel that you are done-done - there is no striving),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;prevents &lt;em&gt;kleshas&lt;/em&gt; in the course of day to day living -- first and foremost of the kind known as &lt;em&gt;the blinding emotions&lt;/em&gt; (because once you see how things work they lose their power over you).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;prevents experience of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (painful feeling of wrongness).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there are two main schools of thought when it comes to the timing of the insight: gradual and sudden. &quot;Sudden-ists&quot; believe that True Insight comes like a bucket of water on your head and that is the Enlightenment. &quot;Gradual-ists&quot; believe that Insight dawns bit by bit in the course of practice and meditation. There is also a hybrid line that believes in sudden breakthrough followed by gradual cultivation of #3/4 above, due to karma/inertia/bad-habits. This is where the author of this answer belongs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day I was sitting in meditation and then BOOM -- I &lt;em&gt;saw&lt;/em&gt; how mind craves for &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; to generate &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. Then, in retrospective, mapping my direct experience &lt;em&gt;back&lt;/em&gt; to Buddhist concepts, I thought: this must be dukkha, the dukkha must be understood, dukkha has been understood. This must be craving, the craving must be let go. I saw it right in that moment, in my own mind - not as abstraction but as direct experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, we know our direct knowledge of Dharma is true in two ways: subjectively and objectively: subjectively we know if it comes as direct experience, if there is a feeling of completeness and permanency, if it prevents experience of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; - and objectively we know if we can deal with external problems without running into emotional issues, and if we can explain Buddhist teachings with ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T12:58:35.680" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T12:58:35.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12047" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12609" CreationDate="2015-10-12T09:00:51.693" Score="3" ViewCount="76" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not good in english, but i am getting answers somehow. If i say about people who have had answered. They have suggested everything as per their own perception. Is that good to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-15T12:49:51.340" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T12:49:51.340" Title="Getting answers as per the perception of others only, not at all mine?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12047" CreationDate="2015-10-12T11:11:01.117" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course they are good to you if it changes you for the better. If nothing can be changed, like a solid rock, then it does nothing good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But everything is impermanent, even a rock can change, so there will be changes which should be good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T09:21:03.733" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T09:21:03.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11707" CreationDate="2015-10-12T12:10:47.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Defilements are like when you want to calm down or want to be peaceful, or want to be at ease, or want to focus, you can't because something else is bothering you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That something else is call defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T12:10:47.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12050" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12070" CreationDate="2015-10-12T13:19:58.777" Score="8" ViewCount="4909" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even in my limited knowledge on Buddhism, it makes sense to see a connection between a terminal illness (like cancer) and previous negative karma. Is there a Sutta where Buddha talks about this connection? &#xA;Is it true that a terminal illness can be seen in a &quot;positive&quot; way, like purifying past karma? &#xA;From a Buddhist prospective, are there specific ways (like rituals, prayers) for curing (or helping with) a terminal illness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you all for your answers! Be well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T15:15:37.870" LastActivityDate="2023-09-26T12:43:37.497" Title="Buddhism and terminal illness" Tags="|karma|well-being|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12026" CreationDate="2015-10-12T13:38:15.853" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Withdrawn here means &quot;giving up&quot;, &quot;surrender&quot;, &quot;renounce&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He dwells withdrawn means that he lived a renounced live and this has the benefit of gaining wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Withdrawal of body and withdrawal of mind refers to precepts relating to the body and precepts relating to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T14:54:53.103" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T14:54:53.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-12T13:39:53.590" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/thig.05.06.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mittakali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going forth through conviction&lt;br&gt;&#xA;from home into homelessness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I wandered this place &amp;amp; that,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;greedy for gain &amp;amp; offerings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Missing out on the foremost goal,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I pursued a lowly one.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Under the sway of defilements&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I surrendered the goal&lt;br&gt;&#xA;of the contemplative life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, sitting in my dwelling,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I suddenly came to my senses:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I'm following a miserable path.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I'm under the sway of&lt;br&gt;&#xA;        craving.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Next to nothing, my life —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            crushed&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    by aging &amp;amp; illness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Before the body breaks apart,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    I have no time&lt;br&gt;&#xA;        for heedlessness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After watching, as it actually was,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;the rising &amp;amp; falling of aggregates,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I stood up with mind released,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;the Awakened One's bidding&lt;br&gt;&#xA;        done.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T13:39:53.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-12T13:50:49.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true that a terminal illness can be seen in a &quot;positive&quot; way, like purifying past karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist prospective, there are specific ways (like rituals, prayers) for helping with a terminal disease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from a Buddhist perspective, one prays that if the disease can be cured, then let one's body be the vehicle to help many many other living beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from a Buddhist's perspective, one prays that if the disease cannot be cured, then let one die quickly and easily (to pureland).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T13:50:49.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12054" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12192" CreationDate="2015-10-12T13:55:38.400" Score="8" ViewCount="4088" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find the Chinese Canon Agamas in English translation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-09-03T21:40:28.703" LastActivityDate="2023-11-13T11:51:02.080" Title="Where can I find the Chinese Canon Agama in English translation?" Tags="|texts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12057" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12063" CreationDate="2015-10-12T15:20:21.710" Score="2" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I keep hearing about Theravada monks who are able to stay in deep meditative states for days and weeks on end. While I do not [yet] question ability to stay in meditation for that long, what interests me is the physiological side of things: how human beings are able to spend that much time meditating without dying of dehydration or having some issues due to blocked blood flow etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone seen any research on topic or can offer a proper search query for Google scholar? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7099" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T09:15:56.577" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T10:39:33.250" Title="Is there any research on physiology of deep and long meditative states (i.e. days and weeks of sitting)?" Tags="|theravada|science|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2015-10-12T15:21:51.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing to say right off is,  this experience you describe is not a head trip and no amount of impressive intellectual bs is likely to help convert this to the fertilizer it can be.  It is about mastery of the emotions.  Something big is emerging from your own mind and it aint going to be intellectualized away.  Ever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very well trained and experienced buddhism teacher Alan Wallace addresses &quot;meditative experience&quot; ie &quot;nyam&quot; at length. Sounds to me that is what you are encountering.   My own experiences are possibly very relevent too, they are consistent with Alans teaching.  Since they can be quite frightening and end up as fragmenting instead of powerfully beneficial it pays to get great guidance to be sure they end up as the unimaginably positive influence they can be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One important point would be to get qualified guidance from a qualified teacher.  Meditation,  shamatha practice,  when it is working right, will &quot;dredge up the rotting corpses from the mud of the psyche.&quot;  In fact when it does so it is a sign the practice is working.  However its so powerful and fragmenting its necessary to have guidance.  Otherwise we can be thrown off,  put off,  and even have our well being damaged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had prior experience from years of training in psychology ,  psychotherapy and seeking out the most challenging experiences possible for the sake of rapid efficient  personal growth.  Still I was knocked off my feet by the power and sense of &quot;loss of control&quot;,  emotionally,  when I got the meditation practice working for me.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It takes an intrepid attitude and competent external support to get thru such experiences.  My finding was that the &quot;gold&quot;,   beyond what I was capable if hoping or dreaming of followed immediately that fragmenting moments ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;don't know if its possible to contact posters thru this site ... feel free to if you would like more discussion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5865" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T15:21:51.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-12T16:45:51.703" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My first teacher, who could &quot;see&quot; people's karmic roots of their present conditions (including diseases), often explained cancer-type diseases. While he never gave one summary &quot;rule&quot; to map diseases to karmic roots - and was actually offended when I proposed that to him - I can try and summarize some of the main points here, and hope that they can be of more help than harm due to overgeneralization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of this answer, unlike with some other answers I give, I don't claim to see these things directly by myself - so this is only my attempt to explain main points of what I received as conceptual teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In general, physical diseases - just like most other types of troubles according to Buddhism - come from attachments. More often than not these attachments are subtle ones, like attachments to certain &lt;em&gt;principle or a view system&lt;/em&gt; - not obvious/superficial attachments to a person or thing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Many times (but not always) I heard cancer-types diseases explained through attachment to spirituality. In this context &quot;spirituality&quot; should be understood in general as orientation towards the high ideals of outworldliness and away from the lowly values of this world. My teacher emphasized that spirituality, intellect, principles, etc. should not be placed above the genuine nondual love (as a first approximation of &lt;em&gt;bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As I understand, the person in this condition (again, I don't want to overgeneralize, but this seemed to be the gist of many of those cases) may actually be very selfless and noble - while at the same time projecting very strong contrast between him/her and the world or the corrupt society, which colored their attitude to life as a whole - not necessarily in a negative way but certainly in a way that made them somewhat isolated mentally or emotionally.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This coloration of experience / the feeling of isolation then supposedly creates certain hormonal dis-balance that could lead to certain diseases, cancer-type ones being one of them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In theory, if above is indeed the case, the healing is always possible through a deep change of one's perspective on life. However, because karma is very inertial it may work better on early stages - and on the later stages the person may simply not have enough time left to transform themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I apologize if this offends anyone by putting the responsibility for the disease on the bearer of it, and I don't want this to seem like the only possible explanation - there are many types of and many objective causes of cancer. But this is what I was told, as much as I can remember it in a very simplified form, so I'm sharing it in the hope that it will help someone to &lt;em&gt;prevent&lt;/em&gt; cancer, if not to heal it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-12T23:57:56.147" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T23:57:56.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-12T19:38:26.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, from Tsongkhapa's viewpoint, there are three types of karmic results. One of them is the result similar to the cause. It is often thought that cancer or other deadly ones result from having taken life/lives in past life. &lt;strong&gt;A reason for thinking this way is that it may help the meditator to lessen anger (that would come from feeling that it's unfair or underserved). Thinking &quot;cancer comes from such a negative action&quot; is meant to generate regret (not incredible guilt or remorse that will have you paralyzed), and apply antidotes so as to stop engaging in negativities.&lt;/strong&gt; One has to be careful with this way of thinking. For instance, telling a third person &quot;it's just karma&quot; or &quot;it's because you killed in the past&quot; might not be the best thing to do. It is first and foremost something to take for oneself, to improve one's own practice. To be taken and given carefully. These considerations are not so much to be taken as descriptive than instructive, so as to meditate, dwell on them, and generate within one's own continuum, antidotes to anger and so forth. Dwelling on the notion that &quot;one created the causes of whatever awful turn of event occur&quot; would otherwise be sterile or even possibly dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a ripening of a karmic imprint is always &quot;karma getting exhausted&quot; but is not necessarily a sign of purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to prayers, in Tibetan monasteries, we perform pujas (&quot;ceremonies, rituals, prayers&quot;) on a regular basis, dedicating to specific people who requested (some giving donation, some not). The most common in this setting are Medicine Buddha Puja and Cittamani Tara Puja. This said, the practice we consider the best in these cases is animal liberation (i.e. saving life, as directly opposed to the cause that was taking lives).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-10-14T09:53:18.373" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T09:53:18.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11987" CreationDate="2015-10-12T23:03:26.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Same experience of air in stomach some 20 years ago. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just carried on meditation. It will go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-10-12T23:03:26.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12057" CreationDate="2015-10-13T00:03:18.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check out this article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://physiologyonline.physiology.org/content/nips/13/3/149.full.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meditation as a Voluntary Hypometabolic&#xA;State of Biological Estivation&lt;/a&gt; by John Ding-E Young and Eugene Taylor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a really interesting, brief read. Basically, it is a review of several studies on the physiology of meditators. It provides evidence for the case that aspects of meditation may be similar to hibernation, or &quot;hypometabolism&quot;. For example, like some bear species are able to not eat or drink for months on end (as far as I know) and come out fine, maybe meditators are able to lower their metabolism and thus meditate indefinitely without physiological upset. Some really cool examples of people meditating underground for days, or in airtight boxes for multiple hours with no ill effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T09:06:33.860" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T09:06:33.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12057" CreationDate="2015-10-13T01:57:45.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a Youtube video about long term meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8v-acTNzuY&amp;amp;spfreload=10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Boy With Divine Powers - Buddha Boy&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A meditating teenage boy in south-central Nepal who went without food or water for 10 months has changed the way we look at modern science and medicine forever. In 2006, Discovery Channel film crew traveled to Nepal to establish if it was possible for a human to abstain from all sustenance, water included, by filming &quot;Buddha Boy&quot; continuously for four days and nights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T10:39:33.250" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T10:39:33.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12065" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-13T09:35:43.673" Score="4" ViewCount="604" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a person dies, s/he goes to heaven or hell based on present life karma and any past karmas. In Buddhism, if there is no soul, who is punished in hell and who enjoys in heaven? as there is no physical body to feel pain and pleasure. If that person has learnt the art of detachment, how can s/he suffer/enjoy in hell/heaven? &#xA;Does different realms really exists and do we travel through them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T16:34:21.263" Title="Who is really suffering in Hell and Enjoying in Heaven?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|realms|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12065" CreationDate="2015-10-13T13:34:18.640" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf&quot;&gt;Milindapanha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- “What is it, Nàgasena, that is reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- “Mind and matter (namarupa).”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- “Is it this very mind and matter that is reborn?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- “&lt;strong&gt;No, it is not&lt;/strong&gt;, but by this mind and matter deeds are done and because of those deeds &lt;strong&gt;another mind and matter is reborn&lt;/strong&gt;; but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results of its previous deeds.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like an adult &quot;inherits&quot; results of the choices made by the child - even though most of the original body cells are gone, similarly future existence &quot;inherits&quot; karma from the past existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;--“Can there be any rebirth where there is no transmigration?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  --“Yes there can, &lt;strong&gt;just as a man can light one oil-lamp&#xA;  from another&lt;/strong&gt; but nothing moves from one lamp to the&#xA;  other; or as a pupil can learn a verse by heart from a teacher&#xA;  but the verse does not transmigrate from teacher to pupil.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is information and causation that is reborn, or is re-embodied. Or, as Chogyam Trungpa said, it is our neuroses that are reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;as there is no physical body to feel pain and pleasure?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh yes, there is definitely a body every time. Information always needs some kind of media, it does not exist without media... But that media could be virtual as well -- after all, form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Depending on a particular realm it may not be a crude material body. Besides, pain and pleasure do not require a body. Did you never experience mental pleasure and mental pain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;If that person has learnt the art of detachment, how can s/he suffer/enjoy in hell/heaven?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that person has learnt the art of detachment, why would he or she be reborn in heaven or hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Does different realms really exists and do we travel through them?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course they &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; exist, just not necessarily in a naive way below the ground or above the sky ;) Yes, we do travel through them. Even in this world some people live in hell - don't you agree?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T13:46:48.687" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T13:46:48.687" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12065" CreationDate="2015-10-13T15:46:26.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one dies, one goes to heaven or hell or animal realms or ghost or human or higher heaven realm based on present life karma and any past karmas. In Buddhism, if one dies , one goes to any of the 6 realms based on present life karma and any past karmas. In Buddhism, since there is no soul, it is the minds that are punished in hell and it is the mind that enjoys in heaven. If one becomes a buddhist and has learnt the art of detachment, one will not suffer/enjoy in hell/heaven or any other realms. Different realms does exists and we do cycle through them in our countless number of past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aim of Buddhism is to be free from cycling through these 6 realms which are suffering or eventually leads to sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of understanding the 6 realms is through ones' everyday life when our mind goes from happy to sad to neutral to any moods which are beyond one's control. Buddhism teaches one to have control over the mind&#xA;and become free from these cycles. So that one is prepared when death comes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2015-10-13T15:57:51.480" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T15:57:51.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-13T22:00:20.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;h3&gt;Even in my limited knowledge on Buddhism, it makes sense to see a connection between a terminal illness (like cancer) and previous negative karma.&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone who is born dies; and maybe 30% of all deaths are from cancer (other statistically likely terminal illnesses in developed countries include heart attack, stroke, and respiratory diseases).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhists see a connection between dying and &lt;em&gt;being born&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The proposed cure for that (i.e. to prevent it happening again) is to be enlightened (e.g. to attain nirvana, which is also known as a &quot;deathless&quot; state) -- to avoid being born again in future, and avoid or minimize &quot;suffering&quot; in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that if a person attains nirvana in this life, their body will (like the Buddha's did) still die eventually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that seeing the effects of kamma (e.g. being able to say &quot;your current life is like this because you did such-and-such in a previous life&quot;) is a supernatural (miraculous) power, attributed to the Buddha -- and (I think that) because it's a miraculous power it's not necessarily a sensible thing for an ordinary/unenlightened person to attempt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If or when someone does have a terminal illness it might be tempting to ask &quot;why me?&quot; and &quot;why now?&quot; and so on, but I don't think I like to attribute it to negative karma -- that seems to me like blaming the victim: &quot;Oh you have cancer? Well that's your fault.&quot; I prefer to attribute it to having been born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Is there a Sutta where Buddha talks about this connection?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are too many to name -- it (the cycle of birth and death) is  kind of recurring theme of the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in the beginning of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut001.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the first sutta&lt;/a&gt;, where it talks about the first noble truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, &lt;strong&gt;illness is suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Is it true that a terminal illness can be seen in a &quot;positive&quot; way, like purifying past karma?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I think there's opportunity for &quot;spiritual advancement&quot; or whatever you want to call it, opportunities to become a different, better, more enlightened, wiser person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a verse &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=006&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;early in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People, other than the wise, do not realize,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;We in this world must all die,&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  (and, not realizing it, continue their quarrels).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The wise realize it&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and thereby their quarrels cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone has terminal illness they might make peace with those around them, even if they hadn't previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Illness might furthermore be an opportunity for full-time practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To pick another example more or less at random, at time 13:55 of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJifR6EGTb8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; Yuttadhammo Bikkhu says that dying of cancer would be an opportunity (a chance) for us to understand the nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;From a Buddhist prospective, are there specific ways (like rituals, prayers) for curing (or helping with) a terminal illness?&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other references at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/dad.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Buddhist Guide to Death, Dying and Suffering&lt;/a&gt; (the &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/kusalainfo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;author&lt;/a&gt; is or was a chaplain at a medical centre).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/2357157/What_nurses_need_to_know_about_Buddhist_perspectives_of_end-of-life_care_and_dying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What nurses need to know about Buddhist perspectives of end-of-life care and dying&lt;/a&gt; (registration required) might be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also page 82 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this commentary on the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; describes the words a bikkhu might say during the dying process to inspire a patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote I remember isn't from a Buddhist source, but it might be informative if or when you relate with a patient. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/Randy/pauschlastlecturetranscript.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, you know, in case there’s anybody who wandered in and doesn’t know the back story, my dad&#xA;  always taught me that when there’s an elephant in the room, introduce them. If you look at my CAT&#xA;  scans, there are approximately 10 tumors in my liver, and the doctors told me 3-6 months of good&#xA;  health left. That was a month ago, so you can do the math. I have some of the best doctors in the&#xA;  world. Microphone’s not working? Then I’ll just have to talk louder. [Adjusts mic] Is that good? All&#xA;  right. So that is what it is. We can’t change it, and we just have to decide how we’re going to&#xA;  respond to that. We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. If I don’t&#xA;  seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you. [laughter] And I assure you I&#xA;  am not in denial. It’s not like I’m not aware of what’s going on. My family, my three kids, my wife,&#xA;  we just decamped. We bought a lovely house in Virginia, and we’re doing that because that’s a&#xA;  better place for the family to be, down the road. And the other thing is I am in phenomenally good&#xA;  health right now. I mean it’s the greatest thing of cognitive dissonance you will ever see is the fact&#xA;  that I am in really good shape. In fact, I am in better shape than most of you. [Randy gets on the&#xA;  ground and starts doing pushups] [Applause] So anybody who wants to cry or pity me can down and&#xA;  do a few of those, and then you may pity me. [laughter]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All right, so what we’re not talking about today, we are not talking about cancer, because I spent a&#xA;  lot of time talking about that and I’m really not interested. &lt;strong&gt;If you have any herbal supplements or&#xA;  remedies, please stay away from me.&lt;/strong&gt; [laughter]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I fear it's too easy/tempting to say to a patient, &quot;maybe you'll get better&quot; or &quot;you have to really fight this cancer, you can beat it if you want to&quot; or &quot;try this new diet&quot; or something like that. Whereas it might (I don't know, ask an actual expert rather than me) be more helpful for the patient to accept/see reality rather than try to &quot;fight&quot; it and it might help them if you would do that too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-13T22:00:20.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12071" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-14T06:54:59.717" Score="1" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;p&gt;To fulfill a lie:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The statement must be untrue.&#xA;There must be an intention to deceive.&#xA;An effort must be made to deceive.&#xA;The other person understands the meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One person says something he didn't intend to do. Realizing what he said was not truly right, he did what he said in order to fulfill what he has said. An example, someone was given a pamphlet and says &quot;will check it later&quot;, do not want to be a liar, he check it later although he doesn't want to check it in order to fulfill what he already said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he just said without doing it, that is a lie. But what if do it later, will the lie cancelled? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2015-10-14T07:04:08.380" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T16:01:25.527" Title="How many types of lying?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12071" CreationDate="2015-10-14T10:24:56.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand Right Speech, the relationship between what one thinks and what one says makes the difference between a truth and a lie. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your example, if the person says something and know that thing to be  untrue when he says it, that person just said a lie. The intention that person said the lie might not be completely unwholesome (maybe he didn't want to offend the other person etc), but nevertheless, he still is sure of not being honest to the other person and can be sure of just having done an unwholesome act. It seems to me ( but I am not completely sure about it) that the reason that person does read the pamphlet has more to do with his ego of not wanting to be considered a liar (even if only in his own eyes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bottom line is that all that matter is what person thinks at the moment that he speaks - if he says exactly what he thinks, he is telling the truth; if he says something that he knows it's not in line with what he thinks, he is lying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T10:24:56.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12050" CreationDate="2015-10-14T10:45:36.900" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, certain types of karma leads to short lifespans and sickliness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;There is the case, student, where a woman or&#xA;  man is a killer of living beings, brutal, bloody-handed, given to&#xA;  killing &amp;amp; slaying, showing no mercy to living beings. Through having&#xA;  adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after&#xA;  death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation, the bad&#xA;  destination, the lower realms, hell. If, on the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death — instead of reappearing in the plane of deprivation, the&#xA;  bad destination, the lower realms, hell — he/she comes to the human&#xA;  state, &lt;strong&gt;then he/she is short-lived wherever reborn&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a woman or man is one who harms beings with&#xA;  his/her fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives. Through having&#xA;  adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after&#xA;  death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation... If instead&#xA;  he/she comes to the human state, &lt;strong&gt;then he/she is sickly wherever&#xA;  reborn&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the precise working of karma cannot be clearly understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;  about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;  about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, not everything that happens to a person is caused by their previous karma. Rather, it is also caused by other factors such as environmental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, revered Gotama, some ascetics and brahmans who have this&#xA;  doctrine and view: 'Whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure,&#xA;  pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is caused by previous&#xA;  action.' Now, what does the revered Gotama say about this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Produced by (disorders of the) bile, there arise, Sivaka, certain&#xA;  kinds of feelings. That this happens, can be known by oneself; also in&#xA;  the world it is accepted as true. Produced by (disorders of the)&#xA;  phlegm... of wind... of (the three) combined... by change of&#xA;  climate... by adverse behavior... by injuries... by the results of&#xA;  Kamma — (through all that), Sivaka, there arise certain kinds of&#xA;  feelings. That this happens can be known by oneself; also in the world&#xA;  it is accepted as true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now when these ascetics and brahmans have such a doctrine and view&#xA;  that 'whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or&#xA;  neither-pain-nor-pleasure, &lt;strong&gt;all that is caused by previous action&lt;/strong&gt;,'&#xA;  then they go beyond what they know by themselves and what is accepted&#xA;  as true by the world. Therefore, &lt;strong&gt;I say that this is wrong on the&#xA;  part of these ascetics and brahmans&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv.08.26.01-08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kucchivikara-vatthu&lt;/a&gt; of the Vinaya, the Buddha describes how a good patient and a good nurse or caretaker is like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A sick person endowed with five qualities is easy to tend to: he does&#xA;  what is amenable to his cure; he knows the proper amount in things&#xA;  amenable to his cure; he takes his medicine; he tells his symptoms, as&#xA;  they actually are present, to the nurse desiring his welfare, saying&#xA;  that they are worse when they are worse, improving when they are&#xA;  improving, or remaining the same when they are remaining the same; and&#xA;  he is the type who can endure bodily feelings that are painful,&#xA;  fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. A&#xA;  sick person endowed with these five qualities is easy to tend to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A nurse endowed with five qualities is fit to tend to the sick: He is&#xA;  competent at mixing medicine; he knows what is amenable or unamenable&#xA;  to the patient's cure, taking away things that are unamenable and&#xA;  bringing things that are amenable; he is motivated by thoughts of good&#xA;  will, not by material gain; he does not get disgusted at cleaning up&#xA;  excrement, urine, saliva, or vomit; and he is competent at&#xA;  instructing, urging, rousing, &amp;amp; encouraging the sick person at the&#xA;  proper occasions with a talk on Dhamma. A nurse endowed with these&#xA;  five qualities is fit to tend to the sick.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha teaches the ill monk Girimananda ten contemplations, through Ananda, which healed him of his disease. I take it here, that the Buddha wants to get the monk to contemplate on these things that helps him to overcome cravings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Thereupon the Buddha said):&#xA;  &quot;Should you, Ananda, visit the monk Girimananda and recite to him the&#xA;  ten contemplations, then that monk Girimananda having heard them, will&#xA;  be immediately cured of his disease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What are the ten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Contemplation of impermanence. Contemplation of anatta (absence of a&#xA;  permanent self or soul). Contemplation of foulness (asubha).&#xA;  Contemplation of disadvantage (danger). Contemplation of abandonment.&#xA;  Contemplation of detachment. Contemplation of cessation. Contemplation&#xA;  of distaste for the whole world. Contemplation of impermanence of all&#xA;  component things. Mindfulness of in-breathing and out-breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(for details, please read full Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thereupon the Venerable Ananda, having learned these ten&#xA;  contemplations from the Blessed One, visited the Venerable&#xA;  Girimananda, and recited to him the ten contemplations. When the&#xA;  Venerable Girimananda had heard them, his affliction was immediately&#xA;  cured. He recovered from that affliction, and thus disappeared the&#xA;  affliction of the Venerable Girimananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-10-14T12:52:17.257" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T12:52:17.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-14T11:12:05.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Culadasa has broken down the progress into 9 stages. That might be helpful to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmatreasure.org/wp-content/uploads/LightOnMeditationHandout.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dharmatreasure.org/wp-content/uploads/LightOnMeditationHandout.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7106" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T11:12:05.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12071" CreationDate="2015-10-14T12:22:04.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tsong-kha-pa. The Great Treatise On The Stages Of The Path To Enlightenment Vol 1 (p. 222) defines the karma of lying as follow:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'eight bases' of lying are that seen, that heard, that&#xA;  distinguished, and that cognized, as well as the four opposites of&#xA;  these [that not seen, etc.]. Lying is when someone else-the recipient&#xA;  of the lie-comprehends comprehends the meaning of the lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'discrimination' includes misrepresenting a perception, such as&#xA;  what you have seen, as something you have not seen, or misrepresenting&#xA;  what you have not seen as something you have seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'afflictions' are the three mental poisons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'motivation' is your desire to misrepresent your perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'performance' is indicating something through speaking, through&#xA;  choosing not to speak, or through gesture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said that even causing others to engage in the three types of&#xA;  speech-lying, divisive speech, or offensive speech-is the same as&#xA;  doing it yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The culmination of a lie is someone else's comprehension.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you tell a lie without being motivated by any of the three poisons: the karmic path is not complete. Also the aspect of 'discrimination/perception' implies that if you say something false thinking it is true, the karmic path is not complete. For instance, if someone ask you &quot;What time is it?&quot;, and you answer &quot;it is seven&quot; thinking it is indeed seven while in fact it is six, the karmic path [of lying] is not complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for breaking a promise or a commitment, although the text does not state it, &lt;strong&gt;I infer&lt;/strong&gt; that it is a karmic path of lying. This is so because my teacher said &lt;em&gt;&quot;if you have the intention to give something away, and so stop holding onto it as yours, but later come back on your intention or simply never give it away, its a karmic path of stealing&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-10-14T16:01:25.527" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T16:01:25.527" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12065" CreationDate="2015-10-14T15:02:02.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quote from the Acela Sutta (This comes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html#theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; but the full text can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a similar question in the Sutta, to this question, where the Buddha says not to consider whether the one in the previous birth is the one causing the karmic responses in the current birth or not. Both assumptions are based on eternalism and annihilationism. Rather, the Buddha asks to consider &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the rest of the questions, I think Andrei has replied them well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, when the Buddha was asked by the naked ascetic Kassapa whether&#xA;  suffering was of one's own making or of another's or both or neither,&#xA;  the Buddha replied &quot;Do not put it like that.&quot; When asked whether there&#xA;  was no suffering or whether the Buddha neither knew nor saw it, the&#xA;  Buddha replied that there was, and that he both knew and saw it. He&#xA;  then said &quot;Kassapa, if one asserts that 'He who makes (it) feels (it):&#xA;  being one existent from the beginning, his suffering is of his own&#xA;  making,' then one arrives at eternalism. But if one asserts that one&#xA;  makes (it), another feels (it); being one existent crushed out by&#xA;  feeling, his suffering is of another's making,' then one arrives at&#xA;  annihilationism. Instead of resorting to either extreme a Tathaagata&#xA;  teaches the Dhamma by the middle way (by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;)&quot; (S.&#xA;  XII, 17/vol. ii, 20).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-14T16:34:21.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5667" CreationDate="2015-10-14T17:56:04.067" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are researches and explanation on psychic abilities (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extrasensory_perception&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ESP&lt;/a&gt;) and how the mind works, but they're not yet accepted by the West mainstream science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main contradictions between religion and science are how our reality is perceived by our senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main assumptions by science about our universe are that&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.naturalnews.com/041736_modern_science_false_assumptions_consciousness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Natural News&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The universe is mechanical&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is no consciousness, spirit, mind and nothing other than mechanical and chemical components.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All matter is unconscious&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite some recent researches by theoretical physicist Max Tegmark which says that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/physics/physicists-say-consciousness-might-be-a-state-of-matter/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;consciousness might be a state of matter&lt;/a&gt;, which he calls perceptronium (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;life force&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The total amount of matter and energy is always a constant&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The laws of nature are fixed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nature is purposeless, with no goal or direction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All biological inheritance is material, carried in DNA&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no such thing as a &quot;mind&quot; other than an artifact of brain function&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Memories are stored chemically in the brain and disappear at death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unexplained phenomena such as telepathy are illusory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mechanistic medicine is the only kind that really works&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on above you really can't expect any scientific explanation on such supernormal/psychic powers, because they contradict science, despite many occurrences (&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/06im0TbOYyA?t=94&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pyrokinesis on AGT&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tb8bWbA678&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=520&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Qi Gong&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ssBw9FDgM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Psi&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for that is that a scientific theory must make testable or refutable predictions of what should happen or be seen under a given set of new, independent, observing or analysis circumstances from the particular problem or observation the theory was originally designed to explain. And you can't do that with paranormal experiences, because it's &lt;em&gt;occurrence of an event or perception beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly the current scientific model consist only &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150610143624.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five major companies&lt;/a&gt; which control more than half of academic publishing, therefore to defy above assumption it's to defy the science it-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/45540/6557&quot;&gt;Is there any proof of the existence of the soul?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="385" LastEditorUserId="385" LastEditDate="2018-08-28T18:22:34.793" LastActivityDate="2018-08-28T18:22:34.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12079" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-15T01:04:01.150" Score="5" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;First time trying this. Much Metta to all beings here. I've been studying and meditating on a Mahayana based sutra for months, which is quite detailed in philosophy. I don't seem to understand the meaning of a particular passage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, Mahāmati, false discrimination rises from form (nimitta). How, Mahāmati, does it rise from form? In [the consideration of] the relativity aspect of Svabhāva, realities appear in various ways, as having forms, signs, and shapes; when, Mahāmati, these objects, forms, and signs are adhered to [as real], this adherence takes place in two ways. The Tathagatas, Arhats, and Fully-Enlightened Ones thus declare false discrimination to consist in attachment to names and attachment to objects. By the attachment to objects is meant, Mahāmati, to get attached to inner and external things [as realities]...&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Lankavatara Sutra, Chapter II, Suzuki Translation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm confused on what it means by attaching to objects as realities. &#xA;Thoughts? Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T15:38:11.580" Title="Question on a Mahayana Sutra (Three Svabhavas)" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12080" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-15T01:06:25.573" Score="1" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;My niece has very wrinkled palms and a Buddhist man all dressed in orange took her little 6 year old hand and told her it was a very special thing to have. He told her that her palms showed she was carrying her 11th soul and lessons of life had been learnt and she would be wise as she grew older and have an inner peace.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to find some more information about this,  has anyone else hear of this before?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7116" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T08:48:47.807" Title="11th Soul - last lessons" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2015-10-15T01:53:07.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you try to spend time to develop enlightenment. You will realise that a calm mind is much more easier to live with. &#xA;This calm mind in time would achieve any of the four fruits of liberation.&#xA;Thus perfecting ourselves to attain nirvana is the only right path is the only right thing to do.&#xA;Games being a fuel to craving will stop you to enter into Jhana. &#xA;If you enter first Jhana you will see how much better the life becomes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7113" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T09:47:02.737" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T09:47:02.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2015-10-15T02:08:48.850" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You experienced first two jhanas. Being accompanied with happiness. Yes it feels like explosion.&#xA;And you also experienced the third Jhana which is disturbing.&#xA;I recommend you to study &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/printguna.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana meditation&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;This will help you to develop further&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7113" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T09:10:10.253" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T09:10:10.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12080" CreationDate="2015-10-15T02:35:40.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't sound anything like Buddhism. A Buddhist monk violates a &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227/13sg.htm#ch-----2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vinaya rule&lt;/a&gt;, if he touches a girl or woman, regardless of age or relationship, but Buddhist monks aren't the only ones who wear yellow clothing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyways, it sounds like he was simply trying to say something magical to make the child feel fascinated. Most of us like to hear someone saying something special about us to feel good, depending on a body feature or some other external factor. Instead, we should examine our mind states to see if we really have the wholesome qualities praised by the wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T03:36:11.387" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T03:36:11.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12079" CreationDate="2015-10-15T03:29:07.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are objects?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Worldly things, for ex. 'Table'. or 'Car'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we divide them to parts, is that 'thing' exist further?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;can we say that 'thing' exist before divide to parts?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;So that 'things' are considered as 'forms'(nimitta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'things'(forms) has signs('name') and shapes('rupa'/form/object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We believe(adhere to) these 'things' are real objects.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;This is called false discrimination (attachment to names and attachment to objects).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This adherence takes place in two ways.('&lt;em&gt;ajjhattaṃ&lt;/em&gt;'- Internal and '&lt;em&gt;bahiddhā&lt;/em&gt;'- External).  As shown in '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sathipattana sutta&lt;/a&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.....In this way they meditate by observing an aspect of the body inside;&#xA;they meditate by observing an aspect of the body outside; they&#xA;meditate by observing an aspect of the body inside and outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In Pali: Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā kāye&#xA;kāyānupassī viharati, ajjhat­ta­bahid­dhā vā kāye kāyānupassī&#xA;viharati;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is &amp;quot;get attached to inner and external things [as realities]...&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Inner things - person, I, Myself, Me, Body etc.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;External  things - others, they, He/s ,It etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T03:29:07.593" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12080" CreationDate="2015-10-15T05:10:39.360" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the man was indeed a Buddhist monk, then he is one of negligible virtue and likely of little merits. Esoteric utterance from such individuals should be noted for what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A wise meritorious monk with good virtues and a cultivated mind would not abase himself to palmistry regardless of cause. In fact unless an answer is relevant and beneficial to your development - he might not even provide you with a response to some of the questions you direct towards him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN11&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such lowly arts as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;reading marks on the limbs [e.g., palmistry];&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  reading omens and signs;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  interpreting celestial events [falling stars, comets];&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  interpreting dreams;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  reading marks on the body [e.g., phrenology];&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  offering fire oblations, oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  offering oblations from the mouth;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  offering blood-sacrifices;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  making predictions based on the fingertips;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  geomancy;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  laying demons in a cemetery;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  placing spells on spirits;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  reciting house-protection charms;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  snake charming, poison-lore, scorpion-lore, rat-lore, bird-lore, crow-lore;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  fortune-telling based on visions;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  giving protective charms;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  interpreting the calls of birds and animals — &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he abstains from wrong livelihood, from lowly arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such lowly arts as:&#xA;  determining lucky and unlucky gems, garments, staffs, swords, spears,&#xA;  arrows, bows, and other weapons; women, boys, girls, male slaves,&#xA;  female slaves; elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams,&#xA;  fowl, quails, lizards, long-eared rodents, tortoises, and other&#xA;  animals — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from lowly arts such as&#xA;  these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T08:48:47.807" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T08:48:47.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12086" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12087" CreationDate="2015-10-15T07:20:40.773" Score="4" ViewCount="617" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can the teaching be reduced to Paticca Samuppada? Has lord Buddha preached so in any Sutta? During vipassana meditation, the practitioner focuses on impermanence, dissatisfaction and non-self. After this, when getting Arhantship, is it Paticca Samuppada that is understood by the disciple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T17:58:21.753" Title="Can Buddha Damma be reduced to Paticca Samuppada?" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12086" CreationDate="2015-10-15T08:04:26.363" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's Dharma is beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, and beautiful in the end. Absent need for addition or reduction. It would be overly simplistic to reduce the entire teaching to one doctrinal aspect - even if it were dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that - one who sees dependent origination, sees the Dharma. One who sees the Dharma sees dependent origination. Without realizing the knowledge behind paticcasamuppada, it would not be possible progress to sainthood. For even Sotapannas need to see the Dharma in order to eradicate the first three fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than postulating what it is that an arahant realizes at the point of fruition that successfully eradicates the asavas, focus more on the cultivation of morality and concentration. This will arm you with the tools you need to investigate phenomenons for yourself. As your paramitas mature, you will realize these truths progressively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T08:04:26.363" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12086" CreationDate="2015-10-15T11:49:24.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As shown in visuddimagga there are 18 insights to develop.&#xA;They are develop in The 7 Stages of Purification and The Insight Knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/r932g.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/r932g.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T11:49:24.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5667" CreationDate="2015-10-15T13:20:13.363" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a secular Buddhist, I accept science as an sufficiently accurate, evolving model of reality. I see the Siddhi's as interesting tricks you can do you shape your experience, but don't shape or interact with the world as flat out magic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, on to mind reading.&lt;/strong&gt; Yes, there is a scientific basis for mind reading in the sense of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_neuron&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mirror neurons&lt;/a&gt;. They create a simulation of other animals and people in your own brain. It has been evolutionarily useful to know when a predator is going to try to eat you, when prey is about to run, when your primate troop is about to kick you out of the group. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These mirror neurons fire when you see someone move their arm, the same as if you had moved your own arm. I don't think we have the data to explain how it works, my arm chair explanation is that the brain just creates models for as much of the other person as seems useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that mirror neurons are also the foundation of karuna/compassion in the sense of the ability to feel other people's pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T13:20:13.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12086" CreationDate="2015-10-15T13:21:05.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Can the teaching be reduced to Paticca Samuppada? Has lord Buddha preached so in any Sutta?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputra said (MN 28):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, the Blessed One has said, whoever sees paticcasamuppada sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees paticcasamuppada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, Sariputra's quote is the only place this phrase occurs in the entire Canon, so we can't see its meaning from the context Buddha has said it in - as we can and should with most canonical phrases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another place (MN 22) Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly and now, monks, I declare only dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- although this was said in context of polemics with &quot;some brahmanas and shramanas&quot; who misunderstood nirvana as &quot;annihilation, destruction, extermination of the existing being&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Uposatha Sutta (KN Ud 5.5) Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this Dhamma-Vinaya has one taste, the taste of liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;When getting Arhantship, is it Paticca Samuppada that is understood by the disciple?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From many, many places in other texts and commentaries, it is apparent that the gist of Dharma are the four noble truths and the three marks of existence. In my own words, liberation (cessation/prevention of dukkha) is attained on the basis of seeing things as they are (second noble truth / idampratyayata, three marks of existence, pratityasamutpada) which plays the role of causing disenchantment which plays the role of preventing the arising of thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, I agree with Amanasa - I think that trying to boil down Buddha-Dharma to a single concept is dangerous and outright wrong. Instead, from my personal experience implementing it in practice, it feels more like falling out from all concepts and being able to juggle them as needed. It feels like having no home in any position or philosophy, no ground under your feet. Amanasa is right in advising to focus on cultivation of morality -- and in Mahayana cultivation of morality goes hand in hand with deconstructing the ego: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning, this process is very coarse. There is a huge obvious difference between egoistic and altruistic behavior. As you proceed forward however, you start noticing more and more ambiguous situations. What looked like an altruistic act on the surface, quite often turns out to be a hidden move for preservation of one's self-image.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this early stage we must stop trusting our own thoughts, and get in the habit of critically examining our motives. This change in attitude to self marks the turning point when consumer turns into practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this next level, ego often manifests as &quot;spiritual materialism&quot; -- a subconscious tendency to accumulate goodness as food for one's ego, to get a kick out of being &quot;perfect&quot; -- a secretly perverted spirituality driven by a hidden motive of self-aggrandizement. One may easily get as far as acting egoless as a way of feeding one's ego! Now our game must get a lot more subtle. Practitioner has to learn to be a hunter, quietly stalking its pray -- the ego playing its tricks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you're doing this right, you will eventually find yourself intentionally acting &quot;bad&quot;, as an antidote for spiritual materialism. (It is a lot subtler than regular uncontrolled misbehavior though, and its motive is very different.) And guess what, as you go further, you may realize that this too could be an ego's trick, at which point you double up and get back to being good, now with 8 times less ego flavor than originally!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At some point, when the process of doubling up your mindfulness upon itself gets to its 16th or 32nd degree (or 64th, or 128th etc. depending on a person), the game becomes too subtle to maintain. The whole thing explodes, destroying any sense of division into &quot;observer&quot; and &quot;observed&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what I would recommend to focus your practice on, stalking and starving the ego. Once ego gets thin enough, realization of theoretical concepts (like  pratityasamutpada) comes easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-15T17:58:21.753" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T17:58:21.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8093" CreationDate="2015-10-15T14:12:41.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a page on Ven. Sujato's blog, &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-ten-funniest-scenes-from-the-pali-canon/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Ten Funniest Scenes from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhism.SE site guideline say I ought to quote from the reference; so here is the first, of ten:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10. Saccaka gets his comeuppance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya 35, Culasaccaka Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What’s up?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Saccaka the wanderer features in a few Suttas. Here he threatens to&#xA;  take on the Buddha in debate on the five aggregates and not-self,&#xA;  giving an elaborate series of similes on how he will drag the Buddha&#xA;  about ‘like a huge elephant would enjoy a game of washing hemp’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where’s the funny?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While Saccaka is boasting, there’s no doubting his pride is due for a&#xA;  painful fall, and the Sutta doesn’t disappoint. He ends up thoroughly&#xA;  humiliated, seating and depressed. But like all good thrashings in&#xA;  debate, it turns out to be a necessary antidote for his pride. He ends&#xA;  up becoming an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Readers mention others in the comments at the end of that post.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T14:12:41.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2015-10-15T19:44:16.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interesting thread.  One person wrote the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;In Buddhism the idea is preserving and guarding the mind is more important then preserving the body because the body is viewed as impermanent therefor one should not cling to it. If one take up arms in defense of the body there by killing or harming another being, then the mind becomes impure and one can not reach enlightenment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wholeheartedly disagree with statement.  First of all, there are thousands of Buddhists that have been to war.  The assumption here is that none of them can attain enlightenment or that it is at some distant time.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I have practiced Nichiren Buddhism for over 40 years and enlightenment can and is attainable in the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part of the statement says basically that the mind and body are separate.  This is also not true.  They are inseparable.  I see this person may not have a clear understanding of true Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of killing in self defense, I would have the agree with many others.  The word I like to use here is &quot;intent&quot;.  Cause and effect is definitely based on this word.  One's thoughts, words, and actions all create cause and their effects on our lives.  However, the intent at which time these causes were created definitely impacts the severity, timing, and nature of the effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are just thoughts from someone that practices the Lotus Sutra.  I truly believe the others are provisional.  The Buddha spent 42 years of his life writing the sutras, and the last 8 writing just one...the Lotus Sutra.  I think it is paramount importance to understand and practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you, everyone!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7120" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T19:44:16.123" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12093" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12094" CreationDate="2015-10-15T20:48:21.960" Score="5" ViewCount="751" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone would hide from the Nazis and then the Nazis came and asked me if I'm hiding a Jew - should I say &quot;yes&quot; or &quot;no&quot;?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When is it ok to lie? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-16T12:14:16.030" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T12:04:03.967" Title="Should a person never lie?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12093" CreationDate="2015-10-15T20:58:42.430" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gqga-5ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Good Question Good Answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, in the chapter about the five precepts,  Ven. S. Dhammika wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;QUESTION:&lt;/strong&gt; If you were sitting in a park and a terrified man ran past you and then a few minutes later another man carrying a knife ran up to you and asked you if you had seen which way the first man had gone, would you tell him the truth or would you lie to him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ANSWER:&lt;/strong&gt; If I had good reason to suspect that the second man was going to do serious harm to the first I would, as an intelligent caring Buddhist, have no hesitation in lying. We said before that one of the factors determining whether a deed is good or bad is intention. The intention to save a life is many times more positive than telling a lie is negative in circumstances such as these. If lying, drinking, or even stealing meant that I saved a life I should do it. I can always make amends for breaking these, but I can never bring a life back once it is gone. However, as I said before, please do not take this as a license to break the Precepts whenever it is convenient. The Precepts should be practiced with great care and only infringed in extreme cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-15T20:58:42.430" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-10-16T07:37:56.833" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Volition although is general interpreted as intention. In Buddhist context, volition however includes both conscious and unconscious will. Volition itself is dependent on various conditions and factors, like the phenomenal appearance (material forms visible or non visible to naked eyes; contact-feelings (sensory receptors); perceptions (imagery/non imagery thoughts); volition formation (Conscious (willed intent) or unconscious (residual habits); and cognitive faculty (Identification, discrimination, registering, conceptual, belief systems). The major factor of the formation of volition is ignorance  (oblivious to the nature s law of impermanence, the truth of non-substantial essence or individuality (ego) in all thingy. Ignorance gave rise to a deep longing (dukkha), expresses in the craving or aversion of continuing existence or non existence.  Volition that arises without mindfulness is propelled by  ignorance is (Sankhara/habitual pattern). With awareness, the Karmic chain causes of volition is therefore broken; does not arise and even if it does due to residual past conditioning, it is seen as such without attachment, therefore liberation is possible.Those disciples of the Buddha who attained liberation all comes to this noble realization &quot;The doing mode (Spiritual searching) is done with, the purification process has been established, there is no longer volition cause for future birthing&quot; (birthing refers to the birthing of ego). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7125" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T07:37:56.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12096" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12109" CreationDate="2015-10-16T12:26:24.763" Score="7" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm having a lot of troubles with noises. I try to close my ears with cotton, but it does not works great.&#xA;Is a little bit difficult to me try to meditate rounded by noises (here, where a live, people seems to be sensible to noise, and worst, they like to put their automotive stereo system at high decibels despite the fact that it is forbidden by law (here the State does not get to apply its own laws), its like some kind &quot;meat show&quot;).&#xA;So, is there some technique to surpass noises when meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7127" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-10-22T15:10:22.777" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T11:52:50.390" Title="Is there some technique to surpass noises when meditating?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12093" CreationDate="2015-10-16T12:32:58.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, the Lotus Sutra in specific, the issue of truth telling is complicated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upaya&lt;/a&gt;. So in the case of teaching the Dharma, a Buddha himself might lie for if move the student forward towards enlightenment, or was a suitable thing to do for other unfathomable reasons as long as the end point was okay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, I find the five precepts sort of un-Buddhist--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1-- no killing- A more Buddhist precept would be cause no suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2,3-- no lying, no stealing- These have to do with not upsetting the basic order of things, i.e. don't break the law and get the Sangha into trouble with the local government.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4- no sex. This is an organization thing, the Sangha wasn't set up for taking care of kids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5- no alcohol. This is trying to solve an ancient and modern social illness by decree. It provides a foundation for throwing misbehavers out of the sangha, but &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As such, I don't look to it for guidance on ethics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to read the ancient and modern texts, get a feel for what the ancient monks were driving at and on those grounds, I think a better criteria is what choices create and lead to suffering and which don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting Nazis, mass murders, spree shooters, rabid dogs, the neighboring country hellbent on genocide kill creates suffering. Killing the aggressors to put an end to the suffering is okay and so is lying to them to thwart their goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I had some time I'd say something about consequentialism and utilitarianism, (the principle that what matters is the outcomes and the greatest good for the greatest number), which to me appear to be similar to Buddhist ethics, but I'm out of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T12:32:58.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12098" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-16T12:40:32.240" Score="6" ViewCount="2006" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is compassion really a good translation for &lt;em&gt;Karuna&lt;/em&gt;? I've been fooled by &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11750/in-the-five-paramitas-what-is-patience-and-why-is-it-on-the-list&quot;&gt;patience&lt;/a&gt;&quot; before, now I'm sort of suspicious of the other common translations for the paramitas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does karuna in addition to feeling other people's pain also entail regret? In &quot;A Few Good Men&quot; by Nattier, she talks about people on the Bodhisattva path developing karuna by doing a 3 part ritual that is a repentance ritual. This seems far removed from imaginatively feeling the pain of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could it be that Karuna and English compassion, don't cover the same semantic ground?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2021-06-14T14:03:33.717" Title="What is Karuṇā? Is 'compassion' really a good translation?" Tags="|mahayana|compassion|paramitas|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-10-16T13:07:25.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I was told by my teacher:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To see in 3D you have to look from two places at once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From one perspective, &quot;I&quot; make choices, &quot;I&quot; act, and &quot;I&quot; experience results. This is a flat view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From another perspective, there is no free-will and the universe is deterministic. Therefore, we need to surrender to things as they are. This is a flat view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3D view is not like the two flat views overlapped on each other, it's not like either of them, but it's not different from them either. It is 3D!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have attained this 3D view you can make all sorts of flat projections of it. (Note: this 3D view is not Enlightenment, only right view)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Exactly because the universe is deterministic, our future depends on choices we make now. It is important to make good choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practical sense, in real life, we always have choice! One stuck in habitual victim role denies having the choice and resorts to blaming the circumstances. Enlightened master exercises the choice for the benefit of all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the very least, even if our freedom is very constricted, we always have the choice of perspective. Because our subjective experience depends on our perspective, we can control the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way this usually goes in Buddhism is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stage one. Mountains are mountains &amp;amp; rivers are rivers. We are contained by the flat view of &quot;I&quot; vs. &quot;world&quot;. We learn to control our mind by practicing the five precepts and the four right efforts. We practice shamatha-style meditation. We overcome attraction.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stage two. Mountains are not mountains, rivers are not rivers. We disconnect from the unwholesome flat view and adopt the Buddhism's wholesome (but provisional) flat view: &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;skandhas&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt;. We deconstruct our ego and practice shikantaza. We overcome aversion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stage three. Mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers. We transcend the two views and attain the 3D view - freedom from any single perspective based on vision of things as they are. We overcome ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-16T15:53:53.030" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T15:53:53.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2015-10-16T13:43:34.110" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Noises are going to be a problem if you are just starting out.  This is especially so if they are the abrupt, jarring type of sounds that you seem to be contending with.  I would highly recommend that you do your best to find a quiet place to sit at first - even if this means leaving your home and sitting somewhere else.  You might be surprised to find that many of the more liberal Christian denominations and the Unitarians might offer you some space in their respective sanctuaries to practice.  The same goes for campus chapels.  My own sangha has used everything from a classroom in a Methodist Sunday school to a yoga studio!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you must sit in a noisy area, my best advice is to treat sound just as you would any other distraction or phenomenon you might encounter on the cushion.  This is going to vary depending on your tradition, but coming from the samatha school that I practice, I'd advise you to double down on your meditation object.  If you are following the breath, continue to watch the whole body of your breathing as closely as you can.  Be with it for its entire duration.  Watch the blankness in the space between your exhalation and inhalation.  Sound is a difficult obstacle to work with, but like pain, agitation, sensual desire, or really any of the five hindrances, it won't be able to gain a foothold in a mind that is closely applied to its object.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, for the love of Pete, don't spend your time on your cushion fantasizing about how much better your meditation would be if only it were quieter!  That'll kill your concentration faster than the sound of a truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant!            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-10-16T13:48:40.050" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T13:48:40.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2015-10-16T14:12:19.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;my take on it is Karuna means that feeling you want others to come out of pain or misery. In contrast with metta, a feeling that you don't want others to be in pain or misery.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karuna drives you to help, where Metta prevents you from harming others.   My opinion.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T14:12:19.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2015-10-16T14:12:23.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That seems to be the usual translation. It's specifically associated with removing afflictions. The PTS dictionary pairs it with (i.e. as a complement of) metta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karuṇā (f.) [cp. Vedic karuṇa nt. (holy) action; Sk. karuṇā, fr. kṛ. As adj. karuṇa see under 3.] pity, compassion. Karuṇā is one of the 4 qualities of character significant of a human being who has attained enfranchisement of heart (ceto -- vimutti) in the 4 sentiments, viz. mettā k.˚ upekhā muditā Freq. found in this formula with ˚sahagatena cetasā. The first two qualities are complementary, and SnA 128 (on Sn 73) explains k˚ as &quot;ahita -- dukkh -- âpanaya -- kāmatā,&quot; the desire of removing bane and sorrow (from one's fellowmen), whilst mettā is expl. as &quot;hita -- sukh -- ûpanayakāmatā,&quot; the desire of bringing (to one's fellow -- men) that which is welfare and good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I Googled briefly to try to understand what you wrote about &quot;talks about people on the Bodhisattva path developing karuna by doing a 3 part ritual that is a repentance ritual.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could it be that repentance is needed to earn (i.e. to become the object of) compassion, rather than to generate (i.e. become the author of) compassion? Or that one hopes to attain the object of repentance (i.e. removal of affliction) as a result of enlightened compassion?&#xA;Which, may eventually amount to the same thing, if you remove self-and-other duality? Included in &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:356.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the PTS dictionary definition&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;feat of great compassion: in which Buddha is represented when rising and surveying the world to look for beings to be worthy of his mercy and help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there's pages 154 and 155 of &lt;a href=&quot;https://shingondharmazazen.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/developmentofthehua-yenschoolduringthetangdynasty.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this PDF&lt;/a&gt; -- the fourth vow is to repent the evil karma of misdeed (which might be where &quot;repentance&quot; comes from), and one of the three kinds of repentance is Dharma ritual,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three kinds of repentance: (1) repentance by Dharma ritual (2)&#xA;  repentance by meditation (3) repentance of non-arising. First of all, as to the&#xA;  repentance by bowing and chanting sutra, a sinner has to confess his wrongdoing in&#xA;  front of the image or statue of the Buddha, as if the Buddhad were there, and to ask&#xA;  forgiveness with the sincerity. The sinner has to place his knees, elbows and the head&#xA;  on the ground to show the ultimate respect; further, he has to keep chanting the sutra,&#xA;  and thinking of the positive meaning of the sutra. Therefore, the physical, verbal and&#xA;  mental wrongdoing can be purified by the repentance of Dharma ritual. For example,&#xA;  the &lt;em&gt;Lotus sutra&lt;/em&gt; (法華經) and &lt;em&gt;Maha karuna dharani Dharma&lt;/em&gt; ritual (大悲懺儀)&#xA;  repentance are the most popular ones. Secondly, as to the repentance by meditation, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway yes, &quot;compassion&quot; is the most common translation. There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/karuna/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a collection of 17 definitions here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of these definitions explains why they don't translate it as &quot;pity&quot; or &quot;sympathy&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karunā is often translated as “pity” or “sym­pathy”; since these notions tend to suggest pas­sive attitudes that do not contain the quality of active help that is an essential part of karunā, the concept of “compassion” is more suitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T14:12:23.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2015-10-16T16:26:43.197" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Literally, &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;to mourn&quot;, &quot;to pity&quot;, &quot;to lament&quot; - but the Buddhist meaning is quite different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Canon karuna is one of the four &lt;em&gt;brahmavihara&lt;/em&gt;s, practiced as an antidote against aversion towards people and society due to their shortcomings. Somewhere in the Canon I've read Buddha saying karuna is like what a good king should feel for his people. The king does not complain that his country is imperfect nor does he resent his people! Instead, he appreciates their condition and tries to help them out as much as he can. (This doesn't mean he lets them sleep in his bedroom - he can't solve their problems for them, but he can &quot;give them the fish pole and teach them how to fish&quot;.) There is a reason they are called &quot;brahma-vihara&quot;-s, the dwellings of Brahma - the nondualistic all-inclusive God-Absolute. It is like the practitioner takes on the Brahma's perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana compassion goes hand in hand with wisdom and skillful means, exemplified by Lotus Sutra's parable of the burning house. It is like compassion of parents towards their children. They know there is sex, but they don't want their children to be harmed by what those are not ready for, yet. They know Santa Claus is an illusion, but because they love their children so much they put the gifts under the Christmas tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you see, in both cases it is a top-down compassion, compassion of superior taking care of the junior, weak, sick, or confused - using whatever tools you have at your disposal, from logic, to useful fiction, to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10700/43&quot;&gt;wrath&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11883/43&quot;&gt;&quot;tough love&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Instead of &lt;em&gt;resenting&lt;/em&gt; the way the world is or the people are (=the victim stance), we take the master's stance.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, part of the practice of deconstructing the ego is to cultivate clear understanding that in principle, there is nothing substantial that makes Bodhisattva &quot;better&quot; than others, beside the luck of having encountered, and benefited from, the genuine teaching. Bodhisattva can relate to everybody's dukkha - because they see that deep inside people are not that different. Everyone is subject to the three marks of existence. Every one is subject to emptiness. Even though Bodhisattva has realized Emptiness, s\he sees how hard it is to not assume things to be real. Bodhisattva can see how people organize their lives around illusions - and how it inevitably leads to suffering. This is why it is said, in one who sees things as they are, compassion arises spontaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So [in my understanding] Buddhist compassion is not as much just &lt;em&gt;feeling&lt;/em&gt; other people's pain -- as it is an &lt;em&gt;attitude&lt;/em&gt;, a &lt;em&gt;modus operandi&lt;/em&gt; permeated with the sense of ownership of and responsibility for the good of all beings - based on being able to relate, to put oneself in their shoes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several quotes to support my understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Karuna is] the intention and capacity to relieve and transform suffering and lighten sorrows. Karuna is usually translated as 'compassion', but that is not exactly correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhagosha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) When there is suffering in others it makes (karoti) good people’s hearts tremble (kampana), thus it is compassion (karuna).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  2) It combats (kinati) others’ suffering, attacks and demolishes it, thus it is karuna.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  3) or it is dispersed (kiriyati) over the suffering, is spread out through pervasion, thus it is karuna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The-Teaching-of-Aksayamati-bodhisattva Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for this great compassion (maha-karuna), reverend Saradvatiputra, it means &quot;work&quot; or &quot;action&quot; (kar-)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [Even if is for the sake of others] it is one's own work - thus it is called &quot;great compassion&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-17T22:00:57.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2015-10-16T17:38:47.893" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether we translate karuna as 'compassion' does not matter that much. Why? Because that compassion which is karuna is defined as &lt;em&gt;&quot;the wish for others to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Consequently, the fact that the etymology of 'com-passion' might relate to 'suffering with' and so forth does not really matter, since we are clear on the definition of the so-called &quot;buddhist compassion, which is karuna&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-10-16T17:38:47.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12105" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-17T10:44:16.750" Score="6" ViewCount="917" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not able to sit in the lotus position. I'm only 24 years old but quite tall (189 cm). Usually I sit in this position: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iPFSw.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iPFSw.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I googled the picture, it's from &lt;a href=&quot;https://selbstwaerts.de/meditation-selbstwaerts/meditationspositionen/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;EMPFOHLENE MEDITATIONS-POSITIONEN UND SITZHALTUNGEN&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I want to enter a monastery in Thailand and become a monk, is it a problem if I can't sit in the lotus position for meditation but in the position I posted above? I'm asking this, because I have never seen a monk meditating in a position different from the lotus position. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I suffer from back problems and need to workout regularly in order to reduce the pain in my back. My back muscles need regular workout because they are weak. Is it possible to perform basic exercises in my own room or is it against the vinaya?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;While being in a monastery in Thailand, is it possible to improve my skills in english in order to understand the instructions perfectly? I understand english pretty well but I have difficulties in speaking sometimes. I have learned english at school for 3 years only (I've had some help when writing these questions). So my skills are pretty basic. Or is it possible to learn thai? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance for taking your time to answer my questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7128" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-17T11:06:30.333" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T13:22:45.457" Title="Meditation posture and language as a monk in Thailand" Tags="|theravada|meditation-posture|meditation|monastery|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2015-10-17T17:08:06.580" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sounds like perfect opportunity to practice insight meditation! If you watch your mind when these noises happen, you can notice how you become unhappy due to the mismatch between &quot;is&quot; and &quot;should&quot; (aka &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot;). If you examine this mismatch very carefully as it happens in your own mind, and learn to let go of the &quot;that&quot; - you will realize the meaning of the Third Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another technique as per Thrangu Rinpoche is to imagine even worse sounds (shrieking screams etc.) and reflect on how much nicer the present sounds are, in comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T17:33:13.477" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T17:33:13.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12107" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12127" CreationDate="2015-10-17T20:12:01.210" Score="2" ViewCount="3413" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has anyone seen any meditation master demonstrating abhinna or supernatural powers stated in various suttas and in Visuddhi Magga? I know, most will suggest me to keep practicing meditation to see or experience it by myself. But I would like to hear from modern day people about their practical experiences, not from the suttas and texts.&#xA;PS: It's not about starting a debate. Basically it's just yes/no answer based on practical experiences. I would love to hear it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7034" LastEditorUserId="7034" LastEditDate="2015-10-19T23:31:37.860" LastActivityDate="2019-06-29T06:51:27.093" Title="Has anyone seen any meditation master demonstrating abhinna or supernatural powers?" Tags="|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12079" CreationDate="2015-10-17T23:47:52.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our experience of reality is made by the mind. We don't experience the world directly, instead our mind builds models - and this is what we experience, assuming that to be reality. You would think our models are more or less accurate except some small details - but no, not at all. They are like flat 2D cross-sections of the multi-dimensional reality. They are not just simplifications, they are more like schematics, like wire-frames.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we habitually assume to be solid entities are mind-made wire-frames. Buddhism teaches that all entities are not solid (we say they are &quot;coreless&quot; or &quot;empty&quot; - &lt;em&gt;shunya&lt;/em&gt;). What does this mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't think of objects point-in-time, but watch the whole thing over time, you'll see that what you assume to be entities are really just temporary arrangements of various parts set in motion by chains of causes. So entities are just point in time assemblies of trajectories of causes traversing space-time. In addition to causes, there are also ambient &lt;em&gt;conditions&lt;/em&gt; necessary for existence of certain entities: pressure, gravity, electromagnetic field, temperature etc. All of these: parts, causes that got them together at this place and time and ambient conditions that keep them together for now - is what we call components of objects. All objects are compound aggregates of components. Traditional term for this is Pali &lt;em&gt;sankharo&lt;/em&gt; (Sanksrit &lt;em&gt;samskara&lt;/em&gt;) - literally &quot;co-made&quot;, made-up by many constituents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about the above really well, you may realize that the threads of causation I describe above are not really linear. Instead, there is a &lt;em&gt;network&lt;/em&gt; of causes and conditions, infinitely forking, joining, and interacting. Depending on the level of observation and on the context the mind will delineate different entities. You are familiar with physical, chemical, biological, electromagnetic, informational levels of observation. These are all different ways to see the same reality. So your experience of entities always depends on you, the observer - providing the level and context, making the delineation, making the interpretation. And what are you, the observer? It is also a temporary arrangement of factors (physical, biological, social, informational etc.)! So what happens in the moment when experience of so-called reality takes place, is that many factors come together to create the so-called &quot;external&quot;/&quot;objective&quot; and the so-called &quot;internal&quot;/&quot;subjective&quot; components of the experience. So what we perceive as objects or entities at the moment the experience takes place are temporary arrangements of physical factors, assembled into a coherent experience by temporary arrangements of mental (experiential) factors - which themselves are temporary arrangements of factors! Actually, physical factors and mental/informational factors are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; two different types of factors, they are two sides of the same coin. We say, &quot;form is emptiness and emptiness is form&quot;. Nothing solid to rely on at all! This situation is known as &quot;Emptiness&quot; (Shunya-ta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides physical objects, let's not forget that our lives are full of entities of other kind: abstract concepts. Do you know how many times people killed each other because of disagreement about the concepts? And yet, very few seem to realize the obvious: that abstract concepts don't and can never have well-defined meaning. They are just labels that make sense in relation to other labels that we arbitrarily designate. So concepts, ideas are not solid either. They have different meaning depending on context and on who uses it and for what. These dependencies of the concepts serve the role equivalent to the role of causes and conditions that physical objects depend on. We say that both so-called physical objects as well as concepts are both &quot;compound&quot; or &quot;conditioned&quot; phenomena (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;s) - they are aggregates of factors, with label (&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt; - name) stamped on top.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of such entities is &quot;I&quot; - we assume there is something stable, but there is no such thing - only factors, only trajectories, only forces interacting. There is no &quot;internal&quot; vs &quot;external&quot; world (that this separation is a mind-made fiction is proven by the fact that your &quot;internal&quot; is &quot;external&quot; for me). Objectively, there is no &quot;internal&quot; vs &quot;external&quot; - only an infinite field of interacting factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately most people assume all types of entities (objects, groups, concepts, &quot;I&quot;, etc.) to have solid identity that can be relied on (traditional term for this is &quot;existence-by-itself&quot; - &lt;em&gt;svabhava&lt;/em&gt;). Not just assume, they insist that their delineation/interpretation of entities is &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; reality. This is what the sutra calls attaching to external &amp;amp; internal objects&quot; and &quot;attaching to names (concepts, labels, identities)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-18T15:38:11.580" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T15:38:11.580" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2015-10-18T05:00:12.137" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should watch &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6O42-CAHgo&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=9m21s&quot;&gt;this Youtube video&lt;/a&gt;, in which &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Brahm&quot;&gt;Ajahn Brahm&lt;/a&gt; speaks about his experiences with mosquitoes in Thailand, when he first became a monk. As a monk, he is not allowed to kill them and his teacher also did not allow them to use mosquito repellants or coils.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, his teacher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;, told his students to see the mosquito as their teacher. From then on, they became Ajahn Mosquito (Ajahn means Teacher in Thai). He explains that when he went deeper into his meditation, he became unaware of the mosquitoes. If his mind wandered, the pain from the mosquito bites would draw him to that fact, and he would go back to his concentration. Later on, the mosquitoes left him, possibly because his metabolic rate dropped and he produced less carbon dioxide that attracted mosquitoes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, I suggest that noises can also be considered a training medium.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-10-18T07:19:16.450" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T07:19:16.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12110" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12115" CreationDate="2015-10-18T09:34:30.623" Score="5" ViewCount="9316" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to Buddhism &amp;amp; exploring it. Recently I came across this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6E8er3XqN0&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; which made me ask few questions &amp;amp; they are:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1)They have shown image of Lord Shiva at 13:50 above the baby(Lord Buddha). Even in Hinduism Buddha is considered one the avatars of Lord Vishnu. So is there a connection between Buddha,Shiva &amp;amp; Vishnu.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2)Lastly in this video they said child's(Buddha) parents are Brahmins. So was Buddha a 'Hindu Brahmin' before he attained enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastActivityDate="2020-07-22T05:04:09.043" Title="Is there a connection between Lord Buddha &amp; Hinduism?" Tags="|gautama-buddha|hinduism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12111" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-18T11:35:06.003" Score="4" ViewCount="1176" Body="&lt;p&gt;On Buddhist retreats and at most Buddhist monasteries the morning meditation session is at around 4:30 or 5:00 am.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, Brahma muhurta (time of Brahma) is a period (&lt;em&gt;muhurta&lt;/em&gt;) one and a half hours before sunrise or more precisely 1Hr 36 Mins before sunrise. i.e. 96 Minutes = 2 &lt;em&gt;Muhūrta&lt;/em&gt; or 4 &lt;em&gt;Ghaṭīkā&lt;/em&gt;,and each &lt;em&gt;Muhurta&lt;/em&gt; lasting for 48 minutes. Literally meaning &quot;God's Hour&quot;, it is traditionally the last phase or muhurta of the night and is considered an auspicious time for all practices of yoga and most appropriate for meditation, worship or any other religious practice.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmamuhurtha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmamuhurtha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a similar theoretical basis in Buddhism? If so, where can I learn more about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Side note&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;em&gt;I've been automatically waking up at 4:00-4:30 am now for sometime now without intending to. It doesn't matter how tired I am, or how late I go to bed, I come fully awake at this time, and my eyes aren't burning or showing any signs of fatigue. I'll sit up and mediate in bed after a little washing up. After an hour or so (actually 48 minutes sounds about right, I don't set a timer so I can't confirm) I will go back to bed or about the day after a little more meditation, depending on my schedule. I find this automatic process quite fascinating. That's how I started to research this phenomenon.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2015-10-18T11:54:23.923" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T17:16:42.800" Title="Does the concept of Brahma muhurta (time of Brahma) exist in Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12111" CreationDate="2015-10-18T12:40:56.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am unable to find a reference, but I have heard at a Dhamma sermon that the Buddhist monks are advised to get up at 4 in the morning, then clean the mouth and have a light soup which consists of salt, water and may be some other ingredients.(A light soup with salt in it) After that monks are advised to learn the Dhamma, may be memorizing, understanding etc. So yes it is advised to get up at 4 am and study but I am not sure whether the term Brahma Muhurtha is used in that scenario. Outside the Dhamma, many studies have been done on morning people and they have been found to be more successful, proactive and happier.&lt;br&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/07/research-says-morning-people-are-more-proactive.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/07/research-says-morning-people-are-more-proactive.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/study-finds-morning-people-are-happier&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/study-finds-morning-people-are-happier&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laymen also can follow these steps and can become happier and more successful in reaching their visions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T12:40:56.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12105" CreationDate="2015-10-18T13:22:45.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answering from the Ajahn Tong (Mahasi-like) vipassana lineage I am somewhat familiar with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sitting posture is not a problem. Most people in Thailad, as far as I have seen, practice in the &quot;burmese&quot; posture, having legs flat on the floor (one in front of the other one), but some were sitting in the chair (without leaning) for health reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You will be likely a lay practitioner (on 8 precepts) for some time, before you ordain, but the practice is the same anyway. The most important is that you practice and learn to deal with the situation you have, including back pain, skillfully. That might include some exercise, but also facing the pain in meditation. In fact many people think they have back pain because they have weak muscles (exactly as you say), but it is in fact meditation pain, which is very useful (which does not mean you like it) training for you; it goes away after some time. Your teacher will guide you through that territory while on retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Out of the thousands temples in Thailand, only a minority does meditation, and only a few of them has English-speaking sections (I can recommend, from this lineage, the Chom Tong temple, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.northernvipassana.org/about.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.northernvipassana.org/about.html&lt;/a&gt;; the other ones I know of are Wat Rampoeng and Wat Doi Suthep). You don't need extreme language skills to do Vipassana, just enough to understand the instruction; if you learn Thai in long-term, good, but I would not see it as something to start with. In some centers, there might be yogis speaking your language (French?) which could translate for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before being too far in your plans about becoming a monk, you could do retreats (starting with the 2-3 week &quot;basic course&quot;) without long travels to Asia for the start, and then see if the practice is suitable for you; I posted some of the centers from this tradition in Europe &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10233/4753&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;; in France, there is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation-vipassana.fr/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;group organizing retreats regularly&lt;/a&gt; which may also help you find a suitable place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T13:22:45.457" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12110" CreationDate="2015-10-18T16:19:42.550" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course there is connection between Lord Buddha and Hinduism! Lord Buddha grew up studying many teachings of Hinduism as well as Jainism. But he was not satisfied with the answers he was getting. He found that some of the Hinduist teachings were confusing or not applicable to practical life - and he also found that some of the Brahmin priests were corrupt and unethical. (Maybe you can see some of this remain true even today!) So he decided to put all their teachings in practice 100% completely -- to see if he can get to the very end and achieve the results they were claiming possible. He practiced 100% pure ethical conduct, at level of pure actions, pure speech and even pure thoughts. He studied Hinduist philosophy, all various branches that existed at his time. He also practiced very strict meditation. Then he understood that even his teachers were confused!  After many years of study and practice he understood the same Dharma that was in the origin of Hinduism and Jainism - and understood it with great clarity and without confusion. Then he spent the rest of his life explaining and teaching this Ancient Dharma that he re-discovered. Later on his teachings were re-incorporated back into Hinduism and some of them were even included into the Bhagavat-Gita. And he was given the honorary title of Vishnu Avatar - which just means the he was an embodiment of the abstract energy of Sat Dharma (eternal true way). But to answer your second question, no Lord Buddha's parents were not Brahmins, they were Kshatriyas - although when he was a little boy he had a Brahmin teacher his father has arranged for him. All this you can know from Buddhist texts that preserved stories told by Lord Buddha himself to his students. You can find many of them in English translation on this site: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/&lt;/a&gt; or if you read Pali (an ancient language similar to Sanskrit) you can read them in the original language here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/mn&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/mn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I must add that around the time of Lord Buddha, Vedic Hinduism was religion of the pro-Aryan government while the Shramana movement (the melting pot of wandering ascetics, of which Lord Buddha was the winner of the jack-pot) was in major political opposition. So it is no wonder that Brahmins were trying to show Buddhism as in part wrong and in part no different from Hinduism (by assimilating those very popular parts of Buddhism that they could not argue with). As we both know, the Aryans and the Vedic Hinduism have won - although Buddhism survived outside of India and is now experiencing renaissance even in India, especially among the lower casts coming from Dravidian &quot;untouchables&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-18T21:40:02.637" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T21:40:02.637" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12111" CreationDate="2015-10-18T17:16:42.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've not encountered this in the suttas, but certainly discipline and practice are (always) strongly recommended, so if you have a routine which promotes these, it would seem to be beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I've also never read anything contrary to the idea, and it may be built into the monastic framework implicitly.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7137" LastActivityDate="2015-10-18T17:16:42.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12110" CreationDate="2015-10-18T17:50:09.140" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prior to the Buddha (born 563 or 480 BCE), was the historical Vedic religion (1750 - 500 BCE), followed by the shramanic movement (500 - 200 BCE), and the beginnings of the Upanishadic movement within Hinduism (500 - 200 BCE). Buddhism is also considered to be part of the shramanic movement. Vedanta came later as part of Classical Hinduism (200 BCE - 1100 CE). You can find this information &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_religions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prince Gautama (therefore a kshatriya, not brahmin), after leaving home, followed the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Arama%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;shramanic&lt;/a&gt; traditions which were based on asceticism. Jainism was one of the major shramanic traditions at the time. The Pali Canon (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN2&lt;/a&gt;) has descriptions of various shramanic teachings at the time (Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalī, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sanjaya Belatthiputta and Mahavira). These teachings may or may not be compatible with Hinduism at the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama tried to follow the different teachings at the time (Hindu and shramanic teachings) and found that it did not lead to the goal that he sought. And you know the rest of the story of how he found enlightenment and started teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not accept the authority of the Vedas, preached that a Supreme Creator God did not exist and also taught anatta, which implied that there is no permanent absolute self (atman). All these contradicted the teachings of Hinduism at his time. The teaching of anatta and the Buddhist version of karma also contradicted Jain teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON) movement on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/gss/sadhu/religions/buddhism.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha, the Avatar of Vishnu, gave false atheistic teachings to the hedonistic nihilistic atheists who were living a sinful lifestyle, so that they can practise virtues, while remaining atheists, because God was kind to them and knew that they would never accept God and the &amp;quot;true&amp;quot; teachings which has both virtues and devotion to God. He also preached against the sacrifice of animals which was an abuse of Vedic sacrificial rites. The Krsna devotees therefore respect the Buddha but reject his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that the Buddha is an Avatar of Vishnu comes from the Hindu text &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavata_Purana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavata Purana&lt;/a&gt;, which was written around 500 - 1000 CE. It is possible that this was one way to bring Buddhist converts back to Hinduism, while reconciling the Buddha's position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha say that he was an Avatar of Vishnu? No. According to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhava%E1%B9%83sa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt;, he was the Bodhisattva Śvetaketu who resided in the Tushita heavans, before being born as the human Prince Gautama. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/39875/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Hindu text &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma_Sutras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma Sutras&lt;/a&gt;, written around 200 BCE, has some criticism of Buddhism as found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7426/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, Buddhist teachings was found to influence Hindu philosophy, to give rise to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Advaita Vedanta&lt;/a&gt;. Even the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_philosophy#Indian_Mahayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indian Mahayana&lt;/a&gt; schools of Madhyamaka and Yogacara predate the Advaita Vedanta school and Adi Shankara by centuries. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/39666/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for details. This meeting point of Advaita and Mahayana, now has the highest level of philosophical compatibility between the two religions. In fact, Advaita philosophers were accused of being &lt;a href=&quot;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/17249/4596&quot;&gt;Buddhists in disguise&lt;/a&gt;. However, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt; still keeps the two religions apart, philosophically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Hindu philosopher and scholar &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adi Shankara&lt;/a&gt; who expanded Advaita, was also responsible in reviving Hinduism once again in India, and may have caused the decline of Buddhism and Jainism in India. However, Buddhism spread outside India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2020-07-22T05:04:09.043" LastActivityDate="2020-07-22T05:04:09.043" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2015-10-19T00:00:31.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that there are. But they don't demonstrate publicly of course. The people close to them know.&#xA;But might have heard @Sansayan, such powers is not the desired outcome of the practice, but rather a side effect. But anyone can achieve them if they wish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastActivityDate="2015-10-19T00:00:31.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2015-10-19T03:53:11.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2NAohPcT4U&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John Chang in this video demonstrates fire.&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;The book &quot;The Magus of Java&quot; explains his spiritual journey and teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend reading that but there are many correlations between Buddhism and Taoism that should be learned before reading into such anecdotal books. I would recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/articles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bill Bodri and Master Nan's material&lt;/a&gt; to study this non-denominational topic further because the Buddha chose not to emphasize this inferior achievement (of physical transformation). Having an understanding of this topic in this day and age can serve to dis-enchant you from the physical side of things so you can obsess over what truly matters: bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-10-19T03:53:11.403" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12121" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-19T21:47:33.610" Score="1" ViewCount="484" Body="&lt;p&gt;Far as i know Devas are born without parents so why are they in two genders?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they have no biological need to reproduce what is the reason for two genders and if the Devas are born after doing many good and noble things in this world, how are their companions and concubines are born, are they residing in a world inhabited by other beings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-20T11:05:05.717" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T11:05:05.717" Title="Devas and their appearance" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12122" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-19T22:56:50.843" Score="3" ViewCount="1741" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have occasionally heard about the Devaputra (Sans.) or Devaputta (Pal.), particularly in regards to Mahayana, but haven't been able to find out very much about what exactly these are, as a category or class. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably they are not the same thing as the sons (and daughters) of Devas in Hinduism (and in also Greek mythology), wherein they usually refer to the physical progeny of divinities, who are often have supernatural powers and are involved in heroic exploits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do Devaputra mean in Buddhist thought?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5641" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T14:10:46.343" Title="What are the Devaputra / Devaputta?" Tags="|mahayana|deva|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1588" CreationDate="2015-10-20T00:27:56.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The philosophy of transmigration is central to Buddhist philosophy and is to be understood alongside the concept of &quot;no self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the origins of the concept of transmigration go way back further in time into the misty aeons of the Aboriginal spiritual practices on the Australian continent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the concept of rebirth appears always to be related to the beliefs surrounding the Nagas. In Australia the nagas materialise as the 'rainbow serpents' right across the country and the serpents are intricately involved with the rebirth of phenomena in one form or another and also are considered a manifestation of the underlying energies of the creative essence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the serpent figures feature prominently in ancient rock art considered to be in excess of 35,000 BCE showing a continuity of spiritual belief systems that challenge most current concepts of the evolution of spirituality and its origins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mention these facts only to illustrate that the Australian and Indian continents seem to share many primordial origins, but that's not relevant here.&#xA;The absence of the concept of 'non-violence' or of karmic ethics in Australia possibly points to the hunting/planting/gathering nature of the economic realities in Australia rather than the kind of spiritual evolution that agricultural and sedentary societies became capable of evolving on the Indian subcontinent in more recent times. Several anthropological studies have reflected on the comparable metaphysical capabilities of highly trained Australian adept/elders and counterparts in Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is simply a clarification of the conceptual origins of transmigration rather than an observation on Buddhist philosophy but the relationship has for many years intrigued me as being more than just coincidental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7134" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-20T11:03:43.527" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T11:03:43.527" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2015-10-20T05:12:43.710" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not desirable to answer such questions because inevitably some smart cookie will debate every example by offering counter examples of parlor magicians who can do the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot;&gt;Kevatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states, the real magic is in the bringing of peace, happiness and goodness to the hearts and minds of people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a magic that cannot be argued against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T05:12:43.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12121" CreationDate="2015-10-20T05:57:05.760" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reproduction is not the only function of having opposite genders. If that is the case, both males and females should look the same when sexual organs are covered. Even at the beginning(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agganna sutta&lt;/a&gt;) of man kind, reproduction happened as a result of beings who looked different getting attracted to the differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Companion nymphs are beings who get born in heavens due to less powerful karma. Their main duty is to entertain the Deva who owns them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T05:57:05.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2015-10-20T13:49:55.473" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the squeamishness and outright censorship that supranormal powers are treated with today, you'd think that they were Buddhism's dirty little secret...some dark, clandestine history that's best left forgotten.  The fact of the matter is that iddhis occur quite frequently in the sutta pitaka, commentaries and non canonical texts, the Tibetan Tantras, and in the accounts of many famous Buddhist figures such as Moggallana, Milarepa, and even modern teachers like Chogyam Trungpa.  The Buddha does mention that we shouldn't give too much thought to these abilities for much the same reason you wouldn't teach advanced woodworking to someone who hasn't touched a saw.  Lacking the appropriate context and practical understanding, they can be a distraction if introduced too early in one's practice.  This isn't to say, however, that they aren't worthy of discussion.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the purposes of the the supramundane powers is to serve as a kind of corrugated approach to the development of concentration.  They are another vector for approaching samatha practice.  According to the Visuddhimagga, the supramundane powers aid the adept so he will &quot;more easily perfect the development of understanding&quot; (Vism. 12.1).  They also serve as means of inspiration &quot;[i]n order to show the benefits of developing concentration to clansmen whose concentration has reached the fourth jhána, and in order to teach progressively refined Dhamma&quot; (Vism. 12.2).  The kind of mental suppleness and malleability developed through these practices aid the adept in the the development of wisdom in ways that extend well beyond the psychic abilities they might achieve.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, while these practices have their place in the teaching, you are unlikely to find anyone practicing them today.  Even if they do exist, they aren't exactly easy to master.  Here is just one prerequisite from the fourteen ways of taming the mind that Buddhaghosa outlines for the cultivation of iddhis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[H]aving attained the first jhána in the earth kasina, he again&#xA;  attains that same jhána in the fire kasina and then in the blue kasina&#xA;  and then in the red kasina, this is called skipping kasinas. (ix) When&#xA;  he skips both jhánas and kasinas in the following way: having attained&#xA;  the first jhána in the earth kasina, he next attains the third in the&#xA;  fire kasina, next the base consisting of boundless space after&#xA;  removing the blue kasina, next the base consisting of nothingness&#xA;  [arrived at] from the red kasina, this is called skipping jhánas and&#xA;  kasinas. (Vism. 12.6)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading that, there are a few things that strike a modern reader immediately.  First, the emphasis on samatha is obvious.  Samatha has fallen out of vogue, especially in the West, in favor of practices like insight meditation.  Next, while there are some teachers in the Western world and still others in Asia teaching samatha, few teach kasina meditation.  Even less teach the formless attainments.  Finally, of what few teachers we have, few of them have lay or even monastic students who have developed concentration to this degree.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even Buddhaghosa recounts how rare a feat the supramundane powers are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not possible for a meditator to begin to accomplish&#xA;  transformation by supernormal powers unless he has previously&#xA;  completed his development by controlling his mind in these fourteen&#xA;  ways. Now, the kasina preliminary work is difficult for a beginner and&#xA;  only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The arousing of the&#xA;  sign is difficult for one who has done the preliminary work and only&#xA;  one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To extend the sign when it&#xA;  has arisen and to reach absorption is difficult and only one in a&#xA;  hundred or a thousand can do it. To tame one’s mind in the fourteen&#xA;  ways after reaching absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred&#xA;  or a thousand can do it. The transformation by supernormal power after&#xA;  training one’s mind in the fourteen ways is difficult and only one in&#xA;  a hundred or a thousand can do it. Rapid response after attaining&#xA;  transformation is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand&#xA;  can do it.  (Vism 12.8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll let you do the math on that one.  :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-10-20T17:56:44.717" LastActivityDate="2015-10-20T17:56:44.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12129" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-21T12:46:04.407" Score="1" ViewCount="376" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question goes specifically to theravada insight practicioners - but everyone  can answer if they think they have something useful to add - even from other traditions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;since my mahasi style practice is going slow and even though i tried in many ways  i cant maintain a steady practice - and my doubt increases - i want to freshen up my practice - maybe get some &quot;results&quot; wheter its improvement in concentration or metta or some &quot;cool&quot; results like seeing images or feeling strange stuff ect  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i wonder : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether some practices can ruin my main mahasi style practice (which i want to keep as my main path cause i have access to teachers in it) maybe kundalini and third eye and stuff like that can ruin my practice ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether  some practice can aid in my practice - im pretty sure metta can be helpful but maybe pure concentration focus can distract me and do more harm than good to my practice ?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i read that some food can be good for opening the third eye - can this food be helpful to the practice of insight meditation as well ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="4748" LastEditDate="2015-10-21T16:01:12.570" LastActivityDate="2019-10-04T11:32:39.667" Title="What practices can aid (or not ruin) the mahasi style meditation?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2015-10-21T15:05:45.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;tathāgata&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tatha: (being) in truth，truthful； true，real &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ā: to，towards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;gata: directed to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/saddhindriya-sn-48-10-function-of-faith-translation-method/2108?u=alalfhr&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;canonics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7152" LastActivityDate="2015-10-21T15:05:45.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12129" CreationDate="2015-10-21T16:12:28.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The easiest thing to do to aid in your practice is to stop being so scattered!  Pick one technique and stick to it.  That you're all over the place exploring other systems and looking for results indicates to me that you are having a hard time staying focused on the cushion.  Trust, trust, trust in the process!  It's the only way you are going to make any progress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-10-21T16:12:28.327" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12132" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12137" CreationDate="2015-10-22T06:22:45.420" Score="5" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does one know when to help and when not to help others? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems without awareness of the results - bad, good, neutral for the one being helped and one who is helping, it is difficult to make choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you may help someone in distress however you may also become the recipient of that distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T12:05:59.727" Title="When to help and when not to?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12129" CreationDate="2015-10-22T14:18:28.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You want many things whereas You can recall that the whole point of the endeavour is to establish firmly the equanimity and the benevolence, towards your self and others (in phrasing the goal in terms of exterior of the the self and interior of the self).&#xA;You also do not state what you accomplished nor what is blocking.&#xA;Here is a little compilation of links to practice&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://pastebin.com/m4vS0KMg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://pastebin.com/m4vS0KMg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7155" LastActivityDate="2015-10-22T14:18:28.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11933" CreationDate="2015-10-22T17:29:01.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The breath patterns you are mentioning (&lt;code&gt;2s-4l-2s breath sequence (s-short, l-long) followed by 2s-2l-2s&lt;/code&gt;) is generally found in Yoga / Pranayama than in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, Anapana Sutta does mention about the long and short breaths. The breath is considered a bodily fabrication and it is tied to the body. (If you stop breathing then you are dead.) In meditation you have to calm your fabrication, out off which the bodily fabrication generally cease before mental fabrications. As you get concentrated your bodily fabrications also slow down hence shorter breaths. When you come out of meditation your breaths become longer as you start creating fabrication. If you start thinking and pondering (verbal fabrications) again your breath becomes longer as these fabrications influence bodily fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamabhu Sutta, Culavedalla Sutta &amp;amp; Rahogata Sutta covers more on the 3 fabrications out of which bodily fabrication is tied with the breath and breathing process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-10-22T17:39:43.343" LastActivityDate="2015-10-22T17:39:43.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11933" CreationDate="2015-10-22T18:08:46.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Katsuki Sekida's book &lt;em&gt;Zen Training - Methods and Philosophy&lt;/em&gt;, the author talks about bamboo breathing.  Essentially, the way the practice works is that you exhale in smaller, segmented breaths much like in the way a stick of bamboo is segmented.  This has a couple of applications, specifically for Zen.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, Sekida states that bamboo breathing helps build &quot;internal pressure&quot;.  That's a phrase he invents in the book, but the way he uses the terminology and the phenomenology he attaches to it makes it sound an awful lot like mushin.  I'm personally not a fan of using his method for emptiness meditation - I think that a single deep, natural abdominal breath is better - but he seems to have some success with it.  I think his main reason for employing this technique is to maximize the time the body is completely stable.  In the conventional way of a single breath, you only get that space of pure nonaction (i.e. not breathing) at the very end of the breath prior to inhalation and to a lesser degree before exhalation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, and I'm in more in agreement with Sekida here, he applies this type of breathing to working with the turning phrases of koans.  For instance, say you were working with Nansen's cat.  Your exhalation pattern might be segmented along the lines of &quot;Kiiiiiiillllls [stop] theeeee [stop] caaaaaaat&quot;.  Again, I'm not sold on it, but it does make sense.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sekida actually does a lot with breathing in his book.  I mean, the dude spent almost sixty years watching it so he does have a lot to say on the subject.  He even brings in ideas like lung capacity, recovery breaths, etc. etc.  If you're interested in the place of breathing from a Zen perspective, his book is worth a look.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-10-22T18:08:46.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12132" CreationDate="2015-10-22T21:19:56.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the most Buddhist answer is going to be, to the extent you are blinded by &quot;kleshas&quot; (mental/emotional hangups) you can't clearly see what is good for others -- nor even what is good for yourself. The fewer hangups you have, the better you can estimate the outcomes - all the way until Buddha's omniscience, which involves 0% obscurations and therefore 100% clarity. So working on your own mental and emotional hangups is the best way to ensure your actions will do more help than harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As was said in Sedaka Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how does one help others by helping oneself?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- By practicing Dharma, by developing it, by pursuing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meanwhile, is there a rule of thumb we can apply to decide when to help and when not to help? Here is what I follow:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the kind of help that inspires other person to let go of obsessions, negativity, confusion, attachments, fixed ideas, overgeneralizations, preconceptions, one-sided views etc. - is useful even if it involves lots of effort and pain on my side;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;but the kind of help that supports person's samsaric lifestyle - and helps them run on like a squirrel in the wheel - this kind of help has very little long-term effect IMHO, outside of reducing their immediate suffering. I still do it sometimes, out of compassion -- and in the hope that perhaps it will inspire recipient's faith in basic goodness -- but I don't allow it to use &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; of my energy / tip me out of balance - otherwise that would be what Chogyam Trungpa called &quot;idiot compassion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T12:05:59.727" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T12:05:59.727" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12138" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-23T06:36:37.730" Score="5" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;Someone is chased by a murderer, he hides in your house. The person who wants to kill him asks you if you have seen the man. And you say you didn't see. How is this action damaging, what harm have you done?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T01:06:13.960" Title="How is white lie damaging?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12139" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12165" CreationDate="2015-10-23T07:10:02.067" Score="7" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has recollection of memories that were experiences of pain be it physical, mental, emotional, how do these affect the path? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often memories are triggered involuntarily and more than often they surface when reflecting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T11:49:48.657" Title="How do memories affect the path?" Tags="|personal-practice|experiential|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12140" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12146" CreationDate="2015-10-23T09:57:48.403" Score="5" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to adhere to buddhist principles in my life wherever I can. I understand that it's really the best approach in just about every situation you can find yourself in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, right now I'm owed a not insubstantial amount of money from one of my clients who is refusing to take my phone calls, or answer emails to discuss the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Honestly, it burns me up inside and when I think about having to deal with it I feel angry and resentful which I know is not a good way to live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding I should really just let go of the matter completely, and calmly wait for the universe to resolve this for me, one way or another. If I receive the money, then all is well, and if I don't receive the money, all is still well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, at what point should I give up and move on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7161" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T14:38:48.913" Title="Should detachment, and letting go, be an appropriate response when you are owed money?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12141" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-23T10:12:45.260" Score="4" ViewCount="168" Body="&lt;p&gt;From this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/237.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt;, it is clear that Buddhism accepts(but doesn't really root for it) divorce when things get worse.  But, how is marriage after divorce looked upon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastEditorUserId="7030" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T10:51:20.667" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T20:48:01.847" Title="How is marriage after divorce looked upon?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|marriage|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12141" CreationDate="2015-10-23T11:06:28.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 3rd precept doesn't prevent you from getting remarried. So as long as you don't steal another man's wife, it should be fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T11:06:28.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12138" CreationDate="2015-10-23T12:27:55.413" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this action damaging, what harm have you done?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actions are 3-fold. They are done by &lt;em&gt;body, speech and mind&lt;/em&gt;. All actions originate in the mind (Dhp. verse 1-2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome actions are based in the 3 root defilements, i.e. &lt;em&gt;Greed, Hatred and Delusion&lt;/em&gt;. All other defilements are variations of these roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one commits an unwholesome (akusala) action, e.g. tells a lie, then one is stiring up/giving rise to defilements and reacting to them. Defilements are one of the foundations for unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When commiting unwholesome actions by &lt;em&gt;body, speech and mind&lt;/em&gt;, oneself is always the first one to be harmed. That is because one must give rise to defilements and react to them, i.e. act on basis of them, thereby harming oneself and setting oneself back on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is moving further away from Nibbana, when one commits volitional unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was very clear on the destructive nature of lying, even if a lie is merely told in jest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be seen in the &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Ambalatthikarahulovada Sutta&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. In this sutta the Buddha is giving an exhortation to his son Rahula, on how to distinguish between wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quote is the Buddha's words on the topic of lying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thus I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now on that occasion the venerable Rahula was living at Ambalatthika. Then, when it was evening, the Blessed One rose from meditation and went to the venerable Rahula at Ambalatthika. The venerable Rahula saw the Blessed One com- ing in the distance and made a seat ready and set out water for washing the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the seat made ready and washed his feet. The venerable Rahula paid homage to him and sat down at one side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One left a little water in the water vessel and asked the venerable Rahula: &amp;quot;Rahula, do you see this little water left in the water vessel?&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Yes, venerable sir.&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Even so little, Rahula, is the recluseship of those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One threw away the little water that was left and asked the venerable Rahula: &amp;quot;Rahula, do you see that little water that was thrown away?&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Yes, venerable sir.&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Even so, Rahula, those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie have thrown away their recluseship.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One turned the water vessel upside down and asked the venerable Rahula: &amp;quot;Rahula, do you see this water vessel turned upside down?&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Yes, venerable sir.&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Even so, Rahula, those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie have turned their recluseship upside down.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One turned the water vessel right way up again and asked the venerable Rahula: &amp;quot;Rahula, do you see this hollow, empty water vessel?&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Yes, venerable sir.&amp;quot; - &amp;quot;Even so hollow and empty, Rahula, is the recluseship of those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose, Rahula, there were a royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles, full-grown in stature, high-bred, and accustomed to battle. In battle he would perform his task with his forefeet and his hindfeet, with his forequarters and his hindquarters, with his head and his ears, with his tusks and his tail, yet he would keep back his trunk. Then his rider would think: 'This royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles.. .performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hind- feet... yet he keeps back his trunk. He has not yet given up his life.' But when the royal tusker elephant...performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hindfeet, with his forequarters and his hindquarters, with his head and his ears, with his tusks and his tail, and also with his trunk, then his rider would think: 'This royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles... performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hind- feet... and also with his trunk. He has given up his life. Now there is nothing this royal tusker elephant would not do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So too, Rahula, when one is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I say, that one would not do. Therefore, Rahula, you should train thus: 'I will not utter a falsehood even as a joke.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 61 Ambalatthikarahulovada Sutta, p. 523, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhi Translation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further information on this important sutta, there are 2 audio Dhamma talks available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First one is by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and can be found &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL23DE0292227250FA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other is by Ajahn Brahmali and can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/home/item/1656-mn-61-ambalatthikarahulovada-sutta-advice-to-rahula-at-ambalatthika.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions to what I wrote, let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T16:54:28.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5392" CreationDate="2015-10-23T12:38:51.120" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nowadays net is full of evidences that claim reincarnation and children who insist they were someone in their previous life with the exact explanations of their personality in the previous life which sometimes are shocking. Because some of these children had many secrets in their previous life that is confirmed with those relatives and friends that know the secret.&#xA;Just search YouTube for &quot;Reincarnation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Mommy, Why am I Not a Boy This Time?&quot; - a Story of Reincarnation&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQJXCBknbtQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQJXCBknbtQ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reincarnation in America - Documentary&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19SwRpJz0I&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19SwRpJz0I&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7162" LastEditorUserId="7162" LastEditDate="2015-10-24T16:53:20.087" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T16:53:20.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12140" CreationDate="2015-10-23T16:14:31.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine a monkey came to your house and grabbed something of value and climbed a tree. You tell the monkey &quot;please give it back to me! Be a good monkey!&quot;. But it doesn't respond. What would your plan of action be? Start cursing and hating the monkey? No! You would try to lure the monkey with a banana or something. If that's not successful, you might call a wild life officer. You have to use your wisdom instead of getting all emotional. And if you still can't get it back, you don't wish for the universe to resolve it. ex: Wishing for the monkey to be struck by lightning. :) You just let it go and credit it towards experience or a lesson learnt and see what you can do to prevent the same from happening in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T14:38:48.913" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T14:38:48.913" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12140" CreationDate="2015-10-23T16:16:28.777" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Answer based in Theravada Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such situations that you describe here can really get one burning inside. It can make one so angry. The feeling of being poorly treated can also arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of these feelings are dark and stormy. They leave a gloomy print on the mind, which is not conducive to either ones practice or ones way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can choose to see this from the above mentioned angle. One can react to the anger and feed it, by giving it attention and dwelling in it. One can identify with it and take ownership of it, saying that &quot;I am angry&quot; and that &quot;This is my anger&quot; or &quot;This person did this to me&quot;. These are examples of how &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; (avijja) and &lt;em&gt;conceit&lt;/em&gt; (mana), makes one see reality from a distorted perspective. Like when horses are made to eat dry grass, by wearing a green eye-glas, making them believe that the dry grass is fresh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one reacts to anger and feeds it, it will grow. When one throws gasoline on a bonfire, it will grow. The negative feed-back loop is in effect. The snow-balling is in effect. When unbroken, this loop will only produce more and more anger. If this anger is allowed to persists in the mind over longer periods of time, it will produce responses in the physical body such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;increased respiration, perspiration, rapid heartbeat, head-ache, tensions&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above, describes how anger develops when not dealt with and how it can affect ones mind and body and ones practice and life. When anger is left unattended, i.e. without mindfulness, then this defilement can operate in the dark. Defilements like to operate in the dark, where one cannot see them. Here they grow and multiply like bacteria or fungi, which also like dark and moist places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One can also choose to approach this from an insight-meditational perspective.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By observing the anger with mindfulness in the present moment, one can clearly see how unwholesome defilements really are. One can see for oneself what effect they have on the mind and body. By observing the anger with mindfulness, one is dragging the anger out in the light. In the light, it cannot conceil its operation anymore. When observing the anger with an objective and non-interacting approach, the anger cannot grow because it is not being fed anymore. When one is not interacting with conditioned phenomena, they will reveal their true nature for the observer. Their true nature is that they are &lt;em&gt;impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and uncontrollable/ungovernable (anatta)&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is interacting with phenomena, i.e. reacting to them, one will get burnt. Its like picking up a piece of hot charcoal and holding it in ones hand. One is bound to get burned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only you can decide what to do in this situation. Only you can make a decision. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have the Buddha and the Noble Eightfold Path to guide you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestion is that you use this remarkable oppertunity that you have been given, to develop insight into the nature of reality. You are very lucky, that you are now experiencing this intense anger inside you. Why are you lucky?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because pain and suffering are great teachers and if you use these teachers correctly, i.e. by observing them with mindfulness in the present moment, with an objective and non-interacting approach, you will see how the defilements affect the mind and body. When seeing how anger makes one burn inside, over and over, one will eventually stop reacting to anger. One has seen for oneself the destructive nature of anger. If you keep observing the anger, you will also see that it is impermanent and that it changes over time. You will see that this anger is not you or yours. How can it be? It arose without your permission and it does not go away, just because one wants it to go away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In insight-meditation we treat all phenomena the same. A happy feeling is treated in the same way as intense anger, meaning that the anger is not given more or less attention. All objects are treated the same. When observing the anger and aversion towards it arise, then observe the aversion. You can also observe the physical effects of the anger, if they are there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, use this remarkable oppertunity to see for yourself, how conditioned phenomena affects the mind and body. Use this pain and suffering to cultivate insights. We tend to turn away from pain and suffering, yet these are our greatest teachers. If we were happy all the time, then why would anyone work on themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain and suffering is what makes us want to change and work with ourselves. Use this oppertunity wisely. A human life is very short. Cultivate as much insight as you can before this life ends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, here are some videos from my teacher Ven. Yuttadhammo, on how to deal with anger and pain and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBVk0-pwlF0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Monk Radio: Dealing With Anger in Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldDclolLCg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Dealing With Pain and Using Suffering as a Vehicle for Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I have not gone into the antidotes for dealing with anger, such as &lt;em&gt;Metta-meditation&lt;/em&gt;, since that would make this answer too long. Just know that anger is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, that blocks one from progressing in meditation. Read about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;the hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and learn how to deal with them. Metta-meditation is mentioned by Ven. Yuttadhammo in one of the above videos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you have a fruitful practice my friend. Let me know, if you have any questions to what I wrote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T16:56:24.640" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T16:56:24.640" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5392" CreationDate="2015-10-23T16:21:14.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want verification, then at least do yourself a favor and obtain the verification yourself, i.e. by doing insight-meditation (vipassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you obtain verification by an external source, e.g. a scientist, another meditator, a Buddha, a teacher, a newspaper, the internet etc., then how can you know if its true? It could be false. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go test it for yourself and obtain direct, experiential knowledge of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not know how to meditate or would like to learn it, Ven. Yuttadhammo has made a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;video series&lt;/a&gt; that might be beneficial for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T17:03:39.343" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T17:03:39.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12139" CreationDate="2015-10-23T17:25:28.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of how they affect the path, obviously, these are holdbacks. The goal is to get free from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the instruction I received from my teacher about this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, when memory comes up, do not replay the event that caused the pain. Do not think about it, thoughts don't help. Instead, stay with the pain itself. Feel it in your body. Stay focused on it and get a full taste of the feeling, thoroughly. Then go inside the feeling. Accept it and feel its texture, thoroughly. Despite the pain, go all the way inside until you get out on the other side. Accept. Go through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T17:25:28.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12129" CreationDate="2015-10-23T17:36:18.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhist answer, based in the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, we observe and note everything that comes up, i.e. all mental and physical phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, you have pointed out your own hindrance and blockage right here: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Wanting to get results, seeing images or strange stuff&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is your road block. Unless you resolve this matter, it will continue to be a hindrance on your path. Sometimes a meditator may meet a hindrance, that is not immediately visible, so its very good that you know what blocks you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then what to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Mahasi-practitioner, one should note the phenomena of wanting as &lt;em&gt;&quot;wanting, wanting&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. It could perhaps also fall under the 5th hindrance, &lt;em&gt;Doubt&lt;/em&gt;. Here the solution would be to also note the doubt as &lt;em&gt;&quot;doubting, doubting&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, and to go freshen up on your theory, i.e. the method of practice. A skilled meditator knows the theory that he or she practices. Theory and practice has to go hand in hand. One has to know what to do when hindrances arise, which they will sooner or later for all meditators. When one knows how to deal with them like the inside of ones own pocket, then one can use them to cultivate insights and thereby progress on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For reading material, I would suggest the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Yuttadhammo. It covers all one needs to know regarding the burmese method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wanting to get results is one of the greatest pitfalls on the path. Wanting something will ironically stir one further away from getting what one wants. By for example wanting to win Nibbana, one is actually moving further away from that goal, because the wanting itself becomes a road block on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might also be beneficial for you to read up on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=10_Paramitas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 paramitas&lt;/a&gt;, namely the 8th paramita, i.e. the Adhitthana-paramita. Adhitthana means &lt;em&gt;&quot;Determination or  Resolution&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. It can be cultivated in the meditation practice, e.g. by choosing to meditate for one hour and not moving at all. This is just an example. There are many other ways to cultivate this paramita. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its very useful in the training of the mind, so that it will stray less. When the Buddha attained his enlightenment, Mara sent his beautiful daughters to the Buddha to tempt him and he sent an army of demons towards the Buddha but he did not move at all. That is an example of Addhitthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What practices can aid (or not ruin) the mahasi style meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the augmentation of your practice, the burmese method is complete in itself. Wanting to augment the practice, should again be noted as &lt;em&gt;&quot;wanting, wanting&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mixing methods is called &quot;Eclecticism&quot; and its not recommended. Try to stay with one method of practice and if that does not work out, then choose another method of practice. Mixing methods will not give good results since methods are often not designed to be mixed. This will result in one having a halfway house and not a final vehicle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions to what I wrote, let me know. May you have a fruitful practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-23T17:46:57.027" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T17:46:57.027" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12151" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12164" CreationDate="2015-10-23T20:02:21.907" Score="5" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is suggested, that one concentrates on the breath while meditating. It is also suggested that one breathes out and remains in this state for a moment, to feel the emptiness. What happens to my body while I remain in this breathless state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it cause relaxation and if so, why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to know something about the physiological effects of this aspect of meditation...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-24T15:36:29.353" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T06:49:18.297" Title="What happens to my body when I breathe out?" Tags="|meditation-effects|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12151" CreationDate="2015-10-23T20:25:10.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it support me to get calm, and if so why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the practice is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/metta02.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samatha Bhavana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. tranquility meditation, then any object on the body can potentially serve as an object to develop calmness. Most commonly used, is the area around the upper lip and the entrance of the nostrils. Here the breath has a smooth and silky feeling which is very conducive towards the development of concentration, calmness and tranquility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could also the feeling of the emptiness in the body after exhalation, as you mention, and then focus your attention on that feeling and use it to develop tranquility. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be a bit more difficult, since shortly after the lungs will again be filled with air after inhalation. This movement of the air through inhalation and exhalation might affect the tranquility and make the mind waver, if mindfulness is not strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If mindfulness on the other hand is strong, then it might not matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T20:25:10.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12141" CreationDate="2015-10-23T20:48:01.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As not learning from your mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just kidding. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No problem at all. From the same article mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddhist views on marriage are very liberal: in Buddhism, marriage&#xA;  is regarded entirely as personal and individual concern, and not as a&#xA;  religious duty. There are no religious laws in Buddhism compelling a&#xA;  person to be married, to remain as a bachelor or to lead a life of&#xA;  total chastity. It is not laid down anywhere that Buddhists must&#xA;  produce children or regulate the number of children that they produce.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Buddhism allows each individual the freedom to decide for himself all&#xA;  the issues pertaining to marriage.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although this is the author's interpretation or opinion, I didn't find anywhere in the article that mentioned that remarrying is looked down upon. I don't know of any teachings related to this either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7166" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T20:48:01.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9391" CreationDate="2015-10-23T21:07:43.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The topic of if householders or laypeople can attain Arahantship is highly debated. There is a list of laypeople having attained Nibbāna in AN 6.119-6.139, but this is a very isolated scripture which could have been a later addition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The usual consensus it that a householder is capable of attaining the path anāgāmi or non-returner, but that Arahantship is highly unlikely. If Nibbāna is possible for someone committed in a marriage? By deduction, you could say is very highly improbable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that rather than focusing on Nibbāna, you should concentrate on the path of stream entry (sotāpanna). Even that is very difficult to attain, let alone Nibbāna. Once you do reach sotāpanna, you will then have other things to worry about. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7166" LastActivityDate="2015-10-23T21:07:43.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12155" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12158" CreationDate="2015-10-24T04:49:26.710" Score="4" ViewCount="66" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was going through difficult face my life, I read little bit about the Buddha's thoughts and it really changed my life. When I started to think from his perspective, I explored a new way of looking at Life which was amazing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to know more about his philosophy towards &lt;code&gt;LIFE&lt;/code&gt;. I tried &lt;code&gt;Wiki&lt;/code&gt; and other article over the internet, But it doesn't satisfies me. Can anybody suggest me any good source like any book English or Hindi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7170" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-24T23:01:15.707" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T23:01:15.707" Title="What are some good sources to know more about the Buddha and his teachings" Tags="|the-buddha|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-10-24T14:55:49.147" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-24T10:48:57.103" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12156" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-24T10:34:22.980" Score="6" ViewCount="258" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just can't manage to maintain a regular practice, not even a short one. From a buddhist point of view, what can be done? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I went on retreats, I sat a few days in a row at home doing meditation, I tried to do small meditations, but I just can't sustain a practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-24T14:20:00.067" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T12:38:15.543" Title="What can be done when one is having difficulties establishing a regular practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|right-effort|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12155" CreationDate="2015-10-24T11:05:41.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some introductory online resources are listed in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help&quot;&gt;Useful resources section at the top of the Help page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T11:05:41.273" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-24T11:05:41.273" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12155" CreationDate="2015-10-24T11:09:44.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some meta-topics tagged &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/book-of-the-month&quot;&gt;book-of-the-month&lt;/a&gt; in some of which people suggest various books they'd like to read or recommend reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1500/254&quot;&gt;Choosing a book for book of the month club?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1574/254&quot;&gt;Choosing a book for Book of the Month [June]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1620/254&quot;&gt;Choosing a book for Book of the Month [July]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T11:09:44.290" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-24T11:09:44.290" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12156" CreationDate="2015-10-24T13:53:17.877" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;This happens when you have a mistaken idea that practice is something separate from your normal life. But meditation is only 1/3rd of the practice, the top of the wedding cake (&lt;em&gt;shila&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;). Most of the practice happens during the day, in what some of us Buddhists semi-jokingly call &quot;post-meditation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think meditation looks important to Westerners because it seems to follow familiar functional pattern: do something and get the result. &quot;Leave the rest of your Buddhist B.S. superstitions to the uneducated ancients. I will focus on THE practice.&quot; But Buddhism does not work this way. Without right context meditation is useless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the context in Buddhism? The context is removing obstacles to enlightenment, from coarse obstacles, to middling obstacles, to subtle obstacles. You can't remove subtle obstacles until you remove middling obstacles. You can't remove middling obstacles until you remove coarse obstacles. Meditation is a tool that is used for working with subtle obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are coarse obstacles? They are coarse biases, coarse illusions, coarse preconceptions, coarse hangups. How can you identify them? By their effects -- production of strong emotions during the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every time you feel strong emotion (e.g. longing, irritation, frustration, resentment, contempt, insult, disgust, anxiety, aversion, strong timidity) - or &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; to feel strong emotion - therein is attachment (=bias, illusion, preconception, hangup). That's the moment when you should switch your context from whatever it is that you are grasping at, and pause and look at your attachment. At such moments it is right there, like an elephant in the room. What's interesting about attachment, subjectively it always looks legit, it always seems right, appropriate, justified. But that's the way it tricks the rational mind. It may even be attachment to humbleness, attachment to open-mindedness, attachment to kindness, attachment to fairness - any of the good things. But when it becomes all-important it turns into a demon and starts generating judgement, aversion, conflicts, blinding emotions, and bad karma. So as soon as you see the emotion arising - you should step back and identify the attachment / preconception. Then you should let it go while focusing on your recommended anchor:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you are very mental, focus on your body - esp. lower abdomen and feet. Do you feel any tightness or burning or blockage? Do you feel other parts of your body or are they numb?,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you are very emotional, focus on your breathing - is it fluid or jerky or blocked?,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you take real-life situations very seriously, imagine the time of your death,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you are an earthly person, remember that you exist in the infinite Universe with its worlds, which existed for billions of years and will exist for billions of years into the future,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you often feel helpless or frustrated getting your point across, remember behavior of Buddha or your teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in any case, let go of your attachment and change your point of view to either very low level (physiology of your psychosomatic expressions and the mechanics of the imprint-based associative cycle) or very high level (the perspective of &quot;God&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you practice like this you can't forget to practice, there is no problem &quot;establishing&quot; practice - every time there is an obstacle in your life it comes as a reminder to practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same vein, when you notice yourself getting &lt;em&gt;too&lt;/em&gt; happy, too self-righteous, enjoying yourself too much, being too puffed up, doing too well - you should pause and check if there is an attachment at play. When you're doing this right, there should be a feeling of balance, some feeling of ambiguity or open-endedness. But with this I am getting into advanced territory... Anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what the practice should be on initial stages, this was my main practice for many years - this and the overcoming of spiritual materialism - before I was even introduced to Buddhist philosophy of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt; - and only after I mastered those two conceptually, was I introduced to (shikantaza) meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah like I said, to any Westerner jumping straight into meditation I recommend at least five years of preliminary &quot;shila&quot; practice working with attachments (coarse obstacles), then five years of &quot;prajna&quot; practice studying -- and applying! -- &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;shunyata&lt;/em&gt; to remove middling obstacles, and only then the practice of &quot;samadhi&quot; aka meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T12:38:15.543" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T12:38:15.543" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7780" CreationDate="2015-10-24T14:40:00.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anatta is a reality, then how do you explain Volition or Will?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The doctrine of Anatta&lt;/em&gt; is very deep and cannot be fully understood by the intellect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you like to understand what this is about, you would have to do insight meditation. When observing mental and physical phenomena as they arise and pass away in the mind and body, Anatta will eventually be realized, i.e. if one practices correctly and diligently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intellectually one can understand Anatta as being the uncontrollable and ungovernable nature of conditioned phenomena. One does not have any control over phenomena. Pleasant feelings or formations will not stay, just because one wants them to stay. Likewise, unpleasant feelings or formations will not go away, just because one wants them to go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of an experiencing entity, a Self or an inner core, is nothing but a mental formation itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no thinker behind the thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will as mentioned before, only become clear when practicing insight meditation. We can use a simile of the ocean. Let's go to a place where the ocean is many kilometers deep. Anatta is on the bottom of the ocean. Intellectually one can only swim (understand) a few meters down but experientially one can swim all the way down to the bottom. The experiental knowledge (Paññā) is gained in insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a mental and a physical stream. Volition is part of the mental stream, namely the Mind or the 4th aggregate, i.e. the aggregate of mental formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, there are volitions but there is no person or self doing them. There is nobody home. The house is empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For reading material, I would recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/A%20Discourse%20on%20the%20Anattalakkhana%20Sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;A Discourse on the&#xA;Anattalakkhana Sutta&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He explains very well the different aspects of Anatta and he incorporates insight meditation into the discourse, meaning that the way to read this discourse, is to read a bit, then meditate, then read, then meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-10-24T14:40:00.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2015-10-24T16:24:12.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shamata meditation would be beneficial as it improves continuous focus and awareness of the mind state. I did read about advanced stages of Shamata practice which would produce a kind of trance, but it would require a lot of meditation within reclusive retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think at the beginning it is mostly impossible to meditate with the kind of sounds you describe. There are sounds with more abstract nature like of wind, birds, people walking or whispering and even machines, cars, trucks and horns. Its possible to to not get disturbed by these sounds and keep the meditation going. Now if there is loud harsh music or people is chatting close to you it is very likely these sounds will inevitably pull your attention to them, and out of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this division is arbitrary. People can get annoyed with birds singing, others aren't bothered by the neighbor's late night party.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is that the best way to surpass these intrusive noises is going to a quiet place. I think that in the beginning you need some silence to learn and progress. And with practice you can train to be mindful even in noisy situations. There is no need to make it difficult right at the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="37" LastEditorUserId="37" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T00:40:09.383" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T00:40:09.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2015-10-24T17:37:39.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are such things. For instance, the Buddha taught that the universe consists of four basic elements (mahābhūta): earth, water, fire and air. Now we know with reasonable certainity that they are not basic elements in any sense: fire is a chemical process, water is a chemical compound, air is a mix of gases and earth contains several chemical substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T15:23:47.350" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T15:23:47.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3665" CreationDate="2015-10-25T02:22:30.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Aṅguttara Nikāya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Book of the Fours&#xA;24 &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kāḷaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at&#xA;  Sāketa, at Kāḷaka’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the&#xA;  bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, among this&#xA;  population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans,&#xA;  whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after,&#xA;  examined by the mind—that I know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, among this&#xA;  population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans,&#xA;  whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after,&#xA;  examined by the mind—that I have directly known. It has been known by&#xA;  the Tathāgata, but the Tathāgata did not become subservient to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ‘In this world with its devas … whatever&#xA;  is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, examined by&#xA;  the mind—that I do not know,’ that would be a falsehood on my part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ‘In this world with its devas … whatever&#xA;  is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, examined by&#xA;  the mind—that I both know and do not know,’ that too would be just the&#xA;  same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ‘In this world with its devas … whatever&#xA;  is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, examined by&#xA;  the mind—that I neither know nor do not know,’ that would be a fault&#xA;  on my part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “So, having seen what can be seen, the Tathāgata does not&#xA;  misconceive the seen, does not misconceive the unseen, does not&#xA;  misconceive what can be seen, does not misconceive one who sees. (2)&#xA;  Having heard what can be heard, he does not misconceive the heard,&#xA;  does not misconceive the unheard, does not misconceive what can be&#xA;  heard, does not misconceive one who hears. (3) Having sensed what can&#xA;  be sensed, he does not misconceive the sensed, does not misconceive&#xA;  the unsensed, does not misconceive what can be sensed, does not&#xA;  misconceive one who senses. (4) Having cognized what can be cognized,&#xA;  he does not misconceive the cognized, does not misconceive the&#xA;  uncognized, does not misconceive what can be cognized, does not&#xA;  misconceive one who cognizes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Thus, bhikkhus, being ever stable among things seen, heard, sensed,&#xA;  and cognized, the Tathāgata is a stable one. And, I say, there is no&#xA;  stable one more excellent or sublime than that stable one.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Amid those who are self-constrained, the Stable One&#xA;would not posit as categorically true or false&#xA;anything seen, heard, or sensed,&#xA;clung to and considered truth by others.&#xA;&#xA;Since they have already seen this dart&#xA;to which people cling and adhere,&#xA;&#xA;saying “I know, I see, it is just so,”&#xA;the Tathāgatas cling to nothing.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T02:22:30.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12151" CreationDate="2015-10-25T06:33:10.293" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a few mental cultivation techniques which involve breathing. E.g. there is Paranayama which pre-dates Buddhism. Here you do try to regulate the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Anapana there is no regulation of the breath. Hence you do not breath out and try to rain in that state. (&lt;code&gt;It is also suggested that one breathes out and remains in this state for a moment, to feel the emptiness.&lt;/code&gt;) During the natural cause of calming the breath (bodily fabrications) your breath becomes calm and stops. You should not force it through actively focusing on the breath (without your mind wavering to other subjects) helps towards this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing does have feeling associated feelings tied to the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;expansion and contraction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;oxygenating feeling / pertaining the corporal structure - when you are a reasonable level of tranquillity with all other bodily feelings subsiding, the bodily feeling in the in breath is slightly different from the feeling you have on the out breath. / 4 elements.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;contact / touch - feelings and / or 4 elements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition your breath becomes shallow and stops after a while as you go deeper into meditation. This happens when you calm the bodily fabrications (relaxing the bodily function) as the breath is the body conditioner. Relaxation of your breath through focus on the breath and breath alone relaxes your body and vice versa. The way to calm the body is to look at all bodily sensation scanning from head to the toes and back again with no reaction to the sensations. This progressively changes the sensation until you get Piti followed by Passadhi followed by Samadhi (The Upanisā Sutta, The Das’uttara Sutta, etc.). This also calms you breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Physiological is that breath meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calms your breath if you practice correctly &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calms your body and releases tension if you practice correctly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;makes your bodily feelings more pleasant and tranquil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-10-25T06:49:18.297" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T06:49:18.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12139" CreationDate="2015-10-25T07:15:27.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a form of Papanca or mental proliferation (&lt;code&gt;If one has recollection of memories that were experiences of pain be it physical, mental, emotional, ...&lt;/code&gt;). At first you should try to learn what is happening at your experiential level. When there is the is contact, there is feeling, feeling coupled with perception creates a metal reaction which creates more feeling which triggers more memories with similar association (either by type of feeling, situation, people or external objects involved).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st you have to you have to practice equanimity towards the feelings and reduce the reaction. This in term reduces proliferation as there are lesser amount of bodily feeling to combine with perception to create to create new formations. Also equanimity reduces your hold on perception which again is needed to create formations. (Some of these relationships are covered in Abhidhamma for the Beginner by Egorton C. Baptist page 2.) The Buddhist path aims to put an end to creating volitional formation and also calm exiting formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also thinking and pondering is verbal fabrication (&lt;code&gt;... how do these affect the path?&lt;/code&gt;), which is something you have to actively calm. You should calm them by 1st looking at them and practising equanimity thus your volitional reaction. Also dissolving base off Sanna or perception which triggers this reaction. In addition you can anchor your mind on one object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Often memories are triggered involuntarily and more than often they surface when reflecting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None off these are triggered involuntarily. They are reaction of Sanna combined with Vedena which creates Sankhara. (Again refer to Abhidhamma for the Beginner, page 2.) The contact is due to past Sankara, either a karma which gave fruit giving you the experience which caused the incident and subsequently caused the memory, or the rebirth related Karma (your existence in Samsara) along with a Niyama Dhamma. Reflecting or one memory can trigger other memories as mentioned above. This is when the memory comes in contact with your mind sense door coupled with your perception of the memory creates a sensation which trigger other memories. By practising equanimity towards sensation mindful of their arising and passing as well as anchoring your mind you can gradually cut out this habitual response. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhupindika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T11:49:48.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12156" CreationDate="2015-10-25T11:00:01.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the answer to your straggle has very much to do with your personality.  I will try to give you some general directions and hopefully you will find them beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until this moment of your life, what was the best way to get you to accomplish something your consider of some value? &#xA;In general, one can have an intrinsic motivation for pursuing something ( that person sees the importance of that thing, or that person enjoys that thing, or sees the progress that he makes etc) or is motivated by an external factor to engage into something ( one goes to work for the paycheck at the end of the month etc). In you case, what is your motivation for pursuing a meditation practice? ( in my case, for almost three years, in every book on Buddhism there was always the theme of meditation and it just got me so curious... I've read how to do it, I've found out I was terrible at it and I wanted to get better, so I kept doing it; and I got to this point where I can't wait to get to the meditation cushion - but I'm sure this too shall pass ;)). From what I understand about you, you know how to do it, but do you know WHY you do it? The point is, try to identify and to work on your motivation. If, in general, you have an intrinsic motivation for your practice, then when you have doubts, revue your motivation, work on that. Like it has been said by others, you can also meditate on the doubts you have - that is still solid practice. But if you still can't get to meditate even if you see it purpose, that you need a good discipline - set a time daily for your meditation, and just do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beside motivation, I recommend you look carefully to the expectations you have about your practice. For your, what constitutes a good meditation? Could it be that you expect to FEEL like meditating before you start to mediate? Can you ignore your disposition and just start your meditation? Can you meditate on your  feelings about meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a teacher you can talk to about this things, would be fantastic. If you don't, just try to understand what's going on everyday with your practice. Maybe looking carefully onto your motivations and your expectations about your practice will bring you more insight. I hope it will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you find a relief for your straggle! May your practice flourish! Be well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T11:00:01.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12156" CreationDate="2015-10-25T18:29:27.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most people come to meditation with the understanding that sitting is a mind/body practice.  I mean, I think it's fairly easy to see the role the body plays in sitting.  We sit upright to keep our minds upright.  A stable body makes for a stable mind.  Stilling the body stills the mind of thought and allows the jumping off point for deep concentration.  What I think a lot of people miss initially, however, is that while meditation is a mind/body practice, for quite some time it's going to be almost exclusively a bodily practice.  It's going to have a lot more in common with going to the gym or staying on a diet than it will with Bodhidharma staring at a wall in deep absorbtion.  I'd even say that it is only when you have addressed your bodily formation with earnestness that you can really start a &lt;em&gt;direct&lt;/em&gt; approach on your mind.  I think right now you are concentrating entirely too much on the latter at the expense of the former.  Let me explain...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a sequential path.  In suttas like the Samannaphala and in texts like the Visuddhimagga, the Buddha outlines a gradual training that passes through bodily/verbal discipline and virtue (sila), suspension of and abandoning of the mental hindrances (samadhi), and the use of a collected mind to penetrate and eradicate the defilements (panna).  While it is true that each phase of the path informs the other, on a more practical level it is important to address these phases in the order they are laid down by the Buddha.  You simply can't access a higher phase with any success until you've developed some skill at the one that preceded it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's looking at this practically.  Any recovering alcoholic will tell you that those first 24 hours are the hardest to remain sober for.  They require summoning an enormous amount of will power.  They are also the most important and pave the way for any further development.  An alcoholic can't address the reasons for their addiction until they've suspended the symptoms.  Likewise for Buddhism, I think anyone who's been at this for a while tell you that those first couple of years are also the hardest but are also instrumental in laying the foundation for further progresses in the Buddha way.  The struggle of developing a consistent sitting practice teaches you so much more than how to watch the breath.  The lessons you learn are invaluable and will be applicable all throughout your practice.  These are not lessons that you can learn through rumination or reading the sutras.  They can only be won through the sweat and tears of your body.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's actually kind of funny that you write of not seeing any benefits.  Believe it or not, the beginner's phase - that time when you are addressing the body and preparing it to work for your mind - is when benefits are the most obvious.  Now is when you can actually quantify your successes.  You can measure your sitting streaks.  You can add a minute to your meditation timer here and there.  If you are counting your breaths, you might begin to notice that you are getting to six and seven instead of just two or three.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your work right now is getting your body onto the cushion and learning how to sit with consistency.  Don't worry about anything else.  Physical effort alone is transformative in ways that few people appreciate.  While it might not look like it, I can assure you that your efforts to sit alone are causing deep changes in your mind.  One day, and if you apply yourself to taming your body it will come sooner than you think, you will be ready to address your mind directly and access those states that have been eluding you.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T18:29:27.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11106" CreationDate="2015-10-25T21:49:06.663" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;first of all Alex S is right about what he said,But i think a response from Theravada must be added to this.&#xA;As we believe there is a special planet in the universe,the planet is always earth.But this time it was India next time it will have a different name.As we believe the place Lord Buddhas will achieve complete wisdom will always be the same.If you want to look in to this search for the word &quot;Mangala / Magul Sakwala&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T21:49:06.663" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2055" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:01:05.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all no matter which version you learn as Buddhists we all believe that all of the Lord Buddhas are in the same level when it comes to understanding.there can be some differences in small things like how long they would live among humans.Being a Lord Buddha is reaching a certain level of understanding which is higher than any other being,so it is a status not a name for a person.Unlike other religions being a Lord Buddha is not out of reach for the followers,So if you for example take the time for the task as a Bodhisattva and finally become a Lord Buddha you will be equal with Gautama Buddha and every Buddha before.And the 27 you mentioned before is the number of Lord Buddhas who live in this era (&lt;em&gt;Kalpa&lt;/em&gt;) not the amount who ever lived.So in that point of view Buddhas will be born as long as Humans exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:01:05.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:10:00.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Crying can happen because of many reasons but there has never been a record of an enlightened one crying because of sadness or any other mental discomfort.Because once you are enlightened you understand that there is no reason for sadness.sadness is purely a product of not being able to understand things according to Buddhas teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:10:00.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12172" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:25:18.200" Score="5" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there awareness of impermanence during the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ar%C5%ABpajh%C4%81na&quot;&gt;formless meditations&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T15:28:54.507" Title="Is there awareness of impermanence during the formless meditations" Tags="|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5456" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:25:45.583" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to Theravada there can be only one Buddha,Because Buddha is the name for the one who alone without any help or learning understand all of Buddhism and then go on to teach it to others.The question here is not between two Buddhas&#xA;but between two versions of Buddhism.in Theravada there is no mentioning about a buddha called amithbha,as to Theravada there is Sakyamuni Buddha who is the teacher of the current buddhism and there were many before him in this &quot;Kalpa (Era)&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:25:45.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:45:51.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590306392&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Enlightened master] Marpa was very upset when his son was killed, and one of his disciples said, &quot;You used to tell us that everything is illusion. How about the death of your son? Isn't it illusion?&quot; And Marpa replied, &quot;True, but my son's death is a super-illusion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.21.2x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sakka's Questions Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Grief is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued &amp;amp; not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one knows of a feeling of grief, ‘As I pursue this grief, unskilful mental qualities increase, and skilful mental qualities decline,’ that sort of grief is not to be pursued. &lt;strong&gt;When one knows of a feeling of grief, ‘As I pursue this grief, unskilful mental qualities decline, and skilful mental qualities increase,’ that sort of grief is to be pursued.&lt;/strong&gt; And this sort of grief may be accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation or free of directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. Of the two, the latter is the more refined. ‘Grief is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued &amp;amp; not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:45:51.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12172" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:52:09.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In summary, to perceive the following: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taste: Tongue&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sound: Ears&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sight: Eyes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Object: Touch&#xA;(cant remember the 5th sense.. need some sleep.. will add later )&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That which is formless &amp;amp; beyond all attributes cannot be 'sensed' or perceive using a Sense of the Body (or even an Xray or Infra red vision).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That which has no form, is infinite &amp;amp; all pervasive cannot be measured like an physical object with 'defined' dimensions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It 'comes' as an experience. :) It's not something you can switch on, on demand; Unless you are enlightened - Then you already know that everything is infinite. At that point your senses &amp;amp; your body and everything else is just a virtual construct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5609" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:52:09.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8127" CreationDate="2015-10-25T22:58:28.553" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Question -In workplace &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answer  -There is no barrier keeping you from being competitive,You should know there were kings,queens,ministers,generals,billionaires who were Buddhists.To keep you away from career suicide you need to fight with the rest,yes so only follow these..&#xA;Don't lie&lt;br&gt;&#xA;End arguments with peace,Be rude if you want but always know your line&#xA;Don't back stab others&#xA;Expect hostility greet it with being better than the other then they can only complain&#xA;Remember you can only shape yourself not other people's opinions!,so expect a lot of anger and jealousy.&#xA;Want respect?give it in the same amount to others&#xA;Drive your career instead of being driven by it(Show off without fear).Do work to earn the salary Do your homework to earn your place.&#xA;Remember if you are shy to showoff your potential they are of no use when you're dead,SO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO IN THEIR FACES BUT REMEMBER OUR CODES OF LIVING,BUDDHISTS ARE NO SECONDS (BETAS)WE ARE THE ALPHAS&#xA;BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question - At home with family – Are you actually generating bad karma if you are minimizing interaction with your parents/siblings/relatives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answer  -Karma is generated by Acts,Thoughts and words that you use,but only if they are intentional.Buddhism doesn't teach anyone to minimize emotions and be something robot like.you are advised to have your connections with the understanding that everything changes and change causes sadness and because of that nothing is yours truly and therefore you have no soul (that you are not a person,but a functioning mind and a body).Greet your family with love and kindness but do not attach yourself to them so hard like any other person.You are a Buddhist,so always have mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question - In Society &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answer  - If they had enough sense of what is happening around them do you think they would remain in their beliefs?there is enough pain and suffering in the world for anyone to understand that something is wrong.this is what you should do,keep your thoughts to yourself and pretend to be interested in their things but always have mindfulness.Just when they hit a bump in their lives you will see what happen to those so called &quot;Free thinkers&quot;,simple the difference between a Buddhist and a free thinker is that they need therapy to come over the simplest troubles in life and we just move on like nothing happened!If the common person you will meet had half of your understanding about life they would try to find a solution for life instead of making up things as they go or praying to someone that they've never seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T22:58:28.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5879" CreationDate="2015-10-25T23:09:23.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;just BE WHO YOU ARE,Have you ever noticed that even when you were a party animal before people had stuff to complain?You are right to be mindful and you should do it every second you are awake,this might look a bit extreme but trust me it always help.as for having fun don't be immoral live your life but remember you are not a puppet of anybody friends respect who their friends really are,if they do not you might want to rethink about your entourage.If they ever ask about your sudden change don't mention meditation or your path simply say that people change with time and you are going through such a pace too.This should get you out of any awkward situation with your friends or family!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:09:23.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3812" CreationDate="2015-10-25T23:16:48.293" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes you should start a simple meditation.Buddhist meditation doesn't require you sitting down like yoga to it on your way to office,in the bath tub where ever you want.You don't even need to close your eyes.&#xA;Please refer this link to learn more..&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-25T23:16:48.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10370" CreationDate="2015-10-25T23:45:35.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with Sankha Kulthantille. His answer is the complete one. If you gain enough Karma, not only can you be born human again and again you can even skip being a human and have better births, in the same manner. But this shouldn't go without saying, that these kind of wishes aren't praised by Buddhist teachings. We as Buddhists, should look forward to nirvana, not many more lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T00:52:33.357" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T00:52:33.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5164" CreationDate="2015-10-26T00:35:58.723" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all Buddhism is against killing and that includes so called &quot;Mercy killing&quot;. As lord Buddha once said every being at any condition likes only to live. No matter whether it's killing, ordering to kill, approving killing, or advising killing, it is not approved in Buddhism, even when we are talking about a person in extreme pain or a bad condition/Coma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer &quot;Meththanisansa sutra&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T01:05:18.607" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T01:05:18.607" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12138" CreationDate="2015-10-26T01:06:13.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are asking about a white lie this is the method.As to Buddhism you can't lie but you can divert attention.In your scenario if the murderer asks your reply can be not in my house!yes it looks like a lie but if you say with mindfulness that there's nothing yours in the deep sense of Buddhism,you are not lying&#xA;If you remember what Lord Buddha said to &quot;Angulimaala&quot; the finger collecting murderer.Buddha said &quot;I have stopped,Now you should stop&quot;.while saying this Lord Buddha was still slowly moving from him.What Lord Buddha meant was that Lord Buddha is no longer bound to anything,that Lord Buddha has reached enlightenment.You see what apparently a lie can still be true.It's all in the mind of the one saying the statement!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T01:06:13.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5142" CreationDate="2015-10-26T01:26:00.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have tried this myself when i was sick and this is not my personal opinion,This was advised by lord Buddha to the monks (Theravada).It is a meditation called &quot;Vidarshana&quot;.It focus on the temporariness of what we feel and can numb mild pains within minutes.This is one of the two meditations mentioned in Theravada Buddhism to unlock enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:10:28.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:10:28.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12183" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12186" CreationDate="2015-10-26T03:37:33.353" Score="10" ViewCount="1352" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm quite familiar with Theravada and Zen but I can't understand the historical reasons for not keeping the original Buddha's teaching as a core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The schools do not contradict each other, so why reinvent a wheel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also the Pali Canon feels more explicit. For example Heart Sutra of Avalokiteśvara is beautiful but it will not make as much sense to a newcomer as reading a Nikaya or two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5716" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T11:20:09.040" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T11:20:09.040" Title="Why did Mahayana leave out the Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|mahayana|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12172" CreationDate="2015-10-26T07:05:51.550" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you choose to see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;things as they are&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;investigate the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;. Since in the 8th Jhana there is a residue of Perception and Feeling hence you should direct your observation to understand the impermanence of feeling or impermanence of what is felt if you what to develop insight into the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 marks of existance&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person taking the Arupa Jhana route attains the final goal by going though Nirodha Samapathi (&lt;code&gt;cessation of perception and feeling&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.6-Rahogata-S-s36.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Raho,gata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for further details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T07:05:51.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-26T10:41:03.923" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consistency and diligence are key factors in ones practice. Without them, progression cannot be gained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the continuity of practice that yields advancement. It's like rubbing to sticks together to make a fire. If one stops rubbing before the fire has started, then the fire will never start. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if one has long periods without practice of meditation, then the advancement will not arise or at least it will arise in lesser degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing that will derail ones practice, is wanting to get results or worrying about why one is not advancing on the path. These are hindrances, that slow one down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;em&gt;doubt&lt;/em&gt; arises, i.e. when one is worrying about why one is not advancing, then that is the 5th hindrance arising. That is an oppertunity to gain insights. One should note the hindrance and work with it. One should not react to it or dwell in it, thereby fueling it and making it stronger. Observe it with mindfulness, in the present moment and gain insights about the 3 marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you establish a regular practice, practice correctly and diligently, then you will advance. If you do not practice regularly, then advancement will not come or it will come slower and in lesser degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you need motivation. You could begin studying the Buddha's teachings yourself, go read the discourses from the Pali Canon and read up on the practice of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its also important to not push oneself to practice more than one is ready for. That will only result in one not wanting to practice at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like a good idea to practice a small amount of time each day. You could try that for a week or two and then gradually increase your sitting time. Start small and then work your way up. Also try to incorporate your practice into daily life, outside of formal meditation. For example you can to try to be mindful, every time you brush your teeth, wash your hands or take a shower. Walking meditation is also a great way to gain continuity of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T11:01:35.623" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T11:01:35.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12183" CreationDate="2015-10-26T13:20:15.053" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;It did not. The Canon is an integral part of Mahayana, has always been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Mahayana, the Canon is included in the form of Agamas (translated to Chinese). In Tibetan Mahayana, the Canon is a part of Kangyur (translated from Chinese or Sanskrit to Tibetan). Most of those are the same sutras as in Pali, just with slightly different wording. Some are rather different, and shed new light on the teaching. Some are even more &quot;explicit&quot; (clear, straightforward):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It was a dark night, raining lightly, with flashes of lightning. The Buddha said to Ananda: &quot;You can come out with the umbrella over the lamp.&quot; Ananda listened, and walked behind the Buddha, with an umbrella over the lamp. When they reached a place, the Buddha smiled. Ananda said: &quot;The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. What brings the smile today?&quot; The Buddha said: &quot;That’s right! That’s right! The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. Now you are following me with an umbrella over a lamp. I look around, and see everyone doing the same thing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;At that time, Mahakasyapa stayed for a long time in a deserted meditation place, he came to visit Buddha, with long hair and beard, wearing old torn clothes. At that time, the Buddha was explaining dharma, surrounded by many people. The monks saw Mahakasyapa coming from afar, and were contemptuous of his appearance: &quot;What kind of monk is this? Dressed in such ragged clothes, looking so uncouth.&quot; The Buddha knew what was on their minds, and he said to Mahakasyapa: &quot;Welcome! Come share my seat. Now I am going to find out who became a monk first, you or me?&quot; Those monks were shocked, their body hair stood up, wondering among themselves. &quot;How strange! This respectable monk&#xA;  was offered to share Buddha’s seat.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, Mahakasyapa put his palms together: &quot;Most respectable one, the Buddha is my master. I am the disciple.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said: &quot;True, true. I am the master. You are the disciple. Why don’t you sit down and make yourself comfortable?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahakasyapa touched his head to the Buddha’s feet and sat aside…&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Listen carefully and think. I will explain it to you. When the eye meets the matter, and you become aware that the matter is desirable, then practice detachment. If, on the other hand, the matter is undesirable, then practice non-avoidance… In this way, you will know that your desire arises from your eye meeting the matter, and this realization will make it cease…like a drop of water on an extremely hot iron ball, it will evaporate in an instant…&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These were extracts from Samyukta Agama. According to the sutra commentaries in the Yogacara-bhumi Shastra, the Samyukta Agama was the earliest agama collection. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12192/43&quot;&gt;my answer here&lt;/a&gt; for links to the full sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, you have to understand that Mahayana sees itself as a living tradition, concerned first and foremost with the &lt;em&gt;spirit&lt;/em&gt; of Dharma, not its &lt;em&gt;letter&lt;/em&gt;. So from Mahayana's perspective to understand the point, the taste, and the style of teaching is much more important than to memorize the matrika-s. So in Mahayana making up new texts to convey the point in a new way suitable to the new generation of students in the new country is totally acceptable and even desirable. The Chinese and Tibetan people are very different in character from Indian - and so the outer wrapping on the medicine of Dharma had to be adapted to make it more attractive to them. The medicine itself is the same, just a different wrapping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that modern Western people (Americans and Europeans) are more like ancient Indians than like ancient Tibetans or Chinese. So naturally the agama-sutra-style teaching is more appealing to us than the long-mahayana-sutra-style or the tantra-style. But whatever style teaching we take, it is critically important to understand that &lt;strong&gt;the point of Dharma applies to our immediate living experience&lt;/strong&gt;, not to some far-fetched fantasy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one translation of Heart Sutra says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Far beyond mistaken fantasy&lt;/strong&gt;, at last there is Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T16:20:18.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12172" CreationDate="2015-10-26T13:39:54.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thought this might be relevant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The formless meditations are part of the imageless realm arupa-bhava. According to Stefan Anacker in his book on Vasubandhu &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;formless meditation is still one pointedness of citta toward an examined range &lt;strong&gt;of events&lt;/strong&gt;... the imageless realm comprises any state where all senses except the&#xA;  mental consciousness are suspended... the first five consciousnesses&#xA;  no longer perceive their object&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emphasis mine. I find the idea of citta without any sense consciousness at all completely baffling! I think that unless your canon explicitly says, probably best to make up your own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T15:28:54.507" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T15:28:54.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-26T13:48:52.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personal opinion based on my experience: go for a retreat again, if you can. It has more benefit (as a rule of thumb) to do intense practice than the same amount of time diluted over a bigger timespan. Rather than 1 hour every morning, do 20 minutes every morning and a one 10-day retreat a year. I am a big fan of the Mahasi-style practice, and it was developed primarily for retreats; works in daily activities as well, but the foundation is intense practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T13:48:52.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10650" CreationDate="2015-10-26T14:00:47.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The supramundane state (cessation) is termed magga-ñana the first time attained, and phala-ñana any subsequent times attained (on that same level -- 1st path, 2nd, 3rd, 4th).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path knowledge (magga-ñana) is attained only once for each path, ever. The first attainment is thus stream entry (sotapatti). The cycle of insight then starts over, and you may attain the fruition (phala-ñana) of the path which had been attained any number of times, and for extended periods of time, if desired and trained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind attains the knowledge of arising&amp;amp;passing (udaybbaya-ñana) of the second path, the cycle of insight will happen again on a higher level, possibly culminating in knowledge of the second path (magga-ñana; and the yogi may then again re-experience fruition of the second path many times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't ask me how the fruition differs between 1st and 2nd path, when it is utter unconsciousness (everything ceases: including space, time, consciousness) without anything to be said about it -- I don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T14:00:47.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12190" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12194" CreationDate="2015-10-26T14:46:10.367" Score="9" ViewCount="472" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can a arahant recognize other arahants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can a arahant recognize stream winners, once-returners and never-returners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can a arahant recognize the spiritual attainment (and conversely, the defilement) of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a arahant is able to recognize other arahants, then we may be able to reliably establish a recognized group of arahants in our time, who can be the lead teachers of the sangha worldwide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T22:56:04.447" Title="Can a arahant recognize the spiritual attainment of others?" Tags="|stream-entry|anagami|arahant|sakadagami|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9360" CreationDate="2015-10-26T14:51:13.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Process of insight up roots Loba, Dosa, Moha 1st and hence as you practice you are left with more Aloba, Adosa, Amoha and Ahetuka states of mind. In addition 5 hindrances also fall away of which ill will is diminishments cases more competition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When liberated you are left Ahetuka but still evil roots are no more hence relatively compassionate with someone who has ill will and the evil roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-23T05:51:23.683" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T05:51:23.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12054" CreationDate="2015-10-26T15:31:13.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Dirgha Agama&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks to &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/on-the-dirgha-agama/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the reference contributed by ChrisW&lt;/a&gt;, I was able to find the following fragments:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/three-da.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DA 11, DA 12, and DA 30&lt;/a&gt; translated by bhikkhu Analayo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/da21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DA 21&lt;/a&gt; translated by Fan Dong Jing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire DA is available in print from BDK America (thanks for the link, Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdkamerica.org/catalog/indian-sources&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bdkamerica.org/catalog/indian-sources&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Madhyama Agama&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Online I was able to find the following sutras, translated by Charles D. Patton:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma17&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 17&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 42&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma45&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 45&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 51&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ma186&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 186&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also this BDK America version, containing the first 71 sutras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdkamerica.org/system/files/pdf/dBET_T0026_MadhyamaAgama1_2013_0.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MA 1-71&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Samyukta Agama&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the sutra commentaries in the Yogacara-bhumi Shastra, the Samyukta Agama was the earliest agama collection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Turns out there are two version of Samyukta Agama, the long one (~1350 sutras), known by the scholars as T.99 or &quot;ZA&quot; and the short one (364 sutras), known as T.100 or &quot;BZA&quot;. Most of the BZA is available in English translation by Marcus Bingenheimer either &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistinformatics.chibs.edu.tw/BZA/bzaComCatWebOrig.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;online&lt;/a&gt; or in &lt;a href=&quot;http://mbingenheimer.net/publications/bingenheimer_StudiesInAgamaLit_2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;one PDF&lt;/a&gt;. Most of the BZA sutras have almost identical counterparts in ZA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out of ~1350 sutras in the long Samyukta Agama, ~260 are available online so far, &lt;a href=&quot;http://agamaresearch.ddbc.edu.tw/sa%E1%B9%83yukta-agama-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;most translated to English by bhikkhu Analayo&lt;/a&gt; and some by an unknown translator at &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka&lt;/a&gt; as well as by Choong Mun-keat:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa01.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA1-32&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa04.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA33-58&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa03.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA59-87&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa05.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA103-110&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/sa06.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA111-138&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/sa07.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA139-187&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/sa08.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA188-229&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa232&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 232&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa236&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 236&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa249&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 249&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa02.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA256-272&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa273&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 273&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa-2.6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;T.100.6&lt;/a&gt; / SA 275&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 276) “Attitudes Towards Nuns – A Case Study of the Nandakovāda in the Light of its Parallels”, (with an appendix by Giuliana Martini), Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 2010, vol. 17 pp. 332–400.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20140814020050/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/AttitudesTowardsNuns.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa287&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 287&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa293&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 293&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa296&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 296&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa297&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 297&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa299&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 299&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa300&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 300&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 301: &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099_LL_0301_katyayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kātyāyana Gotra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa335&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 335&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 344 and SA 389) ” Right View and the Scheme of the Four Truths in Early Budhism, The Saṃyukta-āgama Parallel to the Sammādiṭṭhi-sutta and the Simile of the Four Skills of a Physician”, Canadian Journal of Bud­dhist Studies, 2011, vol. 7 pp. 11–44.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20140814022524/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/RightView.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 371: &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0371-nutriments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Nutriments&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 374. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0374-nutriments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Nutriments&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 379: &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099_LL_0379_dharma_wheel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Turning the Dharma Wheel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 383. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0383-having-known&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Having Known&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 451. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0451-realms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Realms&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 474: &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099_LL_0474_gradual_subsiding&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gradual Subsiding&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 505) “Śakra and the Destruction of Craving – A Case Study in the Role of Śakra in Early Buddhism”, Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2011, vol. 12 pp. 157-176.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20141210041409/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/SakraDestructionCraving.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 606. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0606-smrtyupasthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bases of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 610. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0610-mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Correct Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 615. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0615-bhiksuni&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikṣuṇī Residence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 619) “Protecting Oneself and Others Through Mindfulness – The Acrobat Simile in the Saṃyukta-āgama”, Sri Lanka International Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2012, vol. 2 pp. 1–23.   &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20141210113228/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/Protecting.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 620. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0620-monkey&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Monkey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 621. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0621-young-bhiksus&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Young Bhikṣus&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 623. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0623-world-beauty&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The World Beauty&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 746. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0746-anapanasmrti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānāpānasmṛti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 801: &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0801-five-dharmas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Dharmas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 802. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0802-knowledge&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 803. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0803-knowledge&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 804. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0804-cutting-off-thoughts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cutting Off Thoughts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 805. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0805-arista&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariṣṭa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 806. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0806-kapphina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kapphiṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 807. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0807-two-months&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Two Months&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;SA 808. &lt;a href=&quot;https://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099-LL-0808-kapilavastu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kapilavastu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 1042) “The Saṃyukta-āgama Parallel to the Sāleyyaka-sutta”, Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 2006, vol. 13 pp. 1–22.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20141210113401/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/SamyuktaAgamaSaleyyaka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sa-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;T.100 equivalents of SA 1062-1225&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(SĀ 1249) “Exemplary Qualities of a Monastic – The Saṃyukta-āgama Counterpart to the Mahāgopālaka-sutta and the Need of Balancing Inner Development with Concern for Others”, Sri Lanka International Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2010, vol. 1 pp. 1–22.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20141210113218/http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/ExemplaryQualities.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Ekottarika Agama&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless otherwise noted, translated by Dr. Thich Huyen-Vi and Bhikkhu Pas­ad­ika in collaboration with Sara Boin-Webb, for the Buddhist Stud­ies Review.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ea12.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;EA 12.1&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thích Nhất Hạnh, Annabel Laity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 17.1 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-17-1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 18.4 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-18-4/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 18.5 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-18-5/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Elephant&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 18.8 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-18-8/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Broad-minded&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 18.9 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-18-9/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Authentic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;EA 18.10 — &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/ekottara-agama-18-10/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Praise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/ea19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;EA 19.2 - EA 19.11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/ea20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;EA 20.1 - EA 20.13&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/ea21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;EA 21.1 - EA 21.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-09-04T01:51:36.983" LastActivityDate="2017-09-04T01:51:36.983" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-26T16:15:54.893" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2015-10-26T16:07:16.520" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, you need to understand that Buddhist texts operate on two levels of description: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1311/760&quot;&gt;the conventional truth and the ultimate truth&lt;/a&gt;. The contradiction disappears when you realise that anatta (the non-existence of self) is an ultimate truth, while the rebirth is a conventional truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Buddhists believe that people linked by a chain of rebirths may be said to be &quot;the same&quot;, by the same convention as when a 40-year-old person is said to be &quot;the same&quot; as an 20-years-old person he evolved from. This convention has nothing to do with the fact that there is no indivisible and constant &quot;I&quot;, and that the aggregates that make up the conventional &quot;I&quot; are in constant flux.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T21:55:16.077" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12190" CreationDate="2015-10-26T16:12:40.040" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.  It is a quality in Buddha among humans only. However, Tissa Brahma God has this quality too.  Ven Moggallana was curious about this and went to Tissa god and asked him if all beings in Brahma world had this quality.  Tissa Brahman said not all beings in the brahman world had it, but only few.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=9Y5TAQAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA15&amp;amp;lpg=PA15&amp;amp;dq=tissa%20brahma&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=E16qJbCRbh&amp;amp;sig=EStfVCnezuwIvvU7clNDY8eIrEs&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CCoQ6AEwAmoVChMIt_6tjcDgyAIVhe4mCh3NigUr#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=tissa%20brahma&amp;amp;f=false&quot;&gt;Tissa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Buddha said there is no measuring tool to measure others' attainment level (such as one Arahat in Buddha's time that used profanities- one may still use profanity after liberation because force of habit not mind with defilement, etc )&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Another sutta I remember which do not remember the reference talked about one Arahat who had never met Ven Sariputta before.  They met for the first time and has conversation in form of question answers (Ven Sarriputta asked another answered).  After a few minutes, they both realized that each other reached some mile stone in their progress but they didnt know which level.  They knew each other by talking.  From that Sutta, Arahat may have a clue about the other but not 100% sure.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma spoken by Buddha should lead us and Sangha world wide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T16:12:40.040" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11992" CreationDate="2015-10-26T17:32:56.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know what the minimum may be in your case. I can say something about my experience with another tradition (Goenka), which may perhaps be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sat a 10-day course 2 years ago. It helped me to settle some fears and problems that I was afraid to think of before. As for more mundane, everyday problems, even though I didn't meditate regularly afterwards, I think in retrospect there was a positive change in my attitude for a few months, but it wasn't very clear to me at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This year I went for a 3-day course, and after the course I saw a very significant positive change (it was related to procrastrination, as in your case). It lasted for a few months, roughly as long as I meditated regularly for 2 hours per day. But the point is that I saw that change already during first few days after the course. During the course it was said that meditation must lead to a visible (even if small) change in one's life. If you don't see any such change, you're doing something wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's my 2 cents. I don't know how much of it may apply to your tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T17:32:56.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12196" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-26T18:25:12.870" Score="5" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to attend a 3 months &quot;rains retreat&quot; (Kyol-Che), in a Zen (Seon) temple in South Korea. I would have to go to a temple where they give instructions in English, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mu Sang Sa' Temple  (which I hope is way cheaper for monks) seems to organize two 3 months retreat a year. Do you know other places?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T11:20:47.117" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T14:38:49.337" Title="Where to do a 'Rains Retreat' in South Korea?" Tags="|personal-practice|zen|meditation-zazen|retreat|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12197" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-26T19:19:30.350" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apologies in advance if this is something you see often.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been interested in Buddhism for a year now. I've read what I could find and do intend to read more. It seems Buddhism is like a tree, with each branch representing a different sect, and each leaf representing a different school. I'm not making sense I bet. Anyway, since I'm 100% new to Buddhism and realise I don't know up from down regarding it, maybe someone here can set me straight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking which sect/branch would be right for me. I can't find much information on the differences, as the articles I've read emphasize the sense of community across all sects and schools. Which is fine! I'm not here to create a schism. Just here to start on the path that is best suited for me. I'm big on self-improvement, so I guess a sect with that emphasis would be best for me. More information if requested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7175" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-26T19:43:05.137" LastActivityDate="2015-10-26T19:43:05.137" Title="Which school is right for me?" Tags="|personal-practice|sects|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-10-26T19:28:41.553" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12198" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T01:59:17.620" Score="2" ViewCount="205" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has any Buddhist meditator claimed that the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses#The_eightfold_network_of_primary_consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mano-vijnana&lt;/a&gt; has a base (I don't mean that in any technical sense) to differentiate it from the other consciousnesses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, what is it called, and when is its action suspended?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T16:07:19.730" Title="Has any Buddhist meditator claimed that the mano-vijnana has a base to differentiate it from the other consciousnesses?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12199" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T02:25:22.217" Score="0" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Theory of Kama&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Volition, or Will (&lt;em&gt;tetana&lt;/em&gt;), is itself the doer, Feeling (&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;) is&#xA;  itself the reaper of the fruits of actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So feelings are the fruit of will and of actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the the converse also true: does diminished volition and not-acting create karma that will have a neutral sensation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T09:32:09.673" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T10:44:20.707" Title="Diminished volition" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12200" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T06:52:57.283" Score="3" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lifestyle means the daily activities carried out, the monasteries, the rules and regulations, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are more than one types of the traditions, then please focus your answer on Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7030" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T15:34:29.380" Title="How different is the lifestyle of male monks from that of the female monks?" Tags="|monk|tibetan-buddhism|traditions|daily-life|monastery|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12201" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T09:31:21.000" Score="4" ViewCount="530" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to take my practice back to the beginning in the hopes of energizing it and I think this might be helpful.I currently don't have access to a teacher so some Web resources would be great particularly some guided mediations that I could follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T11:18:00.280" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T23:01:30.297" Title="Can anyone recommend some guided anapanasati resources on the Web?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|anapanasati|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12202" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12203" CreationDate="2015-10-27T10:38:41.403" Score="6" ViewCount="745" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, I know that anything that come into existence has a cessation..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how did this world of suffering begin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, if you say it never began and it's ever existent, why would it need to exist?&#xA;What's the cause that's made this material world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say that the cause is the Karma of a being, how come Karma come into existence? (By existence, I mean to ask why does Karma exist?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's the ultimate cause or factor for existence or emergence of corporeality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to argue or quarrel, but I'm searching for answers from the point of view of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I accept that these kind of questions and answers doesn't lead to cessation of pain or suffering, as the Buddha said, but I'm just eager to know :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T13:51:39.193" LastActivityDate="2017-11-26T22:30:43.913" Title="How did this material world come into existence if the ultimate reality is voidness?" Tags="|karma|philosophy|belief|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-27T10:59:23.710" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not answer such questions, since they do not lead to Nibbana. The Buddha said himself, that he teaches only the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that these questions are not important or interesting, they certainly are, but they will not lead one to Nibbana. They will only distract and agitate the mind, leaving it unfit for practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really want to know the answers to these questions, not only intellectually but experientially, then you have to become a fully enlightened Buddha (Sammāsambuddha). Then you will be able to know everything, that there is to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questions you mention, fall under the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya%27&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Four Imponderables (Acinteyyas)&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four imponderables are identified in the Acintita Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya 4.77, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha];&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The jhana-range of one absorbed in jhana [i.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana];&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speculation about [the origin, etc., of] the cosmos is an imponderable that is not to be speculated about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are questions that the Buddha did not answer. Only a fully enlightened Buddha can know the answer to these questions and the questions themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T10:59:23.710" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-27T12:11:57.733" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looks like you misunderstand Shunyata (Voidness, Emptiness, Hollowness). Shunyata is not nothingness, it is lack of solidity. It is interdependence. Famous Zen teacher Thích Nhat Hanh coined a new term for this, &quot;interbeing&quot;. In Emptiness, everything is relative, so there is no absolute reliable reference point you can measure everything against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question of coming into existence is irrelevant. Existence and non-existence is a term that applies to individual phenomena. But in context of studying the true nature of things - Emptiness - individual phenomena are not truly individual - they are interdependently arisen and interdependently existing. They appear when their causes and conditions come together. They exist while their causes and conditions are together. They disappear when their causes and conditions go apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This world of suffering is a subjective world, a set of experiences, that arises in dependence on causes and conditions - just like any other phenomena. The main condition for the world of suffering is ignorance. Particularly ignorance of Emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The history and evolution of this material world is a subject of study in the fields of physics and astrophysics. This is not what Buddhism is about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is the chain of causes and effects, coming from beginningless times. Individual karma exists because of appropriation of these causes and effects as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The material cause of corporeality of living beings is a subject of study in the fields of biology and genetics. This is not what Buddhism is about. The phenomenal cause is self-identification with a living organism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T12:40:24.647" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T12:40:24.647" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12205" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12305" CreationDate="2015-10-27T12:20:58.133" Score="3" ViewCount="373" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the law of dependent origination completely deterministic? If everything is dependent, there should be no true randomness. The current mainstream view of the physicists is that true randomness does exist, that is, it is something inherent to the reality, and not just our uncertainty about the current state of the world. In other words, they believe that there is such thing as a true source of randomness. Is this viewpoint incompatible with the Buddhist doctrine? Or does dependent origination allow for some degree of non-determinism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T06:35:49.963" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T18:16:21.453" Title="Does Buddhism allow for true randomness?" Tags="|philosophy|pratityasamutpada|reality|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12201" CreationDate="2015-10-27T12:58:46.547" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best is to go to directly to the Sutta or what the Buddha directly had to say about it. There are 2 good translations by Piya Tan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/m118-Anapanasati-S-v26-tlr-piya_2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta, Trilinear edition&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more detail explanation of the Sutta is available in Mindfulness with Breathing: a Manual for Serious Beginners, 2nd edition which does a wonderful detailed explanations. (Don't use the 1st as this is a poor translation.) In addition there are some lectures by Budddhadasa Bikkhu: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8cVt2ClMSo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati by Ven. Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the very basics have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5CJLKTn47k&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mini Aanapana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIGZcoKeeWI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana Sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Bhante Vimalasiri&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS0BaNYSv8U&amp;amp;list=PL0JQ276hWJUC7VG0gpXx34jEUYCoTR4N5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana Sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bikku Bodhi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;would be helpful guides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can try to locate a more formal retreat like through: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt; which will solve the issue that you do not have a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T13:56:50.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-27T13:11:00.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will jump in and you can downvote if my answer is not suitable, I am not in a Buddhist tradition. But perhaps it offers something for the Asker, and maybe for others. It might not be part of the Cessation of Suffering as such, but when a question lodges in someone's awareness, often it is good to simply address it and move on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the leaders of a retreat I attended that I found helpful said, &quot;The Void can't know itself.&quot; That is a statement to ponder. I find it to be useful. It speaks to the arising of Experience (all that we see) from non-experience. As I read the answers that were already posted, I realized something new. Andrei gave a very good answer that addressed the several questions of the Asker, and he said (if I may quote him) &quot;&lt;em&gt;The main condition for the world of suffering is ignorance. Particularly ignorance of Emptiness.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; As I read this, my thought was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Void knew nothing at the beginning, because there was nothing to know. So, &quot;wishing&quot; to know, it created Experience. But it could only proceed in ignorance, for every step of the way, it knew only what it had learned so far. Thus, Ignorance is unavoidable and inevitable at the start, and we must learn to overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that this is a helpful contribution. Peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T13:11:00.470" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12208" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T14:29:02.313" Score="3" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read the following passage and I wonder if it really implies what it seems to imply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The  gravity  of  the  offence  is  determined  by  the degree  of  lust&#xA;  motivating the action and the qualities of the person against whom &#xA;  the  transgression  is  committed.&#xA;  When  the  lust  is  very  strong,  even  incest and rape can be committed, the most serious being the rape of a female Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it does, why is raping a non-arahant less serious? After all, the lust is equally harmful in both cases, but in the non-arahant scenario the rape is additionally harmful to the psyche of the victim, which wouldn't be the case for an arahant. So why the act that has more negative consequences is considered less serious? And why are men and women treated unequally in this regard?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:09:56.777" Title="Is raping a male arahant or a non-arahant less immoral/less serious than raping a female arahant?" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|arahant|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-27T14:52:04.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Okay, I know that &lt;strong&gt;anything&lt;/strong&gt; that come into existence has a&#xA;  cessation..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, how did this world of suffering begin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By creating everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or, if you say it never began and it's ever existent, why would it&#xA;  need to exist? What's the cause that's made this material world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Creation- Create 'objects' as relative to the 'subject'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you say that the cause is the Karma of a being, how come Karma come&#xA;  into existence? (By existence, I mean to ask why does Karma exist?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's relations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What's the ultimate cause or factor for existence or emergence of&#xA;  corporeality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same reason used to create or emerge that gives feeling of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to argue or quarrel, but I'm searching for answers from&#xA;  the point of view of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism main reason is 'Avijja' and the process is 'patichchasamuthpada'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I accept that these kind of questions and answers doesn't lead to&#xA;  cessation of pain or suffering, as the Buddha said, but I'm just eager&#xA;  to know :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By questioning can get rough idea of the solution. By practicing  the correct path will lead to cessation of creation(patichchsamuthpada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T14:52:04.473" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12201" CreationDate="2015-10-27T14:56:51.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;also This book compiles  Buddhawajana (exclusively Buddha's words) regarding Anapanasati.  It's free.    &lt;a href=&quot;http://15c78e68827edd100d00-3e5118b4a901d5cb5f2a37359b3bf3bc.r28.cf1.rackcdn.com/Anapanasati_English_version.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhawajana anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T14:56:51.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-27T15:07:30.197" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friend, you are asking the question of all questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if I would be explaining to you in eternity how this material world came into existence, you would not know how this material world came into existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if I used the most profound poetry of all the universe and you would be listening to this very same poetry in eternity, you would not know how this material world came into existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times when the mind is confused with research: &quot;I'll try to find out how this material world came into existence.&quot; and the answer is never found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times when the mind is confused with wrong view: &quot;Oh I know how this material world came into existence!&quot; and the answer is never found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I were to give you an answer, I would just confuse you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In confusion, you'll never find the answer to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why the answer to your question must be silence. Nothing else but silence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a path which will lead you to the answer you're seeking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is this path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the path leading to the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When suffering and its cause are fully known and this very same cause is removed, everything is known, even the answer to the question you're seeking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T15:13:30.347" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T15:13:30.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12208" CreationDate="2015-10-27T16:00:11.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The passage doesn't imply that at all. It's just that homosexual misbehavior or other abnormal ways of breaking the 3rd precept are not discussed here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gravity of the offence also depends on the purity of the being who's subjected to it. Not on how he/she deals with it. It's similar to how merits of giving dependent on the virtuousness of the recipient. Not on how much he/she craves for what is given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T16:00:11.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12213" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-27T16:39:10.193" Score="6" ViewCount="2123" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a pair of earmuffs to wear while meditating that are effective at reducing noise and comfortable to wear for at least 2 hours. Does anyone have any recommendations of brands that they have actually used?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;: I would like to preemptively state that I am in no way interested in any answer that has to do with noticing my aversion to noise or doing vipassana; anything along these lines does not answer my question and will be down-voted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T17:08:19.027" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T16:45:03.790" Title="Good pair of earmuffs for meditation" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12216" CreationDate="2015-10-27T17:31:35.167" Score="4" ViewCount="1493" Body="&lt;p&gt;When reciting or listening to mantras such as &lt;code&gt;Om Mani Pade Hum&lt;/code&gt;, what difference does it make when either listening, reciting or both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T23:31:18.160" Title="What difference is there in reciting and listening to mantras?" Tags="|mantra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12215" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12219" CreationDate="2015-10-27T17:41:57.913" Score="5" ViewCount="266" Body="&lt;p&gt;Emptiness is described in a number of ways however i am interpreting it as interdependence and interrelationships. Is this an appropriate understanding?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T22:36:14.930" Title="Is emptiness interdependence and interrelationship?" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12214" CreationDate="2015-10-27T17:57:50.293" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The esoteric vibrations are what its all about. This is why the best mantras are in their original language (usually Sanskirt) not the transliterated and especially not the translated versions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question: How much stronger would the vibrations be if you say it with your voice than your mind? Much much stronger. You are basically doing a magic summoning spell, summoning good karma and asking for the respective forces to help you. The more in-sync you are with the vibration the more likely they will be able to &quot;hear&quot;/feel your call and help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At higher stages of focus, where you are doing it mentally and you can ignore everything else, it does not make much of a difference because the focus is the same and the vibrations have already sufficiently transformed the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, do it loudly verbally, using it as your focus.&#xA;Once your focus is developed (jhana) then you can do it silently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend &quot;How to mantra&quot; by William Bodri for more esoteric information in regard to this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T17:57:50.293" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12215" CreationDate="2015-10-27T18:08:11.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Emptiness as Sunyata or Sunnata?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It has many meanings, Buddha used this term in meditation (jhana) and Nirvana.   Jhana is conditioned so it is interdependence, where nirvana is not.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T18:08:11.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12215" CreationDate="2015-10-27T19:04:35.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say yes, it is a [seemingly] valid understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually, from a Madhyamika-Prasangika point of view, it is stated that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meaning of emptiness is dependent-arising; and the meaning of dependent-arising is emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See Tsongkhapa's &lt;em&gt;Ocean of Reasoning&lt;/em&gt;, page 501... Geshe Lhundrup Sopa's &lt;em&gt;Steps on the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;, page 138, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simple example is as follows: the person is merely imputed in dependence upon any of its aggregates. The person is neither intrinsically one with her body (or any other aggregate), nor intrinsically different from it, but is labeled in dependence upon it. When I see John's body, I say &quot;I see John&quot;, when I hear John's voice, I say &quot;I hear John&quot;, when John's body is in the garden, I say &quot;John is in the garden&quot;, and because his body is ugly, I say &quot;John is quiet ugly&quot;. This is because John is imputed (and exists) in dependence upon that which he is not (he is not his body, he is not his voice, and so forth) but without which he would not exist. The meaning of emptiness [of inherent existence], according to Madyhamika-Prasangika, is that if you look for it with a mind analyzing the ultimate, you will not find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In Nagarjuna's &lt;em&gt;Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning&lt;/em&gt;, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said to be by the supreme knowledge of suchness, The seeing of&#xA;  dependent-arising, that what Is dependently produced is not&#xA;  [inherently] produced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Dependent arising is called 'the king of reasoning' because it leads to a correct understanding of emptiness and avoids the two extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According  to Prasangika, they are three types of  dependent-arising. It is a tenet unique to Prasangika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Causal dependence. Example: a seed and a sprout.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependence in relation to parts. Example: short and long.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependence on name. The meaning of which I explained in relation to John.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T19:10:12.177" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T19:10:12.177" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12215" CreationDate="2015-10-27T21:24:07.600" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;More or less, in first approximation. Kinda. Well, not really. There are multiple levels of realization of Emptiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things as inherently impermanent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things as made from infinitely nested parts and not having an internal &quot;core&quot; that makes them what they are, or internal &quot;soul&quot; or &quot;engine&quot; or &quot;control center&quot; that makes them function as they are.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things to be temporary combinations of causes and conditions with label stamped on top.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things as having no well-defined spatial boundaries if you consider that many parts of the environment that the things exist in are necessary for things to exist.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things to not have strict temporal identity retained from one moment to another.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things to be very loosely defined approximations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding things to be phenomena dependent on observation context and scale, therefore dependent on the observer for their delineation and designation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that the observer that delineates things, is also a temporary arrangement of causes and conditions, that came as a result of an interaction of a large number of factors over a long period of time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that the phenomena and the perceiving subject(s) are not separate entities but more like a sea of factors affecting and defining one another.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that phenomenal &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; at moment to moment level arises in dependence on the above factors temporarily forming some configurations and ceases in dependence on the above factors moving on.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that phenomenal &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; is a very loosely defined set of approximations, with labels stamped on top.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that existence at large does not have a single reference point other things/phenomena are defined against.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that even these feeble attempts at defining Emptiness are very approximate - and at best can merely point person in the direction of the infinitely complex soup of phantoms that is the existence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding the implications of the above to our day to day lives and our spiritual quest. (There are multiple sublevels here)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Internalizing all the above to the point when one no longer needs to think about it to have it be the basis of ones modus operandi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding that Emptiness is only a f***ing concept.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Going beyond all considerations about Emptiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Going beyond the beyond.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Going beyond the beyond the beyond.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having no attachments to going or not going whatsoever.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having no attachments to no attachments.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having no attachments to no attachments to no attachments.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;$#&amp;amp;$^&lt;em&gt;&amp;amp;#^$&amp;amp;&lt;/em&gt;#^@$$^&amp;amp;%#^&amp;amp;$%&amp;amp;$%#^&amp;amp;$&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;let's see if I can help someone else get it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-27T22:36:14.930" LastActivityDate="2015-10-27T22:36:14.930" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12208" CreationDate="2015-10-27T23:13:39.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sort of an offence doesn't have any difference on gender but the act itself.An arahant is a person who is higher than the everyday person because that person who we as Buddhists consider holy has reached nirvana and therefore contains no anger (Patigha),Temptations (Thanha),Confusion (Viyapada).Because of this reason they are equally great and gender plays no role in this (Being Male or Female doesn't matter),So the offence is equal among genders.But there is a difference,If you take someone who is not arahant the offence becomes different.Why?Because a non arahant monk (again being Male or Female doesn't matter!)is less great compared to an arahant,therefore the Bad karma generated by it would still be very bad but less powerful compared to what would happen with an arahant. Please note that unlike religions like Christianity,Buddhism pays no attention to a persons sexual attraction so this Homosexual or being straight notion doesn't matter at all.Mainly because Karma doesn't recognize gender as an variable it is only a natural mechanism of you actions causing consequences.All the circumstances mentioned above in your question causes extremely lethal karma and most likely a person committing such an act would not see another day (In reference to a story mention about a female arahant being raped by a young man).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:09:56.777" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:09:56.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2015-10-27T23:38:33.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Oral sex and sodomy will make you take rebirth as an animal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These kind of ideas can be seen in other religions.In Buddhism we do not label sexual activities as good or bad,sex is sex it is not extremely bad as long as you remain to your partner.But Buddhism consider sex as a distraction from the path of nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that people who reached higher levels of mind (Sovaan/Sothapanna) like &quot;vishaka&quot; had many children.so it is more of a distraction not a deadly sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question - why prostitute does not include in the prohibited person? Does it mean having sex with prostitute does not considered sexual misconduct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a person Single,Adult,Independent.&#xA;Now you have a natural need to have sex,but you do not want to marry just yet.Now you might think Buddhism instruct its followers to either marry or not to have sex at all.That is not true because we are only mindful not extremists as Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say this person find a lady who is single,in the right age and currently willing to provide sexual services to him.So they are both eligible!&#xA;Now your question must be if this person hire her will it be bad karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one mention in Theravada about prostitution and bad karma and it goes like this (i am simplifying the details)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If a prostitute take money from a person to provide services and serve someone else before serving that person it would be a violation of the third (sexual misconduct)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please understand,we are a religion of cause and effect our good &amp;amp; bad is only defined i a completely logical manner (Not like many other religions in which the rules are already set).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the conclusion is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you already know how the third (sexual misconduct) happens,a purchase of sexual services from a prostitute (within the borders mentioned above) it would not be a &quot;sin&quot;.&#xA;I would recommend you to learn about the life story of &quot;Ambapali&quot; who was a sexual service provider later on became a follower of Lord Buddha and reached nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:09:32.247" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:09:32.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1402" CreationDate="2015-10-27T23:51:37.880" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am only mentioning the Theravada belief here&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism teaches birth happens far before physical birth.It happens when the Semen finds the egg and start the process of growing.so not only abortion,Taking a pill is a violation of the first (not killing and never supporting killing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is against any sort of killing &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Murder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hiring for murder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assisting murder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Praising murder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;killing unborn&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;suicide&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;telling others to kill  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;approving the act of killing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Female rights for abortion is a medical and a social issue and it has nothing to do with  Karma!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Please note that there is no instruction on anything described as bad Karma&#xA;to be done in a acceptable way.Buddhism is a straight religion it does not take back what it says and it does not open back doors to people to get away with things.What you choose to do is yours to decide but you will have to take it with you from life to life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-03-17T10:37:00.513" LastActivityDate="2016-03-17T10:37:00.513" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8912" CreationDate="2015-10-28T00:12:16.497" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all dear user - &quot;Crab Bucket&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember this before taking advice from our online community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In lord Buddha's last few moments a question was asked by a monk from lord Buddha.&#xA;&quot;After you who should be our leader&quot; &#xA;The answer was,&#xA;&quot;My teachings are timeless,anyone with the will can learn and realize the truth by themselves.after my death my teachings will be your leader&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What i want to say is,&#xA;as lord Buddha himself said that the teachings are timeless.Be careful of the people who claim to have a modern view about things&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(who might teach you a much different but a equally logical path,Because it will be logical for sure but it is not Buddhism!If you follow that you are no longer a follower of lord Buddha,you are a follower of that new teacher!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is the answer-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason of not using Alcohol and things like that is the childish mindset it create.You are no longer in control of you actions and you are not aware of what you are doing.Also what you might do is a question to yourself!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism repeats only one thing in almost every teaching &quot;Mindfulness&quot;.Loose this you are fragile to anything.Loose your ability to think you are no higher than an animal!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might steal,lie,destroy and you might even take the life of a loved one.This kind of behavior does not help the path to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you are taking some kind of medicine,supplement for something that cause similar behavior there is no need to panic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are not in a addiction+It is not bad for your health+You are not going paranoid like a drunk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are safe my friend and have no fear you are within boarders and doing nothing wrong.Just be careful about the dosage!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:09:01.210" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:09:01.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5369" CreationDate="2015-10-28T00:36:00.067" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is are few incidents mentioned in Buddhism about egg consuming leading to bad karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Explanation - &quot;How could eggs be bad&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recognition of life in Buddhism is not only walking talking life,it also includes potential life(like an egg).An egg is not a creature,true.But if correct conditions are given it turns to life,So it is potential life.And killing things alive or killing potential life is recognized as bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;People mentioned to have suffered from bad karma(From the consumption of eggs)when Lord Buddha was alive.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;One day a prince invited  Lord Buddha to his new castle.He laid a carpet thinking if i will have children Lord Buddha will enter my palace walking on this carpet.When Lord Buddha arrived no such thing happend.Lord Buddha skipped the carpet and set foot on the ground.In the end the price asked why.Lord Buddha said i knew your wish,unfortunately you two will have no children so i didn't used the carpet.And Lord Buddha went on to describe why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said once in a previous life you were a merchant sailing across the sea to do your business.One day a storm took your ship and you were washed up to a beach of a small island.there was nothing but bird nests.&#xA;You,fearing for your life consumed eggs of those birds.Because of that Karma you generated you will have no children&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This prince never had children as Lord Buddha said!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look you would find many tales of such incidents,we are Buddhists from birth in my country (Sri Lanka) and we are not in a common understanding about Farmed eggs (the white eggs you see in the market) because they supposedly have been modified to not to give bith.But most of us keep away from eggs unwilling to take the risk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T08:55:55.863" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T08:55:55.863" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12225" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13134" CreationDate="2015-10-28T00:50:34.943" Score="1" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to meditate but because of me being new to it i guess, it is hard for me to meditate more than ten minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have &lt;strong&gt;no trouble concentrating only got some physical pains&lt;/strong&gt;, that occur &lt;strong&gt;during long sessions of meditation.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Can someone please help?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T10:10:12.637" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T08:57:50.857" Title="Having trouble meditating long sessions (Physical pain)" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12227" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12287" CreationDate="2015-10-28T01:31:36.197" Score="11" ViewCount="745" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the age of king &quot;Asoka&quot;, the expansion of Buddhism reached Arabic countries. Does anybody know what those countries are called now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone provide details about what happened to those places / Temples ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T19:32:27.713" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T22:24:17.487" Title="Buddhism in ancient Arabic regions" Tags="|theravada|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8201" CreationDate="2015-10-28T01:42:39.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a Buddha exists then can a private Buddha arise or exist somewhere in the same world system without having learned from the current Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it is impossible. Lord Buddha himself said so.If you look at Lord Buddha's&#xA;very first teaching () you will see that it mentions this statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord Buddha has rotated the wheel of dharma it can't be reversed by other monks,Devas or Mara.&quot; (Please note that this is a simple conversion.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means Before a birth of a Lord Buddha there is no previous teaching of Buddhist way left in any world / realm. A Lord Buddha release these teachings for the first time in that era and it can't be stopped by any person with any amount of force or influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If You want to listen to this Sutta here is the link:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://soundcloud.com/mahamevnawa-lk/wjta3yay10kf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://soundcloud.com/mahamevnawa-lk/wjta3yay10kf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a special meditation method called &quot;Buddhanussathi&quot;. It is all about the Lord Buddha's uniqueness. Here is the link:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/51_Budhdhaanussathi_meditation.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/51_Budhdhaanussathi_meditation.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This example may not be convincing enough for some one.so listen to these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/13_Gothama_Sutta.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/13_Gothama_Sutta.MP3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/48_Triple_Gems.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/48_Triple_Gems.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:05:51.083" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:05:51.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12229" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-28T02:02:11.853" Score="4" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know any new  beginners ways to improve mindfulness in&#xA;daily life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T10:08:27.260" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T10:53:23.807" Title="Tips to improve mindfulness in daily life" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-practicalities|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12201" CreationDate="2015-10-28T02:09:51.573" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to think that &quot;guided&quot; meditation was a superficial thing. Now I know that that view isn't very true...There are some very &quot;not superficial&quot; guided meditations out there that are made by some serious meditation teachers. Off the top of my head there is Gil Fronsdal's guided meditations(only &quot;Anapana&quot; was searched for...he has a ton of other guided meditations and talks.) &#xA;   Joseph Goldstein, Ajahn Brahma, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Jon Kabbat-Zinn and many others I didn't think of are all great at giving guided meditation like Anapana, Vipassana and Metta. To find more guided meditations(all these teachers do not charge money), you can google the teachers name in quotes plus &quot;guided Anapana&quot;. Here is a bunch of guided Anapana by Gil Fronsdsal:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.audiodharma.org/talks/&quot;&gt;http://www.audiodharma.org/talks/&lt;/a&gt;?&#xA;search=Anapana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T02:16:53.240" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T02:16:53.240" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-28T02:09:51.573" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12231" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-28T04:20:36.777" Score="1" ViewCount="73" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I for example buy cheap products from china and sell them with a higher price to other people in a different country in ebay - is this really wholesome?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of career, isn't really helping society in anything, correct ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any other views on this subject is welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T09:07:57.663" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T10:14:08.347" Title="Is it moral to trade goods?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|lay-buddhism|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12231" CreationDate="2015-10-28T09:06:56.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I for example buy cheap products from china and sell them with a higher price to other people in a different country in ebay - is this really wholesome?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the &lt;em&gt;intention / volition&lt;/em&gt; motivating the action. If the action is based in one of the unwholesome root defilements, namely &lt;em&gt;Greed&lt;/em&gt;, then yes it is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is based in the wholesome roots of &lt;em&gt;Renunciation, Good-will and Harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;, then no, it is not unwholesome. An example could be, that one tries to earn more money in order to donate them to charity or help beings in need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one just wants to earn more money for oneself, then you are right, it is not helping either oneself, other beings or society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another key factor is the consequences of ones action. One should ask oneself, what would happen if I payed the seller in China a larger salary? It might be more beneficial to pay them more, than to earn more money for oneself. If the seller needs the money more than oneself, then one could help that being by paying more for the goods. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If people have more money to cover their basic needs, then they will also have more time for spiritual / religious practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T10:01:55.963" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T10:01:55.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12231" CreationDate="2015-10-28T10:08:32.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist who does only things that lead him toward nibbana, wouldn't do such things. But such a person would definitely become a monk. It is clear that there is a role for non-monks in Buddhism, and such people have somewhat relaxed rules - they aren't supposed to do only things that directly lead to nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it is possible to answer such a general question. I think most people wouldn't be able to buy some product directly from a producer in China. So I don't see anything wrong with increasing availability of some products in your country. I don't see anything wrong with selling the products at a higher price - if the customers don't buy directly from the producer and accept the higher price, it means that the intermediary service is useful for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But of course you need to answer some additional questions. What is your motivation? Do you want to spend the money on inflating your ego, or for the benefit of others? By buying those products, do you support exploitation of workers in developing countries, or do they have reasonable working conditions? Are the products you are selling going to be used for wholesome actions or not? By answering those questions, you will certainly see some unwholsomness or another. But as I said, while it would be out of the question for monks, non-monks have somewhat relaxed rules, and assessing whether one should go on with an activity is not easy. The laity is supposed to earn money - not least in order to give alms to monks. I don't know of any clear guidelines of how to weigh different factors against each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a good practical tip is to try to assess the wholesomeness of the activity after a long meditation retreat. You will be more likely to have a balanced and equanimous mind then, and will be more likely to assess it objectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T10:14:08.347" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T10:14:08.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12229" CreationDate="2015-10-28T10:22:41.797" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you meditate regularly, the mindfulness in daily life will increase automatically. Perhaps a useful tip may be to have an activity - e.g. brushing your teeth (as suggested by a teacher in the tradition of Jon Kabat-Zinn) or showering, that you always try to do mindfully, that is, by just being aware. This is not a substitute for meditation, but it may be a way of assessing whether you are mindful at that time. SN Goenka says that it can be helpful if you are mindful when you fall asleep and just after you wake up, just observing sensations on your body and nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T10:53:23.807" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T10:53:23.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12235" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-28T10:30:54.137" Score="1" ViewCount="334" Body="&lt;p&gt;During the lectures on a 10-day vipassana retreat, SN Goenka made it clear that an action is unwholesome not only when it directly causes suffering - e.g. shooting at sentient beings, but also when it causes it indirectly - e.g. when one sells weapons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to reconcile that with the fact that milk and dairy products are available for eating during the retreats? There is no doubt that buying such products amounts to supporting the dairy industry, and causes suffering of farmed cattle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5948/why-is-contributing-to-the-market-demand-for-meat-not-wrong&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; suggest that eating meat or drinking milk is not wrong, as long as one does not kill the animal directly. It would mean that SN Goenka was wrong, and selling weapons is not wrong either. Do I understand it correctly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T16:55:15.877" Title="How come SN Goenka thought that buying milk does not lead to suffering?" Tags="|ethics|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2551" CreationDate="2015-10-28T15:06:26.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Zen is extremely different in style from the other Mahayana traditions. Some even believe that the essence of Zen is &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Zen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taoist, and not Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;, but this is also acknowledged by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7659/760&quot;&gt;those who see Zen as predominantly Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are we talking about style? Yes, the records of the Zen masters resemble the style of the Zhuangzi more than they resemble the style of the Avatamsaka Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Zen, unlike Chan or &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3418/760&quot;&gt;Seon&lt;/a&gt;, underwent several reforms: simplification, stripping of the Pure Land component, association with arts and Meiji reforms. This can be said to be an extreme change.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the end, Zen was popularised in the West by DT Suzuki, who stripped it from any remaining references to religion. The result, again, can be said to be extremely different from traditional Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last two points are based on the MatthewMartin's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3068/760&quot;&gt;great answer&lt;/a&gt; to another question about Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Zen, both in its Japanese and in its Western version, is stripped of many things typical for Mahayana. If we regard whatever that remains as the core of Mahayana, we may call Zen an extreme form of Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T15:06:26.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12237" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-28T15:36:17.990" Score="5" ViewCount="1541" Body="&lt;p&gt;What choice does Buddhist ethics recommend when faced with the moral dilemmas present in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;trolley problem&lt;/a&gt;? The problem has quite a few variants, here are the most important ones:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;you are the driver of a runaway trolley barreling down the railway tracks toward five workmen who cannot get out of the way. To prevent their deaths, your only option is to divert the trolley onto a side track, but diverting would kill one worker on the side track.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you divert the trolley or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;you are a surgeon, and five of your patients will soon die unless they receive organ transplants. The only way to save the five is to fatally harvest the organs from a sixth, healthy patient, who is unwilling to donate any organs&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you kill the sixth patient or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As before, a trolley is hurtling down a track towards five people. You are on a bridge under which it will pass, and you can stop it by putting something very heavy in front of it. As it happens, a very fat man is right next to you. The only way to stop the trolley is to push him over the bridge and onto the track, killing him to save five. Should you proceed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The further development of this example involves the case, where the fat man is, in fact, the villain who put these five people in peril.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you kill the villain to save five lives or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The trolley is running down the tracks towards five workmen, as in the first scenario. You can divert the trolley to a side track, but diverting would kill your mother, who is on the track. Do you divert the trolley or not?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2017-10-13T00:13:49.870" Title="Trolley problem and its variants in Buddhist ethics" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-28T16:02:11.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Options for &lt;strong&gt;scenario 1 &amp;amp; 5&lt;/strong&gt;: Practice Vipassana/Karuna/Upekka/Marananussati meditations; contemplate the danger of Samsara etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Options for &lt;strong&gt;scenario 2&lt;/strong&gt;: Give your own organs and save some or/and whichever person dies first, take his organs to help others or/and do as in scenario 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Options for &lt;strong&gt;scenario 3 &amp;amp; 4&lt;/strong&gt;: Jump yourself or do as in scenario 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-10-28T16:51:39.430" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T16:51:39.430" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12235" CreationDate="2015-10-28T16:21:44.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's all about the intentions of the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt;, one of the types of businesses that should not be undertaken is the business in weapons, which is &quot;trading in all kinds of weapons and instruments for killing&quot;. These weapons are used for injuring and/or killing other beings. There is no other purpose for them. So, if you are a weapon salesman, then you have the intention of helping someone harm or kill other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another is the business in meat where &quot;meat refers to the bodies of beings after they are killed ... also includes breeding animals for slaughter.&quot; Here, anyone participating in such a business have the intention of depriving other beings of their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7673/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, it says that an actor can go to hell because he had the intention to inflame emotions in his audience, after inflaming emotions in himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if you read the story of the hunter's wife in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8121/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 124&lt;/a&gt;, it is evident that the hunter's wife who brings her husband his weapons with the sole intention of obeying her husband, is not at all guilty of having the wrong intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Theravada perspective, a person who goes to the supermarket and buys milk and meat that is on the shelf, is simply buying meat, with the intention of tasting this food. This person has no intention of depriving other beings of their lives. The animal was already dead, and this person did not choose the animal or instruct the butcher to slaughter a particular animal. Rather, this person is simply choosing a piece of dead meat off the shelf.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Sankha wrote in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5951/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, even farming vegetables that are not organic, cause plenty of deaths by pesticides, land clearing and animal traps. But the person who buys vegetables has no intention to kill insects that die due to pesticides, which are used in the process of growing those vegetables.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it is quite a popular idea in some cultures that you should buy a beggar food instead of giving him money, because he might use that money to buy alcoholic beverages. Then it would be your bad karma, if he becomes drunk using the money you gave him. This is not true according to the Theravada tradition. If your intention in giving money was to satisfy the beggar's hunger (because you believed him), then your karma would only be based on your intentions. But once you know the beggar's tricks, you would do better the next time by buying him food instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T16:55:15.877" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-28T17:12:43.637" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, to act or not to act, I usually go by with what Buddha told his son regarding wholesome or unwholesome actions.  1) first, determine intention, 2) evaluate results, and 3) compare it with the wise (is action blameless or blame worthy).  Number 3 really demonstrates Buddha's wisdom; since we don't live alone our actions should fit with others (the wise).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T17:12:43.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12225" CreationDate="2015-10-28T20:47:38.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you using a posture that is too strenuous for you? For example, trying to sit in a lotus position, when you have never done it before?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, use an easier posture:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a chair that allows you to sit in an upright or balanced way, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;folding your legs one in front of the other in the &quot;Burmese posture&quot; with a cushion or folded towel to support your backbone&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a bench&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be careful of pain. Some pain is comes from restlessness and disappears the moment you move, and it is OK- you can even use it and study it, as a way of getting to know dukkha and impermanence. But if the pain endures after your sit (especially if it is in your knees), use an easier posture. Don't try so hard that you injure yourself permanently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are new, and you're doing 10 minutes, and you're doing it every day, then you are starting very well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T20:47:38.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12243" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12261" CreationDate="2015-10-28T22:45:03.717" Score="0" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some special supernatural creatures mentioned in the Buddhist Tipitaka, which include for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beings of negative births living like gods&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Floating creatures in immense pain only seen by the Arahants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Evil creatures who only reside in ponds in the jungle&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Evil creatures who eat their own babies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where in the Theravada Tipitaka can I find out more about these creatures? These stories are ascribed to (i.e. told by) the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T01:35:31.907" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T01:43:30.660" Title="Where can I read more about the rare special supernatural creatures mentioned in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10737" CreationDate="2015-10-28T23:34:09.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am sorry i do not remember the names in this.But here is the complete story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was an ambitious monk while Buddha was alive.He wanted to reach nirvana but he had a little problem.He was able to reach &quot;Samadhi&quot; but couldn't hold on to it.he kept loosing and regaining it.He was terrified by the idea of facing his death without a &quot;Samadhi&quot; at least.He kept trying but it was obvious that nothing is going to change.One day he had enough of this game that his fate was having with him and decided to end his life while remaining in &quot;Samadhi&quot;.This is not something Lord Buddha would agree with so no one knew this.he took a knife and cut his throat but years of practice was able to be useful at this moment.His mind started to reach higher levels of concentration and he went with that using his samadhi. By the time he was dead he was no longer a normal  monk he was an &quot;Arahant&quot;.Lord Buddha heard the news and came to see his body and said this is not a normal one he is an &quot;Arahant&quot;,Give the body the respect it deserves.That's how the rest of the people got to know about the real story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T23:34:09.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8127" CreationDate="2015-10-28T23:53:20.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is my advice in regard to the topics that you raised, much of it that took years of studying in psychology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Workplace: &lt;strong&gt;Focus on your work and try to do your best in a state of unity.&lt;/strong&gt; You will feel happy to work. And you will not take things so personally. (Be careful though to still set limits--don't stay late if your boss is not going to pay you for it or unless you genuinely want to.) If someone yells too loud or criticizes, just see it as a bit of fiery energy within the team interaction that is your workplace. Do not hold things back but do not exaggerate them either. Practice expressing your emotions as naturally and smoothly as possible--don't add extra energy to it or any judgment (&quot;this person is saying this to annoy me&quot;). Just express it: &quot;I am getting the feeling that you are not understanding what I am saying&quot;... also if your work has a time measurement system then make sure to log all the times that you help your co-workers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Family: &lt;strong&gt;learn to create healthy boundaries&lt;/strong&gt; while with your family. Running away from your problems is OK as a temporary fix but running away from anything, never fixes. It is better to argue and work things out then to avoid those arguments and come closer to any solution. If you find that you are falling into too many arguments while with your family, it is an issue of &lt;strong&gt;boundaries&lt;/strong&gt;--either you do not have enough or your respective relative does not. They need to stop giving you advice when you ask them to stop, leave you alone when you ask for space, and most importantly allow you the freedom to do your own &quot;bad decisions&quot;. Likewise, you must give the relative/parent space when they ask for it and respect their choices and wishes in life--however self-destructive you may perceive it to be. If you take the time to have one talk about all this and that if they can respect your boundaries, then you won't need to do it again.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Society: think of the parable of the burning castle. Those people that are somewhat weirded out--that do not think of the karmic repercussions of ignorance, hatred, and greed... well let them burn inside the castle! Realize that there are people who are ignorant of their ignorance and furthermore there are those who wish to stay ignorant of their ignorance. There are seriously people who believe &quot;ignorance is bliss.&quot; They would like nothing more than to meet their basic needs--such people will be animals in their next life. You just have to find like-minded people--which is not easy. It is easy for low-quality people to find low-quality people because there are so many of them. Do not envy them. You, congratulate yourself, and be grateful you have the karma to cultivate beneficial thoughts. Be happy, be grateful, and keep learning/doing the good things you want to..&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-10-28T23:53:20.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-29T00:04:22.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the beginning of Suffering&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's the thing that you must understand.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;There are certain things that Lord Buddha tried and ignored.One of which is the beginning.One like you Lord Buddha took interest in the matter and tried looking back at the beginning,i'm sure you know that lord Buddha's mind is the fastest.Lord Buddha looked back in time so long there is no number in our current number system to be given (that time is often given in a form of an idiom).Lord Buddha came to a conclusion in the end that the time itself is too far old,so old that it would be a huge waste of time to look back completely. Then Lord Buddha continued to add that the immense time he looked back is not even close to a Beginning,and said any normal being trying to reach the answer of this question would most likely end up going crazy.Lord Buddha instructed his followers to never try to find a beginning to the suffering,because it doesn't profit the way to nirvana and can't be reached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Karma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is not a variable in physics.I know we talk about things like time coming to existence but the reality is unlike time karma does not need anything for it's existence.For example when Buddhism talk about destruction of this universe (Buddhism has explanations and predictions about the end of this universe and the new beginning),The human realm will have its destruction along with the destruction of Brahma and Deva realms,Even many hells will see the end.But a single hell would still be functioning (You see ,everything else is no more but karma still exists.) Buddhism describe Karma as nature (Like Temperature/Gravity) because it is how things happen (things need it but it doesn't need things).&lt;strong&gt;Because Karma is not a thing made of materials it is a function.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Refer these links...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/65_Lokawaboda_Sutta.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/65_Lokawaboda_Sutta.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/57_Life_Forever.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/57_Life_Forever.MP3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-29T00:04:22.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-29T10:23:49.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any answers to such questions would not reflect the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In every action there are more consequences as there are grains of sand in a desert. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no known beginning nor end. Uncountable are these consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deeply rooted are these consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They spiral like a spider's web, interconnecting each with the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way a single piece of sand at the top of a desert dune applies pressure to the entire dune, in the same way intentions create consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, friend, by knowing all this, do you still think there is an answer to your questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impossible is to give a correct answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I were to give an answer, there would be no truth in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why I answer with this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should choose the action that creates less suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, friend, don't think too fast! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember, deeply rooted is each action. Huge can be its consequences. Enormous can be the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, friend, choose wisely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only by wise decisions, suffering is extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only by wisdom suffering is known. Its cause is known. Its consequences are known. Everything is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, friend, study diligently and know things. Know the earth. Know the universe. Know yourself ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As only by knowing, the path is known. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only by knowing, the right action is known. Only by knowing, perfection is obtained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By a perfected mind actions are known. Actions are understood. All consequences seen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By a perfected mind and nothing else but a perfected mind everything is known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, friend, study diligently. Therein lies your answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-10-29T10:23:49.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12249" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-29T12:23:54.083" Score="2" ViewCount="388" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sitting with a bunch of people (and have been for quite a while now), and I want to deepen my practice. I want to make a commitment, primary to myself, to stay on track and want to take &lt;em&gt;Jukai&lt;/em&gt; (refuge).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Situation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our group is quite heterogeneous and a mere &quot;sitting group&quot;. Our common denominator is Soto-Style Zen, but we are lay, lay-ordained people, and monks. Some style themselves Buddhist, other Christian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have no common teacher, head temple, center or any authority on site. That leaves me with a few options, all a few hours driving away from here, to commit to a master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;First there is the teacher of most/all of our lay-ordained members. Naturally, that would be the prominent choice, but that would be logistically the most challenging one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then there is a temple, which is nearer, but not so closely coupled to our group. That would be a more convenient choice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Last there would be a main temple of the all over arcing organisation, the both former options are incorporated. But that one is a longer drive, again, and it is the most &quot;unpersonal&quot; option, since it is an higher organisation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Personal Consideration:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to make the commitment more for my self. From my point of view, my shanga is my local group. I would want to get to know a teacher quite well, before I would choose him for a monk ordination. But with Jukai, as a first step, I won't consider it that important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Who can actually gives Jukai? Who's entitled to?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the dogmatic consequence, exactly (link is sufficient)? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How deep are the bonds between the one giving Jukai and the one receiving it?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to ask for Jukai?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to prepare for that event?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any other points, I may miss and should think about?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit 2015/10/30, after Andreis Answer:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His answer moves into the direction of &quot;taking refuge in the &lt;em&gt;three nobles truths&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &#xA;I realize, that I'm already taking refuge on a regular basis by chanting the &lt;em&gt;Shigu seigan mon&lt;/em&gt; (The Four Bodhisattva Vows). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I changed title and tag back to &lt;em&gt;Jukai&lt;/em&gt;. I want to focus the question on Soto-Style Jukai as a &lt;strong&gt;lay-ordination&lt;/strong&gt; with committing to the 10 precepts to reinforce my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: I want to thank Chris for the proof-reading. English is not my first tongue and I am constantly make mistakes while writing, unable to see them myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="364" LastEditorUserId="364" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T06:55:52.283" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T20:45:56.450" Title="Does Jukai imply a student commitment to the preceptor?" Tags="|zen|refuge|soto|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12250" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-29T17:42:36.437" Score="2" ViewCount="856" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the Buddha's words the source of the Pali Canon? What evidence is there of the Pali Canon's origin? What do scholars say? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T12:45:15.690" LastActivityDate="2021-04-24T10:30:34.793" Title="Evidence of Pali Canon's Origin" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|history|sceptic|truth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12249" CreationDate="2015-10-29T18:25:10.950" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Who can actually give Jukai? Who is entitled to?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can give, but you will receive more benefit if you get it from a realized master you have a feeling of connection with / admiration for. Realized masters transmit Sat-Dharma in their every move and having a sense of connection and admiration makes you more receptive to that subtle teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;What is the dogmatic consequence, exactly (link is sufficient)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote Chogyam Trungpa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By taking refuge, in some sense we become homeless refugees. The point of becoming a refugee is to give up our attachment to basic security. We have to give up our sense of home ground, which is illusory anyway. We are suspended in a no-man's land in which the only thing to do is to relate with the teachings and with ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The refuge ceremony represents a final decision. The ceremony cuts the line that connects the ship to the anchor; it marks the beginning of an odyssey of loneliness. Still, it also includes the inspiration of the preceptor and the lineage. Acknowledging that the only real working basis is oneself and that there is no way around that, one takes refuge in the Buddha as an example, in the dharma as the path, and in the sangha as companionship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;At that particular point, the energy, the power, and the blessing of basic sanity that has existed in the lineage for twenty-five hundred years, in an unbroken tradition and discipline from the time of Buddha, enters your system, and you finally become a full-fledged follower of buddhadharma. You are a living future buddha at that point.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;How deep are the bonds between the one giving Jukai and the one receiving it?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not like that, it is between you and Dharma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The refuge ceremony is a formal acknowledgement that you have become a Buddhist. &lt;em&gt;This is not a matter of institutional affiliation, or of belonging to a group.&lt;/em&gt; Refuge means that you have recognized the fundamental principles of Buddhism as an accurate reflection of reality and that you intend to live according to them. Refuge is only meaningful if you understand those principles and have experienced their application in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One takes refuge in Buddhism, not in a particular school, lineage, or teacher. Taking refuge at [particular temple/school/teacher] does not imply any continuing commitment to [that temple/school/teacher], only to Dharma at large&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-29T18:37:13.123" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12250" CreationDate="2015-10-29T19:02:36.723" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I encourage you to read the following: Bhikkhu Sujato &amp;amp; Bhikkhu Brahmali. &lt;a href=&quot;https://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this work, their project is to investigate the question of authencity &lt;strong&gt;systematically&lt;/strong&gt;. In that, the approach is quiet academic and might be to your liking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 7, they state a feature of the early Buddhist texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha’s presence as a living figure in the EBTs is overwhelming&#xA;and unmistakable. It stands in stark contrast with all other Buddhist&#xA;literature, where the Buddha has faded to legend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Page 8, they assert that, although they accord with the meaning of Buddha Dharma...&#xA;&gt; We are not denying the obvious fact that the texts bear all the marks&#xA;&gt; of redaction and editing, and that they have been optimised for the&#xA;&gt; oral tradition.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Page 151, they state what we owe to the early Buddhist texts:&#xA;&gt; We know when the Buddha lived, where he lived, who he associated with,&#xA;&gt; how he lived, and what he taught. We know these things with greater&#xA;&gt; certainty than for almost any other historical figure from a&#xA;&gt; comparable period. And we know this because of the EBTs. All other&#xA;&gt; historical and archaeological information about the period depends on&#xA;&gt; the EBTs to make sense.&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their overall conclusion is that although the Pali canon &amp;quot;bears the marks of redaction and editing&amp;quot;, the meaning accord with the intent of the Buddha. Bhikkhu Sujato and Bhikkhu Brahmali expose various argument (sorted out by chapters, that all constitute different angles: geographical, historical, and so forth) in order to highlight the proximity between what is written in the Pali canon and what the Buddha [presumably] said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-04-24T10:30:34.793" LastActivityDate="2021-04-24T10:30:34.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-29T19:34:03.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just came to me, all of these questions are about escaping  death as premise (the ultimate dukka).  Buddha searched for 6 years for a way to escape from it. What he found and told us that because of birth, death come to be.  The only way to truly escape death is when there is no birth.  Dependent origination is not a common knowledge (Asādhāraṇa Yanna).   Those who have not heard dharma would not know a way to escape death.  Trolley questions above ask us to apply our morality to escape death (of others) but the given choices are not ultimate solutions to ultimate dukka.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-10-29T19:34:03.850" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-29T23:38:18.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I will answer your questions in the order you have mentioned&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1 :- Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;you are sure that all will die if you do nothing&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;you are also aware that changing tracks would kill one person&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;So the paradox is if you do nothing you will gain bad karma for not&#xA;stopping a death but if you do change the tracks you might gain bad&#xA;karma&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is the solution&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Lord Buddha has clearly stated Karma is a product of conscious thought making choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Example :-&lt;/strong&gt; You are walking on a pavement in the night and it's dark.Suddenly you feel that you stepped on something.You look closely and see that it's a frog and it has died on the spot.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here you had no choice it was there and it was crushed by your foot.You were not having any thoughts about killing a frog, it just happened.This will not generate any karma because it wasn't an action you choose to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Finalization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your scenario you must act quickly and change the tracks. But here is the catch,as you are doing it there should be this thought in your head.Saving the lives of those people.From there you hope for the best.But if you choose not to act at all you will gain bad karma for that.And here is a story given in Buddhism (I am sorry i cant point you a book of reference to this now because i cant remember.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There was a man who made some sort of a nectar like honey out of a certain liquid extracted from a certain tree.One day he was doing his work normally and a fly came to his workplace.It started being a real pain to him so he tried to chase it away.He wasn't successful in his effort but unfortunately the fly ended up in the nectar that was boiling on the oven.He thought to save it but he stopped thinking &quot;Fry now,this is your punishment for the trouble you caused me.&quot; So the fly died.This man after his death had similar fates for many lives.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the expansion of the original question.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if the fat guy is a villain in this scenario it doesn't change a thing. Because Buddhism do not accept avenging,vendetta or eye for an eye justice. If he put those people in peril it is his karma to take with him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an very special story that i would like to point out from Buddhism, this is a past story about Shyakyamuni Buddha (Gothama/current Lord Budhha mentioned in theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Buddha was a Bodhisattva one day he and his friend came across a similar situation.A tigress trapped in a deep hole has had cubs while being in it.It was clear that she was hungry and most likely cubs will be her food soon.So the friend went away to find a rope to get these creatures out (He is Maithree Bodhisattva {the next Lord Buddha}).But our Bodhisattva saw that there is no time left so he jumped into the pit. our Bodhisattva did this to save the lives of the cubs. He could have easily waited or let his friend jump instead of him. This was the incident that defined the order of the Buddhas of this era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the solution is clear.The Fat man has no value in this situation only you have.If there is a genuine concern to save the five people.The person himself must jump and save the people (Only if his body is capable,But if he take this on a positive note and just jump anyway even if he save these people or not he will gain a &quot;Paramitha&quot; [a very strong practice that is essential for nirvana]) so his effort will not be fruitless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the last&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same above applies here but this is very dangerous because this is your mother and it anything goes wrong you become &quot;Hell bound&quot;.(Personally i would not take the risk)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This should not go without saying the last riddle you have given is too complex for a normal person no matter how smart he thinks he is.this is a one better left for an Arahant.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2 :- Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sixth person will not agree &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The five will obviously die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;So the paradox is if the doctor take organs by force it would be bad karma, if he do nothing five people will die&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is the solution&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are not allowed to take anything from anyone by force as to Buddhism, so your options are to either convince the sixth to donate / Find an alternative supply / Use some of your own organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finalization&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't take organs by force so you should either give your own or find the organs from someone else.And if you can't save all even after giving up your own you will gain no bad karma from the people that you couldn't save. Because you have done the best and there are no more other solutions for this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:00:56.913" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:00:56.913" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-30T00:08:19.467" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, worrying about this kind of speculative problems is classified as  a form of delusion. Consider the following Zen story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Huineng's Flag&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Two Zen monks saw a flag wavering in the wind, and could not help having a philosophical debate:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- &quot;It is the flag that is wavering,&quot; argued one monk.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- &quot;No, it's the wind that is wavering!&quot; insisted the other monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Huineng, who happened to pass by, overheard the two monks and remarked, &quot;It's not the flag nor the wind that is wavering. Your minds are wavering!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this vein, the most enlightened way to solve the trolley problem would be to stop worrying about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T00:08:19.467" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12243" CreationDate="2015-10-30T00:19:19.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found a good source, &lt;em&gt;(Sutra pitaka,Vimana vattu )&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/37_Stories_of_Ghosts.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/37_Stories_of_Ghosts.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a summary of such Supernatural events as explained by Lord Buddha. I respect the source because it is from a leading Theravada monastery in my country (Mahamewnwa Buddhist Monastery,Srilanka).I have mentioned the original source of the stories if you are interested in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T01:43:30.660" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T01:43:30.660" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12257" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12274" CreationDate="2015-10-30T00:29:37.357" Score="2" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is Buddhism's view about debating teachings: should we accept teachings without question, or should we have our own internal and social debates about what we learn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we should debate, what is the correct way of doing it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T15:42:08.053" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:43:16.157" Title="What is Buddhism's view about debating teachings?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12258" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-30T00:35:47.147" Score="4" ViewCount="75" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i want to get someone to the good path, who is not leading a good way of life, what should I do and where should I begin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of my friends do not have much understanding of life and they often make so many mistakes. As I have learned about the consequences of untamed words and actions, I fear for them and I want to know how to get them to listen and think about their own stupid actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any Theravada teachings on this matter? And/or do you have other advice (all answers are welcome and I am happy to learn every perspective)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T20:23:16.767" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:25:04.043" Title="How to get someone to the good path who is not leading a good way of life?" Tags="|modern-world|sila|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12259" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-30T00:58:10.157" Score="4" ViewCount="242" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone has lived a regretful life and want to correct himself, what should he do before he begins his efforts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone regrets the choices made in the past and intends to change, where should they begin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T13:16:39.553" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T04:56:39.917" Title="What to do before correcting regrettable life choices?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12260" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12269" CreationDate="2015-10-30T01:06:38.267" Score="7" ViewCount="1577" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the intermediate state before birth (&quot;Gandhabba&quot;), mentioned in some Buddhist traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have only heard the word so I can't explain the question any further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like a detailed description of it if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T13:50:31.500" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T15:48:54.930" Title="What is the intermediate state before birth (Gandhabba)?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|mahayana|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12243" CreationDate="2015-10-30T01:12:46.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're looking for or trying to reference the &quot;Petavatthu&quot; in the Khuddaka Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Petavatthu is a Theravada Buddhist scripture, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka. It is composed of 51 verse narratives describing specifically how the effects of bad acts can lead to rebirth into the unhappy world of petas (ghosts) in the doctrine of karma. It gives prominence to the doctrine that giving alms to monks may benefit the ghosts of one's relatives (see Ancestor worship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Google search for Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt; returns other references and sources and translations on this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.fr/2008/12/petavatthu_05.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S. Dhammika writes&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Interestingly, the Buddha considered ‘talk about ghosts’ (petakatha) to be unedifying and unbecoming for serious Dhamma practitioners (D.I,8). The Petavatthu would by any interpretation qualify as ‘talk about ghosts.’ It is also interesting to note that the Thai Sangha has never recognized either the Petavatthu or the Vimanavatthu as canonical. All scholars who have examined the Petavatthu – Rhys Davids, H. S. Gehman and Prof. Abhayanayaka – ascribe to it a late date. Winternitz wrote that it ‘probably belongs to the latest stratum of literature assembled in the Pali Canon.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also says that that doctrine was an existing Brahminical belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seems to be English-language translations of (at least 20 of) the stories here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt; inluding at least one about a creature which eats it's own babies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T01:28:38.420" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T01:28:38.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12262" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-30T01:24:01.033" Score="4" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some sensations are neither good nor bad, when I think there is an absence both of pleasure and pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what about nirvana itself? Obviously there is no vedana to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is its &quot;bliss&quot; something &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; the memory of neutral sensation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just wonder if that's what it's like to be without the three poisons of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;attachment aversion and ignorance&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T12:50:41.993" Title="The bliss of nirvana without sensation" Tags="|nirvana|five-skandas|three-poisons|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12263" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12272" CreationDate="2015-10-30T01:59:35.740" Score="4" ViewCount="281" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read that koan practice is meant to create doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what happens when the koan has been passed? Does doubt end, or begin again, or get literally &quot;shattered&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the practitioner experience a moment of hope?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T17:16:51.360" LastActivityDate="2019-08-19T20:20:24.183" Title="What happens after the great doubt of koan practice?" Tags="|doubt|koans|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12202" CreationDate="2015-10-30T02:03:13.537" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One answer to the question &quot;How did this material world come into existence&quot; might be that the world comes into existence as a result of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of that theory is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da#The_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Twelve Nidanas are a series of causal links that describe the process of samsaric rebirth and the arising of dukkha. In reverse order they also describe the way to liberation from samsara.[note 2] When certain conditions are present, they give rise to subsequent conditions, which in turn give rise to other conditions, resulting in the cyclical nature of life in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Twelve Nidanas &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#The_Twelve-fold_Chain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;include&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ignorance      (Pali: Avijjā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mental fermentations/volitions       (Pali: Saṅkhāra Sanskrit: Saṃskāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Status consciousness     (Pali: Viññāṇa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Name&quot; and &quot;Form&quot;        (Pali: Nāmarūpa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The six senses       (Pali: Saḷāyatana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contact      (Pali: Phassa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Feelings     (Pali: Vedanā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Cravings/longings/desires        (Pali: Taṇhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Clinging to      (Pali: Upādāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Generation of factors for rebirth       (Pali: Bhava)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Birth       (Pali: Jāti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;All the sufferings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One point of view I think is that the world comes into existence because of birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T02:03:13.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-30T03:36:44.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Jataka tales, a common answer to moral decisions was to commit suicide in a self sacrificing way, say by flinging yourself in front of the trolley or donating all your own organs. That wasn't a choice, so this is a sort of a dodge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, Karma is the usual engine for explaining what ever is put forward. So if someone is faced with an impossible decision, it was their karma that got them to this position. Karma as a system of explaining right and wrong is pretty malleable, with enough rhetorical skill, you probably could justify any alternative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The system of Karma is based on the idea that the universe is fair &amp;amp; rewards the right and wrong that you intuitively feel, that built in instinctive reaction. On that standard, the right answer is what ever your emotions or intuition urged you to do, so I guess mum would get preference over the strangers in a Karma system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, an enlightened Bodhisattva sometimes is described as acting automatically, without thought-- reflexively.  So again, the right action is to do what you reflexively would do in such a situation. For me, I can't imagine what my reflexes would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, after you make a hard decision that results in harm, the next step in the Buddhist system is to repent-- to feel bad about it and resolve to not do it again. If we don't make a decision and don't repent the &quot;bad karma&quot; we create for ourselves, then we are on a slippery slope of not taking responsibility for our actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, Buddhist moral thinking does have some math or pseudomath with respect to how much merit/bad karma you can get from doing this or that act. For the Buddhist writers that assigned numbers and ratios and ranks to the merit earned by this or that act (or bad karma earned), they were on the road to utilitarianism, i.e. the greatest good to the greatest number. I don't know if it was ever stated so clearly though-- the math of merit and karma also has the feel of rhetorical flourish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T03:36:44.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12262" CreationDate="2015-10-30T03:56:26.757" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A basic answer is, Nirvana is zero attachment and zero aversion. Imagine how you'd feel if you had zero attachments and zero aversions, not even a slightest hint. That is Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what the orthodox position says about &lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;, but from my perspective it should still have vedana. It is just, when pleasant vedana arises, you see it arising, and when it ceases you see it ceasing. When unpleasant vedana arises, you see it arising, and when it ceases you see it ceasing. No attachment and no aversion - therefore no suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could you say the absence of suffering is bliss? Yeah, kinda - you could qualify it as a very subtle form of bliss, a #0-thickness bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever had a dream in which you fly so high that there is nothing left but sky on all sides around you? They say, the experience of &lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt; is like that. Another comparison I heard from teachers is what astronauts feel on the orbit - constant free fall. It is scary at first, because you feel like you're going to crash - but you can get used to it and even be functional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess that must be the feeling: the absence of suffering due to attachment/aversion, but also the absence of any kind of comfort you normally get from having some kind of reliable ground. Could we call this the bliss of endless free fall?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to describe Nirvana, is as death of ego. Imagine you have lost everything. All hopes, all promises, all meanings - nothing left. Because you lost your valuables and futures, you have nothing to lose. Because you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to fear. Which makes you into a kind of superman, just a very sober superman, because you no longer get intoxicated or carried away by childish illusions. No hope, no fear. That's another way to see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now combine the two images: the endless free-fall with no grasping onto anything  and no suffering, with no ground, no home, no hope and no fear, everything lost and everything gained, very sober and absolutely stable in infinite agility. That's what they say Nirvana feels like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T04:14:57.730" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T04:14:57.730" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2015-10-30T12:30:56.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can answer one of these questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;you are a surgeon, and five of your patients will soon die unless they receive organ transplants. The only way to save the five is to fatally harvest the organs from a sixth, healthy patient, who is unwilling to donate any organs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read some Buddhist doctrines about organ donation before I wrote &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5824/254&quot;&gt;this answer to 'Buddhism and organ donation'&lt;/a&gt; -- and I think it's safe to say that voluntary organ donation is permitted, but I do not expect that a Buddhist doctor would kill an unwilling human in order to harvest their organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that the ethics of the situation include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you kill a person then you're acting wrongly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you're unable to save a person (for example if you see someone being carried away by a flood) then that's not a moral fault of the same type as if you had killed them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of the people who die without organ transplants, you might see that as them working out their own karma (not a reason to kill the sixth, unwilling person).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism might help people to live and die, but it doesn't do that by killing people to steal their organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T12:30:56.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12260" CreationDate="2015-10-30T13:33:30.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, Theravada Buddhism refuses an intermediate state and says that a new life begins right after the death of a being. Although I have heard the theravada buddhist monk Ajahn Brahmali, mention in one of his videos, that there is an intermediate state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe there are different views on this topic, within Theravada Buddhism. Anyway, be careful about limiting yourself, to one tradition regarding this topic. No one really knows what happens in this stage, unless one has reached the necessary levels of insight, supernormal powers or enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, we have descriptions of the intermediate states between death and the beginning of a new life. The in-between-states are called &lt;em&gt;Bardos&lt;/em&gt;. I remember reading about them in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://aromansse.com/gateway/PDF/The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Tibetan Book of Living And Dying&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an amazing book, that I think every Buddhist should read, no matter what tradition one follows. This book is filled to the brim with pearls, treasures, insights and jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from the book, on the &lt;em&gt;Bardo of Becomming&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THE DURATION OF THE BARDO OF BECOMING&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole of the bardo of becoming has an average dura- tion of forty-nine days and a minimum length of one week. But it varies, just as now some people live to be a hundred years old, and others die in their youth. Some can even get stuck in the bardo, to become spirits or ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dudjom Rinpoche used to explain that during the first twenty-one days of the bardo, you still have a strong impression of your previous life, and this is therefore the most important period for the living to be able to help a dead person. After that, your future life slowly takes shape and becomes the dominant influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have to wait in the bardo until we can make a karmic connection with our future parents. I sometimes think of the bardo as something like a transit lounge, in which you can wait for up to forty-nine days before transferring to the next life. But there are two special cases who don't have to wait in the intermediate state, because the intensity of the power of their karma sweeps them immediately on to their next rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first are those who have lived extremely beneficial and positive lives, and so trained their minds in spiritual practice that the force of their realization carries them directly into a good rebirth. The second case are those whose lives have been negative and harmful; they travel swiftly down to their next birth, wherever that might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, p. 295&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that you read the entire chapter &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Bardo of Becomming (p. 291)&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, but also the chapter &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The Process of Dying (p. 248)&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The entire book is highly recommended but also takes a lot of time to read. So pick and choose if your time is limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T13:33:30.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12257" CreationDate="2015-10-30T13:45:16.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should we accept teachings without question? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No never. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accepting teachings blindly is not part of the Buddhas teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha stressed over and over, throughout his 45 years of teaching, than we ourselves must work. No one can do the work for us. The Buddhas can only show the way. We ourselves must walk through the doors. That also goes for the cultivation of insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that one should go and test the teachings for oneself. One should not even trust ones own ideas and thoughts, because they themselves can be decieving. They are subject to the 3 marks of existence, meaning they are impermanent and in a constant flux. One might believe something one day and next week, the opposite mental formations arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to do this, is to practice insight meditation (vipassana) and gain insight about how reality functions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This experiental knowledge, serves as a reference point to reality, meaning that one now has a measurement-tool. When one sees for oneself &lt;em&gt;how reality functions, how the mind operates and how the mind-body-complex functions&lt;/em&gt;, then there is really no doubt anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reading something in a book, when being taught something by parents, teachers, friends, authorities, one is only learning this intellectually, meaning that one does not truly and ultimately understand, how reality functions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not have wisdom (paññā), thereby making it blind belief/faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we have faith (saddhā) but this faith is guided by wisdom, so that it does not become blind faith. Wisdom, one gains from the practice of insight meditation. One thereby sees with ones own eyes, what this samsaric existence is and how it operates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we should debate, what is the correct way of doing it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this question has a variety of answers. I would like to put forth the factor that when debating there should be a reference point. Something that ties the strings together. That denominator is experiental knowledge of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Debating could be done on the basis of experiental knowledge. Debating on the basis of non-experiental knowledge (non-wisdom), would not make it relevant to the winning of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That kind of debate would be intellectual and more of a scholarly approach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This approach I mention here, is founded in the practical/insight-meditational aspect of Buddhism. Bare in mind, that this is just one approach to debating. There are many others and I don't think one way is more correct than the other. Unless we are talking about winning Nibbana - then only experiental knowledge can set one free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T16:08:58.210" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T16:08:58.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12260" CreationDate="2015-10-30T14:06:23.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I quote below from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanatiloka/wheel394.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, which comes from a lecture by the Theravada monk Ven. Nyanatiloka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I may phrase it differently, a Gandhabba is like a file that is copied from one computer (old body) to another computer (new body) wirelessly (without a physical transfer medium). The file itself is not a body or container of any sort (i.e. not a transmigrating soul). It is merely like information, just as a file on the computer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there are three factors necessary for the&#xA;  rebirth of a human being, that is, for the formation of the embryo in&#xA;  the mother's womb. They are: the female ovum, the male sperm, and the&#xA;  karma-energy (kamma-vega), which in the Suttas is metaphorically&#xA;  called &quot;&lt;strong&gt;gandhabba&lt;/strong&gt;,&quot; i.e. &quot;ghost,&quot; or &quot;soul.&quot; This kamma-energy is sent&#xA;  forth by a dying individual at the moment of his death. The father and&#xA;  mother only provide the necessary physical material for the formation&#xA;  of the embryonic body. With regard to the characteristic features, the&#xA;  tendencies and faculties lying latent in the embryo, the Buddha's&#xA;  teaching may be explained in the following way: The dying individual,&#xA;  with his whole being convulsively clinging to life, at the very moment&#xA;  of his death sends forth kammic energies which, like a flash of&#xA;  lightning, hit at a new mother's womb ready for conception. Thus,&#xA;  through the impinging of the kamma-energies on ovum and sperm, there&#xA;  appears just as a precipitate the so-called primary cell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This process may be compared with the functioning of the&#xA;  air-vibrations produced through speech, which, by impinging on the&#xA;  acoustic organ of another man, produce a sound, which is a purely&#xA;  subjective sensation. On this occasion no transmigration of a&#xA;  sound-sensation takes place, but simply a transference of energy,&#xA;  called the air vibrations. In a similar way, the kamma-energies, sent&#xA;  out by the dying individual, produce from the material furnished by&#xA;  the parents the new embryonic being. But no transmigration of a real&#xA;  being, or a soul-entity, takes place on that occasion, but simply the&#xA;  transmission of kamma-energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T14:06:23.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12263" CreationDate="2015-10-30T14:59:54.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not just any doubt, it is a highly &lt;em&gt;perplexing&lt;/em&gt; doubt, a sense that the entire world is pulling your leg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the doubt gets shattered there is a return to natural clarity, free of false hope.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But because the koan-induced satori is more often &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; the complete enlightenment, there is still some lingering seeds of hope in the background, which eventually come back to life and become the new round of longing, aversion, and confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my personal experience, dropping hope is a good thing - but not dropping the koan type of perplexing doubt. This doubt is like the smell that gets you to the cheese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T14:59:54.167" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12260" CreationDate="2015-10-30T15:37:24.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A living being goes through arising of the aggregates and passing away continuously. At the moment of death when 5 aggregates passes away in one body and it arises in a new body. There is a momentarily gap in passing away and arising. This is called Gandhabba. Even in normal course of life aggregates arise and pass away. There is a momentary gap which is infinitesimally small or just a split second. This is not called Gandhabba. Gandhabba is the name for the gap at death, i.e., aggregates passed away in one body but yet to arise in another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.17-Is-rebirth-immediate.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is Rebirth Immediate?&lt;/a&gt; for a more detailed discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T16:21:07.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12257" CreationDate="2015-10-30T16:02:27.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me answer with an excerpt from &quot;Awakening from stupidity&quot;, my unfinished novel about genesis of Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Chapter 26.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In late February, the valley of Ganges welcomes the coming spring. Not that crazy roaring intoxicating spring that can be observed somewhere in Siberia or Karelia, nope -- just a safe, happy, having-never-seen-real-difficulties North-Indian spring. But even without a real winter, spring is spring: gusty wind tears apart and scatters the clouds, the sky is so bright with blueness -- it rings in the ears; the earth, toasted by sun, exudes the fragrance of life. The only detail that would have seemed strange to a person from temperate zone, was an abundance of foliage on trees. Spoiled by available moisture, the leaves ignored autumn, hung through all winter, and only now, in anticipation of the dry season, were reluctantly beginning to fall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the road from Gaya Pools to the capital, bhikshus discussed their forthcoming visit to king Bimbisara, as well as events of the last three months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- 'Tell me, Master Gotama, why Dreaded Kashyapa could not understand your teaching? You kept explaining over and over!'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Did you Assaj, not see for yourself what an asshole he was?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Kaundinya!' -- sternly snapped Gotama, 'this is what's called &quot;sowing discord&quot;, exactly what you are doing now. Remember, you asked for an example?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Got it, not anymore' -- Kaundinya, usually inclined to defend his ancestral right &quot;to call an asshole an asshole&quot;, today was in amicable mood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'As for Kashyapa... You see, Asvajit' -- sighed Gotama, '&lt;strong&gt;some people believe that the purpose of philosophical debate is to outargue the opponent and prove one's superior understanding.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'But this is so, Master Gotama, the one who wins the dispute, he must be the wiser, right?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- '&lt;strong&gt;One who is really wise, Asvajit, debates not to win.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'What point is to argue then?!' -- As far as common sense Kaundinya had no equal.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'It is quite pointful still. &lt;strong&gt;The point is, for the two sides, through combining two different understandings of the same problem, to free themselves from mistaken fixations, each side from their own&lt;/strong&gt;.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Meaning, both sides must lose?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Enough, bhikshus.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;As yourselves, most people approach discussion as if it were a sword fight. Instead of trying to understand the other's point of view, they keep advancing their arguments while waiting for him to &quot;open&quot;. Seeing the slightest inaccuracy or logical error, they grasp at it, even if the basic idea is clear to them. When the other gets nervous and slips something silly, they gladly pick it up for a laugh and keep pushing until he gets completely confused! Such people firmly hold their ground, drawing confidence from their limited scope, and having defeated yet another opponent with cunning and impudence, remain satisfied with themselves. But if they see that they can not win, then, jealous of the winner, they get nervous, and begin to divert conversation away, evade, lie, get personal, start losing their temper, and eventually fall down to curses and insults.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- 'That's it! This is precisely about the Dreaded. Remember how he got yelling last time?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Not worth it, Kaundinya' -- Gotama obviously did not want to recall circumstances of his last debate.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Can you guys please tell me what happened. Remember, I did not go to the naked fathers' that night. Pleeease!' -- begged another of the five bhikshus called Nam, a former son of Brahmin, his status revoked for relating with girl from a lower caste.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Not such a great idea, Naman. Savoring themes of this kind stimulates harmful thoughts and excites negative emotions.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- 'Teacher, lily grows in the swamp, but is not smeared in mud. May I please know what happened -- in time I too may have to debate with difficult people.' -- well-educated Nam was clever and knew how to achieve his ends with style.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[abridged... Assaj and Kaundinya relate to Naman the content of Gotama's last dispute with Dreaded Kashyapa, in which, as the story goes, the two nagas ended up exchanging some fire... see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5130/43]&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5130/43]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- 'So, Master, you really have shouted at Kashyapa? Why?!'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- '&lt;strong&gt;As a rule, Naman, fire is overcome by water. But there are very rare cases, when fire can be defeated only with fire.&lt;/strong&gt;'  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T16:02:27.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12258" CreationDate="2015-10-30T16:23:54.603" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only way to influence others' behavior is through example. Your question presupposes that your friends have a desire to change.  Not everyone wants to change, or wants your help in modifying their behavior. You might consider expanding your friendship base (i.e., find new friends) if your current friends' behavior is not to your liking.  We cannot assert ourselves or our beliefs onto others.  We can only influence by example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7185" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T16:23:54.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12258" CreationDate="2015-10-30T16:43:17.670" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have learned about the consequences of untamed words and actions i fear for them and i want to know how to get them to listen and think about their own stupid actions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be difficult for you to get them to think about their stupid actions. For example if you say, &quot;your actions are stupid, you should think about them&quot;, then they might be averse to listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be easier to talk to them about &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; stupid actions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If they are friends of yours then they might want to hear stories about you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If they're &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; actions, then &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; know those actions and their consequences and are able to talk about them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might say something like, &quot;Did I tell you about when I used untamed words and actions? I caused so much trouble! Here's what happened ... (tell the story) ... What I learned was (tell the lesson) ... That's why I don't do that any more. Now I do (something else) that actually works a lot better for me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is (very approximately) how an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholics_Anonymous&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alcoholics Anonymous&lt;/a&gt; meeting works, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You didn't say exactly what kind of &quot;untamed words and actions&quot; you're worried about, but talking about yourself might be a general solution. For example I met a married couple recently, of whom one seemed to criticize the other a bit more than I thought was healthy. I considered telling them not to do that, and decided that it wasn't my business and that they wouldn't accept it from me. So instead (without mentioning them) I told them about my experience with my relationship with my wife, how &lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; learned to stop &lt;em&gt;our&lt;/em&gt; arguing; and I hope &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; was a more successful/informative/hopeful conversation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, maybe talk out of your own experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also consider getting expert/specialized help or advice (e.g. ask a doctor or a teacher).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:25:04.043" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:25:04.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12263" CreationDate="2015-10-30T18:15:54.737" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Andrei's answer is pretty spot on, but I think you need a little background on koan practice to really get the gist of the kind of doubt it's referring to.    Say you are given the Mu koan.  You might sit with that for a couple of months.  During an interview with your teacher, he might ask what mu is or to show it to him.  You might say &quot;it's emptiness&quot;.  Ding!  He rings the bell.  Wrong answer.  You go back to sitting.  You go to him again and say something like &quot;thoughts stopping&quot;.  Ding!  Back you go.  &quot;No mind?&quot;  Ding!  &quot;Everything is one.&quot;  Ding!  &quot;The cypress in the garden.&quot;  Ding, ding, ding!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole time this is going on, you are getting frustrated.  Your hope is getting crushed.  It seems like everything you say is wrong.  All your theories are dashed.  Even what you take to be subtle observations aren't the answer your teacher is looking for.  Your mind has no refuge.  You have nothing to hold onto.  It's all not this, not this!  That is great doubt.  And it's visceral.  Mumon even likens it to swallowing a hot ball of iron.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you practice, you will eventually come tottering into a place where insight is possible.  You might say something to your teacher, something you take to be completely outlandish or that you don't even understand yourself, and he'll pass you on your koan.  On some occasions, you may even get a pretty clear, momentary glimpse of the blue sky through the clouds.  But most of the time, and I don't mean to disappoint, but even after &quot;answering&quot; your koan, you'll walk away feeling just as confused as ever.  The doubt comes slamming back down on your head and back to the cushion you go...just this time with a different koan.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Koans are like holes knocked into a wall with a sledgehammer.  Every one that you answer does a little damage.  Some might even let a little light through.  But over time, if you smack it enough, it will eventually fall over.  Only then is anything really shattered.  It's best not to have hope.  Hope is a temporary refuge.  Better to come at that wall with the full force of your doubt.                          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T19:50:46.863" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T19:50:46.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-10-30T19:57:12.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For furthering your knowledge in Buddhism please refer this link:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note these are Theravada teachings...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T20:00:46.353" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T20:00:46.353" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-30T19:57:12.950" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2015-10-30T20:20:14.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the main topic of the question &quot;Can Buddhas see into future&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes,here are some incidents given in Buddhist teachings...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One morning when lord Buddha was scanning the universe he saw that a&#xA;boy is about to be murdered by a bunch of thieves but had the&#xA;potential to reach dharma.So Lord Buddha left the temple early in the&#xA;morning and entered the jungle in which this would happen,and waited&#xA;under a tree until the boy shows up.Finally he came and saw this&#xA;beautiful sage sitting down nest to a tree and talked to him without&#xA;knowing that he was Lord Buddha.Lord Buddha did not said a word about&#xA;his death,instead he asked the boy &lt;em&gt;are you in the refuge of triple&#xA;gems?&lt;/em&gt;.The boy said no,So lord Buddha taught the boy about triple&#xA;gems and the safety that it could provide.The boy was a wise one and&#xA;became a follower.Lord Buddha taught him some rhymes to remember,so&#xA;he learned them and went on his way.In the moment the thieves&#xA;attacked him he was still chanting it.He was killed and had a birth&#xA;in the deva realm.These &quot;Gatha&quot; (rhymes) are still famous to this&#xA;day,they are called &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Chatta manavaka gatha&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There was an infamous murderer called &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Angulimaala&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.He killed people&#xA;to take a finger as trophy (an order given by his cunning teacher to&#xA;take revenge from him after being deceived by jealous students).Lord&#xA;Buddha saw that unless Lord Buddha intervene he will kill his mother&#xA;today(Angulimaala had the potential to be an arahant).So lord Buddha&#xA;stopped him and he went on to became the very famous &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Arahant&#xA;Angulimaala.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the conclusion is not only Lord Buddhas can see into the future that is a part of the daily routing.Unlike in Hollywood movies Lord Buddhas do not disturb the events of future,instead they turn the events into more positive ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:00:08.277" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:00:08.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12280" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13161" CreationDate="2015-10-30T20:43:28.647" Score="4" ViewCount="1915" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we all agree none of us have a white past, we've all have done some bad thing in our past before coming to the path and in previous lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how should we use the good karma we generate today to&#xA;reduce the impact of bad karma from previous lives and from our past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard that this is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:22:13.403" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T03:27:09.437" Title="Reducing the power of a bad karma" Tags="|theravada|karma|ethics|sutras|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11551" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:07:31.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said this about your scenario...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Enmity against enmity can't win&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma can be a chain reaction occasionally.If i kill you and you die with anger against me it will create a chain reaction.But if you die with &quot;Metta/Maithree&quot; (a form of unshakable kindness explained in Buddhism) in your mind towards me it will not create a chain reaction.But i will have bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So your question is, &quot;when it comes to effect me wouldn't someone else come to kill me and wouldn't that person gain bad karma?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is no, because that is not the only way a karma can come to effect someone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine i killed you with a gun. So what happened, I sent something through you. Now memorize all the horror movie moments you've had and tell me how many ways are there for a person to die by having something go through his body!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see there is no need for an additional individual for karma to take effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's see the same with another individual in the equation.&#xA;I have killed you and now i have enough karma to be murdered.And i am no angel,i have many enemies with &quot;small beefs&quot; (quarrel/enmity) against me.&#xA;Now as my karma has changed if they try to hurt me there is a huge potential of something going wrong and me dying in the process.They would even be more compelled to kill me.What is important here is that no matter what they still have their heads too.They can choose to not to do anything.But if they try to hurt me i could die even if they have no plans for my death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I must tell you what lord Buddha  said about trying to learn how karma works.&#xA;Lord Buddha said only a Lord Buddha can tell the true effect of a karma and no one else is equally accurate in that task.This statement was proved many times by &quot;Arahants&quot; who asked about some people's next lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:57:21.750" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:57:21.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8869" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:20:47.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The results for cheating and adulterating are&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having to go trough a Transsexual phase (Shemale)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being born in hell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even many lives after not being able to live a happy married life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even many lives after the partner losing interest in this person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being born with a mutation in the gender defining area&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being born among animals who kill other males to have dominance over&#xA;the  females                (Example -Monkeys)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being born with a character that does not fit the gender (Men who act&#xA;like women,Crossdressing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:54:45.680" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:54:45.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12214" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:23:59.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could be everything, could be nothing. Everything depends on you. You could recite one million mantras without meaning anything and viceversa. Only counts what you get from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7192" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:23:59.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:28:12.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on the tradition, but there are some well described ways, some purification ways. For example, in vajrayana buddhism or tantra you could do the Vajrasattva practice for karma purification purposes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7192" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:28:12.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:29:43.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of the 6 fundamental things about karma that Buddha said we should know, the 6th one is the cessation of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.63)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:38:22.820" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:38:22.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10247" CreationDate="2015-10-30T21:33:35.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the thing about games and violence (I am a life long gamer too).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Violence causes a bad stream of thoughts like anger,vendetta,enmity.So if you are one of those people who slam the controller/keyboard on the table when you get killed or defeated i would not recommend games with violence to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am quite sure you are referring to games like &lt;strong&gt;GTA, Sleeping Dogs, Castlevania&lt;/strong&gt; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the one thing you need to realize is if you are not in it to get out of boring life. If you feel good when thing go down and burn or when that guy who killed you in Battlefield take a head shot from you.That is not healthy for the path.Not to mention games are very addictive.And that is not good because it creates a bond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you know what's evil don't do it,If you want to kill in a game go for it with mindfulness and you will see it is no longer exiting (Because what made it exiting was your ego getting fueled by anger).You can still play games without being evil.Choose a different genre.or play it knowing that it is just a game and keep your feelings checked at all times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T21:49:30.480" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T21:49:30.480" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12227" CreationDate="2015-10-30T22:30:34.280" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ashoka&lt;/a&gt; article includes this map:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/MQ99h.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/MQ99h.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its western border is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seleucid empire&lt;/a&gt; which appears to be where modern-day &lt;strong&gt;Iran&lt;/strong&gt; is (note that Iran I think might be ethnically Persian rather than &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabs&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arabian&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also includes modern-day countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan (which are Islamic but not exactly Arabic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yona&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This map&lt;/a&gt; is labelled &quot;Buddhist proselytism at the time of king Ashoka (260–218 BCE)&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jpHL9.png&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jpHL9.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It shows Buddhist proselytism reaching (beyond the Maurya empire) to Alexandria (which is in modern-day Egypt), and Antioch (modern Turkey).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may not be &quot;expansion of Buddhism&quot; though, it's more like &quot;envoys from the Buddhist empire&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:51:42.033" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T22:51:42.033" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12288" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12291" CreationDate="2015-10-30T22:35:10.380" Score="6" ViewCount="694" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a friend that I met few years back. He always look polite, look decent, and look helping others a lot. I did him a lot of helps that no friend would do to him. Later, when I needed helps he really, replied me with very bad words, which I never thought he can even talk like that. This thing really becoming something that I cannot forget. It seems I suffer it a lot. I was thinking how to get rid of this for a long time now. What are the practical measures in Buddhism to get rid of such hate inside one's inside. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5025" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T22:56:25.403" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T10:44:41.297" Title="How to get rid of hate?" Tags="|daily-life|five-hindrances|defilements|practice|three-poisons|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12214" CreationDate="2015-10-30T23:23:40.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reciting increases the concentration of just listening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other benefits of reciting are listed in these &lt;a href=&quot;http://yinyana.tumblr.com/day/2013/08/03&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Mantra FAQS&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are some of the benefits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Development of intent, focus and concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Improved breathing patterns and improved health&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sonic healing, similar to the way cats and dolphins use sound for healing and keeping healthy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Development of attributes or experiences associated with specific mantra&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A graduated system of improvement. In particular through assessment of needs and provision by teachers specialising in mantrayana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7193" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T23:31:18.160" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T23:31:18.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12288" CreationDate="2015-10-30T23:34:30.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a solution given in Buddhism for the exact matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you may have heard about the meditation called &quot;Maithree / Meththa&quot; (&lt;em&gt;Metta&lt;/em&gt;). There is a certain variation of that to prevent such hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the solution is simple: do this meditation, specially targeting this person and the memory that you are trying to get rid of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After doing it for about 10 minutes move to the following way of focusing without stopping your meditation.&#xA;The next step is to focus on bad effects of anger and hate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it effect badly to the path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it gives you births in lower realms (like among animals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it will ruin your appearance in next lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it could reverse you accomplishments in meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How you will not be able to reach jaanas (Also known as Dyana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And so on....&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should also add these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How that person's anger and bad words would affect badly to his path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it could give him births in lower realms (like among animals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it will ruin his appearance in next lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How it could reverse his accomplishments in meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How his will not be able to reach jaanas (Also known as Dyana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is done to get your mind to feel sorry for him and pity him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The very second your mind comes to this phase it will no longer have anger for the incident or the person that made you angry).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you should focus on how your thought are generated and how they were generated in that moment.&#xA;Try to recite these with your mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What I hear does not contain anger or hate: I make it in my own mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I hear something i like i start to like it,and i start to like&#xA;that person who said it&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I hear something i do not like i start to hate it,and i start to&#xA;hate that person who said it&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So this hate and love is also a product of my thoughts, nothing in the&#xA;world ever made me love or hate anything.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So like this every feeling I have is a bundle of thoughts,mind's&#xA;creations&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything that made me happy and sad has always been a thought in my&#xA;mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;But without seeing this I was foolishly blaming others for my anger&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is a functioning body and a thinking mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I looked everywhere there was no &quot;Me&quot;, only thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;But I thought there is someone called &quot;Me&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was this mind that made this reality and all the feelings I have&#xA;felt&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am not the only one who is fooled by this, everyone is!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If there is no &quot;Me&quot;, then there is no &quot;Him&quot; or &quot;Her&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Only bodies and minds that made them work&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is foolish to have a grudge with anyone &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I give up this anger, there is no point carrying this foolish burden.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guarantee you in one sitting you will be a different person. This&#xA;   would take about 15 minutes. If that is too long do the two parts&#xA;   separately (don't leave too much time in the middle). I have done this&#xA;   and it is instant in giving results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T10:44:41.297" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T10:44:41.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5447" CreationDate="2015-10-30T23:47:49.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I belong to a one of the Guardian races &#xA;(Sinhalese) of Theravada Buddhism.My country (Srilanka) was visited by Lord Buddha few times and we became Buddhists in the era of king Ashoka of India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we (Indian and Srilankan Monks and Buddhist societies in both countries) have now calculated and accepted Buddhism is about 2600+ years old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada is the oldest tradition of them all and this is our calculation as the Theravada Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-30T23:48:57.820" LastActivityDate="2015-10-30T23:48:57.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12293" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T00:09:06.947" Score="2" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know what happens if someone kill a parent but does the same apply to killing a foster parent&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T23:59:06.980" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T05:38:06.127" Title="Killing a parent and killing a foster parent" Tags="|philosophy|sutras|tipitaka|suttas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12294" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T00:14:34.383" Score="9" ViewCount="2692" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know the limits of a married person.We all know the definition of cheating in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhism existed in a time Porn did not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if a married person watch porn is it cheating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T00:25:59.473" LastActivityDate="2019-06-14T01:02:09.693" Title="Marriage and porn" Tags="|five-precepts|sexuality|tipitaka|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12295" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T00:20:50.287" Score="2" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha once said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The future humans will have unusual lusts and temptations&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when i saw a this in a TV series i couldn't define the line,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If two step siblings form a romantic relationship is it against the five precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what if we say they are independent individuals,What then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T19:21:30.000" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T09:58:35.063" Title="Step siblings and relationships" Tags="|philosophy|five-precepts|sutras|suttas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5997" CreationDate="2015-10-31T01:05:19.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all Lord Buddha did not talk about a viññāna that goes from life to life continuously.That kind of explanation is exactly same with the &quot;soul&quot; mentioned in many religions.Lord Buddha dumped that theory and directly said there is no soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have misunderstood is the energy released from a dying person which act as the backup of his or her memories and karma.so there is no continuous viññāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like &quot;Dark energy and Dark matter&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because both above concepts are understood in one way and that is by discovering the effects of their functioning.Just like the process in, Buddhism none of the theories mentioned above can be proved wrong with materialistic evidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Explain me this biologically&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go to a physician and ask to be hypnotized so he could ask about your past he could take you back years into your childhood.But when he reach the very beginning of you life's past things get interesting.If he continue to ask you to go back even before your birth you start to talk about a life that you consciously couldn't remember.He can keep going and you will keep telling him about more and more lives.And the best part is if you do this again even a decade after you will recall the same lives and same events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many studies were done all around the world and even in my country about the reality of these &quot;Past life memories&quot; and many events were confirmed to be true,and the people who told the stories had no idea what happened in those places and the events they described predated their birth.These studies proved that these memories are not imaginations or illusions.Google it and you will see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My conclusion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We as Buddhists do not believe in an eternal soul or reincarnation.&#xA;But just like science there are some things that can only be proven by studying a lot of related fields (like the example i gave -Dark matter)&#xA;It doesn't matter if we like it or not everything can't be proven by materialistic evidence,But if you want to find it there are many other ways.Just have an open mind and keep searching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple Gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T01:05:19.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12297" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12303" CreationDate="2015-10-31T03:33:33.813" Score="2" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lonaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, a minor evil deed done by a spiritual novice would take him to hell, while the same minor evil deed done by the spiritually advanced would be barely experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta, the Buddha gives more analogies like the salt crystal in a cup of water vs the river, the poor thief vs. the rich thief etc. which definitely work as analogies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then could anyone explain why is it really like that? How to make sense of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain&#xA;  individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same&#xA;  sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the&#xA;  here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him&#xA;  to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped&#xA;  in [contemplating] the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in&#xA;  mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling&#xA;  with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual&#xA;  takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is&#xA;  experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears&#xA;  for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is&#xA;  developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed&#xA;  in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted,&#xA;  dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this sort&#xA;  of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part&#xA;  barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T03:54:03.237" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T05:20:34.203" Title="Why difference in karmic effect to same evil deed?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12297" CreationDate="2015-10-31T07:37:30.670" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friend, what is interpreted as evil by the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any experience which causes suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is interpreted as good by the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any experience which does not cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more ignorance in the mind, the more evil is experienced by the mind. The less ignorance in the mind, the more good is experienced by the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there are cases when a spiritual novice, with ignorance in the mind, does a trifling evil deed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This very same trifling evil deed, done by this very same spiritual novice, causes a lot of suffering to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more this very same spiritual novice is ignorant, undeveloped in understanding suffering, its cause and its ending, the more suffering arises in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He dwells in suffering for a long time, he beats his heart with it for a long time, he cries for a long time, he laments for a long time, he's angry for a long time, he's afraid for a long time, he's in stress for a long time ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why a trifling evil deed done by a spiritual novice can take him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there are cases when a spiritually advanced person, with less ignorance in the mind, does this very same trifling evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This very same trifling evil deed, done by this very same spiritually advanced person, causes less suffering to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more this very same spiritually advanced person is free from ignorance, developed in understanding suffering, its cause and its ending, the less suffering arises in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He dwells in suffering barely for a moment, he beats his heart with it barely for a moment, he cries barely for a moment, he laments barely for a moment, he's angry barely for a moment, he's afraid barely for a moment, he's in stress barely for a moment ...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why a trifling evil deed done by a spiritually advanced person does not take him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there are cases when a liberated person, with no ignorance in the mind, does this very same trifling evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This very same trifling evil deed, done by this very same liberated person, causes no suffering to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person is free from ignorance, developed in understanding suffering, its cause and its ending, he fully discerns between evil deeds, neutral deeds and good deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What to a spiritual novice or spiritually advanced person seems like an evil deed, it is really a neutral deed or even a good deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What to a spiritual novice or spiritually advanced person is a lie, it is really the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like a blind person who has never seen colors cannot discern black from white, in the same way a mind who has never fully understood suffering cannot discern suffering from non suffering, good from evil ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why a good deed, seen by a spiritual novice and a spiritually advanced person as an evil deed, takes the liberated person to heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, friend, know the truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Know evil, good and neutral deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As only by knowing, only good and neutral deeds are done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only by knowing one is liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T07:37:30.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8249" CreationDate="2015-10-31T12:54:35.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try collective teaching of Ajahn Chah.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/series/the-collected-teachings-of-ajahn-chah/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amaravati.org/series/the-collected-teachings-of-ajahn-chah/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are videos on youtube and also available as podcasts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is from thai forest tradition and is a great teacher of western monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7191" LastEditorUserId="7191" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T23:25:21.963" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T23:25:21.963" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-31T12:54:35.890" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12262" CreationDate="2015-10-31T16:59:37.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have a Sensation couple with Perception what happens is that you react to the Sensation with Clinging or Aversion. In Nirvana your Perception an Sensation momentarily stops when you realise it (pala samapathi) and when you come out your perceptions are for ever changed. Hence you do not react to Sensation the same way as before thus not creating new fabrications. When you are in the attainment of the fruit (pala samapathi) there is no sensation but out of it you have Sensation but doe not react to it the same way as your Perception has changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The roller coaster of sensation we create through becoming has lost its fuel when you attain Nirvana. The creation of new fabrications have stopped. The fabrications give Unpleasant, Pleasant and Neutral Sensations when they bear fruit. What ever the sensation it is Unsatisfactory. The bliss in Nivana is you have come out of this and the fire of fabrications which keep burning in Unsatisfactoriness is withering out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are sans of Perception you do not see things through coloured glasses hence there is no distortion of the 3 poisons. This result in that you are not creating any new fabrications, hence free from the Unsatisfactoriness inherent to getting hit by the waves of one sensation after the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T12:50:41.993" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T12:50:41.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12297" CreationDate="2015-10-31T17:08:57.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have a lot of good Karma to be prosperous and then steal then there is little effect while if you have little Karma to be prosperous and steal then you get poor in a later life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main point is your store of Karma not abundance of what you have like a poor thieve and rich thieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is not any general Karma like you have lot of good Karma to be intelligent but not much to be rich and you steal then you get poor again in the next life unless you use your intelligence to counter this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the interaction of Karma is complex hence no body can say for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition when you are contemplating of the arising and passing away of the what had been felt through the 4 foundations of mindfulness, your past -ve Karma looses its power and dissolve away. This happens as follows: A past Karma surfaces and gives it's result as some sensation to which you do not react hence no new fabrications are created multiplying the Karma and then it looses its power as it has already given result through not to the potential it might have snowballed in and non meditating person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T05:20:34.203" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T05:20:34.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12297" CreationDate="2015-10-31T17:23:52.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer lies in the mind, i.e. to what degree has the mind been cultivated and purified. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more cultivated and purified a mind is, the lesser the chance is that one will continue to make unwholesome deeds or increase suffering for oneself. Ones mind is simply more inclined towards Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we look at the untrained mind or the novice mind, then that mind is not cultivated or developed, meaning that the defilements are much more present here. Wisdom is absent or present in a much lesser degree, than in the trained mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An untrained mind is more likely to dwell in e.g. &lt;em&gt;anger, sadness, happiness and other emotions&lt;/em&gt;, thereby enforcing them, like in the snowball-effect. The untrained mind will also in a larger degree identify with and take ownership of phenomena, thinking that there is a self or an experiencing entity, thereby creating further suffering for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trained and cultivated mind has attained a lot more wisdom, making it capable of seeing reality as it is, without superimposing qualities onto it. The trained mind will not run after pleasant objects and away from unpleasant objects. It has seen the true nature of conditioned existence, i.e. the 3 marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if an individual with a cultivated and purified mind commits an unwholesome deed, then that individual will realize it much faster and be able to &quot;damage-control&quot; by reciting the precepts, use the unwholesome phenomena that has arisen e.g. mental formations or feelings to cultivate insight, go and commit wholesome deeds, increase the work on the paramitas and other options. In other words, the individual with a trained mind is much more capable of dealing with mistakes and turn them into insights. Also this person has a greater storage of wholesome kamma that will neutralize or lessen the effects of the unwholesome kamma that has been created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is different for the individual with the untrained or novice mind, since that person does not yet have the right tools to deal with the effects of unwholesome deeds. His faculties are not yet matured and he might be more liable to dwell, identify, take ownership, react and run away from these effects, thereby increasing the suffering (going to hell) for himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, I want to point out that only a fully enlightened Buddha can understand the workings of kamma. So there might be many more reasons for this difference between an experienced and an inexperienced individual, that non-Buddhas cannot yet understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to what i wrote, let me know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T17:23:52.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12297" CreationDate="2015-10-31T17:59:37.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a classification of Kamma according to the &quot;priority of effect&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Garuka Kamma&lt;/strong&gt;: which means either weighty or serious,&#xA;may be either good or bad. It produces its results in&#xA;this life or in the next for certain. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Asanna Kamma&lt;/strong&gt; or Death-proximate Kamma is that&#xA;which one does or remembers immediately before the&#xA;dying moment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Acinna Kamma&lt;/strong&gt; is that which one habitually&#xA;performs and recollects and for which one has a great&#xA;liking.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Katattà Kamma&lt;/strong&gt;—Reserve or Cumulative Kamma. Literally,&#xA;it means ‘because done’. All actions that are done&#xA;once and soon forgotten belong to this category. This is as&#xA;it were the reserve fund of a particular being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when a virtuous person dies, the chances of a trifling evil deed he has committed coming forward to determine his next life is minimal. Because a virtuous person usually does good weighty Kammas during his life. ex: Attaining any of the 8 Jhanas. That will always come forward to give the next life. Also, when a virtuous person does something wrong, he knows that it is wrong. He doesn't take the false view that the fault he committed is right. Since he is aware of what happens here and now, he sees how it corrupts the mind. So he practices &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp5.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Vayama&lt;/a&gt;(right effort) of the noble eight fold path. In this case, it is the effort to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen. So the effect of the Kamma is mitigated and loses it's potency to give a birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, an unvirtuous person usually doesn't do any good weighty kammas during his life. There's a high chance of him taking a false view that the bad he has committed is good. And he doesn't practice Samma Vayama to improve himself. This can make the Kamma potent enough to give a new birth, even if it is trifling at face value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T17:59:37.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12205" CreationDate="2015-10-31T18:16:21.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is not the same as determinism, and is not incompatible with the hypothesis that some things occur truly randomly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may take a look at the question about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2762/predetermined-future-vs-free-will-in-buddhism&quot;&gt;free will&lt;/a&gt; - Buddhism does not say there is no free will. Also the question about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8964/is-there-a-conflict-between-dependent-origination-and-right-effort&quot;&gt;dependent origination and right effort&lt;/a&gt; may be of use - the following part of the accepted answer shown that it doesn't exclude the possibility of non-determinism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When dependent origination is taught in the suttas, often what seems to be stressed are, literally, conditions, not causes as we often understand them (eg. agents that actively produce or directly contribute to a result)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T18:16:21.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12294" CreationDate="2015-10-31T18:40:41.440" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically, watching porn doesn't break the 3rd precept, but it weakens it. In other words, it weakens the merits you gain by keeping to the precept apart from  accumulating bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T18:40:41.440" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12293" CreationDate="2015-10-31T18:47:59.230" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing a normal human being itself is a serious bad karma. So while killing a foster parent is not an Ananthariya Karma, it is still a severe bad karma depending on how good he/she was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T21:37:03.477" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T21:37:03.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12295" CreationDate="2015-10-31T19:17:08.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the 20 unsuitable women listed, it could break the precept, depending on if one or both are in care of parents/relatives/guardian or if the king/government prohibits such relationships or if it's prohibited by tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But one should keep in mind that taboo &amp;amp; obviously vulgar behaviors are not discussed under the 3rd precept. That doesn't mean that they don't fall under sexual misconduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T09:58:35.063" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T09:58:35.063" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12309" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T19:46:23.810" Score="4" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;When somebody asks if it's OK for a Buddhist to do this or that, different answers may be given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It goes against n'th precept&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is an unwholesome action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will produce bad kamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will cause rebirth in hell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anything else? If there is something more, please let me know.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other possible answers may include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It does not break any precepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is a wholesome action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will produce good kamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will cause rebirth in heaven&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will lead to nibbana/enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anything else? If there is something more, please let me know.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder which of these things are completely equivalent (e.g. is an unwholesome action exacly the same as an action that produces bad kamma?), and if there is a gradation of these things (e.g. is breaking a precept worse than an unwholesome action that doesn't break a precept?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T14:44:34.450" Title="Is there a gradation of proper and improper deeds?" Tags="|karma|ethics|five-precepts|realms|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12311" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T19:55:01.063" Score="2" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you see advising doesn't work with a child, are there acceptable punishments mentioned in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that Buddhism does not accept physical punishment, so I am asking about any other form of punishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-10-31T21:35:39.670" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T17:39:06.907" Title="What is correct punishment for children?" Tags="|parents|anger|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-10-31T20:18:10.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A good birth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good birth is not about physical wealth.It is actually about mental potential and health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(A)- Imagine you are a rich man&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(B)- Imagine you are a dog in a rich man's house&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(C)- Imagine you are a Poor man&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(D)- Imagine you are a dog in a poor man's house&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see option (A) is good,but why&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism  has a signature and it is always referring to the path to nirvana.&#xA;So the &quot;Good&quot; here is the man in option (A) can easily do many good things when the man in option (C) would have to go through many obstacles in life.&#xA;The dogs have no potential so obviously it is a bad birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now consider this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(A)- Imagine you are a rich man, But very unhealthy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(B)- Imagine you are a dog in a rich man's house, But very healthy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(C)- Imagine you are a Poor man, But very healthy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(D)- Imagine you are a dog in a poor man's house, But very unhealthy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rich man has an issue,He is unhealthy but the poor man is not.So the rich man is fortunate to have wealth but not so fortunate to have health.But the poor man was the exact opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now consider this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(A)- Imagine you are a rich man, But very stupid&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(B)- Imagine you are a dog in a rich man's house&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(C)- Imagine you are a Poor man, But very wise&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(D)- Imagine you are a dog in a poor man's house&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see even though one man is rich he has very low potential to reach nirvana.But the poor man is wise so he is with great potential.This change everything making him the most fortunate,the best birth among these four.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now consider this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(A)- A god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(B)- A human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(C)- An animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An animal has no potential towards nirvana.But a man has much,therefore he is more fortunate and his life is good compared to the animals life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when you compare a god with a human you see that the god has much more potential than a human.So in this pair the god is the lucky one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A good Karma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good karma is something you do which would effect positively in this life or many lives to come.These could give you a birth with much potential to reach nirvana and make you healthy,strong,kind,wise and etc.It could also be powerful enough to give you a birth in higher realms,making it easier for you to reach nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So any karma that would ease your path to nirvana is a good karma,any birth that would give you a better chance to reach your path to nirvana is a good life / birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T20:18:10.520" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12313" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12320" CreationDate="2015-10-31T21:53:04.607" Score="2" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard the last thoughts of a person can define next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so can we somehow define them through practice, so when the time comes they will be as we planned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is there a practice that would cause them to be positive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T12:31:13.110" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:17:19.103" Title="Can we program or pre-define our last thoughts?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|death|mind|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12314" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-10-31T22:10:25.137" Score="3" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is intentionally deceiving someone else and if I am aware of it, if I inform the innocent person in this matter, would that be against five precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T19:18:20.483" LastActivityDate="2022-12-09T15:49:27.497" Title="How to reveal truth about a liar or a person who is trying to deceive others?" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|right-speech|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12313" CreationDate="2015-10-31T22:45:34.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Autopositivity is indeed a great skill, virtue, accomplishment, and in its own way a paradise.  With constant watchfulness and training in the Four Immeasurables (the four Divine Abodes) ones natural and spontaneously occurring thoughts can be patterned and trained to be of a purely helpful and nonharmful nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially we are developing the skill of choosing positive conscious states and being patient with nonpositive states.  Anyway, as mentioned above, the four immeasurables are worthy of your immediate attention and application.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T22:45:34.790" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-31T22:45:34.790" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11084" CreationDate="2015-10-31T23:38:21.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your very happy, your very wealthy. Good karma could lead to a rebirth were one is poor but happy due to wholesome conduct in the present life like not clinging to the sensual or material world. Bad Karma could lead to a rebirth where one is rich but miserable due to craving the material or sensual world in the present life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-10-31T23:38:21.090" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-10-31T23:38:21.090" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2015-11-01T00:45:32.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the &quot;God&quot; you are referring to is &quot;The almighty&quot; in Christianity or something similar Lord Buddha dumped the belief that life itself was made by a single being in a form of a creation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha clearly accepted his own form of evolution which start from basic life (Very similar to what you learn about evolution of early earth's basic life).Lord Buddha clearly said that universe is a creation of very natural events and it is not a creation of a being,Lord Buddha didn't stop there he went on to explain how he tried to learn about the beginning.It's what we call today the &quot;coming to existence&quot;.Lord Buddha said that universe itself is immensely old and trying to find a beginning would be a fruitless effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once some one asked the very question you are asking &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Is lord Buddha a god?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;Lord Buddha replied saying &quot;Because of my understanding i am above everyone else and i am only equal to another Lord Buddha,No i am not a god i am above them&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The gods mentioned in Buddhism are not like gods in other religions.Here is a small list of details.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Live extremely long (From 1/2 a million years to many millenniums)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can fast travel anywhere in the universe in few milliseconds&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Immensely powerful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not get old (But even they have a life expectancy)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These advanced beings are not alien to earth,thousands reside in earth and in many other planets.They have two genders Male and Female.And anyone human can become one of them by gaining enough good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha clearly said that there are no souls,these is no owner to life,there is no creator,there is no forgiving (Like they do in churches) and there is no one looking down on living beings to punish or reward them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is safe to say Lord Buddha slammed the theory of a &quot;Almighty God&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason Lord Buddhas are born is to help others reach nirvana (it is not a place or an existence,but a level of understanding that unlocks everything about universe).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism completely reject the common concept of &quot;God&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Gods in Buddhism did not received the title &quot;God&quot; by lord Buddha.Later when people were translating Buddhism to English they used the word &quot;God&quot; because of the many similarities.They are originally called &quot;Deva&quot;.And the heaven mentioned in Buddhism is originally called &quot;Divya Realm&quot;, the hell heaven mentioned in Buddhism is originally called &quot;Naraka / Apaya&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be a little hurtful but Lord Buddha had something to say about the people called &quot;Sons / Daughters of gods&quot;,&quot;Prophets of gods&quot;.Lord Buddha said that there is a world in &quot;Deva realm&quot; or the so called &quot;Heaven&quot;, in it is a dominating king who controls the universe's beings.He only like loyalty towards him and he destroy the ones who go against him.It is his and his army's duty to keep it all under his command until the successor to the throne arrives,When he comes he will do the same.This position is so powerful he even challenged lord Buddha,Lord Buddha accepted the challenge and won it.It was the moment of greatness,the moment lord Buddha became the enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said if people come to the path mentioned in Buddhism this king will loose his influence over them so he do many things to stop it.One of which is selecting individuals in times with less understanding about things and teach them false beliefs and ask for their loyalty and expansion of these beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This king is called &quot;Maara&quot;.And to learn more about &quot;Deva realm /Heaven&quot; click on this link&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/38_Stories_of_Gods.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/38_Stories_of_Gods.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is about how lord Buddha described himself and his understanding...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/70_Achchariya_Abbuta_Sutta.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/70_Achchariya_Abbuta_Sutta.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is about the fate of the mankind.A very special teaching of lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/72_Chakkavatthi_Sihanada_Sutta.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/72_Chakkavatthi_Sihanada_Sutta.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions regarding the answer or about the contents of the links please leave a comment below this answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May Triple Gems Bless You.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T00:45:32.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2762" CreationDate="2015-11-01T01:18:14.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very good question,here is the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First thing about the future as to Buddhism is that it is not completely fixed or completely open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's an example...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If you toss a coin you know&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is going to fall down to earth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It could give either &quot;Head&quot; or &quot;Tail&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(A)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The coin falling down is the fixed future,the coin is influenced by a natural force that we call gravity.So without any doubt and even before it happens you can say that the coin is going to fall.This is the technique used by Lord Buddha when predicting fixed future (Looking at the variables of an event an use logic and the reach of Buddha's mind to predict the conclusion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(B)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you can't predict the side of the coin whether it is going to be &quot;Head&quot; or &quot;Tail&quot;.Now you see some room for action.This is when a Lord Buddha change the future events.When it is possible to make a positive change in a chain of events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me provide some examples to the above &lt;strong&gt;(A)&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;(B)&lt;/strong&gt; to make things more clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example for &lt;strong&gt;(A)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see the story of &quot;Devadatta thero&quot; (the one who wanted to harm the life of Lord Buddha) you see a very good example for &lt;strong&gt;(A)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day the question was asked from lord Buddha &quot;Why Lord Buddha didn't helped Devadatta thero to become better.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said &quot;I wanted to help,i looked for any opportunity tosave him from what he would do.But it was clear that there is no helping Devadatta.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here lord Buddha had to accept the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example for &lt;strong&gt;(B)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Lord Buddha saw that &quot;Angulimaala&quot; (The one who killed people to collect fingers) is about to kill his mother who will enter the forest to see him.Lord Buddha went there and stopped it.This event caused a nice chain reaction (&quot;Angulimaala&quot; became the famous &quot;Angulimaala arahant&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a good example to a &quot;Modifiable future&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the conclusion is....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Future is not fully fixed or fully open.There is free will. But free will also make no difference (see how &quot;Devadatta thero&quot; time and time again to harm lord Buddha using his free will and choice,His free will did not make any difference).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Future is not predetermined.Some events are in a possibility that is so unchangeable,this is what causes the Fixed future.But some events are with certain variables that can be exploited to make a positive change in the events to occur,This makes the changeable future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions regarding the answer please leave a comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T01:18:14.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12313" CreationDate="2015-11-01T06:20:12.877" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of Vipassana aims at this, i.e., making your next life better by being in control of your last moment. You have to be mindful of the arising and passing away of what is felt or sensation pertaining to the 4 Frames of Mindfulness, 5 Aggregates, Sense Doors with no clinging or aversion. Even if you are not fully liberated this will result in a conducive next birth with the ability to practice the Dhamma, i.e., triple- rooted (ti-hetuka). If you do not make use of this opportunity in the next birth then your have no guarantee things will be up hill in Samsara unless you have reach a stage of sainthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Increased practice of Vipassana increases the balance of probability your will do so at the last moment if you do not reach some stage of Sainthood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T05:17:19.103" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:17:19.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12313" CreationDate="2015-11-01T09:36:30.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, whatever one keeps pursuing with his thoughts, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from my understanding, the last thoughts of this life is based on the &quot;inclination of awareness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution according to the sutta, is the consistency in practice towards reshaping the inclination of awareness towards renunciation, non-ill will and harmlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be achieved through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking &amp;amp; pondering, that&#xA;  becomes the inclination of his awareness&lt;/strong&gt;. If a monk keeps pursuing&#xA;  thinking imbued with renunciation, abandoning thinking imbued with&#xA;  sensuality, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with&#xA;  renunciation. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with non-ill&#xA;  will, abandoning thinking imbued with ill will, his mind is bent by&#xA;  that thinking imbued with non-ill will. If a monk keeps pursuing&#xA;  thinking imbued with harmlessness, abandoning thinking imbued with&#xA;  harmfulness, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with&#xA;  harmlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as in the last month of the hot season, when all the crops have&#xA;  been gathered into the village, a cowherd would look after his cows:&#xA;  While resting under the shade of a tree or out in the open, he simply&#xA;  keeps himself mindful of 'those cows.' In the same way, I simply kept&#xA;  myself mindful of 'those mental qualities.'&#xA;  - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratna/wheel102.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt; by V. F. Gunaratna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This last thought series is most important since it fashions the&#xA;  nature of his next existence, just as the last thought before going to&#xA;  sleep can become the first thought on awakening. No extraneous or&#xA;  arbitrary power does this for him. He does this for himself&#xA;  unconsciously as it were.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is the most important act of his life, good or bad, that conditions&#xA;  the last thought moment of a life. The kamma of this action is called&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;garuka kamma&lt;/em&gt; or weighty Kamma. In the majority of cases the type of&#xA;  act &lt;strong&gt;which men habitually perform and for which they have the strongest&#xA;  liking becomes the last active thought&lt;/strong&gt;. The ruling thought in life&#xA;  becomes strong at death. This habitual kamma is called &lt;em&gt;acinna kamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T09:41:50.357" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T09:41:50.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12321" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-01T11:29:50.000" Score="16" ViewCount="6068" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism say about polyamory? By polyamory I mean a consensual romantic relationship that involves more than two adult people, which may or may not involve sexual contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it wholesome, unwholesome or neutral? Is it any different than a romantic relationship between two people? Do different branches or traditions have different views on this subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2019-03-24T12:32:55.017" Title="Polyamory in Buddhism" Tags="|ethics|relationship|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12321" CreationDate="2015-11-01T12:21:12.383" Score="18" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism say about polyamory?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not conserned with the title of the romantic relationship or the sexual orientation of the partners in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism goes much deeper than that, it looks instead at the defilements that are connected with romantic relationships, e.g. &lt;em&gt;&quot;lust, craving, desire, jealousy, hatred etc.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it any different than a romantic relationship between two people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not. The above mentioned defilements, are the same no matter what kind of romantic relationship we are talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it wholesome, unwholesome or neutral?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#cetasika&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;, there are 52 mental factors (cetasikas). 14 of these are unwholesome mental factors, among those are &lt;em&gt;&quot;hatred, jealousy, avarice, craving&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. They are of course also part of the 3 root defilements, i.e. &lt;em&gt;greed, hatred and delusion&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one or more of these mental factors are present, it becomes unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do different branches or traditions have different views on this subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good question. I do not have an answer to that. I would think that it's the same opinion, since we are dealing with the root defilements. I might be wrong about this though.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T18:36:08.637" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T18:36:08.637" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12213" CreationDate="2015-11-01T12:31:14.487" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't find earmuffs or ear plugs effective enough for blocking sounds so I use earphones and white noise. I'm not pushing these particularly but this is what I use for blocking noise while mediating. I've bought these &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-MM-30i-Ear-Canal-Headset/dp/B004HD4L2E/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1446380415&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=sennheiser%20earphones%20in%20ear&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sennheiser ear canal head phones&lt;/a&gt; and I play white noise through them via this &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tmsoft.whitenoise.full&amp;amp;hl=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;android app&lt;/a&gt;. That pretty much blocks all sound out and I don't find the white noise distracting during meditation. The ear phones also have the advantage of being comfortable enough to sleep in so if you suffer from insomnia or snoring bedfellows then it can be a godsend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the cheapest solution but it does work for me. There are cheaper in ear head phone such &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003S3L2DK?psc=1&amp;amp;redirect=true&amp;amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;as these&lt;/a&gt; but i don't find these as comfortable to sleep in but they do work fine for meditation so that would cheapen this up. Also there is a free version of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tmsoft.whitenoise.lite&amp;amp;hl=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;white noise app&lt;/a&gt; which would make it even less expensive but I'm a believer in paying for software if I like it even if the free version is almost as good (which it is). I don't know versions for other phones but there are also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Noise-Tinnitus-Relaxation-Masking/dp/B003F8K7D4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1446381004&amp;amp;sr=8-7&amp;amp;keywords=white%20noise%20cd&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;white noise cds&lt;/a&gt; as well if you don't have access to a smart phone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T12:31:14.487" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12314" CreationDate="2015-11-01T14:17:04.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would not be against the 5 presepts in the Theravada tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There could be a better skillful way to approach the situation. For instance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone was trying to sell your friend a car and he tells your friend that it is in pristine condition but you happen to know that it is really held together with bubblegum, then you could remind your friend to test drive the car. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, while your friend is distracted, the salesman has his security guards escort you off the property and guard you from coming back and alerting your friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger arises in you but after you practice Metta for a bit the lay buddhist guards notice the difference in you. While your manner is drenched in metta, You simply state what the hell realms are like and you simply state what unwholesome transgressions one can do if they want to go there.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hearing there own unwholesome actions in the list, they let you go and they make sure their boss doesn't go to hell by simply stating that if he lies all the time he will most likely go to hell all the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now your friend is free to buy a real car.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T14:17:04.897" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-01T14:17:04.897" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12325" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-01T14:49:54.393" Score="3" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one practices Goenka style  Vipassana or Anapana meditation then the main object of contemplation is the nose area. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one has a cold and the nose is blocked then is it o.k. to breath through the mouth, chest or abdomen(in the Goenka, Anapana or any Buddhist meditation that uses the nose area)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, in that situation, it is proper to breath through the mouth,  then are there any special instructions for breathing through  the mouth in Anapana, Goenka or any other Buddhist meditation practice that uses the nose area?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if one has always found it difficult to breath through the nose because of a partial blockage or some unknown condition that might be psychological?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:43:45.067" Title="Nose Object Problems" Tags="|teaching|meditation-breath|technique|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12321" CreationDate="2015-11-01T15:22:03.960" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as the core of Buddhism is concerned, anything that causes craving is to be abandoned, if your ultimate goal is Enlightment or becoming an Arhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There maybe some lenient rule regarding this in different forms of Buddhism, but those are just for the lay followers, someone who just follows Buddhism without any stringent aim..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it depends upon what you want to become and to what extent you want to follow Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can always find excuses like this in atleast any one form of Buddhism.&#xA;Making excuses just makes you a lay follower.&#xA;It doesn't lead to cessation of suffering or give knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think my answer is irrelevant, you are free to downvote :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T15:22:03.960" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12327" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-01T16:17:42.747" Score="3" ViewCount="772" Body="&lt;p&gt;The more good kamma one has, the more likely one is to be reborn as a deva, and not a human, right? &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/jootla/wheel414.html#ch5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; says the following about devas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So in spite of their excellent concentration and present opulence, they are even at a disadvantage compared to human beings, who are driven by pain and frustration to seek the path to deliverance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, it says that devas actually aspire to be humans, in order to comprehend impermanence, suffering, and non-self. Does it mean that generating too much good kamma is an obstacle for following the path towards enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2019-07-22T07:53:15.740" Title="Is too much of good kamma an obstacle for enlightenment?" Tags="|karma|enlightenment|deva|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12328" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-01T17:20:03.923" Score="4" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a budding Buddhist, one cannot help but investigate day to day phenomena with the magnificent tools made available to us by the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting thought occurred to me today and prompted me to ponder the nature of love. The conclusion that was arrived at the end of this particular stream of consciousness is that love is non hate, non greed, and (hopefully) non delusional. It is experiential, highly conditional, impinges on all faculties, and reverberates through the heartstring. As with all formations, it is impermanent. Wordly beings crave it, but few truly uncover it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do other lay people conceptualize love? And how would a monk approach this investigation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7069" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-01T21:17:08.320" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:44:42.467" Title="What is &quot;love&quot; to a lay person?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|love|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12329" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-01T19:12:40.763" Score="2" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to Buddhism killing is wrong and planning such things is also wrong.&#xA;So what is the difference between the Karma of a person who killed someone and a person who only planned but never killed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T17:34:11.023" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T05:44:49.673" Title="Killing and planing to kill" Tags="|karma|ethics|five-precepts|killing|sila|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12327" CreationDate="2015-11-01T20:16:24.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all some information in the question needs enplaning before going any further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About devas aspiring to be humans&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the full story...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like any other being the karma of devas run out.Then something amazing start to appear.The flowers they ware start to loose their beauty and die (Like our flowers in the evening),their body's start to sweat for the first time,They loose the appeal for the comforts in deva realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When others see this they come to these friends who are about to leave them and say this &lt;em&gt;&quot;Focus on the Human realm,you can continue your path there.You can even come back to us.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then they follow as advised and come for a birth here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The common misunderstanding&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do this before believing what i am about to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go to &quot;Youtube&quot; and watch few executions by terrorists,If you watch anymore than half a dozen you will need some help to sleep today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So what's the point of doing that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That was only few videos Devas are not bunch of playboys having a good time without a care in the world.As to &quot;Suttas/Sutras&quot; they are given territories &#xA;to look after,Some come down to earth to help the people in need (After all we are their children,parents,relatives),Some travel between realms to teach other the path to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike us they do not look away,You only experienced few tragedies and cruelty.They see it million times bigger all over the globe everyday.Not to mention the other realms with life.What is our pain they do see the pain in hell (the naraka / apaya).pain in those realms are nonparallel with any other,it is that high.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;They are not covered from reality of life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One day a monk who genuinely tried his best to reach nirvana died&#xA;before reaching nirvana.Now he opens his eyes as if he just woke&#xA;up.He is terrorized by what he sees,&quot;The deva realm.&quot; A lot of devas&#xA;were gathering to greet him knowing that he was a good monk.They were&#xA;beautiful and kind but our ex-monk deva saw them as if they were ugly&#xA;ghosts.With immense pain he came to see lord Buddha and told what&#xA;happened to him.Lord Buddha kindly advised him and asked him to&#xA;continue his practice.He went back to his realm and told his many&#xA;female devas (who were born for him) &quot;I am continuing my practice and&#xA;i consider you all my sisters.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is only one story,Let me present the details directly from lord Buddha..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said that what happens there is more like what happens here.Just like in our world people who look away from pain and go get lost in joy exist there.The people who want an understanding search for truth,They get help from others and they even have discussion sessions with &quot;Brahmas (Beings from the highest realms)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you think having anything on demand is going to harm concentration or the path to nirvana itself do this.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at yourself,now you are on the internet.Whatever you wish to have is on demand, you can entertain all of your six senses,go after any temptation for free!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me remind you...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of reading about Buddhism you can do anything else right now.I mean what's wrong with us?, reading texts on some page about Buddhism!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is the difference between common people and people like us.It's the fire that keeps burning leading us to try to find more meaning to life.This my friend is the spark that burns in any wise being in higher realms!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also let me tell you some less known fact!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I hope you know about &quot;Albert Einstein's - Relativity&quot; because it will help you to understand this easily.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord Buddha said beings in Deva realm have very long lives&quot;.The relativity comes in to action making us live in different speeds of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know it was a bit hard to understand.Let me tell you a story mentioned in Buddhism that would do the trick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a female in deva realm went to a garden with her husband and their friends.While spending time there she died because of her birth karma expiring.She was born among humans,she remembered her last life so she became a follower of lord Buddha and did many good things in hope of seeing her husband again.she lived a full human life and lied.She was born back at her place like she wanted.S she rushed to that garden of her last life they were still there and they asked an amazing question &quot;Where were you in the morning we searched everywhere&quot; she replied saying i was born among humans and lived a whole life time there.They were very sad and said &quot;Oh how short is a human life!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get ready for the surprise of your life!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to calculations given in Buddhism to deva Realms it has been only five days from Lord Buddhas leaving (death).There are still arahants there who offer doubtless advice to the ones who practice the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the Extra long life,A mind that is way faster and better than ours,Being in the company of arahants it is way better than being human!&#xA;Here in my country (Sri Lanka) where there is a Theravada practice we are often advised to focus on Deva realms because of the growing evilness of the world.Most of us plan to leave here,honestly i advice you the same if you do not reach nirvana in  this life.The future world is not for us,it is for &quot;kill or be killed&quot; people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About too much of good karma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing,Lord Buddha said that any good karma is good no matter the size.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is Lord Buddhas words.....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There is only one friend to the beings who wander in sansara,it is nothing else but their own karma&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please comment if you have any questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T20:16:24.497" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12329" CreationDate="2015-11-01T20:48:04.380" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Je Tsongkhapa differentiates between (1) karma that is done (2) and karma that is accumulated. Between the two, there are four possibilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Done, but not accumulated.&lt;/strong&gt; Tsongkhapa states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Killing that is karma which you have done but not accumulated is seen&#xA;  in the following cases: that done unknowingly, that done in a dream,&#xA;  that not done intentionally, that which another person forced you to&#xA;  do against your will, that done only once and then regretted, [and so forth]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;2. Accumulated, but not done.&lt;/strong&gt; Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Killing that is karma that you have accumulated but have not done is&#xA;  seen in the following case: you investigate and analyze for a long&#xA;  time in order to kill a living being, but you do not kill it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;3. Done and accumulated.&lt;/strong&gt; Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Killing that is karma that you have done and accumulated is seen in&#xA;  all the killing not included in the previous two permutations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;4. Killing that is karma that you have neither done nor accumulated&lt;/strong&gt; is whatever is not included in the above three. Tsongkhapa does not give example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;He further explains that karma that is not done &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; accumulated (the third) is karma whose result you will not definitely experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Levels of Yogic Deeds (&lt;em&gt;Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karma whose result you will definitely experience is that consciously&#xA;  done and accumulated. Karma whose result you are not certain to&#xA;  experience is that consciously done but not accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further debates settles on the meaning and reason of such a statement: karma that is done and not accumulated, for instance, is not as heavy as that which is done and accumulated. The weight of karma is one of the five factors that determines the time and the likelihood of its ripening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T20:48:04.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2044" CreationDate="2015-11-01T22:11:30.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reason why &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Mercy killing&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; is bad according to Buddhism is very simple,let me provide some quotes from lord Buddha...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Every being is attached to their lives no matter how good or bad those might be,no matter how much pain they suffer every being at all times is attached to their lives and wish to live&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;One should place himself or herself in the position of the receiver of his or her actions and see if what they are going to do is something that the receiver would like,&#xA;As no one likes suffering,harm,fear or death no one should do such things to another&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha mentioned that even beings in hell are attached to their lives!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the conclusion is that all beings at all levels in any place like only to live no matter what the state of their lives are.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is also another reason....&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone foolishly start mercy killing the bad karma he would harvest from it will not go away he will have to suffer no matter what he thought he was doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questiones about my answer please leave a comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T22:11:30.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12333" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12376" CreationDate="2015-11-01T22:18:47.193" Score="3" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/a/11560/1127&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; includes the following statement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But some other &lt;strong&gt;dharmas&lt;/strong&gt; are still empty &lt;strong&gt;without being dependently originated&lt;/strong&gt;, like &lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A comment after the answers gives the following definitions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt; is cessation of suffering (nirvana), and &lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt; is true reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doesn't the cessation of suffering depend on the existence of suffering, and is therefore dependently originated? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:42:22.893" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:52:37.490" Title="Is nirodha (cessation of suffering) dependent on the existence of suffering?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|dharmas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12334" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12336" CreationDate="2015-11-01T22:19:31.210" Score="1" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it essential or somehow profitable to be vegetarian when doing &quot;Metta/Maithree&quot; meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or Is it essential or somehow profitable to any other form of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not why a lot of people seems to be becoming vegetarian some time after they start their path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T20:04:19.550" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T18:03:03.323" Title="Is it important to be vegetarian when meditating &quot;Metta meditation&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|meditation-practicalities|vegetarianism|meditation-metta|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12335" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12338" CreationDate="2015-11-01T22:47:13.453" Score="6" ViewCount="1080" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Anapana there is no regulation of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understood it, it's meant not to control your breath while meditating, but just let flow. Sometimes it's difficult for me not to control it, so I thought about watching my heart beat. Something I have less control of than my breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this kind of meditation known?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T01:13:31.597" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:40:12.613" Title="Is watching the heart beat (instead of watching the breath) a known form of meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12334" CreationDate="2015-11-01T23:26:45.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on Theravada, which is what I'm most familiar with, vegetarianism is not essential for any meditation that I know of. Even so, I've chosen to be a vegetarian. As I understand it, the Mahayana tradition tends to strongly encourage vegetarianism, but even then I'm not certain if they do it specifically to aid meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to it being profitable, it depends on what effects adopting vegetarianism has on that person's state of mind. If being a vegetarian helps your compassion towards beings, then you might consider it profitable. For some people, choosing vegetarianism might result in no improved state of mind, in which case it doesn't matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also answers your third question as to why a lot of people become vegetarian after they start their path. They might have noticed that becoming a vegetarian, for them, improves their personal state of mind. Of course this won't be the only reason, but for some it might be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try it, and see what works for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7173" LastActivityDate="2015-11-01T23:26:45.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12335" CreationDate="2015-11-02T01:04:14.703" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only time I've seen the heart-beat mentioned in a similar context, is when Trungpa Rinpoche &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chronicleproject.com/CTRlibrary/question-of-reality/talk2.html&quot;&gt;discussed beginner-level practice&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Usually hinayana-level student works with reality using exclusively phenomenological methods. He pays attention to his heart-beat, he watches his breathing, controls his posture and gait, how he eats, how drinks water etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason the breath is watched (as was explained by Trungpa Rinpoche) is because breath is the window onto the state of mind, or rather, the state of the entire mind-emotions-body continuum:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is an out-breath &lt;strong&gt;conditioned by the mind&lt;/strong&gt;, he is aware that the out-breath was conditioned by the mind. If there is an in-breath conditioned by the mind, &lt;strong&gt;he is aware that the in-breath was conditioned by the mind&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;--from &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0125_LL_17-01_anapanasmrti&quot;&gt;Ānāpānasmṛti Sutra (EA 17.1)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One you get access to your state of mind by seeing how your breath is &quot;conditioned by the mind&quot;, you use the feedback of the breath to work on calming and gladdening the entire body-mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;’Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.’ He or she practices like this.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...calm my whole body...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...feel joyful...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...feel happy...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...aware of my mental formations...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...calm my mental formations...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...aware of my mind...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...make my mind happy...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...concentrate my mind...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ‘...liberate my mind...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;sub&gt;--from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/articles/mb53-dharma.pdf&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118), as translated by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure heart-beat alone provides the same level of insight into the state of body-mind as the breathing, even though it is related. If you think about the two from signal theory perspective, breathing is amplitude-modulated while heart-beat is (low) frequency modulated, so necessarily heart-beat is a lower-resolution signal. Although as Trungpa Rinpoche says, there is no reason it cannot be used as a secondary indicator, along with stomach and chest tension, face mimics, gait / body language etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly, regarding your comment about it being difficult for you not to control breath. As per the above quotes, I don't think the point of (anapana) meditation is to watch breath without controlling anything, nor to regulate the breathing directly. The point is to use breath as a feedback for working with body-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T02:48:47.647" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T02:48:47.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12333" CreationDate="2015-11-02T01:35:29.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although &lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt; is usually translated &quot;cessation&quot;, its main meaning is &quot;restraint&quot;, &quot;prevention&quot; - e.g. of crime or any undesired activity/outcome. In modern Hindi, nirodh is even used as a word for condom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really think about it, this makes sense. The way cessation of dukkha is achieved is through non-attachment - i.e. non-creation of conditions that make arising of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; possible. In other words, non-attachment is &lt;em&gt;prevention&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prevention of X does not depend on existence of X.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T16:34:14.667" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T16:34:14.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12328" CreationDate="2015-11-02T02:07:45.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love is a very overloaded term. There are many different phenomena that fall under the umbrella label of &quot;love&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is love as obsessive &lt;code&gt;kama&lt;/code&gt; (liking/desire) towards someone or something. This should probably be classified as &lt;code&gt;lobha&lt;/code&gt; (greed, obsessive desire).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is non-reciprocated love, longing for something you can't get. This is probably &lt;code&gt;tanha&lt;/code&gt; (unsatisfied thirst, craving) - the root of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is love towards your mother, family, friends, town, country. This could be pure &lt;code&gt;metta&lt;/code&gt; (loving-kindness) or metta with attachment. The first is a wholesome kind of love, producer of good karma. The second subtype, love with attachment, will serve as the root of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; once the impermanence kicks in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is love of self. This can be an egoistic form of love, or a kind of acceptance/appreciation - a factor of healing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is love as unconditional acceptance/appreciation of someone or everyone and everything -- a non-dual kind of love that does not draw lines between &quot;self&quot; and &quot;other&quot;. In my understanding, such love is a factor of Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summarizing the above, there seems to be two main types of love: attachment-type and acceptance/appreciation-type. The first type is a factor of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, the second type is a factor of good karma, healing, Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T02:12:53.510" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T02:12:53.510" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12328" CreationDate="2015-11-02T03:47:22.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you mean kind some kind of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_(love)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;romantic love&lt;/a&gt;, my own experience isn't the same as yours. You said ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;love is non hate, non greed, and (hopefully) non delusional&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but I'm not sure I agree:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;non-hate&quot; -- if the 'love' is the result of (i.e. conditioned by, conditional on) experience[s] that you like, then when the experience ends the love-you-experience becomes aversion-you-experience.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;non delusional&quot; -- to the extent that &quot;identity view&quot; (of self) is a delusion then love might be a similar type of delusion (e.g. seeing the object of your love as a person who has/is a fixed identity)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I suspect that love is &quot;attachment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a book I mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; titled &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Buddhas-Teachings-Laypeople-Prosperity/dp/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople: Practical Advice for Prosperity and Lasting Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. It says that most of the suttas were written by and for monks, but that some of the Buddha's advice was for people in lay society, and it summarizes some of that advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my limited experience the good side/aspect of love might be right/moral/ethical actions and views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In retrospect (i.e. looking back) there was a time in my life when I was motivated by (i.e. when my love was expressed as) wanting to be kind and to do the right thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's these &quot;ethical&quot; actions that I don't regret -- which is inline with the Buddhist suttas, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Skillful virtues have &lt;strong&gt;freedom from remorse&lt;/strong&gt; as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be worth also considering the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kalyanamittata.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;doctrines about admirable friendship&lt;/a&gt;. The various doctrines (e.g. &quot;Keeping company with the wise&quot; and &quot;Never with an evil companion&quot;) suggest that the benefit is conditional on who you love -- i.e. not just on the nature of your love but on the nature of your beloved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The whole of the holy life&quot; is I suppose (in context) about the benefit of the monastic sangha; perhaps if you're lucky or wise or both then you might experience something like that in a lay relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T03:47:22.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12335" CreationDate="2015-11-02T03:58:13.707" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Wings to Awakening&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, on page 83 says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where a monk—having gone to the wilderness, to the foot&#xA;  of a tree, or to an empty building—sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding&#xA;  his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore [&lt;em&gt;parimukham&lt;/em&gt;: in the&#xA;  Abhidhamma, this is translated literally as “around the mouth”; &lt;strong&gt;in the Vinaya,&#xA;  the same term is used to mean the front of the chest&lt;/strong&gt;]. Always mindful, he&#xA;  breathes in; mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2524/254&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the above the heart area seams to be a valid focal point. Thanissaro Bhikkhu / Achan Lee also mentions about other focal points. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/EachAndEveryBreath_v130123.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;With Each &amp;amp; Every Breath&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/inmind.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Keeping the Breath in Mind&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this I would advocate how S.N.Goenka advices to keep the focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For a beginner - the triangular area from top of your nose to the base. This includes the  inner walls of the nostrils where some feel the breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As you advance in concentration - the triangular area from the  tip of the nose to the base (the upper lip). This includes the tip of the nose and the sides, the nasal bridge and the base or simply around the nostrils and upper lip.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As you advance further - the base of the nose (upper lip)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As you advance even further - the centre of the upper lip (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philtrum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Philtrum&lt;/a&gt;). This point is referred as the spot in the chapter &quot;Keep Your Mind on the Spot&quot; (p 72 as per table of content in the original book but p 54 in the linked PDF as it looks like and extract) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/publications/WebuSayadawDiscourses.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Way of Ultimate Calm&lt;/a&gt; by Webu Sayadaw.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in terms of what you should perceive as the breath (Anapana Sanna):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beginner - Flow of perspiration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intermediate -  Touch or brushing of the flow of perspiration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advance - the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 elements&lt;/a&gt; associated with the breath (gaseous nature of the flowing air, heat or difference in heat of the in and out breath, solidity of the the point of focus, and moisture in the out breath and nose. [gross level] Also the same properties in every sensation you experience. [Subtle level] Further you can look at the Space Element initially bodily cavities like the nostrils [gross] and much later the gaps between the arising and passing of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt; [subtle] and also Consciousness Element which in short is the recognising of arising and passing of contact and sensations again initially at a gross level where you recognise the start of a pain or sensation and the end of it in terms of time and also the location in the body where you start from boundary of the pain to the centre where it is the most intense [gross] and more subtle level when you start seeing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt; which make the sensation. For further details see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’Ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.11-Maha-Rahulovada-S-m62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Rahul’ovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.16-Maha-Hatthipadopama-S-m028-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Hatthi,padapama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In preparation to switching to Sathipattana - sensations associated with the focal point and the perspiration process&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever you find some combination difficult you can switch combinations like say the pure sensation at a focal point than the flow of respiration. If you feel dull and your mind is less sensitive you can increase the areas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is both right and wrong to say either you should regulate the breath and / or you should not regulate the breath! You should direct your sustained attention to the breath with the intention (but not necessary the direct action or direct manipulation of the respiratory process - if you manipulate the breath this becomes like Pranayama, hence I would generally say do not regulate the breath as this advice is less prone to mistakes by the novice) to clam your breath. Traditionally 4 steps are recommended:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concern - Abhoga&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reaction - Samnnahara&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attention - Manasikara&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reviewing - Paccavekkhana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/knowing_and_seeing_rev_ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; - Revised Edition by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw p 45 for further explanation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms this is keeping the though in the back of your mind that the breath should calm where you focus actively to keep your mind on the breath and whether it is long or short, smooth or not, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:40:12.613" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10708" CreationDate="2015-11-02T04:14:13.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental factors&lt;/a&gt; has Sensations associated with them. So any metal activity will have a Sensation. You have Perceived association with each Sensation. So one Sensation brings up associated memories or fantasies, which create more Sensation which continuously bring up more such thoughts. This is how Metal Proliferation happens which is a Verbal Fabrication. To remove the Verbal Fabrication you have to cut out Thinking and Pondering by with Sustained and Applied Effort to Direct Your Mind to the meditation object with the Intention, Continuous Reviewing to ensure your focus is on the object. (Also see my answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12342/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12342/295&lt;/a&gt; for further details.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T04:14:13.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12334" CreationDate="2015-11-02T04:20:06.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When my &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_other&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SO&lt;/a&gt; became vegetarian she said she liked animals (e.g. horses and cows and so on) and other living creatures; and said it would be hypocritical to cause them (e.g. to pay a butcher for them) to be killed for her to eat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think she felt that being non-vegetarian (i.e. that being a carnivore or predator) would interfere with or cloud her perception of her love for living animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there's some justification for that in a text like the Dhammapada, for example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the whole chapter on violence&lt;/a&gt;, which starts for example with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, logically, that justification depends on three assumptions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the &quot;all&quot; (who tremble at violence) includes annimals, i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sentient beings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That lay people who buy their food encourage or cause killing if they pay for meat (that argument is slightly different or doesn't apply to monks who take alms and who eat whatever they are given)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That vegetarianism is feasible (practicable) and is not contrary to the doctrine of the middle way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T04:20:06.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12333" CreationDate="2015-11-02T04:27:49.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering (un-satisfactoriness) is the result of impermanence of Sensations / what is felt and Fabrication in general when Perceived through Mental Distortions when there is a gap between reality and Perception. (In many Suttas, inclusive of the latter, it is mentioned &quot;in short 5 aggregates of clinging is suffering&quot; but in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it is mentioned &quot;Now, it is for one who feels that I make known: This is suffering ...&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirodha is not creating more un-satisfactoriness through Becoming or creating Fabrications by Distortion through Perception as well as Craving and Clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is unconditioned hence non dependent on anything. If it was conditioned it will be unsatisfactory as condition or its existance ceases it also ceases. This leads to a Paradox in the line of thinking in the question as when suffering ceases so does end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T16:43:21.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12325" CreationDate="2015-11-02T05:13:02.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If breathing is difficult concentrate on the sensation at the focal point. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apply (Vitarka)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sustained (Vicara)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attention Directing your Mind (Manasikara)&lt;/a&gt; to keep your mind on the focal point to cut out Thinking and Pondering / Verbal Fabrication (Vachi Sankhāra). Even with a stuffed nose you still breath hence you can just concentrate in the in and out flow. I don't think it is very advisable to breath through the mouth through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See my answer: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12342/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12342/295&lt;/a&gt; which contains more  details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:43:45.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12334" CreationDate="2015-11-02T05:28:44.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One part of your bodily sensations are due to food we take. Light vegetarian food can help concentration and meditation including Metta. This is beneficial but not necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not an extreme ideology and centres around intention. If you do not have the intention of killing and also the situation is not such what you would be tainted by the guilt that an animal was killed on by behalf, then there is nothing wrong to eat non Veg. food. The main thing is keeping your mind pure and conducive to meditate hence if you find yourself uneasy or guilty about eating non Veg. food then it will be beneficial to give up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you are a monk you have no choice but accept what has been offered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T18:03:03.323" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T18:03:03.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12328" CreationDate="2015-11-02T05:44:42.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The deepest description of love I have come across in my walk is a state where one does not oblige oneself to draw a distinction between one and the subject of one's love.  One can give freely to the other, not out of obligation or expectation or even altruism, but simply because one does not see a reason to distinguish between giving to their love and giving to oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T05:44:42.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-11-02T13:35:29.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to Sankha's answer above - it is not as much whether to give or not to give, as it is about &lt;em&gt;the right factor of prioritization&lt;/em&gt;. When you give to someone/anyone - person or organization - you support a certain program, certain idea, you help it go on, you help it do its thing, you help it affect the world in whatever way it affects the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddha (interpreting his words broadly, Mahayana-style), sponsoring the more virtuous programs is of greater benefit than sponsoring the less virtuous programs - therefore if there is competition for our sponsorship, if we have to choose - we should choose sponsoring the more virtuous programs, the more enlightened programs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, providing for the less fortunate &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; supporting a virtuous program already - no doubt about that. The question is, are there more virtuous programs that could benefit from our resources?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddha (again interpreting broadly, Mahayana-style), the programs that spread virtue and wisdom, and help reduce greed/hatred/confusion locally or globally, are a better long term investment of our resources IF we have to choose. That said, simply giving to beggars is still much better than doing nothing at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-02T13:46:02.253" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T13:46:02.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12333" CreationDate="2015-11-02T19:53:27.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if the word &quot;dependent&quot; is 100% correct.  I would say suffering is the supporting condition for cessation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upanisaa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;suffering is the support condition for faith&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;faith is the support condition for joy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;joy is the support condition for delight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;delight is the support condition for tranquillity &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tranquillity is the support condition for happiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;happiness is the support condition for concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration is the support condition for for knowledge and wisdom for things as they are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;knowledge and wisdom for things as they are is the support condition for disenchantment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;disenchantment is the support condition for dispassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dispassion is the support condition for liberation (another word Buddha used for Nirodha or nibbana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T19:53:27.983" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12352" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-02T20:17:24.287" Score="3" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is really depressed and having self destructive thoughts and behavior what can i do to help such a person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a good meditation for such a one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of advice will it be best for a such a one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T07:42:17.407" Title="What advice should i give for a person with self destructive thoughts?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|self|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4077" CreationDate="2015-11-02T21:34:03.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The bliss you are referring to can be understood in this way....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you are alive and you are feeling countless emotions.Those can be divided into 3 groups&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of lust  (no just the erotic sense simply&#xA;lusting for anything)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of hate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of confusion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you are like anyone you will burn in these three fires there is no hope of true peace of mind until you are free from these three.So this also says another thing that there is only a small room for  some comfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this is what you try to reach with everything in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That's why you&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eat the food you like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wear the clothes you like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk of things you like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hear the songs you you like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find someone to love&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think the things you like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as you can see there is no escape, let me provide an example from Lord Buddha......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A normal being (a one who hasn't reach Nirvana) is like a skinned cow which lives,if it stand birds attack it,if it go into the water fish attach it,If it lay on the ground worms attack it. Like this there is no escape for a normal one he is always driven by his six senses burning in lust hate and confusion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So where does the bliss comes from?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;imagine if you can be free from these three,it will be absolute freedom and peace wouldn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So imagine an Arahant....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has no burning caused by those three,he is in bliss of peace.So is it only when he is alive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No,Look at yourself you are not only burning from the fires of this life you are burning from the fires of last lives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;let me explain....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't you have a fear about what karma would bring tomorrow? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether you will live or not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether you will have your arms and legs attached to you even after&#xA;tomorrow&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether you will face an accident&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whether you will live long or not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are not going to get away that easy,You are burning from fires of your next life and lives to come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't you think about these.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What your life will be in next life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what will happen to you in that life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;where you will be born and as what&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the bliss after death is?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine yourself as an arahant....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As of this moment you are free from &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of lust &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of hate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings born because of confusion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you have no fear of today, because you have done what was needed to be done.Which is freeing yourself from the never ending fire of lust,hate and confusion (Reaching nirvana).As of this moment you are in the bliss of nirvana.You have nothing to fear about the future you can choose the time of death even before the life does it for you( giving up &quot;Aayu sanskara&quot;),You know there is no more living (no more next lives).So there is no suffering and there is no more suffering to expect.This is the bliss, the realization of &quot;I have seen the end of all and i am free now&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sure you are confused,let me end my question with the last explanation and you will get it all after this...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an arahant dies his or her mind does not create itself another life,why?&#xA;because their karma has been deleted by them being arahant. So there is nothing more left to give them a birth. The example given in Buddhism is &quot;Like a lamps fire blown by from the wind&quot;.they do not collect any karma,that function is no longer available to their minds.So when they die it is like deleting a file from your Phone or Computer,it is gone forever.It is not gone somewhere else,it is not gone to a different format.It is simply no more.This is how an arahant's mind work in the last moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the bliss is nothing but having to go trough this pain no more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions about the answer please leave a comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May Triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-02T21:34:03.543" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12354" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12355" CreationDate="2015-11-03T02:52:40.920" Score="5" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are life's issues and other practical problems appropriate as a meditation subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any buddhist school, that focus on this type of meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7201" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T16:46:25.340" LastActivityDate="2019-05-07T03:08:37.050" Title="Life's issues as a meditation subject?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12354" CreationDate="2015-11-03T04:33:44.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is training to handle such life situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Associated with each life interaction and though is a sensation. You can look at the arising and passing away of the sensations with full equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In generally what happens is when you come in contact with vicissitudes of life you react with clinging and craving on how you Perceive the sensation hence creating fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can think and ponder on the matter in hand. This is in fact verbal fabrications. Thinking and pondering will create other sensation. Most prominent even in no mediators are like happiness, depression, anxiety, anger, hate, etc. which also has feelings associated. In general thinking things these can also be neutral or very subtle. In the process of Thinking and Pondering again look at the associated sensations arising and passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T05:07:13.723" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T05:07:13.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4" CreationDate="2015-11-03T05:13:50.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta story of the ordination of the Buddha's aunt, Pajapati, at the behest of Ananda, implies that the order of nuns did not exist, is dubious, since there is another story in the Vinaya in which Pajpati clearly joins an existing order of nuns. If one takes a comprehensive view, the two stories are irreconcilable, whereas it is inconceivable that the Vinaya story would be invented in response to the sutta story. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the sutta story must be a fabrication by monks to justify their discriminatory attitude to the order of nuns, mirroring the deep misogyny of late Vedic society. The establishment of the order of nuns appears to have been allowed as a concession in the First Buddhist Council, headed by Mahakassapa, an ascetic, despite the Buddha's more lax attitude to women, for which Ananda was blamed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pajapati sought ordination when the Buddha's father, Suddhodana, died, four years after the Buddha's Enlightenment experience. Possibly the Buddha was concerned about the safety or reputation of the nuns and delayed ordaining women somewhat, but the suttas clearly show the Buddha interacting with and teaching women without making any difference between men and women. He also emphasizes the importance of there being women at all stages of spiritual attainment in order for the sangha to be complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:52:04.633" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:52:04.633" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12357" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12358" CreationDate="2015-11-03T06:08:09.767" Score="6" ViewCount="963" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it because we cause a being to suffer and experience pain while it's/he's being killed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, is it because we put an end to its/his relationships and desires?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or what reason can it be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T09:35:31.847" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:58:20.793" Title="Why does killing produce bad karma?" Tags="|karma|ethics|killing|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12357" CreationDate="2015-11-03T08:30:37.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is our Perception of the Sensation / Feeling experienced when result bears fruit is what distinguished the Karma as bad and not. I.e., Bad Karma is what you Perceive the results as undesirable and Good Karma is what we would perceive the results as favourable when the doer experiences the result, as well as skill full when this is conducive to reach the Buddhist Goal of Nirvana and un skilful when it is un conducive in reaching the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say you kill you will experience the same when your actions catcher upto you. Hence what is needed is to treat other like you would be treated, or treatments you would evaluate positively if you experience it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is skilfulness of your action towards the goal of liberation. In this light any action which creates fabrication which hamper concentration and insight or the opportunity to practice can be considered unwholesome. Killing has aversion and / or craving as base. This creates fabrication which give painful sensation when meditating which will hamper concentration, insight as well as the needed longevity and conducive human birth to practice Vipassana hence such actions are un skilful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a worldly person (or someone not very deep and intensive in Vipassana) it is helpful to build-up Perception (Sanna) what these are good action and bad action so he is steered away from un skilful / un wholesome action towards skilful / wholesome action. As Perception clouds your sense of reality such mental maps ultimately have to be dissolved away too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T10:07:27.363" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T10:07:27.363" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12359" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-03T09:59:43.290" Score="5" ViewCount="477" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it right to say that, if there is no supreme god, there must be a power or set of rules that prevents chaos in our world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't it natural that if the world is not ruled by god it must be exposed to some set of predetermined rules that prevent total chaos. I mean that the laws of physics are not enough power to keep the world (particularly our earth life) from running into total disorder.&#xA;For example according to Aggañña Sutta, the universe shrink and then expand in repeated cycles. I see here one of these predetermined rules - cycles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3694" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T12:45:34.580" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T20:02:36.513" Title="Are there rules that prevent chaos in our world?" Tags="|philosophy|science|god|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12359" CreationDate="2015-11-03T10:33:27.210" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My scientific education tells me that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The world is as it is and behaves as it does (and is observed by people).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People (scientists) observe that behaviour and then invent rules which describe (or define) the behaviour.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those rules are not necessarily &quot;pre-determined&quot; (instead they're invented by people to describe the behaviour-of-the-world which they observe)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The world doesn't obey the rules, instead the rules are chosen to describe the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist word for those rules is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma#Buddhism&quot;&gt;Dharma or Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is praised for his Dhamma, i.e. the Buddha discovered and explained a useful set of &quot;rules&quot; which we use to understand the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T10:33:27.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12199" CreationDate="2015-11-03T10:44:20.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sensations are decided by the motivation of volition behind &quot;non action&quot; which on its own is an action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Diminished volition can occur in a Vipassana partitioner who is seeing sensations arising and passing with no clinging or aversion hence not creating Fabrications / Formations / Sankara. This on its own right is wholesome hence this produces &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; followed by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt; which is generally initially pleasant (Piti) and then more neutral (Passaddhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T10:44:20.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12354" CreationDate="2015-11-03T12:40:53.617" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a meditation technique I got from Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch-and-go_landing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;touch-and-go&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. This is when you sit and let your mind expand naturally making no effort, and then when a thought about life issues comes up, you &quot;touch&quot; it (just to get a glimpse of its flavor) and then let it &quot;go&quot;. This way you get to laundry a lot of your samskaras in a short period of time without getting bogged down in any one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't go with the thoughts, you don't go against the thoughts. You do disidentify from the thoughts. You are not your thoughts. (You are not the observer of your thoughts either, but that's a separate story).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12148/43&quot;&gt;If the thought causes emotional pain&lt;/a&gt;, use the vajrayana transmutation technique: see the pain as pure somatic sensation until it melts under your stare. You are not your emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it maybe useful to trace your life issues, or rather the painful emotions associated with them, to preconceptions or attachments that come from overgeneralization of previous experiences. Once you learn to see your own experience-based biases and disidentify from them, you can be free of those as well. You are not your experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-05-06T14:35:23.160" LastActivityDate="2019-05-06T14:35:23.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12363" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-03T13:21:25.930" Score="7" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've googled this, but can't find it. I know there is a tradition of writing legendary/mythological/fictional biographies (hagiographies) of monks in the Chinese tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a few days ago was the celebration of Kwan Yin's going forth day, but for the life of me, I can't find any other accounts of Kwan Yin's life as a monk or nun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T13:51:35.663" LastActivityDate="2018-04-29T05:53:07.520" Title="Is there a legendary biography of Avalokitesvara/Kwan-Yin/Chenrezig?" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|kwan-yin|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12334" CreationDate="2015-11-03T13:45:45.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vegetarianism is sila or part of the training in virtue.  According to Buddhaghosa, such moral discipline serves two functions - to compose the mind and to aid in the cultivation of non-regret.  I'd say it's fairly obvious that if you are on the cushion and worrying about what you take to be a contradiction between your actions and the lovingkindness meditation you are practicing, then yes, you might benefit from vegetarianism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand, however, that eating meat isn't going to &quot;short circuit&quot; your metta meditation.  If that were the case, than the whole of Tibetan Buddhism would be marked by deficiencies in lovingkindness!  I will say, however, that eating a vegetarian diet does amazing things for your concentration and that these benefits extend well beyond the absence of regret.  Like anything else, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, right?  Just not a meat pudding in this case.  ;-)              &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T13:45:45.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12365" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:08:20.503" Score="6" ViewCount="1702" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for an accurate translation of &quot;Satipatthana Sutta&quot;. Could someone let me know what is the best available accurate translation? I don't want to be confused by just reading all available versions.&#xA;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T16:10:18.077" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T04:16:58.273" Title="Accurate translation of &quot;Satipatthana Sutta&quot;" Tags="|reference-request|texts|books|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12365" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:13:38.460" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, one of the best translations is the one in Analayo Bhikhu's &quot;Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/direct-path.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/direct-path.pdf&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/satipatthana_direct-path_analayo_free-distribution-copy2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/satipatthana_direct-path_analayo_free-distribution-copy2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T16:13:38.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12365" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:18:19.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/TheWayOfMindfulnessBySomaThera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Way of Mindfulness - The Satipatthana Sutta and Its Commentary&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Soma Thera. Highly recommended book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T16:27:47.587" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T16:27:47.587" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-03T16:18:19.903" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12357" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:25:47.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The proximate cause of killing is always hatred accompanied by delusion. But acts of killing can originate from all three evil roots.  Greed accompanied by delusion can be the motivating factor in cases of killing to gain material benefits.  Killing motivated by delusion is seen in cases of animal sacrifices done out&#xA;of wrong views and killing the followers of other religions thinking&#xA;it is a religious duty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So intentional killing is bad karma as any thought or a thought process tainted by greed, hatred and delusion is bad Karma by definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T17:21:20.573" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T17:21:20.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12365" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:33:09.830" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking to most &lt;strong&gt;accurate&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;reliable&lt;/strong&gt; the best translations are by Piya Tan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahasatipatthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/d22-Mahasatipatthana-S-tltr-piya_111203.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahasatipatthana Trilinear Edition&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.1-Satipatthana-S-d22-m10-intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to the Satipatthana Suttas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Sujato Edited By Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After which the next best is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;VRI&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - which carries a more detail explanation and companion the the above.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This slants towards the interpretations of certain Pali phases as done by Ven. Ledi Sawadaw, Ven. Webu Sayadaw and U Ba Kin. Piya Tan's translation is more balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven Analayo's books are also very good but in my opinion not as a 1st read or for a novice as it misses out on certain angles and detailed explanation in certain interpretations. (Much of this is best covered in Piya Tan's translations in a more balanced manner.) You can try this after reading the above two as some of the omissions will not effect your understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Soma Thera translation covers only the angle of interpreting the Suttas in the light of the Commentaries. Some of these interpretations are abstract and cannot be put to direct practice in certain interpretations as explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;VRI&lt;/a&gt;. From my point of view this is the least recommended as a meditation manual, nevertheless useful if you are doing research into commentarial interpretation of the Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other translations (mentioned in the other answers) which are from the purely from the stand point of the commentaries, even when there potential inconsistencies, though discussed in other works are left out of the translations to keep them concise. If you are familiar with these issues these would be great benefit due to the conciseness. Again only if you are familiar with the certain phases where these issues pop up. (E.g. when the translation say &quot;... establish mindfulness in front ...&quot; it does not carry the same literal meaning.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T04:16:58.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12359" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:42:01.537" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Niyamas&lt;/a&gt;. Simply put, they are all processes of causes and effect. If the causes are present, there's an appropriate effect.  If the causes are not present, there's no effect. That's the order of anything in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T16:47:04.100" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T16:47:04.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12365" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:42:31.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) and the Mahasatipatthana Sutta (DN 22) are essentially the same. Fortunately for you, there are two excellent scholarly translations of these texts, the former in Nanamoli and Bodhi's Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha and the latter in Maurice Walshe's Long Discourses of the Buddha. Both are published by Wisdom Publications and may also be available online in PDF format. The Pali Tipitaka is also available online (www.tipitaka.org) for looking up particular words and phrases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T19:09:18.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T19:09:18.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12357" CreationDate="2015-11-03T16:44:32.450" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is generated by intention, according to the Buddha, in contradistinction to Jainism, which identifies the cause of karma with action. Although all karma represents bondage to samsara, some karma generates more positive results and some karma generates more negative results, including the karma of liberation itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All experiences reflect the quality of the karma that one engenders. Killing originates in states of desire, passion, agitation, anger, and unhappiness, and thus those states return to one who has the intention to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:58:20.793" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:58:20.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12352" CreationDate="2015-11-03T17:02:07.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation can help as it subdues hatred which is a major cause for suicide.&#xA;Other Samatha meditations like Anapanasati can help to attain extremely pleasant states of the mind like the Jhanas where there's no depression. &#xA;Vipassana can be practiced to make one not react to unpleasant feelings or thoughts and eventually achieve lasting peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T19:11:29.980" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T19:11:29.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12329" CreationDate="2015-11-03T17:16:05.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing breaks the first precept and planning does not.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One commits Kaya(bodily) Kamma when killing. Planning may not necessarily involve Kaya Kamma as it could just be limited to thinking.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing causes greater Kamma compared to simply planning as it takes a greater degree of corruption in the mind states to actually carry out the plan until it's fulfillment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T17:16:05.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12311" CreationDate="2015-11-03T17:39:06.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like Milton Erickson's practice of physically restricting the movement of his son when he engages in the prohibited behaviour until the child undergoes a change of heart. He describes this somewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T17:39:06.907" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12333" CreationDate="2015-11-03T18:25:36.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The distinction you are making is a lower octave of the ultimate distinction between nirvana and samsara. From the perspective of samsara, nirvana is negation and therefore dualistic and relative. Thus the Buddha says that nirvana is the door to the supermundane, not the supermundane itself, which is transdual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This led to the distinction between a nirvana attainment that excludes samsara, and a nirvana attainment that includes samsara. One can fall back into nirvana from the former, but not from the latter. Even in the Pali Canon one finds a distinction between nibbana and parinibbana, the latter only being attained at death. From the supermundane perspective, both nirvana and samsara are illusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:52:37.490" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:52:37.490" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12357" CreationDate="2015-11-03T19:10:09.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Killing causes bad karma because of these reasons....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to lord Buddha there must be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvesha&lt;/a&gt; (a state of mind that feeds emotions like anger, confusion, hate) in a being's mind, to kill another or to harm another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So killing or hurting someone crates bad karma because of internal reasons, not external reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example imagine you kill a baby who is yet to be born and who is yet to mature a proper body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This baby has no relatives or relationships yet, it's not even a proper baby yet, and we are not sure if it can feel anything yet. But  if you kill this baby it will cause bad karma to you: but why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is the reason....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Dvesha&quot; I mentioned above is one of the three sources of bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the three sources of bad karma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loba&lt;/strong&gt; - Lusting for things and people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dvesha&lt;/strong&gt; - State of mental collision (anger, hate, vendetta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moha&lt;/strong&gt; - Mental confusion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So any verbal, mental or physical action that could cause these three states of mind is going to create bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three can completely divert one's path towards nirvana and make him or her wrong do things. They pollute the mind of a person and diminish the potential they have to reach nirvana and to do anything in their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T19:56:32.687" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T19:56:32.687" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12359" CreationDate="2015-11-03T19:25:00.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should look into &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Five Niyamas&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are &quot;Five niyamas&quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravada.dk/?pageid=389&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.theravada.dk/?pageid=389&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These were introduced by Lord Buddha to explain every event in our reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can see in many things in nature there is no actual pattern or law it is simply chaos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine the very unusual run that sperm has to take to meet with the female egg.It is complete chaos, but in it only the strongest will win. So what we see is not complete chaos producing more chaos it is simply sanctioned chaos&#xA;creating things less chaotic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for example your brains neurotic activities are complete chaos but that is the thing that creates completely organized thoughts and functions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the truth is what we see as chaos is only our understanding being incompetent to explain what is happening, Soon as we understand complete chaos turn into very systematic behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-03T20:02:36.513" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T20:02:36.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10866" CreationDate="2015-11-03T19:50:25.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First of all as to Buddhism every being has an ego not only us humans.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If no other creature had ego will they fight for survival,no!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You need to understand one thing&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes Buddhism has its own version of &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Evolution&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; and it may be the only religion on the face of the earth that will ever accept evolution because other cry babies can't do it with all the unscientific lies they believe in!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as to the evolution Buddhism believes in our bodies evolved according to the environment, not our minds.We were always mentally above those poor animals.You see &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Darwin's Evolution&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Buddha's Evolution&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; are two different things.As to Lord Buddha's evolution we are not from apes, Yes we were in the caves but not as dum apes.And as to Lord Buddha we had many extremely advanced civilizations before the current. As to Lord Buddha yearly versions of humans lived so long (even above 60,000 years of lie expectancy) and they had no sicknesses because everything was new.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Lord Buddha our ability to do advanced thoughts and logic is not anything but what is given to a human by Karma.Whoever born as an animal has less karma and will not have that ability but it will still have an ego (For example look at the kingdom of monkeys the alpha male kill or bite off the penis of new born's and less powerful monkeys to own the female kind and the rights to have sex).But Buddhism deny that one day the animals can be like us,As to Buddhism it is impossible because the mind's abilities are a cause of Karma not a matter of the brain's size.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Buddhism is not a product of some guy's ego.Buddhism is the product of a great one who was riddled by the world. The very birth of  Buddhism was born with the destruction of &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Prince Siddahrtha's ego&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; (The price who became our Lord Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions please leave a comment below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T19:50:25.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12333" CreationDate="2015-11-03T20:19:33.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is a connection,&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there was no suffering there is no nirodha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Let me give an explain from a famous teaching from Lord Buddha (The Four Noble Truths)....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering exist because of not understanding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the person understood the reality there wouldn't be a suffering in&#xA;the first place&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To end the suffering one must first understand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If understanding happens in a person's mind he will not suffer&#xA;anymore!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lord Buddha said...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything is born because of reasons&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything exist because of reasons&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Things will exist only till the reasons exist&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;if you take them away it will not exist anymore&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the Four Noble Truths - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the answer to your question and any such questions about connections between things.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T20:19:33.223" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7576" CreationDate="2015-11-03T20:48:29.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;there is a simple answer to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lord Buddha said....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should give when he has more&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should give when he has a lot&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should give when he has some&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should give when he has little&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said these four in an one sentence to inform the value of giving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And asked to give in this manner....&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Plan to give with happiness in your mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give with happiness in your mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be happy about the giving afterwards and forever&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happily memorize what you gave&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And went on to say these...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one help to beings who roam in Samsara/Sansara,That is the good karma they have done.No good karma is small.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Like a pot getting filled with small drops of water any good karma is an aid for one's path!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me tell you a strange story....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day people in a certain area planned a beautiful festival.A festival to worship a &quot;Stupa&quot; with flowers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WokyA.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WokyA.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;A stupa&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(A stupa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone found some to offer but a one lady.She could not find any because everyone has taken flowers so none was left.all she could find was a flower of an vegetable plant so she took it even though it was a bit unorthodox.She offered it and time went by.She died and when she opened her eyes she was in the &quot;Deva Realm&quot;.When asked she was bit shy to reveal how she came there and to this day her story is the model story to explain to power of good deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter how so unimportant or small something good you can do would appear just do it because no one knows when such a good deed would come in handy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-03T20:48:29.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12382" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12458" CreationDate="2015-11-03T23:49:40.927" Score="5" ViewCount="392" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand the state of changing (impermanence) mentioned in Buddhism, but I have also heard that another more complex version (of the doctrine of impermanence) exists in the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also like to know about how impermanence work when it comes to the physical body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be thankful if someone could point to a few sources to learn about it, and maybe summarize it in an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please mention if I can use this knowledge to my personal practice, and if it is possible then how to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T21:31:49.820" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T15:23:27.013" Title="What does the Abhidhamma say about impermanence?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|abhidhamma|impermanence|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2015-11-04T00:12:21.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Your question has two parts so i will answer in the following order...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to understand &quot;Samsara&quot; and how it works.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sansara or Samsara is the word Lord Buddha picked to name a certain circle of death and life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is samsara&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we Buddhists believe as long as a being lust for existence he will be born according to his Karma.To this process we call &quot;Sansara or Samsara&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So where is the start of samsara?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even Lord Buddha was intrigued by the question and started to find a solution.The only way to do it is to look back into your own past to find your first life.So Lord Buddha went back countless amount of lives and understood that the &quot;Beginning&quot; is very ancient the time we have in a life is not enough to look back and see that life.So lord Buddha said this to the Sangha  &quot;There is no point in looking for a start,it is too old and trying to find an answer is a waste of time&quot;.And advised that no one should try to find an answer to it (Because they will not be able to find it)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my friend that question can't be answered by any being in the universe,Because if there is something out of Lord Buddha's reach it is out of anyone's reach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So how does samsara work?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How it works is complicated but i will give you a simplified version of it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara needs fuel like your car,As long as you give fuel to it it will keep working and you will have life after life to live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me give an example from lord Buddha....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Karma is the paddy field,Lusting is the water,vinyana is the seed&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the real world without water a seed will not grow,likewise without &quot;Greed or lust&quot; you will not be born,without it there is no samsara but as long as you have it you will have samsara and you will have to suffer in whatever karma brings you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T00:12:21.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="39" CreationDate="2015-11-04T04:54:51.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to your question depends on how one understands the word &quot;start.&quot; Etymologically, the English word means to jump, leap up, or move or spring suddenly, thus, to arise, to come into being. In accordance with the law of karma, the whole process of samsara itself must be self-starting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be proved logically based on the law of karma, which requires that every cause have an effect and every effect a cause. Since samsara is time itself, the essence of time is the identity of cause and effect, thus, the moment, which is then extended in space as past and future to create the infinitely differentiated  world that we experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as the illusory negation of reality samsara must inhere in the non-illusory, which is reality itself. Therefore, samsara also inheres in reality, and in that sense has a logical - but not a temporal - &quot;origin.&quot; This &quot;start&quot; is the principle of karma itself, which is the inherent kinetic principle in transdual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is necessary to explain our experience of samsara. Otherwise, there would just be nothing at all. This point of identity of samsara and reality is, once again, the moment. Therefore, the answer to your question is that the start of samsara is the inherently timeless and therefore eternal moment, which paradoxically is the origin of time, space, and causality that endlessly differentiates in infinitely variegated patterns. This view of the cosmos remarkably presages certain theories in modern physics, especially the holographic theory of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:45:56.293" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:45:56.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12321" CreationDate="2015-11-04T04:59:32.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, &quot;Buddhism&quot; has no views on sexual norms. The Pali Canon mentions different types of gender, but seems to be non-judgemental about different kinds of marriage. In traditional Tibet, for example, a woman might marry two brothers. Logically, all varieties of sexuality must ultimately be abandoned, but the Buddha had important married householder followers, some of whom even attained arhantship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might assume that the Buddha would counsel married householders to respect each other and practice restraint, but this does not imply a preference for one sort of &quot;arrangement&quot; over another. The Pali Canon seems to suggest that wrongful sexuality or sexual misconduct (the third precept) implies adultery. &quot;Sexual misconduct&quot; and &quot;wrong behaviours&quot; are referred to, but not defined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-07-28T02:27:16.613" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T02:27:16.613" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12257" CreationDate="2015-11-04T05:10:24.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha makes it clear that (1) we should always question the teachings, but (2) not in a showy or superficial way. He contrasts the artificiality of the kind of debating skills that are taught in schools with the correct pursuit of wisdom, which involves a deep penetration and comparison of the teachings with the goal of cultivating real understanding and not merely impressing people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The correct way of discussing spiritual teachings (the Buddha says) is to find common ground and proceed from there on the basis of truth. When we look at how the Buddha actually engaged the Brahmans, for example, he always sought to understand the inner meaning or significance, often ethical, of the practices and the teachings, rather than taking them literally or understanding them superficially. With respect to the dharma, new teachings should be criticized in the context of the established tradition - which itself should be the result of criticism - in order to arrive at right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this does not imply a superficial or fundamentalist approach. The Buddha says that teachings should not be accepted simply because they are traditional or taught by one's teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:41:06.697" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:41:06.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12250" CreationDate="2015-11-04T06:01:04.920" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can find a scholar to support almost any view, but the consensus seems to be that the Pali Canon - the only complete version of the early Canon that has survived to the present day - originated shortly after the passing on (parinibbana) of the Buddha (circa 400 BCE); continued to be collected, edited, and revised at least until the middle of the third century BCE, when it achieved its final Pali form more or less; was written down in the first century BCE; and continued to be copied over the intervening centuries, perhaps with fairly minor changes and, of course, errors of transcription, till it was codified during the Fifth Buddhist Council in 1871 and again in 1954. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No definitive critical edition of the Pali Canon has been produced in accordance with Western scholarly criteria, though I believe one is in the early stages of development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many scholars consider the first four nikayas - the Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyyuta Nikaya, and Anguttara Nikaya - to be the most ancient and essential parts of the Canon, along with the Vinaya perhaps, but nothing in the Pali Canon should be considered to be the literal Buddhavacana (&quot;Word of the Buddha&quot;) and all of the suttas of the Pali Canon represent an indiscriminate mixture of early and late textual traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people think that the parables of the Buddha are the most authentic, much as some Biblical scholars think that the parables of Yeshua (Jesus) are the most authentic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The shortest interval between the Buddha's death and the earliest date for the codification of the Canon is about 150 years, which would correspond to the year 180 in terms of the development of the Christian scriptural tradition for comparison. This is the age of the early Church fathers and well after the period of the canonical gospels of the New Testament. Thus, the Pali Canon incorporates the Buddha's original teachings subject to at least five (or eight) &quot;generations&quot; (but only two lifetimes) of interpretation, codification, and exegesis, arising out of an historical process that was clearly contentious from the very beginning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Pali linguists can distinguish later from earlier texts to some extent, no one can accurately identify the &quot;original teachings&quot; of the Buddha based on any kind of objective heuristic, and those who pretend to do so are usually pursuing a sectarian agenda. Moreover, the simplistic equation of lateness with wrongness is a grossly naive hermeneutic, comparable to the discredited notion of &quot;authorial intent.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Per contra, the view of those who maintain that the Pali Canon is actually recent, based on the paucity of early mss., is also untenable, since many Pali texts were translated into fairly early Chinese, Tibetan, and even Sanskrit versions that correspond quite well with the Pali texts. Although each of the early schools had its own canon, they all seemed to share and accept a common collection of suttas that were very similar to each other and to the Pali suttas that we have today in the Pali Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another relevant point is that the Pali language is not the language actually spoken by the Buddha, but is a hybrid artificial language developed by the early monastics to preserve the teachings of the Buddha and communicate with each other, which clearly indicates that the Canon originated as a result of cultural and geographical differentiation. Scholars generally consider Pali to be closely related to the language of the Buddha, however. Pali linguists have identified earlier and later meanings of certain Pali words that can be used to &quot;date&quot; the texts that contain them, and to a limited extent elucidate their meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Canon also travelled from north-east India to Sri Lanka through successive phases - first, a westward expansion, then moving south and finally into Sri Lanka, during which it presumably picked up cultural influences from western India, south-western India, and Sri Lanka itself. It was also preserved by monastics, so we may assume that it was influenced by this fact as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, every point in this summary will be disputed by someone!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T15:37:07.717" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T15:37:07.717" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12327" CreationDate="2015-11-04T09:08:33.060" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Living in the obsession of good karma is obstacle. It will make you a egoistic. Enlightenment is, you are not fascinated with any type of karma. Wish to be an enlightened person is also a karma. So, leave your all type of karma or wishes and do your any type of work consciously. because you are already enlightened. The only difference is you are unaware with this truth.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7206" LastEditorUserId="7206" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T09:18:36.623" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T09:18:36.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12389" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-04T10:32:56.010" Score="5" ViewCount="952" Body="&lt;p&gt;Referring these lines from '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Prince-Bodhi/12-The-Meeting-at-Isipatana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Discourse to Prince Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As I approached, Prince, the group-of-five monks were unable to&#xA;  continue with their own agreement, and after coming out to meet me,&#xA;  some took my bowl and robe, some prepared the seat, some placed the&#xA;  water for washing the feet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then they addressed me by name and with the word ‘friend’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, Prince, I said this to the group-of-five monks:&#xA;  “Do not address the Gracious One, monks, by name and by the word&#xA;  ‘friend’, the Realised One, monks, is a Worthy One, a Perfect&#xA;  Sambuddha. Lend an ear, monks,........&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it wise to get respect by compulsion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it wise to claim &quot;I am The Greatest/Perfect One&quot; even if you're The Greatest/Perfect One ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's OK, then why did he call his  teachers &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Prince-Bodhi/03-The-Meeting-with-Alara-Kalama.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ālāra Kālāma&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Prince-Bodhi/04-The-Meeting-with-Uddaka-Ramaputta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uddaka Rāmaputta&lt;/a&gt; as 'friend' even before he started learning from them? How can this be justified?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T16:31:03.797" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T16:31:03.797" Title="Why Buddha didn't want him to be called 'friend' by the monks?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12327" CreationDate="2015-11-04T11:56:13.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good Karma is needed to create the needed environment to practice towards Nibbana hence needed. Also it has it's down side. If you have a lot of wealth and comforts what ever the realm you are born in, for a average person attachment is imminent. This can be a stumbling block. Also there is not motivation to seek the end of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Bikkhu Bodhi's related work: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Transcendental Dependent Arising A Translation and Exposition of the Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) says Suffering is the forerunner that motivated you to take the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Deva realms and even among the rich and famous hedonistic practices become prevalent and the Dhamma forgotten or put on the back burner during prosperous time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T11:56:13.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12382" CreationDate="2015-11-04T12:59:33.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sattiptana Sutta says to look at Arising and Passing away of Phenomena pertaining to the 5 aggregates and 6 sense faculties. You have to experience this through what is felt, hence sensation arising and passing away pertaining to the the 4 Foundation of Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.047.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankhata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it is mentioned that Fabrication Arise and Passes away and there appears change what exists. The change is what arises after passing away has slightly decayed from the previous cycle. Through Insight Knowledges you can get a idea of Arising and Passing away and even perhaps the decay, but generally in meditation related Suttas only mention Arising and Passing Away of Phenomena (&lt;em&gt;Uppadavayadhammino&lt;/em&gt;) hence perhaps this level of understanding is sufficient for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada Abhidhamma subdivides this atomic moment to 3 parts: uppada, thiti, vaya or uppada, thiti, banga. Other schools of Buddhism hold different version of the subdivisions that are possible for an atomic moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://bpunotes2.weebly.com/uploads/5/2/5/4/5254610/bphil_second_year_all.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Notes From Buddhist and Pāli University for the 2nd year&lt;/a&gt; page 44 onwards contains more information about this as well as the interpretation in different Schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-07T03:10:50.820" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T03:10:50.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12352" CreationDate="2015-11-04T13:06:53.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would try to advise the following: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do some volunteering work, so they will see how valuable they can be in changing the lives of the people in need. Depression can be something people go through when they feel life is not worth living. Helping others should actually bring meaning to life. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meditate on whatever arises in the mind and know that emotions are just transient and they don't really define anyone. If it is depressed mental state, accept it and meditate on it. Whatever you resist will persist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Be mindful in everyday life and be thankful for all the things one has and may be for the things one doesn't have as well. Enjoy the small little things you encounter, e.g. nice warm sunshine, clean air, clean running water in one's own home. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7191" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T13:06:53.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12389" CreationDate="2015-11-04T13:34:36.800" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When they first saw him they thought, &amp;quot;He is inferior to us (because he is given to luxury, forsaking the striving, etc.).&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he approached them they no longer thought that, but still they called him &amp;quot;friend&amp;quot;: which I understand to mean &amp;quot;my comrade, my equal&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha corrected them because he wanted them to learn the Dhamma from him, and it was important that they respect him as a teacher (because if they didn't respect him and didn't accept him as a teacher and listen to his teaching then that would be to their harm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were telling him that, as far as they knew, he had no attainment and no knowledge worth teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a third time, Prince, the group-of-five monks said this to me: “But you, friend Gotama, by that ascetic lifestyle, that practice, that difficult way of living, did not attain states beyond ordinary human beings, a distinction of what is truly noble knowledge and insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how can you now, given to luxury, forsaking the striving, gone back to luxury, attain states beyond ordinary human beings, a distinction of what is truly noble knowledge and insight?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He contradicted them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this was said, Prince, I said this to the group-of-five monks: “Are you aware, monks, of my having spoken to you like this before?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Certainly not, reverend Sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The Realised One, monks, is a Worthy One, a Perfect Sambuddha. Lend an ear, monks, I will instruct you about the attainment of the Deathless, I will teach the Dhamma, and following the path as it has been preached, after no long time in regard to that good for which young men of good family rightly go forth from the home to the homeless life, that unsurpassed conclusion to the spiritual life, you will dwell having known, experienced, and attained it yourselves in this very life,” and I was able, Prince, to persuade the group-of-five monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg17.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This version of the story&lt;/a&gt; includes the following explanation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ON seeing their old teacher approach, the five bhikkus agreed among themselves not to salute him, &lt;strong&gt;nor to address him as a master, but by his name only&lt;/strong&gt;. &amp;quot;For,&amp;quot; so they said, &amp;quot;he has broken his vow and has abandoned holiness. He is no bhikkhu, but Gotama, and Gotama has become a man who lives in abundance and indulges in the pleasures of worldliness.&amp;quot; But when the Blessed One approached in a dignified manner, they involuntarily rose from their seats and greeted him in spite of their resolution. Still they called him by his name and addressed him as &amp;quot;friend Gotama.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When they had thus received the Blessed One, he said: &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Do not call the Tathagata by his name nor address him as 'friend,' for he is the Buddha, the Holy One&lt;/strong&gt;. The Buddha looks with a kind heart equally on all living beings, and they therefore call him 'Father.' To disrespect a father is wrong; to despise him, is wicked. The Tathagata, the Buddha continued, does not seek salvation in austerities, but neither does he for that reason indulge in worldly pleasures, nor live in abundance. The Tathagata has found the middle path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from an 1894 version titled &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gospel_of_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gospel of Buddha by Paul Carus&lt;/a&gt; -- I don't know which original text this is a translation of (or whether it's even translation instead of invention).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One place where the story appears is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26)&lt;/a&gt; which matches the story in the OP. This one is addressed to monks rather than to &amp;quot;Prince Bodhi&amp;quot; so I suppose there are several versions of this story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:33:22.210" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12395" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-04T13:49:22.533" Score="3" ViewCount="566" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://meaningness.wordpress.com/category/buddhism/consensus-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Consensus Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is a term invented by David Chapman. To me it seems to be another name for what Thanissaro Bhikkhu calls &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tricycle.com/feature/romancing-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Romanticism&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/the-crumbling-buddhist-consensus-preface/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; are some characteristics of the supposed consensus, according to Chapman:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;consensus Western Buddhism is—supposedly—egalitarian, democratic, anti-hierarchy, ecumenical, accepts all religious traditions (except of course Bad forms of Buddhism), respects and sometimes incorporates psychotherapy, is ecologically aware, talks about social justice, promotes internal and external peace, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/nice-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moreover&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Western Buddhism kept some traditional Buddhist mythology (in the same way liberal Christianity keeps some traditional mythology), but you aren’t expected to believe in it. It’s a bunch of “teaching stories,” not Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consensus Buddhists mostly don’t believe in Buddhas, either. The important thing is not enlightenment, but a morality of good intentions, harmonious behavior, and inoffensiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/wholeness-connection-and-meditation-competing-visions/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;And&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main practice of Consensus Buddhism is vipassana. This method is meant to shatter the self and break connections. Western Buddhists mostly want and expect the opposite results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When describing &amp;quot;Consensus Buddhism&amp;quot;, Chapman writes a lot about &amp;quot;hegemony&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;monopoly&amp;quot; that &amp;quot;Consensus Buddhists&amp;quot; want to achieve, as well as &amp;quot;suppressing other alternatives&amp;quot;. And he writes that such an approach dominated Buddhism in the West for a long time and only recently that &amp;quot;consensus&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;starting to break down&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite having contact with various Buddhist groups in the last years, I hardly came across anyone who fits with the description of Consensus Buddhism, so I have the following questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In your experience, does/did mainstream Buddhism in the West really match the definition of Consensus Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In your experience, what was the period when it dominated the mainstream Western Buddhism (in terms of printed media, number of followers, etc.)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In your experience, does/did it really try to supress its alternatives?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the answer to the first question is &amp;quot;yes&amp;quot;, was the phenomenon of &amp;quot;Consensus Buddhism&amp;quot; restricted to any particular country or part of the world? (I have a feeling that there may be big differences in this regard between, say, North America, Europe and Oceania.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the names of the &amp;quot;Consensus Buddhist&amp;quot; groups you know about?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T15:51:16.163" Title="Was there a period when &quot;Consensus Buddhism&quot;/&quot;Buddhist Romanticism&quot; dominated Buddhism in the West?" Tags="|modern-world|history|modernism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12389" CreationDate="2015-11-04T16:14:24.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Respect of the Buddha and the Dharma -- both of which are tied together -- must pre-exist for the successful study of the Buddha's Dharma and to attain the fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As much as we cherish the Buddha's words, he is not our friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally, to be a friend implies that he/she will be there to hear your complaining, watch you fail/succeed, and join you in your house, entertainment, and other frivolous pursuit. &lt;strong&gt;Friend is a spoiled and vague word and to label one as such invites competition and abuse for the teacher and student alike.&lt;/strong&gt; If the Buddha allowed himself to be considered a friend, his students would actually be able to grow beyond their cravings less and would remain reliant on his consultation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until one attains Arhatship or Buddhahood, the Buddha is not and should not be considered a friend but a Teacher.  He has attained the universal status of an Enlightened One, a &quot;Realised One&quot;, a &quot;Worthy One&quot; and many other special names fit for this Ultimate accomplishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T16:21:11.317" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T16:21:11.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12334" CreationDate="2015-11-04T17:09:56.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha clearly and explicitly prohibited vegetarianism for the monastics. This was part of the controversy that culminated in the heretic Devadatta's failed attempt to foment a schism and to murder the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various possible reasons for this, all speculative: the obligation of monastics to accept alms to enable ordinary people (puthujjana) to acquire merit, many of whom would not have been able to offer non-meat items to the monastics, seems to be the most likely reason; the scarcity of non-meat food items in many areas, which would cause monastics to leave those areas or starve (starvation was a constant problem for the monastics); religious pride and self-righteousness; and the law of karma, which only holds an individual responsible for actions of which he or she is the direct cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did forbid that any animal should be killed specifically for a monastic, and monastics were not allowed to accept such offerings. Some Mahayana sutras prescribe vegetarianism, however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T17:34:48.357" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:34:48.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12352" CreationDate="2015-11-04T17:24:20.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ending one's life prematurely or self-mutilating behavior does not change one's karma for the better, that is to say, if they are in a situation with extreme suffering in the present life, they will continue their suffering in their next lifetime as well. So, one can not escape their  suffering. Reverend Kusala Bhikshu is fond of saying, &quot;Karma has no eyes, karma has no ears.&quot;  No matter how much one tries to escape their suffering they will not be able to escape their past deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suicidal behavior goes against the first precept which is to avoid killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A loving kindness (metta) meditation may be useful. This can be done by first wishing happiness for people that are hostile to the meditator. Then wishing happiness for people that are neutral to the meditator, and then finally wishing happiness for those that are close to the meditator(oneself). This is usually done with eyes closed while sitting on the floor or a chair with some kind of timer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T17:24:20.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12399" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:04:03.170" Score="3" ViewCount="725" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tried to find an analogy that would help me to understand anatta: Just as we can say &quot;there is no self&quot; (there are just mental aggregates interacting with each other and eventually causing some bodily reactions), we can also say &quot;there are no computer programs&quot; (there are only electrons arranged in different patterns, and they eventually cause some changes in the output devices).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism claims that anatta is the ultimate truth, and that it is beneficial to know that truth. I wonder if it applies to my analogy, too: can we regard &quot;no computer programs&quot; as the ultimate truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see how it could be beneficial for a computer user or a programmer to realise that &quot;there are no computer programs&quot;. If we assume that the analogy is correct, there should be no benefit in realising that &quot;there is no self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see two points where the above reasoning could be flawed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is actually beneficial to realise that &quot;there are no computer programs&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is not beneficial to realise the above, but there is no analogy between &quot;there are no computer programs&quot; and &quot;there is no self&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which point is true and why? Or is it something else that is the problem here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: There are already quite a few general questions about anatta. Here I hope to get answers that would comment on whether the analogy I presented is relevant to understanding this concept, and relate to the specific questions I asked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-04T21:12:44.543" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T06:40:53.630" Title="Understanding anatta via &quot;there are no computer programs&quot; analogy" Tags="|anatman|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12399" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:18:11.360" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's because the understanding you are describing is intellectual.  Enlightened understanding of anatta isn't factual, philosophical, or based in analogy.   It is a realization.  When the veil is lifted, we see it directly.  It's like realizing for the first time that you have use of your legs.  It puts you in a complete different world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T18:18:11.360" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12399" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:21:47.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Neko already explained it pretty well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realization of Anatta on an intellectual level, simply cannot happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of Anatta is too profound. One must realize it through the practice of insight meditation and the gaining of experiental knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine an onion. An onion has many layers. Intellectual knowledge can only penetrate the top layers. Experiental knowledge can penetrate all the layers, right into the core of the onion. Its the last type of knowledge that one needs to realize the marks of existence and eventually Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T18:21:47.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12399" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:32:30.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the concept is there is nothing worthy of identifying as self since you do not exercise absolute control over whatever you identify. Put it another way if there is something which is everlasting and unchanging and within your control you can rightfully call it self but there is no such thing as as everything (5 aggregates) that creates a being is changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate truth is what you realise through meditation which transcends the spear of Perception and Views. Basically what pertains to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;phenomenon of consciousness (citta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;associated mentality (cetasika)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;materiality or physical phenomena (rūpa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nirvana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A normal person will Perceive oneself as such, but in reality you cannot be exactly what you perceive and also you do not become exactly what you perceive of want to be. (Say a person is 80 but wants the body of a 20 year old.) Hence when you transcend Perception (Sanna) you will realise there is no everlasting controllable part which is worthy to be called or identified as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist concept of non self stems from the contemporary belief system which gave definition and doctrines of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Soul&lt;/a&gt;. Since there is not part which is unchanging or immortal or which is completely in your control the Buddha rejected the contemporary definition of Atta hence becoming the doctrine of Anatta. This is what has been translated as non self or no soul to English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2500/295&quot;&gt;What is the best translation of Anatta into English?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8669/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8669/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2454/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2454/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/abhidharma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/abhidharma/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T05:48:32.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12399" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:48:19.303" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a computer program were to realize the truth about itself then:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't be surprised to find bugs (i.e. unwanted behaviour)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't be surprised to find subroutines (encapsulated behaviour)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't be surprised to find side-effects (interactions between this and that)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't be surprised to find that its interactions with other software/programs/systems sometimes work as desired or &quot;designed&quot;, and sometimes don't&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't resist being upgraded with newer/better versions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It wouldn't have an inflated view of itself as being more capable than it actually is&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And (possibly) it wouldn't suffer from &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T18:48:19.303" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12404" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-04T18:52:15.157" Score="3" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know that we get sick and get old but i have heard that &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; talks about a faster version of decay and change.As i have heard there is a change that is happening every fraction of a second but we are unable to recognize it with our senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have knowledge to share about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how can we use this to our personal practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T15:35:20.410" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T15:35:20.410" Title="Change and decay of one's own body. How fast is it?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|meditation-insight|abhidhamma|impermanence|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-11-04T19:39:00.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The person who asked this question is wrong,as Buddhists we completely dump the theory &quot;Karma is the last decider&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We believe in &quot;Five niyamas&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravada.dk/?pageid=389&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Click this to learn &quot;Five niyamas&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is just a one variable in this not the final decider.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess this breaks the question and no further explaining is needed.Click the link given above and you will understand that Unlike many other beliefs Buddhism does not take away the right of free will because if it did there is no point of a Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very core of Buddhism is defying the tide and going against it with ones own free will and courage.So clearly Buddhism is not a fatalism because fate has no power over the will of a &quot;One who is in the path&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because no matter what he or she will reach nirvana and karma no matter how powerful it is can't change that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T19:39:00.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11150" CreationDate="2015-11-04T20:16:55.347" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well,you have missed a valuable teaching so let me provide it to you briefly..&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What makes someone  a &quot;Buddhist&quot; ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Buddhist is a one who had accepted Triple gems as his only path and refuge.&#xA;He has absolute confidence in Lord Buddha's words.But this confidence is not  a blind one,He has learnt and applied the teachings to his personal life and understood the truthfulness of them by himself.He follows every word of Lord Buddha because he has seen it by himself that thee is no other path.He understand that his ability to fathom something is far less from a lord Buddha so when he find some things that he has never even dreamed of in &quot;Dhamma&quot; he believes it because of the proofs he had previously about the practicality of Lord Buddha's teachings.He is sure of those things because even if he did not see those amazing things by himself he has his trust in Lord Buddha.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what makes a real Buddhist?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lord Buddha said this about it.....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He should believe in lower and higher realms and about the birth without parents (Basicly the equalants&#xA;of Hell and Heaven)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But please understand this is not a foolish eternal heaven or hell&#xA;like ones in other religions.These words are mostly lost in&#xA;translation to English so checkout these links to learn about lower&#xA;and higher realms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/38_Stories_of_Gods.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Higher Realms&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/37_Stories_of_Ghosts.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lower Realms&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He should believe In Karma&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He should believe that some people are Special,that there are people who&#xA;deserve respect and care from others (Parents,Elderly,monks)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He should have Shraddha (Unshakable trust in lord Triple gems)&#xA;But a&#xA;trust built upon realization,not a one built on faith )&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He should Take the &quot;Triple Gems&quot; as his only refuge&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;This would look a bit rude what i am about to say,but as we are advised in Buddhism a good friend is a one who correct another for his own good.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is the thing my friend,Lord Buddha used to slam some beliefs that existed in his own age,One of which is materialism.So please try to understand if you believe in materialism you are not a part of any form of Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because materialism is against everything Buddhism stands for.Before being a materialist please understand that to explain everything in science is still extremely impossible so how can you believe in a  half-made belief?&#xA;I'm afraid you are going to have to choose between Buddhism and materialism,it is that simple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any question we all are happy to help because as to Buddhism materialists are not bound to a good place in the lives to come.Because they generate an unusual karma (Lord Buddha said that universe expands and shrinks ,so when the time is right the universe as we know it meets it's end but people with views like materialism will have births in planets with such harsh conditions even in this chaos those planets will not be destroyed and without any hope of a comfort they will have to suffer for eons until the new universe is born.).If you have any question regarding this question please ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T20:16:55.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-11-04T20:30:09.963" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fatalism is the error of the ajivika sect of the Buddha's time, which the Buddha unequivocably rejected. That is how we can say that Buddhism is not fatalism. Logically, the reason is that even though our present is conditioned by the unfruited karma of our past, the effective principle of karma is volition or intention, which, being identical with reality (the Absolute), is fundamentally unconditioned and therefore free. The Absolute must be both ignorant and free, because it is (by definition) unconditioned. Primarily ignorant, once it becomes self-reflexive in samsara it becomes self-determining and therefore the cause of future unfruited karmas. This is also the proof of rebirth. Thus the Buddha stated that he knows the past and the present, but the future is indeterminate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T20:30:09.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12408" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-04T20:53:26.977" Score="3" ViewCount="86" Body="&lt;p&gt;During his time, did the Buddha visit the northeast state of India known today as Assam? If so, did he give any discourses there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T16:43:46.490" Title="Did the Buddha visit modern day Assam?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|pali-canon|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12399" CreationDate="2015-11-04T21:00:23.773" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it helps to try to relate things back to the core teachings: suffering, the cause of suffering, the extinction of suffering and the way to achieve that.  So the relevant teaching here as I understand it is not &quot;there is no self&quot; but rather &quot;clinging to a false sense of self causes suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On its face, &quot;there is no self&quot; is patently false, much like the claim that there is no computer program.  There's room here to quibble about language, allowing you to see it one way or the other, but that distracts from the real matter at hand.  Suffering is a visceral thing and getting to its root requires delving into the nitty-gritty viscera of this self-delusion.  Otherwise &quot;there is no self&quot; is just a word game.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastActivityDate="2015-11-04T21:00:23.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12404" CreationDate="2015-11-05T03:46:23.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81-%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassanā-ñāṇa&lt;/a&gt; you can recognise this change perhaps not to the clarity as in the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In p 39 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://host.pariyatti.org/treasures/Process_of_Consciousness_and_Matter.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Process of Conciousness and Matter&lt;/a&gt; by (Aggamahāpaṇḍita) Bhaddanta Dr. Rewata Dhamma (Writen as a supplement to &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;), gives an idea at what rate phenomena arises and passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For personal practice if will be sufficient recognise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arising&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Passing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Change, i.e., what has arisen is what has not arisen before &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my other answer on similar subject matter: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12392/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12392/295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following two articles by Piya Tan might be of interest:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.1-Dhamma-Abhidhamma-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma and Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.3-Radiant-mind.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Radiant Mind&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T03:51:35.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2015-11-05T07:12:51.220" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First please don't use the word magic, magic is a word associated with fiction or not real, the word is already programed in your mind as a impossible act that humans do not posses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The flesh and this dimension have rules and boundaries.The mind that sees its true self as only the spirit can manifest the powers of the spirit into this realm.These forces are only to be used for good and to help others and not to benefit the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a collective conscious of enlightened minds all are sharing the same thought and intention at once these powers are manifested rapidly into this realm.&#xA;So to make sure everyone is sharing the same intension,chanting in sequence is a way of focusing energy but not necessary to manifest our true unlimited powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We all are one but must come back together and reunite, love one another because you love yourself.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T07:12:51.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12352" CreationDate="2015-11-05T07:30:24.620" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let him know that by forfeiting early by self disqualification he will reincarnate again in this realm but have a even harder life.To end his suffering he must endure to the end by helping others get through their trials by being a positive force not a negative force, if we all stay positive the ride will go smooth and the next life and realm will be a precious experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself choose to stay back in the lower harder realms where much suffering and hardship is experienced,helping the weak get through is worth reliving the agony over and over again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastEditorUserId="7211" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T07:42:17.407" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T07:42:17.407" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12314" CreationDate="2015-11-05T07:52:40.827" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Show sympathy for the liar, he is in more trouble than his victims.Sacrifice yourself to him with all the help you can but show no anger show him something he has never seen before hospitality and forgiveness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T07:52:40.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12414" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12415" CreationDate="2015-11-05T11:36:34.210" Score="9" ViewCount="2077" Body="&lt;p&gt;During a meditation I have practiced Metta, as I have learned it, I sent Metta to;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;myself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a good friend&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a &quot;neutral&quot; person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a difficult person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all four of the above equally&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and then gradually the entire universe&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with the thoughts;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;May I be free from enmity/danger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;May I be free from mental suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;May I be free from physical suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;May I take care of myself happily&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometime during the meditation I have also sent my Metta to my deceased father. I had a good feeling about it, but wonder whether a Suta this refers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to know whether this form is OK, and how to deal with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T12:09:00.073" LastActivityDate="2019-07-12T05:44:15.737" Title="Metta for dead father" Tags="|death|parents|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12414" CreationDate="2015-11-05T13:18:08.243" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally you should not do Metta to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lingavisabhāga (opposite sex - generally directed at a specific person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kālakatapuggala (a dead person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See page 81 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/1PAS%2001%20Knowing%20and%20Seeing%204th%20Rev%20Ed%20-%20pamc%20112014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seeing and Knowing&lt;/a&gt; revised edition by Pa Auk Sayadaw (Pa Auk Lineage)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To develop the sublime abiding of loving-kindness (mettà), you need first of all be aware that it should not be developed towards a person of the opposite sex , or a dead person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also page 66 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/allmetta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation&lt;/a&gt; Ven. Sujiva (Mahaisi Lineage) and page 16 &lt;a href=&quot;http://compik.fd.cvut.cz/~mrazek/books/metta_indaka_english.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Matta: The Practice of Loving-Kindness As the Foundation for Insight Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Indaka (Mahasi Sayadaw) also makes the same observation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta: The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love&lt;/a&gt; by Acharya Buddharakkhita (general Theravada) makes the following observation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note that only a living person is to be visualized, not a dead one. The reason for this is that the dead person, having changed form, will be out of the focus of metta-projection. The object of metta always is a living being, and the thought-force will become ineffective if the object is not alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise the what you mention is fine to practice Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;transferring merit to the departed&lt;/a&gt; (if they are in a conducive birth to receive it.) This might be something, quite similar, which you can do instead. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.7-Tirokudda-S-khp7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiro,kutta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also offering to the liberation of ancestors especially your father is highly recommended (one of the &quot;the five uses of wealth&quot; / pañca bhogānam ādiyā) in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/37.12-Patta-Kamma-S-a4.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patta Kamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.1-Adiya-S-a5.41-piya-bk-REV.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ādiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.1-Sigalovada-S-d31-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigāl’ovāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, this using a deceased person as the subject diminishes the result reaped through Metta meditation. If you find any other physiological benefits by remembering your father, then all means do it, though you will not be getting the benefits expected out of Metta meditation. To get the benefits of Metta meditation focus on all living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T08:24:31.983" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12414" CreationDate="2015-11-05T13:30:29.627" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, it is important to reconcile and forgive major issues we had had with our (now deceased) parents. There is a tremendous amount of emotional energy locked in grudges and negative memories. He advised that we imagine our parents standing in front of us, talk to them about our past issues, hug them, say &lt;em&gt;I Understand Why You Did What You Did&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Thank You&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;I Love You&lt;/em&gt; - and then imagine them ascending out of sight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I have special connection with dream yoga, I reconciled with my deceased father in a dream. This works even better, because in dream you can recreate a more complete image and go deeper with your emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T14:12:20.690" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T14:12:20.690" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-11-05T14:33:31.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fatalism means things cannot be changed. However, Buddhism teaches that everything is impermanent which means everything changes all the time. Thus Buddhism is not fatalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T14:33:31.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10081" CreationDate="2015-11-05T15:36:43.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teachings teach that ultimately there is no future OR fate in the future. The future is only an idea that we make up in our heads and the past ultimately doesn't exist as well. Your fate is right now as you read this. It also changes quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T15:36:43.713" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-05T15:36:43.713" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12395" CreationDate="2015-11-05T16:18:10.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chapman, and anyone who wants to talk about Buddhism in the west, has a challenge in that there are way more Buddhist sympathizers and dabblers and serious dabblers than people who are members of an organized group with an official orthodoxy or othopraxy.  So some options are either to dismiss western Buddhists altogether, since they never ordained nor got the three refuges from a monk or send in a membership dues check every year. Or we can invent an abstraction to discuss this heterogenous mass of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own experiences organizing a Buddhist book club, I get a really heterogeneous set of attendees, maybe 75% &quot;new age&quot; enthusiasts and 25% fall into some category of Buddhist using Jan Nattiers taxonomy (import Buddhism, export Buddhism, &quot;baggage&quot; Buddhism, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Jan Nattier's taxonomy, Chapman is talking about the import Buddhists, i.e. those who read about Buddhism at a library, got excited, went to Japan, brought back the elements that spoke to them. As a result you get a sort of  DT Suzuki Buddhism heavily influenced by lines of thought going on in the west.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Chapman describes the decline of Consensus Buddhism &amp;amp; &quot;suppression of alternatives&quot;, I can only guess what he's getting at, but I'll take a stab.  In my personal experience, I started with Zen and Meditation. I've since read a lot about Buddhism and moved on- I'm now more focused on Huayen and Mahayana. I've come to peace with the Bodhisattvas and am enthusiastic about the idea of the Bodhisattva path-- I would not have been enthusiastic about these ideas when I started. When I started, I liked Buddhism because it wasn't a devotional, Christian-God centric religion &amp;amp; the Bodhisattvas sounded like a rehash of the man in the sky with a beard. Instead, I see them as vividly imagined role models.  AFAIK, nothing in the age of enlightenment thinking has anything good to say about vividly imagined role models, so if I didn't expand my mind to allow for an alien thought like Bodhisattvas, then I would have been missing out on a big part of Mahayana.  The enlightenment in the west was all about fighting the Christian Church and it's repression on intellectual thought, so, uh, God help the Pure Land preachers in the US, because they are going to be closed minded about the part that sounds just like Christianity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AFAIK, there are no organized western Buddhist groups that have all features of Consensus Buddhism. Insight Meditation, Shambhala, SGI, Triratna, Thích Nhất Hạnh's organization each have elements of consensus Buddhism, but each has elements of traditional Buddhism, too. Just by my intuition, I'd say that Chapman is not including in Consensus Buddhism the organizations in Asia, which are fully traditional becoming more western, as opposed to the unorganized group of Buddhists and Buddhist sympathizers that are slowing incorporating more of what we used to call traditional Buddhism, &lt;em&gt;albeit on our own terms.&lt;/em&gt; An example would be me incorporating some parts of Tibetan teachings, Shambahala especially, but I'm never going to be sold on the idea of guru veneration and I'm not going to ritually eat beef, at least not on the basis of someones say so. (Just an example, not an invitation to prove me wrong on that point :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T16:18:10.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12420" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12460" CreationDate="2015-11-05T16:37:24.750" Score="25" ViewCount="14923" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been reading about vipassana and mindfulness meditation but so far I haven’t fully understood the differences. Is mindfulness meditation an aspect or a variation of vipassana meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7201" LastEditorUserId="7201" LastEditDate="2015-11-05T18:42:36.883" LastActivityDate="2017-02-04T15:14:42.170" Title="What are the differences between vipassana and mindfulness meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12122" CreationDate="2015-11-05T18:39:36.497" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least based on the Pali Canon and its commentary, devaputta are precisely what you state:  sons of devas with comparable divine powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, the Pali Canon's Samyutta Nikaya's second chapter is entitled, &quot;Devaputta Samyutta,&quot; and collects discourses involving the Buddha (or one of his disciples) engaging with a devaputta.  (You can find free, on-line translations of a few of these discourses at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn2&lt;/a&gt; .)  In his introduction to the Wisdom Publication edition of the Samyutta Nikaya, Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The devaputtas, or 'sons of the devas,' are young devas newly arisen in their respective heavenly planes; devaduhitās, 'daughters of the devas,' are also mentioned in the commentary but none appear in this saṃyutta. The commentary says these beings are reborn spontaneously in the laps of the devas.... [I]t is surprising to find that several of [the devaputta] — or at least their verses — have already appeared in the Devatāsaṃyutta [which is the preceding chapter in which the Buddha engages with adult devas].... This suggests that the dividing line between the two classes of deities is not a hard and fast one, just as the dividing line between an adult and an adolescent is not hard and fast...  (Source: Bodhi, Bhikkhu, 2005-06-10. The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Kindle Locations 1285-1293. Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to note, the referenced commentaries were likely written centuries after the Samyutta Nikaya itself, and thus have significantly less authority.  In addition, I know you expressed particular interest in Mahayana tradition and the Pali Canon is most closely aligned with the Theravadan tradition; nonetheless, this canon provides a basis for understanding much of the Mahayana cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps,&#xA;Larry&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7216" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T18:39:36.497" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12414" CreationDate="2015-11-05T18:51:36.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard multiple teachers say it is okay to use a deceased person as the &quot;benefactor&quot; or &quot;as the person you like or respect&quot;.  If the purpose of Metta is to develop jhana and then profound feelings of loving kindness for all beings, then any benefactor living or deceased that helps you achieve this state should be acceptable.  I'm not aware of any teachings of the Buddha that would forbid this type of practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, do not look at the forbidding of the opposite sex as an absolute prohibition.  For example, many practitioners us their children as objects of metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Pa Auk Sayadaws &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/knowing_and_seeing_rev_ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;instructions&lt;/a&gt; are insightful and generally helpful, many of them are directed towards eastern monks, who usually hold a narrow interpretation of a specific tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7217" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T18:51:36.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2015-11-05T21:36:13.320" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If all humans relize the ultimatos truth, &quot;that all Beings be happy&quot; all human race will go to an end passing less than 200 years. &#xA;All humans produce dopamine but is a litle different to be addicted to This às a drug. Barry komisaruk can explain what are orgasms, non genital orgasms exist naturaly, just google it. While meditating you can gett orgasm and sleping. even if you have your reproductive organs totally inactive you should be atracted to the other may be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7218" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T21:36:13.320" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5765" CreationDate="2015-11-05T22:15:07.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a simple difference between the modern perspective of memory and the Buddhist perspective of memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what is it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the modern understanding the brain is the storage device of the mind (&quot;Mind&quot; being a neurological phenomenon). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to science it is a &quot;As long as a being live&quot; story,so their understanding fits the currently accepted version of scientific truth. Because as to them a creature grows it's brain with age,use it while it is alive and the memories die with the death of the creature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science will no longer proceed to a new theory because they have cemented their version of truth with this &quot;only biological understanding!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what is the less explained Buddhist perspective?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists we do not believe in a &quot;Soul&quot;,Now this brings a lot of riddles on to the table because in any other religion &quot;Soul&quot; is like a &quot;Log Book&quot; so for them it is end of story!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try to find an answer from already existing sources of Buddhism you will see a certain paradox. Which is nothing else but the complete ignoring of the biological side of this story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The double paradoxes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take a look at the Scientific perspective you will see the exact opposite version of this paradox. Which is the complete ignoring of the Mental side of this story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How some people recall past lives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism teaches experiences are collected from the senses and stored in &quot;Vinyana&quot; (We need to translate this as &quot;Memory&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &quot;Vinyana&quot; seems to be the word used for both MIND and MEMORY,like it is a combination of those two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We know different parts of the brain work with different senses of the body.and this spark a lot of neurological activities (I belive this are the &quot;Sith or thoughts&quot;).so for sceince this is only brain activity but to Buddhism this is the mind being created by events,thought and logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple thing you must understand is,The scientific theory of mind is based on how brain works,But Buddhism theory of mind is what fuels the brain activity and how to make it controllable.Because normal chaotic brain activity is not Buddhism way of a perfect mind.This are the &quot;Duel Paradoxes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.godwin-home-page.net/Short-Pieces/Rebirth/Rebirth.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Memories of a Previous Life:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-12661646&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brains of Buddhist monks scanned in meditation study&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.higherperspectives.com/buddhist-monk-displays-unheard-of-brain-activity-while-meditating-1406160226.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;buddhist monk displays unheard of brain activity while meditating&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This Vinyana seems to be quite like a computers memory.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine it this way...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you copy files from your computer to your phone you can still see them working the same way,&#xA;just like the memories of a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism says in the moment of death a beings mind creates a backup copy of itself which will take residence in the next life this creature is about to live.So this is how the information about memories travel.this is not one set of memories traveling it is a copy of the original set of memories from the being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how some are able to recall,it is not explained in Buddhism but if someone do a good karma and wish for it then it will happen,but there is no other way explained in records.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Please refer &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; for more details]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So how does the memory works?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memories are not actually real - &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/373d1m/buddhist_view_of_memories/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;buddhist view of memories&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memories are collected details reconstructed by the brain.So the senses of a body gather data (vibrations,light) and the vinyanas dedicated to those senses create the image or the sound and etc.,this is then collected by the &quot;Mano vinyana&quot; to create thought and logic.These are then stored as memories.As to new discoveries there is a dedicated neurological highway to each and every memory,So what a memory is nothing but a brain's unique and dedicated neurological path.The so called &quot;Vinyana&quot; is the collection of neurological pulses that occur and disappear each millisecond .In the end Science and Buddhism are two parallel subjects with different viewpoints. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidhammainanutshell.blogspot.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Quick lesson in Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions regarding my answer please ask in the comments section below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-05T22:15:07.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12354" CreationDate="2015-11-05T23:39:07.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To throw a monkey wrench into things as I'm wont to do, I'm going to say no.  It's not appropriate to use life issues as an object of meditation.  That's a lie, of course, but there's actually a different way of exploring the relationship between sitting and life issues that might give you a different perspective on your question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a strong relationship between samatha meditation and insight in the Pali canon (and really the whole of Buddhism) that doesn't get much air play in the West anymore.  Not to discount vipassana at all - it is an exceptionally effective method of liberation - but tranquility meditation has a different emphasis.  It approaches our life issues, our obstacles, and our ignorance in a rather unique way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way samatha meditation works is that you sit with some sort of object be it your breath, a sign (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kasina&lt;/a&gt;), or any one of a couple dozen other meditation devices.  It wouldn't be appropriate to use a life issue for this sort of meditation.  What you are trying to do is calm your mind and enter into successive states of concentrated absorption called jhana.  Good luck trying doing that with anger, right?  These states of deep concentration purify the mind, temporarily release you from the five hindrances, and loosen the fetters that ignorance uses to bind your consciousness.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this sort of concentration is no good unless you use it for something.  These absorption are nothing more than spiritual masturbation unless you take advantage of the perspective they provide.  This is where samatha practice asks us to turn our minds back to our life issues and obstacles.  In fact, this is exactly what the Buddha did.  In the Bhayabherava Sutta (MN 4), you'll find the Buddha ascending through the jhanas.  Upon reaching the fourth, he says - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid&#xA;  of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to&#xA;  imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. (MN 4.31)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the purified mind afforded to him by the jhanas, the Buddha was able to directly penetrate into the very things binding him to samsara.  Had he not entered into so deep an absorption, the knowledge he was able to discover would likewise not have been so complete.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of it like Street Fighter.  You've got your light, fast hits that given enough time will eventually fell your opponent.  That's vipassana.  And it works.  What the Buddha did, however, was use one big ol' haymaker of an attack and knocked delusion out with one blow.  That's the power of samatha.  This is an approach that doesn't use life issues as the object of meditation, but uses those issues as grist for insight once a state of absorption has been attained.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Side note - some people will even tell you that jhana or at least access concentration is necessary for vipassana to be effective.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Bonus side note - this is also exactly how koan practice works.  The answer to koans are discovered when you turn a concentrated mind back onto them.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T00:34:43.413" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T00:34:43.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12426" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12474" CreationDate="2015-11-05T23:41:09.557" Score="1" ViewCount="444" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the real human realm,&#xA;Is it Earth or are there many other places / Planets with humans?&#xA;What are the words of Lord Buddha on this topic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am looking for the Theravada perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T09:22:25.503" Title="What is the real &quot;Human Realm&quot;" Tags="|theravada|realms|human|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12427" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-05T23:47:08.980" Score="4" ViewCount="1695" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard something called &quot;Mangala Sakwala&quot;  (The special universe or galaxy where lord Buddhas are born)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a real puzzle for me because does it mean that there are many other worlds like this where the words of lord Buddha will never reach?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If such places exist what causes a being to be born there instead of here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if i die now and get a birth as a human what would cause me to be born here (This galaxy/universe) or there (the unknown galaxy/universe)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exact word ( &quot;parallel universes&quot; ) hasn't being used in Buddhism but if you search you will find stories about Human like or Humanoid creatures who are just like us (Beings in the human realm) but not with the chance to reach Dhamma because Lord Buddhas never born there. I am referring to some Theravada teachings i heard many  years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope someone can help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T21:40:27.320" LastActivityDate="2020-12-01T00:42:14.693" Title="Does Buddhism teach about &quot;Parallel worlds&quot;" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|realms|human|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12428" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-05T23:54:31.623" Score="0" ViewCount="448" Body="&lt;p&gt;Say i am a Differently able person and i cant move my arms so how does my Vinyana work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that part of my &quot;Kaya Vinyana&quot; (The vinyana that works with the body) deactivated or lost contact with the arms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the connection between the Vinyana and a uncontrollable body part like arms or legs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not reffering this question about Blind,Deaf or Mute people only about the people who are not able to use existing and functioning body parts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T21:33:05.723" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T05:55:00.713" Title="Differently able people and their &quot;Vinyana&quot;" Tags="|theravada|mind|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2015-11-06T00:10:58.937" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the thing about Sexual activities....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do not admire it like the western culture,But the eight fold path is not a hammer on your marriage life.You can still have sex but with her only.&#xA;And if you are single there is a set of guidelines established din Buddhism in finding the correct type for sex (Please refer a good source about Five precepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can very well feel anything without getting attached to it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How do i know it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;well arahants still felt the heat,coldness,soft touch of clothes,the comfort of a breezing wind,the beauty of a jungle.But still they had no disturbance from it they even admired the beauty of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the examples you are presenting in your question we can't agree that it can be felt without the addiction to it. Basically the main reason for sex is the attachment that you have for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sex is not a huge deal for a beginner but alcohol is an addiction with no virtual benefit,it is that simple and under n o circumstances can be justified as something a Buddhist would do. You can have some help from meditation to fight the urge to drink and some therapy or rehab would also help.that is something you will have to fight on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember what Lord Buddha said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is an individual's fight against himself,in it he will need good friends,Knowledge of dharma and courage.But he must fight alone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well we are here to help so start with one day without alcohol and let's see what happens from there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T00:10:58.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12395" CreationDate="2015-11-06T00:45:34.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with the previous poster, and would like to add the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind too that Chapman has his own agenda - the advancement of something he calls &quot;Modern Tantra&quot;, which does not really exist but is more of an ideal or goal he would like &quot;Western Buddhism&quot; (which is a problematic concept) to move toward. I'm not sure if Chapman ever clearly defines what Modern Tantra is (in part this is because he seems to be continually refining his idea of it), but he does seem to strongly define it as standing against certain understandings of Buddhism. One of these is what he calls Traditional Buddhism (and which I think Chapman caricatures and unfairly dismisses as irrelevant to American practitioners).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of this consideration, I would say that &quot;Consensus Buddhism&quot; represents those aspects of contemporary American Buddhist organizations that stand in the way of the development of Modern Tantra. It's an abstraction of a set of influences that one can see, in varying degrees, in actually existing Buddhist institutions and groups within the US.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it seems that Chapman either lives or has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area region of California. Having lived there myself at one point, I can say that &lt;em&gt;many&lt;/em&gt; of the Buddhist groups and institutions you find in this part of the world displays signs of the &quot;Consensus Buddhism&quot; he is talking about. So I think it is also a regional issue, to some degree. If you've never belonged to a Buddhist group in Berkeley, CA, you may not have encountered Consensus Buddhism before. It seems like most of the Buddhist institutions you encountered are more along the lines of what Chapman calls &quot;Traditional Buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7220" LastEditorUserId="7220" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T00:52:20.887" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T00:52:20.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12354" CreationDate="2015-11-06T00:47:50.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a highly recommended form of meditation in Buddhism called &quot;Vipasana&quot;&#xA;that is the solution for the question because it concentrate on the events in lie in a Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you are not sitting down in peace every second,You play,work,talk and etc.&#xA;so how do you cope with events as they occur?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution is Mindfulness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are some teachings on meditation that might help with your issue.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just a body with movement (Meditation of posturest full awarness&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;Slaughtered cow (Meditation on elements&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T00:47:50.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-11-06T00:55:10.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only Meditation in which siting is required is the Breathing meditation &quot;Anapanasathi&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other forms of meditation that does not require it.Here are some with the full explanations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Click on the links and Learn&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;   &lt;strong&gt;Slaughtered cow (Meditation on elements&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A bag with an opening at both ends (Meditation of foulness)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just a body with movement (Meditation of posturest full awarness)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Verily my own body, too (Meditation on nine cemetery contemplations)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T01:35:22.350" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T01:35:22.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12420" CreationDate="2015-11-06T01:28:16.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is not just awareness it is a state of mind in which the person is paying full attention to what he or she is witnessing at that moment.This is different from any other normal person's awareness because they are lost in their thoughts and they have the minimum amount of attention to any thing other than what they are thinking now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This meditation can unlock more effective memorizing capabilities for the one who practice it.It literally change the shape of the brain allowing him to reach higher meditational goals.This is only a stepping stone for a someone who practice meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Mindfulness - click to read&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a advanced step which is with more freedom to the practitioner to be creative. Vipassana challenge the normal understanding of the world and looks into a different kind of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everything goes through these stages.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth / Start&#xA;Change&#xA;Decay&#xA;Death / End&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything  can be put in this equation and literally it is a meditation,Vipassana means seeing things as they really are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some example teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;   &lt;strong&gt;A bag with an opening at both ends (Meditation of foulness)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Slaughtered cow (Meditation on elements)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Verily my own body, too (Meditation on nine cemetery contemplations)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T01:28:16.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9723" CreationDate="2015-11-06T01:37:37.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Foundations of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;, essentially vipassana, can be done during any activity, mobile or immobile.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sitting meditation is meant to help stabilize it so that you can do it during activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like when one learns to walk, one first learns while in one place, stumbling, falling, and crawling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one is able to stand up, one can start moving... very slowly... and then fall again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, one will be able to walk normally, run, and even participate in marathons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the same way with vipassana -- which is the truest form of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other forms of meditation such as visualization and mantra, are sometimes compatible with activities and sometimes not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a transparent meditation that can be done with any activity and simulates our true nature, which is always watching and just watching. Thus, vipassana is not &quot;vipassana&quot; but just awareness/mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that being said, although Masters greatly prize the student that can do meditation in the midst of activity, it is certainly challenging to achieve the deepest states of meditation, samadhi, whilst doing novel activities. It is better to start off with any form of immobile meditation and attain stability with that before trying moving meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend the book The Life-Saving Zijiu Method... this method is truly an amazing mix of Buddhism and Taoism made by someone who has a gift of seeing others' chi channels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2017-09-21T16:54:27.900" LastActivityDate="2017-09-21T16:54:27.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12435" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-06T02:39:53.890" Score="6" ViewCount="465" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vedanā is usually translated as &quot;feeling&quot; or &quot;sensation&quot;. In S.N. Goenka's tradition, vedanā is understood as a physical sensation on the body, such as touch, heat, pain, etc. As far as I understand, vedanā does not include other senses, such as taste, smell, sound or sight (even though vedanā may arise as a result of perception of something through these senses). Nor are mental feelings such as anger, hatred or joy classified as vedanā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do I understand it correctly? How is vedanā defined in other traditions? Are there any significant differences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T12:38:57.617" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T15:38:05.633" Title="What is vedanā?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12436" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-06T02:43:36.477" Score="1" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;p&gt;In history many people that lived a life of isolation turned out to write the laws of the universe,great inventors that advanced society forever with ideas and inventions. Others started a spiritual movement for mankind that millions follow I will name just a few are linked to isolation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First look at Albert Einsteins quote on Buddhism- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-the-religion-of-the-future-will-be-a-cosmic-religion-the-religion-which-based-on-experience-albert-einstein-61-69-74.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-the-religion-of-the-future-will-be-a-cosmic-religion-the-religion-which-based-on-experience-albert-einstein-61-69-74.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha-&lt;a href=&quot;http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&amp;amp;section_id=1428&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&amp;amp;section_id=1428&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Jesus Christ-https://thonyc.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/isaac-newton-the-last-lone-genius/&#xA;Albert Einstein-&lt;a href=&quot;http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2007/05/albert-einstein-on-gifted-isolation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2007/05/albert-einstein-on-gifted-isolation.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Nikola Tesla-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-nikola-tesla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-nikola-tesla&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;More-&lt;a href=&quot;http://zenhabits.net/creative-habit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://zenhabits.net/creative-habit/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastEditorUserId="7211" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T15:53:31.500" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T15:53:31.500" Title="Is there a link between Isolation and wisdom?" Tags="|wisdom|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="13" ClosedDate="2015-11-06T03:11:31.690" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12420" CreationDate="2015-11-06T02:47:20.347" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Buddha taught meditation he did not explicitly separate it in different types. If you read Anapanasati Sutta, Satipatthana Sutta, Kimattha Sutta, Cula-suññata Sutta, and any number of suttas mentioning the Jhanas, you will see that the overall progression is to first learn to pacify the mind at will, then learn to gladden the mind at will, then develop deep quiet satisfaction, then deep non-judgmental awareness, then turn the mind to seeing the implications of how things work (impermanence, corelessness, dukkha etc.), and then turn the mind to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earlier stages of this process are referred to as Samatha and the later stages -- as Vipassana (or Shamatha and Vipashyana in Sanskrit).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Because the goal of samatha is to &quot;tame&quot; the mind, samatha is designed to be rather invasive. One target object is picked (a certain physical or a visualized object - depending on the nature of disturbances dominating the practitioner's mind) - and then a one-pointed concentration on that one object is cultivated. This requires mindfulness aka non-distraction: the ability to hold the object of concentration firmly without forgetting what you're supposed to be doing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once the mind gets minimally pliable and you can hold attention on one object for several minutes, you can switch to anapana-sati (mindfulness of breathing) meditation. This is when you use your breathing as a feedback to gauge the state of your mind and calm the mind. This type is what's usually called &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot; in the West. As you cultivate this, you develop a type of concentration that gives you direct access to the overall state of your mind, what used to be largely subconscious. Some people call this vipassana, but in my opinion this is somewhere in the middle between samatha and vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once you learn to calm the mind using the breath as an indicator, you switch to gladdening the mind using specially constructed narratives. Basically, instead of telling yourself a sad story in which &quot;how it is&quot; and &quot;how it supposed to be&quot; mismatch, you tell yourself a joyful story in which &quot;how it is&quot; and &quot;how it supposed to be&quot; match gloriously. As you cultivate this, you learn the functioning of dukkha/sukha in context of Second and Third Noble Truths. These are already first elements of vipassana. At this point the object of your meditation is not as much breathing, as the thoughts in and off themselves - as explained in the Satipatthana Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once you learn to gladden the mind using the narratives, you switch to generating joy/pride directly by consolidating the mind around experience of surety and rightness. At this point the object of your meditation is not as much thoughts, as the mind in-and-of itself - as explained in the Satipatthana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next level is to get over the generation of joy and cultivate the quiet state of satisfaction, grounded in the experience of inherent purity and harmony. There is still a little bit of samatha in this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next level after cultivation of satisfaction is cultivation of pure awareness. Just sit and watch whatever happens inside and outside without making any qualitative assessments of the experiences. Don't go with thoughts, don't go against the thoughts. We could call this 100% mindfulness meditation &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; 100% vipassana. This is the level at which the Heart of Prajnaparamita Sutra should be studied.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next level is pondering the real-life implications of the core Buddhist principles: impermanence, corelessness, dukkha etc. while keeping the level of calmness and concentration achieved on the previous levels. In my opinion, this is no longer mindfulness meditation, but is still 100% vipassana. This is the level at which the Realization happens.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next level is what's known as meditation of non-meditation, or cultivation of non-cultivation: experiencing uncontrived natural mind. This is no longer vipassana nor mindfulness. You go beyond abiding in any station and enter what's known as the Diamond Samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as you can see it is hard to say what is mindfulness and what is vipassana. Most of the time things are not so cut and dry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Tibetan schools prefer to emphasize samatha meditation, and require their students to master a complete one-pointed samadhi-with-seed before proceeding straight to the pondering meditation - something I personally found very frustrating... In this case the watching / tuning one's mind phase is implicitly included in samatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Theravada schools seem to teach very strict vipassana as a watertight attention radically focused on microscopic level of phenomenological experiences. IMHO this is very prone to having some practitioners miss the forest behind the trees...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Zen schools have their students practice all of the above all at once, without separating it into any levels or giving any hints about the method or the goal. The idea is that a capable student will figure out the path by intuition. Not everyone does. You could call this kind of undifferentiated watch-and-figure-out meditation as &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Zen schools (like Thich Nhat Hanh's) actually teach the whole progression step-by-step: calming, gladdening and all -- and call &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This whole Buddhism thing is a mess. People call things however they want. If you understand what is actually going on, like the levels above, you will not be fooled by names anymore and your practice can proceed without confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-07T23:09:10.277" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T23:09:10.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12435" CreationDate="2015-11-06T03:40:31.840" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Out of the many many classifications Goenka's techniques uses the 5 fold classification (physical pleasant, physical painful, mental pleasant, mental painful, equanimous) Bodily Sensation is considered Vedana excluding Metal Sensation (Somanasa / Domanasa) as it is more a form of Kaya and Vedana Passana to start with though later if develops to Citta and Dhammanupassana. Any mental content also gives a sensation which can be felt in the body as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a broader context &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedana&lt;/a&gt; includes any feeling born of contact through any of the 6 sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The same applies to unpleasant (dukkha vedanā) sensation, such as pain; and neutral sensation (adukkhamasukha vedanā), which is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. The words sukha and dukkha refer to bodily feelings. For pleasant or unpleasant mental feelings, the Buddha used somanassa and domanassa. Sukha and dukkha vedanā therefore refer to sensation on the body. Body by itself cannot feel them, and they are felt by a part of the mind; nevertheless the body is the base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta#one&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta - S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T04:20:10.260" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T04:20:10.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12428" CreationDate="2015-11-06T03:48:47.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, Vinyana is always present, but it is the function and sharpness of the faculty that distinguish the different experiences or what is felt through the faculty. In the context of mediation your faculties should be sharp for your the experience the reality as it is, so a person with diminished faculties generally will not be able to progress in Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. if your arm is lost then your limps then you have are not without or diminished Kaya Vinyanaya but due to the fact that a part of the faculty is missing there is not chance that to make contact of even if there is contact I does not register in the case of a blind person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to move is Power or Ability (Irdi) in which our body reacts to our intentions. The function of Vinyanaya is to register any contact which comes through the sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-07T04:30:13.487" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T04:30:13.487" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12440" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12461" CreationDate="2015-11-06T04:12:18.557" Score="8" ViewCount="1361" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard not to think of the Heart Sūtra when reading the Kassaka Sutta (Saŋyutta Nikāya 4:19), part of which runs as below (&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/sn/01_sagv/sn01.04.019.than.ati.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translation&lt;/a&gt;, emphasis added).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any scholarship or commentary on a connection between these two texts, one from the Pali Canon and the other a major Mahayana scripture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Googling -- kassaka heart sutra -- turns up two references -- &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=4kwcPoz5gKEC&amp;amp;pg=PA126&amp;amp;lpg=PA126&amp;amp;dq=kassaka%20heart%20sutra&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=vx9YqOVXw7&amp;amp;sig=L-csA7iBerbaHGVwiDrRBH0tvfk&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CDwQ6AEwBGoVChMI77fG3vT6yAIVxHc-Ch34fAQE#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=kassaka&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.liberationpark.org/study/pdf/heart_sutra_early_bsm.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; -- but I'd say those are more contemporary popular literature than scholarship or traditional commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Mara the Evil One, taking on the form of a farmer with a large&#xA;  plowshare over his shoulder, carrying a long goad stick — his hair&#xA;  disheveled, his clothes made of coarse hemp, his feet splattered with&#xA;  mud — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said, &quot;Hey,&#xA;  contemplative. Have you seen my oxen?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what are your oxen, Evil One?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mine alone is the eye, contemplative. Mine are forms, mine is the&#xA;  sphere of consciousness and contact at the eye. Where can you go to&#xA;  escape me? Mine alone is the ear... the nose... the tongue... the&#xA;  body... Mine alone is the intellect, contemplative. Mine are ideas,&#xA;  mine is the sphere of consciousness and contact at the intellect.&#xA;  Where can you go to escape me?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yours alone is the eye, Evil One. Yours are forms, yours is the&#xA;  sphere of consciousness of contact at the eye. &lt;strong&gt;Where no eye exists, no&#xA;  forms exist, no sphere of consciousness and contact at the eye exists:&#xA;  there, Evil One, you cannot go.&lt;/strong&gt; Yours alone is the ear... the nose...&#xA;  the tongue... the body... Yours alone is the intellect, Evil One.&#xA;  Yours are ideas, yours is the sphere of consciousness and contact at&#xA;  the intellect. &lt;strong&gt;Where no intellect exists, no ideas exist, no sphere of&#xA;  consciousness of contact at the intellect exists: there, Evil One, you&#xA;  cannot go.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAP8KYdtlmQ#t=58s&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a lovely chanting of the relevant section of the Heart Sūtra by Allen Ginsburg, in his own translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2015-11-07T14:15:36.220" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T14:26:08.417" Title="Heart Sūtra root in Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|mahayana|sutras|suttas|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12442" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-06T08:31:13.883" Score="4" ViewCount="2897" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read various mythological and histories about curse where it has destroyed kingdoms and kings. Does curse have that power? If so, how it can be explained in relation to karma? What is Buddhism's view on curse?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="5256" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T16:24:55.347" LastActivityDate="2021-08-08T23:23:11.257" Title="What is Buddhism's view on curse?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3404" CreationDate="2015-11-06T08:54:39.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it isn't possible:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person to indulge in sensual pleasures without sensual passion, without sensual perception, without sensual thinking: That isn't possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary makes it more precise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the Commentary, &quot;indulge in sensual pleasures&quot; here means indulging in sexual intercourse; the Sub-commentary adds that other acts expressing sexual desire — such as hugging and petting — should be included under this phrase as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T08:54:39.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12427" CreationDate="2015-11-06T11:03:57.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I never heard that Buddhism teach about parallel universes. Buddhism teaches only one Human world, which is exists here on earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other worlds (loka dhathu) for gods (dewa) and others. And there are some worlds which are even thousand Buddhas tries at once, can't be reach. 'Aroopa thaala Brahmana' worlds are such worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can not answer your second part as it assumes first part is true and it is not true as per my answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T11:03:57.947" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12446" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-06T11:56:53.250" Score="5" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some meditation techniques used in different branches/traditions/vehicles of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please provide the name of the technique, names of branches/traditions/vehicles that apply this technique, and recommended references that can allow to read more about the technique. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you want to provide information about what is the point or the most distinguishing feature of the technique, please do it in a few sentences and avoid extended discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-06T19:12:27.157" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T19:12:33.457" Title="Meditation techniques used in different branches/traditions of Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|meditation-recommendation|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="9" ClosedDate="2015-11-19T02:00:29.763" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-06T19:28:39.990" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12435" CreationDate="2015-11-06T15:28:00.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, 'vedana' is used to denote the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral aspect of some experience. The term most closely tracks with the English terms 'valence' or 'hedonic tone', rather than normal uses of the term 'feeling.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T15:38:05.633" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T15:38:05.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12442" CreationDate="2015-11-06T19:18:06.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Curse is utterance of hatred to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something. I think the mind is like a double-edged sword. Besides mind precedes everything. The powerful mind could be used for both good and the bad.&#xA;So contrary to popular belief I found the following instance in Vimanavattu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ujjaṅgalaṃ tattamivaṃ kapālaṃ,&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;Anāyasaṃ paralokena tulyaṃ;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;Luddāna­māvāsa­midaṃ purāṇaṃ,&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;Bhūmippadeso abhisattarūpo.&#xA;   &lt;br&gt;&#xA;   &lt;br&gt;KN Vv -10 Serīsaka­vi­mānavat­thu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could not find an &quot;official&quot; English translation online but based of Buddha Jayanthi Edition, translation goes like this;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is only dust and scorching sand. This rough soil is like a scorched iron pot. It is like hell, without any happiness. This place has been haunted by ghosts for a long time. It seems that this land is under a &lt;strong&gt;curse of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rishis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T19:18:06.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12427" CreationDate="2015-11-06T19:33:43.450" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not heard of such a “Parallel world”.&#xA;But to know the definition of a &quot;World&quot; according to the lord Buddha; please study Rohitassa Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear. But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress without reaching the end of the cosmos. Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Rohitassa sutta -AN 4.45 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T19:33:43.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12428" CreationDate="2015-11-06T20:03:33.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no Vinyanaya that &quot;takes care of body&quot;. Kaya Vinyanaya arises as soon as body contacts with something (&lt;em&gt;Kayan patichcha pottabbecha uppajjathi kayavinyanan&lt;/em&gt; - Madupindika Sutta). So if one can feel the body, kaya vinyana arises. Irrespective of its mobility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T20:03:33.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12382" CreationDate="2015-11-06T20:22:05.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is expanded upon in SN 22.102 Aniccasaññā Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how, monks, is the recognition of impermanence developed and&#xA;  cultivated so that it exhausts all passion for sensual pleasure,&#xA;  exhausts all passion for existence, exhausts all ignorance, exhausts&#xA;  and uproots all conceit of ‘I am’? ‘Such is form, such its origin,&#xA;  such its passing away. Such is feeling, such its origin, such its&#xA;  passing away. Such is recognition, such its origin, such its passing&#xA;  away. Such are fabrications, such their origin, such their passing&#xA;  away. Such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T20:22:05.553" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2835" CreationDate="2015-11-06T22:29:11.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First of all we should look at what makes LOVE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Love is in a group of emotions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Affection&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attraction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caring&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Appeal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sex appeal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these emotions have one basis and it is Attachment,&#xA;Without attachment these emotions are Impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So are we incapable of caring for another without attachment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No,&#xA;For example Lord Buddha was very kind to every being and had immense sympathy towards all living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we can have emotions like....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sympathy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kindness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Empathy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These kind of emotions do not need to have an attachment to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what is Pure Love?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love is something that is more like a coin,One side is her appearance the other is her attitude or what we call how she is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So does Pure Love exist?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take a look at the two sides that makes the coin called love!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Physical appearance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His or Her physical appearance is something that has changed over the years which is changing even now and it will continue to change even into the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the change is inevitable,The looks you love will change so much even for you it will be hard to imagine.All the attraction for the looks will fade out slowly in time.And now all you have is the way he or she is to like.Because without any beauty your mind will not be attracted to what it see.And you will adore the memories of the past you had together making an attachment so strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Decay,the true tragedy of life....&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4Bq9G.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4Bq9G.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;**Decay the true tragedy of life**&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The attitude&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are the best example for this, look back and see how your attitude changed over the years.&#xA; From home to school,&#xA;From school to college and from there to work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even you can't memorize it all now can you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People change and that is something i don't have to explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what's the solution?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is OK to have relationships and my friend do not be afraid of having to attach yourself to someone because none of us are free from anything (Only an enlightened or an arahant is free from attachments,everyone else either attach or collide with everything they find)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are even considering someone to date you are allready attached, that is the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism do not go against people having relationships.&#xA;Just remember People change how they look,walk &amp;amp; talk,literally everything changes and you will have to take it all like a man and lie with the understanding who you love and what that person is a forever changing thing and you will have to accept the fact that what you once saw in that person will most likely disappear in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Live with the understanding of things,You will allays have an attachment to him or her but if you are with the understanding that it is only a person who change and you are just like that too and if you understand the fact that one of you might have to say goodbye to the other (Even if you love each other that does not mean death waits for anyone) you will live a happy life and i assure you it will not be a major issue for anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T22:29:11.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12442" CreationDate="2015-11-06T23:45:17.130" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha quite clearly implies that an &quot;act of hate&quot; (i.e, a curse) can destroy forests. It is of course a matter of opinion whether the Buddha &quot;really&quot; believed this, or was simply using it as a didactic device - but that is what the text says. See the Upali Sutta (MN 56).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-11-06T23:45:17.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12420" CreationDate="2015-11-07T06:22:05.827" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana and Mindfulness Meditation is one and the same or two words for the same thing hence there is not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case you mean Samatha and Vipassana in the Suttas there is not big distinction as two different systems of meditation. A  simile Ven. Achan Cha uses is that of a stick. If you lift the stick one end will be higher, lower or and the same level as the other. Similarly if you find Concentration / focus increasing or insight increasing to start with it does not matter and ultimately result in insight. The essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.1-Samatha-and-vipassana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha and Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;, might be of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T06:22:05.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-11-07T06:22:47.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan sadhana practice definitely involves understanding in the sense of doing the visualizations and contemplating the significance of each element. Done properly, with stability, clarity and appropriate prerequisites such as receiving the initiation, hearing a commentary, and studying the text and commentaries, sadhana practice is a profound and effective form of insight meditation. It can also be used to develop shamatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a concept of &lt;em&gt;oral transmission&lt;/em&gt; (Tib. &lt;em&gt;lung&lt;/em&gt;) in Tibetan Buddhadharma. The teacher recites a text in the presence of students and this transmits the blessing of the teacher's lineage for the particular text, thus preparing the hearers to study and practice it on their own. During oral transmission, the student will typically not be practicing even if they know Tibetan, since the recitation is usually rapid and not fully enunciated, in a kind of chant, and it may be the first time they have heard the text. So, oral transmission actually works even if the hearer does not understand Tibetan. Of course, after receiving an oral transmission, a student who does not know Tibetan will need to study and practice the text in translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2015-11-07T12:32:50.177" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T12:32:50.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12382" CreationDate="2015-11-07T15:23:27.013" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i meant the change that happens in milliseconds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the following is what you heard?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada abiddhamma formalizes &quot;an experience&quot; (thought process) in 17 discrete moments (&quot;thought moments&quot;, &lt;em&gt;cittakkhanas&lt;/em&gt;), or 17 &lt;em&gt;cittas&lt;/em&gt;. An example from &lt;em&gt;Abhidhammatha Sangaha&lt;/em&gt; ( Chap. IV - Compendium of the cognitive process):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/f6bhJ.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/f6bhJ.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this is not a presentation on impermanence &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt; (nor it's about physical body) it's is an abbhidhamma topic that attempts to discriminate something in its detail. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear how long such a process or any of it's steps last; some say it's much much less than a millisecond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T15:23:27.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-11-07T15:45:17.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is, as practiced, an in doctrine, do the various Buddhist institutions expect their monks and laity to understand what they chant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesting question: in the time that the mantra was introduced to the people, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To gain a benefit from a mantra though it is not technically necessary because the effect is the vibrations themselves which resonate your body and mind with a certain frequency and allow the bodhisattva/Buddha to help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T15:45:17.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12420" CreationDate="2015-11-07T16:08:46.670" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;For buddhists, mindfulness meditation and &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; are pretty much the same. The pali word for mindfulness is &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; and the main &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; that describes &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; practice is the &lt;strong&gt;sati&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;patthana&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;The four foundations of mindfulness&quot; for one translation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the medical community (many non-buddhists) have stripped down this buddhist meditation into something lighter and called it &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are the same to the extent that both are practices of observation of rise and fall. But while a buddhist would recognize the insight developed in a meditator, the non-buddhist (who does not operate in the framework of buddhism, of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) would likely describe a therapeutic effect -- eg. improved skills and maturity in working with anger within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, while a &quot;&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; meditator&quot; and a &quot;mindfulness meditator&quot; would be contemplating, say, the rise and fall of sensations, the buddhist meditator is committed to liberation and is consciously observing experience to deeper his insight into reality, particularly, into the three marks of existence (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;). The mindfulness meditator, however, might not have such goal or commitment, nor might be aware or accept these three marks to be fundamental truths of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T22:12:35.473" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T22:12:35.473" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12440" CreationDate="2015-11-07T20:08:18.147" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not quite on the topic of Kassaka Sutta, but regarding Heart Sutra roots in Pali Canon, one line of thinking traditionally connects the prajna-paramita genesis with Shrenika the Wanderer, also known as Vacchagotta of Pali Canon. Here I will post a couple of relevant quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1632/43&quot;&gt;Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Also, not of body, nor feelings, nor thoughts, nor volitions,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nor of consciousness, position even a little do not bother him.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus, to all dharmas not getting stuck, not getting caught into traps of abstractions (aniketacari)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Not clinging, he attains awakening of the Lucky Ones.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As venerable Shrenika the wandering beggar,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Realization acquired, without precisely grasping the skandhas,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Just so bodhisattva, intuits real nature of things (dharmas).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And does not seek cessation (nirvritti) but abides in wisdom.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Astasahasrika.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conze's notes&lt;/a&gt; on Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shrenika Vatsagotra was a “Wanderer,” i.e. a non-Buddhist ascetic, whose conversations with the Buddha form one section of the Samyuktägama of the Sarvastivadins. On one occasion (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/translations/sa05.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SA 105&lt;/a&gt;, MN 72, SN 44.8) Shrenika raised the question of the “true self,” which he identified with the Tathagata. The Buddha told him that the Tathagata could not be found in the skandhas, outside the skandhas, or in the absence of the skandhas. In a supreme act of faith Shrenika was willing to accept the Tathagata in spite of the fact that he could not be related to any of the skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 72&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Does Master Gotama have any position at all?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is perception… such are mental fabrications… such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.' Because of this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading out, cessation, renunciation, &amp;amp; relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations, all I-making &amp;amp; mine-making &amp;amp; obsession with conceit — is, through lack of clinging/sustenance, released.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Even so, Vaccha, any physical form [Any feeling... Any perception... Any fabrication... Any consciousness] by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of form [feeling, perception, fabrication, consciousness], Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some thoughts and bibliography on Shrenika can be found in THE BRAHMACĀRIN ŚREṆIKA: EARLY SŪTRA SOURCES OF THE PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ work by M.B. Orsborn (釋慧峰) &lt;a href=&quot;https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4-3ivsK5Q6MNmEyNjhlNWYtNGZkYy00NWFmLWJhNzItZDhlZjI3OTRlMzA5/view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; (I hope the link works). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another work connecting this topic (of skahdhas/conceit/I-making/anatta/non-abiding) with the roots of Prajna-Paramita and Shunyata in early texts, is &quot;The Concept of Emptiness in Pali Literature&quot; by Medawachchiye Dhammajothi Thero. You can download it &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; (scroll down for the Download button). Here is what it says in conclusion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It has been shown that &quot;Anatta&quot; as used in early Suttas, did not merely mean the absence of an individual soul, but meant also the absence of any entity in both compounded (Samkhata/Samskrta) elements as well as in uncompounded (Asamskhata, Asamskrta) elements, that is Nibbana. Thus, it has been clearly shown that Anatta means &quot;emptiness&quot; of everything, including Nibbana (Nirnvana).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A chapter was denoted to the study of various meditational practices recommended in early Buddhism, that lead to the realization of Sunna. Special focus was laid on two suttas namely &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-Sunnata&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Sunnata&lt;/a&gt;, both of the Majjhimanikaya. These while showing that the Buddha emphasized internalization of the understanding of the voidness of everything describes also how this could be done. This chapter will be of interest to those who wish to understand how meditative practice could be utilized to personally experience the voidness of all phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Cula-Sunnata Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception — attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from SA 926, which explains Shrenika's meditation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He meditates not leaning on Earth, Water, Fire, Air, the place of&#xA;  Infinity of Space, the place of the Infinity of Consciousness, the&#xA;  place of Nothingness, the place of Neither-Perception-nor-non-Perception;&#xA;  he meditates not leaning on this world, the world hereafter, the sun or moon, on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, obtained, sought after, followed&#xA;  after by mind, without leaning on them he meditates, because he has un-done the notion of Earth, Water... etc. -- he meditates not leaning on anything at all (na sarvam sarvam iti nisritya dhyayati).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Cula-Sunnata Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He discerns that '[Even] This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated &amp;amp; mentally fashioned.' And he discerns that 'Whatever is fabricated &amp;amp; mentally fashioned is inconstant &amp;amp; subject to cessation.' For him — thus knowing, thus seeing — the mind is released from the effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Maha-nidana Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the extent to which there is birth, aging, death, passing away, and re-arising. This is the extent to which there are means of designation, expression, and delineation. This is the extent to which the sphere of discernment extends, the extent to which the cycle revolves for the manifesting of this world — i.e., name-and-form together with consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves: Having directly known that, the monk is released. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T02:14:11.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7820" CreationDate="2015-11-07T22:18:37.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have asked about the Theravada view so i am going to answer that part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana has had the influence of eastern asian countries and therefore talk about things like Curses,Fortune etc. The issue here is that Theravada Buddhism does not believe in such things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada view  depends more on actions and their effect and does not give such significance to great ones like &quot;Bodhisattvas&quot; because it focus its respect on the triple gems.Great ones like &quot;Bodhisattvas&quot; are only mentioned and not much is being talked about them in daily Buddhist life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what is admired the most....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada actual understanding is strongly advised to the public and to monks.but some people recite without knowing the meaning in hopes of using &quot;suttas&quot; For protection.But as i have heard many times even though it might create less powerful good karma when reciting without knowing the meaning it is still effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I would like to tell you the story of &quot;Manduka deva putta&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a man heard lord Buddha advising some people and he went to join them.This man was a Shepard and he had a stick with him.So he went there and found a vacant place and started listening.He did not sit down,he was standing up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was exited about what he was learning and payed no attention to anything else.what he did not noticed was that there was a frog right next to his stick.As he was standing he used his stick to support his weight and the frog was caught among the stick and the ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The frog was listing to the voice of lord Buddha and it was paying no attention to anything either.So when the frog was caught it had no chance to escape and it died on the spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It died and opened eyes again what it saw was the &quot;Deva realm&quot; and it was not a frog anymore he was a &quot;Deva&quot;.Quickly he memorized what happened and came to see lord Buddha and said what happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is  a good example about not knowing the meaning and still having good results from dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is clear not knowing does not make it powerless put it would be better if you know the meaning because it would help you understand and remember Dhamma better and it would gain you some good and powerful karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T22:18:37.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5541" CreationDate="2015-11-07T22:48:14.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha has advised his follower to use suttas.Because suttas are nothing but the word of lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are some suttas that has more uses for someone who chants them.&#xA;For example suttas like&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Karaniya meththa sutta&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Atanataya sutta*&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karaniya meththa sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta contains teachings and advises that are completely equal to what Buddhists practice in &quot;Meththa meditation&quot; so when chanting it essentially becomes the meththa meditation.So this is the power of it that brings security to the practitioner.This was a sutta adviced by Lord Buddha to be practiced by all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddhism does not believe in magic.We only believe in completely logical things.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Atanataya sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta on the other hand had a different beginning,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day the 4 God kings visited lord Buddha with their armies and said this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;We see  that good ones who practice Great Lord Buddha's teachings have no protection from evil beings so we thought we should provide them with some protection.Great Lord Buddha please accept this and teach your good followers&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they said the Atanataya sutta for the first time and Lord Buddha listened to it and accepted it.It was then taught to monks for protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This sutta contains two parts&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prasing the Lord Buddhas who were present in this era&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mentioning the punishments for evil beings if they do any harm to a&#xA;Buddhist.*&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First part&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;These are genuine praisings for the Great Lord Buddhas who existed in this era (Kalpa) and advises for intelligent beings to become followers of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second part&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As all these evil beings are under the command of the 4 god kings these are actually orders from their kings to not to harm Buddhists,and the warnings of possible punishments if they go against the orders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can give you many examples and they all end with a perfectly logical meaning.So the truth is chanting does not bring magic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Learn suttas with meanings - Click and learn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Try learning about the meaning of suttas then you will see that they are not magic.And it is the right way to use suttas, because reciting with meaning can bring you to better understanding and it gains you very good and powerful karma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-07T22:48:14.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12464" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-07T22:56:35.733" Score="5" ViewCount="3930" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone provide a comprehensive explanation, on what the four great elements are and how they work and exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also have a special interest about the &lt;em&gt;&quot;mobility-element&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, in the four great elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am interested in Theravada teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T09:08:21.100" LastActivityDate="2021-03-18T09:09:31.840" Title="What are The Four Great Elements?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2015-11-08T00:07:28.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The command was the color &lt;em&gt;Kasava&lt;/em&gt;--that means dirty or stained brown. No other color allowed. But the patches and dyes varied, so the Buddha approved the MINOR variations of brown. The idea behind the color is that this is the color of mourning. The entire tricivara is based on ancient Hindu widow's weeds. No one ever answers THIS question correctly. Clerics today should all be wearing a uniform Brown, rather dark brown, end of story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7223" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T00:07:28.897" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12464" CreationDate="2015-11-08T04:28:09.107" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 4 elements are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pruṭhavī-dhātu - solidity or attraction. This holds something together. You feel this as tightness, pressure in the body.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āpa-dhātu - liquidity or relative motion. See below.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teja-dhātu - heat or energy. Body temperature, vibrations in the body you feel in meditation. Difference of temperature in and out meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vāyu-dhātu - expansion or repulsive forces. You feel this as pulsation or expansion and contraction in the body or flow of respiration, rumbling gasses in the belly and passing of wind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mobility element is liquidity like liquidly nature in the nose, saliva, urine, sweat. You can look at the flowing nature of these elements in mediation. Though solidity, heat, air element can be experienced through the body liquidity can be experienced or constructed through the mind only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly, the experience of the 3 elements (earth, heat, air) are happen through Body - Conciousness accompanied by either Pain, Pleasure, or Neutral Sensation and liquidity (motion) through the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some translators translate Air Element (vāyu-dhātu) as motion element. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.2b-Matter-and-moments-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Matter and Moments&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2fcUgOSQrI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Matter &amp;amp; moments and feeling 1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.2a-Khandha-1-Rupa-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rupa (Form)&lt;/a&gt;, Lectures on Rupa &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9pfOJ8J-Fc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1a&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5KxZMczIT8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1b&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWC-vvEh0iQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1c&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6rFZRt3Oxo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1d&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c92XRlbf6FA&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2a&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJrAvTT844E&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2b&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2SihnI7b1A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2c&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqBUAFL3e9c&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2d&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan for more academic analysis of the Elements. Wikipedia entry on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T17:09:15.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12464" CreationDate="2015-11-08T07:20:38.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt;, which also says how they're used, and which references a dozen suttas in which they're &quot;described in detail&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the first three of these suttas on Access to Insight, the (translated/English) term used in the sutta is &quot;elements&quot;, &quot;properties&quot;, and/or &quot;primaries&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four &quot;primary&quot; elements in the suttas. The Abhidhamma (which is later Theravada) further analyses &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; into &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa#Derived_matter&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;secondary or derived (&lt;em&gt;upādā&lt;/em&gt;) matter&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're supposed to understand these elements (this analysis) as something you perceive -- for example you may perceive the &quot;hardness&quot; of an object -- it's in that sense that you might say that for example an object &quot;is hard&quot; or perhaps &quot;is composed of hardness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's often used in a context where the &quot;object&quot; being considered is your own body. I was wondering why they don't seem to relate to eye-consciousness but perhaps the explanation for that is that you don't typically see your own guts, for example, but you feel them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; Wikipedia says, &quot;In general, &lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt; is the Buddhist concept of material form, including &lt;strong&gt;both the body and external matter&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; -- however &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#The_Twelve-fold_Chain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; it says, &quot;&quot;Form&quot; (material) are the constituents &lt;strong&gt;of the body&lt;/strong&gt; (made of solids, liquids, gasses...)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that purpose of the analysis is that suffering results from craving which results from perception which results from form ... so by understanding (and thus, I suppose, becoming disenchanted with) form we can hope to stop pursuing that chain whose result is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T08:14:11.223" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T08:14:11.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12468" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-08T10:10:13.293" Score="6" ViewCount="1441" Body="&lt;p&gt;Humans or most of the organisms in this world can perceive three dimensions. Does buddhism explain about dimensions? If so how many are there? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2494" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T15:00:11.507" Title="How many dimensions are there according to Buddhism?" Tags="|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12468" CreationDate="2015-11-08T10:55:13.340" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mention &quot;the six directions&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that time a young householder named Sigalaka arose early and set out from Rajagaha with freshly washed clothes and hair.[3] With palms together held up in reverence,[4] he was paying respect towards &lt;strong&gt;the six directions&lt;/strong&gt;:[5] that is &lt;strong&gt;east, south, west, north, lower and upper&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take that to imply &lt;em&gt;three&lt;/em&gt; dimensions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not explicitly about dimensions but it casually implies in passing that there are three dimensions (perhaps as if it's the kind of thing that everyone knows and doesn't need explaining).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern maths (since the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-dimensional_space#History&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;late 18th century&lt;/a&gt;) has described &quot;time&quot; as a kind of dimension. Buddhist texts imply that time, too, can be perceived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T10:55:13.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-11-08T11:09:06.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is possible to know everything in universe by meditating. Our mind has many un-explored powers. The kind of visualization that we generate during our dreams while asleep is a demonstration of this. Ofcourse,  that happens unintentionally but it is my firm belief that we can visualize anything intentionally by meditating on it. In the starting it would feel like we would be thinking of the topic of interest (black holes in this case) by LOGIC based on whatever we know of it but as we keep continuing our meditation on that subject, we will eventually reach a state of thoughtlessness. The first level of transformation which Buddha says will be that we will forget about our own body but still have a feeling that &quot;I&quot; am meditating of the &quot;Subject&quot;. The second level of transformation which Buddha says will be that &quot;Subject&quot; is being observed. The third level of transformation will be that &quot;I&quot; am &quot;Subject&quot;. I think when we reach to the third level, all the knowledge of the &quot;Subject&quot; will transfer to our mind and we will magically know everything about something alien like black holes. Hindu mythology gives a lot of examples that our &quot;Rishis&quot; knew about Astrology, electricity, magnetism just by meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is the only way to know the truth behind all science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7225" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T11:09:06.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12468" CreationDate="2015-11-08T14:26:51.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Space (Akasa Pannattis) and time (Kala Pannattis) are a conceptual or perception based construct (Pannattis).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the population can perceive in 3D: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereopsis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stereopsis&lt;/a&gt;. There are some who cannot perceive in 3D: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereoblindness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stereoblindness&lt;/a&gt;. So the dimensionality differs from person to person or how you perceive it. Buddhism looks at the world through the experience of a being than a generalised truth independent of a observer and his experience of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankalibrary.com/Bud/time.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Time and space: The Abhidhamma perspective, Professor K. N. Jayatilleke Memorial Lecture 2003 by Y. Karunadasa.&lt;/a&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.org/dhamma_theory_philosophical_corn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa which discusses Pannattis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T15:00:11.507" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T15:00:11.507" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12472" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-08T16:42:25.320" Score="2" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 4 elements are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;pruṭhavī-dhātu - solidity or attraction. This holds something together. You feel this as tightness, pressure in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;āpa-dhātu - liquidity or relative motion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;teja-dhātu - heat or energy. Body temperature, vibrations in the body you feel in meditation. Difference of temperature in and out meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;vāyu-dhātu - expansion or repulsive forces. You feel this as pulsation or expansion and contraction in the body or flow of respiration, rumbling gasses in the belly and passing of wind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So can we expand our knowledge about &quot;Four great elements&quot; in Buddhism using the knowledge that we have already understood by other means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T14:47:06.590" Title="What is the modern understanding about Four Great Elements and Reality?" Tags="|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12472" CreationDate="2015-11-08T16:42:25.320" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prologue&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we all are aware Lord Buddha used a certain method when teaching Dhamma to the common man,and that was breaking things down in a way that particular person will understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the teachings were very dynamic bit stayed true to the core.Lord Buddha used this style of teaching because people had different levels of intelligence and potential when it comes to understanding complex teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Lord Buddha found people with very low intelligence much simpler methods were used to teach dhamma.But with people who had great potential much complex teachings were used according to their character and potential.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an effort to deliver more in depth understanding to our audience with far more sophisticated understanding about the world compared to the innocent people in Lord Buddha's time....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also like to add that these are results of years of experiments by many groups and a commonly shared perspective among huge groups who try to draw better understanding of complex teachings of Buddhism through science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But none of below statements include any conclusions from Suttas,Teachings from monks or any other source.These are purely facts based on scientific experiments and logical reasoning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any comments are welcome as this is truly a new chapter of our understanding, And i advice readers to use their reasoning to conclude their own views of this.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The shocker....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we all know Lord Buddha's ingredients of everything is quite different from what we learn in science.Science talk about how chemical elements make everything and Lord Buddha talk about four elements creating everything.This is quite puzzling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So i did my research on this topic to find why this difference exist.And i was quite interested to know about the paradox that these &quot;Four elements&quot; make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean,&#xA;i am solid,i have fluidity in me,i have air in me and i have emptiness in me.&#xA;But this is what my body has,as i have learned it is made of cells and if i devide cells i end up with chemical elements that make my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So my intention was to learn why lord Buddha said that everything including my body is made of &quot;Four great elements&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And i found some amazing proof to back up Buddhism in a totally different field. In Quantum physics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend watching these two videos for better and easier understanding.(Each video is 10 minutes so you will have to spend 20 minutes.I guarantee you it is worth it and you will have never before understanding about everything.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj_i7YqDwJA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where Science and Buddhism Meet - part 1 (video)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlmrHMBW36w&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where Science and Buddhism Meet - part 2 (video)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Turns out reality is not truly what it feels like.As too quantum physics there is no such thing called a solid object,But there is the &lt;strong&gt;&quot;State of solidness&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me explain....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometime before science thought everything is real but one day everything changed by a single experiment giving birth to a new kind of Physics! It was called the &lt;strong&gt;Double Slit Experiment.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Double Slit Experiment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Double-slit experiment - Wikipedia&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What science found was that reality does not actually exist but it comes to existence only when we observe it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gizmag.com/quantum-theory-reality-anu/37866/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Experiment suggests that reality doesn't exist until it is observed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sciencealert.com/reality-doesn-t-exist-until-we-measure-it-quantum-experiment-confirms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reality doesn't exist until we measure it&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as to Quantum physics reality is not just an illusion of mind it is also acting in a way that is impossible to measure.As it turns out when we are not observing reality is acting in its own way but when we try to measure it or observe it reality start to function the way we know it. &#xA;(read the links above for better understanding [Reality doesn't exist until we measure it])&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Quantum physics has discovered not only reality is only the way we observe it,reality is also a deeper illusion.For example when you touch something (Sparsha- as mentioned in Buddhism) what happens is two field repelling each other like two magnets would and your mind (Kaaya vinyana) picking it up as a touch. In fact as to Quantum physics no one has ever really touched anything,even the chair you are sitting on is not touching you you are actually hovering above it in a atomic level.(watch the videos above to learn better)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the dark horse of science &quot;Quantum physics&quot; has finally proved Lord Buddha's sayings &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is only Emptiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no soul or a person &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Everything is made of &quot;Four Great Elements&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I request you all to take your time and read this answer fully with all the links given,and i guarantee you when you stand up from that chair after reading this you will be a different man forever.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you all!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Namo Buddhaya!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T16:42:25.320" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12426" CreationDate="2015-11-08T17:48:11.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original home of human beings according to the Pali Canon is the Abhassara realm, lit. &quot;from whose bodies are emitted rays like lightning.&quot; This is the top realm of three, next above the Brahma world, in the Form world of the devas (lit. &quot;shining beings&quot;), corresponding to the second jhana of meditative attainment. As a result of their increasing infatuation with sensuous pleasure, at least some of the residents of this realm &quot;fell&quot; into rebirth in the earthly realm, the manusyaloka. Since this degeneration was gradual, it implies that there are many &quot;vibratory&quot; or energetic levels of human beings in our universe, ranging from animal-like human beings with short life spans (the texts mention a minimum of 10 years) to glorious deva-like beings with long life spans and great wisdom and power (the texts say 80,000 or 84,000 years, which probably symbolize an unknown but large number; 84 is a Buddhist symbolic number representing totality). The latter correspond to extra-terrestrial civilizations and perhaps trans-dimensional beings as well. The shortest-lived non-human primate has a lifespan of 8 years (including the greater dwarf lemur, purple faced leaf monkey, bare faced tamarin, and western tarsier). This implies that primates are the degenerated remnants of human beings, rather than the reverse. Since this appears to contradict the evidence for evolution, one might speculate that human evolution was triggered by some sort of intervention, but this is going beyond my knowledge of the Pali Canon. The longest-lived human beings are genderless and do not have physical bodies, but appear rather as luminous beings who fly through the air including, presumably, interstellar space. Such &quot;luminous bisexual spheres&quot; are also mentioned by Plato. The comparison with UFOs, the physical existence of which cannot be denied (see Dr. Jacques Vallee, Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Dr. John Mack, Dr. Karla Turner, John Keel, and others), is unavoidable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T21:02:06.607" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T21:02:06.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12475" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-08T17:52:59.950" Score="2" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;We as Buddhists consider &quot;Dhamma / Dharma&quot; to be holy.But do we know the reasons that make it holy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T20:45:37.863" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T20:45:37.863" Title="What makes &quot;Dhamma&quot; worthy of worship?" Tags="|dharmas|dhammas|translation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12475" CreationDate="2015-11-08T17:52:59.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha advised a form of meditation and worshiping that focus on the holiness of Dhamma / Dharma.  It is called &quot;Dhamma Anussathii&quot;.These are the reasons that makes Dhamma / Dharma holy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Dhamma Anussathii&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Swakkhatha&lt;/strong&gt; - Lord Buddha taught Buddhism inn the best way/ in the best manner                      possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma/Teachings of Lord Buddha has been presented by Lord Buddha in the best manner possible and therefore can't be explained in any better way above lord Buddha's teachings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sandhittika&lt;/strong&gt; - Dhamma/Dharma can be realized in this life itself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma is not incapable,anyone can understand and realize it in this life and therefore there is no need to postpone the path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Akalika&lt;/strong&gt; - Dhamma/Dharma can be understood and realized in any time.  In present and in future.Just like how the great ones did in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma/Dharma is timeless,  so there is no need to modify,upgrade or modernize it.Just like the past it is still equally effective today and in future.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ehipassika&lt;/strong&gt; - Dhamma/Dharma has no secrets or hidden paths/teachings,  Therefore anyone can be invited in to come and see for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma/Dharma itself is fully open and contains no hidden paths or teachings.As Dhamma/Dharma contains no secret there is nothing to mask or hide.So anyone can enter and learn or inspect Dhamma/Dharma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opanaika&lt;/strong&gt; - Dhamma/Dharma can only be understood from the inside,by yourself.Thw ewalization can't be given,one must find it within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No one can give you the realization or nirvana you must find it yourself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pachchaththan wedithabbo vinyohithi&lt;/strong&gt; - Dhamma/Dharma must be understood by wise ones in their own capacity or potential&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Only the wise will understand Dhamma/Dharma in their own capacity.The ones who are not wise may not.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T17:52:59.950" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12477" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12479" CreationDate="2015-11-08T17:55:46.627" Score="4" ViewCount="1195" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am currently following a vipassana retreat at Panditarama Lumbini (where you are asked to notice the rise and fallings of the abdomen). The first 5 days were OK (even if I maybe was pushing too much with crossing the legs, hurting for one hour periods) but I have a problem since two days ago (even if I stooped pushing hard crossing my legs): When I sit down for meditation, my blood flow increases so that I can feel it everywhere on my body including head and abdomen, to the point that I feel both the breath and the blood flow when putting the hand over my abdomen. Also, I started salivating a lot (only when I sit down for meditation). Also after only one or two minutes of starting the meditation, my breathing speeds up (instead of speed down as usual).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had this problem already for two days now. What can be the real problem and how to solve it? &#xA;Shall I stop the retreat? &#xA;(I feel that stopping now the retreat without having experienced a nice insight would be a bad idea because I probably wouldn't retry the retreat never again)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7228" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T18:21:23.740" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T18:36:27.323" Title="Strong blood flow when meditating" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-breath|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5398" CreationDate="2015-11-08T18:02:49.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness Buddhist practice is about what is in your experience and what is in harmony with your experiential reality as it is in the present moment. Experiencing reality like this as much as possible, through all the sense doors, moment by moment, with good morality and concentration,  will soon turn mundane awareness of reality into something supermundane, something  like experiencing the center of a blackhole but even more useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T18:02:49.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12477" CreationDate="2015-11-08T18:19:12.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my teacher, increased salivation is a good sign. This means your mindfulness of body and of feelings is recovering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Increased sensation of blood flow is alright as long as it does not cause a headache. A headache would mean you are trying too hard and fighting with yourself. If that were the case then you would want to either chill down a little or take a break.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing speed up soon after sitting means you're no longer blocking it. Allow yourself to make a lot of noise, don't try to be quiet or calm down too soon. Let your breathing by very noisy until it calms down by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall it sounds like you are making good progress, just keep going, don't fight yourself and go with your intuition. If I were you I would not stop the retreat now. Just don't generate expectation to get some external insight. The insight is the elephant in the room you can access through being aware of all experiences, esp. ones that you habitually push outside your attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While abdomen is the anchor that keeps you from flying away, it does not mean you should block other inner experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-08T18:36:27.323" LastActivityDate="2015-11-08T18:36:27.323" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12480" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-09T00:25:09.623" Score="5" ViewCount="1098" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all have done bad karma,so if something is bugging my mind constantly &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Like killing some mosquito)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what is the solution for me,what can i do to overcome it/or to forget it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T08:21:02.007" Title="What is the best way to forget bad choices in the past?" Tags="|karma|mind|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-09T01:43:54.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have a mental reaction (remorse) which leads to more though proliferation (Papancha). So what ever through that comes be equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have equanimity this becomes a Rootless Conciousness while if you do react or have reaction then this becomes otherwise creating future Fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T01:43:54.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-09T01:46:01.690" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;Short answer is, you should not forget bad choices. You should learn from bad choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kukucca&lt;/strong&gt; is characterized by regret. It's function is to grieve about what has or what has not been done. It manifests as remorse. It should be regarded as&#xA;  slavery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--from Visuddhimagga XIV, 174&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama was working with an American psychiatrist who was interviewing him for a book on happiness. The subject of remorse was broached: His Holiness explained that one time an elderly Buddhist man came to see him to ask for instructions on how to do a very difficult Yoga pose. The Dalai Lama told the man that he was too old and should not attempt the pose as it would be too dangerous. The old man thanked the Dalai Lama, went home and killed himself so he could be reincarnated as a younger, healthier man who could attempt the pose. After hearing the news, the Dalai lama was overcome with guilt at being the reason for another man’s death.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So how did you deal with that?” asked the interviewer. “How did you get rid of the remorse.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama sat there in silence for a minute or two, thinking hard about the question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I didn’t get rid of it” the Dalai Lama explained. “It’s still with me every day. &lt;strong&gt;I just continue to live with my heart open.&lt;/strong&gt;”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- from &lt;a href=&quot;http://toryshulman.com/how-to-live-with-remorse-efficiently&quot;&gt;http://toryshulman.com/how-to-live-with-remorse-efficiently&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what does it mean, &quot;to live with one's heart open&quot;? It means to see it like so: &quot;What was done in the past cannot be changed. Thinking about it will not help me undo it. Now I have learned my lesson and will not make exactly the same mistake. I don't know what will happen in the future, but if similar situation comes up, or even a completely different situation -- I will do my best!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T01:52:01.293" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T01:52:01.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12475" CreationDate="2015-11-09T01:58:01.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In India there are many practices aimed towards liberation from the satisfactoriness of Dhamma. Hence the Buddha used this model where the Dhamma is revered and forms a &quot;religion&quot; like institution around it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, if the teaching is not revered people will not learn it and practice it. Also it will not attract others. It is very rarely you get to know that the reality is in the form of a teaching hence you should have respect to the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the reverence to the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddha has asked to treat the Teaching like a Boat to get to the other shore and not carry it with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T01:58:01.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12475" CreationDate="2015-11-09T02:43:10.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma is the legendary founder of Zen in China. He is said to have arrived in China about 520 CE. (Buddhism had by then been known in China for about 400 years.) He was soon summoned to the emperor, who had questions for him.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have endowed hundreds of temples and monasteries, and endorsed the ordination of thousands of monks and nuns; what is my merit?&quot; -- the emperor asked. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma, usually depicted as a scowling, hooded, bearded figure, shot back: &quot;There is no merit.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What then is the main principle of the Holy Teaching?&quot; the emperor asked.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Open, empty, nothing holy!&quot; (廓然無聖) replied Bodhidharma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T03:12:44.377" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T03:12:44.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1353" CreationDate="2015-11-09T02:58:05.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being content in Buddhism is when you get some experience which you evaluate and pleasant, unpleasant or neutral you do not further react this. You maintain equanimity of your mind being aware of the arising and passing of sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are mindful of your body you will see that there are various sensations. Some times movement is prompted to get rid of sensation which might be due to staying in one position, or get rid of itching sensation, etc. This is as you mentioned to get rid of unsatisfactory in many cases. Some actions are triggered by habits, hence not necessarily to get rid of the unsatisfactoryness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T02:58:05.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12472" CreationDate="2015-11-09T03:14:40.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Modern Understating&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are infinite number of Buddhas in the past (though only few are recorded), and they preached the same Dhamma. With respect to Science this is always in constant evolution in terms of the understanding and body of knowledge. Though Science generally may not refute Buddhism drawing parallels may not be useful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Understanding the 4 Elements&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding of the 4 elements should be at the experiential level or at the level that is felt. Conceptual understanding falls into the sphere of Perception, through this is also essential, but as stepping stone to the next item which is putting into practice with a view to experience it for one self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T03:14:40.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8916" CreationDate="2015-11-09T07:49:12.203" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We cannot come up with a logical answer to explain this occurrence without conducting a medical exam while this occurs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But my theory is you are in such a deep meditation trance your heart beat has slowed down to the point your brain is not getting enough oxygen due to low blood circulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can master this without fainting you would not have to eat or drink for longer periods.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T07:49:12.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="27" CreationDate="2015-11-09T11:13:29.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Space (Akasa Pannattis) and time (Kala Pannattis) are a conceptual or perception based construct (Pannattis). Since the notion of time is a perpetual construct this is not what is called an Ultimate Truth. The passage of time is perceived by an observer thought his experience of the &quot;world&quot;. We perceive a difference on when one experience happened vs another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankalibrary.com/Bud/time.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Time and space: The Abhidhamma perspective, Professor K. N. Jayatilleke Memorial Lecture 2003 by Y. Karunadasa.&lt;/a&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.org/dhamma_theory_philosophical_corn.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa which discusses Pannattis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T12:03:24.340" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T12:03:24.340" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-09T11:14:32.437" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you remember something, note it as remembering, remembering, remembering... until it stops. If you remember something and have already become upset or sad, note it as sad, sad sad... until the sadness goes away. Simply observe the 3 characteristics of regret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T11:14:32.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="27" CreationDate="2015-11-09T11:42:00.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, how is it possible that we have a sense of the flow of time? How do we know that there was a past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to my experience (not according to doctrine), I have a sense of time in the following ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes (i.e. at some present moments) I am imperfectly remembering something from the past (a feeling, a person, a place); i.e. I'm presently conscious of a memory or imprint &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes (i.e. at some present moments) I am planning (trying to foresee) a future action or experience, e.g. &quot;I will plan to change my regular routine in order to go to a lesson next Thursday evening because I want to repeat a previous/learned experience i.e. that I successfully went to a previous lesson on the previous Thursday&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I label time (a clock for the time of day, a calendar for the day of week) and therefore notice that the 'current time' changes; for example I'm writing this in the day-time, but as I was writing it the thought occurred to me &quot;although it is visibly day-time now (I see day-light) there is such a thing as night-time, when it's dark and when in the past I was outside and saw the nighttime sky with stars and moon&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes I see things which are in motion (e.g. a person walking or a plant blowing in the wind); my sense of sight is trained to perceive motion; and my mind has been trained to associate motion with time (a change in location over time)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motion of objects (something which was in one location and is now in another location), and counting period cycles (e.g. planet's orbit, the motion of a pendulum, the ability to count ocean waves on the shore, or to count breaths, or to count foot-steps) is I think more-or-less the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;definition of 'time'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T11:52:34.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12492" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-09T13:15:20.163" Score="2" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a student of art and I am studying on Buddhist art .In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaja_Caves&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vihara of Bhaja&lt;/a&gt;  there is a decorated wall with two important gods of Hindusim, namely Surya and Indra. It refers to the Shunga period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why they have used images from Hindu gods?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why would they have made this kind of art at all?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought that Buddha was against Hindu gods, and that people should follow him because Buddha advised that people should rely on themselves and not on the gods!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WBVWs.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WBVWs.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7231" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T22:12:52.910" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:21:16.447" Title="Why is there Hindu gods in this decorated wall in the Vihara of Bhaja" Tags="|art|iconography|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8916" CreationDate="2015-11-09T14:25:19.787" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When practicing Vipassana, there are three factors you will play with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Introspection (or 'alertness' or 'vigilance' depending on the translation).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laxity (sloth, torpor) and excitement are the main adverse conditions to the mind abiding on an object continuously.  There are things you can do, before and in between meditation sessions, to prevent laxity from arising; and there are antidotes to apply, during the meditation session, when laxity arises. But first, you must study well enough so as to be able to identify the arising of laxity whenever it arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;MEASURE OF LAXITY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laxity is due to (1) the mind being overly withdrawn inward and (2) the mode of apprehension of the object being slack, loose. The occurrence of gross laxity results in a lack of clarity in your apprehension of the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While lethargy is characterized by confusion, heaviness, darkness, sleepiness... is of the type of an affliction... and occurs even outside the meditation session, laxity only occurs within meditation session, is not heaviness, but a lack of clarity. In the Middle-Length Lam Rim, Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lethargy is said to be a heaviness, an unserviceability of the body&#xA;  and the mind that forms part of delusion. With laxity, the mode of&#xA;  apprehension of the mind holding its object is slack, and the object&#xA;  is not held clearly or tightly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once mindfulness is established (i.e. you are holding your object) and free from laxity, you will apprehend your object in such a manner that your mind will become clear with regard to it.  Conversely Gross laxity causes a lack of clarity. Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In every meditative stabilization that is free from laxity, the&#xA;  clarity factor of the mind will definitely arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;APPLYING ANTIDOTES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The obvious antidote consists in &lt;strong&gt;tightening the apprehension&lt;/strong&gt; of the object. As a beginner, you have to train in this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, you have to put more emphasis on the introspection factor than mindfulness or concentration. The thing is to recognize any instance of (1) excitement, (2) scattering, or (3) laxity. Such recognition should be accompanied with joy (you shouldn't feel &quot;I lost the object, I failed&quot;). Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you do not rely on introspection, your meditation will come under&#xA;  the influence of laxity and excitement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Introspection is (1) a way to recognize faults and (2) to prolong an established concentration. Introspection is important in order to establish an interrupted concentration, but also in order to prolong it once it is established.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind that is lax has withdrawn inward too much and lost its mode of apprehending the object. For that reason it says in &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt; that you should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tighten your mode of apprehending the object and sustain it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attend to a cause for the mind to move outward again, something joyful and virtuous.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attend to a sign of light, such as sunshine, and clear away the laxity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not meditate on a disenchanting object, because disillusionment is a cause for the mind to withdraw inward.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Remember that enthusiasm[...] will counteract laxity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a way to train in tightening / loosing the apprehension, it is advised to do sessions in which you try to hold onto your object tight for a while (making quiet an effort) and then you relax to effort without loosing the object. You repeat that throughout the whole session.  In &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;, Kamalashila writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should eliminate laxity and hold the object tight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;If breath is your object of concentration, drawn you awareness to the manifold features of your breath (its warmth, its arising as one, its falling as another, its trajectory, and so forth) so as to (1) stimulate the mind (2) familiarize with your object and make it clearer to you. This exercise is called “expanding the object”. The &lt;em&gt;Compendium of the Perfections&lt;/em&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When there is sinking uplift the mind through the power of striving&#xA;  for special insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Other antidotes are:&#xA;1. Directin the mind outward&#xA;2. Rinsing your face with fresh water&#xA;3. Putting an end to the session and going for a walk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;PREVENTIVE PRACTICES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What to do&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking refuge and generating motivation before meditation session&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Short sessions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Emphasizing introspection&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finding joy in applying introspection&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Studying the Dharma in between sessions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What not to do&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwell in a warm room&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwell in a dark room&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditate with your eyes completely closed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditate with a full stomach&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to do short sessions, because as a beginner, you have to strengthen the power of introspection. This take effort and easily lead to feel discontent. In relation to the length of the sessions, Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, if your sessions are long in the beginning, it is easy to&#xA;  fall under the power of laxity and excitement[50]. Since it is&#xA;  difficult to correct this state of mind once you have got used to it,&#xA;  you should do many short sessions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In relation to studying the Dharma, Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In between sessions, you should also be concerned with the Dharma&#xA;  texts teaching that object and recall it again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you lack enthusiasm on the outset, you will be very prone to generate laxity. Thus, taking refuge in the beginning of the meditation session is useful. The purpose of doing is to generate a virtuous motivation, enthusiasm, dwelling on the reasons for practicing, give yourself a sense of direction so that you are not lost and that your practice really makes sense. That is usually uplifting. While setting motivation, it is customary to intend the application of the antidote (i.e. &quot;Aware that laxity and excitement might arise during my meditation session, I will apply mindfulness to oppose excitement, and introspection to oppose both of them. I will tighten my mind to the object when I will notice it is lax. And so forth&quot;). Tsongkhapa writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you have a strong and constant awareness that sees the positive&#xA;  qualities of the Three Jewels, and so forth, it is quite easy to&#xA;  overcome laxity, for many valid sources say that its antidote is to&#xA;  uplift the mind by looking at positive qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a conclusion, I would advise you to emphasize the taking of refuge, generating motivation, intending to protect your mind from laxity and excitement from the beginning… emphasize the application of introspection as well… and emphasize the training in tightening/relaxing the apprehension.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T14:25:19.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12494" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12497" CreationDate="2015-11-09T15:04:24.243" Score="1" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;During the last days I experienced that I felt total dependent. I was walking from A to B and there was no choice for me to make, neither to stop nor anything else. In fact, I felt like a robot...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a name for this kind of total dependance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-09T16:57:32.187" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T16:57:32.187" Title="Is there a name for being totally dependent?" Tags="|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12495" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-09T15:39:57.923" Score="4" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read in Buddhist text, Buddhism is about &quot;Bhāva&quot; and not &quot;Ātman&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between &quot;Bhāva&quot; and &quot;Ātman&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7232" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T13:11:07.383" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T11:31:13.007" Title="What is the difference between &quot;Bhāva&quot; and &quot;Ātman&quot; in Pali" Tags="|rebirth|terminology|pali-language|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-09T15:57:38.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forgetting our past karma is not skillful, but if the memory of a past deed is amplified to the point of being unhealthy, you may want to write down the deed on a piece of paper. For example, you can write, &quot;I took a parking spot from an old lady three years ago today.&quot; Then leave the paper on a coffee table or desk for a couple of days where you will see it several times in your day. This way, you may be able to see the deed in a neutral context. Originally, my sister suggested this method for getting rid of a song that repeated in my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T15:57:38.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12494" CreationDate="2015-11-09T16:15:01.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the closest real &quot;thing&quot; in Buddhism that touches on what you've described is &lt;em&gt;thina-middha&lt;/em&gt;, or &quot;sloth and torpor&quot; (one of the Five Hindrances). It's characterized in part by a lack of energy (which can be mental in addition to physical). This isn't necessarily what you shared, but a lack of mental energy could make one feel as if driven by an external force, bound by choices made elsewhere. Only you could really say for sure if that particular hindrance was at play in how you felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the Pāli word &lt;em&gt;upanissayo&lt;/em&gt; which is sometimes translated as &quot;destiny&quot;, but is closer in meaning to &quot;basis&quot; or &quot;tendency&quot;. It's as close as you get to the notion of predestination in Pāli. (Again, not what you described, but a word that somewhat connects to the idea.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T16:15:01.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12408" CreationDate="2015-11-09T16:43:46.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The furthest east that the Buddha traveled was to Kajaṅgalā (noted in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an10.28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10:28&lt;/a&gt;). This area is known today as Kankjol, and is located near the border of India and Bangladesh. So there's no record of any visit to Northeast India, but anything is possible!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T16:43:46.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-09T16:51:19.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way to overcome this is to work with the object and learn about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we overcome &quot;problems&quot; by learning about them and thereby understanding them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remorse is one of the 5 hindrances. They are objects that can slow one down on the path. They block progress in e.g. meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a hindrance is present, make a mental note that a hindrance is present. &#xA;Keep observing the hindrance with mindfulness, in the present moment and note it as &quot;remorse, remorse&quot;, until it ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way you can use the hindrance to cultivate insights, i.e. the 3 signs of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T16:51:19.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12500" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12504" CreationDate="2015-11-09T18:02:03.603" Score="1" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let’s suppose the primary object of my meditation is breathing. I usually just notice the exact point where my breath touch my nostrils and in my mind without words I just acknowledge this finding without words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I wonder if, instead of just realizing it, I can also use words and short sentences in my mind like “the air touch there”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was reading about a vipassana technique call “noting”. If I understand it correctly when my mind drift to a secondary object I can just mentally talk to myself that I notice it and go back to the primary object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am curious if the same could apply to the primary object. I mean if whenever I notice something about the primary object I can tell about it to myself with mental words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7201" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T20:11:16.723" Title="Is appropriate to mentally talk to myself during meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12500" CreationDate="2015-11-09T18:09:42.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything I've heard suggests that this is OK, though it's not &lt;em&gt;ideal&lt;/em&gt;. Ideal meditation would be stillness without interruption of thoughts; handling words in the mind requires thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recall an Audio Dharma podcast where it was suggested that if you must do this, try to keep the words as brief as possible &quot;In breath.&quot; &quot;Out breath.&quot; That sort of thing. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T18:09:42.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12492" CreationDate="2015-11-09T18:44:31.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hinduism and Buddhism, have common origins in the Ganges culture of northern India during the so-called &quot;second urbanisation&quot; around 500 BCE. They have shared parallel beliefs that have existed side by side, but also pronounced differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bhaja Caves date to around 200 BCE, so at the time of the relief carvings, Buddhism would only have been around for roughly 300 years. At this point Buddhism would have been considered fairly &quot;young&quot;, and would have lacked as much of the independent symbolism, art, etc. that we see today (after the passage of ~2,200 years).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the first 300 years of Buddhism, mainstream society in India would still have been very much Hindu-oriented. Hinduism would have been everywhere, reflected in all aspects of daily life. So it follows that artists would have used familiar symbolism and artistic subjects, taken from the Hindu-driven mainstream culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is, of course, as good a guess as any. We'll never know that specific artist's personal motivations or the circumstances that led to the choice of those particular carvings. But looking back on the period holistically, I don't think it's too surprising that we'd see a lot of Hindu art everywhere, even in and around &quot;Buddhist sites&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T18:44:31.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12503" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12508" CreationDate="2015-11-09T19:01:29.200" Score="2" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thinking about the fourth stage of Mettā meditation practice, which is traditionally said to have you focus on a &quot;difficult person&quot;, I wonder: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the person have to be someone that you know personally?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Could you, for instance, focus on someone in the media or a celebrity (whom you don't know personally, but believe to be a &quot;difficult person&quot;)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it important that you have a personal connection with this person at this stage of practice?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T22:23:37.257" Title="Mettā Stage 4: &quot;Difficult Person&quot;" Tags="|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12500" CreationDate="2015-11-09T20:11:16.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vitakka, which Ven. Thannisaro translates to &quot;applied thought&quot;, along with Vicara (sustained thought) is a component of first Jhana. Buddha spoke of them in singular item, vitakka-vicara.  Let it go and we will enter second Jhanna.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhanas&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T20:11:16.723" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12507" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12523" CreationDate="2015-11-09T21:23:21.730" Score="-1" ViewCount="611" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some understanding about the &quot;Four great elements&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But i have these questions...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My chair is solid &lt;strong&gt;wood&lt;/strong&gt;, So i understand the &quot;Solidity element (Patavi)&quot; but how do i understand the rest of the elements in it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Expansion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My chair is solid &lt;strong&gt;Iron&lt;/strong&gt;, So i understand the &quot;Solidity element (Patavi)&quot; but how do i understand the rest of the elements in it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My chair is Plastic, So i understand the &quot;Solidity element (Patavi)&quot; but how do i understand the &lt;strong&gt;&quot;State of flowing or Fluidity element&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; in it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T09:47:08.613" Title="How to understand &quot;Four great elements&quot; in real life objects?" Tags="|theravada|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12503" CreationDate="2015-11-09T22:23:37.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &quot;difficult person&quot; can be anyone you know or don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example  a &quot;difficult person&quot; can be someone you do not know personally&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;example&lt;/em&gt; - Hitler,Mussolini&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &quot;difficult person&quot; can be someone you know personally&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The girl who broke your heart for the first time&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The childhood bully&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Boss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The loud neighbor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That guy in your office&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &quot;difficult person&quot; can be someone entirely different&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example it is easy to do Meththa mediation to a deer or a rabbit because they are cute innocent animals.  But have you tried Doing mettha to a snake or a shark?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;One day a monk died  because of a sanke bite and rest of the monks asked Lord Buddha why he died.Lord Buddha said &quot;Even though he did meththa he did not concentrated it to snakes and because of this reason his meththa was incomplete.That is why he was attacked.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must consider why you have left some out of your meditation and join those animals or people.But this does not mean you should take every creature alone and meditate on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Learn Meththa Meditation completely - Click and learn&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-09T22:23:37.257" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12509" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12510" CreationDate="2015-11-09T23:29:45.960" Score="6" ViewCount="3906" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that the Buddha's mother Maya became the first Buddhist. Who were the first followers of the Buddha other than his mother? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T08:42:11.210" Title="Who were the first followers of the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12509" CreationDate="2015-11-09T23:55:41.520" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/buddha.html#wheel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Sketch of the Buddha's Life&lt;/a&gt; quotes&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt;,&#xA;which includes the following passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;He wonders: To whom should I teach this Dhamma first?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'They were very helpful to me, the group of five monks who attended to me when I was resolute in exertion. What if I were to teach them the Dhamma first?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'Where are the group of five monks staying now?' And with the divine eye, purified &amp;amp; surpassing the human, I saw that they were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, that same &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt; describes his meeting them and talking with those five, and eventually says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And so I was able to convince them. I would teach two monks while three went for alms, and we six lived off what the three brought back from their alms round. Then I would teach three monks while two went for alms, and we six lived off what the two brought back from their alms round. Then the group of five monks — thus exhorted, thus instructed by me — being subject themselves to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Being subject themselves to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, they reached the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge &amp;amp; vision arose in them: 'Unprovoked is our release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 56.11 is the story of his giving his first sermon, and it is to that same group of five ascetics (and who were subsequently enlightened when he gave his second sermon, at the end of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The end of SN 56.11 mentions the name of one of these five, i.e. &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Kondañña&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; (further references &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaundinya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/annaa_kondanna.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia (which is referencing &lt;em&gt;Encyclopaedia of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; by the Government of Ceylon, pp. 696–698) gives &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaundinya#Renouncement_and_Arahanthood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the names of the other four&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Koṇḍañña&lt;/strong&gt;, along with &lt;strong&gt;Bhaddiya&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Vappa&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Mahanama&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assaji&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assaji&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, variously described as four of the other scholars who had read Siddhartha's future or the sons of those scholars, followed him into the ascetic life, with the approval of Suddhodana, who was worried about Siddhartha's safety. They were known as &amp;quot;the group of five&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;the group of five fortunate ones&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; which has several useful answers about the chronological sequence of suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:55:50.760" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1720" CreationDate="2015-11-10T00:59:13.640" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adding to Jayantha's very good answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One needs to look at Indian society at the time of the Buddha. There were many masters profounding various siddhāntas(established and accepted view of a particular philosophical school). It is called an 'established conclusion' but that view is final and definitive for the one who has settled on it. It does not necessarily mean that the person will never abandon that view, but for now that person thinks it is final. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The masters continued transmission of their siddhāntas through paramparās(lineage of followers). These masters had great respect among people and many went to different masters seeking guidance and became a follower of a siddhānta. Often, one paramparā was challenged by another paramparā with philosophical arguments. The victor persisted. Thus we could consider that at that time, every master was a missionary. This answers your question if all early Buddhists were missionaries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a difference in the kind of missionary religion Buddhism is. As Dr. Arvind Sharma puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Buddhism is indeed a missionary religion, it possesses a feature which distinguishes it from Christianity and Islam as missionary religions. When one converts to these two religions, one is supposed to break from one’s previous religious past and then substitute Christian or Islamic beliefs and practices for the old ones, which are now abandoned. Buddhism, however, does not insist on such a break and conversion to it need not entail the abandonment of one’s religious past. In other words, we have another dichotomy here, between those religions which require one to abandon one’s previous religious loyalties upon conversion, and those which do not.&quot;&lt;sup&gt;‡&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;References:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;‡ Sharma, Arvind. &quot;Of Conversion and Reversion.&quot; OPEN Magazine.&#xA;N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perdue, Daniel. &quot;Reasoning within the Buddhist Context.&quot; The Course&#xA;in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate: An Asian Approach to Analytical&#xA;Thinking Drawn from Indian and Tibetan Sources. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N.&#xA;pag. Print.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T00:59:13.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12512" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-10T01:00:39.037" Score="8" ViewCount="1928" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism begins with The Truth of Suffering. That seems like the best point to get someone's attention, and is basically indisputable. The Truth of Impermanence is fairly easy to accept, because we see things change, and everyone dies. But the Truth of Not-Self - no separate, permanent self - is the major departure from Hinduism, and all other religions, as best I know. Realization of this truth amounts to nonduality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone can realize Anatman then is this not basically the whole teaching? With the large number of Self-Inquiry groups and websites devoted to nonduality and the many interviews and books about it available, it seems like a more direct path to realization, and more accessible than Buddhism (in its many forms). Is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt; I seem to be drawing fire for my phrase &quot;the whole teaching&quot;. OK, disregard that but the point is: if you &quot;get&quot; Anatman, doesn't everything else have to fall in to place over time? With that one realization, you can realize everything, and without it, you will never make it all the way. Is that not so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T20:42:40.347" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T19:08:36.500" Title="Is Anatman the most important concept in Buddhism?" Tags="|anatman|nonduality|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T01:29:14.667" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone can realize Anatman then is this not basically the whole teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's certainly a great step forward on the path, but it is not the whole teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/SNbxX.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is the whole teaching.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That was a joke!&lt;/em&gt; But seriously, there is no truly objective answer to your question. Anattā is just one slice of one of the many pies of Buddhism. As a &quot;mark of existence&quot; it holds equal importance alongside the other two, dukkhā and aniccā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone can realize Anatman then is this not basically the whole teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about saṃsāra, kamma, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Middle Way, the Four Immeasurables, dependent origination, emptiness, and The Three Jewels? And a bunch of other stuff?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I too crave simplicity in Buddhism, but the more you look around, the deeper and broader the teachings become. There are 43 volumes in the Pāli Canon. The teachings are &lt;em&gt;vast&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone can realize Anatman then is this not basically the whole teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; whole teaching. Buddhism is a highly individualized practice. Our paths may run parallel, or at times criss-cross, or at other times go in entirely different directions: but in the end, we can all reach our own way to the end of suffering, and each way may be truly unique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T01:29:14.667" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12514" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12524" CreationDate="2015-11-10T01:37:46.447" Score="4" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;It maybe a very confusing question. But I have been contemplating this quite a lot recently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ajahn Chah preached, as the Lord Buddha once said :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One who sees Sankhara and is purged of attachment has happiness. Mind is Sankhara. Body is Sankhara. Sankhara is not us or ours. Thus those who see Sankhara are at peace. They see the mind and body not as 'self' but only as 'Sankhara'.&lt;/em&gt; (pg.22, paragraph 3) &#xA;   - Excerpt from &lt;strong&gt;'Being Dharma' By Ven.Ajahn Chah&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I contemplate these deep words, I feel that 'Sankhara' means 'things that are conditioned, impermanent, ever changing and not reliable sources of happiness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia defines 'Sankhara' as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Saṅkhāra (Pali; Sanskrit saṃskāra)&lt;/strong&gt; is a term figuring prominently in Buddhism. The word means 'that which has been put together' and 'that which puts together'.&#xA;  In the &lt;em&gt;first (passive) sense&lt;/em&gt;, saṅkhāra refers to conditioned phenomena generally but specifically to all mental &quot;dispositions&quot;.[1] These are called 'volitional formations' both because they are formed as a result of volition and because they are causes for the arising of future volitional actions.[2] English translations for saṅkhāra in the first sense of the word include 'conditioned things,'[3] 'determinations,'[4] 'fabrications'[5] and 'formations' (or, particularly when referring to mental processes, 'volitional formations').[6]&#xA;  In the &lt;em&gt;second (active) sense&lt;/em&gt; of the word, saṅkhāra refers to that faculty of the mind/brain apparatus (sankhara-khandha) that puts together those formations.[7] &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when we think even deeper, if both mind and body are 'sankhara', then &lt;em&gt;who&lt;/em&gt; is the 'being' within our minds, who travels through this eternity of existence? This 'being' that some refer simply (and quite wrongly) as an 'Āthma' or in other ways as 'existence'? If 'Āthma' or 'existence' is Sankhara, then how does it endlessly exist? Sure it changes from one existence to another, but it is &lt;em&gt;endlessly existing&lt;/em&gt; , which contradicts the nature of 'Sankhara' itself, making 'our existence' &lt;em&gt;immortal&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like a man travelling from house to house. The house breaks down, but the man is eternally travelling. Who is this man, and how is he eternally travelling, is he is also 'Sankhara'? Shouldn't he also end at some point or the other? In this analogy, the man is the 'existence', and the house symbolizes our body and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this is very confusing material, but I consider this site a realm filled with knowledgeable beings. I would find myself very happy to find any number of meaningful replies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thankyou!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T18:15:58.973" Title="Who am 'I'? Verification as to the demarcations of 'Sankhara'" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12259" CreationDate="2015-11-10T02:05:00.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would propose three steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is great power in having a simple awareness of the present moment. Recognizing the significance of the present&amp;mdash;that it is truly the only time that matters, the only time in which we can really &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; anything&amp;mdash; is the first step. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia: Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second step begins with a simple realization: the past is over. But the very next part of this step is even more important: the realization that dwelling in the past is a form of clinging, and that this clinging to the past only causes more suffering. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia: Dukkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third and final step is to become familiar with mettā meditation and to get really good at the first stage (loving-kindness for oneself). Benevolence toward oneself can go a long way to chip away at regret. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia: Mettā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to summarize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn to appreciate the power of the present moment, and maintain a&#xA;focus there (and &lt;em&gt;away&lt;/em&gt; from the past)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let the past remain in the past (and understand that clinging to it causes suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Love yourself unconditionally, and allow the emotions connected to the past to fall away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T05:59:29.190" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T05:59:29.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12309" CreationDate="2015-11-10T02:40:26.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is a gradation where the &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; of the action itself is concerned. All actions are always either &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kusala&lt;/strong&gt;: skillful, wholesome, good, meritorious&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;akusala&lt;/strong&gt;: unskillful, unwholesome, bad, demeritorious&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As people, though, we will always feel compelled to judge and compare actions. Stealing from the cookie jar is not as bad a stealing a car. Killing a fly is not as bad as killing a bird. But these distinctions are mind-made: in the end there is just &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, whether there is a gradation tied to the &lt;em&gt;kamma produced&lt;/em&gt; by any given action is an entirely different question (to which I have no answer, but I'd guess that there is a correlation between kamma and quality of the action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is an unwholesome action exacly the same as an action that produces bad kamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Without mincing words, both of these are two sides of the same coin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Also, in your two sample lists, you could also mention that an action could go with or against the Noble Eightfold Path.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T14:44:34.450" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T14:44:34.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T02:41:35.130" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, anatta is not the key point of Buddhism, and Buddhism is not nondualism.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;That would be too easy ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shunyata, the Mahayana extrapolation of anatta principle, is getting closer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I had to pick one point to explain it all, I would say TATHATA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T02:41:35.130" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T03:06:41.963" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; is the central concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, there &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;37 factors&lt;/a&gt; which cover the teachings leading to Nirvana. When you practice this as get to Nirvana you see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; of which one is anattā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T06:45:03.360" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T06:45:03.360" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12507" CreationDate="2015-11-10T04:14:46.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This should be understood in the level of what is felt or experienced. Generally what you experience is element that dominates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Elementary / Gross View&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Earth - this is solidity, attractive forces, has fixed shape and space. When you bring you attention to your teeth the have a certain feel to it. Also the surface you site on has a texture you feel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Water - this is attractive forces, binding, cohesion, mixing, flowing. If you bring your attention to you flesh it is what bonds you body. It holds it together. Also your saliva flows in the cavity of the mouth. The wood of the chair is help together but this you cannot feel butt you can perceive as the chair does not fall apart.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fire - the heat or temperature, energy. Say you are famished then you are weak hence lacking vitality or heat element. In the case of a chair which was out in the sun you feel the heat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Air - repulsive, expansion. Your breathing gives the sense of the Air element. If the chair is cushioned then there is some feel of cushion getting compressed in areas and expanding around you when you sink in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Subtle View&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Earth - when you experience painful sensation when it starts it starts small and thousands of other small sensation cluster together to give your the pain. (Gross solidified sensations.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Water - sometimes you have itching and sensation like insects scrolling in your body. The sensation is running around off flowing. In some cases there are very pleasant sensations which soak your body like water being pored on your head of water absorbed by a blotting paper.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fire - heat and cold you feel. Vibration in you body.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Air - pulsation and expansion and contraction you feel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T04:14:46.493" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-10T04:18:04.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The demarcation of Sankara is Nirvana which is not conditioned. Everything else is: beings, world, external, objects, etc. which is conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T06:46:59.803" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T06:46:59.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12495" CreationDate="2015-11-10T05:06:19.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both have their places in Buddhist thought/practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the definitions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;bhāva&lt;/strong&gt;: condition; nature; becoming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;atta&lt;/strong&gt; (ātman is the Sanskrit form): self; ego; soul&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a couple of relevant quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhist thought, bhāva denotes the continuity of life and death, including reincarnation, and the maturation arising therefrom. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, bhāva could be described as the &quot;seamlessness of existence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha argued that no permanent, unchanging &quot;self&quot; can be found, some Buddhist schools, sutras and tantras present the notion of an atman or permanent &quot;Self&quot;, although mostly referring to an Absolute and not to a personal self. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And atta is about the person in the moment; though as mentioned above, it's really more about a higher level conceptual &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist thought, the opposite of atta (&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;an&lt;/strong&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;) is a generally more significant concept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the term anattā refers to the perception of &quot;not-self&quot;, recommended as one of the seven beneficial perceptions, which along with the perception of dukkha and impermanence is also formally classified among the three marks of existence. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T06:00:23.683" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T06:00:23.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-10T06:54:08.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Nama and Rupa and there behavior is discuss in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11727/5513&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;Some times this sankara refer as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12450/5513&quot;&gt;vinnana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T06:54:08.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12507" CreationDate="2015-11-10T07:12:16.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When analysing a cup of coffee, a scientist might break it into solid (the cup), liquid (the coffee) and gas (the aroma). According to the Abhidhamma, a cup of coffee consists of rūpa such as hardness, roughness, heaviness, heat, visibility and odour. The Abhidhamma focus is on how the cup of coffee is impacting the senses. The focus of Buddhism is spiritual development and spiritual development involves the mind, so the Abhidhamma approach uses the mind as the starting point. This is why in the example of the cup of coffee, the Abhidhamma focuses on how the object impacts the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word “element” tells us to focus on the properties rather than the literal meaning of earth, water, fire or air. The Four Great Elements are experiences, Ultimate Realities, not concepts. The ancient Greeks and others used the same four elements to describe the composition of the world, but generally adopted the literal or symbolic meaning rather than Buddhist approach that focuses on properties. Rūpa are not abstract categories; they are the realities that appear in daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Earth-element is the experience of hardness or softness, roughness or smoothness, heaviness or lightness. Here are some exercises to experience Earth-element. Be aware of hardness in the teeth; bite them together and feel how hard they are. Be aware of softness by pressing your tongue against the inside of your lips to feel its softness. Rub your tongue over the edge of your teeth or brush your hand over the skin of your arm and feel roughness. Experience smoothness by wetting your lips and rubbing your tongue over them, from side to side. Place one hand on top of the other in your lap and feel the heaviness of the top hand, or feel the heaviness of the head by bending it forward. Look for lightness by wagging a finger up and down and feeling its lightness. If something floats in the ocean, it is because the Earth-element in the ocean supports it. If a balloon floats, it is because the Earth-element in the air supports it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Water-element is flowing and cohesion. Flowing and cohesion cannot be experienced, but it can be understood by the mind. To understand flowing, imagine the blood flowing through the blood vessels, the air flowing into the lungs, or heat flowing throughout the body. To understand cohesion, consider how the body is held together by the skin, flesh, and sinews. The blood is held inside by the skin, like water in a balloon. Without cohesion the body would fall into separate pieces. The force of gravity which keeps the body stuck to the earth is also cohesion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fire-element is the experience of heat and coldness. It is usually very easy to look for heat throughout the body. Feel the coldness of the breath as it enters the nostrils and then understand it throughout the body. The function of Fire-element is to ripen, mature, age and burn up. The Fire-element also aids in digestion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Air-element is the experience of supporting and pushing. To experience supporting, relax your back so your body bends forward. Then straighten it and keep it straight. The force that keeps the body straight is supporting. The supporting Air-element ensures that all things maintain their shape and do not collapse. To experience pushing, be aware through the sense of touch of pushing in the centre of the head as you breathe in and out or experience the pushing as the chest expands or as the abdomen moves when breathing. Wherever there is movement, there is pushing. Though the function of Air-element is causing motion, movement is not the alteration between two stages of the same rūpa, but rather as the disappearance of one rūpa and the immediate emergence in its place of another rūpa. For example, in a movie theatre, many static frames are projected onto the screen each second and a sense of movement is created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All groups of rūpa include the Four Great Elements. In a stone and a snowflake, the Four Great Elements exist in equal proportion, but of varying intensity. The intensity and the Mental Factor of Attention determine which experience body-consciousness recognizes first. For example, when you put your hand in water, the softness felt is Earth-element, the coolness felt is Fire-element and the pressure felt is Air-element. If the water is cold, then the Fire-element may be experienced first. If there is attention being paid to the sensation of pressure, then Air-element may be experienced first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T07:12:16.290" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-10T07:18:48.683" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;who is the 'being' within our minds, who travels through this eternity&#xA;  of existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'being' is simply a label given to nama-rupa. There's no being within the mind. It's like asking &quot;what is the car within the car? Is it the engine? Wheels? Frame? Seats?&quot;. No such thing! 'Car' is simply a label given to a certain arrangement of all that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who travels through this eternity of existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody! A being traveling through a Samsara is simply used in the metaphoric sense to give teachings at conceptual level. In reality, it's just Paticcasamuppada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara paccaya Vinnana - Dependent on Karma consciousness arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sure it changes from one existence to another, but it is endlessly&#xA;  existing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you mean by 'it' here? Is it Nama, or is it Rupa? A single Rupa unit only lasts for 17 thought moments. The next Rupa arising is not the same as the previous. Nama vanishes even quicker. So what exactly is endlessly existing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It existing&quot; here is simply a false view of reality about a Sanna(perception) caused by contact at the sense doors. Ignorance covers up impermanence, so instead of taking Sanna as just Sanna that rises and dies, we take Sanna as something existing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remaining questions are based on the above mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T07:27:36.670" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T07:27:36.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12480" CreationDate="2015-11-10T08:21:02.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way is to accept them. Accept them and let them go. &#xA;Don't force them to go away, know them and they will go home on their own accord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you are not really forgetting anything, you are just accepting things that arise. Because they arise in the moment, they belong to the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wholeheartedly recommend reading &quot;The Teachings of Ajahn Chah&quot; as you will find great Dhamma talks there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T08:21:02.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12507" CreationDate="2015-11-10T09:47:08.613" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With His supernormal knowledge the Buddha analysed&#xA;  this so-called paramàõu and declared that it consists&#xA;  of paramatthas—ultimate entities which cannot further be&#xA;  subdivided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The paramatthas are pañhavi, àpo, tejo, and vàyo. One&#xA;  must not understand that these elements are earth, water,&#xA;  fire and air as some Greek thinkers believed in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pañhavi&lt;/strong&gt; means the element of extension, the substratum&#xA;  of matter. Without it objects cannot occupy space. The&#xA;  qualities of hardness and softness which are purely relative&#xA;  are two conditions of this particular element. It may be&#xA;  stated that this element is present in earth, water, fire and&#xA;  air. For instance, the water above is supported by water&#xA;  below. It is this element of extension in conjunction with the&#xA;  element of motion that produces the upward pressure. Heat&#xA;  or cold is the tejo element, while fluidity is the àpo element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;âpo&lt;/strong&gt; is the element of cohesion. Unlike pañhavi it is&#xA;  intangible. It is this element that makes scattered particles&#xA;  of matter cohere and gives rise to the idea of ‘body’. When&#xA;  solid bodies are melted this element becomes more prominent&#xA;  in the resulting fluid. This element is found even in&#xA;  minute particles when solid bodies are reduced to powder.&#xA;  The element of extension and cohesion are so closely interrelated&#xA;  that when cohesion ceases extension disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tejo&lt;/strong&gt; is the element of heat. Cold is also a form of tejo.&#xA;  Both heat and cold are included in tejo because they possess&#xA;  the power of maturing bodies. Tejo, in other words, is&#xA;  the vitalizing energy. Preservation and decay are also due&#xA;  to this element. Unlike the other three essentials of matter,&#xA;  this element has the power to regenerate matter by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Inseparably connected with heat is &lt;strong&gt;vàyo&lt;/strong&gt;, the element&#xA;  of motion. Movements are caused by this element. Motion&#xA;  is regarded as the force or the generator of heat. “Motion&#xA;  and heat in the material realm correspond respectively to&#xA;  consciousness and Kamma in the mental.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These four elements coexist and are inseparable, but&#xA;  one may preponderate over another as, for instance,&#xA;  pañhavi in earth, àpo in water, tejo in fire, and vàyo in air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are also called Mahàbhåtas or Great Essentials&#xA;  because they are invariably found in all material substances&#xA;  ranging from the infinitesimally small cell to the&#xA;  most massive object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this, both hardness and softness are conditions of Pañhavi. The main property of Pañhavi is &quot;extension&quot; i.e. the fact that it occupies space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that âpo is similar, i.e. that if pañhavi means that something can't be compressed (i.e. made to occupy a smaller space than it currently does), âpo means that it can't be pulled apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know how to understand vàyo in an inanimate chair; in the body there's vàyo in breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer seems to slightly contradict the other two answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suminda's answer says that &quot;vibration&quot; is fire whereas I think this says that vibration is vàyo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;RobM's answers says that support is air whereas I think this says that support is pañhavi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although you tagged this question &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/abhidhamma&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;abhidhamma&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; the elements are also described in the suttas, in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 28&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it would be a good idea to read the suttas because they provide context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T09:47:08.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12527" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12529" CreationDate="2015-11-10T12:42:26.297" Score="3" ViewCount="480" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I get what &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qualia/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;qualia&lt;/a&gt; means, intuitively at least:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Feelings and experiences vary widely. For example, I run my fingers&#xA;  over sandpaper, smell a skunk, feel a sharp pain in my finger, seem to&#xA;  see bright purple, become extremely angry. In each of these cases, I&#xA;  am the subject of a mental state with a very distinctive subjective&#xA;  character. There is something it is like for me to undergo each state,&#xA;  some phenomenology that it has. Philosophers often use the term&#xA;  ‘qualia’ (singular ‘quale’) to refer to the introspectively&#xA;  accessible, phenomenal aspects of our mental lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism what is the word for this &quot;introspectively accessible&quot; aspect of &quot;what it is like&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the term just &quot;phenomena&quot; or is there some other more subtle translation, like &quot;awareness&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T13:41:05.457" Title="What word is the closest to qualia" Tags="|terminology|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12527" CreationDate="2015-11-10T13:05:01.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The small &quot;d&quot; &lt;strong&gt;dharma&lt;/strong&gt;, the technical term - is the word you're looking for. This is usually translated as &quot;phenomena&quot; or &quot;objects of mind&quot;, but the idea is that these are like elementary atoms the subjective experience is made of. Some modern scholars explain Early Buddhism's theory of dharmas with a metaphor of the movie film - each frame being a dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As any abstraction, the theory of experience made of dharmas can only go this far before it starts leaking, but it certainly is a useful approximation. IMO some folks back in the ancient times got carried away with analysis of dharmas-based experience, hence the Abhidharma. Once you expect dharmas to be well-delineated and precisely identified you start pushing the limits of the abstraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although all dharma-s are &quot;introspectively accessible&quot;, for convenience they can be classified in groups: what you see, how you feel, what you cognize, what you remember, etc (precise classification does not matter). The purpose of dharma/skandha theory is to switch one's context to phenomenological mode - at which point you can start mastering the practical side of the teaching, beyond mere intellectual understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0316180661&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Daniel Dennett argues&lt;/a&gt; that qualia do not really exist, the Prajna-Paramita movement famously proclaims that all dharmas are &quot;empty&quot; of svabhava (discrete existence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T13:41:05.457" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T13:41:05.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12527" CreationDate="2015-11-10T13:05:50.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is any single word that's cleanly equivalent to &lt;em&gt;qualia&lt;/em&gt;, but there are some that approach the idea from different angles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sabhāva-dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;: Condition of nature; any phenomenon, event, property, or &lt;strong&gt;quality as experienced in and of itself&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sabhāva&lt;/em&gt; by itself means &quot;own-being&quot; or &quot;own-becoming&quot;. It describes the intrinsic nature or essence of living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;: (1) Event; a phenomenon in and of itself; &lt;strong&gt;(2) mental quality&lt;/strong&gt;; (3) doctrine, teaching; (4) nibbāna. Also, principles of behavior that human beings ought to follow so as to fit in with the right natural order of things; qualities of mind they should develop so as to realize the inherent quality of the mind in and of itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; by itself can describe a kind of mental quality or quality of thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;mūla&lt;/strong&gt;: Literally, &quot;root.&quot; The fundamental conditions in the mind that determine the &lt;strong&gt;moral quality&lt;/strong&gt; — skillful (kusala) or unskillful (akusala) — of one's intentional actions (see kamma). The three unskillful roots are lobha (greed), dosa (aversion), and moha (delusion); the skillful roots are their opposites. See kilesa (defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;mūla&lt;/em&gt; describes the &lt;em&gt;root&lt;/em&gt; of our actions; the quality of our intention behind them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sabhāva-dhamma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; probably come closest, while mūla carries the same concept but applies it very specifically to the mental root of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T13:05:50.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T13:31:16.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking, I think the most important concept in Buddhism is that through our own efforts, we are all capable of enlightenment.  Teachings of any sort - be they on non-self, suffering, or impermanence - are ultimately meaningless unless we are capable of direct realization ourselves.  Without that possibility, the entirety of Buddhism is just an empty philosophy (no pun intended!).  Believe it or not, the idea that individual agency could result in liberation was quite scandalous at the time of the Buddha (e.g. the Brahamajala Sutta).  Like most examples of genius, it's something we take for granted now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's a bit presumptuous to say that impermanence and suffering are obvious.  They are just a subtle as anatman and, in fact, cannot be understood in full unless the others two marks of existence are also seen directly.  Ultimately what is most important is our potential to make this realization for ourselves.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T16:54:00.900" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T16:54:00.900" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12495" CreationDate="2015-11-10T14:27:12.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are more or less the same. Well, different aspects of the same mistaken view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Atman&lt;/strong&gt; (literally &quot;spirit&quot;, &quot;breath&quot;) refers to the soul (the entity, the identity) that reincarnates and/or the little boss inside our brain who decides what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern cognitive science is mostly on board with &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. There is no soul, there is no single command center in the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bhava&lt;/strong&gt; (literally &quot;being&quot;, &quot;existence&quot;) refers to the deeply ingrained &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; of individual existence: &quot;I am &lt;em&gt;this thing here&lt;/em&gt; - and &lt;em&gt;that stuff over there&lt;/em&gt; is the rest of the world&quot;. &quot;I'm in here looking at the world through the holes in the eyes.&quot; It is a habit to self-identify with the point of view located inside a living organism. If you are the living organism then obviously when the organism dies you die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the habit of bhava goes very deep, it remains the unspoken assumption behind our lives, regardless of our theoretical understanding of physics and brain. Theoretical understanding is separate, experiential assumption is separate. Maybe if &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memetics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;memetics&lt;/a&gt; matures one day we will have a better model to supersede bhava. As long as we don't self-identify with the memes...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, the reason Buddhism is interested in abandoning Atman/Bhava is not because non-dualism is the panacea (although it does reduce conflicts caused by egoistic behavior and suffering caused by wrong expectations) - but largely because Buddhism is interested in going beyond naive &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reification_(fallacy)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;reification&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;em&gt;all and any&lt;/em&gt; models, including that of non-dualism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T19:08:57.500" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T19:08:57.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T14:50:49.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a very important concept in Buddhism is the middle way. From the perspective of practice, it refers to the middle path between indulgence and asceticism. From the perspective of philosophy, it refers to the middle way between eternalism and annihilationism. This theme keeps reappearing everywhere in Buddhism and seems to be unique to it. This is discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta is the concept where there is no absolute eternal permanent self, that is behind all phenomena. At the same time, there is a self that is not annihilated completely at death. The self is not standalone and emerges out of the interworking between form, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness. How the perception of self is formed is covered in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca too has a connection to this middle way. The universe is neither eternal and absolute, nor is it an illusion. It is real, but it is always changing. However, the universe is empty as in devoid of a permanent self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important middle way concept in Buddhism is that the person that is reborn is neither exactly the same nor totally unrelated from the person in the previous life. This is discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12076/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In physics too, similar ideas appear in quantum mechanics, with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave%E2%80%93particle_duality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wave-particle duality&lt;/a&gt; as an example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Advaita Vedanta, Atman (the Self) is permanent, standalone and not different from Brahman, the ultimate eternal reality. The Atman is also considered the Eternal Witness, which extends to the idea of Eternal Consciousness, that every being has the same &quot;I&quot; which is the Atman, which is ultimately Brahman. The Self Inquiry method of Sri Ramana Maharshi asks &quot;who am I?&quot; and seeks to lead the spiritual seeker towards Self Realization, that &quot;I&quot; am not this temporary person (the little &quot;I&quot;), but rather the Eternal Consciousness (the big &quot;I&quot;), the Atman, who is Brahman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is quite incompatible with Buddhism, because the Buddha refuted not only a permanent self (in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7697/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;), but also the idea of Eternal Consciousness. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha rebuked Sati the monk, for holding the view of Eternal Consciousness (related to Atman), and corrects him by teaching the concept of eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness etc. According to this, consciousness is not an Eternal Witness, but rather, arises with sensation and perception. According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the five aggregates are empty as in, devoid of a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence Advaita Vedanta is quite different and incompatible with Buddhism. However, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5762/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, what is common or similar between the two is the fact that both Nirvana and Brahman are eternal, unborn and undying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T15:42:21.670" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T15:19:39.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If or given that Buddhism &quot;&lt;em&gt;begins&lt;/em&gt; with The Truth of Suffering&quot;, then I'd guess that &quot;&lt;em&gt;cessation&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (of suffering, e.g. the Third Noble Truth) might be fairly high on the list of important concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada perspective maybe &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt; is important. Arguments for its being important can be inferred from that Wikipedia article, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha's exclamation about the &quot;housebuilder&quot; when he became enlightened&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha's last words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatman might be a special case of Saṅkhāra, i.e. if you understand Saṅkhāra then you understand Anatman (because the conventional &quot;self&quot; is an example of a put-together fabrication).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding Saṅkhāra presumably results in understanding Anicca too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a non-Theravada point of view I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It suggests there isn't a &lt;em&gt;single&lt;/em&gt; most important concept (which is important in 'understanding Buddhism'; see also &quot;Buddhism is a highly individualized practice&quot; from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12513/254&quot;&gt;newbold's answer&lt;/a&gt;; and see also the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Paths to liberation&lt;/a&gt; being plural)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also like that answer for his description of the Tathagata-Garba.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively maybe compassion is the most important concept, the 'sine qua non' of Buddhism (i.e. the characteristic without which Buddhism wouldn't exist because the Buddha wouldn't have taught his doctrine), if I'm right in assuming that compassion is what motivates Bodhisattvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; is an important concept, as a goal and as inherent in the name &quot;Buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T15:19:39.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T15:31:54.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta is one of the 3 marks of existence. The others being; &lt;em&gt;anicca and dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole teaching is the &quot;most&quot; important. One cannot just take out a piece of the teaching. It does not work like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path is a complete teaching that needs nothing to be &lt;em&gt;added or removed&lt;/em&gt; from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sila, Samadhi, Panna&lt;/em&gt;. All groups are needed in order to win Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T16:26:32.437" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T16:26:32.437" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12535" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-10T17:19:53.997" Score="0" ViewCount="42" Body="&lt;p&gt;Earlier this year I finished the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_(manga)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; series by Osamu Tezuka&lt;/a&gt;, and really enjoyed it. I liked the blend of historical references with fictional dramatic elements (and the art, of course). I also read and enjoyed &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Siddhartha&lt;/a&gt; in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: Can anyone recommend other similar pieces of Buddhist fiction? Fictional works with Buddhist themes, period fiction with a Buddhist element, or anything similar? (I've been reading so much serious material lately that I'd like to take a break with something a bit more relaxed.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T17:19:53.997" Title="Good works of Buddhist fiction?" Tags="|books|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-11-10T17:27:59.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-10T17:21:38.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Who am &quot;I&quot; Nothing but Five Aggregates arising, ceasing away whilst still changing...  As Ven. Dankande Dhammarathana Thero aptly says in one of  his dhamma books named &quot;Sankhara hara kawara MAMEK da ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7244" LastEditorUserId="7244" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T11:08:56.777" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T11:08:56.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-11-10T17:53:32.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adding the classic &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Siddhartha&lt;/a&gt; by Herman Hesse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T17:53:32.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T18:04:06.587" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has many core principles which work as complete paths.  However, like other projects, it helps to use a variety of techniques to cover all bases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unifying principle in Buddhism is letting go of clinging to reduce suffering.  Looking at some core Buddhist principles through this lens, you will see that each address clinging in a different -- yet compatible -- way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing Emptiness undermines our belief in the ultimate existence of the things we cling to.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing No Self undermines our belief in the one who clings and is a specific instance of emptiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing Suffering undermines our desire to cling in the first place by noting the dissatisfaction of all we cling to.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing Impermanence undermines our desire to cling in the first place by noting that what we cling to will change (or vanish) and hence hurt us.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question here isn't whether any concept -- including Anatman -- is sufficient in itself.  I believe the answer to that question is yes.  Rather the questions are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is your realization of any of the concepts complete enough that you&#xA;don't need the others?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are you facing any particular challenges that may make some concepts&#xA;particularly beneficial for you?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T18:35:25.483" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T18:35:25.483" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7359" CreationDate="2015-11-10T18:38:58.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one mentioned what I take to be the single best movie of Buddhism ever made - &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/6fXi4lOJe1I&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Enlightenment Guaranteed&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hilarious, to the point, and honest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T18:38:58.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12495" CreationDate="2015-11-10T19:06:32.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;'Bhava'&lt;/em&gt; as used in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.britannica.com/topic/paticca-samuppada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt; means &lt;em&gt;Becoming&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha explains that due to &lt;em&gt;Vedana&lt;/em&gt; (feelings), one may out of &lt;em&gt;Avijja&lt;/em&gt; (ignorance) generate &lt;em&gt;Tanha&lt;/em&gt; (craving) which leads to &lt;em&gt;Upadana&lt;/em&gt; (clinging) which in turn leads to &lt;em&gt;Bhava&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the same &lt;em&gt;Vedana&lt;/em&gt;, out of &lt;em&gt;Panna&lt;/em&gt; (wisdom), can lead to freedom from &lt;em&gt;Bhava&lt;/em&gt; and take one to &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;. When the feelings arise, if one watches their impermanence and remains equanimous, one understands that craving for that feeling is futile. This generates wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming to &lt;em&gt;Atman&lt;/em&gt;, the Sanskrit word simply means 'self' or 'ego'. The Buddha taught the teaching of &lt;em&gt;Anatta&lt;/em&gt;, the Pali for &lt;em&gt;Anatman&lt;/em&gt;, which means non-self. It means that there is nothing in this structure of Body-Mind to be called self. Everything is impermanent and hence not suitable to clinging  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T19:06:32.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12542" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-10T19:26:16.803" Score="2" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know Lord Buddha is worthy of every respect but what is the correct answer/what has the Lord Buddha himself has said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes a lord Buddha worthy of worship as to lord Buddha are there any reference from suttas that we can find?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T04:18:40.797" Title="What makes Lord Buddha worthy of worshiping as to suttas?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|suttas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12543" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-10T19:36:12.290" Score="0" ViewCount="65" Body="&lt;p&gt;We know there are good and bad things in the world,now that is general knowledge.But our version of right and worlds version of it seems to go against each other,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is what are the actual good things as opposed to worlds view of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:57:55.433" Title="What are &quot;Good / Correct things&quot; to a Buddhist to do?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12544" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-10T19:48:48.287" Score="1" ViewCount="135" Body="&lt;p&gt;One Day i was thinking about the &quot;Thrikoti parishuddha sila&quot; (The ultimate version of five precepts)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me give an example how this version works....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't kill&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't aid killing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't hire to kill&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't order to kill&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't admire / promote killing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you can stop a killing you must stop it&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These can be applied to all of the precepts...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while i was thinking about this and this came into my mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i see an animal getting eaten by another animal what should i do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i see a someone having an extramarital affair what should i do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and so on....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is some of these are without doubt only result in a good way but some will give suffering or pain to that person or animal so doesn't that generate bad karma for me??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T00:37:25.990" Title="Help me with a paradox" Tags="|personal-practice|five-precepts|sila|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12545" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12548" CreationDate="2015-11-10T19:56:41.987" Score="-2" ViewCount="394" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anybody provide a full translation of Lord Buddha's First teaching. I am referring to a Sutta called &quot;Dhamma chakka pawaththana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-10T22:41:03.257" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T22:41:03.257" Title="Lord Buddha's First teaching and its meaning?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|suttas|four-noble-truths|middle-way|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-10T20:22:23.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The subtlety here is that understanding of this truth is not realization of this truth.  I might have an experience of ego-shattering transcendence and yet, the very (next) moment, act selfishly out of long-worn old habits.  The practice of realization is one of purification and ceasing to establish new roots for future suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Zen tradition we often chant/study the Heart sutra, which sums up the fruition of practice as &quot;gate gate paragate parasamgate, bodhi svaha&quot;.  Loosely, &quot;gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, awake, so be it.&quot;  It's not enough to understand anatta, I must go beyond even understanding not-I and find myself realized in living my life.  I have to go beyond going and find a way to be present by ceasing to imagine that I am (not).  Which is all just a fancy way of saying this is a real practice to be lived and not merely a philosophy to be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="793" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T20:22:23.727" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2015-11-10T22:01:32.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attempts to be mindful, ala mindfulness practices, are certainly at odds with &quot;aha&quot; creative experiences as these emerge out of a wandering mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &#xA;Mind wandering “Ahas” versus mindful reasoning: alternative routes to creative solutions&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4469818/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4469818/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, should one strive to be mindful, or should one allow it to unfold naturally, as a result of meditation, alternated with activity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As this Soto Zen master says: Stop being mindful!&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/adult18.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/adult18.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said:&#xA;The two steps of progress are rest (TM aka &lt;em&gt;dhyana&lt;/em&gt;) and activity (everything else found during waking, dreaming and sleeping).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person, at least in the beginning stage, is where the qualities of rest (meditation) have spontaneously emerged and become permanent in the middle of all possible activity (waking, dreaming and sleeping).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One doesn't cultivate this by attempting to BE mindful, but simply by allowing the natural cycle of rest and activity to proceed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And mind-wandering is the essential basis of &lt;em&gt;dyana&lt;/em&gt; and the spontaneous ability to switch from paying attention TO something and switching attention (via mind-wandering) to something else IS the creative process. In enlightenment mind-wandering is always present, even when one is fully focused on some thing, and so creativity is always present as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness, in this situation, merely refers to the ever-present observer, always observing. Such a person is always mindful because it is impossible for the ever-present observer to NOT be mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This confusion is why people worry that BUddhism detracts from creativity. It isn't Buddhism that detracts, but inappropriate attempts to practice what spontaneously emerges from practice: being always mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;description&quot; that one is always mindful when one is enlightened has become a &quot;method&quot; to use to become enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can only take one further away from enlightenment, which is where one is always creative because the mind is always free to wander.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4876" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T22:01:32.217" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12545" CreationDate="2015-11-10T22:26:02.997" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you know the name of the sutta, and if it's a famous sutta, then I find you can easily find it using Google, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=Dhamma+chakka+pawaththana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This search&lt;/a&gt; (Google)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia too has many articles about Buddhism, and one of them describes this sutta: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Wikipedia)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the Wikipedia article are &quot;External links&quot; to translations and commentaries and so on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta#External_links&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;External links&lt;/a&gt; (from Wikipedia)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Buddhism.SE site's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help&quot;&gt;Help page&lt;/a&gt; includes a list of &quot;Useful resources&quot;, one section of which is &quot;Buddhist Texts&quot;, which includes several anthologies of suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking in each of the collections mentioned in our list of &quot;Useful resources&quot;, I found the following (seven) links to the sutta you asked for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (SuttaCentral)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Four translations, on Access to Insight:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.harv.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Translated by Peter Harvey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Translated by Ñanamoli Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Translated by Piyadassi Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (Buddha Vacana)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (Dharmafarer, PDF)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-10T22:26:02.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12544" CreationDate="2015-11-10T23:45:35.887" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am familiar with the term “pārisuddhi-sīla”, but this only relates to monastic practice (restraint according to Vinaya, restraint of senses, purification of livelihood and restraint in use of the four requisites). I have not heard of the &quot;ultimate version of the five precepts&quot;... where are these mentioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your first five bullet points are mentioned in the Atthasālinī under courses of immoral action (also mentioned in the Vinaya), but I have not encountered “If you can stop a killing you must stop it”. Is this from a Mahāyāna text?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your questions seem to be around this final bullet point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please help me to better understand and I may be able to offer an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastEditorUserId="5779" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T00:37:25.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T00:37:25.990" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9921" CreationDate="2015-11-11T00:19:49.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very hard to state definitively and lastingly &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;having no such position&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I read the quotes in these answers, I see that the Buddha was not asserting anything, and not denying anything. This is difficult to perceive. The mind craves an object, but here, there is no object, which is not to say that it does not exist! For that would be another object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By not saying one thing, or its opposite, the Buddha was trying to &quot;shout&quot;: &lt;em&gt;there is nothing to talk about here.&lt;/em&gt; It is difficult to make that stand, or make people accept it on its face. It rather reminds me of the Flower Sermon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T00:19:49.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-11T00:48:31.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I did some research and found the following in this document: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Maha-nidana Sutta: The Great Causes Discourse&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Translator's Introduction&lt;/strong&gt; at the top ends with this paragraph:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In each of these cases, once the sense of attachment and&#xA;  identification with name-and-form can be broken, the mutual dependency&#xA;  between consciousness and name-and-form is broken as well. This brings&#xA;  about total freedom from the limits of &quot;the extent to which there are&#xA;  means of designation, expression, and delineation... the extent to&#xA;  which the sphere of discernment extends, the extent to which the cycle&#xA;  revolves for the manifesting (discernibility) of this world — i.e.,&#xA;  name-and-form together with consciousness.&quot; This is the release at&#xA;  which the Buddha's teachings are aimed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read this as saying that breaking the identification with name-and-form is sufficient and is the &quot;&lt;em&gt;release at which the Buddha's teachings are aimed&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which is what I have been asserting in my question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This section is from &lt;strong&gt;Assumptions of a Self&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, Ananda, in as far as a monk does not assume feeling to be the&#xA;  self, nor the self as oblivious, nor that 'My self feels, in that my&#xA;  self is subject to feeling,' then, not assuming in this way, he is not&#xA;  sustained by anything (does not cling to anything) in the world.&#xA;  Unsustained, he is not agitated. Unagitated, he is totally unbound&#xA;  right within. He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that the Buddha was saying that if we stop making assumptions about the self and trying to solidify it through definition, but instead simply accept that something goes on there about which we need not concern ourselves, then &quot;&lt;em&gt;There is nothing further for this world&lt;/em&gt;&quot; - that the goal is in hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this I draw the conclusion that realizing Anatman is necessary and sufficient for (eventual) liberation. If so, that is the place to apply effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T00:48:31.087" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12542" CreationDate="2015-11-11T02:14:57.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn77&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 77&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha teaches a group of wanderers the five reasons why His disciples venerate Him and look to him for guidance:&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;1. Supreme aggregate of virtue&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;2. Excellent knowledge and vision&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;3. Supreme aggregate of wisdom&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;4. Teach the Four Noble Truths&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;5. Show the way to develop wholesome states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T02:14:57.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12542" CreationDate="2015-11-11T03:31:16.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.003.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhajagga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I also say unto you O monks — if any fear, terror or hair standing on&#xA;  end should arise in you when you have gone to the forest or to the&#xA;  foot of a tree, or to an empty house (lonely place), then think only&#xA;  of me thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Such Indeed is the Blessed One, arahant (Consummate One), supremely&#xA;  enlightened, endowed with knowledge and virtue, welcome being, knower&#xA;  of worlds, the peerless trainer of persons, teacher of gods and men,&#xA;  the Buddha, the Blessed One.' Monks, if you think of me, any fear,&#xA;  terror, or standing of hair on end, that may arise in you, will pass&#xA;  away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;another translation&lt;/a&gt; of the same sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But I tell you this: If — when you have gone into the wilderness, to&#xA;  the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — there should arise&#xA;  fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should&#xA;  recollect me: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy &amp;amp; rightly&#xA;  self-awakened, consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; conduct, well-gone, an expert&#xA;  with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit&#xA;  to be tamed, the Teacher of divine &amp;amp; human beings, awakened, blessed.'&#xA;  For when you have recollected me, whatever fear, terror, or&#xA;  horripilation there is will be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T04:18:40.797" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T04:18:40.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12555" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12556" CreationDate="2015-11-11T04:26:55.910" Score="1" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;You know, and increase risk of others getting the illness and such? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T09:04:21.707" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T09:04:21.707" Title="Is it unethical in the Buddhist view to attend work ill?" Tags="|karma|sila|right-intention|right-action|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12555" CreationDate="2015-11-11T04:39:58.160" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't square well against the notion of Right Action (or Right Conduct) on the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The practitioner should train oneself to be morally upright in one's activities, not acting in ways that would be corrupt &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;or bring harm to oneself or to others&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_action&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;) (emphasis added)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If going to work while ill could cause others to become ill, that would be bringing harm to others. So it's probably not a good idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T04:39:58.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12557" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12563" CreationDate="2015-11-11T10:58:10.223" Score="6" ViewCount="344" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like in &lt;a href=&quot;http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/p/fourstages.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;, is there any teaching on the &lt;em&gt;stages of life&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;P.S. Answers for this question will be great &quot;Dhamma gifts&quot; for my upcoming Birth day.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T11:41:06.070" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:57:14.043" Title="Stages of Life according to Buddhism" Tags="|modern-world|teaching|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12495" CreationDate="2015-11-11T11:31:13.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atman - View there is a Soul or Entity. Here the belief is there either controllable, non changing entity. (Entity view.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhava - Becoming or creating further existences. This is a process under which your next moment is create through the rolling of the Dependent Origination (DO). This is like a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic_process&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;stochastic process&lt;/a&gt;. (Process view.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms the general tendency is the look at a being as an Entity but actually there is a Process (Bhava) which does not properties you associate with and Entity (Atman).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T11:31:13.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12559" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12562" CreationDate="2015-11-11T11:46:53.373" Score="4" ViewCount="77" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been very good about observing the Uposatha days this year, this year it falls on Christmas (US calendar). Any thoughts on observing while spending time with friends and family who are non Buddhist, or should I just just stay to myself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="5250" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T19:34:13.873" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T19:34:13.873" Title="Suggestions for observing Uposatha on this coming Christmas" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12543" CreationDate="2015-11-11T12:23:00.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt; tells us the &quot;good&quot; and &quot;correct&quot; things to do, in an overall way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right view&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right intention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right speech &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right action &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right livelihood &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right effort &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right mindfulness    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:23:00.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12543" CreationDate="2015-11-11T12:35:12.483" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply do what is &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; beneficial you and / or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T12:57:55.433" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:57:55.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12559" CreationDate="2015-11-11T12:39:44.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should be able to observe it without much difficulty. Everyone's family and friends are different, but at the same time there are many similarities. You should pause to reflect on how you will observe it, and consider reactions you might receive in advance so you can prepare kind responses (to keep everyone comfortable).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For most of the precepts observed on Uposatha, this shouldn't be a problem. Your friends and family likely won't be upset with you for not killing or stealing, for instance. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Precepts five through eight could be a little tougher, depending on the people around you. But they're probably already used to you not drinking, so the fifth precept shouldn't be an issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth precept might raise some eyebrows, especially if you're attending a party or family gathering where it might seem odd that you not share a meal with everyone. But you can explain it however you wish, from &quot;I'm already full!&quot; (if you really are; don't break the fourth precept!) to sharing your observance of Uposatha and what it means to you. You should do what feels right, and what makes you comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you enjoy both your Christmas and Uposatha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:39:44.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12557" CreationDate="2015-11-11T12:57:14.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There really isn't anything quite like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashrama_(stage)&quot;&gt;ashrama&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism, at least as it applies to an individual person's life. Buddhism takes a simple view that one is born, lives, and then dies, within a cycle of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra&quot;&gt;saṃsāra&lt;/a&gt; (a belief shared with Hinduism). Within the context of that life, one is either &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism&quot;&gt;awakened&lt;/a&gt; or one isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's interesting, since Buddhism defines many other &quot;stages&quot; involving &lt;em&gt;aspects&lt;/em&gt; of life (just not about life itself):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Tibetan_Buddhism&quot;&gt;Stages along the path to liberation&lt;/a&gt; (in Tibetan Buddhism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Qualities_of_the_jh.C4.81nas&quot;&gt;Jhāna stages of meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot;&gt;Seven stages of purification&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lojong&quot;&gt;Seven stages of mind training&lt;/a&gt; (in Tibetan Buddhism)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also: Happy birthday!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T12:57:14.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12564" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12579" CreationDate="2015-11-11T14:09:56.317" Score="6" ViewCount="3584" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, it is generally said that children too have a share of their parent's sins &amp;amp; good deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, according to Buddhism, does the karma of a parent (in a direct or indirect way) affect their children?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastActivityDate="2020-12-30T09:46:02.760" Title="Do parents' karma affect their children?" Tags="|karma|ethics|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12309" CreationDate="2015-11-11T14:43:40.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My opinion is that there is no such gradation. Actions begin with a thought or &lt;strong&gt;Chēthanā&lt;/strong&gt;. These are the seeds that determines the eventual actions. So if our Chēthanā are pure it will lead to pure actions. If they are impure, the actions will be impure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 1. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suffering Follows The Evil-Doer&#xA;  Mind precedes all knowables,&#xA;  mind's their chief, mind-made are they.&#xA;  If with a corrupted mind&#xA;  one should either speak or act&#xA;  dukkha follows caused by that,&#xA;  as does the wheel the ox's hoof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 2. Happiness Follows The Doer of Good&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all knowables,&#xA;  mind's their chief, mind-made are they.&#xA;  If with a clear, and confident mind&#xA;  one should speak and act &#xA;  as one's shadow ne'er departing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-&lt;strong&gt;Treasury of Truth , Ch.1 (&quot;Twin Verses)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, as these verses quite clearly justifies, &lt;em&gt;thought precedes all actions&lt;/em&gt;. Since thoughts cannot be graded, it is more so the &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; rather than the &lt;em&gt;quantity&lt;/em&gt; of the thought that really matters. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forget all the jargon that comes with the precepts and rules. Follow your heart. Ask yourself truly, at the &lt;em&gt;very point of thought&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;Is this what I really want to do? Does this go against my self conscience and pure gut feeling? Does the action that comes with this thought hurt me, others and both above mentioned parties?&quot; . If the answers are satisfying, then put that thought into action. It will bring good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is not like a game of basketball or cricket where a judge keeps score. It all comes from the strength of the &lt;strong&gt;thought&lt;/strong&gt; itself. If your thought is strong enough, you can even attain higher &lt;em&gt;Pāramitās&lt;/em&gt; or 'states of perfection' which are stepping stones to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T14:43:40.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12564" CreationDate="2015-11-11T14:58:40.060" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there are five orders or processes (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Niyama Dharma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;) which operate in the physical and mental realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Utu Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - physical inorganic order, e.g. seasonal phenomena of winds and rains. The unerring order of seasons, characteristic seasonal changes and events, causes of winds and rains, nature of heat, etc., all belong to this group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bija Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order of germs and seeds (physical organic order), e.g. rice produced from rice-seed, sugary taste from sugar-cane or honey, peculiar characteristics of certain fruits, etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level so does Karma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result, not in the form of a reward or punishment but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhamma Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order of the norm, e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Bodhisattva in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature. The natural reason for being good and so forth, may be included in this group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citta Niyama&lt;/strong&gt; - order or mind or psychic law, e.g., processes of consciousness, arising and perishing of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind, etc., including telepathy, telaesthesia, retro-cognition, premonition, clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought-reading and such other psychic phenomena which are inexplicable to modern science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I declare, O Bhikkhus, that volition is Karma. Having willed one acts by body, speech, and thought.&quot; (Anguttara Nikaya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every volitional action of individuals, save those of Buddhas and Arahants, is called Karma. The exception made in their case is because they are delivered from both good and evil; they have eradicated ignorance and craving, the roots of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Niyama Dharmas, the 2nd which is &quot;Bija Niyama&quot; does indicate a determinant force which is inherited by the parents. But in my opinion, it is not a hypothetical idea that &lt;em&gt;what our parents do right here right now or in the far away past&lt;/em&gt;, affects us today in the present! No it does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is more about &lt;em&gt;what we inherit&lt;/em&gt; - by that I mean our &lt;strong&gt;genetical inheritance&lt;/strong&gt;. And that is predetermined by our own Karma : which is the 3rd Niyama Dharma - &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Karma Niyama&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our actions bear results. And they are partly what we inherit in a next existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the answer goes as such All that we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant circumstances and experiences inevitably result. So have pure thoughts, and the results will be pure! Nothing to worry about our parents' deeds! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5143" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T14:58:40.060" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12567" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-11T19:59:09.420" Score="4" ViewCount="599" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practising Vipassana for 5 months since going on a 10 day course. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In answering someone's question on increased salivation during a 10 day Vipassana course, the respondent stated that the abdomen was the anchor that stopped us from flying away.&#xA; I was very interested in that because when I meditate I sometimes feel there is a huge stone in my stomach region that won't let me go. Occasionally if I struggle really hard I feel I can break the link to that weight and then I seem to pop out into a huge very blissful area. This occurs only rarely as it is very difficult to do. To do it, I feel I have had to give up on everything and 'throw myself off a cliff'&#xA;I feel there is a lot of fear in this stomach area and a tightness like a fist. I always find it very difficult to feel sensations in this area when practicing the Vipassana. &#xA;Can anyone help explain further about the abdomen being an anchor to stopping one from flying away and perhaps answer it in relation to the experiences I mention above. &#xA;Thank you for your time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5459" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T10:35:54.530" Title="Problems with the abdominal area while practicing Vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12567" CreationDate="2015-11-11T22:08:49.007" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are not problems, this is a good sign. This means you are making progress :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the popular assumption, our mind is not supported solely by the brain. Significant parts of mind (mind is not really discrete so perhaps I should not say &quot;parts&quot;) operates on the basis of the rest of the body. Specifically, lower layers of what's known as &quot;subconscious mind&quot;, &quot;emotional mind&quot; and &quot;intuitive mind&quot; are in fact informational aspects of the bodily processes. Then there are currents of mind (here's a better word!) that are not confined to our body at all and are more connected with &quot;external&quot; processes - but that's a separate story. The point is: mind, emotions, intuition, mood, and body - are all connected in what's known as psychosomatic continuum. When you start meditating, your &quot;conscious&quot; layers come in contact with &quot;subconscious&quot; layers - and to you this looks like you suddenly discover feelings and broodings that you had no idea existed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, some of our experiences and memories - especially powerful, traumatic and/or repetitive - are &quot;stored&quot; as tensions or blockages of certain muscles of the body. The most significant ones are the muscles of pelvis, abdomen, diaphragm, chest, shoulders, throat, and the muscles of face and scalp. Abdomen is where memories of danger (~fears/insecurities) are usually stored or rather the emotional components thereof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you do a watching-the-bodily-sensations type of meditation long enough, eventually you open up and gain access to these somatic memories. If you keep going on in a gentle but persistent manner, you may be able to &quot;go inside&quot; and &quot;dissolve&quot; and sometimes even recollect the actual traumatic events they came from. (This second part is more like a free gift. Focusing on the recollection too much may slow down the whole process. What matters is going through the somatic/emotional bubble and opening up.) There are kilotons of energy locked up in those bubbles - and opening some of them may completely change your character and therefore the course of your life. Just be sure to proceed very &lt;em&gt;very&lt;/em&gt; gently. Navigating these things require a lot of sensitivity. There is no danger in forcing it, it's just that being too eager makes them less likely to trust you and let you in. (&quot;Them&quot; being the blockages). It took you 5 months to get here, it may take you another 5 months or 5 years or 10 years to go through - needless to say it is well worth it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple of auxiliary techniques I recommend: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;try to sit in a way that makes it easy to open and relax the whole area: from diaphragm to upper abdomen to lower abdomen. Start from the top or the area that you feel is the most alive and meditate on it until it starts moving and opening up. Then slowly make your way down. Keep relaxing the muscles and letting it go as you learn to trust yourself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on the days when you don't meditate, try to slightly tap the abdomen (like the King Kong) while making an effort to not defend it by tensing. Keep doing this very gently until you can open it up. This is really cheating and the &quot;proper&quot; way to do it is through Vipassana alone, but in my practice it can help speed up the process. Just don't tap so hard as to insensitize the area - overdoing the tapping may temporarily remove the physical blockage without releasing the emotional energy. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in my experience, it helps to meditate in a very cozy atmosphere, e.g. with lots of sunshine etc. - whatever makes you feel happy, secure, and comfortable will help opening up. Sometimes you have to cultivate the positive feeling by indulging in and repeatedly enjoying whatever cues that make the ambiance look stereotypically good to you. The patterns of shadows on the wall, the rays of light, the chirps of birds - whatever works for you. Your main focus should still be on the breathing and abdomen, but let's say 20% of your attention can periodically scan the &quot;happy cues&quot;. As with everything, don't overdo this mechanically. It's a subtle thing that requires sensitivity to what makes you happy. This is not the core technique anyway, you can achieve success with just the watching meditation alone, but it does help a bit.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is really all there is to it ;) - just keep going and hopefully you can open your blocks and enter your subconscious through them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are layers beneath layers of blockages. You may open one layer only to discover another one... and another one... and another one. It does feel scary to open those - like exposing your naked soul to the world - so I understand why you're saying you feel like you need to jump off the cliff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, all of this is very individual and subjective - so your experience may not match mine, but since we are all humans we should hopefully be similar enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T23:50:28.680" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T23:50:28.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12570" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12578" CreationDate="2015-11-11T22:43:21.947" Score="1" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the common answer:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right intention,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right speech,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right action,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right livelihood,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right effort,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right mindfulness,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Right concentration,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is e.g. the Right view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do i know my efforts are correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain these 8 in day to day practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7254" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-11T23:01:58.763" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T18:43:38.160" Title="Can someone explain &quot;Noble Eightfold Path&quot; in depth?" Tags="|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-11T23:30:51.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best answer you can get for these questions are in one place.  You should learn &quot;Tipitaka&quot; for the most accurate answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book will help (it is free for download). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T23:30:51.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1720" CreationDate="2015-11-11T23:58:43.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was no knocking on doors tradition.It was an era of wisdom and everyone was so exited to see who is right.So when a sage comes to a village people will go to see him as a habit.If they accept what has been said they continue to be followers or they look away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This excitement was not very far from what we see today.I am sure that you have seen how people wait in line to buy the new &quot;Apple iPhone&quot; or how they wait to see the next &quot;James Bond&quot; movie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might say it was diferent but it was actually quite a happening time.&#xA;For the first time they saw human defy gravity,walk in water,levitate,teleport.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were exited to see who is right / who will win this battle of beliefs.&#xA;A good example can be found in &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Maha mangala sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.In it a being from another realm (a Deva) says that there is a certain struggle among humans that even found its way to their realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question was &quot;What is mangala / what is good or fortunate&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was the best time for religions because it wasn't a time like this in which people are too busy for spiritual things.People were actually waiting to see what will happen next.There was a cultural and spiritual awakening in the society of India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Lord Buddha had no trouble introducing himself after all he was a prince once with a huge and powerful kingdom.Lord Buddha gave up all of that to find the path.Even before the enlightenment Prince siddhartha (The prince who became lord Buddha) was quite like a celebrity among the people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there was a special method to Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once lord Buddha saw a future of a farmer.That man was about to loose everything to a flood.But lord Buddha did not said anything,instead Lord Buddha visited him in his paddy field daily and talk to him.It was only after the flood Lord Buddha taught him dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Almost all of other religions came to debate with lord Buddha to ensure their survival against this new path.All of them were lost,and the major supporters of these beliefs became Lord Buddha's  followers.This was a huge advantage.Not to mention all the sages who lost and became followers themselves  like the &quot;3 Jatila sage leaders Gaya kashyapa,Nadee kashyapa and their brother&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-11T23:58:43.737" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12492" CreationDate="2015-11-12T00:21:16.447" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to Buddhism there is a kind of beings who are much like Gods that you mention they were given the name &quot;Deva&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to Lord Buddha there are 2 Devas with the power and authority over moon and the sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The one with power and authority over sun is called - Soorya/Surya divya putta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are referring to the One upon the elephant please know that &quot;Indra&quot; is not the only one on a elephant.There is another called &quot;Sumana saman&quot; (Praised to this day in Sri Lanka) who met lord Buddha personally and made a temple himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you have got one this wrong.Lord Buddha was not against all gods! Lord Buddha was against the belief that a being created the world/universe.So Lord Buddha was only against &quot;Creationism &amp;amp; its Gods and Almighty&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like to remind you that many of the suttas (Teachings) in Buddhism begins with a mentioning of a god who visited Lord Buddha and asked the question which resulted the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And i would like to point out that god called &quot;Vishnu&quot; who is very famous in India is a name found in Theravada Buddhism.As to Buddhism these are somewhat alien beings to earth who accepted certain beliefs and resided in certain areas of the earth.Buddha even said it directly and went on to mention their society,planet,body structure and so on.Lord Buddha even visited them in their own planet.And they used to visit Lord Buddha every morning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know your religion so if i offended something you believe i am sorry.But for us Buddhists all the Hindu gods are either fake or beings from another planet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The picture of your's does not contain any solid evidence to back up the theory that it is actually &quot;Indra&quot;,as to my knowledge an elephant is a sort of a highly regarded animal in Buddhism and that person on top of the elephant could be anyone from a Kind to a Deva or Sakra (the king of Devas)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:21:16.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="27" CreationDate="2015-11-12T00:44:31.647" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The time flowing is a purely a mental projection.But how?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine yourself in a field,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;you do not have a watch&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is dark sun is not coming up&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;can you guess the time now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an actual experiment to explain how humans experience time.Time for humans  is very easy to understand,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;watch a movie for 2 hours and sit down,start meditating for 2 hours.You will feel like it is 4-5 or 5 1/2 hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The experiencing of the flow of time is relative to what you are experiencing now.If what you are doing is exiting time is faster to your mind (Like a date with the love of your life).&#xA;But if what you are doing is boring time is slower to your mind (Like school)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the conclusion is the feeling of time passing by is a complete illusion of mind thinking.If the mind was asleep like you do in the night you will not feel it at all.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(If there was no clock in your house can you say how many&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;hours you slept last night?)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what about the Past?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Past is not a real thing.Your brain can't even fully memorize a single event.What it does for this amazing magic to happen is very simple.&#xA;It is more like how you studied back in the school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your brain/mind remember the most important events of a memory and fill in the blanks to make the rest of the memory.But you can't find a difference between the memory and the real event.Because what your mind makes up is all you can remember.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example try to remember the last time you went to see your grandmother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you remember what shoes you were wearing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you remember who you met before going there that day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you will not be able to.Brain did not recorded those things in the permanent memory.Because none of those small things were important to make the memory in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:44:31.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10126" CreationDate="2015-11-12T00:48:11.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not particularly a problem to indulge in pleasant energy sensations, could even be a good thing if it gives you a sense of rest and support - but could also keep you away from doing &quot;the real work&quot; of Vipassana - which at this stage is to identify and release emotional blockages elsewhere in your body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T00:48:11.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10126" CreationDate="2015-11-12T03:32:08.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I get the 'sound' mainly engulfing me and it is very blissful I must say. I might also get a huge gushing out of the top of my head and that draws me in to. These moments can feel very blissful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept a sound / gushing sensation is there&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mind state&lt;/a&gt; and / or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;metal factor&lt;/a&gt; create some sensation or the other. Look what sensation are there in the body equanimous attention to its arising and passing until it your body is tranquil.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I made a conscious effort to ignore these events and have mainly succeeded but sometimes I still get sucked in because I want to or as a 'treat'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not ignore. Just accept it being equanimous, realising its arising and passing, then put effort to bring your mind to a chosen meditation object, frequently reviewing if it is with the object. In breath meditation you can review at the end of each in and out breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What effect will this have on my vipassana? Is it safe to allot some time for that meditation outside of the vipassana meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana aims to calm the fabrication and help you understand the process that fabrications are created (see things as they are - contact, perception, sensation coming together and you reaction to sensations)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As long as the technique does not create any fabrications then it is fine&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it ok toward the end of a sitting to let myself focus on the sound instead? Should I let the sound buzz through me at the same time I focus on my body parts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At the end of a session it is always good to focus on thee sounds around you, the touch of your cloths and ground, etc spreading your awareness gradually than being fully concentrated and then leaving it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T03:32:08.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12570" CreationDate="2015-11-12T03:36:29.007" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The whole of the Noble Path can be summarized as the action, speech, effort, intent etc. &lt;strong&gt;coming from the two kinds of thoughts&lt;/strong&gt; as explained in MN 19:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me: ‘Suppose that I divide my thoughts into two classes [-- useful and harmful].&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;...&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of [the harmful kind] arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought [of the harmful kind] has arisen in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others’ affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna.’&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;...&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of [the useful kind] arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of [the useful kind] has arisen in me. This does not lead to my own affliction, or to others’ affliction, or to the affliction of both; it aids wisdom, does not cause difficulties, and leads to Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Briefly, my personal opinions / commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Arya marga.&lt;/strong&gt; Here, &amp;quot;arya&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;noble&amp;quot;) stands for &amp;quot;advanced person&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;marga&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;path&amp;quot;) stands for &amp;quot;training method&amp;quot;. Together it means &amp;quot;The advanced person's training method&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the eight points starts with the word &amp;quot;samma&amp;quot; (Sankst. &amp;quot;samyak&amp;quot;) - &amp;quot;right&amp;quot;, which in this case means &amp;quot;high-quality&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;adequate&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;effective&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;useful&amp;quot; - in bringing about the good results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right view&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful philosophy) stands for one's perspective on life in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The central point of the right view is that our life can get better (away from afflictions &amp;amp; difficulties and towards wisdom &amp;amp; peace) or worse (away from wisdom &amp;amp; peace and towards afflictions &amp;amp; difficulties) -- depending on the choices we make. The subsequent points build up on this basic idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right intention&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful attitude) stands for one's attitude as one goes about life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right intention is trying to improve things, not to harm or make things worse. It is a deeply constructive attitude, not a destructive attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right speech&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful speech) stands for one's skill in interacting with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, it is speech of a wise person who knows what to say, how to say, and when to say it in order to achieve well-being for oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right action&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful behavior) stands for one's self-control in acting strategically and not impulsively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with the rest of the points, the idea of right action is to not do anything (stupid) that will have an adverse effect, but to act skilfully in order to maximize the net benefit, esp. long term. The useful behavior is characterized by sobriety, discipline, moderation, and making wise choices about what one is getting into and with what kind of people one is connecting one's destiny. The useful behavior comes from the thought like &amp;quot;what kind of long term result will I get if I do this?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right livelihood&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful lifestyle) stands for the circumstances and environment one chooses or agrees to live in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Useful lifestyle is a lifestyle more or less supportive of the useful thoughts and useful actions towards a good result -- not a lifestyle that forces one to go in a completely opposite direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right effort&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful effort) stands for self-improvement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, it means the ongoing effort to stop and get rid of the pathological habits/impulses/hangups, and to develop the &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; (useful) skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful frame-of-reference) stands for watching for &lt;em&gt;the two kinds of thoughts&lt;/em&gt; as one goes around the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is to not let oneself be carried away by the pathological currents, but to go around one's day while staying within the perspective of &lt;em&gt;arya marga&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;right concentration&lt;/strong&gt; (or useful mood) stands for one's ability to control one's attention and therefore one's perspective and mood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of right concentration is to stop being the slave of information and to become the master of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, in our day to day practice we must have a good sense of direction -- which way is feeding our ego and weaknesses, and which way is being an &amp;quot;arya&amp;quot; (advanced person). Your know your efforts are correct if you become less frustrated and more successful with whatever you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Sat-Dharma is &amp;quot;good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end&amp;quot;, the Noble Path works on all levels:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the mundane level&lt;/strong&gt; it helps one achieve success and better quality of life through developing self-control and discernment for constructive strategic action.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the personal level&lt;/strong&gt;, it guides one towards overcoming neuroses, attaining the mastery over one's emotions, and achieving a stable &amp;amp; happy state of mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the social level&lt;/strong&gt;, its emphasis on overcoming the harmful impulses, developing self-control, and the focus on constructive positive action - encourages cooperation, harmony, and seeking a compromise for the greater good.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the intellectual level&lt;/strong&gt;, it encourages intellectual agility, open-mindedness, and anti-dogmatism as necessary conditions for skillful response.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the level of the spiritual quest&lt;/strong&gt;, it provides a working framework and a practical way of gauging one's progress for abandoning obstacles on the way to Enlightenment - from overcoming coarse emotions, to dismantling the ego, to uprooting the preconceptions, to realizing the nature of mind, to attaining prajna-paramita.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T18:43:38.160" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12564" CreationDate="2015-11-12T03:39:47.130" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma of one person is not shared or inherited. Say a parent has a bad Karma to suffer. This might some times instrumented by means of a child getting sick. This does not mean the Karma has being pass to the child. Say the child leaves the household then perhaps this may manifested through another calamity even maybe another loved one getting sick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is Fabrications. The volition creates fabrication giving, pleasant, neutral, painful experiences in the future. This is Karma. This cannot be transferred or inherited or stolen. When this gives results there should be a medium for it to manifest. Generally though the people and the environment around us. The working of Karma is complex. There could be a case some one dear might die so we experience sadness. In such a case it is not the Karma of the person who died inherited our bad Karma. If there are X &amp;amp; Y who are dear, if there is a chance X may go and in case the opportunity does not present itself for X and Y is there then Y maybe the person to die. This is not X or Y's karma but our own which manifests itself to give pain. If say the opportunity of you get hurt though X &amp;amp; Y does not present itself as the environment and situation did not arise, it does not mean the Karma will also follow X &amp;amp; Y but it will follow you and will give results at a later time if it is potent and the opportunity present itself. In this case if is Z how is close and dear to us and the karma is that for a loved one to depart it might be Z who takes the fall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is not wise to be around people doing or having bad Karma, or situating where bad Karma is in effect. E.g. if you see a rioting or fighting crowd get your self out of there and if you have the slightest part Karma to get beaten up this might be the best opportunity for it to manifest itself. Also if you do not have such Karma getting being at the wrong place at the wrong time, may mean you can get hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T10:23:02.163" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T10:23:02.163" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12259" CreationDate="2015-11-12T04:56:39.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, unwholesome action bears unpleasant fruit in this or a future life. But when and how intensely such fruit arises is mediated by what we do now and henceforth.  The most efficacious means for reducing such negative consequences are through &lt;strong&gt;developing our virtue, our mental capacities and our wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;.  Below, I'll ground this response in the teachings of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (known to many as &quot;Bhante G,&quot; Abbot of the Bhavana Society, author of &quot;Mindfulness in Plain English,&quot; etc., see, for instance, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henepola_Gunaratana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henepola_Gunaratana&lt;/a&gt;) who anchors his advice in the oldest Buddhist texts and commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recall during two different week-long meditation retreats with Bhante Gunaratana his being asked this same question, What to do when we've done regretful acts in the past?, by two different people.  One person was a innocent-looking young woman, the other a middle aged man who mentioned he had served time in prison and who appeared stooped over and brow-furrowed by deep remorse.  To each of these people, Bhante G gave the same response.  He first quoted from the &quot;Lump of Salt Sutta&quot; and then told the story of the mass-murder-turned-monk Angulimala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Lump of Salt Sutta (in Pali, &lt;em&gt;Lonaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, AN 3.99 or 3.100, depending on which redaction; here's an English translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&lt;/a&gt;; and, here's a Pali redaction: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an3.100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an3.100&lt;/a&gt;), the Buddha essentially asks his disciples, would a lump of salt have the same taste in a small bowl of water as it would in the river Ganges?  The disciples state that the lump of salt would make the bowl of water undrinkable but would not affect the taste of the Ganges.  The Buddha then reveals that the lump of salt is a metaphor for bad karma and that the water reflects ones spiritual development.  More specifically, bad kamma will have a harsher impact on one who is &quot;undeveloped&quot; (represented by the small bowl of water) while it will have a nominal impact on one who is &quot;developed.&quot;  Developed in what way?  To quote from the sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developed in body (&lt;em&gt;bhavita-kaya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developed in virtue (&lt;em&gt;bhavita-sila&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developed in mind (&lt;em&gt;bhavita-citta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developed in wisdom (&lt;em&gt;bhavita-panna&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(An earlier part of the sutta adds, &quot;He is unlimited and has a lofty character, and he dwells without measure&quot; [trans. Bhikkhu Bodhi], which some commentators associate with ones practicing lovingkindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, for instance, as indicated in the Bramha-vihrara Sutta, AN 10.208 [for which here is a translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html&lt;/a&gt;; also see Piya Tan's article, &quot;How loving kindness can limit bad karma&quot; available at &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/an3-100-lo-akapalla-how-loving-kindess-can-limit-bad-karma-by-piya-tan/1801]&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/an3-100-lo-akapalla-how-loving-kindess-can-limit-bad-karma-by-piya-tan/1801]&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a quick side note, if I may, the notion of developing ones virtue, mind and wisdom finds resonance in the more general Buddhist framework known as the Threefold Training (see, for example, this Wikipedia article: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&lt;/a&gt;).  The notion of &quot;developed in body&quot; is often interpreted in terms of sense restraint (Pali, &lt;em&gt;samvara&lt;/em&gt;; for a more detailed exposition, see, for instance, the Samvara Sutta, AN 4.14, an English translation of which is available at &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.14&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Bhante G's retelling of the story of Angulimala, a mass murderer whose very name refers to the necklace (&lt;em&gt;mala&lt;/em&gt;) made of his victims' fingers (&lt;em&gt;anguli&lt;/em&gt;), the most important canonical source is MN 86 (Thanissaro Bhikku's translation can be found at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&lt;/a&gt;).  Realizing the endless cycle of suffering he has created for himself and others, Angulimala disavows his murderous ways and becomes a follower of the Buddha.  (As Angulimala recites in this sutta and in Th. 16.8  [e.g., Norman's translation can be found at &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/thag16.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/thag16.8&lt;/a&gt; ]: &quot;Swept away in a great flood, I went to Buddha as a refuge.&quot;)  Once, when going for almsrounds, Angulimala saw a woman in painful labor and was overwhelmed by how to respond.  The Buddha taught Angulimala the protective verse: &quot;Sister, since I was born in the noble birth [that is, became a monk], I do not recall intentionally killing a living being. Through this may there be wellbeing for you, wellbeing for your fetus.&quot;  This exemplifies how Angulimala's new commitment to a harmless life enables him to both liberate himself and give comfort to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an addendum to what I have learned from the wondrous Bhante G, I'd like to add two observations.  The first is that, among monks and nuns, there are communal processes for addressing interpersonal (and other) wrongs that include bimonthly communal confessions.  (See, for instance, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha#Monastic_practice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha#Monastic_practice&lt;/a&gt; .)  I don't know if any such process is established in Buddhist lay communities and would, of course, welcome others sharing their knowledge about such.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, our regret is often intermingled with our own natural, understandable desire to be forgiven.  In Buddhism though, seeking such forgiveness is not achieved through debasing ourselves or some form of ritualized self-flagellation.  Instead, this impulse for forgiveness reminds me of a chant generally found in post-canoncial Theravada liturgies, &quot;Khama Yacana&quot; (see, for instance, &lt;a href=&quot;http://chantpali.org/closing.html#khama_yacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://chantpali.org/closing.html#khama_yacana&lt;/a&gt;), where the verses state in part:  &quot;If by deeds, speech or thoughts heedlessly I have committed any wrong-doing, forgive me, O Bhante ... O Dhamma ... O Sangha ....&quot;  In such a way, beyond the desire to resolve our karmic consequences and our desire to create communal harmony, we can try to temporarily ease within ourselves any excessive burden, facilitating the realization of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7216" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T04:56:39.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12581" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-12T06:16:54.137" Score="2" ViewCount="511" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it okay to save money, asset for the future financial security for a person with family following the Buddhist Path? There is always this dilemma in making financial decisions based on the Path and security for future. How to go about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastActivityDate="2021-01-13T18:07:41.820" Title="Saving for the future" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12581" CreationDate="2015-11-12T06:43:29.290" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The wise endowed with virtue shine forth like a burning fire,&#xA;  gathering wealth as bees do honey and heaping it up like an ant hill.&#xA;  Once wealth is accumulated, family and household life may follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By dividing wealth into four parts, true friendships are bound; One&#xA;  part should be enjoyed; Two parts invested in business; &lt;strong&gt;And the fourth&#xA;  set aside against future misfortunes&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot;&gt;Singalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of dilemmas can occur when you confuse lay life with monk's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T06:43:29.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12567" CreationDate="2015-11-12T10:35:54.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Past fabrications give bodily sensation. (More particularly Rootless Body Consciousness.) If you entertain the experiences more new fabrications are created which will result in positive or negative experiences in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sensation and experiences can be bizarre from person to person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What needs to be done is to look at the impermanence of the experience, if possible at the level of as passing away of phenomena, with no attachment to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T10:35:54.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1795" CreationDate="2015-11-12T10:52:22.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions what reciting and studding the Dhamma can lead to liberation. When doing this you have to reflect what the Dhamma trying to experience of it. Study of and recitation of the Dhamma will lead to joy and from joy to zest and from zest to tranquillity and from tranquillity to happiness and from happiness to concentration and from concentration to clear vision which leads to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma vicaya&lt;/a&gt; should be present though out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T10:52:22.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12585" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-12T11:21:19.370" Score="1" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the panditarama vipassana retreat they ask us to focus and observe on the object that pops up our attention, such as a pain or thought.&#xA;I started having ticks that I had on my childhood, such as closing and opening my right eye intermittently very fast. The tick does not stop if I observe it, and it does stop if I focus on something else, such as the rise and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it dangerous to continue focusing on the tick? Will it then appear in my life when not practicing meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7228" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T14:44:18.463" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T15:05:24.533" Title="Is it dangerous to focus on ticks from childhood during meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12585" CreationDate="2015-11-12T12:00:31.747" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Acknowledge the tick only a few times as it appears, but then acknowledge what else appears, your mind reacts to it somehow -- fear, anxiety, memories, analyses etc. And go back to the anchor (step or breath). This way the tick will lead you to the stuff underneath; if you stay focused on the tick, you are practicing concentration and will miss that reaction. Mindfulness consists in both the ability to acknowledge what is there right now (not what was there two seconds ago) and also the ability to let it go quickly (back to the anchor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is normal that things don't disappear when you acknowledge them. Do you expect to start levitating when you acknowledge sitting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is likewise normal that childhood stuff appears in meditation (be it really from childhood, or only believed to be, that does not matter), and such symptoms might get worse temporarily; acknowledge worries about it (you seem to be worried about it being dangerous) and keep practicing, that's the way to clear it out, and the truth will show itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually (no guarantee; speaking of my experience) these things disappear as meditation wears off in daily life (e.g. feelings of craziness, extraordinary/painful sensitivity, physical symptoms etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(P.S.: since you are in Panditarama, won't the teachers give you an instruction when you ask them?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T12:07:47.637" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T12:07:47.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1585" CreationDate="2015-11-12T12:14:40.637" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mind state&lt;/a&gt; and / or [metal factor][2] create some sensation or the other. These sensations can have some similarities exhibited by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 elements&lt;/a&gt; like pain (feels like Earth - gross solidified), vibrations, expansion contraction, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is experienced or felt is the mind. Hence there are times you feel the mind is turning to matter and matter into mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T12:14:40.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12581" CreationDate="2015-11-12T13:03:41.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses how to maintain one's livelihood in tune:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what does it mean to maintain one's livelihood in tune? There is&#xA;  the case where a lay person, knowing the income and outflow of his&#xA;  wealth, maintains a livelihood in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a&#xA;  penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus will my income exceed my outflow, and&#xA;  my outflow will not exceed my income.' Just as when a weigher or his&#xA;  apprentice, when holding the scales, knows, 'It has tipped down so&#xA;  much or has tipped up so much,' in the same way, the lay person,&#xA;  knowing the income and outflow of his wealth, maintains a livelihood&#xA;  in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus&#xA;  will my income exceed my outflow, and my outflow will not exceed my&#xA;  income.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the four drains on one's store of wealth: debauchery in&#xA;  sex; debauchery in drink; debauchery in gambling; and evil friendship,&#xA;  evil companionship, evil camaraderie. Just as if there were a great&#xA;  reservoir with four inlets and four drains, and a man were to close&#xA;  the inlets and open the drains, and the sky were not to pour down&#xA;  proper showers, the depletion of that great reservoir could be&#xA;  expected, not its increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T13:03:41.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12585" CreationDate="2015-11-12T15:05:24.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yah, those damn ticks have bothered me too! Around the time I broke through some of my old baggage I had continuous eye ticks for almost a year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is to not pay attention to ticks themselves, but to the &quot;energy&quot; behind the ticks. Not all of your attention, maybe 10%.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something is going on in there, some old tangle -- and you can't force it, just feed it with some attention energy and hopefully it will untangle over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately this is a good thing - don't worry, just some old crap coming up. If you keep going there maybe more coming :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T15:05:24.533" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12590" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12591" CreationDate="2015-11-12T16:39:20.397" Score="7" ViewCount="593" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Mahayana follower I keep growing my wish to help all beings. To accomplish this, I have developed the wish to become a Buddha. As I meditate and follow the teachings, I really wish to help all beings to be free from suffering and want them to be happy, and I really can feel by my own experience that I can make them happy by practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although sometimes I also have the feeling I should help in other ways. Like giving them food or even doing some volunteer work to help them to be free from suffering, at least for a short period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When is the time to meditate, and when is the time to help others (and of course by doing this wanting them to be free from suffering)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7257" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T22:17:07.507" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T20:46:29.847" Title="When is it time to meditate and when is it time to act?" Tags="|personal-practice|mahayana|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12590" CreationDate="2015-11-12T18:44:57.660" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is a certain tendency in the west to take the Bodhisattva vow as mandate for humanitarian action.  The reams of material that have been written on socially engaged Buddhism are pretty exemplary of that.  I personally don't think there is anything wrong with working to make someone suffer a little less.  I also think that proponents of this kind of engaged Buddhism are on some pretty solid theological ground.  Helping others is an essential part of anyone's practice.  It's no accident that the first paramita (in all traditions!) is generosity.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I need to qualify this though.  No matter how much effort you exert, you aren't going to end suffering in the world.  No government plan, social service, or movement can accomplish that.  It's impossible.  To even think along those lines is completely contrary to Buddhist teaching.  The only surefire means we have of ending suffering is through our own liberation.  It is imperative that we don't lose sight of that.  So many people get caught up in outward directed effort that they lose touch with their individual practice.  One wonders how truly useful they can be as Buddha-beings when their best weapons in the fight against suffering - their loving-kindness, compassion, patience, and generosity - aren't sharpened by daily practice! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's always time to help others and if you practice Buddhism sincerely, you will always be doing exactly that.  The hours that you sit benefit all sentient beings in ways just as powerful as any hour you spend working at a soup kitchen.  If you feel called to do something more tangible than just sitting, that's fine.  It's even recommended lest you begin to develop an indulgent attachment to the bliss of concentration.  Just don't let outward efforts distract you from your own liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T19:32:22.680" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T19:32:22.680" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12395" CreationDate="2015-11-12T19:02:20.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chapman has drawn a circle around his own practice of Aro g'Ter, which he describes as &quot;neither traditional nor modern&quot; but as &quot;terma.&quot; Everything outside that circle is &quot;Consensus Buddhism&quot; or infected by it. He also likes Shambhala, which he practised before the Aro sect. I live in Halifax, which is the International headquarters of Shambhala. The dominant form here is Vajra-Tantra; it totally dominates Buddhism in Atlantic Canada in numbers, wealth, teaching and practice. But I don't call it a &quot;consensus&quot;; I don't practice it and it has no affect on what I choose to practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chapman's thesis on Consensus Buddhism approaches conspiracy theory. He purports that there is this loosely coalesced conspiracy, led by the Dalai Lama, Jack Kornfield, and other published teachers, to make us all practice the same thing (&quot;One Dharma&quot;), which deliberately excludes tantric practice from that consensus, thus suppressing the practice of tantra. He offers no evidence to explain how this Consensus Buddhism dominates US practice, or that it deliberately suppresses tantric practice--not even anecdotal evidence. It's a conspiracy theory which he proffers as a way to defend his own views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7259" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T15:51:16.163" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T15:51:16.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12590" CreationDate="2015-11-12T19:41:35.240" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In my opinion...&lt;/em&gt;  in Buddhism this kind of worry is called &quot;udacca-kukucca&quot; :) -- &quot;Am I not doing enough of what I should be doing? I am doing &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; but shouldn't I be doing &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; instead?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the perfect mind in Buddhism is A) free of the conflict between &quot;this&quot; vs. &quot;that&quot; and B) makes the best use of any situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if real situation presents itself when someone needs help, and you see &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; you can help - go ahead and help. But if there is no situation and no clear idea, then it's just worry. Especially when you are meditating - all kinds of thoughts can come up, but your goal is to keep going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's not about prescriptive guidance: &quot;you should spend 50% of your time helping others&quot; - but rather about doing your best as you're letting your life unfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course we have all these grand ideas about the great business we want to open, or the great way we could help people, or other visions of great success - but they are only projections of thought into the future. This projection creates a mismatch between &quot;here&quot; and &quot;there&quot;. From this mismatch comes dukkha, the feeling of wrongness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, for any success you will have achieved, there must be a pathway from where you are now, to there, with the first step being within reach. Therefore the only way to get &lt;em&gt;there&lt;/em&gt; is to work with what you have right here and now. So do your best with what life gives you at every given moment, acting with most compassion, most openness, most wisdom, most sincerity etc. - and you will get to the best possible place you could have gotten to - and on the way there you will have many chances to really help someone - and it will be real and within your powers - and not some abstract idea that generates dukkha :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-12T20:05:53.893" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T20:05:53.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12129" CreationDate="2015-11-12T20:47:47.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I had the same issue and this is the advice i got from a monk...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we call meditating is not something that must be done while sitting down,you can meditate in many other positions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example other than Breathing meditation you can actually do any other Buddhist meditation without having to sit down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some examples.If you do not know these meditation click on it and it will open a web page for you to learn.All these meditations can be done without staying still so you will have all the time you need to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/16_Impermanent_Meditation_1.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Impermanent Meditation 1 - lesson&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/17_Impermanent_Meditation_2.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Impermanent Meditation 2 - lesson&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation - lesson&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice these meditations while doing your day to day stuff and before you know it you will be a good practitioner,This is how i got over the issue my self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-12T20:47:47.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12596" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-12T21:38:55.697" Score="3" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often hear that meditation is best at the first part of the day, and it is usually recommended to meditate before eating. Yet it seems odd to me that for the Dali Lama, washing would come first and meditation would come second. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only explanation I can come up with is that the washing would allow for enough time to pass so that the early morning 'dreamy' state of mind would wear off?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I am not sure if the Dali Lama still follows his traditional schedule, I am talking about the Dali Lama of centuries past)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="634" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T16:00:52.673" Title="For what reason did the Dali Lama's traditional daily schedule have washing before meditation?" Tags="|history|meditation|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12597" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-13T00:58:21.817" Score="2" ViewCount="62" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some understanding regarding consciousness as related to the six senses, but I'm less clear on the mind itself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-13T01:17:18.007" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T01:17:18.007" Title="What are the differences between the mind and consciousness?" Tags="|theravada|consciousness|mind|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-11-13T05:55:21.803" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12598" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12602" CreationDate="2015-11-13T05:38:05.743" Score="6" ViewCount="650" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is attachment some kind of love? Parental love, a smile that comes when we get a glance of a toddler, when we spent money on good for our beloved one's then that time what is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per my perception i wish to ignore all of this, attachment. But i am actually unaware of the factual attachment. Am i wishing good? I am open for good, for change as i am aspired to become a good or maintain a fair balance between good and bad in myself to lead a good way of living. Literally i have came to know that i need a fair personal practical advise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-13T14:29:13.943" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T22:40:46.680" Title="What is attachment as per Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12598" CreationDate="2015-11-13T08:13:15.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment is craving for sensation either in the form of direct sensual experience or a future situation or existance in which you can experience or be united with desirable sensations. Our mental reaction to either external stimuli or comparison of some mental models against what we sensed produce sensation. It is pleasant sensation that you are attached or crave for. The fact that we have friend is no attachment at all unless, where have some Perceived relationship in a metal outlook we create about the world and we react to the sensation this bring about. Each metal state resulting from the contact our our 6 faculties create sensation. We perceive these sedations as favourable, unfavourable or neutral and react accordingly with craving, aversion, or ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting go is giving up your Perception of sensual experiences as favourable, unfavourable and developing equanimity towards any sensation always realising they arise and passes away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love is a kind of attachment when you perceive some one in relation to you (myself, my friend, my wife, my child, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-From-Devotion-to-Direct-Experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana From Devotion to Direct Experience by S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also quotes from meditation teachers who have similar line of explanation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A sensation appears, and liking or disliking begins. This fleeting moment, if we are unaware of it, is repeated and intensified into craving and aversion, becoming a strong emotion that eventually overpowers the conscious mind. We become caught up in the emotion, and all our better judgment is swept aside. The result is that we find ourselves engaged in unwholesome speech and action, harming ourselves and others. We create misery for ourselves, suffering now and in the future, because of one moment of blind reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if we are aware at the point where the process of reaction begins–that is, if we are aware of the sensation–we can choose not to allow any reaction to occur or to intensify… in those moments the mind is free. Perhaps at first these may be only a few moments in a meditation period, and the rest of the time the mind remains submerged in the old habit of reaction to sensations, the old round of craving, aversion, and misery. But with repeated practice those few brief moments will become seconds, will become minutes, until finally the old habit of reaction is broken, and the mind remains continuously at peace. This is how suffering can be stopped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Art of Living by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once we understand the secrets of the kaya, we turn to the secrets of the vedana. The vedana have the highest power&#xA;  and influence over human beings, over all living things. My words will surprise you, nonetheless, the entire world -&#xA;  animals, humans, and all living beings – depends on the vedana. They all are under the power of the feelings. This&#xA;  sounds funny and unbelievable, so examine it for yourselves. It is a fact that we - our entire species – are being forced&#xA;  by the vedana to do their bidding. When there are sukha-vedana (pleasant feelings) we try to get more of those feelings.&#xA;  The pleasant feelings always pull the mind in a certain direction and condition certain kinds of activity. Dukkha-vedana&#xA;  (unpleasant, disagreeable feelings) affect the mind and influence life in the opposite direction, but still lead to all kinds&#xA;  of habitual responses. The mind struggles with them and turns them into problems that cause dukkha. The feelings have&#xA;  great power over what we do. The whole world is under the command of these vedana, although there may be other&#xA;  factors involved as well. For example, while tanha (craving) can control the mind, craving itself is first conditioned by&#xA;  feeling. Thus, the vedana have the strongest and most powerful influence over our entire mind. We ought to understand&#xA;  the secrets of vedana. (25)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will say something at which you can laugh if you wish, &quot;If we can master the vedana we will be able to master the&#xA;  world.&quot; We will be able to control the world, when we can control the feelings as we require. Then we could supervise&#xA;  the world as it so badly needs. Now, nobody is interested in controlling the vedana, so the world has gotten out of&#xA;  proper control. Have you seen all the crises and problems that arise constantly? The wars, the famines, the corruption,&#xA;  the pollution, all these things, are activities originating in our failure to control the feelings from the start. If we would&#xA;  control the feelings, then we could control the world. This is something you need to consider. (26)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we speak in line with the Lord Buddha's words, we say that the causes of everything in the world are centered on the&#xA;  vedana. The myriad activities happen in the world because our feeling of the vedana forces us to desire, and then act out&#xA;  those desires. Even such beliefs as reincarnation and rebirth are conditioned by the vedana. If we believe, we travel&#xA;  around in the samsaric cycle, the cycles of birth and death, of heaven and hell. Everything originates in feeling. To&#xA;  control the vedana is to control the origin, the source, the birth place of all things. This is how necessary it is to&#xA;  understand these feelings correctly and comprehensively. Then, we will be able to control them and their secrets will&#xA;  not deceive us into doing anything foolish ever again. (27)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three main points to realize regarding the vedana. First, understand the vedana themselves, the things that&#xA;  cause feeling in the mind, that the mind feels. Second, know how the vedana condition the citta, the mind-heart. They&#xA;  stir up thoughts, memories, words, and actions. Know this concocting of the mind. Third, discover that we can control&#xA;  the mind by controlling the vedana, in the same way that the flesh-body is controlled by the regulation of the breath.&#xA;  Then we win be able to master the mind by correctly mastering the feelings which condition it. These three things make&#xA;  up the secrets of the vedana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Understand the feelings themselves.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Know the things that condition the feelings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Then, know how to control those things that condition the feelings, which is the same as controlling the&#xA;  feelings themselves.&#xA;  These are the three important things to understand about vedana. (28)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since the first and second stages of practice both follow the same principle, it is helpful to compare the two. In the stage&#xA;  regarding the body, we find out what it is that conditions the flesh-body, and then we study that thing. We study that&#xA;  body-conditioner until we know it in great detail. We study how that thing conditions the body. Then, by regulating that&#xA;  thing, we can control the body. This is our way to make the body more calm and peaceful. As for the mind, its &#xA;  conditioner is the feelings. By controlling the vedana so that they do not condition or stir up the mind, or so that they&#xA;  condition the mind in a desirable way, we are able to calm the mind. This how the first stage regarding the kaya and the&#xA;  second stage regarding the vedana follow the same basic principle and are parallel in their method of practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T13:55:45.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12598" CreationDate="2015-11-13T11:34:21.800" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#Attachment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt;, the Pali word for Attachment is &lt;em&gt;Upādāna&lt;/em&gt; (and that Wikpedia section has an &lt;strong&gt;unreferenced&lt;/strong&gt; description of it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That also links to a whole Wikipedia article on the subject, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;, which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upādāna and taṇhā are seen as the two primary causes of suffering. The cessation of clinging leads to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That statement in that article does have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#cite_note-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a lot of references&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I note that the Third Noble Truth in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta says &amp;quot;desire&amp;quot; and not &amp;quot;attachment&amp;quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This commentary&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, bhikkhus, this is the dukkha·nirodha ariya·sacca: the complete virāga, nirodha, abandoning, forsaking, emancipation and freedom from that very taṇhā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... where &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt; means thirst or desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly, though, desire and attachment are related.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.052.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upadana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One said to the monks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In one who keeps focusing on the allure of clingable phenomena (or: phenomena that offer sustenance = the five aggregates), craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that those two quoted sentences are saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you focus on what's alluring about something that you are or can become attached to, then you'll desire that thing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you desire something then you become attached to (cling to) it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think that if desire is like thirst then attachment is the object of that desire. For example you might think,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am thirsty therefore I would like some water&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... in which case you have attached to water as the object of your desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly if you desire a person, then the desire is desire and the person (or more specifically your idea or 'reification' of that person) is the object of your desire and thus the focus of your attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that attachment is also related to ego or sense of self, if you become attached to something then you identify with it, you think, &amp;quot;I desire this, I am the person who feels desire for this&amp;quot;, etc.&#xA;I say that because the Upadana Sutta above said that the &amp;quot;clingable phenomena&amp;quot; are the five aggregates; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also talks about the five aggregates including the famous saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any [of each of the five aggregates] must, with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Manifestations_of_clinging&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manifestations of clinging&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To distinguish craving from clinging, Buddhaghosa uses the following metaphor:[14]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Craving is the aspiring to an object that one has not yet reached, like a thief's stretching out his hand in the dark; clinging is the grasping of an object that one has reached, like the thief's grasping his objective.... [T]hey are the roots of the suffering due to seeking and guarding.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I may be wrong (perhaps I have misunderstood what 'attachment means), but I might not quite agree with that metaphor: because I think it's possible to be attached even to an object that you don't or cannot grasp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if you were to think, &amp;quot;If only I had that person, or, if only I had that thing, then I'd be happy&amp;quot;, then I think that's not only generalized desire (for an object) but also specific attachment (to a specific object): even when and even though you don't or cannot have/grasp/own/reach that object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably though you can be said to &amp;quot;have it&amp;quot; in the sense that &amp;quot;you have the idea of it&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T15:31:00.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12598" CreationDate="2015-11-13T11:45:27.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love and attachment are two different things. Love is no separation between beings, two beings or all beings. Love is selfless, not selfish. Attachment can be selfish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love can be difficult to untangle from from attachment and understand what is what. Attachment, for example, is when a mother who won't let her child leave when it's time for them to leave because mother is clinging. To complicate matters, the child could be clinging as well, perhaps to the idea of being an adult and the mother maybe knows better or perhaps there both clinging in some unwholesome way. It takes wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one with good concentration &amp;amp;  moral intentions constantly contemplates one's own karma(actions) then one will slowly understand for certain what is wholesome and what isn't a wholesome action to perform.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality and concentration that supports contemplation of one's moment to moment experiences as they really are(with a practice like Vipassana), is how one can cultivate wisdom(like knowing the difference between attachment and love). Wisdom is what frees us from our suffering :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-11-13T22:40:46.680" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T22:40:46.680" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-13T22:40:46.680" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12598" CreationDate="2015-11-13T12:56:40.220" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Teacher S.L. gave the following examples of attachments: attachment to basic pleasures, attachment to possessions, attachment to &quot;good looks&quot;, attachment to comfort, attachment to stability of life, attachment to predictability, attachment to plans, attachment to knowing &quot;exactly how&quot; before you do anything, attachment to skills and abilities, attachment to being right, attachment to intellect, attachment to accumulating knowledge, attachment to the idea of success, attachment to what others think about you, attachment to committed relationships, attachment to fairness, attachment to high moral standards, attachment to spirituality, attachment to doing everything right, attachment to how it is &quot;supposed to be&quot;, attachment to a theory, attachment to Dharma, attachment to Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another teacher explained these as simply attaching way too much &lt;strong&gt;importance&lt;/strong&gt; to ideas...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teacher I.L. further explained these as &lt;em&gt;preconceptions&lt;/em&gt; - overgeneralizations of our past experience that we identify with. We are so convinced that these are justified that we consider them part of who we are, of our values - which we assume to be absolutely correct because they are based on our limited experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche further explained these as appropriating some familiar ground or territory, from which we then engage in dualistic relationship with the rest of the world. From his explanations, these attachments are the constituents of the ego. Feeding them is feeding the ego and therefore feeding Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-13T19:17:27.193" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T19:17:27.193" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12440" CreationDate="2015-11-13T14:26:08.417" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll add a snippet of my own (obviously non-traditional) simple commentary, using &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=u-HbtNeihu8C&amp;amp;pg=PA207&amp;amp;lpg=PA207&amp;amp;dq=because%20of%20no%20obstacle%20no%20fear%27s%20born&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=ltkgMzNyAl&amp;amp;sig=n3npdNKO4SYk9bpIDP4CqKSeQdQ&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0CB8Q6AEwAGoVChMIrISDlsiNyQIVhRc-Ch3NrglL#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=because%20of%20no%20obstacle%20no%20fear%27s%20born&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Allen Ginsberg's powerful, poetic rendering&lt;/a&gt; as recited in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&amp;amp;linkCode=qs&amp;amp;keywords=9781934994009&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gelek Rimpoche's transcript, &quot;Sem, the Nature of Mind&quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every Bodhisattva depends on Highest Perfect Wisdom because mind meets no obstacle.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because of no obstacle, no fear's born.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gone beyond all topsy turvey absolutes attain Nirvna.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Past, present and future every Buddha depends on Highest Perfect Wisdom therefore attain supreme, perfect enlightnment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mara is obstacle and fear. The Buddha, the Bodhisattva depends on Highest Perfect Wisdom, the realm &quot;Where no eye exists, no forms exist, no sphere of consciousness and contact at the eye exists&quot;, etc. to defeat Mara because &quot;there, Evil One, you cannot go&quot;, that is, there is no evil there, in fact, no duality of good and evil, which arises out of and depends on fear and obstacle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T14:26:08.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12604" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12606" CreationDate="2015-11-13T20:33:47.703" Score="3" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the results of doing meththa meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;can someone point out some reference from &quot;suttas&quot; (A translation of a sutta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T01:18:05.023" Title="What are the results of doing meththa meditation?" Tags="|sutras|suttas|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12605" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12608" CreationDate="2015-11-13T20:42:41.777" Score="1" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard Lord Buddha has taught a special version of meththa for certain kind of creatures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone point reference to such a teaching in suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T01:52:08.573" Title="Are there any unique or special versions of meththa meditation?" Tags="|sutras|suttas|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12604" CreationDate="2015-11-13T22:18:47.993" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many good returns of Meththa to a practitioner.If you look at &quot;Meththanisansa sutta&quot; Lord Buddha had spoken of all of those in one teaching.Here's the english translation of Meththanisansa sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Meththanisansa sutta&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard this way.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once when Lord Buddha was residing in Jethavana Monastery of noble anepidu Lord Buddha started a conversation saying fortune ate monks, The monks replied saying &quot;yes,Fortunate one&quot;.Lord Buddha then went on to teach this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunate monks, one should expect 11 returns from a &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Meththa Samadhi&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; which has been&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Frequently practiced&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practiced like a vehicle/ship&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That has been a basic goal of the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which has been started well&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And which has been established well in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these 11 returns?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sleeping without discomfort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;waking up without discomfort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not seeing sinister dreams&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Others become friendly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-human beings&lt;/strong&gt; become friendly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Receives protection from &quot;Devas&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Becomes free from any harm that comes from fire,wepons or poison&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reaches &quot;Samadhi&quot; Faster&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Face/Appearance becomes pleasant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Die with proper consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If this person fail to reach the goals of the path he/she will have the next life among &lt;strong&gt;Brahmas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should expect these 11 returns from a &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Meththa Samadhi&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; which has been&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Frequently practiced&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Practiced like a vehicle/ship&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That has been a basic goal of the mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Which has been started well&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And which has been established well in the mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha taught this and the &quot;Sangha**&quot; accepted it happily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the power of truth in these words bring comfort to all&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Explanation of marked words above.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Meththa Samadhi** -*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samadhi is a state of mind in which the chaotic state of the mind has been stopped by a meditation. Mettha samadhi is reaching it with Meththa meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Non-human beings** -*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Non-Human beings are Brahmas,Devas,Animals,Asuras and beings in lower realms&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Die with proper consciousness** -*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This means when the person dies he/she will not be dying with fear,anger,hate,greed or any other corrupting state of mind.The person will die with the knowledge of death and will be conscious enough to revisit the learning of dhamma&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Brahmas** -*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Brahmas are at the peak of life.They are even above the &quot;Devas&quot; and they are actually the highest that any normal being can reach without the help of dhamma.Birth in this realm happens only to beings with &quot;Samadhi&quot;.They hold the highest life expectancy of all beings (Unfortunately our number system will not have a number to match it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Sangha** -*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The holy monks.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T01:18:05.023" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T01:18:05.023" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12605" CreationDate="2015-11-13T22:47:15.620" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.067.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ahina Sutta: By a Snake&lt;/a&gt;, which includes (I won't quote it all),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have good will for footless beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      good will for two-footed beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      good will for four-footed beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      good will for many-footed beings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's previously mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5542/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which quotes a note that says, &quot;This is one of the few protective charms mentioned in the Pali canon and specifically allowed by the Buddha for monks to use&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-11-13T22:57:22.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12605" CreationDate="2015-11-14T01:52:08.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta Chris W had mentioned above has a chanting of its own in theravada tradition.It is called &quot;Bandha Piritha&quot;. Here's the full translation of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Bandha Piritha - Extending Meththa towards the casts of snake kings.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard this way....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once Lord Buddha was residing in the Jethavana Monastery of noble Anepidu. A monk died because of a snake bite.A lot of monks came to Lord Buddha, they worshiped Lord Buddha and sat down.They asked about the monk who died because of the snake bite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha answered. &#xA;Fortunate monks,That monks did not extended his &quot;Meththa&quot; toward the casts of the snake kings.If he did he would't have been bit by a snake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are those four casts of snake kings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is called &quot;Virupaksha&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is called &quot;Erapatha&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is called &quot;Jabyapuththa&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is called &quot;Kanha Gothamaka&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That monks did not extended his &quot;Meththa&quot; toward these casts of the snake kings.If he did he would't have been bit by a snake.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunate monks, I approve extending Meththa towards these Royal casts of snakes.That will be a security and a protection for you.Also it will be a Meththa chant for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said this afterwards,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with &quot;Virupaksha&quot; snake cast&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with &quot;Erapatha&quot; snake cast&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with &quot;Jabyapuththa&quot; snake cast&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with &quot;Kanha Gothamaka&quot; snake cast&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with beings without legs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with beings with legs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with four legged beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May my Meththa be with beings with many legs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;May beings without legs cause me no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May beings with legs cause me no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May four legged beings cause me no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May beings with many legs cause me no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May no evil come to all,&#xA;Living beings and to all beings who have been born&#xA;May all find comfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha is with values above measuring&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma is with values above measuring&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sangha is with values above measuring&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of polluting &quot;Klehsa&quot; these beings like Snakes,Scorpions,Spiders,Insects and Insects are with measurable values.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have done protection,I have chanted.&#xA;May all beings go away from me.&#xA;I worship Lord Buddha,I worship seven Lord Buddhas of this era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the power of truth in these words bring comfort to all!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;End of translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T01:52:08.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12047" CreationDate="2015-11-14T10:51:28.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a &quot;Dhamma&quot;-rule of thumb, if answers lead you you further away from Samsara and towards Nibbana, i.e. by reducing &lt;em&gt;greed, hatred and delusion&lt;/em&gt;, then those answers, can be considered wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T10:51:28.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12610" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-14T13:44:27.063" Score="9" ViewCount="1892" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can the horrible and tragic events in France be seen from a Buddhist perspective? Can the global situation with fanatical terrorism be analyzed in terms of the Buddhist theory of human mind? Can we as the global society do anything to heal the divide?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry I'm posting this 100% opinion-based question. Normally, questions about current events are considered off-topic and would be closed. But I feel that we as Buddhists &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; as humans can't be silent, can't ignore this tragedy and pretend that nothing happened. Please share your thoughts and opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My deepest condolences to everyone affected by the tragedy. My best thoughts are with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T18:07:30.210" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T18:30:05.150" Title="The terror tragedy in France in Buddhist light" Tags="|modern-world|killing|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T13:47:16.767" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T14:40:54.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel beyond horrible about the tragedy. I don't even think that I can articulate how I really feel&amp;mdash;it's a complex medley of negativity, swirling with many different emotional elements. Yet the first thought that enters my mind, when considering it from a Buddhist perspective, is simply: &lt;em&gt;There is suffering&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I, too, wonder what could be accomplished in terms of healing. I worry that &quot;healing&quot; may not even be possible; that the patterns of behavior across recorded history show us that there is an inevitability to perpetual conflict, hatred, and killing. It feels easy to succumb to a feeling of helplessness, but at such times it's even more important to stick to the path. Right Resolve is key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there is no complete healing. Maybe the most we can ever hope for is simply managing through the day-to-day: to do the best we can to follow the path to end suffering; to model the views and behaviors that form the path; to live it daily and in so doing remain a source of inspiration and peace within a world that's always in need of love and kindness in the face of hatred and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is suffering.&lt;/em&gt; Simple words that can apply equally to a small scratch or a mass killing. But in the end, all we can ever really do is follow the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T14:40:54.927" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T14:40:54.927" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T16:00:46.077" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara is the tragedy. If everything happens is determinable by Karma or other deterministic set of laws then there is no motivation and perhaps the chance to leave Samsara. In this case it can be combination of Karama &amp;amp; randomness and wrong view and motivation at play. Such events can be inspiration to strengthen your practice so that such calamity does not befall you in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T16:00:46.077" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T16:00:46.077" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12614" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-14T16:15:35.120" Score="4" ViewCount="191" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body. How can this be explained in Buddhism? What is this state ? Can consciousness exist externally without physical body? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T15:22:59.327" Title="Can consciousness exist externally?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12614" CreationDate="2015-11-14T16:42:56.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#arupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Immaterial World&lt;/a&gt; this is possible. There might be times you fee so in meditation. Maybe when you enter Infinite Conciousness Absorption but even without this there maybe instances you may fee so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is this state ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You been born in an Immaterial World.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can this be explained in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have generally have Nama &amp;amp; Rupa. In Immaterial World you just have Nama but not Rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not possible as I would believe you to be human hence having Nama and Rupa, in which case conciousness cannot exit without a physical body. This is the case in any other plane of existance other than The Immaterial Worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T17:09:19.750" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T17:09:19.750" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T17:11:22.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist world view is informed by the miracle of compassion and loving kindness as much as the wisdom of impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a farmer cannot hope to achieve much by working hard the day before a harvest, a Buddhist cannot produce greater compassion or understanding on days of tragedy if she does not practice it in the midst of the petty suffering of daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best antidote to suffering is to first recognise our suffering and be fully present in this moment for it. The suffering is real, even if only at the level of our feelings and emotions, so we must embrace it fully. We must not try to forget it, or blind ourselves to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If possible we must also try to embrace the attackers and try to understand the deep suffering the attackers must have felt for several months or years to set out on this course of violence. They were not capable of turning their suffering into love, but if we can manage that, we have performed a great miracle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May we hope that today's victims do not become tomorrow's attackers, and send metta to all, so that the miracle of love and compassion maybe born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am reminded of a poem by Thich Nhat Hanh, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.brookes.ac.uk/poetry-centre/national-poetry-day/thich-nhat-hanh--please-call-me-by-my-true-names/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Please call me by my true names&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T17:11:22.477" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T17:11:22.477" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T17:18:59.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw the &quot;breaking news&quot; on BBC news web site last night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today they are still using the &lt;strong&gt;heavy black border&lt;/strong&gt; around the headline which they reserve for grave calamity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cbYRV.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cbYRV.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sight (and formatting) of this headline is shocking to see, full-screen: it turns my stomach somehow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing else in the news headlines, at the moment, it occupies every news slot:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JdLKY.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JdLKY.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember the TV news reporting the 9/11 attacks in New York. Two or three weeks later the TV was still replaying or showing the same photos of the infamous footage, and I &lt;strong&gt;switched off the TV news&lt;/strong&gt; and I haven't watched American TV since then.&#xA;The subsequent invasion of Iraq by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_of_the_willing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Coalition of the willing&lt;/a&gt; (not to mention the invasion of Afghanistan) seems to me related to that kind of propaganda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With respect and assuming you want to know the world news, I invite you to contrast the 130 dead in Paris with the number (hundreds of thousands) of people killed and homeless in (for example) Syria.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My specific suggestions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be aware that something like this (i.e. people being shot) happens often in the world, presumably daily, although not where you are and not reported in the news you usually consume&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware that news is emotionally sensational, with dramatic introductory music (even if if it's only a drum-beat), a hurried/worried/concerned tone of voice from the people reading the news, etc. ... and beware that those emotions, and/or what you call &quot;memes&quot;, may be infectious.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beware of the reaction to respond to violence with violence, fear, anger, revenge, e.g. go to war &quot;to prevent further war&quot; or something like that ... that might not be a good idea! The Dhammapada suggests that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We (most people) are probably &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; directly affected by these events (but we may be affected by news of the events). Isn't this partly a matter of &quot;guarding the sense doors&quot; which Buddhists have a habit of doing already?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it &lt;strong&gt;does&lt;/strong&gt; affect you personally (if you &lt;strong&gt;are&lt;/strong&gt; at the scene of a shooting) historically one of the ways in which Pacifists serve in war-time is as &quot;stretcher-bearers&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The French have a word &quot;&lt;em&gt;affoler&lt;/em&gt;&quot; which literally/etymologically means &quot;to make crazy&quot;. Here are some definitions of it from the 'net:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(transitive) to madden, drive crazy (under the effects of a strong emotion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(transitive) to terrify, frighten, scare&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(intransitive) to run like crazy, leg it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(reflexive) to go crazy, go bonkers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or from Larousse,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To provoke great anxiety&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To provoke emotional disorder&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding this kind of &quot;folly&quot; within yourself might be a good beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T17:18:59.140" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T17:18:59.140" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12618" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-14T17:32:39.610" Score="7" ViewCount="791" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to research this method in historical texts, but any search on google for ‘body scan’ only returns results related to the modern vipassana movement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5213" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T18:03:21.250" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T14:07:55.437" Title="What is the name in Pāli and Sanskrit for the ‘body scanning’ meditation technique?" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|meditation-body|pali|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T17:49:38.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, it is breaking of the first precept at large scale.&#xA;The root cause can be any of the 3 roots of evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: greed can be the root cause, if these terrorists are simply mercenaries hired by a rich country to serve a political purpose. Hatred can be the root cause, if this is done as revenge against France for getting involved in conflicts elsewhere. Delusion can be the root cause, if it is done due to a religious belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists, we can practice the four divine abodes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metta &amp;amp; Karuna&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;towards those who are injured. Wish them to recover soon. Send aid if possible. Do good deeds and transfer merits to the dead.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;towards the terrorists as they have committed a lot of bad Karma which they would have to suffer for in the future.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Muditha&lt;/strong&gt; towards those who were able to escape the attack.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Uppekkha&lt;/strong&gt; towards all as they are the owners of their deeds which lead them to happiness or suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also use the shock factor to realize how dangerous Samsara is and how fragile life is. That'll help you loosen the bonds of lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can we as the global society do anything to heal the divide?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teach and practice the Dhamma and encourage others to practice as well, just like how the Ariya-sangha would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-14T18:18:54.003" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T18:18:54.003" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T17:49:38.100" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12610" CreationDate="2015-11-14T18:30:05.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If anything, the umpteenth event of this kind shows once more that the praxis is the sole source of knowledge, especially when compared to the reading of books of any doctrine, explicitly religious or not, reading which does nothing but develop faith, instead of removing doubts as with the praxis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the republics institutionalizing the liberal democracies could render mandatory the vipassana-samatha mediations in their mandatory school programs, such as they do in few of their prisons or for their cancerous, even though the buddhist morality --- that is to say the dhamma put into praxis --- which is required to get any result remains in strong contrast to the morality of the Human rights whereon lie the doctrine that is the initial classical liberalism and its various contemporary refinements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lack of praxis is the sole effect of the faith in a rationalism supporting a doctrine (religious or not), sometimes more or less blend in some bastardization of empiricism, in order to acquire knowledge, whereas the traditional quest of the rationalist, especially the one who qualifies himself as secular, since this is all that he has, to link the productions of the mind, which are the abstractions, to the « states of the world » remains sterile, thus far.&#xA;And the desire for western academic to find a political philosophy in the dhamma --- that is to say to construct and then having faith in such political structure in sanctifying it, à la Human Rights --- shows how deeply misguided he is through another tragedy of the occidental rationalism claiming to be a occidental humanist and seeking some salvation through some concrete objectivity via a universalism, since, let's face it, he more or less understands  that his Human rights are nothing but universal in a performative manner...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem of the occidental humanism is the explicit lack of praxis of the human rights, either a personal praxis or even a social one, since there are very few rituals in any liberal doctrine; and the faith in its imposition on the children in formatting them through the national education demonstrates solely his despair. This education could a good strategy, but given that they still need the justice and the police today,  it fails de facto.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, the rationalism not being bound to the occidental humanist, the same lack of praxis is detrimental in any other doctrine putting an emphasis solely on the reading of their conventional texts.&#xA;It is always the same problem, irrespective of the doctrine, religious or not : how can the few proponents of such doctrine manage to get dozens of millions of people, who were birthed by parents precisely not following the doctrine, into adopting a doctrine which is not theirs spontaneously ?&#xA;There is no answer to these besides a mixed of proselytism and imposition, more or less explicit. And The dhamma does not show a proselyte face. So what can the buddhists do ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once entered in the stream, the followers of the dhamma knows that the human conventions will not save anybody. These conventions in the West take the form, today, of legal laws and scientific laws. This loss of faith in politics, in views consolidates his doubts on a structure to manage people inside a nation (assuming that he has faith, beforehand, in the relevance of the concept of nation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As usual, the sole display of a doctrine is through the action of its followers. Concerning the dhamma, the buddhists must accept that the majority of the people will not follow the dhamma, that a minority will be explicitly against it, that a minority will show a few fruits of the dhamma without even following it.&#xA;The buddhists must show how good buddhist they are; in one word, how good they are in being equanimous and benevolent, towards themselves and others, at any time and any place...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7267" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T18:30:05.150" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-14T18:30:05.150" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12618" CreationDate="2015-11-14T22:29:30.363" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kayagata-sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.  Buddha was explicit that breathing is part of the body, so anapanasati is a sub-set of body scanning.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2015-11-14T22:29:30.363" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-11-15T04:47:32.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many Shin and Pure Land Buddhists that do not exercise mediation.  You do not need meditation to be a Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7274" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T04:47:32.877" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12614" CreationDate="2015-11-15T10:27:13.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind can exist without the physical body, i.e. Nama can exist without Rupa. Mind is not dependent on a physical body, whereas the physical body is fully dependent on Mind and cannot exist without it. The physical body cannot do anything before an &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; arises in the Mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some beings in other realms are &quot;mind-only&quot;. They have no physical body and therefore no locality, hence they cannot be located in space. Since they have no physical body and therefore no &lt;em&gt;ear-faculty&lt;/em&gt;, they are not able to hear Dhamma teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These beings can be found in the &lt;em&gt;Immaterial Realm (Arupa Loka)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is this state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can gain access to the Immaterial Realm, e.g. through the &lt;em&gt;Four Formless Jhanas&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can this be explained in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The 31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt; teaches about the different realms of existence and how to gain access to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma teaches about &lt;em&gt;Nama-Rupa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of Samatha Meditation will grant a being access to the Jhanas and thereby the different realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of Vipassana Meditation will grant a being access to insights into how reality functions, e.g. &lt;em&gt;the 3 marks of existence, how the Mind works, how the Mind-Body-Complex works&lt;/em&gt;, thereby beginning the process of purification of Mind by destroying the root defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The degree of purity of Mind corresponds to which realms a being can access/be reborn in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To add to my question, is my consciousness same as yours? Is it possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, Consciousness is the same. Consciousness is not a thing, its a &quot;knowing&quot;. One of the reasons this is not understandable intellectually, is because we use conventional language to talk about phenomena that cannot be reduced to conventional reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha once said that it is okay to use conventional language but do not be fooled thereby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is the basic awareness of an object and nothing more. It only exists as a taker of objects. One will understand this when practicing Vipassana meditation. One will clearly see how there cannot be conscious experience without consciousness is present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me give you can example from daily life, which you might have experienced. You are reading a good book or watching a movie and then someone calls your name. You are absorped in the book or movie and therefore do not hear the person trying to get in contact with you. How is that? The sound from the other person is still there, yes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is because consciousness is not at the ear-sensebase at that moment. Consciousness is at the eye-sensebase. That is why you did not register the sound from the other person. The sound is still there but you are not aware of it, because consciousness did not take that object, at that particular time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can only be aware of one object at a time. Mind can only arise to one object at a time. It might feel like one is aware of multiple objects at a time, but that is because Mind is shifting very rapidly and mindfulness is not strong enough to register that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-15T10:42:58.803" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T10:42:58.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9481" CreationDate="2015-11-15T10:58:43.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one follow the Path in these conditions without incurring karma and its after-effects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma and its after-effects will occur until one becomes an Arahant and thereby breaks the last 5 fetters, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&quot;Craving for fine material existence, Craving for existence on the level of formlessness, Conceit, Restlessness and Ignorance&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until then, every moment is either a &quot;kamma-making-moment&quot; or a &quot;kamma-receiving-moment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the path is not different in these conditions. The experiences are still the same, i.e. &lt;em&gt;hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, smelling and thinking&lt;/em&gt;. That is the same whether one is living a rich life, a poor life, if one is healthy, dying etc. The experiences don't change. Its still just the 6 sense-experiences occurring incessantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the right way of living in the Present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be ever mindful. Always be vigilant. Be mindful of mental and physical phenomena as they arise and pass away in the present moment. Be with reality as it is, when it is and eventually one will set oneself free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:05:59.250" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:05:59.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-11-15T11:04:49.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Answer based in Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to win Nibbana and issue liberation from the rounds of suffering, then you need meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root defilements exist in 3 layers in the Mind. The deepest layer, which is the &lt;em&gt;layer of latent tendencies&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the &quot;roots&quot; of the root defilements cannot be removed unless one practices insight meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the roots are not cut off the tree can grow back again, meaning one cannot become free from Samsaric existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one does not want to become free from Samsara, then one can practice without integrating meditation into the practice. If that is the case then one is not fully following the teachings of the Buddhas, i.e. The Noble Eightfold Path, hence one will not gain the full benefit from the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-15T11:11:53.370" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T11:11:53.370" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12614" CreationDate="2015-11-15T15:22:59.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you please elaborate as to what you meant by &quot;Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Dhamma 6 types of consciousness are mentioned, the eye consciousness, ear, taste, smell, body, and mind. Thus, substituting 'eye consciousness' to your statement above, would mean that you are able to see your body from the outside, i.e. you were able to look at your body as if looking at someone else's body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore if you can help elaborate your state, then your following questions of 'How can this be explained in Buddhism? What is this state ?' could be better addressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be well and happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T15:22:59.327" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-15T16:19:49.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But when we think even deeper, if both mind and body are 'sankhara',&#xA;  then who is the 'being' within our minds, who travels through this&#xA;  eternity of existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pali word 'San' means to 'put/add/collect' 'khara' means 'to do'. However, sankhara do not refer to objects, instead sankhara refers to processes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Culavedalla Sutta, three types of 'sankhara' are, rupa (form related) sankhara, vacci (directing and evaluating thought) sankhara, and mano (perception and feelings ) sankhara. In the same sutta above, the example of the form sankhara is given as the in breath and out breath. Thus sankhara denotes processes, and not objects. Therefore to say that the body and mind are sankhara means that the body and mind are processes. We can take an 'instance of those process states', a snapshot, and refer to them as objects, but the body and mind are constantly and continuously changing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now into these processes/sankhara you have introduced a 'being'. In the dhamma, when rupa, vedhana, sanna, sankhara, and vinnana (aka the five aggregates) come together that state is called a puggala (a being), but this is a state of flux.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;who travels through this eternity of existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the 'who' is a concept which the dhamma explains is formed by viewing the aggregates either collectively or individually as mine, I, myself. Yet in the absence of these 5, conceptualizing a 'who' is impossible. Thus the concept of the 'who' dependent on 5 changing, inconstant, processes, that arise and pass away. Thus the 'who' too is changing, inconstant, arises and passes away, and a process. Therefore the view, the belief, that there is a permanent, unchanging 'who', an 'I', a 'mine', a 'self' is a false view, a false belief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is like a man travelling from house to house. The house breaks&#xA;  down, but the man is eternally travelling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This view is formed, because of the continuous house making process (gaha kharako). If there comes a point, where the house breaks and a new house is not made, what will happen to this man of yours? Your man is defined as someone who lives in a house, but if there is no house, it is not possible to define or even conceptualize your man. Therefore the house making process and your man were one and the same. Without the house the man is not there, and without the man the house does not arise. So as long as there exists the  erroneous view that there is a man separate to the house, the cycle continues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T16:19:49.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12628" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-15T16:20:22.343" Score="7" ViewCount="589" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is generally told that the 4th entry in the chain of Dependent Origination, namely Nama-rupa is nothing but the Five Aggregates (Nama being the sum of Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara and Vinnana). But three of the Aggregates separately appear in the chain of Dependent Origination : Sankhara (2nd entry), Vinnana (3rd entry) and Vedana (7th entry). So there occur three repetitions if Nama-rupa is identical with Five Aggregates. How can this be explained?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:41:31.790" Title="How can Nama-rupa of Dependent Arising be same as Five Aggregates?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|aggregates|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12629" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-15T17:29:18.040" Score="6" ViewCount="34977" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo (daimoku - Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism) for about 4.5 years. I also regularly attend Soka Gakkai International (SGI) meetings. I have experienced a lot of benefits from the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, I have been unable to understand what &lt;b&gt; technically &lt;/b&gt; happens when we chant. I have read in some of the texts that we create a good karma when we chant or some of the questions here answered that the &quot;act&quot; of chanting leads us to the path of enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, being a Physics student, I am interested in knowing what exactly happens when we chant. For example- when I chant, I generate sound energy. Now that energy would have some temporal variation as the words &quot;Nam&quot; , &quot;Myoho&quot; etc. would have different sounds but the ratio of amplitudes and frequencies would be almost equal for each person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be happy if someone can give a technical explanation of what exactly happens when we chant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7277" LastActivityDate="2023-06-13T07:41:47.247" Title="What &quot;technically&quot; happens when we chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo?" Tags="|nichiren|chanting|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2015-11-15T20:26:26.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the physics side of things, yes, the vibrations do resonate with a frequency necessary to make the connection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am also a NMRK practitioner and the way that I see it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The gohonzon is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.angelfire.com/mi2/mica2/GohonzonMeaning.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;representation of various deities&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;who will help and protect you as the Lotus Sutra professes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;opening up your altar and closing it acts as a gateway to summon them into your daily life. This is why we do not keep the altar open always but only open when doing gongyo for the day/evening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sincerity and a lack of self-sabotage are all that is necessary for the deitys' help to reach us.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going back to the physics side of things, I would suggest that you also add another mantra to your practice, paricularly one with the &quot;A&quot; vowel in it because there is no &quot;A&quot; vowel in the NMRK mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing various mantras in conjunction with NMRK and have not had any conflicts but I would suggest to choose Buddhist mantras such as om mane padme hum or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/meditation-techniques/m_zhunti_mantra_cultivation_technique.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;great zhunti mantra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also practicing anapana (samatha) and vipassana meditation both are conducive to better spiritual practice and the NMRK practice is no exception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2015-11-15T22:34:52.303" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T22:34:52.303" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-15T21:52:57.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's how consciousness is, one by one the consciousness comes and goes  but there is no self or body when you look this closely moment by moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-15T21:52:57.827" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-15T21:52:57.827" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12628" CreationDate="2015-11-16T04:18:31.157" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Due to &lt;strong&gt;past fabrication&lt;/strong&gt; resulting from past experiences is instruments in creating the &lt;em&gt;current conciousness&lt;/em&gt;. As conciousness cannot exist without a body this creates current body with each of the relevant sense faculties associated with the different consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The faculties in the &lt;strong&gt;current body&lt;/strong&gt; which come in contact with external objects. The conciousness experiences and identifies the external objects based on the sensation of the touch these and our perception reacts with like, dislike and neutral metal action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These &lt;strong&gt;current reaction&lt;/strong&gt; creates more fabrication which keeps the above cycle going in the &lt;strong&gt;future&lt;/strong&gt;. The reaction is that of our perception classifying sensations into pleasing, unpleasant and neutral sensations of which we want more or less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 Aggregates is the same as Nama Rupa. Different parts of the aggregates appear in different places in DO to illustrate the above cycle base on which aggregate is in active in the relevant part of the process. DO is not always depicted in the 12 link form; for further details see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T09:53:46.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12628" CreationDate="2015-11-16T10:35:11.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sankhara&lt;/strong&gt; in the five aggregates can include neutral mental formations as well. But Sankhara as in&#xA;Avijja paccaya Sankhara refers specifically to &lt;strong&gt;Karma&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinnana&lt;/strong&gt; in the five aggregates can be any of the 6 types of consciousnesses. Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness etc. depending on the sense that is active. But Vinnana as in Sankhara Paccaya Vinnana is just the &lt;strong&gt;Patisandhi Citta&lt;/strong&gt;. Only the mind consciousness is present at that point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vedana&lt;/strong&gt; as in Passa paccaya Vedana can be Vedana caused at any of the 6 sense doors. But before the sense doors are created, &lt;strong&gt;Nama-rupa&lt;/strong&gt; is just the embryo accompanied by a stream of Bhavanga cittas with the birth Karma as the object. The vedana there is caused by the birth Karma instead of contact at the 6 senses. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/nina-abhi-11.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; More info here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, all entries in Paticcasamuppada belong to the five aggregates or the nama-rupa. But Paticcasamuppada uses specific instances to explain the process of causes and effects that leads to suffering. So it doesn't qualify as repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-16T12:08:00.473" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T12:08:00.473" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12634" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-16T11:00:18.467" Score="4" ViewCount="2206" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is Buddhism view on Ancestor Worship? Are there any references which talk about it? Do ancestors occupy any plane/realm ? How to explain the ancestors who come in dreams? Is it manifest of mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-16T11:53:19.693" LastActivityDate="2020-09-12T11:10:38.360" Title="Buddhism views on Ancestor Worship" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|dreams|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12635" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-16T12:48:16.273" Score="0" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the vipassana practice, my teacher asks me to give a detailed report of one of my breathing rise and falling. I've tried but he tells me that the report is too general, that I need to provide more details. Can someone give me an example of a detailed report? Here it is mine. Some feedback?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rise:&#xA;1- the belly starts to rise slowly, with ease&#xA;2- then it speeds up and takes in a lot of air&#xA;3- I feel a resistance, belly is close to the maximum volume, but the breathing goes on and it even hurts a bit. It slows down and stops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Falling:&#xA;1- breath out very fast from the beginning. I feel a relieve on the belly.&#xA;2- continue to breath out fast&#xA;3- I feel there is not much air left and I feel a resistance on the belly, pain again, until it slows down and stops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7228" LastActivityDate="2018-01-24T03:24:36.887" Title="Vipassana report on breathing" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12514" CreationDate="2015-11-16T18:15:58.973" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is like a man traveling from house to house. The house breaks down, but the man is eternally traveling. Who is this man, and how is he eternally traveling, is he is also 'Sankhara'? Shouldn't he also end at some point or the other? In this analogy, the man is the 'existence', and the house symbolizes our body and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is neither man nor no man. There is neither house nor no house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what are the man and the house?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why is there a man and a house and how is the man building houses and eternally traveling from house to house?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By volitional activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why there are volitional activities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You make them because of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One or more of the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that there is 'a being'/'somebody'/'a soul'/'something'/etc. that is endlessly existing, eternally traveling, building houses ...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that there is a man.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that there is a house.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that the man and the house are permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that happiness is in the impermanent. In the conditioned. Where Sankhara is.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the sun rises and sets over and over again, in the same way the man rises, builds his house, thinking, over and over again: &quot;This time I'll make it last in eternity!&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, time passes ... old age comes ... the man dies ... the house crashes ... and the man, because of his past volitional activities, inexperienced, unwise, not knowing, ignorant: &quot;This time I'll make it better!&quot; ... travels in eternity ... searching the permanent in the impermanent ... the unconditioned in the conditioned ... over and over again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In volitional activities, wanting &quot;This time I'll make it better!&quot;, Sankhara arises and its entire mess of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is right view in this case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is no 'being'/'somebody'/'a soul'/'something'/etc. that is endlessly existing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is neither man nor no man.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is neither house nor no house. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The man and the house are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Happiness is in the permanent. In the unconditioned. Where Sankhara is not.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a giant pillar that is unmoved, unshaken, infinitely strong, rooted and eternal, in the same way the man neither rises nor does not rise, stops to build his house, thinking: &quot;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, time does neither pass nor not pass ... old age neither is nor it isn't ... the man neither dies nor not dies .. the house neither crashes nor not crashes ... and the man, because of his past volitional activities, experienced, wise, knowing, enlightened: &quot;&quot; ... is eternity ... neither searching the permanent nor the impermanent ... neither the unconditioned nor the conditioned ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the cessation of volitional activities, neither wanting nor not wanting, Sankhara and its entire mess of suffering do not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ignorance is removed, volitional activities can cease, and that which some teachers refer as The Absolute/God/The Unconditioned/Deathless/etc. is achieved. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal was reached. The holy life fulfilled. There's nothing else to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T18:15:58.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12635" CreationDate="2015-11-16T19:42:44.347" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not for other people to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is your own work. Only we ourselves can work and develop ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can actually be harmful for a meditator to hear what lies ahead on the path before he or she has attained those fruits. That is because the Mind can then try to search for the things one has heard or read. That is not good. They should come naturally as practice develops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go meditate and find your answers or ask your teacher if you do not understand the practice or technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-16T19:48:29.243" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T19:48:29.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12634" CreationDate="2015-11-16T22:07:55.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ancestor worship, or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration_of_the_dead&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;veneration of the dead&lt;/a&gt;, is more of a cultural phenomenon than a religious one (though religions can also influence culture, so it can be difficult to pinpoint the source of different religious/cultural elements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice is most common in countries that also happen to have a larger share of Buddhists, though there's not a huge connection between Buddhism itself and the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81ddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Śrāddha&lt;/a&gt; is referenced in the Pāli canon, though in a Buddhist context the word has a meaning closer to the notion of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;faith&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. But the word itself has an earlier meaning in the Hindu context, where it was more specifically applied to ancestor worship:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Hindu religion, it is the ritual that one performs to pay homage to one's ancestors (Sanskrit: pitṛs), especially to one's dead parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given Buddhism's origins in India, it's easy to see the connection between the cultural practice of ancestor worship and the linguistic fluidity of a single word used to describe both the practice and an early Buddhist concept. Ultimately, though, there doesn't appear to be any direct call for ancestor worship within Buddhist doctrine (which makes sense, given the overall emphasis on our present actions and not clinging to the past).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-16T22:07:55.080" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12639" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-17T03:16:07.010" Score="5" ViewCount="528" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone know of any methods of learning languages within a Buddhist setting? Like learning to read and listen to Dhamma talks and suttas or learning conversation with dialogues of a Buddhist nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean, for example, languages like Thai, Tibetan, Chinese, Burmese, Vietnamese, Sinhalese, English, Spanish and German. Actually, I mean any language that could be in a Buddhist setting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe a method of learning both a language and beginning Buddhism , meditation at the same time. Maybe Pali and/or Sanskrit too, that would be teaching three birds with one teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T18:09:37.020" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T18:23:36.137" Title="Dhamma Language Learning" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|learning|language|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12639" CreationDate="2015-11-17T03:21:47.070" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can take one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Theory-And-Practice-Courses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pariyatti-Patipatti courses&lt;/a&gt; at Vipassana Research Institute (VRI). You can contact them for more longer and intensive courses done in partnership with universities. Some additional contact details are available in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Pali-Study-Programme&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali Study Program&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-17T14:05:17.423" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T14:05:17.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2015-11-17T08:39:23.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here alan watts what actually says that in hinduism the gods appear in form of humans to destroy evil. Vishnu who takes the avatar of krishna and also enjoys his journey. So majority of hindus refer god as a person or in form of person or self. And buddist teach about self so it might not be same in knowledge but the result is almost same both hindus and buddist observe life as a play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7281" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T08:39:23.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12639" CreationDate="2015-11-17T10:22:16.157" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can follow a degree course at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bpu.ac.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist &amp;amp; Pali University of Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T10:22:16.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12639" CreationDate="2015-11-17T11:28:51.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your language list includes Pali, I recommend the &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/courses/pali-online-school/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pali Online School&lt;/a&gt; by the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies (there are on-site courses there, too), plus other resources listed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3053/254&quot;&gt;this answer to 'A good source to learn the Pali language?'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For learning Chinese, you may want to check out the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.woodenfish.org/#!hbmlp/osioz&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Humanistic Buddhist Monastic Life Program&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tibetanlanguage.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan Language Institute&lt;/a&gt; offers various courses and resources for learning Tibetan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many monasteries and Buddhist centres around the world need volunteers. This can be a way to learn the local language and learn something about Buddhism. Just google &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.google.com/search?q=volunteer+Buddhist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;volunteer Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation courses in the Goenka tradition&lt;/a&gt; are available in many countries and are usually held in English and in the local language at the same time. Instructions are given in both languages, and you can choose in which language you want to listen to Dhamma talks, so if it may be helpful for learning. However, I don't think you can learn the language this way if you are a complete beginner. It should work well if you already know the language at, say, intermediate level and want to improve your spoken comprehension skills. You may also listen to the Dhamma talks in English first time you take the course, and in another language next time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T17:31:50.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3156" CreationDate="2015-11-17T13:22:24.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a Buddhist, however I have had a long spiritual practice including meditation taught to me by a direct disciple of my Guru (whom I have met several times - in another country). The point of meditation is to speed up the process greatly. My Guru compares it to travel on foot vs by airplane. If you want to end suffering &lt;em&gt;sooner&lt;/em&gt; and help others &lt;em&gt;more fully&lt;/em&gt;, then the insight gained by meditation will get you there in your lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, of course people can gain understanding and insight and even Realization and Liberation, because it is a natural process that is supposed to happen. It is a process of development. But we can get lost in dead-ends for a long time when we do not have something like meditation to show the depth of the mind and the silent clarity within it. To see to the bottom of the pond, you have to learn how to stop stirring it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another analogy: there are lots of kinds of food which can be made without cooking. But if you want a cake, you have to bake it. It depends on what you want and how long you are willing to watch it unfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T13:22:24.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12618" CreationDate="2015-11-17T14:07:55.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Kayanupassana&quot; comming under &quot;Chathu Satipatthana&quot;. You can find detailed discription in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Maha Satipatthana Sutta&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also refer and search for &quot;Anapanasati Meditation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer:&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T14:07:55.437" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12639" CreationDate="2015-11-17T15:37:59.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was growing up in Laos, they were teaching in the Buddhist temple.  Not sure if monk in foreign country knows how to read Pali.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7282" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T15:37:59.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2015-11-17T23:08:38.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well i am from srilanka and a Buddhist by birth.Here is the simple and direct answer,NO. If you ask why here's the thing, the Brahma worshiping teacher at Buddha's time had nothing else to do but going against Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They tried to beat Lord Buddha in debates,open dialog and failed time and time again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then they sent their brightest students and they did failed like their teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then they tried to defame lord Buddha by sending a lady who looked pregnant.She said Lord Buddha is the father &amp;amp; Lord Buddha replied saying if that's the case only you and i will know the truth sister.Then the sack of sticks that made her look pregnant fell down,the lie was revealed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They tried Framing Lord Buddha or murder by hiding a dead body of a female monk in the Jethavana temple.That lie was revealed too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Lord Buddha slammed Hindu beliefs saying that they are lies right to the face of the teacher of the religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than commonly shared words with the same sound Buddhism and Hinduism got nothing in common.Even the words that sound alike got different meanings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-17T23:08:38.603" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12649" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12659" CreationDate="2015-11-17T23:26:33.123" Score="3" ViewCount="316" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen many answers to questions referring teachings of modern teacher in this SE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But as i have learned&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha's understanding is above any other,even above an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma/Dharma itself is timeless and therefore does not need modifications or updates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is the need of the term &quot;Modern practice / Modern Buddhism&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the rest and use any other resource later on for further clarification if there is such a need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why there is a trend of drifting away from original teachings, does the followers now believe that Lord Buddha's words are outdated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T09:10:17.127" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:49:02.550" Title="Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the all others?" Tags="|the-buddha|modern-world|texts|teaching|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2015-11-18T02:09:06.030" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I noticed from the Wikipedia article about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alan Watts&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He chose Buddhism, and sought membership in the London Buddhist Lodge, which had been established by Theosophists, and was now run by the barrister Christmas Humphreys. Watts became the organization's secretary at 16 (&lt;strong&gt;1931&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That mention of &amp;quot;Theosophy&amp;quot; reminded me of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3810/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason stated in Anagarika Dharmapala's wikipedia page for his split with the Theosophical society is that he was against the idea of a universal religion that the Theosophists were aiming at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmapala eventually broke with Olcott and the Theosophists because of Olcott's stance on universal religion. One of the important factors in his rejection of theosophy centered on this issue of universalism; the price of Buddhism being assimilated into a non-Buddhist model of truth was ultimately too high for him.&amp;quot;Dharmapala stated that Theosophy was &amp;quot;only consolidating Krishna worship.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;To say that all religions have a common foundation only shows the ignorance of the speaker; Dharma alone is supreme to the Buddhist&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess that something like that (&amp;quot;all religions are in essence one, different versions of The Truth&amp;quot;) was one the theories of the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I listed to the 14-minute podcast you linked to (which &lt;em&gt;doesn't&lt;/em&gt; include the quote, &amp;quot;Buddhism was just Hinduism stripped for export&amp;quot;). Based on that (i.e. on what I heard) my guess is that Alan Watts may have meant that the non-dualism of Mahayana is like the &lt;em&gt;Advaita&lt;/em&gt; of Hinduism.&#xA;The following &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a quote from early in the podcast:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way doesn't mean 'moderation'. It means a bringing together of opposites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://vajratool.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/christmas-humphreys-the-most-eminent-of-20th-century-british-buddhists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Christmas Humphreys – the most eminent of 20th Century British Buddhists&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the age of 21 he met his future wife Aileen Faulkner, who was also interested in Buddhism and Theosophy. The couple and others loosely formed a study group that was to quickly develop into the Buddhist Lodge of the Theosophical Society, which Humphreys organised in 1924. In &lt;strong&gt;1926&lt;/strong&gt;, tensions between different schools of thought led to the Lodge seceding from the Theosophical Society and developing into the Buddhist Society, now one of the oldest Buddhist organizations in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is Hinduism stripped for export. The Buddha was a reformer in the highest sense: someone who wants to go to the original form or reform it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't say &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;just&lt;/strong&gt; Hinduism stripped for export&amp;quot;, which would be belittling.&#xA;In the question you're saying &amp;quot;just&amp;quot;: is that an accurate quote?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't find a copy of the book but perhaps there's a polite way to interpret the phrase: the polite or positive way to interpret that statement (without the &amp;quot;just&amp;quot;) is that Buddhism contains what's &lt;strong&gt;essential&lt;/strong&gt;, and is &lt;strong&gt;universal&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T02:09:06.030" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T02:52:40.067" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have seen many answers to questions referring teachings of modern teacher in this SE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as I have learned&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha's understanding is above any other,even above an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also believe the same. There are 3 things.  pariyatti, patipatti and pativedha (‘theory’, ‘praxis’ and ‘insight’). Generally faith should be based on insight. When you look at the Suttas and do what is there your experience to a varying degree some insight which re reinforces your faith. One should give fair trial and experimentation to the techniques in the Suttas to develop this faith. Many later developments may not give the same results or insights or may hit a wall at some point. The appeal for later developments are that they do give some result or the other which can be mistaken. The Suttas will have the most holistic approach. Nevertheless, there are pitfalls and tips and tricks which are not there in the Suttas. Insights into there are gained through teaching numerous students and their experience. These are also invaluable as long as they are not tangential or contrary to the Tipitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is the lineage of teachers who preserve the teaching and practice. There might be some differences. These are best studies to see what is the best interpretation that works for your and help you further in your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma/Dharma itself is timeless and therefore does not need modifications or updates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is the need of the term &amp;quot;Modern practice / Modern Buddhism&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the rest and use any other resource later on for further clarification if there is such a need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why there is a trend of drifting away from original teachings, does the followers now believe that Lord Buddha's words are outdated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe this is no needed to modernise Buddhism. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.13-Ani-S-s20.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; makes references to how the Dhamma may end where disciples tend to study the later works than the original teaching. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.10-Dharma-ending-age-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dharma-ending Age&lt;/a&gt; which highlights how the Dhamma may end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:49:02.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T02:57:16.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me try and address this question at the level it was asked on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha himself said we should go to elders with questions about Dharma. In every generation there are students who learn from elders, and then grow old and become elders themselves. This is how the &quot;modern masters&quot; come to be. Where did you think they came from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern masters are the translators and the explainers who were students like you and me, who had teachers, and those teachers themselves had teachers - all the way back to the Buddha. What's wrong with this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't think commentaries and detailed explanations are useless, do you? Guess what, some of them, like Visuddhimagga, were written 900 years after Buddha's parinirvana! Let's throw away commentaries then? Or do you think written commentaries are better than verbal commentaries? But back in the Buddha's times elders did not write down their explanations...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or are you saying the role of the teacher is to just repeat exact words of Buddha from suttas, without trying to summarize the points, explain the meaning, and show how it applies in practice? Especially if the elder is an arahant, don't you think they can explain some details that Buddha explained but that were not captured in suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You see that life has changed, don't you? Buddha-Dharma goes to societies and cultures that don't live like ancient Indians at all. People work in offices. There is internet. There is neuroscience. There is genetics and memetics. There is medicine. There are drugs. There is astronomy and space travel. There is psychology and psychiatry. Also, the social discourse has developed many subtleties that were not there. There are many more attachments these days and many more ways to get confused with logic and knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite these changes in life style, knowledge, and culture, the teaching is not drifting anywhere. It's not like in the last 1000 years it has drifted further than in the first 1000 years or even the first 200 years. The teaching is always the same, it is only that every generation of students when they become teachers explain it on the examples that you can see in your actual life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, there is no &quot;modernized&quot; Buddhism vs. &quot;original&quot; Buddhism - there are just people who apply Buddhism in their lives today, and the stories they can tell from their experience. If you deny the real-life experience of the modern elders, then you should be consistent and deny everything except suttas. And maybe we should go to Mahasi Sayadaw, Goenka, Ajahn Chah, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, ven. Yuttadhammo, Dalai Lama etc. - and tell them we don't need them because they explain things in modern ways? I don't think Buddha would approve of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T03:15:41.127" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T03:15:41.127" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T04:19:53.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are you saying? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings must be interpreted because they are very subtle, deep and difficult to understand even if one is an arahant. Also the Buddha taught to many different students, gods and audiences. This causes much need for interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T04:19:53.293" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-18T04:19:53.293" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12654" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-18T05:04:22.963" Score="6" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I come across animal or bird or bug injured and in pain, no resources available nearby to shelter, do I leave it to nature or kill it to end its misery. What is Buddhism view on mercy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5256" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T09:14:15.580" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T14:33:12.703" Title="Buddhism view on mercy" Tags="|ethics|lay-buddhism|killing|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12654" CreationDate="2015-11-18T06:21:57.743" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apart from breaking the first precept and creating bad Karma for yourself, there's no guarantee that by killing you are going to reduce it's suffering. What if it was born in a realm lower than the animal realm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you can't think of any way to help, practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upekkha&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;em&gt;Beings are owners of their deeds. Whose [if not theirs] is the&#xA;choice by which they will suffer or become happy?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also contemplate on yourself not being free from such suffering in the future and use it as a motivation to progress in the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T13:04:07.300" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T13:04:07.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1903" CreationDate="2015-11-18T13:26:55.527" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;49&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;His ears are long like lotus petals.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_32_Signs_of_a_Great_Man&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 32 Signs of a Great Man&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_80_secondary_characteristics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 80 secondary characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. This is one of the 80 minor Characteristics as the the comment by Ven. @yuttadhammo. For further details see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Physical characteristics of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.9-Lakkhana-S-d30-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T13:26:55.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9047" CreationDate="2015-11-18T13:48:09.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that we can escape suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Buddhist teachings of the four truths help with the understanding of the types of suffering and the process of these different types.We try to escape from suffering, without asking ourselves what the word ‘suffering’ really means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7285" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T13:48:09.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12654" CreationDate="2015-11-18T14:33:12.703" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definitely no killing. That's the first among the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot;&gt;Five Precept&lt;/a&gt; to be observed. Do what you can to help. If it's a large animal, call the local animal shelter helpline. If it's a small animal like a bird or a bug, at least move it to a safer place like under shade of a tree to avoid the hot sun and to prevent people from stepping on it, cover it with some large leaves, etc.. Any kind of help no matter how small might still bring great peace to other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T14:33:12.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T14:58:59.227" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good Dhamma teacher would frequently refer to sutta/vinaya references to back up his point. If s/he doesn't do that, there's no guarantee their point is valid or that it really comes from the Buddha's words. The Buddha instructed us how to handle such situation with the Four Great Referrals in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘I have heard this directly from the Gracious One, friends, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that monk,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that monk.’ This, monks, is the first Great Referral you should bear in mind...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T14:58:59.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2024" CreationDate="2015-11-18T15:18:47.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wholesome - based on actions who's result we perceive as desirable when experienced. They have non-greed (alobha), non-hatred (adosa) and non-delusion (amoha) as the motivating volitional factor behind these action.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Un Wholesome - based on actions who's result we perceive as un desirable when experienced. They have reed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha) as the motivating volitional factor behind these action. E.g. if you take something out of attachment you will have to experience the pain of parting with something your are attached to.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are sometimes when there is a distinction make between Skilful and Wholesome and Un Skilful and Un Wholesome by later teachers and in conventional usage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skilful - actions to progress in the path with a view to attain Nirvana. These are wholesome also but some action may give good results but may prolong your stay in Samsara. Say you have strong Karma to gain wealth but this can lead to attachment and sometimes may become an obstacle.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Un Skilful - action which prolong existance Samsara or non conducive or pose as obstacles towards attaining Nirvana. Though there can be a distinction made between Wholesome and Skilful there is not distinction between Un Skilful and Un Wholesome, as anything Un Skilful is Un Wholesome and anything which is Un Wholesome is Un Skilful also.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.4-Akusalamula-Annatitthiya-S-a-3.68-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6abc-Cetana-S-s12.38-40-piya2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetanā Sutta 1-3&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.14-Kamma-Nidana-S-a3.33-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Kamma) Nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma,vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T15:35:52.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12596" CreationDate="2015-11-18T16:00:52.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Washing is a symbolic cleansing. One finds it in the Tibetan precepts ceremony. The modern Dalai Lama washes his hands before reading too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T16:00:52.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T16:08:25.907" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is correct, that the Dhamma is both universal and timeless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is described as being an ancient path, that fully enlightened Buddhas &lt;em&gt;discover&lt;/em&gt; by themselves and then teach it to other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words from a fully enlightened Buddha need not to be renewed or changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One needs only to practice insight meditation to find out if these words are true or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is no need for renewal of the Dhamma. The Dhamma is complete as it is. The Dhamma does not change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry about the shifting away from the Dhamma. That is bound to happen. That is why there will arrive a future Buddha. The next fully enlightened Buddha to be, is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maitreya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, whom arrives when the Dhamma has been completely forgotten. That is just the nature of a world system. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T19:50:18.280" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T19:50:18.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12649" CreationDate="2015-11-18T18:48:46.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But as i have learned, Lord Buddha's understanding is above any other,even above an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe. But I haven't met him, and I'm inclined to believe none of us have. So I can't really put his word (which word? where?) above any other even if I wanted to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhamma/Dharma itself is timeless and therefore does not need modifications or updates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are proposals for clarifications and emphasis -- people just disagree with them and each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So what is the need of the term &quot;Modern practice / Modern Buddhism&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Times change, methods change, pedagogy changes. The subject at hand might still be the same, what one ends up learning might still be the same, but the ways of teaching them always change with cultural and geographical developments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the rest and use any other resource later on for further clarification if there is such a need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people take mainly the surtas (e.g. pali) to be his words, others take mainly their master's teachings as his word, and so on. Could the sutras contain misrepresentation of his words? Could a master misrepresent him? If so, what is the Buddha's word?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why there is a trend of drifting away from original teachings, does the followers now believe that Lord Buddha's words are outdated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What original teachings? Hundreds of years after his death, different regions across asia ended up developing different canons. There are remarkable overlappings, but there are also some disagreements. And within agreements in words, there are disagreements in interpretation. What is the original interpretation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some literal teachings could be deemed outdated, yes. For example, westerns have a very hard time sitting cross-legged. Should sitting in that position be paramount for buddhist practice just because a text have the Buddha mentioning that one sits cross-legged when practicing meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other teachings could be seen as figurative and unfitting for a &quot;modern mind&quot;: rebirth is a favorite one here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's always a trend of drifting away of anything. One (buddhist) answer is because that's what a wordling mind does: it drifts away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in a gist, those who bring something new (or modern) in contrast to a set of texts are either doing because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;they regard it as compatible and the same with what the texts teach&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;they challenge the authenticity of the text&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-11-18T22:18:49.433" LastActivityDate="2015-11-18T22:18:49.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12664" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12666" CreationDate="2015-11-19T02:04:21.013" Score="2" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the general view of &quot;attachment&quot; in Buddhism, is the &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; of attachment considered to be the same across all possible types of attachments? Or are there different qualities or degrees of attachment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put another way, can one kind of attachment be considered &quot;less bad&quot; or &quot;more bad&quot; than another kind? Or is it all just &quot;attachment&quot; in a general sense, without distinction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: Is clinging to the nostalgia of an old childhood friendship any different than clinging to money or cars?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T11:15:43.287" Title="Is all attachment equal in nature?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12664" CreationDate="2015-11-19T03:26:59.233" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my first teacher, attachments to concrete worldly things are not as bad as attachments to abstract &lt;em&gt;principles&lt;/em&gt; - which generate massive conceit and world-scale aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compare attachment to tasty food with attachment to religion - which one creates more suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, the way attachment works is via appropriation of a dharma (an object of mind) which then creates the duality of &quot;this&quot; vs &quot;that&quot; (and its special cases, &quot;I&quot; vs. &quot;you&quot; and &quot;us&quot; vs. &quot;them&quot;). There are four major quadrants here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Low contrast between &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot; and small scale of identification.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Strong contrast between &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot; and small scale of identification.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Low contrast between &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot; and large scale of identification.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Strong contrast between &quot;this&quot; and &quot;that&quot; and large scale of identification.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of the first kind is attachment to certain flavor, like the taste of some food cooked in a particular way. Even if one can't find this specific cooking style, one can find fairly similar kinds - and the resulting aversion to other flavors will not be that strong. In this case suffering generated by this attachment is both weak and small-scale (only applies to one small area of experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of the second kind is attachment to one's own life. Here the contrast between living and dying is very high, but the scale of identification is rather small. So even if one's fight for survival manifested as external violence it would unlikely create a world-scale conflict - so the suffering will be strong but not vast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third type can be explained on the example of attachment to gender identity. In this case the scale of attachment is massive - one identifies oneself with &quot;I like men&quot; or &quot;I like women&quot;, but the contrast between the two is not polarized enough -- not black and white enough -- to create a major issue, like a war between genders. There are certainly some very common tensions between genders (can we call this &quot;very weak but vast suffering&quot;?), but very few women would say that men are harmful and should not exist - and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally the fourth type is attachment to an abstract and highly polarized view or principle that is very prone to emergence of group identity - such attachment to religion. In this case the contrast between &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; is very high - the carriers of the other view are considered harmful and evil. And the scale of identification is very large - all carriers of the same view are considered &quot;us&quot; and all carriers of the other view are &quot;them&quot;. This results in a very explosive combination of &quot;good us&quot; vs. &quot;evil them&quot; - hence strong and vast suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then of course there are all kinds of intermediate qualities between &quot;strong&quot; and &quot;weak&quot; and between &quot;small&quot; and &quot;large&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your example, the difference is in the real object of attachment. If the reason you attach to an old childhood friendship is because it exemplifies some abstract quality that your old friend possessed that you now idealize (and on this basis cultivate aversion to those lacking such quality) - than that could be a fairly dangerous attachment. On the other hand, if attachment to old childhood friend is solely on the basis of her beautiful voice - then it's not such a big deal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if attachment to wealth is on the basis of simple idea that wealth gives one access to comfort and material pleasures - then it may be a medium-contrast/medium-scale problem. But if attachment to wealth is part an abstract view that all wealthy people are smart and hard-working and poor people are lazy and immoral, - then it could be feeding a global-scale conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, whenever you want to evaluate an attachment you should&#xA; - identify the real object of attachment, the root of attachment (aka the preconception)&#xA; - assess the degree of polarization between the object of attachment and its opposite&#xA; - assess the scale of identification and the size of the potential conflict&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a rule of thumb, watch out for abstract and highly polarizing attachments - they tend to create the strongest and largest-scale suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-19T03:37:13.137" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T03:37:13.137" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12667" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-19T03:30:32.077" Score="1" ViewCount="69" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do buddhists pray? Do they ever speak to the universe in a spiritual manner? What are buddhists views on suicide? Do you help plan out your life before being reincarnated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7288" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T05:10:16.703" Title="I'm just interested in buddhism" Tags="|prayer|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2015-11-19T10:23:35.233" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12667" CreationDate="2015-11-19T05:10:16.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;So this is your questions: Do buddhists pray? Do they ever speak to the universe in a spiritual manner? What are buddhists views on suicide? Do you help plan out your life before being reincarnated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Do buddhists pray? &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;yes we pray.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Do they ever speak to the universe in a spiritual manner? &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Um, not to the universe, a universe is a science thing (which is actually existed outside of the earth. So rather just say &quot;Heaven&quot;. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We usually pray in our prayer to wish for the Heaven and let the wish go to the heaven and we believe something good will happen to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) What are buddhists views on suicide? &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We believe someone who suicided will have to recycle in their another ten lifes - will end each of their life by suicides. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  But nowadays, I think people don't take it too much.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) Do you help plan out your life before being reincarnated? &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should say yes, I also believe being reincarnated is because of that thing - planning out a life or wishing to have something they have before. (means) They just can't leave their previous life and want to hold on it in any possible ways...&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S: maybe my answers are not complete but I tried to let you know the basic things I wish I knew. Hope you find smth in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7289" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T05:10:16.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9481" CreationDate="2015-11-19T05:18:51.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do agree and like @Lanka answers; &quot;every moment is either a &quot;kamma-making-moment&quot; or a &quot;kamma-receiving-moment&quot;.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. It is the way we living.&#xA;As you describe in your question: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Present day living is full of challenges&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&#xA;That present day could be the result of what you done before, that challenges will something of what you did yesterday, and what can make you who you are by doing what you think you have to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you simply follow you daily kinda works, saying what you have to say...&#xA;Every single moment is Karma, and I believe it is also belongs to every human being, not only to Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7289" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:06:23.177" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:06:23.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12672" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12679" CreationDate="2015-11-19T09:26:40.903" Score="5" ViewCount="94" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to the practice of Buddhism. But I'm not new to the philosophical ideas of Buddhism. I've just begun a ground course in Tibetan Buddhism. The shamata parts are good, the philosophy parts not so much. I feel that the &quot;view&quot; is not really explained at all (for example, emptiness and the two truths). This creates a tension when I sit in &quot;class&quot;. If this was university I'd go right ahead and state my opinion about the lack of proper introduction to these views. But somehow I feel I'm not supposed to object or criticize, I'm a bit afraid to offend and so on. But honestly I feel the philosophy part is not duly taken care of and explained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, does anyone have any advice for me about how to relate to this feeling of lack of teaching on basic Buddhist philosophy when in &quot;class&quot;? And what if some of what the teacher says is simply wrong or misleading: would you comment directly on that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-19T13:30:49.920" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T14:19:51.990" Title="What if a course lacks a proper introduction to Buddhist philosophy?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3836" CreationDate="2015-11-19T09:46:16.060" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, there are different perspectives on emptiness within Tibetan madhyamaka. One might even say different types of emptiness! On the one hand there is &quot;rangtong&quot; which means &quot;empty of self&quot; and there is shendong, meaning &quot;empty of other&quot;. The idea of shendong, &quot;empty of other&quot;, implies that dharmakaya or the Buddha nature is not itself empty of intrinsic nature. Shendong might be interpreted to say that emptiness itself is not empty - quite contrary to Nagarjunas exposition, I'd say. For a good discussion on this subject, I reccomend Guy Newland's talks on varieties og Tibetan Madhyamka. You can easily find it on YouTube. The shendong/rangtong difference can be explained in many ways, and different emphasis can be but - especially on the shendong side&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-11-19T12:23:22.327" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T12:23:22.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2015-11-19T10:23:03.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The centerpiece of his Madhyamaka or ‘‘middle way’’ philosophy is the thesis that everything is empty. This thesis has a profound consequence. Ultimate truths are those about ultimate reality. But since everything is empty, there is no ultimate reality. There are, therefore, no ultimate truths. We can get at the same conclusion another way. To express anything in language is to express truth that depends on language, and so this cannot be an expression of the way things are ultimately. All truths, then, are merely conventional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Jay Garfield and Graham Priest calls &quot;Nagarjuna’s first limit contradiction.&quot; More on this in Nagarjuna and the limits og thought&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Nagarjuna/NagarjunaTheLimitsOfThought.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Nagarjuna/NagarjunaTheLimitsOfThought.pdf&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Narjuna on the relation between the two truths: The notion of ultimate truth (reality) (paramārtha-satya, literally ‘‘truth of the highest meaning,’’ or ‘‘truth of the highest object’’) can be defined negatively as the way things are, considered independently of convention, or positively as the way things are, when understood by a fully enlightened being who does not mistake what is really conventional for something that belongs to the very nature of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is ultimate truth/reality, according to Nāgarjuna? To understand this, we have to understand the notion of emptiness, which for Nāgarjuna is emphatically not nonexistence but, rather, interdependent existence. For something to have an essence (Tibetan: rang bzhin; Sanskrit: svabhava) is for it to be what it is, in and ofitself, independently of all other things. (This entails, incidentally, that things that are essentially so are eternally so; for if they started to be, or ceased to be, then their so being would depend on other things, such as time.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be empty is precisely to have no essence, in this sense. The most important ultimate truth, according to Nagarjuna, is that everything is empty. Much of the Mulamadhyamakakarika consists, in fact, of an extended set of arguments to the effect that everything that one might take to be an essence is, in fact, not so—that everything is empty of essence and of independent identity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent arising, relative truth, is emptiness and emptiness is the ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This realtion can be expressed with a slogan, namely &quot;The Ultimate Truth Is That There Is No Ultimate Truth&quot; (Mark Siderits )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T10:23:03.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11101" CreationDate="2015-11-19T10:35:32.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you say Mahayana, I think maybe it's good to differentiate between Cittamatra and Madhyamaka, both Mahayana. For Cittamatra there's &quot;mind only&quot;, and the mind is based in a mind basis of all mind. This mind basis of all in Cittamatra seems to be not empty of intrinsic nature, it seems to be the basis of all mind, existing in and of itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Madhyamaka on the other hand there is no mind basis of all, there is only emptiness and the emptiness of emptiness. The Madhyamaka would perhaps say that Cittamatra has not negated enough, not taken into account the emptiness of emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T10:35:32.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-19T10:40:15.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that wisdom (about emptiness) and compassion are the most important concepts in Buddhism. But then agian, how can concepts be the most important thing in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one focuses too much on the anatta-side, one risks getting into nihilism. So the emptiness/no-self doctrine is important, but if one does not supplement it with compassin, there is no use. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T10:40:15.713" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12664" CreationDate="2015-11-19T11:15:43.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This depends, of course and as always, on what we mean by &quot;nature&quot;. If viewed from the side of ultimate truth, everything is of the same nature, namely empty of inherent exitence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've found it very useful to view all attachment and all the afflictions as dependent arisings, imputed by mind and hence empty of inherent existence. In this sense it's easier to work on myself from the perspective &quot;how does these afflictions and my attacment arise in me? What are their mode of arising and being?&quot; As they are all equally empty of inherent nature/existence they are in this way equal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That does not mean that they are experienced as equal from the relative perspective of my experience, but knowing that they are of the same nature helps getting less attached to the 8 worldly concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked a teacher about this. Since I am very keen on reading and thinking about emptiness, I wondered &quot;isn't this &quot;wrong&quot; somehow?&quot; To be very attached to studies? But his answer was that &quot;no, it is not &quot;wrong&quot;, it is enthusiasm for virtue. So, being captivated is not necessarily a bad thing, especially insofar as one finds it helpful in daily life and not contrary to the moral precepts.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess &quot;helpful in your daily life&quot; and &quot;enthusiasm for virtue&quot; are central here. Maybe we can use that as a &quot;measure&quot;. If an old childhood friendship or cars are &quot;helpful in your daily life&quot; and don't make you more attached to the 8 worldly concerns, neither are necessarily &quot;bad&quot; attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think like this. As long as I uphold the moral precepsts, then whatever decreases attachment to the 8 worldly concerns is &quot;good&quot; - whatever increases attachment to the 8 worldly concerns is &quot;bad&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But they are all - the attachment and the car and the friend and your thoughts about the car and about the friend - by nature empty of inherent existence and so equal in nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T11:15:43.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12672" CreationDate="2015-11-19T12:08:29.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm having a slightly similar experience: in that I'm taking a Yang style Tai Chi class for beginners, however I'm not quite a beginner i.e. I previously practised Chen style for a few years with a relatively expert teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now in this class, I hear the teacher explain the basics, but during that I notice that there are (what I'd consider) some important fundamentals (e.g. to &lt;a href=&quot;https://chelmsfordtaichi.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/tai-chi-alignment/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;stand up straight&lt;/a&gt;), which this teacher never explains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is, does anyone have any advice for me about how to relate to this feeling of lack of teaching on basic Buddhist philosophy when in &quot;class&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what &quot;how to relate&quot; means as a question, but FYI some of my thoughts during class have been like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I don't want to be a guy who argues or interrupts the teacher, shows lack of respect and disrupts class: other students came to learn from him, not to learn from me (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;conceit&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Occasionally I have added some sentence in my own words, if there's a verbal pause, if the teacher just answered someone's question and seems at a slight loss for what to explain further&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teachers and students have to start somewhere and maybe you can't teach nor learn everything at once; more time teaching theory would be less time practising, maybe it's his intention to teach barely enough of the static fundamentals so that he can begin to teach the dynamic movements of the form.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm at the class to learn how to practice the (Yang style) form, so as long as I'm getting that (instruction in the form even if not instruction in the fundamentals) I can't complain that me personally isn't getting from the class what I wanted&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It sometimes worries me that other students who are beginners aren't getting enough instruction in the fundamentals (because this teacher isn't teaching everything my previous teacher taught) -- then I think that at my previous class we used to have lessons once a week, but we the students would also choose to meet during the week to practice. I haven't made time here, to do the same this time, but that remains an option: if I were really worried for the other students I could ask to meet them during the week so we could practice the lessons together (without disrupting class).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But what if some of what he says is simply wrong or misleading, would you - in your situation - comment directly on that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that were to happen, in my situation I should probably be unsure of myself: because perhaps what he says is one way in which the Yang style that he's teaching is different from the Chen style that I was taught previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are few students in our class, so we have every opportunity to ask individual questions. So if he said that we ought to '&lt;em&gt;something&lt;/em&gt;' and I disagreed, I could query that and ask for confirmation, &quot;Is it meant to be like this (demonstrates this) or is it more meant to be like this (demonstrates this)?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your case you might (if you wanted to) ask that as a more pointed question, &quot;Is what you just said contradicted by so-and-so who wrote such-and-such?&quot; Perhaps that's an example of a question to ask privately after class, to see whether and how the teacher is able to respond to such a question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're correct in claiming that he said something &quot;wrong or misleading&quot;, then what you reply might (if what you say must be &quot;disagreeable&quot;) belong to this category of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'right speech' defined in MN 58&lt;/a&gt;, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(but I think it's worth reading that whole page of 'right speech' guidelines for further insight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or perhaps you could find a less confrontational way to say that, e.g. &quot;I previously read so-and-so say such-and-such&quot; without emphasizing that that contradicts the teacher. In general I hope questions are welcome as long as you act towards the teacher as if they're a teacher who you want to learn from. If they say things that contradict your prior knowledge then I hope it's on-topic to ask a sincere question (&quot;can the teacher resolve this contradiction/doubt of yours?&quot;), maybe less OK to make an accusation veiled as a question (e.g. &quot;I know more about this than you do and you're wrong, don't you agree?&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-19T14:19:51.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T14:19:51.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12680" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12681" CreationDate="2015-11-19T13:05:47.397" Score="3" ViewCount="106" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have a good tip for literature about different varieties of rangtong (empty of self) and shentong (empty of other) perspectives on emptiness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-19T15:01:44.580" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T15:01:44.580" Title="Varieties of emptiness" Tags="|reference-request|sunyata|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12680" CreationDate="2015-11-19T13:26:49.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Judging from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12674/43&quot;&gt;your answer to this&lt;/a&gt;, it sounds like you're more interested in different varieties of Madhyamaka and how they treat the subject of Relative Truth and Ultimate Truth. As for Relative Truth, some schools say that all phenomena exist as nominal designations, while others say that to assert any existence or non-existence of phenomena is a mistake - although we may go with the conventions of the majority for practical purposes. As for the Ultimate Truth, some schools says any assertions about it are empty but the Truth beyond assertions is not empty, while others say that this was an assertion as well - and the best thing is to avoid any assertions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, as long as you get what the argument is &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; there is not much sense in nitpicking the exact words. However, some traditional teachers - particularly in Gelug school - insist that these polemics facilitate analysis and therefore deeper understanding of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many works comparing Madhyamaka flavors - it would be excessive to list them all here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One work have I recently read that comes to mind is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00AR2WS42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T14:42:52.533" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12200" CreationDate="2015-11-19T15:34:29.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron founded Sravasti Abbey in 2003. It's based i the US, not Asia, but Venerable has her education and tradition from Asia (education India/tradition Tibet).  Male and female monastics train together there as equals—brothers and sisters supporting each other on the Dharma path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They write a lot on their site about monastic life in general, see more: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sravastiabbey.org/about/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sravastiabbey.org/about/index.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Ordination in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition&quot; is an article from H.H. The Dalai Lama on both male/monks and female/nuns. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/ordination-in-the-tibetan-tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/ordination-in-the-tibetan-tradition&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T15:34:29.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2015-11-19T15:37:52.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of relative/absolute truth in early Buddhism is pretty straight-forward. Ven. Bodhi's note from his &quot;Middle length Discourses&quot; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha has a twofold teaching(2 levels of truth)-a conventional teaching/sammutidesana expressed in terms of persons, beings, women, men,etc and an ultimate teaching/paramatthadesana expressed solely in terms that possess ultimate ontological validity, such as aggregates, elements, sense bases, impermanent, suffering, not self,etc. The Buddha expounds his teaching thru whichever approach is best suited to enable the hearer to penetrate the meaning, dispel delusion, and achieve distinction..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further info., also see Ven. Nyanatiloka's definition of paramattha from his &quot;Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paramattha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T15:37:52.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12684" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12685" CreationDate="2015-11-19T16:18:23.207" Score="1" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent arising is often explained in three different levels, from the coarse to the depest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the first level dependent arising is explained according to causes and conditions. That is, things arise dependently on causes. This is referring to nonstatic phenomena – phenomena that change from moment to moment and are affected by things, namely causes and conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then the second level of understanding dependent arising is that things arise dependently on parts. And that refers to everything, both static and nonstatic; in other words, things that don’t change from moment to moment and things that do change from moment to moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third level of dependent arising is things arise dependently in terms of or in relation to mental labeling. And this deals with the deepest truth about things: how they exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sometimes feel that the first level is deeper than the second. If i meditate on causes on coniditions there is no end to it. There's no end to it regarding dependence on parts either, but the time aspect seems to be different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Are there any Buddhist philosophies that put special emphasis on the first level of dependent arising as perhaps even more suptle than the second? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;About the third level. Is this mainly a Mahayana/Madhyamka idea? I'm not asking if it's a good or bad/ right or wrong idea. (It seems to me that some of the discussions here are from such different perspective according to what tenet system the writer writes from) But is there a very generally accepted answer to this?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T20:46:37.913" Title="Dependent arising" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12684" CreationDate="2015-11-19T20:46:37.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, not that I know of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, the third type of dependent-arising is a unique tenet of the Middle-Way Consequence School (Madhyamika Prasangika). Other schools posit that phenomena exist by way of their own characteristics/from their own side/inherently. For instance, Madhyamika-Svatantrika posit that an existent is empty of true existence (because it appears to exist from its own side without being imputed by mind) but exists inherently (for it exists from its own side indeed, although it is also imputed by mind). So, as they posit inherent existence, they do not posit the third type of dependent arising, dependence on name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, although permanent phenomena are dependent-arisings, I would say that 'they exist in dependence on parts, and so forth' rather than 'they arise in dependence'. Although Yogacara and Madhyamika are Mahayana tenets, there are four possibilities between 'being a proponent of Mahayana tenets' and 'being Mahayana by practice'. A practitioner could be Mahayana by practice and Hinayana by tenets, such as Hinayana foe destroyers according to Khedrup Je, and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Daniel Cozort's &lt;em&gt;Unique Tenets Of The Middle Way Consequence School&lt;/em&gt; elaborates on the topic (and what distingues Prasangika from other schools). It is valuable but few of his assertions do not accord with the intent of the Geluk tradition. Generally, you will find distinctions between all schools of thoughts in Tenets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-11-19T20:46:37.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12687" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12690" CreationDate="2015-11-20T09:42:55.413" Score="9" ViewCount="1133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've studied both &quot;Western&quot; and &quot;Eastern&quot; philosophy (mainly Buddhism) for some time, and enjoying it a lot. Western philosophy is all about clarifying concepts. The exception might perhaps be phenomenology (I include Heidegger in that category, and so did he. When Heidegger talked about existentialism, he specifically referred to Sartre). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was writing my MA, I asked my fellow students &quot;how does studying philosophy affect your personal life?&quot; The general answer was &quot;not the slightest bit&quot;. I generally had the feeling that it was a lot of competition and everyone were trying to be better and smarter than the next guy. This is one of the things I find so utterly different in Buddhist philosophy - it's affecting my daily life and ethical outlook to a much greater extent. I think our culture is so fixated on competition and being the best, and that outlook is still affecting me to a certain extent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have good advice for practising humility, both on and off the cushion? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-20T11:07:08.327" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T15:54:04.607" Title="What is the best way to practice humility" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12687" CreationDate="2015-11-20T12:10:51.620" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If &quot;humility&quot; is understood as an opposite (an absence) of &quot;conceit&quot;, then &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&quot; might be a related topic, whose answers are worth reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;stages of path&quot; says that conceit is one of the final fetters (one of the last to be eradicated).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English word &quot;humility&quot; suggests the &lt;strong&gt;presence&lt;/strong&gt; of a (humble) positive quality. Conversely in Pali many important words instead denote the &lt;strong&gt;absence&lt;/strong&gt; of some quality (see for example &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt;, etc.). And so I think it is with the word &quot;humility&quot;, for which a Pali word is literally &quot;&lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; wind&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nivāta1 (adj.) [Sk. nivāta, ni+vāta &quot;wind -- down&quot;] with the wind gone down, i. e. without wind, sheltered from the wind, protected, safe, secure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:536.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nivāta2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; [identical with nivāta1, sheltered from the wind =low] lowliness, humbleness, obedience, gentleness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more on the subject I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soni/wheel254.html#ch3-stanza08&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt; on verse 8 of the Maha Magala Sutta (Sn 2.4), which suggests associations between humility and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reverence&lt;/strong&gt;: veneration of the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha; of teachers, wise people, good people ... &quot;in fact, a general high regard for everyone&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As well as being a &quot;view&quot; or practice, respect can be an action, it can demonstrated or acted on,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one show respect or reverence? The Buddha says that one gives such a person a good seat, stands up to receive them, makes way for them and, for religious teachers, one places one's hands together and bows at their feet. This is a blessing resulting in good future births and harmony in the present life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other topics on this site about this kind of practice, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7646/254&quot;&gt;Prostration and attachment to rites and rituals&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5376/254&quot;&gt;Tradition and purpose of prostration practice&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Without preconceptions, perhaps suspending prior beliefs, listening (and perhaps dismissing internal monolog when doing so):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fact that we encounter a number of &quot;blessings&quot; which deal with non-pride should make us realize how important humility is for successful practice of Dhamma. The person who knows it all, who always replies &quot;I know,&quot; who has his own theories about Dhamma, or anyone else's theories for that matter, does not have humility. Because of this he can never train under a good teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The metaphors used in second half of that paragraph also remind me of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ahimsa&lt;/a&gt; i.e. the principle of being harmless, non-injury, non-violence, compassion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary gives the right attitude to have: to be lowly &quot;like a foot-wiping cloth,&quot; &quot;like a bull with horns cut off,&quot; or &quot;like a snake with fangs extracted.&quot; People like this get on with Dhamma. Of course, this does not mean that one is obsequiously &quot;humble&quot; — just another disguise for pride and a revolting one at that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contentment&lt;/strong&gt;: perhaps conceit is a form of thirst -- a thirst for flattery or something like that?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gratitude&lt;/strong&gt; literally &quot;knowing what has been done&quot;: if you know something it's because you were &lt;strike&gt;lucky&lt;/strike&gt; fortunate enough to have been taught it, so rather than conceit (&quot;I know it&quot;) you might feel respect and gratitude (&quot;I'm grateful they taught it&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Timely hearing of Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more story -- in one of Ven. Yuttadhammo's videos (I have forgotten which one) he describes his experience of becoming a monk, and if I remember rightly the story was something like (I paraphrase):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I first started as a novice, I thought &quot;I'm a good monk, a great monk, and I'm better than those other monks.&quot; After the first six months or a year I thought, &quot;Well looking back I can see now that I wasn't a good monk. But &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt; I'm a good monk.&quot; And, ten years later, &quot;Just a monk.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of this answer is trying to understand or define humility rather than &quot;advice for practising&quot;; and I expect it's missing Mahayana-based perspective. I hope other people will answer this question too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T12:30:20.650" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1903" CreationDate="2015-11-20T12:11:59.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These marks are historically conditioned, related to the ideal of beauty at that time, or at least of the people writing those lists; seemingly rational arguments for long ears are a part of the idealization game, be they accurate or not. D. Ingram in &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (pg. 302):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The old Theravada texts go to great lengths to list the 32 interesting&#xA;  physical qualities of the Buddha, such as having 40 teeth and arms so&#xA;  long that he could touch his knees without bending down. It is&#xA;  interesting how things change, as in our modern context that would&#xA;  make him look more to us like a dentally challenged Cro-Magnon than a&#xA;  spiritual superhero, but I digress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T12:11:59.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12687" CreationDate="2015-11-20T12:51:29.360" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good start is to do 100000 prostrations, say 100 a day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another practice is to identify and drop your attachments to intelligence, accumulation of knowledge, and making spiritual progress. Any time you catch yourself indulging in a thought which implies that intelligence, knowledge, or spiritual progress makes you better than others - you should get frustrated with yourself and drop that thought immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another practice is to surrender in all disagreements even if you are right, especially if you are right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another practice is to always take all blame upon yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another practice is the transfer of merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reverence to Dharma books, handling them with care, not placing them in the floor, not placing other objects on top of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reverence to teachers of Dharma - the attitude of a good servant: show respect, listen intently, follow exactly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T12:51:29.360" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12691" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-20T14:55:58.507" Score="7" ViewCount="6686" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone provide a canonical explanation to  Sanskara/Sankara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I appreciate if you can provide some sources, Suttras/Suttas so that I can expand my knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2023-11-11T12:40:20.107" LastActivityDate="2023-11-11T12:40:20.107" Title="Can anyone explain Sanskara / Sankara in depth?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|sutras|sankhara|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12692" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12701" CreationDate="2015-11-20T15:59:39.883" Score="4" ViewCount="467" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some explanations of the second Noble truth emphasizes the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion as the causes of Dukkha. There are probably many different ways to lay this out, but my question is about ignorance, our misunderstanding of the nature of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the most basic and important deeply rooted ignorance about reality? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it – on the most basic level – that we don’t see? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it about the nature of reality that we are ignorant about? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it that this bewilderment about reality consists of? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T03:08:32.367" Title="Ignorance and the arising of dukkha" Tags="|ignorance|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12691" CreationDate="2015-11-20T16:01:33.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most in depth explanations happens in the Abhi Dhamma. There are 52 Cetasikas our of which 50 come under Sankara (with the exception of Feeling and Perception). Explaining the 50 would need a small size book and maybe beyond the scope of an answer in this format hence refer to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithrids.org/notes/abhidhamma/Cetasika.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental Factors&lt;/a&gt; By Dharmacharya Ruwan Buddhika, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#cetasika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis, &lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental factors&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Suttas there are 3 types of Sankaran (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.15-Paticcasamuppada-Vibhanga-S-s12.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Paṭicca,samuppada) Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the bodily formations - breath&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the verbal formations - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.4-Vitakkavicara-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;thinking and pondering&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the mental formations - feeling and perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 above related to the 50 Cetasikas in the Abhi Dhamma while 3 refers to the other 2 Cetasikas. Mental formations are the last to calm. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.6-Rahogata-S-s36.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anupubba Nirodha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankara are formed when there is either greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), delusion (moha), greedlessness (alobha), hatelessness (adosa), and undeludedness (amoha) volitional motivated thoughts (this also based on sensation as any through has sensation associated with it) or when you react with clinging or aversion to any sensation that is felt. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T16:01:33.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2015-11-20T16:08:32.793" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though Hinduism (as we call it today) and Buddhism originated in India, they are different.&#xA;I am from India and a Hindu Brahmin by birth..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Answer to the question &quot;Is Buddhism just Hinduism stripped for export?&quot; will be a straight &quot;NO&quot; from my side..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you compare today's Hinduism with Buddhism, you would probably find no similarity at all between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you can find quite similarities between the good old Hinduism (I mean the period of Upanishads and before) (which is completely lost more or less) and Buddhism. (In fact, you can find more similarity between Buddhism &amp;amp; Jainism)&#xA;But they differed in concepts like Atman and God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most common thing about both of them is that &quot;This world is Maya/illusion/false&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would just like tell you this (if you never heard something like this):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually certain Upanishads distinguish between 'god' and 'God'.&#xA;(There were even certain Hindu (Vedic) schools which were slightly similar to Buddhist schools)&#xA;In those scriptures, by 'god' they mean the mortal super beings like Brahma or Devas in higher realms (as Buddhism says) and by 'God' they mean a 'Supreme Reality', which can be compared very roughly to the 'Void' we say in Buddhism.&#xA;They doesn't seem to personify 'God' as today's heavily polluted Hinduism does..&#xA;An example of such an Upanishad would be Katha Upanishad (though it's scripted like a story)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But one major contradiction between Hinduism &amp;amp; Buddhism is the concept of Atman.&#xA;From my point of view, if Atman is seen as a factor that causes Existence or birth (not as a permanent entity), I think it wouldn't contradict Buddhist views.&#xA;With that view, Buddhism can be very roughly compared to Advaita concept, which says &quot;'God' (or say Void) and 'Atman' (or Referential existence) are one, and they are/were/will never separate.&quot;, roughly similar to &quot; We were never born/existent; we just forgot we are Nothing&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said Buddha's first teacher Ālāra Kālāma was a Jain and his next teacher Uddaka Rāmaputta was a Vedic Yogi (ofcourse, he'd be classified under Hinduism today).&#xA;(Sorry, I don't remember where I saw this)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But remember, none of the teachings of Buddha is from Hinduism; it was his own experience and realization of knowledge what he taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha never read the Vedas or Jain scriptures..&#xA;It was his own preachings of the Truth which is unbiased or were not adopted from any other religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2015-11-20T16:51:19.933" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T16:51:19.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12692" CreationDate="2015-11-20T16:52:22.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving is the cause of Dukkha according to the second noble truth. &#xA;Ignorance is the root cause of craving. Aversion is not discussed under the 2nd noble truth as it isn't a direct cause for rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The type of ignorance that leads to craving is the ignorance towards the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three characteristics&lt;/a&gt;(Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta) of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;conditioned phenomena&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-20T17:43:48.353" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T17:43:48.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12692" CreationDate="2015-11-20T16:57:04.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any experience in Sansara is unsatisfactory as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Past experiences which gave result to Karmic result conditions our current experiences which arises to pass away hence unsatisfactory when the conditioning goes away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any present experience arises and passes away hence unsatisfactory but ignorance conditions the future experiences if craving and clinging is present&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Future experiences conditioned through our perceived reaction to sensations which is not satisfactory as the volitional thoughts may be unpleasant (any Citta with either physical or mental unpleasantness associated with it) if not they come to and end and what is to experience in the future is also not satisfactory as it will arise to pass away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn35&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is that we do not understand the true nature of our experiences. All experiences arise to pass away. We create new experience from volitional actions and reaction to sensation with craving and clinging. Being equanimous to sensation knowing it is impermanent (arising and passing away) you can overcome creating new fabrications. You need to see the true nature of things as they are. For this you need a collected or focus mind. For the mind to get collected you need a base of morality as experiences from negative Karma, blame and resentment can causes your mind to be scattered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the most basic and important deeply rooted ignorance about reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not seeing that any experience that is felt arises and passes away. Our current experiences are conditioned by the past. Any craving of clinging towards this cause fabrications which give arise to new fabrications. This give unsatisfactory when creating the Karma (volitional thoughts have sensation associated with them) as well as when experienced in the future. To stop creating new fabrication as well as actively calm past fabrication stilling our mind to see the arising and passing nature of all experiential phenomena. Also we have to lead a life style which is blameless and which we will have not regrets about. Also our action should be geared towards action supporting a collected mind like not doing negative Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it – on the most basic level – that we don’t see?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arising and passing and decay and the lack of control of this process which is unsatisfactory&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it about the nature of reality that we are ignorant about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it that this bewilderment about reality consists of?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You experience &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion&lt;/a&gt; when you see true nature of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, not knowing the 4 Noble Truths and Dependent Origination is Ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T02:31:50.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12692" CreationDate="2015-11-20T20:47:38.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the most basic and important deeply rooted ignorance about reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view that happiness is in satisfying desires. Consequently, wrong view in viewing happiness in sense pleasures (body, mouth, ears, eyes, nose, mind). Consequently, wrong view in searching happiness outside oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it – on the most basic level – that we don’t see? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't see why volitional activities arise (mentioned above). Not seeing that with volitional activities, existence arises. Then, birth arises. Then, the entire mess of suffering arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it about the nature of reality that we are ignorant about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing good or bad and suffering because of it, when there is no good or bad.&#xA;Searching happiness outside oneself, instead of searching inside.&#xA;Blaming others for our suffering.&#xA;Not knowing what is changeable and what is unchangeable, thus constantly wanting to change the unchangeable.&#xA;Not knowing what is permanent and what is impermanent, thus constantly wanting the permanent in the impermanent.&#xA;Thinking there is a self or a soul.&#xA;Nothing ever dies.&#xA;There is no beginning nor end to anything.&#xA;Not knowing about suffering, thinking life is the ultimate happiness.&#xA;Not knowing the origin of suffering.&#xA;Not knowing about reality, thinking this reality is the ultimate, solid and real.&#xA;Not knowing karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it that this bewilderment about reality consists of?&#xA;  Why are we confused and puzzled by this reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inexperience. The more experience, the more knowledge. The more knowledge, the less bewilderment. The less bewilderment, the better birth. The better birth, the better life. The better life, the easier to grasp the truth about reality. When truth is grasped, perfect knowledge is attained and bewilderment is extinguished. There's nothing else to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rare is birth in a human body. Big is suffering elsewhere ... Don't let this chance go by. In oneself all the truth lies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T20:47:38.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12692" CreationDate="2015-11-20T21:08:42.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A definition of ignorance is as the first of the 'twelve nidānas'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it's described as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;? Not knowing stress, not knowing the origination of stress, not knowing the cessation of stress, not knowing the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now from the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there it's defined as ignorance of the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article titled &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/ignorance.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ignorance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is a commentary about Ignorance from the perspective of the four noble truths (which is what you were asking about). It says that &lt;em&gt;vijja&lt;/em&gt; (the opposite of &lt;em&gt;avijjā&lt;/em&gt; i.e. ignorance) means not only 'knowledge' of facts but also 'skill'; so non-ignorance means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowing the four noble truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skill, resulting in cessation and liberation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avijja, the Pali word for ignorance, is the opposite of vijja, which means not only &amp;quot;knowledge&amp;quot; but also &amp;quot;skill&amp;quot; — as in the skills of a doctor or animal-trainer. So when the Buddha focuses on the ignorance that causes stress and suffering, saying that people suffer from not knowing the four noble truths, he's not simply saying that they lack information or direct knowledge of those truths. He's also saying that they lack skill in handling them. They suffer because they don't know what they're doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html#p66&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; concurs in equating ignorance with the four noble truths ... it says that not knowing about the four noble truths is the origin of ignorance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is ignorance, what is the origin of ignorance, what is the cessation of ignorance, what is the way leading to the cessation of ignorance? Not knowing about suffering, not knowing about the origin of suffering, not knowing about the cessation of suffering, not knowing about the way leading to the cessation of suffering — this is called ignorance. With the arising of the taints there is the arising of ignorance. With the cessation of the taints there is the cessation of ignorance. The way leading to the cessation of ignorance is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view... right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a noble disciple has thus understood ignorance, the origin of ignorance, the cessation of ignorance, and the way leading to the cessation of ignorance... he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If cessation of ignorance is right view, then presumably &amp;quot;ignorance&amp;quot; can be defined as or understood as the cause of 'wrong view'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; too defines 'right view' as knowledge of the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a (closely) related term &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt; which is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt; and one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; (I think that identifying &lt;strong&gt;three&lt;/strong&gt; poisons is more Mahayana than Theravada, which sees aversion as a secondary cause, as in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12695/254&quot;&gt;Sankha's answer&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it's ignorance or illusion or delusion about the three characteristics, I think that means for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing the non-self as self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing the impermanent as permanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing the inherently-unsatisfactory as desirable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance (like conceit) is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Sutta_Pitaka.27s_list_of_ten_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;last of the fetters&lt;/a&gt; to be eradicated, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stages of the path&lt;/a&gt; (though identity-view is a wrong view and therefore one form of ignorance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-20T21:27:56.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12699" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12703" CreationDate="2015-11-20T22:17:59.097" Score="2" ViewCount="246" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shōbōgenzō (正法眼蔵?, lit. &quot;Treasury of the True Dharma Eye&quot;) is the title most commonly used to refer to the collection of works written in Japanese by the 13th century Japanese Buddhist monk and founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen school, Eihei Dōgen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7301" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-21T09:43:59.127" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T15:22:32.647" Title="Are there any english translation of the Shobogenzo of Master Dogen?" Tags="|reference-request|zen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12699" CreationDate="2015-11-21T00:22:24.153" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the translation I have at home, by &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1419638203&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chodo Cross under guidance of Gudo Nishijima&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes this translation unique, it's goal was to stay as literal or as close to Japanese original as possible. So unlike other translations which are often overly idiomatic and make their interpretations for you, this one leaves it all as written by Dogen. Beside leaving interpretation of subtleties up to the reader, it also preserves the flavor of Dogen's speech - which makes for a more tasteful reading experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T00:22:24.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12692" CreationDate="2015-11-21T01:20:09.620" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, the way it works, ignorance (confusion/delusion/bewilderment) is the root of idealizing (hence attachment, attraction, obsession) and demonizing (hence aversion, hatred, negativity) - and then these two manifest as craving to either get some experience, or to get rid of some experience - which, when not satisfied, generates dukkha (the painful feeling of wrongness) due to the mismatch between &quot;this&quot; and the craved &quot;that&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A better translation of &quot;ignorance&quot; IMO is confusion or delusion - it's not just an absence of knowledge (that would only be half as bad) -- but an active presence of invalid knowledge, or invalid assumptions based on partial knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does this invalid knowledge pertain to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At most basic level, it pertains to (confusion about) real qualities of the object of our experience - on the basis of which then happens idealization or demonization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, it pertains to the way objective and subjective reality gets mixed up. Most of what we perceive as reality is projection of mind. (This mind itself is a function of interactions and not an entity nor essence.) Based on this confusion we posit all kinds of naive assumptions about reality, from existence of entities, to identification with living organism, to appropriation of various views, values and goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This identification with living organism and resulting taking of sides is said to perpetuate alienation, fear, conflicts, and suffering -- which only perpetuates alienation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even more generally, it pertains to not-seeing inherent limits of mind's modeling capabilities - which leads to invalid expectation that mind's models can &lt;em&gt;ever&lt;/em&gt; be accurate representations of reality - which leads to trouble and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of the above, the only way to prevent or minimize suffering is to A) stay actively aware of the limited extent to which models can represent some aspects of reality; B) not hold onto outdated models as reality moves on -- but try to update and keep the models in sync with reality as much as possible; C) avoid &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reification_(fallacy)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;reification falacy&lt;/a&gt; - instead pick a model as tool that better suits the job at hand - but also try to rely on nondiscrete holistic multi-faceted observation more than on the simplistic conceptual designations; and finally D) remember that no matter what we do we'll still have to rely on models at least to &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; extent - and as such they can never be 100% complete and in sync.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-21T03:08:32.367" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T03:08:32.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12702" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-21T03:17:07.923" Score="13" ViewCount="475" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm having trouble framing this question right so please let me know if it needs clarification. I'll first describe the issues surrounding the question and then ask the question itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been reading &quot;A Buddhist Bible&quot; compiled by Dwight Goddard. In one of the sutras the Buddha says that all perceived reality is like a dream. Essentially that all we touch, see, taste, hear, and feel is no more real than a dream. It's hard for me to see this because dreams don't seem to follow consistent rules as does the reality we seem to perceive. It seems that in our reality there really do exist laws of physics and mathematical truths and consistency amongst these things. From my understanding, the Buddha said that all phenomena is generated by the mind, but then why is there so much consistency within the laws of physics if it is the case that the mind generates it? I can easily imagine so many inconsistent things, not only that but I can dream them as well, so what distinction exists between activities of the mind such as those that &quot;generate reality&quot; and those that &quot;generate dreams&quot; such that one produces consistent laws of mathematical truths and the other does not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before I labor on and generate a confusing sequence of unrelated questions let me please clarify the question I wish to be answered: If it is the case that the reality that we perceive is no more real than the dreams that we have, what is the Buddhist explanation for what accounts for the consistency in the laws of physics and mathematical truths which we do observe? Secondly, since so many minds are generating this reality, how is it possible that everyone agrees upon laws of physics and mathematical truths? Doesn't consistency among observers imply an external reality independent of the mind? If consistency does exist then is there really only one mind? Or are there many? If there are many then how can consistency be satisfied?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5709" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T13:42:45.203" Title="How does one explain consistency within phenomena if the mind generates phenomena?" Tags="|mind|reality|dreams|truth|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12699" CreationDate="2015-11-21T07:29:22.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I loved the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590309359&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo&lt;/a&gt; edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tanahashi's introduction is great. He explains how the Shobogenzo had been compiled, edited, and distributed through the years, (explained the number of fascicles, their order and grouping, and so forth)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He analyses shortly Dogen's style in relation to how this style (such as the use of contradictions, non-sequitur, and so forth) leads your mind to such and such a place&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I compared many translations of the Genjokoan and found this one the most evocative&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tanahashi also edited a compilation of some of the fascicles of the Shobogenzo, grouped by way of themes. I found it most useful as well. &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1611800412&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Essential Dogen: Writings of the Great Zen Master&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-21T15:22:32.647" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T15:22:32.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12691" CreationDate="2015-11-21T11:59:19.787" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an article in English titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_43.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anicca Vata Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; in which Bhikkhu Bodhi describes the various meanings of the word. Here are very brief extracts from that article, a summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word sankhara is derived from the prefix sam, meaning &amp;quot;together,&amp;quot; joined to the noun kara, &amp;quot;doing, making.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The suttas distinguish the sankharas active in dependent origination into three types: bodily, verbal, and mental.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A second major domain where the word sankharas applies is among the five aggregates. The fourth aggregate is the sankhara-khandha, the aggregate of volitional formations. The texts define the sankhara-khandha as the six classes of volition (cha cetanakaya): volition regarding forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and ideas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The third major domain in which the word sankhara occurs is as a designation for all conditioned things. In this context the word has a passive derivation, denoting whatever is formed by a combination of conditions; whatever is conditioned, constructed, or compounded.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The suttas&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether there is a good/long/detailed canonical description in the Suttas.&#xA;Suminda's answer references the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the places it's described is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, very short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what are fabrications? These three are fabrications: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, mental fabrications. These are called fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The aggregates&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/handbook.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This page&lt;/a&gt; contain three essays by Ajaan Lee. The last essay on that page titled &amp;quot;Part III: The Buddhist Way&amp;quot; describes various types of Sankhara, which is &amp;quot;a brief outline of the Buddha's teachings based on the synopsis of the Ovada Patimokkha&amp;quot;. It includes (again I'm heavily summarizing the article):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;Sankharas on the level of the world&amp;quot;: status, fortune, praise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;Sankharas on the level of the Dhamma&amp;quot;: &lt;em&gt;Dhatu&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Khandha&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Ayatana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that all khandhas are sankharas, i.e. each khandha is some-things-put-together; for example they include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Putting things together so that they can be sensed (or more specifically, contact between the sense and sense-object)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Putting a &amp;quot;feeling&amp;quot; with the thing (e.g. &amp;quot;I feel that's good&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;I think that's bad&amp;quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sense of self (identity view) is presumably a sankhara too (see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;simile of the chariot&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same article also mentions some important attributes of sankharas, e.g. impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught in line with the true nature of the world. He said, &amp;quot;Khaya-vaya-dhamma sankhara, appamadena sampadetha,&amp;quot; which means, &amp;quot;All sankharas, once they have arisen, decay by their very nature. Don't be heedless or complacent. Be thoroughly mindful and completely alert, and you will attain peace and security.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means is this: All things that appear in the world arising from actions (kamma) are called sankharas — formations, fashionings, compounded things. Sankharas, by their nature, or of two sorts — sankharas on the level of the world and sankharas on the level of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I may be wrong but I suspect that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana meditation&lt;/a&gt; might be supposed to help you understand that, at least at the sensory level. I think vipassana is supposed to make you aware of impermanence, but because sankharas are impermanent perhaps &amp;quot;becoming aware of impermanence&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;becoming aware of sankharas&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also like the explanation, &amp;quot;All things that appear in the world arising from actions (kamma) are called sankharas&amp;quot;: because I think that helps to explain why sankharas are sometimes translated as not just &amp;quot;formations&amp;quot; but &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;volitional&lt;/strong&gt; formations&amp;quot;: i.e. perhaps it's because kamma (action) is also associated with will (see &amp;quot;This volition and the resultant actions constitute kamma&amp;quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;One of the five aggregates&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The terminology turns out to be confusing because all five khandhas are sankharas, but also one of the khandhas in particular is called sankharas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that means &amp;quot;all khandhas are fabricated or put together, but one of the khandhas is what people do when they put things together or fabricate things in their mind.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia summarizes this meaning of sankhara as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;a specific one one of the five aggregates&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental formations&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;impulses&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;volition&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;fabrications&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;compositional factors&amp;quot; (Skt. samskāra, Pāli saṅkhāra, Tib. 'du-byed): all types of mental habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, compulsions, and decisions triggered by an object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This too matches (is an even better match for) the &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;volitional&lt;/strong&gt; formation&amp;quot; translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footnote to that Wikipedia paragraph begins with, &amp;quot;The Theravada Abhidhamma divides saṅkhāra into fifty mental factors&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;All conditioned things&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an example of this usage in the Buddha's last words (in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh067.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: “Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!”&lt;sup&gt;58&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was the last word of the Tathāgata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footnote gives the Pali,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Handa dāni bhikkhave āmantayāmi vo: Vayadhammā &lt;strong&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/strong&gt; appamādena sampādetha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jayarava explores that phrase, and how difficult it is to translate, in this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/buddhas-last-words.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The last words of the Buddha.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T13:33:22.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-21T13:19:45.997" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too had this question for a long time. Then I read Gil Fronsdal's translation of the Dhammapada, which begins (emphasis mine):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All &lt;strong&gt;experience&lt;/strong&gt; is preceded by mind, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Led by mind, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Made by mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This use of the word &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt;, where &lt;em&gt;phenomena&lt;/em&gt; is often used, is much more accessible. Remember, the Buddha did not say &quot;all phenomena is made by mind&quot;; he said &quot;manopubbaṅgamā dhammā manoseṭṭhā manomayā&quot;. To say that much can be lost in translation would be an understatement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I prefer Gil's translation of &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; because it fits with what makes sense. It's not &lt;em&gt;everything&lt;/em&gt; that exists in our mind, but &lt;em&gt;how we experience&lt;/em&gt; everything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider a simple example. If you and I stand beside one another and together look at a houseplant in front of us, we will both see the houseplant. It's not that our minds are simultaneously (and coincidentally!) creating a houseplant that isn't really there; the plant is a real thing that exists in the world. But our minds will experience it differently: we'll interpret different shades of green, we'll consider the scent of the soil uniquely, and we may even have different emotional responses based on any memories associated with this particular kind of plant. The plant wasn't created by our minds, but every aspect of how we experience the plant was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And remember the broader point that the Buddha was was making in that opening chapter, which continues:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Speak or act with a corrupted mind, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And suffering follows &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  As the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point wasn't that everything we experience comes from our minds, but that because the mind plays a critical role in how we experience everything, the state of our mind set the stage for how (or whether) we will experience any suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T13:19:45.997" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11857" CreationDate="2015-11-21T17:08:43.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we Buddhists believe there is no Soul. Karma is a universal force that is not yielded or governed by anyone but acts alone in its own right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no personal Karma,Karma is an Universal entity that effects every living thing with the exception of an &quot;Arahant(A one who has reached nirvana)&quot;&#xA;So when you do things that generate karma your future immediately changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to Lord Buddha there is no Soul.&#xA;The six receptors (eyes,ears,tongue,body,nose,mind) take in preferred forms of input (light,sound,taste,touch,smell,thoughts).Then the mind recognize them and start making thoughts and logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This process ends with death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said that a dying mind creates a copy of itself when it dies in the next place of birth of this being (Just like you backup your phone or computer).So this new mind will be what this being will recognize as itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so there is no soul, it is a backup process of a dying mind. all the memories and karmas get copied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note this is a loose interpretation of a deep &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; teaching. So please refer a good &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; book for further understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The confusion you are in is normal once you learn the right teachings you will get out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T17:08:43.603" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11857" CreationDate="2015-11-21T20:19:11.837" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So how does one identify the events in the present life caused by karma of previous lives?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was able to do so (able to see in detail the consequences of karma); but it's an unusual ability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81#Enumerations_of_special_knowledges&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enumerations of special knowledges&lt;/a&gt;, which includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Remember one's former abodes&quot; (pubbe-nivāsanussati), that is, recalling ones own past lives;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Divine eye&quot; (dibba-cakkhu), that is, knowing others' karmic destinations;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and which ends with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three knowledges are mentioned in numerous discourses including the Maha-Saccaka Sutta (MN 36) in which the Buddha describes obtaining each of these three knowledges on the first, second and third watches respectively of the night of his enlightenment. These forms of knowledge typically are listed as arising after the attainment of the fourth jhana.[11]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While such powers are considered to be indicative of spiritual progress, Buddhism cautions against their indulgence or exhibition since such could divert one from the true path of obtaining suffering's release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where is information about previous life stored?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's not explained in the (relatively early) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tipiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that maybe &lt;em&gt;later&lt;/em&gt; schools of Buddhism introduced various theories, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses#.C4.80layavij.C3.B1.C4.81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ālaya-vijñāna ('storehouse-consciousness')&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindstream&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta-santāna ('the stream of mind')&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Antara-bhāva or bardo ('intermediate state')&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this subject causes much discussion and different opinions, perhaps &lt;em&gt;because&lt;/em&gt; it's not clearly explained by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his article titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/rebirth-and-the-in-between-state-in-early-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rebirth and the in-between state in early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, Bhikkhu Sujato wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So right away we get a good sense for the soteri­olo­gical sig­ni­fic­ance of rebirth within Early Buddhism. But we have learned little of the mech­an­ics of it: How does it hap­pen? What makes it work? How do we ana­lyze the pro­cess in detail? We must admit that the Āgama Sut­tas do not offer us a detailed explan­a­tion of such mat­ters. But this itself has its own sig­ni­fic­ance: for the Āgama Sut­tas, the under­ly­ing basis of rebirth is not the issue. The issue is that rebirth is suf­fer­ing, and prac­tice is needed to find free­dom. A detailed ‘sci­entific’ under­stand­ing of rebirth is mar­ginal to the lib­er­at­ive teach­ings of the Āgama Sut­tas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it recorded in the soul?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, talk about a &quot;soul&quot; doesn't sound like conventional Buddhist doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist doctrine includes &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a couple of quotes about Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel202.html#egolessness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Egolessness (Anattaa)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three teachers in the world. The first teacher teaches the existence of an eternal ego-entity outlasting death: that is the Eternalist, as for example the Christian. The second teacher teaches a temporary ego-entity which becomes annihilated at death: that is the annihilationist, or materialist. The third teacher teaches neither an eternal, nor a temporary ego-entity: this is the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-5-06&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miln III.5.6: Soul&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is a soul to be found?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The elder replied: &quot;According to ultimate reality, your majesty, a soul is not to be found.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You are clever, venerable Nagasena.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Vedaguu&lt;/em&gt;: a &quot;knower,&quot; permanent subject of experience, soul. &lt;em&gt;Vedaguu&lt;/em&gt; is an interesting word, originally a brahmanical term related to mastery of the Vedas. The Buddha appropriated it to mean &quot;one who has attained highest knowledge,&quot; i.e., synonymous with &quot;arahant.&quot; However, as the PED notes: &quot;A peculiar meaning of &lt;em&gt;vedaguu&lt;/em&gt; is that of 'soul' (lit. attainer of wisdom) at Miln 54 &amp;amp; 71.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist doctrine teaches not to view, as permanent 'self', what's found in the present six consciousnesses (i.e. what we see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and think about).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is no ego-entity (self-entity) now, then &quot;rebirth&quot; becomes kind of moot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10113/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; Yuttadhammo Bikkhu wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha never, afaik, used a term that could be translated as &quot;rebirth&quot;. In fact, the idea of anything being reborn goes against orthodox early Buddhist teachings. Throughout the Buddha's teachings, it is made clear that at the breakup of the body there is birth, not rebirth - as in birth of new things, not the return of anything old. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does soul have answers of all our questions?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore probably not: 'soul' doesn't have answers to all our questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;later&lt;/em&gt; schools of Buddhism do introduce ideas like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-nature&lt;/a&gt; (however I don't know whether that corresponds at all to what you might want to call &quot;soul&quot;, and I won't try to describe it here).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the (earlier) Pali suttas, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; warns that there are questions which should &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; be attended to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is how he attends &lt;strong&gt;inappropriately&lt;/strong&gt;: 'Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You asked in the OP, &quot;Am I delusional?&quot; Maybe this is an explanation: i.e. attending to questions about self-in-the-past and soul, is a recipe for becoming &quot;inwardly perplexed&quot; and &quot;a fetter of views&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The antidote, i.e. what should be attended to instead, is the four noble truths etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T20:19:11.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-21T21:22:27.977" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Citta, Cetasika, Rupa, Nibbana are the four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/twotruth.htm&quot;&gt;ultimate realities&lt;/a&gt;. Everything else is just conventional or conceptual truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see the moon, it's basically the eyes sensing the secondary rupa called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot;&gt;Vanna&lt;/a&gt;. There's no moon in the ultimate reality. Moon is just what the mind fabricates when &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot;&gt;rupa&lt;/a&gt; meets the eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's consistency because human senses are similar. Other animals see things differently compared to humans. Imagine what the world would look like if we had microscopic eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying all phenomena are mind made is similar to saying that all pottery is made by a potter. Pottery is just clay in reality. But the potter(mind) shapes the clay into different objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you start dreaming, it is not Rupa that is perceived by the mind. It's another thought or a memory perceived by the mind. So it is a fabrication of a fabrication. That has a higher chance of being inconsistent. But it is not unlikely that 2 people dream of the same object in the same way.&#xA;And it is not unlikely that 2 people see the same object differently even when the senses are similar. One person might see a beautiful woman, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits062.htm&quot;&gt;but a meditative monk might see her as a skeleton&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;Reverend sir, have you seen a woman pass this way?&quot;&#xA; And the elder said:&#xA;&#xA;&quot;Was it a woman, or a man,&#xA;That passed this way? I cannot tell.&#xA;But this I know, a set of bones&#xA;Is traveling on upon this road.&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if consistency does exist then is there really only one mind? Or are&#xA;  there many? If there are many then how can consistency be satisfied?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a mango tree always give mangoes when fruiting? Or can it give apples as well? So if a mango tree always give mango fruits, should all the mangoes in the world come from one tree? Or can there be many mango trees?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laws of physics are formulated by observing and hypothesizing. There's no direct knowledge involved. If laws of physics are ultimate reality, why do they change with time? Hypotheses are clearly mind made. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is mathematics. ex: 1 is an agreement and 1 + 1 = 2 is a concept based on that agreement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-22T11:05:15.613" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T11:05:15.613" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12691" CreationDate="2015-11-21T21:59:59.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend the book &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meditationexpert.com/measuringmeditation.html?hop=mitra19199&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Measure and deepen your spiritual realization&lt;/a&gt;&quot; for the most modern analysis and cross correlations. It has been 15 years since i read this and i have not found anything better. There is a 100+ page chapter to analyzing the skandhas (including sankhara) and how they relate to daily life, samadhi, and the various gongfus as described in the surangama sutra (which is a Mahayana sutra, by the way), various modern Buddhist books, and some Theravada references as well since the 5 aggregates is a universal dharma common to many schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2015-11-21T21:59:59.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-21T23:47:42.183" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically, the Buddhist approach to understanding reality is for each one of us to aim our attention at our individual present moment experience. This is  &quot;experiencial reality&quot;, meaning we need to experience it to understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We really don't need to even read books to understand the Buddhist approach because practicing experiencing present moment reality is what brings the understanding we are really looking for. All the suttas and dharma that we need to study is only to guide us to the real way of getting understanding. This is why people who only study the teachings of the Buddha and do not practice them do not really live by the Dhamma as the Buddha says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't matter that the material universe has it's own system of rules or physics because we aren't practicing in a material or conceptual reality but in our own moment by moment experiencial reality that really exists. The future,  past, material world and all rules human made or human discovered are all conceptual. Conceptual reality is all being decided on and assumed about by our minds and so conceptual reality is a product of mind not reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing with the Buddha's approach to reality, whatever an individual is experiencing in the present moment is all that is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four paramattha dhammas  meaning &quot;ultimate realities&quot; or things that are atomic meaning they  cannot get any smaller. They are citta(mind), cetasika(mind objects), rūpa(matter) and nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-11-22T00:01:57.173" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T00:01:57.173" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-22T02:07:37.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is likely that the quote you are referring to is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;all conditioned dharma&#xA;are like dreams, illusions,&#xA;bubbles, shadows,&#xA;Like dew drops (in the morning sun),&#xA;or a lightening flash,&#xA;contemplate them thus.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All sentient beings have Buddha Nature.  Wisdom realizing the holy state of Emptiness and Compassion for all sentient beings uniting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above gatha is part of the Diamond Cutter or Vajra Cutter sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the above gatha is one of the most amazing actions one can pursue in their lifetime!  Happy you chose this one to investigate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read about the benefits here:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/diamond-cutter-sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/diamond-cutter-sutra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And please see the direct resource (Vajra Cutter Sutra) via the Tibetan lineages&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://cdn.fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/sutras/vajra_cutter_sutra_c5.pdf?4320b0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://cdn.fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/sutras/vajra_cutter_sutra_c5.pdf?4320b0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or this resource (the first one I came across) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/prajparagen2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/prajparagen2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T02:07:37.630" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-22T02:07:37.630" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-22T03:08:53.053" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any phenomena we know about the world is what we have sensed through our sense faculties. If we cannot sense any phenomena there will be no way we can know about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition of mind is the process to experience and object or phenomena, or to know what is felt through contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you experience something many of what you see is pieced together from multiple experiences you get and your part memory of how you classified these experiences. So the picture of reality you piece together is not the most accurate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T03:08:53.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-22T13:07:03.353" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;what is the Buddhist explanation?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're reading the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%E1%B9%85k%C4%81vat%C4%81ra_S%C5%ABtra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to mention just in case you don't know already that there are different schools of Buddhism, spread over centuries and continents. They have much in common and later schools evolve from earlier schools. To the extent that they're similar, it makes sense to ask about &amp;quot;the&amp;quot; Buddhist explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra is apparently important to the early Zen school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This edition by Guṇabhadra is said to be the one handed down from the founder of Chan Buddhism, Bodhidharma, to the Second Patriarch, Dazu Huike, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have here the Laṅkāvatāra in four fascicles which I now pass to you. It contains the essential teaching concerning the mind-ground of the Tathagata, by means of which you lead all sentient beings to the truth of Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Essentially that all we touch, see, taste, hear, and feel is no more real than a dream.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that it's some kind of analogy or metaphor: and don't take that analogy too far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if something were &amp;quot;like an apple&amp;quot;, by that I might mean that it's round, sweet, portable, grows on trees, and/or etc.; but that doesn't mean it's exactly like an apple in all respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You've focused on one aspect of &amp;quot;dream&amp;quot;: i.e. that a dream is irrational, private, irreproducible, and/or not shareable ... but that's &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; necessarily what the suttra intended when it mentioned &amp;quot;dream&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/do/lanka_eng/lanka-nondiacritical.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;another translation of the sutra here&lt;/a&gt; (by D. T. Suzuki), which begins with an explanation/commentary which you might like to read in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, according to Buddhist philosophy, reality must be grasped in this world and by this world, for it is that &amp;quot;Beyond which is also Within&amp;quot;. The Lanka compares it to the moon in water or a flower in a mirror. It is within and yet outside, it is outside and yet within. This aspect of reality is described as &amp;quot;unobtainable&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;unattainable&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;anupalabdha&lt;/em&gt;). And just because it is unobtainable in a world of particulars, the latter from the point of view of reality is like a dream, like a mirage, and so on. The subtlest relation of reality to the world is beyond description, it yields its secrets only to him who has actually realised it in himself by means of noble wisdom (&lt;em&gt;aryajnana&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;prajna&lt;/em&gt;). This realisation is also a kind of knowledge though different from what is generally known by this name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read that, I think it's saying that we don't understand or perceive the world very well. We perceive the world as in a dream, analogous to perceiving the moon's reflection in water:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't imply that the moon is unreal or a dream, and doesn't imply that two people won't both see a reflection of the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another impression I get from that description of &amp;quot;unobtainable&amp;quot; is, sometimes you might dream that are you are with someone, that you are somewhere, that you have something ... but then when you wake up you realize, &amp;quot;I do not, now in waking reality, &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; that person or place or thing, it was just a dream&amp;quot;. Similarly perhaps they're saying that, in just the same way, even in waking reality we don't really &amp;quot;have&amp;quot; things, things are unattainable (but I don't know why: perhaps I guess it's because all we really have are our mind-made internal sense-impressions; or perhaps it's because the having of things is impermanent and in that way dreamlike; or perhaps because we ourselves e.g. in the sense that &amp;quot;I have a self&amp;quot; are dreams).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the other answers to this question are based on the perspective of earlier schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect this text (or the doctrine described in this text, or the school whose doctrine is described in this text) doesn't exactly contradict those answers but it has added concepts such as &amp;quot;non-dualism&amp;quot; which I don't think are so explicit/emphasized in earlier texts/schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading more Suzuki's introduction, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In considering the theory of Mind-only, we have to be careful not to understand this term psychologically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what that means but there is a &amp;quot;mind-only&amp;quot; school e.g. mentioned in this answer, &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5547/254&quot;&gt;Why is the Yogācāra school called 'mind only'?&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, and elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering how Suzuki would translate &amp;quot;dream&amp;quot; but when I get into Chapter 1 of his translation I find that his translation (or the his version of the sutra which he's translating) is entirely missing e.g. the first of the sentences which contains the word &amp;quot;dream&amp;quot; in the edition which you're reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T13:32:30.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12702" CreationDate="2015-11-22T13:42:45.203" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I’d just like to add some general comments to your - excellent - question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, your question is not specifically Buddhist. If you take a look at the history of philosophy of science, this is a major problem and has been answered in many different ways. And the greatest philosophers of all times all more or less agree that we cannot have absolute knowledge about the ultimate reality - that's only for the enlightened minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My comments are purely Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is about karma, the other is about the idea that we can be mistaken but &lt;em&gt;at the same time&lt;/em&gt; have reliable knowledge.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If consistency does exist then is there really only one mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are humans, with human karma and human minds. When we observe the world and its causal regularity and unity, our observations are reflections of our karmic dispositions. An example is that when we see a river flowing before us, we see water. But the heavenly beings see it as heavenly nectar. Hungry ghosts see it as pus and blood. Fish see the river as their palace. And all of them are right, from their perspective. For example a termite sees a stick of wood as “food” or “a world of food” , whereas we humans see it as a stick of wood. And both are correct – conventionally. And this brings me to the other point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We can be mistaken, but have reliable information about the conventional world.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how is it possible that everyone agrees upon laws of physics and&#xA;  mathematical truths? Doesn't consistency among observers imply an&#xA;  external reality independent of the mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately the laws of physics are not true. They are regularities and conventionalities for certain minds of certain perspectives. This is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; because we have agreed upon it between humans, but because of our karmic dispositions this is the way the world appears to us all. We are not enlightened. As we deepen our understanding of emptiness, we grow increasingly to distrust and to disbelieve this false appearance, but the false appearance remains until we are enlightened.  This is a strange truth, and it is the crux of the matter: we have from our senses &lt;em&gt;reliable information&lt;/em&gt; about the ordinary things in the world even though our senses are &lt;em&gt;at the same time deceived&lt;/em&gt; about just how these things really exist. It is an interesting fact that researchers in the field of quantum mechanics are coming to the same conclusions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our eyes and ears are “mistaken” but not “wrong”. They are reliable sources yet mistaken because they are constantly presenting images of their objects as existing substantially, naturally, independently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense we are dreaming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T13:42:45.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12716" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12717" CreationDate="2015-11-22T14:05:34.790" Score="5" ViewCount="350" Body="&lt;p&gt;I’d like to hear some reflections on mindfulness. I’m not talking here about meditation on the three marks or any kind of visualization, but mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am quoting here from B. Allan Wallace’s &lt;em&gt;The Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[One] approach views mindfulness as nondiscriminating,&#xA;  moment-to-moment ‘bare awareness’ [and the other] characterizes&#xA;  mindfulness as bearing in mind the object of attention, the state of&#xA;  not forgetting, not being distracted, and not floating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which one of these is the most “genuinely Buddhist” kind of mindfulness?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T14:49:02.720" Title="What is the most “genuinely Buddhist” kind of mindfulness?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12716" CreationDate="2015-11-22T14:53:24.207" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you look at this article which describes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch6&quot;&gt;Chapter VI: Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati)&lt;/a&gt; talks about &quot;bare attention&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch7&quot;&gt;Chapter VII: Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi)&lt;/a&gt; talks about &quot;centering the mind on an object&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think they're both Buddhist, but one is called &quot;mindfulness&quot; and the other &quot;concentration&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T14:53:24.207" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12213" CreationDate="2015-11-22T16:45:03.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Update: I purchased Clear Armor 34db Highest NRR professional earmuffs online and have been happy with them. They block noise very well but it took me a little bit to get used to them comfort-wise for long periods. I can definitely sit for an hour without any serious discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-11-22T16:45:03.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-22T18:54:48.443" Score="1" ViewCount="319" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have learned.....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a receptor (eyes,ears,nose,tongue,body,mind) meet with the preferred input (light,sound,smell,taste,touch,thoughts) if the dedicated &quot;Vinyana&quot; is born to accept it the being will feel that particular sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So my question is....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eyes can't see when they are closed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ears can't hear when we sleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nose can't sense when we sleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tongue can't sense when we sleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body can't feel when we sleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the mind does not seem to share the same condition with the rest of receptors.Because when we sleep some part of it function and when we are awake it is fully functioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So does mind ever stop?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does mind start with the birth and keeps going till the last minute?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does the Suttas say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2022-08-30T08:00:42.337" Title="Does mind ever stop?" Tags="|sutras|suttas|mind|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12721" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-23T04:14:37.803" Score="3" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's said that Sotapanna has perfect morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, AN 3.85 says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk is wholly accomplished in virtue, moderately accomplished in concentration, and moderately accomplished in discernment. With reference to the lesser and minor training rules, he falls into offenses and rehabilitates himself. Why is that? Because I have not declared that to be a disqualification in these circumstances. But as for the training rules that are basic to the holy life and proper to the holy life, he is one of permanent virtue, one of steadfast virtue. Having undertaken them, he trains in reference to the training rules. With the wasting away of [the first] three fetters, he is a stream-winner, never again destined for states of woe, certain, headed for self-awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in AN 9.12:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, Sāriputta, a certain person is complete in virtues, incomplete in concentration and incomplete in wisdom. Destroying three bonds he transmigrates as a human or god the most seven times and makes end of unpleasantness. Sāriputta, this is the eighth person who dies with substratum, released, from hell, from animal birth, from the sphere of ghosts and released from loss and hellish births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we do wrong thing from time to time. Our deeds are not perfect. So what does it mean by having a perfect (wholly accomplished) morality/virtue? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T13:33:43.620" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T13:57:02.207" Title="What does it mean by perfect morality?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12719" CreationDate="2015-11-23T06:23:21.473" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mind occurs in both passive and active modes. The passive gives&#xA;  way to the active when a stimulus is received through one of the sense&#xA;  doors. The passive state of mind is called bhava&quot;nga, cuti, or&#xA;  paa.tisandhi, according to the occasion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhava&quot;nga. The bhava&quot;nga citta, mentioned earlier, is the primary form&#xA;  of mind. It flows from conception to death except when interrupted by&#xA;  a stimulus through one of the sense doors. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Read more...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stream of Bhavanga citta is what you have in deep(dreamless) sleep. It is a result of your past birth Karma. The process doesn't stop until the being attains &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parinibbana&lt;/a&gt;, except in the case of being born in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/asannasatta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asaññasatta&lt;/a&gt; realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T19:47:47.993" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T19:47:47.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12719" CreationDate="2015-11-23T09:55:54.063" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So does mind ever stop?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you attain Nirodha Samapahti and Phala Samapathi your mental process stops. In the case of Phala Samapathi the stop is only momentarily but the mental process come to a stop where you see the links of dependent origination breaking when 1st experiencing Nirvana and see the re formation of the links of dependent origination reforming when you come out. In other words when you experience Phala Samapathi you also experience Nirodha Samapahti momentarily at least. (Based on interpretation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Banhte Vilimalasiri&lt;/a&gt;. These are highly theoretical and no consensus among different practitioners. Best is the practice and see for your self. Much of what is said about this is in secondary sources than from the Suttas themselves.) If you are stay in it you have to be Anagami or above having also reached the 8th Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'attainment of extinction' (S. XIV, 11), also called saññā-vedayita-nirodha, 'extinction of feeling and perception', &lt;strong&gt;is the temporary suspension of all consciousness and mental activity&lt;/strong&gt;, following immediately upon the semi-conscious state called 'sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception' (s. jhāna, 8). The absolutely necessary pre-conditions to its attainment are said to be perfect mastery of all the 8 absorptions (jhāna), as well as the previous attainment of Anāgāmī or Arahantship (s. ariya-puggala).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;According to Vis.M. XXIII, the entering into this state takes place in the following way: by means of mental tranquillity (samatha) and insight (vipassanā) one has to pass through all the 8 absorptions one after the other up to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and then one has to bring this state to an end. If, namely, according to the Vis.M., the disciple (Anāgāmī or Arahat) passes through the absorption merely by means of tranquillity, i.e. concentration, he will only attain the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and then come to a standstill; if, on the other hand, he proceeds only with insight, he will reach the fruition (phala) of Anāgāmī or Arahantship. He, however, who by means of both faculties has risen from absorption to absorption and, having made the necessary preparations, brings the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception to an end, such a one reaches the state of extinction. Whilst the disciple is passing through the 8 absorptions, he each time emerges from the absorption attained, and regards with his insight all the mental phenomena constituting that special absorption, as impermanent, miserable and impersonal. Then he again enters the next higher absorption, and thus, after each absorption practising insight, he at last reaches the state of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and thereafter the full extinction. This state, according to the Com., may last for 7 days or even longer. Immediately at the rising from this state, however, there arises in the Anāgāmī the fruition of Anāgāmiship (anāgāmi-phala), in the Arahat the fruition of Arahantship (arahatta-phala).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;With regard to the difference existing between the monk abiding in this state of extinction on the one hand, and a dead person on the other hand, M 43 says: &quot;In him who is dead, and whose life has come to an end, the bodily (in-and-out breathing), verbal (thought-conception and discursive thinking), and mental functions (s. sankhāra, 2) have become suspended and come to a standstill, life is exhausted, the vital heat extinguished, the faculties are destroyed. Also in the monk who has reached 'extinction of perception and feeling' (saññā-vedayita-nirodha), &lt;strong&gt;the bodily, verbal and mental functions have been suspended and come to a standstill, but life is not exhausted&lt;/strong&gt;, the vital heat not extinguished, and the faculties are not destroyed.&quot;&#xA;    For details, see Vis.M. XXIII; for texts s. Path 206.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nirodha-samāpatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;ol start=&quot;12&quot;&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;Anuloma…if you compare it with a srewdriver and a screw, trying to break through a wall: 9-11 seems like to push and apply one’s whole force to the screwdriver and 13. anuloma is like turning the screwdriver to get through the wall. Its a mini-repetition of all nyanas prior to it, seeing a relentless series of udayabaya-nyanas, mini-nibbidas, mini-sankharupekkhas until the point of the screw peeks through on the other side. I guess others can find better similies…but in a way this sounds like fractals….the structure within the structure…creating a very very strong counter-drag to release the mind, and pull name&amp;amp;form from consciousness thus making the world (ie. 6 senses, ie. bhava or existence) &lt;strong&gt;tumble/stop for one moment&lt;/strong&gt; – with everlasting consequences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravadin.org/2008/03/20/vipassana-knowledge-and-the-path-to-nibbana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana Knowledge and the Path to Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://stylomilo.com/files/mv/YMBADip/Abhi/The%20Cognitive%20Process%20of%20Attainments.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Cognitive Process of Attainments&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3184/what-is-the-different-between-nirodha-samapatti-and-phala-samapatti&quot;&gt;What is the different between Nirodha Samapatti and Phala Samapatti?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEco2ojydNM&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“Relief” with Bhante Vimalaramsi -Story about Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does mind start with the birth and keeps going till the last minute?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See @sankha-kulathantille's answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T18:28:18.047" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12716" CreationDate="2015-11-23T13:47:11.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what is the faculty of sati? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering &amp;amp; able to call to mind even things that were done &amp;amp; said long ago. (And here begins the satipatthana formula:) He remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of itself... mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could give a read to  &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness Defined by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/mindfulnessdefined.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/mindfulnessdefined.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T14:49:02.720" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T14:49:02.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12721" CreationDate="2015-11-23T14:16:55.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.88&lt;/a&gt; Buddha gives definitions of the three trainings. Basically, &lt;code&gt;sila&lt;/code&gt; is training in discipline (often translated as virtue or morality), &lt;code&gt;samadhi&lt;/code&gt; is training in controlling one's mind and mood, and &lt;code&gt;prajna&lt;/code&gt; is training in understanding or insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding and as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 2.19&lt;/a&gt;, training in discipline is first and foremost training to optimize your actions by their result (instead of being simply reactive or impulsive). You do what's wholesome (leads to good results) and abandon what's unwholesome (leads to bad results). You repeatedly train yourself to think objectively in terms of action and its results, not in terms of your personal desires and aversions. For most people this is a radical change in attitude!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, at this level you do only a minimum amount of self-reflection. Your sole focus is on external activity. But in order to optimize your activity you are forced to suppress some of your baddest impulses, habits and reactions. Which naturally leads to emergence of self-reflection, you becoming self-aware, and going to the next level - training to control your mental and emotional state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when Buddha says, &quot;accomplished virtue&quot; - I believe he means that as far as your intention to accomplish the good, you are perfect. Your behavior is fully determined by your good will. However, because of imperfections in your ability to control your mind and emotions, and imperfections in your wisdom/insight into how things work, you may still misstep occasionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice how Buddha insists in AN 3.85 that to be a Sotapanna you must also be moderately accomplished in concentration, and moderately accomplished in discernment. Not just virtue! This is because virtue, concentration and discernment interpenetrate. You can't have good behavior without some amount of mind-emotion-control and some amount of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short, in my understanding the perfect morality is wholesome behavior and wholesome speech, based on wholesome intent, based on the right view - the first five and a half steps of the Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course to say that one's behavior can ever be perfect is a (useful) simplification. As Buddha himself says in AN 3.85 you may still &quot;fall into offenses and [later] rehabilitate yourself&quot;. But as far as your appreciation of the notion of &lt;code&gt;kusala&lt;/code&gt;/&lt;code&gt;akusala&lt;/code&gt; and your sincere attempts to act &lt;code&gt;kusala&lt;/code&gt;, as far as your attitude - they are perfectly complete. You attitude has been completely reoriented towards the good result. That's what makes you a Sotapanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T20:37:13.930" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T20:37:13.930" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2015-11-23T14:40:27.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alan Wallace - in his &lt;em&gt;Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt; - seems to put forward the idea that there really is no difference between goal and path. To differentiate would be instrumental thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T14:53:45.457" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T14:53:45.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12727" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12735" CreationDate="2015-11-23T16:12:06.000" Score="5" ViewCount="2061" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81t%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tathata&lt;/a&gt; has been described as the ultimate goal of Buddhism. What is tathata? What is the closest thing we experience in everyday life close to tathata? How can we attain knowledge of tathata?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5763" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T21:41:58.160" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T02:29:23.557" Title="What is tathata?" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12728" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-23T16:17:57.120" Score="5" ViewCount="858" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering whatever atrocities Muslims did (I don't know if they did any) or are going to do, is killing Muslims the only solution the Myanmar Buddhists could adopt?&#xA;Is it wise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is violence recommended in Buddhism (or by Buddha) under any extreme circumstances??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If no, why have the Myanmar Buddhists chosen that path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For context, here are some news links on this topic:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22356306&quot;&gt;BBC: Why are Buddhist monks attacking Muslims?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/02/asia/myanmar-burma-buddhist-muslim-violence/&quot;&gt;CNN: Anti-Muslim tension simmers ahead of Myanmar election&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T06:25:49.823" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T06:25:49.823" Title="How can killing of Muslims by Buddhists in Myanmar be justified?" Tags="|ethics|philosophy|modern-world|killing|dharmas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2015-11-25T23:52:39.103" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12721" CreationDate="2015-11-23T19:15:37.753" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are reading too much into the word &quot;perfect&quot;.  In this passage, I think it's being used rather conventionally and that it might better to read the word as &quot;accomplished&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To demonstrate, let's use a baseball metaphor.  Tony Gwyn was a very accomplished hitter.  You might even say he perfected his swing.  Still, Tony Gwyn still struck out a couple dozen times a year.  Perfecting a craft doesn't necessarily mean you won't miss from time to time.  Someone of &quot;accomplished&quot; morality likewise might be superlatively skillful in sila, but that does not necessarily connote unerring perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By contrast, Tony Gwyn's big ol' bubble butt didn't necessarily make him the best base runner.  You might say he was only moderately skilled in that area.  He had quite a bit of room for improvement.  Someone of moderate skill has room to grow.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T13:57:02.207" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T13:57:02.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12728" CreationDate="2015-11-23T20:07:21.700" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a good story of a Buddhist reaction to a genocide in Lord Buddha's time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Lord Buddha's family/cast (Shrathriya/Shakya) was at the top of the casts at the time and they were very proud of it.Once a kind requested a princess for a marriage from Shrathriya/Shakya cast.But because of their ego they tricked the king by sending a pretty slave girl as a princess.Time went by and she had a son,he visited the Shrathriya/Shakya relatives one day and went back.But one of his men forgot his weapon and came to get it back.That's when he heard what a slave was saying while she was eagerly washing the room that prince stayed in, She was saying look how high a slave's boy has come. The guard went back and said the whole story and the truth was revealed.He took his army and came to kill all the Shrathriyas/Shakyas.Lord Buddha saw this and stopped him not once but twice.In the third time Lord Buddha looked back in time and understood that these people are about to be slaughtered as an effect of a old Karma.This time lord Buddha did nothing.The prince went and killed all of the Shrathriya/Shakya cast brutally.That is why there is no more left today from Lord Buddha's family.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said that we must come above the lust to be alive,to be born,to not to exist.Lord Buddha said that we must understand the impermanence.But we as normal people still love to live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look into Buddhism you will see how many villages,casts,races have faced death/genocide. Whether we like it or not the only option is to stand like men an take it because if we raise an arm we commit bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happened in Myanmar can't be justified. That is not the advice of Lord Buddha.We are not permitted to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't be a Buddhist and a warrior at the same time,it is simple as that.&#xA;This might be a hard pill to digest but here is a good example why this concept is right...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Khantivādī Jātaka: J 313 (A Bodhisattva story of our Buddha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Jātaka Tale, Patience Teacher Birth Story (Khantivādī Jātaka: J 313), a jealous king repeatedly asked an ascetic what the ascetic taught, to which the ascetic replied, &quot;Patience,&quot; which the ascetic further defined as &quot;not to get angry when injured, criticized or struck.&quot; To test the ascetic's patience, the king had the ascetic struck two thousand times with a whip of thorns, had the ascetic's hands and feet axed off, cut off the ascetic's nose and ears, and then kicked the ascetic in the heart. After the king left, the ascetic wished the king a long life and said, &quot;Those like myself do not feel wrath.&quot; The ascetic died later that day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshanti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kshanti (Sanskrit kṣānti) or khanti (Pāli) is patience, forbearance and forgiveness.&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshanti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; It is one of the pāramitās in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is comforting to have the licence to kill but as Bodhisattva's had done for eons there is only patience and Kshanti for a Buddhist. Go to India and ask what happened to the Buddhists, all of them were impaled on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trishula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Trishulas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Hindu people. This is not the only time a Genocide happened. No matter who is the victim it is only wrong. Imagine why a teaching like Buddhism vanishes every time it appears in this world, every time it has been a genocide. Your mind will not support the idea first but if you read enough sources the massage is clear. Lord Buddha said one must not harm or kill another even if it cost him his own life .You can either be a Buddhist and make your mind to die the glorious death in Kshanti or you could pick a weapon and go to war. This is where we differ from Christians,Hindus and Islamic, With all due respect to them we do not have a holy war. A good Buddhist is ready to happily accept the other end of the gun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The offensive of a Buddhist King&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you are a rebel i recommend you learn the story of** &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutugamunu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;King Dutugamunu&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; . This King protected the lives and the Theravada teaching of srilanka against the Hindu invader's Genocide. As to the prophecy this king will be one of the Great followers of Maithri Buddha in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T23:03:47.147" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T23:03:47.147" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12732" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-23T21:37:25.813" Score="3" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm an American living in Bangkok. I have Parkinson's disease and have recently (last week) developed restless leg syndrome. It's now 4:30 AM &amp;amp; I can't sleep - because of the discomfort in my legs. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time. I'm trying different therapies for the legs but nothing seems to work so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I have an Angel looking after me, she doesn't really know what I'm going through - and I'm trying to keep a positive outlook, which is getting harder with this sleep depravation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm feeling afraid and alone. I've been attracted to Buddhism for a long time and have meditated off &amp;amp; on for quite a while. When I try to meditate, I'm just too uncomfortable to do so, even while lying down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone been in a similar situation?  Any advice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5443" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T02:52:07.280" Title="Meditating with chronic illness" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12741" CreationDate="2015-11-23T21:55:45.480" Score="1" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we know there are lower realms mentioned in Buddhism, like the animal realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have heard the story of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn10/sn10.012.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Alavaka yaksha/yakkha&quot;&lt;/a&gt; (He was an evil being by birth)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also think &quot;If beings like &quot;Alavaka&quot; can reach goals in the path are they considered lower because they are evil by birth?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all he is not the only one of his kind to reach goals of the path on the spot where they learned Buddhism.As to Suttas/Sutras these beings serve as soldiers in armies of Gods/Devas, so they clearly aren't some primitive things like our animals.These beings also have ridiculous strength and amazing abilities like shape shifting.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So what i'm asking is...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they labeled Lower realm creatures because they are Bad or Evil from birth or is there any other reason?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Please note that i am only asking about the Race/Species/Beings &#xA;called  Yakkha or Yaksha)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-23T22:45:06.847" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T23:58:51.213" Title="Bad births and not so Bad births?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12732" CreationDate="2015-11-23T21:59:14.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, I'm very sorry to hear about your situation. I wish you strength and good health in spite of your obstacles. And you are not alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people meditate with different kinds of chronic pain. The pain hinders the process, but it need not prevent you from enjoying meditation or gaining benefits from it. If you're practicing vipassanā meditation, you can apply the mindfulness practice to your pain as part of the meditation experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance: as you focus on your breath during meditation, if you feel pain in your legs, allow your attention to remain on the pain. Be &lt;em&gt;mindful&lt;/em&gt; of the pain: consider the way the pain feels, and examine the nature of pain in great detail. What kind of pain is it? Where exactly is it felt? Are there subtle things you can do to change the way you feel it (like shifting positions)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay with the pain for a while, and then gently turn your attention back to your breath. The practice should not be to ignore the pain, or otherwise mask or cover it, but to experience it mindfully so that you can fully understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find some comfort in this very recent study from the Journal of Neuroscience that discusses the pain relief benefit in vipassanā meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302620.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302620.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck and stay strong! You can conquer this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T21:59:14.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12727" CreationDate="2015-11-23T22:18:08.553" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;For starters, here is the Theravada perspective, with some quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THUSNESS (by ven. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, we come to the fourth and last topic: &lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt; (suchness, thusness). &quot;Merely thus,&quot; &quot;just such&quot;: everything is such as it is and in no way different from that thusness. This is called &quot;&lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; When &lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt; is seen, the three characteristics of anicca, dukkha, and anatta are seen, sunnata is seen, and idappaccayata is seen. &lt;strong&gt;Tathata&lt;/strong&gt; is the summary of them all -- merely thus, only thus, not-otherness. There is nothing better than this, more than this, other than this, thusness. To intuitively realize &lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt; is to see the truth of all things, to see the reality of the things which have deceived us. The things which delude us are all the things which cause discrimination and duality to arise in us: good-evil, happiness-sadness, win-lose, love-hate, etc. There are many pairs of opposites in this world. By not seeing &lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt;, we allow these things to trick us into believing in duality: this-that, liking-disliking, hot-cold, male-female, defiled, enlightened. This delusion causes all our problems. Trapped in these oppositions, we can't see the truth of things. We fall into liking and disliking, which in turn leads to the defilements, because we don't see &lt;strong&gt;tathata&lt;/strong&gt;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From SN 12.20:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Iti kho, bhikkhave, yā tatra &lt;strong&gt;tathatā&lt;/strong&gt; avitathatā anaññathatā idappaccayatā – ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, paṭiccasamuppādo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What's there in this way is a &lt;strong&gt;reality&lt;/strong&gt;, not an unreality, not other than what it seems, conditioned by this/that. This is called dependent co-arising. (Thanissaro)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus bhikkhus, the &lt;strong&gt;actuality&lt;/strong&gt; in this, the inerrancy, the not-otherwiseness, specific conditionality: this is called dependent origination. (Bhikkhu Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From AN 4.24:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Tathagata is a seer of what is to be seen, &lt;strong&gt;but he does not mind the seen, the unseen, the seeable, the seer&lt;/strong&gt;. So likewise with the heard, the sensed and the cognized: he thinks of none of these modes of theirs. Therefore among things seen, heard, sensed and cognized he is precisely 'such'. Moreover, than he who is 'such' there is no other 'such' further or more excellent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, tathata is the culmination of the Third Noble Truth, cessation of suffering. When you no longer crave any experiences, don't avert any experiences, don't project any delusions onto your experience - when there is no longer a mismatch between &quot;this&quot; and imaginary &quot;that&quot; - that's tathata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T02:29:23.557" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T02:29:23.557" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12736" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12739" CreationDate="2015-11-23T22:18:35.097" Score="1" ViewCount="790" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are Brahmas and Devas the same thing in different levels or are they two entirely different beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am asking this because if see the first teaching of Lord Buddha (Dhamma chakka pawaththana) there is a mentioning &quot;Brahma Deva&quot;,yes both words used as a combination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally they are considered two kinds,here it is still the same but Brahmas have being attached to the Deva realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T03:55:33.230" Title="Brahmas and Devas?" Tags="|rebirth|sutras|suttas|deva|brahma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12736" CreationDate="2015-11-23T23:14:39.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, &amp;quot;Brahmā&amp;quot; is a type of deva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In Hinduism, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmā&lt;/a&gt; is the creator god, see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahman&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some online references to descriptions of the Buddhist &amp;quot;Brahmā&amp;quot; include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmā (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; (Wikipedia)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#brahma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Glossary of Pali terms on the 'Buddha Vacana' web site&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brahmā:&lt;/strong&gt; is the supreme divinity of ancient brahmanism, considered as the creator of the universe and worshiped by brahmins through sacrifices and rituals. The Buddha gives this appellation to the &lt;em&gt;Brahmakāyika&lt;/em&gt;, devas (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Footnote 146 on page 51 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the 'Dharma Farer' commentary on the Dhammacakkappavattana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is interesting and important to note that the list of exulting devas stops here with the Brahmās of the 1st dhyana.&#xA;The reason for this is that, as there is still some level of mentation here—by way of initial and sustained applications&#xA;(vitakka,vicāra)—these Brahmās are still in contact with the sense-world. In the realms beyond the 1st dhyana,&#xA;thought-process as we know it ceases completely so that these beings enjoy the glory of their meditative state as&#xA;pure light or profound peace for as long as their karma fuels it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T23:14:39.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="6041" CreationDate="2015-11-23T23:25:11.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;After you eat the sandwich you will be hungry again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After years of enjoying a loved ones company they or you will die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After paying your electric bill you will have to do it again next month.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After having good physical health for several years you will get heart disease or cancer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After buying your new car it will eventually need a new transmission and you will have to buy anothet car.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After a major promotion at work you will eventually become to old to work and you will retire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After enjoying a sunset, it will become dark outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is all impermanent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7311" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T23:25:11.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12733" CreationDate="2015-11-23T23:58:51.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This page which describes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt; places yakkhas immediately above the human realm:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas of the Four Great Kings (&lt;em&gt;catumaharajika deva&lt;/em&gt;) -- Home of the &lt;em&gt;gandhabbas&lt;/em&gt;, the celestial musicians, and the &lt;em&gt;yakkhas&lt;/em&gt;, tree spirits of varying degrees of ethical purity. The latter are analogous to the goblins, trolls, and fairies of Western fairy tales.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yaksha (Sanskrit यक्ष &lt;em&gt;yakṣa&lt;/em&gt;, Pali &lt;em&gt;yakkha&lt;/em&gt;) is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts. The feminine form of the word is &lt;em&gt;yakṣī&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Yakshini&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;yakṣiṇī&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist texts, the &lt;em&gt;yakṣa&lt;/em&gt; has a dual personality. On the one hand, a &lt;em&gt;yakṣa&lt;/em&gt; may be an inoffensive nature-fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is also a darker version of the &lt;em&gt;yakṣa&lt;/em&gt;, which is a kind of ghost (&lt;em&gt;bhuta&lt;/em&gt;) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travelers, similar to the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakshasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rakṣasas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yakṣas in Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; -- In Buddhist literature, the &lt;em&gt;yakṣa&lt;/em&gt; are the attendants of &lt;em&gt;Vaiśravaṇa&lt;/em&gt;, the guardian of the northern quarter, a beneficent god who protects the righteous. The term also refers to the Twelve Heavenly Generals who guard &lt;em&gt;Bhaiṣajyaguru&lt;/em&gt;, the Medicine Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yakkha/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this (long) definition of Yakkha&lt;/a&gt; (as well as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/alavaka-sutta/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; which contain back-story to the Alavaka Sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of a dangerous guardian reminds me of this other topic about a &amp;quot;guardian&amp;quot; that seems &amp;quot;wrathful&amp;quot; and/or dangerous: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10694/254&quot;&gt;What is a wrathful Buddha?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-23T23:58:51.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12732" CreationDate="2015-11-24T01:05:58.983" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry you feel uncomfortable, and afraid and alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the answers to the question, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5142/254&quot;&gt;Experiencing physical pain&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, might be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/painhelp.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Using Meditation to Deal with Pain, Illness &amp;amp; Death&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is perhaps the most helpful answer I have found so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T01:05:58.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12732" CreationDate="2015-11-24T02:52:07.280" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giri-m-Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; has details of how to overcome illness. At a superficial level you can start as following and go deeper as in the Sutta. Also there is a book Meditation on Perception: Ten Healing Practices to Cultivate Mindfulness by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana which might be of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of impermanence - When you experience any discomfort look at this as &quot;this will also pass&quot;. Even in a terminal illness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of anatta (absence of a permanent self or soul) - detach your self from the pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of foulness (asubha) - look at your body part by part from head to foot and foot to head&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of disadvantage (danger) - everyone is prone to illness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of abandonment - contemplate on non evil thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of detachment - benefits of being without attachments&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of cessation - destruction from craving and relief from creating fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of distaste for the whole world - abandoning &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;latent tendencies&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplation of impermanence of all component things - develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of in-breathing and out-breathing - see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana Sati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to sleep deprivation try &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta Bhavana&lt;/a&gt;. One benefit of this is you sleep easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also remember pain is not pain unless you make it your pain. There is the physical sensation feeling and the mental cognising that this is my pain. The latter is bigger than the physical pain hence try look at the pain as mere pain. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.1-Satipatthana-S-d22-m10-intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedenaupassana in Satipatthanas&lt;/a&gt;. You may also try taking a course at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T02:52:07.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12745" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-24T09:09:24.590" Score="2" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have questions about the Bodhisattva ideal, based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://thubtenchodron.org/2010/04/mahayana-verses/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the 37 practices of the Bodhisattva&lt;/a&gt;. I’m also curious about how this practice is for one with the aspiration of becoming an Arhat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general Bodhisattva ideal seems to be that you are supposed to have compassion and take everything upon you no matter what happens. But isn’t this sometimes going to make things worse – for &lt;em&gt;everyone&lt;/em&gt; - the perpetrator included? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I wonder if you people have any reflections on how this is for someone with the aspiration to become an Arhat? Is s/he equally supposed to have compassion and take everything upon him/her self – no matter what happens? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the differences and similarities here between the two? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Some background&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In “the 37 practices of the Bodhisattva” there are some passages about how a Bodhisattva reacts to different situations. Some situations described are quite extreme, and too much for someone on my level! But many of them are such that I try to practice them, and here is an example (verse 15):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Though someone may deride and speak bad words About you in a public&#xA;  gathering, Looking on her as a spiritual teacher, Bow to her with&#xA;  respect— This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a situation I come upon very often at work. We have had some big problems with calumny, people saying bad things about each other. I find it quite difficult to see someone doing this as “a spiritual teacher”. But, more disturbingly, I think it might be counterproductive. If a person keeps saying bad things about the others, and we all look upon that person as “a spiritual teacher”, how is the situation going to get better? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Violence is another example. If a woman is about to be raped, is she not going to fight back? Is she supposed to take the misdeed upon herself? How is not fighting back going to make the situation better? Isn't this just going to produce more rapists? I’m thinking here about verse 13: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if someone tries to cut off your head When you haven’t done the&#xA;  slightest thing wrong, Out of compassion take all her misdeeds Upon&#xA;  yourself— This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T17:25:15.617" Title="The Bodhisattva ideal in practice (and its relation to the Arhat ideal)" Tags="|personal-practice|bodhisattva|arhats|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2157" CreationDate="2015-11-24T11:57:32.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With true understanding and sincerity we cannot be sorry for their loss, as they have not lost anything. They never 'had' anyone to lose to begin with, yet we know we have always and always will have each other as we are never truly separate - of course a funeral is not an appropriate time for explaining such concepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, the only appropriate speech from my Buddhist perspective, would not to be sorry in the conventional sense, i see that as pity with false emotion, indeed it is better to say nothing. We should focus more on remembering the great times spent and celebrating the life that touched everyone there. We can do no more honor than to pass on the love and compassion the deceased gave us in their lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speak truthfully and with correct understanding, you'll know what to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7315" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T11:57:32.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12748" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12750" CreationDate="2015-11-24T13:58:26.687" Score="5" ViewCount="1037" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Heart Sutra, Avalokiteshvara says to Sariputra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;this Body itself is Emptiness and Emptiness itself is this Body. This&#xA;  Body is not other than Emptiness and Emptiness is not other than this&#xA;  Body. (translation by Thich Nhat Hanh)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean to say that Body itself is Emptiness and Emptiness itself is this Body? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:56:05.093" Title="Meaning of &quot;Body is emptiness, emptiness is body&quot;" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12748" CreationDate="2015-11-24T14:10:49.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Short answer - It is a description of the enlightened state of mind.  It is an experience, not a concept.  Asking for it's meaning is akin to asking for the meaning of an orgasm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long answer - I think where a lot of people run into problems is that they try to read the Mahayana canon like the Theravada canon.  This doesn't often work as they can be very different in their approach.  The Pali sutras are usually pretty prescriptive.  They are most often read as a &quot;how-to&quot; guide for practice.  Even when they are being descriptive or go into some sort of philosophical idea, they are generally pretty literal in their treatment.  While you also find examples of this in the Mahayana canon, there is also quite a bit of poetic language the purpose of which is to describe in abstract or metaphorical terms some instance of enlightened phenomenology (the Diamond Sutra being probably one of the best examples of this).  These are road maps and personal accounts from the journey to enlightenment.  Trying to tease out some sort of philosophical meaning from these sutras would like using someone's description of a barking dog as the basis for canine behavior.  There's no point in it.  Any exegesis or anything deduced would be wholly meaningless and off point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the Heart Sutra uses Buddhist philosophical terms like form and emptiness, this sutra is not something we are supposed to understand intellectually.  It's actually a sign post - something by which we can measure our progress.  It lets us know we are moving in the right direction.  The Heart Sutra is a way station, in linguistic form, where people on this journey can share a beer and trade stories.  Only after reaching that destination do we understand the point it's trying the convey.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even longer answer - We know what form is.  Knock, knock on wood, right?  We all experience that pretty easily.  Emptiness is also something to be experienced.  It's not just a philosophical idea.  That's a little more subtle, but I hope that makes sense.  What the Heart Sutra is getting at is the experience where the distinction between form and emptiness dissolves.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T21:28:28.920" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T21:28:28.920" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12748" CreationDate="2015-11-24T20:20:21.787" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, this basically speaks to the following Buddha's expression (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.090.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 22.90&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by a polarity, &lt;strong&gt;that of existence &amp;amp; non-existence&lt;/strong&gt;. But when one sees the origination ... as it actually is with right discernment, &quot;non-existence&quot; ... does not occur to one. When one sees the cessation ... as it actually is with right discernment, &quot;existence&quot; ... does not occur to one. ... &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Everything exists&quot;: That is one extreme. &quot;Everything doesn't exist&quot;: That is a second extreme&lt;/strong&gt;. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way an untrained run-off-the-mill person sees things and talks about things, is that anything, any object or phenomena - be that physical or social or economical etc. - either exists or it does not exist. Everything is very cut and dry. But in a wise one's perspective, things are not so simple, not so flat. The wise one sees infinite nuances. This is why the wise one avoids taking extreme simplistic positions about things being or not being a certain way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any form - meaning any object of our attention and discussion - is necessarily an abstraction, a subset, a vast simplification of reality. To assume that it actually &quot;exists&quot; would be to commit (succumb to?) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reification_(fallacy)&quot;&gt;the reification fallacy&lt;/a&gt;. Instead, a form is a phantom, a fiction, a conceptual overlay. Therefore a form is empty of existence in-and-off-itself. Form is empty. That includes any and all dharmas (phenomena, objects of mind) that some of the late Abhidharmists mistakenly reified. Like the five skandhas (the form/body, feelings etc). Or the Five Great Elements. Or the dharmas. Or even Nirvana itself. From Madhyamaka perspective, these are all abstractions, simplifications, generalizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, to say that things don't really exist - would be to fall into another extreme. Even though form is empty, we appreciate it for its explanatory value. The way we delineate the world into forms, into discrete phenomena, is not entirely arbitrary. It came from our real experience dealing with real things. So the forms we experience, however subjective, conventional, faulty, and incomplete, are rooted in the real nature. The forms do exist, at least in our subjective experience. They only exist as conceptual overlays, but these overlays themselves are not non-existent as overlays. Just like rainbow - there is no actual arch-shaped object in the sky, but you can't say that rainbow does not exist. It exists as a phenomenon. And that phenomenon - however illusory - has its basis in reality, in how things work. This is the &quot;Emptiness is Form&quot; part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the practical implications of &quot;form is emptiness&quot;, is that we no longer get hung up on any one truth, any one method, any philosophical position. We see that they are all ultimately false. On the other hand, because &quot;emptiness is form&quot;, we do realize that our choices have effects, and these effects often fruit as experience, and this experience will be rather very real for someone experiencing it! This realization of form-is-emptiness as the ultimate truth is known as the root of prajna or (special) wisdom. And this realization of emptiness-is-form as undeniable reality of experience or the conventional truth, is known as the root of maha-karuna or great (enlightened) compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So at the end of the day we get very practical. Given that form is emptiness and emptiness is form, we do the best thing possible using the best tool for the job. If we need to cut through we cut through, if we need to skip over, we skip over. We don't get stuck beating our head on the wall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-24T23:05:24.057" LastActivityDate="2015-11-24T23:05:24.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12751" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12755" CreationDate="2015-11-24T23:38:53.567" Score="1" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard about the beings called Brahma who do not have a Physical appearance.But they have different names. How does the identity factor come into this scenario. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there some Suttas or texts explaining their lives? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T08:57:31.933" Title="Beings with no Physical appearance?" Tags="|brahma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12752" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12754" CreationDate="2015-11-24T23:48:59.993" Score="2" ViewCount="776" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism someone who reach a higher level of Meditation (Samadhi) would be born in the Brahma realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These beings are not sexually attracted to female gender (They don't have a female gender), They are with or without a Physical appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when Buddhism describe the destruction of a universe it says that beings from almost all the realms are born in this &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aabhassara.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ābhassara World&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which is a Brahma world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how does such a birth happen to any creature when they haven't reached a higher state of mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:01:36.873" Title="Ābhassara Brahma World for anyone?" Tags="|pali-canon|rebirth|sutras|suttas|brahma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2015-11-25T00:57:23.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most important or the final concept in Buddhism is realizing &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the other concepts are within it. and should not separately consider. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;strong&gt;first sermon&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, the base point of understanding is realizing &quot;Anichcha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks&#xA;  delighted at his words. And while this explanation was being given,&#xA;  there arose to Ven. Kondañña the dustless, stainless &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma eye&lt;/strong&gt;:&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T00:57:23.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12752" CreationDate="2015-11-25T03:59:14.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When other lower realms collapse the inhabitants are push to the existing realms of which Ābhassara World is one last standing, hence nearly every one in a collapsing universe ends up in this plane in the universe with an exception of a few who might be thrown into parallel universes 10,000 world system away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But also if you cling on to false view then there is a high chance you might be born in another parallel universe, 10,000 world systems away (I would presume a cluster of world system collapse together), which is sustaining life other planes including (other planes exist only in 1 of the 4 phases in cycles of the universe.) but not conducive for a Buddha to appear. This might be either Abhi Dhamma or in later canonical works as I cannot find in any of the translations I have checked which are mostly suttas. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.5-Apannaka-S-m60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apannaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; does mention wrong views lead to hell though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.15-Kosala-S-1-a10.29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt; deals with this subject matter. Also see: Gods and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh180.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Universe in Buddhist Perspective: Essays on Buddhist Cosmology and related subjects&lt;/a&gt; by Francis Story, &lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/resource/the_buddhist_concept_of_world/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Concept of World&lt;/a&gt; Bhikkhu T. Seelananda, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R450-160524-Parallel-universes-RB150.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parallel universes&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:01:36.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12751" CreationDate="2015-11-25T04:11:58.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brahma in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#rupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rupa-loka&lt;/a&gt; have physical appearances. Brahma Sahampati resides in this in a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#rupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rupa-loka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#arupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;arupa-loka&lt;/a&gt; you have no physical form and only one sense faculty which is the mind hence you might not know who else is around you in which case you may not need a name. But also it might be possible for you know though psychic abilities in which can you can still identify others around you in which case you might need to use names. A name is just a label on a person (or animal) to identify or distinguish it from others. This is just my conjecture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.15-Kosala-S-1-a10.29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt; deals with this subject matter but there is no reference to names. Also see: Gods and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh180.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Universe in Buddhist Perspective: Essays on Buddhist Cosmology and related subjects&lt;/a&gt; by Francis Story&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T08:57:31.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12748" CreationDate="2015-11-25T04:32:35.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What if there are infinite explanations and meanings. Can also mean the 4 noble truth as follows:-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;emptiness is body&quot; means &quot;whatever results from meditation, habits, learning or karma&quot; is &quot;body&quot; (some prefer to use mind&quot;, others prefer to use &quot;form&quot; which is &quot;sufferings&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body is emptiness means &quot;whatever concrete things we see, touches, hear etc.&quot; is &quot;habits, karma, meditation etc.&quot; Suggesting there is cause to these sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further &quot;emptiness is none other than body&quot; and &quot;Body is none other than emptiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These last 2 verses thus means that liberation is possible and training towards liberation from suffering is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine &quot;Emptiness is emptiness, body is body&quot;....means there will no liberation .. if not for the last 2 verses&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-11-08T07:56:05.093" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:56:05.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12757" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12798" CreationDate="2015-11-25T07:46:34.337" Score="0" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;My teacher says that the Buddha said there are four ways to practice Shamata; sitting, walking, standing and lying down. Which one of these produces best are the most effective in you experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also practice Qi Gong every day. Is it an idea to combine (simple) Qi Gong with Shamata? Does anyone have any experience? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T13:16:51.797" Title="Qi gong and shamata" Tags="|samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12728" CreationDate="2015-11-25T08:58:09.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing of a human in  Buddhism is justified by the killer going to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless the killing results in saving the whole earth, not just saving Myanmar alone!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T08:58:09.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12759" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12778" CreationDate="2015-11-25T09:03:12.727" Score="4" ViewCount="902" Body="&lt;p&gt;All the teachers and people I have read, talked with and listened to, emphazises that Buddhism is the Middle Way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this the right way to see it? If so, what is the most important or central aspect of The Middle Way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-07-14T13:19:42.010" Title="What is the true meaning of The Middle Way" Tags="|middle-way|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12760" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12776" CreationDate="2015-11-25T10:00:50.797" Score="7" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am quite new to Buddhism. One of the reasons for starting practice was that I don't believe in God. But I belive in the four Noble Truths. I believe it because the more I think about it, the more I see it is true. And practicing accordingly strenghtens my faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, is the four Noble Truths the &quot;correct object of faith&quot; in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T01:44:03.120" Title="What is the object of Faith in Buddhism" Tags="|belief|four-noble-truths|faith|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12759" CreationDate="2015-11-25T10:04:13.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The central aspect is to avoid any extreme. So, for instance do not go for extreme ascetic practices or for a life of extreme pleasures; seek the middle path of a balanced life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same principle is then applied to any other aspect of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T10:04:13.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12759" CreationDate="2015-11-25T10:53:19.503" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddha's time there was &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hedonistic indulgence&lt;/a&gt; and extreme ascetic practices. The ascetic practices was to exhausting bad Karma though inflicting pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeking pleasure creates fabrication through attachments hence resulting in present and future dukka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though through experiencing Karma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.9-Sancetanika-S-a10.206-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sañcetanika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) karma looses its potent this is cannot be achived through inflicting pain as Karma acts when it ripens (you cannot hasten or force the result) while artificially inflicting pain leads to metal instability and other new fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle path is restrain in morality thus abandoning one source of grave unwholesome Karma (reducing store of fabrications) thus cultivating a conducive environment to develop collected mind (due to non remorse - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, and Karmic calamities) to finally gain wisdom and release. (See comments [section 1.3] in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.13-Ananda-Subha-S-d10-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ānanda) Subha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for relationships moral virtue, mastery over the mind and wisdom.) Any experiences that arises should be used to eradicate metal influxes casing future becoming, i.e., not creating new fabrication due to past karmic and other experiaces. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;) This is systematised as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; initially in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,cakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which was the Buddha's 1st disclosure. More thought explanation is found in the: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T18:16:07.423" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12760" CreationDate="2015-11-25T11:14:37.513" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Faith in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; has many function. Also faith in upon which wisdon is built.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Firstly you listen to the Dhamma and see that this sounds right&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Secondly you see this is logical when you think and analyse it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lastly you should practice and see for your self then you know that in fact it is right by direct experience hence faith becomes unshakable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might have past 1 and 2. Now is the time to put some serious effort into meditation to realise 3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And practising accordingly strengthens my faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a more mundane level you can increase your faith by recollection of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Noble Truths the &quot;correct object of faith&quot; in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what you should realise at the experiential level to cement your faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should have:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to have faith the teacher knows what he is teaching&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;some faith to lean the teaching and training properly and put it to practice according to instruction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to have faith in your ability practice accordingly and gain results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you have to have faith that the time is always right to practice (it worked in the past, it works not and it will work in the future) if practice properly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-25T18:10:23.707" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T18:10:23.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12757" CreationDate="2015-11-25T13:26:57.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For samatha, there is absolutely no substitute for sitting meditation.  The other forms of practicing it are simply less than ideal alternatives for when you are unable to sit whether from physical exhaustion, pain, or for some other reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just think about the body-mind relationship in each form of practice.  In walking meditation, while the body is upright and invigorated, the mind has to engage itself with things like balance, physical obstacles, and the complexity of moving the body forward.  Consequently, less mental power is available to direct toward concentration.  A moving body is also a moving mind.  Deep absorption requires a stable, single point of concentration.  You simply can't cultivate that kind of attention when walking.  Lastly - and this is important - there is an obvious limit to how far the mind can settle.  The motion of the body stirs it up.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, when we lie down, we are actually too relaxed.  A reclining body encourages a reclining mind.  It is entirely too easy to fall into sloth and torpor in this position.  Personally, I would actually say that lying down is less advantageous to samatha than walking meditation but others may have a different experience.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sitting meditation - specifically sitting upright on a cushion...not with your back against something - is really the ideal.  Your body is stable, stationary, and somewhat relaxed.  At the same time, your sitting position encourages your mind to be upright and invigorated.  The mind is likewise stable and doesn't have to involve itself in much beyond your object of concentration.  Attention can also be applied to a single, unmoving point of concentration.  Finally, the mind can also settle almost limitlessly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per qi gong - and this really should be a separate question - just apply the same standards!  Qi gong is entirely too complicated to allow the mind to settle in the ways necessary to access jhana.  While concentration is required for the effective movement of qi, you simply can't become &lt;em&gt;fully&lt;/em&gt; absorbed in something that is moving around.  Likewise, any movement of the body disturbs concentration in very obvious ways (in fact, that is one of the main reasons why it's best not stir during seated meditation).  While it is possible to practice qi gong in a still, standing, sitting, or lying position, many forms, at the very least, require the arms to be held in various upright positions.  All of these reasons make it less effective than sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However.  If you want to practice qi gong before seated meditation, I say go for it.  It will help you hit the ground running.  Well, hit the cushion concentrating might be a better way of putting it.  ;-)              &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-11-25T13:33:41.627" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T13:33:41.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12309" CreationDate="2015-11-25T15:18:17.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question illustrates emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our habits only want us to quantify absolutely, we want to grasp at something concrete, but this habit is futile due to dependent arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T15:18:17.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12759" CreationDate="2015-11-25T15:47:37.617" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my study, two extremes could also be false dichotomy.   Buddha was often asked yes or no questions and he would not answer either way.  For example, when asked if suffering was caused by self (internal influence) or by others (external influence), he would not answer that directly (IMO those questions were false dichotomy).  He would further explain that because of sense gates, detection arise, because detection, feelings (suffering/pleasure/neutral) arise, etc..  It goes to show Buddha's wisdom through and through.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-11-25T18:54:13.667" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T18:54:13.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12728" CreationDate="2015-11-25T15:50:13.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never justified violence of killing any living being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbors ill will at heart would not be upholding my Teaching.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kakacupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not even under extreme circumstances did he justify killing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is not called noble who harms living beings. By not harming living beings is one called noble.&quot; Dhammapada, verse 270&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is all. Killing is never justified according to Buddhism. A precept that is taken by both ordained and lay followers of the path is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I undertake the training rule of refraining from killing living creatures &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/kp2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5380" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T15:50:13.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12768" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-24T17:12:02.697" Score="3" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anything like a PDF or a website link or a podcast audio is OK for me :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" OwnerDisplayName="Gokul NC" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-25T21:31:05.143" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T14:46:50.357" Title="Can someone provide online resources to learn Vipassana and Metta?" Tags="|vipassana|reference-request|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-25T21:31:05.143" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-11-25T21:43:23.307" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some links......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/49_Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/49_Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/75_Anapanasathi_Bhavana.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/75_Anapanasathi_Bhavana.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T16:26:35.997" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T16:26:35.997" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-25T21:43:23.307" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12760" CreationDate="2015-11-25T21:46:12.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Faith and Shraddha are two concepts people often get confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith is more of a blind belief that encourage following without question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shraddha&lt;/strong&gt; is the concept given in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shraddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is having unshakable trust in Lord Buddha, In Lord Buddha's teachings and the monks.&#xA;But this trust should come from realization not from blindly following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This realization should come with learning and practicing Lord Buddha's words.More you realize more you believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha encouraged a Shraddha that is formed through realization rather than just believing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shraddha without reason (Blind following) is called &amp;quot;Amulika Shraddha&amp;quot; (Rootless Shraddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the object of faith/shraddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The object of Shraddha are - Triple gems&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha (Lord Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharma (Lord Buddha's teachings)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanga  (Monks)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you reach the first step in the path &amp;quot;Sovan / Sothapanna&amp;quot; your Faith / Shraddha can't be shaken by anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what about Four Noble Truths?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some things in Buddhism to believe,some to remember,some to practice and some to realize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths come in the category - &amp;quot;To be realized&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Four Noble Truths must be realized through practice of meditation and Dharma.It is not an object of worship or faith.It is simply the realization of holy Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you too must learn and practice in order to reach understanding and realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T21:46:12.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12772" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12780" CreationDate="2015-11-25T21:57:20.507" Score="-1" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism accept Existence ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it does what is Existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T06:18:23.100" Title="Does Buddhism accept Existence?" Tags="|texts|sutras|suttas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2015-11-28T12:17:59.413" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-11-25T22:02:51.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9125/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; has details and references to resources on the Mahasi Sayadaw method of vipassanā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T22:02:51.370" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-25T22:02:51.370" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12774" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12775" CreationDate="2015-11-25T22:05:00.890" Score="4" ViewCount="1052" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to Lord Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;beings suffer because they were born&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jaathi pachchaya jara marana soka paridewa dukka domanassa upayasa sambhawanthi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is understandable why beings in the higher realms like their lives; but is there an explanation for why beings in very lower realms (like hell) like their lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T09:56:14.897" Title="Why do beings, even in lower/hell realms, like their lives?" Tags="|rebirth|texts|sutras|suttas|realms|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12774" CreationDate="2015-11-25T22:54:12.323" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yayam tanha ponobbhavika nandiragasahagata tatratatrabhinandini, seyyathidam, kamatanha bhavatanha vibhavatanha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this craving(tanha) which produces re-existence and re-becoming (Punobbhava) and which is bound up with passionate greed’ (Nandi raga sahagatha) and which finds fresh &lt;strong&gt;desire now here and there (tatratatrabhinandini)&lt;/strong&gt; namely (1) thirst for sense-pleasures (kama tanha) (2) craving for existence and becoming (bhava-tanha) and (3) craving for nonexistence, self annihilation (Vibhava tanha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2015-11-25T22:54:12.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12760" CreationDate="2015-11-26T00:46:40.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes: the &quot;four noble truths&quot; is arguably &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;the first&lt;/a&gt; doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And sayings like like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggest that it's maybe the most essential. And some other suttas end with a phrase like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly &amp;amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However see also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12512/254&quot;&gt;Is Anatman the most important concept in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt; suggest that different people have slightly different ideas about what's &quot;most important&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt; suggest that not every school of Buddhism has exactly the same doctrine, and not everyone will relate to the four noble truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; list some other doctrines which all schools of Buddhism might (inasmuch as they are common to all schools) consider essential.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, I suppose that an object of faith is &quot;&lt;strong&gt;the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More broadly, not only the Dhamma but the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Jewels&lt;/a&gt; i.e. &lt;strong&gt;Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some canonical justification for the &quot;three jewels&quot; as the &quot;correct object of faith&quot; can be found in for example SN 55 which talks about &quot;stream entry&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;summarized in Wikipedia as&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sotāpanna ... has unshakable confidence in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, sometimes taken to be the triple refuge, and other times listed as being objects of recollection. In general though, confirmed confidence in the Buddha', Dharma and Sangha, respectively, is considered to be one of the four limbs of stream-winning (&lt;em&gt;sotāpannassa angāni&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's assuming that &quot;confidence&quot; and &quot;faith&quot; are sufficiently similar; I think that &quot;confidence&quot; implies verified not blind faith -- maybe slightly different Pali words i.e. &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#buddheaveccappasada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pasāda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; as opposed to &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;saddhā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Refuge (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T00:46:40.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12760" CreationDate="2015-11-26T01:23:39.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to me the central object of faith in Buddhism is The Goal: Enlightenment or Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own experience, would I be interested in Buddhism if I did not have faith in Enlightenment? Probably not...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there was no Goal, nothing in Buddhism would make sense, right? There would be no escape from suffering...  So the Path would lead nowhere. There would be no knowing The Nature of The Mind... There would be no Directly Seeing it For Yourself... There would be no Ultimate Result of Wholesome Action...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we did not have Goal, all we would have is good behavior for the sake of better living - before you die. How fun would that be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-26T01:44:03.120" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T01:44:03.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12759" CreationDate="2015-11-26T02:17:06.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be very arrogant on my part to assume I can explain exactly the very same true meaning of the Middle Path... but I can share what I think:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember what I said about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12750/43&quot;&gt;existence and nonexistence&lt;/a&gt;. I think most people fall into all kinds of extremes. Taking a simplistic position of any kind, however small, is already a kind of extreme. When you fall into an extreme, you are no longer free. Your choices are now defined by that position, by that extreme. In a way, you are now controlled by a position. When you are controlled by a position, you are not free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can identify ourselves with the bodies, made of the physical elements, lacking free-will, governed by the laws of nature... We can assume we are the clusters of memes - using the bodies as our media... We can think we are simply humans - suffering, dying, making wholesome choices or unwholesome choices... Or we could equate ourselves with the Infinite, Eternal, Spontaneously-Existing Absolute Totality of Everything... We can believe in reincarnation, or in annihilation, or in endless transformation... We can see gods and demons around - or we can see latent potentials and informational phenomena...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's what happens to most people, they give themselves away to mercy of ideas. As a result people are getting dragged around by their ideas, here and there and everywhere until they die. Or they are held hostage by their ideas and waste their lives away with their hands tied. There is no freedom in that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, if you are wise, if you are analytical - then you can balance the forces against each other. You don't fall into either extreme, into either simplistic position. You get smart. The attachments, positions, ideas - they no longer have power over you. You effectively disappear, you become invisible, ungraspable, impossible to nail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are free from raging emotions - because you are free from attachments, you have no triggers, no hot buttons. You are free from hopes and fears. You are free from theories. You can juggle them any way you want. You are free from obsessions, from antipathies... You are free from identity. You have no fixed form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This could be a real definition of Freedom. In a deterministic universe governed by the laws of cause-and-effect and characterized by the Three Marks of Impermanence, Corelessness, and Dukkha - you can be free in your mind! You can even be free from death, if you can drop the viewpoint in which the concept of death makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is what's meant by The Middle Way - the way of mastery over ideas. It's not simply mid-way or lukewarm - it is the way of freedom via insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T03:35:07.340" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12774" CreationDate="2015-11-26T03:28:12.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Due to past fabrication - in order for consciousness to arise relevant faculties and body and mind gets created, or in other words to house consciousness the body and mind is created with relevant faculties tied to the particular consciousness. Your faculties will be such that you sense and perceive things differently than being in other realms. (A Deva may look down upon humans but are we disgusted of ourselves, perhaps this can be generalised to realms below as as well.) Regardless of what level of life form you are if you perceive a threat to your existance through external stimuli you react to preserve your self. The pain of losing life or death is above all else as even in these realms the notion of &quot;I am&quot;, &quot;myself&quot;, &quot;my life&quot;, etc. exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesting in Asannasatta Brahma-loka, which is actually a higher plane, you do not cling to life or have love for life. 1st act of Karam performed in new being reborn is cling to the plane. (Bhavanikanthika lobha-javanas) In the Asannasatta Brahma-loka this does not happen. Any other place you love life because you cling to the plane regardless it is low or high. More on this is covered in: Abhidhamma for the Beginner by Egerton C Baptist, page 103.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T09:56:14.897" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T09:56:14.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12772" CreationDate="2015-11-26T03:53:45.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Existence is commonly held to be that which objectively persists independent of one's presence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existence&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you light a flame based on certain chemical reactions there is a flame. Likewise based on Dependent Origination (DO) there is a being (Satta). This being neither exists in the sense that it is a static everlasting entity, nor a completely materialistic entity. What exists is - like the chemical reaction in the flame - a being as combusting collection of fabrication conditioned by DO. Hence, on the view that one persists as existence, we do not exist and in the sense of materialism after breakup the being is no more, then as the process of DO is at work, thus we cannot say we do or don't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another angle to look at it is that a being is purely mental construction or something we perceive. What every attributed with associated with this concept in reality what exists will differ. Hence there is not existance of a being as we would think or expect it to be, but what is there is a dancing collection aggregates, just like a fire in the wind. As our sense doors contact with their respective object fabrication are created different direction like a flame dancing when in contact with the wind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-27T06:18:23.100" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T06:18:23.100" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12774" CreationDate="2015-11-26T12:40:07.617" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is this refuring to Buddha teachings or just a thought concieved by you,for anyone to reply? &#xA;Life on Earth is a lower realm and can be a hell to some.Evil beings do not like being stuck in lower realms.The only beings who enjoy the lower realms are beings like Buddah and many others who enjoy helping all beings good and bad advance spiritual and on to a higher realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T12:40:07.617" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2015-11-26T12:45:24.793" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know there are no instances in the Suttas where violence is justified. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are informed of the consequences of violence, how it prolongs samsara and suffering of oneself and others. We are told to fear even the slightest akusala (wrong deed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet those of us still under the sway of desire, will justify violence. Even here in Sri Lanka some Buddhist monks advocate violence and war during the time of the LTTE and more recently against the Muslim community. Their primary argument is that they are doing it to preserve Buddhism for future generations. An argument rejected by the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb,&#xA;  with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered&#xA;  even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train&#xA;  yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil&#xA;  words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with&#xA;  no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness&#xA;  imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading&#xA;  the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will —&#xA;  abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill&#xA;  will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T12:45:24.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12784" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-26T14:45:46.147" Score="4" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Diamond Sutra Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://diamond-sutra.com/read-the-diamond-sutra-here/diamond-sutra-chapter-24/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;said&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Subhuti, if a person collected treasures as high as 3,000 of the highest mountains, and gave them all to others, their merit would be less than what would accrue to another person who simply observed and studied this Sutra and, out of kindness, explained it to others. The latter person would accumulate hundreds of times the merit, hundreds of thousands of millions of times the merit. There is no conceivable comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not believe in charity because it doesn't cease suffering in a long term and it doesn't solve any fundamental problems in the human world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd like to follow Buddha's words but of course I'm not skillful enough to do it myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think will be the best way to help the Dharma reach more people if you have spare $100 a month?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or $1,000?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or $100,000 at once?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5716" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-06-03T14:29:38.117" LastActivityDate="2019-06-03T14:29:38.117" Title="Investing in Dharma?" Tags="|mahayana|modern-world|daily-life|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12785" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12787" CreationDate="2015-11-26T15:34:47.347" Score="8" ViewCount="158" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a lot of experience with addiction, both personal and professionally.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my job, I am in contact with many drug and alcohol addiction treatment workers. And I've been thinking about recommending integrating buddhist ideas and, perhaps more importantly, buddhist practice in drug and alcohol treatment programs. I think that introducing buddhism, both on a philosophical level and as practice could be a great  help for a lot of addicts. This has to be done properly, with competent teachers and it has to be voluntary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compare buddhism to AA/NA ideology (just a few examples):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AA/NA etc: externalized power... &#xA;Buddhism: internalized power&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AA/NA etc: dogmatic... &#xA;Buddhism: non dogmatic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AA/NA etc: &quot;you can get sober, but you won't get rid of the disease&quot;... &#xA;Buddhism: &quot;you can be free/get rid of the disease of suffering&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anybody heard of addiction treatment facilities trying to incorporate buddhism in their treatment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-04-10T22:15:02.237" Title="Buddhism and addiction treatment" Tags="|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12785" CreationDate="2015-11-26T16:24:03.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are addiction treatment facilities incorporating mindfulness meditation into thereapy. Judson Brewer at Mass General in Boston incorporated various aspects of Buddhism into his research on addiction thereapy. The main idea involves self-regulation of attention. He uses the acronym RAIN to describe the process:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Recognize&#xA;Accept/Allow&#xA;Investigate&#xA;Note&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NIH has one of his &lt;a href=&quot;https://obssr.od.nih.gov/behavioral_health_IT/pdf/Judson%20Brewer%20-%20PP%20PDF%20-%20Innovative%20Technologies%20for%20Wellness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;presentations&lt;/a&gt; about RAIN and smoking cessation available on their website. It is a little technical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, UC Berkeley's Greater Good Institute has a detailed page about &lt;a href=&quot;http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_mindfulness_help_stop_substance_abuse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mindfulness and addictions&lt;/a&gt; which is more consumer oriented.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is becoming more mainstream in many countries. Psychology Today's &lt;a href=&quot;https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;therapist search page&lt;/a&gt; can help one find a local psychologists who is trained in the art of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insurance companies also provide a list of their providers who specialize in particular fields. They may list health care professionals who specialize in Mindfulness/Addictions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T16:24:03.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12785" CreationDate="2015-11-26T16:28:01.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://5th-precept.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://5th-precept.org/&lt;/a&gt; (I don't know of them; but their web site has some literature).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T16:28:01.017" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-26T16:28:01.017" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12784" CreationDate="2015-11-26T17:38:16.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can spare some money, by all mean please continue to donate to charity. Imagine you were a starving child in some war-torn country, getting a hot meal won't help you attaining enlightenment but it does help relieving a horrible kind of suffering: starvation!&#xA;Then one can always start with him/herself. Observing the Five Precepts whole-heartedly itself would generate tremendous amount of merits according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.039.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.39&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&amp;quot;Now, there are these five gifts, five great gifts — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans. And this is the fourth reward of merit...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, one can share the Dhamma to others if the conditions are appropriate according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 58&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T17:38:16.357" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12789" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-26T18:23:33.683" Score="2" ViewCount="183" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard even though two people do the same good Karma their returns can be different on what they were thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when coming to effect these different Karmas can give different births (&quot;Trihethuka pratisandhi&quot;) to the beings who did those Karma Unlocking or Locking the ability to realize Nirvana in that life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain how Birth Karma effect a being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T20:15:32.317" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:18:02.683" Title="Karma of Birth?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|sutras|suttas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12784" CreationDate="2015-11-26T21:53:24.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Above all, the intention!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/dana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/dana/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many motives, many fruits&#xA;  &quot;Sariputta, there is the case where a person gives a gift seeking his own profit, with a mind attached [to the reward], seeking to store up for himself [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death.' He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume, &amp;amp; ointment; bedding, shelter, &amp;amp; a lamp — to a brahman or a contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a gift as this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having given this gift seeking his own profit — with a mind attached [to the reward], seeking to store up for himself, [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death' — on the break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the company of the Four Great Kings. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then there is the case of a person who gives a gift not seeking his own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to store up for himself, nor [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death.' Instead, he gives a gift with the thought, 'Giving is good.' He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume, &amp;amp; ointment; bedding, shelter, &amp;amp; a lamp — to a brahman or a contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a gift as this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having given this gift with the thought, 'Giving is good,' on the break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the company of the Devas of the Thirty-three. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... (excerpt available on source page)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Sariputta, is the cause, this is the reason, why a person gives a gift of a certain sort and it does not bear great fruit or great benefit, whereas another person gives a gift of the same sort and it bears great fruit and great benefit.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— AN 7.49&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the same page:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A gift of Dhamma conquers all gifts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Dhp 354&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this basic understanding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even if a person throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a village pool or pond, thinking, 'May whatever animals live here feed on this,' that would be a source of merit, to say nothing of what is given to human beings. But I do say that what is given to a virtuous person is of great fruit, and not so much what is given to an unvirtuous person. And the virtuous person has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think to benefit all sentient beings with your gift, that the benefits may echo out into the cosmos and into all planes of existence.  Set that mind when you give, and lose yourself in the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-11-26T21:53:24.953" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-26T21:53:24.953" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12789" CreationDate="2015-11-27T04:09:29.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've heard even though two people do the same good Karma their returns can be different on what they were thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if you meant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the same action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;action giving same level nature of fabrication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;actions giving the same results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to 1, if two people to the same action. E.g. Cutting open someone's stomach. Then a surgeon maybe motivated to cure the patient while a robber to kill. This volition decides the result through the actions are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to 2, though you may gain Karma which are bound to give the same results there a many other interaction from other Karma which hinder the effects of certain Karma. In addition, Niyama Dhamma also may play some role on the effects of Karma. If 2 people have the same set of fabrication with the same potent, how they came to being through volition and who they give results will be different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to 3, there may be times that 2 people may experience the same circumstances. Though the circumstances are the same, the initial actions, interfering Karma and Niyama Dhammas interacting would mean the action and volitions leading to this will be different through the final circumstances are affectively the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And when coming to effect these different Karmas can give different births to the beings who did those Karma Unlocking or Locking the ability to realize Nirvana in that life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Nirvana is un fabricated the path to Nirvana is fabricated. Karma cannot make you realise nirvana but will give the supporting conditions to help your towards it like coming in contact with the Dhamma, proper places to practice, etc. Again the diversity of volition, diversity of other fabrication, diversity or Niyamas in effect, randomness all play a role in the final outcome or aligning of all condition to even support your path towards Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-11-27T04:19:59.253" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T04:19:59.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12793" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12795" CreationDate="2015-11-27T07:37:52.843" Score="0" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been doing regular shamata meditation for three months now. By regular I mean at least two sessions of 24 minutes every day and sessions in between, f.ex ten minute sessions at work whenever it's quiet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two questions &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 When I sit, after about 3 or 4 for minutes, I get real warm. It's not really that bothering but interestingly this seems to happen in many sessions. After about 12-15 minutes the heat cools off again. Does anyone recognise this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 I am a &quot;lucky&quot; man and try to respect my fortunate karma. Not only do I have a stable familiy life, after many years of drugs and drink. I also have a job that I really like. I look forward to work every single day of the year. And my family supports meditation practice and Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But my contentment with work actually makes meditation more difficult in the morning, because I'm so expectant. I am getting better at not &quot;looking forward to work&quot;, but it's so much easier for me to keep focus in afternoon/evening. Any tips?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-27T23:29:26.517" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T23:29:26.517" Title="Meditation - hot and expectant in the morning" Tags="|personal-practice|daily-life|samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12794" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12796" CreationDate="2015-11-27T08:56:28.517" Score="9" ViewCount="712" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am interested in knowing more about Buddhism especially the pursuit of happiness. &#xA;Which book would you recommend me for introducing me to Buddhism philosophy on this subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7321" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-27T17:12:32.667" LastActivityDate="2019-02-07T12:57:11.253" Title="Recommendation - Book for beginner" Tags="|reference-request|beginner|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12793" CreationDate="2015-11-27T09:28:04.890" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be expectant in life as a house holder but not when meditating. When meditating focus on the task at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to ideal time for meditation, it depends, from person to person and time to time. For some people morning sessions may work well while evenings may not, but for the same people evenings may work well in some periods. Hence it is best to practice at least 2 times a day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The heating up and cooling experience you mentioned is normal. People experience certain persisting parters of experience like burning sensation, acute pains, vibrations, etc., but these also will change after some time. Do not dwell of give too much importance to the experience but use it to eradicate your past store of Sankara as in the Pahana Suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;). Be equanimous to the experience knowing it is impermanent (arising and passing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T09:28:04.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2015-11-27T09:52:29.767" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I higly reccomend H. H. The Dalai Lama's &quot;How to See Yourself as You Really Are&quot;. A wonderful and easy to read introducion to Buddhist philosophy and practice. His Holiness is mahayana, but this book gives a very general introduction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also reccomend his &quot;The Art of Happiness&quot;, for a book more specifically on happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T09:52:29.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2015-11-27T10:49:00.470" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf2/InTheBuddhasWordsBookPreview.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi (alternate download &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://store.pariyatti.org/Art-of-Living-The--PDF-eBook-All-Languages_p_4734.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Art of Living&lt;/a&gt; by William Hart&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T10:49:00.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12757" CreationDate="2015-11-27T13:16:51.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have experience combining a Korean variety of Qi Gong with (Korean Zen)  meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, they are both helpful. Qi Gong is basically kayagata-sati in action. As such, it helps you reconnect with your psychosomatic continuum, and through that with your subconscious, and then you can untie the old knots. It also helps with calm abiding (samatha) - it has an overall good conditioning effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The risk with Qi Gong IMHO is to objectify it and assume that it is Qi Gong itself that helps. It's not. What helps is attention to the psychosomatic continuum, kayagata-sati. Qi Gong is just a way to focus attention by amplifying the somatic experiences. Another risk is to miss the subtleties if your movements are too coarse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's nice about sitting meditation, even though it takes longer, it gets you very deep. Because you are very quiet, your noise level drops - and as a result you can see very subtle things. You also get all kinds of useful side-effects, like the chance to laundry your old memories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure about walking and lying meditation. We did walking meditation in the Zen temple, in the breaks between sitting. It works well as a supplement to sitting, but can't really stand on its own IMHO. I also tried slow motion meditation - that gets more interesting, but then it almost becomes Qi Gong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lying meditation has always been a problem for me. I get too relaxed and fall asleep. If you have good eyesight, I heard there is lying meditation with cloud-gazing or stars-gazing. That should keep one from falling asleep. No first-hand experience with these though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, I would do both Qi Gong and sitting meditation, as long as Qi Gong is 100% improvisation (no fixed form like in Tai Chi) and the movements are very gentle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T13:16:51.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2015-11-27T14:25:29.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book can't be beat for beginners: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711769&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path&lt;/a&gt; (by  Bhante Henepola Gunaratana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-27T15:05:27.317" LastActivityDate="2015-11-27T15:05:27.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12784" CreationDate="2015-11-28T02:14:20.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I do not believe in charity because it doesn't cease suffering in a long term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong. Even basic charity has the same exact spirit of compassion as the compassion of Buddha turning the wheel of Dharma. In Jataka stories they say that Buddha did a lot of charity in previous lives before he could become Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most fundamental form of charity is giving security, refuge, protection from fear to someone scared. Then they can finally stop running, look around, and think about life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even with regular charity, it's not just the money or food that you give, &lt;em&gt;it is care&lt;/em&gt;! Care can soften even a very hardened heart. You don't even need money to give care! You can give someone abandoned and outcasted that human recognition and respect they long have forgotten. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving security and/or care is like ploughing and watering the soil. And then when they ask, how can I be grateful to you for making me feel like a human being worthy of existence in this world: then even one word about Dharma will be like a seed falling into the best soil!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan tradition they say: start small, even giving gifts from your right hand to your left hand already sows the good seeds! Not to mention that it improves your own karma: your meditation will go a lot better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yes, until your faith grows very strong and you can help without expecting to see any result of your action - it is better to help the human beings directly. That will make you feel good, and when you feel good you have more energy to do more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T02:22:57.533" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T02:22:57.533" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-11-28T06:09:59.097" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here I am listing some useful resources for an introduction to Vipassana as taught by S. N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbfHERChbmw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An Introduction to Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy9PugTy15M&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka's Inspiring Speech at United Nations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixu4Kd5R1DI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eilona Ariel's (A documentary filmmaker and Vipassana meditator) TedX Talk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkxSyv5R1sg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Doing Time, Doing Vipassana - a documentary on use of Vipassana in Tihar Jail&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma.org - link for 10 day course registration at one of many centres in the world &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/docs/core/code-en.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to the technique of Vipassana and Code of Discipline for the meditation courses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T10:57:47.250" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T10:57:47.250" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-28T06:09:59.097" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12802" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12813" CreationDate="2015-11-28T10:00:14.260" Score="4" ViewCount="1573" Body="&lt;p&gt;The First Noble Truth says that cyclic existence is Dukkha. I'm not in a position to expound on the meaning of the word Dukkha, but I think everyone can agree it does not mean &quot;happines&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I think many Buddhists would say they are more happy in their lives than non Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be fair to claim that Buddhists, if they practice well,  can expect to be more content and generally more happy in their lives? And if so, is this because of Buddhism or is it more generally because they have a spiritual outlook on life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T09:56:49.820" Title="Are Buddhists happier people?" Tags="|dukkha|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-11-28T10:16:42.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I also recommend Allan Wallace's podcasts, he has 40 years of experience and is a very good meditation teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example this course, &lt;a href=&quot;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall2012/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fall 2012 Shamatha, Vipashyana and the Four Applications of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;, is on vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, check out his books. He has written many, so I won't be specific. But try browsing him by subject and see what you like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me personally I've gotten a lot of direct help from people on this forum too. There are many very experienced,  helpful and competent guys here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T09:37:37.017" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T09:37:37.017" CommentCount="4" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-11-28T10:16:42.327" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12805" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-28T11:08:52.837" Score="3" ViewCount="993" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider a situation (just a silly example) like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose I'm walking on a road or grass field, and I know there are living beings like ants and other insects lying down on the surface, but I don't have any intention to kill any being while I walk there to reach my destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, as I'm walking, consequently, many little beings are killed by me by stomping on them, though I don't have intention to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says that only an action done with intention will account as a Karma that will affect us accordingly..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Referring to this and the situation I gave for example, does it mean that the killing of insects without intention (though I know I'm going to kill them) isn't a bad Karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will I not face any effect due to that action I did unintentionally, but KNOWINGLY?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's the case, why can't I rob a house and say that I just did it to quench my starving stomach, not to hurt anyone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't the consequence of doing an unintentional action considered as a seed that can affect oneself? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say I'm wrong, then how is Karma in Buddhism different from that of Jainism, where every action is a Karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T13:56:56.633" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:43:05.010" Title="Why is only intentional action considered as Karma, which gives rise to corresponding consequences?" Tags="|karma|ethics|philosophy|killing|jainism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-28T12:09:09.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are Buddhists happier people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that doing wholesome and meritourious deeds will bring wholesome results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only wholesome actions can bring wholesome future resultants. That is a universal law, that can be verified by practicing &lt;em&gt;insight meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path teaches both &lt;em&gt;morality&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;wisdom&lt;/em&gt;, e.g. &lt;em&gt;Right Intention (Samma Sankappa)&lt;/em&gt;, which is the opposite of the 3 unwholesome roots, namely &lt;em&gt;Renunciation, Good-will and Harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person does good deeds, observes ethical conduct (the precepts) and practices meditation in order to become free from suffering, then naturally that person will also become more happy, peaceful and less burdened by conditioned existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that? Because ignorance (avijja) is what keeps a being chained to conditioned existence. Ignorance makes  one believe that conditioned existence is happy, pleasant, controllable and enjoyable. Ignorance conceals the underlying impermanent, unsatisfactory and ungovernable nature of conditioned phenomena. When ignorance is present, one is increasing suffering for oneself&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one observes good ethical conduct and practices insight meditation correctly and consistently, then one will naturally develop wisdom, thereby slowly doing away with ignorance. The less ignorance the more happiness, roughly speaking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its also important to mention that one does not have to be a Buddhist to do wholesome deeds or to be happy. The word &quot;Buddhism&quot; is just conventional language meaning nothing in ultimate reality. We could call it any other word and it would not change anything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would it be fair to claim that Buddhists, if they practice well, can expect to be more content and generally more happy in their lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practices correctly and consistently, then one will not expect anything, because one has seen for oneself how expectation creates suffering and bondage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Expectation is a hindrance and produces suffering. Expectation should be observed and noted, with mindfulness in the present moment, thereby using the hindrance to cultivate insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;For a detailed exposition on the process, see the doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/106.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination (paticcasammupada)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T12:15:22.780" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T12:15:22.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-28T12:13:29.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was an article published in 2004, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Pursuit of Happiness&lt;/a&gt;. A quote from it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They want to know how his brain may differ from ordinary people, and&#xA;  whether that change is related to the inner contentment the monks&#xA;  report.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So they test how subjects react to unpleasant sounds and images&#xA;  flashed into the goggles they wear in the MRI.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Normally when we're threatened one part of the brain is tremendously&#xA;  active, but in the monks, &quot;the responsivity of this area is&#xA;  specifically decreased during this meditation in response to these&#xA;  very intense auditory simuli that convey strong emotions,&quot; Davidson&#xA;  says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's very preliminary work, but the implication may be that the lamas&#xA;  are able to move right through distressing events that overwhelm the&#xA;  rest of us – in other words, one of the keys to their happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that quote as being about being immune to or unaffected by emotionally distressing stimuli.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on that I wonder if it's not entirely/exactly/only about &quot;Happiness&quot;, but rather &quot;Equanimity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pursuit_of_Happiness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pursuit of Happiness&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is a &lt;strong&gt;North American&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;phrase.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The corresponding canonical phrase from &lt;strong&gt;French&lt;/strong&gt; history (for example) isn't, &quot;life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness&quot;, but, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libert%C3%A9,_%C3%A9galit%C3%A9,_fraternit%C3%A9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;liberty, equality, brotherhood&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whereas the corresponding &lt;strong&gt;Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt; emotions or emotional ideals might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the four &lt;em&gt;brahmavihāras&lt;/em&gt; or 'immeasurables'&lt;/a&gt;, one of which is Equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And if so, is this because of Buddhism or is it more generally because they have a spiritual outlook on life?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I'm not sure what &quot;spiritual&quot; means -- does it imply a mind/body or matter/spirit duality that's common in Christian tradition (heaven/earth, God/man, etc.)? Etymologically the word is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... from Latin &lt;em&gt;spiritus&lt;/em&gt; ‘breath, spirit’, from &lt;em&gt;spirare&lt;/em&gt; ‘breathe’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and there is some of that in Buddhism (breathing, breath meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're forgive a negative answer it might be because &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;liberation&lt;/a&gt; -- liberation from &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, for example -- by not clinging to what's impermanent, not seeking satisfaction (nor dissatisfaction) in dissatisfactory phenomena, not building a house on sand and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists should also avoid doing things which cause people (themselves and other people) to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teachers like Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama have written popular books about Buddhism. It seems to me that Thay for example doesn't so much &quot;pursue&quot; happiness but rather allows happiness to find him ... so he might see it in the garden or in a glass of water etc. A Google search for 'thay happiness' for example comes up with this article &lt;a href=&quot;http://tnhaudio.org/2015/03/25/love-and-happiness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Love and Happiness&lt;/a&gt; (which mentions the Four Unlimited Minds again).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T12:13:29.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12805" CreationDate="2015-11-28T12:16:13.403" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you say or justify do not count. What counts is your volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For volition to give result the volition should have any of the 6 roots (3 wholesome - alob, adosa &amp;amp; amoha + 3 un wholesome - lob, dosa &amp;amp; moha ). When you accidentally step on an insect you do not know of its existance non of these roots arise in your mind, as you do not have any intention to kill. You know you are steeping on insects but as iterated before you do not have the intention to step on them, hence there is no un wholesome roots in your mind to create the Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do rob someone what ever the justification you are motivated by one of the roots (loba). Even satisfying your hunger is due to loba. What ever the justification there you know and have the intention. Hence there are Karmic results. Every wilful action need intention, even an action which might not generate any karma like lifting your hand. Your body will not sleep walk you into robbing without any intention or thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I asked this related question which might complement the above question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12862/where-in-the-tripitaka-completion-of-the-formation-of-karmic-result-is-mentioned&quot;&gt;Where in the Tripitaka completion of the formation of Karmic result is mentioned?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T02:35:46.517" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-28T12:28:23.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What allows Buddhists to be more happy than other people is the act of non-clinging. We learn how to let go and we get better at it and the more we let go, the more happy we are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can let go of fears, insecurities, arrogance, feelings of superiority, inferiority, equality.&#xA;We can let go of the 8 worldly conditions and see them as equal: praise, blame, happiness, suffering, gain, loss, good fortune, misfortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can allow what is to be. We can accept what is. &#xA;All this is done in the here &amp;amp; now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can share our happy and peaceful moments with everyone, doing metta. May all beings share my happiness! In sharing them we are not afraid to lose them and we don't cling to the fleeting happy moments. We share them and feel happy twice! (once for sharing) :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can welcome misery! Ohh misery, welcome! I can learn from you. Thus there is not much depression going on :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could go on but I'm pretty happy with this much :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a beautiful day!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T12:28:23.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12789" CreationDate="2015-11-28T12:50:48.687" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Difference in Karma's power?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is a peculiar thing. Only a fully enlightened Buddha can understand the workings of Kamma. Also the workings of Kamma is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Imponderables (acinteyyas)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have lived countless of lives and all beings therefore have different kamma. Two beings can perform the same act, motivated by the same root, e.g. Greed or Anger, but receive a very different result. &#xA;That is based on past kamma. Some beings might have practiced a lot of meditation and done a lot of wholesome deeds in the past, while others may not have done that. That will issue different kammic results to the same volitional action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Throughout the Sutta Pitaka, there are many examples of the Buddha giving a special meditation course or technique to a being, while another being gets a totally different course or technique. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is because the Buddha knew the past kamma of a being and thereby which technique would be suitable for exactly that being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/dhammapadatxt1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verse 25; The Story of Cūlapanthaka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cūlapanthaka was not able to progress in meditation and was very sad about this. He was about to give up his life as a monk and become a lay person again. Then he met the Buddha who comforted him and gave him a piece of white cloth. The Buddha explained to him, that he had to sit in the sun and rub the cloth with his hands, while saying &quot;taking off impurity&quot;. He rubbed the cloth which became dirty and Cūlapanthaka realized the impermanence of conditioned phenomena and attained arahantship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gave him this technique because he knew that in the past Cūlapanthaka was a king moving around in the sun and often wiped his head with a piece of cloth and in this former existence of his, he also thought about the impermanence of conditioned phenomena, while seeing the cloth getting dirty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This time it lead to him becomming and arahant, gaining mastery of analytical knowledge and gaining knowledge of all three Pitakas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:18:02.683" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:18:02.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-28T13:53:43.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught about and the way out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;1st Noble Truth&lt;/strong&gt; or the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Truth of Suffering&lt;/strong&gt; is called &lt;em&gt;Noble&lt;/em&gt; because if you look at &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt; objectively you eventually become a noble one. A noble one is a person who has transcended the state of mind which he can suffer, thus is always happy. One such path stating from suffering and extending to liberation through &lt;strong&gt;joy and happiness&lt;/strong&gt; is given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path of practice or training can be rendered in 2 forms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Morality, mastery over the mind, wisdom and release - threefold training (ti,sikkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning (pariyatti), participating (patipatti) and experiencing (pativedha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listen / learn, memorise, pratice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you follow the 3 fold training, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; does mention that your effortlessly progress through &lt;strong&gt;joy, happiness, tranquillity&lt;/strong&gt; to liberation starting from &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;morality&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to the mode of leaning and putting it into practice, as in item 2 &amp;amp; 3 above, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; makes the same assertion, but stating from &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;learning activities&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, a &lt;strong&gt;properly&lt;/strong&gt; practising Buddhist would probably be more happier than the rest. The main qualification is &quot;properly practising Buddhist&quot;. To be one why don't you find a teacher near you and take a course with a view to practice the right way: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T11:29:59.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12752" CreationDate="2015-11-28T17:12:08.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many years ago I heard a dhamma talk about the contracting universe and recall the person saying that beings are either born in the formless worlds or born with consciousness bound to the heat element (an infinitesimal painful experience). Can't recall the source. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T17:12:08.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-28T18:52:14.120" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I can try to generalize, I would venture to guess that people who come to Buddhism on their own (as opposed to being born into the religion) -- are probably &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; happy than average, which is what pushes them to seek the way out to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reference to suffering in the First Noble Truth is not meant as the final conclusion the Buddhists are supposed to live with, but rather as a starting point for one's spiritual journey. We are seeking an end to the painful wrongness: issues, troubles, hopeless social situation, messed up personal world etc. However, we don't believe in solving it by doing more of the same. We are tired of Samsara, tired of the rat race, we had enough of it. Buddhism promises an alternative to the rat race, this is why we like it, this is what we believe in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, it's not that happiness simply comes as a passive side-effect of being a good Buddhist. Rather, &lt;strong&gt;deliberately cultivating happiness that does not depend on external circumstances is one of the core practices in Buddhism!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, happiness is cultivated at the end of samatha stage, as the First/Second Jhana. In Vajrayana, this is practiced as Generation-Stage Meditation. In Mahayana, we achieve happiness by forgetting about our own problems as we take care of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is to say that happiness is not a second-class concept in Buddhism, far from it. In fact, in (Tibetan) Mahayana, one's capacity for lighthearted humor, affirming joyfulness and authentic &lt;em&gt;warmth&lt;/em&gt;; one's capacity to be happy and to make others happy -- in the face of the most adverse circumstances -- is considered the most reliable indicator of one's spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yah, it should absolutely be a fair claim to make, that Buddhists who practice well are happier than average, not because Buddhism is so awesome but because being happy is one of the main things we practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T19:46:13.867" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T19:46:13.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12805" CreationDate="2015-11-28T20:50:48.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here is the answer given by Lord Buddha to a similar matter...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were many religious groups and cults in India at Lord Buddha's time and almost each had their own signature practices, Some were naked,Some were living like animals (Cows,Dogs) and many more.All of them had one purpose, Finding the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a group who said to their followers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;You must boil the water you drink because if you drink it any other way those very small beings in water would die&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA; (An amazing early reference to Micro organisms).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people asked for Lord Buddha's take on this Lord Buddha's reply was....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes there are beings in water and yes there is a chance they might die, but if you boil the water you are obviously going to kill them as an effect of boiling. But what can you do? you must drink water.As you have no intention to kill those beings you are not responsible for the deaths that might occur from consuming water.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the answer to your last analogy....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What kinds of circumstances come in this category an what does not?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is an accident and what is compassion?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An accident is the correct set of circumstances.And you are correct with your first example.Here you see the ants after the action really happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If we add another element....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What if you knew about ants before running on the grass?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now you know there are ants and you are in a hurry.You have stepped on the grass and suddenly you remember about the ants.You see some dead because of your running.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here it does not generate bad karma because even though you knew about the ants you still did not had any idea or a plan to kill the ants by stepping on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What if you saw the ants and still went on anyway?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here you have lost Compassion and you show no regard to the lives of these ants, now this is bad. This kind of action will generate bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But there's a catch....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say you knew about the ants and walked on the grass thinking &lt;em&gt;&quot;Hopefully there won't be any now&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. And you did not saw any for a moment and suddenly you see that you have stepped on some.Now you panic and try to walk away from the ants but you are surrounded.So you quickly step away trying your best to not to harm any ants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here when you try to walk away you might increase the amount of dead ants but you still have no idea of a killing or hurting.Strangely even after many dead ants you are still clean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So where does the compassion comes to play?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Say you are hungry and you can hunt.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go hunting it is bad Karma.&#xA;If you let an animal die so you can eat later it is bad Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Say you are poor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you steal that is bad karma. But if you take someone's pen thinking it is yours (given that both pens look alike) you do not gain bad karma because you had no idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T20:50:48.530" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12815" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12832" CreationDate="2015-11-28T21:00:49.730" Score="2" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I see something or someone beautiful, would it be good to imagine that thing or that person in decayed/old form? This idea came to me when I was reading about &quot;Dasa sanya&quot; (i.e. &lt;em&gt;dasasaññā&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;ten perceptions&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will it be bad practice to take &quot;Vipassana meditation&quot; in a mental image form, like focusing on the decayed/old form of the particular object or person, instead of focusing on what I see?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T19:14:19.280" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T19:14:19.280" Title="instant meditation - Imagining things and people in their decayed/old form?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-insight|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12816" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12821" CreationDate="2015-11-28T22:18:53.487" Score="6" ViewCount="1479" Body="&lt;p&gt;From everywhere I've read and heard in the suttas they talk about the jhanas being needed for insight, but as I understand it the Visuddhimagga gives the option of dry insight not requiring the jhanas. Does anyone know what canonical source Buddhagosa was basing this on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-28T23:44:39.047" LastActivityDate="2018-05-11T11:45:33.717" Title="The path of jhana vs the path of dry insight" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|jhana|visuddhimagga|canon|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12815" CreationDate="2015-11-28T22:19:21.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My general opinion is that this would be one way of reflecting on the drawbacks/dangers of the object--namely, the sense-object perceived as beautiful is subject to aging and decay. This would be one way of attending to the sense-object that is producing lust as 'unattractive' and as not being ultimately satisfying. That can't be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I assume that you would do this in order to counteract lust; so, the question is: is it effective? If it actually reduces lust for that object then it is the right thing to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be that it is not in line with some specific practices that are called 'vipassana', but I don't see why this would matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-11-28T22:19:21.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12774" CreationDate="2015-11-29T00:02:04.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It may be that they have a sense of karmic justice in a lower or hell realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7311" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T00:02:04.567" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12819" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-29T00:39:52.857" Score="3" ViewCount="552" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I do not know the rules of a country, that does not count for that much in a court of law. I will still be punished for breaking the law. Likewise, if I do not know that bad speech results in bad karma will I be punished (in the sense of bad karma in the future )? Or maybe if I don't know what bad speech is will I be punished? To put the most extreme example, if I murder millions of people but I have a brain disorder and don't realize that is wrong, then will I be punished in the future by karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5763" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T05:34:44.407" Title="Is ignorance a sin?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12819" CreationDate="2015-11-29T02:47:48.473" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are ignorant of the cycle of day and night, or the phases of the moon, or even of gravity, your ignorance does not prevent them from happening. Universal laws are just that -- universal -- and they don't change for those who don't know of, understand, or follow them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an element of intention behind all karma/action, and this intention factors into the quality of the actions. A wrong action done with pure intention is certainly less bad than a wrong action done with evil intention, but it's still a wrong action. The &quot;brain disorder&quot; example is interesting, but again, ignorance of universal laws does not halt or change the manifestation of the laws. One can never escape the effects of one's actions, regardless of the circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angulimala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala&lt;/a&gt; could not escape the accumulation of karma from his time of killing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Being an arahant, Angulimala remained firm and invulnerable in mind and heart. But his body, the symbol and fruit of previous kamma was still exposed to the effects of his former evil deeds. As an arahant, he needed no words of consolation, but a reminder of the kammic concatenation of cause and effect, which still has to be endured until the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T06:39:49.643" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T06:39:49.643" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12816" CreationDate="2015-11-29T03:52:13.650" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This notion has arisen by the commentarial re interpretation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. More details are given in the following easy: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.1-Samatha-and-vipassana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha and Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan. Also the modern Vipassana Movement has some effects in spreading this nortion. Some discussion about the Vipassana Movement can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/how-buddhist-traditions-are-transforming-and-being-transformed-through-their-relation-with-western-psychology-2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How Buddhist traditions are transforming – and being transformed – through their relation with Western psychology&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Sujato&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Experience%20of%20Samadhi_Shankman.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Experience of Samadhi: An In-depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by  Richard Shankman&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T04:17:49.660" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12822" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-29T05:37:17.400" Score="2" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it very hard to get a clear understanding what is considered a breach of this precept and what is not. Different perspective offers different answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&#xA;Some people considered social niceties such as &quot;I'm fine&quot; as an answer to &quot;How are you?&quot; is not lying (when someone is not fine).&#xA;Some people do not make such exceptions, when you say something untrue, that means you are lying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Receiving foods and say &quot;Thank you, it's delicious&quot; is a lie since the food is not eaten yet.&#xA;Some people said that is not lying but an expression of gratitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One person views others as justifying lying.&#xA;The other person views others as being (too) dogmatic, which is not the core of Buddhist teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we have a clear cut understanding about this particular precept therefore put them into practice? To what extent it can be considered misrepresenting untruth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T05:47:11.643" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:56:38.863" Title="Is fourth precept personal and depends on the individual?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12822" CreationDate="2015-11-29T06:07:12.737" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The precept is very clear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Musāvādā&lt;/em&gt; comes from two words: &lt;em&gt;musā&lt;/em&gt;, which means neglectfully, falsely, or wrongly; and &lt;em&gt;vadati&lt;/em&gt; which means to speak. &lt;em&gt;Musāvādā&lt;/em&gt; as a noun simply means &quot;a lie&quot;. The language is clear: this precept means not to tell lies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are asked how you are and you respond with &quot;I'm fine&quot; when you're not fine, you've told a lie: it is false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say food tastes delicious but it really doesn't, you've told a lie: it is false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do these &quot;white lies&quot; break the precept? By the simple language of the precept, yes. One might tell these kinds of lies to avoid giving lengthy explanations of our health or moods, or to avoid offending someone when we don't like their cooking. But to lie is to break the fourth precept, regardless of the reason for the lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can we do? Use a skillful approach to responding that does not require telling a lie. &quot;How are you doing?&quot; even if you are miserable can be answered with another truthful statement, such as &quot;Oh, I've been very busy&quot; (assuming you've been very busy). &quot;How is dinner?&quot; could be answered with &quot;I'm enjoying it greatly&quot; if you are in fact enjoying it (which isn't the same thing as liking the taste specifically; it's entirely possible to enjoy a meal without liking the taste if you're enjoying other aspects of the meal, such as the opportunity to be with friends and family, or perhaps the opportunity to eat mindfully and regard the flavors of the food even if they're not your favorite).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To follow this precept is to keep your speech pure. If the precepts were easy to follow, we wouldn't need them! Avoiding false speech requires great skill and thoughtful responses, but we can all do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T06:07:12.737" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12824" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12827" CreationDate="2015-11-29T10:04:08.073" Score="3" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;My own experience with meditation is that it works best when I'm alone and it's quiet. But in the dharma center they sell lot of cd's and many of them are titled &quot;for meditation&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it absolutely and definitely not &quot;Comme il faut&quot; to meditate with music? Is this music they sell for meditation more for rituals etc? Or is there some kinds of music that can be used for meditation? By &quot;music&quot; I don't necessarily mean melodic compositions, but ambient sounds like fex theta waves. Any experiences and/or advice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T11:38:27.140" Title="Music or ambient sounds for meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|music|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12819" CreationDate="2015-11-29T10:29:05.553" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is simply a lack of knowledge.  You can educate an ignorant person!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the hickory smoked answer is.  You can fix ignorance buy ya can't fix stupid!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7332" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T10:29:05.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12826" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12829" CreationDate="2015-11-29T10:43:21.123" Score="3" ViewCount="243" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often hear and read about Buddha nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder, is Buddha nature something common to all varieties of Buddhism? And where in the scriptures can I find out more about this? I'm asking because sometimes when I hear about it, it sounds a bit like the idea of atman as brahman: which I don't understand, because how can that be compatible with anatman and emptiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T10:46:54.457" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T21:12:43.227" Title="Is there a generally agreed upon idea of what Buddha nature is?" Tags="|anatman|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12824" CreationDate="2015-11-29T11:38:27.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is using music in order to be able to e.g. concentrate better, then it might not be the best solution. In time it could become a &quot;crutch&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many views and discussions about this and ultimately it comes down to personal preference. For some meditators it might be okay to use a crutch in the beginning, which they can later do away with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For others, they might prefer to learn meditation or to meditate in silence. Their is no definitive answer to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T11:38:27.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12826" CreationDate="2015-11-29T11:48:43.307" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm asking because sometimes when I hear about it, it sounds a bit like the idea of atman as brahman: which I don't understand, because how can that be compatible with anatman and emptiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be understood in different ways, dependent on tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It certainly does not mean that there is a &lt;em&gt;soul, an experiencing entity or an inner core&lt;/em&gt;. Remember that this is just a word, a convention. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing insight meditation, one will realize that it cannot mean that there is an atman. It is only when such deep doctrines are treated intellectually, that there arises confusion. These profound doctrines cannot be grasped by the intellect. They can only be understood experientially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a generally agreed upon idea of what Buddha nature is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One meaning is, that every being has the capacity to win Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is already there but its covered in thick layers of ignorance (avijja) and has been plastered over with concepts and conventions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unconditioned state is an existing reality, that can be experienced when the meditator has done away with ignorance, clinging and attachment and cultivated the paramitas to full maturity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T14:50:08.547" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T14:50:08.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12826" CreationDate="2015-11-29T16:39:30.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, which is a japanese mahayana tradition, the buddha nature is something we all have, at least in latent form. So I agree with the above poster in the sense that the buddha nature, or buddhahood is a quality intrinsic to all living beings - and even non-living things that are also part of this universe - like the emptiness you mention - which being empty, has the potential to manifest life too. It manifests itself when you're in rhythm with your life and environment and are able to bring out the best in you to change your karma and overcome whatever obstacles you were facing. So basically it's when you're being a &quot;hero of your world&quot;, and devote your life to the teachings of the lotus sutra. This sutra, or, the middle volume of it, says all prior teachings were &quot;expedient&quot; ways to get people practicing buddhism according to the time, but that actually you don't need lots of lifetimes to become a buddha but can be one now in your present form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way it might relate to concepts of soul in hinduism although I think &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_%28Hinduism%29#Atman_.E2.80.93_the_difference_between_Hinduism_and_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wikipedia explains it better&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mystic law of cause and effect, the way we nichiren buddhists understand it, is basically a pervasive universal vibration or rhythm, a sound, a teaching, working at a fundamental level that we can all tune in to, and I believe it is the collective will that the universe has always had: its wish to grow, learn, flourish and be generally positive. So it's a decentralised vision of &quot;soul&quot; - more like the &quot;force&quot; in star wars (without those new films and their midichlorians, ugh!), or cells in a body. Buddhahood, if seen as something we all have, is something we can all tap into if we have the luck to figure this out ourselves somehow, or hear about it, and we can all try and manifest. I also believe buddhism itself is kind of just common sense, and just wisdom and culture, built up over the ages and continents, which has created a common understanding of the world around us, and a philosophy for how to live it. When we die we see it as drops falling back into the ocean. This is why we live forever: Because we are able to live as long as there is life. We are part of all of it and identify with this concept of unity - as if the first and fundamental mistake even the simplest bugs make, is to think of themselves as separate from what's around them.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7334" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T21:12:43.227" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T21:12:43.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-11-29T17:03:37.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with the top reply that you need to differentiate between the meaning of happiness as something that depends on external circumstances i.e the world of rapture, or the &quot;true happiness&quot; you gain as someone who surpasses obstacles and manifests their buddhahood or buddha nature in their lives in doing so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I agree with their mention of the tibetan mahayana tradition that we see the ability to be warm, generous, calm &amp;amp; steadfast in stormy times is an indicator of your practice. If on the other hand you seek Rapture, one of the six lower worlds, and synonymous with externally induced, short term happiness, you're likely to be pushed in the direction of good things happening to you so you can stay in that happy comfort zone, and &quot;go with the flow&quot; instead of sticking to what your actual dreams or objectives were. The happiness you get from this is just the knowledge and confidence that you did the right thing, surprised yourself with your capabilities, helped out when it was needed, etc, and that if it all happened again you'd know just what to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess it's like if you have 2 brothers, one rich and one poor, but the rich one, although he has lots of gold, has no friends or confidence and feels trapped in his isolation, whereas the poor one knows and is loved by everyone in his village and never has a worry. Which is really richest?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7334" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T17:03:37.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12831" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-29T17:18:32.113" Score="0" ViewCount="676" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sasana of Gautama Buddha will last for 5000 years of which more than 2500 years are over. Ariya Maitreya will be the next Buddha. How long will the Sasana of Ariya Maitreya Buddha last?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T18:03:41.357" Title="Buddha Sasana of Ariya Maitreya Buddha" Tags="|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12815" CreationDate="2015-11-29T17:38:09.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanks to @ChisW I found it my self here's the answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This teaching is called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and here's the translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near&#xA;  Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. And on that&#xA;  occasion Ven. Girimananda was diseased, in pain, severely ill. Then&#xA;  Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down&#xA;  to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the&#xA;  Blessed One, &quot;Lord, Ven. Girimananda is diseased, in pain, severely&#xA;  ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit Ven. Girimananda,&#xA;  out of sympathy for him.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if you go to the monk Girimananda and tell him ten&#xA;  perceptions, it's possible that when he hears the ten perceptions his&#xA;  disease may be allayed. Which ten? The perception of inconstancy, the&#xA;  perception of not-self, the perception of unattractiveness, the&#xA;  perception of drawbacks, the perception of abandoning, the perception&#xA;  of dispassion, the perception of cessation, the perception of distaste&#xA;  for every world, the perception of the undesirability of all&#xA;  fabrications, mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] &quot;And what is the perception of inconstancy? There is the case&#xA;  where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree,&#xA;  or to an empty building — reflects thus: 'Form is inconstant, feeling&#xA;  is inconstant, perception is inconstant, fabrications are inconstant,&#xA;  consciousness is inconstant.' Thus he remains focused on inconstancy&#xA;  with regard to the five clinging-aggregates. This, Ananda, is called&#xA;  the perception of inconstancy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] &quot;And what is the perception of not-self? There is the case where a&#xA;  monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an&#xA;  empty building — reflects thus: 'The eye is not-self, forms are&#xA;  not-self; the ear is not-self, sounds are not-self; the nose is&#xA;  not-self, aromas are not-self; the tongue is not-self, flavors are&#xA;  not-self; the body is not-self, tactile sensations are not-self; the&#xA;  intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self.' Thus he remains focused on&#xA;  not-selfness with regard to the six inner &amp;amp; outer sense media. This is&#xA;  called the perception of not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] &quot;And what is the perception of unattractiveness? There is the case&#xA;  where a monk ponders this very body — from the soles of the feet on&#xA;  up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin, filled&#xA;  with all sorts of unclean things: 'There is in this body: hair of the&#xA;  head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, muscle, tendons, bones,&#xA;  bone marrow, spleen, heart, liver, membranes, kidneys, lungs, large&#xA;  intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, gall, phlegm, lymph,&#xA;  blood, sweat, fat, tears, oil, saliva, mucus, oil in the joints,&#xA;  urine.' Thus he remains focused on unattractiveness with regard to&#xA;  this very body. This is called the perception of unattractiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] &quot;And what is the perception of drawbacks? There is the case where&#xA;  a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to&#xA;  an empty dwelling — reflects thus: 'This body has many pains, many&#xA;  drawbacks. In this body many kinds of disease arise, such as:&#xA;  seeing-diseases, hearing-diseases, nose-diseases, tongue-diseases,&#xA;  body-diseases, head-diseases, ear-diseases, mouth-diseases,&#xA;  teeth-diseases, cough, asthma, catarrh, fever, aging, stomach-ache,&#xA;  fainting, dysentery, grippe, cholera, leprosy, boils, ringworm,&#xA;  tuberculosis, epilepsy, skin-disease, itch, scab, psoriasis, scabies,&#xA;  jaundice, diabetes, hemorrhoids, fistulas, ulcers; diseases arising&#xA;  from bile, from phlegm, from the wind-property, from combinations of&#xA;  bodily humors, from changes in the weather, from uneven care of the&#xA;  body, from attacks, from the result of kamma; cold, heat, hunger,&#xA;  thirst, defecation, urination.' Thus he remains focused on drawbacks&#xA;  with regard to this body. This is called the perception of drawbacks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] &quot;And what is the perception of abandoning? There is the case where&#xA;  a monk doesn't acquiesce to an arisen thought of sensuality. He&#xA;  abandons it, dispels it, &amp;amp; wipes it out of existence. He doesn't&#xA;  acquiesce to an arisen thought of ill-will. He abandons it, dispels&#xA;  it, &amp;amp; wipes it out of existence. He doesn't acquiesce to an arisen&#xA;  thought of harmfulness. He abandons it, dispels it, &amp;amp; wipes it out of&#xA;  existence. He doesn't acquiesce to arisen evil, unskillful mental&#xA;  qualities. He abandons them, dispels them, &amp;amp; wipes them out of&#xA;  existence. This is called the perception of abandoning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] &quot;And what is the perception of dispassion? There is the case where&#xA;  a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to&#xA;  an empty building — reflects thus: 'This is peace, this is exquisite —&#xA;  the stilling of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all&#xA;  acquisitions, the ending of craving, dispassion, Unbinding.' This is&#xA;  called the perception of dispassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[7] &quot;And what is the perception of cessation? There is the case where&#xA;  a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to&#xA;  an empty building — reflects thus: 'This is peace, this is exquisite —&#xA;  the stilling of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all&#xA;  acquisitions, the ending of craving, cessation, Unbinding.' This is&#xA;  called the perception of cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[8] &quot;And what is the perception of distaste for every world? There is&#xA;  the case where a monk abandoning any attachments, clingings, fixations&#xA;  of awareness, biases, or obsessions with regard to any world, refrains&#xA;  from them and does not get involved. This is called the perception of&#xA;  distaste for every world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[9] &quot;And what is the perception of the undesirability of all&#xA;  fabrications? There is the case where a monk feels horrified,&#xA;  humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted with all fabrications. This is called the&#xA;  perception of the undesirability of all fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[10] &quot;And what is mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing? There is the case&#xA;  where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree,&#xA;  or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise,&#xA;  holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always&#xA;  mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[i] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or&#xA;  breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [ii] Or&#xA;  breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or&#xA;  breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [iii] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;  [iv] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[v] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to&#xA;  breathe out sensitive to rapture. [vi] He trains himself to breathe in&#xA;  sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [vii]&#xA;  He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental processes, and to&#xA;  breathe out sensitive to mental processes. [viii] He trains himself to&#xA;  breathe in calming mental processes, and to breathe out calming mental&#xA;  processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[ix] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to&#xA;  breathe out sensitive to the mind. [x] He trains himself to breathe in&#xA;  satisfying the mind, and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [xi] He&#xA;  trains himself to breathe in steadying the mind, and to breathe out&#xA;  steadying the mind. [xii] He trains himself to breathe in releasing&#xA;  the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[xiii] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and&#xA;  to breathe out focusing on inconstancy. [xiv] He trains himself to&#xA;  breathe in focusing on dispassion,[1] and to breathe out focusing on&#xA;  dispassion. [xv] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on&#xA;  cessation, and to breathe out focusing on cessation. [xvi] He trains&#xA;  himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment, and to breathe out&#xA;  focusing on relinquishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Ananda, is called mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, Ananda, if you go to the monk Girimananda and tell him these ten&#xA;  perceptions, it's possible that when he hears these ten perceptions&#xA;  his disease may be allayed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Ven. Ananda, having learned these ten perceptions in the Blessed&#xA;  One's presence, went to Ven. Girimananda and told them to him. As Ven.&#xA;  Girimananda heard these ten perceptions, his disease was allayed. And&#xA;  Ven. Girimananda recovered from his disease. That was how Ven.&#xA;  Girimananda's disease was abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Notes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lit., fading.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T17:56:35.633" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T17:56:35.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12831" CreationDate="2015-11-29T17:52:06.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Theravada Buddhist and as far as predictions go here's what i was able to find...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The coming of Maitreya will be characterized by a number of physical&#xA;  events. The oceans are predicted to decrease in size, allowing&#xA;  Maitreya to traverse them freely. Maitreya will then reintroduce true&#xA;  dharma to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His arrival will signify the end of the middle time, the time between&#xA;  the fourth Buddha, Gautama Buddha, and the fifth Buddha, Maitreya,&#xA;  which is viewed as a low point of human existence. According to the&#xA;  Cakkavatti Sutta: The Wheel-turning Emperor, Digha Nikaya 26 of the&#xA;  Sutta Pitaka of the Pāli Canon), Maitreya Buddha will be born in a&#xA;  time when humans will live to an age of eighty thousand years, in the&#xA;  city of Ketumatī (present Varanasi), whose king will be the Cakkavattī&#xA;  Sankha. Sankha will live in the palace where once dwelt King&#xA;  Mahāpanadā, but later he will give the palace away and will himself&#xA;  become a follower of Maitreya Buddha.[15]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The scriptures say that Maitreya will attain bodhi in seven days&#xA;  (which is the minimum period), by virtue of his many lives of&#xA;  preparation for buddhahood similar to those reported in the Jataka&#xA;  tales.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At this time a notable teaching he will start giving is that of the&#xA;  ten non-virtuous deeds (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying,&#xA;  divisive speech, abusive speech, idle speech, covetousness, harmful&#xA;  intent and wrong views) and the ten virtuous deeds (the abandonment&#xA;  of: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech,&#xA;  abusive speech, idle speech, covetousness, harmful intent and wrong&#xA;  views).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Arya Maitreya Mandala, founded by Anagarika Govinda is based on&#xA;  the idea of the future coming of Maitreya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali sources say that beings in Maitreya's time will be much bigger&#xA;  than during the time of Sakyamuni. In one prophecy his disciples are&#xA;  contemptuous of Mahakasyapa, whose head is no larger than an insect to&#xA;  them. Buddhas robe barely covers two fingers making them wonder how&#xA;  tiny Buddha was. Mahākāśyapa is said to be small enough in comparison&#xA;  to cremate in the palm of Maitreya's hand.[16]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;~Source -&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the thing about the periods of time in different Sasanas of Buddhas. It is a matter of how long the humans live.In the time of our Lord Buddha maximum human life expectancy was 120-125 years.But in next Lord Buddha's era it will be way longer, Therefore that Lord Buddha's Sasana will hold on for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T18:03:41.357" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T18:03:41.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12834" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12835" CreationDate="2015-11-29T18:01:10.920" Score="0" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I normally do not dream and if i dream those are very long and mixed when it comes to content (Both calming and provoking). So what is the Buddhist point of view on dreams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T18:21:03.033" Title="Are dreams good or bad?" Tags="|sutras|suttas|mind|dreams|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12834" CreationDate="2015-11-29T18:21:03.033" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist psychology dreams are ideational processes which occur as activities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dreams are mind-created phenomena and they are activities of the mind. All human beings dream, although some people cannot remember. Buddhism teaches that some dreams have psychological significance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The significance and the cause of dreams were the subject of discussion in the famous book 'Milinda Panha' or 'The Questions of King Milinda', in which Ven. Nagasena has stated that there are six causes of dreams, three of them being organic, wind, bile and phlegm. The fourth is due to the intervention of supernatural forces, fifth, revival of past experience and sixth, the influence of future events. It is categorically stated that dreams occur only in light slumber which is said to be like the sleep of the monkey. Of the six causes given Ven. Nagasena has stated positively that the last, namely prophetic dreams are the only important ones and the others are relatively insignificant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full text on Ven. Thera's explanation of dreams and their significance is available at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/321.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/321.htm&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-29T18:21:03.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12836" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-29T18:26:30.000" Score="4" ViewCount="856" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always thought that the remembrance of the past lives and the vision of the mechanism of the kamma were the fruits of the jhanas.&#xA;BUT, it is said that the Tathagata learnt the (8) jhanas from two teachers. it is also said that he remembered his past lives during  the famous seven days, after he decided to gain what he would call nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do we know whether the Tathagata had access to his previous lives or to the karmic mechanism before the week of accessing nibbana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if no, does this mean that only the dhamma --- instead of the practice from hinduism,  jainism and perhaps others doctrines --- permits to see the past lives, or the karmic mechanism ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7335" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-11-29T20:33:46.267" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T03:34:33.443" Title="Jhanas and past lives" Tags="|karma|jhana|past-lives|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12836" CreationDate="2015-11-29T22:14:41.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think the Buddha knew his past lives long before he attained nirvana -- the descriptions I know of him accessing his past lives were during his final struggle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge, past lives recollection is about concentration -- not necessarily samma samadhi as known in the sutras. The sutras imply that yogis could and have obtained such abilities and that it is not something the Buddha introduced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is said to have learned specific concentration practices (aka the arupa jhanas) from previous teachers before reaching nirvana, but it's not clear if he (or his teachers) knew any of the actual 4 jhana (as described in the sutras, with their factors and all). The interesting passage is the one he describes remembering reaching the 1st jhana state when he was a kid and that is when he &quot;gets back on track&quot; towards nirvana -- and that happened after training with his teachers. This suggests that his teachers did not teach or knew how to reach the 1st (and arguably any of the four) jhanas, and thus, opens up the possibility that samma samadhi could have been an original practice introduced or at least systematized by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowlege of previous lives is not unlocked with nirvana according to the sutras as such a person can still be bound to wrong view / ignorance (which nirvana is supposed to end). But it is presented as part of a path towards nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T01:35:43.173" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T01:35:43.173" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12838" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-30T00:22:11.567" Score="2" ViewCount="62" Body="&lt;p&gt;This might be a poor question, for which I apologize but I am trying to gain some insight on this idea I have had for a long time... It seems that paths and practices are taught to people with the intent that they have the same results that the teacher did by doing that. But the teacher might have come across the practice by accident, and the teaching is simply their experience, not a principle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read suttas, interviews, articles, different sects' explanations and so on, there is an almost infinite variety of statements and interpretations, and people seem to get lost in words. If a practice was really &quot;true&quot; absolutely, then there could be no difference of explanation or understanding, right? It certainly is not like Physics, where everyone would get the same results of a clear experiment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Teacher was so wise that they came up with the practice before they had used it, that would be a miracle indeed. Is it not the case that all that is taught about spiritual development is basically experiential? Even the Buddha had to learn by doing. We are just following what he said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T03:46:33.037" Title="Are Teachings developed &quot;after the fact&quot;?" Tags="|teaching|experiential|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12838" CreationDate="2015-11-30T03:46:33.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... It seems that paths and practices are taught to people with the intent that they have the same results that the teacher did by doing that. But the teacher might have come across the practice by accident, and the teaching is simply their experience, not a principle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read suttas, interviews, articles, different sects' explanations and so on, there is an almost infinite variety of statements and interpretations, and people seem to get lost in words. If a practice was really &amp;quot;true&amp;quot; absolutely, then there could be no difference of explanation or understanding, right? It certainly is not like Physics, where everyone would get the same results of a clear experiment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you as about a long path, then the land marks different people describe about the path would be different. Thus there are many description of the same road but different land marks. E.g. The middle path is described within these two Suttas abide the different landmarks. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also by nature of the practitioner certain landmarks on the road would be of more significance than others. This will result in different descriptions. Also Buddha having the ability to discern what would register in the mind of the practitioner, gave most appropriate &amp;quot;directions and land marks&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another this there are multiple variations and techniques which give certain spiritual or &amp;quot;out of the world&amp;quot; experiences which the practitioner may mistake to have achived the final goal or mistakenly believe is the path when in fact it does not take you to the final goal. (Somewhat related is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.2-Brahmajala-S-d01-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma,jala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.1-Brahmajala-S-Intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;introduction on it&lt;/a&gt; which highlights how wrong view arise.) Since you have some uncommon experience you hold that the method and techniques you practised has got you or will get you to the final goal. This give arise to different descriptions and variation and debates about the technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some times these variation can be from people who have gone to the final goal. Some people have had only some imperfections or uncommon imperfections and would have done a practice to remedy that. Having achived the final goal he would teach from his experience which would result in an uncommon description of the method, which might not always work for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Teacher was so wise that they came up with the practice before they had used it, that would be a miracle indeed. Is it not the case that all that is taught about spiritual development is basically experiential? Even the Buddha had to learn by doing. We are just following what he said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha as well as many disciples had to do countless lifetimes of experimentation before crossing. So the part descried with what worked out the countless techniques that have been tried and tested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with imperfect techniques which that you to an intermediate station, you need some experience which you describe and when the students practice it and gain some experience they believe. So some experience which can be replicated by a practice is the for runner of teaching a successful meditation technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T03:46:33.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12836" CreationDate="2015-11-30T03:52:50.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html#fnt-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmajala sutta&lt;/a&gt;, those who have not seen Dhamma can recollect past lives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are eternalists,&#xA;  and who on four grounds proclaim the self and the world to be eternal.&#xA;  And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honorable recluses&#xA;  and brahmins proclaim their views?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the first case, bhikkhus, some recluse or a brahmin, by means of ardor, endeavor, application, diligence, and right reflection,&#xA;  attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind&#xA;  thus concentrated, [purified, clarified, unblemished, devoid of&#xA;  corruptions],[5] he recollects his numerous past lives: that is, (he&#xA;  recollects) one birth, two, three, four, or five births; ten, twenty,&#xA;  thirty, forty, or fifty births; a hundred, a thousand, or a hundred&#xA;  thousand births; many hundreds of births, many thousands of births,&#xA;  many hundreds of thousands of births. (He recalls:) 'Then I had such a&#xA;  name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my&#xA;  food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life.&#xA;  Passing away thence, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name,&#xA;  belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my food,&#xA;  such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life. Passing&#xA;  away thence, I re-arose here.' Thus he recollects his numerous past&#xA;  lives in their modes and their details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He speaks thus: 'The self and the world are eternal, barren,&#xA;  steadfast as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. And though&#xA;  these beings roam and wander (through the round of existence), pass&#xA;  away and re-arise, yet the self and the world remain the same just&#xA;  like eternity itself. What is the reason? Because I, by means of&#xA;  ardor, endeavor, application, diligence, and right reflection, attain&#xA;  to such a degree of mental concentration that with my mind thus&#xA;  concentrated, I recollect my numerous past lives in their modes and&#xA;  their details. For this reason I know this: the self and the world are&#xA;  eternal, barren, steadfast as a mountain peak, standing firm like a&#xA;  pillar. And though these beings roam and wander (through the round of&#xA;  existence), pass away and re-arise, yet the self and the world remain&#xA;  the same just like eternity itself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, bhikkhus, is the first case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which tells the story of his enlightenment, the Buddha first examined his past lives, then later(soon after) achieved liberating knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T03:52:50.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12819" CreationDate="2015-11-30T04:11:36.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being ignorant of the repercussions is the very reason what we accumulate Karma which will give future experiences which the receiver perceive as unfavourable or painful, hence this this sense it can be considered a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sin&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T04:11:36.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12842" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12846" CreationDate="2015-11-30T07:39:07.387" Score="2" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need a suggestion. I raised up as an aspirant on my side. As per my family (attached people) i was a sign of glory to them. In India, i did completed my education with good grades. I started my career on a positive note. 3 years back i was earning 1 lakhs plus every three months. Then i joined psychedelics and also started learning about religion/science related people and their thoughts. I came along buddhism. I managed to buy our own home. Now i am earning less than 1 lakhs a year. My family's financial earning was always like hand to mouth, same is mine now a days. This situation is so bad to us. To me its like i am all negative right now. I want to know 'what is the right way of earning life, when i don't want to hurt anyone else including me 'as i don't like any corporate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T11:18:18.370" Title="Was buddha aware of future or future way of living?" Tags="|doubt|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12843" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-30T08:39:05.943" Score="5" ViewCount="248" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many spiritual teachings ask the followers to develop detachment towards worldly objects and events. Certain meditation techniques ask the followers to be a mere spectator to one's thoughts and get emotionally detached. Few spiritual people report having spiritual experiences like out-of-body or having seen a deity in their dreams or in daylight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, how do a follower of spiritual practice differentiate between a spiritual experience and a mental or neurotic disorder like ' dissociative disorder'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T06:31:48.030" Title="How to differentiate between a spiritual experience and a mental disorder or delusion?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|buddha-nature|buddha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12844" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12847" CreationDate="2015-11-30T10:58:31.773" Score="5" ViewCount="1139" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practitioners and scholars from various schools of Buddhism differ a lot on how they view (conceptual) thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example Tsongkhapa/Gelug put a lot of emphasis on thinking because it is vitally important to “identify the object of negation”, as Tsongkhapa would put it. (The object of negation Tibetan: dgag bya, eg. inherent existence, self-existence).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Zen scholars and practitioners I have asked are more explicit in making the point that conceptual thinking is &lt;em&gt;in itself&lt;/em&gt; a hindrance and “part of the problem”.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there is a &quot;goal&quot; or &quot;point&quot; of conceptual thinking in Buddhism, what is that &quot;goal/point&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the biggest problems of either too much or too little   thinking? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:49:36.900" Title="What is the role of thinking in Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12843" CreationDate="2015-11-30T11:10:34.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Giving too much importance or attachment to any experience either actual or delusional will lead to metal instability and perhaps delusion. So if you experience something then congratulations, this is great, but leaving it aside continue your practice. Reason being distinguishing real and delusional experiences is very difficult can can be futile in some instance, hence not worth giving too much importance to. I would personally err in the side of caution can consider many of such experiences as just mind playing tricks. When you stop paying attention after some time then these experiences may pass away. Best is you continue the practice giving less importance of trying not to read into too much on what you experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T06:31:48.030" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T06:31:48.030" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12842" CreationDate="2015-11-30T11:18:18.370" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Change in circumstances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a fact of life. You have your ups and downs. Worrying or resentment towards the situation will not change it. You have to accept it with grace and then do what is wihtin your control to improve your situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Use of psychedelics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This interferes with your mindfulness. So best is to sop using them. If it is difficult perhaps you can use professional help. This might also help in solving your changed circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right way to earn a living&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The right way to earn a living is a way which does not harm yourself or others and have a moral basis. Avoid ways to earn a living without lies, deceit, killing, debauchery, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T11:18:18.370" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12844" CreationDate="2015-11-30T11:39:04.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 3 forms of fabrication out of which Thinking and Pondering (verbal fabrication) is one. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culavedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). You have to clam verbal fabrications by anchoring your mind on an object like you breath, i.e., cut out Thinking and Pondering thus stopping Verbal Fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T05:21:42.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12843" CreationDate="2015-11-30T13:22:22.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book Saints and Madmen, David Lukov puts it this way - &quot;The mystic swims in the same waters where the madman drowns.&quot;  I think that's a pretty good barometer.  When the types of things you mention happen to people engaged in spiritual practice, there is [usually] a sense that they have some sort of control over the experience.  At the very least, they know that what they are doing is the product of their practice and can be attributed to rational cause.  For the insane, I don't think there is the same sense of control or causality.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T13:22:22.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12849" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-30T14:11:05.497" Score="0" ViewCount="42" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first lay precept says “I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.” (The formulation is from Wikipedia.) As I understand it, this rule pertains to all kinds of sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is eating meat compatible with this precept? Is it possible to say I am following this precept when the rule I’m following in fact is “I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing but I get someone else to do the killing for me”? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T14:11:05.497" Title="Is eating meat compatible with the training rule to abstain from killing?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-11-30T14:16:50.830" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1597" CreationDate="2015-11-30T16:51:37.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism, repentance has two elements. The first:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One involves the rituals of confession in which we make offerings such as flowers and fruits to the Three Jewels as we sincerely confess and repent our sins. Through these rituals, we look honestly into our minds for the causes of our wrongdoings, sincerely accept responsibility for the harms we have caused, and resolve never to commit the same transgressions again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the second:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The other involves contemplation in which we reflect on the empty nature of all worldly phenomena, including our body, mind, and karma. When we keep our minds pure, clear, undisturbed by any thoughts, emotions and concepts, we will be able to transcend all karmic obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The formal process of repentance is achieved through the 88 Buddhas Repentance Ceremony:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the 88 Buddhas Repentance Ceremony, participants repent by chanting the names of 88 buddhas, which is an excellent way to clear our karmic obstacles and draw out our inner wisdom.&#xA;  ... &#xA;  The power of chanting the buddhas’ names is documented in the past life story of Shakyamuni Buddha at the time of the Buddha Suryarasmi. One day, Shakyamuni Buddha, a practicing monk, heard the chanting of the 53 buddhas’ names and immediately sensed an indescribable joy, which he felt must be shared with all beings. He had the message passed along to 3,000 people, who followed his example and chanted the 53 buddhas’ names with deep respect and remembered each buddha’s name by heart. These people subsequently attained buddhahood in three different time periods, or kalpas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, importantly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha also felt the suffering of beings who had to carry with them heavy karmic obstacles, so he taught them to repent by chanting the 35 buddhas’ names.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a video of the ceremony itself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCQia8XqOSo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCQia8XqOSo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sources:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ctworld.org.tw/english-96/html/a13ceremony04.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ctworld.org.tw/english-96/html/a13ceremony04.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ctworld.org.tw/english-96/html/a13ceremony06.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ctworld.org.tw/english-96/html/a13ceremony06.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T16:51:37.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12843" CreationDate="2015-11-30T16:59:39.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you suffer and make others suffer, that's a disorder. If you are happy and make others happy, that's a good result. Although sometimes it has to get worse before it can get better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T00:27:38.267" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T00:27:38.267" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12852" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-30T17:28:48.287" Score="2" ViewCount="875" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am bit Confused about Inner and Outer Peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they exist, how can I know and how can I achieve them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7340" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-11-30T18:22:25.893" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T06:34:36.740" Title="What is Inner and Outer Peace and how can I achieve them?" Tags="|philosophy|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12852" CreationDate="2015-11-30T19:55:46.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peace can only be achieved in two states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In a Dhyana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the state of an arahant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In a Dhyana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhyana means the peace you achieve through meditation.In this state of mind you are free from the chaos of the world and the mind. But this is temporary,when you loose Dhyana you will face chaos again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In the state of an arahant&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An arahant is a person who has gone beyond greed,lust,anger,They have achieved Nirvana. Their peace is permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than in Hollywood movies we have not heard of peace having two sides.&#xA;In Buddhist reality there is no outside and inside. There is only the processes of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply put it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MIND IS THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. To have peace one must have peace within, Once you have it there is no reason to worry about an Outer peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a link to a book, It is free and you can read it online or save it to your device.Take your time and Read this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khema/allofus.html#ch1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khema/allofus.html#ch1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T19:55:46.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12843" CreationDate="2015-11-30T20:13:01.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a good question you ask but there is a certain sector that might Blur the line between spiritual experience and a disorder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is an ancient story of a real monk...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there was a monk in srilanka (about 2000 years ago) he used to practice &quot;Attika Sanna&quot;. It is a form of meditation that focus on the bone structure of a being.He was on his way from &quot;Anuradhapura&quot; ancient city where he met with a beautiful woman. She was actually going to her parents place after a fight with her husband. She saw the monk and smiled. But the monk did not saw her as a person, He only saw her skeleton. Her husband was coming to take her back home but he was far behind. The monk went on his way and met the husband on the way, He asked &lt;em&gt;&quot;did you saw a woman going this way?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The monk replied &lt;em&gt;&quot;I didn't saw any woman but i saw a skeleton walking that way.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is good to take a look at what a disorder is...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What science see as a disorder is something that is a bit far from what is normally accepted.But as Buddhists we try to change our mindset with meditation.It actually changes the brain structure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://hbr.org/2015/01/mindfulness-can-literally-change-your-brain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness Can Literally Change Your Brain&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a changed brain will not work like a normal one. It will most certainly behave in different set of rules.This would justify stories like the one above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So how to recognize something gone wrong?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism's advice on that is to have a well experienced teacher who can understand and help. I must say that this person must be a Monk because a lot of times people who advice their friends on meditation get carried away by their ego and give misguided advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T20:13:01.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12843" CreationDate="2015-11-30T21:22:41.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conventionally, the people who are concerned (for example a family member or doctor) may consider a mental state to be &amp;quot;disordered&amp;quot; if:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's persistent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You're unable (not to mention &amp;quot;unwilling&amp;quot;) to behave conventionally or skillfully&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_disorder#Definition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia - Mental disorder (definition)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a mental state to classify as a disorder, it generally needs to cause dysfunction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to DSM-IV, a mental disorder is a psychological syndrome or pattern, which occurs in an individual, and causes &lt;strong&gt;distress&lt;/strong&gt; via a painful &lt;strong&gt;symptom&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;disability&lt;/strong&gt;, or increases the risk of death, pain, or disability; however it excludes normal responses such as &lt;strong&gt;grief&lt;/strong&gt; from loss of a loved one, and also excludes &lt;strong&gt;deviant behavior&lt;/strong&gt; for political, religious, or societal reasons not arising from a dysfunction in the individual.[&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, for example, if instead you continue to ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have friends&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk lucidly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Obey the law&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do your work (e.g. pay your bills)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take normal care of your physical health&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... then you're less likely to be considered as having a &amp;quot;mental disorder&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1aptiv%C4%81da#Two_truths_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this description&lt;/a&gt; of the 'two truths' doctrine implies that the two extremes, &amp;quot;conventional reality&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;ultimate reality&amp;quot; (which can seem like a dichotomy) might be better understood as &amp;quot;skillful means&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;wisdom&amp;quot; ... i.e. ideally a person might be able to manifest either and/or both (not just one or the other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T21:38:55.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-11-30T22:19:35.577" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;None of the above posts answer the original question!  Perhaps the question cannot be answered. Through meditation emptiness may be experienced but not explained. There was a time when scientists believed the vacuum of space was empty.  Now we know that it is far from empty.  Full of &quot;Dark energy&quot;, &quot; Dark matter&quot;, photons of light gravity, ect. The emptiness experienced during meditation isn't empty either.  It is full of is ness, and am ness.  Void of all else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7341" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T22:19:35.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12857" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-11-30T22:39:43.713" Score="2" ViewCount="488" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wearing a bracelet to remind me to be mindful  ... is it a good idea ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from previous attempt it seemed useful for a day maybe two but than i get used to wearing the bracelet and i dont notice im wearing it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are your thoughts about doing this practice - is it useful ? are there other ways to remind yourself to be mindful ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;anything someone wants to add about this subject is appreciated &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T09:11:20.573" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T11:11:52.760" Title="Wearing a bracelet to remind me to be mindful" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12852" CreationDate="2015-11-30T22:49:35.190" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Using Buddhist vocabulary, what you call &quot;inner peace&quot; might be &quot;tranquility&quot; (i.e. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;); and what you call &quot;Outer Peace&quot; might be a consequence of ethical/virtuous/moral behaviour (i.e. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sīla&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T22:49:35.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12857" CreationDate="2015-11-30T23:26:28.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Take what I'm about to write with a grain of salt, as I have never tried either the practice you ask about or the one I am about to recommend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern psychology recognizes a phenomenon called sensory adaptation wherein unchanging sensory stimuli gradually lose their intensity to the organism.  For this reason, I'd say it makes sense that you stop noticing your bracelet after a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh, whose advice I often find quite useful, recommends using bells as a reminder to be mindful I believe.  For example, you could find a bell alarm for your smartphone and have it ring at various times throughout the day and at those times you could mindfully breath in and out three times as per Thich Nhat Hanh's advice.  I'd think this latter practice would not be subject to the same degree of adaptation induced loss of noticeability given that the corresponding stimulus is not constantly present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7342" LastActivityDate="2015-11-30T23:26:28.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12857" CreationDate="2015-12-01T02:17:44.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wearing a bracelet to remind me to be mindful ... is it a good idea ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from previous attempt it seemed useful for a day maybe two but than i get used to wearing the bracelet and i dont notice im wearing it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess your past experience shows this is not very useful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are your thoughts about doing this practice - is it useful ? are there other ways to remind yourself to be mindful ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relying on external tools may not be the most optimal but if it helps why not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;anything someone wants to add about this subject is appreciated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind wonders away be extra mindful when you bring your attention back. Look at a few breaths with sustained attention. Do a few body scans with sustained attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind goes you bring your mind back to an object. Similarly even when your mind is on the chosen object you can repeal the re direction of the mind to the object continuously as if when initially brining the mind to the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice will help make your mindfulness stick to the chosen object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as a mode of preliminary practice you can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;scan you body zig zag quickly alternating the side.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;quickly alternating at the base of each nostril&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This helps you redirect your attention to an chosen object like the breath continuously after initially brining to attention to it. Once you have some reasonable practice just target a chosen object repeatedly, even though you mind is not wondering away. One your mind get &amp;quot;sticky&amp;quot; with the object you an stop the continuous redirection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T11:11:52.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12852" CreationDate="2015-12-01T02:33:56.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.4-Vivekanissita-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viveka nissita&lt;/a&gt; (peace from solitude):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Outer - seclusion or detachment from the sense doors, i.e., you do not delight any sensations or feelings born from external objects coming in contact with the respective faculties. Outer peace is achieve through the being eqaunimous and realising the impermanent nature of sensual experience. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Inner - Absence of 5 hindrances. Overcoming the 5 hindrances is rather a long topic but the essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan might give you the right pointer.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T03:10:20.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12862" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-01T05:16:19.577" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Karma to be complete a certain set of conditions need to be present. What are the Suttas / Abhi Dhamma in this these sets of conditions presented in? Do Suttas / Abhi Dhamma mention what happens if some of the conditions are not met (but volition is present)? What are the instances where the completion of the Karmaic result or fomation is mentioned regarding morality and precepts, i.e., the necessary and sufficient conditions to transgress each or the 5 or higher precepts on which the Karmic result become complete?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-01T17:36:46.033" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:11:38.453" Title="Where in the Tripitaka completion of the formation of Karmic result is mentioned?" Tags="|ethics|pali-canon|reference-request|sutras|sila|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12819" CreationDate="2015-12-01T05:34:44.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard there's a tribe in Africa that speaks using a heavy and chronic form of sarcasm -- at first the academic from some Western university thought they were just messing with him, until he realized it was a cultural thing to prevent people from gaining too much pride. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Bantu#Profile&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Bantu#Profile&lt;/a&gt; A brief mention....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's assume there is a society like this for the sake of argument. Something like Wrong Speech would likely not exist, in the context of being a wrong action that leads to suffering, unless a person's actions were a lie that were to lead to someone dying or there were some other result of speech that could really separate people in a harmful way. As I understand right speech, it's abstention from right action; wrong action could be probably understood in a similar light. (In a society without property, theft would  not really exist, for instance.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this kind of action is really universally prohibited against all humans, perhaps birth into life-long ignorance could just be seen as being as a unfortunate rebirth as the result of past karma. But I understand wrong view as meaning those that lead to harmful behaviors and beliefs, first and foremost... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7346" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T05:34:44.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12864" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12866" CreationDate="2015-12-01T07:55:10.910" Score="4" ViewCount="1534" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I know Buddhism, it says 'Nothing is permament'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just came across this in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions#Perspective_of_Mahayana_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...a Buddha is immortal. Even though he descends in the samsara to&#xA;  preach Dharma and save sentient beings from suffering, his original body remains in a transcendent realm. That body will not die upon the death of the physical body of Buddha, and hence a Buddha is beyond arising and passing away...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is given as a Mahayana Perspective of the Lotus Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what does this really mean?&#xA;Is it that there exists something even after Parinirvana?&#xA;Or have I understood it wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-31T14:31:57.163" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T14:31:57.163" Title="Is Buddha immortal? (in Mahayana)" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|buddha|trikaya|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12844" CreationDate="2015-12-01T08:12:11.350" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a question related to &lt;strong&gt;Lo-Rig&lt;/strong&gt;, the study on valid cognition, 'epistemology'. An authoritative and simple text on the topic is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0937938025&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mind in Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, by Lati Rinpoche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer in a practice-oriented fashion: when one is subject to anger (a conceptual consciousness that is also a wrong consciousness in that it engages its object erroneously), one comes to tell himself stories about the object. For instance, one comes to think &lt;em&gt;“This person is detestable; how could have I been fooled and even like her? How could anyone love her? If they knew her for who she is, they would understand; she really wronged me...”&lt;/em&gt;. Finding all the more reasons, if not to be angry, at least to justify one's anger. As practitioners we engage in analytical meditation on impermanence &amp;amp; death, karma, refuge, precious human rebirth, and so forth, on a daily basis. It is called “Meditation on the Lam Rim”. We do it for two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So as to tell ourselves factually concordant “stories” in order to generate, for instance, patience and dwell in there, familiarizing with being patient, and so forth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So as to be able to pay attention to facts that we are so often blind to. For instance, after meditating a great deal on buddha-nature, it will be easier to find / see reasons not to despise any sentient beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when engaging in Calm Abiding, one needs to alternate between (1) analytical meditation and (2) placement, because one has to analyze the object he means to achieve Calm Abiding with in order to (1) familiarize with the object and (2) cultivate the clarity factor with regard to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once our eyes are fully open, once we see reality, there is no need for these anymore. But in our (Geluk, Madhyamika-Prasangika) presentation, only a buddha is free from [the need for] conceptual consciousnesses, and is therefore called 'a valid person'. Also, since even direct perceivers in the continuum of a sentient being are not free from the appearance of true existence, abandoning conception [even the conception of true existence] is not sufficient. That is a unique Tenet of the Prasangika school, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer in a more technical fashion: a conceptual consciousnesses apprehends its object by way of a mental image (also called 'meaning-generality' or 'generally characterized phenomena'). All conceptual consciousnesses are mistaken [with regard to their appearing object, a mental image] in that they mistake the appearing object for the object of engagement. However, a conceptual  consciousness, even mistaken, can be valid. For instance, an inferential cognizer (which is a conceptual) is always valid because it necessarily arises in dependence upon a correct sign that has been realized [and which pervasion in relation to the predicate as well]. This accords with Purbuchok's presentation (in &lt;em&gt;Explanation of the Presentation of Objects and Object-Possessors as well as Awarenesses and Knowers&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We often present the gradual process of generating valid consciousness as follows: Having doubts turning away from the factual [in relation to a slightly hidden phenomena, such as for instance subtle impermanence], one listens to the teachings – listening also comprehends reading – and comes to generate equal doubt. He keeps on listening to the teachings and comes to generate doubt tending towards the factual. He keeps on listening to the teachings, gives it a thought, and comes to generate a correct assumption. Most positions we hold as true without being able to establish by way of reasoning are such. Doubt and correct assumptions are not 'realizing consciousnesses'. Therefore, strictly speaking, someone having generated a correct assumption with regard to a slightly hidden phenomena has not 'realized' anything yet. From there, he engages in reflection and/or in meditation in an analytical fashion and, in dependence on a correct reason, comes to generate an inferential cognizer. That is why we engage so much in debates, familiarizing with reasoning itself, but also with reasons and their pervading such and such predicates (and therefore establishing thesis). An inferential cognizer i is the first realizing (and valid) consciousness in this scenario. It is valid because it engages its object correctly, but it is mistaken with regard to its appearing object, a mental image, because it is a conceptual consciousness. Although a buddha is free from inferential cognition, [valid] inferential cognizers realizing the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths, and so forth are to be cultivated on all the path of learning. It is taught that a slightly hidden phenomena – such as subtle impermanence, and so forth – can be realized directly after having familiarized realizing it inferentially. For instance, subtle impermanence or emptiness are directly realized for the first time in the context of a meditative equipoise (which is a union of calm abiding and special insight) on the path of seeing. Such a realization is preceded by several instances of inferential realization, that is conceptual cognition, also being unions of calm abiding and special insight. A wisdom directly realizing emptiness is not conceptual but is analytical because it is a union of calm abiding and special insight, and special insight has the function of analysis. Only a buddha is free from conceptual consciousnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong consciousnesses (ex.: doubt turning away from the fact, afflictions, etc.), non-realizing conscioussnesses (such as wrong consciousnesses, all types of doubts, inattentive awarenesses, etc.) mistaken consciousnesses (conceptual consciousnesses, including [valid] inferential cognizers) are objects of abandonment. However, they are not to be abandoned by any practitioner. &lt;strong&gt;The process of abandonment is gradual&lt;/strong&gt;... and that which is to be cultivated by one is to be abandoned by another. For instance, inferential cognizers are not to be abandoned by those who still have afflictive obscurations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T08:12:11.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12864" CreationDate="2015-12-01T09:10:32.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, there are permanent phenomena and impermanent phenomena. All products are impermanent, whereas all negative phenomena are permanent. For instance, space, emptiness, mental images are permanent due to not being products, that is not arising due to causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, the meaning of permanent is that of not being subject to change. There are permanent phenomena that are not eternal but occasional: for instance, the emptiness of the cup no longer abides if you break the cup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there are various bodies. The Dharmakaya has two parts (bodies) :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The wisdom truth body, which is the omniscient mind of a buddha. As it is a mind, it is impermanent, it is compounded&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The nature truth body, which is the emptiness of the omniscient mind of a buddha. As it is an emptiness - suchness without defilement - it is permanent and uncompounded&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The Dharmakaya is endowed with four aspects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Permanent, in the sense of not being subject to birth [not taking even a mental body, as opposed to an arya bodhisattva who takes a menal body due to uncontaminated karma and knowledge obscurations]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Constant, in the sense of not being subject to the inconceivable transformation of death [of a mental body] and therefore his enlightened deeds are un-interrupted&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Peace, in the sense of being free from all harm&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unalterable, in the sense of being free from aging [contrary to even the arya bodhisattva on a pure ground]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Mahayana traditions consider Shakyamuni Buddha's body - the one ordinary being could see - as an emanation body (not a mental body), emanating from the pure dharmakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information, See Maitreya / Asanga's Sublime Continuum and commentaries, such as Gyaltsabe Je's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T09:10:32.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2015-12-01T09:12:10.043" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Impossible is to answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer must be experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is it that which is experienced?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is neither I nor no I.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, who am I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer must be experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T09:12:10.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12868" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-01T10:32:22.777" Score="2" ViewCount="60" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where a certain person, abandoning false speech, abstains from false speech. When he has been called to a town meeting, a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives, his guild, or of the royalty, if he is asked as a witness, 'Come &amp;amp; tell, good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I don't know.' If he does know, he says, 'I know.' If he hasn't seen, he says, 'I haven't seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I have seen.' Thus he doesn't consciously tell a lie for his own sake, &lt;em&gt;for the sake of another&lt;/em&gt;, or for the sake of any reward. Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth, &lt;em&gt;holds to the truth&lt;/em&gt;, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a monk witnesses a murder and asks by a police for information. The monk knows his information/testimony will cause the murderer got murdered. Is giving this testimony break any vinaya rules or correspond to the rules?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained previously on another thread:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9518/enlightened-lies-can-lying-be-the-correct-action-in-certain-situations&quot;&gt;Enlightened Lies - Can lying be the correct action in certain situations?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skillful means can be used to deal with this situation or lying with the intention to save others. But the same thing can be true as well, for example, when someone is asked by the police, his intention is to tell the truth, it's not his decision to take the murderer life away. &#xA;Is truth telling in this case is right or wrong and why? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T03:30:41.167" Title="Is causing death to a person breaking any monastic rule?" Tags="|theravada|vinaya|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-12-03T11:03:34.203" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12815" CreationDate="2015-12-01T15:45:44.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine something beautiful in decay old form is good but that is only one part of mind training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other part of mind training is to tell oneself not to be so naive to believe that it is beautiful to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both mind training above should be practiced simultaneously for instant liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T15:45:44.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12687" CreationDate="2015-12-01T15:54:04.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Always understand that everything is dependent on something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can be talented but it takes another who is a fool to notice one's talent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding dependency brings us down to earth, otherwise called humility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T15:54:04.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12872" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-01T16:59:22.567" Score="2" ViewCount="29" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where does the terms 'Hinayana' and 'Mahayana' come from? Who made them up?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are often translated as &quot;lesser vehicle&quot; and &quot;greater vehicle&quot;. I wonder about this translation. Is it correct? I think it sounds a bit degrading, as if Mahayana is somehow greater or better than Hinayana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there better terms with which to speak about what is generally called 'Hinayana' and 'Mahayana'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T16:59:22.567" Title="Alternatives to the terms 'Hinayana' and 'Mahayana'?" Tags="|mahayana|hinayana|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2015-12-01T17:51:08.657" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12862" CreationDate="2015-12-01T17:30:25.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the &quot;conditions to transgress precepts&quot; are spelled out in the Vinaya in great detail. For example, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code I: The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pages 245 through 247 define what &quot;a lie&quot; is&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pages 54 through 74 define &quot;stealing&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pages 75 through 85 defining &quot;killing&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And similarly for other (monastic) precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T17:30:25.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12844" CreationDate="2015-12-01T17:46:43.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Again, not speaking for the whole of Buddhism, but from the perspective of Rinzai Zen, conceptual thinking isn't so much of a problem in that it gets in the way.  It's more of an impediment because it can result in a case of mistaken identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine you walk into an antique store with all of the lights turned off.  In the pitch black, you are asked to get a sense of all the items in the room.  You walk up to each shelf and pick up each item one by one.  You feel their weight, their delicacy.  You become intimately familiar with the materials they are made of, their structure, whether they feel warm to the touch or cold.  If you were to walk into the the same antique store with all of the lights turned on, your inclination would be to rely exclusively on your sense of sight.  You probably wouldn't even bother to pick anything up at all!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Zen, the antiques are koans and the darkness is the calm and empty mind of mushin.  If you were to rely on your discursive mind - your sense of sight in the metaphor above - any conclusions you arrive at would be superficial.  All of your spiritual senses just aren't engaged in the same way as they are when you are in mushin.  All too often, people think that they understand a koan simply because it makes intellectual sense.  They don't push themselves past that point because they think that sort of understanding is all that's required.  Instead, what they really should be doing in exploring that koan thoroughly - not just with their minds but even with their whole bodies.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen is about developing intimacy with the world through a mind marked by emptiness.  Conceptual thought can sometimes distance us from what is really going on in the universe.  We all too quickly assume that what we see, hear, or learn is the end of the story.  It's not.  For true understanding to occur, we need to get our hands dirty.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-12-01T17:46:43.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12876" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12879" CreationDate="2015-12-02T07:22:25.470" Score="5" ViewCount="1193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Swearing and the use of everyday vulgarity is often part of a conversation whether it be in jest or seriousness e.g. confrontation, frustration,etc&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is swearing or the use of vulgarities perceived in the context of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T10:27:17.913" Title="How does Buddhism perceive swearing or vulgarities?" Tags="|language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12877" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12881" CreationDate="2015-12-02T09:16:14.210" Score="6" ViewCount="1359" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is about a very specific situation, but there might hopefully be a more general answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We've had conflicts at work, to the extent that we had to get a psychologist help us! There are many reasons for the conflicts, but for me the problem is that many of my co-workers are kind of lazy, not very competent and spend their time not doing their job but knitting, chit-chatting, complaining about everything etc. This situation leads to conflict and I have spent too much time being annoyed and tried to change the situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I sometimes think negative thoughts about these people. When I catch myself thinking negative (&quot;lazy, incompetent people&quot;) I try to take a look at myself and see what causes the thoughts and what I really am thinking. This strategy also helps me to not take it out on them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the question is, does the thoughts in themselves create bad karma?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T13:03:32.873" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T13:03:32.873" Title="Do thoughts create karma?" Tags="|karma|ethics|volition|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12876" CreationDate="2015-12-02T09:46:01.437" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you speak words which are (at the foundations) offensive to others, you are not practicing Right Speech very well. However, should you be around friends or alone, the words are just words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should speak only that word by which one would not torment&#xA;  oneself nor harm others. That word is indeed well spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should speak only pleasant words, words which are acceptable (to&#xA;  others). What one speaks without bringing evils to others is&#xA;  pleasant.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.21.00.irel.html#poem-05&quot;&gt;Thag 21&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a whole page &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html&quot;&gt;about 'Right Speech' on Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-02T10:27:17.913" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T10:27:17.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12880" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12884" CreationDate="2015-12-02T09:50:32.113" Score="1" ViewCount="197" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some philosophers have the idea that humanity is undergoing a spiritual evolution. The most famous representative of this idea is G. W. F. Hegel (whose ideas Marx used and later Communism tried to put into practice). There are also many, more esoteric and religious thinkers, with ideas like that. Rudolf Steiner is one of them; he thinks humanity is evolving spiritually. The common idea between them is that we are in a better position to become acquainted with ourselves as spirit (this idea does not pertain to Marx’ materialist view, though).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of my teachers, a Plato researcher, said: “we understand Plato better than Plato could understand himself”? How is this in Buddhism? Is mankind now, 2500 years after the historical Buddha, in a better position to make use of the Dharma? Are we better “equipped for enlightenment”? Is the understanding and insights growing as time goes by? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or perhaps it is the other way around? Maybe the distance in time since the start of the spreading of the Dharma makes it more and more difficult for us? Could talk about a spiritual devolution? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it not changing at all, neither spiritual evolution nor devolution of mankind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-02T11:25:43.417" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T13:45:50.423" Title="Does mankind evolve or devolve spiritually?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|evolution|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2015-12-02T13:49:31.453" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12877" CreationDate="2015-12-02T10:10:36.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is karma that is intention (an omnipresent mental factor) and karma that is intended actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intended actions are defined by Je Tsongkhapa as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The actions of body and speech that are motivated by that intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Afflictions such as anger, jealousy, covetousness, and so forth are not the intention mental factor - but have their own entity as mental factors - therefore they are not karma. Anger manifests from a seed of anger and that seed is not a karmic seed, because it was &quot;deposited&quot; by a previous instance of anger (not by a previous karma - that is intention or intended action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, some qualify the afflictions as 'karmic path' or 'paths of actions' because they are likely to lead one to engage in negative actions (karma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-02T10:29:44.310" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T10:29:44.310" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12883" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-02T12:55:42.480" Score="5" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should not kill a living being,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nor cause it to be killed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nor should one incite another to kill.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipāta 2.396&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there more negative kamma associated with killing a biting insect than with killing a more sentient animal like a sparrow or mole?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, do I incur more negative kamma by swatting a mosquito that is sucking my blood than if I kill a more sentient and less troublesome squirrel that is raiding my garden?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-02T13:07:18.507" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:39:39.070" Title="Does the degree of the victim's sentience correlate with the kamma associated with killing it?" Tags="|karma|killing|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12880" CreationDate="2015-12-02T13:45:50.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana Buddhism there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Ages_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Ages of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Former Day of the Law, also known as the Age of the Right Dharma, which lasts between 500-1000 years during which the Buddha's disciples are able to uphold the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Middle Day of the Law, also known as the Age of Semblance Dharma, (second 1,000 years) during which the teaching only resembles the right Dharma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Latter Day of the Law, during which the Dharma declines.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, according to this, there is devolution in the sense that the Dharma declines over time until it disappears and then the true Dharma will only be re-established by the next Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="193" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T13:45:50.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12877" CreationDate="2015-12-02T16:28:11.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is caused by will or intention, expressed in thoughts, words, and deeds (body, speech, and mind) but thoughts in themselves are epiphenomenal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:28:11.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12883" CreationDate="2015-12-02T16:39:39.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, killing a human generates far more karma then crushing an ant. &#xA;However the size of the seed does not determine the outcome of the seed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One teacher once noted that the karma of swatting a fly grows exponentially. &#xA;That after a few days, especially if it is a repeated action, it can be grown to the size of the initial seed of killing a human. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the initial human killing seed grows similarly as fast. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is we have all these seeds or &quot;karmic imprints&quot; if you will, that are all maturing and ripening. Both good an bad, and they are coming in at a rate of around 60 imprints a second. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once let a mosquito eat its fill from my arm back when I was more seriously into Buddhism, the thought process was along the lines of sure, I have plenty of blood... eat up. The bite was magnificently itchy, and I will never do such again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I crush mosquitoes, I don't enjoy killing them, I don't seek it out, but if one is buzzing around in my apartment it is off to the bardo with it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, squirrels raiding your garden, that is a slightly different scenario. Have you researched other options? Is there another way to protect your garden? It would be worth it to explore these questions from a karmic standpoint. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better to plant as few of those kinds of seeds as possible, or plant the opposite kind of seed... maybe out of compassion put out some food that squirrels eat and enjoy nearby, if the squirrel is hungry you will get the karma of feeding a being of lesser sentience. A full squirrel is less likely to raid your garden. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing to consider is the attachment to the garden, and the outcome of the harvest. If you lose one or two tomatoes, but harvest 12, really I'd say let the squirrel do its thing. I don't know the full extent of the raiding though, perhaps this squirrel ate all of your tomatoes. It still is not after your blood though, so there is that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:39:39.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12805" CreationDate="2015-12-02T16:43:05.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha and an important disciple of Mahavira, the leader of the Jains, had a debate on just this topic. Mahavira held that the body is the essential karmic factor, but the Buddha showed that intention or will is the karmic principle, because it underlies words and actions and because even in the absence of negative words and actions, karma due to wrong intention or will is effective. The classical Indian view is expressed by Jainism, but if karma operates on the level of actions, no emancipation is possible because abstinence from action is not possible. It is this view that leads to the excesses of asceticism, whcih the Buddha derided as mere mechanical practices that anyone can do and that cause harm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:43:05.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12844" CreationDate="2015-12-02T16:49:36.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is, as you say, a hot topic of debate, but based on my study of the Pali suttas and the original writings of Padmasambhava, my own view is that the Buddha's teaching is that wisdom is the essental salvific principle, and that thinking is part of this process. The Buddha definitely taught that one can think about dharma, while at the same time denying that thinking about dharma alone is sufficient for emancipation. Rather, thinking ultimately leads to its own transcendence, but this can only be achieved as a result of thinking. The Zen view can lead to error and even delusion, especially in a non-Buddhist society. Remember that Zen appeared in societies that were already steeped in dharma. Also, I think that the view that Zen eschews thinking is facile. For example, the Sutra of Perfect Enlighenment is a Zen text, and is clearly deeply philosophical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:49:36.900" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12822" CreationDate="2015-12-02T16:56:38.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your confusion is due to the fact that you are misconstruing the precepts legalistically as referring to actions rather than intentions. Buddhist precepts are not laws or rules that can be judged externally or objectively. Rather, they are merely guidelines and pointers towards good intention. If you lie with good intention, there is no negative karmic result. The essential karmic factor is not the act but the intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T16:56:38.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12745" CreationDate="2015-12-02T17:25:15.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The essential aspiration of a bodhisattva is bodhicitta, the vow or intention to achieve enlightenment out of compassion for all those suffering in samsara, which contrary to popular perception does not necessarily imply being reborn until all beings in samsara achieve enlightenment, since the Buddha, who was clearly a bodhisattva, is not (and cannot be) reborn, but he did live many many lives before achieving Buddhahood. The difference between a stream entrant, who seeks arhantship, and a bodhisattva is that a stream entrant seeks enlightenment for himself and seeks to achieve emancipation as soon as possible, thus freeing himself from the bondage of samsara quickly. The Buddha taught that it is possible to do this in not less than seven days and not more than seven rebirths, but the Pali Canon records instances of attainment of arhantship in as short a time as five days. Arhantship has the net effect of reducing dharma in samsara, since the arhants are not reborn, reducing the overall quantum of dharma, whereas bodhisattvas are reborn many many times - perhaps infinite numbers of times potentially but not necessarily - thus increasing the quantum of dharma in samsara. Thus, the arhant ideal leads to degeneration (entropy) whereas the bodhisattva ideal leads to evolution (negentropy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T17:25:15.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12891" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-02T17:50:24.633" Score="1" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it right if i say the origin of Saṅkhāra is not by a natural process of the mind but it is a byproduct of Avidyā which dominates the non-arahant mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T03:50:38.427" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T17:56:49.333" Title="What is the process that creates &quot;Saṅkhāra&quot;" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|suttas|mind|sankhara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12891" CreationDate="2015-12-02T18:29:27.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VzMZh7rifKMC&amp;amp;pg=PA220&amp;amp;lpg=PA220&amp;amp;dq=Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra%20origin&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=-1HWVlM3kX&amp;amp;sig=75yKb1RzQJHDwC60bs3MGqQENyc&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjkwIyh5r3JAhXFtQ8KHQ0XBLgQ6AEIQjAG#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra%20origin&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankhara Origin eBook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness is the product of the physiological processes of our body in general, and of the functions of the senses in particular. Or, to speak in the spirit of Schopenhauer: Consciousness is a secondary phenomenom, conditioned by the functions of the cerebral nervous system, based upon the somatic life of the individual: &quot;Only by means of organic life is consciousness possible&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T18:29:27.220" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12877" CreationDate="2015-12-02T20:00:21.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But according to the teachings of Buddhism, all actions and&#xA;  speech, all thoughts, no matter how fleeting, and the responses&#xA;  of the mind to sensations received through eye, ear, nose,&#xA;  tongue, body, and mind, without exception, contain elements of&#xA;  intention. Intention is thus the mind’s volitional choosing of objects&#xA;  of awareness; it is the factor which leads the mind to turn&#xA;  towards, or be repelled from, various objects of awareness, or&#xA;  to proceed in any particular direction; it is the guide or the governor&#xA;  of how the mind responds to stimuli; it is the force which&#xA;  plans and organizes the movements of the mind, and ultimately&#xA;  it is that which determines the states experienced by the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One instance of intention is one instance of kamma. When there&#xA;  is kamma there is immediate result. Even just one little thought,&#xA;  although not particularly important, is nevertheless not void of&#xA;  consequence. It will be at the least a “tiny speck” of kamma,&#xA;  added to the stream of conditions which shape mental activity.&#xA;  With repeated practice, through repeated proliferation by the&#xA;  mind, or through expression as external activity, the result becomes&#xA;  stronger in the form of character traits, physical features&#xA;  or repercussions from external sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/good_evil_beyond.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Good, Evil and Beyond: Kamma in the Buddha's teachings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As there are physical movements that are devoid of intention (e.g. convulsions), some mental images might be understood to surface unintentionally. While the quote above asserts all thoughts to have intention, it can be argued if these are understood to be karma or not. Dreams would be in this gray area, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, while awake, any sophisticated thought, anything more than a flash of an image or a sound or taste or smell, any and all imagination containing full sentences, dialogues and motions, etc, have an active element in them which nurtures and develops them: underneath, there's the intention to imagine these things, and these imaginations are actions -- which is the meaning of karma in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-12-02T20:00:21.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12894" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-03T02:24:38.903" Score="7" ViewCount="317" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read here about sensual pleasure and music and I agree with what I've read: that boredom breeds states of unwholesome pleasure and that when we give up our thoughts to entertainment we do just that; that we should instead focus on the teachings and right employment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, do you believe there is anything wrong with actually playing an instrument? It is a skill, surely: can musicianship in any sense be thought of as an example of right employment? Is there a Buddhist approach to music? Or to photography and film and etc.? I am maybe generally a little confused on what right employment can be, I am a student and want to consider carefully what I will do for work. While becoming a monk is here out of the question, do you think it is possible to find good employment in an economic system which fundamentally values consumption as a positive value, or will this not create unwholesome pleasure necessarily by contributing to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe another question I have which is not wholly separate is how can a young person living in a western city separate themselves from pop cultural influences without withdrawing from society? For instance, it seems like withdrawing from my life would hurt and confuse more people (family, friends) than it would cause happiness, and since there is not even a temple here it is hard for me to accept Buddhism itself as a religion in the strict sense since it would be a profoundly personal study for me to undertake (as opposed to one I could practice with others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if these questions are too personal, but they are problems that bother me about this path that I have trouble reconciling with my day to day life. The economic world seems geared in a very different direction to the wisdom of the teachings, and it frightens me. Thank you for reading and replying and I hope you are well. And please, point out where I am going astray, because I am in no small need of guidance. If this is an inappropriate place to post this, I am sorry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7362" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T11:02:32.757" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T21:47:20.253" Title="Advice for a young person living in a western city" Tags="|personal-practice|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12891" CreationDate="2015-12-03T04:01:02.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it right if I say the origin of Saṅkhāra is not by a natural process of the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a natural process that when we get feeling born from contact of the faculty with an external object which you react with craving and clinging for a worldly person. You do have control over the process as this point there you can be just see the airing and passing of the feeling born of contact of the faculty with an external object, (phenomena what is felt or known) and be completely be equanimous towards the feeling without clinging and craving. The latter is going against the stream and requires effort. This is going against the natural process this happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... but it is a byproduct of Avidyā which dominates the non-arahant mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a by product of Avidya. It is in short reaction to sensations / feelings with craving and clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to overcome this is given in the Pahana Suttas (or the way to let go): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;. There are times that this process is formalised as understanding 4 Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T17:56:49.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12894" CreationDate="2015-12-03T05:09:17.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most hard-core interpretations of the suttas would probably make anyone feel as though their chosen career doesn't jive with Buddhist doctrine. Fortunately we're all encouraged to take a middle-way approach in all things, so we needn't be tied to the strictest way of thinking about our careers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right livelihood&lt;/em&gt;, the fifth element on the Noble Eightfold Path, is actually fairly easy to summarize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right livelihood means that practitioners ought not to engage in trades or occupations which, either directly or indirectly, result in harm for other living beings. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a musician would need to go out of their way to harm other living beings. The career is inherently peaceful in nature, and does a lot of good. Buddhism isn't about avoiding all sense pleasure and completely eschewing anything &quot;fun&quot;; it's more about following a middle way that makes sense for the practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a personal level, I have a profound appreciation for musicians. Music helps me relax, and I really enjoy opportunities to listen mindfully. Back when my children were babies, there were some nights when being able to tune into the classical radio station meant the difference between complete peace and total discord within the household. Music does wonders for people, and musicians make it possible for people to benefit from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, music as a career: no problem. Go for it, and don't look back. Your other concern, about economics driven by consumption, could have an entire book written in response. But, simply put, there is nothing wrong with providing a service and charging a fair price for it. This basic practice of trade transcends all modern economic theory, all &quot;-isms&quot;, and all other ways of thinking about money, goods, and services. Charging money for the consumption of music is no different than charging money for the preparation of food; both are perfectly valid ways to make a living in the world. Both provide something of value to a consumer. It's all good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, you needn't withdraw completely from life to be a good practicing Buddhist. Again, it's easy to get caught up in the strict interpretations of precepts and rules, and to let that push us into thinking that the only way to live the &quot;right&quot; kind of life is to put on robes and meditate all day, but it's important to unwind a bit and always remember the Middle Way. You also don't need access to a temple, a Dharma center, or anything else. You can simply read Buddha's words and apply them to your life; you can accept the Four Noble Truths; you can follow the Noble Eightfold Path. You can do all of this within the context of your current life, being who you are, with school, work, friends, and family. If you would change your life in any radical way in the pursuit of Buddhism, and if such changes would result in suffering for you, then what would be the point? The principal teaching of Buddhism is suffering and its elimination; no one's practice should ever cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T05:09:17.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12897" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-03T05:58:14.783" Score="1" ViewCount="66" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is using a Daruma doll as a means to motivation to meditate a good idea ?   or is it counter productive ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T10:56:20.393" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T13:45:27.730" Title="Is a Daruma doll a good motivation to meditate ?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|motivation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12852" CreationDate="2015-12-03T06:34:36.740" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peace can be lost due to inner or outer reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so, keep mindful on inner or outer obstacles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when we feel inner weakness like anger, greed, hate etc. we lost our peace. We think these are due to outer reasons, but they are due to our (inner )weakness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T06:34:36.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12894" CreationDate="2015-12-03T11:45:03.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;boredom breeds states of unwholesome pleasure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Boredom already is an unwholesome state. It is a form of aversion. It is caused due to paying unwise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, do you believe there is anything wrong with actually playing&#xA;  an instrument?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One plays or listens to music because of the wanting to please the ears. That is indeed unwholesome. But this does not break any of the five precepts or go against the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right livelihood&lt;/a&gt;. So playing music for entertainment/money is allowed for a layman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;do you think it is possible to find good employment...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are plenty of options for Buddhists. You just need to avoid wrong livelihood. ex: teacher, doctor, mason, engineer, farmer etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how can a young person living in a western city separate themselves&#xA;  from pop cultural influences without withdrawing from society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists need not separate themselves from pop culture. They just need to avoid breaking precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it seems like withdrawing from my life would hurt and confuse more&#xA;  people&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If prince Siddhartha thought like that, we wouldn't even have Buddhism today.&#xA;Trying to satisfy the clinging of others is never a good reason to stay away from the Dhamma. As long as they have clinging, you can't stop them from getting hurt, no matter what you do. But usually it's our own clinging that keeps us in lay life or away from the Dhamma. That clinging can conceal itself as caring for others. Defilements can be very tricky. When you disallow them in their raw form, they try to get in by taking the form of the things you allow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;since there is not even a temple here it is hard for me to accept&#xA;  Buddhism itself as a religion in the strict sense&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't need a temple to be a Buddhist. You just need to take &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;refuge&lt;/a&gt;(spiritual) in the Triple Gem. You can do it privately. There are lot of free Dhamma books/videos available online. If you can't meet a monk face to face, there's a community of online Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T11:45:03.613" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12897" CreationDate="2015-12-03T13:45:27.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They're great but I feel that if you can do it with a Daruma Doll you can do it with any other object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything bright, cosntantly changing or unusual that you're never going to get used to will prompt you to meditate, once you have made that association.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're more traditional, set phone wallpapers and/or alarms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastActivityDate="2015-12-03T13:45:27.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12901" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-03T18:02:24.593" Score="4" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been reading some of Stephen Batchelor's ideas, and find them quite interesting. Does anyone have references to further reading of secularized Buddhist ideas and literature? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-03T21:14:42.833" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T06:46:15.773" Title="Secularized Buddhism" Tags="|reference-request|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12902" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12944" CreationDate="2015-12-03T18:09:34.733" Score="-1" ViewCount="1430" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism &amp;amp; Science there is no gender to the mind but to the body.The difference between the male and female ideology is a difference between practicing two different ways of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Birth of gender according to Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one era of a universe comes to an end almost all the beings get their birth in Brahma realm (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aabhassara.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aabhassara&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;).Once the universe is set to its default (Universe as we know it) beings are born in Human realm as illuminating gender less creatures.As they become fond of touch they begin to form recognizable genders. But the reaction from others who are not in favor of this new sensation is negative (quite like what gay people experienced over the years), But just like society accepting LGBT groups in our time they learn to accept this gender+sex situation. So as of this point sex is not even considered normal and gender is an anomaly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we drop the biological point of view and take only the teachings of Lord Buddha a new pattern start to appear beneath our acceptance of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;so my question is....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take Sutta+Abhidhamma point of view and focus on a human being,what we see is the same kind of species with two different Bone,Muscle,Brain,etc structures. As to Buddhism Humans do not have an essential need of sex for births to happen &lt;a href=&quot;http://weeraperuma.com/buddhism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;spontaneous birth - Ambapali&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;. So sex is an alternative for a human birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human body,culture,way of life are all based on what gender that person belongs to (This may not be the reality where you live but travel the world enough and you will see the sad truth). But once you use something like &lt;strong&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/strong&gt; to see a human being you see that there is no such thing called gender in this bag of flesh and bones.After all Lord Buddha said that if someone can come above Temptation he/she is free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So is it right to think that one illusion of the mind defined all&#xA;that we are as beings?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is gender really an illusion or is there more to this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please note that this question does not ask for personal opinions,Please add sources to your answers so we can expand our knowledge.I have seen the question (Is gender a result of Kamma?) and this is not a duplicate of it.this address a whole different point of view.Please leave a comment before voting negative&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-18T01:49:49.823" LastActivityDate="2019-10-18T01:49:49.823" Title="Male &amp; Female - Is gender an illusion?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|sutras|mind|gender|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12903" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-03T23:14:58.350" Score="0" ViewCount="384" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is about these images:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eMDPe.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eMDPe.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UstXu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UstXu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vtvoZ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vtvoZ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This incident (depicted) happened after Lord Buddha visited a certain Deva realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can someone provide any sutta or sutra reference?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you can, please explain the event and the drawings?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T00:57:39.147" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T00:57:39.147" Title="Lord Buddha descending from heavens?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|iconography|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12903" CreationDate="2015-12-04T00:07:38.150" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of those pictures is shown on this page: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/lhabab-duchen-the-day-buddha-descended-from-tushita-heavens/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lhabab Duchen – the Day Buddha Descended from Tushita Heavens&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This article from Bhutan Journals describes the iconography of the Buddha Shakyamuni Descending from Tushita Heavens to the Earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A version of this story is told/included in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=181&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā (verse 181)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On return from the Tavatimsa deva world, the Buddha uttered Verse (181) of this book at Sankassanagara, in reply to Thera Sariputta's words of welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a more detailed version of this story somewhere else (I don't know where), for example Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhabab_Duchen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lhabab Duchen&lt;/a&gt; article includes details about a &quot;triple ladder&quot; (shown in all the pictures):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He was exhorted by his follower and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a Full Moon agreed to return. He returned to earth a week later by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the god of machines. This event is considered to be one of the eight great deeds of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T00:07:38.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12905" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12912" CreationDate="2015-12-04T00:58:39.980" Score="11" ViewCount="957" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there such thing as mindfulness thinking about the future or past? I have a job that requires a lot of &quot;going&quot; into the future and past (projecting forward and assessing the past). I was wondering if could practice mindfulness while working. But it's not like I'm working with my hands, where I can be completely concentrated at the current moment with what I'm doing. From what I understand, mindfulness practice has to do with staying in the present. So my understanding is that it is inherently in conflict with what I do for work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T13:10:49.457" Title="mindfulness thinking about future and past?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-practicalities|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12906" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12911" CreationDate="2015-12-04T02:47:58.150" Score="3" ViewCount="247" Body="&lt;p&gt;i saw an answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12593/43&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; that i liked: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&#xA;  Of course we have all these grand ideas about the great business we&#xA;  want to open, or the great way we could help people, or other visions&#xA;  of great success - but they are only projections of thought into the&#xA;  future. This projection creates a mismatch between &quot;here&quot; and &quot;there&quot;.&#xA;  From this mismatch comes dukkha, the feeling of wrongness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Instead, for any success you will have achieved, there must be a&#xA;  pathway from where you are now, to there, with the first step being&#xA;  within reach. Therefore the only way to get there is to work with what&#xA;  you have right here and now. So do your best with what life gives you&#xA;  at every given moment ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i have a job i don't like - it hurts my legs because of long standing time - and i was thinking about other career paths... of ways i can earn money and leave this job - like starting a private business - but in light of the above answer, is it a bad idea to think about this, from Buddhism perspective?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i would really like to know your thoughts on this: should i stop and just work without thinking about a better job / a private business?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:13:49.777" Title="accepting what i have vs. making plans for better future - good or bad?" Tags="|personal-practice|goals|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12905" CreationDate="2015-12-04T02:57:40.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you must plan for future business then simply note something like, &quot;planning planning&quot; in the present moment when you are planning. If you don't note then simply intentionally focus your awareness on the planning but I recommend noting at least in the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When remembering the past then always make sure to note 'remembering, remembering&quot;, in the present moment, moment by moment as the &quot;remembering,&quot; arises. Does that help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T13:10:49.457" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T13:10:49.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12902" CreationDate="2015-12-04T04:26:00.553" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we are going to go that far then everything but the present moment mental and physical phenomena of our individual experience is an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T04:26:00.553" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12905" CreationDate="2015-12-04T04:27:57.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there such thing as mindfulness thinking about the future or past? I have a job that requires a lot of &quot;going&quot; into the future and past (projecting forward and assessing the past). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the Abhidhamma each though has either pleasant, neutral or unpleasant sensation associated with it. (Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;). These cover all the 4 Satipatthana. You have to be mindful of the arising and passing of these sensations with equanimity. This method is given Pahāna Suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From what I understand, mindfulness practice has to do with staying in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No necessarily true. This is the general thought this way so students do not make mistakes in practising the instructions. The instuction and easier and simplified also. Saṃyutta Nikāya &gt; Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta &gt; saṭṭhipeyyāla gives practising on the past, present and future 6 sense bases, 6 faculties, 6 external objects, 6 contacts from the respective faculties, 6 feelings from the particular contacts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T04:27:57.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12906" CreationDate="2015-12-04T04:35:26.197" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me give a metaphor for this. Imagine you are standing at the foothill of a great mountain...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you think, oh how nice would it be, to stand on top of this mountain. It would truly be a great sight, a majestic sight, a big achievement on my part - and what kinds of great friends would I make on the top! they would certainly be much more interesting people than ones I have down here. It would be so awesome to be up there! In comparison to that, how unfortunate I am to be  down here! -- And so forth and so on, this is what goes through your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, Buddhism does not say you should stay at the bottom all the time. But &lt;em&gt;just thinking&lt;/em&gt; about the top is useless. Moreover, the craving for the top, and comparison with your position at the bottom - creates that painful feeling of wrongness, dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, if you say: the top is up there. Let me look under my feet. Which little step can I make now? Let me forget about the top for now, let me forget about the levels, let me focus on the steps under my feet. I don't know exactly where I'm going - I've never been there. I don't know the exact path - and I can't spend my whole life planning it or I will never get anywhere. Instead, as long as I have the overall direction right, and start making the steps - I will get there sooner or later, guaranteed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do I need to do &lt;em&gt;right here&lt;/em&gt; to get &lt;em&gt;over there&lt;/em&gt;? Starting right now I must make every step as an investment. I must stop roaming randomly like others who don't have the same goal. Every step I take can get me either 1 inch in the right direction, 12 inches in the right direction, 1 inch in the wrong direction, or 12 inches in the wrong direction. So I must develop this habit of making a better step if possible every time. Start small: I have 10 dollars - no need to figure out the perfect way to spend them, &lt;strong&gt;just minimize waste&lt;/strong&gt;. Minimize going in the wrong direction. Then with time it will come by itself, the knowledge of the best possible step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to approach this is by &lt;strong&gt;imitating the qualities of people who got to the top&lt;/strong&gt;. How does the owner of the private business behave? Your manager at work asks you to do something - do you act like you are the real business owner? (This is called &quot;taking the goal as the path&quot;. Some say this is the more advanced way, the faster way. The two schools keep arguing which way is better ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short, speculative thinking about the abstract goal is &quot;bad&quot; - it does not get you anywhere, it only generates suffering. Instead, by not going in the wrong direction today, by not going randomly here and there today, by minimizing the waste today, and by imitating the qualities of the people who did it, - we can create the path connecting this place under our feet with the high goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is not too abstract for you. By &quot;going in the wrong direction&quot; I meant spending money on things that will suck your money in the future. By &quot;going in the right direction&quot; I meant spending money on things that will bring you some money in the future. By &quot;going randomly here and there&quot; I meant spending money on other goals and random entertainment. By &quot;minimizing waste&quot; I meant every time you spend your money try to make a small improvement. By &quot;imitating qualities of people who got there&quot; I meant try to imagine how they think and do what they would do. Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And since we are on Buddhism Q&amp;amp;A site, by &quot;wrong direction&quot; I also meant unwholesome thinking, by &quot;right direction&quot; I meant wholesome thinking, by &quot;minimize waste&quot; I meant to watch for and control the hangups manifesting in daily life, and by &quot;imitating&quot; the accomplished people I meant trying to imagine how the Buddha would have reacted to the same life challenges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T13:45:50.277" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T13:45:50.277" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12905" CreationDate="2015-12-04T05:26:59.547" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you suggest by writing that your work involves ‘going’ into the future and past, the reality of our experience is that past and future exist only in thought (which includes memories, imagination and so on). This is the key to approaching your experience with mindfulness. In any given moment it is possible to recognise, from a place of awareness, that thought is occurring. In my experience the best place to start with mindfulness is the body and breath. They help root us in our present, moment by moment experience. When aware of being in the present moment it is possible to notice that thinking is happening. It is not you,  it is not necessary to identify with the thoughts nor get lost in them. One way to work with this is to start work with a kind of ‘checking in’ with yourself, with a minute or two of mindfulness, being present, however you find it is best done for you. And then to frequently ‘check in’ with your body and breath as your work continues, continuing like this throughout the day. In this way you can gradually develop the ability to think but not be lost in thought. I hope that helps…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7369" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T05:26:59.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12902" CreationDate="2015-12-04T05:29:19.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Male &amp;amp; Female - Is gender an illusion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender is temporal and decaying. (A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma &gt; Occurrence of Material Phenomena, p255 onwards)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism &amp;amp; Science there is no gender to the mind but to the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender is heart base. Heart is generally used for mind born phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one era of a universe comes to an end almost all the beings get their birth in Brahma realm ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In non / fine material planes there is no gender, i.e., asexual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender would be an anomaly in the perspective of a being in non / fine material planes but normal in other planes. Being asexual will be an anomaly in the material planes. This is all relative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But just like society accepting LGBT groups in our time they learn to accept this gender+sex situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual orientation and desire is a mental construct, hence an illusion as these concepts breakdown at the level of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt;, but gender is an part of matter constructing the corporeal body (Rupa), which is considered and absolute truth (something that does not breakdown due to meditative scrutiny into the finer constituents).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But once you use something like Vipassana meditation to see a human being you see that there is no such thing called gender in this bag of flesh and bones&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anāgāmi&lt;/a&gt; you lose the sexual desires. This does not mean you lose your sex. Though Vipassana you experience &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion&lt;/a&gt; to the 5 aggregates. I presume not every partitioner will get the deep insights as to see the arising and passing or gender.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is gender really an illusion or is there more to this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This depends on what meaning you give to the word &lt;code&gt;illusion&lt;/code&gt;. It is temporal and not always present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So is it right to think that one illusion of the mind defined all that we are as beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender is temporary and not always present but when it is it is a fact not a mental construction, hence not and illusion, as per my thinking and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T07:05:37.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12914" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12930" CreationDate="2015-12-04T09:38:09.557" Score="1" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that many fiction writers were very wise, including those, who had little or no access to spiritual teachings (e. g. the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_and_Boris_Strugatsky&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Strugatsky&lt;/a&gt; brothers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Allegedly, in Japanese culture non-spiritual activities (tea ceremony, archery, calligraphy, martial arts) are being used as tools for spiritual development. I heard some people say that any activity can be used for approaching enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's true, then fiction writing can be used in the same way as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone spends a lot of time and energy writing fiction books (they regard it as the most important part of life), what can they do in order to get maximum spiritual benefit from this activity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I. e. if the enlightenment is the goal, and fiction writing is the engine, what kind of maintenance acts is necessary to reach the goal using that engine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Preferably, it should be concrete advice, ideally with some data supporting it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those recommendations should be compatible with (or adaptable to) the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Way_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Diamond Way Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T10:12:06.457" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:56:29.713" Title="How can fiction writing be best used for achieving enlightenment?" Tags="|enlightenment|art|books|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12905" CreationDate="2015-12-04T10:41:32.720" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness thinking about future and past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually any object can be taken as a meditation-object, it does not matter if the object is a physical or mental phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing Vipassana meditation (insight meditation), then you have to be with reality in the present moment. That is the foundation of the technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are on the job and working with past and future you can be mindful of the &lt;em&gt;thoughts, ideas and other mental formations&lt;/em&gt;, as they arise and pass away. If you observe them with mindfulness, in the present moment, then you are practicing correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are getting lost in the thoughts, that means that mindfulness is absent and the Mind has followed after the object or run away from the object. When one is mindful, the Mind is kept in the present moment, unable to stray from the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there such thing as mindfulness thinking about the future or past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking about past and future is actually done in the present moment, since past and future are concepts and do not really exist. There is only the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tradition I practice (Mahasi Sayadaw, The Burmese Method), has a technique of noting. There is already an answer in the thread which describes the noting. If one is thinking, then one makes a mental note saying &quot;thinking, thinking&quot; while sending the Mind out to the object. That means that full attention has to be placed on the object (in this case &lt;em&gt;mental formations&lt;/em&gt;), while the mental note is being applied. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one has observed and noted the object a couple of times, one places attention on the feeling of the rising and falling of the abdomen. The abdomen functions as an anchor, so that the Mind will not get lost. One keeps attention on the abdomen until a new object arises, then one notes that object a couple of times and again returns attention to the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The function of the noting is the remind oneself to stay in the present moment and to stay objective. This way the Mind cannot identify with the objects. Instead one is seeing their ultimate reality, i.e. the 3 marks of existence; &lt;em&gt;Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness and Uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt; of conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this tradition one tries to cultivate insight about the 3 marks of existence. They are gateways to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T10:41:32.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12906" CreationDate="2015-12-04T10:54:05.273" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should i stop and just work without thinking about a better job / a private business?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noone can answer that but yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aversion that arises from the current job can be used as a vehicle for developing insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to observe that aversion and learn about it, try to understand it. Pain, aversion, suffering is our greatest teachers. Try to be mindful on the job when you are standing up for long hours, maybe with pain in the legs. Observe the pain, observe the feelings in the legs and very important, observe the Mind and see how it reacts to these feelings and pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem arises when we identify with pain and feelings or with &quot;our&quot; job or career. You will see that the desire to change job is based on the aversion from this job. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desires, aversions are conditioned phenomena, meaning that they are subject to birth and death. They are impermanent and will both change and fall away over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is one of the wholesome mental factors (cetasikas). When mindfulness is present it will be much easier to make decisions, since there are no &quot;I, Me or Self&quot; involved. Wholesome actions produce wholesome future results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T10:54:05.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12917" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T11:50:08.230" Score="2" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;We always talk and think about self as a noun. When reading Buddhist philosophy, I have never seen exceptions to this. Both &quot;common sense looking&quot; and &quot;metaphysical looking&quot; is looking for &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, it has been helpful to think about the word 'self' as a verb. Something like this: Self is action, even the sheer directedness of mind is an action. &quot;I&quot; self therefore &quot;I&quot; am. Apart from that, &quot;I&quot; am not. There is no looker apart from the looking, no self apart from the selfing. To me, the question &quot;what/where is the 'I' doing the selfing?&quot; is redundant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The self is the (dependently arisen) selfing. If, and only if, the causes and conditions for selfing is present, there is selfing. If they're not present in the first place, or removed, there's no selfing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why even assume or presuppose that there could be the slightest possibility of finding this “thing” self? Why look? It’s not helpful at all, in my opinion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know thinkers/writers explicitly talking and thinking about self as action/verb?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T12:44:18.383" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T08:22:57.563" Title="Why talk and think about self as noun?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|anatman|self|language|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12917" CreationDate="2015-12-04T12:29:03.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think there's an overly good answer to your question. &quot;Self&quot;, as a word, in every language, &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a noun. Quite simply, this is why people use it as a noun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your suggestion to use it as a verb is interesting. I'd offer yet another suggestion: why think of words as being &quot;nouns&quot; or &quot;verbs&quot; at all? Noun and verb are just mind-made constructs to add a certain level of detail to concepts; you could just as easily opt to ignore them and consider the raw nature of the concepts themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T12:29:03.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12917" CreationDate="2015-12-04T12:57:33.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's conventionally useful to identify 'the agent' of an action, for example, &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Who&lt;/strong&gt;se turn is it to wash the dishes?&amp;quot; implies there's a someone who'll be doing that (more or less reliably).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People (or people's feelings) are also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/noun#Verb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nouned&lt;/a&gt; when they're used as the object of a sentence, for example, &amp;quot;I hurt &lt;strong&gt;him&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personal identity (including family) are also important (in law/jurisprudence) in assigning ownership of property, for example, &amp;quot;Who owns this land?&amp;quot;, and inheritance etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having nouns in sentences is partly grammar. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_grammar#Sentence_structure&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chinese sentence structure&lt;/a&gt; allows sentences without verbs (Wikipedia calls it &amp;quot;to some degree &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-drop_language&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pro-drop&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null-subject_language&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;null-subject&lt;/a&gt; language&amp;quot;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today hike up mountains, tomorrow camp outdoors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps similarly, a nounal subject is optional/implied/unecessary in Latin, where the suffix of the verb is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_conjugation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conjugated&lt;/a&gt; to indicate the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_person&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;person&lt;/a&gt;. So for example &lt;em&gt;amo&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;amas&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;amat&lt;/em&gt; is (or must be) translated into English by adding pronouns (required by English grammar) as &amp;quot;I love&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;You love, and &amp;quot;He or She loves&amp;quot;; but maybe you can think of it without a noun (or with less of a noun) as &amp;quot;first person loving&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;second person loving&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;third person loving&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might have heard that linguists have theorized that there's a correlation between grammar and reality, but I haven't heard any details about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know Pali well enough to include it in this answer, but look at an example of some Pali at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=157&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the top of this page&lt;/a&gt; (which starts with the Pali &lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt; for &amp;quot;self&amp;quot;, from which we then get &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anattā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; or &amp;quot;non-self&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found a comment about Sanskrit -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1993/01/25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jayarava said&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s nothing wrong with creating new verbs from nouns. We do it all the time. There’s even a technical term for such verbs: denominative. We also go the other way and create verbal nouns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it’s not just English that does this. Sanskrit is full of denominative verbs and verbal nouns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T17:03:59.633" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12921" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T13:05:34.440" Score="3" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;The English word ‘reality’ (from the Latin res, &quot;matter” or “thing&quot;) is very misleading and says the opposite of what “reality” actually is. The Latin 'res' is a very deceptive word, it makes you think about something static, finite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s etymologically very interesting to look at reality from a Norwegian perspective. The Norwegian words are more dynamic and the reason might be that Norwegian is a highly ambiguous language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have two official versions of Norwegian, and so we have two words for 'reality'. One is 'røyndom'. 'Røyn' means something you can experience, something you can learn, but also something that takes a toll, something that gets you worn down. It's not static, but a dynamic concept, an expression of change. Its meaning is similar to the meaning of suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other, the most common word for reality, is 'virkelighet' (like the German 'wirklichkeit'). 'Virke' means functioning, so 'virkelighet' is &quot;that which happens when it's 'working/functioning' &quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Virke' also means 'seem'. If you want to say in Norwegian &quot;it seems to be that way, but it's not&quot;, you use the same word! (det &lt;em&gt;virker&lt;/em&gt; som ...&quot;) I think it's interesting and an example of etymology clarifying philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the Pali and Sanskrit words for reality? Is &quot;reality&quot; an accurate translation? What English word – like the Norwegian ones – could be used instead to better represent what actually is the nature of reality? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-12T09:50:00.330" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T09:50:00.330" Title="What Pali and English words are translations of the Norwegian words for ‘reality’?" Tags="|philosophy|pali-language|reality|language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12922" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T13:38:52.810" Score="4" ViewCount="803" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist teachers and writings I have seen differentiate between (students of) “high capacity” and “low(er) capacity”. As far as I’ve understood, some of the criteria for saying that some people are of “high capacity” is intelligence and morality. It also seems to me that you actually have to have heard about the Dharma to be of “high capacity”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone give explicit criteria for what “high capacity” and “low(er) capacity” actually means? Or a reference to an explanation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T02:44:57.383" LastActivityDate="2024-01-05T19:25:36.280" Title="What are the criteria for calling someone a high or low capacity?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|reference-request|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12923" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T13:59:51.103" Score="2" ViewCount="443" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of talk in Buddhism about merit. I think the word merit sounds a bit like a good grade in school or some star the teacher puts in the book. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is merit something that follows my thoughts and actions as a&#xA;consequence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or is merit more like an acquired disposition to act and think in certain ways?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or perhaps it's both  an acquired disposition and a    consequence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are we born with a certain &quot;amount&quot; of merit due to karma?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does a person know that s/he is accumulating merit?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T14:57:29.260" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T06:57:54.297" Title="What does merit (puṇya/puñña) actually mean?" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|ethics|merit|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12921" CreationDate="2015-12-04T14:23:21.687" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Yatha butha&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Thathata&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; are pali terms for Reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By referring &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=tathatta&amp;amp;lang=en%2Cpi&amp;amp;define=1&amp;amp;details=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt; website,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition for the pāli word Yathābhūtaṃ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yathābhūtaṃ adv. in truth; in reality; in its real essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As Butha,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition for the pāli word Bhucca&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;bhūta] only in cpd. yathā—bhuccaṁ (nt. adv.) as it is, that which&#xA;really is, really (=yathā bhūtaṁ) Th 2, 143 … 143. See under yathā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As Thatha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition for the pāli word Tathatta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;M i.468.—abl. tathattā in truth, really Sn 520 sq. (cp. M Vastu&#xA;iii.397). tathatta nt. the state of … Tathatta (nt.) [*tathātvaṁ] &amp;quot;the&#xA;state of being so,&amp;quot; the truth, Nibbāna; only in foll. phrases: (a)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most common terms used to clarify reality are &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Anicha, Dukka, Anatha&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;. &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sunya and Pathichasamuthpanna&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; also can be used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T14:23:21.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12925" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T14:32:51.643" Score="1" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is usually said that the root delusions of attachment, anger and unawareness/ignorance are the causes of Dukkha. Of the three, unawareness/ignorance is the root cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see very how unawareness/ignorance can lead to Dukkha. But is there any evidence in the scriptures that unawareness/ignorance itself is Dukkha?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T19:25:05.613" Title="Is ignorance/unawareness Dukkha?" Tags="|dukkha|ignorance|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12923" CreationDate="2015-12-04T15:45:28.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is here a 119 pages &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fpmtabc.org/download/teaching/geshe-chonyi/bp/tathagataessence/Reference/BP%202%20Module%206%20-%20Tathagata%20Essence-Summary25.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;transcript of a teaching given by Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi&lt;/a&gt;, in which he answers that exact same question. Search for 'what is merit' and you will find the answer, page 26. Although Khenrinpoche's answer is not extremely precise (it that it might not stand debate) there are greatly illuminating points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In one way, merit and virtue are the same.  &lt;strong&gt;In general&lt;/strong&gt;,  virtue is 'virtuous karma', for it is a cause of the fruitional effect of happiness [in the aspect of pleasant feelings, and so forth].&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, a collection of merits is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The virtuous imprint that is left in the  mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A non-associated composition factor (like karmic imprints, so it stands to say they are the same in general)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A cause of the Form Body [whereas the collection of wisdom results in the Truth Body]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also adds: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I  would  think that, the  meaning  of the word accumulate  in the&#xA;  phrase  accumulate the collection of merit would  mean that, doing &#xA;  something  repeatedly such that, a real impression, mark, imprint is&#xA;  left on the  mind .  This is  the meaning  of  to accumulate .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being virtuous karmic imprints, it is produced by every virtuous intention (like for instance the virtuous intention to give, which is generosity) as well as any virtuous bodily or verbal action. Being virtuous karmic imprints, it must also have the same 4 types of result, one of them being the resultant tendency concordant to the cause. It means you will have a seemingly natural tendency, and liking for, say, practicing generosity and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T15:45:28.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12922" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:07:18.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a long journey,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To follow the Buddhist path to freedom need some capability. If one's capacity is sufficient enough then s/he can compete the path at once.(single go). Otherwise need to recharge or gain the sufficient capacity and complete rest of the path.&#xA;The capability consists (of) intellectual and morality colitis (moral qualities?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them are as follows,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Paramita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paramita&lt;/a&gt; [paaramii, paaramitaa]: Perfection of the character. A group&#xA;of ten qualities developed over many lifetimes by a bodhisatta, which&#xA;appear as a group in the Pali canon only in the Jataka (&amp;quot;Birth&#xA;Stories&amp;quot;): generosity (dana), virtue (sila), renunciation (nekkhamma),&#xA;discernment (pañña), energy/persistence (viriya), patience/forbearance&#xA;(khanti), truthfulness (sacca), determination (adhitthana), good will&#xA;(metta), and equanimity (upekkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kusala/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kusala&lt;/a&gt; : (nt.) good action; merit; virtue. (adj.), clever.&#xA;What should be done by one &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/kp9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;skillful&lt;/a&gt;(Kusala) in good, who has comprehended the state of peace:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2024-01-03T11:58:16.837" LastActivityDate="2024-01-03T11:58:16.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12922" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:14:19.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One place where the word 'capacity' is used is in the translation of &lt;em&gt;The Jewel Ornament Of Liberation&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All sentient beings have Buddha-nature. That being the case, do all beings in the five realms, such as hell beings, hungry ghosts, and so forth, have the &lt;strong&gt;capacity&lt;/strong&gt; to work toward enlightenment? No. Only a “precious human life,” which has the two qualities of leisure and endowment, and a mind which holds the three faiths, has a good basis to work toward enlightenment. The summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Leisure and endowment,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Trust, longing, and clarity,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Two of the body, and three of the mind—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These five comprise the excellent working basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Sanskrit, “man” is &lt;em&gt;purusha&lt;/em&gt;, which translates as “capacity” or “ability.” Hence, a human life with the qualities of leisure and endowment provides the capacity or ability to attain either the temporary high realms or definite goodness; therefore, it is called purusha. Furthermore, there are three different types of ability: the inferior, mediocre, and superior. As it says in the &lt;em&gt;Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;One should understand that there are three different types of person: Inferior, mediocre, and superior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An inferior person has the ability to attain a human or god realm without falling into lower realms. It is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;One who makes effort, by any means,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    To achieve the pleasures of samsara&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    For his own benefit—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    This is called the inferior person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A mediocre person has the ability to attain the state of peace and happiness by freeing himself from samsara. It is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;One who turns his back on the pleasures of samsara&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    And abstains from nonvirtuous deeds,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    But who is interested only in his own peace—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    This is called the mediocre person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A superior person has the ability to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;By seeing the suffering within one’s own mind-stream, One yearns to completely exhaust the suffering of others— This is called the supreme person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By first cultivating the mind of supreme enlightenment and then persistently training, one will go through all the paths and levels of a bodhisattva. Explanation of the path follows. The summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The path of accumulation, the path of application,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    The path of insight, the path of meditation practice,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    And the path of complete perfection—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    These five comprise the explanation of the paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The five paths according to the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment: First, the paths establish a foundation through study and practice of the Dharma of lower and middle capacity persons, then cultivate the mind of aspiration and action bodhicitta, then they gather the two accumulations. These clearly explain the path of accumulation. “Then one gradually attains the heat and so forth” explains the path of application. “Obtain the level of Great Joy and so forth” explains the paths of insight, meditation, and perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the passages above says &quot;capacity&quot; a translation of the Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;purusha&lt;/em&gt;, for which &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purusha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Purusha (Sanskrit puruṣa, पुरुष) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The abstract idea Purusa is extensively discussed etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no consensus among schools of Hinduism on the definition etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me personally I guess I relate the word &quot;capacity&quot; to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/1acupoftea.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this story (A Cup of Tea)&lt;/a&gt;: relating &quot;capacity&quot; with emptiness (which is a Taoist notion, e.g. that it's the empty space within a house that makes the house useful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:14:19.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12923" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:15:34.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pleasantness is a synonym for good/merit (puṇya/puñña).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an7.62&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mettasutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Mā, bhikkhave, &lt;strong&gt;puññānaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; bhāyittha. Sukhassetaṃ, bhikkhave,&#xA;  adhivacanaṃ yadidaṃ puññāni..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, do not fear to do good. Pleasantness is a synonym for good. Bhikkhus, I know of enjoying the results of pleasing and agreeable good, done long ago...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:15:34.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12914" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:32:07.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I may not know much about Buddhism, but as I understand it mindfulness is probably the best way to achieve enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially, enlightenment is understanding everything, having all the walls torn down in your mind and being open to the oneness of the universe. Thus, in order to understand everything, you have to begin to understand something. You may be in luck, because it looks like you've already found the thing you want to understand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in terms of fiction writing, it's a very artistic pursuit, and something I and many other artists understand is that our work is never complete, never perfect. There's always a way to improve, no matter how good we get. This process of improving one's skills, honing one's talents, reaching ever closer to perfection, is very close to the process of achieving enlightenment. The only difference is that it is very limited in its scope, but I believe even this is only a temporary hurdle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own pursuit of fiction-writing perfection, I've discovered many great and interesting things. In order to make my worlds feel real, I've had to better understand our own world (I'd really recommend looking at Worldbuilding SE). To write better characters, I have to understand the human condition. In general, I've realized that in order to be a perfect writer, I would have to achieve enlightenment; otherwise, anything I write would be lacking in some aspect due to my own inadequacy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the most part, I believe this process is natural; people who like doing a thing naturally want to get better at it, and getting better at pretty much anything will naturally lead to getting better at other things. But I would also say that being aware of this process from the start is much easier than figuring it out on your own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my suggestion to you is to just be aware of your art, and what it is, and how it is linked to everything else. Never stop trying to improve, and never limit yourself; always be open to new concepts, new ideas, and new ways to get better.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7209" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:32:07.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12917" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:43:52.697" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Self as noun or action/verb?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is mirage is a noun or action?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is rainbow is a noun or action?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Dress(Not cloth) is a noun(a thing) or concept?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Is person is a noun or concept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Me(self) is a noun or concept?(Mantel action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:43:52.697" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12925" CreationDate="2015-12-04T16:49:19.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha has many meanings.  It also means changing, impermanent, subject to destruction, then yes, ignorance is dukkha because it is impermanent.   To put it in perspective, wisdom or Panna is also Dukkha because it is subject to decay and ending.  Wisdom ends when name-form ends.  Ignorance (as well as wisdom) is Pratītyasamutpāna-dhamma (conditoned dhamma).  The things that beings are ignorance of is the four noble truths.  that's why beings are constantly searching for sensual pleasures  (or in finer cases, pleasures from rupa and arupa bliss).  We dont know that things we are searching for are reasons why we suffer.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T16:49:19.800" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12922" CreationDate="2015-12-04T17:10:18.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;criteria of high or low capacity (to make progress in Dhamma) is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Strength&lt;/a&gt;, not merits a being has collected, not how deep a person is attached to sensual pleasures.  Buddha is the only one who has the ability to see being's Five Strengths through and through.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five strengths determine a being's capability to make progress in Dhamma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also look up &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Indriya 5&lt;/a&gt; for further research if you want. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T17:15:32.927" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T17:15:32.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12935" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12945" CreationDate="2015-12-04T17:51:28.673" Score="4" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;A standard model of human practical reasoning is the belief-desire-intention model of action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very simply put: The agent has a desire (“I want to be a doctor”) and a set of beliefs (“Studying medicine will get me there”) on the basis of which s/he forms an intention to act in a certain way (“I’ll study hard and try to get in to medical school”). When you ask a person, the intention and the desire is what the person refers to as her or his reasons for doing (and not doing) what s/he does. F.ex. staying home and reading instead of going to the pub. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism have a model of practical rationality that can be extracted on the basis of canonical texts? And if so, is the Buddhist practical rationality model normative (what's beneficial/not beneficial) or descriptive, based on the agents subjective rationality like the belief-desire-intention model of action? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/action/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is more on the model&lt;/a&gt; (as ascribed to D. Davidson, the idea is pretty much all over western philosophy and goes goes back - hold fast! - to Plato).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-04T18:52:40.727" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T16:11:15.960" Title="Does Buddhism have a model of practical rationality?" Tags="|ethics|philosophy|western-philosophy|right-intention|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12935" CreationDate="2015-12-04T20:36:23.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes there is...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist point of view on daily life and goals established by an individual is quite simple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For example&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sue likes to be a doctor one day,she study hard and do her best to become a doctor.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here,Sue (our hypothetical student) is in the mindset to become a Doctor. She works hard for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;But is there anything wrong with that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, Because as to Lord Buddha one must choose a path, he or she must choose a life (Monk or Civilian). The monk must work hard to reach his goal,Nirvana, And the Civilian must work extra hard to reach good living conditions and Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Read this Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebuddhism.net/2012/10/08/sigalovada-sutta/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sigalovada Sutta - How should a Buddhist complete his responsibilities in a household&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even reaching targets in path doesn't effect normal lifestyle&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakhasig2=uNLkqn-oiaxYmfHRYZm58A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vishakha - The girl who became Sovan in the age of seven&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So clearly the point is.....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is alright to have goals on life but one mustn't be driven by them.Being a Buddhist is not about sitting all day wishing treasures to fall on lap, If you chose a normal life you must live it as to the teaching meantime focusing on your personal goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-04T20:36:23.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12937" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-04T21:05:17.530" Score="6" ViewCount="344" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like studying Buddhism, especially Prasangika, but I find I sometimes get kind of conceptual. I practice shamata every day, but if a beginner like myself wants to try meditation/mindfulness with koans, where should he begin? Any general tips for dos and don'ts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T16:37:25.783" Title="Koans for beginner - dos and don'ts?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|koans|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12917" CreationDate="2015-12-04T21:31:08.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question stands on the shoulders of giants and still can't get the job done.  I don't mean this badly; I mean you are starting from a very high state of being and inquiry (in relationship to most human thought), and asking the question that is kind of at the heart of the matter; and you're asking &quot;the question&quot; as if it was a '&lt;em&gt;duh&lt;/em&gt;' question - (&lt;code&gt;how could anyone not know this? duh&lt;/code&gt; ), and it's not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's interesting is that any intellectual knowledge you (not you specifically)  have about this subject is fairly useless.  The answer to this question as an &lt;em&gt;answer&lt;/em&gt; is not helpful, because what matters is the ability to unlock that understanding gradually (or all at once), pulling apart the masses of accumulated attachments that help construct the prison of the &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; (I prefer the word &lt;code&gt;identity&lt;/code&gt; when attempting to distinguish the &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; of attachments).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's important isn't so much - &lt;code&gt;'Why talk and think about self as noun?'&lt;/code&gt;, because this isn't an error that arises in grammar.  Grammar makes the trap that much stickier, but the process of relating to one's self as being fixed - of having immutable qualities, etc. - arose not out of the language used to identify us skin sacks - but rather the morass that &lt;em&gt;us&lt;/em&gt; stuffed into those skin sacks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking about it in basic terms - the question isn't &lt;code&gt;Why talk about self as noun?&lt;/code&gt;, but something closer to &lt;code&gt;Why is it that I experience myself as - and only as - an *it*; an object sitting inside a sack of skin, looking out through two holes at a world outside of; and also separate from; myself?&lt;/code&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a source to the experience of a permanent, unchanging self, and the access to getting to that source is not attempting to codify your experience in  transitional language.  That's like putting a bow tie on a bowel movement.  The access to &lt;code&gt;unminding&lt;/code&gt; is different for all of us - it involves dismantling our own barriers and attachment.  It's also a similar enough process that techniques such as those espoused by the Buddha and other great teachers were set up - and could be set up - to give people an access back to themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T17:34:02.090" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T17:34:02.090" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12922" CreationDate="2015-12-04T22:32:55.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;EDIT: coming back to the notes of some Buddhist lectures I attended, I did find some references!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Low Capacity: remains a &quot;faith follower&quot; for a long time. Does not really understand the explanations, but follows the teacher with enthusiasm and determination. Usually has good but rather superficial morals. Requires much &lt;em&gt;study&lt;/em&gt; over a long time, to imbue clear in-depth understanding of Buddhist principle-and-function.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Medium Capacity: remains a &quot;dharma follower&quot; for a long time. Has thorough intellectual understanding, but no true insight into the principle-and-function of Buddhism. Because of this, has one's theoretical constructs disconnected from one's daily life. Requires lots and lots of &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; over long period of time, to cleanse the blockages and overcome habits.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;High Capacity: gets the point with little to no explanations just by watching the teacher in action. Has capacity for intuitive grasp of the Truth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T16:52:40.793" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T16:52:40.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12940" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-05T05:48:31.890" Score="1" ViewCount="64" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading various threads here, I know that plants are not considered to be sentient beings in Buddhism. But I still can't help wondering whether Buddhists create bad karma if they cultivate non-native plants. By 'cultivate' I mean for example &lt;em&gt;planting&lt;/em&gt; a palm tree in a temperate climate (with large temperature changes over a year) or a giant sequoia anywhere but in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. (I do &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; mean caring for plants that have been planted by others before me.)    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7380" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T11:14:52.917" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T15:14:14.557" Title="Should Buddhists only cultivate native plants?" Tags="|karma|ethics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12941" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-05T06:02:51.627" Score="0" ViewCount="324" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, Buddhism is not inconsistent with Darwin's theory of evolution. Since the law of karma is central to Buddhism and applies to sentient beings, is the law of karma something that evolved, too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7380" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T07:00:43.980" Title="Has the law of karma evolved/is it evolving?" Tags="|karma|evolution|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12940" CreationDate="2015-12-05T15:08:54.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome actions are created when the &lt;em&gt;intention/volition&lt;/em&gt; behind the action is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is cultivating plants with intentions of &lt;em&gt;greed, anger, non-harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;, then one is creating unwholesome kamma, which will produce unwholesome future resultants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is cultivating plants with wholesome intentions such as &lt;em&gt;good-will, caring, altruism&lt;/em&gt;, wholesome future resultants will be produced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important here, is the Mind that is behind the action. Everything starts in the Mind, with reference to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/d_twin.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the twin verses in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/CcqJL.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/CcqJL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T15:14:14.557" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T15:14:14.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12902" CreationDate="2015-12-05T15:23:42.220" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Male &amp;amp; Female - Is gender an illusion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, gender is like an illusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A man, a woman, an arm, a human body, an animal, a car, a planet&lt;/em&gt; etc. all these conditioned phenomena are are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;concepts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. They exist in conventional reality (sammuti-sacca) but not in ultimate reality (paramattha-sacca).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ultimate reality, there is just experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T10:47:16.767" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T10:47:16.767" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12935" CreationDate="2015-12-05T15:26:43.747" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the belief-desire-intention model of action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the &quot;four noble truths&quot; an example of that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I &quot;believe&quot; the first three truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I &quot;desire&quot; the end of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore I &quot;intend&quot; the fourth noble truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &quot;ethics&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I believe that immorality causes or doesn't alleviate suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I wish to avoid causing suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore I intend to avoid immorality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &quot;compassion&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I believe I am able to suffer (and want to avoid that)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I believe other people are like me (able to suffer and wanting to avoid that)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore I intend other people to be free from suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the idea is pretty much all over western philosophy and goes back - hold fast! - to Plato&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you read &lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt;? I liked it. I'd rather not spoiler it but I was remembering it earlier today: towards the climax (which isn't at the end of the book), he goes back to Homer and the Sophists. He quite loses his cool over Aristotle, which is funny at the time, sadder later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T15:26:43.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12935" CreationDate="2015-12-05T15:41:30.590" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The pattern you can see repeated over and over in Pali Suttas, is Buddha saying: &quot;there is a case&quot; when someone does X - then later it can be expected the result Y will follow. Much of Buddha's guidance takes form of such statements, &quot;this is how things usually work out&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some other suttas Buddha says &quot;having a belief Z will help towards Y because it will motivate the person to do X&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- These two are what you call &quot;descriptive&quot;, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some other suttas Buddha simply talks about wholesome/unwholesome behavior without connecting it to goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- These seemingly appear to be what you call &quot;normative&quot; - however I think they are really just &lt;em&gt;implicitly descriptive&lt;/em&gt;. It is just that the goals and beliefs are implied, depending on the type of the audience. He &lt;em&gt;implies&lt;/em&gt; either the layman goal of happy/enjoyable living or the recluse's goal of attaining the final Enlightenment/Liberation/Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, in some other sutta Buddha says &quot;ABC is a valid goal too, but Y is the highest goal, the ultimate goal&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- This clearly looks like a normative kind of statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it looks like the Buddhist model of rationality is almost completely descriptive with the exception of the (normative) superiority of Enlightenment over all other goals. Besides the Enlightenment, which seems to be the didactic implant, most of the rest of Buddhism is highly descriptive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moggallana and Sariputta stayed with Sanjaya for some years, leading the life of wandering ascetics, but they were not really satisfied with what they were learning from their teacher. After a while they decided to split up and each go their own way in search for truth, promising that the first to find it should tell the other. One day, as Sariputta was walking through Rajagaha, he saw a monk and was deeply impressed by &lt;em&gt;the grace and poise with which he moved and the calm happy expression on his face&lt;/em&gt;. The monk happened to be Assaji, one of the [first five] Buddha's disciples. Sariputta asked him:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who is your teacher?&quot; and Assaji replied, &quot;Friend, there is a great ascetic, a son of the Sakyans, who went forth from the Sakyan clan. It is because of this Lord that I have gone forth. This Lord is my teacher, I accept this Lord's Dharma.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What doctrine does your teacher teach? What does he point to?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Friend, I am a beginner, I have only just gone forth, I am new in this Dharma and discipline. I cannot teach the Dharma in full, but I will tell you its essence.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So be it, your reverence, tell me little or tell me much, but either way give me its essence, I just want the essence. There is no need for great elaboration.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So Assaji said: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Those things that proceed from a cause, of those things the Tathagata has told the cause. And that which is their stopping, of that the great recluse also has a doctrine.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T16:11:15.960" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T16:11:15.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12941" CreationDate="2015-12-05T16:07:54.203" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;AFAIK, changing is probably the only thing common to both Buddhism and Darwin's theory of evolution. The law of Karma is an important teaching in Buddhism that explains a certain causes and effect process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha Dhamma is called Akaliko for 2 reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gives effect immediately&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;True for all three times (past, present and future)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we must not confuse Buddha Dhamma with the word 'Dhamma' used in &quot;Sabbe Dhamma Anatta&quot;. Here the word 'Dhamma' means phenomena. All phenomena except Nibbana are conditioned and subjected to change. Buddha Dhamma is the teachings of those phenomena and their behavior. That is true for all times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science keep changing as it is based on hypothesis. Buddha Dhamma does not change as it is based on direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the required causes are present, the effect will come to past. Regarding the teaching of Karma, time itself is part of the equation. Read about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3161.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kala Sampatti &amp;amp; Kala Vipatti&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T18:13:53.510" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T18:13:53.510" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12948" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-05T17:08:10.500" Score="3" ViewCount="231" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why&lt;/strong&gt; do we have to watch body sensations separately by &lt;strong&gt;sitting meditation&lt;/strong&gt;, when even in our daily life we are experiencing sensations moment to moment (and realizing everything is vibrating in our body)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And can we achieve omniscience and knowledge of our past lives, karma, etc., by watching breath and watching body sensations only? Or there is more to it in vippasana meditations, other than watching breath and body sensations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This question was originally titled &quot;tibetan buddhism chanting om mani padme hum and watching the breath meditations and watching mental states&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7383" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T18:47:15.230" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T19:36:17.367" Title="Why sitting meditation, and is vippasana and breath meditation sufficient?" Tags="|vipassana|tibetan-buddhism|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12902" CreationDate="2015-12-05T17:27:41.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I would recommend reading it fully and answering the part that is not complicated to you.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alright, I'll try to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Birth of gender according to Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Aggañña Sutta is a story about caste. It's saying &quot;brahmins aren't born of God, they're born of parents like other people are.&quot; It has nothing to do with gender, nor the origin of the species.&#xA;Statements in the dharmadarer PDF you linked to seem to agree with or support this assessment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, it is clear that the Agganna narrative is Buddhist&#xA;  mythology, and mythology was a common didactic tool in ancient societies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The humorous language and imagery of such suttas is understandable as they deal with well-established&#xA;  ideas and norms, taken seriously especially by those who used them to legitimize their affluence&#xA;  and position in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Richard Gombrich&lt;/strong&gt;, in his &lt;em&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A social history from Benares to Colombo&lt;/em&gt;, remarks&#xA;  that the Aggañña Sutta is “an extended satire on brahminical ideas, full of parody and puns... As a debunking&#xA;  job I think the sermon is serious: &lt;strong&gt;its main aim is to show that the class system is nothing but a&#xA;  human invention&lt;/strong&gt;”; however, &quot;I cannot go here into all the reasons why I think that the positive statements&#xA;  in the myth are satirical and not meant to be taken literally.&quot; (1988:85). In his book, &quot;The Buddha’s Book&#xA;  of Genesis&quot; (1992a), Gombrich goes on to elaborate on the significance of the Buddha’s humour in presenting&#xA;  a parody and pastiche of brahmanical claims, teachings and practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's similar to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.093.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Assalayana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, and/or to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=396&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;verse 396 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I do not call him a brahmana just because he is born from the womb of a brahmana mother. He is just a bhovadi brahmin if he is not free from moral defilements. Him I call a brahmana, who is free from moral defilements and from attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;two different Bone,Muscle,Brain,etc structures&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying &quot;two&quot; is arbitrary (maybe conventional and maybe wrong). You could easily say &quot;one&quot; (i.e. men and women are similar), or &quot;more than two&quot; (i.e. different men are different from each other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;spontaneous birth - Ambapali&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amrapali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Amrapali or Ambapali was born around 600-500 BC to an unknown parentage, and was given her name because at her birth she was found at the foot of a mango tree in one of the royal gardens in Vaishali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're saying she had no parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Human body,culture,way of life are all based on what gender that person belongs to.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be &quot;sexism&quot; -- i.e. &quot;basing&quot; the social structure on gender.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But once you use something like Vipassana meditation to see a human being you see that there is no such thing called gender in this bag of flesh and bones.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reminds me of a couple of &lt;a href=&quot;http://sansuthecat.blogspot.fr/2015/04/speaking-of-siva-touching-feet-of-god.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saivite poems&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If they see&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   breasts and long hair coming&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   they call it woman,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;if beard and whiskers&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   they call it man&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;but, look, the self that hovers&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   in between&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   is neither man&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   nor woman&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;O Ramanatha&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose you cut a tall bamboo&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   in two;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   make the bottom piece a woman&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   the headpiece a man;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   rub them together&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   till they kindle:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;                         tell me now&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   the fire that's born,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   is it male or female,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;O Ramanatha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T17:27:41.820" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12941" CreationDate="2015-12-05T18:33:36.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;By the way Darwin's theory of evolution is not the modern understanding of Evolution. What Buddha Explained as evolution is not parallel Darwin's theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's the Evolution mentioned in Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha explained a evolution process that starts with a certain kind of beings who are floating in the air.These beings see a certain compound covering the surface of the earth and some try to come close, But as they are very light it is hard and very few would come close to the surface. Then they learn that someone tasted the compound and it tasted good &lt;em&gt;(There is little explanation about this compound but it is explained as something that looks like Curd).&lt;/em&gt; Then they all try to taste it and this event becomes a turning point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tasting becomes an addiction, Everyone start to eat it and after a long time the compound is no more and the beings are heavy. Before the addiction they did not needed food. Now they are either living near the ground or upon it.The illuminating bodies they ones had are gone, Their bodies are solid now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the first experience of touch has happened among some, But this is strictly taboo. But some still touch each other, but these rebellious beings are outcasts of the new society. The touching goes on with new members and it is essentially the forbidden passion of those days. But this does not go unnoticed from nature. The first signs of gender appears. Now there are no more left to consider them despicable, Everyone is doing it. Now the Male &amp;amp; Female is clearly visible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is when the first kind of plants are born. There is nothing to stop the plants from growing as there is nothing covering the earth.This plant said to be very simple and with seed which later on becomes the source of food to these beings. This plant has seeds without a cover to protect it. So these beings just pluck it and eat it. But with time they stop moving across the terrain to find food and settle down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They settle down as little groups and start their lives, Now the same plants will have to feed them, here nature takes a turn on them. Plants give seeds, But they are with a shell. So the beings now start to make tools to prepare the seeds and start to farm to meet the demand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With time the small groups grow and become villages then comes the tribes,leaders,Areas,Kings,Kingdoms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what about Karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is not of physical nature and it is a given law of reality. Karma is a mechanism that has no doer. It is completely independent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is something that changes. For example....&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If you give food you will receive Health,Strength,Food,Endurance. But the Karmic effect will not last forever. It has an expiry date depending on the circumstances of your giving.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is not a universal thing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Your Karma is going to effect your life and it is bound with your existence.&#xA;But when most of the people say &quot;Karma&quot; their have a common misinterpretation of it.&#xA;Karma is not a some kind of a data storage of your lives. It is simply how your future is influenced by your past choices &amp;amp; how your choices are going to influence your future.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma does not need to evolve.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like i mentioned before...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Karma is how your future is influenced by your past choices &amp;amp; how your choices are going to influence your future.*&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is bound to you, not a part of a universal thing. When you reach nirvana Karmic effects will cease to exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter what happens to the universe or to you Karma will always be there for the living ones who hasn't reached &quot;Nirvana&quot;. Because Karma is not new or old it is simply the eons old outcomes of  choices, Strictly bound to individuals who committed the acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-05T18:33:36.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12951" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12975" CreationDate="2015-12-05T18:54:39.913" Score="9" ViewCount="1058" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes I have meditated and I have searched the Internet this question before landing here, what I describe below is a mixture of what I have read of what one should do during meditation and what actually happens when I actually meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the articles I have found say that try to keep focus but here I want to ask is what do I focus upon  ? My problems, my desires or just how do we keep focus without a subject to feed upon ? And while meditating I have found my thoughts wander away and keep reminding myself by repeating mentally &quot;no I am meditating, no I am meditating&quot;. Is that the right method ? but the biggest question is when we say focus(in any other field apart from meditation) we understand it in general context as to improve our performance or invest ourselves more in that field but what does it mean in meditation,  is it repeating a thought continuously in our head or something else ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some other articles say watch the thoughts as they occur , I mean okay I could watch the thoughts that occur during a meditation session but then doesn't that seem a little contradictory ? You are producing the thoughts and then you are seeing that occur so then actually we could guide our thoughts then, why does it then say stay and observe ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know above I have asked my questions in a hodgepodge manner so let me sum it up succinctly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are we supposed to think during meditation or we do not need to think at all ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Generally do we set timers for meditation sessions or do we get an intuitive feel that I can't focus or meditate any more for today ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7384" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-05T22:27:33.187" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:26:27.257" Title="What are we supposed to do while meditating?" Tags="|meditation-insight|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|meditation-concentration|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12948" CreationDate="2015-12-05T20:26:59.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Breath meditation, vipassana and Samadhi meditation are two sides of the coin. Breath meditation is about focused attention that quiets the mind of chatter and noise. It's as if you let a muddy pool settle after stirring it up. Once the mud (chatter) has settled, the water (mind) becomes clear and can now focus more easily and powerfully than before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now that's all well and good but what do you do with this focused mind? You point it towards the three marks of existence, and/or the four noble truths. While breath meditation is sufficient as a vehicle to carry you into higher states of concentration (the jhanas) if it is not coupled with insight meditation or some sort of reflection then all you will be doing is building up your concentration faculties without reflection or thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a section in the Visuddhi margaya that talks about reflecting after exiting the jhanas that is essential to jhanic meditation. I'm at work now but can find the reference later today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7124" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T19:36:17.367" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T19:36:17.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12951" CreationDate="2015-12-05T20:53:55.680" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many kinds of meditation, and as many ways of explaining them as there are people. After years of study and practice, here is a meditation I recommend. I call this &quot;the coming to one's senses meditation&quot; :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sit any way you want, as long as it's not too uncomfortable nor too comfortable as to put you to sleep. You can change your posture any way you want. Don't worry about it at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bring your attention in front of you. Not literally &quot;in front&quot;, but rather &quot;to the room&quot;. It is the same kind of attention you need when you were busy for too long and neglected your room, and now you are finally coming back to the present and taking a good look at your room - and noticing the overall disorder. It's a similar feeling to awakening. &quot;Hiii, present moment! Long time no see! I was waaaay too busy lately.&quot; Finally the Sinbad is back from yet another travel. This is why it's called &quot;coming to one's senses&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at your body. Look at your hands. Feel them. If you are like most people, it's been long time since you gave attention to your basic being. Feel your entire body, as presence, as energy. It feels so good to finally stop running like a hamster in the wheel and come back to one's body and one's room. At the same time, you may have a feeling of anxiety. It feels like you are wasting time doing nothing. You've been running on for too long, and it became a habit. Feel that anxiety in your body. Drop it. It's okay to waste time. In fact, this is a precious way to use time, you are reconnecting with your basic being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry about the clock. If you do do worry, put a timer for 15-20 minutes, and test it first - it will help you relax knowing you won't &quot;waste&quot; too much time ;) So in this case the purpose of the timer is the opposite of normal. You use the timer for its silence, not for its alarm. If you do trust yourself and don't worry about time - then you don't need a timer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Come back to your senses. You've been driven for too long by all those goals and problems, now is time to gather your thoughts. It's a same feeling like you are on vacation, or actually it's like you added several days after vacation, to stay home and gather your thoughts. That's it! So you sit and you're like &quot;pheew!&quot; Finally. It's that state of mind when you can finally think &quot;Alright, what should I do next?&quot;. You are reconnecting with your inner core and sending a silent SQL query to your guts: &quot;give me the top 5 things I wanted to get to but never had time&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, this moment is when there is departure between meditation and regular thinking-and-gathering-your-thoughts type of sitting. Normally, you get absorbed into the first of those 5 things, or maybe the second one - and go on creating new plans, and that's it, vacation is over. Instead, with meditation, you stay in that query mode, and let your guts keep on finding more and more things that you have been previously deferring. Remember those old stories about a student tasked with reciting prayers in a church all night long, while all kinds of horror creatures come up but the student should keep his cool? They are the echo of this meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trick is to stay fully present in the room, just like you were in the beginning. Maybe 65% of your CPU is staying in the room and feeling the presence of the body &amp;amp; the freshness of the current moment, 20% is running the deep query, and 15% is the control circuit (&quot;you&quot;) aka mindfulness. The role of the control circuit is to gently restore the balance when it skews too much towards thinking. Meaning, when the query comes up with a result, your role is to take it, bring it fully into your present moment, and take one good look at it while keeping at arms length. Then gently dismiss it, while leaning fully on the visual awareness of your presence in the room and the feeling of aliveness of your body. Don't rush to do anything at this moment. Wait until your mind fully comes back to the room and the initial &quot;gathering your thoughts / what should I do next&quot; state is restored. This is the critical moment! Don't rush into the next cycle. Let yourself waste time! When you get present and stable enough, your body will automatically send the next query to your subconscious. Don't think about it at all, just come back to the initial state. That's it! -- Repeat like this until you feel super-awake. I call this process &quot;thought laundry&quot; or &quot;mind washing machine&quot;. This is the vipassana element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't have to obsess with the laundry cycle either. Sometimes you may feel like not waiting for query results at all, and focusing on your overall inner comfort instead. This is also a valid mode of &quot;coming to one's senses meditation&quot;. Perhaps you feel like your body was crumbled and now you want to open it up. Perhaps you feel like your aura was burning with anxiety and now you would like to apply the metaphorical aloe of contentment. Sometimes you may feel like you want to uphold a kingly posture or stretch the face muscles or open the chest etc. As long as you don't go too far into the sport exercises, and your main activity remains sitting in the room, gathering your thoughts, and coming back to your senses -- all kinds of psychosomatic comfort motions are very valid. May be you'll realize you've been drowsy all this time and you want to make an effort to awaken your mind. All these are good. I call this &quot;conditioning the mind&quot;. This is the samatha element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important point is: it's not about doing anything. It is about coming back to your senses. Both conditioning the mind as well as coming up of the deferred thoughts are just aspects of coming back to your senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as you see, in this version, it's not really thinking, nor is it no-thinking. It's not mindfulness of any one thing, but it's not no-mindfulness either. It's coming back to one's senses. If you do it right it should be quite enjoyable! Although every time you still need to overcome the tendency to continue worrying about the things that worried you that day or the previous day. Also, on some days you may have trouble doing this at all, if thoughts or emotions are too strong. In that case, don't need to force yourself. When you force it, your heart will start hating it - and then you won't do it at all. But if you're doing it right, it feels like finally finding time for your most precious friend. Over time you should be able to extend the sitting from 15-20 mins to maybe 40 mins. Maybe in the future you will want to sit for 2 hours, like the monks do. Maybe one time you will be encouraged to sit for entire weekend, with only snack and bathroom breaks - who knows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even if you only do it 15 minutes a day, you should feel much more stable and awaken throughout the day. It works like sleeping, just 10 times more efficient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T16:00:44.013" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T16:00:44.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5843" CreationDate="2015-12-05T23:37:54.443" Score="3" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.digitalpalireader.online&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Digital Pāli Reader&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; provides two editions of the Pāli Canon: one from Myanmar and one from Thailand. This is the best Pāli reader that I've come across. It can recognise inflected words and analyse compounds, and it uses some of the best Pāli dictionaries: the Pāli-English Dictionary (PED) from the Pāli Text Society and the Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names (DPPN) by G. P. Malalasekera. The site also contains links to translations of the suttas from &lt;a href=&quot;https://accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammatalks.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhammatalks.org&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://palicanon.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;palicanon.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SuttaCentral&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; provides Pāli suttas from the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka Buddhavasse 2500 edition of the Pāli Canon (from Thailand, which was in turn based on the VRI edition from Myanmar). It looks like the Pāli texts have better formatting and punctuation here than in most other editions. SuttaCentral also has root texts in other canonical languages (Chinese, Sanskrit, Tibetan, etc.), as well as modern translations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;GRETIL&lt;/strong&gt; (the Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages)&lt;/a&gt; has a &lt;a href=&quot;http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil.html#Pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;section about Pāli&lt;/a&gt;, providing the Pāli Canon in the text format (without an online Pāli reader). It also includes paracanonical texts, chronicles, commentaries (Visuddhimagga), etc. There are two editions of the Canon: BJT Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tripiṭaka Series and PTS from the Pāli Text Society. The formatting and punctuation of the PTS edition is not great, but it does have one advantage: proper nouns are capitalised, which makes them easier to recognise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BJT Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tripiṭaka Series&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has the Pāli Canon from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sltp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SLTP (Sri Lanka Tripiṭaka Project)&lt;/a&gt;, the same as or very similar to BJT. On this website, the Tipiṭaka is organised according to PTS books and page numbers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2020-09-04T00:39:03.877" LastActivityDate="2020-09-04T00:39:03.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12956" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-06T07:10:00.827" Score="5" ViewCount="920" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thinking of Buddhism a lot lately and I really love the concepts in it, however I just can't seem to find Buddhism to have a potential to become an universal philosophy as it seems very life negating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me explain my self. In Buddhism we are constantly reminded how all problems are an illusion and should be ignored. But are they really? Buddhism seems like a perfect ideology for rich white people or other population isolated from real problematics hitting this world. Buddhism not only says: &quot;You have so nothing to care about, you really should just enjoy yourself&quot; it also gives you a relief that other people are unfortunate since it reminds you all problems are only illusion of ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That all problems are only illusion of ego is not true however, since there are serious problems like hunger, wars etc. troubling this earth. Buddhist ideology doesn't have any clear directions on how to resolve these problems but only works as an outside observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am asking is, isn't Buddhism life negating? Is Buddhistic ideology more inclined to ignores / detach from problems rather than to try to present exact solutions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your answers and critics of my views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5034" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T20:28:41.507" Title="Is Buddhism life negating?" Tags="|philosophy|politics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12956" CreationDate="2015-12-06T08:31:37.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, Buddhism doesn't constantly remind one that &quot;all problems are an illusion&quot;. Suffering can be thought of as an emergent quality of &quot;problems&quot;, and one of the most basic teachings, that &quot;there is suffering&quot; is to be found in the first Noble Truth. The Buddha taught that what whenever suffering arises (your cognizance of problems arises), it is dependent on a chain of causes and effects, which invariably links back to ignorance or misunderstanding of the 4 Noble Truths. As far as illusions go, one could say that permanence, lasting happiness from conditioned phenomena, or controllability are all illusory in a sense, but I'm not aware of any Dhamma that teaches that suffering (and thereby problems which cause it to arise) are actually just an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as far as I understand Buddhism also doesn't constantly remind one that problems &quot;should be ignored&quot;. Much the opposite, the Buddha taught that there is a practice which can be applied, leading to the cessation of the suffering that you perceive from these problems. Once you acknowledge the origination of the suffering, the next thing to do is not to ignore it, but to practice in letting go of its origins. This is known as the Eightfold Path and it is to be directly applied and cessation of suffering to be experienced. There is no &quot;ignoring&quot; going on here, I have never heard of any Buddhist teaching that advocates ignoring or suppressing awareness of anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism almost certainly does not say &quot;you have nothing to care about, you should really just enjoy yourself&quot;. From my understanding, the Buddha actually taught that it is in your best interest to practice seeing things for what they are and to liberate oneself from the suffering-filled cycle of death and rebirth that characterizes all worldly existence by giving up forms of clinging and aversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although your questions seem sincere, practically every sentence you've written can be considered a misinterpretation of even the most basic Buddhist philosophy. The conclusions about Buddhism being life-negating, or un-applicable to true suffering on an individual level, appear to be founded on misinterpretation of basics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I will give you that Buddhism doesn't seem to have a direct framework for tackling world hunger, war, etc on a group level. It seems to suggest that if the people acting as a cause for war, or selfishness in world hunger, dealt with their inner suffering and learned compassion, these problems might be solved. Again, I don't know if this is specifically referenced in any canonical teachings, but it seems to be a logical conclusion to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7173" LastEditorDisplayName="user7173" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T08:42:48.120" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T08:42:48.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12956" CreationDate="2015-12-06T08:43:44.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism(as well as other contemplative religions &amp;amp; methods) is life affirming. Most people are asleep to what reality actually is. They are too busy worrying about and planning for a future that never exists and judging things based on a past that never exists. They are hardly ever in the present moment were reality actually is. This is why we are so stressed all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being asleep to reality like this is the very definition of &quot;life negating&quot; and it causes us such unnecessary suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In Buddhism we are constantly reminded &#xA;how all problems are an illusion and should be ignored.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who told you that? Nothing should be ignored, that is what we already do.  Problems are not illusions and at the same time problems are illusions. It depends on the level of reality we are working with. The practices of Buddhism are meant to make the individual happy and capable of coping better with lifes problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist way is to be selfish in a good way. If someone has a problem the appropriate thing to do is to help that someone and this good action(karma) helps the practicing Buddhist. You see, the reason Buddhists help people is to help themselves even after the ego is transcended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T08:59:25.710" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T08:59:25.710" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-06T08:59:25.710" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12951" CreationDate="2015-12-06T09:21:16.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing to liberate yourself from your own habits that cause suffering then you could practice seeing your experience as it is in the present moment, moment by moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would intentionally focus your awareness on whatever aspect of your experience you are drawn to or whatever aspect of your experience that is the most appropriate to focus your awareness towards. Slowly you will begin to gain insights into how your mind and body works. This has the effect of unraveling the bad habits and reactions. When there are no more bad habits then you no longer suffer even when you are in pain because you no longer are reactive to the pain as it is just a feeling.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend that you find a insight meditation method and stick to it. Also, if you can, find a qualified teacher because it is extremely difficult to be a successful meditator without a good teacher. I hope this helps &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T09:31:37.800" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T09:31:37.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12951" CreationDate="2015-12-06T09:28:40.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are we supposed to think during meditation or we do not need to&#xA;  think at all ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Thinking and Meditation are same or deference ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Generally do we set timers for meditation sessions or do we get an&#xA;  intuitive feel that I can't focus or meditate any more for today?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same as using or not using timers for sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation generally divide as chittha bawana(samatha) and pagna bawana(vipassana). &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn46.66&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasathi&lt;/a&gt; bavana can be practise as both ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Awareness-release&quot; (ceto-vimutti) is a state of mind released from passion. This can either be the temporary release found in concentration (a&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;s here)&lt;/a&gt; or the arahant's full release from passion. See AN 2.30.&#xA;A modern explanation is given as  &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12954/5513&quot;&gt;&quot;The coming to one's senses meditation&quot; :)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T10:13:09.793" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12961" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-06T11:55:35.070" Score="9" ViewCount="3278" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is a Buddha omniscient? If so, is there some agreement on what omniscience more specifically means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(All traditions are of interest. But particularly Mahayana) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T15:19:14.833" LastActivityDate="2022-05-06T19:13:18.710" Title="Buddha's omniscience" Tags="|mahayana|buddhas|practice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-12-06T14:16:02.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wildmind&lt;/a&gt; website provides instructions on several types of meditation practiced in the Triratna Buddhist Community. The techniques include, among others, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/metta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lovingkindness meditation (mettā bhāvāna)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T14:16:02.347" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-06T14:16:02.347" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12768" CreationDate="2015-12-06T14:46:50.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo has a book : &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T14:46:50.357" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-06T14:46:50.357" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12961" CreationDate="2015-12-06T16:22:06.403" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally [not particualrly] Theravadin speak of an &lt;em&gt;all-knowingness&lt;/em&gt; that has little to  do with the omniscient mind as presented by  Mahayana teahcings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A short 'definition' of omniscience, given by Geshe Gyaltsen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 'ultimate consciousness' that is the direct realization of&#xA;  emptiness and the 32 qualities - the ten powers, four fearlessness and&#xA;  eighteen unshared qualities - are parts of the omniscience, that is,&#xA;  they are omniscience. The 32 qualities are 32 branches of omniscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It means in particular, as found in Gyaltsab Je's commentary of the sublime continuum, Geshe Gyaltsen's teachings on this and on Tsongkhapa's Special Insight chapter of the Middle-Length Lam Rim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscient mind of a buddha is free from all defilements - free from the two obscurations - and thus its suchness is called 'suchness&#xA;  without defilements'  (nature truth body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscient mind of a buddha is the only one mind that realizes the two truths (or 'the mode and varieties') directly simultaneously.&#xA;  Whenever cnventionalities appear to a sentient being, they appear&#xA;  together with the appearance of true existence because sentient beings&#xA;  have not abandoned knowledge obscurations (even a bodhisattva on the&#xA;  tenth bhumi). A buddha is the only being free from this [type of]&#xA;  dualistic appearance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscient mind of a buddha is free from conceptualization (and thus unmistaken)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscient mind of a buddha knows all existent of the three times&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscient mind of a buddha realizes its object newly, that is by its own power &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the omniscience knows all the different aspects of each of the disciples.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Omniscience is the 'wisdom truth body', one the two bodies of the dharmakaya. While the 'naturally abiding linage' (suchness with defilements) is that which is suitable to become the 'nature truth body', the 'developmental linage' is that which is suitable to become the 'wisdom truth body', the omniscient mind of a buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before actualizing fully qualified special insight, calm abiding and special insights are two different mind. At the fourth preparation on the access level, there is a union of calm abiding and special insight, whereby they become one and the same mind. In a similar fashion, the omniscient mind of a buddha is a non-conceptual great compassion, a non-conceptual bodhicitta, the exalted wisdom, etc. as one and the same mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Omniscience is discussed at length in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Texts on Buddha nature, such as Maitreya’s &lt;em&gt;Sublime Continuum: The Essence of a One Gone Thus&lt;/em&gt;, with Commentary by Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen, and so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tsongkhapa's &lt;em&gt;Middle-Length Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Great Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt;, chapter on Special Insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maitreya's &lt;em&gt;Ornament of Clear Realization: A Commentary on the Prajnaparamita&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T17:26:24.927" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T17:26:24.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12961" CreationDate="2015-12-06T16:39:51.737" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Omniscience or &lt;strong&gt;Sabbannuta Nana&lt;/strong&gt; is one of &lt;a href=&quot;http://goo.gl/4dCUov&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;six knowledges&lt;/a&gt; exclusive to a &lt;strong&gt;Sammasambuddha&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Supreme Buddha possesses 6 kinds of knowledge not shared by&#xA;  others. These Incomparable Qualities are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asaya-anusaya Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of the &lt;strong&gt;inclinations&lt;/strong&gt; and&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;latent/inherent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt; of all beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Indriya-paropariyatti Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of the mental faculties&#xA;  and their state of maturity in all beings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbannuta Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of &lt;strong&gt;Omniscience&lt;/strong&gt; and&#xA;  Omnipotence. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anavarana Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of penetrative clarity without&#xA;  obstruction i.e. &lt;strong&gt;unrestricted&lt;/strong&gt; access to any objective field.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yamaka Patihariya Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of the &lt;strong&gt;Twin Miracle&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha Karuna Samapatti Nana&lt;/em&gt;: Knowledge of the attainment of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Great Compassion&lt;/strong&gt; by which He looks at the world &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means the ability to understand anything he sets his mind on, both in worldly sense and in ultimate reality. It works in association with another Nana called the &lt;strong&gt;Anavarana Nana&lt;/strong&gt;, which is also one of the six. It means the knowledge of penetrative clarity without obstruction or unrestricted access to any objective field.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T22:51:27.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T22:51:27.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12961" CreationDate="2015-12-06T16:40:13.687" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Tevijja-Vacchagotta_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 71&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha clarifies the meaning of his omniscience to the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vaccha&lt;/strong&gt;: ‘Venerable sir, I have heard this said: The recluse Gotama is all knowing and all seeing and acknowledges remainderless knowledge and vision in this manner, ‘while walking, standing, lying or awake, constantly and continually knowledge and vision is established, to me’.Venerable sir, those who say, these words, ‘The recluse Gotama is all knowing and all seeing and acknowledges remainderless knowledge and vision:while walking, standing, lying or awake, constantly and continually.’ Are they saying the words of good Gotama and are they not blaming the Blessed One falsely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;: Vaccha, those who say, the recluse Gotama is all knowing and all seeing and acknowledges remainderless knowledge and vision, while walking, standing, lying or awake, constantly and continually. They, do not say my words, they blame me falsely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vaccha&lt;/strong&gt;: Venerable sir, saying how would it be said, correctly not blaming the Blessed One falsely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;: ‘The recluse Gotama knows the three knowledges. Saying it thus they would be saying the right thing, and not blaming me falsely. Vaccha, whenever I desire, I recollect the manifold previous births, such as one birth, two births, with all modes and all details, thus I recall the manifold previous births. Vaccha, when I desire, with the purified heavenly eye beyond human, see beings disappearing and appearing, in unexalted and exalted states, beautiful and ugly, in good and bad states,-- I see beings, according their actions. Vaccha, destroying desires, my mind released and released through wisdom, here and now by myself realising I abide. Vaccha, if it is said, the recluse Gotama knows the three knowledges, saying it thus, you would be saying the right thing and not blaming me falsely’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bodhi further elaborates by citing the Commentary in his note in &amp;quot;The Middle Length Discourses&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MA explains that even though part of the statement is valid, the Buddha rejects the entire statement because of the portion that is invalid. The part of the statement that is valid is the assertion that the Buddha is omniscient and all-seeing; the part that is excessive is the assertion that knowledge and vision are continuously present to him. According to the Theravāda exegetical tradition the Buddha is omniscient in the sense that all knowable things are potentially accessible to him. He cannot, however, know everything simultaneously and must advert to whatever he wishes to know. At MN 90.8 the Buddha says that it is possible to know and see all, though not simultaneously, and at AN 4:24/ii.24 he claims to know all that can be seen, heard, sensed, and cognized. This is understood by the Theravāda commentators as an assertion of omniscience in the qualified sense. See too in this connection Miln 102–7.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T16:40:13.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12961" CreationDate="2015-12-06T17:42:07.423" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Omniscience is understood differently depending on one's school, capacity, and progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a primitive (&quot;hinayana&quot;) understanding, is that omniscience literally means simultaneously knowing all facts about everything.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an orthodox Theravada explanation (as far as I understand it), is that omniscience is Buddha's unlimited/unobscured capacity to completely and properly understand/analyze anything and correctly reason about anything the Buddha adverts to or wishes to know. In modern terms this can be explained as a genius ad-hoc wit. In this view Buddha is somewhat like a super Sherlock Holmes who can deduce facts about people or events by noting and connecting even the smallest evidence. Particularly, this could be seen in Buddha's seeming ability to read people's minds or to know more about their lives than they publicized - and therefore to give customized guidance tailored to their perspective.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one Mahayana explanation, is that omniscience is direct insight into the true nature of things (referred to, but not exhaustively explained by, the term &quot;emptiness&quot;). To give a modern metaphor, Buddha knows how the videogame of life works, and even though he might not have literally visited all the infinite computationally generated universes, he has fully understood the principles by which the game works - and so in this sense there is nothing principally new in this videogame that he does not know. He knows the extent of what's possible, what's impossible, he clearly sees the winning strategy as well as the various false strategies that people pursue. Because of omniscience, playing the game is no longer fun for the Buddha but out of compassion Buddha stays in the game to help others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a more advanced Mahayana perspective, is that omniscience is nothing other than prajna-paramita - which kind of subsumes both of the above. For more details see Conze's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0520053214&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some quotes and research on Buddha's omniscience are available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.westernbuddhistreview.com/vol4/Was%20the%20Buddha%20Omniscient2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dorje108/Omniscience_research&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T17:54:46.590" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T17:54:46.590" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12956" CreationDate="2015-12-06T17:57:07.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thinking of Buddhism a lot lately and I really love the concepts in it, however I just can't seem to find Buddhism to have a potential to become an universal philosophy as it seems very life negating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much or this is due to the mis translation of the word Dukka into English as suffering by early translators (Pali Text Society). Later translators like Thanisaro Bikkhu corrected this by using unsatisfactoriness ans a better translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let me explain my self. In Buddhism we are constantly reminded how all problems are an illusion and should be ignored. But are they really? Buddhism seems like a perfect ideology for rich white people or other population isolated from real problematics hitting this world. Buddhism not only says: &quot;You have so nothing to care about, you really should just enjoy yourself&quot; it also gives you a relief that other people are unfortunate since it reminds you all problems are only illusion of ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say two athletes meet form a match. Both may have confidence they are will win but only one does. The one who loses is not joyes as the winner. So over confidence in oneself and also attachment to the outcome sets one back emotionally. Also say the match is not going well at some point then if you do not maintain your psychological balance by further losing your confidence and when winning you become complacent then things may not be the best for the final outcome. So overconfidence, underconfidence or miss comparisons of yourself against other always in whatever matrix may leads to sorrow. Hence better avoided. You are at a better position be happy when you let go of ego and the notion of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That all problems are only illusion of ego is not true however, since there are serious problems like hunger, wars etc. troubling this earth. Buddhist ideology doesn't have any clear directions on how to resolve these problems but only works as an outside observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All problems do not stem from ego though wars and conflicts do. Existence is the main cause of having to experience these issues. Buddhism or any other school or thought or religion cannot solve what is a fact of life. But Buddhism give a way out of this messy exitance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What I am asking is, isn't Buddhism life negating? Is Buddhistic ideology more inclined to ignores / detach from problems rather than to try to present exact solutions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say you are incapable of solving a problem. Ignoring it will also not solve it. You are hurt by it. Maintaining a sound balance of the mind will immunise some of metal pain when thing go wrong. Buddhism is to keep your head straight when things don't go as you want them. You should do your best to overcome them. If they do not work as you intend, then you have to minimise or eliminate your unhappiness by trying to maintain a sound mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T17:57:07.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12948" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:14:20.273" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do we have to watch body sensations separately by sitting meditation, when even in our daily life we are experiencing sensations moment to moment (and realizing everything is vibrating in our body)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally what happens is: Body sensation &gt; Perception &gt; Concept formation &gt; Thinking and pondering. Being mindful and aware you do not let this stream lead upto Thinking and Pondering which creates mental fabrication or mental Karma. Being ardently aware is what helps you cut this off before it comes to the last stage of creating Karma. This can also be thought as: Feeling &gt; Craving (for perceived experience - perceive as good, bad or neutral) &gt; Clinging (concepts and thoughts)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And can we achieve omniscience and knowledge of our past lives, karma, etc., by watching breath and watching body sensations only? Or there is more to it in vippasana meditations, other than watching breath and body sensations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Genrally Vippasana is practiced to gain &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revolution&lt;/a&gt; towards the 5 aggregates. If you develop deep absorptions then yes you can gain insight to past lives and karma. Some Vippassana teachers teach in such away that both concentration and wisdom develops. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/jhanantp.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Interpretations of the Jhanas&lt;/a&gt; by Leigh Brasington covers some teachers who teach in such a way, which can lead to absorptions which give psychic abilities (omniscience and knowledge ), as well as, insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T19:34:09.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12925" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:22:48.417" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) Loba, 2) dosa, 3) moha lead to -ve karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) Aloba, 5) adosa, 6) amoha lead to +ve karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the 6 items above are called the roots, and both +ve and -ve Karma lead to future existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The -ve Karma themselves give experiences, which we perceive as -ve&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While +ve karma continues our existence (though the experiences we perceive as positive) which in combination with the other experiences unrelated to Karma, also having to part with positive experiences when the Karma is exhausted, leads to unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The experience and perceiving the experience is the unsatisfactory part. Your understanding (that ignorance is dukkha) equates the cause with the effect: but this not how it is dealt with in the doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T19:25:05.613" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T19:25:05.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12923" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:30:20.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Merit is any thought, deed or word based on generosity, compassion and / or wisdom. When we are born we bring our store of Karma from your past lives. During this life we consume the results of this store as well as accumulate new Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know you are accumulating Karma when you delight on experiences that you perceive and favorable, averse to experiences that you perceive as unfavorable and not aware of the arising and passing nature of experiences that are neutral. In other words you are clinging or craving to sensual input and clinging to conceptualisations that follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T18:30:20.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12922" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:45:34.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says this Dhamma is for the Intelligent (in your words high capacity people). This is people are balanced and developed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhipakkhiyādhammā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T18:45:34.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12948" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:46:49.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In samadhi meditation, you calm your mind and bring it to a state where you can give commands to the subconscious mind. Then using vipassana you tell your mind (at this stage the mind is clear) the mortality of your life. By doing this your mind will understand the real truth (anitya, dukka and anatama). If you follow the arayan method (arya ashtangika margaya) you can go to enlightenment easily. It consists three stages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Controlling your movements and words (seela)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Training your mind (samadhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding the truth/reality (pragcha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of these stages also consist certain steps, 8 in total.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7392" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T18:54:16.563" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T18:54:16.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12941" CreationDate="2015-12-06T18:48:52.193" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even there is a Buddha or no Buddha there is a universal law that governs the universe out of which one is Karma. Also it is said all Buddhas preach the same universal laws. On this light Karma is not evolving but static law that is ever existing infinitely into the past and andd future including the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T18:48:52.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12951" CreationDate="2015-12-06T19:29:43.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the articles I have found say that try to keep focus but here I want to ask is what do I focus upon ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My problems, my desires or just how do we keep focus without a subject to feed upon ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And while meditating I have found my thoughts wander away and keep reminding myself by repeating mentally &amp;quot;no I am meditating, no I am meditating&amp;quot;. Is that the right method ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you use any imagination, verbalisation, visualisation of any sort this is not the betitation what the Buddha taught us to do as you have to come out of any verbal fabrication. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but the biggest question is when we say focus(in any other field apart from meditation) we understand it in general context as to improve our performance or invest ourselves more in that field but what does it mean in meditation, is it repeating a thought continuously in our head or something else ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental repetition can create concentration but this is not the right type of concentration which will lead you to liberation though you can turn this type of contraction into the right type by developing awareness on the arising and passing of sensations pertaining to the absorption. This is a long winded road than the straight road where you develop the right concentration followed by wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some other articles say watch the thoughts as they occur , I mean okay I could watch the thoughts that occur during a meditation session but then doesn't that seem a little contradictory ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any mental state (Citta) or content (Cetisaka) give arise to some feeling either pleasant, neutral or unpleasant. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;) Even thoughts are sensed or felt thought the mind sense door which re perceive and react resulting in these sensations. Hence what you can easily recognise is the sensations pertaining to the thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are producing the thoughts and then you are seeing that occur so then actually we could guide our thoughts then, why does it then say stay and observe ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should anchor your mind on a chosen object so that your do not think hence creating metal fabrication. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) But if your main drifts to thoughts or the past or fantasy 1st look at the thoughts in your body with full equanimity looking at their arising and passing. If you have any unpleasant feeling pay attention for a small duration until such sensation become neutral or pleasant, then continue with your chosen object. Ultimately you have to be equanimous to whatever sensation you experience realising its arising and passing nature. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know above I have asked my questions in a hodgepodge manner so let me sum it up succinctly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are we supposed to think during meditation or we do not need to think at all ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally do we set timers for meditation sessions or do we get an intuitive feel that I can't focus or meditate any more for today ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel you cannot focus on meditation any more then whatever practice you are doing seems to be causing stress. This implies you are not practicing properly and natural progress of meditation you should experience more happiness, joy, zest, tranquility. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). Maybes you should double check your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:26:27.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="12976" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-06T19:55:48.433" Score="2" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen how some Sutras / Suttas start with an open invitation to many beings to come and hear the words of the Lord. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this makes sense as it was a teaching given by Lord Buddha to his followers.But now the times have changed &quot;Pali&quot; as a language is dead. It gave birth to many new languages and died in the process. &#xA;So today we say the same suttas and some keep it original and some use their own translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So how does the translation happen?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any mentioning on how beings in different realms understand a single language, I mean even we don't use &quot;Pali&quot; now so how does it happen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And there is another side to this too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some really bad realms, like &quot;Pretha&quot; beings. They have only&#xA;suffering with the exception of few having some comforts like clothes and food.These beings have no way of learning, So how does it happen, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;how do they understand the teaching when they come to hear it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can,provide any Sutta / Sutra referance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-12-06T22:44:42.683" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T18:08:37.703" Title="Different realms,Different beings,Different times - How do they understand what we are saying?" Tags="|sutras|suttas|realms|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12956" CreationDate="2015-12-06T20:28:41.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your problems are not illusions. The illusion is the source and the fuel of all issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the illusion?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The illusion is the thought that we all have called &quot;Me&quot;, As long as a being believe that a person exist he or she will have issues. As to Buddhism there is no soul or a person. There is only a body and a constantly generating process that we call &quot;Mind&quot;. These two together makes the person. &quot;The Person&quot; in Buddhism is limited to only the namely meaning and it is ok to say I,He,She,etc but with the understanding that there is actually no person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are Buddhists Negative?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Before we judge Buddhism let's take a look at the commonly seen and&#xA;accepted version of success and positivism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am capable,&#xA;I have these dreams and i will reach them,&#xA;Here is what and where i am, i will become better,&#xA;These are my goals and these are my plans to reach them,&#xA;There is competition and i will come above it all.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist point of view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If there is will almost anything is possible, There is no point in failure, Success must be achieved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is very simple, You need to know what you need and then you should go for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would agree that the common perception of success is strictly bound to the person. If i out it much simply to the body of that person, Let me explain...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;She is cute,She has a nice apartment &amp;amp; few sports cars,She is super good at her workplace,Soon she will get a promotion,She is engaged to a self made millionaire.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a successful woman in her prime. Show me one place in her exiting life where mind has been given any importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism deals with a different subject matter compared to the society. For the common perception anything that can be a skill or an asset is good, More the better. But Buddhism gives no importance to that kind of ideology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bottom line&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not a Fortune cookie, It is there to reach nirvana and it is with the advice to live your life correctly and successfully until you reach there.It is not the go to bundle of life advice people think it is. It will teach you to be a better person and to see the life in a different light but if your intention is to be a millionaire and life the life of a kingpin you came to the wrong place. Buddhism is the path to stopping the pain &amp;amp; suffering, it is not your career guru or marriage counselor.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T20:28:41.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5386" CreationDate="2015-12-06T20:41:04.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's been a while since I asked this question, here is what I learned since then.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ancient China, there was a system of itinerant monks who went from monastery to  monastery. You couldn't stay forever, but you could stay a short amount of time at any monastery. Travel could be dangerous, so the rules were in place to discourage recklessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Japan, after political consolidation, it became safe to travel all over the place. Since temples were popular destinations, this created demand for lodging and restaurants at temples. Some of these still exist. The restaurants were vegetarian restaurants and served vegetarian temple food. Both in Japan and China, they followed Mahayana and were not conflicted about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the US, you can find some faint echos of these pilgrimage traditions, like Hsi Lai Temple, in Hacienda Heights has/had a restaurant. I haven't found any that offer short stays for pilgrims.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we do have in the US is a retreat system, where people travel to a retreat center for a week or two for housing, food and organized activities. These are too numerous to list here. It isn't quite like stupa pilgrimage in India, because there isn't anything special about the location.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of special locations, in the US, the closest thing we have to religiously significant locations are the Stupas, such as the The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya. In Hawaii there are Japanese temples built in the traditional style and Ling Yen Temple in Canada, but I think it is safe to say we are no where near the scale of temples you find in Asia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T14:45:14.760" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T14:45:14.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5386" CreationDate="2015-12-06T21:39:49.873" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anyhow, the BNS specifically mentions rules for travel #37, I haven't figured out if this means one is supposed to go on a pilgrimage.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with Matthew's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the reference for #37 says (unlike most of the other precepts),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;37&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Traveling in Dangerous Areas&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;[As a cleric]&lt;/strong&gt;, a disciple of the Buddha should engage in&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this is explicitly for clerics, who have &amp;quot;gone forth&amp;quot;, i.e. are homeless and are maybe (instead of living in a fixed place/home) travelling from place to place, perhaps begging and so on, i.e. where travelling is their usual way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those customs (annual &amp;quot;ascetic practices&amp;quot;) are not only Mahayana/Chinese -- Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vassa&lt;/a&gt; article says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vassa tradition predates the time of Gautama Buddha. It was a long-standing custom for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sramana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;mendicant ascetics&lt;/strong&gt; (see &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sramana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; in India not to travel during the rainy season as they may unintentionally harm crops, insects or even themselves during their travels. Many Buddhist ascetics live in regions which lack a rainy season. Consequently, there are places where Vassa may not be typically observed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Arama%E1%B9%87a#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śramaṇa article&lt;/a&gt; mentions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was as a śramaṇa that the Buddha left his father's palace and practised austerities. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Sramanic movement chose moderate ascetic lifestyle. This was in contrast to ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The śramaṇa idea of wandering began to change early in Buddhism. The renunciates started living in vihāras, at first during vassa, the rainy season, but eventually permanently. In medieval Jainism the tradition of wandering also waned, but it was revived in the 19th century. Similar changes have regularly occurred in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's more about it from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules -- A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Rains Retreat&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhikkhu's year is structured around the three months from July to October. In Asia this is the time of the monsoon season — the central period of the agricultural year — when the paddy fields are flooded and the main rice crop is planted. In the Buddha's time (and until modern times), people were less likely to travel around during this period because the roads were bad and there was a danger of crop damage. So the bhikkhus likewise &lt;strong&gt;suspended their mendicant wanderings and had to settle in one place&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu must make a formal determination to be resident at dawn every day in that place for the whole three month period. (There are exceptional circumstances when he may be allowed to be away, but even then he should return within seven days.) These three months are often a special time of study or meditation and so are sometimes known as the Rains Retreat or Rains Residence. This is also the normal time when the young men of South East Asia become monks for the traditional three month period (see above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu often measures the length of time he has been a monk according to how many Rains Residences he has undertaken. Therefore instead of saying he has been 'ordained seven years' he might say he has been ordained for 'seven Rains.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the referenced 37th precept, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Monastic Code (Patimokkha Rules)&lt;/a&gt; also contains various references to avoiding danger, including,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,&#xA;the origin story to this rule indicates that this period was a dangerous time for&#xA;bhikkhus living in wilderness areas, as thieves were active—perhaps because&#xA;they knew that bhikkhus had just received new requisites, or simply because&#xA;now that roads had become passable it was time to get back to their work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T21:39:49.873" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-06T22:18:58.493" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12980" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12989" CreationDate="2015-12-06T22:55:11.163" Score="3" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death - What dies with death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth - What is born with birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you provide any Sutta / Sutra references. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T04:49:46.647" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T02:51:36.680" Title="Death vs Birth - Birth &amp; Death of what?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12981" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12988" CreationDate="2015-12-06T22:59:05.767" Score="11" ViewCount="1791" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the proper relax / Sleep practices for a practitioner of meditation methods?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to Buddhist point of view what is sleep and how to cope with it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T15:50:15.050" LastActivityDate="2020-12-30T10:04:13.330" Title="Sleep - What about it?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|sutras|suttas|sleep|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12980" CreationDate="2015-12-06T23:05:11.803" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think &quot;death&quot; is often described/translation as &quot;dissolution of the aggregates&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I suppose it's the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Description_in_the_Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;skandhas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which &quot;die&quot; or come to an end, are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This reference&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;390&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;And, bhikkhus, what is death? The falling away from existence, the passing away from existence, the dissolution, the disappearance, the end of life, the passing away due to completion of the life-span, the breaking up of the Aggregates, the discarding of the body, the destruction of the life-faculty of various beings in various categories, — this, bhikkhus, is called death.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-06T23:05:11.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12984" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-07T01:15:24.687" Score="1" ViewCount="597" Body="&lt;p&gt;To my understanding, the killing of any animal will produce bad karma to whoever or whatever it committed the murder. For humans, I can understand that we have the power to go vegan and let animals be by themselves, it is our nature. But for predatory animals, their instinct is that they must kill for food. If they don't, they simply can't go vegan, they are going to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So do predatory animals get bad karma for killing, a natural instinct for survival?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3617" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T01:31:47.460" Title="Do predatory animals gain bad karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2015-12-07T01:42:52.063" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12984" CreationDate="2015-12-07T01:31:47.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. Since the question is reasoning from the point of a belief in the realms, I'll answer it as one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the realm of animals, it is difficult to earn good karma since it is assumed that animals life brutish lives of killing and savagery.  In Tibetan Buddhism, contemplating how lucky we are to be human where it is possible to practice Buddhism is a fundamental practice. In a typical contemplation, the unfortunate lot of the animals is a common theme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note from someone who sees the realms as myth and not necessarily the most valuable ones, I would speculate that if we were, say rather smart cats, and the Buddha were a cat, then we still could choose to eat fewer animals, be more humane in their raising and slaughter, or slowly switch from animals to plants. My own cat eats an omnivore diet, a product of how pet food is sold in the US. He eat enough corn gluten that when I'm eating corn, he wants to eat it. Cats are poorly adapted to a vegan diet, but do fine on an omnivore diet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In biology, omnivores, carnivores and herbivores often evolve into a different category, although they ordinarily only make one jump at a time, from carnivore to omnivore, then to herbivore. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T01:31:47.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12980" CreationDate="2015-12-07T01:35:24.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What dies or is born? What looks like death or birth is just the mind and body changing just like the mind and body are changing right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No-self dies , is born or changes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no-self if one is having a near death experience or an out of body experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T01:35:24.567" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-07T01:35:24.567" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12976" CreationDate="2015-12-07T03:31:19.260" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But now the times have changed &quot;Pali&quot; as a language is dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends on how you define what &quot;dead&quot; means or, the language is dead to whom. To many Pali scholars like Ven. Bodhi, Ven. Thanissaro, Ven. Analayo, etc. Pali is very much alive and they constantly use it as the source reference to their sutta translation works. Thanks to the effort of many venerable scholars, the suttas have been translated to many different languages in the world. As we speak, there're monks and lay people around the world who are reciting the Tipitaka in Pali, English, French, German, etc. right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any mentioning on how beings in different realms understand a single language, I mean even we don't use &quot;Pali&quot; now so how does it happen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends on which realm it is. To the devas in the heavenly worlds, due to the great merits they've generated, many would possess supernatural powers to be able to communicate with humans (Ex: the conversation of the householder Citta with many devas in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 41.10&lt;/a&gt;). If it's the lower realms, then it obviously much tougher due to the tremendous suffering and ignorance throughout these realms. The Buddha in MN 129 used a very famous simile to make the point:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha:&lt;/strong&gt; Suppose a man threw into the sea a yoke with one hole in it, and the east wind carried it to the west, and the west wind carried it to the east, and the north wind carried it to the south, and the south wind carried it to the north. Suppose there were a blind turtle that came up once at the end of each century. What do you think, bhikkhus? Would that blind turtle put his neck into that yoke with one hole in it?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Bhikkhus:&lt;/strong&gt;“He might, venerable sir, sometime or other at the end of a long period.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha:&lt;/strong&gt;“Bhikkhus, the blind turtle would sooner put his neck into that yoke with a single hole in it than a fool, once gone to perdition, would take to regain the human state, I say. Why is that? Because there is no practising of the Dhamma there, no practising of what is righteous, no doing of what is wholesome, no performance of merit. There mutual devouring prevails, and the slaughter of the weak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T18:08:37.703" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T18:08:37.703" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12981" CreationDate="2015-12-07T04:47:10.413" Score="11" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the proper relax / Sleep practices for a practitioner of meditation methods?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt; meditation before sleeping you are better off, as one benefit of Metta is you sleep well. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.6-Attha-Mettanisamsa-S-a8.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭha) Mettânisansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.15_Ekadasa_Mettanisamsa_S_a11.16_piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasa) Mettânisansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As to Buddhist point of view what is sleep and how to cope with it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is when your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavanga&lt;/a&gt; is active and the revolutions of the Dependent Origination cycles has momentarily stopped. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammadownload.com/File-Library/Mogok/TheDoctrineOfPaticcasamuppada-By-UThanDaing.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Doctrine of Paticcasamuppada - The Law Of Independent Origination - By U Than Daing&lt;/a&gt;, page 32). An essay &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Piya Tan discusses action action that done when sleeping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts of others on the subject of sleep:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On deep sleep and bhavanga:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The idea of an underlying skilful base to the mind is developed further in the&#xA;  Abhidhamma, which analyses the constituents of consciousness in detail. For a&#xA;  human rebirth to have occurred, the bhavakga, or consciousness to which the&#xA;  mind returns at rest, is skilful, whether with the two roots of non-greed and nonhatred,&#xA;  or more usually, with three roots, of wisdom, non-greed and non-hatred.&#xA;  This consciousness will be present whenever the mind enters bhavakga, either&#xA;  momentarily at the end of each thought-process, or &lt;strong&gt;during deep sleep&lt;/strong&gt;. For all born&#xA;  as humans, the state of bhavakga is a reflection of the skilful state of mind that&#xA;  must have been present at the moment of death as a governing factor for the&#xA;  relinking consciousness. It is passive, however, and this predisposition needs&#xA;  active cultivation during waking life. Only when skilful consciousness is present&#xA;  during daily life, or during meditation, does the mind become actively bright and&#xA;  radiant. According to the theory this happens, for instance, at the moment of&#xA;  giving, of being alert and interested or when practising jhana: the active part of&#xA;  the thought-process ( javana) is then free from defilements. Those practising&#xA;  meditation are ‘bringing into being’ a consciousness which is thought to be a kind&#xA;  of birthright, but which needs cultivation. In Buddhist countries the human realm&#xA;  is considered particularly important for spiritual work. Birth in heaven realms is&#xA;  pleasant but lacks the suffering to encourage spiritual work; the realms of&#xA;  animals, ghosts and hell beings are considered far too painful for the path, and it&#xA;  is difficult, though not impossible, for such beings to find a skilful rebirth. It is&#xA;  said that the Buddha always has a human birth as his last existence after many&#xA;  lifetimes spent preparing to teach others. One sutta compares rebirth in a hell&#xA;  realm as entering into a pit of coals, that of a heaven realm to a stay in a luxurious&#xA;  mansion. The human realm, however, is like a man sitting in the shade of a&#xA;  tree in a hot climate, also the classic conditions for the practice of meditation&#xA;  (see M I 76–7).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Buddhist%20Meditation%20An%20anthology%20from%20the%20Pali%20canon_Sarah%20Shaw.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation: An anthology from the Pali canon&lt;/a&gt;, by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/staff/isa/sshaw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sarah Shaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On reduced need of sleep for meditations&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Firstly, you will need less time for sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mental impurities inducing sleepiness:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or walk a little, and then sit again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On involuntary action during sleep:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unconscious actions are, however, still regarded as morally motivated, but should be&#xA;  understood to differ from involuntary actions or reactions. Sue Hamilton, for example, discusses the&#xA;  possibility of involuntary reactions and how it is accounted for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I have suggested that if one is not conscious of a sound then one has not heard it. We&#xA;    can, however, sometimes react ―involuntarily‖ to a sound without being conscious of it: in sleep,&#xA;    for example, a loud sound can cause one to make a movement even if there is absolutely no consciousness&#xA;    of the sound at all. We also experience peripheral awareness which we do not seem to&#xA;    be conscious of. We regularly avoid obstacles in our path while our attention is wholly elsewhere,&#xA;    for example. Though such experiences of peripheral awareness might indicate the minimal level&#xA;    to which consciousness of, or awareness, operates, this question is not explicitly dealt with in the&#xA;    Sutta Piaka. Nor is the experience of involuntary reactions explained. This is a significant omission&#xA;    because involuntary reactions such as wet dreams became the subject of controversy in the&#xA;    early Buddhist sangha: if they are unconscious, do they constitute a volition with moral implications?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though not in a Buddhist perspective this course also might be of some interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://ai.umich.edu/portfolio/sleep-neurobiology-medicine-and-society/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T11:43:30.920" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12980" CreationDate="2015-12-07T06:12:43.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death - What dies with death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every moment all the 5 aggregates arise and passes away. This can be viewed as momentarily death. Physical deaths (marana) is when the the 5 argerates pass away in one body and arise in another body leaving the residue of corporeal body (rupa) behind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ctp_screen-view_v1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Clearing the Path&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nanavira.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Ñānavīra&lt;/a&gt; further discusses this citations to Suttas. Some of the main citation are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nidāna Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt; from the Tripitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha216.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist View of Death - An Interview with Bhante Gunaratana&lt;/a&gt; by Samaneri Sudhamma and Margot Born&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth - What is born with birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly, the start of life, at conception, is seen as involving the flux-of-consciousness, from a past life, entering the womb and, along with the requisite physical conditions, leading to the development of a new being in the womb:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Were consciousness, Ananda, not to fall into the mother's womb, would mind-and-body (nama-rupa) be constituted there?' 'It would not, Lord'. 'Were consciousness, having fallen into the mother's womb, to turn aside from it, would mind-and-body come to birth in this present state?'. 'It would not, Lord.' (D. II. 62-3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha205.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The mind-body relationship in Pali Buddhism: A philosophical investigation&lt;/a&gt;, Peter Harvey&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quoted Sutta is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you provide any Sutta / Sutra references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See above links. Also bibliography of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ctp_screen-view_v1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Clearing the Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the following essay might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.2-Death-An-early-Buddhist-perspective.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Death: An early Buddhist perspective&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T02:51:36.680" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2190" CreationDate="2015-12-07T06:44:10.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The law of Karma is universal, i.e., applicable to all equally and applicable the same manner across time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humans are smart hence they can have the Right View but in the case of an animal this is not the case. Also an animal acts mainly by instinct which is Unprompted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the state of mind a hunting animat can have is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One consciousness, unprompted (instinct), accompanied by pleasure (pleasure of a good meal), and connected with wrong view (lack of belief of repercussion and consequences of Karma or action)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One consciousness, unprompted (instinct), accompanied by indifference (pure instinctive reaction), and connected with wrong view (lack of belief of repercussion and consequences of Karma or action)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above 2 mindd states generate more heavier Karma than the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also animal will have following mental content which in humans have a choise to eliminate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ahirika - not ashamed of doing evil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anottappa - no fear to do evil, i.e., fear of the consequences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the animal kingdom fear, hunger, greed, territorial attachments, etc. is predominant which gives arise to unwholesome states and opportunity and intellect to do +ve karma is less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This all point to that in the animal kingdom you are worse off and would end up accumulating more bad karma. Also if you are a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;carnivore&lt;/a&gt; feeding and survival needs killing as you simply cannot become &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivore&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;herbivore&lt;/a&gt;, hence the nature of your birth will mean you tend to accumulate more bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada, &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2574/295&quot;&gt;Do lions create bad kamma for their next life when they kill?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T07:43:15.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12980" CreationDate="2015-12-07T08:15:46.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conditioned (samsaric) phenomena are subject to birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is their very nature to arise and pass away. Samsaric phenomena are compounded and conditioned. They have causes and effects and function as causes for other effects and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditioned phenomena are in a constant flux. There is no stability or permanence. There is no solidity to be found anywhere. Break up and decay is bound to happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, there is only the present moment. It arises and passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can verify that for oneself, by practicing &lt;em&gt;insight meditation&lt;/em&gt; and thereby experience how mental and physical phenomena arise and pass away incessantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is birth and death every moment. A sound, a smell, a feeling, a sight, a taste, a mental formation (e.g. the notion/concept of a body or a Self) arises and passes away constantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth - What is born with birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What arises must eventually pass away, due to the fact that it arose in the first place. Something that comes into existence must also fall away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, bhikkhus, do ageing and death have birth as condition or not, or how do you take it in this case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ageing and death have birth as condition, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;MN 38: Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta, Bodhi Trans&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death - What dies with death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the the Buddhas words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The passing of beings out of the various orders of beings, their passing away, dissolution, disappearance, dying, completion of time, dissolution of the aggregates, laying down of the body - this is called death&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;MN 9: Sammaditthi Sutta, Bodhi Trans&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T12:35:06.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12917" CreationDate="2015-12-07T08:22:57.563" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Self as a noun implies an entity which implies that the person is unchanging or has an unchanging core or identity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self as a verb implies that the the entity has control. This is also not the case, though there might be some apparent control it is not absolute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is no concept of Atman as this would imply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A being is nothing but the cyclical rolling forward of the dependent origination which takes a more of a process oriented view of a being. A being that is dependently arisen. Here there is nothing permanent, the next arisen person is not someone entirely different not the same, all constituents of the being are transient. This is more like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic_process&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;stochastic process&lt;/a&gt; in terms of modern understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T08:22:57.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12976" CreationDate="2015-12-07T09:25:44.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Je Tsongkhapa. Middle-Length Lam Rim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should think about the very marvelous way in which any number of&#xA;  sentient beings in the world realms ask different questions all at&#xA;  once, yet he still apprehends them with the wisdom that possesses a&#xA;  single instant of mind and answers all the questions with a single&#xA;  utterance understood in their respective languages. In &lt;strong&gt;Chapter of the&#xA;  Truthful One&lt;/strong&gt; it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;If thus all beings, in one single moment, Ask a&#xA;  question in many definitive words, His mind comprehends them in a&#xA;  single moment And answers them all with one melodious statement. Thus&#xA;  know that the melodious Brahma voice Of him who gives instructions&#xA;  rings forth in this world. He thoroughly set in motion the wheel of&#xA;  Dharma, Eradicating the suffering of gods and men.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Chapter of the Truthful One&lt;/strong&gt; (Skt. &lt;em&gt;Satyaka-parivarta&lt;/em&gt;, Tib. &lt;em&gt;bDen pa po'i le'u&lt;/em&gt;), is the  fourth chapter of the 'Arya-bodhisattva-gocaropaya-visaya-vikurvana-nirdesa-nama-mahayana-sûtra', 'The Noble Teaching through Manifestations on the Subject of Skillful Means in the Bodhisattva's Field of Activity'. This is a Mahayana Sutra consisting of a dialogue between the king and the wise Caṇḍapradyota Nirgrantha Satyaka, comprehending 12 chapters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T09:25:44.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12994" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="12996" CreationDate="2015-12-07T09:59:41.080" Score="4" ViewCount="3484" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was in rehab (15 years ago) I was at a &lt;a href=&quot;http://camphill.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Camp Hill&lt;/a&gt; community. It wasn't really that helpful for my drug problem. Maybe I wasn't ready at the time and because I don't believe in God, I had a lot of resistance to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kheper.net/topics/Anthroposophy/Steiner-cosmology.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;antroposofic cosmology&lt;/a&gt;. Also, Camp Hill is very hierarchic and not really a drug treatment program; it's for mentally disabled people. I find Buddhist meditation practices on non-self, suffering and impermanence much more helpful.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I did like about Camp Hill was that we always had a little prayer before meals. When I am about to eat, I very often wish I could have some kind of Saying Grace that could express gratitude (I don't know if 'Saying Grace' is the right term, in Norwegian it's called &quot;table prayer&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anybody know any Buddhist prayers like that? It's not so important what tradition it comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T10:57:57.353" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T14:29:39.287" Title="Saying Grace before meals" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|traditions|prayer|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T10:16:04.773" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the monastery I live, we are taught to bless the food by way of offering it, before each meal (or even before simply drinking a glass of water, tea, coffee or so).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short Tibetan version goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tönpa la mä sangye rinpoche&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Kyobpa la mä dam chö rinpoche&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Dren pa la mä gendün rinpoche&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Kyab nä kön chok sum la chö par bül&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Its English translation goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To the precious Buddha, the unsurpassable teacher,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the precious Dharma, the unsurpassable protection,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the precious Sangha, the unsurpassable guides—&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To you, the three rare and supreme sources of refuge, I offer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is what we recite (just once, no need for thee recitations) when we have no time (or no heart to take the time). Usually, we recite this short version in the context of 'blessing, offering the food during puja' or when we eat outside of the monastery. An even shorter version for lazy people like me consists in saying &quot;Om Ah Hum&quot; three times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;We also have a longer (clearly Mahayana) version. It is the one we recite every day before the communal lunch:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Om Ah Hum (3x)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassionate Lord,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;All-knowing Guide,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Field of merit and ocean of qualities,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Tathagata, to you I pay homage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through purity free of attachment,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Through virtue free of the lower realms,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Uniquely ultimate supreme,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Peaceful Dharma, to you I pay homage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Showing the path which frees those seeking freedom,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Well established in the trainings,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Pure among fields possessing qualities:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the Sangha, I also pay homage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the principal Buddha homage.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;The Dharma, which protects homage.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the Sangha assembly homage.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Homage to the three always.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The qualities of Buddha are inconceivable.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;The qualities of the Dharma are inconceivable.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;The Arya Sangha are inconceivable.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Through generating faith in the inconceivable,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;The karmic ripening result will also be inconceivable:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;May we be born in the pure realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the precious Buddha, peerless guide,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the precious Dharma, peerless refuge,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the precious Sangha, peerless liberators:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;We offer to the three jewels of refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This food with a hundred of flavours,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Which  is mouth-watering and well made,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the Conqueror and his children we offer with faith.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;By this, may all migrators become wealthy,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;And enjoy the food of concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing this food as medicine,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;We eat it without attachment or hatred,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Not to have an enviable body, not out of pride,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Not to look strong, only to sustain the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the connection of making charity&#xA;&lt;br&gt;To the sentient beings living in my body,&#xA;&lt;br&gt;May they become human beings and I will reveal to them the&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Dharma and lead them to enlightenment.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;For this purpose I am going to enjoy this food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T16:02:24.000" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T16:02:24.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T10:24:57.940" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I was in rehab (15 years ago) I was at a Camp Hill community. It wasn't really that helpful for my drug problem. Maybe I wasn't ready at the time and because I don't believe in God, I had a lot of resistance to the antroposofic cosmology. Also, Camp Hill is very hierarchic and not really a drug treatment program; it's for mentally disabled people. I find Buddhist meditation practices on non-self, suffering and impermanence much more helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a perfect example from S.N. Goenka's life itself where he got a migraine which was incurable and later developed some addiction to thee painkillers he was taking. But with an introduction to Vipassana meditation he overcame the migraine (which was psychosomatic) as well as the addiction to painkillers. This is like you case where you found &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; meditation helpful. To continuously reap the benefits, the best is that you continue your practice, and regularly be on check to see if you are practicing the correct way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What I did like about Camp Hill was that we always had a little prayer before meals. When I am about to eat, I very often wish I could have some kind of Saying Grace that could express gratitude (I don't know if 'Saying Grace' is the right term, in Norwegian it's called &quot;table prayer&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_rose_by_any_other_name_would_smell_as_sweet&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.&lt;/a&gt; What you call the practice is immaterial. Also this seems to have a +ve psychological effect on you, hence it will be worthwhile to continue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does anybody know any Buddhist prayers like that? It's not so important what tradition it comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in Theravada Buddhism we do not have giving grace as a practice, but gratitude is very important concept. Finding time to do this before a meal is very positive, as you will always pratice this at a specific time and regularly. When you do not have fixed time and schedule the tendency is to procrastinate and also it will be irregular. This being a +ve practice and also having a +ve impact on you it is best to keep it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep up the good thing you are doing and also try cultivating good thing that you are not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T10:24:57.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12041" CreationDate="2015-12-07T11:07:47.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple classification. In one such classification 3 kinds of knowledges:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge gained from learning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;knowledge gained from logical deduction and thinking&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge gained through meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another there are some knowledges gained as psychic abilities like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition practicing Vippassana meditation does certain knowledges pertaining to the meditation process which are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/knowledg.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;insight knowledges&lt;/a&gt;. Also covered in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81-%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia entry - Vipassanā-ñāṇa&lt;/a&gt;. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jnana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia - ñāṇa&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia - Paññā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are some commonly refered Knowledges though there few more like the 72 specific knowledge of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T11:30:19.880" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T11:30:19.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T11:54:34.997" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists in Asian countries have a practice of offering the best portion of the meal before noon to the Buddha before they start eating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also show your gratitude to your parents/wife/friends who prepared it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly, you can practice Satipattana while eating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kayanupassana: mixing, moving(hand), opening(mouth), putting(food in mouth), chewing etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vedananupassana: pleasant/unpleasant(taste)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cittanupassana: thinking(if the mind strays)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammanupassana: liking/disliking(the taste)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T15:46:05.397" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T15:46:05.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="12999" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-07T16:02:20.797" Score="4" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;My partner has practiced a lot of lucid dreaming. She is good at it, I'm not. All in all, I'm a conceptual, low level beginner not yet recovered from too many years of academics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sleep 7 hours every night, and as I've gotten all the intoxicants out of my system (I'm referring to chemistry here, not Kant and Plato) I remember my dreams! I've read about lucid dreaming a bit, and understand it's vital to keep a dream journal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have tips/own experience on what's best to focus on in such a journal? I've asked my partner, but she gets a bit impatient with me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-07T16:37:08.947" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T01:16:57.307" Title="Dream journal - what to focus on?" Tags="|personal-practice|tibetan-buddhism|dreams|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12937" CreationDate="2015-12-07T16:37:25.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the behest of ChrisW - not to sound flippant, but you really do need a teacher if you are going to study koans.  At their very core, koans are asking you to look at something outside your current way of seeing the world.  Unfortunately, you simply can't use your current system of thinking to correctly discern something outside of it.  (Godel, Escher, and Bach, right?)  You absolutely need a second opinion - someone with confirmed understanding - and that's where a teacher comes in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By going at this yourself you run the risk of falling into two traps.  On the one hand, you might come to mistakenly think you've understood something.  We are great at deluding ourselves, after all.  This is especially true when it comes to our habits, preconceived notions, and obstacles (you know, the very things koans seek to rout out!).  Without a teacher to point out that your understanding is less than ideal (or entirely wrong!) there is no limit to how screwed up you can get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, and this happens with quite a bit of frequency, sometimes we actually see the very thing a koan is pointing at, but ignore it or don't take it to be significant.  Seeing into a koan isn't exactly accompanied by the singing of angels.  Well, sometimes it is.  More often than not, however, you aren't even going to understand what it is you've seen.  At the very least, you aren't going to understand why it's important.  I once sat with a koan for years thinking I hadn't answered it when I had actually seen into the very first week.  Me, in my boundless stupidity, just assumed that I was supposed to be looking for something more significant than what I was experiencing!  If I didn't have a teacher (who finally demanded a black and white, literal report on what was happening with my practice) I might still be sitting with that same koan today!                &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T16:37:25.783" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T16:58:23.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the Zen monastery I have visited a couple times, those present say a &lt;a href=&quot;http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-63unu/z8ovh/products/2905/images/3076/meal-g-tmb__22575.1397741297.1000.1200.jpg?c=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meal Gatha&lt;/a&gt; prior to eating:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First, seventy-two labors brought us this food,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We should know how it comes to us.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Second, as we receive this offering,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We should consider&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whether our virtue and practice deserve it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Third, as we desire the natural order of mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To be free from clinging,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We must be free from greed.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Fourth, to support our life, we receive this food.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Fifth, to realize the way, we accept this food.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First, this food is for the Three Treasures.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Second, it is for our teachers, parents, nation,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And all sentient beings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Third, it is for all beings in the six worlds.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus, we eat this food with everyone.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We eat to stop all evil, to practice good,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To save all sentient beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And to accomplish our Buddha Way.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.existentialbuddhist.com/tag/meal-gatha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Another site&lt;/a&gt; says that the first part of the gatha above is from Dogen, and suggests it is widely used in Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mindfulgatha.wordpress.com/gathas/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This gatha&lt;/a&gt;, suggested by Thich Nhat Hanh, is one possible alternative:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This food is the gift of the whole universe, the earth, the sky, and much hard work. May we be worthy to receive it. May we transform unskillful states of mind, especially the habit of eating without moderation. May we take only foods that nourish us and prevent illness. We accept this food to realize the path of understanding and love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T14:29:39.287" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T14:29:39.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T17:24:15.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always make it a point to thank the cook and those involved in preparing the meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In gatherings, I do this immediately after others thank imaginary beings, since I kind of feel that my wife should get credit for actually doing the work!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's appropriate and culture-neutral to make &quot;words&quot; more like a toast, and nominate that we reflect on our current situations and recognise achivements of those present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7403" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T17:24:15.520" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12999" CreationDate="2015-12-07T18:12:06.197" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lucid Dreaming and The Dream Journal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Dream Journal is actually quite simple to use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all you need some material, i.e. Dreams. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After weeks or months, depending on your dream activity and the ability to remember your dreams, you should have sufficient material to begin analyzing your dream-material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next step is to look for patterns. All people have different patterns that occur in the majority of their dreams. One pattern could be &quot;action&quot;. Some people have dreams that are action-packed and very vivid. Others have dreams that are very realistic, while others have dreams that are no near realistic. Each have their own dream-pattern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You want to find these patterns through studying your dreams. Get to know these patterns as your own back pocket. In time and with practice, these patterns will become lucid-dream-triggers. When you know them very well and they occur in a dream of yours, you will realize them and become aware/lucid in the dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That step might take a while so don't become discouraged at first. Every morning when you wake up, write down as much as you remember from your dreams. Have a pen and a journal at your bed table or close by. When you wake up, dont move. Stay frozen for some minutes and lie with closed eyes. That will make it easier for you to remember more details from your dreams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The great thing about this is that the more you write down, the more details you can remember from your dreams. Soon you will remember 2 dreams, then 3, then 4-5 or 7 dreams when you wake up in the morning. When you have enough material, then begin analyzing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do yourself a favor and have at least some weeks of material. That will make it easier to find patterns the dreams. When you find patterns, write them down separately and get to know them. They will be unique, just like a fingerprint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lucid Dreaming and the relation to Buddhist Practice.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can this then be used in Buddhist practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, one can use the dream-state to deepen ones practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is practicing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Lucid_Dreaming/Induction_Techniques#WILD&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;WILD technique&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Lucid_Dreaming/Induction_Techniques#Tibetan_methods&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(see also &lt;em&gt;Tibetan Methods&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. entering the dream-state from waking-state, one can continously observe conditioned phenomena as they arise and pass away. Why is that important?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8785/going-from-a-waking-state-into-the-dream-state-while-being-conscious&quot;&gt;Because the stages before falling asleep, exactly mirrors the stages of dying.&lt;/a&gt; There is the possibility to gain some deep insights here. Also to sneak-preview and prepare for the moment of Death. Meditating while going from waking-state into the dream-state gives the opportunity to continue to practice even while the body sleeps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me end with a quote from Tibetan Buddhism, by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_yoga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Shugchang&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In order to make the time we spend dreaming more meaningful, we must first recognize that we are dreaming. That is the initial exercise. The next step is called transforming the dream; the third is known as multiplying. The fourth practice is to unify the dream with the clear light. Recognizing, transforming, multiplying and unifying the dream with the luminosity of the true nature; these four outline the essential applications of dream yoga.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T18:43:17.347" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12994" CreationDate="2015-12-07T19:56:44.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sōtō zen rituals for meals: see this &lt;a href=&quot;http://web.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_3/gyohatsu_nenju.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;doument&lt;/a&gt; and also this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sfzc.org/teachings/services-sutras-texts-songs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;page&lt;/a&gt; for more details. Here are the verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse upon Hearing the Meal Signal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha was born in Kapilavastu,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  enlightened in Magadha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  taught in Varanasi,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  entered nirvana in Kushinagara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse for Setting Out Bowls&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now we set out Buddha's bowls;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  may we, with all living beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  realize the emptiness of the three wheels:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  giver, receiver, and gift.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ten Buddha Names&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the midst of the Three Treasures&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  which verify our understanding,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  entrusting ourselves to the sangha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  we recall:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vairochana Buddha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  pure Dharmakaya;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Lochana Buddha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  complete Sambhogakaya;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Shakyamuni Buddha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  myriad Nirmanakaya;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Maitreya Buddha, of future birth;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All buddhas&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  throughout space and time;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, Mahayana sutra.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Manjushri Bodhisattva,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  great wisdom;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Samantabhadra Bodhisattva,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  great activity;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  great compassion;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  All honored ones,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  bodhisattvas, mahasattvas;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wisdom beyond wisdom,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  maha-prajnaparamita.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Food Offering Verses [At breakfast]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This morning meal of ten benefits&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nourishes us in our practice.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Its rewards are boundless,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  filling us with ease and joy.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[At lunch]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three virtues and six tastes of this meal&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  are offered to buddha and sangha.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May all sentient beings in the universe&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  be equally nourished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse of Five Contemplations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We reflect on the effort that brought us this food and consider how it comes to us.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We reflect on our virtue and practice, and whether we are worthy of this offering.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We regard greed as the obstacle to freedom of mind.&#xA;  We regard this meal as medicine to sustain our life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  For the sake of enlightenment we now receive this food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse of Food for Spirits&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Oh spirits, we now give you an offering;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  this food is for all of you in the ten directions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bowl Raising Verse&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First, this is for the Three Treasures;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  next, for the four benefactors;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  finally, for the beings in the six realms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May all be equally nourished.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first portion is to end all evil;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the second is to cultivate every good;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the third is to free all beings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May everyone realize the Buddha Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse of the Rinse Water&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The water with which we wash our bowls&#xA;  tastes like ambrosia.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  We offer it to the many spirits;&#xA;  may they be satisfied.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  On ma ku ra sai so wa ka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse of Purity While Abiding in the World&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abiding in this ephemeral world&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  like a lotus in muddy water,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the mind is pure and goes beyond.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus we bow to Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fo Guan Shan (also Mahayana; Pure Land / Ch'an) day to day rituals for the beginning and ending of meal: 養 供 咒 (meal offering; before the meal) and 向 回 (dedication of merit; after the meal) &lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meal offering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now we render this offerings to the Pure Dharma-body Vairochana Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To the Perfect Reward-body Nishyanda Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To the myriad transformation-body Shakyamuni Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Land of ultimate bliss, to Amitabha Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Maitraya honored future Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And to all times and places to each and every Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Manjusri Great Wisdom Bodhisattva;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Universal Worthy Great Conduct Boddhisattva;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Kwan Shr Yin Great Compassion Bodhisattva;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To Earth Treasury King Great Vow Bodhisattva;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And to all Honored Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Maha prajna paramita!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dedication of merit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Homage to the Seven Myriads of Fully Awakened Ones! It goes thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Oṃ! To the mover, the destroyer, Cundi! Hail!”&#xA;  Behold, the donors will certainly receive their merit,&#xA;  Giving for the sake of happiness, one will be awarded with inner peace,&#xA;  Now the meal has been completed, we vow that all sentient beings,&#xA;  Complete all that is to be done, becoming endowed with the Buddha Dharmas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;: check &lt;a href=&quot;https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4-3ivsK5Q6MUzl3YzZ3cUhZbFU/view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this document&lt;/a&gt; for these and other verses and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDaZexEx2eI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; for how the verses are chanted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-12-07T19:56:44.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5614" CreationDate="2015-12-08T00:09:31.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It takes time to progress spiritually, and we mostly learn by experience, not book-learning. I am sure that you are doing your best, so there is no need to be depressed about anything that came before you had better understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people are stuck in an ego-defined state, and so they do not really learn. It sounds like you are in the state I call &quot;Neo&quot;, which includes lots of 'epiphanies' and rapid progress (and a lot of emotion sometimes). The next stage is nonduality, and it is more calm. It is coming, just be patient with yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T00:09:31.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13006" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-08T00:54:12.797" Score="8" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm having a certain trouble in meditation being aware of both my feelings and emotions. The feelings, as in vedana, aren't so inaccessible to me but my emotions are particularly hard to discern. I'm wondering whether the practice of mindfulness of vedana will help me discern my emotions more, or whether emotions are a different thing alltogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T08:26:32.473" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T17:04:18.487" Title="Mindfulness of feelings and emotions" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13007" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13013" CreationDate="2015-12-08T05:31:57.983" Score="6" ViewCount="241" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, I am not sure whether I am posting in the right forum. My apologies if this is not the right place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently went to a restaurant and when I ordered dessert, I found a mosquito inside the bowl of the ice-cream. I asked waiter and he apologized right away and replaced it. In the suggestion book even though my family said not to write, I ignored them and wrote my complaint in anger that &quot;I found a mosquito in my dessert.&quot; And the manager was reading that book. The waiter apologized again while I was leaving and he meant every word he said. I could feel it. Now, I am feeling guilty that I should not have written my complaint. I am worried that the manager might fire the poor guy or deduct some money from his salary. &#xA;I want to know whether I did the right thing or I shouldn't have written about it in the book? I am very disturbed thinking about the incident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7406" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T13:37:04.287" Title="Feeling guilty of something I did" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13006" CreationDate="2015-12-08T07:18:11.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vedana is pleasant/unpleasant/neutral feelings at the sense doors. Being aware of that is called Vedananupassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotions (including for example the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five hindrances&lt;/a&gt;) are covered under Dhammanupassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a simple guide book, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Meditate&lt;/a&gt;, you can follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is customary to memorize&#xA;  these four categories before proceeding with the&#xA;  meditation practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Body – the movements and postures of the body;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Feelings&lt;/strong&gt; – bodily and mental sensations of pain,&#xA;  happiness, calm, etc.;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mind – thoughts that arise in the mind – of the past&#xA;  or future, good or bad;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammas&lt;/strong&gt; – groups of mental and physical&#xA;  phenomena that are of specific interest to the&#xA;  meditator, including the mental states that cloud&#xA;  one's awareness, the six senses by which one&#xA;  experiences reality, and many others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex: When sitting for meditation, you might feel pain in your legs. That pain is still Vedana(feeling). You can note it as pain... pain... pain... It becomes emotion, if you start to dislike the pain. If you are wishing the pain to go away, you are already emotional. Simply note it as disliking... disliking...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, you might feel very calm when meditating. Simply note it as calm... calm... calm... If you start to like that calmness, it is emotion. Note it as liking... liking... liking... This liking becomes clinging and when the calmness goes away, sadness/disappointment arises as a result of clinging. That is again Vedana which you can note as sad... sad... sad...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T08:38:46.227" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T08:38:46.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13009" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13021" CreationDate="2015-12-08T08:17:39.280" Score="1" ViewCount="262" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3870/meditation-and-mouth-breathing&quot;&gt;A very interesting discussion here on SE&lt;/a&gt; on breathing focus made me a bit confused. Allan Wallace says in the beginning focus on belly, then when you get better at it, diaphragm, then nostril/upper lip. He is basing his instructions (in &lt;em&gt;The Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt;) Kamalashila's &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the q/a i linked above some disagreement occurs there and some of the people there says diapragm is better. They are folks whom I've gotten very many good answers from before, and whse answers I therefore have come to trust quite much. But in almost al other books, videos, techers instruction the tendency is to say that once you get the hang of shamata, you should focus on upper lip/nose/nostril. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anyone has good references and arguments for focusing on diaphragm I'd like to hear them, and try it out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T02:41:12.857" Title="Shamata - attention on upper lip, diaphragm or belly?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-recommendation|meditation-breath|samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13007" CreationDate="2015-12-08T09:00:46.417" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Getting angry is certainly wrong. If this is the first time it has happened to you in that restaurant, a verbal complaint would've been enough. Waiter apologizing and replacing the ice-cream is a clear indication that he took it seriously. Written complaints are usually used for intentional errors or when they don't take you seriously after complaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To deal with your sadness, do Vedananupassana: Note the sadness as sad... sad... sad...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To deal with regret, do Cittanupassana &amp;amp; Dhammanupassana: thinking... thinking...  regretting... regretting...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T09:00:46.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13011" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13018" CreationDate="2015-12-08T09:17:40.180" Score="6" ViewCount="919" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a version of Satipatthana Sutta in &lt;strong&gt;English AUDIO&lt;/strong&gt; . I have got the pali version but I do not understand the full meaning when I listen to it.The idea is to listen every day when I go to work and come home after work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T09:25:52.597" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T16:12:27.173" Title="Satipatthana sutta in english AUDIO" Tags="|satipatthana|media|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13011" CreationDate="2015-12-08T09:37:43.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are these &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic-study-of-the-majjhima-nikaya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;audio Dhamma talks on the &lt;em&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 10 talks. You can see an overview of the 10 talks &lt;a href=&quot;http://mirror1.birken.ca/dhamma_talks/indiv/Bodhi/06/MajjhimaNikayaLectures.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cB8kc.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cB8kc.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T09:37:43.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13007" CreationDate="2015-12-08T09:41:48.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the specific situation you've described, you have experienced some powerful emotions - there was anger, like you've said, but maybe also other emotions.&#xA;It might help you to go back to that moment when you decided to write your complain in the guest book and try to identify all the emotions you've experienced, starting with the most obvious to the ones more discrete. Think about how often you act on these emotions when they appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During meditation, we learn to look at our mind. We learn to identify emotional states as they occur -we see that they come, have a certain power, last for a while, then pass away. The reason we do that is because otherwise we just follow the habits (act on those emotions) we have long developed. People who meditate acknowledge the emotions they experience, but note it without acting on those emotions, especially if they are unwholesome. They understand the emotions as something that are present, will last a while, than will pass away.  Would you like to learn to control theme? Maybe you would develop an interest in meditation and will learn how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the emotions of regret you experience now, by continuously thinking about that situation, you keep the mind focused on a negative emotion, and this is not a good training for the mind. The good part is that you can see the effect your action has on you ( you did something and now you feel bad about it). Try to stay in the present moment. When a thought about that situation shows up in your mind, just acknowledge it as a thought (you are no longer in that situation, in the present it is just a thought about that situation). When you experience an emotion in the present, recognize the emotion and let go (&quot;this is sadness&quot; or &quot;regret&quot;). Maybe it will help to think that you've learned something from this situation and you will try to not repeat that mistake again. Also, be kind to yourself - we all make mistakes, what's important is to learn from them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you will find something helpful in this answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorUserId="5850" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T11:27:11.053" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T11:27:11.053" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13014" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13016" CreationDate="2015-12-08T10:59:18.867" Score="3" ViewCount="838" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once attended a puja at a Sri Lankan temple where a string was passed around during chanting. Afterwards the monks tied string around our wrists and poured water over our heads. What is the string called? Any explanation on the significance. I notice some people kept the string on for months, others said to cut it off at the end of the day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T12:04:34.637" LastActivityDate="2021-04-04T11:42:13.823" Title="Information on string ceremony" Tags="|theravada|laity|rituals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13015" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-08T11:05:08.993" Score="3" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan tradition, and as far as I understand, the Mahayana in general, there’s a lot of emphasis on compassion for all sentient beings. Compassion for all sentient beings sounds great. But I sometimes wonder about this all-encompassing compassion in practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example: I was attending a two day meditation and reflection session this weekend. We did meditation on compassion for all sentient beings. The teacher did not get tired of underlining how importance of no exceptions. It all sounds very nice. At the end of the first day we were discussing meditation on the skhanda’s and I asked if we could repeat this the next morning. Teacher said yes, but forgot it. I asked if he could send me a mil with some info I needed. He said yes but forgot. This made me wonder. You know, compassion for all – aren’t your students included in “all”? Is it a risk that you may slip in to a state where you meditate very “big” and think about you compassion for all the universe(s), but forget “thy neighbor”? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha address this directly anywhere? This tendency to be compassionate when you’re on the cushion but when the chips are down in real life it isn’t that much mindful compassion left? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-01-06T19:04:34.793" Title="Compassion for all sentient beings" Tags="|mahayana|meditation-practicalities|tibetan-buddhism|compassion|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13014" CreationDate="2015-12-08T11:25:08.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the recital continues there will be found a pot of water placed&#xA;on a table before the monks. On this table there is also a sacred&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;thread (pirit nula)&lt;/strong&gt;. For an all night pirit ceremony the casket&#xA;containing a relic of the Buddha, and the Pirit Potha or The Book of&#xA;Protection written on ola leaves, are also brought into the pavilion.&#xA;The relic represents the Buddha, the &amp;quot;Pirit Potha&amp;quot; represents the&#xA;Dhamma or the teachings of the Buddha, and the reciting Bhikkhu-Sangha&#xA;represent the Ariya-Sangha, the arahant disciples of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The thread&lt;/strong&gt; is drawn round the interior of the pavilion, and its end&#xA;twisted round the casket, the neck of the pot of water, and tied to&#xA;the cord of the ola-leaf book. While the special discourses are being&#xA;recited the monks hold the thread. The purpose is to maintain an&#xA;unbroken communication from the water to the relic, to the Pirit Potha&#xA;and to the officiating monks, (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, the Ti-ratana,&#xA;the three jewels.) A ball of thread connected to &amp;quot;The Three Jewels&amp;quot;&#xA;and the water, is unloosened and passed on to the listeners (seated on&#xA;the ground on mats), who hold the thread while the recital goes on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the recital in Pali of the entire book is over at dawn, the&#xA;thread sanctified by the recital is divided into pieces and&#xA;distributed among the devotees to be tied round their wrists or necks.&#xA;At the same time the sanctified water is sprinkled on all, who even&#xA;drink a little of it and sprinkle it on their heads. These are to be&#xA;regarded as symbols of the protective power of the paritta that was&#xA;recited. It is a service of inducing blessings. It has its&#xA;psychological effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Bernard Grad of McGill University in Montreal painstakingly proved&#xA;that if a psychic healer held water in a flask and this water was&#xA;later poured on barley seeds, the plants significantly outgrew&#xA;untreated seeds.&lt;/strong&gt; But — and this is the intriguing part — if depressed&#xA;psychiatric patients held the flasks of water, the growth of seeds was&#xA;retarded. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Read more...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of giving Paritta threads was even done by &lt;a href=&quot;http://jathakakatha.lk/english/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;view=article&amp;amp;id=587:96-telapatta-jataka&amp;amp;catid=40:intellectualness-&amp;amp;Itemid=103&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacceka Buddhas in the past&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;It's basically used as a symbol of protection. There's no real time limit to how long you have to wear it. If it's clean, you can keep it as long as you want. It can be helpful in many ways. If you feel afraid, you can look at the thread and remember the Paritta chanting event. Remember taking refuge. And feel confident that you are able to handle any situation since you have the protection of the Triple-gem. Wearing the thread can make you disinclined to break precept. ex: &amp;quot;Am I really going to kill while wearing this which represents the Triple-gem?&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Am I really going to misbehave while wearing this sacred thread?&amp;quot; etc.&#xA;Wearing a thread or a band for such reasons is much more wholesome than wearing bands/bracelets to make a fashion statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2021-04-04T11:42:13.823" LastActivityDate="2021-04-04T11:42:13.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13017" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-08T12:02:13.170" Score="4" ViewCount="691" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to this question seems to depend on what school one talks about. So my question is about Mahayana Buddhism, more specifically Tibetan Madhyamaka Buddhist schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I kind of wonder where the line is drawn between beings that are sentient and beings that are not. How about f.ex. corals, algae, amoeba, crill and living creatures like that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I can understand (which is probably not very far) this has got to do with whether the being has consciousness/mind or not. Is that so?  Maybe the question should be &quot;what does it mean to say that a being is  conscious or has a mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a generally accepted definition of what a sentient being is? Anywhere in the suttas the Buddha is talking about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2020-02-17T20:31:12.790" Title="What is a &quot;sentient being&quot; in Tibetan Buddhism?" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|consciousness|mind|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13011" CreationDate="2015-12-08T12:58:42.507" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the reading of Sally Clough with a calm soothing voice and intonation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suttareadings.net/audio/mn.010.sclo.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.suttareadings.net/audio/mn.010.sclo.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also find other Suttas read there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T12:58:42.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13017" CreationDate="2015-12-08T13:52:29.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purbuchok. in &lt;em&gt;Explanation of the Presentation of Objects and Object-Posessors as well as Awarenesses and Knowers&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With regard to &lt;strong&gt;persons&lt;/strong&gt;, the definition of something’s being&#xA;  a person is: a being imputed in dependence upon any of its five&#xA;  aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Self, I, person, and being are synonymous. An illustration is a being&#xA;  who possesses a basis of one of the three realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;That which is both a person and is not an arya buddha is a sentient being. An arya budha is a person, but not a sentient being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Geshe Gyaltsen's commentary to Maitreya's &lt;em&gt;Sublime Continuum&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Person pervades all sentient beings and sentient beings pervade all&#xA;  ordinary beings, or ordinary persons. There are therefore three&#xA;  possibilities. Therefore the broader category is person, &lt;strong&gt;the person&#xA;  being someone with a mind&lt;/strong&gt;, whereby all sentient beings and arya&#xA;  buddhas are included. Arya buddha is the buddha as a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;According to the so-called Wheel of Life (Skt. bhavacakka; Tib. srid pa'i 'khor lo) there are six realms, that is six types of rebirth, six types of sentient beings. It is thus generally accepted that the are the six : hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, demi-gods and gods. All other existent (minerals, plants, fungus, my carpet, my cup of tea) are not sentient beings. Then, suffice it to establish that bacteria are fungus in order to establish they are not sentient beings, but it goes already beyond the scope of Tibetan treatises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wheel is talked of in the tales called &lt;em&gt;Divine narratives&lt;/em&gt; (Skt. Divyāvadāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T13:52:29.387" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13028" CreationDate="2015-12-08T13:54:19.167" Score="3" ViewCount="541" Body="&lt;p&gt;Philosophers throughout history have been trying to pin down what it exactly means to be human -  what it is that separates humans from (other) animals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some have voted for our ability to make rational choices for the future - in a word the ability to &lt;em&gt;intend&lt;/em&gt;; and then acting accordingly or contrary to our own better judgements. Some put emphasis on our capacity for language and communication by the use of &lt;em&gt;signs&lt;/em&gt;/abstract representations. Another variety is about freedom of will as opposed to freedom of action. Humans, they say, has both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Others still said it has really nothing to do with our rationality, but rather that it has to do with the internal structure of our will. That is to say, humans can want (or not want) to want something. We can have desires about our desires. I can say &quot;I want to eat cake, but I don't want to be fat and I don't want to be seen as a person who succumbs to temptations. Therefore I shall abstain.&quot; A cat can want to chase and kill a mouse, but the idea is that the cat doesn't have the ability to say &quot;I'm hungry and want to catch a mouse and eat it, but I don't want to be that kind of cat. Therefore I shall abstain.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is this in Buddhism? What makes us human, what separates us from animals? Is it our capacity to understand/see that samsara is suffering? Is it our ability to see emptiness and dependent arising? Our capacity to be freed from suffering? Is it our rationality? Is this the same in all traditions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T16:27:28.273" Title="According to Buddhism, what separates humans from animals?" Tags="|philosophy|traditions|western-philosophy|animals|human|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13009" CreationDate="2015-12-08T14:49:19.287" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well it depends on the teacher who is guiding you. If you do have a teacher go by what he instructs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of interpretations focul point (as in the original teaching as well as the most effective location) is the centre of the upper lip: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12335/is-watching-the-heart-beat-instead-of-watching-the-breath-a-known-form-of-medi&quot;&gt;Is watching the heart beat (instead of watching the breath) a known form of meditation?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a very comprehensive book which gives instruction to the original breath meditation method see by answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8954/295&quot;&gt;Breath getting shorter and shorter&lt;/a&gt; and also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12335/is-watching-the-heart-beat-instead-of-watching-the-breath-a-known-form-of-medi&quot;&gt;Is watching the heart beat (instead of watching the breath) a known form of meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you focus on the diagram you are supposed to look at the Wind Element, i.e., the expansion and contraction. For a beginner this is generally easy but there are arguments that as you go deeper into meditation you progress stall and slows down for some. Based on this rationale have tend to switch to other methods which seemed to have worked better for them. (E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Banthe Vimalasiri&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika_Munindra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anagarika Munindra&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;, etc.) This might not be the case for everyone but you will not know for sure whether this will work for you or not unless you try it and see for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anyone has good references and arguments for focusing on diaphragm I'd like to hear them, and try it out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you have developed some level of concentration and also looking to switch to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 elements meditation&lt;/a&gt; while doing normal day to day work this might be sometimes a good place to rest your attention. (E.g. in office, while driving, etc.) For more details on which parts of the body which each element dominates see:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.11-Maha-Rahulovada-S-m62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Rāhulovāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a basic introduction to the Mahaisi Method see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/essentials.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Essentials of Insight Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujiva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Sujiva&lt;/a&gt;. This was a book I used for reference when I tried out this method many years ago. Also there is a book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Meditate&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation techniques are like drug trial. There are some methods with generally work well for everyone but with a few exceptions. There are some methods which works well for a few does not give as great results to every one in general. Keeping this in mind try to figure out what works well for you. My belief and experience is that what works better to the masses is when you practice close to the original Suttas. A view shared by: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Banthe Vimalasiri&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nanavira.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Nanavira&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.richardshankman.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Shankman&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Leigh Brasington&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind you have to pratice for a while using one techniques to get results. You should not change too often. Only after a year to two with no progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best of luck in your search and pratice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T02:41:12.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13007" CreationDate="2015-12-08T15:08:04.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The feeling you are getting is just a feeling. This is aggravated by continuous thinking as to I should have done this or not done that. (E.g. not writing the complaint, just only making a verbal complaint, etc.) This additional thinking is rubbing salt in your existing wound of remorse. Best way is to cut it out by focusing on the breath or another chosen object. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another way would be is just to concentrate on the bad feeling keeping in mind that this also will pass away, i.e., look at the arising and passing or the impermanent nature of the feeling. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T15:08:04.797" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13020" CreationDate="2015-12-08T15:22:57.860" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot; A cat can want to chase and kill a mouse, but the idea is that the&#xA;  cat doesn't have the ability to say &quot;I'm hungry and want to catch a&#xA;  mouse and eat it, but I don't want to be that kind of cat. Therefore I&#xA;  shall abstain.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUXU172vGg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;See this big cats behavior&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T15:22:57.860" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13007" CreationDate="2015-12-08T15:44:15.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you might be right: &amp;quot;I ignored them and wrote my complaint in anger&amp;quot; does sound like it might be some unfortunate behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the benefits of 'virtuous' behaviour is said to be 'a lack of remorse'. So if you're felling remorse now, then maybe that behaviour wasn't virtuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;some hints here&lt;/a&gt; about how to define 'right speech'; for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless &amp;amp; unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another sutta says that what you say ought to be true, factual, beneficial ... and that, although it might be agreeable or disagreeable, in either case, you need to &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;have a sense of the proper time&lt;/em&gt; for saying them ... because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think if you're angry it's easy to justify angry speech: &amp;quot;what happened is &lt;em&gt;wrong&lt;/em&gt;, it's &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt; to tell them, I need to tell them that so that it doesn't happen again.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)#Definitions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anger&lt;/a&gt; however is one of the things which can cloud/distort your judgement (of right and wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if or while you're feeling angry might be one of the better times to not say too much, instead think about it again later if at all. Maybe anger used to be useful, in the animal world for example: if there's some struggle for life and death, anger might make you strong and quick (maybe it helps you to over-react physically). But seeing a mosquito in the ice cream doesn't sound like that kind of emergency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T15:44:15.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13015" CreationDate="2015-12-08T15:49:12.267" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Teacher said yes, but forgot it. I asked if he could send me a mil with some info I needed. He said yes but forgot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher saying &quot;yes&quot; could be a manifestation of compassion. But the teacher forgetting what he said he would do sounds like a manifestation of heedlessness (the opposite of mindfulness) -- these are two different things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also both saying &quot;yes&quot; and forgetting could be heedlessness. It's hard to guess one's mind state even when one is answering a simple thing with &quot;yes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, &quot;compassion&quot; can be a tricky term to understand. It's generally understood as &quot;the desire to see other beings free from suffering&quot;. Sometimes is useful to emphasize it does not mean to actively do what other people ask one to do -- compassion may manifest even as harsh actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You know, compassion for all – aren’t your students included in “all”?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see two things here. First, doing or teaching compassion meditation does not make one flawlessly compassionate onwards. Second, that meditation can have a short term goal (as a path to samatha) and long term goal (as a means of transforming one's mind and strengthening the habits of compassion). Out of the cushion is hard to be always compassionate (or always benevolent, or always mindful, or always equanimous, etc), hence the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, yes, students are included in &quot;all&quot; -- stuff like that happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T15:49:12.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13006" CreationDate="2015-12-08T15:56:51.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all seek the advice of your teacher as mixing other techniques which might not work well with the techniques you are practicing and your teacher will not be able to guide you regarding complication of what you have mixed into your techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are multiple clarifications of feeling. Three fold classification: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unpleasant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes pleasant or up plesent is broken down into further 2. i.e.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasant bodily feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasant mental feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unpleasant bodily feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unpleasant mental feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81#Attributes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā - Attributes on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotion pertain you your mental pleasant or unpleasant feeling. Also mental and physical unpleasant feeling influence each other. So if you are mindful of sensations of the body and you do get an emotional disturbance you feel unpleasantness in the body. If you are under physical pain then vise versa is true as well. This is not limited to pain alone but true to pleasant and neutral feelings also. So you if you are mindful of the body you still can feel the mental feelings through the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotions give rise to thoughts and mental state. If you look at the 121 metal states all states contain Vedana. Also if you look at the metal content which are 52 each of them has Vedana intermingled, i.e., vedana is sabba citta sadharana. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;) Also the only way to sense any this is through contact with the sense faculties. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;) Hence only way to know something that happened in the mind or mental content is through the respective vedana arising from the respective contact of the mindd objects and their content. Verada is the unifying factor for all the 4 Satipatthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In every chapter the repetition of certain words indicates the importance of this sampajañña. Ātāpī sampajāno satimā applies to the observation of kāya, vedanā, citta and dhammā: sampajañña has to be present. Similarly samudaya-, vaya-, and samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī, which apply everywhere in the Sutta, have to be with sampajañña and sensations. For example, in Myanmar there are many pagodas on plateaus, with four staircases, one each from the east, west, north and south. Similarly you might start with kāya, vedanā, citta, or dhammā, but as you enter the gallery they all &lt;strong&gt;intermingle in vedanā&lt;/strong&gt;, and reaching the shrine room it is the same nibbāna. &lt;strong&gt;Whichever staircase you start climbing, you come to vedanā and sampajañña&lt;/strong&gt;: and if you are with sampajañña you are progressing step by step towards the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta - S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there should be no conceptualisation, imagination, verbalisation, visualisation when doing Vipassana as these are Verbal Fabrication which you are supposed to reduce and calm down. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma,bhū Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vipassana-and-Vedanaas-Understood-by-a-Novice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana and Vedana as Understood by a Novice&lt;/a&gt; by U Tin Lwin would give a more detailed perspective in some of the concerns you have raised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T17:04:18.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13011" CreationDate="2015-12-08T16:12:27.173" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a very 8 day workshop done by S.N. Goenka on the Satipatthana Sutta which takes you through the original Pali sutta followed by further elaboration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The disclosures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK0Q3wUqkOo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJTuusCs4vI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYihaYA-BJ4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7hm98zqT4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_OW9RcxyUc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzKYcYpJolw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQYi9VfrsxU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 7A&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQnQL9_npD8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Day 7B&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same is available at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as a trascribed file and also sutta and it's traslation used for this discoure can fe found at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T16:12:27.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13020" CreationDate="2015-12-08T16:27:28.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism there &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;31 planes of existance&lt;/a&gt; out of one which is the animal kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your next birth is decided by the last thought moment where you remeber a recent or grave act of Karma which you have performed. So what decides or separates us from animals the Karma which decided our birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T16:27:28.273" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13029" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-08T16:57:30.177" Score="1" ViewCount="525" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to find a complete copy of William Hamilton's &quot;Saints and Psychopaths&quot; and although it seems to be distributed on the web in various places in electronic format, it also seems that every single electronic copy appears to be missing pages from the preface, specifically pages xiv and xv.  If you know where I can get these missing pages I would be extremely grateful to hear from you.  Unfortunately pretty much all of the hard copies available are prohibitively priced and I do not if there is a publishers for this book at present, in the book it appears to be &quot;Dharma Audio Network Associates San Jacinto California 1995&quot; and according to amazon the publisher is &quot;Dana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have attempted to source a complete copy from documents.mx, www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de, www.scribd.com, books.google.com &amp;amp; .co.uk, docsfiles.com, www.mediafire.com and various less reputable sites, but unfortunately to no avail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any assistance in tracking these pages, if not the full publication would be greatly appreciated, I also believe that a complete online copy of this title would be of considerable benefit to the world-wide buddhist community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7408" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-08T17:09:35.837" LastActivityDate="2019-06-17T08:22:46.600" Title="Where is the complete William Hamilton's &quot;Saints and Psychopaths&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|personal-practice|reference-request|enlightenment|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12999" CreationDate="2015-12-08T17:18:33.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any meditation technique will not have the same effect on two individuals. Each individuals is sum total your previous &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fabrications&lt;/a&gt; and our past habits. Also our &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na#Meditation_subjects_and_temperaments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;temperaments are different&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say we have been practicing a certain meditation in your past lives also. In this life also it does become very easy to pick up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also our temperament can decide on which meditation subject can work. E.g. in traditional Theravada Buddhism there &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;40 Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; which are segregated by temperament as each is designed to counteract a particular type of polarity of the individual's temperament. If you give a wrongly matched subject the effects will not be the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the our past fabrication set us apart. Two people with the same temperament and very close habits can have two different experiences due to our past karmic buildup. Even for a single individual two different session the experience will be different since the effective karma as well as the sub total of karma from the previous session has changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many meditation centres you are not allowed to discuss experiences with other than the teacher as others will crave and what experiences others are having.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the following comparisons are futile:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Between individuals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Between pratice sessions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-08T17:18:33.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12999" CreationDate="2015-12-09T01:16:57.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does anyone have tips/own experience on what's best to focus on in such a journal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a book called &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/051788710X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Conscious Dreaming&quot;&gt;Conscious Dreaming&lt;/a&gt; that has many really pro tips on successful dream journaling.  Here is a small list of tips, some from that book and some from my own experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Return to the position your body was in while you were actively engaged in a dream, and your recall of the dream can be better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Be on the lookout for reality-oddities in your dreams that trigger your knowledge that &quot;dreaming is happening.&quot;  One such technique that ended up serendipitously working well for me personally was dying my hair blue in waking life, seeing my reflection in a mirror in a dream, and noticing non-blue hair, thus triggering the lucid catalyst dynamic whereupon one becomes entity and environment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In line with the above, dye your hair in waking life to some funky color.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Definitely do breathing exercises and stretches for your whole body before sleeping, or at least at some point in the day.  Think wind channels.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the most important point, kept for the bottom of the list: set a strong intention or motivation as you ramp up your going-to-bed process.  It could be like in the above, where @Lanka mentioned the dream yoga stages.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to your question more directly: what should you focus on in a dream journal?  Well, if you are doing it correctly, or at least how I believe to be correct, you'd have your journal near your place of rest, you'd be able to access it and the writing device and convey a dream to paper with minimal posture-change, and you'd be able to reflect for a minute on the whole contents of the dream scene-by-scene or aspect-by-aspect and simply dump them onto the page.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One continuous run-on sentence for a dream transcription is perfectly fine. Be sure to note any texts or syllables or words you see, perhaps for later study or investigation, especially if you have a regular practice of faith, devotion, study, meditation and the like. Otherwise, know that it is dreams.  Some are prophetic, some are vascular banter, thus your focus must also be somewhat intuitive to attest to the &quot;truthfulness&quot; of a dream, if I may be so liberal with my verbiage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With all things, our focus can be on the awareness-that-knows-content and not so much on the content itself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also recommend &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; reading your past journal entries for a long time.  As a trained scientist, it would be folly to mix sample data with experimental input over the course of a study (e.g. your old dream data, being read over again might influence your future dreams).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dream journal has many benefits, but mainly it is the ability to recall a dream completely, and at more advanced stages affect the dream &quot;from within&quot; for deeper understanding and training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T01:16:57.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13032" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13036" CreationDate="2015-12-09T09:00:51.507" Score="5" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I practice more and more on seeing life as Dukkha, something interesting happens. I feel a greater sense of gratitude and contentment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not talking about seeing things as they are directly and non-conceptually, piercing through and seeing emptiness. I am a beginner, stuck in concepts. But the more I interpret my existence in view of impermanence/anicca, suffering/dukkha, and non-self/anattā, the more grateful and content I become. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I &quot;fooling&quot; myself? Is it just another aspect of Dukkha, like when you are in love and don't see that it's going to end/change? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T18:41:30.417" Title="Am I &quot;fooling&quot; myself?" Tags="|personal-practice|anatman|impermanence|dukkha|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10987" CreationDate="2015-12-09T10:43:45.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most teachers I have heard and read seems to think a Ghatika is ideal. Then a little break and back to it. At least unless you are advanced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it should also be noticed that AW says it's vitally important to stay fresh while meditating. And be inspired, so that you want to go back to the cushion again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.no/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=9&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwigtePDy87JAhVp9HIKHf2nBCEQFghZMAg&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fasc-sg.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FSchedule-Singapore-Retreat.docx&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNFj1R-0clToye0ZTt05miNqKdlCGg&amp;amp;sig2=03KFDMZd8Pb4ZgYP00VE9w&amp;amp;bvm=bv.109332125,bs.1,d.bGg&amp;amp;cad=rja&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a nice schedule based on Ghatikas&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T10:43:45.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10987" CreationDate="2015-12-09T10:54:35.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You find references in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tsongkhapa's &lt;em&gt;Middle-Length Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamalshila's &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Abhidharma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Je Tsongkhapa. Middle-Length Lam Rim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Indicating the length of sessions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there an established length of&#xA;  meditation sessions, specified in terms of “The mind is tied to the&#xA;  object and placed for just this long?” The major texts such as &lt;em&gt;Śrāvaka&#xA;  Levels&lt;/em&gt; do not seem to clearly uphold an established length. However,&#xA;  in &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation III&lt;/em&gt; it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Like that, gradually, you should sit for twenty-four minutes, one and&#xA;    a half hours, three hours, or as long as you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Apparently this was set forth in the context of the established length&#xA;  of meditation sessions for special insight meditation after calm&#xA;  abiding has already been accomplished, but in the context of initially&#xA;  practicing calm abiding it is evidently similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Lam Rim bring ba, Philip Quarcoo's footnotes specify:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Twenty-four minutes is one &lt;em&gt;chu tshod&lt;/em&gt;, a unit based on traditional&#xA;  Indian time measurement and used in the Abhidharma. It is equivalent&#xA;  to one out of 60 parts of a day&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One and a half hours, in Tibetan &lt;em&gt;thun phyed&lt;/em&gt;, literally “half a night&#xA;  watch.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Three hours, in Tibetan &lt;em&gt;thun gcig&lt;/em&gt;, literally “one night&#xA;  watch”—common measure for a full meditation session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-09T11:04:50.500" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T11:04:50.500" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13032" CreationDate="2015-12-09T12:26:33.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's normal to have doubts, especially about your own feelings. And it's especially normal to feel doubts when you're feeling unexpected (and good!) things such as you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might think to yourself that it &quot;seems too good to be true&quot;. But focus deeply on the feelings: &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; consider them, and allow yourself to try to see their source. With the right insight, you can truly understand these feelings and determine whether they are true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I &quot;fooling&quot; myself? Is it just another aspect of Dukkha, like when you are in love and don't see that it's going to end/change?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doesn't everything change? Doesn't everything end? You only ever have this moment, and if you're experiencing gratitude and contentment in this moment, then you are free to enjoy it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T12:26:33.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13032" CreationDate="2015-12-09T14:47:48.120" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I said &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5526/43&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, each of the Three Marks (Transience, Dukkha, Corelessness) produces a surprising effect when it is fully accepted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fully accepting Transience brings a surprising sense of timeless peace and even a sense of stability as you get fully established in the momentary &quot;eternal now&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fully accepting Dukkha brings a surprising sense of contentment and even a kind of bliss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fully accepting Corelessness brings a sense of spontaneity and puts us in touch with endless creative energy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T17:08:19.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13032" CreationDate="2015-12-09T15:10:46.370" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly let me give a generic background. Before diving into answering your question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha appears in many contexts and granularity when discussing Buddhism. In the level you seem to be discussing this at the level of perception. The most relevant Suttas are the ones dealing with as a perception. There couple of such Suttas but a well translated one is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.4-Satta-Sanna-S-a7.46-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vitthāra) Satta Sañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/34.2-Meghiya-S-a9.3u4.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meghiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Dukkha being the 1st &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt; this comes to relevance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should look at &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;perception of suffering in the impermanent&lt;/em&gt;,  the &lt;em&gt;perception of a lack of self in the suffering&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As I practice more and more on seeing life as Dukkha, something interesting happens. I feel a greater sense of gratitude and contentment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st Noble truth is called Noble because once you start observing Dukkha objectively this leads to you becoming Noble person free from any form of suffering. This is perhaps what you are experiencing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;First one must accept the fact of suffering. Everywhere suffering exists; this is a universal truth. &lt;strong&gt;But it becomes a noble truth when one starts observing it without reacting, because anyone who does so is bound to become a noble, saintly person.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When one starts observing the First Noble Truth, the truth of suffering, then very quickly the cause of suffering becomes clear, and one starts observing it also; this is the Second Noble Truth. If the cause is eradicated, then suffering is eradicated; this is the Third Noble Truth—the eradication of suffering. To achieve its eradication one must take steps; this is the Fourth Noble Truth—the way to end suffering by eradicating its cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; (day 5) by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am to presume that you are still a beginner in meditation you are dealing with Dukkha at some conceptual level than seeing it directly at an experiential level. What needs to be done here is when some visitute or lifes pops up and also some unwanted thing happens or some wanted thing does not happen look at it as &quot;this situation will not last forever, this will also pass, this is impermanent&quot;. And if it is something pleasant look at it as &quot;this is pleasant but all good things will come to an end, am I ready to give ups then this ends&quot;. Thereby you are understanding impermanence nature of experience even when positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See additional information in the above source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am not talking about seeing things as they are directly and non-conceptually, piercing through and seeing emptiness. I am a beginner, stuck in concepts. But the more I interpret my existence in view of impermanence/anicca, suffering/dukkha, and non-self/anattā, the more grateful and content I become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To piercing through to see you need to pratice regularly until your are sensitive in the whole body, i.e., you can feel sensation throughout your body. (If you are doing Breath meditation then the whole cycle of the breath with it touching and flowing and the sensations on the concentration spot.) Once you get that then you will start seeing the arising and passing of phenomena in some parts of the body. Some further pratice the whole body. The secret of getting here is practice regularly and also taking intensive residential courses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you realise impermanence then others follow 1st at the perceptional level. I.e. &quot;If this thing that is present will come to an end then it is unsatisfactory. If I cannot control or influence what is unsatisfactory to disappear or prolong what is satisfactory I have not control and there is nothing worth considering as self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;However, merely to feel the sensations within is not enough to remove our delusions. Instead, it is essential to understand the ti-lakkhaṇā (three characteristics) of all phenomena. We must directly experience anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering), and anatta (selflessness) within ourselves. Of these three, the Buddha always stressed the importance of anicca because the realization of the other two will easily follow when we experience deeply the characteristic of impermanence. In the Meghiya Sutta of the Udāna he said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;      &lt;p&gt;Aniccasaññino hi, Meghiya, anattasaññā saṇṭhāti, anattasaññī asmimānasamugghātaṃ pāpuṇāti diṭṭheva dhamme nibbānaṃ.7&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;      &#xA;      &lt;p&gt;In one, Meghiya, who perceives impermanence, the perception of selflessness is established. One who perceives what is selfless wins the uprooting of the pride of egotism in this very life, and thus realizes nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Therefore, in the practice of satipaṭṭhāna, the experience of anicca, arising and passing away, plays a crucial role. This experience of anicca as it manifests in the mind and body is also called vipassanā. The practice of Vipassana is the same as the practice of satipaṭṭhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel#23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā in the Practice of Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am I &quot;fooling&quot; myself? Is it just another aspect of Dukkha, like when you are in love and don't see that it's going to end/change?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone is fooled. We are also ways fooled by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/arammana/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stimuli&lt;/a&gt; which is in short ignorance (or miss identifying or perceiving what is felt). We choose not to see that it will end. We attach a false sense of permanence. These are distortions of reality. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T15:10:46.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12981" CreationDate="2015-12-09T15:55:54.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Suminda wrote &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12988/382&quot;&gt;in his answer&lt;/a&gt;, eleven benefits of freedom of mind through &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; are listed by the Buddha, among them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  --&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, the Buddha has said he sleeps at ease even in unpleasant circumstances because he abandoned craving, aversion and delusion (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.034.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.34&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also said about monks in training:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These three things lead to the falling away of a monk in training. Which three? There is the case where a monk in training enjoys activity, delights in activity, is intent on his enjoyment of activity. He enjoys chatter, delights in chatter, is intent on his enjoyment of chatter. &lt;strong&gt;He enjoys sleep, delights in sleep, is intent on his enjoyment of sleep&lt;/strong&gt;. These are the three things that lead to the falling away of a monk in training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These three things lead to the non-falling away of a monk in training. Which three? There is the case where a monk in training doesn't enjoy activity, doesn't delight in activity, isn't intent on his enjoyment of activity. He doesn't enjoy chatter, doesn't delight in chatter, isn't intent on his enjoyment of chatter. &lt;strong&gt;He doesn't enjoy sleep, doesn't delight in sleep, isn't intent on his enjoyment of sleep&lt;/strong&gt;. These are the three things that lead to the non-falling away of a monk in training.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 3.30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.58&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha instructs Ven. Maha Moggallana on how to overcome his drowsiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Well then, Moggallana, whatever perception you have in mind when drowsiness descends on you, don't attend to that perception, don't pursue it. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then recall to your awareness the Dhamma as you have heard &amp;amp; memorized it, re-examine it &amp;amp; ponder it over in your mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then repeat aloud in detail the Dhamma as you have heard &amp;amp; memorized it. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then pull both your earlobes and rub your limbs with your hands. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then get up from your seat and, after washing your eyes out with water, look around in all directions and upward to the major stars &amp;amp; constellations. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then attend to the perception of light, resolve on the perception of daytime, [dwelling] by night as by day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open &amp;amp; unhampered, develop a brightened mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then — percipient of what lies in front &amp;amp; behind — set a distance to meditate walking back &amp;amp; forth, your senses inwardly immersed, your mind not straying outwards. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But if by doing this you don't shake off your drowsiness, then — reclining on your right side — take up the lion's posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with your mind set on getting up. As soon as you wake up, get up quickly, with the thought, 'I won't stay indulging in the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of reclining, the pleasure of drowsiness.' That is how you should train yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His last advice above is a general instruction on how to sleep and how the Buddha himself is described sleeping. He also describes elsewhere (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.037.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.37&lt;/a&gt;) how a monk is &quot;devoted to wakefulness&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is a monk devoted to wakefulness? There is the case where a monk during the day, sitting &amp;amp; pacing back &amp;amp; forth, cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the first watch of the night, sitting &amp;amp; pacing back &amp;amp; forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the second watch of the night, reclining on his right side, he takes up the lion's posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with his mind set on getting up [either as soon as he awakens or at a particular time]. During the last watch of the night, sitting &amp;amp; pacing back &amp;amp; forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. This is how a monk is devoted to wakefulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T17:50:49.010" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13039" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-09T16:58:50.280" Score="9" ViewCount="1699" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could someone please clarify for me what to do with the eyes? I have heard that we should keep our eyelids half open, but could someone describe it in detail (or refer me to someone else who does)?&#xA;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7362" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-10T08:04:30.207" LastActivityDate="2019-12-14T16:23:01.670" Title="Eyes in Meditation Practice" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13039" CreationDate="2015-12-09T18:25:42.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to Buddhism SE, amby&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the thing about Buddhist meditation....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For some meditational methiods there are some guidelines and for some it is how you like it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;As an example&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing meditation - Has a set of rules/guidelines that you must follow (Like sitting down being essential for that particular meditation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation - Has no structure and you can use it in any form or method after you learn the core of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So here is the solution...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you are saying you are now practicing a meditational method which needs your eyes closed. Lord Buddha in his advises to monks has never specified a form of eyes closing or opening so what you are asking is not complicated, choose between closed eyes and half open eyes methods. Once you pick what you like do that. There is no right or wrong in that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that this choice is all about different traditions and holds no significance over the outcome of your efforts.For your advancement you must choose what suits you. Personally i prefer closed eyes because it helps me to concentrate better as i'm completely cut off from the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could try Vipassana Meditation. This Meditation has no complications like what you are facing now. Here are some links, Listen and practice...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/16_Impermanent_Meditation_1.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Impermanence Meditation 1(Six Faculties)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/17_Impermanent_Meditation_2.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Impermanence Meditation 2(Four Elements)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/49_Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asubha – Anapanasathi Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A bag with an opening at both ends (Meditation of foulness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Slaughtered cow (Meditation on elements)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Verily my own body, too (Meditation on nine cemetery contemplations)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also try Mindfulness meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just a body with movement (Meditation of posturest full awarness)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's Loving Kindness meditation with homage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/15_Paying_Homage_to_Buddha.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving Kindness meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned these because these kind of issues should not become a barrier to a fellow practitioner.Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mention the kind/version of meditation you practice i would like to help you further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a massage to any other member of our community, Please do not remove the links. I have mentioned them to help the new user who asked this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T18:25:42.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13032" CreationDate="2015-12-09T18:41:30.417" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is the simple answer to what you feel...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are in constant pain and suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to lord Buddha &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eyes,Ears,Tongue,Nose,Body &amp;amp; Mind are Burning from three things (Lust,Anger,Confusion -[Raga,Dwesha,Moha]). But the one who practice and realize escape the burning forever,he is free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here's what is happening to you...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now that you have started to see the world in the correct way you might feel these things like anyone who traveled the path before you,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Happiness or joy without a reason&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Feeling happy even from the little things&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not feeling like you used to,as if you are someone else&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Appreciating little things in life&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Feeling more love or kindness towards ones who are close to you &amp;amp; for almost anyone&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;More willing to forgive &amp;amp; forget&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Looking back at past and making plans to correct the wrongs and to&#xA;apologize&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are really few among the usual characteristics of an individual who is practicing the path. Feeling happy and relaxed, starting to enjoy the life without hassle is really normal and there is nothing to be afraid. What you feel is the slow process of realization, The realization of what truly things are.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T18:41:30.417" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13039" CreationDate="2015-12-09T18:43:32.133" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The guidance I got from one teacher, of Tibetan Nyingma school, is to let the eyes relax. In detail, this includes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;keep them open but not stare-open - don't strain to keep them half-closed either,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;relax the muscles around the eyes, so called soft-eyes,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;do not focus the eyes on anything in particular, allow them go a little out of focus but don't force it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if your eyes wander from object to object a bit, that's totally fine - as long as the objects are not too engaging. You don't have to literally sit in front of the wall but you want your scene to be rather generic.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-09T18:43:32.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13043" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13067" CreationDate="2015-12-10T00:00:33.363" Score="6" ViewCount="1576" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism say anything about a relationship between greatness in art, music or other creative areas, and spiritual development? For example, consider the well-known great composers: is there anything to say about how they are able to produce astoundingly complex and beautiful works, like symphonies? (Answers from any tradition are fine.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Addition:&lt;/strong&gt; I mean being &lt;strong&gt;actively creative&lt;/strong&gt;, not just listening to music. Is being active and creative valued in Buddhism, or is the point to extinguish everything? What is the purpose of life &lt;em&gt;besides&lt;/em&gt; trying to scream and run away? (OK, getting a bit frustrated here.) If life arose for any reason, would it not be to enjoy being in all its forms, and all activities? Or is that a Vexing Question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T12:49:04.140" LastActivityDate="2017-08-29T19:20:47.967" Title="What does Buddhism say about creativity and spiritual development?" Tags="|enlightenment|music|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13044" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-10T10:11:13.740" Score="0" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many varieties of delusion, and probably many ways to categorize them. I’ve heard one way of categorization that was interesting. This was from Alex Berzin. (Alex Berzin often talks from the perspective of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasa%E1%B9%85gika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Prasangika Madhyamaka&lt;/a&gt;, but &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfZhWouUstI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here he was talking in very general terms&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said there are two main forms of illusion/delusion/ignorance (Berzin uses the word 'unawareness').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doctrinally based illusion/delusion/ignorance. This one is based on something one has learned. F.ex. one might believe that God is the creator of the universe and that one has an irreducible ever lasting soul that is either going to heaven or hell. Or – more common, at least in the Western secularized societies – one might believe in science and assume that science is objectively right and think that if something cannot be measured scientifically it simply do not exist (an example here might be some behaviorists claim that consciousness is a superfluous concept and emotions are behavior). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other form is &quot;automatically&quot; arising illusion/delusion/ignorance. This is not based on something you have heard or learned or indoctrination, but rather based on our karma. An example might be the feeling and belief that I have a core self, something that is holding all experience together, the “stuff that makes me me.” The belief that external reality is independent and self-existent, not imputed by mind, is another example. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I’ve been thinking about this and it seems to me that all kinds of illusion/delusion/ignorance could be categorized as forms of &lt;em&gt;superstition&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Buddhism really all about recognizing that we have always been superstitious? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha talk specifically about illusion/delusion/ignorance as superstition in the suttas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-10T11:57:44.893" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T16:33:36.033" Title="Is ignorance a form of superstition?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|belief|sceptic|ignorance|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13045" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-10T10:21:57.683" Score="4" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we ask someone &quot;why do you do that?&quot;, we are asking for her/his reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It someone asks me &quot;why do you play tennis?&quot; and I say &quot;I like to stay fit and I like to have fun. Tennis is good exercise and good fun, therefore I play tennis&quot;, I am giving my reasons. (It doesn't matter if having fun actually is a form of suffering. My reasons are still my reasons.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of Buddhist philosophy, would it be right to say that my reasons are the &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt; of my behavior?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any general agreement across tenet systems? Or is it one answer for Vaibhashika, one for Sautrantika, one for Chittamatra and one for Madhyamika?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-10T10:48:02.320" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T13:25:48.997" Title="Are reasons causes?" Tags="|philosophy|traditions|causes|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13044" CreationDate="2015-12-10T11:27:40.670" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm starting in Wikipedia, where &quot;clinging to rites and rituals&quot; is defined as one of the &quot;fetters&quot;. This answer assumes that &quot;clinging to rites and rituals&quot; is (the same as) the &quot;superstition&quot; you were asking about, and so this answer will give references to describe what &quot;clinging to rites and rituals&quot; means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fetter (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;, the third fetter is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;attachment to rites and rituals (&lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Attachment to rites and rituals (&lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāso&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Śīla&lt;/em&gt; refers to &quot;moral conduct&quot;, &lt;em&gt;vata&lt;/em&gt; (or &lt;em&gt;bata&lt;/em&gt;) to &quot;religious duty, observance, rite, practice, custom,&quot; and &lt;em&gt;parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt; to &quot;being attached to&quot; or &quot;a contagion&quot; and has the connotation of &quot;mishandling&quot; the Dhamma. Altogether, &lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāso&lt;/em&gt; has been translated as &quot;the contagion of mere rule and ritual, the infatuation of good works, the delusion that they suffice&quot; or, more simply, &quot;fall[ing] back on attachment to precepts and rules.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia then gives the following paragraph which may or may not be helpful -- on the one hand it's relevant to the conventional meaning on superstition, but on the other hand Thanissaro Bhikkhu's description of it below says it has a broader meaning (e.g. that merely clinging to even Buddhist precepts isn't right):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While the fetter of doubt can be seen as pertaining to the teachings of competing &lt;em&gt;samana&lt;/em&gt; during the times of the Buddha, this fetter regarding rites and rituals likely refers to some practices of contemporary brahmanic authorities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A footnote mentions &quot;the similar concept of &lt;em&gt;sīlabbatupādāna&lt;/em&gt; (= &lt;em&gt;sīlabbata&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;upādāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;), 'grasping after works and rites.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Three_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotāpanna&lt;/a&gt; article,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals&lt;/strong&gt; - Eradication of the view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals (animal sacrifices, ablutions, chanting, etc.) or adhering to rigid moralism or relying on a god for non-causal delivery (&lt;em&gt;issara nimmāna&lt;/em&gt;). Rites and rituals now function more to obscure, than to support the right view of the sotāpanna's now opened dharma eye. The &lt;em&gt;sotāpanna&lt;/em&gt; realizes that deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. It is the elimination of the notion that there are miracles, or shortcuts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following Wikipedia's footnoted references to the suttas, one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.132.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lohicco Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which says that Brahmans have their rituals (garbs of skin, chanting, ritual washing), but that these actions aren't right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First in virtue were the men of old,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Brahmans who preserved the ancient ways,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In whom well guarded were the doors of the sense.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They were never overcome by wrath.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Meditating on the Law[1] their joy,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Brahmans who preserved the ancient ways.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These backsliders who but &lt;strong&gt;chant by rote&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Drunk with pride of birth they stagger on.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Full of violent rage, aggression prone,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They lose respect from weak and strong alike:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Their unguarded senses bring them loss,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Like a treasure hoard found in a dream.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Fasting, sleeping on the ground, and such,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Dawn ablutions, chanting Vedic texts,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Garb of skins, matted hair and filth,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Magic spells and rites and penances,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Trickery, deception, blows as well,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ritual washing, rinsing of the mouth,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These are caste-marks of the Brahman-folk,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Done and practiced for some trifling gain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  But a heart that's firm and concentrated,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Purified, of all defilements freed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kind and gentle to all living things-&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That's the path that gains the highest goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another description of this fetter is in Thanissaro Bhikkhu's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Into the Stream&#xA;A Study Guide on the First Stage of Awakening&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The fetter of grasping at habits and practices&lt;/strong&gt; is often described in the Pali Canon with reference to the view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals or patterns of behavior. This view in turn is related to the notion that one's being is defined by one's actions: If one acts in accordance with clearly defined habits and practices, one is ipso facto pure. Although the Canon recognizes the importance of habits and practices in the attaining the stream, the experience of the Deathless shows the person who has attained the stream that one cannot define oneself in terms of those habits and practices. Thus one continues to follow virtuous practices, but without defining oneself in terms of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now where do skillful habits cease without trace? Their cessation, too, has been stated: There is the case where a monk is virtuous, but not fashioned of (or: defined by his) virtue. He discerns, as it actually is, the awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release where his skillful habits cease without trace.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.078.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 78&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;[The enlightened person] doesn't speak of purity&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    in terms of     view,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            learning,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            knowledge,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            habit or practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Nor is it found by a person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    through lack of view,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            of learning,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            of knowledge,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            of habit or practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Letting these go, without grasping,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;        one is  independent,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;            at peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.09.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sn 4.9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first of these two referenced suttas, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.078.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samana-Mundika Sutta (MN 78)&lt;/a&gt; says that doing no wrong isn't enough -- that merely doing no wrong is &quot;on the same level as a stupid baby boy lying on its back&quot; -- that person needs skillful resolves and habits, and (as quoted above) discernment of cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last reference &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.09.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Magandiya Sutta (Sn 4.9)&lt;/a&gt; is more on the subject of not clinging, of not being fashioned by views, not being led by actions, not being tied by perception (of better and worse).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T11:27:40.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13039" CreationDate="2015-12-10T12:03:35.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eyes half open - when you keeps your eyes open some light comes in therefore you do not become sleepy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eyes close - when you keep your eyes closed there is less distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is an interesting quotation from Buddhadasa  Bhikkhu on this subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the eyes. Should we leave them open or should we close them? Many people believe that they must close their eyes that they cannot meditate with open eyes. If you are serious about what you are doing and have a sufficiently strong mind it is not difficult to practice with the eyes left open. Begin with the eyes open. Open them with the determination to gaze toward the tip of the nose. This is not at all impossible. It just takes a little effort to do so. Gaze at the tip of the nose so that the eyes will not get involved in other things. When we close our eyes we tend to be sleepy, so be careful about closing the eyes. Also, when the eyes are closed they become warm and dry. Mediating with the eyes open will help us to stay awake and will keep the eyes cool and comfortable. Further, this will help the mind to be concentrated; it will aid the development of samadhi. As samadhi (concentration) develops about half way, the eyes will close naturally by themselves. The eyelids will relax and drop shut on their own. There is nothing to worry about. The complete technique is to begin with the eyes open. Gaze at the nose tip until samadhi develops, then the eyes will close on their own. That takes care of the eyes. (46)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing with the eyes open and gazing at the tip of the nose is automatically a noticeable level of concentration. If we establish all of the mind upon gazing at the tip of the nose, we will not see anything else. If we can do this, it will be a certain type of samadhi. We will profit from having this much concentration right from the start. Merely look at the nose without seeing anything else. If all of the mind, all of its interest, is set on looking at the nose, then nothing else will be seen. This samadhi is not insignificant. Therefore you ought to try to start with open eyes. (47)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please observe that this is something anyone can do. We are intent upon gazing at the nose, at feeling the nose, and at the same time we feel the body breathing. Both can be done. It may seem that both are being done at exactly the same moment, but they are not. There is not anything unnatural or supernatural about it. Because of the mind’s great speed it is possible for the eyes to be gazing at the tip of the nose while being aware of breathing in and breathing out. You can see this for yourself. (48)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T12:03:35.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13045" CreationDate="2015-12-10T12:08:42.980" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reasons like in your example seem more like rationalizations than causes. We have a certain behavior that is based on forces that operate hidden from the intellect and then the intellect invents a story for the behavior to make sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause is craving for sensual pleasures, craving for becoming (something - a role), craving for non-becoming (when I don't want to be something anymore).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T12:08:42.980" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13044" CreationDate="2015-12-10T12:13:49.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the simplest form illusion/delusion/ignorance is the misidentification off what is felt. You experience something and you think this is permanent. Another experience as self etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Illusion/delusion/ignorance reinforced due to thought proliferation (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;papanca&lt;/a&gt; &lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) which automatically give arise to ideas, view, etc. which automatically created more illusion/delusion/ignorance. (Main sutta discussing papanca is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Superstition is in the form of attachment to views which is a result of thought proliferation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an in depth treatment refer to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Mindfulness-in-Early-Buddhism_Kuan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, by Tse-fu Kuan specially chapter 1, 2, 3 + conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Alternative essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/papanca.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PAPAÑCA&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Leigh Brasington&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some relevant quotes directly from the Sutta as pointers as further information:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;Mental proliferation as an unconscious process&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&#xA;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&#xA;What one feels, one perceives.&#xA;What one perceives, one thinks about.&#xA;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&#xA;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception&#xA;assails a person regarding past, future and present forms cognizable through the eye ...&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Piya Tan's commentary: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The roots of the latent tendencies have three long and deep unwholesome roots, namely, greed,&#xA;  hate and delusion. These roots cause one to habitually react to pleasant feelings with lust, painful feelings&#xA;  with aversion and neutral feelings with ignorance. In other words, the three unwholesome respectively&#xA;  underlie each of these three latent tendencies, causing craving, views and conceit to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mental proliferation (papanca)—comprising of perceiving (saññā) and notion-forming (saṅ-&#xA;  khā) or conceiving (mannanā)—is an explosion of mental constructs created by the power of the latent&#xA;  tendencies (anusaya) of craving (tahā), views (dihi) and conceit (māna). These constructs, in turn,&#xA;  lead to stronger and more tenacious defilements that motivate unwholesome thoughts, speech and actions,&#xA;  all of which in turn reinforce our negative attitudes and habits in a vicious cycle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It comes up in contexts that list or describe mental problems,&#xA;  used as a synonym or a term related to kalpanā [projective conceptual construction], vikalpa [false conceptual&#xA;  construction], and parikalpa [ubiquitous imaginary construction].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Sati prevents saññA from going&#xA;  astray to conceptual proliferation ( papañca) and thereby develops a wholesome&#xA;  process of cognition conducive to the &lt;strong&gt;gnosis (vijjA)&lt;/strong&gt; that brings about&#xA;  liberation. The transformation of saññA by sati also prevents feelings from&#xA;  developing into emotional agitation, which causes the underlying tendencies&#xA;  (anusaya) to lie latent in a person and bind him to the round of rebirths.&#xA;  Sati conducts the wholesome functioning of saññA so that one can properly&#xA;  identify reality, abandon wrong views and maintain emotional equanimity,&#xA;  upekkhA. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Mindfulness-in-Early-Buddhism_Kuan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; page 139&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T16:33:36.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12901" CreationDate="2015-12-10T12:33:56.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Consciousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen and the Art of Consciousness&lt;/a&gt; by Susan Blackmore. It is a personal account of a wholehearted Buddhist practice but framed very much from a secular perspective. Sue Blackmore her self does not identify as a Buddhist at all but this is very much an account of a dedicated Buddhist practitioner albeit with a scientific approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's so secular it refuses to identify even as secular Buddhism at all. That said it is an excellent account in how Buddhist practice is without any identification with supernatural phenomena or any religious overtones and I found it quite inspiring. Just my opinion of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T12:33:56.953" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13051" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13054" CreationDate="2015-12-10T13:02:47.317" Score="2" ViewCount="307" Body="&lt;p&gt;People are different and have different skills and personalities. My partner is for example very good at visualization, she is very patient and also a fabulous cook! But she’s also a bit lazy (her words!). I am impatient, lousy at visualization and not that good at cooking. But I’m very eager. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enough of that ---  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general I'm very interested in the wisdom side of Buddhism. This is really joyful for me. Many other people I know is really a lot more into the compassion side. For me, working on wisdom is in itself compassion generating because seeing suffering makes me more compassionate (both towards myself and others). But I also hear people who are already more compassionate types than me say that it's so important to evolve their compassion more. They f.ex. say they do this by watching movies with a lot of tears dropping and sad stories in them (I sometimes feel watching movies with sad stories to produce compassion is evidence that they could work more on their wisdom side -- or their awareness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, is the best practice for me to keep on working on the wisdom side and let compassion grow in it's own tempo or is it more recommendable to provoke compassion? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-10T14:05:22.813" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T18:13:44.030" Title="Cultivate wisdom or work on compassion?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|daily-life|compassion|wisdom|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13045" CreationDate="2015-12-10T13:17:02.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we ask someone &quot;why do you do that?&quot;, we are asking for her/his reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This basically looks like to fulfil ones own curiosity. Our intellect is the sphere of our mind and our mind delights in experiencing and knowing. Our past desire or craving to know what creates our current mind faculty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It someone asks me &quot;why do you play tennis?&quot; and I say &quot;I like to stay fit and I like to have fun. Tennis is good exercise and good fun, therefore I play tennis&quot;, I am giving my reasons. (It doesn't matter if having fun actually is a form of suffering. My reasons are still my reasons.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you say your reason you are seem to have attachment with your reasoning. Also taking pleasure in playing a game or another hobby or anything else which you call fun. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In light of Buddhist philosophy, would it be right to say that my reasons are the causes of my behavior?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your behavior is conditioned by pratice not necessarily practice. Also mental constructs which we cling to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any general agreement across tenet systems? Or is it one answer for Vaibhashika, one for Sautrantika, one for Chittamatra and one for Madhyamika?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not understand this part hence will leave it for someone else to fill in for this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/R263-121024-Mind-the-3-words-RB60.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mind, the three words&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, 2 paragraphs from the end of page 1 onwards. What is discussed here to attachment to politics, religion etc. but this can be interpreted to attachment to my reasoning, my idea, my view, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T13:25:48.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13051" CreationDate="2015-12-10T13:49:55.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People are different and have different skills. My partner is for example very good at visualization, she is very patient and also a fabulous cook! But she’s also a bit lazy (her words!). I am impatient, lousy at visualization and not that good at cooking. But I’m very eager.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She has developed her skill though familiarising herself with the art and then practicing regularly. (bhavitha bahulikatha - to further find sutta references with this phase see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=bh%C4%81vito%20bahul%C4%ABkato&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhāvito bahulīkato&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other personal characteristics also she has developed through past exercise in one sense. Also being lazy is associated with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.6-Thinamiddha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth and torpor&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you people think, is the best practice to cultivate what we’re already good at? Or is it better to work on what we’re not really that good at?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There 4 right efforts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;preventing unwholesome states arising&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;abandoning arisen wholesome states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising of wholesome states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;maintaining the arisen wholesome states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.2-Cattaro-Padhana-S-d33.1.11a4.14-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Cattaro) Padhana Sutta - The Discourse on the (Four) Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Abhi Dhamma we discuss 121 mind states which are either promoted or unpromoted. If if is good volition and we are lazy we should prompt or motivate ourselves to follow through and if it is un prompt then we should not obstruct it. Conversely true of bad volitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what on maintaining what you are good at and also develop in things you are not good at when the actions or motivations behind it is good. Do the opposite when it is not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T15:13:22.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13051" CreationDate="2015-12-10T13:50:04.257" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't remember which teacher or even which tradition I've heard this from, but I definitely remember some Buddhist teacher specifically advising to focus on &quot;that sheep that fell far behind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This wasn't about &lt;em&gt;skills&lt;/em&gt; per se, he didn't mean we should keep picking up skills like skydiving, motocross, crocheting etc - and other such ones that we are &quot;bad at&quot;. Rather in context of cultivating the Buddhist path, he advised us to focus on the most glaring neuroses we have that make us less universally capable in various life situations. Like, if someone is a very adequate person but, say, has awful social phobias (among a dozen other less troublesome weaknesses) - one should focus one practice on the worst or the strongest issue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the idea is that by focusing on biggest issue one at a time we can discover the deepest attachments/hangups and get the most benefit from uprooting them. Also, prioritizing it like this addresses the issue with bypassing or procrastinating work on one's serious obstacles to Enlightenment, while making seeming progress in less problematic areas of one's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-10T14:31:59.003" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T14:31:59.003" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13055" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13057" CreationDate="2015-12-10T17:39:45.953" Score="5" ViewCount="161" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some realms there are some beings who are not aware of their own existence (Some place in Brahma realm). How do their aggregates work when they themselves aren't aware of their existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can please provide a sutta, Sutra, link, or a reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T08:52:07.140" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T08:52:07.140" Title="Beings who are not aware of their own existence?" Tags="|sutras|mind|realms|brahma|aggregates|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13051" CreationDate="2015-12-10T18:13:44.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you have mentioned your personal experience let me share the confusion i once had that left me in the same question you are asking.This is my journey and what i found as the answer. Hope this helps...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a time i didn't believed in any religion. I was suffering from a disease and i spent a whole year in a hospital bed. Soon i found myself confused and angry even after regaining my heath and coming back to my home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is when i saw the real suffering of the world and understood that what i was in was nothing compared to most of the people. Unfortunately to this day i cant take a look at a beggar and just walk away in the same mindset i walked in with. I hated myself for being alive as i have lost my will to live and i have genuinely done all that i had in my bucket list, the most annoying thing for me was that a bastard like me had a roof over my head and everything i ever wanted while the baby i saw the other day had nothing at all who was living with her mom and little brother on a pavement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then i realized that it is not my choice to choose between life and death, i had to accept my fate and just go on with it. I started learning every religion i can get my hands on. And i spent about 5-6 years doing just that. By the time i was a student and had no personal life beside my search for a guidance. To be honest that search is the only thing that kept me from going insane.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all of those years of searching finally i became a Buddhist because that was the only thing that made any Sense. I had only one measuring tape for all the beliefs that i learned and that was &quot;something that made logical and scientific sense&quot;. Buddhism fit right into it and i became a Buddhist from that day on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being born to a Buddhist family was enough reason for everyone i knew to question me, They wanted to know why i can't accept what i was born into and just shut up. I had nothing to say as an answer but the feeling that was driving me to some end i did not knew.But i did not have any push from my community or family to go on because sadly back then everyone were &quot;Nominal Buddhists&quot;. Looking back i now realize that this driving emotion made me who i am today and kept me from going stray. I now see that if i was born into another religion i would have still ended up as a Buddhist because of my search.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What i see as the solution to your question depending on my experience is people must do what they want to with their lives. Some are born with more compassion,some with more wisdom,some with more shruddha. Each must find their own path, There is no telling what it is. I guess it must be found within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally i think you are more of a wisdom kind of a person so chase that, help others but do not bother walking together on a mutual path. After all of all the couples only &quot;Nakula matha &amp;amp; Nakula pitha&quot; made it through to the end together...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T18:13:44.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13055" CreationDate="2015-12-10T18:25:09.510" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In some realms there are some beings who are not aware of their own existence (Some place in Brahma realm). How do their aggregates work when they themselves aren't aware of their existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unconscious beings (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/asannasatta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;asannasatta&lt;/a&gt;) has consciousness suppressed temporarily until their life span ends. Due to this they cannot be aware of anything including themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also interestingly the Abhidhamma says this is the only plane where animals do not cling to life or have the love of life or attachment to the plane of birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Arupa Loka consciousness is present hence the mind works which means there can be self awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you can please provide a sutta, Sutra, link, or a reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=asa%C3%B1%C3%B1asatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta references to unconscious beings.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T08:51:36.847" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T08:51:36.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13058" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-10T18:50:02.900" Score="6" ViewCount="4110" Body="&lt;p&gt;I couldn't find this exact question asked before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of exercise is recommended for better physical comfort and &quot;endurance&quot;/&quot;stamina&quot; when sitting in meditation; apart from the sitting itself? &#xA;I usually sit in the half vajra position, which is quite comfortable and stable, but find it a bit tiring when I sit for many hours. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any good exercises in &quot;the long run&quot;? Any good stretching or other exercises between sessions when sitting whole days? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T03:03:45.590" Title="Exercise for meditation sitting" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-posture|meditation|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13058" CreationDate="2015-12-10T19:14:37.377" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The single best stretch you can do is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjaQj2S2G_E&quot;&gt;the straddle stretch.&lt;/a&gt;  The linked video is pretty fantastic in that it not only shows you the ideal, but also the progression leading up to it.  Honorable mention goes to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/KKLRpTXA3k0&quot;&gt;frog pose&lt;/a&gt;.  I also really like &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/JBHzXF-mVjY&quot;&gt;this sequence&lt;/a&gt; from Kelly Starrett.  Ultimately, what you are going to want to pay attention to is hip mobility.  Most meditators experience pain in the knees and back and tend to focus on stretches and exercises that target those two areas.  Unbeknownst to them, what's really at issue is hip and psosas tightness.  The pain they experience is a symptom of a problem farther up along the movement chain; it's being caused by the body trying to adapt to a less than ideal condition imposed by poor mobility elsewhere.  Loosen up those other areas and the discomfort will lessen significantly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for the record, meditating for long periods of time should make you tired.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://albertlow.wordpress.com/2014/02/01/sitting-long-and-getting-tired/&quot;&gt;That's kind of the point.&lt;/a&gt;  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T19:14:37.377" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13058" CreationDate="2015-12-10T22:50:13.323" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry for being something of a jerk , man. I just had one of those days :p&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so to actually answer your question, it does depend on which tradition we're talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know some (all?) traditions within Tibetan Buddhism teach yoga/stretches, these kind of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the Theravada, stretching, yoga, exercise in general is not considered part of the practice, as far as formal meditation goes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from a Theravada perspective, I would submit to you that your best course of action would be to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Not solely sit for extended periods, much less an entire day. I've done this before at Goenka retreats, and I've found personally my meditation is much more productive when sitting is balanced with walking. I would also refer you to Ven. Yuttadhammo's answer to my question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10410/mahasi-sayadaw-walking&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha did in fact teach just this practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, you should train thus: ‘We will be devoted to wakefulness. During the day, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states. In the first watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states. In the middle watch of the night we will lie down on the right side in the lion’s pose with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and fully aware, after noting in our minds the time for rising. After rising, in the third watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 39 (Bodhi, trans)&#xA;  This passage occurs frequently in the suttas. The Buddha taught there are five benefits to walking meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;addhānakkhamo hoti - one is able to tolerate long-distance travel&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;padhānakkhamo hoti - one is able to tolerate exertion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;appābādho hoti - one has little sickness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;asitaṃ pītaṃ khāyitaṃ sāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchati - what is eaten, drunk, chewed and tasted goes to proper digestion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;caṅkamādhigato samādhi ciraṭṭhitiko hoti - walking-produced concentration is of long duration.&#xA;  -- AN 5.29&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Meditate on the feeling of tired. Again, I'm not sure what personal practice you undertake, but within my practice it would be as simple as taking up the feeling as the object of meditation and noting &quot;Tired, tired&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's nothing really wrong with being tired, its just another transient state. The more you fight it, however, the more it will bite back :P You must bring about a clear awareness of it, look at how your mind reacts to it. It's nothing to go out of your way to stop arising, just like anything else. I hope this is actually of some use to you. Best of luck, be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-10T22:50:13.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13061" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13069" CreationDate="2015-12-11T02:15:51.867" Score="2" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;Aside from ending suffering, encouraging compassionate action and leading one to nirvanna, &lt;strong&gt;is there anything that Buddhism promotes, or says is good?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason that I ask is because in another recent question I asked about musical composers, and as I  look around at related questions, I find that &lt;strong&gt;dance, singing and listening to music seem to go against the 7th Precept.&lt;/strong&gt; I am not aware of any sutras promoting art or creativity, other than skillful actions and insightful discourse. It seems pretty flat to me, but I cannot find fault with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a person who has always danced and listened to music, and sometimes draws or paints, I am wondering just what we should be doing with our &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/133.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one wild and precious life&lt;/a&gt;&quot;? (Assuming that this is the last one.) &lt;strong&gt;Is life good in itself&lt;/strong&gt;, once cleared of defilements? Can it not be enjoyed - meaning that something worthwhile is done that uplifts self and others? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T21:18:10.827" Title="What is Buddhism &quot;for&quot; (in favor of)?" Tags="|sutras|art|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8702" CreationDate="2015-12-11T02:35:52.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to wonder whether I did good deeds just to do good deeds or because it made me feel better and I got something out of it. I laugh sometimes at how hard we think about things. Literally worrying to much about whether we are being self rightous in doing good deeds causes us to actually be self rightous just worrying about it. Who cares whether we are doing good deeds or enlightening others for our own benefit! If it actually gets people to awaken and helps others then so be it! If doing good deeds because it makes yourself feel better ends up helping other people, then we should hope that our egos be filled to the brim!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7421" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T02:35:52.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13061" CreationDate="2015-12-11T04:44:31.650" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is there anything that Buddhism promotes, or says is good?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism promotes the well being of oneself and others or general good of society inclusive of onself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Guarding oneself, one protects others.”&#xA;    “Guarding others, one protects oneself.” - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.19-Sedaka-S-s47.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dance, singing and listening to music seem to go against the 7th Precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not interested for general householder. Generally you can enjoy the what this though it is called non pure. Also the joy of renunciation or joy born from parting from seeking sensual objects is considered pure. Extensive discussion see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.3-Khandha-2-Vedana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā (Feeling): A study of the 2nd aggregate - Theme: A reflection on the Datthabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  Is life good in itself, once cleared of defilements? Can it not be enjoyed ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have the joy and pleasure of renunciation. This is pure and considered more pleasurable. You have eliminated all avenues on which you can become unhappy, stressed or sad, hence you are joyful and happy person who can truly enjoy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T04:44:31.650" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8702" CreationDate="2015-12-11T05:40:42.763" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautma Buddha is said to have been a Bodhisatva for several hundreds of thousands of aeons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Theravada school usually says that these extremely long periods are  required by a Buddha to train oneself. If we assume that the training took 1,000,000,000,000 years and he taught as a Buddha for 45 years, then the training to teaching ratio is extremely ineffective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana school says that Bodhisatvas could have become Arhats way before that but intentionally delayed this decision out of compassion to countless of beings. Hence, these extremely long periods are required by a Bodhisatva not necessarily to to train oneself, but to train others. Therefore the state of Bodhisatva is a special delay mechanism to allow a future Buddha to continue in the cycle of life and death, and gradually train countless of beings into Unbinding from the cycle of death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T05:40:42.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13043" CreationDate="2015-12-11T10:58:49.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose it says that people don't typically become 'enlightened', in the Buddhist sense of the term, by listening to music.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Pali canon discouraged making happiness dependent on sensual conditions (e.g. &quot;I would be happy if only I were listening to a symphony&quot;, or &quot;... a better symphony than this one&quot;, or etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw a movie once (probably &lt;em&gt;Amadeus&lt;/em&gt;) where the composer says, &quot;You lucky people: God loves you, and I'm about to prove that to you.&quot; Such &quot;enthusiasm&quot; might be admirable but it seems to me a fabrication (inventing a 'God' and so on to explain sense-input).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand there &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; some Arts which are traditionally or culturally associated with some forms of Buddhism: for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=Bokuseki&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bokuseki&lt;/a&gt;. I don't know about that, I guess from my reading that's supposed to demonstrate a lack of defilements/hindrances in the author's mind, and to be a visible (informative) record/remainder feedback/learning tool of something (i.e. of the author) which really happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My take on it is the Pali canon was like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You're supposed to be monks, not spend your time and indulge your desires by sneaking off to listen to music festivals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arahants and non-returners are above/beyond a craving/thirst for music (i.e. sensual desire)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lay people who want to be like monks and arahants, who want to sip from the experience which monks should aspire to full-time, ought to put aside their craving for music at least on holy days&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read a non-Puritanical attitude into &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; though, e.g. you wouldn't despise a lay person for liking music,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone really has no problems, that's great, they are Enlightened! The historical Buddha (According to Stephen Batchelor's retelling) said as much on his death bed, when he asked if anyone had any questions left, no one did, so he said, well you all must be enlightened then. People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk. If there is food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to rejoice in their success (mudita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What should naturally creative people do with themselves?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry, I don't know doctrine about &quot;creativity&quot;, whether natural or otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The impression I get (from the Pali suttas, summarized in a book titled &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World&lt;/em&gt;) is that what lay people &quot;should&quot; do is behave as good and responsible members of society -- i.e. practice &quot;ethics&quot; or virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book includes advice (quoting various suttas) on how to handle wealth, marry, be a parent, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the suttas mentions &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;six directions&lt;/a&gt;&quot; i.e. each person's responsibility towards their parents, teachers, spouse and family, friends and colleagues, workers and servants, and &quot;ascetics and Brahmans&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you make money it recommends re-investing some, saving some, and using only a portion for your needs. It recommends wealth without squeezing others (like a bee collects honey without harming the flowers) -- and so on, the whole book contains instructions like these for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The canon does warn against an excess of partying, immorality, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what six ways of squandering wealth are to be avoided? Young man, heedlessness caused by intoxication, roaming the streets at inappropriate times, habitual partying, compulsive gambling, bad companionship, and laziness are the six ways of squandering wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also recommends &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dāna&lt;/a&gt; (generosity or charity: especially giving to monks, spiritual people).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T23:17:39.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13043" CreationDate="2015-12-11T16:12:59.913" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Asia, the various forms of Buddhism have inspired uncountable number of art objects created over the centuries: statues, monuments, temples, icons etc. Some art forms, particularly Japanese ones, are considered no less than expressions of the Enlightened Mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Zen Masters were known for their calligraphy, drawing, and/or poetic skills. The now famous music of shakuhachi flute was popularized by the Fuke sect of Buddhistm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Late Chogyuam Trungpa Rinpoche was known for his endless creativity. Check out his &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590305884&quot;&gt;True Perception: The Path of Dharma Art&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1570621748&quot;&gt;Timely Rain: Selected Poetry of Chogyam Trungpa&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0877735913&quot;&gt;The Art of Calligraphy&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/the-collected-works-of-chogyam-trungpa-5787.html&quot;&gt;other writings&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teacher I.L. declared awakening of the enlightened creativity, as a tool for the universal benefit to oneself and others, to be &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt; point of Enlightenment. From other teachers I heard that creativity is one of the hallmarks of Enlightenment, as the mind without defilements uncovers potential for unlimited uninhibited creation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short, most of the time Buddhism welcomes art and creativity, especially the kind that either expresses Enlightened Mind or popularizes Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T19:36:22.230" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T19:36:22.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13061" CreationDate="2015-12-11T17:15:44.170" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is very broad, with multiple aspects and many possible answers. I will just address one aspect. In the Pali Canon we do find a tradition of spontaneous ecstatic poetry, uttered at significant moments in order to express a realization or insight, especially in the Theragatha and the Therigatha but also in the suttas. This traditon developed into the Tibetan mahasiddhi tradition where spontaneous utterances puntuated ganachakras, or &quot;tantric feasts,&quot; which in turn has analogies with the uposatha, properly the eve of the soma festival that the Buddha adapted to the sangha. The verbal expression of poetry is, of course, an aesthetic act, which seems to be what your question is about. Zen koans might also be said to have an aesthetic aspect, and of course one has the highly refined Buddhist aesthetics of China and Japan, also related to Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T17:15:44.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13061" CreationDate="2015-12-11T18:14:03.907" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one of the teachings I received, there is this concept of Five Joys:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The joy of having your basic needs satisfied (food, shelter, safety).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The (higher) joy of material comfort and sensual enjoyment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The (even higher) joy of professional/creative realization.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The (very high) joy of helping society: teaching, healing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The (highest) joy of Enlightenment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So assuming you're in your 50s and done with the first three, I suppose you can derive joy from helping the less lucky ones?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T21:18:10.827" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T21:18:10.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13043" CreationDate="2015-12-11T19:25:30.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, consider the well-known great composers: is there anything to say about how they are able to produce astoundingly complex and beautiful works, like symphonies? (Answers from any tradition are fine.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that I know of from the sutras. From them, I understand it's generally considered a skill like any other -- which can be highly developed by some. But I understand these are skills that are not particularly encouraged, seen as particularly special, or find a significant place in the buddhist path [when put alongside with the doctrinal concepts and practices].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism say anything about a relationship between greatness in art, music or other creative areas, and spiritual development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are links between Buddhism and art. Starting from the sutras, we find verses attributed to monks (possibly arahants). From then on, Buddhism was a theme for many artists through history. But here we are talking about the culture of Buddhism in the context of art, not about it's doctrine it's relationship to art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Addition: I mean being actively creative, not just listening to music. Is being active and creative valued in Buddhism [?]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me the above refers more broadly to the faculty of intelligence (which includes creativity) combined with skills, and not necessarily artistic expression or art appreciation. Naturally, these faculties are generally beneficial for any kind of endeavor, including the study, the practice, the teaching and propagation of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... or is the point to extinguish everything? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To extinguish every illusion that impair one's life and creates suffering. Not to extinguish everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If life arose for any reason, would it not be to enjoy being in all its forms, and all activities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can come up with any formulation to explain to themselves why life arose for them. The truth is, it's a chosen answer, not certainty, not truth. To &quot;enjoy being in all its forms and all activities&quot;, then is just one's choice for living their life -- the question of how life should be lived remains unanswered as long as there's the possibility of finding out one was mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To Buddhism, this is not an incorrect way of life, nor correct. If the Buddha was asked if this was a correct life choice, I understand from the sutras he would just say something like: &quot;are you willing to keep suffering, to be subject to suffering? If not, here's what I invite you to try.&quot; -- which is just another way of saying what he has been recorded saying to similar questions: that he simply teaches there's suffering, there's the origin of suffering, there's the cessation of suffering, and there's the path to it's cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-12-11T20:59:54.430" LastActivityDate="2015-12-11T20:59:54.430" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2015-12-11T19:43:21.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you need to realize is the one place where Buddhism &amp;amp; psychology does not agree. Psychology treats mind as a permanent thing and thoughts as its product. But as to Lord Buddha Mind &amp;amp; Thoughts are the product of a process.&#xA;And as to Buddhism Mind is not a single thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me explain...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is this process?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six receptors (aggregates) with a human (Eyes,Ears,Tongue,Nose,Body,Mind), These capture Light,Sound,Taste,Smell,Touch,Logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What gets captured creates it's own unique process called &quot;&lt;em&gt;Sanskara&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Which then go on to feed its content (Liking,Hating or Neutral feelings) to a process called &quot;Vinyana&quot;. These are six versions of possible Vinyanas that comes to existence when the aggregates come to contact with it's own version of input (Eyes with light,Ears with sound,Tongue with taste,etc). But a Vinyanas are only created if the being is aware &amp;amp; the aggregates are not damaged. Vinyanas are not with a permanent existence, these are born with the aggregates functioning and they cease with the end of process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts are the mind,its process of occurring and ceasing is the mind. But Mind is not a place or a thing but a product of a process which cease to exist with the end of it's creator (the set of thoughts that created it in the first place)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand this explanation can be a bit hard to understand so here's a link read and learn this fully: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/meditation/Bhikkhu_Bodhi-Comprehensive_Manual_of_Abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (edited by Bhikkhu Boddhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**Sanskara - Sanskara is the thing that is capable of creating another set of aggregates (receptors) for a being. It has got its name from the meaning &quot; The thing that is made as an result of many others combining which has the ability to create the components that makes it again.So simply without sanskara there's no next life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**Vinyana - If you compare the concept that we call &quot;Mind&quot; to &quot;Vinyana&quot;,it is  essentially the same thing. But the difference is there are six possible Vinyanas that gets created every time the aggregates come to contact with it's own version of input.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T23:28:19.133" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T23:28:19.133" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12901" CreationDate="2015-12-12T06:46:15.773" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think one of the major proponents of 'Secular Buddhism' was S.N.Goenka, although I doubt if he himself would call his lineage that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, let me give a brief idea of the tradition. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka's&lt;/a&gt; lineage could be traced back to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, a Buddhist monk who was instrumental in reviving the practice of Vipassana. In his retreats, S.N.Goenka emphasizes on how the pain and suffering we face is universal irrespective of one's religion. And hence, he stresses, that the path of liberation from this suffering is also universal and not based on one's religion. He famously said at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P97criit1qI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;UN's Millennium World Peace Summit&lt;/a&gt; that the only conversion involved in Vipassana is from misery to happiness, from bondage to liberation and from cruelty to compassion. You can also watch him introduce meditation to an audience at the Harvard Business Club &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFBYFtd9eMY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very primary book on Vipassana written by William Hart, one of his students is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.holybooks.com/artlivingvipassana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'The Art of Living'&lt;/a&gt;. In this, he talks about basic Buddhist ideas like suffering, its cause and the path of coming out of it in a very secular fashion. You may look at some other books and CDs &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Products_Cds&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At his 10 day retreat, he gives discourses which are also very secular in nature. You can register for the retreat &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T06:46:15.773" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8702" CreationDate="2015-12-12T08:22:31.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding it is impossible for an Unenlightened Being to Enlighten another being. &#xA;It is impossible even for an Enlightened Being to Enlighten someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was asked why can't he enlighten all beings. The Buddha answered that he only shows the way, each has to walk on the path for himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T08:22:31.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13074" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-12T09:04:19.140" Score="6" ViewCount="243" Body="&lt;p&gt;My day time job is with a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rustelefonen.no/information-in-engslish/&quot;&gt;Drug Helpline&lt;/a&gt;. This is an anonymous phone, chat and online Q/A service for drug and alcohol users and their relatives, friends, families and anyone with questions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This job gives a lot of opportunity to put wisdom and compassion into practice. In average, I am in contract with about 5000 people every year. All of them in need of help and support one way or the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal life, thinking and meditation on the three marks of Dukkha, Non-self and impermanence has helped tremendously. I soemtimes think that &quot;if only the users of our service could think like that, it would be so much easier for them&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example: Very often relatives of drug users do the exact opposite of whar would be a good strategy, they yell, demand the person to stop and the next moment they give them money for &quot;stuff in the apartment and food&quot;. Another classic is this &quot;My partner is the cause of my sepair because he drinks/drugs&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If compassion is the wish for others not to suffer, and I have a very firm conviction about what would be a good way for them to suffer less, how can I best convey this? I can't say &quot;you should meditate on the three marks&quot; and &quot;your partner isn't causing your despair, you are&quot;. For one it would ruin the dialogue and also I'm supposed to support the users perspective. I cannot use personal experience because I am a so called &quot;professional&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T04:06:03.767" Title="Wisdom in practice" Tags="|personal-practice|compassion|practice|wisdom|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13076" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13077" CreationDate="2015-12-12T10:12:08.357" Score="3" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the mapping of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.release.org.uk/legal-highs-novel-psychoactive-substances-research-chemicals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)&lt;/a&gt; began about ten years ago, around 500 new subsatances  has been discovered. This is a somewhat different situation than what was the case 2500 years ago. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some NPS are not illegal, and even it they are defined as pshychoactive they're not intoxicating but more like caffein (&quot;upper&quot;) or melatonin (for sleep) or valerian (calming). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What defines - in the different traditions - whether taking an NPS is against the five precepts or not? Is it the intention with which you take the substance? Is it the effect? Neurobiological damage? Physical damage? Frequency? Does legal status come in to the picture? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this something one should take directly with the teacher? Or something you can define according to your own conscience? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-06-30T13:06:25.943" Title="How do different traditions define &quot;intoxicant&quot;?" Tags="|five-precepts|traditions|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13076" CreationDate="2015-12-12T11:46:02.837" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me first explain the original Pāli version of the fifth precept, according to what I learnt from prof. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gombrich&quot;&gt;Richard Gombrich&lt;/a&gt;, who knows Pāli well and is a Theravāda scholar, but is not a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last three words are the same for all precepts and mean &quot;I undertake the rule of abstaining from&quot;. The key word here is &lt;em&gt;surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā&lt;/em&gt;. It is a compound that can be split as follows: &lt;em&gt;surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā&lt;/em&gt;. The literal translation is surā-meraya-majja-carelessness-occasion. &lt;em&gt;Surā&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;meraya&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;majja&lt;/em&gt; are names of three intoxicating drinks, but we cannot be sure what they exactly were. So if we look at it literally, the rule deals with three specific drinks, and whether and how it shoud be extended to other intoxicants is a matter of interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The use of &lt;em&gt;pamāda&lt;/em&gt; (carelessness) is even more interesting. Since it is a part of a compound, the grammar rules of Pāli tell us very little about how it should be interpreted. So the literal reading of the fifth precept could be either&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the rule of abstaining from surā, meraya and majja, &lt;strong&gt;because&lt;/strong&gt; they cause occasions for carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the rule of abstaining from surā, meraya and majja, &lt;strong&gt;in so far&lt;/strong&gt; as they cause occasions for carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to your question, there is no agreement among Theravāda Buddhists on which of the two readings should be used. There are quite a few who interpret it according to the latter reading and don't think that consumption of small amounts of alcohol is against the precept. But in any case, there is an agreement that &lt;em&gt;surāmerayamajja&lt;/em&gt; should interpreted as alcoholic beverages in general. There is, however, a controversy on whether the precept is applicable to smoking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up, various Buddhist traditions have surely different views on that matter, but in any case, the word &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://palidictionary.appspot.com/browse/p/pam%C4%81da&quot;&gt;pamāda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; seems to be the key. It is what defines intoxicants, and - for traditions that allow some use of intoxicans - defines the limits of their use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2015-12-12T12:11:52.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T12:11:52.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12981" CreationDate="2015-12-12T12:02:57.140" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-kindness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Mettanisamsa Sutta)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="631" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T12:02:57.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13074" CreationDate="2015-12-12T15:01:35.730" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This job gives a lot of opportunity to put wisdom and compassion into practice. In average, I am in contract with about 5000 people every year. All of them in need of help and support one way or the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are very lucky. Being rightly motivated this can be a great opportunity to help others as well as make merit for your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In my personal life, thinking and meditation on the three marks of Dukkha, Non-self and impermanence has helped tremendously. I soemtimes think that &quot;if only the users of our service could think like that, it would be so much easier for them&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main objective of insight is to see things as there are (Yathā Bhūta ñāna Dassana) hence develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt;. This can happen in many ways though realising the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; and developing understating of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; process. Both are necessary as per some teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Example: Very often relatives of drug users do the exact opposite of whar would be a good strategy, they yell, demand the person to stop and the next moment they give them money for &quot;stuff in the apartment and food&quot;. Another classic is this &quot;My partner is the cause of my sepair because he drinks/drugs&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you say people do find causes to blame for their despair on outside sources. Understanding or rationalising this at a logical level does help a bit but this understanding can also change hence you have to realise it through meditation pratice. Firstly you have to talk some sense and then get them to pratice. Also ego and emotions which we all have defies all logic hence do not try to be too logical and persuasive. Just let them understand though their pratice but know enough sense to entice them to give a fair trial to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are some research how Vipassana helps in addiction recovery and mental health. Goto &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana Research Institute&lt;/a&gt; research index &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research-Index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and then look under the titles &quot;&lt;em&gt;Drug Addiction&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and &quot;&lt;em&gt;Psychiatry and Health&quot;&lt;/em&gt; which might also help you in your line of work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If compassion is the wish for others not to suffer, and I have a very firm conviction about what would be a good way for them to suffer less, how can I best convey this? I can't say &quot;you should meditate on the three marks&quot; and &quot;your partner isn't causing your despair, you are&quot;. For one it would ruin the dialogue and also I'm supposed to support the users perspective. I cannot use personal experience because I am a so called &quot;professional&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the users may not be in the best mental frame to receive the Dhamma. In this case the best is give them time to adjust and have a more balanced mind. Once they are in a conducive state of mind then perhaps you can point out there is a techniques like so and so which might also help in your problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When in distress people loose in touch will reality, i.e, misidentification of what is experienced - ignorance in short. When ignorance dominates you will never see anything clearly as you have to cut through all this. You have to wait for it to settle a bit through dialog and counselling. If a person thinks too much or worries then there is a chance that this is aggravated by perversions or distortions of perceptions&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you might be able to share some testimonials on the benefit of vipassana with these people to inspire them. There are some on youtube: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20meditation%20experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Youtube Content on Vipassana Meditation Experience&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; More on perversions or distortions of perceptions see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T02:35:57.447" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13074" CreationDate="2015-12-12T16:02:04.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bringing up anything specifically Buddhism-related would probably be inappropriate, but I suppose you could try and teach them along the lines of the Noble Eightfold Path (just don't call it so):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First, they need to establish the right ground: that the problem is fixable, not unfixable. That they can make it worse, or they can make it better. If they repeatedly try to make it better for a long enough time, it will get better.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Once they are in the right frame of reference, they should make a commitment to only acting with that goal in mind, not reacting emotionally. Every time there is a problem, they should do something that will make things better, not worse. This should be their mantra: act purposefully, try to quickly calculate the basic results of your action before you act.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Specifically, in terms of what they say, they should not speak from emotion, because when they speak from emotion, they don't think clearly and can only make it worse. Everything they say should be constructive, meaning it should not just criticize but offer some positive next steps that will improve things.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Same with anything else they do: going somewhere, buying something, etc. Especially if their action is motivated by the emotion of being upset/frustrated - they should force themselves to sit on their hands, or distract themselves with something, or express the negative emotion into singing or drawing or dancing or yelling in the closet - just don't do something that will make things worse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If they have some daily routines or life cycles or people influences that keep on feeding the negative patterns - then they should change the circumstances, move somewhere, get rid of those friends, stop watching those particular movies or listening to that music - in short whatever in their lifestyle is part of the nutrient for the pathological patterns should be removed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So, in summary, they should get in the habit of watching their mind for destructive intentions and replace them with constructive intentions. They can't act positively if their mind is negative - so they should get in the habit of only thinking useful thoughts, and stopping useless/negative thoughts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First, they will forget this and get carried away by the emotions - but they should keep repeating to themselves, every day, for a long long time until it gets better: &quot;only do what will help, don't do what will make it worse&quot; - and then with time it will become second nature.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eventually, (once they get used to NOT acting negatively) it becomes an exercise in always being in good mood. Your entire life becomes a game of accumulating good mood. The more good mood you have, the more opportunities you will see for getting even better mood, through healthy and creative means. And when you are in good mood, it becomes contagious and people around you get caught in your good mood too - and then you can help them by teaching this same principle.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something along these lines should help both the relatives and the drug abusers themselves. The idea is to show them the rational way to go in the right direction, imbue faith in this rational way, give some specific details, and show the glimpse of the end result. It may seem simplistic and kinda too obvious to be useful, but this idea of only doing what helps at all levels (speaking, acting, lifestyle, thinking, mood) is for some reason very difficult to internalize. Once they have internalized it, they can figure out the details as they go, and it's just a matter of time until it gets better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-12T17:56:17.580" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T17:56:17.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13074" CreationDate="2015-12-12T16:05:58.573" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can't say &quot;...&quot; it would ruin the dialogue and also I'm supposed to support the users perspective.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some personal counsellors ask questions, along the lines of, &quot;And how do you feel about that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's similar to Vipasanna's asking people to note their feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that turns people's attention inward (not &quot;my partner is wrong&quot; but &quot;I'm feeling ignored&quot; or &quot;confused and angry about my inability to make my partner behave the way I want them to&quot;) which might be essential to helping them to act, &quot;rationally&quot; or sanely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe asking 'leading' questions is an acceptable way to steer the conversation. By analogy with a medical doctor they could be 'informed' questions (i.e. informed by your prior knowledge), but still I suppose they ought to be questions (I read a science fiction story once in which a society had a jury system where the jury members were expected to be &quot;biased&quot; but not allowed to be &quot;prejudiced&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that I'm not &quot;a so-called professional&quot;, but your professional page (which you linked to) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In addition to providing the caller with information about alcohol and drugs, and suggesting appropriate services for treatment of substance abuse, the counsellors practice the «professional conversation». The counsellors’ role is not to judge or moralize, but, by listening and asking the right questions, unveiling the solutions which best suits the caller’s situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have a very firm conviction about what would be a good way for them to suffer less, how can I best convey this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote above says there are &quot;appropriate services for treatment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you agree whether those services exist? And whether they're appropriate? Is it your job to be/supply those services, or is it your job to suggest those services?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does your meditation on the three marks suggest ways in which those services could be improved or augmented? Is there someone (e.g. your boss and/or counsellor) with whom you can discuss whether to add to the services or solutions which are &quot;suggested as appropriate&quot; by the agency which employs you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you want to or are able to &quot;use personal experience&quot; in a way that not appropriate for your job, there are vehicles for doing that outside the scope of your employment -- I'm thinking that AA / Al-Anon or NA / Nar-Anon meetings, for example, centre around people recounting their personal experience and insight for the benefit of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I sometimes think that &quot;if only the users of our service could think like that, it would be so much easier for them&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reminds me of (among other things) &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbpbf_V8tAc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this scene&lt;/a&gt; in a movie, &lt;em&gt;As Good as It Gets&lt;/em&gt;, where the girl is wooed by an antihero and cries out, &quot;Why can't I just have a normal boy-friend? Why? Just a regular boy-friend who doesn't go nuts on me?&quot; At that point her mum, who's listening behind the door, pops out and says, &quot;Everybody wants that, dear. It doesn't exist. Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to meet people who've already solved their personal problems then I guess you need a different job (or to meet other people outside the scope of your job).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're saying &quot;If only other people had the same views as I have then they wouldn't have a problem&quot;, I think you're not the first person to have said that. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how can I best convey this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe be clearer about what you're trying to convey. Compassion? Your description of a universal solution? An environment in which someone sees their own way out of their problem? An emotional intensity, neither too little (complacency) nor too much (despair)? Professional (legal or psychiatric) help? An independent (e.g. not &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/co-dependency&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;co-dependent&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) perspective on what's right and wrong? A life-line? ...?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T04:06:03.767" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T04:06:03.767" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13082" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-12T17:49:59.423" Score="2" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a textual reference. I cannot recall the exact details but I will try my best; if anyone knows what I am referring to and can point me to the text, it would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic idea in the passage was roughly, I believe, that if one doesn't have anyone who can tell them what to do or not do...doesn't have a person who can punish them, then they won't become angry. I believe I read this in the Visuddhimagga but I'm not sure. Any help is appreciated!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-12T17:52:59.670" LastActivityDate="2016-04-26T18:30:22.203" Title="Reference request: blame as the source of anger?" Tags="|reference-request|visuddhimagga|anger|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7944" CreationDate="2015-12-12T20:15:41.047" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that there are certain relationships among forms and phenomena that we call &quot;mathematical&quot; relationships. These relationships can be seen to be consistent and without any need for axioms to support them, they are tautologies and ontological. Axiomatic systems fail at some point due to their eventual self referential nature and containing axioms that cannot be proved within the given system. The relationships that are referred to above existed long before any human mind appeared on the scene to discover them and give them a rational form...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B.W.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7426" LastActivityDate="2015-12-12T20:15:41.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13084" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13085" CreationDate="2015-12-13T01:48:06.760" Score="4" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has expectations of others, how is this perceived in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if one expects others to show respect, not hurt others, help others, make effort to understand others, etc, how is this perceived?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these expectations are not met or remain unfulfilled, does one simply class these are ignorance, lack of maturity, etc?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T04:45:22.873" Title="How are expectations seen in Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13084" CreationDate="2015-12-13T02:23:39.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may sound surprising to you... but as I understand, in Buddhism the expectations like you described would be seen as &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; attachments and &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, if you were infinitely wise, you would see this person as they are, and would not be mistaken by the appearance. The fact that your original opinion turned out to be wrong means you are not infinitely wise! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two, once the expectations have been unfulfilled and you become disenchanted, to continue to be upset and to regret that things are not the way you thought they were, is a case of attachment. Meaning, you had one experience of the world, and now situation has changed - hence another experience, but you continue to hold to the past picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in this way, these expectations are your ignorance and your attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T02:23:39.277" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13084" CreationDate="2015-12-13T02:47:17.390" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply put it expectations are a source of stress and misery as in many instances your expectations are never met. Expectations arise from ignorance real state of the world or not seeing this as they are (lack of &lt;code&gt;yathā bhūta ñāna dassana&lt;/code&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T02:47:17.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12427" CreationDate="2015-12-13T03:19:26.953" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Coming together of 31 planes of existance forms an universe. (At least when it is not collapsed.) Likewise there infinite universes&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. Also there is view that each universe contains multiple humanoid planets which is called the human plane&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out of these universes there is only one universe a Buddha can appear. This is called the Mangala Sakwala  (The special universe or galaxy where lord Buddhas are born). This can be viewed in terms of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_line&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;number line&lt;/a&gt; where there is infinite numbers but there is only one &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_(number)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;zero&lt;/a&gt;. Likewise in the infinite universe there is only one universe conducive for a Buddha to appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.net/EBooks/AbhidhammatthaPradeepikaHQ1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidhammattha Pradeepika&lt;/a&gt; By Amaradasa Rathnapala, Volume 1, page 27, paragraph starting at line 6.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; Perhaps based on: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.029.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta: The Kosalan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As far as the sun &amp;amp; moon revolve, illumining the directions with their light, there extends the thousand-fold cosmos. In that thousand-fold cosmos there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sunerus — kings of mountains; a thousand Rose-apple continents, a thousand Deathless Ox-cart [continents], a thousand northern Kuru [continents], a thousand eastern Videha [continents]; four thousand great oceans, four thousand Great Kings, a thousand [heavens of the] Four Great Kings, a thousand [heavens of the] Thirty-three, a thousand [heavens of the] Yamas, a thousand [heavens of the] Tusitas, a thousand heavens of the Nimmanaratis, a thousand heavens of the Paranimmitavasavattis,  and a thousand Brahma worlds. And in that thousand-fold cosmos, the Great Brahma is reckoned supreme. Yet even in the Great Brahma there is still aberration, there is change. Seeing this, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate toward what is supreme, and even more so toward what is inferior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There comes a time when this cosmos devolves. When the cosmos is devolving, most beings head to the [heaven of] the Radiant. There they remain for a long, long time — mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, faring through the sky, abiding in splendor. When the cosmos is devolving, the Radiant Devas are reckoned supreme. Yet even in the Radiant Devas, there is still aberration, there is change. Seeing this, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate toward what is supreme, and even more so toward what is inferior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T09:32:18.923" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13084" CreationDate="2015-12-13T04:27:20.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one needs reality to be something else, that partiality  will  lead one to suffering however it is possible for one to act appropriately without needing reality to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more one practices what cultivates wisdom, the more one will make the appropriate decisions without partiality to the decisions one makes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T04:27:20.627" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-13T04:27:20.627" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12426" CreationDate="2015-12-13T09:22:25.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a view that there are multiple planes with humanoid like being which constitute the human realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.029.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta: The Kosalan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As far as the sun &amp;amp; moon revolve, illumining the directions with their light, there extends the thousand-fold cosmos. In that thousand-fold cosmos there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sunerus — kings of mountains; a thousand Rose-apple continents, a thousand Deathless Ox-cart [continents], a thousand northern Kuru [continents], a thousand eastern Videha [continents]; four thousand great oceans, four thousand Great Kings, a thousand [heavens of the] Four Great Kings, a thousand [heavens of the] Thirty-three, a thousand [heavens of the] Yamas, a thousand [heavens of the] Tusitas, a thousand heavens of the Nimmanaratis, a thousand heavens of the Paranimmitavasavattis, and a thousand Brahma worlds. And in that thousand-fold cosmos, the Great Brahma is reckoned supreme. Yet even in the Great Brahma there is still aberration, there is change. Seeing this, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate toward what is supreme, and even more so toward what is inferior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There comes a time when this cosmos devolves. When the cosmos is devolving, most beings head to the [heaven of] the Radiant. There they remain for a long, long time — mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, faring through the sky, abiding in splendor. When the cosmos is devolving, the Radiant Devas are reckoned supreme. Yet even in the Radiant Devas, there is still aberration, there is change. Seeing this, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate toward what is supreme, and even more so toward what is inferior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T09:22:25.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11488" CreationDate="2015-12-13T12:12:55.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to what @RobM has mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 4 types of learners&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The intuitive or quick learner (ugghatitañña)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The intellectual (vipañcitañña)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The one who needs guidance (neyya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The rote learner (pada,parama)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a view that the Abhidhamma is for the type 3 &amp;amp; 4. Type 1 &amp;amp; 2 have realised a lot due to their past pratice and a Sutta would clear the dust in their eyes. The ones who need more learning are 3 and 4 hence have to lean the doctrine. The Suttas are like a collection of prescriptions given to cure a particular person. The Abhidhamma contains the complete doctrine or the body of knowledge medicine. You become a doctor or knowledgeable in medicine by studying the body of knowledge of medicine and not my reading prescriptions. Also if you are a medical intern you might sometimes need guidance from a doctor. (Guidance coming from the Suttas). Your current knowledge base from past pratice and study to become an intern. (Comparable to the Abhidhamma) Moreover, type 1 &amp;amp; 2 just listening to the Sutta realised the Dhamma from their past pratice type 3 &amp;amp; 4 need to learn the full doctrine hence rely on the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just a view held by some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; To read more on them see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.4-Levels-of-learning.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Levels of Learning&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T13:15:42.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13091" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13093" CreationDate="2015-12-13T14:34:49.090" Score="8" ViewCount="1607" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does samsara exist? Or does samsara not exists and it just looks to us that it exists, but in reality it is all the same &quot;thing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the updated question, to make it clearer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibanna is the cessation of all that is conditioned, i.e. samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, when you attain Nibanna which is unconditioned, then you are out of samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this mean, that when you attain Nibanna, samsara:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;does not exist but it exists for other beings in samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;does not exist, and neither it exists for the other beings in samsara, because Nibanna is unconditioned, so there is no samsara, and consequently there are no beings?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which one is it? 1 or 2?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T20:09:58.383" LastActivityDate="2021-04-14T13:34:13.437" Title="Does samsara exist or not exists?" Tags="|samsara|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-13T15:05:44.597" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara exists based on mind-matter phenomena. Any phenomena which is part of mind, mind content, matter comes under ultimate truths (truths that not fall apart under divisibility into its constituent components or indivisible). So it is an ultimate truth that samsara does exit when you are part of it if you are worldling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you attain Nirvana which is unconditioned, then you are out of samsara. For some one who attains Nirvana this also is an ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T15:05:44.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-13T16:32:57.660" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The traditional Mahayana formula is that &quot;Samsara is Nirvana&quot;. This is explained in depth in Madhyamaka literature. Here is one quote from Jay Garfield commentary on &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0195093364&quot;&gt;his translation of Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is [possible] to grasp after nirvana – to reify it as a state and to crave it as a phenomenon inherently different from samsara and as highly desirable since it is indeed characterized as liberation from suffering. But this grasping onto the end of grasping is itself a grasping and so precludes the attainment of nirvana. Nirvana requires, according to Nagarjuna, a complete cessation of grasping, including that onto nirvana itself. While that might seem paradoxical, it is not: To grasp onto something in this sense requires, inter alia, that one reify it. By refusing to reify liberation, in virtue of seeing it as the correlative of bondage, which itself is not inherently existent, it is possible to pursue the path to liberation without creating at the same time a huge obstacle on that path – the root delusion with regard to nirvana itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from Master Dogen's Genjokoan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When everything is buddha-dharma, there are Samsara and Nirvana, Path, birth and death, Buddhas and sentient beings. When myriad things are without self, there is no Samsara, no Nirvana, no Buddha, no sentient beings, no birth and no death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T21:39:19.897" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T21:39:19.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-13T16:46:22.330" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara is just a word. There is seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, smelling, and thinking. And there is the UN enlightened mind that misapprehends the true nature of these phenomenon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit for your edit : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;does not exist but it exists for other beings in samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Isd8tSOXw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;There are four things without bounds; the knowledge of a buddha, space, the universe, and the world of beings.&lt;/a&gt;  Therefore, samsara will never be extinguished. In this way, enlightenment is like a forest fire, burning down an endless forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I COULD tell you the timestamp for my reference; but instead I'll make you watch through the entire thing, enjoy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-13T21:36:28.443" LastActivityDate="2015-12-13T21:36:28.443" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13095" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13096" CreationDate="2015-12-13T23:01:12.620" Score="3" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;One book I like very much is &lt;em&gt;The Myth Of Freedom&lt;/em&gt; by Chogyam Trungpa.  Of particular interest is the section where he distinguishes the realms of existence as mental states and ways of being.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've yet to find this discussed elsewhere in any way that resonates.  Everything I find merely talks about &lt;em&gt;Buddhism and psychology&lt;/em&gt; and speaks about it in terms defined in the latter.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trungpa nourishes the metaphor and &lt;em&gt;generates a rich unanswerable question&lt;/em&gt;.  Other writings I've found prey on the metaphor and &lt;em&gt;regurgitate a definitive answer&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The former offers opening for insight; the latter suppresses thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of anywhere else this subject is written upon with the type of creativity I've alluded to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T10:27:43.467" Title="Samsara and States of Being (reference request)" Tags="|reference-request|realms|chogyam-trungpa|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13095" CreationDate="2015-12-13T23:16:16.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did you try Trungpa's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0877736375&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Trungpa's work that touches similar topics is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1570627649&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Glimpses of Abhidharma: From a Seminar on Buddhist Psychology&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T15:25:55.993" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T15:25:55.993" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12198" CreationDate="2015-12-14T13:50:54.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my limited and paltry understanding, the mano-vijnana or the &quot;sixth sense according to the Buddha&quot;  is [just] another sense-consciousness linked with a sense-gate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sense-gate is gateless.  Just like all your senses.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gateless gate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Streams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is the hub of these six streams -- the hub of a wheel is Mind and the six spokes are the different sense-consciousnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All sense-consciousnesses can become &quot;suspended&quot; in penetrative insight and samadhi.  Your sense-consciousnesses get suspended when you sneeze or when you have an orgasm.  Even the &quot;thinking&quot; sense consciousness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, these words, upon your realizing their meaning, will not be an accurate reflection of your understanding (they do not accord with the Ultimate truth) but perhaps they may be helpful in getting you closer to a breakthrough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-12-14T13:50:54.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-14T14:11:16.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we wake up from dream, does it exist for others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-14T14:43:20.357" LastActivityDate="2015-12-14T14:43:20.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-14T15:43:53.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsara exists. 2. Samsara does not exist. 3. Samsara both exists and does not exist. 4. Samsara neither exists nor not exists. All of these statements are true. All of these statements are false. All of these statements are both true and false. All of these statements are neither true nor false.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-14T15:43:53.867" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-14T15:59:57.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you use &quot;exists&quot; in the Buddhist context, you might be understood as &quot;has own, unconditioned essence&quot; which is the traditional use -- here, the object in question cannot suddenly become or unbecome according to circumstances, because it always &quot;is&quot;. Or as &quot;is real / refers to an actual experience&quot; which is the more popular understanding. Not being explicit about how this word is being can be confusing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, to the questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does samsara exist? Or does samsara not exists and it just looks to us that it exists, but in reality it is all the same &quot;thing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm understanding samsara here as a word to describe the cycle of birth and death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether it &quot;exists&quot; -- in the traditional sense -- or &quot;not exists&quot; is a philosophical topic whose answer might change according to the philosophy of each school (though I think no school who would declare existence of phenomena or concepts have survived).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this mean, that when you attain Nibanna, samsara does not exist but it exists for other beings in samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The Buddha attained nibanna, but here we are, subject to samsara.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we can conclude from our experience that samsara is &quot;real&quot; (insofar as the cycle of birth and death is actual -- or if one understands samsara to be simply this circumstance of being subject to suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the traditional sense of &quot;exists&quot;, samsara either &quot;exists&quot; or &quot;not exists&quot; -- it doesn't make sense to change according to circumstances (eg. when an event happens, like attaining nibanna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;cessation of samsara&quot;, insofar as we are talking about the Buddha attaining nibanna, is not the cessation of our reality, nor the cessation of the samsara we are subjected to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this mean, that when you attain Nibanna, samsara does not exist, and neither it exists for the other beings in samsara, because Nibanna is unconditioned, so there is no samsara, and consequently there are no beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beings &quot;don't exist&quot; in the traditional sense; beings are &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. But we are certainly alive -- we are not imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:55:05.773" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:55:05.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7900" CreationDate="2015-12-14T17:29:24.817" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We should add the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonang&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jonang&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The official position of the Tibetan community in exile, at the urging of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is that the Jonang is counted as a major school (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=30077&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=30077&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jonang goes quite far back, depending on how you figure. Though they were forcibly integrated into the Gelug school in the 17th century, some Jonang monasteries remained independent. There are presently thousands of monks and nuns in this tradition at monasteries in Tibet's eastern region that came to Western attention only in the 20th century. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among other things, the Jonang teach the Shentong/Zhentong view that has some influence in other non-Gelug schools, and are the source of Kalachakra teachings and practices that the present 14th Dalai Lama has actively propagated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T08:40:49.347" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T08:40:49.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13103" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13105" CreationDate="2015-12-14T18:53:06.403" Score="3" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a text that I recall having seen in which the Buddha says something like: There is no rest for those who are obsessed with thoughts such as 'he has wronged/harmed me' and similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may have been the Dhammapada...any help is appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T21:44:03.087" Title="Reference request: no rest for those with ill will" Tags="|reference-request|anger|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11488" CreationDate="2015-12-14T19:13:04.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi, in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connected-discourses-buddha/introduction&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;introduction to the Saṃyutta Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prevalent scholarly opinion, fostered by the texts themselves, holds that the principal basis for distinguishing the four Nikāyas is the length of their suttas&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus the largest suttas are collected into the Dıgha Nikāya, the middle length suttas into the Majjhima Nikāya, and the shorter suttas are distributed between the Saṃyutta and the Aṅguttara Nikāyas, the former classifying its suttas thematically, the latter by way of the number of items in terms of which the exposition is framed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;However, in an important groundbreaking study, Pāli scholar Joy Manné has challenged the assumption that length alone explains the differences between the Nikāyas&lt;/strong&gt;. By carefully comparing the suttas of DN with those of MN, Manné concludes that the two collections are intended to serve two different purposes within the Buddha’s dispensation. In her view, &lt;strong&gt;DN was primarily intended for the purpose of propaganda&lt;/strong&gt;, to attract converts to the new religion, and thus is aimed mainly at non-Buddhists favourably disposed to Buddhism; &lt;strong&gt;MN, in contrast, was directed inwards towards the Buddhist community and its purpose was to extol the Master (both as a real person and as an archetype) and to integrate monks into the community and the practice&lt;/strong&gt;. Manné also proposes that “each of the first four Nikāyas came about in order to serve a distinct need and purpose in the growing and developing Buddhist community”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T15:58:30.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13103" CreationDate="2015-12-14T19:27:28.717" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes that's verse 3 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the opening chapter of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-14T19:27:28.717" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9338" CreationDate="2015-12-15T16:08:07.420" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Non duality is to be realized rather than &quot;cultivated&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non duality and emptiness are the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T16:08:07.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-15T16:13:29.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara exist because there is enlightenment- free from Samara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like wealth exist because there are poor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only if one is free from Samsara can one see Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If everyone is in Samsara, then how can one see Samsara? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what Buddha is here to teach &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T16:13:29.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7900" CreationDate="2015-12-15T20:03:59.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to and as a complement to the above answers, I highly recommend this YouTube lecture series, &lt;a href=&quot;http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8DRNsjySiiYtVJ14zrP3f1-Is2CmOoyC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Varieties of Tibetan Madhyamaka&lt;/em&gt; with Guy Newland (2011)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Professor Newland is a renowned scholar on Tibetan Buddhism. In the spirit of HH the Dalai Lama, Prof Newland here tries to treat the different sects as fairly and properly as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-15T20:08:13.467" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T20:08:13.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13111" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13114" CreationDate="2015-12-15T20:35:52.210" Score="2" ViewCount="1009" Body="&lt;p&gt;Indian philosophers, both Buddhist and others, are divided on how they stand on the issue of reflexive awareness. As I understand it, reflexive awareness can be formulated thus: when I remember yesterday's blue sky, I not only remember the sky, but seeing the sky. Thus, remembering seeing the sky, my awareness - at the time of seeing the sky - must have been &quot;aware of itsef&quot;. As far as I can understand reflexivity is supposed to pertain to awareness per ce, not only vision. (I hope my formulation here makes sense, please correct me if I'm wrong). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Questions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anyone have some arguments both for and against reflexive awareness? They should preferably be from one or more of the Indian Buddhist saints, but also formulated in your own words. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anyone have links to sources discussing for and against reflexive awareness, in the context of Buddhism/Indian Buddhist philosophy? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T22:39:17.270" Title="Reflexive awareness?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|perception|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13111" CreationDate="2015-12-15T20:45:26.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Self-reflexive awareness is awareness focused on itself.  IT has nothing to do with memories or fantasies of past and future, but is knowable only in the precise moment of inspection.  Self-reflexive awareness is the natural condition of the mind and is such a profound topic that debate without meditation would be like cooking rice without a fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please check this resource for a most excellent write-up, and please be sure to verify the conclusions in your own meditative experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sweepingzen.com/mirror-awareness-the-true-host/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://sweepingzen.com/mirror-awareness-the-true-host/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T20:45:26.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13111" CreationDate="2015-12-15T20:59:13.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your awareness at the time of seeing the sky cannot at the same time be aware of itself. The mind can only take one object as its focus at once. So perhaps there is the awareness  of the sky, followed by the awareness of this awareness itself. This becomes clear when one practices meditation. I hope this answers your question, I wasn't entirely clear on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: There's almost certainly a more detailed explanation available within the Abhidhamma, hopefully someone more well-read than me can come along and explain the exact technical process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-15T22:39:17.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T22:39:17.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13111" CreationDate="2015-12-15T21:55:22.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A relatively easy source on that is &lt;em&gt;Unique Tenets of The Middle Way Consequence School&lt;/em&gt;, by Daniel Cozort. Better ones are Khedrup Je's &lt;em&gt;Dose of Emptiness&lt;/em&gt;, and Shantideva's &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva Deeds&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vaïbashikas and Madhyamika-Prasangika do not assert self-knowers (self-cognizers). The other schools do. However, if Prasangika refute self-knowers, they do assert that awareness is self-knowing. It just does not know itself in the way that other schools posit. Prasangika refute self-knower as presented by other schools. Other schools posit a self-knower that is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;special&lt;/strong&gt; in that it is neither a main mind nor a mental factor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realizes an apprehender (i.e. another consciousness) in a direct and non-dualistic way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one entity with the consciousness it knows.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is that other schools of thoughts (tenets) from Svatantrikas down to and including Sautrantikas claim that if there was no self-knower, one could remember blue but could not remember having seen blue. Prasanngika claim that there is no need for self-knowers to be able to remember having seen blue, because the eye-consciousness apprehending blue &lt;strong&gt;implicitly&lt;/strong&gt; realized itself at the time of seeing blue. Implicitly means by way of the object not appearing. So, when one remembers blue, he also remembers &quot;having seen blue&quot; by way of relation; realizing having seen blue is induced by remembering the object, because the consciousness and its object were already related by the time of seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What follows are arguments from Geshe Gyaltsen's teachings. There are a commentary to the chapter 9 of Shantideva's &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva Deeds&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prasangika: &quot;There is no self-knower realizing an apprehender directly&#xA;  and explicitly in a non-dual manner, because Buddha said mind cannot&#xA;  see itself as the sword cannot cut itself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prasangika: &quot;If a self-knower was to realize itself in a non-dualistic&#xA;  manner, it would follow that [the apprehended object and its&#xA;  apprehending consciousness] are of the same isolates.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cittamatrin: &quot;The self-knower is like a butter lamp, illuminating both&#xA;  the outside and itself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prasangika: &quot;The butter lamp does not illuminates itself since it does&#xA;  not need to be illuminated. The butter lamp does not need to&#xA;  illuminate itself since it does not obscure itself[...] The fact that&#xA;  the consciousness illuminates is known by the consciousness, which is&#xA;  of a different substance. 'Consciousness illuminates' is known by&#xA;  what? By another consciousness or by itself? If we say consciousness&#xA;  illuminates and that is known by another consciousness, that&#xA;  consciousness should be known again by another consciousness and that&#xA;  should go on like this without end.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prasangika: We do not need that self-knower since the eye&#xA;  consciousness explicitly realizes its object and implicitly realizes&#xA;  itself, while realizing its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through relation of experiencing another, that is when the eye&#xA;  consciousness sees blue, it also experiences itself, in relation to&#xA;  realizing blue. Therefore there is no point in asserting a&#xA;  self-knower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is possible because both do not exist inherently and therefore&#xA;  can be related. By remembering the object, one implicitly realizes the&#xA;  subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2015-12-15T21:55:22.313" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13115" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-16T04:32:07.320" Score="3" ViewCount="158" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/spring2012/03-mindfulness-of-breathing/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this lecture&lt;/a&gt;, by B. Alan Wallace, of mindfulness of breathing with relaxation, it has been instructed that I have to release all thoughts, relax every part of the body and let go of all involuntary thoughts during exhalation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what exactly is meant by releasing all thoughts with exhalation? What should I do during exhalation? Does it mean that mind will go blank during exhalation? If yes, then how is it possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7440" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T17:24:24.927" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:27:17.220" Title="How does one do mindfulness of breathing with relaxation?" Tags="|alan-wallace|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13115" CreationDate="2015-12-16T09:06:17.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Relaxing body and mind has a deep meaning though many never get to know what actually this means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means if Kāya (body) and Citta (mind) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahut%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lahutā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The achievement of this you can practice meditation on the wind &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;element&lt;/a&gt; (expansion contraction feeling tied to inhalation and exhalation process) or passing you consciousness or attention in a zigzag manner though any heavy, gross, solidified or painful areas or just simply being consciously aware of the  sensation in itself. Also developing continuous and recurring attention on a particular object might be of help as this creates bodily pleasantness when closing on the the Jhanas. Also smiling mildly helps as it creates pleasant feeling in the body and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also though during meditation you have to cut out thought (Vachi Sankhāra) and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;concept&lt;/a&gt; proliferation (papañca). This is not the same as the mind going blank but more towards developing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samadhi - collection of the mind with the ability to direct it to a chosen object which is felt, or mastery over the mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jhana - close scrutiny and examination of an experienced object what is felt.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T17:21:23.427" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T17:21:23.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13118" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13120" CreationDate="2015-12-16T10:40:29.467" Score="5" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to maintain mindfulness in daily life and I find that most of the time my thoughts keep wandering and I often find myself regurgitating on some random topic which is not at all useful at the moment. Is there any sutta in which Buddha talks about thoughts - which thoughts are useful to dwell on and which are not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T12:33:20.580" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:46:52.700" Title="Thoughts in Daily Life" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13119" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-16T14:41:21.453" Score="5" ViewCount="609" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many adaptations of a story about a brave little parrot (or other type of bird) who tries to put out a forest fire by dipping her feathers in a lake and shaking the drops over a raging forest fire. Does anyone know which number Jataka tale this originates from? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an example of the adapted tale. &lt;a href=&quot;http://healingstory.org/the-brave-little-parrot/&quot;&gt;http://healingstory.org/the-brave-little-parrot/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2022-02-02T11:21:19.507" Title="What number Jataka tale does this story come from?" Tags="|reference-request|jataka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13118" CreationDate="2015-12-16T16:11:23.880" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is restlessness, or the mind being scattered by many thoughts coming and going. Refer to the suttas on the hindrances, e.g.: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarara) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;. This is aggravated by Vipallasa (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). (These could lead to wrong conclusion and views hence keep the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in mind.) Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; an essay by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts are generally not good to dwell on unless they are directed at maintaining properly executing our daily activities and also perhaps some planning the activities and future. This cannot be avoided if you are householder. Also keep your thoughts on on what can be considered compatible or at least not contrary to Right Thoughts (Samma Sankappa). Thinking lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concept proliferation&lt;/a&gt; and verbal fabrications which is at best avoided when possible at least during a formal meditation sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to concept proliferation the following essay highlights how thinking leads to fabrication: &lt;a href=&quot;https://pathpress.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/papanca-sanna-sankha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Papañca-Saññā-Sankhā&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://ahandfulofleaves.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/concept-and-reality-in-early-buddhist-thought_nanananda_1971.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Nanananda. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika&lt;/a&gt; Sutta covers the topic: perception and mental proliferation. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Mindfulness-in-Early-Buddhism_Kuan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, by Tse-fu Kuan contains though proliferation in the context of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; which might be an interesting read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to Verbal Fabrication the following Suttas deal with the subject: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma,bhū Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T14:46:52.700" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:46:52.700" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-12-16T16:56:15.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is another view on why private Buddha's cannot teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A disciple understands the fabrication pertaining to ones own aggregates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A private Buddha understand above plus fabrication of nature but not that of other beings (some private Buddhas realise Buddhahood through observing nature than oneself)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A fully enlightened Buddha also understands the fabrication pertaining to the aggregates of others also, hence is able to provide and set out proper guidance a tame others who are ready to be tamed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not understand how fabrication work pertaining to another being you cannot give advice on how to come out of the process of creating new fabrications and put a stop to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are documented cases in what they did to realise Nirvana but many are not readily usable by any one who is not mature enough. E.g. looking at a leaf fall fall from a tree, looking at the flow of a stream, etc. It is unlikely anybody else utilise this kind of advice to gain benifit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T17:18:55.237" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T17:18:55.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13115" CreationDate="2015-12-16T17:50:41.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Briefly, &quot;let go&quot; here means you turn your attention to something else (like the room in front of you) - and then whatever thoughts you had the moment before dissolve by themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally our attention is dragged around by thoughts and experiences. Being able to disengage from them, and either hold on firmly to one thing, or to switch around at will, or to kinda suspend mid-air as thoughts and experiences flow by - is a useful skill to have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically in this case you're learning to disengage from whatever particular thoughts you have at the moment - to disidentify and to stop feeding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't mean your mind goes blank, since you still have experiences of your body and surroundings, exhaling etc., - and you have an overall idea of what it is that you are doing (meditating, disengaging). So all mental functions keep on going, it's just that you are learning to gently let go of mental chatter, daydreaming, worrisome replays etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(no reference for this: I'm summarizing broadly based on what I was taught by the live Zen Master, what I read in books, and on my own meditation experience)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-16T18:00:55.257" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T18:00:55.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13123" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-16T18:31:31.017" Score="4" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know labelling people is not in the spirit of Buddhism.  I am for example member of a Buddhist society, not because I'm so eager to be one but because in my country each religious society gets quite some money for having members (and if your not a member,  the church gets the money). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when do people (not born into a Buddhist country) call themselves Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T19:48:22.127" Title="When are you a Buddhist?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|sangha|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12864" CreationDate="2015-12-16T18:41:44.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tien Tai, Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, the historical Buddha is a manifestation of the immortal Buddha. The Long Life chapter explains that the Buddha's life is stupendously long, or for all practical purposes infinite. The Expedient means chapter explains that the historical Buddha faked his death as a pedagogical device, a white lie of sorts. These are the two most chanted chapters of the Lotus Sutra in Nichiren Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is in keeping with Bodhisattva-yana thinking, where it is assumed that as people progress, they will inevitably switch to the Bodhisattva path, so teaching a variety of paths is just expedient means towards the goal of getting everyone on the Bodhisattva path. Once on the Bodhisattva path, Bodhisattvas progress until they almost reach nirvana, but do not pass into nirvana, instead they stay in the world to lead all sentient beings out of samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of this line of reasoning was to solve the problem in early Buddhism of why the Buddha, who is our compassionate teacher, would see fit to pass into parinirvana and leave us to fend for ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sources, Mahayana by Paul Williams and various SGI books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T18:41:44.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13123" CreationDate="2015-12-16T19:48:22.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live in a country where most people are either atheist or christian. Estimates are that between 0.4 and 1% of all people here call themselves a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's been my experience that there isn't a single agreed upon definition about when you can call yourself a Buddhist. Some people say you are a Buddhist if you consider yourself to be one, others say you need at least several years training from an acknowledged Buddhist teacher. This being said, most people I know (but certainly not all) regard the ceremony of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://viewonbuddhism.org/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;taking refuge&lt;/a&gt;' as the moment when they became a true Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I like the view of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzongsar_Jamyang_Khyentse_Rinpoche&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche&lt;/a&gt; who has written a book on the topic called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590305701&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Makes You Not a Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It’s whether you agree with the four fundamental discoveries the Buddha made under the Bodhi tree, and if you do, you can call yourself a Buddhist (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/what-makes-you-a-buddhist/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Disclaimer: this answer is largely based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2033/408&quot;&gt;my own answer on a similar question&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T19:48:22.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8821" CreationDate="2015-12-16T20:03:12.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is disagreement on this between schools, in the Tibetan tradition merit cannot be transferred to others, but can be offered / dedicated to achieving virtuous goals : IE dedicating all my merit to the goal of freeing all beings from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This however is borderline transferring... so it is unclear where the line is drawn.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T20:03:12.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-16T20:07:13.677" Score="0" ViewCount="405" Body="&lt;p&gt;On one hand, killing... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if there are no bedbugs (extinct status) no one can be reborn as a bedbug. The species causes more suffering then good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it would be worth it to be reborn in the hell realm for a life or two as a sacrifice to better the universe in such a way... &#xA;Or perhaps the very thought is in grave error...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say a man were to carry out the mission of bringing bedbugs to extinction, and then take the precept and never kill another thing for his entire remaining life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist perspective on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would such a man be responsible for removing the suffering caused by bedbugs if he had not taken on his mission? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T17:57:04.837" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T09:50:10.953" Title="What's the Buddhist perspective on permanently eradicating bedbugs? (Extinction)" Tags="|rebirth|death|killing|merit|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13128" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-16T20:28:23.417" Score="3" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very fond of the Prasangika Madhyamaka following Candrakirtis interpretation of Nagarjuna. This is what I read and study most. But I am also attracted to Zen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any thoughts, moral or otherwise the, on pros and cons if I want to train with teachers at both a Zen center and a Tibetan Rimé center? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T03:02:55.430" Title="Training with both Zen and Rimé" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|tibetan-buddhism|zen|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13127" CreationDate="2015-12-16T23:13:54.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being in a position of not having to kill is better.  The idea of getting rid of species that cause more harm (or bad karma to themselves) is a product of pondering mind, and definitely not Buddha's teaching.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, Buddha did not speak of any situations where killing another species was worth anything.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you search &quot;kill&quot; in sutta, Buddha used &quot;killing&quot; in a context of anger.  Something like &quot;those who killed anger live in peace&quot; , and other contexts as well, but never in a context of taking lives or other species.  Your hypothetical doesn't lead to enlightenment or cessation.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T02:01:54.510" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T02:01:54.510" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-12-16T23:49:12.093" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once attended a lecture where a story was told about a private Buddha. &#xA;This particular one lived an entire life as a human, all the ups and downs of a normal average life for the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All for one encounter with another human on a bus, where in that encounter the private Buddha screamed angrily in the other persons face, and then got off the bus to live the rest of the life born into. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was said that encounter led to a series of unfolding events that set the other human on the path towards liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, if the private buddha had given a sermon on the bus it might not have had the same effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-12-16T23:49:12.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12225" CreationDate="2015-12-17T02:08:28.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to relax body and mind. This way you can avoid physical pain and meditate for long hours even without any physical movement. This is by creating mind states which contain Kāya (body) and Citta (mind) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahut%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lahutā&lt;/a&gt; as Chetasikas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The achievement of this you can practice meditation on the wind &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;element&lt;/a&gt; (expansion contraction feeling tied to inhalation and exhalation process) or passing you consciousness or attention in a zigzag manner though any heavy, gross, solidified or painful areas or just simply being consciously aware of the  sensation in itself. Also developing continuous and recurring attention on a particular object might be of help as this creates bodily pleasantness when closing on the the Jhanas. Also smiling mildly helps as it creates pleasant feeling in the body and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T02:08:28.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13128" CreationDate="2015-12-17T02:15:51.310" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The traditional view on this is negative. One explanation I heard, is that a particular teaching is like a raft made of simplifications and approximations - which has all kinds of holes and inconsistencies, is leaking enough already, and has no value on its own outside of getting you to the other side. Now, when you study multiple traditions, you're effectively building two slightly different rafts at the same time - in your head - which leads to a combinatorial explosion of contradictions. More leaking. You may never get to your destination. Am I making myself absolutely clear? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is different from the Tri-yana approach practiced by modern Karma-Kagyu school (and pioneered by Rime's founder Jamgon Kongtrul the Great). In Tri-yana, you first practice self-discipline at &quot;hinayana&quot; level of simplistic but well-defined black-and-white concepts and rules, then graduate to &quot;mahayana&quot; level of going beyond dualities as you work with others, until you mature to the &quot;vajrayana&quot; level where you practice spontaneity, confidence and intuition. Each level is effectively almost a different school, but practiced in succession - not at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in this particular case, the two traditions are Madhyamaka and Zen. Both come from Nagarjuna/Prajnaparamita movement, so both essentially speak about the same thing (Emptiness). The key difference is in the approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Madyamaka you study and study and study the theory, until you know it all in and out, and then meditate, meditate, meditate for years - until one day hopefully it clicks and the theory connects with experience. Essentially, Madhyamaka is walking back and forth on the hither shore while talking about the other shore - until one day you get used to the idea of the other shore enough that you make the step. If you already live in the wilderness and kinda despise its vulgarity, while secretly wishing to get more civilized, this may be your path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Zen is jumping into the water and swimming blindly, desperately, having no idea what you're doing, with Master metaphorically beating you on the head with the stick of prajnaparamita repeatedly as you try to turn back to this shore, until your pain instinct pushes you in the only direction away from pain - and you find your Master waiting for you smiling and hugging on the other shore. Then in post-realization you catch up on the theory as a communication tool. If your world is in its decadence phase and getting hit on the head is your idea of fun then Zen may be it for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the two traditions are pretty much at odds with each other. The better you are at Madyamaka, the more your Zen Master will beat you - but your frustration will not mature in &lt;code&gt;gidan&lt;/code&gt; as you will seek comfort in the certainty of Madyamaka, while at the same time finding it absolutely useless for your Zen plunges into the uncontrived emptiness. I may be wrong, but this is what my logical mind tells me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or it may actually work better this way, provided you have equal faith in both teachings and equal connection with both the live teachers - and never directly cross-question one's teachings with the other but skilfully relate and synthesize them in your head. But in practice most likely you will either spill one's wisdom to the other and draw their anger at you, or end up dropping one and going with the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more traditional way would be to study Madhyamaka for several years and then make a clean cut to Zen. Do as I say, not as I've done. Gosh, am I getting old?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T03:02:55.430" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T03:02:55.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12225" CreationDate="2015-12-17T08:23:24.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basic Buddhist meditation is not difficult to learn, although it may take a lifetime to get it right. You can start today with only a few things. You already have a willing mind. Over time, meditation will help you maintain a clear mind and a peaceful outlook on life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Get a pillow or soft cushion to sit on.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2.Find a reasonably quiet room or outdoor space.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3.Sit down on the mat or cushion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4.Let your hands rest one in the other on your lap, palms facing upwards, or place your hands palm up on your knees with your thumb touching your second finger.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5.Close your eyes and start to count your breaths.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;6.When thoughts come into your mind, try not to follow them.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;7.For a beginner, try to meditate for just a few minutes -- 10 minutes or so is a good start.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;8.If you decide to continue with meditation, you may wish to invest in meditation cushions, prayer beads (malas), incense and perhaps some decorations to create a meditation area in your home.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;9.if you still can't count your breaths you can listen to flow of water which is available in audio format for 10min,15min,20min, in internet .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this link will help you the most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Buddhist-Meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Buddhist-Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7445" LastEditorUserId="7445" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T08:57:50.857" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T08:57:50.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13135" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-17T09:09:40.057" Score="4" ViewCount="642" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 14th Dalai Lama is about 80 now. How will the next one be chosen or elected? Does the Dalai Lama himself decide, and has this already been decided? Are they, like the Catholics, 'voting' on candidates? Is it like the different sects take &quot;turns&quot;, so for example now it's the Nyingmas turn to have the Dalai Lama? If someone is picked, can he refute? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And is there any chance for the Tibetans to get a female Dalai Lama? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T18:13:39.037" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T13:15:37.490" Title="How is a Dalai Lama chosen? And can it be a woman?" Tags="|rebirth|tibetan-buddhism|gender|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13136" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-17T09:28:05.223" Score="5" ViewCount="860" Body="&lt;p&gt;Various Buddhist schools and traditions can have rather different outlooks. And they don't deny this. But most traditions seem to have at least one thing in common and that is calling themselves/their way &quot;the middle way&quot;. Is &quot;middle way&quot; what the Buddha called his teachings? Can anyone point me to where and how Buddha formulated the middle way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T17:57:42.283" Title="Did Buddha say &quot;this is the Middle Way&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|reference-request|traditions|middle-way|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13136" CreationDate="2015-12-17T09:48:02.840" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, the Buddha gives his monks a discourse on the &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Exposition of Non-Conflict&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. In here he mentions the Middle Way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, bhikkhus, the Middle Way discovered by the Tathagata avoids both these extremes; giving vision, giving knowledge, it leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. It is a state without suffering...and it is the right way. Therefore this is a state without conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;MN 139: Araṇavibhaṅga Sutta, p. 1085 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhi, Trans.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, The Buddha also mentions the Middle Way. Here in the &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Book of the Six Sense Bases&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, headman, these two extremes which should not be cultivated by one who has gone forth into homelessness: the pur­suit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vul­gar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. And what is that mid­dle way awakened to by the Tathagata, which gives rise to vision . . . leads to Nibbana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view . . . right concentration. This is that middle way awakened to by the Tathagata, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Samyutta Nikaya: IV. The Book of the Six Sense Bases (Saḷāyatanavagga), p. 1350 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connected-discourses-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhi, Trans.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, The Buddha mentions the Middle Way in relation to the practice of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these three ways of practice. What three? The coarse way of practice, the blistering way of practice, and the middle way of practice&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what is the middle way of practice? Here, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings . . . mind in mind . . . phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. This is called the middle way of practice.&#xA;  “These, bhikkhus, are the three ways of practice.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Anguttara Nikaya: The Book of the Threes: Ways of Practice, p. 372-373 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/numerical-discourses-buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhi, Trans.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T23:33:28.093" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T23:33:28.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13135" CreationDate="2015-12-17T11:11:38.737" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reincarnation of a lama isn't chosen or elected. He or she is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Man or woman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically the Dalai Lama has always been a man, but it has been my understanding that there is no rule that the next Dalai Lama can't be a woman. In fact, according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1571850/Dalai-Lama-says-successor-could-be-a-woman.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this news article&lt;/a&gt; the  Dalai Lama once said that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a woman reveals herself as more useful the lama could very well be reincarnated in this form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is confirmed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://info-buddhism.com/Interview_Dalai_Lama_about_the_Full_Ordination_of_Women.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this interview&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;where the Dalai Lama:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... also said half-jokingly that if the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation is female, she must be very attractive. The reason is so that she will have more influence on others. If she is an ugly female, she won’t be very effective, will she?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No reincarnation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In recent years, the Dalai Lama has also mentioned that he might be the last one. According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-30510018&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this BBC news article&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether another Dalai Lama came after him would depend on the circumstances after his death and was &quot;up to the Tibetan people&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dalai Lama institution will cease one day. These man-made institutions will cease,&quot; the Dalai Lama told the BBC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These remarks were most likely politically motivated, because China very much wants to find the next Dalai Lama so they can 'control' him/her, just like they did with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchen_Lama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Panchen Lama&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finding a reincarnation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose the Dalai Lama decides to come back after all. When a great Bodhisattva dies he&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; can control the time and place of his rebirth. This is called the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tulku system&lt;/a&gt; and it makes sure that knowledge from a certain lineage is passed on. After his death a committee of high-ranked lamas of the same tradition as the deceased will gather with the task to find the reincarnation. This process can take several years and the committee will generally use a variety of sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of the Dalai Lama it's customary to start with consulting the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nechung_Oracle&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nechung Oracle&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;If the Dalai Lama is cremated the direction in which the smoke goes is also an important sign. It's possible for a prominent lama to have a vision or dream that reveals important details that help in finding him (e.g. certain characteristics of the location). Sometimes the deceased has left clues (e.g. a letter or specific personal objects) as to where he will be reborn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a reincarnation is found, he will be tested to confirm that the right person has been found. For example, the 14th Dalai Lama was found at age 2 and one of his tests was to identify which items belonged to his predecessor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in this, there are a few films and documentaries that show how finding a reincarnation works. For example the (somewhat) popular movie &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119485&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kundun&lt;/a&gt; starts with this IIRC, and I can recommend the documentary &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286798&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unmistaken child&lt;/a&gt;, but that one may be harder to find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; for ease of reference I will use the words 'he/him' from here on, but as I mentioned earlier it can be a she/her.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T09:24:05.983" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T09:24:05.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13136" CreationDate="2015-12-17T11:54:12.787" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;What Lead to Conceive the Middle Way (or How This Was Conceived)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way is avoid extremes in the form of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;asceticism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hedonism&lt;/a&gt;. The middle way was conceived based on based on the Buddha's experience of these extremes (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;asceticism&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hedonism&lt;/a&gt;) when he realized this is not taking him to the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In chasing after sensual pleasure your moral virtue many perhaps laps. So there is a notion of virtue this puts some breaks on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you would chase after pleasures since your mind is not in your control and you are a slave to it. You overeat, chase after ladies and womanise, all because you are a slave of the mind. The Buddha mentioned to have master over the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also we fall into these extremes since we do not know reality as it is. We might think enjoy while you can or perhaps take the other extreme of austerity thinking through this you can get salvation. The Buddha taught that we develop wisdom of reality as it is so we do not fall into unconducive practices which do not give the expected results and outcome. Also lack of right understanding lead to attachment to various other view like creator God, Brahma is eternal, etc.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; This is categorized as wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 3 together forms the 3 main division of the middle path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila - morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samadhi - mastery over the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Panna - wisdom or to know things as they are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality is based on refraining from, delighting in, i.e., abstinence from any form any action which is harmful to oneself and others in terms of verbal action, physical conduct and may or earning your livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mastery over the mind is to get control over the mind than it being wondering on its own. This control can be used to get sustained focus on any experiance (sometimes called absorption) which is feld so you can understand it better by closer scrutiny and analysis, i.e., right concentration. In order to do this you need be aware of what these experiences, i.e., right mindfulness. In order to realise this you have to apply effort to have the right mind states to foster development of concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately this gives arise to the understanding on how the eradicate stress and suffering, i.e., Right View. With the propers understanding, your resolve is always conducive, i.e., Right Intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Where this was Conceived&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was formulated by the Buddha based on experience of his aesthetic practices and princely life before when he said realised it is futile to follow both paths.&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; Final realisation coming under the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhi Tree&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodh Gaya&lt;/a&gt; on the day of enlightenment, i.e., following the middle path worked hence if was confirmed through direct experience. &lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Where was this 1st Preached and What Elaboration are Available&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was 1st preached in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,cakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as the middle way was preached in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sarnath&lt;/a&gt;. More detail elaboration of it is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Right view is one of the most important items as without it you will not take or walk the path. A detail elaboration of this is found in the: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.1-Brahmajala-S-Intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to the Brahma,jāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.2-Brahmajala-S-d01-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma,jala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But by these painful austerities, I did not attain any superhuman state, nor any distinction in knowledge&#xA;  and vision worthy of the noble ones.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Could there be another path to awakening?’&lt;/strong&gt; Then, Aggi,vessana, I thought thus, ‘I recall that when my father the Sakya was occupied while&#xA;  I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from&#xA;  unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first dhyana that is accompanied by initial application&#xA;  and sustained application, zest and joy born of seclusion.&#xA;  Could that be the path to awakening?’&#xA;  Then following on that memory, Aggi,vessana, I realized, &lt;strong&gt;‘That is the path to awakening!’&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  I thought thus, ‘Why do I fear the pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and&#xA;  unwholesome states?’&#xA;  I thought thus, ‘I do not fear the pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome&#xA;  states!’&#xA;  I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&#xA;  ‘It is not easy to attain that pleasure with a body so excessively emaciated. Suppose I ate some solid&#xA;  food—some boiled rice and gruel.’&#xA;  And so, Aggi,vessana, I ate some solid food, boiled rice and gruel.&#xA;  Now at that time, Aggi,vessana, the five monks were waiting upon me, thinking, ‘If our recluse&#xA;  Gotama achieve some higher state, he will inform us.’&#xA;  But when I ate the boiled rice and gruel, the five monks were disgusted and left me, thinking, ‘The&#xA;  recluse Gotama now lives luxuriously. He has given up the quest and reverted to luxury!’ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I knew and saw thus, my mind was liberated&#xA;  from the influx of sensual desire,&#xA;  from the influx of existence, and&#xA;  from the influx of ignorance.&#xA;  When it was liberated, there arose the knowledge: ‘It is liberated!’ I directly knew: ‘Destroyed is&#xA;  birth. The holy life has been live&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T08:50:17.837" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11987" CreationDate="2015-12-17T12:20:32.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am able to slightly focus on the breath and have noticed I focus better when the breathes are long. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to be able to concentrate when breaths are short also. Look at this as a training for a major competitions. When you take up the sport the exercises are light as easy as you go on it becomes intense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are to see the mind-matter process at the level of subatomic particles you have to be able to be sensitive to the subtlest of breaths and also in places which a the least sensitive to for a beginner like the centre of the upper lip though this becomes very sensitive beyond a certain point. You need not start with this but this is where your focus should be after some pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have also noticed after these sessions I may have air in my stomach possibly that leads to gas buildup and stomach discomfort. Is this something others have had before? If so how can I prevent this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you are swallowing air. This could be the case. Or generally you have become sensitive to your digesting process which you didn't notice before. Heavy meals can do this perhaps. Try lighter meals. Sometimes based on olf Karma practitioners get certain recurring issues for a period. See if this is the case after a few months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a teacher discuss this with him / her. If not perhaps you can try visiting one or andd organised course where you have a chance to discuss these issues with a teacher. Some easily accessible courses are: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;, or alternatively search World Buddhist Directory - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T12:20:32.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12198" CreationDate="2015-12-17T13:06:44.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Theravada Abhidhamma Mental Consciousness (mano-vijnana) is heart based. This is what Buddha realised through his meditation. Other consciousness arise with the respective faculties and the base, e.g. eye-consciousness with the eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is suspended when you are in Nirodha Samapathi and in Bavanga consciousness. Also perhaps in Pala Samanapathi if this result in a momentarily entering Nirodha Samapathi but not very sure on this as there are different view on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T16:07:19.730" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T16:07:19.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13136" CreationDate="2015-12-17T14:25:30.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Prajnaparamita tradition, here are the sutras where Buddha gave definition of the Middle Way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.15 - Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence &amp;amp; non-existence. But when one sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty or doubt that just stress, when arising, is arising; stress, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle&lt;/strong&gt;: From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is what apparently is a more ancient version of the same sutra, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0099_LL_0301_katyayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samyukta Agama #301&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the village of Nādika, at a residency deep within the forest. At that time, Kātyāyana Gotra approached the place of the Buddha. Bowing his head at the feet of the Buddha, he then withdrew to one side, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “Bhagavān, as the Bhagavān speaks of ‘right view,’ what is the right view? What does the Bhagavān establish as the right view?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha told Kātyāyana Gotra, “The worldly have two kinds of support to which they grasp and adhere: existence and non-existence. This grasping and adhering is either supported by existence or supported by non-existence. Suppose one is without this grasping, not grasping at a mental realm which causes suffering, not dwelling, and not discerning a self. When suffering arises, it arises, and when suffering ends, it ends. He regards these without doubt and without confusion, and then without these, he has self-realization. This is called the right view, and what the Tathāgata establishes as the right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Why is this so? &lt;strong&gt;One who sees arising in the world, is not one who holds to its non-existence. One who sees extinction in the world, is not one who holds to its existence. This is spoken of as ‘freedom from the Two Extremes,’ which is called the Middle Way. That is, that this existence is the cause of that existence, and this arising is the cause of that arising.&lt;/strong&gt; These are caused by ignorance, including even the entire arising of the pure mass of suffering. When ignorance ends, then from this comes the end of such actions, including even the end of the pure mass of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this, Buddha defined Middle Way as synonymous with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idappaccayat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Idappaccayatā&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;sanskr. idaṃpratyayatā&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa297&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SA 297&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.35&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.35&lt;/a&gt;, The great discourse on the emptiness of dharmas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Regarding the statement conditioned by birth, aging-and-death arises, someone may ask: Who is it that ages-and-dies? To whom does aging-and-death belong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And he may answer: It is the self that ages-and-dies. Aging-and-death belongs to the self; aging-and-death is the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“To say that soul is the same thing as body, or to say that soul is one thing and body another, these have the same meaning, though they are expressed differently. For one who has the view which says that soul is the same thing as body, there is no point in the noble life. And for one who has the other view which says that soul is one thing and body another, there is also no point in the noble life. &lt;strong&gt;Following neither of these two extremes, the mind should move rightly toward the Middle Way.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa300&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SA 300&lt;/a&gt;/&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.46&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.46&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The brahmin said to the Buddha: “What does this mean? When I ask, is the one who acts the one who experiences the result, you say that that is not to be declared; and when I ask is it that one acts and another experiences the result, you also say that that is not to be declared. What is the meaning of this?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said: “To declare that the one who acts is the one who experiences the result is to fall into the eternalist view. To declare that one acts and another experiences the result is to fall into the annihilationist view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Teaching the essence, teaching the dharma, I avoid these two extremes. Keeping to the Middle Way, I teach the dharma, namely: When this is, that is; this arising, that arises.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T02:28:10.100" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T02:28:10.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13144" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-17T16:52:12.000" Score="3" ViewCount="600" Body="&lt;p&gt;This site '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/buddhism/btexts.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist Texts&lt;/a&gt;' says that while Mahayana schools revere Tipitaka as holy texts, they add many other sutras, the most famous being the 'Lotus Sutra' and the 'Heart Sutra'. My question is how important are Tipitaka in Mahayana schools. One may gauge its importance based on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is Tipitaka taught and learnt by monks in monastery?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How often Tipitaka is referenced in lectures by monks? (for e.g. I was once listening to discourses of Dalai Lama and he was talking of Nagarjuna, Milarepa, Ashvaghosha etc. It might be that he did not reference Tipitaka in those lectures but might have referenced in some other lectures)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are laypeople encouraged to learn Tipitaka? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are just guidelines. One might use their own criteria. Answers from different Mahayana schools are welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T02:33:01.327" Title="Importance of Tipitaka in Mahayana Schools" Tags="|mahayana|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13058" CreationDate="2015-12-17T17:47:23.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 types of exercises which you can apply here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Physical&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to physical exercise is that you pratice sitting in a particular posture gradually increasing the duration of your sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation pratice by S.N.Goenka this is developed as part of developing your resolve as well as the ability to sit for a long hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another p±ram² is adhiµµh±na—strong determination. When one starts a Vipassana course, one makes a determination to remain for the entire period of the course. One resolves to follow the precepts, the rule of silence, all the discipline of the course. After the introduction of the technique of Vipassana itself, one makes a strong determination to meditate for the entire hour during each group sitting without opening eyes, hands or legs. At a later stage on the path, this p±ram² will be very important; when coming close to the final goal, one must be ready to sit without break until reaching liberation. For this purpose it is necessary to develop strong determination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Mental&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to be able to sit for long hours you have to experience lightness in body and mind. You have to do this by actively releasing tensions by looking at gross solidified sensation part by part and if you have a free flow of subtle sensation in your body sweeping through them opens up the areas which are either numb or there is gross solidified sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one way that the body will get lighter is to have sustained concentration on an object, i.e., you first bring your mind to the object (e.g. breath) then you continuously repeat the same metal redirection of the mind to the object regardless of the mind wandering away. Also walking meditation is able to develop stable concentration which intern will create lightness in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more technical answer please see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13132/295&quot;&gt;Having trouble meditating long sessions (Physical pain)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I like to add the following note. Though in the 10 day meditation taught by S.N.Goenka there is no formal time allocated for walking meditation, walking is considered an antidote to drowsiness and sleepiness in the spirit of the following Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Bhikshus, what more should be done? Bhikshus, you should train yourselves thus, We will devote ourselves to &lt;strong&gt;wakefulness&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  During the day, while walking to and fro and sitting down, we will purify the mind of obstructions.&#xA;  During the first watch of the night, while walking to and fro and sitting down, we will purify&#xA;  the mind of &lt;strong&gt;obstructions&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;avarana synonym for nīvarana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;).&#xA;  During the middle watch of the night, we will, after mentally noting the time for rising,&#xA;   mindfully&#xA;  and fully aware lie down, lion-like on our right side, one foot placed on the other. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.13-Maha-Assapura-S-m39-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Assa,pura Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also see footnote 30. The context here is staying awake and fighting drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, Moggallāna, that drowsiness still would not go away, then, Moggallāna,&#xA;  you should, perceiving before and after, be resolute in walking back and forth, with the senses&#xA;  turned inward, with the mind not straying outward. It is possible that when you do so, &lt;strong&gt;that drowsiness would go away&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The context here is staying awake and fighting drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These suttas only advocate this as an antidote to sleepiness and as a means to keep awake than any other form of pratice. This how &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt; teachers. This is inline with the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or &lt;strong&gt;walk a little, and then sit again&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NB: Added this note as to there is no misunderstanding about this pratice, but not to condemn any other pratice.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T03:03:45.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13146" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13153" CreationDate="2015-12-17T18:03:01.487" Score="8" ViewCount="968" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer on this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13127/whats-the-buddhist-perspective-on-permanently-eradicating-bedbugs-extinction&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; mentions passa in the comments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having never encountered the term in my studies, what is an overview of the term? What school of Buddhism does it originate from? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T14:13:49.150" Title="What is the definition of passa ?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10410" CreationDate="2015-12-17T18:10:12.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... I am wondering where it can be found that the &lt;strong&gt;Buddha taught&lt;/strong&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking is considered an antidote to drowsiness and sleepiness in the spirit of the following Sutta, when practiced in combination with sitting practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Bhikshus, what more should be done? Bhikshus, you should train yourselves thus, We will devote ourselves to &lt;strong&gt;wakefulness&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  During the day, while walking to and fro and sitting down, we will purify the mind of obstructions.&#xA;  During the first watch of the night, while walking to and fro and sitting down, we will purify&#xA;  the mind of &lt;strong&gt;obstructions&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;avarana synonym for nīvarana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;).&#xA;  During the middle watch of the night, we will, after mentally noting the time for rising,&#xA;   mindfully&#xA;  and fully aware lie down, lion-like on our right side, one foot placed on the other. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.13-Maha-Assapura-S-m39-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Assa,pura Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also see footnote 30. The context here is staying awake and fighting drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, Moggallāna, that drowsiness still would not go away, then, Moggallāna,&#xA;  you should, perceiving before and after, &lt;strong&gt;be resolute in walking back and for, with the senses&#xA;  turned inward, with the mind not straying outward. **It is possible that when you do so, that drowsiness would go away.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The context here is staying awake and fighting drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These suttas only advocate this as an antidote to sleepiness and as a means to keep awake than any other form of pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or &lt;strong&gt;walk a little, and then sit again&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... or how the venerable sir came to this instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this is a preventive measure to avoid sleepiness during meditation with both being in equal proportions there is less probability of this happening than being the Buddha's instructions. Or perhaps this is what he found successful in the way he practiced hence taught this way. If you find this suitable for your pratice then suitable for you then pratice it as some may find it helpful, though this may vary from individual to individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T03:09:55.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13146" CreationDate="2015-12-17T18:11:24.047" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my dictionaries: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Phassa&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;(sanskr. sparça)&lt;/em&gt;: contact, touch, tangibility, tactile sensation, a momentary union of the sense-object, sense-door, and sense-consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a standard term coming all the way back from the Pali Canon and used widely by Theravada and Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-17T20:56:13.590" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T20:56:13.590" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1878" CreationDate="2015-12-17T21:42:49.193" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my somewhat limited exposure to Agamas, mostly Samyukta Agama (equivalent of Samyutta Nikaya):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because Chinese is a much more ambiguous language than Pali, Agama translations to English are necessarily more &amp;quot;lossy&amp;quot; than translations from Pali, which preserves many subtleties inherent in Pali grammar. This makes Pali sutras more expressive at micro level.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Agama sutras (at least those in Samyukta Agama) that have direct Pali counterparts, seem to be less stereotyped than their Pali versions. Meaning, a section that in Pali would often look like a stereotyped rendition of a matrika that repeats verbatim in many suttas, in Agama sutras seems to be in its pithy form. This makes Agamas more expressive at macro level.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, consider the following passage of Kaccayanagotta Sutta / Katyayana Gotra Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Pali&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when one sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering. Now from the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness. From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form. From the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Agama&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who sees arising in the world, is not one who holds to its non-existence. One who sees extinction in the world, is not one who holds to its existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is spoken of as ‘freedom from the Two Extremes,’ which is called the Middle Way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, that &amp;quot;this existence&amp;quot; is the cause of &amp;quot;that existence&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;this arising&amp;quot; is the cause of &amp;quot;that arising&amp;quot;. These are caused by ignorance, including even the entire arising of the pure mass of suffering. When ignorance ends, then from this comes the end of such actions, including even the end of the pure mass of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me it looks like (Samyukta) Agama sutras are closer to what the original sutras must have been (minus the lossy nature of Chinese language) - while Pali Nikaya suttas have evidently underwent editing and elaboration/formalization which often caused a loss of context-specific subtleties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bottom line is, if one wants to get a deep understanding of a topic, it would be a good idea to study the both sources. But if I can boil down the salient differences to a single point, Agamas seem to better convey the &lt;em&gt;overall&lt;/em&gt; meaning of each discourse, while Nikayas are better at &lt;em&gt;details&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to scientists (can't find the reference now), the Sarvastivada Canon that later got translated to Chinese as Agamas, has been put in writing several centuries before the Pali Canon, which would make it that much closer to what was said in that First Buddhist Council. I wish we had Samyukta Agama survived in Gandhari - it would have been the best of both worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2022-06-21T18:58:01.890" LastActivityDate="2022-06-21T18:58:01.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13146" CreationDate="2015-12-17T23:28:48.147" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some places where it's defined or described:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wikipedia: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba&quot;&gt;Sparśa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;PTS dictionary: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3149.pali&quot;&gt;Phassa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nyanaponika's dictionary: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/phassa.htm&quot;&gt;Phassa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Access to Insight: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#phassa&quot;&gt;Phassa (contact)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Obo's Glossology: &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/phassa.htm&quot;&gt;Phassa, Phassaharo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Phassa&lt;/em&gt; is Pali, and Access to Insight references its being used in Pali suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-17T23:28:48.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11859" CreationDate="2015-12-18T04:36:34.657" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally you should not do Metta to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lingavisabhāga (opposite sex - generally directed at a specific person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kālakatapuggala (a dead person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See page 81 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/1PAS%2001%20Knowing%20and%20Seeing%204th%20Rev%20Ed%20-%20pamc%20112014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; revised edition by Pa Auk Sayadaw (Pa Auk Lineage):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To develop the sublime abiding of loving-kindness (mettà), you need first&#xA;  of all be aware that it should not be developed towards a person of the&#xA;  opposite sex , or a dead person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A person of the opposite sex should not be used as object, because lust&#xA;  towards him or her will probably arise. After you have attained jhàna,&#xA;  however, it is possible to develop loving-kindness towards the opposite&#xA;  sex as a group with, for example, `May all women be happy.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also page 66 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/allmetta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation&lt;/a&gt; Ven. Sujiva (Mahaisi Lineage), and page 16 &lt;a href=&quot;http://compik.fd.cvut.cz/~mrazek/books/metta_indaka_english.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Matta: The Practice of Loving-Kindness As the Foundation for Insight Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Indaka (Mahasi Sayadaw) make the same observation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let’s now talk about another category of persons who should not be the object of metta&#xA;  meditation. When we start practising metta meditation, we should not develop metta for a&#xA;  person we feel attracted to. The commentary to the Visuddhimagga says that this arouses lust&#xA;  or tanha. This passage, in fact, refers to metta practice which has not yet become well&#xA;  established. However, Chanmyay Sayadaw has said that it is possible to practise metta for a&#xA;  person we have an attraction to without any difficulties when our practice is well developed.&#xA;  Then it is possible to develop pure and genuine metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the proper way to do this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are generally spreading Metta as say &quot;May all women be well and happy&quot; then it is fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In the early stage, it's said that radiating loving kindness to opposite sex can potentially arouse lust. While I'm not sure if the person who we radiate loving kindness to can have their lust aroused, is radiating loving kindness in any stage of practice by any means can increase the attachment to that person?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the reason you should not do it directed at a specific person of the opposite sex. This can lead to lust and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12415/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T04:54:59.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2015-12-18T05:30:40.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One difference between a Sammasambuddha and Paccekkabuddha is that, the former, at a point of been capable of achieving Enlightenment, postpones his Enlightenment so that he can become a Bodhisattva to instruct and inspire many beings during many life times, and thus help a large number of beings eradicate craving (the origin of suffering). Thus over the supposedly billions of lifetimes as a Bodhisatva the Bodhisatva gets to know and learns about the various tendencies of the multitude of beings  s/he instructs, and thus is able to preach the dhamma accordingly. The latter had no such intention, and no such training in teaching. That is not to say that Paccekabuddhas are incapable of giving any instruction or inspiring others. However, the body of teaching is not comprehensive or complete like a Sammasambuddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T05:30:40.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13146" CreationDate="2015-12-18T09:06:16.507" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sutta MN 148 phassa is described. And in many other Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot;&gt;Chachakka Sutta: The Six Sextets &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the ear &amp;amp; sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the nose &amp;amp; aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. 'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the fourth sextet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T14:13:49.150" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T14:13:49.150" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13154" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13155" CreationDate="2015-12-18T10:59:50.377" Score="3" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can Metta be practiced in a partnership or as a team? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can think of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;two people practicing Metta together, or &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a group which meets for meditation, or &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;across borders, across continents people meditate together at a certain time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any indications of a Sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there practices of a tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="7039" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T16:01:10.237" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:00:22.200" Title="Metta and Loving-Kindness as a Team" Tags="|meditation-metta|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13154" CreationDate="2015-12-18T16:08:16.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation influences the surrounding by vibration created. (You can really feel the vibration when you experience &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt;) So when you pratice as a group these vibrations influence others, especially when you are having a bad patch in meditation then the influence of others will help in to develop calmness and concentration and perhaps dispel agitation and other hindrances that might have surfaced during your worldly interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is true for all types of meditation but most effective when doing Metta as vibrations tend to be stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-18T17:32:59.263" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T17:32:59.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13156" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-18T16:38:33.967" Score="6" ViewCount="2274" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is famous solution to eat meat only if it is offered by somebody and when the animal was not killed specifically for the person receiving it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Amongst the many videos of Ajahn Brahm on his youtube channel, he stated, in at least one, that during his training in thailand, he spend a few days or weeks, with other monks, in the forest and he boiled frogs and ate snakes. He added that this training was quite though, with the meals not pleasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do we know more about the thai tradition when the monks go in the forest and eat there, in particular to know whether it is acceptable to kill animals, ourselves, directly for our personal consumption?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7452" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T20:49:07.910" Title="Ajahn Brahm stated that he ate snakes and frogs during his training, does this mean that it is acceptable to kill animals?" Tags="|theravada|food|animals|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2015-12-18T16:53:12.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Killing for any reason is a serious offence for both monks and lay people. &#xA;Monks can't cure or cook food. They are allowed only to reheat already cooked food. They are not allowed to eat uncooked flesh or fish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T16:53:12.790" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2015-12-18T16:58:59.670" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's an extract from an article by Ajahn Brahm, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Said About Eating Meat&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Towards the end of the Buddha's life, his cousin Devadatta attempted to usurp the leadership of the Order of monks. In order to win support from other monks, Devadatta tried to be more strict than the Buddha and show Him up as indulgent. Devadatta proposed to the Buddha that all the monks should henceforth be vegetarians.The Buddha refused and repeated once again the regulation that he had established years before, that monks and nuns may eat fish or meat as long as it is not from an animal whose meat is specifically forbidden, and as long as they had no reason to believe that the animal was slaughtered specifically for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vinaya, then, is quite clear on this matter. Monks and nuns may eat meat. Even the Buddha ate meat. Unfortunately, meat eating is often seen by westerners as an indulgence on the part of the monks. Nothing could be further from the truth - I was a strict vegetarian for three years before I became a monk. In my first years as a monk in North-East Thailand, when I bravely faced many a meal of sticky rice and boiled frog (the whole body bones and all), or rubbery snails, red-ant curry or fried grasshoppers - I would have given ANYTHING to be a vegetarian again! On my first Christmas in N.E. Thailand an American came to visit the monastery a week or so before the 25th. It seemed too good to be true, he had a turkey farm and yes, he quickly understood how we lived and promised us a turkey for Christmas. He said that he would choose a nice fat one especially for us... and my heart sank. We cannot accept meat knowing it was killed especially for monks. We refused his offer. &lt;strong&gt;So I had to settle for part of the villager's meal - frogs again.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks may not exercise choice when it comes to food and that is much harder than being a vegetarian. Nonetheless, we may encourage vegetarianism and if our lay supporters brought only vegetarian food and no meat, well... monks may not complain either!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you take the hint and be kind to animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding therefore is that &amp;quot;frogs&amp;quot; is what the villagers shared, as alms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Forest_Tradition&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai Forest Tradition&lt;/a&gt; article talks of a morning alms round (and not of monks catching animals and killing them and cooking their own food).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=thai+forest+tradition+cook&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Google search results&lt;/a&gt; say things like, &amp;quot;Thai forest tradition monks cannot handle money or cultivate, cook or store ...&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;The monk does not store or cook food but daily enters the nearby village ...&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T17:06:43.620" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2015-12-18T17:43:11.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;i know a method monks in thai forest tradition would do. Monks would sun (or air) dry plain rice received from alms round and then soak it in water when ready to eat.  Vinaya (monastic codes) allows monks to keep food for certain period.   PS.  Snake is one of 10 meats not allowed for monks.  I think it might have a context to it when ajahn Brahm said he ate one.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2015-12-18T17:43:11.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13119" CreationDate="2015-12-18T18:01:45.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The closest I have found is about a quail who put out a fire though &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;determination&lt;/a&gt;. This is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1038.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;VAṬṬAKA-JĀTAKA&lt;/a&gt; (35). Perhaps there might be another Jataka about the parrot but I am not sure if it fits the description. You can perhaps read more about other Jataka tales from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Jataka&lt;/a&gt; tr. by Robert Chalmers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the author of this had to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is part of Rafe Martin, Sensei's teisho on &quot;The Brave Little Parrot&quot; jataka. It is from his forthcoming book on Zen Buddhist practice and the jatakas, to be published by Wisdom Publications 2016. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The text for the Brave Little Parrot Jataka remains elusive. &lt;strong&gt;It exists as a few stirring lines of verse in the brief Jatakastava “Verses in Praise of the Buddha’s Former Lives,” a short Sythian-Khotanese work composed just prior to 1,000 AD, discovered in the cache of texts found in the Buddhist cave grottoes of Dun-Huang, China, in 1907.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;It does not appear in either the Pali Jataka or the Sanskrit Jatakamala, though Jataka No. 35 in the Pali collection of 547, about a quail who stops a forest fire with an act of truth, is seen as a variant.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; An original may exist as a carving at the great Buddhist monument of Borobodur, as well as a painting at the Ajanta caves. Whether as text or visual art, the ending of the story is different than that of our version. In the original the god, moved by the parrot’s heroism, squeezes a cloud causing rain to fall. I created the god’s tears more than forty years ago when I began telling the tale. The colors of the parrot’s feathers aren’t mentioned either. Are they gray? Multi-colored? Never mind. The point is that deeds make us who we are. Beautiful, which means selfless deeds, make us beautiful. There is truth greater than fact. Myth reveals what never was, but always is. While fact recounts what happens in one time, in one place, myth (ideally) reveals the archetype, i.e., what happens in all times, all places. Literalists adhering to the facts can still create a truncated story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was my decision to make the Parrot female. Is she so in the original? No, he is not. Does that make our version untrue? Stories must find their relevance to every generation or they wither and fade. The feminine is reawakening. The jatakas are often though not exclusively, patriarchal. There are wise women, enlightened nuns, and true wives and queens throughout the tales. But rarely (if ever), does the Buddha appear in as female. Maybe this is true. Maybe this is how karma works. A man is a man is a man. Or maybe monastic forms led to suppression of a greater truth. In the jatakas, the Buddha could be a crow in a graveyard, a mongrel dog, or a monkey but never a woman? Really? I felt it was time to give our grand old tradition a nudge. Hence, the emergence peck peck peck, from its overly literal shell of the brave lady parrot. Dogen writes, in “Receiving the Marrow by Bowing,” in Shobogenzo, section no. 9:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why are men special? Emptiness is emptiness. Four great elements are four great elements. Five skhandas are five skhandas. Women are just like that. Both men and women attain the way. You should honor attainment of the way. Do not discriminate between men and women. (Treasury of the Eye of the True Dharma: Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo, ed. by Kazuaki Tanahashi)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T02:20:27.983" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T02:20:27.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2015-12-19T04:23:57.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are few ways you can do this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Increase counteracting or store of good Karma (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.5-Lonaphala-S-a03.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loṇa,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop habitual good karma as these tend to counteract occasional somewhat grave bad karma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma,vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Karma is extinguished when felt&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, hence experiencing the past Karma effective now you reduce the store of past karma. This is not by self mortification but not letting past Karma surfacing gaining strength to give more adverse results later, i.e., experience it when the seed of karma gives its 1st sproute than waiting for a forest to grow.&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; In order to do this whenever you experience pleasant, neutral or unpleasant you should be fully aware of the feeling without craving or aversion knowing its arising and passing nature or impermanent nature if you cannot see arising and passing of phenomena. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.5-Lonaphala-S-a03.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loṇa,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Whatever experienceable karma [that do entail a consequence]&#xA;  that a person does, he would experience the result of that karma [that is, whatever fruits he reaps, they&#xA;  would accord with his karma]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; Karmas which cause calamities in like has a snowballing effect. It surfaces as a minor experience (e.g. repentant memory) to which you react to reinforce it, each time surfacing with larger and stronger effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T03:29:01.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11625" CreationDate="2015-12-19T05:59:00.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Conventional truth:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a macro view in which we deal with compounded entities like you, me, Ananda. The language mode of teaching of the Sutta and Vinaya Pitaka takes this route&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; and is as old as the formalising of the Tripitaka as we have it today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On diving any concept into a more granular form (you have a dead cow and you cut out a pound of flesh then the flesh is no longer a cow and you break the flesh into its chemical this is not longer flesh) then the original meaning disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventional truths arise from metal constructions. We construct so and so is Ananda but at a micro level there is only chain of thought moments arising based on a stimuli (Ārammana) at our sense doors. Any view arise though pondering hence is susceptible to further division and always and abstraction which will fall short of the reality at some degree. Wrong Views are ones which are completely divergent from reality. Even the Right View is still and abstraction constructed by the lower levels of building blocks as taught in the Abhidhamma.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Ultimate truth&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a micro view where we have divided mind, mental factors, material, nirvana into its most granular form where further divisibility is not possible. The language and teaching mode of the Abhidhamma Pitaka takes this route&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reconciliation between the two happen through Vipassana Meditation where start seeing things as they are. (Yathā Bhūta ñāna Dassana) You penetratingly see the constituents and the nature of the constituents or building blocks which create the mosaic in our mind as thoughts, views, cognitions, etc. - or how thoughts and concepts are create&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;. Also all human endeavors are based on these thought we create.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These two categoric.s, the pannatti and the paramattha, or the conceptual&#xA;  and the real, are said to be mutually exclusive and together exhaustive&#xA;  of the whole of the knowable (neyya-dhamma) Thus what is not&#xA;  paramattha is pannatti. Similarly whal is not pannatti is paramattha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hence the Abhidhamma makes the assertive statement:&#xA;  “ Besides the two categories of paramattha (the real) and pannatti&#xA;  (the conceptual), a third category does not exist. One who is skillful in&#xA;  these two categories does not tremble in the face o f other teachings”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: THE THERAVĀDA ABHIDHAMMA - Its Inquiry into the Nature of Conditioned Reality by Y. KARUNADASA, p 49&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka is said to contain teachings mostly&#xA;  based on conventional terms {vohāra-desanā), because therein the Blessed&#xA;  One who is skilful in the use of conventions, has taught the doctrines with&#xA;  a preponderance of conventional term s. In contrast, the Abhidhamma&#xA;  Pitaka is said to contain teachings mostly based on paramattha-desanā&#xA;  because therein the Blessed One who is skilful in the use of absolute&#xA;  terms, has taught the doctrine with a preponderance of absolute terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: THE THERAVĀDA ABHIDHAMMA - Its Inquiry into the Nature of Conditioned Reality by Y. KARUNADASA, p 66&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises the diversity of perceptions,&#xA;  dependent on the diversity of perceptions, there arises the diversity of thoughts;&#xA;  dependent on the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;, there arises the diversity of desires;&#xA;  dependent on the diversity of desires, there arises the diversity of passions;&#xA;  dependent on the diversity of passions, there arises the diversity of searching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.5-Sanna-Nanatta-S-s14.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññā Nānatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also can be further analyzed using an Abhidhamma as: sanna &gt; vedana &gt; sankhara (chetasika)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T06:47:34.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11389" CreationDate="2015-12-19T06:57:04.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught on how to come out of stress. This is systematised in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All animals feel the fear of death. This also can be a source of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a an integral part of overcoming stress. So keep up your pratice. Anapana especially creates more calmness and relaxation hence you can try this also. Anapana contains the full 4 foundations of mindfulness hence you can use this as means to liberation. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/right_mindfulness_v140930.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Mindfulness: Memory &amp;amp; Ardency on the Buddhist Path&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cravat is to pratice the right way under proper guidance of a teacher. Then you can overcome stress. Wrongly practiced this might create stress. You can try some formally organised courses: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;IMC - International Meditation Centre&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T04:48:08.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T04:48:08.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13164" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13169" CreationDate="2015-12-19T07:57:00.553" Score="4" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are good resources and references (ideally online) to learn Abhidharma from East and North Asian (Mahayana, Tibetan, Yogacara, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, Dharmaguptaka, etc.) schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NB: I am aware of BPU BPhil 3rd Year Lecture Notes. So I am looking for resource other than this.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T14:54:19.630" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T18:18:00.867" Title="Resources to study the Abhidharma in the East/North Asian schools of Buddhism (e,g, Mahayana, Tibetan, Yogacara, Dharmaguptaka, etc.)" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|abhidhamma|yogacara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13165" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-19T08:24:01.740" Score="5" ViewCount="98" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are good resources and references (ideally online) to learn historic evolution of Abhidhamma. Also comparative studies on different Abhidhamma schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NB: I am aware of BPU BPhil 3rd Year Lecture Notes. So I am looking for resource other than this.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T11:46:38.393" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T23:30:16.540" Title="What are good resources to study the historic evolution and comparative studies of Abhidhamma" Tags="|reference-request|history|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13166" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13170" CreationDate="2015-12-19T08:29:46.113" Score="4" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are good resources and references (ideally online) to learn Abhidhamma from school of Buddhism in Central/South Asia (Sthaviravāda, Theravada, Sarvāstivāda, Dharmaguptaka, Mūlasarvāstivāda, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NB: I am aware of BPU BPhil 3rd Year Lecture Notes. So I am looking for resource other than this.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T12:16:55.817" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T16:23:07.143" Title="What are good resources to study the Abhidhamma of Central/South Asia Schools (e.g. Sthaviravāda, Sarvāstivāda, Dharmaguptaka, Mūlasarvāstivāda, etc.)" Tags="|reference-request|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11389" CreationDate="2015-12-19T13:00:22.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it will help if you practice a different version of vipassana.Death is not the only form of vipassana so here are some links that will teach you different practices of vipassana.And please note that what you are going through is not a bad side of vipassana,it is simply a matter of choosing the right one for you.once you have done that everything will be fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so here are the other forms of vipassana that you could practice without that particular discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation of foulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation of elements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation of nine cemetery contemplations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel discomfort while meditating it is better to temporarily meditate &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Meththa - The loving kindness meditation&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh322.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Abhidhamma&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; before you practice that discomforting method to understand what life is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helped, Click on the blue highlighted words and they will open the links i have given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember the path is not a one full of comfort,it is full of discomfort and hard tasks but each step forward brings much pleasure and freedom that can't be achieved by any other comfortable thing in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T13:00:22.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13164" CreationDate="2015-12-19T14:37:56.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tattvasiddhi Śāstra, also called the Satyasiddhi Śāstra, is an extant abhidharma text written by Harivarman, a 4th-century monk from central India. Harivarman is often thought to come from the Bahuśrutīya school, but the Tattvasiddhi contains teachings more similar to those of the Sautrāntika Sarvāstivādins. This abhidharma is now contained in the Chinese Buddhist canon in sixteen fascicles (Taishō Tripiṭaka 1646). Paramārtha cites this abhidharma text as containing a combination of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna doctrines, and Joseph Walser agrees that this assessment is correct. Ian Charles Harris also characterizes the text as a synthesis of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, and notes that its doctrines are very close to those in Mādhyamaka and Yogācāra works. &lt;sub&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahu%C5%9Brut%C4%ABya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A PDF scan is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/104775752/Satyasiddhisastra-of-Harivarman&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here at Scribd.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidharmakośakārikā or Verses on the Treasury of Abhidharma is a key text on the Abhidharma written in Sanskrit verse by Vasubandhu in the 4th or 5th century. It summarizes the Sarvāstivādin tenets in eight chapters with a total of around 600 verses. The text was widely respected and used by schools of Buddhism in India, Tibet and East Asia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vasubandhu wrote a commentary to this work called the Abhidharmakośabhāsya. In it, he critiques the interpretations of the Sarvāstivādins, Vaibhāṣikas and others of the tenets he presented in his previous work from a Sautrāntika perspective. This commentary includes an additional chapter in prose refuting the idea of the &quot;person&quot; (pudgala) favoured by some Buddhists of the Pudgalavada school. However, later Sarvāstivādin master Samghabhadra considered that he misrepresented their school in the process, and at this point designated Vasubandhu as a Sautrāntika - upholder of the sutras. &lt;sub&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharmako%C5%9Bak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PDF scan of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/kosa/Abhidharmakosa_bhasya_sum,Anacker,1999,EoIP.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;80-pages summary by Stefan Anacker for Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PDF scans of complete Abhidharmakośa&lt;strong&gt;bhāsya&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/kosa/Abhidharmakosabhasyam,vol_1,Vasubandhu,Poussin,Pruden,1991.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vol 1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/kosa/Abhidharmakosabhasyam,vol_2,Vasubandhu,Poussin,Pruden,1991.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vol 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/kosa/Abhidharmakosabhasyam,vol_3,Vasubandhu,Poussin,Pruden,1991.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vol 3&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/kosa/Abhidharmakosabhasyam,vol_4,Vasubandhu,Poussin,Pruden,1991.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vol 4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hard copy of the bhāsya is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/8120836073&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;available for purchase on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Hard copy of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1934608254&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;commentary by 9th Karmapa on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Study materials for Abhidharmakośa&lt;strong&gt;kārikā&lt;/strong&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://sfzc.aawsom.net/ggf/display.asp?catid=3&amp;amp;pageid=1412&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Korin Pokorny&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/introductory-materials.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Historical overview and introduction&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 1. &lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-1-dhatu1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-1-dhatu.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 2. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-2-indriya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-2-indriya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 3. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-3-loka1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-3-loka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 4. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-4-karma1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-4-karma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 5. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-5-anusaya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-5-anusaya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 6. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-6-marga-pudgala1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-6-marga-pudgala.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 7. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-7-jnana1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-7-jnana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 8. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-8-samapatti1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-8-samapatti.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chapter 9. &lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-9-pudgala-viniscaya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Text&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chapter-9-pudgala-viniscaya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Explanations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://abhidharmakosa.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/kosa-study-materials.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Everything in one PDF&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abhidharma-samuccaya (Compendium of Abhidharma) is a Buddhist text composed by Asanga. Abhidharma-samuccaya is a complete and systematic account of the Abhidharma. &lt;sub&gt;(from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharma-samuccaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/Abhidharmasamuccaya,Traleg,1998.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An edited transcript of a series of lectures given by the Venerable Traleg Kyabgon, Rinpoche at Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute (KEBI) from July to October, 1983&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PDF scan of &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/Abhidharmasamuccaya,Asanga,Rahula,1971,Boin-Webb,2001.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;complete Abhidharma-samuccaya&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hard copy is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0895819414&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;available for purchase on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T19:04:40.150" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:04:40.150" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13166" CreationDate="2015-12-19T16:23:07.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is what I found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sarvastivadaclass.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarvastivada-abhidharma-audio-slide.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Series of audio lectures on Sarvastivada Abhidharma&lt;/a&gt; with&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sarvastivadaclass.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarvastivada-abhidharma-resources.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;accompanying slides&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Dhammajoti.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://yun.baidu.com/share/link?uk=1010824064&amp;amp;shareid=1834626164&amp;amp;third=1&amp;amp;adapt=pc&amp;amp;fr=ftw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sarvastivada Abhidharma&lt;/a&gt;, book by Bhikkhu Dhammajoti.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11935/text-request-abhidhamma&quot;&gt;this question and answer by RobM&lt;/a&gt; for a link to Bhikkhu Bodhi's &quot;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&quot; downloadable as PDF.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T16:23:07.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13171" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-19T17:22:31.993" Score="5" ViewCount="141" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hope you all doing excellent!&#xA;Would like to know if there's any monastery or Theravada temple in San Francisco, OC or LA?&#xA;I know there's one in Redwood Valley, but it's a lil too far off.&#xA;Pls share, if you happen to know any nearby.&#xA;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T01:09:25.703" Title="Monastery or Temple in California" Tags="|monastery|temples|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11389" CreationDate="2015-12-19T19:19:25.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana literally means watching. Buddha wanted you to see your mind. You feel fear because you wanted to run away from death which is perfectly natural. If you feel stress or fear don't run away, accept it as it is and you will come to know that because of your acceptance, fear is vanished. Watch your stress. Just be a watcher. Classifying it as good or bad destroys the very essence of watching. Buddha wanted to get rid of all clinging, good or bad. Just accept it as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7458" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2015-12-19T19:34:54.097" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:34:54.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13115" CreationDate="2015-12-19T19:27:17.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Watching breathing is like learning alphabets of watching. Thats how we practice vipassna. First you just get read of this idea of doing something. This destroies all meditation,attempt to be calm or release thoughts. Keep it simple the way of Zen. Just watch your breath don't try to resist the thoughts let them come and gradually go. Just don't cling to them. After some time you will be blank without any effort watching your breath. Meditation is simple we insist making it complex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7459" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:27:17.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13118" CreationDate="2015-12-19T19:39:49.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha don't want to you to cling to anything. There is no classification as worth dwelling or letting go. Just don't cling on any thought thats what we are learning we are not seeking anything we are just being in the moment as it is consciously. Classification is the way of cunning mind. Mara. We are are here to be no mind. Even trying to attain no mind is a seeking. Just be here and now always.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7460" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T19:39:49.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13171" CreationDate="2015-12-19T20:52:51.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing specific to Theravada nearby (other than what you found in Redwood Valley, which I'm guessing is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.abhayagiri.org/home/&quot;&gt;Abhayagiri&lt;/a&gt;), but just in case it is helpful, here are some other monasteries and temples that are somewhat close:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berkeleymonastery.org&quot;&gt;Berkeley Buddhist Monastery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhagate.org&quot;&gt;Buddha Gate Monastery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Mongkolratanaram&quot;&gt;Wat Mongkolratanaram&lt;/a&gt;, a Thai Buddhist temple&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berkeleysangha.org&quot;&gt;Berkeley Buddhist Temple&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also less than an hour away is also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org&quot;&gt;Insight Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;, which is neither a monastery nor a temple, but is very much rooted in Theravada teachings (so maybe worth mentioning).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T20:52:51.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5831" CreationDate="2015-12-19T22:21:33.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can call yourself a Buddhist. Other people can call you a Buddhist. But it is only words. Buddha is real, Buddhism is only idea.&#xA;Some respectful people can say that Buddhism is a religion, but again it is only words and ideas.&#xA;If you want to go this way, go without unnecessary words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7462" LastActivityDate="2015-12-19T22:21:33.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13177" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13188" CreationDate="2015-12-20T08:07:54.237" Score="5" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a variety of reasons, my daily routine will include two one-hour walks per day during the coming couple of months (one in the morning, one in the evening). I want to use that time for my spiritual growth. In some branches of Buddhism (Zen) there is a walking meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm practicing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Way_Buddhism&quot;&gt;Diamond Way Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; and I'm wondering if there are any exercises in that tradition I could do while I'm doing those 2 walks per day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T22:55:59.127" Title="How can you use daily walks for spiritual growth in Diamond Way Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11908" CreationDate="2015-12-20T09:48:21.347" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you closely examine &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; chanting takes you only the 1st leg of the journey, but if you continue you will get to the destination. The speed at which you get there can vary based on you past pratice and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perfections&lt;/a&gt;. Those who got enlightenment during chanting most likely progressed though the other stages to arrive at the destination in very quick succession. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/40a.6-Pasadika-S-d29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāsādika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions that the recitation should be with meaning developing developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7 sets or 37 limbs of awakening (bodhi,pakkhiya dhamma)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The complete route is as: &lt;code&gt;reciting &amp;gt; joy (pāmujja) &amp;gt; zest (pīti) &amp;gt; tranquillity (passaddhi) &amp;gt; happiness (sukha) &amp;gt; concentration or collectedness of the mind or mastery over the mind (samādhi) &amp;gt; the knowledge and vision of reality (yathā,bhuta,ñāna,dassana) &amp;gt; repulsion and dispassion (nibbidā,virāgo) &amp;gt; the knowledge and vision of liberation (vimutti,ñāna,dassana)&lt;/code&gt;. These much overlaps with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 trainings&lt;/a&gt; (3 division of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;) and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7 enlightenment factors&lt;/a&gt; in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;37 limbs of awakening&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; imply that this is through free process (need of intention and volition) when you get to &lt;code&gt;joy (pāmujja)&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T17:19:11.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11607" CreationDate="2015-12-20T11:10:34.767" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Certain actions like bowel movements, breathing, beating of the heart, etc. happen without consciousness. Also perhaps some limited form of physical and vocal action. These actions are morally neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you are in bhav’aṅga state (deep sleep) you are not conscious. Say you are a heavy snorer, then in this state this is unconscious action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there can be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;muscle spasm&lt;/a&gt; which also can be unconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any action which followings any motivation either habitual (reactive) or premeditated will be conscious. This aspect is stressed in @Buddho's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11614/295&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more detailed discussion see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T11:10:34.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11684" CreationDate="2015-12-20T11:47:24.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Goenka's Vipassana techniques is very effective, hence I would recommend to stick with it. Also a similar techniques is taught at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;International Meditation Centre&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suan Mokkh&lt;/a&gt; is a pretty good place to study Anapana I would expect though I have not been there &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven. Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;'s books on this are very effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you are going to Burma you can try &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pa-Auk Forest Monastery&lt;/a&gt;. Also you can try out Mogok Sayadaw's Meditation techniques, there many monasteries but little web presence hence you might need to do a bit more searching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also have a look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;. This might help you find more centres. If you are interested in coming to Sri Lanka there is a directory of meditation centres here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/Info-Meditation-Centers-Sri-Lanka2013.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Information about Meditation Centers in Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T11:47:24.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11551" CreationDate="2015-12-20T13:38:56.937" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is complicated subject which only a Buddha fully understands. Kamma influences your environment to create the experience for you. Say you were assaulted. This can be due  to Karma and sometime not. Also the person could have become irritated because of you bad Kamma and hit you. Some other cases stimuli can be from other source and you bad Kamma put you there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In cases where you bad Kamma simulates action of others this can be cumulative as you said where someone gets bad Kamma to which he might have to real a result which intern cases someone else to get bad Kamma. But again not all kamma give result. Also some results are not though volitional action (accidents, post collapsing) of others hence no one makes kamma when they bear fruit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In most cases kamma tent to bear fruit though people we meet regularly and the environment you are mostly in. Hence generally most cases bad kamma cumulates. This is most evident there are times when life span increases as well as decreases which is based on the cumulative Kamma of the inhabitants of the particular plane.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T13:38:56.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11274" CreationDate="2015-12-20T15:09:27.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple measures of progress:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fulfilling the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 trainings&lt;/a&gt;: progress on this can be asses from the stage in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and related suttas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How diligent (appamāda,vihārī) you are in spiritual development - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/47.6-Pamada-Vihari-S-s35.97-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pamāda Vihārī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Development of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7 factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhipakkhiyādhammā&lt;/a&gt; out of this I would emphasize awareness and equanimity but there is a lot of overlap with other measures &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Level of purification of mind as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.3-Rathavinita-S-m24-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ratha,vinīta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Overcoming latent tendencies and unwholesome roots &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.4-Akusalamula-Annatitthiya-S-a-3.68-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abandoning hindrances - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jhana route to Nirodha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loosing of fetters and stages of sainthood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I deemphasize the last two in the list above for average or novice meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes during meditation (Vipassana), I've noticed how the mind tends to get back to breathing by itself, without effort. Can I consider this a progress in meditation? I know that it would be a hindrance to like this when it happens or to dislike when it doesn't happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; one is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;uddhacca&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaukritya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kukkucca&lt;/a&gt;. Uddhacca is restlessness or actively wondering mind. Staying with one object is  abandoning &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;uddhacca&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaukritya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kukkucca&lt;/a&gt;. Also it can be viewed as development of concentration which is a factor in many of these measures above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind when you regularly think or try to measure your progress you regress in your meditation. You should do this very irregularly perhaps one or so in a few months otherwise this will itself lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;uddhacca&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaukritya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kukkucca&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The question is: does this say something about the mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are developing concentration and coming out of restless worry hence some level of purification of the mind is happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T15:09:27.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11370" CreationDate="2015-12-20T17:39:05.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I just wanted to hopefully get some ideas on how some of the fellow users of this site motivate themselves to meditate on a more frequent basis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes motivation comes in the form of doing a thorough job. Say if you sit for meditation trying be mindful of the breath and you cannot then this might be a demotivator. The best is to switch to perhaps insight meditation. Mostly motivation come through overcoming the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. For more on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a motivator would be experiencing some positive results. Do you feel less stressful and unhappy than before, but chasing after positive results can set you back by developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;restless&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaukritya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;worry&lt;/a&gt; and even &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;doubt&lt;/a&gt; when you feel progress is lacking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What ultimately motivates each one of you to continue meditating? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowledge that you are doing a good job and also some insight to inspire &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;faith&lt;/a&gt;. You should feel glad and happy (pamojja) about what you are doing and progress. This is what will keep you on track. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; contains a path on how to get to liberation through faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The good feelings of samadhi or the tranquility of insight? I'm struggling with staying with the object of meditation as my mind is extremely restless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions either one (insight or calm) can develop before the other. Let it take its natural cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When doing breath meditation you have to keep bringing the object of your meditation to the breath by continuously reviewing if your mind has wandered away or not even when it has not. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/knowing_and_seeing_rev_ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; by The Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw, p45 give 4 methods which you can use to keep focus, though this mentions in the context of calming the breath is is valid even before you come to this stage. Also have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anyways, this is my first time here so I'll leave it at that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this is helpful and you would keep coming to the site as also do not feel shy to ask question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T17:39:05.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11114" CreationDate="2015-12-20T18:31:39.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kamma-bhava - moment to moment turning of Dependent Origination (DO) within one lifetime&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;upapatti-bhava - the turning of DO on a multi life time perspective&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter is what relates to jāti. Past Fabrication due to Ignorance from the previous life creates a new body with sense faculties with associated consciousness to experience the world leading to jāti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T17:43:57.377" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T17:43:57.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-20T21:32:35.910" Score="4" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;One day here on this SE i had an comment to one of my answers suggesting that it is rather discomforting or hard to accept that Buddhists have chosen death as their choice in difficult situations like Genocides,War,Racial conflicts and etc against killing for survival.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are some war stories too. As i did not had a chance to learn all sides of this interesting question i thought to ask a question and openly invite the community to share their version of teaching on this matter.&#xA;Feel free to add your ow personal experience too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so the questions are...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What does different schools and traditions of Buddhism teach about reacting to an&#xA;offensive or a war?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This offensive can be a one against Buddhism,race,country or any other social aspect.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there a Buddhist offense?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T23:38:07.743" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T04:20:58.393" Title="Between death and offence what is the choice?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13171" CreationDate="2015-12-20T21:36:44.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/mahamevnawa-branches-of-abroad/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Worldwide Mahamevnawa Branches&lt;/a&gt; there's a &#xA;&quot;Mahamevnawa Meditation Monastery of California&quot; in Torrance (in the region of Los Angeles).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T22:01:11.533" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T22:01:11.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13177" CreationDate="2015-12-20T21:46:49.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From how I was taught, in Zen the best way to use daily walks for spiritual growth is to &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; use them for spiritual growth ;) In the true spirit of Parjnaparamita, forget about &quot;spiritual growth&quot; which is a very deluded motivation, and just walk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Karma-Kagyu perspective, I guess we can get into more details...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you walk, it is very important to feel your entire body -- and not ignore any tension or tightness. The tension manifests in your posture and your gait, in how you hold your head-and-shoulders, your torso, your pelvis, how you put your weight down on your feet, what you do with your hands. When you feel comfortable, you can open up and your body parts can move more freely and be in harmony with each other. And vice versa - when you make your body and feet conveniently positioned - then your mind can feel comfortable. Imagine how a king or Buddha would walk, to us it looks like they walk &quot;with pride&quot;. The reason they walk like that is because they always keep themselves very comfortable. They don't maintain negative stories and they don't maintain body tensions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you walk and see things, try not get caught up in stories. When you see something, if you habitually relate to it as &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; then you no longer see it, instead you see your thoughts overlayed on top. Usually when we judge we judge on the basis of one or few &quot;signs&quot; or &quot;marks&quot; (&lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt; - characteristic features that give us hints about qualities of the object). We then make inferences based on those signs and interpret what they tell us. This formula &quot;marks =&gt; qualities =&gt; story&quot; is what my last teacher called &quot;preconception&quot;. They (preconceptions) come from our past experience. We then compare that story with how things are supposed to be in the perfect case. And then we evaluate it as &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; - and we feel corresponding emotion. When this happens we no longer see things as they are, we only see the &quot;signs&quot; and the &quot;story&quot; colored with some feeling. Instead, when you don't let this mechanism go on autopilot, then you see things more fully - you see many other aspects than just signs, your experience becomes much more rich and nuanced. In Buddhism we say you see things &quot;as they really are&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same thing happens if seeing some things or some people makes you judge yourself. This happens in two cases. Either you see something or someone that you evaluate as &quot;very good&quot; - and then you start comparing it with yourself and come to a conclusion that since you are not &quot;so good&quot; - then you must be &quot;bad&quot;. Or there is a case when you imagine how someone must be seeing you from their perspective and you imagine what they probably think about you (awesome/worthless, smart/dumb, handsome/ugly etc.) There are many variations of these - but basically they all involve some comparison and imagination. So again, instead of feeling yourself as being fully yourself - you are making up some story in your head. Needless to say, when this happens you usually lose the sense of your body and posture/shoulders/lower back/pelvis/feet. Instead, when you don't alienate (deny, disown) yourself and you allow yourself to be natural/uninhibited/spontaneous, we say you become &quot;an authentic person&quot; or a &quot;true person&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the idea with walking meditation is to get out of your head and just walk, walk while seeing the world in all its multifaceted colors, and while feeling you are who you are with all your various qualities - without getting caught in those imaginary stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, when you walk you don't need to think about any of this - you just walk comfortably and look around. It's the simplest thing in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-20T22:55:59.127" LastActivityDate="2015-12-20T22:55:59.127" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13171" CreationDate="2015-12-21T00:55:49.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've attended Vipassana intensive retreats at Tathagata Meditation Center in San Jose, a Mahasi style center. I found the atmosphere conducive to advanced meditation practice and the other yogis who practice there were equally intense/not many beginners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7465" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T00:55:49.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13171" CreationDate="2015-12-21T01:09:25.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did you try the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&amp;amp;search=Search&amp;amp;country_id=0&amp;amp;province_id=26&amp;amp;tradition%5B%5D=theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T01:09:25.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13191" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13193" CreationDate="2015-12-21T03:30:08.253" Score="7" ViewCount="209" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have, for some time, tried to detach from things in my life so I can find true happiness without needing anything. Although I have had some success detaching from some things, like the need to be right or material stuff, I still am too attached to some other things, like girls and people that should not be a source of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can tell myself I don't need something(and I really don't) but something deep inside still makes it come up on my mind every so often, and mostly together with fear of loss, desire and imaginary situations of both good and bad outcomes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is about detachment.. how can I practice to be more and more in control of what I feel attachment for, regardless of what it is? It seems that it controls me, and makes me miserable sometimes.. how can I let things go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7467" LastActivityDate="2018-10-16T13:35:19.700" Title="Is it possible to achieve universal detachment? How?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13186" CreationDate="2015-12-21T04:20:58.393" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does different schools and traditions of Buddhism teach about reacting to an offensive or a war?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The going to war is in many cases beyond your control and even if it is it is governed by norms and even law. Say another country declares war then you might not be able to do nothing. This these case if you have exhausted the avenues to stay away you might have to participate. This is not justifiable by the Dhamma but you have to comply with the laws of the land. Also be mindful of the Karmic repercussions and try to do somethings to counteract this perhaps like Metta Bhavana, helping the wounded, etc. when you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look back at Buddha's time, even his devoted disciples hard to go on war. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatashatru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajatashatru&lt;/a&gt;. This is a worldly norm. You can not endorse them, as any for of offensive is not endorsed in Buddhism, but they cannot be avoided and eradicated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a Buddhist offense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the Dhamma offensives are not justified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are instances like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutugamunu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dutugamunu&lt;/a&gt; who when to war to save Buddhism. This is not endorsed by the teaching of the Buddha as a King wars and punishments according to regulation and norms are inevitable. These are more of individual action and retext in most cases and cannot be called Dhamma offensive. If you are willing to suffer the Karmic consequences, then offensive in the pretext of Dhamma is the choice of the person making the decision, which can be individually or collectively endorsed, but this endorsement is not in the Dhamma but by the people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T04:20:58.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13191" CreationDate="2015-12-21T04:58:04.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have, for some time, tried to detach from things in my life so I can find true happiness without needing anything. Although I have had some success detaching from some things, like the need to be right or material stuff, I still am too attached to some other things, like girls and people that should not be a source of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any external object brings pleasurable, painful and neutral sensations&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. It is these sensations you have to let go there by letting go of the external object thereby letting go of the roots which create this attachments&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. Say you are still reacting to external sensations by you have let gone of external objects your mind still can crave for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can tell myself I don't need something(and I really don't) but something deep inside still makes it come up on my mind every so often, and mostly together with fear of loss, desire and imaginary situations of both good and bad outcomes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are doing this at an intellectual or conceptual level. There are other religions which preached non attachment but inevitably they got attached to the view orr concept of non attachment which would have been more subtle and difficult to eradicate than external attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to go is the be able to objectively observe the arising and passing of any sensation from contact. May it be you stay in one posture and want to shuffle around (pain in the old, pleasure in the new posture). May it be sensation just arising. Also thinking caused sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So my question is about detachment.. how can I practice to be more and more in control of what I feel attachment for, regardless of what it is? It seems that it controls me, and makes me miserable sometimes.. how can I let things go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method to do this is as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, whereby cut the source of attachments, through being aware of arising and passing of the sensations in what is felt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Then there remains only consciousness,&#xA;    purified and cleansed.&#xA;    What does one know [cognize]&#xA;    with that consciousness?&#xA;    One knows, &quot;It is pleasant.&quot;&#xA;    One knows. &quot;It is painful.&quot;&#xA;    One knows, &quot;It is neutral.&quot;&#xA;    On account of a contact that is felt as pleasant, there arises a pleasant feeling.&#xA;    When one feels a pleasant feeling one understands, &quot;I feel a pleasant feeling&quot;&#xA;    One understands, &quot;With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as pleasant,&#xA;    the pleasant feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.&quot;On account of a contact that is felt as painful, there arises a painful feeling.&#xA;    When one feels a painful feeling one understands, &quot;I feel a painful feeling.&quot;&#xA;    One understands, &quot;With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as painful, the painful&#xA;    feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.&quot;&#xA;    On account of a contact that is felt as neither pain nor pleasure, there arises a neutral feeling.&#xA;    When one feels a neutral feeling one understands, &quot;I feel a neutral feeling.&quot;&#xA;    One understands, &quot;With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as neither painful nor&#xA;    pleasant, the neutral feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T05:18:46.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13194" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-21T08:34:03.410" Score="4" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Zen center where I live is very male dominated. This might be because it's very small. Anyway, I think Zen sometimes tend to be a bit masculine in its form, wit a kind of quasi militaristic approach. I find this kind of fun and try to have an ironic attitude - irony is indeed a good medicine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of famous women in different schools of Buddhism, esecially Tibetan. But not so much in Zen, it seems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there anyone who knows a good book on Zen practice written by a woman? And I'd also like some online resources/courses/training on Zen by women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T02:58:05.633" Title="Female Zen teachers and writers" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|zen|gender|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13195" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13197" CreationDate="2015-12-21T09:45:56.380" Score="5" ViewCount="1311" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I see it, music (like everything else?) is empty of inherent existence. This is not obvious. Plato and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jstor.org/stable/431583?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aristotle believed that harmonies and rythm express/represents &quot;charachters&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. Contrary to the Greek champions, I do not think musical harmonies and rythms express or represent anything in and of themselves. The &quot;meaning&quot; and interpretation of music is dependent on causes and conditions, dependent on its parts, and imputed by mind. Music is empty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is how this emptiness of music can be incorporated into my practice. In stead of giving up music because I want to spend my time with meditation, I am wondering if the emptiness of music might in stead and in addition be used as a &quot;mantric device&quot; in mediatative practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the idea. I play bass. Me and my fellow musicians love minimalist repetition. Some say practicing an instrument is boring because you have to to the same thing again and again, but I don't agree. I think playing the same bass line over and over (alone or with others) is giving the same experience as meditation with mantras. When you play a simple line hundresds of times, you don't have to think about playing. And after a while you don't know where the line starts and ends, it's circular. The mantra is in my fingers and not my mouth. In the end, both mouth and fingers are in the mind anyway. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be a long shot, but I wonder if this way of using repetition is used as a meditation device in any Buddhist practices. What schools of Buddhism is most open to this kind of idea?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T02:03:49.350" Title="Playing repetitve music as meditation practice" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|sunyata|mantra|music|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13195" CreationDate="2015-12-21T10:03:46.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditate on your desire to meditate using music as a meditation device. Or on your love for minimalist repition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's how I would approach it at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming aware of wanting, desire, boredom. And how your mind relates to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T10:38:23.263" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T10:38:23.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13195" CreationDate="2015-12-21T11:00:02.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The biggest issue with music is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can get attached to it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;can created mental recitation of the lyrics which in turn creates verbal fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence best is to resort to more conservative meditation pratice. Having said this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.richardshankman.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Shankman&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mettadharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta Dharma Foundation&lt;/a&gt; teachers mindfulness of sound as an alternative meditation technique. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.richardshankman.org/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Excerpted from “The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation”&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness of Sound&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the instructions for mindfulness of breathing we let all other experiences stay in the background of our awareness, not forcing or pushing them away but bringing a gentle sense of allowing them to be in the background while giving some preference or predominance to awareness of our breathing. In the same way, with this practice we allow other experiences to stay in the background and we give preference or predominance to the experience of sound. You may feel a natural draw or pull to awareness of hearing, and this practice can be very calming and settling. Those for whom mindfulness of sound works well commonly report it as an easily accessible and even compelling meditation object. You may be drawn to awareness of the sounds themselves or you may be more naturally aware of the act or the process of listening or hearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of sound entails working with either inner or outer sound. Even though it may be very quiet where you are meditating, you may feel drawn to rest your awareness in listening to however many or few sounds may be present at any time. Other people hear an inner sound, a clear perception of ringing or some other sound, experienced not through the ears but in the mind. You can see if you have such an experience and if you are drawn to rest in awareness of inner or outer sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are working with mental noting, you can mentally repeat hearing or sound if that helps keep you stay connected and centered with the auditory experience. If you practice mindfulness of sound, just substitute hearing every time I use the terms breath or breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you seem to like music the main question would be how you can do this without attachment in order to make this effective, i.e., using music as a means to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also perhaps the following might might help you (thanks to @ThiagoSilva for point out): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T17:56:15.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13198" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-21T11:46:21.523" Score="7" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious to know how Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero teachers Ānāpānasati. Does he follow the 16 stage instructions or perhaps something similar to the 8 step method&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; or combination of both or something different with or without overlap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;NB: In answering this please make this a self contained answer without having to navigate links and audio files.&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana Sati Meditation on Breathing&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T23:21:48.143" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T02:21:53.620" Title="What are the Ānāpānasati Kammaṭṭhāna as Taught By Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero" Tags="|personal-practice|teaching|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13199" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13200" CreationDate="2015-12-21T11:55:47.233" Score="2" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen in answers on this site (about consciousness in connection with rebirth) that Theravada adhere to a phenomenological perspective on consciousness. Can anyone explain for me what it means to have a phenomenological perspective? And which schools does not have this perspective? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T15:28:59.647" Title="What is a phenomenological perspective?" Tags="|theravada|philosophy|terminology|consciousness|phenomenology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13199" CreationDate="2015-12-21T12:31:21.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, &quot;a phenomenological perspective&quot; refers to phenomenology as expounded by Husserl, and so forth. It is a way of speaking that is typical of contemporary students. It refers to a perspective that underlies the manner in which phenomena appear to one's consciousness, or (a step further) the aspects one's consciousness take.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in relation to 'lower rebirth', a so-called phenomenological perspective would approach the way one experiences suffering. The aspect one's consciousness takes when it is subject to this or that suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, such a perspective entails suspending facts and factual inquiries (as in &lt;em&gt;&quot;let us not take rebirth altogether as a fact or a non-fact, and let us not bother with determining whether there is indeed rebirth&quot;&lt;/em&gt;). When one suspends all judgments about the supposedly external world (or its quality of being external), that suspension is called &lt;em&gt;epokhē&lt;/em&gt;, an ancient Greek term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that viewpoint, a phenomenological perspective relates to a form of skepticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people take another stand by even negating (not just suspending) such or such a phenomena as a fact, as in: &lt;em&gt;&quot;there is no such thing as rebirth and hells, but that doesn't matter because we might very well experience the world in a hellish way&quot;.&lt;/em&gt; This amounts to a form of criticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T16:29:39.643" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T16:29:39.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13199" CreationDate="2015-12-21T12:34:44.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concepts or mental construction - pannatti&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Atomic, indivisible constructs - paramattha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something is a mental construct it should be constructed in the mind of a being using the atomic building blocks. These constructs form as reaction to stimuli which is felt through consciousness. The related constructs are also felt and known though the mind sense door. Also consciousness need to be directed to the object which needs feeling or experiencing. Since there needs to be an observer with consciousness to know and feel phenomena you can say &quot;Theravada adhere to a phenomenological perspective on consciousness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T12:34:44.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13194" CreationDate="2015-12-21T13:26:56.143" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Charlotte Joko Beck revolutionized how Zen - if not the whole of Buddhism - is taught in America.  Her books are extraordinary.  She also started the San Diego Zen Center.  Peggy Jiyu Kennett started Shasta Abbey.  Those are two that I know off the top of my head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a &lt;a href=&quot;http://lhamo.tripod.com/2zen.htm&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T13:26:56.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13007" CreationDate="2015-12-21T13:37:04.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i am sorry you are feeling like this , let me help you..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the first thing you need to understand is why you are feeling guilty, and the answer to that is , thoughts, when you are entretanined in your favorite hobbies do you feel guilty about what happened? certainly not , since you are not thinking about that, so first akknowledge that the situation it self is not making you suffer but just thoughts , what king of thoughts? well , you think what happened was bad for him, and that it was your fault..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;lets examine this thoughts, are they true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;do you need its bad for him in the long run? maybe thanks to this he will be more carful and get a promotion or something, its definitly possible , so you cant assure its bad for him, and the part of blame, well you acted based on your thoughts, but do you control your thoughts? what is the next thought that will popup ? will it be something about the pass, the future? we dont know, if we controlled our thoguhts we would always pick positives ones, but that is not the case, so in the moment, you felt that , that was the right thing, so stop blaming your self, you had no control over the thoughts that popped up in your head...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7469" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T13:37:04.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13195" CreationDate="2015-12-21T15:55:42.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two things:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) repetitive sound has been used for a long time (thousands of years) to promote and reinforce certain mental states which might be regarded as meditative. If you read about Shamanic Journeying, this practice is facilitated by a loud drumbeat of around 120-140 beats per minute. This produces a particular brain wave which alters consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) The alpha state is a form of consciousness that people find calming and uplifting, as well as clearing out verbal thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very easy for me to enter an alpha state while driving with music on, or walking with music. So much so, that I now know how to promote this state without music. This allows me to be present to the environment and enjoy the experience of being. To me, this sounds like Vipassana. It generalizes to any conditions where I do not need to speak or use a lot of rational thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this what you were looking for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T15:55:42.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13194" CreationDate="2015-12-21T17:41:57.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shundo Aoyama Roshi is a Sōtō priest who wrote a few books (I'm afraid just one was translated to english, however: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=Zen+Seeds%3A+Reflections+of+a+Female+Priest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Seeds: Reflections of a Female Priest&lt;/a&gt;). She is the teacher of Coen sensei, former head of the Sōtō community in south america.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-22T02:58:05.633" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T02:58:05.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13199" CreationDate="2015-12-21T17:53:00.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our everyday perspective is what I call &quot;the Fish-in-the-tank Perspective&quot; (or more formally &quot;the Agent Perspective&quot;). There are all these fishes in the tank, competing for resources and occasionally making love or fighting, and we identify with one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the Buddha offered a perspective I call &quot;phenomenological reductionism&quot;. Everything is reduced to the experiences of five senses and &quot;the inner eye&quot; (mind). Switching from the fishtank perspective to the phenomenological perspective helps the student get away from the focus on chasing some external objects and avoiding others - and to focus instead on one's own reactions, emotions, mindstate etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead of the objects being &quot;real&quot; and your reactions being involuntary &quot;caused by the objects&quot; we flip the perspective and take ownership of our reactions, while reducing the objects to merely projections of our interpretation. The idea is that this way we can 1) optimize our behavior because we now can modify our reactions instead of being driven by the objects and 2) we can control our own level of happiness independently of what happens in the external world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phenomenological perspective plays the dominant role in Theravada and Yogacara schools. This is not the only perspective utilized in Buddhism though - there are also the &quot;Dharma Path perspective&quot; (karma, rebirth, levels etc.) used for beginners - which is really just a modified version of the fishtank perspective; as well as the global/objective/non-dualistic perspective which in Early Buddhism surfaces as the practice of the Four Immeasurables and the Three Marks of Existence, culminating in the attainment of the &quot;divine eye&quot; (dibba-cakkhu) - and in Vajrayana as the lower levels of Dzogchen. Then there is the perspective of Emptiness - or perspective of no perspective - famously cultivated as Prajnaparamita and on the higher levels of Dzogchen...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in (Mahayana?) Buddhism the perspective is not something dogmatically declared to be true - it is used as a tool. This pragmatic attitude to perspectives is itself a perspective as well, cultivated e.g. within the Mahamudra tradition - as much as I can assume to understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yeah, coming back to what I said in that comment - what I meant was, that Theravada (within the larger perspective of phenomenological reductionism) specifically as pertains to explaining &quot;consciousness&quot; - sees it as a linear single-threaded sequence of experiences discussed exclusively in the first-person's perspective. In this sense, any idle talk about rebirth should be seen as a mere slippage back into the fishtank perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point in that discussion was that from errr.... my perspective, consciousness is not a single threaded series (santana) but rather a network of influences spanning time, space, and a number of media - some of which happen to be sentient beings. So from this perspective, consciousness is not one or many, in fact it's not an entity at all - it is a name for an activity of imprinting/reflecting/influencing that takes place in the world at large.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T19:00:13.520" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T19:00:13.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13207" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13209" CreationDate="2015-12-21T20:09:33.683" Score="3" ViewCount="447" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just recently I changed my subject of meditation: I try to &quot;watch&quot; my mind while it is thinking. This nearly instantaneously makes my mind calm. It kind of stops my thinking. And this feels great. It's also easier to come back to this state, once my mind starts to wander around. I use this occasions to watch my mind as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[There is in principle an infinite regression (I could also watch my mind, watching my mind thinking), but I never came to make use of that.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there some more guidance in the buddhistic literature or stuff that support this kind of meditation? Is there a name of this mental state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="461" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T21:09:01.733" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T16:41:37.407" Title="My thinking mind as subject of my meditation stops my thinking" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13207" CreationDate="2015-12-21T20:51:06.490" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of mind is one of the four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-10-satipatthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipathanna&lt;/a&gt;, that is, foundations of mindfulness. This is the basis of meditation that the Buddha taught. Generally speaking, as far as I know, meditation based on the four Satipathanna is referred to as Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to meditate - Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-21T23:27:44.607" LastActivityDate="2015-12-21T23:27:44.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13207" CreationDate="2015-12-21T20:52:15.260" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a samatha perspective, I would dissuade you from doing that.  In the Japanese literature on sitting meditation, what you are experiencing is a momentary shift from the third to the second nen.  You are suspending your thoughts about thoughts - which is good - but you are not putting yourself in the best position to stop any new thoughts that get generated from perception.  For that, you need to work with the first nen and for that, you need a stable meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is fickle.  Anyone who has ever sat down on the cushion knows that.  If you use your mind as an object, you are inevitably tying yourself to something that is going to shift around.  To use another metaphor, it's like trying to build your house on a sand dune.  There is no stability there.  Anything constructed is going to topple over.  Even if your technique does lessen your mental chatter, what exactly are you going to focus on after your thoughts lessen!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A meditation object like a kasina, a point on the body, or the breath are all fundamentally consistent.  A blue disk is always a blue disk, the tip of your nose is always the tip of your nose, the breath, while it can be long or short, deep or shallow, is always going in and out.  By working on one of these objects, one-pointedness is easier to establish.  Slowly, you begin working with uncommented perception.  Consequently, you enter and abide in the first nen.  Calm arises and concentration strengthens.  Perhaps most importantly at this stage in the game, a meditation object gives your mind something to focus on when your thoughts subside.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Side note: yes, it is true that you can focus on the space left when thoughts dissipate, but I would not recommend trying that at first.  You really have to have your concentration dialed in before you'll be successful at that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Side side note:  I think a quick word about the nens is needed.  They are very helpful for the purposes of meditative psychology - especially in OPs situation.  The word nen comes from Japanese and it's one of those words that does not translate well into English.  &quot;Thought-moment&quot; comes closest, but even that is a lousy rendition.  Traditionally, there are two nens.  The first is a moment of bare perception of something.  It is the experience of, say, experiencing the breath or seeing a bird.  The second nen is becoming aware of that experience e.g. &quot;I see a bird&quot; or &quot;I'm aware of my breathing&quot;.  Traditional Zen didn't take things much further than that.  They figured by the time you reached the second nen in your meditation, you were already lost!  ;-)  In his book &lt;em&gt;Zen Training&lt;/em&gt;, Katusuki Sekida adds the third nen.  This third nen is comprised of thoughts about things that you become aware of.  In our example of the bird, a third nen thought would be &quot;that bird is flying&quot;.  For the breath, a third nen thought was &quot;I'm following my breath rather well&quot; or &quot;That was a long breath&quot; (And here comes the Vipassana crowd ready to string me up!  Heh.).  Sekida's third nen is especially important in the modern world considering how much time people spend in it.  The third nen is the unwinding ball of discursive thought.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's important in regards to OP's questions is that for concentration to develop, we need to spend as much time in the first nen as possible.  It needs to be cultivated since it is the only &quot;thought-moment&quot; were right concentration can be achieved.  The method that OP is using does touch the second nen and perhaps even the first, but it doesn't stay there.  There's nothing to hold him in place.  It kind of like jumping.  When we leap, we are momentarily airborne, but the force of gravity pulls us back to earth.  We can only take to the air again once we return to the ground.  OP takes to the air into the second or first nen when he becomes aware of thinking, but the gravity of the hindrances will bring him back down.  The mind at this point is in free fall as it is neither applied nor sustained.  He can only &quot;jump&quot; again into less complex nens once he touches his next thought.  A meditation object, on the contrary, helps free us from the gravity of the hindrances.  It keeps us rooted in the first nen.  It's also what keeps us aloft - in applied and sustained thought - and ultimately what powers our ascension into jhana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-12-22T16:41:37.407" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T16:41:37.407" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13207" CreationDate="2015-12-22T06:56:00.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind/Consciousness contemplation consists of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;lust (sarāgaṃ) or without lust (vītarāgaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hate (sadosaṃ) or without hate (vītadosaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;delusion (samohaṃ) or without delusion (vītamohaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;contracted (saṅkhittaṃ) or scattered (vikkhittaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;lofty (mahaggataṃ) or not lofty (amahaggataṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;surpassable (sa-uttaraṃ) or unsurpassed (anuttaraṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;quieted (samāhitaṃ) or not quieted (asamāhitaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;released (vimuttaṃ) or not released (avimuttaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st 3 (1-3) relates to the three unwholesome roots and abandoning of it. The 3 unwholesome roots have sensations associated with them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasure - attachment / lust (hard to remove)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pain - aversion / hate (easy to remove)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral - ignorance / delusion (hard to remove &lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to let go of them is to mindful of the arising and passing nature of the sensation or stimuli (what is felt) being absolutely equanimous without developing any further attachments, aversions or ignorance which is further elaborated in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.4-Akusalamula-Annatitthiya-S-a-3.68-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also both &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; both contain that 18 mental examination (mano,pavicāra) under Mind Contemplation (cittanupassana) of the mind in term of what is pleasant, unpleasant, neutral&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; contains a similar instruction in terms of faculties (the mind is also one faculty).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the 1st 2 (1-2) relate to sensory desire (kāmacchanda) and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Ill_will_.28vyapada.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda)&lt;/a&gt; and 3 closely related to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;doubt (vicikicchā)&lt;/a&gt; as doubt can arise due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ignorance&lt;/a&gt;. Item 4 deals with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Sloth-torpor_.28thina-middha.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth-torpor (thīna-middha)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Restlessness-worry_.28uddhacca-kukkucca.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/a&gt;. Much of this relate to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt; and other &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; related &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suttas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Item 5 deals with cultivating the Jhana factors and knowing their presence and absence. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; further describes how this can be done in the context of the Satipatthana, i.e., to start with always bringing you mind to the object of your meditation (in your case the mind) and even though your mind is on the meditation object repeat the re direction of your mind to the meditation object. You can do this for any of the 4 Satipatthana contemplations. Generally this is considered to create verbal fabrications but with vise attention on any of the 4 foundation of mindfulness, being fully aware of arising and passing with utmost equanimity this will not be the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Item 6 deals mainly with path and fruit in my opinion. If you have reached the final goal it is unparsable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Item 7 deals with the level of collectedness of the mind and absence of restlessness (uddhacca). You should be able to focus your mind on one object for closer examination. If you want to examine the break you mind stays with the breath. If is another object it stays with that. This lead to true knowledge and vision of reality as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and many more Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Items 8 is presence or absence true vision and knowledge of liberation by letting go of the defilements as discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and realise the final goal. This arises based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to do an in-depth study your mind states can be correlated to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetasika&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just recently I changed my subject of meditation: I try to &amp;quot;watch&amp;quot; my mind while it is thinking. This nearly instantaneously makes my mind calm. It kind of stops my thinking. And this feels great. It's also easier to come back to this state, once my mind starts to wander around. I use this occasions to watch my mind as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially this falls under the Mind Contemplation as described above. Good that this is working out for you. When you have mindfulness thinking or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concept proliferation&lt;/a&gt; generally stops and becomes calm as you are not producing new fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind wonders be careful as this can lead to unwise attention due to Vipallasa (Vipallasa Sutta). Also wondering mind can lead to restlessness and also create verbal fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is always some feeling associated with these mental states (121 mental states and some feeling associated with it - see chapter 1, &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi). As in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; you have to look at the arising and passing of the sensation that is felt associated with the thoughts and metal objects your mind encounters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[There is in principle an infinite regression (I could also watch my mind, watching my mind thinking), but I never came to make use of that.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though we are dealing with the mind specifically, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions any form of consciousness has sensation associated with it, this would include the mind. So when you get mindful of the thoughts in your mind, with pratice, you will see there is some sensation arising with it. You have to look at the arising and passing of the sensations when watching you mind and thinking. With regard to thinking, this is Verbal Fabrications will also have sensations associated with it. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta - The Discourse on Right View&lt;/a&gt; does mention we have to abandon Verbal Fabrication (this is Thinking and Pondering according to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma,bhū Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to this consider incorporating some of what I have discussed above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there some more guidance in the buddhistic literature or stuff that support this kind of meditation? Is there a name of this mental state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please click on the above links. Also have a look at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.1-Satipatthana-S-d22-m10-intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to the Satipatthana Suttas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/d22-Mahasatipatthana-S-tltr-piya_111203.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Satipatthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.3-Satipatthana-S-m10-main-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Mindfulness-in-Early-Buddhism_Kuan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, by Tse-fu Kuan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Satipatthana_Direct%20Path_Analayo_Free%20Distribution%20Copy.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization&lt;/a&gt;, by Anālayo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Way of Mindfulness The Satipatthana Sutta and Its Commentary&lt;/a&gt; by Soma Thera (commentarial perspective)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Hardest to remove according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt; as it very difficult to be equanimous looking at arising passing this stage, arising and passing is very subtle and also there is a tendency of the mind to get bored when there are hardly any feeling. He further mentions that this experienced in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt; which many mistake to have reached the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikshu, this person is made up of the eighteen mental investigations&amp;quot;: so it is said in this connection&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cognizing a mental object with the mind, one examines the mental object as the basis for pleasure, or for pain, or for neither-pain-nor-pleasure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These eighteen mental examinations are the Dharma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T15:04:53.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13211" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-22T11:47:26.723" Score="2" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to look more on Candrakirti, and have a few questions about him. What was/is Candrakirtis most important contribution to Buddhist philosophy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you were to start reading Candrakirtis own works, where would you&#xA;start?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can anyone give me a good tip for a comprehensive introduction to&#xA;Candrakirti?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2019-05-28T22:06:10.450" Title="Candrakirti - what was his most important contribution?" Tags="|philosophy|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13212" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13221" CreationDate="2015-12-22T13:58:47.917" Score="9" ViewCount="577" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is called &quot;Buddhism&quot; is a whole range of different schools, sects, practices etc. that has in common that they are based on the teachings of Siddharta Gautama/the Buddha.  But is the name &quot;Buddhism&quot; used as a name for these teachings anywhere else than in the &quot;West&quot;? How and when did the name &quot;Buddhism&quot; appear? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-22T19:21:03.767" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T13:29:31.540" Title="How and when did the name &quot;Buddhism&quot; appear?" Tags="|terminology|history|learning|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13211" CreationDate="2015-12-22T13:59:59.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different interpretations of Candrakirti, even among Madhyamika-Prasangika scholars. That said, Prasangika scholars generally hold that Buddhapālita (470 AD - 550 AD) gave the first Prasangika presentation in the form of a commentary to Nagarjuna and Aryadeva, but is not the founder of the Prasangika school. Bhāviveka (500 AD - 578 AD) then refuted Buddhapālita and is  to be regarded as the founder of the Madhyamika-Svatantrika school. It is thought that they did not debate face to face because Buddhapālita belonged to a lower class. Candrakirti (600 AD - 650 AD) then established the Madhyamika-Prasangika school by way of refuting Bhāviveka so-called Svatantrika positions. Candrakirti is held to be the founder of the Prasangika school (over Buddhapālita) because he established it through properly refuting another. It is sometimes thought that Candrakirti was Buddhapālita's reincarnation. It is also sometimes thought that he debated Bhāviveka face to face (although their commonly established date of their birth and death would not allow it)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said, there are different readings of Candrakirti, even among Madhyamika-Prasangika scholars. These differences are significant, and are in relation to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The notion of other-emptiness &amp;amp; self-emptiness; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The nature of emptiness (whether it is an affirming or a non-affirming negation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way emptiness is realized (implicitly or explicitly)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The meaning of 'prasanga' and that of 'svatantra', and so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest that, first of all, you study the context and the possible meanings of the so-called Svatantrika / Prasangika distinction. Sara McClintock &amp;amp; Georges Dreyfus's &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0861713249&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Svatantrika-Prasangika Distinction: What Difference Does a Difference Make?&lt;/a&gt; is interesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two main Prasangika positions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gorampa's&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tsongkhapa's.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gorampa is known for criticizing Tsongkhapa's positions: he goes as far as to say that Tsongkhapa is in fact a proponent of Svatantrika tenets. Thus, studying Tsongkhapa in order to know what Gorampa refutes would be most relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In relation to studying Tsongkhapa, I advise you to read Tsongkhapa along with his main disciples: Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je. Khedrup Je is usually easier than Gyaltsab Je. Tsongkhapa's commentary to Candrakirti was translated by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, I will thus not expound on that. Also, from a Geluk perspective, we do not usually study Tsongkhapa's (or any Prasangika commentery to Candrakirti). We study Svatantrika commentaries to Candrakirti's Madhyamakavatara (i.e. Haribhadra, and so forth). Our gateway to the Prasangika system is other. It is Tsongkhapa's commentary to Nagarjuna (the &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0195147332&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ocean of Reasoning&lt;/a&gt;), it is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1559394447&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Special Insight chapter of the Lam Rim Chen Mo&lt;/a&gt;, along with &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1559392975&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tsongkhapa's Final Exposition of Wisdom&lt;/a&gt;, Gyaltsab Je's commentary to Shantideva (Shantideva also presented as a Prasangika himself). Having studied them, having understood them thoroughly, you could go a step further and read Candrakirti's root text (Madhyamakavatara) for yourself, and also read Gorampa's positions and his followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In relation to studying Gorompa, you may read &#xA;Ju Mipham, whose presentations accord with Gorampa's. &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1590300092&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ju Mipham's commentary to  Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara&lt;/a&gt; is most relevant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-05-28T22:06:10.450" LastActivityDate="2019-05-28T22:06:10.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13212" CreationDate="2015-12-22T16:36:35.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think I understand your question. It's simply an '-ism' made from what should be referred to as &quot;Buddhadhamma&quot;. All schools agree that Buddha showed a way to &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt; which anybody can follow by critically understanding every step themselves. All schools also agree that their minute differences are mainly in the monastic rules and conduct which themselves are nothing but a raft used to reach a state, Buddha refers to Dhamma itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7082" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T16:36:35.757" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10659" CreationDate="2015-12-22T18:52:04.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply put it when you mind wanders away and you realise it 1st see what kind of sensations you are experiencing. If they are unpleasant relax your body and mind and bring back your attention to the breath smilingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How you should relax your body and mind is to stay with the pain for a short while looking at arising and passing  with equanimity. If is gross and solidified then pass your mind through these areas. This should be done a short time only, if it does not go away then just bring back your mind to the breath anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T18:52:04.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10665" CreationDate="2015-12-22T19:00:07.660" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe you can directly look into thought when you develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt;. But at a lesser level meditation increases your ability sense the moods and emotions of people around you (spiritual awareness). This can happen though vipassana also as you stay contemplating internally and externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 Modes of Mind reading as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind-reading&#xA;  Furthermore, bhante, unsurpassable is the Dharma that the Blessed One teaches concerning&#xA;  mind-reading. Bhante, there are these four modes of mind-reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Here, bhante, by means of a sign, one declares: ‘Thus is your mind: this is in your mind; such is&#xA;  your thought.’ And however many such declarations he makes, they are exactly so, not otherwise.&#xA;  This is the first mode of mind-reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Furthermore, bhante, one does not make his declarations by means of a sign, but after listening to&#xA;  the sounds of humans, of non-humans, or of devas, having heard their sounds, one declares, ‘Thus is your&#xA;  mind: this is in your mind; such is your thought.’ And however many such declarations he makes, they&#xA;  are exactly so, not otherwise.&#xA;  This is the second mode of mind-reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Furthermore, bhante, one does not make his declarations by means of a sign, nor after having&#xA;  heard voices of humans, of non-humans, or of devas, but from having initially applied and sustained&#xA;  his mind, listening to the sound of a person’s thought-vibrations,&#xA;  one declares, ‘Thus is your mind: this&#xA;  is in your mind; such is your thought.’ And however many such declarations he makes, they are exactly&#xA;  so, not otherwise.&#xA;  This is the third mode of mind-reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) Furthermore, bhante, one does not make his declarations by means of a sign, nor after heard&#xA;  voices of humans, of non-humans, or of devas, nor by listening to the sound of a person’s thought-vibrations,&#xA;  nor from having initially applied and sustained his mind, and listening to the sound of a person’s&#xA;  thought-vibrations, but by a samadhi free from initial application and sustained application, one knows&#xA;  the mind of another with his own, thus:&#xA;  ‘By the way the mental formations of this good man are inclined, the depth of that mind will think&#xA;  such and such a thought.’&#xA;  And however many such declarations he makes, they are exactly so, not otherwise.&#xA;  This is the fourth mode of mind-reading.&#xA;  With regards to mind-reading, bhante, this is unsurpassable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T05:34:46.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13218" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-22T20:10:33.553" Score="8" ViewCount="283" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a general question about how to deal with overwhelming fear, but a question about an specific experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I contemplated about the 4 elements and how my body is made up of it (for the first time ever you could say). I was not having a formal sitting with closed eyes, but I was rather looking at my body like 'here I can see the solid bones of my hand (through the skin)', 'when I press with my fingers at this spot of my arm it moves, so there must be fluid under the skin' ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And while doing this I had a feeling as if I was  some scientist who examines the body of an unknown species and my body looked so strange to me, that great fear (of the body I think) suddenly arose. I was so shocked and overwhelmed, that I had to stop there immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: What happened there? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7474" LastEditorUserId="7491" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T15:10:06.233" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T01:56:15.713" Title="Panic arising during contemplation about 4 elements" Tags="|personal-practice|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13218" CreationDate="2015-12-22T21:48:19.540" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the time people live most of their lives without changing contexts too much. For the mind, living in the same context gives a sense of security. It also makes us dumb and highly vulnerable. Once we believe in a context and objectify it, it becomes reality for us. At the end of the day, this is why we die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you start playing with your context by adopting a different perspective (mode) of seeing things, you are getting into an unknown territory - unknown for your mind anyway. Naturally, there is a sense of panic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhism teaches us is freedom from any context. Doing what you did is a first step. It's not necessarily valuable in and off itself - but it gives you a glimpse at how your mind reacts to its attachments being challenged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T21:48:19.540" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13218" CreationDate="2015-12-22T21:52:06.917" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The terror is likely caused by the clinging to wrong view of the self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who was the unknown species? Why  did it look so strange? Was it because you, like everybody, already greatly cling to an idea of what you are and this new mindful approach to experiencing what you are, can show you something that is real but alien to your normal way of experiencing yourself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I understand what you are saying, the terror happens because you have the wrong idea or &lt;strong&gt;wrong view&lt;/strong&gt; that you are dying or being wiped from existence when really it is just a different way of perceiving reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These kinds of experiences are common with insight practice.  Sounds like your practice is going in the right direction towards dropping the wrong view of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that nothing is permanent like these  terrorizing experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2015-12-22T22:59:15.383" LastActivityDate="2015-12-22T22:59:15.383" CommentCount="3" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-22T21:52:06.917" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13212" CreationDate="2015-12-23T03:39:52.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How and when did the name &quot;Buddhism&quot; appear?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not an expert, but here's what I found this evening: the article  &lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-PHIL/peter2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SCHOPENHAUER AND BUDDHISM by Peter Abelson&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When  the tenets  of Buddhism  became  known  in Europe  during  the third and fourth  decade  of the nineteenth   century&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and says that Schopenhauer referenced work by Isaak Jacob  Schmidt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Jacob_Schmidt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Isaac Jacob Schmidt&lt;/a&gt; says that one of his publications was titled,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Über die Verwandtschaft der gnostisch-theosophischen Lehren mit den Religions-Systemen des Orients, vorzüglich des &lt;strong&gt;Buddhaismus&lt;/strong&gt;, Leipzig 1828&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this book &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.fr/books?id=3i1OCgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PA24&amp;amp;ots=lCDeh_VXOL&amp;amp;dq=Isaac%20Jacob%20Schmidt%20buddhism&amp;amp;pg=PA24#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Isaac%20Jacob%20Schmidt%20buddhism&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West&lt;/a&gt; quotes Isaac Schmidt as saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NLVex.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NLVex.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to Isaac Jacob Schmidt,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The peoples of that faith call themselves followers of the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia he was living in Russia and studying Mongolian and Tibetan history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;His scientific work became noted after the publication of a work on the history of Mongols and Tibetans in 1824. ... Until his death in 1847, Schmidt published a multitude of works on Mongolian and Tibetan studies&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T03:39:52.160" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10180" CreationDate="2015-12-23T04:13:18.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are they really speaking of the same jhanas that we commonly understand from the teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simplest definition of a Jhana I found in Abhidharmartha Pradipika (vol 1, p 71): collect and focus your wondering mind so it is not wavering and stays with the object to be so it is conducive to closer examination such that all properties of the examined known in detail. (Translation is mine hence may not be perfect.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go by the 5 fold classification of Jhana and 4 Arupa Jhana and Niroda Samapatti the maximum you can come up with is 10 Jhanas though traditionally this is 8 plus Niroda Samapatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I find it curious that they can speak and move their limbs while being in a jhana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You lose your ability to speak once you do not have Vitakka and Vicara. Hence this looks fishy to be from a traditional perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I notice Nick instinctively wipes his nose at 7:18, and rubs his eye a little later, all while supposedly in the third and fourth jhanas!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are in the 4th Jhana in the traditional perspective your bodily activities have calmed down. You do not breathe nor speak and perhaps even not move. Id do not think you can direct action beyond the 2nd Jhana when Vitakka and Vicara has ceased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T04:13:18.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10372" CreationDate="2015-12-23T04:49:17.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.14-Uddesa-Vibhanga-S-m138-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uddesa Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; one of the main Suttas where the term internally and externally is analysed in detail. Analysis of what internally and externally appears multiple places. Couple quote on this is as follows, but it is best to read the whole Sutta to get a more thought out idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summary&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, a monk should examine things in such a way that while he is doing so, his consciousness&#xA;  is neither distracted nor scattered externally, nor slack internally; and by not clinging,&#xA;  would be unagitated.&#xA;  Bhikshus, if his consciousness is neither distracted nor scattered externally, nor slack internally;38&#xA;  and by not clinging, is unagitated, then there is in him no further arising or producing of suffering,&#xA;  that is, of birth, decay and death.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Internally:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having cognized a mind-object with the mind, if his consciousness follows after the sign of mindobject,&#xA;  bound to gratification in the mind-object sign,&#xA;  enthralled by gratification in the mind-object sign,&#xA;  yoked to the fetter of gratification in the mind-object sign—&#xA;  then, the consciousness is said to be distracted and scattered externally.&#xA;  Thus, avuso, is the consciousness said to be distracted and scattered externally&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Externally:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having cognized a mind-object with the mind, if his consciousness does not follow after the sign&#xA;  of mind-object,&#xA;  not bound to gratification in the mind-object sign,&#xA;  not enthralled by gratification in the mind-object sign,&#xA;  not yoked to the fetter of gratification in the mind-object sign—&#xA;  then, the consciousness said to be distracted and scattered externally.&#xA;  Thus, avuso, is the consciousness said to be undistracted and unscattered externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Insight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He does not regard consciousness as the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness&#xA;  as in the self, or the self as in consciousness.&#xA;  That consciousness of his changes, becoming other.&#xA;  When that consciousness of his changes, becoming other, his consciousness70 is not caught up with&#xA;  the consciousness‟s changing.&#xA;  No agitated mental states born of the preoccupation with that consciousness‟s changes arise together&#xA;  and continue to overwhelm his mind.&#xA;  Because his mind is not overwhelmed, he is fearful, vexed, and full of longing, and due to non-clinging,&#xA;  he is unagitated.&#xA;  Thus, avuso, is there neither agitation nor clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorce: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.14-Uddesa-Vibhanga-S-m138-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uddesa Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T13:05:39.320" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10184" CreationDate="2015-12-23T05:03:27.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shouldn't Buddhist texts be rewritten with the goal of being easily understandable? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An effort to make Dhamma more accessible has be done by Piya Tan: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism should also be in a language which is not commonly used (Pali) to preserve the meaning and teaching. In a used language the meaning of words continuously change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If texts use modern vocabulary and describe our surroundings with everyday words, then the spreading of Buddhist ideas will be wider than it is now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best way to teach definitely is terms and language familiar to an audience. (pariyāya,dassāvī) See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.1-Dhamma-Desaka-Udayi-S-a5.159-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dhamma,desaka) Udāyī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T05:03:27.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13225" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13234" CreationDate="2015-12-23T05:11:10.260" Score="5" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neale_Donald_Walsch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;N. D. Walsch&lt;/a&gt; claimed in one of his books that at the point in time, when a person &quot;switches gears&quot; to a higher level of consciousness, it frequently happens that events occur, which you perceive as negative. I don't remember the exact wording, but AFAIR he wrote that when some major obstacle occurs it may be that the universe is testing - do you really want to achieve a particular outcome (then you will continue in spite of the obstacle) or do you just think that you want it, but in reality want something different (in this case you give up) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I experienced situations, which support this hypothesis on several occasions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Once I went to a very powerful retreat. I needed to travel several thousand kilometers by plane and several trains. One train got late, I had to spend a lot of time in the train station filled with drunk (and potentially violent) soccer fans and garbage, then another train had problems because there was a suicidal girl walking on the tracks. According to the train guard, there was a fight on one of the trains and they had to call the police. Those soccer fans were everywhere and they left smell of vomit in almost all train cars. When I arrived at my hotel, nobody was there, my mobile phone ceased to work and I had to go to a nearby bakery to call the receptionist and check in. I've been to that country before and all these things aren't typical (didn't occur in my past travels with such intensity). The retreat was indeed life-changing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It happens quite frequently that a rain starts exactly at the same time, when I realize something important. Same with Skype: Often the connection is lost precisely at the moment, when I or the other person says something important/profound.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Often, I experience some major conflict with other people (incl. threatening them to call the police, if they don't stop), and then, some time thereafter, I have either a productivity peak or some important insight.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism in general and Diamond Way in particular say anything about&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether emotionally intensive situations (usually unpleasant) are signs of growth and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;how to get most benefit from them (other than suck it up and persevere) ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-23T12:38:36.387" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T16:55:01.653" Title="What does Diamond Way Buddhism say about obstacles at times of becoming more conscious?" Tags="|personal-practice|tibetan-buddhism|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10145" CreationDate="2015-12-23T10:16:41.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;you have to switch to sensations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is broken into 4 tetrads out of which the 2nd tetrad is Contemplation of the Feeling. Once you are in step 4 and moving to step 5 you are moving from Contemplation of the Body to Contemplation of the Feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your breathing stops next is to keep experiencing the itching, perspiration, heat / cold, irritation feeling at the centre of the upper lips  continuously. At 1st these are the types of sensations you feel but after sometime it becomes pleasant. This is when you really are in step 5 and before that is more a transitionary phase. If there is any tension you have to release it by keeping pasing you attention though these areas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I downloaded the manual about Anapanasati which that answer recommended, and I hope I get a chance to read it, but it might be useful to read some other shorter/different answer of yours here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should already have a teacher to hold hands and guide you or you should do your homework properly. Read through many relevant Suttas as possible. I have given many references below but also following maybe a good initial read: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. It is dangerous to do without guidance or doing your homework properly as Breath Meditation done wrongly can have lead to complication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how to breathe when meditating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not have to breath in any particular way. You take a step aside and look at the process of breathing. Now the breath starts, now it accelerates, nor it has peaked, now it is slowing, not it has stopped, now there is a gap, now it has started in the opposite direction, .... Then at end of each in breath and out breath where you with the breath or did you mind wander away. If so this it create any tension, relax them by passing you attention though these areas in a zigzag way if large of is small, keeping your attention for a small time on the area. Then get you attention back to the process smilingly without any agitation or worry. Continue doing this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you start choose the rest your attention in the triangle from the top of your nose and base of the upper lip. As you become skillful narrow it down from the tip of the nose to the base of the upper lip. Then just the upper lip and finally the centre of the upper lip. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also 1st start with the process of breathing then followed by, touch sensation of the breath, and then finally keep the breath on a spot at the centre of the upper lip. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My breathing gets shallow and then stops&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep watching you bodily sensations, the sensations will initially be unpleasant, than pleasant and finally neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q1) Initially you breathing will be deep but as you go on it will become shorter and stop. When it stops it can be a few minutes or even the rest of the whole session. When this happens at 1st you become restless and sometimes wonder what to do next. When you worry and think this actually means you need oxygen. The natural response of the body is that you start breathing again. Clearly this is not happening or you have intentionally stopped breaking or holding you breath even perhaps for psychological reasons because you want it to stop. You should not in any way manipulate the breath, though when calming the breath you can indirectly doing by increasing your focus and actively reviewing if the mind is with the breath and actively redirecting your mind to the breath. When driving generally is is better to concentrate on expansion and contation of the body than focus on the tip of your nose as it is less prone to create drowsiness. If the activity is not hazardous (there will be no accident if there is a lapse) continue with the sensation around the mouth or if possible the centre of the upper lip also being mindful of the breathing process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q2) This is coming from Yoga and Buddhist sects influenced by it so I am not an expert. But having said that for it the be insight meditation you focus should be in the 4 elements (hardness, expansion contraction, etc) or the feeling you have around this area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q3) This again is more like Pranayama though you are not intentionally doing it. This creates some nice feelings but again this is not insight meditation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sunlun-meditation.net/ebooks/SLVENG.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sun Lun Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; teachers something like this but when doing this without guidance is not advisable. Also the method of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Lee&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Lee&lt;/a&gt; does take a more active approach in manipulating the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q4) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/m118-Anapanasati-S-v26-tlr-piya_2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana Sati Meditation on Breathing by Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/fourelements.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing &amp;amp; Four Elements Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/knowing_and_seeing_rev_ed.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/mindful_body_v120315.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindful of the Body: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/right_mindfulness_v140930.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Mindfulness: Memory &amp;amp; Ardency on the Buddhist Path&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/KeepingTheBreathInMind_v130421.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Keeping the Breath in Mind &amp;amp; Lessons in Samadhi&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/inner_strength_v120113.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Inner Strength &amp;amp; Parting Gifts&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/withEachAndEveryBreath_v131019.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;With Each &amp;amp; Every Breath: A Guide to Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, though not strictly related the following answer also has many references which are relavent to making your breath meditaion sucessful also: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13210/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13210/295&lt;/a&gt;, I have quite a few other answers in this are also which I am having a hard time re locating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q5) If you do not enjoy breathing normally maybe you are building up tensions. You should do this releasing body and mind by being aware of tensions in the body and mind and passing your attention to them. Also you might be having Restless Worry when doing breath meditation. When you are doing other activities perhaps you can do contemplation of the Wind Element (expansion and contraction)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also with your medical problem I am not sure if Breath meditation is the best thing, but unless you try you will not know for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T01:46:52.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9488" CreationDate="2015-12-23T11:24:21.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Listening, reading, thinking about what has been said create sensations. You have to look at these sensation. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In additions if it is listening the Dhamma then this also can be used as a stepping stone for the 3 trainings. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;code&gt;listening to Dhamma &amp;gt; joy (pāmujja) &amp;gt; zest (pīti) &amp;gt; tranquillity (passaddhi) &amp;gt; happiness (sukha) &amp;gt; concentration or collectedness of the mind or mastery over the mind (samādhi) &amp;gt; the knowledge and vision of reality (yathā,bhuta,ñāna,dassana) &amp;gt; repulsion and dispassion (nibbidā,virāgo) &amp;gt; the knowledge and vision of liberation (vimutti,ñāna,dassana)&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Agreeable, disagreeable, neither Agreeable nor disagreeable are tied to pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T15:04:41.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13225" CreationDate="2015-12-23T14:14:58.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;whether emotionally intensive situations (usually unpleasant) are signs of growth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said by some that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suffering is the broom that sweeps away suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so it can be viewed as a kind of growth, in some situations, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how to get most benefit from them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;by &quot;them&quot; I assume you mean &lt;code&gt;emotionally intensive situations&lt;/code&gt;&#xA;in that case the way to get the most out of them is maintain the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;paramitas&lt;/a&gt; of patience and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How you react to these situations, and how aware you are to your reactions and thoughts during them is key here. If your emotions get the better of you, then it is not growth, though you can learn and grow from the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you maintain your composure and are able to navigate the situation(s) without losing your cool, growth is occurring. Especially if the situation might have caused you to lose your cool in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-23T14:20:22.827" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T14:20:22.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9624" CreationDate="2015-12-23T14:40:14.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it Vipassana and Samatha Jhana linguistic development to distinguish between Jhana born from contemplating on the 4 Satipatthana as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (as Vipassana Jhana) and based on conceptual or mental constructions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mental and conceptual constructions (pannatti) are more susceptible to distortions of the mind where by you may see this construction as perhaps permanent and not see its impermanent nature. Likewise other other distortion can happen. For more on these distortions see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Jhana based on such conceptual framework this is mainly the mode of pratice in Samatha meditation can be identified as Samatha Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T14:40:14.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9637" CreationDate="2015-12-23T15:02:29.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;concentrate on what I am doing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentration on what you do on its own right is not Insight Meditation. You have to be mindful of the arising and passing of sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An acrobat, surgeon, ballerina, etc. must be concentrate on what they do, but this concentration does not make them less stressful. perhaps it makes them more stressful. This is what you are experiencing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;concentrate on my breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very good. But when doing this release the tension in you body and mind by passing your mind in any areas there might be discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On emotional instability&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotional instability is an offshoot of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Ill_will_.28vyapada.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ill-will&lt;/a&gt;. In the case of being emotional &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T15:02:29.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13225" CreationDate="2015-12-23T16:22:33.353" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a saying in Zen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we love them flowers wither; when we hate them creepers bloom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, the more you like something, the more your mind gets sensitive to losing that. And the more you hate something, the more painfully aware you become of its unwanted existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana Buddhism we usually do not see external events as reward or punishment. That would be too dualistic, almost like in Christianity or Hinduism. But we do see everything as training opportunity. So if some problems occur, we are like: &quot;great! now I can practice even more!&quot; In this sense the more you advance - the bigger are the challenges. Not because the world tests you but because you push yourself, you raise your own bar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you raise your bar, you become more aware of the imperfections. There is another saying: &quot;Buddha's heart is sensitive like an eye, feels strongly even a tiny hair&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said,  for beginner students attachments &lt;em&gt;always&lt;/em&gt; manifest as obstacles. Whenever you have a strong attachment you can be sure you will encounter major problems that go against that attachment. And the stronger the attachment, the bigger the problems will be. Especially if the circumstances are very important, like one-in-lifetime events as wedding, major retreat etc. If you let go of attachment, it's almost feels like you &quot;pass the test&quot; - and break through to something new. But if you hold on to your attachment, it almost always fruits as some real-life painful problem - and because you did not drop the attachment you keep going in circles. This is how it usually works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's important to understand though, none of this is objective. It's not like the universe conspires against you - or wants to help your practice. Rather, the world you find yourself in, is always a manifestation of your &quot;energy&quot;, your state of mind - often at subconscious level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, emotionally intensive situations are not as much signs of growth as they are signs of attachments - but certainly as you grow you start encountering more and more of your hidden attachments, so in this sense it's a good sign.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to get the most benefit of these situations: is to never objectify them (&quot;those damn soccer fans!&quot;) -- and always try to identify your attachment and drop it. When you drop your attachment you will see all kinds of magic happen, like demons turning into dharma-friends etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-23T16:22:33.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13144" CreationDate="2015-12-23T22:17:08.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tripitaka is taught to and learned by monks in the monasteries and laypeople are encouraged to learn. From a Tibetan viewpoint, the texts H.H. quoted are included within one of the three baskets. Shantideva's &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattvacharyavatara&lt;/em&gt; is included in the Sutra Pitaka (although it is not a sutra), Asanga's &lt;em&gt;Mahāyāna Sūtrālamkāra kārikā&lt;/em&gt; is included in the Abhidharma Pitaka, Kamalashila's &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt; belongs to the Abhidharma Pitaka, Nagarjuna's &lt;em&gt;Karika&lt;/em&gt; belongs to the Abhidharma Pitaka as well, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the ninth chapter of the &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva Deeds&lt;/em&gt;, Shantideva explains that anything that is included within one of the three baskets was the speech – or at least the intention – of Lord Buddha. His Holiness the Dalaï-Lama highlighted this principle. In &lt;em&gt;Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;, he writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Dromtönpa lay dying, his head rested on the lap of one of his chief&#xA;  disciples, Potowa, and he noticed that Potowa was crying. Then Potowa&#xA;  said, “After you pass away, in whom can we entrust our spiritual&#xA;  well-being? Who can we take as our teacher?” Dromtönpa replied, “Don’t&#xA;  worry. You’ll still have a teacher after I’m gone—the tripitaka, the&#xA;  threefold collection of the teachings of the Buddha. Entrust yourself&#xA;  to the tripitaka; take the tripitaka as your teacher.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Furthermore, in 'Transcendent Wisdom', His Holiness writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three baskets are (1) Vinaya, dealing with moral discipline; (2)&#xA;  Sutra, dealing with the training in meditative concentration and other&#xA;  facets of the path of awakening; and (3) Abhidharma (sometimes&#xA;  translated as &quot;higher knowledge&quot;), concerning a diversity of topics&#xA;  ranging from psychology to cosmology. For a further explanation see&#xA;  Opening the Eye of New Awareness, pp. 47-52.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;We hold that the Tibetan translators showed to which basket the text they were translating belonged, by way of paying particular homage. As His Holiness writes in his commentary to &lt;em&gt;Stages of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The intention [of the Tibetan translator paying homage when&#xA;  translating Nagarjuna and so forth] was to cearly indicate to which of&#xA;  the three divisions [the pitakas, or baskets] of the Buddha's&#xA;  teachings any sutra or commentary belongs. [It goes as follows:]&#xA;  1. Supplication is made to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas if a text belongs to the Collection of Discourses [i.e. Sutra Pitaka].&#xA;  2. And if a text belongs to the Collection of Knowledge [i.e. Abhidharma Pitaka], supplication is made to Manjushri.&#xA;  3. In order to indicate that a certain text belongs to the Collection of Discipline [I..e Vinaya Pitaka], supplication is made to the&#xA;  Omniscient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-24T07:58:55.517" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T07:58:55.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13237" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-24T03:52:07.240" Score="3" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it &lt;code&gt;truly&lt;/code&gt; possible to do activities without expectations or some aspect of the &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; ideal attached to them? Does the Buddha explain anything of the sort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If yes, how to go about achieving that? It could be something like what the &lt;em&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/em&gt; says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We could do those tasks mindfully, but they could be complex thinking activities, necessary to achieve some final goal, so we cannot dismiss them as &quot;thinking, thinking&quot;. Consequentially, there is a chance that we may get lost in our thoughts and feelings may creep in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this is another question, but did the more complicated concepts and practice techniques Gautama described attach to the context of that day and age? And maybe they are only best suited for monks? (Maybe we shouldn't take them to the workplace or family.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T15:10:41.913" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T22:35:52.000" Title="Doing daily or complex activities without attachment" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|daily-life|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13238" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-24T08:06:41.437" Score="4" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain to me this phenomenon that has happened to me? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not a serious Buddhist practitioner. I used to do mindfulness practice daily (20&amp;ndash;30 min on 90% of days), just observing normal breaths or maybe counting the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last night I didn't get proper sleep so I just started observing my thoughts. Images started appearing and disappearing and also voices (as if I were talking or someone else was). Whatever we call reasoning is again a sequence of images and voices. The &lt;strong&gt;'I'&lt;/strong&gt; existed in the images and in the voices (as in &lt;em&gt;I did this, I have this work, I had headache...&lt;/em&gt;, something like that) and, at the same time, the &lt;strong&gt;'I'&lt;/strong&gt; did not exist and everything was just a sequence of thoughts (voice or image). As a consequence, any egoistical thing like a superiority complex or that kind of thing made no sense &amp;ndash; but this whole experience lasted roughly for 3&amp;ndash;5 mins. I am slightly hesitant to use word &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; this morning but yet somewhat comfortable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain this phenomenon to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7485" LastEditorUserId="11422" LastEditDate="2018-07-11T04:41:30.957" LastActivityDate="2018-07-11T04:41:30.957" Title="Was the 'I' gone (for a moment)?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|self|beginner|personal-experience|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13238" CreationDate="2015-12-24T10:52:31.717" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It happened that images are appearing and disappearing &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;voices(may be a kind of I am talking or someone else) appearing and disappearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is hearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can someone explain me this phenomenon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned phenomenon that are subject to arising are also subject to cessation. You experienced Images that came and went, and voices that came and went. There's really nothing more to it than that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana, the aim is to clearly see reality as it is. When we are hearing, we simply know it as hearing. If you heard voices in your head, that was still only hearing. It wasn't &quot;your speech&quot;, or &quot;someone else's speech&quot;, it was merely noise that came and went. To say anything more about it is to falsely ascribe meaning to reality, that reality simply does not admit of. The same can be said of whatever you saw, thought, smelled, felt, tasted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is an instructional booklet on Vipassana practice you may find of some use.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;I&quot; is just a compounded formation of learned behaviors that is culturally and behaviorally conditioned as one grows, and helps one ( in some regards) relate to the world. I don't know why the &quot;I&quot; disappeared for you in this case, but what can be said is that now you can see that the idea of &quot;I&quot; or &quot;Me&quot; is impermanent just like anything else. We spend our entire lives building up the &quot;I&quot; into some idea that we like, but it is subject to ceasing like everything, and so is also not worth clinging to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2015-12-24T11:14:07.077" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T11:14:07.077" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13238" CreationDate="2015-12-24T11:03:40.730" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;phenomenon that is happened to me....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience most of the phenomenon you describe, some emotion (mental feeling) of physical sensation would have popped up. These are sometimes not readily apparent sometimes but if you practice insight meditation especially in the way taught by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt; you will get sensitive enough to experience them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is to look at the arising and passing of these sensations with equanimity. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and more in detail it is discussed in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it seems that your ego identification is dissolving due to meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T15:45:46.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13237" CreationDate="2015-12-24T11:09:59.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism things are slightly different. Being aware and mindful of what you do (as you say) is more of a hindu concept if it is from the Bhagavad Gita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This itself is good. A surgeon, ballerina, acrobat, etc. will need to be mindful and aware. If they do not then they cannot do their job. This will make you do a good job in whatever you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism what need to be done is you should be aware of the arising and passing away of sensation you experience with equanimity. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;) This is what will eradicate the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 evil roots&lt;/a&gt; which in turn helps you realise &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nirvana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T15:42:39.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13242" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-24T12:11:44.313" Score="7" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;I learn new things every day, which on use becomes knowledge and wisdom over the years. From Buddhism point of view, I can reincarnate in different world and time , can remember my previous birth. What does Buddhism say of samsaric knowledge gained on previous birth? Is it accessible to new reincarnate being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T09:29:56.167" Title="Samsaric knowledge" Tags="|samsara|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13243" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-24T12:24:12.373" Score="6" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;What can be object of contemplation during meditation? Can I take a puzzle or mathematical problem for contemplation? What is the right way of contemplation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T22:28:45.123" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T01:16:18.920" Title="Contemplating during meditation" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13243" CreationDate="2015-12-24T16:12:11.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All this involve conceptualisation which can lead to delusional thoughts as with any mind constructed concept it is easy to lose sight of its true nature. This is called Vipallasa as discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes you cannot avoid doing intellectual work like a puzzle or mathematical work. This is not ideal, but any kind of mental activity or when you cognize you experience some sensation. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you are sensitive enough then perhaps you can try to look at the arising  and passing of these sensations with equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some analysis from the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cognizing a mental object with the mind, one examines the mental object as the basis for&#xA;  pleasure, or for pain, or for neither-pain-nor-pleasure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Hence the puzzle and math problem inevitably create some sensation which falls into the the 3 categories of either pleasant, painful or neither pleasant or painful. Similar passage appears in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell rejecting both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, and dwell in&#xA;  equanimity, mindful and fully aware,’ he dwells therein equanimously, mindful and fully aware&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Clearly the math problem or puzzle is unrepulsive but you have to be equanimous when doing this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he &lt;em&gt;dwells contemplating states&lt;/em&gt; that &lt;strong&gt;arise&lt;/strong&gt; in the ... he &lt;em&gt;dwells contemplating states&lt;/em&gt; that &lt;strong&gt;fall away&lt;/strong&gt; in the ... he &lt;em&gt;dwells contemplating states&lt;/em&gt; that &lt;strong&gt;arise&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;fall away&lt;/strong&gt; in the ... he maintains this mindfulness: ‘There is ...’ just sufficient for knowing and awareness And he dwells independent, not clinging to anything in this world ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/d22-Mahasatipatthana-S-tltr-piya_111203.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Satipatthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Here &lt;code&gt;... And he dwells independent, not clinging to anything in this world ...&lt;/code&gt; is equanimously, in your case not getting excited about the problem. &lt;code&gt;... just sufficient for knowing and awareness ...&lt;/code&gt; means there is no conceptualisation and though proliferation, which you your case is present but this has some sensation as previously discussed. If you are sensitive enough you can look at these sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T10:09:42.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13242" CreationDate="2015-12-24T16:16:33.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Habits practiced over many lifetimes persist. Say there is monkey born as a monkey over 500 lifetimes and subsequently born human. The tendency to be a bit jumpy will persist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other knowledge you cannot access unless you develop the ability to recall past life. This is not easy and developing these kind of abilities are not connected to the Buddhist goal hence not encouraged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without such ability and an average person so cannot access past life knowledge you will most likely not be able to do in this and future lives also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T01:53:07.433" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T01:53:07.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13136" CreationDate="2015-12-24T16:20:58.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This was meant to be a comment, but it exceeded the word limit, so posted it as an answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The world (loke) is like a tar ball. You get stuck to it if you cling to it's sensual baits, and you still get stuck to it if you get into conflict with it. The middle path (this is not a statistically average way) is to see the tar ball's true nation, i.e. a volatile unpredictable place with repeated births and deaths, and let go of attachment to the world and any conflict towards the world. Practicing the middle path, one will become unbound from the tar ball. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Piya Tan's translation and commentary of the Kaccayanagotta Sutta (S 12.15) explains on what really is the middle way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.13-Kaccanagotta-S-s12.15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.13-Kaccanagotta-S-s12.15-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T17:57:42.283" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13218" CreationDate="2015-12-24T19:37:50.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot give you an exact answer to what happened, but it seems like you've had a moment of &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0743290461&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;seeing yourself as you really are&quot; (in the words of the 14th Dalai Lama)&lt;/a&gt;. The acute experience of seeing oneself as detached and naked is bound very closely to the experience of existential anxiety, the &quot;just-is-ness&quot; of being in the world, that phenomenology and existentialism speaks about. They call it &quot;being there&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've had the same experience and after some reflection and repetition it can be very helpful indeed. I've also found that seeing the &quot;compositeness&quot; of oneself and one's body gives you a more realistic and  irreconcilable view of your existential situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to go more systematically forward with these kinds of trainings, I recommend trying the exercises described in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1908664029&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;The Direct Path: A User Guide&lt;/em&gt;&quot; by Greg Goode&lt;/a&gt;, a non dual inquiry into direct experience, both of your own body, thoughts, feelings and the external world. Goode is definitely and directly inspired by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-24T20:27:03.707" LastActivityDate="2015-12-24T20:27:03.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13248" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-25T03:41:00.837" Score="6" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it wrong when Buddhist celebrate Christmas?&#xA;I definitely shocked when I saw a monk facebook's status then he wrote that we do the wrong thing when we celebrate Christmas. Is that true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1015" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T09:06:20.510" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T10:15:14.337" Title="Celebrate Christmas" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|modern-world|traditions|holidays|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-25T03:56:42.733" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is probably best to leave other's opinions/beliefs to them unless it is useful to your practice or directly affects your life in some way. Also, it seems like Facebook has done its job. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems like your identification with Christmas has kicked in. Whatever positive/negative opinion I have about it and express it, it will probably affect you in some way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A method of dealing with this is to rationally question the identity of the person who put up the status if it is possible, and also to check your reactions for yourself. Right Mindfulness is essential here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you are enjoying your Christmas celebrations. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T09:07:43.550" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T09:07:43.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-25T04:23:45.650" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are concerned about what a monk or another teacher of Buddhism has said, I find it is worth knowing about the wonderful Kalama Sutta from the Anguttara Nikaya. I do not read Pali and so have only read it in English. Here is an excerpt that might help with your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the Blessed One: &quot;There are some monks and brahmans, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmans too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmans spoke the truth and which falsehood?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And later the Buddha responds by saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;10&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumour; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not blameable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The link for this Sutta in English is here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7369" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T11:33:09.903" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T11:33:09.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-25T05:02:41.617" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever the monk said on Facebook needs to be looked in context and should not be taken at face value. You will get that context only from that monk and hence I will not comment on what he said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to Christmas. It is the birth of a great saint Jesus Christ. Now one can surely celebrate the birthday of a saint, who gave the world a message of love, compassion and peace. Even he preached his followers '&lt;a href=&quot;http://mysticson.blogspot.in/2010/08/know-thyself.html&quot;&gt;Know Thyself&lt;/a&gt;'. So one should be mindful and instead of following the masses decide for oneself how to celebrate Christmas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Listen to this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Rax1XL3O4&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; of S N Goenka to get an idea of how one can celebrate Christmas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T05:02:41.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13252" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13256" CreationDate="2015-12-25T07:24:21.780" Score="3" ViewCount="434" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the Origin and History of Milindapanha? When was it 1st written? How did evolve over time? What are the notable changes to it if any? Since when was it in the current form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T15:13:21.567" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T18:01:04.697" Title="What is the Origin and History of Milindapanha?" Tags="|history|early-buddhism|learning|milindapanha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13254" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13741" CreationDate="2015-12-25T11:54:57.977" Score="6" ViewCount="940" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the moment of death, to the moment of rebirth (or alternative outcomes)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How would you map the flowchart of the bardo?&#xA; or instead of a flowchart a tree map?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A list of stages would also be sufficient. &#xA;The specific order is important though I believe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember something being said of the max time one could spend in the bardo being 49 days. Chunks of 7 days normally lead to rebirth, and I have knowledge of some of the stages. The specific order is always a matter of curiosity for me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T17:41:30.130" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T06:36:21.833" Title="Stages of the Bardo" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|death|bardo|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13252" CreationDate="2015-12-25T16:57:13.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Summarizing briefly from the introduction to the translation and analysis by A.V. Paribok:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ancient parts are Book 2 and parts of Book 1 -- most likely written in Punjab (North-Western India) about 0 CE. The language of the original was probably &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Hybrid_Sanskrit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hybrid Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book 1 (the narrative introduction) was evidently expanded and elaborated at a later time, probably to make it better fit with Theravada - the late parts include: the story of monks traveling to the heavens, Nagasena's birth, his travel to Pataliputra, Buddha's prediction of Nagasena's birth, the episode of Nagasena teaching Abhidharma expanded with TOC of Theravada's Abhidharma-pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Book 2 is the MP proper, ending with &quot;In Milindapanha the questions and answers are finished&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next part is Book 3 (the largest), written in 1st-2nd century CE, probably still in Hybrid Sanskrit. The way it explains controversial Buddha's quotes by interpreting them either as ultimate teaching or a mere provisional guidance, can be seen as an early element of Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Books 2 and 3 are evidently the most interesting parts of Milindapanha as far as Buddhist teaching and philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Books 4-6 were written even later, most likely in Ceylon - already in Pali language. Of them book 4 is the earliest, written as a response to the question about existence of Buddha in Book 2 Chapter 5. Book 5 is written to address the unanswered question of Book 1: why go forth as a monk if the Goal can be attained in lay life. Book 6 was written even later, imitating the style of books 4 and 5.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The content of the text in its present form has probably stabilized by 500 CE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada, Milindapanha is considered the middle ground between the Canon and the commentaries - because the commentaries often quote MP. Although it seems clear that MP belongs to the Sthavira family of schools (as opposed to Maha-sangha) - however when analyzed critically, MP does not exactly match the teaching of any single school, clearly mismatching Theravada on many points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who'd like to read MP online, the versions I find available are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe35/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;T. W. Rhys David's early translation circa 1890&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/milinda.html#&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Pesala's highly abridged and simplified version&lt;/a&gt; - which he himself calls &quot;free rendering&quot;. Unfortunately Horner's translation titled &quot;Milinda's Questions&quot; is only available in hard copy and the cost is prohibitive. Access To Insight has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.intro.kell.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;excerpts from Books 2 and 3&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=OLWh1MMg_JQC&amp;amp;lpg=PP1&amp;amp;pg=PP1#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;an abridged version edited by  N. K. G. Mendis&lt;/a&gt; which is based on Horner's translations with some borrowings from T.W. Rhys David plus editor's own translation - this is supposed to be pretty good to deserve Bhikkhu Bodhi's endorsement but I'm not entirely convinced the editor was not biased to Theravada school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T18:01:04.697" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T18:01:04.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8269" CreationDate="2015-12-25T18:23:16.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can you go through all 7 purifications of insight with walking meditation. Can you also go through the 7 purifications of insight by focusing on your steps ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Answer: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8282/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8282/295&lt;/a&gt; already covers this aspect already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and saying to yourself &quot;stepping, stepping&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many view from different teachers and traditions on this and according to some this is not a valid way to do walking meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In walking meditation you have to look at either:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;look at changes in your posure, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sensation in your body when you walk&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Look at Changes in Your Posure&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are looking at your you use your body consciousness. If you look at the type of minds that arise from body consciousness they are always accompanied by 3 sensation which are either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. So when you introspect the posture you are in your essentially knowing your posture thought these sensations. There is no mind state devoid of sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Sensation in your Body when you Walk&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do walk there are other sensation like the cloths touching your body. Wind brushing your legs. And other like heat or cold, perspiration running down your legs. You can keep being aware of the arising and passing of these sensations.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Why not to use Metal Recitation&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any labeling is constructed in a spoken language hence is verbal formation. E.g. Stepping. According to the Abhidhamma this is called nama pannatti&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;. Any mental construction &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; lead corruptions of insight as they are can be tainted by any of the Vipallasa&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;. Also say you were Walking and stopped then you are standing then the meaning of walking is lost, hence language constructs not realities&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see this process as cognising the words &quot;walking&quot;, &quot;stepping&quot; then this can become insight meditation again. Here you can to see the arising and passing of sensation associated with cognising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said this there are some Schools of Buddhism which does use techniques like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Iriyāpathapabbaṃ—Postures of the Body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Iriyāpatha are postures of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;gacchanto vā ‘gacchāmī’ti pajānāti, ṭhito vā ‘ṭhitomhī’ ti pajānāti, nisinno vā ‘nisinnomhī’ti pajānāti, sayāno vā ‘sayānomhī’ti pajānāti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When walking (gacchanto), a meditator knows well ‘I am walking’ (‘gacchāmi’). Similarly, whether standing (ṭhito), sitting (nisinno), or lying down (sayāno) a meditator knows this well. This is just the beginning. In the sentence that follows, not &quot;I&quot;, but just &quot;body&quot; is known well in whatever posture (yathā yathā paṇihito).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yathā yathā vā panassa kāyo paṇihito hoti, tathā tathā naṃ pajānāti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, in a repetition of the same sentences, the body is observed inside, outside, and both inside and outside simultaneously. Arising is observed, then passing, then both together. Actually it is the sensations that are observed as arising and passing away, because sampajāñña, the understanding of anicca, has to be present, as in every chapter. Awareness follows that ‘This is body,’ and that it is not &quot;I.&quot; This is established with wisdom. Then mere understanding and awareness follow, without any base to hold. There is nothing to grasp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati… ‘atthi kayo’ ti…na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; The Theravada Abhidhamma: Its Inquiry into the Nature of&#xA;Conditioned Reality by Y. Karunadasa, Chapter 2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt; SN 22.62 Niruttipatha Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T01:52:39.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13243" CreationDate="2015-12-25T20:51:02.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Budddhsm uses contemplation a lot. It is often called analytical meditation. The purpose is to penetrate various realities through deep and valid reasoning. True, the resulting insights are conceptual, but concepts can be valid when built upon valid reasoning. In our everyday life, we use concepts, and rely upon them for important decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually all concepts are burnt away by the fire of direct experience, when one beomes an Arya.A fire burns away the very wood that began it. But no wood, no fire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As humans we are unique in having an advanced intellect. Not to use it, but to rely only upon experience and sensation is not to fully use the faculties we have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more ways of &quot;knowing&quot; than just sensory experience. Inferential understanding based upon valid reasoning is more trustworthy than unverified experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7494" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T20:51:02.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-25T21:41:18.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it depends on how and why we might celebrate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pope himself doesn't seem to be entirely happy with how some people celebrate Christmas,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35178228&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pope Francis in his Christmas homily denounces materialism&lt;/a&gt; (BBC)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/12/24/pope_let_us_gaze_upon_the_child_jesus,_the_son_of_god/1196756&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis&lt;/a&gt; (Vatican radio)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are at least a couple of comments which I admire from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;Matthew's answer&lt;/a&gt; to the question, &amp;quot;how to explain what Buddhism is&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to rejoice in their success (mudita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I interpreted this to mean that if my mum wants to 'celebrate Christmas' with her family and according to her traditions, I shouldn't want to put a stop to that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The project is to solve the suffering of all sentient beings, which is achieved by working tirelessly to fix the mundane problems of the world (sickness, hunger), not so much with the aim of happiness but equanimity &amp;amp; peace&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists could use Christmas as a seasonal reminder to give presents (or volunteer their time): if &amp;quot;charity&amp;quot; is how to celebrate Christmas, it's hard to see that as necessarily doing a wrong thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although not every Buddhist can give material presents, &amp;quot;The gift of the Dhamma excels all gifts&amp;quot;.&#xA;One of my nephews is someone who I only see about once a year (at Christmas). Last year he mentioned to me that he was interested in Buddhism, that he &amp;quot;couldn't hear enough&amp;quot; about it ... this year I gave him copies of eighteen books about Buddhism (which people recommended on this site), and it seemed that made him happy. Perhaps that's a form of celebration that even a monk may approve of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's an interesting question though. I sang in a choir, which gave a Christmas concert: and one of the songs for example was &lt;em&gt;Gaudete&lt;/em&gt;, whose lyrics are literally telling people to rejoice because Christ is born. And I was trying to sing it well, to convey the message to the audience, &amp;quot;rejoice because Christ is born&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the concert the audience and choir met for snacks in the village hall, and someone from the audience thanked me, saying, &amp;quot;Thank you, that creates joy.&amp;quot; I had mixed feelings, partly I felt &amp;quot;well thanks for telling me, that's mission accomplished then, because joy was just what I was trying to convey&amp;quot;; but I also wondered if this manipulation of people's feelings was a kind of cheat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be emotional baggage associated with Christmas, cultural and personal assumptions being made; however &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9691/254&quot;&gt;according to this answer&lt;/a&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preconceived ideas, assumptions, notions and habits are what we try to understand and do away with in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and so at least to that extent the celebration of Christmas might be &amp;quot;doing the wrong thing&amp;quot;, perhaps a useless or unhelpful ritual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T21:41:18.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-25T21:50:18.853" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Directly answering your question: Buddhist texts are more upset at following the wrong sort of Buddhism than for practicing two unrelated religions. Buddhist text tend to suggest that practicing other religions isn't bad per se, but useless as it won't solve the problem of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what to do about this day off in December?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For awhile I was interested in Asatru, which is the religion(s) of most of Europe before Christianity. As it turns out Yule &amp;amp; Christmas are pagan holidays updated to celebrate the birth of Christ. The timing and symbolic elements are all pagan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So re-purposing Yule again is at least with precident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pre-Christians religions have a connection with Buddhism, too. For example, when Buddhism came along, a lot of the myths and gods of pre-Buddhist thought were incorporated into the religion and those gods had corresponces in the European system, i.e. Thor and Indra are essentially the same myth, just one migrated to Europe and one migrated to India. So celebrating mythical elements from Asatru is with precident, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One person has created a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jkllr.net/2008/12/13/the-maha-santa-claus-sutra/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Santa Claus Sutra&lt;/a&gt;&quot;-- I would have called Santa Claus a Dana King, since he's all about giving, an important paramita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, as a recent convert in a country where I don't get a day off on Rohatsu (Dec 8, the celebration day for Shakyamuni's Enlightenment in Japan), I feel I might as well celebrate it December 24 and 25.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish there were more Buddhist songs I could play on Dec-25-Rohatsu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T21:50:18.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13262" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13264" CreationDate="2015-12-25T22:23:11.787" Score="5" ViewCount="1767" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not questioning the path of Zen. It just exist as it is. But I read this legend about Bodhidharma. To stay awake he cut off his eyelids and tea was flourished. Upto now I have felt tranquility in meditation. But isn't it an insane act. How people tell this story about a great Zen master? Or is it mystical way of delivering something which I am not understanding?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7460" LastEditorUserId="7460" LastEditDate="2015-12-25T22:28:14.243" LastActivityDate="2021-12-19T22:07:37.197" Title="Isn't it insane Bodhidharma cut his own eyelids?" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13237" CreationDate="2015-12-25T22:35:52.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it truly possible&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what &quot;truly&quot; possible means: can anything be, &quot;possible, but not 'truly' possible&quot;?&#xA;Perhaps the question is a bit extremist: perhaps you're asking about something beyond what's 'truly' possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;to do activities without expectations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question reminds me of the saying that &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1302/254&quot;&gt;dharma is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end&lt;/a&gt;&quot; ... I think that maybe &quot;doing activities without expectations or some aspect of the self ideal attached to them&quot; might be sensible, and better than the alternative, even &quot;in the beginning&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some ambiguity in the question: i.e. &quot;desire&quot;, &quot;attachment&quot;, and &quot;expectation&quot; are similar and sometimes used interchangeably. Nevertheless, asking whether it's possible to &quot;do activities without expectations&quot; reminds me of the question of whether it's possible to go to the park without desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when I do an activity then I probably have an expectation, and I do it because I have expectations, for example, &quot;If I walk down this path, then I expect I will arrive at the park.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But expectation can be disappointing, for example, &quot;If I'm nice to him then I expect that he'll be nice to me&quot;; so at that point (if an expected result doesn't materialize) it might be better to not have expectation (too much expectation, or misplaced expectation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary maybe it's sensible to have some expectation but not to be attached to it: &quot;if I prescribe him this medicine then I expect his disease will get better ... but, if the symptoms don't get better then I'll change (not be too attached to) my expectation and then I'll come up with a different plan of action.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still it is easy (perhaps too easy) to develop attachments and to accept those attachments as a thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;or some aspect of the self ideal attached to them&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about &quot;the self ideal&quot;. Some of my ideas on that subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no &quot;self&quot; -- when I'm working (writing software) for example then the software is being written but there's no particularly special me who's writing it, and/or that's not the same me as the me who does something else later. I think that's kind of the Buddhist &quot;anatta&quot; theory, the Buddhist view about &quot;identity-view&quot; (that there isn't a fixed/permanent identity to be found)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having self-ideal and feelings and expectations will restrict my actions -- for example I may crave the experience of being a good worker and therefore only do what I'm good at, and avoid opportunities to try new activities that I'm not already very experienced at&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are degrees of more and less &quot;self-ideal&quot; (which gets back to your question of what's 'truly' possible) ... see for example the answers to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe this is another question, but did the more complicated concepts and practice techniques Gautama described attach to the context of that day and age?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is clearly &quot;yes&quot;, and a follow-on question is whether it also attaches to our day and age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are even many people in different situations in our day and age, and so a good question is what practice techniques can we apply to ourselves in particular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So part of our job is to hear Dharma and to understand &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5604/254&quot;&gt;Sat-Dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And maybe they are only best suited for monks?  (Maybe we shouldn't take them to the workplace or family.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's a black-and-white, all-or-nothing, extremist view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect it's true that monks may become monks in order to be (i.e. expecting to become) relatively free to practice all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect it's helpful for laypeople too to take these practices into their lives sometimes, even if they also have other things to do and think about, and are not practising full-time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2015-12-25T22:35:52.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13262" CreationDate="2015-12-25T23:59:38.857" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually, such extreme Zen stories are used to illustrate commitment and urgency to achieve enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's said that he cut his eyelids because at some point he fell asleep during meditation, a major distraction for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Huiko, a disciple, is said to have cut his arm to be accepted as a student by Bodhidharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other stories, some involving cut a disciple's fingers (master Gutei Isshi), others cutting a cat in half (master Nansen Osho) and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as factuality, I don't think these stories are believed by zen monks to have happened (at least, the ones harming another being), but their symbolism remain a strong vehicle to convey strong meanings, specially in the form of Koans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T09:04:53.853" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T09:04:53.853" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13265" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13271" CreationDate="2015-12-26T03:09:08.250" Score="1" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lately when sitting, my head will abruptly turn at weird angles very suddenly. I'm not always able to catch it to stop it before it happens; sometimes the movements are really bizarre ( my head moving straight back, leaving me looking at the ceiling if my eyes were open). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a common/known occurrence in meditation, or do I need to see a doctor? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T16:06:38.110" Title="Why is my head going all Poltergeist on me" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13267" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-26T06:34:14.633" Score="1" ViewCount="189" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been trying to find some info on meditation outdoors here. But I don't. My reason for asking is that I like, as far as possible, to sit outside in meditation. In my country, Norway, there's a lot of forest in the vicinity, even in the cities. And as I understand, Siddhatta Gotama and his followers were were also (at least outside the Rains) sitting outside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A forest is never quiet. You notice that when you are quiet. And it's not &quot;neat and clean&quot; (When instructors talk about places for meditation, they usually say the place should be neat and clean). A forest is usually pretty noisy, uneven and unruly. It's full of stuff, sounds, insects, and animals. But for me this is not disturbing, sounds, (human) animals and &quot;stuff&quot; is more disturbing inside. This might be because I've always felt peace and ease in the forest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'd like to hear from you more experienced people if some of you have been doing any meditation outdoors and what your experiences and advices would be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T13:24:19.970" Title="Meditation outdoors" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13268" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-26T06:48:16.280" Score="5" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you read or hear about Gotama leaving his home and family, the story is usually something like &quot;he shaved his face and head and went out to be a wandering monk&quot;. But very few depictions of the Buddha (perhaps apart from the laughing, fat buddha) is of a bald man. Why is that? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also heard, but don't remember the source, that in early times there was no iconography in Buddhism. As far as I remember hearing, depictions of the Buddha did not appear for many hundreds of years. Actually I've heard that the iconography of Buddhism actually comes from the Greek,,that the first to make icons of the Buddha were Greeks living in India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's obviously a lot of variations over time and between traditions. But can anyone give me some  information, and sources about Greek influences on  Buddhist iconography? Also I wonder why Buddha almost always is depicted with hair? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T12:08:05.260" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T16:48:34.863" Title="Iconography in Buddhism - from the Greeks? And why isn't the Buddha bald?" Tags="|reference-request|history|traditions|iconography|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13267" CreationDate="2015-12-26T10:56:28.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is generally advisable to have a small enclosed room (Kuti) if you are a beginner. This generally protects your from disturbances. The wind or weather can sometimes be a distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are accomplished perhaps a cave or even under a tree when the weather is good might be ideal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2015-12-26T11:20:10.827" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T11:20:10.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13265" CreationDate="2015-12-26T15:33:33.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The experience you describe is not a common experience but meditators do get very uncommon experiences due to sudden outburst of past Karma / Snakhara. When you have stopped creating new Karma though Vipassana sometimes deeply hidden karma suddenly pops up to give results. (Many times cited by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;S.N.Goenka&lt;/a&gt; in his lectures.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if would be an idea to also see a doctor and perhaps a serious meditator too to rule out any medical condition just be on the safe side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="7348" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T16:06:38.110" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T16:06:38.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-12-26T16:36:50.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most important thing is that you should not be attached to your train of thoughts. Whether your CPU (brain) has an efficiency of 2 cores or 6 cores, it doesn't matter! What matters is that the cores are used efficiently. And in Vipassana meditation, they are used most efficiently when they are just shut down (unattached/equanimous to thoughts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T16:36:50.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-12-26T22:32:21.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Multi-tasking is an illusion... I have read that the mind and the senses are like a monkey sticking its head out six different windows rapidly in succession.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great lama once told me that trying to solve a puzzle when you sit down to meditate is in actuality making another samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2015-12-26T22:32:21.747" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2015-12-26T22:32:21.747" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13274" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-27T02:18:08.730" Score="2" ViewCount="275" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is a logical questioning process of every thought(almost) a useful way to break through thought itself and possibly understand enlightenment? For eg:- What is this thought? What is the mind? And try to inspect it clearly. If no answer appears, (because you see they are difficult, almost impossible questions) that is still ok, but you begin to question things with a scientific temper and rationality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T05:49:15.687" LastActivityDate="2023-04-24T16:42:10.607" Title="Rationalism and The spirit of inquiry" Tags="|personal-practice|philosophy|the-buddha|enlightenment|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13275" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13277" CreationDate="2015-12-27T02:34:10.257" Score="4" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a human dies after obtaining a Jhana(and preserved it) he definitly gets his rebirth at a Brahma world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what makes a Brahma come back to human world upon death? Is it possible that he was unable to preserve the Jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="72" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T22:26:04.087" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:06:41.483" Title="What makes Brahmas come back to human world at death?" Tags="|realms|buddhist-cosmology|brahma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-27T04:35:15.827" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Logical thinking about Buddhism is like route / trip planning. The practice of Buddhism is the journey which will take you to the desired destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has his for or adventure over countless lifetimes and found a long lost path and said this take you to this place. Thinking and pondering on how to take the trip is at the realm of logic. Travening is the realm of pratice. Arriving at your final destination following the direction and landmarks is the final realisation. As not body can fully describe the city to the minute details he just mostly mentioned how to get there with some attributes of the destination to entice you to try out the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T04:35:15.827" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13275" CreationDate="2015-12-27T04:37:59.593" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything is impermanent. What the Brahma enjoys is the Pala or fruit. The fruit of any Karma including that arising from developing the Jhanas also passes after sometime. If you develop the Jhanas they also have a finite duration which you can have them before you loose them. The duration can vary based on past pratice, but as always finite. As in many cases if you lose the Jhana before the point of death then you will not be able to go the Brahma world as you need to have the Jhanas at the point off death for it to bear fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T15:01:45.057" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T15:01:45.057" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13268" CreationDate="2015-12-27T09:11:15.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Statue called Laughing Buddha...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Statue called Laughing Buddha is not Lord Buddha or any Buddha. He is some local divine figure in some culture in the east and this statue is misunderstood as a Buddha because it has a name that sounds a lot like Buddha. It's correct pronunciation should be like this or something close - Laughing Budhai&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the Greek connection...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The statues were not made by the Asian artists because of respect and the fear of their creation being not god enough, This should go withot saying Gauthama Buddha was considered the most charming person in India and people even became monks just to see Buddha's beauty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the story goes the appearance was unique and it was not alike with any other person (But as the suttas say only The great arahant kashyapa looked a bit like Lord Buddha). With the scientific knowledge we have today we can say the DNA structure of a Lord Buddha is either unique or a complete anomaly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A king called Kanishka who ruled a certain part of India took a Greek wife and with her came a lot of people as it was a tradition to send skilled people as gifts with princesses who marry to countries abroad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time Buddhists had many other depiction of Lord Buddha to worship Like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.lk/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=6&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjGqe6v1vvJAhUWco4KHbmkB6wQtwIIKjAF&amp;amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9g3Uf2IljvQ&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNECqUtpMTLoGgZzE4Oh1S8st9C3SA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Anandha Bodhi&quot; - Video&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and Lotus carvings on rock pallets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The princess questioned the king Kanishka why there is no statue of Lord Buddha in his kingdom and the king explained why. So she ordered her people to create a statue and with time finally Asian artists came up with their designs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why Buddha is not bald and what was the appearance of Gauthama sage?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Prince Gauthama started his journey he used his sword to cut his hair. But later on even though Lord Buddha advised monks to shave the hair there is no mentioning about Lord Buddha shaving hair. This should go with the special look all the Lord Buddhas shared &quot;The hair with very small curves.&quot; A lord Buddha never appears without hair and the unique hair is sign for others to know who it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T09:11:15.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13268" CreationDate="2015-12-27T11:55:04.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re. the hair or head (but not the Greek influence) I found some references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushnisha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ushnisha&lt;/a&gt; (Wikipedia)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ushnisha was not described initially in the Physical characteristics of the Buddha spelled out by the Buddhist canon. Rather, there are several mentions about a topknot:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;His topknot is like a crown.&quot; (Secondary characteristics, No 53)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;He has a topknot as if crowned with a flower garland.&quot; (Secondary characteristics, No 80)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/cha2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The hair and the Usnisa on the head of the Buddha and the jinars&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So by the time when&#xA;      the sculptors  of Mathura began to carve images of&#xA;      Gautama   Buddha  there  were  two  rival  traditions&#xA;      relating  to hair on the Buddha's  head: an older one&#xA;      now preserved in the Pali Nikayas represented Gautama&#xA;      as  mundaka  or  shaven-headed   monk;   and  another&#xA;      tradition    preserved    in   the   Mahavastu,   the&#xA;      Lalitavistava  and the Nidanakatha represented him as&#xA;      having cut his hair with his sword leaving part of it&#xA;      intact on the head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/baner.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Usnisa-siraskata (a mahapurusa-laksana) in the early Buddha images of India&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The correct interpretation of this&#xA;      peculiarity  of a Buddha, especially in connection&#xA;      with its representation  in Buddhist iconoplastic art&#xA;      of different  periods, has engaged  the attention  of&#xA;      many a scholar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more about prefigurative and early iconography, see answers and comments to these topics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3896/254&quot;&gt;Examples of early Buddhist art&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/215/254&quot;&gt;Why did physical representations of the Buddha only start to appear a few centuries after his death?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T12:55:32.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12363" CreationDate="2015-12-27T14:06:04.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chenrezig&lt;/a&gt; in the Tibetan tradition, Avalokiteśvara is widely known through most Buddhist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to legend, Chenrezig made a a vow that he would not rest&#xA;until he had liberated all the beings in all the realms of suffering.&#xA;After working diligently at this task for a very long time, he looked&#xA;out and  realized the immense number of miserable beings yet to be&#xA;saved. Seeing this, he became despondent and his head split into&#xA;thousands of pieces. Amitabha Buddha put the pieces back together as a&#xA;body with very many arms and many heads, so that Chenrezig could work&#xA;with myriad beings all at the same time. Sometimes Chenrezig is&#xA;visualized with eleven heads, and a thousand arms fanned out around&#xA;him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has a total of 33 forms, including the wrathful form of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81k%C4%81la&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahakala&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;He is also considered to be the &amp;quot;parent&amp;quot; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, Tara came into existence from a single tear shed&#xA;by Avalokiteśvara. When the tear fell to the ground it created a lake,&#xA;and a lotus opening in the lake revealed Tara. In another version of&#xA;this story, Tara emerges from the heart of Avalokiteśvara. In either&#xA;version, it is Avalokiteśvara's outpouring of compassion which&#xA;manifests Tara as a being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is mentioned in the following sutras :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lotus Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kāraṇḍavyūhasūtra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara Heart Dharani Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cundī Dhāraṇī Sūtra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pictured below Avalokitesvara in his 1000 armed form and as Mahakala, and Tara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/E2gbx.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/E2gbx.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7RLiJ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7RLiJ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/py1ui.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/py1ui.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T14:06:04.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-12-27T15:29:41.453" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of any Buddhist meditation is to control the mind to one and only one object of meditation, in this case vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind wanders, and the meditator discovers that the mind has wandered, the meditator should go back to the meditation object immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry, but there should be no multitasking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="3666" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T14:30:04.267" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T14:30:04.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13198" CreationDate="2015-12-27T16:15:05.233" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm glad you asked Suminda here are some of Mahamewnawa teachings on Vipassana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the only one i could find on Anapanasathi Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/75_Anapanasathi_Bhavana.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Liberation through Breath (Meditation of Breathing)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our monastery concentrate more on the vipassana Meditation. Here are some of the popular ones.......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Just a body with movement (Meditation of posturest full awarness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;   A bag with an opening at both ends (Meditation of foulness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;   Slaughtered cow (Meditation on elements)  &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;   Verily my own body, too (Meditation on nine cemetery contemplations)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/49_Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asubha – Anapanasathi Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T16:45:14.167" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T16:45:14.167" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13283" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13287" CreationDate="2015-12-27T16:27:36.160" Score="4" ViewCount="565" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a Blog and a lot of people come to learn Buddhism in it. I want to start doing articles on Theravada Buddhism and i do not have any idea if i can do it without being a bit corrosive in certain topics.&#xA;I want some advice how to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So can you guys help me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T22:27:12.590" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:05:11.457" Title="Maintaining respect to their previous faith while explaining Buddhism to a person who is in another school of Buddhism or another religion?" Tags="|theravada|teaching|media|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2016-01-02T10:57:31.797" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8727" CreationDate="2015-12-27T16:38:37.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let Atma ask Lanka. What would you observe if the object has been disappeared? It quite good to stay as long as it still exists with it, since one could maybe not look proper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just stay with it, the answer will come after simply looking for your self. No need to speculate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T16:38:37.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13283" CreationDate="2015-12-27T16:55:17.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its good to ask one self, &quot;what do I like to gain?&quot; And then it's good, to ask one self, &quot;what would I need to sacrify?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest is then a consideration of which way one likes to take. One is the journey to nibbana, the other wandering on in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how the Buddha saw this point very clear, this Sutta might help you, to have no doubt of what you actually have already in the back of your considerations, as reason for this question: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya&lt;/a&gt; So no &quot;mercy&quot;, either in this or in that direction. One no mercy is for your and the benefit of many, the other is for not for your benefit nor for that of many, and your possibilities in action, are simply a matter of karmic-depended &quot;accidents&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially if you talk on Dhamma or what the Buddha taught, keep always this sutta in mind: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.083.bodh_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.83: Avannaraha Sutta - Dispraise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Truth stands above the wish for harmony, since it is actually real harmony, aside of notions of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for respect, just to be informed. For a Bhikkhu within the affliction of the Buddha, giving any sign for respect to Wanderers of other sects or to Bhikkhus who deserve &quot;punishment&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch08_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;would be a fault&lt;/a&gt;. In the case there is a wanderer of another sect, even so, if he/she speaks Dhamma, its proper to pay respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for one who does not really know now, of what is Dhamma and what is Adhamma, its good to be critical and respectful in both directions of course but bring them together and listen carefully about there arguments and reasoning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:05:11.457" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:05:11.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13283" CreationDate="2015-12-27T17:21:57.237" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is most honorable to do whatever you can so that people who take what you give take it smoothly. However, what you can do in this area is limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To paraphrase Lama Tsongkhapa, if he who receives what you give is like a vessel turned upside down (not open to listen, to receive) nothing will enter; If he is like a leaking vessel (forgetful, not paying attention), whatever will enter will not remain; If he is like a dirty vessel (having a faulty motivation) the pure nectar you will pour in by way of teaching the Dharma will turn to mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are things you can do to make sure people listen to you with an open mind. For instance, one is likely to be open if you are an example. If a beggar was to tell me the same thing my teacher tells me, it would not sink in in the same way because I would not  be as open as I am in relation to my teacher. This is because I have more respect to my teacher, I trust him and I trust his words, his guidance, his intentions. Therefore, that your reader trust you is important. If he does not trust you, his ears will be closed. And in order to be trusted, you have to be trustworthy, you have to be exemplar, for instance in showing respect for others and other traditions. Maybe you can include Links to websites of other traditions on your blog, as a sign of openness, and interest from your part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, I noticed that in the West, many people prefer being told that &quot;it is a method, it is a practice, it is a path among many others, and it works in this and that way&quot; as opposed to &quot;it is the truth&quot;. We like being right, we hate being wrong, we dislike being proven wrong. So, if you emphasize (1) the practical aspects and (2) contexts, that might help not dwelling to much on the 'right or wrong' type of approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I visited my teacher recently. I also, tend to be a bit corrosive with regard certain topics and debating with him showed me that it was due to my own pride, my own arrogance. It's always the &quot;I know, others do not&quot; tendency, or the &quot;How could anyone even think in this or that way?&quot; tendency that tends to take over. If you reduce your pride, you will naturally be smoother and more respectful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-27T21:54:06.453" LastActivityDate="2015-12-27T21:54:06.453" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7841" CreationDate="2015-12-28T00:37:01.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such a thing as &quot;multitasking&quot; does not exist, since mind has only one object one time. So &quot;multitasking&quot; means nothing but dwelling in a fantastic illusion/construction and being totally unaware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calling it a puzzle is a good simile: it's just that one &quot;solves&quot; his own created puzzle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who think that they can handle more things at one time, are actually not at all aware of what they are doing (outwardly), even more so inward events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially busy people, people who are proud of being &quot;able&quot; to handle many things at one time, hate to hear a (anti-&quot;multitasking&quot;) doctrine like this. However, give it a honest self-proof. Record the whole stream and look at it picture by picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reminds me on an essay about walking meditation, which may be of use:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Before yogis begin practicing walking meditation, they may have&#xA;  thought that a step is just one movement. After meditation on that&#xA;  movement, they observe that there are at least four movements, and if&#xA;  they go deeper, they will understand that even one of these four&#xA;  movements consists of millions of tiny movements... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/silananda/bl137_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Benefits of Walking Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T12:45:37.330" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T12:45:37.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13243" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:16:18.920" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For sure the most secure resource might be the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta: Frames of Reference&lt;/a&gt; or the Maha Satipatthana, as already linked. Actually you can take any phenomena (Dhamma) for your analysis, but its recommended to start with start with the body. What you might proof with your investigations is always, it they are lasting or if they are subject of decay. If knowing such in detail, and for sure, your will naturally lose interest in such an object and you may start to investigate the next in its smallest details for the same purpose. Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena gave some good and further hints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T01:16:18.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13267" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:24:11.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is about going deep into the silence within. This is why quiet and solitary places are preferred. Nature can provide a good background for people to meditate. But as you mention, it can also cause distractions. Do the best you can wherever you are. Just remember the purpose. Traditionally renunciates have lived in caves or the forest and so they meditate outside naturally. They have to learn to deal with all the distractions of bugs. You should not add impediments. If you want to renounce and live in the forest, you will probably have to go to the Himalayas and find a guru. Otherwise, meditate wherever helps you go deep into yourself. The key principle is that where you meditate should not be a preoccupation. The mind is enough of a challenge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T01:24:11.300" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13275" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:28:56.163" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;he &lt;strong&gt;definitly&lt;/strong&gt; gets his rebirth at a Brahma world&quot; I would not speculate such in a linear manner. It's not sure when fruits are actually ripen. As Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena mentioned, it would need to be your passing awarness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of why does one not stay at a level of merits: You could see it like having earned a lot of money. Once you have it, you dwell in a pleasant adobe. Yet in this adobe, you have no possibility to earn money at all. So its secure a matter of time, that your earnings will go to an end. That's why it is not seldom to even fall into very low levels of existence, till such a precious live like a human could be gained again, which is not for sure. That is why the Buddha always recommended to gain stream entry and lesser seek for a certain not lasting existence, how pleasant it ever might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other aspects and how it happens when Devas die see &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than_en.html#iti-083&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti §83&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:06:41.483" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:06:41.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13195" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:33:52.653" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The deepest meditation happens in silence. Usually a mantra is given to beginners. The mantra purifies the thoughts, because it possesses a sacred vibration and meaning. This is why most mantras, Buddhist and Hindu are Sanskrit, which is a language which has a very deep resonance to the mind and body. It is unlike mundane music or language. Spiritual music is good and can create devotion and states of meditation, but it does not replace a genuine practice of meditation in silence. All of the masters, no matter what tradition emphasize this. Stillness, silence, erect posture, focusing between the eyebrows. The mantra is used at the beginning for giving something the mind can grasp onto. This is the same principle as the form of music you are talking about. But eventually the goal is to have the mind steady enough it no longer needs to grasp anything, and becomes independently stable without any support. What you are suggesting, I am not trying to imply is bad. It is just not a substitute for the traditional meditation in the sense of Buddhism. Often we want shortcuts or to make things easier, that is natural. But we should stick to the instructions of the masters who have attained the goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastEditorUserId="7502" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T02:03:49.350" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T02:03:49.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:40:36.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A useful guide for those who are merely interested of how those concepts are used on Buddhas path rather to take any stand: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/selvesnotself_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Selves &amp;amp; Not-self&lt;/a&gt; Of course it will not prevent those who are seeking for stands to nourish their stand. &#xA;As a Ajahn once said: &quot;To be or not to be. That is no question.&quot; It makes you simply to become again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T01:40:36.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5445" CreationDate="2015-12-28T01:54:33.170" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purification of karma is the same as purifying the mind. The mind holds all of the negative karma. When one attains nirvana, one has exhausted their negative karma. They become immune to the material reaction. So mantra, meditation, tantra, all of these have that aim. To purify the mind. It happens at many levels, conscious and unconscious. You can think of all the practices of meditation and yoga &quot;burning karma.&quot; It sounds magical because of the burning word, but really it just is referring to ways you can rapidly purify and still the mind. This can be a very difficult process if it is made to be done expediently. For example, if you have done some black magic on someone in a past life you may have to experience some of the reaction. The purification process usually relies on the energy of a deity or a guru to assist in this process, to make it as manageable as possible. But one cannot think of this as any ordinary thing, one may have millions of years of karma to deal with. Most Buddhist practices are designed to deal with the negative karma. Ending bad thoughts, habits, through the puja, mantra, meditation...don't think of it as something extra special. Ending all your negative karma, ending all karma, is the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastEditorUserId="7502" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T12:31:16.820" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T12:31:16.820" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2015-12-28T02:24:29.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once you get into the concept of the soul in Buddhism, you have essentially entered into Advaita Vedanta of Hinduism. India largely was converted to Buddhism at one point, which meant they were rejecting the Vedas, the holy scriptures of Hinduism. From a Hindu perspective, the Buddha incarnated for the specific purpose of rejecting the Vedas, because they were being abused by the priests and the teachings were being distorted. So the Buddha incarnated and presented a path in which it cultivated all the qualities necessary for nirvana, without dependence on the concept of God and Atman, which is essentially how people related to the Vedas. Then Adi Shankaracharya came to India and argued against Buddhist philosophy, by asking who is the one seeking nirvana? See &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63TPsywU5Rw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63TPsywU5Rw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His arguments restored faith in the Vedas, and that is why India is predominantly a Hindu culture again. His teachings are essentially Buddhism with the Atma. I am not saying that you have to accept these arguments. Ultimately your spiritual path should be defined by where your heart is, and where you find your master. There is nothing wrong with investigating this path of Advaita Vedanta. Both are very powerful traditions that generally respect each other, and lead to the same results at the end. From a beginner's perspective they can seem highly different, but the longer you stay in one path you will realize that they are leading to the same place. Whichever path you choose, you need to find a genuine teacher who embodies the teachings completely, and is a manifestation of compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophy of reality is only as important as it brings us to knowledge. Buddhism is just saying like you say, the Atma is not important. Meditate, be compassionate, that is the emphasis in Buddhism. Advaita Vedanta holds meditation to be very important, but it also places an emphasis on cultivating devotion to the divine in order to realize the Atma and the divine are nondifferent. Ultimately, the experience of Nirvana and Brahman I believe are they same. Krishna in the famous Bhagavad Gita refers to nirvana in that exact word, prior to the Buddha. You will see so much similarity in Buddhism and Hinduism, even some of the deities are practically identical, they are just drawn differently because of a different culture. They both use sanskrit and puja to deities. No need to worry or be upset about this. You can gain success in either way. Find the way where you experience the most love and devotion, that is your path. They are both excellent, respected ways. Just be careful, there are false gurus in either path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the truth will be found through cultivation of dharma, i.e. good qualities, abstaining from harming others, and sincere meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastEditorUserId="7502" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T03:00:10.443" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T03:00:10.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2015-12-28T02:52:06.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depending on the quality of your teacher, it might be often the case. Actually, on a straight way, no. And it will merely disturb the success of Buddhas treatment. &#xA;Its a very straight forward and easy to read essay, maybe you would like to give it a read: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/affirming_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Affirming the Truths of the Heart: The Buddhist Teachings on Samvega &amp;amp; Pasada&lt;/a&gt;. The teachings of the Buddha do not have the aim to keep you to be a productive member of the on-turning wheel, but to provide you a possibility to gain liberation. That is the main but significant different between this two treatments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But all of the possible ways for a particular person, depend on his own potential, gained in the past and effort-ed now. There is no such as secure aside of actually really on the eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T02:52:06.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3145" CreationDate="2015-12-28T03:08:40.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as it helps. Personally I got to a point where I felt my maturity as an individual due to spiritual practice had developed beyond the point of needing a Western therapist/psychologist. This especially became evident as I realized my own personal values and spiritual practices were out of line with that of my therapist's. For example, if your psychologist does not believe pornography or masturbation are harmful, but your spiritual teacher does, then they become an obstruction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found much of the Western psychology movement to not be very grounded in spiritual principles. Some are, but generally I think you find that a good guru is going to be your real guide through the world. I think in countries like India where gurus and saints are more common, having a psychologist is probably unheard of. The guru's real role is to provide that sort of guidance, and to enable you to solve problems on your own. If it helps you at the moment, do what helps. You shouldn't not take medicine if it helps you on your path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I gratefully took anti-depressants and they helped me a great deal in regaining my mind. Same principle applies to anything else. Seek a real guru who you can devote yourself to, he or she is the real therapist. In time I think your practice will elevate you to the point where you will find you growing out of that desire for a therapist, but don't be ashamed if it helps you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-31T09:55:32.253" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T09:55:32.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13300" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-28T04:06:02.480" Score="5" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know the source of this teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Free From Assertions Regarding Philosophical Views,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Free from Mental Fabrication in Meditation,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Free from Accepting or Rejecting Regarding Conduct,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Free from Hopes and Fears Concerning the Result.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7503" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T04:28:40.027" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:31:39.363" Title="Tibetan Mahayana" Tags="|reference-request|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13082" CreationDate="2015-12-28T05:05:44.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atma does not think that such could be found in the frame of Buddhas teachings. Actually people get most angry after a while, or more angry, if not confronted. Of course such anger is at least turned into once own direction. Andrei Volkov Avatar appearance reminds a little on such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.040.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adhipateyya Sutta: Governing Principles&lt;/a&gt; is useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T05:05:44.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13302" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-28T05:29:31.393" Score="5" ViewCount="363" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feel invited or maybe even inspired to share any teachings regarding &quot;&lt;em&gt;Apacāyana&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (Respect or Veneration). It is one of the less taught, but very basic and fundamental, meritorious deeds. Teachings within Suttas, and Dhamma talks even from 'stranger' resources, if Dhamma, are welcome (in English and/or German).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are actually difficult to find in the modern world, since they go a lot against the grain of how Dhamma was often introduced and promoted.&#xA;Such are of course just of beneficial use if they had originated and forwarded in line of meritorious deeds.&#xA;Atma would like to share this merits (&lt;em&gt;Pattānuppadāna&lt;/em&gt;), not to speak of rejoicing with your &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;merits&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will not be easy to fully answer this question, so it might stay without an accepted answer for a longer time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asian dhamma talks are normally full of this matter, now here we can hardly find anything: of course from cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition: Even more complicated, such teachings should be Dhamma also given in line of Dhamma. So commercial stuff and taken things (althought it will be naturally less on this topic) is not useful since it has lost the line of respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T08:24:11.303" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T22:32:55.440" Title="Teachings regarding Veneration/Respect (as one of the traditional 10 meritorious deeds)" Tags="|abhidhamma|merit|sila|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-28T05:59:30.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While we are discussing the role of rationality and logical questioning of every thought as a way to understanding and enlightenment, an analogy may help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How would an amateur rational astronomer with scientific temper looking at sky would go about understanding universe? S/He would not start from first principles. He starts with an established body of knowledge, tools and techniques already discovered. He won't spend time on any theories that are based on Sun revolving around earth, he takes planets orbiting around Sun as an established fact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think similar approach is needed to understand the mind. The issue with logically analyzing thoughts is, a thought is not an individual entity standing independently apart on its own. It arises based upon conditions within and outside the mind body complex. Not only it depends upon the current sensory inputs, it stems from what happened in the past and how it was processed and stored in memory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let us consider another analogy of tracking and destroying a missile. By the time a thought arises it may already be too late to analyze and understand it, just like trying to destroy a missile that is close to its target.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a missile is launched and is following an unpredictable path, how can it be tracked and destroyed? One way is to launch another missile that uses some features of the original missile (like heat seeking) to follow and destroy it. I think there are similar challenges in understanding the mind. The thoughts and emotions that spring up in the mind are like missiles launched by the surrounding conditions. We don't know when a thought or emotion springs up and what path it will follow. But I think it is feasible to come up with some general guidelines and practices that can be used to set up thought patterns in the mind that follow (just like the heat seeking missiles) to observe and then strengthen or weaken the arising thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5437" LastEditorUserId="5437" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T19:45:36.660" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T19:45:36.660" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12862" CreationDate="2015-12-28T06:01:43.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simply Sila section (or point of view), especially the Vinaya section does not answer this question in a valid way, since it is a &quot;Abhidhamma&quot; question. Vinaya does not always &quot;judge&quot; on the level of cause and effect on that level, but has also certain &quot;will to exist&quot; as its perceptive (one is to maintain a long life for the Sangha). Atma guesses that this matter was actually the reason for your question, now finding that Upasaka is brought back to where he actually came from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one looks into Vinaya more deeply one would find many occasions where such as intentions does not seem to play a rule at all. Also the factor of &quot;deliberate&quot; is not well explained and gives a lot of place for hypocrisy and in-honesty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Classical Abhidhamma, where such things like factors are taken from, do also easily misguide since they give a lot of anchors for defilement to seek for justification as long as ones mind is not really trained and able to be most up-right in matters of judgement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma guesses, that &quot;simple&quot; and profound Suttas like those&#xA;dealing with the matter of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1074.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Accepting = instigate = doing by one self&lt;/a&gt;&quot; shows why the matter is not so easy to be carried, by those who like to put Dhamma into ones way of life and not vici versa. ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0402m2.mul15_en_uppa.html#an03c.157-163&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;6. Acelakavaggo AN03.157-163,&lt;/a&gt; , &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0402m2.mul16_en_uppa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;(17) 7. Kammapathapeyyālaṃ, translated by Ven. Sister Uppalavanna&lt;/a&gt; (For examples please see links)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another often appearing mistake is to make inversions of arguments. Most famous are sayings like &quot;but this does not matter for laypeople&quot;, when certain thinks have been taught as fault for a Bhikkhu. Such is in now way generally valid. Cause and effect, at the end, do not really care about your current assumed livelihood and knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it needs good investigations of which has certain impacts in your current relations (generally called fault or transgression) and what is actually kusala or akusala, meaning that it has impact beyond your current relation and will ripe anyhow somewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the question was on the level of Abhidhamma, or real higher virtue, Atma suggests Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena, to leave this question open for a long time, since it is a straight line to insight and most beneficial to investigate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So actually totally misleading interpretations, comings from inversions of the original sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The missing of a confession, if one does a miss-deed, might be founded on the famous &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Instruction to Rahula&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Against verbal and bodily action, a misdeed here, in the sphere of&#xA;mental actions does obliviously not require the direct support of a&#xA;kalyanamitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can see here that in the case of bodily and verbal actions, it has always direct impact on ones society and with it, endangers the current possibility of practice and support for it enormously. That is why there are also certain punishments in the Vinaya, to do all possible that one sticks on the good road. As for mental actions only, it would be not possible to get them worked out. So here one is left alone. But that is the reason why especially here should be a lot of explaining, since the actually impact is not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one should remember this if somebody cleans your room from vermins, if it is a good idea to feel &quot;Thanks&quot; or what ever kind of acceptance with it. To guide an potential executor to them or opening the door... such are already certain mixes of bodily verbal and mental actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:11:38.453" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:11:38.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-12-28T06:51:46.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, like Mr. Dean quoted. But of course they are in small amount able to adopt certain behavior on a level of rites and rituals, which have also certain impacts on their future well-being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such as path factors are not possible to develop for animals, since they would always lake on right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, its is not a waste of time, if you invest it in a certain wished relation ship but a question of how much you actually benefit from such an relationship for a long term at fist point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever something looks nice and good for you, don't forget, its just your preoccupation about it. The dog as people, do not leak you because they &amp;quot;love&amp;quot; you, they and you do such for a gain: sensual pleasure. Atma would like to quote some sentence in regard of love, to make it even understandable how much humans are actually &amp;quot;animals&amp;quot;. or say, not different of them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;How few understand what love really is,...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and how it arises in the human heart. It is so frequently equated&#xA;with good feelings toward others, with benevolence or nonviolence or&#xA;service. But these things in themselves are not love. Love springs&#xA;from awareness. It is only inasmuch as you see someone as he or she is&#xA;really here, and not how they are in your memory or your desire or in&#xA;your imagination or projection that you can truly love them; otherwise&#xA;it is not the person that you love but the idea that you have formed&#xA;of this person, or this person as the object of your desire not as he&#xA;or she is in themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first act of love is to see this person or this object, this&#xA;reality as it truly is. And this involves the enormous discipline of&#xA;dropping your desires, your prejudices, your memories, your&#xA;projections, your selective way of looking ...a discipline so great&#xA;that most people would rather plunge headlong into good actions and&#xA;service than submit to the burning fire of this asceticism. When you&#xA;set out to serve someone whom you have not taken the trouble to see,&#xA;are you meeting that person's need or your own?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You see persons and things not as they are but as you are. If you&#xA;wish to see them as they are you must attend to your attachments and&#xA;the fears that your attachments generate. Because when you look at&#xA;life it is these attachments and fears that will decide what you will&#xA;notice and what you block out. Whatever you notice then commands your&#xA;attention. And since your looking has been selective you have an&#xA;illusory version of the things and people around you. The more you&#xA;live with this distorted version the more you become convinced that it&#xA;is the only true picture of the world because your attachments and&#xA;fears continue to process incoming data in a way that will reinforce&#xA;your picture.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from The Way to Love--- Father Anthony de Mello&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the fact of such mostly called &amp;quot;compassion&amp;quot; and it counts for most of every being most of the time, if you feel that your need to help. So being in a way not really dependent on each other or feel not attached, is the ground where real help could appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One instance wher the Buddha encountered the matter of an animal is reported in the Vinaya (giving animals no acceptance to join the Sangha):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“You nāgas are not liable to growth in this Dhamma and discipline. Go, nāga. (Staying) right there[2], observe the uposatha on the fourteenth (or) fifteenth and eighth of the fortnight. Thus you will be freed from the nāga-birth and quickly regain the human state.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nāga, (thinking,) “It’s said that I’m not liable to growth in this Dhamma and discipline!” sad and unhappy, shedding tears, let out a shriek and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv01/mv.01.49.khem_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Case of the Animal&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other low wordily gains my means of trade and exchange]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-12-11T14:38:49.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-12-28T07:24:49.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr. Crab Bucket. Stop breathing for a while, just two minutes or so. It should be clear then.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T07:24:49.837" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-12-28T08:12:33.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, several scientists seem to think that Buddhists are happier than others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Scientists say they have evidence to show that Buddhists really are happier and calmer than other people. ...experienced Buddhists, who meditate regularly, were less likely to be shocked, flustered, surprised or as angry compared to other people (&lt;a href=&quot;http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3047291.stm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source BBC news article 2003&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Along with enhancing cognitive performance, meditation seems to have an effect on emotional well-being (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927940-200-mind-gym-putting-meditation-to-the-test/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source New Scientist article 2012&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, both articles mention that it's regular meditation that is the cause of being more happy, so I guess you don't really have to be a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="408" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T08:12:33.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-12-28T09:26:51.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes&quot;, Mr. Concept (if Buddhist means one who actually does the training as given). Its actually because of the right training, that one is more content training.&#xA;In regard of being this or that, as the cause of contentment or discontentment, such is actually the reason for dukkha: bhava-tanha (craving for becoming/being) vi-bhava-tanha (craving for not-becoming/being).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So actually there is much dukkha, especially for those very attached to such as Buddhism and identification with it and there are also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;16 Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; papancas (objectivications, just replace &quot;I&quot; with &quot;Buddhism&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path is how ever no shopping and consuming tour and its merely seldom that &quot;a life&quot; is general more joyful, if walking on the path. There are no fruits without a good hardship first. So there are actually not a general answer how the line of practice will be for the particular person. As the Buddha told, there are people who have to go through a lot of suffering and there are others who will not have much burden on the way. How ever, the result and the fruit is finally ending of any kind of suffering and one would fail form the beginning if one is content with simply bliss and joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe its worthy to add, that the Buddha actually just taught Dukkha and the cessation of Dukkha. That is a very important fact, since most people who are simply seeking for joy and sukkha, not understanding that those are Dukkha as well, have a lot of reasons to suffer unnecessary. Buddhas teachings are not designed to give you known desired, but release of the fundamental cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T15:44:56.917" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T15:44:56.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13267" CreationDate="2015-12-28T10:27:27.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do it as much as possible. When ever there is a remote forest left, there is still a &quot;birthplace&quot; for another Arahat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least, its not only to get wean of what you are attached to, but also a place that changes very very quick and no chance to control it, whether, tracks, beings, coming and going, disturbances, pleasure... no one in charge of all your fruits, of this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where ever you find a lot of insecurity there is the place to make understanding of anicca secure. There are many scholars and teachers today, but actually very less forest dweller. If one need some inspirations, Atma had seen, that Upasaka Robin occasionally writes about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistteachings.org/category/life-in-the-saffron-forest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;forest experiences&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, please keep also this sutta in mind, since it is not so easy as it seams: (just fail to remember... A &quot;romantic Monk requested to live alone and meditate on a beautiful spot he had seen, the Buddha refused serial times (learn first!) but at least he went, being confronted with nothing but unwholesome thought, he soon returned) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T10:27:27.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5203" CreationDate="2015-12-28T11:00:54.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even if very usual and very popular, could anybody remember a group meditation in the Tipitaka?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its good to learn together, improve each other, talk on Dhamma, but behind of that, if it is a matter of real battle and seclusiveness, there is really no reason for &quot;coupling&quot;.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.047.tanp_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmacariya&lt;/a&gt; has many levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only benefit it has is that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.040.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;governing principle&lt;/a&gt; &quot;Cosmos&quot; is very present, since most do not so much believe in &quot;supernatural&quot; things. Atma is sure that most of you know the supporting thought: &quot;If I give up now, they will think that I am a bad meditator&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for simply such purposes, or to have a teacher aside, to watch and assists, such as gathering together to make basic training is good. As for doing the real &quot;job&quot; it really has no value but simply a lot of distraction potential. Yet it sells and bind many costumer to the provider. One needs to think about if his/her aim is to get independent or even more depended. Just think on the many trouble in and around of groups. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nekos comment that there is a kalyanamitta required , when it comes up to your own work, is quite miss-understood.&#xA;A gathering in certain groups simply provides with outside necessaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upasakas Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena argument in regard of &quot;conditioning / fabrications in the environment&quot; could be only valid in regard of giving a good sample or such as visible assenting, which people at large would naturally follow. But that's all. The rest might grow in the area of the mystics of &quot;Buddha-field&quot;, but such is more a Tantric and worldly thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even thought of disturbance of beings in other spheres, remember the metta Sutta. So a mass of people entering an area, are naturally not able to do not disturb at the first place, even if they are later more separate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To do such things like occupying even public places with such things, what does is it actually directed to, aside of occupying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training and learning good, just as a start or sometimes improvement. For actually working, no. No need at all and no where suggested by the Buddha, as far as Atma is aware of it. It simply sells, but not awakening at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.073.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;One Who Dwells in the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:23:00.167" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:23:00.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13302" CreationDate="2015-12-28T12:54:25.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Sir. most likely Apacāyana is a word used in the commentaries more particularly appearing Abhidhamma commentaries like Attha,sālinī, Abhidhamm’attha,saṅgaha, Abhidhamm’attha,vibhāvinī, Moha,vicchedanī. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=Apac%C4%81yana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Search for Apacāyana within the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; returns nothing while other sources are mentioned in the background and introduction in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/22.17-Punnakiriyavatthu-S-a8.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puñña,kiriya,vatthu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; compiled by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The salient point with regard to practicing Apacāyana is that you dissolve the ego, pride and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-righteousness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;self-righteousness&lt;/a&gt;, within there is the perception of &quot;I&quot;. In addition there is sense of gratitude&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; or respect for higher virtue or attainment in the person you are venerating&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for source I would like to point out the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Apacayana means paying respects to those who excel you in age, morality, integrity, wisdom, virtue, etc. Paying respects to elderly persons such as your father, mother, uncle, aunt; offering your seat and making way for those worthy of respect; bowing your head and showing humility, clasping your palms in homage to Bhikkhus, doffing your hat, saluting according to custom, etc. are all signs of respect. However, if you show respect unwillingly to a powerful person out of fear or with some selfish aim, this cannot be called apacayana, because it is pretentious in nature. It only amounts to maya (trickery).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: Food for thought - bowing or curtseying is generally accepted as signs of reverence. In Myanmar some people put down whatever load they are carrying and prostate on the roads when they meet Bhikkhus. Some kneel down in the sidewalk or on the platform of a railway station to pay respects to monks and elderly persons. These actions if done with true sincerity, are not to be blamed. But in these days when people have to rush about in busy places, just a bow or a few humble words will suffice the need of apayacana. Kneeling down and prostrating in worshiping on meeting a Bhikkhu on the roads in a Bhikkhu on the roads or in busy crowded places in the presence of alien people are not really necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3146.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma In Daily Life / Chapter 6 - Ten Domains Of Meritorious Actions  / Domain 4 - Apacayana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Respect as a way of making merit should be known in such acts as getting up from&#xA;  one’s seat, welcoming one’s mother, father, elder brother, elder sister or an elderly person,&#xA;  taking his/her luggage, saluting him, showing him the way, and so on. Or generally,&#xA;  respecting others’ feelings, privileges, property, and life; regarding them with deference,&#xA;  esteem and honour; avoiding degrading, insulting or interrupting them; refraining&#xA;  from offending, corrupting or tempting them. Sadly, today the younger generation&#xA;  lacks respect or reverence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Venerable Nāgasena, in Milindapañha, there are twelve persons who do&#xA;  not pay respect or show reverence to others: a lustful person because of his lust; an angry person because of his anger; a confused person because of his confusion; an arrogant&#xA;  person because of his pride; one devoid of special qualities owing to his lack of&#xA;  distinction; an obstinate owing to his lack of docility; a low minded owing to his low&#xA;  mindedness; an evil man owing to his selfishness; an afflicted owing to his affliction; a&#xA;  greedy owing to his being overcome by greed; and a businessman owing to his working&#xA;  for profit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is clear that, in contrast to the above persons, the reverent and respectful man develops&#xA;  his mind (and thereby accumulates merit), for by his attitude he cuts down the defilement&#xA;  of pride and replaces it by wise conduct of humility. Respecting elders and the&#xA;  Saïgha are clear examples of this aspect. Even the respect shown by a novice monk to a&#xA;  bhikkhu falls under this category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here again, the good intention that arises in one who shows respect or reverence is the&#xA;  way of making merit in respecting others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/nyanadassana-ebooks/ten%20ways%20of%20making%20merit.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;TEN WAYS OF MAKING MERIT&lt;/a&gt; by MAHINDA WIJESINGHE&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Respectfulness (apacāyana) is the means by which one shows respect (apacayati), acts properly&#xA;  by way of honouring. Traditionally, respect is shown in such ways as when we meet a practising monk,&#xA;  salute him with joined palms, we take his bowl and robe, and offer him a seat and some water as appropriate.&#xA;  A common mark of respect would be to give way to elders when meeting them. “Respect” here&#xA;  should not be taken in the ritual way, which has very little moral value, as the intention behind such an&#xA;  action is not always pure. “Respect” properly means “accepting others as they are,” that is, using our present-moment&#xA;  awareness not to measure or judge others, but to relate to them (especially those near and&#xA;  dear) as if meeting them for the first time. In other words, when we show a sincere interest in people, we&#xA;  are more likely to encourage them to show their better sides. There is also “self-respect,” that is, abstaining&#xA;  from evil or unwholesome deeds through the feeling of moral shame (ottappa), that such negative&#xA;  results would bring disgrace upon us and those close to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/22.17-Punnakiriyavatthu-S-a8.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puñña,kiriya,vatthu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; commentary and analysis by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since gāravā is a loose equivalent as per the comments the following are the Suttas which has this word: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=G%C4%81rava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;search for gāravā within the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Especially to those who helped in learning and coming in contact with the Dhamma, especially you teacher, the lineage of Sangha who preserved the teaching, the Buddha as if it was not for the Buddha we will have not come across the Dhamma at all and our Parami is not strong enough to realise it, and the Dhamma itself as even the Buddha kept it as his teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.3-Garava-S-s6.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Garava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T14:10:32.520" CommentCount="17" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13267" CreationDate="2015-12-28T13:24:19.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was on holiday at my sisters's place aside a forest in Finland I had my best meditation-practices in my early years of practice. That what you might call &quot;distracting&quot; was soft: a soft wind , some insect making a little noise - it even &lt;em&gt;helped&lt;/em&gt; to step outside of the &quot;focusing objects&quot;-mood of the mind and to fall into the detached &quot;being-aware&quot;. Of course, there is a limit for the loudness - especially for the beginner that I was, but happily it was always below that level when I have been there.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my hometown it is much more difficult for me to stay in meditation when sounds distract/disturb, perhaps that sounds are more aggressive. I remember, however, when I was a child and have been at my grandma's there was a big wooden clock softly clicking and sometimes a sound from the tram two streets away - and which as well helped to flow into a deep peaceful meditative and still aware state.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like the answer of Samana Johann where he says &lt;em&gt;&quot;When ever there is a remote forest left, there is still a &quot;birthplace&quot; for another Arahat.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; That's really a nice observation, indeed!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T13:24:19.970" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12802" CreationDate="2015-12-28T14:34:38.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question needs to delineate - happier than who? Happier than all people, even the Himalayan yogis or the masters of Vedanta? I dare you to try and compare the happiness of such Vedic yoga masters to the masters of Tibetan Buddhism. You will see such comparisons are merely rooted in pride of sectarianism. It is very dangerous to cultivate this attitude of my religion is happier, my religion is better. These are ideas rooted in the ego. Better root them out. Be happy with your Buddhism, but keep your mind open to all forms of happiness. If you do not see them, you will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The system of philosophy of a religion is what compels people to live a certain way. It is the lifestyle they choose to live that cultivates their happiness. Whether you do good because you believe God wants you to do good, or that the whole world is God, or that people are suffering in illusion, if the heart possesses the same qualities there is almost no difference. The philosophy of Buddhism without practice is just empty. You see too many book-Buddhists who know the philosophy but do not embody the qualities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was Jesus Christ a Buddhist? Was Krishna a Buddhist? There are so many saints from different religions. The importance is the practice, in ones conduct. Non-violence, love, truthfulness these are qualities every religion teaches. The reason why you see Buddhism being a stream of power is because of its tradition of meditation that is very strong and developed. It is a powerful method of attaining truth and peace for many people. But it does not appeal to everyone. Adapting such attitudes that universally Buddhists are happier is ignorant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism may be good for you, and keep it at that. But just remember that what defines in actual lifestyle a buddhist is common to a giant of religion, hinduism - vegetarianism, ahimsa, prayer, meditation, puja, sanskrit, guru, temple, mantra, tantra. You see many saints and happy people in hinduism. So it is the practice that really gives the life and happiness of the religion. It is following the dharma. The dharma is not dependent on whether you attribute phenomena to God or illusion, that is just a label. It is dependent upon how you act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-31T09:56:49.820" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T09:56:49.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13317" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-28T16:21:43.717" Score="3" ViewCount="574" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Manjushri, Vajrassatva or Avalokiteshvara live? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are Manjushri, Vajrassatva or Avalokiteshvara manifestations or special names of Buddhas or Bodhisattva?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7506" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T03:29:01.153" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T03:52:26.527" Title="Did Manjushri, Vajrassatva, Avalokiteshvara live?" Tags="|philosophy|mahayana|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13317" CreationDate="2015-12-28T17:08:19.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vajrasattva did not live in the sense you mean, because he is not a person, but he is an existent. I will explain further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The form body (Rupakaya), is divided in two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The emanation body (Nirmanakaya), and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The enjoyment body (Sambhogakāya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Tibetan viewpoint, Shakyamuni was an emanation body of the Buddha. He merely showed the aspect of being born, aging, achieving enlightenment, passing into parinirvana, and so forth [but was actually free from birth, aging, sickness and death and so forth]. While the enjoyment body is too subtle for ordinary beings to see, the emanation body is seen by ordinary beings. Wheel-turning buddhas are thus said to be emanation bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrasattva, on the other hand, would be the enjoyment body in the aspect of a Bodhisattva. Such a body can be seen by arya beings. We claim that when an arya bodhisattva chooses to be reborn in a pure land in order to receive teachings there from other bodhisattvas, he receives teachings from actual bodhisattvas as well as from the enjoyement body in the aspect of bodhisattvas (such as Vajrasattva, Manjushri, and so forth). Vajrasattva is one of these aspects, manifestations. He is a subtle manifestation of the form body of buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avalokiteshvara was one of 'the eight principal Mahayana disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni', that is the sambhogakaya in the aspect of a disciple. The same is true of Manjushri. The main difference between Manjushri and Vajrasattva, in relation to their entity, is that Manjushri is said to be a [manifestation of the] wisdom truth body (i.e. the omniscient mind) and not that of the enjoyment body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-28T17:52:13.990" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T17:52:13.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2015-12-28T17:58:26.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Gross level (olārika)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; - each breath has a start and an end&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unsatisfactoriness&lt;/strong&gt; - If you try to control you breath there is pain and suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non self&lt;/strong&gt; - Your breath is not in your control, you cannot stop it indefinitely and you cannot always manipulate it as you want (like prolong the in breath to x days)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Subtle level (sukhuma)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; - if you take the touch of the breath this is arising and passing with great rapidity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unsatisfactoriness&lt;/strong&gt; - any sensation born from the breathing process can be at times painful when say you have a stuffy nose,  in case you experience blize this also passes away, the fact that this process keeps creating conditioned existance for the future itself open your up to further stress and suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non self&lt;/strong&gt; - the feeling and fabrication arising from breathing is not in your control. Say you experience a neutral feeling and you are not aware of the arising and passing of phenomena which is felt with equanimity you are in the process of creating future existance as the process creating new fabrication has not stopped. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T17:58:26.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-28T19:36:43.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;[Note: the question was revised, yet I decided to leave this answer as is for the benefit of the earlier points asked.]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;You make a couple interesting points that I wish to say more about. &lt;strong&gt;Point 1:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We may not question it enough because it becomes uncomfortable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is important because much of life appears to me to be an attempt to keep safe and comfortable. This is a great way to realize the First Noble Truth: we know it intuitively because of what we do to prevent it! When we stop trying to escape from suffering, what happens? It gets worse, but we gain insight. Eventually, we see how most people are trying to escape suffering by distracting themselves, self-medicating (with things like alcohol, smoking, food, television, etc) and we see why those things are to be avoided: we cannot get in charge of our minds until we stop running. This realization can bring compassion as well, when the huge extent of &lt;em&gt;actual suffering&lt;/em&gt; is clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we find a &quot;way&quot; that promises to end suffering, it becomes enshrined in our minds in such a way that again, we do not want to look too closely, lest it unravel. Then all hope would be lost!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your &lt;strong&gt;Point 2:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in propounding some theories, he may have taken away some of the&#xA;  aspects of the beauty of the process for &quot;our own individual&#xA;  experiences&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realized recently that my desire to &quot;help&quot; people can have the wrong effect. It is possible to turn people away from insight by presenting it before they are ready, or too strongly, or in the wrong way. This is worse than useless. Another problem is, as you say, that we can take away from someone else's experience or realization by &quot;previewing&quot; it for them. This deflates the experience of overcoming something, and so the person might lose heart by thinking that they did not really achieve something worth persisting in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are important points and I am glad that you brought them up. I wish for you strength and peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T15:11:50.043" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T15:11:50.043" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3122" CreationDate="2015-12-28T20:12:49.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the sutta referred to simply says that being entangled in others' lives (&quot;son or wife&quot;, or any other commitment) will result in having to make hard choices, and eventually: abandon the other person, die, they die, or they leave, which is only more suffering! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But on a daily basis it means spending time with that person or doing things for them which takes time away from your practice. Even just getting interrupted by the other person's activity or questions interrupts one's awareness of life and how we attempt to overcome enthrallment. You can only focus on one thing at a time, so if another person is there, they will usually have priority, else why would you choose to be with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the sutta is simply advice to be aware that your choice to be with someone will affect the course of your life and realization. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel that relationships are valid experience and teaching, but they do impose a lot of &quot;overhead&quot;. You can decide for yourself, and your answer can change over time. You are free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T20:12:49.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3122" CreationDate="2015-12-28T21:09:38.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia makes the following claim&lt;/a&gt;, but unreferenced,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Rhinoceros Sutra (Pali: Khaggavisāṇa-sutta; Sanskrit: Khaḍgaviṣāṇa Gāthā; Gāndhārī: Khargaviṣana-sutra) is a very early Buddhist text advocating the merit of solitary asceticism for pursuing enlightenment as opposed to practicing as a householder or in a community of monastics. The goal of this was to become a pratyekabuddha, who wandered alone through the forest like a rhinoceros.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One modern book intended not for &amp;quot;solitary ascetics&amp;quot; but for laypeople is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;described in this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which says something like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you fail to find suitable associates it's better to be &amp;quot;like a solitary rhinoceros&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that chapter 23 of the Dhammapada makes this slightly modified claim, i.e.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;328&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If for company you find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, you should, overcoming all impediments, keep his company joyously and mindfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If for company you cannot find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, then, like a king who leaves behind a conquered kingdom, or like a lone elephant in the elephant forest, you should go your way alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. Live alone and do no evil; be carefree like an elephant in the elephant forest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-28T21:09:38.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-29T00:17:36.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Logical reasoning and rationalism are necessary tools but they can only get you so far. Awakening requires much more than just logic. Imagine a muddy and constantly agitated pool of water, one can use logical reasoning to deduce what lies beneath the water surface. But only after the water has become completely stilled would s/he be able to see things as they really are. Similarly, the direct experience to awakening only happens after much effort and cultivation to &quot;still the water&quot;, or the complete stilling of all physical, verbal, and mental defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T00:17:36.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2015-12-29T00:31:02.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to Theravada Buddism Animals have benefited from dhamma and had many good things as returns.But they can't understand dhamma because of their low capabilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you want to help animals here are some tips....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to give animals better lives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day a frog who was near a monastery heard a dhamma session and&#xA;  listened to the beautiful sound that it heard. Meanwhile a person who&#xA;  is a Shepard came to listen and as he was tired he gave some weight of&#xA;  his body to the stick that he was holding which was on that frog. But&#xA;  he did not knew that. The frog immediately dies and was born in&#xA;  heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what to learn from this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Animals can hear dhamma and if they listen and liked it it would generate good and powerful karma that can get them out of lower realms and to higher realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if you want to help your animal...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recite dhamma in a very distinct and nice tone. recite them so nicely that it would be attractive to anyone nearby. This would generate good Karma to you and to your dog as it listens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But talking would not work because dogs can't understand it. But if you do Meththa meditation it will effect anyone in any place including all forms of life. That is a sure fire way to communicate goodness to any being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/15_Paying_Homage_to_Buddha.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Paying Homage to Buddha - Audio file&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation - Audio file&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice these and recite whenever you can,it will give protection to you while helping your little friend to a better life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T00:31:02.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3122" CreationDate="2015-12-29T01:07:00.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr. Konrad,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as Andrei Volkov rightly quote, its actually the heart of Dhamma practice. And like many issues, there are no such as &quot;this is only for Monks&quot;, &quot;this Laypeople should not do&quot;. More over, a live of rhinoceros is not a required way according to the Vinaya. The mode of life like this, does even reduce the need to stay with certain rules and is most present in the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhutanga&lt;/a&gt; or forest monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its simply a real well meant advice of mode of life and practice. It touches many topics and of course also the matter of &quot;if there is no one equal or better, if there is no good friend: Walk alone&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kalyanamittata.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kalyanamitta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its has been also the mode of the Bodhisatta, in many of his life times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Laying aside all violence, respecting all beings,&#xA;never harming even one of them&quot; for example, incl. renunciation are the three factors of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right resolve/intention&lt;/a&gt;, the second path factor. So it comes right after right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you think of how the Buddha told to identify of what is Dhamma, and what not, you would also find the same aspects (look for the sutta named — &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.intro_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cv.X.5&lt;/a&gt; in this document)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't forget, even you live in the midst of everything, you are always alone. So what seeks for engagement?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe also an alternative translation with some introduction &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khaggavisana Sutta: A Rhinoceros&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking about this topics is straight right speech and touches many of the 10 wholesome topic.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#modesty&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Modesty&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#contentment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Contentment&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#seclusion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seclusion&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#non-entanglement&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Non-entanglement&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#persistence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Persistence&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#virtue&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Virtue&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hidden intention, like also have been mentioned here, to be back on stage again, as a hero, is a beloved one, but actually the Buddha adviced, if such is the case, it is not righteous to practice the Dhutangas. It has been also indicated, that if the Sangha does no more prefers this mode of live, that this is the end of the Sasana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every Stanza of this Sutta is worthy to talk about it and explain it. Some related essays: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel083_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;With Robes and Bowl: Glimpses of the Thudong Bhikkhu Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/recognizing_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Recognizing the Dhamma: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/khema/allofus_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;All of Us: Beset by birth, decay, and death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:20:36.277" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:20:36.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13218" CreationDate="2015-12-29T01:56:15.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very good, Tealine, don't be scared and try to find that point again and investigate more. In regard of terror, samvega is less introduced, but the main source nad drive for the effort to walk the path to awakening. This essay might be useful:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/affirming_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Affirming the Truths of the Heart-The Buddhist Teachings on Samvega &amp;amp; Pasada&lt;/a&gt; as well as  &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/bodymind_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Body Contemplation&#xA;A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although early Buddhism is widely believed to take a negative attitude&#xA;  toward the body, the texts of the Pali canon do not support this&#xA;  belief. They approach the body both in its positive role, as an object&#xA;  of meditation to develop mindfulness, concentration, and the mental&#xA;  powers based on concentration; and in its negative role as an object&#xA;  for unskillful states of mind. Even in its negative role, the body is&#xA;  not the culprit: the problem is the mind's attachment to the body.&#xA;  Once the body can be used in its positive role, to develop mindfulness&#xA;  and concentration, those mental qualities can be used to free the mind&#xA;  of its attachments to the body. Then, as many a modern meditation&#xA;  master has noted, the mind and body can live in peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T01:56:15.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13212" CreationDate="2015-12-29T02:28:21.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question! The Buddha introduced his &quot;religion&quot; as (this) Dhamma- (this) Vinaya, Dhamma-Vinaya (Teaching &amp;amp; Discipline) and there is and was also the use of Buddha Sasana (the teaching of the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;ism&quot;-isation is actually already against his teachings, especially such nuances as &quot;my&quot;, &quot;our&quot; Buddhism, and indicates even much lack of respect, since the teaching of the Buddha, the Dhamma, is just for an Arahat his own and even so, a person who actually owns it, would not refer to it other than Buddha-Sasana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as Atma knows, this name firstly came up about 1850 in UK (you find certain dates or orign and hints in older English dictionaries) and his actually a label of and everything that likes to use the Buddhas reputation for mainly wordily purposes, attachment, (wrong) views and identifications, so really not a good label if one seeks for the good teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T02:28:21.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13119" CreationDate="2015-12-29T02:49:35.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may find a collection of the Jatakas given as a Dhamma-Gift by PTS in English a and by Beyerlein &amp;amp; Steinschulte Verlag in German in accesstoinsight format here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/j/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jataka&lt;/a&gt; also a nice tool the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/randomjataka_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ramdom jataka&lt;/a&gt;&quot; programmed and given by a devoted Upasaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are certain &quot;Mahayana&quot; Versoins, which have obviously less founding in the teachings in meaning and also less connections to a serious source of origin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T02:49:35.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-29T03:32:18.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is a logical questioning process of every thought(almost) a useful way to break through thought itself and possibly understand enlightenment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First and foremost: to understand enlightenment, one needs at least some clear sense of what it is to achieve it. As analogy, if one is going to a specific restaurant -- specially when one is not there yet -- one needs some way to refer to it and to identify it: things that distinguish it from any other place, so one doesn't end up in the wrong place without knowing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, enlightenment is the permanent extinction of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having established that...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For eg:- What is this thought? What is the mind? And try to inspect it clearly. If no answer appears, (because you see they are difficult, almost impossible questions) that is still ok, but you begin to question things with a scientific temper and rationality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you describe above is roughly -- at least in spirit -- the Buddhist method&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. Now, one could question why not try to figure out the path on your own own versus try out the buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As analogy, imagine yourself popping up in the middle of a desert somewhere in this planet having to figure out which way to go in order to reach your home. You can take any direction and, if you think about it, the great majority of the possibilities will be fruitless -- you will be only walking endlessly to reach nowhere. The risk of you not finding home is huge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's still not much a good analogy to current circumstances. So let's say you're given a bunch of maps. They are all different and they all diverge on where you are, where your home is, and how to go there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people pick the map they think is the most comfortable. Some people are annoyed by all the maps and go on wander on their own. And some people test the maps they have to see which one is correct (there's the problem of one having to learn a bit of the specific cartography language of each map in order to understand what they mean, but that's another issue).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in propounding some theories, he may have taken away some of the aspects of the beauty of the process for &quot;our own individual experiences&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving aside that he did not just &quot;suggested some theories&quot;, he did emphasize that this is something to be carried out individually by one's own effort. Now, if you think the method he proposes takes out &quot;the beauty of the process&quot;, you are naturally free to try out own your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's legitimacy in following your own nose, but may I suggest how this may not be as virtuous or effective as one might fantasize? Take calculus: no reasonably intelligent person will try to come up with calculus on their own: they will try to learn what has been developed. It took specific circumstances in the development of science and mathematics and specific characters with a specially strong will to answer specific questions to be able to successfully develop this subject. Disappear with all knowledge post-calculus from earth, and it could take many centuries  to rediscover it again -- if that soon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extinguishing &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; does not require one to figure out everything from scratch. It requires extinguishing it. If some teachings are known to be useful, there's only one reason not to use it: if one wants something else than &lt;code&gt;extinguishing dukkha&lt;/code&gt; (for example: to experience some particular kind of beauty in an spiritual process)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I hope this message is clear. Each individual needs to question for himself/herself, the procedure to achieve something or why they are here. Sure you may go by faith, but I am afraid that might be a hindrance to true experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddhist sutras advert against blind faith. But there's ordinary faith: a weak type of knowledge that is useful to make a decision with partial understanding while one is still in the process of gaining knowledge. We all use this daily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in a sense, a buddhist go by faith in the Buddha's teaching in the same way one goes by faith in a calculus text book. One scans the summary of chapters and provisionally accepts (i.e.: believes) it is a text book that teaches calculus. Then one reads the chapters, performs the exercises, and if one comes to conclusion that one learned what that chapter is about, and if one understands that chapter to be a steeping stone in the path to understand calculus, one's faith is made stronger and one will likely continue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If otherwise one learns the contents of the chapter and comes to the conclusion these subjects won't lead to the declared goal, one's faith is made weaker, and one might end up abandoning such book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;: Of course, there's more to it than simply questioning what is something that is present in our mind. Buddhism not only helps with how to frame the questions and observations to yield progress (instead of falling in an endless loop of silly and sterile interrogations), but practices to help we see with greater precision (a precision required to be able to see what we are looking for). Hope it goes without saying that mere &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason#Logical_reasoning_methods_and_argumentation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;logical inference&lt;/a&gt; is broadly insufficient for an investigation that requires experimenting and experiencing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T03:32:18.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13317" CreationDate="2015-12-29T03:52:26.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply, in Mahayana Buddhism, they exist. All three of them are or were Bodhisattvas and are or will become fully Enlightened Buddhas upon the completion of their vows. The qualities of a tenth ground Bodhisattva are pretty close to the qualities of a fully enlightened Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now for the complications:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are not historical personages in the same way that, say Gautama Shakyamuni was. They are either myths, i.e. instructive fictions, or if one accepts the possibility of realms and other universes that can be known through meditative experience, then they are the Buddhas of other universes. A common &quot;rule&quot; in discussion of the realms is that there can only be one Buddha per universe at one time, with colossal gaps of time between them. So either these Buddhas are in other worlds (in one of the ten directions) or they existed a very, very long time ago. A universe can have many Bodhisattvas and Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can visit other universes through the use of other bodies (nirmanakaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Existence, to me, is not so important. If they exist, they are anatman, i.e. they don't have an unchanging core, they are empty/sunyata. I don't need them to exist with a birth certificate and the like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on who you are reading, you get different accounts of who is a Bodhisattva (not fully Enlightened) and who is a fully Enlightened Buddha. This confusion is compound when you take into account how the Bodhisattva path is explained-- a Bodhisattva reaches the edge of Enlightenment, but holds back because there are still more unenlightened beings in the universe. By this reasoning, you personally will be a fully enlightened Buddha before the Bodhisattvas are Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the explanation of what Enlightenment is, the distinction between unenlightened and enlightened might not be what we think it is. In my readings the impression I get is that if we were nearly enlightened, it would all be clear. But as unenlightened beings, the distinction between the Bodhisattva and Buddhas are more distinct than what we naively think, in fact it may be that samsara and nirvana are in some sense the same and that the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas were always the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T03:52:26.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13331" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-29T04:12:21.703" Score="1" ViewCount="97" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the Major Meditation Traditions / Masters in Laos / Cambodia /  Vietnam? Does Cambodia prominent meditation lineages which originated in Laos / Cambodia /  Vietnam? What are the lineages originating elsewhere coming to Laos / Cambodia /  Vietnam? Do they have variation from practiced elsewhere?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T15:35:23.830" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T15:35:23.830" Title="What are the Major Meditation Traditions / Masters in Laos / Cambodia / Vietnam?" Tags="|meditation-classification|practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-29T04:16:27.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha came up with some theories, the basics of which are common sense to me. He cultivated a practice and figured some things out. There are stories and practices about how and what he found. Sure he may be the Blessed one. But then maybe I have missed out something here. I can't help but think he may not have gone through his thought process completely ? When he talks about the five aggregates and consequences and hindrances, that is all fine. But how do I truly know for myself? So I may have a different method to figure that out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am saying is that, the Buddha may have had &quot;his experience&quot;. But a combination of many people translating and propounding some theories and giving explanations, they may have taken away some of the aspects of the beauty of the process for &quot;our own individual experiences&quot;. The Buddha himself didn't make the &quot;religion&quot; as it is now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this message is clear. Each individual needs to question for himself/herself, the procedure to achieve something or why they are here. Sure you may go by faith, but I am afraid that might be a hindrance to true experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to add that I sense some amount of &lt;code&gt;confirmation bias&lt;/code&gt; might creep in when we try to understand the Buddhist philosophy and actually practice that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T04:16:27.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13331" CreationDate="2015-12-29T05:22:45.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Valued Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma can only tell you about Cambodia. Meditation is a very death matter. There are 3 main streams, currently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One and most popular and growing: Goenka. A second center is currently in building in Central Cambodia.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The secound most dominate lineage is that of But Sovung, originated from Acharn Sujin, a Thai Upasika (also teacher of Upasika Nina Van Gorkum), which avoids in somehow everything that could cause Jhana and is merely a dry Adhidhamma tradition (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/vangorkom/dhammacambo_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma in Cambodia&lt;/a&gt;), but most successful in manners of gaining.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &quot;formal&quot; branch of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cambodiavipassanacenter.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana Dhura Buddhist Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;&quot; with the most public and governmental support, focusing more on Jhana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under 1.000 monks, you would find 10 who have learned meditation a little and 1 who regular practice it. The same with laypeople. Such as daily practice is merely unknown and people are much to busy so that they would scarify time. So if, there are mainly such as retreats or courses here and there, events. In every region one finds on this or that hill such as a meditation guru, mostly focusing on samadhi. The forest Tradition is extincted. Atma came across some disciples of older lineages, but those Monks (mostly 50+) mostly have stopped to teach or are busy to build Meditation Building first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one monastery in Siam Reap, which is sad to focus on meditation. Atma had met some monks from there but did not personally came there till today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all it holds true, if there is no Sila, there is no foundation for samadhi. Maybe Atma is able to share more contacts and hints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T11:33:52.737" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T11:33:52.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10221" CreationDate="2015-12-29T07:56:16.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The links on this page may be useful (since it is a Vipassana Tradition in Sri Lanka): &lt;a href=&quot;http://nauyana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nā Uyana Aranya -- Theeravada Buddhist Forest Monastery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nauyana.org/files/Na_Uyana_Monastery_Information.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Information for visitors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:15:46.507" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:15:46.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10072" CreationDate="2015-12-29T08:17:15.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to be disrespectful, it's just that it seems like the&#xA;  act of disrobing is sort of a rejection of Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma would say it a reaction of a proper observance and even formally one needs to express the renunciation from one of the Juwels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's is totally right, to have doubt in such a case and being a teacher after having been monk, sometimes is just a livelihood by teaching the Dhamma, which is actually very against Buddhas economy and the ways he kept it protected from being corrupt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no, no old story of a person who renounced the holy life to start to be holy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One needs to say, that a Monk or Nun, does not make his training to be a teacher, nor do they have a duty to teach. The only real duty is the practice the path. So teachings are always &quot;just&quot; generosity and without strings (if followed the Vinaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are case, where people argue, that they would violate the Vinaya to much, when actively teaching people in broad. Or some say, its not possible to live a monastic live today...&#xA;Arguments are many and of course, the &quot;cheap&quot; course of training to gain a livelihood incl. some reputations for it, is very usual today, especially under Western Teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its no time wrong and for nobody, to give the gift of Dhamma. It's wrong for everyone, may one be a monastic or a Layperson, to receive anything in return for Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was shortly a famous teaching monk in Thailand, for many many years, who felt in love and spontaneously left the monk hood, leaving 10.000s of devoted people behind and caused surely a lot of faith to decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually its 90% a matter of not being able to live an abstinent live. Since &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/heartfood_en.html#not&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nothing is for sure&lt;/a&gt;, there are some very inspiring stories from Ajahn Chan in regard of such monastic matters. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/heartfood_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Food for the Heart&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, for example, two of the leading teachers here in Cambodia are Exmonks, both, one of them with a million following, are said to live actually a very Vinaya-Standard live.&#xA;One actually has an easier way to use gain for a certain plan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of your idea about, that they can not be enlighten, that's right, even if they would live without wife. It's merely in the other direction. Someone who gains the highest fruit would leave house, even if gained as householder and if there is no way to do so or no Sangha available, one would die within some days.&#xA;The Buddha gave drunkenness as the only reason to go back to the lower life. Drunken with youth, health, and or life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T08:25:20.383" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T08:25:20.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10026" CreationDate="2015-12-29T08:42:08.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually the same way a Lay person would do. Renouncing unwholesome thoughts, maintaining good qualities and developing good qualities. Right effort as the eightfold path is the same, it's just that not so many gun-mans knocking on the door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm#Lessons%20in%20the%20Forest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practice for the Householder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very useful collection:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest: Selected Texts from&#xA;  the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt;, compiled and translated by&#xA;  Nyanaponika Thera &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:17:50.367" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:17:50.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9880" CreationDate="2015-12-29T08:49:09.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot and the topic is very complex:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.intro_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code I The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The heavier punishments are found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch20_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BMC2 CHAPTER 20: Disciplinary Transactions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T08:49:09.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9768" CreationDate="2015-12-29T08:56:16.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. Of course it can be a heavy attachment and diversion of the main task one has. Older say, sharing about 10-20% of time for lay people teaching is a proper way in training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't forget, that the Buddha and some of his Arahat Disciple spend the rest of the life with teaching. On the other hand, there are other kind of arahats who do not teach at all, some can, some can and do, some do but can not... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is how ever, not duty to teach at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the &quot;jumping point&quot;, it's possible good to ask the Buddha in this regard:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'A person living alone. A person living alone,' thus it is said. To what extent, lord, is one a person living alone, and to what extent is one a person living with a companion?&quot;... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.063.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Migajala Sutta: To Migajala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note that this is not given for trade, exchange, stackes... but for release from this wheel by proper use]&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2019-09-09T08:42:21.517" LastActivityDate="2019-09-09T08:42:21.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11238" CreationDate="2015-12-29T09:14:38.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no problem with it but if gone forth, one would no more participate. The care of the parents is even a task that allows to overstep certain rules and near family a Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni would be allowed to ask for needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practical, especially in SEAsia, the monasteries are in the towns and villages, not so far from home and usually a going forth does not disconnect them, for a good and for a bad, of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks and Nun do not forget there family but possibilities to be useful for a good are not bound to blood relation ship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there are families who have a long tradition, that males would ordain. Sometimes you may find even a whole family ordained or involved in serving in monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T09:14:38.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11710" CreationDate="2015-12-29T09:20:57.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since the progress in complex if one likes to follow it just by thought and not just doing it by simply practicing the eightfold path, this might be useful to answer the question: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/selvesnotself_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Selves &amp;amp; Not-self The Buddhist Teaching on Anatta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also stages of depersonalisation, the first is Stream-Enter where one gains a first glimpse of it and is directed to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a secondary question- could anyone share their personal experience &#xA;  with/knowledge of depersonalization occurring as a result of meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will not find something satisfying, since:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Repudiating &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this All&lt;/a&gt;, I will describe another,' if questioned on what&#xA;  exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to&#xA;  explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies&#xA;  beyond range.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And even the Buddha did not share such. The task is done, that's it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe some of the Verses of there &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/thag/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theragata&lt;/a&gt; (the Verses of the Elder Monks) or &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/thig/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Therigata&lt;/a&gt; (Verses of the Elder Nuns) are useful to get an impression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T09:36:12.897" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T09:36:12.897" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8269" CreationDate="2015-12-29T09:41:35.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there have been some even mentioned in the Canon. But that does not mean that all are able in this way.&#xA;Maybe useful: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/silananda/bl137_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Benefits of Walking Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, by Sayadaw U Silananda (1996;&#xA;  8pp./23KB)&#xA;      A concise outline of the practice of walking meditation as it is taught in the contemporary Burmese satipatthana &quot;noting&quot; tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ohh, as Atma has just seen, that Ven Bhante Yuttadhammo had given an answer, there are also good and helpful notes in his Book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/yuttadhammo/howtomeditate_en.html#chapter-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chapter Three: Walking Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T09:49:53.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T09:49:53.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9705" CreationDate="2015-12-29T13:39:05.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The necessary of such is to develop and maintain certain aspects of right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There&#xA;  is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are&#xA;  fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions. There is this world &amp;amp; the next&#xA;  world. There is mother &amp;amp; father. There are spontaneously reborn&#xA;  beings; there are brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp;&#xA;  practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having&#xA;  directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made&#xA;  pure in three ways by mental action.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than_en.html#mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.176&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gratitude, a way of thinking, that there is no such as inherent right of what ever one gains and a way of thinking that accepts cause and effect.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That things have a cause have an origin, do not come by themselves &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Putting one self in the right position and with it giving up overestimation of oneself and pride&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being aware that life/existence does not end with death and did not start with birth and so duties and effects are following&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's all about basic practice of right view and this on a worldly level so that there is proper fulfillment of duties and one, by accepting things like they are and giving everything the right place, would be able to take a more refine step into the matter of understanding Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha noted Ancestor duties as one of the necessary duties. Usually practiced as sharing merits (dedication of ones own good deeds for them and invitation to take part on it) and scarifies as ritual acts, like gifts in a shrine or organizing a ceremony... How it is done, differ much, but the essence of practice is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who respect their ancestors and are aware of the fact, that there are very less living beings who have not been their father, mother, sister, brother, child... do such ancestor veneration in keeping precepts and abstaining from harm, for example. So such rituals like slayer a pig to scarify if for them or other cults are not part of Buddhas teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most common way of benefiting the ancestors is the support of the Sangha, with the thought &quot;May my ancestors be able to meet the good teachings in future lifes&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a big matter of obligation, duty and gratitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T13:39:05.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10341" CreationDate="2015-12-29T14:17:35.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although it would not change the effects of later ripping, confessing is the usual and health way, practiced in line with the best success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having done a bodily (same verbal) action, you should reflect on it: 'This bodily&#xA;  action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to&#xA;  both; it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences,&#xA;  painful results, &lt;strong&gt;then you should confess it&lt;/strong&gt;, reveal it, lay it open to&#xA;  the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life &#xA;  (who would give certain further advises) ... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Instructions to Rahula&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such as a &quot;therapeutic&quot; way of doing it given for lay people by the Buddha, but the effects would be the same for them within their community and the possibility to walk ahead. What has been done, has been done, its seen as not right (from ones own view and that of the &quot;victim&quot; and judges), but now lets go on a better way, punishment or rectification (usually regulated by law).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A system which has many elements of the psychology found in the ways of Vinaya are ways used with &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Constellations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Family Constellations&lt;/a&gt;&quot; Such has deep effects of release, for all who are (have been) involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If nothing is really available, even to go to church and make there ones confession will be useful to walk on (of course one should not avoid the community standards, eg. law) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-29T15:41:39.453" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T15:41:39.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2015-12-29T15:00:16.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my own search, as a non-Buddhist, I have found that logical questioning is useful, but it has limits.  In particular, it is reasonably effective at identifying paths that cannot lead to enlightenment once you have decided on characteristics of enlightenment that are important to you, and reasonably effective at identifying the general direction towards enlightenment in many situations.  It can be a useful tool to assist you in your search alongside the advise of those teachers you respect.  In particular, it can be a powerful tool for upsetting existing assumptions in your own mind.  These assumptions can be dealt with in other methods but sometimes logical thought can arrive there faster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go far enough down the path of trying to apply logical thought, you'll eventually come across &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del&amp;#39;s_incompleteness_theorems&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gödel's incompleteness theorems&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarski&amp;#39;s_undefinability_theorem&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tarski's undefinability theorem&lt;/a&gt;.  These theorems demonstrate limits in mathematically rigorous thought when dealing with self-referential systems (such as nearly any religious statement including the word &quot;I&quot;).  They demonstrate that, for a large body of questions which are highly related to enlightenment, logic simply cannot provide the answer.  Often it can barely even phrase the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From experience, I can also provide a warning: if you rely too heavily on logic, once you reach its limits you can feel lost.  Always try to find a happy medium between logic and the more traditional approaches such as meditation and vipassana.  Also be ready for that ideal balance to both change as you grow and to be extremely difficult to quantify using the logical and mathematical part of your approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4762" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T15:00:16.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13346" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-29T17:59:26.207" Score="5" ViewCount="969" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to be mindful whenever I am not too absorbed in whatever i am doing and then I got sick. Everything stopped from fast to slow motion. I had time to watch myself being mindful, but then it occurred to me what I should be mindful off? Since I am physically sick now, should I repeat my current state of mind- 'I am sick', 'I am sick', 'I am sick' and this is so depressing or should I change my frame of mind to something positive - for future well being like ' I am getting better', 'I am getting better', 'I am getting better '. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is right way of being mindful? Being in Present or Hope for better future!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T07:28:28.730" Title="Mindfulness when sick?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-29T18:03:26.220" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't do either of those. When using the Mahasi Sayadaw method of noting, you should only note things that you are directly experiencing in the present. You don't directly experience sickness itself, but rather various symptoms such as tiredness, nausea, diziness, etc... Just note those individually as they come up. Or just note the movement of the abdomen or the posture, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T18:03:26.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11710" CreationDate="2015-12-29T19:05:28.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard to be sure what he's talking about, because obviously the Pali canon doesn't use the modern definition of DP/DR.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the video he says a few things to describe what he's talking about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That it's &quot;DP/DR&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That it's very rare (so very rare that it shouldn't be used as a reason for not meditating)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That whereas enlightenment is liberating and makes your life bigger or fear-free, the &quot;Falling into the Pit of the Void&quot; experience/phenomenon that he's talking is the exact opposite of that&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That it might even be the same (the usual) realization (of emptiness) as enlightenment/liberation, however in these (allegedly rare) cases the person reacts to it differently&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That he (as a teacher) treats it by saying to such a student, &quot;That's good! Now that you know emptiness you can rebuild yourself better than before&quot; and then (like a physiotherapist would with an injured person) forces them to exercise (e.g. to concentrate on positive virtues)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He uses the word &quot;nihilism&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that the description in the Pali canon (of derealization if not of depersonalization) might be of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=bhanga&quot;&gt;bhanga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3304/254&quot;&gt;the descriptions in this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it difficult to think of any place in the suttas where the results of meditation are described as pathological -- but one place might be the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3858/254&quot;&gt;Vesali Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (which might be a description of nihlism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The video doesn't say so but I wonder whether pathology/disorder might be understood as some &lt;em&gt;imbalance&lt;/em&gt; (see for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya#Balancing_the_spiritual_faculties&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Balancing the spiritual faculties&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of &quot;mindfulness&quot; as a possible antidote, according to modern psychology &quot;feelings of unreality (depersonalization or derealization)&quot; can be among the symptoms of &quot;panic disorder&quot; and &quot;acute stress reaction&quot; ... and (to some extent Westernized) &quot;mindfulness based stress reduction programs&quot; is one of the clinical techniques that psychological therapists use to help to treat that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T19:05:28.957" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13242" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:23:39.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Tibetan tradition, some children can remember fragments of their previous life, based on the tradition preserved in the Pali Canon that one can intentionally influence one's future rebirths. These children are tulkus, intentional rebirths of somewhat advanced beings (not necessarily &quot;masters&quot; as commonly asserted). Moreover, the Buddha remembered all of his previous lives, which is paradoxical since samsara is beginningless, as noted by Dr. Richard Gombrich. Therefore, the karmic continuum, mindstream or santana, must include memory. However, this is not normally accessible and is usually &quot;overwritten&quot; early in life due to the greater immediacy and intensity of current experience. Dr. Ian Stevenson has documented this is to some extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:23:39.087" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13135" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:42:15.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;See the Statement of the Dalai Lama on the Issue of His Reincarnation at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:42:15.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13144" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:50:17.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sure many different Mahayana schools do many different things, so it's impossible to generalize, but it is certainly true that, contrary to popular notion, Mahayana tradition does not reject the Pali texts, many of which are found in translation in both the Chinese and Tibetan canons. It is, moreover, a violation of the bodhisattva vow to disparage the Hinayana or dissuade anyone from Hinayana practice. In the Tibetan tradition, the Pali texts are studied quite seriously and the Dalai Lama has been known to cite Theravadan authorities, eg., Buddhaghosa, as authoritative. The issue is not acceptance but interpretation and acceptance of additional non-Pali sutras as &quot;Buddhavacana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:50:17.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13283" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:53:43.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that in teaching/conversing with members of other sects, first establish common ground, then discourse within that universe of discourse on the basis of truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:53:43.247" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13275" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:55:47.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Exhaustion of merit in the deva worlds eventually results in rebirth in lower worlds, since devas have little opportunity to earn merit (an exception being the brahma Sahampati, who earned great merit by successfully encouraging the Buddha to teach after His Enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:55:47.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13265" CreationDate="2015-12-29T20:58:41.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Involuntary physical movements are a symptom of kundalini awakening I believe, and may occur in other, similar contexts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T20:58:41.997" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-29T21:00:16.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explicitly states that it is not wrong to honour one's ancestral religious traditions in the context of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T21:00:16.323" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13212" CreationDate="2015-12-29T21:11:16.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is an English word that means the practice,system or doctrine of the Buddha, lit. &quot;awakened, enlightened.&quot; Obviously the Buddha didn't speak English, but he did use a Pali phrase that means &quot;followers of the Shakyan,&quot; referring to the Buddha's clan and territory (lit. &quot;the able ones&quot;), which means very nearly what is connoted by the English term. More usually, however, he simply refers to the Dharma-Vinaya, meaning &quot;the doctrine and the practice,&quot; without specificially alluding to himself. Moreover, &quot;Buddha&quot; is really a collective term. The Buddha did not claim to present an original teaching specific to himself, but rather to an ahistorical or prehistorical lineage of perfected beings (buddhas) going back hundreds of thousands of years at least, which he equates with (but does not limit to apparently) the Vedic rishis. He states that this teaching is archaic, even primordial, and that he has only rediscovered it in the degenerate age, thus establishing a buddha dispensation (sasana) that will last 5,000 years (i.e., till 4600 CE approx.). The teaching of the ekayana, single or universal vehicle, is that all of these schools and sects are merely facets of one universal teaching that reconciles them all. Only the latter is actually Buddhism. There is no evidence whatsoever that the Buddha taught or thought in an exclusive or sectarian way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-05-31T13:29:31.540" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T13:29:31.540" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2015-12-29T21:19:56.753" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not to kill animals is the 61st pattimokkha infraction, in the section called paccittiya, rules entailing confession. Thus, until the monastic confesses his infraction the sangha is tainted.  Confession alone is sufficient to expiate the infraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2015-12-29T21:19:56.753" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13283" CreationDate="2015-12-30T00:07:40.537" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist priest who has struggled with being too &quot;caustic&quot; in both that and other realms (music criticism, etc.) I have found that being explicit with your concerns about your own ability to address certain topics is good, in two ways. Firstly, it sends the message to those listening that you are thinking about how best to convey your topic. Second, it is a reminder to deepen your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am concerned, though. You seem to indicate that you are a monk, but in your statements on this thread you seem pretty confused about Buddhism. Are you part of a tradition where you can find someone (abbot, dharma teacher, etc.) who can mentor you through this process? I'm concerned about someone who claims to &quot;teach Buddhism&quot; yet not really know much about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7516" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T00:07:40.537" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-30T00:14:35.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as you would not focus on a thought like &quot;Mindfulness is hard&quot; when doing mindfulness meditation, then focusing on some other thought like &quot;I am sick&quot; while doing it would be counterproductive. I suffer from chronic pain, and while it is quite distracting, if I spent all my time focusing on it, I wouldn't get anything done. Part of mindfulness practice is acknowledging your passing thoughts and then letting them go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also remember that as Buddhists we practice the middle way. If you are really really sick, then you must take time for yourself to get better. Don't torture yourself by trying to do formal meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7516" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T00:14:35.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2015-12-30T01:03:34.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is right, also for you, there is not fault is simply eating. There is no unwholsesome deed with eating meet. It would be of course unwholesome to kill, or to tell someone to kill or being happy or approve the killing.&#xA;As for a monk, he would not be allowed to eat certain kind of meat, so for example snakes. A Bhikkhu would also not allowed to accept raw meet. So in relation of those questions, you would need to ask him further. Maybe they found corpse and used them for their nourishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once more, for a Bhikkhu, if seen, heard or assumed, that a living being was killed for his nourishment, he is not allowed to eat it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for killing (by body, speech or though - in being happy about it), all of them are unwholseome deeds, what ever reason and for whom ever. As for breaking the precepts formal, only bodily actions or verbal actions who cause end effect the death of a living being, are a fault at least. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the frog story (just saw Upasaka Chris added the article). Its very usual under framers in SOAsia to eat frogs. They are prepared in various ways. Having lived in a small remote forests village in northern Cambodia as an Anagarika for a while, it happened often that villager came and gave frogs as a alms donation. Honestly Atma was not able to eat them having be boiled, although he has rarely a problem with any kind of food. They are like balloons (if you know the Shrek cartoon). How ever, with time, when people find out that you are not seeking pleasure in this or that kind of food they will naturally avoid to give such, not to speak of even kill that they are able to give. Alms are shares of what one has. Its seldom really Dana if it is taken for the purpose to give. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T01:20:34.510" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T01:20:34.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-30T02:18:26.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just a note. If you focus on the &quot;quality&quot; of something, like sickness or happiness, then it gets reinforced. Consequently, obviously you're depressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sickness or getting better is a quality of your physical being. This is harder than it sounds. Accept it as it is but don't bother with it much more than just taking your pills or resting. Just accept the current state without judging it's quality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you're sitting, sit. When you're standing, stand. This is &quot;simply observing&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, don't bother with it and as you well know, this will pass. Be well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T02:18:26.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13144" CreationDate="2015-12-30T02:22:45.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Is Tipitaka taught and learnt by monks in monastery?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, traditionally. From the beginning one would learn to cite them. Today of course, many have adopter other ways like simply oral, by reading books and just learning to spell it right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How often Tipitaka is referenced in lectures by monks? (for e.g. I was once listening to discourses of Dalai Lama and he was&#xA;  talking of Nagarjuna, Milarepa, Ashvaghosha etc. It might be that he&#xA;  did not reference Tipitaka in those lectures but might have referenced&#xA;  in some other lectures)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most would do it as good as possible. Its certainly so that people who have developed different things are not able to cite and well educated people would certainly know if he speaks the words of the Buddha, in words and meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are laypeople encouraged to learn Tipitaka?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not look like as if the Buddha wanted laypeople to learn to cite them like monks, but of course he encouraged to learn and know his teachings independent whether one walks the way as a monk or a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some Mahayana Schools who highly respect them (Pali Tipitaka) or needs to respect them (would be a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/vows/bodhisattva/root_bodhisattva_pledges.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;break of the root vows if disrespected&lt;/a&gt;!), such as most Tibetan schools and certain schools who totally reject them, having developed there own texts later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since monks in many Mahayana Schools do not really stick to Vinaya (diszipline), they are also not so open to share those texts to lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In argumentation, the old suttas are in fact very important, even for followers of other paths, since they hardly have anything to relay on aside of later developed texts and interpretations out of own opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T02:33:01.327" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T02:33:01.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-30T02:40:17.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its a perfect situation if being sick. Actually you like to know dukkha to be able to escape form it. Pain is the very friend of a meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observe body, mind, feeling very often and spend a lot of time with it. Do not waste time to fight pain but stay with the breath, Mr./Mrs. 8CK8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the pain, where it comes from, if it really stays, where is ceases. The mood, the body... Spend your time with it and take the gift to have no other duty like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T02:40:17.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13283" CreationDate="2015-12-30T03:05:23.890" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(note: Quotes have been taken form the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13289/7500&quot;&gt;discussion here&lt;/a&gt; and are form Mr. Theravada, the questioner)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example if you try to explain the reason for the sudden rise of extremist terrorism it is hard to explain it without looking like an Anti-islamic explanation. As you can see these things are complicated and when asked we must answer too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not always necessary to answer: i.e. &quot;when asked we must answer too&quot;, does not apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;various questions which the Buddha famously left unanswered&lt;/a&gt; because answers to those questions wouldn't have been helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes &quot;the only winning move is not to play&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So what is your thought on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone asked that question (about a reason for terrorism) on Parenting.SE and &lt;a href=&quot;https://parenting.stackexchange.com/a/23029/19836&quot;&gt;I tried to answer it there&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The people (teachers) who teach children are trained that the doctrines and teaching materials must be &quot;age appropriate&quot; or &quot;developmentally appropriate&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I judged it better to not even try to explain (and inevitably mis-explain) &quot;terrorists' motives&quot; to school children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example when people believe something like this, &quot;Killing a non believe is a good thing and they will have heaven for that&quot; it is clearly dumb and it will only feed a genocide. But some religions have these in their core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I classify that as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hate speech&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. I'm unwilling to believe it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And these innocent people ask us what should be the reason they should believe otherwise we must answer in a way that would make them understand while remaining respectful for their own belief as they are not still out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can perhaps use an 'I-message', something like, &quot;The Dhammapada says that, Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing that you might hope to talk about Buddhism, instead of talking about some hopelessly misunderstood version of something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People see with their ego and see everyone like themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is their own dilemma to deal with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches &quot;a middle way between extremes&quot;; so Buddhists can beware of engaging in so-called '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;false dilemmas&lt;/a&gt;', for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Is it better to be starving, or to be a glutton?&quot; -- no.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Is it better to kill or to be killed&quot; -- no.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Is it better to attack or to defend&quot; -- no.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;What's the reason for the sudden rise in extremist terrorism?&quot; -- no.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is that Buddhism is clever at identifying abstractions: abstractions like &quot;aversion&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, etc. Applying (or not applying) those abstractions to real-world (or not-so-real-world) entities takes something else (some other kind of skill, experience, I'm not sure what).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still I find that Buddhism when it talks about abstractions isn't very insulting or corrosive: so keeping the talk quite abstract or non-specific, can be helpful (although, to be honest, people may not want to hear even the first noble truth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So (about abstraction), saying &quot;hatred isn't proper&quot; is quite abstract and not specifically insulting anyone. Saying &quot;you hate and therefore you're hateful&quot; would be a lot more specific and a lot worse; so keeping things abstract is one way to avoid offending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's non-corrosive to teach general tools, vocabulary, logic, practical behaviour, and let other people accept and apply it in their own mind/life/time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing though (i.e. the opposite extreme) is that people can get to arguing about abstractions when they would have no argument about more concrete subjects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone once suggested that I could categorize topics of conversation according to how near or far, how personal or impersonal, they are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The distant past or distant future is further away than the present&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The far away (distant in space) is more impersonal than what's here&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talking about other people is more impersonal than talking about ourselves (you and me, or our families)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything reported in the mass media tends to be very distant: it's reporting on events which aren't now, aren't here, and aren't you and me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a way it's easier to argue about what's impersonal than what's personal: for example we could argue about who has the better football team; or for example people say rude things on the internet because they think they're anonymous or because they don't know who they're talking to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in a way we don't know things which aren't here and now (and because we don't know them we argue about them, like the sectarians can argue about the elephant).&#xA;Look at how the how the concept of &quot;&lt;em&gt;papañca&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is kind of central in the essay, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/nonviolence.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Non-violence&#xA;-- A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm quite fond of the suttas. Thanissaro Bhikkhu's article about non-violence (referenced above), for example, is nothing but quotations from the suttas. Many of the other articles too, on Access to Insight, quote extensively from and/or are based on the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe that is another hint: one way to ensure that the articles you write aren't too corrosive could be to base them closely on suttas -- try to defer to, try to quote, the Buddha-vacana where possible. You said, &quot;it is very easy to look wise while saying really wise quotes&quot; as if that's a bad thing, but I think that's kind of the point: not to look wise, but to try to make wisdom, wise quotes available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly you may be writing some 'mixed messages' here, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;i do not have any idea if i can do it without being a bit corrosive in certain topics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what i meant was not that i'm a very furious person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These might be contradictory: can you be &quot;a bit corrosive&quot; and yet &quot;not furious&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when asked we must answer too&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you able to explain 'liberation' even if you feel 'compelled' to answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Returning to the subject of what's near and &quot;personal&quot;, perhaps you're supposed to notice how you're feeling: if you're feeling angry, compelled, anxious, thirsty, (or a bit corrosive in certain topics) then that mightn't be an especially conducive state to be teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe it's those &quot;certain topics&quot; which are better avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe they're topics in investigate: do you know other teachings that are &quot;a bit corrosive&quot;, do you understand why they have that effect, can you do or be the opposite (e.g. &quot;non-hatred&quot; instead of &quot;hatred&quot;)? Or use impermanence: what is, after corrosiveness has come and gone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T05:47:41.020" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-30T04:28:09.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dukka in the sickness is the unpleasant feeling and sensations. Concrete on the arising and passing nature of these sensations. If you cannot see the arising and passing then their impermanence or changing nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T04:28:09.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13369" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13371" CreationDate="2015-12-30T05:40:32.487" Score="2" ViewCount="124" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my favorite lines from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Vasistha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vasitha's yoga&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&quot;I am not,  nor is there other,  nor is there nonexistence.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what ways does this parallel with Buddhist thought? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what ways does it differ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T03:59:03.233" Title="How does this piece of Vasitha's yoga fit with Buddhist thought?" Tags="|hinduism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13242" CreationDate="2015-12-30T05:50:42.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One perspective not mentioned in other answers is that going through the bardo is a traumatic experience. This is the primary reason for not maintaining memory between rebirths. The other primary reason being that memories are a physical aspect of the brain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, karmic seeds are said to grow,  not just naturally, but also because of psychological propensity to repeat the same actions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if it is said that these propensities carry from life to life, or just the karma from them. It seems that it in some way must. Not identity though...  but a type of personna or personality.  However now I get off topic, so I will cease my ramblings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T09:15:53.220" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T09:15:53.220" CommentCount="33" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13369" CreationDate="2015-12-30T06:13:45.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am not, nor is there other&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; in Buddhism is understood to be &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;. When referring to the brahmanical understanding of &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt;, this refers to a permanent/eternal/unchanging essence under one's complete control, thus, something that is not essentially &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (not-self) going through all phenomena experienced in order to observe &amp;quot;This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself&amp;quot; and thus relinquishing the illusion that &lt;em&gt;atman&lt;/em&gt; (this underlying &amp;quot;true self&amp;quot;) is within the range of experience, something to be grasped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;or is there nonexistence.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not familiar with the referred literature, but as far as &amp;quot;nonexistence&amp;quot; above has equivalent meaning to &amp;quot;nonexistence&amp;quot; in the suttas, here is what the Buddha says in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccaayanagotto Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The world in general, Kaccaayana, inclines to two views, to existence [Eternalism] or to non-existence [Annihilationism]. But for him who, with the highest wisdom, sees the uprising of the world as it really is, 'non-existence of the world' does not apply, and for him who, with highest wisdom, sees the passing away of the world as it really is, 'existence of the world' does not apply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The world in general, Kaccaayana, grasps after systems and is imprisoned by dogmas. But he does not go along with that system-grasping, that mental obstinacy and dogmatic bias, does not grasp at it, does not affirm: 'This is my self.' He knows without doubt or hesitation that whatever arises is merely dukkha that what passes away is merely dukkha and such knowledge is his own, not depending on anyone else. This, Kaccaayana, is what constitutes right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Everything exists,' this is one extreme [view]; 'nothing exists,' this is the other extreme. Avoiding both extremes the Tathaagata teaches a doctrine of the middle: Conditioned by ignorance are the formations... [as SN 12.10]... So there comes about the arising of this entire mass of suffering. But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance there comes the cessation of the formations, from the cessation of the formations comes the cessation of consciousness... So there comes about the complete cessation of this entire mass of suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T03:59:03.233" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13369" CreationDate="2015-12-30T06:27:10.693" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, in regard of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13371/7500&quot;&gt;Upasaka Thiago Silva answer&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems like the approach of what the Buddha called &quot;the Uposatha of the Niganthas (Jains)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:03:46.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13346" CreationDate="2015-12-30T07:28:28.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;are you getting sick because you practice mindfulness?   or you are sick and dont know where best to be mindful of?   If the later one, then you might want to read this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gilana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T07:28:28.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13374" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-12-30T07:42:52.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Making &lt;strong&gt;Merits&lt;/strong&gt; (pi &lt;em&gt;puñña&lt;/em&gt;) means practicing beneficial deeds on the Path of practice in Buddhism: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are ten ways of making merit named dasapuñña-kiriya-vatthu. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1. Giving or generosity (Dāna-mayaŋ puñña-kiriya-vatthu)&#xA;2. Moral conduct or virtue (Sīla-mayaŋ ........................... )&#xA;3. Meditation or mental development (Bhāvana-maya .... )&#xA;4. Respect or reverence (Apaciti-sahagataŋ .... )&#xA;5. Service in helping others (Veyyāvacca-sahagataŋ .... )&#xA;6. Transference of merit (Pattānuppadānaŋ .................. )&#xA;7. Rejoicing in other’s merit (Abbhanumodanaŋ ......... )&#xA;8. Expounding or teaching the dhamma (Desana-mayaŋ .....)&#xA;9. Listening to the dhamma (Savana-mayaŋ ................. )&#xA;10. Correcting one’s views (Diṭṭhijjukammaŋ puñña-kiriya-vatthu)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More about the topic can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T09:03:44.813" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T09:03:44.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13375" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-12-30T07:42:52.010" Score="0" Body="Making Merits (pali: puñña) means practicing beneficial deeds on the Path of practice in Buddhisms. This tag is used for question in regard of making merits." OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T12:05:31.040" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T12:05:31.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12906" CreationDate="2015-12-30T07:57:41.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs breath, maybe some words, taken from a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta - Explanation&lt;/a&gt; are useful in this regard to understand it rightly, this modesty and striving issue (look for 7. Content (&lt;i&gt;santussako&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To improve ones livelihood is actually very good if it is desired to follow as much as possible &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right livelihood&lt;/a&gt;. However, its great to make things by one self and amass wealth with one own power, effort and sweat is not wrong and even the only way to really be able to enjoy wealth. But today's businesses are not so easy to maintain righteous and in a righteous way so a modest job as even a small servant mostly gives more possibilities to practice the path relevant things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:13:49.777" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T19:13:49.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13248" CreationDate="2015-12-30T10:15:14.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mrs/Ms. Sherly, &quot;we do the wrong thing when we celebrate Christmas&quot;, such a general statement would be not the message of the Buddha and should be rebuked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you like to prove if he really told in such way or if it was just your assuming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is generally nothing wrong in celebrating, especially if it goes into the direction of gratitude or even remembering the goodness or merits of others. Even to recollect a god or similar, the merits having done to have reached this state is one of the beneficial recollections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma guesses that most actions and livelihood of Jesus for example, is full of meritorious deeds and remembering such a person would be for sure not wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, Christmas has also native origins and is often not a 100% Christian celebration but also used to remember once ancestors which is also not wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The generally intentions around of Christmas are nearly all in the frame of meritorious deeds like Dana, Serving, renunciation... and sitting under the Christmastree and sharing metta to the whole world, there is nothing wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally Atma does not celebrate it any more since a long time, but even still in this spheres where it was usual, Atma always enjoyed the common practice and recollecting on good deeds even never have been a real believer in any God as creator and leader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a practicing Buddhist, one should normally find plenty of good reasons to join such, if ones such is usual in ones society and even to take of certain services in ones hometown church, thinking that there are not so many monasteries, could be of great benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in Buddhist countries old traditions are not rejected. Such was never the strategy of the Buddha. If he came across a certain tradition, he gave it first a deeper reason and second leaded people beyond the possibilities of what they have with there means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T10:15:14.337" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13135" CreationDate="2015-12-30T13:15:37.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If someone is picked, can he refute?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone was picked (found) when very young. This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.biography.com/people/dalai-lama-9264833&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama Biography&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After several months of searching for a successor to the 13th Dalai Lama and following many significant spiritual signs, religious officials located Lhamo Thondup, at age 2, and identified him as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether the parents could refuse (e.g. if monks come to the house and say &amp;quot;We've come to test whether your son is the Dalai Lama&amp;quot; whether the parents could say &amp;quot;Oh I'm sure he couldn't be because etc.&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be some kind of trial period. This article about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Dalai_Lama.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monks knew they had found the reincarnation of their leader. Lhamo was &lt;strong&gt;two years old&lt;/strong&gt; at the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monks took Lhamo to a monastery in Kumbum, Tibet. For two years he was given the basic education he would need to lead his country both spiritually and politically. After this he was brought to the Potala palace in Lhasa, the capital of the country. The Potala palace is a structure of over one thousand rooms built into a mountain. There he took his place on the Lion Throne, a richly carved, wooden throne covered with jewels. He was only &lt;strong&gt;four years old&lt;/strong&gt; on February 22, 1940, when the monks declared that he was the new Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-chan/dalai-lama-mindfulness_b_3683961.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;At Home With the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also know that he wasn't a particularly good student when he was young. He had a mercurial temper and was impulsive. Monastic disciplines like meditation and scriptural study did not come naturally to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Around seven or eight,&amp;quot; the Dalai Lama told me in an earlier meeting, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, &amp;quot;I had no interest in study. Only play. But one thing: my mind since young, quite sharp, can learn easily. This brings laziness. So my tutor always keep one whip, a yellow whip, by his side. When I saw the yellow whip, the holy whip for holy student the Dalai Lama, I studied. Out of fear. Even at that age I know, if I study, no holy pain.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T13:15:37.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13381" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13386" CreationDate="2015-12-30T14:53:13.927" Score="7" ViewCount="876" Body="&lt;p&gt;Loose definitions for mindfulness and flow (text from Wikipedia):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; involves being aware moment-to-moment, of one’s subjective conscious experience from a first-person perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Flow&lt;/em&gt; is described as a deep focus on nothing but the activity – not even oneself or one's emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both are good, but they appear to be opposite mental states. Is entering a flow state incompatible with developing mindfulness? If so, then would flow be considered &quot;bad&quot;? If not, then how can these distinct concepts be presented so that they are compatible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7520" LastEditorUserId="7520" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T15:07:22.893" LastActivityDate="2020-01-04T21:32:06.453" Title="Are mindfulness and flow related" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13381" CreationDate="2015-12-30T15:07:02.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you mean &lt;em&gt;akaliko&lt;/em&gt; (ongoing, no break, timeless) with flow. Of course there is usually a flow of being not aware, but such is not the practice of the path, Mr. JnBrymn. Flow is merely used as a new age approach and there is certain no use for such. Maybe this essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/foodforawakening_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Role of Appropriate Attention&lt;/a&gt; is useful &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T15:12:04.560" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T15:12:04.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5810" CreationDate="2015-12-30T15:20:21.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very practical advice, trying it, playing with it, and finding out if the notion of I is disappearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking on understanding, there is no better that testing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T15:20:21.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13381" CreationDate="2015-12-30T16:07:10.443" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Equating mindfulness and flow is somewhat problematic.  I would actually go so far as to say that flow has more in common with samadhi than sati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm guessing you are using the term flow as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.  From what I remember of his book, one of the important characteristic of flow inducing activities is that they have an engaging quality to them.  One becomes absorbed in whatever they are doing.  That should set off some bells and whistles immediately as there are some clear similarities (but not an equivalence) between being engaged in an activity and states of meditative absorption.  For one, both activities are, by nature, intrinsically rewarding (well, when you get better at meditation, they are!) and offer direct feedback.  We know when we've had a good sit or not, we know when our mind drifts from the the breath, etc.  On a more technical level, attention is applied and sustained (vicara/vitakka) in both flow and samadhi.  We either need a meditative object to apply our attention to (samadhi) or an activity to which we can apply our efforts (flow).  We also need to do both in a way that isn't distracted (sustained attention).  In flow, however, I just don't think one finds a sustained attention that is nearly as unbroken as it is in jhana or neighboring states of concentration.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When compared to mindfulness practice, flow is lacking some very important qualities.  For one, I just flat out don't think the word mindfulness even can be applied to flow.  The Pali word sati has a number of meanings, but generally implies bringing something into the mind's eye, bringing something into attention, etc.  I just don't see that taking place in flow.  The activity is supplying the mental content.  Secondly, mindfulness practice involves sampajanna - clear comprehension - of the activities one is engaged in.  This is the knowing that a breath is long or short, that an arm is raised, that a feeling is felt, etc.  Once again, I just don't see that happening in flow.  One is caught up in the activity instead of clearing comprehending the component actions that make up that activity.  Perhaps most importantly, flow utterly lacks the potential for insight.  Flow never affords one the opportunity to turn the attention to, say, the seven factors or enlightenment or the four noble truths.  The activities take us into a kind of attention that is other or outer-directed.  The potential for the development of wisdom - the main purpose of mindfulness practice - never factors in.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T16:12:26.827" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T16:12:26.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13387" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2015-12-30T16:28:15.257" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T16:28:15.257" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T16:28:15.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13388" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2015-12-30T16:28:15.257" Score="0" Body="Veyyāvaca (Pali) means doing service or helping and assisting - by ones skill, time and other inmaterial things - as one of the ten meritorious deeds. Questions fitting such topics, do fit well under this tag." OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T22:52:49.647" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T22:52:49.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8689" CreationDate="2015-12-30T17:11:01.163" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since many many many suttas has mention of devas, and even the homage to Buddha himself called him as teachers of gods and men, it is unlikely that Buddhism got devas from Brahmanism (pre-Hinduism). What concept that was wrong in Brahmanism like the caste system, the Buddha was not afraid to dismantle that concept. Since the Buddha didn't dismantle this concept of devas (as well as rebirth), it is more likely that this is how the world really works and the sages of Vedic times got somethings right and other things wrong from their meditation experiences (like they believe in soul and ultimate Brahma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, Rebirth has empirical evidence (google Ian Stevenson) and should not be a doubt at all, but an accepted fact of life. One just has to abandon the pervasive notion of nihilism from materialistic philosophy that says after death there is nothing. And the notion of eternalism from Abrhamic religions which says after death there is eternal heaven or hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas are possibly a few things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aliens/ future development of humans until they become as powerful as devas (eg. Thor). If we can evolve to become that, there are certainly some aliens who are already as powerful out there already.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beings from higher dimensional realm (4D beings looking at 3D beings like us) or another universe with rules so awesome, the people there live long and have powers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beings made of Dark Matter/ Dark Energy (which are more than 90% of the mass of the Universe) We call them Dark because we hardly know anything about them. Neutrinos (one of the Dark Matter candidate) in Physics are called ghost particles because billions and more of them are going through us every second and we don't feel them at all. They rarely interact with normal matter.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Advanced form of intelligence. Eg. Artificial intelligence that has transcended the need for material base or limitations. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Simulated universes hierarchy, with one nested under the other, and the devas are programmers. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7521" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T17:11:01.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13390" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-30T17:47:29.397" Score="3" ViewCount="542" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why does/would a &quot;Bodhisattva&quot; burdens himself with the choice of becoming a Buddha (avoiding extinguishing dukkha) and instigate others as well to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that this world is full of &quot;Bodhisattvas&quot;, there is not one being who is not just here to help others out, why does a Bodhisattva instigate others to stay on this normal course of birth and death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does he need food to nourish his undertaking and fearing to find nobody and nothing as reason for further becoming?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or what is the reason to instigate others to do such a work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to become one day wise and listen to what the Buddha say and trap others who have the same blindness for it? (Given that the Teachings of the Buddha of our time is still available)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or do they assume that there are no teachings which lead them out for now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T19:50:30.273" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T14:24:25.387" Title="Why does/would a &quot;Bodhisattva&quot; burdens himself and instigate others as well?" Tags="|bodhisattva|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13390" CreationDate="2015-12-30T18:14:06.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Bodhisattva 'instigates' others because he wants what is best for others (full enlightenment together with its causes). From this viewpoint, 'abiding nirvana' is thus not what is best for others,  because it is not the one final result of the one final vehicle (i.e. the Mahayana path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two obscurations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Afflictive obscurations - all the afflictions - which prevent one from achieving abiding nirvana, and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge obscurations - the imprints left by previous moments of ignorance - which prevent one from achieving perfect enlightenment, omniscience.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he completely abandoned afflictive obscurations (which an arya bodhisattva does anyway from the 8th  bhumi), the practitioner would be free from the conception of inherent existence, but he would not be free from the appearance of inherent existence because such a &lt;strong&gt;mistaken appearance&lt;/strong&gt; is  caused by knowledge obscurations. A bodhisattva does not aim at merely abiding in 'abiding nirvana', but wants to be completely free from all mistakes and thus be able to enact the welfare of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bodhisattva does not set out to merely get rid of afflictive obscurations and achieve abiding nirvana. He set out, from the entry into the Mahayana path, to get rid of knowledge obscurations and achieve what Mahayana call 'full buddhahood', 'perfect enlightenment', 'omniscience', 'the four kayas', 'non-abiding nirvana'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wisdom directly realizing emptiness is said to be 'the mother of all three types of enlightenment - that of the shravaka, the pratyekabuddha, and the bodhisattva' because it is a cause of enlightenment. However, it is a Mahayana belief that full enlightenment (that of the arhat-bodhisattva, an arya buddha) can not be achieved by cultivating the wisdom-side alone. One needs the method-side, namely bodhicitta, the six perfections, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge obscurations can only be removed by way of developing the two wings that are method and wisdom. When the wisdom directly realizing emptiness is conjoined with bodhicitta, that wisdom becomes what is called 'ultimate bodhicitta' and that puts an end to what prevents one from achieving omniscience, the omniscient mind of a buddha, buddhahood, perfect enlightenment. That is why a bodhisattva cultivates bohdicitta, which is 'the wish to achieve enlightenment for the benefits of all sentient beings'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The classical analogy goes: the wisdom realizing emptiness is like an axe while bodhicitta is like the strong arm. You need both the axe and a strong arm to cut the tree (that is here knowledge obscurations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say that from the path of seeing, an [arya] bodhisattva comes back in samsara but is not wandering in samsara. &lt;strong&gt;So his aggregates are not contaminated anymore, and there is no 'true suffering' involved&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;It is not the case that he will suffer for eternity.&lt;/strong&gt; This is because he does not come back under the power of karma and afflictions, but under the power of compassion and aspirational prayers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T22:13:02.807" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T22:13:02.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13392" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-30T18:15:04.007" Score="1" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;This isn't particularly about Buddhism, but I'm wondering what people are using for unicode characters.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T18:15:04.007" Title="Can anyone recommend a good diacritic keyboard for rendering Pali, Sanskrit, etc?" Tags="|pali-language|pali|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2015-12-30T19:34:40.893" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13390" CreationDate="2015-12-30T20:16:48.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why does/would a &quot;Bodhisattva&quot; burdens himself with the choice of becoming a Buddha (avoiding extinguishing dukkha) and instigate others as well to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people misunderstand Nirvana as permanent happiness or permanent absence of any trouble - which is impossible due to Impermanence. So Bodhisattva explains that such &quot;Nirvana&quot; is impossible, and invites all who has ears to hear to partake of true Nirvana, which is suchness - true extinguishing of dukkha by not clinging to what passes and not rejecting what is and not craving for what is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, if one wants to teach others Dharma, dukkha will inevitably be generated due to mismatch between &quot;what is&quot; (the confused student) and &quot;what should be&quot; (the student that understood). So in order to teach one has to be Okay with dukkha - which in itself is extinguishing dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Bodhisattva really only consistently applies Dharma to its completion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Given that this world is full of &quot;Bodhisattvas&quot;, there is not one being who is not just here to help others out, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This statement is false. There are millions if not billions of selfish people here - and you know this. Sarcasm is a form of false speech too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or what is the reason to instigate others to do such a work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or do they assume that there are no teachings which lead them out for now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The desire to get &quot;out&quot; is the desire that Bodhisattva overcomes to attain the non-attainment of suchness, the true Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2015-12-30T23:04:45.047" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T23:04:45.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13302" CreationDate="2015-12-30T21:54:44.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something similar came up in another topic: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12688/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; references the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soni/wheel254.html#ch1-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Maha Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, one of whose topics is &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:1170.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gārava&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which (you wrote) is similar to &lt;em&gt;Apacāyana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gaaravo&lt;/strong&gt;: reverence. This includes the proper veneration of the Buddha,&#xA;  Dhamma and Sangha, and respect for parents and teachers, wise people,&#xA;  good persons and elders — in fact, a general high regard for everyone.&#xA;  Even the Buddha after his Enlightenment surveyed the world to try to&#xA;  find a teacher to revere. When he realized that no teacher surpassed&#xA;  his own attainments, then he proclaimed in verse that he would live&#xA;  revering the Dhamma through which Enlightenment had been discovered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the arahant-disciples too had reverence for the Buddha as their&#xA;  guide, for the Dhamma, for other senior bhikkhus and for the way of&#xA;  training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The further one has gone along the path of Dhamma the more reverence&#xA;  one has for it — and for others who also practice correctly. It is not&#xA;  that reverence grows less as one practices! This is a way of&#xA;  estimating one's own position, for if a lot of pride and conceit can&#xA;  be seen then one has not got very far!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one show respect or reverence? The Buddha says that one gives&#xA;  such a person a good seat, stands up to receive them, makes way for&#xA;  them and, for religious teachers, one places one's hands together and&#xA;  bows at their feet. This is a blessing resulting in good future births&#xA;  and harmony in the present life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=G%C4%81ravo&amp;amp;sa=Search&amp;amp;siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accesstoinsight.org%2Ftipitaka%2Fsn%2Fsn06%2Fsn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;search for 'Gāravo' on Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; may find that this word is used in several other suttas also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also look at other related words (for example, possibly &lt;em&gt;Nivāta&lt;/em&gt; as a synonym, or &lt;em&gt;Māna&lt;/em&gt; as an antonym).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another practice to consider might be 'prostrations' which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=prostrations&quot;&gt;mentioned frequently&lt;/a&gt; on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prostrations &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WTbTOM12s&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;are apparently a Theravada practice&lt;/a&gt;, though it might be more prevalent in other schools of Buddhism. See for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5440/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which tries to explain the &quot;Tradition and purpose of prostration practice&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2015-12-30T21:54:44.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13390" CreationDate="2015-12-31T02:20:50.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;FYI I tried to follow on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13390/why-does-would-a-bodhisattva-burdens-himself-and-instigate-others-as-well#comment22286_13395&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; which recommended explaining &quot;the 4 types of nirvana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a description of that in this video, &lt;a href=&quot;http://thubtenchodron.org/2014/09/nirvana-equanimity-bodhicitta/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four types of nirvana&lt;/a&gt; starting at about time 13:05.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Natural nirvana -- the emptiness of the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana with remainder -- an arhat (the &quot;remainder&quot; being their body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana without remainder -- an arhat after death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some schools believe that an arhat's mind and body cease at death, which begs the question &quot;who has nirvana?&quot; The venerable's (Gelug) school teaches that, instead, when an arhat dies they shed their polluted body, acquire a mental body, and reside in a Pure Land in meditative equipoise (on emptiness) until the Buddha arouses them and says they need to enter the Boddhisatva path: at which they have to start on the Boddhisatva path (even though they've realized emptiness before) and acquire the great merit of a Boddhisatva. And that's why (she says) we're encouraged to enter the Boddhisatva path directly without become arhats first ... because that (entering the Boddhisatva path directly) is the quicker (than becoming an arhat first and being in meditative equipose for a while) way to enter full awakening, accumulate all the merit that you need to accumulate to become a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T02:20:50.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13400" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2015-12-31T08:52:21.400" Score="5" ViewCount="255" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any references to spirit of ancestors in Buddhist folklore? As seen in some movies, communication with spirits is shown. Is this practical ? What is the Buddhist view on spirits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T18:26:56.367" Title="Spirits in Buddhist Folklore" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13401" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13402" CreationDate="2015-12-31T11:08:49.130" Score="5" ViewCount="531" Body="&lt;p&gt;Different spiritual traditions, including, but not limited to Buddhism, emphasize that it is important to always keep in mind that one's thoughts and emotions do not constitute the essence of a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When some thought crosses my mind,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;makes me like or dislike something (emotion),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;then these thoughts and emotions are not my true self in that they come and go like they want (similar to breathing, blood circulation and other bodily processes, which most people can't consciously control). The true self is the entity that observes them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theory and practice shows that realization 3 often leads to an increase in happiness (e. g. I feel pain, I acknowledge the thought &lt;em&gt;I'd rather prefer to experience pleasure&lt;/em&gt; and the emotion of sadness as inevitable by-products of the activity of my brain, which usually eliminates suffering despite presence of pain) and - as a result - higher productivity (less time and energy is wasted on useless thoughts emotions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now, I occasionally do the whole process (observe thoughts, observe emotions they've generated, remember that they aren't my true self), probably when the pain gets too hard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to develop a habit of doing this routine so that I'm automatically doing those 3 steps all the time (as frequently as possible). As a result I expect my stress resistance (ability to do productive work in suboptimal conditions) to dramatically increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What routine can I use to develop that habit (apart from the process described below), ideally scientifically proven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I need some practical, &lt;strong&gt;actionable&lt;/strong&gt; recipe for developing the desired habit, which is better than the option below. I do not need some theoretical, philosophical stuff.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If your routine is well-suited for people with tendency towards premature action and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ADHD&lt;/a&gt;, it's even better.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Standard habit formation process&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Install on your mobile phone an application, which vibrates every 20 minutes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Every day in the morning, turn on the application.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whenever you feel the vibration, do the three steps (observe thoughts, observe emotions they've generated, remember that they aren't my true self).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Before you go to sleep, turn off the application.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Repeat steps 2-4 for at least 40 days.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update 1 (05.01.2016 12:13 MSK):&lt;/strong&gt; Below you can find a selection of techniques, which seem to help me observe the mind. I don't guarantee that they will work for anyone else. And I don't guarantee that it really helps me - it just seems to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Morning observation ritual&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Write out at least 10 thoughts that are running in your head.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For each of them do the 3 steps (observe the thought, observe the emotions it generates and remember that you aren't either of them).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imagine the thoughts on a diagram&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It helps to imagine the different thoughts as diagrams with time on the horizontal axis and the intensity of a particular thought on the vertical one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/5nFry.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/5nFry.png&quot; alt=&quot;Diagram&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Music&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some music seems to be more conducive to mind observation than others. I noticed it when listening to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.focusatwill.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Focus at will&lt;/a&gt; music, section &lt;em&gt;Focus Spa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Rx44K.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Rx44K.png&quot; alt=&quot;Focus at will&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not affiliated with Focus at will, I'm not getting any remuneration for this and you probably can get the same music in other ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:25:59.810" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T14:25:59.810" Title="What is the best way to develop a mind observation habit?" Tags="|personal-practice|habits|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13401" CreationDate="2015-12-31T11:26:01.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well this is a suggestions question because your mileage may vary based on what you do and what's your environment. I'd suggest to use the most natural way available. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main idea here is to have a reminder in place. For this maybe you can use the entrances at your home or workplace to be a reminder. Or an action like drinking coffee or water or using the toilet. Or you can mark a person you see around you everyday. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Side by side, cultivate a more natural inside reminder. Can't beat this one. This could be autosuggestion like telling yourself to be mindful and relax. Or it could be some action like scratching your head or ear. Or it could be any time you are walking. And you could use rubbing your knees when you're sitting. &#xA;But you see all this requires predisposed awareness. Try to be aware of your body movements. This will certainly help in future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In formal meditation, cultivate awareness of your sitting and the environment by using the sounds or smell or feel of the place. This would help in cultivating general environmental awareness in other places also. In the sense, this is more habit-forming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are some tips. But beware of the fact that any external thing you use, should not become a crutch such that when you are away from it, you lose all reminders altogether or you cannot be mindful at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2015-12-31T11:49:12.783" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T11:49:12.783" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10026" CreationDate="2015-12-31T13:31:28.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not have a sutta reference, but a personal experience to offer. I used to run a retreat center. Much of the work was physical or chores, not mental: cooking (which takes some thought and creativity but gets fairly routine), cleaning, doing laundry and preparing rooms, grocery shopping, outdoor work, etc. I did this for 10 years, and part of the time I was learning all these tasks, but eventually had done them a long time and they were familiar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was a computer programmer before that, for more than a decade. I also used to read a lot, and I wrote and did artwork then. But at the retreat center, there was not time or energy (or sometimes inclination) to do anything using thought or creativity. This is not a balanced situation. It led me to do a lot of spurious thinking while doing other things, and that led to thinking of things that were not possible for me to do in my situation (due to lack of time, money, opportunities, friends, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is urged on people to be mindful and focus their thoughts while doing routine things, and this is a good skill to develop. It may be used any time. But expecting people to no longer use their cognitive, investigative, creative and social abilities is not going to work. Mindfulness is not enough. For people to be fulfilled, they must develop all aspects of themselves in a healthy way, and just doing the accounting at a retreat center is probably not enough to offset the many hours of non-thought, non-creative work. Sorry to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T13:31:28.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13404" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13406" CreationDate="2015-12-31T15:57:54.287" Score="2" ViewCount="196" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Gautama Buddha make any statements about the justices or injustices of the world? &#xA;I would like to elucidate the right view to a person who has undergone a certain injustice. The person in question has not got a particular position she rightfully deserved due to a conspiracy of people blocking said person from achieving it. I would also like a parallel to the contemporary world so that it is more practical when reaching this society's person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2015-12-31T23:37:52.467" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T08:26:05.270" Title="Right view of the external modern world" Tags="|ethics|right-livelihood|right-speech|right-view|right-intention|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13400" CreationDate="2015-12-31T16:41:07.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not exactly, there are stories where relatives want to find out where a recently deceased loved one was reborn. However no communication happens between them, the Buddha just states, they were reborn here, because of X. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Communication with deities is sometimes mentioned, but spirits or ghosts, not so much in my knowledge.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T16:41:07.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13404" CreationDate="2015-12-31T17:53:41.407" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way Buddha explained these things, was not as much about justice/injustice as with references to how the world/society works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example he would say, if someone were to rob people, he will likely get caught by the king and get his feet and hands cut off. Dharma is not as much about justice as it is about understanding how things work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same way, when your friend had people conspire against her - this would mean she probably did a bad job making friends with people. When someone is good at making friends, people don't conspire against them. There could be exceptions but this seems a general rule of thumb, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the Occam's Razor principle, the explanation with fewer assumptions is more often the right one. So in my experience, more often than not, our social problems are caused by our own behavior. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would be the most Buddhist advice, to start with yourself. Even if you are not THE source of the problem, in reality you are the only thing you can control (to a degree) - so whatever you want to achieve you have to achieve it by changing your own behavior. Unless of course you are in a position of authority to tell people what to do, but that's not the case here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key to the right view is to shift the focus from personal preconceptions (&quot;this is not fair&quot; etc.) to the context of kusala/akusala action-and-result: this action leads to this result - that action leads to that result, these words will have this effect - those words will have that effect, these thoughts of mine will result in this - those thoughts of mine will result in that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure if I can find any quotes or anecdotes for this. Hopefully someone else can think of some canonical story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T17:53:41.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13095" CreationDate="2015-12-31T18:28:50.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will find similar discussion in Ken McLeod's book &quot;Wake up to Your Life&quot;.  McLeod begins a definition of the 6 realms of existence on page 146,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The six worlds of projected emotion are known as the six realms of beings: hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, human beings, titans, and gods.  The six corresponding reactive emotional patterns give rise to six different interpretations of experience.  In effect, we project the emotional reaction onto the world of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we experience the world through anger, we see everything as an enemy and fight our way through life. We live in hell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And he goes on to describe the other five realms/reactive emotions in similar terms.  McLeod also touches on and expands on these descriptions in some of this podcasts (available through &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.unfetteredmind.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unfettered Mind&lt;/a&gt;)(sorry, I can't cite specific pod casts).  McLeod also comes out of the Tibetan tradition, though a different lineage (a student of Kalu Rinpoche).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T18:28:50.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13404" CreationDate="2015-12-31T20:01:15.377" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first thing that the story (i.e. &amp;quot;not got a particular position she rightfully deserved due to a conspiracy&amp;quot;) reminded me of was verse 3 of the Dhammapada (i.e. &amp;quot;he robbed me&amp;quot; etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&amp;quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The associated story is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=003&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hesitate to tell this story because it seems like blaming the victim, not sympathetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to say, &amp;quot;you were robbed ... and I expect you to like that!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if the friend to whom the injustice was done now continues to hate their situation (or, it's called, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;aversion&lt;/a&gt;), if you're continuing to &lt;em&gt;hold&lt;/em&gt; hate, then that's continuing to 'suffer', &lt;em&gt;prolonging&lt;/em&gt; the suffering ... and that's maybe part of the types of suffering (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha#Types&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and see also &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;not getting what is wanted is stressful&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;) that the Buddha certainly made statements about: not injustice so much as our reaction to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course he also made statements about justice; for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt; (virtue, moral conduct) is the cornerstone upon which the entire Noble Eightfold Path is built.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya Pitaka&lt;/a&gt;, the first division of the Tipitaka, is the textual framework upon which the monastic community (Sangha) is built. It includes not only the rules governing the life of every Theravada bhikkhu (monk) and bhikkhuni (nun), but also a host of procedures and conventions of etiquette that support harmonious relations, both among the monastics themselves, and between the monastics and their lay supporters, upon whom they depend for all their material needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And actually the Dhammapada does say more on the subject of justice. The story behind &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=331&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Verse 331&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 331: It is good to have friends when the need arises; it is good to be content with anything that is available; it is good to have merit when life is about to end; it is good to be rid of all dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... starts with people being &amp;quot;ill-treated by some wicked kings&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T23:16:25.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13401" CreationDate="2015-12-31T20:10:32.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I read your post, and the answer given by @BlackFlam3, some ideas came to me about the question. I think it is easy to turn these spiritual practices into the focus of your worship, and thereby miss the moment. You start turning your focus to the thoughts about your thoughts. Making it into a routine is what the mind wants, as to take control away from awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would re-emphasize @BlackFlam3's suggestion in bringing the focus back to something inside. As I read the recommendation about &quot;scratching your head&quot;, it occurred to me that I've developed a habit of stroking my beard. Ironically, I'll get lost in thought and have my arm twisted in a strange way, which causes my shoulders to become tense as I do this. In this, I can give awareness to my habit and perhaps laugh at it - use the pain as a reminder. Then, perhaps, I can use my beard as the reminder directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My favorite author, Eckhart Tolle, talks about this. I paraphrase, but something like, &quot;in the act of observing your non-presence, you become present.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7526" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T20:10:32.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2015-12-31T20:57:02.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Excerpt from &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Lamp of Mahamudra&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Section One - Ground Mahamudra&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The View&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Your natural essence cannot be established as either samsara or nirvana.  Not confined by any one extreme, free from the limitations of exaggeration or denigration, it is not tainted nor spoiled by such designations as pleasant or unpleasant, being or not being, existent or non-existent, permanent or annihilated, self or other, and so forth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, no matter how it manifests, ultimately this essence has no true existence...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the actual basis of all that appears and exists, the whole of samsara and nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you realize its nature, knowing its real condition, you are called a Buddha.  When you do not realize it, remaining ignorant of it and experiencing confusion, you are called a sentient being.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For any who are interested, &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Lamp of Mahamudra&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;The Heart of the Matter&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, both by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, have been combined in a single book, entitled &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Heart Lamp&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, North Atlantic Books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T21:32:01.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13254" CreationDate="2015-12-31T23:15:10.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rather than trying to construct a flowchart or tree-map of the bardo, allow me to suggest a couple of references, wherein this could be found:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, &quot;The Tibetan Book of the Dead&quot; translated by Gyurme Dorje, edited by Graham Coleman with Thupten Jinpa, Viking, 2006.  Specifically, Chapter 11, &quot;The Great Liberation Upon Hearing&quot;.  As explained in the context for the chapter, this would often be read to the dying person (and recently deceased) to provide a roadmap of upcoming experiences.  Being reminded of these waypoints the traveler would be more likely to recognize the luminosity of their true nature:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;O, Child of Buddha Nature,(call the name of the individual) listen!  Pure inner radiance, reality itself, is now arising before you.  Recognize it!  O, Child of Buddha Nature, this radiant essence that is now your conscious awareness is a brilliant emptiness...&quot; (pg. 231)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, another very good reference would be &quot;Mind Beyond Death&quot; by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Snow Lion Publications, 2006.  Chapter 5, &quot;Evaporating Reality, The Painful Bardo of Dying&quot;, might hit closest to the mark you have set.  Chapters 6 and 7 bring us back through the bardo of Dharmata and bardo of becoming to the next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T23:15:10.147" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12196" CreationDate="2015-12-31T23:46:58.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book, &quot;Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist&quot;, Stephen Batchelor, Spiegel &amp;amp; Grau, Random House, 2010, describes his experience of doing just this in 1981.  Batchelor's first Zen retreat was at &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songgwangsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Songgwangsa&lt;/a&gt;, under the guidance of Kusan Sunim, and he stayed until 1984, a year after Kusan Sunim's death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastActivityDate="2015-12-31T23:46:58.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12196" CreationDate="2016-01-01T00:54:11.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seoulzen.center/about-the-center&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Hwa Gye Sa International Zen Center&lt;/a&gt;. I know nothing of it but its web site (i.e. that it's &quot;international&quot;, Zen, next to Seoul, and has retreats with an application form and an email address); and that in 2007 &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rqzyPSevzA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hyon Gak Sunim&lt;/a&gt; was teaching there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seoulzen.center/links&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a page with three or four links&lt;/a&gt; to other places (one of which is Mu Sang Sa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-01T14:38:49.337" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T14:38:49.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12981" CreationDate="2016-01-01T03:07:41.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a little about sleep in the Q&amp;amp;A towards the end of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Still Forest Pool&lt;/em&gt; by Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Q: What about sleep? How much should I sleep?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A: Don't ask me, I can't tell you. What's important, though, is that you watch and know yourself. If you try to go with too little sleep, the body will feel uncomfortable, and mindfulness will be difficult to sustain. Too much sleep, on the other hand, leads to a dull or restless mind. Find the natural balance for yourself. Carefully watch the mind and body, and keep track of sleep needs until you find the optimum. To wake up and then roll over for a snooze is defilement. Establish mindfulness as soon as your eyes open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for sleepiness, there are many ways to overcome it. If you are sitting in the dark, move to a lighted place. Open your eyes. Get up and wash or slap your face, or take a bath. If you are sleepy, change postures. Walk a lot. Walk backwards. The fear of running into things will keep you awake. If this fails, stand still, clear the mind, and imagine it's broad daylight. Or sit on the edge of a high cliff or deep well. You won't dare sleep! If nothing works, then just go to sleep. Lie down carefully, and try to be aware until the moment you fall asleep. Then as soon as you awaken, get right up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read earlier that monasteries have a 6-hour-per-night sleep time scheduled (which is slightly less than the current lay tradition of &amp;quot;8 hours&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Buddhist-monks-sleep-so-little&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why do Buddhist monks sleep so little?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Received wisdom in the West is that eight hours is optimal. But monks in Korea choose to get about six hours a night, day in, day out. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people answering that question say it's possible because monks go to deep sleep quickly (so they use those 6 hours thoroughly), and the meditation they do during the day is comparatively restful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T03:07:41.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13400" CreationDate="2016-01-01T03:22:46.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Spirits&quot; are lower ranking devas that occupy the realm of the Four Great Kings, and include earthbound devas too, that live invisibly in human cities and influence human beings telepathically. These correspond to the nature spirits found in all traditions. I cant think of any examples of spirits of ancestors as such, but King Bimbisara appears to the Buddha as a king in the realm of the Four Great Kings after the former's decease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T03:22:46.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13416" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13421" CreationDate="2016-01-01T07:44:28.993" Score="11" ViewCount="1203" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7358/developing-mindfulness-doing-complex-activities-like-learning-or-programming&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; question but I'm seeking more advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is quite obvious in the activity of software programming that we cannot help but think about programming concepts and also end up creating objects as concepts (as in Object Oriented Programming) and make something work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I understand their usefulness in the context of what I am working on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Invariably, I get flustered and frustrated sometimes when something doesn't work because I am lost in the process of creation of that thing which I am currently working on, the cause being I am not mindful. Because mindfulness means there is an observer observing the mind and thoughts, which may lead to emotions. But in this activity the mind is busy creating things which would work on a system. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, sometimes work is incomplete, and you do get an urge to work on something but also you could spend the time to do samatha or vipassana. How to decide efficiently in these cases?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to balance mindfulness, be equanimous and pursue this kind of creative activity at the same time? Or is this a curse that you cannot do it effectively in the process of creativity?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if someone dealt with this and how? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2019-04-06T19:03:12.567" Title="Software programming/Art and Buddhist Practice - Pursuing creative activity" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13417" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-01T09:05:15.047" Score="4" ViewCount="624" Body="&lt;p&gt;So there is a lot of teaching out there focuses on meditating on death. A lot of it talks about living life as if it was your last day, week, month... in that this way, you don't take life for granted and it wakes you up instead of just passing time...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These same teachings talk about how life should be lived in reality and not in your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is... isn't &quot;pretending&quot; it is your last &quot;day&quot;, &quot;week&quot;, &quot;month&quot;... itself a construction of the mind? Doesn't that distort reality? Is that really the &quot;correct&quot; thing to be practicing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T00:16:17.567" Title="live as if it was your last day?" Tags="|zen|death|reality|spiritual-materialism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13417" CreationDate="2016-01-01T11:37:08.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no pretending. It is the fact that you are not sure if this is the last period or not hence what needs to be done in case you die. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one can plan the time of death and many die unexpectedly. This is what you have to look at. So consider each breath your last as there is a chance that it is very well your last breath hence establish your self in mindfullness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T11:37:08.150" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13417" CreationDate="2016-01-01T12:08:11.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;meditating on death&quot; sounds like it's meant to be a meditation on impermanence, and on the unattractiveness of the body (i.e. an antidote to lust); as well as on the &quot;just seeing&quot; and so on that may be an antithesis to a excessive mental fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there may be another aspect to it (beware this is something I've been thinking about myself, and is not a thought that I've been reading or hearing about from others, so don't take this as an authoritative answer) which is 'real' in a different way: which is to do with how you handle time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you consider not time but money for example, if you borrow money then that's a burden. &quot;How will I pay the money back? I owe the money, I spent the money, how can I accumulate more money (more than I need) to pay back what I owe?&quot; If someone says to me, &quot;Would you like to...?&quot;, or, &quot;Can you...?&quot;, if I have a debt then maybe I'm meant to say, &quot;Sorry, I owe a lot of money and instead of doing that good thing you suggested I have to work to try to pay it back.&quot; In any case that doesn't seem like &lt;em&gt;sukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut048.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; one of the questions they ask someone who wants to be ordained is, &quot;Are you free from debt?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think something similar happens with time: if I accumulate a time debt, if I have a lot of things to do, which I haven't done and which I need to do, which I owe to someone, then maybe that's not conducive to being free (in the &quot;liberation&quot; sense of enlightenment), it means that you're unable to do what you want or should.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that it may (at least for house-holders) be (not a mind-construction or reality-distortion but) a &lt;em&gt;sīla&lt;/em&gt; practice, which ties into the notion that a result of virtue is the lack of remorse. I think a consequence of &quot;living each day as if it's your last&quot; might be that you have done (and continue to do) everything that you need to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might fit into the notion of karma too, somehow: if you go around saying, &quot;Sure I'll (promise to) do this, that, and the other...&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if you are even answering the question, but it doesn't matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To try to even answer the question, then, the &quot;last day&quot; doctrine or something a bit like it might be traditional in Zen -- see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/25threedaysmore.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Days More&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was watching &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rqzyPSevzA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; recently which I think is introductory Zen (if you don't have time for all of it, try up to 10 minutes from time 29:00 onward).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or see also the subsection titled &quot;Yes, I Speak Zen&quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Still Forest Pool&lt;/a&gt; which ends, &quot;Perhaps the Zen student glimpsed that the heart of vipassana is no different from the heart of Zen.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IOW I'm guessing that the point of &quot;live this as your last day&quot; is meant to be the opposite of &quot;pretending&quot; -- for example, the intention isn't, &quot;pretend that now is tomorrow and that you are dead&quot; -- instead maybe the intention is, &quot;tomorrow is not now.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-01T18:29:26.813" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T18:29:26.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13416" CreationDate="2016-01-01T13:38:41.247" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it's a problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To some extent an impossible problem, in the sense that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Difficult We Do Immediately. The Impossible Takes a Little Longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/06/10/impossible-longer/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quote Investigator&lt;/a&gt; also gives that as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If it's possible, it's done. If it's impossible it will be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I get flustered&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, I read &quot;I get flustered&quot; as saying that when the going gets difficult then you suffer a crash.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt; talks about this (which can happen as the result of some &quot;set-back&quot;) as a &quot;gumption trap&quot; or &quot;loss of gumption&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I perceive it as that I need to use my head for storage: my head is meant to be running (or at least simulating the running of) the software, simulating input data (possibly several data, all possible data), keeping in mind the expected output, comparing my model of the needed software with my observtion of the actual software, understanding the &quot;steel threads&quot; while using hygienic techniques to sanitize any errors paths. If there's a setback (e.g. an emotional setback) then I might lose all that and it takes a while to reconstruct it. If I'm (emotionally) unwilling then the afflictive emotion is what occupies (clouds) the head. And repeated setbacks might tend to train you to feel aversion (which is a vicious cycle).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13381/254&quot;&gt;Are mindfulness and flow related&lt;/a&gt; -- I wanted to find the answer[s] to that useful, but haven't yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My little understanding of flow is two-fold:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you use a scanner (perhaps an MRI) to look at brain activity, they say a a brain in 'flow' state is &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; active than unusual, i.e. there are various parts of the brain which aren't active; perhaps that's like, those other parts of the brain are distractions, or like, various flaps and spoilers and undercarriage and so on is folded away when an airplane is cruising.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Flow state happens when the difficulty of the work is in a Goldilocks zone: not too easy (which is so boring that it doesn't hold your attention), and not too difficult (which a mind that wants to experience success might be averse to).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consequently, two bits of advice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid distractions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the work is too difficult then simplify it (e.g. analyze it, write it down, automate testing, etc.).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you stop working because you care too much, because you identify with the failing software, then try to be a bit more dispassionate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Conversely if you stop working because you care too little, then maybe reflect a little more on the (real world) consequences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A technique which can help is &lt;em&gt;incremental&lt;/em&gt; development: take it from one working (satisfactory albeit non-final/temporary) state to the next ... perhaps like Tai Chi walking where you maintain balance during and after each step, or like rock-climbing where you move from one safe hold to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and frustrated sometimes when something doesn't work&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not going to &quot;work&quot; until it's 'finished'. The majority of your time is with it unfinished and therefore in a non-working state ... so you can't afford to get too personally upset about that, perhaps like a doctor couldn't afford to get too upset with everyone's illnesses (or a garbage collector with people's garbage).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps ideally you'll see that &quot;not working&quot; as a fault of the software (not a fault of you), and identify what and how to add to or remove from the software (including, your model of the software).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the dissatisfaction you feel with non-working software is why they're paying you (to work with it) and why you're motivated to fix it: the subjective experience needn't be entirely pleasant all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that I may be more of a &quot;feeler&quot; than a &quot;thinker&quot; (than most other programmers are) on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MBTI&lt;/a&gt;, so I use my feelings (e.g. &quot;satisfying&quot; or &quot;not satisfying&quot;) as a tool which gives me feedback of whether the software is working. I can't wholly recommend that (it has drawbacks) but that's maybe what I have to work with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're aware you've become &quot;frustrated&quot; then a change in pace or situation might help (see also &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_effect&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the aha! moment&lt;/a&gt;&quot;); I won't recommend you go for a cigarette, but maybe take a walk outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to decide efficiently in these cases?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A traditional way to do that is with a clocked schedule:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;For the next hour, I'm going to be working&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I'm going to work from 14:00 to 17:30 with a short break each hour&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether that's &quot;efficient&quot; I can't tell you. Some other people swear by &quot;being in the zone&quot; at irregular hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I would like to know if someone dealt with this and how?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's obvious they do. Maybe they master it, continue to practice it, and experience its &quot;three characteristics&quot; too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T13:38:41.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2016-01-01T15:13:24.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend &quot;Introducing Buddhism&quot; by Charles S. Prebish and Damien Keown. &#xA;@2005 Journal of Buddhist Ethics Online Books&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7528" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T15:13:24.920" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13199" CreationDate="2016-01-01T15:28:59.647" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My assumption is that this would have something to do with the Theravada's reluctance to speculate on ontological matters, preferring instead to investigate consciousness as it is experienced while bracketing any metaphysical or ontological questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T15:28:59.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13254" CreationDate="2016-01-01T15:31:37.007" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The stages of an in between  stage? Bardo is any in between of any arising phenomena. Look between what arises to experience it for yourself. Experience what is in between any experience that happens now. &#xA;   There is no in between of you now. Maybe there will be in between between now and then or in between this life and the next life but that isn't what is, What is now. Is Bardo an arising? &#xA; Are there sages that have come back from the Bardo to tell of stages? Are there common stages that have been experienced in the Bardo like there are common stages in Vipassana Meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-01T15:43:53.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T15:43:53.877" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13404" CreationDate="2016-01-01T15:36:14.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The world is perfectly just in the sense that the law of karma is ubiquitous, i.e., every cause results in an effect, and every effect results from a cause. Therefore, right view is to regard every experience as a personal opportunity for change and growth, rather than blaming others, which merely magnifies the suffering. Also, because everything is illusory (except one thing, which is therefore the only thing that really matters), it is as absurd to agonize over it as it would be to agonize over something that happens in a video game. In this regard Buddhism inculcates an attitude a bit like stoicism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T15:36:14.887" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12923" CreationDate="2016-01-01T16:02:05.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Merit is the predisposition to positive experiences due to previous thoughts, words, and acts, driven by intention. It conditions future experiences and can be created, accumulated, expended, lost, and transferred to others, just like money (the analogy is not accidental, and has been associated by others than myself with the fact that mercantilism was taking hold during the Buddha's time and that the many of the Buddha's followers came from the new merchant classes). The word simply means virtue, righteousness, sanctity, etc. So long as one has unfruited karma, one has merit and demerit and this conditions rebirth, especially human rebirth, which is itself regarded as the result of merit. Therefore, the first task of a human being is to ensure that one accumulates a store of merit in order to be reborn as a human being at least. One must ask, why should one care since one will (most likely) not remember one's previous lives if one is reborn as a human being (a trait we share with animals). However, hungry ghosts and hell beings do appear to remember their previous lives, based on the suttas. You know that you are acquiring merit by always acting with righteous intention, esp. (but not only) by following the Five Precepts (pansil).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T17:07:35.733" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T17:07:35.733" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13268" CreationDate="2016-01-01T16:43:07.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As it happens, there is an article on this very question, by Eisel Mazard, entitled &quot;The Buddha Was Bald,&quot; located at &lt;a href=&quot;http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/30/the-buddha-was-bald/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/12/30/the-buddha-was-bald/&lt;/a&gt;. Obviously I cannot quote it here in full, but I quote part of the conclusion: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus far, we have demonstrated that (1) the core canon explicitly describes the Buddha as a bald-shaven man; moreover, (2) implicitly, these texts are incompatible with the historically-subsequent assumptions about the Buddha’s physical appearance now commonly found in statuary. The ancient texts can neither be reconciled with the image of the Buddha having a full head of hair, nor with his having magical curls of hair, nor with his having a freakishly deformed skull. There is no doubt as to the antecedence of one source of information over the other.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-01T16:48:34.863" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T16:48:34.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13416" CreationDate="2016-01-01T18:04:16.940" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a good question, because in the modern world, we mostly create benefit by using our minds, and most people cannot simply become immersed in traditional mindfulness practices and retreat situations most of the time. We need to discover the &quot;one mind&quot; in our little minds, while minding what we do, without minding what happens along the way. Mind you, this is a lot to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was a programmer for 12 years, creating complex things that got used commercially. I am familiar with frustration, and elation. Now I teach programming to adults making a career change, and I tell that that programming is frustrating! But, as my Guru says, &quot;&lt;em&gt;There is no 'problem'.&lt;/em&gt; We &lt;em&gt;are the problem.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; You are frustrated. As you say, there is observation of this fact. With observation and reflection come the possibility of awareness and knowledge. So you are on the right track.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might seem that using the mind to create mental models and concepts (such as in programming) is somehow &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt; ensnaring than other types of work. Perhaps. But if your observer sits with you and helps you remain connected inwardly, then this gets better. There is no fundamental obstacle to conceptual work being also mindful. Eventually, your observer has done a good enough job and dissolves. Then there is no one to get ensnared, frustrated, or wonder if it is being done correctly. (This is nonduality.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For your other question, deciding what is best to do, how to balance work, practice, rest, etc: that is more practice. Make a decision, observe what happens, reflect. There is no way out of this, it is how life is. Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ADDITION:&lt;/strong&gt; Whew, this is a thicket if I ever saw one. Related questions about Mindfulness and so on swirling like a storm of words... Here is how I experience all of this, if it does not clear it up for you, perhaps your mind simply functions differently than mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My consciousness is a collection of points of view.&lt;/strong&gt; I see the functioning of the mind as a bunch of &quot;bubbles of awareness&quot; of varying sizes, more or less known to me at any given time. In an alpha state, or perhaps a nondual state, it feels as though my entire consciousness is a single, silent point of view, but of course small bubbles are constantly arising below awareness and causing small effects, which might grow and distract me again. One cannot live one's life in an alpha state! My model of multiple points of awareness in the mind has &lt;strong&gt;scientific backing&lt;/strong&gt;, but I came to it from my own experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mind includes 4 past life personalities (which I no longer have a view on whether they are &quot;true&quot; or not, they are relics of earlier in my life). A few years ago, I created about 5 &quot;personality facets&quot;, based on my understanding of the &lt;strong&gt;Archetypes&lt;/strong&gt;, in an attempt to develop more areas of my abilities. I have other experiences of &quot;voices&quot; and things going on inside that I will not attempt to categorize. To me, all of this is just the simple functioning of a creative mind. We can model other minds, so it is obvious that we can model and construct personalities in our own minds. This is the basis for part of &lt;strong&gt;Transpersonal Psychology&lt;/strong&gt;. (I found out about that long after I created my facets.) Also, I have one &quot;Accompanying Voice&quot; which I do not see as part of myself at all. I learned what it was once, but the understanding was so powerful that my mind halted and rejected it. (So I can't tell you what it is.) My facets and past lives comment on my life, have emotional reactions (often two or more of them at once), converse with each other, paint, write books and do other things. It is like living in a busy household. This is my normal state. Everyone I have described it to understands and finds me sane, although different from themselves. I call it, being a Creative Person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have long thought of my mind as my &quot;experimental laboratory&quot;: I get to try things out and see how they work. When we come to questions like &quot;who is watching the watcher&quot; etc, I see these as just silly. Consciousness is &quot;whatever it does&quot; and does not need a definition from us. However, it did not come with an Owner's Manual, so we need to discover how it works as best we can and learn how not to fall in to error. Some ideas are approximations, some are tools, some are crutches, and many are crippling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Krishnamurti's Master when he was a boy said: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;You are not your mind, but it is yours to use.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; Have fun!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T15:05:58.237" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T15:05:58.237" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13091" CreationDate="2016-01-01T18:23:15.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the issues is that there are two types of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsara as a place, a location. It is called 'external samsara'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsara as the contaminated aggregates that are in the nature of suffering. It is called 'internal nirvana'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can be free from internal samsara but abide or manifest in any of the abodes of the external samsara. The two types of samsara are not that closely related. So, when you attain nirvana, you are not necessarily out of samsara as a place. When you attain nirvana, you are free from true suffering, so in this manner samsara (as a place) is not 'samsaric' anymore in the perspective of that being, because it does not act as a cause and a basis of suffering for that being. It does not make it any less samsara, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we say that 'a Bodhisattva does not wander in samsara, but he comes back to samsara due to the power of prayers and compassion' we mean that 'he is free from internal samsara but can abide in external samsara', that is 'he does not come back due to the power of karma and afflictions but he comes back to the place'. It might already part of the question. As Geshe Gyaltsen said in his commentary to Maitreya's &lt;em&gt;Sublime Continuum&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The continuum of the aggregates of the person is called samsara and&#xA;  the bodhisattva is not samsara in not being the continuity of the&#xA;  aggregates, but the bodhisattva abides and takes birth in samsara in&#xA;  taking birth in all the different realms of samsara from the hell up&#xA;  to the peak of existence, the different samsaric abodes[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any being who has achieved the final true cessation is free from wandering in samsara in that he will not come back to take contaminated aggregates. Some say the body (even of an Arhat) transforms and becomes uncontaminated (and thus not samsara itself) from the time of achieving Arhatship but there is a lot of debate about this point. The Vaïbashika and Sautrantika schools further say that at the time of parinirvana, the continuum of a hearer or solitary realizer Arhat is severed (and thus no longer abides in any abode in samsara as a place), but Mahayana tenets refute such a position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'A continuum being samsara' and 'a continuum being nirvana' are mutually exclusive. If it is one, it is not the other. In the same way, 'a room in which John is present' and 'a room in which John is absent' are mutually exclusive. Nirvana and samsara are are identical in that they are empty of inherent existence, as you and I are identical in that we are human beings. But they are not the same and one phenomena, in the same way you and I are not the same person. Samsara and nirvana do exist conventionally. This is another issue that is called 'the yoga of the equality of samsara and nirvana', sometimes phrased 'samsara is nirvana'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The yoga of the equality of samsara and nirvana is achieved [from the&#xA;  eighth ground] which is the direct realization of the emptiness of&#xA;  true existence of both samsara and nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T18:23:15.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13431" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-01T18:31:58.910" Score="4" ViewCount="1065" Body="&lt;p&gt;If this was bone-obvious to everyone else, then silly me, but I just thought of it because I heard these two words separately long ago and connected them while answering another question...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are &quot;the Observer&quot; and the process of being Mindful, in essence the same thing? Does one involve the other inherently?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have used them differently and never connected them before, because I thought:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Observer&lt;/em&gt; is a developed system within &quot;me&quot; (which is a collection of points of view of varying levels of awareness) and not everyone has an Observer or is aware of it all the time.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; is something I &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; and is not the activity of another point of view within &quot;me&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, trying to be mindful when I have only one point of view is not very possible, and who would be mindful, other than the Observer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally: is transcending the Observer (and the need for Mindfulness) the same as Nonduality? I think it is. (Don't worry about answering this question, it is just an idea.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt; My Healing Teacher said that I have to get people to &quot;define their terms&quot;, so here are my definitions:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;The Observer&lt;/strong&gt; is the &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; of being aware of myself. It feels like I am witnessing my own thoughts and actions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; is the &lt;em&gt;process&lt;/em&gt; of being aware of what I am doing. (To me, this does not require an Observer, but that is what I am asking.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Being aware of myself&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; means... Well, that I know what I am doing right now. Different from the other two.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;A Mind&lt;/strong&gt; - is something that &lt;em&gt;could do otherwise&lt;/em&gt;, it exercises choice on some level.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Awareness&lt;/strong&gt; is the action of a sufficiently developed mind.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; is awareness of being a self.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;A Self&lt;/strong&gt; is something that knows it is a self, and that other selves know, etc.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(Don't even get me started on the idea of Mind&lt;em&gt;full&lt;/em&gt;ness being a way to &lt;em&gt;empty&lt;/em&gt; the mind!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has this made it any clearer what I am asking? Please try to use words such as these for an answer, supplementing with the appropriate Buddhist terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ADDITION:&lt;/strong&gt; here are some links which I hope can help people understand what I am asking:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ryuc.info/common/creativity_perspective/detached_witness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This RYUC one&lt;/a&gt; is a bit of a muddle, but the Observer corresponds with what I am asking about, and also is similar to what I call a Neo state. The Witness is more like how I would describe nonduality.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://scienceofenergyhealing.com/developing-the-witness-observer/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;This one about Energy Healing&lt;/a&gt; says that &quot;In Buddhism, developing the witness/observer is a foundational piece of their teachings.&quot; Ha!  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://onewithnow.com/awareness-awakening-to-the-witness-within/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;In this one&lt;/a&gt;, they use the words observer and witness interchangeably.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T16:51:42.227" LastActivityDate="2018-07-15T19:45:06.633" Title="Is Mindfulness the same as having an Observer?" Tags="|mindfulness|nonduality|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="18" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2016-01-01T18:45:50.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana abhidharma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a non-forgetfulness of the mind with respect to a familiar object. It has the function of non-distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is one the five object-ascertaining mental factors, and it is called 'object-ascertaining' because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These mental factors hold [an object] through apprehending the&#xA;  individual features of the object. They are said to &quot;individually&#xA;  ascertain objects.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it is a mind, it is by nature clear and knowing, and it is a basis of designation of the person but is not the person. It is an apprehender, an object-possessor, but it is not a 'observer' because an observer is a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind, a cognizer such as mindfulness and so forth is possessed by a person (the agent), it has a function (the action) and apprehends its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various levels of nonduality. In general, a realization that occurs in a non-dualistic manner is free from the &lt;strong&gt;appearances&lt;/strong&gt; of objects and subjects. So it is necessarily free from the apprehension of the object and the subject as being different substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In addition, mindfulness is not a process, it is a mind. As such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It has the nature of being clear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It performs the function of knowing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That it is clear refers to the fact that it has the ability to take the aspect of its object. An eye-consciousness seeing blue takes the [subjective] aspect of blue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That it is knowing refers to the fact that it apprehends its object. This point is quiet complicated and there is much debate. By nature a mind &lt;strong&gt;experiences&lt;/strong&gt; its object. I hope this answer helps you, as you defined your &quot;Observer&quot; as an experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-01-01T21:39:04.477" LastActivityDate="2016-01-01T21:39:04.477" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13417" CreationDate="2016-01-01T18:51:02.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a teaching seems contradictory it is probably because teachers of Dharma utilize both  conceptual  and ultimate realities at the same time and this can appear very confusing if the student doesn't understand the dance between conceptual reality and ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of conceptually reflecting on death is to increase motivation so we can practice seeing reality as it is by way of mindfulness of what we are individually aware of in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T17:45:00.277" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T17:45:00.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13434" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-01T22:01:22.657" Score="2" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd be grateful for references to some of the major Pure Land schools' versions of the Three (or Four) Marks (Seals) of Existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Impermanence (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No-self (&lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Liberation (&lt;em&gt;nirvāṇa&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum -- pointers to the individual topics in any Pure Land tradition would be fine -- does not have to be all together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jan 6 -- beyond my own answer, with three references, I would still be grateful for further items, plus explanations of where the three marks (that is, the somewhat philosophical ideas so crucial to Theravada and Tibetan schools) fit into Pure Land in general, and on the specific texts I found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T18:07:39.870" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T18:07:39.870" Title="Pure Land Schools' version of the Three (or Four) Marks of Existence" Tags="|reference-request|anatman|suffering|impermanence|pure-land|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13435" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-02T01:06:27.067" Score="1" ViewCount="527" Body="&lt;p&gt;When seeking or on the path, is the journey intended to be for the one on the path or can it be travelled by more than an individual i.e. is the path different for each being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T22:03:38.377" Title="Is the path an individual journey?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13436" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-02T01:51:09.387" Score="5" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that craving stuff leads us to suffering (Second Noble truth) and that getting what we think we want won't lead to happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, is there any explicit indication that it's even good &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; to get what we want? (any similarity with The Rolling Stones' lyrics is just a coincidence). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only quote I can find is from the Dalai Lama:  'Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="527" LastEditorUserId="527" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T02:37:15.467" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T23:56:02.057" Title="Not getting what one wants as a good thing or something to be thankful" Tags="|goals|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13435" CreationDate="2016-01-02T06:19:33.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this excerpt from &quot;From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment, Refining Your Life&quot; by Dogen and Uchiyama, from the section called &quot;How  to cook your Life&quot;, and the chapter, &quot;Tenzo Kyokun and Shikan-Taza&quot;, will go some way toward answering your questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When we look at a cup that is set down between two of us, we have the&#xA;  feeling that we are looking at the same cup, though actually that is&#xA;  not so.  You look at the cup with your vision, and from a certain&#xA;  angle.  Moreover, you see it in the rays of light and shadows that&#xA;  come from your side of the room.  This applies equally to me as well. &#xA;  In a very rough sense, we proceed to separate the reality of the&#xA;  situation by entertaining the idea that we both see the same cup. &#xA;  This is what I mean by the fabrication of ideas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, we assume that there exists a world which you and I&#xA;  experience in common with all other human beings, that this world&#xA;  existed prior to our births, and that it will continue to exist even&#xA;  after our deaths.  But again, this is nothing more than an idea.  Not&#xA;  only that, we wind up thinking that we live and die within this world&#xA;  of fabrication.  This is an utterly inverted way of looking at ones&#xA;  life.  My true Self lives in reality, and the world I experience is&#xA;  one that I alone can experience, and not one anyone else can&#xA;  experience along with me.  To express this as precisely as possible,&#xA;  as I am born, I simultaneously give birth to the world I experience; I&#xA;  live out my life along with that world, and at my death the world I&#xA;  experience also dies.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T06:19:33.260" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13436" CreationDate="2016-01-02T12:24:22.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Certainly not getting what you want is unsatisfactory. This is Dukka Dukka. I will not say this is a good thing though this kind of thought can help you emotionally. Sometimes it might be true that not getting something may be better as you might be blinded by craving as not to see the downside e.g. a partner lower in morals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you get what you want this is not satisfactory as you have to part with it at some point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root cause of craving is sensations experienced then in contact with the object that you want or mental satisfaction in owning it (has come into the spear of mine).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't get something wanted then the sensation you experience is painful. You have to look at it as impermanent or if you are developed in meditation as arising and passing of sensations (phenomena which is experienced or felt). By doing this you are weakening your root of aversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience satisfactory experiences you have to look at the sensations again equnimously. When you experience the pleasantness passing away do the same. This is because doing so weakens the root of craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience neutral sensations, the process of fabrication continues. Use this as means to eradicate your ignorance. Neutral sensations are unsatisfactory since we still have conditioned existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By reaction to sensations you create craving. Carving with further thinking and pondering and conpept polifration  creates clinging. At this point you will be planning on how to aquire what you want. If you miss de railing the train at feeling this is the next place you can try this by developing mastery over the mind. This is nothing wrong working towards getting what you want within the framework of morality and right livelihood. But in doing so you should try to be equanimous as possible to sensations and try developing more mastery over the mind to prevent craving and clinging. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T12:24:22.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13435" CreationDate="2016-01-02T12:57:20.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Path is the same for all beings, although since all beings have different kamma due to past actions, all beings are on different stages of the Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one being might need to practice certain path factors, e.g. Sila more than another being and vice versa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Therav.C4.81da_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ten Perfections (Paramis)&lt;/a&gt; they are often compared to jars and when one practices a parami one fills the jar with a drop. So again, how full a jar is, is different from being to being. One being might have worked extensively on the &lt;em&gt;Dana-parami&lt;/em&gt;, while lacking in the &lt;em&gt;Aditthana-parami&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/V50KE.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/V50KE.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the path an individual journey?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Path proclaimed by a fully englightened Buddha is always the same. A fully enlightened Buddha does not invent the Path. He discovers the Path by himself with no help from anyone else, then he proclaims it and teaches it to other beings. Its often described as discovering an ancient path (purānam añjasam), covered by a dense forest which leads to a bygone kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Path is an individual journey. No one can walk the Path for us. We ourselves has to work. Only oneself can free oneself. Only oneself can issue liberation from the rounds of suffering by practicing the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One has to become ones own refuge. The Buddhas only show the way and guide us but we ourselves must walk the Path. Throughout the Buddha's 45 years of teaching-career he constantly emphazized the importance of practicing diligently, consistently and with great effort in order to win Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in further readings about the self-reliance-factor of the Path, then I recommend the following chapter in the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What Buddhists Believe&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lCamc.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lCamc.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T13:54:46.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T13:54:46.307" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13440" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="23009" CreationDate="2016-01-02T13:08:05.610" Score="7" ViewCount="3580" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember this phrase but I have not been able to locate it in the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not recall the correct words but it's something like this: &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Meditate/practice as if your hair is/were on fire&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have searched on Buddhism SE and on Google and found the phrase mentioned a couple of times but no solution to the origin of it. &lt;a href=&quot;http://musingsbyken.blogspot.dk/2009/03/is-your-hair-on-fire.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; mentioned by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/6009/can-you-meditate-too-much-as-part-of-a-daily-routine/6011#6011&quot;&gt;Matthew&lt;/a&gt; says;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Practice like your hair is on fire!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A traditional aphorism, which probably goes back to Buddhism in India. Gelek Rinpoche makes it the theme of his recent article in Buddhadharma. And it shows up in the Zen tradition and elsewhere.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://omlc.org/aikido/talk/phillips/zazen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zazen makes waiting into a science. I'm intrigued by the Zen injunction &amp;quot;Sit as if your hair were on fire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still no solution to the origin of the phrase. I'm looking for valid sources such as the &lt;em&gt;Theravadan, East Asian and Tibetan texts&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2021-04-13T10:59:20.673" Title="What is the origin of the Buddhist expression &quot;Practice as if your hair is on fire&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13417" CreationDate="2016-01-02T13:14:49.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a metaphor, another one of these is &quot;you should strive as if you had your head on fire&quot;. Doesn't mean we have to pretend there's fire on our head! We often procrastinate meditation and/or reading, as if we had endless time - which we don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T13:14:49.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13442" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-02T14:37:07.530" Score="2" ViewCount="605" Body="&lt;p&gt;Superficially, people say that there are a lot of people who love them (and &lt;em&gt;vice versa&lt;/em&gt;), but if you analyze your life, you will find that there is no such thing as &lt;em&gt;true love&lt;/em&gt;. I've realized that what we call love is essentially &lt;em&gt;selfishness in disguise&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The strongest love in this world is maternal love of a mother for her children. But classical psychology will tell you that maternal love is also based on &lt;em&gt;maternal instinct&lt;/em&gt;, which is endowed by nature to ensure survival of the race.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming out of that circle, love for siblings, brothers and sisters are more of social transactions - there is give and take, something in return for the so-called love which is given. If you don't have anything to give in return, they will be annoyed at best and shunt you altogether at worst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe, there used to be such a thing as &lt;em&gt;true love&lt;/em&gt; back in the old days when &lt;em&gt;Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; had a stronger hold, but I hardly see it in today's world. People say they love their spouse, but the search for your spouse itself begins with a selfish interest - Do they have a big house? What is the salary? Are they sexually attractive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to the question, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that true love has vanished, then what force makes people cling to this wretched &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; knowing full well that its an exercise in futility? Even in the midst of utmost &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, why doesn't the realization come that let me leave this path that causes &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; altogether? Is it the past &lt;em&gt;Kamma&lt;/em&gt; which is holding its grip on you so strongly, that you are unable to come out of the &lt;code&gt;while loop&lt;/code&gt; of samsara? Will past never let the present achieve freedom from &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T15:05:31.913" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T07:24:29.893" Title="What force keeps you bonded to samsara?" Tags="|nirvana|samsara|dukkha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2016-01-02T15:14:28.953" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know, Observer (&lt;em&gt;kṣetra-jñaḥ&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;the knower of the field [of experience]&quot; or &lt;em&gt;Vedagu&lt;/em&gt; - &quot;the one who enjoys [the objects of senses]&quot;) is a Hindu concept. It's an ancient expression for the subject of experience, the spectator in the Cartesian Theater:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The king said: ‘Is there, Nāgasena, such a thing as The Knower?’  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Nagasena:] ‘What is this, O king, The Knower (Vedagu)?’  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[King Milinda:] ‘The living principle within which sees forms through the eye, hears sounds through the ear, experiences tastes through the tongue, smells odours through the nose, feels touch through the body, and discerns things (conditions, “dhammā&quot;) through the mind—just as we, sitting here in the palace, can look out of any window out of which we wish to look, the east window or the west, or the north or the south.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Then the Elder [Nagasena] convinced Milinda the king with discourse drawn from the Abhidhamma, saying: ‘It is by reason, O king, of the eye and of forms that sight arises, and those other conditions—contact, sensation, idea, thought, abstraction, sense of vitality, and attention —arise each simultaneously with its predecessor. And a similar succession of cause and effect arises when each of the other five organs of sense is brought into play. And so herein there is no such thing as The Knower (Vedagu).’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness in Buddhism is entirely different. It is not a thing, it's a quality you develop. In my opinion and in contrast with modern trends (DBT etc.), mindfulness in Buddhism should not be understood as open-ended awareness. It is mindfulness of something specific you are trying to cultivate, habituate, get used to - in order to change your patterns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Buddhist perspective, we misinterpret our experience of awareness to implicate &lt;em&gt;an entity&lt;/em&gt; that is aware. &quot;I am aware&quot; we say -- and this recipient of data, the point of view, the source of light, is what ancient Hindu's used to call Vedagu. Buddhists say such &quot;point of view&quot; is merely a perceptual illusion - like a bush that looks like a dog until you look closer. If you look very carefully, they say, you'll clearly see that there is no &quot;you&quot; that is aware. Instead (this is a Yogacara explanation) there is a simple feedback loop. The current dharma (state of mind - citta) serves as an input into the associative perception mechanism (sanjna) which finds matching imprints of previous experiences (samskaras) among those recorded in memory (alaya-vijnana). These imprints become the new state of mind, which serves as an input into the next iteration of the cycle and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at it this way, it is easy to see why we are fooled into thinking there is a subject of experience, &quot;the point of view&quot; that does the watching. As yet another thought takes shape, the gap between it and the next thought seems like there is &quot;I am watching&quot;, then from this gap comes the association - this seems like &quot;I think&quot;, but all it really is, is the associative perception mechanism (sanjna) that closes the loop by connecting the mind with the memory. &quot;I am this thing that perceives&quot; / &quot;I am the observer&quot; - is the mistake of identification with sanjna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you could shift the emphasis from the associative mechanism to the repository of past imprints that serves as the source of the next thought - and alternatively say that it is our &lt;em&gt;memory&lt;/em&gt; that is The Observer, that it is our memory that &quot;pays attention&quot; to our thoughts/experiences and comes up with associations - which can lead some people to identify with samskara-skandha (the imprints group, basically memory) - another view that Buddha rejected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subjective experience, the virtual life-of-I created by our mind that we mistake for reality, is called &quot;vijnana&quot;. This is the whole story that includes The Observer, the observed, and everything that happens between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What looks to us as self-awareness, with its sense of depth, is merely the recursive nature of the associative loop. It is a similar kind of effect you get when you point a video camera at TV that shows its own output - with a filter in the middle that adds matching elements of past memories. The same basic principle is at work behind Google's &lt;a href=&quot;http://googleresearch.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/inceptionism-going-deeper-into-neural.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DeepDream&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We ask the network: “Whatever you see there, I want more of it!” This creates a feedback loop: if a cloud looks a little bit like a bird, the network will make it look more like a bird. This in turn will make the network recognize the bird even more strongly on the next pass and so forth, until a highly detailed bird appears, seemingly out of nowhere.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The results are intriguing—even a relatively simple neural network can be used to over-interpret an image, just like as children we enjoyed watching clouds and interpreting the random shapes.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;If we apply the algorithm iteratively on its own outputs and apply some zooming after each iteration, we get an endless stream of new impressions, exploring the set of things the network knows about&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Glossary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_theater&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cartesian theater&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;state of mind (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;associative perception mechanism (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṃjñā&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;imprints of previous experiences (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;saṃskāra&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;recorded in memory (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses#.C4.80layavij.C3.B1.C4.81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ālaya-vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the imprints group, basically memory (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;samskāra-skandhas&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;subjective experience, the virtual life-of-I created by our mind that we mistake for reality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T02:38:00.140" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T02:38:00.140" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13434" CreationDate="2016-01-02T15:38:45.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is something on Shin, with a bit of discussion on the individual topics -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nembutsu.info/primshin.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nembutsu.info/primshin.htm&lt;/a&gt; -- plus this at the very end (emphasis added):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We urge readers to examine the following essentials because, when&#xA;  viewed in isolation from them, a skewed view of Shin Buddhism will&#xA;  result: the Four Noble Truths; &lt;strong&gt;the Three Signata, namely, anatman or&#xA;  'non-self', anitya or 'impermanence' and dukkha or 'suffering'; and,&#xA;  finally, Nirvana, which - as we have seen earlier - in Shin Buddhism&#xA;  is synonymous with Amida Buddha and the Pure Land&lt;/strong&gt;. These are the&#xA;  teachings upon which Buddhism is grounded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, from the book:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Pure Land Buddhism&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Dialogs with Ancient Masters&#xA;&lt;br&gt;by Patriach Chih I and Master T'ien Ju&#xA;&lt;br&gt;translated by Master Thich Thien Tam&#xA;&lt;br&gt;at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/pureland.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/pureland.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Merely achieving rebirth in the Pure Land is attaining the stage  of&#xA;  non-retrogression. As stated in the sutras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Those who achieve rebirth all dwell in correct samadhi.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is also stated in the Amitabha Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Sentient beings who are reborn in the Western Pure Land are  all at&#xA;  the stage of non-retrogession.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Treatise on the Ten Doubts [Question 6] states that there are five&#xA;  reasons why those who are  reborn achieve non-retrogression:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;c) In the Western Pure Land, the birds, water, forests, trees, wind &#xA;  and music all preach the Dharma of &lt;strong&gt;‘suffering, emptiness, &#xA;  impermanence and no-self&lt;/strong&gt;.’ Upon hearing this, practitioners  begin to&#xA;  focus on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know the significance of &lt;em&gt;The Treatise on the Ten Doubts&lt;/em&gt; in Pure Land? I cannot find much online.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In -- &lt;em&gt;The Sutra of Visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life&lt;/em&gt; -- at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/365_sutra_1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.fodian.net/world/365_sutra_1.htm&lt;/a&gt; III, VI, XVI -- here it is in III:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pure breezes of the eight pleasing qualities are produced by these&#xA;  rays of light, causing the musical instruments to play in voices which&#xA;  proclaim the truths of &lt;strong&gt;‘suffering, emptiness, impermanence and&#xA;  non-self.’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesting that in these last two, emptiness is added to make 4 marks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T05:46:19.603" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T05:46:19.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13401" CreationDate="2016-01-02T16:46:46.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are on your way. There is an old saying: &lt;em&gt;&quot;What you focus your attention on grows.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; So, &lt;strong&gt;you will develop a mind observation habit.&lt;/strong&gt; It is inevitable, you cannot fail. It just takes time and effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I see it, the mind is like a big party or caucus, or place where opinions are debated: some become more popular, others less. The most 'popular' are those that hold your attention the majority of the time, and which control most of your awareness. The large get larger and the small get smaller, because you only have so much focus at any one time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a way of crowding out the unwanted, distracting aspects of awareness, which brings the &lt;em&gt;act&lt;/em&gt; of being aware to center stage. When this is the case, the important truths about life can be experienced, confirmed, deepened, and made more primary / automatic. If you build it, it will happen. You are doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T16:46:46.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13440" CreationDate="2016-01-02T17:14:06.853" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tissa (Thag 1.39)   {Thag 39}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As if struck by a sword,&#xA;  as if his head were on fire,&#xA;  a monk should live the wandering life&#xA;      — mindful —&#xA;  for the abandoning of sensual passion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.01.00x.than.html#passage-39&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.01.00x.than.html#passage-39&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T17:14:06.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13401" CreationDate="2016-01-02T17:32:41.460" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;External help like apps can be a hindrance when you get to rely on them. Even guided meditation instructions can become as you get used to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue with habits is that most of the action is not strictly mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this much of the standard advice is to systematically bring your attention to a chosen object and then to continuously keep re targeting this object, while continuously reviewing if your attention is with the object. This is like 1st looking at the object and then looking under a magnifying glass, or taking aim and shooting with a machine-gun to the object. When you practice this your mind will stay with the object. After sometime this will become pleasant also. Also this will increase your concentration. Ideally this redirection should be aimed at the 4 foundations of mindfulness or Metta, Muditha, Karuna and Upekka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T17:32:41.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13442" CreationDate="2016-01-02T18:12:14.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 3 main thing I gather you are asking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love - this is the people who you have immediately when expanding the spear of me and mine hence tremendous attachments arise. This it self gives a heap of experiences which are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Raising a family does have a lot of these experiences. This can be a blessing and a bondage. As bondage because you can't practice seriously at a beginner or intermediate level. For a advance meditators this can be a blessing since the diversity of experiences can keep your defilements on check which otherwise you will not realise that are there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Past Karma - this only decides part of the experiences which are either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The way out of misery is to objectively observe these sensations and realized they are unsatisfactory regardless if they are Karmic results from past action or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma as a bondage - Yet again past Karma is the vehicle to study these experiences (Karmic results are in directly linked to the Karma giving rebirth) and get your mind free from creating new Karma. You past and present existence and the experiences that come with it gives you the the opportunity to study the workings of Karma by removing the roots of ignorance, greed and aversion. All this you can be experienced and dealt with within the framework of the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What keeps you bonded in Samsara is not being able to learn the path of liberation for some and when you get the chance not practicing seriously. In the latter it is choice or become of oneself this happens. Since having the opportunity to learn the Dhamma the ability to break free from the Fetters that tie your to misery is in your hands. Use this opportunity to break free from this bondage than having doubts about the ability to do so due to Karma. The doubt can also set you back in your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T07:24:29.893" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T07:24:29.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13442" CreationDate="2016-01-02T19:29:07.307" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The force that keeps one bonded to samsara is desire. Desire for continued existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Even in the midst of utmost Dukkha, why doesn't the realization come that let me leave this path that causes Dukkha altogether&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because, most likely, you only intellectually realize Dukkha and unless you are enlightened , you have the habit of wanting to continue your apparent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many words, like &quot;ignorance&quot; are not exact and precise translations from the original Pali words. A better meaning of &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; (in a Buddhist context) is what one doesn't &lt;strong&gt;deeply&lt;/strong&gt; understand. If one only has an intellectual understanding of things like  &lt;strong&gt;dukkha, impermanence and not-self&lt;/strong&gt; then one is still ignorant in the heart of those things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People mix love and attatchment. This is just what is. It is possible to love without attatchment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe I am missing something somewhere but what does  our ability to love one another have to do with what keeps us bonded to samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T19:37:50.280" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T19:37:50.280" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2016-01-02T21:40:31.187" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Observer is the experience of being aware of myself. It feels like I am witnessing my own thoughts and actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, &quot;myself&quot; as an entity would be a mind-object: a concept, something one conceived / imagined, which receives attention -- a 'self' is taught to not be in the range of actual experiences such as a touch, a smell or primitive mental phenomena (such as a mental image, or mental sound) that can be contacted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, one is &quot;aware&quot; of the detailed micro experiences (that, among other things, give rise to a concept of self). In buddhism, this &quot;detailed awareness&quot;, or &quot;attention&quot; to a specific &quot;primitive experience&quot; is called &lt;code&gt;consciousness&lt;/code&gt; (vinanna), which is formulated in buddhism as six-fold: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, it's said that if there's  eye organ and visual forms,  eye-consciousness arise. The coming of the three is &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt;. For example in my visual field now there are bed sheets, wall frames and a TV. But while I write this, I'm not &lt;code&gt;conscious&lt;/code&gt; of any of these forms, only of this visual character I'm typing right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I just realized there was a lamp in the ceiling with lights on in my visual field, even though it has been reachable all the time. Until that moment, there was no &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; (my consciousness was not directed) to this particular visual object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same occurs with mind as a sense: there are mind objects (e.g. thoughts) a &quot;mind organ&quot;, and a mind-consciousness arise; the coming of the three is &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; (e.g. when one gives attention to a particular thought). With &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt;, pleasant, unpleasant (or neither one) occur -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;and so on&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is the process of being aware of what I am doing. (To me, this does not require an Observer, but that is what I am asking.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is close to what  mindfulness (sati) is in buddhism. It has different/related meanings depending on context but without going into details, I would summaryze as Thanissaro Bhikku put it: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/mindfulnessdefined.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;What does it mean to be mindful of the breath? Something very simple: to keep the breath in mind.&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Being aware of myself&quot; means... Well, that I know what I am doing right now. Different from the other two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how your &quot;being aware of what I am doing&quot; is different than your &quot;know what I am doing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Mind - is something that could do otherwise, it exercises choice on some level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In buddhism, I think this could be &lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;, or even possibly &lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Awareness is the action of a sufficiently developed mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't quite understand what you mean on this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness is awareness of being a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not say one is aware of a self (or 'myself', see first point) -- e.g. as if 'self' was an experienced object grasped by any of the 6 sense faculties. But one does elaborate a (by buddhism, incorrect) understanding of being or having 'a self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to the question...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is Mindfulness the same as having an Observer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism (and if you understand mindfulness to be &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;), no. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a detailed investigation on the meanings of mindfulness I suggest &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0415437377&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; Tse-fu Kuan's Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;: The point, I think, is not to say that there is such a thing as &lt;code&gt;consciousness&lt;/code&gt; and it can be perfectly divided in six part (an ontological statement). Rather, it is that understanding the mind in this way is useful / helps with training and understanding of dhamma, and consequently, with final liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T05:52:03.703" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T05:52:03.703" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13442" CreationDate="2016-01-02T21:57:22.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to desires as the Buddha mentioned in his first sermon, he also explained the 10 fetters &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;saññojana&lt;/a&gt;). They are supportive of each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-02T23:22:07.580" LastActivityDate="2016-01-02T23:22:07.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13442" CreationDate="2016-01-03T00:33:33.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very good, very good, Mr. Prahlad Yeri.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;King &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.01.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pasenadi Kosala&lt;/a&gt; had a similar certain insight as well; and later on he had even a glimpse of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.004.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the way out&lt;/a&gt; or which would be the way to justify his staying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are few who know &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,892.msg3011.html#msg3011&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;real love&lt;/a&gt;. Look for example why people are bound to places like this. Is there real love behind? When somebody who has compassion tries to point you the way out of such place, there will be many who &quot;love&quot; you and fear that such would happen. Why? Because they nourish on you, so you do as well. Or what do you love? Form, sound, smell, taste, touch, ideas... what is sensed as pleasant, all of what gives that support, that is what keeps you loving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Investigate this topic since people are willing to die for everything, but never would they like to die for virtue, concentration, insight and liberation. Beings die to become, but not for abandoning every kind of desire for becoming, out of &quot;love&quot;. Helping others, the first step is to keep precepts without excuse, without a notion to negate it out of love for this or for that. Don't believe that such was told you out of love :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more important reasons, you should not get attached to it but investigate for yourself on a line of proper investigation you had found: investigate &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/tanha_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tanha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;its cause&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This talk is of course very useful to understand where to investigate: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/seedsofbecoming_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seeds of Becoming&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The author points out the place where we are able to lean to understand all issues which are moving this world. A Dhammatalk on Bhava (Becoming) and how we are able to transcendent birth, aging, sickness and death, exactly here and now. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people traped. How you handle it lies in your sphere.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T01:27:28.587" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T01:27:28.587" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13440" CreationDate="2016-01-03T01:41:55.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samvega is the very root of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/affirming_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Affirming the Truths of the Heart: The Buddhist Teachings on Samvega&#xA;  &amp;amp; Pasada&lt;/a&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 5pp./14KB)&#xA;      Popular interpretations of Buddhism today often ignore the importance of two powerful emotions, emotions that propelled the&#xA;  Buddha — and all those who have sought Awakening since — towards the&#xA;  goal of Awakening: samvega, a sense of urgency to escape the round of&#xA;  meaningless existence; and pasada, a clarity and serene confidence&#xA;  that allows one to proceed confidently towards the goal without&#xA;  lapsing into despair. In this short essay the author explores the&#xA;  meaning of these essential emotions and how we can encourage them to&#xA;  blossom in our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verbal mentions are very often, since an idea of Dukkha, and the urgency to escape, are the righteous reasons to practice the Eightfold Path:&#xA;Person with Turban or head on fire: AN 6.20 (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than_en.html#turban1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than_en.html#turban2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;b&lt;/a&gt;), &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.051.than_en.html#turban&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.51&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.054.than_en.html#turban&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.54&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.01.00x.than_en.html#passage-39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thag 1.39&lt;/a&gt; (already generous mentioned by Upasaka Dharmasena here) and point out a very prerequiste to practice: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/conversation_en.html#persistence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;aroused persistence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T03:35:50.383" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T03:35:50.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13435" CreationDate="2016-01-03T03:25:09.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is one Goal but many starting points (different kinds of confusion). To the extent that you and someone else have the same set of delusions, your paths will be similar, and to the extent that your preconditions are different, your paths will be unique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T03:25:09.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13416" CreationDate="2016-01-03T03:33:18.187" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I get frustrated when something doesn't work ... the cause being I am not mindful ... which may lead to emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Frustration is a good example of Dukkha (the painful feeling of wrongness). It is generated from mismatch between &quot;how things are&quot; and &quot;how they should be&quot;. If you look carefully once you are already frustrated - you will see this mismatch right in front of your nose. Then it's up to you to let go of &quot;how they should be&quot; idea. If you let go, the dukkha will subside. If you keep grasping, the dukkha will keep getting generated. Sometimes the right choice is to pay with dukkha for something bigger. But most often accepting &quot;how things are&quot; is a wiser choice, even if it goes against our foolish heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Also, sometimes work is incomplete, and you do get an urge to work on something but also you could spend the time to do samatha or vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same problem. You have a conflict between &quot;is&quot; (work) and &quot;should&quot; (meditation). Let go of this conflict and you will be good. That is the real mediation, the higher kind of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T03:33:18.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13457" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13458" CreationDate="2016-01-03T04:04:00.560" Score="5" ViewCount="1588" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if bodhisattvas are real life people we can encounter along our path. There seems to be literature on how these beings take vows, but I was wondering if it was common to encounter one of them along the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5407" LastEditorUserId="5407" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T04:20:26.553" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T13:32:21.583" Title="Are Bodhisattvas real human beings we can encounter?" Tags="|mahayana|bodhisattva|reality|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13457" CreationDate="2016-01-03T04:23:24.253" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From (Chinese) &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0235_LL_vajracchedika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Subhūti, this is like the body of a person that is tall and great.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Subhūti said, “Bhagavān, the body of a person that the Tathāgata speaks of, tall and great, is not a great body, and is thus called the Great Body.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Subhūti, for bodhisattvas it is also such as this. If someone says ‘I will liberate and cross over innumerable sentient beings,’ then this is not one to be called a bodhisattva. Why? &lt;strong&gt;Subhūti, truly there is no such dharma as &quot;bodhisattva&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, and for this reason the Buddha says, ‘All dharmas are not a self, a person, a being, or a life.’ Subhūti, if a bodhisattva says, ‘I am adorning buddha-lands,’ then this is not one to be called a bodhisattva. Why? The adornments of buddha-lands spoken of by the Tathāgata are not adornments, and are thus called adornments. Subhūti, if a bodhisattva has penetrating realization that dharmas are without self, then the Tathāgata says, ‘This is a true bodhisattva.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A parallel from (Sanskrit) Diamond Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Subhuti, a comparison can be made with the idea of a large human body. What would you understand me to mean if I spoke of a 'large human body'?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I would understand that the lord Buddha was speaking of a 'large human body' not as an arbitrary conception of its being, but as a series of words only. I would understand that the words carried merely an imaginary meaning. When the Buddha speaks of a large human body, he uses the words only as words.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Subhuti, it is just the same when a disciple speaks of liberating numberless sentient beings. If they have in mind any arbitrary conception of sentient beings or of definite numbers, then they are unworthy of being called a disciple. &lt;strong&gt;Subhuti, my teachings reveal that even such a thing as is called a 'disciple' is non-existent.&lt;/strong&gt; Furthermore, there is really nothing for a disciple to liberate.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A true disciple knows that there is no such thing as a self, a person, a living being, or a universal self. A true disciple knows that all things are devoid of selfhood, devoid of any separate individuality.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, &quot;bodhisattva&quot; is an approximation, a label. In reality there is nothing fixed / specific / well-defined that we can call &quot;bodhisattva&quot;. When one practices like this, one can be called &quot;bodhisattva&quot; - and yes, at this point it is a live person someone can encounter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T04:23:24.253" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13435" CreationDate="2016-01-03T05:20:35.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path is the same for everyone which is the noble 8 fold path divided into morality, mastery of the mind and wisdom. The practice is individual as nobody else can walk the path for you  or take you on the path. Any body seriously practicing can walk the path but you have to practise yourself. Sometimes the path is described differently using the landmarks than the direction in different audience in the Suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T06:02:41.410" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T06:02:41.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13400" CreationDate="2016-01-03T07:50:55.417" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is actually an English version of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Peta-Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;, but since it does not gives any references of its origin and certain other shares are not very in the frame of the original giver, you should be aware that it could be actually not really given, put simply pirated like it is very usual today. So beware of do not becoming a hungry ghost in this realm, a therm that is very proper for may kinds of existences here in this world, on googlyana: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1185.msg4765.html#msg4765&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Offerings for hungry ghosts in Googleyana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T00:30:12.657" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:30:12.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13390" CreationDate="2016-01-03T09:26:17.940" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many motivations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the main motivations is loving kindness. You do this to the benefit of the others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though this might not be generally considered, a small strain of sense of challenge, achievement, accomplishment or to achieving the ultimate can also be present. These may fade away depending on the stage you are in but surely a motivation early on to wish for Buddhahood. Buddhahood is at the pinnacle of working towards a most perfect form of existence. This on it's own right becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also external influences can motivate this. I have heard when there were no Buddhas for a long time some beings who are is some stage of sainthood  in higher planes influence possible earthlings to aspire to become a Buddha by telepathic influence and planting the seed or initial thought of aspiration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-03T14:24:25.387" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T14:24:25.387" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12941" CreationDate="2016-01-03T12:48:26.873" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;user1362373, karma is evolving (thought in creation), and involving, and can be used also as real &quot;evolvement&quot; (thought in liberation). And it applies to all living beings, whether they are aware of not, sentient or not. de and en are pretty mixed up today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a distinction is that of people who have a by birth or lineage or race thinking, as that of most evolving-inspired ideas have. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is what keeps beings in this circle of evolution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one likes to understand kamma, this might be useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/kamma_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2000; 48pp./145KB)&#xA;      An overview of the Buddha's teachings on kamma (karma; intentional action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, be warned, thinking on kamma (which means, trying to trace it back and forward) is said to make one crazy: and that (i.e. such thoughts on kamma) does not need to be done on the path. Just having the faith that wholesome deeds will bring their associated results (and unwholesome deeds, similarly), and to know what is good kamma (action by body, speech or mind) and what is not, is quite OK. Otherwise you would end up in nothing but not very wise things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T00:31:00.480" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:31:00.480" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13300" CreationDate="2016-01-03T14:15:11.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may find such expressions all over the exclamations of Arahats and the Buddha, like in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.09.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Magandiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and mostly in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/thag/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theragata&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/thig/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Therigata&lt;/a&gt;. In regard of &quot;Mental Fabrication in Meditation&quot;, such is found in the description of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhanas&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;It's not about a Yana, as suggested in the discussion of the OP, but the result of Mahayana (taking the transcendent &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; &quot;without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path&quot;, the path of the Noble ones, as Maha). &#xA;The last sentence is the most dangerous for beings, misunderstand it (or thing that such can be imitated), but it has its cause, since no more kamma is done being an Arahat, and of cause no reason for harming actions arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T00:31:39.363" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:31:39.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13457" CreationDate="2016-01-03T17:08:07.077" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Late &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda_Ananda_Maitreya_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero&lt;/a&gt; is known to have taken the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhisattva&lt;/a&gt; vows and aspiring towards &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhahood&lt;/a&gt; in a future life. So is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauyane_Ariyadhamma_Mahathera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera&lt;/a&gt;. So yes you can meet aspirants through many may not say so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T17:08:07.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13465" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-03T17:58:08.490" Score="2" ViewCount="709" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IXq8s.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IXq8s.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a name of this particular Buddha, and what is the mudra called, what does it mean, and what is in his left hand and what does it mean? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T19:39:02.063" Title="Buddha Statue Identification and Explanation" Tags="|statue|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13465" CreationDate="2016-01-03T18:04:49.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That fits the description of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaisajyaguru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Medicine Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhaiṣajyaguru is typically depicted seated, wearing the three robes of a Buddhist monk, holding a lapis-colored jar of medicine nectar in his left hand and the right hand resting on his right knee, holding the stem of the Aruna fruit or Myrobalan between thumb and forefinger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but I have no better explanation than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the &quot;medicine nectar&quot; is 'the deathless' e.g. as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10929/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt; -- see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=nectar&quot;&gt;'nectar' is mentioned in other topics on this site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T19:39:02.063" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2016-01-03T20:16:56.880" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is entirely mental; it can be achieved any where, at any time, and under any circumstance with the right emotional commitment. A monastic lifestyle only has to be followed on the emotional level; you can have vast amounts of material wealth if it does not corrupt your mind by creating any forms of obsession over that wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7541" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T20:16:56.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-01-03T21:55:21.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Nihilism, as noted, there is a sense of self which is 'lost' upon death, and is absorbed into a vacuum, as it were.&#xA;In buddhism there is no inherently-independent existence of a self, so upon death nothing is lost and nothing is gained.&#xA;This in fact reflects physical reality much more than nihilism does, regardless whether you consider it from an agnostic or buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the philosophical implications of this are, 'you' don't lose anything. Ergo, a nihilist is someone who is attached to there being a sense of relative meaning in life, because they still believe in an inherently-existing self. Whereas a buddhist is someone who strives to be free of the false view of an inherently-existing sense of self, and hence avoids the depression, negative attachment to life, and ultimately, despair, that the nihilism view ultimately entails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take the buddhist view, the sense of 'self' ultimately becomes dispersed, and even in early stages, 'wider'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7542" LastActivityDate="2016-01-03T21:55:21.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="23" CreationDate="2016-01-03T22:50:00.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may get a understanding, of what's the matter with when reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Lesser Mass of Stress&lt;/a&gt; for example and to know of what the Buddha had to say. Yes, right livelihood (livestyle), one of the factor of the Noble Eightfold path is necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T00:32:23.867" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:32:23.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-01-03T23:27:32.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma is not a philosophy, it's a path of practice to go beyond and to see what is reality for one self. What happens is one does not use it simply like this is good described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.028-049.than_en.html#iti-049&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti 49&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T00:33:17.100" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T00:33:17.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2016-01-04T03:51:58.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is realised at the experiential level is the Dhamma for you. What someone else experiences is not the Dhamma for you. In this sense there is no &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nonduality&lt;/a&gt; as people experience reality in different way (as for what I have learned.) There is nothing similar between experiences of disciples, though perhaps experience of among Buddha's may be similar since they experience all what is conditioned. The main goal of experiencing &quot;reality as it is&quot; to develop &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revulsion&lt;/a&gt; to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt;. So what you you experience should be to the extent to avoid unwise attention of attention tained by &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perverted perceptions, thoughts and views&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. In this context there is always an observer who experiences phenomena though consciousness aided by the faculties, or one that who feels&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is to one that feels that I teach Dhamma,&#xA;  not to one that does not feel.”&#xA;  —The Awakened One&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/To%20One%20That%20Feels_Teean.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;To one that feels&lt;/a&gt; by Luangpor Teean Juttasubho &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T06:24:08.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13472" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-04T03:58:06.050" Score="5" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps we can maintain a collection of Buddhist blogs which might be of interest for many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T14:31:55.213" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T15:07:53.797" Title="What are good Buddhist Blogs / articles sites / resource sites out there?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-01-04T11:46:30.123" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2016-01-04T04:43:22.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sati (mindfullness) has the agenda of remembering, keeping in mind, so its quite proper to give it the name &quot;observer&quot; on the level of being an &quot;overseer&quot;. Samma sati (right mindfulness) keep the right things in mind. It is often compared with a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.063.than_en.html#mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;door-keeper&lt;/a&gt; (of the fortress of practice), a good one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some short but very usefull essays, to get out of common misunderstandings are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/agendas_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Agendas of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness Defined&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/untangling_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Untangling the Present: The Role of Appropriate Attention&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T04:51:58.813" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T04:51:58.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13474" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-04T07:24:02.647" Score="2" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the 6th council changes have been made to the Disclosure in Establishing Mindfulness in the Middle Length Discourses according to Ven Sujato and Ven Analayo where the section on the 4 Noble Truths was expanded. 3rd Council the Abhidhamma as made officially part of the canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there other known instances where changes to the Pali Canon happened either at this council or elsewhere?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T08:03:06.010" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T07:58:33.170" Title="What Changes have Happened to the Pali Canon?" Tags="|pali-canon|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13472" CreationDate="2016-01-04T08:48:45.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Berzin Archives&lt;/a&gt;. Although I am not familiar with the whole of it, when it comes to Tibetan Buddhism, it is quiet trustworthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T08:48:45.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13472" CreationDate="2016-01-04T08:50:48.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really enjoy the blog &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theravadin.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravadin Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like the fact that it contains a lot of discussion around pali words and a lot of advice on meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T08:50:48.497" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13477" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-04T10:08:14.777" Score="3" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;In five aggregates I'm bit confused when it says Perception and Consciousness are temporary . I can see form , feelings and formations are temporary by practice. Could someone provide me some more context to see this &lt;strong&gt;in practice&lt;/strong&gt; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T10:34:55.373" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T12:43:03.243" Title="Understanding that Perception and Consciousness are temporary" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13478" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13486" CreationDate="2016-01-04T10:20:44.737" Score="3" ViewCount="319" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Body - Breath - Mind are connected to each other, and Thinking process really need oxygen to operate. When I sit for meditation i feel my breath is stop (Gap) and thought slows down, but for very minimum time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T14:02:53.607" Title="Is really that &quot;Breath Stops when Thought Stops&quot;" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13472" CreationDate="2016-01-04T10:24:06.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have gotten a lot from Ken McLeod's &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.unfetteredmind.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unfettered Mind&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, especially the podcasts (in the &quot;Teachings &amp;amp; Writings&quot; menu, drill down into &quot;Podcasts&quot;).  I also appreciate his approach to translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7525" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T10:24:06.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13477" CreationDate="2016-01-04T10:56:18.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/mrs nish1013&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception (remembrance, preoccupation): How did you understand the word &quot;world&quot; when you have been 4 years, 15 years, now? Or let me ask: When you saw a attractive man/woman when you have 6 was it the same perception as with 16, and now? When did you learn what red looks like? How does pure red looks like. How do you feel about the person who writes you this answer? How will you perceive it later?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, intellect): What is your current consciousness, of what are you aware right now? Of what have you been aware when you wrote this question? Have you been aware of a certain sound, form? Is it still present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And let Atma then also ask you back of what you estimate being formation, feeling and body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T10:56:18.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13477" CreationDate="2016-01-04T11:08:55.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.4-Khandha-3-Sanna-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Perception&lt;/a&gt; is difficult to identify as they are mostly tained by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Perversion of Perception&lt;/a&gt;. Initially this can be rectified by building contracting perception. Seven such contemplations are given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.4-Satta-Sanna-S-a7.46-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vitthāra) Satta Sañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and set of 10 given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giri-m-ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also when you experience Perception gives rise to the following chain &lt;code&gt;thoughts arise &amp;gt; desires &amp;gt; passions &amp;gt; searching&lt;/code&gt;. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.5-Sanna-Nanatta-S-s14.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññā Nānatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) Generally what you can start looking at from searching. This is searching to experiences to fulfil your passions, so on and so forths. When you realise subject of lusting is impermanence then you see Perception of Impermanence. (Such pratice is covered in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.12-Anicca-Sanna-S-s22.102-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anicca Saññā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) This means your Perversion of Perception has reduced hence see the Impermanence of Perception. Ultimately what you lust is for sensation either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral by understanding this perhaps you can understand perception. This since perception is hard to understand try to understand something the impermanence caused by perception thought which you try to understand impermanence of perception or something that creates perception in the cause and effect chain.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What consciousness does is it recognises &quot;It is pleasant ... unpleasant ... neutral&quot;. The the route to understand impermanence of consciousness is to start with the sensations it produce. You should see them as Arising and Passing with Equanimity. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;) Start from some point in the causality chain and move up or down to develop your understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately what needs to get unrooted is ignorance hence being able to see thing as they are and finally you experience &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;revolution&lt;/a&gt; hence stopping the turning of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T12:43:03.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13478" CreationDate="2016-01-04T11:14:55.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mental Fabrications is associated with sensations, hence will not stop until sensations stop. There are ways to stop thoughts is to develop Nirodha Samapatti or realise Nirvana by other means. When you have Nirvana as object only will your thinking stop. Verbal fabrication which is Thinking and Pondering will stop in the second Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When breathing stops your bodily fabrications have stopped. But when thoughts arise new fabrications arise which might have bodily impact hence breathing start again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The there is a gap or breathing stops you have to contemplate the sensations you experience in the upper lip or even the whole body. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm#LECTURE%20FOUR&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;LECTURE FOUR: MASTERING THE VEDANA&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt;. When the breath is there look at the flow and touch of the breath. When it is not the sensations on the last point the breath touched. (2nd Tetrads)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not get alarmed if your breath stops for a long duration but this should not be forced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/spl7l.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/spl7l.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T14:02:53.607" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T14:02:53.607" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13485" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-04T12:41:47.057" Score="3" ViewCount="543" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I sit for meditation, sometimes I realize my breath has stopped and thoughts are subtle, for but a very minimum amount of time, but that time I feel totally in a present moment, in a moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It this a goal of meditation? or something else? or analyzing? When is the awareness aware of awareness? Is feeling the gap awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T21:26:19.057" LastActivityDate="2016-03-16T04:14:00.060" Title="What is the goal of Meditation- is it increasing the gap?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13478" CreationDate="2016-01-04T12:55:42.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is just a bad translation. Alternative ways to say it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breath Gradually Ceases when Thought Gradually Ceases&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Breath Gradually Stills when Thought Gradually Stills&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Breath Quietens when Thought Quietens&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Breath Calms Down when Thought Calms Down  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.011.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 36.11&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have taught, monk, &lt;strong&gt;the gradual cessation&lt;/strong&gt; of conditioned phenomena. [...] Having attained the second absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking has ceased. [...] Having attained the fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation have ceased.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I have further taught, monk, &lt;strong&gt;the gradual stilling&lt;/strong&gt; of conditioned phenomena. [...] Having attained the second absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking been  stilled. [...] Having attained the fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation have been stilled.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, monk, these six &lt;strong&gt;quietenings&lt;/strong&gt; (or calmings). [...] Having attained the second absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking are quietened. [...] Having attained the fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation is quietened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T12:55:42.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13487" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13504" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:11:30.290" Score="3" ViewCount="1487" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can I be completely aware in each and every moment, even working, walking, or talking? Is &quot;continuous breath awareness&quot; is an answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T19:43:32.840" LastActivityDate="2019-05-13T18:38:13.300" Title="How to completely be aware of each moment?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation-recommendation|meditation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13485" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:19:47.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many reasons why people meditate, who should know what your intent is. As for the path of Dhamma, its to get insight, knowledge and vision: pañña. And it's purpose is to get ride of dukkha (suffering and stress).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's pretty good to ask one self why do I meditate or better, why I still don't do it. Atma does not know where Ajay actually stand and where his/her general thought about it come from, but a good guide in simple words would be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/thate/buddho.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddho&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T08:14:01.593" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T08:14:01.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13487" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:20:33.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can still be aware of the breath. In case of working it is more easy to see the expansion and contraction nature / sensation of breathing process. In which case it might be an idea to look at your chest or abdomen for rising and falling sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you walk, talk or do anything else you need mindfulness to do the task right. In Buddhism this awareness is not too tied to being aware of what you do. What needs to be done is to be aware of the arising and passing of sensation (phenomena what is felt) with equanimity. In the case of breath any sensation pertaining to the breath like expansion contraction or touch at the upper lip or nose or length will be sufficient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T13:20:33.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13485" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:25:43.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Goal Of Meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Goal of Meditation&lt;/strong&gt; is being in the &lt;strong&gt;PRESENT MOMENT&lt;/strong&gt;. Why? Because Past and Future does not exist. They exist only in the mind. What really exist is a Present moment, and what we really have is a Present Moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7066" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T13:25:43.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13485" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:43:20.810" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ojFCJ.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ojFCJ.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see step 4 above it says &quot;Tranquilise the bodily activities&quot;. In this stage you do calm the breath, i.e., increase the gap, but you do not manipulate the breath directly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further reference on claiming the breath see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm#LECTURE%20THREE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;LECTURE THREE: CALMING THE KAYA&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; 4th Ed. by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; p35.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in meditation you have to be in the present moment and see arising and passing or sensation at the present moment as you have realise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T02:30:06.890" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T02:30:06.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13472" CreationDate="2016-01-04T13:48:39.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have long liked &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://sdhammika.blogspot.com&lt;/a&gt; but in the last time he does not write too often, so I'm not really &quot;up-to-date&quot; with it..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T13:48:39.073" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-01-04T13:48:39.073" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13493" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13496" CreationDate="2016-01-04T14:06:42.203" Score="3" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vedana is described as reaction to a sense contact. Are these only the 5 senses or is vedana also 'created' by thoughts or emotions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T15:00:46.963" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T17:09:09.640" Title="Do thoughts 'create' vedana?" Tags="|dhammas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13472" CreationDate="2016-01-04T14:35:21.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across a well referenced blog which seems to have merit in par with a paper or article. &lt;a href=&quot;http://justalittledust.com/blog/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Just A Little Dust&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also though not a the site &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dharmafarers&lt;/a&gt; has a lot of articles and well researched Sutta translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T14:35:21.853" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-01-04T14:35:21.853" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13493" CreationDate="2016-01-04T14:57:01.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cognizing a mental object with the mind, one examines the mental object as the basis for&#xA;  pleasure, or for pain, or for neither-pain-nor-pleasure&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.5-Sanna-Nanatta-S-s14.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññā Nānatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dependent on the mind-object element, there arises the perception of mind-object;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dependent on the perception of mind-object, there arises the thought regarding mind-object;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dependent on the thought regarding mind-object, there arises the desire for mind-object;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dependent on the desire for mind-object, there arises the passion for mind-object;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;dependent on the passion for mind-object, there arises the searching for mind-object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here searching is for the pleasure the intellectual stimulation brought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also all 121 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;minds&lt;/a&gt; according to Theravada Abhidhamma is associated with sensation as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental factors&lt;/a&gt; of sensation is present in each of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When dealing with any sensation from any source (Contact with Faculties, 4 Frames of Mindfulness) you have to look at the arising and passing of sensations. Use painful sensation to eradicate aversion, pleasant sensation to eradicate craving and neutral to eradicate ignorance. How to sensation tied to thoughts are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (also found in the introductory commentary as is). This goes for thoughts as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikshu, the monk has learned [heard] that nothing is worth clinging to. And a monk has&#xA;  learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things. Having directly understood all&#xA;  things, he fully understands all things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood everything, he sees all signs differently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He sees the mind differently; he sees mind-objects differently; he sees mind-consciousness differently;&#xA;  he sees mind-contact differently. Whatever that is pleasant, or painful, or neutral, that arises on&#xA;  account of mind-contact as condition, that, too, he sees differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monk, when a monk knows and sees thus, ignorance is abandoned by him and true knowledge&#xA;  (vijja) arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T17:09:09.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13493" CreationDate="2016-01-04T14:59:00.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contact causes feeling. What ever sense door it enters/touches: Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, intellect. And what does it touch? The Eye does not feel, the ear does not feel... the intellect maybe? &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.146.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nandakovada Sutta: Nandaka's Exhortation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T14:59:00.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13493" CreationDate="2016-01-04T16:00:11.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, (as per Yogacara Abhidharma) vedana is also created by thoughts. The thoughts, just like sense-objects, stimulate samskaras (imprints) in the memory, and that generates vedana (feelings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the purposes of your question, we can say that the main part of emotions  - their somatic component (what you feel in your chest etc.) - &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; vedana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T16:35:25.010" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T16:35:25.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13493" CreationDate="2016-01-04T16:40:24.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana abhidharma, a main mind and the mental factors in its retinue share five similarities. Also, as Kyabje Yeshe Gyeltsen says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, the two – a main mind and the mental factors in its retinue&#xA;  – are said to be one entity and concomitant by way of five types of&#xA;  similarities. Hence, it is incorrect to assert that minds and mental&#xA;  factors are not similar in time and that they are different entities,&#xA;  as well as to posit that their observed objects are separate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Concretely, a mental consciousness remembering blue and the feeling associated with it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arise simultaneously&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have the same object [of engagement]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take the same aspect [of blue]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arise in dependence upon the mental sense power&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, it is not the case that 'thoughts create feelings' because thought is the object of both the main mind and the mental factors associated with that main mind, and because both of these [main and mental factors] arise simultaneously. The mind-object - thought - does not precede feelings, and thus it is not created by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T16:40:24.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10726" CreationDate="2016-01-04T18:48:53.860" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... do you change it to positive mental quality ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; arises you can apply the antidote to it. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... or just watch it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can do this also. There is always a sensation associated with the hindrances. If you are angry you get a burning sensation. If you have sloth or torpor you feel heavy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Someone angry for 'no reason', but actually there is a reason if one keeps the mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is some stimuli at the scene door which give an unpleasant sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... By realizing this we are no longer angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These mental states are impermanent. When the cause, initial stimuli or / and the subsequent mental proliferation disappears then result (anger) disappears. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is this also a practice of mindfulness or analyzing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a form of analysing the impermanence of feelings arising from this mental state. It can be taken as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma vicaya&lt;/a&gt; which is mindfulness. Basically you look at the arising and passing of sensations pertaining to the hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Which one is the correct practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All he following you mentioned are correct:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;apply antidote&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;being mindful of the impermanence or arising and passing of sensations (or phenomena what is felt) pertaining to the hindrance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;analyse the impermanence or arising and passing of sensations (or phenomena what is felt) pertaining to the hindrance (same as above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T18:48:53.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13487" CreationDate="2016-01-04T20:52:29.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;continuous breath awareness is good but there is a catch. Imagine yourself running to catch a bus or running into the elevator or maybe any other sudden choice or a task that you can think of, then it becomes a hard task to focus on Breath. And it is very easy to lose focus on breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why Lord Buddha had certain guidelines for people who wanted to practice the &quot;Breathing Meditation&quot;. Lord Buddha asked the practitioner to sit down calmly in a position that is comforting and start to focus on breath. I know the description is a bit longer than that but the point is Lord Buddha never gave such physical information to practice any other meditation. Because the mindfulness that comes from the continuous breath awareness can be a bit fragile there are much strong and powerful substitutes to replace it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you know there are two paths to a practitioner to reach goals in meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is called &quot;Samatha&quot; and other one is &quot;Vipassana&quot;. Continuous breath awareness belongs to &quot;Samatha&quot; as it focus on calmness. Samatha Meditation develops a certain set of mind where dialog from mind start to cease when the practitioner goes deeper into the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana on the other hand is more active and it depends on the dialog from the mind (Vithakka Vichara). The thing with this sort of meditation is that there is no good position or a place or a time to practice. You can do it anytime,anywhere and in any position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the solution is.....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need to be Mindful at all times the best option is to go with Vipassana. And there is no better way to be Mindful as &quot;Vipassana&quot; is a &quot;Win Win&quot;  situation to the practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me tell you why, If you start doing Vipassana and practice it well it will automatically fix your focus and you will feel yourself getting better at almost anything you do, And if you are to die you will dies with proper Mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as lord Buddha once said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The greatest good karma that a living being can do is to focus on&#xA;  &quot;Anithya,Dhukka,Anatman&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some Audio links to practice - &lt;strong&gt;Vipassana Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/16_Impermanent_Meditation_1.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Impermanent Meditation 1.MP3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/17_Impermanent_Meditation_2.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Impermanent Meditation 2.MP3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation of Posturest full Awareness.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation of Foulness.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation on Nine Cemetery Contemplations.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation on Elements.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-05-13T16:11:24.213" LastActivityDate="2019-05-13T16:11:24.213" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13487" CreationDate="2016-01-04T21:10:14.337" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think of your mind like some bits of leaves in water. When life is going by, these leaves get agitated, the water shakes and you start fixating on one leaf or another. Not being mindful is being agitated, looking at different thing to different thing, being afraid or worrying or being attached with so many thoughts happening you lose track of the beauty around you. Being mindful is saying oh look at that pretty leaf, and you are paying attention to it very carefully as it floats around. Mindfulness takes practice, and longer and longer you can hold attention to the leaf. There is nothing wrong about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But being mindful like this for extended periods is hard, because the water is always agitating, moving the leaves around. The leaves are external, they don't represent you in entirety, there is more, but you don't perceive the water because you are usually fixated on the leaves. To perceive the water is much more difficult, unless you stop the herbs from moving around. So how to calm the water? Meditate. That is why we close our eyes when we meditate, and we go to a quiet and calm place to do it. To allow the water to calm. Straight posture, eyes steadily gazed between the eyebrows. This posture allows awareness to be cultivated, and the mind to calm down and steady. Then the water calms, the leaves fall down to the bottom, and your awareness increases of the inner state. You perceive the water as it is. And you see the leaves are there, but you are not involved with them. When you practice this, it stays, and you go to the outside world and the water does not get so agitated. You can look at each leaf individually and it is much easier to be mindful. They go hand in hand and nature one another.  When the water is still, you are 100 percent mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of spirituality, no matter what religion, will be cultivating awareness to some degree. Christians do it through their emphasis on love, which is the true nature of things. Hindus tend to do it through rituals that engage the senses and focus them on a higher power. Buddhists and Hindus both do that actually, and they both meditate. Islamic people do it through regular prayer. You have to find the path that helps you do it the best. Even different Buddhist schools are very different in practice, so you find the one that cultivates the best in you. There is not only one way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7502" LastActivityDate="2016-01-04T21:10:14.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13506" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13509" CreationDate="2016-01-04T22:52:15.240" Score="9" ViewCount="2704" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the actual suttas in which the Buddha described how to meditate? A list of all such suttas would be greatly appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-04T22:55:58.073" LastActivityDate="2024-01-16T09:44:33.810" Title="What are the suttas in which the Buddha provides instruction on how to meditate?" Tags="|the-buddha|sutras|texts|meditation|practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13506" CreationDate="2016-01-05T00:11:51.953" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two notable suttas in which Buddha provided meditation instructions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#ch1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; addresses the practice of mettā meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7233" LastEditorUserId="7233" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T03:54:19.363" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T03:54:19.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13506" CreationDate="2016-01-05T01:52:48.937" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;My favorite sutta on meditation is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-suññata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness). Thanissaro Bhikkhu provides a good commentary on this in his article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/integrityofemptiness.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Integrity of Emptiness&lt;/a&gt;, the section called &quot;Emptiness as an Approach to Meditation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two other suttas everyone else mentions - Anapanasati and Satipatthana suttas - are very good too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also nice tidbits in the Northern recording of the Anapanasati Sutta, called &lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka/T0125_LL_17-01_anapanasmrti&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānāpānasmṛti Sutra&lt;/a&gt; from Ekottarika Āgama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you are specifically into Jhana meditation, then &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samadhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; provides the canonical definitions of the Four Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T04:00:56.483" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T04:00:56.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13506" CreationDate="2016-01-05T02:43:46.623" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;To straighten view before meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anapana&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satipatthana&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta and Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayagatasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kayagatasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Elements / properties&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.16-Maha-Hatthipadopama-S-m028-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Hatthi,padapama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1a-Bahudhatuka-S-m115-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu Dhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reflective / perception based&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giri-m-ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.10-Ambalatthika-Rahulovada-S-m061-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amba,latthika Rahul’ovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta, Karuna, Mudita, Upekka&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T02:43:46.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13506" CreationDate="2016-01-05T03:41:54.813" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gelanna Sutta is the sutta through which Buddha provides instructions on how to meditate. Other forms of meditations are Anapanasati sutta,Satipatthana sutta, Bhikkhunuppasaya Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the Tripitaka (in Pali) is earliest collection of Buddhist teachings and the only text recognized as canonical by Theravada Buddhists. Tripitaka means 'three baskets' from the way in which it was originally recorded: text was written on long, narrow leaves, which were sewn at edges and grouped into bunches and stored in baskets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7552" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T04:34:44.980" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T04:34:44.980" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12923" CreationDate="2016-01-05T06:57:54.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr. Concept,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Is merit something that follows my thoughts and actions as a consequence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, like demerit is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhp 1 &amp;amp; 2&lt;/a&gt; when you think and do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Or is merit more like an acquired disposition to act and think in certain ways?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, like demerit is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhp 1 &amp;amp; 2&lt;/a&gt; when you ponder about thinking or doing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Or perhaps it's both an acquired disposition and a consequence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, like demerits is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhp 1 &amp;amp; 2&lt;/a&gt; and you meet even the fine nuance that makes the Buddhas teaching different for other kamma ideas. That it is the past intentions &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; the present intention in the moment, which forms you future experience future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are we born with a certain &quot;amount&quot; of merit due to karma?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are born because of kamma, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does a person know that s/he is accumulating merit?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only when a person is certain trained, he can reflect it such was at least meritorious. Puñña means always giving, letting go and leads always to release. So when ever there comes up a certain release and relaxation, then there was merit as its cause. Its like having done work. If you have done it correct and right, you lay down relaxed. Of course you can lay down even if not done or not correct, but that possibility is just a making use of previous fruits, credit(s). See as explaining the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lonaphala Sutta: The Salt Crystal&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A nice overview is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ten Ways of Making Merits&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and if you like to understand it better, Atma suggest you to get into a little &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item134&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma in Daily Life&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, by Ashin Janakanbhivamsa, which is also good to read and with samples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you, how ever should not do, is to try to trace kamma up and down, such, as the Buddha told, will make you crazy. On the matter how kamma actually works and is used to escape, a read of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part1.html#part1-b&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma &amp;amp; the Ending of Kamma&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/kamma_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamma, A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu, might be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And since you are doing here merits &quot;listening to the Dhamma&quot;, as for every merits, that you are sure to make not just an exchange or keep anything, don't forget to share your merits, dedicate them to ever living being, which is able to rejoice with your merits you have done. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#merit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dedication of Merit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T06:57:54.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13154" CreationDate="2016-01-05T07:17:07.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes there is a mentioning, the famous sutta, its starts out with hints of being withdrawn from the world like &quot;not overly attached to families&quot; and is actually not meant as a social event. But since &quot;sex&quot; sells it is broadly sold like that, introduced like that. If one just likes to maintain pleasant feeling, one can go on an thinks this way, but if one has certain metta (maybe for the living beings that would lose there lives to be able to meet in a beloved group) and like to put his practice also in line with metta, this first lines of the Suttas become to have reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a nice summary of all qualities required to practice metta and its really not an ordinary mans task and so is it with the benefits one would gain, of which you would just gain sort time pleasure if its made for simply some personal pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta - The Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Ñāṇadassana Maha Thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to your question if there are such metta-events and practices, actually 95% are of such as you have thought of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might also consider the question and answer here in: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13154/metta-and-loving-kindness-as-a-team&quot;&gt;Metta and Loving-Kindness as a Team&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta Means Goodwill&lt;/a&gt; (Thanissaro Bhikkhu). At least metta is not meant to get involved, but more a beneficial kind of thought for others for one who is actually on leave or on a journey, leaving for a good with the thought &quot;&lt;em&gt;Sabbe sattā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &quot;May all living beings look after themselves with ease.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#sublime&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Sublime Attitudes&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=get197&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;audio&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So where do you like to go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T18:55:41.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2016-01-05T08:57:48.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Believe&quot; is actually the most required prerequisite, not only to listen to the Dhamma but also to put an effort to get results you are not able to know for now: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1998.msg9248.html#msg9248&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suffering - Believe and the key out of it&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contradiction to maybe dealers in Dhamma, who make people &lt;strong&gt;believe&lt;/strong&gt; that no believe is required, you may also look into the questions of King Milinda who have been answered very wisely, for example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mil3.1.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;‘And how is aspiration the mark of faith?’&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case one would say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in the end, a good teacher will just tell you &quot;This is the path to enlightenment&quot;, rather than &quot;I am enlightened&quot;, and leave it up to you to discover the veracity of their claim. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He would actually say that the Buddha was not a good teacher, since there have been lot of occasions, where he simply used the fact that he is awakened (and made people believe so) &quot;The Tathagata is worthy and rightly Self-Awakend&quot; even had no other change as to argue in this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to speak, how could one say &quot;this is the path to enlightenment&quot; without neither knowing by him self, or have strong believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's for no purpose to make people in doubt believe that there doubts are even more of value as &lt;em&gt;saddha&lt;/em&gt;, does it make people believe that one does not cheat? And does it actually or not, given of what the Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="7555" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T09:57:19.033" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T09:57:19.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13474" CreationDate="2016-01-05T09:27:50.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To get to the heartwood, supporting good intentions with this question and counter not so wise intentions or coloring of the question, and leading to an aim:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/authenticity_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;‘When you know for yourselves...’: The Authenticity of the Pali&#xA;  Suttas&lt;/a&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2002; 17pp./52KB)&#xA;      For centuries scholars have argued over which parts of the Pali canon — if any — contain an accurate record of the Buddha's teachings.&#xA;  The texts themselves state that &lt;strong&gt;doubts about the Dhamma can be&#xA;  decisively resolved only if one puts the teachings into practice to&#xA;  the point of attaining stream-entry&lt;/strong&gt;, the first stage of enlightenment.&#xA;  In this essay the author explains the qualities that (according to the&#xA;  texts) one must develop in order to authenticate the Dhamma for&#xA;  oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If seeking for a technical answer, not so aimed at an aim beyond assuming, it's maybe of future fruits here on DW: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&amp;amp;t=25489#p367230&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Who added what to buddhavacana or who removed what from buddhavacana?&lt;/a&gt; since such makes many people busy and gratified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="7555" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T11:22:44.103" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T11:22:44.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13095" CreationDate="2016-01-05T10:27:43.467" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt; are of interest for user1167442. Ven. Paññobhāsa Bhikkhu also kindly shared an impression of the many states: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1768.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samsara - Kinds of being&lt;/a&gt;. The Buddha sometime compared certain people or their tendency with being(s) of other realm like the human, like when saying &quot;&lt;em&gt;Licchavi of Vesali are comparable to the assembly of the Thirty-three gods&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (DN16).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of such as bardo-states, be informed that such is not found in the teachings of the Buddha, since there is no such as in between. The only possible idea of such later developments is that people made something our of the mentioning &quot;&lt;em&gt;sambhavesī&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (like in the Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta) which is normally translated as &quot;seeking birth&quot; or more lit. on being born (maybe thought of an egg), so not estimated as a being by others yet&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T10:27:43.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13517" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-05T13:23:37.417" Score="5" ViewCount="796" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to Meditate, I like to read about Meditation, I like to think about Meditation; but the word ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;MEDITATION.. MEDITATION..&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... is always in my mind, I am attached to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I avoid this attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to make Meditation as a PROBLEM. I just want to use it as a Solution. I think it will lead me to SUFFERING.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How I will meditate but remain unattached to it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-05T18:36:33.057" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:14:07.063" Title="Is attachment to the word &quot;Meditation&quot; a problem?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13517" CreationDate="2016-01-05T13:36:54.413" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;You'll grow out of it eventually.  What you are experiencing right now is the honeymoon period.  Everyone goes through it.  It's no different than the start of a new relationship.  Everything is fresh, exciting, captivating.  The word discipline is meaningless.  How could you &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; want to sit!  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.  Use this opportunity to learn as much as you can.  Sit as much as you'd like.  Work on developing your concentration.  Just like working out, the gains that come in the beginner phase have no equivalent at any other point in your practice.  Things are easy now.  Take advantage of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But everything fades in intensity.  Eventually, you are going to come to a point in your practice where maybe your sits aren't going so well.  Maybe progress isn't coming as fast as it was.  Perhaps you want to jump over and try a different tradition.  Who knows.  You might even find yourself getting bored from time to time.  All of this is also normal.  In fact, it's where the real practice begins.  From here on out, you will learn that while sitting reaps unimaginable rewards, they don't come without work.  Here, you get to stare face to face with the obstacles that are holding you back.  This is where you truly understand why one Zen koan calls &quot;sitting long and getting tired&quot; the heart of Buddhism.  These difficulties are all to be embraced.  They are what cause real transformation to occur.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T13:36:54.413" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13517" CreationDate="2016-01-05T13:47:20.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just do it, Mr/Mrs Ajay. It's like if you are in love. Talking, thinking, hoping... and then remember the time when you have been in love, when it seems to lose interest or you tend to look for a side relation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T13:47:20.167" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13520" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-05T14:59:37.643" Score="2" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;So there is a mind (one that asks this question) and there is the body (fingers typing this question of the mind). This is not &quot;I&quot; or &quot;me&quot;. So when the body goes running and when the mind or brain is thinking, why does it get tired? Or is it just the illusion of tired?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T03:07:35.040" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T10:52:35.943" Title="What gets tired or feels hungry? Experiment" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|nonduality|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13487" CreationDate="2016-01-05T17:58:43.283" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Short answer:&lt;/strong&gt; You cannot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Longer answer:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You really, really can't.  You can't even really see how much you are unconscious in the present, and you and I are considerably more unconscious that we'd care to be aware of.  Awareness of unawareness is itself awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The student asked, &amp;quot;What should be done about temporary lapses in presence?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;T'ou-tzu said, &amp;quot;Who informs you about them?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Solution #1:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever heard of Alex Honnold?  Look him up on Google Images.  He climbs mountains without harnesses.  You want to be present every moment?  Try that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Don't really try that&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Be like someone who sees a ferocious tiger, totally engrossed in getting away and escaping with his life&amp;quot; - from Pocket Zen Reader by Thomas Cleary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tendency is to relate to awareness as a place one resides, get's to, or who one &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;.  Awareness is a fluid state that has no outer boundary, always anchored in the present, infinitely expansive. If you think you are aware, you are not aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our awareness is content and context.  The &lt;em&gt;content&lt;/em&gt; of our awareness varies according to situation, mood, etc.  The &lt;em&gt;context&lt;/em&gt; of our awareness is the space wherein the &lt;em&gt;content&lt;/em&gt; of our awareness lives.  The larger and more open the context of our awareness, the richer and more varied is our experience, the greater our intelligence and ability to interact with that which shows up in our field of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The context of your awareness expands and contracts, and within this context lives what you experience as your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt;  To avoid misinterpretation; this isn't to suggest that one shouldn't be mindful at all times.  But let's be clear:  You can't do that.  No one in this forum can.  That isn't to say you shouldn't be mindful at all times; but you can't and you won't.  But you still should.  There is no answer that will suitably provide you with what you need in order to be mindful at all times.  If you look at it as a place to get; let me remove all suspense:  &lt;strong&gt;YOU WILL NEVER GET THERE&lt;/strong&gt;;  however, it is always possible to come from there.  I recommend you do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:41:44.237" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13522" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13550" CreationDate="2016-01-05T18:25:42.820" Score="3" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;A year ago I bought one and I just got it is NDC (Nuclear Disarmament Campaign). I don't mind but I wanted feeling peace through everything what I need to having it. And soon I'm gonna practicing vipassana meditation. &#xA;Can I wear pendant that I have ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T09:24:47.840" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T12:49:13.403" Title="Can I wear pendant that's symbol of peace?" Tags="|personal-practice|iconography|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13522" CreationDate="2016-01-05T18:58:20.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is in harmony with nonviolent Buddhism however on a vipassana retreat there is noble silence, and anything worn that said anything would be as distracting as spoken words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T18:58:20.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-05T19:01:54.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the mind and body at the level of experiencing things moment by moment there is feeling and tiredness but nothing feels hungry or gets tired that can be experienced directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T19:01:54.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13522" CreationDate="2016-01-05T22:51:38.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you ware does not effect your path or your practice. In Lord Buddha's time people reached Nirvana while wearing nothing,While working and etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus on your path do not take concerns about these minor things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T22:51:38.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13154" CreationDate="2016-01-05T23:00:22.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are allowed to practice as a team. In fact in Lord Buddha's time and even now people and Monks do it. But the important thing is to use this good friendship as a boat and use the excitement of teamwork to your benefit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember not to be too attached to the team. You will be more willing to meditate when yo got friends around. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even Lord Buddha said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Good friends (Kalyana mitta) are the strength of Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But never discuss your meditation with your friends, Because it will awake each others ego and that would do more harm than good. But if you have any issues with your practice seek the help of a good master. I would advice you to seek a kind monk because ordinary people can be a bit ego driven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:00:22.200" CommentCount="17" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13527" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18948" CreationDate="2016-01-05T23:03:26.267" Score="2" ViewCount="434" Body="&lt;p&gt;U Ba Khin, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://pariyatti.org/Treasures/tabid/104/Default.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;IMC: Personal Experiences of Candidates&quot;&gt;IMC: Personal Experiences of Candidates&lt;/a&gt;, writes some quite interesting &quot;explanatory remarks&quot; about the experiences that Mr. J. Van Amersfoort had during a meditation course. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In those remarks U Ba Khin sees the &lt;strong&gt;Parajikan Atthakatha&lt;/strong&gt; as an authoritative treatise which talks about the &quot;&lt;em&gt;realization of the Truth by an analysis of the kalapas in the body with the lens of Samadhi obtained through Anapana Sati&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was not able to find the text of that Parajikan Atthakatha, as far I could gather it should be a Vinaya commentary. Does someone have a full English translation of it? I would be interested in how it deals with kalapas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastEditorUserId="3631" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T08:56:42.047" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T22:22:36.037" Title="U Ba Khin and his reference to Parajikan Atthakatha" Tags="|reference-request|vipassana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2016-01-05T23:03:37.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind-state one is having is most important.&#xA;A happy, joyful state, filled with focus and energy is not only positive but also similar to samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mind-state is free from the Three Poisons and the Six Root Afflictions is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, some games that have a competitive nature, if taken too seriously, can generate the Three Poisons and afflictions, affecting the various levels of mind, attitude, and neurology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, one can utilize the non-mortal nature of video games to practice detachment from such things... essentially practicing to be a bodhisattva of the world! It is hard to be detached like this for longer, more immersive video games, but it can be a harmless practice watching yourself compete and the emotions and afflictions arise and fall within oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:03:37.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13517" CreationDate="2016-01-05T23:14:07.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the thing about attachment...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New Buddhists learn how bad attachment is and they immediately thing\k all attachments are bad. Any ironically no one care to ask &quot;Are all the attachments bad?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Good attachments vs Bad attachments&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you are afraid of bad attachments i assume you already know what they are so i will move on to good attachments.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Good attachments&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all the attachments are bad, For example the need to reach the end or the need to reach nirvana is an attachment. But without such an attachment you will not reach anywhere. So it is necessary for a being to have some incentive to work on something. And this is true to both good and bad things. So as you can see Lord Buddha never said that you should get rid of good ones along with the bad ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must have this need to Meditate and you should feed it. This is called &quot;Shraddha&quot;. Now you have realized the path and you are willingly going towards the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what is good and what is bad?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very simple...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If some attachment is driving you towards bad things you should try your best to get rid of that attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It some attachment is driving towards the path or your personal practice you should keep that need and feed it, because it is your only true friend  to push you towards the path and away from other distractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope you well, and remember...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The path is a one with comfort, But if you feel much discomfort it is because you are paying too much attention to insignificant details.If you keep practicing all the unnecessary attachments will fall without your influence and only good ones will last...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:14:07.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13522" CreationDate="2016-01-05T23:16:44.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For sitting meditation, you can't go wrong by simplifying.  Just wear simple, loose clothing, and leave the rest in your bag (good) or at home (better). &#xA;You can always wear whatever you like outside.  Inside, be non-distracting:  it's just a question of politeness to your fellow meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7560" LastActivityDate="2016-01-05T23:16:44.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13522" CreationDate="2016-01-06T00:02:46.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For practising any other branch except that of Mahayana / Vajrayana, no restrictions for mundane practitioners' outfit exist, to the best of my knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you are practicing in any Vajrayana lineage, you should ask your lama, because bearing a visible jewelery / amulet could be a potential obstacle to keeping layman'v vows on Mahayana Sojong days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T00:02:46.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13417" CreationDate="2016-01-06T00:16:17.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not pretending, like Suminda said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to very truly understand this is to enumerate the number of X you have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have X amount of breaths in your current life-body-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have X amount of times you will be able to visit Buddhism SE in your current life-body-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have X number of smiles you will give to another person in your current life-body-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have X number of meditation sessions you will be able to practice in your current life-body-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patiently enumerate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not false to realize that life is not permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T00:16:17.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13401" CreationDate="2016-01-06T00:20:14.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Observation is always there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to do all this tracking. Just being able to be clear when one thought is coming and the next coming is more than enough. Then you will be able to find the peace that exists in between every thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do concentrated practice sessions and strengthen this awareness muscle.&#xA;And then be lightly aware of your skandhas through the day, powered by your trained mindfulness. Be aware of yourself trying to be aware as well. Awareness of everything comes before your attachment so just let go of the attachment when you notice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reccommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/howtomeditate.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this guide&lt;/a&gt; on observing your thoughts and eventually flowing it into your daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T00:20:14.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13534" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13537" CreationDate="2016-01-06T01:16:23.573" Score="3" ViewCount="517" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not following any particular tradition of Buddhism. How does &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; feel to a sentient being? How can it be tested or experimented? This is being asked because mere intellectualization is not enough obviously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what's next?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T03:06:52.803" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T13:47:20.303" Title="Realization of Anatta" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|mindfulness|anatman|nonduality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-06T01:55:59.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing is &lt;code&gt;&quot; 'I' or 'me' &quot;&lt;/code&gt;. The experience is the illusion of illusion. That is what makes it the truth. Confusion is the illusion of not understanding. Understanding is the illusion of understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this is nonduality, which is not what Buddhism teaches. Or does it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T01:55:59.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13534" CreationDate="2016-01-06T02:18:51.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;How does anatta feel to a sentient being?&lt;/code&gt; It feels like there is no self.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;code&gt;How can it be tested or experimented?&lt;/code&gt; Meditation brings it on, eventually. Shocking experiences can. Drugs can, but I do not recommend that and they do not bring understanding. Inquiry by someone who knows can startle or guide one in to a state of nonduality, or at least a breakthrough experience (often called &quot;awakening&quot; or &quot;satori&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even reading the right thing at the right time can. But as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3656/is-stream-entry-an-unmistakeable-experience/3669#3669&quot;&gt;Andrei said&lt;/a&gt;, it is sometimes a realization after the fact - we realize that we have had the experience described. (This is sometimes called &quot;gradual awakening&quot;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, it is eminently do-able. &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Try not to let your education get in the way of your learning.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; (Mark Twain)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T13:47:20.303" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13534" CreationDate="2016-01-06T03:35:53.333" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way Buddha formulated it, anatta was a surprising solution to the impossible problem - change in your attitude, not just an intellectual understanding - just like you said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His argument went like this: dukkha happens because we try to rely on things which are unreliable -- therefore to achieve permanent Nirvana we need to try and find something which is absolutely reliable. Anything that depends on conditions is impermanent - therefore it is unreliable -- therefore it is dukkha. So we should not lean on (=try to establish our base in) anything conditioned (impermanent, unreliable). Let's see what it leaves us with. All physical objects, configurations, and situations are impermanent. So we can't establish our base in any of them. Our sense-experiences depend on the external objects, which are impermanent/unreliable - therefore our sense-experiences are unreliable too. So we can't establish our base in them. Our mind state depends on our sense-experiences, which are impermanent/unreliable - therefore the mindstate is unreliable too. So we can't establish our base in the mind state. This is the meaning of anatta, we decide that it would be stupid to establish our base in external world, in body, in sense-experiences, or in the mind - because they are all impermanent and therefore unreliable. So this leaves us with... nothing. There is nothing we can establish our base in. This is complete anatta, complete no-self / no-base. And then Buddha made discovery: if you don't establish your base anywhere, you are invulnerable! So on one hand it is a complete loss, there is nothing reliable so there is no Nirvana. On the other hand, if you really let go of everything, if nothing is yours, nothing is you, nothing is your base, nothing is your prize - then impermanence no longer matters, and there is no basis for dukkha to occur. This is called Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as you can see, anatta is not the kind of selflessness we get in physical sciences - they too tell us there is no soul, and lately the neuroscience tells us the feeling of single agent in our head making decisions and experiencing phenomena is an illusion. So everything is just a combination of matter/information fluctuating. But that's not enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What really matters is our personal attitude to things. As long as we establish our base anywhere, even in Buddhism - we get involved into conflicts, arguments, disappointments, and losses. Only if we have no base can we be free from conditions. But to be baseless requires tremendous courage and tremendous will power to let go (and to keep letting go, like jumping from the airplane). It really is very scary. And it kinda makes you very lonely, because you can't seriously relate with people who make their bases in all kinds of arbitrary things. On the other hand, since you don't dwell on any negative thoughts (you don't make them your base either) - you are never upset or frustrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It feels like you are superninja dancing between the raindrops. The raindrops represent various bases you could potentially attach to. Dancing between raindrops represents baselessness. When you get it, what are you going to do with this? What's next? At this point it becomes a funny question. Do I need a next base, is that's what I am asking about? What is my next base to go to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is my next address? What is Buddha's address? Buddha is not leaving - and Buddha is not arriving. Something like this. You asked how anatta feels to a sentient being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's the very end of the path. Buddha said, there is no point in skipping stages - otherwise you will be like that cow - that has lost her previous grazing grounds before she has established her feet in the new grounds. First anatta should be practiced as baselessness in everyday life. Any time we feel frustration in daily life, that's our mind trying to establish a base. So we should learn to watch out for those and let go of the base, starting from the most coarse situations, that generate the most coarse emotions. And then you stalk yourself identifying more and more subtle bases, and let go of them, until you let go of the base of the Buddhist practice itself, and the base of &quot;better&quot;, and the base of no base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T13:34:42.403" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T13:34:42.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13538" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T03:53:49.470" Score="5" ViewCount="329" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=025&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DP Verse 25&lt;/a&gt;, we read about Arhat Culapanthaka displaying psychic powers (appearing as many) to possibly a lay person, i.e. the messenger:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the messenger from the house of Jivaka arrived at the monastery he found not only one bhikkhu, but a thousand identical bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now it's popularly known that according to the Vinaya, Bhikkhu are prohibited from displaying psychic powers to lay persons (Kevatta Sutta DN 11). If so, was this display by Arhat Culapanthaka, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;before the vinaya prohibiting such displays,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;performed unaware of such a rule, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;exempt from the rule, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not exempt from the rule, but the intention and effect due to the display of such powers, was of greater benefit than non display.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;other &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T23:13:27.517" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T23:13:27.517" Title="Arhat Culapanthaka's display of psychic powers to a layman (DP Verse 25)" Tags="|vinaya|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13539" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T04:56:44.680" Score="3" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many repetitions of categorization of the different worlds in the Pali Canon that make me a bit confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to rationalize them as metaphorical or as a &quot;later addition to the scriptures&quot;. I am also not searching for a confirmation. The universe is probably endless and we percept only a tiny fraction of waves coming to our ape senses. There could be myriads of other planes and beings that are present but undetectable with any human-made tools and observable only by an enlightened mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But why did he even bother to start on this topic? He wisely answered with Noble Silence to other existential questions that could bring additional disputes and disagreements (like the Buddhist cosmology does today in &quot;Buddhism vs. Scientific Worldview&quot; debate despite scientists allow themselves to make up concepts like &quot;Boltzmann brain&quot; or &quot;multiverse&quot; without any issues).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then there is this strict distinction between these worlds although they are not even &quot;real realms&quot; but a flow of dependently originated events. Like we're saying &quot;human world&quot; and &quot;animal world&quot; but in the modern eyes they are not even separate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what am I missing? Why the Buddha couldn't reduce it to &quot;bad karma leads to hellish worlds, good karma leads to heavenly worlds&quot; but went for this detailed naming and descriptions of beings, deities living there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5716" LastEditorDisplayName="user5716" LastEditDate="2016-01-07T04:32:52.267" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T04:32:52.267" Title="What's the role of the detailed descriptions of the other planes of existence? Why it was important for the Buddha to tell them?" Tags="|pali-canon|realms|sceptic|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2016-01-07T00:49:27.060" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13540" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T08:47:14.407" Score="3" ViewCount="1040" Body="&lt;p&gt;The definition of ahosi kamma is defunct kamma which no longer bears fruits. As we know every action has its consequence. From Buddhist point of view, AFAIK, it's impossible to remove any vipaka completely. If an &quot;old-kamma&quot; can become exhausted, then what is the difference with no consequence? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a kamma is inhibited by a more powerful one, then the consequence is still there, maybe it is minimized or delayed. But if an action has no consequence, I think it's hard to understand it from the law of cause and effect point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T15:13:09.960" Title="What Ahosi kamma really is?" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13541" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13543" CreationDate="2016-01-06T08:49:52.897" Score="2" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;In which places or societies is the old Buddhism (mainstream Buddhism) a formative world-view which guides and dominates daily life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Added to focus my question.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By &lt;em&gt;mainstream Buddhism as guiding and dominating daily life&lt;/em&gt; I mean that the people do not follow the capitalist ideal, that they do not earn and spend their money for the newest technical equipment or the latest fashion. Instead, that they prioritize and practize Buddha's 8-fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="880" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T12:03:45.587" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T11:03:47.003" Title="In which current societies mainstream Buddhism is relevant for daily life?" Tags="|modern-world|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13542" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T09:24:17.007" Score="1" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which is the one Sutta/Text that covers all of Buddha's Teaching? I require only one book which I can carry with me and it should have Buddha's delivery in original language and its translation in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T16:07:20.897" LastActivityDate="2022-05-18T20:10:18.080" Title="One Sutta / Text which covers all of Buddha's Teaching" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13541" CreationDate="2016-01-06T10:23:44.490" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can follow Buddhism and get results in any society. But as a Buddhist, you will come across less obstructions in societies in which Buddhism is the main religion. Especially for monks, life is easier in Asian Buddhist countries compared to others as the people almost consider it as a duty to support and protect the community of the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks keep to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=227_bhikkhu_precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;227 precepts&lt;/a&gt; and the lay people keep to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;8&lt;/a&gt; precepts. Monks advice lay people on spiritual development and the lay people support the monks by providing the necessities of life and what is helpful for teaching the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist lay people are not prohibited to spend money on the newest technical equipment or the latest fashion or any other sense pleasure that wouldn't break the precepts. It's just that they are being advised by the monks that those comforts are temporary and are encouraged to practice spiritual development whenever they can, in order to attain the final solace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T10:27:45.603" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T10:27:45.603" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13545" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T11:01:25.697" Score="1" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am mindful of my skandas, but that doesn't prevent other's samsaric action, trying to influence me and my practice. What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T18:47:27.927" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T18:47:27.927" Title="What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-06T11:05:11.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Madhyamika-Prasangika viewpoint, when I see your body, I see BlackFlam3. When I hear your voice, I hear BlackFlam3. When your body is unwell, you are sick. When anger arises in your mind, you are angry. Yet, your are neither your body nor your mind. You depend on them, though, for you would not be who you are if t was not for them. You even depends on what is not even in your continuum, such as external objects that you apprehend, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a person, you exist conventionally.  That conventional object, the person, is an object apprehended by conventional cognizers. The person is seen, heard, touched, smelled, being remembered, and so forth. That person is an object of pride, anger, jealousy, desire, and so forth. Yet, that person which is loved, hated, seen... is not intrinsically one with any of its aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, I see your hand, but I do not see the whole of it (back and front and bones, and so forth) and your hand is not intrinsically what I see of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is as follows: as soon as you engage into analysis, wandering whether the person is intrinsically one or intrinsically different from its aggregates, you engage in ultimate analysis. And what the mind of ultimate analysis finds (realizes) is the ultimate truth which is the absence of a truly existent person. So, of course, when you ask yourself &quot;but am I that feeling? or this body? or am I my flesh? but if I was, I could not say 'my' as if there was an I possessing it, and so forth&quot; you take the direction of ultimate analysis and you will not find the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identifying the conventional objects as objects found by conventional valid cognizers (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness and so forth, that do not engage into analysis) is of utmost importance. So, yes, conventionally, it is enought for me to see your body to see you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T11:05:11.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13547" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T11:53:12.230" Score="1" ViewCount="725" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How a person can cultivate his own &lt;strong&gt;sexual energy&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;creative one&lt;/strong&gt; with the help of Meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;can we handle Sexual energy when it arises with breathing technique or Meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T16:06:53.167" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T16:06:53.167" Title="How to cultivate sexual energy with Meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-effects|meditation|sexuality|energy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13545" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:33:43.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am mindful of my skandas, but that doesn't prevent other's samsaric action&quot;, such can not be, Mr/Mrs 8CK8. &quot;What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?&quot; Mindfulness, Mr/Mrs 8CK8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually this can be also a hint to improve or rethink your question, ponder a little about and investigate. If Mr/Mrs 8CK8 still thinks, that he is mindful and also understands the clinging aggregates, then he/she should read &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.089.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;About Khemaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T12:33:43.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13547" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:37:20.463" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/ Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay should not cultivate it, if he/she meditates, but should abandon it, when ever such comes along. Listen to or read, Mr/Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay, what was said in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta: The Nun&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Ananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just considering the foulness of the body should help; or you may think on the drawbacks (disadvantages) of sensuality, to get disgusted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T15:27:21.280" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T15:27:21.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13522" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:49:13.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Mr/Mrs user73898 is doing meditaion seriously in one stream, its would be out of any benefit, if it is done without taking the 8 precepts. Beautification is one Sila of it. Its not proper and every fellow yogi, next to the reality would just think &quot;Oh dear, how mindful... how serious&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you find a mediation group that has no propel with that, or does not urge Mr/Mrs., run away, all they are doing is for their livelihood and without compassion for Mr/Mrs, without any benefit. Withdraw from sensual pleasure and outwardly notions of conceit (Sila), are prerequisite of meditaion (Samadhi). Not done the raw stuff, how would you waste time in grinding the tree in the forest for getting a nice chair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T12:49:13.403" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13551" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:50:24.943" Score="4" ViewCount="2162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know the original quotes by the Buddha and their sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7565" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T14:05:10.813" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T21:58:02.773" Title="What did the Buddha say about reincarnation?" Tags="|reference-request|the-buddha|texts|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:53:13.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe of thinking in loops? May Mr/Mrs stay with that and do fall into the all is &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; nonsens, which is simply &lt;em&gt;vibhava tanha&lt;/em&gt;. Mr/Mrs would get tired even faster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T12:53:13.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13542" CreationDate="2016-01-06T12:57:53.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skillful, the&#xA;  cleansing of one's own mind:&#xA;      this is the teaching&#xA;      of the Awakened. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.14.than_en.html#dhp-183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;•&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need to carry anything with you. Discard this fear and clinging, Mr/Mrs is able to remember that, and then there is all way to simply stay with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T12:57:53.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13540" CreationDate="2016-01-06T13:07:08.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One is simply not touched. Who should be touched. Things are arising, stay a little and decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its often described with the hide of a cow, replaced and put on the cow again. So here an &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.146.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Exhortation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T13:07:08.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13551" CreationDate="2016-01-06T13:12:31.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe Mr/Mrs Wally likes to start with &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/truth_of_rebirth_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Truth of Rebirth: And Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. Its based on the Buddhas Leagcy and leads - in a direct way, without holding something back - to them in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T13:12:31.063" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13539" CreationDate="2016-01-06T13:18:59.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr Ivan (&quot;god is merciful&quot;), because the Buddha did not like Mr Ivan to mistake an realm of existence for Nibbana, or the heartwood. That is why he described those states of being in detail. So when you start to travel, and do not just ponder why you should not travel yet, Mr Ivan is well prepared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In which plane of existence did you now take place? Nobody aside of Mr Ivan would know that, does Mr. Ivan do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T13:18:59.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13542" CreationDate="2016-01-06T13:34:23.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You'd be hard pressed to find a single sutta that covers everything.  The suttas really don't work that way.  To compound your difficulty, you'd be even harder pressed to find an English/Pāli version of any text!  If I had to pick one sutta from the original canon, however, I think I'd go with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sāmaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.  It does an excellent job of providing a bird's eye view of the gradual training in the least amount of space.  You can find the Pāli version of the text &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.  It's in the Tipiṭaka under the Suttapiṭaka, Dīga Nikāya, Sīlakkhandhavaggapāḷi, Sāmaññaphalasuttaṃ.  (I'd appreciate if anyone can link that directly!)  A bound copy is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fruit-of-the-homeless-life-silachara-bhikkhu/1122153141?ean=9781330091616&amp;amp;st=PLA&amp;amp;sid=BNB_DRS_Core%20Shopping%20Books_00000000&amp;amp;2sid=Google_&amp;amp;sourceId=PLGoP547&amp;amp;k_clickid=3x547&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; - but again, no Pāli.  Bhikkhu Bodhi also did an excellent translation of the sutta and its commentaries.  That's available &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B001Y0RRPG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.  If you are going to spend the money, go with his version.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other single, bound texts that are far more detailed, technical, and honestly, I'd say more helpful.  Key among these is the lengthy &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; written by Buddhaghosa.  Seriously, that guy spares no expense on detail.  I swear he thought he was getting paid by the word!  It also meets your requirement in that it is written in the [supposed] language of the Buddha - Pāli.  Mind, it was written several centuries after the Buddha's death.  The original text is also available on tipitaka.org.  It's under Anya, Visuddhimagga.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1928706010&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A bound copy of this book&lt;/a&gt; weighs about five pounds.  I'm not kidding.  It's not something you'd want to carry around with you.  A dual language version would be enormous!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T14:07:05.110" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T14:07:05.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13547" CreationDate="2016-01-06T13:36:08.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was taught a method by my Meditation Teacher for &lt;em&gt;transmuting&lt;/em&gt; sexual energy, so that the energy could be turned to other uses. Seek a qualified Meditation Teacher who knows how to do this if you feel the need to know it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This method and others like it may be used in everyday life to handle the arising of sexual (or other strong) feelings. There are lots of methods for managing your body, feelings, mind, etc, and even applying self-healing. Seek a qualified Meditation Teacher who knows these things, because even if you could learn it from a written source, what would you do when inevitably, you have questions about applying it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not just a technique, it is a full-round way of making the best of of everyday life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T13:36:08.187" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13540" CreationDate="2016-01-06T15:13:09.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What Ahosi kamma really is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine you have a seed. That seed has the possibility to turn into a tree but only if the right conditions are met. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the seed needs water, fertile soil and maybe a little fence around it so that people will not step on it. If the seeds grows into a small young tree, then again it needs certain conditions to continue growing. For example it needs fertile soil, sunlight, water and again a little fence around it, so that cattle won't eat its leaves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its exactly the same case with Kamma. Kamma needs the right conditions to ripen and thereby come to fruition. If these conditions are not met, then the Kamma will not ripen and it will instead become &lt;em&gt;Defunct (ahosi) Kamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the case of an Arahant. All their accumulated kamma from the past which was due to ripen in future lives, will become defunct when the Arahant passes away, since he/she will not get reborn. The Arahant has destroyed all fetters and cut all roots and thereby all causes and conditions for the past kamma to ever come to fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T15:13:09.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13545" CreationDate="2016-01-06T15:29:13.230" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness will &quot;protect&quot; your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a wholesome mental factor (cetasika) and when it is present, one is not reacting to phenomena, i.e. by running away from unpleasant phenomena and running after pleasant phenomena. Instead one is standing still. One is in the present moment, clearly recognizing that it is our own reactions to phenomena that create suffering. An unwholesome thought or anger is still just a thought and a feeling. Its our own aversion towards these objects, that create our suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So by keeping mindfulness at all times, one is protecting ones practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend the video &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFqdlfeq7wE&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How Mindfulness Creates Understanding (The Buddhist TV)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T15:29:13.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13551" CreationDate="2016-01-06T15:34:42.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not that I endorse this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://reluctant-messenger.com/reincarnation-buddha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha: Proof of Reincarnation&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;, but it seems to mention quite a few of the original quotes by the Buddha and their sources/suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extracts with quotes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt; and the &lt;em&gt;Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/em&gt; make incidental references to some of the past lives of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Ghatikara Sutta the Buddha relates to the Venerable Ananda that he was born as Jotipala, in the time of the Buddha Kassapa, his immediate predecessor. The Anathapindikovada Sutta describes a nocturnal visit of Anathapindika to the Buddha, immediately after his rebirth as a Deva. In the Anguttara Nikaya,' the Buddha alludes to a past birth as Pacetana the wheelwright. In the samyutta Nikaya the Buddha cites the names of some Buddha's who preceded him. An unusual direct reference to departed ones appears in the Parinibbana Sutta. The Venerable Ananda desired to know from the Buddha the future state of several persons who had died in a particular village. The Buddha patiently described their destinies. Such instances could easily be multiplied from the Tipitaka to show that the Buddha did expound the doctrine of rebirth as a &quot;&lt;em&gt;verifiable truth.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; Following the Buddha's instructions, his disciples also developed this retro-cognitive knowledge and were able to read a limited, though vast, number of their past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Pali Jatakas&lt;/em&gt; record 357 past lives as a human, 66 as a god, and 123 as an animal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Jatakas&lt;/em&gt; is a collection of &quot;birth stories&quot; detailing many of the previous lives of the Buddha. Buddha Shakyamuni spent many lifetimes in the six realms of transmigration. His lives as the monkey king, elephant king, deer king, and goose king are examples of lives spent in the realm of animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, herein: &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Many lives ago in the past, in a city called Varanasi, there lived a man by the name of Pure Eyes (Vimalanetra) who was in the performing&#xA;  arts business of acting and singing&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (equivalent to today's actor).&#xA;  &quot;At that time, there was a beautiful woman by the name of Deer Form.&#xA;  Pure Eyes and Deer Form entered into a sexual liaison with each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since Deer Form was a very wealthy lady, Pure Eyes later murdered her&#xA;  for her money and buried her body in the house of a realized spiritual&#xA;  cultivator by the name of Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha was mistaken to be the&#xA;  murderer. He was tied to the back of a donkey and publicly paraded&#xA;  through the streets. &quot;Just as Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha&#xA;  was about to be executed by arrow, Pure Eyes gave in to his conscience&#xA;  and confessed the crime to the prosecutor. A new investigation&#xA;  established Pure Eyes' guilt. Pure Eyes was executed by arrow and then&#xA;  beheaded.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the very night of his enlightenment, during the first watch, the Buddha developed retro-cognitive knowledge which enabled him to read his past lives. &quot;I recalled,&quot; he declares, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;My varied lot in former existences follows: first one life, then two&#xA;  lives, then three, four, five, ten, then a hundred, a thousand, a&#xA;  hundred watch the Buddha, with clairvoyant vision he perceived beings&#xA;  disappearing from one state of existence and reappearing in another.&#xA;  He beheld the &quot;base and the noble, the beautiful and the ugly, the&#xA;  happy and the miserable, passing according to their deeds.&quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the very first utterances of the Buddha regarding the question of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his first paean of joy, the Buddha says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Through many a birth wandered I, seeking the builder of this house.&#xA;  Sorrow full indeed is birth again and again.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Dhammacakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, his very first discourse, the Buddha, commenting on the second noble truth, states: &quot;This very raving is that which leads to rebirth.&quot; The Buddha concludes this discourse with the words: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is my last birth. Now there is no more rebirth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Majjima Nikaya relates that when the Buddha, out of, compassion for beings, surveyed the world with his Buddha-vision before he decided to teach the Dhamma, he perceived beings, who, with fear, view evil and a world beyond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastEditorUserId="7290" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T16:02:28.353" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T16:02:28.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-06T15:40:45.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So when the body goes running and when the mind or brain is thinking, why does it get tired? Or is it just the illusion of tired?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps further to Tenzin's saying that the mind-and-body is not &quot;I&quot;, if you only ask, &quot;Why does the body get tired?&quot; then IMO an answer might be explained using (not Buddhism itself but using) physiology, biochemistry, maybe even thermodynamics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does reminds me of the Buddha's saying, though, &quot;all compound things are subject to decay&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A slightly different question (maybe a question we &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; ask, instead) could be whether you're mindful, or what you're mindful of -- and, whether you find &quot;it gets tired&quot; dissatisfactory. Because maybe what's important to keep in mind is &quot;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and &quot;cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T15:40:45.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13565" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-06T16:06:19.953" Score="3" ViewCount="1261" Body="&lt;p&gt;Will the action of praying to / worshipping gods for something be fruitful according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any reference where a god (deva) has helped a person who has prayed to / asked help from the deva ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Jainism, it is said that if the followers insist on praying to god, it's advised that they should pray (ask for help) only for the knowledge that leads to Nirvana.&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked this &lt;strong&gt;NOT&lt;/strong&gt; because I wanted help from god or believed in god. I asked this because, Buddha said that there are heavenly beings (gods) with powers, but are themselves mortal too.. So, I just wanted to know, why Buddhists pray to those gods (I've seen many Buddhists praying to god, not all Buddhists). Is that even fruitful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T07:49:53.753" LastActivityDate="2018-09-08T02:14:49.240" Title="Do the gods help us if we pray to them according to Buddhism?" Tags="|god|prayer|worship|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13436" CreationDate="2016-01-06T16:36:35.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My opinion is that when you get what &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; want (and not what the other sentient beings want) both an action and its result are driven by your craving and attachments (the three poisons).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An action driven by attachment is impure in its nature, and its result, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is impure in its nature gives rising to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have no result of an impure action, you don't accumulate negative karma, since your karma is at worst just neutral then. Hence, not getting what you want may sometimes mean luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T16:36:35.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2016-01-06T16:41:59.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is important to distinguish between &lt;em&gt;deva&lt;/em&gt;s as &lt;em&gt;yi-dam&lt;/em&gt;s and those as &lt;em&gt;lha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist Dharma I was taught, &lt;em&gt;devas&lt;/em&gt; as &lt;em&gt;lha&lt;/em&gt; are just sentient beings in Samsara, just like the other ones. They also know craving, hate, ignorance and they are not free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a being not freed from suffering cannot free the other beings from it. Perhaps they might help people freeing them from temporal, everyday suffering, but not from the ultimate one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist Dharma one of the vows is also not to take refuge / not to rely upon mundane gods (&lt;em&gt;devas&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;lhas&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastEditorUserId="7561" LastEditDate="2017-06-22T21:06:26.993" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T21:06:26.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2016-01-06T16:47:19.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my tradition, the existance or non-existance of Creator (the G-d in Chrisitan sense) is one of the 'unanswerable quesions' to which Buddha kept 'a noble silence'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore if it makes you feel better, you are free to keep your daily rituals on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides, in some Mahayana sutras Buddhas are the creators of Pure Lands (not mentioning the paradigm of Tathagatagarbha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore the answer to your questions depends mainly on how you define the Creator and prayers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T16:47:19.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4043" CreationDate="2016-01-06T17:33:56.657" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its nothing bad, if one, for example, would &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html#recall-devas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;remember the virtue of beings having become gods&lt;/a&gt;. The benefits are following in this link. Being attached to wholesome deeds is also nothing wrong, but wise, even if they are still rituals. They can not become natural if not practiced as ritual first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for wrong view, yes in certain aspects, since such as believing in an external power (in the case of a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;creator god&lt;/a&gt;) rejects naturally the law of cause and effect, would not bring one beyond the circle of live. If one acts out of this wrong view unwholesome, one certainly does not prepare a good journey. How ever, Christianity, if practiced honestly, is not much different with the Buddhas teachings. It carries Dana (generosity), Sila (virtue) and even certain stages of Bhavana (meditation), and lacks just of panna (wisdom) to come out of the circle.&#xA;As far as Atma had seen, most Christian serious practicing people have obviously more changes to accumulate paramis (perfections) and merits, as most of the Buddhists will actually do and doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being able to listen to the good teachings of the Buddha requires conditions and one does not lower his conditions but increase them, by simply stick to good ways, what ever the &quot;tradition&quot; is labeled to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being grateful and showing gratitude, is not a wrong thing, if such are the intentions of prayers, but lesser good would be wishing, hoping, demanding... especially if one does not lead a live which would not provide such be own deeds, Mr konrad01.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T17:33:56.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13254" CreationDate="2016-01-06T17:33:58.690" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are commonalities between all things that arise. &quot;Thee Bardo&quot; between death and birth is no exception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can experience what &quot;Thee Bardo&quot; is by learning how to directly experience what arises between arisings(bardos)  within your own mind and body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will see that we die every moment and are reborn in every moment and &quot;Thee Death&quot; is just another change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The end of one arising(death), then  bardo,  then the beginning of another arising(rebirth) is the pattern that is built into all phenomena that arise. This is an example of the commonalities of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a good approach  to prepare for death and the bardo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T17:33:58.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2016-01-06T17:47:26.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, most likely not. Would Gokul NC helps somebody who prefers to pray rather that to be always aware that Gokul NC (gods) are watching one (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.040.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adhipateyya Sutta: Governing Principles&lt;/a&gt;), and therefore do not do unwholesome things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry that there are no Devas protecting Gokul NC, when Gokul NC is walking a good way and be honest all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rakkhantu sabba-devatā&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=get197&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;May the devas protect you&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is a good wish, rather to think &quot;may the devas protect me&quot; Demanding and wishing is never as protective as giving and would not attract Gokul NC to the Devas, to see you worthy to be good protected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-06T18:01:34.890" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T18:01:34.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2016-01-06T18:48:31.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan Tradition yes, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deities have mantras, such as Tara and Chenrezig, that can be evoked for protection and other benevolent reasons. These mantras have specific benefits, and some have no associated deity, and are like &quot;magic spells.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These deities however are not devas, but enlightened beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/49IHb.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/49IHb.gif&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sometimes spelled differently in various English translations)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is supposed to have the following benefits : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whoever sees, hears, remembers, or touches this mantra will be purified of all negativities and gain freedom from rebirth in the lower realms—from the Ksitigarbha Dasacakra Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Recalling this mantra just once has the power to purify even the five uninterrupted negative karmas. It prevents rebirth in Avici, the heaviest of hells.  -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lamayeshe.com/article/precious-mantras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These mantras are normally chanted in meditation , there is some controversy over the subject in Western Rime centers, but it is absolutely a part of the Tibetan Tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T18:48:31.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13545" CreationDate="2016-01-06T20:48:35.250" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;But surely in trying to protect your practice you are still practising a form of grasping at something which has no permanence?&#xA;Should you just let it go, observe and learn that by letting go you are still practising?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7567" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T20:48:35.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2016-01-06T21:07:35.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;not exactly praying but rather doing something good and dedicate it to local devas. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Wherever he may dwell, the prudent man Ministers to the chaste and virtuous; And having to these worthy ones made gifts, He shares his&#xA;    merits with the local devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And so revered, they honor him in turn, Are gracious to him even as a&#xA;  mother Is towards her own, her only son; And he who thus enjoys the&#xA;  devas' grace, And is by them beloved, good fortune sees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddha did not speak in detail of how the devas would help and protect us.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T21:07:35.873" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13551" CreationDate="2016-01-06T21:39:23.123" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course the Buddha wouldn't have used the word &amp;quot;reincarnation&amp;quot; because that's English (we've been talking on Meta recently about some difficulties translating Buddhist vocabulary into English).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel261.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Death&lt;/a&gt;, says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can thus make a clear distinction between the terms &amp;quot;Reincarnation&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Rebirth.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Reincarnation&amp;quot; is the term used by those who hold that a real entity (a &amp;quot;soul&amp;quot;) exists and passes on from life to life, occupying successive bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is more or less antithetical to the doctrine of a soul (it teaches &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;), and so &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot; is a more usual translation than &amp;quot;reincarnation&amp;quot;, of &amp;quot;what the Buddha said&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, searching for rebirth instead of reincarnation, you can find many suttas which mention &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot; -- for example using &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=rebirth&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;this search of the Access to Insight web site&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (on that page, click on &amp;quot;suttas&amp;quot; instead of &amp;quot;All results&amp;quot;) ... that search seems to return nearly 400 suttas ... and I hope that's an answer to your question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Access to Insight hosts translations of many but not all of the suttas in the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These sources are the &amp;quot;suttas&amp;quot; of the &amp;quot;Pali canon (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, note too that there are more than 100 topics tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/rebirth&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;rebirth&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;rebirth&lt;/a&gt; on this site (many more than are tagged 'reincarnation').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T21:58:02.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13545" CreationDate="2016-01-06T22:12:34.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are what are traditionally called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Short-Pieces/Caturarakkha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four protective meditations (Caturarakkha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhanussati - Remembrance of the Buddha (and his qualities)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would be protecting a sense of purpose in the practice, preserving your faith and confidence in following the path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Metta - Goodwill&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would protect your goodwill and patient forbearance with others who might interfere with your intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asubha - Meditation on unattractiveness of the body or of physical nourishment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would protect your mental calm and dispassion in the face of sensual temptations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Marananussati - Meditation on (the imminence of) death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would protect your sense of urgency in doing your best while you are able.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a related note this might be also worth reflecting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.019.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.19: Sedaka Sutta - The Bamboo Acrobat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how does one look after others by looking after oneself? By practicing (mindfulness), by developing (it), by doing (it) a lot. And how does one look after oneself by looking after others? By patience, by non-harming, by loving kindness, by caring (for others). (Thus) looking after oneself, one looks after others; and looking after others, one looks after oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7571" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T22:12:34.723" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13545" CreationDate="2016-01-06T22:44:53.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This answer is from a  Mahasi Vipassana perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The worst influence on us is ourselves and our own wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have no views or opinions then you could feel more secure because you couldn't influence yourself with (wrong) views or let anyone influence you with (wrong)  views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least while practicing have no views and no opinions. Right or wrong views during practice is wrong view. To have any thoughts on purpose is wrong practice anyway. &quot;Right view is no view&quot; is one way to explain right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's hope you find a good teacher and they  plant the initial seed of  right view and good  practice within you. Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T16:29:23.067" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T16:29:23.067" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2016-01-06T23:38:36.977" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As the common saying goes: &amp;quot;god(s) help those who help themselves&amp;quot;, if the gods could help someone, it'd be only in accordance with that individual's wholesome kamma. Someone who kills, cheats, or engages in various misconducts shouldn't expect to get &amp;quot;help&amp;quot; no matter how frequent and sincere s/he prays:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/a&gt;: &amp;quot;There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'I am subject to illness, ... death, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.'&lt;/strong&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T23:38:36.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13436" CreationDate="2016-01-06T23:56:02.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is there any explicit indication that it's even good not to get what we want?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends on the &amp;quot;what&amp;quot; of what we want. If one wants to get filthy rich so that s/he can indulge in all sensual pleasures of life, then it's obviously not good. If one wants to perfect their own virtues, attain the peace of meditation, or put an end to suffering, then those are wholesome desires. The important key here is to have wholesome desires, not having no desire whatsoever:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 51.15&lt;/a&gt;: &amp;quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-06T23:56:02.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13539" CreationDate="2016-01-07T00:12:54.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So what am I missing? Why the Buddha couldn't reduce it to &quot;bad karma leads to hellish worlds, good karma leads to heavenly worlds&quot; but went for this detailed naming and descriptions of beings, deities living there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, the Teaching wouldn't be complete if the Buddha just provided only a bird's-eye view to everything. There're the bird's-eye view, worm's-eye view, view from 10,000 feet, or close-up view. One cannot use a microscope to view the stars and galaxies nor use a telescope to view bacterias and viruses. Similarly, to teach math to small kids, one would use arithmetics; for college kids, calculus; and for grad students, topology..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T00:12:54.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13541" CreationDate="2016-01-07T02:53:42.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually is disappearing rapidly, maybe another 5-10 years in countries of SEAsia, but there also in very remote areas and certain places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As every thing, conditions are made by one self and so people leave thinking or right view global, it global disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One would be wise to hurry and not naively that one day it will come to his hometown, that of which is disappearing in this world. Dont waste you time in trying to change the worlds current, one loses each moment if resisting under people of wrong view, if not established Dhamma yet and could fall down (not having entered the stream) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a nice short explaining of the Mangala Sutta, by Upasika Nina Van Gorkum: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/vangorkom/greatestblessing_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Greatest Blessings&lt;/a&gt;. And also a good guide: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,203.msg473.html#msg473&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mangala Suta Uannana - Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such as right view in modern world, such is impossible, since it is the notion of wrong view that makes it be called &quot;modern&quot; (among the stream of the world).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Jo Wehler may also follow a discussion between a Modern Buddhist who thinks everything is fine, and Atma some years ago: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&amp;amp;t=14205&amp;amp;p=209280&amp;amp;hilit=condition+hanzze#p209079&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why is it important to value and see our Conditions?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;95% of what ever you find, is fare away from integrity, respect, gratitude, generosity ... there are so less people who even practice the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;most simple meritorious deed&lt;/a&gt;. And that is not only a matter of lay people but has its cause also and leaded by monks and nuns. Wrong view is very blatant. They are thinking in terms of rights and when people even meet, they meet for the sake of saving their feeding grounds, may we all be in harmony... no one would meet for sharpen his views and correct them or give ones reputation to help others out. People are delighted in becoming and use Dhamma just for gain and becoming. Nearly nowhere you would find not &quot;we live form dana&quot; at fist place and 95% of Dhamma is shared as a means for business. Such as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,289.msg618.html#msg618&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;happiness through wealth&lt;/a&gt;&quot; ideas and leading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/193989/the-roots-of-mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;jubu approaches&lt;/a&gt; are the drive of what is modern known as Buddha Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha taught that his Dhamma, when placed in the heart of an&#xA;  ordinary run-of-the-mill person, is bound to be thoroughly corrupted,&#xA;  but if placed in the heart of a Noble One, it is bound to be genuinely&#xA;  pure &amp;amp; authentic, something that at the same time can be neither&#xA;  effaced nor obscured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So as long as we are devoting ourselves merely to the theoretical&#xA;  study of the Dhamma, it can't serve us well. Only when we have trained&#xA;  our hearts to eliminate their 'chameleons' — their defilements — will&#xA;  it benefit us in full measure. And only then will the true Dhamma be&#xA;  kept pure, free from distortions &amp;amp; deviations from its original&#xA;  principles. — &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Phra Ajān Mun Bhūridatto&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where ever you are, work on your future conditions. Is the very nature of merits that it is always a matter for giving something up to gain a better and it is natural that one leaves, step by step. Such as a society where right view is still something which has a general value, does not even exists among monastics in an amount that it would be sense-able at large. And Atma did not come across even one monk or nun in the modern world who has even basics right view on even an worldly level. Today people are feeding on the heritage of the three jewels, nothing else, and use it for a livelihood and to even to explain has become a merely useless thing, like people of old had realized the fact of the darkness in this world: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/living_en.html#living&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Living in the World with Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no other way as to give and letting go to develop ones own conditions for future conditions, right here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="7555" LastEditDate="2016-01-07T04:06:07.550" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T04:06:07.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13527" CreationDate="2016-01-07T04:27:19.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure if able to follow, since the question does not provide much further explaining, but Atma could think, that it recognizes the importance that one actually has to face and investigate the circle of birth, aging, death and rebirth as a phenomena seeing within one self, which seem like never been mentioned by the Buddha, speaking of death, moment for moment (kalapa means also time of existence or life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Commentary especially the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, gives much arguments to focus on that and not keeping it different form depending co-arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T04:27:19.000" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13584" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-07T09:53:28.057" Score="4" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;Correct me if I'm wrong, I understand a lot of buddhism is about relieving of suffering through practicing of detachment. Removing detachment is a long process. Until one removes those attachments, there will still be suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: until one removes all of these attachments, one will suffer. How does one deal with these sufferings? Should one try to escape these sufferings in the moment? How does one suffer &quot;well&quot;? And not try to escape the sufferings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T10:56:20.337" Title="How does one practice suffering well?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13584" CreationDate="2016-01-07T10:22:40.023" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;One will not get ride of suffering by simply trying to ignore or oppress. Attachment has craving as its cause and craving has ignorance as its cause. So one needs to gain insight, how things really are. To gain that, one does well to learn about the teachings of the Lord Buddha and then look for one self, if this is right, as well as to practice the way to clean the mind, so that it is able to concentrate it so that one is able to see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever one sees, as it really is, inconstant, stressful, subject to change, one gets, disenchanted. &lt;em&gt;Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not possible to escape form suffering by developing such what is called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.137.than_en.html#household-eq6&quot;&gt;householder-equanimity&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and suffering is actually a yogis friend, which does not mean that one tutors one self, but observer it and in this way one finds a way out without simply counteract in an unwholesome way, Mr Jason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice start with things many estimate as child work, now most are not even able to make this there way of live, like practice generosity (giving, letting go material thing), Sila (virtue)... the whole palette of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot;&gt;meritorious deeds&lt;/a&gt;. There one is confronted with all his/here raw defilement of greed, dislike, stinginess, conceit. One has to work against the defilements all the time, while observing them well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So please do not fall in the current promoted misinterpretations of non-reacting and simply developing a bunch of ignorance, calling it equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last but not least, Atma likes &quot;How does one practice suffering?&quot; how ever, although it most important to know it well in all its aspects, its good not to forget to develop the path out of it as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each noble truth has its certain task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good place to begin, actually has been always the first step is to follow good basic talks: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bettertogive_en.html&quot;&gt;Better to Give than to Consume&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/sensitivity_en.html&quot;&gt;Sensitivity through Generosity&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And put this things into practice. Joy and pleasure are granted, as well as much suffering at the beginning with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T10:22:40.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13584" CreationDate="2016-01-07T11:43:36.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is: until one removes all of these attachments, one will suffer. How does one deal with these sufferings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think one deals with them by removing (trying to remove, continuing to remove) attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I feel tired, I didn't sleep well, I wish I wasn't tired&quot; might be an example of an attachment (to an imagined or remembered state of not feeling tired).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The desire (to not feel tired) causes suffering (mis-match between what is and what's desired).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So recognize suffering (&quot;I'm unhappy about this state&quot;) then recognize the cause of suffering (&quot;because I'm desiring (a.k.a. thirsting for) something unreal&quot;). After that you can start on the third noble truth i.e. cessation (cessation of that desire, and of the suffering caused by that desire).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various other practices help with that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doing sensible things; don't mis-behave (don't waste time, don't drink intoxicants)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understanding concepts like non-self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware of your mood (if you go around feeling bad that can make things worse)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not avoiding things: note that you're feeling tired (or more specifically, not 'you' but note there's a transient thought of awareness of something being called tiredness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking a &quot;middle way&quot;: if you're thirsty, then drink&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Care about other people, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana&lt;/a&gt; (e.g. the Dalai Lama says, I won't look up an exact quote but approximately, says that caring about other people lets you feel good, and seeing himself as being like other people rather than special helps him escape what would be the prison of thinking selfishly about himself)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attempt to cultivate antidotes to suffering e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12691/254&quot;&gt;'assembled' phenomena&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to understand and live the goal (e.g. if your goal were to go to the park, you might keep your attention on the park and takes steps to reduce each separation between yourself and the park)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T11:43:36.200" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9033" CreationDate="2016-01-07T12:20:08.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sadhu (pronounced saadhu) is a word that occurs in the Tipitaka. It relates to an action. An action involves a subject and an object. If the action is beneficial to both the subject and the object, then it is Sadhu. If somebody utters this word he is stating the above fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lankan practice you can hear this word, usually repeated three times at the beginning or/and at the end of any Buddhist rite, ritual or ceremony (private or public). The word has also been used by Lord Buddha and arahants as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T12:20:08.423" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13588" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13589" CreationDate="2016-01-07T13:34:08.380" Score="3" ViewCount="843" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very interested in adding mantra singing to my practices. But sometimes it feels kind of weird singing in a language I do not speak. Is it possible to sing my own prayers or will the effect change, once the sounds are different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7574" LastActivityDate="2018-08-15T22:25:22.820" Title="Should mantras always be sung in Tibetan/Pali/... or may I sing them in my native language?" Tags="|mantra|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13588" CreationDate="2016-01-07T14:17:29.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since it seems that Mr Marcos Valle wishes and beg form somebody, its good that he/she/they understand you wishes, speak this languages. As for Mr. Marcos Valle it would be good to know what he wishes for, given that they will fulfill simply what he requests. :-) not easy, especially the fist one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for chants (repeating what other said, or what one likes to say), they are not well put, if sung. It could district not only your mind but also the listener and they could argue about it or fall even in love with it. (for some ideas about it, see &quot;Teaching Dhamma&quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch08_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Respect-BMC2&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its quite ok and good, to use the own language, especially if one does not know the meaning. And you are explicit allowed to do so even with the Buddhas teachings, by the Buddha, to do so. (see also BMC2 which give a good reasoning) So no worry, but keep them correct in their meaning and be clear about it. Many Monks today would chant in two languages, so that the listener understands. There are no such as simply chants, which are actually not teachings. So one does not have benefit form simply hearing a pleasant sound. But to get and share the meaning, or reflect on it while doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanting generally is primarily done to do not forget and preserve the teachings for later generations and others to listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your language is English, there are many &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/chant_index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pali chants in two languages&lt;/a&gt; in audio and here also &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;as text&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="7555" LastEditDate="2016-01-07T14:35:30.560" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T14:35:30.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13591" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-07T15:21:15.630" Score="3" ViewCount="543" Body="&lt;p&gt;Referring to the discussion between Milinda and Nagasena: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why King Milinda does not consider all together - pole, axle, wheels etc. - his chariot? Normally one defines a chariot a means for transportation consisting of pole, axle, wheels, etc. This would be the correct answer to Nagasena's question what the chariot is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, when pressed by Nagasena he names &lt;em&gt;chariot&lt;/em&gt; only &lt;em&gt;a designation, a description, an appellation, a name&lt;/em&gt;. That is, Milinda rejects the correct answer. Now Nagasena has an easy time to defend the Buddhist principle of anatman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="880" LastEditorUserId="880" LastEditDate="2016-01-07T15:26:19.953" LastActivityDate="2020-08-17T11:36:17.767" Title="Why does Milinda step into Nagasena's trap?" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13591" CreationDate="2016-01-07T16:24:48.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I remember correctly, the traditional interpretation of this is that &lt;em&gt;a pile of components on the ground&lt;/em&gt; is not the chariot either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose in modern language we could say that &quot;Chariot&quot; is a designation for the function that depends on the right configuration AND on the external supporting factors like the road, the horses, the gravity, the driver, the passengers etc. Plus, if individual components of the chariot are replaced with functionally equivalent but non-identical ones - the new chariot is neither the same nor different. Furthermore, the wheels etc. are only designations for things that can perform function of a wheel etc. - not to those particular wheels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the functional nature of the chariot arises from a number of functional conditions coming together - for which &quot;the chariot&quot; is only a label.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A similar illustration can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So you believe there's &quot;a being&quot;?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- this is a view of Mara.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In a pile of mere components (sankhara)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  no any such &quot;being&quot;'s found.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as they say 'chariot'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  of an assemblage of parts,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  So they'll call &quot;a being&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the mere heap of components (skandha).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key word here is &quot;an assemblage&quot; or in another translation &quot;when the parts are rightly set&quot;. So that's why they are saying that the chariot is not all its parts together either - because the parts by themselves do not produce a function (of a chariot, a being etc), the right combination (of conditions) does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But on the other hand, there is no &quot;secret sauce&quot; either - nothing apart from the factors and components that would set things in motion: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(from Viticcha Jataka)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Ascetic tried to catch him in his words: &quot;What is the Ganges? Is the sand the Ganges? Is the water the Ganges? Is the hither bank the Ganges? Is the further bank the Ganges?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But the future Buddha said to him: &quot;If you take exception to the water, the sand, the hither bank, the further bank, where can you find any Ganges River?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;neither found in any individual part, NOR in the pile of parts, &lt;em&gt;NOR apart from the parts&lt;/em&gt;&quot; thesis is probably constructed after canonical Buddha's line in which he shows how such phenomenon as the &quot;Tathagata&quot; can neither be found in the five skandhas (&quot;piles&quot;) nor apart from them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa105&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SA 105&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha] asked again: &quot;How is it, Seniya, is bodily form the Tathāgata?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [The Buddha asked again]: &quot;Is feeling … perception … formations …&#xA;  consciousness the Tathāgata?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [The Buddha] asked again: &quot;Seniya, is the Tathāgata distinct from&#xA;  bodily form? [32b] Is the Tathāgata distinct from feeling … perception&#xA;  … formations … consciousness?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [The Buddha] asked again: &quot;Seniya, is the Tathāgata in bodily form?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Is the Tathāgata in feeling … perception … formations … consciousness?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [The Buddha] asked again: &quot;Seniya, is bodily form in the Tathāgata?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Is feeling … perception … formations … consciousness in the Tathāgata?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [The Buddha] asked again: &quot;Seniya, is the Tathāgata without bodily&#xA;  form … feeling … perception … formations … consciousness?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [Seniya] replied: &quot;No, Blessed One.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, all of this is a finger trying to point out the fact that reality underlying conventional expression can never be exhaustively described, that our attempts to represent the reality is always an exercise in isolating individual factors and reassembling them into a model, like projecting a multidimensional figure on a two-dimensional surface - with a label (nama) stamped on top.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From taking our models seriously (&quot;reifying&quot; them) comes trying to make them our base, leaning on them, identifying with them, attaching to them - but because our models are merely designations for the fluctuating soup of factors - to assume them to be stable is an inherently faulty assumption - and from this comes dukkha. When we see reality as reality and models as models, we can stop confusing the two, stop getting attached to models, stop trying to establish our base in a model - so from this right vision (of the ineffable reality and the modeling activity) comes baselessness and from this baselessness comes cessation of nutrition of old dukkha and non-production of new dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-07T18:22:33.707" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T18:22:33.707" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13588" CreationDate="2016-01-07T17:08:32.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The origin of mantras starts with an old Indic idea that Sanskrit was the original language and had the power to directly create reality. The closest thing we have to this in modern linguistics are performatives, e.g. &quot;I now pronounce you man and wife&quot; in a sense, makes it so. If you accept this reasoning, you should say mantras in Sanskrit. As far as I can tell, this is the means by which mantras are expected to work in Buddhism as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mantrayana spread to many non Sanskrit speaking cultures, China, Tibet, Japan, etc, where the mantras were transliterated into the local language, but not translated. In the case of Japanese, it went through two phases, Sanskrit to Chinese, then Chinese to Japanese. Now Americans chant Japanese mantras in English, mostly just losing the Japanese accent and the long and short vowels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Shingon (Japanese Vajrayana), the founder Kūkai said Matras were the mantras that meant something while the Dhirani were the ones that did not. Om ah hum, doesn't translate as clearly as say, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo (Homage to the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra). In the case of Dhirani, it really doesn't matter what language because they are not translatable to any language, certainly not English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Nichiren Buddhism, you chant the Japanese pronunciation of a the Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra. You are not expected to understand it while chanting it. In that system, you are appealing to the mystical principle, the dharma, the way things are to work in your favor or to enable you get the things you need to ultimately achieve Buddhist goals. That's a long winded way to say, in Nichiren Buddhism, you unashamedly chant to get a promotion, your next meal or a new car.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal practice, I treat mantrayana as &quot;noisy meditation.&quot; I'm more keen to see if I can use repeating a phrase to achieve the same ends as concentrating on the breath. Since that is my goal, I tend to do mantras in what ever language is easiest to pronounce, typically Japanese. Once a phrase has been repeated dozens of times, you start to stop paying attention to what it might mean anyhow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other traditions, though, like Amidaism, you are supposed to recite the Amitabha's mantra while focusing on your aspirations for attaining the Pure Land, or your gratitude, depending on who you are reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T17:08:32.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13591" CreationDate="2016-01-07T22:00:55.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know which version/translation you're using but let's go with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe35/sbe3504.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Questions of King Milinda translated by T. W. Rhys Davids&lt;/a&gt; since it's nearly the first that Google returned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I read it is this (let me paraphrase):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: Hello your Reverence, what is your name?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reply: I'm known as Nagasena and people call me that, but it's just a name, there's no permanent soul in the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milinda has been, presumably, brought up to assume there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a soul in the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: Hey guys, this Nagasena claims there's no soul in the matter!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milinda then tries &lt;em&gt;reductio ad absurdum&lt;/em&gt;. Milinda tries to imply that, because it's obviously wrong to assume that Nagasena is hair, therefore Nagasena must be something else i.e. a soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: Well look, Nagasena: if there's no soul, who gives gives you stuff, who enjoys the stuff you're given? Who lives the holy life? Or who is sinful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Milinda might be implying that Nagasena is (or is asking Nagasena whether he is) a 'nihilist'. Note that Buddhism describes eternalism (permanent soul) and nihilism (because nobody exists there are no consequences and no reason to be moral), as being opposite extremes and as both being wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: So what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; Nagasena then. Are you telling me that Nagasena is the hair on your head?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena: I didn't say that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: Or the nails, teeth, etc.? The Skandhas? The combination of Skandhas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena: No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena uses the chariot as an example; the chariot is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not one of its parts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not any of its parts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not all the parts in combination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not something other than its parts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milinda says that it's because of its parts that it's called a chariot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why King Milinda does not consider all together - pole, axle, wheels etc. - his chariot?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of the context. Are you saying that the chariot has a permanent soul? That the soul of the chariot is the sum of its parts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the chariot was being used as an analogy for Nagasena: Nagasena's parts, Nagasena's name, whether or not Nagasena had a soul, and whether &amp;quot;Nagasena&amp;quot; is just a name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally one defines a chariot a means for transportation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you think it would help to define a chariot by its function or use? Is &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; (the chariot's being used as a means for transportation) the chariot's permanent soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally found that kind of thinking (that objects have an eternal soul) useless and implausible when I read something like it in some book about Platonic Idealism (though I was a teenager at the time so I may have misunderstood it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, what by analogy would be Nagasena's function and use? Is that a permanent function or use, and/or a good way to understand that Nagasena has a permanent soul, and what the soul is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-07T22:00:55.693" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13591" CreationDate="2016-01-08T00:01:35.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-nidana Sutta: The Great Causes Discourse&lt;/a&gt; might help one to understand that rupa depends on nama, like nama depends on rupa, and as soon nama craves after a touch (rupa), a phenomena arises, something that is not really real but object of quarrel, Mr Jo Wehler. Has Jo Wehler given a good and complete description of the chariot or can it be rebuked?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as an object is delineating and not seen as it really is, with right discernment, a world comes into existence including its observer. Is there a chariot if there is no contact? Is there a formation if there is no perception (imagination, remembrance)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least Milinda did not step into trap but got a way to unleash of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, since just got across that, by trans. MN22:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 5.10 Vajira Sutta: Sister Vajira&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as when, with an assemblage of parts, there's the word, chariot,&#xA;  even so when aggregates are present, there's the convention of living&#xA;  being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Explaining with reference to this in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than_en.html#fn-13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN22:&lt;/a&gt;, shows what the Ven. tried to give a chance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 5.10 indicates that one of the ways of overcoming clinging is to&#xA;  focus on how the concept of &quot;being&quot; arises, without assuming the truth&#xA;  of the concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="7555" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T14:21:13.367" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T14:21:13.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2016-01-08T05:01:18.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My interpretation of the Buddha's teachings (with input from many teachers) is that he was not especially concerned with what came before or after this existence. He said that he taught &quot;the end of suffering&quot; and little else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone said earlier, nibbana is the cessation of the need for rebirth, thus any death. The way I understand it is that the conditions for some following existence cease, like blowing out a candle, and there is just nothing. The aspect of some sort of permanent &quot;bliss&quot; is counter to the teachings, in which &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt; is permanent. I believe that permanence aspect was added on later because followers could not let go of that need to continue on in some respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7581" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T05:01:18.317" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13520" CreationDate="2016-01-08T10:12:47.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is you who gets hungry. The problem start when you mentally identify that &quot;I am hungry&quot;. If you just let be as another sensation without metal conceiving in relation to I there is no problem and pain will be reduce and stress from the situation non existent. Many metal construction or notion or perception of &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot; leads to misery. It is holding on to this metal construction or notion or perception of &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot; which should stop. As when this stops here is no identification or notion or perception or metal conceiving of a self in the person this is what is generally referred as no self or nonself, i.e., the person is devoid of holding on to any mental conceiving of a person hence does not have any sense as this is a person, or this is me, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T10:52:35.943" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T10:52:35.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13541" CreationDate="2016-01-08T10:53:23.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Re. people following the capitalist ideal you might consider the book, &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, In the World&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's written by &lt;a href=&quot;http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Basnagoda-Rahula/451425085&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula, PhD, was born in Sri Lanka and became a Buddhist monk in childhood. He holds a Master's Degree in literature, and a doctorate in English. He serves the congregation at the Houston Buddhist Vihara, and teaches English at the University of Houston. He lives in Texas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has a dozen or so chapters, on various topics e.g. making a living and choosing a marriage partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Teachings+on+Prosperity&quot;&gt;some other topics&lt;/a&gt; on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its premise (I paraphrase from an introductory chapter) is that the Buddha's recommendations expected two parts to society:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The community of monks (renunciates)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The lay society (prospering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author wrote that a lot of (even, most of) the suttas were spoken to, written by and for, and preserved by monks; but that there are suttas which are clearly to (and therefore for) lay-people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The book identifies and summarizes those (many dozen) suttas for laypeople, which includes identifying suttas which recommend things like how to use your income: i.e. reinvest a lot of it, use some for your immediate needs, and save some. So it's not exactly anti-capitalist, IMO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also recommends taking care your employees (as well as of your parents, teachers, family, friends, and ascetics). The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is one of these suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people these days see &quot;capitalist society&quot; as identical to &quot;consumer society&quot; or &quot;hedonist society&quot;, but they need not be exactly synonymous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's old-fashioned of me but IMO the &quot;capitalist ideal&quot; is that &quot;capital&quot; is &quot;the means of production&quot;: e.g. not so much the ripe fruit but rather the orchard, not the harvested grain but the tractor (and the seed grain which is kept for next year).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T11:03:47.003" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13584" CreationDate="2016-01-08T10:56:20.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To escape suffering maybe also try not trying to escape suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T10:56:20.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13601" CreationDate="2016-01-08T11:41:54.940" Score="2" ViewCount="1089" Body="&lt;p&gt;I clearly remember reading somewhere about (some branch of) Buddhism believing that there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a soul and that it splits in seven parts when dying. The article mentioned that four of these parts are believed to return when reborn, the other three will merge with Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My recent reading has taught me that the individual soul/ātman does not exist &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;, it is a false assumption and what one might perceive as &quot;I&quot; is just a piece of the a bigger consciousness (God, if you like).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone shed any light on the splitting? And is my current understanding correct, incorrect or oversimplified?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3666" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T21:21:54.320" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T21:21:54.320" Title="Soul that splits in seven parts" Tags="|reference-request|philosophy|history|soul|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13600" CreationDate="2016-01-08T12:03:43.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr. Jonas Bystöm might read &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile&lt;/a&gt; especially the introduction, which gives a good overview and the &quot;Six View-Positions&quot; section. The seven parts soul thing is a common folk believe even is SEAsia and has Tantric roots, one could say Hindu, and has influence especially many Mahayana approaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be or not to be is no question. There is no such as any self-theory to be found in Dhamma since it has simply the liberation form suffering, so to understand its cause, as objective and aim. Do not waste your time with such, 99% of beings do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T12:03:43.180" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13602" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13603" CreationDate="2016-01-08T13:01:49.957" Score="3" ViewCount="530" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Nacca gīta vādita visukadassanā&#xA;mālā gandha vilepana dhārana&#xA;mandana vibhūsanaṭṭhānā veramaṇi&#xA;sikkhāpadaṃ samādhiyāmi.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than_en.html#shows&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;see entertainments&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than_en.html#scents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-08T16:18:30.763" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T16:18:30.763" Title="Can't I listen any kind of music by 7th percept?" Tags="|precept|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13602" CreationDate="2016-01-08T13:17:35.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nacca - plays/dances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gīta - song&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vādita - music&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;visukadassanā - visiting shows&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, it includes all music. Even if you hear a song by chance and you indulge in it, you break the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T13:17:35.273" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13602" CreationDate="2016-01-08T13:24:33.430" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/mrs user73898&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some people who say, even in the Commentary, that one would not break the precepts by listening to music which tells about the suffering in the world and causes &lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt;. But (if you are) being honest: isn't most music is not about lamenting (and so is certainly against the precept)? Stay with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13603/7555&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually it's about distracting the mind, so one would not stay at the Dhamma of staying mindful, and would even starts to ponder this and that; greed, hatred, all kinds of feeling can come up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if one takes it seriously one abstains form any kind of entertainment and diversion, including shows, films, sport games, games, parades ... and especially news and google and surfing :-) Everything that is not simply work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7555" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T15:07:54.960" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13600" CreationDate="2016-01-08T21:14:48.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can anyone shed any light on the splitting?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13600/soul-in-buddhism#comment22774_13600&quot;&gt;the same way as Martin&lt;/a&gt; I haven't been able to find a reference to &quot;seven souls&quot; within Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vaguely related traditions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hun_and_po&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hun and po&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hun (Chinese: 魂; pinyin: hún; Wade–Giles: hun; literally: &quot;cloud-soul&quot;) and po (Chinese: 魄; pinyin: pò; Wade–Giles: p'o; literally: &quot;white-soul&quot;) are types of souls in Chinese philosophy and traditional religion. Within this ancient soul dualism tradition, every living human has both a hun spiritual, ethereal, yang soul which leaves the body after death, and also a po corporeal, substantive, yin soul which remains with the corpse of the deceased. Some controversy exists over the number of souls in a person; for instance, one of the traditions within Daoism proposes a soul structure of sanhunqipo 三魂七魄; that is, &quot;three hun and seven po&quot;. The historian Yü Ying-shih describes hun and po as &quot;two pivotal concepts that have been, and remain today, the key to understanding Chinese views of the human soul and the afterlife.&quot;[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above seems to be seven bodily souls and three spiritual souls, which is more-or-less what you said in the OP.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same articles says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hun 魂 and po 魄 spiritual concepts were important in several Daoist traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and I think there's some historical connection between Daoism and Buddhism in China. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism#Signification_of_Buddhism_and_Taoist_influences&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Signification of Buddhism and Taoist influences&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When Buddhism came to China, it was adapted to the Chinese culture and understanding. Theories about the influence of other schools in the evolution of Chan are widely variable and rely heavily on speculative correlation rather than on written records or histories. Some scholars have argued that Chan developed from the interaction between Mahāyāna Buddhism and Taoism,[19][20] while others insist that Chan has roots in yogic practices, specifically kammaṭṭhāna, the consideration of objects, and kasiṇa, total fixation of the mind.[21] A number of other conflicting theories exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe if you do &quot;clearly remember reading somewhere about some branch of Buddhism&quot;, then possibly it was a branch with a Chinese influence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/What-is-seven-constituent-parts-of-the-human-soul&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is seven constituent parts of the human soul?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From Theosophy by Rudolf Steiner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Physical body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Life Body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Astral Body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The &quot;I&quot; as the soul's central core&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Spirit Self as transformed astral body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Life Spirit as transformed life body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Spirit Body as transformed physical body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the above is an accurate quote, maybe (who knows) it might be a match for your OP.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if I understand correctly the hints in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3810/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; (I don't know much more about it than that), the Theosophists wanted to define or synthesize a &quot;universal religion&quot;, perhaps by including bits from Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there have been other historical connection between Buddhists and Theosophists, so perhaps you were reading something Theosophical and conflating it with Buddhism somehow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And is my current understanding correct, incorrect or oversimplified?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism traditionally teaches that there isn't any (permanent) 'soul' at all. The/a non-Buddhist doctrine was/is of &lt;em&gt;Atman&lt;/em&gt; (Self) and &lt;em&gt;Brahman&lt;/em&gt; (Divinity), and (in contrast to that) the Buddhist doctrine was/is, instead, of &lt;em&gt;Anatman&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that an example of that is as stated in this recent &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13594/254&quot;&gt;answer of mine about Milinda, Nagasena, and the parable of the chariot&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it a bit metaphysical: talk of karma and rebirth and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of topics about that kind of thing on this site, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatta&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatta&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/rebirth&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;rebirth&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;rebirth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead some people prefer to focus on the practice of Buddhism within 'this life'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-08T21:14:48.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2016-01-09T02:39:31.927" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Abstaining Taking of what is not given&quot; that is very simple and does not give an, not any place for pretending and &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_%28making_excuses%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rationalization&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best to start to release from general confusion: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,9461.msg19881.html#msg19881&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stealing and taking what is not given&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, understanding that it is about ones own actions, intend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To understand rationalization here in two ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Modern sociologists have identified five basic strategies that people&#xA;  use to avoid accepting blame when they've caused harm, and it's&#xA;  noteworthy that the Pali teaching on moral responsibility serves to&#xA;  undercut all five. The strategies are: to deny responsibility, to deny&#xA;  that harm was actually done, to deny the worth of the victim, to&#xA;  attack the accuser, and to claim that they were acting in the service&#xA;  of a higher cause. The Pali responses to these strategies are: &#xA;  (1) We are always responsible for our conscious choices. &#xA;  (2) We should always put ourselves in the other person's place. &#xA;  (3) All beings are worthy of respect. &#xA;  (4) We should regard those who point out our faults as if&#xA;  they were pointing out treasure. (Monks, in fact, are required not to&#xA;  show disrespect to people who criticize them, even if they don't plan&#xA;  to abide by the criticism.) &#xA;  (5) There are no — repeat, no — higher  purposes that excuse breaking the &#xA;  basic precepts of ethical behavior.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/reconciliation_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Reconciliation, Right &amp;amp; Wrong&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The circumstance that even Monks bend this simple precept is, because they are themselves not able to stick to simple precepts and still breaking it, because they have certain other aims (no 5.) and task with which they justify stealing and even encourage others to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How they normally justly such is &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,630.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in ways like this&lt;/a&gt;. They even do not hesitate to steal form the Sangha in making the Dhamma, for example, public domain, which actually means that it is owned by a certain group of people and no more Sangha property. Of course they could not righteously by in means of common law they did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ownership does not end with material things. Think for example on land. Is the land gone or taken when somebody holds the right on it and deprive one from his/here use? You can still walk and lock at it.&#xA;Is your life your own? Nobody can take it for him self. Is body your own? So its merely silly to argue &quot;because&quot; one can not take it with him/here its not stealing.&#xA;What about water right? A monk would not be able to even drink form a lack, knowing that it has an owner. And in read of going into the forest and taking what one whats, that is the way of villagers and also not the way of people who are living on the alms of the country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the strange argument that something aside of material things it is not really own-able on a metaphysics level would make even material things declare being not ones own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is merely the fact that especially this copyright and taking via internet is the most thieving going on in the world and if anybody would say that such things are not based on simply greed without one conscience and concern he is far away form anything that can be called virtue or even Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever is not given, is simply stolen. There is nothing to argue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most usual situation, since people today are not even capable to give conscious, is taking on trust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking on trust, if it has its reasoning, would not count as stealing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To rightly take an object on trust, Mv.VIII.19.1 states that five&#xA;  conditions must be met:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;a. The owner is an acquaintance.&#xA;b. He/she is an intimate.&#xA;c. He/she has spoken of the matter. &#xA;(According to the Commentary, this means that he/she has said, &#xA;&quot;You may take any of my property you want.&quot;)&#xA;d. He/she is still alive.&#xA;e. One knows that he/she will be pleased at one's taking it.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary to this rule states that in practice only three of&#xA;  these conditions need to be met: the fourth, the fifth, and any one of&#xA;  the first three. As the Vinaya-mukha notes, there are good practical&#xA;  reasons for adopting the Commentary's interpretation here. There is&#xA;  also the formal reason that otherwise the first two conditions would&#xA;  be redundant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anybody would like to tell that others would be happy with there downloads or have given it explicit to do so, he/she would not be aware of what he/she is saying, if such has not been given in that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also shows fine that, in regard of precepts, taking something the owner died (certain laws give older things for public), such is actually not possible to take, especially if it is then owned by the public (which is also an ownership of a group, and in cases of monks and those having left society, not their.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for monks, where thief is even a Downfall precepts (and therefore there is a lot of nonsense taught), it is very simple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Should any bhikkhu, in what is reckoned a theft, take what is not given&#xA;  from an inhabited area or from the wilderness — just as when, in&#xA;  the taking of what is not given, kings arresting the criminal would&#xA;  flog, imprison, or banish him, saying, &quot;You are a robber, you are a&#xA;  fool, you are benighted, you are a thief&quot; — a bhikkhu in the same way&#xA;  taking what is not given also is defeated and no longer in&#xA;  affiliation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch04_en.html#Pr2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMC1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That means if something is done (here explicit also a matter of judgement of law!), which counts as thieving in a certain society, is a downfall and actually there is no reason that one would have the need to do such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which normal person would feel save if monks think in ways they to here and there. If Atma would be a person who still holds ownership on anything, Atma would try to keep them far away for house and farm. A danger for every society and nothing as approach like stone age communists take on to &quot;liberate&quot; the folk. Such ideas are very dangerous and are sometimes only seen if the backward hit one self, even only later. What they call for is actually dispossession in large, &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2015/05/20/copy-this/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this group&lt;/a&gt; which calling their dispossession acts even central, a known notion of communist ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma can only urge you, 1. to keep the law and/or trust simply roles and you will have the best and righteous results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that most do wrong does not limit the results of deed. Poverty has its cause and one does good to reflect how wealth he/she really is and how much of that was amassed righteously and with own effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact stealing of intellectual property can cause one even to be executed, thinking on military things and state security in some countries and that thieving of intellectual is the biggest common crime and takes dimensions of Billion of Dollars makes it merely a joke when so called Monks tell that such is no breaking the precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one wished to give something for everybody that is fine and good, but to demand that everything should be/or is every-bodies property, that is what Buddha called the biggest thief in the world: The thief of truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is your girl friend/ boy friend your own? Would people kill for something that is in reality (according the Dhamma at least) not their own?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So forget such silly thought and run away from people with strong wrong view and no virtue.&#xA;One does not need to study and learn laws, if simply staying by 5 precepts, which are all about stealing, at least. And lying is the most dangerous taking what is not given and destruction of welfare for many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for leaders and also monks and to understand in which ways the Buddha formulated his rules in regard of certain thing which can harm a lot if people adopt it, Atma likes to share one story of book &quot;Protection for living beings&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stealing Beauty&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There was a beautiful princess from the Wei dynasty who liked to dress&#xA;  up fancy. She had an embroidered gown with feather on it. The&#xA;  sparkling shine made her look like a fairy. One day, the king saw her&#xA;  in this dress and spoke to her in a serious tone: “Take off this gown&#xA;  right now and never wear anything with a feather.” The princess&#xA;  laughed and replied: “How many feathers do we need for a dress?” The&#xA;  king said: “You are the princess of the country. I am afraid that the&#xA;  royal families will all take after your example. Even more, the common&#xA;  people will do the same as well. The merchants will do anything they&#xA;  can to catch birds for the feathers as long as there is money to be&#xA;  made. If so, the countless lives would be taken because of you. The&#xA;  sin would be unimaginable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma is not sure of how those &quot;sin&quot;full people will ever get out of there confusion, but to confess and to change his ways will be good done. It will be a lot of work that they will fill up all the pitfalls they had made all over the net. At least is encouraging others to take what is not given, the same as one would act for him self. So there will be less cases where the act is actually not fulfilled in this or that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma also needs to add that although Ven. Bhante Thanissaro in normally more discerning and wise, he absolutely failed in regard of his &quot;modern interpretation&quot; in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch04_en.html#Pr2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMC1&lt;/a&gt; and it would be good to inform him if one has the possibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least, don't forget that there is such as taking on trust. Although you are very heedful and conscientious, it could happen that your taking on trust was a fail or different as you thought. Such is not really a breaking of the rule. How ever, its good to make such undone, confessing it and make others have no damage from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many things that feeds such Companies like SE here, actually live form people how have good intentions but are not so informed, yet such companies try to give the responsibility to the user and at the same time they make his/her share their own or change the boundary marks of it. So please be careful, since most think &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell_en.html#miln-3-7-08&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Doing Evil Knowingly and Unknowingly&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is not a matter. You are even more in troubles for your self, if you do things unknowingly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practical and simple&lt;/strong&gt; (in later addition)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it seems that there are still growing &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13615/7586&quot;&gt;Chris.-Like&lt;/a&gt;&quot; thoughts about stealing (and killing), like righteous stealing (killing):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are hundredths and thousands of laws dealing with &quot;taking what is not given&quot;, in normal language is &quot;not stolen&quot; defined by certain agreements = common stealing. The different between common laws and common agreement and Dhamma is, that simply &quot;taken what is not given&quot; means &quot;taken what is not given&quot; and there is no space. One would know it exactly for one self. As for the Vinaya, it deals much about the weight of offense and of course it has adopted certain flavors, since it turns also a boarder on the value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as from the Dhammic aspect and the meaning of this precepts, which is of course &quot;&lt;em&gt;A Training&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, there is actually no break and rest, till one is absolutely free of greed, desire, that one could not even take what is given. It's said that a Streamwinner gains certain virtue of this kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That means, aside of laws, which are a communal and community thing (whether state, group or monastic Sangha), the training precept is simply formulated, so that there is no change to corrupt it: &quot;Not taking what is not given (with body and language)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is usual and happens everywhere, when people see that they are not perfect now, rather to put an effort be become perfect, start to argue and seek for ways to gain a good conscience by lowering the borders to their common ability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if such would be the way to actually still bad conscience even on a level that it would be a base for any samma samadhi, we should simply declare everything take-able and put away precepts, so nobody would have to have trouble with his conscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about that, do you like to paint a pile of dirt golden, dancing around, singing this is &quot;Mount Nibbana&quot;, and we are perfect as we are, or to you like to gain perfection, which, if it would be not possible, the Buddha would not have told you, that is is possible. But since it is possible, to abound unskillful mental Qualities and develop skillful qualities, he told you, that it is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to speak that Sila and sticking with it, is always the reason for peace within a community. You would not like to get the fruits of what has been taken by you, not one minute wouldn't you like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you train your self, simply in more and more &quot;abstaining from taking what is not given&quot; according to your awareness, you will learn about your defilement and modify also your mode of live (right livelihood). And you should not, as long as you don't have a cetain trained mind, ever start to think much about certain factors and abhidhamma-concepts or even Vinaya-Commentaries, since (in regard of Dhamma) your mind would simply act like every advocate, simply trying to get the task done and slack to the formal declarations of it. Since you simply cheat your self, or give your defilement ways to cheat your mind, there will be no benefit at all. At least the path is simply unreachable, may you study what ever Dhamma you like and try what ever wellness meditation. You forgot the raw stuff and would easy become really a problem for others as well as for your self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are your judge to bring you on a honest and fruitful line.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So remember the different:&#xA;- For the personal practice: Taking what is not given, and even the slightest, you should correct and abound.&#xA;- For your community (country, Sangha...): The same, and confess it, if it had happened. So that you can be well putted back and be able to walk on. And you even have certain reputation is and be sensed as a trusted person, if you are over sensitive and ask often if that is ok or it it was a fault.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the vipaka, no worry, it does not haggles. And this &lt;strong&gt;training&lt;/strong&gt;, will 100% cure things you never assumed to cure: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Healing Power of the Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for judging a single case and or confess it, simply stay with your admirable friend and teacher, of whom you know that he actually does not only talk but has such virtues and who is not dependent from you, so that he can be a honest and really helpful source. All that, like the keeping of precepts are simply on your own choice, so why cheat your choice and make not best use of it in every possible way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will not fear anything and have nothing to fear (aside of old stuff that nobody could change you), even not death, if you have trained your self to walk on the right (samma) side and your much will also grow straight, able to go everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you still stick and think that you find arguments to justify taking what is not given, feel invited to take on the challenge. There should be no doubt, even a little, since it is the even first step into Dhamma, staring on Saddha, since you might not have seen yet. As the &quot;freedom&quot; (=responsibility and being aware of it without a change of disclaimer, kamma) to discuss the matter is certain limited here, your are free to share your though here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2089.msg9262.html#msg9262&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Monks on copyright material and violating the second precept&lt;/a&gt; or where ever you wish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Poison of &quot;rights&quot; and &quot;licences&quot; and Right view&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right virtue, right action has either wisdom (right view) or faith/conviction (right view as saddha, intellectual) as prerequisite. If there is no saddha, there can be no training. When the training is done till right view, having straightened virtue (incl. right livelihood), having developed the Meditation section, it becomes right view and with it the merely rites and ritual doing style of virtue is no longer needed and virtue is something natural you would even no more think about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If people live in countries or places where there is no more worldly right view, believe in cause and effect, seeing &quot;there is what is given, there is what is scarified, there are fruits of bad and good actions&quot;, but start to believe in such things as &quot;I have a right&quot;, I have the license to do this and that, and even think that they have such as inherent right, the path can no more been seen and one would even have a hard to survive to practice such. Such things like gratitude and generosity, goodness and so on are gone and everybody fights for his rights. Which means to demand something he actually has neither a right nor demand at all. To fighting for rights is also taking what is not giving and its more that sad that even monks are mostly such as leaders in such movements, calling for fruits without having given it a cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be aware, that such as thinking in &quot;rights&quot; is hardly against right view has nothing to do and no foothold in the Dhamma at all. That does not mean, that it is not a meritorious deed if somebody shares what he owns or looks over and give others this or that freedom. That is great. But to demand, that is wrong view. Like to demand that one mother gives one birth and nourishes one. There is no such. If she does not like, then what ever &quot;right law&quot; would say she needs, could not execute it. So everything since you are born, even your body, all has been given and scarified by others. So rather to go around and thing of what right your have, is to be very aware and grateful of what is given to your and its wise, when you pay back, what ever goodness has been done to you or even do such in advanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So please be aware of people who are trying to catch you with such stuff like &quot;rights&quot; or &quot;licenses&quot;, which they mostly do not own by them self, have no power been given to do so, but simply like to earn your gratitude in advanced to be able to simply pressure and take it from others. That is cheap politic, what ever &quot;Rights-Movement&quot; it might be, and to run with such people means to extorting other with them and one has the same share of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its not wrong to ask, it's not wrong to make a deal, but expropriate others, if under violent or nor or lesser bodily or verbal &quot;non-violent&quot; pressure (which is only outwardly different, but not form the intention and has the same kammic effect), is simply wrong actions and the world is full of such actions as it is full of gigantic taking what is not given, never have been such in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such as asking is totally unknown today. Its even so as if people feel trapped or exposed if you ask them straight forward, so strange has it grown. And most, most (from 1001 tests on field) are Buddhists most like to be even not able to ask or to answer like a normal person on a request. Not to speak that obligatorily behavior is simply something unknown. That falls under &quot;that is not my task and not you right to request such&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay away from people of thinking and arguing in means of &quot;rights&quot; and &quot;licenses&quot; and give and receive righteously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma can tell you that even 80% of Monks (Atma came across in modern worlds) are not able to receive something nor to give something in a way one would do, if have certain right view, certain moral, certain gratitude and goodness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last but at least, Atma likes to share two short Essays written some years ago, to make the matter more understandable bending it from &quot;normal&quot; live to way of thinking in psychologies and then turning it back to Dhamma (Atmas english is not good at all, so it might miss some nuances, but give it a try, such makes also own creativity necessary and is food for the heart):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,251.html#engl&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unwholesome done knowingly and unknowingly&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,Arbeit-macht-frei.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giving, taking and the &quot;new&quot; world &quot;Labour makes (you) free!?&quot;, is a sentence that one does not like.&lt;/a&gt; (english translation after the german text)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2019-09-24T02:55:55.820" LastActivityDate="2019-09-24T02:55:55.820" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13607" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13608" CreationDate="2016-01-09T07:48:19.567" Score="9" ViewCount="783" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should both partners be Buddhist in a marriage?&#xA;If they want get a love marriage can they still get married if one of the partners is not Buddhist. What is the law in Buddhism about marriage?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-09T08:15:22.717" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:36:57.657" Title="What is Buddhist law of marriage ? Is there any?" Tags="|traditions|marriage|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13607" CreationDate="2016-01-09T08:40:09.247" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no such as a Buddhist law on marriage. If you like to have a long time partner its always good to have the same tendencies as he/she but such is not merely up to religion. Virtue, generosity, gratitude... all this things are not limited to a certain religion. So to seek for a partner with equal virtue or virtues one likes to follow, is quite good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there is no such as any cultural, national, or what ever discrimination. Of course such plays, even so, always a rule in live and society as much traditions have also to do with common virtues. The world is not full of Arahants and Noble Ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(thoughts come up sometimes ...and now they like to be great yogis ...  :-)  &quot;I wan it all&quot;, but not to speak about those who even do not take on the responsibility of partnership)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T08:40:09.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2016-01-09T10:42:19.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems far removed from imaginatively feeling the pain of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and empathy aren't quite the same thing.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.matthieuricard.org/en/blog/posts/empathy-and-the-cultivation-of-compassion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here's a post&lt;/a&gt; by Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard explaining more:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and selfless love are associated with positive emotions. Based on this, in the course of my collaboration with Tania Singer, a neuroscientist Director at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, we realized that burnout was actually a due to ‟empathy fatigue” and not to ‟compassion fatigue”. In fact, compassion far from leading to distress and discouragement strengthens our fortitude, our inner balance and our courageous determination to help those who suffer. In essence, from our point of view, love and compassion do not wear out. Rather they help to overcome empathic distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three dimensions — altruistic love, empathy and compassion — are naturally connected. Within altruistic love, or benevolence, empathy alerts us that the other person might be suffering. Compassion — the desire to dispel these sufferings and their causes — follows. Thus, when confronted with suffering, altruistic love, catalyzed by empathy, becomes compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="294" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T10:42:19.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12098" CreationDate="2016-01-09T11:01:58.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe a useful source not to simply give it a name, but also to educate it in the way it was thought by the Buddha, maybe such as real &quot;care or charge&quot; for others is well put. As it was said &quot;&lt;em&gt;The desire to free others form suffering&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and not only this but being confident that one actually does the best when sitting in brahmavihara meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Educating Compassion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T11:01:58.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13611" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13613" CreationDate="2016-01-09T11:19:00.683" Score="3" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a monk is given the opportunity to speak in favor of doing a good deed that a supporter of his wants to do, even if that good deed directly benefits him, is it proper to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any concern to be had how others may perceive doing so? i.e. others may see this motive as being self-serving; and therefore how to address this properly? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2016-01-09T11:38:42.117" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T13:26:23.817" Title="Should a Monk speak out in favor of doing good?" Tags="|ethics|monk|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13611" CreationDate="2016-01-09T11:31:17.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some monks and bodhisattvas have vowed that they will always point sentient beings towards the ethical life in their endeavours.  I am not as familiarized with the monk vows,  but do know that bodhisattvas are supposed to always practice and encourage generosity. As long as the generosity does not stem from some motivation from pride,  greed,  or anger.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This goes for other types of skillful means as well.  This nearly always has to be broken down situationally. However the motive and intent of the deed matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say a monk named Simon is seeking a donation to their monastery. The place is close to bankrupt and needs money and supplies to stay afloat this winter.  Food and proper heat for its occupants could be achieved at the fraction of the cost if a few nearby businesses partner with the monks in need.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simon benifits from this,  so does the sangha he resides with.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk being able to act as diplomat between the outside communities and the Abbot or head monk is serving more than just himself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say he reaches an agreement and the monks will do a sand mandala on such dates and area,  in exchange for food the businesses in the area normally would throw out, but was good to eat, as well as a percentage of the sales on those dates to cover Monastery utilities and normal operating costs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the monk asks and encourages generosity, and follows through with the intended uses  of the benefits. I would say it would be ok, and, in most Buddhist circles, perfectly acceptable. It also would not be frowned on by outsiders. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However,  on the flip side,  if Simon instead panhandles only for himself,  seeking more than the food needed for survival,  or under some fully self centered desire , say drugs or alchohol. Even though encouraging genoristy, he is not a monk but a con man. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scope of the deed,  and the motive behind it matter,  and so does the outcome.  If Simon is skimming profits for alcoholic beverages (not in the original agreement,  approved by the head monk,  or known to parties involved) then no, their encouraging generosity is just a type of deception.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uncovering of such facts would be frowned on by most circles,  and outside parties as well.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-09T11:55:11.343" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T11:55:11.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13611" CreationDate="2016-01-09T11:51:09.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not sure of what Mr. Ryan speaks (reading just the word), but Atma can remember that he once had similar thoughts in regard of Buddha. Thinking he might had caused a lot of people suffering by being attached to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the more one knows the real teachings, one sees that he actually did not let such a kind of kamma behind. Its simply by people taking it wrong, that they have problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is of course this danger, which you mention, that one would automatically accumulate everything, starting form the moment people see &quot;ohh that is not a normal one&quot; but there is nothing better as to practice the 13 Dhutangas which protect one self and people well and actually the most serious monks keep them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taken for example SEAsia. If people get to know that there is anywhere a Dhutanga Monk, they would come form near and far and would like to make donations, since such is a high merit. If people (monks) do not really stick hard to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1357.msg5622.html#msg5622&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhutangas&lt;/a&gt; they are caught immediately. One sees that well when observing the Thai Forest Tradition today. Their honor had actually &quot;killed&quot; them practical and they have already become &quot;normal&quot; ordinary people. Yet still living form the reputations of their teachers of old times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there are certain dangers and they are even covered by a downfall rule, for hard cases:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhu, without direct knowledge, claim a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, as present in himself, saying, &quot;Thus do I know; thus do I see,&quot; such that regardless of whether or not he is cross-examined on a later occasion, he — being remorseful and desirous of purification — might say, &quot;Friends, not knowing, I said I know; not seeing, I said I see — vainly, falsely, idly,&quot; unless it was from over-estimation, he also is defeated and no longer in affiliation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch04_en.html#Pr4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BMC1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as you can read there, even if people out of faith would address one Arahat, there is no fault for one. So if people &quot;love&quot; one, one having practiced proper, does not make anything wrong. That's great, even mostly not welcome for the serious practicing monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been occasions where when lot of people came to visit the Buddha and he denied. Even if monks begged him &quot;&lt;em&gt;Now is the time for the Blessed One's acquiescence, lord! Wherever the Blessed One will go now, the brahmans of the towns &amp;amp; countryside will be so inclined.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; he refused, at least saying &quot;&lt;em&gt;But when I am traveling along a road and see no one in front or behind me, at that time I have my ease, even when urinating &amp;amp; defecating.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.086.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yasa Sutta: Honor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in regard of your formulation: No, there is no reason why a Bhikkhu should step back form his virtues, what ever they are or to even cheat, so that he would prevent certain attachments and problems with fans and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one reads the Suttas, one could easily believe that its all about self-aggrandizement, but actually it was a certain scarify of the Buddha, to that extend, that even no monk after him would need to use it in the same way he did. (Atma guesses the questioner understands what he tries to say)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does actually not easy accumulate when always straight and honest (in a sense of beneficial and true for the path) and without any flavor of socializing or concern about reputations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the OP question it self: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Should a Monk speak out in favor of doing good?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; such is most critical, if speaking what people like and mostly a heavy offense which is called a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch05_en.html#Sg13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;corrupter of families&lt;/a&gt;, sadly one of the most, even whole communities faults.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is illustrated in the origin story of this rule, in which the followers of Assaji and Punabbasu (leaders of one faction of the group of six) had thoroughly corrupted the lay people at Kīṭāgiri.&#xA;  &quot;&lt;em&gt;Now at that time a certain bhikkhu, having finished his&#xA;  Rains-residence among the people of Kāsi and on his way to Sāvatthī to&#xA;  see the Blessed One, arrived at Kīṭāgiri. Dressing (§) early in the&#xA;  morning, taking his bowl and (outer) robe, he entered Kīṭāgiri for&#xA;  alms: gracious in the way he approached and departed, looked forward&#xA;  and behind, drew in and stretched out (his arm); his eyes downcast,&#xA;  his every movement consummate. People seeing him said, 'Who is this&#xA;  weakest of weaklings, this dullest of dullards, this most snobbish of&#xA;  snobs? Who, if this one approached (§), would even give him alms? Our&#xA;  masters, the followers of Assaji and Punabbasu, are compliant, genial,&#xA;  pleasing in conversation. They are the first to smile, saying, &quot;Come,&#xA;  you are welcome.&quot; They are not snobbish. They are approachable. They&#xA;  are the first to speak. They are the ones to whom alms should be&#xA;  given.&lt;/em&gt;'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya (On Right Speech)&lt;/a&gt; shows well that sweet talks are nothing that are welcome if it is not simply for the path and to let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it should cover all possible aspects of the question and at least maybe, a monk is no and should not be a social worker. That's a job he left behind by going forth. (females are always included speaking of monk)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe one in addition. It is not allowed (out of this reasons) to receive a donation after having taught the Dhamma. So if one likes to benefit a monk, he would do good to do such in advanced. The story about the Buddha in such cases can be read here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.04.piya_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Discourse to Bharadvaja, the Farmer&lt;/a&gt; A good talk about the matter of being first on giving is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bettertogive_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Better to Give than to Consume&lt;/a&gt;, if one like to understand the matter also from a practitioner side as a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there are certain ways to cut off the danger of doing a favor but less really less make such their habit today. Its all about gain, becoming, honor and for &quot;higher purposes&quot; (for simply this world) and seldom for Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Asked: &quot;others may see this motive as being self-serving; and therefore how to address this properly?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One somebody may think, one can not manipulate or change and there is also no use for such (if one is not attached to his reputations). As seeing the motive and virtue of a monk and if he is walking the path is very difficult to find out for laypeople. Actually only a one already on the stream would recognize a straight person (in Dhamma sense). So once a king tried to test the Buddha and taught him about the possibilities to judge a person: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paṭisalla Sutta: Seclusion&lt;/a&gt; and it end (after an explaining with a important exclamation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One   should not make an effort everywhere,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  should not be another's hireling,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  should not live dependent on another,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  should not go about&#xA;        as a trader in the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then, taking the original question again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a monk is given the opportunity to speak in favor of doing a good deed that a supporter of his wants to do, even if that good deed directly benefits him, is it proper to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let Atma bring a sample of how such could look like. One likes to give a donation and would ask &quot;do you like coffee/or water?&quot;, than he would stay silent. So suggestions of that kind are not proper. If one actually gives, fine, but usual ways monks on many places even tell people &quot;you have to ask me first&quot; (as the other extreme) is simply wrong. It also happens that monks would say &quot;If you give me a donation, you make much merits&quot; or other things. All this kinds of &quot;doing others a favor&quot; are fine, even it would be such (which not even the Buddha told people, given that they would have made much merits if done so)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even hinting is walking on the edge. Good teachings about that are this short essays: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/nostringsattached_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;No Strings Attached&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/economy_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Economy of Gifts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-09T13:26:23.817" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T13:26:23.817" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13614" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-09T13:19:43.883" Score="2" ViewCount="298" Body="&lt;p&gt;Discussing the Dharma, as on this site -- looking for and sharing information -- is it really beneficial or could it be a waste of time or even counterproductive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several quotes come to mind, e.g. this one from Wumen Huikai:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and of course, Fen Yang:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough. When you have realized understanding, even one word is too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this and other sources (like Chogyam Trungpa's warnings about spiritual materialism) one might conclude that spending time on a site like this could be a path to illusion and a way to develop the subtle &quot;enlightened&quot; ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the dangers of discussing Dharma on an online forum? How could it be worthwhile, if &quot;speaking about a thing misses the mark&quot; and &quot;even one word is too much&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7587" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T19:11:09.317" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T17:13:09.047" Title="Talking about Dharma - is it worthwhile?" Tags="|personal-practice|spiritual-materialism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2016-01-09T17:16:08.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You ask, &quot;But can this be considered as stealing in Buddhism?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text of the 2nd precept is, I think, more literally to &quot;abstain from taking what is not given&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even if ignoring Copyright isn't exactly stealing (and it isn't &quot;stealing&quot;, according to national law), it's taking what's not given (and is breaking a different law, i.e. copyright law rather than law against theft).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth there are various exceptions and exemptions to national copyright law (and these details of national law may or may not imply 'given', 'not given', 'allowed', and so on in Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13606/254&quot;&gt;Samana Johann's answer&lt;/a&gt; quoted a definition of what &quot;given&quot; means, from the Mahavagga. It seems to me that probably precludes downloading without permission. You could try to justify &quot;illegal downloading&quot; by arguing that an intangible copy isn't property (e.g. that the book is yours but that I can make my own copy of the book), but I suppose that's a matter of personal opinion at best (or a matter of greed and harm at worst), and the fact that it breaks the law ought to at least give a person pause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vaguely similar issues come up when writing software, by the way. Are we allowed to rewrite software that's already been written? That's secret or been copyrighted or been patented? It's a bit complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One topic people might agree on, is that, even if somebody has translated Dharma and copyrighted their translation, other people are (and/or should be) still allowed to make their own translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not aware of someone (e.g. the Sangha nor the Buddha) having a copyright on Dharma. Samana Johann's answer writes &quot;owned by the public&quot; and I don't know what the Buddhist law is in that case. FWIW I think that national copyright law would tend to call that, &quot;in the public domain&quot;, because so much time has passed since it (by &quot;it&quot; I mean the Pali or other original/antique version, but not a recently-translation English version) was written (and copyright only lasts for about 100 years or so).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-09T17:16:08.827" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10325" CreationDate="2016-01-10T04:56:29.953" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sarcasm is&lt;/strong&gt; not only a deliberate lie (even if wrapped) but has mostly also certain strong elements of aversion in it. (given your samples)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its of cause &lt;strong&gt;a breaking of the precepts&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every lie, even if it is meant as a joke, is a lie. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't forget, its not sure if the other would understand your &quot;playing around&quot; and &quot;teasing&quot; and if he/she would take it serious and follows, that would fall back to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for joking around to entertain others, see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta: To Talaputa the Actor&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teasing and joking around is not good. Just observe little dogs, they would not do anything else as such, biting for fun, but getting older and having that strong habit, they even bite each other till they kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So such teasing and banter is just an instrument of socializing and what ever fun, it goes at the expense of others. When ever you laugh another cries or feels at lose by your gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T04:56:29.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13618" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13619" CreationDate="2016-01-10T05:59:15.377" Score="7" ViewCount="774" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and here the Buddha attempts to demonstrate that not in any of the five aggregates is the self to be found. He says this about form for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Form, O monks, is not-self; if form were self, then form would not lead to affliction and it should obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus'; and indeed, O monks, since form is not-self, therefore form leads to affliction and it does not obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now with other aggregates he follows the same paragraph structure and just substitutes in for the word &quot;form&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I've noticed though, is that many other suttas employ this style of exposition and I wanted to know what the motivation was for this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard that repetition made memorization easier, which makes sense; but is there another reason for this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I read through each paragraph even though its an almost exact replica of some other paragraphs? It can be tedious to read something that uses this style and I have simply just skipped such paragraphs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think? What is recommended?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit: Some other translations of this sutta don't explicitly rewrite the paragraph and just place elipses to avoid repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="51" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T06:27:42.840" Title="Why do the scriptures employ so much repetition?" Tags="|scripture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13618" CreationDate="2016-01-10T06:19:29.097" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr David V.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many aspect but one of the central is to be and stay concentrated. Its also the case, if you try to translate a Sutta for example, that if you go a head, you would suddenly see &quot;Oh, that part did I miss before&quot; since mind loves to interpret things into certain attention gaps. One would even swear that one read this or heard this or that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Listener, or reader, if not very concentrated would either get bored and lose patient or start to be aware of that matter and put an effort into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/index_en.html#bullitt&quot;&gt;Upasaka John Bullitt&lt;/a&gt; (founder and generous giver of accesstoinsight.org) wrote some useful and guiding words, worthy for everybody new to the texts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/befriending_en.html&quot;&gt;Befriending the Suttas - Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Atma remembers right, Upasaka mentioned this question as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh yes (from a sound engineer and musician):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Don't ignore the repetitions.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many suttas contain repetitive passages. Read the sutta as you would a piece of music: when you sing or listen to a song, you don't skip over each chorus; likewise, when you read a sutta, you shouldn't skip over the refrains. As in music, the refrains in the suttas often contain unexpected — and important — variations that you don't want to miss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and also good, even if very unusual in modern or western world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read the sutta aloud, from beginning to end.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This helps in several ways: it encourages you to read every single&#xA;  word of the sutta, it trains your mouth to use right speech, and it&#xA;  teaches your ears how to listen to Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could even record it and share it (if your like): &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1917.0.html&quot;&gt;Dhammaoke! Giving others the possibility to listen to the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T06:27:42.840" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T06:27:42.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13620" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-10T11:32:29.460" Score="2" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tashi delek! My question concerns the mantra reciting in Vajrayana tradition, where some Buddhist deities (not to be confused with the mundane ones) may have several versions of a same mantra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, a mantra of a same deity may be either longer or shorter according to different sutras and dharanis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vajrayana, it is also very important to receive a direct transmission of energy from guru (lama) before reciting any mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, can a Vajrayana practitioner recite another version of the same mantra if she or he has already (in a given reincarnation) received from her or his guru a transmission for receiting another version of the same mantra?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A reference to any root texts of any Vajrayana branch (Gelug, Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyu or Jonang) would be a great help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T22:35:53.513" Title="Different transmissions for reciting various versions of a same mantra acc. to any of Vajrayana branches" Tags="|sutras|vajrayana|mantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13622" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-10T14:40:26.590" Score="2" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;While practicing the Mahasi Sayadaw style of meditation, noting the rise and fall of the abdomen as the body breathes, and noting other intruding experiences or phenomena, and essentially labeling that which is noted, at what point does one dispense with the conscious labeling in favor of simple non-conceptual bare awareness? Is the transition made by conscious effort or is it a non-volitional event that one simply recognizes and sits with? I think I may have some fundamental misunderstanding in this matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T07:13:26.087" Title="Bare awareness while meditating in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13622" CreationDate="2016-01-10T14:55:43.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, noting only ceases upon cessation(nibbana) itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is to say, the meditator does not stop noting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also invite you to meditation.sirimangalo.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo gives Dhammapada talks there on Tuesday nights, 9pm eastern time, Dhamma talks on Thursday, and does Q &amp;amp; A Saturday nights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also offers 1 on 1 meetings in an online meditation course format for more serious meditators, so this may be of interest to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2016-01-11T20:44:49.367" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T20:44:49.367" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13622" CreationDate="2016-01-10T15:51:27.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13623/7586&quot;&gt;As mr. Ryan sad&lt;/a&gt;, &quot;As far as I understand, noting only ceases upon cessation itself.&quot; (Sadhu!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs PaPa, not much in certain styles in this matter, but one should gain minimum/any of the Jhanas, so that it would make sense to let go &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...And here is how I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One:&#xA;  'When the monk is percipient of himself here, then from there to&#xA;  there, step by step, he touches the peak of perception. As he remains&#xA;  at the peak of perception, the thought occurs to him, &quot;Thinking is bad&#xA;  for me. Not thinking is better for me. If I were to think and will,&#xA;  this perception of mine would cease, and a grosser perception would&#xA;  appear. What if I were neither to think nor to will?&quot; So he neither&#xA;  thinks nor wills, and as he is neither thinking nor willing, that&#xA;  perception ceases and another, grosser perception does not appear. He&#xA;  touches cessation. This, Potthapada, is how there is the alert step-by&#xA;  step attainment of the ultimate cessation of perception.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's right, Potthapada.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But, lord, does the Blessed One describe one peak of perception or&#xA;  many peaks of perception?&quot;...(see further &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 9&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to see (and understand) that it (how it works everywhere at least) is actually not a different phenomena in the &quot;Mahasi Sayadaw&quot; method and also not in others which are in line with the Dhamma, in what way ever one accesses certain samma concentration:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...But as the latter is able to suppress the hindrances just as access&#xA;  concentration does,[23] and since it is the neighbourhood of the&#xA;  noble-path attainment concentration,[24] therefore that same momentary&#xA;  concentration is spoken of by the name of &quot;access&quot; (or&#xA;  &quot;neighbourhood&quot;) and also the meditation subjects that produce that&#xA;  momentary concentration are called &quot;meditation subjects leading to&#xA;  access concentration.&quot; Hence it should be understood that momentary&#xA;  concentration, having the capacity to suppress the hindrances, has&#xA;  also the right to the name &quot;access&quot; and &quot;purification of mind.&quot;&#xA;  Otherwise purification of mind could not come about in one who has&#xA;  made bare insight his vehicle by employing only insight, without&#xA;  having produced either access concentration or fully absorbed&#xA;  concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its merely just a &quot;dispute on the emperors beard&quot; (as a Austrian proverb expresses)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.36&lt;/a&gt; points out, one can attain cessation based on any of the&#xA;  levels of jhana. Thus, although the specific level from which&#xA;  cessation is attained might differ from person to person, its role in&#xA;  functioning as the basis for cessation is the same in every person's&#xA;  Awakening. (Note to &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than_en.html#fnt-6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN9&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T07:13:26.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13625" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13630" CreationDate="2016-01-10T16:31:57.570" Score="3" ViewCount="294" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I was thinking about detachment today and this thought occurred in my mind...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We like what we see,hear,touch,smell,taste &amp;amp; think. This liking turns into attachment over time and this is the attachment we talk about when we say &quot;Detachment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And we say that one who practice the path should part from these worldly temptations and he should try to realize and part from those binds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what are we truly attached to,i mean when we say attachment we commonly blame the things that we think are tasty,nice,comforting,satisfying and etc.&#xA;But when i thought of this i felt that we are not attached to the source of these attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way i see it we are attached to the attachment, let me simplify...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think we are not directly attached to the taste of chocolate, i feel&#xA;  we are actually attached to the attachment that we once made when we&#xA;  tasted it for the first time. I think we are keeping that in mind and&#xA;  when we see chocolate again the older attachment comes and we gladly&#xA;  accept chocolate because we want what we once felt, i think this is&#xA;  why we always compare our meals even though we do not have a clue what&#xA;  we are comparing it with. As the taste of chocolate makes us live that&#xA;  moment again we love chocolate, because it is the source of that&#xA;  feeling that we hold dear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After thinking this i felt that i should focus on what is the true source of attachment, &#xA;is it taste of chocolate or the fact i once loved the taste of chocolate? which one am i truly attached to, &#xA;is it a moment that i had which i want to live again and again or is it just plain taste?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T03:01:36.120" Title="Detachment : What are we really parting from?" Tags="|sutras|attachment|desire|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13625" CreationDate="2016-01-10T16:39:28.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when i thought of this i felt that we are not attached to the&#xA;source of these attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then simply detract you from that (all of what you think that you are not attached to), that is why a yogi takes on 8 precepts or 10 to be even aware or the raw defilement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Theravada would then, without the need of believing somebody, find out the answers to his question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its like&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Falling Out of a Tree&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...It's the same with dependent co-arising. &amp;quot;Ignorance is the&#xA;condition for fabrications. Fabrications are the condition for&#xA;consciousness. Consciousness is the condition for name and form.&amp;quot;&#xA;We've studied this and memorized it, and it's true, the way the Buddha&#xA;has divided things up like this for students to study. But when these&#xA;things actually arise, they're too fast for you to count.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like falling from the top of a tree — thump! — to the ground. We&#xA;don't know which branches we've passed. The moment the mind is struck&#xA;by a good object, if it's something it likes, it goes straight to&#xA;&amp;quot;good.&amp;quot; It doesn't know the connecting steps in between. They follow&#xA;in line with the texts, but they also go outside of the texts. They&#xA;don't say, &amp;quot;Right here is ignorance. Right here is fabrication. Right&#xA;here is consciousness. Right here is name and form.&amp;quot; They don't have&#xA;signs for you to read. It's like falling out of a tree. The Buddha&#xA;talks about the mental moments in full detail, but I use the&#xA;comparison with falling out of a tree. When you slip out of a tree —&#xA;thump! — you don't measure how many feet and inches you've fallen. All&#xA;you know is you've crashed to the ground and are already hurting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/insimpleterms_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In Simple Terms&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; 108 Dhamma Similes by Ajahn Chah)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T23:44:48.003" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13622" CreationDate="2016-01-10T17:15:44.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The noting shouldn't stop one from seeing things with bare awareness. One doesn't focus on the noting, one focuses on the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...at what point does one dispense with the conscious labeling...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one isn't  consciously aware of the noting then one will be unconsciously (un)aware of the noting. We note no matter what we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we need to listen, speak, read, write or study then it is more difficult to note consciously. Some don't note consciously in these situations but they do continue mindfulness of bare experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never heard of an end to noting(conscious or otherwise) made by conscious effort or made by a non-volitional event.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T17:15:44.683" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13628" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13643" CreationDate="2016-01-10T17:15:53.243" Score="7" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every book that I have read about Buddhism and medititation says that, as meditation cultivates concentration and awareness, one should never fall asleep while doing it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what about when I cannot sleep? Can't I meditate to help me sleep, or only &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; I go to bed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I mostly practice Vipassana meditation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7558" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T17:34:01.483" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T14:09:29.920" Title="Meditating as sleep aid" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation|meditation-concentration|sleep|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13625" CreationDate="2016-01-10T17:57:57.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reality is comprised of momentary experience, one after another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you sit in meditation, for instance, you may come to see :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thought of chocolate, arising and ceasing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;followed by a wanting of chocolate, arising and ceasing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;followed by a physical feeling, arising and ceasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, it is the physical feeling that arises and ceases, which is a symptom of the minds greed, its burning, wanting, and this is what we act on out of habit; that behavior which we have ingrained in our minds as being good:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We come to act on desire by following after it, and upon getting what we want, this burning of the mind subsides for some time, offering a release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so we come to think that it is good to get what we want, never truly coming to see what is actually happening at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this is why one must practice meditation; it is not enough to understand this intellectually. It is only by experiencing this happening over and over that we can come to bend the minds habit away from an unwholesome mode of behavior to one of unbinding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2016-01-11T01:30:21.910" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T01:30:21.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13625" CreationDate="2016-01-10T18:39:56.647" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment (and the other things you mention) are described among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example chocolate exists as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Name (&quot;chocolate&quot;) and Form (the form of chocolate)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensuality (sight, taste, touch, smell, idea)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contact (between our consciousness, our senses, and chocolate's form)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Memories&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're right if you're saying that the specific/single answer is difficult to discern. I think that's because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment isn't to a single thing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment doesn't have a single cause&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I say &quot;not a single thing&quot; I mean that chocolate exists as name, form, sensual contact, mindfulness (or the lack of it), sensual desire, memory and other fabrications; it's not a single thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I say &quot;doesn't have a single cause&quot; I mean that attachment depends on a lot of conditions: sensuality, desire, form, contact, and fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of &quot;single cause&quot; I think it's better to understand it as &quot;dependent co-arising&quot; ... e.g. &quot;attachment to chocolate arises with (sensuality, desire, memory, etc.)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be better to see the whole chain as a single system rather than as separate bits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question is a bit like asking, &quot;What is the 'chariot' exactly? Is it the wheels, the yoke, the thing it carries, or its destination?&quot; To understand it correctly, it's kind of all of these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps you can discern attachment as an active component within the whole: e.g. it's something which affects the 'way' in which people travel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if I look at some of the various definitions of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kleshas (defilements)&lt;/a&gt; then sometimes it's listed and sometimes it's not. If the list is detailed then it's a 'separate thing', if it's a shorter list then I think it's just included (presumably along with &lt;em&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;/craving) in the category of &lt;em&gt;Lobha&lt;/em&gt;/desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T18:45:05.500" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T18:45:05.500" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13628" CreationDate="2016-01-10T20:57:47.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know about worldly situations but if one has insomnia at a retreat then that just means more time for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've always gone to sleep right away when I was  practicing while laying down, although I have always taken that as a curse and not a blessing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more we are in an inclined position when meditating, the better the chance is that we fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that lots of the time when we think we need to sleep it's often just &quot;sloth &amp;amp; torper&quot; sneaking in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T21:07:43.923" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T21:07:43.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13614" CreationDate="2016-01-10T21:07:34.937" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that you are mixing the methods a little bit. While Women Huikai and Fen Yang belong to the Zen (Chan) branches, Chogyam Trungpa represents the Vajrayana (Kagyu) branch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, these two branches represent two different methods (to the best of my knowledge, only Kagyu as compared to Zen has the tantric practices and yogas of Naropa, but otherwise these two teachings are identical in their Buddhist nature).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore there are no, as far as I know, any dangers whatsoever in discussing Buddhism at online forums in Zen paradigm or as a part of intellectual discussion (but there a lot of things depending on motivation, of course).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for persons having tantric initiations, the dangers do exist, but they depend mostly on the vows taken by a certain person within a given lineage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T21:07:34.937" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13628" CreationDate="2016-01-10T21:26:26.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes Meditation can help you sleep...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a meditation called &amp;quot;Meththa&amp;quot; also known as the &amp;quot;Loving kindness Meditation&amp;quot;. This Meditation is very helpful to the daily life as well as the path. It can help you sleep better, But Let me provide the details....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The profits of doing &amp;quot;Meththa&amp;quot; (Loving kindness Meditation) as to Lord Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not seeing bad dreams&#xA;Calmly falling into sleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;calmly waking up&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Friendly attitude from other beings like Devas (gods),demons,spirits &amp;amp; animals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loosing enemies and gaining friendly's&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being born in higher realms after death (Deva realm,Brahma realm)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and many more....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's a link to learn more to learn more&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you have trouble sleeping this is your answer, Let me provide a Audio link so you could learn and practice. We all do it and it is very easy to learn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation - Click to open&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T22:18:17.987" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13625" CreationDate="2016-01-10T22:00:08.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to that what I've understood of the Pali-canon you can be attached to sensations caused by physical objects as well as to sensations caused by mental objects (the latter are possibly easier to understand as being constructs of the mind itself). In that I say here &quot;sensations&quot; - just take it as a placeholder for a wider area to what we might be actually attached to.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as the field &lt;em&gt;in which&lt;/em&gt; as well as &lt;em&gt;to which&lt;/em&gt; attachment can occur is very wide I think &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;the only authority who can know&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; what happened with you with the &quot;chocolate&quot;-example are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;you yourself&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; ; it's the analytical exercise (as general methods of meditation and analysis proposed by the Buddha) to find it out yourself whether with you it happend that you became attached to the chocolade, to the taste of the chocolade, to the feeling in your mouth or in your body, or whether to the contact with the word/entity &quot;chocolade&quot; (for instance as a reminder to nice and important experiences in childhood), even to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13517/is-attachment-to-the-word-meditation-a-problem&quot;&gt;the abstractum&lt;/a&gt; which might begin to dwell in your world of thoughts, imaginations and projections (in case you are an artist creating lyrics, pictures, movies... ;-) ) . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-01-10T22:06:18.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13614" CreationDate="2016-01-10T22:01:25.720" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both quotes you cite come from the Chan/Zen tradition. It is very typical for Chan to emphasize &quot;transmission beyond scripture&quot; and &quot;silent illumination&quot;. Not all of Buddhism is like that though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha for example spoke about Dharma for 40 years. Tibetan Buddhists wrote hundreds of volumes about Madhyamaka, Tantra and Lam Rim (Stages of the Path). Even Chan/Zen masters themselves left a massive library of texts - koan collections, sutras, treatises, commentaries, lecture drafts etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why talk about Dharma at all? As Buddha taught, the more we give our attention to something -- the more our mind gets tuned to that -- the more it becomes part of how we see the world -- the more it shapes our thoughts and actions. So the idea is, at least in theory, that the more we talk about Dharma, the more it penetrates our minds and actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, Buddha himself compared Dharma to a raft. It is useful as a vehicle for taking you to the other side - but once you are there you don't have to carry it with you. In fact, holding on to the raft could be an obstacle to one's Unbinding. In other words, obsession with Dharma could easily become Anti-Dharma. There are examples documented even in Pali Canon of people quarreling about particular Dharma point with Buddha having to step in and teach non-attachment to views. Second Anuruddha Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.4-Arahatta-Anuruddha-S-a03.128-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A 3.128&lt;/a&gt;) shows how thinking &lt;em&gt;about&lt;/em&gt; Dharma can go contrary to fulfilling Dharma in practice. The Theravada tradition warns about getting lost in quasi-dharmic intellectual proliferation, what they call &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;papanca&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is exactly the same point Chan masters emphasize. The period when Prajnaparamita and Chan developed was the time when people obsessed over the raft. The Abhi-dharma movement chewed the original suttas to the bone - and came up with what they thought was a neat distillation of Dharma - the matrikas (bulletpoint lists) of Four Truths, Three Poisons, Four Efforts, Five Skandhas, Sixteen Levels of Knowledge and so on and so forth. Several centuries after Buddha's Parinirvana, people started grasping onto the specifics and missing the forest behind the trees. Some schools seriously argued how many dharmas the world is made of, 76 or 89.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a reaction to this extreme, there emerged the Mahayana tradition - spearheaded by the Prajnaparamita movement - whose entire method is built on the contrast between the literal meaning of the teaching, with what it points to in the actual practice. At the same time, both at the peak of Chan's popularity and today, students keep on studying texts and Chan Masters keep on giving the Dharma lectures. Knowledge of Buddhist fundamentals, in their basic conceptual form, was and remains a prerequisite for receiving the more advanced instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Buddhists go as far as to say there are in fact &lt;em&gt;two&lt;/em&gt; Dharmas - Dharma of Transmission and Dharma of Realization. Transmission consists of memorizing and passing on the texts of the three baskets: Vinaya, Sutra and Abhidharma - or more broadly the conceptual aspect of Buddhism. Realization is the actual training in Discipline, Meditation, and Wisdom - as they apply to one's daily life. The two relate as getting the map and walking the path. While mere owning the map does not get you anywhere, without the map the next generation would simply have no idea which way to go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to see this, while Buddhism teaches &quot;liberation through wisdom&quot; (liberation from what? wisdom about what?) not everyone can jump straight from Avici Hell to Nirvana-with-no-remainder, not everyone even &lt;em&gt;wants&lt;/em&gt; to - so there is gotta be a way to motivate people who are not exactly on the right track. This is another reason Dharma of Transmission is necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is kinda how I myself see this site: while it can't replace a face-to-face apprenticeship with a live master, at least it can provide inspiration and positive motivation to people who have no idea what Buddhism is even about. If in addition to that it can clarify some confusion for more advanced students and point them in the right direction, I will feel verily gratified :)) One of my biggest pains growing up was overuse of upaya by teachers I learned from - mostly due to my own bad karma - so the vow I gave to myself is to share liberating realization and basic sanity openly to help new people avoid pain and confusion I went through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, to come back to your quote, &lt;code&gt;The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.&lt;/code&gt; - I believe this refers not as much to the horrible dangers of speaking (after all you can totally &quot;miss the mark&quot; while staying perfectly silent!) - as to the fundamental confusion between reality and its models. Our mind keeps on building these models trying to understand reality based on our past experience - but as we project the model back onto reality we see the pant monsters we ourselves created - not the actual reality! Attachment, aversion, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reification_(fallacy)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;reification&lt;/a&gt; of such mind-made phantoms - and the mental/verbal/physical action based on these three - is the fuel that feeds the fire of Samsara. Liberation from suffering caused by such phantoms, through understanding the nature of mind, is the main point of everything I am talking about here, and when it comes to this basic point,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough. When you have realized [this] understanding, even one word is too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not like understanding this point makes you instantaneously Enlightened - there is still a lifetime of practice, overcoming one's reification/attachment habits - but at least knowing this you can relax about the whole thing and not feel like a donkey chasing the carrot of Nirvana while secretly hating this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course if all we do is talk about Buddhism in the way of entertainment while holding on to our models in the daily life - we would be totally missing the mark.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T00:39:20.667" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13636" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13640" CreationDate="2016-01-10T22:14:32.103" Score="1" ViewCount="756" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live in Sri Lanka and many good Buddhist ceremonies take place all year long. And more often than not in almost all of these major functions something extraordinary happens that leave the whole country speechless. These events take place not once or twice but annually as these big functions happen every year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of these events happen in broad daylight and no one has been able to explain how they occur and that includes all the well renowned Professors and other science related organizations and universities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These events have broken the once accepted idea that they are some kind of weather or other anomaly as they have happened annually in perfectly equal circumstances that includes a major Buddhist event,a whopping number of pilgrims,a very pleasant environment &amp;amp; etc.The Somawathi Stupa is a fine example....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best part is none of these events took place when this place is vacant, all of this happened when it was full of Buddhists and everyone there (at least few thousand people every time) witness the events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one event on video in broad daylight...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLdqwItKHC8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rays of lights on Somawathi Stupa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Images of the event taken in few different days and angles...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dz17I.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dz17I.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Images of the event&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A 3D Hologram like image of Lord Buddha appeared in front of this stupa recently...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fQaXl.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fQaXl.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;3D Hologram&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this description on the banner this is supposedly a image of a group of Devas visiting the Stupa...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QNEBg.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QNEBg.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As there has been no proper explanation to these events what so ever people have came to the conclusion that this is the power of Lord Buddha, There is another idea. Some think it's the Devas trying to encourage the people to do good more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any explanation that you can find?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Has such events happened in recent history in any other Buddhist countries,monasteries or events?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-01-10T22:32:36.317" LastActivityDate="2018-11-27T15:03:31.577" Title="Miracles from Lord Buddha vs messages from Gods?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhist-miracles|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13637" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-10T22:54:25.770" Score="3" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of any site on the internet (or elsewhere) that studies profoundly and carefully, the works of Dharma teachers? Like Mahasi Sayadaw,or Ajahn Chah, or any Dharma  teacher for that matter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, Mahasi Sayadaw's book, &quot;The Progress of Insight&quot; can be hard to comprehend, so what if a teacher got together with a group of students to study such a book of teachings in depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps something like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each pertinent sentence might be studied one by one, the translation of each sentence might be scrutinized, the scriptural origins would be analyzed and each sentence might be made better understood with real examples of what is meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure that sites such as these are out there but I for one have found that they can be hard to find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I put &lt;strong&gt;&quot;today's Dharma Teachers&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; in the question here not because I wanted to exclude answers about  in depth studied of older teachings. I would like to know of these in depth kind of study groups no matter how old the teacher or teachings are. I suppose I thought that if I didn't put &lt;strong&gt;&quot;today's Dharma Teachers&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; that the answers would consist of the more common study of older teachings &amp;amp; teachers and the newer teachings &amp;amp; teachers might be overlooked. -Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-12T18:40:56.210" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T18:40:56.210" Title="In Depth Study of today's Dharma Teachers teachings" Tags="|modern-world|teaching|teachers|study|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13614" CreationDate="2016-01-11T00:08:57.670" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fine that bbozo embryo got at least birth :-) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#devas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;An Invitation to the Devas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitely, if the intention is Dhamma and practice for Nibbana. (see below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Talking about Dhamma is all about straighten right view and right view is the prerequsite for any pratice which is merely useless if there is no right view. One also learns about the other factors and therefore listening to the Dhamma is a high merit not to speak about teaching the Dhamma and all services and possibilities around it. There have been many people, countless people, who have gained all kinds of pathfruits, &quot;simply&quot; by listening the Dhamma or by disussing the Dhamma together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually nearly ALL 10 kinds of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meritorious deeds&lt;/a&gt; can be done here (aside of material dana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some years ago Atma wrote a little about &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1185.msg4759.html#msg4759&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Googlyana - a Dharma practice approach on internet-realm&lt;/a&gt; which, including the understanding of the 10 meritous deeds can be easy adopted everywhere on web.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its even no problem to practice mindfulness on the frame of reference and there are really best possibilities for every kind of wholesome deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one takes for example the only or main task of a monk/nun, if not being in noble silence (2. Jhana) that it is to discuss the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there also having been a dispute of which is the proper time to approach the teacher and after arguing a lot the Buddha told that every time when greed, hatred of delusion arises, no matter what time, it is proper to approch the teacher (that also says to help the questioner at every time).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for those who are caring on such places or answer questions in accordance with the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two kinds of gifts: a gift of material things &amp;amp; a gift of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: a gift of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two kinds of sharing: sharing of material things &amp;amp; sharing of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: sharing of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two kinds of assistance: assistance with material things &amp;amp; assistance with the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: help with the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two kinds of mass-donations: a mass-donation of material things &amp;amp; a mass-donation of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: a mass-donation of the Dhamma.&quot;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than_en.html#iti-100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti §100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Atma aslo has to remark that he is not happy about the environment here, since it is not freely given and for commercial purpose. When ever one spends time and effort on Dhamma one should not misuse things which are not given for that or with strings. Its like teaching Dhamma in meditation centres which charge for certain services.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most social or content pages do not serve such proper but have commercial purposes. Also take care to do not misuse third part energy and means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one does good to seek for a place which is actually given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in regard of using for example ones boss time and money or what ever to spend on Dhamma is not good. So it should be your good earned free time and your given means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Individual it depends on ones motivation, so if Mr. bbozo would add it, it would be easier to tell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always thinking on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/index_en.html#karmaquestions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kamma of questions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the author writes in the Introduction: &quot;There's no such thing as a totally idle question. Every question, even the most casual, carries an intention.&quot; Since one's intentions shape the course of one's entire spiritual journey, learning to ask the right kinds of questions plays an essential role in any spiritual practice. This collection of essays explores the nature of questions in the Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the introduction and its notion &quot;To say the word is to miss the mark, said a monk, one would assume same is implied in writing it?&quot;, aside of certain motivation, two Suttas may help out: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.095.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chavalata Sutta: The Firebrand&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sikkha Sutta: Trainings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who practices for his own benefit but not for that of others. The one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his own. The one who practices neither for his own benefit nor for that of others. The one who practices for his own benefit and for that of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the dangers of discussing Dharma on an online forum?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of cause teaching others for example of know much, can be a huge trap of conceit and pride. But even if one is trapped in such, he would not easy abound it, if not next to others who give hints about it and cross-question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those seeking for heartwood and missing it very good displayed here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He is intoxicated with that gain, offerings, &amp;amp; fame, heedless about it, and falls into heedlessness. Being heedless, he dwells in suffering &amp;amp; stress. This, monks, is called a monk who grasps the twigs &amp;amp; leaves of the holy life, and with that he falls short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&quot;Just as if a man in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering&#xA;  in search of heartwood — passing over the heartwood of a great&#xA;  standing tree possessed of heartwood, passing over the sapwood,&#xA;  passing over the inner bark, passing over the outer bark — cutting&#xA;  away the twigs &amp;amp; leaves, were to go off carrying them, thinking,&#xA;  'heartwood.' A man with good eyesight, seeing him, would say, 'Ah, how&#xA;  this good man didn't know heartwood, didn't know sapwood, didn't know&#xA;  inner bark, didn't know outer bark, didn't know twigs &amp;amp; leaves! That's&#xA;  why he, in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search&#xA;  of heartwood — passing over the heartwood of a great standing tree&#xA;  possessed of heartwood, passing over the sapwood, passing over the&#xA;  inner bark, passing over the outer bark — cutting away the twigs &amp;amp;&#xA;  leaves, went off carrying them, thinking, &quot;heartwood.&quot; Whatever&#xA;  heartwood-business he had with heartwood, his purpose won't be&#xA;  served.'...&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.029.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN29&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for now, try to get a punch of reputations and if you come to a peak, that be remembered to let go, there where you start to get comfortable with your gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To speak, I don't do that, I don't participate in that, that is pride, for the most cases, its not different but often the quote of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Fox and the Grapes&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. So more often, those who claim to do not participate (know already enough at the same time) as often more trapped it that so called &quot;Spiritual Materialism&quot;, jet even clearly to greed to give a share of their possession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong grasping or for wrong purpose:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, there is the case where some worthless men study the Dhamma:&#xA;  dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses,&#xA;  spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events,&#xA;  question &amp;amp; answer sessions [the earliest classifications of the&#xA;  Buddha's teachings]. Having studied the Dhamma, they don't ascertain&#xA;  the meaning (or: the purpose) of those Dhammas with their&#xA;  discernment. Not having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with&#xA;  their discernment, they don't come to an agreement through pondering.&#xA;  They study the Dhamma both for attacking others and for defending&#xA;  themselves in debate. They don't reach the goal for which [people]&#xA;  study the Dhamma. Their wrong grasp of those Dhammas will lead to&#xA;  their long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering. Why is that? Because of the&#xA;  wrong-graspedness of the Dhammas. ...&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are still the dangerous of bhava-tanha (craving for becoming and to be) and since intellectual contact is also a kind of sensuality one can be pretty addicted to this sensual pleasure by building concepts and thought and then enjoy and dwell in it. This ways are pattered by lose and gain and even if caught one would have a chance to become aware of it, like the monk in the story having come in contact with rebukes of his fellows and his teacher. Something, if one turns away of being confronted in discussions, or discusses just with like-minded people with similar wrong views, would not be possible be corrected. So the more critic you are possible able to get, the more you have chance to correct your views. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;looking for&quot;, its pretty good to know and understand the mechanic of Dhamma: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bettertogive_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Better to Give (dhamma) than to Consume (dhamma)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; one is not able, not capable to gain Dhamma, if still having a consumers attitude an is not willing to give at first place and in advanced (not even with the desire to gain something in return). A famous Zen-teacher defined people who are spending times in Dhamma-centers but are not capable to understand the Dhamma as hungry ghosts. Of course, becoming a hungry Dhamma-Ghost has its reason. Those are the people who hardly would give but seek and load down where ever they can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when ever you spend some times, its good to take on a task and if you run a place give people a task (in Dhamma) so that they would keep things balanced or even to service and other things as their primary focus. So different of marketing places its good if you see such honest approach right at the door and beware of people telling you that it is &quot;free&quot;. Even the Dhamma is actually not free but will either call for you (to put it into action) or never graspable but causing one much dept at least, if just for entertaining and livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So ways to be on the good side here would be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pay respect where it is proper (Apaciti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;using the possibilities to show appreciation and gratitude, either by words or by voting (Abbhanumodana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Helping to clean of typos and obliviously faults (Veyyāvaca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Add of what is missing (Veyyāvaca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take on tasks other would be not able to do (Veyyāvaca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeding such things as tag-infos (Veyyāvaca, Desana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Share of what you are able to share (Dāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give your work a dedications and share your merits, invite others (Pattānuppadāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stay mindful on your body, feeling, mind and Dhammas (Bhāvana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep precepts while you share and &quot;take&quot; (Sīla)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This done, there will come &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listening to the Dhamma (Savana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Correcting one’s View (Diṭṭhijju-kamma)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But once again in regard of BuddhismSE. Atma has doubts that it is at least most beneficial, since all service you give, you give actually (mental cold be different but would cheat the Inc. you made a contract with) and then, after that, the ones give his share (for his what ever purpose). So it has its limits to make service to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha in line with Dhamma and Vinaya. Different would it be, if there are no commercial or worldly interests and a place is actually really given for its real purpose. People who dedicate such places and make scarifies are less, because they prefer to gain and to have it easy. One would not be happy afterward, having put much effort into giving just to see it flow down on the rivers of the world and Samsara, having been just food to nourish death and size up the mountains of corps. So also here, even certain path elements can be seen, are lacking of the prerequisites which are against the grain and subject of real generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not throw the Dhamma as it it would be a entertainment and trading good and be aware and grateful of what you maintain your livelihood (certain joy to be willing and able to live on, that includes mental food)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma is not really able to stay here long out of that reason, since one needs to overstep virtue in regard of the Dhamma and Vinaya or cause the owner here to get his demand of his wished contract not repaid. Even if invited and welcome by its user does not means that certain approaches are welcome with whom one has a contract and its sad that users do actually don't have such with each other exclusively which give others also the feeling being to dependent on them. But you will, if you see that problem, find ways although the chance is less that runners of such places would scarify just for this &quot;Dhamma-Vinaya&quot; possibilities to gain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html#seven&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Seven Noble Riches&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Concerning saddhā or faith, the person who has it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(a) likes to meet virtuous ones,&#xA;(b) wishes to hear the true dhamma (saddhamma), and&#xA;(c) lives at home with stinginess removed from his mind.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Endowed with these three qualities he indeed is called ‘one who has&#xA;  faith’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one should be strongly be aware of, is not to develop a notion of being ones home or ones own, when dwelling on a Dhamma place and get attached to his/here monastery, group...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for those who think that they can do without Dana, Service, an so on, and even think that they are beyond that child stuff, Atma tells you that they dwell in anything but not on the path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Without abandoning these five qualities&lt;/strong&gt;, one is incapable of entering &amp;amp; remaining in the first jhana. Which five? Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings], stinginess as to one's family [of supporters], stinginess as to one's gains, stinginess as to one's status, and stinginess as to the Dhamma. Without abandoning these five qualities, &lt;strong&gt;one is incapable of entering &amp;amp; remaining (even) in the first jhana.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;    &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.254.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Macchariya Suttas: Stinginess&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May all beings  —  without limit, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;without end  —    have a share in the&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;merit just now made,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and in whatever other merit I have made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#merit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dedication of Merit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-11T02:34:53.190" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T02:34:53.190" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13637" CreationDate="2016-01-11T00:53:57.253" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many people who are attached to Mahasi Sayadaw on &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammawheel&lt;/a&gt; and Bhikkhu Pesala (&lt;a href=&quot;http://aimwell.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://aimwell.org/&lt;/a&gt; or on DW) is for sure on person (since he translated much) who can help out in the sphere of his understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also can try to get in contact with Upasaka Florian. He runs a &lt;a href=&quot;http://tsurezuregusa.de/tag/mahasi-sayadaw/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;blog&lt;/a&gt; and pages on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/fscheidemantel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;facebook&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://plus.google.com/+FlorianScheidemantel/posts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;g+&lt;/a&gt; concerning much about Mahasi Sayadaw and communities around it and he had studied much. He would for sure also know other places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Ajahn Chah, Atma is sure, that it would really not make sense to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Each pertinent scentence might be studied one by one, the translation of each scentence might be scrutinized, the scriptural origins would be analyzed and each scentence might be made better understood with real examples of what is meant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would, in the case of Ajahn Chah, need to meet an Ajahn Chah and most would and do not like it to be confronted by him, even get mad. And you even would need to start with sweeping and other services.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma would also say, if not even understand an interpreter, is better to do it among the original source and get then an understanding of what the particular teaches tells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having read some of his books a little Atma thinks that there are less who would understand many things, if not good leaned in the scripts or have certain experiences by one self. The teachings also carry much danger of developing certain views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem of not understanding the path or not coming on to it, is most seldom the teaching or the explaining, but simply the not willingness to start seriously with the home work. Dana, Sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Making Tables &amp;amp; Chairs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's good to make the mind pure and at peace, but it's hard. You have&#xA;  to start with the externals — your bodily actions and words — and work&#xA;  your way in. The path that leads to purity, to being a contemplative,&#xA;  is a path that can wash away greed, anger, and delusion. You have to&#xA;  exercise restraint and self-control, which is why it's hard — but so&#xA;  what if it's hard?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's like taking wood to make a table or make a chair. It's hard, but&#xA;  so what if it's hard? The wood has to go through that process. Before&#xA;  it can become a table or a chair, we have to go through the coarse and&#xA;  heavy stages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's the same with us. We have to become skillful where we aren't yet&#xA;  skillful, admirable where we aren't yet admirable, competent where we&#xA;  aren't yet competent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maggots&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we give rise to right view in our hearts, we can be at ease&#xA;  wherever we are. It's because we still have wrong views, still hold&#xA;  onto ideas that are poisonous, that we're not at ease. Holding on in&#xA;  this way is like being a maggot. Where it lives is filthy; its food is&#xA;  filthy. Its food isn't fit to be food — but it seems fitting to the&#xA;  maggot. Try taking a stick and flicking it out of the excrement where&#xA;  it's feeding, and see what happens. It'll wiggle and wriggle, eager to&#xA;  get back to the pile of excrement where it was before. Only then does&#xA;  it feel right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's the same with you monks and novices. You still have wrong views.&#xA;  Teachers come and advise you on how to have right view, but it doesn't&#xA;  feel right to you. You keep running back to your pile of excrement.&#xA;  Right view doesn't feel right because you're used to your old pile of&#xA;  excrement. As long as the maggot doesn't see the filth in where it's&#xA;  living, it can't escape. It's the same with us. As long as we don't&#xA;  see the drawbacks of those things, we can't escape from them. They&#xA;  make it difficult to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/insimpleterms_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;108 Dhamma Similes&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma likes to add, that if you, a group, friends... would seek for an environment to do such, lessons, teaching, what ever, please feel free and invited to use the environment of this &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;online monastery&lt;/a&gt; and don't hesitate to ask for help or what ever in this regard. Your are free to perform it if you like to put an effort into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-11T12:33:07.037" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T12:33:07.037" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13636" CreationDate="2016-01-11T01:07:41.770" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of business with it, especially in Asian countries and people love to share each other such stuff on facebook. Yes 1000 of such events :-) They would just not see if an Arahat would cross their ways, or not even look deeply in the Miracle of Dhamma by practicing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attached to form, sound, smell, taste, bodily sensations not to speak of intellect, its had to see. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you meet Devas, that you do not need to seek for such on Facebook. Some inspirations: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/lee/knowledge_en.html#shades&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called manomayiddhi. When the mind is firmly established, you&#xA;  can go see these things. Or you can go to the land of the nagas, the&#xA;  different lands on the human level — sometimes, when you get tired of&#xA;  human beings, you can go visit the heavens: the heaven of the Four&#xA;  Great Kings, the heaven of the Guardians of the Hours, the&#xA;  Thirty-three gods, all the way up there to the Brahma worlds. The mind&#xA;  can go without any problem. This is called manomayiddhi. It's a lot of&#xA;  fun. Your defilements are gone, your work is done, you've got enough&#xA;  rice to eat and money to spend, so you can go traveling to see the&#xA;  sights and soak up the breezes. That's manomayiddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T01:07:41.770" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13625" CreationDate="2016-01-11T03:01:36.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think we are not directly attached to the taste of chocolate, i feel we are actually attached to the attachment that we once made when we tasted it for the first time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are half right. There is an in-built evolutionary requirement to get carbohydrates (without them we'd get low blood sugar and go into a coma or starve to death). Therefore we feel great when we find carbs... the higher the glycemic index the better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other part you are right about. We associate chocolate with many things. Easter. Childhood. Christmas. Birthdays. Then there's the advertising you've unconsciously had programmed into you which has further associations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that you / we are attached to both of these mechanisms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7596" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T03:01:36.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13637" CreationDate="2016-01-11T08:20:33.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The website link above has breakdowns of works by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Je_Tsongkhapa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Je Tsongkhapa&lt;/a&gt;, -- (Specifically his work on Lam Rim)&#xA;-- Nāgārjuna, Shantideva, and various lojung texts with their respective analysis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The audio classes are MP3 streams, and the teachers tend to do a sentence by sentence breakdown of the works being discussed. &#xA;They come with PDFs of student notes, lectures and outlines, and readings in both English and the original Tibetan. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some sutras are also available in both languages, and the website is entirely free of any charges. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T08:20:33.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13628" CreationDate="2016-01-11T11:12:18.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my experience/opinion, it's unreferenced and it may be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a form of meditation called awareness of the body or awareness of the breath. Maybe that form (or something like it) can be useful when you're trying to rest (or sleep).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Awareness of the breath' means that you try to keep awareness of your breathing (e.g. the feeling of air flowing through the nose). It's described as being, like a hunter who waits for an animal next to its lair. The hunter knows that although the animal may be out, it will come back to the lair sooner or later. Similarly though the mind may be away, thinking about something else, it returns to the body sometimes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I'm awake in bed I'll try to be aware of various things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is &lt;em&gt;breathing&lt;/em&gt;. If I'm not aware of breathing then maybe my thoughts (of whatever other things I'm thinking about) are keeping me awake. And part of the point of sleeping (IMO) is to have some nice relaxed breathing. Closing your eyes doesn't always cause sleep, but they ('sleep', and 'eyes closed') &quot;co-arise&quot; ... similarly, developing (enabling or participating in) some relaxed breathing (is it called 'oceanic' breathing?) may be a good condition for eventual sleep (and, even before sleep, it is a good condition for the body's resting and cleaning itself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another, is awareness of &lt;em&gt;feeling in the body&lt;/em&gt;. For example I exercise my legs during the day, and blood circulation reroutes to go to feed those muscles e.g. in the calf. Meanwhile my feet get cold. In bed I feel (and promote the feeling of) places inside my calf muscle relaxing or unknotting, so that blood is freed to circulate through to elsewhere e.g. the feet, toes, skin. I think this kind of thing (i.e. changes in 'circulation') is a reason why (a mechanism via which) sleep is restful or restorative to the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I figure that if I'm in bed because I want to rest the body, then even if I'm not asleep (or before I'm asleep) I can consciously begin to rest the body. Knowing that the body is resting helps to reason with the mind: &quot;Oh no, I'm not asleep! What a disaster, I'd better do something about it!&quot; -- &quot;Yeah don't worry about. You're relaxing the body already, the body is getting what it needs. Breathe again.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing I find is that thoughts &lt;em&gt;change&lt;/em&gt; as I go to sleep: I begin to dream. Dreaming takes the form of unexpected images ('unexpected' meaning 'inappropriate', unrelated to current events). For example (last night) I imagined a wolf's face. And then a spaceship (in outer space). Then the next thought was that this was going to be a story, of a wolf on a spaceship. The next thought was of a whale, shaped like a submarine, underwater. I'm not sure what to tell you about that: I think this kind of ideation/imagery is incompatible with conscious thinking, but it's a stage I seem to go through between conscious (waking) and unconscious (sleep). It's more spontaneous (randomly-generated), imaginative, and obviously a fantasy, than worrying-about-day-to-day thinking. So though I try to 'wake up' enough to discourage the 'worrying' type of thought (and return from there to consciousness of the body), but the 'dreaming' type of thought I just note (&quot;this is the beginning of a dream/sleep&quot;), my body is already deliberately resting, and maybe I'm asleep soon after that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly (and most dubiously) if you suffer from 'racing thoughts' (e.g. sometimes someone might say, &quot;I couldn't get to sleep, I was up all night thinking!&quot;) there may be other techniques or 'objects' to occupy or on which to focus the mind, to stabilize emotions: a koan, a mantra, taking refuge in the Buddha, metta (mentioned in another answer), lack of remorse, visualizing oneself as if from the outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-11T12:55:46.927" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T12:55:46.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13628" CreationDate="2016-01-11T14:09:29.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definitely it can help you sleep. Since you are talking about sleep here, I thought I would just mention the possibilities for meditation in your sleep - not only for your sleep. You can also practice Vipassana and other kinds of meditation in your sleep. If you try this out you will have 24 hours of presence. I did not have much faith in lucid dreaming until i tried it. I only trained for two weeks before I had my first lucid dream. I would recommend B Alan Wallace's book about this.  The book is called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/150122154X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dreaming Yourself Awake: Lucid Dreaming and Tibetan Dream Yoga for Insight and Transformation&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and it has been a nice expansion in my practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sleep well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T14:09:29.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13614" CreationDate="2016-01-11T14:59:58.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try to answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1936/254&quot;&gt;this version&lt;/a&gt; of the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it a good idea to spend time on this website?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are people who have tried it and no longer do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not worthwhile&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Was worthwhile but their mission was accomplished&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would be worthwhile except there are other things to do in their life and only finite time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To say the word is to miss the mark, said a monk, one would assume same is implied in writing it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose so except that writing might be a bit more thoughtful; and, when we're tele-remote from each other (unlike being together in person), an exchange of words is our only medium of communication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;this one from Wumen Huikai&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wumen_Huikai&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, it was Zen master Yuelin Shiguan (月林師觀; Japanese: Gatsurin Shikan) (1143–1217) who gave Wumen the koan &quot;Zhaozhou’s dog&quot;, with which Wu-men struggled for six years before he finally attained realization. After his understanding had been confirmed by Yuelin, Wumen wrote his enlightenment poem&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So (given &quot;Zhaozhou’s dog&quot;) it might be called unsurprising that he'd say something like, &quot;The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark&quot;, because note &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ibiblio.org/zen/gateless-gate/1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt; to this koan,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Has a dog Buddha-nature?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is the most serious question of all.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If you say yes or no,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You lose your own Buddha-nature.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough. When you have realized understanding, even one word is too much.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well I suppose these are two extremes, if you know what I mean, conversely a doctrine of the middle way might suggest that if you're a bit deluded and/or have a bit of doubt, then a bit of scripture might be part of what's helpful for finding a way towards understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was persuaded to teach for the sake of those who had &quot;little dust in their eyes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A statement like &quot;burn your Dharma books&quot; is all very well, but maybe only if that is already internal?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My version (&quot;If you're a bit deluded and/or etc.&quot;) is really wordy, though, and I'd guess not idiomatic in Chinese. It might not even be necessary, either: my current Tai Chi teacher claims that the Chinese don't see things in black and white, but only as shades of grey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't found the original Chinese version of that phrase you quoted, but I wonder (a complete guess on my part) if it might be something like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Great Doubt | Thousand Books | Not Enough&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kenshō | One Word | Too Many&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand that better (albeit understand it in a mundane way) it might help to know some context: that &quot;Great Doubt&quot; (as well as &quot;Faith&quot;) is (I think) an ingredient in Zen doctrine/practice; that though other people might have written a thousand books of commentary but students are expected to demonstrably understand (and not parrot a book).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From this, and other sources, one might conclude that spending time on an online forum looking for, or giving wisdom, is one possible path to illusion for the subtle &quot;enlightened&quot; ego&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be what some people call &quot;spiritual materialism&quot; (I haven't read about that in detail, but I guess that it might mean trying to accumulate spirituality like others try to accumulate material wealth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not sure that people can &quot;give wisdom&quot;, exactly, but they might try to behave themselves wisely and to share information, references, understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand, here I am writing enlightening things on an online forum but yet I feel it is worthwhile&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for trying. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So given this problem -- this context and these concerns -- my question is: Is it a good idea to spend time on this website? How could it be worthwhile, if &quot;speaking about a thing misses the mark&quot; and &quot;even one word is too much&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well if I read Dharma I haven't always understood all of it. Or something might sound plausible in a superficial kind of way but I'm not sure I understand what's said, in depth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that happens then I like this site because I could ask questions which are personalized towards my own particular doubts and misunderstandings, and people try to understand the question and address their answers accordingly: for example I can ask, &quot;What does '&lt;em&gt;this word&lt;/em&gt;' mean? It's used '&lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt;' and this dictionary describes it as '&lt;em&gt;such and such&lt;/em&gt;', but how you you understand that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is I suppose my first introduction to Buddhism was someone's biography of the Buddha: including, you know, the sights before he left home, the struggle for enlightenment, the first sermon (at Benares), and so on. My next exposure to Buddhism were more or less &lt;em&gt;Three Pillars of Zen&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Zen Flesh, Zen Bones&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a big gap, between those two: &lt;em&gt;all the suttas&lt;/em&gt;, for example!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect (I believe although I don't know) that many Zen monks and/or their patriarchs said that kind of (&quot;not a word!&quot;) thing as well as (and/or, maybe, 'after', not 'instead of') learning Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's quite Tao-inspired too: &quot;The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao&quot;; and maybe ideals like &lt;em&gt;Wu wei&lt;/em&gt;. I thought I recognized the provenance of your quotes even if not the quotes themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, another thing to note is that there's a big gap &lt;em&gt;after&lt;/em&gt; that traditional Zen. There's also (a slightly separate development) Tibetan/Northern Buddhism; and, lately, Buddhism in the West.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One reason why this site can be worthwhile is that (perhaps unlike in 'real life') you'll get input from people from several schools (or no particular school). There's often input from a Theravada perspective and sometimes also input from other perspectives too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2016-01-11T17:13:09.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13647" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-11T17:27:51.460" Score="5" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;I got confused while googling about which is the most popular (widely distributed, published continuously in a large number) journal on Buddhism (or Buddhist journal). It is very obvious for the publishers to advertise their products  but I want to have an actual information so that I can get authentic knowledge as well as send my articles to them. I know that there are a number of Buddhist journals published from throughout the world but my primary concern is with academic publication. I will be grateful for every information. I have not been talking about any particular branch of Buddhism e.g. Theravada, Mahayana etc. but I want to know which is the most recognised journal as a whole; I mean an academic journal that includes all of them. I want to know in detail.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7598" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T02:10:44.210" Title="Which is the most read journal on Buddhism?" Tags="|reference-request|media|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13647" CreationDate="2016-01-12T01:34:01.837" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Journal of Buddhist Ethics&lt;/a&gt; might be one, but Atma would not call it &quot;Buddha Dhamma&quot; journal; yet it is another Buddhism nourishing place with interest to put the Dhamma into the ways of thinking of people in the world, rather that otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are for sure in line with your thoughts and intentions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more or lesser traditional place it might be useful to get in contact with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.bps.lk/&lt;/a&gt; which is for sure the most known one and inventor of certain &quot;Trade on Dhamma&quot;, made it presentable even for monastics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Dhamma in line of Dhamma, Atma is not aware of any journal. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inquiringmind.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.inquiringmind.com/&lt;/a&gt; might have tried such ways, but finished its task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For sure not a final answer but maybe it give some thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well known university journals are maybe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jocbs.org/index.php/jocbs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;German and British Scholars are historical in a strong battle in regard of Buddhist topics on &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/papanca_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Papañca&lt;/a&gt; and translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-12T02:10:44.210" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T02:10:44.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12260" CreationDate="2016-01-12T03:18:55.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Listen to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjPBP1rtjkI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;these&lt;/a&gt;, you will find your correct answer; no intermediate, new life begins right after, right after; it's call Gandabba &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T15:48:54.930" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T15:48:54.930" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13653" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-12T04:18:26.940" Score="2" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the meaning of the word &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; or (pali) &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; when it is referred to in topics around Dhamma and Vinaya or Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T09:14:07.723" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T23:36:15.223" Title="What is the meaning of *suffering*?" Tags="|terminology|suffering|dukkha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-12T05:17:27.627" Score="2" ViewCount="498" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevatta Sutta (DN 11)&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha seems to categorize &quot;Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one&quot; as a psychic power, which is later seems to denounce &quot;..I feel horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of psychic power.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, later in the sutta the Buddha classifies the same psychic powers (appearing as many) as miracles of instruction which are praised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone please help me understand this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T13:09:40.313" Title="Psychic Powers and the Kevatta Sutta (DN 11)" Tags="|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13655" CreationDate="2016-01-12T06:20:17.030" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Vinaya forbids such (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch10_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMC1, 10&lt;/a&gt;), some Teachers praise such, as for example Ajahn Lee in his teachings on &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/lee/knowledge_en.html#shades&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowledge&lt;/a&gt; (as use, not explicit showing directly!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So. Now that we've cleared away these splinters and thorns so that everything is level and smooth, we can relax. And now we're ready for the knowledge that we can use as a weapon. What's the knowledge we use as a weapon? Iddhividhi. We can display powers in one way or another, and give rise to miraculous things by way of the body, by way of speech, or by way of the mind. We have powers that we can use in doing the work of the religion. That's called iddhividhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bhante Thanissaro, in his discussions about this matters (for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Brahma Invitation&lt;/a&gt;) states reasonable, that althought the Buddha used such, he could not really trust others to use it in the right situation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, there are other instances in the Canon — most notably in&#xA;  the story of the Kassapa brothers (Mv.I.15-22) and that of Angulimala&#xA;  (MN 86) — where the Buddha was able to display his powers to good&#xA;  effect. Still, because he could not trust even his arahant disciples&#xA;  to possess his same sense of when such powers would work and when they&#xA;  would backfire, he forbade his disciples from displaying psychic&#xA;  powers to lay people. (See Cv.V.8; Buddhist Monastic Code, vol. 2,&#xA;  chapter 10.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might give also certain answers to the questions in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13538/arhat-culapanthakas-display-of-psychic-powers-to-a-layman-dp-verse-25&quot;&gt;Arhat Culapanthaka's display of psychic powers to a layman (DP Verse 25)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, Atma would say its how ever not good if it (performance) could be traced back to a certain person (Monk), because it's not the best to make people properly more attached to an individual person that to the Buddha in such a way and the danger of misuse, corruption ... even fear of people is/would be endless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the path and real attainments, is simply a side effect, but actually of no use and not needed to be seen as a skill worthy to cling on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning of the Vinaya (Mahavagga) there is a long &quot;battle&quot; of miracles to get a leader of a sect confidence, who what ever miracle was performed by the Buddha still said &quot;...great..., but my virtue is higher...&quot; (normally something what the Buddha keeps as more of value) till an event where he did no more look from above but compared it and lend the Buddha an ear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A small collections of suttas in regard of this topic see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/index-subject_en.html#supranormal&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Supranormal powers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But once again, maybe Mr. Kaveenga Wijayasekara likes to tell more about the intention of why he likes to know it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Sutta where a certain Brahman was also very attached this matter. Let's see, maybe Atma will find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, brahman, of these three miracles, which one appeals to you as the highest &amp;amp; most sublime?&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.060.than_en.html#psychic&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.60&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T06:49:49.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13658" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-12T11:48:11.093" Score="3" ViewCount="409" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is Dhamma for lay person? How to know Dhamma in the way it was meant to be ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Dhamma same for all sentient , remain same over the period of time or does Dhamma undergoes change ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there different versions of Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="5016" LastEditDate="2016-01-12T12:38:26.790" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T16:39:20.200" Title="Meaning of Dhamma for lay" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13658" CreationDate="2016-01-12T12:09:10.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma is universal and timeless hence does not undergo any changes, through people's understanding of the same may change due to experiences, views, perceptions, etc. General understanding like a person's understanding does undergo changes. The true understanding of the Dhamma happens at the experiential level, i.e., through meditations in which case this is in line with true reality which is universal and timeless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T12:09:10.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13658" CreationDate="2016-01-12T12:09:35.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conventional: &lt;em&gt;Upasaka&lt;/em&gt; (male layperson), &lt;em&gt;Upasika&lt;/em&gt; (female layperson) lit. &quot;attendant&quot;, &quot;those who serve&quot; denotes the follower or disciples of the Buddha, who are not monastics. As an assembling or in mixed groups called &lt;em&gt;parisa&lt;/em&gt; (gathering) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideal: The not monastic part of persons of the Noble Sangha, the fourfold assembling: Monks, Nuns, lay men, lay woman, who have already attained one of the stages of &quot;saintliness&quot; (eight persons, divided in path and fruit attaining)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More maybe here &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81saka_and_Up%C4%81sik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upāsaka and Upāsikā&lt;/a&gt; on Wiki, although Atma knows well that wiki is a very not so trustworthy place or out of conflicts rather blank in regard of issues which are often wrong introduced from mainstream Buddhisms. Topics that supports or touch the ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A list of famous Laypeople found in the Canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0401m.mul13_en_uppa.html#an01.248&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 1.248 Chaṭṭhavaggo - male&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0401m.mul13_en_uppa.html#an01.258&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 1.258 Sattamavaggo - female&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For whom are certain teachings?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such as &quot;Dhamma for this and that kind of person&quot; outwardly things, but of cause there have been teachings given to Laypeople and teachings given to Monastics and teachings given to other ascetics ...&#xA;So its always good to keep in mind the persons and the circumstance of certain talks. In matters of ideal, every teachings is of use and Dhamma for everyone nut not always of use if a person is bound to certain things. Useful source in regard of how to read the suttas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/befriending_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Befriending the Suttas&lt;/a&gt;, by Upasaka J. Bullitt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you read a sutta, keep in mind that you are eavesdropping on the&#xA;  Buddha as he teaches someone else. Unlike many of the Buddha's&#xA;  contemporaries from other spiritual traditions, who would often adhere&#xA;  to a fixed doctrine when answering every question [AN 10.93], the&#xA;  Buddha tailored his teachings to meet the particular needs of his&#xA;  audience. It is therefore important to develop a sensitivity to the&#xA;  context of a sutta, to see in what ways the circumstances of the&#xA;  Buddha's audience may be similar to your own, so you can gauge how&#xA;  best to apply the Buddha's words to your own life situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you read, it can be helpful to keep certain questions circulating&#xA;  gently in the back of your mind, both to help you understand the&#xA;  context of the sutta and to help you tune in to the different levels&#xA;  of teaching that are often going on at once. These questions aren't&#xA;  meant to make you into a Buddhist literary scholar; they're simply&#xA;  meant to help each sutta come alive for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To whom are the teachings directed?&#xA;  Are they addressed to a monk [SN 35.85], nun [AN 4.159], or lay follower [AN 7.49]? Are they addressed to one group of people, while someone else within earshot actually takes the teaching to heart [SN 35.197]? Is the audience a large assembly [MN 118] or an individual [AN 4.184]? Or are the listeners followers of another religion altogether [MN 57]? What is the depth of their understanding? If the audience consists of stream-enterers striving for arahantship, the teachings presented may be considerably more advanced than if the audience has only a limited grasp of the Buddha's teachings [AN 3.65]. These questions can help you assess how appropriate a particular teaching is for you...(and many more good advises)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma is timeless&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;akāliko&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;|&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;  to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting all to come &amp;amp; see&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the label(s) &quot;Lay Dhamma&quot;, Lay-Buddhismus, Secular Buddhimus... such is a modern appearance which mostly rejects the necessary of the Sangha (monastic disciples) and believes on the maintaining of the Buddha Dhamma without the need and use of the Holy Life. Its a kind of Buddhism 2.0 and the main introduced way in modern and western countries where actually no real Sangha exists or have been established. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Becoming a lay person&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha&lt;/a&gt; (of the Monks), people became and become lay followers. Although its usual suggested and more that good to take on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt;, it's not necessary to be called a Lay follower (Buddhist Layperson). Traditionally such a requesting/taking of refuge and precepts requesting/taking is made by asking Monks or Nuns who would recite and also explain the certain texts. If not available, one could also consulate a knowledgeable and virtuous lay person or do it for one self (how ever, it goes deeper and drives one more if made in the traditional way)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the stages of being a Lay-Buddhist: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.025.kuma_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahanama Sutta: Being a Lay Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The practice of lay people:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of laypeople is usually: &#xA; - Giving or Generosity (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/dana/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;): material giving, and meritorious deeds Transference of merit, and Rejoicing in other’s merit.&#xA; - Moral conduct or Virtue (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sīla&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;): Virtue, incl. the meritorious deeds Reverence, and Service.&#xA; - Meditation or mental Development (Bhāvana): incl. the meritorious deeds Expounding (discussing) the Dhamma and Listening to the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this deeds are supportive or include the main task: Correcting one’s view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one changes the way of live to somebody who lives from the alms of the country, then Dana - the material giving - is no more necessary (even not possible, since one has given up all unnecessary and does no more amass material possession) if practicing seriously and straight forward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinaya for Laypeople&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Sutta where the Buddha taught a young man about the use of his ritual traditions he uses to perform. In this Sutta the Buddha described the good behavior, moral and duty of a lay person: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What can be attained on this path?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually all path and fruits can be attained on this path, even to the highest attaining, Arahatship (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/de/an6.119-139&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.119-139&lt;/a&gt;). How ever, if one reaches the highest level, one is no more able to live and maintain an more or less normal live and would seek for the way of the Holy Live, homelessness. If such can not be attained, the Canon reports that people will leave there last body with a week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Overview&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Anagarika Isi Dhamma (before Monk) gives a nice and easy understandable explaining in general in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/dhamma/practice/laity.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The laity practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Who is a lay person?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, among the people who adhere to the dhamma, all those who are&#xA;  not bhikkhus, or sāmaṇeras, or nuns are laity. We can divide lay&#xA;  people into three categories:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There are some laity who, although approving Buddha's word, only dedicate their life a little, or not at all, to the practice of the&#xA;  dhamma. They like to claim that they are Buddhists, but do little else&#xA;  than run after pleasures and engage in business activities; if they&#xA;  observe one or two precepts, it is only because it is easy for them;&#xA;  they don't want to dedicate any effort to the rest. Even though they&#xA;  claim to be inclined to meditation, they convince themselves that they&#xA;  never have any time to practice it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There are also lay people who try to dedicate more time and effort to follow a way suitable to the development of knowledge (of reality).&#xA;  They more or less observe the five precepts (sometimes the eight),&#xA;  they like everything that concerns the dhamma aesthetically&#xA;  (monuments, statues, ceremonies), they readily spend time reciting&#xA;  texts dealing with Buddha's teaching, watching the quality of their&#xA;  actions, regularly making donations, attending meditation sessions,&#xA;  and sometimes, taking ordination for a short period.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Finally, there are laity who, within their possibilities, try their best to progress quickly and effectively on the path to the cessation&#xA;  of suffering. These ones very regularly train in being generous, in&#xA;  being vigilant and in applying full mindfulness. Their observance of&#xA;  the five precepts, if not eight, is scrupulous. Some of them even&#xA;  intend to lead a monastic life permanently.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T16:39:20.200" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T16:39:20.200" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13655" CreationDate="2016-01-12T13:09:40.313" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 things here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developing supernormal powers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;displaying supernormal powers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Developing supernormal powers as side benefit of meditation is welcome and long as they are used to teach and further the understanding of the Dhamma. E.g. Meditation master using though reading to see if the partitioner has understood the instructions. Also when meditating you goal should not be to be after these powers but just to realise the Dhamma but have them developed as a side benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Displaying the powers for vanity is what is not encouraged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T13:09:40.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13658" CreationDate="2016-01-12T13:55:43.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Dhamma for lay person?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of the suttas are intended for monks: see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13598/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to know Dhamma in the way it was meant to be?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps answering that question would be the role of a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is Dhamma same for all sentient , remain same over the period of time or does Dhamma undergoes change? Are there different versions of Dhamma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might be wrong but I think that Dhamma has (at least) two meanings or aspects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A description of what the world is, and how it works&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A description of what to do, or how to be or not to be, within the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are different answers to your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To some extent, Buddhist Dharma changes -- or, at least, is augmented, with newer Dharma being added onto although not replacing the older Dharma -- see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Turnings_of_the_Wheel_of_Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To some extent, Buddhist Dhamma is unchanging -- for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;doctrine like this&lt;/a&gt; says that all Buddhas teach the same Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Ananda asked the Buddha whether the Fundamental Instructions to bhikkhus given by the preceding Buddhas were the same as those of the Buddha himself. To him the Buddha replied that the instructions given by all the Buddhas are as given in the following verses&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a term &lt;em&gt;upāya&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;upāya-kosalla&lt;/em&gt;, which I think is used to say that there are different teaching-aids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T13:55:43.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13653" CreationDate="2016-01-12T13:57:55.890" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is the characteristic of all human experiences (or what is felt) either pleasant, painful or neutral. Pain is Dukkha in it's own right. Parting with pleasantness is Dukkha. Also any conditioned existance is Dukkha even in the neutral experiences as becoming is present which has inherent suffering like birth, aging, painful life experiences and death .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-12T13:57:55.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13665" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-12T16:28:24.547" Score="4" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that there are 'intentions' (&lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;) which lead (if they're not neutral) to either wholesome fruits or unwholesome fruits -- then is the same also true for 'purpose' (&lt;em&gt;sankappa&lt;/em&gt;), i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral purposes?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Which purpose could be 'wholesome' (if there is a purpose that fits that description)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the difference between a 'wholesome' and 'unwholesome' purpose?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How could a wholesome purpose look like?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Purpose': objective, agenda, goal, target (outwardly, 'more or less', 'near and far', 'time and place').&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Intention': state of &lt;em&gt;ceto&lt;/em&gt; in action (inwardly)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your purpose is to accumulate (material things, a state of becoming): is it possible to maintain wholesome intentions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: you like to have a monastery be built, you like to have a medi-community to grow, to be maintained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your intention is wholesome, is it possible to strive after a non beneficial purpose?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your purpose is to let go (of material things, states of becoming): is it possible to maintain unwholesome intentions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you have buliding material and you are willing to let go of it, you have time and you are willing to let go of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your intention is unwholesome, is it possible to strive after a beneficial purpose?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T10:58:06.550" Title="Is intention and purpose the same?" Tags="|abhidhamma|sila|right-intention|dana|bhavana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13665" CreationDate="2016-01-12T17:22:39.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The wholesomeness and unwholesomeness and neutrality is decided by what you would perceive when you experience or feel the result. This is the differentiation between them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally aversion are painful when doing and so is when you get the result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally clining based acts are pleasant when doing and also when you get the result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally neutral sensations are when they are neither the above but still with the root of ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation associated with the purpose decides what is the result. This also has some sensation associated with it. This can be used decide what is wholesome or not when the volition is formed as detached observer as sometimes these minds spontaneously arise. (All 121 Citta has sensation associated hence any through arising is Dukkha - Dukkha Dukkha, Viparinama Dukkha, Sankhara Dukkha - whatever the sensation.) There are 7 roots which are Ahetuka (only enlighten person experiences this), Loba, Dosa, Moha, (unwholesome) Aloba, Adosa, Amoha (wholesome). When minds rooted in the above arise the Dukkha (painful experience, pleasant experience - unsatisfactoriness of change is pleasent experience, neutral experience - fabricated existance) or sensation associated with the roots are there also and you experience unsatisfactoriness in a subtle way. The sensation can be used to identify what the volition behind a purpose when the classification of the roots are not clear cut.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the action is same this might be might be motivated by different intentions or purposes in which case the results and wholesomeness will differ based on the motivation and what roots are present. Hence the Dukkha when volition forms and the Dukkha when the results do manifest will also differ accordingly, but distinction is from the Dukkha you experience or type of sensations. E.g. the purpose of a surgeon cutting a person is motivated to save the life but in the case of a robber it might be greed and aversion to kill and rob, but the action is same but the purpose is different. Also you maybe donating something to a allied country motivated block import of the same from another country hence indirectly economically sabotage another country, in which case you seemingly doing good but the purpose is not. With the volition you experience the sensation associated the root and many more times amplified when you experience the fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention, action and result decides the karmic formation. Sometimes good intention may not result in positive outcome nevertheless the though does bear fruit perhaps not as weighty as a rebirth linking Karma. If you have the intention but not follow though you still have a weak Karma. If you have intention and follow through and the desired result happens then this is a more intense Karma. Whatever the case motivation decide the feeling associated resulting experience and also see it when the volition forms. The taste of the fruit you take and plant will have the same taste and the fruits the tree would bear. Intention is the initial fruit from which you take the seed to plant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T05:47:07.230" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T05:47:07.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13665" CreationDate="2016-01-13T03:53:27.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems I don't know, don't understand, or don't agree with your definitions (of &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;sankappa&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You start by assuming that there is wholesome and unwholesome &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;: and then you ask whether there is wholesome and unwholesome &lt;em&gt;sankappa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly so far as I know there is definitely wholesome and unwholesome &lt;em&gt;sankappa&lt;/em&gt;. I say that because Right Resolve (&lt;em&gt;samma sankappo&lt;/em&gt;) is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the second of the eight path factors in the Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The definition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the &lt;em&gt;Maha-cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; defines &quot;wrong resolve&quot; as the opposite of this: &quot;Being resolved on sensuality, on ill will, on harmfulness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Right Resolve&quot; page referenced above also quotes six other suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think that &quot;right&quot; and &quot;wrong&quot; resolve can be understood as &quot;wholesome&quot; and &quot;unwholesome&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, I don't know whether there is such a thing as wholesome &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say that because Karma is intention (&lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;), good actions lead to good rebirths, bad actions lead to bad rebirths, however I thought the goal (or a goal) was for there to be no more becoming at all: to stop karma, which I think means stopping &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I admit that there are fruits (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;phala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;) defined, but still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't the suttas on the subject of &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; suggest that it's best to have no &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt; at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cetana Sutta: An Act of Will (AN 11.2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue, &lt;strong&gt;there is no need for an act of will&lt;/strong&gt;, 'May freedom from remorse arise in me.' It is in the nature of things that freedom from remorse arises in a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...etc...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cetana Sutta: Intention (SN 12.38)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...etc...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But &lt;strong&gt;when one doesn't intend&lt;/strong&gt;, arrange, or obsess [about anything], there is no support for the stationing of consciousness. There being no support, there is no landing of consciousness. When that consciousness doesn't land &amp;amp; grow, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. When there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn27/sn27.001-010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cetana Sutta — Intention (SN 27.7)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, any desire-passion with regard to intentions involving forms [or any of the 6 sense-objects] is a defilement of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the definitions of Right Resolve involve negatives or absences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Renunciation (i.e. non-covetousness, non-desire, non-attachment, non-sensuality)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Freedom from ill-will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Harmlessness (i.e. non-injury)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that fits with it being right to have an absence of intention. And so does the goal, of being 'unbound' and &lt;em&gt;apada&lt;/em&gt; (and similar 'negatives').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are (as well as these 'absences' or 'negatives') also a couple of 'positives' -- quoted from the &quot;Right Resolve&quot; reference above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;abundant, exalted, measureless in loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others is, for that reason, to be praised&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps (I guess) these are &quot;binding&quot; resolves rather than &quot;unbinding&quot; resolves, and (perhaps) these have corresponding wholesome &lt;em&gt;cetanā&lt;/em&gt;, and perhaps these are why later (&quot;Mahayana&quot;) schools began to emphasize the Bodhisattva way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are texts (e.g. Dharma talks) which talk about &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;akusala-cetana&lt;/em&gt; but I don't know of a sutta in the Pali canon which says that &lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt; is wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, you ask whether a monastery can be built, or whether you can grow a medi-community, with wholesome intention?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer is &quot;yes&quot;; because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha (for example) grew or accumulated such (or was instrumental in their growth, or allowed them to be accumulated), and I suppose that his intention and/or resolve was wholesome&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right resolve includes non-covetousness, but I think that doesn't not have to preclude there being a community: because &quot;practice for self and others&quot; is also part of &quot;Right Resolve&quot;; and for example because of e.g. the &lt;em&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (and &lt;em&gt;kalyanamittata&lt;/em&gt; etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe the concept of &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. teaching aids) allows the accumulation of such things or states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe it's a matter of balancing or alternating between conventional and ultimate, between action and meditation, between &quot;right resolve&quot; and &quot;not intending&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T03:53:27.293" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13669" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-13T07:18:33.523" Score="2" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any rituals in Buddhism? Do rituals in itself can be become a source of attachment? The more grandiose the ritual , the more the merit! If there is a ritual, what is the right way of conducting a ritual that doesn't invoke materialistic thoughts and actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T11:45:29.027" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T11:45:29.027" Title="Rituals in Buddhism" Tags="|personal-practice|rituals|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13669" CreationDate="2016-01-13T07:38:13.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are there any rituals in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Culturally there is. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandy_Esala_Perahera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kandy Esala Perahera&lt;/a&gt;. Even morality or even service or even generosity sometimes maybe in the form f a rite or ritual. There can be some merit in doing something as a rite or ritual but the results are not the best you can reap. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.3_Dana_Mahapphala_S_a7.49_piya_bk.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana Maha-p,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses this in the context of generosity. (Giving in account of tradition is akin to a ritual.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do rituals in itself can be become a source of attachment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. This is one fetter than binds you to Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The more grandiose the ritual , the more the merit! If there is a ritual, what is the right way of conducting a ritual that doesn't invoke materialistic thoughts and actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The results are decided on your metal volition and that of the beings gaining benefit. More grandiose the ritual the effort put into it is more an at a certain point the intensity of volition may diminish and may not be as meritorious as a more simpler act with more intense volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say I have a pen which I am attached to. When I see it I get present sensations or experience. Now I decide to give it which can have either pleasant or neutral sensations. If the recipient is happy receiving the gift you may feel more happy or experience more pleasant sensations. By truly knowing the sensations are impermanent, unsatisfactory and non self only can you pratice true giving. Also having initial and sustained awareness of the thoughts of giving can intensify the results. Likewise of any other act which can be in form of a rite or ritual can be turned into something more fruitful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T07:38:13.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13669" CreationDate="2016-01-13T08:26:50.743" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs 8CK8,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/wijesinghe/punna_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meritorious rituals&lt;/a&gt; in brief: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving or Generosity (Dāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Moral conduct or Virtue (Sīla)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation or mental Development (Bhāvana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Respect or Reverence (Apaciti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Service in Helping others (Veyyāvaca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Transference of Merit (Pattānuppadāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rejoicing in otherʼs Merit (Abbhanumodana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Expounding or Teaching the Dhamma (Desana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listening to the Dhamma (Savana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Correcting one’s View (Diṭṭhijju-kamma)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;once one has entered the Dhamma, the stream, all those thing will be natural and no more performing as a ritual and habit is needed. He/she has abounded the fetter of being attached to rites and rituals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How all this ritual are good and best made and learned, one would learn best at a monastery (Wat &lt;em&gt;pali&lt;/em&gt; Vatta: that which is done, which goes on or is customary, i. e. duty, service, custom, function vata: a religious duty, observance, rite, practice, custom) or being in association with those who practice it in daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for example, if you would feel that you like to ask a question, you would address certain person, persons in a proper moment, fold your hands, ask for pardon to disturb, or great, or bow, what ever the situation and the people in front of you. You would take a lower seat. You would ask if it is ok to ask and then, invited, you would go on. Just one sample with many many more details in regard of Savana here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who tell that rituals and merits are child stuff and just bind are mostly (1) not able to perform the basics, (2) try to get the fruits without a seed and simply try simulate sublime stages. They would be much to greedy to do such things and make scarifies. Otherwise it would be that modern world is full of Ariya disciples. (who btw. would not stop to do such when it is proper and within their community)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are doing and how you are doing things are also rituals and habits but mostly no good habits, so the first, before even thinking of letting go all, is to change to good rituals. You final aim is to give up all kind of kamma, but not before you start your work and reach the working place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the right way of conducting a ritual that doesn't invoke materialistic thoughts and actions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever is inspired by a confident heart, by a faithful heart, by a devoted heart, a staunch heart, will conduct a mist beneficial ritual. And confident, faithful, devoted, staunch to what? Confident, faithful, devoted, staunch in regard of the Buddha, in regard of the Dhamma, in regard of the Sangha, in regard of your own virtues results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Dhamma and defilements of the worlds beings are timeless, and the todays situation is the same like in Buddhas times, it might be good for you to learn about the different of Uposatha. Like in this times there have been people performing the Uposatha like cowherd, thinking simply on fruits and how to get them and the much more dangerous branch with is most dominant to day since there is such as lay-Buddhism is the tradition of the ninganthas, the jains, who today bear the clothes of the Buddha, teaching meditation, anatta and abhidhamma. Certainly and with reason even called thieves by the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the end of the night, he resumes the consumption of his belongings,&#xA;  even though they aren't given back to him. This counts as stealing, I&#xA;  tell you. Such is the Uposatha of the Jains, Visakha. When this&#xA;  Uposatha of the Jains is undertaken, it is not of great fruit or great&#xA;  benefit, not of great glory or great radiance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a lady who came to the monastery to perform meritorious rituals and the Buddha explained here of what rituals are of benefit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-13T08:55:00.330" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T08:55:00.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10686" CreationDate="2016-01-13T15:28:00.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked myself the same thing once so wanted to know what makes a plant and what makes an animal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mcwdn.org/Plants/PlantsDiffer.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.mcwdn.org/Plants/PlantsDiffer.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.. if in doubt ask yourself, could I be reborn as this? In your examples I would say yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7606" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T15:28:00.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13673" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-13T15:42:58.553" Score="4" ViewCount="167" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a famous multicentury argument in the history of Chinese Buddhism as to if enlightenment is something achieved after gradual practice and improvement or something you realize or achieve in a flash of inspiration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which schools were gradualists? Was this an actual distinction or was this a rhetorical device? Are there any surviving (as in existing right now) gradualist schools? Was Tien Tai/Tendai/Nichiren Buddhism gradualist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T01:52:17.610" Title="Which Chinese Buddhist schools were gradualist?" Tags="|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10686" CreationDate="2016-01-13T16:21:05.500" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs Ian&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which&#xA;  five? Business in weapons, business in &lt;strong&gt;living beings&lt;/strong&gt;, business in&#xA;  meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 5.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pañcimā bhikkhave, vaṇijjā upāsakena akaraṇīyā. Katamā pañca:&#xA;  Satthavaṇijjā, &lt;strong&gt;satta&lt;/strong&gt;vaṇijjā, maṃsavaṇijjā, majjavaṇijjā,&#xA;  visavaṇijjā. Imā kho bhikkhave, pañca vaṇijjā upāsakena akaraṇīyāti.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Manussa&lt;/em&gt; would be human. An older translation of it had beings. It is unknown and unreasonable why it has been changed to &quot;human&quot;. Atma assumes that it might be an commentary comment, developed in times when the Monks became to be more domestics and in deeper relation with those trading with animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may consider this in this relation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones — using the&#xA;  wealth &lt;em&gt;earned through his efforts &amp;amp; enterprise, amassed through the&#xA;  strength of his arm, and piled up through the sweat of his brow,&#xA;  righteous wealth righteously gained&lt;/em&gt;... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.041.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta: Benefits to be Obtained (from Wealth)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How could one enjoy his wealth knowing that it is an the cost of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And never ever start to think in this unwohlesome deeds justifying Mohayana development of &quot;sentient beings&quot;. Such was never said by the Buddha. Living being, what breaths, what ever has 1, 4, 5 Aggregates. 100 Years ago people still said that animals have no feelings... or this or that being is lower, because of this and that. Even to destroy a live of a being, as (and incl.) small as the egg of a bedbug, is mentioned to be a cause of being a fault. So what ever one perceives as being a living being, one does good not to cause harm or even takes its live, acknowledge such, or move others to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually if somebody begins to have doubt and feels his/her conscience, its a great sign and one should follow this &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.040.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Governing Principles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider that a yogi or contemplative (not to speak for a Bhikkhu/Bhikkhuni, who are even not allowed) not even keep animals or accept them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to ask your self in regard of livelihood, do I harm, do I use other beings, even against their will, is it dishonest livelihood, am I honest in reflecting this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not talk much on the topic knowing that people are not easy able to change their ways of life, but since one has open all doors, knowing the problems before choosing a job, one does good in considering a lot and give certain possible wealth and &quot;security&quot; for a good sleep and the possibility to develop the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T16:21:05.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13675" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13685" CreationDate="2016-01-13T21:38:51.253" Score="0" ViewCount="183" Body="&lt;p&gt;I quote Andrei from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/40/461&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Apparently, Buddha's first teacher, Arada Kalama, taught Shukla Dhyana through visualizing oneself in the center of progressively empty context (village --&gt; empty field --&gt; empty sky --&gt; nothingness), culminating in a state of thoughtless concentration with no content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a TV show&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; I once heard a description of a guided trip on magic mushrooms, which reminded me of -- that description was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You're on a ship &amp;rarr; then the ship's gone &amp;rarr; the water's gone &amp;rarr; you're gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What might have been the role/relevance of drugs, when Arada taught the Buddha? Is it possible that Arada (or his students) might have used some psychoactive drugs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And is it right to find the description of Shukla Dhyana comparable with the documentary's description of &quot;the ship gone,  etc.&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; It was a TV documentary of Albert Hofmann, where they investigated to medicinal usage of psychedelics to help people suffering from severe depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="461" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T13:11:41.157" Title="What's the role/relevance of drugs when Arada taught Buddha?" Tags="|history|meditation-practicalities|intoxicants|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13665" CreationDate="2016-01-13T22:29:05.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana (Yogacara) Abhidharma, &lt;code&gt;cetana&lt;/code&gt; is connected with traces and dispositions (samskara) left by previous actions and experiences. (&lt;em&gt;What follows is my understanding based on my study and practice. Not official but I did spend some time contemplating this stuff, and I think I've got some insights&lt;/em&gt;) Like you said, cetana can be &lt;code&gt;kusala&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;akusala&lt;/code&gt; (healthy or unhealthy). It is like having healthy habits or unhealthy habits. Our habits define our directionality of mind and our tendency to act or react. The concept of cetana is part of the model in which everything happens by itself, there is no person who intends - instead, if your habit is e.g. to indulge in negative thoughts, your attention will keep getting drawn to imperfections - even if there are many other potential objects. Cetana is impersonal and automatic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankappa (samkalpa) or aspiration is part of a different model. It is what you want, you're trying to achieve with your behavior, what you're going after. So samkalpa is a lot more personal, it is not happening by itself, it is what you are driving at. Now, sometimes (actually a lot of time for the untrained people), we don't &lt;em&gt;actually&lt;/em&gt; act with a clear purpose in mind. Oftentimes we simply let our traces and dispositions drive us. We act out our opinions, preferences, aversions, desires etc. without thinking of consequences that much, and not even having a clear goal of what we're trying to achieve. So what Buddha meant with his &quot;samyak-samkalpa&quot; (I'm using Sanskrit spelling here) is acting with a constructive purpose in mind, trying to make things better - not just puking out our predispositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By now you should have an idea that cetana and samkalpa are kinda different in one sense and kinda two sides of the same thing in another sense. In one sense, cetana is how your tend to act &quot;unconsciously&quot;, whether you're paying attention or not - whereas samkalpa is what you think are trying to achieve &quot;consciously&quot;. In the second sense, samkalpa is really just a manifestation of cetana at a higher organizational level. In yet another sense, both are manifestations of samskara (imprints, traces).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All models have limits though - this becomes apparent when you try to connect these two models (impersonal and personal) together: can we say that healthy predispositions always manifest as wholesome aspirations and vice versa? Not so much!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One example is when we force ourselves to act against our (bad) habits. Should we say that in this case our cetana is unhealthy but our samkalpa is wholesome? Or should we say that in fact &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; positive change of cetana has already happened, although at this point it is only a partial/superficial change? Another example, is when we have wholesome aspiration (e.g. to attain Nirvana) out of an unhealthy cetana (e.g. aversion of the world). Should we consider an unhealthy cetana as healthy when it drives a wholesome aspiration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana perspective, this is an example of Emptiness kicking in - this makes it clear that cetana and samkalpa are not truly existent entities that are strictly in one state at a time. They are merely simplified designations for a large number of samskaras responding to various stimuli. Things only look concrete when you look at them from the distance. Once you step in closer, they split into multiple components that work by their own rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So does it mean cetana and samkalpa could be kusala or akusala independently of one another and there is nothing useful we can learn about them? Luckily, that is not so bad. The general rule we can extract from this, is that our mind exhibits the quality of inertia: Having an aspiration for something does not automatically mean we have changed deep inside. Sometimes we may ourselves not realize the hidden agenda behind our action, which can come from unhealthy predispositions and be in fact unwholesome, egoistic etc. We have to apply right view, right effort etc. over a long time in order to overcome the inertia and have dharma become our second nature. As one of my teachers explained, the transformation is complete when our acts are spontaneously wholesome without any effort needed from our side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a teacher on the path, this inertia can be used as upaya - motivating the student by taking advantage of their illusions/attachments/aversions. For a student on the path, this inertia can manifest as a form of hypocrisy - when the student is superficially a Buddhist but in essence is still full of grasping, negativity, conceit, us/them thinking etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get to your examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;If your purpose (&lt;em&gt;samkalpa, aspiration&lt;/em&gt;) is to accumulate (material things, a state of becoming): is it possible to maintain wholesome intentions (&lt;em&gt;cetana, habitual tendencies&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. The purpose/aspiration &quot;to accumulate&quot; is not necessarily unwholesome. It could be wholesome (kusala) at mundane level but not conducive to liberation (sasava, not anasava). A householder aspiring to accumulate wealth to provide for well-being of the family and community is a wholesome aspiration, just not a liberating one. So one can totally be a good householder aspiring to accumulate things while maintaining healthy cetana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you are asking if one's aspiration &quot;to accumulate&quot; could be a compatible with the Path (anasava) - the answer is, provisionally yes and ultimately no. On the initial stages, the task of the practitioner is exactly &quot;to accumulate&quot;. To accumulate what? Merit (good karma) and knowledge (of the basic teaching). This is why such stage is called The Path Of Accumulation. However if one gets stuck on this stage for too long, it can turn into Spiritual Materialism, when we accumulate goodness and knowledge as a way to feed our ego - instead of deconstructing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha recommended the right aspiration (samyak-samkalpa) to be the aspiration towards progressive improvement, which on initial stages is identical with accumulation of mundane wholesome qualities but on the advanced stages becomes distinct as we get to stalking our ego/attachments, practice non-abiding (baselessness) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;For example: you like to have a monastery be built, you like to have a medi-community to grow, to be maintained.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dreaming about monastery sounds like a typical case of spiritual materialism. Instead, someone should focus on non-abiding (baselessness) - which includes letting go of the raft. Once the first &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C5%ABmi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bhumi&lt;/a&gt; has been achieved, and there is no longer aspiration to attain Nirvana, one can build monastery etc. and it won't longer be an obstacle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;If your intention (&lt;em&gt;cetana, habitual tendency&lt;/em&gt;) is wholesome, is it possible to strive after a non beneficial purpose (&lt;em&gt;samkalpa, aspiration&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. There are two cases here. One is like I said, you could be mistaken about your intentions (predispositions). You could think you're a Buddhist while in fact being a regular sloppy person who just happens to know a lot about Buddhism or a regular grumpy person etc. Second case, your predispositions could be healthy but because of the change in your environment you could be forced to act with unwholesome aspiration in mind. This depends on the supporting condition of ignorance. An example of this is a well-brought up child of a good family who gets into a bad company. The natural instincts (cetana) of such child are still good but the environment provides negative motivation, which effects the wrong view, which drives unwholesome aspiration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;If your intention (&lt;em&gt;cetana, habitual tendency&lt;/em&gt;) is unwholesome, is it possible to strive after a beneficial purpose (&lt;em&gt;samkalpa, aspiration&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, like I said, because of the inertia you may have habitual tendencies (cetana) that go contrary to your aspirations. You can have unhealthy predispositions (cetana) while aspiring towards a more healthy vision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;If your purpose (&lt;em&gt;samkalpa, aspiration&lt;/em&gt;) is to let go (of material things, states of becoming): is it possible to maintain unwholesome intentions (&lt;em&gt;cetana, habitual tendencies&lt;/em&gt;)? For example, you have building material and you are willing to let go of it, you have time and you are willing to let go of it.&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not like our goal is to let go of everything for the sake of letting go. Then the poorest person would be the Buddha - this sounds like the extreme path of renunciation, not the Middle Path. In Buddhism our goal is Unbinding, which is about not getting stuck - not about avoidance/isolation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T16:47:52.637" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T16:47:52.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13538" CreationDate="2016-01-13T23:01:48.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was not a show for people, that's the first thing you have missed. Here is how it went and what you missed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The function in doctor Jeewaka's house was attended by the monks of the temple and Ven. Arhat Culapanthaka was at the temple/monastery. As Ven.Arhat Culapanthaka was alone and there was work to be done multiple bodies were used to clean the temple,to sweep it and do some other petty tasks. This is when the messenger from Doc.Jeevaka's house came and saw this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes when arahats feel that more harm can come to a society or a person by not revealing his true status the Arahat does some suitable task to prove him that. This was first done by Lord Buddha to tame the ego of &quot;Jatila sages&quot; who thought they are Arahat and Lord Buddha was not. It was done again to tame the ego of the &quot;Shakya cast&quot; who were is relatives of prince siddhartha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What we need to understand is that Arahat does not break &quot;Vinaya (laws &amp;amp; guidelines of Buddhism)&quot; no matter what. And that has been clearly stated in Buddhism. So there is no point in Scrutinizing the &quot;Seela&quot; or the conviction of an Arahat because it is not up to petty beings like us. Like always it has happened it should happen by the hands of another Arahat.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-13T23:01:48.973" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13678" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13680" CreationDate="2016-01-13T23:13:43.807" Score="2" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my country (Sri Lanka) government is about to bring out a new set of laws to govern Buddhist councils. This kind of a law has never existed in my country and being a Buddhist country there is some speculation about why only one religion is effected by this new law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some fears from monks about government trying to shut up the religion &amp;amp; it's power over people even though some are ready to examine the whole thing and come up with modifications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a line about putting the &quot;Monk imposers&quot; in jail. And some fear this might be a bate to take down Buddhist organizations and Monks who speak against injustice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The public literally has no clue about what to say or do. Most likely people will oppose it and there is a big potential that this might lead to some serious outbreak of violence and religious conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some links from news web sites about the whole thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ft.lk/article/338390/Amendment-of-laws-on-Buddhist-temples-will-take-decision-making-power-away-from-Maha-Sangha:-Ranil&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amendment of laws on Buddhist temples will take decision making power away from Maha Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=15847&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;New laws&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far it is very dreadful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should be the response to this kind of a law in any country? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to deal with government involvement in religion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-19T10:46:11.283" LastActivityDate="2018-07-19T10:46:11.283" Title="Buddhist councils and government involvement?" Tags="|politics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13678" CreationDate="2016-01-14T02:12:18.813" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sangha - Business is Sangha - Business and laymen - business is laymen business, yet lay people do not conduct to any precepts that keeps them stay away from Sangha business and of course the views of laypeople had since ever an impact on the behavior of the Sangha, at least many of the Vinayas rules have been formulated after laymans critic (it this was proper).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Sangha needs to conduct on staying away of what ever laymen business. Doing different is a heavy fault, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch05_en.html#Sg13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sanghadisesa 13&lt;/a&gt;. Yet, how could Sangha even come in certain situations like you mentioned is not having violated the Sg13 at first place? Do they leave in dependency on certain people or groups? They do and so they have their problems which will not and before they do not give up there comfort they gain within this dependency. But they would, in line of there defilement not be able to do and simply live a live according to Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is in no means intended by the Buddha that the Sangha seeks for coalition with lay peoples interest and totally against any independency if worldly institutions would act as regulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reality, how ever looks different, since the Sangha at large is merely unable to act and move in those days already and there have been lot of positive interventions of Kings and wordily leaders through the history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might not forget, although it looks wonderful that there are countries with thousands of monks and thousands of monasteries, that this is actually a sign of strong corruption of the Sangha, or let Atma say, of most. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Atma takes the country where he dwells he would say that 95% of what ever communities, monks, monasteries are far away form the heir of Dhamma-Vinaya and the institutions are at large means for a livelihood, nothing else. Livelihood needs regulations and with that such things like monk-passports, licenses, allowances... start to grow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least there is as big tendency of desire for governing from monks and even more strong by laypeople, of both have interests in becoming and material gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this world of defilement and darkness, there is no way that such as Sangha survives, and it is sure, as far as Atmas awareness can reach, that this is the last generation of holy life within Buddhas institution called Sangha. That does not mean that its physical appearance will disappear, no, it will even grow, but its ways and purpose is gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Governments even have no other chance as to hardily regulate everything since there are less monks who stick either simply with Vinaya or have certain own virtue already. All they will do is making politics and oppose the state. They would not dear to leave a place where the conditions are no more given for a holy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most harmful action is if Sangha uses people to fight each other or to make propaganda. If the Sangha carries out correctly they would not even give certain statements but simply act in sphere of there possibilities. At least they have no rights at all and do not hold rights but at the moment they start to do so, they are subject and object of all problems and quarrels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in old times, it has been on invitation and guidance of great kings who had not so much dust in the eyes, that councils take place. Today the time of real Sangha councils are gone. If there would be a meeting in line of Dhamma and Vinaya, it would be the last meeting. Where ever Monks meet today, they are no more interested in correct each other but simply on how to maintain &quot;harmony&quot; so that the corrupt movement can go on and livelihood can be done without disturbing each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been in the past, always small particular Sanghas, which earned rightly the respect of the leaders. For example the forest tradition in Thailand which is differently treated in all aspects. But for the large, the folk Buddhism institutions, there will be no future without been strictly governed since both, the intention and the fruits of it are of worldly interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for somebody involved as a citizen in such a matter, Atma would point back to the first line: Look simply of is your own business and do not get involved, do not take position aside of simply precepts and doing what is virtuous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be able to live a kind of live is not a matter of right but a matter of past deeds (merits) and of conduct one sticks to. There is no more safety of all that stuff, if one does not hold any right or weapon and anybody who tells different did or do not live such a live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is nothing to fear for those who walk the right path and stay independent by letting go, but of course all reason to fear for those who took, take and like to take the instruments of the Buddha as a worldly means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma would on this occasion remember on 1. on the reminder of King Asoka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/asoka_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;That the True Dhamma Might Last a Long Time&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and 2. on the urgency to practice, things are not for sure and you don't know if town and forest will be on fire tomorrow or you even live that long. So don't waste your time with politic, Upasaka Theravada and stay far away for any protesting monk and monks who make even sight signs of interests in world and politic! They are poison and dangerous, not even as dangerous as lay people can be, for the Dhamma as well as for the worlds normal harmony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have certain possibilities to influence others, like family and friend, lead them generosity, virtue, discernment. No need to care of things out of your range. You'd better develop gratitude in regard of those holding power and give you many possibilities they would not need to give you our they would have the power to take it from you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Danger is born from intimacy, &#xA;    society gives birth to dust. &#xA;    Free from intimacy, &#xA;    free from society:&#xA;    such is the vision of the sage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who, destroying what's born &#xA;    wouldn't plant again or nourish &#xA;    what will arise: &#xA;    They call him the wandering, &#xA;    singular sage. He has seen the&#xA;    state of peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha and all his disciples give up fist, when they entered the holy life?&#xA;Home, clan, tripe, country, king, family... Show be even a hand full of monks or laypeople in your country or in other countries who have gone that far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma is about to demount the pole and demount the flag. Yet, not long time ago foolish people even created such as a Buddhist flag. People have no sense at all today and Buddhism is at large nothing but national socialism, of interest of becoming and being and social means to get have a large support by those who actually do not understand the way of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in that regard, if you like to play a sample, give up the flag and give up to make a label like that of a particular school your identity. That would how you would act for the sake of peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody is able to govern you, if you do not identify here and there. And when the rulers of certain territory like to bind you, if you are not attached to it, what hinders you to walk on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Government trying to get those who have worked out independency for themselves under control try something that does not work, they could only cut of there own possibilities to get taught a way the real liberation. Its like if people think they can put certain monks under TOS. The are fools. In such groups, what they have, are corrupt monks. Look where ever you find a certain Buddhist State online. Its all the same. Those who like to carry flags will met together with those seeking refuge in flags. They live in their own made prison, yet still there is an opening in their protective castle: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?topic=892.msg3037#post_engl1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Your Temple, your palace and your borders&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T04:05:39.243" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T04:05:39.243" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2016-01-14T05:19:59.447" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion most forms of atheism and agnosticism are incompatible with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the supreme beings are Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did indeed believe in superhuman powers (iddhis) and performed many miracles (like walking on water as if land). He also believed that a Creator of the universe really did exist, he just believed that the Creator mistakenly believed himself to be Supreme and was not worth worshipping, but certainly really does exist and had many good qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Creator (the Great Brahma) can be influenced by the Evil One (Mara, Satan) and is still under the cycle of birth and rebirth, but is a higher being with a stronger karmic influence, so the Creator is not Supreme like how Buddhas are Supreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism Buddhas are superior to the Creator and other higher beings, are boundless, are all-knowing, and have superior superhuman abilities to even the highest beings in the universe (the Brahmas, Pajapatis, etc...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As The Buddha said to a Brahma-being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus I am not your mere equal in terms of direct knowing, so how could&#xA;  I be inferior? I am actually superior to you. - Brahma-nimantanika&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the Creator of the Universe (the Great Brahma or Maha Brahma) encourages people to follow the Buddha's teachings and praises the Buddha, it is the Evil One (Mara, the Buddhist equivalent of Satan) that tells people not to or distorts things away from the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had much more of an issue with atheists and skeptics of the time than Theists and believers of the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong views, highlighted in many suttas seem to closely resemble the views of most atheists:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has wrong view, is warped in the way he sees things: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' - Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta, (repeated in many suttas that this is a wrong view)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, when I know and see thus, should anyone say of me: 'The&#xA;  recluse Gotama does not have any superhuman states, any distinction in&#xA;  knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. The recluse Gotama&#xA;  teaches a Dhamma (merely) hammered out by reasoning, following his own&#xA;  line of inquiry as it occurs to him' — unless he abandons that&#xA;  assertion and that state of mind and relinquishes that view, then as&#xA;  (surely as if he had been) carried off and put there he will wind up&#xA;  in hell.&quot; - Maha-sihanada Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secularism Buddhism would be viewed as a wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Payasi Sutta, an arahant disciple Kumara debated with someone who has views resembling most modern day atheists:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once everyone was seated, Prince Payasi said, &quot;Reverend Kumara, I&#xA;  maintain that kamma does not have effects. I believe that there is no&#xA;  life after death, no world beyond our own. I think that angels and&#xA;  demons are things from a child’s dream.&quot; - Payasi Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kumara came up with all types of arguments against the atheist Prince Payasi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view that there is no afterlife is opposed in Buddhism numerous times, including in the Brahmajala Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wrong view 51: &quot;Here a certain ascetic or Brahmin declares and holds the view:  ‘Since this self is material, composed of the four great elements, the product of mother and  father, at the breaking up of the body is annihilated and  perishes, and does not exist after death.  This is the way in which this self is annihilated.’  That is how some proclaim the annihilation, destruction and non-existence of beings.&quot; - Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So based on my research Theistic beliefs are more compatible with Buddhism. In Buddhism some Theistic beliefs are viewed as slightly wrong, but nearly as wrong as atheistic and materialistic beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So realistically the Buddha would view most Abrahamic religions as better or higher than most other religions but with slight errors. The story of Moses kind of reminds me of the story of the Great Steward in the Maha Govinda Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of people often cite the Kalama Sutta but this is taken out of context as the Kalamas were non-Buddhists and The Buddha was addressing non-Buddhists, when The Buddha spoke to his own disciples he encouraged faith and right views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some believe that &quot;Secular Buddhism&quot; and other forms of Buddhism match into the prediction in the Ani Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, in the course of the future there will be monks who&#xA;  won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep,&#xA;  deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are&#xA;  being recited. They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing&#xA;  them, won't regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the&#xA;  works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of&#xA;  outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and&#xA;  set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as&#xA;  worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are words of the&#xA;  Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with&#xA;  emptiness — will come about.&quot; - Ani Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we see many people (specifically outsiders) out to replace Buddhism with flowery attractive elegant words rather than the Buddha's words, matching in nearly exactly to the prediction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the future Buddhism will probably be eliminated by people replacing the Buddha's original teachings with different newer forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T06:22:49.873" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T06:22:49.873" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13682" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13683" CreationDate="2016-01-14T06:36:32.180" Score="4" ViewCount="342" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh377-p.html#2Nutriment&quot;&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta it describes the 4 nutriments&lt;/a&gt;, and the first one - physical food as nutriment - is said to be &quot;gross or subtle&quot;. What is the meaning of these terms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that the term for nutriment (ahara) should be understood akin to paccaya (condition). So I am guessing that &quot;gross or subtle&quot; has something to do with the nature of food as conditionings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: The commentary adds that &quot;And here, in a basis that is gross, the nutritive essence is limited and weak; in one that is subtle, it is strong&quot; and &quot;it is the basis that dispels fatigue, but it is unable to preserve; but the nutritive essence preserves, though it cannot dispel fatigue. But when the two are combined they both dispel fatigue and preserve.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7291" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T07:50:31.433" Title="What is the meaning of &quot;gross or subtle&quot; physical food as nutriments?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13682" CreationDate="2016-01-14T07:35:32.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Food is manifold, Mr/mrs. Shai106.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is food which sustains the physical body and there is food which sustains the mind. Food for the eye - consciousness, food for the ear - consciousness, nose - consciousness, thong - consciousness, body - consciousness, intellect - consciousness. These six kinds of food can be considered as subtle food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one for example compares the nutrition of certain gross food (normal burger) so ones joy will not last long. If one put the burger an sublime image on it, let be say &quot;Shai106-honey burger&quot; one would have both, the gross and the fine food and this will last long. If there is just the food of &quot;Shai106&quot; it does not last long. So when mind get good inter-nurished between sense and intellect, its a long lasting nourishment not so like it is if there is just one sense impressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why they do not sell cars any more but images. Not gross food but identification, so that it last long. This is but a simple practical explaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we talk about moderation in food, all kinds of food are meant with it. Simply to maintain the life and not for the pleasure of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A straight explaining in regard of food, how to use food to abound food, can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: A Son's Flesh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also, of course more in detail, read &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Four Nutriments of Life - An Anthology of Buddhist Texts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a good talk, for your daily and practical use (since not only the food but also how to gain it is most relevant), in regard of food and livelihood, from the gross to the fine art of livelihood is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1461.msg8776.html#post_eng&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right livelihood - The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN36&lt;/a&gt; the talk is also on the matter of mental and bodily development and catches also the point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it should be more lit. Abhidhamma, this work might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidhamma.com/txt_Kalapas.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalāpas – Groups of matter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T07:50:31.433" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T07:50:31.433" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13675" CreationDate="2016-01-14T20:53:35.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intoxicants in Buddhism are frowned on by every Buddhist school of thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However you didn't ask that, so we won't dive into those details. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some time looking i could not find any evidence that Arada, or the Sankhya practices used any kind of drugs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was mostly types of meditation, the last three stages can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.swamij.com/prakriti-purusha-sankhya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; which attempts to spell out the entire process of the practice from beginning to end in a way anyone can access and understand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meditation on I-am-ness: Most of the time we mistakenly think that&#xA;  &quot;who I am&quot; is my mind and personality. However, as we gradually come&#xA;  to witness the subtle elements, the senses, and the mind itself, we&#xA;  come to see that there is a still subtler aspect, which simply&#xA;  declares &quot;I am!&quot; When it stands alone in this way, it is independent&#xA;  of the other manifestations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Followed by...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meditation with Buddhi standing alone: Still subtler is Buddhi, which&#xA;  is the individuated intelligence itself. It doesn't yet declare itself&#xA;  to be this or that identity, but is the very intelligence, which&#xA;  supports the ego (Ahamkara), the senses and instruments of actions&#xA;  (Indriyas), and the constructs of the inner objects and physical body&#xA;  (Tanmatras and Bhutas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One of the final resting places of the individuated person is to know&#xA;  oneself as Buddhi, this most fine vehicle of consciousness (Purusha).&#xA;  It is still constructed of Prakriti, leaving that final discrimination&#xA;  or uncovering yet to be done. To know oneself at this level of Buddhi&#xA;  is sometimes called the level of bliss or ananda, as all of the other&#xA;  levels and false identities have temporarily come to rest or been&#xA;  transcended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and finally ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Purusha resting in itself: Finally Purusha, pure consciousness, rests&#xA;  in itself, alone, separate from all evolutes of Prakriti. The seeker&#xA;  on the path of Self-realization seeks even a minute or a moment of&#xA;  this highest glimpse of Realization, after which he or she continues&#xA;  to purify the remaining samskaras and karmas. (See Yoga Sutras 1.3 and&#xA;  3.56)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These descriptions, as noted in the article, are designed to give the reader a general feel of the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To use your metaphor &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You're on a ship → then the ship's gone → the water's gone → you're gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can say the ship is what disappears during &lt;strong&gt;Meditation on I-am-ness&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The water during the &lt;strong&gt;Meditation with Buddhi standing alone&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last part of the metaphor is slightly misleading to match up with the last stage, it is not you're gone, but the ego that disappears, sometimes refereed to as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ego Death&lt;/a&gt; by mystics and psychedelic users. The last stage of Sankhya &lt;strong&gt;Purusha resting in itself&lt;/strong&gt; could be compared to Ego death, and is a kind of pure conciousness that does not contain an I or an Ego, or any kind of self identity. This is the goal of the practitioner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also the hardest thing to ever put into words. &#xA;So in conclusion and summary : did the school and practitioners use psychedelics, likely no, they did not. These states can be reached in meditation. Are these states similar to some reported psychedelic experiences, yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the key difference is that psychedelics are somewhat unpredictable. You could take the same substance and have two incredibly different experiences, and even experiences completely the opposite of Ego Death. Whereas the practices of the Sankhya are designed to always lead to the same place, with time and effort into the practices. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further I think it is worth mentioning that Buddha moved on from this school, was not satisfied with the result as a goal. He even stated it lay on one extreme of the spectrum which the middle way lay between it and the other end of the spectrum.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T20:53:35.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13686" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-14T21:20:47.857" Score="3" ViewCount="507" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Huayen related documents I see the phrase &quot;ocean samadhi&quot; a lot. (also ocean mirror samadhi, ocea seal samadhi) Here is one source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Huayan teaching features a range of holographic samadhi instructions&#xA;  drawn from the Flower Ornament Sutra. These practices help clear away&#xA;  limited preconceptions, foster fresh perspectives on reality, and&#xA;  expand mental capacities by expressing our deep interconnectedness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... Another model is the&#xA;  &quot;ocean mirror&quot; or &quot;ocean seal&quot; samadhi. In this image, awareness is&#xA;  like the vast ocean surface, reflecting and confirming in detail all&#xA;  phenomena of the entire universe. Waves of phenomena may arise on the&#xA;  surface of the ocean, distorting its ability to mirror plainly. But&#xA;  when the waves subside as the water calms and clears, the ocean mirror&#xA;  again reflects all clearly. Our individual minds are like this, often&#xA;  disturbed by turbulence, but also capable of settling serenely to&#xA;  reflect clear awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancientdragon.org/dharma/articles/huayan_buddhism_and_the_flower_ornament_sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ref&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I searched Cleary's Avatamasaka translation and only found the word Ocean used as a metaphor or simile. (The kindle stops searching at 500 hits, well before the end of the book)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, can't tell if this is a sort of visualization exercise, literally involving thinking about waves and the ocean, or if this is just a metaphor for the meditative states achieved in samyak-sam-bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T21:43:17.267" Title="Is the Ocean Samadhi a metaphor or an actual meditation?" Tags="|samadhi|chinese-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13687" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13691" CreationDate="2016-01-14T21:59:16.143" Score="-4" ViewCount="284" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now before you read and answer i would like to invite you to keep the term &quot;Sexism&quot; aside as this is a discussion on gender and it is impossible to talk about it without pointing out some things that would look like stereotypes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We all belong to some gender and if we write a paragraph and ask someone to read it and guess the gender obviously that person can identify the gender that is represented in that particular paragraph.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example Men would like Bikes and women would like luxury cruse ships, Men would not give any attention to lighting when women would work hard to decorate with candle light because they think it is romantic...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the list goes  on and on proving that we Humans who differ from each other in almost every way tend to be so much alike in some things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how does this happen?  Clearly no one would know the answer because if you ask some guy why did you started liking Bikes he would give many reasons but he would not be choosing a single answer to be the best fit as the answer, If you ask a girl why do you like Pink she would go trough the same situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we can suggest that all of these can be influences from the environment,Good marketing,Social factors and etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;But then we end up with a question what exactly make &quot;Gender&quot; apart from a biological standpoint?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or in a much simple term,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than the body what makes a man and what makes a woman; Spiritually?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now there are dozens of videos on the internet, people hypnotizing others to change the gender attached behaviors and it works in fact it can permanently change someones idea about his or her own gender.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After thinking about these things i came to an idea like this,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender as a spiritual part is an illusion. As Lord Buddha has said &quot;Gender is also subjected to &quot;Anatta / Anatman&quot;, Even gender can change according to the desires and actons of a being&quot;. So as to Buddhism you and i,we all have been in both genders and we all have even been &quot;Transsexual&quot;. So as there is no &quot;Soul&quot; it is OK to think that gender is a post Birth process that we learn and act after. Because there is no point that we can show to say that gender is real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me say one last thing before i rest my case....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine yourself going through a Transgender phase, by the end of it you will end up in the other side of the river. Now you have a mind that functions according to the rules of your last gender and a body which resembles the opposite gender. Now what reason do you have to show for the love you have for your last gender other than the attachment that you have?&#xA;I suggest that Gender is an acceptance that we make while we are alive to behave in a certain pattern. And because like anything else we get attached to it we carry it in &quot;Samsara&quot; until some circumstance change it.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is gender apart from the body as to Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If gender is subject to Anithya (Anichcha) + Anatman is it right to think of gender (spiritually),an Illusion?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T08:59:51.750" Title="Gender : Is it truly what it seems?" Tags="|anatman|gender|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="19" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13254" CreationDate="2016-01-14T22:06:16.227" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nelly Nelly on FB - Rebirth take place right after, no wait ; its called  Gandabba: It begins right after ur death in either 31 planes of existence ; If u are to get a dogs birth (succeeding for) Hon, u have that copycat of a dogs frame now: This stage is not solid though hence no food at this very stage; Its only a copy cat of what u have accustomed as a human; U have dog traits, ur Bardo is right after ur human death of that Red chain now to a Blue chain; U cling just like that to the new blue chain now; But u still have not found a womb though; u are here till u get that dogs womb or find that pertinent dog mother; So, now u are a dog bardo; if u are going to be a bird, ur red chain of human disconnect right after ur death and cling to the blue chain of the bird bardo ; Make note, no solid body due to no food or soliditary till she gets the birds mother; But she waits in her dog or bird gandabba till she gets her pertinent womb; If she is going to get a human birth again, then she gets a human bardo till the right karma clicks with her and provide her of the mothers womb pertinent of what she been accustomed in human life ; Now this is a LIFE here ; This life is what goes to a womb; So the birth or what we concieve is already a LIFE; So u get it now, the Gandabba is a LIFE and its ur new BIRTH: IF u wont score for a mothers womb or even a pet, u could be here for trillion eaons now: There is no intermediate stage though, its a LIFE ; U die, u REBIRTH as a Gandabba: let me know, is this enough ; Thank you &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastEditorDisplayName="user7592" LastEditDate="2016-01-14T22:11:36.193" LastActivityDate="2016-01-14T22:11:36.193" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13687" CreationDate="2016-01-15T04:28:31.077" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma gender distinction is there in every part of the corporeal structure. In Buddhism illusion is used if the meaning breaks down at a lower level of abstraction, but in this case, gender is there to the most basic material composition, hence not an illusion. This is more on how you define illusion and what gets translated into the word illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any view, perception about gender this is illusionary as it it is constituted by Citta and Cetasika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gender does decay and has the potential to change from birth to birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T06:35:17.170" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T06:35:17.170" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13687" CreationDate="2016-01-15T04:30:29.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind can be seen as having a gender. It is true that thoughts are not classified in Buddhism as female thoughts or male thoughts. But the gender conditions your likes and dislikes, which intern condition the mind (Thanha paccaya Upadana, Upadana paccaya Bhava). When you were born, your gender(physical) was not selected randomly. You were born as male or female because of the conditioning of the mind in the previous life. Generally males are less emotional, less fearful and less capricious compared females. But a female can condition her mind like a male and as a result be born as a male next life. Same goes for men who are very emotional and need lots of comforting. They can be born as females next life as a consequence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, those who attain Jhanas are born as Brahmas who have no physical gender. So it is obvious that conditioning of the mind determines your gender.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T08:59:51.750" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T08:59:51.750" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13687" CreationDate="2016-01-15T06:08:25.117" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being male is not being free of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eight worldly Dhammas&lt;/a&gt;, being female is not being free of the eight worldly Dhammas, being a King..., being a tycoon..., being a beggar..., being a outcarst..., being a star... being a Buddhist... wanting to be a male... wanting to be a female... wanting to be an Arahat... wanting not to be... is not being free of the eight wordily Dhammas and being subject to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being after the eight Dhammas one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.200.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;subject and object of love and hate&lt;/a&gt;, makes and is reason for politics and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/papanca_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;arrow is not removed&lt;/a&gt;, still seeking for a boot for ones fellows...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The world was entirely without substance. All the directions were&#xA;  knocked out of line. Wanting a haven for myself, I saw nothing that&#xA;  wasn’t laid claim to. Seeing nothing in the end but competition, I&#xA;  felt discontent...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet those now rich are debauched to &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;play with the salt&lt;/a&gt; justice for the blind is not seen but demanded. So the Buddha talk very straight in regard of sex and how it can be seen without touching regulation worldly conditions and ones health self-estimate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obsessing over one's gender identity causes only suffering: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.048.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 7.48&lt;/a&gt; so it has to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.002.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;abounded for the yogis sake&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A woman attends inwardly to her feminine faculties, her feminine&#xA;  gestures, her feminine manners, feminine poise, feminine desires,&#xA;  feminine voice, feminine charms. ...Delighting, caught up in her&#xA;  femininity, a woman goes into bondage with reference to men. This is&#xA;  how a woman does not transcend her femininity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A man attends inwardly to his masculine faculties, masculine&#xA;  gestures, masculine manners, masculine poise, masculine desires,&#xA;  masculine voice, masculine charms...Delighting, caught up in his&#xA;  masculinity, a man goes into bondage with reference to women. This is&#xA;  how a man does not transcend his masculinity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is there lack of bondage? &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.048.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saññoga Sutta: Bondage&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, since you are in the world, since you live in dependency of society and measures, such thinks matter and you would give up the cause first and not fall into imitating a result and even demand it. Never go in between because such causes all orientation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T06:08:25.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13527" CreationDate="2016-01-15T09:55:04.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This (Parajikan Atthakatha) is available within &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Samantapasadika-Vol-1_p_2142.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samantapāsādikā&lt;/a&gt; more particularly the part called &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/1.PrrjikakakaaAhakath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parajikakanda Atthakatha&lt;/a&gt;. The original is published by PTS and available in Pali at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Samantapasadika-Vol-1_p_2142.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pariyatti Store&lt;/a&gt;. As for an English translation there is: &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/sacredbooksofbud21londuoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Inception of Discipline &amp;amp; the Vinaya Nidana: Being a Translation &amp;amp; Edition of the Bahiranidana of Buddhaghosa's Samantapasadika, the Vinaya Commentary (Sacred Books of the Buddhists)&lt;/a&gt;. (Link to &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Inception-of-Discipline_p_2151.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Inception of Discipline&lt;/a&gt; N.A. Jayawickrama at Pariyatti Store) I am not sure if this is complete and thorough thought as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Samantapasadika-8-Volume-Set_p_2150.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;original is a 8 volume set&lt;/a&gt; which seems to be condensed to &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Inception-of-Discipline_p_2151.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1 volume in the English translation&lt;/a&gt;. If you are looking fro free editions both (Pali and english) are available in &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://archive.org/&lt;/a&gt; which I have given the links above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably U Ba Khin is referring to the following passage (&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/1.PrrjikakakaaAhakath&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;PDF from Parajikakanda Atthakatha, page 160&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Evaṃ nāmarūpaṃ vavatthapetvā tassa paccayaṃ pariyesati, pariyesanto ca taṃ disvā tīsupi addhāsu&#xA;  nāmarūpassa pavattiṃ ārabbha kaṅkhaṃ vitarati. Vitiṇṇakaṅkho &lt;strong&gt;kalāpasammasanavasena&lt;/strong&gt; tilakkhaṇaṃ āropetvā&#xA;  udayabbayānupassanāya pubbabhāge uppanne obhāsādayo dasa vipassanupakkilese pahāya upakkilesavimuttaṃ&#xA;  paṭipadāñāṇaṃ ‘‘maggo’’ti vavatthapetvā udayaṃ pahāya bhaṅgānupassanaṃ patvā nirantaraṃ bhaṅgānupassanena&#xA;  bhayato upaṭṭhitesu sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindanto virajjanto vimuccanto yathākkamaṃ cattāro ariyamagge&#xA;  pāpuṇitvā arahattaphale patiṭṭhāya ekūnavīsatibhedassa paccavekkhaṇañāṇassa pariyantappatto sadevakassa lokassa&#xA;  aggadakkhiṇeyyo hoti. Ettāvatā cassa gaṇanaṃ ādiṃ katvā vipassanāpariyosānā &lt;strong&gt;ānāpānassatisamādhibhāvanā&lt;/strong&gt; ca samattā hotīti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That turns out to be a quote from Visuddhimagga (&lt;a href=&quot;http://thepathofpurification.blogspot.it/2011/09/visuddhimagga-viii-224.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;viii-224&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://thepathofpurification.blogspot.it/2011/09/visuddhimagga-viii-225.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;viii-225&lt;/a&gt;), part of a commentary on the first tetrad of anapana meditation. The English &lt;a href=&quot;http://sites.google.com/site/chewdhamma/PathofPurification2011.PDF&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Ñánamoli’s&lt;/a&gt; translation is the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;224&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Having defined mentality-materiality in this way, he seeks its condition. With search he finds it, and so overcomes his doubts about&#xA;  the way of mentalitymateriality’s occurrence in the three divisions of&#xA;  time (Ch. XIX). His doubts being overcome, he attributes the three&#xA;  characteristics [beginning with that of suffering to mentality and&#xA;  materiality], comprehending [them] by groups (XX.2f.); he abandons the&#xA;  ten imperfections of insight beginning with illumination, which arise&#xA;  in the first stages of the contemplation of rise and fall (XX.105f.),&#xA;  and he defines as “the path” the knowledge of the way that is free&#xA;  from these imperfections (XX.126f.). He reaches contemplation of&#xA;  dissolution by abandoning [attention to] arising. When all formations&#xA;  have appeared as terror owing to the contemplation of their incessant&#xA;  dissolution, he becomes dispassionate towards them (Ch. XXI), his&#xA;  greed for them fades away, and he is liberated from them (Ch. XXII).&#xA;  After he has [thus] reached the four noble paths in due succession and&#xA;  has become established in the fruition of Arahantship, he at last&#xA;  attains to the nineteen kinds of reviewing knowledge (XXII.19f.), and&#xA;  he becomes fit to receive the highest gifts from the world with its&#xA;  deities.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;At this point his development of concentration through mindfulness of breathing, beginning with counting and ending with&#xA;  looking back (§189) is completed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="3631" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T03:10:05.860" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T03:10:05.860" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13693" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13694" CreationDate="2016-01-15T12:57:32.097" Score="8" ViewCount="835" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of the 6th precept is that one should only eat between sunrise and noon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's another question (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3737/what-is-the-purpose-of-not-eating-after-noon&quot;&gt;What is the purpose of not eating after noon? &lt;/a&gt;) about the purpose of it from monks' point of view. I would like to know about it from the laity's perspective.&#xA;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the purpose of this precept to practice discipline, to renounciate&#xA;pleasures and so one can gain more certainty in their ability to be&#xA;diligent?  Is it so that one knows hunger and does not act on it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;if one is taking the 8 precepts, they should take all 8, right? There&#xA;is no &quot;pick and choose the most convenient&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sounds silly when expressed, though I've read statements on Buddhism.SE and in books saying &quot;don't do X if it would cause major conflicts in your life and you don't value X over the absence of conflict&quot;, be it child raising, vegetarianism while dependant on ones parents, meditating more at the expense of getting sufficient sleep, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I still eat meat (and dinner) due to family pressures. Is it acceptable to make these allowances? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My concrete example is that I often stay up very late when it is the days surrounding the New Moon, for Astronomical observation. (This is a date that many Thai laypeople commit to the precepts). So leading up to that day, I gradually stay up later and wake up later. Eventually, I am waking at noon. &#xA;It is impractical and unhealthy at these days to be eating at sunrise, only to fall asleep, and then fast until I return to sleep the next day. &#xA;Should I just fast for the same duration, shifted to healthier hours? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2139" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T12:32:22.223" Title="Can one alter the 6th precept to accommodate one's family or daily routines?" Tags="|food|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13693" CreationDate="2016-01-15T15:23:22.727" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Brayton&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My understanding of the 6th precept is that one should only eat between sunrise and noon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. (if one is very interested, there is a very informative work about the beginning time: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item259&quot;&gt;When Is Dawn (aruna)? When Is Dawnrise (arunuggamana)? - Bhikkhu Ñāṇadassana&lt;/a&gt; for astrological and people interested to be strict and informed)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is twofold.&#xA;  Firstly, what is the purpose of it. Is it to practice disciplin, to renunciate pleasures and so one can gain more certainty in their ability to be diligent? Is it so that one knows hunger and does not act upon it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reasons are many. Yes, the 8 precepts are to reduce sensual pleasure which is the biggest obstacle for meditation.&#xA;While doing so, one is naturally forced to keep mindfulness because otherwise he/she would be overwhelmed by sense desire and could not keep the precepts. That means observing them is already much about sati (mindfulness). The next reason is reducing food which means one does not like to harm for just pleasure. This is the metta and karuna aspect of &quot;fasten&quot;. A further aspect is the time aspect. One safes a lot of time which are normally used to search and organize food, prepare earn money ... with all its dangers to break basic precepts.&#xA;And yes, it is also to learn about dukkha which one does not know when just eating when hunger arises or sense desire. Yet one also learns to know the different between bodily hunger, hunger after pleasure and also what the body needs.&#xA;One more reason is that normal people have the most pleasant food in the evening, so one needs to let go of such as barbecue and dinner and such things with all its other most not so good involvements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Secondly, if one is taking the 8 precepts, they should take all 8, right? There is no &quot;pick and choose the most convienient&quot;. This sounds silly when expressed, though i've read statements on buddhism.SE and in books saying &quot;don't do X if it would cause major conflicts in your life and you don't value X over the absense of conflict&quot;, be it child raising, vegetarianism while dependant on ones parents, meditating more at the expense of getting sufficient sleep, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silly goes most again clinging on something. There is no such as keeping precepts without giving up and letting go. BUT, it really no problem to start with one precept and step to it and then maybe the next. One would not be called a person who keeps 8 precepts, but that should not be important. Important is that one sticks to his/here resolves. It might be that one has a job where he/she needs to be attractive and is not able to let go of that the specific silas demand in his/her time of work and for now there is no other way. So its really better to make such compromises as to say &quot;I can not keep all&quot;. Better 6, 7, 7.5 strict that 8 just literary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I still eat meat (and dinner) due to family pressures. Is it acceptable to make these allowances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its no fault and not unwholesome to EAT meat. One does good not to demand it, not to speak about bringing people to organize it or even being involved in killing. That is a thing that comes step be step. Even in a family members start to adopt good behavior and will respect if one members does not like to be involved in demanding meat. But again, there is no problem to eat meat. Just do not develop joy when people still stick to it and maybe give them your portion if they can not let go of desire for meat and eventually problems with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My concrete example is that I often stay up very late when it is the days surrounding the New Moon, for Astronomical observation. (This is a date that many Thai laypeople commit to the precepts). So leading up to that day, I gradually stay up later and wake up later. Eventually, I am waking at noon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you keep the Uposatha, its usual for mediator to even do not sleep the night before. An its no problem to let go of one night sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uposatha can be hold (just) on the Uposatha days and Sila days (7 or 8 day after full and half moon) some give it some additional days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the different categories of observance?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    pakati-uposatha&#xA;    pati-jagara-uposatha&#xA;    pati-harika-pakkha-uposatha&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The times for keeping the pakati-uposatha are the 5th, 8th, 14th and 15th of the waxing moon and the 5th, 8th, 14th and 15th of the&#xA;  waning moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The times for keeping the pati-jagara-uposatha are the five days of the waxing moon, i.e., the 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and the 13th, and&#xA;  the six days of the waning moon: the 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 12th&#xA;  or 13th. That makes eleven days in a month for the observance of this&#xA;  type of Uposatha. ... see more: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanavara/uposatha_en.html&quot;&gt;Uposatha Sila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then there are people who make it akaliko, so with no difference of day, to keep the eight precepts which is normally possible for everyone and most suggested, especially of those who strive for an end of suffering and to go the upward path. No gift is great as this for all being of this world like the gift of silas, the Uposatha-precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma has to say that he is not that happy with this very traditional and formal explaining which has adopted much from the Vinaya and much which is out of context. Also Atma is not happy about the factors and many more. So generally its good to stick with the suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Muluposatha Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.70&lt;/a&gt;) — Discourse on the Roots of the Uposatha&#xA;Uposatha Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.041.vaka_en.html&quot;&gt;AN 8.41&lt;/a&gt;) — Discourse on the Uposatha Observance&#xA;Visakhuposatha Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan_en.html&quot;&gt;AN 8.43&lt;/a&gt;) — Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha&#xA;Sakka Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha_en.html&quot;&gt;AN 10.46&lt;/a&gt;) — To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also DN2 give much info about virtue of a eventually yogi. For family life maybe to much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is impractical and unhealthy at these days to be eating at sunrise, only to fall asleep, and then fast until I return to sleep the next day. Should I just fast for the same duration, shifted to healthier hours?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. If you need that sleep. Eat breakfast, noon. If you than really need to rest, there should be no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More infos Upasaka might find here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha_en.html&quot;&gt;Uposatha Observance Days&lt;/a&gt; and also a &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha-calendar_en.html&quot;&gt;this years calender&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If more question arise and certain which for discussions appears, Upasaka and others are always invited to make use of the online &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot;&gt;monastery sangham&lt;/a&gt; which might be in some cases maybe a better place. This environment is certain limited and for some issues not so proper even if most helpful and supportive in many aspects. So it the &quot;invitation&quot; should be not misunderstand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T17:00:53.647" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T17:00:53.647" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13695" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14008" CreationDate="2016-01-15T17:03:51.043" Score="8" ViewCount="4061" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fifth precept started off as a ban on the drinking of alcohol. It has since been expanded to ban the use of intoxicants. Is tobacco also forbidden under the fifth precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7622" LastEditorUserId="7622" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T18:42:29.047" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T06:45:51.090" Title="Does the fifth precept ban smoking?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13686" CreationDate="2016-01-15T17:24:56.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahamudra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahamudra&lt;/a&gt; ,  (Maybe? Let me know if I am off base here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahamudra cannot be taught. But most intelligent Naropa, Since you&#xA;  have undergone rigorous austerity, With forbearance in suffering and&#xA;  with devotion to your Guru, Blessed One, take this secret instruction&#xA;  to heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is space anywhere supported? Upon what does it rest? Like space,&#xA;  Mahamudra is dependant upon nothing; Relax and settle in the continuum&#xA;  of unalloyed purity, And, your bonds loosening, release is certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gazing intently into the empty sky, vision ceases; Likewise, when mind&#xA;  gazes into mind itself, The train of discursive and conceptual thought&#xA;  ends And supreme enlightenment is gained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like the morning mist that dissolves into thin air, Going nowhere but&#xA;  ceasing to be, Waves of conceptualization, all the mind's creation,&#xA;  dissolve, When you behold your mind's true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pure space has neither colour nor shape And it cannot be stained&#xA;  either black or white; So also, mind's essence is beyond both colour&#xA;  and shape And it cannot be sullied by black or white deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The darkness of a thousand aeons is powerless To dim the crystal&#xA;  clarity of the sun's heart; And likewise, aeons of samsara have no&#xA;  power To veil the clear light of the mind's essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although space has been designated &quot;empty&quot;, In reality it is&#xA;  inexpressible; Although the nature of mind is called &quot;clear light&quot;,&#xA;  Its every ascription is baseless verbal fiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mind's original nature is like space; It pervades and embraces all&#xA;  things under the sun. Be still and stay relaxed in genuine ease, Be&#xA;  quiet and let sound reverberate as an echo, Keep your mind silent and&#xA;  watch the ending of all worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;strong&gt;Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa&#xA;              in Twenty Eight &lt;a href=&quot;http://keithdowman.net/mahamudra/tilopa.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Verses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T17:24:56.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-01-15T19:35:30.020" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always approached the precepts as very important guidelines rather than rigid rules for banning one's actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly, while on the eightfold path, if one intakes a substance that even subtlety  clouds the mind  then that substance would lead to one's suffering and the suffering of those around one. The more one understands this and the more one sees things as they are, the more one will follow the presepts naturally like a river follows the best way down the side of a  mountain.-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-15T23:35:45.920" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T23:35:45.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-01-15T22:28:46.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fifth precept exist because of few reasons. Addictive drugs and beverages are not only unhealthy they are severe distractions for someone on path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's look at smocking,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all i am not a smoker :-) but here is the full story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As lord Buddha taught there is a thing called dependent arising. Alcohol,cigars,cigarettes,other drugs have a negative effect on the body of the user which effect brain directly and instantly and total health in the long run.Lord Buddha directly said that Health is the true wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your brain is the center of the thought process and if something happens to your brain you are left with your sub consciousness. That is not how a Buddhist deal with things, we as Buddhist rely on our conscious thoughts (Mindfulness). And as lord Buddha has said beings should not harm their lives and it is bad Karma if you do so. Doing any drug is equal to poisoning yourself slowly to your death, because eventually what happens is that you by conscious choice harm your body which results younger death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as we all know smoking is an addiction, There is no taste,comfort or and aid to the body from smoking. There is only the joy of consuming. As Lord Buddha clearly said addictions are bad for the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly there is no possible perspective in which addictions like smocking or any other addiction can be justified. If you smoke take time but come out of it never to return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T22:28:46.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-01-15T22:32:30.410" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a Zen story titled, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/98non-attachment.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Non-Attachment&lt;/a&gt;, which I read as having suggested that it's better to avoid it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How pleasant this smoking is ... Such pleasant things may disturb meditation. Before this goes too far, I will stop now.&quot; So he threw the smoking outfit away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tobacco packaging (in this country) has labelling like, &quot;Smoking Kills&quot; -- so I guess it shouldn't be recommended!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there are some monks who smoke (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=20222&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why do Thai monks smoke?&lt;/a&gt;), so I guess it's not technically against the five precepts. On the other hand: addiction, eh?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine_withdrawal&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nicotine withdrawal&lt;/a&gt; causes heedlessness -- so (unless you're willing and able to chain-smoke for the rest of your shortened life) I suspect it isn't recommended and in my opinion is contrary to the spirit of the fifth precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-01-15T22:32:30.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-01-15T23:55:32.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If smoking, as long as not intoxicant things, it does not violate the precept, but since it is most common sense please one goes against what is good in the frame on Dhamma. Yet it is a sense pleasure which causes very less harm for others. Driving for example a car or being after chocolate or burger is over all more harmful. Smoking is somehow the bad child under the really bad and much worthier under the overabundance of sense drugs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of abstaining from intoxicants is &quot;making one heedless&quot; and so act mostly very unwholsome and unskillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To raise the argument that it causes heedlessness it one does not get it, and therefore it is to be seen as causing heedlessness is pointless. If such argument would be valid your woman or you child would be causing even more heedlessness. So that is merely not so well thought. People living indulged in attachments and drugs with cause them permanently heedlessness if not gaining or possible to maintaining the pleasure out of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surfing in internet or this or that food kill far more, not only one self but a lot of other beings to be provided. There are less &quot;drugs&quot; which are in its hole so less harmful like smoking, yet for sure also harmful especially for ones own health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks are even explicit allowed to smoke pipe and keep certain items for it (MV.VI.13, Mahāvagga VI.01-15 6. Bhesajjakkhandhako). Of course here it seems to have certain health usage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, is best to let go, if there is a possibility (effort to keep mindfulness arosen, nothing else is needed to abound it) but Atma would see less reason to change ones addiction just to another if it would be not something lesser harmful, the point where Buddhas medicine for certain joy comes in: doing Jhana (meditation) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least, one who has touched an amount of liberation will find it more easy to let go of all kind of sensuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Matters of Sila and virtue is for sure not not disturbing others with ones smoke and a matter of concern is also not to encourage smoking and if certain addicted to stay ashamed and seclusive when indulging in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-16T00:21:44.170" LastActivityDate="2016-01-16T00:21:44.170" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8818" CreationDate="2016-01-16T06:52:33.767" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, nirvana is not omnipotence and complete control of the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is understanding and embracing the true nature of ones mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any state of getting whatever you want is impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate goal is ending suffering, I think this matters, I'd like to reduce suffering, it seems a fair task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some schools teach only the reduction of your own suffering. &#xA;Others the reduction of all suffering held by any sentient being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-16T23:09:41.350" LastActivityDate="2016-01-16T23:09:41.350" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8818" CreationDate="2016-01-16T11:42:59.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does he want to be a Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;He doesn't want and doesn't &#xA;not want to be a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Will he get what he wants - forever ?&lt;/strong&gt; Being a Buddha,  Dave would want nothing. He gets what he wants(nothing) forever until the concept of time ceases in Parinibanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does it matter?&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;It doesn't matter until someone makes it matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is nirvana - just whatever a Buddha wants?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question assumes that a Buddha would want something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-21T14:16:26.493" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T14:16:26.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13703" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13715" CreationDate="2016-01-16T16:52:16.473" Score="5" ViewCount="589" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia includes &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Tibetan_Buddhism&quot;&gt;this (unreferenced) sentence&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism, Mahāyāna practitioners have the choice of two practice paths: the path of perfection (Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;pāramitāyāna&lt;/em&gt;) or the path of tantra (Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;tantrayāna&lt;/em&gt;), which is the Vajrayāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would you say a bit more about that (for someone who hasn't been taught Mahāyāna practice or Tibetan Buddhism)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, some related questions include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the quoted sentence more-or-less true?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this a good high-level view of (introduction to, or taxonomy of) Tibetan Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are &lt;em&gt;pāramitāyāna&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;tantrayāna&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the goal of each?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the purpose of each (do they tend toward the goal)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What (or how) is the practice of each (how, for example, is the purpose implemented)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To what extent is it true that &quot;practitioners have the choice&quot;? On what basis should or do they choose (e.g. which practice path is suited for, or available to, what practitioners)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2018-05-16T13:32:35.973" Title="Pāramitāyāna and Tantrayāna" Tags="|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|tantra|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13704" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-16T17:19:04.700" Score="2" ViewCount="2939" Body="&lt;p&gt;I actually have two different questions : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can cold showers benefit our practice?  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Someone once told me not to take showers when doing a lot of meditation because the cold reduces the concentration level: is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who told me this talked about &quot;regular showers&quot; not &quot;cold showers&quot;; now that I got interested in cold showers after reading about their health benefits, it made me worried that they would harm my concentration level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the record the person who told me this was a theravada monk &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-01-16T19:37:01.490" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T16:35:13.873" Title="Can cold showers benefit or harm our practice (our concentration)?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13705" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-16T18:16:45.350" Score="4" ViewCount="386" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently i stumbled upon a movie disc and on it was a movie called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMGsfbNfo0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;American guinea pigs&quot;.&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;It wasn't a typical funny horror story, it was a ultra realistic documentary style movie.&#xA;There was a woman laying on a table (tied to it) and she was surrounded by masked group who injected something into her.&#xA;Then her skin was removed from her neck and her calves were cut of in pieces. &#xA;I was shocked and i felt my heart pumping and i was about to faint. i stopped the movie and just waited for this rush to pass.&#xA;But i couldn't close the movie until i knew it is a movie not a real life event (if you have seen it you will know why, it is very real). So i played it again and dragged it manually to the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the carnage was followed by them chopping her arms and gutting her. I couldn't take anymore so i skipped to the end. &#xA;Just like all the movies this had a clip from the sequel too.&#xA;It was a new born baby and a little boy on the table this time, i was too traumatized to remember but the text below meant that this would be the sequel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was hard for me and my mind burst into a sea of emotions and it kept reminding me the equally disturbing real life events i unfortunately witnessed in my life. I had no other idea but to write them all down on a book.Now whenever i feel i'm loosing my edge with my still very young practice i read that book and somehow it immediately bring me back to mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was meant to be entertaining to some audience and someone knowingly gave her baby to be presented as the next pray to this. I know the world isn't alice's wonderland but i am left with some questions and i hope you can help me....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1:- How do we understand this kind of sick entertainment in a Buddhist perspective (why do people enjoy this kind of things)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2:- How to deal with this kind of emotional trauma?&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-01-16T22:01:31.300" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T14:39:10.517" Title="Burst bubble : How to deal with a traumatizing event?" Tags="|modern-world|mind|media|pchychological-trauma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13705" CreationDate="2016-01-16T18:29:12.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1:- How do we understand this kind of sick entertainment in a Buddhist perspective (why do people enjoy this kind of things)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we understand this? As impermanent, not ultimately satisfactory, and void of any self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like all experience that make up samsara, giving rise to wanting or aversion to any of it is the seed for future suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you now see, your aversion to this is bringing you mental anguish. The path the Buddha taught is the middle way; equanimously moving through any and all experience, unmoved by even the most horrific of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do people enjoy this? They are delusional. The same reason anyone enjoys anything, they mistake it as being a source of happiness, failing to see the suffering latent in their grasping, and the manner in which this twists their mind and sets the stage for future becoming and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2:- How to deal with this kind of emotional trauma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold path. This is the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, the practitioners mind becomes balanced and equanimous; able to discern the arising and ceasing of all phenomenon as it is, rather than giving rise to states of anger or greed towards it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When traumatic memories arise, the meditator clearly sees &quot;this is thinking&quot;; &#xA;if these memories give rise to sadness, the meditator clearly sees &quot;this is sadness (or feeling). And as such, knowing all things as they are, the mind remains unperturbed. This practice is outlined in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-10-satipatthana-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Magga-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also take refuge in the Buddha during times of distress, as illustrated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn02/sn02.009.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN2.9&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn02/sn02.010.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN2.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/protmed.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four protective meditations&lt;/a&gt;, in particular recollection of the Buddha, may also be of use to you. I hope this helps out, be well friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as journaling goes, I think this can be a helpful tool for beginning meditators. Being able to write down experiences you otherwise have trouble accepting in meditation can allow you to &quot;hold&quot; these issues in your hand and read them, somewhat as a middle-ground between repressing them altogether and fully accepting them as they are in your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say, if you find this helps, then this is ok. Just so long as you do not become attached to this, dependent upon it, and averse to dealing with these things in your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, you have to stop using the training wheels at some point. So its important that you push yourself as far as you're able to, within reason, and do no become complacent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="5191" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T02:20:03.330" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T02:20:03.330" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13704" CreationDate="2016-01-16T18:57:04.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me tell you a story from Lord Buddha's time....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a maid who was a follower of Lord Buddha went early in the morning to the nearby river to bring water.&#xA;She saw a sage in the  river taking an early bath, knowing the temperature of the water in the morning she asked him a question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear sage what are you doing in this cold water, it is very cold in this part of the day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the sage replied, I am washing away my sins. When i take cold baths it brings me closer to salvation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The maid was surprised by the answer and said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear sage if cold water brings you closer to the path what about the fish in the water?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then she went on to describe how mind matters to the path not the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what you should take from this story...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha clearly said &amp;quot;Mind is the thing that comes first,that it is on top of the order&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha also said &amp;quot;thoughts are Karma&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;Chethanahan Bhikkave kamman wadami&amp;quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the mind that matters not the body...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me convince you with some stories from the history of the Great Arahats,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a determent monk started to do the walking meditation around the &amp;quot;Bodhi tree&amp;quot; of a monastery. The monk was determined to keep going no matter what. After some time he felt that his legs hold no more power to carry him and he fell down, but he did not stop. He started to keep going on his knees. Then his knees gave up on him after some time. He was bleeding and fell down on the sand. Later on he was directly instructed by Lord Buddha to take things slow, Not too hard and not too soft.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So this is how taking things too hard ended up. Now lets see how taking things too soft ended up...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the early age of Buddhism monks used a wooden pillow to rest their heads when sleeping. But this was later on replaced by the kind of pillows we use today.&#xA;And it can be found in many dialogs among Monks and Arahats (In text) that this replacement which is seemingly good actually reduced the potential of the monks. It was considered a bad choice because the replacement actually represented the love for the well being of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So have people or monks meditated without any regard to their bodies?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the answer...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there was a monk called &amp;quot;Ven. Chakku pala&amp;quot;. while he was at the peak of his practice he started having troubles with his eyes. The doctor gave a medicine which needed to be dropped in to the eyes while the patient is lying on a bed. But he could not agree to that because the practice style he was doing needed him in only to poses (sitting or standing). So all along he was either standing or sitting,skipping the sleeping. He chose his Nirvana above his eyes and kept going. In the very day he turned blind he reached Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not have many concerns. Try to relax and not to worry about the minor details. If you have pains while meditating do some vipassana meditation and focus on the impermanence of that pain and keep going on. It is essential that you give up the love for your own body and to do that you need to learn and realize just like all other things your body is temporary too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be strong and keep it up,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-16T18:57:04.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13705" CreationDate="2016-01-16T19:44:21.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do we understand this kind of sick entertainment in a Buddhist perspective (why do people enjoy this kind of things)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't enjoy that kind of thing (i.e. &quot;horror movies&quot;), so I don't ever watch them and don't have to think about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be a bit like asking, &quot;how do we understand drug addiction?&quot; and one answer is that most people aren't in an environment where they need to understand that: because they don't expose themselves to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a slightly similar reason to avoiding horror movies (i.e. in order to avoid their emotional contagion) I would prefer to &lt;em&gt;read&lt;/em&gt; news articles, than listen to newscasters narrate news stories on television.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that Buddhism &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; explanation for people enjoying this kind of thing. A partial conventional explanation might be that some people become habituated or tolerant. Someone who enjoyed it to begin with, and who then watched horror movies for another 20 years, might grow to tolerate (or enjoy) more horror (or simulated horror) than someone else with less experience of the genre: like someone who's been alcoholic for 20 years might tolerate a larger dose of alcohol than a 'normal' person could.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe they learn to control their horror, see the movie as unreal, and have enough experience to say, &quot;It's just a movie, clever cinematography, I wonder how then produced those special effects&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to deal with this kind of emotional trauma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot;equally disturbing real life events I unfortunately witnessed in my life&quot;, which I haven't witnessed so I'm not an expert. If you meant it literally (I hope you didn't) it could be a question for you to ask a responsible professional e.g. your medical doctor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that one component of post-traumatic stress is a kind of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. thinking something like, &quot;I wish that had not happened, that should not have happened, that was morally wrong, they were wrong, or I was wrong, or etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the therapies for post-traumatic stress (as it, i.e. the therapy, is taught in non-Buddhist circles in the West) consists of training the victim to remain mindful of the present. For example, perhaps you've been attacked while you were in the shower and now you have &quot;flash-backs&quot; when you're showering: one form of therapy encourages you to remain conscious of &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; shower which is happening now, which is normal and safe and under your control (I haven't had that training/therapy myself but perhaps it means to stay conscious of your five senses e.g. what you see and hear and feel now, as an antidote or alternative to getting lost in the sixth sense of mind-ideas and memories).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the parallel between that and Buddhist meditation is clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another form of suffering that can afflict a victim with PTSD might be an inability to forgive the aggressor (e.g. &quot;I hate him because he did that to me&quot;). To deal with this kind of trauma, Buddhism might recommend &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; and/or &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;averena&lt;/em&gt;, non-hatred&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T14:39:10.517" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T14:39:10.517" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13705" CreationDate="2016-01-16T21:26:11.890" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Know that they are only actors and don't watch it if it's going to traumatize you. Don't watch any movies unless you like distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T14:28:13.793" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T14:28:13.793" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13710" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-16T22:13:34.520" Score="0" ViewCount="1086" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a belief in my country that Miscarriages &amp;amp; Natural abortions can happen as a result of evil beings taking revenge from someone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently heard a story from a teacher of mine that some couple visited him about a series of Miscarriages because they had a suspicion about it. He is a Famous monk in my country and he does not have any reputation for doing such Exorcism stuff, But as a monk he could not turn two troubled people away so he started reciting dhamma hoping something would come up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As my teacher said then the lady started acting strange and like in those movies she talked like a completely another person. My teacher said that she told them the story's beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So long story short ; she was pregnant in the earlier part of their marriage and they did not wanted a child back then so they took an abortion and that dead child is now haunting them as a being from Yakkha or Pretha realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the teaching has to say about these kind of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these things actually happen what can a person do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T00:43:32.897" Title="Miscarriages &amp; Natural abortions as a result of evil beings?" Tags="|karma|sutras|texts|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13703" CreationDate="2016-01-16T22:20:55.980" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote is more or less true. The position that Tibetan Buddhism distinguishes between pāramitāyāna and tantrayāna is accurate. Pāramitāyāna is most often translated 'perfection vehicle' or 'sutra vehicle' while tantrayāna is usually translated as 'tantra vehicle' or 'secret mantra vehicle'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Middle Length Lam-Rim, Tsongkhapa says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Atisha] held numerous lineages of masters such as the two lineages of&#xA;  the common vehicle and of the great vehicle, with regard to which&#xA;  there are the two – (1) the perfection and (2) secret mantra [vehicles]. In&#xA;  the perfection vehicle he held three lineages: the lineages of the&#xA;  view and of conduct, the latter of which has the lineage from Maitreya&#xA;  and the lineage from Manjugosha. In the secret mantra he had received&#xA;  five types of transmission as well as numerous lineages such as the&#xA;  lineage of teaching systems,[tenets] the lineage of blessings, and the&#xA;  lineage of various instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;In this context, 'common vehicle' refer to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a lineage common to the Hinayana and Mahayana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Geshe Jampa Gyatso phrases it in his commentary to Tsonkghapa's Middle-Length Lam Rim. These refer to the teachings and practices 'common to beings of small capacity' (wishing for a precious human rebirth) as well as those 'common to beings of middling capacity' (wishing for abiding-nirvana, individual liberation). One might say that, of these two, only the linage common to beings of middling capacity is a fully qualified path, because a path is found in the continuum of a practitioner generating effortless, renounciation, that is 'a mind of definite emergence from samsara'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Great vehicle' refers to the practices exclusive to 'beings of great capacities' (those wishing for perfect buddhahood, that is non-abiding nirvana, freedom from both afflictive and knowledge-obscurations). The entrance to the Mahayana path is effortless renounciation + uncontrived bodhicitta (whether it be aspirational or engaged).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within this category of teachings [of the great vehicle] you have indeed the two 'vehicles' or 'lineages':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection vehicle&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Secret mantra vehicle&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Geshe Jampa Gyatso writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lineage of the Mahayana has two: (1) the perfection vehicle and (2) the&#xA;  vajra vehicle. In the perfection vehicle there is also two: (1) the&#xA;  lineage of the view and (2) the lineage of the conduct or the lineage of&#xA;  the vast. One lineage was passed on from Buddha Shakyamuni to&#xA;  Maitreya, to Asanga, to Vasubandhu, to Arya Vimuktisena, and so forth.&#xA;  The other was passed from Buddha Shakyamuni to Manjushri and so forth.&#xA;  In the secret mantra lineage there are five lineages. There is also&#xA;  the lineage of tenets, the lineage of blessings, and the lineage of&#xA;  instructions.&#xA;  As both 'vehicles' are Mahayana, they serve the same purpose: causing one to achieve enlightenment in order [for him] to benefit all sentient beings. Prasangika-Madhyamika claim that one has to come to practice tantrayana/secret mantra vehicle to achieve full enlightenment (and could not get pass the tenth bhumi without it). This is merely because the secret mantra vehicle purifies one's mind all the way through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The perfection vehicle includes what we call 'the linage of the view and that of the conduct' or 'the profound and the vast' or 'wisdom and method' or 'the view of dependent-arising and great compassion'. It is so significant that, as Geluk students, teachers often say to us &lt;em&gt;&quot;if anyone asks you what Buddhism is all about, answer that it is about the view and the conduct: the meaning of dependent arising on one side, great compassion on the other&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, we claim that a path is entered upon generating definite emergence. That a path of the perfection vehicle is entered upon generating bohdicitta as well (because it is a Mahayana path), and that the tantra path is entered upon generating renounciation + bodhicitta (becaus it is a Mahayana path) + realization of emptiness (whether it be inferential or direct, although this is a subject of debate). It does not mean you can not engage in tantric practices such as, say, Medicine Buddha Puja, or Guru Yoga, and so forth before having realized emptiness. On the contrary, we claim that engaging in those will get you plant the seeds you need to come to be able to actually practice tantra. You can not practice it unless you had a transmission or at least a permission from a qualified teacher, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four degrees of Tantra, but I will not go into that. This being said, Tantra has to do with understanding that one's aggregates are created by karma, it is playing with 'pure view' and the notion the behind the veil of the two obscurations, phenomena are naturally pure (as in 'abiding in natural nirvana'), and it encourages us to 'take the result as the path' as the Sayka emphasize very much (they call it Lam-Ré). This 'taking the result as the path' can take the aspect of self-generation visualizations (you generate yourself in the aspect of this or that deity manifesting from emptiness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are differences in tenets between tantra and sutras as well. The notion of 'subtle wind that goes from one life to the next' is hardly a notion of the perfection vehicle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-16T22:20:55.980" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13710" CreationDate="2016-01-17T00:20:00.043" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Theravada,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things happen, and killing a human being is not a just a peccadillo. But things have been done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no better than to maintain as much as possible mindfulness, train the mind and do meritorious deeds. Focus everything on Metta Bhavana and keeping precepts eager from a mind of metta. Being aware that things may ripe and not engaging to fight against things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its also good if such as a forgiving ceremony for her former child is made. Such declaring of the misdeed and closure should come from heart and should have an understanding for the &quot;victim&quot; and not be made just to protect one self. So one must see ones fault accept the results and act simply as an obligation for the victims welfare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma is not sure if there are people who are trained and taught in such as &quot;family constellation&quot;, which, if the teacher is a good one, helps a lot since he/she would help that such things are not done just on the surface but form heart to heart which gives one the needed release to walk on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same spirit, one should not do such things as having the intent to dispel or harm or kill spirits. That would make things even worth. So she would do good NOT to seek and wish for any exorcism. That is like to kill again and has not confession and accepting of ones misdeed as a drive. So she should work firm to see the transgression and simply act like that. But also, it does not make sense to fall into &quot;I am bad. Punish me&quot; thinking. That is also foolish. What has been done, has been done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its good to seek good teacher in Dhamma who explain and make here Dhamma understandable but never ever hire people to fight or even hurt and kill spirits. Seek for people who are able to explain what and how one self should act and practice, so that there are no causes that one gets hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For giving spirits no opening, there is nothing better as mindfulness, being mindful and never lose earthing. One being aware does not give his body. Mind and body needs to be firm together. Sometimes such as physical exercises maybe even such as yoga, are good that people get aware of there body. And again: All training, all actions, are not meant to fight others or to harm them but with the purpose &quot;May I not harm any being, may I am always firm in my precepts so that no beings is caused harm by heedless actions of mine&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might have been no fault by the monk aside that he just did something that they wanted. Even he canted such as a protective paritta, when such is used with aversion mind it turns out even more worse. So its needed that she learns about the Dhamma and why metta is useful and how the mind have to be that it is a protection. Atma thinks even to make a month a retreat and been taught by monks and nuns would be good, taking on 10 precepts. Maybe in the nunnery of Na Uyana Aranya. It makes less sense to approach normal village monks and those making a living with spells and services for laypeople. They make it even worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T00:43:32.897" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T00:43:32.897" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13705" CreationDate="2016-01-17T01:00:53.347" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply keeping precepts especially &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana... veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, &#xA;singing, music, going to see entertainments... &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;attha-sila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand trauma and Buddhas medicine: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Healing Power of the Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as some other anwerer have pointed out: The first step in traumata curing is to avoid contact with the object that causes things coming up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T01:00:53.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13703" CreationDate="2016-01-17T01:20:57.427" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about &quot;official&quot; stance on these, but from what I gather, the main difference between the two is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;paramitayana&quot; is when you work within a framework of progressive self-improvement,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;while &quot;tantrayana&quot; is when you work within a framework of the target state.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, with &quot;paramitayana&quot; you first hear about the obstacles, then you identify the obstacles in your behavior, then you work on distancing and ridding yourself of them. You hear about paramitas (perfections), then you reflect on your &lt;em&gt;im&lt;/em&gt;perfections, then you work on removing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While with &quot;tantrayana&quot; you are given a simplified image or prototype of the Enlightened Mind to emulate, and you act it until it becomes your second nature. &#xA;Depending on the student, and the lineage or school, an image you're given may be either be anthropomorphic or completely abstract. In some cases you're given a role model e.g. Avalokiteshvara that represents an aspect of the enlightened mind, and your main job is to imitate that, and in general to permeate your life with the mood/energy of the prototype. In more interesting cases, you could be given some abstract quality to imitate - like the quality of wind or space etc. Or if you are a difficult student you could be given the task of fulfilling some practical objective that would require you to manifest certain quality - to give a naive example if you have fear problems you could be asked to get into an actual fight etc. The common theme here is that you learn to generate the target qualities directly, bypassing instruction about obstacles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With &quot;paramitayana&quot;, you are &lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt; and your goal is &lt;em&gt;there&lt;/em&gt;, and there are obstacles between you and the goal. With tantra, especially the higher levels, you are already &quot;there&quot; in Rome and now your job is to be like a roman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Is the quoted sentence more-or-less true?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, all of these attempts to describe the Path are simplifications and generalizations. In actual practice people don't progress through levels one-by-one and more often than not don't follow one &quot;yana&quot; after the other either. Real people are much more complicated than the &quot;low capacity / middling capacity / high capacity&quot; model. So yeah, in general you and/or your mentor could be leaning towards conceptual or experiential mode of instruction but usually some elements of both will be present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To what extent is it true that &quot;practitioners have the choice&quot;? On what basis should or do they choose (e.g. which practice path is suited for, or available to, what practitioners)?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not entirely clear to me either. On one hand there maybe an element of fate - what kind of mentor you will encounter and get along with. On the other hand, there seems to be some affinity between types of students and certain teaching methods, whether due to predominance of particular types of obstacles/obscurations in the student's character or because of the past lives influence or most probably both (these two being of the same nature anyway). If anyone does have a choice here, I suppose it would be more appropriate to say that's the mentor, rather than the student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-05-14T15:27:42.417" LastActivityDate="2018-05-14T15:27:42.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13704" CreationDate="2016-01-17T04:46:15.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking a cold shower is a usual way of yogis to stay awake. So if weariness arises such may help but also no quarantine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking backward is also a way to force mindfulness and other kinds of &quot;dangers&quot; which give mind a reason to stay on topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On that level one does not need to think about concentration since one is far way and has actually problems to keep ones persistence arose. A certain danger for concentration would be if the thought come up &quot;oh a cold shower, that would be pleasant&quot; and then give it attention and follow this approach of the defilement beguiling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking a cold shower it self is also a good test in regard of ones mindfulness. Can you bear it? How is the relation of mindfulness and reaction to cold water. One could gain awakening or insight by having proper attention (&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;) at such event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T04:46:15.357" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13673" CreationDate="2016-01-17T05:50:28.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not a scholar of Chinese Buddhism, all I known is that the gradual enlightenment tradition was referred to as &quot;The Northern School of Chan&quot; and the sudden enlightenment got known as &quot;The Southern School of Chan&quot;. Googling for these two terms turns up some useful references. Let's see what we can learn from these...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia articles on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism#Southern_School_-_Huineng_and_Shenhui&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chan Buddhism - Southern School&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Mountain_Teaching&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;East Mountain Dharma Gate&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subitism#Chan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Subitism - Chan&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenhui&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shenhui&lt;/a&gt; provide some historical information about the two approaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From all the evidence it looks like the distinction was made up and promulgated by Shenhui, the student of Huineng whose adversary Shenxiu was later portrayed as that infamous monk in the Platform Sutra who lost the famous verse contest for their common teacher Hongren of East Mountain Dharma Gate (the original Chan school tracing back to Bodhidharma himself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shenhui sharply criticized Shenxiu's Northern School's emphasis on ceremony and sutra study - and contrasted it with seated meditation of Huineng and the original East Mountain Dharma Gate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shenhui traveled north to live amongst his ideological enemies in the capital city of Luoyang. While in the city he spoke publicly against the teachings of the Northern School:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[Northern School teachings] are the methods of the ignorant. ... &lt;strong&gt;In the six generations that have come before&lt;/strong&gt; [!!! - AV], not a single person performed the practices of Shenxiu.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was a polemical exaggeration, since both schools were derived from the same tradition [of Bodhidharma, Daoxin, and Hongren - AV], and the so-called Southern School [the Shenhui's sect - AV] incorporated many teachings of the more influential Northern School [which was a direct descendant of the original Chan! - AV]. Eventually both schools died out, but the influence of Shenhui was so immense that all later Chan schools traced their origin to [Shenhui's teacher - AV] Huineng, and &quot;sudden enlightenment&quot; became a standard doctrine of Chan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it looks like it was a rhetorical device coined by Shenhui and popularized by the later Chan tradition to make a case for their &quot;Meditation leading to A-ha Realization&quot; method as an antipode to mere &quot;ceremony and sutra study&quot; which they felt was a degradation of Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this standpoint I suppose we could say that any school that does not have a notion of Aha Realization could be considered a gradualist school. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently the gradual approach traces its origins to Yogachara and even further back to Shurangama Sutra and Lankavatara Sutra (According to Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, &quot;The Surangama Sutra and the Lankavatara Sutra were the inspiration for Asanga and Vasubandhu to build their system of philosophy.&quot;) - while the sudden approach goes back to the prajna-paramita family of sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this I guess we could infer that those schools that taught Lankavatara and/or Shurangama sutras exclusively were probably the gradualist schools you are looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Late Chan schools should be excluded by definition. It does look like the early East Mountain Dharma Gate was not gradualist either:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Daoxin, the founder of East Mountain Dharma Gate, advocated for] the unification of the teachings of the Lankavatara Sutra with those of the prajnaparamita sutras [family], which includes the well-known Heart and Diamond sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One Chan school that stands apart is Caodong, the Chinese predecessor of Soto. Apparently it's a school that emphasizes silent illumination (through sitting meditation) without any end result whatsoever. There is simply &quot;no goal to be attained beyond the practice itself.&quot; This makes this school neither gradualist nor subitist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before Bodhidharma and Chan, the Hua-yen school taught Avatamsaka Sutra, which apparently &quot;integrates the teachings on śūnyatā and Yogacara thinking&quot; - shunyata being an element of sudden realization. Before that, Tiantai school included Avatamsaka Sutra in its &quot;classification of teachings&quot; scheme, and mentioned &quot;Gradual Teaching, for those with medium or inferior abilities vs Sudden Teaching for those with superior abilities&quot;. So Hua-yen and Tiantai are not gradualist in the strict sense of the word - although we can't call them subitist either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only remaining Chinese schools that I know of are Tangmi (tantric), Faxiang (yogacara), and Pure Land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looks like Tangmi did teach Surangama Sutra - and its Wikipedia article says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism there was no major distinction between exoteric and esoteric practices and the Northern School of Chan even became known for its esoteric practices of dhāraṇīs and mantras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faxiang reportedly studied the Heart Sutra among other texts, which would put it into the &quot;integrationist&quot; camp in my book, along with Tientai and Hua-yen. As for the Pure Land, they say unlike in Japan in China it was never a distinct school but rather a tradition permeating other schools - including Chan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, it looks like the only school that we can definitely call gradualist was Tangmi, the Chinese precursor of Shingon. If we were to grade schools from completely gradualist to integrative to subitist, Pure Land and Tangmi would be on the far left, then the integrationist schools like Faxiang, Tiantai and Hua-yen in the middle, followed by the early Chan (the first 5 generations from Bodhidharma to Hongren), followed by the late Chan, and finally Linji (Rinzai in Japan) on the far right with its kicking, yelling and koans. I'm not sure where to place Caodong and Soto Zen though - they could either go to the far left if we consider them &quot;infinitely gradual&quot; or somewhere near the middle if we assume their &quot;the path is the goal&quot; to be a clever upaya designed to help the student attain the non-attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alas for simple theories but this was fun. I learned a lot while working on this answer, so thank you for an interesting question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-18T01:52:17.610" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T01:52:17.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-17T06:24:04.697" Score="5" ViewCount="918" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why did Buddha take to alms for his food? Is there any reason for it? As fruits and vegetables grow in forest, couldn't he sustained himself with what is available in forest? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any rules for taking alms? and what kind of food can be taken or refused? Whether karma is passed from the giver to the receiver?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can monks have a garden , where they can grow their fruits and vegetables ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T11:30:59.200" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T21:35:03.783" Title="Why monks have to take alms for their food?" Tags="|monasticism|practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13719" CreationDate="2016-01-17T13:49:26.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't hink there is a canonical answer in the Pali-canon about the &quot;why&quot;.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the books of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; which I accept as quite authoritative there is an explanation in the following spirit (don't have the exact text at hand):&lt;br&gt;&#xA;at one hand the monks shall not be concerned with the common daily life and samsara and what else and thus should -in priciple- should stay with the common samanas'/ascetics' practice. However, to avoid the danger that the monks become too remote from the society, from the human world(so to say) they should somehow remain in contact.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Derived&lt;/em&gt; from this that has two intertwined advantages: the monks &lt;em&gt;give the people the chance to try and experience wideheartedness&lt;/em&gt; so they help them to train wholesome emotions, thoughts and practice, and even help them to simple stay aware of the existence of the Buddha's sangha, teachings and doctrine - and the monks themselves don't loose the contact with that from where they come from, with their own history and samsaric relations and don't become, for instance, hypocrites (the latter is a word from me, I don't really think that Thich Nhat Hanh had used this expression).        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, I find this a nice and very helpful interpretation - but as I said in the first sentence: I've no idea at the moment whether and where the Buddha might have been given such an explicite explanation of the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;why&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T13:49:26.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13721" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-17T16:11:22.570" Score="14" ViewCount="2804" Body="&lt;p&gt;My partner has an active interest in Buddhism and I have been confused about his state of mind for two years. Kindly help us out. The past two years have been a depression time for my family and myself and I'm coping with it with the help of God and only God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This person has had loads of problems in his life. He stayed in a bad marriage for years before leaving. He had a high profile job which he quit and moved back to his home town. Just after moving back he was diagnosed with Non-Hogdkins lymphoma and underwent surgery and five rounds of chemotherapy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has never been well since he has gone back home. We entered into a relationship nearly two years ago and I frequently seen his wrath, anger, jealousy  and many more problems which I can only attribute to his traumatic history. He has never been able to get back into a job. He used to be interested in a vast array of things from photography to painting and since three years he finds nothing interesting. He has stopped talking with all his friends because he says that they &quot;don't understand&quot; him. He has pretty much locked himself in his house under the pretext that he has to &quot;take care of his old parents&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During his chemotherapy he told me he was suicidal which he vehemently denies now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to help him as much as I could. I have approached one of his gurus for help. I tried getting to get him to see a Buddhist psychotherapist. He has refused help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason he refuses help is because he says he is on the verge of enlightenment and that normal therapists cannot do anything to help him. He says he frequently speaks to God but when I say I speak to God too he rejects it outright. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He has weight issues because he binge eats when he is depressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He keeps imagining he has liver diseases, coeliac disease or cancer relapse symptoms. Each time the tests come out negative and his doctors constantly tell him he will not have a relapse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says he's conquered all fear and anger and negativity but I have seen first hand his massive anger issues. He has deep resentment against his parents and there has not been one day that he has not complained about them. He says he has deep anger issues against his father who he says was not good to his mother when he was in the womb or because of past life karma. He openly told his parents one day that they should not have even given birth to him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says he feels love and compassion for everyone and then he made the statement &quot;attachment is for idiots&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My parents too have tried to support him. They have been nice to him until they lost their cool too about him just sitting at home being depressed and not doing anything about it. He then accused my father of abusing him and calling him names. My parents have yelled at him, yes but they are not the kind to ever call anyone names. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He's had issues against my past relationships which caused a major rift between us for a major portion of the last two years. He got extremely jealous and even now he says he finds it difficult to be intimate with me because he has images of other men with me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says the cancer has not affected him, his past relationship has not caused him trauma and it was meditation that guided him to not have mental issues. He frequently compares himself to other cancer patients and how their mental states were affected during their treatment. He almost gloats about it without seeing that he too is mentally unwell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another day he said that the reason he pushes me away is because he has lost so many things in life - a marriage, a career, good health even though he worked hard for it that he is scared of losing this too. He says that being detached like this is his way of not feeling any more pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each time I try to help him he accuses me of being unkind to him and trying to change the way he is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today he mentioned that he is worthless and when I asked him persistently to talk to God and tell God why he felt worthless he called the cops on me and tried to have me attested. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He denies that he is depressed but every person I have spoken to tells me that he shows clear signs of depression. I have spoken to at least three therapists about him and even they agree that he is depressed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is this behaviour justified for a person who is on the verge of enlightenment? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does non attachment mean giving up things you love? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is attachment for idiots? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It the fear of losing things you love the right reason for being non attached? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does non attachment mean having a strong sense of detest for modern life like malls, the cinema etc? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does non attachment mean you have to stop talking with your friends who are different from you? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7631" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T23:55:06.783" LastActivityDate="2020-10-15T20:43:20.397" Title="Confused about partner's practices. Need advice" Tags="|personal-practice|well-being|attachment|controversy|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13704" CreationDate="2016-01-17T16:26:16.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nelly Nelly on FB; U meditate after u gain Sovan; First u see  &amp;amp; try grasping the world as Impermenance (Anithya),  Dukka,  Anaathma (Soulless);  Sunaatha, Dhaareetha, Charaatha.. Are you aware of these 3 components of learning? The Buddhist way of Learning (absorption) is NOTONLY listening/Reading. Sunatha means - listening, Dhareetha means to carry and charatha means to -carry forward (practice what you've learnt. Of course listening is the most important and everytime you listen to dhamma you willgather little bits of information you could carry forward in practice; Read the Tripitaka ten or as much, take a brush and tooth brush of daily applying the theory of Anithya, dukka, Anathma; As u sweep the house, cooks, for every ur daily chores, u should mindful and aware as u perform and then sunatha, daretha, charatha Hon -As u get a good grip of ur true nature / reality, u will get ur stage advanced to Samma Dhitti (Right view); Sovan; Then u start meditation, coz how u try to emerge something already not in ur stream or u r not accustomed of; First u need to enter the stream then the meditaion would flow in u, obvious enough effortlessly; Theruwan Saranayi; with all due respect sir, this is what I ve learnt recently Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastEditorDisplayName="user7592" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T16:35:13.873" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T16:35:13.873" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-17T19:48:39.313" Score="10" Body="&lt;h2&gt;1. Is this behaviour justified for a person who is on the verge of enlightenment?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From your explanations above it sounds like this person is very disturbed, &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; almost enlightened. You &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; be reading it wrong, but here I will go with the assumption that your observations are precise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Questions 2-6&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my perspective (Mahayana), such behavior is unhealthy but rather typical for a beginner in a so-called phase of &quot;dharma-fever&quot;. When a person has a very strong but pretty limited idea of &quot;right&quot; and when the real world (obviously) mismatches it most of the time, then on the basis of this attachment and this mismatch a strong sense of wrongness is generated. This sense of wrongness can get very painful and overwhelming as to make the person want to avoid any exposure to the &quot;wrong&quot; experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this person would need to do is to learn to give up their attachment to their idea of right, while at the same time learning to self-reflect (through mindfulness and meditation) until they see the mechanism of &quot;attachment to should =&gt; is/should mismatch =&gt; pain&quot; first hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T23:57:30.417" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T23:57:30.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-17T21:43:04.223" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is this behaviour justified for a person who is on the verge of enlightenment?&lt;/strong&gt; Meditators can seem antisocial but this person described here seems to have the wrong view on how we do certain things in Buddhism but meditators can often have the wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does non attachment mean giving up things you love?&lt;/strong&gt; It means giving up things one likes alot and giving up attatchent that unfortunately can often be mixed in with love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is attachment for idiots?&lt;/strong&gt; Nobody calls people &quot;idiots&quot; with ill-will in they're hearts and are still in harmony with Buddhism. Attatchment is like when one spouse can't let the other spouse leave because they fear they might find someone else or cheat. Love is when one spouse wants they're love to be happy and therefore lets them go anywhere they want to go. I like this song that is called &quot;If you love someone, set them free&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the fear of losing things you love the right reason for being non attached?&lt;/strong&gt; Not at all. The fear of losing the things you love or the fear of losing anything is itself attatchment. Detatchment is about neither liking nor disliking things or having no partiality(if that was what was meant by &quot;non attachment&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does non attachment mean having a strong sense of detest for modern life like malls, the cinema etc?&lt;/strong&gt; A meditator will try to avoid(avoid not necessarily with  attatchment) worldly places like malls and cinema but to have any partiality for or against anything is attatchment. To &quot;detest&quot; shopping malls and cinema sounds like having partiality or attatchment against shopping malls and cinema, although I could be wrong as some advanced meditators or those rumoured to be enlightened sometimes seem to speak kind of rough about worldly things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does non attachment mean you have to stop talking with your friends who are different from you?&lt;/strong&gt; No, but this often happens with beginning mediators.This doesn't necessarily mean that the meditator no longer likes or loves these friends at all. Generally, this is the meditator learning the value of conseptual truth and silence(some have called silence, &quot;the language of God&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again, if the friends arent really friends then it is totally in harmony with Buddhism to end such a relationship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Romantic love is different from love in a Buddhist context. Buddhist love is to love all beings unconditionally and to  be partial to one's spouse and Mother Theresa but not partial to someone like Adolf Hitler is not unconditional love.&#xA;If we can't love or have compassion for someone like Hitler then, I think its safe to say that we want to be seperate from a certain part of humanity just as Hitler wanted to be seperate from a certain part of humanity. -May you be happy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-17T23:51:49.377" LastActivityDate="2016-01-17T23:51:49.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-18T00:48:51.867" Score="4" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is this behaviour justified for a person who is on the verge of enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience of a vaguely analogous situation was that doctors were not willing to diagnose mental illness (e.g. &quot;depression&quot;) of someone they hadn't interviewed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further experience of people having marital disagreement is that two people see things differently, remember different things, and overlook (ignore or edit out) different things from their story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't that I don't believe you, but for these kinds of reason I want to judge neither your description of &quot;this behaviour&quot;, nor judge the partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You sound disturbed by what you're describing, if I may say that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice to anyone whose family member may be &lt;em&gt;incompetent due to mental illness&lt;/em&gt;, is to talk with a real professional if you can: i.e. a medical doctor (family/general practice or psychiatrist), and/or a lawyer, who may be able to advise on how to proceed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does non attachment mean giving up things you love?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe not exactly. Instead I think that what Buddhism teaches about attachment is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The things you love are subject to change (they may be called &lt;em&gt;impermanent&lt;/em&gt;): for example the person you married (and the feeling you had when you married them) isn't exactly the same now as they were before.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Attachment&lt;/em&gt; within Buddhism is defined as a type of desire, especially a desire for something that is &lt;em&gt;known&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A fundamental problem is that &lt;em&gt;known&lt;/em&gt; things change, and if you're attached to (if you &lt;em&gt;desire&lt;/em&gt;) what you used to know in the past, what they used to be, rather than what they are now, then that attachment is a cause of &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I suspect it may be a cause of &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; also, i.e. the attachment to what it used to be interferes with perceiving it as it is actually.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The italic words above are key/fundamental Buddhist technical terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The things you love/loved change (or even cease), whether you want them to or not.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment to how they used to be is a cause of suffering, and prevents you from seeing them as they are now.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is attachment for idiots?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't say that, because &quot;idiot&quot; sounds like a harsh word, to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, here is a definition of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;' -- it recommends speaking gently and affectionately rather than harshly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't even call a dog a idiot (instead a dog is a &lt;em&gt;sentient being&lt;/em&gt;, with feelings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a style of Buddhist practice in which one might speak &lt;strike&gt;angrily&lt;/strike&gt; emphatically or powerfully -- see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10694/254&quot;&gt;What is a wrathful Buddha?&lt;/a&gt; I think that the intention of that might be to protect. An example of that I found amusing once was some relatives, who live on a tidal estuary, talking about their children, saying: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Oh yes, the children would &lt;em&gt;never&lt;/em&gt; take the boats out without permission, without telling us. They know we'd kill them!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure though how much wrath is necessary and/or &lt;em&gt;skillful&lt;/em&gt; (if indeed it ever is). It could be used as an excuse venting anger (which, typically isn't skillful) or used to protect the wrong thing (e.g. to try to dissuade someone for selfish rather than altruistic reasons). I avoid it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said all that though, about &quot;idiot&quot;, it is true that Buddhism does recommend that it's better not be to be &lt;em&gt;attached&lt;/em&gt;, for the reason given in item #2 above. On the other hand that doesn't mean that Buddhism is anti-everything (it's arguably not meant to be nihilistic), so being in some sense attached to being &lt;em&gt;virtuous&lt;/em&gt; (good) might be regarded as a correct form of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest it might be worth remembering that Buddhism is also known as a doctrine of the Middle Way between extremes: i.e. an extreme attachment or an extreme detachment might each be more-or-less inappropriate, especially within a lay relationship or marriage (conversely a reason why some people become monks or nuns might be because they want a life which allows them to practice with more detachment, a different collection of social responsibilities).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It the fear of losing things you love the right reason for being non attached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well attachment is defined/understood as being a cause of suffering and a result of ignorance (e.g. ignorance of the fact that things are impermanent). Conversely, &lt;em&gt;enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; might be defined as a state of non-attachment, non-ignorance, and non-suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore (but this is a subject on which different schools of Buddhism may have disagreed), some people like to ask whether your wanting to become enlightened is in order to benefit yourself, or, to benefit others (or to benefit both self and others).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does non attachment mean having a strong sense of detest for modern life like malls, the cinema etc?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect it might manifest that way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I'm so sick of consumer society, shopping, of having to earn money in order to spend it on stuff that doesn't make me happy, I wish I could detach from that.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that's backwards to the way you said it though, for what it's worth: it's not that detachment causes hatred -- it's that suffering may cause a desire for detachment (given that unskillful attachment is a cause of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T01:35:31.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-18T00:49:59.567" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a (roughly) beginner practitioner, who has had a share of problems as well, I feel I can contribute.  Mostly, my answer would fall in line with Andrei.  Presuming this is accurate, this sounds like someone who has some large internal stress, and is possibly using &quot;enlightenment&quot; as a defense for his actions, rather than letting actions spring from some wisdom.  This person sounds like they need to talk to someone, but is also pushing everyone away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I answer instead of comment to give you perhaps a beginners perspective.  To speak to your questions in order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this behaviour justified for a person who is on the verge of enlightenment?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having never been on the verge of enlightenment I can't say for sure what it's like.  Most of what I hear relates to peacefulness, and this does not sound anything like peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does non attachment mean giving up things you love?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can.  Some kinds of love aren't as deep as we imagine them to be.  Some things we call love are actually just selfish little habits.  I would call those things attachments, the first that should go, or at least thought about so they can be understood.  Letting go would be very different than pushing away.  People I hold close I cannot imagine pushing away.  I can imagine stepping back, looking at how I treat them, what I might be doing that's harmful or selfish, like clinging to what I like or want from that bond.  That does not sound like what you are talking about though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is attachment for idiots?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Erm.  Attachment is human.  It's what we do.  Sometimes it's instinct.  Sometimes it's learned.  It doesn't mean someone is stupid.  Maybe a better way to say it is that too much attachment can nudge people into doing the wrong things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It the fear of losing things you love the right reason for being non attached?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel most lost in this question, so maybe the better experts can say.  But I would say fear is a strong motivator into doing the wrong things.  And I would also say avoiding attachment purely to avoid fear or avoid that wrong thing is &lt;em&gt;also&lt;/em&gt; the wrong thing; that's just translation into a fear of fear.  I would say understanding and letting go of fear is way more important than letting go of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does non attachment mean having a strong sense of detest for modern life like malls, the cinema etc?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another erm.  I'm a bit of a hermit.  I do have a strong detest for malls, and more for the endless advertising that comes with them, or occasionally shoveled into my mailbox.  I think I just reject the materialism of it.  Doesn't mean that I would just stay home if there was an opportunity to meet a friend.  Doesn't mean I wouldn't go to a cinema if I thought there was a good story to see, or something to learn.  My impulse, or detest, is actually attachment, a desire that the world isn't the way I want it to be.  That shouldn't lead me to reject the world, I'm in it, aren't I?  If I want (and yes, there's that word again) more of what I'd like to see in the world, I should start putting some of it out there.  That's the difference, as I see it, between wrong actions and right actions.  It's more complicated than that, but I'm rambling, and I think I've said it close enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does non attachment mean you have to stop talking with your friends who are different from you?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nope.  It would first mean you have to not be attached to the idea of them being who you want them to be.  Seeking enlightenment isn't a way to fix everyone else.  It might be a way to fix yourself, but even that's an attachment.  Before anything else, and especially at my level, it's about being aware of yourself, and all the little impulses that experience has built inside you, and letting go of those.  Only starting from that foundation would that depth of awareness spread outward, to your surroundings and other people.  If it doesn't start that way, your conceptions, your intent, your attachments, are still in the way, and they will be all you see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this was helpful.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2505" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T00:49:59.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-18T01:00:04.683" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :01 -&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;No he is not enlightened or even close to it. He seems to be an angry person just making excuses to justify his behavior. Remember he might actually believe this stuff, so be careful when you try to have your little debates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to get him out of this would be to make him realize what's wrong in his own head.&#xA;There is a way to do that, stop showing any offence to his ideology and provide him his needs for few days without question and afterwards ask for his teaching and guidance and say &quot;now i feel what you seek, help me learn too&quot;. As he teach you ask very logical questions on very fair situations. You will see that he struggle with his efforts and you should not interfere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel like you do not know what to ask from him we can help, There is a Kind monk among us here in this site called &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/7500/samana-johann&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Ven. Samana Johann&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and you can start a chat with him if you like and i'm sure he will help. or you could ask any of us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :02 -&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Giving up attachments does not mean complete disregard for family and loved ones. If a person needs that kind of freedom Lord Buddha clearly asked such people to be monks. If a Buddhist stay in a household he must give the love and affection to his loved ones and Lord Buddha clearly said that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :03 -&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Lord Buddha did not expected all beings to give up all hope and wander like zombies. letting go means understanding that everything is temporary and living with that realization. Not calling other Dumb. Tell him attachment not only exist with the things he love but also with the things he hate. And also tell him that anger is also a product of attachment and therefore in his own version of right and wrong he is an idiot too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :04 -&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;No, The reason you walk away from greed,lust is that it eventually brings discomfort.And as Buddhists believe it brings more and more lives to suffer in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :05 -&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Detachment has nothing to do with modern or old. It is simply an understanding of things being temporary. And being detached does not mean that a person should run away from society. Tell him that Kings who were way above in the path ruled kingdoms just fine without the whole drama that he is putting out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question :06 -&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Madam let me break it very simply for you as you seem to be the person that's most harmed by his actions. What you partner preach and what he pretends t be is not Buddhism.And there is no point trying to explain his wrongs to him as he is clearly wanting to lash out his decades of rage o something or someone, and he just found a way to do it and he has some strong excuses this time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either him or his sub-conscious knows that no one will fight back at his anger because of his condition and his belief. I even have doubts about his need to be a Buddhist. Because this might as well be another way that he found to make himself different from the rest as he seems to be very fond of that concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you want to help him....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The soft way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Find some time and go together on a getaway. Not the regular, go to a monastery. If you tell us where you live we might be able to provide you with a location near your city. There learn true Buddhism together and have small discussions with monks about what you learn and other topics while he is present and make him talk in front of the monks and directly ask about his belief and their truthfulness from the monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The backhand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I see it you have taken a lot of damage from all of this and because you love and care you have not told him the true pain he has caused to you. But now might be the time to do just that. This would be nice if this discussion happens over a dinner table of a regular place that you two go to (may be where you had your first date). Tell him what you really feel and do not try to make him feel bad. Just mention what you feel and tell him that you need a little time to find some relief. Don't be afraid i'm not trying to break a pair, sometimes people take the closest people for granted and they never realize what they have until it goes away. We are doing this to give him some alone time because he must learn to tame his anger without making other collateral damage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last but not least I have a simple recommendation to you. There is a movie you two must watch and do not be fooled by it's cast or cover. It might look like a comedy at first but it is about the same issue that your partner has and how a man get over it. The movie is called &lt;strong&gt;&quot;A Thousand Words&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. make sure he watch it from the beginning to the end and be there with him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For your own safety,remember if someone clearly needs help and continue to refuse it while the condition is getting worse that is clearly not going to end well. There is a reason why people abandon ships and jump into the sea, Because until the ship can be saved you can try, but if it is clear that it is going to sink your staying will only cost your life and you will obviously go down with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-18T17:51:23.167" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T17:51:23.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-01-18T13:28:19.077" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;VARDHAMANA -- Vardhamana was born in 599 BCE in Kudagrama near Vaisali in Bihar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He died of at the age of 72 in 527 BCE at Pavapuri near Rajagriha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;GAUTAMA BUDDHA -- Gautama Buddaha was born in Lumbini near Kapilavastu in the foothills of Nepal in 567 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha died in 487 BCE in kushinagar at the age of 80.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7634" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T14:20:36.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13719" CreationDate="2016-01-18T15:05:44.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;this might help.  Maybe I should have posted my answer in comment section?  I intend to jog memories and seek help from other readers.  anyway, when Buddha returned to  Kapilavastu after enlightenment and established Buddhism, his father king Suddhodana didnt invite Buddha to eat in the palace because he assumed Buddha would have come anyway, but instead, Buddha and his disciples took alms round on the streets.   This brought a great embarrassment to king Suddhodana.  Buddha took this opportunity to explain the importance of alms round, etc.  Maybe someone can help me find reference for this sutta? First of all, alms round is a right occupation in the 8 fold path. Buddha said looking back for aeons, no one was ever ruined by giving alms.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T15:05:44.660" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13719" CreationDate="2016-01-18T21:35:03.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes there is a clear reason why Lord Buddha himself didn't to that and forbid others to do it too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you know Prince &quot;Siddhartha&quot; (the prince who became our Lord Buddha) gave up all hopes of life and started his journey towards understanding. Let me tell you about how extreme that will was, Before giving up all food Lord Buddha ate only one &quot;Mung&quot; seed per day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why this rule was given has two sides....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If monks try to grow their own food and consume two questions arise. They will have to waste valuable hours to do the whole farming thing that they could use to further the path if there was no growing.&#xA;The other reason is they will obviously be drawn to grow what they like to eat and that will not help their path (Because of it feeding the attachment to taste).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And every time a Monk consume temple grown food that would be a chance lost to a lay person to gain some good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Historical updating of the rule....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long after the Parinibbana of Lord Buddha kings took things a bit seriously. They saw that in case of a national emergency monks are at risk. Because if people have no food they can't give to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So kings came up with a good solution. They granted temples and monasteries with land &amp;amp; people to work. So the villagers would build houses and farm and in return share the harvest with the temple. As kings have already given the rights to the land and all upon it the rule does not break.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Modern day updating of the rule....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now as the society is getting busier there is a good chance that a family might miss their turn to offer food to the temple. So there is a trend to innovate. No matter if they are giving their offering or not people now bring some supplies with them to the temple as offerings, things like Rice,vegetables,Soya,Dried fish and etc. As the offering have been made it is OK to consume then when the need arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks can garden if the Land and all upon it has been offered to the temple. It happens all over Asia. But monks keep themselves from digging and such tasks because of the possibility of harming an animal. Most of the times all the work is outsourced to laypeople and a share of harvest is given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T21:35:03.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13731" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-18T21:59:15.477" Score="6" ViewCount="315" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently i was wondering about Love and these thoughts came to my mind, i want to know if they are correct or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to Buddhism all sorts of love is &quot;Attachment&quot;.&#xA;And the is no such thing called a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So essentially the &quot;Love&quot; we fall in can be explained as...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Example :-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part 01 :- Sam saw Jenny and he fell for her the second he saw her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sam's eyes saw light which was recognized by his brain+mind as a woman. His mind remembers that Sam is straight so it immediately start to examine Jenny's body. There is an understanding in Sam's mind about his taste and it sees Jenny is a perfect fit. As Sam hast lust+attachments for such a body,mind starts a stream of thoughts signaling that there is a hot girl nearby.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part 02 :- They date for sometime and go to a serious relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sam and Jenny both find their attachments in real life and decide to hold onto it.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part 03 :- Sam and Jenny are married now and its been 9 years.&#xA;(They both did not wanted to loose what they found because of the strong attachment they built in their own minds. The attachment and fear of loosing+fear of not finding a substitute kept them together for nine years.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What i see is that there are two minds at work trying to find attachments in real life. And then two minds find those in the image of two bodies. Then the attachments grow and the minds get more attached to each other's bodies as it works as the Identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is this correct according to the teaching or is it wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there are wrong details what are the correct forms of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T17:11:20.817" Title="Relationships : What is Love?" Tags="|attachment|relationship|love|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-01-18T23:19:16.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't have a specific answer for you, but I recommend that you look for a documentary called, &quot;The Story of India.&quot; It's a four part series about the history of India from several different perspectives. In the second or third episode, religion is covered. The narrator gives very specific information about how Buddhism and Jainism came to be and how they were related. It's been a few years since I watched it, so I can't remember much. But I found it fascinating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7626" LastActivityDate="2016-01-18T23:19:16.087" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13731" CreationDate="2016-01-19T02:43:03.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There 3 things interplay here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kama Raga - attachment to sensual objects or objects arousing lust&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chanda Raga - attachments to people (lovers, loved one's, family, friends)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suba Sanna - perception of beauty in the shape of the body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you see a person the following can happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasure, displeasure, neutral sensation on how you perceive the person based on&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Previous interaction and perception formed as friend or not or a person who matters or not or good person or bad person or likable or not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception of looks of the person&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relative to one's looks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As an object of desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you see a person of the opposite sex the 1st time, what you get is Kama Raga and Suba Sanna. This is in seeking of pleasure born of such interactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though Kama Raga heavily influences Chanda Raga, the main thing is that the person is influential in you life / perceived world. As the &quot;puppet master&quot; of the perceived world you get pleasure from the &quot;puppets&quot; in the show when they seem to go according to your expectations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanda Raga is what might keep a relationship going even when Kama Raga subsides with time and into old age when Suba Sanna wanes off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though in seeking pleasure we get the above 3, in fact these give diverse sensations: pleasure, displeasure, neutral due to impermanent nature and non self nature of existance. All the experience you can derive from it is Dukkha (pain - Dukkha Dukkha, pleasure - Viparinama Dukkha, neutral - Sankhara Dukkha). So to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; contemplate on the arising and passing of sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T02:43:03.063" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3598" CreationDate="2016-01-19T05:48:39.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's all ganu -denu (give and take). through out all social interaction and through out all sansara that's what we do.. even if you have to chop a tree down, don't do it without a reason. Before the reason is accomplished make sure you plant a similar seedling... then you will not be in debt. Slowly paying off your debts is a good plan...because you have not lost sight of the intention to pay. Have you considered what made the Card companies offer you the loan in the first place? Perhaps there was a collective kamma on their part towards assisting you...! Out of so many thousands that applied they chose you... for what reason? Probably they owe you more than you know...! and you die tomorrow without paying .... that could be due to them not paying you off in time for services rendered...in the past. The karma - vipaka subject is NEVER - a linear - one to one relationship. Many previous factors - bring many future results. It is always a very complex issue. Although the Buddha was the only teacher who explained this subject with maximum clarification, he also mentioned that it's a &quot;buddhagochara dhamma&quot; - we lesser mortals can not fathom the intricacies of it's mechanism. If we try to pay off all debts we owe through out samsara.... we just multiply keep on multiplying this samsara in to a never ending cycle of &quot;ganu-Denu&quot;. Buddha's advice was to &quot;get-out of this cycle a.s.a.p.&quot; (because the moment you payback the loan to the Credit Card Company they will be indebted to you for honouring the commitment .... and the cycle moves on) There is no end... unless you make an effort to break it now... you and I may have spent most of our samsara as cows... (who knows?) As cows we did not have the intellect to understand the reasoning of dhamma. This time round with some luck we are born as humans, with ability to read, write, comprehend dhamma - be scared of this whole sansaric existence, reason for this existence .... and to find a way out of this existence. So do that... make it your priority goal. The credit card companies may not be able to fully pay off the debts they owe towards you .... or .... you may not be able to fully pay off the credit card company what you owe them... you just say thank you and leave the field and wish that they would find their own escape (nirvana) than creating further &quot;ganu-denu&quot;s with others they owe to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T05:48:39.967" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2016-01-19T05:51:08.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope you feel no bitterness towards anyone. this is one of the principles of Buddhism.  everything has a reason.If there is sorrow that you have to experience, then there is a root cause for it too. It is not the fault of the boys you used to know... It is not the fault of the husband, or the relatives....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pain within you is the result of a pain you have given others in some previous birth.I hope you understand what I'm saying.How you react to the pain is VERY IMPORTANT. You can understand the dhamma behind the pain.... or you could start blaming everyone else...If you choose to blame everyone else..... then the cycle of Hate,Blame, Suffering continues.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you chose to UNDERSTAND THE DHAMMA behi nd the suffering....then you can use the four noble truth principle and ARYA MAITHREE to end this suffering.   If you understand the root cause to be &quot;suffering you caused others in the past&quot;....then apply ARYA MAITHREE towards all beings you may have associated in the past.... now that you understand the DHAMMA and you are a follower of BUDDHA in this life it would be possible for you to get compassion for any wrongful deeds that you may have caused in the past for others....  Theruwan Saranayi..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T19:06:29.483" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T19:06:29.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13737" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13743" CreationDate="2016-01-19T06:45:11.103" Score="2" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it related to practice meditation ? Can I say that our respected individuality is a kind of 'self accepted and adopted' addiction ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:25:21.410" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T14:25:21.410" Title="What is the difference between a habit and an addiction?" Tags="|personal-practice|habits|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13738" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-19T06:49:13.190" Score="5" ViewCount="5084" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have to perform a certain task, you can't meditate during that time, but mind needs clarity. I feel very dull during that time, I want to increase my awareness and alertness in that performance time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how I can remove dullness of mind (while performing a certain task during which I can't meditate)? What are the causes that lead to dullness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7546" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T17:41:47.393" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T10:31:44.067" Title="How to remove dullness of mind, without sitting meditation, in regular activity?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13738" CreationDate="2016-01-19T07:27:17.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per me, my personal observation is: mind is delicate but not stable. I meditate to stablise it by performing different-2 tasks in my day to night, unending actions. When i sleep i meditate with closed eyes &amp;amp; slow working senses 'but mind do not sleep and get stablised itself. I have nightmares and some precious dreams.&#xA;What i get is 'what i concentrate', a perception against distractions, pressing my will in favor of my belief , i start thinking (create a perception) that i am meditating.&#xA;When i convince myself that my dullness is my own perception, that very moment i start meditation by taking the advantage of my illusion-free mind(as all the senses are asleep), 'that very moment i feel good, breathfree, out of the body.&#xA;It is true that mind never stablises itself, it is true that mind creates a problem by creating a perception(while editing my perception), it is true that i am able to make my mind to concentrate on my belief. It is true that i can practise buddhism or any kind of perception or do meditation, everywhere, anytime. Even now, actually in present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T07:27:17.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2016-01-19T09:41:03.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sankha Sutta is one of the best sutta's I know of that provides instructions on how to transcend and overcome the effects of past unskillful kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is how there comes to be the abandoning of that evil deed. This&#xA;  is how there comes to be the transcending of that evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...when the awareness-release through equanimity is thus developed, thus&#xA;  pursued, any deed done to a limited extent no longer remains there, no&#xA;  longer stays there.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T09:41:03.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13254" CreationDate="2016-01-19T09:41:40.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a commentary  within  &lt;code&gt;&amp;quot;The Tibetan Book of the Dead&amp;quot;&lt;/code&gt; given by Chogyam Trungpa :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bardo means gap;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel like this is a good place to start.&#xA;I've also heard it translated as the &amp;quot;in-between&amp;quot; the state between states if you will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my question however I was specifically asking about &lt;code&gt;The Bardo of the Moment Before Death&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From death, which the Tibetan Buddhists will always be kind enough to remind you is a certainty in life... , what directions can you &amp;quot;flow&amp;quot; through your karmic river?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not a trivial question, and for schools outside of the Mahayana, sometimes deemed a meaningless question. At which point both schools tend to stagnate in circles of missing each others points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continuing from the commentary though I will go through the stages in order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first basic bardo experience is the experience of uncertainty about if one is actually going to die, [quote continues]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the commentary veers to talk of the 6 realms before returning to the Bard experience and Bardo visions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first vision that appears is the vision of the peaceful divinities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A description of what is meant by peaceful follows here,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The state of absolute peacefulness seems to be extremely frightening, [quote continues]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am cutting quotes short and pulling the minimum needed for context here. To type out the entire descriptions of each stage would require much time and effort. Also, for each stage there are different ways one can react, that can cause things to happen in different orders or certain outcomes... The general feel of the stage, in the typical order that they might occur is what we are trying to illustrate here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next the experience of the wrathful deities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Followed by a section where the word luminosity is used a lot, A vivid &amp;quot;visual&amp;quot; experience accompanied by a loud sound. The sound and &amp;quot;visual&amp;quot; are intangible as you do not have a body at this time. I do not know what to call this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The first day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After four days of unconsciousness following the luminosity you &amp;quot;awake&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and realize you have died and that this is the bardo state&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the reverse of samsaric experience occurs. (?? What the author means by this is not entirely certain ??)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some kind of increase in intelligence and awareness is described here...Exact details aren't written here, but it seems to be of some magnitude, and I have heard in one lecture 9x the living intellect is assumed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blue light -- appearance of Vairocana (The one with faces in all directions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A vision of the Realm of the gods occurs here in tandem, blue light is terrifying, white light is comforting, a long tangent about the realm of the gods is here,running in fear to the white light the second day begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The second day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;White light --Vajrasattva-Aksobhya appears&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accompanied by male and female bodhisattvas, bright light shines from them (White) also a dull grey light is present (hell light, associated with hell realm)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The third day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yellow light -- Ratnasambhava appears&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dim light of the human world&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The forth day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Amitabha and red light&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The fifth day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Green light -- Amoghasiddhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sixth day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;42 peaceful deities appear&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four gate keepers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;East Gate, heruka known as Victorious One appears in wrathful form, his form inspires such awe that one does not even consider trying to pass through the gate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;South Gate : Enemy of Yama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;West gate : Hayagriva with a horse head, awakes one from passsions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;North gate : Amrtakundali with an anti-death potion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No escape through any gate, those overcome by fear that try to flee are captured by goddesses accompanying the gate keepers (Various ways are described)&#xA;Those trying to escape through the gates are stopped by the gate keepers, those attempting to kill themselves to escape are revived by Amrtakundali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being forced to face the six realms (Order listed is God / jealous god / human / animal / hungry ghost / hell realm but it does not specify if it must be in this order)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One must face the Buddha of each realm, this stage occurs in the heart center&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The seventh day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Green light disappears, experience moves to the throat center, vidyadharas appear&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not much is said here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrathful deities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note : Answer is still in progress, the commentary is finished and a basic outline is present, I will be adding details and clarifying things as I continue to read the book. I also have an audio lecture I will be re-listening to, and using it to add details to each stage. There are still some stages I know of that have not been mentioned in the commentary. (The karmic mirror stage, the taking the body of your next life stage) I will insert them appropriately when found&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T06:36:21.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13738" CreationDate="2016-01-19T10:44:07.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can indeed meditate(Vipassana) while performing any task. &#xA;ex: if you are sweeping, keep reminding: sweeping.. sweeping..  sweeping..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dullness or boredom is a form of aversion. Ignorance is the cause of it. &#xA;To overcome dullness, simply note it as it is without taking it as &quot;I am bored&quot; or &quot;it is boring&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T10:44:07.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13737" CreationDate="2016-01-19T11:15:45.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;what is the difference between a habit and a addiction?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addictions are difficult to understand. I guess I'd define an addiction as being an activity (or substance) which gives you some kind of pleasure when you do it, and which you therefore do repeatedly, even though the activity isn't helpful or useful. So I suppose examples of these might include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking drugs or alcohol&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gambling (especially on slot machines)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Games (video games, pinball, getting Facebook &quot;likes&quot;, checking email too often)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are habits which are more purposeful, conventionally, and which it would be less usual to describe as an addiction:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eating meals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Going to work&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being friendly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... though there may be addictive aspects, addicted behaviours, within these activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it related to practice meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there's an extent to which all activity is habitual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism teaches, though, that we can (and should) be conscious of our action, and control (or decide) our actions and change (or choose) our habits (at least, change the bad habits).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having a daily schedule (including specific times for meditation) might be described as habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Addiction&quot; is also a pejorative word, people wouldn't usually use it to describe a habit which they think of as a virtuous habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can i say that our respected individuality is a kind of 'self accepted and adopted' addiction!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I may be wrong but I think that a defining characteristic of an addiction is that it's an activity which gives you a little jolt of pleasure. The pleasure fades, and then you want to repeat the activity to re-experience that pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there are components of (aspects within) individuality which are like that (i.e. which are addictive jolts of pleasurable feeling): feeling pride, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example which I don't understand well is this one from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;verse 3 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That type of thinking seems to me like vicious circle and an addiction (harmful, repeated endlessly, seems like it ought to be behaviour people are free to choose to abandon however some people don't seem able to abandon it): however I don't understand what the pleasure in it is if any.&#xA;Maybe the so-called pleasure in this case is that people (including young children) like to get at least an equal share of something, like to see social justice, so people are wired to take pleasure in righteousness or self-righteousness, or to seek justice (selfish justice, justice for themselves) as a type of satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T12:17:24.703" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T12:17:24.703" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13738" CreationDate="2016-01-19T12:33:54.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dullness of mind is associated with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;torpor&lt;/a&gt;. When this happens you feel:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sleepy or drowsy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;heavy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This itself is a sensation. Concentrate on the impermanence or arising and passing of this sensation. When you have this &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ignorance&lt;/a&gt; dominates and to overcome this when sensation arises contemplate is impermanence, dispassion, ending and letting go as per advise in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Similar advice is also found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc. As in the case of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; you can note this but best is to avoid mental verbalisation of which is discussed in section &lt;em&gt;4 Note on noting&lt;/em&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.16-Girimananda-S-a10.60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giri-m-ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; commentary by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; which takes a more lenient stance; S.N. Goenka like the Thai Forest Tradition on verbal noting take a more hard stance on verbalisation or visualisation which I feel is right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Nothing is worth clinging to&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has&#xA;  reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the&#xA;  highest amongst gods and humans?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to. And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly&#xA;  knows the nature of the all]. Having directly known the nature of all things, he fully understands all&#xA;  things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood all things, he knows whatever &lt;strong&gt;feelings&lt;/strong&gt; there are, whether pleasant, painful&#xA;  or neither painful nor pleasant.&#xA;  As regards to those feelings,&#xA;  he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&#xA;  he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&#xA;  he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&#xA;  he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he dwells contemplating impermanence in them, contemplating dispassion in them, contemplating&#xA;  ending in them, contemplating letting go,&#xA;  he does not cling to anything in the world.&#xA;  Not clinging, he is not agitated; being not agitated, he himself surely attains nirvana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T17:42:04.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13737" CreationDate="2016-01-19T12:36:34.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's more like an English language question. A habit is a routine of behavior that can be good, bad or neutral. From a Buddhist perspective, one can define addiction as clinging(Upadana) towards sensations. Addiction results in bad habits.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upadana paccaya Bhava - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paticca_samuppaada.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paticca-samuppāda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T12:36:34.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13737" CreationDate="2016-01-19T13:18:24.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Addiction is related to sensations (Vedana) where we crave for sensation. Habit relates to Sanna where a reactive repetitively reinforced response to a stimuli surfaces. Self recognition or identification is mainly with distortions of reality (Vipallasa) in which one conceives permanence in oneself or on is in control though this is conditione hence habitual. This is reinforced by self identification with pleasure and craving for control or influence over different outcomes from which you might derive pleasure which stems from craving towards sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T13:18:24.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13747" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13751" CreationDate="2016-01-19T18:31:25.707" Score="9" ViewCount="2522" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over the last few months I've distanced myself from my sangha and from Buddhism in general. I still meditate but no longer identify as a Buddhist. One of the things I've noticed is the return of some old ambitions or longer term desires if you like. I don't think they are negative in fact they could have quite positive outcomes though I do recognise that they are driven by a restlessless sort of dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the light of my recent experience it makes me wonder if Buddhism necessarily dampens down people's ambitions? Is it possible to be ambitious (in any sense) and a Buddhist or are the two things mutually exclusive. For a Buddhist is ambition a negative thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T22:38:56.643" Title="Can a Buddhist be ambitious?" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13737" CreationDate="2016-01-19T18:42:15.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we try to stop a habit we will discover a certain  amount of resistance. This resistance is  addiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addiction is very related to the Buddha's teaching. In the Mahasi method of meditation practice, we are supposed to be impartial to whatever we are experiencing, moment by moment. This lets us see just how much we are resistant to the little habits we have. Normally we don't see these subtle  addictions because we could always just appease them and therefore we  don't notice any resistance or addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can I say that our respected individuality is a kind of 'self accepted and adopted' addiction ?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clinging we have for &quot;the apparent self&quot; or &quot;the ego&quot; is an addiction to a great wrong view that we all must conquer to be liberated.(Certainly we can be addicted to being an &quot;individual&quot; if that's what was meant.)-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T19:09:17.853" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T19:09:17.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13747" CreationDate="2016-01-19T19:09:32.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Immoral ambitions are the only ambitions which a Buddhist layman isn't allowed to pursue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: if your ambition involves killing, stealing, lying etc. or any wrong livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's really no valid excuse for giving up Buddhism for the sake of an ambition when a man can even be a king and a Buddhist at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: king Bimbisara, king Dharmasoka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T19:09:32.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13750" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19549" CreationDate="2016-01-19T19:43:09.540" Score="5" ViewCount="3951" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that Lord Buddha wrote or discussed about the smallest indivisible particle i.e the atom. What exactly did he say. Is it mentioned in some scriptures? If yes, did he give any argument or detail of his observations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7646" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T21:09:53.890" LastActivityDate="2022-10-19T20:09:10.570" Title="What exactly did Lord Buddha say about Size of Atom?" Tags="|reference-request|science|scripture|buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13747" CreationDate="2016-01-19T19:46:12.933" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, Before we continue you must ask why you gave up the identity &quot;Being a Buddhist&quot; and you should also ask why are you still here in this SE. I am not trying to be rude.i'm saying this to make you realize the deceiving side of the mind.It is important you understand this and come up with solutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Lets talk about the ambitions part, Let me tell you a story&#xA;I learned it from a monk. this will give you a direct answer.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day a man (lets call him Paul) visited an old friend of him (Lets call him Tom). This friend was a farmer and he had a large piece of land which he used to farm. Paul looked around and saw that there is not much of farming going on, only a small part of Tom's land was being used for farming.&#xA;  So Paul asked Tom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Why are you not using the whole piece of land?, You know what you shold farm the whole thing.&quot;&#xA;  &quot;So then what should i do?&quot;asked Tom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Paul said &quot;Oh, then you should start a little shop near the house and start selling some of your harvest.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;OK, looks like a good idea,so what's next&quot; asked Tom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then you should work hard and make it successful and you should start few more shops like that and get them to success too.&quot; said Paul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Right,then what should i do?&quot; said Tom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;My friend then you got good money, that would be a nice time to settle down and have a nice family&quot; said Paul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yeah,nice. So what should i do next?&quot; asked Tom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then take care of your Family and kids and once they are young teach them your business and once they are ready let them take care of your farm and business.&quot; said Paul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;OK Paul. then what i should do?&quot; Said Tom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then what man, you got all things covered, you have a nice family and a successful business and you will be rich too. So enjoy your life and live in peace. Let your children take care of your things.&quot; said Paul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Tom said something that amazed Paul, &quot;My friend i know you mean well but here's the thing, I know i haven't farmed all my fields and i don't have a lavish life or a wife. But i'm happy with what i have and what i am. Today i have enough to live a happy life and yes i have little but this is what i always needed. There is not a single thing that i have to dream of. A simple life to live in peace is all i ever wanted and what i have right now. Why should i work so many years to pile up many things just to find peace at the end when i have peace in my life right now?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should ask a question from your self, and that is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who do i want to be, Tom or Paul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And after that you could work your way from there. What is missing in your practice is &lt;em&gt;&quot;Not knowing what you really need&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a buddhist is all about understanding who you are what you are after. Until you have answers to those two questions you are obviously lost. So ask yourself what you need and choose which type of Buddhist you want to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are two kinds of practices to Lay people...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The stallion :- &#xA;  This path is simple. The only goal is nirvana and there is no stopping until the target is met. you could call this &quot;Hardcore lay person practice&quot;. These fortunate ones live simple lives and their only goal &quot;Nirvana&quot; is their goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The turtle :-&#xA;  The path is slow but shielded. These fortunate ones live happy normal lives. Their goal is also nirvana but there's a catch. They have decided to reach a higher realm and start their &quot;Stallion stage&quot; and until then they will obey to the &quot;Five precepts&quot; and live a proper Buddhist life. But they will live like any other person with worldly goals in life. The only shield they have is their &quot;Sila (Protecting the precepts) &amp;amp; Shraddha (undying trust on triple gems)&quot;. They are taking a big risk here, but they are confident about their Shraddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Choose your life my friend....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;---&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Path does not make you a boring person. You have realized the true nature of the world and you are no longer driven by the lust of lavish things. This is why it does not feel the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you still have attachments to live like there is no tomorrow. Party &amp;amp; get high not to mention the ladies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But your mind is giving you mixed signals here. There is a reason why...&#xA;this happens because of you not deciding a life between these two. So your mind goes back and forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is choose your life. either be a &quot;Stallion&quot; or a &quot;Turtle&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T19:46:12.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13747" CreationDate="2016-01-19T19:59:30.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we don't have ambition to practice whatever approach to Buddhism we are practicing then we aren't going to get that far. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ambition for things other than Dharma will tend to lessen the effectiveness of our practice although certain things are more useful than others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having an ambition for teaching or psychology is going to probably help our practice more than having an ambition for selling weapons or being a movie star(for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T20:07:47.257" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T20:07:47.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2016-01-19T20:37:49.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is a path called the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Trainings&lt;/a&gt;. This is the first thing to understand about Buddhism: even before the Four Noble Truths! But most people do not know it and apply it. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Morality&lt;/strong&gt;: get your life together, be virtuous, be loving, get rid of anger issues, etc., have a livelihood, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Concentration&lt;/strong&gt;: to be done AFTER THE 1st TRAINING IS RELATIVELY WELL-ADDRESSED.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Insight&lt;/strong&gt;: to be done after the 2nd training is somewhat established.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the overall idea here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person should be doing intensive meditation until he/she can live as a good person (with or without Buddhism). He/she should not rely on the advanced practices of Buddhism until he fixes his heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this rule is not followed, then the person will escape into all sorts of fantasies and poisons for oneself and others!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you get your friend to read &quot;&lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (it's a free ebook, google it) and ask him to really dive into the book and ask himself if he has these basic things before he goes off thinking he is Enlightened or talking to &quot;God.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-19T21:00:25.623" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T21:00:25.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13750" CreationDate="2016-01-19T21:06:58.213" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might be thinking of &lt;em&gt;Kalapas&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhist phenomenology, Kalapas are defined as the smallest units of physical matter.[1] Kalapas are described as tiny units of materiality, “tens of thousands of times smaller than a particle of dust,” coming into existence and disappearing in as little as a billionth of a second or a trillionth of the blink of an eye.[2][3] Kalapas are understood by some Therevada thinkers as actual subatomic particles and the smallest units of materiality.[4][5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kalapas are not mentioned in the earliest Buddhists texts, such as the Tripitaka, but only in the Abhidhammattha Saïgaha, an Abhidhamma commentary that was composed between the 5th and 11th centuries.[6] They are not universally accepted in Theravada Buddhism, and the Buddha never directly speaks of kalapas.[7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the answers to this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9422/254&quot;&gt;Meaning of 'kalapas'&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-19T22:00:02.263" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13738" CreationDate="2016-01-20T02:04:26.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From meditation instructions we know that dullness happens when you suppress (forcefully restrict/constrict) yourself too much. This usually happens when you try to focus on task that has absolutely no connection with any of your goals and interests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation the usual advice is to &quot;expand&quot; your awareness a little to &quot;connect&quot; your activity with your surroundings and your goals. &quot;Where am I, what am I doing and why?&quot; Sometimes we need to actually go as far as to deliberately think through: &quot;I am doing this because it will lead me to that; I need that because I want to get so and so&quot; - etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then once you have a notion of why you're doing this and how it fits with your bigger goal &quot;loaded&quot; into your immediate awareness, then it makes more sense to your mind - and dullness will be replaced with either a sense of gladness (if you know you're making good progress) or with a sense or worry and urgency (if you know you are not making progress).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can generate excitement by thinking of a realistic goal that is not too far, and thinking how you are making progress. Or you can generate urgency by thinking about a bigger goal and about the danger of what will happen if you don't make it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By connecting what you are doing with what's important to you, you can overcome dullness. By carefully choosing the background narrative, you can control your state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T02:04:26.380" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13747" CreationDate="2016-01-20T02:19:27.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One needs to have ambitions to gain liberation, yes. The rest will be hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Just for information: There is no such as &quot;my&quot; Sangha. [that is actually very &quot;Buddhist&quot;, I and my making] There is only Buddhas Sangha and if spoken form it, it refers to the monastic Sangha. If you talk about your group, using &lt;em&gt;parisa&lt;/em&gt; is most proper. So people and you do not get confused, as well as your mind does not see things wrong. Weather distance your self for the conventional Sangha nor distance your self form the ideal, will be of benefit for you. Step away for YOUR community might be a great start, although there is no physical need. Trying to be a Buddhist is of course the most wrong ambition, yet they naturally are like that. That what makes the Buddhists. If you like to walk the path, it's certainly another lane, Mr Crab Bucket.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T02:24:48.897" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T02:24:48.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12280" CreationDate="2016-01-20T03:27:09.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There the medicine: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Healing Power of the Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here are nice stories around this issue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/karunaratna/bl140_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Healing of the Bull: A Story&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/karunaratna/bl125_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Prisoners of Karma: A Story&lt;/a&gt; by Suvimalee Karunaratna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T03:27:09.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12784" CreationDate="2016-01-20T03:37:08.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atma doubts that one could accumulate much merits by reading and spreading the Diamond Sutra, but in relation to Dhamma, yes: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than_en.html#iti-100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti §100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But! Such is not possible for whom how is certain to stingy to give material things and to say &quot;I do not believe in charity because it doesn't cease suffering in a long term and it doesn't solve any fundamental problems in the human world.&quot; is fatal wrong. Giving in the meaning of merits means to give and not to do things that it might become as one likes it to have. Grasping for the hole world and even thinking its one own, how could one even make the first step into Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such is the benefit of reading and teaching the Diamond Sutra, a plenty good way to cut one self and others from the path...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T03:37:08.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13747" CreationDate="2016-01-20T03:41:46.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism helps you achieve your ambitions better. When you make decisions you are void of any -ve roots which might adversely influence your decisions. This lead to better decision which are proactive than reactive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Distancing yourself from a crowd may help you put more time into meditation and other priorities but nevertheless Buddhism help in both your worldly and spiritual targets. Also both should be in balance. Say your destitute then you have not time or the mindset for spiritual pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T07:26:16.077" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T07:26:16.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13760" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-20T06:28:11.983" Score="3" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;As i learn more about the path and as a result about myself, i cannot wonder if it selfish or self-preserving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a greater appreciation that all is connected and inter-related however it remains to be my relationship. This isn't from the perspective of you and i (duality), but from an understanding of me with the rest of the universe. Perhaps i am overlooking something that is key to further understanding and would appreciate what this may be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For example, is the realization and actualization intended for myself&#xA;only?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If i help others and practice compassion, is it not intended to&lt;br&gt;&#xA;support my karmic cycle?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In turn, are these not selfish?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4841" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T11:29:31.007" Title="Is the path considered or viewed as being selfish?" Tags="|self|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13760" CreationDate="2016-01-20T07:35:14.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When traveling the path you should abandon the world or look internally. The implication with this is you cannot concern yourself with what is around you and to some extent other beings. Hence this can be viewed as an selfish path since you always look inward than outward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T07:35:14.810" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13762" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13769" CreationDate="2016-01-20T09:05:59.540" Score="1" ViewCount="75" Body="&lt;p&gt;I made you read the explaination and you are trying to get what is not available! What is that and why we do this? Why we want to be awake when we are totally unaware of being awake-state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T11:53:42.260" Title="why i am unaware, not awake?" Tags="|impermanence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13738" CreationDate="2016-01-20T10:31:44.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of good answers above. A few extra points to consider:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being really tired, a lot of lay meditators prefer to meditate in&#xA;the morning. Get to know your circadian rhythm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lack of quality sleep, due to excessive snoring or sleep apnea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being too full, difficult to meditate on a full stomach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The environment is not conducive, too dark, too much noise or distraction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ill health (diabetes, HBP, etc), obesity, nutrient deficiency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Psychological reasons - e.g. depression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medications and intoxicants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lack of interest in the task at hand&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lack of purpose or understanding of the task at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T10:31:44.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13760" CreationDate="2016-01-20T10:38:44.390" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.095.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chavalata Sutta: The Firebrand&lt;/a&gt;, see also &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.020.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 5.20&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.096.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.96&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.99&lt;/a&gt; and most efficient of what Ms. Frying Pan had to say about this issues: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.019.olen_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Bamboo Acrobat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T10:38:44.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13731" CreationDate="2016-01-20T10:46:33.350" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, householder. That's the way it is — for sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are born from one who is dear,&#xA;  come springing from one who is dear.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, householder [said the gamblers]. That's the way&#xA;  it is. Happiness &amp;amp; joy are born from one who is dear, come springing&#xA;  from one who is dear.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the householder left, thinking, &quot;I agree with the gamblers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piyajatika Sutta: From One Who Is Dear&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T10:46:33.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13762" CreationDate="2016-01-20T10:56:31.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From an inconceivable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Assu Sutta: Tears&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T10:56:31.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13760" CreationDate="2016-01-20T11:23:52.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are a drug addict yourself, advising other drug addicts to quit won't be much effective. You must first show by example how to quit. Then others will be inspired by you to do the same. Similarly, first you should follow the path and show how it is done before preaching to others. It's not selfish. It's the most effective way of helping others for spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing good and practicing worldly compassion is good Karma for you. That is the path to heavens. If you do only that, you will just inspire others to follow the path to heavens. Not to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, not practicing the path is the selfish thing to do. Because the more you keep away from the path, the stronger your greed, ego and clinging to the view of self would be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T11:29:31.007" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T11:29:31.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13762" CreationDate="2016-01-20T11:53:42.260" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are deep sleep (Bhavanga) you are unaware. When you are awake you do have some awareness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekaggata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ekaggata&lt;/a&gt; - 1 of the 7 universal mental factors) but it not penetrating awareness as you do not have enough focus (Samadhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T11:53:42.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13770" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-20T12:20:13.513" Score="7" ViewCount="822" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across this explanation by Buddha,&#xA;from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2.3-Dana-Mahapphala-S-a7.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana Mahapphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THE BEST WAY TO GIVE. Or, instead of thinking, ‘When this gift of mine is given, it calms&#xA;my mind. Satisfaction and joy arise,’ he makes a gift, thinking, ‘&lt;strong&gt;This is an adornment for the mind, a&#xA;support for the mind&lt;/strong&gt;.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I couldn't understand the statement. How does one do this? What should be the state of mind when gifting? When does one start to give gift? Does one have to wait till one's moral conduct is good and has insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2023-10-18T10:25:21.007" LastActivityDate="2023-10-18T10:25:21.007" Title="What is right gifting?" Tags="|texts|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13771" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-20T12:25:59.207" Score="1" ViewCount="347" Body="&lt;p&gt;I get slightly blurred vision after a long sit during which I have my eyes half-closed (as in Zazen style). It can last for more than an hour and is a practical drag, and also creates a slightly woozy feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any re-focusing eye exercise anyone know of?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joe &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7649" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T15:24:36.440" Title="Any cure for blurred vision after sitting with eyes half-open?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13770" CreationDate="2016-01-20T13:35:10.210" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Giving material things has the purpose to learn letting go, to give up what one assumes to be his own. It's actually not an easy training and very less are really able to give. People usually give like trade, sometimes even a hug farmer joyful feeds his pigs. Neither he nor the pigs have much merits and gains in this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever you come in a situation &amp;quot;he/she does not have, I have&amp;quot; than just think of &amp;quot;why do I not give&amp;quot; if you don't do it automatically yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even a short delay, listening to the defilements and you have lost:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Verse 116:&lt;/em&gt; One should make haste in doing good deeds; one should restrain one's mind from evil; for the mind of one who is slow in doing good tends to take delight in doing evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.09.bpit_en.html#s-dhp-116&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of Culekasataka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not good to train this training for certain wordily low purposes: To reach this, to control that, to actually feed what is ones own again, or objected as such, which is mostly the case if you give somebody you are attached to. You are not really giving, but do for certain higher or lower gains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A support for the mind means, release for the mind. If one really gives up something, the mind do no more hold on it. Whereas if you give something for your joy with it, it still clings on something and would be sad if that joy would be disturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, there are times and occasions where gifts are proper given, so that one has a line to follow and a security to do not unaware foster backyard defilements: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.036.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaladana Sutta: Seasonable Gifts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma would not recommend Piya Tan in regard of such issues, since he has certain wrong views and does not understand the training of letting go yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A general overview of Dana you may find on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/dana/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Path to Freedom&lt;/a&gt; and if you seek for more &amp;quot;technical&amp;quot; explaining &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item134&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma in Daily Life, by Ashin Janakanbhivamsa [pdf]&lt;/a&gt; (or &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,812.msg2879.html#msg2879&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;online&lt;/a&gt;, switch language) is recommended. How ever, the best way to find out and learn is always doing by one self and by doing it, looking what's going on in oneself, what are the hindrances, what are the results. Is a practice that needs certain mindfulness and wisdom and to maintain and develop such. There are really less people, especially in modern world, who can be even called slaves of Dana (doing it for the great joy by giving), not to speak of people who are masters of Dana, may they have trained (or thought that they do) meditation for many many years, most have not even started to work on the gross defilement, so greedy are they. Yet &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.254.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;stinginess is an obstacle fo even reach any Jhanic state&lt;/a&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one useful talk: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/sensitivity_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sensitivity through generosity&lt;/a&gt;. It's not out of reason that the Buddha tells: association with people of right view, joy in giving, hostility, sharing merits... is the foundation for success to gain right view for oneself, yet it requires much sacrify to even come in contact with such people, stay with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-10-29T11:09:51.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13771" CreationDate="2016-01-20T13:39:18.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Close them, would be maybe the most practical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T13:39:18.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13774" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13868" CreationDate="2016-01-20T14:02:59.807" Score="6" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people have fear of success, i. e. get agitated and nervous, when, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;some important person behaves exactly like they wanted (and they didn't expect it), or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;they achieve a minor success, which indicates that their plan is working.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think of a small business owner, who creates a successful advertising campaign and then gets upset about too many clients.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &lt;strong&gt;actionable&lt;/strong&gt; recommendations (protocols) does Buddhism in general and Diamond Way Buddhism in particular have for people, who want to overcome such fears?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T19:40:54.310" Title="What does Buddhism teach about fear of success?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13774" CreationDate="2016-01-20T14:16:29.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Restlessness is it called, this hindrance. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026_en.html#rest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Restlessness and Remorse&lt;/a&gt;, in the &quot;Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be of course used for worldly purposes, but actually it not meant for such, its not meant to be a winner of others in the world, but to win something beyond that, Mr. Dmitri Pisarenko.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T14:16:29.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13776" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13778" CreationDate="2016-01-20T14:21:47.537" Score="2" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dzogchen-tradition first appeared in the first half of the 9th century. According to tradition, the Dzogchen teachings were brought to Tibet by Padmasambhava in the late 8th and early 9th centuries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen is the understanding that enlightemeht cann't be found outside a person, but is immediatally present in a persons mind and consciensness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read it like that it seems te me that Buddha was actionally a Dzogchen (avant la lettre). But if so (i'm not sure) why is there a different separate tradition born?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T14:27:21.330" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T14:47:28.193" Title="To what level can be said that Buddha 'followed' the dzogchen?" Tags="|the-buddha|tibetan-buddhism|dzogchen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-01-20T14:26:31.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may find a lot of discussions and rebukes of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/seek/search_en.php?query=nigantha&amp;amp;search=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha toward the Niganthas here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most famous today is so often stated by &amp;quot;Buddhists&amp;quot; known as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html#jains&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uposatha of the Jains&lt;/a&gt; which is a part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html#jains&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Muluposatha Sutta (AN 3.7)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="22036" LastEditDate="2022-01-11T12:00:21.103" LastActivityDate="2022-01-11T12:00:21.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13776" CreationDate="2016-01-20T14:47:28.193" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Dzogchen is the understanding that enlightenment can't be found outside a person&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not the best definition - most other schools would agree with this - doesn't make them Dzogchen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dzogchen (Dzog-pa Chen-po) means Ultimate Completeness or Great Perfection. Dzogchen is the understanding that everything is already perfect, everything is the way it is for objective reasons, the world at large is in balance, there is a great harmony behind everything whether we see it as good or bad. All so-called &quot;problems&quot; are just manifestations of higher-level principles at work, which by themselves are not problems. With this understanding, why look for Enlightenment? What other Nirvana do you need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what sense can we say that Buddha 'followed' the Dzogchen? The idea is, that after his Enlightenment, Buddha has awakened to the view of the Great Perfection. So his &quot;internal state&quot; (if we can speak of a state of a non-abiding Buddha) was not different from Dzogchen. But of course he understood that most people are driven by their emotions, attachments, illusions to a large degree - so they can't enjoy the Great Perfection as is. Therefore he taught them the path to clean their minds of the taints, until they get lucid enough that they can &quot;awaken&quot; (budd) to the Great Perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason it's a separate tradition is because most Buddhists obsess over the path of purification - they can't seem to accept the simplicity of the result. So the various schools of Buddhism have evolved around the various practices of discipline, wisdom, and meditation. The schools that focus on the result are primarily Zen and Dzogchen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even Zen and Dzogchen agree that realization of completeness is not the end of story - this is only the right view - and then there is cultivation of the right view in practice of daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T14:47:28.193" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13779" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-20T15:04:54.717" Score="3" ViewCount="970" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you could say that by teaching his path he healed many people; but what I meant is more direct, physical healing: is there something written about that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T15:36:23.700" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T19:32:00.470" Title="Did the Buddha ever cure someone?" Tags="|the-buddha|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13771" CreationDate="2016-01-20T15:24:36.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Happens to me too.  It's most noticeable when the room I sit in is very dark.  I've never had that happen to me during the day, for instance, or when we have an altar set up at the zendo.  It might help to light a candle or to plug in a nightlight.  I also find that my eyes are most problematic when I look at a computer screen shortly after sitting.  Like the doctor advising a patient who felt pain when he raised his arm, the simple solution is to just not do that!  Give your eyes some time to readjust to focusing before putting a screen in front of them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T15:24:36.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13779" CreationDate="2016-01-20T15:28:40.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/sick.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ministering to the Sick and the Terminally Ill&lt;/a&gt; contains examples (references to suttas and the vinaya), certainly of caring for or ministering to people who are physically unwell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also some accounts of people being &quot;healed&quot;: see for example the paragraphs which begin,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It seems that those who are highly developed mentally are able to suppress illness ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the paragraph which begins,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The advice given by Nakulamata to Nakulapita ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T15:34:31.237" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T15:34:31.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13770" CreationDate="2016-01-20T16:24:53.963" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked myself the same question.  This sutta Buddha told ven. Sariputta reasons why people give gifts and results from that foundation.  i cross reference checked where else Buddha mentioned &quot;ornament of mind&quot; but couldn't find any that explains the word in different way or example of people who gave gifts as ornament of mind, or even example of Bramaha God who gave gifts in such a way when he was in this world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;adornment (or ornament) of mind is not the same thing as gift of mine is given, it calms my mind. Satisfaction and joy arise&quot;.  They are in two separate categories.  it might have been lost in translation somewhere.&#xA; I personally believe giving as an ornament of mind is when you gift to reduce a feeling of self, mine, or belong.  Like when you feel a penny in your pocket is yours, so you give it away to reduce or even eliminate the feeling of &quot;my penny&quot;.  my opinion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;danna sutta&lt;/a&gt;  7 reasons why people give gifts and results:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts and want something in return, after death, he reappears in the company of the Four Great Kings and then return to the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts because it's a good thing, after death, he reappears in the company of the Devas of the Thirty-three and then return to the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts because of tradition, after death, he reappears in the company of the Devas of the Hours and then return to the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts because because wanting to help those in need, after death, he reappears in the company of the Contented Devas and then return to the world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts just as there were the great sacrifices of the sages of the past, after death, he reappears in the company of the devas who delight in creation and then return to the world. (there is no further explanation of this category by Buddha.) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts because  it makes the mind serene. Gratification &amp;amp; joy arise, after death, he reappears in the company of the devas who have power over the creations of others and then return to the world. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And lastly, your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving gifts as an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind' , after death, he reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a non-returner. He does not come back to this world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-01-20T18:07:13.517" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T18:07:13.517" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13770" CreationDate="2016-01-20T18:53:38.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two main pints two your question, And Lord Buddha directly answered both of those and here is the extended answer.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the correct detachment?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example from lord Buddha......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day the king visited Lord Buddha in an unlikely hour, So Lord Buddha asked why. King replied &amp;quot;Today the richest noble in my kingdom died, he has no offspring so i went to his house to claim his wealth to my treasury. I just finished that and came to see the fortunate one.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king continued &amp;quot;That man never wore any good clothes and he never enjoyed any luxury, he ate like a poor man. Today seeing his immense wealth i am in a question lord. Why does someone live like this having so much wealth and never loosing it?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha Told him the earlier life story which gained the diseased noble the karma to be a noble in this life. As Lord Buddha explained even though he managed to give up he could not be happy afterwards and second guessed the decision to donate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Lord Buddha explained why it happened.....  &amp;quot;The noble was able to give in his earlier life so he received nobility and wealth but he could not keep his mind from regretting that decision.Because of that he could not enjoy the wealth he owned.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the simpler explanation is that one must give happily with detachment and he or she must keep the happiness of giving before giving,while giving and even afterwards. That is the correct detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the most noble giving?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha gave a direct answer to that question...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most noble giving of all is giving &amp;quot;Dhamma (the teaching of lord Buddha).&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason is, any other gift even education is only good for one life and afterwards it does not help anyone. But the teaching takes living ones away from the danger of &amp;quot;Samsara&amp;quot; and gives them refuge for life times to come and even complete freedom from samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T18:53:38.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13779" CreationDate="2016-01-20T19:32:00.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per a legend, Vaishali was once infested with plague and with Buddha's arrival, the plague ended. so there are many stories by later additions that Buddha was the direct cause for eradicating the plague.  Some stories originating from SE Asia, one suggests that Buddha gave his Alms bowl to ven. Ananda to make holy water to sprinkle around town.  This was probably untrue, given that in at least 13 sutta, Buddhda prohibits monks to make holy water.  This one strange sutta doesnt fit in.  Some scholars and experts believe that this story is the reason why you see today's monks sprinkle holy water in temples, especially in south east Asia countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T19:32:00.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13774" CreationDate="2016-01-20T20:13:25.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dmitri congrats. I would have thought you were the reason why Buddha spoke of this sutta.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;shop-keeper&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha pointed out 3 key factors to be a successful businessman, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;good vision&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;good management&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;good benefactors (merchant with good vision and management attracts investors who would love to invest money with him.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second half of sutta, Buddha used those 3 factors that you can probably related to very well, with dharma or mental development.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T20:13:25.853" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2016-01-20T21:29:52.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Mahayana tradition the last &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhicitta.net/BODHISATTVAVOWS.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhisattva branch vow&lt;/a&gt; (#16) reads &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(16)    &lt;strong&gt;not correcting others who are motivated by delusions&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  When we see somebody is making a mistake, we must talk to them with the right motivation and try to help them correct that mistake. If we help other people not to make a mistake again, that is very helpful for that other person but it will also indirectly help us as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The proper way to address this is also highly situational. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind some of the other bodhisattva vows that must be kept in tandem, especially &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(27)    abandoning the path of Theravada as unnecessary for one following the Mahayana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(32) praising oneself and belittling others because of pride and anger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(root not branch)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;doubting and denying the doctrine of the Great Vehicle&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;causing an ordained person to disrobe&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(34)    disparaging a spiritual master&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(45)    not acting with whatever means are necessary according to the circumstances to stop someone who is doing harmful action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in summary one should be certain of the following &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Do you have the full context?&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you walked in to a room and heard a sentence that might be out of context you might want to hold off on accusing someone of spreading the wrong view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Are they talking about a Buddhist tradition other than your own?&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vows are very specific in stating that to disparage another tradition, or to cause rifts in the dharma is a downfall. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Are you reacting out of anger or pride?&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so it is better to withdraw, perhaps discuss with the person later when you have leveled your emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Are they a guru or monk?&lt;/code&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they disrobe and give up on their quest it is a huge downfall, is this a patterned behavior? Is this perhaps a lesson tailored to a specific individual? Be certain before going on the route of accusation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally, say you are certain beyond a doubt they are in the wrong, say for this example they claimed that &quot;The Buddha says kill all third born children&quot; &#xA;an obvious wrong view and greatly harmful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you would be obligated by the vow, to do something... If you have taken the vows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As stated before it is highly situational. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(10)    complying with the minor precepts when the situation demands one's disregard of them for the better benefit of others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This last branch vow is an interesting one, one skillful means described by my old guru back when I was practicing the vows and still considered myself Buddhist was the act of reprimanding with false anger. To appear angry and scold when you actual are not holding anger and are holding compassion for the one being scolded. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone was a guru or a monk and they were telling people to kill 3rd born children (A highly unlikely case) &#xA;It is permissible to break certain vows to stop them and their followers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(45)    &lt;strong&gt;not acting with whatever means are necessary according to the circumstances to stop someone who is doing harmful action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The last two downfalls are saying that, although we must not do anything to harm sentient beings, there are circumstances where we might have to act quite forcefully to stop them harming themselves.&#xA;  When a person or a group is causing themselves or others pain and difficulties, really unlawfully or immorally treating great numbers of sentient beings badly, we should not just accept that, saying we are Buddhists and therefore passive people. We should oppose them skilfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-20T21:29:52.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11483" CreationDate="2016-01-21T02:41:37.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Ryan,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since it is a very important topic and need a lot of explaining, Atma has started to prepare a hopefully understandable answer here: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2106.msg9309.html#msg9309&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to address wrong view?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; It will take one day or two and of course a Book could be written and would be not at all of no use. So not finished yet but give it meanwhile the possibility to put further thoughts and questions while being in development into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addition:&#xA;Should be &quot;fine&quot; so fare. Having bend things here longer as a for a good, you may consider possible reasons and more that late consequences, maybe visible &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1943/762&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. Sadhu for the effort of many here (as often told, your are trying and doing good in this circumstance, and there has been less exception and those have grown silent since Atmas &quot;accidentally&quot; birth took place here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As told always welcome in the small &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Online monastery&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (and this invitation is not meant as such as concurrence or not appreciation of certain efforts here.) At least it anyhow a way to protect one against and react to wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:42:15.120" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T08:38:14.040" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13770" CreationDate="2016-01-21T04:36:22.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 parts here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ornament of the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;support of the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would think &lt;em&gt;ornament of the mind&lt;/em&gt; means to develop Beautiful Consciousness (Sobana). Develop Initial and Sustained contemplation on your action developing Calm. Do it with Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha. This way convert your citta into a Great Wholesome Mind (mahā-kusala cittas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think supporting the mind is if the Mind is Prompted (this includes when you hold yourself back due to laziness or attachment) make it into an Unprompted mind. Being Unprompted means you you have to guard your mind so if does not get disheartened after giving. Reinforce your understanding of Karma so your Mind is a Mind with the Right View. Also ensure defilements not arise and also keep redeveloping new wholesome thoughts by concentrating on the Gift and the Brahmavihara furthering the state and intensity of your volition and mind. Also developing wisdom by contemplating on the feelings (arising and passing and the unsatisfactoriness in the feelings and the non self nature of the experience or what is felt) associated with the object, the recipient, what prompted the volition to give and how the recipient received it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting read would be UNRAVELLING the MYSTERIES of MIND &amp;amp; BODY through ABHIDHAMMA by Sayalay Susila, page 8 - 10.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T13:46:12.330" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T13:46:12.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13790" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-21T11:15:27.527" Score="5" ViewCount="728" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tibetan texts that belong to the genre of &lt;em&gt;tenets&lt;/em&gt; (doctrinal classification) usually claim that the Cittamatra school refutes external existence. These texts further claim that Cittamatrin posit that &lt;em&gt;'the apprehended object and the apprehending consciousness are empty of being different substances'&lt;/em&gt;. They say that, according to Cittamatrin, the apprehending consciousness and the object it apprehends both arise simultaneously from a seed that was left in the mind-basis-of-all (alaya-vijñana), and that, given so, the object is not a cause of the consciousness apprehending it (as opposed to what Vaïbashikas and Sautrantika posit). Jetsün Chökyi Gyaltsen writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An illustration of the selflessness of phenomena is, for example, the&#xA;  emptiness that is a form and the valid cognizer apprehending that form&#xA;  being empty of being different substances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is difficult for me to conceive, and to admit, that Cittamatrin refute external existence altogether. It would mean they refute that one is born from a mother and a father, and so forth. Moreover, I doubt Tibetan scholars who claim that 'Cittamatrin refute external existence' because they have an agenda. Tibetan scholars often simplify (if not even caricature) their opponent's positions (in this case, Cittamatrin). So, not sticking to Tibetan literature only, my idea was to seek whether Cittamatrin actually refute external existence by reading works written by proponents of the Cittamatra school. Let us consider Suzuki, in &lt;em&gt;Studies in the Lankavatara&lt;/em&gt; (p. 114). He writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As indeed the idealistic Mahayana does not admit the&#xA;  existence of an external world, whatever qualities we ordinarily think&#xA;  as belonging to the latter are creations or constructions of our own&#xA;  mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suzuki seems to say &lt;em&gt;&quot;Cittamatra refute external existence&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, but &lt;strong&gt;he does not do so explicitly&lt;/strong&gt;. He says &quot;they do not admit the existence of an external world&quot; but this does not necessarily amount to &quot;refuting the existence of external world&quot;. As far as I know, he could be saying &quot;We can not know anything but the aspects our consciousness takes. We can not see beyond our perceptions. We can not know for sure whether our perceptions are perceptions of something external. So, let us not bother with thinking of an external world - be it to refute its existence or claim its existence - and let us stick with what we know: that the eye-consciousness seeing blue takes the aspect of blue, and that we know nothing else.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the question is: Do Cittamatra / Yogacara &lt;strong&gt;explicitly&lt;/strong&gt; refute the existence of an external world? Or do they simply &quot;not admit, not take into acount&quot; the existence of an external world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References are welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-01-21T14:43:07.270" LastActivityDate="2020-12-26T21:55:18.070" Title="Do Cittamatra / Yogacara explicitly refute the existence of an external world?" Tags="|reference-request|philosophy|mahayana|zen|yogacara|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13790" CreationDate="2016-01-21T13:18:32.753" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Downplaying the external world (is &amp;quot;external world&amp;quot; quite the same as 'form (&lt;em&gt;rūpa&lt;/em&gt;)'?), saying that our ideas of it are reified fabrications of the mind created from (or dependent on) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sense-contact&lt;/a&gt;, seems to me a feature even of the Pali suttas ... with the proviso that nihilism (e.g. &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;There is nothing given&lt;/a&gt;, nothing offered, etc.&amp;quot;), and presumably solipsism, are identified as a &amp;quot;wrong view&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Distinguishing or reconciling these views is I think known as the 'two truths' doctrine[s].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following answer is not expert; it's slightly referenced but just recently researched because of your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/twotruths-india/#Yog&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Theory of Two Truths in India&lt;/a&gt; seems to me to support the thesis (that Yogacara explicitly refute the existence of an external world).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some quotes from this article are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The central thesis in the Yogācāra philosophy, the theory of the two truths echoes this, is the assertion that all that is conventionally real is only ideas, representations, images, creations of the mind, and that there is no conventionally real object that exists outside the mind to which it corresponds. These ideas are the only objects of any cognition. The whole universe is a mental universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from those representations, consciousnesses, which appear to be external objects, there is no conventionally real external content which corresponds to what appears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these arguments based on the facts of experience show that the objects do not exist really outside the mind, that they are the products of mental creation and that their appearance is entirely mind dependent. Therefore Yogācāra's theory of the two truths concludes that the whole world is a product of mind—it is the collective mental action (karma) of all beings. All living beings see the same world because of the identical maturation of their karmic consequences. Since the karmic histories of beings are same, there is homogeneity in the way in which the world is experienced and perceived. This is the reason there is an orderly world instead of chaotic and arbitrariness. This is also the reason behind the impressions of the objectivity of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect you'll want to investigate the author's claims in more detail (using the references which he cites).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/4-publikationen/hamburg-buddhist-studies/hamburgup-hbs03-yao-linradich-mirror.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yogācāra Critiques of the Two Truths&lt;/a&gt; seems to me to present a different picture, in which the Yogacara aren't so external-world-doesn't-exist extreme:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These remarks of Vasubandhu’s are probably the very first attempt on&#xA;the Yogācāra side to incorporate the two truths into their more complicated&#xA;structure of the three natures. Based on these remarks, we can&#xA;draw the following diagram:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;                      emptiness of persons &amp;amp; dharmas —existent(?)&#xA;ultimate truth —&#xA;                      no persons or dharmas —nonexistent(?)&#xA;&#xA;&#xA;                      dependent nature —existent(?)&#xA;conventional truth —&#xA;                      imagined nature —nonexistent(?)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we see, the conventional truth is described as having two aspects.&#xA;Viewed as the imagined nature (parikalpita-svabhāva), it does not exist;&#xA;while viewed as the dependent nature (paratantra-svabhāva), it does exist.&#xA;So conventional reality cannot be one-sidedly taken as purely imaginary&#xA;or illusory; this would be to fall into nihilism. Nor can conventional reality&#xA;be taken as utterly existent, on the other hand, because the imagined&#xA;nature does not exist. That is why the Yogācāra criticizes both of the extremes&#xA;into which his Madhyamaka opponent tends to fall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this paper, the Yogacara doctrine isn't just that the conventional (external?) world is imaginary: it has a merely-imaginary (unreal) component but also a dependent (existent albeit empty) component.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And allegedly the Yogācāra criticizes and accuses their &amp;quot;Madhyamaka opponents&amp;quot; of nihilism and extremism, which implies that they hold their own doctrine to be innocent of such extremism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the goals of the Yogācāra theory of the three natures was to&#xA;improve on this two-tiered paradigm, and to restore a more robust and&#xA;holistic worldview. My study of some scattered sources from Maitreyanātha,&#xA;Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu has demonstrated that they criticized&#xA;the Madhyamaka version of two truths doctrine on the basis of the Yogā-&#xA;cāra theory of the three natures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the Yogācāra develop the doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogachara#The_Three_Natures&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three Natures&lt;/a&gt;, one of which is the world as it's understood according to the theory of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-21T13:25:52.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13792" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-21T15:54:11.813" Score="5" ViewCount="312" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some signs that one might be seeing the three characteristics with more clarity or depth? What might represent that one is having a new and more profound experience of impermanence, dukkha or not-self during one's practice or during any time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are some examples of what is  meant by sign:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When we finish sweeping the floor, that might be a sign of impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If an annoying song keeps repeating in the mind that we can't control then that might be a sign of not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We strongly misidentify the body as the self. If while meditating we see past the concept of the body then we might strangely feel like we have no body at some point. This no body effect might be a sign of not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T04:10:57.650" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T14:03:58.167" Title="What are signs of the three marks of existence?" Tags="|vipassana|practice|three-lakshanas|dzogchen|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13790" CreationDate="2016-01-21T17:39:33.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Kagyu understanding, Yogacara's position isn't metaphysical, it is methodological. It's not that the external world does not exist, it is that our experience of the world is 100% always represented by organs and/or mind, there is no experience outside of that, so practically speaking mind-made experience is &quot;all we have&quot;*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is why trying to figure out how exactly the experience is generated and mastering the practical skills for working with mind and experience is of key importance in Yogacara (comparing to the earlier Buddhism's focus on discipline/ethics and the Madhyamika's focus on philosophy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yogacarins put so much emphasis on the mind because they are concerned with&#xA;  practice. Some people have thought they were saying that everything is in your&#xA;  mind. Some of these people were influenced by certain Western philosophies.   -- &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking Kaguypas seem to prefer to stay away from philosophical discussions and focus on practice, which makes sense given their self-identification as &quot;the practice lineage&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We are not concerned about whether or not a chair exists. That's&#xA;  secondary. Why spend so much time arguing about whether or not a chair exists,&#xA;  instead of learning how we experience and relate to the chair, and what sort of&#xA;  experience we've got? -- &lt;sub&gt;&lt;em&gt;Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*&lt;sub&gt;Using the modern language we could say, reality is an interpretation we make, there is no reality to be experienced outside of an interpretation. In other words, there is no absolute truth separate from the conventional truth.&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-25T17:18:30.657" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T17:18:30.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13792" CreationDate="2016-01-22T03:54:56.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 types of signs:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gross&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Subtle&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the gross realities many intelligent people can deduce. It is the subtle ones they cannot deduce though logic. E.g. If you ask any one &quot;Can I live for ever?&quot;, they would respond &quot;No&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the subtle level is what you need to see through meditation. Everything arises and passes away. (Udayawaya nana) You just have to see this to realise impedance. What arises you cannot control hence non self. What ever feeling that arises passesaway hence all feelings are unsatisfactory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T03:54:56.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13795" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13797" CreationDate="2016-01-22T05:35:08.737" Score="2" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following section in the Modernist poem &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/176735&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Waste Land&lt;/a&gt; is often linked to Buddhism, in the academic literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Burning burning burning burning / O Lord Thou pluckest me out / O Lord&#xA;  Thou pluckest // burning&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It ends section three, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits073.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Fire Sermon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wanted to ask&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How common is the term &quot;lord&quot; for Buddha?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would the followers of any of the Buddhist traditions ask the Buddha, who gave the fire sermon, to choose them, or pluck them out?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm just a little skeptical that it is about the Buddha, despite the title to that section.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T06:12:50.983" Title="Buddha as &quot;lord&quot; and Buddha as &quot;choosing&quot; his followers" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|western-buddhism|pali|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13795" CreationDate="2016-01-22T05:57:53.483" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord Buddha&quot; is used all the time &quot;. Translations from Pali would often use language from the Bible, at least in earlier translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like appreciation to Lord Buddha for plucking one out of the fire of sensual desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people asked to be taught the teachings in many ways, some misunderstood the teachings before they asked and some understood at least what they were basicly about but in the above I think perhaps they are using poetic licence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-22T06:10:43.597" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T06:10:43.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13795" CreationDate="2016-01-22T06:01:18.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How common is the term &quot;lord&quot; for Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People use it about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=%22lord+buddha%22&quot;&gt;150 times&lt;/a&gt; in posts on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would the followers of any of the Buddhist traditions ask the Buddha, who gave the fire sermon, to choose them, or pluck them out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think so (it implies there's a 'me' and implies that I'm not responsible for my own salvation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; is the closest I've heard to that &quot;being plucked&quot; (e.g. it mentions &quot;an effort of calling to Amida for salvation&quot;), yet &lt;a href=&quot;http://intl-nq.oxfordjournals.org/content/56/3/417.extract&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; says that Eliot studied Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware that the Wasteland was published in 1922, which I think was relatively early in the history of Buddhism in England.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bartleby.com/201/1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; says that &quot;Burning burning burning burning&quot; is a quote from the (Lord) Buddha's Fire Sermon, but that &quot;O Lord Thou pluckest me out&quot; is a quote from Saint Augustine's &lt;em&gt;Confessions&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T06:12:50.983" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13798" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-22T09:07:48.313" Score="4" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was watching &quot;how to meditate&quot; in internet. In one video, a master said, not to meditate in the night in dark. If one meditates in dark, they should light candle or incense stick. The reason he gave was, one meditating in night will be possessed by spirits. Is this true? When is the right time to meditate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-22T13:39:48.090" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T01:53:26.777" Title="When is the right time to meditate?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13799" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13809" CreationDate="2016-01-22T09:45:00.560" Score="2" ViewCount="1663" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes you hear of people who can levitate from the ground. It looks like it is not just a state of mind but a real physical happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is there any prove of the existence of it and how is it is physically possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-22T15:41:23.723" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T01:04:25.977" Title="Does levitation really exist?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13800" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-22T10:51:07.237" Score="3" ViewCount="782" Body="&lt;p&gt;An important part of the Path is overcoming the suffering of attachement to the body's continued existence. I don't know if that's desire for living or aversion to death - maybe a combination. Therefore, I'm wodering if someone can share their experiences on this very essential aspect of the practice - preparing to die.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhas teachings we are adviced to watch the after death-process; dead bodies on a charnel ground. But this is very difficult in modern (Western) society. I managed to get three days in meditation with a dead friend (no more is allowed in my country). They'd put some cotton in his orifices and some lubricant on the body. He looked like wax and I felt like I were at Madame Tussaud or watching Lenin. My friend didn't rot or stink so it was no good really, because the whole point is meditation on the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've tought about trying some hospices and morgues. Surely they'd kick me out, but I also think it might be disrespectful; they're grieving and probably not Buddhists! Everything would be better with a charnel ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are your ways of preparing for death? If you are living in a county where death is a taboo, you probably have met some of the same challenges as me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7290" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T03:46:53.627" Title="How to overcome the suffering of attachement to the body's continued existence (in Western modernity)?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|death|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13800" CreationDate="2016-01-22T12:19:41.583" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In preparation for death you should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;accept the fact everyone must die and let go of the fear of death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not procrastinate meditation to develop wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;make your mind equanimous as possible to handle the pain of death so you do not lose the balance and get re born in a lower realm&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to achieve 1, best is to contemplate that everyone must die and it is inevitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In preparation for 3, 2 will be helpful contemplation and meditation as each breath you take might very well be you last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you die your mind must be equanimous. This is the target of preparation to die. This can only achived through wisdom by realising the arising and passing away nature of things and realising any worldly phenomena experienced is unsatisfactory and not under one's control to make satisfactory hence let go and be equanimous no matter what your your experience is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditating on a corpse is partly to realise that death is common to all and imminent, but another is to counteract the perception of beauty by seeing it rot. If the body is preserved it does not serve the latter purpose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to realise is beauty results when someone takes a certain shape and form here is beauty this might bring pleasure - attractive, displeasure - attractive, neutral - average or no special looks. When you analyse the anatomical parts separately this perception of beauty do not arise. Only when they are compounded and take a particular shape this perception of beauty happen. Likewise we take beauty or looks to be a constant than transitory. By looking at a old corpse you realize this, even perhaps even a old person. When it rots you see shape and form is subjected to decay, especially in a young corpse, and you see the transitory nature of beauty, i.e., something that was perceive so beautiful has suddenly become so repulsive. Since the subject is repulsive there is a change your mind may develop aversion towards the object or even the body itself. This is not the objective of repulsive meditation. You have to maintain absolute equanimity throughout, though initially if you are lustful some repulsion can be used to counteract it. If your mind is feeling disgusted at the subject or your body or someone else's body then this is not the type of meditation for your and can become dangerous as your mind is left unbalanced due to the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also knowledge that whatever happened to the beauty of this person will also happen to me. The knowledge un un attempt to both beauty of oneself and others should happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should meditate on how your mind constructs beauty and the sensation that follow and the attractions or aversions (you may just not like how someone looks) that result from this perceived beauty. Look at the sensation arising and passing regarding the subject of the meditation and realise the unsatisfactoriness in it (pleasantness when your mind perceives the attraction due to looks, unpleasantness when you perceive repulsiveness of looks and the subject, neutrality towards looks and the subject) and the non self nature. Though this develop revulsion and let go of the attachment to your body and mind or the 5 aggregates or the sense faculties or the world itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-22T14:43:33.963" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T14:43:33.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13798" CreationDate="2016-01-22T14:53:10.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The right time is whenever you can, wherever you are, starting if possibile with a calm mind. Try to maintain a constant practice, whichever technique do you follow. As a reminder read Webu Sayadaw's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/webu01.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;To Light a Fire&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T14:53:10.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13804" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13792" CreationDate="2016-01-22T16:04:06.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sweeping is a process made up of many experiences. An experience is made up of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the five aggregates&lt;/a&gt;. Each of the five aggregates is Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta in nature. That makes each experience Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. It's not about waiting for something to finish and calling it impermanent. That's obvious even without meditation. That is not strong enough to cut off craving or loosen your grip on conditioned phenomena. You have to develop Sati(awareness) through meditation until you can see these 3 characteristics here and now with each experience(moment to moment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, not able to stop unpleasant experiences or not able to prolong pleasant experiences is a sign of Anatta. Then again, reasoning it out like that is not what is expected from Vipassana. You have to be able see it then and there. You have to be able to note that each experience is born due to causes, not because there's a self in them or not because they belong to a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling that there is a body or feeling that there is no body are both Anatta. Because both are mere feelings born of causes. Nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T16:04:06.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13792" CreationDate="2016-01-22T16:19:05.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;vedana (feelings) is easiest to spot for me .   For example, whatever makes you happy or pleasurable, you wont be able to stay in that state forever.  if you observe it carefully you will see the causal of that happiness (pleasure) and when causal ends, the happiness ends.   same thing as anger or suffering.  it comes and goes and there is no owner, just a causal.   and when you apply this knowledge on everything coming your way, it reduces its &quot;value&quot; and hopefully one day, no value to us at all.  to me, anger is easiest to spot, since buddha said dosa (anger) is quick to arise and also quick to diminish.  Next time when someone cuts you off on a highway, dont feed the anger, just imagine you are a curious scientist trying to observe the development of the anger and you will see.    personal story.  someone made me angry over some thing.  it was pretty bad.  i used everything in the book to control it, metta bhavana, meditation, etc.. i was so angry for 7 days. one the last day, i was extremely exhausted and decided to forget it, i just let it be, not involved.  at that moment, the anger left, not even just a tiny trace. zero.  at that moment i realized that maybe this was what it meant to let it go.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-01-22T17:15:51.780" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T17:15:51.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13806" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13807" CreationDate="2016-01-22T17:11:58.333" Score="4" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really like Ajahn Brahm's Darma talks on YouTube. But, I can perfectly understand what he's saying on 2x speed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I losing anything by listening at this speed or is it ok as long as it's not for any other reason than I can understand it so I can watch two in the same amount of time as one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7661" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T20:01:53.567" Title="Watching Darma Talks on 2x Speed" Tags="|modern-world|learning-materials|learning|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13806" CreationDate="2016-01-22T17:59:02.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have done the same thing for slower speakers. In my opinion, it's just fine to speed up your listening as long as you grasp the content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T17:59:02.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13806" CreationDate="2016-01-22T21:06:45.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good idea but be mindful because in sometime your mind will feed your ego with &quot;I am faster&quot; feeling and you mind end up trying to listen or read faster than you should. That can cause some harm because i have seen that sometimes it is better to listen slower when learning certain teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as Lord Buddha advised you should listen to things you have already learnt again and again because sometimes even if you know something going over and over makes you realize a whole another side of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T21:06:45.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13799" CreationDate="2016-01-22T21:30:22.153" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it is possible and Lord Buddha had to show some supernatural powers in certain incidents. But Lord Buddha's perspective was a bit different from what you might expect....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day Lord Buddha and some monks were on path to reach a certain village / city. On the way the group had to cross a river, there was a boat and people had to pat the boat owner to cross the river (Like a ferry). Suddenly a person who looked like a sage crossed the river levitating above the river. It was done by him to show off as the Lord Buddha's group was there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha asked &amp;quot;how much does it cost to cost the river&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The amount was told to Lord Buddha, Then Lord Buddha said &amp;quot;That is how much that person's Power is worth&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Because the power he had only helped him cross the river and that costed a certain amount,no matter how many river he cross that has no value other that the money he save when using the power. In the Grand scale of things he is just as helpless as any other being because his power does not free him from &amp;quot;Samsara&amp;quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha asked us to focus on the path and not on fancy powers. Because you do not necessarily need to be a Buddhist to do all of that. Because even Before Lord Buddha's birth people was able to do so much more (Like inter-realm travel).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a sage from another teaching wanted to know the answer to the same question that you are asking, So he came to Lord Buddha's Monastery and became a monk. All he ever did was practicing hard to reach the same level as the monks. He was sent by the elder sages of his earlier practice to learn Lord Buddha's teaching so they can show powers and attract people to their teaching (Foreigners to india and even some indians to this day ask questions like why are there so many similarities among Buddhism and other religions without knowing the kind of foul play Buddhism had to deal with).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He tried his best and he couldn't reach the level he wanted and he started asking questions from &amp;quot;Arahats&amp;quot; who visited Lord Buddha to acknowledge their completion of the path. But at the time all the Arahats visited was not with any powers (There are two different practices to reach the end and depending on what path you choose you either get or miss the powers,but there is no lack of the path between the two versions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end he was fed up and directly went to Lord Buddha and told the truth. Lord Buddha kindly advised him and he became an &amp;quot;Arahat&amp;quot;. But never returned to the older practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also another side to Powers....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a monk who had reached &amp;quot;Universal hearing (Dibba sotha)&amp;quot; came to Lord Buddha and asked Lord Buddha's guidance to gain (Dibba chakku) &amp;quot;Universal seeing/eye&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha looked at the monk's Karma and said you have not done enough good Karma to reach that level&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is a clear mention that not only powers vary in the path also the powers can only be reached by ones who have done enough Karma to make it available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T21:30:22.153" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13800" CreationDate="2016-01-22T21:59:24.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We as Buddhists are not preparing to die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Death is something that should be understood....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Death happens whether we are ready or not, and even if we are ready that does not make any difference because death is death and there is no escape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So what about death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Understand that death is inevitable and realize that like all that there is on the universe your body has an expiry date too. What is made of 4 elements has few common characteristics....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They decay,change and die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So death is to be understood and in your understanding you become a one who is prepared to continue the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What we are all about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism is all about preparing to end dying and birth. As Lord Buddha once said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The greatest threat to beings is the lower realm, They have been born so many time there it is correct to say that the lower realms are like home to living beings...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the danger that we run away from not petty pains and threats like a war or a flu. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About the meditation you are asking details for.....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This meditation was done in the form that you are trying to do in the age of kings and the practice was changed with time and monks adapted to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can Continue the practice of this meditation  in the new way and note that the older way is limited to a country or two now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The new way...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a audio link you are going to need&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/79_Meditation_on_Nine_Cemetery_Contemplations.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Click this link (Audio file)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First you need to find some good pictures and print it into your mind (Looking at it with calmness in mind would help).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then practice with the audio that i link to the answer and once you are ready do it without the Audio.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some Images that i use...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/q7U0H.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/q7U0H.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Male corpse&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IfdPC.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IfdPC.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Male corpse 1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3xxoO.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3xxoO.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Female corpse&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also other Meditations that can help you...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Audio link 2 &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/78_Meditation_on_Elements.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation_on_Elements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Audio link 3 &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/77_Meditation_of_Foulness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation_of_Foulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Audio link 4 &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/49_Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asuba_Aanaapaana_sathi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-01-22T21:59:24.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3475" CreationDate="2016-01-23T01:37:03.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;is there ever a time to not look and think carefully about an actual &#xA;situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;suppose one were the sole provider for a large family and lost their job. one looks and looks and finally an opportunity arises. and the person can actually do the job. and do it well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a degree is mandatory. the person lacks that. what to do? see if they can be hired by demonstrating ability might be on choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if jobs are.scarce and the family has begun to starve tho? me, I would accept that some negative karma would be incurred. I would accept some delay on reaching enlightenment. I would lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if hired, I would get the degree quietly, over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there is no absolute thing to do. it depends on the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to save the lives of others, especially others who are children or otherwise dependant on you, I don't see how I could make any choice that ignored that (but again, a situation could arise in which I acted differently).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to me it seems the essence of Buddhism is awareness. generalizing or adhering to preconcieved ideas of what to do and not do seems a bit robotic and not a way to further the habit of actually percieving. it also gives no room to listen to ones inner voice, intuition or whatever you want to call it, which I've always understood to be also perception just not always at the level.of conscious intent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5065" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T01:37:03.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13800" CreationDate="2016-01-23T03:41:52.503" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, meditation on death is good for reducing the naive infatuation with sensual pleasures and the overall heedlessness coming from &quot;intoxication with youth&quot; and &quot;intoxication with health&quot;. However, it does not address the more subtle root of suffering, what OP called &quot;attachment to the body's continued existence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana explanations, although attachment to body as &quot;me, mine&quot; seems obvious and well-based, it is in fact pretty arbitrary. In traditional Lam-Rim literature there are descriptions of hellish states caused by confused identification with other arbitrary objects. Imagine the pain someone experiences when they think they are a door, craving the peace but constantly getting slammed instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Mahayana perspective, our confused identification with a living organism comes from our egotism. We have this deep habit of chasing our personal goals and contrasting them with the goals of other beings. (This works similar to the Stockholm Syndrome, when the hostage  temporary aligning with the captor's goals leads to the hostage identifying (bonding) with the captor. In this case the captor is our body or more broadly our social persona). Instead, the Mahayana solution to the identification problem is deconstructing one's ego, first and foremost through the practice of altruism. Indeed, taking an active interest in other people's well-being assists in switching one's focus from &quot;self&quot; to &quot;all&quot; - which reduces and eventually eliminates attachment to an individual organism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana Buddhist term for this is &quot;bodhi-citta&quot;, the mind of the Buddha. A simple explanation of bodhicitta is when we make the entire world our business, no longer restricting our sense of care to just ourselves and our close circle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to the self-identification, the Buddha explained it like this (in my interpretation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aging, decay, death come from the fact that we are born&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Birth comes from the fact that we identify with a living being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Individualized existence comes from the egocentric activity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Egocentric activity comes from craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving comes from the memory of a good feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The memory of a good feeling comes from experience of a contact&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experience of a contact comes from the experience of the boundary between the external and the internal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experience of the boundary between the external and the internal comes from the objectification&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Objectification comes from the mind constructing/interpreting the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mind constructing/interpreting the world comes from the accumulation of random imprints and memories&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accumulation of random imprints and memories comes from not knowing how things work.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The multiple ways to break this chain are either: to stop the egocentric activity, or to give up craving, or to stop objectification (via analytical deconstruction of the mind-made models to see their emptiness), or to stop constructing/interpreting the world (by non-maintaining the narratives, non-abiding), or to gain a direct insight into how things work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha gained insight into how things work,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;therefore the Buddha no longer accumulates random imprints and memories,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer naively constructs/interprets the world,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer naively objectifies the experience,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer naively assume the boundary between the outer and the inner,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer naively experiences the contact,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer naively enjoys the good experience,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer craves the object of good experience,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer acts egoistically towards the object of craving,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer identifies oneself as the same one who craves, the same one who acts, and the same one who enjoys the result,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer has a notion of &quot;I have been born as this human being&quot;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Buddha no longer has a notion of &quot;I age, decay and will eventually die&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something like this. This may be a little rough around the edges - please don't  get hung up on the details -- but it should give you an idea of the overall approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T03:46:53.627" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T03:46:53.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11086" CreationDate="2016-01-23T09:46:22.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;the 165th verse of the Dhammapada, the 9th verse of its Attavagga, says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attanā hi kataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  attanā saṅkilissati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Attanā akataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  attanāva visujjhati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nāñño aññaṃ visodhaye.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By oneself is evil done; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  by oneself is one defiled.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;  By oneself is evil left undone; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;by oneself is one made pure. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Purity and impurity depend on oneself; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  no one can purify another.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T09:46:22.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13806" CreationDate="2016-01-23T10:05:39.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said that the Buddha spoke very quickly. How&#xA;  quickly? During the time an ordinary person speaks one word&#xA;  the Buddha could speak 128 words. Buddha spoke very fast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Handbook of Abhidhamma Studies, by Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda, Volume 1, page 19.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it might be OK to listen fast but if you can comprehend what is been said. Perhaps to 128x times faster. But remember though the Buddha spoke (I would say communicated) 128 words when someone else spoke 1 word, each listener would hear a subset as if this has been said to him. So in this case the amount you can speedup is something less than 128x but also limited by the rate you can understand what is spoken and also comprehend what is spoken. If you can &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understand what is spoken and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;comprehend what is spoken&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;at the rate of 2x speed then it is OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T10:12:04.293" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T10:12:04.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10658" CreationDate="2016-01-23T10:20:34.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;the 165th verse of the Dhammapada, the 9th verse of its Attavagga, says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attanā hi kataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  attanā saṅkilissati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Attanā akataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;attanāva visujjhati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nāñño aññaṃ visodhaye.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By oneself is evil done; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  by oneself is one defiled.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;  By oneself is evil left undone; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;by oneself is one made pure. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Purity and impurity depend on oneself; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  no one can purify another.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Kaladana sutta (AN 5.36) says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the proper time, those wise,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  charitable, and generous folk&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  give a timely gift to the noble ones,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  who are stable and upright;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  given with a clear mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one’s offering is vast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Those who rejoice in such deeds&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  or who provide other service&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  do not miss out on the offering;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  they too partake of the merit.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, with a non-regressing mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one should give a gift where it yields great fruit.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Merits are the support of living beings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when they arise in the other world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these passages indicate impossibility of merit transfer or sharing, but recognize the possibility of taking part in other's merit making by rejoicing of their wholesome deeds or providing assistance in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but neither of the passages is attributed directly to the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here's what the Buddha says according to the suttas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the Culakammavibhanga sutta (MN 135) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the recount of a parable in the Devaduta sutta (MN 130, AN 3.36)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;that evil kamma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends &amp;amp; companions, nor done by your kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives, nor done by the devas. That evil kamma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these seem to indicate that &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; is only personal which in turn implies that one cannot acquire a wholesome &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; without ever performing a wholesome act and making conscious effort at spiritual development as in case of unbeknownst reception of merit from somebody. otherwise it would mean undermining the concept of the Noble Eightfold Path as a way to awakening by dint of purely personal effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T10:25:52.827" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T10:25:52.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8821" CreationDate="2016-01-23T10:23:08.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;the 165th verse of the Dhammapada, the 9th verse of its Attavagga, says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attanā hi kataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  attanā saṅkilissati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Attanā akataṃ pāpaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;attanāva visujjhati;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṃ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  nāñño aññaṃ visodhaye.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By oneself is evil done; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  by oneself is one defiled.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;  By oneself is evil left undone; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;by oneself is one made pure. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Purity and impurity depend on oneself; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  no one can purify another.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Kaladana sutta (AN 5.36) says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the proper time, those wise,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  charitable, and generous folk&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  give a timely gift to the noble ones,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  who are stable and upright;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  given with a clear mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one’s offering is vast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Those who rejoice in such deeds&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  or who provide other service&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  do not miss out on the offering;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  they too partake of the merit.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, with a non-regressing mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one should give a gift where it yields great fruit.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Merits are the support of living beings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  when they arise in the other world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these passages indicate impossibility of merit transfer or sharing, but recognize the possibility of taking part in other's merit making by rejoicing of their wholesome deeds or providing assistance in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but neither of the passages is attributed directly to the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here's what the Buddha says according to the suttas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the Culakammavibhanga sutta (MN 135) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the recount of a parable in the Devaduta sutta (MN 130, AN 3.36)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;that evil kamma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends &amp;amp; companions, nor done by your kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives, nor done by the devas. That evil kamma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these seem to indicate that &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; is only personal which in turn implies that one cannot acquire a wholesome &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; without ever performing a wholesome act and making conscious effort at spiritual development as in case of unbeknownst reception of merit from somebody. otherwise it would mean undermining the concept of the Noble Eightfold Path as a way to awakening by dint of purely personal effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T10:23:08.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13819" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-23T11:12:45.913" Score="1" ViewCount="246" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Chinese Wikipedia article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E8%91%AC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sky burial&lt;/a&gt;, there's a section saying that sky burial is illegal in Japan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;棄屍嫌疑&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;在某些地方，天葬的行為，可能觸犯遺棄屍體的罪行。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;日本&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;刑法第190條（死体損壊罪）&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Google translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dumped suspect [My assumption for translation: Illegality of&#xA;  abandoning bodies]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In some places, burial behavior may violate abandoned corpses offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Japan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Penal Code section 190 (dead body damage Huai crime)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Japanese Buddhists once use sky burial for their dead? Or is the ban just a broader ban that just happens to include sky burial?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4818" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T07:31:24.743" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T07:31:24.743" Title="Did Japanese Buddhists once use sky burial?" Tags="|history|traditions|death|food|japan|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13770" CreationDate="2016-01-23T14:55:16.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the definition of &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:1825.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parikkhāra&lt;/a&gt; I'm drawn to the second meaning, i.e.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(b) In a special sense and in very early use it refers to the &quot;set of necessaries&quot; of a Buddhist monk &amp;amp; comprises the 4 indispensable instruments of a mendicant, enumd in stock phrase &quot;cīvara -- piṇḍapāta -- senāsana -- gilānapaccayabhesajja -- p.&quot; i. e. robe, alms -- bowl, seat &amp;amp; bed, medicine as help in illness. Thus freq. found in Canon, e. g. at Vin iii.132; D iii.268; S iv.288, 291; Nd2 523 (as 1st part of &quot;yañña&quot;); also unspecified, but to be understood as these 4 (different Vin Texts iii.343 which take it to mean the 8 requisites: see below) at Vin ii.267. -- Later we find another set of mendicants' requisites designated as &quot;aṭṭha parikkhārā,&quot; the 8 requirements. They are enumd in verse at J i.65= DA i.206, viz. ticīvaraŋ, patto, vāsi, sūci, (kāya -- ) bandhanaŋ, parissāvana, i. e. the 3 robes, the bowl, a razor, a needle, the girdle, a water -- strainer. They are expld in detail DA i.206 sq. Cp. also J iv.342 (aṭṭhaparikkhāra -- dhara); v.254 (kāyabandhana -- parissāvanasūci -- vāsi -- satthakāni; the last -- named article being &quot;scissors&quot; instead of a razor); DhA ii.61 (˚dhara thera). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So not &quot;adornment&quot;, like 'decoration', but rather &quot;requisite&quot; or &quot;necessity&quot; or perhaps &quot;tool&quot; or &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sine_qua_non&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sine qua non&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think it's saying, &quot;give with the understanding that the giving is necessary for the mind&quot; (instead of for example, &quot;give with the hope of getting something, like 'calmness', in return&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T14:55:16.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13731" CreationDate="2016-01-23T17:11:20.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There may be other bases for (i.e. causes of or types of) 'love': for example, compassion or &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mudita&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find this difficult to practice without attachment and/or lust, even so your description of love seemed to me one-sided, only describing negatives (defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7488/254&quot;&gt;Any authentic sutta from any tradition that gives guidance on what kind of partner to choose?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus, there are other topics tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/marriage&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;marriage&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;marriage&lt;/a&gt; and/or &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/relationship&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;relationship&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;relationship&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T17:11:20.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13819" CreationDate="2016-01-23T18:13:42.090" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was curious about this question and I found some sources that might answer this question more or less:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...in ancient Japanese society, prior to the introduction of Buddhism and the funerary practice of cremation, the corpse was exposed in a manner very similar to the Tibetan sky burial.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This excerpt is from the wiki article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Excarnation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following link opens to a part in an ebook that might help answer this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=CZM2AQAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA118&amp;amp;lpg=PA118&amp;amp;dq=Excarnation+~Japanese&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=DF_qKCS7PC&amp;amp;sig=H9zvNsP284SQteLueDyDmyvWmjI&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjQurPevcDKAhVW2mMKHS6ADKkQ6AEIMTAG#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Excarnation%20~Japanese&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://books.google.com/books?id=CZM2AQAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA118&amp;amp;lpg=PA118&amp;amp;dq=Excarnation+~Japanese&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=DF_qKCS7PC&amp;amp;sig=H9zvNsP284SQteLueDyDmyvWmjI&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjQurPevcDKAhVW2mMKHS6ADKkQ6AEIMTAG#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Excarnation%20~Japanese&amp;amp;f=false&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-23T22:56:17.010" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T22:56:17.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2016-01-23T22:12:22.230" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I can't comment on this &quot;...it is interesting to note that once you become enlightened you don't worry about such small things. Although Siddhartha cut his hair, Buddha kept long hair himself. – TheDarkKnightRules Nov 15 '14 at 9:48...&quot; because of some silly rules of this website. But I would like to clear up a point that 'Buddha kept long hair himself.')&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In vasala sutta (story heard) in the Tipitaka, a brahman said this to the Buddha &quot;“tatreva, muṇḍaka; tatreva, samaṇaka; tatreva, vasalaka tiṭṭhāhī”ti. &#xA;(Stop right there shaven-head, stop right there monk, stop...)&#xA;The Pali word &quot;muṇḍaka&quot; means &quot;a shaveling; shaven-headed&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There we have it. The Buddha had his head shaven too. No exception for Himself!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7667" LastActivityDate="2016-01-23T22:12:22.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13824" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-24T00:11:55.347" Score="4" ViewCount="220" Body="&lt;p&gt;While reading an answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13802/57&quot;&gt;How to overcome the suffering of attachement to the body's continued existence (in Western modernity)?&lt;/a&gt;, I began to wonder about a related matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In preparation for death you should:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  1) accept the fact everyone must die and let go of the fear of death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, but how about this situation:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say I have terminal cancer, and the doctor says I will only live another 6 months. However, if I get some difficult treatment (let's say chemotherapy that often causes severe pain), I may live up to 10 years longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from a Buddhism point of view:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) Would there be any concern if I didn't get any treatment? It isn't suicide, but I am not taking an action will hasten death.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Would there be any concern if I did get the treatment? Does that imply a fear of death, by postponing the inevitable? And since a goal of Buddhism is to reduce suffering, while understanding pain can be managed, can voluntarily increasing ones suffering be justified?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In each case, is there any impact on karma looking to the next rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I am not referring to medical treatment in general.  Only when it is very invasive and severely impacts ones normal life (and lifespan).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="57" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T15:49:18.853" Title="What are the issues related to medical treatment that prolongs life of questionable quality?" Tags="|ethics|rebirth|modern-world|death|well-being|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13824" CreationDate="2016-01-24T00:40:21.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It all depends on each individual's unique situation. If s/he is an ascetic or a lay person who is not married and has no kids, then one can afford the option to let one's condition runs its natural course without introducing a mean to prolong one's life. On the other hand, if one is a lay person who's the breadwinner for his family with spouse, kids, or maybe old parents, then one'd need to do whatever it takes to prolong one's life. This is why the Buddha said living the lay life is difficult for one's life is invariably tied to his loved ones and he has to fulfill his obligation to take care of his wife and kids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell.. ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T00:40:21.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13827" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-24T03:10:38.723" Score="2" ViewCount="1969" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the possible symbols of mercy and/or compassion in Buddhism? As always answers with supporting references are appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7670" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T15:44:49.733" Title="Symbols of mercy in Buddhism?" Tags="|iconography|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13819" CreationDate="2016-01-24T05:19:58.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading something about sky burial like practices being done in pre-Buddhist Japan where the corpse was placed on top a tall platform to be picked clean by birds, but when Buddhism was introduced, they brought with them the practice of cremation which then became standard. In Shinto, death is considered unclean, so the fact that the Buddhists had formal funeral rites made Buddhist style funerals popular very quickly, so the sky burial like practices were abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T05:19:58.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13829" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-24T05:32:46.917" Score="4" ViewCount="392" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the rebirth-linking consciousness arises in the fetus (I read elsewhere at around 26 weeks), but the fetus dies (somehow) prior to or during birth, is it possible to understand why this kind of existence happened? And could it be a result of previous lifetime good or bad karma?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this situation, while there are senses, the fetus cannot make any conscious decision or thought processes or have any understandings yet. Of course depending on the situation physical suffering may have occurred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I am trying to understand what kind of link this lifetime is, between the previous and next lifetime, and the effect on continuing rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="57" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-24T15:58:20.053" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T16:37:01.777" Title="Does Buddhism explain the past karma, and rebirth, of a short-lived fetus?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13790" CreationDate="2016-01-24T05:39:32.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Cittamatra texts do explicitly refute it. Vasubhandu's Twenty Stanzas and autocommentary is a text that gives logical arguments against the presence of an external world. The very begining of this text reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The three realms are consciousness only&quot; of the Mahayana is&#xA;  established through the scriptural expression, &quot;the three realms are&#xA;  mind only.&quot; &quot;Mind,&quot; &quot;thought,&quot; &quot;consciousness,&quot; and &quot;perception&quot;&#xA;  (uijñapti) are different names. Here, &quot;mind&quot; and &quot;thought&quot; are lumped&#xA;  together with mental activities (caitta). &quot;Only&quot; excludes objects of&#xA;  perception (artha) that are external to consciousness, not associates&#xA;  of consciousness. When internal consciousness is born, it appears&#xA;  resembling external objects of perception, I but in the same way that&#xA;  one with diseased eyesight sees nonexistent hairs, flies, etc. Here&#xA;  there is not the slightest aspect of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the text goes on to refute various objections to the nonexistence of external objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in his autocommentary on the Thirty Verses he writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there is nothing at all but consciousness and no external condi-&#xA;  tions at all, from what are the many imaginations born? The Verses&#xA;  say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the consciousness that is all seeds Transformation [occurs] in&#xA;  such - and -such ways. Due to the power of mutual influence, That- and&#xA;  -that imagination is born. (18)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though internal consciousness exists, still, there are no&#xA;  external conditions, so what is the basis for the continuity of birth&#xA;  and death among sentient beings? The Verses say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The habit energy of various actions Together with the habit energy of&#xA;  the two graspings, When prior retribution is exhausted, Subsequently&#xA;  produce other retribution. (19)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asanga's Mahayana-Samgraha is probably another good place to look but I haven't read that text yet so I'm not sure if it is explicit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T05:39:32.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13824" CreationDate="2016-01-24T11:17:14.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some quotes from commentaries on the monastic rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#medicine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules --&#xA;A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Properly considering medicinal requisites for curing the sick, I use them: simply to ward off any pains of illness that have arisen, and for the maximum freedom from disease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &quot;praising the advantages of dying&quot; is considered in the same category as &quot;intentionally causing death&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should any bhikkhu intentionally deprive a human being of life, or search for an&#xA;  assassin for him, or praise the advantages of death, or incite him to die (saying): “My&#xA;  good man, what use is this evil, miserable life to you? Death would be better for you than&#xA;  life,” or with such an idea in mind, such a purpose in mind, should in various ways &#xA;  praise the advantages of death or incite him to die, he also is defeated and no longer in&#xA;  affiliation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Khandhaka Rules&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“A sick person endowed with five qualities is hard to tend to: He does what is&#xA;  not amenable to his cure; he does not know the proper amount in things&#xA;  amenable to his cure; he does not take his medicine; he does not tell his&#xA;  symptoms, as they actually are present, to the nurse desiring his welfare ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the above implies that the patient has some kind of duty of care towards their nurse (as well as vice versa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Rules&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary extrapolates from this case to apply the dukka˛a to all&#xA;  attempts at suicide, including even the decision not to take food when motivated&#xA;  by a desire to die. However, it then runs into the question of how far this penalty&#xA;  applies to a bhikkhu who is ill. Its verdict: As long as medicine and attendants are&#xA;  available to him, the penalty would still apply. But then it lists two cases where&#xA;  the penalty would not apply: (a) A bhikkhu is suffering from a long and serious&#xA;  illness, and the attendant bhikkhus are fed up with caring for him, thinking,&#xA;  “When will we be free of this sick one?” If the bhikkhu reflects that, even with&#xA;  medical care, his body won’t last and that the bhikkhus are being put to&#xA;  difficulties, he incurs no penalty in refusing food and medicine. (b) A bhikkhu—&#xA;  reflecting that his illness is harsh, the forces of life are running out, and yet the&#xA;  noble attainments appear to be within his reach—may refuse food and medicine&#xA;  without penalty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary’s deliberations here show how difficult it is to legislate in&#xA;  this area, and there are reasons to question the way it applies the Great&#xA;  Standards here. Case (b) is apparently derived from SN 4.23, where Ven.&#xA;  Godhika takes his life and gains arahantship just moments before death; and&#xA;  from SN 35.87, where the Buddha says that one who puts down this body&#xA;  without taking up another body dies blamelessly. However, in arriving at its&#xA;  verdict in this case, the Commentary has to add the factors of motivation and&#xA;  perception to the equation, factors that are absent from the rule on which the&#xA;  judgment is based. It also leaves unanswered the question of how harsh the &#xA;  86&#xA;  disease has to be, and how near the anticipated attainments, to qualify for this&#xA;  exemption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This same holds true for case (a), which entails even more dubious reasoning.&#xA;  The Commentary’s judgment here has no clear precedent in the Canon; there is&#xA;  no clear line for deciding exactly how bad the illness and how fed up the&#xA;  attendants have to be for this case to apply; and why should the feelings of other&#xA;  people determine when it is or is not allowable to refuse food?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is worth noting that the origin story to the original rule here gave the&#xA;  Buddha the opportunity, had he wanted it, to formulate a general rule against&#xA;  attempted suicides, but he chose not to. He later formulated this subsidiary rule&#xA;  only when a bhikkhu attempted a suicide in a way that endangered the life and&#xA;  safety of another person. Thus a more appropriate way of applying the Great&#xA;  Standards to this subsidiary rule would be to extend it only to cases of that sort:&#xA;  where a bhikkhu’s attempts at suicide would bring danger to another person’s&#xA;  life and limb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for ways of attempting suicide that do not endanger others, it seems&#xA;  better to follow the Buddha’s wisdom in not legislating about this issue at all, and&#xA;  to treat it as a matter of Dhamma rather than Vinaya. In other words, one&#xA;  should keep in mind his comment in SN 35.87 that the only blameless death is an&#xA;  arahant’s. If, lacking that attainment, one chooses to refuse food when ill to&#xA;  speed up one’s death, one should be heedful of the risks that death and rebirth&#xA;  can involve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T11:17:14.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13829" CreationDate="2016-01-24T13:40:35.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism's version of birth is not coming out from an egg or the birth we recognize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Birth As to Lord Buddha....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The necessary conditions for a birth to happen in realms below Deva&#xA;realms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joining of parents&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A suitable mother&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The coming of gandhabba*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*The materials for a new  viññāṇa (consciousness) to be born {not the misunderstood inter-birth being})&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness and awareness before birth (coming out to the world).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1:- Some are born into the womb without any awareness of anything, stays in the womb without any awareness and are born to the world without any awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2:- Some are born into the womb with awareness, stays in the womb without any awareness and are born to the world without any awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3:- Some are born into the womb with awareness, stays in the womb with awareness and are born to the world without any awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4:- Some are born into the womb with awareness, stays in the womb with awareness and are born to the world with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source :- (Amazing understanding) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Knanananda thero.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is Lord Buddha's definition of birth?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When does the suffering begin?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Uppada sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T13:40:35.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13653" CreationDate="2016-01-24T18:27:52.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Suttas, there are three categories of Dukkha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these three forms of [Dukkha], my friend: the [Dukkha] of&#xA;  pain, the [Dukkha] of fabrication, the [Dukkha] of change. These are&#xA;  the three forms of [Dukkha].&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn38/sn38.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn38/sn38.014.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I've put in the original Pali for the sake of clarity)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha of pain refers to when something is literally painful either physically or emotionally. When I stub my toe or feel sad or upset, that is the Dukkha of pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dukkha of fabrication is a deep existential thing. It means that all fabricated things (i.e. everything that comes about through causes and conditions) cannot give us the happiness we want from it. That doesn't mean that everything is painful, but rather that everything is imperfect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dukkha of change refers to the fact that pleasant things change. I like ice cream, but eventually I will eat the whole thing. This fact is called the Dukkha of change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very important to understand that when Buddhist texts say that all formations are Dukkha, they always mean it in the sense of the Dukkha of formations or the Dukkha of change, not the Dukkha of pain, because obviously there are things in the world that are pleasurable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T18:27:52.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13829" CreationDate="2016-01-24T20:43:16.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is it possible to understand why this kind of existence happened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;not for a worldling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;workings of kamma are inexplicable, and are not to be pondered upon lest they cause disquietude and agitation and because such pondering isn't conducive to attainment of nibbana, that's from the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;workings of destiny are yet less explicable, if i may add, because destiny is a combination of personal kamma and fortuity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, &lt;strong&gt;that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them&lt;/strong&gt;. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not to&#xA;be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone&#xA;who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The jhana-range of a person in jhana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured&#xA;about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured&#xA;about them.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acinteyya sutta (AN 4.77)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T18:40:59.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13835" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-24T22:38:59.983" Score="2" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there differences between a person who progresses through insight while looking for the different stages and someone who progresses through insight ignorant of the stages? What are the pros and cons of each approach?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T17:54:02.343" Title="Is is better to search for the stages of insight while meditating or to allow them to arise &quot;naturally&quot;?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13653" CreationDate="2016-01-24T23:36:15.223" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Definition of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/dukkha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dukkha&lt;/a&gt;, is a page of references to three or four suttas which define &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first definition on that page is the description of the First Noble Truth, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:[1] Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sariputta's elaboration&lt;/em&gt; describes all these various terms in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm used to thinking of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as, &quot;the First Noble Truth&quot;, but perhaps I should note that it's not the first thing mentioned in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: the first thing mentioned is the Middle Way, and the second thing mentioned is the Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Various translations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The page then gives a &quot;contemporary definition&quot; i.e. a list of possible English-language synonyms or translations (words). To this list of words I'd add that &quot;stress&quot; is another translation (some people have disagreed with whether it's a good translation). I might also suggest &quot;dis-ease&quot; or &quot;uneasiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Antonym of &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's worth noting that &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; may be (may have been understood as) an antonym of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sukha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sukha is a Sanskrit and Pali word that is often translated happiness, ease, pleasure or bliss. From the time of the earliest early scriptures, sukha is set up as a contrast to preya &quot;pleasure&quot;, where sukha is a deep and authentic positive, fulfilling state of being that is lasting and not merely transient and ultimately unsatisfying, requiring constant modification, like preya. In the Pāli Canon, the term is used in the context of describing laic pursuits, meditative absorptions and intra-psychic phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Types of &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that stress and craving are related (as described in the Second Noble Truth), you might understand it further by knowing the different types of craving described in the Second Noble Truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia has a further description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81#Types&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the three types of craving&lt;/a&gt; ... and each term such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Vibhava-tanha&quot;&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Vibhava-tanha&lt;/em&gt;' is mentioned in several posts on this site.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Types of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a sutta which describes &quot;three types of dukkha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how to interpret that: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13833/254&quot;&gt;Bakmoon's answer&lt;/a&gt; gave what I think is the usual explanation; however this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/three-forms-of-suffering&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three forms of suffering, reinterpreted&lt;/a&gt; suggests another interpretation, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sankhāra-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt; doesn't mean, &quot;the suffering of conditioned existence&quot; nor &quot;fabricated things are unsatisfactory&quot; ... instead, what it means is that there's a type of dukkha that's fabricated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;vipariṇāma-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt; doesn't mean, &quot;anything that's impermanent is unsatisfactory&quot; ... instead, what it means is that there's a type of dukkha that's impermanent, and/or a dukkha which re-arises because pleasure is impermanent&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about the second of these (I suspect that other suttas say explicitly that what's impermanent is unsatisfactory) but I hope that at least the first (about &lt;em&gt;sankhāra-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;) may be a useful description/insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-24T23:36:15.223" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13835" CreationDate="2016-01-25T00:15:54.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i'd think the difference as between people who travel by the map and who just roam&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the second method of traveling might be more exciting, but it will take longer to get to the destination if ever&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T00:15:54.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13835" CreationDate="2016-01-25T03:47:17.177" Score="4" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aware of stage - If you develop craving to move to the next stage this will make excessive Effort and Striving, which isn't balanced by Focus and Concentration, which will lead to Restlessness and Worry.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unaware of stage - You might not know what is happening. Also you may not know what to do next.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So best is to balance both. Occasionally look into the stage you are, but not frequently. Perhaps once a month review would be OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: any stage of Insight Meditation happens naturally. You cannot force it. Trying to force if you will not reach the insight you are trying to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-25T10:31:08.117" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T10:31:08.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13839" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-25T07:02:42.170" Score="4" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading books on Buddhism and I come across this sentence in every book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It states that our world view will change and we will know actual working of the world during insight meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't provide any explanation on how  different it is / will be from the view which I have. Whether this actual view of world is same for everyone who does insight meditation or it is different based on the experience one has?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is difference between these two views? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T17:40:25.670" Title="Views of world during insight meditation" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13839" CreationDate="2016-01-25T08:04:36.687" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your world view changes when you become &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sotāpanna&lt;/a&gt;. I.e. you have understood &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dependent origination (DO)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ignorance&lt;/a&gt; is no more hence you &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yath%C4%81-bh%C5%ABta-%C3%B1%C4%81na-dassana/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;see things as they are&lt;/a&gt;. The difference is that before you &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mind had Ignorance&lt;/a&gt;, i.e., you had a mind with Ignorance and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Delusion&lt;/a&gt; and subsequently becomes a that is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mind without Ignorance&lt;/a&gt; due to the paradigm shift when you perfectly understand &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DO&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;. When you reach the final goal your mind is rootless or without &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mental influxes&lt;/a&gt; or broken from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; or devoid of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Defilements&lt;/a&gt;. In understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DO&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt; is instrumental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-01-25T11:12:11.593" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T11:12:11.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13839" CreationDate="2016-01-25T08:25:59.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a moment by moment view of our own individual experience. You know the workings of your imediate experience more and more the more you practice seeing reality as it is. Seeing reality as it is means putting more focus on whatever you're aware of on purpose, in your own experiencial reality, moment by moment. This is basically insight meditation or mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you understand your own world of experience then you know the rest of the world because it all works fundamentally the same. Approached another way, your experience is the world for you as my experience is my world for me.-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-01-25T08:31:35.040" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T08:31:35.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10679" CreationDate="2016-01-25T12:56:19.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha's advice, early Buddhists composed and taught the Suttas in their respective vernaculars. So there was not an official language of Buddhism. Wherever Buddhism went, it adopted the local language of that region. Now, Pali was the native language of the region around Vidisha in central India as the Girnar inscription shows. The mother of Ashoka's son Mahendra was form Vidisha. Also, Mahendra started his missionary journey to Sri Lanka from here to reach the West Coast and sail to Sri Lanka. At that time, there was no written canon. So Mahendra just took some monks with him who knew different parts of the canon. Since these monks were from Vidisha region, they learned the Suttas in Pali and they taught these Suttas to the Sri Lankans who mistakenly thought that Pali was the mother tongue of the Buddha. Since then, this belief has been common in the Theravada countries. But it is clear from the above that there is no basis in this belief. The Buddha never went to Vidisha in his lifetime. He was a native of Koshala. So it is likely that he spoke the Koshalan dialect of Prakrit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pali canon is the canon of the Theravada school which was just one of the many (the traditional number is eighteen but this is clearly an approximate one, the actual number may vary slightly) schools of sectarian Buddhism. These schools started to originate probably one and a half century after the demise of the Buddha. This schism process lasted till the birth of Christ and even afterwards. At present, we do not have the canon of the non-sectarian Buddhism. So we cannot expect whole of the Pali canon as verbatim words of the Buddha. Even so far as Theravada is concerned, the Pali canon was written in the last half of first century BCE, long after the formation of Theravada. Before that it was transmitted orally and might have been changed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5442" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T12:56:19.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13827" CreationDate="2016-01-25T15:15:45.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Take a look at the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b8symbol.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 auspicious symbols&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Auspicious Drawing, sometimes refereed to as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_knot&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;infinite knot&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;represents the intertwining of wisdom and compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iChlR.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iChlR.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://symboldictionary.net/?p=1669&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;manji&lt;/a&gt; (Japanese Buddhism) is said to represent love and mercy, in certain situations. &#xA;This symbol should not be confused with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.religie.eu/SLANG-occultisme/4.7art.Swastica/2.ancient-symbol/2.ancient-symbol.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;swastika&lt;/a&gt;, which is completely different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WMmYl.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WMmYl.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-25T15:36:22.610" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T15:36:22.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13829" CreationDate="2016-01-25T15:22:04.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is worth noting, in conjunction with the other answers provided, that the fetus in question is going through karma from it's past lives in a scenario like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the fetus cannot make any conscious decision or thought processes or have any understandings yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is true, but karma is not always from this life, karma can manifest in lifetimes after the life it is planted in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T15:22:04.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13827" CreationDate="2016-01-25T15:44:49.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The right hand of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13465/254&quot;&gt;this statue&lt;/a&gt; shows the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra#Varada_Mudr.C4.81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Varada Mudrā&lt;/a&gt; which represents generosity and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T15:44:49.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13824" CreationDate="2016-01-25T17:20:21.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;the fact that one refuses treatment which may prolong one's life doesn't indicate that one's free from attachment to the body and to being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;detachment must be genuine, based on insight into the nature of phenomena and existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;while consent to accept treatment and thus extension of one's lifespan may increase one's chances to attain real detachment through continuing practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T17:20:21.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13835" CreationDate="2016-01-25T17:54:02.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anupada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  where Buddha explained the enlightening process of ven. Sariputta.  Ven Saripitta had the insight DURING meditation. It is very detail. basically, Ven Sariputta (was a very detail oriented person) looked into each state of meditation and observed what features came to be and ended with each state of meditation on all levels, and with the last two, cessation and neither perception nor non-perception, one no longer has enough consciousness to pay attention to detail so he had to move in and out of these two states to see the truth. Ven, saw raise and fall and three marks of existence and achieve full liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-01-25T17:54:02.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13824" CreationDate="2016-01-26T04:52:23.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human life is rare and precious hence prolonging it maybe a good option or a person who is not liberated yet. This gives more room for pratice on case your next birth is not conducive for pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation in refusing medication can happen due to few factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A deluded ideal or wrong view; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I have done my part for the world&quot; (i.e. I-centered)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Everyone has a right to decide whether to live or die&quot; (i.e. no belief of karmic retribution)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;When I die the suffering will be over&quot; (i.e. no belief of after life)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion towards to sickness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any of the above cases are the motivation then this is not a Buddhist take on the matter as thinking has unwholesome roots. In the 1st instance you are holding on to some ideal or view either originating or leading to foster unwholesome roots; and in the latter you are averse towards the condition. Hence you are unlikely to get a good birth in the next life by either choice if you refuse medication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In principle if you do it the Buddhist way then you have to try to understand the 4 Noble Truths in experiences due to the sickness or otherwise and Dependent Origination of the condition during your sickness or otherwise. One of the main links for both is sensations / feeling / unsatisfactoriness which you should look at them closely being equanimous and seeing the arising from start to the end. Due to the greater pain of the sickness you might miss more subtle sensation. You have to be attentive to the also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also please take time to read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/Bhikkhu-Sumedha-on-Pain-Stress-and-Illness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Buddhist Perspective on Pain, Stress and Illness&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;by Bhikkhu Sumedha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bright and Shining Mind in a Disabled Body by Kampol Thongbunnum&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation on Perception: Ten Healing Practices to Cultivate Mindfulness by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-26T15:49:18.853" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T15:49:18.853" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13774" CreationDate="2016-01-26T08:54:45.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;here Dhammapada comes to mind, from chapter 16 Piyavagga&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;210&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. From him who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. From him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T08:54:45.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2016-01-26T11:31:01.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may seem lengthy to some, but it simply is. The comment above this one is correct. There are many approaches, this is the personal approach my mind went through to be able to achieve it. My body and mind achieved nirvana completely by accident when experimenting with meditation at age 17. This was brief, lasting somewhere between a half an hour and a few hours.  It sought it again and failed and wrote it off as a delusion until later. See, the approach was wrong, the WANT of nirvana itself distracted my body and mind from achieving it. The Buddhist obviously have temples where monks go to achieve it, but it seems to take years for them. So how did this body achieve it by accident on it's first occasion meditating? Well, under had a very good teacher for one. My mind was also under the influence of an African tree ash that aids in meditation. The concept of achieving nirvana without seeking it seems terribly difficult/backwards, but really that in itself is the lesson. I really wanted to stress that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But overall, you must devoid your mind of &quot;right&quot; and &quot;wrong&quot;. You must take and see things as they are, without an opinion of it. You must learn to let go of all desire. To transcend your own ego. There are many ways to coin it, but it is in fact a personal journey that must be achieved personally. For some people, this takes many many years. If you have trouble, that just means to need more practice, and you may need to apply the practice into your outside life. A teacher helps with all this. For meditation in general you will receive benefits without achieving nirvana. To properly meditate is the beginning. This body has found that having a focus/focal point for concentration helps. My mind uses breathing. In through nose, deep into the abdomen, out through the mouth, again, as deeply as possible. My mind focuses on this. Relaxing as much as possible. Then a thought crosses my mind. I take that thought, acknowledge it, and complete it. That's the process. The key for me is to not judge, to not even have an opinion on it, to simply see it for what it is. This seems to work for others as well, but I don't claim to be a mind reader in the sense that I know every step they took to achieve this state. There are many religions, nay schools of thought, that can give you more details, but truly if you understand one grain of salt, you understand all of them. One can go and study these things, the internet is a wonderful tool. There is no right and wrong. There simply is. Accept this, work at it, and the road never ends, achieving nirvana isn't a stopping point. Do it all for self-improvement. Do not confuse stubbornness for patience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I remember the exact thought that was the focal point for turning my mind into proper thought. An old saying of proper thought, that I came across whilst reading the Tao of Jeet Kun Do by Bruce Lee. I don't know if it'll help you, I don't offer a cure all. But again, this is my personal journey.&#xA;&quot;Empty your cup, so it may be filled.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7681" LastEditorUserId="7681" LastEditDate="2016-01-26T11:51:42.870" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T11:51:42.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2272" CreationDate="2016-01-26T13:24:57.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard from an Indian friend who is an ordained Buddhist why there are 108 beads on a Mala. 108 signifies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are six incoming senses and sensations: eyes, ears, touch, taste, smell and what the mind takes hold of.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are three types of sensation: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. (6 times 3 = 18)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are three time zones in which we receive these incoming sensations: past, present and future. (18 times 3 = 54)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are two ways of dealing with these incoming sensations. (2 times 54 = 108)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7683" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2016-01-26T14:54:42.353" LastActivityDate="2016-01-26T14:54:42.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2016-01-26T21:08:42.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not a sin, however, for doing plant killing you would curse yourself and every generation would be affected. If you kill plant life, make sure you plant one; one to one; Theruwan saranayi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7592" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-01-27T16:58:41.453" LastActivityDate="2016-01-27T16:58:41.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13082" CreationDate="2016-01-27T06:53:37.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There must be some mistake or the text might mean there isn't as much anger if there isn't another person there to facilitate anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By myself I experience much subtle and gross anger. If I have pain , I might react with frustration(frustration is the same as anger in this case). If while practicing I wander off many times  then I might feel a subtle anger because I want a smoother practice session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger and greed are not very precise translations for the Pali words &quot;dosa&quot; and &quot;lobha&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger(dosa) is whenever we don't want to accept something and so we can't accept reality. Greed(lobha) is any time we don't want to let something go so we can't accept reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-01-27T06:53:37.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13855" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-27T09:17:19.023" Score="3" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does thinking during an action improve the quality of the action or reduce it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I am writing, and I am aware that I am writing: when I repeat, &quot;I am writing&quot;, &quot;I am writing&quot;, in my mind, when performing the action of writing, isn't there a split between action and thought? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember in a Bruce Lee film in which he says, &quot;Don't Think&quot;. If there is a split between action and thought, wouldn't the processing of action slow down?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-27T11:53:40.063" LastActivityDate="2020-08-31T14:47:41.410" Title="Does thinking during an action improve the quality of the action or reduce it?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13855" CreationDate="2016-01-27T14:58:03.583" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if there is a &lt;code&gt;Buddhist&lt;/code&gt; answer to this. But I would think it is more common sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It really depends on &lt;code&gt;what&lt;/code&gt; you're doing.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some acts require careful &lt;code&gt;thinking&lt;/code&gt; before it is done. A little thought before speaking to a person, or if you're doing something like writing or programming, which are mental skills, is good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you mentioned &lt;code&gt;Martial Arts&lt;/code&gt; and Bruce Lee, I'd say martial arts has a way of repetitive action, in other words, a combination of moves being practised repeatedly, so that it just occurs naturally. Going with the flow is crucial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, &lt;code&gt;thinking&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;noting&lt;/code&gt; in the middle of that, may cause you to check the action unnecessarily when it is going correctly, consequentially the &lt;code&gt;slowing down&lt;/code&gt; occurs, which may be detrimental, in that context. That's why all the thinking is done before-hand in martial arts practice, and unbroken, smooth repetition is of paramount importance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Commenting on movies would be inessential here. I'd advise you to take anything you hear in them with a pinch of salt. The dialogues may be used for &lt;code&gt;effect&lt;/code&gt; rather than &lt;code&gt;truth&lt;/code&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, it really depends on the situation you're in. Be present in the moment and do mindfully what the situation entails. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're sitting in meditation practice, &lt;code&gt;noting&lt;/code&gt; and letting go would help because that's the whole point of meditation. The mind's activity needs to be calmed, if I may say so. That's where &lt;code&gt;noting&lt;/code&gt; and letting go helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regular activities, just know where you are, be alert and aware of what you're doing, that is mindfulness. And the effect is that you're able to do things more productively (which is generally a good thing).   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-01-27T15:50:49.153" LastActivityDate="2016-01-27T15:50:49.153" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13855" CreationDate="2016-01-27T17:40:15.317" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lets begin with our good old actor Bruce lee and ascend to Buddhism afterwards....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are referring to is something called &amp;quot;Reflexes&amp;quot;. In martial arts the reason they practice long hours is to train their bodies to fight automatically. This is the extreme level of fighting and he who is in this level is considered an elite. Here your muscles do the thinking for you and there is no need for logical reasoning (like your hand is feeling heat from a candle and immediately taking the hand away).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Scientific explanation is very simple on this. There is a thing called &amp;quot;Muscle memory&amp;quot;. Muscle memory is your muscles learning the things that you do constantly. This allows you to do things very fast and better than a novice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for example :- Playing a guitar without looking at the strings, Typing something without looking at the keyboard and etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a common misinterpretation of what &amp;quot;Mindfulness&amp;quot; truly is, my school teach us differently and the form you are mentioning is &amp;quot;Not so effective&amp;quot; as to my teacher. So here is what we have learned as Mindfulness.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets discuss your own example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When i'm writing,like any other time my mind starts to wander and start many discussions within. I may even get angry or bored. I might even start to focus on the debate my mind has generated within a couple of minutes and jump into it. I am no longer focused on my writing and i may even write a wrong letter or a word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly here i have lost my focus and i'm jumping back and forth on my writing and debating with my mind. this is clearly not being mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if i focus on my writing and focus my thinking on what i have written and what i am about to write that focus my mind on the task at hand. Now i'm mindful about what i am actually doing this instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When asked about the version of mindfulness that is mentioned on the question my teacher had a reply like this....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The person who asked the question asked......)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it correct to think i'm walking now,  now i'm taking the right foot, now i'm taking the left foot. as a form of mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(My teachers answer....)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the reason that we as Buddhists go on to practice mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because we are trying to reach Nirvana. And when we are not mindful the mind start to wonder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where does the mind wander?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind wander in the adoring nice memories of the past, Bright hopes of&#xA;the future and in the moment we enjoy currently and it gets&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind wander in the cruel worrying past, dread for what future may bring and finds a reason to start &lt;strong&gt;hating&lt;/strong&gt; right now&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind wander in a chaos. it jumps here and there, a moment ago you were laughing and now you are feeling bad and almost about to cry. Seconds later you are angry and a half an hour later you are burning in lust.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three phases or sides of your mind feeds the craving you have for life,to be born again,to live forever,to chase the mirage of happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is bad because it's these three phases that drives a being further into &amp;quot;Samsara&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 3 has brought you here and they will drag you through the dangerous lower realms to feed on innocent little animals,to be be hunted by lions and tigers,to be eaten alive and even to be tortured and burned in &amp;quot;hellish&amp;quot; realm. This is the true danger that a being face in Samsara. Because once there in a bad realm there is virtually no hope for a poor being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what about the good realms.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, those 3 sides of your mind also took you to &amp;quot;Deva&amp;quot; realm,to &amp;quot;Brahma&amp;quot; realm and here to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot; realm. Not so bad you might say,won't you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well lets see. you have been born so many times in this samsara. Our Lord Buddha said&#xA;&amp;quot;Any being has been killed so many times.If someone collect all the blood that fell when he or she was decapitated,the amount of blood will be roughly equal to the amount of water in the sea.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at that old person next to you, after listening to the words of lord Buddha can you certify that he or she next to you has not being someone you loved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well lets see this in another way. We know what animals are,they are the poor beings who lost their way and ended up in a bad realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go home and eat a delicious meal like a fish curry or sausages,look at it closely. Imagine a one you had. Do you see your father or mother? How about that girl you promised to live eternity with in another life, don't you see her?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sad fact is you do. Now you are eating them so greedily,just like they ate you. Look at this bizarre circle that we roam around from good realms to bad, from bad to good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day Lord Buddha smiled and there was Ven. Anandha thero nearby. As a smile from a Buddha is rare the venerable one asked why. Lord Buddha gave a strange reply, if you focus on this statement alone you can understand the true reason to practice &amp;quot;Mindfulness&amp;quot; and the true danger of Samsara. The answer was &amp;quot;Look Anandha, look at these ants here. There isn't a single ant in this long row of ants that hasn't been the king of earth&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember these words from Lord Buddha,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Vinnana&amp;quot; is like a seed, attachment or craving is like water and Karma is the land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because your mind wander and get attached it creates Karma. Whatever you get attached to,you soon start to crave for it. There it is The land,the water and the seed, because of this you are born and will be born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice to focus on the temporary nature of things and use your knowledge to see and feel the world not your body. practice to keep away from the 3 phases mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness Lord Buddha taught was keeping mind from those 3 phases mentioned above and maintaining your life and the very second you live in on 8 noble ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-27T17:40:15.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13855" CreationDate="2016-01-27T18:07:08.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When most people use the word &quot;think&quot; they are referring to discursive thoughts, and these are the ones you mention, but thinking is more than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a neurological level, you're (obviously) capable of doing several things at once. Not all the systems rely on others to work - you don't need to think discursive thoughts to breathe, but it does rely on mental activity (you won't be doing much breathing after death;) It is quite possible that discursive thought has no effect on physical actions &lt;em&gt;directly&lt;/em&gt;, but it is eminently possible that it can have the effect of removing &lt;em&gt;attention&lt;/em&gt; from what is being done, and in performing actions &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.insidescience.org/content/keeping-your-eyes-ball-may-be-essential/1635&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;attention is incredibly important&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are well concentrated then discursive thought would not be a problem, but also, it will be less likely to arise of its own accord, and is probably unnecessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Right) Intention will drive attention, and attention will aid the quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="538" LastActivityDate="2016-01-27T18:07:08.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2016-01-27T19:53:49.117" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use a form of concentration practice called &lt;em&gt;zhine&lt;/em&gt; that is used in Tibetan dream yoga. It is similar to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;kasina&lt;/a&gt;, in that it involves sitting and staring at a little coloured disc. You're supposed to keep your eyes from blinking and gaze constantly at the disc. If the eyes move it's very noticeable! But, you do learn to deal with it effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I have noticed is that the movements of my eyes correspond with movements in my mind. As I become more concentrated, my eyes move less. The eyes are &lt;em&gt;the windows to the soul&lt;/em&gt;, after all. (Note: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2954815.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the eyes are constantly moving, but in very small, generally imperceptible ways&lt;/a&gt;. Just to be clear, I'm referring to the movements that we would actually call movements in general life.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also find that when &quot;on the precipice&quot; before a deeper level of concentration, extra mental energy occurs. I think this is because the energy being wasted in unconcentrated mental activity becomes available as that activity ends. It feels good and can manifest as joy, and/or can be overwhelming and distracting. If I make an effort then these changes are not distracting and actual form the basis for entering the next level. Greater mental energy allied with good focus are, naturally, what you'd require for a deeper level, so it would seem to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main thing I try to remember is that it is not the goal to become concentrated, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is the goal to practise concentration&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Concentration is a by-product of concentration practice. Just as stronger muscles are by-product of physical exercise. What's important in both is to focus on a) doing it, and b) following the correct technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowhere have I ever seen a practice include the directive &quot;and when you lose concentration, become annoyed with yourself&quot;. &lt;em&gt;Distraction is normal&lt;/em&gt;, all you need to do is to be aware you've lost some focus, and then refocus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="538" LastEditorUserId="538" LastEditDate="2016-04-01T13:49:38.277" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T13:49:38.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13861" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-27T21:16:34.593" Score="3" ViewCount="10838" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did he teach special ways to handle those sexual lusts, did he prohibit it, or just not paying any attention to it? If so what were they?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-29T01:16:36.730" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T18:21:46.763" Title="Did the Buddha have special instructions to deal with masturbation?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2016-01-27T23:25:06.603" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;he didn't prohibit it for secular people, it's not even subsumed under sexual misconduct&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but since it's a lustful urge and act it is unwholesome and unskillful, and those need to be handled using the Right effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[i]&amp;quot;There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[ii] &amp;quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[iii] &amp;quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[iv] &amp;quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maggavibhanga Sutta (SN 45.8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;avoid situations and sensory stimuli which may provoke sexual desire, at that guarding of the sense doors is helpful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when and if it still arises think of the drawbacks which giving in to the urge may bring, contemplate its impermanence, develop understanding that it's going to eventually subside anyway, so that it loses a degree of its attractiveness and immediacy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T08:52:50.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13863" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-28T02:44:57.643" Score="1" ViewCount="79" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question may sound strange, but in my secular frustrations, I'm thinking about &quot;the past&quot; as some kind of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;womb&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; which has nourished and given birth to &quot;me&quot; &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists, of any sort, have a name for &lt;strong&gt;the past&lt;/strong&gt;? How does it feature in any doctrines of Buddhist salvation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone equate the past with the womb of the Tathagata?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T12:01:50.980" Title="Did anyone equate the tathagatagarbha with the past?" Tags="|the-buddha|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13864" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-28T03:49:59.670" Score="7" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Zen-Buddhism there is the concept of the &quot;Beginner's mind&quot; called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin&quot;&gt;Sho Shin&lt;/a&gt;&quot; which I find fascinating. I haven't heard of something analogous in &quot;regular&quot; buddhism (meaning the forms of buddhism relating closer to the historic buddha). Does it exist and have a different name, or is it something that conflicts with the original teachings of the buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7696" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T06:51:48.850" Title="Shoshin in regular buddhism" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13863" CreationDate="2016-01-28T09:56:17.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;None identify buddha nature with the past. Generally speaking and regardless of the school of thought, buddha nature points to you having (at present) the potential to achieve buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cittamatrin identify buddha-nature to the mind-basis-of-all (&lt;em&gt;alaya vijnana&lt;/em&gt;) while Madhyamika identify it to suchness with defilements, that is the emptiness of the mind of a sentient being. The &lt;em&gt;Lankavatara Sutra&lt;/em&gt; equates tathagatagarba with mind-basis-of-all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his commentary to Maitreya's &lt;em&gt;Sublime Continuum&lt;/em&gt;, Gyaltsab Je (Madhyamika-Prasangika) writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suchness with defilement is the basic element not liberated from the&#xA;  obscurations of mental afflictions, and is known as tathagata essence (Skt. tathagatagarbha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Madhyamika-Svatantrika speak of emptiness of true existence while Madhyamika-Prasangika speak of emptiness of inherent existence. The Madhyamika idea is basically that if your mind was not empty, it would not be dependent, no change could occur in it, it could not be subject to transformation, it could not be separated from the obscuring factors, it could not come to be endowed with the two purities, would not be suitable to transform into the bodies of a buddha, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T09:56:17.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13863" CreationDate="2016-01-28T12:01:50.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of the terms I can think of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'I am the owner of my actions (kamma), heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness) -- the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1913/how-does-an-%C4%81laya-vij%C3%B1%C4%81na-work&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; suggest that's a description of how Karma is stored in the mind (in the Yogacara &amp;quot;mind-only&amp;quot; school of Buddhism)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature#Tathagatagarbha_and_Alayavijnana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana&lt;/a&gt;, which is too muddled to quote but which says that some schools relate these concepts (i.e. karmic seeds from the past, and Buddha-nature).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's also &lt;em&gt;Kālika&lt;/em&gt; (meaning &amp;quot;related to time&amp;quot;) and &lt;em&gt;Akalika&lt;/em&gt; (&amp;quot;not related to time&amp;quot;): it's the latter which is given as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8092/254&quot;&gt;an attribute of the Dharma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T12:01:50.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2016-01-28T17:48:25.667" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this will be helpful: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Lg9P-VekA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Pornography and Masturbation (and Addiction in General)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a summary what's said in the video (heavily paraphrased):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first way to overcome an addiction is re-evaluate it: the Buddha started his talk on DO with 'ignorance'; it's not addiction that's the problem, why do we crave? It's because of ignorance, i.e. misunderstanding the object of our desires. It's not that we have to cut something out, what we have to do is see the object clearly. We're addicted because we don't understand (if we did understand then we wouldn't cling).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your thinking that it's a problem means that you don't want to think about it. Instead of not thinking about it, you need to see it clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice meditation then you'll see that DO shows a path out of addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We're craving a sense-object (e.g. something that we see). That produces a (pleasant) sensation. The sensation creates a desire. So you desire to see it again i.e. a clinging. Deciding that's good and repeating the sense-experience strengthens the clinging: it wires the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no intrinsic connection between nakedness and desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we were children we saw naked people without desire. It's the repeated connection (repeated sexual act) that causes attachment. Cows and fishes have a body like ours but we're not attracted to them, it's our repeated action which cause us to be &quot;reborn&quot; with these desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get out of it, we need wisdom to see it as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way is to examine / analyze the human body, i.e. the object of the sense-experience: e.g. take it apart and don't mis-perceive it as something desirable ... so even if we're attached to pleasant sensations we don't associate those feelings with the senses (e.g. the sight of a naked body). We stop seeing the body is beautiful, e.g. hair is greasy etc., teeth bleed etc., nothing about the body is beautiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ultimate reality you just see, without seeing it as hair, it's just light touching the eye. So note it as &quot;seeing, seeing&quot; not as &quot;hair&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's one thing: change the connection between seeing and sensation (i.e. between the sense and the feeling).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next thing you can change is the connection between the feeling and the craving. What benefit do you gain from pleasure? You might say &quot;pleasure is good&quot; which is a tautology. Buddhism says that if something is beneficial you should do that. So you have to decide whether masturbation and/or the feeling of pleasure is beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third step is the desire. You're more likely to feel guilty about the desire than about the feeling. Desire is a tension, a stress ... and not worthwhile. It's not evil but it's stressful. Wanting something implies unease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, reinvestigate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The object of the desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The feeling (sensation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The desire itself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people (perhaps especially religious people) see sex as a high human state; but sex isn't the highest human state. And Buddhism lets you rise above the human state, the negative states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-29T00:24:32.480" LastActivityDate="2016-01-29T00:24:32.480" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13774" CreationDate="2016-01-28T19:40:54.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theravada Buddhist answer, based in the Burmese Method.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is still just fear, no matter what context it is experienced in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's an impersonal phenomena that arise and cease on its own accord, without it being amenable to ones will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be observed and noted, in order to learn about the phenomena, i.e. to see its characteristics of &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one truly sees that feelings and emotions cannot be controlled, one begins to let go of them. They are just processes. There is no experiencing entity behind the phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One comes to see that its not really the fear that is the &quot;problem&quot;. Its ones own aversion to that fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T19:40:54.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13806" CreationDate="2016-01-28T19:44:09.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the content of the Dhamma talk can be understood in a satisfactory way, there should be no problem in increasing the speed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If increasing the speed is done due to &lt;em&gt;restlessness&lt;/em&gt;, then that is a hindrance that should be dealt with by taking it as a meditation object, in order to cultivate insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T19:44:09.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13806" CreationDate="2016-01-28T20:01:53.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question...I would say consider the fact that his calmness and slowness might be characteristics you want to absorb/emulate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T20:01:53.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13839" CreationDate="2016-01-28T20:10:02.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one does not practice insight meditation ones world view is subjective and not in line with reality. One has no reference point so to say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is practicing insight meditation one sees for oneself how reality functions and delusion is done away with, e.g. the illusion of permanence and an enduring Self-entity.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enduring Self-entity can also be called a Self, Me, Soul etc. There is no such thing which is verifiable through the practice of insight meditation. What is believed to be a Self is merely a mental formation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing insight meditation one will see how conditioned phenomena are not stand alone units. They have causes and conditions and they themselves become causes for the arising of other phenomena. The relational factor and interdependency of conditioned phenomena becomes visible to the insight meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-01-31T17:40:25.670" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T17:40:25.670" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13872" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13877" CreationDate="2016-01-28T21:08:17.127" Score="1" ViewCount="4696" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/QAaW6BYhfNM?t=39m58s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; it is said that Buddha walked on water. Is that true and written down? And why did he do that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also says that Jesus might have been trained in the ways of Buddhism? Is there evidence to support this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-29T05:05:57.587" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T04:30:29.523" Title="Did Buddha walk on water? Was Jesus trained as a Buddhist?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1364" CreationDate="2016-01-28T23:01:51.440" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is something about touching foreheads that goes beyond a gesture. If any of you have had a baby or partner touch foreheads with you rubbing them together... The sensation during and after is as if some sort of magnetism ha been created. It is very I intimate. It feels like instant comfortable meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7703" LastActivityDate="2016-01-28T23:01:51.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2016-01-29T05:43:52.403" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for ways to be free from lust...check out an earlier question...&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5472/lust-how-can-it-be-overcome&quot;&gt;Lust - How Can It Be Overcome?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potaliya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha admonishes a householder (albeit a different kind), about sensual lust and compares it to bare bones, a lump of flesh, a torch of straw, a pit of burning coal, a dream, borrowed goods, a fruit tree, a slaughter house, a stake of swords or a snake's head. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha talks about three kinds of nutriments - edible food, sense impression and volitional thought. If one is bent on overcoming craving in general and lust in particular, one must be mindful of how we use these nutriments. Food must be consumed mindfully and over-consumption should be avoided. In this age of internet, various media and websites are constantly affecting our senses and volitional thoughts. One must be mindful what we consume on internet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha suggests 5 strategies to overcome mind of any unwholesome thoughts. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Then, if evil thoughts still arise) he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Then, if evil thoughts still arise) he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Then, ...) he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Then, ...) with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Ven Ananda admonishes a Bhikkhuni about sensual lust. He argues &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, 'I hope that I, too, will — through the ending of the fermentations — enter &amp;amp; remain in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for myself in the here &amp;amp; now.' Then he eventually abandons craving, having relied on craving. 'This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now. Then why not me?' Then he eventually abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. 'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above answer contains a mix of Suttas addressed to lay people and to monks. As already pointed out in other answers, for lay people, Buddha advised refraining from sexual misconduct. But there are examples from Buddha's period of lay people living celibate life and reaching upto the Anagami stage. So pick and choose from the above sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I would like to add that Insight Meditation or Vipassana will help one greatly on this path. If one wishes to undertake a retreat to learn Vipassana, Ven S. N. Goenka's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;retreats&lt;/a&gt; would be a great place to start. And if one already practices Vipassana, it is important to preserve the regular practice without letting the feelings of guilt or anger overcoming us.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-01-29T06:23:24.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13302" CreationDate="2016-01-29T06:08:18.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena encouraged in the discussion under his answer to possibly share some teachings on veneration. Atma tried to expand the originally sketch which starts with &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/mun/released_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;namo&lt;/a&gt;, and did a surely poor translation into English. It should not be regarded as finished work, a lot of important further aspects are not included yet but still in the sphere of mind. Its also good if you would share possible missing parts and maybe even try to improve it. The topic is a difficult one, since it is such a natural thing for those having grown up in an environment of right view or live in such, while it is hardly ever seen for people used to grow up and live in spheres where such as right view is negated. So the part who knows its benefit would not easy see that there is a lot of lack and start to explain it while the blind part to it would not estimate to miss a important point. Its actually the peak point where Dhamma and no Dhamma collided or better split far apart. Knowing this it is of cause just for those with little dust in the eyes beneficial while for those with lot of gains even a further obstacle in line with there defilement. One of the main &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FaWFf-T4wg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;doors to break on through the other side&lt;/a&gt; (if one considers the lyric rightly):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334.html#msg9334&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Respect and Veneration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Table of contents&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ea1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction and dedication&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ea2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dedication&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ea&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Object of reverence&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ea1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Persons&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ec&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Physical objects&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ed&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Places&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ee&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Places of pilgrimage&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ef&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Graves and Relics&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Actions&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Actions of reverence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ei&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reverence with the body&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ej&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Salutation and flighty Encounter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ek&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bow/Prostration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_el&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Prostrations as a means of practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_em&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Deeds while receiving Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reverence by Speech&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Salutation title&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ep&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reverence and Appreciation of Deeds&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eq&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mind state and Benefit of the Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eq1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Power of Reverence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_er&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reverence and Worshipping in regard of Gods&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_es&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Unskilful kind of Reverence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_es1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Duties of giving Respect for Monks and Nuns&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_es2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Benefit and Backwards*&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_es3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Benefits form the practice of Veneration*&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_es4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Backwards of the omitting of Veneration*&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_et&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Special Practice of Reverence in various Traditions&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Puja&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_eu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;See also&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ev&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sources&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334/topicseen.html#post_ew&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Notes and Links&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[&lt;/em&gt; * &lt;em&gt;new added]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user7500" LastEditDate="2016-01-30T14:58:56.333" LastActivityDate="2016-01-30T14:58:56.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13872" CreationDate="2016-01-29T06:48:02.900" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There have been books supporting the idea suggested in your question (&amp;quot;Jesus might have been trained in the ways of Buddhism?&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christianity was a religion not generated from a teaching and converted to text. If you study Christianity's origins as an outsider from a historical perspective you will see that Kings,Clergy &amp;amp; some other influential figures modified the religion to suit the needs and even the birth of modern Christianity is a bit of a untold story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists we do not speak bad of other people's faiths so what needs to be said about the suggestion you make is that there  hasn't been direct proof of any kind to support the idea. And even if Jesus was a Buddhist he would not go around offering food and walking on water because Lord Buddha forbid the acts of miracles unless it was an extremely necessary task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me tell you a story for why i'm saying this.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a Shepard boy saw a monk walking towards him while going to work. He saw that this is a good opportunity for him to gain some good karma and he stooped the monk and offered his lunch to the monk. After he was on his way back to work but he was bit by a snake only after taking few steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk saw this and thought to himself &amp;quot;This kid could die any moment,the best help i can give is to be more worthy of his offering&amp;quot;. So he sat down and started meditating just few feet away from the child. He was able to reach nirvana Before the boy died. The boy died happily looking at the monk. He opened his eyes in the higher realm called &amp;quot;Deva realm&amp;quot; (Buddhist version of heaven). He returned to earth to tell the Arahat monk his story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see for a true Buddhist monk the real suffering is not hunger,slavery or poverty. It is &amp;quot;Samsara&amp;quot; and he only care to help a being's Karmic circle to end so he would be closer to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Walking on water....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking on water is a piece of cake compared to what Buddhist monks and Lord Buddha has done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best one of all miracles that only a  Lord Buddha can do is called &amp;quot;Ama maha pratiharya&amp;quot; which is basically spraying both fire and water at the same time from  the whole body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some very unique miracles Arahat monks have performed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Optical illusions - Making moon or sun appear closer and show as if he or she is touching the surface.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking through mountains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Making waves from solid objects like earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sinking in to earth like oil and appearing from a desired location.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transporting things trough space (Almost like teleportation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shrinking body size to fit through a keyhole of a door lock.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lord Buddha's view on levitating upon water...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day Lord Buddha and a group of monks were waiting next to a river until the boat arrives. A monk or a sage from another religion saw this and he immediately levitated off the ground and crossed the river. This was a mocking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha asked &amp;quot;How much does it cost to reach across on this boat?&amp;quot;. That is how much his practice is worth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said this because the ability to levitate can save him from the fee but that ability does not help him at all on his long journey of &amp;quot;Samsara&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha saw Miracles as a non important thing and never encouraged anyone to follow them. Because Lord Buddha's work is not to teach people how to do miracles, Lord Buddha knew that there is no need of Buddhism to give people super powers because those existed before Lord Buddha even though Buddhism unlocks some unique ones of its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day in the early age of Buddhism Lord Buddha saw a misguided group of sages and went to make them understand the wrongful way of their understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha saw that the leader of the group is full of ego and the best way to make them understand is to get the leader to a correct understanding.&#xA;So lord Buddha decided to spend some time among them.&#xA;One day Lord Buddha went to have a bath and thought &amp;quot;It would be easier if there was a branch to hold onto when getting in and out of water&amp;quot; then the King of Gods (&amp;quot;Sakra Devendra&amp;quot;) came and bent a branch nearby. After having the bath Lord Buddha thought &amp;quot;It would be nice if there was a stone to wash my cloths on&amp;quot;, and the King of Gods came and created a large stone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not only Lord Buddha was capable of miracles everyone was willing to assist Lord Buddha in any way possible knowing the power of Karma they could gain. That's why you see a &amp;quot;King of gods&amp;quot; acting like a personal assistant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Truth about Jhanas and miracles...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not need Jesus to walk on water even you can. But as Buddhists we do not pursue such worldly goals. And there is no necessity of Buddhism to do miracles. Id you go to india you can finds many sages and monk who never knew the first thing about Buddhism and doing pretty amazing stuff. But they all do it to be praised or to gain a following. That is exactly the reason Lord Buddha forbid the showing off part of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because soon as you feel special and more capable than the normal humans what you do is very simple. You go out there and say &amp;quot;Look at me vermin, i' the god&amp;quot;.read the following to see why...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a good example from lord Buddha's time....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a monk and his apprentice monk went to worship a temple and the teacher said &amp;quot;I would love to offer some flowers to this great stupa.&amp;quot;.So the apprentice monk took off to the sky and disappeared, Soon he came back with a bucket full of flower from the &amp;quot;Himalayas forest&amp;quot;. The flowers were offered and the elder monk gave advice to the younger &amp;quot;Be careful with your mind because if you don't you will be looked after by a one eyed woman&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day the younger monk (Apprentice) was going somewhere through a jungle levitating in the air. Then the monk heard a nice song sung by a lovely voice. He lost his &amp;quot;Jhana&amp;quot; and slowly descended to earth. He has lost all of his powers because of the attachment he made up within seconds to that voice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After few days he married the girl who sang and became a householder he was a monk no more. He had become a monk very young and had little knowledge about the life of a householder. After starting a fight with his wife he threw a knitting needle at his wife which ended up piercing her eye. He did not intend to do that but suddenly he realized the teacher's advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The is an event monks to this day teach to us and to apprentice monks to remind us the temporary nature of all things including powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-01-29T06:48:02.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-01-29T18:01:47.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion it's best to eat mostly in between the time period of a few hours before sunrise and noon, to be in synch with the sun. As it is rising, it's generating energy and light until it's apex at noon, then gradually tapers down to sunset, as natural human activity should.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7709" LastActivityDate="2016-01-29T18:01:47.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13880" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-30T06:19:46.107" Score="0" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/twotruths-india/#AbhConTru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SEP&lt;/a&gt; article on the two truths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the abhidharmakosa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An entity, the cognition of which does not arise when it is destroyed&#xA;  and, mentally divided, is conventionally existent like a pot and&#xA;  water. Ultimate existence is otherwise&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article adds that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a thing to be ultimately real is for that thing to be&#xA;  “foundationally existent” (dravya-sat / rdzas yod)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does any Buddhist school claim that what arises when it is divided or destroyed, whether or not that exists etc., is the self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-01-30T06:56:57.663" Title="Ultimate existence and the self in Mahayana" Tags="|mahayana|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13880" CreationDate="2016-01-30T06:56:57.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Tibetan system of tenets, the Vaibhāṣikas so-called 'Hinayana school of tenets' defines an ultimte truth as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A phenomenon such that an awareness apprehending it is not cancelled&#xA;  if it is broken up or mentally separated into its individual parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Illustrations of ultimate truths are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;directionally partless particles, temporally partless [moments of]&#xA;  consciousness, uncompounded phenomena, any of the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Mahayana tenets assert that Vaïbashikas do not posit selflessness of phenomena, but merely [a grosser] selflessness of persons. Jetsün Chökyi Gyaltsen writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A selflessness of phenomena is not accepted because it is accepted&#xA;  that if it is an established base it is necessarily a self of&#xA;  phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-01-30T06:56:57.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13302" CreationDate="2016-01-30T08:46:40.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;On who is an elder and thus worthy of veneration:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have heard, Master Gotama: “The ascetic Gotama does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage; nor does he stand up for them or offer them a seat.” This is indeed true, for Master Gotama does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage; nor does he stand up for them or offer them a seat. This is not proper, Master Gotama.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“It then occurred to me: These venerable ones do not know what an elder is or what the qualities that make one an elder are. Even though someone is old—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years from birth—if he speaks at an improper time, speaks falsely, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks contrary to the Dhamma and the discipline, if at an improper time he speaks words that are worthless, unreasonable, rambling, and unbeneficial, then he is reckoned as a foolish childish elder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“But even though someone is young, a youth with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, if he speaks at a proper time, speaks what is truthful, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and the discipline, and if at a proper time he speaks words that are worth recording, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial, then he is reckoned as a wise elder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uruvela sutta 2 (AN 4.22)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;260 A monk is not Elder because his head is gray. He is but ripe in age, and he is called one grown old in vain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;392 Just as a brahmin priest reveres his sacrificial fire, even so should one devoutly revere the person from whom one has learned the Dhamma taught by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.19.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada: 19 Dhammatthavagga, 26 Brahmanavagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T22:32:55.440" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13883" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-01-30T18:32:57.783" Score="1" ViewCount="1643" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across 'The Chant of Metta' (&lt;em&gt;Metta Gatha&lt;/em&gt;), in a beautiful rendition by Imee Ooi in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5JAVk3Qwi8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;YouTube video&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the full text in Pali, with English translation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://satipatthana.ca/articles/06the_chant_metta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THE CHANT OF METTA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this chant from the Tipitaka or is it a later composition? The Karaniya Metta Sutta from Tipitaka has different wordings in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-01-30T20:14:52.713" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T00:07:27.480" Title="Is Chant of Metta from Tipitaka?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13883" CreationDate="2016-01-31T03:53:10.653" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Chant of Metta is not from the Tripitaka but the Karaniya Metta Sutta is from the Tripitaka. When translating Pali into a languages which does not have similar constructs there will be variations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T03:53:10.653" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13885" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13886" CreationDate="2016-01-31T11:50:41.783" Score="2" ViewCount="191" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dharmakāya is tricky business to explain.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were to explain it to someone who has never heard of the concept where would you begin? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does it fit in with attraction and aversion?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time the explainer would have to make sure to cover the different ways the word Dharmanakaya has been used. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-01-31T11:56:26.287" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T16:03:03.307" Title="If you were going to explain Dharmakāya to someone who has never encountered the topic prior, where would you begin?" Tags="|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|tantra|wisdom|trikaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13885" CreationDate="2016-01-31T14:48:20.377" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although the notion appears in all sorts of philosophical treatises, as well as in tenets, it is explained at length in texts expounding 'buddha nature' (tathagatagarbha). I would recommend in particular the study of Maitreya's &#xA;&lt;em&gt;Uttaratantra Shastra&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Treatise on the Sublime Continuum&lt;/em&gt;). Although it is called 'uttara-tantra' it is included within the perfection vehicle (sutra). Maitreya's Sublime Continuum has been commented upon by various scholars of different traditions, and so there are various interpretations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the point of view of the cause, the general presentation is that from the accumulation of merit, one achieves the form body (rupakaya) of a buddha that fulfill others' wishes, while one obtains the truth body (dharmakaya) from the accumulation of wisdom. The truth body fulfill one's wishes. The form body is divided into the one that is so subtle that it is not seen by ordinary beings (the enjoyment body) and a grosser one that ordinary beings can see (the emanation body). It is said that Shakyamuni Buddha was a supreme emanation body (a division of emanation body) endowed with the marks and signs. As this position no longer holds when we divide the bodies of a buddha (into three, four, or five as you will see bellow), it is merely the general presentation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the point of view of the result, the nature truth body (part of the dharmakya) results from the naturally abiding linage while the wisdom truth body (part of the dharmakaya) results from the developmental linage. Although we say that the nature truth body (suchness without defilements) results from the naturally abiding linage (suchness with defilements), it is not caused because suchness is permanent. Suchness with defilements is not an actual cause but a terminological division.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the point of view of the nature, the general presentation identifies 'emptiness with defilements' to the tathagatagarbha and 'emptiness without defilements' to the dharmakaya. In this context, dharmakaya refers only to the nature truth body. Both are permanent and uncompounded. In Gyaltsab Je's commentary [to Maitreya], dharmakaya sometimes refer solely to the wisdom truth body or the nature truth body. It is where divisions are important. We can divide the bodies of a buddha in three ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The two bodies of a buddha&#xA;&lt;br&gt;1. dharmakaya (truth body)&#xA;&lt;br&gt;2. rupakaya (form body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The three bodies of a buddha (it is referred  to as Trikaya)&#xA;&lt;br&gt;1. dharmakaya&#xA;&lt;br&gt;2. rupakaya divided in two:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 1. emanation body&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 2. enjoyment body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The four bodies of a buddha &#xA;&lt;br&gt;1. dharmakya divided into two:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 1. nature truth body&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 2. wisdom truth body&#xA;&lt;br&gt;2. rupakaya divided into two:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 1. emanation body&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 2. enjoyment body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The five bodies of a buddha&#xA;&lt;br&gt;1. dharmakaya divided into two:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 1. nature truth body &#xA;&lt;br&gt;--- 2. wisdom truth body divided into two:&#xA;&lt;br&gt;-------- 1. the omnscient mind that distinguishes conventionalities&#xA;&lt;br&gt;-------- 2. the one that distinguishes the ultimate&#xA;&lt;br&gt;2. the form body divided into two&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-01-31T16:03:03.307" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T16:03:03.307" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13887" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13888" CreationDate="2016-01-31T22:09:25.837" Score="2" ViewCount="1211" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have to be honest with you, this question was already answered by an authority on Buddhism and long-time practitioner, which is the spiritual leader of the Sangha which I meditate with. And yet, I feel the need to listen to other opinions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is the one in the title. His main argument was that going to the gym is not beneficial in any way and it actually worsens us by feeding our pride, thus making the schism between ourselves and vain glory more difficult to realize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2249" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-02-03T09:03:46.653" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T09:03:46.653" Title="Should a Buddhist go to the gym?" Tags="|modern-world|well-being|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13887" CreationDate="2016-01-31T22:26:22.843" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think it depends on the attitude and the frame of mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a care to keep in mind the fact that it's a business of maintaining fitness of a frail and mortal bag of bones and impurities may negate the tendency of the attachment to body and self-association with it to become stronger, which such type of activity in my opinion is prone to foster&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but if one IS a Buddhist they must be able to skilfully counteract that tendency&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in any case the motive for going to gym for a Buddhist should not be improvement of bodily appearance but rather health considerations in the frame of mind along the lines of the attitude to eating recommended for monks in the suttas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how does a monk know moderation in eating? There is the case where a monk, considering it appropriately, takes his food not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, thinking, 'I will destroy old feelings [of hunger] &amp;amp; not create new feelings [from overeating]. Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless, &amp;amp; live in comfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aparihaniya sutta (AN 4.37)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-01-31T22:34:47.647" LastActivityDate="2016-01-31T22:34:47.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1541" CreationDate="2016-02-01T01:02:17.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The turtle/tortoise is a symbol of long life, health and medicine, as is the amrita nectar in the vase Kwan Yin is carrying. Kwan Yin herself symbolizes mercy, the moon, and the cooling waters of Dharma. I would think this is a prayer for long life, but also is a symbol of righteousness and compassionate living that will give you the causes for a long life to be able to practice Dharma, have better rebirths as well as ultimate enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7711" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T01:02:17.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1319" CreationDate="2016-02-01T09:07:29.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The link between Buddha figures and days of the week is the same as the link between astronomy and astrology. Basically one has to do with observation and the other with interpretation and seeking good luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are local practices of veneration and good luck seeking a part of Buddhism? Ask local people and they will say so. A part of Buddhist doctrine, no, not really. But both are entwined in living Buddhist cultures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that it isn't actually days of the week, rather planetary gods controlling days or parts of days (Wednesday has two: Wednesday morning Phra Phut (Mercury) and Wednesday afternoon Phra Rahu (The solar eclipse transient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4988" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T09:07:29.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2016-02-01T14:41:41.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this article, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/07/05/where-the-heart-beats-john-cage-kay-larson/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists&lt;/a&gt; (and related book) that might help? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think there is another side to this. I am a practising artist too and have recently started being drawn towards certain Buddhist teachings, starting with mindfulness meditation etc. As I progress though, I am finding that there are conflicts with being an artist and pursuing such teachings. My problem though is not with being or thinking as an artist (I think of art as a type of philosophy, just as Buddhism is) but rather with being an artist as a 'career path' or 'social position'. I find that there is a certain element of narcissism that artists need to possess in order to succeed as an artist within society. It is not enough that an artist creates. An artist needs to sell, show, promote, market his/her work in order to find an audience and be able to sustain a career as an artist. It is a competitive industry after all. Doesn't this fly in the face of concepts such as detachment and selflessness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this narcissistic element is something that is essential towards the start of a career and becomes redundant as time progresses and a career is established, but I am finding it hard of thinking of alternative mindsets at least within Western society. Any thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7713" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-01T14:49:57.353" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T14:49:57.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13887" CreationDate="2016-02-01T18:32:05.170" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the mind is pure and the intention (cetana) is wholesome, then the result will also be wholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/d_twin.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;With reference to the twin verses in the Dhammapada.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/CcqJL.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/CcqJL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T18:32:05.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13883" CreationDate="2016-02-01T19:15:01.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The popular chant of metta is originated from the Theravada Tripitaka. This can be found in &lt;strong&gt;Kuddaka Nikaya-&gt;Patisambhidamagga-&gt;Yuganaddawagga Mettakatha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/patisambhidamagga2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Read from page 130&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-02-01T19:32:49.817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T19:32:49.817" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12512" CreationDate="2016-02-01T20:00:25.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to understand the underlying cause of ignorance, or the human propensity towards false notions of self, anatman is essentially important. In order to fully fathom interdependency, it is essentially important. When the Buddha did not accept, or rejected, the notion of selfhood, the kind of self that was being rejected was characterized by three features: a self that is unitary, that is permanent, that is independent. And so then the question followed, what is the nature of self ? how can we understand the existence and nature of self ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one of the sutras, it states that just as the notion of a horse and carriage and chariot arises  on the basis of the collection and aggregation of its parts,  in the same manner, from the collection of various mental and physical elements, the concept of the person or the individual arises. So although in reality self is a phenomenon that is contingent upon the existence and  reality of the physical and mental aggregates, when we perceive our own self, when the concept, the notion of self arises in us,  in our naïve understanding of our nature, it tends to appear to us as if it is somehow self sufficient, as some kind of self governing reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This notion of self as a self sufficient substantial reality is false, and not only is it false, but the grasping at this notion of self is then a form of distortion. In this grasping the self is elevated to an independent and self sufficient status.  Also there is a risk when we focus on, when we reference as reality, the continuity of the self (when I was young, when I was middle aged etc), in that if one focuses too much on the continuity of the self there is the danger of holding on to this notion of a permanent self. In the Buddhist vernacular, this distorted perception is referred to as ignorance... [paraphrased/extracted from a 2009 talk by HH The Dalai Lama]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7716" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T19:08:36.500" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T19:08:36.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13883" CreationDate="2016-02-01T21:23:52.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The chant which you're asking about included in, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://fellowdesigns.com/main/images/stories/palichanting_urw_csx_short.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Complete Book&#xA;of&#xA;Pâli&#xA;Chanting&#xA;(Theravada Tradition)&#xA;By&#xA;Dr. Phra Achan Dhammarato, Bhikkhû, PhD.&lt;/a&gt; (page 152).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that it is traditional (not written recently by or for Imee Ooi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It starts with &quot;&lt;em&gt;homi&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, i.e. &quot;May I be&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's compatible with the commentary in &lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Path of Purification&lt;/a&gt;, which says on page 292,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First of all it should be developed only towards oneself, doing it repeatedly thus: &quot;May I be happy and free from suffering&quot; or &quot;May I keep myself free from enmity, affliction, and anxiety and live happily.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next paragraphs explain why that &quot;does not conflict with what is said in the texts&quot;: maybe that's evidence that this formula, i.e. starting with the first person singular, isn't found in the (earlier) suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-01T21:34:40.907" LastActivityDate="2016-02-01T21:34:40.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13864" CreationDate="2016-02-01T22:53:47.670" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;the closest related thing i can think of is the teaching of overcoming mind tendency to objectification or conceptual proliferation (papañca), that is steering clear of preconceived concepts and notions about the world, reality and phenomena, which are dependent on our perception of those through the 6 sense organs, and disallowing ourselves to be obsessed with them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;however this teaching in my view is much deeper because it aims immediately at the final goal, cessation of objectification is synonymous to attainment of nibbana &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;until then we need to learn to not fall victim to papañca and keep the mind in check&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T06:51:48.850" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T06:51:48.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13897" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13899" CreationDate="2016-02-02T10:33:18.883" Score="0" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;We know Shakyamuni was a prince and had all the lavish life a prince should have. He was isolated from every pain and suffering as we are told. As he traveled countryside he began to feel pain and suffering in others and witnessed death. He could have been ignorant or at most have donated some of his wealth to the commoners, but he didn't. He left the life he had, and set out to seek the ultimate truth of life. At Gaya, he meditated and got enlightened and became a buddha as most of us are told.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, above mentioned is what we all know. Problem is, what if he had not decided to leave the prince-hood? What if he didn't have that curiosity? &lt;strong&gt;Isn't the first step he took by leaving his old life behind, a sign of becoming buddha?&lt;/strong&gt; I believe that step as the sprout of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please, explain if I am wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7671" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T15:37:08.127" Title="When did Shakyamuni became buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|doubt|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13897" CreationDate="2016-02-02T11:48:24.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;[&lt;strong&gt;unconfirmed, proceed with caution&lt;/strong&gt;] &lt;em&gt;since in his previous lives he already was a bodhisatta and so a noble disciple, becoming awakened was only a matter of time since according to the Dhamma after attainment of the sotapatti noble level (the 1st of the four) nibbana is to be attained within 7 lives at the most.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;thus the Buddha was predestined to become one. even he himself couldn't change that. it's only that all his previous practice and wholesome kamma ripened in that particular life 2500 years ago&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;until the awakening he was not a buddha, but an unawakened bodhisatta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;before my Awakening, when I was an unawakened bodhisatta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ariyapariyesana sutta (MN 26) by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T15:24:33.267" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T15:24:33.267" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13897" CreationDate="2016-02-02T14:49:33.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When he left the lay life, he didn't have any attainment(Nibbana) yet. &#xA;Thinking to leave the lay life is called Nekkhamma Sankappa. It's a part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp3.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samma Sankappa&lt;/a&gt;, the right thought of the noble eight fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even ordinary people can get Nekkhamma thoughts from time to time. But those are often not strong enough to make them give up the lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The common understanding is that the Buddha attained all stages of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree on the same morning he became the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T15:37:08.127" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T15:37:08.127" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13900" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-02T16:58:08.813" Score="2" ViewCount="2426" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can one be ordained as a monk and yet take up an office job part time and be a monk part time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words can one be beyond a lay practitioner yet not lead a full monastic life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T20:57:55.643" Title="Can one be a part-time monk?" Tags="|monk|monasticism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13900" CreationDate="2016-02-02T17:28:16.017" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people become temporary monks -- I think that's a common practice in some countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/monks/become.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to become a monk?&lt;/a&gt; says, about &amp;quot;temporary &lt;em&gt;bhikkhus&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, temporary bhikkhus are allowed to keep their possessions, but these must be put aside or entrusted to someone else for the duration of their monastic experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He takes the robe for a few days, a few weeks or a few months to dedicate one or more periods of his life to train into monastic life. He is still engaged in various activities, which he does not feel ready to renounce. However, he knows enough to distance himself from them in order to dedicate some time to a life of detachment. If he ascertains that this experience is beneficial to him, he could eventually envisage extending it until the end of his life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a status called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anagarika&lt;/a&gt;, which isn't a monk and allows the handling of money (I don't know whether that includes earning/possessing money, or whether it is only handling monetary donations e.g. for the benefit of the monastery).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism, an Anagarika (Pali: anāgārika/ā; lit., &amp;quot;homeless one&amp;quot;) is a person who has given up most or all of his worldly possessions and responsibilities to commit full-time to Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also an intermediate status, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maechi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maechi&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also being a novice monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ten Precepts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Ten Precepts refer to the precepts or training rules for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81ma%E1%B9%87era&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;śrāmaṇeras&lt;/a&gt; (novice monks) and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Ar%C4%81ma%E1%B9%87er%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;śrāmaṇerīs&lt;/a&gt; (novice nuns). They are the same in most schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tenth precept is, &amp;quot;Refrain from accepting money.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T17:28:16.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13900" CreationDate="2016-02-02T18:54:15.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;if by being a monastic we mean observing the Vinaya, then i believe it's possible as long as Vinaya rules presupposing mandatory expulsion (parajika rules) aren't violated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there're 4 parajika rules&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1. Not to have sexual intercourse.&#xA;2. Not to steal.&#xA;3. Not to commit murder.&#xA;4. Not to claim attainments of stages of pure mental concentration&#xA; that have not been achieved.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if by being a part-time monk we mean not being fully committed to spiritual practice, while observing Vinaya nonetheless, then i again believe it's possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to me it appears that a bhikkhu status is defined not necessarily by genuine and honest spiritual practice but by formal and mechanical observance of the Vinaya and even that may not be entirely flawless&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-02T18:59:20.050" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T18:59:20.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13900" CreationDate="2016-02-02T19:15:02.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can be a &quot;practice monk&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take on the practice of,  and learn the precepts of a monk, described in the other answers on this page. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing so without formally taking the vows is still &quot;good karma&quot; and doing so will allow you to get an idea of what the actual monks life is like. Taking vows is said to be &quot;stronger&quot; karma, if you keep them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Figure out which vows or practices you absolutely cannot incorporate into your lay life, set aside &quot;Monk days&quot; to do the full commitment, and lay days, where you do not do these set aside commitments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a &quot;practice monk&quot; is kind of like the light beer of spiritual practice, horrible metaphor I know, but here is what I mean : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You get some of the benefit without any of the risk. You won't have the potential to break any vows. Which is considered &quot;strong bad karma.&quot; &#xA;You also get a preview of the life, and can make the decision from a more informed view point if you ever decide to take on the vows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you do take on the vows later, the transition will be easier, as you have practiced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T19:15:02.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13904" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13907" CreationDate="2016-02-02T19:54:35.287" Score="4" ViewCount="1103" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please note that my understanding of Buddhist principles may be very much influenced by popular depictions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read that the eight-fold path teaches that you should strike a balance between asceticism and indulgence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Common depictions of Buddhist monks often shows them living a very ascetic lifestyle. My sources for this are simply what I have seen in documentaries online.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do Buddhist monks live such an ascetic life style? If so, then why? Is this not going against the eight-fold path?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the depictions I have in mind are untrue then what is Buddhist monastery life like such that it balances indulgence and asceticism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7720" LastEditorUserId="7720" LastEditDate="2016-02-03T16:32:11.707" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:21:35.687" Title="Do Buddhist monks live an ascetic life style?" Tags="|monasticism|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13900" CreationDate="2016-02-02T20:57:55.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakhuposatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; was for Lady Visaka, Buddha referenced upholding the Uposatha (8 precepts) to be  following a life style of an Arahat.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;quote from the Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For all their lives the arahants are one-mealers, refrain from eating outside the time, desisting at night,so today I am a one-mealer, refraining from eating outside the time, desisting at night. By this practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be entered on by me.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has all the elements you asked, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;living like a monk (for lay person), and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;part time. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-02T20:57:55.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13904" CreationDate="2016-02-02T21:26:14.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Roughly 3 categories of buddhists could be seen: the lay, the monastic, and the ascetic. Monks usually live in a monastic community but some do live in a more solitude/ascetic way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never seen ascetic life condemned in the suttas. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rhinoceros sutta&lt;/a&gt; is commonly brought as praising ascetic life and I understand that in the Theravada vinaya there's the practice of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhutanga&lt;/a&gt;. I believe it can be beneficial when the monasteries available present too much obstacles for the practice. But asceticism when living alone can be harder without community support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, I am trying to differentiate the buddhist ascetic practices from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ascetic practices performed by other religions&lt;/a&gt; (such as extreme fasting, self-mortification, etc). From the point of view of these extreme practices, a buddhist ascetic has a moderate life style. Also, english translations of the suttas have the Buddha referred to as &quot;the ascetic Gotama&quot;, where &quot;ascetic&quot; translates &lt;em&gt;samaṇo&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha praised a life of freedom and few belongings: a robe, something to help gathering food on alms round, and a proper location to meditate and sleep (e.g caves, under trees, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's problematic to reduce the eightfold path as a teaching on &quot;balance&quot;. First, because it's a very rich and detailed system. Second, because anyone can perceive their own life as balanced. If anything, &quot;balance&quot; might be taught to laity because it's hard to be fully committed to the practice while also committed to normal life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem of perceiving buddhism in that way (which is the way it is frequently exposed in the west) is that it leads people into think their indulgences are moderate, and that renouncing them is an extreme that should be avoided. Moreover, it has the strange effect of creating the perception of the monk's life as an extreme austerity (and, if buddhism was teaching that, no one should ever be a buddhist monk).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-02-03T20:29:25.200" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T20:29:25.200" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13909" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-02T23:30:10.107" Score="3" ViewCount="629" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a wrinkle in the teachings about the three levels of suffering. The Pali Canon, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn38/sn38.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 38.14&lt;/a&gt; -- Dukkha Sutta -- has it thus (leaving things uninterpreted for the moment):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of pain (&lt;em&gt;dukkha-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of fabrication (&lt;em&gt;sankhāra-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of change (&lt;em&gt;vipariṇāma-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan teachings typically have it in the following order (Gampopa, &lt;em&gt;Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Chapter 5&lt;/em&gt;, has the reverse):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of suffering -- overt, obviously painful stuff.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of change -- suffering implicit in pleasure because of impermanence, so it will end&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all-pervasive suffering -- suffering due to conditioned existence itself, and the aggregates which are of the nature of suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan teaching is widely interpreted as I have indicated (though a lot of the descriptions of all-pervasive suffering shade into the definition of suffering of change, which they shouldn't IMHO).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of commentators (such as Guenther on Gampopa) see SN 38.14 as the source of the the Tibetan teaching, and the first items of each do seem to line up nicely, as do the suffering of change in both. But after that there are problems, mainly, why did the order change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most pervasively, there is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/three-forms-of-suffering&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;interpretation&lt;/a&gt; (by contemporary teacher Bodhipaksa) of SN 38.14 where the two sufferings of change don't even totally line up, and maybe the whole correspondence is wrong and is more about the two-arrow teaching of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/a&gt; -- The Sallatha Sutta -- than levels of suffering, and referred to in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13836/1046&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; SE answer: that correct interpretation of SN 38.14 is roughly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of pain (&lt;em&gt;dukkha-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;) -- the initial pain -- the &quot;first arrow&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of fabrication (&lt;em&gt;sankhāra-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;) -- the constructed pain we add by resisting/resenting/etc the initial pain -- the &quot;second arrow&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the suffering of change (&lt;em&gt;vipariṇāma-dukkhatā&lt;/em&gt;) -- the suffering we get by seeking to cover the constructed pain with pleasure, which is impermanent.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The change in order, putting suffering of formations/conditioned existence in the middle, is the smoking gun, according to Bodhipaksa -- if the Tibetan interpretation of SN 38.14 were correct, then suffering of formations would absolutely have to come last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So finally my question -- not which is &quot;correct&quot; but -- when did the Tibetan interpretation arise, if not an entirely new teaching, at least the change of order and interpretation of suffering of formations as universal, all-pervasive suffering rather than a personal, second-arrow kind of deal. Is is it in the Theravada anywhere?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The farthest back I can find it is Gampopa, whose &lt;em&gt;Jewel Ornament of Liberation&lt;/em&gt; is (I believe) the first fully articulated, book-length &lt;em&gt;Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt; text, after Atisha's &lt;em&gt;Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; which is the origin of the &lt;em&gt;Lam Rim&lt;/em&gt;, but only has 68 verses and does not go to this level of detail. Seems that those are close enough to the beginning of Buddhadharma in Tibet that the next stop back, if there is one, is probably India or maybe a Nyingma teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum -- Toni Bernhard, Author of &lt;em&gt;How to be Sick&lt;/em&gt; and other books, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/deep-dukkha-part-2-the-three-kinds-of-suffering/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;explicates&lt;/a&gt; the non-Tibetan, Bodhipaksa version of three sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum -- There is another sutta with the same sequence as SN 38.14, namely SN 45.165 -- The Dukkhata Sutta. Well known contemporary scholar, translator and practitioner &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fsnewsletter.amaravati.org/html/45/walshe.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maurice Walshe&lt;/a&gt; has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.165.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt; and interpretation of SN 45.165 that accords with the Tibetan reading, despite the sequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T22:43:01.373" Title="Two interpretations of the three levels of suffering, Dukkha Sutta and Tibetan" Tags="|reference-request|tibetan-buddhism|suffering|dukkha|sankhara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13909" CreationDate="2016-02-03T15:59:49.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The words in SN 38.14 are not even attributed to Buddha, they are Sariputra's. I don't know why Theravada took them as the basis of their analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the authoritative definition of dukkha is found in SN 56.11, the first and main sutra of Buddhism, The Sutra of Setting the Wheel of Dharma in Motion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now this, wanderers, is the nobles' truth of dukkha: Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are dukkha; association with the unloved is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; unsatisfied thirst is dukkha. In short, the five heaps of fuel (upadana-skandha) are dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, in Tibetan classification &quot;the suffering of suffering&quot; is a generalization of the apparent dukkha such as the pains of &quot;birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair&quot;. &quot;The suffering of change&quot; is a generalization of &quot;association with the unloved / separation from the loved&quot; aka &quot;the unsatisfied thirst&quot;, and &quot;the all-pervasive suffering&quot; stands for the &quot;In short, the five heaps of fuel are dukkha&quot;. The sequence preserves the ordering of the original Buddha's quote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-02-03T16:51:14.797" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T16:51:14.797" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13909" CreationDate="2016-02-03T16:23:39.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All conditioned phenomena has sensations associated with it. When we experience &quot;the world&quot; we Perceive the experience agreeable, disagreeable and neither agreeable nor disagreeable&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. This in turn leads to pleasure, displeasure and neutral sensation or feelings which intern is linked to attachment, aversion and ignorance which is further linked with the suffering of change, the suffering of pain and the suffering of fabrication&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. If you follow this order then it is also different from both presented. If you are looking from an intensity of pain perspective then it follows: the suffering of pain (pain), suffering of change (change from pleasure) and the suffering of fabrication (existance itself in neutral sensations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering of formation is due to ignorance which intern results in the other 2 roots and all sensations&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;. All your experiences of conditioned phenomena is through contact which in turn creates karma which in turn creates further experiences&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;. So suffering due to conditioned phenomena is universal as this create birth followed by possibility of unpleasant life experiences ending in death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a monk sees a form with the eye, (in him) the agreeable arises, the disagreeable&#xA;  arises, the agreeable-and-disagreeable [the neutral] arises&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.11-Nibbedhika-Pariyaya-S-a6.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika (Pariyaya) Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T16:23:39.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13913" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-03T18:52:00.693" Score="3" ViewCount="1331" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should one practice vipassana every day in a formal sitting? If so, how long should it be compared to samatha meditation, should it be practiced right before/after (not asking which comes first!) samatha or at anytime during the day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T15:09:14.483" Title="How to balance samatha and vipassana practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13909" CreationDate="2016-02-03T22:37:57.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gethin, &lt;em&gt;Foundations of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;, footnote 4 on p. 282, lists these sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visuddhimagga xvi. 34-5; Digha Nikaya iii. 216; Samyutta Nikaya iv. 259, v. 56; Nettippakarana 12.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga has them in the Tibetan order, but leaves me a little confused by &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Equanimous feeling and the remaining formations of&#xA;  the three planes are called suffering due to formations because they&#xA;  are oppressed by rise and fall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sounds to me like impermanence, and &quot;rise and fall&quot; does seem to have that meaning in the Visuddhimagga. Here it is in full -- Visuddhimagga XVI:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;34&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Its characteristic is the first genesis in any [sphere of] becoming. Its function is to consign [to a sphere of becoming]. It is&#xA;  manifested as an emerging here from a past becoming; or it is&#xA;  manifested as the variedness of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But why is it suffering? Because it is the basis for many kinds of&#xA;  suffering. For there are many kinds of suffering, that is to say,&#xA;  intrinsic suffering dukkha-dukkha), suffering in change&#xA;  (vipariṇāma-dukkha), and suffering due to formations&#xA;  (sankhāra-dukkha); and then concealed suffering, exposed suffering,&#xA;  indirect suffering, and direct suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Herein, bodily and mental, painful feeling are called intrinsic suffering because of their individual essence, their name, and their&#xA;  painfulness. [Bodily and mental] pleasant feeling are called suffering&#xA;  in change because they are a cause for the arising of pain when they&#xA;  change (M I 303). Equanimous feeling and the remaining formations of&#xA;  the three planes are called suffering due to formations because they&#xA;  are oppressed by rise and fall. Such bodily and mental affliction as&#xA;  earache, toothache, fever born of lust, fever born of hate, etc., is&#xA;  called concealed suffering because it can only be known by questioning&#xA;  and because the infliction is not openly evident; it is also called&#xA;  “unevident suffering.” The affliction produced by the thirty-two&#xA;  tortures,10 etc., is called exposed suffering because it can be known&#xA;  without questioning and because the infliction is openly evident; it&#xA;  is also called “evident suffering.” Except intrinsic suffering, all&#xA;  given in the exposition of the truth of suffering [in the Vibhaòga]&#xA;  (Vibh 99) beginning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In looking for the Nettippakarana I found it described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;an extra-canonical Buddhist scripture, ascribed to the Buddha's disciple &#xA;  Kaccana.  It intends to be a manual for commentators on the Buddhist scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Pali Text Society translation by Bikkhu Kanamoli, but it's not worth my time at this point to find my way around it. I am satisfied that the Tibetan interpretation does have Theravada branches, at least in the ordering. This may be hard to settle definitively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I can venture a personal interpretation like this -- it's the same dynamic at two levels. The two-arrow reading is an analysis of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; operating personally; the Tibetan (and now maybe Buddhaghosa) reading is more at the collective/universal level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2016-02-03T22:43:01.373" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T22:43:01.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13904" CreationDate="2016-02-03T23:30:27.937" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Common depictions of Buddhist monks often shows them living a very ascetic lifestyle. My sources for this are simply what I have seen in documentaries online. Do Buddhist monks live such an ascetic life style?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's difficult to answer, without knowing what documentaries you're talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist monastic rules say that monks have no personal possessions (except their robes and alms bowl and so on), never have or handle money, subsist on donations of food, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For monks who want a lifestyle that's even more austere, there are the (optional) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhutanga practices&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that, in practice (in reality), the practices may vary: for example, the booklet called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/brokenbuddhanew.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Broken Buddha&lt;/a&gt; (2001) says that some monks in some countries aren't as (or at least don't seem to be as) 'ascetic' as the author (himself a monk) considers proper. It might be a mistake to generalize and assume that all monks are the same. Contrast the descriptions in &lt;em&gt;The Broken Buddha&lt;/em&gt; with this description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm#Lessons%20in%20the%20Forest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lessons in the Forest&lt;/a&gt; (from Ajahn Cha's forest monastery, which seems more ideal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also details of the monastic rules may vary if only slightly from one school/tradition to another (e.g. Theravada, Zen, Tibetan), as well (I presume) from one monastery (one abbot) to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If so, then why? Is this not going against the eight-fold path?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before he realized his own enlightenment, the Buddha tried various practices including for example this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I thought: 'Suppose I were to take only a little food at a time, only a handful at a time of bean soup, lentil soup, vetch soup, or pea soup.' So I took only a little food at a time, only a handful at a time of bean soup, lentil soup, vetch soup, or pea soup. My body became extremely emaciated. Simply from my eating so little, my limbs became like the jointed segments of vine stems or bamboo stems... My backside became like a camel's hoof... My spine stood out like a string of beads... My ribs jutted out like the jutting rafters of an old, run-down barn... The gleam of my eyes appeared to be sunk deep in my eye sockets like the gleam of water deep in a well... My scalp shriveled &amp;amp; withered like a green bitter gourd, shriveled &amp;amp; withered in the heat &amp;amp; the wind... The skin of my belly became so stuck to my spine that when I thought of touching my belly, I grabbed hold of my spine as well; and when I thought of touching my spine, I grabbed hold of the skin of my belly as well... If I urinated or defecated, I fell over on my face right there... Simply from my eating so little, if I tried to ease my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair — rotted at its roots — fell from my body as I rubbed, simply from eating so little.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;People on seeing me would say, 'Gotama the contemplative is black.' Other people would say, 'Gotama the contemplative isn't black, he's brown.' Others would say, 'Gotama the contemplative is neither black nor brown, he's golden-skinned.' So much had the clear, bright color of my skin deteriorated, simply from eating so little.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After a while he decided that starving himself wasn't the right way (though the others who were with him didn't agree):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought: 'So why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities?' I thought: 'I am no longer afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities, but that pleasure is not easy to achieve with a body so extremely emaciated. Suppose I were to take some solid food: some rice &amp;amp; porridge.' So I took some solid food: some rice &amp;amp; porridge. Now five monks had been attending on me, thinking, 'If Gotama, our contemplative, achieves some higher state, he will tell us.' But when they saw me taking some solid food — some rice &amp;amp; porridge — they were disgusted and left me, thinking, 'Gotama the contemplative is living luxuriously. He has abandoned his exertion and is backsliding into abundance.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So when I had taken solid food and regained strength, then — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental qualities, I entered &amp;amp; remained in the first jhana: etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What he started to teach his first audience (which consisted of those five monks) he explained it as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7315/254&quot;&gt;Why is an emaciated Buddha rarely represented in art?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If the depictions I have in mind are untrue then what is Buddhist monastery life like such that it balances indulgence and asceticism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is (or may be) to do with asceticism, if by &amp;quot;asceticism&amp;quot; you mean self-discipline, abstemious, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But see this description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/nekkhamma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Renunciation&lt;/a&gt;: i.e. it's not that renunciation itself is necessarily rewarding, it's that sensual pleasures are seen to have drawbacks which a monk might want to be free of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kind of asceticism that's contrary to the Middle Way isn't the training to overcome sensuality-seeking, rather it's &amp;quot;self affliction&amp;quot; or (literally) &amp;quot;mortification of the flesh&amp;quot; i.e. killing your flesh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of &amp;quot;balancing indulgence and asceticism&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eat before noon (or eat once a day) ... a balance between &amp;quot;over-eating&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;starving&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Drink non-alcoholic liquids any time ... a balance between &amp;quot;getting drunk&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;dehydrating&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wear monastic robes ... a balance between &amp;quot;adorning the body&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;going naked&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shaving the head ... a balance between &amp;quot;adorning the body&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;neglecting cleanliness&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Minimal possessions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Obeying monastic rules&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-03T23:38:20.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13883" CreationDate="2016-02-03T23:42:31.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr. Bharat will find most part of it in the traditional Chant &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#sublime&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sublime Attitudes&lt;/a&gt;. Obviously the designer of this chant did not like to share some of the more insightful parts but merely replaced them with more heart beat. Here also an audio of it &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=get197&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sublime Attitudes - chanting in Pali and English&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Aside of the entrance part &quot;May &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; be...&quot; the other parts are all copies from certain Suttas (That &quot;I&quot; derives also from the Canon, but from the commentary which explain the way to practice.).&#xA;The meaning of this quested linked one, is how ever, in line with the traditional ways.&#xA;You may find an explaining of practicing metta here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta: The Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;As for who actually wrote it, the answer would be surely best places over the websites owners email: info(at)satipatthana.ca and the appearance of Yogi and other renderings like the teacher part, give hints, that it is written by lay people who have not much connection with the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastEditorDisplayName="user7586" LastEditDate="2016-02-04T00:07:27.480" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T00:07:27.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13913" CreationDate="2016-02-04T05:43:21.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating from person to person and even from session to session the following can happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;insight develops before calmness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calmness before insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neither calm nor insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;both calm and insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calmness and insight should be balanced through personal effect and also you should seek guidance on balancing both. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.3-Samatha-Vipassana-Samadhi-Sutta-3-a4.94-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Samatha Vipassanā) Samādhi Sutta 1 - 3&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is helpful if the calmness is developed through concentrating on one of the Satipatthana [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] as the object of meditation is not tainted by a Vipallasa [for more on Vipallasa see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T05:43:21.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2016-02-04T06:34:18.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question or better Sadhu for being that heedful! In short remember aside of getting support by certain opinions simply &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the advises to Rahula&lt;/a&gt; and simply process according to them. Maybe Atma can provide some food for thoughts and arguments to deny certain views later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7586" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T06:34:18.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13919" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-04T06:56:44.973" Score="3" ViewCount="344" Body="&lt;p&gt;Current India was previously not as big and united as it is now. Multiple countries quarrel for existence. Life was not normal for people. Chaos and Imbalance was on its height.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that the reason, Shakyamuni Buddha choose Indian Subcontinent as a favorable place to teach Buddhist way of living?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, next destination for Buddha to teach may be Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan or even United States. If next Buddha is seen in some other place besides Indian Subcontinent, will he/she be recognized as Buddha? What if Jesus was a form of Buddha? What if new Buddha change the way Buddhism is what we are following, according to current situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7671" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T07:42:59.980" Title="Why Shakyamuni Buddha choose Indian subcontinent as a favorable place to teach Buddhist way of living?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13919" CreationDate="2016-02-04T07:29:49.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five major factors were when the Buddha chose to be born&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it is the right time to be born as a &#xA;human being in order to attain Buddha hood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right continent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right country or the state&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right caste&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right person chosen as the mother to give birth to &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Indian sub continent there was many exploration of seeking for spiritual salvation during the time. No other country or time was there similar activity in seeking spiritual development and salvation. Hence this was chosen as the right time and place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also since the when establishing the order of monks you have to renounce you cast, i.e, what ever cast you had before is left behind and you come to the common pedestal of monkhood. Since this will not be take seriously is a low caste person preachers the set aside cast and will not gain respect of all castes the Buddha has to be born at the highest caste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the current situation is not ideal for a Buddha to have been born in case the Buddha to be chose this time as human life expectancy is less than 100 years. A Buddha does not appear in such times. Also back 2500 or so years ago there was no interest in meditation and meditative forms of spiritual development other than in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next Buddha will be Maitreya Buddha. Depending on the time he may set Vinaya and perhaps Vinaya rules different from the current. The Vinaya is established by the Buddha and new rules do not fall into the sphere of a disciple to enact though you can have conventions or agreements, but they are not Vinaya rules. Then a new Buddha enacts his rules then they become effective. In such times the teaching of the previous Buddha would be lost to the world. The Dhamma taught by all Buddhas is the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-04T17:45:48.623" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T17:45:48.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13921" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-04T12:06:34.257" Score="10" ViewCount="811" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have psychosis.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I have no ability to understand reality from birth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Can meditation give me the ability?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or will I never be able to end my mental suffering?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Do you know how can I end my pain and fear, and get peace and happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7730" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-07T19:48:38.847" LastActivityDate="2017-10-05T04:39:41.840" Title="Meditation for Psychosis" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13922" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-04T12:35:54.230" Score="2" ViewCount="1335" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which are the best Thai amulets that can help to get my love back, and also help in my life, jobs, and career?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7556" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T17:10:49.023" LastActivityDate="2021-09-17T10:57:44.777" Title="Which are the best Thai amulets for love, job, and career?" Tags="|thai|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2021-09-17T14:29:56.523" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-04T13:01:13.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it can. We are in no different predicament than you are because we also don't know reality as it really is. We are also deluded big time. We take what is false to be the truth, what is ugly to be beautiful, what is impermanent to be permanent, what is not me or mine to be me or mine. We also have fear, pain, insecurity, anxiety. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes, start meditation. Start breath meditation, learn to steady the mind on the breath. Whatever appears during meditation, don't mind it, focus on the breath and let images, visions and whatever arises cease. You don't have to believe them. Just mind the breath going in, going out, going in, going out. &#xA;Learn to not cling to things, to give meaning to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are born, we age, get sick and die. We are in the same boat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T13:01:13.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13922" CreationDate="2016-02-04T17:42:07.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Experts believe as recent as 500 years ago around south east Asia region), texts were generated about a story of King Kosala asking Buddha about anisong (good karma) for creating Buddha's image.  Some Thai Buddhist temples create amulets ever since.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you still want to have one, just don't spend tons of money on it. Amulets are collectible just like baseball cards.  There are tons of forgery.  You may go to Thai buddhist temple near you and ask a monk for one.  Or if you live in the US, you can try writing Metta Forest Monastery in CA,and ask for one if they still have any.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watmetta.org/photoPageAmulets2014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wat metta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS.  there is no way of measuring &quot;mystical&quot; power of an amulet, so pick one that appeals to you.  This sutta might help you further causes in love and career.  Buddha gave this lecture to the Direction Worshipers...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an employee&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;start work before boss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leave work after boss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;taking only what is given&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;doing assigned work well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;promoting boss' good reputation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and if you are the boss&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;allocating work according to aptitude&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;providing wages&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;looking after the sick&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sharing special treats (bonus)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;giving reasonable time off work&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a friend (so you will be well loved)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;generosity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kind words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;acting for their welfare&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;impartiality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;honesty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These will help us more than any amulets could. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T17:03:10.870" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T17:03:10.870" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13919" CreationDate="2016-02-04T17:52:08.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I think you know about who a Bodhisattva is....)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While a Bodhisattva is in the heavenly realm (Thauthisa) he chooses the &#xA;Best time,Best parents,Best cast,Best kingdom,Best country to be born. This is an essential process that all Bodhisattva's go through before being born as a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here are the reasons why.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you know democracy is really new,what existed before is a cast system with nobles and lower casts. Your name sounds Indian so i presume there is no need of explaining the difficulties that a lower cast person will have to go through to get to any higher level in anything. At the age of kings there is no better place to get accepted than being born as a prince and that's why it happened like that in this era.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have learned that there is an auspicious place on the Human realm that all Bodhisattvas (Who are destined to be A Lord Buddha) reach nirvana and become Lord Buddhas. And this place is the same place every time even after all the destruction that can happen. This time it was India and next time maybe there will be no India, Next time it may be on an island. What we are talking about is a universal position that does not change,its geography,name and other things may change but it will always be the same place in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Buddha can't be born in a particular realm while there is already a previous Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Please not that this is &quot;Theravada Buddhism&quot; and &quot;Mahayana Buddhists&quot; believe in multiple Buddhas in different realms. But even them do not believe that another Buddha can be born in a particular realm while there is already a previous Buddha's teaching.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can Lord Buddha be a woman....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, As Lord Buddha explained a woman who start the life of a Bodhisattva will soon turn into a male in the most nearby life and continue to be male. Because of this reason a Lord Buddha will always be a male.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that this does not mean that a woman can't be a Lord Buddha. What this means is that when she start her practice as a Bodhisattva she will soon get a life as a male and therefore a woman being a lord Buddha does not happen because of this gender change between births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can Jesus or any other recent teachers be a Buddha....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, Because as far as my knowledge goes none of the schools accept that two Lord Buddhas will exist in the same planet at the same time or two  teachings would exist at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will Buddhism change or modify to suit the time....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, Because there is one unique thing about Buddhism. And that is....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Akalika = Timeless&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Lord Buddha said there is no need of updating or changing the teaching as it is timeless and complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Lord Buddha challenged saying that no one can add or remove a single teaching as too much or non worthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there can be differences in &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Language&#xA;The explaining method&#xA;The idioms&#xA;The examples&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when two Lord Buddhas teach the path. But the core will always be the same. The only difference will be Grammatical and explanatory differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T07:42:59.980" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T07:42:59.980" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13829" CreationDate="2016-02-04T19:24:34.477" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A rebirth is a rebirth and the life-span does not have a restriction, A life can end as soon as it starts or last a hundred years. The last life will end as soon as the being has mastered all states of physical,mental and emotional endurance and acknowledges that it is a everlasting spirit and not nothing eles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a well described link to the start of consciousness of a being at the beginning stages of life.But the answer to your question is what I stated above.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are Five levels of self-awareness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://psychology.emory.edu/cognition/rochat/Five%20levels%20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://psychology.emory.edu/cognition/rochat/Five%20levels%20.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T19:24:34.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-04T19:37:47.903" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only way to end your suffering is to accept the challenge that you created before birth. You have to realize this suffering is a test you gave yourself before your life started.Endure to the end with happiness and show the world nothing can break your spirit. If you can show humbleness and love towards all while suffering this life might be your last trial of suffering or you can choose to rebirth again and help change the perspective of life to many.Once you relize this you will no longer know your suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7211" LastActivityDate="2016-02-04T19:37:47.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13928" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-04T23:26:34.863" Score="5" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to some commentaries/abhidhamma, all unwholesome states are rooted in ignorance; that ignorance is, according to Pa Auk Sayadaw, the ignorance that sees things as concepts, e.g., a man a woman etc. However, it seems like in order to do mettā and similar practices, one must take a concept as object. My question: Since wholesome states like mettā are said to be incompatible with unwholesome states like ignorance, why does it seem like mettā is rooted in ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T02:40:11.153" Title="Conceptual reality, mettā, ignorance" Tags="|abhidhamma|ignorance|metta|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13929" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13950" CreationDate="2016-02-05T01:11:56.377" Score="5" ViewCount="380" Body="&lt;p&gt;After stressful events that I'm unaccustomed to, or after strenuous workout, my body feels as if it wants to cry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am unable to produce the tears to &quot;cry it out&quot;, but my body feels it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This started happening when I had a miscarriage (at the time, I didn't know I had miscarriage, but Doctor estimates it was at that time).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now, I do meditative drawing to ease the symptoms. People think I am an artist (I'm in IT) because the drawings are so intense and beautiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I do deep-breathing meditation, 15 minutes, 2 times a day. I lay on my bed on my back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. I place one hand on my stomach, one hand on my chest, and I concentrate on breathing through my diaphragm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I inhale, diaphragm expands, exhale, diaphragm contracts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything else I can do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism recommend about art? Or anything to ease this suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5242" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T05:36:35.293" Title="Body feels like crying" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-breath|art|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13928" CreationDate="2016-02-05T01:50:03.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saying &amp;quot;That's a man&amp;quot; may be ignorant, but saying &amp;quot;that's not a sentient being&amp;quot; might also be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed this yesterday, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm#Lessons%20in%20the%20Forest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one point, he went to Achaan Chah and complained, noting that even Achaan Chah himself was inconsistent and seemed often to contradict him self in an unenlightened way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Achaan Chah just laughed and pointed out how much the monk was suffering by trying to judge others around him. Then he explained that his way of teaching is very simple: &amp;quot;It is as though I see people walking down a road I know well. To them the way may be unclear. I look up and see someone about to fall into a ditch on the right-hand side of the road, so I call out to him, 'Go left, go left' Similarly, if I see another person about to fall into a ditch on the left, I call out, 'Go right, go right!' That is the extent of my teaching. Whatever extreme you get caught in, whatever you get attached to, I say, 'Let go of that too.' Let go on the left, let go on the right. Come back to the center, and you will arrive at the true Dharma.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the two views (or two &amp;quot;truths&amp;quot;) you describe are called &amp;quot;conventional&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;ultimate&amp;quot; ... but &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1aptiv%C4%81da#Two_truths_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;another way of describing that&lt;/a&gt; is to say that one is one is &amp;quot;skillful means&amp;quot; and the other is &amp;quot;wisdom&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are two extremes.&#xA;Seeing someone as a person (as a man or a woman, as a sentient being) is conventional ... but might it also be skillful, or perhaps related to having a skillful relationship with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt; warns against an extreme or naive version of the &amp;quot;a 'man' is just a concept and doesn't exist&amp;quot; doctrine. To the extent that suffering can exist maybe metta is appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In various ways, Metta and so on (the Brahmaviharas) are &lt;em&gt;skillful&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sublime States by&#xA;Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (&lt;em&gt;sattesu samma patipatti&lt;/em&gt;). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also we were looking into the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13883/254&quot;&gt;Metta Gatha&lt;/a&gt; recently. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it's only saying &amp;quot;may &lt;em&gt;they&lt;/em&gt; be happy&amp;quot;, in the commentary (in the Visuddhimagga, as well as in the above article by Nyanaponika Thera) it explains why it's right to start &lt;em&gt;metta &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhavana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; with, &amp;quot;may I be happy&amp;quot;, and then extend outwards from there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A self-centred (or informed-by-experience) practice of metta reminds me of the Dhammapada,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;All tremble at violence; all fear death. &lt;em&gt;Putting oneself in the place of another&lt;/em&gt;, one should not kill nor cause another to kill&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the 'people' (or 'sentient beings') who need Metta, who are able to suffer, are presumably those who are not enlightened, and who are to that extent (themselves) ignorant. Perhaps it's for that reason that you could say that metta is rooted in ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so, compassion (teaching for the sake of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;'beings' with little dust in their eyes&lt;/a&gt;) seems to have been the motive of the Buddha himself: I don't think compassion can be seen as rooted only in ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more comment. I suppose that &lt;em&gt;metta bhavana&lt;/em&gt; is (like) a 'concentration' practice, whereas Sayadaw and the Abhidhamma and so on is to do with 'insight' practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what the best quote is on that subject but here's one from &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of confusion on the differences between concentration&#xA;practices and insight practices. [...] Concentration practices (samatha or&#xA;samadhi practices) are meditation on a concept, an aggregate of many&#xA;transient sensations, whereas insight practice is meditation on the many&#xA;transient sensations just as they are. When doing concentration&#xA;practices, one purposefully tries to fix or freeze the mind in a specific&#xA;state, called an “absorption,” “jhana” or “dyana.” While reality cannot&#xA;be frozen in this way, the illusion of solidity and stability certainly can be&#xA;cultivated, and this is concentration practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight-fold way is sometimes described as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three-fold training&lt;/a&gt;: virtue, concentration, and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T10:03:41.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13929" CreationDate="2016-02-05T03:50:42.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can start with a smile, when you wake up in the morning each day, be grateful that you are alive and just think to yourself &quot;I will make this a joyful and pleasant day&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start today. And increase it to moments during the day and then be grateful that you are here each moment, breathing. Simply accept each moment and each person for what it is and what they are. This increases your acceptance of your life and every moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the exercise that you do, I suggest you don't deep breathe too much. Just start initially with about 3-4 deep breaths. Smile. And then focus on normal breathing. I suggest you do this sitting up as erect as possible but not tight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for art, I think it is fine to adopt more sceneries and beauty in things. Because as such that is creation. Be grateful that you have this talent in you to sketch. And do it with a smile. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This life is to be loved and lived. And living happens in the &quot;now&quot;. Not in the past and not in the future. It is upto you to create life as it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Don't live in the mind. Live the moment.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you pleasantness and joy with each passing moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T03:50:42.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13933" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-05T04:57:48.333" Score="4" ViewCount="270" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the way I choose to react to a situation based entirely off of past karma or is there something else that determines how I react to an external object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am confused between my understanding that ultimately there is no control and yet I can control my reactions to situations. Is there only a sense of control as long as an individual is not fully enlightened? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="70" LastEditDate="2016-02-06T16:29:07.097" LastActivityDate="2018-10-13T22:25:34.027" Title="Is the determining thought moment (vottopana) based entirely off of past karma?" Tags="|karma|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13928" CreationDate="2016-02-05T05:14:20.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Abhidhamma totality of all phenomena is in 5 categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ultimate realities - or realities that are atomic or do not lose meaning when broke down to lower level of abstraction&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metal content&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Materiality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Conventional realities - abstracted or compounded concepts which the meaning is lost when break down to lower levels of abstraction&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person is a concept as you say which is used for Sublime meditation. But there you use this concept to break the concept of one being a dear person or being (agreeable object), a foe / dangerous being (disagreeable object) and neutral person or being (neither agreeable nor disagreeable object). When you practice Metta you break these conceptual boundaries about beings. This is discussed on page 102, Knowing and Seeing by Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is not knowing the 4 Noble Truths and Dependent Origination (DO). If you take the 1st which is Dukkha, you experience this with beings. Meeting a loved one is a pleasure or give pleasant sensation, parting is displeasure, meeting a unloved being is a displeasure or gives unpleasant sensations, meeting someone neutral is neither pleasurable or displeasurable. All the above covers the full spectrum of Dukkha or sensations or what is felt. By being equanimous towards the sensation knowing it is impermanent and not totally controllable and breaking the Perceptions you remove Ignorance. This also related to DO through Ignorance and Feeling / Sensation link.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have a polarity or temperament like being hot tempered then the Sublime Meditation can help you reduce these tendencies at the conceptual or perceptual level. This is more at the surface level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also concept of person has the notion of beauty which also results in similar notion as beautiful (agreeable hence pleasant sensation), ugly (disagreeable hence unpleasant sensations), neither (neither agreeable nor disagreeable hence neutral sensations). Here you have to look at a person as anatomical parts, materiality, and decay to break the perception of beauty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concept on its own is not Ignorance but can lead to Ignorance due to Corruption of Insight (Vipallasa) which covers you from seeing the 4 Noble Truths, DO or the true characteristics of the object (change, unsatisfactoriness, non self). So if your meditation object is a concept you have to note that is it either impermanent and not in one's control hence Dukkha. Dukkha as mentioned before links up with the 4 Noble Truths and DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, you will realise evaluating a being as friend, foe, attractive, attractive or neutral creates sensation which in himself burden and unsatisfactory as sensations are impermanent and not in one's control. The will lighten your clinging to concepts regarding beings and the associated sensations of a being as an entity with fixed attributes which will lead to breaking the fetter regarding identity view. This does not mean you will not have any concepts as they are needed to relate to other in conventional terms, it is just that you do not cling to them. Likewise, with deeper understanding you will develop revulsion towards all the aggregates as they are linked with aggregability, disagreeable, neutral disposition  hence pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensation which in term is not permanent or in one's control which means you cannot maintain them as it is agreeable to continuously experience the pleasantness associated with them you will let go of such expectation from the aggregates and the aggregates as an instrument in seeking of pleasures. What is said about the aggregates here can be extended to the world and 6 sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T15:11:13.167" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T15:11:13.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13933" CreationDate="2016-02-05T05:17:52.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Arammana is due to past Kamma. Vottapana decides on what is experienced or felt hence deciding what the future Karmic effects though the next 7 Javana process. You have free will at this point to decide on you convert what is felt into a wholesome state or not at this point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T15:17:33.347" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T15:17:33.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13933" CreationDate="2016-02-05T05:52:45.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vottapana is a Citta(thought moment) that has the function of determining or decision making. It is not a result of past Kamma. But it is not a self either. There's no 'I' in it. Why? Because it is also born of causes and impermanent like any other Citta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;there is no&#xA;  control and yet I can control my reactions to situations. Is there&#xA;  only a sense of control as long as an individual is not fully&#xA;  enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether one is enlightened or not, there's no sense of control if by 'control' you mean there's a 'self' or 'I' who does the decision making. But there's a sense of control in the sense of a citta performing the function of decision making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T06:11:40.893" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T06:11:40.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8604" CreationDate="2016-02-05T10:51:09.697" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A simple answer would be no,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 things to remember, the modern science is categorizing plants as living creatures. (not that Buddha rejected) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) it's the &quot;karma&quot; and your intention in your mind does the &quot;karma&quot;. unless you are not intentionally hurting any living thing( assume plants are not living things) it is okay. as per your saying, your intention was clean it up and make it more grown &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) it may affect, if you are cutting whole set of trees in a huge jungle, coz,&#xA;that would result in, destroying living places for animals, might kill small creatures in the process, and eventually you are helping to pollute the air, by removing it's cleaning agent, which will kill humans. will break first precept&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think now you can decide on your own&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7734" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T10:51:09.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13928" CreationDate="2016-02-05T13:44:46.573" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The important thing about metta is not the &quot;object&quot;, but the result of the practice; it's point is so one becomes kind when kindness is not present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice that Saying benevolence (metta) is rooted in ignorance if a particular practice is described in conventional terms is like saying dhamma is rooted in ignorance because it's also exposed in conventional terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as a side note, Metta practice with a person as an object is a later development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be problematic if, in this or any exercise, one nurtures and develops a wrong view (e.g. believing that a person has an eternal soul).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd guess the Ven. meant &quot;seeing things as concepts&quot; as something very specific: substituting reality for some concept. Conceptual thinking is largely intrinsic to thinking. it's problematic because it requires skill to not be confused, to not take something imagined as something real, to not develop wrong view (e.g believing an object is detached, eternal, subsisting without conditions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-02-05T13:53:17.647" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T13:53:17.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13913" CreationDate="2016-02-05T16:29:06.290" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need Samatha to practice Vipassana. Vipassana is the one and only path to enlightment. End the suffering once and for all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more you do Vipassana, more you'll be closer to Nirwana. Saying that, don't try too hard. Don't try to grab Nirwana forcefully. Give up Nirwana from your mind too. Vipassana is trying while not trying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T16:29:06.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13913" CreationDate="2016-02-05T19:05:40.733" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can practice any form of meditation on a daily basis, that's wonderful! The key is to let it happen naturally, and not try to do more than you are ready for. Keep meditating, but also be patient with your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the ratio of time spent in shamata vs vipassana: it depends on your current ability. You will find that you naturally spend more time in vipassana as you gain experience in both types of meditation. That said, some days you need (want) more shamata, sometimes you want more vipassana. It can change day to day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, it's okay (and even recommended) to mix shamata with vipassana during a given session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, do what feels right. Don't over analyze it. Just do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my Buddhist lineage, it is generally taught that shamata supports vipassana, and that has been confirmed by my experiences (many years of practice).  Stable, powerful insight depends on having a strong foundation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7701" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T19:05:40.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-05T19:35:38.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation can help: but there is a risk that when you are doing meditation, certain experiences will surface, and sometimes your condition may worsen temporarily. In such cases you have to be steadfastly looking at the arising and passing away of sensation in your body, scanning from head to foot. This can be any sensation: like air touching your body, cloths touching your body, an itching sensation, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This meditation technique is called Vipassana. There are two main divisions in Vipassana, according to subject matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on Form (&lt;em&gt;Rupa&lt;/em&gt;) - this is mainly using body (&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;) and sensation (&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; as the subject&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on Mind (&lt;em&gt;Arupa&lt;/em&gt;) - this has mind (&lt;em&gt;Citta&lt;/em&gt;) and &lt;em&gt;Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; as the subject&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have a psychological disorder you generally become 'affective' (see the table quoted below), so you would choose Body and Sensation for contemplation (meditation on Form). Also most likely you would be &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt; reactive and tempered: so of the two, 'Sensations' as the subject is the more effective. In all the other satipaṭṭhāna is inter-mingled with sensation, but in such a case sensation should be your main choice: especially that arising in the body to start with, and in the mind. If you do choose to pratice mindfulness of the body it would be on postures and movement and not decay and repulsiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/82iyc.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/82iyc.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also until you become better, excessive concentration is not advisable until the psychological episode subsides. You can try increasing meditation like the breath meditation as things improve, but if leads to instability concentrate on scanning the body giving importance to sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; This is also &lt;em&gt;Nama&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Arupa&lt;/em&gt; but put it under &lt;em&gt;Rupa&lt;/em&gt; since as some pratice with an emphasis on &lt;em&gt;Kaya Vedana&lt;/em&gt; or Bodily Sensations as subject of &lt;em&gt;Vedananupassana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-10T16:49:56.983" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T16:49:56.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-05T22:32:38.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one is in a condition that prevents him to make progress in meditation or mindfulness, Buddha recommended him to hold 8 precepts on uposatha days and he will be out of that condition sooner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T22:32:38.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13928" CreationDate="2016-02-05T22:55:37.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;this is good question.  this is how i put it together.  I hope i hit the mark.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha told ven. Ananda that vinnaya is concious of 4 things only.  vinnana is conscious of; rupa, vedana, sanna, and sankhara (together form 5skandha).  We only aware one of those 4 things one at time tho switching from one to another really fast.   Now, where is Metta in 5 skandha?  Metta is in one of those 4 which is sankhara.   From Pratītyasamutpāda (another way of explaining how 5 skandha comes to be).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;avijja paccaya sankhara. With Avidya as condition, Samskara arise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta, like everything else, is dukka subject to decay and destruction since it is in sankara.  an arahat do not see self in metta or anything in 5 skandha for that matter.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-05T22:55:37.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13929" CreationDate="2016-02-06T14:01:59.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are (many) people on this site who have practised meditation themselves, but perhaps there's no-one who is very experienced as a teacher of meditation? It seems to me that this (&amp;quot;Body feels like crying&amp;quot;) would be a question which an experienced meditation teacher will have heard before: so, one small bit of advice is, can you try to make contact with an experienced meditation teacher?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several forms of breathing (during &amp;quot;breathing meditation&amp;quot;): see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati#Active_breathing.2C_passive_breathing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Active breathing, passive breathing&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is most commonly practiced with attention centered on the breath, without any effort to change the breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the throat singing prevalent amongst the Buddhist monks of Tibet and Mongolia the long and slow outbreath during chanting is the core of the practice. The sound of the chant also serves to focus the mind in one-pointed concentration samadhi, while the sense of self dissolves as awareness becomes absorbed into a realm of pure sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some Japanese Zen meditation, the emphasis is upon maintaining &amp;quot;strength in the abdominal area&amp;quot; (dantian or &amp;quot;tanden&amp;quot;) and slow deep breathing during the long outbreath, again to assist the attainment of a mental state of one-pointed concentration. There is also a &amp;quot;bamboo method,&amp;quot; during which time one inhales and exhales in punctuated bits, as if running one's hand along the stalk of a bamboo tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above spends more words talking about chanting and the &amp;quot;bamboo method&amp;quot; than it does in the first paragraph about &amp;quot;passive breathing&amp;quot;, but it might be right in saying that &amp;quot;passive&amp;quot; breathing is the way in which it's most commonly practised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a book about Anapanasati, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unveiling the Secrets of Life:&#xA;a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by Buddhadasa Bikkhu, which has information about several (not all) techniques of breathing meditation, and which people recommend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the risk of going off-topic I'll also mention two non-Buddhist forms of breathing, from my own experience&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aerobic exercise (e.g. bicycling) -- I'm not sure how you can do &amp;quot;deep breathing&amp;quot; when you're not exercising, but exercise is recommended e.g. by (non-Buddhist) doctors as a way to help your body manage 'stress'. I mean, a bicycling fast enough that it begins to affect your breathing (and/or cycling up-hill), at e.g. 20 km/hour; or, various forms of running if you prefer (though I prefer cycling, myself, because it's easier on my joints). The experience (of well-being from being physically fitter) may make you more 'attached' to feeling physically fit (and perhaps monks don't recommend physical exercise, except perhaps &amp;quot;walking meditation&amp;quot;); nevertheless it (exercise) is meant to be one of the ways to cope with stress: see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Exercising to relax&lt;/a&gt; from Harvard Medical School.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I've also sometimes enjoyed practising a &amp;quot;Tai Chi&amp;quot; form, which is also called a &amp;quot;moving meditation&amp;quot;. There's a description of that (with links to videos) &lt;a href=&quot;https://martialarts.stackexchange.com/a/5113/5893&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. The caveats are that you need a reasonably good teacher; and a form with a reasonably low stance; and maybe a couple of years of lessons: because you need to learn the form before you can practice it, and you have to practice repeatedly (having already learned the movements) to learn to integrate the breathing with the movements; and learning a long form (e.g. 108 moves), which takes about 20 minutes to practice, might take a year (or more) to learn. Still I found that's it's good for breathing and posture (so, &amp;quot;physical well-being&amp;quot; again), and there's something to be said for its way of handling conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another (Buddhist) form of meditation which you might like to investigate is &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta Bhavana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various ways of practicing metta-bhavana, the meditation on universal love. Three of the principal methods will be explained here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of insight about suffering, it might be worth considering &amp;quot;the Three Poisons&amp;quot; i.e. ignorance, desire, and aversion; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion: I don't want to feel sad&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire: I want to feel happy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance: I don't know why I feel sad&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common problem is, apparently, that if you think you're averse to something then you may try to avoid it. If you &amp;quot;feel like crying&amp;quot; and are averse to that feeling then there's a tendency to avoid inspecting that feeling, avoid thinking about that feeling. Instead maybe you need to be willing to investigate (accept, work out) such a feeling if it arises. I presume you'll find that such a feeling is transient (impermanent), because most feelings eventually are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T16:01:52.960" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13947" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13949" CreationDate="2016-02-06T14:16:46.683" Score="5" ViewCount="12815" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no punishment for anger. It is the anger which will punish you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I pondered on this for a few hours now but can't understand the meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tnx for all the help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7062" LastEditorUserId="21695" LastEditorDisplayName="user7062" LastEditDate="2022-12-01T02:42:51.600" LastActivityDate="2022-12-01T02:42:51.600" Title="What does the Buddha mean by this quote? &quot;There is no punishment for anger. It is the anger which will punish you.&quot;" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T14:48:32.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote means that no one is going to punish us for our anger, those hellish fiery sensations which arise on our body are the punishment itself. Thus it is the anger which will punish you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote on anger makes it more clear 'Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="985" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T07:01:12.160" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T07:01:12.160" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T14:49:06.633" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an explanation of it here, on the Fake Buddha Quotes web site: &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/you-will-not-be-punished-for-your-anger-you-will-be-punished-by-your-anger/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not a quote from the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism probably does have things to say about &amp;quot;anger&amp;quot;: but maybe not that. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I had to make sense of it I'd guess it's saying that anger is unpleasant and thus a kind of punishment (the consequences of angry behaviour might not be good either).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, anger might be associated with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;aversion&lt;/a&gt; and perhaps with an unwise view of 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Bodhipaksa one of the earliest versions of this quote (from a non-Buddhist source) is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They teach that he who hates shall be hated, and that the one who gets angry shall be punished by anger, and that all sin is punished by it and not for it. This is correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess this might also be Christian-like in origin, e.g. it reminds me of the aphorism, &amp;quot;He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another original version of the quote is from a book about the Hindu (non-Buddhist) &lt;em&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even more intriguing to me is the karma of our health. Again, let me illustrate one or two kinds of connection. For one, the Buddha says that we are not punished for our anger, we are punished by our anger. In other words, anger is its own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note the absence of quotation marks. Eknath is not quoting the Buddha, but paraphrasing his teachings on anger and karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's talking about, trying to say something about, karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That (karma) &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; something which the Buddha will have talked about; however starting here from a fake quote (a mis-quote) about anger probably isn't the easiest start to explaining karma, a difficult subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T15:05:33.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13929" CreationDate="2016-02-06T17:01:54.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Body feels like crying is good. This means your body-heart connection is not numb, you feel things. This is good, people spend years breaking through the barrier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several things you can try are: (not necessarily Buddhist but from the eastern yogic practices)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tai-chi style dancing improvisation. Turn on some low tempo music, close your eyes and move how you feel. This will help you reconnect your deeper layers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tapping. With soft fists or hard fingers tap like the King Kong, lower abdomen, solar plexus, chest, head. This will help relieve habitual psychosomatic tensions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;slow bowing aka full prostrations. Something like on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTk929t3oFE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt;. This is a universal stretching / balancing / syncing the body-mind exercise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;spend enough time in the nature regularly. Spend time doing nothing in particular at a place where there is healthy vegetation and moving water. This will help you reconnect with the spirit of life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;try incense. I recommend Tibetan incense or the good old sage.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hugging. Find a buddy to hug with, to stay healthy we need ~6 hugs a day.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then of course there is actual meditation when you sit and stare at your feelings and stare and stare and stare until you &lt;em&gt;see&lt;/em&gt; ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T17:01:54.143" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T17:30:54.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regardless of the quote's authenticity, It sounds authentic to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It just means there is no punishment for anything. Karma is just cause and effect. No one is to blame by anyone but our own actions punish us as we do them. I know I can kind of feel the punishment when I get all angry and especially after I calm down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T14:29:46.927" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T14:29:46.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T17:38:55.910" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The leading verse of the Dhammapada says (in, say, the P. Lal translation),&quot;We are what we think, having become what we thought. Like the wheel that follows the cart pulling ox, sorrow follows an evil thought. And joy follows a pure thought like a shadow faithfully tailing a man. We are what we think, having become what we though.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably I have misquoted a bit as I am reciting from memory, but I think anger can be equated as an &quot;evil thought&quot; in this context--.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7749" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T17:38:55.910" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T17:45:36.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anger or hatred is one of the two main blinding affects (&quot;avarana-klesha&quot; - the other one being lust aka strong obsessive desire). When the mind is affected by anger it can't understand things properly, it confuses what's a wrong action and what's a proper action in this situation. So that's what we mean by saying that you are punished by your own anger or your own weakness for pleasure - that we go temporarily insane and do stupid things, and then suffer the consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T17:45:36.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13954" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-06T17:56:39.610" Score="1" ViewCount="732" Body="&lt;p&gt;On wikepedia is written that buddha-boy had in 2005 said that he was at the level of a rinpoche. He said that he will need six more years of meditation before he can become a Buddha. So in 2011 he could had become a buddha. But is he still /already living in the bush as a buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Bahadur_Bomjon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Bahadur_Bomjon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2020-01-05T18:17:26.613" Title="Has Ram Bahadur Bomjon already proclamed that he is a Buddha?" Tags="|personal-practice|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T18:51:02.163" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anything which is a byproduct of unconscious choice is Karma. If you are agitated mentally or emotionally you are unconscious. Therefore you accumulate Karma. Consequence of Karma accumulation is re-birth (pain and misery once again!!!) which is in itself a great punishment. If you are angry you are accumulating Karmas which will lead to re-birth. Karma theory is pretty much convoluted in West but in East you imbibe it as part of your upbringing.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger leads to various Heart ailments. It also effect your other organs. Lot of research has been done to establish effect of mental and emotional upheavals on health. That too can be taken as punishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T18:51:02.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5363" CreationDate="2016-02-06T19:04:38.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Number seven is very important number. Music has seven fundamental notes (vibrations), Light too has seven fundamental colors (rainbow colors), so does a human. In yogic tradition enlightenment is about opening up seven Chakras. It is also considered lucky in many countries. Therefore human evolution is a seven step journey in yogic traditions of India. Buddha was born in India/Nepal steeped in spiritual/yogic traditions. Walking seven steps is a metaphor which implies enlightenment (Nirvana) as the destiny of the boy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="24920" LastEditDate="2023-06-08T11:07:44.993" LastActivityDate="2023-06-08T11:07:44.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="13957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T20:13:34.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddha mean by this quote?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is no punishment for anger. It is the anger which will punish you&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means that when one is &lt;em&gt;identifying, attaching and taking ownership&lt;/em&gt; of phenomena, then one gets tossed around. If one simply notes them and observes them with objectivity they will arise and cease on their own accord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we interfer with phenomena they tend to get sticky and grow in size and intensity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher once likened this to picking up an ember from a bonfire. If you take the ember and hold it in your hand, you will get burned. But if you take the ember and lay it on the ground, it will glow for a while and then fade out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its the same with anger. If we identify with the anger by saying &amp;quot;I'm angry&amp;quot; we tend to suffer a lot more. Anger and all other phenomena are impersonal and do not belong to anyone. They arise and cease on their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go practice insight meditation and experience this for yourself. Only then you will truly know what the Buddha was talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T20:13:34.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T20:51:10.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peace to all....anger is the punishment for the lack of acceptance of that which cannot be controlled. Undeniably anger is a state that consumes understanding which leads to ignorance. And ignorance is not bliss....to simple? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7702" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T20:51:10.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-06T20:59:17.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very simple: he was saying there is no external god who will punish you, but the person or thing (ie a thief, the weather, your brother who hit you) you are angry at may not suffer at all, only you will. If someone steals from you, how will anger help the situation? Will it hurt the thief (unlikely). Will it bring back the stolen goods? (not necessarily) Will your anger change the fact that in life bad stuff just happens, and there is no reason for it and often no fix for it (of course not). Anger causes YOU agitation, so YOU suffer. Your anger doesn't hurt anyone else, as much as you may want it to!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7752" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T20:59:17.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13435" CreationDate="2016-02-06T22:03:38.377" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The paths beginning differs, yet the end is always the same....enlightenment. Yet enlightenment in all things leads to another path indeed...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7702" LastActivityDate="2016-02-06T22:03:38.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13933" CreationDate="2016-02-07T05:26:45.863" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Sankha has mentioned, the determining (votthapana) citta is functional (kiriya); it is not the result of kamma, nor does it create kamma. This is an important point, because if the reaction to an object was fixed according to kamma, then there could be no spiritual development (everything would be predetermined).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;self&quot; who decides how to react, the reaction arises naturally due to conditions. For example, consider the last time that you were confused about something... was there a conscious decision, &quot;I think that I will choose to be confused now!&quot; Of course not, confusion arose naturally. Just as confusion arises naturally, other reactions arise naturally as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From an Abhidhamma perspective, the primary conditions that influence the votthapana citta and determine the nature of the subsequent javana cittas are object-predominance-condition (arammanadhipati-paccaya) and natural-decisive-support-condition (pakatupanissaya-paccaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple English, object-predominance-condition means that some objects are naturally going to elicit a strong reaction of a certain type. Natural-decisive-support-condition means that &quot;past strong&quot; experiences naturally condition a reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at the natural-decisive-support-condition in a bit more detail. If I have a daily routine that involves metta meditation, this repetition creates &quot;past strong&quot; experiences that will cause the mind to naturally react with metta when facing a new situation. If I had a really bad day at work, these &quot;past strong&quot; experiences may cause the mind to naturally react negatively when I get home. If I had a traumatic experience of drowning (or almost drowning) in my past life, this &quot;past strong&quot; experiences may cause the mind to naturally react with fear when in a boat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Natural-decisive-support-condition explains that the mind cannot be controlled, but it can be trained (just as a puppy dog cannot be controlled, but it can be trained). If you want to develop yourself spiritually, train the mind through repetition and make the training stick through strong volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we approach our spiritual development as a gradual training exercise, we then know that it requires lots of energy, lots of repetition, lots of patience and that it takes time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to train yourself to play the piano well, you can’t spend just a few minutes on it from time to time. You have to commit to regular practice, energy, repetition, patience and time. The training associated with spiritual development requires a similar commitment, but the rewards are much greater than becoming a skilled pianist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The literal translation of the precepts are &quot;rules of training&quot;. Think about the implications of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T05:26:45.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13947" CreationDate="2016-02-07T06:46:41.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As someone who has learned (after experiencing huge violence at the hands of others) to let go of anger, to forgive not only others but myself, it became clear that anger is a destructive and toxic energy that can only harm.  the saying &quot;help ever, harm never&quot; is to be taken to heart in how we treat ourselves and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a native american story regarding this philosophy wherein an elder tells a child, &quot;there is a battle in my heart between two wolves; a wolf who is anger and fear, and a wolf who is compassion and love.&quot; the child asks, &quot;which wolf will win?&quot; to which the elder replies, &quot;the one I feed.&quot;  (&lt;a href=&quot;https://vimeo.com/152432001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://vimeo.com/152432001&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two more quotes from The Buddha regarding anger: &quot;holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die,&quot; and, &quot;let go of anger, let go of pride.  when you are bound by nothing, you go beyond sorrow.&quot;  one way to begin this is through mindfulness, simply acknowledge your negative emotions (anger, jealously, fear) instead of feeding or fighting them.  look at them as cars of a train, watch them go by.  this process takes practice, but will give you the gift of freedom.  i am still practicing...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7755" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-07T15:56:40.837" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T15:56:40.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13965" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13969" CreationDate="2016-02-07T11:27:40.883" Score="5" ViewCount="392" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most things that we read about in Buddhism describe aspects of the conditioned world: Three Marks of Existence, The Skandhas, The Hindrances, Defilements, and the practice to overcome these and gain insight into the true nature of reality and enter the unborn to gain final freedom from the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to read about the unborn: what it is, how/why conditioned existence comes into being (perhaps from the unborn?), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is one of the things which the Buddha left unanswered, but did he describe it indirectly perhaps? Are there descriptions in the sutras (from any school of Buddhism) about the unborn/deathless state? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-22T19:38:06.747" LastActivityDate="2018-07-22T19:38:06.747" Title="Are there any descriptions of the deathless/unborn in any tradition of Buddhism?" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13965" CreationDate="2016-02-07T13:55:26.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhammattha Sangaha&lt;/a&gt; Sections on Supramundane Consciousness, Realisation of Nibbana, Rootless Consciousness, Nirodha Samapatti, Realization, Emancipation and Attainments cover aspects of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few book which is based on this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, Bhikkhu Bodhi, general editor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fundamental Abhidhamma, Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handbook of Abhidhamma Studies by Sayadaw U Sīlānanda&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can consult them for further details. Also look directly at the source, viz., The Abhidhamma Pitaka which is available for from &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidhamma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://abhidhamma.com/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T13:55:26.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13829" CreationDate="2016-02-07T16:37:01.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;could it be a result of previous lifetime good or bad karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every thing happening in this universe is not due to Karma. Karma is only one out of five reasons (Five Niyama). more can be found from below link.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Niyamas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7759" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T16:37:01.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13954" CreationDate="2016-02-07T18:14:53.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's possible for someone to attain the Noble Fruits (Streamentry, Oncereturn, Nonreturn, Arahant) but not SammaSamBuddha (Fully Enlightened One) when the Dispensation still exists. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Bahudhatuka_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is impossible that two rightfully Enlightened Ones should be born in the same world element at one and same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Bodhi's note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's impossible that two Fully Enlightened Ones could arise contemporaneously in one world system: from the time a bodhisatta takes his final conception in his mother's womb until his Dispensation has completely disappeared. Detail at Miln 236-39.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T18:14:53.083" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13965" CreationDate="2016-02-07T18:15:18.840" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that in the Pali suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;The deathless&quot; is a synonym for nibanna (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10927/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samsara is conditioned and has no construable beginning (which, I think, means 'perpetual' but 'without an original creator')&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nibanna is (in contrast) unconditioned&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think there is (I don't know of any) doctrine which explains how/why conditioned existence comes into being from the unborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a theory of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; which explains how one thing leads to another, i.e. how samsara is perpetuated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think that Buddhism is seen as a way to escape from (to be liberated from) samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of Siva, I've noticed that &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; (timeless) is given as one of the attributes of Dharma. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kali&lt;/a&gt; is a (Hindu) goddess of Time, consort of Siva, and associated with (among other things) Destruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, conversely, perhaps it makes sense that that which is &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; is associated with what's Deathless (and Unborn).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding of it in conventional terms is that &quot;Born&quot; means that 'it' comes into existence as a result of conditions, and Death means that it stops existing in the same way (see e.g. this essay, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_43.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anicca Vata Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi) -- and thus, 'it' is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely the Unborn and the Deathless is not impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In its description of the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra, &lt;em&gt;The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; claims,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Th nirvana of the arhat is said to be merely the absence of the afflictions (KLESA) but with no awareness of the buddhadhatu. The nirvana of the Buddha is instead eternal, pure, blissful, and endowed with self, a primordially existent reality that is only temporarily obscure by the klesa; when that nirvana and buddhadhattu are finally &quot;recognised,&quot; buddhahood is then achieved. The Buddha reveals the existence of this nirvana to boddhisatvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally it also says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To assert there is no self is to misunderstand the true dhamma. The doctrine of emptiness (SUNYATA) this comes to mean the absence of that which is compounded, suffering, impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you're looking for doctrine about the &quot;unborn&quot; as something other than an absence of defilement, something with a self-existence, then you might want to be looking into later Buddhist doctrines, for example to do with Buddha-nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shabkar.org/download/pdf/Mahaparinirvana_Sutra_Yamamoto_Page_2007.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra&lt;/a&gt; there's a lot of talk about Self, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kasyapa said to the Buddha: &quot;O World-Honoured One! Is there Self in the 25 existences or&#xA;  not?&quot; The Buddha said: &quot;O good man! &quot;Self&quot; means &quot;Tathagatagarbha&quot; [Buddha-Womb,&#xA;  Buddha-Embryo, Buddha-Nature]. Every being has Buddha-Nature. This is the Self. Such Self&#xA;  has, from the very beginning, been under cover of innumerable defilements. That is why man&#xA;  cannot see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're asking &quot;what it is&quot;, which I think assumes that &quot;it is&quot;: i.e. that there is an 'it', which is existent. That existent 'it' I suppose might be Buddha-nature (which I think the Pali sutta describe more as a non-it: not-born, not-dying, trackless, unconditioned, not suffering, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so I'm not sure that it's right to talk about the unborn as a creator or source of conditioned existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from &quot;Buddha-nature&quot; there's another word from the later doctrine, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gatagarbha_s%C5%ABtras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tathāgatagarbha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tathāgatagarbha sūtras are a group of Mahayana sutras that present the concept of the &quot;womb&quot; or &quot;embryo&quot; (garbha) of the tathāgata, the buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calling it &quot;womb&quot; implies that maybe it's a creator of something, but I think that what it's said to be creating is Buddhahood rather than creating conditioned existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every sentient being has the possibility to attain Buddhahood because of the tathāgatagarbha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Tathagatagarbha.doc.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tathagata-garbha Sutra&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or, kulaputras, it is like a kernel of wheat that has not yet had its husk removed. Someone&#xA;  who is impoverished might foolishly disdain it, and consider it to be something that should&#xA;  be discarded. But when it is cleaned, the kernel can always be used. In like fashion, good&#xA;  sons, when I observe beings with my Buddha cakshur, I see that the husk of kleshas covers&#xA;  their limitless Tathagata vision. So with appropriate upayas I expound the Dharma, to enable&#xA;  them to remove those kleshas, purify their jnana paramita (tenth bodhisattva stage) and to&#xA;  attain in all worlds the anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or, kulaputras, it is like the genuine gold that has fallen into a pit of waste and been&#xA;  submerged and not seen for years. The pure gold does not decay, yet no one knows that it is&#xA;  there. But suppose there came along someone with supernatural vision, who told people,&#xA;  'Within the impure waste there is a genuine gold trinket. You should get it out and do with it&#xA;  as you please.' Similarly, kulaputras, the impure waste is your innumerable klesha. The&#xA;  genuine gold trinket is your tathagatagarbha. For this reason, the Tathagata widely expounds&#xA;  the Dharma to enable all beings to destroy their kleshas, attain correct perfect enlightment&#xA;  and perform Buddha deeds.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I don't know of a doctrine which says that the conditioned comes into existence because of the unborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anything perhaps it's the reverse, e.g. there's the image of the (pure) lotus which grows out of the (impure) mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so, attaining the unborn might change the way in which you see conditioned existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-07T18:15:18.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13970" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13979" CreationDate="2016-02-07T20:15:24.890" Score="4" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some traditions their philosophy says that concrete things don't really exist, only in the mind like just an experience. But is that vision important, or could just your relation to those things as if they don't exist be enough? In other words, is this philosophy just a way to concentrate on the spirit, instead of the outer world, or do they really mean this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-07T21:53:04.023" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:28:56.633" Title="Is it important that the reality of things doesn't exist, instead of just behaving like things don't exist?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13971" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-08T00:39:40.277" Score="3" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;A number of Suttas make very clear the practitioner's duty to his/her parents. Does the Pali Canon say anything about duty to siblings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T18:07:57.307" Title="Does the Pali Canon say anything about duty to siblings?" Tags="|philosophy|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-08T03:14:58.513" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't give a complete answer; but maybe an outline of an answer in note form. Please feel welcome to ask follow-up questions (using comments or separate questions) when you want any further details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've looked for, but I haven't been able find, information related to your question -- i.e. I haven't found Buddhist meditation teachers saying that they have experience of teaching people with psychosis (I have found teachers who said they don't have that experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know where you live or who you're in contact with: but I hope it might be worth your while to ask some 'professionals', for example asking ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your psychiatrists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Local meditation teachers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... whether they know any suitable meditation classes/programs, and/or teachers with that experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example I found this video, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zIKQCwDXsA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment, DP/DR &amp;amp; Falling Into the Pit of the Void&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is also known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the threefold training&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Virtue (morality)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind (concentration or meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Insight (wisdom)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Virtue (morality)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first of these is virtue/morality.  In Buddhism, morality might be summarized as &quot;harmlessness&quot; or (in slightly more detail), the &quot;five precepts&quot; which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid killing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid stealing (or &quot;taking what is not given&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid sexual misconduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid lying (or &quot;false speech&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid alcohol&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many benefits to keeping the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that &quot;keeping the precepts&quot; was the sum total of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13944/254&quot;&gt;Dean's answer&lt;/a&gt;, and it's not a bad answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta: What is the Purpose?&lt;/a&gt;, which begins with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... he said to the Blessed One: &quot;What is the purpose of skillful virtues?&#xA;  What is their reward?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda,&#xA;  and freedom from remorse as their reward.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the purpose of freedom from remorse? What is its reward?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Freedom from remorse has joy as its purpose, joy as its reward.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you read the whole thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point is that that skillful virtues, i.e. &quot;virtues&quot; or being harmless, which is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;, result in a &quot;lack of remorse&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience is that this is very, very important. Even if psychosis means that you can do nothing else, at least knowing the difference between right and wrong, and doing no wrong, will mean that you have no reason to feel remorse, no reason to 'feel bad' about yourself. It makes a world of difference to you and to those around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even if nothing else, do no harm: that's the beginning (of 'peace and happiness').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mind (concentration or meditation)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part of the training includes concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many, many types of concentration meditation. I'll mention two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathing meditation (&quot;mindfulness of breathing&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving-kindness meditation (called &quot;&lt;em&gt;metta bhavana&lt;/em&gt;&quot; in Pali, &lt;a href=&quot;http://satipatthana.ca/articles/06the_chant_metta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this chant&lt;/a&gt; is an example)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to &quot;concentrate&quot; might ultimately be developed into the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;jhanas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Jhana is a meditative state of profound stillness and concentration in which the mind becomes fully immersed and absorbed in the chosen object of attention. It is the cornerstone in the development of Right Concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this too is what you're looking for, when you're asking about how to attain &quot;peace and happiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people warn though that it's possible to get a little lost in &quot;concentration&quot; meditation, and that you ought to practice &quot;insight&quot; meditation. I think that's what's meant in the last paragraph of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13943/254&quot;&gt;Suminda's answer&lt;/a&gt; (&quot;excessive concentration is not advisable&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Insight (wisdom)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suminda advocates a form of meditation called &lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;. I think that the purpose of this form of meditation is to observe everything (including body, mind, feelings, and ideas) and to experience the fact that they're impermanent, that they come and go, arise and disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's connected with the so-called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four noble truths&lt;/a&gt;&quot; of Buddhism, including the 3rd truth i.e. &quot;cessation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll find more about &quot;Vipassana&quot; if you search for it (I won't try to explain it in this answer), and/or maybe you can find someone who teaches it in person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that one of the states-of-mind which people try to develop using Vipassana (or to put it more impersonally, a state of mind which is developed as a result of Vipassana) is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that too is related to the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say, &quot;how can I end my pain and fear&quot; but part of the point of Buddhism is that wanting something makes it worse; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I'm feeling pain and fear, and that's so bad, I wish it would stop, but it's not stopping, I don't know how to make it stop&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... compared with ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Oh that's an experience of a feeling, which in the past I used to label as 'pain and fear' ... there's the feeling ... oh, there's another feeling now, the previous feeling has gone (was impermanent, has ceased)&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that (equanimity, and knowledge of impermanence) is a result of insight or wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Love&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually equanimity is one of the four &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt; -- of which, the other three are various kinds of love (called &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; in Pali).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an essay&lt;/a&gt; about the Brahmaviharas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone like the Dalai Lama recommends these kinds of attitudes towards other people. Not only can it be a skillful way to behave with other people (it may be better to feel compassion than anger, for example), but caring about people means caring less about yourself, and/or caring about yourself in the same way that you care about other people. The Dalai Lama has said that he would feel &quot;imprisoned&quot; within himself if he only cared about himself, and that he prefers to see himself as &quot;like other people&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's why meditations like the &lt;em&gt;metta gatha&lt;/em&gt; include equally &quot;may I be free from suffering&quot; and &quot;may each and every other person be free from suffering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Psychosis&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The OP doesn't mention what the specific symptoms of psychosis are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some of them as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis#Signs_and_symptoms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;described in Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hallucinations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Delusions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thought disorders&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is some of what I know about these symptoms and some guesses about how Buddhist meditation might be able to help with them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hallucinations&lt;/strong&gt; might include the classic &quot;hearing voices&quot; which means &quot;hearing&quot; or perceiving a thought as if it were a voice. A simple example might be, you're waiting at a bus stop, and you hear a voice saying &quot;that bus isn't coming&quot; but there's no-one else there. So that &quot;voice&quot; was just a thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a mundane point of view, this might be a symptom to discuss with your psychiatrist. I take it you know that there are anti-psychotic drugs, that they're more-or-less effective, that they have unwanted side-effects, that there are many types of them, and that it's guess-work or trial-and-error to find a prescription that suits a specific patient. For some people, the right drugs can relieve symptoms such as hallucinations: so if you experience hallucinations that might be something to tell your psychiatrist, in case they're able to (more or less harmlessly) adjust your prescription.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist point of view, I'd like to suggest that as long as you're able to do no harm, then it doesn't matter. For example, hearing a voice is harmless, whereas hurting someone would be harmful. If you hear a voice but don't hurt people then you're doing very well (and I respect and admire you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, that may be connected with the &quot;virtue (morality)&quot; part of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delusions&lt;/strong&gt; might be, for example, paranoid (believing that others want to harm you), or grandiose (believing you have special power or skills).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To counteract paranoid beliefs, I guess that &lt;em&gt;metta bhavana&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;cultivation of loving-kindness&quot;) might be helpful. If you don't want to hurt others then they shouldn't want to hurt you. If you see others as suffering (or being freed from suffering) you're less likely to see yourself as suffering (or being persecuted).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To counteract grandiose beliefs, well, I guess I recommend &quot;virtue&quot; again. For example it's alright to see yourself as virtuous if you are virtuous, and alright to see yourself as helping people if at least you are not harming them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thought disorders&lt;/strong&gt; are difficult to talk about, because it means for example that your ability to understand words (speech and writing) is disorganized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may or may not help you to know that Buddhism identifies like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 links in the chain of existence&lt;/a&gt;, and that &quot;words&quot; are only one of these links (i.e. &lt;em&gt;sankharas&lt;/em&gt; or &quot;fabrications&quot;), and they're arguably the least important and/or the most easily misunderstood link. People tend to be deceived by their own &quot;fabrications&quot;. If you can't follow what they say then maybe you will be seen as disabled (and I think maybe you would be 'disabled', because it's typically better if you can say things that people understand) but it's not the end of the world: there are other aspects to reality (e.g. senses, consciousness, feeling, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's possible to communicate even when there are thought disorders, for example, by being kind to people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a story I remember of the Dalai Lama's meeting someone in the crowd who was disturbed, and holding his hand until he calmed down and found some peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, anti-psychotic drugs might be able to alleviate the symptom of &quot;thought disorders&quot;, which then makes other forms of communication (and/or healing, helping, employment) possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally it would be amiss to talk about Buddhism without mentioning friendship and community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Jewels&lt;/a&gt; of Buddhism is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangha&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sangha is a word in Pali and Sanskrit meaning &quot;association&quot;, &quot;assembly,&quot; &quot;company&quot; or &quot;community&quot; and most commonly refers in Buddhism to the monastic community of ordained Buddhist monks or nuns. This community is traditionally referred to as the bhikkhu-sangha or bhikkhuni-sangha. As a separate category, those who have attained any of the four stages of enlightenment, whether or not they are members of the bhikkhu-sangha or bhikkhuni-sangha, are referred to as the ariya-sangha or &quot;noble Sangha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related to that is the &quot;noble friend&quot;, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. I'll quote it in full:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Upaddha Sutta: Half (of the Holy Life)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the&#xA;  Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda&#xA;  went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the&#xA;  Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda&#xA;  said to the Blessed One, &quot;This is half of the holy life, lord:&#xA;  admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable&#xA;  camaraderie.&quot;[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship,&#xA;  admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole&#xA;  of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends,&#xA;  companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the&#xA;  noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions,&#xA;  &amp;amp; comrades, develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path? There is the&#xA;  case where a monk develops right view dependent on seclusion,&#xA;  dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in&#xA;  relinquishment. He develops right resolve... right speech... right&#xA;  action... right livelihood... right effort... right mindfulness...&#xA;  right concentration dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion,&#xA;  dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. This is how a&#xA;  monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; colleagues,&#xA;  develops &amp;amp; pursues the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And through this line of reasoning one may know how admirable&#xA;  friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually&#xA;  the whole of the holy life: It is in dependence on me as an admirable&#xA;  friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth,&#xA;  that beings subject to aging have gained release from aging, that&#xA;  beings subject to death have gained release from death, that beings&#xA;  subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair have gained&#xA;  release from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. It is&#xA;  through this line of reasoning that one may know how admirable&#xA;  friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually&#xA;  the whole of the holy life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Notes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;As AN 8.54 points out, this means not only associating with good people, but also learning from them and emulating their good&#xA;  qualities.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that suggests another way to &quot;end my pain and fear, and get peace and happiness&quot;: i.e. have a friend, have several friends, be a friend, seek and be with friendly (harmless) people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalyāṇa-mittatā&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4066/254&quot;&gt;Friend who is the same in happiness and sorrow&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T03:14:58.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13970" CreationDate="2016-02-08T05:59:02.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever that exist outside we experience through our sense doors and paint a picture in our minds. This metal model we construct will not exactly correspond to what is outside will not the exactly the same from person to person depending on many factors like cognitive ability, sharpness of senses, etc. Hence that we know about the world is not perfectly in touch with reality and not always exist as we expect it to be. So it would be safe to say that anything we perceive as such does not exist in such a form that we perceive or expect it to be in. Also our outlook of the world is mentally constructed and does not exist in any form we expect or think it to be in. Also we have no ability to exactly know what exactly the world is as we are limited by cognitive ability and or faculties. So we will never know the world as it is, perhaps unless you become a Buddha as only Buddha can see all phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T05:59:02.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13974" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="13978" CreationDate="2016-02-08T06:29:24.157" Score="3" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;I consider myself new to being a Buddhist. I've been practicing mindfulness for the past two and a half years . Most of what I have learned and what seems practical are teaching from books written by Thich nhat hanh . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've had much success dealing with anxiety. Lately though I've been unable calm my anger and it seems to be getting worst not better. No matter how much I focus on breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I live near Vancouver BC, Canada. How do I find other Buddhists or teachers for support? Something in line with Thich nhat hanh's books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7762" LastEditorUserId="7762" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T06:46:39.863" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T18:37:30.510" Title="Mindful meditation, problems with anger. Where do I find other Buddhist for learning support?" Tags="|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2016-02-08T06:32:35.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think if you have enough contact with reality to be able to post on here, you have everything necessary to develop insight into the true nature of reality. By having faith in the teachings and meditating on the four dharma seals, there is no doubt you can benefit yourself and others greatly in this life you have. Don't squander your human birth -- it is precious and rare to obtain. Even with impairments, you still have a capacity infinitely more potent than that of an animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T06:32:35.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13971" CreationDate="2016-02-08T06:51:12.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes in several places Pali Canon says to help one's relatives such as parents. In the Mangala Sutta in one stanza says to support mother, father and cherish wife and children while in another stanza says to help the relatives. So relatives should include siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;To be generous in giving, to be righteous in conduct,[11] to help one's relatives, and to be blameless in action — this is the greatest blessing&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.5.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.5.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I am unable provide any other exact instances, there can be other instances too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T06:51:12.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13974" CreationDate="2016-02-08T08:56:48.750" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 2 components to this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the 1st case that made you angry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what kept you rolling in anger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially when some unwanted thing happens you get angry. The subject of anger can be towards a person of situation you are in. The 1st the initial experience cases your 1st unpleasantness (i.e., you get angry) and then subsequently through proliferation or thinking and pondering on the experience, how you could have handled it, how you would retaliate, etc. keep you in misery or sustains the unpleasantness (in this case your anger).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are angry or unpleasant due to what someone has done then you keep rolling in anger when you think &quot;&lt;em&gt;x&lt;/em&gt; did &lt;em&gt;y&lt;/em&gt; to me&quot;. Here you have a notion of a doer and you the receiver or experiencer or some other association. When it is a situation you still may have the self identification as experiencer or receiver or some other association with the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this can be due to your Karma and also the experience of what was done maybe in the past. Dwelling on this makes anger into feud if it is to do with a person. Contemplating this as past Karma, disidentification of the action from the identity of self as oneself and the other person or people, contemplating that situation will not last for even and subjected to change, also contemplating that there is no entry who did this and no entity who experienced this and whoever perceive has the doer has changed and no more and whoever you perceive as the experiencer has also changed and no more, etc. can help reduce this. Here the remedy is at rectifying the perceptional or the view which cases anger to arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a more advance stage you can contemplate on the sensation this bring. You have a Perceived ideal as in how you should be treated or an ideal situation you should be in which what you experience deviates from then this results in unpleasantness. Similarly for when a pleasant situation or treatment changes and finally when you are in a situation or treatment which you do not evaluate positively or negative hence which is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Though this you study the full sphere of sensation (vedana) or unsatisfactoriness (dukkha). This is more or a permanent solution whereby you eradicate the roots which case this type of unpleasantness and your bondage to becoming which can cause future experiences of such nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is easy said than done for and also influenced by personal temperament.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T09:03:26.533" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T09:03:26.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13974" CreationDate="2016-02-08T10:14:29.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In an answer to another question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2349/254&quot;&gt;Buddhist Centres in Paris?&lt;/a&gt;, Andrei said that he&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;had success with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt; when looking for local communities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a link to all its &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&amp;amp;search=Search&amp;amp;country_id=1&amp;amp;province_id=10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;search results for British Columbia&lt;/a&gt; (about 100 results), which you can filter etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh is I suppose Mahayana, more specifically Vietnamese Zen. Among the search results is a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mindfulnessvancouver.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness Practice Centre&lt;/a&gt;&quot; in Vancouver which says that its &quot;spiritual director&quot; is Thich Nhat Hanh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their web site says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We practice in the tradition of Zen Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. We are peer-facilitated and volunteer run, without a formal teacher or leader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still that might be a good place to start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T10:14:29.660" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13970" CreationDate="2016-02-08T10:54:51.653" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But is that vision important, or could just your relation to those things as if they don't exist be enough?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like the description of the &quot;South Indian Monkey Trap&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The parable is that one way to trap a monkey is to put some food (a nut or a banana) in a narrow-necked jar. If a monkey comes, it reaches into the jar, and grasps the food in its fist. Now that they've made a fist with food in it, their hand is now too big to remove from the narrow-necked jar. So the monkey is stuck in the jar. The villagers are coming. What general advice can you give the monkey?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, some general advice might be that you have to re-evaluate the importance of grasping the food. Is that grasping food more important than freedom, for example, more important than letting go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another bit of advice is that you might be panicking about people coming to get you, but if you pay attention to the sensations in your body, maybe sensations in your hand or wrist, is there anything you could learn from that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching isn't entirely that &quot;concrete things don't exist&quot;, it's that our ideas about things are a result of a mixture of different things: including sensation, contact, consciousness, and attachment/grasping -- and the 'importance' that we place on something might be unwisely disproportionate to whatever values or properties may be inherent in the &quot;concrete thing&quot; itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In other words, is this philosophy just a way to concentrate on the spirit, instead of the outer world, or do they really mean this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure where there is &quot;the spirit&quot; as such. That might be an idea (about 'soul') that's slightly absent from Buddhism, though some traditions do talk about a Buddha-nature which might be similar to 'spirit'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be better (or more usual) to say 'mind' instead of 'spirit'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still you mentioned &quot;in some traditions&quot;: so maybe you'd be interested in this topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13790/254&quot;&gt;Do Cittamatra / Yogacara explicitly refute the existence of an external world?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:17:12.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13904" CreationDate="2016-02-08T11:21:35.687" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An outstanding and patient explaining, by Ven. Ajahn Thanissaro:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The middles of the middle way that lie on a continuum are those&#xA;  related to the practice of moderation. Those that lie off any&#xA;  continuum are related to the practice of appropriate attention.&#xA;  Although these two practices focus on different aspects of the path,&#xA;  they have one important feature in common. They both avoid the&#xA;  extremes of commitment to pain and to sensual pleasure, not by&#xA;  avoiding pain and pleasure, but by using pain and pleasure as tools,&#xA;  whenever appropriate, to help the mind abandon its unskillful&#xA;  qualities.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Middles of the Middle Way&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:21:35.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13970" CreationDate="2016-02-08T11:28:56.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I will teach you the All. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta: The All&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:28:56.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13974" CreationDate="2016-02-08T11:44:30.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since giving is the first step to be able to understand Dhamma, maybe you like to scarify some time and simply visit a monastery where people are practicing and not just making business with teachings. That means a monastery where are monks who stick to Vinaya and are serious to practice the path for them selves in first place. Do not look for Buddhists, and something in line with Thich nhat hanh can not teach the abounding of aversion, since it teachers the twin brother. You might do oppressing training and just wait to find even a bigger disaster at least, this life or later. Just a short good advice from the Buddha in this Question regard of anger: &quot;There are these ten ways of subduing hatred. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.080.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Which ten&lt;/a&gt;?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T11:44:30.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13913" CreationDate="2016-02-08T14:05:03.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to recommend a great book:&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness in Plain English&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I learned that it is good to practice various types of meditation until you are quite comfortable with them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, a normal meditation session could start with Loving Kindness meditation, followed by Samadhi until you get a good concentration, then continue with Vipassana (to see the 3 marks of existence). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7764" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T14:14:00.853" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T14:14:00.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13974" CreationDate="2016-02-08T17:59:23.903" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all here is a place for you to go and learn Buddhism. You will find good friends there. This is the monastery where i learned from and that's why i mentioned it so as it might be a bit far away use the Web Site mentioned and it will help you immensely.(I learned most of what i know from the site too, so i'm sure you will learn a lot of things.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery and Buddha Meditation&#xA;Centre of Greater Toronto&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Address - 11175 Kennedy Rd, Markham, ON L6C 1P2, Canada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phone:+1 905-927-7117&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Website : mahamevnawa.ca&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets see what is wrong with your efforts....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety,Anger,Hate,Pressure all are generated from something called &amp;quot;Patigha&amp;quot;. The proper English translation would be &amp;quot;Colliding with thoughts&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets see what it is all about and how to fix it......&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Patigha&amp;quot; Or colliding with thoughts happen because of one reason and that is the willingness to accept Aggressive thoughts. When you accept Angry or violent thoughts what happens is very simple, Your Mind start to react to it. What it does is feeding more emotions and thoughts that goes along with the  Aggression that already exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This causes you to feel angry and then you are anxious Eventually you are frustrated. This situation is completely normal and it is very simple to fix.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets see how to fix the issue....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger has a way of becoming a big cloud that shadows a persons judgement. Before you know it the anger that you had for something or for someone turns into hating yourself and sooner it turns into an anger towards the world. This turns a person into a dull angry one and ironically that very person start to get attached to that anger even though he knows it makes him miserable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This happens because of his mind actually reacting to aggression time and time again and eventually getting attached to feeling aggressive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are the solutions that has been mentioned in Buddhism....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha mentioned a direct cure for Aggression and it is called &amp;quot;Meththa&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a Link to Meththa Meditation (Audio file- Click on the link below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/11_Mettha_Bhavana3.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meththa Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving kindness Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice these and in a short time you will feel better. Every time you feel anxious or angry start doing this meditation. This does not require you to sit down in a position, you can do this meditation while doing anything that you do. Anger can only be overcome by Kindness &amp;amp; Anxiety can only be overcome by calmness, That's why we are doing this meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a Link on Mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/.../mindfulness-correct-observation-of.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness : Correct observation of thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also watch -&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/2015/12/self-hatred.html?view=timeslide&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;self-hatred&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/.../the-karaniya-meththa-sutta-teaching-of.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meththa sutra&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/2016/01/ptsd-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Trauma &amp;amp; Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/2016/01/useful-meditation-practices.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Useful Meditation practices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Video Links are from - Dhammasith.blogspot.com&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T18:37:30.510" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13971" CreationDate="2016-02-08T18:07:57.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha had given such advice to householders on several occasions. Here are the suttas....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Buddha's Advice to Sigalaka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta: Blessings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T18:07:57.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13986" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-08T18:08:08.037" Score="2" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the 12 nidanas, perception ultimately arises out of ignorance. How can an arahant or the Buddha still experience sense contact when all ignorance is abandoned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T22:28:42.697" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T20:52:20.453" Title="How can an arahant still perceive without ignorance?" Tags="|nidanas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13987" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-08T18:31:52.413" Score="1" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read several different conflicting pieces of information about geshe degrees.  I assumed geshe is a rank given at the end of study.  But, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geshe#Conferral_of_the_Degree&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;according to Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the conclusion [of their studies] the abbot assigns each candidate to a category of geshe according to his ability. There are four such categories, Dorampa, Lingtse, Tsorampa and Lharampa, Lharampa being the highest. After this, in order to qualify, the geshe candidates are not allowed to miss even one of the three daily debate sessions during the subsequent eight months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this mean that one can first get a dorampa and then a lingtse later, similar to how lay people earn a bachelors and then a masters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7767" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T19:45:14.193" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T14:19:39.567" Title="Do geshe degrees change over time?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13988" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-08T18:33:29.853" Score="3" ViewCount="94" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have an explanation as to how Buddha explains the reasons as to why are beings born? What is the reason for birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T23:17:13.733" Title="Why are beings born?" Tags="|rebirth|birth-stories|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13989" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-08T20:04:41.190" Score="1" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;The essay &lt;em&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/em&gt; includes the following definitions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch6.14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maturity Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Immediately afterwards, a type of knowledge manifests itself that, as it were, falls for the first time into Nibbana, which is void of formations (conditioned phenomena) since it is the cessation of them. This knowledge is called &quot;maturity knowledge.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch7.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Path Knowledge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is followed immediately by knowledge that abides in that same Nibbana, which is void of formations since it is the cessation of them. This is called &quot;path knowledge.&quot;[43] It is also called &quot;purification by knowledge and vision.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the first paragraph, does “which is void of formations (conditioned phenomena) since it is the cessation of them” refer to nibbana, or does it refer to the knowledge that abides in nibbana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="70" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-08T20:14:51.630" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T08:57:57.543" Title="Does &quot;which is void of formations (conditioned phenomena) since it is the cessation of them&quot; refer to nibbana or the knowledge that abides in nibbana?" Tags="|nirvana|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13988" CreationDate="2016-02-08T23:17:13.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no reason why &quot;beings(sattānaṃ)&quot; are born, there is causal for for it.  and causal for birth (jati) is Existence (bhava).  This is from dependent  origination or Transcendental Dependent Arising (pali - Pratītyasamutpāda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please make sure you understand the word &quot;being&quot; as per Buddha.  beings or sattānaṃ is a difficult term to understand.  (&quot;being&quot; is not the same as permanent soul).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;recommendation for further study&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-08T23:17:13.733" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13929" CreationDate="2016-02-09T05:25:20.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might find somatic (in the body/sensations) meditation helpful since you have the feeling of grief so strongly in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This form of meditation deals directly with the sensations in the body and bypasses the thinking left brain. Observing the sensations, working with, and finding the right context to process them, might help find release from the stress you are experiencing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reginald Ray (he is from the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche) teaches Somatic Buddhist meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's his website: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaocean.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma Ocean&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll also link to two articles by him, which you might find helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaocean.org/meditation/somatic-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is Somatic Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.healing-waters.co.uk/reflections-on-the-somatic-foundations-of-meditation-by-reginald-a-ray/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reflections on the Somatic Foundations of Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-09T05:36:35.293" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T05:36:35.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13993" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-09T07:15:00.927" Score="-2" ViewCount="2564" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why did Buddhist start making idols of Buddha a few hundred years after Buddha died, even though Buddha himself said Idol worship was one of the biggest scourges of humanity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7770" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T08:57:41.253" Title="Didn't Buddha Say The Biggest Fault Of Humanity Was Idol Worship" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13989" CreationDate="2016-02-09T08:48:55.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The roots (greed, hatred, delusion, non greed, non hatred, non delusion) creates conditioned fabricated state. When the root condition passes away so does what was fabricated. The root conditions are impermanent hence is the result. Each root condition and the result is tied with sensation which are unsatisfactory they neither last or in control of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do Vipassana and keep eliminating to roots a stage will come where there is no more results of past conditioning nor is you mind creating new conditioning. At this state you experience the 1st glimpse of Nirvana. As the root and result is tied to sensation what you experience as Nirvana does not have any sensation hence is satisfactory (not unsatisfactory) and since not dependent on an impermanent root it is permanent though still it is not not in ones control (you cannot bestore it on someone else nor can you realise it by will or wish).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-09T08:57:57.543" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T08:57:57.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13993" CreationDate="2016-02-09T08:54:17.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Idols were created &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanishka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kanishka&lt;/a&gt;'s time. This was used as a tool to develop faith by worship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;even though Buddha himself said Idol worship was one of the biggest scourges of humanity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not thinks there is any reference to this in the Tripitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T08:54:17.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13620" CreationDate="2016-02-09T13:53:51.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very partial answer because I can provide no textual reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Differences between mantras of the same deity are of two types:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In terms of length (short version / long version)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In terms of category&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance: Vajrasattva has (1) a short mantra, (2) a long mantra, and (3) a mantra associated with its wratful aspect, that is another category, such as 'Heruka Vajrasattva'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, there is no objection for practitioners who received an initiation to recite both short and long version of a mantra of the same deity. As to reciting the mantra of another category/aspect of that same deity (in the given example, that of Heruka Vajrasattva), you must ask your teacher. In Kopan monastery - and so Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche - they do allow one to recite Heruka to those who took just Vajrasattva. If you are not a student of his, ask your own teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T13:53:51.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13993" CreationDate="2016-02-09T17:15:44.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;from my study, i recall Buddha allowed Buddhists to build &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Stupa&lt;/a&gt; as memorial.  And those who deserve memorials are Buddhas,Private (self) Buddhas, Buddha's disciples, and &quot;wheel Turning Monarch&quot; (a man who righteously rules the entire world&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T17:15:44.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13993" CreationDate="2016-02-09T19:09:53.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;to the best of my familiarity with the Canon, outside of clear instructions for laity regarding 3 ways of skillful bodily action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;no killing&#xA;no stealing&#xA;no sexual misconduct&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 ways of skillful verbal action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;no lying&#xA;no divisive speech&#xA;no harsh speech&#xA;no idle chatter&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and 3 ways of skillful mental action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;no covetousness&#xA;no ill-will&#xA;no wrong views&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;expounded in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.094.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cunda sutta (AN 10.176)&lt;/a&gt; in particular&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Buddha was rarely categorical about dos and don'ts, being rather a proponent of analytic approach, whos apt expression is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.094.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajjiya sutta (AN 10.94)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't say that all observances should be observed, nor do I day that all observances should not be observed...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, when an observance is observed, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities wane, then I tell you that that sort of observance is not to be observed. But if, when an observance is observed, unskillful qualities wane and skillful qualities grow, then I tell you that that sort of observance is to be observed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;leaving it to our own discretion and judgement to decide what should and should not be done, necessary and unnecessary, useful and useless for our own good&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;going back to the Cunda sutta (AN 10.176)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These, Cunda, are the ten courses of skillful action. When a person is endowed with these ten courses of skillful action, then even if he gets up at the proper time from his bed and touches the earth, he is still pure. If he doesn't touch the earth, he is still pure. If he touches wet cow dung, he is still pure. If he doesn't touch wet cow dung, he is still pure.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Why is that? Because these ten courses of skillful action are pure and cause purity. Furthermore, as a result of being endowed with these ten courses of skillful action, [rebirth among] the devas is declared, [rebirth among] human beings is declared — that or any other good destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so in continuation of Buddha's line of exhortation it can be said that when a person is endowed with the 10 courses of skillful action, then if they don't worship idols, they're pure, and if they do worship idols they're still pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T08:57:41.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="13999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13993" CreationDate="2016-02-09T21:52:46.540" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From personal experience as a chaplain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found that when one worships the idol, and not the idea of that symbol, that is when the scourge to humanity issue arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very much like mistaking the finger, when it is pointing at the moon, to be the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7774" LastActivityDate="2016-02-09T21:52:46.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13799" CreationDate="2016-02-10T01:04:25.977" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes...it does, yet the probability of seeing this depends on you and not the Ones who can achieve such feats. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7702" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T01:04:25.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13913" CreationDate="2016-02-10T12:32:04.553" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should one practice vipassana every day in a formal sitting? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, you should practice Vipassana in all of your postures. Formally, there are four meditation postures (sitting/walking/standing/lying).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more about postures here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/postures-for-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Postures for Meditation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If so, how long should it be compared to samatha meditation, should it be practiced right before/after (not asking which comes first!) samatha or at anytime during the day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha and Vipassana are totally different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to watch this: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en-GB&amp;amp;gl=SG&amp;amp;v=GDDY4gOexVA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Samatha and Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/retreat/instructions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana Instructions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-10T15:09:14.483" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T15:09:14.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14003" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-10T17:06:28.403" Score="2" ViewCount="632" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm working on a radio history of vegetarianism and featuring a dramatisation of the story of General Siha in the Mahavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka because it shows the difference between Jain (there called Niganthas - &quot;tieless ones&quot;) and classical Theravada Buddhist attitudes to meat-eating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a nineteenth century translation on archive.org. The story begins with the first sentence on the page:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft#page/324/mode/2up&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft#page/324/mode/2up&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story is told as if it vindicates the Buddha of the Jains angry accusations of himsa. But that seems flawed to me. General Siha himself - as a recent convert from Jainism (the 'Niganthas') - wouldn't have had any meat to hand in the first place if not for (in the Pali canon account) Gautama's influence. And grounds for suspicion had literally been shouted through the streets, albeit by a rival sect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to make sure that I accurately reflect the Theravada understanding of the story, but I can't find it anywhere. How is Gautama the wise sramana vindicated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7780" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T02:34:15.543" Title="How does the story of General Siha's Meal for the Buddha at Vaisali vindicate the Buddha?" Tags="|ethics|pali-canon|jainism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14003" CreationDate="2016-02-10T17:25:30.133" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a version of the story as told by Ajahn Brahmavamso (&amp;quot;a British Theravada Buddhist monk&amp;quot;), in an an essay titled, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut034.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What the Buddha said about eating meat&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once, a rich and influential general by the name of Siha (meaning 'Lion') went to visit the Buddha. Siha had been a famous lay supporter of the Jain monks but he was so impressed and inspired by the Teachings he heard from the Buddha that he took refuge in the Triple Gem (i.e. he became a Buddhist). General Siha then invited the Buddha, together with the large number of monks accompanying Him, to a meal at his house in the city the following morning. In preparation for the meal, Siha told one of his servants to buy some meat from the market for the feast. When the Jain monks heard of their erstwhile patron's conversion to Buddhism and the meal that he was preparing for the Buddha and the monks, they were somewhat peeved:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now at the time many Niganthas (Jain monks), waving their arms, were moaning from carriage road to carriage road, from cross road to cross road in the city: 'Today a fat beast, killed by Siha the general, is made into a meal for the recluse Gotama (the Buddha), the recluse Gotama makes use of this meat knowing that it was killed on purpose for him, that the deed was done for his sake'...&amp;quot; [1].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siha was making the ethical distinction between buying meat already prepared for sale and ordering a certain animal to be killed, a distinction which is not obvious to many westerners but which recurs throughout the Buddha's own teachings. Then, to clarify the position on meat eating to the monks, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, I allow you fish and meat that are quite pure in three respects: if they are not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk. But, you should not knowingly make use of meat killed on purpose for you.&amp;quot; [2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many places in the Buddhist scriptures which tell of the Buddha and his monks being offered meat and eating it. One of the most interesting of these passages occurs etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that answers your questions: I think it's basically that meat was bought from the market, instead of animals &amp;quot;killed on purpose for him&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could probably find more references to the story using this Google search: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=vinaya%20siha%20meat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vinaya siha meat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#meat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this explanation of meat-eating&lt;/a&gt;, in &lt;em&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules —&#xA;A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another explanation I read (I don't remember where, at the moment) is that the Buddha wanted monks to be easy for the laity to support: i.e. not too demanding/fussy about what kind of food they will accept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T20:49:36.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14003" CreationDate="2016-02-10T19:43:58.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to complement Chris' response, the sutta which i think is the final authority with regard to Buddha's position on meat consumption is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasara.webs.com/JivakaSutta.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jivaka sutta (MN 55)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-02-10T19:43:58.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13965" CreationDate="2016-02-11T02:16:26.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/d_heed.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; includes the following verse&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heedfulness is the Deathless path,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  heedlessness, the path to death.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Those who are heedful do not die,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  heedless are like the dead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali, deathless is called &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://palidictionary.appspot.com/browse/a/amara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Amara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also called A-mara, free from the Evil One called Mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the related sutta that I've found in english: &lt;a href=&quot;http://realtruthlife.blogspot.sg/2011/04/samyutta-nikaya-mara-samyutta-ayu-vagga.html?m=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samyutta Nikaya - Mara Samyutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T10:20:40.480" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T10:20:40.480" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-02-11T02:16:26.017" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14003" CreationDate="2016-02-11T02:34:15.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the next wiki page on buddhas diet (which even mentions siha story discussed here ) which shows that even if the buddha did eat meat (and its not 100% sure)  it was very rare : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Diet_of_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Diet_of_Buddha&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has been some controversy about the diet of Buddha, if he ate meat or if he was strictly vegetarian. The first Precept states no killing or causing to kill living beings, but at the same time, monastics are expected to take what is offered them, living by the Threefold rule.&#xA;Contents&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1 The Buddha's final meal&#xA;2 Meat eating&#xA;    2.1 General Siha&#xA;3 Vegetarian foods&#xA;4 Vegetarian foods served to former buddhas&#xA;5 The Three most important meals&#xA;6 Scientific sample&#xA;7 See also&#xA;8 References&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's final meal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At his final days in the parinibbana sutta, the food that led to his death was at one time translated as pork. The terms have been translated as “pig’s truffles” which was originally mistranslated as pork. Modern scholars including, Arthur Waley, K. E. Neumann, and Mrs. Rhys Davids have corrected this to “the food of pigs” which are mushrooms. Today, the majority of Buddhist scholars agree that the Buddha ate mushrooms, which may have been poisonous and led to his death at the age of 80. Or it could simply have been the size of the meal that led to his death as there is evidence that the Buddha was already suffering from digestive problems well before eating the final meal (from previous suttas where the Buddha was ill and then recovered). However, the Buddha eats from the dish and requests for the remaining amount to be buried, apparently knowing that the food was in some way tainted and not simply a large meal. This suggests that the food was in some way not fit to eat, such as the wrong type of mushrooms. From the Digha Nikaya, Mahaparanibbana Sutta, no. 16:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;19&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thereafter the Blessed One spoke to Cunda, saying: &quot;Whatever, Cunda, is left over of the sukara-maddava, bury that in a pit. For I do not see in all this world, with its gods, Maras, and Brahmas, among the host of ascetics and brahmans, gods and men, anyone who could eat it and entirely digest it except the Tathagata alone.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Cunda the metalworker answered the Blessed One saying: &quot;So be it, O Lord.&quot;And what remained over of the sukara-maddava he buried in a pit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;20&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then he returned to the Blessed One, respectfully greeted him, and sat down at one side. And the Blessed One instructed Cunda the metalworker in the Dhamma, and roused, edified, and gladdened him. After this he rose from his seat and departed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And soon after the Blessed One had eaten the meal provided by Cunda the metalworker, a dire sickness fell upon him, even dysentery, and he suffered sharp and deadly pains. But the Blessed One endured them mindfully, clearly comprehending and unperturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even today, in modern times, it sometimes happens that people prepare and cook the wrong type of mushrooms and then become ill and pass away. And the illness and passing happen very quickly. The food may have been the wrong type, not from poisoning, but simply by accident and therefore, no intent to harm by the giver of the food, Cunda. The Buddha continued showing his compassion for all by prasing the gift of the food and then later teaching Dhamma to Cunda, others, and even one last ascetic who came from far to see the Buddha to learn the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further evidence that the Buddha did not eat pork can be seen in the fact that Cunda was a blacksmith, the one who offered the final meal to the Buddha. The three highest castes do not eat pork or other foods from pig meat. As a blacksmith, he was a member of the third caste and therefore, could not have prepared pork.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;K.E. Neumann, in the preface to his German translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, quotes from an Indian compendium of medicinal plants, the Rajanigantu, several plants beginning with sukara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other vegetarian possibilities mentioned by scholars and early Theravada Commentators include a medicinal plant, a yam, or a tuber. Dhammapala, in his commentary to Udana VIII.5, suggests that it refers to young bamboo shoots trampled by pigs (sukarehi maddita-vamsakaliro).&#xA;Meat eating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There appears to be one place, and apparently only this one place, where he is described as eating meat. At AN III. 49 it mentions that the Buddha was once served sukaramamsa (Pali) with jujube fruit. The term mamsa = meat or flesh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta mentions that the Buddha ate &quot;out of pity&quot; apparently suggesting that he wanted to please the layman by accepting his food.&#xA;General Siha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might be one other case where the Buddha ate meat. After hearing a Dhamma talk by the Buddha, (the military commander) General Siha addresses one of his staff and tells them to go to the market to purchase some meat for the Sangha. The Niganthas (Jains) complain that the Buddha and his monks will be eating meat from an animal killed for them. But the Buddha explains that no animal was killed specifically for the meat according to the 3 fold rule. The passage does not specifically state whether the Buddha ate the meat or not. Later it is reported that the &quot;pure stainless eye of the Teaching appeared to the general Siha seated there itself; Whatever arisen thing has the nature of ceasing&quot; (Anguttara Nikaya 8.12 / AN IV.185) which implies that he attained stream entry (sotapanna). This suggests that lay people can purchase meat without violating the First Precept since it is an indirect connection and no specific animal ordered to be killed. However, upon closer examination of the Suttas, we find that this passage completely contradicts other teachings of the Buddha against killing, causing to kill, the Buddha's opposition to animal sacrifices, slaughter houses, butchers or any other livelihood in the business of meat (Anguttara Nikaya 5.177). And in another Sutta the Buddha reports that soldiers are not headed to heavenly realms and in fact have rebirth to lower realms (Samyutta Nikaya 42.3). A stream entrant has no more than 7 more rebirths and they are always in higher destinations of human or deva realms. Therefore, General Siha could not have been a stream entrant and / or the passage about him purchasing meat must have been added by later writers of the Tipitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It turns out that the mentioning of General Siha purchasing meat must have been added later to that Sutta. This is very likely when we look further into the Tipitaka and see that General Siha was a Jain up until the time of conversion (AN 8.12 / AN IV.185). The Buddha even advised Siha to continue providing alms to Jain monastics. The Jain religion requires vegetarianism and as such, Siha could not have been interested in meat and there is nothing mentioned at the time of the Buddha's sermon that would all of a sudden want to make Siha a meat purchaser and meat eater.&#xA;Vegetarian foods&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet in spite of the one reference to meat, there are numerous other places where it mentions what the Buddha ate and they are vegetarian:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Thick milk-rice porridge and fresh ghee (Udana 4.3)&#xA;Wild rice (Majjhima Nikaya I. 78)&#xA;Rice with grains (M. 247), (Majjhima Nikaya 36.33)&#xA;Barley meal honey balls (Vinaya I. 4)&#xA;Choice rice with curry (Majjhima Nikaya II. 7)&#xA;Rose apple, mango, myrobalan fruits (Vin. I. 30)&#xA;Steamed barley and rice (Vinaya, Suttavibhanga 1)&#xA;Lettuce and fruit salad (Vinaya, Suttavibhanga 33.1)&#xA;Vegetables and rice (Vinaya, Cullavagga VI 4.1)&#xA;Milk (Vinaya, Mahavagga VI 34.20)&#xA;Conjey (watery rice porridge) and honey lumps (Vinaya, VI 24.3-7)&#xA;Vegetables and bread (Vinaya, VI 36.7)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Khuddaka Nikaya, Vimanavatthu, there are stories of meritorious deeds done by lay people who then ascended to a deva (heavenly) realm. Many of the meritorious deeds were giving alms food to the Buddha or one of his monks. Here we find several examples of only vegetarian food either given to the Buddha or one of his chief monk disciples, Moggallana or Sariputta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Ghee, honey, sugar, rice, milk (Vim. 1.5)&#xA;Molasses (Vim. 4.2) and (Vim. 6.4) and (Vim 6.5)&#xA;Rice-crust (Vim. 2.10)&#xA;Cake (Vim. 3.1)&#xA;Sugar-cane (Vim. 3.2) and (Petav. 4.5)&#xA;Rice-crust, soups and curries (Vim. 2.3)&#xA;Mangoes (Vim. 6.3) and (Vim. 6.5) and (Vim. 4.8)&#xA;Rice custard / pudding (Vim. 6.7)&#xA;Rice gruel (Vim. 4.4) and (Vim 4.5) and (Petav. 3.5)&#xA;Rice, cane-juice, sugar cane (Vim. 5.12)&#xA;Rice gruel and mangoes (Petav. 4.12)&#xA;Beans, grains (Vim. 7.6)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vegetarian foods served to former buddhas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha of our time is the teacher who rediscovered the Dhamma. In previous aeons, there were Buddhas who taught the Dhamma, according to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhikkhuni Rohini was an arahant (enlightened) and in a previous life, from a prior aeon, she served &quot;sweet cakes&quot; to a former Buddha (Thi. 67).&#xA;The Three most important meals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Main article: 3 most important meals to a Buddha&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, the three most important foods served to the Buddha were the final meal (discussed above), most likely mushrooms, the meal just before enlightenment, which was the milk rice served by Sujata, and the meal right after enlightenment, which was barley meal honey balls. All three of these meals were vegetarian.&#xA;Scientific sample&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A scientific sample is one that is done without any bias toward selecting the things to be studied or evaluated. The passages mentioning what the Buddha ate appear to fall into that category as they are spread out through the Pali Canon and refer to other teachings, not about diet and thus, appear to be random mentions of his diet. As such we can use the above as a representative sample. If we count all of the above plus the last meal, the meal Sujata gave to the Buddha and the mention of meat above, we come to: 35 vegetarian meals and 1 meat meal. This results in a diet by the Buddha that is 97% vegetarian. This is the equivalent of eating vegetarian all year except for 10 days per year which is less than one meat meal per month. Such a person even in modern times would most likely be defined as a vegetarian who makes some rare exceptions as may be necessary for social reasons. Of the 35 vegetarian meals 74 percent (26) were vegan (no meat and also no animal products). Even if we include the possibility of there being a second meat meal in the passage about General Siha (see above), then it still calculates out to 95% vegetarian (35 out of 37) diet of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T02:34:15.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-02-11T03:02:10.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes smoking is included. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This document, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt;, says the following about the fifth precept:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are four conditions&#xA;  for the partaking of intoxicants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i) There must be an intoxicant.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ii) There must be the intention of taking it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  iii) Action must be taken to ingest it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  iv) There must be actual ingestion of the intoxicant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Condition (iv) states clearly that the precept is broken once the intoxicant is ingested intentionally. It does not matter whether one is intoxicated or not as a result of the action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In taking medicines containing alcohol or intoxicating drugs for medical reasons, no breach of the precept is committed. This is because one's intention is to take the medicine to cure one's sickness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also this description, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Precepts&#xA;&lt;em&gt;pañca-sila&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T11:16:46.483" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T11:16:46.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2016-02-11T04:11:44.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its very simple.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're bored/frustrated with life as it is, you look to external stimulants to give you a lift because you don't wish to face life, as it is and as you are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Smoking/Drinking are stimulants/intoxicants and alter your state of mind. Your breathing changes. Your experience becomes more and more subject to external stimulation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please see that it is not about wrong or right.&lt;/strong&gt; I can't stress this point enough. The moment you think about wrong or right, you're starting to put unwanted curbs on freedom. It is natural to want to do/try something because everyone else seems to do it. But on the other hand, it is about your experience of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reflect on the following question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you want an unsullied/pure experience of life's moments? Or do you just want to zip through it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T04:25:03.737" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T04:25:03.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14010" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14016" CreationDate="2016-02-11T08:38:04.697" Score="5" ViewCount="1318" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've never had any religion throughout my childhood and adolescence, and at the age of 18 I had my first contacts with buddhism; It seemed fascinating, and I kept reading about all the things I could find about it. Everything just seemed right, because I was truly convinced by this idea that the truth lies within, and I just saw the buddha as someone who had found it. It seemed to be the &quot;no &lt;strong&gt;trust-my-words&lt;/strong&gt; religion&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently I bought a buddhism book. It was an interesting reading, but somethings were discussed that I haddn't seen with this emphasis: karma and rebirth in other worlds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is that, after that, I became VERY skeptical when I learned that those things come from hinduism. It seems to be the religion that existed before buddhism, and it has karma, it has the samsara, the liberation (which is a little different), the worlds, the &lt;strong&gt;gods&lt;/strong&gt;... And it's just seems as though the current culture at the time and location buddhism took place &lt;strong&gt;influenced buddhism itself&lt;/strong&gt;, poisoning it with the same kind of dogmas other religions have - man-made dogmas, made up truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, my problem is that following buddhism started to seem like following christianity, or islam - just another religion that it's followers think they are right and everyone else is wrong. Why is buddhism any different? It seemed right, now it feels overwhelming and almost crazy. I want to follow buddhism, but those hindu concepts make it become yet another trust-my-word religion. I'm seriously disappointed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7784" LastEditorUserId="7784" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T02:40:59.123" LastActivityDate="2020-07-08T20:01:29.493" Title="Loss of &quot;faith&quot; in buddhism" Tags="|karma|comparative-religion|doubt|faith|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14011" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-11T09:05:20.573" Score="5" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find the law of karma and rebirth in Buddha's own words?&#xA;Which scripture mentions it explicitly, as told by Buddha, and accepted by all sects of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T09:17:19.353" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T10:10:21.167" Title="Law of Karma in the Buddha's own words" Tags="|karma|reference-request|rebirth|texts|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14011" CreationDate="2016-02-11T09:30:07.593" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven Bodhi discusses this matter and quotes relevant suttas in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/buddha%E2%80%99s-words&quot;&gt;&quot;In the Buddha's Words&quot;&lt;/a&gt; chapter V &quot;THE WAY TO A FORTUNATE REBIRTH&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following list, which was &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/in-the-buddha-s-words/29/3&quot;&gt;posted on SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt;, is a greatly expanded version of Ven Bodhi's &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt; list:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since i've found Ven. Bodhi reference list, i've been expanding it and here's what it's grown up to thus far. Hopefully someone will find it useful and continue to expand it as one gets more familiar with the Nikayas corpus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The links to the actual texts can be found in this posted list (as a part of a much longer one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most (if not all) of the texts are available on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot vouch that the view on kamma presented in these suttas is accepted by all sects of Buddhism, but it at least should be so for Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Law of Kamma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Four Kinds of Kamma (AN 4.232)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Why Beings Fare as They Do&#xA;  after Death (MN 41)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Kamma and Its Fruits (MN 135)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) Kamma sutta - old and new kamma (SN 35.145)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(5) Sivaka sutta - other causes (SN 36.21)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) Devaduta sutta - kamma is only personal (MN 130)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(7) Mahakammavibhanga sutta - the workings of kamma are not simple (MN&#xA;  136)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(8) Vipaka sutta - violation of 5 precepts leads to states of woe and&#xA;  what they are (AN 8.40)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(9) Tamonata sutta - 4 types of people in the world (AN 4.85)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(10) Saleyyaka sutta/Veranjaka sutta - conduct determines realm of&#xA;  future birth (MN 41/42)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(11) Panatipati sutta (AN 4.214)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(12) Acintita sutta - workings of kamma are incomprehensible and&#xA;  should not be pondered upon (AN 4.77)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(13) Vanijja sutta - success and failure are results of quality of&#xA;  offerings to holy people (AN 4.79)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(14) Dasadhamma sutta - kamma is individual (AN 10.48)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(15) Apayika sutta - false accusers of celibates go to hell (KN :  It&#xA;  48)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(16) Abhinhapaccavekkhintabbathana sutta (Upajjhatthana) - kamma is&#xA;  only personal, everyone is an owner of their actions (AN 5.57)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(17) Acela sutta - on one who experiences the results of kamma (SN&#xA;  12.17)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(18) Nibbedhika sutta - kamma is intention (AN 6.63)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(19) Angulimala sutta - arahant’s bad kamma gets exhausted in the last&#xA;  life (MN 86)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(20) Lonaphala/Lonakapalla sutta - developed holy way of life&#xA;  alleviates bad kamma; salt simile, jail simile, goat butcher simile&#xA;  (AN 3.99 or 3.100) &lt;em&gt;see (25)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(21) Janussonin sutta - who is born where based on morality (AN&#xA;  10.177)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(22) Jhana suttas 1,2 - jhana relation to rebirth in heaven (AN&#xA;  4.123,4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(23) Metta suttas 1,2 - brahmaviharas relation to rebirth in heaven&#xA;  (AN 4.125,6)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(24) Ariyamagga sutta - 4 types of dark and bright kamma and its&#xA;  results (SN 4.235)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(25) Sankha sutta - bad kamma gets lost in immeasurable brahmaviharas&#xA;  (SN 42.8) &lt;em&gt;see (20)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(26) (Karajakaya) Brahmavihara sutta - bad kamma gets lost in&#xA;  immeasurable brahmaviharas (AN 10.208)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(27) Yodhajiva sutta - warrior which kills is reborn in hell (SN 42.3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(28) Talaputa sutta - actors are reborn in hell for enhancing asavas&#xA;  in people’s consciousness (SN 42.2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(29) Sangama sutta 2 - the verse seems to suggest that one’s rewarded&#xA;  with exactly what one has done oneself (SN 3.15)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(30) Samannaphala sutta - sequence of rebirths is linear (DN 2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(31) Cula-Punnama sutta - where persons of integrity and no integrity&#xA;  end up (MN 110)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(32) Culakammavibhanga sutta (MN 135)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(33) Parikuppa sutta - 5 deeds which lead to hell (AN 5.129)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(34) Sukkhamala sutta - bodily, verbal &amp;amp; mental misconduct lead to&#xA;  hell (AN 3.38)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(35) Ekamsena sutta - bodily, verbal &amp;amp; mental conduct consequences in&#xA;  this life and the next (AN 2.18)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(36) Kukkuravatika sutta - bright, dark, bright &amp;amp; dark, neither dark&#xA;  nor bright types of kamma and its results (MN 57)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(37) Annataro brahmana sutta, Janussoni sutta, Ekamsena sutta - the&#xA;  future is determined by conduct (AN 2.6-8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since then I also found these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pansu suttas - rebirth in human or deva realms is rare (AN&#xA;56.102-113)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mahasihanada sutta - 5 destinations (MN 12)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe some day someone will volunteer to extract from these suttas relevant excerpts and compose out of them a coherent readily available text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T10:10:21.167" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T10:10:21.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-11T11:11:06.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhiego Magalhães: &quot;I just wanted something I can trust, and now I don't see much sense in trusting buddha over jesus&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is there anything in the Dhamma which you can positively and cogently disprove to substantiate your lack of trust?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as for me, i don't over-rationalize about things outside of my range, i gravitate towards the tenets which i can understand and accept easily and that's still more than enough for seeing a sage in the Buddha and putting trust in his Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T11:19:04.963" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T11:19:04.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-11T12:26:52.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what happens when you create too many expectations of something that is only in your mind. Why don't you take whatever you read with a pinch of salt and figure it out for yourself? Buddha advised people to practice for themselves. &lt;code&gt;If buddhism was somehow influenced by other religions, then it cannot be original, and therefore it is not truthful&lt;/code&gt; &amp;lt;-- how did you arrive at this conclusion? Buddha himself said that he figured out a few things that was already found with a few differences in understanding and not the original. He explained it more scientifically and simply to regular people with a few practices (and in Pali instead of Sanskrit) so they could practice it. Regular people don't &lt;code&gt;get&lt;/code&gt; the flowery language of the Vedas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the caste system in India was not stupid. It was meant to create well defined roles for people for all walks of society for all professions. It is the perception of the invaders of India that changed the whole landscape. Sounds like you need more reading to back up your claims. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I came across another answer which said something about learning say, a topic like &lt;code&gt;Calculus&lt;/code&gt;. You would go to a textbook and pick up information and build from there. You wouldn't for example, say, HOW did this author know what Calculus is? HOW do they know the proof for something?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T12:38:37.280" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T12:38:37.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-11T13:37:50.607" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not that I suggest you to actually negate rebirth (that would be disparaging Buddha Dharma), but you do not have to admit it either. And while not dwelling on the notion of rebirth itself, you might find the space to take a step back and look at your own mind, so as to come to know &quot;Why do I react in this way? How do I relate to rebirth in this way? Why does it make me feel the way it does? why do I see my not accepting rebirth as a problem? Why is accepting rebirth a problem for me?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can even try to determine why truth is important to you, why doubt makes you feel restless, and so forth. The descriptions of doubts and its functions that we find in the abhidharma is for us to come to know that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma pushes us to look where we look, and to pay attention to this and not that. So, knowing that, you can approach the notion of karma in this meditative (yogic) way. Check what you look at when you open your eyes... check how you look at things, what kind of world you see, and what do you see when you look at the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would advise you to adopt that practical stand. Ask yourself &quot;where do my dislikes, liking, tendencies come from ? from where do my pleasant and unpleasant feelings come from? how come that I tend to look in that direction and in this way? how come I pay attention to this and that while not paying attention to other things?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do your dislkies, your liking, and so forth, arise without a cause? If they manifest in dependence upon causes and conditions, what are theses causes and conditions? Really, karma was taught for us to pay attention to the course our mind takes... the rivers in which it flows (a river which we ourselves dug)... and to help us set a positive, wholesome course for it to take. If Dharma is no antidote, it is not Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="7784" LastEditDate="2016-02-13T07:50:48.930" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T07:50:48.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-11T14:36:00.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Everything just seemed right, because I was truly convinced by this idea that the truth lies within, and I just saw the buddha as someone who had found it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about the psychology of suffering in life and the way to overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;karma and rebirth in other worlds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is that each action will have a reaction in a the future. E.g. if you seek a life of crime then jail time may follow though many who do not expect to be caught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have to at least believe in this world. There is the human realm and the animal realm which we can directly see. The possibility of other worlds seam illogical just for some time leave them aside. As you see many and verify much of what the Buddha though through pratice then you can start believing them and also perhaps which might be beyond your experience and you might not be able to experience everything the Buddha experience himself. If the belief does not come, belive what is logical and what you experienced. One of the main ways to experience there aspects of the teaching beyond the normal sphere of comprehension is through mediation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It seems to be the religion that existed before buddhism, and it has karma, it has the samsara, the liberation (which is a little different), the worlds, the gods&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism had these aspects but Buddhism is completely different. A lot of things which are at the core of Hinduism was rejected by the Buddha. He accepted what was true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leave aside that may not be logical for the time being and pratice until you have verified facts through your experience. Experiencing the teaching will reinforce your belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T14:36:00.003" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14017" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-11T15:57:26.190" Score="8" ViewCount="1604" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may come off as a very strange question. From small days I have been taught Buddhism, not in the way it should have been, but in a way which took most stories and teachings for granted. &lt;p&gt; Those who know Buddhism know that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment on a Vesak Poya day (a full moon in May). According to Theravada teachings (and maybe even Mahayana I am not sure) what came next was seven weeks of very &quot;Holy&quot; or special events/activities concerning Lord Buddha. &lt;p&gt;First of which was the &quot;Animisa Locana Pooja&quot; where the Buddha was believed to have shown gratitude to a Bo tree. Later on was a week named &quot;Ruwan Sakmana&quot; where the Buddha meditated while walking. This I found very strange. A Buddha is a person who has found the ultimate liberation from all the sorrows, one whose kindness and compassion has no bounds. Laymen meditate to basically calm themselves and to improve &quot;Maithri&quot;/ kindness. Why does an enlightened being meditate? I doubt a Buddha would just meditate to pass time! My opinion is that a Buddha does not meditate because he does not need to do it anymore. But does a Buddha meditate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T16:59:29.383" LastActivityDate="2017-10-07T18:42:45.333" Title="Did the Buddha Meditate?" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14017" CreationDate="2016-02-11T16:17:37.273" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't find the reference at the moment but if I recall correctly, the Buddha continued to meditate after enlightenment for two reasons, according to the Theravada tradition: (1) To dwell in a pleasant abiding here and now (jhana) (2) to set an example for his followers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T16:17:37.273" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14019" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14021" CreationDate="2016-02-11T16:29:12.720" Score="1" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere (don't remember where) that the Buddha mentioned, that he has taught only a fraction of what he could discern with his eye of wisdom (about existence). Does anyone know which Sutra describes this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T16:42:25.993" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T16:42:25.993" Title="What is the Sutra where The Buddha says that he has taught only a fraction of what he knew" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2016-02-11T16:46:47.780" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14017" CreationDate="2016-02-11T16:34:41.903" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In fact, the Buddha meditated everyday. All Arahaths meditate whenever they are not busy with teaching or day to day activities. But it is not to get rid of any defilements like ordinary beings. Instead, they attain a state called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirodha Samapatti&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like going home after busy day at the office(the world of Sankhara). Nirodha Samapatti is a pleasant abiding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember right, the Buddha attains the Jhanas after every sentence he speaks, when he gives a sermon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/26lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha's Daily Routine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha would get up at 4.00 a.m. and as soon as he had had a wash&#xA;  would sit down to &lt;strong&gt;meditate for an hour&lt;/strong&gt;. From 5.00 to 6.00 a.m. he&#xA;  would look around the world with his mental eye to see if anybody&#xA;  needed help. At 6.00 a.m. he would put on his robe and either go out&#xA;  and help the needy or beg for food....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T03:41:08.180" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T03:41:08.180" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14019" CreationDate="2016-02-11T16:42:17.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That sutta (or, at least, one of those suttas) is sometimes summarized as &quot;a handful of leaves&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T16:42:17.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14022" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-11T17:22:32.623" Score="1" ViewCount="408" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is probably by far the most interesting theory that I have heard (Yes a theory or you may call it a story. I just don't have a reference to back this up!) about the life of Gautama Buddha. &lt;p&gt; The &quot;Animisa Locana Pooja&quot; was a act of gratitude. This is what I know and have been taught. Lord Buddha stared (wish I had a better word for this) without blinking at the Bo tree that gave him shelter during his enlightenment. But is it really the reason why he kept looking at this tree? For one whole week? I met this really interesting guy when I went on a pilgrimage that asked me these questions. And all I had to say was &quot;Yeah he was being an example to us all by showing how to show gratitude&quot;. &lt;p&gt;Then the man asked &quot;Son, Buddha is possibly the most perfect being we know, at least from a Buddhist's perspective. Couldn't he have been a better example by showing gratitude to his father perhaps right after enlightenment? Even as normal people whenever we achieve something the first person that we tell to are our parents. If you win the Nobel prize for literature would you rather show gratitude to your parents/teachers or your pen?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I would be lying if I said I wasn't annoyed at this point. &quot;Do you mean that as an insult?&quot; I asked. He burst into laughter and said &quot;Yes, but not an insult to Buddha but to the person who came up with the gratitude story. Son, he never showed gratitude to the tree. When Buddha attained enlightenment, at first, he felt that he had been liberated from all of the sorrows. But there was still doubt within himself as to whether he was actually a Buddha or just an Arahath. So he sat facing the tree. Using all his past lives experience and knowledge he looked at the tree and imagined that it was another Buddha and started a mental conversation with this imaginary Buddha to convince himself that he himself was a Buddha&quot;. &lt;p&gt;Honestly I was astonished! Was this man lying to me? To be honest I sort of do believe he is correct but I just could not ask him where or how he found this piece of information. What do you think? Is it what it is? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T18:05:06.927" Title="Animisa Locana Pooja. Is it really what it is?" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14022" CreationDate="2016-02-11T17:55:11.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Animisa Locana Pooja&quot; was indeed an act of gratitude to set an example to the world. It was also done to sanctify the tree as it would become the symbol of the Buddhahood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story your friend has told seems to be his own imagination. King Suddhodana was doing all he could to keep prince Siddhartha in lay life. So showing gratitude to him for aiding in the quest of attaining Buddhahood is out of the question. In any case, the Buddha later visited his father and saved him as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But there was still doubt within himself as to whether he was actually&#xA;  a Buddha&#xA;  Blockquote&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is omniscient. He has no doubts and needs no 1 week long mental conversation with a tree to know something :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T18:05:06.927" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T18:05:06.927" CommentCount="20" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-11T17:56:59.853" Score="3" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a being. So are you. According to Buddhism there is not soul and maybe there is nothing called myself which makes this a very tough question to ask. I am living my sansara. A never ending thought processes taking different forms (Human, Deva etc). This thought process or sansara does not overlap with any others or does not branch out. My theory is that the total number of beings (may not be the best word to use) or sansaras of different thought processes (again maybe wrong use of terminology but I hope you get the picture) does not change unless someone attains nibbhana/ becomes an arahath. Is this correct? or can it reduce without it being due to the passing of an arahath? Can it by any chance increase? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T00:39:38.273" Title="Total number of beings in the entire space as we know is constant? Increases? Decreases?" Tags="|nirvana|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14025" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14029" CreationDate="2016-02-11T19:30:52.450" Score="5" ViewCount="187" Body="&lt;p&gt;I discovered Buddhism by reading and practising the Theravada teachings. As I wanted to make some progress, I started looking for a teacher who could guide me and direct my practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I decided to go to a local Mahayana School near my home, and I've been going there for two years now. Until this time I've still been practicing both Theravada teachings and Mahayana. Also I discovered about the S.N. Goenka Vipassana movement and did some courses (retreats).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if is there a problem from mixing different sources of teachings in my practice? I saw many famous teachers who searched different teachings, till finding their way to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it inappropriate mixing different sources of teachings, and could it disturb/confuse my practice? I would appreciate seeing different perspectives, and their own experiences from other practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7257" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-11T19:40:49.273" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:32:17.703" Title="Are there problems from mixing different sources of teachings?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|vipassana|mahayana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14027" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-11T21:29:20.563" Score="0" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;I mean, free from misguidance, from being wrong and misdirected?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And if it the case, where is the evidence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7790" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T04:14:29.853" Title="Is Buddhism the Way of Truth?" Tags="|daily-life|early-buddhism|truth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14027" CreationDate="2016-02-11T22:21:29.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;to answer and accept an answer to this question we first have to predicate that the Buddha was an arahant, that is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine &amp;amp; human beings, awakened, blessed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing, the Blessed One knows; seeing, he sees. He is the Eye, he is&#xA;Knowledge, he is Dhamma, he is Brahma. He is the speaker, the&#xA;proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the&#xA;lord of the Dhamma, the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;arahant is one, whos &lt;code&gt;mental fermentations are ended, abandoned, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to tell a conscious lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutava sutta (AN 9.7)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, being an arahant the Buddha could not tell lies  when preaching the Dhamma and addressing questions, because all that he did consciously&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and if we accept that the Buddha's realization is genuine and his own knowledge is truthful, so he himself wasn't deluded, then his Dhamma must be as truthful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T22:31:22.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14025" CreationDate="2016-02-11T23:57:23.623" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Teaching is just one but there might be many interpretations. That's why the Buddha advised us to always verify a teacher's words, no matter how famous or well respected he is, against the Buddha's original Words in the Suttas and the Books of Discipline:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “Here, monks, a monk might speak like this: ‘I have heard this directly from the Gracious One, friends, directly I learned it: “This is the Teaching, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.”’ That monk’s speech, monks, is not to be rejoiced over, not to be scorned at. Without having rejoiced over it, without having scorned it, after learning those words and syllables well, they should be laid alongside the Discourses, they should be compared with the Discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) If, when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do not fit in with the Discourses, they do not compare well with the Discipline, you may here come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is not the Gracious One’s word, it is not well learned by that monk,’ and, monks, you should abandon it. If when these are laid alongside the Discourses, compared with the Discipline, they do fit in with the Discourses, they do compare well with the Discipline, you may come to this conclusion: ‘Certainly this is the Gracious One’s word, it is well-learned by that monk.’ This, monks, is the first Great Referral you should bear in mind. ~ &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-02-11T23:57:23.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14027" CreationDate="2016-02-12T00:03:44.370" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The spirit of the Buddha's Teaching has always been: &amp;quot;To come, practice, and experience it for yourself&amp;quot;. He had long abandoned the ego to prove anything to anyone:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to passion, not to dispassion; to being fettered, not to being unfettered; to accumulating, not to shedding; to self-aggrandizement, not to modesty; to discontent, not to contentment; to entanglement, not to seclusion; to laziness, not to aroused persistence; to being burdensome, not to being unburdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is not the Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher's instruction.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As for the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered, not to being fettered; to shedding, not to accumulating; to modesty, not to self-aggrandizement; to contentment, not to discontent; to seclusion, not to entanglement; to aroused persistence, not to laziness; to being unburdensome, not to being burdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's instruction.' ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.53&lt;/a&gt; ~&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T00:03:44.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14031" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-12T03:15:48.267" Score="2" ViewCount="333" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was recently listening to a sermon on Agganna Sutta that was on Youtube. I will share my thoughts and questions on the Agganna sutta in a different post. Let me share few passages first and then get to the question. &#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that period, Vasettha, there was just one mass of water, and all was darkness, blinding darkness.... And sooner or later, after a very long period of time, savory earth spread itself over the waters where those beings were. It looked just like the skin that forms itself over hot milk as it cools. It was endowed with color, smell, and taste. It was the color of fine ghee or heated butter and it was very sweet, like pure wild honey (1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some of the creatures of light (the Abbhasaras) who had curiosity and&#xA;  a greedy nature began to dive and taste the savory Earth's substance.&#xA;  At that moment, the creature found out that it tasted so delicious.&#xA;  Thus, greed started to seep in and it ate the substance voraciously,&#xA;  greedily, also calling its comrades (who were flying above and on&#xA;  earth) to join in the feast. Not long afterwards, the creatures began&#xA;  to eat greedily, and due to the huge amount of the mud substance they&#xA;  could feed on it for a very long time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this is about the story of Adam and Eve. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Adam is told that he can till the ground and eat freely of all the trees in the garden, except for a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of which he is prohibited from eating. Subsequently, Eve is created from one of Adam's ribs to be Adam's companion. However, a serpent tricks Eve into eating fruit from the forbidden tree, and she gives some of the fruit to Adam. God curses the serpent and the ground. God prophetically tells the woman and the man what will be the consequences of their sin of disobeying God. Then he banishes 'the man' from the Garden of Eden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to what I learned from the Agganna Sutta Buddhism is about taking our selves back to where we came from (Brahmas) but not stopping there and attaining Nirvana. In Abrahamic Religions it is also mentioned that people should strive to go back to the initial innocence of humans (Adam and Eve to be particular). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I find it strange to see that all chaos began from eating something that they were no supposed to in both teachings. Whether it was meant to be metaphorical I do not know. Shed some light to this if you can. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T16:55:16.550" Title="Similarity between creation in Abrahamic religions and beginning of life in Earth mentioned Agganna Sutta?" Tags="|the-buddha|comparative-religion|human|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14031" CreationDate="2016-02-12T03:56:14.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism eating anything is not forbidden. Is it the the desire to experience also and the creatures evolved to have the respective faculties like the tongue. These experiences increase carving and lust which worsened the conditions of beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also according to Jesus lived in India by Holger Kersten, abrahamic religions were influenced by Buddhism. Hence there can be similarities. Some may be pure coincidence. As Buddha mentioned his teaching is not previously taught it is unlikely to be influenced by any other religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T05:42:51.053" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T05:42:51.053" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14033" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-12T04:44:29.737" Score="2" ViewCount="1013" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't even like to post a question like this but I just want to share a misconception that people from other beliefs have regarding Buddhism. Please what this video &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ws36pd-Q0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ws36pd-Q0&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; What this person says is that according to the third noble truth sorrow can be eliminated by getting rid of desire. And when desire is eliminated there is no reason to have a fourth noble truth which talks about the 8 fold path. This is just absolute illogical and misleading statements. But I just do not have the proper knowledge to make my Muslim friends understand why this is wrong. Please do share your views. Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T00:05:32.497" Title="Four Noble Truths contradicting?" Tags="|comparative-religion|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T05:51:49.810" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I did not watch the video but ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take education there are different levels of education. The level discussed in kindergarten and university is quite different. Similarly when some concept is presented. The most systematic form of the path is the rendering in the Noble 8 Fold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway 3rd Noble truth is eliminating unsatisfactoriness by ridding yourself of craving and clinging and the 4th is the method to do so. In ridding yourself of craving clinging you also rid yourself of the unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T05:51:49.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14024" CreationDate="2016-02-12T05:55:15.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no mention of the number of being in lower realms hence there is a possibility that in a given universe there are infinite beings. Also the number of universes are infinite hence even if there are finite being in a world system the infinity of world systems will make the number of being infinite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T05:55:15.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14036" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-12T06:13:04.060" Score="4" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sallatha Sutta, famous for the idea of two arrows, has the following passages that are less often discussed. I am particularly interested in interpretations of the highlighted words and how they might relate to the modern psychological concept of &lt;strong&gt;decentering&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;defusion&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;disidentification&lt;/strong&gt; or a &lt;strong&gt;metacognitive stance&lt;/strong&gt;. (See modern passage below.) Both personal opinions and references welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta, SN 36.6, Thanissaro Bikkhu translation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the &quot;uninstructed person&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sensing a feeling of pleasure, he senses it as though &lt;strong&gt;joined&lt;/strong&gt; with it.&#xA;  Sensing a feeling of pain, he senses it as though &lt;strong&gt;joined&lt;/strong&gt; with it.&#xA;  Sensing a feeling of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he senses it as though&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;joined&lt;/strong&gt; with it. This is called an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;joined&lt;/strong&gt; with birth, aging, &amp;amp; death; with sorrows, lamentations, pains,&#xA;  distresses, &amp;amp; despairs. He is &lt;strong&gt;joined&lt;/strong&gt;, I tell you, with suffering &amp;amp;&#xA;  stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And later about the &quot;well-instructed disciple&quot;, the same structure, for example...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones &lt;strong&gt;disjoined&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death; from sorrows, lamentations, pains,&#xA;  distresses, &amp;amp; despairs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nyanaponika Thera translation&lt;/a&gt; is a bit more condensed here and uses &quot;fettered&quot; instead of &quot;joined&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling or a neutral&#xA;  feeling, he feels it as one &lt;strong&gt;fettered&lt;/strong&gt; by it. Such a one, O monks,&#xA;  is called an untaught worldling who is &lt;strong&gt;fettered&lt;/strong&gt; by birth, by old&#xA;  age, by death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He is&#xA;  fettered by suffering, this I declare&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bikkhu Bodhi (not online) uses &quot;attached&quot; and &quot;detached&quot;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt;. If he feels a&#xA;  painful feeling, he feels it &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt;. [209] If he feels a neither-&#xA;  painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt;. This, bhikkhus, is&#xA;  called an uninstructed worldling who is &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt; to birth, aging and&#xA;  death; who is &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt; to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and&#xA;  despair; who is &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt; to suffering, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt;. If he feels a&#xA;  painful feeling, [210] he feels it detached. If he feels a neither-&#xA;  painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt;. This, bhikkhus, is&#xA;  called a noble disciple who is &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt; from birth, aging, and death;&#xA;  who is &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt; from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeas­ure, and&#xA;  despair; who is &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt; from suffering, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the point of view of Buddhadharma of the Pali Canon, is it reasonable to say that the highlighted words (in the negative sense -- disjoined, not fettered, detached) have roughly the same meaning as the modern psychological concept in this passage from a &lt;a href=&quot;https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&amp;amp;q=Metacognitive%20Awareness%20and%20Prevention%20of%20Relapse%20in%20Depression&amp;amp;btnG=&amp;amp;as_sdt=1%2C22&amp;amp;as_sdtp=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2002 paper by Teasdale&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Particular importance has been attached to the shift in cognitive set&#xA;  known as “&lt;strong&gt;decentering&lt;/strong&gt;” or “&lt;strong&gt;disidentification&lt;/strong&gt;,” in which,&#xA;  rather than simply being their emotions, or identifying personally&#xA;  with negative thoughts and feelings, patients relate to negative&#xA;  experiences as mental events in a wider context or field of awareness.&#xA;  For example, a patient’s perspective on thoughts and feelings of&#xA;  worthlessness might change from one in which they are experienced as&#xA;  the “reality by which I am condemned” to one in which they are&#xA;  experienced more as “passing thoughts and feelings that may or may not&#xA;  have some truth in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T07:27:09.080" Title="Sallatha Sutta and modern psychology" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|attachment|psychology|translation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T10:01:10.383" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you compare suffering to a sickness, the first noble truth would be knowing that you are sick. The second noble truth would be knowing the cause of the sickness. The third noble truth would be knowing that the sickness can be cured or knowing that there's a healthy state. The fourth noble truth would be knowing how to cure it or knowing how to reach that healthy state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T17:48:14.500" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T17:48:14.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14036" CreationDate="2016-02-12T10:52:53.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i see some resemblance between the ideas behind the statements&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;feelings of worthlessness ... experienced as the “reality by which I am condemned”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monk, whatever one stays obsessed with, that's what one is measured by. Whatever one is measured by, that's how one is classified. Whatever one doesn't stay obsessed with, that's not what one is measured by. Whatever one isn't measured by, that's not how one is classified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu sutta (SN 22.36)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;generally i agree that the dhammic idea and the concept of disidentification bear similarity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the terms &lt;em&gt;disjoined, fetterred, detached&lt;/em&gt; in this context i understand as meaning &lt;em&gt;being dissociated&lt;/em&gt; from psychological phenomena, and from personal experience i can attest that physical pain is endured much easily when you don't associate with it, don't take it as your own and assume an observer and bystander attitude towards it instead&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T15:58:40.893" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T15:58:40.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14036" CreationDate="2016-02-12T11:44:46.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply put it, a joined person - identifies sensation with self and is attached to it hence creates becoming in the future hence a joined person remains stressed. The opposite is true for a disjoined person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to the instruction this is in a different context using the same wording implying if your are (dis)joined with sensation you are (dis)joined with birth, aging and death. A joined person is so due to the fact he is not conversant the the pratice and has no proper instructions to pratice. The implication of this is there is self identification with sensations. When he does pratice property the gets disjoint from birth, aging and death. It is implied you disidentify with sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Multiple authors translate the same into different english words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self identity in Buddhism has a very precise meaning, that is the mis identification of the true nature of the 5 aggregates resulting from clinging arisen through craving. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also in other suttas] E.g. if you see someone as beautify and get a present sensation by seeing such a person and you cling to this the identity view arises; similarly if you that something is absolutely under one's control and permanent hence think this should be like this or not like this or stay the same, now and in the future, and should give me these types of experiences, then identity view arise. I am not sure if the modern psychologist is taking the same view when he mentions &quot;identify personally&quot;, but it seems to be somewhat compatible as &lt;strong&gt;disidentification&lt;/strong&gt; seems to mean as not being averse or clinging to thoughts and merely seeing them as mental events, i.e., not considering &lt;code&gt;the thoughts as the self [thoughts are permanent and not dependently arisen hence craving for permanent existance of thoughts], or the self as possessing the thoughts [control of throughts through agency which is permanent and not dependently arisen hence craving for thought to be and not to be], or thoughts as in the self [control and possession of thoughts through agency], or the self as in the thoughts [non changing controllable part within the thoughts which is permanent and not dependently arisen]&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T07:27:09.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T12:11:55.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe he's not entirely wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or at least, whether he's right or wrong might not be the same as whether you can usefully &amp;quot;make my Muslim friends understand why this is wrong&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A discussion which includes a reply like, &amp;quot;What you said is just wrong! The truth is that etc.&amp;quot;, might not go very well in real life, 'human nature' being what it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be better to have a discussion which includes replies like, &amp;quot;What you said is interesting and there may be some truth in that.&amp;quot;, and which then goes on to add to (augment) or shed more light on what they said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI the 'Four Noble Truths' are spelled out in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:[1] Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can double-check what the third noble truth says &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here on buddha-vacana.org site&lt;/a&gt;, which has a word-by-word translation (try using the mouse to hover over each word of the Pali), which I could translate as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And this surely, monks, cessation-of-suffering noble-truth: that very desire not leaving a remnant dispassion/nirvana cessation abandoning giving up release freedom from attachment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think he's saying that giving up desire is the cause of cessation-of-suffering ... or more specifically, not the cause of cessation but the state of cessation -- the truth of cessation, the state of cessation, the reality or conditions in which suffering has ceased, is the state of freedom from attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth noble truth is the &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt;: it's how to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your friend says, &amp;quot;when desire is eliminated there is no reason to have a fourth noble truth&amp;quot; -- however, how to &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; &amp;quot;desire is eliminated&amp;quot; isn't obvious. Specifically, before the Buddha became enlightened he tried to practice some &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13915/254&quot;&gt;extreme austerities&lt;/a&gt; before deciding that didn't help, and that the Middle Way (and, in more detail, the Noble Eightfold Way) was better, was the way to be taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me try another simile for the four noble truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A car crash is painful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A painful car crash is conditioned by (i.e. it happens when there is) uncontrolled speed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's truthfully no danger of the pain caused by a car crash, when the car isn't speeding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The practice for not speeding is to avoid using the accelerator and to use the brakes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think you're friend may or not be right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he's saying something like, &amp;quot;I can safely drive a car without brakes, because I won't be driving very fast&amp;quot;, perhaps that seems true theoretically, but the problems with that statement ought to be obvious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to talk with your friend about states of being in which &amp;quot;desire has been eliminated&amp;quot; it might be worth considering &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9595/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it says that different schools (or practitioners) of Buddhism may have different ways of living. If you don't mind my saying so (and because you added the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/comparative-religion&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;comparative-religion&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;comparative-religion&lt;/a&gt; tag to your question), there are different branches within Islam too, for example Sufism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That answer (i.e. what Bhikkhu Bodhi writes about the Mahayana) is probably easy to misunderstand, though, and it isn't the first thing to be learned about Buddhism. I thought the first thing to be learned about Buddhism was the Four Noble Truths (I thought that was the first thing to be taught), but for some second opinions on that, see the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt; ... and note that when &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7263/254&quot;&gt;Suminda's answer&lt;/a&gt; says &amp;quot;three trainings&amp;quot;, those three training are actually &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a synonym for the Eightfold Way&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. for the fourth noble truth.&#xA;And so, although your friend might say, &amp;quot;there is no reason to have a fourth noble truth&amp;quot;, in a sense the fourth noble truth is the practice of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T12:11:55.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14031" CreationDate="2016-02-12T13:38:44.847" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many web sites on the 'net where the suttas are collected, but &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4111/254&quot;&gt;some people&lt;/a&gt; recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt; as a source for &quot;in-depth analysis&quot; of a sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here then is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer's translation and analysis of the Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of or as well as listening to a sermon on YouTube, you can read the sutta[s] yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharmafarer version includes many footnotes and much introductory text: it might be worth just reading the sutta first (to know and/or understand what's being discussed) and then reading the introduction and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the introduction, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5 Buddhist humour&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like the Aggañña Sutta, most of the suttas mentioned above [3] belong to the genre of &lt;em&gt;religious humour&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;  15 The humorous language and imagery of such suttas is understandable as they deal with well-established&#xA;  ideas and norms, taken seriously especially by those who used them to legitimize their affluence&#xA;  and position in society. Like the &lt;strong&gt;Brahmana,dhammika Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;, the Aggañña Sutta criticizes the brahmins&#xA;  saying that &lt;em&gt;they have forgotten their past&lt;/em&gt;, resulting in their degeneration from an ideal way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The two narratives are, on the surface level of a temporal sequence of actual events, quite different;&#xA;    but when read as parables using stories of the past to make a contemporary moral point,&#xA;    they complement each other perfectly well. (Collins 1993a:320)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Richard Gombrich&lt;/strong&gt;, in his &lt;em&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A social history from Benares to Colombo&lt;/em&gt;, remarks&#xA;  that the Aggañña Sutta is “an extended satire on brahminical ideas, full of parody and puns… As a debunking&#xA;  job I think the sermon is serious: its main aim is to show that the class system is nothing but a&#xA;  human invention”; however, “I cannot go here into all the reasons why I think that the positive statements&#xA;  in the myth are satirical and not meant to be taken literally.” (1988:85). In his book, “The Buddha’s Book&#xA;  of Genesis” (1992a), Gombrich goes on to elaborate on the significance of the Buddha’s humour in presenting&#xA;  a parody and pastiche of brahmanical claims, teachings and practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't the only time Richard Gombrich argues for a non-literal interpretation; but read the sutta and see for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, this ties into your question: according to this interpretation, any &quot;similarity&quot; might be, not between this story and the Abrahamic Bible, but between this story and brahminical ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I don't know what you mean about &quot;strive to go back to the initial innocence of humans&quot;. As far as I know, Christianity teaches that people are saved or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justification_(theology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;justified&lt;/a&gt; from original sin by Christ, and not especially as a result of their own striving. Yes, Christians are supposed to avoid further sinning which would distance them from God, but so far as I know Buddhism is unusual (compared with Christianity at least, though Judaism and Islam may have a different view) in putting the responsibility for salvation on the practitioner (i.e. on each Buddhist), instead of on the (Christian) Redeemer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I find it strange to see that all chaos began from eating something that they were no supposed to in both teachings. Whether it was meant to be metaphorical I do not know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sutta I guess it's an allegory for desire and for physicality/coarseness (whereas in Genesis it's, what, an allegory for knowledge-of-good-and-evil, duality, loss of innocence, and disobedience, maybe free will and ego).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you compare any two stories in the world you're likely to find some similarities: e.g. there's more than one person, they're on a planet, they eat and talk to each other, wear clothes, live somewhere, go places, and use things and lose things etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two stories don't seem to me a very close/remarkable coincidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T13:38:44.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14042" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14047" CreationDate="2016-02-12T14:24:31.573" Score="1" ViewCount="385" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation can cause a lot of rest and peace. But can it also change the levels of hormone and neurotransmitters? Do they increase or decrease? I tend to think that fe your adrenaline is getting down and perhaps your testosteron. So can you become less 'male' or 'female' of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2023-05-11T20:49:11.773" Title="Can meditation change your hormone and neurotransmitter system?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14043" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14190" CreationDate="2016-02-12T14:36:08.243" Score="2" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's say that the summon of meditation is enlightement or nirvana. It is supposed to be a good 'thing'. But is it good because there is no suffering any more, or did you get something instead of it that is good in itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T14:40:46.457" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T04:57:32.400" Title="Does meditation giving you 'joy' because there is lack of suffering, or does it give something positive?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14044" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14049" CreationDate="2016-02-12T15:06:59.160" Score="1" ViewCount="426" Body="&lt;p&gt;Me text-book and dad(historian + buddhist) told me that the father of the indian constitution converted into buddhism towards the end of his life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone please tell me why he did so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tnx for all the help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7062" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T02:57:17.453" Title="Why did Dr. BR Ambedkar convert to buddhism?" Tags="|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T15:17:12.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Third Truth indeed says that desire/craving/&lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;/thirst can be eliminated. But it doesn't say &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt;! It's not easy -- desire is tenacious, self-perpetuating, deeply embedded in our psyche. That's because it is inherently a matter of attraction -- satisfying desire feels good, and we want therefore to repeat it. And every time we do repeat it, it gets stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So eliminating desire is not easy -- you can't just wish it away. Anybody who has tried to lose weight or quit smoking knows that well. And eliminating &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; desire is a lot harder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, because you can name and describe a goal does not mean you can &quot;just do it&quot;. On the stock market, the old saying is that the trick is &quot;buy low, sell high&quot;. Sounds simple. But how to do that consistently fills whole bookshelves, heck, whole libraries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So getting back to the Four Truths -- &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; to eliminate desire is the Fourth Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T15:17:12.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2515" CreationDate="2016-02-12T15:27:36.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may want to refer to this sutta from Pali Canon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha said to him, &quot;The sight of my foul body is useless; he who sees the Dhamma, he it is that seeth me&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;yo kho dhammam passati so mam passati; yo mam passati so dhammam passati&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/va/vakkali.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vakkali Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Idols and Suptas are representing the teaching of Buddha, the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yg7n3.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yg7n3.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Supta Meanings&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9oIrA.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9oIrA.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Supta and Buddha&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T15:27:36.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14042" CreationDate="2016-02-12T15:34:22.670" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;So far I have only one first-hand report of a practitioner diagnosed with ADD due to dopamine re-uptake problems, who says meditation helps him regulate the levels of dopamine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From buddhist theory we know that the Four Jhanas meditation is intended to produce joy, which should correlate with the functioning of the reward mechanism of the brain, which is primarily dopamine-based. So another way to see the Jhanas, esp. the first and second one, is as mastery over one's dopamine levels by taking control of the reward mechanism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far the levels of other hormones and neurotransmitters, I can only assume they get &quot;better&quot;, but there is nothing I know first-hand. A nice book on the topic seems to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0262511096&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness&lt;/a&gt; but I have not read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T15:34:22.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14025" CreationDate="2016-02-12T15:41:57.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There will probably be some contradictions.  I have heard Nicca Sukkha Atta to describe Nirvana by Dhammakaya Movement which I quickly dismissed.  It's polar opposite of anicca dukkha anatta.   From my study, Buddha never said a anything to be Atta (or self).   From war drum sutta, Buddha said not to lend ear to new lectures.  However, if you want to listen to the other schools make sure you chose carefully.  Just like santa100 said, verify it first.  it is a sensitive subject.  you never want to criticize food eaten by people from different cultures than yours.  They will get offended.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T15:41:57.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14044" CreationDate="2016-02-12T16:04:46.940" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think Wikipedia articles on the man and on the Dalit emancipation movement give some insight into his reasons&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar#Conversion_to_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar#Conversion_to_Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement#B._R._Ambedkar&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement#B._R._Ambedkar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;they appear to be primarily socio-political rather than existential and spiritual&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T19:28:49.497" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T19:28:49.497" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14042" CreationDate="2016-02-12T16:16:58.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;from my personal experience, joy from meditation has exact feeling as when I take opiate but without crash landing or feeling down after.  And given history of stokes in my family, I try to get brain MRI regularly every 5 years.   I have a friend who is a neuro-radiologist to help me read my film.  (I did my best to meditate while i was in that  loud banging tunnel of MRI scanner).  I think it had effect on my brain that control breathing....i forgot the name of it.  it showed slightly brighter than normal..  not much but just a notch.  he said typically that part of the brain would show brighter when activity is slow such as someone who is rescued from drowning or someone is taken very small amount of cyanide or when brain activities are slowing down (no need for large amount of O2 in that moment).  I do not know if it has anything to do with my meditation but there it was.  But, the over all finding was &quot;normal&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T16:16:58.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14043" CreationDate="2016-02-12T16:28:15.193" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel like I'm on small dose of opiate.  My guess is that it increases dopamine release but not to the point that i dont have enough of it to function normally when not meditating (no crash landing or withdrawal)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T16:28:15.193" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14031" CreationDate="2016-02-12T16:43:16.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very good question. So I do not understand why it would have been downvoted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to Chris' answer I would like to comment (I would do this as a comment, but I don't have enough reputation) that it would be much worth also reading the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patika Sutta (D 24)&lt;/a&gt;, which is cited in the referenced &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;exposition on the Agañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There the Buddha declares that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are, Bhaggava, certain recluses and brahmins who declare it as their doctrine, that the beginning of things was owing to a debauch of pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but this is only one of a range of possibilities he enumerates about how beings might remember what they think of as the &quot;beginning of all&quot; or come to regard it that way by tradition although they have actually forgotten it, but the Buddha claims to remember even more and tells about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quite interesting idea (through remembrance) of origin that comes after is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are, Bhaggava, certain recluses and brahmins, who declare as their traditional doctrine, that the beginning of things was owing to a debauch of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(and is maybe quite pertinent as well to some states of mental existence in such internet realms as these, and how these beings come down to &quot;fall from grace&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while these remembrances retellings could certainly provide some good moral lessons, that could help remind one of better states that had been before, and also the reason why they were lost, so as to motivate one to return to that purity of old times, the real answer the Buddha gives elsewhere and repeatedly is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 15.3: Tears&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/samsara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samsara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question directly,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I find it strange to see that all chaos began from eating something that they were no supposed to in both teachings. Whether it was meant to be metaphorical I do not know. Shed some light to this if you can. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this is not how all chaos began, but just some periods of relative purity and &quot;order&quot;, after which by excessive debauchery that relative purity was again spoiled and lost, and a new episode of grosser chaos was set rolling again, and again, and again, this is happening, on individual as well as greater and more universal scales, as long as one has not found the way out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But according to the Buddha the reason was not that &quot;they were not supposed to&quot;, and there is no external watcher behind who brings disaster as a punishment, but just the nature of existence in this world which continues for each individual as long as the ignorance about and behind these mechanisms is not seen through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha taught it is craving that is the ground for all becoming (and all the suffering that comes with it, from refined and subtle to more grosser and grosser forms), and ignorance of these mechanisms which leaves the craving to continue untouched and continuing in our mental streams, so such episodes from the past are just some illustrative samples that could remind us and also inform and inspire other religious traditions to uphold their moral ideals, and provide for their stories of origin, as they have recognized and observed similar things to their varying extents and the depravity that comes generally from unfettered sense desire and the purity that can be cultivated from restraint and abstinence. And so this seems to be a quite universal theme in all more developed ethical and religious traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7571" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T16:55:16.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T16:55:02.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see two misunderstandings with his statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He seems to take a sequential reading of the four noble truths as instructions, where the third would instruct to &quot;remove desire&quot; and the fourth would instruct to &quot;follow the eightfold path&quot;. Then he argues that one who removed the desire on the third step, does not need to follow the eightfold path -- hence, it contradicts itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reading is alien to buddhists, insofar as we are talking about one who hasn't satisfied the third noble truth (end of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;). It has been noted that the four noble truths mirror medical diagnosis: recognizing disease/symptoms (there's &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), identifying origin of disease (craving), determining if a cure is possible (there's end of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), and if so, prescribing medicine (the eighfold path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While he may be right that one who has satisfied the third truth no longer needs the training (e.g. an arahant), it doesn't seem to me that this is what he meant. The problem on the core of his argument is that he, as many others, identify &quot;abandoning desire&quot; and &quot;having desire [for nirvana, for buddhahood, for learning dhamma, etc]&quot; as contradictions. The contradiction, however, does not exist. If anything, it tells us a limitation of language and perception, not a limitation of the subject of matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, consider methods like vaccine: generally, a way to introduce a virus to train your immune system. Another way of explaining it would be &quot;something that makes you ill to make you healthy&quot;. For another example, consider body workout: generally, a way to improve strength and build muscles. Another way of saying what it is would be &quot;exercises to make your body weak and cause repeated damages to your muscles so you can be stronger and have more muscles&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, these are contradictions. But only in appearance, caused by mixing method and long term goals as if they had the same &quot;semantic status&quot;, and while ignoring the process underneath. These examples, thus,  tells us a limitation of language and perception, not a limitation of the subject of matter (i.e. it does not debunk workout or vaccine).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T23:49:50.537" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T23:49:50.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14017" CreationDate="2016-02-12T17:05:56.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most obvious and in detail is in a sutta describing Bhuddha's parinibbana process.  Process monitored and confirmed by Ven Anuruddha.   When Buddha closed his eyes he enter jhanna 1 - 2 -3 -4, and then infinite space, infinite consciousness, no-thingness, neither perception nor non-perception, cessation.  and then from cessation to neither perception nor non-perception,  no-thingness, infinite consciousness,  infinite space,then jhanna 4 -3 -2 -1 .   and then again from Jhanna 1 -2 -3 -4 , and when he left jhanna 4, his 5 skhanda was over.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS.  (I noticed Buddha never once called infinite space, etc. a 5, 6, 7, 8,  9 Jhanna ever.  He always used their full names.  )   only called the entire group as arupa Jhanna but when it comes to individual level, Buddha called them their full names.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T17:05:56.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-02-12T19:54:40.630" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;U must be a orthodox person ...  You are following a enternal religion like buddhism but u belive in physical thing .. Its not great dude ... Now come lets have a time travel In buddist texts there are 28 pichhecca Buddha means previous Buddha .. Actual 12 of them,are Jain thirthankaras ... As vimalnatha, rishbha deva, and many  In buddist text there a system which Buddha called only the one true and fine system .. He gave a name &quot;chaturyaam dharma&quot;  actually that led by 23 third Jain thirthankara ..  Some of great thinker also says that the parents of lord Buddha was also follower of parshvanatha the 23rd thirthankara.. Who was a jina born 280 years before Buddha .. There are a reference that Buddha himself was at vaishali and mahaveer swami got nirvana at pavapuri .. Hearing this Buddha cried a lot ...  Forgot all this things .. Now come with me brothers  Many many thousands years ago before Buddha and mahaveera  People used to live like animals , they don't know their known reality like we also today.. Then there were 14 great man born .. Hindu text and Jain text call them &quot;manu&quot; the last manu was king nabhi raja who was elected by people He gave birth a child named &quot;rishabha&quot; .. I am saying that he is follower of Jain or Hindu etc.  Simply he was the worlds perfect man &quot;arhan&quot;,&quot;arhat&quot;,&quot;adim,&quot;Adam&quot;,arihant&quot;  he taught 72 arts to man and 64 arts to women that's how the worlds first sytem made up Then he left whole world passesion like Buddha and mahaveera did .. And become monk and finally get nirvana at mount kailash .. Indians also knows him a Shiva  That's how the words first system  &quot;a religious system made up&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7797" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T19:54:40.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-02-12T20:00:04.670" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Then person start follow them  half with mis concepts and Hal with right ... Who followed the right become enlightened.. Who follow the wrong  they are like us fighting online on some sites Some of them teaches us the truth of life with perfect knoledge power and bliss  In my opinion they were thirthankaras , also mention as previous Buddha ... Jainism and buddism is not diffrwnt  Only the name and some of concept is diffrece because of gape of 2500 years  A loving and kind comment by a Jain boy  May in some of ur life u realise the truth of life and u also become a siddha or Buddha  Believe in yourself  Love u ... Have a great life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7797" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T20:00:04.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5246" CreationDate="2016-02-12T20:02:36.623" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I also think,that Buddha and mahaveera taught same things but &#xA;Their must be a competition between followers of Buddha and mahaveera .. That's how today both religion are has geographycally and conceptually diffrence ... Don't worry let the some one us become a enlightened and then the truth will be rediscovered&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7797" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T20:02:36.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14058" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-12T20:11:05.523" Score="2" ViewCount="512" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Theravada Buddhist.i am curious to know about Lord Buddha's Last words according to different schools of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-02-13T19:48:36.840" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T13:05:18.247" Title="What were the last word of Lord Buddha according to different schools of Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-12T21:22:58.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To second everyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paraphrasing the Truths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha must be understood for what it is.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Among the conditions responsible for the arising of Dukkha the unsatisfied thirst is a necessary condition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the absence of the unsatisfied thirst Dukkha does not arise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Here is how the thirst can be eliminated, step by step, from coarse to subtle.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Couple things to note here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha is not sorrow&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tanha is not desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The roots of Tanha run deeeeeep and in most cases can't be cut momentarily&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The entire attitude to existence must change, down to very subtle/fundamental assumptions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yeah, in one sense they are right - if you have reached the goal you no longer need to follow the path. In the other sense, they should not speak about &quot;eliminating the desire&quot; so lightly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T21:22:58.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14043" CreationDate="2016-02-12T23:34:34.257" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both. Meditation when done properly will allow one to abandon the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot;&gt;Five Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; (greed, anger, sloth/torpor, restlessness, doubt); and give rise to the Five Jhana Factors where each factor counters a particular hindrance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Applied Examination to counter sloth/torpor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sustained Examination to counter doubt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy to counter anger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness to counter restlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One-pointedness to counter greed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to notice that meditation alone will not lead one to nibbana. It's only 1 out of 8 limbs of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;, which a practioner will need to train to perfection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-12T23:37:49.453" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T23:37:49.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13987" CreationDate="2016-02-12T23:52:19.057" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. Once awarded, that is it.It is a one off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7799" LastActivityDate="2016-02-12T23:52:19.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14033" CreationDate="2016-02-13T00:05:32.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 4NT can be seen as 2 pairs of cause and effect: first pair is about suffering, second pair is about ending suffering:&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;1st NT: suffering: effect             &amp;lt;--- 2nd NT: craving: cause&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;3rd NT: end of suffering: effect  &amp;lt;--- 4th NT: the 8FNP: cause&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also can be seen as the 4 concrete steps to be taken: to comprehend, to abandon, to directly experience, and to develop:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:' This noble truth of stress has been comprehended.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the origination of stress'... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned' [2] ... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress has been abandoned.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly experienced'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly experienced.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.' ~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt; ~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T00:05:32.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14024" CreationDate="2016-02-13T00:22:21.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 9&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha advised not to speculate on certain types of questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Potthapada, I haven’t expounded that the cosmos is eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Then is it the case that the cosmos is not eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Potthapada, I haven’t expounded that the cosmos is not eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Then is it the case that the cosmos is finite … the cosmos is infinite … the soul &amp;amp; the body are the same … the soul is one thing and the body another … after death a Tathagata exists … after death a Tathagata does not exist … after death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist … after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Potthapada, I haven’t expounded that after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“But why hasn’t the Blessed One expounded these things?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Because they are not conducive to the goal, are not conducive to the Dhamma, are not basic to the holy life. They don’t lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That’s why I haven’t expounded them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what has the Blessed One expounded?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I have expounded that, ‘This is stress’ … ‘This is the origination of stress’ … ‘This is the cessation of stress’ … ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And why has the Blessed One expounded these things?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Because they are conducive to the goal, conducive to the Dhamma, and basic to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That’s why I have expounded them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T00:39:38.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14064" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14065" CreationDate="2016-02-13T10:01:12.137" Score="7" ViewCount="519" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please make sure you read the whole text before giving me an answer.&#xA;I'm very serious about this and search a very good advise, something I didn't think before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This year I'll become 30 years and I'm standing in the middle of nothing.&#xA;My boss fired me and all in all I feel I quitted more jobs in my life than changing my underpants.&#xA;I've no motivation to do something cause I've no aim for something.&#xA;When I started to do something (no matter what) I concentrate on it for a few days / weeks / months and than I left it and do something new or nothing, cause everything makes me bored from time to time or stressed me to much.&#xA;Then there are times I decided to do something very cool. These are the times I started to do something new for a particular time. But when I'm into it and I don't &quot;throw it away&quot; I think about all the political decisions (internationally) and get paranoid of a world war 3 or something like this. That's the reason why I don't want to do anything, cause I think &quot;When I do something and the worstcase comes over us, there was no need to learn / do it.&quot;&#xA;I'm very deep in conspiracy theories and work sometimes hours, days, weeks and month to find out &quot;the truth&quot;.&#xA;That's the reason why I think like I mentioned above.&#xA;And that brings me to another fact: I seriously hate this system of life.&#xA;I've the opinion we are not on this planet to work and pay taxes. In my point of view, both are waste of time --&gt; Working for money, to make a low life - never become that successful, that I don't have to worry about the most money-cases.&#xA;In my opinion we are here to find a higher self.&#xA;Now there are 2 possibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I want to stay in a monastery. Become a monk. But I can't cause of my girlfriend.&#xA;(But I think her thinking is right as well: &quot;You just want to flee from everything&quot;.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to build a future with making decisions with/for her when we broke up anyway someday.&#xA;(That's just my thinking)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My girlfriend is telling me, I should concentrate more on myself than on her.&#xA;I should do more what I want, not what she want or what is &quot;best&quot; for a common future. (Yes, she really loves me - no sarcasm here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've a handful of friends more or less but nothing I can work with for my personal life. It's not cause of them, it's cause of me, cause I don't like to talk about the most things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I've less than a handful of leisure activities.&#xA;I had no plan in the past and I don't have one right now.&#xA;In my carreer I developed a photography-eye so my references in photography are remarkable.&#xA;But I hate to stress myself out to search for some work for it (freelance) and I don't like to work with people at all (commercial studios who work for quantity, not quality).&#xA;The second thing I can do very well is solving computer problems of all kinds. Even when I've to search in the www for solutions I can solve every problem since I'm a child. Hardware &amp;amp; Software. No matter which kind of operating system. Just doing it like I never did anything before.&#xA;My actually situation is: I've safed a little money to survive for the next 1 - 2 month.&#xA;I could search for another job, but the possibility I really hate it is very high and will quit anyway.&#xA;And I feel myself is to old to do something totally different and become SO good in it, that I become very successful with it.&#xA;So what should I do generally?&#xA;I feel like &quot;I just want to quit life and try something else.&quot; (if you understand what I mean)&#xA;Cause everything I do is making me bored.&#xA;Everything I aim on is not SO special (in my mind), that I would spend my life for it. (For example: Become a programmer: Oh no, it's not THAT cool ... and on and on)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7564" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T19:50:40.510" Title="No aim. No perspective. Begin of 30y. Scared about political-decisions. Paranoid. What should I do?" Tags="|daily-life|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T11:38:39.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Getting bored of everything, not interested in anything.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've had my fair share of this feeling in life and would like to share some thoughts here that will help you reassess your life over a period of time with more perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's face it. Most stuff in life is boring. It will interest you in the beginning and then it fades. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So first of all, my advice would be to accept this life as it is and be grateful for it. We need to be more accepting of the outside situation, whatever it may be and &lt;strong&gt;really face&lt;/strong&gt; it. I can't stress this point enough. Live it consciously. Don't run away from it. Don't pay heed to your mind at those times. This is very important because if you are &lt;strong&gt;not conscious&lt;/strong&gt; of your thoughts then you just get driven off the edge without you making any clear choices in your life. Please learn to value your life and do things consciously, as they ought to be done &lt;strong&gt;and not judge&lt;/strong&gt;. You seem to be constantly living in your mind's complications, not living life for what it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In my opinion we are here to find a higher self. Now there are 2 possibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I am not here to encourage any goal of yours or anything. But I have a request. Do you really know what is this &lt;code&gt;higher self&lt;/code&gt; you speak of? Do you truly know what it takes or what are the practices to reach that from where you are currently? Please don't bullshit yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again I'd like you to see your mind's pattern here. It may seem harsh but your mind loves to create these things out of nowhere, send you reeling in one direction and then drags you back down to nothing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest, you don't even want to take the time to respect/appreciate your gifts and your life, simply because it is &quot;boring&quot;? It takes good amounts of calm, discipline and commitment to do ANYTHING. Please see that I am not mentioning &quot;enthusiasm or passion&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said it yourself. You're just running away/fleeing from everything. How about you try &lt;strong&gt;not fleeing&lt;/strong&gt; (or not judging and just do things as they are) for a change? Think about valuing your girlfriend. And do some small things for her now that you love her so much. Don't make life complicated because of something you read from somewhere. You wake up in the morning and brush your teeth. Why aren't you running away from that? Isn't that also boring? Or do you have reasons why you're not? Life is also not that complicated. It takes a certain nature of being. It will make itself available to you if you're available to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple points about your Fear. Fear is about something that &lt;strong&gt;may happen&lt;/strong&gt;. Your fear is about something that has not happened yet. Your fear is of something that does not exist. And when you start fearing something that does not exist, then... I don't know really what to call that clinically. Over here, I'd like to say, let that happen to you. Let's get out there and face it. Be life affirming. What's a life without any problems or troubles? &quot;Boring&quot; right? ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you're doing this questioning to yourself over a period of time, I would like you to try sitting on a chair or on the floor cross-legged, whichever you are comfortable with and just be there and breathe. Just watch your breath go in and out of you. Just sit peacefully and spine-erect, without your mind bothering you incessantly. Can you do simply do that much for 5 minutes? 10 minutes? 30 minutes? Congrats and keep going. You'll gain more perspective from 10 minutes of solitude than from my rant here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, I won't come to everyone's favorite topic ;) monkhood here but first things first, assess your priorities. Calm down, get some perspective and start living life consciously. When you really understand death, you'll start to value your life. Moments of life and your breathing that link you to life as it is, tries to tell you something, but you don't want to listen. You're just tuned out from life because your mind is busy making all the noise. Don't trust me. Just practice living life consciously without judging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over the course of the answer I have made a few &lt;strong&gt;bold&lt;/strong&gt;ed out words. Pay heed to those as they are important for each and every moment of your breathing since it connects you to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-13T12:01:43.010" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T12:01:43.010" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T12:00:51.553" Score="-4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I just want to quit life and try something else.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this gave me a good laugh, really, but that's impossible because outside of life there's... normally another life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i don't know how long you've been feeling this way, but since you mention your age i'll take a risk to guess that it could be an age specific crisis, which for some comes about at around 29 years of age, when all aspects of a person's astrological map has come a full circle&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so maybe as a first measure it would make sense to check with a competent astrologist, just to find out where you stand right now&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-21T11:50:07.467" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T11:50:07.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T13:10:26.673" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You simply have to stop trying so hard to please this 'I'. Focus on being helpful to others. Focus on doing good deeds and gaining merits. Stop looking for new things to entertain yourself. Instead, keep looking for ways to help others, including your girlfriend, parents etc. Don't expect entertainment out of your job. Do it to earn money and use that money to do good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever boredom arises, meditate on it. Don't react. Boredom is simply a feeling(aversion) that rises and passes away. Boredom is neither you nor your's. So why be a slave of boredom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-13T13:20:10.357" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T13:20:10.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T15:11:19.413" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I see your karmic situation very clearly. You have a very strong predisposition to become a serious Buddhist. As they say these days, &quot;you are a natural&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, you're kinda late in your cycle being in your 30s. If you start now you may not finish by the end of this life -- and in a next life, while major karmic and mental dispositions carry on, the conceptual knowledge and practices have to be restarted from scratch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice to you is to not go to monastery at this age, and instead do a 100% watertight saint-type practice in your daily life. &lt;em&gt;I believe this is your only chance.&lt;/em&gt; Then by the time you're ~50 you'll hopefully make the breakthrough and still have enough time and energy left to take care of future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gist of the practice is, you have to be perfect. I'm not joking (you wish I would). Obviously, life is an optimization game against many mutually competing variables but in every daily situation there is always the point of best balance. Which means, for next decade or so, you have to remove yourself from the equation and focus on achieving the best objective outcome in every situation regardless of your personal feelings. That's all there is to it: remove yourself from the equation, be impeccable, optimize every single situation as perfectly as you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This obviously includes your sense of self-worth (connected with praise and reward). Part of removing yourself out of the equation includes dropping all worry about how you look in the eyes of others. Your sense of the right must not depend on praise and blame of others. When you act like a de-facto saint (externally AND internally -- including not having negative thoughts about others or self-praising thoughts), then you know you are 100% right so you don't need to depend on others' opinions anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this make sense? It's a very simple practice conceptually, the only difficulty is to be sincere with yourself - in order to make it watertight. From what you told us I see that this should work very well for you, if you have the guts to follow it through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-02-14T01:01:25.060" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T01:01:25.060" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T15:58:09.540" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes a little perspective would help. The truth is for anyone in your situation right now, there're hundreds others around the world who are suffering much worse. Just imagine, while you're sitting in a cozy home contemplating about directions in life, there're men in Syria, Aghganistan, Africa, etc.. frantically trying all they can to stay safe from the horror of wars, famine, natural disasters, diseases, etc. And a Buddhist shouldnt' be surprised, for suffering is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html&quot;&gt;Three Characteristics&lt;/a&gt; inherent in life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As you contemplate more on this truth, your thoughts will become clearer and more focus, which in turn allows you to make the proper decision for your life. The path of monkhood is the noblest and most conducive to the goal of ending suffering. Just notice it's not an easy path and certainly is not for the faint of heart. Then there's the path of lay life with its own challanges, like the many duties for one has to fulfill for his family, relatives, and society in general. By choosing this path, you simply can't just do whatever you want for you'll need a steady income to make sure your family have food to eat and shelter to stay. Afterall your situation is not unique. I'd think any good Buddhist would probably have similar thoughts at some point in their life. It's not easy and it'll take lots of contemplation and wisdom. So take your time to do the homework and wishing you all the best..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: check out Ven. Brahm's wonderful essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha201.htm&quot;&gt;&quot;Joy At Last to Know There Is No Happiness in the World&quot;&lt;/a&gt; if you haven't read it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T15:58:09.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-13T16:07:59.063" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the beauty about Buddhism is &quot;Don't just believe, but find the truth by yourself&quot; (as I paste below).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta#Discerning_Religious_Teachings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta states&lt;/a&gt; (Pali expression in parentheses):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing (anussava),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon tradition (paramparā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon rumor (itikirā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon what is in a scripture (piṭaka-sampadāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon surmise (takka-hetu),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon an axiom (naya-hetu),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon specious reasoning (ākāra-parivitakka),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over (diṭṭhi-nijjhān-akkh-antiyā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon another's seeming ability (bhabba-rūpatāya),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nor upon the consideration, The monk is our teacher (samaṇo no garū)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Kalamas, when you yourselves know: &quot;These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,&quot; enter on and abide in them.'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7803" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-13T16:16:33.197" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T16:16:33.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-13T19:45:24.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well after i recovered from couple of life threatening health situations i felt the same way like you do now.&#xA;I was also not interested in common person's goals and i did not saw any importance in those stuff either. I was finally able to come over those things and these are my ways of getting over this situation. I hope this helps...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I think you feel like......&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Life is going nowhere!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reason :- Being lost among different pursuits&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Answer :- &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stop, and now see what looks good at this moment and immediately you will see less favorable things and count them out. Now you are left with some good ones. Now it is time to sit down and go back to your memories of innocence, go to your childhood and see the world like that child for few minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You will start to see how you and your wishes has changed and how some dreams have died while some still stays strong &amp;amp; hidden waiting to be chased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What you feel is a direct outcome of not going after the things you actually wanted and feeling lost because you are not where you wanted to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we let the &quot;Rebel&quot; inside you go to sleep for a while and see,i think we would see that child or that ambitious young man again. He might have a  much clear vision for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I was a big fan of &quot;Anarchy&quot; or &quot;Social evolution&quot; some time ago too but then i learned some history. I saw how time and time again the system has failed and every time the people who pioneered the revolutions did everything to reach that social and economical &quot;Promised land&quot;. After all i realized that &quot;Rebooting the system&quot; is nothing new and each time it has ended up being a &quot;Lost cause&quot;. That realization is the very reason that made me walk away from &quot;Conspiracy theories&quot; and become a good Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Am i choosing Myself vs Love&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reason :-What you want to be is who you are, this is yet to sink in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Answer :-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If you want your Love you should choose your Loving partner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If you want just Peace then you should choose a monastery&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If you want both look at option 3 (Keep reading.it is down there)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Make a choice and then go for it. If you are not sure this is what that will happen.&#xA;  You will loose your girl because as you said you are stuck &amp;amp; you will be going further into this dilemma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Option 3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Well, no one said a good Buddhist can't be a &quot;lay person&quot; (a householder).&#xA;  Start again and don't look back. Stop resenting the years that you feel like wasted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Know this that growing up is not your body growing old, it is your mind maturing. So if you look back and recent the time you have used to come to this point in life. You are wrong. Because today you are more mature than ever before and you already know many ways that you can fail. Use this to your advantage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Drop the stupid theories about &quot;Conspiracies&quot;, let someone else deal with that business. Go on with your life. Because the world will do just fine with you or without you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As you see now it is all about bringing yourself to make decisions &amp;amp; and being brave enough to say that &quot;I was once wrong&quot; and move on with that knowledge. Do not be afraid to fail,be afraid to not to do anything while everything that you are is about to fall apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So my friend choose!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-13T19:45:24.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14072" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14073" CreationDate="2016-02-14T02:33:28.693" Score="9" ViewCount="1003" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a mathematics student and I want to become a buddhist because I've heard that they don't believe in any god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I get in to buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of books do you recomend to read for starters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I be a Buddhist without joining any community?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any kind of &quot;secular&quot; Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to learn about their vision of life without making any rituals. Is that possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7804" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-02-14T13:37:17.060" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T19:22:50.323" Title="I would like to become Buddhist" Tags="|philosophy|texts|books|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-14T04:21:22.140" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've heard that they don't believe in any god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you mean by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;God&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhism does not have the concept of a almighty, creator (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;deism&lt;/a&gt;), sustainer, creator plus sustainer (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;theism&lt;/a&gt;), destroyer, everlasting god, external controller or owner or creator of the soul, enforcer of karma or retribution and rewards for one's actions, etc. but does mention Deva who are better described as celestial being / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;deity&lt;/a&gt; but which is sometimes translated perhaps loosely or incorrectly into English as gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;God in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can I get into buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why don't you 1st take a course at a meditation centre. You can locate a centre close to you here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What kind of books do you recommend to read for starters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start with In the Buddha's Words: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)&lt;/a&gt; Edited and introduced by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can I be a Buddhist without joining any community?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anybody walking the path (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt;) with a view to come out of stress can be considered a Buddhist. It will be helpful if you are part of a community as it can help you with learning and practice. But also if you join the wrong community it can be detrimental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can try &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt; has other groups which you can try out but be wary that not all forms of Buddist pratice give the same results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any kind of &quot;secular&quot; Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; as in the west may have gone too far in re integrating Buddhism but inherently Buddhism is secular. Also see answers to this question on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12901/secularized-buddhism&quot;&gt;Secularized Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would like to learn about their vision of life without making any rituals. Is that possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does have culture which has developed around it and the cultural significance change from country to country. There are not Rites and Rituals in Buddhism itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T16:12:44.067" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-14T05:07:57.787" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't believe in any God. Ok. You don't believe in rituals. Ok. Very likely you already don't. So why Buddhism? I'd like to make an important point here stating that Buddhism is anything but a religion. The right question to ask would be why would you want to follow anything at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will find many answers here that will give you sources and some googling will give you additional reading. &quot;Access to insight&quot; is one place to read some suttas and translations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I would say some practical advice is worth it. Get a cushion, or a straight backed chair, or sit on the floor cross legged. With spine erect. Close your eyes lightly. Make sure you're comfortable. Take 3-4 deep breaths. This gets your system responding to you. Then start normal breathing. Watch your breath go in and out of you. You could start by observing the stomach going in and out with breathing. Don't force it. And then do a body scan top to bottom and bottom to top, loosening up any tight or tense areas. Come back to the breath going in and out. You could alternatively focus your attention on the breath at the tip of your nose. During this time you may find that your mind keeps on coming up with one thought after another. If it doesn't, you're my God ;) Ignore those thoughts and come back to the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try this for sometime and then gradually increase the time. And then go for additional reading sources gradually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from this, my advice would be not to get into any complicated concepts &lt;strong&gt;which is not yet in your experience&lt;/strong&gt;. This is a pitfall. Because that will just send your mind into unnecessary spirals and get you nowhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta and good luck with your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-14T05:17:25.643" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T05:17:25.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14075" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-14T09:06:22.840" Score="1" ViewCount="687" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha as part of the noble eightfold path preached that killing any organism is an unskillful action which results in bad karma. He also preached that every buddhist monk's final aim should be nibbana. In the Maha-parinibbana Sutta, it's mentioned that one cause for earthquake is a monk attaining enlightenment. Earthquakes result in the killing of atleast few organisms. So that should mean a monk should not pursue enlightenment. How does a practicing buddhist monk address this apparent contradiction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7806" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T03:04:32.307" Title="8 causes of Earthquake - Maha-parinibbana Sutta" Tags="|pali-canon|enlightenment|nirvana|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14076" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14084" CreationDate="2016-02-14T12:07:48.443" Score="2" ViewCount="690" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is a concept of mindful activity. But what actually is mindfulness? How does it differ from mindless activity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please help me to understand that: I've googled it a lot, but failed to gain insight into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that some concrete examples from daily life might be the best way to explain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am really bad at understanding theory, so if you can please give examples is daily life: for example, is watching a movie categorized as mindless or mindful? How to make it a mindful activity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&#xA;After receiving various kind help, I gain more insight into mindfulness. There are 4 types of mindfulness of phenomenon of the living:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the awareness of existence of the phenomenon of body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the awareness of existence of the phenomenon of feeling. such as pleasant, unpleasant, neutral feeling that arise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the awareness of existence of phenomenon of mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the awareness of existence of phenomenon of mental quality according to buddha teaching. (i have not fully grasp of the last part)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not think that one of those four as the ultimate awareness. All of those awareness make whole awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mindlessness is like being a robot that fully functional. mindfulness is like being a fully functional robot that gain awareness of itself. please excuse me with the example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;reference: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7808" LastEditorUserId="7808" LastEditDate="2016-02-17T15:57:55.777" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T15:57:55.777" Title="Some daily-life examples to help explain what 'mindfulness' and 'mindless activity' are?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14077" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14092" CreationDate="2016-02-14T12:35:03.983" Score="4" ViewCount="204" Body="&lt;p&gt;I self diagnose myself of having hyper vigilance, maybe as a result of having psychological trauma in the past. It is a condition where I can't really trust other human being. Often perceiving other human being around me as a threat. I am completely relax near animals or very-close person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My condition is not severed, only fired up if certain condition arise. For example when speaking to new business acquaintance, I am in alert condition frantically trying to gather and analyze as much information as possible before giving out comment or response. Somehow I have feeling that I will be doomed if I didn't give a perfect response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what kind of buddhist teaching that can ease this symptom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7808" LastEditorUserId="7808" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T06:49:01.960" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T02:37:33.523" Title="I am having hyper vigilance issue in my daily life" Tags="|pchychological-trauma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14079" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14080" CreationDate="2016-02-14T14:10:21.520" Score="2" ViewCount="280" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the title says it all.I know that an enlightened person's soul will go to nirvana after their death, but what is really nirvana? &#xA;Is it some kind of a place or something like that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7809" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T03:17:01.623" Title="What is a nirvana?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14079" CreationDate="2016-02-14T14:39:19.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;it's definitely not a place, it's a no-place&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this question could gave been answered earlier, please review&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=what+is+nirvana&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=what+is+nirvana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=what+is+nibbana&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=what+is+nibbana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;please also refer to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/nibbana.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nibbana.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T14:39:19.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14076" CreationDate="2016-02-14T14:53:50.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When your Buddhism teacher tells you: &quot;don't get irritated in daily life, don't get frustrated, be the master of your mind&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- and then you come back next day and say, &quot;I really wanted to be a master of my mind... but then I got carried away and yelled at my wife&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and teacher says: &quot;but this was supposed to be your main practice, to not get irritated, didn't I give you instructions?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and you say: &quot;somehow, in real life, when we started arguing with my wife, it looked so real and so important, and your instructions seemed so far away and so naive and irrelevant&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and the teacher says: &quot;this means you lack mindfulness. You must hold your practice assignment in front of you at all times, it must be the main thing on your mind - whatever else you do in daily life. Develop mindfulness. Do not get carried away.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that moment when &quot;it looked so real and so important, and your instructions seemed so far away and so naive and irrelevant&quot; - is when your perspective (and with it, your perception of reality and hence your judgement) has shifted by the external circumstances. If you had mindfulness, you would be able to hold your perspective the way your teacher has set it up, regardless of external pressure. So mindfulness is really a basic form of jhana, being able to control your perspective, instead of you being a slave of perspective. Mindfulness is predecessor to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-02-14T14:59:08.880" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T14:59:08.880" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2016-02-14T15:14:01.110" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taoism is innately Chinese and predates Buddhism by at least one thousand years. The Tao Te Ching is attributed to Lao Tze (500 BC) and Zen Buddhism to Tamo (5th century). Early Taoism resembles ancient nature worship and the religious practices of many other early societies. Taoism and Buddhism merged in peoples' minds much later. Tao Tze and Tamo (and even Lao Tze's student, Confucius) were considered one old, wise teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7811" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T15:14:01.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-14T15:56:05.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My thought would be to conquer your mind through your action. It is difficult to control the mind whereas it is relatively easier to conquer the action. I will say what you need to DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first step is becoming a morning person. May seem to be unrelated, but Lord Buddha has preached that the best way for a person to deteriorate is to get up late. So get up early, a two or three hours before you can see the sun rays. It will make you a way more proactive giving you more control over thoughts and actions. You can get to bed early to get an enough sleep such that your mind is calm when awaken. After getting up early, you can study your domain or you can even read some sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For being paranoid about political decisions, do not think much on politics, economics etc. Spend lesser time on them. Spend more time with the circle of friends and relatives, go for news just to have a grip. Politics and economics are having a downward trend although you may see random positive instances, that is what we are having, all of us are having, so do not think much on that. Lord Buddha preached about that deterioration. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebuddhism.net/2012/07/08/the-sixteen-dreams-of-king-pasenadi-kosol-and-their-interpretations-by-the-buddha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thebuddhism.net/2012/07/08/the-sixteen-dreams-of-king-pasenadi-kosol-and-their-interpretations-by-the-buddha/&lt;/a&gt; Now as You know such bad politics are inevitable, you need to remove that variable from your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Socially, spending the time with the girlfriend and your parents can give you a boost. As a leisure activity, maintaining a little garden is fine in many ways, it can give enough physical exercise, can help the mind to stay focused and calm, and can give you tiny financial returns meanwhile. As you are good at photography, it can also be used as a hobby giving happiness and financial returns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Job and personal finance, as it seems you have put enough hours on studying software and hardware. I think you need to get settled as a programmer or so, it can give you fine money. It can give you &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha#Anana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha#Anana_Sutta&lt;/a&gt; four kinds of happiness a householder can get. I believe as you sound to be valuing personal freedom, independence etc, doing something entrepreneurial or getting self employed on what you know also can be great. And on personal finance, you need to save more!!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There we find advice to householders on money, friendship, sex, drinking, working, saving, popularity, family responsibilities, and so on. The advice on money boils down to this: One should divide one's wealth or earnings (since the Buddha's audience asking about these things was often often the merchant class) into four equal divisions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With wealth acquired in this [harmless] way, a layperson fit for household life in four portions divides such wealth: thus will one friendship win:&#xA;The first portion is used for one's wants.&#xA;The second portion is spent on business needs.*&#xA;The third portion is also spent on producing more wealth.&#xA;The fourth portion goes into savings for times of need.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taken from,&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2010/08/4-steps-to-buddhist-money-management.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2010/08/4-steps-to-buddhist-money-management.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not need to be in something special to be happy. The important things are mentioned in this verse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T15:56:05.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14076" CreationDate="2016-02-14T15:57:20.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;being mindful means to at all times observe oneself in order to discern arising of unwholesome qualities and preferably nip them in the bud or, if they through one's mindlessness have managed to develop into full scale ideas, bodily and verbal acts - engender intention and resolve to refrain from them in the future&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;example&lt;/strong&gt;: your co-worker receives bonus to his salary and you don't. a tide of jealousy starts building up inside your heart, then it reaches the point when you feel urge on this account to deliver sarcastic remarks at his expense and you do so, or you turn passive-aggressive and make ironical remarks about your own ostensible lack of merit. from unwholesome mental act to unwholesome verbal act: harsh speech in the first case and idle chatter - in the second&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this is a snowball of unwholesomeness: from emotion/idea, to act of speech and to a possible act of body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;now when you are mindful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A.&lt;/strong&gt; the moment you start feeling jealous, you notice, acknowledge&#xA;this and restrain yourself to inhibit jelousy's further growth and try to evoke an antidote quality, which in this case would be &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt; or appreciative joy/cheerfulness towards that person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;B.&lt;/strong&gt; if you allowed jealousy to grow nonetheless, you acknowledge its presence, refrain from acts of speech and body driven by it  and still try to replace it with an antidote quality&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;C.&lt;/strong&gt; if you gave in to jealousy and, being driven by it, spoke or acted spitefully, you acknowledge the wrong-doing, repent, make resolve to not behave this way in the future, and in the future you recall this resolve of yours in&#xA;similar circumstances&lt;br&gt;&#xA;you also make a mental note to start developing an antidote, a wholesome oppostite quality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana sutta (MN 20)&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha advises on several strategies for warding off unwholesome thoughts and urges, and although they seem to be intended for a meditator, they can be applied to routine mental activity as well&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;same with the wholesome qualities only with the opposite sign:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;you notice when it's lacking, try to galvanize it inside your heart right then and there or make a resolve to have more of it in the future&lt;br&gt;&#xA;and when you do possess a certain wholesome quality, you notice this fact and make an effort to not lose it, and enhance and develop it further&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the Teaching of the Buddha is moral and ethical in nature first and foremost, where the object of mindfulness is practitioner's own behavior and psychic activity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is not an end but only a means of virtue cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-14T22:28:58.750" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T22:28:58.750" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14085" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14093" CreationDate="2016-02-14T16:29:43.797" Score="2" ViewCount="113" Body="&lt;p&gt;I love the Tibetan tradition - Palyul Vajrayana is specifically the one I'm in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to learn more about it, but the amount of texts available is just mind-boggling. I'd like to learn Abidhamma, the Lam-rim, and other texts that Tibetan masters have written.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, many of these texts (of the few that are translated) depend on the knowledge of other Buddhist concepts to be understood. For example, for the Diamond Sutra - I needed understanding of form and emptiness, and still I do not fully understand it because I do not have an understanding of what Dhammas are in Buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know there are resources at fpmt that deal with this specifically. And, if anyone wants to take a look, here they are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I am ignorant as to what percentage of philosophical understanding this covers, and how much pre-requisite knowledge you need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TL;DR: Looking for a list of books by teaching that you'd find in a Shedra environment.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you know such a list, please answer!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T14:56:26.040" Title="I am looking to learn about the philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism. Does anyone know the proper order in which to learn the texts?" Tags="|philosophy|tibetan|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14077" CreationDate="2016-02-14T16:47:45.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation might help - wishing others to be happy and free of pain. What might also help is Tonglen meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T16:47:45.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14075" CreationDate="2016-02-14T17:00:50.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are instances where the earth trembled due to certain significant event or a very meritorious person. But I do not think these are not very serious tremors. In recent times also these have happened. E.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, even in this unhappy atmosphere, there would be a ray of hope. Sayagyi had said that on my arrival in India, nature would give a sign of my future success. I travelled by air from Yangon (Rangoon) and, as it happened, &lt;strong&gt;when I descended from the plane in Calcutta there was an earth tremor&lt;/strong&gt;. The next day I read in the newspapers that it had affected a large area of northern India. To me it was as if the country was thrilled to regain the long-lost jewel of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Signs of this kind had occurred in the time of the Buddha. Was this nature’s way of expressing joy at the rebirth of the Buddha’s teaching through the return of Vipassana? However, when I recalled the present difficulties, I felt that perhaps the earthquake had just been a coincidence and that it was senseless to give it importance. I needed to understand and accept the existing situation, which was bleak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://wap.goodweb.cn/news/news_view.asp?newsid=58601&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;First Vipassana Course In India&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing many beings who a meritorious may cause natural disasters. In the past there is a Tsunami which hit Sri Lanka when an Arahat was killed. In such cases life may get harmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being enlightened is beneficial to oneself and others. Generally as far as I know earth tremors arising from this do not harm beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T17:00:50.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14076" CreationDate="2016-02-14T17:10:33.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sati means it aids remembering. So if you are mindful you are aware of what is happening. So in this aspect if you pay close attention and absorbed in the movie you have mindfulness with perhaps no fantasising or other though proliferation then you are mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness is to be mindful of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;. The essence is that you have to experience the arise of passing off sensation resulting from what you see in the movie is to your liking, disliking and neither.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T17:10:33.740" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14077" CreationDate="2016-02-14T17:14:54.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should start by being mindful on when you perceive something as a threat, friendly and neither. Look at the associated sensation that arise with such perceiving. Best is to do a course on meditation. You can try: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T03:14:51.623" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T03:14:51.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14079" CreationDate="2016-02-14T17:18:12.253" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the cessation of the cause (attachment, hatred, delusion, non attachment, non hatred, non delusion) of continuous existance. With cessation of the cause perception and sensations cesses. The implication of perception cessing is of perception is you do not analyse any experience as good, bad or neutral and sensation cessing means the whole sphere of unsatisfactoriness cesses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T03:17:01.623" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T03:17:01.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14091" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-14T17:20:33.223" Score="3" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started meditating recently formally, after a while of non-formal meditation, and I'm realizing that the objects I meditate on, either the breath or an image, are extremely faint. In the case of the breath, I barely can tell whether I'm on the breath or some other object, and it is hard for me to switch my attention to the sensations at the nostrils. In the case of an image, it is extremely faint and hard to distinguish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Should I continue with the breath, hoping it will become clearer despite not knowing if I'm truly focused upon it, or should I switch to a visual imagined object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Should I keep meditating despite the faintness of these objects of focus or is there a way to dispel this dullness outside of formal meditation? Are there any tips or techniques to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-28T22:26:54.077" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T22:26:54.077" Title="Faintness of Object of Meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14077" CreationDate="2016-02-14T18:37:07.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First and foremost, you must establish mindfulness of the body. Your mind should always be in your (lower) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dantian&lt;/a&gt;. Initially you may have to do exercises, push your abdomen out 100 times, several times a day, until you get used to being aware of your dantian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever you deal with people (talk to strangers), you should force yourself to stay in your body. Do not &quot;fly&quot; over to their perspective, or to some imaginary point in abstract space. Stay inside your body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to develop a good posture, good grace, and good gait. You should sit, stand, and walk conveniently, with good energy flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, you need to stop relying on people's opinions for your right-and-wrong. Your right-and-wrong should come from Dharma. When your right-and-wrong comes from Dharma, as long as you act by the Dharma, you'll no longer care what people think about you. Then you will not try to please them or be likable. Then you can be your own center, with Dharma being your center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, you should also sit without doing anything for one hour every day. When you sit you reconnect with your center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, develop awareness of your body esp dantian, stay in your body when you talk to people, develop grace, don't try to please people - instead be your own center acting by the Dharma, sit daily and reconnect with your center.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T18:37:07.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14085" CreationDate="2016-02-14T19:24:28.967" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, Palyul is my hometown monastery; when weather is good I meditate in their stupa park (not the real Palyul, a branch).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Palyul is Nyingma, their main ngondro text is &quot;The Words of My Perfect Teacher&quot; by Dza Patrul Rinpoche, plus &quot;A Guide to The Words of My Perfect Teacher&quot; by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang. Although these are considered &quot;beginner&quot; texts, if you study them carefully and do not rush, you will get much value. Especially the second one is very dense and actually not a beginner text at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel like you are ready for a complete lamrim, Kangyur Rinpoche's commentary on Jigme Lingpa's Treasury of Precious Qualities, is a refresher text used by lamas getting ready for their final exams. It packs the whole teaching in one volume. (Volume 2 covers tantra but that's completely useless without a live teacher)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T00:52:02.553" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T00:52:02.553" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14077" CreationDate="2016-02-14T19:52:32.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One recommendation is to stay aware of feelings (sensations) in your body, instead of being aware of a badly-defined fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Am I conscious of painful bodily sensations, am I being physically aggressed?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are painful bodily sensations likely to begin in the next few seconds, will I be aggressed?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Well, alright then&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause of your worry is presumably a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T19:52:32.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14085" CreationDate="2016-02-14T20:05:26.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The study material of the 'basic-program' provided by the FPMT covers a great deal, &lt;strong&gt;but&lt;/strong&gt; (1) what it covers also depends on the teachings and commentaries you follow (2) and it is a specific traditions and a specific college. You will learn there are various traditions, and various college that propound different point of views. Once you are familiar with one and firm you will understand the other better as well. You can read the study material - root-text, recommended books, transcripts of past BP - but you would not get that much out of it. You would definitely get more by attending a BP, either online or residential. I advise you not to just study on your own. Receiving teachings from a qualified teacher is of utmost importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The BP is done in 2 years in some centers, 3 in others, 5 yet in others. Because of this, the transcript of the course given by Geshe Chonyi on buddha nature (with Maitreya's root-text) is relatively short and easy and he quotes Gyaltsab Je's complicated commentary once or twice. Geshe Gyaltsen's transcript, on the other hand, is long and it is a word-by-word Gyaltsabe Je's &quot;oral&quot; commentary that he gave over three months. I know because I attended as interpreter from English to French.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some study Gyaltsab Je's commentaries while others do not (precisely because it's terse, dry, and not intended for beginners). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The BP is great. You would learn about Lam Rim (mainly Tsongkhapa's), Tenets (doctrinal classifications), Lorig (epistemology), Buddha nature according to the meaning of the Prajnaparamita but also the third turning, etc. It might have sectarian aspects but these are not avoidable. This is because the FPMT is spiritual, or &quot;religious&quot;, although it is academic, it is not oriented towards inter-textuality too much, or historical perspectives. Comparisons (as are done in the context of Tenets) always have an agenda. Still, if you are a practitioner, at some point you will have to dive in a water that you will have come to see as - if not the absolute truth - beneficial, wholesome and functional and aimed to your goal, enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T20:05:26.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-14T21:56:21.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I noticed that you mentioned that you were studying mathematics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself am wired to view the world with mathematical/logical eyes, so maybe I can relate to your questions, and its source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to suggest reading Nagarjuna's writings.  Some might disagree and say that it is not for beginners.  If your brain craves structure and meaning, then this might be a path to aim for.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Logic of Buddhist Philosophy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also suggest that you remember that Buddhism is referred to as the &lt;em&gt;Middle Way&lt;/em&gt; in which extremes are considered &quot;bad&quot;.  This might help you in better coping with the ideas of &quot;god vs. no god&quot;, or &quot;x vs ~x&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suerte en el camino!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7813" LastActivityDate="2016-02-14T21:56:21.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-14T23:21:52.460" Score="2" ViewCount="1201" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to understand this image.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/H9qZx.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/H9qZx.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain each part of this image? Not only the part in the middle, but also the figures all around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5843" LastEditorUserId="5843" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T13:10:34.043" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T21:25:38.663" Title="Can somebody explain me this Kalachakra print?" Tags="|tantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14091" CreationDate="2016-02-15T02:48:15.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I've been taught (specifically by &lt;a href=&quot;http://amzn.com/1590305213&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Richard Shankman&lt;/a&gt;), it's fine to pick a place where the breath is strongest for you (for example the rise and fall of the chest), rather than one proscribed by a certain teacher or text. Also, from Joseph Goldstein's &lt;a href=&quot;http://amzn.com/1622036050&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening&lt;/a&gt;: &quot;For myself, I always appreciated the pragmatism of Munindra-ji, my first teacher, who said to observe the breath wherever it is easiest, wherever you feel it the most clearly.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in general, I wouldn't worry too much about things being &quot;faint.&quot; As long as you can feel it most of the time, patience and practice are more important than idealized technique. It's normal for the breath to disappear, so to speak, on occasion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7816" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T02:48:15.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-15T03:01:26.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a good read: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Siddhartha&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Hermann Hesse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3614" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-15T03:05:24.127" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T03:05:24.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14027" CreationDate="2016-02-15T03:03:11.447" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the obvious answer is &quot;No.&quot; Zen, as always, put this well with the famous &quot;If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him&quot; quote. No tradition, set of teachings, or community can remain &quot;free from misguidance, from being wrong and misdirected.&quot; All religions fall into these categories, and are comprised of and maintained by human beings, who are by nature susceptible to delusion and error. Buddhism is a large and ancient religion, and as a result the amount of obvious bullshit you can find floating around out there under its name is enormous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism's advantage is that the Buddha was himself clearly aware of this problem, and repeatedly emphasized the need for his teachings to be validated empirically rather than accepted on faith. As a result, there has always been a healthy current of empiricism within Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stephen Batchelor's entire output is dedicated to excising this spirit from the various institutional traps it's been caught in over the history of formal Buddhism; I'd recommend you look at his writings if you are interested in more discussion along these lines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7816" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T03:03:11.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14027" CreationDate="2016-02-15T04:14:29.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your skepticism is correct and healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is subjective and objective. It is about you and your experience. And it generalizes that experience among all humans because we are all similar thinking beings. We all have a brain and a heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But along with skepticism, there are practices of Shamatha and Vipassana. Practice them. Don't worry as they are not black magic practices ;) but they give you a first hand experience of the observation of your mind and things around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you start with those practices along with your skepticism and start reading from various sources and be sure to organize your sources and thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T04:14:29.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-02-15T04:46:52.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please make sure you read the whole text before giving me an answer. I'm very serious about this and search a very good advise, something I didn't think before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me try to offer some advice then, but beware it's from my past experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Scared about political-decisions. Paranoid. What should I do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't watch the national or international news:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... on TV,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... which people post (e.g. on Facebook or wherever),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... on google.com/news&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO you should also switch off your connections to Anonymous and/or any other groups that are interested in politics or focused on conspiracies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why? Because they feed paranoia (see the story of &lt;a href=&quot;https://wizdompath.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/an-old-cherokee-tale-of-two-wolves/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Two Wolves&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How? Sometimes I edited the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_(file)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_(file)&lt;/a&gt; on my computer to null-route a web site that began to take too much of my time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Local&lt;/em&gt; news might (or might not) be useful. &lt;em&gt;Good&lt;/em&gt; news might be worthwhile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm standing in the middle of nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Easy to say, but that reminds me of this story: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People aren't immune from feeling hurt, from hurting other people; conversely they can help other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My boss fired me and all in all I feel I quitted more jobs in my life than changing my underpants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's hard to diagnose based on the limited information you gave. Do you have trouble with drugs, drink, sleep? Depression? Attention? Do you have a doctor? An employment agent? Can you look for better jobs? Stick with the job you have and try to work well?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard that some people specialize in temporary / short-term jobs, but I don't know about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't need much money then maybe part-time or self-employment could work for you (however beware of being 'self-employed' but having no customers and no income ... perhaps you shouldn't be self-employed except with a partner, e.g. if it's a good idea perhaps you could persuade someone to help and vice versa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've no motivation to do something cause I've no aim for something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess my motivation is not to be a financial burden on other people, i.e. to &quot;earn a living&quot; of my own, to help &quot;support&quot; me and other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I started to do something (no matter what) I concentrate on it for a few days / weeks / months and than I left it and do something new or nothing, cause everything makes me bored from time to time or stressed me to much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was fired from one of my first jobs (which was reading and sorting tax forms) because my mind found it so boring that it wasn't able to concentrate on the job for hours and days on end, and therefore made too many mistakes ... even though I wanted to have the job and keep the job. Another time I enjoyed (and kept) a job as a courier, delivering mail, because that was walking around and saying &quot;hello&quot; to people and left my mind free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since then I have worked as a software developer: and I've been bored or stressed sometimes. Part of learning to do the job is learning how to cope with that: e.g. how to work (with software and with people) in ways which minimize stress; how to stay motivated (e.g. for me that means keep a time-sheet and be interested in completing deliverables and not lying); how to fend off boredom (learn new things, repeat an activity I enjoy, take new responsibilities or challenges, take breaks and go for a walk when you can't concentrate, have other interests too other than only work).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think about all the political decisions (internationally) and get paranoid of a world war 3 or something like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, try and cut it out: it doesn't sound helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a separate subject, if you were going to be a gardener for example you'd have to be interested in growing plants, even though you know that winter is coming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've the opinion we are not on this planet to work and pay taxes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really? There's a saying that, &quot;We should eat to live, not live to eat.&quot; Does that help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Working for money, to make a low life - never become that successful, that I don't have to worry about the most money-cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's a definition-of-success problem. Maybe a low life is better than a high life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming rich (having enough savings that you wouldn't need to work any more) might take a lot of work and time. Until then, financial wealth might be defined as the ability to earn more than you spend. I kind of enjoyed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;this definition of success&lt;/a&gt;:&#xA;&quot;People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk. If there is food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to rejoice in their success (mudita).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't want to build a future with making decisions with/for her when we broke up anyway someday (Yes, she really loves me - no sarcasm here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hmm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I had no plan in the past and I don't have one right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes people feel awful being between jobs, and being fired is a set-back. Sometimes people advise that you should treat &quot;looking for work&quot; as a full-time job in itself -- get your CV right, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I should tell you what to do with your life though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cause everything I do is making me bored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like some kind of classic addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometime[s] in the past, have you been not-bored? Did that change your perspective on what is 'boring', so that other things seem boring in comparison? Are you attached to that experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you suffering from a combination of thirst (for excitement or non-boredom), aversion (to boredom), fabrication (of pseudo-problems like WW3), ego (I'm too good and/or too bad to do this), &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5863/254&quot;&gt;identity-view&lt;/a&gt; (&quot;Who is the 'star' of your narrative&quot;), and ignorance (lack of insight into disatisfaction)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Become a programmer: Oh no, it's not THAT cool&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being able to support youself seems pretty cool to me (but so does becoming a monk though, fwiw, although I won't presume to advise that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of Buddhist practice (and of working) is apparently learning how to concentrate or focus on a task. There's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13416/254&quot;&gt;a topic here&lt;/a&gt; about the experience of software development. Part of that experience was the ability to discard distracting (or chaotic) thoughts and emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T04:46:52.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-15T05:51:32.160" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's all generally misunderstood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth and death relates to action/withdrawal and stuff like that (yin/yang). Karma is the energy that gets stuck after an action without the proper withdrawal. It's why you see old people with so many issues because it builds up throughout their whole life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone who thinks karma has something to do with reincarnating into a rodent has absolutely no idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T05:51:32.160" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2016-02-15T05:59:44.273" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Truth is truth. Buddhism and Taoism are the same in the end, no matter what tradition you come from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T05:59:44.273" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-15T06:02:21.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forget about what everyone else says. Traditions are just obstacles. Read up on Bankei and just stay in the Unborn mind. That's all you have to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's so simple, but people just want to inflate their egos by telling you there are 1000 different difficult things that you have to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T06:02:21.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14106" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14117" CreationDate="2016-02-15T08:25:49.013" Score="1" ViewCount="372" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have learnt that Lord Buddha was initially reluctant to ordain females but after a lot of convincing by his step mother Buddha started ordaining females. Why was he initially reluctant? If not for his step mother would there even have been a chance for Buddha to ordain women? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2021-07-21T09:12:59.863" Title="Why was Lord Buddha reluctant to ordain females as Bhikkuni initially?" Tags="|the-buddha|ordination|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14106" CreationDate="2016-02-15T09:14:50.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;there's an alternative point of view suggesting that if the Mahapajapati's story is indeed authentic, it postdates the first acceptance of a woman into the Sangha, who could be Bhadda Kundalakesa, and that reluctance of the Buddha concerns specific circumstances of that particular episode and not wholesale refusal of women entrance into the order&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhadda Kundalakesa Therigatha (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/thig.05.09.hekh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thig 5.9&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I traveled before in a single cloth,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With shaven head, covered in&#xA;  dust,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thinking of faults in the faultless,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  While in the faulty&#xA;  seeing no faults.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  When done was the day's abiding,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I went to Mount&#xA;  Vulture Peak&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And saw the stainless Buddha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By the Order of Bhikkhus&#xA;  revered.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Then before Him my hands in añjali&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Humbly, I bowed down&#xA;  on my knees.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Come, Bhadda,&quot; He said to me:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And thus was I&#xA;  ordained.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Debt-free, I traveled for fifty years&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In Anga, Magadha&#xA;  and Vajji,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In Kasi and Kosala, too,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Living on the alms of the&#xA;  land.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That lay-supporter — wise man indeed —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May many merits&#xA;  accrue to him!&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who gave a robe to Bhadda for&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Free of all ties is&#xA;  she.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the issue is dealt with at length in the Ven Sujato's book &lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://santifm.org/santipada/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wbrrbsSCREENopt.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;White Bones Red Rot Black Snakes&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (free)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the history behind the issue appears very misty to me, where the truth probably won't ever be found out&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-09-06T20:04:15.573" LastActivityDate="2018-09-06T20:04:15.573" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14108" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-15T10:53:16.287" Score="3" ViewCount="521" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Agganna Sutta we humans beings from Abbhassara Brahma world.  They are mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious. So basically a much more advance species than humans. Because of desire they deteriorated to what we are right now. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;But evolution on the other hand basically talks about the reverse of this. That out ancestors were primates/chimps who had less developed intelligence. While the evidence to support the theory of evolution has been compelling still it remains unproven, however, still is widely expected as the most plausible explanation for the beginning of man kind. &#xA;&lt;p&gt; Is there anyway that both of these can mean the same although it seems to contradict on the surface? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T20:24:10.807" Title="Does evolution contradict Buddhism?" Tags="|human|evolution|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14058" CreationDate="2016-02-15T11:29:24.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe the Buddha expressed the Dharmaparyaya of the True Law (the Lotus Sutra) before becoming completely exctinct. Best regards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7818" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T11:29:24.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14108" CreationDate="2016-02-15T11:51:43.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the reference in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14041/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, the Agganna Sutta is a parable which suggests that Brahmins shouldn't feel pleased about how holy they are, that their current life is relatively degenerate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It starts as a reply to the brahmins' saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhante, the brahmins say, ‘The brahmin is the best class;&#xA;  any other class is inferior. The brahmin is&#xA;  the fair class; any other class is dark. Only brahmins are pure, not the non-brahmins. Brahmins are Brahma‘s&#xA;  own sons, the offspring from his mouth, born of Brahma, created by Brahma, the heirs of Brahma.&#xA;  You have here left the best class and gone over to an inferior class, since you have become wretched&#xA;  baldheads, false ascetics, dark menial, born of the feet of our Kinsman [Brahma]!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrast that with other teachings attributed to the Buddha: that a 'true' Brahmin isn't a Brahmin because they're &lt;em&gt;born&lt;/em&gt; as such (into that caste), but rather only if and because they &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; (because they behave and think and live like) a holy man.&#xA;Consider becoming degenerate as a result of unbridled sense-desires, and compare that with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a more Buddhist definition of a 'holy man'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, Darwin's theory of evolution (on the origin of species) isn't saying that, nor really anything like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's &quot;contradictory&quot; -- it's talking about something different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T12:03:37.080" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14111" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14115" CreationDate="2016-02-15T15:01:55.560" Score="2" ViewCount="700" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every day I ride my bike from home to office. It takes 1 hour journey.&#xA;During that hour, many times I found myself somehow teleported to certain distance. It is not magic, I simply lost in thought when that happened. I am so absorbed in my own thought that I am clueless to my surrounding, although my autopilot will guide me safely during that teleportation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that is only an example of many activities where my autopilot kicked in. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Problem is, I feel that it is a mistake to be lost in thought. I feel it is not supposed to happen. I feel I supposed to being in present moment. So to counter it, I try to being aware of my body movement, such as opening/closing gas, shifting up/down gear. I recite the word in my mind when the body move. After doing so, I came to realization that my body movement/reaction is faster that my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it really a mistake to be lost in thought?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is my way of countering have bad effect? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7808" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T22:02:49.187" Title="Losing in thought and autopilot kicked in" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-15T15:18:55.323" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it really a mistake to be lost in thought?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Satti is absent you create fabrications hence future misery. Therefore, it is a &quot;mistake&quot; to be lost in thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is my way of countering have bad effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are doing Kayanupassana hence this is one of the solution is being mindful, i.e., mindfulness of the body. In addition be mindful of the bodily sensation when moving like the fabrics touching your body, the wind sweeping over your skin, etc. Also look at muscular pains and pain and pleasure in changing postures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately what you have to work with is to realise &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; this you can realise through any experience you &lt;strong&gt;perceive&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;em&gt;good, bad and neutral&lt;/em&gt; and this leads to &lt;strong&gt;sensation&lt;/strong&gt; which are &lt;em&gt;pleasant, unpleasant and neutral&lt;/em&gt; and even the pleasant and neutral are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Characteristics&lt;/a&gt; while unpleasant is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; on its own and neutral opens us for further existence and it can still give unpleasantness in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-16T04:11:13.523" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T04:11:13.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-15T15:43:54.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're supposed to stay aware instead of daydreaming when you're driving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try moving your eyes repeatedly to look at different things: ahead, behind, the traffic lights, the other cars, pedestrians on this or that side who might be about to step into the road, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also breath enough to stay alert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And think about what someone might do unexpectedly, don't assume they've seen you until they prove it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's OK to react to changing road and bike conditions without too much conscious thought, but in order to react (even to react automatically) you need to retain awareness of what's happening around you, you need to have seen it, you need to have been paying attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there's an accident it's usually someone else's fault (e.g. a car turning into your right of way because they weren't paying attention and stupidly didn't notice you), but even though it's their fault there's often something you could/should have done to avoid it. For example a common type of motorbike accident is where you come up to a green light, ride through the intersection, and a car coming in the other direction turns across your path (so it's the car's fault), but the motorcycle doesn't even brake before hitting the car (so apparently the rider wasn't paying much attention either).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it's not just about you. When I'm on a bicycle I'm fairly harmless and I'm looking out for my own safety; when I'm driving a car I'm fairly well protected but conscious that unless I'm always careful I could really hurt someone else, and that it's my responsibility to never drive where I'm not looking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T15:43:54.767" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-15T17:43:02.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Being mindful.....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not only OK to be aware it is essentially something that Lord Buddha asked all Buddhists to do as long as they stay awake. But Buddhist version of &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Sathi)&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is a bit more deep, it includes being aware of the mind as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We as Buddhists believe that not being aware or not being &quot;Mindful&quot; is the very source of all bad thoughts,actions &amp;amp; words that we choose to exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though it is a very famous Word a lot of people do not know that &lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; was invented By Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the Buddhist teaching on awareness.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation of Postures full Awareness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it bad to have control over wandering mind?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, Because the mind is in nature wander among memories,imaginations,hopes,desires,thoughts &amp;amp; etc. This is why people are almost always lost in their own worlds. The bad side of this is that being lost like this can cause a lot of trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind is by nature very exposed &amp;amp; vulnerable to bad things and as we are not aware of our own emotions and thoughts we often find ourselves in the wrong side of black and white. This is caused by not being mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you should take from all of this is that you have stumbled apon a good practice and you should develop it further move from &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Being aware of the body&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;Being aware of the mind&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some links....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/2016/01/mindfulness-of-brathing.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness of breathing.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/2016/.../four-foundations-of-mindfulness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammasith.blogspot.com/.../clear-comprehensiondirect-understanding.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;clear comprehension direct understanding&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Satipatthana Sutta - Full teaching on Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May triple gems bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-02-16T03:41:19.023" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T03:41:19.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14108" CreationDate="2016-02-15T18:10:43.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have not yet read the sutta you are referring to but i'm aware of both teaching (biological &amp;amp; Buddhist evolutions). So i am going to answer the last part of your question.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Evolution vs Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometime ago i had the same question as Buddhism does not explain animal evolution along with the human evolution. It took me sometime to understand a certain point that i have been missing from the beginning.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we all know that biology treats Humans and animals in the same manner while Buddhism does it very differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism understand the world the animal realm is not a part of human realm. So in English, animals are not a Non-matured kind of humans. Animals are animals according to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As science suggest Evolution happens because of some beings being able to adapt to the environment and being able to reach good enough supply of nutritious foods &amp;amp; being able to hold on to that particular conditions for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhism teach Human birth is caused By good Karma and Animal birth is caused by bad karma. And when humans first started in earth there were no animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This statement make sense because as the universe is new there is no animal form left to give birth to beings in bad realms. But when Humans are born the circle is set.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to know what Lord Buddha said about the life expectancy of early humans. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As to Lord Buddha......&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early humans had no health problems (The earth is new so it makes&#xA;sense).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early humans were so healthy they called Hunger a disease&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early humans live 65,000+ years &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(This is not the collective lifetime.This is the life expectancy of a single one like we live 65 years now)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is wrong to think that Darvin's Evolution is the same with Buddhism's Evolution. But it is clear that Buddhism is the only religion that actually proposed &lt;strong&gt;Evolution&lt;/strong&gt; among all other faiths (2600 + years ago). Buddhism has its own version of evolution and i doubt that we will live long enough to see either one of these evolutions get proven by physical facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the triple gems bless you! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T18:10:43.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14106" CreationDate="2016-02-15T18:40:08.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I once listened to the same question being answered by a monk. And here are the answers. (Not the exact words but the long story short.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha never said that Males are better than Females. But as this is India that we are talking about Buddhism had to face some major issues when bringing equality to a country that was dominated by a cast system that was directly attached to the religion which later on formed &lt;strong&gt;Hinduism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddhas take decisions taking Past,present &amp;amp; Future into equation. When Lord Buddha himself first visited his own relatives they did not worshiped Lord Buddha. So Lord Buddha had to show miracles to get them out of their ego of cast and royalty. This was the kind of socio-political landscape that Lord Buddha had to work with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism had to do things very carefully because any wrong move would have caused a bloodbath between Buddhist kings and non-Buddhist kings over the new found religious democracy.So Lord Buddha had to face some difficulties when handling social issues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good example can be found in the situation that unfolded when Lord Buddha allowed Prince Rahula (the son of prince siddhartha who later on became our lord Buddha). Lord Buddha's father came and pleaded for a new law that forbids the acceptance of people who come to become monks without the approval of their parents. This law is valid to this day and the only way such a person is going to become a monk is either waiting till his or her parents die or threatening to suicide if the monk-hood is not granted. (I personally know a great monk who became a monk by the threatening.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see it is not fair but it was necessary. Now lets see why this happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the era of Lord Buddha women were right next to animals, more tools or breeding machines than equals with men. Lord Buddha had to fight centuries old traditions and beliefs. (sadly to this day Indian government has to issue advertisements via all forms of media saying &quot;Your daughter deserves education too&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is in teaching that Lord Buddha refused to accept Female monk hood three times and after the third accepted it. But the Female Monk hood disappeared from many countries and even today female to male ratio of Buddhist who would consider monkhood is not satisfactory. Maybe that was the reason it disappeared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha gave a certain set of rules to be followed by female monks so that they could avoid any harm that could come from the society that was genuinely &quot;Masochist&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T18:40:08.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14106" CreationDate="2016-02-15T21:32:58.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you look at the actual story in question, Mahapajapati wasn't asking the Buddha to ordain women in general, but was only asking about herself, and the Buddha was reluctant. I should note that some modern scholarship seems to suggest that this story could be fabricated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if the story is true, the reasons for his reluctance couldn't have been because he didn't want there to be a Bhikkhuni order, because the Vinaya has a section that describes Mara trying to convince the Buddha to pass into Parinibbana, and the Buddha kept giving reasons not to, and once he said that he wouldn't because he hadn't established the Bhikkhuni order yet, so it seems that the Buddha intended to have an order of Bhikkhunis from the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T21:32:58.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13686" CreationDate="2016-02-15T21:43:17.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The waves and the ocean metaphor are found in several places in the Lankavatara Sutra where the storehouse consciousness is said to be like the ocean and the waves are like the other seven consciousnesses, so I think the term Ocean Samadhi most likely refers to the state in which the other seven consciousnesses cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="745" LastActivityDate="2016-02-15T21:43:17.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14120" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14122" CreationDate="2016-02-16T02:47:22.380" Score="0" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answeres to the following question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13686/is-the-ocean-samadhi-a-metaphor-or-an-actual-meditation&quot;&gt;Is the Ocean Samadhi a metaphor or an actual meditation?&lt;/a&gt; implply there are 8 types of conciousness in Chinese Buddhism. What are these? How did they originate? Is this there a common text with Theravada which is cited deriving or rationalising this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T03:13:28.423" Title="What are the 8 Consciousness in Chinese Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|mahayana|chinese-buddhism|chinese-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14121" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-16T03:11:35.810" Score="1" ViewCount="768" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the knowledge I have the only law for a layman in Buddhism is that no child can be ordained without the permission of the parents. However, something I see in this society (especially in rural areas) is that children are handed over to the temples to be ordained (mostly based on something to with their horoscopes) even when the children protest. Am I wrong to say this but doesn't a child's consent matter as well? You cannot be forced to be ordained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T05:07:49.603" Title="Is it fair to ordain a child even when they refuse?" Tags="|parents|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14120" CreationDate="2016-02-16T03:13:28.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wiki&lt;/a&gt; page:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All surviving schools of buddhist thought accept – &quot;in common&quot; – the existence of the first six primary consciousnesses (Sanskrit: vijñāna, Tibetan: རྣམ་ཤེས་, Wylie: rnam-shes).&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; The internally coherent Yogācāra school associated with Maitreya, Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu, however, uniquely – or &quot;uncommonly&quot; – also posits the existence of two additional primary consciousnesses, kliṣṭamanas and ālayavijñāna, in order to explain the workings of karma.[2] The first six of these primary consciousnesses comprise the five sensory faculties together with mental consciousness, which is counted as the sixth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T03:13:28.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14121" CreationDate="2016-02-16T04:13:02.857" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I live in Asia and i am aware of the situation. Yes it is sad and here is how and why it is happening.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The horoscope matter happens because South Asian ideology is dominated by &quot;Astrology&quot;. Most of South Asians choose almost everything based on it, child's name,who they are going to marry,their future &amp;amp; etc.&#xA;Specially Indians are very obsessed in this whole Astrology thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what actually happens?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a Bad Habit among some people, they dump unwanted Cats &amp;amp; Dogs near temples. Sadly some children got so called &lt;em&gt;&quot;Bad horoscopes&quot;&lt;/em&gt; with predictions like &lt;em&gt;This child is a lethal danger to the father or mother&lt;/em&gt; or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As some people are obsessed with this so called &quot;scientific practice&quot; they tend to go to extremes. You would be surprised to know people walk away from marriages &amp;amp; relationships based on these predictions too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now the &quot;Puppy situation&quot; comes into play. They take children to temples and make them become monks. The temple has no choice here because the temple can't send someone away when the situation is like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another side to this....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some parents can't take care of their children. So they would take boys to the temple to become monks. As the temple take care of their education and every other need.The parents are happy that their children are going to have what they would not have if they stay home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing that some children would not stay in monkhood after they are old enough, the temple still to all that needs to be done for them. There is no bind keeping them from going back. Temples finance the learning of these new monks until  they get a &quot;Bachelor's degree&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be a situation in which a child's views or hopes are neglected, But if it wasn't for the temple who knows what will happen to these children?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own country we had some terrible incidents, some single parents killing their own children and killing themselves. These events occurred in a short period of time and all these incidents happened because of either Family or Financial trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Temples provide a roof over these children and give them education. Temples do not hold these children against their will and do not force monkhood. If the children wish to stay without being a monk that is allowed too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T04:13:02.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-16T04:28:49.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is fairly common to those people who are observing where they are or what they are thinking. The presence gets better over time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the idea is to &lt;strong&gt;not get stuck&lt;/strong&gt; in the moment when you got lost. Don't judge. Keep going to &lt;strong&gt;this moment&lt;/strong&gt; or the NOW :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T04:28:49.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14121" CreationDate="2016-02-16T05:07:49.603" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is as fair as forcing the kids to go to schools, when they refuse. There's usually a probation period as a novice within which they have to prove themselves worthy of monkhood. Even if the parents made the decision based on a horoscope, proper monasteries don't just accept any child unless they see potential for spiritual growth and the Vinaya requirements are met.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T05:07:49.603" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14126" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-16T07:20:15.833" Score="-1" ViewCount="176" Body="&lt;p&gt;So let's say an army officer is caught by the enemies and wants to spill the beans. The patriot officer can either lie and mislead the enemy and get killed or can betray the country by telling all the secrets of the state. So according to Buddhist principles which is worse? Lies or betrayal? Can you lie for a greater cause? If one's intentions are for the greater good can it still be bad karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T19:52:54.473" Title="Doing a wrong thing for the right reasons?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14126" CreationDate="2016-02-16T07:51:55.807" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I Buddhism what matters is the roots (greed, hatred, delusion, non greed, non hatred, non delusion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed, hatred and delusion are unskillful as they give results which you would perceive unfavorably hence resulting in a unpleasant sensation in the future. They are unskillful as they reap an undesired result and is not connected with the goal in Buddhism which is to be free from unsatisfactoriness which is to transent the sphere of perception and sensation (sanna vedayita nirodha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non greed, non hatred, non delusion are skillful as they reap experiences which you perceive favorably in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it depends on the root or volition behind the action. The same action can be done with different motivation which decide whether it is skillful or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T07:51:55.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14126" CreationDate="2016-02-16T09:59:04.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As of my understanding if he did any wrong, it will come to him as bad Karma. And Good will come as good Karma. Lets say the officer here lied and protected his country. He will be punished for lies and will be blessed with the good work of protecting the country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone lie with a not lying intention? I think we can't. If we want to lie. Then we are lying and we know we are lying. Purposes may be good. But the real intention can't be good (In here, lying is wrong, but the purpose of lying is good).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how I understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T09:59:04.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14126" CreationDate="2016-02-16T17:18:56.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The officer could just do nothing or better yet the officer could send loving-kindness and compassion to the &quot;enemy&quot;. Loving the enemy well is a good tool  to get out of that situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both lies and betrayal are wrong because they will lead to suffering in the future if not right away according to the Buddha's teaching (Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-02-16T18:28:32.060" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T18:28:32.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14126" CreationDate="2016-02-16T19:52:54.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd think the officer could simply remain silent, and avoid both assisting the enemy &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; incurring the karma of lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2016-02-16T19:52:54.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-17T00:31:47.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're still in the present moment because you can't not be. The daydream happens in the present moment. The issue is one of habitual retreating from the world out of sheer boredom. Just develop the habit of looking from the perspective of pure awareness without getting bogged down by the mind. It's really simple but you have to stick with it over many years. The boredom shifts because once you start REALLY looking then you realise that the real boredom is when you retreat into your mind rather than merely sticking with what you've got. Eventually you can retreat into the mind but the awareness stays open such that you can decide whether you want to or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T00:31:47.977" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-02-17T00:54:25.177" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need to join any community to become a buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can start by taking five precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To abstain from evil (Sila - Morality)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To do good (Samadhi - Concentration)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To purify the mind (Panna - Wisdom)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These are the teachings of all the Buddhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammapada, verse 183&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sila (The Precepts)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samådhi (Tranquillity of Mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Exertion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Attentiveness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paññå (Wisdom, Insight)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Aspiration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Understanding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A. Sila. The three characteristic aspects of sila are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sammå-våcå: Right Speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sammå-kammanta: Right Action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sammå-åjiva: Right Livelihood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By Right Speech is meant: speech which must be true, beneficial, and neither foul nor malicious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By Right Action is meant: the fundamentals of morality, which are opposed to killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and drunkenness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By Right Livelihood is meant: a way of living by trades other than those which increase the suffering of all beings— such as slave trading, the manufacture of weapons, and traffic in intoxicating drugs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read about Buddhism in this book: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/publications/DhammaTexts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma Texts by Sayagyi U Ba Khin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-17T01:17:12.023" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T01:17:12.023" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-02-17T00:54:25.177" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14136" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-17T02:19:37.347" Score="1" ViewCount="327" Body="&lt;p&gt;I ask this with a healthy skepticism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is meditation? Is it the style that is put forth in the texts or traditions, like Tibetan or Indian or whatever tradition? For example,  sit down and dedicate time to meditate. And is the definition of meditation objective or is it a subjective experience/practice? For example, Marcus Aurelius' writing, Meditations. Can following a train of thought intentionally, not compulsively, be considered meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish to question why we sit down to meditate for sometime. I have been giving answers on this site, giving so-called &quot;practical advice&quot; about sitting and meditating and then it struck me that I may be dulling the mind through this. Meditation seems to lend you to a certain calmness, which is good, but if I may say, a certain suggestibility. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I accept that the mind's activity is fairly ceaseless. Is this an altering of the state of mind in a sort of long term negative way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I mean is, it seems to me that sometimes I can't seem to distinguish between &quot;dulling of the mind&quot; and &quot;calmness&quot; through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-17T06:24:57.167" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T15:37:29.013" Title="What is meditation and are we dulling the mind through what is considered formal meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation-effects|meditation-breath|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14077" CreationDate="2016-02-17T02:37:33.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend for doing Loving Kindness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example doing loving kindness is decribed here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also do a short and simple loving kindness by saying in your mind &quot;Be peaceful&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That will help to reduce your worrying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By accompanying with silanussati, loving kindness will be more effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silanussati is recalling/remembering your moral values.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, not killing anyone including ants, insects during the day. Talking politely to people etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read about silanussati here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.11-Silanussati-Vism-7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.11-Silanussati-Vism-7-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7143" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T02:37:33.523" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-02-17T02:37:33.523" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14136" CreationDate="2016-02-17T04:01:35.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like a result of the process of suppressing the mind. You don't want to do that. Just accept everything as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My approach is more to do with the reversal of the roles of the thinking mind and awareness in ordinary life. Normally the thinking mind is in control and awareness takes a back seat, but through persistence it's become the opposite. This feels more like the thinking mind is just having a rest, rather than it being dulled. I can switch it on whenever I want and it works probably better than it used to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There really is no need for meditation because you can just use life as the grinding stone for the self. It's something you can do all the time and is no different to your ordinary life plus perhaps the idea of throwing yourself into circumstances that would be beneficial to your refinement. All you have to do is stay in that unborn mind state as much as possible. It just eats through everything of its own accord, just as it should do in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T04:01:35.473" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14010" CreationDate="2016-02-17T04:13:16.490" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is based on a false premise. Hinduism did not precede Buddhism; it followed it. Hinduism dates from 200 BCE approximately. The Buddha died about 400 BCE. It is the Hindu pretension to antiquity that is &quot;made up.&quot; See Wikipedia, &quot;Classical Hinduism,&quot; s.v. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Origins&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Origins&lt;/a&gt;. Be careful that your disappointment is not with Buddhism, but with your own erroneous beliefs about what Buddhism is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T04:13:16.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14136" CreationDate="2016-02-17T04:15:05.193" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation can be described as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;remove the roots with a view to develop revolution towards the aggregates whereby you do not attach or averse or deluded by its true nature to the sensation or unsatisfactoriness that follow when you perceive any corporeal form or mental abstraction as favorable, unfavorable and neutral &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;remove the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt; with a view to develop revolution towards the aggregates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt; with a view to develop revolution towards the aggregates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation should be practiced from the point you wake up to the point your fall to deep sleep. Sitting meditation is to sharpen your skills at applying mindfulness during the course of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calmness can lead to sloth and torpor if it is not balanced with effort. In which case you have to increase the frequency you &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;move the mind into the object of attention&lt;/a&gt; even when it does not wander away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be mindful of the arising and passing of sensations with equanimity to abandon &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;greed&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hatred&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;delusion&lt;/a&gt;. This is described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T07:19:39.193" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2016-02-17T11:22:00.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The real issue with creating art, I think, is that you can't be mindful while doing it. Writers, especially, have to imagine a lot, create images and basically delude oneself. And also, there is a great deal of attachment. As an artist, one has to be very dedicated to one's work, force things, alter things all the time, be a perfectionist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe there is no specific text forbidding it, there may even be texts that could be interpreted as art-positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in practice, I really do not see how it can benefit. It's another craving, and strongly linked with the ego. I believe it is more harmful than, say, plumbing. Who'd be attached to plumbing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5805" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T11:22:00.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14142" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14146" CreationDate="2016-02-17T12:22:14.743" Score="1" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a follower of Buddha I believe in sansara, a never ending cycle of death and birth which only ceases by cessation of desire. I have many friends who are of different faiths that don't believe in this. They strictly believe in one life and thereafter a judgement day where god holds accountable everyone for what they have done during there lifetime. &lt;p&gt; The point that I use to support my claim is that we are all born different, some poor some rich, some healthy some sick and so on. But they counter argue by saying that it is all God's test. If you are rich they it is either a reward or a test to check if that privilege is used live a good life and consent to the will of god. If one is poor that is also a test by god. While I have some points to counter argue I have never been able to give a convincing answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My intention is not to convert them or to undermine their faith in god. But it would be nice if I could rid them of some of the delusional thinking that they got going so that some day they would realize life for it really is. How can I do this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T02:17:24.130" Title="Life after death" Tags="|god|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14142" CreationDate="2016-02-17T13:37:58.247" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;We have to all believe that we at least have this life let alone past or future lives. In Buddhism one thing connected or leading to the final goal is to develop revolution towards you aggregated through understanding of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;. Even moment to moment the wheel of DO is tuning whereby an existance in one form passes away to create a new existance. Even this initially you do not have to believe, but keep an open mind that it is not false until it is verified. (If you think it is false then it is unskillful and the results would elude you.) With this view start practicing and you will get to verify that it is true in the span of this lifetime and hence interpolate to to multiple lives as death and rebirth is only a special event in the turning of DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-17T16:06:20.583" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T16:06:20.583" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14144" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14145" CreationDate="2016-02-17T14:21:16.613" Score="1" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;a few months ago I looked up one of the questions, and there was a link to a specific letter exchange. However, no matter where I look here or on search engines, I can't find it. If I'm not mistaken, it was between a female student and a Zen teacher/master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The student was terminally ill, but managed to attain higher forms of consciousness/enlightenment. Shortly after she attained enlightenment, she felt that she was dying and informed the Zen teacher of this, who then came in the last few days of her life to pay a visit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen teacher then published this letter exchange, where he also made notes on the letters, explaining how she developed further and further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know about this and can post a link?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7830" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T14:41:19.783" Title="Looking for a letter exchange between Zen Teacher and (female?) student" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14144" CreationDate="2016-02-17T14:41:19.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a link again: &lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/site/esabsnichtenglisch/yaeko-iwasaki-s-enlightenment-letters-to-harada-roshi-and-his-comments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yaeko Iwasaki´s Enlightenment Letters to Harada-Roshi and his Comments&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is published in &lt;em&gt;The Three Pillars of Zen&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T14:41:19.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14142" CreationDate="2016-02-17T19:02:43.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They counter argue by saying that it is all God's test&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If testing is the purpose, what is the logic behind creating children who are born severely retarded or in a vegetative state? They are not even able to grasp the concept. Why use torture techniques like horrible diseases, deformed births, famine, floods, earth quakes etc. for testing? If a human used similar techniques, he would be called a sadist or a psychopath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if the so called God needs to test something, he is not all knowing. If he is not all knowing, he is not almighty either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's hard to convince both theists and atheists about Samsaric existences until they start meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one starts to meditate, one can see that things don't just get created out of the blue. They come to be due to causes. It is only logical to think that birth also resulted in the same way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One also sees how craving leads to clinging which in turn constructs life. It would be illogical to think that the pattern ends at death or a god will take over all of a sudden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-17T19:37:06.010" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T19:37:06.010" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14147" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-17T22:02:27.243" Score="6" ViewCount="369" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know this question maybe sounds odd and like a tautology, but in Buddhism the word dukkha seems to mean both the objective 'property' of being not satisfying and the subjective suffering. So is the goal to experience dukkha objectively, but not subjectively?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T20:06:48.910" Title="Why is dukkha bad?" Tags="|dhammas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14142" CreationDate="2016-02-17T22:48:46.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The best way to get them to use their heads and come to senses is asking the right questions. Lord Buddha did that to convince people how wrong they are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 01&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why severely deformed or mentally retarded people are born?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With a Mentally retarded person there is nothing to test, because they themselves are not aware of what they are doing and there is no point judging   a poor thing like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Severely deformed people can't do anything, most of the time they can't even take care of their own basic needs. So what is the point judging them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 02&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What's the deal with God being male?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A person can be Male,Female,Transgender depending on certain Hormones,Bone Structures,Muscular Structures and etc. But the very immediate sign of gender is the actual body part itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If God made man in his form and the God is male that means that the God has a penis. Unfortunately a Penis has only two functions Urinating + Inseminating.&#xA;  Either the &quot;God&quot; has a pair of kidneys because he has a penis or he has a Female partner. Again in simple English a Penis is capable of only two things called &quot;Peeing&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;SEX&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So it is very ironic to think about a certain being who claims to have a Male member without the need to &quot;urinate&quot; or to have &quot;Sex&quot;. What's the big deal huh?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Well they might say something like &quot;God wanted us to Evolve and have Kids&quot;. Well remind them that &quot;Evolution&quot; itself is a forbidden topic when it comes to &quot;God,Almighty&quot; &amp;amp; Clearly a man was made and how conveniently Sexist of god he made the Female to accompany the man and keep him occupied. And there is no mention of Kids in those religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If they say,&lt;em&gt;Oh god does not have a penis.he just gave a one for the man he created&lt;/em&gt;. Ask them then what makes God a &quot;Male&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 03&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ask about the appearance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In God worshiping religions (&lt;em&gt;other than Islam&lt;/em&gt;) it clearly says that god created a Man in his form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Man sadly has some things on him. A Man has a Nose,Mouth also Pairs of Hands,Legs,Eyes,Ears. The thing about these Organs are that they all have a function.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eyes need light to see,&#xA;  Ears need Vibrations to hear,&#xA;  Nose pump Air to lungs, &#xA;  Mouth crush food &amp;amp; send to the Digestion system,Legs exist to overcome &gt;Gravity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a God created Man in is form it means he also have Eyes,Ears,Hands,Legs. Eyes are For capturing light,Ears are for Listening to Vibrations,Legs are for overcoming gravity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The best of all is the shape of the Head. Here's why....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We all have adorable round Skulls,but why? To accommodate our lazy brains. IF it wasn't for our over-sized brains we will have smaller heads. The thing with the brain is that it is made of Cells and like any other alive body part it needs a continuous supply of blood to live. So this so called &quot;Almighty&quot; is made of Cells like us and has a blood supply too. Remind me why he is holy!&#xA;  Oh he made humans right? lets see how to crack that puzzle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;After all the answers they give ask this....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The deal breaker&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Say i clone myself so i can make someone like me &lt;em&gt;(Like they say in their books &quot;God made man in his image&quot;)&lt;/em&gt; and keep making clones like that until i have about a few billion clones and say to them &lt;em&gt;&quot;I am your god &amp;amp; i made you so be loyal to me&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now i made about a few million Blind,Deaf,Deformed &amp;amp; Mentally handicapped clones. Because i want to test their faith in me. Now i also see that the clones are at war and they are killing each other but i do not intervene because i want to test their faith. Then i see a whole continent called Africa dying literally out of hunger and thirst but nope not now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes clones are not faithful enough so i send a few Tornadoes and maybe a couple of hurricanes and a tsunami just to remind them who the boss is. Yes it makes a couple of million people homeless but now they need to have faith in me even though i will do noting to ease their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I see Terrorists say my name and shoot missiles &amp;amp; artillery towards towns full of innocent clones, Those innocent clones are crying. Hugging their dead they say my name and pray for me but still it is all a test so i do nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So seriously this is what i do.So tell me what am i,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A &quot;God&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;or &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A &quot;Super villain&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-17T22:48:46.440" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14147" CreationDate="2016-02-18T00:04:50.450" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The nature of &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; will become very clear when practicing insight meditation. One will come to see that conditioned phenomena are unsatisfying due to them being impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is likened to a glass cup with a little, almost invisible crack in it. That glass is in a process of breaking up already when it has come into existence. Or a bridge where the pillars have tiny cracks in them. From far away the bridge look solid but when taking a closer look, the pillars are breaking up, soon to fall apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw likened the break up of conditioned phenomena, here the physical body, to a dilapidated house that can come down at any time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned phenomena are dukkha because they do not last and they are uncontrollable, since one cannot make them stay any longer just because one wants them to. Likewise painful phenomena will not go away just because one wants them to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to understand this in the deepest way, you have to practice insight meditation and see this with your own eyes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-19T01:10:00.367" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T01:10:00.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14142" CreationDate="2016-02-18T02:17:24.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll get to the root of your issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were a true follower of Buddhism you wouldn't have fixed beliefs. If you want to rid your friends of delusion then start with yourself. Any fixed belief is delusion. No ifs buts or maybes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism 101&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T02:17:24.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14147" CreationDate="2016-02-18T03:44:17.597" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha arises from any feeling which you would perceive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt; - this on itself is &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasure&lt;/em&gt; - this is &lt;em&gt;painful when you part with it&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasure nor painful&lt;/em&gt; - this will also change into pure pain or pleasure followed by the pain of parting with it as you still &lt;em&gt;creating conditions for future existance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are multiple shades of Dukkha as in the above description where the most gross is pain as when you are picked with a pin. Any sane being may it be human or animal will not enjoy being picked with a pin. Since there is no satisfaction in such experiences or being do not perceive it the be desirable Dukkha is undesirable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These sensations or feelings arise from the perception that an experience is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;favorable&lt;/em&gt; -&gt; &lt;em&gt;pleasure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;unfavorable&lt;/em&gt; -&gt; &lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;neutral&lt;/em&gt; -&gt; &lt;em&gt;neither pain nor pleasure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these experiences are conditioned. When the conditioning factor disappears so does the sensation associated with. The conditioning factors are not permanent nor in your control to keep experiencing pleasure. Also you might get bored with an experience and then you perceiving this as favorable experience will change where by changing the sensation or feeling experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are few things happen when you experience a sensation of feeling:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasure&lt;/em&gt; - develop &lt;em&gt;greed&lt;/em&gt; to experience more&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt; - you develop &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards it and want to get rid of it or experience less of it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;neutral&lt;/em&gt; - you are &lt;em&gt;ignorant&lt;/em&gt; of the fact that you are still in the process of creating future experiences whereby you will experience pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the above reaction your mind start creating thoughts on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in the &lt;em&gt;future&lt;/em&gt; I should be like this or do as such&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in the &lt;em&gt;past&lt;/em&gt; I should have done as such&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in striving to realise the sensation you crave for, you would take action which in some cases might not be wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the above creates conditioning (Sankhara) for future experiences which again will be unsatisfactory. The conditioning are from 3 sources which are discussed above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;mental conditioning&lt;/em&gt; arising from &lt;em&gt;perception and sensation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;verbal conditioning&lt;/em&gt; arising from &lt;em&gt;thinking and pondering&lt;/em&gt;, this is called verbal as you need to think and form the speech before you talk&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;bodily conditioning&lt;/em&gt; tied with the &lt;em&gt;breath&lt;/em&gt;, when you are to do something unwholesome you would be agitated hence when you plan and execute your breath will be hard&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the objective of Buddhist meditation is to examine this &lt;em&gt;perceiving&lt;/em&gt; (favorable, unfavorable, neutral) and &lt;em&gt;sensation or feelings&lt;/em&gt; (pleasure, pain, neutral) or &lt;em&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/em&gt; (due to painful experiance, change of a pleasant experience, being in conditioned existance) &lt;em&gt;objectively and equanimously&lt;/em&gt; knowing the to &lt;em&gt;arise and pass away&lt;/em&gt; so you do not lose the balance of your mind due to &lt;em&gt;craving and clinging&lt;/em&gt; whereby you create further &lt;em&gt;conditioning&lt;/em&gt; (Sankhara) which keep you rolling in &lt;em&gt;misery or unsatisfactoriness&lt;/em&gt; (Dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.1-Pancakanga-S-s-36.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcak’aṇga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.4-Bahuvedaniya-S-m59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu,vedaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T17:11:44.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14152" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-18T03:46:12.040" Score="3" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;The story of the birth of prince Siddhartha tells us that he walked and talked right after birth. That he even said that he will become a Buddha in this life and end the cycle of life. But after this he seems to have forgotten what he knew about being a Buddha even on the day he left the palace to find the truth. He started off knowing he would become Buddha, then becomes very confused with all the life experiences as a prince and has no idea what to do or that becoming a Buddha is the answer to it. How is this possible? Is it a flaw in the story or is my understanding of the question poor? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T10:52:28.243" Title="Birth of Buddha" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14153" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14186" CreationDate="2016-02-18T03:47:22.147" Score="1" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I am not judging any moments of life and taking it all in, should I give importance to feeling anything at all? I tend to get very rational and &quot;accepting&quot; about things. A feeling of letting go arises, which makes me feel very passive? It feels like there is no time for a feeling because we are losing the next moments by living inside a feeling, either positive/negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also am I doing this right? Sometimes, it is like I am shutting that emotion up because I don't want to give in to a feeling. Why would I not want to give in to a feeling that makes sense at that point of time? That is mere repression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T04:25:04.420" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T23:29:22.780" Title="Should we &quot;ignore&quot; feelings while being mindful and aware of the present moment?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-effects|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14154" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-18T04:20:50.477" Score="7" ViewCount="1815" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Homosexuality&quot; is a hot topic everywhere in the world now. But is it a sin according to Buddhism? Does it cause a breaking of the third precept? I have heard in a sermon that people are born gay because of breaking the third precept severely in previous births and people are born as females for also breaking the third precept (not as severely I suppose). I know that where I come from if the government accepts gay marriages the monks will be the first to protest even before the church does! Is it because it is a sin? &#xA;(PS: I am totally fine with someone being gay)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T10:25:21.240" Title="Is homosexuality a sin?" Tags="|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2017-04-30T17:07:14.723" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14153" CreationDate="2016-02-18T04:24:06.597" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any experience you should be &lt;em&gt;equanimously and objectively aware&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;em&gt;perceiving&lt;/em&gt; (desirable, undesirable, neither) and &lt;em&gt;sensation&lt;/em&gt; (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral) of the &lt;em&gt;arising and passing&lt;/em&gt; or the &lt;em&gt;sensation&lt;/em&gt; devoid of any &lt;em&gt;craving or clinging&lt;/em&gt; while keeping &lt;em&gt;though proliferation&lt;/em&gt; in check.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you let go there is a feeling of renunciation with again is 3 types according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. A house holder seeks sensual pleasure and is temporarily satisfied or unsatisfied by the experience by perceiving and desirable or undesirable or neither. When you renounce householders life you strive to stop this perceiving by understanding the universal characteristics of the experience (changing, unsatisfactory, non self). In this letting go there is a pleasure also whis is non sesual nature. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.1-Pancakanga-S-s-36.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcak’aṇga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.4-Bahuvedaniya-S-m59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu,vedaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 18 mental examination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) On seeing a form with the eye,&#xA;  one explores a form that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a form that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a form that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(2) On hearing a sound with the ear,&#xA;  one explores a sound that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a sound that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a sound that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(3) On smelling a smell with the nose,&#xA;  one explores a smell that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a smell that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a smell that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(4) On tasting a taste with the tongue,&#xA;  one explores a taste that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a taste that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a taste that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(5) On feeling a touch with the body,&#xA;  one explores a touch that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a touch that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a touch that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(6) On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&#xA;  one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pleasure,&#xA;     one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&#xA;        one explores a mind-object that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus there are six mental explorations with regards to pleasure; six mental explorations with regards to pain [displeasure]; six mental explorations with regards to equanimity.&#xA;  ‘The 18 kinds of mental explorations should be understood,’ thus it is said in this connection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where you have to examine the sensations hence you doing it right. This plays a role in removing the roots. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T15:46:22.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-02-18T04:43:51.753" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;1st of all Buddhism does not prohibit or have anything against being gay. But Hethorosexuality is unwholsome as it is rooted in desire, though lay people may engage in such activities, within Sila. Homosexuality activity needs to have stronger attraction than is Hethorosexual avtivity, which is more unwholsome. When engaging in any sexsual activity if compaired to a fall, Hetrosexuality say is a 3 foot fall, hence you get hurt in the long run less, Homosexuality is a 6 foot fall, which you you are likely to get more hurt by this in the long run than Hethorosexuality, as weight of attaction is stronger between partners. Incest is more grave like say a 9 foot fall. There will be future society when this also may become accepted, according to the quote below. In each case the attachment is relative. Also historically hetrosexsual people have been less liberal, but current liberal practices have more attachment than in the past so more unwholesome mind moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any form of sexual attraction including being gay is based on desire which is unwholesome and result experiences which are painful in the future. Buddhism deals with correcting your mental tendencies by getting rid of the roots which creates misery. This is done through practicing Vipassana and is a gradual process. Through Vipassana you can transcend any sexual preferences and orientation. To get more insights into this it is best you take a course at: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.7-Sannoga-S-a7.48-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññoga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to the Dīgha Commentary&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, here “abnormal lust” (adhamma,raga) refers to incest, that is,&#xA;“lust between mother and mother’s sister and father’s sister and maternal uncle’s wife and other such&#xA;improper situations” (mata matuccha pituccha matulanī ti adike ayutta-t,thane rago); “neurotic desire”&#xA;(visama,lobha) refers to excessive greed by way of consuming things (paribhoga,yuttesu pi thanesu atibalava,lobho,&#xA;in other words, excessive materialism and consumerism); and &lt;strong&gt;“deviant practices” (miccha,dhamma)&#xA;refer to sexuality “between men and men, women with women.”&lt;/strong&gt; (DA 3:853)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Homosexuality is a deviant practice (miccha,dhamma). This is rooted in excessive lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, bhikshus, amongst those humans whose life-span was 500 years, three things were widespread,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that is, abnormal lust, excessive desire and deviant conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the increase of abnormal lust, excessive desire and deviant conduct,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the life-span of beings declined, their beauty declined, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For these humans whose life-span and beauty were declining, whose lifespan was 500 years, that of some of their children was 250 years, and some 200 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More lust in deviant practices is worse off that non deviant pratice like hetrosexuality, which in some cases in the past may have been less rooted in desire, but both are rooted in unwholesomeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sin is violation of God's will or religious ideal. In Buddhism there is no concept of God's will but with respect to ideal we can consider anything creating unwholesome fabrications as a sin then it will be. Sila general deals with more stronger Karma with can influence rebirth. In this context it is not clear cut but still in contravention of the religious ideal as homosexuality is considered a deviant practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T10:25:21.240" CommentCount="21" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14152" CreationDate="2016-02-18T05:32:22.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prince Siddhartha was insulated from anything that might prompt him from renouncing the householder's life. Not being fully liberate at that point the natural tendency of the mind is to enjoy such experiences. There is no record where he forgot such fate but I would presume that he would have expected to be a Universal Monarch as this is what would have been feed to him constantly. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mensions that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, Aggi,vessana, I thought thus, ‘I recall that when my father the Sakya was occupied while&#xA;  I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from&#xA;  unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first dhyana that is accompanied by initial application&#xA;  and sustained application, zest and joy born of seclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;perhaps there could be some forgetting or setting aside. But when he left the palace I would expect he would have expected to be a Buddha otherwise he would not have followed through in renouncing to find the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T05:32:22.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14158" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-18T05:51:08.747" Score="5" ViewCount="2325" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Chethanaham bikkawe kamman wadami&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dear Bikkhus, I introduce thought as karma. It is after having thought&#xA;  that we engage in action physically, verbally and mentally. (&#xA;  Nibbedhika sutraya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is simple. Does thought or intention alone become karma? Or does it need to have certain characteristics (Sorry if this word is inappropriate) for it to become Karma? If intention alone is karma whether we engage in action in though, word or deed what is the point of good deed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Can we just &lt;strong&gt;&quot;think&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; that we are helping the poor and have good karma? Can we &lt;strong&gt;&quot;think&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; that we are giving dhana to monks and have good karma? &lt;p&gt;In the context of good karma, can we just have good intentions and thoughts of good deeds and get the same karma that we get from physically engaging in such activities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2022-10-08T02:52:46.293" Title="Thought or intention is always karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14159" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14160" CreationDate="2016-02-18T06:04:53.427" Score="6" ViewCount="3913" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that killing virtuous beings is a grave bad karma. But when it comes animals, virtue is irrelevant. I have heard from monks that bigger the animal greater the sin it is to kill it. How is that so? Why does physicality matter at all? Isn't it just a matter of your intention when it comes to karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastActivityDate="2022-06-08T02:05:22.577" Title="Killing a bigger animal causes more bad karma than killing a smaller animal?" Tags="|karma|killing|animals|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-18T06:09:26.713" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;My knowledge in Buddhism is quite poor. IMO it is a greater sin to kill a larger animal than to kill a smaller animal but this cannot be the case always! Let me ask you a question. Which is easier, to kill an ant or to kill an elephant? Generally the effort and planning you have to go through to kill an elephant is much greater than to kill an ant. The greater the effort you are willing to put is because of the greater intensity of cruelness of your mind which makes it a greater sin. True physicality isn't what determines this. Hope this answers the question &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T06:09:26.713" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14161" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-18T06:20:02.993" Score="3" ViewCount="491" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can anyone provide me a Sanskrit (not Pali) translation of the Five Precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5413" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-21T20:52:31.403" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T21:15:00.303" Title="Is there a Sanskrit (not Pali) version of the Five Precepts?" Tags="|five-precepts|translation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T07:22:15.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's the wrong attitude. Whether it's good karma or bad karma it's still karma. A buddha leaves no footprints. Some people also throw around the term &quot;middle-way&quot;. Same thing. Buddhism is not about doing good. When you see those things it's really just a beginner's trick to create enough balance to progress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thought doesn't come into it because true selfless action is void of thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T07:22:15.997" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T07:22:44.717" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thought is what decides Karma. Same action with different motivation or volition can be bad or good depending on the motivation or volition. That is volition is what becomes Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you follow though with your intentions then this can lead to rebirth linking Karma. If you don't it will be weaker Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have the volition but not the means to follow through then it will be a weak Karma as discussed above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition bears fruit based on the root and level of mental lethargy or whether you or someone else has to prompt or motivate you to do something. If you have the thoughts but not the desire to do it then the root are missing or very weak hence there is unlikely to be Karmic results. If there is lethargy but there is genuine desire, the roots weak but present hence will have diminished Karmic results. More than the thoughts, imagination of doing something, visualisation of doing something, what counts is motivation or volition or desire to do the thing, though such thoughts could lead to desire or motivation or volition to act. As discussed above all factors may not align to successfully follow through nevertheless karma is created but at different intensities of potential results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T18:56:39.490" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T18:56:39.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14164" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14166" CreationDate="2016-02-18T07:36:00.127" Score="4" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a strong believe in buddha but i am not much in karma logic. Had the buddha said anything of karma? If yes then what and if not then how? I am seeing some people getting back in a very amazing way whatever they had done in their respective past. Sometimes it is related to extreme past events, even. Like having a generation gap, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T17:04:43.973" Title="what the buddha said about his own karma?" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|reality|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T08:12:03.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;. It is after having thought that we engage in action physically, verbally and mentally. ( Nibbedhika sutraya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T08:12:03.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14164" CreationDate="2016-02-18T08:13:31.007" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what the buddha said about his own karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mentioned that there were 8 past Karma which were effective even after becoming Buddha. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Why-the-Buddha-Suffered/Why-the-Buddha-Suffered.pdf&quot;&gt;Why the Buddha Suffered - Apadāna 39.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but i am not much in karma logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is one of the things that only a Buddha completely understands. We can only have a rough idea of its operation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am seeing some people getting back in a very amazing way whatever they had done in their respective past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even outside Buddhism there is a saying your past catches up with you. In the Buddhist perspective this is termed Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes it is related to extreme past events, even.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot;&gt;5 Niyamas&lt;/a&gt; or causal factors which define your experiences and also being in the wrong place the wrong time and the right place in the right time, i.e., random events. So past Karma or action does not dictate all results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like having a generation gap&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not think the generation gap has anything to do with Karma. This is more to do with social, technological and attitude changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T16:21:18.107" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T16:21:18.107" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14164" CreationDate="2016-02-18T09:52:15.173" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is one of the main teaching in Buddhism. Basically what buddhism teach us is this. We are in a wrong understanding of me. Even thought we thinks there is something called me, the truth is there is no anything called me. (At least there is not a define constant thing)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of this wrong understanging, we are doing 'things' which were not existed before and we become the owner of this 'things'. These 'things' have re-acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;e.x. Say we kill a moquito. This incident of 'killing that mosquito' was never before. We did it. Hence we are the owner of that incident. This killing incident has a negative power which will make us suffer. So we will suffer for that incident in future. The power of incident came from the strength of our own thoughts and from the act. (First we are thinking we want to kill this mosquito, then we think to kill it, then we do the act) This is simply what Karma is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For each and every thing we are doing, this law applies. Lord Buddha describes, this same law plus the miss understanding I mentioned above cause us to born over and over again. Each time as of the Karma we did for the rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main aim of buddhism is get the right understanding and stop these re-births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T09:52:15.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-18T09:57:27.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the novel &lt;em&gt;The Dalai Lama's Cat&lt;/em&gt;, the Dalai Lama is quoted as teachiing,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I understand what you're saying, but there are some who would say that eating a cow is better, because a single cow can provide more than one thousand meals. A fish, only one meal. Sometimes it takes many prawns, many sentient beings, for only one meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's a very big subject. You will find that some people tell you there is only one way, &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; way, which happens to be the way they think, and that everyone else should change their views to be like them. But it is really a matter of personal choice. The important thing is to make sure our decisions are guided with compassion &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a subject on which different people (and, maybe, different schools of Buddhism) differ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot;But when it comes animals, virtue is irrelevant&quot; -- I don't know whether there's any Buddhist school/tradition which that's an accurate description of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kind of opinion I quoted above is not based on &quot;virtue is irrelevant&quot;, instead it's based on &quot;life is dear to all&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T09:57:27.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14169" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-18T11:07:34.343" Score="3" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;How are we supposed to respond to forced conversion, is the choice completely personal or did Buddha ever talk about this i.e. conversion or death? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone chooses death over conversion to other religion, would that be the same as killing oneself or not maintaining loving kindness toward oneself and others? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="5315" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T11:16:17.920" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T14:55:35.010" Title="Forced conversion" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-18T11:07:37.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The intensity of Karma in killing of a being including an animal can be influenced by these 2 factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;intensity of volition - more planning or effort the worse (elephant vs ant), more stronger your desire to kill the worst&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;conciseness of the being - if the being has a higher level of conciseness (elephant vs ant) and virtue (bear vs cow) the worst. Hence virtue of the animal also plays a role. E.g. sakes are to have more wroth than more tame animals.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T13:33:57.997" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T13:33:57.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-18T13:32:25.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you think that killing a baby causes less bad karma than killing an adult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm talking about humans here and from my point of view, killing a baby, just for fun, this is pure evil. Maybe even more than killing an adult. Why? Because the baby is not yet able to defend himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the same thing for the animals. When you kill an animal, you must have a good reason for that. For example, you can kill to survive, to eat and you can kill also to defend yourself when you are being attacked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you kill animals just for fun or if you contribute to the extinction of some species, this is evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example, killing hundreds of rhinoceros only to take the horns for sell it to some japanese people who are stupid enough to think it will help them to get better &quot;erections&quot;: Evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this to say that you shouldn't feel ashamed if you only have killed a couple of annoying flies in your life. There is way more evil compared to this. Everything is relative...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7837" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T13:32:25.007" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-18T13:33:04.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ants are not animals. Killing should be avoided. The only time to kill an animal, would be in a life threatening situation, or to eat it. The act of killing is the same for a small animal as it is a bigger animal. Both are living creatures. There is no difference. To kill an animal, just to watch it die, is pure evil. Bad Karma would be, is the type of animal that you killed, one day surrounds you in large numbers, and looking for blood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7838" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T13:33:04.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-02-18T14:26:00.337" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not a sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lust is born out of desire. Desire is one of the root defilements (kilesas).&#xA;It can manifest itself in different ways, e.g. sexual preference, body type preferences etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lust is still lust, no matter what object its involved with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T14:26:00.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14153" CreationDate="2016-02-18T14:33:41.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should we “ignore” feelings while being mindful and aware of the present moment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practices Samatha Meditation, one would exclude all other objects except the primary meditation object, e.g. a kasina device or the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practices Vipassana Meditation, one takes the object that has arisen in the present moment and observes it with objectivity and non-interaction. In this way the object will reveal its true nature for the meditator, thereby granting access to insights into how reality functions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a feeling arises and one does not want to pay attention to that feeling, then aversion has arisen. One now shifts object and take the aversion as the primary meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling (vedana) is one of the Four Satipatthanas, so one would take it as an object when doing Vipassana Meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whether or not one should ignore an object depends on what type of meditation one practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T14:33:41.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14169" CreationDate="2016-02-18T15:49:33.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How are we supposed to respond to forced conversion, is the choice completely personal or did Buddha ever talk about this i.e. conversion or death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I Buddhism there is not conversion. Yet the Buddhist pratice has convertion from bondage to liberation and misery to happiness as it aims at eradicating the metal conditions which create unsatisfactoriness. This is akin to visiting a psychologist to free yourself from agony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If someone chooses death over conversion to other religion, would that be the same as killing oneself or not maintaining loving kindness toward oneself and others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. If someone is trying to kill you for not converting though death is inevitable there is no self hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-19T02:03:33.647" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T02:03:33.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14169" CreationDate="2016-02-18T16:53:49.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes a Buddhist will not give up on faith even in the face of death. How do i know? Well it happened in my country (Sri Lanka).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the English invaded and captured my country they forced christianity. Not at just gunpoint they were much artistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They took the Babies from their mothers and ordered my people to be converted but they did not. So then they impaled Babies and move on to children &amp;amp; then to men and later women. Whole villages were slaughtered this way by the so called &quot;Religion of love &amp;amp; peace&quot;. Some people by the way accepted Christianity and received government jobs and other favors as presents. They &amp;amp; their children are to this day Christian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, It does not generate bad karma to accept death instead of conversion, actually every Buddhist should look forward to that. Our &quot;Martyrs&quot; do not take live they just lay their innocent lives with Mettha (Kindness) towards the killers themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are wondering why it does not become a bad Karma. Because it does not include Hate. We die with kindness towards these foolish ones who force faith on to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="7141" LastEditDate="2016-02-19T14:55:35.010" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T14:55:35.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14164" CreationDate="2016-02-18T17:04:43.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pardon me my direct knowledge is not that clear on the issue so let me forward you to the very teachings themselves.....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are the Sutras / Suttas By Lord Buddha on Karma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta: The Great Exposition of Kamma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Shorter Exposition of Kamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go to this link and look for &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Vimanavatthu&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; (Contains good returns of Karma)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya: The Collection of Little Texts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Contains bad returns of bad karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://realtruthlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/khuddaka-nikaya-petavatthu.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya - Petavatthu - The Real Truth of Life&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T17:04:43.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T17:23:40.823" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thoughts alone become Karma whether they are followed by actions &amp;amp; words or not. Lets see why....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you already know mind is capable of generating Karma just like the body. When a body does something it is not Body's thought, it is just the execution of thoughts that turns into actions. Same theory applies to the words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As thoughts are followed by the actions feelings are followed By thoughts. Thoughts are the execution of mind's activities. Just like actions &amp;amp; words are the executions of mind's activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Lord Buddha taught there are three types of thoughts...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1:-Thoughts that create &quot;Attachment&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2:-Thoughts that create  &quot;Collision&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3:-Thoughts that are &quot;Neutral&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above 1 &amp;amp; 2 create Karma but the 3rd does not because it is neutral and therefore unable to create attachments,collisions or deceiving thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if any thought that can be taken into the categories 1 &amp;amp; 2 obviously create Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can thoughts of doing good alone Create Karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, If you want a good Example look at the very famous &quot;Meththa Meditation&quot; (also known as - Loving Kindness Meditation). Even the thoughts of doing a good thing create good Karma. And one must be aware that this is a two way street, meaning thinking of bad creates bad karma too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very important concept only found in Buddhism. Even though there are few other religions that use the word Karma they do not have a full definition on how exactly karma should be defined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my friend you should know....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The minute you start thinking or planing some good deed it create good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The minute you plan bad it creates bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T17:23:40.823" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14179" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="29194" CreationDate="2016-02-18T17:36:33.320" Score="4" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for two suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) a sutta in which the Buddha says, I believe, that one is able to perceive the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, along with other pairs that one can perceive in the way opposite to what is natural. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) A sutta in which the Buddha says that you shouldn't judge others since only he or one like him knows the full extent of people's kamma. I believe it is from the long discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T17:49:59.400" LastActivityDate="2018-09-12T21:59:43.323" Title="Sutta Reference, perception, judgment" Tags="|reference-request|perception|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T17:59:09.337" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is defined as &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/karma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;action&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; or as &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intentional action&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma#Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a deed done deliberately&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, not &amp;quot;thought&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So in no way an intention become kamma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &amp;quot;intention&amp;quot; can become kamma, but maybe not &amp;quot;intention alone&amp;quot; (or maybe I didn't understand what you were asking when you wrote, &amp;quot;intention alone&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intentions have consequences (e.g. if I intend to do something and then I do it -- then &amp;quot;doing it&amp;quot; is a consequence of &amp;quot;the intention&amp;quot;, not to mention a proof of the intention, and the &amp;quot;doing&amp;quot; has further consequences).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also thoughts are themselves consequences (e.g. if I do something unwise and as a consequence have confused thoughts; or, do something benevolent and as a consequence have a better memory).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your OP you seemed to be hypothesizing a thought without any consequence (e.g. &amp;quot;intention alone without engaging in action&amp;quot;) ... and I think that, &amp;quot;no, kamma is defined as &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that kamma in Buddhism is complicated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It may ripen soon or (much) later&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's not the only thing that affects e.g. birth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being able to see kamma is a supernatural power&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that things happen as a result of &amp;quot;conditions&amp;quot;, I think of kamma as a &amp;quot;condition&amp;quot; of things happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have a precise explanation of karma so I didn't want to say much about it. I think that one important thing to know about karma is that Buddhism is down on (i.e. it argues against) the two extremes of &amp;quot;eternalism&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;nihilism&amp;quot; ... one example of &amp;quot;nihilism&amp;quot; might be the belief that actions have no consequences (and maybe that therefore nothing matters) ... whereas Buddhism teaches that such nihilism is wrong view and that (on the contrary) actions (and intentions) matter and have consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the second factor of the eightfold way (&amp;quot;Right Intention&amp;quot;) part of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the definition&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultivating skillful ways of thought&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions. There is this world &amp;amp; the next world. There is mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... where &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;good and bad actions&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; links to the description of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps I really didn't understand your question though. E.g. you wrote...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If intention alone is karma whether we engage in action in though, word or deed what is the point of good deed? Can we just &amp;quot;think&amp;quot; that we are helping the poor and have good karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear to me what you mean: how can you think you're doing something without actually doing it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought it might be a partial answer to your question though: to say that 'kamma' and 'intention' aren't synonyms. Maybe kamma is a consequence of intention, e.g. as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first verse of the dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; ... but a hypothetical &amp;quot;intention without consequence&amp;quot;, if there even is such a thing, doesn't sound to me like the conventional meaning of the word kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the intended meaning of your question was a thought experiment, though, i.e. a way to ask whether the very intention changes anything apart from (or as well as) whatever mundane effect the generous action has? In that case the answer might be yes: e.g. an &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; to be kind might be related to your &lt;em&gt;view&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. self-view). Whether the intention is a consequence of view, or whether intention has as its consequence an alteration of your view, is harder to say ... to resolve that (logical) difficulty it's easier to say that they (intention and view) arise together, are conditions of each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T10:54:01.917" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-18T18:10:16.583" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is simple. Does thought or intention alone become karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you implied, in the sutras, &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; is defined as volition manifested through body, speech and mind. &lt;em&gt;Karma&lt;/em&gt; can be thought as volitional action where &quot;action&quot; is any manifestation of &quot;yourself&quot;, either externally visible (e.g. movements, words) or not (e.g. thoughts). Also, it seems that, at least from Buddhaghosa's lens, the volition and the action are not synonyms, but occur simultaneously (and there's no &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; [fruits] without volition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a volitional thought &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; karma; &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; action. But, say, a different action than a physical movement, which is also different action from a utterance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or does it need to have certain characteristics (Sorry if this word is inappropriate) for it to become Karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It needs volition to be &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;, to be a [morally/karmically significant] action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If intention alone is karma whether we engage in action in though, word or deed what is the point of good deed? Can we just &quot;think&quot; that we are helping the poor and have good karma? Can we &quot;think&quot; that we are giving dhana to monks and have good karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A volitional thought of helping someone is a &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; of thinking of helping someone; it's fruits are those produced by the thinking of helping someone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, a [series of] volitional action[s] with a disposition of helping someone has as fruits those produced by all the actions that, performed with the disposition to help, helped someone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fruits are different, as the actions are different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, it's not the appearance of an action that qualifies the karma (or if some expectations were fulfilled or not, e.g., if someone was helped or not), but whether the karma/volition is rooted in (non)ignorance, (non)hatred, (non)greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the context of good karma, can we just have good intentions and thoughts of good deeds and get the same karma that we get from physically engaging in such activities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Another way of thinking of karma results is the aggregates: your body, consciousness, perceptions, mental faculties, etc. One point of view would be to see &quot;who you are&quot; as the result of your past deeds. In this sense, &quot;you&quot; are the product of your actions (of body, speech and mind). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conventionally, if you are a person who &quot;frequently thinks of helping people&quot;, then you end up becoming such person: &quot;one who frequently thinks of helping people&quot; -- you are not a person who engages in helping people, as helping people is not an activity you've been engaging at; thus, you should expect distinct karmic outcomes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, (and glossing over) how much commitment, time, energy is devoted to some performance, how much it demands from your mental and physical faculties (how much it reconfigures them, or how much it reenforces habits), then that much is the transformation that one suffers [the transformation of becoming], and so, as far as volition is involved, that much fruit is expected to ripen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T18:35:11.283" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T18:35:11.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14179" CreationDate="2016-02-18T18:28:04.910" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) a sutta in which the Buddha says, I believe, that one is able to perceive the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, along with other pairs that one can perceive in the way opposite to what is natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if there is Sutta which mentions this but the following does have something like what you mentioned above which is called the 5 perception (pañca saññā) which appear in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.11-Mettasahagata-S-s46.54-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta,sahagata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (quotation below), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.12-Tikandaki-S-a5.144-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tikandaki Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ he dwells perceiving&#xA;    the repulsive therein.&#xA;    (2) If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ he dwells perceiving&#xA;    the unrepulsive therein.&#xA;    (3) If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and in the repulsive,’&#xA;    he dwells perceiving the repulsive therein.&#xA;    (4) If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and in the unrepulsive,’&#xA;    he dwells perceiving the unrepulsive therein.&#xA;    (5) If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell rejecting both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, and dwell in&#xA;    equanimity, mindful and fully aware,’ he dwells therein equanimously, mindful and fully aware.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) A sutta in which the Buddha says that you shouldn't judge others since only he or one like him knows the full extent of people's kamma. I believe it is from the long discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acinteyya Sutta mentions karmma is unfathomable thence thinking and trying to read too much into it is futile for a person who is not a Buddha. I think what is said is that you should not judge the working of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The result of karma, bhikshus,&#xA;    is unthinkable [beyond thought], should not be thought about,&#xA;    thinking about which would bring one a share of madness or vexation.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following are some Suttas which mentions judging other: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/45.4-Cula-Punnama-S-m110-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūḷa Puṇṇama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - Judge a true or false person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.12-Thana-S-a4.192-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - How to truly know a person’s character&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T02:47:51.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14147" CreationDate="2016-02-18T18:55:07.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is dukkha bad?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;pain&quot; is considered bad because it is intrinsic to the nature of beings to want to be away from pain (even those who put themselves in danger or chose to subject themselves to pain do so either in order to avoid another, usually more threatening pain, or to create a pleasure feeling that subsumes it).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;unsatisfiability&quot; is considered bad because of our (perpetually nurtured) inner thirst and fundamental anxiety; because of our inclination for craving and clinging to things that expire. We find ourselves in a state of continuously &quot;lusting for&quot;. We expect pleasuring things to be everlasting, we hold to them (similarly, we often delude ourselves into thinking some pains are never ending), yet, we find ourselves in a realm where no phenomena is permanent. And then, we become surprised when they are transformed into something else; then, pain arises because what was once pleasuring is no more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal encompasses seeing this fundamental characteristic unfolding in every bit of our experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-02-25T20:06:48.910" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T20:06:48.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14108" CreationDate="2016-02-18T20:24:10.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you say &quot;evolution&quot;, I take you mean the current accepted biological theory sprung from Darwin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, this theory is an explanation for the origin of species: that is, what accounts for the regularities that are found over generations of a certain specie (the regularities that define the category -- the specie) to mutate over time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With only that theory in mind, we can't talk about species being more advanced than others. The characteristics of a specie simply &quot;are&quot;: some are reinforced and become stronger (e.g. tolerance to higher or lower temperatures), some are weakened and deteriorate over generations (e.g. ability to digest certain elements) according to the inherited characteristics of the ancestors and environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, in Buddhism, there's the notion of impermanence, which seems to subsume mutation, and a theory of karma, which targets the explanation of the process of mutation of &quot;a single person&quot;: how a being &quot;becomes&quot; and to what environment his becoming eventually inclines to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the theory of evolution above targets mutation over generations of populations -- it's interested in characteristics shared by many beings. Buddhism is not interested in how species (categories of beings) mutate, but shows concerns with the rise and fall of perceived experience and the becoming of aggregates subject to birth and decay, linked by karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, genetics can explain how a person's body inherits her ancestor's characteristics and has features considered &quot;pretty&quot;. Buddhism, however, talks about why &quot;that particular person took that place&quot; of being that person whose body features are pretty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T20:24:10.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14147" CreationDate="2016-02-18T23:15:22.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;one cannot experience &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; objectively other than by way of indifferent perception of suffering of other beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;experience is always personal and intimate, even when one perceives suffering of others one cannot appreciate it unless one identifies with them through empathy by mentally putting oneself in their shoes and finding out how &lt;strong&gt;YOU&lt;/strong&gt; would feel &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so once one knows something as suffering it's invariably through the lense of one's own experience&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the goal to the best of my knowledge is &lt;strong&gt;cessation of suffering&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;why is suffering bad?&lt;/em&gt; sounds like a profound question, answering offhand i'd say it's bad because in attempts to escape from it people act stupidly, hastily, irresponsibly, imprudently, making a mess out of this world&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-18T23:22:33.770" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T23:22:33.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14153" CreationDate="2016-02-18T23:29:22.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When are you not taking it all in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's already in awareness before the mind can do whatever rationalisation that you've been trying to do. This is acceptance. It's not about the thinking mind accepting anything other than that awareness already has it covered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's already there. You don't have to sort it out in your head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T23:29:22.780" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-02-18T23:33:33.990" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;it's not a sin for the simple reason that a concept of sin is alien to the Dhamma, if anything it would be an unskillful, impure act&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;on the basis of sexual misconduct description from the Nikayas it's impossible to construe that being homosexual or engaging in homosexual sex per se is a violation of the precept&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He engages in sensual misconduct. He gets sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives, or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://Cunda%20Kammaraputta%20Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cunda sutta (AN 10.176)&lt;/a&gt; but it's a stock passage found elsewhere across the four NIkayas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-02-18T23:33:33.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14179" CreationDate="2016-02-19T03:57:28.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We find the below and similar pairs in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.12-Tikandaki-S-a5.144-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tikandika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (A 5.144)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“It is good, bhikshus, that one were to dwell from time to time perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha kamma vibhanga sutta&lt;/a&gt; we find the Buddha describing the complexities of kamma and to an extent admonishes from making categorical claims about the effects of kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T03:57:28.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14179" CreationDate="2016-02-19T04:16:35.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta in which the Buddha says that you shouldn't judge others since only he or one like him knows the full extent of people's kamma. I believe it is from the long discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention matters. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; gives 2 seemingly contradicting messages but they actually aren't as long as we keep intention in mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhp 76-77: Regard him as one who points out treasure, the wise one who seeing your faults rebukes you. Stay with this sort of sage. For the one who stays with a sage of this sort, things get better, not worse. Let him admonish, instruct, deflect you away from poor manners. To the good, he's endearing; to the bad, he's not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhp 252-253: Easily seen is the fault of others, but one's own fault is difficult to see. Like chaff one winnows another's faults, but hides one's own, even as a crafty fowler hides behind sham branches. He who seeks another's faults, who is ever censorious — his cankers grow. He is far from destruction of the cankers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T04:16:35.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14043" CreationDate="2016-02-19T04:22:42.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation involves mastery over the mind (concentration) and to know things as they are (wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When developing &lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt; the the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana Factors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; arise of which one is Joy. Also when &lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; increases the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment Factors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; develop out of which Joy is one. Meditation does induce Joy and in &lt;strong&gt;progress&lt;/strong&gt; where one &lt;em&gt;stage you encounter&lt;/em&gt; is Joy: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the final goal. There is no Joy associated with it but is a good thing as there is no suffering but Joy is included in suffering as it is impermanent, can come to an end, pass away, fade away, cease, change as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.6-Rahogata-S-s36.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Raho,gata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T04:57:32.400" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1886" CreationDate="2016-02-19T07:57:48.023" Score="-5" Body="&lt;p&gt;1st of all Buddhism does not prohibit or have anything against being gay. But Hethorosexuality is unwholsome as it is rooted in desire, though lay people may engage in such activities, within Sila. Homosexuality activity needs to have stronger attraction than is Hethorosexual avtivity, which is more unwholsome. When engaging in any sexsual activity if compaired to a fall, Hetrosexuality say is a 3 foot fall, hence you get hurt in the long run less, Homosexuality is a 6 foot fall, which you you are likely to get more hurt by this in the long run than Hethorosexuality, as weight of attaction is stronger between partners. Incest is more grave like say a 9 foot fall. There will be future society when this also may become accepted, according to the quote below. In each case the attachment is relative. Also historically hetrosexsual people have been less liberal, but current liberal practices have more attachment than in the past so more unwholesome mind moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any form of sexual attraction including being gay is based on desire which is unwholesome and result experiences which are painful in the future. Buddhism deals with correcting you metal tendencies by getting rid of the roots which creates misery. This is done through practicing Vipassana and is a gradual process. Through Vipassana you can transcend any sexual preferences and orientation. To get more insights into this it is best you take a course at: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.7-Sannoga-S-a7.48-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññoga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Homosexuality is considered a deviant practice. This is rooted in excessive lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, bhikshus, amongst those humans whose life-span was 500 years, three things were widespread,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that is, abnormal lust, excessive desire and deviant conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the increase of abnormal lust, excessive desire and deviant conduct,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the life-span of beings declined, their beauty declined, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For these humans whose life-span and beauty were declining, whose lifespan was 500 years, that of some of their children was 250 years, and some 200 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More lust in deviant practices is worse off that non deviant pratice like hetrosexuality, which in some cases in the past may have been less rooted in desire, but both are rooted in unwholesomeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to the Dīgha Commentary&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, here “abnormal lust” (adhamma,raga) refers to incest, that is,&#xA;“lust between mother and mother’s sister and father’s sister and maternal uncle’s wife and other such&#xA;improper situations” (mata matuccha pituccha matulanī ti adike ayutta-t,thane rago); “neurotic desire”&#xA;(visama,lobha) refers to excessive greed by way of consuming things (paribhoga,yuttesu pi thanesu atibalava,lobho,&#xA;in other words, excessive materialism and consumerism); and &lt;strong&gt;“deviant practices” (miccha,dhamma)&#xA;refer to sexuality “between men and men, women with women.”&lt;/strong&gt; (DA 3:853)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is is bit unclear as to whether this is a transgression of morality but it is considered less ideal than being straight. Being straight also is based on unwholesome roots of attachment. In any case lack of fidelity and cheating in a sexual relationship would be a moral transgression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism do not hold any specific attitudes towards anything as such but your choice of action is shaped by the expected results of a action or view which you cling onto. Has iterated before, homosexuality is a result of excessive lust, one should approach these practices more cautiously and perhaps practice meditation to overcome lust. If you die with lust the chancesare that your next birth will be bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though in the time of the Buddha these practices would have been there this would not have been widespread as now due to longevity during the period would have resulted in the amount of lust would have been less. Hence would have not come up much.&#xA;If you look at resent history homosexuality this was not wide spread as it is now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this you should not have prejudice or negative attitude towards homosexuals. This could lead to you creating negative Karma for your self if you follow through with any action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T10:25:27.337" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14147" CreationDate="2016-02-19T17:36:42.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So is the goal to experience dukkha objectively, but not subjectively?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal is not to experience Dukkha, but to cease it. In other words, to attain Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;in Buddhism the word dukkha seems to mean both the objective&#xA;  'property' of being not satisfying and the subjective suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble4.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first noble truth&lt;/a&gt;, it says Panca&lt;strong&gt;upadana&lt;/strong&gt;skanda is Dukka. Which means the five aggregates of &lt;strong&gt;clinging&lt;/strong&gt; are suffering. It doesn't say five aggregates are suffering. Otherwise Arahanths will also be suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we discuss Dukkha conceptually, we talk about it subjectively. But Dukkha is always objective. There's experiencing. But there's no experiencer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is Dukka bad?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the definition of 'bad'. It's like asking why is 'oak' a tree? Or why is 'rice' a food?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the dictionary, 'bad' is explained as &quot;not good&quot;, 'evil', &quot;inferior in quality&quot;, &quot;below standard&quot;, &quot;not satisfactory&quot;. All those terms can be associated with 'suffering'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-19T18:17:48.683" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T18:17:48.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14136" CreationDate="2016-02-19T18:15:29.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. Meditation is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that the process of meditation follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the past year I have devoted myself to meditation &amp;amp; yoga. Every day i rise at 4am and begin yoga by 4:30am in order to prepare the body for the meditation session; meditation begins at 5:15 and usually lasts until 6am. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its not easy. It wont make sense at first because you're mind is too addicted to sensory stimulation in your day to day life. It &quot;feels better&quot; to have your eyes open and to be interacting with your senses because that is all we've known in Western Society. Looking inward is dull at first and sitting with your eyes closed with &quot;nothing to do&quot; seems boring to someone caught in a web of habits formed subconsciously since birth. Dopamine plays a large part in your day to day decision making (see my explanation here &lt;a href=&quot;https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/13213/what-causes-dopamine-in-our-body&quot;&gt;https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/13213/what-causes-dopamine-in-our-body&lt;/a&gt;) and the activities you choose to take part in every day can eventually take over your entire life without you noticing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over time, meditation becomes your source for peace, reflection, and appreciation for silence. The understanding and love for meditating is a relationship you must build with yourself. Its the most intimate relationship you will ever form in your life.Its not going to come after a week of practice, nor a month, nor (from my perspective) even after a year; but slowly, if you devote yourself to it every day, you will begin to understand the benefits in your waking life. You understand how to be mindful, how to limit speech, how to become aware of an emotion when it arises, but have the power not to act on it if you choose. I am just now beginning to see this in my own experiences, and a year ago today i would have had a very different definition for meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness = Meditation. You must be mindful in everything you do while going about your day to day activities. Slow down, be aware of everything as intensely as possible. Living in the NOW has been proven to limit the activity in your brain &amp;amp; allow you to remain calm throughout the day. Daydreaming, a wondering mind, disassociation, doing too many things at once.... all of these are signs of an out of control mind. You need to concentrate every effort on controlling this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are to fully experience all life has to offer, in order to reach your highest potential as a human being, you need to quiet the waves of your mind. Meditation, mantras, &amp;amp; chanting are all ways for you to focus your brain on ONE thought wave at a time as opposed to hundreds; they're tools to use in order to reach the point of stillness that allows you to reflect and converse with the universe. If they do not make sense now, with repetition, these words will resonate with your heart over time and you will FEEL the validation in your soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Honestly, I'm even astounded I've been able to convey my own definition of meditation in such a clear and organized manner, a year ago this would not have been possible! It certainly wasn't as easy to attain this knowledge as it was to present it just now! Have faith, i promise its not just &quot;dulling your senses&quot;, its shutting out the distractions so you can function at your fullest capability. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7844" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:56:17.887" LastActivityDate="2016-02-19T18:15:29.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14195" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14198" CreationDate="2016-02-20T09:51:14.187" Score="4" ViewCount="801" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I know body and mind are two separate entities. Body cannot survive without a mind but is not the same case for a mind from what I know. When a person completely rids himself/herself of all the delusion and desire he/she becomes an arahant. An arahant ceases to exist when he/she passes away and nothing goes on or lingers and there are no more births. I am curious to know why this cannot happen as soon as becoming an arahant. Why does an arahant only cease to exist after death? How come the mind or sansara is extended to the point of which the body dies? Why doesn't the mind cease to exist as soon as attaining nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="7792" LastEditDate="2016-02-20T10:00:27.507" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T23:36:27.200" Title="Why doesn't a person cease to exist as soon as becoming an arahant?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-20T10:18:02.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind never &quot;ceases to exist&quot; and to speculate as to what happens to a realized beings body/mind after a certain point is just as helpful as speculating what the view from the top of a mountain looks like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in response to the more pragmatic elements of your question, if you consider that karmic effluents must invariably run their course, then even a realized being must &quot;suffer the consequences&quot; ... or in their case &quot;enjoy the apparent consequences&quot; of aeons of accumulation as they slowly wither.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is stainless, and all the karmic imprints we have, whether they be bad or good, are temporary stains.  However, without practicing Dharma, they will simply continue to accumulate and we will dive deeper into the chasms of samsara.  With practice of virtue it becomes easier to meditate as our experience of reality becomes more pleasant and pure, and at this point it is more accessible to an ordinary being to get a glimpse of the true nature of the mind, which we all share and will always share.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of speculating about the personal experience of someone who is realized, it would be better asked &quot;who is this person experiencing these effects?&quot;  because the Buddha taught selflessness of the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-grasping is the primary cause of our suffering.  When we relinquish self-grasping by cultivating a mind that wishes to benefit other sentient lifeforms we are uncovering our basic nature.  Basic in the sense that it is always there.  It is also a priceless diamond, because realization of this nature halts rebirths in the lower realms (hells, animal) and guarantees eventual complete realization within so many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I understand, it is possible for an arhant to have made many vows, and typically abide until the fulfillment of all their most heartfelt vows.  This is good news for ordinary people like me, because without their help it would take a long time to realize the true nature of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question you pose, and not to nit-pick, but it is somewhat ill-formed because it assumes that there is a person who experiences the results of actions.  This is always true until realization -- we shall inherit the effects and fruitions of all our actions when the right circumstances align.  We will continue to experience all these until we have insight that pierces the veil of obscured knowing and effectively polishes our always-stainless gem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all interconnected and we share a mind.  With the cultivation of love and compassion we are helpfully benefiting those around us in myriad ways, and also breaking down the walls of delusion.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, ask not what happens, but how you can get there yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T10:18:02.700" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-02-20T10:18:02.700" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14152" CreationDate="2016-02-20T10:52:28.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the Buddhist equivalent of &quot;Why did Joseph have to go to his ancestral homeland for a census, even though it makes no sense and flies in the face of everything we know about the Roman census?&quot; or &quot;Why do some of the gospels trace Jesus's ancestry back to King David through Joseph, when Joseph was in no way involved in the conception of Jesus?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all 3 cases, the answer is: Because it's obviously bullshit, added after the fact to make the Founder seem more divine and impressive. You can rationalize and cherry-pick if you want, and come up with a story that sort of works, but there's no need: newborn infants don't talk, and the historical Buddha likely had no idea as a child what he was going to do in adulthood. Assertions to the contrary in an ancient text that wasn't written down until hundreds of years after the event can be safely disregarded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, separating the historical facts of the Buddha's time from the legends that grew up afterward is very difficult, although Stephen Batchelor has spent a lot of time trying to parse this out (in &lt;em&gt;Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;After Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7816" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T10:52:28.243" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-20T10:56:58.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind cannot exist without a body except in the Arupa Brahma realms. &#xA;Arahanths have no desire to die. So becoming enlightened does not imply that they have to immediately die. It's like when you are driving a car, if it runs out of fuel, it's not going to stop immediately. The momentum will take it some distance before stopping. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T10:56:58.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-20T11:51:14.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;it's because i think their past kamma (accumulated up until the moment of attainment) hasn't run its course as a result of the attainment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and even though at the moment of an arahant's physical death there may have been left inexhausted kamma from their previous births, this kamma cannot initiate a new birth due to lack of &lt;em&gt;bhavatanha&lt;/em&gt; in the arahant&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T11:51:14.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2016-02-20T13:32:19.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That story might be from a Jataka tale, or (I'm not sure which) from the introduction to the Jatakas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/stream/buddhistbirth00daviuoft/buddhistbirth00daviuoft_djvu.txt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BUDDHIST BIRTH-STORIES&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(JATAKA TALES)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The Commentarial Introduction Entitled&lt;br&gt;&#xA;NIDANA-KATHA&lt;br&gt;&#xA;THE STORY OF THE LINEAGE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... says (on pages 154-155),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thousands of world- &#xA;  systems became visible to him like a single open &#xA;  space. Men and devas offering him sweet-smelling &#xA;  garlands, said : &quot; great man, there is no other like &#xA;  thee, how then a greater ? &quot; Searching the ten &#xA;  directions 1 and finding no one like himself, he took &#xA;  seven strides, saying : &quot; This is the best direction.&quot; &#xA;  And as he walked the Great Brahma held over him &#xA;  the white umbrella, and the Suyama followed him &#xA;  with the fan, and other devas with the other symbols &#xA;  of royalty in their hands. Then, stopping at the &#xA;  seventh step, he sent forth his noble voice and shouted &#xA;  the shout of victory, beginning with : &quot;I am the &#xA;  chief of the world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a footnote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Madurattha Vilasini adds the rest : &quot; I am supreme in &#xA;  the world ; this is my last birth ; henceforth there will be no &#xA;  rebirth for me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Madhuratthavilasini&quot; is apparently a commentary on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavamsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt; (which like the Jataka tales is in the Khuddaka Nikaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's another topic (question and answers) here, about the Jataka stories: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2664/254&quot;&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T13:32:19.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-20T14:13:16.183" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the point of becoming an arahat you enter Phala Samapathi. What ceases when you become an Arahat is Perception and Feelings (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sa%C3%B1%C3%B1%C4%81-vedayita-nirodha/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana Sanna Nirodha&lt;/a&gt;). The mind is dependent on Perception and Feelings, hence the mind also stop functioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mental function ceases when (while) you are in Phala Samapatti and Nirvana as the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you come out of  Phala Samapatti, an Arahat's mind starts to function again; but the difference is that a Arahat does not have roots, and Citta which have roots do not occur in an Arahat, hence does not create any new Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned by others, an Arahat continue to exist due to momentum from past Karma until the end of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following would be an interesting read: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma,bhū Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; tr. by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-20T15:01:17.783" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14202" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14206" CreationDate="2016-02-21T02:37:06.510" Score="6" ViewCount="814" Body="&lt;p&gt;Few years ago, family put matrimonial ad in newspaper in India. We thought we selected nice person, but turns out he was abusive, unfaithful, and only wanted green card. Worse, he made me have miscarriage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I wish to move on with my life. One minute my heart says I want family to put matrimonial ad in newspaper in India again, next moment my heart says I want to keep busy in USA, maybe I will find person I am meant to marry here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked God to give me sign, a &quot;Yes&quot; or &quot;No&quot; as to whether we should put another matrimonial ad (of course we learned from last time, will be million times more careful), but literally, one hour I think &quot;Yes&quot;, next hour I think &quot;No&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism teachings say in this case. For past few months I have been torturing myself mentally just thinking of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5242" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T22:25:39.777" Title="How Does Buddhism Handle Internal Conflict" Tags="|marriage|faith|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14203" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14204" CreationDate="2016-02-21T03:03:33.040" Score="4" ViewCount="100" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hurting someone physically, Mentally, Verbally is a sin according to Buddhism. As I believe no matter we love or hate each other, anyhow we don't have any ownership of any others lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So how about &lt;strong&gt;Gossiping&lt;/strong&gt; or the &lt;strong&gt;tattling&lt;/strong&gt; about others lives ? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How does Buddhism explain &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;specifically&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; about TATTLING ?? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How one should practice not to Gossip about others lives ?  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the other way how one should practice to face others Gossiping about&#xA;himself/herself ?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T04:04:36.050" Title="How to avoid Tattling" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|community|mental-factors|commentary|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14203" CreationDate="2016-02-21T03:36:47.457" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So how about Gossiping or the tattling about others lives ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are wasting your time and others time. Talk that is productive towards betterment of oneself, which lacks proper reasoning (mud slinging), if you are monk not connected with the goal, the pratice, the Dhamma or Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does Buddhism explain specifically about TATTLING ??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is to divide people then it is not right speech. Also it should not be with malice, but say you are a witness of a wrong doing then perhaps might have a social or legal or moral obligation to report it but even this case some aversion arises as you are averse to the fact that something does not fall to your moral, social or legal idea but in society, work and as a householder you have to do these things sometimes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How one should practice not to Gossip about others lives ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it can be an example to others then maybe it is OK. Otherwise change the topic to something productive or something you can learn from. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the other way how one should practice to face others Gossiping about himself/herself ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can learn something from it then try to. Sometimes in Business and Work situations you have to promote or market yourself and also engage in chatting to a maintain cordial relationships. This is not unproductive endeavour or killing time by chatting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in a personal situation you what you have to see if the chatting is directed at achieving something productive to yourself and listeners. Does it help you understand something better. Is there something listener can lean by a situation some one else has been in. If it is wasting time try changing the topic or move on it it is not inappropriate or rude. For a householder trying to build relationships, networking and friendships is productive and endeavor, even at a personal level, hence may not be idle chatter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-21T04:04:36.050" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T04:04:36.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14202" CreationDate="2016-02-21T03:53:19.867" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand that any amount of external situations happen which may not go your way. When it goes your way, you're happy and God doesn't come into the picture. And when it doesn't, sometimes God doesn't help. ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the idea is to accept the external situation as it is, because it was never in your control. And keep living with the moments in life. If you let an external situation faze you out too much, you're lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understand this fact. What we are in control of is ourselves, our internal reactions and responses to anything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whatever situation life brings you, just take it in the right stride and keep smiling and going. Simply accept it. There is no need to fear anything. Fear is ego's response to a threat on its existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't struggle with yourself. If you put an ad in the matrimonial page, don't expect things to go right. But don't expect things to go wrong either. Just let it be. Because the future is only imaginary if we think about it. So let the future be whatever it is. Have faith in yourself that you can deal with anything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to deal with it is to introspect if you are ready, put the ad. And hope it goes right by analyzing the person clearly. Go with the flow. Because life is to be lived whatever the situation may be, sportively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(PS: And please, don't expect a certain God, to help out whenever you are in trouble. That is simply wishful thinking.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T03:53:19.867" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14202" CreationDate="2016-02-21T04:19:25.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has principles called “&lt;strong&gt;Sama-jivi Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;” for couple to ensure their compatibility and provide a firm foundation for a long married life. Sama-jivi dhamma concerns four qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sama-saddha&lt;/strong&gt;:  having compatible faith; they uphold the same  religion, revere the same objects of worship, concepts, beliefs or principles, and share the same lines of interest- they are equally firm in all these or can reach agreement on them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sama-sila&lt;/strong&gt;: having compatible morality; they have conduct, morality, ethics, manners and upbringing which are harmonious or compatibility.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sama-caga&lt;/strong&gt;: having compatible generosity; they are in accord, not conflict, with each other in their generosity, hospitality, munificence, sacrifice, and readiness to help others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sama-panna&lt;/strong&gt;: having compatible intelligence; they are sensible and can understand each other; they can at least reason with each other.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't have to limit yourself to one method of finding a partner. You can try all the accepted ways. &#xA;But, whether it is a love marriage or an arranged marriage, it is best to date for about an year and find out if you are compatible, before tying the knot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as dealing with the capricious nature of your own mind, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpzurcpIDeY&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/a&gt; is the way to go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T04:19:25.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14208" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-21T05:05:20.950" Score="6" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the present context of the world, the chain of economics and happiness as I see it is, money is necessary to fulfill one's basic necessities (even if not luxuries), to earn money we need jobs, to make jobs we need to manufacture things, to sell things that have been manufactured, they have to be marketed and people have to be eventually 'desire' to buy these items and feel that they are happy to keep the chain alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But because of this chain, for example the automobile industry, we have more cars on road, more pollution, more environmental and health issues and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I was thinking if there is a better economic model which we can learn and devise from the teachings of the Buddha. Is there some other method we can adopt to reinvent this chain and relation between economics, happiness and consumerism? I do understand that real 'happiness' as taught by the Buddha and the happiness that one obtains by practising meditation is the way ahead to limit our desires and achieve a balance in the world. On these lines, I read something on 'Sufficiency Economics' briefly and felt it was a good topic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish to ask if anyone can provide references to any other topics or books that relate economics, consumerism and Buddhism that offer a practical solution to a really happy world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6870" LastActivityDate="2022-02-03T05:54:54.087" Title="Buddhism and economics" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14208" CreationDate="2016-02-21T06:34:30.903" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not directly related to economics but Buddha's Ten Royal Qualities (Dasa Raja Dharma) is an excellent guidance to handle a country and thereby the economy as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check this link to get an idea: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sannasa.sinhalajukebox.org/2011/Oct/2011Oct_page14.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THE CURRENT RELEVANCE OF&#xA;DASA RAJA DHARMA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a very brief extract/summary from that article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The promise of dasa raja dharma (ten principles&#xA;  of Buddhist governance) has been a&#xA;  trademark emotional appeal that our rulers&#xA;  have used to win elections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dana&lt;/strong&gt; -- Liberality, generosity, charity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sila&lt;/strong&gt; -- a moral character.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pariccaga&lt;/strong&gt; -- sacrificing everything for the good of the people.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ajjava&lt;/strong&gt; -- honesty and integrity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maddava&lt;/strong&gt; -- kindness and gentleness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tapa&lt;/strong&gt; -- austerity of habits.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Akkodha&lt;/strong&gt; -- freedom from envy, ill-will, enmity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Khanti&lt;/strong&gt; -- patience, forbearance, tolerance, understanding.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avihimsa&lt;/strong&gt; -- non-violence, which means not only that he should harm nobody, but that he should try to promote peace by avoiding and preventing war, and everything which involves violence and destruction of life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avirodha&lt;/strong&gt; (non-opposition; nonconfrontation) as they are related though not the same.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-21T12:35:02.613" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T12:35:02.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14202" CreationDate="2016-02-21T22:25:39.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love is foundation of a relationship. Instead of marriage focus on love. If you have positive vibration you will attract persons of positive vibrations to you. Also you will be able to feel the person instead of judging the person. Looks like your understanding of very natural phenomenon (man/woman) is shallow and taking recourse to religion to understand simple basic concepts is not advisable at this stage. &#xA;Love is energy and if you are full of love i.e. energy it will attract others to you. Try to be healthy and cheerful and forget about marriage. Marriage is second step when love changes its dimension. When two people want to dissolve themselves into each other and decide to live together its called marriage. I know of a couple where if one is hurt the other feels it (one in a million). Marriage which you know of is a lawful arrangement by the society and therefore utterly flawed.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-02-21T22:25:39.777" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14208" CreationDate="2016-02-22T07:20:59.363" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhas aren't in the business of teaching how to be happy. Sorry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real deal is concerned with freedom from circumstances, including the ones you're particularly worried about. As it just so happens, this freedom typically brings a kind of happiness but it's only the perfume of the main game.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Work on yourself. This will help others immeasurably.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T07:20:59.363" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14216" CreationDate="2016-02-22T09:38:55.787" Score="5" ViewCount="1308" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today people are &lt;strong&gt;betraying&lt;/strong&gt; each other in different levels without considering relationships and bonds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For example scenarios:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Children betrays parents and ignore them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Boy/Girl cheats on Girl/Boy due to bad friends and bad intensions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Betrays who were in need when got succeeded and forget them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't understand how people do these kind of very simple to understand misdeeds. &lt;strong&gt;Even a dog wags it's tail when we gave it some food just ONE time.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Then why does these humans do this inappropriate acts without giving any values to relationships, bonds ??? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha did '&lt;strong&gt;animisa lochana puuja&lt;/strong&gt;' to the Bo Tree as it helps Buddha to get Enlightenment. Can anyone explain in practical scenarios that how can we teach our loved ones not to betray anyone in life with the guidance of Buddhism ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we teach our friends Betraying is bad ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AND most importantly How can we make our mind when someone Betrayed ON us ?? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T01:32:07.333" Title="Betraying People" Tags="|the-buddha|enlightenment|bodhisattva|relationship|community|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14214" CreationDate="2016-02-22T14:11:43.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then why does these humans do this inappropriate acts without giving any values to relationships, bonds ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the nature of Samsara. People do this. Since things like this happen it is one motivation to leave Samsara. If things were more rosy there is no reason to leave Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how can we teach our loved ones not to betray anyone in life with the guidance of Buddhism ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the most difficult to do. Buddha would have made everyone understand the 4 Noble Truths if you can easily teach others. Most what you can do is try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can we teach our friends Betraying is bad ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In certainty you cannot. But you can approach this in 2 angles by pointing out people are less likely to accept and deal with someone who do not have any scrules and also mention about the Karmic retribution&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AND most importantly How can we make our mind when someone Betrayed ON us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you say this is the most important thing and what is relatively in your control. Best is to do Vipassana to make your mind. In doing this one thing to keep in mind is betrayal is a perception arise in your mind and why do not like it there is unpleasantness associated when you perceive something negatively. This is the Dukkha in this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-22T14:24:06.343" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T14:24:06.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14214" CreationDate="2016-02-22T14:14:36.303" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your observations are quite correct in a capitalist mould. Survival of the fittest and stepping on your neighbor due to ambition or desire to achieve something is quite common. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot, quite simply, get out of that mould in a day or even in a week. This is due to the mental model we have created for ourselves and the world around us. We are quite literally aping the animals because their environment is a &lt;code&gt;survivalist mould&lt;/code&gt; and can only do so much for their species. Having said that, there are a few animals who are sensitive and capable of compassion and love. Dog is one such being you mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;strong&gt;human core or collective consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; in us, that is empathetic and capable of kindness and compassion. This is by realizing the fact that we are all capable of feeling and emotions and need not hurt or lie to each other for perceived success. Of course, doing what you must, as a duty in daily life to achieve some goals is important, but definitely not at the cost of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would go further and state that this consciousness need not be human alone. This includes all sentient beings, including animals and insects. &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;In metta meditation&lt;/strong&gt;, we visualize the well being and happiness of every sentient being starting from our inward &quot;happy&quot; core and spread the vibrations of goodness to every living being on the planet including trees and plants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all this, it is important to recognize the &lt;strong&gt;ego&lt;/strong&gt; (mental model of a &quot;fixed, permanent being&quot;) in our reactions to any happening. For example, you creating a dent on my car in some way may hurt me mentally, even though it is only the car that has been damaged in some way. We don't recognize the fact that our mind, our body, our possessions, our relatives, are all &lt;strong&gt;ever-changing&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;impermanent&lt;/strong&gt;. The solid core, that is the created ego, is capable of changing a man into a monster. He is perfectly capable of calmness in every situation. But he changes into a monster because his ego perceives something did not go as per his desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Betrayal is not the only scenario&lt;/strong&gt;. It is part of the whole sphere of emotions that we are beset with in contemporary society. We are quite simply slaves to it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can we teach our friends Betraying is bad ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind of a person is more open or broad, it would take in the aspect of human consciousness among us all and work toward well being of oneself as well as honor good relationship with other beings. Simply recognizing the fact that we are all human and together on this earth, feeling the same things, positive and negative, should open up the person's &quot;intrinsic goodness&quot;. Even better if it is toward animals and plants also.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AND most importantly How can we make our mind when someone Betrayed ON us ??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any &quot;perceived&quot; attack on me is my ego telling me, &quot;Hey! He/She hurt me! Look what he/she has done! Do something about it! Hurt them back!&quot;. &lt;strong&gt;The ego always acts in self-preservation.&lt;/strong&gt; It is something that is a creation with &lt;strong&gt;no truth&lt;/strong&gt; in it. And this is why we practice mindfulness and awareness, so that we can capture moments like this &quot;perceived injustice&quot; in our mind, recognize the ego, think clearly and work more constructively toward a solution rather than blindly reacting and worsening any situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T14:14:36.303" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14217" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14218" CreationDate="2016-02-22T15:59:23.447" Score="4" ViewCount="402" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm having a lot of trouble forgiving someone for something they did quite a little while ago. The repercussions of which I am still dealing with today. I feel a lot of anger and frustration when I think about what this person did, and it's very hard to ignore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have already spoken to this person, and told them how I feel about the situation - ultimately forgiving them, but it still troubles me internally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can I do to &quot;purge&quot; the thoughts from my mind and the negative connotations that come with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I do not wish to forget what happened, only learn to better manage the emotions that are felt when recalling the incident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:16:04.857" Title="Are there meditations for forgiveness?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2016-02-22T16:10:42.743" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well this form of meditation is not well established or part of the more common meditation object but Bhanthe Vimalasiri does teach forgiveness meditation. The instructions are here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T16:10:42.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2016-02-22T16:23:48.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hmm. I think &quot;selfless action&quot; will let you be peaceful, hard as it sounds. There is no need to sit and meditate in some way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try this. Whatever you do, try to let go of an idea of yourself. Just be totally aware and conscious and involve yourself in the activity.  This is really meditation. And you'll see yourself loosening up automatically. And you'll be more content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To really forgive, you need to understand that everyone is looking for &quot;something&quot; and that's why we do things. Some inexplicable happiness. To express ourselves. Even criminals do so. In trying to look for happiness outside, we get misguided and do unnecessary things. This includes things like alcohol or drugs. It is a satisfying-the-ego nature. This happiness is not true happiness. We try to fit in with the crowd or friends to be &quot;accepted&quot; to be happier. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This can also go the other way. Disillusionment with life could indicate more focus, or blowing up the suffering/disappointing/frustrating aspects. &#xA;With a cool rationality and temperament by mindfulness/awareness, we can gain more equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To really see bliss and happiness, look inward and make yourself that way. By being more open to pleasantness and reducing the ego qualities, you won't ever have to look outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-22T17:24:40.763" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T17:24:40.763" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14220" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-22T17:09:49.483" Score="4" ViewCount="679" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been reading books on Buddhism and contemplating on the Suttas. Lately the things which I was interested about like reading novels, watching movies, playing games and girls is losing its sheen. I am more inclined to just observe things happening around me. What is the process of transformation one undergoes when one is following Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="5016" LastEditDate="2016-02-23T02:47:41.247" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T15:48:50.970" Title="Losing interest in Samsara and transformation one undergoes when following Buddhism" Tags="|lay-buddhism|samsara|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2016-02-22T17:45:38.413" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suggest maitri meditation because not only you'll be able to forget but will develop a loving kindness attitude towards the person of interest and all other beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T17:45:38.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-22T17:48:57.460" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being depressed and delusional are also normal. Being enlightened is what is not normal in the world. Becoming disappointed of sensual pleasures and wanting to figure out what is really going on around you is a good thing. It's a mild version of what prince Siddhartha felt before he left the lay life. It's called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/nekkhamma.htm&quot;&gt;Nekkhamma Sankappa&lt;/a&gt;(a part of the right intention). But it will soon disappear and you will be defeated by sensual desires again, if you don't practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp5.php&quot;&gt;Samma Vayama&lt;/a&gt;(right effort) of the noble eight fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T17:48:57.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7318" CreationDate="2016-02-22T23:05:17.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concluding chapter of the Avatamsaka is the Gandavyuha, widely regarded as a sutra in it's own right. The Gandavyuha honours women more than any other sutra that I know of. It tells how a pilgrim named Sudhana discovers a succession of teachers, including 22 who are female. Each of the 22 female teachers gives Sudhana a vitally important insight into the true nature of reality, including the  Indra's Net principle of interconnection and inter-reflection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7860" LastActivityDate="2016-02-22T23:05:17.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14158" CreationDate="2016-02-22T23:46:31.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I understand, the better translation for &quot;cetana&quot; in English is &quot;intention&quot;, and not &quot;thought&quot;. That is an important difference in English which may not be so clear for someone from Sri Lanka (although I thought it must also be a clear difference in Pali and that Sri Lankan language should probably be much closer to Pali than English). But I am not really sure about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that is where I think the misunderstanding could come from. You can think about doing something without actually intending to do it.&#xA;But only if you intend to do it (and of course that also involves thinking) you will actually do it (or at least make some initial movements to do it, or build up the inclination to follow through with it at some point).&#xA;And so I think that is the reason why the Buddha taught that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be interesting to find the reason why the Sri Lankan quotes of the Nibbedika Sutta here put &quot;thought&quot; in the translation, and if they have maybe come to a differently adopted meaning of &quot;cetana&quot; over time. Or if the usual English translations of cetana with &quot;intention&quot; are missing out somehow on the &quot;thought&quot; aspect. But it seems to me that it would be actually impossible to have an intention without thought. Or so I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7571" LastEditorUserId="7571" LastEditDate="2016-02-23T00:11:43.277" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T00:11:43.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14226" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14228" CreationDate="2016-02-23T02:06:17.073" Score="1" ViewCount="441" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human population is increasing whether we like it or not and might even hit 10bn in the next few decades. But why is this happening according to a Buddhist's perspective? Some that I know that don't believe in kamma use this as a counter example saying that if people are becoming more sinful they ask how come the population is increasing. While I have my own understanding (devas being born back among humans, kamma alone doesn't determine the next birth &quot;cuti sitha&quot; does) I would like your expert opinion this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T21:02:36.340" Title="Why is human population increasing? Better kamma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-23T03:21:13.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you observe what is around you the &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt; way you can make progress. Whatever you observe will be perceived as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;desirable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;undesirable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neither&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which results in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pleasure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neutral.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience any of these sensations you should remain equanimous and aware of the arising and passing nature to eliminate the roots. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T05:31:47.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14226" CreationDate="2016-02-23T03:31:27.457" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Human population is increasing whether we like it or not and might even hit 10bn in the next few decades. But why is this happening according to a Buddhist's perspective? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since life expectancy on average is falling (famine, wars, etc.), the needed Karma need to gain human birth is falling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some that I know that don't believe in kamma use this as a counter example saying that if people are becoming more sinful they ask how come the population is increasing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When humans become sinful the criteria to become human falls and life expectancy falls and life in the human realm becomes hellish with more conflicts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While I have my own understanding (devas being born back among humans, kamma alone doesn't determine the next birth &quot;cuti sitha&quot; does) I would like your expert opinion this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cuti sitha is determined by Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T03:31:27.457" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-23T03:35:47.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am more inclined to just observe things happening around me&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is reading novels, watching movies, playing games, etc, not observable as something happening around you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that some things lose their edge, but mostly because they never had an edge to begin with. The practice of observation is actually more than a practice because it's really the naturally way of being. As such you can just go about your normal life and still be practicing and being, which effectively are the same thing. There is no more that needs to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the process of transformation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7817" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T03:35:47.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14226" CreationDate="2016-02-23T10:57:34.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; an expert opinion: which is that I don't know why you expect that the total number of sentient beings is finite, countable, and constant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The perspective in the OP seems to be that the total number is constant, and is asking, &quot;If the number of humans is increasing, then where (which realms) are they (pre-existing beings) coming from and why?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has a view of, &quot;this used to be (countably) one old sentient being, and that (same) being is now being reborn as (countably) one new sentient being&quot; ... it has a view that, the type of being and/or realm might change (hell, animal, human, deva), but the total number of beings must be constant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see why you'd expect that view to be true, though: it seems to me an atman (self/soul) view, not an anatman view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know a more anatman view might be look &quot;there's no person now&quot; (there are are just skandhas, an assemblage of parts, c.f. the parable of the Milinda's chariot), &quot;the number of sentient beings isn't countable&quot; (except perhaps to the Buddha), and fabricated things are inconstant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T10:57:34.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-23T15:02:35.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the process of transformation one undergoes when one is following Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism there are identified &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viññana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; seems to mentions earlier stages too: &quot;faith follower&quot; and &quot;Dhamma-follower&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be (I know very little about it) that Mahayana Buddhism describes a different set of attainments (or describes or defines stages of enlightenment in a different way): see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C5%ABmi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ten Bodhisattva Bhūmis&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the &quot;process&quot; varies from person to person and from school from school. One description of the process is presumably the description of the &quot;noble eight-fold path&quot;. I can't tell you what the methods of all the various schools are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not even sure what chiefly motivates all Buddhists. For example some people talk about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83vega&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṃvega&lt;/a&gt;, conversely I think that some people have as their motive something like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; ... but as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254&quot;&gt;'compassion' and 'pity' are 'near enemies'&lt;/a&gt; so are 'equanimity' and 'indifference' (so e.g. you should aim for equanimity but not indifference).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At some point this might be a question to ask an actual teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T15:02:35.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14232" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14233" CreationDate="2016-02-23T15:13:45.267" Score="3" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read that the two can somehow be used in Unison, with benefit. Can anyone expand on this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-23T20:13:17.553" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:23:34.523" Title="To what extent can Ānāpānasati be related to Vipassanā?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-breath|anapanasati|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14232" CreationDate="2016-02-23T15:28:51.980" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt; is divided into 4 tetrads which correspond to the 4 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; hence the pratice of Anapanasati is actually a forms of Satipatthana / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. A thorough introduction to Anapanasati and how to develop this into Vipassana is difficult in this format hence it might be worthwhile to read a more elaborate book on it: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness of Breathing&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;. You can complement this book with: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/right_mindfulness_v140930.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Mindfulness: Memory &amp;amp; Ardency on the Buddhist Path&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uDtKS.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uDtKS.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-23T15:40:19.740" LastActivityDate="2016-02-23T15:40:19.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-23T17:03:37.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the process of transformation one undergoes when one is&#xA;  following Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind are impermanent, subject to destruction, vanishing, subject to origination, subject to cessation. Forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tactile sensations, mind objects … Eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness… Eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact … Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact as condition, whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant … that too is impermanent, subject to destruction, vanishing, subject to origination, subject to cessation.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Seeing thus you experience revulsion&lt;/strong&gt; towards the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind; towards forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tactile sensations, mind objects; towards eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness; towards eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact; towards whatever feeling arises with eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. &lt;strong&gt;Experiencing revulsion you become dispassionate&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one &lt;strong&gt;sees this thus as it really is with correct wisdom, the mind becomes dispassionate&lt;/strong&gt; and is liberated from the taints by nonclinging. By being liberated, it is steady; by being steady, it is content; by being content, he is not agitated. Being unagitated, he personally attains Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Based on SN 35.39-43, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.45&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;22.45&lt;/a&gt; in Ven Bodhi's translation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through repeated examination and contemplation of the truth over time,&#xA;  your views change and what you once mistakenly perceived as attractive&#xA;  gradually loses its appeal as the truth of its unattractive nature&#xA;  becomes apparent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Clarity_Insight1.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah &quot;Clarity of Insight&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T15:48:50.970" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T15:48:50.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-23T19:15:37.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not about the physical size for a living creature in this universe, it's all about the intention to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example: A human kill daily billions of living creatures, totally unaware about it. We call them bacteria. But they are living creatures too. The point in this case is: THIS bacteria are only there to do one task and then die cause of thousands reproductions in nearly the same time. So ... it's not your fault ... it's natural intension.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other site is: To killing an animal / human just for fun is extremely bad and pointed out as a rough negative karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a point people are talking very aggressive about, is killing animals for eating. There are many points about this but if it's not 100% necessary to do so (for example as an Eskimo or living in the tundra in Mongolia) there is no way to say &quot;This is normal and the karma doesn't count here&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;To follow the way of a vegetarian is nearly the half way to nirvana.&quot;&#xA;  - Siddhartha Gautama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In his final teachings before he physically left this earth, the&#xA;  Buddha foresaw that a situation would arise in the future where those&#xA;  speaking in his name would pervert his Doctrine and encourage meat&#xA;  consumption. So here, in this great Nirvana Sutra, he lays down his&#xA;  last will and testament on the matter: in no circumstances should one&#xA;  eat meat or fish &quot; nor animal corpses, found in the jungle, for&#xA;  instance &quot; nor even accept from a donor a meal which contains an&#xA;  abundance of flesh-foods. The very contact of other food with meat is&#xA;  deemed defiling and requires purification of the food by water. It is&#xA;  quite evident from all this that the Buddha in no way condoned the&#xA;  eating of meat and was keen for his monastic and lay followers to&#xA;  abjure the uncompassionate practice of meat eating and follow the pure&#xA;  path of vegetarian Mahayana. In this, we would be wise and benevolent&#xA;  to follow him.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7564" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T19:13:12.573" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T19:13:12.573" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14236" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-23T21:30:56.770" Score="6" ViewCount="1949" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know if there exist a PDF version of Tripitaka which is compatible with an eBook reader(Kindle, Kobo alike)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2019-06-26T13:02:07.053" Title="Is there an eBook reader compatible Tripitaka?" Tags="|tipitaka|canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14237" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-24T00:43:06.653" Score="3" ViewCount="390" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Furthermore, abandoning the use of intoxicants, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking intoxicants. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be clear, I am trying to figure out the spirit behind the 5th precept. To see how far it spans and what exactly constitutes intoxication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To dispel any doubt about his reasons for prescribing this precept, the Buddha has written the explanation into the rule itself: one is to refrain from the use of intoxicating drinks and drugs because they are the cause of heedlessness (pamada). Heedlessness means moral recklessness, disregard for the bounds between right and wrong. It is the loss of heedfulness (appamada), moral scrupulousness based on a keen perception of the dangers in unwholesome states. Heedfulness is the keynote of the Buddhist path, &amp;quot;the way to the Deathless,&amp;quot; running through all three stages of the path: morality, concentration, and wisdom. To indulge in intoxicating drinks is to risk falling away from each stage. The use of alcohol blunts the sense of shame and moral dread and thus leads almost inevitably to a breach of the other precepts. One addicted to liquor will have little hesitation to lie or steal, will lose all sense of sexual decency, and may easily be provoked even to murder. Hard statistics clearly confirm the close connection between the use of alcohol and violent crime, not to speak of traffic accidents, occupational hazards, and disharmony within the home. Alcoholism is indeed a most costly burden on the whole society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_36.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Discipline of Sobriety&lt;/a&gt; (by&#xA;Bhikkhu Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where do addictions enter the equation? Drugs other then alcohol?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These do not seem to be covered by the explanation (assuming the claim is true, which I do not know of).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about intoxicating love? Where do we draw the line between lust and intoxication?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about intoxication and ignorance? Is there even a difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T00:06:06.397" Title="What is the purpose of the 5th precept?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|five-precepts|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14237" CreationDate="2016-02-24T03:20:57.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about intoxicating love?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it's the cause of all suffering. AFAIK&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5th precept in my country translation is avoid the food and drink that can cause intoxicate and addiction. Some people believe the smoking is not one of the consideration because it's not a food neither a drink, even though it is caused addiction. And small amount of alcohol would not cause the intoxicate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's all can be arguable and I don't think the winner also hold the right answer. So, the best I think we look at the original purpose of following the precepts like you mentioned above &quot;In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings.&quot; And know what the best for us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7803" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T03:20:57.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14237" CreationDate="2016-02-24T03:26:13.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its very simple. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your goal is the spiritual path, you must do well to not harm yourself, or other people mindlessly. Alcohol used for intoxication is not good for this purpose. If you're looking for a good time just generally, socially, it is okay in small amounts. You won't do much wrong because it is moderate. In this regard, I also have something to say about abstaining from alcohol. You can still have a nice time without it and don't need to depend on it unless it is a social stigma. This includes things like excess of love or lustful feelings. If you are mindful of what you want to do, you will understand what to do. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With alcohol/drugs, there is a tendency to go mindless and do &quot;weird&quot; things. Without alcohol/drugs, you have your senses firmly with you and you can control your actions well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which part of this did you not understand? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its not a rule. It is a basic understanding or reasoning of what your goal is, and what your action should be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, it very clearly depends on which path you are taking, either spiritual or material. The path is the goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: I see NUMEROUS questions about the precepts on this site. Don't get too technical about what is mentioned and what is not mentioned in the texts. That will become &lt;strong&gt;endless interpretation&lt;/strong&gt;. Measure yourself and your goal and you will automatically know the actions you need to take up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T04:10:19.187" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T04:10:19.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14236" CreationDate="2016-02-24T03:48:34.367" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am presuming you are looking for translations. There is the Buddha Jayanthi edition which has both Sinhala and Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;English&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt; - does not have all the Tripitaka but there is a growing number of Suttas in PDF form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&lt;/a&gt; - this has traslation by many and can be downladed in multiple formats in mulitple languages&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Multi languages&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt; - no PDF but mobile friendly. But has translations in multiple languages&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/&lt;/a&gt; - Pali text is many different scripts with PDF downloads&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sinhala (Since you name sounds like a Sinhalese name including including some in Singhala script)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&lt;/a&gt; - Buddha Jayanthi in PDF&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://metta.lk/tipitaka/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://pitaka.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://pitaka.lk/&lt;/a&gt; -  A.P. de Soyza's translations (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/pitaka.lk&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/pitaka.lk&lt;/a&gt; has links to PDFs)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&lt;/a&gt; - Unicode mobile friendly format.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T15:29:51.553" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T15:29:51.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14159" CreationDate="2016-02-24T05:46:14.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMO it's better to avoid hurting and killing all beings. Despite of how big or small karma will we get. They both aren't do good for us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7803" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T05:46:14.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14237" CreationDate="2016-02-24T08:00:55.960" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 5th precept is not about addictions. It is referring to taking substances that lead to heedlessness, whether you get addicted to it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love/sexual misbehavior is covered under the 3rd precept. Again, it's not about addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intoxication discussed under the 5th precept is chemically muddling your senses. Especially the mind. Ignorance plays a role in wanting to do that. Once you are intoxicated, it leads to more ignorant acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T12:48:30.080" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T12:48:30.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-24T09:20:09.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer lies in this sutta (the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kamabhu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, SN 41.6):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta asked him a further question: &quot;What is the&#xA;  difference between a monk who has died &amp;amp; passed away and a monk who&#xA;  has attained the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the case of a monk who has died &amp;amp; passed away, his bodily&#xA;  fabrication has ceased &amp;amp; subsided, verbal fabrication has ceased &amp;amp;&#xA;  subsided, mental fabrication has ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his life force is&#xA;  totally ended, his heat is dissipated, and his faculties are shut&#xA;  down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in the case of a monk who has attained the cessation of&#xA;  perception &amp;amp; feeling, his bodily fabrication has ceased &amp;amp; subsided,&#xA;  verbal fabrication has ceased &amp;amp; subsided, mental fabrication has&#xA;  ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his life force is not ended, his heat is not&#xA;  dissipated, and his faculties are bright &amp;amp; clear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the difference between a monk who has died &amp;amp; passed away and a monk &#xA;  who has attained the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the reason according to Ven. Kamabhu is because you can achieve arahantship and still have your life force not ended, heat not dissipated, and faculties running.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T09:35:18.600" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T09:35:18.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14245" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14247" CreationDate="2016-02-24T10:53:01.720" Score="6" ViewCount="2388" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something that I keep hearing from my grandmother that annoys me so much. Although I am of age (26 to be precise), I am still expected to listen to almost every word that my parents say (at least according to my grandmother).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to bring personal matters to the site, but I keep arguing that not listening to parents should not be considered ill-treatment of them. They expect me to wear nice clothes, but I don't. (I prefer wearing the same clothes. Who has time for fashion?) They expect me to marry the one they want. They always say that as a Buddhist I should be very obedient. These days when you turn on the TV to listen to some Buddhist advice, monks most of the time talk about parent-child relationships and go on about how children should always listen to their parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not saying my parents ask me to do anything bad, but as children we know (sometimes, not always) what is best for us. But when we do what we want all hell breaks loose. Daddy shouting, Mommy crying, and Granny shouting that my bad karma will eventually give me disobedient children just like me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jokes aside, I want a serious explanation when it comes to parent-child relationships. I am quite aware of the Sigalovada Sutra, but when we do something we want and parents get hurt, is it always bad kamma? It can't be, right? Otherwise the amount of bad karma Prince Siddhartha would have gained after all the pain his father went through...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please share your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="14794" LastEditDate="2019-03-27T22:44:43.423" LastActivityDate="2020-10-26T14:41:49.297" Title="Not listening to parents is bad karma?" Tags="|karma|parents|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1981" CreationDate="2016-02-24T11:31:48.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Referencing &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13681/254&quot;&gt;MischievousSage's answer&lt;/a&gt; I agree that the Buddha taught Buddhism in a way that's compatible with belief in the supernatural (and maybe taught it to people who had such beliefs &lt;em&gt;a priori&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism is also compatible (or that there are forms or versions of Buddhism compatible) with atheist beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In particular most of the central core of Buddhism, e.g. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;four noble truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;noble eightfold part&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;three-fold training&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;harmlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;non-attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; for more&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... don't require belief in God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact in contrast to some theistic religions I think that Buddhism teaches that your salvation depends on your own efforts ... it's not enough, in most forms of Buddhism, to pray for a divine intervention that will save you (there is Taking Refuge, but that's maybe not quite the same thing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I agree with MischievousSage's answer I hope you don't mind if I also disagree with it e.g. to say that Buddhism is compatible with atheist or agnostic beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The central doctrines of Buddhism (see e.g. the lists above) don't mention God etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Saying that &quot;the supreme beings are Buddhas&quot; is I think true, but doesn't mean that Buddhas need to be viewed as gods (whatever that means), though they can be: e.g. you can admire (or reverence) your (earthly) teacher (or doctor) without viewing them as a god; and you might see the Buddha as &quot;perfect&quot; (e.g. in the &quot;completed&quot; sense of the word &quot;perfect&quot;) without seeing the Buddha as &quot;divine&quot; (whatever that word is supposed to mean).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are definitions which don't involve God -- e.g. the Dhamma Lists, referenced above, describes &quot;Buddha&quot; as &quot;both the historical Buddha and one's own innate potential for Awakening&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes there are stories of supernatural powers. I think it's possible to be agnostic (&quot;without knowledge&quot;) about such subjects: to suspend belief or disbelief, or to treat it as an article of faith. Some people say that acquiring supernatural/psychic powers is possible via Buddhist practice, but is not the goal. Psychic powers aren't apparently routinely demonstrated to lay people, and the principles and practice of Buddhist may be important whether with or without them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are forms of Buddhism which do expect or require or assume a belief in miracles (e.g., in Theravada, the ability of arahants to fly), that doesn't seem to be true of all schools of Buddhism; a story like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/80therealmiracle.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Real Miracle&lt;/a&gt; seems to me to downplay the importance of miracles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, believing that some people demonstrate supernatural (psychic) abilities, and belief in God, are two different topics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many of the suttas referenced in MischievousSage's answer aren't exactly arguing that God exists: instead I think they're arguing that &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; exists, and that a nihilist view like &quot;it doesn't matter what we do, there are no consequences&quot; would be a 'wrong view'.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think there's a (at least one) sutta in which the Buddha does explicitly talk about (and refute the story of there being) a &quot;creator God&quot;. If I recall/paraphrase that sutta correctly, I think he says, &quot;Imagine an empty world, then a god comes along and finds himself alone and thinks 'I must have created all this', and then there are more Gods and eventually the Gods' time in heaven comes to an end.&quot; When I read that story I didn't take it as teaching that those events and personages literally happened in that way. Instead I took it as a story intended for people who are predisposed to believe that there is a creator God (perhaps because they've previously been taught that), and the story is telling them that even if there were such a God, that God would be subject to ignorance/delusion and to impermanence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I checked the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; -- and I think those answers confirm that &quot;God&quot; is not an important part of Buddhism (one of them says, &quot;Whether Theravada or Mahayana, we do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a god at his will&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all those answers there was (only) one line-item which someone identified as controversial, i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1487/what-teachings-do-all-schools-of-buddhism-share/5159#comment562_1492&quot;&gt;the Four Bases of Supernatural Powers&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;According to Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iddhipada&lt;/a&gt; article, &quot;a major source of information on the iddhipāda is in the Samyutta Nikaya, ch. 51&quot; -- or see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part2.html#part2-d&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for further details about that, but I guess I'm going to end this answer here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI belief in miracles and/or God[s] isn't the only belief that some people (non-believers) find difficult. Even so perhaps you needn't reject the whole of Buddhism, for having a doubt about one aspect of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T12:07:05.950" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14245" CreationDate="2016-02-24T13:09:49.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is something I keep hearing from my grandmother that keeps annoying me so much. Although I am well off age (26 to be precise) I am still expected to listen to almost every word that my parents say (at least according to my grandmother). Not to bring in any personal matters into the site but I keep arguing that not listening to parents should not be considered as ill-treating them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not listening is not necessary ill treating but if you are intentionally hurting them then it is negative Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any way it is a good idea to listen to your parents but it does not mean you have to do exactly. They may have experiences you might not have. So best cause of action is to get their input and them proactively take the best possible and rational action. Sometimes by just listening you parent maybe happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be diplomatic when when you have a difference of opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They expect me to wear nice clothes but I don't (I prefer wearing the same clothes. Who has time for fashion?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fashion is actually changing and attitudes. Getting too attached or averse to them is not skillful. Best is to get into a happy medium. If you are scruffy then your social acceptance will also go down hence there is some point in having to dress nicely. Everyone has to depend of society even monks to get their requisites hence you should be reasonably acceptable and presentable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They expect me to marry the one they want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have someone see how you can present the person of your choice. Sometimes there may be issues with your choice you might have not considered. If it is purely driven by lust it might not work. So think about compatibility. Play it tactfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the following answer maybe of some help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14207/295&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14207/295&lt;/a&gt; in choosing the right person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They always say that as Buddhist I should be very obedient and these days when your turn the TV to listen to some Buddhist advice, monks most of the time talk about parent-child relationship and goes on about how children should always listen to parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned above getting wider range of input is beneficial to make optimal decisions. More than just robotically doing what you parents say what is needed is to make the relationship more cordial. This maybe difficult due to the generation gap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not saying my parents ask me to do anything bad. But as children we know (sometimes not always) what is best for us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life choices perhaps may not be determinable until it plays out when you do not know who is right. All you can do make decision with the best facts you have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when we do what we want all hell breaks lose, daddy shouting mommy crying and granny shouting my bad karma will eventually give me disobedient children just like me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disobedience and rebellious behaviour sometimes maybe rooted in version. What you have to is to see if there is aversion or some sort of irritation is present and this is influencing your cause of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If 3 people feel your are in the wrong perhaps take a step back and see if actually what you have done is the best and what other alternatives would have been there. I am not saying you might be wrong but when this happens it is good through revisit something you have done just to reaffirm what you did is best with the information you had.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition willfully making your parents happy would be positive karma. So if you can do something to make them happy go for it. It is some time very little things which go a long way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jokes aside, I want a serious explanation when it comes to parent-child relationship. I am quite aware of the singalovada sutta but when we do something we want and parents get hurt is it always bad karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can't be right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do it with intention to hurt or your are due to being internally angry then it will be. So try to get into knowing your true intentions and motivation and what it is rooted in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise the amount of bad kamma prince Siddhartha would have gained after all the pain his father went through... Pleas share your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prince Siddhartha left the householder's life with the intention of liberation and helping mankind. This is positive. Though incidentally his father maybe hurt it was not his intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can think of ways to do something without hurting someone then this would be the best cause of action. But with many lifes choices not everyone will be always agreeable and satisfied, hence try to be accommodating as possible within reason and follow through with the best action taking into account to all opinions and parties affected. Keep in check there is no negative motivations, volition of roots in what you are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T16:09:38.140" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14220" CreationDate="2016-02-24T15:13:42.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] is losing its sheen [...] What is the process of transformation one undergoes when one is following Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way of thinking is that &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; is the process a buddhist undergoes: dispassion for things that are, ultimately, unsatisfactory. Not too different from the dispassion one starts to feel towards children toys when growing old: they are no longer a source of craving or clinging. That does not mean that growing old one becomes depressed, however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While &lt;em&gt;depression&lt;/em&gt; has &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20110727123744/http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/nimhdepression.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many kinds and many symptoms&lt;/a&gt;, it is invariably associated with not feeling well -- feelings of sorrow, sadness, guilt, hopelessness, anxiety/irritability, lack of energy for anything / fatigue, feeling empty, lack of concentration, difficulty remembering things and making decisions, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism, however, is associated with &lt;strong&gt;hapiness&lt;/strong&gt;. We can even pair some of the depression symptoms with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7  factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; (which a buddhist is supposed to master):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While a depressed person develops difficulty remembering and concentrating, a buddhist develops &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;investigation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While a depressed person develops lack of energy and fatigue, a buddhist develops &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;energy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While a depressed person develops sadness and sorrow, a buddhist develops &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;joy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While a depressed person develops anxiety and irritability, a buddhist develops &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;tranquility&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;concentration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T15:13:42.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14250" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14263" CreationDate="2016-02-24T16:43:24.497" Score="5" ViewCount="5695" Body="&lt;p&gt;I did my first Vipassana course in Feb 2016. 10 Days.&#xA;As a first timer, it went pretty well till the 7th Day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) On 5th, 6th and 7th day i was suffering from my head thrown back, or front, or sideways. At that that i thought i had dozed off hence the jerk. I ignored it. (I can never sleep while sitting, what i learnt in life from flights and long bus rides).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) My forehead, third eye, used to feel strong sensations from past 1-2 yrs. It increased in vipassana and Teacher said it was normal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) On 7th day, I started having a feeling of light-headedness, like I was flying. I did the evening meditation very dedicatedly. I started &quot;flying&quot; even more, and i went ahead with it thinking it happens in meditation. It drove me away from focusing on body sensations. My focus went to forehead and head which was feeling extremely high sensations and feeling of flying.&#xA;I ceased to feel my body. There was no pain anymore due to sitting for long without moving. My head was spinning, very high sensations, and flying high and high. I went with it. This was last meditation of the day and I went to bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) The sensations wouldnt stop. Even with eyes open, even if I focused at the wall, the head would spin, sensations in forehead were strong and i would &quot;fly&quot;.&#xA;I tried to sleep, but as soon as i closed eyes, head was extremely dizzy, strong sensations, like maddening. Head was oscillating back and forth and sideways.I had to open my eyes. I sat up and rested my head against the wall.&#xA;I fell asleep very late, when the body was so damn tired that it gave up, when i went to sleep in 1 second, before the closed eyes could feel the sensations i fell asleep.&#xA;The night was spent sitting.&#xA;Next day I talked to the teacher and she said the experiences were normal. She asked me not to &quot;fly&quot; and focus on sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) Day 8, 9, 10: I was not able to meditate. Day 8 - I was not able to close eyes. The moment i would close, the spinning and flying sensation would start and was unbearable for me. To stop from flying and focus on sensations i had to open my eyes. Day 8 i pretty much spent with few minutes of closed eyes only. Rest, i have sat with eyes open looking here and there, or focusing on breathing with open eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6) Day 8, i realized that the spinning feeling was because of an invisible magnetic field moving around me. I was feeling it like wind blowing around me. &#xA;Passing time nothing to do, i was casually looking at my thumbs together. My palms were in shape of a ball/cup. And it was like oh my god!.. There was a ver strong magnetic field rotating between my palms!!&#xA;With this revealation, i focused on it and realized, that was what causing my head oscillate upto 135 degrees left and right, back and forth, 24 hrs, if i didnt held it with force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7) Day 8, i decided not to meditate in evening. I sat through the sessions blankly with open eyes, after permission from teacher.&#xA;But this helped me fall asleep at night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8) Day 9, I met the teacher again. She said, meditate 2-3 min as much as i can. The moment i start flying too much, i should move to Aanapan and focus on breath. If i still fly, i should open eyes, come back to normal, and restart again with sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9) I accepted it and spent my day9 and 10 like this. My concern was, what after 10 days? Do I continue like this? Am i doing anything incorrectly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;10) after returning home, the dizzyness continued.Flying sensations continued. It has been 10 days since i have returned, but i still feel little dizzy all 24 hrs. &#xA;Dizzyness has reduced as my meditation has come down to 1 hr per day. But not gone.&#xA;A hard rock music listener before, now even loud talking hurts my ears and head badly. But i take it as anitya and bear with it neutrally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first time i drove car after vipassana, i took reverse to take it out from house. The reverse movement spinned my head so badly, if there was a car behind me, i wd hv hit it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's difficult to focus on one thing, like a book, screen, one car ahead close to you, someone talking to you standing close,etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is going on with me all the time. I am not reacting, letting it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;11) Meditation : I try for 1 hr daily, but the same problem persists. In 3-4 mins, i start flying. Forehead has severe sensations and takes my attention away. If i dont open my eyes, i start flying with the flying feeling. Magnetic force starts running around me again.&#xA;If I continue with it, my head will oscillate again.&#xA;But I shift to Aanapan, and open my eyes. Take 2-3 mins to be normal.&#xA;Then restart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a strong believer, and I am not gonna leave it being scared.&#xA;I am hear to face it, and if anything needs to be changed i am ready.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question..&#xA;whats happening to me?&#xA;did i do anything incorrectly?&#xA;what should i do with problems in normal life?&#xA;what should i do with meditation practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be happy and God bless&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7868" LastActivityDate="2021-02-27T08:16:55.657" Title="Head oscillations, magnetic force movement, dizzy head after Vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14251" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-24T21:18:19.990" Score="8" ViewCount="646" Body="&lt;p&gt;I struggle tremendously with ADHD despite years of exploring traditional and nontraditional treatments. There are certainly many different kinds of meditation one can practice, so I was wondering what kind of meditation works best for creating lasting focus and a higher attention span in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7836" LastEditorUserId="7348" LastEditDate="2016-02-24T23:01:37.107" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T20:22:00.390" Title="Best type of meditation for attention" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14251" CreationDate="2016-02-24T23:29:46.993" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to try Samatha meditation. This type of meditation would have you fix your attention on a single object of meditation over a period of time. The common object is your in and out breaths. The point of focus is usually the tip of the nose or the upper lips where you could feel the in and out breaths making contact. Since this training requires you to stay with a single object over a long period of time, it could help your mind maintains a higher attention span and lasting focus on a subject. Sutta reference is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and a detailed analysis is available &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. Good luck..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T23:29:46.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14195" CreationDate="2016-02-24T23:36:27.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are few things that should be taken into consideration before going any further.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What exactly is the reason for staying after reaching &amp;quot;Nirvana&amp;quot;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Lord Buddha (The first Arahat of all) reached the completion of realizing (Reached Nircana) a strange thing happened. The most powerful Deva of all &amp;quot;Mara&amp;quot; came to see Lord Buddha. This is the same Mara that challenged Lord Buddha before reaching Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said, &lt;em&gt;Now you have reached your goal, So now please choose &amp;quot;Parinibbhana&amp;quot; (The name for the death of an Arahat).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha replied saying, &lt;em&gt;Yes i have reached my goal but until my &amp;quot;Shasana&amp;quot; (Monks+Followers+teaching) is strong i will not choose &amp;quot;Parinibbhana&amp;quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Later in Lord Buddha's life this happened&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said this to his very faithful apprentice Ven.Anandha thero..&#xA;&lt;em&gt;A lord Buddha can last the utmost amount of time a Human can in that particular era in kindness towards beings(Aayu Kalpa).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Ven.Anandha thero's mind was Shadowed by the Same Villainous deva &amp;quot;Mara&amp;quot;. So thero couldn't answer. But Lord Buddha repeated the same sentence. Still the mind Of Ven. Anandha thero was shadowed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If an invitation is not given Lord Buddha's do not extend life Expectancy. So in this era &amp;quot;Mara&amp;quot; deva succeeded in that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So it is clear that Venerable Arahats stay alive with Kindness Towards us.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Does Mind dissolve after Nirvana leaving a half alive mind?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NO&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is a constantly generating and ceasing element. Ven. Arahats can control their minds at their will and therefore reaching Nirvana does not effect daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For example the chief Arahat himself,Lord Buddha took time to admire Nature's Beauty all the while teaching Impermanance.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;There are many statements by arahats describing the beauty of the surrounding Forests and songs of the rivers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Although you must know a rarely occurring incident which goes a bit different.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person reach Nirvana while being a Lay person and choose not to be a monk that person will choose &amp;quot;Parinibbhana&amp;quot; within 7 days. This has been stated as &amp;quot;Nature&amp;quot; of such an event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-24T23:36:27.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14250" CreationDate="2016-02-25T00:15:13.263" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One day a young man came to our monastery asking to be a monk. He was a committed person and soon he started screaming in the night and he had other discomforts too (Loosing focus &amp;amp; interest). One night he was screaming and the Monks gathered to see why. The young man was talking oddly and monks understood that he is under the control of a &quot;Pretha&quot; (A being from a lower ralm, a bad birth caused by bad karma).&#xA;When the conversation went on the being revealed his true identity.It was his Grandfather. The being said &quot;I can't let him reach nirvana, i will never see him again&quot;.&#xA;No matter how much Monks tried the being did not listen. But in the end the young man was relieved from that.(Monks had to chant).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Reason i said this was that sometimes the reasons aren't tangible.So it's better to take all precautions than being ill prepared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution for this issue is...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;01 - Start your meditation with this :- &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/15_Paying_Homage_to_Buddha.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Paying Homage to Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;02 - Learn this Meditation (&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loving Kindness Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;) and practice it (This meditation can be done on the go and does not require you to sit down). This Meditation can help you with any other realm disturbance and it will also gain good Karma too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;03 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/18_Breathing_Meditation.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Breathing Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; can aid any other meditation. So use it before your meditation begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;04 - If you feel any discomfort stop and give it a break. After it pass away start with this Meditation &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/51_Budhdhaanussathi_meditation.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Budhdhaanussathi meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. This is Lord Buddha's values so after doing this wish no pain or discomfort to come by the power of good karma you gained from this meditation and by the power of lord buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;My friend i must suggest that you should see a good teacher. Maybe something can be wrong with your posture, it can lead to many discomforts. Pick a position that is good for your Body Weight.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the triple gems bless your efforts!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use this Link to learn additional things on meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma Talks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T00:15:13.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14251" CreationDate="2016-02-25T00:19:42.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should also try these Meditations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/18_Breathing_Meditation.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Breathing Meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; :- Help increase the focus and calmness of a mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/28_Meththaa.MP3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Meththa Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; :- If you are an angry person this will help you to come over it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.com/Amadahara_FrnDw/Mp3_JeewanandaThero/76_Meditation_of_Posturest_full_Awareness.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meditation of posturest full awarness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; :- Increases Mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T00:19:42.497" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14251" CreationDate="2016-02-25T04:30:32.040" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... I was wondering what kind of meditation works best for creating lasting focus and a higher attention span in the mind. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapana meditation increases focus and attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Scientifically demonstrated benefits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Research on meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of focusing one's attention changes the brain in ways to improve that ability over time; the brain grows in response to meditation. Meditation can be thought of as mental training, similar to learning to ride a bike or play a piano.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditators experienced in focused attention meditation (anapanasati is a type of focused attention meditation) showed a decrease in habitual responding a 20-minute Stroop test, which, as suggested by Richard Davidson and colleagues, may illustrate a lessening of emotionally reactive and automatic responding behavior. It has been scientifically demonstrated that ānāpānasati slows down the natural aging process of the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati#Scientifically_demonstrated_benefits&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati#Scientifically_demonstrated_benefits&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So does Metta meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His mind can concentrate quickly&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta: Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T04:30:32.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14250" CreationDate="2016-02-25T04:35:29.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you do meditation you stop creating new Sankhara. The implication of this is past Sankhara surfaces and gives minute results and pass away. When this happens you get positive or negative out of the ordinary experiences. Best is not to give importance to them. These experiences can stay for a long time but eventually will pass off. Do not make yourself unstable by worrying about them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy is opening a soda bottle. It initially fizzers and then settles after the gas is gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13265/why-is-my-head-going-all-poltergeist-on-me&quot;&gt;Why is my head going all Poltergeist on me&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T04:35:29.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14258" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-25T07:54:56.450" Score="5" ViewCount="190" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you take Jhana factors or the 37 Factors, many of them counteract one of the Hindrances. So if these factors (and perhaps other factors mentioned in the Tripitaka) are grouped with the hindrance they counteract or enhance, what would this grouping look like? I.e., &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;each hindrance &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with the factors that counteract it &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and the factor that enhance them either as a single factor or pair of factor being unbalanced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An answer should minimally include the Jhana and 37 Factors, and references to the Tripitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T16:30:04.467" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T17:15:38.463" Title="Which Hindrances are counteracted or enhance by the 37 and Jhana Factors?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-hindrances|jhana|five-hindrances|bodhipakkhiyadhamma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14259" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-25T12:53:23.067" Score="4" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 37 Factors are sometimes paired as balancing factors. When they are out of balance there are some implications, and there is a controlling (or pivotal) factor which is instrumental in keeping the balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many publications these are scattered throughout, so I am looking for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;balancing factors, or pair of factors which need to be balanced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the implications of any imbalance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;associated Controlling (or Pivotal) Factors&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... with references from the Canon where these appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T15:05:42.990" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T15:48:53.507" Title="Looking for a complete list of how the 37 factors are balanced" Tags="|reference-request|bodhipakkhiyadhamma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14260" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-25T18:21:57.957" Score="3" ViewCount="1486" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we find a concept of &quot;Dignity&quot; or &quot;Human Dignity&quot; in Buddhism? My understanding is that in the Western World the concept of Human Dignity is used to justify that each of us deserves to be not only treated with respect but also valued as a part of humanity whatever our origin or our place in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that each of us has the nature of Buddha. Could this be considered as the foundation of Human Dignity or a similar notion in Buddhism? What would be the closest(s) equivalent(s) in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7875" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T11:04:36.617" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T11:04:36.617" Title="&quot;Human Dignity&quot; in Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|texts|relationship|human|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14260" CreationDate="2016-02-25T18:58:32.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the time of the Buddha there was a cast system whereby people were segregated by cast. The Buddha mentioned that it is not by birth but through conduct that a person would become superior or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, women did not have equal place in society. The Buddha did eventually allowed the Bhikkhuni ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there were animal sacrifices in India during this time. The Buddha mentioned that the animals also should be treated humanely and did not endorse these practices. Therefore the Buddhist philosophy did go beyond human dignity and it promoted respect to life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddhist teaching revolves around the 4 Noble Truths. Regardless of race, caste or any other factor all being get stressed and unsatisfied. One of the pillars of the part to alleviate stress is morality and living in harmony with others and society. Being moral you have to have self dignity and also treat others in a dignified way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism you have the concept of Karma. This encourages one to treat others the way you would like to be treated, i.e., in a dignified way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="7348" LastEditDate="2016-02-25T23:16:40.233" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T23:16:40.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14251" CreationDate="2016-02-25T19:45:03.633" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;ADHD like any other disease has origin in imbalance of five elements. Meditation is a word derived from medicine but unfortunately it is not the complete cure for a disease. It is part of balancing oneself. You need to detox through diet and lifestyle changes prior to starting meditation. I suggest you take a look at Pancha-karma of Ayurveda or Accupuncture and massage therapy of TCM. If you have resources go to India or China to get the best people. If you want to go for fast relief take veg light diet and deep tissue massage for 15 days (start with light massage) on a continuous basis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is of two types - centering, which requires you to concentrate and decentering which requires you to let go of mind. I believe silent witnessing will work best in your case. Just sit or lie with your spine straight and watch. Do not try to control your body, thoughts or emotions. Use music, incense for help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T19:45:03.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14250" CreationDate="2016-02-25T20:06:30.033" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When energy which is stored in lowest chakra starts rising you experience jerks. Vipassna has unleashed the stored energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately your past has created lot of bottlenecks for the energy to rise upwards. There is simple technique of removing bottlenecks which Buddha taught. One needs to scan all parts of his body slowly with eyes closed. whenever on some part there is some sensation (twitching, pain etc) center your attention for sometime till the sensation subsides. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try this technique and if it does not help go to some other expert. Do not try to force the upward movement of energy till you are pure in body, mind and heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T20:06:30.033" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2016-02-25T20:50:12.417" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are only two ways to forgive - forget about it or achieve no mind state. Forgetting takes a hell of a lot of time and most of the time it does not happen. Scientists are working on selective erasing of memory. But the research is years away from mass deployment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation will help you but prior to that you have to physically, mentally and emotionally cleanse yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another very simple way is to live a creative, conscious and fulfilled life. Such a life has meditation built into it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not try to forgive anyone. Hatred will reinforce itself. More you try to forgive more strength you give to mind to start the hate process. Have you seen a child who is denied candy? If you deny mind the hatred through thought of forgiveness it will hate even more. Meditation helps you reach no mind state in which mind only functions when you want it too. Forgiveness is built into meditation. There is no meditation for anything. There are different meditation techniques for different people to reach no-mind state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7348" LastEditDate="2016-02-25T23:16:29.000" LastActivityDate="2016-02-25T23:16:29.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14260" CreationDate="2016-02-25T22:10:33.220" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human dignity is built into all religions of Earth. Religion says we are all same on higher plane though grosser and different on lower plane. We are all different shadows of One. Since Buddha remained silient about God and stressed on nothingness, people mistake it for non existence of God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God is another name for the force which is inherent in living and nonliving beings. In this universe nothing is dead. Ask any physicist and he/she will confirn it. Therefore everything needs to be respected whether living or nonliving. It is just level of animation is different for different beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T06:13:46.197" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T06:13:46.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14260" CreationDate="2016-02-26T01:48:32.533" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dignity in Buddhism is not built-in, it is to be earned. A realized person is respected because they deserve to be respected. If someone can control one's emotions, does not fall victim to one's weaknesses, has deep vision and wise judgement, flexible mind, and clear moral - then one can be respected. The word &quot;arahant&quot; (&quot;arhat&quot;) is a Buddhist term for a realized person - it means &quot;worthy&quot; (of respect). The word &quot;arya&quot; is another such term which means &quot;noble&quot; or &quot;civilized&quot; in the highest sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is compassion. This is when someone does not deserve to be respected, but nevertheless we don't disrespect them either, out of compassion. Compassion reminds us that at fundamental level we are products of our environment, our experience, and our choices - so no one is fundamentally better than another because they &quot;are actually&quot; better. They could be better off due to luck or circumstances or their own good karma or someone else's compassion etc. So compassion tells us to not disrespect those whom we can't respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then of course on the personal level, for one's own perspective on oneself, the notion of Buddha-Nature reminds us that we have the same right to be here as the stars and the trees, that at the most fundamental level we are the heirs to Buddha-Dharma, and that we are not less worthy of Enlightenment than the closest students of Buddha, if we make the effort to take it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are the three sides of Dignity in Buddhism. Dignity of the unlucky - thanks to compassion, Dignity of the aspirant to Enlightenment - thanks to the Buddha nature, and the fully deserved Dignity of the winner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T01:48:32.533" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14245" CreationDate="2016-02-26T05:15:36.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhammapada Verse 43. Well-Trained Mind Excels people of the world&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one’s mother, what one’s father,&#xA;whatever other kin may do, &#xA;the well directed mind indeed&#xA;can do greater good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Explanation: A well directed mind can help a person better than one’s worldly   father or mother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-02-26T05:20:46.220" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T05:20:46.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14260" CreationDate="2016-02-26T06:12:07.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thats what it's all about. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing metta I usually feel this profound sense of dignity I suppose because all my defilments are temporarily gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's teaching guides those who are willing to listen to dignity, selflessness and beyond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T06:12:07.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14260" CreationDate="2016-02-26T10:51:34.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;each of us deserves to be not only treated with respect but also valued as a part of humanity whatever our origin or our place in society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That may be true, for at least three reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's not &quot;a person's place in society&quot; that makes a person valuable: for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=396&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;verse 396&lt;/a&gt; in the Dhammapada (there are other examples in the suttas) say that it's not a person's caste (place in society) that would make them holy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that being born human is of itself valuable (because humans are able to work towards enlightenment, whereas being born an animal makes that more difficult or impossible).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Compassion and loving-kindness&lt;/a&gt; is arguably a (if not &lt;em&gt;the&lt;/em&gt;) prime motive of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, and I'm not sure whether this counts, at least in its original form Buddhists were encouraged to renounce the ties of having close family and the responsibilities of having a household to support -- in exchange, I think that monks and nuns acquire broader or more universal social relationships, i.e. to the whole Sangha and to (all) members of lay society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be fair I can also think of some Buddhist beliefs (not that all Buddhist have these beliefs) which might be counter-examples to your &quot;(valued as a) part of humanity whatever our origin&quot; definition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's better to be born in a country/society where the Buddha-Dharma exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's better to give Dana to the Sangha than to other people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should avoid being too anthropocentric (seeing people as special just because they're human), and one should consider animals and so on too under the category of &quot;sentient beings&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (which describes &quot;the six directions&quot;) says to behave differently towards different members of your society depending on their 'place' (though maybe each with dignity in their own way)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhist doctrine might identify (shine a light on) human foibles (a.k.a. &quot;defilements&quot;): greed, anger, laziness, ignorance, and so on. To that extent maybe it doesn't assume that humans are all always especially dignified all the time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 'counter-examples' don't necessarily mean that Buddhism has no concept of human dignity; but if these contradict your definition of human dignity, then maybe it wasn't a fool-proof definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I read that each of us has the nature of Buddha. Could this be considered as the foundation of Human Dignity or a similar notion in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, I'm pretty sure it could.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha deserves respect so by recollecting the Buddha one feels respect (IMO).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught (or Buddhism teaches) people to behave themselves -- minimally the five precepts e.g. don't kill people, don't lie to them or steal from them -- or in more detail, much advice on how to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;talk respectfully&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;nature of Buddha&quot; is (it's written) difficult to define. Part of its meaning is, apparently, the &quot;seed, embryo, or womb&quot; of Buddha, i.e. the potential for being Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of potential etc., my opinion (and this isn't necessarily Buddhism) is that something like &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13082/reference-request-blame-as-the-source-of-anger#comment21785_13082&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; is an argument for, for example, treating children with dignity. You may prefer relationships with people that are not stained by anger, greed, coercion, nor indifference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a little bit disrespectful of people's vanities might be enlightening sometimes (see e.g., I don't know, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/30callingcard.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Calling Card&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt; stories for examples of that), but doing that kind of thing deliberately is maybe something that only a teacher should do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T10:51:34.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13082" CreationDate="2016-02-26T16:27:55.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me of my property.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;Whosoever harbor such thoughts will never be able to still their enmity.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Never indeed is hatred stilled by hatred; it will only be stilled by non-hatred — this is an eternal law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— Dhp., vv. 4-5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyatissa/bl068.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Elimination of Anger: With two stories retold from the Buddhist texts&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. K. Piyatissa Thera)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bolded text implies they blame the other for one's plight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-26T16:27:55.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14251" CreationDate="2016-02-26T16:44:33.077" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm relatively new to meditation, but a few things spring to mind from my experience within one tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my experience, &lt;strong&gt;I'd be very surprised if one form of meditation will suffice&lt;/strong&gt; (this is true for most people). You may need a combination of &lt;strong&gt;awareness/mindfulness meditation&lt;/strong&gt; to cultivate undistracted (while unstrained) concentration, &lt;strong&gt;kindness meditation&lt;/strong&gt; to allow whatever arises in your experience to open up in its own way and time, and to give yourself the confidence to continue, and a &lt;strong&gt;receptive meditation&lt;/strong&gt; such as the zen &lt;em&gt;zazen&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;just sitting practice&lt;/em&gt; to encourage openness and patience with your experience, and an unforced approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Choose a set of meditations which work well together&lt;/strong&gt;. If you are a beginner, it might be best to find a particular system or teacher and stick with their practices. I can offer the Triratna tradition's meditations, with free guided meditations here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/&lt;/a&gt; (search &quot;metta bhavana&quot;, &quot;mindfulness of breathing&quot;, and &quot;just sitting&quot; - I would, but my internet's playing up)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stick with the practices rather than jump around between traditions/styles&lt;/strong&gt;. This will allow you to cultivate momentum and depth in your practice, whilst avoiding confusion. ONE CAVEAT: this is unlikely, but if the meditation is putting you in a worse state of mind, STOP (though unpleasant isn't necessarily bad). Discuss your difficulties and problems with someone, and consider changing teacher/style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will greatly benefit from &lt;strong&gt;a lifestyle which compliments your meditation&lt;/strong&gt;, otherwise you will be pulling in two directions at once. For example, try&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;spending time outside of meditation without occupying yourself with activities (i.e. stillness), e.g. sitting in a chair without a purpose (not reading, talking etc) - even if this is only 5 minutes a week at first, increase it over time. If you forget - that's fine. I suspect this might be the most important one for you (though it's difficult to tell without meeting you)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;extending your kindness meditation to generosity, patience etc. outside your meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;finding things that you naturally enjoy focussing on undistracted - perhaps landscapes, relaxing music etc&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you can, &lt;strong&gt;I strongly urge you to find people who are also practising meditation to discuss the process with in person&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7880" LastEditorUserId="7880" LastEditDate="2016-03-31T20:22:00.390" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T20:22:00.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14276" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-27T04:51:34.230" Score="2" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying for a long time to find motivation to practice meditation - i think i found a good general motivation finally after watching a dhamma talk  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but it still doesn't fully solve my problem  :      when i have the hindrance show up - how to overcome it ?  hunger - tiredness - pain - cold ect  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;now people can say : &quot;just be mindful of it and let it go&quot;    BUT  .....   &lt;strong&gt;how do i find motivation to be mindful at that specific moment&lt;/strong&gt; ?  i can be mindful for half an hour meditating being mindful  but what should i do when i become very tired or very hungry - where its very hard to stay mindful - what gives me the power to overcome it than - how to find motivation to be mindful at that specific hard moment ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T14:21:11.713" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T14:21:11.713" Title="How to find motivation to overcome a hindrance in the moment of truth?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|motivation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14276" CreationDate="2016-02-27T08:52:39.560" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;the only motivation possible is the internal readiness to cultivate the mind and the virtue, understanding that this is what's the Noble Eightfold Path is about&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the motivation to follow the path proposed by the Buddha comes from the very understanding of the 4 Noble Truths at least at the intellectual level&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so if one does have desire to end suffering they'll follow the path which facilitates attainment of that goal, and strive for proper maintenance of mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if such understanding and desire are not there, then there's no point in forcing oneself and looking for other types of motivators&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;speaking of hunger, it's the same as forcing oneself to eat without being hungry or even have an appetite&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if one understands the concept of suffering but the understanding still doesn't engender enough will power to follow the Path, there's a good chance that the understanding isn't profound enough and so more reflection on suffering and its ubiquity is probably required&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;here &lt;em&gt;maranasati&lt;/em&gt; may come in handy to develop a certain degree of &lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maranasati sutta 1 (AN 6.19)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maranasati sutta 2 (AN 6.20)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Capala sutta (AN 7.58)&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha instructs Ven Moggallana on the strategies of dispelling drowsiness during  meditation, which may be of help in cases of waning mindfulness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana sutta (MN 20)&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha explains how to counteract unskillful mental states with appropriate attention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggi sutta (SN 46.53)&lt;/a&gt; he explains what mental states are appropriate for development of certain factors of awakening&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-27T09:32:11.153" LastActivityDate="2016-02-27T09:32:11.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14278" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-27T09:49:17.693" Score="0" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Buddhist traditions hold that a Buddha is fully awakened and has completely purified his mind of the three poisons of desire, aversion and ignorance. A Buddha is no longer bound by Samsara, and has ended the suffering which unawakened people experience in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term buddha is also used in Theravada to refer to all who attain Nirvana. Within the Buddhist tradition, this term has commonly been interpreted as the extinction of the &quot;three fires&quot;,or &quot;three poisons&quot;,passion, (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But does this all mean that fe Siddartha Gautama never worried about his health or was never doubting about hisself whether he was doing good or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T01:42:26.023" Title="When you are an enlightened Buddha do you have no more worries or fears and desires?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14278" CreationDate="2016-02-27T10:01:09.873" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term buddha is also used in Theravada to refer to all who attain&#xA;  Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;please let me make a correction, in Theravada a term used to all who attain nibbana is &lt;em&gt;arahant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; is one who only attained nibbana on their own having discovered the path to nibbana for themself without reliance on anyone else&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But does this all mean that fe Siddartha Gautama never worried about&#xA;  his health&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think it means that as a Buddha he didn't&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;or was never doubting about hisself whether he was doing good or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as a Buddha he could do nothing BUT good, because with awakened beings virtue and skill are natural, it's like a compass hand which points at only one directon&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Doubt&lt;/em&gt; is one of 10 fetters, which is abandoned at as early as the &lt;em&gt;sotapanna&lt;/em&gt; stage not to speak of the arahantship&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-27T17:05:38.800" LastActivityDate="2016-02-27T17:05:38.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14280" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-27T15:06:43.833" Score="4" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard a Dhamma talk wherein a monk said that Mara blamed the Buddha being lazy cause he laid down and the Buddha replied something like &quot;I am laying down for the benefit of all sentient beings&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain the logic behind his answer and expand on this issue?  Is there a practice wherein you gain a mind set to take action for your own good while thinking you are doing every action? ie.   &quot;for the benefit of all sentient beings&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-29T12:48:17.500" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T02:20:41.640" Title="Laying down for the benefit of all sentient beings" Tags="|reference-request|mara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14281" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-27T16:35:42.800" Score="2" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who is considered to be ignorant according to Buddhism? What does the term ignorance cover ? When does one realize, one is ignorant ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can one know nothing of ignorance and still become enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-02-27T16:41:06.887" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T12:59:42.867" Title="Who is ignorant and when does one realize that one is ignorant?" Tags="|ignorance|three-poisons|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14282" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-27T16:52:41.397" Score="7" ViewCount="2225" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger? Does Buddhism suggest any specific attitude when we are facing angry people, especially when they are unable to control their anger and/or unaware of their anger?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intuitively I try for example to listen to the person, understand him/her and remain calm myself as much as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What kind of recommendations or advice does Buddhism offer to help us in such situations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7875" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T04:47:05.093" Title="What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?" Tags="|philosophy|texts|relationship|anger|patience|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14281" CreationDate="2016-02-27T17:16:18.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;everyone who is subject to samsara or the round of rebirths is ignorant, because&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From ignorance as a requisite condition&lt;/strong&gt; come fabrications.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. &#xA;  From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Fromc ontact as a requisite condition comes feeling.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp;  death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paticcasamuppadavibhanga sutta ( SN 12.2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think ignorance covers nescience of the phenomenon of suffering and the way of escape from it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When does one realize, one is ignorant ?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;perhaps once one realizes that they suffer while having no clue how to avoid that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can one know nothing of ignorance and still become enlightened?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i find this an interesting  question, my guess is 'NO', but i'm not sure i can explain why i think so and can't remember suttas which explain this point.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;that's as far as awakening is concerned&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;as for nibbana i'm a bit more certain, just as suffering is effected by a  chain of causes, quoted above, so is nibbana, for example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What&#xA;  is nonself should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus:&#xA;  ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  When one sees this thus as it really is with correct wisdom, the mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by nonclinging.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By being liberated, it is steady;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  by being steady, it is content;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  by being content, he is not agitated.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being unagitated, he personally attains Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.45&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anicca sutta (SN 22.45)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;an aspirant needs to go through a series of stages of mind development to arrive at that destination and those cannot be bypassed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the first step in curing an illness is its acknowledgement &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-28T15:06:10.253" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T15:06:10.253" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-02-27T18:26:23.393" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very apt verse in the case of anger is this one from Dhammapada - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot;&gt;Na Hi Verena Verani&lt;/a&gt; - Hatred is never appeased by Hatred. It is appeased only by loving kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teUXh0wcU64&quot;&gt;Dhamma talk&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo on that particular verse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there are certain differences in anger and hatred, the basic approach will be the same - Remain equanimous by knowing &lt;em&gt;Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta&lt;/em&gt; at the level of your body and then based on your sensations cultivate &lt;em&gt;Loving Kindness&lt;/em&gt; towards the person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2016-02-27T18:26:23.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-02-27T19:07:59.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;you may want to take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u65qUjhlRjQNacpYHfbwuLUdlZK-JqWI8g176T_1TMQ/pub#h.lhql3cchzas4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;this list&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; of suttas and Dhammapada verses dealing with anger, hatred, aggression and hostility&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;just one example from Theragatha &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/thag6.12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahma­datta 6.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who gets angry at an angry person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Just makes things worse.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  One who doesn’t get angry at an angry person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wins a battle hard to win.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you know that the other is angry,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You act for the good of both&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Yourself and the other,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If you are mindful, and stay calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;only that these are not words attributed to the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-27T19:20:34.207" LastActivityDate="2016-02-27T19:20:34.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14281" CreationDate="2016-02-28T01:13:48.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Who is considered to be ignorant according to Buddhism? What does the term ignorance cover ?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Sammaditthi Sutta: The Discourse on Right View:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is ignorance, what is the origin of ignorance, what is the cessation of ignorance, what is the way leading to the cessation of ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not knowing about dukkha, not knowing about the origin of dukkha, not knowing about the cessation of dukkha, not knowing about the way leading to the cessation of dukkha — this is called ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;When does one realize, one is ignorant ?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess, when one realizes one does not understand / is unskillful in the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Can one know nothing of ignorance and still become enlightened?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as enlightenment is understood as nirvana (which is understood as cessation of dukkha), and ignorance is understood as the above, no. That would be the same as asking if someone who knows nothing of arithmetic to be able to sum numbers: his sum would denounce the very knowledge of arithmetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, someone skillful and wise on origin and cessation of dukkha, someone who put an end on dukkha necessarily is someone who is not an ignorant on the origin and cessation of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T01:13:48.243" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14214" CreationDate="2016-02-28T01:32:07.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A logical analysis suggests that being betrayed is history and now unchangeable; painful only if you let it bother you; and difficult only if you need to remain friends.  it may not be worth your mental effort to remain friends.  after being betrayed, this becomes a lot harder.  of course, the magnitude of betrayal matters, as does the degree of friendship.  focusing yourself elsewhere is the easy self-interested solution, and often quite appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;however, from a social perspective, there is the more difficult question of justice and incentives to prevent this person to repeat betrayals on others.  it is a form of compassion to care, not towards the betrayer but towards these others.  is it sufficiently important (to you) to bother with this?  how much harm will (s)he do elsewhere?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7888" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T01:32:07.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14288" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-02-28T01:54:40.763" Score="4" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;related to, but not the same as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1919/does-buddhism-have-a-significant-notion-of-justice&quot;&gt;Does Buddhism have a significant notion of justice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I need some clarification.  What is one's moral obligation to render justice (or bring to justice) others for observed misdeeds?  this can but need not be as member of a jury which &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; render justice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it is clear that one should sympathize with the perpetrator.  it is clear that one should not get emotional over a (passed) misdeed or over (or while) rendering a sentence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am guessing that to be compassionate is to contemplate the effects of a sentence on other sentient beings, [a] in light of the future incentives that one's judicial actions will create, and [b] in light of the contemporaneous effect that one's sentence will have on the perpetrators, victims, and others.  even though the deed was done and thus has passed, and even though others should be philosophical about it now, it is still true that a sentence can improve the lives of many others at the cost of worsening the life of the perpetrator.  [there is no dilemma if the latter is not the case.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is there more Buddhist advice to us here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7888" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T21:47:27.627" Title="obligation to render justice?" Tags="|justice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1919" CreationDate="2016-02-28T09:32:04.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;in the discourses the Buddha is often quoted as giving similes whos employed allegory is punishment for crimes with the latter often described as being very harsh and cruel much in accordance with ancient customs&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to be sure, in using similes the Buddha's interest was to convey certain messages and not pass judgement on the then practised legal system&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;still it's noteworthy that on these occasions the cruelty of punishments is never criticized even in passing implying that it's maybe well deserved&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and for the perpetrator, from the ethical perspective, which the Buddha's teaching is characterized with, the cruelty of the state punishment is in fact a blessing as a means of deterrence from acting immorally and spoiling their kamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T09:32:04.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14288" CreationDate="2016-02-28T09:48:16.923" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;because with a worldling justice is being served from a defiled mind, the intentions can't ever be completely pure and so justice will eventually not be just&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think the most Buddhist advice would be to refrain from rendering justice as much as possible, the law of &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; will in due course take care of that anyway&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in response to the comment below&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anyone gives those bhikkhunis a blow with his hand, with a clod,&#xA;  with a stick, or with a knife in your presence, you should abandon any&#xA;  desires and any thoughts based on the household life. And herein you&#xA;  should train thus: 'My mind will be unaffected, and I shall utter no&#xA;  evil words; I shall abide compassionate for his welfare, with a mind&#xA;  of loving-kindness, without inner hate.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a clod, with a&#xA;  stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and any&#xA;  thoughts based on the household life. And herein you should train&#xA;  thus: 'My mind will be unaffected, and I shall utter no evil words; I&#xA;  shall abide compassionate for his welfare, with a mind of&#xA;  loving-kindness, without inner hate.' That is how you should train,&#xA;  Phagguna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/353-mn-21-kakacpama-sutta-the-simile-of-the-saw.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kakacupama sutta (MN 21)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to be sure, bearing no ill-will towards the perpetrator doesn't negate bringing him/her to justice, but the very act of bringing to justice is certainly not dissimilar to taking revenge, because that particular moment occurs after the fact, by the time the victim or the object of the crime is usually out of danger, and deprivation a person of freedom for X amount of time isn't after all an act of compassion or benevolence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-02-28T20:40:54.430" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T20:40:54.430" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1836" CreationDate="2016-02-28T14:23:31.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no “God” in Buddhism. The idea of (capital G) “God” — one single being who created the universe — is from Abrahamic religion. There is not one of anything in Buddhism. There is not even just one Buddha. And the universe has no beginning and no end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Buddhism doesn’t describe “God” at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7891" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T14:23:31.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14136" CreationDate="2016-02-28T15:37:29.013" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not exclusive to Buddhism. I think that is what is confusing you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First understand “meditation:”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Literally, it is just thought, reflection, contemplation, consideration. None of which leads to “dulling of the mind.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, understand “Buddhist meditation:”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation is just thought, reflection, contemplation, consideration of the lessons of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At its core, Buddhism is about reducing the suffering in the universe. If you decided to engage in some Buddhist meditation, all you would have to do to get started is engage in thought, reflection, contemplation, consideration of how to reduce the suffering in your own life and the lives of those around you. You might realize you have been treating your wife badly lately and recognize how you could stop doing that, and resolve to stop doing that. At that point, you are already well on your way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So meditation is not nearly as complicated as you seem to think it is. And neither is Buddhist meditation. You don’t have to be in a certain pose or doing a certain kind of breathing, although some people like to do that. You don’t have to be going over certain tenets of scripture, although some people like to do that. You don’t have to attempt to completely empty your mind, although some people like to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason that people sit when they meditate is because if you lay down, you might fall asleep! How is that for complicated and mysterious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, you don’t have to be quiet. There is musical meditation. You can engage in chanting, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important thing to note is that when people try meditation — whether Buddhist or not — most of them report that it improved their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A final thought: we evolved from earlier primates who literally sat around and ate leaves for 9 hours per day. That is a lot of meditation. It shouldn’t really surprise us that our brains and bodies enjoy some quiet time. Especially when we might have even more to think about than our distant ancestors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7891" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T15:37:29.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-02-28T17:04:31.337" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stop focusing on &quot;other people&quot; and focus on the experience. Focus on what causes anger to arise in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: If someone scolds at you, it's just sound hitting the ears. What's wrong with sound hitting the ears? Why you need to get so upset about it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger arises due to ignorance. Ignorance personifies the experiences caused by bad Karma. That leads to aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T17:04:31.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14288" CreationDate="2016-02-28T21:06:05.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A true &quot;Justice&quot; isn't easy to render.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read from page 37 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this PDF&lt;/a&gt; for example (which translates the &lt;em&gt;Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A king protects his subjects but doesn't give financial support to those who need it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Poverty becomes widespread&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People begin to steal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And, it all goes down-hill from there: whether the king rewards or punishes the criminals, both/either of these courses of action have undesirable consequences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you dismiss that as irrelevant (because &quot;there is no wheel-turning ruler&quot;), let's consider whether we do that ourselves: whether &lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; help people to have no cause to behave criminally etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there's similar advice from later Buddhist stories too: e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/44thethiefwhobecameadisciple.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thief Who Became a Disciple&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another source of advice might be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Vinaya training rules&lt;/a&gt; for monks -- their society has lots of rules, which are pretty well defined. If you search that document for the word &quot;accus&quot; (it's there 150 times), it has some advice that you might not expect e.g. on page 137,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The next step, if one is qualified to make the charge, is to look for a proper&#xA;  time and place to talk with the other party—for example, when he is not likely to&#xA;  get embarrassed or upset—and then to ask his leave, i.e., to ask permission to&#xA;  speak with him&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-02-28T21:47:27.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2016-02-29T08:20:05.717" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is action or intent based on desire. And also accumulated Karmas lead to rebirth. In India people get married for fulfillment of sexual desires which society does not allow if you are a bachelor. You are a guy who cannot love and in return cannot get love and therefore jealous. If she has moved on so can you. Where is Karma coming into picture? Have a heart first and become generous. Meditation can help you reach there. After that contemplate on Karma. If you go deep in Meditation you can see your past lives and Karmas. Just do not rely on theory of Karma, see it, experience it. Religion is about practice it is not an intellectual affair. Unfortunately majority of people read/write about Karma but few gets to a point of experiencing it. Please do not be one of them. Live your life well and meditate and you will get your answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-02-29T08:37:15.107" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T08:37:15.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2016-02-29T16:37:56.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.adf.org/rituals/meditations/basic-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.adf.org/rituals/meditations/basic-meditation.html&lt;/a&gt;, that is actually the first clue that you are falling into deeper meditation, at that state it is very good for your brain, and you are stimulating that part that only happens when you are asleep, but you are doing it while awake. It takes me about 15 minutes into meditation to reach this point. Just keep going and you'll reach a new level. &amp;lt;3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7896" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T16:37:56.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14280" CreationDate="2016-02-29T16:59:22.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mara is symbolic. Mara taunt is about being worldly, being productive instead of lying idle. Buddha was pretty young when he left the world in search of Truth. In those times, people used to leave household in later half of their lives. Young were supposed to take care of old ones. Perhaps this aspect is reflected in the anecdote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T16:59:22.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7555" CreationDate="2016-02-29T17:56:42.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You put your concern into an abstract concept, which is a hindrance.&#xA;When you know, that you did something unhealthy/unwise etc. &quot;make it good&quot; where you did bad. I.e. if you'd hurt someone, tell them you know and how you feel about it now, no matter how their reaction might be. &#xA;You can only solve problems on their very level but never in abstract religious-conceptual-whatever way (by putting a concrete situation into a philosophical or religious structure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7898" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T17:56:42.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14111" CreationDate="2016-02-29T22:02:49.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your body and mind recognizes that the path you take to work is easy, therefore you feel relaxed mentally and physically. Try taking different paths that you have never taken before. This process will make your mind more cautious of your surroundings and paths because everything is new.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7901" LastActivityDate="2016-02-29T22:02:49.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2016-03-01T07:49:57.350" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Palicanon I know two stories concerning this. The Buddha talks about when &lt;em&gt;he himself&lt;/em&gt; (not yet judged by others) knew he's got the full awakening, the full wisdom - that was part of the story of his awakening process, and even a couple of self-assuring details are given.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And there are a lot of stories where people admit &lt;em&gt;about themselves&lt;/em&gt;, that they are &lt;em&gt;not yet&lt;/em&gt; fully awaken, one of the most prominent in the Parinibbans sutta, where Ananda, after 20 or more years of personal attendence with his master, says: my master goes away and I've not yet met my goal...           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to the other problem, that &lt;em&gt;others&lt;/em&gt; should recognize/accept etc that one has reached the full enlightenment, then the medium of communication is the &quot;lion's roar&quot; (not specific to the Buddha-dharma, but as well as to the Samana/ascetics movement) I think DN 8 or DN 12 contains the Buddha's &quot;lions-roar&quot; and there is also one about Sariputta's &quot;lions roar&quot;. That means, there is no licensing authority but the recognizing depends on whether the &quot;lions-roar&quot; is convincing. Devadatta is an example, where high achievements also can -later in the course of life- revert and a formerly really high ranked samana/bhikkhu can get horribly compromized.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There is no enlightenment-&quot;license&quot; and the above means also that such a &quot;license&quot; given by others cannot be perfect/permanent.               &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you ever vet yourself the experience of &quot;whoa, now I know it really&quot; - be it learning piano until mastership, ice-dancing or whatever then you likely shall understand that problem of &quot;knowing-only-yourself&quot; and the problem (is it one?) that to prove this to others is only by doing things masterly and convincingly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-03-01T07:49:57.350" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2016-03-01T09:09:09.287" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;‎“If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change.” - The 14th Dalai Lama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 14th Dalai Lama has said that if somebody proves to him that reincarnation is not real, he will stop believing in it. That is because truth trumps scripture. We learn more and more as time goes on, and in fact we are encouraged to in scripture. We are not stuck in a past century with the limited knowledge of that century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today, male-female equality is a scientifically-proven fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore you cannot truthfully say “only men can …” or “only women can …” because you are wrong in both cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For any man that doubts this, you can pick any field of human endeavor, and there is a woman alive somewhere right now who is better at it than you. Doesn’t matter if it is science or fighting or what. There is a female mathematician somewhere right now who can run circles around you in math. There is a female special forces soldier somewhere who could kill you in 2 seconds before you got a punch in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science has also shown that we all start out in the womb as female. So if you believe only men can be buddhas, why would a male buddha who can only be reincarnated as a male buddha start out in the womb as female?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes, if men can be buddhas women can be buddhas because women are scientifically-proven to be equal to men. Any particular buddha you want to refer to can be reincarnated as a woman or a man, and any man or woman can become a buddha in this life or the next. No distinction based on gender can be truthfully made. Again, doesn’t matter what scripture says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7891" LastEditorUserId="7891" LastEditDate="2016-03-01T09:18:57.197" LastActivityDate="2016-03-01T09:18:57.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14307" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14309" CreationDate="2016-03-01T13:49:53.047" Score="4" ViewCount="1638" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what these terms, &lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;karuṇā&lt;/em&gt; (loving-kindness and compassion), mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there suttas in which they're defined, otherwise where do the definitions come from?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there any important difference between these two terms, or do they mean the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/chant-metta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;metta chant&lt;/a&gt; are translated into English as being &quot;free&quot; from various forms of suffering. I think the Pali is just saying things like, &quot;May I be with no-emnity&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#Exegesis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these definitions&lt;/a&gt;, is &quot;free from suffering&quot; more a type of karuna rather than a type of metta, if so why is it in the &quot;chant of metta&quot;? Are they simply exact opposites, therefore the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a translated phrase like &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/celebrations/may_you_be_filled_with.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;May you be well&lt;/a&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;May all beings be at ease&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, is that always the word &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt; being translated? Or are there other adjectives (states of being) that are wished for?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How is metta (having desire for someone's well-being) compatible with equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;These Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt; warn that &quot;indifference&quot; is the &quot;near enemy&quot; of &quot;equanimity&quot;; but could you maybe explain briefly what the right view is, how to distinguish indifference from equanimity, or to make equanimity compatible with metta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lovingkindness, good-will (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;): Near enemy – attachment; far enemy – hatred&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt;): Near enemy – pity; far enemy – cruelty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sympathetic joy, Appreciation (&lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;), joy at the good fortune of others: Near enemy – comparison, hypocrisy, insincerity, joy for others but tinged with identification (my team, my child); far enemy – envy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt;): Near enemy – indifference; far enemy – anxiety, greed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How is metta compatible with anatta and dukkha? Doesn't metta imply that there &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; people and that they &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; be happy, whereas anatta and dukkha being characteristic of all compound things kind of implies the opposite?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you agree with the following statement, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;copied from here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk. If there is food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to rejoice in their success (mudita).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, is metta necessarily a wish that other beings be enlightened, or could it mean something other than that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T16:39:27.613" Title="What are metta and karuna?" Tags="|reference-request|compassion|loving-kindness|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14307" CreationDate="2016-03-01T15:21:01.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is metta (having desire for someone's well-being) compatible with equanimity?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;These Dhamma Lists warn that &amp;quot;indifference&amp;quot; is the &amp;quot;near&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;enemy&amp;quot; of &amp;quot;equanimity&amp;quot;; but could you maybe explain briefly what the&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;right view is, how to distinguish indifference from equanimity, or to&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;make equanimity compatible with metta?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i entertain three possible explanations of equanimity as brahmavihara:&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;a) impartiality, i.e. directing the other three equally at everyone irrespective of their qualities - mine&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;b) lack of involvement with and attachment to others - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel083.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Laurence Khantipalo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;c) watching carefully and ready to act (in helping others) - suggested by some other person&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How is metta compatible with anatta and dukkha? Doesn't metta imply&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;that there are people and that they can be happy, whereas anatta and&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;dukkha being characteristic of all compound things kind of implies the&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;opposite?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with dukkha easily: everyone is subject to dukkha and so it's only natural that one would sympathize with them being in the same boat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[The Blessed One was at Saavatthii]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this time King Pasenadi of Kosala was on the upper terrace of the&#xA;palace with Queen Mallikaa. And the king asked her: &amp;quot;Mallikaa, is&#xA;there anyone dearer to you than yourself?&amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel083.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Your Majesty, there is no one dearer to me than myself. And you,&#xA;sire, is anyone dearer to you than yourself?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Nor is there anyone dearer to me, Mallikaa, than myself.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the king went down from the palace and visited the Blessed One&#xA;[and told him the whole story.] And the Blessed One, understanding,&#xA;thereupon uttered this verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though in thought we range throughout the world,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;We'll nowhere find a thing more dear than self.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;So, since others hold the self so dear,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;He who loves himself should injure none.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.008.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mallika sutta (SN 3.8)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in the aspect of existence of other beings i don't think it's contradictory to the concept of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, otherwise the concept of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; would as well be at odds with it, because if there's no self there's supposedly no one to experience suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also such understanding would effectively undermine the concept of &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;, because if everything is suffering anyway, there's supposedly no point in securing for oneself a happier future life by moral conduct in the current one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In summary, is metta necessarily a wish that other beings be&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;enlightened, or could it mean something other than that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i see it as a wish of good for other beings, wish of their freedom from suffering, and not only a wish but a mode of practical relation to them, much like Christian &lt;em&gt;agape&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in my opinion brahmaviharas are more about the person themself than about other people, it's about how one relates to the world regardless of whether the aim of that relationship is fulfilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you agree with the following statement:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk. If there is&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;food on the table, a comfortable place to sleep, and they have no&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;complaints about their daily routine, then our jobs as Buddhists is to&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;rejoice in their success (mudita)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i do agree with it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i don't agree however with the initial supposition, rejoice in the happiness of other beings is still Dhamma (i prefer it over the term 'Buddhism'), so one needs it at all times&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-01T18:42:37.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14307" CreationDate="2016-03-01T19:33:17.827" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer below draws from early buddhism material: from the four nikayas/agamas and ven. Analayo's studies on the subject (&lt;a href=&quot;http://windhorsepublications.com/compassion_and_emptiness_in_early_buddhist_meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt;, CEEBM from now on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I'm wondering what these terms, mettā and karuṇā (loving-kindness and compassion), mean.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, on matters of translations, while &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; is frequently translated as &quot;&lt;em&gt;loving-kindness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, alternatives include &quot;&lt;em&gt;benevolence&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and &quot;&lt;em&gt;amicableness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. According to CEEBM, etymologically, it's root is &lt;em&gt;mitra&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;&lt;em&gt;friend&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, thus conveying the idea of being friendly (and it favors &quot;&lt;em&gt;benevolence&lt;/em&gt;&quot; over &quot;&lt;em&gt;loving kindness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This contrasts with &lt;code&gt;karuṇā/compassion&lt;/code&gt; which is a desire for others [in suffering] to be free from suffering. More on that below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are there suttas in which they're defined, otherwise where do the definitions come from? Is there any important difference between these two terms, or do they mean the same thing?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems there's no sutta that really defines &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;. The essence of it is the &quot;&lt;em&gt;concern for others to be relieved from suffering and affliction&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (CEEBM). A simile that illustrates it (in the context of a teaching on how to subdue hatred) can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.162&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.162&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as when there is a sick man — in pain, seriously ill — traveling along a road, far from the next village &amp;amp; far from the last, unable to get the food he needs, unable to get the medicine he needs, unable to get a suitable assistant, unable to get anyone to take him to human habitation. Now suppose another person were to see him coming along the road. &lt;strong&gt;He would do what he could out of compassion, pity, &amp;amp; sympathy for the man&lt;/strong&gt;, thinking, ‘O that this man should get the food he needs, the medicine he needs, a suitable assistant, someone to take him to human habitation. Why is that? So that he won’t fall into ruin right here.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of practice, while contemplating other people's suffering would be contemplation of &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;, contemplating the wish for others to be free from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; would be contemplation of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; and both &quot;&lt;em&gt;should be undertaken with a positive or even joyful mind [and] steer clear of sadness&lt;/em&gt;&quot; instead of &quot;&lt;em&gt;commiserate to the extent of suffering along with the other&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (CEEBM) -- as the Visuddhimagga formulations of &quot;near enemy&quot; indicate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, it's said in the suttas that it is &quot;&lt;em&gt;impossible, it cannot be that cruelty remains pervading the mind of one who has practiced, cultivated, and made much of the concentration of the mind by compassion&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.13&lt;/a&gt;). That is, cultivating the desire for others to be free from suffering eliminates the desire for others to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Analayo, in CEEBM, further clarifies that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moral conduct is an expression of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, abstaining from killing beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;Right speech&lt;/code&gt; is an expression of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, evaluating if something to be said is benefical.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Both learning dhamma (seeking freedom from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;) and teaching dhamma can be expressions of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one does not think of harming oneself, does not think of harming others, does not think of harming both; and instead ... one thinks&#xA;  of benefiting others, benefiting many people out of compassion for the affliction in the world, seeking what is meaningful and of benefit for devas and humans, seeking their ease and happiness; then in this way .. one is bright, intelligent, and with vast wisdom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 4.186 (Analayo trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.60&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.60&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha counter-argument a Brahmin who says that one who goes forth on the dhamma only benefits oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, ven. Analayo concludes that, in early buddhism, teaching dhamma is the compassionated action &lt;em&gt;par excellence&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Accordingly, going into seclusion can be an expression of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ven. Mahakassapa]: &quot;Considering two benefits, venerable sir. For myself I see a pleasant dwelling in this very life, and I have compassion for later generations, thinking, ‘May those of later generations follow my example!’ For when they hear, ‘The enlightened disciples of the Buddha were for a long time forest dwellers and spoke in praise of forest dwelling … were energetic and spoke in praise of arousing energy,’ then they will practice accordingly, and that will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. Considering these two benefits, venerable sir, I have long been a forest dweller ... and have spoken in praise of arousing energy.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn16.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 16.5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and seclusion, being a necessity to build a strong foundation and practice, is then a requirement for correct teaching: &quot;&lt;em&gt;if one is not tamed oneself and wishes to tame someone else who is untamed, that is impossible&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 8&lt;/a&gt;). Also &quot;&lt;em&gt;One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (Dhp 158)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Early buddhist discourse on &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; practice does not focus on a specific person (as elaborated on Visuddhimagga); instead, it's a practice of &quot;boundless radiation in all directions&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 7&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt;, ven. Analayo comments on a passage of the Mettā sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp1.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sn 1.8&lt;/a&gt;) that uses a simile of the love of a mother for her only child to illustrate the practice of &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt;: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Her love of her son is not the main theme here -- the main point is protection. The providing and receiving o protection is in fact a recurrent aspect in the conception of mettā in the early discourses. [...] In contrast to the bounded love of mother for her child, which easily comes with an admixture of attachment, mettā should be boundless and free from attachment.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (CEEBM).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn104&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 104&lt;/a&gt; we also find &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; associated with cordiality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here a bhikkhu maintains bodily acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This is a principle of cordiality that creates love and respect, and conduces to cohesion, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; has a broad role in the daily activity establishing the modes of interactions with everyone around toward wholesome actions of body, speech and mind mind with a sense of appreciation for them (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn31&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 31&lt;/a&gt; illustrates it beautifully). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; is the very antidote for subduing (and is the opposite of) ill will, anger and aggression (&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/062-maha-rahulovada-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN I 424&lt;/a&gt;). It's also related to physical/mental beauty (and lack of it, associated to ugliness). Finally, it seems to have a proeminent role compared to other seemingly compassionate practices (&quot;&lt;em&gt;If one were to develop even just one whiff of a heart of good will, that would be more fruitful than...&lt;/em&gt;&quot;,&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.20&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, briefly, I understand &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; to be the desire for others to be well and attitude that promotes wellness, in contrast with &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt;: the desire for others to be free from &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt; -- and attitudes that extinguish existing &lt;code&gt;dukkha&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How is mettā (having desire for someone's well-being) compatible with equanimity? These Dhamma Lists warn that 'indifference' is the 'near enemy' of 'equanimity'; but could you maybe explain briefly what the right view is, how to distinguish indifference from equanimity, or to make equanimity compatible with mettā?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In CEEBM, ven. Analayo writes: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Equanimity or equipoise, upek(k)ha, from the etymological perspective suggests a mental attitude of 'looking upon', not an indifferent 'looking away'. The term thus conveys an awareness of whatever is happening combined with mental balance and the absence of favoring or opposing&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and also &quot;&lt;em&gt;equanimity is [...] a mental equipoise that rounds off a systematic opening of the heart which has been brought about through cultivation of the other three divine abodes&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an illustration of the function of &lt;code&gt;equanimity&lt;/code&gt;, consider teaching dhamma with the attitude of &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; to an uninterested audience. In such situations, &lt;code&gt;equanimity&lt;/code&gt; (or lack of it) comes into play. The same could be said about the role of &lt;code&gt;equanimity&lt;/code&gt; when we treat others with mettā and find ourselves being treated with aggression (and, conversely, when we find ourselves being praised). In this way, &lt;code&gt;equanimity&lt;/code&gt; helps with subduing aversion and lust. Moreover, it helps putting &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; &quot;on track&quot;, which can steer out to unwholesome mental states (by being affected by the suffering of others, or by being inflated with sense of superiority for others, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas have the Buddha reacting equanimous in many of these situations (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.137.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 137&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn65&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 65&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/128-upakkilesa-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 128&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 7.2&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How is mettā compatible with anatta and dukkha? Doesn't mettā imply that there are people and that they can be happy, whereas anatta and dukkha being characteristic of all compound things kind of implies the opposite?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other related questions I found here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13928/conceptual-reality-mett%C4%81-ignorance/&quot;&gt;Conceptual reality, mettā, ignorance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5942/382&quot;&gt;Do mettā practices and anatta contradict each other?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; is not the idea that &quot;other beings should &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; happy&quot; (opposing &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), not does it reify a conceptual construction of a (everlasting) person. From &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt; alone, I don't think we can infer anything, doctrinally or otherwise, about someone else (or any &quot;object&quot; of &lt;code&gt;mettā&lt;/code&gt;), it's about us. It is the inclination and attitude that promotes wellness (freedom from suffering) for all beings. Like cleaning up a bathroom after using it to have it ready for the next person that need it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I see it, &quot;whishing for others to be well&quot; is just a practice, a way to create the mental habit of such inclination and attitude -- culminating with one actually &lt;em&gt;becoming&lt;/em&gt; a friendly, kind, &quot;easy to be with&quot;, person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.tamilcube.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dictionary.tamilcube.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T15:41:37.883" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14310" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14313" CreationDate="2016-03-01T19:33:46.000" Score="6" ViewCount="335" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see a lot of texts hailing this quality, but I have not seen any practical advice on how to actually cultivate the quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a similar vein, how do you banish laziness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I have plenty of downtime, which is basically me being lazy and wasting time. I'd like to be productive the majority of my time, but I don't know how.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-01T22:17:24.933" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T04:29:38.870" Title="How is the faculty of persistence developed?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14311" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-01T19:57:13.850" Score="0" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the earliest records of people meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wiki page for History of meditation mentions &quot;prehistory&quot; but provides no details:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only other mentions begin at around 1500 BC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7905" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T15:17:20.747" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T18:01:59.973" Title="Earliest occurrences of meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14310" CreationDate="2016-03-01T21:15:15.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that to strengthen your persistence and &lt;em&gt;banish laziness&lt;/em&gt;, so to speak, one should concentrate on strengthening the bond that you have with yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness alone can have a great impact on the way you see yourself internally and can increase your need or desire to satisfy yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though, overall I think persistence is something you gain over time, by being conscious of negativity and a lack of motivation, and knowing how to react to such emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had a look around and everywhere I look seems to relay the same message:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lack of persistence is often present due to the absence of faith (&lt;em&gt;or self belief&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastActivityDate="2016-03-01T21:15:15.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14310" CreationDate="2016-03-01T21:51:11.113" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You phrased that as a personal/practical question, but here's a theoretical or terminological answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Persistence&quot; is listed as one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Strengths&lt;/a&gt; but also one the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the latter article, in the table named &quot;Balancing enlightenment factors &amp;amp; hindrances&quot;, it's grouped with other factors ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy or rapture (&lt;em&gt;pīti&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigation (&lt;em&gt;dhamma vicaya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (&lt;em&gt;viriya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... as a counter-balance to ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to be used when experiencing sloth &amp;amp; torpor (&lt;em&gt;thīna-middha&lt;/em&gt;) to regain mindfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; texts which describe &quot;sloth-torpor&quot; -- it is is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Sloth-torpor_.28thina-middha.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; (Wikipedia), or for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#sloth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt; lists some dozens of ways to overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also counted among the ten or six &quot;perfections&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'pāramitā' or 'pāramī'&lt;/a&gt;) so people will mention it if they talk about the several/various perfections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also associated with '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt;' (so it may be understood in context of the Noble Eightfold Path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-02T11:06:24.467" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T11:06:24.467" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14307" CreationDate="2016-03-02T01:50:42.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is a feeling of love or loving-kindness and is cultivated in a variety of ways.  You can listen to various techniques and talks on dharmaseed or find a teacher with whom you vibe with and watch a video or read it in a book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest reference is the Metta Sutra, as far as I know, and it is all about engendering a mind of good-will and loving, dearness, and fondness directed at sentient beings (and eventually all phenomena).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karuna is often translated as compassion.  Karuna means you are aware of what suffering is / how you yourself do not wish to experience it, and therefore when you see it in another you wish for them to not have to carry it.  Karuna is also the yearning to remove suffering and its causes.  Compassion literally means &quot;to suffer with&quot; so it is based on an understanding of our equality as beings and our mutual striving towards happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are not opposites.  In the teachings I have been studying lately, it is stated that from the field of loving kindness a mind of compassion can easily blossom, so they are mutually helpful.  When we have love for beings then it is a natural extension that we wish them to not suffer and to be free of any cause that could lead to future suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta implies that what benefits one can and shall benefit us all, and dukkha is simply what needs be abandoned.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta and Karuna, as you may know, are two of the four Brahma Viharas or Divine Abodes or Divine Dwellings.  Also known as the Four Immeasurables, they are called Dwellings or Abodes because a mind steadily accustomed to their contemplation and saturation easily &quot;dwells&quot; of &quot;finds home&quot; in such wonderful states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T01:50:42.363" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-03-02T01:50:42.363" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14280" CreationDate="2016-03-02T02:20:41.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the point of striving? It is to gain something you don't possess. Work is striving towards a gain, a goal. You work and get paid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure of the reference but in this case with action there are consequences for others.  The more you do, the more you strive for, there is less for others. The more you gain then the less there is for others to attain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laziness / idleness is anti-work; it is anti-striving. Idleness's purpose is to not have a purpose. Does that make it wasted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one contains all that is needed, why would one want more?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one does not want more, then why not allow others to attain what they strive for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, she could be pointing out that while attaining an enlightened state he may not need anything more, but to spend time encouraging others would not be striving for anything other than fellowship and enlightenment. He did use the convenience of enlightenment more than he should have. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4781" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T02:20:41.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8937" CreationDate="2016-03-02T11:44:01.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i claim that i am enlightened will you believe? If if you take my words there will be lingering doubts about me. Is there any way to figure out? yes by becoming one. So that is the reason nobody asks the enlightened being. But if you ask an enlightened person he might say yes. &#xA;There is one way which is indicative of enlightenment. Brain waves can be monitored through wearable neural sensors. If a person brain emits delta waves which implies low activity level most of the time, he is most likely enlightened or close to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T11:44:01.013" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14317" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14320" CreationDate="2016-03-02T14:04:46.963" Score="1" ViewCount="371" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think &lt;strong&gt;Hatred&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Love&lt;/strong&gt; comes together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sometimes people &lt;strong&gt;hate&lt;/strong&gt; each other due to misunderstandings. But when the misunderstandings vanished they start to regret and &lt;strong&gt;Love&lt;/strong&gt; each other.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Other way sometimes we &lt;strong&gt;love&lt;/strong&gt; each other due to misunderstandings. But when the misunderstandings vanished we starts to again regret and &lt;strong&gt;Hate&lt;/strong&gt; each other.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both these Love and Hatred what we finally get is &lt;strong&gt;Suffering&lt;/strong&gt; as I see. So is there &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; a connection between Love and Hatred according to Buddhist Teachings ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T09:33:05.790" Title="Love versus Hatred" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|attachment|anger|love|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14317" CreationDate="2016-03-02T14:12:37.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think they are connected -- at least according to Tibetan Buddhism, and perhaps according to other schools of Buddhism as well (&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) -- and the connection is, as you said, misunderstanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's description of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Poisons&lt;/a&gt; says ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of these three, ignorance is the root poison. From ignorance, attachment and aversion arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and gives several Tibetan Buddhist references for that sentence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) &amp;quot;at least according to Tibetan Buddhism, and perhaps according to other schools&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; (including both desire and aversion) are an important or central part of the doctrine of Tibetan Buddhism ... and, that &amp;quot;ignorance&amp;quot; (perhaps what you called &amp;quot;misunderstanding&amp;quot;) is seen as the &amp;quot;root&amp;quot; poison from which condition the other two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That may also be true of other forms of Buddhism too, but I'm not sure. The &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;three&lt;/em&gt; poisons&amp;quot; are in Theravada suttas (sometimes also known as &amp;quot;three fires&amp;quot;) but maybe they emphasize craving more than aversion. For example in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra#Within_the_Theravada_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Theravada respresentation of the Wheel of Life&lt;/a&gt;, the &amp;quot;three poisons&amp;quot; aren't at the centre and in fact &amp;quot;aversion&amp;quot; isn't shown at all. Instead there are several conditions or causes: including ignorance but also desire, attachment, fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually &amp;quot;aversion&amp;quot; seems to be in Theravada as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;one of the defilements (&lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; rather than as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;one of the causes (&lt;em&gt;nidāna&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Returning to the Pali suttas, something like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.049.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta: Distortions of the Mind (AN 4.49)&lt;/a&gt; warns what the misunderstanding (or ignorance) might be about: that fundamentally it might happen at three levels (perception, thought, and view), and on &lt;strike&gt;three&lt;/strike&gt; four characteristics (impermanence, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4:1:336.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;subha&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T09:33:05.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2016-03-02T14:33:50.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the question needs to be clearer. Are you talking of Buddhism as in the teachings of the Buddha or Buddhism as taught by the two main branches (Mahayana and Theravada) which could be said to be the interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha, often blended with cultural influence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a pet corn snake and she could be considered to be in a mindful state for much of the time - she neither cares about the past nor fears for the future. She hunts when she's hungry and rests when there is no need for her to move. She never appears to be dissatisfied, she has no attachment to physical things and she does not crave anything beyond her basic needs for survival. By that definition, has she not already achieved Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The challenge to human enlightenment is that we do crave, we do form attachments to experiences and possessions and we constantly experience dissatisfaction with our life experience. Can an animal that exemplifies the four noble truths be said to understand Buddhism? Not really - they are as they are - they have no need for Buddhism nor an understanding of it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7909" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T14:33:50.953" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14317" CreationDate="2016-03-02T14:45:27.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love and hatred is rooted in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;aversion&lt;/a&gt;. In essence they are related as they take opposite polarity or dualism like the 2 sides of the same coin. It is so easy that things you crave for turns into aversion and vis versa. Generally is it people who were once close and deer who become foes as their shortcomings hurt the most. Also when foes to reconcile they are more friendly as they have an inclination to make up for the past. When you do not get the thing you love the most you get the most upset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both these are roots are associated with negative consequences, i.e., suffering follows. The methods to address this is to you have to cultivate &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alobha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;non attachment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advesha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;non hatred&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and finally let go of them also. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alobha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Non attachment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advesha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;non hatred&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; led to positive consequences but still you are in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;&#xA;Attachment &amp;lt;--------&amp;gt;     Averse&#xA;  |                            |&#xA;  |                            |&#xA;  |                            |&#xA;Non Attachment &amp;lt;----&amp;gt; Non Averse&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-02T15:08:32.113" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T15:08:32.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14321" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-02T16:05:25.780" Score="2" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thougt that Siddarta Gautama lived in a Hindu society. But were there Brahmans who disagreed with Siddartha or was Siddartha ever in an argue with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T18:48:33.313" Title="Has Buddha Gautama ever had problems with some autorities about his teachings and way of live?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14321" CreationDate="2016-03-02T18:48:33.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I thougt that Siddarta Gautama lived in a Hindu society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as you mean he lived in India, immersed in India culture of the time, yes. But as far as &lt;code&gt;hindu&lt;/code&gt; refers to an India majoritarily submsersed in the Vedic tradition, it's not clear this is so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The period of the Buddha and early Buddhism is marked by a variety of religious movements known as &lt;em&gt;sramanas&lt;/em&gt; (which included Buddhists and Jains, for example, among many others). So there was already a culture that rejected the vedic traditions of the time. Also, the geography seems to be of a region with many individual states and kingdoms, not of a &quot;single India&quot;. I'm not sure if these states were, largely, supporters of brahmins or not (and if they were, it was soon in decline with the rise of the empires -- from the Nanda empire which seems to have supported the Jains, through the Maurian empire, when the emperor Ashoka converted and supported Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But were there Brahmans who disagreed with Siddartha or was Siddartha ever in an argue with them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha disagreed not only with Brahmins, but with all the other &lt;em&gt;sramanas&lt;/em&gt; whose teachings were not in agreement with the Buddha's teachings. These encounters, philosophical disputes and criticisms are massively documented in the buddhist canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Has Buddha Gautama ever had problems with some authorities about his teachings and way of live?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't remember the Buddha ever been in legal trouble, though sometimes kings came to him to solve some issue involving the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-03-02T18:48:33.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-03-03T07:08:20.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks were expelled for homosexual activity, both heterosexual and homosexual activity is not allowed for monks and nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is considered as sinful or harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;At that time the venerable Upananda, of the Sakya tribe, had two&#xA;  novices, Kandaka and Mahaka; these committed sodomy with each other.&#xA;  The Bhikkhus were annoyed, &amp;amp;c.: 'How can novices abandon themselves to&#xA;  such bad conduct?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They told this thing to the Lord Buddha, &amp;amp;c.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Let no one, O Bhikkhus(Monks), ordain two novices. He who does, is&#xA;  guilty of a dukkata offence.'&quot; - (Mahavogga, 1.52)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Homosexuals aren't allowed to be monks, neither are those who practice heterosexual activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the&#xA;  present but yields pain in the future? There are some brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who hold to a doctrine, a view like this: 'There is no&#xA;  harm in sensual pleasures.' Thus they meet with their downfall through&#xA;  sensual pleasures. They consort with women wanderers who wear their&#xA;  hair coiled in a topknot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The thought occurs to them: 'Now what future danger concerning&#xA;  sensual pleasures do those [other] brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives foresee&#xA;  that they have spoken of the relinquishment of sensual pleasures and&#xA;  describe the full comprehension of sensual pleasures? It's pleasant,&#xA;  the touch of this woman wanderer's soft, tender, downy arm.'&quot; -&#xA;  Cula-dhammasamadana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-03-10T01:38:58.313" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T01:38:58.313" CommentCount="17" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14278" CreationDate="2016-03-03T08:32:35.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An enlightened Buddha or an arahant never experiences worries, fears, or cravings like ordinary humans even if they appear to. After enlightenment an individual can have wishes, wills, etc...but not in the same way that an ordinary person does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards to health, The Buddha did heal himself on occasions, and could stay alive for an entire world-period:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And the Blessed One said: &quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed,&#xA;  practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;  brought to perfection the four constituents of iddhi power could, if&#xA;  he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could,&#xA;  if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..... &#xA;  Then it occurred to the Blessed One: &quot;It would not be&#xA;  fitting if I came to my final passing away without addressing those&#xA;  who attended on me, without taking leave of the community of bhikkhus.&#xA;  Then let me suppress this illness by strength of will, resolve to&#xA;  maintain the life process, and live on.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One suppressed the illness by strength of will,&#xA;  resolved to maintain the life process, and lived on. So it came about&#xA;  that the Blessed One's illness was allayed.&quot; - Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After enlightenment The Buddha was doubtless, fearless, and always in bliss regardless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha and arahants described this bliss and happiness many times:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Before, when I has a householder, maintaining the bliss of kingship,&#xA;  lord, I had guards posted within and without the royal apartments,&#xA;  within and without the city, within and without the countryside. But&#xA;  even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I dwelled in fear —&#xA;  agitated, distrustful, &amp;amp; afraid. But now, on going alone to the&#xA;  wilderness, to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, I dwell&#xA;  without fear, unagitated, confident, &amp;amp; unafraid — unconcerned,&#xA;  unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my mind like a wild deer. This is&#xA;  the compelling reason I have in mind that — when going to the&#xA;  wilderness, to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling — I&#xA;  repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'&quot; - Ven. Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodha Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Now, I — without moving my body, without uttering a word — can dwell&#xA;  sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for a day and a night... for two days&#xA;  &amp;amp; nights... for three... four... five... six... seven days &amp;amp; nights.&#xA;  So what do you think: That being the case, who dwells in greater&#xA;  pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or me?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'That being the case, venerable Gotama dwells in greater pleasure&#xA;  than King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha.'&quot; - Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any sensual bliss in the world,  any heavenly bliss, isn't worth one&#xA;  sixteenth-sixteenth of the bliss of the ending of craving.&quot; - Raja&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Lord Buddha, perceiving that, on this occasion, pronounced&#xA;  this solemn utterance:  &quot;'Happy is the solitude of him who is full of&#xA;  joy, who has learnt the Truth, who sees (the Truth). Happy is freedom&#xA;  from malice in this world, (self-)restraint towards all beings that&#xA;  have life. Happy is freedom from lust in this world, getting beyond&#xA;  all desires; the putting away of that pride which comes from the&#xA;  thought &quot;I am!&quot; This truly is the highest happiness!'&quot; (Mahavogga 1.3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;cessation of perception and feeling&quot; is described as the very most extreme form of pleasure:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, Ananda, is another pleasure more extreme &amp;amp; refined than&#xA;  that? There is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending&#xA;  of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters &amp;amp;&#xA;  remains in the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling. This is another&#xA;  pleasure more extreme &amp;amp; refined than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now it's possible, Ananda, that some wanderers of other persuasions&#xA;  might say, 'Gotama the contemplative speaks of the cessation of&#xA;  perception &amp;amp; feeling and yet describes it as pleasure. What is this?&#xA;  How can this be?' When they say that, they are to be told, 'It's not&#xA;  the case, friends, that the Blessed One describes only pleasant&#xA;  feeling as included under pleasure. Wherever pleasure is found, in&#xA;  whatever terms, the Blessed One describes it as pleasure.'&quot; -&#xA;  Pañcakanga Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many imagine this type of &quot;bliss&quot; as something like relaxation, or a blissful state, but it isn't so, those are merely other &quot;states&quot;. It really is the most extreme form of pleasure and happiness, unimaginable, indescribable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I first experienced the &quot;deep relaxation&quot; state, very peaceful and tranquil, and thought that must be what enlightenment must be like, but then I experienced a higher more blissful state and thought that must be what enlightenment must be like, but then I experienced and even more enjoyable higher state....so eventually I concluded that these higher states and feelings are merely feelings and states, incomparable to the enjoyment that isn't a state or feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The highest state I've personally experienced is extremely enjoyable, you feel full of confidence, fearless, doubtless, sorrowless, worry-free, care-free, stress-free, full of extreme joy. The other forms of happiness, fun, and pleasure I've experienced pale in comparison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When entered that state I saw how the other states I experienced were merely temporary transient feelings, it's difficult to explain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having seen my own errors I know that I haven't achieved perfection or enlightenment yet but maybe eventually I will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When describing destinations, The Buddha uses a clever analogy to explain what enlightenment is like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus:&#xA;  'This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path&#xA;  that by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, he here and&#xA;  now will enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and&#xA;  deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the&#xA;  taints.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And then later on I see that by realizing it for himself with direct&#xA;  knowledge, he here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance&#xA;  of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the&#xA;  destruction of the taints, and is experiencing extremely pleasant&#xA;  feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose there were a pond with clean, agreeable, cool water,&#xA;  transparent, with smooth banks, delightful, and nearby a dense wood;&#xA;  and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched&#xA;  and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed towards&#xA;  that same pond. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say:&#xA;  'This person so behaves... that he will come to this same pond'; and&#xA;  then later on he sees that he has plunged into the pond, bathed, drunk&#xA;  and relieved all his distress, fatigue and fever and has come out&#xA;  again and is sitting or lying in the wood experiencing extremely&#xA;  pleasant feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So too, by encompassing mind with mind... extremely pleasant feelings.&quot;  - Maha-sihanada Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's a great analogy. It reminds me of a time when I was riding my bike one day and after I became very tired and exhausted I decided to stop by a river. The river looked clean and transparent so I jumped in and swam in the river, it was very relaxing and pleasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T01:42:26.023" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T01:42:26.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14281" CreationDate="2016-03-03T11:25:16.517" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can one know nothing of ignorance and still become enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very big epistemological question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is the state of being unaware, or uninformed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is the state of being informed.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing ignorance or knowing nothing of ignorance are posited opposites of non-existent states. Probably the answer is no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However; take the Rumsfeldian view of knowledge - there are known knowns, and known unknowns. We know that we know things, and we know there are things we don't know - these are the states of knowledge everyone understands. There could also be unknown knowns and unknown unknowns.  I have yet to imagine a scenario for  unknown unknowns  - that's like proving the existence of a negative / non-existent thing. Perhaps unknown unknown knowns.... ugh.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay with me- for the case of unknown knowns - there may be things we would know if we were made aware of the possibility they could be known. A case that comes to mind is say you have knowledge in one science that people in another field of science don't realize exists. Phlogiston perhaps or the ether. All I need to do is tell you the knowledge you are seeking exists in another field of science.  I don't say where and I don't say what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you are in a state of knowing you are ignorant about that knowledge, and you may become enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4781" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T11:25:16.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14281" CreationDate="2016-03-03T12:59:42.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who is considered to be ignorant according to Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that asking &quot;who?&quot; can get complicated because of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there are different forms or schools of Buddhism, which so far as I know may have slightly understandings or definitions of ignorance and enlightenment etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, if you look at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment#The_four_stages_of_attainment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; in Theravada Buddhism, or look at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)#Sutta_Pitaka.27s_list_of_ten_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Pitaka's list of ten fetters&lt;/a&gt;, the &quot;fetter&quot; of &quot;ignorance&quot; is eradicated at the fourth stage: i.e. that of Arahant, a fully awakened person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that implies that anyone but an Arahant may be subject to ignorance (isn't fully knowledgeable).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What does the term ignorance cover? When does one realize, one is ignorant?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word for &quot;ignorant&quot; is &lt;em&gt;avijjā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That word starts with the prefix &quot;&lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt;-&quot; which means &quot;without&quot; (that prefix has the same meaning in Greek and in some English words, e.g. &quot;atheist&quot;, &quot;agnostic&quot;, &quot;anhydrous&quot;, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Pali words used in Buddhism are like that (i.e. beginning with &quot;&lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt;-&quot;) and IMO that sense is lost when it's translated into English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at the opening line of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/chant-metta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chant of metta&lt;/a&gt; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aham avero homi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May I be free from enmity and danger&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A literal translation is ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aham&lt;/em&gt; -- I (first person singular)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.3:1:2327.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;avero&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; -- if &lt;em&gt;vera&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;hatred, revenge, hostile action&quot;, so &lt;em&gt;avera&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;absence of enmity, friendliness&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;homi&lt;/em&gt; -- I should be (first person singular imperative of the verb 'to be')&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... &quot;I should be without-emnity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like to think that's clearer, a translation closer to what the original actually said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English word is often phrased as if the noun is a something (e.g. &quot;freedom&quot; or &quot;ignorance&quot;) whereas the Pali word is often phrased as a not-something (e.g. &quot;not-emnity&quot; or &quot;not-knowledge&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So anyway, when you ask, &quot;what is ignorance?&quot;, then the answer is, &quot;it's not-knowledge&quot;; so the next question then is presumably, &quot;what is 'knowledge'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you ask &quot;what is knowledge?&quot;, then you get &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14286/254&quot;&gt;an answer like Thiago's&lt;/a&gt; which talks about 'Right View'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other types of knowledge (maybe called 'higher knowledge') too, e.g. as described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sekha-patipada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he recollects his manifold past lives ... he sees beings passing away &amp;amp; re-appearing ... he enters &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can one know nothing of ignorance and still become enlightened?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition of ignorance as a &quot;lack of knowledge&quot; might suggest not -- even if a being is (at least temporarily) happy or at peace or humble, maybe that wouldn't be called &quot;enlightened&quot; or &quot;becoming enlightened&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14319/254&quot;&gt;Phil's snake&lt;/a&gt; as an example.&#xA;Not from the Theravada tradition, there is a famous koan, called &quot;Joshu's Dog&quot;. Maybe it's the &lt;em&gt;potential&lt;/em&gt; to be enlightened that is what they call 'Buddha-nature'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T12:59:42.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14278" CreationDate="2016-03-03T14:32:27.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this would depend on what you mean by &quot;worries and desires.&quot; There are certainly supernaturalist Buddhists who would argue that an arahant is literally, physically immune to such things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'd argue against that; human emotions (at least to some extent) are the product of the brain and brain chemistry. Arguing that sitting and meditating can fundamentally alter brain chemistry to the extent that--for instance--you would feel no &quot;desire&quot; for water even if you hadn't had anything to drink for 3 days...well, it flies in the face of neuroscience. Likewise, doubting and worrying about your health are just things that brains do. It is unlikely that any spiritual realization would cause these normal processes to stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think, in the modern world, a more reasonable interpretation is that an arahant feels cravings, fears and doubts as acutely as we do, but sees them clearly as unskillful products of greed, hatred, and delusion--and is therefore not bound by them and does not suffer because of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen has a bit to say on this subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'As far as Buddha-nature is concerned, there is no difference between an enlightened man and an ignorant one. What makes the difference is that one realizes it, while the other is kept in ignorance of it.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Hui-neng / Daikan 637 - 713)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is Sogyal Rinpoche:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'When you realize the nature of mind, layers of confusion peel away. You don't actually &quot;become&quot; a buddha, you simply cease, slowly, to be deluded. And being a buddha is not being some omnipotent spiritual superman, but becoming at last a true human being.' (The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7816" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T14:32:27.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8734" CreationDate="2016-03-03T15:15:52.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've seen the arguments that copying it isn't wrong because it's not a physical product or that it harms no-one. This simply isn't true. If an author of an e-book spent 150 hours of their time creating a guide to learning English, they need to sell a substantial number of copies of their eBook to enable them to pay their bills. By downloading such an eBook illegally, it robs the author of the value of the sale. If the e-book was $5, then illegally downloading it is effectively stealing $5 from the author.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps providing good quality training for free from your own expertise could help to balance the bad karma accrued through such actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7909" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T15:15:52.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14307" CreationDate="2016-03-03T16:57:58.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are clear definitions given in &lt;em&gt;Chapter IX -- The Divine Abidings&lt;/em&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;92&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, as to the meaning firstly of loving-kindness, compassion,&#xA;  gladness and equanimity: it fattens (&lt;em&gt;mejjati&lt;/em&gt;), thus it is&#xA;  loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;mettá&lt;/em&gt;); it is solvent (&lt;em&gt;siniyhati&lt;/em&gt;) is the meaning.&#xA;  Also: it comes about with respect to a friend (&lt;em&gt;mitta&lt;/em&gt;), [318] or it is&#xA;  behaviour towards a friend, thus it is loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;mettá&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When&#xA;  there is suffering in others it causes (&lt;em&gt;karoti&lt;/em&gt;) good people’s hearts&#xA;  to be moved (&lt;em&gt;kampana&lt;/em&gt;), thus it is compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuóá&lt;/em&gt;). Or&#xA;  alternatively, it combats (&lt;em&gt;kióáti&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt; others’ suffering, attacks and&#xA;  demolishes it, thus it is compassion. Or alternatively, it is&#xA;  scattered (&lt;em&gt;kiriyati&lt;/em&gt;) upon those who suffer, it is extended to them by&#xA;  pervasion, thus it is compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuóá&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those endowed with it are&#xA;  glad (&lt;em&gt;modanti&lt;/em&gt;), or itself is glad (&lt;em&gt;modati&lt;/em&gt;), or it is the mere act of&#xA;  being glad (&lt;em&gt;modana&lt;/em&gt;), thus it is gladness (&lt;em&gt;muditá&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It looks on at&#xA;  (&lt;em&gt;upekkhati&lt;/em&gt;), abandoning such interestedness as thinking “May they be&#xA;  free from enmity” and having recourse to neutrality, thus it is&#xA;  equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upekkhá&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As to the characteristic, etc., &lt;strong&gt;loving-kindness is characterized here&#xA;  as promoting the aspect of welfare. Its function is to prefer welfare.&#xA;  It is manifested as the removal of annoyance.&lt;/strong&gt; Its proximate cause is&#xA;  seeing loveableness in beings. It succeeds when it makes ill will&#xA;  subside, and it fails when it produces (selfish) affection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Compassion is characterized as promoting the aspect of allaying&#xA;  suffering. Its function resides in not bearing others’ suffering. It&#xA;  is manifested as noncruelty.&lt;/strong&gt; Its proximate cause is to see&#xA;  helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering. It succeeds when it&#xA;  makes cruelty subside and it fails when it produces sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gladness ... (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equanimity is characterized as promoting the aspect of neutrality&#xA;  towards beings. Its function is to see equality in beings. It is&#xA;  manifested as the quieting of resentment and approval.&lt;/strong&gt; Its proximate&#xA;  cause is seeing ownership of deeds (kamma) thus: “Beings are owners of&#xA;  their deeds. Whose [if not theirs] is the choice by which they will&#xA;  become happy, or will get free from suffering, or will not fall away&#xA;  from the success they have reached?” It succeeds when it makes&#xA;  resentment and approval subside, and it fails when it produces the&#xA;  equanimity of unknowing, which is that [worldly-minded indifference of&#xA;  ignorance] based on the house life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You do not practice Metta and Uppekkha together. As per the definition, Upekkha is characterized as promoting the aspect of neutrality towards beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An example for worldly-minded indifference of ignorance is thinking that breaking the five precepts is ok. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation is a Samatha (concentration) meditation. Which means the object of meditation is a concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta are the 3 natures you come to see in Vippassana (insight) meditation. Vipassana meditation deals with ultimate realities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation is usually recommended to people who are irritable, before they practice Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;People need Buddhism when their current raft has sunk.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - People do not realize that their rafts were never above water in the first place. First noble truth doesn't mean sadness. Even happy feelings are instances of suffering. But ignorance covers it up. That is why the first noble truth is something to be realized. Lord Buddha has compassion towards all beings, including gods. Because he sees suffering in all unenlightened beings, regardless of their living conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;In summary, is metta necessarily a wish that other beings be enlightened, or could it mean something other than that?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; - &#xA;Wishing enlightenment towards others is just one instance of Metta(or Karuna depending on the context). There are many other forms of promoting the aspect of welfare. &#xA;Ex: Using pleasant words, giving a cup of tea to a guest, helping your parents with chores, smiling, greeting etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T16:39:27.613" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T16:39:27.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14330" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-03T19:15:06.407" Score="1" ViewCount="295" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would like to hear what people here think about subconsciousness and autosuggestion  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is using autosuggestion to make myself do sitting meditation a good idea ? If so how to do it  ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I have a very bad procrastination problem and I tried many solutions to it without success but heard of autosuggestion and wondered if it can help me doing the meditation sessions daily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-03-04T16:46:02.957" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T23:05:10.663" Title="Should I use autosuggestion to make myself meditate" Tags="|autosuggestion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14226" CreationDate="2016-03-03T21:02:36.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;here's an interesting perspective on this from the Pali Canon, which implies that it's rather when human morals are high that the population is growing, not the other way round&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;superstitious quite a bit&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Depopulation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a certain affluent brahmin approached the Blessed One … and said&#xA;  to him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Master Gotama, I have heard older brahmins who are aged, burdened&#xA;  with years, teachers of teachers, saying: ‘In the past this world was&#xA;  so thickly populated one would think there was no space between&#xA;  people. The villages, towns, and capital cities were so close that&#xA;  cocks could fly between them.’ Why is it, Master Gotama, that at&#xA;  present the number of people has declined, depopulation is seen, and&#xA;  villages, towns, cities, and districts have vanished?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “At present, brahmin, people are excited by illicit lust, overcome&#xA;  by unrighteous greed, afflicted by wrong Dhamma. As a result, they&#xA;  take up weapons and slay one another. Hence many people die. This is a&#xA;  reason why at present the number of people has declined, depopulation&#xA;  is seen, and villages, towns, cities, and districts have vanished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) “Again, at present people are excited by illicit lust, overcome by&#xA;  unrighteous greed, afflicted by wrong Dhamma. When this happens,&#xA;  sufficient rain does not fall. As a result, there is a famine, a&#xA;  scarcity of grain; the crops become blighted and turn to straw. Hence&#xA;  many people die. This is another reason why at present the number of&#xA;  people has declined, depopulation is seen, and villages, towns,&#xA;  cities, and districts have vanished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) “Again, at present people are excited by illicit lust, overcome by&#xA;  unrighteous greed, afflicted by wrong Dhamma. When this happens, the&#xA;  yakkhas release wild spirits. Hence many people die. This is yet&#xA;  another reason why at present the number of people has declined,&#xA;  depopulation is seen, and villages, towns, cities, and districts have&#xA;  vanished.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Excellent, Master Gotama! … Let Master Gotama consider me a lay&#xA;  follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.56&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paloka sutta (AN 3.56)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-03-03T21:02:36.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14330" CreationDate="2016-03-04T01:28:16.843" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Presumption is that subconcious mind is not allowing you to sit in meditation. That is true to some extent. All repressions due to cultivated civilized behavior enters subconcious mind. But auto suggestion will not take it out. It is trick to fool the mind. I suggest you go for oriental detox first. there is a threshold below which you just cant meditate. You should hit the threshold first. you will feel calm and composed after detox. Thoughts and negative emotions will subside. That is a good start point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T01:28:16.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8734" CreationDate="2016-03-04T01:40:03.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your desire is what makes the difference. If you learn for the sake of learning but not to make a living nothing is wrong in it. Stealing implies that you have taken something that belong to others. Knowledge is collective and therefore should be free for all. It is just that we live in capitalist era where people try to monopolies and tend to make profits disproportionate to their efforts. If you earn some bucks you can pay them later too. There is kamma involved if your intentions are bad. Do it if you have to but intentions should be to give it back to the guy at some point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T01:40:03.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-03-04T01:57:40.380" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex is not sin. Only for monks its forbidden. Householders are supposed to have sex irrespevtive of body type. Homosexuality is a byproduct of unnatural living. Scientists claim its genetic. Religion says its because of unnatural living these defects are creeping in. Also it might be due to unnatural lifestyle. &#xA;Therefore lifestyle correction which includes meditation is required. If homosexuality is lifestyle induced it will go sway on its own. Still my answer is it is not sin at all. Its just a choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T01:57:40.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14310" CreationDate="2016-03-04T04:09:48.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;h2&gt;How is the faculty of persistence developed?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Persistence is cultivated by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;guarding and abandoning &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;developing and maintaining &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to guard and abandon unwholesomeness while developing and maintaining wholesomeness you have to note what has arisen within you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion / unpleasant feeling - something is not agreeable &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving / pleasant feeling - something is agreeable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance / neutral feeling - you are neutral to the experience yet not in touch with the the true nature of the experience &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By maintaining total equanimity with the knowledge of arising and passing then you abandon and develop. Though this analysis what is abandoned is the roots or defilements and what is developed is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part2.html#part2-g&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;7 Enlightenment Factors&lt;/a&gt; leading to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more detailed and comprehensive explanation see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part2.html#part2-c&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wings to Awakening&#xA; - The Four Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Effort - samma vayamo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;how do you banish laziness?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laziness or lethargy is abandoned through development of the sense of urgency. Contemplation of death is one of the main meditation tools for this. Live each breath as it is your last trying (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.5-Atthaka-Maranasati-Sutta-1-a8.73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭhaka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;) to establish mindfulness or conduct your activities without procrastination. This should be done at least twice a day when the day breaks and day ends contemplating that mishap may end your life and time will run out on what needs to be done. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.5-Atthaka-Maranasati-Sutta-1-a8.73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maraṇa Sati Kathā&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14365/295&quot;&gt;How to do “contemplation of death” meditation? and is it dangerous?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But how, bhikshu, do you cultivate the mindfulness of death?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here, bhante, I do it thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Indeed, should I live just the time it takes to breathe in and then out, to breathe out and then in,&#xA;  I would wisely attend to the Blessed One’s teaching, much indeed would be done by me!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, bhante, I cultivate the mindfulness of death.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.5-Atthaka-Maranasati-Sutta-1-a8.73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭhaka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt; and also similar passage is in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.11-Chakka-Maranassati-S-1-a6.19.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Chakka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth and Torpor can also contribute to laziness as this makes you drowsy and sleepy. This can be a big hindrance especially during meditation. One way to abandon it is similar to the method outlined above.  Especially see the section on Insight towards the end of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;  “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;  And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;  Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;  things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T04:29:38.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-03-04T05:51:37.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;After Budhha Siddharta Gotama had not teached about a GOD/the abrahamitic GOD, how can something be a &quot;sin&quot; in buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T05:51:37.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14338" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14360" CreationDate="2016-03-04T05:52:09.693" Score="15" ViewCount="6925" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've found that it is pleasant and exciting to work towards a goal, for example: wanting to run a 21km race, imagining the crowds, imagining the personal accomplishment. This requires a certain amount of dissatisfaction with your current situation (I can only run 5km, I need to train more).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, what I understand from Buddhism is that this attachment to an end result in the future causes suffering. Does one live with some attachment and accept it, or is it something to be avoided entirely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5321" LastActivityDate="2016-03-27T18:54:56.927" Title="Is Buddhism &quot;opposed&quot; to striving, or working towards a goal that you really want" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T07:22:30.087" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Setting goals is fine as long as there is no attachment to the outcome. Attachment to outcome is what causes you to suffer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You perceive the outcome is within your control when it is not entirely in your control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So train hard and accept the outcome whatever it is gracefully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T07:22:30.087" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T07:31:33.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you love running run like hell. I believe you do not love it. 21 is a figure someone gave it you. It is goal somebody else is setting for you. Somebody is challenging your ego. If you love something or someone do you set goals. do you tell your wife if you love me you have to do following ten things to show it? Get out of this goal/success business and run. If you are a natural runner there will be a joy abound. This joy can take you to nirvana. Meditation in action is the real thing not sitting in some posture with closed eyes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T07:31:33.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T07:35:21.273" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Attachment to anything causes suffering. Not just the end result. But lay people are not expected to give up worldly goals as long as they don't break the 5 precepts, don't get into wrong livelihoods etc. Such conflicts occur when one tries to implement aspects of monk life while still staying in lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-04T08:35:46.510" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T08:35:46.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T07:50:12.737" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one perspective, buddhism shows something you likely already know: if your goal is not accomplished, and if you created expectations (to win, to see a crowd, to have personal accomplishment, etc), you have invited suffering. And because you don't have full control of the outcome, it's always possible the goal may not be reached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also shows that, depending on nuances of the &quot;dissatisfaction with current situation&quot;, that dissatisfaction might denote a suffering in and on itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's quite possible for one to formulate goals without clinging to their outcome -- so that reaching or not the goal is not a source of suffering. And it's possible that the dissatisfaction is not an impediment in one's life, but something useful (e.g. a source of motivation for reaching a goal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, what I understand from Buddhism is that this attachment to an end result in the future causes suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally (and ultimately) speaking, any attachment is a source of suffering because it presupposes the object of attachment can be obtained, and if it is obtained, that it is stable and persists through time. Because we can't guarantee we can have what we want, nor we can guarantee what we &quot;have&quot; won't change or be separated from us, craving and attachment are ultimately bogus from the point of view of happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does one live with some attachment and accept it, or is it something to be avoided entirely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment of any kind, from the buddhist point of view, is something to be done away with. But not everyone (buddhist or not) feels the urgency or will to go through the process of doing that. So it's up to you. Generally, the choice to remove an attachment comes from seeing the &quot;bug&quot; in it and develop enough dissatisfaction to do something about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, just like the amount of race training you do is up to you -- ranging from training a few hours per week to full dedication under an olympic training --, the amount of buddhist training is also up to you -- ranging from a a few hours per week to full dedication as a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T07:50:12.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12719" CreationDate="2016-03-04T08:01:07.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind has three parts - unconscious, subconscious and conscious. Unconscious mind is the animal part. It has to work to keep the body going. Subconscious and conscious part is where the problem lies. They are active most of the time and make you indulge in sensory world. Nirvana does not touch unconscious part otherwise you will dead in no time. Subconscious part is eliminated completely and unnecessary chattering of mind in forms of thoughts and emotions is stopped. Now you control the conscious mind because subconscious mind is no longer hitting it again and again. Your conscious mind becomes a tool for you to apply. Earlier prior to Nirvana you were a tool for conscious mind to play with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T08:01:07.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T08:58:15.900" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think in the worldly life the quality of the set goals is what counts, meaning that the results from achievement of that goal and accomplishments must be wholesome and beneficial objectively and not only gratifying one's ego&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if the goal is striven for, for the sake of self-satisfaction only, as normally is the case with sensual pleasures, it's not noble&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;please consider &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the four other things that lead to obtaining the four things&#xA;  that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the&#xA;  world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“With wealth acquired by energetic striving, amassed by the strength&#xA;  of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth&#xA;  righteously gained, the noble disciple undertakes four worthy deeds.&#xA;  What four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “Here, householder, with wealth acquired by energetic striving …&#xA;  righteously gained, the noble disciple makes himself happy and pleased&#xA;  and properly maintains himself in happiness; he makes his parents&#xA;  happy and pleased and properly maintains them in happiness; he makes&#xA;  his wife and children, his slaves, workers, and servants happy and&#xA;  pleased and properly maintains them in happiness; he makes his friends&#xA;  and companions happy and pleased and properly maintains them in&#xA;  happiness. This is the first case of wealth that has gone to good use,&#xA;  that has been properly utilized and used for a worthy cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) “Again, with wealth acquired by energetic striving … righteously&#xA;  gained, the noble disciple makes provisions against the losses that&#xA;  might arise from fire, floods, kings, thieves, or displeasing heirs;&#xA;  he makes himself secure against them. This is the second case of&#xA;  wealth that has gone to good use … for a worthy cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) “Again, with wealth acquired by energetic striving … righteously&#xA;  gained, the noble disciple makes the five oblations: to relatives,&#xA;  guests, ancestors, the king, and the deities. This is the third case&#xA;  of wealth that has gone to good use … for a worthy cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) “Again, with wealth acquired by energetic striving … righteously&#xA;  gained, the noble disciple establishes an uplifting offering of&#xA;  alms—an offering that is heavenly, resulting in happiness, conducive&#xA;  to heaven—to those ascetics and brahmins who refrain from intoxication&#xA;  and heedlessness, who are settled in patience and mildness, who tame&#xA;  themselves, calm themselves, and train themselves for nibbāna. This is&#xA;  the fourth case of wealth that has gone to good use, that has been&#xA;  properly employed and used for a worthy cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“These, householder, are the four worthy deeds that the noble disciple&#xA;  undertakes with wealth acquired by energetic striving, amassed by the&#xA;  strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous&#xA;  wealth righteously gained. When anyone exhausts wealth on anything&#xA;  apart from these four worthy deeds, that wealth is said to have gone&#xA;  to waste, to have been squandered, to have been used frivolously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pattakamma sutta (AN 4.61)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T08:58:15.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-03-04T10:12:19.820" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm shocked at some of the responses here - to try to twist the precepts of Buddhism to condemn something that one finds personally abhorrent is counter to everything The Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, allowing lust to dominate your thoughts is counter to the path of enlightenment but the question was that of homosexuality - not sex. Those that are quick to condemn homosexuality are perhaps tainted by cultural or prior religious indoctrination and should look at heterosexual practices that seem to be accepted all too readily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never seen anything in Buddhist teachings that forbids a man to find companionship with another man or likewise between two women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that as long as any relationship is based upon loving kindness and continual compassion towards the other person, it is not forbidden. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I could be wrong. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7909" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T10:12:19.820" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14346" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-04T11:00:20.343" Score="2" ViewCount="180" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dogen famously said that there are no Buddhist schools, and the idea there is [this or that Buddhist school] is the creation of demons, etc. [Dogen's Eihei Koroku, discourse 7.491, reads:]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha Dharma fundamentally has no outer name or form. Later&#xA;  people falsely established many random names. Althogh facing the wall&#xA;  at Shaolin resembled [dhyana], do not call it Zen School and misguide&#xA;  sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, is Dogen saying that Zen [which is misguiding] is nothing separate from scholastic &quot;sects&quot;, and if so, is he right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, what do the more scholarly schools - whether Theravada, Mahayana or Vajrayana - say about Zen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T13:30:36.087" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T20:02:44.910" Title="Do the scholastic sects say that chan practice is something separate from themselves?" Tags="|mahayana|soto|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14347" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-04T14:06:09.397" Score="5" ViewCount="401" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have studied Buddhism for a few years now, on and off, and this one question has been bugging me for a long time.  Please correct me if I am wrong, however, the way that I understand it is that Buddhism is all about the cessation of suffering. In order to end suffering, we first need to end attachment.  By being attached to objects, we suffer when something happens to those objects.  Instead of connecting and attaching to the objects and perpetuating suffering in our lives, we should instead focus on the here and now and concentrate on existing rather than material things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: &lt;strong&gt;How does buddhism allow for the existence of families?&lt;/strong&gt;  I cannot think of a more connected and attached system than the familial system.  Significant others, children, siblings are all people that we can't help but love and feel attached to.  I just can't seem to fathom a family that does not end in suffering when a member dies.  Just to be clear, I am searching for an authoritative answer from a legitimate source, not a personal anecdote or opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2365" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T19:49:56.233" Title="Does buddhism allow for families?" Tags="|suffering|attachment|relationship|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14347" CreationDate="2016-03-04T15:11:25.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammachakka sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the first sermon of Buddha, four noble truths are explained in the following sequence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... 'Now, this dukkha ariyasacca is to be completely known'&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...'Now, this dukkha·samudaya ariyasacca is to be abandoned'&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ....'Now, this dukkha·nirodha ariyasacca is to be personally experienced'&#xA;  &lt;Br&gt;&#xA;  .. 'Now, this dukkha·nirodha·gāminī paṭipadā ariyasacca is to be&#xA;  developed'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can not &quot;end attachment&quot; as the first step. That should be the second step. First you  should see or know(pariññeyya) the dukkha ariyasacca as it is. When you do so, attachment to dukkha can be abandoned.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does buddhism allow for the existence of families?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Based on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kaccayanagotta sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't&#xA;  exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the&#xA;  Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then he describes the origination and cessation of dukkha based on &lt;em&gt;paticcasamuppada&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T15:11:25.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14347" CreationDate="2016-03-04T15:48:56.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;what Dhamma does recognize is that being a family person diminishes one's chances to attain nibbana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but Dhamma is not God's Commandments, the Buddha explained what's preferable, the choice is up to us&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case, great king, where a Tathagata appears in the&#xA;  world, worthy and rightly self-awakened. He teaches the Dhamma&#xA;  admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its&#xA;  end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its&#xA;  essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains&#xA;  conviction in the Tathagata and reflects: '&lt;strong&gt;Household life is&#xA;  confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It&#xA;  is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect,&#xA;  totally pure, like a polished shell&lt;/strong&gt;. What if I were to shave off my&#xA;  hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the&#xA;  household life into homelessness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small;&#xA;  leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair&#xA;  and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household&#xA;  life into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When he has thus gone forth, he lives restrained by the rules of the&#xA;  monastic code, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Consummate in&#xA;  his virtue, he guards the doors of his senses, is possessed of&#xA;  mindfulness and alertness, and is content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samannaphala sutta (DN 2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then again there have been householders who attained noble levels, so it's all not totally  foregone&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-03-04T16:06:39.393" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T16:06:39.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T16:55:05.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nichiren's Buddhism, based on the historical Buddha's final teaching, The Lotus Sutra, is pro desire. &#xA;This philosophy holds that by striving maximally, one becomes skillful at helping oneself and others, ultimately causing harmony globally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;At all times I think to myself:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  How can I cause living beings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  to gain entry into the unsurpassed way&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(From the Lotus Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice of Buddhism differs markedly from others in this respect, and other respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7919" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-04T17:34:00.663" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T17:34:00.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14351" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-04T17:23:24.253" Score="2" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe in all the religions holding stake in the world but I am more attuned with Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism. I've read through a lot of info on the two and love the harmony between them. I also enjoy the Shinto legends and in a way believe in the life force or kami of the world around me. I understand that a majority of these religions are trying to find the happiness and the peace within yourself and in your life. Respecting nature too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question comes from wanting to know if there is anything that I could insert into my daily life that would help me... feel more at peace I guess. I watch and read a lot about Japanese culture, but I can't really seem to find any info for little routines or actions that I've seen portrayed in media. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, Charms hanging from the windows/doorways. Little shrines to meditate in front of in the house. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there more of these that aren't explained due to them being so minor? Are there special statues or paintings that hold any meanings? Maybe sayings? Plants? Smells?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently, I've started caring for plants more...in-particular, a bonsai that I am hoping will be beautiful and something I can pass on to my children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I use incense which helps me think about my life and introspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7918" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T04:43:30.933" Title="What would be some Japanese Buddhist/Shinto routines or rituals that households will do?" Tags="|personal-practice|rituals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14351" CreationDate="2016-03-04T18:42:54.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/nippon/nippon_partII.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article about Buddhism in Japan&lt;/a&gt; mentions visiting temples, having an altar, saying grace, and greetings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some traditional Japanese arts have Buddhist influences or applications: including &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikebana#History&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;flower arranging&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_rock_garden#Zen_Buddhism_and_the_Muromachi_Period_.281336-1573.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;gardens&lt;/a&gt; -- and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitsuzend%C5%8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;calligraphy&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zafu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;zafu&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T18:42:54.023" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14347" CreationDate="2016-03-04T20:59:18.520" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know of any canonical source explicitly and precisely dealing with this question. To start, here's what Bhikkhu Bodhi writes on the Pali Canon&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Within the Pāli Canon, the texts known as the Nikāyas have the special value of being a single cohesive collection of the Buddha’s teachings in his own words. These teachings cover a wide range of topics; they deal not only with renunciation and liberation, but also with the proper relations between husbands and wives, the management of the household, and the way countries should be governed. They explain the path of spiritual development—from generosity and ethics, through mind training and the realization of wisdom, all the way up to the attainment of liberation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; from these discourses and from the general structure of the buddhist communities is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;laity (people holding jobs, wealth and family) is an important part of the buddhist community since the Buddha's time: they support monks with food, cloth, medicine, etc. (There's much more to be said here, though)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha taught to lay people how to have a proper lay life (instead of restricting himself to ask them to renounce family and wealth and become monks/nuns). That is, one conductive to good destination or Nirvana. One study&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; found 208 suttas addressed to laity in the pali canon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, what we can &lt;em&gt;infer&lt;/em&gt; from the discourses is that Buddhism does not present a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology&quot;&gt;teleology&lt;/a&gt;, an ideal like &quot;every being should be in Nirvana&quot; as if everything else was &lt;em&gt;essentially wrong&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. have a family, have kids, indulge in all kinds of worldly activities, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it does is recognize aspects of our reality, present an explanation for our essential anxiety, and offer a way to resolve it or diminish it, if one is so inclined to accept it and is willing to do something about it -- under various degrees of interest (from abandoning unwholesome actions of body/speech/mind, through meditation, or finally to deciding to abandon wealth and possessions to become a monk/nun). I'd say this is the character of every sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since any wholesome action is conductive to Nirvana, any wholesome action is a step forward, regardless if one is a monk or a husband. Thus Buddhism is regarded as a &quot;path&quot;: it's a process. Furthermore, it &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot;&gt;classifies many stages of attainment&lt;/a&gt;, according to what kind of attachment has been eliminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, some teachings are presented culminating in Nirvana. Other teachings are presented culminating in &quot;a better destination after death&quot; (e.g. some heavens where there's less suffering). If one is unwilling to abandon all attachments, Buddha dhamma still teaches how to ease suffering (and perhaps appear in a better place -- and maybe there, attain Nirvana). In any case, all buddha-dhamma teachings, ultimately, converge to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Bodhi, &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; Kumaratne, Manohari Savithri, &lt;em&gt;Buddha's teachings applicable to the laity: Case studies from the Pali Nikayas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T05:49:05.523" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T05:49:05.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-04T23:14:24.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would think Buddhism is against overly sticky to your goal. Without a goal is also kind of a goal in that sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7921" LastActivityDate="2016-03-04T23:14:24.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-05T00:33:05.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not at all opposed to striving. The philosophy arose partially out of the lack of agency the local population of India/Nepal displayed in their spiritual and temporal endeavors. The philosophy posits that individual action through careful thought, emotional control, physical control and positive spiritual connection is the &quot;correct&quot; way of life as opposed to relying on a deity to initiate an action. Read about the life of Tzu Chi founder &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheng_Yen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cheng Yen&lt;/a&gt; to see how she strove for a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even dissatisfaction/attachment arising from failure is not necessarily something to be avoided. Dissatisfaction can be a catalyst for positive action/thoughts, and it's up to you to put Buddhist practices into place to rationally dissect the reasons to achieve a positive outcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, theistic Buddhism would say that God gave you an intellect, a body, emotions and a soul for a reason - you better use them!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3664" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T00:33:05.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14356" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14367" CreationDate="2016-03-05T02:19:36.527" Score="1" ViewCount="1118" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ellenlanger.com/books/3/mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ellen Langer&lt;/a&gt; has an interesting passage in her book on mindfulness claiming that her work is significantly different than 'spiritual buddhism' because it comes from the Western Scientific tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Mindfulness East and West &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The definitions of mindfulness in this chapter, especially the process orientation just discussed, will remind many readers of various concepts of mindfulness found in Eastern religion. Students in my classes who are knowledgeable about such fields are continually drawing parallels. While there are many similarities, the differences in the historical and cultural background from which they are derived, and the more elaborate methods, including meditation, through which a mindful state is said to be achieved in the Eastern traditions should make us cautious about drawing comparisons that are too tidy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;My work on mindfulness has been conducted almost entirely within the Western scientific perspective. Initially, my focus was on mindlessness and its prevalence in daily life. As can be seen in the order of chapters so far in this book, the notion of mindfulness develops gradually by looking at aspects of mindlessness and then at the other side of the coin. Only after a series of experiments demonstrating the costs of rigid mindsets and single-minded perspectives do I begin to explore the enormous potential benefits of a mindful attitude in aging, health, creativity, and the workplace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Behind Eastern teachings of mindfulness lies an elaborate an elaborate system of cosmology developed and refined over time. The moral aspect of mindfulness (the idea that the mindful state achieved through meditation will lead to spontaneous right action12) is an essential part of these philosophies. It reaches into matters too complex for the scope of this book. Since many qualities of the Eastern concepts of mindfulness and of the one being described in this book are strikingly similar, however, we might hope that some of the moral consequences striven for by the Eastern disciplines might also result from mindfulness as understood in this Western form and context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;As an example of the semantic and philosophical tangles that arise if we try to compare Eastern and Western views of the mindful state, consider the activity of creating new categories. While this is a form of mindfulness in our definition, it appears to be in direct opposition to what one does during meditation.13 In meditation, the mind becomes quieter and active thought is discouraged. In some forms of meditation, thoughts and images that come to mind are considered unimportant and are relinquished as soon as one discerns their presence. At the same time, in many Eastern views, the[…]”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Excerpt From: Ellen J. Langer. “Mindfulness.” iBooks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these big differences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7926" LastEditorUserId="7926" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T13:02:57.840" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T19:11:29.427" Title="What are the main differences between Buddhism and Ellen Langer's 'scientific mindfulness'?" Tags="|mindfulness|science|psychology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12836" CreationDate="2016-03-05T03:34:33.443" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Past lives are seen only when 6th chakra is fully active. In tibet there are people who activate your 6th chakra directly. But its not Nirbana. Nirbana is blooming of thousand petal lotus which is a metaphor for opening of final 7 th chakra. If you concentrate on center of your two eye brows you can have glimpse of your past lives. It will be not permanent though. Only when you are pure you should attempt to open it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not a siddhi i.e. psychic power. Siddhis can be obtained by activating lower chakras but they are considered a distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are at 6th 7th is not far off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T03:34:33.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14356" CreationDate="2016-03-05T03:48:49.727" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you have the passage? If you posted an excerpt it would be easier to answer the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &quot;scientific Buddhism&quot;, or Buddhist philosophy and practices adapted to fit a Western, secular audience, is not new. The Dhamma talks I've heard from teachers on retreat at places like the Insight Meditation Center in Massachusetts, focus much less on formal scripture and avoid metaphysics or the supernatural. Since the Buddha himself spent a lot of time de-emphasizing metaphysical questions, this is an easy step to take. Sam Harris has an entire book (Waking Up) that tries to convince skeptical, secular Westerners to practice Buddhist meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the plus side, this kind of approach cuts away the cultural baggage that grows up around any religious institution. Buddhism works perfectly well without spirits, devas, or reincarnation, and in this form it is easier for modern people to work with. Using the scientific method as a check on the woo-woo and wishful thinking that can corrupt spirituality is also a big benefit. (Does practice increase happiness? is a testable question, and it's reassuring that science seems to say &quot;yes&quot;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the minus side, emphasizing medical research showing that meditation and mindfulness are correlated with lower blood pressure, reduced stress, blah blah blah, risks taking a very thorough and rich spiritual tradition and turning it into a relaxation technique. Even people like Sam Harris, who take things like no-self seriously, throw out a lot of serious introspection in their attempt to strip things down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7816" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T03:48:49.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5152" CreationDate="2016-03-05T08:08:13.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An idea of the core teachings of Buddha can be derived from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;...the teachings before his final nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta, the Blessed One says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, O bhikkhus, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you — these you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what, bhikkhus, are these teachings? They are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four constituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. These, bhikkhus, are the teachings of which I have direct knowledge, which I have made known to you, and which you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, one sees that Buddha directly exhorts the Sangha to thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop and frequently practice the following teachings for the benefit of oneself and many:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanasatta/wheel019.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Foundations of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Bases of Power&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.152.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Faculties&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html#ch2.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Powers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 37 factors are together called as the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BodhiPakkhiyaDhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; or 37 factors of Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to this comment,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find the core teachings of Jesus by reading the Bible, There is no Buddhist Bible. Im so far unable to find a english Pali Canon to read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me when people say I must have a tradition to know what the teacher says its like saying you can't explain jesus's teachings cause its to hard with out traditions. You dont have to be catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Evangelicalism, or even Baptist to simply look up the text an see for your self what he taught, without the dogmas and doctrines to keep you ensnared into a rigid form of the faith an blind to what it means. This examples shows how some traditions an customs keep you from the truth an keep you distracted away from the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think, in general when people urge somebody to adopt a tradition, it is because there is a great deal of emphasis on meditation in Buddhism. Without meditation one might know things intellectually but not experientially. For meditation, one might attend a retreat nearby. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma.org - link for 10 day course registration at one of many centres in the world&lt;/a&gt; is a great option.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As regards the right teacher and right tradition for oneself, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; provides great guidance. Herein the Enlightened One says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, &amp;quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&amp;quot; When you know for yourselves that, &amp;quot;These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&amp;quot; — then you should abandon them.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness' — then you should enter &amp;amp; remain in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T08:08:13.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-05T09:35:59.807" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess this is four questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it 'wrong' to really want something?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it 'wrong' to really work towards something?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it 'wrong' to imagine a desired outcome?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it 'wrong' to be attached to the goal?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it 'wrong' to really want something?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; (desire) mentioned in the Second Noble Truth. This is also translated as &quot;thirst&quot;; I imagine it as some blind urge or drive or dissatisfaction. This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble12.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Kinds of Desire&lt;/a&gt;, describes three kinds of &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;. The example you gave, of running, of being able to run 21 km instead of 5 km, might be an example of &lt;em&gt;bhava tanha&lt;/em&gt;, the desire to become, specifically the desire to become a runner -- and maybe &lt;em&gt;kamma tanha&lt;/em&gt;, a craving for a pleasant feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not all desire is 'bad' though: for example Right Intention might be a form of desire (or at least of deciding to do something because of reasons). Part of what makes it 'Right' though is that it's informed by Right View -- which you might think of as being similar to a 'knowledge of Good and Evil' except that Buddhist often instead categorize things into 'skillful' (which might mean enlightened, enlightening, or helpful towards enlightenment) and 'unskillful' (which might mean the reverse i.e. the increase of suffering etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so, relatively speaking 'running' doesn't seem to be desiring something that's especially wicked. There are for example five precepts for laypeople (which are to avoid killing, lying, stealing, sexual misconduct, and intoxicants), and running doesn't break any of these, so what's the problem? The worst you could say of it is that it may not be satisfying, and could be an occasion for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;defilements&lt;/a&gt; such as pride or envy ... but if you benefit from it somehow and don't hurt others then perhaps people ought to feel &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/14307/254&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; i.e. be pleased for your success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it 'wrong' to really work towards something?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really working towards something isn't obviously and necessarily wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right Effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that, again, one of the ways to judge whether it's right or 'wrong' is to assess, not whether you're striving, but what you're striving for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be interested in reading a description of the technique of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp5.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt;: it appears to be, not concentrating on or being attached to the goal, but making sue that the present conditions are right -- for example that you have positive factors such as 'energy' and 'concentration' and don't have corresponding negative factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's like driving a car i.e. if you want to get somewhere, you don't do that by concentrating on the destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it 'wrong' to imagine a desired outcome?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know how to answer this from a Buddhist POV. I've read that it's one of the technique used in sports psychology (another technique is described in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Pursuit of Happiness&lt;/a&gt; article).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a standard part of e.g. planning to build a house: i.e. to pre-plan the desired result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism warns though that house-building is a metaphor for '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental fabrication&lt;/a&gt;' in general, and I think that one of the goals of Buddhism is to cease (or at least develop insight into) 'fabrications'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it 'wrong' to be attached to the goal?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there's a difference between aiming and attaching; e.g. it would be normal to aim an arrow, but a cause of suffering if you're so attached to the result that you're hurt if you're half an inch off-centre.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore some Buddhist meditation is about experiencing reality (e.g. sensations) as they actually (are) are, without confusing them with past and future hopes and fears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe this Zen story, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/37publishingthesutras.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Publishing the Sutras&lt;/a&gt;, illustrates combining striving with non-attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T09:35:59.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-05T09:47:52.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found it a very nice description of which is the main virtue of someone who wants to proceed. One evening, the eminent monks met at Sariputta's place to listen to the dharma. It must have been a very sweet evening/night this day and Sariputta gave one after the other the question: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Friend, the Gosinga Sālatree Wood is delightful, the night is moonlit, the sāla trees are all in blossom, and heavenly scents seem to be floating in the air. &lt;strong&gt;What kind of bhikkhu, friend, could illuminate the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood&lt;/strong&gt; ?”&lt;/em&gt; Each one answered as well as he could/understood his own practice, and even Maha Mogallana took then the role as asker and asked Sariputta too for his interpretation of the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that they wanted to know: how would the Buddha, their master, judge their different answers. So they went to the Buddha, told him what each one had said. The Buddha answered that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;each of them&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (!) has spoken well - and then took himself part of the quiz and gave them &lt;em&gt;his&lt;/em&gt; answer to Sariputta's question. This is his answer (as reported in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Palicanon Sutta MN32&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta asked the Blessed One:&#xA;  “Venerable sir, which of us has spoken well?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “You have all spoken well, Sāriputta, each in his own way.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Hear also from me what kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Here, Sāriputta, when a bhikkhu has returned from his almsround, after his meal, &#xA;  he sits down, folds his legs crosswise, sets his body erect, and&#xA;  establishing mindfulness in front of him, resolves:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘I shall not break this sitting position until through not clinging &#xA;  my mind is liberated from the taints.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sālatree Wood.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it shows very nicely the role which the simple virtue of &lt;em&gt;determined-ness for the goal&lt;/em&gt; of liberation from the clinging plays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2016-03-06T11:05:14.813" LastActivityDate="2016-03-06T11:05:14.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14362" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14366" CreationDate="2016-03-05T12:01:18.940" Score="2" ViewCount="531" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a famous story that, eventually, the Buddha vowed not to move until he gained enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/pbs2_unit03.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Still seeking a way to understand the meaning of life, Siddhartha set out for Buddhagaya. Near a grove, he sat down under a huge Bodhi tree. &lt;strong&gt;Silently he vowed&lt;/strong&gt;, &quot;Even if my flesh and blood were to dry up, leaving only skin and bones, I will not leave this place until I find a way to end all sorrow.&quot; He sat there for forty nine days. He was determined to discover the source of all pain and suffering in the world. Mara, the evil one, tried to scare him into giving up his quest. For instance, he hoped to lure Siddhartha into having selfish thoughts by sending visions of his very beautiful daughters. But the Buddha's goodness protected him from such attacks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day, when his physical strength had returned, he approached a lovely spot in Uruvela by the bank of the Nerañjara River. Here he prepared a seat of straw beneath an asvattha tree (later called the Bodhi Tree) and sat down cross-legged, &lt;strong&gt;making a firm resolution&lt;/strong&gt; that he would never rise up from that seat until he had won his goal. As night descended he entered into deeper and deeper stages of meditation until his mind was perfectly calm and composed. Then, the records tell us, in the first watch of the night he directed his concentrated mind to the recollection of his previous lives. Gradually there unfolded before his inner vision his experiences in many past births, even during many cosmic aeons; in the middle watch of the night he developed the &quot;divine eye&quot; by which he could see beings passing away and taking rebirth in accordance with their karma, their deeds; and in the last watch of the night he penetrated the deepest truths of existence, the most basic laws of reality, and thereby removed from his mind the subtlest veils of ignorance. When dawn broke, the figure sitting beneath the tree was no longer a Bodhisatta, a seeker of enlightenment, but a Buddha, a Perfectly Enlightened One, one who had attained the Deathless in this very life itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is/are the original or canonical source[s] of this story?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some suttas like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta (MN 36)&lt;/a&gt; are an account of that period of this life, but without mentioning the vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T16:55:37.613" Title="Where is the description of the vow and the Bodhi tree?" Tags="|reference-request|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14363" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-05T14:39:00.263" Score="7" ViewCount="2397" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do I do &quot;contemplation of death&quot; meditation? And is it dangerous?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I read it might cause someone to commit suicide, so how do I make sure I won't reach that situation? And how exactly should I do this meditation - and for how long each time - and how many times each day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="5106" LastEditDate="2016-03-06T16:40:39.397" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T19:21:30.427" Title="How do I do &quot;contemplation of death&quot; meditation? And is it dangerous?" Tags="|death|meditation|contemplation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14363" CreationDate="2016-03-05T16:04:06.613" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of death is described in the Maranassati sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.20&lt;/a&gt;) which urges a disciple to get rid of unwholesome mental states by reflecting that one's own death can come at any time soon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk, as day departs and night returns, reflects: 'Many are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might trouble me; my bile might be provoked, my phlegm... piercing wind forces [in the body] might be provoked. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me.' Then the monk should investigate: 'Are there any evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by me that would be an obstruction for me were I to die in the night?' If, on reflecting, he realizes that there are evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die in the night, then he should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, &amp;amp; alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you mentioned suicide though, what you may be referring to instead is &quot;contemplation on foulness/unattractiveness of the body&quot;, rather than &quot;mindfulness of death&quot;. Contemplation on foulness is performed to abandon lust, promoting disenchantment with regard to forms (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 9.1&lt;/a&gt;) -- so that's when it's useful to do it, for as long as lust is present. In the Satipatthana Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt;), in the section on mindfulness of body, we read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or again, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground, picked at by crows, vultures, &amp;amp; hawks, by dogs, hyenas, &amp;amp; various other creatures... a skeleton smeared with flesh &amp;amp; blood, connected with tendons... a fleshless skeleton smeared with blood, connected with tendons... a skeleton without flesh or blood, connected with tendons... bones detached from their tendons, scattered in all directions — here a hand bone, there a foot bone, here a shin bone, there a thigh bone, here a hip bone, there a back bone, here a rib, there a breast bone, here a shoulder bone, there a neck bone, here a jaw bone, there a tooth, here a skull... the bones whitened, somewhat like the color of shells... piled up, more than a year old... decomposed into a powder: He applies it to this very body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... i.e. one of the techniques to &quot;contemplate foulness&quot; is to see the body dead and coming apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some monasteries in Thailand have skeletons in display which can be an aid for such kind of meditation. But one can perform this meditation without a decomposing body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii. &quot;And what, Ananda, is contemplation of foulness? Herein, Ananda, a monk contemplates this body upward from the soles of the feet, downward from the top of the hair, enclosed in skin, as being full of many impurities. In this body there are head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucous, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), and urine. Thus he dwells contemplating foulness in this body. This, Ananda, is called contemplation of foulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.60&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The likely reason you were told it may lead to suicide is because one sutta documents how a group of monks performed suicide after doing this practice (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 54.9 &lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is mentally healthy (e.g. does not have suicide inclinations) and one is mindfull of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;bodhipakkhiyādhammā&lt;/a&gt; (e.g. one is able to direct his mind to joy, tranquility and equanimity), than I don't see danger in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that, there was a US zen monk in recent times who, allegedly, was jogging and saw a dead corpse with a bullet wound in the head, thereafter deciding to come back to meditate over the corpse. As it so happens, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Zen_Center#Tenshin_Reb_Anderson.27s_arrest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;he got in trouble with the police&lt;/a&gt;. So, don't do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T19:46:31.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T19:46:31.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14363" CreationDate="2016-03-05T16:04:27.433" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to do &quot;contemplation of death&quot; meditation ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With each and every in and out breath reflect: &quot;life is impermanent, but death is certain, hence will attend to what need to be done without delay.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“But how, bhikshu, do you cultivate the mindfulness of death?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Here, bhante, I do it thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'Indeed, should I live just the time it takes to breathe in and then out, to breathe out and then in,&#xA;    I would wisely attend to the Blessed One’s teaching, much indeed would be done by me!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Thus, bhante, I cultivate the mindfulness of death.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.5-Atthaka-Maranasati-Sutta-1-a8.73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭhaka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt; and also similar passage is in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.11-Chakka-Maranassati-S-1-a6.19.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Chakka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more detailed outline of the pratice is covered in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.14-Maranasatikatha-vism7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maraṇa Sati Kathā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and is it dangerous ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not if you pratice it correctly. Even crossing the road the wrong way will have dangers so does meditation. Key to do it the right way as with any other endeavor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intention of this pratice is to create urgency and eliminate procrastination as time is running out and what can be done within a lifetime ends with death. (Also see section &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14336/295&quot;&gt;How do you banish laziness?&lt;/a&gt;) Instead if you are developing a phobia or fear of death or some attraction to death or romanticizing with the concept of death or developing sorrow towards your pending death or of loved ones, then you are doing it wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cause i read it might cause someone to suicide - so how do i make sure i won't reach that situation ? and how exactly should i do this meditation - ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know repulsive meditation has resulted in suicides, but not sure on contemplation of death. These are 2 separate practices. The purpose of repulsive meditation is to counteract the perception of beauty in the form and shape of oneself and others and developing lust and taking pleasure and delight in such formations. If you are developing aversion towards the body one oneself as unclean or the perceived lack of beauty then you are doing it wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both these practices do also reinforce the perception of impermanence, more particularly impermanence of life as well as our corporal body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and for how long each time - ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a few minutes will do or as much as to keep you motivated to attend to what need to be done without procrastination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also an occasional reminder on the need of urgency as time is running out during the day may be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and how many times each day ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.6-Atthaka-Maranasati-Sutta-2-a8.74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭhaka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.12-Chakka-Maranassati-S-2-a6.20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Chakka) Maraṇa,sati Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; mentions you should do it 2 times at least when the day has ended and when the night has ended. You contemplate some mishap can happen your life can end in the next part of the day hence be attentive to what needs to be done without fail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14386/is-contemplation-of-death-auto-suggestion&quot;&gt;Is contemplation of death auto-suggestion?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T04:39:49.343" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14362" CreationDate="2016-03-05T16:44:41.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This seems to appear in the Jhataka (in the Khuddaka-Nikâya) literature: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits008.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE ATTAINMENT OF BUDDHASHIP&lt;/a&gt; in J.i.71&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt; marked as p. 76.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Future Buddha turned his back to the trunk of the Bo-tree and faced the east. And making the mighty resolution, &amp;quot;Let my skin, and sinews, and bones become dry, and welcome! and let all the flesh and blood in my body dry up! but never from this seat will I stir, until I have attained the supreme and absolute wisdom!&amp;quot; he sat himself down cross-legged in an unconquerable position, from which not even the descent of a hundred thunder-bolts at once could have dislodged him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point the god Mâra, exclaiming, &amp;quot;Prince Siddhattha is desirous of passing beyond my control, but I will never allow it!&amp;quot; went and announced the news to his army, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above page is linked/referenced &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/sources.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on this index page&lt;/a&gt; as &amp;quot;i.68&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;-77&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; (§ 8.), Intro&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T16:55:37.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14356" CreationDate="2016-03-05T18:38:38.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the &quot;big differences&quot;, we need to see how Ellen Langer and the Buddha defines &quot;mindfulness&quot; (and &quot;mindlessness&quot; when that helps).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ellen Langer writes the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mindfulness involves two key strategies for improving health: attention to context and attention to variability&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The more mindful we are, the more we can create the contexts we are in&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The creation of new categories, as we will see throughout this book, is a mindful activity. Mindlessness sets in when we rely too rigidly on categories and distinctions created in the past (masculine/feminine, old/young, success/failure)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the character o Kutuzov, we can find portrayed the key qualities of a mindful state of being: (1) creation of new categories; (2) openness to new information; and (3) awareness of more than one perspective&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The more we realize that most of our views of ourselves, of others, and of presumed limits regarding our talents, our health, and our happiness were mindlessly accepted by is at an earlier time in our lives, the more we open up to the realization that these too can change. And all we need to do to begin the process is to be mindful&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A very basic and mindless error that we often make is to take the names we give to products/things as the things themselves&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though she puts a lot of emphasis on categories and being able to work with different perspectives, on the attention to variability she writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When people are depressed they tend to believe they are depressed all the time. Mindful attention to variability shows this is not the case&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I haven't seem her speaking of meditation other than suggesting that it &quot;is a tool to achieve postmeditative mindfulness&quot; -- and it's not clear what meditation technique she is referring to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, what about buddhist &quot;mindfulness&quot; -- &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; in pali? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, it goes without saying that the dhamma is in the context of a soteriology: become permanently free from &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (unsatisfactoriness) whereas Langer's is concerned with health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I see intersections. Though &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; has many different uses, it does have an aspect of awareness and an aspect of memory. Generally, in a gist, it means &quot;to have [something] in mind&quot;; moreover, many of the exercises of &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; in the Buddha's teaching are in the form of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long' [...] &quot;Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Kayagatasati Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other vein, one &lt;em&gt;function&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; is observed both in the Buddha dhamma and in Langer's writings: the recognition of change. However, where Langer advocate the local usefulness of such recognition (e.g. that a depressing state is not permanent) and stops there, in the Buddha dhamma such recognition encompasses these benefits and goes way beyond, aiming to establish by direct experience the impermanence (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;) of all phenomena we come to contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, Langer's elaboration of categories and perspectives does not have a direct correspondence in the dhamma. It's purpose seem to be, generally, on improving critical thinking -- and there's evidence for that, which is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Langer's mindfulness, the play on categories seems useful to take one out of an illusory context. However, a Buddhist would continue that sentence saying: &quot;...by putting one in another illusory context/category&quot;. That is, buddhists are taught to have &quot;direct experience&quot;, &lt;em&gt;insight&lt;/em&gt; -- without intermediary categories interfering -- by learning to observe the entire mind process, from bare experience to understanding how mental formations come into play -- assisted by buddhist psychology (five aggregates, six senses) and buddhist soteriological context (eg. three marks of existence: unsatisfactoriness, impermanence, not-self). This emphasis on detailed observation of the mind and the minutia of mind processes fully encompasses Langer's notion by going much deeper in the problem of illusory concepts -- making Langer's mindfulness seem gross in comparison to my eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, for an in depth treatment of minfulness in early buddhism, I suggest the book &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness in Early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; by Tse-Fu Kuan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T19:11:29.427" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T19:11:29.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14346" CreationDate="2016-03-05T19:29:34.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is highly unlikely that Dogen's statement was critical of a scholastic Chan/Zen school, because there was none at the time. It is most likely that Dogen's statement was critical of (1) sectarian and (2) elitist positions of those who made 'following in the footstep of the Buddha' a sectarian matter. This include so-called masters whose awakening he doubted. At least, this is Steven Heine and Dale Wright's position, as I will quote later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To come back on scholasticism, it never really took within the Chan tradition (contrary to Tendai etc.), probably partly because Chan is a late tradition. As such, Chan rested on established conclusions without having to establish them. These conclusions were established by other Buddhist schools by way of debates, contests, etc. Such conclusions are for instance the notion of 'one final vehicle', 'dharmakaya, all-pervasivenness &amp;amp; omniscience', 'the third turning of the wheel as teaching the final view', 'the Avatamsaka sutra being the first turning and the final view as well', and so forth. It is hard to find any Chan scholastic work outside Zongmi's and Yanshou's, and even these discuss Tenets more than they do the turnings of the Wheel. Moreover, Zongmi and his disciple are not always considered as 'Chan teachers' presumably because of it. In addition, when you study the lists of both 'Chan genres of texts' and 'Types of Chan masters', you find no reference to scholasticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Heine, Steven; Wright, Dale (2010), write in Zen Masters:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Eihei kōroku 3.207, Dōgen criticizes Yunmen and the whole notion of&#xA;  the autonomy of a “Zen school,” which should not take priority over&#xA;  the universality of the Buddha Dharma:    It is said that after [the&#xA;  Ancestor] Upagupta, there were five sects of Buddha Dharma during its&#xA;  decline in India. After Qingyuan and Nanyue, people took it upon&#xA;  themselves to establish the various styles of the five houses, which&#xA;  was an error made in China. Moreover, in the time of the ancient&#xA;  buddhas and founding ancestors, it was not possible to see or hear the&#xA;  Buddha Dharma designated as the “Zen school,” which has never actually&#xA;  existed. What is presently called the Zen school is not truly the&#xA;  Buddha Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At times he is pansectarian in citing masters from all Chan schools,&#xA;  as well as nonsectarian in that he also denies the existence of an&#xA;  independent “Chan sect” altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-03-05T20:25:28.060" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T20:25:28.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14347" CreationDate="2016-03-05T19:49:56.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Thiago's answer says there are many suttas which give advice to lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of these, for example, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which includes advice about how to spend and save money, how to behave towards your parents, spouse, teachers, friends, workers, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a book titled &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/a&gt; which references and summarizes some of these suttas, which give specific advice to laypeople; for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; summarizes its advice on how to choose a spouse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T19:49:56.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14346" CreationDate="2016-03-05T21:48:35.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is Dogen saying that zen is nothing separate from scholastic &amp;quot;sects&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can summarize the &lt;em&gt;Butsudō&lt;/em&gt; from which your quote was taken, I think that what he's saying is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Teaching is personally transmitted from Dharma heir to Dharma heir ... the Buddha Dharma lives by being authentically transmitted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;These were no sects in general (and no &amp;quot;Zen sect&amp;quot; in particular) in Shakyamuni Buddha's time, so it can't be right to say that there are different sects now. The Buddha and the Ancestors didn't talk about &amp;quot;the Zen sect&amp;quot;, that kind of naming is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any method of training that's different from the methods used by the Buddha and the Ancestors is non-Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not only shouldn't they be talking about &amp;quot;the Zen sect&amp;quot; people shouldn't be talking of different sects within Zen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My late Master, an Old Buddha, once ascended the Dharma seat and&#xA;addressed his assembly, saying, “People nowadays just talk of there being separate&#xA;traditions and customs, such as those of Ummon, Hōgen, Igyō, Rinzai, and Sōtō,&#xA;but this is not the Buddha’s Teaching, nor is it what Ancestors and Masters say.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha didn't want to miss any of his teaching, and neither should we.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Shakyamuni&#xA;Buddha was in the world, His disciples were apprehensive lest they should differ&#xA;from Him by even a hair, or lest they should miss even one jot within the hundreds&#xA;of thousands of myriad points of His Teaching, for they wished to experience the&#xA;joy of realizing the Truth which they had chosen as their inheritance, and they&#xA;would not go against It. Thus, we should vow to seek and serve the Buddha and&#xA;hear His Dharma over the course of many lives. Those who would deliberately go&#xA;against the transforming Teaching that the World-honored One gave while He was&#xA;in the world and give rise to sectarian names are not disciples of the Tathagata nor&#xA;are they offspring of the Ancestral Masters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-05T21:48:35.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2016-03-06T05:40:26.153" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sansayan: the short answer to your question is yes, I have.  A Sri Lankan monk who is now deceased for some years now, Ven Anandamaitreya, definitely had acquired it.  There is nothing unique to this period of time, in its essence.  Every generation in the past had always thought of their time as &quot;modern&quot;.  The problem is that those who have achieved any abhinna always seem to be extremely reluctant to talk about it or even to let people know they have acquired it.  The reasons are manifold.  It is only if you know the person extremely well and is trusted implicitly that you may come to know of it.  One exception may be an American now living in Florida, who claims to have achieved a couple of abhinnas.  Of course, he also claims to have acquired the four mundane material jhanas in the course of a few months. So, form your own opinions about him.  But he has a website which you can visit.  It is www.jhana8.com.  &quot;Meditation without religion&quot; is apparently what this site is about.  It has also expanded to provide &quot;courses&quot; in meditation.  The .com extension is also what gives the game away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the above is an attempt to answer your question.  But now, I would be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to state that acquisition of abhinnas is immaterial to achieving wisdom and enlightenment.  They can be achieved with exceptional achievement in absorption-concentration.  They can, in fact, be a distraction and detract from the real goal: bodhi, as Ahmed says above, which may be one reason Lord Buddha did not emphasize them.  The path of jhana, both material and immaterial jhanas are the path of the samathayanaka.  The vipassanayanaka can also achieve enlightenment and he may not even have acquired a single jhana, let alone abhinna.  Abhinnas are a side show.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best Wishes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pradip &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7933" LastActivityDate="2016-03-06T05:40:26.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-06T06:19:16.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found your question reveals a Western leaning in understanding. If you really want something that is in itself expectation that leads to suffering. What if you fail?  What if you win? Do those concepts have the same meaning you think they do?  You should work towards a goal and accept what comes of it. Life is an illusion. You are merely passing your time until the void.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider the Eightfold Path &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure what your interpretation of working means although not all action is running.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Action is allowed: You can act in an ethical way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Livelihood is allowed: if you are working at a job you &quot;want&quot;&#xA;that is OK so long as its not weapons etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Intention is allowed: you can train for a run but it's wise to accept your time as it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is allowed: but be mindful / abandon all the wrong and harmful thoughts, words, and deeds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these are guided by the rest: right concentration, right speech, right mindfulness and right view are what guides you to live the other four. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Western mindset, right means &quot;winning&quot;, American exceptionalism, better than the rest, second place is first loser, and so on. But take out the superiority concepts from the implication and you are left with reality.  On some days, the world's best teams lose to a &quot;worse&quot; team. But this has as much to do with stochastics as personal factors. It's a meaningless determination.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These concepts are the poison that makes people ill; makes them disappointed at what would otherwise be a serious accomplishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such sin as pride, you can take a moment to reflect on a goal that is accomplished.  SO LONG as you are not celebrating at the expense of the vanquished, etc. That would not be right intention, right speech, right view and so on. Don't &quot;achieve&quot; the Western way and you are fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4781" LastEditorUserId="4781" LastEditDate="2016-03-10T01:53:36.193" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T01:53:36.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14373" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-06T14:07:17.187" Score="3" ViewCount="593" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am meditating on a daily basis since a couple of months. I noticed having ups and downs in my meditation, probably mostly caused by the amount of sati or (on the other side) stress I had during the day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I am also experiencing sittings, where I am just overwhelmed by the hindrances and not even able to recognize them properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the best way to deal with these extreme states of mind (in meditation)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T20:38:45.863" Title="what to do, when you can't meditate?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-06T16:54:22.610" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend you to download some musics like flow of water or chanting of &lt;strong&gt;om&lt;/strong&gt;  or music with slow beats.&lt;br&gt;And you try to meditate only by listening to the music and soon you will get the good concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7445" LastActivityDate="2016-03-06T16:54:22.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-06T18:09:42.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are certainly not alone. Sounds like what you describe is a situation I have been in many times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to find more balance, I would stay sitting still and try to remember that I could just be with the tension, fuzzy lack of clarity, confusion, anger, desire for the practice to go my way and whatever else arises. Usually this would lead to a better practice session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This problem is mainly about unbalanced   faculties. A good teacher can help yogis balance the faculties. A good teacher can be a wonderful help when yogis are tangled up like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-03-06T18:25:56.880" LastActivityDate="2016-03-06T18:25:56.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-06T22:10:13.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you have a general technique which, if you remember it, you've discovered that it helps to alleviate hindrances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example someone referenced the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nissaraniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; recently, which mentions six &quot;means of escape&quot;. From this list, for example, perhaps if you remembered &quot;good will&quot;, then might that remembrance be enough to escape a hindrance? Or &quot;non-self&quot;? Or perhaps other teachings not on this list, would it help to remember &quot;impermanence&quot; for example, or a doctrine about &quot;craving&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are doctrines like that, which you find helpful when you remember them --if you want to remember them but don't-- then might a memory-aid (a semi-permanent sense-object) be useful? A little stone to hold in your hand, or the right word written on a piece of paper?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or how about moving to a different type of meditation, e.g. &quot;awareness of the breath&quot;, if there's too much turmoil for another kind of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I think that each of the formal hindrances have corresponding canonical techniques to counter them, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt; references suttas which have advice for how to &quot;denourish&quot; each hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I think that meditation teachers (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances#Overcoming_the_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here is just one example&lt;/a&gt;) suggest you investigate the hindrance, as being a mental phenomenon which arises and which passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-06T22:10:13.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-07T04:40:31.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... stress I had during the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stress does have an associated sensation with it generally manifesting as a tightness in the head (as per Banthe Vimalasiri - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/Kn_KILZYEkc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is depression?&lt;/a&gt;) and / or lingering discomfort around the heart (as I have heard as being taught by other teachers to be consistent with the Abhidhamma as the mind is heart based). Based on the type of the sensation craving, aversion and / or ignorance would arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to relax both body and mind. The way to do this be equanimous of the session noting its arising and passing, or simply be with these sensation for a while analysing them before returning to your normal meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you return to your normal meditation object have a mild smile. This is something you have is Goenka's meditation instruction though this is not emphasised much but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/ven-bhante-vimalaramsi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt; emphasizes smiling a lot in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/the-6rs.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;6Rs&lt;/a&gt; formula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one source of stress is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaukritya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;worry&lt;/a&gt; which with you can counteract through concentration. When your mind wanders away realist it and bring it back. Periodically check if the mind is with the meditation object and even if it is fix your attention back at the object of meditation. Say if you are mindful of the body scanning part by part. You are looking at one part and the mind is still with it, then redirect the mind to the part again. If your mind is sticky stay with the part. If it is very restless either move from part to part quickly, or keep redirecting your mind to the object, i.e., fix your mind on the object, in quick succession. For someone who has practiced for a while this can break into tingling or electric sensation and further pratice this will become neutral. If you are moderately restless you can try &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana&lt;/a&gt; meditation but if it is very restless best is quick scans as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitarka&lt;/a&gt; dominates in this pratice. For a detailed study see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.7-Uddhaccakukkucca-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uddhacca,kukkuca&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... I noticed having ups and downs in my meditation, probably mostly caused by the amount of sati ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sati is useful to reduce &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;though proliferation&lt;/a&gt; and eliminate &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; that follows. Make it pratice you review (paccavekkhana / vīmamsa) if you are mindful at defined intervals like end of each in or out breath cycles. This will help you strengthen your mindfullness. The description of how to review is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and See, 4th edition&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw p. 35 onwards though is a slightly different context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it might be worthwhile to try a Samatha meditation subject in these situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... But I am also experiencing sittings, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you can try walking meditation. Be mindful of the sensations due to body part movements and sensation of touch of the dress and / or air on your legs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... where I am just overwhelmed by the hindrances and not even able to recognize them properly. What is the best way to deal with these extreme states of mind (in meditation)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extreme states are associated with extreme feeling. E.g. you feel extremely sleepy or restless. Be mindful of the feelings. If you want to learn / analyse how feelings are associated with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; in more detail, look at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental Factors&lt;/a&gt; corresponding to each &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrance&lt;/a&gt; which is associated with each type of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mind State&lt;/a&gt; and the corresponding feeling of that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mind State&lt;/a&gt;. In short Ill Will be painful and the rest will be either neutral or pleasant but leave it upto the reader to figure this out exactly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;    “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;    And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;    Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;    things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;[Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;    &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; on Sloth and Torpor but can be generalised to the other hindrances. A general outline of how the 5 hindrances can be eliminated is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt; and also following 6 essays &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma-c,chanda&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.5-Vyapada-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vyāpāda&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.6-Thinamiddha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thīna,middha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.7-Uddhaccakukkucca-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uddhacca,kukkuca&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.8-Vicikiccha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to when you cannot meditate. Insight meditation is to experience things as they are. When you say you can't meditate, it looks like you are trying to do something during meditation. Just relax and stay with what you experience (reality as it is) to the best extent you can. Also there are many meditation subjects. Change of subject also might help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also have 2 sessions of meditation per day at the end of the day and beginning of the night (evening) and end of the night and beginning of the day (morning). If this case one session would probably be more productive than the other if you have a storm in one session. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T19:19:24.810" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14363" CreationDate="2016-03-07T06:00:39.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;West is obsessed with thoughts and thinking process. Contemplation implies thinking in West. Contemplation about death does not mean imagining death or deep thinking about it. It is a tool to see things objectively that this world of yours is about to be finished sooner or later. It is a way to create an urgency to meditate and find out if death is the ultimate thing or not. It is also a way to make you relaxed and therefore prepare you for meditation. If you are going to die what is point of stressing yourself out for trivialities? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T06:00:39.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14380" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-07T10:36:48.740" Score="2" ViewCount="1970" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are domesticated animals able to generate their own karma, or is it down to their masters to ensure that they are set on the right path? I am talking particularly in regards to Pets, here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My dog, Bronson, has epilepsy and fits on a regular basis, perhaps as a result of bad karma? To what extent can he help himself, and to what extent can I? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7348" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T23:55:52.610" Title="Do domesticated animals have control over their karma?" Tags="|animals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14380" CreationDate="2016-03-07T13:16:09.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;in my opinion nobody can help animals with regard to their kamma, they're simply to exhaust the kamma which caused their birth as an animal and bounce to the plane their remaining kamma allows them to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i'm not sure why pets would differ in this respect from wild animals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dhammic concept of kamma is ethical, only ethical intentions produce it, and since animals are incapable of having and committing ethically meaningful intentions and acts, because they don't control their urges and instincts, cannot judge them objectively and restrain or motivate themselves, they don't produce new kamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the concept is not dissimilar to exoneration from liability on the grounds of incompetency &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that's again my opinion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-03-07T13:29:25.860" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T13:29:25.860" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14380" CreationDate="2016-03-07T14:28:16.007" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are domesticated animals able to generate their own karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, they commit Kamma just like humans. But their range is limited compared to us. They are unable to commit highly potent good/bad Kamma except on rare occasions. Their minds are clouded by ignorance most of the time. So it's highly unlikely for them to commit a Triple Rooted Kamma required for a perfect human birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of animals committing good Kamma(first 2 are highly potent due to the purity of the recipient):  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pa/parileyya.htm&quot;&gt;Pārileyyaka the elephant&lt;/a&gt; and the monkey who took care of the Buddha in the forest.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/17lbud.htm&quot;&gt;Muchalinda the king cobra&lt;/a&gt; who sheltered the Buddha from rain in the 6th week after attaining enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Animals taking care of their offspring.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;their masters to ensure that they are set on the right path? To what extent can he help himself, and to what extent can I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the owners can teach them good manners. Train them not to kill other animals, not to steal food from others. The more domesticated the animal is, the less bad Kamma it would commit. Also, you can have it listen to the Dhamma. It's a long shot, but it has worked on some occations. ex: The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/manduka/index.html&quot;&gt;Manduka Devaputta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My dog, Bronson, has epilepsy and fits on a regular basis, perhaps as&#xA;  a result of bad karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is. This is called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm&quot;&gt;Upattambaka(Supportive) Kamma&lt;/a&gt;. In case of lower births, this type of Kamma worsens the living conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-07T15:06:10.743" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T15:06:10.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14380" CreationDate="2016-03-07T16:58:37.550" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the animal Kingdom the following dominates &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sexual desire - root: craving / hindrance: sensual desire &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fear - root: aversion / hindrance: ill will, doubt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hunger - craving / sensual desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sleep (many animals eat and sleep a lot) - ignorance / sloth and torpor &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bonding (e.g. dog with owner) - craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition animals do not have:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;moral fear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;moral shame &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which are the basis of moral precepts for worldly beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means animals most of the time create -ve Karma with no or little ability to practice generosity or observe moral precepts let alone concentration and wisdom. This is why if you fall into the Animal Kingdom it is hard to get out. They nevertheless do create Karma as the process of Dependent Origination is rolling creating new fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way out is if some past good Karma surfacing to give you a better birth though very rare a good dead in the animal birth giving results. If you have past store of a lot of good Karma and birth is due to a relativelysmall mistake the when this bad Karma exhaust the animal will get a better birth, but when the being has a strong backing of good Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since it is not possible to teach the the a pet on moral conduct and how to eliminate the unwholesome mental states there is only little you can do, but you can protect him from these states arising and also help cultivate some positive states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when in fear - comfort and pet to eradicate &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reduce desire for food - generally give moderately tasty food (give treats occasionally) but in reasonable quantities so he is nerve too hungry &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reduce bonding - do not pet too much and spoil the pet&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;give the dog activities so as he does not become too lazy &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;some pets can be trained as therapy dogs, guide dogs and rescue dogs, etc., like wise train your dog to do some good deeds. You need some imagination how to make this work. If the recipientsare pure and / or needy the results would be better. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dogs may have some understanding of babies so try to teach some basic understanding of good and bad. E.g. if chances other animals then not to do this and be more friendly. Again you will have to use a lot of imagination on what can be achived and how it can be achieved &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-07T17:15:59.827" LastActivityDate="2016-03-07T17:15:59.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14386" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-08T02:51:17.103" Score="2" ViewCount="210" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is doing contemplation of death  auto-suggestion to meditate ? is it working on my subconsciousness ? maybe i should just do auto suggestion telling my self many times to meditate - maybe its more effective ?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;can i do my own version of death contemplation or should i say exactly the words in the sutta ?  if i can what are the guidelines that i should follow when make my own version ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i dont fear death and dont care to die - is it still useful ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;can i do death contemplation about people i care about ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you can only answer some questions i asked or add something i didnt ask about which is related and can be helpful &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T13:27:04.770" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T13:27:04.770" Title="Is contemplation of death auto-suggestion?" Tags="|death|contemplation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14386" CreationDate="2016-03-08T03:52:42.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contemplating death achieves certain objectives and contemplation should be worded to realise the said objective though the wording can be different:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;being fearless at the moment of death such that your last mind moment can be conducive to a better rebirth - hence contemplate along the lines that everyone will die including me, death is common to all. Is this form you can use other people like famous people, great people, powerful people, etc. who have died to re enforce that achievements do not stop death. In addition you can perhaps use living loved ones so you reduce your attachment to them so you will be less saddened when they actually die if you are to die before hand you will be able to let go of loved ones.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;get the notion that time is running out hence attend to what needs attention without delay - hence contemplate along the lines that life is un certain, death is certain, hence be quick. This might be like auto suggestion to meditate. But auto suggestion to meditate will not achieve the same effectiveness as it does not embed the notion that time is limited, this limit is unknown and it is running out fast and death takes your ability to beat or win over death to achieve deathlessness. This notion fuels urgency and spiritual restlessness to practice. As a result this helps with eliminating or reducing procrastination. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;letting go of possession and loved ones - hence contemplate along the lines that when I die I will not take anything or anyone with me and no one has in the past.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In devising your own wording, keep it short, sweet / easy to mentally recite (rhyming / rhythmic), to the point, in a language you understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14363/how-do-i-do-contemplation-of-death-meditation-and-is-it-dangerous&quot;&gt;How do I do &amp;quot;contemplation of death&amp;quot; meditation? And is it dangerous?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T05:03:39.563" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14386" CreationDate="2016-03-08T10:30:24.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha used to send new disciples to cremation ground for few months to contemplate upon death. It does not matter what you do but make sure you have something which reminds of death. For example something you can wear, even an alarm on your phone. Humans are pretty evasive when it comes to death. Any form of reminder can make you aware of impending death and hence urgency to meditate. The whole point is create a situation for yourself which reminds you of death. But please do not be stressed by it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T10:30:24.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14363" CreationDate="2016-03-08T19:21:30.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although suicide &lt;em&gt;is performed&lt;/em&gt; visually in these practices, none of these Buddhist practices lead to such a behavior &lt;strong&gt;if done in a neutral, matter-of-fact manner&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In fact, there are myriad benefits to regular practice and it is one of the 3 most important buddhist practices.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for this is the same reason as you would imagine yourself during your job interview and imagine what will happen: &lt;strong&gt;you will be more informed and ready long before it happens.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In no way, should you be depressed. In fact you should be almost happy and light and free, shedding your body and thinking of what is most important in this post-mortem state: &lt;em&gt;vipassana, concentration, morality--the Three Trainings of Buddhism!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when you do this &quot;skeleton meditation&quot;, you start off with accepting the suddenness of death and realizing the importance of energy and time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next you go on step by step through the points, imagining your corpse filling up with pus, bursting, and eventually your flesh being exposed and rotting away until you are just a skeleton.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/Special%20Report%20Skeleton.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is a very special instructional on how to practice this Buddhist technique to improve your chi levels alongside with history and gong-fu anecdotes. The author of the article has a lot of other free articles but this is not one of them--he just forgot to protect the link and I am sharing here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, it will answer all your other questions about practice schedule and will help you understand this ancient practice in a modern, holistic light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-03-08T19:21:30.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-09T00:33:23.317" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;After a stressful or difficult day, either from work or daily activity that makes the practice of mindfulness difficult, return to mindfulness as soon as possible. Either during your method of returning home or once you get home. Increase your effort towards mindfulness sincerely and wholly as soon as possible. This will begin the process of bringing you back to being in the moment and starts calming the mind prior to formal or sitting meditation. One might refer to the mindful process I described as meditation. The method I offer is an alternative to say, walking into your meditation room, with your mind agitated and attempting to immediately sit down, meditate and calm the mind. As suggested in a previous post walking meditation can assist with this same purpose prior to taking to your cushion. As well, one may begin formal or sitting meditation with body-sweeping to calm the mind and bring the mind within.&#xA;With wishes for peace to all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7941" LastActivityDate="2016-03-09T00:33:23.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-09T19:36:49.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For various reasons -- when I am unable to practice my  regular meditation  (mindfulness of breathing anapanasati) well, I take on one of three responses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1)  I make my focus my state of dissatisfaction with the meditation my object: Here is a thought, there is a responding mental painful feeling, here is aversion, here is craving for it to be different. Here is me grasping at some effort to create change, here is the result, here it goes again. The constant succession of conditioned links is beautiful and terrible to behold. One does lose enchantment with this experience pretty quickly, and wants no more. It is not a comfortable practice but it is an &quot;enlightening&quot; one if I mayuse the term without intending  full liberation. I think it does move you closer to that though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) I switch to one that is easier because it feels good and soothes painful mental states: Metta, or more properly  Brahma Viharra , any of the well recognized teachers does well with this, but my favorite guidance for this particular one is the anupada sutta dhamma talk by Bhante Vimalaramsi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) I switching to living life meditation, just begin my next tasks, whi8le holding the old meditation object in mind or the new one. When I absolutely can't seem to hold one, I use the  reflection on Buddha Dhamma, Sangha that I put to chanting tune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck. I think we have all been there Iknow I have been.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7960" LastActivityDate="2016-03-09T19:36:49.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12464" CreationDate="2016-03-10T01:51:17.350" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a section that occurs both in MN 62 and 140:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What, bhikkhu, is the earth element? The earth element may be either internal or external. What is the internal earth element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung-to, that is, head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung-to: this is called the internal earth element. Now both the internal earth element and the external earth element are simply earth element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the earth element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the earth element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What, bhikkhu, is the water element? The water element may be either internal or external. What is the internal water element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is water, watery, and clung-to, that is, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle, snot, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is water, watery, and clung-to: this is called the internal water element. Now both the internal water element and the external water element are simply water element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the water element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the water element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What, bhikkhu, is the fire element? The fire element may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, and clung-to, that is, that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by which what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted gets completely digested, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, and clung-to: this is called the internal fire element. Now both the internal fire element and the external fire element are simply fire element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the fire element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the fire element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What, bhikkhu, is the air element? The air element may be either internal or external. What is the internal air element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung-to, that is, up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the belly, winds in the bowels, winds that course through the limbs, in-breath and out-breath, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung-to: this is called the internal air element. Now both the internal air element and the external air element are simply air element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the air element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the air element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;majjhima nikāya 140 -- The Exposition of the Elements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, if you read the Satipatthana sutra (MN 10), in the contemplation of body section, he has a very concise version of this elements section:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, monks, a monk, in regard to this very body, however placed, however disposed, reflects by way of the elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There are in this body, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as though, monks, a clever butcher, or a butcher’s apprentice,&#xA;  after slaughtering a cow, were sitting down at a crossroads after&#xA;  dividing it into portions; even so, monks, a monk in regard to this&#xA;  very body, however placed, however disposed, reflects by way of the&#xA;  elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There are in this body, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And immediately preceding it is the contemplation of the parts of the body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, monks, a monk in regard to this very body—from the sole of the feet upwards, from the hair of the head down, bounded by the skin, ; and full of manifold impurities—reflects (thus):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There are in this body: hairs of the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spit, mucus, synovial fluid, urine.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as though, monks, there were a bag open at both ends, full of various kinds of grain, such as: hill rice, white rice, mung beans, kidney beans, sesame seeds, chickpeas; and a man with good vision having opened it were to reflect (thus): “This is hill rice, this is white rice, these are mung beans, these are sesame seeds, these are chickpeas”; even so, monks, a monk in regard to this very body—from the sole of the feet upwards, from the hair of the head down, bounded by the skin, ; and full of manifold impurities—reflects (thus):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There are in this body, hairs of the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spit, mucus, synovial fluid, urine.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also hear Bhikkhu Bhodi give an explanation on the elements at about the 30 minute mark in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/courses/audio.php?file=MN/MP3/M0055_MN-010.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lecture he gave.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7962" LastEditorUserId="7962" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T22:01:27.333" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T22:01:27.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14394" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14395" CreationDate="2016-03-10T06:36:34.433" Score="5" ViewCount="2621" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read that the Buddha said the cause of suffering is ignorance of the &quot;nature of reality&quot;. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;nature of reality&quot; that the Buddha talks about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5321" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-10T09:09:59.207" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T04:26:32.360" Title="What is the &quot;nature of reality&quot; according to the Buddha?" Tags="|reference-request|ignorance|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-03-10T11:33:13.057" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have read that the Buddha said the cause of suffering is ignorance of the &quot;nature of reality&quot;. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it is correct. If you knew the real nature of something you will not crave or averse to any experience which deals to suffering. E.g.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attached to something impermanent as permanent and be sad when this thing you hold dear breaks or decays&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we are in a roller coaster of sensation which we have no control over and laos changing, i.e., all thing we hold as good and pleasurable comes to an end, we encounter things we do not like and when things are neutral this also can change into some unwanted situation as we still creating a future for ourselves&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;consider things that actually bring displeasure in the long haul as me or mine&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;nature of reality&quot; that the Buddha talks about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the simplest framework way this has been described to the hardest nature of reality is described is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Patthana - Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt; (7th book of the Abhidhamma) or a more elaborate description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-10T12:29:37.853" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T12:29:37.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-03-10T11:35:09.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I answer that with some Wikipedia links? I don't know how much detail you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;nature of reality&quot; might refer to the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Ignorance&quot; is said to be the &quot;root&quot; of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a description of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ignorance on Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;: which quotes a sutta which defines ignorance (its definition of ignorance is not knowing the &quot;four noble truths&quot;); and which quotes a sutta which explains why it's the cause of suffering (its explanation of the cause is as first of the &quot;twelve nidanas&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally I was interested to read of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Dharma Seals&lt;/a&gt;&quot; recently: they are the three marks, plus nirvana as the fourth. Then there's a note which says, &quot;As suffering is not an inherent aspect of existence sometimes the second seal is omitted to make Three Dharma Seals.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T11:35:09.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-03-10T11:52:40.447" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Realities are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/paramattha-dhamma/index.html&quot;&gt;Paramattha Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism. There are 4 such realities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citta&lt;/strong&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;ex: Vipaaka-citta, Karma, Kiriya-citta.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cetasika&lt;/strong&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#cetasika&quot;&gt;mental concomitants&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;ex: Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rupa&lt;/strong&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot;&gt;materiality&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;ex: Patavi, Apo, Tejo, Vayo&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#nibbaana&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nibbana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;nature of reality&quot; that the Buddha talks about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first 3 realities listed above have &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/trilogy.htm&quot;&gt;3 qualitative natures&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anicca&lt;/strong&gt;(impermanent)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dukkha&lt;/strong&gt;(unsatisfactory)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anatta&lt;/strong&gt;(impersonal)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth reality only has the impersonal nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause for suffering is craving according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble11.htm&quot;&gt;2nd noble truth&lt;/a&gt;. But craving cannot arise without ignorance. It also cannot be uprooted without eliminating ignorance. Ignorance is given as the first link of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/nutshell_paticcasamuppada.php&quot;&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt;, the dependent arising process which explains the origins of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't recall any sutta in which the Buddha making that exact statement, but it is inline with Buddhism. It would be more correct if you say &quot;&lt;strong&gt;The cause of suffering is craving, which arises due to the ignorance of the nature of reality&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-10T12:02:06.120" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T12:02:06.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-03-10T12:46:56.593" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have read that the Buddha said the cause of suffering is ignorance&#xA;  of the &quot;nature of reality&quot;. Is this correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming into existence or 'birthing' (jati) is the cause of suffering (dukkha). &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising - Paticca samuppāda&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;nature of reality&quot; that the Buddha talks about?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned things (forms, verbalization, mental thoughts), are forever changing (anicca), lead to suffering (dukka), and devoid of a permanent entity/owner (anattma). Read about the Tilakkhana or the Three Characteristics in the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;may you be happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-10T13:49:27.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14402" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-11T01:21:56.597" Score="4" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to understand how modern Buddhism deals with our current scientific understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science indicates that life began on this planet with a small set of life forms. So there was a point in time where only a few life forms would be capable of rebirth. Now, however, there are over 7 billion humans and immensely more other creatures which can all be reborn. Where did all the souls/consciousnesses that exist now come from? How does the idea of rebirth fit with the evolution of life on Earth? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am very curious as to how modern Buddhism deals with this question. Please forgive me if it is a dumb question, my understanding of Buddhism is very minimal. Thanks in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7963" LastActivityDate="2016-03-11T09:05:55.300" Title="Does rebirth conflict with evolution?" Tags="|rebirth|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14402" CreationDate="2016-03-11T03:52:05.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are an infinite number of beings in all the places of existance and also an infinite number of universes. The earth being one of the humanoid worlds. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.15-Kosala-S-1-a10.29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; [Kosala Sutta 1]&lt;/a&gt; In some of the higher planes the number of beings are finite. In lower planes this might not be the case. As life span decreases the merit required to be born in the human plane decreases hence the population increase. Sometimes conflicts and natural disasters do reduce the population.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; does mention about evolution from being in higher plane and how the deteriorate incidentally occupying the lower planes. (At the start of the cycle there only a higher plane)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their body was still coarse and roughly shaped. Thus, after a very long time, the mud-like substance began to be exhausted. Then, mushroom-like plants began to grow so fast that they replaced the mud-like ocean. The creatures began to devour them as well, and they also found it delicious, like sweet honey and milk. Their body hardened more and details began to turn finer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After another very long time, the mushrooms also began to be exhausted, replaced by cassava or turnip-like plants. They also began to devour them night and day, and thus they began to notice differences amongst them. As the changes of their bodies varied between each other, the concept of difference arose. The concepts of the beautiful and the ugly were born. The beautiful scorns the ugly and they became arrogant because of their appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and evolution&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-11T04:53:24.753" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14402" CreationDate="2016-03-11T08:33:53.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, life began on this planet with a small set of beings too. Actually, it was just one being to start with.  One of the oldest Brahmas from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhassara Brahma realm&lt;/a&gt; who descended to earth after his life span ran out. He was mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After living alone for a long time, he started to think that it would be better if there were other beings like him on earth. Then other beings who passed away on Abhassara realm, started to appear on earth too. This made the original being think that these new beings were created due to his wishing. This is the origin of the beliefs like &quot;God created man in his image&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the beings started descending from other worlds, the population increased and the appearance of those beings started to change as time passed by. More details can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agganna Sutta.&lt;/a&gt; So there are similarities to evolution theory, but Buddhism doesn't subscribe to the scientific view that life originated on earth due to chemical reactions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-11T09:05:55.300" LastActivityDate="2016-03-11T09:05:55.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14405" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-11T13:14:11.170" Score="1" ViewCount="850" Body="&lt;p&gt;Until and unless I become enlightened I will be driven by my needs. At times I am aware and these urges do not overpower me but not always. What is wrong here according to Buddhism? Enjoyment? If yes that is the case then with all people who are enjoying writing in this forum. Desire to help others masquerades as compassion. I find desires as the central point of origin of actions. I have my doubts whether compassion is the real force. I think compassion is mixed with desire in all our actions till we are liberated. Please enlighten me. &#xA;For the sake of clarity I am just a regular Joe not a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-03-13T03:29:42.810" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T20:31:46.997" Title="I enjoy sex just like I enjoy good movie. What is wrong about it?" Tags="|ethics|nirvana|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14406" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-11T14:48:49.287" Score="3" ViewCount="1315" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I know Vajrayana Buddhism has a concept of &quot;Gods&quot;: it's kind of &quot;polytheism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does it related to the concept of non-theism in common &quot;original&quot; Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7965" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-03-14T22:29:03.463" LastActivityDate="2017-12-20T10:00:40.207" Title="Concept of &quot;gods&quot; in Vajrayana Buddhism" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14406" CreationDate="2016-03-11T15:06:43.090" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, a God is merely a sentient being that is subject to suffering. Gods have afflictions such as ignorance, anger, attachment and so forth. They have mistaken consciousnesses, and so forth. It is just a type of rebirth. You yourself could be reborn as a God. A god is empty of being permanent, unitary, independent, self-sufficient substantially existent, and according to some schools of Tenets empty of true existence as well, and to others empty of inherent existence as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, 'a god' is just a name referring to a type of being that experiences pleasant feelings for a very long time, before he dies and gets reborn as... maybe a human, or a preta, or a hell being, or an animal or a god again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the concept of 'deity' but that is another matter that is related to secret mantra and the four bodies of a buddha. Basically, a deity is an emanation or a supreme emanation body which is not a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-03-11T15:06:43.090" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-11T15:07:18.327" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex(1) is unwholesome(2) according to the Buddha's teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is on this forum just to enjoy oneself then that is probably unwholesome. If the real intention to be on this forum is to learn and/or help people then that is most likely a wholesome intention and is good kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wanting to be compassionate is a wholesome intention. Not everything we want is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Unwholesome actions lead to suffering. Unwholesome actions are usually entangled with a wrong view of self, nonacceptance of reality and/or not letting go of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) Wholesome actions are usually in harmony with acceptance of reality, letting go of reactions to reality  and/or the correct view of self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Why is sex between consenting adult laypeople unwholesome? I don't know precisely but I do have faith in the Buddha's teaching. Even just wanting to exist is also unwholesome, so I wouldn't get my feathers ruffled over it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T16:06:08.767" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T16:06:08.767" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-11T17:28:44.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until and unless i become enlightened I will be driven by my needs. At times I am aware and these urges do not overpower me but not always. What is wrong here according to Buddhism? Enjoyment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Since sex is technically speaking not against the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts#Pali_training_rules&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt; (as long as it's not sexual misconduct), there is nothing wrong about it from the point of view of (Buddhist) ethics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Note, that there is a difference between &lt;em&gt;vedana (feeling)&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;tanha (craving, &amp;quot;thirst&amp;quot;)&lt;/em&gt;. There is nothing wrong about experiencing pleasant feelings as such, but having desire for them will lead to &lt;em&gt;dukkha (suffering)&lt;/em&gt;. So any desire will &lt;strong&gt;prevent&lt;/strong&gt; you from getting &lt;em&gt;nibbana (awakening, enlightened)&lt;/em&gt; and is certainly not a fill-in until you get there. Remember, that you can only progress on this path by &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, &amp;amp; resolute, thinking imbued with sensuality arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with sensuality has arisen in me; and that leads to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Unbinding.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As I noticed that it leads to my own affliction, it subsided. As I noticed that it leads to the affliction of others... to the affliction of both... it obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Unbinding, it subsided. Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality had arisen, I simply abandoned it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence. - MN 19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary: Desire/Enjoyment will lead you away from &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Desire to help others masquerades as compassion. I find desires as the central point of origin of actions. I have my doubts whether compassion is the real force. I think compassion is mixed with desire in all our actions till we are liberated.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt; is the translation of the word &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html#kamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect. - AN 6.63&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at others, you can see their actions of body and speech, but you cannot know their intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if someone is helping somebody out of self-desire, this would be both &lt;em&gt;good kamma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;bad kamma&lt;/em&gt;, since the intention to help others with body or speech is good, but the intention of self-desire is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary: You cannot know, what others think/intend. Also, Buddhists should have &lt;em&gt;metta (unconditioned loving kindness)&lt;/em&gt; towards others from their side and not get caught up in prejudices or suspicions about the intentions of others, because then they would have bad intentions themself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T11:29:36.520" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14411" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14412" CreationDate="2016-03-11T17:41:27.827" Score="4" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; in which something is said--roughly: that unless one has suppressed the hindrances, one cannot see the welfare of self or other. Or that without jhāna one cannot see one's own welfare or anothers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-11T18:54:05.487" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T13:43:59.810" Title="Jhāna, seeing the welfare of self and other" Tags="|reference-request|texts|jhana|insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14411" CreationDate="2016-03-12T00:09:55.890" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot;&gt;Sangaravo Sutta: Sangarava -- The Hindrances (SN 46.55)&lt;/a&gt; says that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says that ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he cannot know or see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, nor can he know and see what is to the profit of others, or of both himself and others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... when overwhelmed and possessed by hindrances including ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sense-desires&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ill-will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sloth-and-torpor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;worry-and-flurry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;doubt-and-wavering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but conversely ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when a man dwells with his heart not possessed, not overwhelmed by sense-desires... ill-will... sloth-and-torpor... worry-and-flurry... doubt-and-wavering... [like the five bowls of water not as previously described, but 'clear, limpid, pellucid, set in the open']... then he knows and sees, as it really is, what is to his own profit, to the profit of others, to the profit of both himself and others. Then even sacred words he has not long studied are clear to him, not to mention those he has studied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta says that about &quot;hindrances&quot; and &quot;profit of self and other&quot;, but I don't think it mentions jhāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-12T00:29:36.867" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T00:29:36.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8579" CreationDate="2016-03-12T00:16:16.290" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is like a cup which is holding water. Without consciousness you will not exist. Buddhism talks about four elements and some relgions three elements, and some five as the basic building block of various objects of Nature including humans. Consciousness is the holding structure for these elements. But if you see it objectively it is just a container which is holding you including mind, various sensory organs etc etc. Can you label a container good or bad? You have trillions of cells organized inside your body. What the is organizing principle here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is a realization that consciousness is not the final thing. Infact it is not a thing. Nirvana does not break consciousness otherwise you will die. It is just that consciousness will not manifest again as a body. Upon death it will be merged with the whole or Sunya or nothingness. Your desire gives a shape to your consciousness. For example if you desire to be a scientist in this birth and it is not fulfilled, consciousness will give it a shape in next birth. You might have PhD parents in your next birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is a direct experience of something beyond consciousness. Call it superconsciousness or Sunya. From that point on more desire and hence no more movement of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the most difficult concept intellectually to grasp. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-03-13T11:50:56.827" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T11:50:56.827" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T00:35:20.057" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course craving is at the root of all our actions while we're still not &#xA;enlightened yet. However, there're different degrees of craving from the coarsest to the subtlest. Sexual activity is at the coarser end of the spectrum for it's part of a basic instinct common to both humans and animals. The desire to share Dhamma knowledge or to help other people is a subtler form for you don't quite see that among the animals. Dhamma cultivation process is like chipping away the dust and crust of a rock to reveal the diamond core inside. If one's not able to chip away the outer layer, what hope is there to ever get to the core! It's also important to keep in mind that the path to enlightenment is not one with absolutely no desire whatsoever. See a beautiful analogy Ven. Ananda taught the Brahman Unnabha about wholesome desire in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 51.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T00:35:20.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14411" CreationDate="2016-03-12T00:52:28.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to add to ChrisW's point on the SN 46.55 sutta. The jhanas are implied in that sutta for thru the jhanas, their 5 Jhana Factors are the key antidotes to the abandonement of the Five Hindrances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One-pointedness/ekaggata counter greed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy/pity counter anger &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Applied thought/vitakka counter sloth/torpor &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness/sukha counter restlessness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sustained thought/vicara counter doubt &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T00:52:28.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T03:32:55.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The spiritual path is lonely. We have others to walk with, but not lean on. Why I am making this point is that, we have to observe ourselves with responsibility irrespective of society or people. Clarity of perspective is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are responsible for our thoughts, emotions and actions. We need to truly see this point. Not many people understand it clearly. Taking this into perspective, we need to get behind our actions and truly observe it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am saying is that, preaching the Dhamma or having sex are 2 actions. They are not important. What is the &lt;strong&gt;volition&lt;/strong&gt; behind them? That's important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humans and animals have desires and they have the tendency to act. Humans can do it consciously. That is by truly thinking about it. Animals do it however they can or whenever in a more &quot;crude&quot; way sometimes, because that is how they are programmed. Their survival or compulsive instinct takes over. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As humans, we are always seeking some kind of pleasure or pleasantness if you observe correctly. Pleasure seeking activities. If some bad feeling comes out of an activity, we tend not to do it. If some good feeling comes out of an activity, we go back to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we do activities compulsively, without observing it, this is what happens. Seeking pleasure unconsciously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You made a point about enjoyment. You could &lt;strong&gt;enjoy preaching the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt; or you could &lt;strong&gt;enjoy having sex&lt;/strong&gt;. I would say they are not the same enjoyment. Now you have to observe how the activity you do &lt;strong&gt;owns you&lt;/strong&gt; in a way. Do you feel the compulsive need to have sex or masturbate? That activity owns you. That is craving or &lt;code&gt;Tanha&lt;/code&gt;. You just want to try or do it because it makes your ego feel good, that's compulsive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can just as well keep the compulsive feeling aside and truly realize &lt;strong&gt;all actions as providing feelings&lt;/strong&gt;, (good feeling or bad feeling is irrelevant), that is of the same source, the ego, please be my teacher ;) This is equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So please see that there is &lt;strong&gt;actually nothing good or bad (or right or wrong)&lt;/strong&gt; in the context of everything. But your actions just have consequences. We don't know what consequence yet because we can't or don't need to see that far. If you are ready to accept any consequence, consciously, then you are free to do whatever. May karma guide your path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this light I just want to share a small story I heard from a certain guru. There was this man who used to always look at this woman who used to live in the neighborhood. She looked good and she also sort of reciprocated the looks she got from this man. But the man didn't talk to the woman at all. Time passed, and the man died. He went to heaven because he was such a &quot;good&quot; guy always doing &quot;morally good&quot; deeds ;) The gods told him he is extremely &quot;good&quot; but that kind of &quot;good&quot; is not acceptable. He must go back to earth with 2 and a half hours of time and do a single &quot;bad&quot; deed. And then he will be accepted into heaven completely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He went back down to earth and was thinking what &quot;bad&quot; deed could he do anyway? Then he thought, alright, this is the time. He went straight to the neighboring woman's house, knocked on her door. She was shocked to find him there. He forcefully entered her house and said &quot;I am going to do something to you.&quot; Nature took over. Stuff happened. And he thought &quot;ah yes now I have done a &quot;bad&quot; deed and can go to heaven gleefully!&quot; Just as he was about to leave the woman's house, she said, &quot;Where are you going? Come back. You are wonderful, you made me feel really nice!&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He totally facepalmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, this thing you call &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; should be natural. That is true compassion. By natural, I mean that it should come out of your own &lt;strong&gt;volition&lt;/strong&gt;. It CANNOT be forced. I cannot sit here and command you to be good to your neighbor. It DOES NOT work that way. If you truly see or realize the responsibility you have to your society and other humans and animals and plants and everything, your thoughts and emotions will automatically start to tailor themselves to behave responsibly. That is why we practice &lt;strong&gt;metta&lt;/strong&gt; meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-03-12T04:17:58.257" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T04:17:58.257" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T09:59:26.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I enjoy sex just like I enjoy good movie. What is wrong about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, if here you are enjoying something, maybe I shouldn't go out of my way to complain about it and to tell you that your enjoyment or your behaviour wrong.&#xA;If you were enjoying some &quot;good movie&quot;, it might not be polite to interrupt and say you shouldn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still in this question you do seem to be &lt;em&gt;asking&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;what's wrong with it?&quot; -- and so to be on-topic maybe an answer ought to try to tell you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I enjoy sex just like I enjoy good movie.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there's some difference between enjoying a movie and enjoying sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you mean &quot;sex with someone else&quot; then a difference is that sex can lead to wanting to find pleasure in, to repeatedly or perpetually find pleasure in, to control finding pleasure with someone else. That can lead to wanting to control or own someone, to assign to someone else the responsibility for your happiness, can lead to suffering for both of you. It's not quite like enjoying an inanimate object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a movie is shareable (anyone can see it), whereas a sexual partner is less so; so having a sexual partner could lead to isolation, jealousy, to not treating everyone equally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a movie (unlike a sexual partner) won't make further demands on you: maybe a movie will cost you a few hours, whereas desire for sex can cost a lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until and unless i become enlightened I will be driven by my needs.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, it might be better to call sex a &quot;desire&quot; rather than a &quot;need&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes some kinds of addict might call their desire a need though: for example they might say, I &lt;em&gt;need&lt;/em&gt; alcohol; I &lt;em&gt;need&lt;/em&gt; drugs; I need people to admire me; I need to feel proud; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the way it works is something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sensuality - &quot;I can see and touch things&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling - &quot;I feel good, I like these things&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;craving - &quot;I want more&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;attachment - &quot;These are the things I want more of, the things I need&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then attachment kind of goes against two of the marks of existence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;impermanence&quot; - although what you're attached to is impermanent, attachment to it or craving for it makes you want it to be permanent, or makes you feel suffering/dissatisfaction when it's not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;anatta&quot; - although things are not-self, attachment makes you think they are, for example, &quot;that is &lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt; wife&quot; and &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am the person&lt;/em&gt; who needs sex&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sex is forbidden to Buddhist monks. Perhaps you can consider them as proof (evidence) that sex is merely some desire but not a need. The rules of conduct for monks is written and well defined -- having sex would mean that person is no longer a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is informative: &lt;em&gt;food&lt;/em&gt; is a need; monks might have &lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt; too (especially craving for enlightenment); monks might even have &lt;em&gt;conceit&lt;/em&gt; (especially the conceit that, because someone else was able to attain release, then so can they); but not sex. Sex is forbidden (and, by implication, also unecessary, not a &quot;need&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a sutta which answers your theory (&quot;What I am saying is simple. Till the time you are liberated you are bound to have cravings. Cravings produces Kamma. So it is a vicious cycle. You are stuck forever.&quot;) that because unenlightened people have desire then they can never become enlightened: see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another metaphor might be, &quot;A car in motion has momentum, therefore it can never stop.&quot; Well that's a theory but people can stop cars (using a brake, not using the accelerator, not refuelling the car, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If yes that is the case then with all people who are enjoying writing in this forum.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are differences between enjoying sex and enjoying a movie; and other difference between enjoying this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People might enjoy this site because it helps them to understand the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is in some ways not like sex or a movie. One difference is that Dhamma is &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/akalika.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;akalika&lt;/a&gt; i.e. &quot;timeless&quot;. Perhaps the Dharma is (or can be) always helpful, always useful, no matter where and when you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Desire to help others masquerades as compassion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it seems that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I feel as if I know at least partially the person who I'm writing to (on this site), but not always.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this post you were talking about and maybe trying to justify your sex life  (which I know next to nothing about), and saying things I might not agree with (e.g. about &quot;need&quot;) and so I didn't get the feeling that I knew who I was writing to -- maybe I'm not necessarily writing it to be &quot;compassionate&quot; to &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I find desires as the central point of origin of actions.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hmm. Maybe &quot;intention&quot; is the central point: we do things because we have some or other &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt;. That's suggested by the definition of &quot;kamma&quot; as &quot;intentional action&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then, maybe &quot;intention&quot; is conditioned by &quot;view&quot;: for example if you view sex as desirable, or view it as a need, then you intend to have sex. Conversely if you viewed liberation as desirable and sensuality as unsatisfying, then you might have a different intention. (That's suggested by the &quot;noble eightfold path&quot;, which places &quot;right intention&quot; immediately after &quot;right view&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I think compassion is mixed with desire in all our actions till we are liberated.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the models of the path to liberation is that of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to that model, things like &quot;identity view&quot; and &quot;doubts about the teachings&quot; are the first fetters to overcome. &quot;Sensual desire&quot; is more persistent, and gradually overcome during the two stages after that. A kind of craving (for existence) continues until the last stage ... so maybe you're right that &quot;desire&quot; of some kind of other is persistent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;second noble truth&lt;/a&gt; is that craving is a source of suffering. Feeding, fuelling, and enjoying addictions and self-justifying them as a &quot;need&quot; might not be the best way to reduce or eliminate craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this answer isn't the whole truth but it's &lt;em&gt;an&lt;/em&gt; answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T09:59:26.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14406" CreationDate="2016-03-12T10:10:25.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tenzin Dorje's answer describing &quot;a God in Tibetan Buddhism&quot; seems to me like the notion of Gods in what you call &quot;common original Buddhism&quot;, summarized in Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Deva (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that article has a section titled &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devas are not gods&lt;/a&gt;, which lists ways in which Devas are unlike the &quot;God[s]&quot; of a theistic religion (so in that way it's IMO also true to describe Buddhism as &quot;atheist&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T10:10:25.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T13:13:12.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Until and unless i become enlightened I will be driven by my needs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when you are enlightened you will have your bodily needs but this is not fueled by greed, hatred or ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At times I am aware and these urges do not overpower me but not always. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person gets overpowered by lust or any other form greed, hatred or ignorance what happens is that the person has lost his &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist pratice has a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt; covering &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;higher virtue&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;higher mind&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;higher wisdom&lt;/a&gt;. When you mastery over the mind is shaky then so will become your wisdom and also virtue. In these situation developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clam&lt;/a&gt; maybe the best thing to regain mastery over the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is wrong here according to Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism training is such that you do not become a slave your your mind and your uncontrolled desires and aversion. So this is not a desirable situation to be in but as worldlings these things happen. With lapse of time you have to train so you are not a puppet of your desires but you have control over the mind and finally eradicate the roots (greed, hatred, ignorance, non greed, non hatred, non ignorance) by which you finally gain ultimate control or mastery over the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Enjoyment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a householder you can enjoy within the framework of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Precepts&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If yes that is the case then with all people who are enjoying writing in this forum. Desire to help others masquerades as compassion. I find desires as the central point of origin of actions. I have my doubts whether compassion is the real force. I think compassion is mixed with desire in all our actions till we are liberated. Please enlighten me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Action can be due to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chanda&lt;/a&gt; which can be either wholesome or not. If the action is attached to either greed, hatred or ignorance it is not wholesome. Having &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;desire to act&lt;/a&gt; on its own is not a bad thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I enjoy sex just like I enjoy good movie. What is wrong about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is preoccupation with sex or to the opposite sex which might be leading to excessive desires, hence to start with you can reduce this. Details in overcoming this is given in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.7-Sannoga-S-a7.48-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññoga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And the women became excessively preoccupied with the men, and the men with the women.  Owing to&#xA;    this excessive preoccupation with each other, lust was aroused, and their bodies burned [with&#xA;    passion]. Because of this burning, they indulged in sexual activity. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence what you are doing is you are evaluating some one desirable or ugly and developing craving and aversion to the present and unpleasant sensation that follows. This processes should stop whereby you are equanimity knowing the arising and passing nature of the arisen feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to what is wrong with it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lust is a craving which cases the cycle of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; to turn creating more misery in the future. Also covered in the 2 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Truth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is part of sensory desire (kāmacchanda) in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt; which will stall your spiritual progress.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T16:03:58.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14411" CreationDate="2016-03-12T13:28:53.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With hindrances you do not properly look at one's welfare or others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is water in a pot mixed with red, yellow, blue or orange color, a man with a normal faculty of sight, looking into it, could not properly recognize and see the image of his own face. &lt;em&gt;In the same way, when one's mind is possessed by sensual desire, overpowered by sensual desire, one cannot properly see the escape from sensual desire which has arisen&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;strong&gt;then one does not properly understand and see one's own welfare, nor that of another, nor that of both&lt;/strong&gt;; and also texts memorized a long time ago do not come into one's mind, not to speak of those not memorized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 46:55&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having hindrances one does not realise one's welfare or that of others but overcoming this then you do realise one's welfare and that of the others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are five impediments and hindrances, overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight. What five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensual desire is an impediment and hindrance, an overgrowth of the mind that stultifies insight. Ill-will... Sloth and torpor... Restlessness and remorse... Sceptical doubt are impediments and hindrances, overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Without having overcome these five, it is impossible for a monk whose insight thus lacks strength and power, to know his own true good, the good of others, and the good of both&lt;/strong&gt;; nor will he be capable of realizing that superhuman state of distinctive achievement, the knowledge and vision enabling the attainment of sanctity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But if a monk has overcome these five impediments and hindrances, these overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight, then it is possible that, with his strong insight, he can know his own true good, the good of others, and the good of both&lt;/strong&gt;; and he will be capable of realizing that superhuman state of distinctive achievement, the knowledge and vision enabling the attainment of sanctity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— AN 5:51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana as means to overcome hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applied thought, of the factors of absorptions (jhananga)&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Energy, of the spiritual faculties (indriya);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Investigation of reality, energy and rapture, of the factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is sluggish, it is not the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: tranquillity, concentration and equanimity, because a sluggish mind can hardly be aroused by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is sluggish, it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: investigation of reality, energy and rapture, because a sluggish mind can easily be aroused by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 46:53&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&#xA;Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyanaponika_Thera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T13:43:59.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T16:29:33.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with enjoying sex, so long as you don't mind suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me turn the question around on you: If you were never able to have sex again, even though your desire and drive to do so remained, how would that make you feel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judging by your question and the comments you have made, I would assume this would cause you suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is all that the Buddha is saying. Such a mind-state of clinging and craving will plant the seed for potential future suffering. You cannot suffer because you can't have sex, if you don't want to have sex to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, a mind free from craving, free from anger, and free from delusion, seeing clearly the transient, unsatisfying nature of all impermanent phenomena, is a mind with no potential to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the Buddha's teaching: This leads to this, that leads to that. That is all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really is true, I can tell you from my own experience. If you give the Buddhas teaching a fair chance and put it into practice, you will likely see very quickly in meditation how perturbed the mind becomes by the constant craving for sensuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am very much like you, in fact. Before my first meditation course last year, I loved having sex, and indulging in sensuality. I thought it was great, and the more I got, the happier I was.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I attended the course, at first it was very nice, sitting in silence. It was very peaceful. For the first day, at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After this, for the next few following days, my mind was bombarded with lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All day, for several days, my mind cried out for the object of its desire, and every time it did, I brought it back to the present moment. This was true suffering. My mind was inflamed. Not because I needed to have sex; clearly not having sex will not kill you, but instead, because in this meditative state, I could clearly see how this craving was inflaming my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can tell you this, this lust is like a thirst that is never quenched. The object of your desire can never quench your thirst; as soon as you have it, it is gone, like sand falling through your fingers. As soon as you get it, it's gone, and before long you need more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why we are always in search for more, never knowing peace, always wanting. We're chasing a mirage of water that will never quench our thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simile by Ajahn Chah illustrates this well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maggots&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we give rise to right view in our hearts, we can be at ease wherever we are. It's because we still have wrong views, still hold onto ideas that are poisonous, that we're not at ease. Holding on in this way is like being a maggot. Where it lives is filthy; its food is filthy. Its food isn't fit to be food — but it seems fitting to the maggot. Try taking a stick and flicking it out of the excrement where it's feeding, and see what happens. It'll wiggle and wriggle, eager to get back to the pile of excrement where it was before. Only then does it feel right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same with you monks and novices. You still have wrong views. Teachers come and advise you on how to have right view, but it doesn't feel right to you. You keep running back to your pile of excrement. Right view doesn't feel right because you're used to your old pile of excrement. As long as the maggot doesn't see the filth in where it's living, it can't escape. It's the same with us. As long as we don't see the drawbacks of those things, we can't escape from them. They make it difficult to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can sit here all day discussing the Dhamma, but in the end, the only thing that will truly convince you of the Buddhas teaching is to give it a fair chance yourself and put it into practice. Seeing first hand that what the Buddha says is in fact the way that the mind and body work together is the only way to know for yourself the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T16:29:33.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T16:57:11.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Until and unless i become enlightened I will be driven by my needs. At times I am aware and these urges do not overpower me but not always. What is wrong here according to Buddhism?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essential problem in Buddhism are all phenomena which are characterized as &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (and our craving for them, more on that bellow). Bhikkhu Bodhi explains that &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unsatisfactoriness of the conditioned due to impermanence, its vulnerability to pain and its inability to provide complete and lasting satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Majjhima Nikāya, intro (Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a gist, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is everything that is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of &quot;needs&quot;, there are many kinds of needs and desires. In Buddhism, they can be seen as wholesome or unwholesome.  Wholesome is that which leads to well-fare, non-suffering, pleasing destinations after death, or ultimately, Nirvana. Unwholesome is that which does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, desires associate to the senses [hearing, sight, touch, smell, taste and thoughts/ideas/emotions], are defined as &lt;em&gt;sensual pleasures&lt;/em&gt;. These are unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha acknowledges a range of characteristics about sensual pleasures: that there is some gratification in them, that there is danger in them, that they have origin, that they are impermanent, and that they can be escaped from. As such, he defines our bond to sensuality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “And what, bhikkhus, is the bond of sensuality? Here, someone does not understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to sensual pleasures. When one does not understand these things as they really are, then sensual lust, sensual delight, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual passion, sensual attachment, and sensual craving lie deep within one in regard to sensual pleasures. This is called the bond of sensuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sensual bond and it's nurturing is, in essence, problematic for two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obtaining sensual pleasure may not be satisfying, or the satisfaction from them is always temporary (thus, they are &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) -- leading for craving more or something else in an eternal cycle to appease lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, the body is impermanent. What is impermanent is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not obtaining what we need/desire is a source of pain and suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Lord, might there be agitation over what is externally not present?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;There might, monk,&quot; the Blessed One said. &quot;There is the case where someone thinks, 'O, it was mine! O, what was mine is not! O, may it be mine! O, I don't obtain it!' He grieves &amp;amp; is tormented, weeps, beats his breast, &amp;amp; grows delirious. It's thus that there is agitation over what is externally not present.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obtaining the sense pleasures one wants (and further developing craving, because it's satisfaction is temporary) or failing to obtain them / failing to find satisfaction is a potential for further serious problems:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the source, sensual pleasures as the basis, the cause being simply sensual pleasures, people indulge in &lt;strong&gt;misconduct of body, speech, and mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 13 (Bodhi trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, these misconducts lead to bad outcomes -- more suffering here &amp;amp; now -- and/or bad destinations (more suffering after death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the fundamental/existential &quot;desire&quot; that keeps us bound to the cycle of birth and death subject to suffering is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/tanha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; (pali &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;em&gt;Craving&lt;/em&gt; is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;second noble truth&lt;/a&gt; -- the origin of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; -- and it's permanent cessation yields permanent/everlasting freedom from &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, from suffering, Nirvana (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;third noble truth&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, delighting in forms, in touch, in smells, in sounds, in tastes...are unwholesome. They are unwholesome because such delights do not bring craving to an end, but essentially just nurture it. In it's worse form, it can further cloud our minds and make us do things that bring more suffering to ourselves and others (as summarized above). Because of it's danger and because renunciation to them is a safer (and arguably faster) path to Nirvana, the Buddha taught the monks to abstain and not look for such delights. However, he did not taught lay people to not have sex, but just to not have sexual misconduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there are some schools that seem to try to use sex in a way to develop oneself in the path -- but that's beyond my knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, there are desires that are beneficial (that helps one in his training to attain Nirvana) but they are not associated with sensual desires. They are desires for renunciation, desires for harmlessness, desire for the well-fare of beings, desire for their non-suffering, desires for attaining Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right effort? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This is called right effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 141&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These desires orient our action towards wholesome actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While &lt;em&gt;unwholesome actions&lt;/em&gt;  are defined as those rooted in &lt;em&gt;greed&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;hatred&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;delusion&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;greed being all sorts of craving and lust&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hatred being all forms of negative mental states of aversion and ill will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and delusion being the non understanding of the impermanent nature of phenomena (e.g. wish that something pleasuring was permanent) and non understanding of our thirst and how it plays our minds (e.g. creating illusion of a permanent self). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;em&gt;wholesome actions&lt;/em&gt; are defined in the negative: actions rooted in non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. These actions are said to lead to better outcomes, and better destinations (after death) or Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Enjoyment? If yes that is the case then with all people who are enjoying writing in this forum.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many kinds of enjoyment. The Buddha compares sensual pleasures with other forms of happiness in the following passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] The pleasure and joy arising dependent on these five strands of sense desire, that is called sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, if someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure and joy that can be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime. And what is this pleasure? Here, quite secluded from sensual desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana), which is accompanied by thought conception and discursive thinking and has in it joy and pleasure born of seclusion. This is the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that (sense) pleasure and is more sublime.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure that can be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime. And what is that pleasure? Here, with the stilling of thought conception and discursive thinking... a monk enters upon and abides in the second meditative absorption... in the sphere of the infinity of space... of the infinity of consciousness... of no-thingness... of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. [...] the cessation of perception and feeling. [...] This is the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is more sublime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It may happen, Ananda, that Wanderers of other sects will be saying this: 'The recluse Gotama speaks of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling and describes it as pleasure. What is this (pleasure) and how is this (a pleasure)?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who say so, should be told: 'The Blessed One describes as pleasure not only the feeling of pleasure. But a Tathagata describes as pleasure whenever and whereinsoever it is obtained.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.019.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcakanga Sutta, SN 36.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another exposition, the Buddha distinguishes between worldly joys and unworldly joys. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly joy? There are these five cords of sense desire [...]. It is the joy that arises dependent on these five cords of sense desire which is called 'worldly joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what is unworldly joy? Quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and abides in the first meditative absorption [...]. This is called 'unworldly joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niramisa Sutta: Unworldly, SN 36.31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be seen in the suttas that, in general, happiness, joy, contentment (or, specifically, the wholesome kinds) are at the very heart of the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, reading and posting texts of buddha-dhamma here can produce a kind of joy. Provided such joy is associated with the well-fare for beings and with the desire for beings to attain freedom from suffering, then it is understood to be of a wholesome kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Desire to help others masquerades as compassion.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is, indeed, a desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I find desires as the central point of origin of actions.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rightly so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(in a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14405/i-enjoy-sex-just-like-i-enjoy-good-movie-what-is-wrong-about-it#comment24300_14421&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;): &lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;You need to give me a sutta which clearly defines when sex has karmic repercussions for householders. No sutta of Buddha talks about sex for householders explicitly.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only teaching for householders I know on this subject is on the five precepts which includes &quot;abstaining from sexual misconduct&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm also not aware of any sutta elaborating on karmic repercussions of sex specifically for householders. I would actually find it odd to find such distinction, as if the nature of action/karma would be different depending if a person is householder or monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, regardless of who engages in sex (householder or monk),  what most people infer from passages such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.7&lt;/a&gt; is that sexual intercourse is rooted on &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to engage in sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a sutta that has been analyzed in light of this issue is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddūpama sutta&lt;/a&gt; (MN 22, The Simile of the Snake). In it, the monk Ariṭṭha professes his understanding of the buddha dhamma as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, those things called obstructions by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who engages in them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and is strongly debunked by the Buddha. It seems the commentary explains that his issue is about sex. Nyanaponika Thera &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;notes&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he conceived the view that sex indulgence was not necessarily an obstruction for a monk. Arittha is said to have used a rather sophistic argument, saying, &quot;If some of the five sense enjoyments are permissible even for lay adherents who are stream-enterers (sotaapanna), etc., why is an exception made as to the visible shape, voice, touch, etc., of women?&quot; According to Comy, Arittha goes so far as to charge the Buddha with exaggerating the importance of the first grave offence (paaraajikaa) for a monk (i.e., sexual intercourse), saying that the emphasis given to it is like the effort of one who tries to chain the ocean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The similes about sense-desires, given in the following section of the discourse, seem to support the commentarial reference to sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gombrich (in &lt;em&gt;How Buddhism began&lt;/em&gt;, 1996) and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pyia Tan&lt;/a&gt; have also mentioned this episode associated to sex. Pyia Tan writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In fact, Ariṭṭha comes up with this clever argument: “If some of the sensual pleasures are permissible to lay-followers who are streamwinners, etc, why is an exception made regarding form, voice, touch, etc,&#xA;  of women?”  or of men, for that matter! The Commentary states that Ariṭṭha goes so far as to charge the Buddha of exaggerating the importance of the first grave offence (pārājikā), that of sexual intercourse, claiming that this urgency is like trying to “chain the ocean.” (MA 2:103)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññoga sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha explains how bondage in the context of sexuality arises:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A man attends inwardly to his masculine faculties, masculine gestures, masculine manners, masculine poise, masculine desires, masculine voice, masculine charms. He is excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited &amp;amp; delighted by that, he attends outwardly to feminine faculties, feminine gestures, feminine manners, feminine poise, feminine desires, feminine voices, feminine charms. He is excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited &amp;amp; delighted by that, he wants to be bonded to what is outside him, wants whatever pleasure &amp;amp; happiness that arise based on that bond. Delighting, caught up in his masculinity, a man goes into bondage with reference to women. This is how a man does not transcend his masculinity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It reasonably follows (from text and insight) that a sexual impulse is, by very nature, &lt;em&gt;sensual desire&lt;/em&gt; -- the delight in it has the same fundamental characteristics as any other sensual delight, and attempt of depriving oneself from such act raises the same mental effects (e.g. the pain of not having what one desires) as the attempts of depriving oneself from any other sensual desire. It is indeed a &quot;bondage with reference to man/woman&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's reasonable to conclude, than, that any impulse for sexual intercourse that is not viewed as sensual desire (e.g. seeing it as a kind of desire that is distinct from sensual desire that ought to be &quot;pure&quot; or wholesome) is a faulty view on the nature of that impulse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T18:41:09.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14424" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14671" CreationDate="2016-03-12T18:52:55.887" Score="6" ViewCount="830" Body="&lt;p&gt;While searching some Buddhist inspired pictures of Naraka I often found hell guards torturing others... Question is where are they on the rebirth cycle. Are they ausras? And if they  are created to hurt people how can they ever find a good rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5613" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T00:38:46.760" Title="Where do Hell Guards fall?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-12T20:59:49.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;desire is the driving force even behind the strive for awakening and nibbana, the difference is that it's a NOBLE and a WHOLESOME desire, leading towards goals of corresponding quality and ultimately beyond the desire itself, whereas worldly desires are and do the direct oppostite&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;compassion is genuine as much as our mental hindrances and defilements are gotten rid off, the further one is positioned on a spiritual path the more refined and sublime their wholesome qualities are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;compassion, being a wholesome and a noble quality, is certainly to be cultivated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-03-12T21:05:25.667" LastActivityDate="2016-03-12T21:05:25.667" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14424" CreationDate="2016-03-13T00:55:25.453" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, they are Asuras. They are not created. They are also hell beings who become stronger from time to time due to their past good Karma and assume a position of command. At other times, they suffer like the rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are not hurting people(humans). They are hurting beings who are at the bottom of the scale of virtue. So the Karma they get is comparatively less. In any case, they don't get any opportunity to do good. So, unless a past good Karma resurfaces, they have to wait till the end of the world to escape from hells. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-13T01:05:52.697" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T01:05:52.697" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14427" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-13T17:30:44.193" Score="4" ViewCount="277" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example, I can point to my eye:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the eye itself;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can point to an object of the eye:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a book;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I cannot point to the eye-consciousness that arises based on the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T12:41:03.017" Title="How can one point to one's consciousness?" Tags="|personal-practice|abidhamma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14427" CreationDate="2016-03-13T18:07:56.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the Vipassana retreat I attended (and translated), when it comes to place one's mindfulness one one's mind(s), the trick is to start with identifying the function of the mind: seeing, hearing, thinking, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is that which is clear and knowing. Its function is to know (realize) objects and it is easier to identify this aspect than it is to identify its clarity factor (which is its nature and makes it able to take the subjective aspect of what it apprehends, in the same way a mirror takes the  aspect of whatever it reflects). I suggest you start by identifying the functions of your mind: seeing, hearing, and so forth. You can also read Analayo Bhikkhu on the topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T18:07:56.907" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14427" CreationDate="2016-03-13T19:36:42.757" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 28&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, friends, internally the eye is intact but no external forms come into its range, and there is no corresponding conscious engagement, then there is no manifestation of the corresponding section of consciousness. If internally the eye is intact and external forms come into its range, but there is no corresponding conscious engagement, then there is no manifestation of the corresponding section of consciousness. But when internally the eye is intact and external forms come into its range and there is the corresponding conscious engagement, then there is the manifestation of the corresponding section of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to point to one's consciousness is like trying to point at the wind. One can't really &quot;point&quot; it out. One can only point to its manifestation. How to point at the wind? When seeing a tree and its branches are shaking or feeling a breeze brushing against one's face, etc. Similarly, how to point out one's eye consciousness? By the fact that one's able to cognize the form object like a book, a table, etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T19:36:42.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2016-03-13T19:49:07.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes! Once the dog or cat or animal heard the dharma even if they don't understand it..the fact the matter is the Dhamma energy will take root in their Karma and evently will grow and will lead them to be reborn in the human plane of existence...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7971" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T19:49:07.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14036" CreationDate="2016-03-13T19:51:09.150" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Three types of feeling a person get when senses are at work:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He thinks thoughts and emotions are valid states and therefore flows along with it. That is joined. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He can watch thoughts and emotions  but there is a sense of frustration just like a person who been chained but wants to break free since he has no control on them. That is fettered.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is complete silence. Even if pain and pleasure arise he is not affected by them. That is detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are three stages of evolution for meditators. But dis-identification is (2.), I guess, because senses are still powerful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-13T21:36:14.587" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T21:36:14.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14036" CreationDate="2016-03-13T21:10:44.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think they're related but not identical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Sallatha Sutta can be paraphrased along the lines of, &amp;quot;physical sensations lead to feelings (I feel that I like this, or that I don't like this) which lead to attachment (I want this to continue, or I want this to stop)&amp;quot; -- which means that, now you have &lt;em&gt;two&lt;/em&gt; problems, i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an unpleasant physical sensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not getting what you want.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's what's meant by,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;... So he feels two pains, physical &amp;amp; mental&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the reason given for the second pain is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... he is resistant. Any resistance-obsession with regard to that painful feeling obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think this is an example of clinging or attachment causing suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead he ought to see that the feeling (and sense-contact) is impermanent, that it arises and passes away, and not be attached to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas a &lt;strong&gt;disidentification&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;decentering&lt;/strong&gt; which you quote from the &lt;em&gt;2002 paper by Teasdale&lt;/em&gt; seems to me, not exactly the concept of 'detachment' or of seeing impermanence, but more specifically the concept of '&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;' or 'non-self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the article &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No-self or Not-self?&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; suggests that any concept of self is a cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a description of decentering in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gaddula Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's just as when a dog is tied by a leash to a post or stake: If it walks, it walks right around that post or stake. If it stands, it stands right next to that post or stake. If it sits, it sits right next to that post or stake. If it lies down, it lies down right next to that post or stake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person regards form as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' He regards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' If he walks, he walks right around these five clinging-aggregates. If he stands, he stands right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he sits, he sits right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he lies down, he lies down right next to these five clinging-aggregates. Thus one should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long time has this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion.' From the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From the purification of the mind are beings purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are two related concepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Detachment from the clinging-aggregates (perhaps by observing arising-and-passing-away, which is an object of vipassana meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning to avoid the view that, &amp;quot;This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-13T21:10:44.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14250" CreationDate="2016-03-14T02:00:53.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;all sensations will pass away. don't give attention to that sensation and by time it will fell less stronger. if u so mind about unpleasant sensation it will multiply the magnitude of the unpleasant sensation just ignore  it. tell your self anicca anicca annica impermanent you will be fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7972" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T02:00:53.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14427" CreationDate="2016-03-14T02:40:52.643" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot point to your consciousness nor can you feel it directly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can direct [point] your attention to the respective consciousness at any of the 6 sense doors to which you can feel the sensations born out of contact (passa - also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13146/what-is-the-definition-of-passa&quot;&gt;What is the definition of passa ?&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case you point to your eye through body consciousness by feeling the sensations around the eye. Here you are not pointing to the eye consciousness but directing your attention to the body consciousness around where the eye physically exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case what to point to an object of the eye you direct your attention to the eye consciousness whereby you see the object at the eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both cases above once contact with the eye happens this is followed by the contact with the mind in which further processing and thinking is done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T02:40:52.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14427" CreationDate="2016-03-14T03:25:51.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pointing to a consciousness is the same as pointing to a computer program. Your consciousness is not an object, but rather a property of another object (your brain), similar to how a computer program's behavour is really just a convenient side-effect of a very specific arrangement of million of bits. You can't point to your consciousness, just like you can't point to Microsoft Word. The best you could do is point to your brain, which would be comparable to pointing to your monitor or hard drive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7974" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T03:25:51.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-14T05:48:00.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until and unless I become enlightened I will be driven by my needs. At times I am aware and these urges do not overpower me but not always. What is wrong here according to Buddhism? Enjoyment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I can see in the comments of your question, you are obviously aware that the rules of monk and laypeople are different. Laypeople are allowed to have sex and are just refrained from engaging in sexual misconduct. These are the distinctions drawn by the Buddha so that practitioners might develop as much as possible in the practice, considering their 'conventional' realities. Although the ultimate reality is same for one and all and it is the prerogative of the individual to determine how much one could immerse oneself in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not condemn enjoyment. The whole Noble Eightfold path is the way to eternal happiness. But what might be wrong in the process of enjoyment is our 'Ignorance'. Ignorance is considering something that is &lt;em&gt;Anicca&lt;/em&gt; (Impermanent), &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (Source of Suffering), &lt;em&gt;Anatta&lt;/em&gt; (Non-Self) as Permanent, Source of Happiness and Self. Ignorance is the root cause of all miseries. Ignorance is eradicated by cultivating Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what could be wrong with enjoyment? You could get addicted to it considering it to be permanent, source of happiness and self. And why is addiction wrong? Here is an answer by U Tin Lwin from this paper, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vipassana-and-Vedanaas-Understood-by-a-Novice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana and Vedana as Understood by a Novice&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avijja is the origin of upadana, which is the developed form of tanha (craving). It is this tanha that gives rise in its turn to every fresh rebirth. For instance, when a man covets something belonging to another person, he tries to get it by some unlawful means which may be theft or even robbery. Such an act is akusala-kamma (evil deed). On the other hand, he gives alms hoping to enjoy wealth in the next existence. Such an act, though it may be labelled kusala-kamma (good deed), is also led by tanha. He is then bound to be reborn in another existence to enjoy or to suffer in accordance with his kamma (deeds). Even if he knows enjoyment only in that existence, he cannot escape dukkha, he remains subject to old age, illness, death and other suffering. Never does one's enjoyment last forever, because nothing in the world is permanent; everything is indeed transitory and certain to change. It is the same old story, each time his rebirth takes place he encounters all kinds of dukkha and struggles with them. So one's samsara (cycle of births) goes on and on without any prospect of coming to an end. Samsara in a way resembles an enormous whirlpool in an ocean in which innumerable beings, including divine, go round and round, sometimes submerging and at other times surfacing, but never finding any way out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole article is really beautiful and covers many common misconceptions. The ultimate truth is the same for one and all. Ignorance might be bliss but the ultimate truth liberates from the cycles of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T10:41:08.627" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14437" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-14T16:56:07.640" Score="3" ViewCount="1042" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have problems meditating in the morning. I usually feel very tired when getting up early on a weekday and then have a limited timeframe (~ 30 min.) for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My body feels so tired, that I am unable to meditate. This is often accompanied by the tendency to get into a negative, rejecting mindstate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I try to meditate anyway or try to bring up energy (going outside, cold shower)? Is it possible to influence the habitual tiredness in the morning (at least a bit), or is this exclusively a body thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-03-17T04:52:37.460" Title="problems with meditation in the morning" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14438" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-14T18:45:46.167" Score="4" ViewCount="826" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha an historic person (did he really exist)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If yes, was he a human being or a God, or both, or a human that became a god or God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists regard him as an emanation of God (for example, as Christians regard Jesus of Nazareth), or a prophet of God (as Muslims regard Mahomet), or an angel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is honest and is asked with a friendship intend of peaceful dialogue to lower the tensions between religions, philosophies and esoterisms (rare private philosophies). My goal is to learn better and to show to others how to speak publicly about spirituality lowering the violence; not increasing it and not making money on it. I believe it is very important today to learn those skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7944" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-14T21:24:18.867" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:15:00.723" Title="Is the Buddha God?" Tags="|the-buddha|god|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14437" CreationDate="2016-03-14T19:18:11.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;i have hard time meditating right after waking up too.  Perhaps brain was working harder while asleep (dreams etc.) and needed a moment to calm down?   Walking meditation does wonder in this situation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T19:18:11.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14438" CreationDate="2016-03-14T20:05:21.803" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot;&gt;Dona Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; might be helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the road between&#xA;  Ukkattha and Setabya, and Dona the brahman was also traveling along&#xA;  the road between Ukkattha and Setabya. Dona the brahman saw, in the&#xA;  Blessed One's footprints, wheels with 1,000 spokes, together with rims&#xA;  and hubs, complete in all their features. On seeing them, the thought&#xA;  occurred to him, &quot;How amazing! How astounding! These are not the&#xA;  footprints of a human being!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, leaving the road, went to sit at the root of a&#xA;  certain tree — his legs crossed, his body erect, with mindfulness&#xA;  established to the fore. Then Dona, following the Blessed One's&#xA;  footprints, saw him sitting at the root of the tree: confident,&#xA;  inspiring confidence, his senses calmed, his mind calmed, having&#xA;  attained the utmost control &amp;amp; tranquility, tamed, guarded, his senses&#xA;  restrained, a naga. On seeing him, he went to him and said,&#xA;  &quot;Master, are you a deva [a god]?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, brahman, I am not a deva.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Are you a gandhabba?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... a yakkha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... a human being?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, brahman, I am not a human being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When asked, 'Are you a deva?' you answer, 'No, brahman, I am not a&#xA;  deva.' When asked, 'Are you a gandhabba?' you answer, 'No, brahman, I&#xA;  am not a gandhabba.' When asked, 'Are you a yakkha?' you answer, 'No,&#xA;  brahman, I am not a yakkha.' When asked, 'Are you a human being?' you&#xA;  answer, 'No, brahman, I am not a human being.' Then what sort of being&#xA;  are you?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Brahman, the fermentations by which — if they were not abandoned — I&#xA;  would be a deva: Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made&#xA;  like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not&#xA;  destined for future arising. The fermentations by which — if they were&#xA;  not abandoned — I would be a gandhabba... a yakkha... a human being:&#xA;  Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra&#xA;  stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for&#xA;  future arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just like a red, blue, or white lotus — born in the water, grown in&#xA;  the water, rising up above the water — stands unsmeared by the water,&#xA;  in the same way I — born in the world, grown in the world, having&#xA;  overcome the world — live unsmeared by the world. Remember me,&#xA;  brahman, as 'awakened.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The fermentations by which I would go to a deva-state, or become a&#xA;  gandhabba in the sky, or go to a yakkha-state &amp;amp; human-state:  Those&#xA;  have been destroyed by me,    ruined, their stems removed. Like a blue&#xA;  lotus, rising up, unsmeared by water, unsmeared am I by the world, and&#xA;  so, brahman, I'm awake.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T20:05:21.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14438" CreationDate="2016-03-14T20:08:49.557" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Although in Mahayana, the Buddha gains qualities of a God such as immortality and superpowers. But these are the same immortality and qualities than anyone who successfully completes the Bodhisattva path would have. This is different from an Abrahamic mono-god that works a lot more like Brahman, the pre-Buddhist entity that is sort of like a god or a universally shared soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is Buddha an historic person (did he really exist)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, historians don't have as much evidence as they would like, but we don't have any evidence that he was a myth. The early suttas are written in plainspoken, realistic style. The later suttras (Mahayana) are written in a grand mythic style-- no space to discuss if everyone literally believed them as history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If yes, was he a human being or a God, or both, or a human that became a god or God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God doesn't even mean the same thing in Buddhist cosmologies as in an Abrahamic one. The Buddha was not a jealous god, nor a long lived god, nor anything else because those are realms where the practice of Buddhism isn't practical because existence is so comfortable you have no incentive to practice. Gods are mortal &amp;amp; they die and regret having lost what they had. There is no parallel in Christianity. AFAIK, in Christianity, adherents don't believe that they will be reincarnated as Gods nor that they used to be gods (and many other beings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists regard him as an emanation of God (for example, as Christians regard Jesus of Nazareth), or a prophet of God (as Muslims regard Mahomet), or an angel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a trikaya theory, which in Mahayana says that an Enlightened Buddha has multiple bodies. It solved the problem of how a Buddha could provide aid at a distance. The Dharmakaya is the body that is the most abstract and &quot;fuzzy&quot; and could be recognized as an Abrahamic style God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha most similar to the Christian God is the Amitabha of Pure Land Buddhism.  That said, there are numerous differences. In Pure Land, you are still working on the same practice based project, except you expect to complete the project with assistance in the next life in the Pure Land. In Christian Heaven, you don't have a rigorous monastic program leading to Enlightenment, the end of suffering &amp;amp; the end of the cycle of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-03-14T20:16:53.217" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T20:16:53.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14437" CreationDate="2016-03-14T20:10:47.043" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two descriptions here of the Dalai Lama's morning routine:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dalailama.com/biography/a-routine-day&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Routine Day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When His Holiness is at home in Dharamsala, he wakes up at 3 am. After his morning shower, His Holiness begins the day with prayers, meditations and prostrations until 5 am. From 5 am His Holiness takes a short morning walk around the residential premises. If it is raining outside, His Holiness has a treadmill to use for his walk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-chan/dalai-lama-mindfulness_b_3683961.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;At Home With the Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At 3:45 a.m. ... At a time when only the street dogs were up, the Dalai Lama began his prostrations. ... I lost count after a while, but I figured he must have done about three dozen full prostrations. ... With his prostrations done, he walked to a treadmill tucked away by the window. He hung his prayer beads on the handle bar next to a draped towel and began to pace rapidly on the moving belt. Almost immediately he closed his eyes as he surrendered to the machine's rhythm, and meditated as he exercised. it was a much faster version of walking meditation. ... After showering, the Dalai Lama took me up to the roof of the residence. ... The Dalai Lama stared into the distance, absorbing the quiet, allowing all his senses to experience the tranquil majesty of the surroundings. ... It was chilly and we didn't stay long on the roof. After we returned to his room, the Dalai Lama immediately went into meditation. He sat on a cushion behind his desk ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps this indicates how the Dalai Lama awakens his body before and during morning meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-14T20:10:47.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14438" CreationDate="2016-03-15T02:12:27.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha an historic person (did he really exist)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1835/did-gautama-buddha-exist&quot;&gt;Did Gautama Buddha exist?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If yes, was he a human being or a God, or both, or a human that became a god or God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.13-Pada-Dona-S-a4.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Pāda) Doṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as pointed out in one of the other answers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists regard him as an emanation of God (for example, as Christians regard Jesus of Nazareth), or a prophet of God (as Muslims regard Mahomet), or an angel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. You have to liberate yourself through your own pratice of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. Nobody else can give you liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T02:12:27.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14437" CreationDate="2016-03-15T02:32:57.187" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to overcome lethargy in the morning&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Walking meditation can help as mentioned in one of the other answers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are doing body scanning meditation then do this fast and taking large parts. Fast movement increases &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are doing breath meditation or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samatha&lt;/a&gt; increase reviewing (see p 35 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and See&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw) if the mind is with the object and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;redirect your attention to the object&lt;/a&gt;. This keeps your mind from wandering away.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also this can be partly due to drowsiness / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;torpor&lt;/a&gt; hence look at the techniques in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Work on raising your energy levels. See section below.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Should you meditate at least a little in the morning when you are time pressed and lethargic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You pratice twice a day. Morning session reduces the build up of defilements over nights. Also if in one period the meditation session is full of hindrances at least the other will workout. Do not assume this will always happen in the mornings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rise energy levels&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to maintain the object of meditation (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt;) itself rises energy levels. Also Right Effort to abandon hindrances and the unwholesome roots (greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha)) [see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for the method] and develop the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment Factors&lt;/a&gt; (especially Joy or rapture (pīti), Investigation (dhamma vicaya) and Energy (viriya)) make you energetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T03:51:57.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14437" CreationDate="2016-03-15T11:22:09.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation practice in the morning is actually a great time to develop the mind due to the lack of sense stimuli. When we go out in the world the bombardement of sense stimuli begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is dull in the morning one can splash cold water onto the face or do walking meditation in a brisk tempo immediately followed by sitting meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can also make a strong mental resolution to practice or practice sitting meditation with eyes open for a while. There are different ways to arouse the energy faculty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most important thing is to balance the faculties, i.e. to balance &lt;em&gt;Concentration (Samādhi)&lt;/em&gt; with &lt;em&gt;Energy (Viriya)&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Wisdom (Paññā)&lt;/em&gt; with &lt;em&gt;Faith&lt;/em&gt; (Saddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For information on how to overcome the Hindrances I would recommend the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it possible to influence the habitual tiredness in the morning? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it is. When one is practicing the Dhamma one is training ones mind to overcome and change unwholesome habit patterns of the mind. When practicing meditation intensively one will come to realize that the mind inclines towards whatever is practiced consistently and persistently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is constantly reacting to e.g. fear, then one will naturally gives rise to more fear in ones life. If one is practicing diligently to overcome unwholesome habits then the mind will incline towards that direction. This is the fantastic thing about the mind that one can mould it in a wholesome direction by practicing the Dhamma. In the end that results in the winning on Nibbana - the issuing of liberation from the rounds of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. Have a fruitful practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T15:59:18.527" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T15:59:18.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-15T12:27:51.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I enjoy sex just like I enjoy good movie. What is wrong about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist point of view it would be considered as &lt;em&gt;unskilled&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;unwholesome&lt;/em&gt; since it tends to enforce craving and attachment, thereby leading one further away from Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practices meditation intensively sensual desire will subside and one will come to view it as being &lt;em&gt;gross&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dangerous&lt;/em&gt; when seeing and knowing the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability build into conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha likened pleasant sense-objects to &lt;em&gt;flower-tipped arrows&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. arrows which are hidden beneath a flower. When one grabs the flower one gets stung by the arrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T12:27:51.113" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14438" CreationDate="2016-03-15T12:35:43.850" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, he is/was not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was a human being reaching the highest potential a being can reach, i.e. becomming a fully enlightened Buddha (Sammasambuddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha an historic person (did he really exist)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes he did. When practicing insight meditation it becomes very clear that the Dhamma can only come from a fully enlightened Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists regard him as an emanation of God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They regard him as a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T12:43:43.343" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T12:43:43.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14427" CreationDate="2016-03-15T12:41:03.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness a not a thing. Its a knowing. The misunderstanding arises because we are forced to talk about such phenomena using the limitations of language, e.g. &lt;em&gt;nouns&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness exists as a taker of objects. Its the basic awareness of an object. Its divided into 6 types by way of its bases; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(a)  eye consciousness cognizes visual objects, light&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(b)  ear consciousness cognizes sound waves&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(c)  nose consciousness cognizes smell &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(d)  tongue consciousness cognizes taste &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(e)  body consciousness cognizes tangible sensations &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(f)  mind consciousness cognizes mental objects such as ideas, concepts,images, abstract notions etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above 6-fold classification is mentioned by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi in his short text on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;The Five Aggregates Of Clinging&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T12:41:03.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14449" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14450" CreationDate="2016-03-15T17:03:37.657" Score="2" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;How many monks does it take to ordain a new monk? How many monks does it take to create a new Sangha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read this before, now I can't find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think these are very old rules &amp;amp; are similar across different traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;. I already know that schism is considered the worst thing in the universe by traditional Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T18:06:27.343" Title="How many monks required to ordain or create new Sangha?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14449" CreationDate="2016-03-15T17:33:49.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quorum of 10 of 10 years standing, 5 in border areas. 5 is the quorum generally outside India. [page 108, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Theravada%20Buddhism_Gombrich.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices)&lt;/a&gt; 2nd Edition&#xA;by Richard F. Gombrich]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quorum to perform a &lt;em&gt;patimokkha&lt;/em&gt; ceremony is 4 [page 110, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Theravada%20Buddhism_Gombrich.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices)&lt;/a&gt; 2nd Edition&#xA;by Richard F. Gombrich]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-15T18:06:27.343" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T18:06:27.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14451" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-15T17:57:12.687" Score="2" ViewCount="213" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although it could well be that those words were not directly from Gautama himself, yet just in case, assuming Gautama probably wouldn't lie except for educational purposes, how can those rather surreal descriptions of the world, which again share (too) many similarities with the hinduist ones, reconcile with modern science? Should one just regard them as &quot;white lies&quot; so that Buddhism be more easily accepted? How self-consistent are those descriptions anyways?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I read somewhere before that those &quot;insights&quot;, including Karma could be partially gained/observed through meditation. How true is this statement in terms of canonical literature reference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7981" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T01:19:28.093" Title="How should one look at buddhist mythologies and cosmologies from a scientific perspective" Tags="|texts|academic-buddhism|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14451" CreationDate="2016-03-15T18:10:39.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... reconcile with modern science? ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern science is always changing with new theories and discoveries but Buddhism is presented as eternal or timeless which is valid in the past, present and future. Hence these two cannot be fully reconciled. Since is refinement of theories and models getting closer to the truth while Buddhism is based on publically released ultimate realities. As science advance many of the concepts are in harmony and while there are perhaps hardly any scientifically proven discoveries which contradict Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... which again share (too) many similarities with the hinduist ones ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you compare &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindu cosmology&lt;/a&gt; with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology&lt;/a&gt; (especially &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school&lt;/a&gt;) there are wast differences. In Hinduism there is a creator but in Buddhism the universe goes through expansionary and contractionary phases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... reconcile with modern science? ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot. But Buddhism has a theory of cyclical phases of the universe like the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bounce&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;big bounce theory&lt;/a&gt;, parallel universes (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R450-160524-Parallel-universes-RB150.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parallel universes&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;evolution&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_science&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and science&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/misc/science2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Modern Science&lt;/a&gt; - by Dr. Granville Dharmawardena (especially the highlighted areas), &lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/is-buddhism-the-most-science-friendly-religion/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is Buddhism the Most Science-Friendly Religion?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... including Karma could be partially gained/observed through meditation. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation (especially &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samatha&lt;/a&gt;) can lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;psychic powers / supernormal knowledge&lt;/a&gt; like clairvoyance (divine eye) which can be give insights to the working of Karma. E.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Thus, by means of the divine eye, may I see beings passing away and reappearing, and how they fare according to their karma.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.12-Nimitta-S-a3.100b-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; similar passage in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.10-Samannaphala-S-d2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samanna,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.13-Maha-Assapura-S-m39-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Assa,pura Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.7-Kevaddha-S-d11-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T11:25:48.773" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14451" CreationDate="2016-03-15T18:43:09.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How should one look at buddhist mythologies and cosmologies from a scientific perspective&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;analysis of the Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like the Aggañña Sutta, most of the suttas mentioned above [3] belong to the genre of religious humour.&#xA;  15 The humorous language and imagery of such suttas is understandable as they deal with well-established&#xA;  ideas and norms, taken seriously especially by those who used them to legitimize their affluence&#xA;  and position in society. Like the &lt;strong&gt;Brahmana,dhammika Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;, the Aggañña Sutta criticizes the brahmins&#xA;  saying that they have forgotten their past, resulting in their degeneration from an ideal way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The two narratives are, on the surface level of a temporal sequence of actual events, quite different;&#xA;    but when read as parables using stories of the past to make a contemporary moral point,&#xA;    they complement each other perfectly well. (Collins 1993a:320)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Richard Gombrich&lt;/strong&gt;, in his &lt;em&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A social history from Benares to Colombo&lt;/em&gt;, remarks&#xA;  that the Aggañña Sutta is “an extended satire on brahminical ideas, full of parody and puns… As a debunking&#xA;  job I think the sermon is serious: its main aim is to show that the class system is nothing but a&#xA;  human invention”; however, “I cannot go here into all the reasons why I think that the positive statements&#xA;  in the myth are satirical and not meant to be taken literally.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Should one just regard them as &quot;white lies&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would regard it as a parable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many parables e.g. about an arrow, or about a blind turtle, or etc.: not a lie, an analogy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How self-consistent are those descriptions anyways?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you're asking whether the several descriptions of cosmology are consistent with each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think we're supposed to read them as (or read in them) a description of Dharma: and consider their consistency with the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#ref4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Great References&lt;/a&gt; people should study them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is not the Blessed One's utterance; this has been misunderstood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it. But if the sentences concerned are traceable in the Discourses and verifiable by the Discipline, then one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is the Blessed One's utterance; this has been well understood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T18:57:20.647" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14438" CreationDate="2016-03-15T19:10:06.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the Buddha an historic person (did he really exist)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are historians who stand in the &quot;existed&quot; and in the &quot;not enough evidence&quot; positions. I don't know of any serious arguments from people who claim he did not existed though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second group expects more archeological evidence or external records and accounts from other groups that lived during his life to be convinced (however, no period or place is equal in being able to -- or interested in --  producing evidence for events, and no event is safe from being disintegrated or lost with time). This is a similar position to those who are skeptic of the existence of Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like Jesus, Buddha lived in a period and carried a life that could, indeed, produce very little material evidence for further generations -- a lot of the preserved historical records where materialized after their death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like Jesus, the prime evidence of Buddha's existence is what his disciples memorized -- and eventually wrote down -- about his life. A skeptic would be inclined to disregard such materials as evidence claiming these have an intrinsic bias, while historians point out that this is precisely the group of people who would produce the greatest number of evidence for events and existence of someone -- since they are the primary witnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, considering the archeological material and the texts we have, there are compelling evidence in them that they are indeed authentic and, consequently, do describe the teachings of a single personality, that of the Buddha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists regard him as an emanation of God (for example, as Christians regard Jesus of Nazareth), or a prophet of God (as Muslims regard Mahomet), or an angel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists cosmology/universe is populated with animals, humans and devas (spiritual beings). Together, they are simply &quot;beings&quot;: these die and become other kind of being (e.g. humans die and may become devas, devas die and may become humans -- same with animals).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, while buddhism acknowledge &quot;gods&quot; -- long-lived spiritual beings -- it does not acknowledge or identify a God, a Creator, who created everything and who never ever dies. So the Buddha does not say he is the Creator, nor does he say he represents a Creator&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. He declares he is a teacher and he declares he represents his teaching: that of eliminating suffering for beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; See Bhikkhu Sujato's and Bhikkhu Brahmali's &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; though as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14441/382&quot;&gt;@MatthewMartin said in his answer&lt;/a&gt; there are buddhists who consider the Buddha to be immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-03-15T19:16:04.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13485" CreationDate="2016-03-16T04:14:00.060" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation leads to silence (here-now) which leads to Nirvana. Therefore if you talk about goal then probably it is Nirvana. But you cannot aim for it in a direct way. You cannot work for it. It will come on its own.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-16T04:14:00.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14457" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14458" CreationDate="2016-03-16T16:27:58.797" Score="4" ViewCount="422" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we all have experienced with our own native languages how works written a while back can have different words for the same meaning or the other way round. Also that words get lost in translations, almost inevitably. Metaphor and other rhetorical uses of a language may be hard to detect as well and last but not least, the lack of modern scientific terminologies may likewise contribute to ambiguity and confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I'd like to pose the following questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.How well studied are the Buddhist scripts? (compared to the modern study on Greek, Roman and medieval philosophy)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.How well studied are Pali and Sanskrit linguistically in the context of Buddhism? (compared to ancient Greek and Latin, or even Arabic/Islam if someone has experiences)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.What efforts have people made to prevent misunderstanding caused by the observations I mentioned at the very beginning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Although I know there are such things called canonical scripts/literature, I'd still like to know others' opinions regarding what (and maybe how) to read, and what to believe literally. &#xA;ps: my personal preference would be those that are most loyal to Gautama's own words with few extended discussions and little personal guessing, but what scriptures would this comprise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7981" LastEditorUserId="7981" LastEditDate="2016-03-16T17:06:51.920" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T03:24:05.967" Title="Does knowing Pali/Sanskrit (and to which level) give one more insights while reading Buddhist scripts?" Tags="|pali-canon|texts|pali-language|early-buddhism|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14457" CreationDate="2016-03-16T17:07:14.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Western scholarly work on &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_studies&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist studies&lt;/a&gt;&quot; begun recently (also, Japan is said to have published more scholar work on Buddhism than the entire world combined). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than that, I think most &quot;scholar work&quot; has been written by buddhists for buddhists over the millennia (e.g. through commentaries and so forth) -- though focusing more on doctrine and not having much interest in establishing facts/history nor carrying the sophistication of modern methodologies (e.g. use of textual analysis; archeological evidences; the practice of publishing work for a larger community to criticize it; etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1.How well studied are the Buddhist scripts? (compared to the modern study on Greek, Roman and medieval philosophy)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think not as well studied as the examples you gave, but they are studied and people publish their findings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2.How well studied are Pali and Sanskrit linguistically in the context of Buddhism? (compared to ancient Greek and Latin, or even Arabic/Islam if someone has experiences)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Today Pāli is studied mainly to gain access to Buddhist scriptures, and is frequently chanted in a ritual context. [...] In Europe, the Pali Text Society has been a major force in promoting the study of Pāli by Western scholars since its founding in 1881. Based in the United Kingdom, the society publishes romanized Pāli editions, along with many English translations of these sources. In 1869, the first Pali Dictionary was published using the research of Robert Caesar Childers, one of the founding members of the Pali Text Society. It was the first Pāli translated text in English and was published in 1872. Childers's dictionary later received the Volney Prize in 1876.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Pali Text Society was founded in part to compensate for the very low level of funds allocated to Indology in late 19th-century England and the rest of the UK; incongruously, the citizens of the UK were not nearly so robust in Sanskrit and Prakrit language studies as Germany, Russia, and even Denmark. Even without the inspiration of colonial holdings such as the former British occupation of Sri Lanka and Burma, institutions such as the Danish Royal Library have built up major collections of Pāli manuscripts, and major traditions of Pāli studies.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3.What efforts have people made to prevent misunderstanding caused by the observations I mentioned at the very beginning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess they have studied and published their findings, like any other field (bound by funding, like any other field).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4.Although I know there are such things called canonical scripts/literature, I'd still like to know others' opinions regarding what (and maybe how) to read, and what to believe literally. ps: my personal preference would be those that are most loyal to Gautama's own words with few extended discussions and little personal guessing, but what scriptures would this comprise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take &quot;loyal to Gautama's own words&quot; to be the narratives that are considered by some to be &quot;most likely&quot; to have taken place and what most likely he actually said then you would likely prefer the body of texts that has more historical significance (than, say, doctrinal significance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that studies of &quot;early buddhism&quot; (the pre-sectarian period comprising the undivided sangha during and after the Buddha's parinirvana) focus on identifying early strata of the sutras and studying them. In general, the four nikayas/agamas (digha, majjhima, samyutta, anguttara) are the main interest of study here -- other collections which have been considered to be older are frequently considered as well, such as the Sutta Nipata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you take &quot;loyal to gautama's words&quot; to be anything that can be understood as reflecting Buddha dharma, not necessarily his words verbatim, I think the range of literature greatly increases, encompassing every sutra that has been written and accepted by buddhists of any sect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-16T17:18:06.910" LastActivityDate="2016-03-16T17:18:06.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14437" CreationDate="2016-03-17T04:52:37.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have problems meditating in the morning. I usually feel very tired when getting up early on a weekday and then have a limited timeframe (~ 30 min.) for meditation. My body feels so tired, that I am unable to meditate. This is often accompanied by the tendency to get into a negative, rejecting mindstate.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is a Mind-Body phenomenon wherein the six senses are continuously coming in contact with their objects. Since we all have taken birth, the above process is unavoidable. Mental states affect our bodily states and vice versa. Hence, physical tiredness and negative mental states seem co-related.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An effective way to deal with any problem is &lt;em&gt;Yoniso Manasikara&lt;/em&gt; or wise reflection. This applies in conventional sense and also in the ultimate sense. In conventional sense, one tries to go to the root of the problem and then tries to get rid of the underlying causes of the problem. In ultimate sense, one tries to understand &lt;em&gt;Anicca&lt;/em&gt; (Impermanence), &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (Source of Suffering) and &lt;em&gt;Anatta&lt;/em&gt; (Non Self) on the basis of sensations on the body and then realise that fretting over something that is Impermanent, Source of Suffering and Non Self is futile. Ven Yuttadhammo talks more about cultivating wisdom in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swrTf6je3Ys&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;talk&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh463-p.html#Wakingupinthemorning&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Importance of Wise Reflection&lt;/a&gt; by Steve Weissman is a nice article. It specifically talks about how to cultivate positive mental states in the morning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Waking up in the morning&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This method is a helpful way to begin the day, as it not only helps us&#xA;  to develop compassion but also motivates us to think of how fortunate&#xA;  we are, for which we give further advice in the next section. This&#xA;  helps to expand our concern from simply ourselves and those we know,&#xA;  to feel more connected with people we do not know and the universality&#xA;  of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Upon waking, reflect deeply on a situation in the world where heavy&#xA;  dukkha is occurring. Imagine yourself vividly in such a situation in&#xA;  order to empathise with those involved and wish them all compassion&#xA;  and loving kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Two suggested phrases to use, when wishing compassion and loving&#xA;  kindness, are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“May &lt;strong&gt;_ be able to learn, practise and develop methods, techniques&#xA;  and tools of mental development, so that &lt;em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; can cope with,&#xA;  understand, accept and overcome the difficulties and challenges of&#xA;  life. May &lt;strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; find peace of mind.” “May &lt;em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; be able to let go of&#xA;  anger, fear, worry and ignorance. May &lt;strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; also have patience, courage,&#xA;  wisdom and determination to meet and overcome difficulties and&#xA;  problems, challenges of life. May _&lt;/strong&gt; find peace of mind.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How fortunate we are&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simply reflect on all the different ways that you are fortunate, materially and mentally. Watch out for the word “but”—it is&#xA;  not part of this reflection. This reflection is also very good when&#xA;  waking up each morning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It can be especially helpful to consider the odds of being born human&#xA;  compared to being born another being on this planet. Then consider how&#xA;  many have the chance to read or listen to the Dhamma. Then consider&#xA;  how many have the chance to actually practise the Dhamma. How very,&#xA;  very fortunate we are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To truly understand how fortunate we are is extremely helpful, in&#xA;  particular, with letting go of self-pity. This then allows more joy,&#xA;  contentment and energy to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Self-pity is a major hindrance for so many meditators. One main reason&#xA;  is because they are not looking at themselves objectively and&#xA;  truthfully. But in this practice we try to be objective with our view&#xA;  of life. We try to see life truly for what it actually is. Thus&#xA;  reflecting on how fortunate we are is a very simple and effective&#xA;  technique to find more inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know if the author is suggesting to do loving kindness meditation before reflecting on our fortunes, but I think that counting our fortunes, then sitting meditation and then loving kindness meditation would be the right order. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2016-03-17T04:52:37.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14461" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14468" CreationDate="2016-03-17T08:27:50.007" Score="3" ViewCount="1216" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since one of the aspects of wrong livelihood is human trafficking, why do we frequently read in the Canon instances where a slave should be good to his master, a master should be good to his slaves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T17:27:34.300" Title="How does the Dhamma reconcile slavery?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|pali-canon|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14461" CreationDate="2016-03-17T11:56:10.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;human trafficking is not the same as slave employment or exploitation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think Dhammic view at this practice could be likened to the Dhammic view upon meat consumption: if a person wasn't provided as a slave specifically to another person, the slave buyer or owner doesn't incur fault&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i'm speaking from the point of view of a person accustomed to slavery as a norm, personally i don't advocate or justify it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;according to the commentary on Vinaya the Theravadin orthodox view on slavery is of acceptance as a fact of life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;assistance a slave in escape from the master without mitigating factors is regarded as &lt;em&gt;theft&lt;/em&gt;, a grave, parajika, offense, which invariably results in the offender's expulsion with no right to re-join the Sangha in the remaining lifetime&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&quot;The Buddhist Monastic Code, Pt 1&quot; by Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu, p.70)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-06-04T17:27:34.300" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T17:27:34.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14461" CreationDate="2016-03-17T12:04:05.413" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are mistaking servant for slave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In five ways should a master minister to his servants and employees&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) by assigning them work according to their ability,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) by supplying them with food &lt;strong&gt;and with wages&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) by tending them in sickness,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) &lt;strong&gt;by sharing with them any delicacies&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(v) &lt;strong&gt;by granting them leave&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot;&gt;Singalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This neither fits the description of a master-slave relationship nor does it involve any human trafficking. Therefore, it doesn't come under wrong livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-17T12:13:08.393" LastActivityDate="2016-03-17T12:13:08.393" CommentCount="18" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14457" CreationDate="2016-03-17T16:23:01.500" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pali is difficult to translate into western languages due to lack of expressive power. Though there is much effort to study the Pali cannot there are instances where translators / teachers / lineages have disagreed on meaning. E.g.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/what-is-the-interpretation-of-parimukham-in-the-context-of-buddhist-meditation&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In instances like this Goenka advices to take meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Easy to understand on how it is to be practiced, i.e., which is not abstract, philosophical or purely theoretical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Which is actionable, i.e., which can be put into practice, not pure theoretical conjecture or not purely theoretical which cannot be put into pratice &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. &quot;keeping your mindfulness in front&quot; is not like keeping a glass or something in front of you. This is abstract and not practical. Keeping your mindfulness around the mouth is neither astract nor impractical. Since these are instruction to be practiced it should be practical and actionable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially in English some translations are loose fit hence some argue that the particular rendering though they principally agree on the meaning can lead to confusions. E.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order for meditators to understand the term sampajanna, we have translated it as-'The constant thorough understanding of impermanence'. It is felt that this translation conveys more fully the precise meaning of the term used by the Buddha. If the term sampajanna is translated too concisely into English its meaning can be lost. It has usually been translated as clear comprehension, bare comprehension, etc. At first glance, these translations appear to be correct. However, some have taken this to mean that one must merely have clear comprehension of bodily activities. Interpretations such as this may have had the effect of misleading some meditators on the path of Dhamma. To try and minimize any confusions for meditators the more wordy translation- 'the constant thorough understanding of impermanence'- has been chosen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna-the-Thorough-Understanding&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajanna-the Constant Thorough Understanding of Impermanence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though strictly necessary knowing Pali would definitely help in understanding the teaching. There are many books which still has not being translated into other languages. E.g. Parajikan Atthakatha see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13527/u-ba-khin-and-his-reference-to-parajikan-atthakatha&quot;&gt;U Ba Khin and his reference to Parajikan Atthakatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There multiple research groups which research the scriptures like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://atbu.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://atbu.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iabu.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.iabu.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bristol.ac.uk/religion/buddhist-centre/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bristol.ac.uk/religion/buddhist-centre/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://ocbs.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://gsas.columbia.edu/content/academic-programs/buddhist-studies&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://gsas.columbia.edu/content/academic-programs/buddhist-studies&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbs.ugent.be/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.cbs.ugent.be/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bcbsdharma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.bcbsdharma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.shin-ibs.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhist-studies.uchicago.edu/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://buddhist-studies.uchicago.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.soas.ac.uk/buddhiststudies/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.soas.ac.uk/buddhiststudies/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.hku.hk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhism.hku.hk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.international.ucla.edu/buddhist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.international.ucla.edu/buddhist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.digitalhimalaya.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.digitalhimalaya.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bpu.ac.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bpu.ac.lk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the institutions which does &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Etymology&lt;/a&gt; studies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://vridhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://vridhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palitext.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palitext.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are prominent people who does research on this front. Excluding people tied to universities and institution following are very prominent:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ven. Sujato - &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://sujato.wordpress.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt;. E.g. on essay written in this area is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.11-Language-and-discourse.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Language and Discourse&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanamoli_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanamoli_Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyanaponika_Thera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyanaponika_Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanavira_Thera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanavira_Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T03:24:05.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14465" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-18T03:29:24.060" Score="2" ViewCount="3267" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist, when dead, is most of the time cremated and not buried. Does this have to do with anything in the teachings of the Buddha? As far as I know, burying a body is more Eco-friendly than cremation. I share with you one of the best answers given by the legendary Neil deGrasse Tyson :) &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afGkv0IT4dU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afGkv0IT4dU&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2016-03-23T23:50:27.973" LastActivityDate="2020-04-27T19:17:40.810" Title="Why do Buddhists cremate instead of burying?" Tags="|death|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14465" CreationDate="2016-03-18T04:20:25.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In historic times it was a practice to wrap the body in a cloth and throw it into the forest or designated grave ward. The clothes used to wrap the body was used to stitch robes. Also the pratice of doing cemetry contemplation was based on such disposed bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Creation is a more cultural evolution than being Buddhist at least in the Theravada perspective, i.e., Buddhist do not have a particular way as to bury or cremate. This pratice has come among Buddhist perhaps due to Hindu and Indian influence and customs. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=hindu%20funeral%20pyre&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;search on hindu funeral pyre&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more on this see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyre&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyre&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charnel_ground&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charnel_ground&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.maithri.com/articles_new/Buddhism_Practices_Buddhist_funeral_rites.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhism Practices : Buddhist funeral rites&lt;/a&gt; this is the pratice in Sri Lanka, I a not sure if the pratice is the same in other Theravada countries.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-18T10:17:28.000" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T10:17:28.000" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14465" CreationDate="2016-03-18T09:03:30.147" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;That answer in the video has a parallel in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_burial&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sky burial&lt;/a&gt; where the body is exposed in the wilderness to be eaten by birds and animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That practice is unpopular (and, more to the point, illegal) in countries which don't have enough wilderness etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cremation is a standard practice in India and, apparently, was the practice in the Buddha's time. The Maha-parinibbana Sutta ends with the monks telling the local society to do as they see fit (which included cremation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there is a &quot;religious&quot; aspect to it: a Christian might believe in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.catholic.com/tracts/resurrection-of-the-body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;resurrection of the body&lt;/a&gt; and therefore want their body buried instead of destroyed. A Buddhist is more likely to see the body as impermanent and not-self (on the other hand Buddhists do collect relics, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aar%C4%ABra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_associated_with_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for ecology I suppose that burial is more carbon-neutral, but it takes land, cemeteries run out of space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T09:03:30.147" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14461" CreationDate="2016-03-18T10:14:39.877" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Vanijjā Sutta it is said a  lay follower should not engage in 5 types of trades which include Trading in humans (satta vaṇijjā). Some forms of slavery is still persist today. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Trading in humans. Although slavery has been officially or effectively banned and ended in&#xA;  almost every nation, various forms of slavery still exist. The most common kinds of disguised slavery&#xA;  include child labour, forced labour, forced prostitution, and the selling and buying of children and adults.&#xA;  Children should be schooling until they are old and mature enough to work gainfully. No one should be&#xA;  forced to work against their will or without proper health considerations, contract or remuneration. All&#xA;  workers and employees should be properly treated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prostitution is wrong simply because the person is treated and exploited in a physical sense. Even if&#xA;  they are paid for their services, the liaisons are rooted in lust, which is an unwholesome root as they are&#xA;  treated as mere objects of pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The negative implications are greater if the perpetrator is married,&#xA;  as this means disloyalty to the spouse and a bad example to their children, who are likely to repeat the&#xA;  vicious cycle. There are also the grave dangers of sexually-transmitted diseases.&#xA;  However, we should not be too quick to blame the prostitutes themselves, because they are usually&#xA;  the victims of abuse, poverty or social problems. The roots of the problem should be addressed in order to&#xA;  help them rise above their unwholesome circumstances to live dignified lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buying and selling of children is a form of slavery as they often end up in forced labour, prostitution,&#xA;  abuse and other unhappy circumstances. Buddhism, however, is not against legal and proper adoption of&#xA;  children. In difficult circumstances, such as the children being abused or becoming orphans, they should&#xA;  be given proper care, protection (such as becoming wards of the state), and education.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/37.8-Right-livelihood.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was common to have slaves in India at the time. Not too long ago there were prominent US presidents also who owned slaves and also a civil war over slavery. This again was a cultural norm than do with Buddhism. The Buddha also might have seen at that time any radical change might have not been possible, hence resorted to saying being good to slaves as this will have a wider and practical impact. If you look at the Sutta on the layman's precepts early Suttas did not have any reference to taking intoxicated. This was before all the major kings and tycoons were his disciples and it was acceptable in the higher classes to have a small drink. Introducing this prematurely would have put off possibly some people from the Dhamma. But once established and society and Kings and tycoons became receptive,  the Buddha did bring in the 5th precept. (E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.1-Sigalovada-S-d31-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; only has the 4.) Likewise saying no to slavery may have triggered a reaction something akin to the US Civil on weighing the benefits of such against spreading the benefits of the Dhamma he would have thought saying be good to your slaves would resulted in overall maximising benefit to slaves and society at large. Even prominent disciples like Anathapindika, Visakha owned slaves but when the masters were receptive to the Dhamma and they got established they became good towards others including their slaves, the benefits flowed to the slaves also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some advice Vishaka was given from her father, also a follower of the Dhamma, included:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Before taking her food, a wife should first see that her parents-in-law and husband are served. She should also make sure that his &lt;strong&gt;servants are well cared for.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Before going to sleep, a wife should see that all doors are closed, furniture is safe, servants have performed their duties, and that parents-in-law have retired. As a rule, a wife should rise early in the morning and unless she is sick, she should not sleep during the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_4lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Life of the Buddha - Visakha, Great Female Supporter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By mentioning something not in tune to the times and culture present those days would have made people less receptive to the Dhamma and would have reduced the benefits the slaves and society would have potentially got. There are accounts that both male and female slaves have also benefited from the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if the trade of slaves is discouraged so does the ability for one to acquire and build a large base of slaves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T03:20:51.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14469" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-18T12:04:44.910" Score="2" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a sutra about the downfall of our civilization. It explains how some people flee the urban life and live in far away places while others go into a Killing spree/ War. It also features how the people who fled come to their senses and how they build a proper society again. This is a Sutra in Sutra pitaka (Theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone name this and give me a link?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T12:32:51.290" Title="Can someone point me the Sutra that explains the fall of Human civilization?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14470" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-18T12:18:04.233" Score="1" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard and read that relics of Buddha have certain supernatural powers. I was reading a book once that said that it is not the relic alone that performs these supernatural acts but the deities that protect the relic. Can anyone help me understand this. thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-18T12:54:36.873" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T12:53:16.907" Title="Relics/ dhathu have supernatural powers?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14469" CreationDate="2016-03-18T12:20:20.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T12:32:51.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14470" CreationDate="2016-03-18T12:49:39.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The supernormal acts can happen in 2 ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Person has Jhanic powers and made a strong determination that so and so should happen with the relicts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A deva or being which the power influence matter in the human realm influences the relicts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally in my opinion the latter is happens when relicts mysteriously appear in shrine rooms and places of worship. If the relicts do not get veneration in where they are a deva may bring them to another place where they might get the veneration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The former case may be associated with crystallizing of the relicts. E.g.: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdcu.org.au/bddronline/bddr12no7/Mun168.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.bdcu.org.au/bddronline/bddr12no7/Mun168.htm&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T12:49:39.400" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14465" CreationDate="2016-03-18T12:55:49.077" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to the answers already given, cremation was considered as the respectful way of disposing of the dead. All Buddhas and Cakkavatti kings of the past were said to be cremated. You wouldn't want a body of a virtuous being to be put underground and subject it to disrespectful situations like people walking above, animals digging up body parts, worms working on it, people/animals defecating or urinating above it etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when they are alive, you always offer high places to them as a form of respect. So the traditional Buddhists are disinclined on putting them underground for the sake of a plant since the event is about paying respect, rather than an opportunity to feed a tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-18T13:13:03.830" LastActivityDate="2016-03-18T13:13:03.830" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14474" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14475" CreationDate="2016-03-18T14:13:05.907" Score="3" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for some texts where the Buddha explains the nature of mind in relation with the process of learning/researching. I was reading a quote by a famous mathematician known to be very interested in Buddhism and I thought his point of view was related to some teachings of the Buddha. I would like to read more Buddhist literature to see if this connection is real. The quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unknown thing to be known appeared to me as some stretch of earth or hard marl, resisting penetration… the sea advances insensibly in silence, nothing seems to happen, nothing moves, the water is so far off you hardly hear it.. yet it finally surrounds the resistant substance. (Alexander Grothendieck)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the idea of the &quot;Rising Sea&quot; can be understood in Buddhist terms. From my experience Buddhism has a lot of metaphors showing the mind/consciousness as an entity similar to the sea. I would like to see some texts where I can draw an analogy between the awakening process and the process of discovering something new.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4847" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-18T19:38:57.950" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T09:58:05.343" Title="Buddhist point of view in the research process" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14474" CreationDate="2016-03-18T17:42:04.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can attempt to answer this from a Theravada standpoint. Though I can try to draw a parallel between the mind and ocean but this might not be the Mahayana standpoint. But I found this if this might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mindocean.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Make Your Mind an Ocean&lt;/a&gt;: Aspects of Buddhist Psychology by Ven. Lama Thubten Yeshe Edited by Nicholas Ribush&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also what has being quoted seems related to the Bible as it is said this person turned to Christianity or could have been a mix and match from Buddhism and Christianity. Strikingly similar passages &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/isaiah/57-20.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Isaiah 57:20&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-14.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ephesians 4:14&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/james/1-6.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;James 1:6&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you learn or do research you learn a concept (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pannatti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;paññatti&lt;/a&gt;). First you will have words labeling (nama-paññatti) certain concepts (attha-paññatti). To describe this you will use a vocabulary which gives meaning to the conceptual terms (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nirutti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nirutti&lt;/a&gt;). There perhaps would be a language around how the words are used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In learning when conceptualising something you recognise elements by which you want to build the concept. Say initially a baby sees his mother then applies the labeling &quot;mother&quot; and concept associated with it. As you learn new things there are 2 parts. 1st apply a label and then associate meaning with the lable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more theoretical discussion on this see: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Two kinds of paññatti are distinguished. One is called nama-paññatti and the other attha-paññatti. The first refers to names, words, signs, or symbols through which things, real or unreal, are designated: “It is the mere mode of recognising (saññakaramatta) by way of this or that word whose significance is determined by worldly convention.” [128] It is created by worldly consent (lokasanketa-nimmita) and established by worldly usage (lokavoharena siddha). [129] The other, called attha-paññatti, refers to ideas, notions, or concepts corresponding to the names, words, signs, or symbols. It is produced by the interpretative function of the mind (kappana) and is based on the various forms or appearances presented by the real elements when they are in particular situations or positions (avattha-visesa). [130] Both nama-paññatti and attha-paññatti thus have a psychological origin and as such both are devoid of objective reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Formulating a thesis or research ideas involve conceptualisation. Also these have to be expressed or communicated as finding or publication. More on this is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nama-paññatti is often defined as that which makes known (paññapanato paññatti) and attha-paññatti as that which is made known (paññapiyatta paññatti). [131] The former is an instance of agency definition (kattu-sadhana) and the latter of object definition (kamma-sadhana). What both attempt to show is that nama-paññatti which makes attha-paññatti known, and attha-paññatti which is made known by nama-paññatti, are mutually inter-dependent and therefore logically inseparable. This explains the significance of another definition which states that nama-paññatti is the term’s relationship with the ideas (saddassa atthehi sambandho) and that attha-paññatti is the idea’s relationship with the terms (atthassa saddehi sambandho). [132] These two pairs of definition show that the two processes of conceptualization and verbalization through the symbolic medium of language are but two separate aspects of the same phenomenon. It is for the convenience of definition that what really amounts to a single phenomenon is treated from two different angles, which represent two ways of looking at the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The difference is established by defining the same word, paññatti, in two different ways. When it is defined as subject it is nama-paññatti—the concept as name. When it is defined as object it is attha-paññatti—the concept as meaning. If the former is that which expresses (vacaka), the latter is that which is expressible (vacaniya). [133] In this same sense, if the former is abhidhana, the latter is abhidheya. [134] Since attha-paññatti stands for the process of conceptualization it represents more the subjective and dynamic aspect, and since nama-paññatti stands for the process of verbalization it represents more the objective and static aspect. For the assignment of a term to what is constructed in thought—in other words, its expression through the symbolic medium of language—invests it with some kind of relative permanence and objectivity. It is, so to say, crystallised into an entity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I Buddhism there concepts which are ultimate realities which may be the subject of Buddhist research. Following describes how these are learned and understood at the conceptual level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now the definition of attha-paññatti as that which is made known by nama-paññatti gives rise to the question as to what its position is in relation to the real existents (dhammas). For if the real existents, too, can be made known (= attha-paññatti), on what basis are the two categories, the real and conceptual, to be distinguished? What should not be overlooked here is that according to its very definition attha-paññatti exists by virtue of its being conceived (parikappiyamana) and expressed (paññapiyamana). Hence it is incorrect to explain attha-paññatti as that which is conceptualizable and expressible, for its very existence stems from the act of being conceptualised and expressed. This rules out the possibility of its existing without being conceptualised and expressed. In the case of the dhammas or real existents the situation is quite different. While they can be made known by nama-paññatti, their existence is not dependent on their being known or conceptualised. Where such a real existent is made known by a nama-paññatti, the latter is called vijjamana-paññatti, [135] because it represents something that exists in the real and ultimate sense (paramatthato). And the notion or concept (= attha-paññatti) corresponding to it is called tajja-paññatti, the verisimilar or appropriate concept. [136] This does not mean that the real existent has transformed itself into a concept. It only means that a concept corresponding to it has been established.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An untamed mind your thoughts rise and fall like sea waves. So effort should be put to tame your mind. With continuous stilling of the mind the resistance or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt; to achieving this is overcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly a few others have things along similar lines but all share some resemblance to Bible verses adopted to the Buddhist context. Perhaps since &quot;mind like the sea&quot; passages even in a Buddhist context are adopted from bible passages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Conquer Yourself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who can conquer himself is greater than the mighty. To conquer yourself you must conquer your mind. You must control your thinking. Your thoughts cannot be tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. You may be thinking, “I can’t control my thoughts, if a thought comes, it comes.” To that I say, you may not be able to stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can certainly stop him from building a nest in your hair. Dismiss thoughts that are contrary to the life you desire to live. Buddha said, “It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/life-lessons-from-buddha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 Must Read Life Lessons from Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One must find the source within one's own Self, one must possess it. Everything else was seeking -- a detour, an error.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-Siddhartha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I firmly believe in the realization of one's self. From it stems the true meaning of my life. From here am I, bestowed with the understanding and courage to follow my righteous path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unless we learn to control our 'self', we will be swayed by it. I believe that whatever you desire and dream, is attained, once you agree to the notion that it is you, and you only that needs to be conquered. To discover and unravel the fountainhead of everything - passion, greed, peace, anger, anxiety, and true happiness, you need not go anywhere but listen to your inner voice. Your mind knows only some things, but your inner voice tells you everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However your inner voice, your internal speech or your conscience, whatever you may want to call it, has been burdened, thwarted and gradually emptied by the vices in your life. Your conscience has yielded to the perfect examples of how ordinary men should live their lives. It has been designed by the beliefs in popular magazines and opinions others have of you. It has even been wrongly submerged under your own sea of thoughts, most of which you believe, define you as a being. However, it isn't the truth. Far from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That silvery voice speaks to you every so often. To be receptive, you must halt your mind from obstructing it. Hence, to conquer yourself, you must conquer your mind. You must pay heed to, but constrain your thinking. Your thoughts cannot be tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. You may be thinking, “I can’t control my thoughts, it comes, if it wants to.” Buddha says &quot;You may not be able to stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can certainly stop him from building a nest in your hair.&quot; If you dream of a life with endless possibilities, live with an unsatiated curiosity for the knowledge of 'self' and dismiss thoughts negating your promise-filled belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-most-important-belief-that-propels-your-life&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is the most important belief that propels your life?&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/What-is-your-most-unshakeable-belief&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is your most unshakeable belief?&lt;/a&gt; but this mis attributes one of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Martin Luther King, Jr.&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Martin Luther&lt;/a&gt; quotes as one of the Buddha's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Martin Luther once said with regard to temptation and tempting thoughts: we cannot control what birds fly over our heads. We can only control whether they build nests in our hair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christian-piatt/did-jesus-ever-sin_b_2535289.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Did Jesus Ever Sin?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-20T09:58:05.343" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T09:58:05.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9236" CreationDate="2016-03-19T04:58:28.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some interesting cases among animals not only cat but birds, dogs, cows, fish and any kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this is helpful.&#xA;Don't take it too seriously but for your reference.&#xA;About a cat who refuse to eat chicken, catfood, fish, or any meats and only eating vegetables and shedding tears when given food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/CN5yKheno_s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/CN5yKheno_s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T04:58:28.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2016-03-19T05:12:40.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of inreresting cass involving animals gaining glimpse of Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many monks may know or have those experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you so desire to know or confirm, you can ask them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They will freely answer the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T05:12:40.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-03-19T05:16:52.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are talking about the nature of reality right now&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really want to know,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You want to experience not reading or knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Readimg and knowing can be a danger without proper guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They can be a hinderance to not being ignorant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T05:16:52.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14479" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-19T09:50:05.240" Score="2" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vicikicca or skeptical doubt, some interpret this as perplexity, is known to be one of the mental hindrances. But why is having doubt bad for one's mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For me, doubt is what makes me think more harder to understand certain issues. Doubt leads to creative thinking as well. I am sorry if I have misinterpreted vicikicca but would much appreciate if you could help me out with this&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T09:52:21.440" Title="Is being skeptical bad?" Tags="|mind|doubt|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14479" CreationDate="2016-03-19T14:28:08.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the mundane world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt on One's Ability &#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You might not undertake beneficial action because of lack of confidence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt in a Teacher or Doctor&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will not learn what is been taught or take the treatment given&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt Something Will Work&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you have doubts on if something will work or has a chance to succeed you will not attempt it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you doubt something works for you specifically&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have confidence something will work but doubtful if it will benefit you. Say you are doubtful a certain fitness routine works on you due to some reason you will avoid such routine or not follow through with earnest&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have doubt something will work in current times&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you think something worked in the past but not any more you might not follow through with it in earnest&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are too old or too young to do something&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly when practicing meditation. You have to have confidence in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The technique&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The benefits to be reaped&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One's ability to execute and come out successful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will work for you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It will work currently and also regardless of one's age&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some forms of doubt is wholesome and will not be a hindrance if done in the spirit of free inquiry. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.4a-Kesaputtiya-S-a3.65-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kesa,puttiya Sutta (or  Kālāma Sutta)&lt;/a&gt;. Also the Buddha mention that doubt is justified in couple of Suttas including &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.15-Kutuhalasala-S-s44.9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kutūhala,sālā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. As I see it any of these instances are skeptical on what is been heard or taught by others or skepticism arisen due to logical fallacies in reasoning with the accepted norms of the day. Also the people were in a stage prior to doing serious pratice of the path and training. So doubts before serious pratice and arisen from what has been taught or inferred the general acceptable knowledge is justifiable but so when you pratice or regarding the path and training. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence being skeptical in any endeavour diminishes your ability to accomplish the end goal. When you initially approach a task or endeavor you can have your skepticism but when your you start executing you ideally should be void of doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More broadly speaking with respect to all the hindrances including doubt. What needs to be done is to starve the hindrances and feed the awakening factors. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.15-Nivarana-Bojjhanga-Ahara-S-s46.51-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvaraṇa Bojjhaṅga) Ahara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Since hindrances weekend wisdom and the awakening factors enhances wisdom. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.10-Avarana-Nivarana-S-s46.38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Āvaraṇa Nīvaraṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]. The hindrances are also dependently arise based on the unwholesome roots. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.4-Akusalamula-Annatitthiya-S-a-3.68-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]. Couple of way to overcome them are given in [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;], [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.13-Satipatthana-Nivarana-S-a9.64-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Satipaṭṭhāna) Nīvaraṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;], etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to doubt specifically. The reason for doubt is unwise attention. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;] With unwise attention you begin to believe something not inline with reality (more on these perversion see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) and start doubting the teacher, teaching, benefits of the pratice. Not being able to clearly see the truth of the dhamma, teaching and practice leads to perplexity. Unwise attention should be overcome by seeing or experiencing the truth. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.3-Sabbasava-S-m2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabb’āsava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.8-Vicikiccha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/wings_complete_v111219.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; translated and Explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) - on awakening factors which you should strengthen&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T09:52:21.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14481" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-19T15:29:28.867" Score="1" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;p&gt;can we give them to animals, after offering the meal for Buddha's statue and where them put after offering?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7996" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T15:29:28.867" Title="where we put the meals after offering to the Buddha?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2016-03-19T15:45:24.677" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14479" CreationDate="2016-03-19T21:01:41.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Doubt is good or bad depending on conditions and circumstances of the practitioner's understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to practice Dharma in true way, you should always have doubt unless you experience it by yourself or natural conviction but still you should always have doubt even in Dharma or Buddha if they hinder you actually practising true Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His Holiness Dalai Lama said you should doubt Buddha, Dharma, or teacher and don't believe just because they said or do certain things but you should actually experience it by yourself and confirm it naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7999" LastActivityDate="2016-03-19T21:01:41.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14483" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-20T11:00:09.673" Score="3" ViewCount="80" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently stumbled upon a lovely collection of well-typeset Vietnamese Buddhist texts. It must have taken tremendous effort to typeset &lt;a href=&quot;http://nigioikhatsi.net/kinhsach-pdf/nietban2015-01.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;  bilingual Chinese-Vietnamese edition of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra in LaTeX, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a computational linguist and Buddhism enthusiast, I would be highly interested to discover more sources of beautifully typeset multilingual Buddhist materials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8002" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T17:08:21.640" Title="Where to find multilingual and/or beautifully typeset Buddhist texts?" Tags="|texts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14470" CreationDate="2016-03-20T12:53:16.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard and read that relics of Buddha have certain supernatural&#xA;  powers. I was reading a book once that said that it is not the relic&#xA;  alone that performs these supernatural acts but the deities that&#xA;  protect the relic. Can anyone help me understand this. thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly what you have heard and read is just some conjured up mumbo jumbo propagated by trinket peddlers, and has nothing to do with the Dhamma. True practitioners will stir clear from these baseless and blatantly false stories. Once the idea has been embedded in a devout person that a certain relic has supernatural powers its very difficult to get rid of such ideas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha on many occasions referred to his body has foul object, in his latter years, he referred to it as a derelict cart plastered together. After his demise the foul thing was burnt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who are unable to realize the nature of impermanence, who have yet to destroy the view of self pertaining to the body (form) and the other khandas, say such things as the Buddha's immortality and continued existence through remaining pieces of bone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Sri Lankans fall gullible, or at least used to, when some monks claim to display relics of great Arhats of the past. In most cases its a money making scam. These days people want more definitive proof about the origins and authenticity of such relics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is certainly a sense of nostalgia and awe to be in presence of a the relics of the a great man. However, the mindful realize that its not the relics that are great, but the life and the dhamma of the person who lived, and for the truly motivated, we don't need relics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be well and happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T12:53:16.907" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7492" CreationDate="2016-03-20T12:58:10.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People think Dhamma Dana (gifting Dhamma) is by printing dhamma books and distributing them. However, the true Dhamma gift is being able to inspire others to be virtuous, kind and wise. Animals, especially dogs do possess a degree of intelligence. Kind owners, who speak kind words and treat their animals and others kindly do impart their kindness on their pets. This will serve for their long term benefit. May all beings be happy.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T12:58:10.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14483" CreationDate="2016-03-20T16:23:42.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beautifully typed texts - &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt;, also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://pitaka.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://pitaka.lk/&lt;/a&gt; but in Singhala&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Multilingual texts - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt; (you can say it is also beautifully formated), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&lt;/a&gt; (English and French)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T16:23:42.007" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14488" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-20T18:08:35.133" Score="2" ViewCount="355" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone point me some good sutras for Buddhist Cosmology. I'm interested in the Theravada school's teaching on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-20T22:37:26.200" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T22:37:26.200" Title="Can you point me some Sutras on Buddhist Cosmology?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|texts|sutras|buddhist-cosmology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14488" CreationDate="2016-03-20T18:35:49.103" Score="3" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.15-Kosala-S-1-a10.29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/47.8-Satta-Suriya-S-a7.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satta Suriya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāṭika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn120&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅ­khā­ru­papat­ti­ Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.2-Brahmajala-S-d01-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma,jala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Also see for introduction: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.1-Brahmajala-S-Intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to the Brahma,jāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Abhidhamma books contain a lot on this subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-20T18:55:14.680" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14491" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-21T06:51:52.903" Score="1" ViewCount="960" Body="&lt;p&gt;  Is a strictly pacifist Buddhism exactly correct or are there certain situations were violence or war might be appropriate according to the Buddha's teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  What did the Buddha say about the Military? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  Given that Buddhist countries have soldiers, what doctrine[s] do they use to justify having a military to defend the people and the Dharma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  Is there anything in the Tipitaka to support the idea that a soldier  who selflessly tries to defend others and/or the Dharma by violent means, makes good karma?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T19:39:35.983" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T00:20:03.500" Title="Was the Buddha against violence in all situations?" Tags="|reality|truth|non-violence|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14491" CreationDate="2016-03-21T11:26:02.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;actually everything is in the suttas and for the purpose of the answer Buddhism i equate with Buddhadhamma, not sure what meaning the inquirer imparts it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how, householders, are there three kinds of bodily conduct not in&#xA;  accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct? Here someone kills&#xA;  living beings; he is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and&#xA;  violence, merciless to living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, householders, it is by reason of such conduct not in accordance&#xA;  with the Dhamma, by reason of such unrighteous conduct that some&#xA;  beings here on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in&#xA;  states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even&#xA;  in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn41/10.1-10.198&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saleyyaka sutta (MN 41)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one could be a Buddhist who got caught up in unfortunate circumstances where they are forced to use violence or a deadly force which they wouldn't use otherwise, but they'll still have to experience kammic consequences, which is normally birth in hell&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;such a kamma i think to a certain degree can be alleviated if the mind isn't clouded and blinded with defilements, first of all with desire of killing, at the time of its (the kamma) creation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the&#xA;  source, sensual pleasures as the basis, the cause being simply sensual&#xA;  pleasures, men take swords and shields and buckle on bows and quivers,&#xA;  and they charge into battle massed in double array with arrows and&#xA;  spears flying and swords flashing; and there they are wounded by&#xA;  arrows and spears, and their heads are cut off by swords, whereby they&#xA;  incur death or deadly suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now this is a danger in the case of sensual pleasures, a mass of&#xA;  suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause,&#xA;  sensual pleasures as its source, sensual pleasures as its basis, the&#xA;  cause being simply sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Again, with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the&#xA;  source, sensual pleasures as the basis, the cause being simply sensual&#xA;  pleasures, men take swords and shields and buckle on bows and quivers,&#xA;  and they charge slippery bastions, with arrows and spears flying and&#xA;  swords flashing; and there they are wounded by arrows and spears and&#xA;  splashed with boiling liquids and crushed under heavy weights, and&#xA;  their heads are cut off by swords, whereby they incur death or deadly&#xA;  suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now this is a danger in the case of sensual pleasures, a mass of&#xA;  suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause,&#xA;  sensual pleasures as its source, sensual pleasures as its basis, the&#xA;  cause being simply sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn13/13-14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahadukkhakkhandha sutta (MN 13)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a warrior strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, his mind is already&#xA;  seized, debased, &amp;amp; misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be&#xA;  struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not&#xA;  exist.' If others then strike him down &amp;amp; slay him while he is thus&#xA;  striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the&#xA;  body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those&#xA;  slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior&#xA;  strives &amp;amp; exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down &amp;amp;&#xA;  slay him while he is striving &amp;amp; exerting himself in battle, then with&#xA;  the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of&#xA;  devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two&#xA;  destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or&#xA;  the animal womb.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yodhajiva sutta (SN 42.3)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one who is a Buddhist serving in a military during peace time with intent to slack on his duty at the high noon in favor of his obligations as a Buddhist, i think would be committing verbal misconduct of lying&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's how &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Sucitto&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Sucitto&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cittaviveka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cittaviveka Vihara&lt;/a&gt; describes his encounter with road bandits while on a pilgrimage in India&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then everything blew up. Nick turned round with a menacing expression&#xA;  on his face; someone was tugging my robe on one side while the ﬁrst&#xA;  man was hauling frantically at the mug on its strap on the other.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Three men charged at Nick who was crouched boxer-style; he wheeled and&#xA;  hit them with his backpack, then ran off with the three of them in hot&#xA;  pursuit. I was being lugged in two directions simultaneously by the&#xA;  strap on my water bottle and on my bag, I could only try to get the&#xA;  stuff off and let them have it, but their pulling on it made that&#xA;  impossible. We were going round in circles, with their excitement&#xA;  spinning into frenzy . I had to stop this. “Wait! Wait! Let me get&#xA;  this stuff off !” Momentarily they stood still. They all had axes and&#xA;  staves. The leader glared at me through twisted features and raised&#xA;  his axe.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Funny how your mind goes clear when the options disappear. Why&#xA;  struggle against the inevitable? The only freedom was to go without&#xA;  fear. I bowed my head and pointed the top of my skull toward him, drew&#xA;  the blade of my hand along it from the crown of my head to the brow.&#xA;  “Hit it right there.” Something shifted; he backed off, waving his axe&#xA;  and muttering angrily. I stepped forward and repeated the action. Give&#xA;  it away; let it all go.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Things settled. He lowered his axe. I slipped off the bag and the water &#xA;  bottle and stepped back. The three of them began excitedly picking over&#xA;  the  treasure. I imagined that they’d rummage around, ﬁnd there was&#xA;  nothing there of any value, and run off. Two of them picked up the&#xA;  gear and scurried down the track away. I felt shaky and sat down.&#xA;  Better keep cool — I started chanting softly. Then Nick ambled along with a &#xA;  smile but without his pack or assailants. “I’ve hidden the money;&#xA;  Bhante, are you all right?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  His return signalled further frenzy. As his assailants returned, the men&#xA;  charged at him with their sticks and began swinging blows; Nick caught&#xA;  most of them on his arms: “ All right, all right! I’ll show you&#xA;  where.” And the mob had streamed off into the forest by the time that&#xA;  I got to my feet, leaving me with one lad, who sullenly resisted my&#xA;  attempts to strike up a conversation. But he was mellow compared to&#xA;  the older men when they returned — without Nick or the bags. They&#xA;  jumped on me and pulled off the bag that I had around my neck&#xA;  containing the relics and Buddha image; they ripped off the waistband&#xA;  that was threaded through my pouch; they clawed under my sabong and&#xA;  dragged the passport out of another pouch that was hanging around my&#xA;  waist.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Then they were off with the loot tied up in bundles on their&#xA;  heads. The leader turned round and said “Your bags are over there,”&#xA;  pointing into the forest. “Fine, OK.” I said, in a vaguely warm way .&#xA;  The forest went back to silence as usual ... a sunny day, with the&#xA;  forested slopes on either side.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/rude-awakenings?language=English&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;Rude Awakenings&quot;&lt;/a&gt; (pp. 238-239)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9YE1oP-qr0#t=1h1m15s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9YE1oP-qr0#t=1h1m15s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T00:20:03.500" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T00:20:03.500" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14493" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14494" CreationDate="2016-03-21T12:47:26.060" Score="1" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is link giving a bit of details that Buddha preached about the decline of Buddhism after parinibbana. &#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/GotamaSasana.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/GotamaSasana.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; I share with you the following passage taken from the page of the above link&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that after His parinibbaana, only for 1,000 years will&#xA;  the monks be able to acquire the analytical knowledge (Patisambhida),&#xA;  or what we know as Arahanthship or deep knowledge. Then, as time goes&#xA;  on, they will only be able to attain Anaagami (Never return). And then&#xA;  only Sakadagami (Once return), and finally, only Sotapanna (Stream&#xA;  enterer). With the death of the last disciple who has attained&#xA;  Sotapanna, the attainments will disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Here's my issue with the above. From what I understand is that after a certain period of time after parinibbana, the maximum attainment that one could achieve reduces from arahant to anagami and so on. But this is illogical because if a person attain anaagaami he/she will only have at most 1 life where he/she will become an arahant which makes the above statement false, unless it means that the person will be born as a deva maybe having a very long lifetime until the next Buddha. This is confusing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T13:04:31.123" Title="Decline and the ending of Buddhism" Tags="|buddha|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14493" CreationDate="2016-03-21T13:04:31.123" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Anagamis are born in one of the five &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suddhavasa Brahma realms&lt;/a&gt;. There they will attain Arahanthship. Yes, they have a very long life span. The lowest realm 'Aviha' has a life span of 1000 Maha Kalpas. So they will see many Buddhas in the future before entering Parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text is talking about monks. That means the human world. Divine beings are not discussed here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T13:04:31.123" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14491" CreationDate="2016-03-21T15:47:29.093" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a book titled, &lt;em&gt;In Defense of Dharma: Just-war Ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/files/2010/04/vroom-review.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This review of it&lt;/a&gt; (by Annewieke Vroom in the Journal of Buddhist Ethics) includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nationalist stories&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In chapter two, &quot;Just-war Thinking in Texts and Contexts,&quot;&#xA;  Bartholomeusz describes what narratives are used to justify Buddhist&#xA;  violence. The major culprit here is the post-canonical scripture the&#xA;  Mahavamsa (Great History). In this text kings and forefathers defend the&#xA;  country from &quot;external influences&quot; after the Buddha himself makes three&#xA;  magical trips to Sri Lanka, which he prepares to be the dharmadwipa (island&#xA;  of the dharma). &quot;[T]he Mahavamsa occupies the same position in Sinhala&#xA;  society that the Ramayana holds in Indian society.&quot; Bartholomeusz quotes&#xA;  Steven Kemper on the importance of this text: &quot;As children, they hear&#xA;  shreds and patches of the tradition recited, they see temple paintings&#xA;  evoking it, or they follow cartoons in Sinhala newspapers representing the&#xA;  lives of righteous kings.&quot; (pp. 20-21) Thus Bartholomeusz portrays the&#xA;  background of the Sri Lankan Buddhist perception of the island: stories that&#xA;  present the island as destined to be Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Really Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sri Lankan Buddhist religio-nationalism is supported by the monks who&#xA;  are understood to have the task to safeguard the &quot;Dharma-Island&quot; from&#xA;  threat by &quot;foreign influences&quot; such as the Tamils. In support of this&#xA;  nationalist worldview, many texts are quoted that paint the history of the&#xA;  island as one of heroic warrior kings who (violently) &quot;defend&quot; the country&#xA;  from damilas (now read as Tamils) (chapter three: &quot;Dharma yuddhaya and&#xA;  Dharma Warriors in Sri Lanka&quot;). Even though most of the quoted texts are&#xA;  post-canonical, Bartholomeusz stresses as in earlier publications that it is&#xA;  naive to explain dharma yuddhaya (religious/dharma-war) thinking as a&#xA;  post-Theravāda development, a Sri Lankan aberration, or for other reasons&#xA;  not &quot;truly Buddhist.&quot; (p. 66) She locates the seeds for violence in canonical&#xA;  Buddhist texts such as the Dhammapada, that are &quot;replete with military&#xA;  metaphors.&quot; (p. 41)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, &quot;The major culprit here is the post-canonical scripture the&#xA;Mahavamsa (Great History).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have the book, so I can't tell you what it's citing from canonical literature. One of the &quot;military metaphors in the Dhammapada&quot; might be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=320&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first verse of Chapter 23&lt;/a&gt; (though in my opinion using that to justify war would be taking it out of context).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 320: As an elephant in battlefield withstands the arrow shot from a bow, so shall I endure abuse. Indeed, many people are without morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3497/254&quot;&gt;What does Buddha and Buddhism say about fighting against enemy of dharma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be more interested in Thailand. There's a book &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Fury: Religion and Violence in Southern Thailand&lt;/em&gt;, which is &lt;a href=&quot;http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2012/11/13/review-of-buddhist-fury-tlc-nmrev-xlvi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;reviewed here&lt;/a&gt;, and which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_violence#Thailand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;quoted on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; as saying that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the 1970s, nationalist Buddhist monks like Phra Kittiwuttho argued that killing Communists did not violate any of the Buddhist precepts. The militant side of Thai Buddhism became prominent again in 2004 when a Malay Muslim insurgency renewed in Thailand's deep south. Since January 2004, the Thai government has converted Buddhist monasteries into military outposts, commissioned Buddhist military monks and given support to Buddhist vigilante squads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The review (I haven't read the book) suggests that the justification or reasoning for this is identification with nationalism (e.g. &quot;Thailand is Buddhist&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T15:58:21.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14496" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-21T18:06:29.363" Score="5" ViewCount="1283" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh seems to deny a major teaching on dukkha/suffering common to both Theravada and Tibetan teachings -- the idea of &lt;em&gt;all-perasive suffering&lt;/em&gt; (&amp;quot;the suffering of composite things&amp;quot;,&lt;em&gt;samskara dukkhata&lt;/em&gt;)-- found in many places in the Pali and Tibetan canons. Below are some excerpts. A link to the whole chapter is at the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think his interpretation may well reflect a misunderstanding of all-pervasive suffering -- it does not deny joy; it simply says the only lasting happiness comes from addressing conditioned existence in general (or emptiness/shunyata and inherent/intrinsic existence in Mahayana terms); it cannot be found by only addressing worldly suffering directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe I am misunderstanding him. But he is pretty emphatic, even to the point of implying that the Pali Canon was corrupted to reflect this teaching before it got written down. He also suggests removing &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; from the Three Dharma Seals/Marks, replacing it with &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; (rather than just adding &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; to make four seals, as is usually done)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My questions -- does this reflect Zen teachings in general, or is it limited to Thich Nhat Hanh and/or some schools? If some Zen schools or teachers do teach all-pervasive suffering, can someone point me to references? I'd also be interested in other Zen teachings that reflect Thich Nhat Hanh's strong objection to the doctrine of all-pervasive suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quotes (with &lt;strong&gt;my emphasis&lt;/strong&gt; added) are from &lt;a href=&quot;http://triadic.com/misc/Thich%20Nhat%20Hanh%281998%29-Is%20Everything%20Suffering,%20Chapter%205,%20The%20Heart%20of%20the%20Buddha%27s%20Teaching.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chapter Five, &amp;quot;Is Everything Suffering?&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;, from &lt;em&gt;The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/em&gt;, by Thich Nhat Hanh,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the Buddha said that the First Noble Truth is suffering, many good&#xA;students of the Buddha have used their skills to prove that everything on&#xA;Earth is suffering. &lt;strong&gt;The theory of the Three Kinds of Suffering&lt;/strong&gt; was&#xA;such an attempt. It &lt;strong&gt;is not a teaching of the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first kind of suffering is &amp;quot;the suffering of suffering&amp;quot; (dukkha&#xA;dukkhata), the suffering associated with unpleasant feelings, like the pain&#xA;of a toothache, losing your temper, or feeling too cold on a winter's day.&#xA;The second is &amp;quot;the suffering of composite things&amp;quot; (samskara dukkhata).&#xA;Whatever comes together eventually has to come apart; therefore, all&#xA;composite things are described as suffering. Even things that have not yet&#xA;decayed, such as mountains, rivers, and the sun, are seen to be suffering,&#xA;because they will decay and cause suffering eventually. When you believe that everything composed is suffering, how can you find joy? The third is &amp;quot;the&#xA;suffering associated with change&amp;quot;(viparinama dukkhata). Our liver may be in&#xA;good health today, but when we grow old, it will cause us to suffer. There is no point in celebrating joy, because sooner or later it will turn into&#xA;suffering. Suffering is a black cloud that envelops everything. Joy is an&#xA;illusion. Only suffering is real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This dialogue is repeated in many sutras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, are conditioned things permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;'They are impermanent, World-Honored One.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;If things are impermanent, are they suffering or well-being?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;They are suffering, World-Honored One.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;If things are suffering, can we say that they are self or belong to self?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;No, World-Honored One.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By the time the Buddha's discourses were written down, seeing all things&#xA;as suffering must have been widely practiced,&lt;/strong&gt; as the above quotation&#xA;occurs more frequently than the teaching to identify suffering and the path&#xA;to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theory of the Three Kinds of Suffering is an attempt to justify the&#xA;universalization of suffering. What joy is left in life? We find it in&#xA;nirvana. &lt;strong&gt;In several sutras the Buddha taught that nirvana, the joy of&#xA;completely extinguishing our ideas and concepts, rather than suffering, is&#xA;one of the Three Dharma Seals.&lt;/strong&gt; This is stated four times in the Samyukta&#xA;Agama of the Northern transmission. Quoting from yet another sutra, Nagarjuna&#xA;listed nirvana as one of the Three Dharma Seals.  To me, it is much easier to&#xA;envision a state where there are no obstacles created by concepts than to see&#xA;all things as suffering. I hope scholars and practitioners will begin to&#xA;accept the teaching that all things are marked by impermanence, nonself, and&#xA;nirvana, and not make too great an effort to prove that everything is&#xA;suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2022-06-01T00:22:15.867" Title="Zen &amp; Dukkha -- Is Everything Suffering?" Tags="|reference-request|zen|suffering|dukkha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14496" CreationDate="2016-03-21T18:41:45.117" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;All-pervasive suffering&quot; is one translation of &lt;em&gt;Sankhara-dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha#Sankhara-dukkha_.28the_dukkha_of_conditioned_experience.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here are several other translations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that analysis of dukkha comes from one sutta? &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn38/sn38.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dukkha Sutta (SN 38.14)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these three forms of stressfulness, my friend: the stressfulness of pain, the stressfulness of fabrication, the stressfulness of change. These are the three forms of stressfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of looking for a translation of &lt;em&gt;Sankhara-dukkha&lt;/em&gt; and instead of translating it as &quot;everything is suffering&quot; or &quot;life is suffering&quot; or &quot;all-pervasive suffering&quot;, it might be better to figure out what &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9047/how-does-one-escape-suffering-when-they-cannot-provide-for-those-they-love#comment12615_9049&quot;&gt;this series of comments&lt;/a&gt;, where Ven. Yuttadhammo implies that &quot;life is suffering&quot; doesn't accurately quote what the Buddha said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I don't know of any example where the Buddha actually said &quot;life is suffering&quot;. – &lt;em&gt;yuttadhammo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you know a better English-language paraphrase/summary/approximation of the First noble truth? – &lt;em&gt;ChrisW&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the first noble truth is simply &quot;This is the truth of suffering.&quot; Nowhere in the enumeration of what is suffering does it refer to life. – &lt;em&gt;yuttadhammo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more story, I read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8534/254&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; somewhere:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh said that, when he was seven years old, he saw a picture of the Buddha on the cover of a Buddhist magazine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;He was sitting on the grass ... very peaceful ... smiling. And I was impressed. Around me people were not like that, so I had the desire to be someone like him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take it that we're meant to understand that the Buddha himself found a way to escape 'suffering'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As suffering is not an inherent aspect of existence[4] sometimes the second seal is omitted to make Three Dharma Seals.[5][6]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those footnotes reference Thich Nhat Hanh, but also two other authors, Rulu and Hsing Yun (who I think are both Chinese).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T18:41:45.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14498" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14513" CreationDate="2016-03-21T18:56:02.230" Score="7" ViewCount="499" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/&quot;&gt;this definition of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair are dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;association with the unbeloved is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;separation from the loved is dukkha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not getting what is wanted is dukkha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#The_five_skandhas&quot;&gt;this definition&lt;/a&gt; of the five skandhas,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first of the above (birth aging and death) might I suppose relate to &quot;form&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;form&quot; or &quot;matter&quot;[e] (Skt., Pāli रूप rūpa; Tib. gzugs): external and internal matter. Externally, rupa is the physical world. Internally, rupa includes the material body and the physical sense organs&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second of the above might relate to sensation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;sensation&quot; or &quot;feeling&quot; (Skt., Pāli वेदना vedanā; Tib. tshor-ba): sensing an object as either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do the next three parts of the definition of dukkha relate to the next three skandhas? If so can you please explain how they're related (i.e. how each of the other three skandha are dukkha)? Are &quot;association&quot;, &quot;separation&quot; and &quot;not getting what is wanted&quot; each associated with three different skandhas? Or is that all skandhas are equally able to be a type of &quot;clinging&quot; or attachment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-19T13:39:10.483" Title="How does the first noble truth associate dukkha with each of the five skandhas?" Tags="|five-skandas|four-noble-truths|dukkha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14499" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14512" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:41:27.200" Score="3" ViewCount="1845" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having read descriptions of perception and consciousness (two of the five skandhas), I still don't understand the difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there an important difference? What is the difference and why is it important?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T19:21:18.927" Title="What's the difference between perception and consciousness?" Tags="|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14499" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:49:40.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In relation to the five aggregates, the consciousness aggregate &lt;strong&gt;solely&lt;/strong&gt; refers to main minds, such as the eye-consciousness, the ear-consciousness, and so forth. This excludes mental factors. Mental factors are consciousnesses but they are not included within the category of consciousness aggregate. Except feelings and perception (or 'discrimination', etc.) mental factors are included in the category of compositional factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because perception is a consciousness, it is clear and knowing. It means that it has the capacity of taking the aspect of the object it apprehends, and it knows/apprehends its object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana Abhidharma, perception is one of the five omnipresent mental factors. It means that perception accompanies every single main mind. Here is an example: an eye-consciousness seeing blue takes the aspect of blue, and that aspect is apprehended by the perception factor that is in the retinue of the eye-consciousness as well. A main mind and its concomitant mental factors share five similarities that are explained by Yeshe Gyaltsen in his &lt;em&gt;Necklace for Those of Clear Awareness Clearly Revealing the Modes of Minds and Mental Factors&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the entity of perception, the &lt;em&gt;Compendium of Knowledge&lt;/em&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;QUESTION: What is the defining characteristic of discrimination&#xA;  [Tib. 'du shes, literally, aggregation-knowing]?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;RESPONSE: It has the characteristic of knowing upon aggregation. It has the entity of&#xA;  apprehending the sign and apprehending the mark, through which one&#xA;  designates an expression to objects of perceptions, hearing,&#xA;  differentiation and knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yeshe Gyaltsen explains further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as it has been said above, it is a knower that, upon the&#xA;  aggregation of the three – object, sense power, and primary&#xA;  consciousness – apprehends the uncommon sign of an object. Also, A&#xA;  Discussion of the Five Aggregates says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later in the text, he explains two division:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The apprehension of a sign with regard to an object means to&#xA;  apprehend it through individually distinguishing the object's&#xA;  particularities, such as blue, yellow, and so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The&#xA;  apprehension of a sign with regard to a convention means to apprehend&#xA;  it through individually distinguishing the convention's&#xA;  particularities, as when one thinks, &quot;This is a man; that is a woman.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T19:21:18.927" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T19:21:18.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14064" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:50:40.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;30 is young and baby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How? Under the proper guidance with rIght method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't need to abandon your life or your girl friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have enough money for 1 to 3 months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go to South Korea temple (I know Kwan um internattional zen ceter or Musang sa offers some sorts program) or somewhere in USA temple where short retreat of 1 to 3 months are offered  to public.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 to 3 months is not long time. Its just short time like a morning dew considering you will have 50 or more years to live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T19:50:40.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14496" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:56:37.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Theravada perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever is felt is included in suffering - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.6-Rahogata-S-s36.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Raho,gata Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma,vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling are 3 types which are related to unsatisfactoriness (everything is not satisfactory or unpleasant):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pain is suffering on its own but pleasant when it changes (dukkha-dukkhatā) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pleasure in itself is not suffering but leads to suffering since it changes and ends hence &lt;code&gt;Whatever is felt is included in suffering&lt;/code&gt; (vipariṇāma-dukkhatā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral feeling are suffering as conditioned existence birth, old age and death is unsatisfactory (Sankhara-dukkha) {what is satisfactory is Nirvana which is not associated with any sensation} and also this can very well lead to the above two types of suffering. This is painful when unknown and pleasant when known.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main reason for our continued existance which opens us to future situation of suffering (birth, decay, mishaps and death) is craving towards pleasant feeling, aversion towards unpleasant and being ignorant of reality when experiencing neutral feelings. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to conditioned existance which associated with unsatisfactoriness of existance (Sankhara-dukkha) is suffering as you are not exempt from birth, aging and death. This is associated with ignorance. This can become a pleasure if known (eradicate ignorance) but painful when unknown (with ignorance). Conditioned existance is not unpleasant entirely but connected to it. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T20:18:27.840" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14503" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:58:03.210" Score="2" ViewCount="875" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra#Within_the_Theravada_tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavacakra (Within the Theravada tradition)&lt;/a&gt; article includes &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra#/media/File:Paticca-Samuppada.JPG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this picture&lt;/a&gt; of the wheel:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/as6GW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/as6GW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From inner to outer, it has four rings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Past, Present, Future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Active and Passive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, what's the third ring? Assuming I know approximately what each word in the third ring means, why are those words in particular placed in those segment of the third ring? What's the relation between the third ring and the other rings? What is the lesson or advice, how is understanding this ring useful/usable towards enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T01:06:44.773" Title="Explain this Theravada Wheel of Life?" Tags="|theravada|nidanas|wheel-of-life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14491" CreationDate="2016-03-21T19:58:12.017" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your occupation doesn't determine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are occupations that could fall you victim of bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can compensate it through practicimg Dharma and helping others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastEditorUserId="7995" LastEditDate="2016-03-21T20:20:41.837" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T20:20:41.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14498" CreationDate="2016-03-21T20:11:36.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering is result of ignorance of karmic of skandhas, 5 aggrrgates in creation of ego. Ego has tendancy to cling and create 'self', 'I', or 'me' based on in dependent relation with  5 skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T20:11:36.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14503" CreationDate="2016-03-21T20:15:49.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving, attachment in the present lead to becoming and fabrication due to ignorance. Ignorance is included and if it is not present there is no craving and clinging to feelings hence no fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is subjected to birth decay and death (in the future) is a being composed of the 5 aggregates due to fabrication and ignorance in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving, clinging in the past due to ignorance hence leading to becoming and fabrication creates the rebirth, mind and matter, 6 sense bases, contact and feeling in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-21T21:17:52.523" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T21:17:52.523" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14498" CreationDate="2016-03-21T20:33:50.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If for example I take my young, healthy, hygienic &lt;strong&gt;form&lt;/strong&gt; as favorable, and an old, sick, unhygienic form as unfavorable. Then, there is suffering when you grow old, sick or dirty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I &lt;strong&gt;perceive&lt;/strong&gt; someone as a loved one, and another a foe, then these perceptions can be misery: when you part with a loved one and have to be with a unloved person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are &lt;strong&gt;conscious&lt;/strong&gt; of the touch of a soft cushion you get a pleasant &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;, and in an uncomfortable seat you get unpleasant feeling. If you get an uncomfortable seat and when your body comes in contact with it you feel unpleasant sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any pleasantness that you experience, which can change or come to an end, will give displeasure: for example when you are with someone you like (perceive positively) and you have to part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise if you analyse every aspect of the 5 aggregates it leads to suffering if there is craving. In absence of craving there is not suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. I do not distinguish someone as a person you do not like then this perception does not lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-03-21T20:40:11.277" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T20:40:11.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14499" CreationDate="2016-03-21T21:04:36.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness - knows what is felt and results in pleasant, unpleasant or neutral sensation as a reflexive mechanism. Say in the past you had a bitter experience with X and you see him the 1st reaction would be unpleasant sensation. This is a reflex or knee jerk reaction even before you fully recognise the person. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8a-Khandha-5-Vinnana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viññāṇa (Consciousness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception - Analyses what has some to your consciousness further and names, rebers and recognises the object. Now you recognise and name the person, this is Mr. X, he has these looks, he was a bully at school, etc. or even perhaps this is another person who looks like Mr X. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.4-Khandha-3-Sanna-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saññā (Perception)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-21T21:04:36.480" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14503" CreationDate="2016-03-22T03:40:46.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not to be looked at ring by ring but slice by slice so that the components in the inner rings can be combined with those in the outer to complete the picture. According to the Pali exegetical tradition, Dependent Orginination can be looked at in 2 ways (ref: &quot;Connected Discourses&quot; - NidanaSamyutta - Bhikkhu Bodhi):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;3 Periods/12 Factors: 3 slices - 1st, 2nd, and 4th rings&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Ex: &lt;br/&gt;Past life slice: 1st ring: Past; 2nd ring: Active side; 4th ring: Avijja and Sankhara&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;   Present life slice: 1st ring: Present; 2nd ring: Active+Passive sides; 4th ring: Vinnana, NamaRupa, Salayatana, Phassa, Vedana, Tanha, Upadana, and Bhava;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;   Future life slice: 1st ring: Future; 2nd ring: Passive side; 4th ring: Jati and Jara-Marana;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;20 Modes/4 Groups: 5 past causes, 5 present effects, 5 present causes, 5 future effects - 4 slices - all rings combined.&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;Ex: &lt;br/&gt;5 past causes: 1st ring: Past; 2nd ring: Active side; 3rd + 4th rings: Avijja, Sankhara, Tanha, Upadana, and Bhava.&#xA;   &lt;br/&gt;5 present effects: 1st ring: Present; 2nd ring: Passive;3rd ring is empty; 4th righ: Vinnana, NamaRupa, Salyatana, Phassa, and Vedana&#xA;   &lt;br/&gt;etc...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T03:40:46.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14511" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-22T04:07:01.880" Score="1" ViewCount="418" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a Girlfriend that I met few years back. She loves me a lot,she is quite brilliant from her childhood, and now she is working in a big firm. I am working in a smaller firm than her. When we were in college, it seems we will not fight ever, but after we got passed and she got placed we are having a lot of fight. She sometimes says some bad words to me, that i can't handle.But i don't want to fight anymore, but I think I've ego problem. Every time i think not to fight but finally we ended up with big fight. What are the practical measures in Buddhism to get rid of such ego inside one's inside. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7945" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T03:57:37.277" Title="How to get rid of &quot;Ego&quot;" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14499" CreationDate="2016-03-22T04:36:49.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The definitions given in the texts are not so clear. Here's a translation for a sutta defining &lt;code&gt;sañña&lt;/code&gt; and &lt;code&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/code&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And why, bhikkhus, do you call it sañña? ‘It perceives,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called sañña. And what does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. ‘It perceives,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called sañña.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And why, bhikkhus, do you call it viññāṇa? ‘It cognizes, ’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called viññāṇa. And what does it cognize? It cognizes sour, it cognizes bitter, it cognizes pungent, it cognizes sweet, it cognizes sharp, it cognizes mild, it cognizes salty, it cognizes bland. ‘It cognizes,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called viññāṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These alone are not very helpful, though. This is how the Visuddhimagga puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For though the state of knowing (janana-bhava) is equally present in perception (sanna) , in consciousness (vinnana) and in understanding (panna), nevertheless, perception is only the mere perceiving of an object as, say, 'blue' or 'yellow'; it cannot bring about the penetration of its characteristics as impermanent, painful and not-self. Consciousness knows the object as blue or yellow and it brings about the penetrating of its characteristics, but it cannot bring about, by endeavouring, the manifestation of the [supramundane] path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, in her analysis, Sue Hamilton&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; presents &lt;code&gt;saññakhandha&lt;/code&gt; as, roughly, the aspect of the mind that recognizes, discriminates, conceptualizes and identifies (e.g. naming) something. Conversely, &lt;code&gt;viññāṇakhandha&lt;/code&gt; is the &lt;code&gt;awareness of&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;consciousness of&lt;/code&gt;. Furthermore, we know from the suttas that &lt;code&gt;viññāṇakhandha&lt;/code&gt; is six-fold (paired to the 6 senses) and it is one of three things necessary for &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; (the others being the presence of a functioning organ and a corresponding object). We also know from the suttas that &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; seems to be defined as the first event that triggers a sequence of mental activities. Thus, &lt;code&gt;viññāṇakhandha&lt;/code&gt; seems to refer to the bare awareness of &quot;something&quot;, or more generally, to the sequential awareness of each stimulus brought by the senses that the mind inclines to, or becomes aware of (manifesting &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt;). From then on, vedana follows, along with a proliferation of mental activities (including more sophisticated recognition activities performed by &lt;code&gt;sañña&lt;/code&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;: &lt;em&gt;Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T12:18:03.670" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T12:18:03.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14498" CreationDate="2016-03-22T04:37:47.647" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are related to all aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Birth is the arising of aggregates. Death is the disappearing of that which arose. Ageing is the changing in between.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair are all Dukkhas caused by clinging to the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Association with unbeloved is the association with painful experiences(five aggregates). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Separation from the loved is the separation from pleasurable/neutral experiences(five aggregates).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not getting what is wanted means not being able to control the five aggregates at will: Not being able to retain pleasurable/neutral experiences. Not being able to keep away painful experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T04:37:47.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14511" CreationDate="2016-03-22T06:12:35.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More than ego, it could be the high level of stress involved in working for a big company. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Marananussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Marananussati&lt;/a&gt; meditation would be a good start for both of you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The disciple who devotes himself to this contemplation of death is&#xA;  always vigilant, takes no delight in any form of existence, gives up&#xA;  hankering after life, censures evil doing, is free from craving as&#xA;  regards the requisites of life, his perception of impermanence becomes&#xA;  established, he realizes the painful and soulless nature of existence&#xA;  and at the moment of death he is devoid of fear, and remains mindful&#xA;  and self-possessed. Finally, if in this present life he fails to&#xA;  attain to Nibbana, upon the dissolution of the body he is bound for a&#xA;  happy destiny.&quot;   -&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason could be the wanting to control each other. Have a cordial discussion with her and come to a solid understanding of each other's expectations. As long as you two don't exceed that framework, don't try to control each other too much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Come to an agreement on how to resolve issues. Make a determination with her to always use kind words and wisdom to find a solution rather than disrespectful words and emotional thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T11:44:20.290" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T11:44:20.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14511" CreationDate="2016-03-22T06:17:06.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could practice the The Buddha's Eight-Fold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Understanding (Samma ditthi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Thought (Samma sankappa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Speech (Samma vaca)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Action (Samma kammanta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Livelihood (Samma ajiva)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort (Samma vayama)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Mindfulness (Samma sati)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right Concentration (Samma samadhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose you don't have to practice all 8 if you  only seek temporary results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The correct practice of samatha  meditation can temporarly bring peace and lessen the ego delusion. Metta is a samatha practice that can be very effective in greatly lessening anger temporarily and the ego delusion temporarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of vipassana will lessen the ego delusion slowly towards a permanent end to the ego delusion, over a long period of practice that can take a lifetime or lifetimes depending on the person practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many approaches and interpretations to the practice of samatha and vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to learn is with a good teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T06:47:35.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14491" CreationDate="2016-03-22T11:22:04.313" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No matter what , violence is against Dhamma. Killing is Killing. Harming is Harming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T11:22:04.313" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2016-03-22T11:34:05.413" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With Music its difficult to see the things as they are . Music may seems to help but it actually make the condition worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because once you are attached to the music you wont be able to practice without it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will start enjoying the music that will deviate you from the path.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The happiness from music is temporary as it depends upon the music.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It may generate craving for Sensual pleasure(EAR).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, start working on your breath :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T11:34:05.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14511" CreationDate="2016-03-22T17:02:24.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;the root of all our problems is wrong view. Once we correct our view and start on the Eightfold Noble Path, we start coming out of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/IzfxmpghfDM?list=PLpKg-a4v1q8uPuszn2WfWF4leR-_OaspF&amp;amp;t=2865&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is what Ven S.N. Goenka has to say about our view, our ego, and how it is formed and cultivated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deWJp8kC9Jg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is what Ven Yuttadhammo has to say about Right View.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one listens to this Dhamma, &lt;em&gt;Cintanmayi Pannya&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda07.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt; gained through analysis) will arise. But this wisdom is not sufficient to release one from suffering. For that one needs to have &lt;em&gt;Bhavanamayi Pannya&lt;/em&gt; (wisdom gained through experience). This can be acquired by attending a meditation retreat near you. Registration for a 10 day retreat under Ven S.N. Goenka can be done &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T17:02:24.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14521" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-22T17:09:12.887" Score="1" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently asked a question here and like always some good friends helped me, Their references were right on point and they referred the correct Sutras and i'm forever thankful for that. But when i kept on reading i found it very hard to forgive the author of this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;particular article&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know who that person is but he has written a review on the teaching on a site that most of us use as a reference source. The only question was that he had taken the teaching and given historic definitions of his own to certain parts of that sutra. He somehow say that &quot;King Alexander the great&quot; is the person that Buddhists took inspiration to form a story on Devas and the great king who make earth his empire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here is some....&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discourses such as the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (D 16) and the Mahā Sudassana Sutta (D 17) allude to “the celestial city of the devas,” Āḷakamandā,28 which could be Alexandria on the Indus, founded by Alexander the Great in 325 BCE, or Alexandria-of-the-Caucasus,29 some 150 km north of today’s Kabul in Afghanistan. Possibly, the stories about Alexander (the prototype of the world conqueror) and the subsequent presence of the Indo-Greeks,30 inspired the ancient Buddhists to formulate the “great man” ideology.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to this person Sutra pitaka of tipitaka is a work of fiction. I want to be honest, i was real angry when i saw someone quoting the teaching and telling the world that it is a work of fiction, i was very ashamed of the fact that one of his own references was from a man from my own country.I would also like to request our good friends here to read the whole article before posting as an answer,because someone might get caught up in the wrong side of the isle after reading some person's foolish efforts to review Lord Buddha's realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please give me some good advice on how to deal with such people. (I would love an answer from Ven.Samana Johann) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T19:59:32.630" Title="How to deal with people giving reviews to the teaching?" Tags="|teachers|wrongview|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-22T18:29:46.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Piya Tan is a renown and respectable Buddhist scholar and lay Dhamma teacher&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to some it may come as a surprise but Tipitaka is not a literal Buddhavacana, it's a man's creation, especially the mythical motifs, based on the teachings of the historical Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;just as the Bible is not the literal word of God but a creation of men, as has been demonstrated by the extensive biblical research on many levels&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;consequently Mahaparinibbana sutta was not composed or narrated by the Buddha, but is a result of literary efforts of subsequent generations of Buddhists&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;nevertheless this fact doesn't devaluate and doesn't invalidate this corpus of texts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;on how to deal with such people my advice is to apply towards them all four &lt;em&gt;brahmaviharas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T18:36:40.933" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T18:36:40.933" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14491" CreationDate="2016-03-22T19:53:10.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard to prove a negative but in this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/gettingmessage.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Getting the Message&lt;/a&gt;, Thanissaro Bhikkhu emphasizes &quot;no killing&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When asked if there was anything whose killing he approved of, the Buddha answered that there was only one thing: anger. &lt;strong&gt;In no recorded instance did he approve of killing any living being at all.&lt;/strong&gt; When one of his monks went to an executioner and told the man to kill his victims compassionately, with one blow, rather than torturing them, the Buddha expelled the monk from the Sangha, on the grounds that even the recommendation to kill compassionately is still a recommendation to kill — something he would never condone. If a monk was physically attacked, the Buddha allowed him to strike back in self-defense, but never with the intention to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might answer your question about &quot;violence&quot;, too: apparently &quot;striking back in self-defense&quot; might be OK (I guess that might be in the Vinaya rather than a sutta), but not killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Vinaya also recommends avoiding violence, by the way (e.g. avoid going to a place where there are known to be robbers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T19:53:10.380" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13191" CreationDate="2016-03-22T22:37:24.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With regards to desire,&#xA;There is nothing to be gained or lost. Just watch that feeling closely they come and go but as soon as you think about losing it or compare with others that desire will follow you until you die and after you die.&#xA;You are just borrowing it temporarily during your life time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to your being not in control,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will tell you in simple terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch your habits phsically also mental habits created from them. Adjust accordingly and naturally.&#xA;And keep practice and study Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simple breathing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't intentionally breathe in and out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do it naturally without thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus on your breathing by counting 1 through 10 for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Count 1 when you brathe in trhough nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Count 2 when you breathe out through nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 through 10. 10 through 1.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Repeat them until it becomes second nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said the Truth.&#xA;Search for his jewel.&#xA;Read Diamond sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastEditorUserId="7995" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T23:23:16.210" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T23:23:16.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-22T22:40:23.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's typical human nature why forum like this or chiritinity or religion exists and consequently their misunderstandings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why some buddhist sectors keep in very hermited to preserve authority and the jewel intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's teaching knowledge alone can be a hinderance to seeing what he realized.&#xA;It's not knowledge building.&#xA;You have to meditate and experience.&#xA;When you build a knowledge while have a strong ego, which ironically it means it can be a danger and might better off not studying at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said everything in simple terms 2500 years ago. That's all you need to know. Wisdom and whaever written in sutras as knowledge, interpretation, findings, they all come at once without studying them just when one see the glimpse of the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastEditorUserId="7995" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T22:51:39.907" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T22:51:39.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14511" CreationDate="2016-03-22T22:56:19.430" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With regards to your situation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are thinking that you are working for small firm while your girlfriend works for big firm. That causes trouble.&#xA;So do not make trouble for yourself.&#xA;Ask yourself why you are with your girl friend.&#xA;Focus on the feeling you had back in while you were in the university days.&#xA;Treat her just like you did back in those days without prejudices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to getting rid of ego,&#xA;Don't seek then it will come.&#xA;It's there within you always. &#xA;You just don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sit with legs folded crossed on the floor. Face wall or mountainside. Close your eyes. Put hands naturally on the knees or at the center of body as described in buddha's sitting form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question yourself where you came from?&#xA;Where you go when you die?&#xA;Keep do that every minute, everyday when you have time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastEditorUserId="7995" LastEditDate="2016-03-22T23:13:20.360" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T23:13:20.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-22T23:43:12.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please email Mr. Piya Tan for clarification.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;TheMindingCentre @ Gmail.com or &#xA;Dharmafarer @ Gmail.com &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the best way to deal with it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-03-22T23:43:12.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2016-03-23T02:45:16.147" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is real and eventually will be proven, as is the afterlife (with heavenly and hellish worlds).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As The Buddha explained:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, there are these five destinations. What are the five? Hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, human beings and devas.&quot; - MN 12&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Secular Buddhism&quot; and other modern day forms of Buddhism are heretical and fit into wrong views:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is wrong view&quot; - MN 117 (recurs many times over and over again in the Pali canons)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhism and other modern day forms of Buddhism were predicted by The Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, in the course of the future there will be monks who&#xA;  won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep,&#xA;  deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are&#xA;  being recited. They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing&#xA;  them, won't regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But&#xA;  they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the works&#xA;  of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of&#xA;  outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and&#xA;  set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as&#xA;  worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are words of the&#xA;  Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with&#xA;  emptiness — will come about.&quot; - Ani Sutta (SN 20.7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see that outsiders and disciples have come to replace Buddhism with new fundamentally different forms of Buddhism, so different how can they be Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These new type of Buddhists teach people to cling to views, become attached to ideas, and use incredulity rather than trying to observe the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looks like Buddhism is almost already exterminated!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you achieve higher states your wrong views will naturally automatically disappear and you will see that it's really true that re-birth or re-existence really is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explained how many births there are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you think, monks: Which is&#xA;  greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering this&#xA;  long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is&#xA;  displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in&#xA;  the four great oceans?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is&#xA;  the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering&#xA;  this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is&#xA;  displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in&#xA;  the four great oceans.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Excellent, monks. Excellent. It is excellent that you thus understand&#xA;  the Dhamma taught by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is the greater: the tears you have shed while transmigrating &amp;amp;&#xA;  wandering this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined&#xA;  with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not&#xA;  the water in the four great oceans.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A&#xA;  beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance&#xA;  and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have&#xA;  you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss,&#xA;  swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all&#xA;  fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be&#xA;  released.&quot; - Assu Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T02:45:16.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14511" CreationDate="2016-03-23T03:57:37.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what you say I think she also might having a ego problem. This arises in conceiving:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I (X) am better than Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I (X) am equal to Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I (X) am lower than Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when in general it can be perceived by majority of people as an external impartial observer that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;X is better than Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;X is equal to Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;X is lower than Y&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 9 combination of the above 2 which form different shades of ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when ego sets in what happens is that you think your view or take in the matter is more superior and discount that the other party has to say. Also your ego makes you attached to your viewpoint. The conflicts happen due to one-sidedness of thinking and emotional attachment to one's view. Best is work on how you can approach and viewpoint or argument more logically than emotionally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.13-Atammayata-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayatā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.16-Is-there-a-soul.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is There a Soul?&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.21-Sakkaya-S-s22.105-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakkāya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.18-Nadi-S-s22.93-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nadī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which have discussion on ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get rid of ego you have to get rid of craving or attachment of one's views and attachment to be better than someone else in a given aspect. To do that it is best to do meditation. You can try &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&lt;/a&gt;. Since both you and your girlfriend seems to have some form of superiority it might be a idea for both of you to go to a course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T03:57:37.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-23T04:10:59.363" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any commentary on the Suttas by anyone is a personal opinion or explanation on that Sutta. If your opinion differs than just leave aside what you do not find agreeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T04:10:59.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-23T04:21:19.867" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;someone might get caught up in the wrong side of the isle after&#xA;  reading some person's foolish efforts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There will always be reviews coming from writers who are not comfortable with things like heavens and divine beings. People with materialistic views will be drawn to such articles naturally. If you get angry at them, you might be clinging to the Dhamma as &quot;my religion&quot; or &quot;my belief&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having everybody to believe in the same thing is not the goal and wanting that to happen will only frustrate you. The goal is to use the Dhamma to attain Nibbana. You can certainly help others to stay away from misinformation while doing that, but it should come from compassion, not clinging or aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-23T08:03:09.210" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T08:03:09.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-03-23T11:56:16.000" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, we see the Buddha regarding a wise person one who reflects that grasping and insisting firmly on a view would create clashes and disputes with those who hold a different view. &quot;&lt;em&gt;Where there is a dispute, quarreling. Where there is quarreling, annoyance. Where there is annoyance, frustration.' Envisioning for himself clash, dispute, quarreling, annoyance, frustration, he both abandons that view and does not cling to another view. Thus there is the abandoning of these views; thus there is the relinquishing of these views.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.074.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN I 500&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also sets an example when saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I do not dispute with the world; rather, it is the world that disputes with me. &lt;strong&gt;A proponent of the Dhamma does not dispute with anyone in the world&lt;/strong&gt;. Of that which the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, I too say that it does not exist. And of that which the wise in the world agree upon as existing, I too say that it exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.94&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.94&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, as a side note, the language used in the article, it's propositions are that of hypothesis. In other words, the author is speculating about it, conducting an inquiry (e.g. note the use of &quot;possibly&quot;) and drawing parallels -- like any historian would do. So, he does not seem to be defending or promoting any position as a fact. And because he is just offering alternatives, he is not really leading or misleading. After all, as a matter of principle, when an author offers alternative possibilities (e.g. &quot;it's possible that a person is guilty of certain crime&quot;), he/she is not accounted for readers who decide to remove the provisory character of the statement without reflection and simply believe the possibility to be true (e.g. &quot;the person &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; certainly guilty of certain crime&quot;). In this way, readers can mislead &lt;em&gt;themselves&lt;/em&gt; but the author is not responsible for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T11:56:16.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14533" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-23T12:01:35.440" Score="2" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we attend a meeting; just right after we leave the meeting room, every one understands the conclusions of the meeting differently. Even if it is written, every one interprets the message of the written message differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In politic, people distort messages for their favor, even when the message is recorded, the interpretation can be quiet different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we believe in the ancient Tipitaka whether it is genuine or altered. We don't know the real teaching of lord Buddha. We believe what we believe as we interpret things on our own favor. We have our own versions of Buddhism that fit ourselves. Each of us has our own version of religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8019" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T12:03:34.180" Title="Why do we believe it?" Tags="|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14533" CreationDate="2016-03-23T13:10:39.650" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It should be verified through pratice by what you experience at the experiential level. If you experience something you know for a fact it is true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normal you should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learn the theory (Pariyatti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice what you learned (Patipatti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experience what you learned why which you verify the teachings (Pativedha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you reach 3 your doubts will be cleared as you know for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-23T14:26:57.073" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T14:26:57.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2016-03-23T13:30:54.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What did the Buddha say about music?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure what the exact Sutta is but perhaps which is one which is not yet translated into English. In this Panchasika or Pansilu is in love and composes a love song towards another Deva he has fallen in love with. Thinking who is the most intelligent person who can give an opinion on this is the Buddha he visits the Buddha vet his composition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The scriptures record two instances of Panchasika or Pansilu, the musician of Tavatimsa heaven, visiting the Buddha: on one such occasion, standing outside the dwelling of the Buddha, and within a short distance to be audible to the enlightened one, Panchasika while playing his instrument named as Beluvapanda, sang his own composition which described the attractiveness of his sweetheart. A line from a verse in the lyrics he recited goes as follows...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“When shall I be fortunate to experience the warmth of your smooth and sensual bosom…”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;After singing his favourite, Panchasika went before the Buddha who apparently was neither distressed/ disturbed nor enchanted by Panchasika’s obscene lyric; strangely, the Buddha commented about the high quality of his singing [it is not known, if he sang it in high pitched operatic or otherwise]. He specifically admired the &lt;strong&gt;synchronization between melody&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;vocal singing&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;instrumental music&lt;/strong&gt;! The Buddha said,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;the notes of your playing are in harmony with the notes of the song&lt;/strong&gt;; &lt;strong&gt;the notes of the song are in harmony with the notes of your veena&lt;/strong&gt;; &lt;strong&gt;instrumental tones do not exceed your vocal tones&lt;/strong&gt;, and &lt;strong&gt;vocal tones do not surpass your veena tones&lt;/strong&gt;; Panchasika, when did you compose this song?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Surely the styles, melodies and lyrics of deities who are of extremely cheerful happy-go-lucky beings cannot be calming, soothing or spiritual but much more erotic even than our modern and emerging compositions of sounds, ideas, rhythms and themes; yet the Buddha, perhaps one of the earliest music critics of the world had a great regard for the worldly aspects of life. The above story gives an indication of the Buddha’s insights on Harmony, as well as his perception and patience. [Panchasika’s musical recital is described in detail in by Gurulugomi in his literary work, Amavatura.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&amp;amp;page=article-details&amp;amp;code_title=99568&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The veena in Buddhist stories&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/03/22/features/77155&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is disharmony allowed in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Summary of the key points are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the notes of your playing are in harmony with the notes of the song&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the notes of the song are in harmony with the notes of the veena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;instrumental tones do not exceed your vocal tones vocal tones do not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;surpass your veena tones&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps reference can be found as part of the answer to the following question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14569&quot;&gt;What are the occasions did Panchasika or Pansilu meet the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why sometimes it feels equal to meditation ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't personally advocate music as a meditation pratice but as an alternative meditation pratice &lt;a href=&quot;http://richardshankman.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Shankman&lt;/a&gt; teachers mindfulness of sound. But perhaps you can use a Gong instead of music as music may lead to attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alternative Meditation Practices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The breath is commonly taught as a universal meditation subject, suitable for everyone. But for some people the breath is not a good object to work with. I knew a man who had a choking incident as a child, and paying attention to his breathing brought up feelings of anxiety. Another person with asthma found that she became tense whenever she focused on the breath. If you are one for whom the breath does not work well, there is nothing wrong; this will not hinder your ability to meditate. It’s just a matter of finding the right practice in these early stages to substitute for breath meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Here are some techniques you can try if you think mindfulness of breathing is not a good practice for you. These common alternatives are not the only methods that can substitute for mindful breathing, but the full range of possibilities is beyond our scope here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness of Sound&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In the instructions for mindfulness of breathing we let all other experiences stay in the background of our awareness, not forcing or pushing them away but bringing a gentle sense of allowing them to be in the background while giving some preference or predominance to awareness of our breathing. In the same way, with this practice we allow other experiences to stay in the background and we give preference or predominance to the experience of sound. You may feel a natural draw or pull to awareness of hearing, and this practice can be very calming and settling. Those for whom mindfulness of sound works well commonly report it as an easily accessible and even compelling meditation object. You may be drawn to awareness of the sounds themselves or you may be more naturally aware of the act or the process of listening or hearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of sound entails working with either inner or outer sound. Even though it may be very quiet where you are meditating, you may feel drawn to rest your awareness in listening to however many or few sounds may be present at any time. Other people hear an inner sound, a clear perception of ringing or some other sound, experienced not through the ears but in the mind. You can see if you have such an experience and if you are drawn to rest in awareness of inner or outer sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;If you are working with mental noting, you can mentally repeat hearing or sound if that helps keep you stay connected and centered with the auditory experience. If you practice mindfulness of sound, just substitute hearing every time I use the terms breath or breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://richardshankman.org/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Beginning Meditation Instructions: Excerpted from “The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T07:43:35.437" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14536" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-23T13:50:01.227" Score="2" ViewCount="406" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex can lead us to suffering in many ways; however, if all of us are just like Lord Buddha according to his story, wouldn't humanity become extinct? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8019" LastEditorUserId="8019" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T12:06:53.570" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T13:30:30.200" Title="If sex is prohibited, how do we survive?" Tags="|buddha-nature|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8228" CreationDate="2016-03-23T13:50:50.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The biggest issue with music is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you can get attached to it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;can created mental recitation of the lyrics which in turn creates verbal fabrications&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence best is to resort to more conservative meditation pratice. Having said tha as an alternative meditation pratice &lt;a href=&quot;http://richardshankman.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Richard Shankman&lt;/a&gt; teachers mindfulness of sound. This is not necessarily all modern &amp;quot;music&amp;quot; but may be something like the sound of a Gong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alternative Meditation Practices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The breath is commonly taught as a universal meditation subject, suitable for everyone. But for some people the breath is not a good object to work with. I knew a man who had a choking incident as a child, and paying attention to his breathing brought up feelings of anxiety. Another person with asthma found that she became tense whenever she focused on the breath. If you are one for whom the breath does not work well, there is nothing wrong; this will not hinder your ability to meditate. It’s just a matter of finding the right practice in these early stages to substitute for breath meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some techniques you can try if you think mindfulness of breathing is not a good practice for you. These common alternatives are not the only methods that can substitute for mindful breathing, but the full range of possibilities is beyond our scope here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness of Sound&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the instructions for mindfulness of breathing we let all other experiences stay in the background of our awareness, not forcing or pushing them away but bringing a gentle sense of allowing them to be in the background while giving some preference or predominance to awareness of our breathing. In the same way, with this practice we allow other experiences to stay in the background and we give preference or predominance to the experience of sound. You may feel a natural draw or pull to awareness of hearing, and this practice can be very calming and settling. Those for whom mindfulness of sound works well commonly report it as an easily accessible and even compelling meditation object. You may be drawn to awareness of the sounds themselves or you may be more naturally aware of the act or the process of listening or hearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of sound entails working with either inner or outer sound. Even though it may be very quiet where you are meditating, you may feel drawn to rest your awareness in listening to however many or few sounds may be present at any time. Other people hear an inner sound, a clear perception of ringing or some other sound, experienced not through the ears but in the mind. You can see if you have such an experience and if you are drawn to rest in awareness of inner or outer sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are working with mental noting, you can mentally repeat hearing or sound if that helps keep you stay connected and centered with the auditory experience. If you practice mindfulness of sound, just substitute hearing every time I use the terms breath or breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://richardshankman.org/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Beginning Meditation Instructions: Excerpted from “The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation”&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my related answer: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14535/295&quot;&gt;What did the Buddha say about music?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T17:33:03.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14536" CreationDate="2016-03-23T13:59:41.480" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex is prohibited for monks and nuns&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not observing higher precept like 8 or 10 precepts sex is not prohibited for lay person. Lay person has only to adhere to 5 Precepts. This prohibits wrongful sexual acts, i.e., sex with someone under another's protection... and other acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you said sex is craving and can lead to suffering. But not very body or householder is in the stage to eradicate higher stages of craving for sensual pleasure than the rudimentary level which might lead to misconduct. At the basic level this is what is required. As you progress in the path you have to remove sexual urge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; can help reduce sexual urge. There are Samatha techniques also but if you take the insight root you kill 2 birds with one stone. You can try &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&lt;/a&gt; which has centres in many cities and faily large outreach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You loose complete sensual desire is when you become a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C4%81g%C4%81mi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;non-returner&lt;/a&gt; where by you eliminate the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fetter&lt;/a&gt; of sexual desire. If you take human world number of being achieving this state is small. Hence there is no risk of extinction. Also a stream enter will have lust and a lay follower may engage in sex as long as it is lawful (a stream enter does not engage in sexual misconduct). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T06:39:26.007" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T06:39:26.007" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14533" CreationDate="2016-03-23T14:07:02.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tripitaks especially those first two ones Sutra Pitaka and Vinaya Pitakas they are written after the tradition of oral trasmission of the teaching of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in these days in certain asian buddihst tradition, written transmission is not conducted because an individual practicionals awareness is all different to person to person. They are guided individually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It applies to Buddhas teaching when he was alive the Dharma was trasmitted oral only, and the 10 deciples memorized all those and were written in Pitakas from their perfecrt recollections after the first council. You can highly rely on their recollections. They are telling the truth in simple terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to how do you know?&#xA;Once you see the glimpse of the truth&#xA;And your world changes upside down with shedding of tears you just know there is no difference in writings of Dharma. Buddha nature or Buddha seeds are same regardless of who, when, where realizes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tripitakas are diamond jewel where direct descriptipns of Buddha are found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7995" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T14:07:02.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2016-03-23T14:45:59.347" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;while most of people see that music is a fruit for the soul but actually it is another source of craving and attachment to ordain things , it should be emphasized that Buddhism as a way of truth it needs to break every attachment to the any earthly thing. For that reason meditation should be only practiced with things that allows you to turn inward and not still be attached to an outsider connection, I don’t know what the Buddha himself said about this subject but I think that what he would say ----------&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8020" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T14:45:59.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14259" CreationDate="2016-03-23T15:48:53.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.1-Bodhipakkhiya-Dhamma-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt; could be a useful resource, specifically the following passages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;faith and wisdom are to be balanced&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;so as to avoid blind belief and mere intellectual cleverness;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  effort and concentration are to be balanced&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;to avoid mental restlessness and sluggishness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is the key factor that keeps all the other&#xA;  factors in balance and harmony&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three factors of investigation (dhamma,vicaya), effort (viriya) and zest (piti) &lt;strong&gt;counteract torpor&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three factors of tranquillity (passaddhi), concentration (samādhi) and equanimity (upekkhā)&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;counteract mental agitation&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness (sati) keeps the two sets of factors in a harmonious balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than these areas I could find no references to balancing the 37 factors. Hopefully this is what you are looking for... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T15:48:53.507" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14542" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14547" CreationDate="2016-03-23T19:13:13.993" Score="2" ViewCount="204" Body="&lt;p&gt;Facing a situation where if I report cash income, a lot of people would get in trouble. Would it be a lie to report income as zero when filing taxes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is abstaining from declaring income on paper a lie?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4834" LastActivityDate="2020-10-05T07:10:36.193" Title="Is it a lie to not report income in taxes?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14542" CreationDate="2016-03-23T20:08:52.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe so.  It's breaking 4th precept thru and thru.  One of the anisong (good karma) of holding precepts is troubles dont come to you (or staying out of trouble).  Being accurate on ur tax form would def help keep you from getting into trouble with IRS.  I feel your pain.  I waited tables when I was in school.  For $30K cash earned, you could owe IRS as much as $7K.   Holding 5 precepts is a quality of an Ariyan.  $7+k is a more than a fair trade to become one.  If this year is too late, perhaps planning for next year?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-03-23T20:08:52.730" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2182" CreationDate="2016-03-23T23:03:07.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jesus didn't exist during The Buddha's time, there are some Buddhists who consider Jesus to be at least a higher being, but it is uncertain if he actually was an arahant or Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He obviously can't be Maitreya Buddha, but he could be an arahant or pacceka Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be that he took birth from the Brahma worlds but is not actually an arahant or it could be that he really was an arahant or Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people think that Jesus traveled to India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha (and many of his disciples) had superhuman abilities and walked on water, it's mentioned over and over again as one of the iddhis that people attain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When a monk has thus developed &amp;amp; pursued the four bases of power, he&#xA;  experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes&#xA;  many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He&#xA;  goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, &amp;amp; mountains as if through&#xA;  space. He dives in &amp;amp; out of the earth as if it were water. &lt;strong&gt;He walks&#xA;  on water without sinking as if it were dry land&lt;/strong&gt;. Sitting crosslegged&#xA;  he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches&#xA;  &amp;amp; strokes even the sun &amp;amp; moon, so mighty &amp;amp; powerful. He exercises&#xA;  influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&quot; -&#xA;  Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta (SN 51.20, recurs over and over again in the Pali canons)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking on water is one of the miracles Jesus is famous for, according to Christian scriptures he also performed many other miracles, but these were just normal things for arahants and disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that merely having iddhi powers doesn't mean that someone is actually a Buddha or even an arahant, but someone who is an arahant should be able to (if he desired) to gain iddhi powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite obvious that in this modern world there must be few known arahants, it should be easy for a real arahant to obtain iddhi powers. Many people who believe themselves to be arahants or Buddhas are not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also important to note that arahants and Buddhas teach differently depending on the environment they arise in, the people they appear to and the method by which they personally achieved enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Christian scriptures Jesus was higher than the angels, according to the Pali canons Buddha was superior to the devas and the Brahmas in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the earlier Pali canons arahants are equal to Buddhas, but predictions of next Buddhas in the earlier Pali canons do not recur so it is uncertain to me if they are accurate like how other things recur over and over again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the earlier Pali canons the distinction between an arahant and Buddha is only that the Buddha is the supreme teacher. An arahant can teach and give teachings, but a Buddha is the supreme teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There can be many arahants and pacceka Buddhas that arise in the world that are technically equal to the Buddha, but not the same as the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha referred to himself as an arahant and after enlightenment prior to the request from Brahma Sahampati gave teachings to people he encountered even when he hadn't opened the doors to immortality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's possible that there were many beings in the past who were arahants or pacceka Buddhas that didn't open the doors to immortality but gave teachings to the people they encountered since The Buddha himself gave teachings prior to opening the door to deathlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'All-vanquishing, all-knowing am I, with regard to all things,&#xA;    unadhering. All-abandoning, released in the ending of craving: having&#xA;  fully known on my own, to whom should I point as my teacher? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have no teacher, and one like me can't be found. In the world with&#xA;  its devas, I have no counterpart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For I am an arahant in the world;     I, the unexcelled teacher.  I,&#xA;  alone, am rightly self-awakened. Cooled am I,             unbound.' - Ariyapariyesana Sutta, MN 26&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me like most mainstream forms of Christianity lead to the Brahma worlds or even perhaps the Pure abodes but not towards arahantship here and now, kind of similar to lay Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion it is not good to speak about things unknown. Either Jesus was a higher being (since he had iddhi powers) or he was an arahant or Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who actually knows who Jesus really was or what level he actually attained? Perhaps if I achieve higher states and limitless concentration I can finally discover the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T16:44:14.707" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T16:44:14.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14546" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14548" CreationDate="2016-03-24T00:58:20.330" Score="2" ViewCount="3922" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that hell is being used for keeping the order of our society. Does hell really exist in Buddhism?  As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a  rule for making people behave themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8019" LastEditorDisplayName="user10243" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T17:56:56.600" LastActivityDate="2023-09-11T06:55:57.103" Title="Does hell exist in Buddhism?" Tags="|buddha-nature|mind-states|hells|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14542" CreationDate="2016-03-24T02:26:31.383" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a lay practitioner you should make &lt;em&gt;the fivefold offering (pañca,balī)&lt;/em&gt; out of which offering to the king [the government] (rāja,balī) which is akin to tax filing in the modern day. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.1-Adiya-S-a5.41-piya-bk-REV.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/37.12-Patta-Kamma-S-a4.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patta Kamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since taxes are legally owned by the government and not paying them would be misappropriating something belonging to the government which is similar to stealing. If you add false information in your tax return to get away with taxes then it is both lying and stealing. Also withholding information with the intent to mislead is also like lying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this by all means use tax planning / tax avoidance (legal) but not tax evasion (illegal). If what you are doing is illegal and there are sums owed to the tax authorities then it is stealing as iterated above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T13:15:36.390" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14546" CreationDate="2016-03-24T03:09:20.993" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does hell exist in Buddism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it does. It is a destination in which you mental state is painful and also painful mental states are sometimes called hell. Hell is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.22-Bala-Pandita-S-m129-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bala Pandita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Painful mental states are compared to hell in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.25-Patala-S-s36.41.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is universal hence there is no notion of punishment. If a Hindu, Muslim, Christian does good then good results follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said that holding into wrong views does have consequences regardless if you consider yourself a Buddhist or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;For one with wrong view, Lohicca, there is either of two destinies, I say, that is, hell or the animal womb. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.8-Salavatika-Lohicca-S-d12-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Sāla,vatikā) Lohicca Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the Abhidhamma associated the right view is belief in Karmic repercussions. Even Hindus can have it. Also to a certain extent people of other faiths if you believe an action has repercussions. This is not aimed at keeping you believing. Also right view does have shades and purity. The ultimate would be the experiential understanding but at a conceptual level the best understanding you can get is by reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism is not about any belief but experiencing the realities pertaining to our existance hence understanding the arising of stress and sorrow through whereby you can find a way out of it. You have to have some faith in the techniques as you would have to have in a doctor and his treatment to follow through with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a rule for making people behave themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimanavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimanavatthu&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt; was preached to make people understand reciprocation of Karma hence behave themselves. This also is not to keep someone tied to believe in the teaching. Also I do not believe this was added later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T03:09:20.993" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14546" CreationDate="2016-03-24T03:31:46.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hell exists in Buddhism but not the kind of you normally you think of as hell (examples would be hell in conventional Christianity. *Ancient Christianity/Gnosis is different story)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, you are in hell right now.&#xA;Heaven and hell exists within you at the same time but you just don't realize.&#xA;If your life is guided by something imaginary and not own your own and chasing for something imaginary you think is real and suffering by them, &#xA;wouldn't it be reasonable to call that hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7999" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T03:31:46.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14533" CreationDate="2016-03-24T03:40:51.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question cannot be &quot;answered&quot; because I believe it hits us humans, straight at the core of our faith and understanding of everything in general. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is just one of the routes to enlightenment. It is not a religion. But unfortunately some people take it as such because they are skewed to &quot;faith&quot;. It gives them a false sense of &quot;hope&quot;. A hope that says there is a &quot;savior&quot; among us in our hearts. What we don't understand is that spirituality is actually subjective. How we realize the ultimate, is up to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't wish to go through a whole load of drivel just to make you understand that belief and faith works everywhere in our world. It happens with all religions, politicians, social media, advertising, add your own list here. Belief and blind faith seeps through our very roots in society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be a point in questioning beliefs but ultimately that is just to ground yourself in reality and see things as they are. You cannot really, totally change what's around you. I'd suggest using common sense and questioning for yourself at best along with practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T03:40:51.993" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14536" CreationDate="2016-03-24T06:44:46.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most Buddhists cosmologies worlds and civilizations come and go... &#xA;Whole worlds go extinct. Hell Realms come and go... as do biological species... buildings... yada yada... Heaven Realms... human and animal lives, the whole nine yards. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This process is larger than a lifetime though in scale,  worlds of beings raise and fall out of existence, our lifetimes do not extend the duration required for observing these events. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that being said, sex in itself is not an inherently bad thing. You are correct that if sex was never engaged in humanity would go extinct.  Since all current medical technology can't end age...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As pointed out in the other answer it is certain behaviors that are to be avoided for lay people concerned about karma. The majority of these things involve things like consent, respect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T06:44:46.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14536" CreationDate="2016-03-24T11:38:09.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;So the real question is what a person needs. It's either the continuance of the Human Race or being free from personal Suffering. Before anything else let's look at what Lord Buddha said about Humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha said that there is only one Human realm. But Lord Buddha never said that there is only one Human world. People often misunderstand Earth for the world realm. According to Buddhism there are numerous planets like earth which includes Humans in them. Some experts suggest that Lord Buddha means Parallel worlds, but that is not up to us to decide. So even if a disaster kills all of us here it would not be the end of the human race.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is sex forbidden?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is NO. But if someone wants to take and advanced step while living a Lay person's life he or she can refrain from SEX. So it is a personal choice not a necessity or mandatory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we as Buddhists consider sex as a low and worldly joy, As what we seek is a much better one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist does not need the continuance of the world, A Buddhist has one goal and that is Nirvana. But Lord Buddha directly said that Buddhism is only for the wise and others will not understand. So we as Buddhists do not share that view a lot of religions have of a world with only one religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We know that there will always be a huge amount of people who are not Buddhists and we will always be outnumbered. Lord Buddha taught this as a nature of beings. So there will never be a chance of Humans race meeting it's end because of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T11:38:09.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14533" CreationDate="2016-03-24T12:03:34.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's how and why it all happened if that helps you....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After Lord Buddha the teaching was kept alive by the monks who learned and kept it by heart, they did it in few different ways. Some individuals kept it all while some learned chapters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Time to time they would come together for a reciting. This would be called a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Council&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, It is essentially a global gathering of monks who have the teaching by  heart. Here they would each recite the teaching that they have kept. This was done to clear any doubts and clean the error as all the other are listening and chanting too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka the same tradition went on until an all island drought came. Some monks went to india and some stayed in the island. They hardly saved themselves but a lot of Arahats passed away because of the drought. They decided that the Oral tradition is not reassuring as they saw it first hand. So they did another Gathering or a &quot;Council&quot; and this time they wrote teaching. This Became the &quot;Tipitaka&quot; of Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the whole process was done right and transparently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how it happened. I should remind you that if one chooses to put away the tipitaka he or she ends up with nothing else but his or her own version of things that his or her mind construct to benefit. Without the tipitaka there is no Buddhism left to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I must say that one thing you said is wrong. It is not a Buddhist thing to make our own version. I agree that we all interpret the teaching in our own way, but one should not make personal beliefs. But the teaching is open to different interpretations as we all are with different wisdom and intelligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Buddhaya!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T12:03:34.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14554" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14559" CreationDate="2016-03-24T12:38:44.960" Score="3" ViewCount="293" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you all for your kind answers to my questions. I feel that this community is really different from the others. If I asked the questions I made here in my country, I would be condemned heavily by now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to the question, as Buddhist hell only exists in one's mind, therefore the information on wikipedia must be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_%28Buddhism%29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Naraka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it correct? Why does no one change it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8019" LastEditorUserId="8019" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T14:52:01.503" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T15:35:34.300" Title="Is Buddhism hell falsely claimed on wikipedia?" Tags="|belief|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14555" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-24T13:16:42.883" Score="4" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Karma-Chagme's book, &quot;A Spacious Path to Freedom&quot;, he emphasizes the importance of correct posture in directing the vital energies to the central channel.  In particular, he mentions (1) the tongue pressed against the pallet, (2) the teeth lightly touching, &amp;amp; (3) gaze directed 4 finger lengths beyond the tip of the nose.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that when I try to incorporate these three elements of posture into my practice I quickly store up tension in my jaw and throughout my face in general.  Additionally, keeping the gaze correctly placed is a full-time task that tends to excite the vital energies rather than relax the body.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I balance keeping a correct posture while maintaining a relaxed attitude of effortless non-striving?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8024" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T21:34:31.070" Title="How to balance an attitude of &quot;effortless non-striving&quot; with proper posture?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|meditation-breath|meditation-posture|alan-wallace|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14536" CreationDate="2016-03-24T13:30:30.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sex is an outcome of heat - one of the four elements which this world is made of. If there is no body heat, body dies. Therefore its wrong to say that enlightened ones cannot have sex. In fact in majority of all major religions prophets were married and had children. Prophet Moses was married. Prophet Mohammed was married. Ram and Krishna of Hinduism were married. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But yes they never hankered for it. It is the need of the others they were fulfilling not their own needs. The pleasure enlightened ones get in sex is nothing compared to bliss of Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until and unless one is enlightened sex will play a dominant role in one's life. Some honest ones will acknowledge it and others will be evasive of it. In India there was a practise in the past to see if one has transcended sex. People will feed the person who claims enlightenment to heart's content with food which is laced with aphrodisiac (Viagra kind of substances). After that a prostitute will be sent to his chamber in night to seduce him. If somebody claims that he has transcended sex I suggest to use this technique on himself. Ofcourse this technique is only for men but this works and takes away delusions. And this technique is religion independent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T13:30:30.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14546" CreationDate="2016-03-24T14:17:06.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I understand that hell is being used for keeping the order of our&#xA;  society&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Order of the society is not the goal of Buddhism. The goal is to attain Nibbana -in other words, to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does hell really exist in Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many hells, not one. They are actual realms where beings are born into, due to unwholesome Kamma. Hell-beings experience both physical pain and mental suffering. Hells are categorized into &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 types&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asuras&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Petas(Ghosts)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tiracchana(Animals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Niraya(Hells of great suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It also&#xA;  creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the religion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you believe in Buddhism or not, if the Kamma that comes forward to give your next life is unwholesome, it will cause birth in one of the above mentioned hells. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a doctor advises a patient not to smoke, warning that he could get lung cancer as a consequence, is it a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the doctor? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added&#xA;  later by someone that wanted to use it as a rule for making people&#xA;  behave themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you commit an unwholesome act, you can notice how the nature of your mind changes. A part of this Kamma you have to face in this life. It is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lakehouse.lk/mihintalava/buddhism06.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dittadhammavedaniya&lt;/a&gt;. If you pay wise attention, you can notice how your life changes according to the Kamma you do. With that understanding, it is not hard to believe that a birth caused by an unwholesome kamma will lead to a bad destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need visual proof of the actual hells, you have to do Samatha meditation and attain the divine-eye faculty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-24T14:41:37.950" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T14:41:37.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14554" CreationDate="2016-03-24T14:18:14.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are instances where painful mental states or experiances are called hell. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.25-Patala-S-s36.41.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] E.g. If I do something that might ripen in being born in hell you also get the hellish feeling here and now, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.7-Cula-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m14-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] and in case you are born in the human world  similar pains will be experienced. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma,vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.15-Cula-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m135-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Kamma Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more vivid description of hell is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.22-Bala-Pandita-S-m129-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bala Pandita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.10-Yama-Devaduta-S-a3.35-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yama) Deva,dūta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.23_Devaduta_S_m130_piya_bk_REV1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Deva,dūta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.6b_Neyyattha_Nitattha_S_a2.3.5-6_piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Neyy’attha Nīt’attha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions that the Buddha uses direct and indirect languages. Though these destinations may exist some of the descriptions maybe parables so you can draw an analogy of what is there to a concept that you might be familiar with as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.8-Arana-Vibhanga-S-m139-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions that when teaching Dhamma you should use common and familiar language giving allowance to the audience or region they are from. This does not mean that the destination are only exist in the mind or they are parables to experiences in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Wikipedia articles seams mix and match from multiple schools. Also it would be an idea to keep these descriptions as per the wording of the Buddha and let the reader infer its meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to the descriptions in the Suttas many of the experiences in hell will not have a description in common language as language is developed to describe what we come across in this world. What is mentioned would most likely give the best idea of the suffering involved in these worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T15:35:34.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14554" CreationDate="2016-03-24T14:41:16.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;h2&gt;In the mind ...&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist hell only exists in one's mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's an interesting story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/57thegatesofparadise.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gates of Paradise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me that story implies that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heaven and hell can be experienced (or seen) &lt;strong&gt;now&lt;/strong&gt; (or just a moment away)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They exist as a &lt;strong&gt;consequence&lt;/strong&gt; of (as result of) speech (by the monk) and action (by the soldier)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They &lt;strong&gt;manifest&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;in real life&lt;/em&gt; (including &amp;quot;physically&amp;quot;) and not &amp;quot;only in one's mind&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people do have a view that the world can seem like hell, depending on your state of mind.&#xA;If hell were defined as &amp;quot;continuous suffering&amp;quot;, according to that definition some people might see the current world as a state of woe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;... but not 'only' in the mind&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But even if &amp;quot;hell&amp;quot; does exist in (or is perceived or experienced by) one's present mind (as illustrated above), it might be a mistake to assume that it &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; exists in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas do describe hell realms -- for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.130.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devaduta Sutta (MN 130)&lt;/a&gt; was referenced in the Wikipedia article.&#xA;I see nothing in that text which shows that the Buddha must have been talking metaphorically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theoretically I see three possibilities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha was speaking metaphorically (e.g. to persuade people to behave well)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha was speaking literally (there is literally a realm like that)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Something else&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, that sutta certainly appears to be referring to a state which may happen in the future, and is not just a state which is &amp;quot;only in one's mind&amp;quot; (in the present) -- it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I — by means of the divine eye, purified &amp;amp; surpassing the human — see beings passing away &amp;amp; re-appearing ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... Or how these beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — &lt;strong&gt;with the break-up of the body, after death&lt;/strong&gt;, have re-appeared in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;In summary&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary you might find it useful to think of &amp;quot;hell&amp;quot; as something which &amp;quot;exists in one's mind&amp;quot;, &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; which is taught to be a realm experienced &amp;quot;with the break-up of the body, after death&amp;quot;, or seen &amp;quot;with the divine eye&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By analogy, if you see a photograph of something then it does &amp;quot;exist in the photograph&amp;quot;: but it would be odd to say that it exists &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; in the photograph (the thing photographed may also still exist in real life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;In Wikipedia&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI according to Wikipedia the Narakas are also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_(Hinduism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;described in Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within Buddhism (the article you referenced in the OP),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several schemes for enumerating these Narakas and describing their torments. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidharmako%C5%9Bak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidharma-kosa&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;Treasure House of Higher Knowledge&lt;/em&gt;) is the root text that describes the most common scheme, the Eight Cold Narakas and Eight Hot Narakas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're asking whether Wikipedia is wrong and why no-one changes it: but it doesn't seem to be &amp;quot;wrong&amp;quot; i.e. it is reporting or summarizing what's written in Buddhist literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emphasis or people's interpretation of the Wikipedia article may be wrong, but so far as I know its content is more or less OK for an article that's titled &amp;quot;Naraka (Buddhism)&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-24T14:55:14.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-25T02:36:28.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With regards to your question of desires,&#xA;You are correct there is no difference in terms of desires caused by &#xA;senses such as smell, touch, taste, hearing, sight, and consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are given human form your body is bound to go through nature of its form (physical needs, physical instinct, evolution which applies to all animals, plants, and nature around us).&#xA;Buddha said 'clinging' to something will bring more suffering in the end regardless of the object of clinging was good or bad.&#xA;So keep that in mind. &#xA;If you don't eat for several days your body will need food to properly function.&#xA;If you have a normally functioning and healthy body, you will want to have sex to create your offspring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to whether 'desire as central point of origin of actions',&#xA;yes and no depending on the level of awareness.&#xA;Most animals yes and there lots of human beings living like animals.&#xA;That could apply to what you consider 'compassion' as desire as well but&#xA;true compassion is beyond desire, thinking, or word. &#xA;It's in the different realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7999" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T02:36:28.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14561" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-25T04:25:07.777" Score="2" ViewCount="287" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;non-emptiness&quot; appears in the literature. For example from Chi-tsang (madhyamaka):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the sutras speak of &quot;the emptiness of visible form&quot; this refers to its emptiness and lack of a true substantive nature; therefore it is called empty. It does not mean that conventional visible reality is empty (nothingness?). Since the substantive nature is an empty nothingness, therefore it is called empty. This is the real truth. The non-emptiness of conventional reality is called the worldly truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just mean the opposite of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is non-emptiness empty, and in what way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T11:29:17.783" LastActivityDate="2021-10-24T15:15:09.290" Title="Is non-emptiness empty?" Tags="|mahayana|western-philosophy|sunyata|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14555" CreationDate="2016-03-25T04:33:10.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be possible for me to give a reply in the Theravada perspective hoping it might add value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the tongue pressed against the pallet, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the teeth lightly touching, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; further mentions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down the mind with mind.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;So, Aggi,vessana, I with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down the&#xA;    mind with mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;While I, Aggi,vessana, was subduing, restraining and beating down my mind, with teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, &lt;em&gt;sweat poured from my armpits&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Just like as a strong man, Aggi,vessana holding a weaker man by the head or by the shoulders, were to restrain, subdue, attack him, even so, when I, Aggi,vessana, with my teeth clenched, and my tongue pressed against my palate, sweat poured from my armpits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose I practise the breathingless meditation.’&#xA;    So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths&#xA;    through my mouth and nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;While I did so, there was a loud sound of winds coming out from my ear-holes, just like a loud sound&#xA;    of winds from a smith’s bellows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there was a loud sound of&#xA;    winds coming out from my ear-holes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my&#xA;    body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’&#xA;    So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;While I did so, violent winds cut through my head, just as if a strong man were splitting my head open&#xA;    with a sharp sword.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there was a loud sound of&#xA;    winds coming out from my ear-holes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my&#xA;    body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’&#xA;    So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.&#xA;    While I did so, there were violent pains in my head, just as if a strong man were tightening a&#xA;    tough leather strap around my head as a headband.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there were violent pains in my&#xA;    head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my&#xA;    body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped&#xA;    my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;While I did so, violent winds carved up my belly,&#xA;    just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to&#xA;    carve up an ox’s belly with a sharp butcher’s knife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, violent winds carved up my&#xA;    belly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my&#xA;    body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;While I did so, there was a violent burning in my body, just as if two men were to seize a weaker man&#xA;    by both arms, might set him on fire and roast him over a pit of burning coal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and&#xA;    ears, there was a violent burning in my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my&#xA;    body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is method is used to &lt;code&gt;subdue, restrain, attack the (bad) mind with the (good) mind&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;beat down the mind with mind&lt;/code&gt;. In a Theravada perspective this should be used as a last resort to get rid of distracting or unwholesome thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a personal perspective I have found when &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt;, a blissful feeling which might lead to bodily vibration, gets excessive it might help to resort to the above for a short duration. The rolled tongue seam to make a short circuit which might seem to defuse the vibrations. Even so you should just be mindful or arising and passing even in this state to effortlessly move to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; implies such transition of transcending &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; should be effortless or not forced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) gaze directed 4 finger lengths beyond the tip of the nose&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rationale is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Prevent you from getting sleepy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop a basic level of concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps as you become a more accomplished meditator you can drop this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Now, the eyes. Should we leave them open or should we close them? Many people believe that they must close their eyes that they cannot meditate with open eyes. If you are serious about what you are doing and have a sufficiently strong mind it is not difficult to practice with the eyes left open. Begin with the eyes open. Open them with the determination to gaze toward the tip of the nose. This is not at all impossible. It just takes a little effort to do so. Gaze at the tip of the nose so that the eyes will not get involved in other things. When we close our eyes we tend to be sleepy, so be careful about closing the eyes. Also, when the eyes are closed they become warm and dry. Mediating with the eyes open will help us to stay awake and will keep the eyes cool and comfortable. Further, this will help the mind to be concentrated; it will aid the development of samadhi. As samadhi (concentration) develops about half way, the eyes will close naturally by themselves. The eyelids will relax and drop shut on their own. There is nothing to worry about. The complete technique is to begin with the eyes open. Gaze at the nose tip until samadhi develops, then the eyes will close on their own. That takes care of the eyes. (46) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Practicing with the eyes open and gazing at the tip of the nose is automatically a noticeable level of concentration. If we establish all of the mind upon gazing at the tip of the nose, we will not see anything else. If we can do this, it will be a certain type of samadhi. We will profit from having this much concentration right from the start. Merely look at the nose without seeing anything else. If all of the mind, all of its interest, is set on looking at the nose, then nothing else will be seen. This samadhi is not insignificant. Therefore you ought to try to start with open eyes. (47) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Please observe that this is something anyone can do. We are intent upon gazing at the nose, at feeling the nose, and at the same time we feel the body breathing. Both can be done. It may seem that both are being done at exactly the same moment, but they are not. There is not anything unnatural or supernatural about it. Because of the mind’s great speed it is possible for the eyes to be gazing at the tip of the nose while being aware of breathing in and breathing out. You can see this for yourself. (48) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness of Breathing: Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu or similar passage is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness of Breathing&lt;/a&gt; by the same author&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I find that when I try to incorporate these three elements of posture into my practice I quickly store up tension in my jaw and throughout my face in general. Additionally, keeping the gaze correctly placed is a full-time task that tends to excite the vital energies rather than relax the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above pratice perhaps can lead to stress and tension in the body, though vital energy will arise and mindfulness is established: &quot;But although &lt;strong&gt;tireless energy was aroused in me&lt;/strong&gt;, and &lt;strong&gt;undistracted mindfulness was established&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;my&#xA;body was overstrained&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ill at ease&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; because &lt;strong&gt;I was &lt;em&gt;exhausted&lt;/em&gt; by the &lt;em&gt;painful striving&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. You should be relaxed body and mind to get positive results in Buddhist meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can I balance keeping a correct posture while maintaining a relaxed attitude of effortless non-striving?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to relax both body and mind. Tensions manifest as a tightness around the head or heart. Be mindful of the arising and passing of sensations in these areas. Your posture should be comfortable, relaxed and balanced, i.e., straight body. Also whatever posture you are in should be effortless, i.e., you should not be trying too hard to be in the posture. More on this see my other posts: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13116/295&quot;&gt;How does one do mindfulness of breathing with relaxation?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13132/295&quot;&gt;Having trouble meditating long sessions (Physical pain)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13216/295&quot;&gt;Losing awareness&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14378/295&quot;&gt;what to do, when you can't meditate?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3865/295&quot;&gt;How does one calm one&amp;#39;s bodily fabrications?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you the book you mentioned is the only guide practicing without a teacher may be dangerous in case you miss interpret and instruction or do not know how to handle complications. So you can try joining a formal course or finding a teacher. Some helpful site: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddist Directory&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T05:16:29.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14563" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-25T04:54:39.040" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;I took the lay precepts after a short retreat. It was suggested that we say them however loudly we mean them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm kinda worried about this. I may have over-estimated how much I meant them, and also, I may have said them too loudly anyway due to getting caught up in the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This concerns me: what does it &lt;em&gt;mean&lt;/em&gt; to break the precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T15:23:14.573" Title="How worried should one be about the lay precepts?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14561" CreationDate="2016-03-25T04:59:19.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahayana Agama&lt;/a&gt; contains parallels in the Pali Cannon I am answering using the Suttas in the Pali Canon which I am more familiar with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abiding or contemplating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; [impermanence (anicca),&#xA;suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta)] is called abiding in emptiness. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.3-Cula-Sunnata-S-m121-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Sunnata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.4-Maha-Sunnata-S-m122-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Sunnata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] The opposite of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; is perversions (vipallasa) [what is impermanent is taken to be permanent; what is painful is taken to be pleasurable; what is not self is taken to be a (or the) self; and what is impure is taken to be pure]. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Hence non empty might mean something is deluded, i.e., conceptual constructions are empty since they breakdown under further scrutiny. Attachment to concepts, review and throughts or being subjected to the perversion is non empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 11: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 12: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views. At the end of the discourse, many people came to be established in Sotapatti Fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=011&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verses 11 and 12 Sariputtatthera Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the usage on perversion described above someone taking untrue and truth, wrong view as right view, something of low value as valuable can be considered empty in this context and some one taking truth as the truth, ... can be considered non empty in this context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T07:02:17.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14563" CreationDate="2016-03-25T05:09:08.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Precept is a promise or pledge or vow to abstain from certain actions. When you break a precept you break the promise, i.e., you pledged you will abstain but you have done what you promised not to do. You should retake the precept, i.e., promise or pledge or vow to abide by the rule of abstaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also saying them loudly maybe you are psychologically more serious about preserving or abiding by them. Also as with any pledge or promise or vow you should mean it and have intention to keep it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The abstainment in the precepts are towards actions that are unwholesome. So if you break them this also means you are doing something unwholesome hence accumulating bad Kamma. Precepts is a rule base or ritualistic approach from abstaining from what is unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T08:36:44.653" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T08:36:44.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14561" CreationDate="2016-03-25T05:20:16.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If non-emptiness means what it sounds like then it is indeed empty. All is empty within the reality of our individual experience. Everything that can be experienced is empty of self, complexity, and substance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-06-18T00:59:02.620" LastActivityDate="2021-06-18T00:59:02.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2016-03-25T07:30:21.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though is modern times this might seem controversial &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1a-Bahudhatuka-S-m115-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu Dhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions certain things a woman cannot achieve:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He understands that it is impossible, there is no chance, that a &lt;em&gt;woman&lt;/em&gt; would become &lt;em&gt;a worthy&#xA;  fully self awakened one&lt;/em&gt;—this is not possible.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And he understands that it is possible, there is the chance, that a &lt;em&gt;man&lt;/em&gt; would become &lt;em&gt;a worthy fully&#xA;  self-awakened&lt;/em&gt;—this is &lt;em&gt;possible&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands that it is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman would become a universal&#xA;  monarch—this is not possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And he understands that it is possible, there is the chance, that only a man would become a universal&#xA;  monarch —this is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands that it is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman would attain the state&#xA;  of Sakra—this is not possible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more comparative discussion on this matter see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1b-On-womens-inabilities-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bahudhātuka-sutta and its Parallels On Women’s Inabilities&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Anālayo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T11:07:16.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14568" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14570" CreationDate="2016-03-25T07:33:05.080" Score="3" ViewCount="273" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a part of Yuttadhammo's answer at &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7865/how-to-practice-metta-without-a-benefactor?rq=1&quot;&gt;How to practice Metta without a Benefactor?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that has very confused me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cultivate metta towards yourself &lt;strong&gt;(useless, but a good example)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is metta useless? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any specific sources for this statement, or is this based on a determine school?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2019-07-07T15:53:54.470" Title="Metta towards yourself - useless?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14569" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14712" CreationDate="2016-03-25T07:41:08.437" Score="2" ViewCount="435" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&amp;amp;page=article-details&amp;amp;code_title=99568&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The veena in Buddhist stories&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/03/22/features/77155&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Is disharmony allowed in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt; mention that Panchasika or Pansilu had couple of interactions with the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone give where is this mentioned in citing the:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;basket, division and subdivisions this appear in&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the title of the text and numbering (E.g. if it is a Sutta the Sutta Name and Numbering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;quotation from the part of the text where the interaction is described within the cited reference&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T08:22:45.293" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T04:00:22.947" Title="What are the occasions did Panchasika or Pansilu meet the Buddha" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14568" CreationDate="2016-03-25T08:05:14.247" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this needs qualification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta towards oneself helps reduce self hate. So this is not completely useless. Also this is the basis of developing Metta to others. If you do not love yourself you cannot love others. [page 83 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing - 4th Edition&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Pa-Auk Sayadaw]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot attain Jhana if the person is oneself, hence as a means to achieve Jhana this is useless. [page 82 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing - 4th Edition&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Pa-Auk Sayadaw]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other objectives is as an antidote to hateful temperament towards others. On this perspective this is useless if you contemplate about only oneself and not of others, but useful if you contemplate about oneself and others. As you cannot love others if you do not love yourself hence oneself should be included.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this is used to break barriers [page 85 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing - 4th Edition&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Pa-Auk Sayadaw] as perceiving someone dear, neutral and foe. In this perspective it is useful to asses the level of love to oneself vs loved one vs neutral people vs foes, but not useful if you contemplate only about oneself and not others, and only others and not oneself, and useful when you contemplate on oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T13:04:06.663" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T13:04:06.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14563" CreationDate="2016-03-25T08:24:17.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It means your probably making bad kamma. There is no magic in taking the precept vows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We dont need to be affraid of making bad kamma when we can make right effort and determination to keep the precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T15:23:14.573" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T15:23:14.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2016-03-25T12:23:39.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just an opinion. I believe a that a Buddha does not have a gender and I say this because of what I have learnt from the Agganna Sutta where the brahmas did not have a gender and their mental deterioration caused humans to come to being. A Buddha is someone who is beyond the brahmas in terms of intelligence and so on. So I think a Buddha does not have a gender&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T12:23:39.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14573" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-25T13:53:28.860" Score="2" ViewCount="668" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the commentary it's said, in order to lie, all four conditions must be met:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An untrue statement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intention to deceive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort is made&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Other deceived by what is said&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But according to original Vinaya, AFAIK, whether one is deceived or not is irrelevant. I think that is because the intention to lie arises from the doer not the perceiver. But if last condition is not met i.e. a being is not dead, how can we say someone is killing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T15:56:13.073" Title="Conditions to break a precept" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9526" CreationDate="2016-03-25T14:06:30.810" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zopa Rinpoche wants to stop eathquaks with his mind. Gomdes Lamas go arround making ceromonies to make retreat guests in wealthy countries like Denmark Rich. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ar the same time People WHO have been through horrible Abuse and seek hope in the compasionate Ways of Buddha, are made out to be crazy disgusting inhumans, at the same time the frase keeps ringing &quot; we are all the same&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you see major distatefull contradictions in a Group. Then find another place. &#xA;The original forms of buddhism Doesnt haven't  gone so wrong&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8031" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T14:06:30.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14573" CreationDate="2016-03-25T14:43:21.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this description of the vinaya&lt;/a&gt;, on page 74+ the conditions for the offence &quot;intentionally deprive a human being of life&quot; includes the result as a necessary condition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This rule against intentionally causing the death of a human being is best&#xA;  understood in terms of five factors, all of which must be present for there to be&#xA;  the full offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Object: a human being, which according to the Vibhaºga includes human&#xA;  fetuses as well, counting from the time consciousness first arises in the&#xA;  womb immediately after conception up to the time of death.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Intention: knowingly, consciously, deliberately, and purposefully wanting&#xA;  to cause that person’s death. “Knowingly” also includes the factor of—&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Perception: perceiving the person as a living being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Effort: whatever one does with the purpose of causing that person to die.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Result: The life-faculty of the person is cut as the result of one’s act.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On page 245 the conditions for telling a lie involves only two factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A deliberate lie is a statement or gesture made with the aim of&#xA;  misrepresenting the truth to someone else. The K/Commentary, summarizing&#xA;  the long “wheels” in the Vibhaºga, states that a violation of this rule requires&#xA;  two factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Intention: the aim to misrepresent the truth; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Effort: the effort to make another individual know whatever one wants to&#xA;  communicate based on that aim.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Page 246 says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Result is not a factor under this rule. Thus whether anyone understands the&#xA;  lie or is deceived by it is irrelevant to the offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T14:43:21.477" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14573" CreationDate="2016-03-25T15:38:24.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way you memorized the 4th condition is wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The four conditions:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The statement must be untrue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed&lt;/strong&gt;(whether he is deceived or not).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's not a lie if you say something false to your dog. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T15:56:13.073" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T15:56:13.073" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14577" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-25T18:48:01.307" Score="0" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know the famous nine values of Lord Buddha that we often recite when worshiping Lord Buddha. But i've heard the extended versions of those 9 values. Can someone point me a source to learn them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T12:19:44.730" Title="Lord Buddha's Noble values" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14578" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14580" CreationDate="2016-03-25T19:33:23.067" Score="6" ViewCount="419" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because our consciousness can only persist in our brain. When the brain is destroyed, our consciousness is destroyed as well. We become no one. How can the idea of reincarnation be true if all the information of who we are is already destroyed. We are just new when we are born and we can't pass the consciousness or memory to any new born baby. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8019" LastEditorUserId="8019" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T09:32:01.807" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T12:47:46.163" Title="How can the idea of reincarnation be true if all the information of who we are is already destroyed" Tags="|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14561" CreationDate="2016-03-25T19:47:32.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Madhyamika viewpoint, while emptiness [of true existence] is an existent, non-emptiness [of true existence] is a non-existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no fault in predicating a negation to a non-existent subject. For instance, you can say &quot;Taking the subject 'a unicorn', it follows it is not white.&quot; Or &quot;the horns of a rabbit lack this or that.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a fault in predicating a positive phenomena to a non-existent subject. This is because a valid knower can not realize a non-existent reason. For instance, you can not say &quot;unicorns are white; rabbit's horns are made of ivory; non-emptiness is realized by way of this or that&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, you can assert that non-emptiness is empty, because it amounts to associate a non-existent (i.e. non-emptiness) with a negative predicate (the lack of something).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T19:47:32.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14578" CreationDate="2016-03-25T20:04:41.853" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;if you take it literally, Buddhism does not teach &quot;reincarnation&quot; because to actually reincarnate, there has to be something permanent like a soul to transmigrate from one life to another.  Consciousness is not permanent.  It raises and falls all the time.    Now, to understand &quot;reforming&quot; in Buddhism, you need to understand &quot;Satanam/being&quot;.  it is  another term as difficult as nirvana because it does not have sign or dimension or anything/.. Buddha said &quot;because ignorance as barrier, desires as bindings, satanam continues to moves in samsara&quot;.  In my own words, there is a thing outside of time and dimension that latches on consciousness and takes it as self, me, mine..  as long as ignorant and desires persist, satanam will latch on another consciousness when this one connected to your brain ceases to work.   As long as that feeling we all have that we call &quot;I, me, my&quot; exist, when this body is broken, the &quot;I, me, my&quot; will instantly latch into other body and call that body (5skandhas) as ours.  Do not take satanam or &quot;being&quot; to be the same as permanent soul.   &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here is link to look up being or satanam&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-03-25T20:22:00.947" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T20:22:00.947" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14577" CreationDate="2016-03-25T21:05:07.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Google returns many results (with explanations, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tbsa.org/articles/BuddhaQualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/17_%20Recollection%20of%20the%20Buddha,%20Dhamma%20&amp;amp;%20Sangha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;), if you search for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=buddha%20nine%20characteristics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;buddha nine characteristics&lt;/a&gt; (or 'qualities' or 'virtues'), rather than nine 'values'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or Wikipedia mentions &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood#Ten_characteristics_of_a_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-25T21:05:07.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14577" CreationDate="2016-03-26T00:24:13.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The qualities of the Buddha Dhamma and Sangha is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.5-Dhajagga-S-s11.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhajagga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.5-Veludvareyya-S-s55.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Velu,dvāreyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; this might be a good starting point to study the qualities. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.7-Buddhanussati-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhânussati&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan has more discussion including that of the the Mahayana parallels. The 10 Characteristics discussed in the Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhahood&lt;/a&gt; seas to be the Mahayana point of view. A more comprehensive book written in the subject is Suwisi Maha Gunaya by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rerukane_Chandawimala_Thero&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rerukane Chandawimala Thero&lt;/a&gt; would be a the best starting point for a for some one who knows Sinhala. A similar book perhap not this extensive in English would be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.holybooks.com/a-manual-of-the-excellent-man-by-ledi-sayadaw/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Excellent Man: Uttamapurisa Dipani&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T12:19:44.730" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14578" CreationDate="2016-03-26T00:55:19.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because our consciousness can only persist in our brain. When the brain is destroyed, our consciousness is destroyed as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not necessarily but the brain helps as a more convenient store, hence brain damage can hinder memory. Also why you cannot remember of past lives is that you now have a new brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana meditators can recall past lives hence this is not necessarily true as sense impressions have persisted. 5 Hindrances is one case of we cannot remember and as meditation overcomes this you can remember better. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarana) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for conciseness it arises and passes. At death it passes in one body and arise in another. This process don't end at death or with brain damage or death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can the idea of reincarnation be true if all the information of who we are is already destroyed. We are just new when we are born and we can't pass the consciousness or memory to any new born baby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense impressions are tied to the mental body while conceptual impressions are tied to the physical body. So if you get brain damaged you cannot think and perhaps learn new concepts but past impressions stay, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] these sense impressions do persist beyond death as part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhavanga-citta/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavanga Citta&lt;/a&gt;. Recallability depends on the level of hindrances. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarana) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] The mental impressions that remain are part of the mind (Nama) which does not die at death but passes away in one body and arise in another. For further understanding perhaps you can study the Buddhist rebirth process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T06:12:58.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14584" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14586" CreationDate="2016-03-26T08:25:43.953" Score="2" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have completed 10-days Vipassana course and I would like to keep on practicing back home. Goenkaji's discourse tells us to practice Vipassana 1 hour each morning and evening every day.Is there a need to practice Anapana along with Vipassana if so how often?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8034" LastActivityDate="2018-03-13T12:42:33.827" Title="Should I practice Anapana after 10 day Vipassana course?" Tags="|vipassana|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14584" CreationDate="2016-03-26T12:15:33.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapana in the context of the one hour sessions should be practiced if your mind not not calm, i.e., :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lot of distracting thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are emotional&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hindrances have come up&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is always good to do about 5 to 15 minutes to start with, to calm your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T12:25:56.793" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T12:25:56.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14587" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14588" CreationDate="2016-03-26T17:43:18.060" Score="2" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember hearing somewhere about 4 types of beings in relation with the satipatthana sutta and that for each group one of the satipatthanas is most important/suitable to practice. Can somebody please give me a reference from the suttas or commentaries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T18:09:19.507" Title="four types of beings (reference searched)" Tags="|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14587" CreationDate="2016-03-26T18:09:19.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;affective, slow temperament - body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;intellectual, fast temperament - mental contents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;affective, fast temperament - sensations &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;intellectual speculation, slow temperament - mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not found in the Suttas but in the commentaries. This is taken from Papañcasudani&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T18:09:19.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14405" CreationDate="2016-03-26T18:30:40.373" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult for humans to understand the dangers of sensual pleasures, including sex pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember in the past I thought the same but after achieving higher states I saw how sex pleasure causes painful feelings in the future, just as The Buddha had said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the&#xA;  present but yields pain in the future? There are some brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who hold to a doctrine, a view like this: 'There is no&#xA;  harm in sensual pleasures.' Thus they meet with their downfall through&#xA;  sensual pleasures. They consort with women wanderers who wear their&#xA;  hair coiled in a topknot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The thought occurs to them: 'Now what future danger concerning&#xA;  sensual pleasures do those [other] brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives foresee&#xA;  that they have spoken of the relinquishment of sensual pleasures and&#xA;  describe the full comprehension of sensual pleasures? It's pleasant,&#xA;  the touch of this woman wanderer's soft, tender, downy arm.' - Cula-dhammasamadana Sutta, MN 45&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most humans cannot perceive the dangers of sensual pleasures, so they think &quot;what's the harm in it?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose someone were to eat lots of tasty delicious desserts, while in the present they might think &quot;what is the harm in these desserts? It tastes good&quot;, but then suppose later on their doctor informs them that they have some negative health condition because they ate so many tasty desserts and snacks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or suppose someone was born without pain receptors and hurt themselves badly without perceiving it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way humans engage in sensual pleasures thinking &quot;there is no harm&quot; or &quot;what is the harm?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humans do however see the dangers in STDs and unwanted pregnancy don't they? Because they can perceive it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe a lay person might be able to overcome the negative effects of sex if they achieve higher states, with concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one, longing for sensual pleasure,&#xA;      achieves it, yes,&#xA;  he's enraptured at heart.&#xA;  The mortal gets what he wants.&#xA;  But if for that person&#xA;      — longing, desiring —&#xA;  the pleasures diminish,&#xA;      he's shattered,&#xA;  as if shot with an arrow.&quot; - Kama Sutta, Sutta Nipata 4.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you think sex pleasure is temporary or permanent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you think sex pleasure leads one towards enlightenment here and now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you think sex pleasure can cause unwanted pregnancies and STDs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to also note that giving up sex pleasure by itself does not make one enlightened, it simply makes achieving enlightenment easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What actually causes enlightenment is the destruction of taints.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestion for the lay people attracted to sexual pleasure is to get married to avoid sexual immorality and try to achieve higher states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T19:00:43.547" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T19:00:43.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14373" CreationDate="2016-03-26T20:30:23.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try this exercise I learned from that book &quot;The Power of Concentration&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stare at an object (like a door knob) for 10 full minutes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Focus on keeping your body perfectly still&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not let other thoughts drift in&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do this exercise for 6-7 days and you will see that your body control and concentration would've improved, you will find it easy to relax, concentrate, and not be disturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-03-26T20:38:45.863" LastActivityDate="2016-03-26T20:38:45.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14338" CreationDate="2016-03-27T18:29:46.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was not opposed to working towards goals, he was opposed to things that lead away from arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahantship or enlightenment comes from the destruction of the Âsavas, usually translated as cankers, pains, taints, or fermentations, not from merely giving up desires or wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many Suttas The Buddha refers to arahants having &amp;quot;wants&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;wishes&amp;quot;, though obviously not the same as ordinary humans having wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the Akankheyya Sutta (MN 6) where The Buddha encouraged monks to fulfill their desires (through proper means):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'If a Bhikkhu (monk) should desire, Brethren, to become beloved, popular, respected among his fellow-disciples, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone!'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;....continued on with different desires until...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, by the destruction of the great evils (Âsavas), by himself, and even in this very world, to know and realise and attain to Arahatship, to emancipation of heart, and emancipation of mind, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone!' - Akankheyya Sutta (MN 6)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is not to focus on whether or not you should have desires but to focus on what leads towards the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in many Suttas The Buddha refers to monks doing things &amp;quot;if he wants&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the case where The Buddha was questioned on who has more pleasure the King or The Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'But, friend Gotama, it's not the case that pleasure is to be attained through pleasure. Pleasure is to be attained through pain. For if pleasure were to be attained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha would attain pleasure, for he lives in greater pleasure than you, friend Gotama.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Surely the venerable Niganthas said that rashly and without reflecting... for instead, I should be asked, &amp;quot;Who lives in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or venerable Gotama?&amp;quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Yes, friend Gotama, we said that rashly and without reflecting... but let that be. We now ask you, venerable Gotama: Who lives in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or venerable Gotama?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'In that case, Niganthas, I will question you in return. Answer as you like. What do you think: Can King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha — without moving his body, without uttering a word — dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for seven days &amp;amp; nights?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'... for six days &amp;amp; nights... for five days &amp;amp; nights... for a day &amp;amp; a night?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'No, friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Now, I — without moving my body, without uttering a word — can dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for a day and a night... for two days &amp;amp; nights... for three... four... five... six... seven days &amp;amp; nights. So what do you think: That being the case, who dwells in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or me?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'That being the case, venerable Gotama dwells in greater pleasure than King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Mahanama the Sakyan delighted in the Blessed One's words. - Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta, MN 14&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we see that The Buddha claims that he experiences more pleasure than the King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the case where The Buddha explained the fruits (or benefits) or a contemplative life in the Samaññaphala Sutta (DN 2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahants and The Buddha himself had &amp;quot;wishes&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;wants&amp;quot;, they live freely and do whatever they desire, though not in the same way as ordinary people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible to have wishes or desires but no attachment to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestion to you would be to keep your desires in accordance to the goal and not to be attached to the end result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are certain cases where forcing someone to give up a desire would create mental agony in an individual and throw them away from achieving arahantship, and also other cases where individuals give up wishes or desires but do not achieve arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in my opinion it is better for you to keep certain desires while striving towards the final goal (enlightenment, arahantship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should think:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It would be easier for me to achieve my goal if I was not attached to the end result&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It would be easier for me to achieve my goal if I had a better concentrated mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It would be easier for me to achieve my goal if I had achieved higher states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being attached to the end result makes it much harder to achieve your goal. If you really want to achieve your goal you should focus on achieving it without attachment, and in ways in accordance to the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just imagine how extraordinarily easy achieving a goal like this would be for someone who really was an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus you should train yourself towards achieving the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-27T18:54:56.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14593" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14607" CreationDate="2016-03-28T08:00:12.863" Score="1" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we know fourth precept is the one precept that the Bodhisatta has never said to have broken since he started cultivating Paramita. &#xA;When I need to prevent a Buddhist person form lying, I state the above statement. And that is the reason that I was also prevented by telling lies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if we need to prevent a non-Buddhist person from telling lies or  going against fourth precept, how can we do. How can we motivate him/her not to lie?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7845" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T11:19:42.353" Title="How do I prevent non-buddhists from going against fourth precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|non-buddhism|motivation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14593" CreationDate="2016-03-28T08:58:26.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simply ask him whether he likes to be deceived and cheated if some one else did it to him. If someone cannot be trusted would you act on what he says. How comfortable would he be to have to put up or deal with a person who is trying to deceived him. Lies cannot always be kept under wrap and if it surfaces what might happen. This would be a better way to a Buddhist also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T08:58:26.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14595" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-28T10:08:21.537" Score="3" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most religions forgiving each other or by God is very common but is in Buddhism forgiving something wiht any value? If so what does it really mean, what does it effect and how is it done?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T13:23:25.607" Title="Is forgiving someone an issue in Buddhism and what does it mean?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14595" CreationDate="2016-03-28T10:50:48.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 5 Kalayakkhini Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism forgiveness is between one another than by an external agency. Having said this no external agency is behind Karma. It is only your tainted or pure mind. And once done the results follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 1 Cakkhupalatthera Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... similarly for good deeds good results follow ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness (sukha) follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=002&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 2 Matthakundali Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following highlights no external agency can affect Karma than the mind itself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is explained in the Pathama Mahanama Sutta, by the simile of an earthern pot filled partly with gravels and stones and partly with fat and butter. By throwing this pot into water and smashing it with a stick, it will be seen that gravels and stones quickly sink to the bottom while fat and butter rise to the surface of the water. Likewise, when a person who has established himself in the five wholesome dhammas of faith, conduct, learning, charity and insight dies, his body remains to get decomposed but his extremely purified mental continuum continues in higher states of existence as birth-linking consciousness, patisandhi citta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the concluding suttas are expositions on the Middle Path, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Path of Eight Constituents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/study/pageload.php?book=001&amp;amp;page=06&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Guide to Tipitaka - 6. Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; by Professor Ko Lay&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T10:50:48.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14595" CreationDate="2016-03-28T13:23:25.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A purpose of Buddism is to be without 'defilements' -- Wikipedia introduces &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kleshas (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt; as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kleshas (Sanskrit: &lt;em&gt;kleśa&lt;/em&gt;; Pali: &lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;; Standard Tibetan: &lt;em&gt;nyon mongs&lt;/em&gt;), in Buddhism, are mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. Kleshas include states of mind such as anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, depression, etc. Contemporary translators use a variety of English words to translate the term kleshas, such as: afflictions, defilements, destructive emotions, disturbing emotions, negative emotions, mind poisons, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would add verse 3 and 4 of the Dhammapada to the verses which Suminda's answer already quoted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;&amp;quot;... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;&amp;quot;... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel hurt by someone and will not &amp;quot;forgive&amp;quot; them, then you would retain feeling hurt and enmity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps you should take it for granted that &amp;quot;not harbouring such thoughts&amp;quot; is desireable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing is that, further to the above, I think it's difficult to hurt an enlightened person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example they might have a different view about what &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/44thethiefwhobecameadisciple.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;my belongings&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; are, what &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;me&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; is, whether you can &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/9themooncannotbestolen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;get the better of me&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So assuming that you will forgive people, perhaps the process of forgiveness (or &amp;quot;how it is done&amp;quot;, as you asked) might be informative (enlightening): for example, you might learn what kind of clinging, clinging to what, allowed you to feel hurt in the first place; or you might learn further compassion for whoever was in a situation where they hurt you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, some people say that the Vinaya isn't interesting to (doesn't apply to) lay people, but I think it's interesting because it details rules about how to live together in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that according to the Vinaya, &amp;quot;forgiveness&amp;quot; isn't entirely one-sided i.e. the &amp;quot;injured&amp;quot; person isn't the only one who participates in the forgiveness process ... for example the wrong-doer too is also supposed to confess what they did wrong; and a wrong-doer who won't cooperate might be banished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S., sometimes people want to know how reliable a statement is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think the first statement above (which quotes the Dhammapada) is fairly reliable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second (that you might learn something from the process of forgiving someone, i.e. learn what you did that allowed you to feel hurt in the first place) is my opinion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The third (about forgiveness and confession within the Vinaya) is not reliable, and is based on my superficial reading of the rules and not based on actual experience.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T13:23:25.607" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14598" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-28T14:55:48.797" Score="4" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked a question previously about the object of meditation being faint. Perhaps I'd like to reformulate my question more specifically as I still encounter these kinds of problems, and I will provide the sensations I experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When trying to meditate on the breath at the aperture of the nostrils, the breath is not present and cannot be felt, no matter how much I try to arouse attention. It could only be slightly felt at the level of the abdomen. When I try to visualize any object, this object is usually extremely faint and transparent almost. I have the impression my mental agitation is feeble, but also that the clarity of my mind is very dull. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what could be the causes of this. Is it a too weak concentration? Too weak mindfulness? Is it a kind of lethargy and dullness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I remedy to this? Of the possible solutions I've read about I understand arousing attention (which I have difficulty doing), applying certain antidotes as the perception of light or enlivening the mind, or perhaps some other solution I don't know about. Perhaps changing the object? I'm actually unsure of any of these solutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greatest thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-03-28T22:25:51.687" LastActivityDate="2018-02-22T00:24:15.567" Title="Lack of Grasping of the Object of Meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|meditation-breath|anapanasati|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14091" CreationDate="2016-03-28T16:31:31.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... I'm realizing that the objects I meditate on, either the breath or an image, are extremely faint ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;move your mind to the object&lt;/a&gt; and then you should &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;retain your mind on the object&lt;/a&gt;. As a beginner if you do not pratice the latter then the object will be less prominent. You should retain the object of meditation by continuously reviewing if your mind is with the object and regardless of whether it is or has gone to another object you should continuously redirect your mind to the object. After a while you will be able to retain the object and feel the object without issue. With regard to reviewing with the intention of retaining see p35, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; 4th Ed by Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... it is hard for me to switch my attention to the sensations at the nostrils ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For somebody starting out it does not matter if you feel any sensation or not as long as your attention is with the object. More you pratice the object becomes clearer and clearer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like taining to be an athlete. You cannot be Olympic medalist the 1st day on training. You pick up endurance and stamina as you go along with your training. So is meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 )Should I continue with the breath,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... I'm truly focused upon it,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as your mind is directed at trying to feel the object, i.e., sensation round the mouth you are doing OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you start feeling the sensations prominently try looking closely at the object, i.e., sensations, until you can see arising and passing of sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or should I switch to a visual imagined object?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will not develop Vipassana hence it is best to stick to the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2)Should I keep meditating despite the faintness of these objects of focus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or is there a way to dispel this dullness outside of formal meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to retain the object by continuously and persistently trying to retain the object and continuously review if the mind is with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any tips or techniques to do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are tense and not released then this becomes and issue. So relax your body and mind actively looking at tense or tight sensations that arise looking at arising and passing within them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though not related to this the content and references of my answer to this question has further information: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14555&quot;&gt;How to balance an attitude of &amp;quot;effortless non-striving&amp;quot; with proper posture?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T16:31:31.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14598" CreationDate="2016-03-28T16:50:25.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mental dullness goes hand in hand with drowsiness. The drowsiness do not have to be strong but there will be mild drowsiness. If this is the case use the techniques in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; to eradicate them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to increase concentration is to do sustained pratice of Anapana with continuously smaller areas in which you look for sensations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;triangular area from top of the nose to the base of the nose and upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;triangular areas from tip to the base of the nose and upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;base of the nose and upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a spot in the centre of the upper lip&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you do not feel anything it does not matter as long as you are continuously trying to and your attention is in the area. The success criteria is not that you feel anything but there is sustained and continuous effort to feel sensation in this area. If you do not feel anything do not get agitated or defeated about this or any trace of anger because you do not feel it. Also there should be no craving for the object but mear effort to still your thinking and pondering mind and stay focused by redirecting your mind to the chosen object where by stilling your verbal fabrications whilst seeing the arising and passing of phenomena clearly at the concentration point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One you feel the sensation, you should scrutinise the sensation to see smallest elements which make it. At some point you will see they are smaller clusters of sensation and finally the arising and passing of these sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my aswer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14091&quot;&gt;Faintness of Object of Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T14:24:34.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14598" CreationDate="2016-03-28T18:51:09.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;I asked a question previously about the object of meditation being faint. [...] When trying to meditate on the breath at the aperture of the nostrils, the breath is not present and cannot be felt&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your breath really was &lt;em&gt;not present&lt;/em&gt;, you would be dead by now, wouldn't you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand that it's not the breath which is faint, it's the faculty of mindfulness that is. The breath is always there, always in a observable state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how does a monk remain focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself?&amp;quot; [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' -- MN 10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you really can't find your breath, there is nothing wrong about it. Meditation is all about &lt;strong&gt;observing&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt;. Just know 'short breath' or 'subtle breath' or 'no breath'. Don't search the breath, try to be clear and present no matter what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;no matter how much I try to arouse attention&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You named this question &lt;em&gt;Lack of Grasping of the Object of Meditation&lt;/em&gt;. I actually think this is the problem. You're trying to grasp the object. Don't grasp. The goal is letting go which is the opposite of grasping. Concentration comes from awareness, awareness comes from &lt;em&gt;surrendering to the present moment&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Understanding Right Effort&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is key for directing your mind towards the meditation object. Changing your meditation object will not help you, since both problem and solution are lying within your own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is &lt;em&gt;trying without trying&lt;/em&gt;. If it feels like effort, it's not right effort. If it feels like no effort at all, it's still not right effort. It's about keeping the balance between dullness and restlessness, &lt;em&gt;the middle way&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, concentration is often wrongly understood as constant applying of effort, but it's more about clarity and awareness of mind than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you to listen to &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/OIZBSgrHVHo?t=2771&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this explanation of Right Effort&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now what do you think, Sona. Before, when you were a house-dweller, were you skilled at playing the vina?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Yes, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too taut, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too loose, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were neither too taut nor too loose, but tuned (lit: 'established') to be right on pitch, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Yes, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attune ('penetrate,' 'ferret out') the pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your theme.&amp;quot; -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T07:59:03.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14593" CreationDate="2016-03-28T19:14:50.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But if we need to prevent a non-Buddhist person from telling lies or going against fourth precept, how can we do. How can we motivate him/her not to lie?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the whole point in Buddhism is, that you &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkzVUpR3iE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;can't change someone else&lt;/a&gt;. You can only change yourself. This is dukkha, people are doing bad things even though you're trying to stop them. Keep that in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could try to make a philosophical argument telling the truth (e.g. Immanuel Kant). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which means more or less 'One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kant asserted that lying, or deception of any kind, would be forbidden under any interpretation and in any circumstance. In Grounding, Kant gives the example of a person who seeks to borrow money without intending to pay it back. This is a contradiction because if it were a universal action, no person would lend money anymore as he knows that he will never be paid back. The maxim of this action, says Kant, results in a contradiction in conceivability (and thus contradicts perfect duty). With lying, it would logically contradict the reliability of language. If it were universally acceptable to lie, then no one would believe anyone and all truths would be assumed to be lies. The right to deceive could also not be claimed because it would deny the status of the person deceived as an end in itself. The theft would be incompatible with a possible kingdom of ends. Therefore, Kant denied the right to lie or deceive for any reason, regardless of context or anticipated consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it helps, good, if not: well, this is how it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-03-28T19:14:50.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14603" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-28T22:45:05.883" Score="1" ViewCount="213" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the much talked about example of &quot;zen sickness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I wondered can any buddhist theory or practice can ever be harmful to a human?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for an answer from anyone, not necessarily a Buddhist perspective. Though, of course, I'd be dismissive of anything unreasonable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T17:45:45.327" Title="Can Buddhism be harmful?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14604" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-28T23:12:51.117" Score="1" ViewCount="322" Body="&lt;p&gt;It it well known that Tientai teaches the identity of the mundane and real truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In its complete teaching, what is being equated?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it equating the &lt;strong&gt;real truth&lt;/strong&gt; of the &lt;em&gt;separate teaching&lt;/em&gt; with the complete teaching's &lt;strong&gt;mundane truth&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The so called &quot;separate teaching&quot; is what Yogacara and Hua-yen Buddhists claim, and Zhiyi says (translated by Swanson) says that therein:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KeUEy.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KeUEy.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2019-09-10T08:02:50.380" Title="What is the perfect truth in Tientai Buddhism?" Tags="|middle-way|tendai|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14593" CreationDate="2016-03-29T05:36:26.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not just about sitting in a certain postures, concentration etc etc. It is about understanding order of things. Meditation implies inwardness i.e. focus on yourself not on others. You yourself are not perfect. How can you ask others to be perfect or follow a path or a percept? Become perfect if not then at least disciplined and people will follow you.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T05:36:26.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14604" CreationDate="2016-03-29T09:07:02.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to answer based on a hunch. Swanson notes, in his translation of the Mo-Ho-Chih-Kuan, that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These three [truths as] expressions [of the perfect teaching] seem to&#xA;  be the same as the formulation in the Distinct Teaching, but as&#xA;  Chan-jan points out (BT–I, p. 284), the Distinct Teaching takes each&#xA;  of these formulations to be a separate level of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My hunch is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;for the separate teaching, the mundane truth does not contain anything of the&#xA;absolute, and is only its negation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the perfect teaching merely &lt;em&gt;integrates&lt;/em&gt; the three truths of the separate teaching (see above quote) it &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; teaches:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neither existence nor emptiness, and not neither existence nor emptiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, because the perfect teaching includes &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; truths of the separate teaching, the perfect teaching &lt;strong&gt;must&lt;/strong&gt; include: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;existence and nonexistence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All three truths in perfect teaching, beyond words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three types [of truth such as &quot;emptiness&quot;] are all empty because they are beyond verbalization&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My second hunch is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we can only express what is beyond verbalisation to say it is merely provisionally true.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the perfect teaching &lt;strong&gt;must only&lt;/strong&gt; state that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;any proposition that mentions existence, or non-existence, or&#xA;emptiness, or non-emptiness, is merely provisionally true.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever, that is, &quot;existence&quot; is translated as.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T09:07:02.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14593" CreationDate="2016-03-29T11:19:42.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are very many non-buddist people (some billions of people) so you can not watch everyone and police them against breaking a precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you can forget about anyone else and watch yourself instead. That way you'll use your time wisely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you go judging other people you'll create pride  ( I am superior to the others because I can do this and that)&#xA;you will create anger and aversion because someone is not obeying a rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to watch yourself, forget about watching others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T11:19:42.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14603" CreationDate="2016-03-29T14:16:34.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a simple tip for your mind. The real Buddhism is the religion which have mentioned by the Lord Buddha. Its the only way which shows the path to nirvana. If you want to study, feel and follow the Buddhism, then I prefer you to follow the real Buddhism which mentioned by the Lord Buddha. The real path(real Buddhism) will never let anyone to a harmful way. You may feel, if you able to find a little time to study the real Buddhism. Friend, I think, the &quot;Zen sickness&quot; that you have mentioned is a trend in modern culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8042" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T14:16:34.060" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14603" CreationDate="2016-03-29T14:35:24.733" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;i can say that Buddha was mindful of every word he said making sure they are beneficial to all beings.  However, there might be some thing that seems to be harmful in short term but actually good in long run.  For example, during Buddha's time, 500 monks committed suicide after contemplating unpleasantness of body and 5 skandha.  (Buddha often talked about the drawbacks of all things that create sensual pleasures).  Those monks took it over the top and felt disgusted by their conditions so they took the wrong way out.  Later, someone asked Buddha if he didn't see that coming, Buddha said those monks would have taken their lives anyway from past karma.  at least they got some true knowledge in dhamma while they were still here which would benefit them in the future. &#xA;So in short,  practicing Buddhism according to Buddha (8 folds path) is not harmful.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T14:35:24.733" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14603" CreationDate="2016-03-29T17:19:27.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But I wondered can any buddhist theory or practice can ever be harmful to a human?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people pratice certain techniques as Buddhist pratice. When you come across a pratice that someone says is a Buddhist pratice you should try to ascertain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is this actually the Buddhist pratice comparing it with the original words of the Buddha in record or have you learned the right things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;have you understood the pratice correctly and to the enough detail or do you understand the theory behind the pratice well enough&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is what you are practicing the correct pratice or despite you have learned the right thing and know the theory are you putting it to practice the proper way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does your pratice fit your character type. Now within the the different meditation techniques there are suitability based on character type.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any of the above are not met you cannot blame the pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you pratice Insight meditation then nothing can go wrong. More particularly you should contemplate on the arising and passing of sensations pertaining to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensation from beauty or ugliness of physical form and sensations arising from the states of material form &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensation on their own right due to perceiving something is favorable or not&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensation due to mental states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations due to mental content&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One case of Zen Sickness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhismnow.com/2015/09/12/zen-sickness-by-zen-master-hakuin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Sickness&lt;/a&gt; by zen master Hakuin) mentions about excessive striving. In Buddhism you effort should be balanced. Excessive striving can lead to craving, restlessness and doubt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you are caving for the result or some experience which you are chasing after through meditation. You are accumulating craving instead of reducing it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you are too frequently measuring your progress hence restless about getting the results fast or doubting the technique, the teacher, and your ability. Resentment follows if it is less and excessive pleasure if it is more. Also you are doing something other than meditation which is measuring progress. Also if measuring lead to doubt you are engrossed in doubting that practicing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-29T17:45:45.327" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T17:45:45.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2016-03-29T18:10:00.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhismnow.com/2015/09/12/zen-sickness-by-zen-master-hakuin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Sickness&lt;/a&gt;, by Zen Master Hakuin mentions one cause of it was access striving. In Buddhism you should pratice in a balanced manner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does anyone know what this was? Has there been a retrospective medical diagnosis of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I have gathered from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhismnow.com/2015/09/12/zen-sickness-by-zen-master-hakuin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Sickness&lt;/a&gt; this is fatigue due to excessive striving and beyond what the body can bear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also possible that this is linked to insight knowledges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are there equivalent stages of the path in other traditions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way these symptoms can have arisen is higher insights: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch6.6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Awareness of Fearfulness&lt;/a&gt; to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch6.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowledge of Re-observation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some mild forms of restlessness can be due to low level defilements and excessive thinking and pondering about the Dhamma which is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I be worried?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes if it is excessive striving. No if it insight knowledges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T18:20:56.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14612" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14626" CreationDate="2016-03-29T18:32:05.527" Score="11" ViewCount="12303" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to bless someone with special words in Buddhism ?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;My friends ask me for keep them in my pray but we don't believe in praying.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So what should my answer to them ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2019-01-22T05:53:48.483" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T23:34:00.953" Title="How to bless someone?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|prayer|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11142" CreationDate="2016-03-29T18:47:32.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind body relationships is well explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patthana&lt;/a&gt;. This is a wast and complex subject but let me highlight some of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take the one of the relationships &lt;code&gt;Ārammaṇa paccaya – object condition&lt;/code&gt;. Here combination of object (89 cittas, 52 cetasikas, 28 rūpas, Nibbāna, Paññatti) lead to mind (89 cittas, 52 cetasikas). This is just one such instance. For further information see: Paṭṭhāna - conditional relations &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/txt_Patthana_conditional_relations.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;part 1&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/txt_Patthana_Sahajata_group.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;part 2&lt;/a&gt; by Ayya Agganyani which is a good summary (but as of now still incomplete) and other literature on Paṭṭhāna - Conditional Relations perhaps from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationships include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body conditioning mind, body, mind and body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mind conditioning mind, body, mind and body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mind and body conditioning mind, body, mind and body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I have taken liberty to condense the multiple relationships a summarization of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://abhidhamma.com/txt_Patthana.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; by Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa contains this in more detail from page 7 onwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is found in Pattana &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/Patthana1_Scan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vol 1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/Patthana2_Scan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vol 2&lt;/a&gt; in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Further explanation can be found in Tikapatthana &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab01budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vol 1&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab02budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vol 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab03budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vol 3&lt;/a&gt; translation if available. Also keep an eye on: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14622&quot;&gt;Tikapatthana in English&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T14:45:39.897" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:45:39.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14612" CreationDate="2016-03-29T18:51:27.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The closest equivalent in Buddhism would be to develop the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Immeasurables Meditation&lt;/a&gt; keeping your friend in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T18:51:27.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14612" CreationDate="2016-03-29T18:58:00.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could say some mantras for your friend, and dedicate the merit of your day to them on a day where your practice is well done. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T18:58:00.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14612" CreationDate="2016-03-29T21:05:44.200" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;May you be well&quot; might be a near equivalent (see also &quot;Metta meditation&quot; for further details).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy to find more elaborate versions of that phrase, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/celebrations/may_you_be_filled_with.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May you be filled with loving kindness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be well.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be peaceful and at ease.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nadalila.org/texts/MettaChantAndSutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;metta chant&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe, instead of ritual, you could use the opportunity of their asking to talk with them about Buddhism (on the assumption that sharing with them something about Buddhism would be a kind of blessing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-03-29T21:05:44.200" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14617" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14619" CreationDate="2016-03-29T21:34:19.333" Score="5" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one wanted to do a 3 day to a one week unguided retreat what would they need to know? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am planning on doing this, with meals purchased and prepared by me in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The plan was 6 - 8 hours of sleep, meditation on awakening, yoga and a light breakfast, meditation, study of texts, meditation, light lunch, meditation, basic upkeep of the area, meditation, light dinner, meditation and repeat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there other aspects to the retreat that should be added? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T22:31:59.297" Title="Unguided retreat" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|retreat|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14617" CreationDate="2016-03-30T02:33:43.473" Score="4" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Time table&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best is you have a time table. Wake at about 4 am and be seated by 4.30 am. Schedule breakfast at about 6.30 am and lunch at 11 am. Skip dinner but perhaps you can try to have a light tea at about 5 pm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Schedule about 1 hour after breakfast and lunch for coires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Get to bed at about 9.30 pm and meditate in while lying down until you fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Meals&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have breakfast at dawn (~ 6.30 am) and lunch before the sun has turned (~ 12 noon). See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.11-Latukikopama-S-m66-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Latukikopama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for taking food at proper times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a light and if possible vegetarian diet. Vegetarian is not necessary a must but helps keep a hold on restlessness or sleepiness due to food abay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Study&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are doing this unguided you have to do the study before hand and outline the meditation you are going to pratice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can skip study as this can be a form of intellectual entertainment hence a distraction meditation even if it is the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Silence&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best is to be in total silence with no outside communications, e.g. visitors, TV, newspapers, phone, etc. When you talk this causes verbal fabrication which is something you might want to avoid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T02:33:43.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14620" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14621" CreationDate="2016-03-30T07:19:14.130" Score="3" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where should we go for the rest what is the rest ? In mundane life living is so tough , facing sorrow , troubles and need to struggle for achieve something physical things and we get hurt because craving. As I'm doing myself I'm feeling nothing and restless because craving and got nothing after craving and everything is over . So where to focus , what is aim of one Buddhist. I never practice and now I don't understand from where to start, not feeling to start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2019-02-13T15:02:47.933" LastActivityDate="2019-02-13T15:02:47.933" Title="What is the destination of a Buddhist?" Tags="|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14620" CreationDate="2016-03-30T09:09:34.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the destination of a buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no particular destination a Buddhist aims for. The Buddhist goal is to be stress free eradicating the cause which is systematised as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;. Once you are stress free this is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The path to Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; is achived thought the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 fold training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the Abhidhamma classifieds Nirvana as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lokuttara/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokuttara&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhumi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhumi&lt;/a&gt;, this is not a destination as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where should we go for the rest what is the rest ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rest is achived thought solitude. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.4-Vivekanissita-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viveka,nissita&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In mundane life living is so tough , facing sorrow , troubles and need to struggle for achieve something physical things and we get hurt because craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mundane life is tough because of the presence of unwholesome roots which drive us. Will (chanda) to achieve a goal in the absence of craving hence there is no unwholesome root associated with it. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.10-Unnabha-S-s51.15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Kosambi) Unnābha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.9-Sangarava-S-m100-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] So you should have the will to discharge duties and attain worldly goals without craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... So where to focus ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should keep your focus on feelings or sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling; with feeling as condition, there is craving.&#xA;    But with the remainderless fading away and ending of that same craving comes the ending of&#xA;    clinging;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.5-Samudayatthangama-Loka-S-s12.44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Samuday’atthangama) Loka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from one of Goenka's research papers: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Why-Vedana-and-What-is-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why Vedana and What is Vedana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Eradicate the latent tendency of craving using pleasant sensations (by equanimous observation of the pleasant sensations understanding their changing nature), eradicate latent tendency of aversion using unpleasant sensations and eradicate the latent tendency of ignorance using neutral sensations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another passage from the same paper:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Vedana is also a cetasikacetasika (mental concomitant). When the Buddha says, sabbe dhamma vedana samosaranasabbe dhamma vedana samosarana, it means that the experience of all mental concomitants includes and is inseparable from vedana. Hence according to my understanding of the teaching of the Buddha, not only do kayanupassanakayanupassana and vedananupassanavedananupassana involve the awareness of vedana but vedana also forms an integral part of dhammanupassanadhammanupassana and cittanupassanacittanupassana. A meditator whether practising kayanupassana or vedananupassana or cittanupassana or dhammanupassana, continues to be aware of vedana. He realizes the phenomenon of arising (samudayadhammanupassisamudayadhammanupassi) and the phenomenon of passing away (vayadhammanupassivayadhammanupassi) by maintaining awareness of vedana with the understanding of its impermanent nature. &lt;strong&gt;Thus he does not allow tanha to arise in response to vedana: He responds neither with tanha of craving towards a pleasant sensation nor with tanha of aversion towards an unpleasant sensation. A meditator maintains upekkha (equanimity) based on understanding of anicca (impermanence).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally you should pratice the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; to overcome craving and liberated your mind. You can try and take a course at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;. The level of support one can get in a forum or Q&amp;amp;A site like this is limited. To get rid of your pain you will have to take a formal meditation course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T11:15:33.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14622" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-03-30T09:35:56.697" Score="0" ViewCount="2658" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a proper translation of the Tikapatthana into English which might be available online as a PDF.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to point me to such reference. I am looking for the complete set.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-03-30T09:51:56.833" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T04:58:53.037" Title="Tikapatthana in English" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12" CreationDate="2016-03-30T12:14:21.450" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What exactly is the theory of jhana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms, Jhana is to look at something clearly or closely. [Abhidharmartha Pradipika, vol 1, p 71] It can be something pertaining to the ultimate realities or a conceptual object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my answer: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13222/295&quot;&gt;What to make of Jhanas as explained in the pragmatic dharma movement?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how does it come about and how does it relate to the buddhist practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta or The Discourse on the Dharma in Brief&lt;/a&gt; mentions you should develop the Jhana factors on the 4 Sathipattana and 4 Brahmavihara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;everyday life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In daily interaction you create fabrication, but if you keep your focus on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Sathipattana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; with emphasis on arising and passing of feeling (or phenomena which is felt), you can stop or tame the creation of new fabrication hence becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T13:12:10.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11535" CreationDate="2016-03-30T14:37:03.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is also the practice of Phowa (ejection of consciousness - one of the 6 Yogas mentioned above. As a practice it is not done fully - that would be done when dieing - but is a preparation for conscious dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8051" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T14:37:03.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11535" CreationDate="2016-03-30T16:15:02.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you get a NDE you get an impression of your pending death and impermanence of life. Because of this impression you perhaps may get the benefits of contemplating on death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mindfulness is established on death as the object,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the mental hindrances are suppressed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the dhyana-factors appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And,a monk devoted to this mindfulness of death, is constantly diligent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He gains the perception of non-delight in all existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He abandons longing for life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is one who censures the bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is not one who stores up much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is free from the taint of avarice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the perception of impermanence grows in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.14-Maranasatikatha-vism7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maraṇa Sati Kathā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nearing the point of death you are get sign of the a Kamma you have performed. Sometimes what you see is a sign of what you did maybe the person involved. This explains seeing dead relatives. Also you will see signs of where you will be reborn. If you like or dislikes  a person, or the person owes you something and you are destined to be born near where the person is born then you might again see such people. These are in most cases signs and you are not really seeing the being. For more information on the process nearing the death of a being see the section The mind at the time of death in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Karma that has come up at the point of death is of positive nature you might get positive looking signs like lights, angels, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NDE is very rare experience but the same benefits can be reaped from contemplation of death. See my answers on this topic: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14365/295&quot;&gt;How do I do “contemplation of death” meditation? And is it dangerous?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14387/295&quot;&gt;Is contemplation of death auto-suggestion?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T17:14:01.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14612" CreationDate="2016-03-30T16:16:27.987" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone is willing to be blessed the Buddha's way, then I could think of no more suitable &amp;amp; special words than the words from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/bless.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; that tells us what are the blessings in one's life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To not associate with fools.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Those who drag us down with their foolishness; drunkards, layabouts etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To associate with the wise.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Those who encourage us to grow spiritually. The Buddha emphasized the importance of good companionship in many ways; when Ananda remarked that good friends were half of the Holy Life, He replied &quot; Say not so! Good friends are the whole of the Holy Life!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To pay repects where they are due.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Making puja to the Triple Jewel, honouring our teachers and elders; to have this opportunity is a blessing not to be missed!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To reside in a suitable location.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A place congenial to life, peaceful and with such a society and economy that we can live free from want and fear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To have previously done meritorious deeds.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus, we can enjoy the fruit now. But don't be one who just lives off her capital! Invest in yourself by making more good merit now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be heading in the right direction.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  If we are advancing spiritually, growing in wisdom and compassion, then we are surely blessed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To have much learning.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being well educated in the broadest sense; a well-rounded individual. In particular to have knowledge of the Dhamma is to possess a jewel beyond price.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be skilled and knowledgeable.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Every useful skill we possess, crafts, trades, special knowledge can be of some use in improving life for ourselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be restrained by a moral code.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A sound morality is the basis of peace and happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To have beautiful speech.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That is; truthful, timely, pleasant speech connected with meaning. Such speech that others are delighted and improved by hearing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be a support for your parents.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The opportunity to repay the enormous debt we owe to our mother and father should be seen as a blessing and not as a burden.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;12 &amp;amp; 13.  The cherishing of wife and child.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A happy family life.(perhaps the subtle differences between 12 &amp;amp; 13 got lost in translation?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;14&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To make one's livelihood without difficulty.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A wholesome occupation that one does well and enjoys.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To make gifts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Giving is a source of joy for both giver and receiver. Be one blessed with a generous spirit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To live in accord with the Dhamma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To have heard the Holy dhamma in this life and to have the capacity and opportunity to practice is a rare and wonderful thing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To cherish one's relatives.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To have a functioning extended family (clan) either in the traditional sense or a community of friends and colleagues.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To do blameless actions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Living one's life in an unreproachable way. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear, nothing to regret.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To cease and abstain from evil.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having the inclination of mind that instinctively recoils from evil as if from a red hot iron ball.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To refrain from intoxicants.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Not to need those substances which dull our precious human consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not to be heedless of the Dhamma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being mindful and compassionate; going through life with eyes and heart open . Attention to details!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be respectful.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Respect for the conventions is to make the life into a beautiful dance. Respect for the Buddha nature of all beings is the root of refined manners.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be humble.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Pride goeth before a fall and the meek shall inherit the earth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be content.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Contentment with little is the magical wish-fulfilling gem! Its also a healthy attitude for our planet right now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To have gratitude.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha said that gratitude is rare to find in this world. Remember always that you never would have gotten this far without a lot of help!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To hear the Dhamma at the right time.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Everyone who has experienced a word of teaching that touched the heart at just the right moment knows what a precious gift this can be.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To have patience.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Patience is a virtue but also a blessing. Just think how much suffering comes from impatience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To be easy to admonish.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Make yourself amenable to teaching and those with something to teach will be ready to help you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The sight of monks.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The robed figure of the recluse is an archetypal call to consciousness; together with the dead man, the sick man and the old man they are called the four divine messengers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To discuss the Dhamma at a suitable time.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Speaking of the Holy Dhamma is the noblest use of the human power of speech. To be blessed with time and companions with which to speak of things tending to liberation is amazing grace indeed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To practice austerities.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In the buddhist context this means the practising of meditation; a daily practice and regular retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To lead the Holy Life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To live devoted to the Eightfold Path and the seeking of Liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seeing the Noble Truths.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Opening of the Dhamma Eye. This refers to a level of direct penetration well beyond the intellectual.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The realization of Nibbana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Going through the gateless gate. The treasure beyond any price in heaven and earth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A mind unshaken by contact with the world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being in the world but not of it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sorrowlessness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Beyond the realms of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stainlessness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The end of the obscuring defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Secure.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Once found it cannot be lost.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the highest blessings!&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having accomplished this&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one is always unconquered,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  one goes everywhere in peace.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These are the blessings supreme!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:13:00.883" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T16:13:00.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2016-03-30T18:01:00.153" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a teacher becomes rich by means of his professional or business activities there is no issue. If you are commercialising the Dhamma then this goes against the spirit of the Dhamma. Ideally there should be no fee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. meditation centres run under &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt; does not charge any fixed fee but but run on donation basis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In a course like this, one has a wonderful opportunity to develop this p±ram². Whatever one receives here is donated by another person; there are no charges for room and board, and certainly none for the teaching. In turn, one is able to give a donation for the benefit of someone else. The amount one gives will vary according to one’s means. Naturally a wealthy person will wish to give more, but even the smallest donation, given with proper volition, is very valuable in developing this p±ram². Without expecting anything in return, one gives so that others may experience the benefits of Dhamma and may come out of their suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Forest Dhamma Books&lt;/a&gt; make lot of books available for free. The books carry the following message:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THIS BOOK IS A FREE GIFT OF DHAMMA &amp;amp; MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE.&#xA;  ALL COMMERCIAL RIGHTS RESERVED.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Dhamma should not be sold like goods in the market place. Permission&#xA;  to reproduce in any way for free distribution, as a gift of Dhamma, is hereby&#xA;  granted and no further permission need be obtained. Reproduction in any&#xA;  way for commercial gain is prohibited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.12-Three-roots-Inc.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Three Roots Inc&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan discusses multiple instances and issues which has arisen due to promoting religion like a business with profit motives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma should be available for everyone for free has how it was taught by the Buddha and subsequently until recently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any form of voluntary donation either in material or cash (for lay teachers) is fine as long as it is not solicited or there is a fixed fee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-03-30T18:01:00.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8228" CreationDate="2016-03-31T03:22:23.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Listening to music for entertainment and music in a meditation technique are two different things. Tibetan Buddhists use sounds of gongs a lot to facilitate disciples to enter deeper state. But it cannot be classified as music as it does not build up excitement. Modern music excites therefore it is incompatible with Buddha's path. But many other paths exist which rely on music and dance of certain kind (not modern music) to facilitate meditation. But if you are a disciple of Buddha you can check out through your experience if commonly available meditation music (like sound of gongs,nature etc) helps you or not. But eventually you will come to a point where all such things will become irrelevant. There will be a silence within which is not affected by anything outside.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T03:22:23.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14622" CreationDate="2016-03-31T17:03:38.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have a look on that.&#xA;Might be a first step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=7990&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=7990&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much Metta.&#xA;Thierry&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8053" LastActivityDate="2016-03-31T17:03:38.713" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2016-04-01T03:12:29.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I get this rapid eye movement as soon as I start my meditation, however the movement isn't whats breaking my concentration, it is a pain right on top of my eyes. I do meditate with my eyes closed. But is it bad that I get this so fast?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8059" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T03:12:29.913" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14622" CreationDate="2016-04-01T04:58:53.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://patthana.net/?page_id=36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English translation of Tika Patthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found Tikapatthana on &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/search.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://archive.org/search.php&lt;/a&gt;?, but i belive they are w/o translation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab01budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vol 01: Tikapatthana of the Abhidhamma pitaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab02budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vol 02: Tikapatthana of the Abhidhamma pitaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/tikapatthanaofab03budduoft&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vol 03: Tikapatthana of the Abhidhamma pitaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T04:58:53.037" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14632" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-01T12:22:19.117" Score="3" ViewCount="821" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ability to believe in something is a function of the imagination.  The power of belief is the power of the imagination.  How does one differentiate between conceptualizing and using one's imagination ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8060" LastActivityDate="2019-09-23T15:40:23.800" Title="role of imagination" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14632" CreationDate="2016-04-01T13:02:34.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to believe in something is a function of the imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;View&lt;/a&gt; are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pannatti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental constructions&lt;/a&gt; as they break down under scrutiny at a lower level of abstraction.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Since an average person cannot discern the realities at lower levels of abstraction develop confidence in these views as permanent, pleasant, self and beautiful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The power of belief is the power of the imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain beliefs arise thought logical or imaginative thinking or attractiveness of a teaching or what has been imagined. Many wrong beliefs stem from imagination as discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. But finally what you should believe is what you can verify at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one differentiate between conceptualizing and using one's imagination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pannatti/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conceptualisations&lt;/a&gt; are the result of imagination (or thinking) and discerning them is difficult as they are subjected perversion of thought (citta vipallāsa). When you start seeing the ultimate realities then you can see that certain concepts break down at a lower level of abstraction, then these are the conceptualisation of one's own imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.1-Notion-of-Ditthi-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Notion of Diṭṭhi&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, T&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;he Dhamma Theory: Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa for more on these areas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is a chariot? Nagasena asked. Is it the wheels, or the axles, or the reigns, or the frame, or the seat, or the draught pole? Is it a combination of those elements? Or is it found outside those elements?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The King answered no to each question. Then there is no chariot! Nagasena said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the King acknowledged the designation &amp;quot;chariot&amp;quot; depended on these constituent parts, but that &amp;quot;chariot&amp;quot; itself is a concept, or a mere name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just so, Nagasena said, &amp;quot;Nagasena&amp;quot; is a designation for something conceptual. It is a mere name. When the constituent parts are present we call it a chariot; When the Five Skandhas are present, we call it a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to understand the chariot simile is to imagine the chariot being taken apart. At what point in the dis-assembly does the chariot cease to be a chariot? We can update the simile to make it an automobile. As we disassemble the car, at what point is it not a car? When we take off the wheels? When we remove the seats? When we pry off the cylinder head?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any judgment we make is subjective. Perhaps you may argue that a pile of car parts is still a car, just not an assembled one. The point is, though, that &amp;quot;car&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;chariot&amp;quot; are concepts we project onto the constituent parts. But there is no &amp;quot;car&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;chariot&amp;quot; essence that somehow dwells within the parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;O'Brien, Barbara. &amp;quot;King Milinda's Questions and the Chariot Simile.&amp;quot; Learn Religions, Jun. 25, 2019, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.learnreligions.com/king-milindas-questions-450052&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.learnreligions.com/king-milindas-questions-450052&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-09-23T15:40:23.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14598" CreationDate="2016-04-01T13:07:24.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is non-doing.  However, you must prepare and devote time and space to this &quot;non-doing.&quot;  That preparation is infact an act of doing in an effort to partake in an act of non-doing.  What is in the process of being done has a goal.  The goal is to partake in an endeavor of what is not being done.  Meditation by it's very nature creates a paradox for the participant.  The answer is to relinquish the paradox.  How does one do this ?  The act, or non-act if you will, must at first be recognizable.  Then there is a calling to fuse the act and the participant into one state of beingness. How does one transmute?  If you were to focus on the 5 strengths that might be of some use.  Conviction, persistence,mindfulness, concentration and discernment can create a looping effect in the mind whereby the one meditating can constantly reflect on how each strength effects not only the current state of mind but also the relation of the 5 strengths themselves.   The distraction of the mind becomes the essence of the meditation.  In order to break through the thraldom of the senses and the inertia of conceptualized thought patterns the mind needs to be distracted.  To have a goal in meditating is not the answer.  To be able to transmute the energy of who and what is currently proclivitating in and around us into what is our true nature is meditation.  I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8060" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T13:07:24.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14635" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-01T13:50:12.973" Score="6" ViewCount="446" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find being mindful while sitting on a computer very hard. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most movements with mouse/keyboard are happening so fast and intuitive that it's very hard to be conscious of what the actual intention (by clicking on/typing this or that) is; often this also leads me into restlessness or loosing track of time;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure this is a common phenomenon. Are there certain tricks/tips by which one can be more aware while sitting/working on a computer? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T17:29:28.963" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T17:29:28.963" Title="Being mindful sitting/working on a computer" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-daily-activities|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14635" CreationDate="2016-04-01T14:08:30.737" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I find being mindful while sitting on a computer very hard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful of what you are going is good but not always the right mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you can pratice in such a situation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of posture by looking at the touch of the body with the chair and clothes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations that arise in the body and mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most movements with mouse/keyboard are happening so fast and intuitive that it's very hard to be conscious of what the actual intention (by clicking on/typing this or that) is; often this also leads me into restlessness or loosing track of time;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention does not matter if it is hard to keep track of initially. Just concentrate on the sensations that arise. Sometimes when you cannot fix a piece of code or perhaps under pressure then these situations also give sensations. Be mindful of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm sure this is a common phenomenon. Are there certain tricks/tips by which one can be more aware while sitting/working on a computer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Takes the whole body or the body as part by part and direct your attention to these parts. Initially when you feel a sensation on some part more on. When you can feel sensations throughout the body then they to divide and dicest the sensations to see them at more lower level of granularity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are seated mostly be mindful of your posture and sensations it brings. Once you have been in one posture for some time you might get a urge to more. Look at these sensation. Also the texture of your cloths touching you. The touch of the atmosphere on the exposed parts of your body. Heat of cold or the environment you work in and perhaps perspiration running down your body if you perspire. And also the touch of the chair. Touch of the keys when your fingers hit the keyboard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T14:08:30.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14637" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-01T14:45:27.023" Score="3" ViewCount="544" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alright, I'm having a lot of unnecessary trouble, and would like some advice regarding anapanasati. I've attempted to understand the technique as with the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, with &lt;em&gt;The Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt; of Alan Wallace, with &lt;em&gt;Turning the Mind into an Ally&lt;/em&gt; by Sakyong Mipham, and have taken many classes of meditation in different contexts. Still, I am having extreme trouble lol. Therefore, I'm going to attempt asking extremely detailed questions to clarify the meaning for myself, and hopefully others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To my understand, from &lt;em&gt;The Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt; explicitly and in the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt; in the form of the directive to &quot;calm bodily fabrications&quot;, relaxation is necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 1: Do they mean calming the body's physical tension, i.e. muscle tension or the mental sensation of tension in the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in &lt;em&gt;The Attention Revolution&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Turning the Mind into an Ally&lt;/em&gt;, stability comes next. This occurs with the decrease of conceptualization. Yet in the &lt;em&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt; I recall seeing that until the first jhana thought is still present. What does this mean? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 2: What do we mean by calming thoughts? Calming all thoughts? Gross thoughts? Trying to calm thoughts even though they will not ultimately subside?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, from my understanding clarity is developed. Personally, in all these texts, I fail to grasp what is meant by clarity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question 3: Is clarity a kind of brightness of the object, or a greater focus? Is clarity a more detailed object? Is it a part of the object or the mind? How can it be recognized? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Final question: I seem to have tried to figure out all these things and meditate in a proper way. Yet, if I sit and try to meditate every day, and attempt to focus on the breathing, and I meditating in a proper way? I don't quite get what distinguishes proper and improper meditation, and whether I &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; meditate or not when possible. How long should it take to see either results or a shift in my meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for any advice you could give me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-03T13:23:30.360" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T02:36:41.517" Title="Unnecessarily Complicated Analysis of Anapanasati" Tags="|meditation-breath|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14637" CreationDate="2016-04-01T15:57:39.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 1: Do they mean calming the body's physical tension, i.e. muscle tension or the mental sensation of tension in the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's debate over what these passages mean. See this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2521/how-is-the-pali-phase-sabbakayapatisamvedi-assasissami-passasissamiti-sikkha/3852#3852&quot;&gt;How is the Pali Phase “Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami… passasissamiti sikkhati…” Interpreted as per Different Linage?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, it is not crystal clear if &lt;code&gt;kaya&lt;/code&gt; should be taken as the physical body or as the breath, and people have different takes on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, in The Attention Revolution and Turning the Mind into an Ally, stability comes next. This occurs with the decrease of conceptualization. Yet in the Abhidhamma I recall seeing that until the first jhana thought is still present. What does this mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the first jhana, &lt;code&gt;vitakka&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;applied thought&quot;) and &lt;code&gt;vicāra&lt;/code&gt; (&quot;sustained thought&quot;) are present. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; explains them as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Herein, applied thinking (vitakkana) is applied thought (vitakka); hitting upon, is what is meant. It has the characteristic of directing the mind on to an object (mounting the mind on its object). Its function is to strike at and thresh—for the meditator is said, in virtue of it, to have the object struck at by applied thought, threshed by applied thought. It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object. Sustained thinking (vicaraóa) is sustained thought (vicára); continued sustainment (anusañcaraóa), is what is meant. It has the characteristic of continued pressure on (occupation with) the object. Its function is to keep conascent [mental] states [occupied] with that. It is manifested as keeping consciousness anchored [on that object]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 2: What do we mean by calming thoughts? Calming all thoughts? Gross thoughts? Trying to calm thoughts even though they will not ultimately subside?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take you refer to the passage containing &quot;calming mental fabrication&quot;. Yes, calm the thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 3: Is clarity a kind of brightness of the object, or a greater focus? Is clarity a more detailed object? Is it a part of the object or the mind? How can it be recognized?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is both improved ability of insight and the (consequential) capacity to deeply discriminate that which the mind directs to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Final question: I seem to have tried to figure out all these things and meditate in a proper way. Yet, if I sit and try to meditate every day, and attempt to focus on the breathing, and I meditating in a proper way? I don't quite get what distinguishes proper and improper meditation, and whether I should meditate or not when possible. How long should it take to see either results or a shift in my meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how to answer that. Maybe finding a teacher and/or doing longer retreats may help you on how to evaluate your practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-01T15:57:39.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14637" CreationDate="2016-04-01T16:17:10.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;calm bodily fabrications&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm the bodily fabrications is to calm the breath. This is not by controlling it but having the intention but not the action to calm the breath. In many cases you don't need even this. It will calm down on it's own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on this see: page 35, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing 4th Ed&lt;/a&gt; by Pa-Auk Sayadaw and Lecture 3 in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preceding to trying to calm your your fabrication you should feel the whole body and breath otherwise this step will be premature. This is you should be able the feel the whole breath as well as you body. When breathing there are sensations that arise tied to breathing elsewhere in your body like expansion and contraction. You should be able to feel all this as well as any feeling even in remote areas of your body like your earlobes, toes, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 1: Do they mean calming the body's physical tension, i.e. muscle tension or the mental sensation of tension in the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm the bodily fabrications is not the same as claiming physical tension thought this also seeds to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to let go of physical and mental tension. These tensions manifest as an unpleasant sensation. You should look closely at these sensations as mere sensations without any aversion towards it. For a beginners you should try to divide and dicest the pain to see its constituent parts. If you can see it's arising and passing nature then perhaps you can concentrate on this. Initially even when you look at it the pain linger for a while. Not to worry just let go of this bring it to your meditation object. At later stages once you have look at its arising and passing nature the pain will just disappear. Do not wish or crave for this in which case this might not happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary the way to release tension is to try to see the tension or pain clearly and closely and once you see it its arising and passing nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; your body should not be stained. So if your are fatigues maybe try lying posture. Also if you muscles are tensed loosen them. Sometimes you facial muscles may become tense. Best way to loosen them is to smile. Also smiling reduces tension and brings about pleasant or neutral sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This occurs with the decrease of conceptualization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceptualisation happens in verbal fabrication. Verbal fabrications is not explicitly mentioned in the Anapana Sutta but should be calmed before &lt;code&gt;calming the mental fabrication&lt;/code&gt;. This can be achived by keeping your attention focused on a object you are bringing down creation of new verbal fabrications. In the Abhidhamma there is 5 fold Jhana classification. In the Sutta there a 4 fold classification. In the Suttas the 1st and 2nd Jhana in the Abhidhamma system is amalgamated into one. The 1st Jhana has initial application and the 2nd Jhana is sustained application in the Abhidhamma system and in the Sutta system both initial and sustained application is considered in the 1st Jhana. Initial and sustained application is what enables thinking and conceptualisation. Once these fall away (Abhidhamma 3rd Jhana and Sutta 2nd Jhana) there is no conceptualisation or the mind does not have the ability to think or conceptualise. The definition of verbal fabrication is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/41.2-Atthakanagara-S-m52-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aṭṭhaka,nāgara&lt;/a&gt; Sutta mention how verbal fabrication is stilled after the 1st Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 2: What do we mean by calming thoughts? Calming all thoughts? Gross thoughts? Trying to calm thoughts even though they will not ultimately subside?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is to reduce verbal fabrication as discussed above. The main thing here is trying to reduce them. You have to have sustained effort to calm the fabrication by 1st anchoring the mind on an object then then continuously reviewing if it is with the object and re directing it to the object when it wanders away and perhaps even when it still is focused on the object followed by trying to see the object more clearly and closely. What you have to do is try and not develop aversion if you cannot sustain your attention and also not crave or get too attached to the object of being able to keep the mind with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breath meditation does have calming mental fabrication. This not claiming thoughts calming the perceptions and feelings, i.e., you do not perceive pleasant as agreeable and unpleasant as agreeable. In the Jhanic route this is in the 4th Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep an eye on potential answers to this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3865/how-does-one-calm-ones-bodily-fabrications&quot;&gt;How does one calm one&amp;#39;s bodily fabrications?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question 3: Is clarity a kind of brightness of the object, or a greater focus? Is clarity a more detailed object? Is it a part of the object or the mind? How can it be recognized?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you keep trying to stay with the object followed by looking closely and clearly in more detail as per its construction and nature, as time progresses you will start seeing the object more clearly and in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the object or meditation is mind made then the clarity would of this object. If it is related to arising and passing then the clarity would be of this nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking closely is synonymous with Jhana in some definitions. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14623/295&quot;&gt;What exactly is Jhana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Final question: I seem to have tried to figure out all these things and meditate in a proper way. Yet, if I sit and try to meditate every day, and attempt to focus on the breathing, and I meditating in a proper way? I don't quite get what distinguishes proper and improper meditation, and whether I should meditate or not when possible. How long should it take to see either results or a shift in my meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The worry you are having here might become a hindrance as you are not sure of your pratice. In Breath meditation in most cases you should just try look at things as they are and not control it. A few places you have to be active is to relax body and mind and also calm the fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is proper meditation is if the meditation helps reduce your mental defilements. If your pratice feeds into it you are doing it wrong. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which is a short description of letting go of the roots and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt; which concentrated on ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also measuring the time to see results or longing for results lead further away from eradicating the mental defilements as this is a form of craving. The results will manifest itself when you have properly let gone (including searching for a result and measuring progress) and not creating any more conditioning / fabrication and past stock of conditioning / fabrication have been depleted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T13:44:39.980" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14640" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-01T22:38:41.580" Score="3" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read that anxiety/worry is unwholesome. Is this because it is a form of aversion, one of the three unwholesome roots, or something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T06:02:25.917" Title="Is anxiety connected to the three unwholesome roots?" Tags="|theravada|karma|three-poisons|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="195" CreationDate="2016-04-02T00:42:30.213" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Careful, not for a means of material gain, I will explain the Dhamma.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my translation of &quot;Na āmisantaro kathaṁ kathessāmîti paresaṃ dhammo desetabbo&quot; found in the Udayi Sutta (AN 5.159), which states five prerequisite qualities of one who teaches/explains the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other translations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak not for the purpose of material reward. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.159.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I WILL TEACH THE DHARMA NOT FOR THE SAKE OF MATERIAL GAIN&quot; - Piya Tan (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.1-Dhamma-Desaka-Udayi-S-a5.159-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.1-Dhamma-Desaka-Udayi-S-a5.159-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist monk is required to reject offerings received as a 'payment' for teaching the Dhamma, as the Buddha did in the Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta SN 1.4. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;However, as the lay Dharma worker has not taken monastic vows, he can&#xA;  rightfully work as, say, a resident or regular teacher for an&#xA;  honorarium or sponsorship (traditionally known as dakkhiṇā) to support&#xA;  his work and his family&quot; - Piya Tan (same link above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if a person writes 'Buddhist Novels' like we see the many 'Christian Novels', and gets rich on account of the success of those novels, then I see nothing objectionable and within the means of right livelihood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person pays $100 for a 1 day retreat and benefits in line with the Dhamma, then kudos to the ones who organized such a retreat. As always let the buyer beware, critically evaluate the purchase (pre &amp;amp; post), and recommend or warn other potential buyers. This all sounds very commercial. So the preference would be to have these types of retreats sponsored through dana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T00:42:30.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14642" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-02T00:47:56.363" Score="1" ViewCount="4543" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw a question about rapid eye movement when meditating, which from what I know is similar to REM sleep and the experience I had is a little bit different. As the title says I get the eye movement with in a few seconds and the only difference is the top of both my eyes hurt a little and can be distracting sometimes. Is it good that I can get this so fast?  Does it mean some kind of raise in consciousness or even more concentration may come soon? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have only recently noticed this this week and I meditate about 20 minutes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8059" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T22:44:51.880" Title="I get rapid eye movement as soon as meditation starts" Tags="|meditation|beginner|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14637" CreationDate="2016-04-02T01:51:07.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One would have thought that the breath would have been the simplest of objects to meditate upon :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first 4 steps of being mindful of the in-breath and out-breath according to the Ananapanasati Sutta are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aware that the in-breath is long one breathes in / aware that the&#xA;out-breath is long one breathes out&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aware that the in-breath is short one breathes in / aware that the&#xA;out-breath is short one breathes out&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This requirement to evaluate the breath (not control it), helps the mind be mindful of the breath.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the mind is mindful of the breath, one will be able to experience one's whole body (sabba kaaya), albeit subtly, as the inhaling and exhaling motions generate sensations throughout the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one continues to be mindful of these subtle whole-body sensations, one will begin to be aware that the breath (kaaya sankhara, i.e. the bodily formation) is now calming or calmer than before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This calmness is peaceful, tranquil, free from the disturbance of lust and conflict, non drowsy, free from anxiety. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T01:51:07.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2016-04-02T04:17:17.873" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha reluctantly allowed women to join only after Ananda begged him to because he knew that allowing women in would cause the dhamma to disappear more quickly, resulting in fewer arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If, Ananda, women had not received permission to go out from the&#xA;  household life and enter the homeless state, under the doctrine and&#xA;  discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata(Buddha), then would the pure&#xA;  dhamma, Ananda, have lasted long, the good law would have stood fast&#xA;  for a thousand years. But since, Ananda, women have now received that&#xA;  permission, the pure Dhamma(path), Ananda, will not now last so long,&#xA;  the good law will now stand fast for only five hundred years.&quot; -&#xA;  Chulavagga 10.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We see that what The Buddha predicted seems to be true, the pure dhamma does not exist today, it only existed for around five hundred years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest Buddhist scriptures (both Theravada and Mahayana) date to around 500 years after the death of The Buddha matching into the prediction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were written down based on oral traditions and memory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can clearly see that exact details are missing in the scriptures, as if something very important was lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What survived now in modern times are vague teachings that only certain beings would be able to comprehend and understand in a useful way, not exact precise instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's original teachings are lost!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[EDIT] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many look at this as misogynistic but I don't think so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that women cannot achieve arahantship (equal to the Buddha) it is that ordaining women and allowing women in causes the pure dhamma to disappear more quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dhammadinna the nun is wise, Visakha, a woman of great discernment.&#xA;  If you had asked me those things, I would have answered you in the&#xA;  same way she did. That is the meaning of those things. That is how you&#xA;  should remember it.&quot; - Culavedalla Sutta, MN 44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear that women can achieve arahantship equal to the Buddha and other male arahants, the question is why did The Buddha not want to have nuns until Ananda begged him to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I know why:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Furthermore, in the course of the future there will be monks who will&#xA;  live in close association with nuns, female probationers, and female&#xA;  novices. As they interact with nuns, female probationers, and female&#xA;  novices, they can be expected either to lead the holy life&#xA;  dissatisfied or to fall into one of the grosser offenses, leaving the&#xA;  training, returning to a lower way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, monks, is the fourth future danger, unarisen at present, that&#xA;  will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get&#xA;  rid of it.&quot; - AN 5.80, Anagata-bhayani Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it will be harder to achieve arahantship when you have men and women integrated together or living closely side-by-side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of human nature whenever men and women are integrated there will always be sex and issues caused by the desire for sex pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda, a non-arahant, hadn't seen these dangers, out of compassion he thought there was no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If The Buddha hadn't allowed women in, the dhamma would've lasted longer, obviously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, I do not know of any touch that takes hold of a man’s mind&#xA;  like the touch of a woman. A woman’s touch, monks, takes hold of a&#xA;  man’s mind like no other touch.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, I do not know of any touch that takes hold of a woman’s mind&#xA;  like the touch of a man. A man’s touch, monks, takes hold of a woman’s&#xA;  mind like no other touch.” - AN 1.1 Rūpādivaggo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many look at this as statements against women but I look at it as just stating the facts about human nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[/EDIT]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda was also the same one who refused to ask The Buddha to stay on Earth for an entire world-period:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said: &quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;  brought to perfection the four constituents of iddhi power could, if&#xA;  he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;  it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata&#xA;  could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the&#xA;  end of it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the Venerable Ananda was unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the significant prompting, given by the Blessed One. As though his&#xA;  mind was influenced by Mara, he did not beseech the Blessed One:&#xA;  &quot;May the Blessed One remain, O Lord!. May the Happy One remain, O&#xA;  Lord, throughout the world-period, for the welfare and happiness of&#xA;  the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well&#xA;  being, and happiness of gods and men!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And when for a second and a third time the Blessed One repeated his words, the Venerable Ananda remained silent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ananda: &quot;Go now, Ananda, and do as seems fit to you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;54&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Then, Ananda, the fault is yours. Herein have you failed, inasmuch as you were unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the&#xA;  significant prompting given by the Tathagata, and you did not then&#xA;  entreat the Tathagata to remain. For if you had done so, Ananda, twice&#xA;  the Tathagata might have declined, but the third time he would have&#xA;  consented. Therefore, Ananda, the fault is yours; herein have you&#xA;  failed. - Maha-parinibbana Sutta, DN 16&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it wasn't for Ananda The Buddha would still be alive today on Earth!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-04-03T19:29:14.733" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T19:29:14.733" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14642" CreationDate="2016-04-02T05:42:12.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it good that I can get this so fast?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do you assume getting REM during meditation is a good thing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation is about stilling/calming the mind and body, about contemplating the truths to break free from the ten fetters. Getting REM and the eyes hurting is more distraction and suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When humans get REM in sleep, they are unaware of such REMs. Instead they usually are external signs that the person asleep is dreaming. For a person to be consciously be aware of his/her REMs during Buddhist meditation session is not a desired goal or experience. Therefore I would have to say no, its not a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it mean some kind of raise in consciousness or even more concentration may come soon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No in my experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strongly suggest that you speak with a respected and experienced meditation instructor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens when you just close your eyes? Do you get REM then? If so, I would also recommend seeing a GP. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-04-02T22:44:51.880" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T22:44:51.880" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14640" CreationDate="2016-04-02T06:02:25.917" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anxiety/worry taken together are one of the five &quot;nīvarana&quot; in the Buddha Dhamma. &quot;Nīvarana&quot; are states of mind that conceals, hinders, covers, prevents the understanding of the true nature things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restlessness (uddhacca) and worry (kukkucca)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Restlessness (uddhacca) has the characteristic of disquietude,&#xA;  like water whipped by the wind. Its function is to make the mind&#xA;  unsteady, as the wind makes a banner ripple. It is manifested as&#xA;  turmoil. Its proximate cause is unwise attention to mental disquiet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kukkucca is worry or remorse after having done wrong. Its&#xA;  characteristic is subsequent regret. Its function is to sorrow over&#xA;  what has and what has not been done. It is manifested as remorse. Its&#xA;  proximate cause is what has and what has not been done (i.e. wrongs of&#xA;  commission and omission).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is this because it is a form of aversion, one of the three unwholesome&#xA;  roots, or something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, and could also be caused by the other 2 unwholesome roots as well. Anxiety can be due to a state of conflict. The mind in a fight or flight situation. Or caused by a state of desire, an expectation, or a state of ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restlessness and worry are painful states of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find more about the 5 Hindrances &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#indiv&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and recommendations on how to overcome them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T06:02:25.917" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2742" CreationDate="2016-04-02T06:21:56.043" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could all the myths of the Buddha story, was actually some symbolises of the Buddha? For eg, there were lotus lotus flower blooming from the ground when baby prince siddhattha walked oon the 7 steps, symbolised the purity of the Buddha. The Brahma and devas holding the baby prince siddhattha, symbolised the noble of the Prince Siddhattha(later the Buddha) or symbolised the Prince Siddhattha(later the Buddha)  was respected by the nobles. The words &quot;I‘m the cheif of the world…&quot; spoken by the baby siddhatha symbolised the noble and mighty of his future. I‘m not sure whether am my prediction correct or wrong. I think all this myths that don‘t seem possible in realistic life, might only be the symbols and metaphor that describes the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some story, Prince Siddhartha was born under the right arm of his mother,Queen Maya.This does not seems right to logically and is hard to believe. But if you have understand some of the cultures of India; this will be easier to understand. In India, there are cultures of 4 classes in the society. The highest class is the Brahmins ( families of Brahmin priests), 2nd class is Kshatriyas (families of royals and warriors), 3rd class is Vaishyas (families of skilled traders, merchants), and lowest class is Shudras (unskilled workers). It is pass down by the lineage of the family; that means the descendants from a lowest class family will always be in the lowest class in his whole lifetime, the descendants from the higher class family will always be in the higher class, regardless of his acquired efforts he have made.The lineages are pass down through generations, that means if the grandfather is a lower class people, his children, his grandchildren will also considered to be a lower class people in their lifetime. The higher classes will get more respect from others; where the lowest class will hardly get respect from others, especially it is hard to get respect from the highest classes. They believed that their religion the Brahma god created everythings,so in their cultures, to symbolize their classes; the highest class of Brahmins was say to be born from the mouth of Brahma God, 2nd class of the royals and warriors was say to be born under the arm of the Brahma God, the 3rd class of skillful people or merchants etc. was say to be born from the belly of Brahma god(this ones not too sure), the lowest class of servants was say to be born from the knees of Brahma god. Thus, in some stories saying that the Prince Siddhattha was born through the arm of Queen Maya , I think this was just to symbolise that he was from the 2nd class of the royals family; where in India traditional cultures, they symbolise the classes just as the 2nd class of royals and warriors was born through the arm if Brahma god. Therefore, I think this was just a symbolisation of the Buddha. Not really a baby was delivered from the arm of the Queen in realistic life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe in the olden days, people liked to describe things through symbolises and metaphor, instead of telling things in a straight forwards manner. Thus, all the myths of the Buddha, might be some symbolises and metaphors that represented the Buddha‘s life, his background, his thoughts and his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8061" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T06:21:56.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14642" CreationDate="2016-04-02T11:03:05.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short this can be due to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;past fabrications surfacing rapidly and creating uncommon experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perhaps less likely but a possibility is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; which sometimes create vibrating and / or pulsating experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8693/295&quot;&gt;eye movement during meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These experiences are neither good nor bad. Also do not get attached or averse to them. In additions concentrate on the task at hand than giving importance and distracting your self when there experiences do arise in your meditation session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T11:03:05.373" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14650" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-02T15:44:32.507" Score="3" ViewCount="3250" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading an article in National Geographic about death, in which there was a brief reference to &quot;thukdam&quot;. This was described as a form of meditation that takes place in India, during which monks meditate for a week or more with no biological processes occurring in their bodies (essentially, their bodies are dead), and then come out of the meditation with no apparent consequences. What is this meditation and could someone provide references for further info?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T10:26:43.420" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T07:40:38.387" Title="What is &quot;thukdam&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14578" CreationDate="2016-04-02T18:22:20.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the main problem is that you've already claimed to have understood consciousness.  I think that you should reconsider your claims about consciousness before attempting to tie it in with the concept of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I'm aware, the process of becoming a realized individual in Buddhism involves understanding the nature of something such as consciousness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, my point is that the information you're seeking is something that only a fairly realized individual can convey to you.  If you're really intent on finding out about that, I'd suggest finding a good teacher and learning from that individual.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8063" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T18:22:20.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14555" CreationDate="2016-04-02T21:34:31.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All this is this/that causality.  Relinquish your need to have things just so.  You must rid yourself of all conditionality especially that which you have imposed on yourself.  Your posture is as such therefore it effects your meditative endeavor.  This is not so.  Your mind is telling you that you need a conditioned state of being in order to be just so.  This in itself is a question in need of a meditative response.  Go.  Go sit on your head.  Go.  Go kneel down in a closet.  Go. Go stand in a corner.  Meditate in all these places and in all these positions.  Delusion is delusion. Traverse your mind always.  Awareness  and meditation are the same.  Do not look for categories for they are like shelves.  You put things on them and they collect dust and are forgotten.  What have you done. Nothing but built more shelves in the mind upon which to collect useless contrivances .  No posture is correct or incorrect only a convenient contrivance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8060" LastActivityDate="2016-04-02T21:34:31.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3865" CreationDate="2016-04-03T05:03:38.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Friend Suminda, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bodily fabrication, i.e. the in &amp;amp; out breath, is said to calm considerably as one progresses through the first 3 steps mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, and it does. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first 2 steps, requires an evaluation of the breath (not control it), to help the mind be mindful of the breath, and take it as it meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aware that the in-breath is long one breathes in / aware that the out-breath is long one breathes out&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aware that the in-breath is short one breathes in / aware that the out-breath is short one breathes out&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mindfulness of the breath is established, the practitioner will be able to experience his/her whole body (sabba kaaya), albeit subtly, as the inhaling and exhaling motions generate sensations throughout the body. This will take some time to develop, before one experiences the entire body gently pulsating as the breath comes in and goes out. The upper body is usually more prominent at first. Eventually one should be able to feel sensations in the lower body. It could feel like floating on a lake with a gentle ripple. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those sitting on chairs, may take longer to experience the lower body due to the posture, than someone sitting cross legged on a cushion of floor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one continues to be mindful of these subtle whole-body sensations, one will begin to be aware that the breath (kaaya sankhara, i.e. the bodily formation) is now calmer, more subtle, than before, sometimes its completely still for a while. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I would think that the recommended method in the Sutta can be found in the Anapanasati sutta mainly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, the sutta's mention about the importance of posture and preparation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A place conducive for meditation and free from disturbances (wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The cross-legged position&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keeping the body erect&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Non remorse due to having done immoral acts in the past. So keeping one's virtue and being moral is extremely useful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also the starving of the panca nivarana (five mental hindrences). Bhikkhu Nyanaponika's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;book&lt;/a&gt; contains direct references from the suttas on how to do so. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T05:03:38.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3865" CreationDate="2016-04-03T07:38:18.257" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodily, verbal and mind fabrications can be calmed through breath watching. Humans have three centers - body, mind and heart. These centers and breath are interlinked. If your mind is at peace breathing will slow and deeper and if your mind is restless breathing will be shallow and fast. Buddha's terminology is slightly different. Verbal fabrications have their origin in mind and mind fabrications origin lies in Heart. All three fabrications can be calmed through Vipassna. But one needs to follow percepts in spirit. Trouble is lot of people are trying out meditation technique without becoming a true disciple of Buddha. Meditation is about understanding and implmenting messages of enlightened souls such as Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-04T07:48:43.687" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T07:48:43.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-03T13:22:55.960" Score="3" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the question is clear so no further explanation is needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8068" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T17:48:50.780" Title="if rebirth/reincarnation is true then what is your first birth/incarnation?" Tags="|rebirth|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14656" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-03T14:29:26.470" Score="2" ViewCount="98" Body="&lt;p&gt;I observe very strong sensations even post meditation. They are strong at some time and some time subtle. I am alternating between apanana and vipasana. I would like to understand why they are so strong at times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8070" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T17:08:10.260" Title="Observing sensations during normal time." Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14656" CreationDate="2016-04-03T17:02:17.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The experiences are based on the sum total of your past &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt; and what has surfaced in a given time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the different times the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt; that has surfaced are different hence the diversity of the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dwelling on matters like this will inevitably make you crave or be averse to some types of sensation hence regress in your pratice. You should just be aware regardless of if it is strong or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this some times the strong sensations can be due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;rapture&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T17:02:17.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14656" CreationDate="2016-04-03T17:08:10.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation, if practiced correctly and consistently, will reveal the true nature of reality for the meditator. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are describing and have seen through your practice, is the &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; of conditioned phenomena. The characteristic of impermanence is one of the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html#fact&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi gives the example of a waterfall that from a distance looks solid but when taking a closer look one can see the flow constantly changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation is when one is taking a closer look at reality, which reveals e.g. that sensations do not have a fixed intensity, but instead they change constantly - sometimes they are strong, sometimes subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the nature of condition phenomena. They are not constant. They are subject to alteration, change and decay. They are dynamic processes and not stable entities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T17:08:10.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9973" CreationDate="2016-04-03T18:38:10.197" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your questions sounds like: how can one be born a first time before having sinned ? Life is not a punishment, Through life you will get ups and lows and try to match theses variation with a constant rule, that is why we have this notion of good and bad which is different according to cultures and individuals. How do you believe what living people can tell about death ? No one will ever know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7818" LastActivityDate="2016-04-03T18:38:10.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14661" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-04T06:42:00.720" Score="2" ViewCount="52" Body="&lt;p&gt;During meditation sessions, morning 4 to 5, I have started watching myself everywhere. I didn't experienced it before. The garden where I am used to take a morning walk after meditation, there I saw my duplicates, same me in different-2 attire, casual-formal-pyjamas-with friends-cycling.&#xA;There was a moment in real world when I thought that if I could see everyone as me then I can percieve real peace. I think that thought merged into meditation and showed me the same but it was very different. I was so attached to myself when no one other was present as a special appearance. I want to know 'was that of my thought was wrong or right ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T09:43:56.477" Title="watching myself everywhere?" Tags="|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14661" CreationDate="2016-04-04T07:14:20.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating you might get imaginative experiences which might seem very real. Just do not give any importance to them. Just be aware that you are experiencing something. These experiences has sensations associated and if you get attached to them unsatisfactory experiences will follow. Whenever you get some experience just see if you like or dislike or neutral towards the experience and the sensations that follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-04T09:43:56.477" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T09:43:56.477" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14663" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-04T13:26:59.907" Score="1" ViewCount="895" Body="&lt;p&gt;No matter how many different ways I search, I seem to get this exact/ALMOST exact phrase:&quot;These relics include the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa, and eight strands of hair from the ...&quot; But I cannot find an explanation for it. This supposedly belonged to the &quot;grandfather&quot; Buddha to Gautama, aka Koṇāgamana (all according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_named_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_named_Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;), and Siddhartha  supposedly lived in the 6th century BCE. If there are 1,000 Buddhas per &lt;em&gt;kalpa&lt;/em&gt; and 4.32 billion years in a &lt;em&gt;kalpa&lt;/em&gt;, that means they average 4.32 million years between appearances. So, what could this &quot;water filter&quot; possibly consist of? Thank you for your input.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be specific, I am interested in the history and historicity of this artifact. For example, when was it first mentioned? From where did it originate? How did it come to Shewdagon Pagoda? Etc... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8076" LastEditorUserId="8076" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T11:01:09.470" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T11:01:09.470" Title="What is the water filter of Koṇāgamana?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|buddhas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14663" CreationDate="2016-04-04T13:55:53.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is believed there are relicts from the previous Buddhas' in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwedagon_Pagoda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shwedagon Pagoda&lt;/a&gt;. This is possible that such artifacts survived since it is within the world cycle &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Kalpa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All monks should carry a water filter to filter out insets from the water. I would believe this will not be any different. It will be a basic piece of cloth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T13:55:53.180" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9973" CreationDate="2016-04-04T14:16:34.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A similar question occurred in Lord Mind's too. Lord Buddha in search of the beginning looked back into the past of Lord's own samsara. This should go with the saying that among all the beings who can recall previous lives, lord Buddha is the most skilled in that task. With that ability no one matches lord Buddha in speed and the amount of lives visible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha addressed monks and said,&#xA;&lt;em&gt;It is a waste of time to look back to seek a beginning, even with the ability of a Buddha. I have looked back for eons and what I've seen is not even a fraction. Samsara is too long to look back and find a beginning.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not teach of a beginning of a samsara and refuse to answer it because of the search  for that question is not with a foreseeable end. That itself is the reason that Buddhism teach beings to not to be late, not to postpone the path. Because it is very long and the end of all suffering is not possible without Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Buddhaya!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T14:16:34.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14663" CreationDate="2016-04-04T14:52:43.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no &quot;Grandfather&quot; Buddha. The Buddhas are not related. Prince Siddhartha's grandfathers were king Sinhahanu(father's side) and king Anjana(mother's side).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Corporeal relics of each Buddha disintegrate as the respective Buddha Sasanas end. But it is possible for other relics to survive longer. Like the staff of the Buddha Kakusandha and the water filter of the Buddha Koṇāgamana in the Shwedagon Pagoda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.32 billion years is a Hindu count. An exact number isn't given in Buddhism. Only &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;analogies&lt;/a&gt; provided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no 1000 Buddhas per Kalpa. The maximum you get is 5. It is called the Maha Badra Kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The water filter is a piece of cloth, just like mentioned in the other answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T03:24:16.543" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T03:24:16.543" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14655" CreationDate="2016-04-04T17:48:50.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you think someone might have asked that question before?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Access to Insight, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=inconstruable&amp;amp;sa=Search&amp;amp;siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accesstoinsight.org%2F&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;many of the suttas&lt;/a&gt; include the following quote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words the &amp;quot;first&amp;quot; is not evident (or, I'd read that as, it's not evident that there is a first).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T17:48:50.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14668" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14716" CreationDate="2016-04-04T18:15:56.423" Score="2" ViewCount="444" Body="&lt;p&gt;More specifically, I am refering to the Soka Gakkai movement of Nichiren Buddhism. In one excerpt from the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, it, in essence, states that every time one says &quot;nam-myoho renge kyo&quot; that is the equivalent to reading the Lotus Sutra one time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That doesn't really make any sense to me, so, why is that? I have a photo below of the direct excerpt:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Mt5ge.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Mt5ge.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;The Exerpt&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-04-11T16:09:47.030" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T02:22:10.413" Title="Question about Nichiren Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|texts|mantra|nichiren|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-04-04T18:41:35.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This may be wrong and may possibly not be answering your question completely, but are you maybe refering to &quot;the ten factors&quot; which I have heard described as the &quot;fundamental reality of life&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, I have heard of delusion being, in essence, the root of suffering. The only problem is that I'm can't quite remember who had said this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ten factors go as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appearance-&#xA;Nature-&#xA;Entity-&#xA;Power-&#xA;Influence-&#xA;internal cause-&#xA;relation-&#xA;latent effect-&#xA;manifest effect-&#xA;consistency from beginning to end-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this standpoint of logic, ignorence or mis-interpretation (i.e. delusion) of the the ten factors can cause one to not be &quot;in-sync&quot; with the &quot;fundimentql reality of life&quot; which then would lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps, and I'm sorry that I havn't been able to give a very good explination or cite who said what very well in this answer, but if you look up &quot;the ten factors&quot; there should be better info. on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T18:41:35.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14663" CreationDate="2016-04-04T20:12:12.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You probably get the exact phrase because the phrase originates from one source, i.e. information about the Shwedagon Pagoda. Also if I google the phrase, google tries to return sites which include the exact phrase. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The timing between the arising of Buddhas is not uniform, and I haven't come across suttas which mention exact numbers like 1000 Buddha's per kalpa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not aware of the existence of physical archaeological evidence of the 3 Buddhas before Gautma. That would be an interesting discovery in many ways, including the theories of human evolution. However, that wouldn't affect my practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hair strands of the Gautma Buddha seem plausible, and the wiki site about the Pagoda says that they were the hair given by Gautma Buddha to Thapassu and Bhalluka. As the artifacts of the other Buddha's, I am skeptical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Water filter's during Gautma Buddha's time were simple pieces of cloth, to strain out insects out of compassion, and during a life time of a Buddha/Bhikkhu he could have used many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-04T20:12:12.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14424" CreationDate="2016-04-05T00:38:46.760" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We read about young children in certain countries being kidnapped, then trained as soldiers to kill and harm others with guns and knives. Despite their young age, and been brain washed to destroy life, these young children nonetheless commit grave unwholesome kamma. Then some of these children go on to be leaders within such armies, forcibly recruiting other children. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Buddhist doctrine attribute being born into such environments as a result of past kamma, it stresses the importance of cultivating compassion towards all, and that everyone has been born in similar situations in the past. Also, if not vigilant we could once again end up in those situations again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, the hell guards in the nirayas are similar to such children. They seem to have no/little choice in the matter, than to inflict suffering upon others. Perhaps, like the occasional child soldiers that we read about, that are fortunate to escape such hells on earth, become rehabilitated and go on to help others, there could be some hell guards who do escape. In Mahayana Buddhism there are stories of Bodhisatvas who travel to hells to save those in hell, both guards and prisoners. Much like some people we see on earth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism a person's fate is rarely sealed. A spark of dhamma, be it a wise word, a kind deed, could be enough to set a being on the path of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So have compassion towards all, the punished and the punisher. Samsara is full of dangerous environments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T00:38:46.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14672" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-05T01:29:52.100" Score="4" ViewCount="777" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious because someone translated it into Thai that the eleven-dimensional hyperspace is actually Nirvana in Buddhism. Does Michio Kaku literally mean that? What's his religion. Sorry if my question is too nonsense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What is gradually emerging from the data is a grand synthesis of&#xA;  these two opposing mythologies. Perhaps, scientists speculate, Genesis&#xA;  occurs repeatedly in a timeless ocean of Nirvana. In this new picture,&#xA;  our universe may be compared to a bubble floating in a much larger&#xA;  “ocean,” with new bubbles forming all the time. According to this&#xA;  theory, universes, like bubbles forming in boiling water, are in&#xA;  continual creation, floating in a much larger arena, the Nirvana of&#xA;  eleven-dimensional hyperspace. A growing number of physicists suggest&#xA;  that our universe did indeed spring forth from a fiery cataclysm, the&#xA;  big bang, but that it also coexists in an eternal ocean of other&#xA;  universes. If we are right, big bangs are taking place even as you&#xA;  read this sentence.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Excerpt From: Michio, Kaku. “Parallel Worlds.” Anchor,&#xA;  2006-03-14T06:00:00+00:00. iBooks.  This material may be protected by&#xA;  copyright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8082" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T11:40:43.900" Title="In the book Parallel Worlds, does Michio Kaku believe in Nirvana and Genesis?" Tags="|nirvana|science|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14673" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14674" CreationDate="2016-04-05T03:04:12.973" Score="1" ViewCount="846" Body="&lt;p&gt;How are habits seen in buddhism - how are they explained ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;read now about habit making - and would love to hear users views on habits -  and what they see habits as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what people think about habit making and its effectiveness and why &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:22:59.063" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T23:57:01.627" Title="What are habits in buddhism?" Tags="|habits|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14673" CreationDate="2016-04-05T03:28:38.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are habits seen in buddhism - how are they explained ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Habitual tendencies persist from life to life. Say you were a monkey than then born a human sometimes the tendency to jump last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only the Buddha can overcome habitual tendencies. Even an enlightened person will have habitual tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;read now about habit making - and would love to hear users views on habits - and what they see habits as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what people think about habit making and its effectiveness and why&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A worldly person does many thing habitually. Though habitual action is at the pre conscious level they have karmic potent. So if you develop wholesome habits this definitely would be a bonus for this life and after. In absence of weighty and near death Karma, habitual karma decides the next life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.9-Unconscious-views.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unconscious Views&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T03:28:38.063" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14672" CreationDate="2016-04-05T03:41:06.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the fuel burning out which keeps the recreation of the 5 aggregates, more particularly the elimination of the cause or roots (greed, hatred, delusion, non greed, non hatred, non delusion). So this description of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; as a place is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientific theories are not eternal but in a flux of change unlike the Dhamma is a constant in any time period. So these theories of dimensionality cannot be related to Dhamma but can be perhaps treated as an approximation or an aid to understand at the conceptual level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but that it also coexists in an eternal ocean of other universes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Abhidhamma there are infinite universes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we are right, big bangs are taking place even as you read this sentence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This again is a view found in Abhidhamma texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T03:41:06.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14672" CreationDate="2016-04-05T03:41:49.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The forming and the destruction of the universe has nothing to do with Nibbana. Space is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;secondary Rupa&lt;/a&gt; element and time is simply a concept based on the change of conditioned phenomena. &quot;bubbles forming in boiling water&quot; is an analogy for a physical behavior. Nibbanna is not physical and whether the beings attain it or not, the world systems keep getting destroyed and reformed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears that the word 'Nirvana' is casually thrown in there to make some kind of connection with Buddhism or his notion of it is different than the Buddhist definition. This &lt;a href=&quot;http://hollowverse.com/michio-kaku/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; says he is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pantheist&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pantheism can be a convenient diplomatic stance for scientists who wouldn't want to lose the majority theistic audience in the USA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T04:50:32.467" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T04:50:32.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14394" CreationDate="2016-04-05T04:26:32.360" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, ultimate reality is samsara, endless existence, but it is also impermanent, ever in flux, ever changing. It is empty, yet full. That is, form is always a temporary state of being. Some forms last for millennia, like mountains and oceans, and some are as brief as a lightning bolt. Elements come together to create a particular form, but eventually those elements will break apart again and the object will cease to exist. This is true of everything in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.patheos.com/Library/Buddhism/Beliefs/Ultimate-Reality-and-Divine-Beings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.patheos.com/Library/Buddhism/Beliefs/Ultimate-Reality-and-Divine-Beings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T04:26:32.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14678" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14704" CreationDate="2016-04-05T04:32:46.760" Score="5" ViewCount="230" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any way to stay mindful when your mind is busy at work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastEditorUserId="7903" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T09:14:31.110" LastActivityDate="2016-04-06T19:39:38.007" Title="How to practice mindfulness during job hours" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14679" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-05T04:39:59.330" Score="1" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right from the birth we are so attached to our body.Unwanted sensations easily disrupt the peace of our mind.Why is the mind so attached to the body and how to overcome such attachments ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T09:42:53.050" Title="Attachment to body and bodily sensations" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14679" CreationDate="2016-04-05T05:49:46.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is the key. But there are two components of it. First is the way of living and second is the meditation technique(s). You will find these two components in every religion, sect, mysticism. Since you have asked in this forum it is Buddha's percepts and Vipassna. If you can alter your lifestyle according to Buddha's teachings and practise Vipassna on  a daily basis you will be observe detachment arising in you. Final detachment will happen when you are able to see your past lives. By that experience all worldly attachments will fall to sides because that will clearly establish that you are not a mind-body phenomenon but something much greater. Welcome to the world of meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T05:49:46.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14681" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14710" CreationDate="2016-04-05T06:14:35.840" Score="1" ViewCount="148" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tell you the truth, I joined Buddhism in search of peace and harmony. Not because I have mental issues. It is about admitting what I see and feel. I am not that much aware of stuff, but sometimes I aspire to be Buddhist; at other times, I am very emotional. At times I cry because the world is not aware of the basic values of humanity. When I choose to go to the Buddha for refuge, my family thinks that I am a psycho.. When I see others losing human morals, I suffer! Today I feel a bit better than yesterday, but when I look at myself during meditation, I feel like a person who suffers. It is not at all that I am different or I am trying to be different. I want to know the reason for this according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T06:54:40.743" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T01:49:44.360" Title="Need advice on how to handle my emotions" Tags="|self|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14683" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-05T08:19:42.800" Score="10" ViewCount="2420" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example if I have lied to my parents and can the bad kamma be deleted when I apologize to them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the bad kamma that are committed to parents and ordinary people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8084" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T18:39:55.317" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T13:48:05.130" Title="Can bad kammas be eased by apologizing?" Tags="|karma|ethics|parents|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14681" CreationDate="2016-04-05T09:01:32.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every unenlightened person has metal issues. The reasons are the defilements: craving, aversion and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend doing Vipassana meditation in your daily life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you dislike something or someone's behavior, simply note it as 'disliking', 'disliking', 'disliking...' before it gets to crying. If you are too slow and already started crying, simply note it as 'crying','crying','crying...' instead of thinking while crying.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want the world to be in a certain way or want others behave to your liking or to think about you in a certain way, simply note it as 'wanting', 'wanting', 'wanting...'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't drop the ball no matter how tough or exciting it gets! Simply keep noting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more instructions: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T10:08:42.827" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T10:08:42.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-04-05T09:48:27.733" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apologizing is good Karma that has a mitigating(not delete) effect on the bad Karma you had committed:&#xA;ex:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel405.html#ch4&quot;&gt;Soreyya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/d/devadatta.htm&quot;&gt;Devadatta&lt;/a&gt; taking refuge of the Buddha just before being swallowed by earth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/bhadda_kapilani_thi.htm&quot;&gt;Bhaddā Kapilānī Therī&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bad Karma committed against parents are highly potent compared to ordinary beings. Ex: Killing parents makes birth(next life) in hell inescapable and you will have to face the consequences in the subsequent lives until you end Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T09:48:27.733" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-04-05T09:49:02.590" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example if i have lied to my parents and can the bad kamma be deleted when i apologize to them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can neutralise Karma when the result is felt [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.9-Sancetanika-S-a10.206-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sañcetanika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] or by diluting the result of karma through counteracting [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.5-Lonaphala-S-a03.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;karma Loṇa,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;].  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the bad kamma that are committed to parents and ordinary people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma committed to parents are give more worst results than ordinary people. If you do something to a compassionate person the results are more weighty than an ordinary person. Likewise if you do something to your parents the repercussions are much more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T09:49:02.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14681" CreationDate="2016-04-05T10:03:26.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am very emotional&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are emotional best is to pratice in the context of an organised course. Due to emotions perhaps you might not pratice as intended or in the right way without guidance. Following centres have a wide outreach and I personally have positive results thought the pratice: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;. I have not tried this out but the course most likely like the other hence would be benificial: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Need advice on how to handle my emotions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If meditation is done right you would be able to be more emotionally stable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emotions have some sensation associated with it. If you get attached or averse to the sensation you are creating negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to try your best to study the sensations behind your emotions to understand and handle your emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also sensations and craving lead to all dogmas. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.2-Brahmajala-S-d01-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma,jala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Many conceiving of self happen through craving. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.2-Vicarita-Tanha-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vicarita) Tanha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Many of these lead to suffering. Emotions can be a form of suffering as you conceive the self as subject or receiver of any event or perhaps building of non conducive views which case suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;feeling of those who know not, merely the agitation and vacillation of those overcome by craving - [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/25.2-Brahmajala-S-d01-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma,jala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T10:14:19.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14678" CreationDate="2016-04-05T10:20:53.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any way to stay mindful when your mind is busy at work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply be mindful of sensation in your body. E.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;posture&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Once been seated for a while there is bodily discomfort prompting you to move&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when you see someone attractive, neutral or unattractive when you feel some attraction or repulsion  or do not care. Watch these sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;touch your cloths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;touch of the sea&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling of the fingers when you type&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations due to mental states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensations due to mental content&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14635/&quot;&gt;Being mindful sitting/working on a computer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T10:32:07.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14679" CreationDate="2016-04-05T10:25:49.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right from the birth we are so attached to our body.Unwanted sensations easily disrupt the peace of our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is the mind so attached to the body ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are born due to attachment to the body. If it was not so you will not be re born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and how to overcome such attachments?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is though the pratice of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to be mindful of arising and passing of sensation pertaining to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Body - Posture, Elements, Beauty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental state&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental content&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T10:25:49.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14672" CreationDate="2016-04-05T10:41:47.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading more from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.randomhouse.com/highschool/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400033720&amp;amp;view=printexcerpt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the excerpt which you quoted&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I was a child, I had a personal conflict over my beliefs. My parents were raised in the Buddhist tradition. But I attended Sunday school every week, where I loved hearing the biblical stories about whales, arks, pillars of salt, ribs, and apples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that answers your question, &quot;What's his religion?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that the following helps explain why he describes the &quot;11&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; dimension&quot; as &quot;Nirvana&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These &lt;em&gt;creatio ex nihilo&lt;/em&gt; myths stand in marked contrast to the cosmology according to Buddhism and certain forms of Hinduism. In these mythologies, the universe is timeless, with no beginning or end. There are many levels of existence, but the highest is Nirvana, which is eternal and can be attained only by the purest meditation. In the Hindu &lt;em&gt;Mahapurana&lt;/em&gt;, it is written, &quot;If God created the world, where was He before Creation? . . . Know that the world is uncreated, as time itself is, without beginning and end.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, &quot;Nirvana&quot; is I think described as a state which is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unconditioned (i.e. it doesn't depend on or come into being as a result of other things as its condition)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Timeless (perhaps also translated as &quot;ever-present&quot; or &quot;eternal&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He's saying that the &quot;11 dimensions&quot; described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=eleven%20dimensions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;one of the theories of Physics&lt;/a&gt; has similar properties, i.e. it exists without a cause (perhaps unlike &quot;this universe&quot;, which I take it is presumed to be embedded within those 11 dimensions, and which has a cause e.g. the &quot;Big Bang&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also this sentence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is gradually emerging from the data is a grand synthesis of these two opposing mythologies. Perhaps, scientists speculate, Genesis occurs repeatedly in a timeless ocean of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that means he literally believes in the Biblical story of Genesis. Its in a section of the chapter titled, &quot;Baby Pictures of the Universe&quot;. I think the phrase &quot;Genesis occurs repeatedly in a timeless ocean of Nirvana&quot; is meant as, and should be understand as, &quot;something-created (I guess/presume he's talkig about 'four-dimensional space-time' there) occurs repeatedly (or maybe 'fluctuates') within a timeless higher-dimensional space&quot;, and he's using pseudo-religious phraseology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that it's a pointless (meaningless and unhelpful) analogy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A similar tendency exists elsewhere, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Quantum mysticism&lt;/a&gt; suggests a link between quantum theory and consciousness ... whereas this guy suggests we equate his cosmological/mathematical theory with Nirvana (or with certain characteristics/descriptions of Nirvana taken out of context).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may or may not (depending on your preconceptions) be a helpful description/analogy of 11 dimensions ... I guess it's an idiosyncratic description of his ... and I'd guess it's not a good description (not a canonical description) of the Buddhist Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T11:00:21.643" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T11:00:21.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14691" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14847" CreationDate="2016-04-05T13:36:14.017" Score="3" ViewCount="1087" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general in Buddhism, is escapism seen as a bad &quot;movement&quot; to involve one's self in? I have seen many posts on SE about separating one's self from one's body, or getting rid of desire, so; would these actions been seen as escapism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-04-17T17:59:31.120" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T06:13:28.723" Title="In Buddhism, is Escapism seen as a bad thing to take part in?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14691" CreationDate="2016-04-05T14:02:11.290" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Escapism does not address the core issue. Say you have X experience which you do not like and you distract yourself with Y experience with you take pleasure in. The solution is temporary as Y ends you are left unsatisfied again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The case of much of the suffering are the unwholesome roots in craving, aversion and ignorance. Buddhist practice aims to remove them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's take experiance you like. What happens is you think &quot;Ah, I like this&quot; hence the notion of I arises in your mind. Likewise with many forms of craving and aversions. So if you remove the craving or aversion by being equanimous (and also remove ignorance being aware of the arising and passing nature of phenomena) you stop perceiving a self. There is not separation of self from the body, it is just that you do not perceive a self as an entity. Also any perception of self is a concept or abstraction created by our mind which is never in tune with the true nature of what actually is there. Hence you have to get rid of any concepts about self (which in all cases will be wrong). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Escapism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How is Vipassana different from escapism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vipassana is to face the world. No escapism is permitted in Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Question-and-Answers#escapism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Question-and-Answers#escapism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-21T06:13:28.723" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T06:13:28.723" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-04-05T15:07:43.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma theory is age-old in Hindu society where Buddha was born. Any action born out of desire is karma and a self-less, natural action is a-karma. In Buddhism it is good kamma and bad kamma. There is no difference between your parents and others as far as Dhamma is concerned. If you hurt anyone there is bound to be repercussion. But parents are given special status because they are hurt more than strangers. For example if you show disrespect to a stranger he might or might not get hurt. He might think that you are a nut-case. But your parents will get hurt badly and there will be huge repercussions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Repentance and apologies have no effect on your accumulated bad kamma. Once accumulated they will run their cycle no matter what. It is not mathematics. By your logic you can hurt people again and again and do away with it by apologies. Isn't it absurd? Only thing that can be done is not to indulge in selfish actions full of desires. You can reach a point where abstaining from bad kamma free you from re-birth so there is an end to your miseries. Yes even after Nirvana, effects of bad kamma will still be there and will lead to decay of your body and bodily senses. Nirvana is simply unachievable by balancing out bad kamma with good kamma but only through negation of bad kamma. Negation of bad kamma is only through meditation. When you indulge in good kamma it is also meditation. Sitting silently is also meditation. There is only one key - meditation and nothing else.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T15:07:43.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2289" CreationDate="2016-04-05T15:28:06.207" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Modern and ancient worlds are not very different. If you are saying people are more selfish than they were before probably you are right. But fundamentally people have not changed for last few thousand years post civilization. It is wrong to blame current social,political, and economic setup. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are working for basic livelihood then working for a corrupt person/organization is justified since one needs to survive first for Nirvana to happen. Its simple intelligence. But if one is working to get to enjoy Honolulu holidays and beach outings on weekends then one is asking for trouble. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the moral dilemma of this sort happens because the person does not know that one can survive with the minimum. But the person does not want to seen as laggard. I have been to Laddhak, a sort of mini-tibet in India. There is acute poverty because of lack of natural resources and industries but everyone is happy. Question is not about corruption outside but inside. I am yet to find a person whose actions are not guided by desires.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not find the environment conducive to your growth leave it. Start something of your own which is 100% clean. Do what you love to do. You will make enough to survive. Of-course you need to cut down on entertainment bills. Probably you do not want to and that is why this question arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T15:28:06.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14678" CreationDate="2016-04-05T15:49:09.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot find his video now but Mingyur Rinpoche recommends that if you have a job that requires a lot of focus and thinking about the task then begin with your focus on the breath for 10 seconds then start your task while being aware of the breath. Continue with the task for a while even if you forget the breath. Occasionally, perhaps every 5-10 minutes, take a few seconds away from your task to strengthen your attention on the breath and then return to your task while being aware of the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mingyur's method avoids problems people have with losing the breath every 5 seconds and having to fix their meditation so often that it interferes with work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T15:49:09.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14691" CreationDate="2016-04-05T20:07:21.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i am going to try to answer this.  please let me know if incorrectly rephrased your question, &quot;&lt;em&gt;Is getting rid of sensual desires is a form of Escapism?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it could be.  It is a first step to let go of desires (or 5 hindrances for that matters), when one can let go of them, equanimity remains.  However, equanimity, is also a fetter or higher parts of 10 fetters that a non-returner (Anagami) has to learn to let go.  Equanimity is fetters 6 and 7.  Budddha did not give specific lectures on how to let go of 5 higher fetters.  Once you let go all fetters, then Nirvana is realized.  It may sounds like a cop out, but nirvana is not annihilation nor can be explained logically.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-04-05T20:07:21.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14697" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14791" CreationDate="2016-04-05T20:08:45.110" Score="3" ViewCount="386" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could you please explain the traditional vows in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know which are and their qualities according to Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7471" LastEditorUserId="7471" LastEditDate="2016-04-05T20:16:21.640" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T22:40:43.277" Title="Which are the Buddhist vows?" Tags="|sangha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9905" CreationDate="2016-04-06T12:23:41.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people &quot;blame&quot; Ven.Ananda for initiating the Bhikkhuni Sasana.  However, if the Buddha did not want to establish the Bhikkhuni Sasana, no matter how much anyone pleaded he would have said no. Yet the Buddha did establish it, not Ven. Ananda, although Ven. Ananda was essential for this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda absorbed the brunt of this drastic social change the Buddha created. Ven. Ananda deflected the criticism from the Buddha; He voiced the valid reasons why women should be allowed to be ordained,  instead of the Buddha having to voice them by his own initiative. Imagine had the Buddha initiated the Bhikkhuni order unprompted like he did the Bhikkhu order? Ven. Ananda was the catalyst in an event, that I think was going to happen anyway. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finding out why the Buddha was initially hesitant to establish the Bhikkhuni order is academic now. Anyone who intentionally discourages women or hinders them thinking that Bhikkhuni are bad for the sasana in my opinion goes against the Buddha. What matters is how can we collectively as the four fold sasana attain a sure footing on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether the path will last in the future or not depends not on whether women are allowed to be ordained or not, but whether men and women strive to learn the dhamma, ponder upon it, memorize it, practice it themselves  and teach others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For the Blessed One, O Lord, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not&#xA;  come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my Bhikkhunis have come&#xA;  to be true disciples — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned,&#xA;  preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding by&#xA;  the appropriate conduct, and having learned the Master's word, are&#xA;  able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it,&#xA;  explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions&#xA;  arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to&#xA;  preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.'&#xA;  -- Mahaparinibbana Sutta DN 16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-04-08T08:02:15.333" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T08:02:15.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14699" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-06T13:39:15.007" Score="5" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;For an example when the practitioner wants every being to become free from sorrow, does it actually create a difference? At least when the practitioner concentrates on someone close to himself/herself. All answers are welcome and it's better if references from Pali Canon can be made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T01:57:50.107" Title="Does loving kindness meditation help beings other than the practitioner?" Tags="|pali-canon|meditation-effects|meditation-metta|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14700" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14703" CreationDate="2016-04-06T13:48:11.113" Score="1" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;How are Malas used in the spiritual Buddhist practice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there instructions and introductions for use? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am equally interested in responses from the Buddhist practice of monks and lay people (less New Age theories). I am particularly interested the application of Malas uses of all Buddhist lineages in everyday life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T03:01:03.313" Title="Buddhist Prayer Beads, Malas" Tags="|personal-practice|prayer|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2016-04-06T14:12:30.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;of all the responses here, i am only surprised that Theravadan women wear white.  my experience is in Nyo Ho E (authentic Dharma clothing) as provided for in Japan especially through the teaching lines of Kodo Sawaki-roshi at Antaiji and brought to North America by trainees through there including Yoshida-roshi and Joshin-sama to Tomoe Katagiri-sama and Blanche Hartman-roshi.  white seems unusual because it is a basic, or primary color (as would be blue, yellow, red, and black).  but there are black robes for training priests in Japan (though the color is supposed to be &quot;off&quot; somehow).  by the same reasoning, i guess i should be surprised that yellow is mentioned a lot, but i am very used to seeing it.  it may be that the &quot;yellow&quot; is &quot;off&quot; somehow.  i think it should basically be modest, and what looks modest has a cultural factor too.  black is modest in Japan.  i think grey is worker / modest in Korea.  maybe in the US, it should be clothes from Walmart ... i don't think that's gonna happen but, that's my sense of the feeling.  very ordinary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8091" LastActivityDate="2016-04-06T14:12:30.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14699" CreationDate="2016-04-06T16:00:54.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know of a sutta that suggests that prayers or concentration directly affects the well being of beings being prayed to or concentrated on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite the contrary, suttas like the one below suggests that such thing would be wishful thinking. That is, wishing someone to be free from sorrow as the method to make them free from sorrow is a fruitless method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Suppose, bhikkhus there was a hen with eight, ten, or twelve eggs that she had not covered, incubated, and nurtured properly. Even though such a wish as this might arise in her: ‘Oh, that my chicks might pierce their shells with the points of their claws and beaks and hatch safely!’ yet the chicks are incapable of piercing their shells with the points of their claws and beaks and hatching safely. For what reason? Because that hen with eight, ten, or twelve eggs had not covered, incubated, and nurtured them properly.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu does not dwell devoted to development, even though such a wish as this might arise in him: ‘Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints by nonclinging! ’ yet his mind is not liberated from the taints by nonclinging. For what reason? It should be said: because of nondevelopment. Because of not developing what? Because of not developing … the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.101&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.101&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-04-06T16:00:54.390" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14700" CreationDate="2016-04-06T16:45:25.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;String of beads can be used in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anussati&lt;/a&gt; meditation in sitting or when you are out of meditation to occupy the mind with wholesome thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-04-06T16:45:25.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14678" CreationDate="2016-04-06T19:39:38.007" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not an easy task to stay mindful as a software developer. I am one myself, and I &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.zenprogrammer.org&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;even wrote a book&lt;/a&gt; on that matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three things I consider important for myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First&lt;/strong&gt;: I practice meditation when I am not working. This gives me the roots I need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second&lt;/strong&gt;: I need to interrupt my daily workflow so I can remember my practice and what I learned from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Third&lt;/strong&gt;: I need to focus on work when I am working and focus on the rest, when I am not working. Which means: &lt;strong&gt;no Facebook at work time&lt;/strong&gt;. But when I become tired at work, I interrupt my workflow and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For interruption, I use several tools which change from time to time. Influenced from Zen, I sometimes walk mindful: &lt;em&gt;Kinhin&lt;/em&gt;. Or I cook the &lt;em&gt;best cup of tea possible&lt;/em&gt;. Or I just &lt;em&gt;meditate in my chair&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have interrupted work and you feel you are mindful, go back to work and hack. Give yourself &quot;&lt;strong&gt;focus times&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. Don't waste your time with other things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working as a software developer means, your mind is occupied by a technology problem. Sometimes you cannot feel your body, because you are concentrated on the problem. I don't think this is bad. Just interrupt when your mind/body demands it, and go back to the analogue life. Sticking with the digital life is as bad as sticking with the analogue life alone (at least for us programmers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also want to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.grobmeier.de/the-10-rules-of-a-zen-programmer-03022012.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;read another Zen programming related blog post&lt;/a&gt; of mine, in which I wrote about some of my thoughts on working.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="98" LastActivityDate="2016-04-06T19:39:38.007" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14699" CreationDate="2016-04-07T01:57:50.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it'd make other beings become &amp;quot;free&amp;quot; from sorrow, but it could bring certain level of peace to both the practitioner and the people s/he's interacting with. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.16&lt;/a&gt; mentions 11 benefits of cultivating metta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. &lt;b&gt;One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings&lt;/b&gt;. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and — if penetrating no higher — is headed for the Brahma worlds.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T01:57:50.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14700" CreationDate="2016-04-07T03:01:03.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of prayer beads have a certain number of beads that correspond to the number of chants one should undertake, usually ending in the number 8 since it is considered a good number. It is to keep your place when you chant. I have a number of them that are 108 count mala beads for the purpose of counting off chants that are 108 repetitions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8093" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T03:01:03.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14707" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-07T03:52:37.783" Score="-4" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is well known scientific fact that over time, the animal population including human population increases. How does a colloquially scientific religion explain reincarnation if populations increases? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't give copout answers or rhetorical impulses that I have already heard about this question from many people who were sometimes practising buddhists and buddhist monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an important question that needs rational scientific answers and not wishful thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: No thanks for the copouts. And for guy who said something like it will be the dominant theory if not for the monotheistic religions, no thanks for the royal copout. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should learn how to not be hostile towards my questions Messer's Copouts. Don't be angry. Give rational answers and not the ones where I have read more on it to understand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer that I have to read on it more is the biggest copout. Every religion uses that to keep its people in abject poverty. Picture of poor tibetan buddhists here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8094" LastEditorUserId="8094" LastEditDate="2016-04-10T05:22:56.610" LastActivityDate="2016-04-17T22:12:06.853" Title="What is reincarnation?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|lay-buddhism|reincarnation|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14707" CreationDate="2016-04-07T05:15:14.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is an article/statement from Dalai Lama, since the OP seems to be  asking about Tibetan Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: Basically, the point I am trying to make is read for yourself, especially on such topics like reincarnation where there is mostly only personal experience to help. Don't take somebody's interpretation of it. Its a very bleak idea. And eventually you will say, how can I believe this? The answer is that's how it is, and you cannot believe it until you practice meditation and experience it for yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And like it or not, this is a copout answer. I can find everybody who will give you copouts because OBVIOUSLY, the probability that somebody knows it for sure, is very less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T05:15:14.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14707" CreationDate="2016-04-07T15:09:36.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;to evaluate population increases/decreases, it has to be evaluated in a close system (where the boundaries are clearly defined and nothing moving in or out of these boundaries).  Buddhist cosmology says there are more than one universe.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with this universe we are in right now, we dont know where the boundaries are nor what exact numbers of the unknowns in it.  It is very perplexing like quantum physics.  Someone asked Buddha where the boundaries (edge of the universe) were.  His answer was edge of the universe could not be reached by traveling.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-04-07T15:22:24.537" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T15:22:24.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14681" CreationDate="2016-04-07T17:03:37.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but when I look at myself during meditation, I feel like a person who suffers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you to listen &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jxp73czXZs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;to this talk by Ajahn Brahm about suffering.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm gonna summarize it shortly in order not to get banned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no happiness without suffering. You can't have one without the other. They are equally measured by each other.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In Buddhism you have to get rid of all dogmas, especially the individual dogmas ('life must be happy', etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering is part of life. So why is it that we say 'Something is going wrong, I'm suffering'?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We have to put aside what we want to believe in and try to see real nature&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the cause of suffering is inside of us, nothing/nobody can cause it from outside&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Call whatever it is your suffering from 'Ajahn' or 'growing pain'. Let it be your teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there is nothing to do, do nothing. If there is something you can do, give it everything you can.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T17:03:37.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14691" CreationDate="2016-04-07T19:40:29.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Escapism&lt;/strong&gt; - the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant&#xA;  realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the above definition, 'escapism' is unskillful even by common sense standards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: Listening to songs to deal with your stomachache.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not &quot;separating 'self' from body&quot;. It is &quot;not taking the body or mind as a 'self'&quot; as neither is qualified to be considered as a self in reality. Thus no escapism involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Working to remove desire is the opposite of 'escapism' as desire is the origin of suffering - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;2nd noble truth&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-07T20:05:40.343" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T20:05:40.343" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14569" CreationDate="2016-04-07T20:09:57.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakka-pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in DN 21.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then said Sakka, the king of the gods, to &lt;strong&gt;Five-crest&lt;/strong&gt; the Gandhabba—‘Difficult of approach, dear Five-crest, are Tathāgatas, to one like me, when they are rapt in the bliss of meditation, and for that purpose abiding in solitude. But if you were first to gain over the Exalted One [by your music] then might I afterwards come up and visit him, the Arahant, the Buddha supreme.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘So be it and good luck to you!’ consented &lt;strong&gt;Five-crest&lt;/strong&gt;, and taking his lyre he went to the Indra-Sal tree-cave. On coming there he thought—‘Thus far will the Exalted One be neither too far from me nor too near to me, and he will hear my voice.’ And he stood on one side, and let his lyre be heard and recited these verses concerning the Awakened One and the Truth, the Arahants and Love...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;strong&gt;Five-crest&lt;/strong&gt; had finished the Exalted One said to him—‘&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The sound of your strings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Five-crest&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;so harmonizes with that of your song&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, and the &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sound of your voice with that of the strings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, that your &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;lyre does not too much colour your song&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, nor your &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;song too much colour your play&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. Where, &lt;strong&gt;Five-crest&lt;/strong&gt;, did you learn these verses concerning the Awakened One and the Truth, the Arahants, and Love?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the Sinhalese version.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://pitaka.lk/16171/cs,aps&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://pitaka.lk/16171/cs,aps&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T04:00:22.947" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14713" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-07T20:38:18.727" Score="8" ViewCount="5495" Body="&lt;p&gt;My husband cheated on me after 3 years of marriage.  I've decided to stay for all the other things he is and does.  Buddhism has helped in all other facets in my life. What would the Buddha advise me to do, what tools would he suggest in overcoming the betrayal of trust, the lying and find my way back to a happy partnership with someone I believe deserves the forgiveness.  I no longer want to speak to him in a way which I feel that is punishing for his transgression.  Please help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8098" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T20:23:37.220" Title="Infidelity and Forgiveness guidance" Tags="|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14713" CreationDate="2016-04-07T22:45:21.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's impossible to know what the Buddha would have said, but to make a guess, he would have looked into your mind to see what faculties are developed, what are lacking, what  inclinations and latent tendencies you have etc. Then he would have given you a customized sermon to put you on the path to end of all suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lay disciple of the Buddha would say, if your husband broke the precept, he would have to suffer for that Karma in the future. You don't have to punish him yourself. The grief and the disappointment you are experiencing is a result of your past bad Karma. Samsara is so long that the amount of tears you have shed for heatbreaks like this is greater than the water in all the oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada -213&lt;/a&gt; comes to mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. For one who&#xA;  is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha preached about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_11lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;7 types of wives&lt;/a&gt; to Sujatha, the daughter-in-law of Anathapindika. One of the good wives out of the seven is the motherly-wife:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(matusama or matubhariya) – she treats her husband like her son in&#xA;  every way, being compassionate and kind, as well as caring responsibly&#xA;  after his wealth;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who lets his desires overcome his sense of shame and fear(of consequences) is like a kid who goes after things by instinct. He's no longer a matured adult. So you have to act like a motherly-wife and try to bring him to the Dhamma. Practice compassion with wisdom, teach him the demerits of breaking the precepts and try to make him understand how his actions will ruin his life and your relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-07T23:11:03.840" LastActivityDate="2016-04-07T23:11:03.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14691" CreationDate="2016-04-08T01:18:24.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;here we go..  this Sutta directly addresses escapism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he is touched by that painful feeling, he is resistant. Any resistance-obsession with regard to that painful feeling obsesses him. Touched by that painful feeling, he delights in sensual pleasure. Why is that? Because the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person does not discern any escape from painful feeling aside from sensual pleasure. As he is delighting in sensual pleasure, any passion-obsession with regard to that feeling of pleasure obsesses him. He does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling. As he does not discern the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling, then any ignorance-obsession with regard to that feeling of neither-pleasure-nor-pain obsesses him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;full sutta here:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T01:18:24.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14668" CreationDate="2016-04-08T01:41:55.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prior to Nichiren's time, reading the Lotus Sutra in its entirety was said to result in benefit, or good effects, in this life and the next. As part of Nichiren's efforts toward his goal of &quot;saving all people&quot; as he put it, he said that reciting the title (prefaced by the Sanskrit word &lt;em&gt;Nam&lt;/em&gt;) was enough to gain the same benefit. It is in this context that Nichiren wrote. Here is a quote from the same letter (gosho), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The One Essential Phrase&lt;/a&gt;, where he provides a rationale. As can be seen, he refers to earlier writers in support of his teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The spirit within one’s body of five or six feet may appear in just one’s face, which is only a foot long, and the spirit within one’s face may appear in just one’s eyes, which are only an inch across. Included within the two characters representing Japan is all that is within the country’s sixty-six provinces: the people and the animals, the rice paddies and the other fields, those of high and low status, the nobles and the commoners, the seven kinds of treasures and all the other precious gems. Similarly, included within the title, or daimoku, of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the entire sutra consisting of all eight volumes, twenty-eight chapters, and 69,384 characters, without the omission of a single character. Concerning this, Po Chü-i[1] stated that the title is to the sutra as the eyes are to the Buddha. In the eighth volume of his Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra,” Miao-lo states, “When for the sake of brevity one mentions only the daimoku, or title, the entire sutra is by implication included therein.” By this he means that, although for the sake of brevity only the title of the sutra is spoken, the entire sutra is contained in the title alone.&#xA;  Everything has its essential point, and the heart of the Lotus Sutra is its title, or the daimoku, of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Truly, if you chant this in the morning and evening, you are correctly reading the entire Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another, similar, quote from a different letter, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Expedient Means and “Life Span” Chapters&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First of all, when it comes to the Lotus Sutra, you should understand that, whether one recites all eight volumes, or only one volume, one chapter, one verse, one phrase, or simply the daimoku, or title, the blessings are the same. It is like the water of the great ocean, a single drop of which contains water from all the countless streams and rivers, or like the wish-granting jewel, which, though only a single jewel, can shower all kinds of treasures upon the wisher. And the same is true of a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or a million such drops of water or such jewels. A single character of the Lotus Sutra is like such a drop of water or such a jewel, and the hundred million characters[6] are like a hundred million such drops or jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(the quotes were added in response to a request in the comments.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7295" LastEditorUserId="7295" LastEditDate="2016-04-14T02:22:10.413" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T02:22:10.413" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14713" CreationDate="2016-04-08T02:37:00.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha, confessing one's misdeed, seeing the fault and blameworthiness in that misdeed, and resolving not to transgress again is considered a maturing, a growth in a person. So too is the ability to accept that confession, forgive the person and harbour no malice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope your husband understands the hurt he has caused you after making a solemn vow of fidelity, and that he has resolved to never do that again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now that you have decided to continue stay married, the Dhamma would tell us to let go of thoughts such as 'he cheated on me, he lied to me, he betrayed me'. For holding on to such thoughts will not allow you to find peace and move forward. Re Dhammapada verses 3 and 4.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did a search on Google a little while ago and according to the results the estimate is that 30% of married men will. Ofcourse the results will vary based on location. I am currently in Sydney. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some studies have shown that 1 in 4 or even 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So relationships are risky business, but they can be rewarding too. People make mistakes. However having the maturity to, admit the mistake, have the insight to see the error in it, and forgive and continue to move forward together lovingly is the Buddhist way, but it takes two. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one party is continually failing to hold up their part, the Buddha says it's better to live alone, our find suitable companions. Also even in relationships we are adviced to practice being an island unto ourselves. For all meetings end in parting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recall watching a talk by Ajhan Brahm on this topic some time ago. Perhaps you might find that useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter what you do, don't live in regret and with thoughts of anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you will find it useful developing the practice of the 5 daily recollections recommended by the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T02:37:00.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14697" CreationDate="2016-04-08T04:06:40.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing as Buddhist vows. But the conduct of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt; for a beginner can perhaps be similar to a vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Virtue: Sila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T04:06:40.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1267" CreationDate="2016-04-08T05:13:42.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how do I assess the quality of a local Buddhist group&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See if they adhere to the principles of teaching the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(1) One should teach the Dharma to others,&#xA;    thinking, “I will talk on the progressive teaching.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(2) One should teach the Dharma to others,&#xA;    thinking, “I will teach understanding the context.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(3) One should teach the Dharma to others,&#xA;    thinking, “I will teach the Dharma out of compassion.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(4) One should teach the Dharma to others,&#xA;    thinking, “I will teach the Dharma not for the sake of material gain.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(5) One should teach the Dharma to others,&#xA;    thinking, “I will teach the Dharma without hurting myself or others.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.1-Dhamma-Desaka-Udayi-S-a5.159-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dhamma,desaka) Udāyī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also for you to progress the teacher in the community should be good. Qualities of a good teacher is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(1) He is a listener sotā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(2) He is able to make others listen sāvetā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(3) He is a learner uggahetā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(4) He is a memorizer [has a good memory] dhāretā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(5) He is a knower [has a good understanding] viññātā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(6) He is an instructor [able to makes others understand] viññāpetā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(7) He is skilled regarding what is beneficial and what is not kusala sahitâhitassa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(8) He is not quarrelsome no kalaha,kārako.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Piya Tan's summary of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SD-46.7-Duta-S-a8.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dūta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how close they are to the original teachings of the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See if the teaching fits the essence of what the Buddha has taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches the ridding of lustful desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The ridding of lustful desires towards the 5 aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Seeing the disadvantage (ādīnava) of the 5 aggregates, namely, suffering arises from lustfully&#xA;    desiring any of the 5 aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Seeing the advantage (ānisaṁsa) of letting go of the 5 aggregates, namely, being free of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The unwholesome (akusala) brings suffering here and hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The wholesome (kusala) brings happiness here and hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Piya Tan's Summary of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.2-Pacchabhumagamika-Devadaha-S-s22.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Pacchā,bhūma,gāmikā) Deva,daha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings should encompass cultivating and promoting which is the true purpose of teaching the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(1) the 3 good truths (saddhamma); &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(2) the 12 links of dependent arising (paṭicca,samuppāda); and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;(3) the “revulsion” (nibbidā) formula. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Piya Tan's summary of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.18-Nibbida-Dhammakathika-S-s-12.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nibbidā) Dhamma,kathika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see if the teachings promote Dhamma and Vinaya as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.15-Dhammavinaya-Gotami-S-a8.53-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dhamma,vinaya) Gotamī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. It should promote good of oneself and good of others (which is discussed in detail in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.5-Atthaka-Alam-S-a8.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭhaka) Alaṁ Sutta&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the teaching is for &lt;strong&gt;gain, honour and praise&lt;/strong&gt; then this is not in tune with the true teachings. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.24-Bhindi-S-s17.31-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhindi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T05:13:42.157" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14707" CreationDate="2016-04-08T12:34:46.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is well known scientific fact that over time, the animal population including human population increases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually it's not a scientific fact. Species are known to go extinct and new species are known to evolve..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no count of the total beings on earth yet alone the universe. So it's impossible to say whether the sum total of living beings is increasing, decreasing or stagnant.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for reincarnation the Buddha understood that not all people would accept it. However, he said that accepting it is a safer bet than not accepting it. See the Appannaka Sutta for more about the Buddha's safe bet. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Link&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A search on reincarnation will yield a plethora of results from the Buddhist to the non Buddhist (Edgar Cassey, Richard Weiss, etc). There are many youtube videos of young children recollecting past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My opinion is that, if not for theist religions forcefully denouncing the theory of rebecoming, that would be the default theory in the modern world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T12:34:46.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14668" CreationDate="2016-04-08T12:36:20.200" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All sects dilute Buddha's message that only your efforts and that too in right directions can help you. This recitation or chanting has sounds which can calm you. Or the very fact that chanting helps you concentrate which helps in bringing you closer to meditative state. But is this the goal of Buddha's teachings? Buddha talked about only one goal i.e. liberation. One needs to be careful about different sects. No doubt they benefit you psychologically. But then your priorities should be clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-08T12:40:40.240" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T12:40:40.240" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14668" CreationDate="2016-04-08T15:43:07.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It says that starting and ending your day with a dedication to the lotus suttra is the equivalent of reading it, it still takes a whole day...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7818" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T15:43:07.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2016-04-08T18:02:38.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was having similar thoughts recently, but come to think of it,there are infinite possibilities.Maybe you can create your own mental space in which you can be artistic and still be at peace.We have to look for a balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8102" LastActivityDate="2016-04-08T18:02:38.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2573" CreationDate="2016-04-09T09:32:13.630" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By the logic of bad kamma, no animal will evolve into human. How do humans become humans then?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever we are eating a fruit and a vegetable we are killing millions of cells which are alive. When we are breathing we are killing countless viruses, parasites etc. We are constantly gathering bad kamma. But breathing and eating are automatic functions. We are not responsible for it. So how can we be responsible for bad kamma then? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention come from mind and animals do not have mind. Only humans do. There is no question of bad kamma when instincts are involved. In-fact even sex if it is driven through instincts has no karmic effect. When it is mind induced which is the case 99% time it has karmic effects. Modern men and women do not have natural sex any more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of animals evolution is automatic. They are unconscious beings. They do not accumulate bad kamma otherwise evolution will stop. But once an animal graduates into human then there is no automatic evolution. Humans need to put conscious efforts to become perfect. Nature will not help. Only through right understanding and right efforts humans progress further.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T09:32:13.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14725" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14738" CreationDate="2016-04-09T10:21:02.703" Score="5" ViewCount="1142" Body="&lt;p&gt;During my college humanities class, I learned some things about Buddhism, which I had not had exposure to before. My teacher would sometimes tell us stories about field trips he would take with the class to a local Buddhist temple. In one such story, he said that he asked the cute Buddhist that worked at the temple if Buddhists were allowed to use antibacterial soap. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From his story, she apparently didn't find that very funny, but he was left without an answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that Buddhist's are not allowed to kill. Does this include microscopic living organisms that would be alive on your hands? In other words, what is the answer to his question, &quot;Can Buddhists use anti-bacterial soap?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8107" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-09T17:02:33.273" LastActivityDate="2017-08-24T11:41:24.693" Title="Can a Buddhist use antibacterial soap?" Tags="|karma|ethics|modern-world|killing|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14725" CreationDate="2016-04-09T12:04:53.583" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There istance a monk with psychic ability looked into the water and saw there were microbes and asked the Buddha if drinking will harm them. Buddha said don't look and drink.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One intention of Buddhist morality is the stabilize the mind so it is free from remorse and so it can develop concentration and wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you use antibacterial soap without much thought there are microbs and intention of killing microbes then there will be not issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T12:04:53.583" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14727" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-09T15:13:35.147" Score="1" ViewCount="408" Body="&lt;p&gt;i Wanted to know what kind of experience i had today while i meditated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I meditated after a long time and it lasted 1,5 hours. I started shaking after a while, then twitching my eyes, REM and after some time i started moving.. It was n a rythm. sometimes sideways, sometimes down towards the floor and so on. And when i wanted to stop my meditation i came back to my first position, then shaking, eyemovement, twitching and back to normal. Did something like this happen to anyone? Is it a good or a bad sign?&#xA;Thanks :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8109" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T18:09:27.507" Title="Shaking REM and movement" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2016-04-09T22:11:34.677" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14728" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14730" CreationDate="2016-04-09T17:20:22.813" Score="3" ViewCount="704" Body="&lt;p&gt;If achieving “nirvana” means that we will be liberated from the illusion of consciousness, how then will we know (be conscious of) our achieving this “nirvana”? How can we be “conscious” of this, if “consciousness” will no longer exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="390" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:37:51.897" Title="How to achieve consciousness in nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14728" CreationDate="2016-04-09T17:45:26.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In certain sects of buddhism, there is the theory that there are ten worlds ranging from hell to buddhahood. Each of these &quot;worlds&quot; however, is really a life state, or living condition that exists inside of one's self. The tenth world, buddhahood, is also called nirvana. If one is in this state, one is without delusion, but still conscious and able to go about daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, not all sects of buddhism's goal is to &quot;free one's self from the delusion of consciousness&quot;, but to instead be truly happy and help others. In this sect, there is another &quot;theory&quot; called the ten factors. They are what the true entity of all phenomena consist of, and, if correctly using the ten factors, one is freed from delusion. If you want to learn more about the ten factors, this website gives a much better description than I am able to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/ten-factors.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Ten Factors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this answers you question well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="8080" LastEditDate="2016-04-09T17:51:00.687" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T17:51:00.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14728" CreationDate="2016-04-09T18:05:31.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the point of Nirvana consciousness ceases momentarily and starts again when you come out of the Phala Samapatti. At this point you see the the collapse and reforming of the links of Conditional Relations / Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;how then will we know (be conscious of) our achieving this “nirvana”?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have seen the cessation of the 5 aggregates and start of it through full experiential knowledge of seeing the working of cause and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we be “conscious” of this, if “consciousness” will no longer exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need not be conscious about Nirvana but you insight into cause and effect will make a paradigm shift in your outlook about the 5 aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3311/295&quot;&gt;How does stream entry occur?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following quote might be of interest. This is slightly explained in more detail during the 20 day course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think is the ultimate goal of Vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SNG - The ultimate aim is to clean the mind. Nirvana is beyond mind and matter. It can come to you anytime depending on how pure you are. In that state, all your senses stop functioning. It could be for a second, a minute, or longer, but for that brief period, you are beyond all sensation, all thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-S N Goenka, from interview published in the 'life positive' magazine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T18:16:41.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14727" CreationDate="2016-04-09T18:09:27.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short this can be due to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;past fabrications surfacing rapidly and creating uncommon experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perhaps less likely but a possibility is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; which sometimes create vibrating and / or pulsating experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8693/295&quot;&gt;eye movement during meditation&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14649/295&quot;&gt;I get rapid eye movement as soon as meditation starts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These experiences are neither good nor bad. Also do not get attached or averse to them. In additions concentrate on the task at hand than giving importance and distracting your self when there experiences do arise in your meditation session.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T18:09:27.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7650" CreationDate="2016-04-09T21:25:43.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thoughts can in fact materialize. It seems that it violates the laws of nature but it doesn't. We are only beginning to learn about how our universe works. The following website explains it in more detail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sites.google.com/site/materializationbythought/home?previewAsViewer=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://sites.google.com/site/materializationbythought/home?previewAsViewer=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8110" LastActivityDate="2016-04-09T21:25:43.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14713" CreationDate="2016-04-10T02:59:27.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is possible that there are answers directly in scripture relating to your situation.  If there are, I am not aware of them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some guidance that is in the spirit of Buddhist awareness that I can offer you with regards to some of the spaces you are likely to go through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Real Buddhist practice can be the most transformative when dealing with emotional unpleasantness.  It is as if during times of stress, our mind reacts like a hornets nest being hit with rocks.  &quot;Stuff&quot; gets stirred up; and long supressed emotional conflicts and past traumas seem to rise up to the surface - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you wish to understand yourself, you must succeed in doing so in the midst of all kinds of confusions and upsets. Don’t make the mistake of sitting dead in the cold ashes of a withered tree. - Enyo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest throughout your path of forgiveness, you keep the spirit of that quote  in front of you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;When you try and bulldoze through upsets and constantly overcome emotional setbacks, it's easy to get swept up in the mess of thoughts and feelings - and easy also perhaps to stop caring; or to lose sight of the spiritual possibility that gives you power to face what frightens you.  I find that if I treat my upsets as an opportunity for awareness and awakening, I have much more power in traversing the dangerous territory of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For now, I will refer to you as two - I will say &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; when referring to your mind ( to MIND ) and &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; when referring to possibility of being who you really are ( to SELF ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; is nasty.  &lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; will attempt in many insidious ways to sabatoge your goal.  &lt;em&gt;You&lt;/em&gt; wish to forgive, and &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; will do what &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; can to try and make sure that doesn't happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Your&lt;/em&gt; goal is forgiveness.  &lt;em&gt;It's&lt;/em&gt; goal is survival.  &lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; will attempt to protect you from getting hurt again using whatever resources &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; can.  &lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; does not want &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; to be free.  &lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; wants &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; to be safe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find that yourself in an argument with your husband about something totally unrelated to the infidelity - and &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; will start chattering away.  &quot;Well what does he know anyway?  He cheated.  Why do I even trust him?  He might be lying to me right now.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If every time thoughts like that arise, you try and suppress them; overcome them; or the like, you will lose the opportunity of awareness.  What will give &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; freedom is if you can find a way to give space to those thoughts without succombing to them or trying to overcome them.  If &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; can just let them be, they will lose their potency and your awareness will expand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also find &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; thinking negative thoughts about &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;.  &quot;I'm such a fool.  He doesn't even love me.  Why am I forgiving him?&quot;  It is the same thing, the target is just reversed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you deal with these thoughts as the TRUTH - you will be trapped, a helpless victim of &lt;em&gt;it's&lt;/em&gt; whims and fancies.  However if you permit these thoughts to exist; recognize them for what they are; and allow them to be - as &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt; talking - then you will gain freedom.  The more space you have for what you consider to be the worst parts of yourself - the more &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; awareness will expand - and forgiveness will stop being &lt;em&gt;the right thing to do&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;a good idea&lt;/em&gt; and become a natural freeflowing expression of your Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very difficult.  From my perspective, infidelity is one of the most difficult upsets, because the emotions that get triggered tend to be the most primal and the most deeply rooted.  If, however, you find a way to give yourself space - not once, but repeatedly - then this can become a most transformative experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last bit I have to offer is this:  &lt;em&gt;You&lt;/em&gt; chose to forgive.  You didn't have to choose that, and many people don't - and I suspect the majority of people who do don't have the awareness to confront it head on as you are.  &lt;em&gt;Your&lt;/em&gt; word given freely has a great deal of power.  If you relate to your word as a sacred promise independent of any emotional state or discomfort you feel, this too can help you guide yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you chose this freely, &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; get to be the author of your destiny; not a victim who is at the effect of something or a bystander watching your emotions overcome you.  Because you said, &quot;I choose to forgive&quot;, that is solid ground you can stand on.  That is &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;em&gt;It&lt;/em&gt; would not say that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2017-01-05T20:23:37.220" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T20:23:37.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14734" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-10T07:46:22.113" Score="6" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm hearing of lay people becoming  enlightened by the Buddha but did any of them become Lay Dhamma Teachers? When where the first lay teacher(s) of the eightfold path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2020-05-08T11:00:23.797" Title="First Lay Teachers" Tags="|meditation-teachers|arahant|layman|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14735" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14736" CreationDate="2016-04-10T12:21:35.450" Score="2" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading The Lotus Sutra the other day and I came across Shakyamuni referring to &quot;nine devices&quot; as a way of teaching and leading people towardsed &quot;the great vehicle&quot;, but upon looking the term, &quot;the nine devices&quot; up on the internet, I didn't find anything about the nine devices that he was refering to in the Lotus Sutra. Below is the passage it came from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, the Buddha is preaching to Shariputra and a croud of nearly all of his deciples during the first of the three meetings in two places. &quot;For those of dull capacities who delight in a lesser teaching, who greedily cling to birth and death, who, despite the innumerable buddhas, fail to practice the profound and wonderful way but are perplexed and confused by a host of troubles- for those I preach nirvana. I devise these expedient means and so cause them to enter into the buddha wisdom. Up to now I have never told you that you were certain to attain the buddha way. The reason I never preached in this manner was that the time to preach had not yet come. But now is the very time when I must decisively preach the great vehicle. &lt;strong&gt;I use these nine devices&lt;/strong&gt;, adapting them to the living beings when I preach, my basic aim being to lead them to the great vehicle, and that is why I preach this sutra (68*).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then goes on to other related topics, but doesn't say what the nine devices are. Does anyone know? Are they referenced in another sutra?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*This refers to page 68 in the Burton Watson translation of The Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="8080" LastEditDate="2016-04-12T00:35:00.707" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T00:35:00.707" Title="The Nine Devices" Tags="|mahayana|terminology|texts|sutras|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14735" CreationDate="2016-04-10T16:17:26.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The nine devices are mentioned in the same chapter 2 of the Sutra, about 2 paragraphs above the excerpt you provided. Basically they are nine formats to present the teaching: sutras, verses, stories of the previous lives of disciples, stories of the previous lives of the Buddha, of unheard-of-things, origins, similes/parables, passages of poetry, and discourses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important thing to keep in mind is to always compare and verify any excerpt against the Nikayas (for Theravada practitioners) or the Agamas (for Mahayana practitioners) because these 2 sources are agreed by scholar monks from all schools to be the earliest, thus the closest to the Buddha's Teaching. Suttacentral.net is a great resource that provides cross references. Accesstoinsight.org is another excellent site, especially the Beginnings section for those who want to know more about the Tipitaka..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-04-10T16:17:26.520" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14725" CreationDate="2016-04-11T03:06:34.400" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, the key distinction is sentient beings vs non-sentient beings. So plants and bacteria would be non-sentient beings and there would not be a violation of the first precept. And eating bacteria wouldn't be a violation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/1484.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3rd minor precept&lt;/a&gt;. I'd note that in the linked translation, the 1st precept also is qualified by &quot;sentient beings&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also worth nothing that Buddhism is not a homogeneous thing with homogeneous followers, so over time people and Buddhists have learned more about science and had to react to it. Sometimes this means ancient science got incorporated into the religion, such as beliefs/theories about the biological mechanisms of reproduction, or theories about circulation in the body. As a modern Buddhist, I'd dispense with the ancient, incorrect science and think about what ancient Buddhist would have said about biology if they were better informed with modern science. (And I'm not talking about science vs religion here, I'm talking about, what if ancient thinkers knew about bacteria and the cognitive capacities of bacteria)  I think they would deem bacteria insentient and incapable of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know why the lady at the temple didn't like the question. If it was a Mahayana temple, reasonable chance they felt they were being mocked for following a silly rule. The person asking the question was a half step away from asking &quot;To what extremes would you go to practice your silly religion?&quot; or another common subtext when the topic is nitpicky rules &quot;Gee, you must think you're so much better than us people who use anti-bacterial soap&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this was a Shin temple, strict following precepts is a waste of time, only faith in the power of Amida will show results. In that case, the lady was just annoyed that the guy did the equivalent of going to a Christian Church and asking what Christians have against eating pork and why Christians wear &#xA;Burkas and why they worship cows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE&lt;/strong&gt;. This is an American/Vietnamese temple, which appears to be a mix of immigrant and non-immigrant Buddhism, crossing Zen, Vajrayana, Mahayana, but mostly Mahayana. In this context, bringing up bacterial soap means you want to either agree with someone about vegetarianism or fight with them about it. So if you aren't confrontational, you don't fight with them about it. The stats on vegetarianism among American Buddhists is dodgy, but is ballpark of ~25% which is ten times higher than the general population (give me a specific sect and that can be adjusted higher or down to nearly 0-- non-Japanese East Asian Buddhism is pro-vegetarian, the rest are anti-vegetarian). By the way, if this whole question is about vegetarianism, refer to the pre-existing questions &amp;amp; answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1397/buddhism-and-bacteria&quot;&gt;pre-existing answers, this question about the status of bacteria has been asked before&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-08-29T18:51:59.143" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T18:51:59.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-04-11T08:39:05.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because it offers an escape and the path leading to the escape from the impermanent, the substance less and the sorrowful. Nihilism offers no such escape. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T08:39:05.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12250" CreationDate="2016-04-11T08:44:33.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are the Buddha's words the source of the Pali Canon? What evidence is there of the Pali Canon's origin? What do scholars say?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answers to the questions are based on known facts. Thus I define the Pali canon as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tipitaka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sets of the Pāli Canon in English Translation and in Pāli (Tipiṭaka)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answers to the three questions are as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are the Buddha's words the source of the Pali Canon?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeterminate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is for the 'Pali canon'. The Pali Text Society publishes a Pāli Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha (the Buddha) is an English word with multiple meanings [Oxford Dictionaries]. It is obviously not in the Pali canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PTS Pāli Canon has over 9000 references to the term &quot;bhagavā&quot;. Of the 9000 references, only 60 occur in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term bhagavā is defined by the following expression:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words attributed to Bhagava in the Sutta and Vinaya Pitakas appear to be the major source for the Pāli Canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What evidence is there of the Pali Canon's origin?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Sri Lankan Mahavamsa, the Pali Canon was written down in the reign of King Vattagāmini (Vaṭṭagāmiṇi) (1st century BCE) in Sri Lanka, at the Fourth Buddhist council. Most scholars hold that little if anything was added to the Canon after this [Wikipedia}.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do scholars say?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scholars generally agree to the origin of the Pali canon as mentioned above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T21:59:49.667" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T21:59:49.667" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14734" CreationDate="2016-04-11T10:44:42.370" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem with &quot;lay dhamma teachers&quot; is that people don't take you seriously as a spiritual guide, if you are still a householder who's unable to give up sexual activities, gold etc. There might have been lay people who taught the Dhamma to small groups, but when there are many enlightened monks around, you don't get much recognition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case,  a lay person who has attained enlightenment is a positive influence to his friends and relatives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex: King Pukkusati learning about the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha from his friend king Bimbisara; Anatapindika influencing his son Kala to listen to the Dhamma; Visakha's influence on her husband's family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-11T17:10:10.527" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T17:10:10.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14734" CreationDate="2016-04-11T13:31:03.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;o this female during Buddha's time came to my mind.  Im not sure how to spell her name correctly ( Khujjuttara) or something like that.  She was Queen Samavathi's servant (king Udena).  Her back was hunched a  little.   She used to embezzle money from Queen Smavathi when queen assigned her to buy flowers from the market.  One day she heard Buddha's teaching and became a stream enterer.  She went to the queen and confessed her crime.  Queen forgave her and asked her to recite Buddha's teaching.  Since queen could not leave the palace (i assume she stayed in a harem),  she would sent this servant to listen to Buddha's teachings (since her deformity allowed her to leave the palace) and come back to tell the queen and her ladies.  Lady Khujjutara was one of the earliest lay teacher i could think of.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T13:31:03.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14743" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14746" CreationDate="2016-04-11T14:05:19.067" Score="4" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that as some of the previous Buddhas did not set the code of discipline, the Dhamma did not last. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T09:48:16.180" Title="Why didn't some of the previous Buddhas preach the code of discipline?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|buddhas|vinaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14258" CreationDate="2016-04-11T16:15:31.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just an outline of a few things I have collected so far:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sensual Desire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One-pointedness&lt;/strong&gt; of mind, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of absorption&lt;/em&gt; (jhananga);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt; (indriya);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ill-Will&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rapture&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of absorption&lt;/em&gt; (jhananga);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Faith&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt; (indriya);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rapture&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sloth and Torpor&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applied thought&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of absorptions&lt;/em&gt; (jhananga);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Energy&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt; (indriya);&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Investigation of reality&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;energy&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;rapture&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is sluggish, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is not the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: tranquillity, concentration and equanimity&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because a sluggish mind can hardly be aroused by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is sluggish, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: investigation of reality, energy and rapture&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because a sluggish mind can easily be aroused by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 46:53&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Restlessness and Remorse&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rapture&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of absorption&lt;/em&gt; (jhananga);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Concentration&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt; (indriya);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tranquillity&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is restless &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is not the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: investigation of the doctrine, energy and rapture&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because an agitated mind can hardly be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is restless, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: tranquillity, concentration and equanimity&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— SN 46:53&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Doubt&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reflection&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of absorption&lt;/em&gt; (jhananga);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt; (indriya);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Investigation of reality&lt;/strong&gt;, of the &lt;em&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; (bojjhanga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.53&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 46.53 - Fire&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T16:15:31.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14745" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-11T16:36:17.340" Score="1" ViewCount="56" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have recently dedicated my life towards a search for an practice of a right livelihood. I was acquainted to buddhist philosophy before and set my mind on clearing any preconceived ideas about it and start from the very beginning available for me. Since there is absolutely no way to meet a teacher in person in the present for me, I tried to grasp the right understanding through various sources on the web, including this SE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At first I was convinced that I should follow a Theravada practice. Doubts arose and sent me to an alternative path. This is, most likely a result of my ego, interested in a more profound modification of daily life with emphasis on real &quot;personification&quot; of the doctrine. This made me look for Zen tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe this episode is just a way for me to perceive that any choice I make now will be a direct effect of the attachment to an ego. Thus, I am humble to notice that beautiful opportunity this doubt has brought to me in order tO seek for any available guidance right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8117" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T20:18:37.230" Title="How to not let the attachment to a self and its preferences influence the choice of a particular tradition in buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|zen|beginner|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-04-11T21:01:04.830" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14743" CreationDate="2016-04-11T16:36:38.217" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Vinaya pitaka is preached only if the life span is less than 50,000 years. When the life span is higher, the human world is said to be similar to heavens. The Buddhas usually introduce Vinaya rules when someone commits a misdemeanor. But the people are very virtuous during these times. So the need to introduce new rules does not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ironically, the Dhamma lasts longer when there's no Vinaya pitaka, due to the much longer life span.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additional info: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_CWFS-rca8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_CWFS-rca8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-12T09:48:16.180" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T09:48:16.180" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14745" CreationDate="2016-04-11T20:18:37.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just a suggestion, but in the Mahayana practice, there is a sect called the SGI. The followers consider them selves &quot;lay-buddhists&quot; and the goal of the practice is to atrain buddhahood and ultimately help create a world of world peace. The community in my experience is very supportive and a nice community to become apart of. I know that it is seen by some as a religion that doesn't have value and that the leader isn't enlightened, but part of the reason for that is because the sutra on which the SGI is based upon is the lotus sutra which is very different ideologically than that of many other sutras. In my opinion, the religion itself, since it doesn't have monks or nuns, as well as other common aspects of many religions, is more of a philosophy. The philosophy, in my opinion, has lots of depth and is very interesting. Here is a website if you want to learn more: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the SGI is about:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/our-story.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sgi.org/our-story.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main website:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sgi.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-04-11T20:18:37.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14748" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14750" CreationDate="2016-04-11T21:50:32.343" Score="0" ViewCount="803" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Socratic / dialectical phrase:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I know one thing: that I know nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one were to subvert it to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I know one thing: that I will know nothing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it a maxim that can guide practice, in any conceivable way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T17:56:07.357" Title="I only know that I will know nothing: can that ever have any currency for Buddhists?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|knowledge|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14748" CreationDate="2016-04-12T02:48:46.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not quite sure what you're looking for. The &lt;strong&gt;I will know nothing&lt;/strong&gt; has positive effects in  the sense that it will allow us to lead life in a more common sense fashion. It also jogs our spiritual side in the sense that we observe ourselves and our surroundings more. We tend to quieten ourselves a bit more and be more humble with regard to the vast expanse that is the universe and us being the tiniest of tiny specks in it. We get back to the basics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we realize we don't know something we automatically start asking questions about it. To try to know what we don't know is in our nature. We are curious. A background process starts running in our mind questioning existence and everything in it. This aids our practice. Or rather our life becomes some sort of practice in itself. We tend to just feel this moment a bit more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-04-12T03:02:32.290" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T03:02:32.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14748" CreationDate="2016-04-12T03:21:39.873" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least to that extent, but&#xA;  a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.&quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a foolish person were to become aware that he is foolish, there is potential for spiritual growth. But the fool who thinks that he is wise, blocks himself from any spiritual development due to his delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-12T09:50:33.587" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T09:50:33.587" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14751" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14784" CreationDate="2016-04-12T14:00:38.837" Score="2" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;As usually atheist is mean a belief that there is no god. Is there any definition by Buddha about atheist ? I read philosophy that inhumanity would called atheist really other than belief in god .  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-04-14T17:27:12.080" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T15:20:22.403" Title="How does the Buddha define &quot;atheist&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14751" CreationDate="2016-04-12T14:29:59.350" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Atheism&lt;/a&gt; falls under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803110450281&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;ucchedavāda&lt;/a&gt; which was vehemently rejected by the Buddha. It is one of two extremes that Buddha avoided by revealing the middle way; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle:..&quot;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-04-12T15:40:48.763" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T15:40:48.763" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14751" CreationDate="2016-04-12T15:42:10.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism accept there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;deities&lt;/a&gt; in this sense it is not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;atheism&lt;/a&gt; but hold the position the deities have a finite life like any other being and are not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnipotence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;alimity /  omnipotence (unlimited power)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creator_deity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;creator deity&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omniscience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;omniscience (infinite knowledge)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnipresence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;omnipresence (present everywhere)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnibenevolence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;omnibenevolence (perfect goodness)&lt;/a&gt; which slants more towards &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;atheism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T15:42:10.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14748" CreationDate="2016-04-12T17:21:38.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two benefits of recognizing self-ignorance: low-level and high-level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The high-level is the recognition of one's fundamental ignorance. This is crucial for the Buddhist process because this is the very first step in the Buddhist process-of-becoming-who-we-are, the chain of causation and understanding that piece of philosophy. Read more about it for more info.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The low-level version is recognizing one's conventional/relative ignorance. This low-level version actually has the most practical benefit!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, this understanding of our relative ignorance has the benefit of being more compassionate towards others (as well all the other Brahmaviharas in some way), developing eagerness to learn the Dharma, being more open to new knowledge, being more aware of one's own mind and transgressions, and just overall being a good person because you know that you don't know so might as well do good!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;I know one thing: that I will know nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even at &quot;ultimate-level&quot;, it is &lt;em&gt;mostly&lt;/em&gt; true because as the Diamond Sutra states, the person who is Enlightened, does not know of a person who is Enlightened. There is no ego, individuality, or a person, furthermore as the Heart Sutra says, there is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no knowledge, nothing. These were all illusions piled on top of illusions for the sake of leaving illusion..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T17:21:38.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1336" CreationDate="2016-04-12T21:59:05.203" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Background. 15 years ago I went to a 10 day Vipassana Retreat. I lasted 4 days. 10 years ago I went again and finished the Retreat. I went for a 3 day Retreat this last winter. It doesn't seem to get easier. I have learned something different each time. I had been meditating 30 mins. early in the day (anapana not Vipassana) 4 months ago I decided to meditate 40 mins.(Vipassana) twice a day. I am noticing subtle changes .... changes that are giving me insight into myself. I see thoughts before they become words. I see my thoughts before becoming engulfed in them. It has given me space to see before I talk or act. I am still a victim of my thoughts at times .... but experiencing these subtle changes and the results has made all my effort a pittance in comparison to what I am starting to realize. Perhaps I am a slow learner .... and my token gesture for daily meditation was not sufficient to realize progress. The difficulty in the 10 day is part of the the process ... for me. It helped me realize that I am capable of overcoming my thoughts. I always had been one for short term rewards. Maybe until 4 months ago .... I wasn't ready for a more dedicated practice. Now I am beginning to make a conscious effort in my daily life. Body sensations and anapana when not doing sitting meditation are something I'm trying to use more in day to day life ..... I still forget much more often than not. It's okay. I have seen progress. Part of the process of progress is being okay with where I am now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8121" LastActivityDate="2016-04-12T21:59:05.203" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14756" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-13T01:44:54.030" Score="1" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know that the term, &quot;instructual term&quot; is the best way to describe what I'm trying to say, but basically, I'm curious as to what things such as &quot;the four noble truths&quot;, &quot;the ten factors&quot;, &quot;the eightfold path&quot;, &quot;the ten worlds&quot;, or &quot;the five desires&quot; are called. All that they have in common is that they have a number of parts -as indicated in their title- and then some sort of philosophical name for an abstract idea. Basically, I am justwondering if there is a term that broadly referes to things like what I listed above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T16:14:14.580" Title="Term for instructual terms" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14756" CreationDate="2016-04-13T02:50:24.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All these are collectively referred as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-13T02:50:24.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14758" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-13T06:15:41.337" Score="-7" ViewCount="554" Body="&lt;p&gt;When ever you question something that is supposedly controversial, they tell you to read more on buddhism. They say that way, you could understand for yourself. But that is nonsense. If you call it that, they get extremely hostile. Why is a religion that keeps its followers in abject poverty (poor tibetan buddhists picture here) still makes them hostile when their beliefs are questioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was born into a family and community where religion is not in the culture itself. No one talked about it because that irrational mental construct wasn't there. We were one of the most prosperous communities ever and still are. I would like to know what religion is real. But all of them seems to contradict each other and there is no basis for their beliefs. While buddhism is the worst according to the answers to my questions. Its not like my community is small either but there are a lot of us who drive fast cars and have a lot of fun. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my thinking religion is a mind control virus. So, all this talk about going to hell and heaven is based on being controlled and the virus talking. See you in hell or, I mean which hell? They all contradict what hell is about so that is also a question I would like answered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8094" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T18:43:47.637" Title="Why are buddhists hostile?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-13T08:34:07.647" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When ever you question something that is supposedly controversial, they tell you to read more on buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving aside Buddhism even in any forums if you ask some basic questions some may not always be motivated to answer. This response is nothing much to do with Buddhism but more to do with internet culture. This is termed as Help Vampires. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/19665/the-help-vampire-problem&quot;&gt;The Help Vampire problem&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://slash7.com/2006/12/22/vampires/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Help Vampires: A Spotter’s Guide&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally people will answer question based on different motivation out of which some are the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if they are intellectually stimulating&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is of interest to them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to be benevolent (if they think answering it will be of benefit and will not answer if they do not think answering it will make)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;opportunity cost of time and effort to answer vs doing something else or perhaps answering another question&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not too difficult for the person to answer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not beyond the person's understanding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately to get answers from Buddhists and anybody the way you put a question should be interesting enough to warrant an answer from the person you ask for taking the trouble to answer a question. Also be mindful of the capacity of the person you are asking, i.e., the question is not too elementary or too advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;they tell you to read more on buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be more effective and sometimes the best than trying to learn from someone who may not be too knowledgeable in Buddhism, if this is the reason they ask you to do it. I.e., the question is above their heads to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can try reading a book like: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;, Edited and introduced by Bhikkhu Bodhi. This will give you an elementary to mid level knowledge about Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They say that way, you could understand for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has is system with is 3 folds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;theory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a practice to understand, experience and verify the theory at the experiential level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understanding gained by experiencing the theory through the practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is a valid response to verify things for yourself. (Though not in the context when answering question on this site.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say there is a person who has not experienced some aspect of the teaching. If it is purely theoretical he may even have doubt if he understood it correctly. If such a person is asked what is so and so the better response would be to find out yourself than try to explain something the person does not have a full understanding himself. Understanding yourself the aspects would be more clearer than perhaps an explanation the person you ask might be able to give.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also such understanding is 3 folds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;basic theoretical understanding by reading and learning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;further understanding by logical induction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ultimate understanding through meditation, mental cultivation and development of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;still makes them hostile when their beliefs are questioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist, a non Buddhist, a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew or whatever you call yourself, people get attached to belief systems and  view. If you are not an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arahat&lt;/a&gt; then this is the natural reaction of any worldly person. If you challenge their view them they get offended or hostile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving a Buddhism aside link about discussing politics, sports, or any other topic these tendencies persist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because you are a Buddhist you cannot get over these tendencies. To get over the you have to do &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; and achieve the penetrating &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt; to overcome these tendencies. A person with no deep wisdom developed is in most cases subjected to perversions which can manifest as hostility. Someone who has not overcome these tendencies even they call the a Buddhism will have these tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on perversion see: Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is a religion that keeps its followers in abject poverty&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not keep any body in poverty. The poverty in Tibet is due to its social, political and economic situations than to do with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take some african and some latin american countries many are non Buddhists but poverty still prevails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a misconception about Buddhism that Buddhists are content hence do not make effort to progress. But if you take the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perfection&lt;/a&gt; it contain &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;determination&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;effort&lt;/a&gt; without which you cannot achieve any spiritual progress. This can be generalised to worldly and mundane endeavors also. Once you put in effort you should not get stressed out or saddened or emotional if things do not go your way. This is one thing achieved through desire or wishing, but only be realised through the practice of meditation or mental cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would like to know what religion is real. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A religion you can verify there and now can be considered a real religion. Buddhism have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;meditation systems&lt;/a&gt; whereby you can ascertain the theory is infact real at an experiential level. When you verify something at the experiential level, you do not have to just believe something or have faith on something which you cannot verify.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism does not fit the traditional definitions of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;religion&lt;/a&gt; hence not considered by some as a religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But all of them seems to contradict each other and there is no basis for their beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There will be may contradicting view. Brahmajāla Sutta does mentions many forms of such conflicting religions view and their origin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Its not like my community is small either but there are a lot of us who drive fast cars and have a lot of fun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoying life is not an issue. The issue arises when things do not go your way. They you may get emotional or stressed. This is the issue. I a sure you and your community would have felt some emotions of the other at some point of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism aims to make you mind balanced through wisdom so you do not lose the balance of your mind when things do not go your way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In my thinking religion is a mind control virus. So, all this talk about going to hell and heaven is based on being controlled and the virus talking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some religions promise reward in heaven and damnation in hell or punishment as means to control people and beliefs. Buddhism does not do that. It just shows the repercussions of actions you take but it is up to you to burn your hand or not. Also this is not limited to belief but can be verified through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I mean which hell&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has multiple &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hells&lt;/a&gt;. One hell we can see are the animals. Some animals hunt others. So the hunted live in fear and when hunted they die in pain. There is also decies and famines which affect them. This is considered one form of hellish existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-03-20T10:32:13.217" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T03:27:46.167" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14760" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-13T11:24:01.680" Score="2" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what do other meditators see when they analyze closely the arising of a visual representation of an object in their mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please do this experiment: go into meditation and think of a visual representation of an object of your choosing. Look carefully how that visual representation of the object arises in your mind. Please describe here what do you see, from the moment there is &quot;nothing&quot; in your mind, to the moment when the visual representation of the object arises in your mind. Please also give an estimate how many hours of meditation have you practiced in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's what I see when I do the above experiment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm seeing is that first, there arises the wish/want/decision/effort (I use different words here, but I'm referring to the same thing). Then, there arises a subtle subtle subtle feeling of the object (no visual representation of the object can be seen yet). Then, the more I wish/want/decide/effort, the stronger is the feeling of the object (no visual representation of the object can be seen yet). Then, when I wish/want/decide/effort even more, an incomplete/dimmed/unclear representation of the object can be seen. Then, the more I wish/want/decide/effort, the more complete is the visual representation of the object in my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my life I practiced meditation for about 450 hours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that in Buddhism this rule applies: &quot;it is not appropriate to reveal personal insights&quot; ... the reason I'm asking you to describe your personal insight in the experiment above is to see it first hand why this rule applies: &quot;it is not appropriate to reveal personal insights&quot;. I personally don't know any experienced meditators, thus I have nobody to ask this same question and see how personal insights of others differ from mine ... that's why I'm asking here. Hope some experienced meditator will give some description of his personal insight by answering this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastEditorUserId="5000" LastEditDate="2016-04-13T17:38:27.070" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T22:54:05.823" Title="What arises first - feeling of object or visual representation of object?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14761" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14762" CreationDate="2016-04-13T11:43:16.653" Score="2" ViewCount="630" Body="&lt;p&gt;A detailed answer with references is highly appreciated!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:15:14.517" Title="What are the differences between meritorious acts and wholesome acts?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14761" CreationDate="2016-04-13T13:47:06.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meritorious act - an act not necessarily devoid of the unwholesome roots. E.g. you give expecting some positive result in the future, hence with some attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wholesome act - and act devoid of unwholesome roots. E.g. giving with the motivation it will create the conditions for liberation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the former is recent development. E.g. the Abhidhamma talks only about wholesome deeds and does not make distinction about meritorious deeds. Wholesome deeds can be associated with the right view or wrong view. Here the right view is some belief of Karmic retribution. This would be valid not non Buddhist religions like Hinduism or any other religion with has the view that actions will have some Karmic retribution. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karma in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dana Sutta discusses different levels of giving in which different results can be reaped. If you make a distinction between meritorious and wholesome as discussed earlier perhaps the last 1 or 2 forms of giving can be considered wholesome and the rest as meritorious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-13T17:05:33.940" LastActivityDate="2016-04-13T17:05:33.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14760" CreationDate="2016-04-13T16:43:48.287" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not think it is appropriate to answer this at the level of personal experience as it is not appropriate to reveal personal insights so let me give a theoretical answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a object arises in the mind the following happens:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you get conscious about the object to which you experience a reflexive reaction which intens manifests as sensation of pain, pleasure or neutral depending on if the reaction what a positive, negative or neutral reaction. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;feeling / sensation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;together with the reaction, the sensation that follow and other qualities of the object you build a perception of the object. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;perception&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary it is consciousness and reactive / reflexive sensation that arises 1st followed by (visual) clarity of the object by filling in the details when you perceive or cognise it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five aggregates&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-13T16:53:59.993" LastActivityDate="2016-04-13T16:53:59.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14764" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14792" CreationDate="2016-04-13T18:21:22.863" Score="3" ViewCount="426" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following are the 3 unrighteous bodily conducts out of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=10_unwholesome_actions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 unwholesome&lt;/a&gt; actions described in suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn41&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saleyyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing living beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stealing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual misconduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know the reason why the intake of intoxicants, liquor and drugs is not listed as one of unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-04-13T19:21:21.023" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T18:06:57.893" Title="Why intake of intoxicating substances is not included in 10 unwholesome actions?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14765" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-13T19:26:11.293" Score="4" ViewCount="407" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am having difficulty understanding the idea of interdependent origination within the following text. It is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1570624682&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Essence of Buddhism by Traleg Kyabgon&lt;/a&gt;. I am finding this book very useful as a refresher on the basic philosophy of Buddhism, especially because it includes Tibetan Buddhism. However this section, which talks about one of the two main ideas in Buddhism, seems to rely on terminology that gives me the impression of circular reasoning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How, then, do things come into being? They come into being because of&#xA;  what is called interdependent origination, or pratitya-samutpada—that&#xA;  is, due to causes and conditions. This implies that things do not have&#xA;  inherent existence, because if they had any kind of essence or&#xA;  independent existence there would be no need for the whole idea of&#xA;  causality. Nagarjuna says: “The origination of inherent existence from&#xA;  causes and conditions is illogical, since if inherent existence&#xA;  originated from causes and conditions, all things would thereby become&#xA;  contingent. How could there be contingent inherent existence? For&#xA;  inherent existence is not contingent; nor is it dependent on another&#xA;  being. So the very idea of causality involves the notion that things&#xA;  are contingent. There is no being that can exist on its own without&#xA;  depending on anything else; no self-sufficient being. Everything is&#xA;  interdependent. Everything that exists on both the physical and mental&#xA;  plane involves the idea of interdependence, or pratitya-samutpada.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would very much appreciate an explanation, in clear English and without reliance on terminology (because it appears to be explaining by self referencing concepts and terms) of this basic idea. My guess is that the author is assuming that I already know something which I do not. References to online sources would be appreciated, if you can explain it yourself that would be terrific, and most of all if you can refer me to a clear, translation of the Buddha's original words about this that would be splendid. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8127" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-13T20:59:57.790" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T21:45:00.337" Title="Looking for a clear explanation of &quot;interdependent origination&quot; in English (one that doesn't rely a lot of Buddhist terminology)?" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|tibetan-buddhism|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-13T19:39:47.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To balance the more thoughtful, detailed answer I will try to succinctly say two things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists are hostile because everyone is hostile. It is a human characteristic, not a Buddhist characteristic. But I appreciate the fact that Buddhist practices directly address the experience of and cessation of hostility. As someone who struggles with aversion, I really appreciate the idea of hostility  as a hindrances and finding that there are antidotes for hostility. If you want to explore this there are many sources which explain hindrances and antidotes in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think that you are receiving hostile responses because your question is hostile. If you recognize that, you can reword your question and perhaps get helpful responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8127" LastActivityDate="2016-04-13T19:39:47.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14767" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14769" CreationDate="2016-04-13T20:38:53.097" Score="0" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism shares many deities with Brahmanism(Hinduism) and Jainism for example, Indra, Yama, etc. (Though the story associated with them might differ between the traditions, the central persona is the same).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also many other deities which Brahmanism and Jainism do not share with Buddhism. Did Buddha forbid paying respects to such deities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T02:51:16.033" Title="Did Buddha forbid paying respect to deities of contemporary traditions?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-04-14T02:32:19.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.7-Saleyyaka-S-m41-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saleyyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mention 10 without intake of intoxicants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.5-Veludvareyya-S-s55.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Veludvāreyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mention 7 without intake of intoxicants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.1-Sigalovada-S-d31-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigal’ovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mention 4 without intake of intoxicants (this is mentioned separately though)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once I heard that in early Indian kings use to take a drink in the evening. The Buddha was careful not to introduce this precept in early day of his teaching until most of the Kings, ministers and tycoons where his disciples. Later when this happened this was introduced. If this was prematurely introduced many who were taking habitual or customary drinks might not have been inclined to listen to the Dhamma. This is just a theory to explain the lack intake of intoxicants in some Suttas some which were early days of the dispensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T08:29:09.293" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14767" CreationDate="2016-04-14T02:51:16.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism shares many deities with Brahmanism(Hinduism) and Jainism for example, Indra, Yama, etc. (Though the story associated with them might differ between the traditions, the central persona is the same).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does acknowledge existence of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;deities&lt;/a&gt; but in a different context than Brahmanism / Hinduism. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;God in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Deva&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are also many other deities which Brahmanism and Jainism do not share with Buddhism. Did Buddha forbid paying respects to such deities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not forbidding of paying respect to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;deities&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devas&lt;/a&gt;. This can be used as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;subject of meditation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T02:51:16.033" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-14T03:23:05.440" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia entry on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; is pretty good and simple. Similarly there is a good essay called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms this is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;strong&gt;present&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;effect&lt;/em&gt; arising from the cause is &lt;strong&gt;present&lt;/strong&gt; as well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;arises&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;effect&lt;/em&gt; arising from the cause &lt;strong&gt;arises&lt;/strong&gt; as well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;strong&gt;not present&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;effect&lt;/em&gt; arising from the cause is &lt;strong&gt;not present&lt;/strong&gt; as well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the &lt;em&gt;cause&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;ceases&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;effect&lt;/em&gt; arising from the cause &lt;strong&gt;ceases&lt;/strong&gt; as well&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 12 links dependent origination (found in numerous Suttas like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.12-Avijja-Paccaya-S-s12.27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Avijjā) Paccaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) you fill in specific cases and their resulting effects and how these affects in turn become a cause to create more effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most elaborate of specific cause and effect relationships are found in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theory of Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;. This maybe above the head for many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another rendering of this is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T03:23:05.440" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-14T04:07:07.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not a religion. I'll say it again. I'll keep saying it. There is no mind control virus. It's your mind and your perception of your community. Open up your perspective and absorb more and come back with better questions rather than foolish assumptions. Following are your statements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is a religion that keeps its followers in abject poverty (poor tibetan buddhists picture here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know what religion is real. But all of them seems to contradict each other and there is no basis for their beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, all this talk about going to hell and heaven is based on being controlled and the virus talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be focussed on Buddhism as a religion. Buddhism is not a religion. There. I said it again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be concentrating on hell vs. your experience of life. First concentrate on the basic aspects of your life and mind and back it up with better reading and better  thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take this into perspective. Let's say in our conversation, I say there is hell for sure. You say no, you don't think so. How close are we to the truth now? Nowhere close are we?&#xA;I say there is reincarnation. You say there is no reincarnation. Again, how close are we to the truth? This is an endless cycle. It's nonsense, I'll use your words here. Ignore those aspects because nobody will ever know for sure. If you ask them why, they'll say Buddha said so or somebody said this. We will never know because we don't have the necessary mindset to understand it. That's why I say, as normal people, get back to the basics. Use common sense instead. And practice meditation. That's it. Why bother about some reincarnation as a pigeon or something? ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be &amp;quot;hell bent&amp;quot; (if I may use that word) on correcting Buddhism. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I'll add the following which will show why perspective is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not even a Buddhist, let alone Tibetan Buddhist. I don't concentrate on aspects of hell or heaven or wonderland. Maybe it is true, maybe it is not. I don't even say &amp;quot;Lord&amp;quot; Buddha. I don't care about him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I care about being practical. About life experience and what we do. Gautama Buddha is almost an anthropologist. Our mind's workings are very important and if we fix that then Samsāra as we know it, will fix itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T04:28:33.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-04-14T05:41:04.917" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everybody is intoxicated. Some people to food, some to sex, some to power, some to alcohol. Buddha never said anything about sex, food, alcohol or other intoxicants. Sexual conduct is only defined for monks. Buddha never said anything about householders. Meditation alone is the cure for intoxication of any kind. Please remember Buddha's path is path of intelligence. Any intelligent person will see an intoxicant as bondage and will set himself free of it. There is no need for any Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T05:41:04.917" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-14T09:06:15.583" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In our day to day perception, we see objects as &quot;things-in-themselves&quot; and this is useful to make those practical decisions we all have to make at every moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Car (=object) is coming at me -&gt; Threat -&gt; Better get out of the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However when we start to look deeper we see that these objects are actually constructs, without independent reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is useful to think of objects as &quot;systems&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A system has components and processes inside of it. The system depends on these processes. The processes inside this system in turn depend on the system as a whole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our body is a great example. The liver is a subsystem upon which we (as a system) depend. In turn, the liver depends on the whole system. The Liver would also not have existed without us, nor would we exist without one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We in turn live in a larger system to which we contribute and in turn we are sustained by the system. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words: An object only arises when the right conditions are present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That car has no independent reality, but I must admit I'll still get out of the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8131" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T09:06:15.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-14T11:58:51.377" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's similar to the theory of cause-and-effect: if A &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt; B, then the &lt;em&gt;origination&lt;/em&gt; of B &lt;em&gt;depends on&lt;/em&gt; A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be a little vaguer than cause-and-effect (and for that reason I think it may be more useful or more true than a simplistic view of cause and effect): sometimes I find it difficult to answer, &quot;which is the cause and which is the effect?&quot; For example, is fire caused by heat, or is heat caused by fire? IMO &quot;inter-dependent&quot; avoids committing itself to a specific distinction between cause and effect, and lets you say that &quot;the origination of fire depends on heat&quot; as well as &quot;the origination of heat depends on fire&quot;. Heat and fire can be said to &quot;co-arise&quot; i.e. they arise or occur together, or depend on each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simple example might be, as Suminda mentioned, in the four noble truths: the second noble truth says that the origination of suffering is craving, which means that suffering has craving as its condition (the existence of suffering implies the existence of craving, or perhaps they co-arise). The third and fourth noble truths state the converse of that relation, i.e. cessation of craving and of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's meant to be a useful theory: for example fire depends on fuel, so you can extinguish fire by removing it from its fuel. Understanding the cause[s] of existence (e.g. of suffering or of non-suffering) is a kind of science.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it also relates to ideas of &quot;impermanence&quot; and of &quot;emptiness&quot; and &quot;non-self&quot;. A theory of self might say that there's a &quot;me&quot; that's not only permanent but also independent of other things (e.g. if I had an eternal soul then that soul might presumably be independent of impermanent or transient things). But the theory of dependent origination might disagree and say that the body depends on various things (birth, food, etc.) and that various aspects of the mind depend on things (things, senses, contact between things and senses, consciousness of that contact), and that things which arise dependent of some condition do the opposite of arising (i.e. they cease) when those conditions are no longer applicable, hence &quot;all put-together things are subject to decay&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T11:58:51.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14775" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-14T12:47:23.890" Score="2" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Burton Watson translation of the Lotus Sutra, on page 136-7 there is mentioning of &quot;The law of one form&quot; Here is an exerpt of where this is mentioned by Shakyamuni:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The thus come one knows that this is the law of one form, one flavor, namely, the form of emancipation, the form of ultimate nirvana, of constant tranquility and extinction, which in the end finds its destination in emptiness. The Buddha understands all this.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there another name for the law of one form, because when I looked it up on the internet, -but perhaps my searching skills aren't very good- I couldn't find much anything about it and I would like to learn more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-14T15:03:08.473" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T15:03:08.473" Title="The Law of One Form" Tags="|mahayana|terminology|laws|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14775" CreationDate="2016-04-14T13:13:19.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an example or a restatement (or an original statement) of that here, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] And furthermore, just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma &amp;amp; Vinaya has a single taste: that of release...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bikkhu Bodhi quotes that passage in a couple of his essays, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl129.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Living Message of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=formerly+and+now&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a few passages&lt;/a&gt; where the Buddha is quoted as saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly and now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which I think is similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may be reading too much into the translation. You're reading &quot;the law of one form&quot; and think that sounds like &quot;the law of gravity&quot; or &quot;the law of Newton&quot;, etc. (i.e. a specific named law).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &quot;law&quot; in that context is presumably &quot;Dhamma&quot; or &quot;Dharma&quot;, so &quot;the law&quot; is &quot;the Dhamma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &quot;the law of one form&quot; might be translated as &quot;the Dhamma which has one form&quot; -- so I suppose it's talking about the doctrine of nirvana -- that's why you couldn't find it on the internet, because &quot;the law of one form&quot; isn't a standard phrase/name for the concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the reason why &quot;the law of one form&quot; is not a very standard concept or phrase might be as follows. When you consider &quot;the law of gravity&quot; or &quot;the law of thermodynamics&quot; then what's being described is &quot;gravity&quot; or &quot;thermodynamics&quot;. But the phrase &quot;the law of one form&quot; isn't a description of &quot;one form&quot;, rather it's a description of &quot;the law&quot; or of &quot;Dhamma&quot;. It's not saying there's something important to know about &quot;the one form&quot;, instead it's saying that there's something important to know about the Dhamma ... and the important thing to know is that the Dhamma has one form (or perhaps another sutta might say, &quot;one direction&quot;) i.e. it tends towards nirvana, its purport is the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-14T13:50:29.070" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T13:50:29.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-14T14:31:43.970" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just a quick answer to try and clarify the terminology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if &lt;code&gt;X&lt;/code&gt; originated from conditions, it &lt;em&gt;is not&lt;/em&gt; / &lt;em&gt;does not have&lt;/em&gt; inherent existence; it's &lt;em&gt;dependent&lt;/em&gt; [on the conditions that originated it]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if &lt;code&gt;X&lt;/code&gt; has inherent existence (meaning: it exists independently), then it did not &lt;em&gt;become&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. &quot;it wasn't born&quot;) due to some conditions; it does not depend on any condition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The origination of inherent existence from causes and conditions is illogical&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, something cannot be independent &lt;em&gt;and at the same time&lt;/em&gt; arise  because of (be dependent on) conditions -- it's a contradiction, a fallacy. Either it s (1) or (2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;since if inherent existence originated from causes and conditions, all things would thereby become contingent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, if (a) that which is conditioned is conditioned, and (b) that which is not conditioned &lt;em&gt;is also&lt;/em&gt; conditioned, than all things would be conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How could there be contingent inherent existence? For inherent existence is not contingent; nor is it dependent on another being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words: this can't be. So inherent existence is not dependent on anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, apart from the vocabulary, that Nagarjuna quote is just a logical analysis with the intent to show that something independent is, indeed, independent from everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-14T15:20:58.303" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T15:20:58.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14756" CreationDate="2016-04-14T20:59:27.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They might be called &lt;em&gt;mātikā&lt;/em&gt; (Pali) or &lt;em&gt;mātṛkā&lt;/em&gt; (Sanskrit), as defined e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.fr/books?id=U4NF8pYxdvIC&amp;amp;lpg=PA124&amp;amp;ots=fcaYf3huAP&amp;amp;dq=buddhism%20matrika%20list&amp;amp;pg=PA124#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddhism%20matrika%20list&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/matika/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or this article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://imsb.org/prev/buddhalists/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Lists&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Towards the close of the Nikaya period, Buddhist literature begins to employ the term matika to signify composite matrices for lists. The careful analysis of these complex lists and their sub-categories becomes the basis and literary characteristic of the third basket of the Pali Canon, the Abhidhamma-pitaka, and of the particular system of thought set out in those texts and their commentaries, i.e., the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Andrei has &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=matrika&quot;&gt;used the word occasionally in his answers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T21:08:24.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14779" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-14T22:18:18.773" Score="4" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading through &lt;a href=&quot;https://centrebouddhistetheravada.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/patisambhidamagga-1982-nanamoli.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patisambhidamagga, KN&lt;/a&gt;. From page 164, it describes about &lt;strong&gt;'Eighteen kinds of knowledge of imperfections'&lt;/strong&gt; related to Anapanasati(&lt;em&gt;Mahavagga-&amp;gt;Anapanasatikatha&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is the except:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1)When he goes in with mindfulness after the beginning, middle and end of the in-breath, his cognizance being distracted internally, both his body and his cognizance are disquieted, perturbed and excited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2)When he goes out with mindfulness after the beginning, middle and end of the out-breath, his cognizance being distracted internally, both his body and his cognizance are disquieted, perturbed and excited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3)With such behavior of craving as hope for, and attachment to, in-breath both his body and his cognizance are disquieted, perturbed and excited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4)With such behavior of craving as hope for, and attachment to, out-breath both his body and his cognizance are disquieted, perturbed and excited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5)Owing to longing for out-breath in him when he is fatigued by [too long or too short] in-breath is body..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anybody have a reference to pali canon(not commentary) where it supports the observation of start-middle-end of breath?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T18:40:21.280" Title="Is observing the start-middle-end of breath a correct practice in Anapanasati meditation?" Tags="|pali-canon|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-14T22:19:30.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't want to argue, but my own experience has been that Buddhists are not &quot;hostile&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3420/254&quot;&gt;Is rebirth a delusional belief?&lt;/a&gt; was the first question I posted on this site, and people's answers to that question were not hostile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect that whatever responses you get (from Buddhists as from anyone else) will be influenced by the way in which you phrase your questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI your questions seem to me hostile (as if you're anti-Buddhist), seem prejudiced (as if you've already decided that Buddhism is irrational), and as if you're posting either because you want an argument (with someone) or as if you simply want to make the argument that Buddhism is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might get a more useful (and/or more friendly) response if you assumed that Buddhism is helpful and worth understanding, or if the reason why you're asking about it is because you already believe there's something good to know about it and you want to know more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this is a question-and-answer site, not a discussion forum. &quot;What is reincarnation?&quot; might be a topic you'd like to discuss (or argue about), but people might be reluctant to discuss it, not because they're hostile but because discussion is not the purpose of this site. If you look at other topics, they consist of relatively small (answerable) questions with answers. &quot;What is reincarnation?&quot; might be too large a topic to answer ... for that reason it might be better to read something (elsewhere or on this site) about Buddhism, then if you want to ask a more specific question about something then do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-04-14T22:19:30.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-15T03:03:14.707" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Summer,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sorry to read about your hostile encounters with Buddhists. There are about 400 million people who claim to be Buddhists, give or take a few million. For some it's a conscious choice yet for many it's the environment that they were born into, much like a person would have a greater chance of being a Muslim if born in Saudi Arabi or a Catholic if born in Brazil. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To learn more about the Buddha's teaching you might be better served online, unless you have access to a learned compassionate teacher. &#xA;There are many site like accessto insight.org and dharmafarer.org. Personally i have found challenging Buddhist doctrine not an issue, but challenging Buddhist culture does provoke a different response. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists would do well to remember these words of the Buddha found in the Brahmajala Sutta DN1 &quot;If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should not give way to resentment, displeasure, or animosity against them in your heart. For if you were to become angry or upset in such a situation, you would only be creating an obstacle for yourselves. If you were to become angry or upset when others speak in dispraise of us, would you be able to recognize whether their statements are rightly or wrongly spoken?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T03:03:14.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14779" CreationDate="2016-04-15T03:47:59.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself thus: &quot;I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body (of breath)&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself thus: &quot;I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body (of breath)&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice, when making a long turn, understands that he is making&#xA;  a long turn, or in making a short turn, understands that he is making a short turn, so, too, a monk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself thus: &quot;I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body (of breath)&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He trains himself thus: &quot;I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body (of breath)&quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experiencing the whole breath is sometimes interpreted as being aware of the start-middle-end of the breath. Also the skilled tuner passage seems to imply such as cited by some in support of this interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2521/how-is-the-pali-phase-sabbakayapatisamvedi-assasissami-passasissamiti-sikkha&quot;&gt;How is the Pali Phase &amp;quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami... passasissamiti sikkhati...&amp;quot; Interpreted as per Different Linage?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T03:47:59.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14758" CreationDate="2016-04-15T05:24:27.710" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have answered your question yourself. Organized religions are always a construct to sell oneself to masses. Buddhism sells Nirvana, Hinduism sell Moksha, Islam sells Paradise and so on. But the objective of any religion is evolution of mankind which is embedded in teachings of enlightened ones. You are asking right thing to wrong set of people. People who are not enlightened will generally be hostile. You need to find an enlightened person and till you find one you have no option but to use scriptures. That is the reason people are asking you to read. An enlightened person is a living scripture. He will not quote any scripture. But it is difficult to find one. Those who know it dont show it.&#xA;Whenever I praise Buddha I get upvotes. But the moment I write critically about Buddhism I get downvotes without any comments. You should rely on living buddha and if you cannot find one read sermons of dead ones but not interpreted versions by sect or organized religions. It is number game. The heads of sects and organized religions are just bothered about numbers of their followers. Stay clear of sects and religion just focus on direct teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-16T18:43:47.637" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T18:43:47.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14751" CreationDate="2016-04-15T05:40:37.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atheism is a beluef there is no God. Theism is a belief there is God. Buddha was the first inner scientist who asked his disciples not to believe but find out through experience. I think Buddha's position is unique amongst all enlightened beings till his time. His radical departure from belief being the first requirement stands apart. His point was simple - you are miserable and you need to get out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T05:40:37.963" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14785" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-15T07:15:28.197" Score="6" ViewCount="11850" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Hinduism was a prominent religion of the Buddha's time (though not in today's unified form ), Buddha must have learnt about the Gita and krishna's philosophy. In fact, the Buddha's karma philosophy and the notion of 'skillful karma' ( performing actions as duty without getting attached to it) seem to be too close to Krishna's karma yoga philosophy to find any difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any reference to the Gita or Krishna in Buddhist texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="579" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-15T15:26:38.427" LastActivityDate="2022-07-04T20:21:50.713" Title="Did the Buddha make any reference to Krishna and Gita?" Tags="|karma|the-buddha|texts|hinduism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14785" CreationDate="2016-04-15T07:43:47.987" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In fact, the Buddha's karma philosophy and the notion of 'skillful karma' ( performing actions as duty without getting attached to it) seem to be too close to Krishna's karma yoga philosophy to find any difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist skillful Karma is not to do any action as a duty without attachment but to perform action with volitions which contain the roots of non aversion, non craving and non ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhis volition is the forerunner of Karma. If the volition is good, i.e., roots of non aversion, non craving and non ignorance, then the results would be also good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any reference to the Gita or Krishna in Buddhist texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think there are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-15T08:24:50.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T08:24:50.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14785" CreationDate="2016-04-15T12:01:06.290" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The dates given in Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/a&gt; article, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Professor Jeaneane Fowler, in her commentary on the Gita, considers second century BCE to be the likely date of composition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The so-called &amp;quot;Hindu Synthesis&amp;quot; emerged during the early Classical period (200 BCE - 300 CE) of Hinduism.[21][7][22] According to Alf Hiltebeitel, a period of consolidation in the development of Hinduism took place between the time of the late Vedic Upanishad (ca. 500 BCE) and the period of the rise of the Guptas (ca. 320–467 CE) which he calls the &amp;quot;Hindu Synthesis&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Brahmanic Synthesis&amp;quot;, or &amp;quot;Orthodox Synthesis&amp;quot;.[21] It developed in interaction with other religions and peoples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emerging self-definitions of Hinduism were forged in the context of continuous interaction with heterodox religions (Buddhists, Jains, Ajivikas) throughout this whole period, and with foreign people (Yavanas, or Greeks; Sakas, or Scythians; Pahlavas, or Parthians; and Kusanas, or Kushans) from the third phase on [between the Mauryan empire and the rise of the Guptas].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and in Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Krishna&lt;/a&gt; article,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Worship of the deity Krishna, either in the form of deity Krishna or in the form of Vasudeva, Bala Krishna or Gopala can be traced to as early as the 4th century BC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... compared with the dates in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt; article,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The times of Gautama's birth and death are uncertain. Most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... suggest to me it's possible that maybe the Buddha lived a little bit earlier (e.g. 100 years or more) than when Krishna became famous and when the Gita was composed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's true that the Gita was written during a &amp;quot;synthesis&amp;quot; which occurred as a reaction to competition from Buddhism and Jainism and so on, that could explain why there's no commentary from the Buddha (i.e. that he lived slightly before then, and so any commentary would be anachronistic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are Buddhist suttas which recount the Buddha's talking with brahmins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary the first sentence of the OP (i.e. &amp;quot;As Hinduism was a prominent religion of the Buddha's time (though not in today's unified form), Buddha must have learnt about the Gita and krishna's philosophy.&amp;quot;) might be a slightly incorrect assumption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T12:19:51.687" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-04-15T15:03:09.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha told Ven Sariputta that he would not answer to any questions or teach anything that might promote heedlessness.  So here is strictly my opinion.  Perhaps there is threshold of consuming alcohol or intoxicants??  For example, if one uses cooking wine to prepare a dish for its aroma, would that consider breaking a precept?  What about fermented rice for desert (yeast+rice+sugar)?  It has slight alcohol in it but not enough to alter mind.  Again, my opinion, there could be a possible threshold of consuming intoxicant but mentioning it would promote heedlessness.  It could possibly be that there is some qualifier in the 5th precept that is best not to mention?  Best not to consume it at all.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-04-15T15:10:17.230" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T15:10:17.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14751" CreationDate="2016-04-15T15:20:22.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A language encodes in it an associated culture. Theism/Atheism binary does not apply to the Indic culture. God/no-God was not at all the central question for ancient Indians. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather it was who believed in the central philosophy(which may or many not involve God) and who did not. The term used is Āstika &amp;amp; Nāstika. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..the Buddhists themselves have branded only the Cārvākas as nastika.&#xA;  For example, Nagarjuna wrote in his Ratnavali, that nastikya&#xA;  (nihilism) leads to hell while astikya (affirmation) leads to heaven.&#xA;  Further, the Madhyamika philosopher Chandrakirti, who was accused of&#xA;  being a nastik, wrote in his Prasannapada that emptiness is a method&#xA;  of affirming neither being nor non-being and that nihilists are&#xA;  actually naive realists because they assume that things of this world&#xA;  have self-existent natures, whereas Madhyamikas view all things as&#xA;  arising dependently within the context of casual conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There were also Buddhists that were accused of believing in ideas&#xA;  outside of the Buddha's teachings, and they were called nastika in the&#xA;  &quot;Bodhisattvabhumi&quot; (a section of the Yogacarabhumi by Asanga) and the&#xA;  scripture also declared they should be subject to isolation so their&#xA;  views do not infect the rest of the Buddhist community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source : &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80stika_and_n%C4%81stika#Buddhist_usage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia - Āstika and nāstika&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T15:20:22.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-04-15T20:24:42.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Unwholesome actions produce a karmic seed that will definitely fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, even if you killed someone out of self-defense, there would be a negative result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you got angry towards someone because they are harming themselves, you would produce a negative karmic seed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why these are &quot;unwholesome&quot; fundamentally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many things that produce an un-sober state on the other hand only do so after a certain point. There are many medical situations where it is necessary. Many medicines have alcohol as an agent. The same goes for other inebriating drugs. &lt;strong&gt;It is of course better to avoid them altogether but there is no diet that is fundamentally unwholesome.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the unwholesome actions are on some fundamental level going to cause some karmic repercussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T20:24:42.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14697" CreationDate="2016-04-15T22:40:43.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada there are &amp;quot;precepts&amp;quot; (for laypeople) and &amp;quot;monastic rules&amp;quot; (for monks) but I'm not sure they're called &amp;quot;vows&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;description of Theravada ordination&lt;/a&gt; (also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut048.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), the precepts are phrased as &amp;quot;I undertake to&amp;quot; which could be called a &amp;quot;vow&amp;quot;, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(I undertake to abstain from harming or taking life).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I have read, one &lt;strong&gt;requests&lt;/strong&gt; ordination and the rules are &lt;strong&gt;recited&lt;/strong&gt;. This might be described (in English) as &amp;quot;taking monastic vows&amp;quot;, and a vow (to obey the rules) might be &lt;strong&gt;implicit&lt;/strong&gt; in the ordination, but I don't see such a &amp;quot;vow&amp;quot; being spoken explicitly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &amp;quot;vow&amp;quot; seems to be used more in Mahayana, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monastic vows (quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/ordination-in-the-tibetan-tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ordination in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition&lt;/a&gt;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His Holiness the Dalai Lama feels that it is important to know that nuns and monks ordained in the Tibetan tradition follow the vows set forth in the Mulasarvastivadin school of monastic codes. The gelong/gelongma (bhikshu/bhikshuni--the fully ordained monk/nun) level are recorded in the Mulasarvastivadin school's Individual Liberation Sutras. Interspersed throughout their Tibetan translation is an easy to remember set of chantable verses summarising the gelong or gelongma vows. These versified mnemonics are known as the &amp;quot;Interleaved Summaries of the Vinaya Discours&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana vows (quoting from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samaya&lt;/a&gt;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The samaya (Tibetan: དམ་ཚིག, Wylie: dam tshig, Japanese and Chinese: 三昧耶戒, sanmaya-kai, Sānmóyéjiè), is a set of vows or precepts given to initiates of an esoteric Vajrayana Buddhist order as part of the abhiṣeka (empowerment or initiation) ceremony that creates a bond between the guru and disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_vow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bodhisattva vow&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva vow is the vow taken by Mahayana Buddhists to attain complete enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. One who has taken the vow is nominally known as a Bodhisattva. Whereas the Prātimokṣa vows cease at death, the Bodhisattva vow extends into future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-15T22:40:43.277" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-04-16T05:00:25.617" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a way, the 10 unwholesome actions already take into account the intaking of intoxicants in the sense that intoxicant is a condition for the manifestation of any one of those 10 unwholesome actions. When one is drunk, it could serve as the condition that leads to killing, stealing, raping, etc.. OR it could just cause him to throw up and then pass out. In other words the 10 unwholesome actions are listed because they're all manifested explicit actions while taking intoxicants is a to-be-manifested action..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T05:00:25.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2016-04-16T05:07:45.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think of exchanging the terms.  If there is no rebirth how can there be a soul.  Attachment will be there both ways.  Why must one condition rely on another.  Why must a soul be present for a rebirth ?  Why must there be a rebirth to validate a soul.  Soul is a category based on a disposition masking itself as a representation.  You are not a soul.  You are not a rebirth.  You are not a name.  You are not a species.  You are not a category.  You are not a self.  You are not a hope to be.  You are not a never was.  You are a system of directed energies subjected to and affected by other directed energies.  All religions and convictions are merely reminders and reinforcers of how we are to be.  Like signs on the road.  How do you direct your energy ?  Will believing you have a soul help you in redirecting your energy ?  I do not know this .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8060" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T05:07:45.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14795" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14801" CreationDate="2016-04-16T09:20:21.943" Score="6" ViewCount="1593" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said to his disciples (monks), meat can be eaten if they are not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk. Eating meat is different from killing animal, it's clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lay people on the other side do not obtain meat like monks do, lay people buy meat. The money then goes to meat seller and abattoir. Is this the same as &quot;Causing another to kill&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-06-30T11:38:43.707" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T08:32:47.307" Title="Eating meat and buying meat" Tags="|theravada|ethics|killing|food|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14795" CreationDate="2016-04-16T11:09:36.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the lay person orders an animal to be killed, he breaks the first precept. Simply buying meat that is available in the market does not break the precept no matter who profits from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following conditions have to be met for it to be broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The being must be alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be knowledge that it is a living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) There must be intention to cause its death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) Action must be taken to cause its death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;v) Death must result from such action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-16T11:55:49.030" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T11:55:49.030" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14797" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14798" CreationDate="2016-04-16T12:08:27.067" Score="0" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;I posted the identikit question to Christianity stackexchange, and was met with dumb silence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which, really, I was shocked by. E.g. the parable of the good samaratin:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jesus answered, &amp;quot;A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to&#xA;Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat&#xA;him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest&#xA;was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other&#xA;side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and&#xA;saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he&#xA;travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with&#xA;compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and&#xA;wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and&#xA;took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two&#xA;denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of&#xA;him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.'&#xA;Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbour to him&#xA;who fell among the robbers?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said, &amp;quot;He who showed mercy on him.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Jesus said to him, &amp;quot;Go and do likewise.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mercy' can be defined as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within&#xA;one's power to punish or harm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is very, very close to exactly what I mean: compassion towards someone who you have punished or harmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because it seems to me to be &lt;em&gt;the bedrock&lt;/em&gt; of intelligent ethics, I was very interested in if the Buddha ever discussed this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Did the Buddha ever teach that we have a special responsibility to&#xA;those we have injured?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-07-16T04:33:40.777" Title="Did the Buddha ever teach that we have a special responsibility to those we have injured?" Tags="|ethics|compassion|christianity|jataka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14797" CreationDate="2016-04-16T13:13:06.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the parable of the good samaritan&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The parable of the Good Samaritan &lt;em&gt;isn't&lt;/em&gt; about &amp;quot;special responsibility to those we have injured&amp;quot;. In the parable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &amp;quot;certain man&amp;quot; was injured by robbers (who stripped and beat him)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The injured man was ignored by a priest and a Levite&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Samaritan showed compassion and acted as if he had a special responsibility (even though the Samaritan had nothing to do with, wasn't responsible for, causing the man's injury)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jesus's message is to do like the Samaritan did&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'Mercy' can be defined as compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be interested in the definition of &amp;quot;mercy&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I slightly disagree with your definition above. If you're able to rescue someone from drowning, for example, then that could an act of mercy, but (assuming you weren't the cause of their being in the water) nothing to do with &amp;quot;punishing&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;harming&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might like Wikipedia's article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mercy&lt;/a&gt; (I went to it to look for the etymology of the word). An interesting part is at the end,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be mercy, the behavior generally can not be compelled by outside forces. A famous literary example that alludes to the impact of the ethical components of the mercy on the legal aspects is from The Merchant of Venice when Portia asks Shylock to show mercy. He asks, &amp;quot;On what compulsion, must I?&amp;quot; She responds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quality of mercy is not strain'd.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That almost argues against your definition: because there might be some special obligation towards someone you have injured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The corresponding traditional Buddhist virtues, by the way, if you want to research them further, might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt; (including &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; which is 'translated' as compassion), and &lt;em&gt;ahimsa&lt;/em&gt; (harmlessness or non-violence, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example mentioned here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;compassion towards someone who you have punished or harmed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be something somewhere in Buddhist scripture, that talks about whether and how to behave towards people you have injured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although that's your question I'm not immediately inclined to answer it, because the more important message of Buddhism is, &amp;quot;because you have compassion for people, do not cause them injury&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic rules of conduct, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Ethical_conduct&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ethical conduct&lt;/a&gt; portion of the eight-fold way, are to do with not causing injury.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the suttas about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the five precepts&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these five gifts, five great gifts — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans. Which five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life. &lt;strong&gt;In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings.&lt;/strong&gt; In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;practice of Dana&lt;/a&gt; (i.e. gift-giving or generosity) is made especially by laypeople towards monks and nuns; and not because those monks and nuns were injured by the laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Because it seems to me to be the bedrock of intelligent ethics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people think that the &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;golden rule&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; is the bedrock of intelligent ethics, e.g. &amp;quot;do unto others as you would have others do unto you&amp;quot;, also known as &amp;quot;love thy neighbour as thyself&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you'll find that in Buddhism too, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;129&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness&#xA;hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who, while himself seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness&#xA;hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did the Buddha ever teach that we have a special responsibility to those we have injured?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm pretty sure he taught that we have some responsibility to not injure people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the practice of deliberately (intentionally) injuring someone would be likely to have a negative/undesirable karmic consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it's always possible to undo an injury (which is a reason for avoiding causing injury in the first place).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Answers to other topics on this site, for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7555/254&quot;&gt;What do we do when we've broken a precept?&lt;/a&gt;, don't seem to focus on restitution or special responsibility towards the injured party.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of the Buddhist &amp;quot;Metta Bhavana&amp;quot; (or &amp;quot;cultivation of loving-kindness&amp;quot;) meditation is meant to develop compassion towards all people, both near and far, both more dear and less dear -- and not especially towards &amp;quot;someone you have punished or injured&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T13:54:18.423" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2016-04-16T15:46:30.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's like saying there is not-self or soul so consciousness cant move forward. Consciousness throughout life,  throughout Samsara, is always dying in every fraction of a second then arising again in the next.  When consciousness arises again that is a rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do we assume that conciousness won't continue after physical death? Mindfulness meditation challenges those kinds of assumptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T15:46:30.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14756" CreationDate="2016-04-16T16:14:14.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are mnemonic lists to assist in the bulk memorization of huge dialogs without the help of writing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Manjushri's mantra (Om A Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih), is suspected of being a mneumonic for a list of items, but the original details are lost to history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T16:14:14.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14795" CreationDate="2016-04-16T16:29:21.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist ethics is the basis to develop wisdom and mastery over the mind. If there are no unwholesome Karmic results you cannot collect your mind to develop concentration as wholesome results give present experiences than unpleasant which is more distracting in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the above case through you can argue that you remote form of indirectly kill in buying meat you do not create the type unwholesome roots associated with killing in the mind which results in unpleasant experiences later. Making others kills which has Karmic repercussion would be instead of you killing you order someone else to kill or bring hims to such a state that he will kill intending that he would kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving aside killing, if you take ethics too far then you cannot live. E.g. your food and drinks do have microbes. Antibiotics kill microbes. I have heard once a monk with supernormal powers, after filtering water, saw that there were beings too small to be seen by the naked eye still in the water hence if you are strictly not to harm the you cannot ever eat or drink. The advice received was do not use your Jhanic powers to see if there are microbes in the water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are vegetarian well and good, but if you are not, this is not a hindrance to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;develop mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt; and such action does not have karmic repercussions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-17T02:42:06.770" LastActivityDate="2016-04-17T02:42:06.770" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14795" CreationDate="2016-04-16T19:21:01.577" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eating meat is same as eating curd which has countless bacterias. All percepts are for laymen. Buddhas do not define do's and dont's. They simply state principles. The answer to your question is that if you indulge in meat eating or get habituated to it then desire take over. All fulfillment of desires have Karmic repercussions. If you eat meat to satisfy your hunger no problem. But if you eat meat because of its taste be ready for nasty consequences. &#xA;When I went to Thailand I was bit surprised to find that Thais prefer meat over vegetarian stuff. Thailand has tropical weather and abundant fruits, vegetables, and cereals. They indulge in meat eating because of taste not because its better. In Ladakh where people pratice Buddhism people have little choice but to eat meat because nothing grows there.&#xA;Infact for meditators light diet is a must which is vegetarian. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-16T19:21:01.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14805" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-16T23:14:27.983" Score="6" ViewCount="251" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently, I have become interested in Soto Zen. I would like to go to a Soto Zen center, but I live to far away from one. This leaves me with the option for listening to online talks. Are there any free online dharma talks given by reliable teachers known to the Soto community. Dogen explains the features of a reliable teacher but I haven't been able to find one. Can you guys help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8143" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-18T07:12:23.983" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T18:41:53.130" Title="Are there any strict Soto Zen teachers online that I could listen to?" Tags="|zen|teachers|soto|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14806" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14809" CreationDate="2016-04-17T16:57:31.077" Score="1" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general, which language or languages were the sutras compiled and was this the same language tha Shakyamuni spoke?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T18:39:27.170" Title="In which language or languages were most of the sutras compiled?" Tags="|history|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14707" CreationDate="2016-04-17T22:12:06.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is well known scientific fact that over time, the animal population including human population increases. How does a colloquially scientific religion explain reincarnation if populations increases?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I wouldn't state there are well-known scientific facts representing animal populations increasing. One counter example could be found in a correlational balance between prey and predator. When prey increases in population, than predators increase in population. Eventually the population of prey will be lower than the predator population leaving the remaining predators vulnerable to starvation thus dying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, the question is actually very simple to resolve. Let us suppose you have three pencils. Each pencil is labeled independently giving them their own distinct letter (a, b, c). Therefore, (a ≠ b) (a ≠ c) ( b ≠ c) but all three pencils share a common essence known as &quot;d&quot;. &quot;d&quot; in this case represents nothingness/emptiness. The formula can be read as (a = d) (b = d) (c = d) ( a + b = d) (a + c = d) (b + c = d) (a + b + c = d). Similar to pencils, which are objects dependent on nothingness, people too are objects dependent on nothingness. You can increase the number of pencils to aleph-naught (infinity) and find there is enough emptiness for them to exist in; and that they will all share a common essence known as &quot;d&quot;. Therefor, &quot;d&quot; is sufficient in sustaining an infinite number of objects including animals and people. An increase in the population only shows a new manifestation of the same essence which is who we are. Let us consider our independent existence. For example, those who become enlightened are considered to move into &quot;Buddha Land&quot; while we live in the realm of Samsara. If the population in all six realms are low, than it becomes reasonable to assume people will have to wait their turn. Of course, this is only one hypothesis out of many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-17T22:12:06.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14808" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14843" CreationDate="2016-04-17T22:35:51.297" Score="2" ViewCount="304" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Lotus Sutra, (Burton Watson translation) there is often mention of &quot;the counterfeit law&quot; being propigated for so-and-so number of small kalpas. I will give an exerpt below, but what exactly is this referring to? I don't know if this is helpful information, but it almost always is talked of in accordance to a prophesy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;That buddha's life span will be twenty-four small kalpas, his Correct Law will endure in the world for fourty small kalpas, and his Counterfeit Law for fourty small kalpas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2020-12-14T13:21:29.107" Title="What is the, &quot;Counterfeit Law&quot; as referenced in Lotus Sutra" Tags="|terminology|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14806" CreationDate="2016-04-17T22:46:29.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni Buddha spoke in a language known as Magadhi Prakrit. According to this article &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/What-language-did-Gautama-Buddha-speak-according-to-Indian-mythology-and-why-is-it-significant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.quora.com/What-language-did-Gautama-Buddha-speak-according-to-Indian-mythology-and-why-is-it-significant&lt;/a&gt; there are no written records in his language. Instead, they were later written down in Pali, Sinhalese, and Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastEditorUserId="8152" LastEditDate="2016-04-18T00:14:12.490" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T00:14:12.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14805" CreationDate="2016-04-18T00:49:25.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Soto Zen Dharma talks: &lt;a href=&quot;http://livestream.com/SFZC&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://livestream.com/SFZC&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shunryū Suzuki&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4867F3D9F795268A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4867F3D9F795268A&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-04-18T13:37:42.120" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:37:42.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14811" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-18T03:35:21.583" Score="0" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;It occurred to me that some human life has immeasurable value. Not just is very very valuable, but cannot, in principle, be contrasted with the value of another sentient life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; that the term for this immeasurability is the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do any traditions claim that the dharmakaya is never manifest in a human being?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T18:18:52.293" Title="Can the dharmakaya buddha be manifest as human?" Tags="|human|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14812" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-18T08:06:25.033" Score="3" ViewCount="4044" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckhart_Tolle&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Eckhart Tolle&lt;/a&gt; is a spiritual teacher who is influenced by Christianity and Buddhism etc. Now he says that there are Buddhists who claim that his teachings are not really Buddhist. But in what way are his teachings not really Buddhist? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorDisplayName="user7645" LastEditDate="2016-04-19T15:18:56.367" LastActivityDate="2019-12-25T19:43:50.393" Title="Are there buddhists who criticize Eckhart Tolle as it is not really a buddhist teach? If so, what is their critique?" Tags="|philosophy|teachers|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14812" CreationDate="2016-04-18T09:25:41.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you call something Buddhism it will be attributed to the Buddha and should be inline with the doctrinal system the Buddha taught. If something is not what the Buddha said then it is wrong to miss attributed something to the Buddha as this is what the Buddha taught. A summary of the majority of Buddha's teaching is encompassed in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wings of Awakening&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;3 Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;. So if what Eckhart Tolle writes does not have these aspects and if what is found in line with the doctrinal system then you cannot call it Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some of the core teachings of Christianity and Buddhism are not compatible with each other, so any philosophy influenced by both is neither Christianity nor Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dictionary.com/browse/-ism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;-ism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T09:25:41.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14814" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-18T10:00:02.170" Score="2" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps some Buddhists will say death doesn't really exist, but in any case, when your parents die, there is something changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would Buddha teach to say goodbye to your parents. Probably all kinds of feelings may be there and that is good, but worry a lot wouldn't be very advisable. But is it 'advisable' to feel joy or sadness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For short, how to say goodbye when someone close to you died?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-04-18T13:49:27.307" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:49:27.307" Title="What would Buddha advise to farewell when one of your parents died?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14814" CreationDate="2016-04-18T11:15:28.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can do transfer of merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on this see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3512/how-can-merit-be-transferred&quot;&gt;How can merit be transferred?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8821/transfering-merits&quot;&gt;Transfering merits&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11086/sharing-merit-in-theravada-buddhism&quot;&gt;Sharing merit in Theravada Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10658/actions-taken-to-transfer-merit&quot;&gt;Actions taken to transfer merit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1591/does-theravada-believe-in-feeding-food-to-hungry-ghosts&quot;&gt;Does Theravada believe in feeding food to hungry ghosts?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can do a:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;offering of cloths to the monks in memory of the dead (monks cloths were initially made of the cloth used to wrap the dead bodies)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;organise a dhamma talk for the benefit of the dead (generally the night before the almsgiving mentioned below)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;organise an almsgiving for the benefit of the dead (generally at 7 days, 3 months, then annually)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these are covered in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; by A.G.S. Kariyawasam&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T11:15:28.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14812" CreationDate="2016-04-18T11:50:59.640" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are also Christians who claim he doesn't teach Christianity very well either. Instead, he draws off sources the general public would typically understand. Eckhart Tolle and his teachings are more Taoist than Buddhist. His favorite book to read is the &quot;Tao Te Ching&quot; by Lao tzu. He explains this in his talk called, &quot;Eckhart Tolle - Tao Te Ching and a previous global evolutional era&quot;. Although he has very similar teachings to Buddha, he neglects the primary teachings such as the Four Noble Truths, the Three Gems, the Eight Fold Path, and so on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T11:50:59.640" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12628" CreationDate="2016-04-18T12:37:43.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Namarupa&lt;/strong&gt; is defined in the scriptures. Nama is feeling, perception, intention, internal contact &amp;amp; attention. Rupa is the physical body composed of earth, wind, fire &amp;amp; water elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is not 'Creationism' explaining how human life comes into physical existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination explains how ignorance conditions the five aggregates to generate psychological suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the five aggregates will repeatedly be mentioned in the 12 conditions as the conditioning of suffering moves from subtle to gross. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; conditions internal feelings, perceptions, thoughts &amp;amp; bodily drives (&lt;strong&gt;sankhara&lt;/strong&gt;) which condition the &lt;strong&gt;consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;namarupa&lt;/strong&gt; to purse outer &lt;strong&gt;sense objects&lt;/strong&gt;, which then condition grosser &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;attachment&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;ego-becoming&lt;/strong&gt;, self-identity ('&lt;strong&gt;jati&lt;/strong&gt;') and the &lt;strong&gt;aging-&amp;amp;-death&lt;/strong&gt; of the self-identity, which results in suffering (sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind regards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-18T13:41:31.790" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:41:31.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12628" CreationDate="2016-04-18T12:43:00.483" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;DN15 is aprophyca. It fails the Buddhist Great Standards (Mahapadesa) and therefore should be dismissed as being the words of the Buddha. The Pali scriptures state consciousness is only the six sensory consciousness (eg. MN 148). They state consciousness is only cognition (eg. MN 43). The idea of 'relinking consciousness' was obviously created after the Buddha, by religious clerics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T12:43:00.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2016-04-18T12:50:46.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not remain silent on this matter. He only remained silent to those who would misunderstand. As stated in the Ananda Sutta, the questioner of the Buddha was &quot;befuddled&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;confused&quot;. To quote: &quot;the bewildered Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'nihilism', it is a 'self-view', which believes &quot;I&quot; will die or &quot;others make me suffer&quot;. Relevant suttas that explain this are: Brahmajala Sutta, Held by Views (Itivuttaka) and Acela Sutta (refer to footnote). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-27T13:30:22.787" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:30:22.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14498" CreationDate="2016-04-18T12:55:53.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st noble truth summarises all suffering as clinging (upadana). The five aggregrates are irrelevant. Birth, death, etc, are only suffering when clung to. Read these suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.048.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T12:55:53.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14779" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:03:12.307" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali, the word 'sabba kaya&quot; means &quot;all bodies&quot;. The Anapanasati Sutta states the &quot;breathing is a body among bodies&quot;. These bodies (kaya) are the breath kaya, rupa kaya (physical body) and nama kaya (mental body). The Buddha was not interested in the start, middle &amp;amp; end of the breath. The Buddha was interested in how the mind can calm the breathing, which calms the body. Or, in terms of suffering, how the state of mind disturbs the breathing which disturbs the body. The Buddha was interested in suffering &amp;amp; it cessation. What as been explained is the true meaning of stage 3 of anapanasati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer to Buddhadasa book: Anapanasati: Unveiling the Secrets of Life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T18:40:21.280" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T18:40:21.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2521" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:08:29.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali, the word 'sabba kaya&quot; means &quot;all bodies&quot;. The Anapanasati Sutta states the &quot;breathing is a body among bodies&quot;. These bodies (kaya) are the breath kaya, rupa kaya (physical body) and nama kaya (mental body). The Buddha was not interested in the &quot;whole body&quot; since this is only samadhi. The sutta states: &quot;He trains himself&quot;, which means the entire 3 trainings. The Buddha was interested in how the mind can calm the breathing, which calms the body, which calms the mind, in turn. This is 'cause &amp;amp; effect'. Or, in terms of suffering, how the state of mind disturbs the breathing which disturbs the body. The Buddha was interested in suffering &amp;amp; it cessation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer to Buddhadasa book: Anapanasati: Unveiling the Secrets of Life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes here discerning the purpose of Buddha-Dhamma &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:08:29.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3865" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:12:29.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali should be translated as &quot;body fabricator&quot;. MN 44 defines the body fabricator as the breathing in &amp;amp; out. Calming the kaya sankhara means calming the breathing. That simple. The breathing is calmed by observing it; that is; by abandoning craving so the mind become clear &amp;amp; naturally observant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:12:29.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9056" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:20:31.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To realise not-self, the mind must have some clarity &amp;amp; abandonment (of self-clinging). Not-self is best 1st seen when the mind can see clearly the body breathes rather than &quot;I&quot; breathe. Then if rapture arises, the mind see rapture as rapture rather than &quot;I am happy&quot;. It takes a fair amount of mental detachment for not-self to be seen. When not-self is seen, nama is seen as 'nama' and rupa is seen as 'rupa' (rather than seen as &quot;me&quot;, &quot;I&quot;, etc). The way to develop detachment is to give up judging &amp;amp; give up wanting. Even wanting to concentrate. It is best to just have the mind be still &amp;amp; quiet. This will make the mind clearer. The ordinary effort &amp;amp; wilfulness to meditate is actually an obscuration to clear insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:20:31.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9056" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:26:58.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also, the word 'dukkha' in the 3 characteristics does not mean suffering. It means unsatisfactoriness, i.e., the inability to bring lasting happiness. If the impermanence of a thing is seen clearly, it will also be seen that object cannot be relied on for happiness. For example, if you are offered a brand new car with a 5 year warranty versus a very old broken down car, you will take the brand new car because it is more permanent &amp;amp; more satisfactory (reliable). The words 'dukkha' in the 4 noble truths &amp;amp; 3 characteristics differ in meaning, just as the word 'dukkha' in the term 'dukkavedana' differs in meaning. Buddhas experience the dukkha of physical pain &amp;amp; the dukkha of unsatisfactory conditioned phenomena but Buddhas do not experience the dukkha of clinging to the five aggregates, as explained in the 4 noble truths.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:26:58.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:32:37.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 2nd mark of conditioned phenomena (not 'existence') is 'unsatisfactoriness' rather than 'suffering'. When the mind sees the breath, due to its impermanence, cannot be relied on for true happiness, it sees 'dukkha'. I suppose if the mind also sees due to impermanence, if the mind clings to the breath, this clinging will bring suffering because the clung-to breath will change &amp;amp; disappear, this can also count as seeing 'dukkha' in the breath (I suppose, if we cheat a little). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:32:37.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14728" CreationDate="2016-04-18T13:37:51.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the end of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. Consciousness is not an &quot;illusion&quot;. What is an &quot;illusion&quot; is delusion. When Nirvana is attained, the mind remains consciousness. You can read here: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T13:37:51.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14830" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14831" CreationDate="2016-04-18T17:00:36.800" Score="1" ViewCount="451" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I see my direction of motivation towards working or relationships or for that matter even meditation is the want to feel proud of myself. Why do we need to feel proud of ourselves? Can we overcome that need?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also want to know if this is related to emotional insecurity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T19:10:32.797" Title="self esteem and the need to feel proud of ourselves" Tags="|self|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14830" CreationDate="2016-04-18T18:09:47.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The motivation behind the need to feel proud of yourself has it's roots in a lack of self-worth and confidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Lack of self-confidence can be made up of several different aspects like: guilt, anger turned inward, unrealistic expectations of perfection, false sense of humility, fear of change or making mistakes, depression etc. Depression can actually also be a result of a lack of self-confidence. '&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The damage can actually be found in your ego. The ego is an identity fabricated in the mind by past events. For example your birth name, skin color, nationality, sex, or anything that deals with past experiences which reaffirms the identity of who you are. In Buddhism, there are terms such as &quot;antidotes&quot; which are used to cure delusions associated with general or specific sufferings. For example, anger can be cured with patience and love. Anxiety can be cured with acceptance and wisdom. Self-worth can be cured by loving-kindness and wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness, also known as Metta, is a practice to accept and love others and ourselves unconditionally. Typically Metta is practiced through a meditation which usually uses a mantra such as, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other methods may include visualizations such as a radiating red or white auras from the heart symbolizing love. Meditation is important but more importantly is service. It takes the attention off yourself and puts it onto others. This is the quickest way for developing Metta in yourself while putting it into practice.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, you need to develop wisdom. Studying sutras, listening to Dharma talks, and reading books on the subject is a fantastic way to gain knowledge. Knowledge will help you systematically but it won't necessarily develop wisdom. By doing meditations such as &quot;Zazen&quot;, you will gradually see through the ego the same way you would see through a desert mirage. Eventually by seeing through the ego it will wither away completely leaving you at peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T18:09:47.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14832" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-18T19:40:10.957" Score="1" ViewCount="117" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you get disturbed at night by tiny sounds or find it difficult to hear loud sounds at day is there a particulary cause known for that in buddhism. Is it bad and what to do about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-04-26T13:30:53.493" Title="If you are/become very sensitive for sounds what could be the reason/cause?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14832" CreationDate="2016-04-18T20:13:55.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensitivity could just mean your senses are being noticed. Something that you once ignored is now being noticed because your living in the present moment. You're aware of things which you didn't notice before. It may seem louder than usual because your mind is no longer being occupied by something else. Another explanation could be sensory adaptation to a new environment. It's not uncommon for practitioners who return from retreats to be more sensitive to their environment. Their ears have adapted to the silent lifestyle but eventually adapt to usual city noise over time.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-18T20:13:55.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13750" CreationDate="2016-04-19T01:08:53.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Theravada buddhism, atoms are not the same as those found in western physics. Instead, they are &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As described in Buddhist texts, it is a ‘non-eternal’ unit of the&#xA;  four elements (water, fire, earth, and air) that are impermanent and&#xA;  constantly changing... Like other seemingly&#xA;  external objects, these atoms are perceived by the senses, but do not&#xA;  truly exist beyond cognitive awareness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There really isn't much similarities between the two atoms because one can be divided and the other cannot. So what are the Buddhist atoms? They are earth, water, fire, air, color, smell, taste and  nutritive essence (food).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These eight components of matter, forming an octad (atthaka), are called “indivisible matter” or&#xA;  simply “inseparable”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;they make up the &#xA;four elements, also known as the &quot;Four Greats&quot;, spoken from the &lt;em&gt;Surangama Sutra&lt;/em&gt; explains how we are able to see the world today. There are also two additional elements (Emptiness and consciousness) which lets the illusory forms take shape. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahayana Tradition there is a Sutra known as the &lt;em&gt;Lalitavistara Sutra&lt;/em&gt;. It's to complicated for me to read, but I guess it does go into depth on buddhas explanation of matter. &amp;lt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://iteror.org/big/Source/buddhism/Lalitavistara-ch12.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://iteror.org/big/Source/buddhism/Lalitavistara-ch12.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastEditorUserId="8152" LastEditDate="2016-04-19T01:19:37.410" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T01:19:37.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14832" CreationDate="2016-04-19T02:22:55.110" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To hear you need:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;have a functional ear faculty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a sound to hear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;direct your consciousness to the ear faculty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you ear is in good condition as you hear well in night. Since you are sensitive at night, and not at day, when things are quiet, is that you are more composed or focused with you attention at the ear to hearing than in day time. During the perhaps with other activities you are also distracted hence attention is not fulling on the sounds you hear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T02:22:55.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14830" CreationDate="2016-04-19T02:48:40.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being proud is a natural consequence of certain thought patterns rooted in craving, i.e., when there is craving there is self conceiving in some cases and some cases when there is self conceiving can lead to being proud. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.2-Vicarita-Tanha-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vicarita) Tanha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To overcome feeling proud you should be aware when you evaluate yourself higher and be equanimous in face of pleasant sensation that follow. To develop wisdom you have to be aware of the arising and passing nature or impermanent nature of what is experienced. To fully eradicate the roots so this does not arise again, you should know the whole sphere of sensation or phenomenas which you can sense and your perceiving the experience and positive, negative or neutral and the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations that follow. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practical aspects is better learned by doing a formal course. You can search for a suitable course location at: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditorDisplayName="user7645" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T15:24:40.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14837" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-19T06:16:31.147" Score="3" ViewCount="686" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everybody, who is learning Buddhism know that &lt;strong&gt;'Samma Dhitti'&lt;/strong&gt; is the 1st of &lt;strong&gt;'Ariya-Ashtanga Marga'&lt;/strong&gt;. It's surface meaning is 'Right vision'. But what is the exact meaning of it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a one procedure of 'Ariya-Ashtanga Marga' to achieve 'Nirvana'. I want to know the deep meaning of it. How to achieve right vision or Samma Dhitti? Is it a procedure of our thoughts? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we go to the &lt;em&gt;'Samma aajeewa','Samma kammantha','Samma wacha''Samma wayama'&lt;/em&gt;, we can describe them as procedures or habits. But I get a feeling that 'Samma Dhitti' is more than that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8163" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T01:39:44.497" Title="What is the mean of 'samma ditti' in Ariya-Ashtanga Marga?" Tags="|theravada|nirvana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14837" CreationDate="2016-04-19T07:16:57.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A full description and meaning of that Samma Ditthi in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariya-Ashtanga Marga&lt;/a&gt; is given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Giving a full description of this here will be too long for this format.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The morality aspect of the path is mainly based on abstaining from certain unwholesome conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is more in lines of developing wholesome mental habits which subdue the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/a&gt;, development of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T07:16:57.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14837" CreationDate="2016-04-19T09:03:51.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a virtuous person were to constantly reflect and expand upon even one strand mentioned in the Samma Ditti sutta referred by Suminda above, it will be for his long term benefit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example one can take the section on the four types of Food and constantly reflect on that reality and confirm that view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Piya Tan has written an in depth commentary of the Samma Ditti sutta here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T09:03:51.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14840" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-19T11:45:07.503" Score="1" ViewCount="1220" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism there is a sect of monks who specialize in &quot;Telepathy&quot;. Their job essentially is to protect the Tibetan people from natural disasters. Does anyone know the process on how these Tibetan monks are chosen? And why are not all worthy Tibetan monks allowed in this position?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-22T08:22:27.803" LastActivityDate="2021-01-27T17:15:51.197" Title="Monks chosen for Tibetan Telepathy" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|monk|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14498" CreationDate="2016-04-19T13:38:37.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five skandhas are the five attributes which constitutes a living being. The five Skandhas are: form (rupa), sensation (vedana), perception (samjna), mental formation (samskara), and finally consciousness (vijnana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form or rupa is attributed to the six physical realms. It is anything that can be sensed or touched by the being. This even includes the beings body. The problem with separating the definition of the Dukkha's with the Skandhas is that you can't. They are all inter-related. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Five Skandhas are a fundamental Buddhist concept and play an important part in Buddhist doctrine. For it is through the Five Skandhas that the world (Samsara) is experienced, and nothing is experienced apart from the Five Skandhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So let us look at the first definition of Dukkha and attempt to break it down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sentence is explaining the pains of a finite existing body that is imperfect. This can be categorized as &quot;form&quot;. Form also referring to the basic building blocks meaning the &quot;four elements&quot; or Mahābhūta. In order for a form to exist it requires consciousness, the second Skandha. Once form and consciousness makes contact (phassa), it is translated into sensation (vedana), the third Skandha. This is where the two skandhas arise known as perception (samjna) and mental formation (samskara) which reacts to the form. Without the five skandhas you would never know how birth, aging and death is dukkha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T13:38:37.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14837" CreationDate="2016-04-19T13:43:17.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another aspect of Sammadhitthi is described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-salayatanika Sutta MN 149&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..&amp;quot;However, knowing &amp;amp; seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing &amp;amp; seeing forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye as they actually are present, knowing &amp;amp; seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the eye... forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now this &amp;amp; now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances &amp;amp; mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments &amp;amp; mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses &amp;amp; mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body &amp;amp; ease of awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions, speech, &amp;amp; livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity &amp;amp; insight....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T13:43:17.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14808" CreationDate="2016-04-19T18:39:50.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the definition for  Correct Law (from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/Glossary/C&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Soka Gakkai Nichiren Buddhism Library Glossary&lt;/a&gt;): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Correct Law (Ch zhengfa, J shōhō or shōbō) An abbreviation for the period when the Correct Law prevails. According to Buddhist belief, after the death of a buddha, his teachings pass through three periods or phases of development. In the first, known as the period of the Correct Law, Buddhism is a living religion and those who practice it attain enlightenment through its teachings. The period of the Correct Law following the death of Shakyamuni Buddha is usually said to have been a thousand years in length, though some sources describe it as five hundred years long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here is the definition for Counterfeit Law: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Counterfeit Law (Ch xiangfa, J zōhō or zōbō) Second period following the death of a buddha. During this period, Buddhism becomes increasingly formalized, people’s connection with it weakens, and progressively fewer of them are able to gain enlightenment through its teachings. Some sources describe the period of the Counterfeit Law following Shakyamuni’s death as a thousand years in length, others as five hundred years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-20T03:16:04.387" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T03:16:04.387" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14805" CreationDate="2016-04-19T18:41:53.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rinsen Sensei of the Buddhist Temple of Toledo has transmission in the Harada-Yasutani lineage. His Dharma talks and Teishos are posted online occasionally, all for free. He is a genuine and reliable teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thedrinkinggourd.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.thedrinkinggourd.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisttempleoftoledo.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhisttempleoftoledo.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also check out Zen Mountain Monastery and the San Francisco Zen Center you might be able to find some free talks on there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8171" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T18:41:53.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9055" CreationDate="2016-04-19T18:57:27.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Zen practitioner that lives with chronic pain. I haven't been sitting for super long but I have learned a lot about sitting with pain since I've been in the Zendo. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My first recommendation is that if you have a teacher you ask them what to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seem to be two end of the spectrum on this, and what's important is that you find what the middle between the two is for you (might be different today than it is tomorrow!). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) As neko elucidated in their answer, the pain is a story. You don't &quot;complain about [your] molars during sex.&quot; It can be very important to sit through the pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) If you are causing actual harm to yourself, you are probably doing something wrong. Get up. Go lay down. Change postures. When I'm on retreat it is very important to me that I don't leave the retreat with a destroyed body. I have to balance when I sit with pain and when I stop sitting and take care of myself. I have to be very careful about falling into thought patterns around the idea of zen being some sort of bootcamp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8171" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T18:57:27.947" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14830" CreationDate="2016-04-19T19:10:32.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is pretty good explained &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body that is impermanent, painful and subject to change, what else is it than not seeing reality? Or if one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness, what else is it than not seeing reality? If one does not regard himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body, the feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness what else is it than seeing reality? - SN 22.49&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T19:10:32.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14691" CreationDate="2016-04-19T21:04:36.877" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Escapism is not a principle found in Buddhism. Escapism suggests you are trying to run away from suffering, but in reality we are trying to be changed by suffering. This is a core teaching in Buddhism and circulates around in the term being &lt;strong&gt;mindful&lt;/strong&gt;. By avoiding experiences that are unpleasant, the practitioner does not learn a lesson life is trying to teach them. By grabbing the bull by the horns and facing your problem head on, wisdom and experience begins to unfold. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To no longer have desires is commonly misinterpreted as all desires. There are such things as wholesome desires such as wishing the well-being of all human beings. To say there are no more desires means you no longer have strings pulling you around. You can still enjoy your favorite pizza, go inside if it's to cold outside, stay in bed while you're sick, but that's ok. You're human and you recognize it's going to happen. It means you have accepted whats happening in the here and now; but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy life nor take action to help those in need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8152" LastActivityDate="2016-04-19T21:04:36.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2710" CreationDate="2016-04-20T01:25:32.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;From a Therevada perspective, in the Sigalovada Sutta (Pali Canon) the Buddha says to Silaga that parents should be worshiped&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha did not say that parents should be &lt;strong&gt;worshipped&lt;/strong&gt; in the Sigalovada Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Lord said was that one should have 'anukampa' for the six categories mentioned. Anukampa may be translated as empathy; it is mutual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Parents have duties--bringing children up; giving them an education etc.&#xA;Children have duties--primarily looking after the parents in their old age, when they are feeble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Parents should be worshipped' is a complete misinterpretation of the Sutta. It changes one of the most fundamental concepts of Dhamma--Equality of all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhitatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T01:25:32.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14850" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-20T04:14:26.867" Score="4" ViewCount="2390" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that Buddha explained how the world is recreated after a destruction, in &lt;em&gt;Aggan̄n̄a Sutta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One tale told by the Buddha in the Aggan̄n̄a Sutta describes the process of recreation on this grand scale. An old world-system has just been destroyed, and its inhabitants are reborn in a new system. To begin with they are spirits, floating happily above the earth, luminescent and without form, name or sex.&#xA;  The world in these early stages is without light or land, only water. Eventually earth appears and the spirits come to taste and enjoy it. Their greed causes their ethereal bodies to become solid and coarse and differentiate into male and female, good-looking and ugly. As they lose their luminescence the sun and moon come into being.Gradually the beings fall into further wicked habits, causing themselves - and the earth itself - to become less pleasant.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Source- BBC&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the modern science describes the creation of the world in a different way. According to scientists, the first life on earth started in water. Later these water animals came to land and evolved to the types of animals that we see today. It is said that the humans evolved from monkeys. It's evident that Dinosaurs lived on earth before humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Which explanation is true? Buddha's or Scientists'?&lt;/strong&gt; Did Buddha lie When explaining the creation of the world because the people at that time didn't understand these scientific facts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very sorry for my bad English. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8180" LastActivityDate="2018-11-13T12:35:10.977" Title="How did Buddha Explain the Creation Of the World?" Tags="|the-buddha|modern-world|sutras|science|truth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14850" CreationDate="2016-04-20T08:31:28.537" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How did Buddha Explain the Creation Of the World?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you noted much of it found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and related Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and evolution&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14488/can-you-point-me-some-sutras-on-buddhist-cosmology&quot;&gt;Can you point me some Sutras on Buddhist Cosmology?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Which explanation is true? Buddha's or Scientists'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There will be argument both for and against which is not the best format for this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's teaching is eternal / universal while the scientists have theories which time to time get proven and disproven with new theories replacing the old. So it is best to take the Buddha's explanation. Having said this the Buddha sometimes describe thing metaphorically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T12:34:27.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14852" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-20T10:41:48.487" Score="4" ViewCount="2033" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there anything for Buddhist texts equivalent to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_citation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;typical way&lt;/a&gt; of citing Biblical verses? (e.g. John 1:1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Related question on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3770/tripitaka-section-numbering&quot;&gt;Tripitaka Section Numbering&lt;/a&gt;.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T16:18:47.767" Title="Is there a standard way to cite Buddhist scriptures?" Tags="|scripture|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14852" CreationDate="2016-04-20T11:59:13.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I keep looking myself, this seems to be less well-specified than one might hope. But a couple of useful things so far lead me to one option being something like: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 16 (PTS DN ii 72)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trouble is, although that's probably quite a precise form, it's for the Pali. See below for the references that help explain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;, as always, has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/abbrev.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;something useful to say&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Unfortunately, the especially relevant-looking link in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/abbrev.html#fn-1x&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;note #1&lt;/a&gt; at the bottom of that page is dead. However, I googled for the title and I think I found it, or something like it as follows:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut028.htm#Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Contents and Structure of the Pali Canon and its Commentaries&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut028.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;BuddhaSasana&lt;/a&gt;. (I also searched for it on &lt;a href=&quot;https://ukabs.org.uk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://ukabs.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;, which is the organization that AtoI's reference suggests originally hosted the document, but I couldn't find it).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T11:59:13.120" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14850" CreationDate="2016-04-20T15:18:58.370" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it is difficult to comprehend the explanation given in Aggañña Sutta; how about focusing your energy to understand &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loka Sutta, SN 12.44&lt;/a&gt;? If you can realize this explanation, there will not be any doubt about Aggañña Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loka Sutta, SN 12.44&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One addressed the monks: &amp;quot;I will teach you the origination of the world &amp;amp; the ending of the world. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As you say, lord,&amp;quot; the monks responded to the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;And what is the origination of the world? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. This is the origination of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Dependent on the ear &amp;amp; sounds there arises ear-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the nose &amp;amp; aromas there arises nose-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors there arises tongue-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations there arises body-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the intellect &amp;amp; mental qualities there arises intellect-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. This is the origination of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the ending of the world? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. Now, from the remainderless cessation &amp;amp; fading away of that very craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering. This is the ending of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Dependent on the ear &amp;amp; sounds there arises ear-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the nose &amp;amp; aromas there arises nose-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors there arises tongue-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations there arises body-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact... Dependent on the intellect &amp;amp; mental qualities there arises intellect-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. Now, from the remainderless cessation &amp;amp; fading away of that very craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering. This is the ending of the world.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-20T15:18:58.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2016-04-20T18:22:35.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Forgive me as I am late. But I thought I would put my thoughts here. This question actually came as a suggestion when I was typing out my own question. I decided to &quot;let go&quot; of my question which is very similar to this and go out on a hunch and answer this instead, which may seem weird, but here goes. Also, I will say what I perceive as The Buddha's teaching as purely common sense in my answers as I like to speak out of my own experiences and observations. I think Gautama Buddha is a very common sense person, when it comes to affairs as a psychologist. He speaks very simple things if I am to believe the texts. I am not an enlightened being nor do I wish to be one. I honestly don't care about enlightenment or Nirvana, no matter how much people say that it is the highest goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I totally understand what you're going through and your background in &lt;code&gt;understanding the ego&lt;/code&gt;. After listening to all those people, Watts, Sadhguru, Ram Dass, you name it, what helps and doesn't help at the same time is the moment we get back to our self. Those quiet moments we have to ourselves bring back our issues because, the ego doesn't let go so easily. We do think back to what all those realized masters have to say as a consolation. What I'd suggest is letting go of those people's teachings. Take the crux of the matter as you know it AHEAD. Don't go BACKWARD. I have a hunch you're stuck with the thoughts and feelings those teachings gave you and then since the feeling of peace was impermanent, you lost it and consequently there is a feeling of loss. It wrecks that peace which didn't last too long. And of course, you feel lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider this. We are stuck anyway in this &lt;code&gt;Samsara&lt;/code&gt; as the Buddha puts it. Let's strive to get unstuck from our &quot;oh-my-god, what-am-I-doing?&quot; moments, to just &lt;code&gt;being, doing and living&lt;/code&gt;. Let's move ahead, moment by moment. Use your breath as an anchor to help you get back to the current moment. &lt;code&gt;Just living it&lt;/code&gt;. Yes it is really hard. But I'd suggest taking all moments at face value and just saying &quot;Its okay.&quot;. About the thoughts that have cropped up I'd suggest giving them up as they are only thoughts. Why I say this is that, &lt;code&gt;full acceptance of the situation&lt;/code&gt;, whatever that maybe, is necessary to make our next rational choice in talking to someone, or in carrying out our next activity, and in living life as it is. Also, don't get stuck in the feeling that you lost your ego because you realized it intellectually. Its hiding ;) Its a creepy little guy backing up on you when you least expect it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your loss of interest in any activity is most probably because you suddenly see no point in anything FOR YOURSELF (the ego playing back here). Might I come to a very similar question? What is the point of life? Or why are we here? It is to live. Whatever the situation maybe. Experience it for what it is. You can't really quit life, that'll just be nonsensical suicide. This life is precious for its moments. When you live it fully and truly let go of seeking anything, you'll start gaining more peace. &lt;code&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/code&gt; may be a thing but that's all just hype nowadays. Just fashionable terms being thrown about in the hope that someone falls into that trap or propaganda. Let it be. Let everything be. All your opinions included. They will arise. They will pass. Don't try to hold the cup on your head, take it and keep it down on the table or something and let it be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest &lt;code&gt;a healthy mix of rationality, questioning and peaceful acceptance&lt;/code&gt; is what you need, to live, in your situation. By peaceful acceptance, I mean to say, take everything you see/read with a pinch of salt and try to live simply or try doing activities just as an experience, without judging. Like a child, if I may say. This is because everything changes. Don't cling to moments. Keep dancing with them and move ahead. Take what life has to give you and breathe. Be grateful that you are given so many breathing moments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You've observed little kids of course. They just go about joyfully onto the next activity, the next moment and hardly bear any grudges or are not really stuck in any moment. Of course we can laugh our way through life, its not a problem. What I mean to say is accept all sorrows and joy equally in life as you experience it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what I experienced. I am also partly stuck like you. It is frustrating that the solution is so subtle. But I'd like to say that by relaxing and breathing and being meditative as I do everyday activities, I allow a certain calm to pervade me. I don't know if I made sense there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-04-21T14:26:14.407" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T14:26:14.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="48" CreationDate="2016-04-21T04:26:37.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanisarro's internet PDF called: 'Shape of Suffering' is the only publication I know of that provides a practical guided meditation through each of the conditions. Buddhadasa's work is good but 'Shape of Suffering' is the most practical. If you follow the meditation guidance in 'Shape of Suffering', you can decide for yourself whether the explanation is true or not.  Most of the other interpretations are mere unverifiable meta-physical theories. Regards &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T04:26:37.063" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-04-21T04:26:37.063" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14850" CreationDate="2016-04-21T04:48:33.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many aprophycal explanations attributable to Buddha but in the core scriptures Buddha regarded such questions &amp;amp; discussion as unprofitable. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;If, while he is dwelling by means of this dwelling, his mind inclines to speaking, he resolves that 'I will not engage in talk that is base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unbeneficial, that does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calm, direct knowledge, self-awakening, or Unbinding — i.e., talk about kings, robbers, &amp;amp; ministers of state; armies, alarms, &amp;amp; battles; food &amp;amp; drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, &amp;amp; scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women &amp;amp; heroes; the gossip of the street &amp;amp; the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, &lt;strong&gt;the creation of the world &amp;amp; of the sea&lt;/strong&gt;; talk of whether things exist or not.' In this way he is alert there.&lt;/em&gt; Maha-suññata Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was concerned about how the mind creates is own 'mental world' (loka) that results in suffering, as explained at the link below &amp;amp; elsewhere. Buddha used the word 'world' as a synonym for 'suffering (eg. in Rohitassa Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T04:48:33.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2016-04-21T05:30:03.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Altruism is best when it is a natural calling. Some are more inclined to solitute. Regardless, time living with like-minded peole (spiritual friends or Kalynamitta) is the general Buddhist approach for getting through the 'adjustment period' from world alientation to a spiritual social intregration. I would suggest to spend some time in a monastic environment, to investigate the lifestyle. In the monastary is learned a unique way of intregrating egoless with interaction. It might be like going 'home'. It may not. A domestic plane, bus or train ride won't hurt. Try this link: &lt;a href=&quot;https://forestsangha.org/community/monasteries/continents/north-america&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://forestsangha.org/community/monasteries/continents/north-america&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-21T05:35:08.957" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T05:35:08.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14840" CreationDate="2016-04-21T09:42:47.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not all worthy (enlightened) monks have psychic powers. In fact, Satan or Mara also has psychic powers. The Buddha's enemy Devadatta, who tried to murder Buddha, also had psychic powers. Psychic powers, such as telepathy, can only be developed by individuals that have a latent disposition for them. The Buddha had many fully enlightened disciples but they all did not have psychic powers. The most lucid (Sariputta) did not have psychic powers. The disciple famed for his psychic powers (Maha Moggallana)  was said to be Mara in a past life (MN 50). In original Buddhism, psychic powers were not considered a sign of sanctity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-21T09:48:03.507" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T09:48:03.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14850" CreationDate="2016-04-21T15:36:37.530" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Which explanation is true? Buddha's or Scientists'? Did Buddha lie When explaining the creation of the world...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No enlightened being lies for any purpose. Scientific knowledge is based on hypothesis. The Dhamma is what the Buddha understood through direct knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;It is said that the humans evolved from monkeys. It's evident that&#xA;  Dinosaurs lived on earth before humans.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, humans are not identified as animals. They devolved from self-luminous gods(brahmas). Not monkeys! Agganna sutta is about how human beings came to dwell on Earth. It doesn't mention about the origin of the animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, dinosaur bones being older than human bones doesn't prove that humans came later. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot; they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving&#xA;  through the air, glorious — and &lt;strong&gt;they stay like that for a very long&#xA;  time&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; -Agganna Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A being with such a form cannot be expected to leave any bones behind when they die. It's only much much later their bodies started to harden. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Science, &lt;strong&gt;dinosaurs lived between 230 and 65 million&lt;/strong&gt; years ago. Land &lt;strong&gt;plants had evolved on Earth by about 700 million years ago&lt;/strong&gt; and land fungi by about 1,300 million years ago. According to Agganna sutta, &lt;strong&gt;the earth didn't even have trees when the first humans came&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We were here even before the first mushrooms(fungi) appeared on earth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, &lt;strong&gt;mushroom-like plants began to grow&lt;/strong&gt; so fast that they replaced&#xA;  the mud-like ocean. The creatures began to devour them as well, and&#xA;  they also found it delicious, like sweet honey and milk. Their body&#xA;  hardened more and details began to turn finer. -Agganna Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-04-21T16:00:51.383" LastActivityDate="2016-04-21T16:00:51.383" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14850" CreationDate="2016-04-22T04:17:05.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please watch this ..&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46CZQAHouoY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46CZQAHouoY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &quot;Aganna suthra&quot; Loard buddha had explained all those things more than modern scientists has been invented.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8192" LastActivityDate="2016-04-22T04:17:05.873" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14865" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-22T14:16:22.217" Score="4" ViewCount="954" Body="&lt;p&gt;Selling animal for its meat is considered a wrong livelihood. Made intoxicants and sell them is also a wrong livelihood.  If people are working on a non-vegetarian food counter, I believe that is not a wrong livelihood. With the same understanding, if someone is working on the wine counter, the duties are serving customers who ask for wine, beer, filling shelves, that is also considered not a wrong livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But is being a bartender considered a wrong livelihood or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-22T18:42:58.123" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T01:18:22.133" Title="Is Being a Bartender Considered Right Livelihood" Tags="|theravada|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14865" CreationDate="2016-04-22T16:27:28.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vaṇijjā sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses Right Livelihood in for levity which include: business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you sell meat or drinks for a living this is not right livelihood. I think is suffices if you are part of the establishment and need not be the proprietor / owner / shareholder. So if you work in a meat shop or bar or liquor store then this is not right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are working is a big supermarket which sells among anything meat and drinks and you work in a generic counter not dedicated for the sale of meats or drinks then this might be OK. I.e., if you are part of a large store out of which a small part of business is meats, drinks and poisons unless you are involved is specifically to procure and sell these items it might be OK. As management or owner or shareholder of such business might be OK if this is a minor line of business and you are not involved in the planning and management of such activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.9-Kandaraka-S-m51-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kandaraka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.5-Apannaka-S-m60-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apannaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions that those who torment themselves, those who torment others, those who torment both, and those who torment neither themselves nor others, out of which the last is the most conducive. Similarly one's job or business should be ideally organised around the same principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.24-Amagandha-S-sn2.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ama,gandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses that it is not meat you should abstain from but from evil action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in conclusion bartending, being in the wine counter, being part of a butcher or meat shop, or being in the meat counter, is not right livelihood, but eating meat is not an issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-22T18:42:05.123" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-22T21:24:54.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I too had a problem with this concept when I first began my studies. It was helpful to substitute &quot;fixed&quot; for &quot;inherent&quot; (after consulting the dictionary).  If phenomena are fixed, then there can be no cause or condition that can change any object, concept, or emotion. An examination of life tells us this is not true. Nothing is independent of the influence of something else.  Everything is dependent upon a cause that originates an effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-04-22T21:24:54.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14868" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-22T22:29:39.007" Score="2" ViewCount="345" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing solo now for about a month. The issue is that I don't have a true teacher per se, but a collection of resources which offer diverging guidance. Considering what I've done so far, my background, and my goals, I was hoping for some advice on which path to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I began doing 10-minute sessions using the Headspace app (www.headspace.com). After graduating their 10-day program, I stumbled on a podcast put together by B. Alan Wallace (&lt;a href=&quot;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall-2014/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall-2014/&lt;/a&gt;). It is a retreat detailing a number of, from what I gather, more advanced practices, covering Wallace's translation of Padmasambava's work. I have worked through the lectures covering settling the body, speech, and mind in their natural state and mindfulness of breathing. I have been doing these practices for about 20 days to what I feel are good effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To supplement my practice, I then came across two other resources by Wallace: an academic article he wrote called The Buddhist Tradition of Samatha, which covers a method similar to that in the podcast, but diverging in some ways; I also found his translation of Dudjom Lingpa's work, Stilling the Mind . This offers a path catered more toward Western beginners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, I came across another text from Wallace which is geared directly at beginners, called The Attention Revolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little bit of detail on these different methods is in order. The podcast informs my practice for the most part. The main focus, after relaxing and breathing naturally, is to focus the mind on itself, while peripherally noting the duration of in and out breaths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beginner's practice in Stilling the Mind begins with &quot;merging the mind with space&quot; (focusing on the space between oneself and external objects), then focusing on a concrete, external object (like a pebble), and culminates with &quot;awareness&quot; (being introspectively mindful of any thoughts that arise). Wallace notes that over time, this practice can lead to the perception of thoughts which are normally too fleeting or subtle otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beginner's practice in the Attention Revolution skips anything like &quot;merging the mind with space&quot; and using a pebble, and goes straight for the Burmese method of focusing on the tactice sensations of the abdomen while breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm not sure if I should back track to one of the beginner's practices at this point or not. And if I should back track, which one would be a better option? The podcast practice feels comfortable now, though I am often lost in excitation or laxity. My goal (as of now) is not to become a monk, but to deepen my focus through samatha practice and try to be a more compassionate person. Wallace's argument that strong attention is the foundation of other practices convinces me. So as a lay person, I imagine that having access to subtle thoughts as per the path in Stilling the Mind might be a useful side effect of samatha practice. Then again, the preliminary practices of merging the mind with space and staring at a stone seem a far cry from the podcast practice I've been doing. The Burmese method seems good too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very long post and I'm not sure if I've included the relevant details for getting the sort of response I want. Please let me know what other information you need. The basic question is this: Should I switch gears to another, less advanced samatha practice now, or stay on my current path? Alternatively, I could test out the other methods for a bit. But which one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8162" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T07:41:56.713" Title="Beginner: Should I switch to a less advanced samatha practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14869" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-22T23:47:36.030" Score="3" ViewCount="330" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing a path that may be too advanced for me, in that I'm not even sure if I'm doing it properly. It is a path outlined by Alan Wallace in one of his retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following is the relevant portion from the podcast transcript (it's a transcript of &lt;a href=&quot;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall-2014/01-settling-the-body-speech-and-mind-in-its-natural-state/#transcript&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Session 1 - Settling the Body, Speech and Mind in its Natural State&lt;/a&gt;, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall-2014/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Fall 2014 Shamatha, Vipashyana, Dream Yoga, and the Experience of Pristine Awareness in the Great Perfection Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[15:40] Then we turn to settling the mind in its natural state....Just for the duration of this session let your awareness come to rest in stillness and in its own natural clarity in the present moment.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [17:23] Now cultivate this ability of letting your awareness rest in its own place, holding its own ground, which means not directing your attention to anything, neither to any sensory impression nor to thoughts, images, other mental activities or even to the space of the mind, no directionality, no target. Just let your awareness rest in its own nature without meditating on anything, without doing anything. Simply being present.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [18:42] Sustain this flow of present centered mindfulness, a mindful presence without distraction, without being carried away, without letting your awareness be set into motion obsessively. Sustain the flow of mindful presence without distraction and without grasping, without latching onto any object, either subjective or objective. Simply be present. Whatever thoughts come up just let them be without perpetuating them or grasping onto them, without following them. Simply let them dissolve of their own accord back into the space of the mind.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [21:06] And now within this context explicitly be aware of something you are probably already implicitly aware of and that is namely the rhythm of the breath. Without explicitly directing your attention to the sensations of the breath throughout the body simply continue to rest your awareness in its own state. Within that simple presence, awareness resting in its own place, take note of the duration of each in breath, each out breath, whether it is long or short. And let’s continue practicing in silence.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is how I am viewing it. I am combining awareness (mindfulness of my thoughts with introspection) with mindfulness of the duration of in/out breaths. When thoughts arise, they are mindfully observed, but not viewed as an interruption of mindfulness of breathing. When no thoughts are in mind, focus shifts to the mindfulness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it seems to me a like a very flexible model. No preference is given to mindfulness of thoughts or of breathing. Rather, the instruction seems to be just be mindful of either one, depending on the random rise and fall of thoughts. Mindfulness of breathing seems like a place-holder for attention when no thoughts are in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8162" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-23T02:10:17.947" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T02:10:17.947" Title="Wallace's samatha practice, based on Padmasambhava: Am I doing it right?" Tags="|samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14870" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-23T00:40:15.103" Score="3" ViewCount="1081" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am practicing samadhi meditation using the breath as an object.  Most teachers say to watch the breath at the tip of the nose.  However, Ajahn Brahm says not to locate the breath anywhere.  I find that these two approaches are very different.  Which one is right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8198" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T12:38:37.330" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T18:40:13.673" Title="Ajahn Brahm versus others" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|teachers|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-23T01:14:59.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In all honesty and with all due respect to the western philosophy and way of living, I'd say don't worry about it. It really doesn't matter. It's the wrong thing to bother about. I know with all the reading of techniques and people saying 1001 things about meditation, (what's that fad? Mindfulness?), we start scratching our heads. Also you'll see as you go on, you'll get a lot of contrasting opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just be. Don't think. (About this I mean).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To illustrate this, a very famous Zen story is available. 2 monks are standing next to a flag. They are arguing with each other about whether the flag is moving or wind. The sixth patriarch could not bear to see this and went to them and said, &quot;the wind is not moving, the flag is not moving. The mind is.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-04-23T04:18:36.930" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T04:18:36.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14872" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-23T03:09:24.437" Score="4" ViewCount="232" Body="&lt;p&gt;My upper back muscles are not strong enough yet to support seated meditation, so I use supine/savanana posture sometimes. My mind falls into short dream states, like hypnagogia, very easily in this posture, however.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any tips for overcoming this laxity while doing supine meditation? I am only doing samatha meditation these days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8162" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T03:28:52.673" Title="What can I do to help avoid laxity while meditating lying down?" Tags="|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-23T03:54:29.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This stems from the different interpretation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/&quot;&gt;Parimukham&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and relate other Suttas. Here in Ajahn Brahm's tradition what is said is to simply establish mindfulness. (See Ven. Sujato's interpretation in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518/&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to judge what is the right interpretation if the instruction can be put to practice easily, after all these are meditation instructions. In this context both interpretations seem valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Suttas like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the calming of verbal fabrication, i.e., calming of thinking and pondering. The beast is way to start this process is the develops concentration by anchoring your mind on a small fixed object like the centre of the upper lip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T03:54:29.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14872" CreationDate="2016-04-23T04:05:51.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Meditation on Falling to Sleep:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can be on mindful guard for the arising of the moment we  start to fall asleep. This mindfulness should stop the falling asleep and can give an  initial boost in the meditation faculties like effort and concentration so we  won't fall asleep as much and we can then better practice whatever we want with those improved faculties and wakefulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can know when we are starting to fall asleep by finding and tuning into were  the bodily or mental experiences are that we know always happen right before we start to fall asleep. We then  can easily catch when we will  start to fall asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T04:05:51.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14872" CreationDate="2016-04-23T04:43:44.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are falling asleep or getting drowsy there is a feeling associated with it (mild uncomfortable heaviness or tightness around your head). Concentrate on this sensation analysing is in terms of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt; or type of sensation (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral), in this case it is mildly unpleasant. Also you level of awareness is diminishing, so &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;focus on any sensation&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;actively keeps directing your awareness to any sensation you can feel&lt;/a&gt;, continuously evaluating to see if there any lapse of awareness and redirecting your attention to sensations that can be felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13744/295&quot;&gt;How to remove dullness of mind, without sitting meditation, in regular activity?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14378/295&quot;&gt;How is the faculty of persistence developed?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14444/295&quot;&gt;problems with meditation in the morning&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14258/&quot;&gt;Which Hindrances are counteracted or enhance by the 37 and Jhana Factors?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T05:05:32.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14865" CreationDate="2016-04-23T12:42:04.187" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not think there is anything which Buddha called right livelihood. These are interpretation of people. If you are a Bar tender clearly you do not have much choice in your life. There is nothing wrong if you are not acting out of desire. Desire is the key thing which differentiates right from wrong. If that job gives you hell lot of money and power, which helps in fulfilling your desire for a sports car, big mansion etc etc then clearly something is not right. A job ideally should be an expression of your talent/self. If you unfortunately not in a position then there is nothing wrong in it. 95% of humans are working for sake of money to survive. It is just a role you are performing to make a living. You are like an actor who is performing a role. There is no bad kamma associated with a role. An actor performing a role of Hitler will not become as bad as Hitler. Hungry and wretched people can not afford religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T12:42:04.187" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14877" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-23T13:51:59.107" Score="4" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across many lectures from Ram Dass/Richard Alpert in the beginning of my meditation practice about a month ago, and I found the attitudes toward life and other people he espoused very liberating and were a good complement to the attention-focusing practice of samatha. I haven't found any good resources in the Buddhist school for something similar to Bhakti yoga a la Ram Dass. Moreover, even in Bhakti yoga, I haven't found and specific meditative practices to help bring about that very open, loving state of mind that listening to the lectures inspired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any recommendations for Buddhist resources similar to what Ram Dass put out? I just feel more comfortable in the Buddhist framework. Also, any specific meditations for generating that feeling?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8162" LastEditorUserId="8402" LastEditDate="2016-05-26T19:42:26.657" LastActivityDate="2016-05-26T19:42:26.657" Title="What are some of the best practices for generating loving kindness?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-recommendation|loving-kindness|love|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14868" CreationDate="2016-04-23T14:51:19.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... The issue is that I don't have a true teacher per se, but a collection of resources which offer diverging guidance. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt; practice it is advisable to have a teacher as quite a few things can go wrong without proper guidance. In case of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; the chances are that few things will go wrong as long as you practice right. In this case you should be careful if you understood and practicing the technique right. Also you should have enough theoretical knowledge to navigate any issues which might popup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... I began doing 10-minute sessions using the ... app ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if apps can help in meditation other than for ties and occasional chies to keep you mindful. I would be very weary about commercial apps or courses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... after relaxing and breathing naturally ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have calm the bodily fabrications as per the Suttas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2521&quot;&gt;How is the Pali Phase &amp;quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami... passasissamiti sikkhati...&amp;quot; Interpreted as per Different Linage?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3865&quot;&gt;How does one calm one&amp;#39;s bodily fabrications?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;page 35, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing, 4th Edition,&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... focusing on the space between oneself and external objects ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This paragraph sounds like the space &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kasina&lt;/a&gt;. This type of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;meditation (Bhavana)&lt;/a&gt; is best done under a guidance of a teacher. For more information see: page 66, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing, 4th Edition,&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;. One famous Samatha master is Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw. Perhaps you can do a retreat at his monastery or under a student teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... more compassionate person ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you can try developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sublime attitudes&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;loving-kindness or benevolence or friendliness&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;compassion&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;empathetic joy&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I switch gears to another, less advanced samatha practice now, or stay on my current path? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This you have to decide. Best is to get a teacher especially if you want to do Samatha. Try &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alternatively, I could test out the other methods for a bit. But which one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also try: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T14:51:19.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14877" CreationDate="2016-04-23T15:13:11.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any recommendations for Buddhist resources similar to what Ram Dass put out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know about Ram Dass hence might not be similar but try:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;A Practical Bare-Bones guide to Metta Meditation&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Pa Auk Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Practice of Loving-Kindness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T15:13:11.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14869" CreationDate="2016-04-23T15:28:32.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am combining awareness (mindfulness of my thoughts with introspection) with mindfulness of the duration of in/out breaths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is right. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions about discerning long or short breaths as the 2nd step in the 1st triad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When thoughts arise, they are mindfully observed, but not viewed as an interruption of mindfulness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realising that thoughts arisen itself sometimes bring you mind back. If not 1st be aware of the through and breath. Then look for any sensation that the thoughts might have brought, e.g. discomfort if they were angry thoughts. Finally actively redirect you mind to the chosen object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When no thoughts are in mind, focus shifts to the mindfulness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially you have to keep brining back you mind to the breath even if it does not wander away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of breathing seems like a place-holder for attention when no thoughts are in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how some meditation master teach this, but thinking and pondering is verbal fabrication which need also be calmed. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma,ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the following might be of interest: Anapanasati: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T15:28:32.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14881" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-23T15:32:34.913" Score="6" ViewCount="2176" Body="&lt;p&gt;An elaborated answer on meaningless speech as in ten unwholesome acts is expected&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T08:03:57.680" Title="What is useless/meaningless speech?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14881" CreationDate="2016-04-23T16:07:40.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's detailed &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in M. 114 which is translated as follows&lt;/a&gt; (see page 147, i.e. page 11/31 of the PDF):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(10) SPEAKING FRIVOLOUSLY. Furthermore, he chatters frivolously [utters useless talk]—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he speaks at the wrong time, what is false, what is not connected with the goal [unbeneficial],&#xA;  what is not the teaching [Dharma], what is not the discipline [Vinaya];&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  at the wrong time, he speaks words not worth treasuring, baseless, undefined [rambling],&#xA;  not connected with the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and page 148 (i.e. page 12/31 of the PDF):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(14) NOT SPEAKING FRIVOLOUSLY. Having given up frivolous chatter, he refrains from frivolous chatter—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he speaks at the right time, what is true, what is connected with the goal [beneficial],&#xA;  what is the teaching, what is the discipline;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  he speaks words worth treasuring, at the right time, well-founded, well-defined [not rambling],&#xA;  connected with the goal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various copies of the definition of the Kamma Patha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kamma-patha/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;) say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both lists occur repeatedly, e.g. in A.X.28, 176; M.9; they are explained in detail in M.114, and in Com. to M.9 (R. Und., p. 14), Atthasālini Tr. I, 126ff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I copied the &quot;explanation in detail from M 114&quot; above, you might find further commentary in the others of these references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T16:58:47.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14884" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-23T19:17:37.167" Score="1" ViewCount="418" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the record I'm new to meditation.&#xA;I'm trying to observe my breathing without controlling it. That was the guidance from someone I met at a buddhist meeting. &#xA;Though sometimes I just ralize that I do change the frequency and deepness of it. I don't want to do it, just happens.&#xA;Is it just me or it will be better with practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8206" LastActivityDate="2018-10-26T23:12:28.987" Title="Hard not to control my breathing" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2016-04-23T23:17:33.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with eating plants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep your body alive and strive to gain knowledge. As when you gain knowledge, liberation will follow, and great will be the goodness of the liberated one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or ... start worrying. And stop moving your body ... One tea spoon of soil contains 1000 millions microorganisms (&lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.microbeworld.org/microbes/bacteria/where.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://archives.microbeworld.org/microbes/bacteria/where.aspx&lt;/a&gt;). You don't want to kill all these beings, don't you? So? Stop moving your body. Don't walk. Don't eat. Die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or ... completely stop worrying. And start killing ... there are millions of edible animal species. Kill. Eat. Live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Big is this mess of suffering. Too big.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither of these two extremes lead to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is the &quot;middle way&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T23:17:33.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14884" CreationDate="2016-04-23T23:36:32.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't try to force or control anything, observe and just note it and continue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that much important how your body reacts to your meditation, but how you deal with these bodily reactions. Yes, there will always be some bodily reactions that will distract you from meditation, but the point is to not get distracted and just remain in the &quot;present moment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With practice you will be less distracted, until you won't be distracted any more. Practice diligently and you shell rip the rewards soon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-04-23T23:36:32.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14884" CreationDate="2016-04-24T00:21:42.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That sounds like bad advise if you are practicing insight meditation. This answer assumes the practice in question is insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;You&quot; don't control the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had this same question when I was starting out and the teacher basically said &quot;You don't control the breath so there is no problem, just keep seeing things as they are moment by moment&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, it was just a matter of losing my wrong view that I had to be concerned that I'm controlling the breath. If I'm thinking that I'm controlling the breath then I would focus my mindful awareness on this thinking(instead of worrying that I was controlling the breathing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-04-24T04:43:08.867" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T04:43:08.867" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-24T01:16:16.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practise is about testing. You have to test the different methods for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, Ajahn Brahm is right since Buddhist practise is about giving up craving. If you wish to meditate in a specific conditioned way with a specific conditioned goal, that is craving. But giving up craving is focusing in the unconditioned, which is Buddhist practise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, you don't have to believe me or Ajahn Brahm. Instead, try to watch your breathing at the nose-tip &amp;amp; see for yourself the results. In the short term, the mind will certainly become calm &amp;amp; tranquil but in the longer term the mind will become foggy, sleepy &amp;amp; confused. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beginners can certainly watch the breath at the nose-tip. This is a good method for beginners to have a taste of peace. But, after time, it will cease to bring results because it is too conditioned &amp;amp; too coarse. The very effort to intentionally keep the mind at one point suppresses the mind. In true one-pointedness (ekkaggatta), the mind's energy gathers at one-point after the physical body has been calmed &amp;amp; purified of mental formations. To purify the body, there must be openness of mind rather than suppression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-24T01:38:51.233" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T01:38:51.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2518" CreationDate="2016-04-24T01:24:33.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness means to 'remember' or 'keep in mind'. To quote from the Suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus withdrawn &lt;strong&gt;recollects&lt;/strong&gt; that Dhamma and thinks it over, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused by the bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn46.3/en/bodhi?lang=en&amp;amp;reference=none&amp;amp;highlight=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the faculty of mindfulness? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous, &lt;strong&gt;remembering&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; able to &lt;strong&gt;call to mind&lt;/strong&gt; even things that were done &amp;amp; said long ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To also quote from the Abhidhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therein what is controlling faculty of mindfulness? That which is mindfulness, constant mindfulness, &lt;strong&gt;recollection&lt;/strong&gt;, mindfulness, act of &lt;strong&gt;remembering&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;bearing in mind&lt;/strong&gt;, non-superficiality, &lt;strong&gt;non-forgetfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, mindfulness, controlling faculty of mindfulness, power of mindfulness, right mindfulness. This is called controlling faculty of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/vb5/en/thittila?lang=en&amp;amp;reference=none&amp;amp;highlight=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vb 5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is kept in mind is 'right view' or 'abandonment'. To quote again from the Suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right view: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping the mind empty is all that is required. Sujato has the best answer, in my opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2023-07-14T05:18:53.463" LastActivityDate="2023-07-14T05:18:53.463" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2016-04-24T01:53:50.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing as the &quot;five clinging aggregates&quot; because the five aggregates do not cling. Only one of the aggregates, when under the influence of ignorance, clings. The proper translation is: &quot;clinging to the five aggregates is dukkha&quot;. The entire problem of suffering is summarised as clinging. Birth, death, etc, are only dukkha when they are mixed with clinging. Suttas such as SN 22.1, SN 22.48 &amp;amp; MN 140 make it very clear the sole problem is clinging. .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-24T02:13:24.633" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T02:13:24.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11404" CreationDate="2016-04-24T02:08:55.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for translations, the word &quot;dukkha&quot; has a different meaning in the different contexts of 'dukkha-vedana' (painful/unpleasant feeling); 'dukkha-lakkana' (characteristic of unsatisfactoriness) &amp;amp; 'upadana-dukkha' (mental torment due to clinging). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha certainly taught all conditioned things are unsatisfactory (dukkha) due to impermanence but this is not related to the 1st noble truth, which is about the mental suffering that originates from craving &amp;amp; becoming. A Buddha never stops experiencing dukkha-vedana &amp;amp; dukkha-lakkana but has ended, forever, the dukkha of the 1st noble truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings at SN 22.59, SN 22.85 and Dhammapada 278 should make it abundantly clear that Buddhas always see (experience) unsatisfactoriness. In SN 22.85, it is correctly said the aggregates of an arahant are unsatisfactory. Unsatisfactory means 'cannot bring lasting happiness'. Impermanent things cannot bring lasting happiness but impermanent things are not 'suffering' or 'stressful'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rock or tree is not suffering or stressful. But a rock or tree is unsatisfactory since it cannot bring lasting happiness. Only Nibbana (non-clinging) is true happiness. .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-04-24T03:29:54.313" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T03:29:54.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14884" CreationDate="2016-04-24T03:05:38.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the record I'm new to meditation. I'm trying to observe my breathing without controlling it. That was the guidance from someone I met at a buddhist meeting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On objective of meditation is to calm the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt;. By controlling you are, in some instances, you will be creating fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Though sometimes I just realize that I do change the frequency and deepness of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This you should be careful not to do. There is a stage in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt; you have to calm the breath, but in this instance also you just have to intention to calm but not the action to calm, hence you are not doing any action to calm it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't want to do it, just happens. Is it just me or it will be better with practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it happens naturally then it is OK. The depth of the breath change generally becoming shorter but some cases if there through disturbances this might become deeper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T03:05:38.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14881" CreationDate="2016-04-24T03:42:08.337" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; there are 32 types of chatter which is called animal chatter which falls under the category of idle / frivolous chatter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rajakatha – Talk about kings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Corakatha – Talk about robbers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahamatta katha – Talk about ministers of state&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Senakatha – Talk about armies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhayakatha – Talk about dangers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yuddhakatha – Talk about battles&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Annakatha – Talk about food&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Panakatha – Talk about drinks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vatthakatha – Talk about clothing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sayanakatha – Talk about dwellings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Malakatha – Talk about garlands&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gandhakatha – Talk about perfumes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Natikatha – Talk about relations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yanakatha – Talk about vehicles&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gamakatha – Talk about villages&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nigamakatha -Talk about market towns&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nagarakatha – Talk about towns&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Janapadakatha – Talk about districts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itthikatha – Talk about women/men&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Surakatha – Talk about heroes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Visakhakatha – Talk about streets&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kumbhatthanakatha – Talk about watering places&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pubbapeta-katha – Talk about relatives who have passed away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nanattakatha – Tittle-tattle&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lokakkhayika katha – talk about the origin of the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samuddakkhayikakatha – Talk about the origin of the ocean&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about Eternity belief&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about annihilation belief&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about worldly gain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about worldly loss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about self-indulgence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itibhavabhava katha – Talk about self-mortification&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/tiracchana-katha-unskillful-talk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiracchana-Katha Unskilful Talk&lt;/a&gt; which is an adaptation from Venerable &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;’s &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahajana.net/texts/kopia_lokalna/MANUAL07.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Magganga-Dipani: The Manual of The Constituents of the Noble Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of memorizing specific type of talk you can discern what it idle chatter through the fundamentals, i.e.,:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is not beneficial,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to revulsion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to dispassion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to cessation,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to peace,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to direct knowledge,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to enlightenment,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does not leads to Nibbana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/tiracchana-katha-unskillful-talk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiracchana-Katha Unskilful Talk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... or in general context ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;he speaks at the wrong time,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is false,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is not connected with the goal [unbeneficial],&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is not the teaching [Dharma]&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is not the discipline [Vinaya];&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;he speaks words not worth treasuring,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;baseless,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;undefined [rambling],&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not connected with the goal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... or more succinctly, chatter in which, unwholesome states increase and&#xA;wholesome states decrease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14882/295&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/254&quot;&gt;@ChrisW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also talk you should engage in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk about wanting little,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;about contentment,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seclusion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;solitude,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;energetic striving,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;virtue,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;insight,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;release,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;release by knowing and seeing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the Buddha mentions you should talk about the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; as this lead to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is beneficial,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to revulsion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to dispassion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to cessation,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to peace,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to direct knowledge,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to enlightenment,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leads to Nibbana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/tiracchana-katha-unskillful-talk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiracchana-Katha Unskilful Talk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... or in general context ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;he speaks at the right time,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is true,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is connected with the goal [beneficial],&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is the teaching&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is the discipline;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;he speaks words worth treasuring,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;well-founded,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;well-defined [not rambling],&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;connected with the goal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... or more succinctly, chatter in which, unwholesome states decrease and wholesome states increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14882/295&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/254&quot;&gt;@ChrisW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several suttas contain this list but all of them list only 27. However, as usual, the Commentators obsessed with splitting hairs have stretched it to 32 by splitting the last one into 6.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The name &amp;quot;Detis Katha&amp;quot; is also theirs. The Suttas called the original ones &amp;quot;Tirracchana katha&amp;quot; which literally means ‘animal talk’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally this list is not for us to learn and remember. These topics are for avoiding. Several suttas say that we should instead be discussing only the Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/5029/dethis-katha-32-types-of-unskillful-talks&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dethis Katha (32 types of unskillful talks)&lt;/a&gt; by user &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/profile/Gayan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gayan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore the blog &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/tiracchana-katha-unskillful-talk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tiracchana-Katha Unskilful Talk&lt;/a&gt; has comprehensive treatment of this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding skillful and unskillful chattering regarding the Dhamma there is 8:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for reducing desire, not for increasing desire.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for increasing contentment, not for increasing&#xA;discontentment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for cultivating seclusion, not for becoming sociable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for becoming energetic, not for becoming lazy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for developing mindfulness, not developing&#xA;unmindfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for developing composure, not for making&#xA;restlessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for increasing wisdom, not for decreasing wisdom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This Dhamma is for delighting in freedom from impediments, not&#xA;for delighting in impediment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/eight-great-noble-thoughts-and-papanca-proliferation-and-nippapanca-non-proliferation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Eight Great Noble Thoughts and Papanca [proliferation] and Nippapanca [non-proliferation]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T08:03:57.680" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14895" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-24T04:21:24.820" Score="5" ViewCount="1161" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have planed my life and want to stick to it . But the problem is &#xA;My self control . &#xA;For example I tend to waste a lot of my time in youtube watching documentaries . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know it starts like I 'am going to do this for only 30 minuets and then loose the rest of the day watching videos or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if meditating on my future goals could help .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I mean doing something like imagining how it would feel if achieved my goals and then imagining the consequences of wasting my time or uncontrolled life . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a good method to gain self control and achive my goals ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there anything else I can do ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8210" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T14:38:48.827" Title="Is it possible to use meditation to gain Self control?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|meditation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-04-24T04:49:45.063" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Self control of gained through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt;, i.e., developing Right Effort, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; and Right Concentration in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lack of mastery over the mind would lead to you losing the sense of time when doing this activity. One thing you can do is be aware you are are doing this and the sensation that watching videos bring. It is the feeling and sensation of excitement and the intellectual stimulation documentaries bring which keeps you doing what you are doing. If you get less attached to this you find it easy to switch to another task. So be mindful if what you are watching is perceived as or evaluate as positive (intellectually stimulating, interesting, keeping you in suspense to know more, etc.), negative or neutral and the sensations that follow which are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, maintaining utmost equanimity, and being aware of the arising and passing of what is felt (the particular sensation / feeling that is felt). [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition to the above, at a more mundane level, it would be helpful the be mindful of the time as well by having a clock placed near the screen which can help you keep track of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T04:49:45.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14884" CreationDate="2016-04-24T06:54:28.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A simple and practical solution for occurance of own control of breathing is intentionally stop fabricated breathing for few moments and observe. Then you will be able to sense that the body (spontaneous neural discharge from the brain to nerves that innervate respiratory muscles) automatically start breathing process after few seconds of tolarance period. Now you can start observing the natural breathing. Most teachers dictate to make several deep breaths before start the meditation in order to make an exact understanding of the touching point in the breathing channel. This practice leads for some novice practioners to unknowingly continue the same practice of fabricated breathing. But we should always endeavour to 'let it go' and become just an observer without interventions or conclusions. This may be called 'Choiceless Awareness'. May the Noble Triple Gem Bless You&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8211" LastEditorUserId="8211" LastEditDate="2016-04-24T07:06:45.327" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T07:06:45.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-04-24T07:45:51.300" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. Don't expect anything from meditation. The moment you start expecting some results like self control or universe control, you're lost. You will keep thinking of result that you desire (that is control) because the mind is such a thing. You will end up not meditating and you will end up not being peaceful. Mind should only used to help you carry out an activity in the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self and Control are paradoxical terms. Don't control yourself like that. If you want to be free and watch YouTube videos, and the same you wants to also control the watching of YouTube videos, do you see how it's a paradox? You are contradicting yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T07:45:51.300" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-04-24T11:24:26.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Discovering nirvana does not erase the self because nirvana is the self. Discovering nirvana is the seeing beyond local identity to the non-local source. So local and non-local become indistinguishably the field and its knower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8212" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-29T13:14:35.387" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T13:14:35.387" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-24T15:58:58.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;With Reference to 'Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118)' there are 16 steps (of meditation). Please focus on the Seventh step: that is 'Experiencing the Breath as a mind object'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the sixth step: Arousing Happiness, is established the breath appears to be disappear, and only stable peacefulness prevails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence at the Seventh Step (Experiencing the Breath as a mind object): even though you are still breathing; breath is no longer being experienced as a touching feeling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here actually what happen is: we shift from feeling to knowing. That is 'feeling turns off' to 'mind turns on'. Technically called 'experiencing the chitta sankara' or knowing the 'breath' as an 'object'(of mind). Here we still aware of the breath, but in a different perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you understand the argument of whether establishing a point to feel breath becomes immaterial when you proceed to the advance steps of the Anapanasati meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8211" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T15:58:58.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-24T16:36:36.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have thought about this a fair amount and have come to the following conclusion: Both methods are possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reasoning is simple: there are teachers who appear to have advanced very far in meditation who advocate both methods. If one believes that Ajahn Brahm is telling the truth and speaking from experience, this means that it is possible to achieve all 8 levels of samadhi with his method--without being aware at the tip of the nose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one believes, e.g., Pa Auk Sayadaw is teaching from experience and telling the truth, then it seems that it is possible to achieve all 8 levels of samadhi with by focusing on the breath around the upper lip area/outside of the nostrils.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that it is highly likely that both of the assumptions are easy to make and therefore we should think either method is suitable for developing samadhi to its culmination. There may be certain advantages or disadvantages to either of these methods, perhaps in certain situations or for certain people. Such matters are interesting and should be investigated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update:&lt;/strong&gt; The following is from Ajahn Brahm and was added in response to Dhammadhatu's concerns that I had misrepresented Ajahn Brahm's teaching. I think it is clear from the text that I have not. I have also watched many youtube videos of Brahm and to the best of my knowledge his view on this has not changed. The first of the two following quotations is repeated verbatim in the 2016 book &lt;em&gt;Kindfulness&lt;/em&gt; by Ajahn Brahm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some teachers say to watch the breath at the tip of the nose, some say&#xA;  to watch it at the abdomen, and some say to move it here and then move&#xA;  it there. I have found through experience that it does not matter&#xA;  where you watch the breath. In fact it is best not to locate the&#xA;  breath anywhere. If you locate the breath at the tip of your nose then&#xA;  it becomes “nose awareness,” not breath awareness, and if you locate&#xA;  it at your abdomen then it becomes “abdomen awareness.” Just ask&#xA;  yourself right now: “Am I breathing in or breathing out? How do I&#xA;  know?” There! The experience that tells you what the breath is doing,&#xA;  that is what you focus on. Let go of the concern about where Some&#xA;  teachers say to watch the breath at the tip of the nose, some say to&#xA;  watch it at the abdomen, and some say to move it here and then move it&#xA;  there. I have found through experience that it does not matter where&#xA;  you watch the breath. In fact it is best not to locate the breath&#xA;  anywhere. If you locate the breath at the tip of your nose then it&#xA;  becomes “nose awareness,” not breath awareness, and if you locate it&#xA;  at your abdomen then it becomes “abdomen awareness.” Just ask yourself&#xA;  right now: “Am I breathing in or breathing out? How do I know?” There!&#xA;  The experience that tells you what the breath is doing, that is what&#xA;  you focus on. Let go of the concern about where this experience is&#xA;  located. Just focus on the experience itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Brahm (2006-08-10). Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook (p. 15). Wisdom Publications. Kindle Edition.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You are now asked to set up mindfulness “in front of you.” [&lt;em&gt;parimukhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;...see Suminda's post in this thread] When the&#xA;  Buddha said “in front of you” he didn’t mean putting attention on the&#xA;  tip of your nose, or on your upper lip, or some place in front of your&#xA;  eyes. To put something in front means to make it important. So this&#xA;  preliminary instruction is to establish mindfulness by giving it&#xA;  priority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ibid., 82&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In chapter 7 he explains that after sometime, one ceases to feel any sensation of the breath at all and relates to the breath purely as a mental object, then a nimitta arises and one takes that as the object at the appopriate moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2016-04-25T00:38:18.323" LastActivityDate="2016-04-25T00:38:18.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-04-24T19:04:14.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism the self as in nirvana consciousness exists independent of the local brain. So if you swat a fly say that fly as a form dies but its consciousness exists still as you the swatter of the fly. Because the fly and swatter of the fly share the same empty consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8212" LastActivityDate="2016-04-24T19:04:14.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-25T00:11:58.057" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adamokkha. Respectfully, your post about Ajahn Brahm is not correct. Ajahn Brahm is not saying it is possible to achieve all 8 levels of samadhi without being aware at the tip of the nose. Instead, there is a phase of the meditation when the mind naturally is aware at the tip of the nose. On the path to the 1st jhana, the mind will focus at only the tip of the nose at a certain time. What Ajahn Brahm is saying is the method to to achieve all 8 levels of samadhi is not a deliberate effort to watch the nose. To start meditation by watching the tip of the nose is like trying to climb Mt Everest from its peak. Kind regards. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-25T00:11:58.057" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-04-25T00:25:36.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Eternalism' does not mean 'permanence' &amp;amp; 'nihilism' does not mean impermanence. Instead, both Eternalism &amp;amp; Nihilism are forms of 'self-view'. 'Eternalism' is the belief &quot;I&quot; will exist after death. 'Nihilism' is the belief &quot;I&quot; will cease at death. This link called 'Held by Views' may help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-049&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-049&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also read the Brahmajāla Sutta (if you enjoy reading), which defines these words clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-25T00:25:36.143" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-04-25T16:02:16.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation will help you better focus on important/meaningful goals that will do good in your life. Meditation helps an individual in many ways, they can reduce their stress, anger, hatred, even helps you to study well. In your case, according to your problem you can do Vipassana Meditation, it will really help you. You have to really think and meditate concentrating on your goal and should be done in a quiet environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8222" LastActivityDate="2016-04-25T16:02:16.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14832" CreationDate="2016-04-26T02:29:57.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have too much sensitivity to sound it means Air element is disturbed. It also results in insomnia. Your body is a five element phenomenon. Buddha never paid any attention to them because they are supposed to be taken care of by right living and meditation techniques. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But modern man is a highly disturbed creature with a toxic body. I suggest if meditation techniques are not working try detox techniques which some monks practice like eating light or limiting to two times in a day. It is important you take care of nutrition and calories otherwise it will be counter productive. If they do not work visit a herbal medicine practitioner. Try Ayurveda or Traditional Chinese Medicine. They are very effective in fixing imbalances especially for meditators. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-26T13:30:53.493" LastActivityDate="2016-04-26T13:30:53.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13082" CreationDate="2016-04-26T18:30:22.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Anger' is an 'underlying tendency' (anusaya) thus the potential to anger exists regardless of an object of anger (refer to paragraph 3 of MN 64 and to AN 7.11). In relation to sense objects, while blame is a cause of anger, the cause of blame is unpleasant feelings or feeling hurt. Thus the scriptures state: &quot;If, when touched by a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves &amp;amp; laments, beats one's breast, becomes distraught, then one's underlying tendency to anger gets obsessed.&quot; MN 148 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-26T18:30:22.203" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-04-26T18:59:40.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everybody is right. You need to decide what is right for you and which teacher you follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practice Suizen (meditating by playing the Shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute). My way to breath and my thinking about it - is it right or wrong? Who decides? Is it the right thing for you? Is your way of meditation the right thing for me? Is my teacher more right than Ajahn? Is Ajahn enlightened?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This all does not matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Shakuhachi player I am aware that I should not become attached to the Shakuhachi and to the specific practice. The practice itself is only the tool. You should not be attached to Samadhi meditation as well. It is only a tool. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't start making an &quot;correctness order&quot; in the different practices. Just chose yours. Otherwise it will not lead to anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm is a fantastic writer and certainly a wise person. There is so much more to learn from what he says than &quot;just&quot; the &quot;location of the breath&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally I want to share this story/quote which I can only translate roughly, but impressed for me for years. I hope it inspires you as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The King invited Hannyatara (Bodhidharmas teacher) to practice Sutra. All practiced Sutra, but Hannyatara remained silent. &quot;Why don't&#xA;  you practice?&quot;, the King asked. Hannyatara replied: &quot;I practice the&#xA;  real Sutra at any time, with every breath I take&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="98" LastEditorUserId="98" LastEditDate="2016-05-27T18:40:13.673" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T18:40:13.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14912" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-26T23:57:22.677" Score="2" ViewCount="6997" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see &quot;Om ah hung vajra guru pema siddhi hung&quot; but also &quot;Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know the first is Sanskrit mixed with Tibetan and the latter is pure Sanskrit. I also am aware that it is about how the Tibetans pronounce Sanskrit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is one preferred or more authentic? Is it up to the individual?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any elucidation on this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8230" LastActivityDate="2019-10-12T11:05:16.653" Title="What is the proper Vajra Guru mantra?" Tags="|mantra|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-04-27T01:16:45.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not nihilism because the Buddha clearly posits the Deathless as the goal of nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T01:16:45.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-04-27T01:23:21.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best advice I have ever read about this is in a book by Ngyakpa Chogam called Journey into Vastness. He advises that the sitting should be such that the knees fall below the level of the pelvis. I can sit in this way on a rock in perfect comfort for up to two hours, but one must find the exactly &quot;sweet spot&quot; where one is balanced on the coccyx in order to avoid any numbness in the legs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T01:23:21.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2016-04-27T01:27:16.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism believes in the mindstream (santana), but the mindstream is not a thing (atta). This is the difference. The Dalai Lama has a little book called Buddha Nature that explains this perfectly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T01:27:16.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14918" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-27T01:50:35.910" Score="3" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;Daniel Brown, on p. 6 of &lt;em&gt;Pointing Out the Great Way&lt;/em&gt;, says this (emphasis added)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Pali word typically translated as “suffering” is dukkha, which&#xA;  could also be rendered as “reactivity.”&lt;/strong&gt; For, as we experience events&#xA;  unfolding in our stream of consciousness moment-by-moment, the&#xA;  ordinary mind reacts based on ingrained habits. If the event is&#xA;  experienced as pleasant, the mind habitually gravitates toward the&#xA;  event. If it is experienced as unpleasant, the mind pushes it away. In&#xA;  Buddhism these automatic reactive tendencies are referred to as&#xA;  clinging and aversion, and lapses in the continuity of awareness are&#xA;  called nonawareness, or ignorance. Together these “three poisons” mark&#xA;  every moment of ordinary experience. They are habitual. They obscure&#xA;  the mind’s natural condition from us and in so doing become the&#xA;  fundamental cause of everyday unhappiness. In other words, Buddhism&#xA;  defines everyday unhappiness in terms of a habitual dysfunction in the&#xA;  way we process our experience. Seen in this way, it can be identified&#xA;  and corrected, and the root of everyday unhappiness can be eradicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question: Is there a &lt;em&gt;linguistic&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;philological&lt;/em&gt; basis for translating &quot;dukkha&quot; as &quot;reactivity&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is Brown being a bit loose here, reflecting the dynamic that he explains -- reactivity underlies dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="1046" LastEditDate="2016-04-27T03:13:54.623" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:31:57.367" Title="Translating &quot;dukkha&quot; as &quot;reactivity&quot;" Tags="|suffering|dukkha|pali|translation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14919" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14924" CreationDate="2016-04-27T02:45:35.383" Score="1" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background&lt;/strong&gt;: Recently when I was in the deep sleep I saw some dreams, which showed that I am going against the five precepts. &#xA;For Instance, I lied somebody. I felt that as I lie in real life; I remember that I planned about revealing disinformation and creatively managed the flow of false information.&#xA;If it was a real situation I may not act in such way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this scenario really cause to break the fourth precept?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As we know, dreams are born based on the feelings of our subconscious mind. Therefore, Isn't it my own fault to see such a dream? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7845" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T09:25:37.690" Title="Are the Sins in dreams, sins?" Tags="|five-precepts|dreams|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14918" CreationDate="2016-04-27T04:55:12.657" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand reactivity is incessant and chaotic mind response to external stimuli (through senses ofcourse). But reactivity cannot be called suffering because it is the root cause of suffering. Mind impacts body in a negative way. Mind also impacts emotional health badly.  When mind (desire) causes action it is past (I am) or future oriented (I want to be). Certain actions are caused by body e.g. intake of food. Many actions originates in Heart for example a song or a painting. These actions will not be the cause of suffering because you will not loose awareness while performing these actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind's natural condition is to be silent and work only when needed. Right now a civilized man's mind work all the time for no reason. This 24/7 schedule is the main reason why modern man is an unhappy lot.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Brown has gone a bit overboard by defining reactivity as suffering (Dukkha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-27T05:02:26.003" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T05:02:26.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14919" CreationDate="2016-04-27T05:36:11.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, to do a sin, you have to consciously do something using your body, speech or using sitha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a dream you are not doing anything consciously. Therefore simply you can not sin in dreams. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6923" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T05:36:11.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14918" CreationDate="2016-04-27T07:52:17.413" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have contact your consciousness react with some sensation or the other. If the sensation is unpleasant it is unsatisfactory, it is pleasant and changes or ends it is still unsatisfactory and if is neutral it is still unsatisfactory as wholesome and unwholesome roots which create future sensation are still present and the process of rebirth continues. If you crave to any of the sensations then you create suffering for the future, but if you are equanimous the seed of past karma which gave fruit will not find fertile ground to give results in the future. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So your ingrained habitual reaction to contact creates sensation which in turn creates sensation which lead to unsatisfactoriness with the contact and potential to create unsatisfactoriness is the future. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] If you develop equanimity in the face of pleasant and unpleasant sensations than craving and aversion and wisdom in the face of neutral sensation, than the habitual reaction then you can overcome in contact with sense objects, will prevent future occurrence of unsatisfactoriness. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel the authors is relating his understanding that the habitual reaction is what keep you rolling in misery in the future and this tendency to react creates misery now, but I feel the rendering is inaccurate as it is explaining causality by equating a result to the case, i.e., if A causes B then A is B, which is not the most right way to understand it. In my point of view &amp;quot;reactivity underlies dukkha&amp;quot; would be a better rendering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the description above are based on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;pleasant feeling is pleasant when it persists, painful when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;painful feeling is painful when it persists, pleasant when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;neutral feeling is pleasant when there is knowledge of it, painful when there is no knowledge of it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of lust should be abandoned in regard to pleasant feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of aversion should be abandoned in regard to painful feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance should be abandoned in regard to neutral feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T09:32:20.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14919" CreationDate="2016-04-27T08:08:07.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Other than in situation you are in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;deep sleep (bhavanga)&lt;/a&gt; you create Kamma. Since when you are dreaming you are still creating karma as you cannot dream in deep sleep. These are not very strong or deep kamma and in most cases may not give any results and if they do they will be very mild (maybe like an itch which we might experience then the result comes). They do not have potent to create a new rebirth. For this to happen it should be backed by action or word giving desired result. More particularly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The statement must be untrue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma creation to a dream is based on reaction you can react:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pleasant dream you react with craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unpleasant dream you can react with aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;neutral dream you are still deluded&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These reaction can lead to mental kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many cases as these kamma has very little potent, it can be ignored held there is no kamma created due to dreaming like in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14922/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additional references that might be of interest:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.9-Unconscious-views.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unconscious Views&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8a-Khandha-5-Vinnana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinnana&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.3-Khandha-2-Vedana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T09:25:37.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-04-27T08:19:56.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You would be best answered by your own meditation teacher, with instructions from the style that you practice. Personally I practice Chan, and we are taught that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lotus is best, then half-lotus, then any posture&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lotus is best because it enables you to build concentration &lt;strong&gt;much&lt;/strong&gt; faster&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do the best posture possible, and endure the pain. The more you endure, the more concentration you build&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Personally I found that the numbness eventually goes away (starts happening later and later then goes away for good). The reason for pain/numbness is that the posture builds a lot of energy that will push your leg blockages, thus causing pain. When the blockage is cleared, no more pain.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It took me a year practicing half-lotus daily to do full-lotus, and another year to do full-lotus reasonably. It's totally worth it. With Chan, the more you endure, the more you understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8233" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditDate="2022-10-27T04:10:05.943" LastActivityDate="2022-10-27T04:10:05.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14927" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-27T12:48:40.357" Score="1" ViewCount="1413" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard that when Buddha was asked about God, he kept silent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although perhaps in Buddhism nothing really exists, did Buddha ever deny the existence of God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hasn't he really never spoken about God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-04-27T22:00:39.700" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T14:27:55.053" Title="Did Buddha ever deny the existence of God?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14927" CreationDate="2016-04-27T13:04:01.350" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tittha Sutta: Sectarians&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, there are these three sectarian guilds that — when cross-examined, pressed for reasons, &amp;amp; rebuked by wise people — even though they may explain otherwise, remain stuck in [a doctrine of] inaction. Which three?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who hold this teaching, hold this view: 'Whatever a person experiences — pleasant, painful, or neither pleasant nor painful — that is all caused by what was done in the past.' &lt;strong&gt;There are brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who hold this teaching, hold this view: 'Whatever a person experiences — pleasant, painful, or neither pleasant nor painful — that is all caused by a supreme being's act of creation.'&lt;/strong&gt; There are brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who hold this teaching, hold this view: 'Whatever a person experiences — pleasant, painful, or neither pleasant nor painful — that is all without cause &amp;amp; without condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh057.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Discourse to Knowers of Veda -- Tevijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And just even so, VāseMMha, though you say that the Brahmans are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen, and you further say that neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen &lt;strong&gt;Brahmā&lt;/strong&gt;. And you further say that even the Rishis of old, whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither Brahmā is. Yet&#xA;  these Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen! Now, what think you, VāseMMha? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Brahmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;VāseMMha, is there a single one of the Brahmans versed in the three Vedas who&#xA;  has ever seen &lt;strong&gt;Brahmā&lt;/strong&gt; face to face?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-27T13:13:35.477" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:13:35.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14918" CreationDate="2016-04-27T13:15:58.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Dukkha' means 'suffering', that is, mental torment, i.e., a lack of peace. So &quot;reactivity&quot; is certain a type of dukkha since reactivity is disturbing, tormenting &amp;amp; not peaceful. However, other mental experiences are also &quot;dukkha&quot;, such as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair. Reactivity or mental concocting is one kind of dukkha (called sankhara-dukkha; see SN 38.14; &quot;stressfulness of fabricat&lt;strong&gt;ing&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;) but it is not a translation of the word &quot;dukkha&quot;. &quot;Dukkha&quot; means &quot;difficult to bear&quot;; &quot;hard to endure&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:15:58.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14918" CreationDate="2016-04-27T13:31:57.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a linguistic or philological basis for translating &quot;dukkha&quot; as &quot;reactivity&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No I don't think so. Philologically I think of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; as being originally an antonym of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sukha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sukha is a Sanskrit and Pali word that is often translated happiness, ease, pleasure or bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Or is Brown being a bit loose here, reflecting the dynamic that he explains&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I think so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might make more sense the other way around: to say &quot;reactivity is dukkha&quot; rather than &quot;dukkha is reactivity&quot;. Saying &quot;reactivity is dukkha&quot; might not be too surprising, given that &lt;em&gt;everything&lt;/em&gt; is dukkha i.e. dukkha is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sabbe saṅkhāra dukkhā — &quot;all saṅkhāras are unsatisfactory&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;reactivity&quot; is one example of a &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. &quot;reactivity&quot; a &lt;em&gt;combination&lt;/em&gt; of a &quot;reactor&quot; with a &quot;thing-which-it-reacts-to&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:31:57.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-04-27T13:34:27.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. It is possible to gain self-control through meditation &amp;amp; it is a good method. Even I started just like you had trouble in the start but it pays off at the end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to get an answer to any question is to ask yourself questions. In this case ask yourself what do like to do in below cases?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) You have a port in which only 1 ship can dock and two ships want to dock at your port out of which one is good ship which is friendly &amp;amp; will bring peace &amp;amp; if other docks then it will spoil or damage your port. So which ship you will allow?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2) There are two hungry wolves. One wolf is friendly &amp;amp; always assists you in daily life and other wolf is dangerous &amp;amp; unpredictable. Which wolf will you feed?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3) Would you like to be on a boat which has no map route, no controller to guide it and no destination in mind.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Mind is just like the port where we have good &amp;amp; bad thoughts, ego, envy, jealousy,etc. Its upon us to decide what should be allowed to anchored at our port(i.e. mind), same goes for the wolf case. So there's no question if its a good method or not. Its totally personal preference &amp;amp; how good you practice it. Self-control is really beneficial for growth &amp;amp; goal achievements.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing meditation can help you in many ways:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) Help you living in the present &amp;amp; stopped worrying about past &amp;amp; future(which is a great feeling if you experience it).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2) Knowing what's happening around.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3) Having sense of time while doing things.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4) You begin to see, hear, feel, realize those things which you haven't experienced before.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;5) Being able to focus on a task undistracted for hours with productivity being greater than those times when being distracted.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastActivityDate="2016-04-27T13:34:27.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2016-04-27T13:45:25.473" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Anatta&quot; does not mean &quot;no-self&quot;. It means &quot;not-self&quot;. Therefore, the Buddha did not deny the arising of the &quot;self&quot; concept in the mind. In fact, the Buddha taught extensively about how the idea of &quot;self&quot; leads to suffering (refer to Nakulapita Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The work &quot;birth&quot; (&quot;jati&quot;) can mean the birth of the &quot;self&quot; idea or self-identity. In this context, you may refer to the Parileyyaka Sutta, which explains very simply. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clinging to experiences as &quot;self&quot; is inherent to the operation of karma (action) &amp;amp; its results (vipaka). The enlightenment of the eight fold path ends karma (refer to Nibbedhika Sutta) since there is no more &quot;self&quot; attachment to create karma &amp;amp; obsess about its results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of good &amp;amp; bad karma are called mundane or worldly teachings and are not related to enlightenment (refer to MN 117). Therefore, unenlightened people still have the belief in &quot;self&quot; and when they do karma, they rejoice in a personal way about the results of their good karma and suffer in a personal way about the results of their bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, whatever the unenlightened person does, be it good or bad, &quot;self-view&quot; keeps arising in relation to their karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This re-arising of &quot;self-view&quot; is one interpretation of &quot;rebirth&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try this essay: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhammatalks.net/Books7/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu_Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANATTĀ &amp;amp; REBIRTH&#xA;by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-11-15T09:19:42.300" LastActivityDate="2018-11-15T09:19:42.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="14934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14939" CreationDate="2016-04-27T19:27:24.397" Score="6" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm pretty new to buddhism, I come from a christian family and as such I attended church for the earlier part of my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what to expect from my first session in comparison to that of church.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm also asking if there's any general advice/tips you can give me for my first time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8234" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-02T21:06:49.327" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T21:16:12.373" Title="Going to first session" Tags="|beginner|triratna-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14935" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-27T19:46:46.367" Score="2" ViewCount="2621" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually when speaking about someone who is following the buddha teach is called a monk. But are monks or other buddhists sometimes also called brothers and sisters? Is it common or very rare? And what is the reason behind it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T17:03:24.440" Title="Are buddhists also called brothers and sisters?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14935" CreationDate="2016-04-28T01:43:00.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, when speaking about a monk, you should use respectful words like 'Venerable', 'Bhante', 'Reverend' etc. If you are speaking of a layman, it's ok to call 'brother' or 'sister' or any other decent way of addressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T01:43:00.520" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14935" CreationDate="2016-04-28T02:59:08.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Usually when speaking about &lt;strong&gt;someone who is following the buddha teach is called a monk&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not true. There are lay followers and ordinated followers and the latter are the monks through both follow Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But are monks or other buddhists sometimes also called brothers and sisters?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_(Christian)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brothers&lt;/a&gt; is a Christian concept which is not found in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it common or very rare? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is non existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the reason behind it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like asking why an apple does not have a peelable skin. There are 2 different institutions which developed independent of each other. So there is no sharing of such concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T02:59:08.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14934" CreationDate="2016-04-28T03:03:25.177" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;At a Theravada monastery:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have to be familiar with taking refuge in the Triple Gem and taking of the five precepts:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://refuge.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://refuge.sirimangalo.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Remove shoes and hats when you enter the monastery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wear conservative clothing. White color clothes are more appropreate.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid shouting, idle chatter and laughter(can smile when appropriate) while you are there&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid running. Walk quietly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While listening to Dhamma talks or meditating with others, turn off your phone or keep it in silent mode. If you need to answer an urgent call or text, quietly go outside the room.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you make an offering to the Buddha or the Sangha, do it using both hands and bow afterwards.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you offer food, do it well before noon as monks cannot accept food after noon. Make sure the food is prepared for consumption as monks are not allowed to cook food.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not offer food that is already consumed by another.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When offering food to monks, don't place it on the table expecting them to take, like in restaurants. You must personally serve every curry into the bowl or plate. If they don't prefer a certain dish, they will indicate by covering the bowl with hand as you try to serve.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't consume food while attending meditation sessions or listening to Dhamma talks. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't smoke inside the monastery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a monk is standing and addressing you, don't be seated. If a monk is seated on a couch/bench, do not sit on the same at the same time. Sit on the floor or sit on a chair which is lower and less luxurious. Do not sit directly facing a monk or a Buddha statue. Sit to the side. When sitting(chair), do not put one leg over the other or sit with your legs wide open or stretched  infront.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not address the monks by name. Use respectful terms like 'Bhante', &quot;venerable sir&quot; etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not try to shake hands with the monks, pat on the back etc. Avoid all unnecessary physical contact within the monastery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take selfies with Buddha statues or monks. Do not take pictures with your back turned to the Buddha statues.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not try to practice your own method in the monastery. Follow the instructions by the teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you wish to make a donation, don't hand money to the monks as they are not allowed to handle money. Instead, look for the donation box or ask them how to make a donation. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-02T21:16:12.373" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T21:16:12.373" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14934" CreationDate="2016-04-28T03:12:12.693" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, a Buddhist centre will be very relaxed, easy going &amp;amp; accepting. Buddhists generally do not interrogate newcomers as Christians might, apart from asking &quot;are you new; have you studied before?&quot;. If it is otherwise, that is, &quot;fundamentalist&quot;, this should be of concern. While many Buddhist centres may sound like they give dogmatic teachings, generally the social atmosphere is very easy going, as I explained. You should be at ease when visiting the centre but you will learn that when you visit. Also, as advised above, dress in a relaxed (loose clothing) but modest manner, ensuring legs &amp;amp; shoulders are well covered. As for addressing any monks, this depends on the centre. &quot;Bhante&quot; is only for Theravada centres and particularly for Sri Lankan centres. For example, Thai people rarely use the word &quot;Bhante&quot;. I personally generally address a monk or teacher by their name (eg. Lama X; Ajahn Y) unless I notice the regulars at the centre using another title (such as Geshe-La, Bhante, Tan Ajahn or Loong Po, which are Asian titles). Some centres, particularly  Tibetan, may charge a fee for attending teachings. Apart from that, giving a donation is generally your choice. All the best. All will be fine. Enjoy yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-28T03:25:06.407" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T03:25:06.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14934" CreationDate="2016-04-28T06:09:20.413" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This can depend greatly on where you go. Buddhism is in some important ways more diverse than Christianity. For example Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism, while they both grow from the same central Buddhist tenants (e.g., the Four Noble Truths), have very different approaches and trappings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally some places are going to be more formal and rigid in their approach than others. Some monasteries may be a bit more formal, whereas there are sangha groups that have almost a book club feel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best advice I think is to do as much research as you can about the place you're going in advance, and when you go there just do your best to be respectful. There may be written or verbal instructions for some things, and for others you may just have to try to be observant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One little thing I've noticed is unless it's a less formal sangha meeting at a public space shoes will almost always be off. Many sanghas, centers, and monasteries are pitch-in efforts by members. If you notice other people helping clean up after a class or meditation you don't necessarily have to do it the first time, but make a mental note to give yourself more time in the future to stay afterward and help the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Buddhism doesn't permit teachers to charge for their teachings. However, maintaining a monastery or center does cost money. There will be a donation box/plate/something somewhere and you should really consider chipping in a bit when you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="953" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T06:09:20.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14935" CreationDate="2016-04-28T06:44:48.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess it's a cultural phenomenon i.e. it varies from one culture to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other answers here (from a Theravada background) say it's &quot;never&quot; used; but you can see it being used on the Plum Village web site, &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/retreats/info/mindfulness-events-in-the-netherlands/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This Spring a joyful delegation of Dutch-speaking monastics from Plum Village and the EIAB (including Brother Phap Ung, Brother Phap Xa, Sister Jina, Sister Lan Nghiem, Sister Sang Nghiem and Brother Pham Hanh) will be leading a series of mindfulness days and retreats in the Netherlands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether that example is a peculiar adaptation to the conventions of English and French language and culture, or, whether the &quot;brother&quot; and &quot;sister&quot; might also be used in Vietnamese (I think Plum Village is Vietnamese Zen in origin).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the culture, &quot;familiar&quot; terms of address might be widely used in non-religious social contexts too -- e.g. apparently it's common or conventional in India to address women as &quot;auntie&quot; and &quot;sister&quot; (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20131128061821AAVAjOY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Auntie mean when Indians say it?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And what is the reason behind it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I went looking for the origin of the use of &quot;brother&quot; in the Christian tradition, and found &lt;a href=&quot;https://christianity.stackexchange.com/a/15597&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word 'brother' in Hebrew does not mean 'the brother' in common understanding. It could also refer to cousins and other relatives. The similar understanding of &quot;brother&quot; and &quot;sister&quot; is in antient Greek and Aramaic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess the reason for calling people brother and sister in Christianity are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultural and linguistic, social&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Traditional&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Originating in the words of the founders of the church (for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/matthew/12-49.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Matthew 12:49&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They (using &quot;brother and sister&quot; in Christianity and other religions, and &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; using &quot;brother and sister&quot; in Buddhism) might be two sides of the same coin? Christianity might encourage you to address non-relatives as if they were your family -- perhaps to encourage generosity and a universal (non-exclusive) love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely it seems to me that the origins of Buddhism encourage people to not treat your own family as special (my saying this is an exaggeration but perhaps you understand what I'm saying).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also encourages universal relationships (e.g. &quot;sympathy towards all living beings&quot;), although that may be slightly more of a Mahayana concept than Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be that there isn't a &quot;reason&quot; i.e. the reason is simply an accident of history and language; but if I had to create a reason I might guess/suggest it's because Buddhism arrives at a universality by denying or de-emphasizing (keeping detached from) special relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a footnote, I just found on Wikipedia that, in Chinese, a Buddhist teacher might be addressed using a term that's used for &quot;master&quot; and &quot;father&quot; (i.e. using a word that might be translated as &quot;father&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sifu#Common_usage&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sifu - Common usage&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Likewise, since religious instruction involves a teacher-student relationship akin to apprenticeship, Buddhist monks and Taoist priests are also addressed as &lt;em&gt;sifu&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;shifu&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know but perhaps that implies that (in Chinese) you might address your fellow-students as brother and sister.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Male and female students who began training before you and are thus senior, are &lt;em&gt;Shixing&lt;/em&gt; &quot;teacher older brothers&quot; and 師姑 &lt;em&gt;shi gu&lt;/em&gt; &quot;teacher's sisters&quot;. ... Students junior to you are your &lt;em&gt;Shidi&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Shimei&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:56:53.900" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T06:56:56.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14927" CreationDate="2016-04-28T11:19:26.077" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never denied nor confirmed because he never wanted his followers to believe in anything. His approach was very scientific. Until and unless one experiences Brahma, God etc how can one claim its existence. But unfortunately Buddhists around the world started believing in theories and interpretation. How does it matter whether there is a God or not? What matters is that life is one big suffering and one needs to get out. This intellectual discussion is what Buddha wanted to stay away. Nothingness is a metaphor which describes arising of coarse from finer thing. If one studies physics one will come to know that matter is not a thing. Matter is a shape which your senses perceive but in reality matter is just a condensed field. That is why when you split sub-atomic particles you get smaller particles and there is no end to it. Physicists are trying to fundamental particles but I doubt they will ever find one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2016-04-28T11:26:25.553" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T11:26:25.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14943" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="14945" CreationDate="2016-04-28T16:39:21.153" Score="2" ViewCount="1730" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between kilesas and asavas? Or are they synonyms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-04-28T20:28:55.780" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T02:41:52.373" Title="What is the difference between kilesas and asavas?" Tags="|terminology|doctrine|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14935" CreationDate="2016-04-28T17:03:24.440" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know you ask about contemporary Buddhists, but for what it's worth, Buddha often called young women &quot;young sister/little sister&quot; when he gave them Dhamma talk.  I think it's cultural and linguistic (just like what Chris said).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples: when Cincamanavika accused Buddha to be a father of a child in her womb.  Buddha said to her &quot;&quot;Little sister, only you and I know whether you are speaking the truth or not&quot;    or when Buddha told Lady Patachara that he could help her with her griefs.  &quot;Little sister, you have come to someone who can help you...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a sign of familiarity and compassion.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T17:03:24.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14943" CreationDate="2016-04-28T19:57:11.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My view is 'kilesa' is the general or broad term referring the mental impurities or toxins. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, anusaya (underlying tendencies) are kilesa; asava (outflows) are kilesa; hindrances (nirvarana) are kilesa; and the various forms of tanha (craving), attachment &amp;amp; becoming (bhava) are kilesa.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most subtle level of kilesa is anusaya (underlying tendencies). When the anusaya flow-out of the substratum of the mind, this flowing-out, leakage or fermentation ('bubbling-up') is called 'asava'. The anusaya flow-out as the five hindrances (nirvarana). If the five hindrances take control of the mind and push the mind to engage in external sense objects - craving, attachment &amp;amp; becoming will arise in relation to those sense objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 9, the asava are included within the condition of ignorance in the dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these three fermentations (asava): the fermentation of&#xA;  sensuality, the fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of&#xA;  ignorance. This is called fermentation. From the origination of&#xA;  ignorance comes the origination of fermentation. From the origination&#xA;  of fermentation comes the origination of ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-28T19:57:11.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14946" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-29T06:46:40.430" Score="3" ViewCount="545" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a person in my own family who's aware of his past-birth. He knew it by age 7 only. When family started investigation 'they found it all true. How he has died in his last birth, how much of children he had, what work he was doing when he died and etc. I want to know what the buddha said about rebirth and transfer of memories to a new born? Moreover I wish to get more examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T06:15:03.697" Title="Rebirth, transfer of memories, what is it?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14947" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-29T11:28:59.873" Score="3" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;But when an enlightened person lives he could be in the present all the time. But when you sleep your conscious/awareness may be different or just disappear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So does the level of awareness of an enlightened person also change or stay the same even when sleeping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-04-30T08:26:02.793" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T11:08:26.877" Title="Does the level of awareness of an awakened buddhist also stay the same event when he sleeps?" Tags="|nirvana|sleep|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14947" CreationDate="2016-04-29T12:08:33.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;sleep is a state of body, not a state of mind. If you are asleep your body has shut down the 5 senses, but your mind can still be active (dreaming).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As for those delusion-born fevers — burned with which the householder or householder's son would sleep miserably — that delusion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.034.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.34&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing mindfulness and meditation regularly you can actually stop nightmares from happening by this habit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T12:08:33.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14946" CreationDate="2016-04-29T16:55:54.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Spontaneous past lives recollection per Buddha can be found at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjanita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;For modern day research, look up late&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; Dr. Ian Stevenson &lt;/a&gt; University of Virginia School of Medicine&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T16:55:54.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14765" CreationDate="2016-04-29T21:25:51.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the Buddha, the term &lt;strong&gt;paticcasamuppada&lt;/strong&gt; is only used for the causality (iddapaccayata) that leads to the &lt;strong&gt;origination of&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;. The causality of material things, for example, is called iddapaccayata rather than paticcasamuppada. All iddapaccayata (causality) is not paticcasamuppada. However, paticcasamuppada is a subset of iddapaccayata. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was primarily concerned with how suffering arises &amp;amp; ends so the Buddha was primarily concerned with paticcasamuppada. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paticcasamuppada is about how ignorance of the impermanence &amp;amp; selflessness of phenomena results in the mind craving for &amp;amp; clinging to impermanent phenomena as &quot;self&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;belonging to self&quot;. When impermanence occurs to those objects of clinging, &quot;aging-&amp;amp;-death&quot; occurs, resulting in suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, paticcasamuppada simply explains how, due to ignorance &amp;amp; craving, the mind suffers over change &amp;amp; loss. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Nakulapita Sutta provides an easy to understand example of how the last four conditions of paticcasamuppada result in suffering (sorrow). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-29T21:45:00.337" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T21:45:00.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14946" CreationDate="2016-04-29T21:51:53.137" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Khajjaniya Sutta explains whatever experiences from the past are recollected, they were never &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;. The Khajjaniya Sutta explains the mind was mistaken in the past, i.e., ignorant, to regard experiences as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;. You would probably need to look elsewhere for an explanation of reincarnation since the Khajjaniya Sutta refutes the idea of &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; existed in the past&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: The Pali term &quot;pubbe nivāsaṃ&quot; at the start of the Khajjaniya Sutta does not mean &quot;past lives&quot;. It means &quot;previous dwellings&quot;. In his new translations, Bhikkhu Bodhi uses the term &quot;past abodes&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term similar term 'nivesā' ('fixations') is also found in the Haliddakani Sutta, which provides a good explanation of the idea of &quot;dwellings&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-29T21:58:44.763" LastActivityDate="2016-04-29T21:58:44.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14946" CreationDate="2016-04-30T03:38:26.943" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for conciseness it arises and passes. At death it passes in one body and arise in another. This process don't end at death or with brain damage or death. As this instance passes away the next state arises with persistent sense impressions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense impressions are tied to the mental body while conceptual impressions are tied to the physical body. So if you get brain damaged you cannot think and perhaps learn new concepts but past impressions stay, [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] these sense impressions do persist beyond death as part of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhavanga-citta/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavanga Citta&lt;/a&gt;. Recallability depends on the level of hindrances. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarana) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] The mental impressions that remain are part of the mind (Nama) which does not die at death but passes away in one body and arise in another. For further understanding perhaps you can study the Buddhist rebirth process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana meditators can recall past lives since sense impressions have persisted. 5 Hindrances is one case of we cannot remember and as meditation overcomes this you can remember better. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarana) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14583/295&quot;&gt;How can the idea of reincarnation be true if all the information of who we are is already destroyed&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T06:15:03.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14947" CreationDate="2016-04-30T03:56:07.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;An Arahat does not sleep like a normal person. He may give rest to the body but in doing so is fully aware hence not asleep. This is a natural consequence of reducing impurities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or walk a little, and then sit again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.13-Suppati-S-s4.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suppati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T04:11:18.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="76" CreationDate="2016-04-30T03:57:58.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An Arahat does not sleep like a normal person. He may give rest to the body but in doing so is fully aware hence not asleep. This is a natural consequence of reducing impurities of the mind. Also the level of awareness does not change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or walk a little, and then sit again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.13-Suppati-S-s4.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suppati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T08:20:30.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2807" CreationDate="2016-04-30T04:03:58.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An Arahat does not sleep like a normal person. He may give rest to the body but in doing so is fully aware hence not asleep. This is a natural consequence of reducing impurities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you are not an Arahat, Vipassana Meditation will make remove impurities of the mind so you will need less sleep. There is no special training to reduce sleep or be aware during sleep other than regular Vipassana Meditation. If your mind falls into &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavanga&lt;/a&gt; then you cannot be aware or mindful or have the right type of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;attention&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or walk a little, and then sit again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.13-Suppati-S-s4.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suppati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T06:11:04.113" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4037" CreationDate="2016-04-30T04:14:35.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An Arahat does not sleep like a normal person. He may give rest to the body but in doing so is fully aware hence not asleep. This is a natural consequence of reducing impurities of the mind, more particularly the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrance&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Torpor&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrance&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Torpor&lt;/a&gt; and methods to overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another enemy is laziness, drowsiness. All night you slept soundly, and yet when you sit to meditate, you feel very sleepy. This sleepiness is caused by your mental impurities, which would be driven out by the practice of Vipassana, and which therefore try to stop you from meditating. You must fight to prevent this enemy from overpowering you. Breathe slightly hard, or else get up, sprinkle cold water on your eyes, or walk a little, and then sit again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.13-Suppati-S-s4.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suppati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T04:14:35.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-04-30T09:32:44.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's helpful to know that Buddhism is described as a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;threefold training&lt;/a&gt;&quot; -- virtue, mind, and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JXnQl.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JXnQl.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If meditation is mostly &quot;mind&quot;, perhaps self-control is more to do with &quot;virtue&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are related but it is worth knowing that there is more to Buddhism than only meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the things that will eventually help self-control is &quot;&lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; (right view): when you (more or less correctly) &quot;view&quot; the worth or worthlessness, the benefit or non-benefit, of a behaviour (e.g. of &quot;waste a lot of my time in youtube watching documentaries&quot;) then you might modify that behaviour ... because you'll want to do more of what's beneficial and less of what it isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-control is related to &quot;&lt;strong&gt;virtue&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. The five precepts are (just) a beginning in terms of what's virtuous ... all necessary but maybe not sufficient. For laypeople there are suttas which describe what a virtuous lay life can look like (e.g. the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and others) -- activity that's contrary to these suggestions (for example, &quot;compulsive gambling&quot;) is probably un-virtuous (and regrettable) even though it doesn't break one of the five precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Virtue might be related to &lt;strong&gt;meditation&lt;/strong&gt;. I've read that when you start to meditate, you'll be disturbed if you're not virtuous: that it's important to get the &quot;virtue&quot; part of the practice happening in your life, perhaps even before you meditate. So maybe it's not that virtue (including self-control) results from meditation, it's that virtue enables meditation. Maybe the causal chain is more (approximately) like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Virtue (having done right, and developing self-control) enables Mind (meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind (meditation) helps to change your views and reactions e.g. Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom (right view) helps to cause beneficial behaviour and self-control i.e. Virtue&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found this sutta helpful, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta: What is the Purpose?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;What is the purpose of skillful virtues? What is their reward?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And what is the purpose of freedom from remorse? What is its reward?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Freedom from remorse has joy as its purpose, joy as its reward.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something causes you remorse (&quot;I wish I didn't waste a lot of my time in youtube watching documentaries, I regret having wasted it&quot;) then you might think something like, &quot;This is remorse ... and instead of feeling this remorse again in future, to gain freedom from remorse, t would be better to develop the 'skillful virtue' of practicing more beneficial activities instead.&quot; When the occasion arises again, you might remember, &quot;If I start watching youtube again as I did before then I will eventually feel remorse again, so make a different decision (do something different instead of falling into a repeat of that regrettable behaviour) this time.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, apart from meditation there are mundane tools you could choose to use to affect your worldly behaviour. If you want to wake early, for example, you can use an alarm clock. If you don't want to watch youtube you can configure your computer to block connections to youtube. You might find it easier or helpful to avoid entering a situation where bad/addictive behaviour is an option/temptation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also (and I know this wasn't the question you were asking) but &quot;I have planned my life and want to stick to it&quot; could possibly be a mistake ... it might imply ego, and attachment, and self-view (see the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason it might be a mistake: imagine a child who says, &quot;I have planned my life and want to stick to it&quot;! Being a child, they don't know. Similarly if/while we're unenlightened then we don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason it might be a mistake: the situation that we're in changes, and is to some extent outside our control. So a plan that's made for today might not be so appropriate/applicable tomorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T10:11:09.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14578" CreationDate="2016-04-30T10:22:20.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Buddhist scriptures contain a number of statements about consciousness that may help decide if consciousness is related to reincarnation, including the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It cognizes, it cognizes': Thus, friend, it is said to be&#xA;'consciousness.' And what does it cognize? It cognizes 'pleasant.' It&#xA;cognizes 'painful.' It cognizes 'neither painful nor pleasant.' 'It&#xA;cognizes, it cognizes': Thus it is said to be 'consciousness.' MN 43&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And what is consciousness? These six are classes of consciousness:&#xA;eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness,&#xA;tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, intellect-consciousness.&#xA;This is called consciousness. SN 12.2&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises...Dependent on ear&#xA;&amp;amp; sounds, ear-consciousness arises...Dependent on nose &amp;amp; aromas,&#xA;nose-consciousness arises...Dependent on tongue &amp;amp; flavors,&#xA;tongue-consciousness arises...Dependent on body &amp;amp; tactile sensations,&#xA;body-consciousness arises...Dependent on intellect &amp;amp; ideas,&#xA;intellect-consciousness arises. MN 18&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's good, monks, that you understand the Dhamma taught by me in this&#xA;way, for in many ways I have said of dependently co-arisen&#xA;consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no&#xA;coming-into-play of consciousness. Consciousness, monks, is&#xA;classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which&#xA;it arises. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the eye &amp;amp; forms&#xA;is classified simply as eye-consciousness...etc' MN 38&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Were someone to say, 'I will describe a coming, a going, a passing&#xA;away, an arising, a growth, an increase or a proliferation of&#xA;consciousness apart from form, from feeling, from perception, from&#xA;fabrications,' that would be impossible. SN 22.53&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Very well then, Kotthita my friend, I will give you an analogy; for&#xA;there are cases where it is through the use of an analogy that&#xA;intelligent people can understand the meaning of what is being said.&#xA;It is as if two sheaves of reeds were to stand leaning against one&#xA;another. In the same way, from mentality-&amp;amp;-materiality as a requisite&#xA;condition comes consciousness, from consciousness as a requisite&#xA;condition comes mentality-&amp;amp;-materiality. SN 12.67&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to&#xA;hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the&#xA;mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the&#xA;four great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three,&#xA;four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or&#xA;more. But what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by&#xA;day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another. SN 12.61&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what do you think of this, O monks? Is consciousness permanent&#xA;or impermanent?&quot; &quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot; SN 22.59&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-04-30T10:39:29.290" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T10:39:29.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14578" CreationDate="2016-04-30T12:47:46.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness does not reside in brain. Otherwise re-incarnation of any form is not possible. Consciousness is the holding structure without which body and mind does not function and therefore cease to exist. This holding structure too contains part of memory and therefore memories live for sometime. But even this structure is not a permanent and disjoint phenomenon. It is like a wave which arises and perishes in ocean. You can call ocean of consciousness as super-consciousness from where individual consciousness arise as a wave and then dissolves. But the wave does not dissolve completely. Some part of wave is preserved and some part is picked up from ocean. Therefore suffering belongs to all of mankind not individual. Also mankind needs to evolve to lower suffering of individual. That is the reason Buddha or any enlightened person never talks about it. It is pretty much a complex subject. I have tried to give a very simplified version.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T12:47:46.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14962" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-30T15:12:13.443" Score="0" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently was watching a video in which Schopenhauer's views on aesthetics were expressed. Part of his views relied on saying that there is one aspect of the nominal world which can be experienced -despite that basically being a contradiction to what the nominal and phenomenal world are-. He went on to say that the exception is called, &quot;The Will&quot;. The will as basically, to my best understanding, the driving force for all things which pervades all things, both abstract and not, and that, once aware of this &quot;Will&quot; one loses what I guess could be loosely identified as the self, and becomes more as one with, &quot;The Will&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, to me, sounds a lot like what I have heard called, &quot;The Mystic Law&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a definition of the mystic law&lt;/a&gt; as referred to as, &quot;the true aspect&quot;, by the philosopher, Miao-Lo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The true aspect invariably manifests in all phenomena, and all phenomena invariably manifest in the ten factors. The ten factors invariably manifest in the Ten Worlds, and the Ten Worlds invariably manifest in life and its environment.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question then is, how closely are these two &quot;aspects&quot; related, and are they really referring to the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-04-30T15:27:10.643" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T08:27:49.837" Title="Is Schopenhauer's &quot;the Will&quot; equivalent to &quot;the Mystic Law&quot;?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|nichiren|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7854" CreationDate="2016-04-30T18:18:02.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, 'nama' means 'mentality'. For example, there is the term 'namadhamma', which means 'mental phenomena'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before Buddhism, 'nama' meant 'name' &amp;amp; was a key notion in the creationism of Brahmanism (refer to 'namarupa-vyakarana' in Wikipedia). For example, in the Biblical creationist story, God names things when he creates the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears the Buddha took the term 'namarupa' from Brahmanism in order to redefine it. In other words, the impression is the Buddha was debunking the Brahmanist ideas; rendering them irrelevant in relation to the arising &amp;amp; cessation of suffering. Since the Buddha declared all he taught about was &quot;suffering &amp;amp; the cessation of suffering&quot;, the Brahmin notions of namarupa-vyakarana were irrelevant since suffering revolves around craving &amp;amp; attachment rather than naming.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T18:18:02.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14964" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-30T18:45:56.423" Score="2" ViewCount="733" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that in the hindoestic yogi there are using chakra's very common. But are they also used in buddhism? If not, why not? Or what is similar to chakra's in buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T17:54:32.123" Title="Are chakra's used in Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14965" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-04-30T19:20:06.553" Score="0" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;An physical allergic reaction happens when the immune system is activated when it is not really necessary and harms more than it helps. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha can perhaps be the result of activity of the ego against things which actionally doens't harm you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So can you say suffering is due to an allergic ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T03:52:38.080" Title="Can Dukkha be considered as the consequence of a psychological allergic reaction?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5135" CreationDate="2016-04-30T22:32:07.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bhavaṅga&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhavaṅga citta, mentioned earlier, is the primary form of mind. It flows from conception to death except when interrupted by a stimulus through one of the sense doors. When a stimulus enters, consciousness becomes active, launching into a thought process (citta vīthi). Thought processes have been analysed in great detail in the Abhidhamma.&#xA;A complete thought process, occurring through the physical sense doors, is made up of seventeen thought moments (citta khaṇa). These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) A bhavaṅga that flows by in a passive state when one of the five &#xA;physical sense organs comes in contact with its object (atīta bhavaṅga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) A bhavaṅga that vibrates for one thought moment (bhavaṅga calana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) A bhavaṅga that cuts off the flow (bhavaṅga upaccheda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) A citta that turns towards the object through the sense door that has been stimulated (pañcadvāra-vajjana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) The appropriate sense consciousness; in the case of the eye, for example, eye consciousness (cakkhu viññāṇa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6) Next a thought moment—the sampaṭicchana citta—which has the function of receiving the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7) When the object has been received another thought moment, called the santīraṇa citta, arises, performing the function of investigating the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8) The act (kamma) itself, especially if it was a weighty one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9–15) The object having been determined, the most important stage from an ethical standpoint follows. This stage, called javana, consists of seven consecutive thought moments all having an identical nature. It is at this stage that good or evil is done, depending on whether the cittas have wholesome or unwholesome roots. Therefore, these javana thought moments have roots and also produce new kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;17) Following the seventh javana the registering stage occurs, composed of two thought moments called tadālambana. When the second registering citta has perished, the bhavaṅga follows, flowing on until interrupted by another thought process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source, Dr. N.K.G. Mendis, The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-04-30T22:32:07.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1854" CreationDate="2016-05-01T00:01:51.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Old thread. I would first answer that the phrase: &quot;the 3 marks of existence&quot; is inaccurate. The term &quot;existence&quot; implies &quot;being&quot; or &quot;bhava&quot;, which requires mind. This &quot;existence&quot; is phenomenological or experiential. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas the Buddha used the phrase: &quot;the 3 characteristics of conditioned things&quot;. As explained in the Dhamma-niyama Sutta (quoted above), the 3 characteristics are the nature of compounded things, regardless of whether any human being realises or experiences this reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rock or cloud does not possess mind. A rock or cloud does not experience life. A rock or cloud has no sense of 'existence'. Yet a rock or cloud possess the 3 characteristics, in that a rock or cloud are impermanent, cannot bring lasting happiness; are unsatisfactory (due to their impermanence); and are not-self, neither being a 'self' or able to be possessed by a 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T00:01:51.003" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14964" CreationDate="2016-05-01T02:03:58.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But are they also used in buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some references to chakra in certain types of Buddhism. E.g. see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2338&quot;&gt;Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha&amp;#39;s teachings?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or what is similar to chakra's in buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism the closest is the places to fix attention or resting places of attention. See my answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2402/295&quot;&gt;Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha's teachings?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T02:03:58.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14965" CreationDate="2016-05-01T02:30:12.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dukkha can perhaps be the result of activity of the ego against things which actionally doens't harm you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience a contract, the reaction of consciousness is to give a sensation of pleasantness, unpleasantness or neutral sensation. Another habitual response that follows is craving or aversion to this. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] This is not necessarily the ego going against anything but habitual reaction. Ego is created due to thought patterns which follow, due to craving. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.2-Vicarita-Tanha-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vicarita) Tanha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]. The main thing is not to react to sensations, being completely equanimous and knowing their arising and passing nature. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] If you react - with aversion, craving or ignorance - then only it becomes harmful, as this will create fabrication, which result in future karmic manifestations. Also, in the present, if they are pleasant and change then disappointment follows. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So can you say suffering is due to an allergic ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can say it is due to allergic reaction to sense experiences with craving and aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T02:30:12.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1389" CreationDate="2016-05-01T06:43:07.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are so many confusion regarding Pure Land Buddhism that I feel I must chip in. Many people even see it as non Buddhist because it seems to be about the Amitabha Buddha saving humans through the power of his grace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am from a non denominational Chinese Mahayana organization with Chan lineage but we also heavily devote to Amitabha and emphasize the Amitabha Sutra in our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After more than a year of chanting the sutra, my conclusion is that it is a metaphor for the Dharma! Remember that Pure Land Buddhism is an outgrowth of Mahayana Buddhism and therefore one of the highest goals is the Perfection of Skillful Means (Upaya Paramita). Mahayana texts utilize fantastical imageries and stories to bring across the difficult to understand technical concepts and teachings in early Buddhism, preserved in the Pali Canon and the Sanskrit Agama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine your average person being told about the Four Noble Truths, Suffering, Cause of suffering, End of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path. It doesn't interest him - &quot;Give up my desires? That's ridiculous! And end of suffering doesn't sound exciting at all! Impermanence sounds so depressing!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is where Pure Land Buddhism comes in. &quot;What if we tell you that there is a place called the World of Supreme Bliss better than any worldly pleasures? And to reach there you need chant this sutra everyday, and I promise you Amitabha Buddha will appear before you&quot;. If you didn't realize, chanting is actually a very powerful form of meditation, in fact for the novice, it is faster and more effective than sitting meditation and trying to watch your breath. Here your attention and focus is on the sutra, attaining Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. With that it is possible to experiences the mental factors of the Jhana, joy, happiness, peace, and realizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more the description of the Pure Land has peppered references throughout to the numbers four, seven and eight. Referring to the Four Noble Truths, Seven Factor of Enlightenment, Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other messages within. For example, the name of Amitabha himself is Infinite Life and Infinite Light, referring to the Deathless Truth and Wisdom of the Dharma, reminding people that ultimately the goal of Buddhism is Eternal Life, and that the buddhas are ultimately immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more it is stated in sutra that in the Pure Land of Amitabha, even lower realms (hell, hungry ghost, and animals) do not exist, this is a Mahayana message that ultimately the goal is not only to save yourself, but purify the whole world. Pure Land Buddhists vow to turn this very world into a paradise. And have a Pure Land in their hearts wherever they maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the Amitabha sutra, the theme of perfection of skillful means repeats, It said that to attain enlightenment is difficult, but what is even more difficult is to teach it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other messages which I am slowly absorbing as I encounter them, but I hope this clarify the intentions of Pure Land Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T06:43:07.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2726" CreationDate="2016-05-01T06:55:05.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are so many confusion regarding Pure Land Buddhism. Many people even see it as non Buddhist because it seems to be about the Amitabha Buddha saving humans through the power of his grace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am from a non denominational Chinese Mahayana organization with Chan lineage but we also heavily devote to Amitabha and emphasize the Amitabha Sutra in our practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After more than a year of chanting the sutra, my conclusion is that it is a metaphor for the Dharma! Remember that Pure Land Buddhism is an outgrowth of Mahayana Buddhism and therefore one of the highest goals is the Perfection of Skillful Means (Upaya Paramita). Mahayana texts utilize fantastical imageries and stories to bring across the difficult to understand technical concepts and teachings in early Buddhism, preserved in the Pali Canon and the Sanskrit Agama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine your average person being told about the Four Noble Truths, Suffering, Cause of suffering, End of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path. It doesn't interest him - &quot;Give up my desires? That's ridiculous! And end of suffering doesn't sound exciting at all! Impermanence sounds so depressing!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is where Pure Land Buddhism comes in. &quot;What if we tell you that there is a place called the World of Supreme Bliss better than any worldly pleasures? And to reach there you need chant this sutra everyday, and I promise you Amitabha Buddha will appear before you&quot;. If you didn't realize, chanting is actually a very powerful form of meditation, in fact for the novice, it is faster and more effective than sitting meditation and trying to watch your breath. Here your attention and focus is on the sutra, attaining Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. With that it is possible to experiences the mental factors of the Jhana/Chan/Zen, joy, happiness, peace, and realizations. So in fact the Pure Land is a metaphor for the enlightenment factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more it is stated in sutra that in the Pure Land of Amitabha, even lower realms (hell, hungry ghost, and animals) do not exist, this is a Mahayana message that ultimately the goal is not only to save yourself, but purify the whole world. Pure Land Buddhists vow to turn this very world into a paradise. And have a Pure Land in their hearts wherever they maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T06:55:05.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14973" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-01T07:16:02.297" Score="6" ViewCount="640" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha stressed compassion in his teachings. It seems that the more one tries to be compassionate towards people, a natural tendency of attachment develops. For example, it seems that if I try to practice compassion towards my close family (and focus my mind on helping them), then I develop more attachment for them, and I feel closer to them and the pain of separation increases. Is it wrong that I want to feel closer to them? Did the Buddha have any advice about developing compassion while avoiding attachment (and other side effects like pride) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5763" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-03T10:15:58.317" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T12:12:24.523" Title="How to develop compassion while avoiding attachment?" Tags="|personal-practice|parents|attachment|compassion|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-01T07:54:55.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When developing compassion do not use a specific person of the opposite sex. This will lead to attachment. Also a person you are too attached to or averse to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you think of someone, you get a pleasant or emotional feeling in your mind sense door, then this is what is reinforcing the to attachment to the person. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] So in these cases be equanimous of the feeling, knowing its arising and passing nature. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] This will help reduce attachment towards other people. Attachment towards other people is misery, perhaps this in you motivation to avoid it, and by overcoming this attachment towards other people, you can overcome misery such attachment. [Bhadraka Sutta also called Gandhabhaka Sutta] See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upekkha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pride&lt;/a&gt;, this is since you are measuring yourself against the other and evaluating yourself superior. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.13-Mana-Sona-S-1-s22.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Māna) Soṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; The way to get over this is though &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mudita&lt;/a&gt;, as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; pose as an antidote when you evaluate someone inferior, lower, bad situation in comparison to what you would evaluate as medium or average as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; develops thoughts to uplift someone from and undesirable predicament or wish for him betterment, and similarly &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mudita&lt;/a&gt; when you evaluate that someone is better off or in a positive situation you wish that this is maintained you overcome inferiority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T15:01:36.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14962" CreationDate="2016-05-01T08:27:49.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know next to nothing about Schopenhauer but the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism focus on the sutra popularly known as Lotus Sutra - the 妙法蓮華経 Myōhō Renge Kyō which is in turn from Chinese 妙法蓮華經; pinyin: Miàofǎ Liánhuá jīng, which is ultimately from Sanskrit Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra literally Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma. So &quot;Mystic Law&quot; is just a re-translation of &quot;Sublime Dharma&quot;. Now I am no expert on the text but I believe the 'Sublime Dharma' refers to All of Existence and Phenomena. So this concept is only tangentially related to the Will or Collective Consciousness described by Schopenhauer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T08:27:49.837" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-01T12:55:30.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhi-Magga&lt;/a&gt; (I added in &lt;em&gt;[...]&lt;/em&gt; what is '&lt;em&gt;etc.&lt;/em&gt;' in the PDF)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who wants to develop compassion should begin his task by reviewing&#xA;  the  danger  in  lack  of  compassion  and  the  advantage  in  compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And when he begins it, &lt;strong&gt;he should not direct it at first towards a dear person, [a&#xA;  very dear companion, a neutral person or an antipathetic/hostile person]&lt;/strong&gt;;  for  one  who  is  dear  simply  retains  the  position  of  one  who  is  dear,  a&#xA;  very dear companion retains the position of a very dear companion, one who is&#xA;  neutral retains the position of one who is neutral, one who is antipathetic retains&#xA;  the position of one who is antipathetic, and one who is hostile retains the position&#xA;  of one who is hostile. One of the opposite sex and one who is dead are also not&#xA;  the field for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this, in meditation one should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consider the advantage of compassion/ danger in lack of compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop compassion by picturing/think about a being that is in great suffering and making the wish: &quot;May he/she be free from suffering&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just  as  he  would  feel&#xA;  compassion on seeing an unlucky, unfortunate person, so he pervades all beings&#xA;  with  compassion”  (Vibh  273).  Therefore  first  of  all,  on  seeing  a  wretched  man,&#xA;  unlucky, unfortunate, in every way a fit object for compassion, unsightly, reduced&#xA;  to utter misery, with hands and feet cut off, sitting in the shelter for the helpless&#xA;  with a pot placed before him, with a mass of maggots oozing from his arms and&#xA;  legs,  and  moaning,  compassion  should  be  felt  for  him  in  this  way:  “&lt;strong&gt;This  being&#xA;  has indeed been reduced to misery; if only he could be freed from this suffering!&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't know about such a person, towards an evil-doing person&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But  if  he  does  not  encounter  such  a  person,  then  he  can  arouse  compassion&#xA;  for  an  evil-doing  person,  even  though  he  is  happy,  by  comparing  him  to  one&#xA;  about to be executed. How?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] So  too  a  bhikkhu  whose  meditation  subject  is&#xA;  compassion  should  arouse  compassion  for  an  [evil-doing]  person  even  if  he  is&#xA;  happy:  “&lt;strong&gt;Though  this  poor  wretch  is  now  happy,  cheerful,  enjoying  his  wealth,&#xA;  still for want of even one good deed done now in any one of the three doors [of&#xA;  body, speech and mind] he can come to experience untold suffering in the states&#xA;  of  loss.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now in the same way develop compassion for a dear person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... a neutral person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... a hostile  person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In case resentment arises towards the hostile person, one should focus on metta instead&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After this section in the Visuddhimagga, there is a comment about different ways of practicing compassion. (Towards yourself or first a hostile person then a unlucky) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T12:55:30.220" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2016-05-01T14:07:20.103" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never started a new religion. He just taught what he found. Buddha himself a Hindu and surrounding him were Hindus. Buddha understood concept of God is not solution for man's problems/sufferings and only man can solve man's problems/sufferings. Buddha realized there are cure for many problems and some doesnt, however suffering can be removed in both cases. So he identified causes of suffering (The Four Noble Truths) and solution {The Noble Eight-fold Path) to eliminate suffering. Buddha emphasized not to look for external help (either from God or from other human beings). One has to do himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha never like unrealistic things like heaven, gods kingdom, saving from sin etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8253" LastEditorUserId="8253" LastEditDate="2016-05-01T14:20:11.200" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T14:20:11.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1811" CreationDate="2016-05-01T22:11:13.737" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhas do not start a religion. Disciples who have not attained Truth, and consequently who do not have identity create one. Organized religion is a set of individuals/organizations who market Truth. Truth does not need religion but its the other way round. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T22:11:13.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-01T22:34:30.723" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Compassion and creativity are by-product of consciousness. The more you are aware of metaphysical nature of your being more compassionate you will be.  For example if you witness your past births you will understand that people are transient phenomenon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is compassion is being cultivated in all religions of the world including Buddhism. It is not an intellectual affair. It is experience of higher states of being which brings in compassion. You cannot preach/teach compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karuna meditation helps in attaining compassion but to become truly compassionate one needs to be enlightened. Otherwise there will always be some element of attachment.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-01T22:34:30.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14981" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-02T08:43:10.823" Score="4" ViewCount="555" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very sick and as such I have tried meditating a lot, and reading about the heart mantra, as far as studying meditation. When I was meditating I was going into a trance like state for about 3-4 hours, my first question was, is 3-4 hours, deep meditation or beginners meditation? My second  question was, in at least one trance state I suddenly looked down and saw myself sitting, I was out of my body,&#xA;I tried to look around and I saw what I can only describe as many beautiful places/doors, Could this be any beginning to becoming realized, maybe a step in the right direction or not? Please excuse me if these questions are stupid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8260" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T10:22:03.030" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T16:13:48.550" Title="I was wondering about deep meditation and out of body experiences" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation|psychic-powers|meditation-samatha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-02T15:42:43.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;this is what i gathered from many suttas.  Start with 5 precepts because it is a foundation of peace. then you set up your mind that you will not kill, harm, harsh words..etc. others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Set it in your mind that others beings around you have no reason to fear you because you will not do anything to hurt them or destroy their benefit or well being.  you start with beings right next to you first and then spread out the circle or radiate compassion and kindness outward.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T15:42:43.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-02T21:14:08.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am personally not aware of any direct advice the Buddha gave about developing compassion without attachment since the majority of the Buddha's teachings are about developing non-attachment &amp;amp; the minority of teachings are about developing compassion. In general, the compassion teachings are generally related to cultivating non-harming, non-hatred &amp;amp; non-cruelty and also about teaching the dhamma to others. In other words, the compassion teachings are generally not about how to help others in more worldly or mundane ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of the Buddha are generally separated as: (1) teachings for monks; and (2) teachings for laypeople. The teachings for monks focus on non-attachment where as the teachings for laypeople rarely mention non-attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, the Buddha encouraged laypeople to do good so they develop personal pride or self-respect in relation to their good actions (eg. Anana Sutta &amp;amp; Samajivina Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in With Brahma (Itivuttaka 4.7) and in the Sigalovada Sutta, the Buddha discusses the compassionate role &amp;amp; duties of parents &amp;amp; family members but does not mention non-attachment. In the Piyajatika Sutta, the Buddha says to a man his grief towards his dead son comes from his love but does not teach non-attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN 42.12, the Buddha eventually refers to a man who uses his wealth to help his family without being attached to it, &quot;seeing the danger in it, understanding the escape&quot; but does not go into any details. That said, &quot;seeing the danger &amp;amp; understanding the escape&quot; are a stock teaching for monks in the suttas, where the &quot;danger&quot; (ādīnava) is attachment &amp;amp; the &quot;escape&quot; (nissaraṇa) is the non-attachment of the eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, I think non-attachment can be developed by comprehending the danger or suffering of attachment. As the Buddha taught about the 1st noble truth: &quot;This suffering (of attaching to the five aggregates) is to be comprehended&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Udayi Sutta, it is mentioned teaching others with compassion &amp;amp; without harming oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Attavagga in the Dhammapada, it is again mentioned doing good without hurting oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Attavagga holds the principle that each individual must help themself. The Maggavagga has the phrase: &quot; You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These accord with the practise of equanimity (upeka), where it is reflected each individual is the owner of their actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion (karuna) is one of the 4 brahma vihara, which also include metta, mudita &amp;amp; equanimity (upeka). Here, helping others (compassion) is balanced with the understanding (upeka) that we try to help others to help themselves; thus ultimately, others are responsible for their lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This old booklet may be helpful for you: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4sublime_states.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4sublime_states.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-02T21:26:36.763" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T21:26:36.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14598" CreationDate="2016-05-02T22:46:53.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is often an issue: you attempt to focus, but instead feel a sense of dullness, flatness, &quot;spaced out&quot; ... what have you. Increasing the effort to focus usually increases dissatisfaction with the results. In truth, sensations come and go, some are intense, some are dull. It may help to place the emphasis on being &quot;receptive&quot; over being &quot;concentrated&quot;. After all, there is no point in focusing on a sensation that may not even be there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of saying to yourself &quot;I must &lt;em&gt;focus&lt;/em&gt; on sensation&quot; try &quot;I will be &lt;em&gt;receptive&lt;/em&gt; to sensation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of &quot;I must &lt;em&gt;concentrate&lt;/em&gt; on my breath&quot; try &quot;I will &lt;em&gt;follow&lt;/em&gt; the breath&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some practices do place an emphasis on focused and willfull concentration, but it is counter productive to force it if you are not at that stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8261" LastEditorUserId="8261" LastEditDate="2018-02-22T00:24:15.567" LastActivityDate="2018-02-22T00:24:15.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14912" CreationDate="2016-05-02T22:55:38.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alexander is correct on the Tibetan and you are close on the other Sanskrit version, but the words are out of order.  OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG is the order of the one you refer to in your question. However, both are actually Sanskrit. It is just a different arrangement of essentially the same words. Both are equally correct, just from different cultural aspects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="8196" LastEditDate="2016-05-02T23:05:35.100" LastActivityDate="2016-05-02T23:05:35.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2016-05-02T23:15:19.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since I'm visiting a Buddhist temple here in Chiang Mai I thought that I would answer.  Brown robes can eat only once per day, orange/saffron robes eat twice a day and the maroon (Myanmar) robes can eat whenever they want. That's the word among the monks (they take eating very seriously).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8262" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T15:02:30.117" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T15:02:30.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-03T03:22:23.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use Upekkha(Equanimity) to straighten Karuna(compassion) when it strays into sadness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karuna is characterized as promoting the aspect of allaying suffering.&#xA;  Its function resides in not bearing others’ suffering. It is manifested as non-cruelty.&#xA;  Its proximate cause is to see helplessness in those overwhelmed by&#xA;  suffering. &lt;strong&gt;It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside and it fails when it produces sorrow&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Uppekkha is characterized as promoting the aspect of neutrality&#xA;  towards beings. Its function is to see equality in beings. It is&#xA;  manifested as the quieting of resentment and approval. Its proximate&#xA;  cause is seeing ownership of deeds (kamma) thus: “&lt;strong&gt;Beings are owners of&#xA;  their deeds. Whose [if not theirs] is the choice by which they will&#xA;  become happy, or will get free from suffering, or will not fall away&#xA;  from the success they have reached?&lt;/strong&gt; It succeeds when it makes&#xA;  resentment and approval subside, and it fails when it produces the equanimity&#xA;  of unknowing, which is that [worldly-minded indifference of ignorance] based&#xA;  on the house life. -Visuddhimagga&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So observe the mind to see what is happening as you practice Karuna. If it subdues cruelty, continue. As soon as it turns into sadness, practice Uppekkha until it goes away. Again switch back to Karuna and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-03T05:17:44.540" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T05:17:44.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14973" CreationDate="2016-05-03T11:17:34.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is to try to add to the other answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What about compassion?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What about attachment?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What about parents?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question started with, &quot;The Buddha stressed compassion in his teachings&quot; but I'm not sure that's so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the answers to questions like, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12512/254&quot;&gt;Is Anatman the most important concept in Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt; suggest that maybe &quot;compassion&quot; isn't the most important concept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, some of the writing of the Dalai Lama, and maybe of other teachers too, suggest that perhaps it is a most important concept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there's a difference between what the Buddha emphasized in the Theravada canon, versus the emphasis in the Mahayana tradition (in which &quot;compassion&quot; might be portrayed as more central)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that sentence is both right and wrong: i.e. he &lt;em&gt;did&lt;/em&gt; emphasize compassion, but then again he emphasized a lot of other topics as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI I'll try to answer based on what I've learned of the Theravada canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What about compassion?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of compassion: compassion is one of the four Brahma-viharas (see for example these two essays: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Head &amp;amp; Heart Together&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sublime States&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not completely sure what the difference is between &quot;compassion&quot; and &quot;loving-kindness&quot; (&lt;em&gt;karuṇā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali commentaries distinguish between karuṇā and mettā in the following complementary manner: Karuna is the desire to remove harm and suffering (&lt;em&gt;ahita-dukkha-apanaya-kāmatā&lt;/em&gt;) from others; while mettā is the desire to bring about the well-being and happiness (&lt;em&gt;hita-sukha-upanaya-kāmatā&lt;/em&gt;) of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However they seem to me to be two sides of the same coin (i.e. removing &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; versus promoting &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt;), and so they seem to me to be more-or-less interchangeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that Theravada Buddhism, at least, seems to promote or advertise the development of mettā more than it does karuṇā. When your question asked about &quot;developing compassion&quot;, I think that some of the other answers are based on &quot;developing loving-kindness&quot;, which is a practice called &lt;em&gt;metta-bhavana&lt;/em&gt; (where &lt;em&gt;bhavana&lt;/em&gt; is a word which can be translated as something like, &quot;becoming&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Suminda's answer ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When developing compassion do not use a specific person of the opposite sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... is I think probably based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13151/254&quot;&gt;these instructions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway maybe that helps to explain some of the other answers to your question: I think they saw &quot;develop compassion&quot; in the title, and are therefore quoting &lt;em&gt;metta-bhavana&lt;/em&gt; instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This essay on &lt;em&gt;metta-bhavana&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love&lt;/a&gt;, talks about metta as a &quot;universal&quot; love -- there, I think, not a love that is restricted/exclusive to parents, but a love which includes parents ... so already, by including other people, perhaps it tends towards some kind of non-attachment towards own family. And there's this essay, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Practice of Loving-Kindness (Metta)&lt;/a&gt;, which has the advantage of being &quot;As Taught by the Buddha in the Pali Canon&quot; i.e. it's principally a collection of relevant quotes from the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was going to say or started to write that there is more written about metta than there is about karuna, but on reflection maybe that's not true -- because, I think that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ethical precepts&lt;/a&gt; (rules of behaviour, about which a lot is said) are at least partly for the purpose of compassion or harmlessness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, abandoning [the behaviour forbidden by each of the five precepts], the disciple of the noble ones abstains from [that behaviour]. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So part of the &quot;compassion&quot; that you rightly show to family (if you're asking, &quot;how to show compassion?&quot;) includes simply keeping the precepts: for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abstaining from incorrect speech&lt;/a&gt;, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What about attachment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how to summarize what the Buddha said about avoiding attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a start, there's a slight difference between &quot;attachment&quot; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;) and &quot;craving&quot; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Buddha said more about &quot;craving&quot; than about &quot;attachment&quot;: for example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;second noble truth&lt;/a&gt; is about &quot;craving&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference between &quot;craving&quot; and &quot;attachment&quot;, I think, is that I think of &quot;craving&quot; as being a kind of blind thirst or lust or desire ... which, is a habit inherent in (a property of) 'me' ... whereas &quot;attachment&quot; is when I subsequently attach that desire to a particular thing (or particular person) because I think it can satisfy that desire ... so attachment is my projecting my desire onto something else; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Imagine that I'm thirsty -- that &quot;thirst&quot; is probably a craving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I want something, anything, to drink -- maybe that's still a craving but it's starting to become an attachment, because maybe I think I want something in particular i.e. a drink, that a drink will satisfy my thirst&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I get a drink and I think, &quot;This is the best drink ever: it saved my life, it quenched my thirst ... now I want to keep this drink, forever!&quot; -- that's definitely become an attachment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to doctrine, attachment is conditioned by craving (i.e. &quot;as a result of craving attachment arises&quot; or &quot;the existence of craving is the condition in which attachment arises&quot;) so a way to avoid attachment might be to avoid or reduce craving, or maybe (I'm guessing) at least to be aware of craving and not allowing it to become attachment (e.g. to think &quot;ok so I was thirsty before but that's not a good reason to become attached to and to try to keep this specific glass of water&quot;, or to think, &quot;that thirst was impermanent, arises and ceases, and so was the water and the sensation of drinking it&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You started by saying that &quot;the Buddha stressed compassion&quot; but it seems to be that a lot of what the Buddha stressed is that it's not appropriate to become attached to things because things are impermanent. It's especially &quot;compound things&quot; or &quot;things put together&quot; that are impermanent (or 'disappointing' or 'subject to decay', for example as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jayarava.org/buddhas-last-words.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the last words of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I guess it's something like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you become aware that attachment has arisen, see that it's inappropriate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stay mindful that things (e.g. sense-impressions) arise and cease so it's not worth becoming attached to them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I agree with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14984/254&quot;&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think non-attachment can be developed by comprehending the danger or suffering of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read a further introduction to attachment e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;. I might be worth noting there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Manifestations_of_clinging&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;two types&lt;/a&gt; of attachment are identified:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sense-pleasures (e.g. the comforts of home)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ideas (e.g. a view of self as specific person within specific family)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What about parents?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's a little difficult to answer: IMO the answer isn't straightforward, and/because the answer may be a &quot;middle way between extremes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, apparently (if I remember correctly) you need (you're expected to obtain) your parents' permission before you ordain as a monk. I think that someone, on this site, once suggested that maybe that's so that the Sangha (community of monks) wouldn't develop a bad reputation with lay society (which they would if people's children started leaving home without permission). On the other hand, there's a story of a son whose parents refused permission, and who replied that he'd simply stop eating until either he died or they gave him permission (and after a few days, seeing that he was determined, the parents gave permission).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that one owes to parents an enormous debt of gratitude (see e.g. this essay, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lessonsofgratitude.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Lessons of Gratitude&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that maybe monks may be released from their ordinary obligations and restrictions in order to physically look after their own parents if and when they need it -- depending on the tradition, either while still a monk, or by disrobing temporarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also teachings about how to be a good member of lay society, including to one's family: sober, hard working, frugal, kind, and so (see for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing though, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kataññu Suttas&lt;/a&gt; end by saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays &amp;amp; repays one's mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, helping/teaching/enabling your family to &quot;avoid attachment&quot;, if you can, might be a good way to show them compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To some extent you're asking a difficult question. The type of &quot;attachment&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;which you seem to be talking about&lt;/a&gt; is maybe part of the ordinary or 'healthy' development of infants, so it's something we're all born with and/or acquire in early childhood development, and either keep or have to un-learn somehow. The couter-measures might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;insight&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As if wisdom and insight aren't already plenty to learn, Mahayana further introduces the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;skillfulness&lt;/a&gt;: so your (compassionate) behaviour should be wise (to avoid negative consequences such as attachment) but also skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although maybe I don't have a good, canonical understanding of what &quot;skillful&quot; means, I think of it as meaning, partly, an ability to keep to a middle way between extremes (e.g. maybe neither an extreme attachment nor an extreme indifference is appropriate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally it might help to remember that both you and they must find your/their own ways towards enlightenment: though you might help (help yourself, them, and others), maybe attachment is counterproductive to that goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T12:12:24.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14650" CreationDate="2016-05-03T14:26:10.753" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tukdam is a state of meditation that is practiced by highly realized masters of Buddhism. They do go into a near death state that is called Ground Luminosity, generally for 3-4 days. They neither eat nor drink during this time, and are not moved or touched until they arise on there own. Then at the time a master senses his own death is eminent, he will enage in this meditation until death, at which point the body is left undisturbed for three days, so that the consciousness can fully exit the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T14:26:10.753" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14598" CreationDate="2016-05-03T19:03:53.640" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two little tricks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wet your finger and dab the rim of each nostril.  Breath in and out normally.  You should be able to pick up the sensation enough from there to keep your focus on it after the water evaporates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Instead of trying find the breath a the edge of the nostrils, see if you can find the temperature change at the edge of the nostrils.  The in breath is cool, the out breath is warm, cool, warm, cool....&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And remember.  One breath at a time.  Just this breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T19:03:53.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14995" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-03T19:26:33.170" Score="1" ViewCount="3055" Body="&lt;p&gt;I decided to meditate continuously, no matter what occurs within meditation. I will attempt to do as best I can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the only circumstance when I feel like meditation would be difficult would be when experiencing lethargy or fatigue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed that some things usually occur while particularly tired:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation becomes difficult as the mind tends to drift or wander.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rather than generate insight or focus the mind will create aimless and incoherent thoughts. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The body will slacken and it becomes easier to drift off.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, does anyone have tips to generate more energy for meditation, be it in terms of lifestyle or immediate antidotes? And should I try to meditate despite these feelings of tiredness and fatigue or should I merely abstain or distract myself until I am more alert?&#xA;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-03T20:15:22.147" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T23:32:26.817" Title="Tiredness and Meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14996" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-03T21:32:20.473" Score="1" ViewCount="305" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing mindfulness of breath (&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;) lately and noticed this phenomena. During the initial few minutes, the breathing is generally short, but as the mind starts concentrating and gets still, the breathing becomes slower and slower. In fact, some times, I feel like one in/outer breath is taking like minutes. What actually causes this phenomena?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T13:37:53.160" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T01:44:14.550" Title="During Anapana, why does the breathing become slower and slower as we progress?" Tags="|vipassana|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14995" CreationDate="2016-05-03T21:45:42.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Story about Ven Moggallana might be interesting to you.  He was struggling with sleepiness (or tiredness) on his path to liberation.  Buddha gave him specific set of instructions.  Per Buddha, Last step to fight sleepiness is to actually sleep.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Moggallana&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T21:45:42.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14995" CreationDate="2016-05-03T22:13:21.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wow, sounds like a good practice but nobody ever said it would be %100 easy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as I practice continuously I try to be mindful of my reactions to how the practice is going. The more mindfulness the better the faculties become balanced. Sometimes we are more mindful than other times. Sometimes it seems like we can't get into it, we don't have enough runway clearance to get the mindfulness off the ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is less likely to become lethargic while doing walking meditation and also it gives one added concentration so one could do sitting meditation immediately after with a more balanced concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-05-03T22:13:21.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="14999" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-03T10:02:24.207" Score="1" ViewCount="1995" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do buddhists regard light? In their statues the eyes of Buddha are most times closed. Do they consider light a low worthy thing or something else. Newton showed gravity to be a powerful competitor of light. Hindi poetry considers the sun a selfish object despite the sun is supporting life. From this a doubt came to my mind that maybe buddhist regard light as a lowly?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Light has cleansing and illumination quality, Islam stress upon physical cleaning before praying. Does buddhism consider bodily cleansing a high virtue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8267" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T10:21:01.887" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T10:51:31.750" Title="What is the buddhist conception of light?" Tags="|science|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14996" CreationDate="2016-05-04T00:45:17.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least two things cause this phenomena: (1) the mind not desiring &amp;amp; not thinking, which results in the restless energy of desire &amp;amp; thinking not making the breathing restless &amp;amp; agitated; and (2) what Buddhism calls the 'Nirvana element' ('&lt;em&gt;nirodha dhatu&lt;/em&gt;'), i.e., what science calls 'homeostasis', which, like the force of 'gravity', moves the breath towards the equilibrium or peace/stillness of Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever the mind is free from craving, clinging &amp;amp; desiring, the mind &amp;amp; the breath will enter into the 'stream' to Nirvana. It is the same as when a drug addict enters into 'cold turkey'. Natural forces purge the body of the drug addict of its toxins. Similarly, the 'cold turkey' of meditation dissolves the agitations of conditioned mental formations stored in the mind, body &amp;amp; breath, making the breath more calm &amp;amp; pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T00:50:40.913" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T00:50:40.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14999" CreationDate="2016-05-04T01:10:44.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was a psychologist rather than a physicist or house cleaner. The Buddha is called the 'Spiritual Doctor'. For the Buddha, the most important light was the 'light' of wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Buddha mostly enjoyed living in the forest or jungle therefore was not overly concerned with keeping marble temples clean; similar to how Muḥammad (PBUH) formerly enjoyed meditating in a cave &amp;amp; would wrap himself in blankets when giving a revelation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Buddha's eyes are closed so the mind can be understood internally, in particular, how the mind generates sufferings &amp;amp; how the mind frees itself from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, the Buddha was also a mystic and taught one meditation called the 'perception of light', which can be used to develop psychic powers. The Buddha had the 'Eye of God' (dibba-cakkhu) therefore could see, hear &amp;amp; know what people were doing from within his mind. That is why his eyes are closed. The Buddha did not have to open his eyes to know what was going on the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the development of mind using concentration that, when developed &amp;amp;&#xA;  pursued, leads to the attainment of knowing &amp;amp; seeing? There is the&#xA;  case where a monk attends to the &lt;strong&gt;perception of light&lt;/strong&gt; and is resolved&#xA;  on the perception of daytime [at any hour of the day]. Day [for him]&#xA;  is the same as night, night is the same as day. By means of an&#xA;  awareness open &amp;amp; unhampered, he develops a &lt;strong&gt;brightened mind&lt;/strong&gt;. This is&#xA;  the development of mind using concentration that, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to the attainment of knowing &amp;amp; seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samadhi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T01:23:35.270" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T01:23:35.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15002" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-04T07:33:20.093" Score="3" ViewCount="219" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have just started meditating and was wondering how much effort should I put  into not getting distracted ?&#xA;As I have noticed while practicing there are varying degrees of trying I can use the more I use the more focused I am but I also feel like my mind is working harder and kind of less relaxed .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I even be trying at all ?&#xA;Because when I am not trying at all mostly the wave of thoughts easily sweep me away from the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it like finding the balance between trying really hard and not trying ?&#xA;If the last one is the case how can I find the balance ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8210" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T10:06:17.580" LastActivityDate="2018-01-28T15:35:43.603" Title="How much should i try while meditating?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-concentration|meditation-mindfulness|right-effort|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-04T08:35:17.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently started doing meditation myself and I've had similar problems to you. You begin meditating and floods of thoughts pop through and you find yourself following them and it's really hard to get back to focusing on whatever the objective of your meditation is supposed to be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main piece of advice I can give you is to find something you can focus on consistently, I use my breathing for example. When your mind wonders it's OK to have the thought, but you should always acknowledge that you're beginning to flow away from your meditation and you should go back to the consistent object you are focusing on. You shouldn't be harsh on yourself during meditation, especially if you're new to doing it. Even the most trained mediators find themselves wondering sometimes, it's natural. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regards to feeling like it's hard to meditate, it should be something you can relax into and not something to struggle to do. It seems like you're trying to avoid the thoughts altogether, but they are something you should acknowledge, follow if you believe it is important, and drift back to meditating once you have acknowledged that you are slipping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I did my first group practice meditation the ordained member who was leading the session gave some advice on how to maintain focus during the meditation, I find that advice was very useful for me and has helped me ease into meditation, I will roughly quote him below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Focus on your breathing, focus on the different aspects of each breath. Is it coarse? Is it smooth? focus on how much you are breathing in, can you take a lot of air? is there only a little? these aspects can be ever changing, follow them and do not try to control them. If you flow away from your focus, acknowledge the thought, acknowledge your aspirations for meditation, and come back to your breath, is it coarse? is it smooth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I unfortunately forgot the members name but I'm going back this week and will add it here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if there are different methods of focus, I'm new to Buddhism in general, but this is the way that I started it and I hope it helps with your en-devours too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8234" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T08:35:17.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15004" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-04T08:39:26.987" Score="2" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the meditation podcasts I have heard when a thought comes up acknowledge it by saying &quot;thinking&quot; and then try to gently return back to your breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is something else I tried experimentally. In this case I was not noticing my breath, but was noticing my thoughts. I did this by asking, &quot;what's the next thought&quot; and tried to observe my thoughts mindfully. Obviously more thoughts arose, but it felt like I was still practicing mindfulness. And it seems easier to do this type of mindfulness while in an environment with a lot of distractions. (Walking, running, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wanted to know if it is ok to do this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, are there other methods for handling my thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8210" LastEditorUserId="8152" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T20:59:30.553" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T08:40:46.097" Title="What to do when a thought comes up while meditating" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-concentration|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15004" CreationDate="2016-05-04T09:24:30.997" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is important to understand what is meant by 'right view' (samma ditti) which covers the origination of thoughts, the causal arising of thoughts, and the non-self nature of thoughts and the entire thinking apparatus.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This understanding will help one to be mindful of the arising and passing away of thoughts during meditation without identifying with them. The default view that a thought is mine, created by myself naturally causes one to pursue them. While the right view of the true nature of thoughts eventually leads one to be unbounded from thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-05-08T14:56:49.923" LastActivityDate="2016-05-08T14:56:49.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14999" CreationDate="2016-05-04T09:35:31.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the suttas, contemplation of light is said to and does lead to wakefulness. This contemplation can be done in the dark or with eyes closed by recollecting a bright light.  There is also a key Buddhist meditation upon light &quot;aloha kasina&quot;, this requires the eyes to be open, even partially, until the counter part sign is established. (This is a very elementary description, so please Google the term for more details) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Physical cleanliness and hygiene are highly regarded in Buddhism. However morality, generosity, compassion and wisdom are even more highly regarded. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhsim, material objects or phenomenon,  like light, are not considered lowly or holy per se. Instead it the actions of beings that are classified as lowly or holy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T10:51:31.750" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T10:51:31.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2016-05-04T11:54:08.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't imagine why the Buddha would mention Judaism, even if he knew of it. From a Buddhist perspective, the old Judaism of Moses is a religion based on morals &amp;amp; petty observances, which was not dissimilar to Brahmanism. Based on the Pali scriptures, Brahmanism does not appear as 'polytheistic' as the more recent Hinduism. Although other gods are mentioned, such as Indra or Prajapati, Brahma (the Creator &amp;amp; Father of All) is the primary god; thus close to monotheistic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Jews (Isaiah 49) have self-proclaimed themselves 'A Light to the Nations', Buddhism would offer little merit to this Israelite propaganda, written in a tribal scripture (Isaiah) that prophesies doom &amp;amp; destruction to most neighboring nations in the region. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being merely about morals, Judaism would have been held as similar to many other mundane worldly religions of the Buddha's time; something not offering a path of spiritual liberation. Judaism would have been the kind of socially orientated religion that the homeless ascetics such as the Buddha were running away from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A quick look at Wikipedia confirms suspicions that some of the more philosophical or eclectic books of the Old Testament are post-Buddhist, such as Ecclesiastes, Job &amp;amp; Jonah. Ecclesiastes is a weak attempt at Buddhist-like wisdom; Jonah speaks of the universal compassion of God (contrary to the previous tribal focus); and, in Job, Satan appears for the 1st time, behaving towards Job similar to Mara towards the Buddha. I would speculate these books, similar to Christianity, were probably influenced by Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Christianity is very close to Buddhism in many of its themes &amp;amp; terminology, such as a 'liberated kingdom not of this world', the very fact that Christianity is not as advanced as Buddhism yet declares itself more spiritually advanced than the ancient worldly moralistic ritualistic Judaism shows how philosophically distant the ancient nationalistic tribal Judaism would have been from Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T12:32:42.710" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T12:32:42.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7703" CreationDate="2016-05-04T12:25:09.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My impression of Judaism &amp;amp; Jews is they are constantly reinventing themselves; to the point that it is difficult to specify what exactly is 'Jewish thought'. Whereas Buddhism has remained unchanged for 2,600 years (apart from some degeneration). In Buddhism, we are stilling falling back on the old ancient scriptures as our reference point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddhist thought was compared to Jewish thought at 600BC, there would be little in common, apart from some basic morals, which were even held by very primitive religions. The very fact that Judaism rejected Christianity at the time of Christ and was still stoning sinners to death &amp;amp; crucifying blasphemers shows little in common with Buddhism in ancient times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet with the growth of Buddhism, Christianity &amp;amp; Islam, particularly with the Jewish religion becoming centred in places such as Alexandria &amp;amp; Persia (eg. Babylonian Talmud), obviously Judaism kept reinventing itself to keep up with the world religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A uniqueness of being &quot;Jewish&quot; is you don't necessarily have to be religious. For example, the founders &amp;amp; leaders of Zionism were generally atheists, yet still call themselves &quot;Jewish&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, this Jewish tendency towards reinvention has seen many Jews invent many new revolutionary philosophies, such as Communism, which, while being staunchy atheist, has a remarkable resemblance to Old Testament monotheism &amp;amp; classless society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I get the impression Jews are brought up to study, learn, lead, talk, display their knowledge &amp;amp; even market. Thus the Jewish-Buddhist phenomena in the US-vipassana lay community. However, I am personally not aware of many Jewish monks, apart from Bhikkhu Bodhi, who is a scholar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T12:35:51.823" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T12:35:51.823" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14981" CreationDate="2016-05-04T14:48:42.050" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I suddenly looked down and saw myself sitting, I was out of my body, I&#xA;  tried to look around and I saw what I can only describe as many beautiful places/doors&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an effect of certain Samatha meditations. It is called out of body experience. I remember reading something similar in a book by venerable Ananda Maithriya thero. He would start the meditation(Samatha) while lying on the bed and after sometime he'd be standing next to the bed looking at his body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one time he wandered out of the room and started exploring. Then he came to a gate/door that was guarded by a huge demon like figure. It told him something like &quot;What are you doing here? Go back!&quot;. So he went back to the body. Later he discussed this experience with the head monk of the monastery. The head monk advised the Thero not to do that without proper preparation. Because if something else gets in while you are out, you will be locked out of your own body. People have died trying to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Yuttadhammo also speaks about a similar experience &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSBat65EtE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;in this video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is 3-4 hours, deep meditation or beginners meditation? Could this be any beginning to becoming realized&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, this has nothing to do with Nibbana. You have to do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/a&gt; for insight knowledge. But being able to sit for 3 hours and focus on one object is good progress in terms of Samatha meditation. Also, having such focus is a good starting point for Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-04T16:13:48.550" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T16:13:48.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14981" CreationDate="2016-05-04T16:11:02.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you're describing is one of the many superpowers you can develop when practicing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Kevatta sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha describes the superpowers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the miracle of psychic power? There is the case where a&#xA;  monk wields manifold psychic powers. Having been one he becomes many;&#xA;  having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes&#xA;  unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space.&#xA;  He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on&#xA;  water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he&#xA;  flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and&#xA;  strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises&#xA;  influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try it yourself. Go out of your body and do everything the Buddha described. Have fun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you're experiencing can be the beginning of becoming realized. But, on the other hand, it can also be a big distraction for becoming realized - the Buddha confirms it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing this drawback to the miracle of psychic power, Kevatta, I feel&#xA;  horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of psychic&#xA;  power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha meant by this statement is that superpowers are not the fastest way for becoming realized. They are usually (but not always!) a distraction that propels beings on a longer path towards realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't mean that you should stop cultivating your superpowers. Cultivating superpowers can sometimes be the fastest way towards realization. What is this way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, explore your superpowers thoroughly. Play with them. Find out how they work. Be a little kid. Be curious. Be extremely curious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very important: forget about your fear. If fear is present, this is not the right way towards realization! If you can be curious about your superpowers without fear, then do it - explore them. A little fear is ok, but if it's too much, be wiser and stop. Such experiences can have a really big impact on your life, to the point where you can't function normally in your daily life. Be smart and know your limits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you know you're safe and curiosity is the main theme when exploring your superpowers, strive to have complete control of your superpowers. Sooner or later you'll come to the following realization:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In order to access my superpowers and have control over them I have to be in the right state of mind&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the above realization you'll realize that your mind plays the most important role in accessing your superpowers. From this realization, you'll naturally want to explore your mind and you'll start to ask yourself the right questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How does my mind work? What is my mind? How can I know my mind?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When asking yourself these questions, meditation will come naturally as this is the only way to correctly answer such questions. You'll start looking at your mind. Dissecting the inner workings of your mind. Analyzing every little nuance of your mind. You'll go deeper and deeper. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New questions will arise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is the first cause of everything in my mind?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll try to search for this first cause, but no matter how deep you'll search, you'll see the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The cause of the first cause is always the same cause, but more subtle.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will be like you're searching for the bottom of an infinitely deep ocean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, one day, when you'll search long enough and ask yourself the right question, you'll find the bottom: ignorance. You'll realize dependent origination &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&lt;/a&gt; . You'll go beyond your superpowers and you'll become fully realized. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See, with your superpowers you can't become realized. But you can use them to motivate you to start exploring your mind. This is the way of becoming realized with the help of superpowers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The proper way, preached by the Buddha, is to let go of the superpowers and ignore them. What are you going to do? Can you let go of your superpowers and ignore them? If so, then do it and go into meditation with the right questions to explore your mind. If you can't, then you can follow the way I described. Once you explore every corner of your superpowers, meditation with the right questions will come naturally and the rest will follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is 3-4 hours, deep meditation or beginners meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be deep meditation or beginners meditation. The important factor is the quality of meditation. That's what differentiates beginners from advanced meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T16:11:02.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15011" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-04T19:18:22.520" Score="4" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Westerner raised in the Christian faith but have left it in search of a path that fits with my beliefs and philosophy.  Over the past few years, I have studied, prayed, researched, etc of the different schools of Buddhism.  In my readings, a type popped up that was more of a Buddhist/Hindu mix - it was a long word that started with an &quot;A&quot; and that is all I can remember.  Can anyone help?  Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8145" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T04:04:19.313" Title="What is the school of Buddhism that believes in God?" Tags="|philosophy|beginner|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-04T20:32:04.303" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha compared it to holding a live bird: too hard you would kill it, too light it would fly away.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following book is a collection of about 30 suttas in which the Buddha talks about Anapanasati:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapp.com/media/Anapanasati.pdf&quot;&gt;Buddhawajana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T15:52:07.563" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T15:52:07.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14964" CreationDate="2016-05-04T22:54:46.857" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Chakras corresponds to major energy exchange points between metaphysical and physical body. There are many exchange points other than seven major. Accupuncture talks about 600 plus points. Tantra Buddhism followed in Tibet talks about four chakras. Buddha remained silent because these Chakras are associated with psychic powers which are distractions in disciple path.&#xA;Best answer can be obtained by asking a living Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-04T22:54:46.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-05T00:07:31.297" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is about effortlessness. If you are trying it implies effort which is not meditative. Making changes in your lifestyle like noncompetitiveness has to be part of practise. Just meditation technique alone will not give results. Also try some detox therapies especially herbal which brings about balance and thereby cool down your senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T00:07:31.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14996" CreationDate="2016-05-05T00:15:01.097" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Breathing is connected to your three centers - mind, body and heart. Watching breathing slows down breathing a bit which slows down thoughts/emotions. As a result your senses cool down. Your mind, body, and heart are in perfect balance which further slows down your breathing. This virtuous cycle results in stopping of breath which culminates in nirbana. You are no longer connected to your mind, body and heart. You have gone beyond your senses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T00:15:01.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14637" CreationDate="2016-05-05T01:39:22.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The almost universal tenuous translation &quot;bodily fabrications&quot; is of the Pali word &quot;kaya sankhara&quot;. The &quot;kaya sankhara&quot; is defined in the Culavedalla Sutta as the in &amp;amp; out breathing. Therefore, calming the kaya sankhara means calming the breath. There is nothing to debate here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This demonstrates the proper translation of kaya sankhara should be &quot;body fabricat&lt;strong&gt;or&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; or &quot;body condition&lt;strong&gt;er&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, as explained in 'Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life' by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for vitakka &amp;amp; vicara in the 1st jhana, there is no need for the beginner meditator to be concerned about this since the 1st jhana is too advanced for the beginner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T02:36:41.517" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T02:36:41.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14965" CreationDate="2016-05-05T03:05:06.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As already explained, in Buddhism, all suffering arises from craving &amp;amp; clinging. Therefore physical illness, while generating unpleasant feelings (sensations), does not in itself create suffering. For example, when the Buddha was dying, he experienced vicious physical pain but did not suffer. Mentally distinguishing between unpleasant sensations &amp;amp; mental suffering is part of the Buddhist training. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T03:05:06.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-05T15:16:32.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Get distracted, but be aware of distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1030" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T20:21:00.413" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T20:21:00.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15023" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-05T18:48:08.273" Score="7" ViewCount="2398" Body="&lt;p&gt;English is my second language.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there's no &quot;self', and &quot;I am&quot; is just a &quot;flow&quot; or &quot;mix&quot; of information (dharma, karma, etc.); and if, when I die, &quot;I&quot; (body, illusory self, soul) will die but this informational flow will keep going into another being, and then I no longer exist, think, feel or I will be different being, so this being will be living but not me, then &lt;strong&gt;why should I care&lt;/strong&gt; about his life if I will no longer exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it that there is a some kind of eternal selfless &quot;self&quot;, the &quot;watcher&quot;, that experiences this (and the next) existence and can think, feel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does this &quot;informational flow&quot; (&quot;soul&quot;), a conglomerate of functions, get into someone's body? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is nirvana an &quot;informational&quot; suicide?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, please tell me, why should I care about the next &quot;life&quot; or &quot;going to nirvana&quot; if there's no self, no core and &quot;I&quot;, &quot;myself&quot; will disappear after death? Maybe I would stop caring about it because &quot;I&quot; will stop being exist and I will stop feel, think, care straight after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the reincarnation is like an ocean water been poured into glasses and back, and there's no core self and individuality is just a mix of informational patters, then maybe it's pointless to try to stop existance, to go to nirvana, because someone will always remain here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if this Samsara is eternal then there can be eternal number of Buddhas, beings and they will be trying to get out of this Samsara eternally, then all their actions are pointless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8275" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T19:18:36.693" LastActivityDate="2019-07-13T09:11:09.513" Title="If there's no &quot;self&quot; then why should I care about the future lives and nirvana?" Tags="|karma|nirvana|self|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-05T21:34:54.237" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question. Buddhism does not talk about existance or non-existance of self(objectively). When the appropriate causes arise, belief of existence(self/world) arises. When the causes secede, everything secede. But the worldly/samsaric beings do not see this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whatever existence or thing that arises which is dependent on conditions is subject to cessation. This is the most fundamental law that the Buddha realized (&quot;Yan kinchi samudaya Dhammam sabbantham niridha Dhammam&quot;).&lt;/strong&gt; This is known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/a&gt;- the core of Buddhism. Start exploring from this perspective, and you will find the complete answer to your question; oneday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;Br&gt;&#xA;Here is a canonical reference at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta SN 44.10&lt;/a&gt; :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: &quot;Now then, Venerable Gotama, is there a self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then is there no self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A second time, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Vacchagotta the wanderer got up from his seat and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, not long after Vacchagotta the wanderer had left, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, &quot;Why, lord, did the Blessed One not answer when asked a question by Vacchagotta the wanderer?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that death is the annihilation of consciousness]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used to have now not exist?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T21:34:54.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3565" CreationDate="2016-05-05T22:59:52.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the original Pali scriptures, death is a condition for suffering (rather than for ignorance). For example, ordinarily, when a person you love dies, you suffer. This is why death is a condition for suffering. Such 'death' only causes suffering when you are attached to the object &amp;amp; have established (by becoming) a sense of personal identity ('birth') with the deceased object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not learn from that experience of suffering then ignorance will continue. If you do not learn, you will keep attaching to impermanent objects with some ignorant expectation those objects have permanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you learn, as stated in the Upanisa Sutta: &quot;suffering is the supporting condition for faith&quot;, which then leads to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ignorance is the supporting condition for formations, formations are&#xA;  the supporting condition for consciousness, consciousness is the&#xA;  supporting condition for mentality-materiality, mentality-materiality&#xA;  is the supporting condition for the sixfold sense base, the sixfold&#xA;  sense base is the supporting condition for contact, contact is the&#xA;  supporting condition for feeling, feeling is the supporting condition&#xA;  for craving, craving is the supporting condition for clinging,&#xA;  clinging is the supporting condition for existence, existence is the&#xA;  supporting condition for birth, &lt;strong&gt;birth is the supporting condition&#xA;  for suffering, suffering is the supporting condition for faith&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  faith is the supporting condition for joy, joy is the supporting&#xA;  condition for rapture, rapture is the supporting condition for&#xA;  tranquillity, tranquillity is the supporting condition for happiness,&#xA;  happiness is the supporting condition for concentration, concentration&#xA;  is the supporting condition for the knowledge and vision of things as&#xA;  they really are, the knowledge and vision of things as they really are&#xA;  is the supporting condition for disenchantment, disenchantment is the&#xA;  supporting condition for dispassion, dispassion is the supporting&#xA;  condition for emancipation, and emancipation is the supporting&#xA;  condition for the knowledge of the destruction (of the cankers).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Upanisa&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures describe 'death' as the death of 'beings' ('satta'). 'Beings' is a mental state or idea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, dying,&#xA;  death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting off of&#xA;  the body, interruption in the life faculty &lt;strong&gt;of the various beings in&#xA;  this or that group of beings&lt;/strong&gt;, that is called death.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN&#xA;  12.2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight or craving for form,&#xA;  feeling...consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up&#xA;  there, one is said to be 'a &lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt;.'&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satta&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mara, why now do you assume 'a &lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt;'? Have you grasped a view? This&#xA;  is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So,&#xA;  when the aggregates are present, There's the &lt;strong&gt;convention&lt;/strong&gt; 'a being.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's only suffering that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls&#xA;  away. Nothing but suffering comes to be, Nothing but suffering ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN&#xA;  5.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T23:32:29.620" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T23:32:29.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-05T23:43:09.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there's no &quot;self', and &quot;I am&quot; is just a &quot;flow&quot; or &quot;mix&quot; of information (dharma, karma, etc.); and if, when I die, &quot;I&quot; (body, illusory self, soul) will die but this informational flow will keep going into another being, and then I no longer exist, think, feel or I will be different being, so this being will be living but not me, then why should I care about his life if I will no longer exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are truths that are deep and hard to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these truths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are deathless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are neither perfection, nor imperfection, nor anything in between. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's pure bliss. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the &quot;real you&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to be this &quot;real you&quot;, your future &quot;I&quot;ies must cease to become.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In complete cessation of becoming, future &quot;I&quot;ies will not be born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &quot;I&quot; is not born, this &quot;real you&quot; remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is it that remains?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Undefined is the answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as you give an answer, &quot;I&quot; arises and this &quot;real you&quot; becomes tainted with &quot;I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is the &quot;I&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's limited with a body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's limited in space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's limited with death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's limited with imperfections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the &quot;I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's because of these truths that your current &quot;I&quot; should strive to realize these truths so that no future &quot;I&quot;ies will ever arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or is it that there is a some kind of eternal selfless &quot;self&quot;, the &quot;watcher&quot;, that experiences this (and the next) existence and can think, feel?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;real self&quot; is the eternal selfless &quot;self&quot;. The &quot;watching&quot;, experiences, existence, senses, knowledge and everything else arise because of ignorance - not knowing this &quot;real self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does this &quot;informational flow&quot; (&quot;soul&quot;), a conglomerate of functions, get into someone's body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as &quot;I&quot; arises, the view that a &quot;soul&quot; gets into a body can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a &quot;soul&quot; get into a body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the right conditions, it does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a &quot;soul&quot; not get into a body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the right conditions, it does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a &quot;soul&quot; exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the right conditions, it exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a &quot;soul&quot; not exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the right conditions, it does not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a &quot;soul&quot; exist and not exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the right conditions, it does exist and does not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many views. Neither of them lead to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The letting go of all views is the path towards nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is nirvana an &quot;informational&quot; suicide?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is neither suicide nor no suicide nor both nor not both in nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And if the reincarnation is like an ocean water been poured into glasses and back, and there's no core self and individuality is just a mix of informational patters, then maybe it's pointless to try to stop existance, to go to nirvana, because someone will always remain here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many views:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody is here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somebody is here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody remains here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somebody remains here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no &quot;I&quot;ies or &quot;selfs&quot; or &quot;souls&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &quot;I&quot;ies or &quot;selfs&quot; or &quot;souls&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All views, given the right conditions, can be true or not true or both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these views are just your &quot;real you&quot; tainted with ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The letting go of all views is the path towards nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And if this Samsara is eternal then there can be eternal number of Buddhas, beings and they will be trying to get out of this Samsara eternally, then all their actions are pointless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara and its beings can be eternal or not eternal or both. All these views, given the right conditions, are correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No action is pointless. They all lead to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every action has good, bad or neutral consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every consequence, can give rise to new knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every future &quot;I&quot; is reborn based on the knowledge the current &quot;I&quot; has.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's because of these truths that every &quot;I&quot;, on a long term, consistently increases his knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When knowledge increases enough, the truths are realized and future births are stopped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No action is pointless. They all lead to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T23:43:09.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-05T23:47:29.063" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The questions are &lt;strong&gt;illogical&lt;/strong&gt;. It was asked: &lt;em&gt;If there's no &quot;self'&quot; then why should &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; care about his life if &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will no longer exist?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is loaded with 'self', even though it claims there is no self. Just the small part of the question I quoted refers to a 'self' or 'I' twice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind actually has no self, there will be no motivation to either care or not care. All &quot;I&quot; thoughts have ended. Therefore, there is no &quot;I&quot; that wishes to live; there is also no &quot;I&quot; that wishes to die; there is no &quot;I&quot; to attain Nirvana. If there remains any belief in &quot;I&quot;, this cannot be Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What experiences Nirvana is &lt;strong&gt;the mind&lt;/strong&gt; rather than a 'self'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why 'liberation' in Buddhism is called 'liberation of mind' (rather than liberation of self). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the belief &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will continue after death&quot; is 'eternalism' &amp;amp; the belief &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will die at death&quot; is 'nihilism'. Eternalism &amp;amp; nihilism, the same as the questions, are wrong views, because they all contain views about 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-05T23:57:20.727" LastActivityDate="2016-05-05T23:57:20.727" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-06T01:07:25.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...when I die, &quot;I&quot; (body, illusory self, soul) will die but this informational flow will keep going into another being, and then I no longer exist, think, feel or I will be different being, so this being will be living but not me, then why should I care about his life if I will no longer exist?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We die many times in a second as the &quot;informational&quot; flow keeps going into another being. We are not the same being  we were a fraction of a second ago. That being has died. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you see how experience goes on and on, moment by moment? We are always changing, moment by moment. We are always dying, moment by moment. It's the same thing. When the physical body dies, that is just another change. After that body dies we will see how experience goes on and on, moment by moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't really need to worry about nirvana as long as we are continuously practicing although we should care about nirvana as far as nirvana is Dhamma, if we care about our own freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T01:07:25.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10843" CreationDate="2016-05-06T01:31:47.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is experienced by the mind. It feels good to the mind. No 'self' is required to feel Nirvana. An analogy is giving a depressed person an anti-depressant drug. The anti-depressant drug is stimulating pleasurable feelings in the nervous system (rather than to a 'self'). Similarly, Nirvana is felt or experienced by the nervous system to be blissful. No self is required to know Nibbana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T01:31:47.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15011" CreationDate="2016-05-06T04:04:19.313" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe you are thinking of the Amitabha Buddha - which is the principal - or rather the most popular Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He's represented with the attribute Infinite Life and Infinite Light (of Wisdom) presiding over the Pure Land of Supreme Bliss (Sukhavati).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am from a Chinese Buddhist organization which holds Chan lineage, but is non denominational, and devotion to Amitabha is one of the fundamental practices through the chanting of the Amitabha Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will repeat what I have said else where about him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After more than a year of chanting the sutra, my conclusion is that it is a metaphor for the Dharma! Remember that Pure Land Buddhism is an outgrowth of Mahayana Buddhism and therefore one of the highest goals is the Perfection of Skillful Means (Upaya Paramita). Mahayana texts utilize fantastical imageries and stories to bring across the difficult to understand technical concepts and teachings in early Buddhism, preserved in the Pali Canon and the Sanskrit Agama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine your average person being told about the Four Noble Truths, Suffering, Cause of suffering, End of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path. It doesn't interest him - &quot;Give up my desires? That's ridiculous! And end of suffering doesn't sound exciting at all! Impermanence sounds so depressing!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is where Pure Land Buddhism comes in. &quot;What if we tell you that there is a place called the World of Supreme Bliss better than any worldly pleasures? And to reach there you need chant this sutra everyday, and I promise you Amitabha Buddha will appear before you&quot;. If you didn't realize, chanting is actually a very powerful form of meditation, in fact for the novice, it is faster and more effective than sitting meditation and trying to watch your breath. Here your attention and focus is on the sutra, attaining Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. With that it is possible to experiences the mental factors of the Jhana, joy, happiness, peace, and realizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more the description of the Pure Land has peppered references throughout to the numbers four, seven and eight. Referring to the Four Noble Truths, Seven Factor of Enlightenment, Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other messages within. For example, the name of Amitabha himself is Infinite Life and Infinite Light, referring to the Deathless Truth and Wisdom of the Dharma, reminding people that ultimately the goal of Buddhism is Eternal Life, and that the buddhas are ultimately immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more it is stated in sutra that in the Pure Land of Amitabha, even lower realms (hell, hungry ghost, and animals) do not exist, this is a Mahayana message that ultimately the goal is not only to save yourself, but purify the whole world. Pure Land Buddhists vow to turn this very world into a paradise. And have a Pure Land in their hearts wherever they maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the Amitabha sutra, the theme of perfection of skillful means repeats, It said that to attain enlightenment is difficult, but what is even more difficult is to teach it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other messages which I am slowly absorbing as I encounter them, but I hope this clarify the intentions of Pure Land Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T04:04:19.313" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3001" CreationDate="2016-05-06T08:44:53.883" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am from a Chinese Buddhist organization with Chan lineage but is non denominational. They use the entire Chinese Mahayana canon as their basis, but in practice only popular passages like the Heart Sutra, Great Compassion Mantra, Amitabha Sutra, Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra are chanted on a regular basis by lay devotees like myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the purpose and vision of the Chan/Zen school you must go back to it's Mahayana origins, which arose out of historical Buddhism due to it getting out of touch with the masses, Buddhism itself was on the verge of dying out. As a result immense amount of relatively new sutras and scriptures were created to explain the vision of Buddhism and application of the dharma to the world, using fantastical stories telling with hidden meanings. However the teachings themselves eventually become a baggage. Instead of practicing the Dharma, monks can end up spending time trying to absorb all the content. Many end up debating philosophy instead of practicing. Many temples become purely ceremonial instead of being a place of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more some schools end up having very elaborate rituals requiring great expenses making it difficult for the poor to access Buddhism. Confused, undisciplined monks behaved badly, the public lost faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Chan/Zen was a 'back to basics' poor man Buddhism, with focus on mindful concentration attaining the Jhana (aka Chan/Zen) and applying it to all situation. They farm, but farm mindfully. Cleaning, eating, walking and of course sitting meditation are expected to be done mindfully. Study of sutras were de-emphasized for practice instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend watching the movie Zen (2009) about Zen Master Dogen and the vision behind his school. When he returned to Japan from China he found the practice have degenerated and monks behaving badly and set out to revitalize Buddhism. His rivals were outraged, did he bring back new sutras? What is this true Buddhism he spoke of? But the simple fact was that without practice you could never truly reach the truths of Buddhism. And even enlightenment was not the end of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha himself said, once you crossed the shore of suffering, you don't need to keep carrying the raft/teachings with you, because you would already know what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, all the knowledge of the sutras, while important in the cultivation of wisdom, are no substitute for practice. Buddhism is not truly Buddhism without the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can see similar historical trends in the forest tradition of Thailand relative to city temples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T08:44:53.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-06T09:12:52.163" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recalled a dharma talk by Ajahn Thanissaro Bhikku on Youtube. In it he compared mindfulness and meditation to a skill. And like anything else in life you need to practice to become good at that skill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning your mind is full of its habitual mess of cravings, frustrations, anger, hate, distractions, torpor, conceit, because you never experience anything else you don't even realize its a problem. Maybe you dull your constant mental irritation with alcohol, media or computer games.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you started to meditate you experience immediate withdrawal from the senses, you want to check your phone, play with computer, go watch tv. It's agonizing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However as you push through the practice, and the mind begin to settle, things become clearer, your mind feels lighter, there are moments where you feel like your heart has opened up and great peace and joy occur and its wonderful. You even made some realizations about your life and habits. It's like a fog has lifted. And you become horribly aware of the bad things you do that keep you in a state of constant confusion, craving and anger. This is mindful concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately this happy state won't last, back into the world and you realize your personal annoyances and irritation is still with you, but meditation becomes your safe space to let go of the annoyances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you work hard to get better at this process. If your mind was a glass of cloudy muddy water before, meditation was letting it becomes settled and clear. What you need to do next is fish out the sediments, and you do this through the application of wisdom, for example using compassion to let go of hate, using generosity (Dana) to let go of greed. Awareness of impermanence and selflessness become your arsenal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course meditation is only one branch of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; - concentration. You need to follow up with the rest, with better wisdom and ethics which will allow you to have better concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="6938" LastEditDate="2018-01-28T15:35:43.603" LastActivityDate="2018-01-28T15:35:43.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-06T09:25:27.770" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether you believe in a 'self' or not, suffering is very real. You experience it on a daily basis. It is this suffering that makes beings look for an end to it. There's only one permanent end to suffering and that is Nibbana. That is why you should care about striving for it. Craving is what prevents you from accomplishing this. Ignorance is what causes craving to arise. The belief of a self is just one form of ignorance that you have to get rid of in order cut off craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance means not seeing things as they really are. So you cannot get rid of it just by changing your opinion or reasoning it out. You need to start seeing things as they really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-06T09:45:16.510" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T09:45:16.510" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2016-05-06T10:00:36.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot; Bright yellow - China&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Black, brown, gray - Japan &amp;amp; Korea &amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to add this trivia. The original colour of monastic robe in China was black or gray much like its brethen in Japan and Korea from the Dharmaguptaka lineage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmaguptaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmaguptaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However Master Hsing Yun the famous Chinese monk from Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan found that the gambling obsessed Hong Kongers associated the colour black with death and hence was considered unlucky and did not welcome him. So for public appearances he wears the 'golden' yellow robe along with a bright red kasaya, as a form of skillful means. Taking this precedence Chinese monks begin to wear bright yellow robes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more based on my association with the temple and brief experience as a short term novice monk I observed the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Within the monastic compound Chinese monks wear bluish gray tunic and&#xA;trousers inside for cooking, cleaning, meditation and to sleep.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For ceremonies and public appearances a black robe called the Haiqing is generally worn,&#xA;with a dark maroon Kasaya.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;During public ceremonies only the ceremony conductor wear the yellow robe&#xA;and red Kasaya.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A brown cassock maybe worn for travelling.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You must take off the robes before you go to the bathroom, going in with only the gray inner wear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T10:00:36.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15004" CreationDate="2016-05-06T16:33:13.920" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The thing I've learned from meditation so far: Don't try to be clever, just follow the instructions!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati (meditation on the breath) works just the way it should be. It was highly recommended by the Buddha himself and successfully used for the last ~2500 years now. It's really simple: When you breath out, know you breath out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to develop &lt;strong&gt;samadhi&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;concentration&lt;/em&gt; is a misleading term, let's just call it &lt;em&gt;peaceful stillness&lt;/em&gt;), then the best way is to choose an mediation object (breath, metta, walking, ...) and follow the instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this case I was not noticing my breath but was noticing my thoughts I did it by asking &quot;what's the next thought &quot; and tried to observe my thoughts mindfully&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't do this. You will eventually get caught up in thinking and emotions. In meditation (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) thoughts are a distraction. They pull you away from your object of meditation. So dropping your meditation object will pretty much end your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dealing with distracting thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess half of all questions in this SE relate to that topic, so I'm just gonna link some instructions. In general, you have to find out by trying what works and what doesn't. What makes you (your breath) more peaceful and what makes it more stressful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/oeJ2LaFaDCY?t=53&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/oeJ2LaFaDCY?t=53&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&lt;/a&gt; (you probably heard this)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And it seems it is easier to do this type of mindfulness when in an environment with a lot of distraction . (Walking or running etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself noticed that in such a environment it's very beneficial to 'sort' those distraction in regards to the six senses. This is seeing, hearing, thinking, tasting, feeling, smelling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-05-08T20:29:17.223" LastActivityDate="2016-05-08T20:29:17.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15002" CreationDate="2016-05-06T18:32:04.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah gave this simile in &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ajahnchah.org/pdf/food_for_the_heart.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Food for the Heart&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (chapter: steady practice; There is also an audio version online, read by Ajahn Amaro):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose we went to buy some coconuts in the market, and&#xA;  while we were carrying them back someone asked:&#xA;  “What did you buy those coconuts for?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I bought them to eat.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Are you going to eat the shells as well?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I don’t believe you. If you’re not going to eat the shells then&#xA;  why did you buy them also?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Well what do you say? How are you going to answer their&#xA;  question? We practice with desire. If we didn’t have desire we&#xA;  wouldn’t practice. Practicing with desire is tanha. Contemplating&#xA;  in this way can give rise to wisdom, you know. For example,&#xA;  those coconuts: Are you going to eat the shells as well? Of course&#xA;  not. Then why do you take them? Because the time hasn’t yet&#xA;  come for you to throw them away. They’re useful for wrapping&#xA;  up the coconut in. If, after eating the coconut, you throw the&#xA;  shells away, there is no problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this simile by the Buddha might help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what do you think, Sona. Before, when you were a house-dweller, were you skilled at playing the vina?&quot; &quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too taut, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; &quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too loose, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; &quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were neither too taut nor too loose, but tuned (lit: 'established') to be right on pitch, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; &quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attune ('penetrate,' 'ferret out') the pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your theme.&quot; -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-05-06T18:32:04.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2016-05-06T22:43:33.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You were angry whether your mind was empty or not.  You are angry that someone or some phenomena has disturbed your tranquility. It is your ego that is in question.  The great defender.  We are always empty minded.  Always.  It is the natural primordial state of mind. To revisit this state through meditation is understood yet futile.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a state that never leaves us only gets masked over.  If you have to reinvent the state of empty mindedness then you are fostering a delusion.  Better to visit your anger and your ego. Better to tame them both.    Meditation is always happening.  Living is meditation.  Calm breathing and relaxing the mind is our individual purpose for without doing that how can we function in a homeopathic demeanor ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are parts of ourselves that do not integrate into the here and now.  These states are real nontheless.  They are driven by our feelings that get pushed aside yet they do not go away.  Our organized selves, which the ego is the ceo, help us keep all organized and flowing... on the surface that is.  When these other states, from beneath the surface,  bubble up , they are cast off.  You are to tap into this and realize that the ego only helps us by working in the past or the future- interpreting the now in such a way that all has been symbolized and categorized in a associative way.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we are herded into a world of anticipation or reflection but not real existence. Do not fret.  Find the anger.  No need to control.  Relinquish.   Present moment awareness.  Leave the coral.  Be free from your striving to become and realize that you already are.  Walk with meditation in mind rather than plan for a meditative experience that is flawed and conflicted.  Be peaceful and unfetterted and empty minded...it is who you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8060" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-05-07T00:20:48.070" LastActivityDate="2016-05-07T00:20:48.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15039" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-07T01:54:33.943" Score="1" ViewCount="302" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta and Sunyata doctrines from the Tripitaka and later Mahayana/Parjnaparimata sutras both have mentioned &quot;not-self&quot; or &quot;empty of self&quot; doctrines. I am still a bit confused, though, even after extensive reading and practice. Does Buddhism, in general, ever deny the fundamental existence of a self...or does it simply state to not identify with it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the &quot;not-self&quot; or &quot;emptiness of inherent existence&quot; doctrines stress non-identification with the aggregates (name and form)...then who would be the one or the &quot;I&quot; doing the non-identification? Would the aggregates not be identifying with themselves if there was no actual &quot;I?&quot; Or would there be someone/something deeper than the aggregates?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you to all~.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2016-05-07T21:47:43.697" Title="What does Buddhism say about the existence of a self?" Tags="|pali-canon|mahayana|anatman|sunyata|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15039" CreationDate="2016-05-07T03:09:36.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The '&lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;' is a temporary &amp;amp; changing 'idea' or '&lt;strong&gt;assumption&lt;/strong&gt;' the ignorant mind makes in relation to different experiences. Each separate idea of 'self' is formed by the process of &lt;strong&gt;becoming&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a young child first develops ideas of self, such as &quot;my mother; my father&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;I like this food&quot;. As the child gets older, it develops ideas of self such as: &quot;I am American&quot;; &quot;I am Buddhist&quot;; &quot;I do not understand anatta&quot;; &quot; I disgree with anatta&quot;, etc. Before any experience of Buddhist teachings occurred, there was never the self-view of: &quot;I do not understand anatta&quot;. The idea &quot;I don't understand anatta&quot; only occurred after having a sense experience of Buddhist literature.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All things are not a 'self' because any idea of 'self' is an 'assumption' and is '&lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;'. Thus, the scriptures have the saying: '&lt;em&gt;there is no self to be found; all there is is suffering arising &amp;amp; suffering ceasing&lt;/em&gt;'. This is because the arising of self-view is considered to be, in reality, the arising of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why there is no real self or even a temporary self because what unenlightened people call a 'self', the enlightened mind views as 'suffering'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When enlightened minds use the words &quot;I&quot; and &quot;mine&quot;, they regard such words as mere &lt;strong&gt;worldly&lt;/strong&gt; social &lt;strong&gt;conventions&lt;/strong&gt; rather than a temporary self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People will refer to the Ananda Sutta about &lt;strong&gt;Vacchagotta&lt;/strong&gt; to answer your question but this is invalid since here the Buddha refused to comment on the matter of self because Vacchagotta was confused &amp;amp; bewildered and incapable of understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some quotes below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who&#xA;  has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in&#xA;  their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form to be the&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;. That &lt;strong&gt;assumption&lt;/strong&gt; is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is&#xA;  the origination, what is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence&#xA;  of that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person,&#xA;  touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving&#xA;  arises. That fabrication is born of that. And that fabrication is&#xA;  inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. That craving... That&#xA;  feeling... That contact... That ignorance is inconstant, fabricated,&#xA;  dependently co-arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Parileyyaka Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why now do you assume '&lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt;'? Mara, have you grasped a &lt;strong&gt;view&lt;/strong&gt;? This&#xA;  is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So,&#xA;  when the aggregates are present, There's the &lt;strong&gt;convention&lt;/strong&gt; 'a being.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls&#xA;  away. Nothing but suffering comes to be, Nothing but suffering ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bonds are gone for him without conceits, All delusion's chains are&#xA;  cast aside: Truly wise, he's gone beyond such thoughts. That monk&#xA;  still might use such words as &quot;I,&quot; Still perchance might say: &quot;They&#xA;  call this mine.&quot; Well aware of &lt;strong&gt;common worldly speech&lt;/strong&gt;, He would speak&#xA;  conforming to such use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Araha.m Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no&#xA;  self — were to answer that there is no self, the &lt;strong&gt;bewildered&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered&lt;/strong&gt;: 'Does the self I used&#xA;  to have now not exist?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda Sutta SN 44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why is 'self' viewed as 'suffering' or as a 'disease' rather than viewed as a 'self', even as a 'temporary self'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because each arising &amp;amp; creation of 'self' is based in craving and craving is suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, once a child's mind is developed enough to manufacturer ideas of 'self', it manufacturers ideas of 'self' based on what it craves. These cravings are suffering or frustrations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the five aggregates of the child crave for food due to hunger, so the child manufacturers the thought: &quot;I want food&quot; which leads to habitual thoughts: &quot;I like this food&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the child feels the fear &amp;amp; terror of loneliness and manufacturers the thought: &quot;I want my mother&quot;, which leads to habitual thoughts: &quot;I love my mother&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the child grows older, it craves to succeed at school or sport, due to the fear of social failure. It manufactures the ideas: &quot;I must succeed&quot; or &quot;I am good at sport&quot;. The child now views itself as &quot;I am sportsman&quot;, &quot;I am a student&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then later the young adult has sexual craving, which is suffering &amp;amp; frustration. The young adult, pushed by the suffering of sexual craving, obtains a partner and develops the self-view: &quot;I am a boyfriend&quot;; &quot;This is my girlfriend&quot;, &quot;I am a husband&quot;, &quot;This is my wife&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why each idea of self is considered to be, in reality, merely suffering. All ideas of 'self' are produced by some form of craving, however gross or subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-07T21:47:43.697" LastActivityDate="2016-05-07T21:47:43.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2016-05-07T10:52:30.653" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gone through the same thing, after meditation had a phone call where I was more angry and demanding that things be other than the way they are. I yelled easily at a person whereas usually I would not do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I looked this up and found an article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble19.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Allowing Things to Arise&lt;/a&gt; (from the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Noble Truths -- Teachings by Ajahn Sumedho&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading it from time to time I should make a habit of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when I first started meditating, I had the idea that meditation would make me kinder and happier and I was expecting to experience blissful mind states. But during the first two months, I never felt so much hatred and anger in my life. I thought, ‘This is terrible; meditation has made me worse.’ But then I contemplated why there was so much hatred and aversion coming up, and I realised that much of my life had been an attempt to run away from all that. I used to be a compulsive reader. I would have to take books with me wherever I went. Anytime fear or aversion started creeping in, I would whip out my book and read; or I would smoke or munch on snacks. I had an image of myself as being a kind person that did not hate people, so any hint of aversion or hatred was repressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why during the first few months as a monk, I was so desperate for things to do. I was trying to seek something to distract myself with because I had started to remember in meditation all the things I deliberately tried to forget. Memories from childhood and adolescence kept coming up in my mind; then this anger and hatred became so conscious it just seemed to overwhelm me. But something in me began to recognise that I had to bear with this, so I did stick it out. All the hatred and anger that had been suppressed in thirty years of living rose to its peak at this time, and it burned itself out and ceased through meditation. It was a process of purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-07T11:41:06.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2728" CreationDate="2016-05-07T15:09:54.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can I simply suggest you to do the 'Maiththree' meditation, which will help you to calm yourself and to love others, all other beings and to be peaceful with others. This will help you care for others and think about others than yourself while not taking any stress. But for one to do this it takes patients and dedication, but the results are fine. In one of lord Buddhas preachings, it was said that you cannot settle hatred\anger by hatred\anger but with love and kindness it will be done. Its like hitting a wall with a ball, till the wall bounces it back it will keep coming and will never end. But if someone makes a whole in the wall, the ball will not bounce back. No harm done. Its a bad example, but you get the idea.  Try to control it, you will succeed. Dont give up, nothing is easy in life and nothing comes free, you have to gain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8222" LastEditorUserId="8222" LastEditDate="2016-05-07T18:57:57.450" LastActivityDate="2016-05-07T18:57:57.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15045" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15046" CreationDate="2016-05-08T16:55:19.937" Score="5" ViewCount="1212" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there ever situations where practicing mindfulness is not recommended during Buddhist practice. Could it ever have undesirable side effects or cause hindrances on the path. Or is it always the case that the more one practices mindfulness the better?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The motivation for this question comes from my own practice. I've really felt recently that mindfulness can have a negative effect on me. Perhaps swelling the ego and a lot of time contemplating what my emotions are, what I am doing and what I am thinking. This has ultimately seem very inward looking and counterproductive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really expect or want someone to diagnose my own particular quirks (you can have a go if you really want). But I do want to know if there is general advice from established teachers about the possible negative side effects of mindfulness practice and when it might be contraindicated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T07:46:08.290" LastActivityDate="2017-11-28T16:04:50.650" Title="Is practising mindfulness ever a bad idea?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15045" CreationDate="2016-05-08T17:51:58.490" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, practicing mindfulness can be a bad idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one practices mindfulness, he opens his eyes and comes to see more and more things that were previously unnoticed. That is the reason why beginners tend to think &quot;When I sit on a cushion, there's a fireworks of thoughts, images, etc. coming to my mind. It seems like an endless waterfall of thoughts, etc.&quot;. This is a mistaken conception, though, since these &quot;fireworks&quot; were actually already present, but merely unnoticed. Thus, cultivating mindfulness (along with vigilance) helps one understand better what delusions are the master of him. He also comes to feel that he is enslaved by these afflictions (which is a necessary step in Dharma practice, since it leads to generate the wish to abandon afflictions, recognizing them as the origins of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is painful and stirs the mind quiet a lot. Through cultivating mindfulness, we exhume &quot;demons&quot; that we might not be able to face yet, or to understand. We might shed the light on things we are not able to look at yet. That is one of the reason it is necessary to rely to a teacher who gives you practical (and boring) exercises and with whom you have interview every so often. Moreover, opening one's eyes is necessary but not sufficient. We have to change what we pay attention to and the way we pay attention to them (these are usually part of the exercises). This is difficult because karma drives us to pay attention to always the same things that feed our deluded mind more and more. In addition to relying on a teacher, one must study, because by way of studying the teachings of the Buddha, you will come to know what to pay attention to, where to look, and how.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-05-08T17:51:58.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15045" CreationDate="2016-05-08T19:02:29.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness isn't about self-diagnosis but it can easily lead to self-criticism if one isn't careful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is about being present and &lt;em&gt;objectively&lt;/em&gt; being aware of what it is &lt;strong&gt;without judgment&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is rarely a bad thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you are out partying, you can be mindful of your wacky dance moves and so long as you do this correctly (without judgment) it will not necessarily interfere with your ability to have a good time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with the most worldly examples, everything is in its right place when mindfulness is practiced correctly: making love, playing video games, eating, etc. It can be nice to stop even in the midst of enjoyment to be detachedly mindful... it often produces great insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moresoover, the non-worldly activities are helped through mindfulness as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is when people use mindfulness to stack thoughts on top of thoughts due to self-judgment. Mindfulness is not about that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one enters a state where one cannot stop one's thoughts and one cannot calm oneself, one should practice samatha not vipassana (mindfulness)... or just try to force oneself to go to sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proper mindfulness always leads to an effective course of action but one should always hold more important an attitude of self-acceptance and non-attachment as the heart of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-05-08T22:30:18.603" LastActivityDate="2016-05-08T22:30:18.603" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15048" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-09T01:27:32.187" Score="0" ViewCount="76" Body="&lt;p&gt;A relative of mine did some kind of praying ritual in front of a Buddha where she had a canister of 100 or so sticks, and on each stick there is a Chinese number from 1 to 100.  My relative started shaking the canister and eventually stick number 9 fell out.  My relative and I both do not speak or write chinese.  But apparently, she is supposed to read about 孔明點將, which is related to stick number 9.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where can I get an English description/story of stick 9 孔明點將 ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, we do not know anything about Buddhism. So if you can recommend any brief literature that might help with the context of stick 9 孔明點將 , that would be great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8286" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T13:56:33.440" Title="Where can I learn more about 孔明點將?" Tags="|texts|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15049" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-09T04:25:24.210" Score="0" ViewCount="437" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scholar Sallile King has the following interpretation made from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_Mah%C4%81parinirv%C4%81%E1%B9%87a_S%C5%ABtra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahayana Maha PariNirvana Sutra&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[I]t is obvious that the Mahaparinirvana Sutra does not consider it impossible for a Buddhist to affirm an atman provided it is clear what the correct understanding of this concept is, and indeed the sutra clearly sees certain advantages in doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I basically want to know is in the context of mindfulness meditation (&lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;): Is it okay to have the usual hindu belief in eternal aatman for the practice of &lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;, or is it &lt;em&gt;necessary&lt;/em&gt; to have the buddhist belief in &lt;em&gt;non-existence of aatman&lt;/em&gt; in order to practice &lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3696" LastEditorUserId="3696" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T18:24:14.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T19:09:08.520" Title="Does the Maha Parinirvana Sutra acknowledge the existence of eternal spirit/soul?" Tags="|nirvana|anapanasati|soul|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15049" CreationDate="2016-05-09T05:25:40.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The core practise of anapanasati is defined as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;the monk on that occasion remains...ardent, alert &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;putting aside greed (liking) &amp;amp; distress (disliking)&lt;/strong&gt; with reference to the world&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, giving up positive &amp;amp; negative judgments does not require giving up belief in a 'self', 'soul' or 'aatman'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just make the mind non-judgmental &amp;amp; let it naturally connect with the breathing. When anapanasati has been well-developed like this, the mind will eventually become deeply peaceful, radiant, concentrated &amp;amp; free (and in this deep &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;, insight into &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; may occur, naturally, by itself).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not about 'belief' or 'blind faith', including blind faith in 'anatta'. The Buddha taught the path begins with giving up craving, which is the condition for samadhi to develop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person whose mind is concentrated, there is no need for an act&#xA;  of will, 'May I know &amp;amp; see things as they actually are.' It is in the&#xA;  nature of things that a person whose mind is concentrated knows &amp;amp; sees&#xA;  things as they actually are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cetana&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T05:40:09.097" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T05:40:09.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15051" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-09T08:02:46.873" Score="1" ViewCount="617" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need to understand some concept about Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhists believe on after live of Paradise and Hell? What are the belief of Buddhists regarding this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8290" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T09:24:05.383" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T10:21:28.740" Title="Heaven and Hell in Buddhism" Tags="|traditions|heavens|hells|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15051" CreationDate="2016-05-09T08:28:02.213" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot;&gt;31 realms of existences&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From top to bottom: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4 immaterial realms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;16 fine material realms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;6 heavens&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;human realm&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asura hell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ghost hell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;animal hell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Niraya(hells of unimaginable suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life spans of each realm varies, but there are no ever lasting places of existence. Yes, you will keep being born in these places again and again according to your Karma, every time you die, until you attain Nibbana and end the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T08:35:02.450" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T08:35:02.450" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15051" CreationDate="2016-05-09T08:57:12.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist scriptures state by doing good you can go to heaven &amp;amp; by doing evil you can go to hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you love the Buddha, you can go to heaven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp;&#xA;  mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions&#xA;  under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad&#xA;  destination, the lower realms, in &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt;. But these beings — who were&#xA;  endowed with good conduct of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile&#xA;  noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the&#xA;  influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,&#xA;  have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the &lt;strong&gt;heaven&lt;/strong&gt;ly world.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhaya-bherava Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;306&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The liar goes to &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt;; also he who, having done (wrong), says, &quot;I did not do it.&quot; Men of base actions both, on departing they share the&#xA;  same destiny in the other world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are many evil characters and uncontrolled men wearing the saffron robe. These wicked men will be born in &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt; because of their&#xA;  evil deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It would be better to swallow a red-hot iron ball, blazing like fire, than as an immoral and uncontrolled monk to eat the alms of the&#xA;  people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Four misfortunes befall the reckless man who consorts with another's wife: acquisition of demerit, disturbed sleep, ill-repute&#xA;  and rebirth in &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirayavagga: Hell&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;47&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Monks, in this Teaching that is so well proclaimed by me &amp;amp; is plain, open, explicit &amp;amp; free of patchwork, those who have simply&#xA;  faith in me, simply love for me, are all destined for &lt;strong&gt;heaven&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T09:02:33.273" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T09:02:33.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15048" CreationDate="2016-05-09T12:55:56.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the translation here:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://accesschinese.com/divination/guanyin/your-lot.php?tile=9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://accesschinese.com/divination/guanyin/your-lot.php?tile=9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now that I read it, I don't think it has anything to do with Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8286" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T12:55:56.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15048" CreationDate="2016-05-09T13:56:33.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is essentially from a Chinese divination ritual, in many Chinese shrines and temples, believers often have personal questions needing answers from the divine and one 'solution' to getting an answer is to perform a 'divination ceremony' through random chances by shaking a canister of sticks until one falls out. Each one is labeled with a number and you find your corresponding slip of message. (Similar divination rituals such as the I Ching utilize chance for the same purpose). The canister one is essentially a simple version of that. Basically 'Buddhist' fortune cookies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we can see, the messages found in these are generally wisdom that are applicable across a whole range of situations, and therefore it is essentially a way of self reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From John's link:&#xA;&quot;Yield not to greed and hate; cast them aside. Let conscience be your only guide. Your heart will be open, pure, sublime and bright. Just like the full moon that shines high in the sky.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is essentially a form of skillful means to preach the message of Buddhism to the simple often desperate masses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T13:56:33.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14276" CreationDate="2016-05-09T14:13:45.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of meditation is to experience profound inner peace and happiness, so that you can let your bad habits and mental afflictions go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Thanissaro Bhikku point out in one of his Dhamma talk, the reason people continue to engage in unskillful behaviors, is because they couldn't find an alternative source of happiness, so they continue to try to obtain it through greed, obtaining wealth immorally, illicit sex, drinking and drugs. Experiencing the joy and peace that comes from meditation (and other mindful practice) provide a powerful alternative. You can't give up your bad habits unless you have something better to fall back on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's the scriptural basis:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Excellent, Sariputta. Excellent. When a disciple of the noble ones enters &amp;amp; remains in seclusion &amp;amp; rapture, there are five possibilities that do not exist at that time: The pain &amp;amp; distress dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pleasure &amp;amp; joy dependent on sensuality do not exist at that time. The pain &amp;amp; distress dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pleasure &amp;amp; joy dependent on what is unskillful do not exist at that time. The pain &amp;amp; distress dependent on what is skillful do not exist at that time. When a disciple of the noble ones enters &amp;amp; remains in seclusion &amp;amp; rapture, these five possibilities do not exist at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.176.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The popular Ajahn Brahm frequently reminds people that the Jhanas are better than sex. In fact, it is accepted in Buddhism that the blameless pleasures of Jhana are better than any worldly pleasures. Now I have personally not been able to reach in that deep and cannot verify that claim, but I have experience the powerful benefits of the mental peace and joy that comes with meditation, and that alone is a powerful motivator to continue practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you encounter difficult situations you often find yourself unable to maintain that peace and joy however, but with practice you will begin to find yourself less likely to become irritated and annoyed with problems you were routinely frustrated with before the practice. So you won't get better over night, but you will inevitably get better. And even if you fail to do so, you can at least pull yourself out of the annoyances rather than stewing in your mistakes the whole day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T14:21:02.800" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T14:21:02.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14346" CreationDate="2016-05-09T14:55:13.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Remember the concentration division of the Eightfold Noble Path consist of Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Noble Path did not specify a particular practice for obtaining mindful concentration as long as long as they are consistent with the teachings. You can obtain Right Concentration from Sitting Meditation &quot;Zazen&quot; or you can chant sutras, or you can do walking meditation. In fact for the Chan/ Zen practitioner they aspire to maintain Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration in every moment, in every thought. Some  practices are easier than others to obtain concentration however, that's why sitting meditation is generally fundamental since it avoids distractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, monks, is right effort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[i] &quot;There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors,&#xA;  activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the&#xA;  non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ii] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful&#xA;  qualities that have arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[iii] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds&#xA;  &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities&#xA;  that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[iv] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase,&#xA;  plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have&#xA;  arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  view: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  resolve: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  speech: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  action: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in&#xA;  right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Concentration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what, monks, is noble right concentration with its supports &amp;amp; requisite conditions? Any singleness of mind equipped with these seven factors — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, &amp;amp; right mindfulness — is called noble right concentration with its supports &amp;amp; requisite conditions.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as the Noble Eightfold Path is being practiced, mindful concentration is possible and therefor the Jhanas also known as Chan or Zen is possible. Therefore the myriad practices of Buddhism lead to the same thing and there is no separation. You can scrub clean the floor and have mental concentration to experience Joy and Peace in your heart. Or you can chant sacred scriptures while performing complex mudras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In theory, the Noble Eightfold Path must be practiced by every school of Buddhism and hence 'Chan/Zen' is practiced by every schools of Buddhism whatever their names maybe. However, as it tends to happen there are monks and schools who don't know what they are doing and spend their time debating philosophical concepts in the scriptures or running a temple like a business and not cultivating themselves and not practicing the Dharma. Even within the Chan/Seon/Zen school in China/Korea/Japan there are people who lost sight of what 'Zen' actually means and engaged in pointless philosophizing. As long you know how it work you can see the practices everywhere and not be confused by surface appearances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T14:55:13.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15058" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15070" CreationDate="2016-05-09T18:04:23.407" Score="1" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;About the doctrine of the 31 realms of existence. I have a few questions, because science, especially the theory of evolution, makes a good argument for categorizing humans &lt;strong&gt;as animals&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is this list of 31 realms &lt;em&gt;static&lt;/em&gt; or can single realms vanish? Because due to science we know that this earth won't last forever. This would mean, that there are no animals or humans anymore, unless a similar species lives on another planet somewhere in this universe (which is very, very, very unlikely if you consider the set of condition it took of several billion years to evolve humans).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The theory of evolution proofs, that humans have evolved from animals and just use different techniques for surviving as every other species as well. So knowing that there was a time of transition, where there only existed primordial human beings, how could you at that time say if it was a human or an animal? How can you cross that line between one species (humans) and every other one? Because it is sure, that in the next few 100.000 years humans will have evolved to a totally different species according to the conditions in the environment.      &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how should you understand this classification of beings. Is it just a provisional and time-dependent concept? Or is it only related to the degree of suffering, which predominate each realm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know on this topic are already many questions. But none of these related to this particular question. So please don't tag as duplicate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T08:29:10.727" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T12:28:07.817" Title="Animals and humans in Science vs. Buddhism" Tags="|science|doctrine|evolution|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15049" CreationDate="2016-05-09T18:20:17.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The second part in the posting below attempts to give an answer to your question stated in the title; the second question I can only comment with subjective view in the first part&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;1) I think there is no &quot;restriction&quot; or prerequisite (like for instance a system of permits) for mindfulness-meditation. Just try and see how far you come.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha said, (and it is quite reasonable for me) that for the full liberation from the attachments to emotions and mental figurations, and for the true emancipation from (and eradication of) &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; , the illusion of an inherent, eternal, unchangeable Self &lt;em&gt;atma&lt;/em&gt; has necessarily to be dissolved.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) I copy&amp;amp;paste some excerpt from the Mahayana-Mahaparinirvana-Sutra (taken from links found at Dr. Tony Page's site). The following are the last couple of paragraphs from the third chapter.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I find it a bit strange to say the least, for instance that a man like we know it as the Buddha from the palicanon comes to be a doctor to &quot;subdue the tirthikas&quot; ...      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understand that excerpt correctly, then it is suggested, that the concept of no-self, of &quot;an-atman&quot; is only teached in the framework of concurrence of the &quot;doctors&quot; and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... because of this,(...)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and it is continued, that it had also been said, that there &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; a self, namely &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... it is not that they [the dharma/the phenomena] are completely devoid of a self&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text is suggesting, that the Buddha did not teach the non-existence of the self simply &lt;em&gt;because of the non-existence&lt;/em&gt; (what would be the natural assumption) but because of didactical reasons (and actually means something else)!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below now the excerpt, emphasis added by me: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nirvanasutra.net/nirvanasutraa3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;                         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Chapter 3&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   (... final paragraphs)                                     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Know, O you Bhiksus!     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The same is the case with the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened-One, the Unsurpassed Best Trainer, the Teacher-of-Heaven-and-Earth, the Buddha-World-Honoured One. He comes as a great Doctor and subdues all tirthikas and bad doctors. In the presence of kings and all people, he says: &quot;I shall become the King of doctors and subdue tirthikas.&quot;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus we say: &quot;There is no self, no man, no being, no life, no nurturing, no knowing, none that does, and none that receives.&quot;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O Bhiksus! Know that what the tirthikas say is like the case of a worm that eats upon [a pie-ce of] wood, from which, by chance, there appears what looks like a letter.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because of this&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; , the Tathagata teaches and says no-self.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is to adjust beings and because he is aware of the occasion. Such non-self is, as occasion arises, spoken of, and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is [also] said that there is the Self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is as in the case of the learned Doctor, who knows well the medicinal and non-medicinal qualities of milk. It is not as with common mortals, who might measure the size of their own self. Common mortals and the ignorant may measure the size of their own self and say, 'It is like the size of a thumb, like a mustard seed, or like the size of a mote.'     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Tathagata speaks of Self, in no case are things thus.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is why he says:     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'All things have no Self.'      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though he has said that all phenomena [dharmas] are devoid of the Self, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;it is not that they are completely/ truly devoid of the Self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is this Self? Any phenomenon [dharma] that is true [satya], real [tattva], eternal [ni-tya], sovereign/ autonomous/ self-governing [aisvarya], and whose ground/ foundation is un-changing [asraya-aviparinama], is termed 'the Self' [atman].     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is as in the case of the great Doctor who well understands the milk medicine.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The same is the case with the Tathagata.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the sake of beings, he says &quot;there is the Self in all things&quot;      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O you the four classes! Learn Dharma thus!&quot;      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T08:09:39.463" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T08:09:39.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15045" CreationDate="2016-05-09T18:38:14.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Look up satta bojjhaṅgā or 7 Factors of Enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.053.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aggi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, example of the wrong time  to cultivate 3 of 7 Factors of Enlightenment (tranquillity, concentration, equanimity) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At such times, monks, as the mind is sluggish, that is the wrong time to cultivate the enlightenment-factor of &lt;em&gt;tranquillity&lt;/em&gt;, the enlightenment-factor of &lt;em&gt;concentration&lt;/em&gt;, the enlightenment-factor of &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt;. What is the reason? A sluggish mind is hard to arouse by these factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-05-09T18:38:14.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15061" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-09T21:40:15.110" Score="1" ViewCount="211" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've recently tried doing a more open form of meditation where I put the least amount of alteration on what I experience, therefore letting everything arise non-judgmentally. However, I realize some problems I'm experiencing with this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm still debating or trying to understand whether one should experience fully all emotions and states or whether one should apply antidotes to certain states when they arise. Generally speaking, which is the case? Which would correspond to being fully mindful?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am having extreme difficulty with anger and pride when they arise, as when they do, I seem to be unable to keep a compassionate attitude. Basically these states seem to change my mood and outlook when they occur, and I have difficulty experiencing them without doing this. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lastly, I'm unsure whether this is related as well but I noticed I have a much easier time doing mindfulness when I'm basically curious and aware of everything arising rather than re-focusing on the breath. Any ideas on that topic? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for any answer relative to any of these questions or all of these questions together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-09T22:32:10.517" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T17:39:13.090" Title="Mindfulness with Pride, Anger, Hatred" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15062" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15063" CreationDate="2016-05-09T22:27:11.237" Score="0" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new here and I would like some help with the issue of motivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a 25 years old student in engineering in his last semester at university. I have been facing the problem that whenever I study, it becomes a huge source of stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been a buddhist and meditating for the past 4 months now and I like of what the practice has done to me and my relationship with my parents and with people in general. The motivation of being in the path for the benefit of all beings really resonates with me and it really helps me, but I can't mirror that motivation to my studies. Secular knowledge used to be such a motivation for me when I was young and it has been missing for such a long time now. Now the only thing that motivates me is when I feel that I will be actively helping people, but I feel like I can't abandon my current state of life and just decide to do something else than getting my degree and pursuing something related to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if it is clear, but I can study for a few periods of time (not enough for my course), but studying gets me sort of all pumped up. I get all this energy flowing, restlessness. I feel like I have all this attachment maybe to getting high degrees or to this illusion that I will only be happy if I am able to graduate now, or that my parents and people will like me better if I show that I know more, or if I have all this knowledge accumulated I will be more successful. It is clear to me that it was much stronger when I started meditating that it is now. It seems is obvious to me by my previous statements that studying has a lot of issues attached to it.  :teehee: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel like in the past months buddhism has helped me let go of a lot of my illusions and that helps me get on with my day without getting so frustrated, but I still have this issue. Do you guys think this anxiety related to studying will reduce after more months of practice? Actually, I know by the words of the Buddha that it will, but do you have any advice in regards to it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope I made sense writing in english beacuse I am from Brazil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8295" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T00:56:05.543" Title="Secular Motivation" Tags="|study|motivation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15062" CreationDate="2016-05-10T00:31:13.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome Bruno.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the original Buddhist scriptures, it is reported the Buddha gave many teachings about livelihood, including Right Livelihood in the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha encouraged lay or secular people to study &amp;amp; be proficient in earning a living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One meaning of the Indian word 'dharma' is '&lt;strong&gt;duty&lt;/strong&gt;'. From a Buddhist perspective, education is less about personal achievement &amp;amp; more about performing personal 'duty' because each person must earn a living so they can eat food &amp;amp; buy shelter. Education is similar to the need to breathe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You only have one semester to finish your degree and your old 'attachment' &amp;amp; your new 'aversion' are hindrances to your concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you change your view and simply see completing your education as a personal 'duty'; then your concentration will be more pure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Secular knowledge' in relation to livelihood is something considered very valuable from a Buddhist perspective. Most famous Western Buddhist monks completed their university degrees when they were secular students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was at university, I did not enjoy what I was studying but I finished. I never ever worked in the specialty I studied but the degree has helped me get work because completing a degree is a sign (to employers) you are intelligent &amp;amp; have discipline. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My opinion is to finish this semester first. Be in the present moment. Focus on today only &amp;amp; notice how yesterday has now passed. Study, one day at time, not thinking about tomorrow. Leave thinking about what you would love to do to a later time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;To reside in a suitable locality, to have performed meritorious actions in the past, and to set oneself in the right direction — this&#xA;  is the highest blessing&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Vast learning&lt;/strong&gt;, skill in handicrafts, well grounded in discipline and pleasant speech — this is the highest blessing&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;To support one's father and mother; to cherish one's wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupations — this is the&#xA;  highest blessing&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the&#xA;  future. What is past  is left behind. The future  is as yet unreached.&#xA;  Whatever quality is present you clearly see right there,&#xA;       right there. Not taken in, unshaken, that's how you develop the heart.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhaddekaratta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T00:56:05.543" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T00:56:05.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15064" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-10T00:36:46.893" Score="0" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious to know: how important is posture during meditation? Could someone meditate on public transport, or while walking in different places? Is there a difference in the necessity of posture between a beginner and an advanced practitioner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T02:17:35.543" Title="Importance of Posture in Meditation" Tags="|meditation-posture|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15064" CreationDate="2016-05-10T01:06:06.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Posture is extremely important however sitting cross-legged is not important. What is important is having a naturally erect spine so the mind is alert &amp;amp; the breathing can flow unrestricted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When sitting in public transport, sit upright, close your eyes &amp;amp; meditate. Completely let go of any self-consciousness that other people are watching you &amp;amp; know what you are doing. Relax &amp;amp; enjoy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for walking meditation, this is something monks do a lot. You should try to learn how to do walking meditation (but not in a busy or dangerous place, such as when crossing a busy street in the city). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T01:06:06.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15061" CreationDate="2016-05-10T01:17:37.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;How you practise is your choice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In formal Buddhism, having 'right mindfulness' means to apply antidotes to certain unskilful states when they arise. This is described in the 6th factor of the Noble Eightfold Path (Right Effort) and in suttas such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this can cause stress if the unskilful states are powerful. Therefore, sometimes we must simply be patient with unskilful states until they subside or until we learn the lesson we need to learn from them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, monks, is right effort? (i) There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts&#xA;  his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful&#xA;  qualities that have not yet arisen. (ii) He generates desire,&#xA;  endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the&#xA;  sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have&#xA;  arisen. (iii) He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence,&#xA;  upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful&#xA;  qualities that have not yet arisen. (iv) He generates desire,&#xA;  endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the&#xA;  maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, &amp;amp;&#xA;  culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is&#xA;  called right effort. Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T01:17:37.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15061" CreationDate="2016-05-10T01:31:43.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1-I'm still debating or trying to understand whether one should experience fully all emotions and states or whether one should apply antidotes to certain states when they arise. Generally speaking, which is the case? Which would correspond to being fully mindful?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can try to experience fully all emotions and states as you apply an antidote. You wouldn't have to stop being mindful in order to do this other &quot;antedote&quot; practice, you can be mindful of the other practice too. When we &quot;experience fully all emotions and states&quot; moment by moment, that is mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2-I am having extreme difficulty with anger and pride when they arise, as when they do, I seem to be unable to keep a compassionate attitude. Basically these states seem to change my mood and outlook when they occur, and I have difficulty experiencing them without doing this.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can be compassionate towards yourself as you are mindful of your reactions to attempting to be compassionate to yourself. If you see you are suffering, tell yourself &quot;it's okay&quot;. Be nurturing to yourself and be mindful of your reactions to your own compassion being aimed at you. Maybe you  dont feel your worthy of compassion grom yourself. Then tell yourself &quot;Its Okay&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3-Lastly, I'm unsure whether this is related as well but I noticed I have a much easier time doing mindfulness when I'm basically curious and aware of everything arising rather than re-focusing on the breath. Any ideas on that topic?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always go back to the breath. This is what grounds the practice and facilitates peace. The breath gives the practice a home.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will grow more and more weary of everything arising, if you are practicing correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T09:26:00.207" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T09:26:00.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15064" CreationDate="2016-05-10T02:17:35.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, yes one can meditate anytime anywhere.  The following might be far reaching example, however,  during Buddha's time Ven. Maha Kassapa was an expert in meditation.  As a matter of fact, he was the &lt;strong&gt;only person&lt;/strong&gt; Buddha compared himself to be &lt;strong&gt;equal&lt;/strong&gt; in the ability to enter Jhana at any time any posture.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T02:17:35.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15058" CreationDate="2016-05-10T05:12:06.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't subscribe to the view that humans evolved from animals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The theory of evolution proofs, that humans have evolved from animals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it doesn't. It's just a theory with some supporting evidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is this list of 31 realms static or can single realms vanish?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No conditioned phenomena is static. This time, up to 14 realms will be destroyed by fire at the end of the aeon(Kalpa). Most of the beings are born in higher Brahma realms at the time. Those who don't make it(due to nihilistic views) will be born in a hell that is out of this world system. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;unless a similar species lives on another planet somewhere in this&#xA;  universe (which is very, very, very unlikely...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it is very likely, even scientifically speaking, to have similar living conditions elsewhere in the universe. In November 2013, astronomers reported, based on Kepler space mission data, that there could be as many as 40 billion Earth-sized planets orbiting in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars and red dwarfs in the Milky Way, 11 billion of which may be orbiting Sun-like stars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can you cross that line between one species (humans) and every&#xA;  other one? Because it is sure, that in the next few 100.000 years&#xA;  humans will have evolved&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there's no crossing of the line between species, unless you mean something like a human dying and being born as an animal. Also, humans are devolving during this period of the cosmic timeline. Not evolving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T05:46:23.303" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T05:46:23.303" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15058" CreationDate="2016-05-10T06:09:31.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists regard the realms of existence as psychological states of people. For example, if you are moral &amp;amp; humane, you have a 'human' existence. If you act impulsively, without self-control, without reasoned reflection, &amp;amp; particularly without moral conscience &amp;amp; with violence, your state of mind is like an 'animal'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following quotes from the scriptures support this view. Particularly, the quote at the bottom states an 'animal', by realising the Four Noble Truths, can be reborn as 'human', such as occurred to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala &lt;/a&gt; (the former mass murderer who became a fully enlightened monk), as shown in the video link at the bottom.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, these two bright qualities guard the world. Which two?&#xA;  Conscience &amp;amp; concern. If these two bright qualities did not guard the&#xA;  world, there would be no recognition of 'mother' here, no recognition&#xA;  of 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' or 'wife of&#xA;  those who deserve respect.' The world would be immersed in&#xA;  promiscuity, like rams with &lt;strong&gt;goats&lt;/strong&gt;, roosters with pigs or &lt;strong&gt;dogs&lt;/strong&gt; with&#xA;  jackals. But because these two bright qualities guard the world, there&#xA;  is recognition of 'mother,' 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,'&#xA;  'teacher's wife,' &amp;amp; 'wife of those who deserve respect.'&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in&#xA;  Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time&#xA;  a large number of monks, after the meal, on returning from their alms&#xA;  round, had gathered at the meeting hall and were engaged in many kinds&#xA;  of &lt;strong&gt;bestial&lt;/strong&gt; topics (tiracchānakathaṃ) of conversation: conversation&#xA;  about kings, robbers, &amp;amp; ministers of state; armies, alarms, &amp;amp; battles;&#xA;  food &amp;amp; drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, &amp;amp; scents; relatives;&#xA;  vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women &amp;amp; heroes;&#xA;  the gossip of the street &amp;amp; the well; tales of the dead; tales of&#xA;  diversity, the creation of the world &amp;amp; of the sea; talk of whether&#xA;  things exist or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.069.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.069.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Few are the beings who, on passing away from the &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt; realm, are&#xA;  reborn among human beings or gods. But far more numerous are reborn is&#xA;  hell. For what reason? They have not seen the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 56.123 (no link)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Video link: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i49oX1Shxf4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i49oX1Shxf4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T06:17:26.627" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T06:17:26.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15071" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-10T06:35:09.793" Score="3" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the positive qualities of enlightenment ultimate or conventional realities?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#Positive_language&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;are&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;permanence, bliss, personality, purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they are ultimately the case, can they be directly seen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8297" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T08:48:29.847" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T18:09:02.677" Title="Are the positive qualities of enlightenment ultimate or conventional realities?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15071" CreationDate="2016-05-10T08:42:17.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Ultimate realities' (&lt;em&gt;paramattha dhamma&lt;/em&gt;) in original Pali Buddhism means things that are always true. For example, that for suffering to occur, there must be craving &amp;amp; attachment as causes, is an ultimate reality. Suffering cannot occur without craving &amp;amp; attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, the general truth that good karma leads to good results &amp;amp; bad karma leads to bad results is not an ultimate reality because this is not always the case. For example, good karma (eg. loving one's family) had lead to suffering (eg. if your family die) &amp;amp; bad karma (eg. hurting another person) can lead to enlightenment (since one learns to never perform that action again). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Convention realities can also refer to ideas such as 'man', 'woman', 'hot', 'cold', 'American', 'Chinese', etc, which are not always 100% or inherently true or fixed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, full enlightenment (rather than partial enlightenment) is always permanent, blissful &amp;amp; pure for the entire lifetime of an enlightened being. This is an ultimate truth, which, naturally, can be directly seen by the fully enlightened being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'personality' or 'self', this is not an ultimate reality in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if 'personality' is taken to mean 'character' or 'mental qualities', yes, the virtuous &amp;amp; enlightened character of a fully enlightened being will have a permanent quality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha was old, it is reported he said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am now old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life and come to the last stage: my years have turned eighty... Sariputta, even if you&#xA;  have to carry me about on a bed, still there will be no change in the&#xA;  lucidity of the Tathagata's wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-10T09:57:37.740" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T09:57:37.740" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15049" CreationDate="2016-05-10T17:11:51.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think that that would be considered a valid interpretation because selflessness is one of the three marks of existence and therefore stating that any phenomenon had an enduring self-nature would be something to investigate more deeply and with an open-mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, we all have Buddha Nature, which is precisely what the maha pari nirvana sutras speak of because sentience in its most natural and un-inhibited form is actually pure enlightened nature in manifestation and pure manifestation in nature.  it is not something that is easily understood because it completely challenges the entire notion of a separate self that is the benefactor of our experiences.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that is to say, it is not that we lack autonomy -- we have the ability to steer our ship, and as it is stated in many places with epithets such as &quot;mind over matter&quot; or in the opening verses of the Dhammapada, the mind is the king.  Mind is the fore-runner of all phenomena.  In this way, we can talk about an &quot;enduring substance&quot; but it would be folly to assume that we could actually &quot;grasp&quot; onto it or hold it still for a second, because this is actually the Experience and not the Object of experience, as it were.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So consider that we all have Buddha Nature, that there are countless Buddhas actually walking around among us, and that our whole experience is actually a continuous process of enlightenment, however it is very important to share knowlege, honor teachers, and grow together because this trip is far more far out than any individual aspect could understand, so in short I simply want to add that mind is indestructible and continues forever, however it is not a &quot;soul&quot; because a soul would have some sort of limitations obscuring omniscience.  Buddha Nature is the uninhibited mind in manifestation and can only be realized through a mind founded upon the notion of renunciation, because belief (firm belief) in the notion of an enduring existence or situation is precisely what causes the evolving cosmos cramps.  &quot;They are growing pains&quot; is something some zen masters say, and knowing life situations in this way can be truly helpful and liberating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So during anapanasati meditation, the whole focus is the breathing, single-pointed focus on the rhythm of breathing, it's a dynamic flowing event stream, so try and stick with it.  Ideally you start with a support, and the breath is wonderful because the breath is nonconceptual -- it is something you can directly feel and experience without labeling it that or this.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please ask any questions, I am happy to share what I have learned so far on this path.  May this help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T17:11:51.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-10T17:29:23.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no &lt;em&gt;substantial&lt;/em&gt; self.&#xA;Buddhism is not nihilist.&#xA;It is always said that there is not self, nor no-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is still a &quot;self&quot; so-to-speak--a collection of factors that is migrating from life to life with no core.&#xA;It would not be inaccurate to say that you are that core and you have that responsibility of waking up to the truths and powers of Buddhism so that you can save the &quot;others&quot;--who are also not self nor non-self.&#xA;It would be more accurate to say that &lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; are that core--&lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; the universe are experiencing you.&#xA;Nothing is forgiven, all that is done (and not done) has weight and trying one's enlightened best is in the best interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T17:29:23.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14161" CreationDate="2016-05-10T21:15:00.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that the link that follows would be your one of your best options for tracking down a Sanskrit version of the Five Precepts. It indicated that this is to be found in the liturgy. Get in touch with them and see if they can provide more information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://nalandatranslation.org/offerings/notes-on-the-daily-chants/commentaries/ritual-for-taking-the-five-precepts/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://nalandatranslation.org/offerings/notes-on-the-daily-chants/commentaries/ritual-for-taking-the-five-precepts/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-10T21:15:00.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15058" CreationDate="2016-05-11T03:46:54.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists take the stance that the mind is the driving force behind evolution and the appearances of different species (and beings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dalai Lama dismisses the element of randomness in the theory of&#xA;  evolution based on natural selection:[5] From the Buddhist's&#xA;  perspective, the idea of these mutations being random events is deeply&#xA;  unsatisfying for a theory that purports to explain the origin of life.&#xA;  Lopez elaborates that the process of Rebirth (into any of a large&#xA;  number of states of being including the human, any kind of animal and&#xA;  several types of supernatural being) is conditioned by karma (action&#xA;  of consciousness), which explains Dalai Lama's view.[6]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T12:28:07.817" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T12:28:07.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15004" CreationDate="2016-05-11T08:40:46.097" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bring your attention to your hand (any) and to the middle of your forehead. Do it simultaneously. The first will keep you in the moment. The second will enable you to observe your thoughts. Any time you find your attention wandering and you are being caught up in a daydream, just become aware of your hand in the present moment. The hand will tingle and become warm when you turn your attention to it; each finger in turn – with your mind’s eye, look at your thumb until it tingles and becomes warm, then to the next finger and so on, until your hand tingles and becomes warm. Be very aware of the warmth and be in the present moment. At the same time, with your mind’s eye, look through the middle of your forehead at the thoughts rising and let them pass without being captivated by them. Focus on your being (via your hand, which holds you as an anchor in the present) and the middle of your forehead (through your mind's eye; don't move your physical eyes). This way, you won't wander away with the thought or be captivated by it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8303" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T08:40:46.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15079" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-11T12:51:11.787" Score="-1" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people try to approach meditation and Buddhism from a scientific materialist perspective, despite the fact that Buddhism makes explicit claims about the after life, and despite the fact that Buddhism explicitly state that it is a Wrong View to believe in materialist Annihilation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I posted the following questions rhetorically as part of an answer to another question, but it was suggested to be moved to its own question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, are there any materialist explanations to the following?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world&#xA;that is run based on natural selection?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and&#xA;realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary&#xA;model?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,&#xA;anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not&#xA;reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the materialist claims by &lt;strong&gt;other philosophies&lt;/strong&gt; with regards to meditation that you have seen? For example: (Evolutionary psychology) people are driven to help others because it enhance group survival. According to the same thinking though, people are also jerks because it enhance their own survival.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the counter arguments from Buddhism to these claims?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T14:10:30.687" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T20:47:27.217" Title="Meditation and Materialism" Tags="|meditation|right-view|evolution|wrongview|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13457" CreationDate="2016-05-11T13:32:21.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my temple we like to say that everyone is a bodhisattva, that is we are all ultimately heading towards enlightenment. Of course not everyone is already a Bodhisattva Mahasattva - a being who is already enlightened but remain in Samsara to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, according to the popular Universal Gate Chapter (普門品) of the Lotus Sutra, said to be the most important chapter and the summary, it is stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent: &amp;quot;Good man, if there are living beings in the land who need someone in the body of a Buddha in order to be saved, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds immediately manifests himself in a Buddha body and preaches the Law for them. If they need someone in a pratyekabuddha's body in order to be saved, immediately he manifests a pratyekabuddha's body and preaches the Law to them. If the need a voice-hearer to be saved, immediately he becomes a voice-hearer and preaches the Law for them. If they need King Brahma to be saved, immediately he becomes King Brahma and preaches the Law for them. If they need the lord Shakra to be saved, immediately he becomes the lord Shakra and preaches the Law for them. If they need the heavenly beiang Freedom to be saved, immediately he becomes the heavenly being Freedom and preaches the Law for them. If they need a great general of heaven to be saved, immediately he becomes a great general of heaven and preaches the Law for them. If they need Vaishravana to be saved, immediately he becomes Vaishravana and preaches the Law for them. If they need a petty king to be saved, immediately he becomes a petty king and preaches the law for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they need a rich man to be saved, immediately he becomes a rich man and preaches the Law for them. If they need a householder to be saved, immediately he becomes a householder and preaches the Law for them. If they need a chief minister to be saved, immediately he becomes a chief minister and preaches the Law for them. If they need a Brahman to be saved, immediately he becomes a Brahman and preaches the Law for them. If they need a monk, a nun, a layman believer, or a laywoman believer and preaches the Law for them. If they need the wife of a rich man, of a householder, a chief minister, or a Brahman to be saved, immediately he becomes those wives and preaches the Law for them. If they need a young boy or a young girl and preaches the Law for them. If they need a heavenly being, a dragon, a yaksha, a gandharva, an asura, a garuda, a kimnara, a mahoraga, a human or a nonhuman being to be saved, immediately he becomes all of these and preaches the Law for them. If they need a vajra-bearing god and preaches the Law for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Inexhaustible Intent, this Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds has succeeded in acquiring benefits such as these and. Taking on a variety of different forms, goes about among the lands saving living beings. For this reason you and the others should single-mindedly offer alms to Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds can bestow fearlessness on those who are in fearful, pressing or difficult circumstances. That is why in this saha world everyone calls him Bestower of Fearlessness.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/262_25.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.fodian.net/world/262_25.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Avalokiteśvara takes whatever form needed to enlighten beings. What this means is even you yourself can be a vehicle needed to enlighten others and yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is always available, being your very own Right Mindfulness, a universally accessible gate of the Dharma. With the power to save you and quench the fire of anger, the flood of greed, the storm of ignorance, the swords of conceits, the demons of temptations, the chains of attachment, and the robbers of afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent: &amp;quot;Good man, suppose there are immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of living beings who are undergoing various trials and suffering. If they hear of this Bodhisattva Perceiver of the Word's Sounds and single-mindedly call his name, then at once he will perceive the sound of their voices and they will all gain deliverance from their trials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone, holding fast to the name of bodhisattva perceiver of the&#xA;world's sounds, should enter a great fire, the fire could not burn&#xA;him. This would come about because of this bodhisattva's authority and&#xA;supernatural power. If one were washed away by a great flood and call&#xA;upon his name, one would immediately find himself in a shallow place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose there were a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million&#xA;living beings who, seeking for gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell,&#xA;agate, coral, amber, pearls, and other treasures, set out on the great&#xA;sea. and suppose a fierce wind should blow their ship off course and&#xA;it drifted to the land of rakshasas demons. If among those people&#xA;there is even just one who calls the name of Bodhisattva Perceiver of&#xA;the World's sounds, then all those people will be delivered from their&#xA;troubles with the rakshasas. This is why he is called Perceiver of the&#xA;World's Sounds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a person who faces imminent threat of attack should call the name&#xA;of Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's sounds, then the swords and&#xA;staves wielded by his attackers would instantly shatter into so many&#xA;pieces and he would be delivered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thought enough yakshas and rakshasas to fill all the&#xA;thousand-million-fold world should try to come and torment a person,&#xA;if they hear him calling the name of Bodhisattva Perceiver of the&#xA;World's Sounds, then these evil demons will not even be able to look&#xA;at him with their evil eyes, much less do him harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose, in a place filled with all the evil-hearted bandits of the&#xA;thousand-million-fold world, there is a merchant leader who is guiding&#xA;a band of merchants carrying valuable treasures over a steep and&#xA;dangerous road, and that one man shouts out these words: 'Good men, do&#xA;not be afraid! You must single-mindedly call on the name of&#xA;Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds. This bodhisattva can&#xA;grant fearlessness to living beings. If you call his name, you will be&#xA;delivered from these evil-hearted bandits!' When the band if merchants&#xA;hear this, they all together raise their voices, saying, 'Hail to the&#xA;Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds!' And because they call&#xA;his name, they are at once able to gain deliverance. Inexhaustible&#xA;Intent, the authority and supernatural power of the Bodhisattva and&#xA;mahasattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds are as mighty as this!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T13:32:21.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15079" CreationDate="2016-05-11T13:49:37.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For me, Buddhist meditation is scientific &amp;amp; materialist. For example, watching breathing causes the breathe &amp;amp; physical body to calm. This is scientific (observable cause &amp;amp; effect) &amp;amp; materialistic, since breath is a material element&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For me, claims about an after life are not related to meditation. I have read meditation is done to abandon this 'world' and any other 'world'. When the mind is concentrated, it does not think about an afterlife.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For me, Buddhism does not teach about materialist Annihilation. The Buddha of the Pali scriptures taught Annihilation is the view that: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will cease at death&quot;; just as Eternalism is the view: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; will continue after death&quot;. These are wrong views because they are '&lt;strong&gt;self-views&lt;/strong&gt;'. They are not related to life after death. They are about beliefs about personal life after death. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think meditation is pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world that is run based on natural selection because it is a &lt;strong&gt;non-sensual joy&lt;/strong&gt; that frees the mind from 'samsara', i.e., craving induced reproduction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think there is possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and realizations through meditation through an evolutionary model because evolution is both physical &amp;amp; mental. For example, the Buddha represents the pinnacle &amp;amp; final end of human evolution. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The evolutionary advantage of becoming a monastic (not reproducing and passing on your genes) would be exactly the very same advantage as ending craving so there is not more 'becoming' in the future, which some people believe to be an &quot;afterlife&quot;. This advantage is reaching the final end of evolution. The arahants said at enlightenment: &quot;There is nothing further to do for this world&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, there are  no materialist claims and counter arguments from Buddhism because the Lord Buddha taught that talk about how the world was created is unprofitable. That said, the theory of evolution accords with the Buddhist law of cause &amp;amp; effect. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist commentaries state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The laws of nature, although uniformly based on the principle of&#xA;  causal dependence, can nevertheless be sorted into different modes of&#xA;  relationship. The Buddhist commentaries describe five categories of&#xA;  natural law, or niyama. They are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Utuniyama: the natural law pertaining to physical objects and changes in the natural environment, such as the weather; the way&#xA;  flowers bloom in the day and fold up at night; the way soil, water and&#xA;  nutrients help a tree to grow; and the way things disintegrate and&#xA;  decompose. This perspective emphasizes the changes brought about by&#xA;  heat or temperature. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bijaniyama&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;strong&gt;the natural law pertaining to heredity&lt;/strong&gt;, which is best described in the adage, &quot;as the seed, so the fruit.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cittaniyama: the natural law pertaining to the workings of the mind, the process of cognition of sense objects and the mental&#xA;  reactions to them. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kammaniyama: the natural law pertaining to human behavior, the process of the generation of action and its results. In essence, this&#xA;  is summarized in the words, &quot;good deeds bring good results, bad deeds&#xA;  bring bad results.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dhammaniyama: the natural law governing the relationship and interdependence of all things: the way all things arise, exist and&#xA;  then cease. All conditions are subject to change, are in a state of&#xA;  affliction and are not self: this is the Norm. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Good, Evil and Beyond: Kamma in the Buddha's Teaching: P. A. Payutto&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/good_evil_beyond.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/good_evil_beyond.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T20:47:27.217" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T20:47:27.217" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15082" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15118" CreationDate="2016-05-11T13:56:28.940" Score="1" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember my teacher mentioned this in class : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not&#xA;  believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many.&#xA;  Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your&#xA;  religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of&#xA;  your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they&#xA;  have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and&#xA;  analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is&#xA;  conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and&#xA;  live up to it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that mean that the sutras are 100% correct if I follow them? because it is very confusing, or according to what siddartha mentioned, I can't even trust the sutras when he says do not believe? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8304" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T17:14:49.960" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T02:15:58.433" Title="Are the Buddhist sutras 100% verified if applied in life?" Tags="|the-buddha|texts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15082" CreationDate="2016-05-11T14:19:41.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes Kernex your right. lord Buddha said like that. he said check from your Knowledge &amp;amp; is it fare to the rules.. then accept it. Buddhism was born in India before 2500 years before. after lord buddhas death Monk bring the sutras to the future mouth to mouth learning. so in that time some external things added to the Buddhists sutras. but the main thing of Buddhism is 100% true &amp;amp; that will help you to have a peaceful life without Bonds. just follow below basic 5 rules of the Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take what is not given&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not distort facts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from misuse of the senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from self-intoxication through alcohol or drugs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T14:19:41.390" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15079" CreationDate="2016-05-11T14:25:24.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world&#xA;  that is run based on natural selection?               &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't know; but it's just what is pleasing me. Also it helps to organize my view of things to the more relaxed one. Evolutionary benefit ? Why not... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and&#xA;  realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary&#xA;  model?                        &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We seem not to be surprised, that, for instance, skiing is joyful and motion/sports is making peaceful in general, according to the doctors. Is skiing meaningful through an evolutionary model? (I'm taking your terms without really wanting to use that language &amp;amp; concept - but just for the moment...)                   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,&#xA;  anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not&#xA;  reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training the ability for selflessness, peace and compassion is very likely advantaguous for a (socially organized) species, even if it looks sometimes disadvantaguous for an individuum. And - if I'm relaxed not to run blindly and hysteric for reproduction, that's in a materialistic view surely benefitial for me (and as well for possible reproduction-partners ... ;-) ).               &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short: emancipation from the totalitaristic greedyness of the &quot;evolutionary paradigm&quot; is -in my view- a step forward in the evolution of human kind (and that is also the background for answering this here in a buddhism-forum: the teaching of the Buddha can be understood as teaching for emancipation from greeds (&quot;&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) attachments and illusions.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T14:25:24.540" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15086" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15087" CreationDate="2016-05-11T15:08:47.933" Score="4" ViewCount="1178" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peace !! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am planning to invest some of my money in poultry stocks in the stock market and having second thoughts. As I understand Buddhism teaches not to kill any living beings although it does not say directly not to eat meat even for monks or laymen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However , I don't think humans can survive without destroying other species . e.g. Even if you take water it has bacteria or micro creatures in it .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My intention is to make a profit , not kill animals . However I may have contributing to animal suffering by a proxy. I am in a grey area. Is this something morally wrong ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8306" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T17:11:52.770" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T20:54:08.407" Title="Investing in poultry stocks and Buddhism" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15086" CreationDate="2016-05-11T17:08:56.190" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;Honestly I would say that it's not even a grey area. For me, investing in stocks in the meat industry is not in keeping with right livelihood. To quote the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in full&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business.&#xA;  Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, &lt;strong&gt;business in&#xA;  meat&lt;/strong&gt;, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the five types of business that a lay follower should not&#xA;  engage in.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By investing in a poultry company you are in effect a part owner of that business - therefore you are in the 'business of meat'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course when you say poultry stocks I'm assuming that this is a business for producing meat for consumption. If the business is raising chickens so that small children can love them and keep them as pets then fantastic - a wonderful ethical investment (slight tongue in cheek - I couldn't resist).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T17:15:56.803" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T17:15:56.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15086" CreationDate="2016-05-11T17:12:12.600" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actions are never wrong in Buddhism. Actions either lead to suffering or they do not lead to suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some practicioners get very technically crazy on the first precept. Some would say that because you arent actually there killimg the chickens directly then you are not in violation of the 1st precept but then some (like me) say it does violate the 1st precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't just a vegetarian issue, you would actually be profiting from the killing of beings like hitmen or butchers profit from killing. So, it would also be wrong livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should try to humble ourselves. Are we really  better than chickens? If we are thinking with our hearts as well as our brains we would want nothing but peace and happiness for all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There must be better ways to invest money anyway. -Metta-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T17:12:12.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15089" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15093" CreationDate="2016-05-11T17:37:20.627" Score="4" ViewCount="1989" Body="&lt;p&gt;if I understand correctly, Buddhism is opposed to dualistic concepts: Us vs. them, beautiful vs. ugly, pain vs. pleasure. We should rather realise the emptiness of those constructs in order to see the things in the way they really are, i.e. see their real nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How then, does that translate to the concept of good and bad? Because I think every Buddhist tradition teaches us that certain behaviours, acts or ways of thinking are beneficial and create good karma, whereas others are detrimental to our spiritual progress or to our own well-being and that of others and create bad karma. Examples of good vs. bad behaviour abound in many texts like the Vinaya rules but also in the Noble Eightfold Path itself. Right speech for example is considered good whereas the opposite - lying, denouncing, spreading rumors, careless speech in general are surely to be considered bad, detrimental, whatever you want to call it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I accept the duality of good vs. bad while accepting that other dualities are just hollow projections of the untrained layman's mind that keep me from seeing the true nature of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also be greatly interested if somebody could shed a light on the different traditions' views on the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8308" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T08:26:40.710" Title="Notion of good and bad in Buddhism" Tags="|ethics|vinaya|sunyata|eightfold-path|nonduality|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15082" CreationDate="2016-05-11T18:47:53.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the real quote (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), the Buddha emphasized believing in that which: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, does not lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&quot;&#xA;and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, leads to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, you can trust the majority of the sutras because the majority (but not all) are about giving up harm &amp;amp; suffering and cultivating welfare &amp;amp; happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha wanted his followers to investigate &amp;amp; realise the teachings for themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T18:47:53.770" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15086" CreationDate="2016-05-11T19:10:26.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you said may possibly be true in that humans many not be able survive without destroying other species.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Buddha did teach 'karma' is 'intention' therefore the Buddha did not generally directly admonish or criticize people for killing animals for food for their personal or family consumption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha did say carrying on a business from the slaughter of animals is wrong livelihood probably because this involves concentrated killing en-mass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the chicken factory, the workers must spend 8 hours per day killing chickens or watching chickens being killed, dismembered, gutted &amp;amp; processed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has been shown by psychological studies to have severe adverse psychological impacts upon the workers, such as the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This thesis research focuses on the negative effects that Concentrated&#xA;  Animal Feeding Operations (later referred to as CAFOs) have on the&#xA;  environment and the psychological and physiological effects of&#xA;  alienation of food production on slaughterhouse workers of industrial&#xA;  slaughterhouses in comparison to niche-market slaughterhouses....&#xA;  Slaughterhouse workers are also at risk of Perpetration-Inducted&#xA;  Traumatic Stress, which is a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder&#xA;  and results from situations where the concerning subject suffering&#xA;  from PTSD was a causal participant in creating the traumatic&#xA;  situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://scholar.colorado.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2157&amp;amp;context=honr_theses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://scholar.colorado.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2157&amp;amp;context=honr_theses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T20:54:08.407" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T20:54:08.407" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15089" CreationDate="2016-05-11T19:17:56.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original Buddhist teachings do not include a doctrine of non-duality. The Buddha's enlightenment came from ending craving &amp;amp; attachment rather than from ending dualistic perceptions &amp;amp; thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding good &amp;amp; bad for moral/social purposes is one kind of knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing &amp;amp; understanding the true nature of reality for liberation is another kind of knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught: (1) avoid evil; (2) do good; &amp;amp; (3) purify the mind. Purifying the mind means ending egotistic attachment towards good &amp;amp; bad rather than giving up the understanding of good &amp;amp; bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'See evil as evil.' This is the first Dhamma discourse. 'Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there,&#xA;  released.' This is the second Dhamma discourse. These are the two&#xA;  Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened&#xA;  — has given in sequence.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Itivuttaka 39&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-11T19:32:29.490" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T19:32:29.490" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15089" CreationDate="2016-05-11T21:33:26.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even in Zen, the tradition at the forefront of non-duality, there's a famous saying, something like:&#xA;&quot;Before studying Zen, one saw mountains and rivers as mountains and rivers. After gaining deeper knowledge, one saw mountains and rivers as no mountains nor rivers. But now at last, one sees mountains and rivers once again as mountains and rivers&quot;&#xA;So basically, there's a gradation or stage of cultivation. At the beginning, whether one wants to experience non-duality or not, it's still only a theoretical abstract concept which one is yet able to experience for oneself. That's why there's a need to clearly differentiate what's wholesome and what's unwholesome. That's why there're the Vinaya, the Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, Ten Precepts, the 8NP's Right Speech, Right Livelihood, so on and so forth. Any serious Dhamma practitioner has to go through this training first until observing precepts no longer something one has to strive for but has become second-nature. Only until then will the truth of non-duality becomes fully manifested and one can fully live and experience it for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-05-11T21:33:26.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15094" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15099" CreationDate="2016-05-12T02:01:41.587" Score="0" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is often said that nirvana is bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm struggling with, and have been for years now, despite reading a fair amount, is whether nirvana, being blissful, is not just objectively so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i.e. is nirvana good for the buddha or saint that achieves it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because if it is, then I don't think it can &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; be an end to the causal series. Just like, when a fire has stopped burning, we don't say the fire is not hot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T06:36:38.107" Title="Is nirvana just the end of a causal series?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15095" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-12T02:14:02.743" Score="0" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;Greetings to everybody,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6ox3D.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6ox3D.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Laughing Buddha Restaurant sign&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the image above, what do you think from your point of view?&#xA;Is this disrespectful since The Laughing Buddha is being used for a branding?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8311" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-12T08:07:22.330" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T01:05:09.157" Title="Do you think that this Laughing Buddha Restaurant sign is a disrespect?" Tags="|modern-world|iconography|buddha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15096" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15101" CreationDate="2016-05-12T03:02:09.493" Score="4" ViewCount="301" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a persistent fear of going without food that prevents me from giving monasticism a full shot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some background: I suffered for approximately 4 years with something called cyclic vomiting syndrome. This is an affliction characterized by recurrent, prolonged attacks of severe nausea, vomiting, and prostration with no apparent cause. During this time I repeatedly lost and regained 100s of pounds at a time. Losing weight, while something I needed to do, was not fun. My longest single attack lasted a full 7 days during which time I was unable to keep any food down whatsoever, much less get any sleep. Retching on a completely empty stomach 45+ times an hour is a hell that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies. So, food is important to me. At the same time I realize that too much is not good in a myriad of ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, where are all the Buddhist monasteries at which I'd be afforded the opportunity to practice self compassion as opposed to gritting my teeth and forcing myself through a whole lot of discomfort in order to satisfy my ego and other's expectations of what constitutes a good, chaste and worthwhile existence? That doesn't seem mentally or physically healthy or conducive to showing loving kindness and compassion to others. I'm a firm believer that in order to be able to show compassion for others, I need to show it to myself. I'm mainly thinking about food here. Whatever could be wrong with my eating something when my stomach is growling after noon? At least until my stomach had shrunk to such a degree that hunger pains were perhaps more a nuisance than anything else? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I understand the reluctance on the part of many monastics to allow things like eating after noon, etc. It so happens also, that I suspect that their concern is misplaced. It seems to me that there aren't many things in life that don't consist of shades of grey. It also seems that Buddhist monastics in general tend to lose sight of the nuance making up many of these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, is there a tradition I should be focusing on? A teacher? (Ajahn Brahm is a favorite btw.) Am I way off base with my concerns? If so, how should I go about rectifying my inconsistent views? If not, then what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8312" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-12T08:09:45.737" LastActivityDate="2018-01-30T14:00:46.153" Title="The fear of committing to a monastic lifestyle" Tags="|monasticism|compassion|food|loving-kindness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15089" CreationDate="2016-05-12T03:51:25.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not that complicated. Mental states that lead to suffering are bad and the mental states that lead to or conducive to freedom from suffering are good. In other words; craving, aversion and ignorance are bad; whereas non-craving, non-aversion, non-ignorance are good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T03:51:25.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15095" CreationDate="2016-05-12T03:59:40.663" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is disrespectful and bad Karma for the owner and those who endorse such things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T03:59:40.663" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15094" CreationDate="2016-05-12T04:25:17.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All conditioned or caused phenomena are bad. Because they are unsatisfying. That which is not conditioned or caused is good. It is good for anyone who achieves it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This problem occurs when you think that 'good' means a person experiencing a pleasurable mental or physical feeling. Nibbana is not a feeling. All feelings are caused. It's an existing phenomenon that cuts off the cause of suffering at the moment of attainment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T04:25:17.900" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15096" CreationDate="2016-05-12T05:42:10.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I normally wouldn't advice anyone who is not committed to Buddhism to become a monk, because you will probably end up being a bad influence or even ruining the reputation of the temple. Experiencing a short term monastic experience is fine though, if you can stick to the rules during that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, for drug rehab there are temples specializing in treating drug addicts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://travel.cnn.com/bangkok/life/high-and-low-ends-rehab-tourism-thailand-295566/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://travel.cnn.com/bangkok/life/high-and-low-ends-rehab-tourism-thailand-295566/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction-treatment/thamkrabok-temple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction-treatment/thamkrabok-temple/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't vouch for their effectiveness, but it might be what you are looking for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologies, I realized I have been far too judgmental and not compassionate enough in my response. It is good to have the desire to leave the householder's life, and that should be encouraged. The thoughts have crossed my mind too. It is just unfortunate to see so many monks behaving badly because they went into it without any considerations or good intentions. I knew some people who went into it because they have health problems and want to get some good merits to fix their problems. I even had an acquaintance who decided to renounce the world then left the monastic order one year later for unknown reasons. Ideally someone who will become a monastic should have only the highest noble intentions in mind to deal with the challenges and obstructions ahead of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-13T04:26:18.490" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T04:26:18.490" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15096" CreationDate="2016-05-12T06:08:03.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;By practicing monastic life, if you mean becoming a monk, it's a no go with your current condition. But if you just want to practice meditation, staying at a monastery, you still have to give up Marijuana and Nicotine. No serious monastery would allow you to smoke while you stay there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some monasteries allow lay practitioners to take just 5 precepts and have food in the evening as well. But usually you have to bring your own food for evening meals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest for you to do an &lt;a href=&quot;http://meditation.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;online meditation course&lt;/a&gt; and to get advice on how to give up your addictions while consulting a doctor to treat your ailments without Marijuana and Nicotine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T06:08:03.320" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15094" CreationDate="2016-05-12T06:36:38.107" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is not 'caused'. This is why the Buddha referred to the &quot;path&quot; to Nirvana rather than the &quot;cause&quot; of Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine being blind-folded. The eyes cannot see any sights. But if the blind-fold is removed, sights can be seen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion are like a blind-fold that prevent experiencing Nibbana. Nibbana is not something 'mental' although the mind experiences Nibbana (as a sense object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar to how a tree or flower is not the eye, but the eye experiences the tree or flower. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former&#xA;  times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city,&#xA;  an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with&#xA;  parks, groves, &amp;amp; ponds, walled, delightful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.065.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T06:36:38.107" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15103" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15104" CreationDate="2016-05-12T09:33:03.563" Score="4" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example when I'm feeling a little anxious, I might &lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt; &quot;I'm feeling threatened&quot;. These thoughts makes me feel like I am not actually being mindful, because if I actually were then I wouldn't need to &lt;strong&gt;think&lt;/strong&gt; about it, you know? It's kinda hard to explain, but I feel like I'm just fooling myself into believing I'm observing myself, when it's actually all happening within my thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's going on here? Am I misunderstanding something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8314" LastActivityDate="2016-05-14T09:52:39.343" Title="Observations appear as thoughts" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15103" CreationDate="2016-05-12T10:18:54.480" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, you are not misunderstanding something. You are being true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many teachers &amp;amp; gurus say thoughts can be observed. I personally disagree here (unless the thoughts are very subtle and very infrequent). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, thinking &amp;amp; observing are antagonistic. When the mind thinks, it is not particularly observant. When the mind is truly observant, it rarely thinks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To genuinely observe anxiety, attention should be drawn to the tremblings or vibrations of the body (the nervous system) and shortness of the breathing. Try to feel the emotion, mood or feeling of anxiety; the pressure in the head (brain) &amp;amp; body, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, it is not easy to do this. If you try, you may need to regularly let go of observing &amp;amp; do some breathing out. The important thing is to trust it is impermanent or a passing mood; like a storm temporarily clouding a clear sky. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T10:18:54.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15105" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-12T11:08:06.460" Score="2" ViewCount="1185" Body="&lt;p&gt;My parent seperated since I was young and I was rise by my mom.&#xA;Right now my dad is not in a good condition and unfortunately my aunt and uncle from my dad's side doesn't like me much. Too be honest I don't wanna face with my aunt. I know she loves him so much and she hates me because I choose to stay with my mom. I don't know what to do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example today I told my mom I will go visit my dad but mom said she needs me to have a dinner with her.so she told me to go visit my dad the other day... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I don't go visit him.. Will it be bad ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this is such a stupid question but it is hard for me to make up my mind. When I see my dad It is not so peaceful inside because of the people around him...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8315" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-12T11:15:30.587" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T22:19:23.420" Title="Asking about Parent-Child relationship karma. Is it bad if I don't wanna go visit my dad?" Tags="|karma|parents|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15095" CreationDate="2016-05-12T11:15:11.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;that one is a joyful  goddess  (sorry I don't know how to type his name in english ) he always has a happy smile and laugh.i think they shouldn't put that name... the owner might not mean to disrespect but they just thinkless and too playful &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8315" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T11:15:11.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15105" CreationDate="2016-05-12T11:26:13.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha does say that children should minister to their parents&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways, young householder, a child should minister to his&#xA;  parents as the East:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) Having supported me I shall support them, duties, (iii) I shall keep the family tradition, (iv) I shall make&#xA;  myself worthy of my inheritance, (v) furthermore I shall offer alms in&#xA;  honor of my departed relatives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly though this was advice given a very long time ago in a culture very different to ours. However the advice of &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having supported me I shall support them,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;does still seem relevant today and perhaps pertinent to your situation. Ultimately though I would hesitate to say do or don't visit difficult relatives but I personally felt a lot better when I re-established contact with some family members. I felt like a source of suffering had been alleviated somewhat even though in many ways they remained as difficult as ever. Just my own experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T11:26:13.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15096" CreationDate="2016-05-12T12:10:13.597" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One has to make an informed choice. Becoming a monk does not guarantee peace or nirvana. It is just that its a faster mechanism for people who have urgency to attain bliss. You do not have it otherwise you would not be asking this question. You are not scared because of your medical condition but leaving shore to sail towards unknown. Its just an excuse. Having said that i can assure you that many people enjoy jhanic bliss who are not monks. I can tell you from my experience that chances of bliss are higher if you are not a monk. Monks keep on striving but a worldly person just give up. That giving up creates a far greater bliss which monks attain. When you reeling under scorching sun a shade gives you far greater relief than a person who is resting under the shade. I am not critical here. Just trying to balance it in favor of non-monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T12:10:13.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2016-05-12T12:41:41.477" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is the Development of creativity, Creativity is human nature, it is the sole reason for the rapid advancement of human kind, and Buddhism grounds our creativity with purpose. It's not easy being an artist, we get &quot;lost in the clouds&quot; sometimes and we give credit to the chaos that we call &quot;the Creativity process&quot; Creativity is not a process Stop assuming it is. If you have to think to hard to use your creativity its because your actually just thinking.&#xA;And Apple is not a representative of creativity, they are programmers, the ego is a program, a strategist. creativity is intuitive, it is effortless. I'm 32 years old, i ether, draw, paint, sculpt or write every day, I have never had a creative block, and as a child i assumed that a creative block is just what people who weren't artistic. With a Buddhist understanding Creativity is your true human nature that develops thru the pure mental state that comes from contentment in meditation (natural state of human development free from selfish motives).  Evolution is pushing change but this human form is optimal for the harnessing of creative.  I would recommend doing some intuitive paintings like splatter paintings so you can get a taste of actual pure creative energy, that is meditation for artist and unless it is extracted from enjoyment in the moment and free from egotistical subject matter you are not living an authentic life. Authenticity is opposite of ego, I believe now as an adult that creative block is more of a conflict of what you believe to be important enough to show devotion to. You need to take a long look in the mirror, find the doubt in your practice, have faith that doubt is one of the five hindrance that dissipates with the defining of phenomenon and eradicated with meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8316" LastEditorUserId="8316" LastEditDate="2016-05-12T13:20:07.053" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T13:20:07.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15105" CreationDate="2016-05-12T13:58:43.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is very important, but difficult to answer, since within Buddhism answers are not always what we want to hear.&#xA;Your father and his family members are experiencing there own karma, which in this case is not good for them or pleasant for others.&#xA;Within yourself you should try to find loving-kindness for their suffering. You can accomplish this by realizing that the bad manner that they use with you is a lesson in how not to behave. Try to find compassion. This will help your mind to accept, and realize that your visit with them is temporary...when it is over do not dwell on it.&#xA;In Tibetan buddhism all sentient beings were once our kind and loving mothers. We try to remember that in our dealings with others. It is not always easy, but you will be a better person if you have compassion for all others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T13:58:43.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-12T14:30:12.760" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's try to keep this simple. Buddhism encourages no-self or no-ego. This does not mean that &quot;I&quot; do not exist, but rather that &quot;selfless&quot; requires that I think of that which benefits all sentient beings as driving force in life. It is a process of diminishing selfishness. Samsara is suffering, and Nirvana is happiness. We are surrounded by both. However, Buddhism seeks not temporary happiness, but the attainment of permanent happiness by following the path. When we die, a reincarnation brings forward our mind consciousness into a new body, so that in truth we never die. However, the current life that we lead will determine the manner of our rebirth, so lead a good life. When viewed properly all of the above can be a genuine basis for joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T14:30:12.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15112" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15116" CreationDate="2016-05-12T15:52:32.387" Score="1" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#fn-89&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THIS&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;em&gt;&quot;The bhikkhu should also not eat raw or undercooked meat...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should a bhikkhu, then, not eat sashimi (raw fish, such as it used frequently in sushi)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T21:49:27.740" Title="Should a bikkhu avoid eating sashimi?" Tags="|meat|rules|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15105" CreationDate="2016-05-12T15:55:07.493" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just switch positions around and you'll know what to do. Imagine you were the father, you fell ill and your own son came to visit you. How would you feel? What if he didn't come? Don't worry about that uneasy feeling when seeing folks at your dad's house. You'll get a much greater kind of peace that comes from doing what's right and from seeing the joy in your dad's eyes upon seeing his son by his side. Furthermore, by not visiting your dad, that'd only deepen the animosity from your aunt for she'd think that you indeed didn't care about your dad at all. By showing up, you'd have fulfilled your part by showing that you care. Whether that'll change your aunt's attitude or not is not important for you have done the right thing and there's nothing to regret. Anyway, that's just my two cents..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T15:55:07.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15105" CreationDate="2016-05-12T17:39:16.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught (at SN 10.12) that family members should try to develop truthfulness, mental training, patience &amp;amp; sacrifice/generosity towards eachother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if your father wishes for you to visit him, you should try to train yourself to have patience and generosity towards him &amp;amp; his family. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should also try to be honest &amp;amp; truthful and speak your concerns to your father &amp;amp; ask your father to ask his sister to stop being unfriendly towards you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your aunt is unpleasant to you, you should try to be truthful &amp;amp; patient towards her and tell her you wish to visit your father; you wish to do what is best for your father; so to please stop being unfriendly towards you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a family member is making you feel bad, you should try to truthfully communicate your feelings to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While your situation is difficult &amp;amp; challenging, you should always remember it is not you that is making bad karma but them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a child, you should never blame yourself of doing bad karma when it is your parents &amp;amp; your aunt &amp;amp; uncle that have done bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your parents divorcing was bad karma done by them. Your aunt &amp;amp; uncle getting angry at you is bad karma being done by them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to care about your father, which is good karma done by you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to see who is doing the bad karma &amp;amp; try to develop the goal of being better than your parents, aunt &amp;amp; uncle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught some parents have children that are morally better than the parents. You should try to develop yourself to be morally better.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T17:39:16.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2016-05-12T18:52:20.347" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Creativity and compassion are by-products of consciousness. Creativity is driven by ego before Nirvana but after that it is an effortless spontaneous process. If you live consciously you will not compete but will start living creatively. In Buddha's time you could be creative in a very restricted sense. An engineer would not go beyond creating a new knife or a plough. Today one can express his creativity in a number of ways and extent that was not possible in earlier times. Buddha was never questioned about creativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you follow Buddha, you will be creative. Buddhism is restrictive in nature because of dos and donts by dont-know-whos. Nature is very creative. There are no copies in Nature. Humans are creative by birth but unfortunately society kills it through dos and donts especially religions. Creativity is synonymous with egoless-ness provided one does not aspire to profit from it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are creative you will be alive and very close to Nirvana. Buddha was so creative with his approach. He was unique. How can his teaching go against creativity which is uniqueness manifested?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2017-02-11T07:25:06.360" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:25:06.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15112" CreationDate="2016-05-12T19:58:31.590" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot;&gt;this commentary on the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;, on page 308, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Raw flesh and blood are allowed at Mv.VI.10.2 only when one is possessed&#xA;  by non-human beings. Thus, in more ordinary circumstances, one may not eat&#xA;  raw fish or meat even if of an allowable kind. This would include such things as&#xA;  steak tartare, sashimi, oysters on the half-shell, raw eggs, and caviar.&#xA;  Furthermore, even cooked fish or meat of an allowable kind is unallowable if the&#xA;  bhikkhu sees, hears, or suspects that the animal was killed specifically for the&#xA;  purpose of feeding bhikkhus (Mv.VI.31.14)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T19:58:31.590" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15089" CreationDate="2016-05-12T21:18:02.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nonduality is not taught in the Pāli literature.  Bad and good are.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Throughout the canon we find the Buddha dividing things into good or bad both in the conventional sense as found in the Vinaya and Sutta Pitakas,  and in the absolute or ultimate sense in the Abhidhamma literature.  The Dhammasangani (the first book of the Abhidhamma Pitaka) begins with a chapter of states that are good followed by a chapter of states that are bad.  In both senses states  that are good lead to happiness and release, states that are bad lead to unhappiness and further becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T21:18:02.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15082" CreationDate="2016-05-12T21:45:06.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your teacher was loosely quoting the Buddha's instructions to the Kalamas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&quot; — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.65&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What he is saying is that it's up to each of us to investigate the teachings for ourselves to verify their veracity and usefulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T21:45:06.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15112" CreationDate="2016-05-12T21:49:27.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a word, yes.  Bhikkhus and bhikkhunis are forbidden from accepting raw meat or live animals.  They are also forbidden from consuming fish or flesh that they suspect, heard or seen  has been slaughtered for their personal consumption.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T21:49:27.740" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15105" CreationDate="2016-05-12T22:19:23.420" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every thought is a manifestation of kamma being either kamma productive or kamma resultant.  The aversion toward seeing your dad is no exception. All aversion is rooted in hatred (patigha) and delusion (moha).  Is it bad?  Yes in that hatred and delusion are always accompanied by unpleasant feelings (domanassa/grief) and never with pleasant feelings (somanassa/joy).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a perfect world we would disregard people's shortcomings and the wrongs they have done to us. But, we do not live in a perfect world so it's up to us to grow toward this ideal.  It isn't easy and it takes lots of work.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I too had a poor relationship with my father.  I tried to make it work but I didn't have the right understandings to get there.  He passed away long ago and I still feel guilt and remorse at times that I couldn't get past those things that kept us apart.  It was foolish of me to expect him to be something he wasn't when I couldn't live up to my own expectations for myself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll end with a quote from Thanissaro Bhikkhu, &quot;Our actions are our longest lasting possessions.&quot;  This includes our failures to act too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T22:19:23.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15121" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-12T22:22:08.390" Score="4" ViewCount="1207" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not asking for an explanation on the whole &quot;What is a Mara?&quot; question. What i'm asking about is the being mentioned in Buddhism who has the command over all normal beings, the one who came personally to challenge,frighten lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there an explanation to why or how a person become's a &quot;Mara&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2022-10-23T14:45:53.413" Title="How does one become a &quot;Māra&quot;?" Tags="|sutras|realms|mara|heavens|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15121" CreationDate="2016-05-12T23:46:11.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are no stories within the Pāli canon that I know that describe how one becomes a Mara though there are accounts of others who have been maras in a previous life (Moggallana being one of them. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.basicbuddhism.org/resources/sutta/MN50_Maratajjaniya_Sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 50&lt;/a&gt;).  There is also a sutta in which the Buddha declares that it is impossible for a woman to become a Māra (See MN 115 § 15).  The Buddha does explain how one can become a deva [of the gandhabba order] in &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta3/30-Gandhabbakaya-Samyutta/01-Gandhabbavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 31.2&lt;/a&gt;. I don't know that the doing the opposite would direct one to becoming a Mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-12T23:46:11.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15123" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-13T03:06:33.270" Score="8" ViewCount="1990" Body="&lt;p&gt;So the Heart Sutra is one of the most popular sutra in Mahayana Buddhism, said to be the summary and heart of the Prajna Paramita Sutra. It was popularized by the famous monk Xuanzang. It was said that he chanted this sutra when he was lost in the Taklamakan Desert on the way from China to India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from its terse nature and convenience for chanting. Why is this Heart Sutra so important to Mahayana Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people even describe the sutra as a kind of 'crazy wisdom' that seems to intentionally tear down all purposeful cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/the-heart-sutra-will-change-you-forever/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.lionsroar.com/the-heart-sutra-will-change-you-forever/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was even jokingly described as the 'heart attack' sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Also, there is no truth of suffering, of the cause of suffering, of&#xA;the cessation of suffering or of the path. There is no wisdom, and&#xA;there is no attainment whatsoever&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would this sutra be helpful or useful - when it basically denies the fundamental teachings of the Buddha on the Four Noble Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably the message of the Heart Sutra was so troubling that Thich Nhat Hanh had to 're-translate' the sutra into something that fit in with his own conception of Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/news/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://plumvillage.org/news/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose of this sutra? Is it just sheerly for the shock factor? Maybe like a Zen Master whacking a student with a stick? I find other Prajna Paramita sutras such as the Diamond Sutra just as troubling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: I do enjoy some of the messages of Mahayana Sutras such as Amitabha Sutra and Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra and is from a Chinese Mahayana Chan organization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-08-31T05:30:36.563" LastActivityDate="2022-08-23T16:30:57.710" Title="Why is the Heart Sutra so important in Mahayana Buddhism?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|four-noble-truths|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15121" CreationDate="2016-05-13T03:41:46.523" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The current Mara was Mara Dusi's nephew back in the days of Buddha Kakusandha. So it seems that there's a waiting list in the Paranimmita-vasavatti heaven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some people in the world who do a lot of worldly good deeds, but they dislike and discourage meditation, listening to the Dhamma, getting ordained or anything that has to do with ending of Samsara. I would imagine such people might be born in the Mara-clan of the Paranimmita-vasavatti realm, if they can amass enough good Karma. Among them, whoever is the most powerful, takes up the title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T03:41:46.523" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15121" CreationDate="2016-05-13T04:17:07.687" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abhisankhāra-māra - The Karmic force&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kleśa-māra, or Ma̋ra as the embodiment of all unskillful emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mṛtyu-māra, or Māra as death, in the sense of the ceaseless round of&#xA;  birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Skandha-māra, or Māra as metaphor for the entirety of conditioned&#xA;  existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Devaputra-māra, or Māra the son of a deva (god), that is, Māra as an&#xA;  objectively existent being rather than as a metaphor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from your internal mara and metaphysical maras. The Mara as existent beings are essentially gods with Wrong Views and Wrong Intentions. The Mara that tempted Buddha in particular, was a god from one of the highest heavens Paranimmita-vasavatti, the devas with the power over other's creations. That is not only can they create anything to fulfill their desires, but other create it for them to worship them. Seeing that the Desire Realm was so enjoyable and pleasurable, why should anyone seek to leave it and so try to oppose the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how did such a being came about? Through their former karmic merit. Like gods who attain heaven but then squander their merits, maras went further by obstructing others in their search for virtue and truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike the Christian devil, Maras are not rulers of Hell. But in a sense they are 'fallen' in spirit, though not in power. Eventually such a being use up their good karma and fall possibly even the the hells themselves. Of course they are not unredeemable either, if they repent and support the truth, the label 'Mara' would not apply to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a saying in Chinese Buddhism, to cultivate karmic rewards without cultivating wisdom is the Way of Mara. That is your good karma could bring you high up in the the heaven or as a ruler (or someone in position of power), but without wisdom - and therefore ethics, you could easily abuse your powers, causing suffering on others and ultimately yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as you can see, you could be your own Mara, you could be a Mara to others and discourage them from doing good deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T04:17:07.687" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15121" CreationDate="2016-05-13T05:42:55.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As answered by Yinxu, the term 'Mara' is used in many ways in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think to develop theories about &lt;strong&gt;Mara the Tempter&lt;/strong&gt;, it is useful to understand 'gods' ('deva'), who include human beings with psychic powers, that Judeo-Christianity calls 'angels'. In Judeo-Christianity, the Bible reports angels &amp;amp; also prophets such as Moses &amp;amp; Jesus that displayed supernormal (psychic) powers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These angels &amp;amp; prophets are created (by nature) to rule &amp;amp; guide ordinary people. These angels &amp;amp; prophets teach people to believe in 'God' &amp;amp; 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These angels &amp;amp; prophets with psychic powers exist today within Christianity. Yet they are not interested in or believe in Buddhism because they believe Christianity is best for ordinary people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindus are similar, often strongly opposed to Buddhism because of its teaching of anatta &amp;amp; atheism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Mara does not necessarily have to be an intrinsically evil being that is tempting people to do evil in the way Christians depict. Satan does not exist in the Old Testament apart from in the Book of Job, as an angel in heaven with God. The Christian idea of Satan is obviously very similar to that in Buddhism but their own version. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point is Mara can be any being with supernormal powers that opposes the Buddhist teachings because Buddhism teaches anatta (nots-self). Such a Mara does not necessarily need to be intrinsically evil. Karmically, they simply need to act with the good intention that the Buddhist teachings of anatta are not beneficial to the majority of people. Therefore, their karma will not necessarily result in a loss of their supernormal powers since opposing Buddhism is not inherently bad karma for them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or less insidiously, such Mara may simply be testing the Buddhas &amp;amp; arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-13T06:21:57.963" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T06:21:57.963" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15089" CreationDate="2016-05-13T08:26:40.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Non duality is a conceptual tool, and like all tools you need to know when to use it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course you should have moral standards, otherwise its impossible to practice the Noble Eightfold Path. This requires a discerning mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where non duality shines is when you encounter obstacles. For example anger because you despise someone, you reflect and realize he isn't so different from you after all and apply compassion. In fact usually as people practice morality, they often becomes judgmental of people with less stringent morality because the discerning mind is very active. Same goes when you experience revolting environment (perhaps a dirty toilet), instead of emotionally repulsed, they calm the mind and accept it, allowing them to clean it without disturbing their inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When encountering craving they also use non duality to detach themselves. Monks use meditation on corpses to realize that the human body is actually a living breathing corpse. The attractive human bodies are realized to be impermanent and unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure it's not mentioned in the Pali Canon perhaps because they wisely didn't want to get into a whole philosophical debate, but aspects of it are definitely already there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T08:26:40.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15096" CreationDate="2016-05-13T09:51:53.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever could be wrong with my eating something when my stomach is growling after noon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to mention, I saw a video by Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu (probably one of the &quot;Monk Radio&quot; videos, but I don't remember which one). He was talking, describing something, and sitting next to him were other monks listening along.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, the topic was food for some reason, and he said that people have this experience (I think he implied that everyone has this experience) when they're meditating and keeping the sixth precept: I forget what he said exactly but it was something like, people think, &quot;What is this hunger Oh God I'm going to die.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I found remarkable was that, when he said that, both of the other monks started to chuckle or laugh with him: as if they'd been there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess, it's not that there's something wrong with eating ... but there is something right about not eating; and part of the rightness is that, by doing it, you apparently earn the right or learn to be able to laugh at that kind of speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T09:51:53.667" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15123" CreationDate="2016-05-13T10:43:48.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, the sutra has no hidden or mysterious purpose. Instead, in my opinion, the sutra is a product of 'bright delusion' or 'white darkness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sun provides light to enable people to see. But if people look directly at the sun, their eyes become 'blinded by the light'. Similarly, certain states of samadhi or concentration give rise to 'bright delusion' or 'white darkness'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The temporary liberation of the illusion of 'non-conceptuality' gives rise to the conception that non-conception is liberation; similar to how, before his enlightenment, teachers of the Buddha regarded the sphere of 'nothingness' as Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, there is no such thing as non-perception or non-conception (unless in &lt;em&gt;nirodha sampatti&lt;/em&gt;, which is a state of samadhi induced unconsciousness). If something can be experienced &amp;amp; described, it has been perceived &amp;amp; conceived. In MN 43, it is said: &quot;wisdom &amp;amp; consciousness are co-joined&quot;. Yet the Heart Sutra declares there is 'no cognition'. If there was 'no cognition', such 'non-cognition' must be cognised for there to be the cognition that there is 'no cognition'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali version of Buddha defines sunnata as 'empty of self'. Yet Nargujana appears to have defined shunyata as 'empty of inherent existence'. Nargujana regarded Nirvana &amp;amp; samsara as the same, thus appearing to negate both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in my opinion, the sutra has no hidden purpose. Instead, the sutra is an idiosyncratic conception about (a 'non-existent') enlightenment since it appears to conform with the conceptualizations (philosophy) of Nargajuna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-13T11:01:27.617" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T11:01:27.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15123" CreationDate="2016-05-13T14:58:34.473" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;its terse nature and convenience for chanting &#xA;  &lt;em&gt;(quote from your question)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is the exact reason that it is popular. I believe all the Prajnaparamita sutras point to the same thing in the same kind of way. Why wade through the perfection of wisdom in 8,000, 25,000 or even 100,000 lines when you can pop the Heart sutra in your pocket and off you go. It's why I know it and haven't read any of the others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T14:58:34.473" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15123" CreationDate="2016-05-13T16:55:13.197" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe because Clinging/Upadana is such a powerful destructive force, even advanced practitioners still have a tough time dealing with. So the non-clinging theme reflected through insight into Emptiness/Sunyata throughout the sutra would be a great way to remind us about it. That's why in many Mahayana temples this sutra is usually recited at the end of any session, after other sutras have been recited, reminding the practitioner of the Clinging elephant in the room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, don't worry too much about why it's the most popular or most important. It's a pretty common stock phrase in Mahayana to say this or that sutra is the most popular or most important. You'll see the same thing being said in the Lotus Sutra, the Amitabha Sutras series, etc. After all, the spirit of the sutra doesn't seem to deviate from the Buddha's teaching about the 3 characteristics inherent in all conditioned dhammas: impermanence/anicca, unsatisfactory/dukkha, and non-self/anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutra simply reminds us that it indeed holds true for all &amp;quot;conditioned dhammas&amp;quot;, including the Five Aggregates, the Twelve Ayatanas, the Eighteen Dhatus, the Twelve Nidanas, and even the Four Noble Truths!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorDisplayName="user17652" LastEditDate="2021-08-30T18:52:18.003" LastActivityDate="2021-08-30T18:52:18.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15133" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-13T17:15:06.873" Score="4" ViewCount="265" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm currently attempting to do shamatha and vipassana meditations in alternation, even though I'm unsure this is the best way to proceed. I noticed that generally, as a person, I am somewhat repressed in the sense that few thoughts, images or sensations seem to emerge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few other peculiarities I experience, and I'm unsure if people could help me with that. I remember vaguely as a child having odd sensations / visions which arose without reason, in mandala form usually. And since a while now, I seem to be gaining insight randomly, sporadically. I've been happy for years, not in a strong pleasant sensation but in experiencing equanimity generally or lack of attachments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, I'm feeling stuck in my practice because I don't seem to realize where I'm at. I don't know whether I have good or bad concentration, or whatever else. I seem to be unaware of my own mental states. Since I feel repressed and few images or feelings arise, I think perhaps vipassana would help, but ultimately, I dunno.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any kind of help on what I'm experiencing would aid me greatly, and I'd be willing to supply more details if necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T19:33:24.747" Title="Peculiar Experience of Shamatha / Vipassana" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-05-13T17:17:41.010" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just shaking my head. Tradition goes too far with this sitting cross legged thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excruciating Sitting Zazen is for people that want to take the long way around to Zen.  Some people have circulatory problems and whine their leg falls asleep its a sign of trouble.  You should not IGNORE it in the sake of aesthetic values lol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alan Watts is considered a great man to teach Zen and he said there was no absolute need for sitting lotus. I think Lotus is great because its very easy to forget yourself in that balanced position, however, it isn't for everyone.  Asian people and healthy people take to it easier.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To act like some part of Zen is denied to you because you cant sit lotus or full lotus is stinking of religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to meditate, meditate.  If your legs hurt too much, don't ignore them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I challenge any man to tell me I am not a practitioner of zen because i dont sit for extended periods of time in a certain position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watts said when a cat is tired of sitting it gets up and walks away.  And so he did.  And the eastern teachers of Buddhism/Zen have never forgiven him for it.  Saying he failed a koan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even buddhism is stinking with pride apparently&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8324" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T18:21:53.357" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T18:21:53.357" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15133" CreationDate="2016-05-13T21:15:59.870" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question gives the impression that you have not developed meditation within a certain teaching/practise tradition for a prolonged period but have been learning theory from different random sources. If that is true, your question thus gives the impression the various theories of meditation have confused you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the West, there is a popular form of 'meditation' from Burma that is erroneously called 'vipassana', where practitioners are preoccupied with noting thoughts, images or sensations. This is so because practitioners have many distractions so this method accommodates &amp;amp; attracts those kinds of practitioners.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In formal Buddhist theory (such as in the old scriptures) having few thoughts, images or sensations is a good thing. In formal Buddhist theory, &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; are developed in tandem (concurrently), with &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; predominating in the beginning &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; developing naturally as &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; deepens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In formal Buddhist theory, 'vipassana' does not mean noting thoughts, images or sensations. 'Vipassana' means 'seeing clearing' the &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;selflessness&lt;/strong&gt; of phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, on a very basic level, the mind can develop samatha by continuously observing the breathing in a balanced equanimous way. As the mind is continuously observing breathing, it will naturally notice the breathing is impermanent; in that the breathing comes &amp;amp; goes; that it becomes short &amp;amp; long; that the various breaths have different textures &amp;amp; qualities, such as being smooth, rough, agitating, soothing, etc; ultimately to the point of seeing clearly it is the body that breathes (rather than &quot;I&quot; or the &quot;self&quot; that breathes). Seeing clearly the impermanence &amp;amp; selflessness of the various breathing ins &amp;amp; breathing outs is real vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then as samatha develops &amp;amp; deepens, certain feelings of rapture &amp;amp; joy will predominate in the mind. When these feelings predominate, they will also be objects of vipassana, in that the rapture &amp;amp; joy will be seen as dependently arising, impermanent &amp;amp; selfless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then as samatha deepens, more profound vipassana will occur in different ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in my opinion, you should consider developing samatha more because this leads to calmness &amp;amp; non-confusion. You should forget about thoughts &amp;amp; images because these are actually hindrances to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'sensations' that are ideally observed are the subtle sensations within the breathing; the sensations of the breathing being smooth, rough, etc. Then later, as samatha is profoundly developed, the mind observes the sensations of rapture &amp;amp; joy that arise from the calming of the breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After this, the mind will be very clear &amp;amp; can discern the 'dependent origination' of thoughts, consciousness, other mentality &amp;amp; sense objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The classic original Buddhist path is based on developing samatha. Further, based in what you described in your question, the impression is your mind is predisposed or inclined to develop samatha, since it has equanimity &amp;amp; few attachments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity (samatha) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-salayatanika Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-13T21:36:54.540" LastActivityDate="2016-05-13T21:36:54.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-05-14T01:08:15.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an amazing stretch called the Lotus Lunge, sometimes called Pigeon, and it is probably the best stretch for getting deeper into your seated lotus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://images.agoramedia.com/everydayhealth/gcms/yoga-poses-for-beginners-07-pg-full.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://images.agoramedia.com/everydayhealth/gcms/yoga-poses-for-beginners-07-pg-full.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kudos on wanting to honor the most excellent way to sit (imho)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-05-14T01:08:15.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15123" CreationDate="2016-05-14T01:27:14.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that all the sutras are skillful means, one would imagine the heart sutra is popular &lt;em&gt;because it works&lt;/em&gt;, or at least gives the impression of doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy isn't, and doesn't need to be, an analytic argument, because it is there to be realised in meditation, not (just) studied and unpacked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead of trying to unpack it, why not ask what the rest of the canon has that it lacks? Given that it mentions, as you say, the basic terms of buddhism (emptiness, the noble truths), perhaps it can encapsulate those teachings, by denying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the key phrases are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is No Wisdom, and There is No Attainment Whatsoever... The&#xA;  Buddhas... Have Attained Supreme Enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which suggests (to me) that enlightenment is void, form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether or not that means that it is anything beside (fearless) verbal quiescence, I really don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-05-14T01:27:14.227" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15103" CreationDate="2016-05-14T09:52:39.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're feeling a little anxious and you think &quot;I'm feeling threatened&quot;, you are being mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful, you observe the arising of anxiety and you think: &quot;I'm feeling threatened&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think that your thought &quot;I'm feeling threatened&quot; is yourself, you're fooling yourself into believing &quot;I'm observing myself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think the arising of anxiety is yourself, you're fooling yourself into believing &quot;I'm observing myself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think that you're observing yourself feeling anxious, you're fooling yourself into believing &quot;I'm observing myself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a thought &quot;I'm observing myself&quot; arise, you're fooling yourself into believing &quot;I'm observing myself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When any phenomena arises and you observe it, you're fooling yourself into believing &quot;I'm observing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you fooling yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your thoughts make you feel like you're not observing yourself, because if you actually were then there wouldn't be thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your thoughts make you feel like you're fooling yourself into believing you're observing yourself, because if you actually were to observe yourself then there would be nothing to observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like when you throw a ball and you say to yourself &quot;I'm observing the ball, thus I'm not the ball.&quot; in the same way you arise thoughts (or feelings, or anxiety, or any other phenomena) and say to yourself &quot;I'm observing my thoughts, thus I'm not my thoughts. I feel I'm just fooling myself into believing I'm observing myself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Find the cause of the arising of thoughts (or feelings, or anxiety, or any other phenomena), remove that cause and you'll know yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In knowing yourself is the path to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-14T09:52:39.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15123" CreationDate="2016-05-15T06:59:28.567" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I posed this question to my teacher at the temple yesterday, and the answer floored me!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I asked her what is the meaning of &quot;No suffering, origination, cessation of suffering, path&quot; in the Heart Sutra, and if it was some kind of crazy wisdom. She replied:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;No, this is an understanding of emptiness, that is an understanding that things are caused through causes and conditions (dependent origination). Like a cup of coffee implies the existence of coffee beans, although coffee beans by themselves do not necessarily result in coffee because you require other conditions such as the sun or farmers. When the seed is removed, the fruit does not exist.  When a person attained peace and happiness and resolved their suffering, the suffering they had is in the past and no longer exist in the present. Because of the awareness of this, a Boddhisattva can work to liberate beings with no fear of suffering in Samsara because he knows that ultimately suffering is impermanent.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as the sutra goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He passes far beyond all confused imagination and reaches Ultimate Nirvana&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind blown. I can understand why Xuanzang put so much emphasis on this sutra based on his difficult experiences on his journey now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T06:59:28.567" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15140" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15159" CreationDate="2016-05-15T14:48:40.313" Score="7" ViewCount="1127" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm currently considering making schedules for my daily life in order to counteract boredom and restlessness. Does anyone has experience with doing this and maybe can give me some tips? Is it beneficial and if yes, how strict should you schedule your day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-16T11:51:56.563" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T00:29:51.527" Title="Should a Buddhist lay-practitioner schedule his/her daily life" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|daily-life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15141" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15143" CreationDate="2016-05-15T17:08:40.203" Score="27" ViewCount="8593" Body="&lt;p&gt;I while ago I read a story about the Dalai Lama and the metta bhavana practice. Someone was talking to him about the difficulty in practicing the first stage (wishing well for oneself) and was observing that low self-esteem was hindering the practice at that stage. The Dalai Lama was apparently baffled and it transpired that in Tibetan culture there is no such concept as low self-esteem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally it occurs to me that the first stage of the metta bhavana practice is meant to be an easier on-ramp to the practice and the practice becomes more challenging as it goes on culminating in wishing well to the difficult person. But I have spoken to many people who have difficulties with the first stage practice because of low self-esteem. The easy on-ramp is more like a rocky cliff for the modern (or maybe Western) mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the main questions is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is low self-esteem a Western (sorry for the term I don't know a&#xA;better one) or modern phenomenon and does it not trouble people from&#xA;other places or in other times?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also related to this I have a couple of supplementary questions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Am I right - is the first stage meant to be an easy start or have I&#xA;completely misinterpreted that?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also if anyone has a reference for the Dalai Lama story - could you pop it in? I would be really interested to know the details or even if I have just imagined the story (I don't think I&#xA;have).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-11T21:40:59.217" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T21:44:10.560" Title="Is low self-esteem a Western phenomenon?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-metta|psychology|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15061" CreationDate="2016-05-15T17:39:13.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I'm still debating or trying to understand whether one should experience fully all emotions and states or whether one should apply antidotes to certain states when they arise. Generally speaking, which is the case? Which would correspond to being fully mindful?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both can be done fully mindful. If you experience fully all emotions, you can be mindful during that experience. If you apply antidotes to certain states when they arise, you can be mindful during these experiences. Just remember, when you note an emotion/feeling/thought/etc., let go of it and return to your meditation object (in your case the breath). Be mindful of &quot;things&quot; that distract you away from the meditation object, so that whenever you notice that your mind wandered away from the meditation object, return back to it and stay with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am having extreme difficulty with anger and pride when they arise, as when they do, I seem to be unable to keep a compassionate attitude. Basically these states seem to change my mood and outlook when they occur, and I have difficulty experiencing them without doing this. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're having difficulties with anger and pride, stop the arising of anger and pride. How? Observe as precisely as you can how anger and pride arise. If you'll observe precisely enough, you'll see the cause of both. Remove the cause, and both will be removed. In order to be able to see the cause, you must train your mind until you reach a point where you can be focused on your meditation object (in your case the breath) without interruptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lastly, I'm unsure whether this is related as well but I noticed I have a much easier time doing mindfulness when I'm basically curious and aware of everything arising rather than re-focusing on the breath. Any ideas on that topic?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do you have a much easier time doing mindfulness when you're curious and aware of everything arising? What bothers you when you're re-focusing on the breath? Answer it yourself and you'll know what you should work on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, when you see something arising, you should note it, and then let go of it by re-focusing back on the breath. Note and let go by going back to your object of meditation (in your case the breath). You should train your mind like that. With practice, you'll be able to be focused on the breath without interruptions. You'll need this level of concentration later to see the main cause of phenomena arising in your mind (in your case, for example, anger and pride).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T17:39:13.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-15T18:52:28.310" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;1- You are right. The first stage is meant to be (if not easy) at least easier than the others. It is why it is the first, because it is supposed to be what we can do from where we are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3- It is true. I do not remember the instance, but it happened a long time ago. More recently, I was translating (actually interpreting) Kyabje Ahbay Rinpoche interview with lay disciples, and at some point, he was visited by a young girl in her twenties. She said to him that she suffered from low self-esteem and the like... and it came to him as a big surprise. He said, I quote, &quot;it's not possible, it doesn't exist!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-deprecation does exist since it is listed as the third type of laziness in the Mahayana abhidharma. It seems that for Tibetan, though, stepping from &quot;I can't do it, I'm not presently capable&quot; to &quot;I'm worthless, it's me&quot; is not just a step but a leap  they don't seem to take.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T18:52:28.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-15T21:02:20.583" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recall around 20 years ago an Australian university psychology professor wrote a local newspaper article about what he regarded as superior self-esteem in Thai children. I have lived in traditional (provincial/village) Thai culture &amp;amp; I can attest to this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest, at least for Thailand, this is obviously a combination of cultural factors, including: (1) the loving-kindness of the Thai monks in Thailand; (2) the traditional strong maternal culture in Thailand &amp;amp; the amazing lovingness of Thai mothers (3) the traditional material simplicity of the culture; and (4) the general morality of the culture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, with the recent huge growth of commercial (Western) materialism in Thailand and cultural focus upon the accumulation of wealth, being physically beautiful, having social status, etc, I would imagine the lack of self-esteem issues would be growing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught self-respect (including lack of regret) comes from the practise of morality &amp;amp; generosity. I would suggest Western self-esteem issues arise from judgmental religious culture, patriarchal culture, unloving parenting, childhood abuse, narcissistic media/commercial/entertainment expectations &amp;amp;/or unskillful behavioral conduct, particularly sexual. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In women this can be most prevalent, as seen in body-image issues, but also in men, particularly with expectation of sexual bravado. Traditional Thai culture, for example (contrary to the sex-tourism stereotype) has a matriarchal bent &amp;amp; men are raised to not be sexually aggressive &amp;amp; women are raised to be assertive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;British culture in particular is traditionally authoritarian towards children whereas in Thailand, for example, children do not stand up for adults on a crowded bus. It is the opposite. Adults give children the seats on crowded buses. Traditionally in Balinese culture, the children were considered to be the 'gods'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Thai video is an interesting insight because we would not expect children visiting a western religious institution to behave as free, without fear &amp;amp; uninhibited as shown in the video. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Video: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yaTT7nUAxE&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yaTT7nUAxE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-15T21:17:27.217" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T21:17:27.217" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-15T21:08:06.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure this answer is on-topic but I guess that &quot;self-esteem&quot; might be an ambiguous word or difficult to translate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example I think that &quot;thinking that I'm important&quot; or &quot;having self-love&quot; or &quot;wanting to care for oneself&quot; (or just &quot;being selfish&quot; or a bit self-centric) is almost axiomatic even in Buddhism (see for example the opening lines of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/dp10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada's Violence chapter&lt;/a&gt;) -- if that's what &quot;self-esteem&quot; means (and is perhaps what it ought to mean in a metta bhavana context) then maybe that's what the Dalai Lama was thinking: &quot;what do you mean by saying that you don't &lt;em&gt;love&lt;/em&gt; yourself or don't have &lt;em&gt;compassion&lt;/em&gt; for yourself? Of course you do, everyone does!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, meanings of &quot;self-esteem&quot; in Western psychology (or &quot;pop psychology&quot;) include thoughts such as, &quot;I am capable&quot; and &quot;I am powerful&quot; and also &quot;I am deserving&quot; and &quot;I am able to give to or to take care of myself&quot; (not to mention &quot;I am worthy&quot; and &quot;parents and society teach me to value myself&quot;). Maybe that's what the person was talking of when they said they felt that low self-esteem was hindering their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Slightly off-topic but as a maybe-interesting aside, somebody English was talking to a French lady, last week, I didn't catch the conversation but as I walked past the English person asked me to translate &quot;to forgive oneself&quot; because they were trying to say that but the French lady they were talking to didn't understand it. So I told her the word meant, not &lt;em&gt;pardonner&lt;/em&gt; but the reflexive, &lt;em&gt;se pardonner&lt;/em&gt;, and she replied, &quot;But that's archaic! In the old days the (Catholic) church would talk about God and guilt and sin etc. Now (in a secular society) there's just us (people), we might forgive each other but there's no such thing as 'forgiving oneself'.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I don't know, there are psychological phenomena or models that aren't even universal in the West: one person might think &quot;There's a word for it: e.g. 'low self-esteem' or 'lack of self-forgiveness'; but someone else might say, 'There's no such thing'.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T21:08:06.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-15T21:37:10.687" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose the key point here is that, from Buddhist perspective, low self-esteem is considered high self-esteem in disguise -- I've heard numerous gurus' statement's to that regard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look up Buddhist definition for &quot;conceit&quot; (if I remember correctly), it says it means considering oneself better, worse, or equal to others. The way Thanissaro Bhikkhu explained this very well is, any image of self is a drastic over-generalization, an abstraction we reify and then obsess over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The healthy Buddhist attitude is to not get stuck on one particular abstraction, but to see abstractions as mere tools and work with things as they are in all their multifaceted complexity. Practically speaking, this means you focus on getting things done, not on worrying about your image or worth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of Samsara is the opposite of suchness. This inherent wrongness is based on perceptual mistakes and wrong generalizations - and this is the state we begin with. Whether we consider ourselves awesome and the world horrible, or the world awesome and ourselves horrible, a reality we thus create is not a pleasant one to be in. The first step is then to accept (get at peace with) our closest observable phenomena - the immediate &quot;this&quot; accessible via meditation - and then expand to the rest of the post-meditation existence, including one's entourage, the frequent encounters, and gradually, the rest of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And again, in my experience, this acceptance requires breaking through the ice of abstractions (=attachments to ideas!) and into the real world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this perspective, I'm not surprised that Dalai Lama was baffled. From ancient times thousands of outcasts including such figures as Angulimala have joined the Buddhist order and all must have faced the similar difficulty: getting at peace with themselves (=their difficult past) and restarting their interactions with the world from the fresh perspective of fundamental sanity, instead of continuing to be defined by their past. How are the people in Western society fundamentally different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-05-15T21:37:10.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15147" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-15T23:12:26.650" Score="1" ViewCount="603" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is already a question on the best overall books, but many readers/newcomers may be put off (as I have been) by books that discuss for instance rebirth and karma in a literal sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is the best introductory (but still comprehensive) book on Buddhism as a way of life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8333" LastEditorUserId="6870" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T05:28:03.247" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T05:28:03.247" Title="What is the best introductory (but comprehensive) book on SECULAR Buddhism?" Tags="|reference-request|beginner|books|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-05-16T03:56:27.287" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15147" CreationDate="2016-05-16T00:39:41.627" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, 'Secular Buddhism' can be problematic since often adherents to this new group (such as Stephen Batchelor, who believes purity of mind is not possible) often misrepresent the Buddhist teachings due to no aspiration to practise Buddhism at a high level. They are like Protestant Christians that seek to modify the Buddhist teachings to suit themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there is nothing wrong with not believing in post-mortem rebirth, there is an understanding of karma &amp;amp; 'rebirth' that does not involve believing in an afterlife. To write-off 'karmic inheritance' is not particularly wise since there is such thing as karmic inheritance (such as when a murderer ends up in prison for their actions). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend books by monks such as Bhikkhu Buddhadasa, Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho, etc, because these demonstrate both a proper understanding of Buddhism &amp;amp; the 'here-&amp;amp;-now' approach you are interested in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to understand the Buddha himself taught his teachings are about the 'here-&amp;amp;-now', what in Pali is called: &quot;Sanditthiko, Akaliko, Ehipassiko, Opanayiko and Paccattam Veditabbo Vinnuhi&quot;. Therefore, being 'secular' is not contrary to the true Buddhist teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you are interested in a 'watered-down' Buddhism that may help you with ordinary life then 'Secular Buddhism' might be suitable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally would recommend the following books if you want to learn about true Buddhism while not interested in 'post-mortem' rebirth &amp;amp; other unverifiable belief systems: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books5/Buddhadassa_Bhikkhu_Buddha_Dhamma_for_University_Students.pdf&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books5/Buddhadassa_Bhikkhu_Buddha_Dhamma_for_University_Students.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books5/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Two_Kinds_of_Language.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books5/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Two_Kinds_of_Language.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Sumedho_Cittaviveka.htm&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Sumedho_Cittaviveka.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;more books by these authors are here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are also welcome to read my posts or ask me questions on this chatsite since these are always 'secular'. There is a here-&amp;amp;-now interpretation for the majority of the vast teachings attributable to the Buddha, including those about 'rebirth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-16T01:20:23.520" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T01:20:23.520" CommentCount="1" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-05-16T03:56:27.287" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15147" CreationDate="2016-05-16T01:13:47.190" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would then recommend reading the Suttas at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt; . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T01:13:47.190" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-05-16T03:56:27.287" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15150" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-16T07:50:32.647" Score="4" ViewCount="839" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am asking this behalf of my friend. He was gonna commit suicide. But I managed to calm him down by taking him to a Buddhist temple. He had a really fun life, movies, friends, night outs, girls, cars, everything. But suddenly he got to know that he has a skin condition called herpes. Something like a pimple. But it seems he regret a lot a lot as it has no cure. But it is a very common all over the world. He doesn't understand and tried to suicide. He has given up life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luckily I brought him to this Buddhist temple and managed to save his life. Now he is very interest in becoming a Theravada monk and spend the life in a temple meditating, learning and practicing Buddhism. I decided to support him as he was a good person, help others, donate etc. I am wondering if his conditions and previous life style matters to become a monk. Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8340" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-21T08:34:08.857" LastActivityDate="2016-05-21T08:34:08.857" Title="Would a skin condition stop someone becoming a monk?" Tags="|theravada|monk|well-being|monastery|temples|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15150" CreationDate="2016-05-16T08:42:35.930" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Previous lifestyle &amp;amp; herpes should not prevent a person from becoming a monk. If your friend wants to become a monk, he should talk to a monk at the temple. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T08:42:35.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-16T09:18:27.283" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some excellent answers already, so this is only in addition. Excessive individuality automatically produces self esteem issues. Modern Western culture largely prevalent everywhere today is very individualistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All beings struggle with wanting freedom and also wanting society. One cannot be had without sacrificing the other. Little insects like bees and ants are at one end of the spectrum who know they can't afford individuality. Survival is impossible if they don't work their roles faithfully. As the animals get larger, individuality arises. Bull elephants are notorious loners during musth, their annual hormonal phase. Once they work off their desire to be alone which they can afford to indulge in because they are big and strong, they join the herd again. This is a kind of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Humans began as social animals, building pyramids as a civilization. As technology advanced enough, the desire to be independent of society could be easily supported. To be in solitude is one thing, which monks are, to be lonely is another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Society increasingly doesn't see the value in inter being. Thus loneliness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This creates a lot of brooding and disappointment, because one blames oneself for everything that goes wrong. In a materialistic society where value is placed on youth, wealth and success, a lot of things will go wrong for lots of people. However society will often not support the losers, denying them promotions, health care and pensions, reinforcing their loser status mentally and socially through such social signals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a long time in Asia and traditional European cultures, success wasn't something to boast about. A boastful person is even now looked upon as highly disrespectful in many parts of the world. Low self esteem is the twin of pride. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An individualistic society will have both pride and low self esteem in abundance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T09:18:27.283" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15150" CreationDate="2016-05-16T11:59:45.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The commentary on page 195 of this document, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The&#xA;Buddhist&#xA;Monastic&#xA;Code II&lt;/a&gt;, implies that it depends on the type of skin condition, where it is, how severe it is, and whether it's likely to spread. I don't know to what extent it applies to herpes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11572/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; to a related question starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The degree of strict interpretation of such rules largely depends on the monastery, tradition and abbot under whom one ordains. Most monastic orders I know adapt these rules to suit their circumstance in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T11:59:45.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15150" CreationDate="2016-05-16T13:28:38.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;look up Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha (Buddha's physician).  He also treated other monks during Buddha's time.  One day he noticed that many lay men in the market had their head shaved.  He realized that many people ordained just to get free health care and would dis-rope and went back to normal lay person life after their illness was cured.  So he asked Buddha not to ordain people with certain illness or conditions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has to be clear, if your friend's condition does not meet the perquisite to be a monk, it doesn't mean he wont make progress in Dhamma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are quotes and referecences&#xA;Jīvaka's fame as a physician brought him more work than he could cope with, but he never neglected his duties to the Sangha. Many people, afflicted with disease and unable to pay for treatment, joined the Order in order that they might receive that treatment. On discovering that the Order was thus being made a convenience of, he asked the Buddha to lay down a rule that men afflicted with certain diseases should be refused entry into the Order (Vin.i.71ff). Jīvaka was declared by the Buddha chief among his lay followers loved by the people (aggam puggalappasannānam) (A.i.26). He is included in a list of good men who have been assured of the realisation of deathlessness (A.iii.451; DhA.i.244, 247; J.i.116f).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-05-16T16:53:43.470" LastActivityDate="2016-05-16T16:53:43.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15150" CreationDate="2016-05-17T02:32:52.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am glad you managed to save your friend's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest that both of you google &quot;Thai monk with neurofibromatosis&quot; and become aware that his 'problem' isn't a real problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T02:32:52.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15140" CreationDate="2016-05-17T02:46:30.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk's daily routine requires the minimum of morning and evening chanting. In the Theravada tradition this also includes going for daily alms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would suggest the following schedule:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Morning&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morning meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morning chants&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lunch&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lunch break meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Evening&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evening meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evening chants&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to make use of free time to study the Dharma. You can also practice sutra calligraphy if that exist in your tradition but that is more time consuming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-17T05:15:40.720" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T05:15:40.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-17T03:33:23.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer as a non westerner is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, low self esteem and insecurity can affect people of all cultures and races throughout history. In fact in Buddhism, the Asuras are gods who despite being quite high up in terms of power in the cosmic scale, are intensely jealous of their inferior status in comparisons to the Devas resulting in a lot of conflicts. They effectively suffer from 'inferiority complex' compared to the Devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Asuras symbolized the attachment to the sense of Self in Buddhism. This should be a clear indication that Buddhists identify the issue of Self as a source of misery since ancient times in India, and continue to find applications in other cultures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As someone with Chinese ancestry, I can attest to the cultural feelings of superiority complex with respect to other neighboring cultures being historically one of the largest and most powerful nation in East Asia (other societies are often degraded as barbarians), while exhibiting intense inferiority complexes after experiencing military and technological defeats from western powers. This was what resulted in communist ideas taking root, they were desperate to try anything, and were willing to destroy their own culture during the Cultural Revolution, perceiving it as the cause of their inferior status.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As China grew in power in the modern day, other form of psychological compensating through conspicuous consumption emerged in the rich and powerful class. But in fact this behavior goes back to ancient times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the East Asian nations are highly competitive hierachical nations where status often have powerful affect of people's sense of self worth. Resulting in the phenomenon of Hikikomori where people who feel they are unable to cope with society's expectation of a successful person drop out of society and become a recluse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also live in Thailand, and they too have a term to describe inferiority complex - ปมด้อย literally 'inferior knot'. Searching on Google I see over 360,000 results return for this word. So it's not exactly a rare pheonomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, the feeling of inferiority complex can result in a whole society mobilized to compensate for it often through a projected superiority complex, as seen in Nazi Germany after it's defeat in the first world war. Japan in numerous period of history including the Imjin war attempt to invade Korea, China and India to wipe off their feelings of inferiority (in relations to cultures they learned from).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, are the Tibetans special in this regard, having interacted with the exiles I would say no. Because they were understandably sore about being forcefully incorporated into China, they often point out that it was the Tibetan Empire who invaded Tang China and occupied it's capital Chang'an. You can see that they make up for the feeling of inferiority through historical achievements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question should perhaps be, is low self esteem more prevalent in western societies? I would say not necessarily, however I notice that Americans (including Asian Americans) being in a consumption, image based society often fret about their sexual desirability, and on the flip side of inferiority complex - the superiority complex, often brag about their sexual conquests when they do. I can only imagine that their psychological well being suffers when their sense of self worth is so strongly tied to external factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the goal of Buddhism is to realign your sense of self worth towards one which is tied to our practice of morality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Thanissaro Bhikku stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After several years of teaching and practicing meditation as therapy,&#xA;  however, many of us have found that meditation on its own is not&#xA;  enough. In my own experience, I have found that Western meditators&#xA;  tend to be afflicted more with a certain grimness and lack of&#xA;  self-esteem than any Asians I have ever taught. Their psyches are so&#xA;  wounded by modern civilization that they lack the resilience and&#xA;  persistence needed before concentration and insight practices can be&#xA;  genuinely therapeutic. Other teachers have noted this problem as well&#xA;  and, as a result, many of them have decided that the Buddhist path is&#xA;  insufficient for our particular needs. To make up for this&#xA;  insufficiency they have experimented with ways of supplementing&#xA;  meditation practice, combining it with such things as myth, poetry,&#xA;  psychotherapy, social activism, sweat lodges, mourning rituals, and&#xA;  even drumming. The problem, though, may not be that there is anything&#xA;  lacking in the Buddhist path, but that we simply haven't been&#xA;  following the Buddha's full course of therapy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T03:33:23.367" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-05-17T05:51:04.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it definitely isn't a Western phenomenon. Perhaps the term may be 'Western,' but the phenomenon certainly isn't. Low self-esteem is especially common among people on the fringes of society, whatever and wherever that society may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judging from my personal experience, at least, this seems to be especially common in cultures which have long been subjected to the rule of other cultures, especially when that rule was often brutal and totalitarian. However, to avoid bringing up issues to which some readers may be quite sensitive, I'd prefer not to elaborate on contemporary examples and will instead provide some historical non-Western examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moses&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Moses was born in Egypt and lived around 1,500 BC. When asked to go before the Egyptian Pharaoh, he repeatedly tried to find reasons why he wasn't up to the task (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%203&amp;amp;version=NKJV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Genesis chapter 3&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%204&amp;amp;version=NKJV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;chapter 4&lt;/a&gt;.) That is pretty much the essence of low self-esteem and predates even the existence of 'Western' culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gideon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Lord turned to him [Gideon] and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So he [Gideon] said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+6%3A14-15&amp;amp;version=NKJV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Judges 6:14-15 NKJV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'Woman at the Well'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example from around 30 AD (in Israel, not 'the West') is the Biblical story of the 'woman at the well.' While you can read the whole story in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4&amp;amp;version=NKJV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John 4&lt;/a&gt;, the relevant part here is that the woman had such a low view of herself that she didn't even understand why a Jewish man (Jesus in this case) would even speak to her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4&amp;amp;version=NKJV&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John 4:7-9 NKJV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;, in case this isn't clear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, I don't expect the Bible to be taken as authoritative on the Buddhism SE. These examples were just chosen because they're historical and non-Western (even predating the concept of 'Western culture' in some cases.) Whether you believe the events in question actually happened or not is irrelevant, as it is rather beyond dispute that the writings in question are not of Western origin and, at least for the first two, are over 2 millennia old. The examples are provided only to show that the phenomenon of low self-esteem isn't limited to the West (or even of Western origin.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8348" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T05:51:04.250" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15140" CreationDate="2016-05-17T10:41:54.953" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Routine is a good thing to have for a Buddhist, I believe. While this will vary person to person based on their circumstances, these are my suggestions to incorporate in a daily routine of a lay Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Throughout the day continue to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;maintain and develop the 10 skillful deeds. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;efface and prevent the 10 unskillful deeds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 2 items were recommended by the Buddha as daily contemplations, almost must haves in any schedule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Recollect the &lt;strong&gt;5 daily subjects of contemplation&lt;/strong&gt; as part of the morning, afternoon or evening ritual&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perform this &lt;strong&gt;check in the evening&lt;/strong&gt;. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a week keep the &lt;strong&gt;Uposatha&lt;/strong&gt; practice: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha's strong recommendation of this practice is found&#xA;here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.046.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.046.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Details of the practice is found here: &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many other beneficial contemplations and practices that can be incorporated into a routine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do share your routine once you have compiled it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy -/\-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-05-18T04:01:35.023" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T04:01:35.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3511" CreationDate="2016-05-17T11:05:34.710" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Asking what one's religion is a very western practice I think. When reading the suttas and the vedas, it seem that the eastern method of inquiry has been to ask, &quot;who's teachings do you follow?&quot;, &quot;who do you take as your spiritual teacher/guide?&quot;. It is not a mere labeling, like the latter. It also holds the teacher and the student responsible and accountable. Whereas when one says one belongs to such and such religion, apart from the original teachings, which are most likely corrupted within the religion, are the cultural, ritual and historical baggage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wouldn't it be nice if say the Christians in the Ireland just say we follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, based on compassion, forgiveness and love, instead of saying they are Protestants, Anglicans, Catholics, and then have to carry all the historical feuds. Likewise in Buddhism, Islam, etc. Sadly the old colonial mentality of asking for one's religion is still practiced in Sri Lanka where every form, e.g birth registration, marriage, school application, police report, voter registration, has an area asking for religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2016-05-17T17:12:24.957" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T17:12:24.957" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8200" CreationDate="2016-05-17T11:33:45.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Mahayana perspective, the difference between a Pratyekabuddha private Buddha, (as well as the comparable Arhat) and a Samyaksambuddha (Fully Enlightened Buddha) is in the aspirations. Both already attained Nirvana and release from suffering, however the latter through their compassionate vows remained to teach others and further develop important skills in their ability to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Sakyamuni Buddha stated, when he attained release he was initially content to rest and dwell at ease. If he had done so, he would be effectively a private Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the Paramitas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Dāna pāramitā: generosity, giving of oneself (in Chinese, Korean,&#xA;  and Japanese, 布施波羅蜜; in Tibetan, སབྱིན་པ sbyin-pa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Śīla pāramitā : virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct (持戒波羅蜜;&#xA;  ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས tshul-khrims)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Kṣānti pāramitā : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance,&#xA;  endurance (忍辱波羅蜜; བཟོད་པ bzod-pa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Vīrya pāramitā : energy, diligence, vigor, effort (精進波羅蜜;&#xA;  བརྩོན་འགྲུས brtson-’grus)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Dhyāna pāramitā : one-pointed concentration, contemplation (禪定波羅蜜,&#xA;  བསམ་གཏན bsam-gtan)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Prajñā pāramitā : wisdom, insight (般若波羅蜜; ཤེས་རབ shes-rab)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All six paramitas are required for release, and both Arhats and Pratyekabuddha have completed these perfections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Ten Stages Sutra, four more pāramitās are listed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Upāya pāramitā: skillful means&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Praṇidhāna pāramitā: vow, resolution, aspiration, determination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Bala pāramitā: spiritual power&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Jñāna pāramitā: knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last four perfections are what make it possible for a fully enlightened Buddha to be such an incomparable teacher. Having the resolve to teach beings and cultivating the skills necessary to teach all beings. Recall that many Arahants like Sariputta and Maha Moggallana had different abilities, and were not able to develop their psychic powers to the same degree nor have the same level of knowledge and wisdom as the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Mahayana Buddhism is to exhort people not to be content with the goal of attaining deliverance, but cultivate the skills necessary to teach the way to the deliverance. As such a true Bodhisattva can exist in both Theravada and Mahayana traditions. And within Mahayana tradition there are plenty of people who behave as if they are a Hinayanist despite the label. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the Amitabha Sutra, it is stated that while it is difficult to attain enlightenment, it is &lt;strong&gt;even more difficult&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;teach&lt;/strong&gt; it. (This part of the text is usually not translated correctly and I haven't found a satisfactory English translation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-17T11:33:45.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15162" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-18T02:57:00.637" Score="-1" ViewCount="105" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading, in the 1st book I picked up on Buddhism, that it was a synergetic religion, literally, that it combines with (I suppose indigenous) traditions, such as the tao, and bon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever talk about this aspect of (what has ended up as) his teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any interesting studies or way of thinking about Buddhism in those terms, general to all that it has taken up and made its own?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T03:11:46.610" Title="How integral is the synergetic aspect of buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15162" CreationDate="2016-05-18T04:34:16.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's teaching was originally pure &amp;amp; unique. The synergism occurred when Buddhism traveled from India to China, Tibet, etc. In India, Buddhism also synergised with Hinduism, until it disappeared. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I use the word &quot;unique&quot;; I am referring to the Four Noble Truths and other supra-mundane teachings such as The Three Characteristics, Dependent Origination &amp;amp; Emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the Four Noble Truths ,the Buddha said: &quot;These were things he had never before&quot; and called them: &quot;The special teachings of the Buddhas&quot; (MN 56 ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the Blessed One discoursed to him a graduated sermon, that is to say, he spoke on the subjects of liberality, virtue, the heavens, on&#xA;  the evil consequences, the vanity and the depravity of sensual&#xA;  pleasures, and on the advantages of renunciation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Blessed One perceived that the mind of Upāli, the householder, was prepared, pliant, free from obstacles, elevated and&#xA;  lucid, then he revealed to him that exalted [special]&#xA;  doctrine of the Buddhas, viz. Suffering, its Cause, its Ceasing and&#xA;  the Path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;273. Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things&#xA;  passionlessness is the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the&#xA;  best.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;274. This is the only path; there is none other for the purification of insight. Tread this path, and you will bewilder Mara.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And the Blessed One spoke, saying: &quot;In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path,&#xA;  neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or&#xA;  fourth degree of saintliness....Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning,&#xA;  transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. We will&#xA;  lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these&#xA;  teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how you should train&#xA;  yourselves.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-18T17:51:50.120" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T17:51:50.120" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15164" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-18T05:08:23.900" Score="4" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;His, Dogen's, Fukanzazengi, says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think of not-thinking. How do you think of not-thinking? Be before&#xA;  thinking. These are the basics of zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't, I think, been formally taught zazen. But how does this sound, as a paraphrase:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;think of thinking which is no longer thought&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because, taken literally, I feel that it is a very good way of looking at our relationship to history, when we cannot do anything about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T03:08:45.043" Title="Is this a passable translation of Dogen's &quot;without thinking&quot;?" Tags="|meditation-zazen|thoughtprocess|soto|dogen|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15165" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-18T05:31:06.850" Score="-1" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;The four marks are, in order from coarse to subtle&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cessation &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Changing &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abiding &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arising&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are discussed in a number of places, but the English language translator of Kihwa's (Korean) commentary on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, seems to associate them with the Awakening of Faith in Mahayana. See e.g. p157 of that book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm wondering, is how this works, how does the meditator go about &quot;eliminating its mistaken function&quot; (presumably -- see them to be empty), if there are no entities to be found in the first place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i.e. do they study the mark of cessation, then study the mark of change, etc., as if each mark inhered on some identical object? Or is the mark of change just another way of looking at the mark of cessation, without any thought really bearing the four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T11:12:30.827" Title="How do the four marks (cessation, change, etc,) build?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15166" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15508" CreationDate="2016-05-18T06:02:39.727" Score="0" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a previous question on the need to feel proud of ourselves. I was neutrally observing my thoughts and feelings when I was feeling proud of myself or feeling ashamed of myself. This led to a discovery in me that it was because of the desire to achieve. I want to achieve God's grace, achieve a social status, achieve success in my career, achieve happiness and wisdom through meditation, achieve others approval and appreciation, achieve popularity and so on. I think 24/7 my thoughts and judgements are all about the need to achieve something. Is this okay?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I get detached from this achievement desire, what will it lead to? And how can we overcome this achievement oriented obsession?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T18:55:26.483" Title="sense of achievement oriented behavior" Tags="|desire|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15166" CreationDate="2016-05-18T09:57:37.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught there are two kinds of desire: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Ignorant desire (&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;): which seeks unwholesome &amp;amp; harmful things;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Wise desire (&lt;em&gt;samma sankappa&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;chanda iddhipada&lt;/em&gt;): which seeks wholesome &amp;amp; beneficial things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha praised worldly achievements such as having a good reputation, good friends and vocational skill &amp;amp; learning. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught you will succeed at what you want to achieve if you have four qualities, which are: (1) love &amp;amp; devotion (&lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;); (2) energy &amp;amp; persistence (&lt;em&gt;viriya&lt;/em&gt;); (3) mental focus (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;); &amp;amp; (4) analytical investigation (&lt;em&gt;vimansa&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who desires progress and success in life, be it in the field of&#xA;  education, occupation or livelihood, is advised to abide by the&#xA;  following principles:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A. The principles of growth: to practice according to the teachings&#xA;  that guide life to prosperity and eminence known as the four cakka&#xA;  (the conditions likened to the four wheels that carry a vehicle to its&#xA;  destination):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Patirupadesavasa: choosing a suitable environment; to choose a&#xA;  suitable location in which to live, study or work, where there are&#xA;  people and an environment conducive to learning and betterment in&#xA;  life, to the pursuit of the truth, virtue and knowledge, and the&#xA;  generation of goodness and prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sappurisupassaya: associating with good people; to seek association or&#xA;  alliance with people who are learned and virtuous and who will support&#xA;  one's pursuit of the truth, virtue and knowledge, and one's&#xA;  advancement and growth in a rightful way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attasammapanidhi: establishing oneself rightly; to establish oneself&#xA;  firmly in virtue and a right way of life; to establish a clear and&#xA;  virtuous goal for one's life and work, and set oneself resolutely and&#xA;  firmly on the right path to that goal, not wavering or being&#xA;  negligent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pubbekatapunnata: having a good &quot;capital foundation&quot;; one portion of&#xA;  this capital foundation comprises innate qualities such as&#xA;  intelligence, aptitude and a healthy body; the other is, on the basis&#xA;  of that foundation, knowing how to rectify or improve oneself, to seek&#xA;  further knowledge, to strengthen good qualities and to train oneself&#xA;  in preparation for when these qualities are needed, to be ready to&#xA;  welcome success, to bring about welfare and happiness and to advance&#xA;  to even greater heights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(A.II.32)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;B. The principles of success: practicing according to the four&#xA;  conditions that lead to the success of any undertaking, known as the&#xA;  iddhipada (pathways to success):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Chanda: having a heart of zeal; to be keen to do something, and to do&#xA;  it for the love of it; to wish to bring an activity or task to its&#xA;  optimum fruition, not simply doing it to get it out of the way or&#xA;  merely for reward or material gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Viriya: doing with effort; to be diligent and apply oneself to a task&#xA;  with effort, fortitude, patience and perseverance, not abandoning it&#xA;  or becoming discouraged, but striving ever onward until success is&#xA;  attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta: committing oneself to the task; to establish one's attention on&#xA;  the task in hand and do it thoughtfully, not allowing the mind to&#xA;  wander; to apply one's thought to the matter regularly and&#xA;  consistently and do the task or action devotedly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vimamsa: using wise investigation; to diligently apply wise reflection&#xA;  to examine cause and effect within what one is doing and to reflect&#xA;  on, for example, its pros and cons, gains and shortcomings or&#xA;  obstructions. This can be achieved by experimenting, planning and&#xA;  evaluating results, and devising solutions and improvements in order&#xA;  to manage and carry out the activity in hand so as to achieve better&#xA;  results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When applied to the work situation, for example, these four conditions&#xA;  may, in short, be remembered as love of work, tenacity, dedication and&#xA;  circumspection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_2.htm#9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_2.htm#9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-18T11:07:18.713" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T11:07:18.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15164" CreationDate="2016-05-18T13:00:29.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To me the English phrase, &quot;think of thinking which is no longer thought&quot; implies that it &lt;em&gt;used&lt;/em&gt; to be thought, that it was previously thought, but is no longer thought i.e. it is not thought any more. In other words it's something to do with &lt;em&gt;after&lt;/em&gt; thought, not &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I understand &quot;before thought&quot; is, for example, if I see a tree then what I'm seeing is light reflected off a tree: I'm seeing light after it's reflected (instead of seeing the tree itself). If I wanted to know the tree (i.e. reality) and not just know the reflected light (i.e. thoughts), then I ought to consider what's happening &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; the light is reflected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T13:00:29.977" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15170" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-18T13:02:10.880" Score="7" ViewCount="396" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's said that some kammas are not to be experienced, some kammas have to be experienced. Not all kammas have to be experienced. For example Angulimala story, the bad vipaka of killing many people could not come into fruition because he had cut the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeds ripen only if they meet the right conditions. But if they do not&#xA;meet the right conditions they remain as seeds; if they are destroyed&#xA;they can never ripen at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha057.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Questions on Kamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/an10.219/en/sujato&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karajakā­ya­sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not say that there is making an end of suffering so long as one&#xA;has not experienced the results of volitional kamma that has been done&#xA;and accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which one is the correct one, do they contradict each other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-04-05T05:25:05.713" LastActivityDate="2023-08-09T09:34:37.887" Title="All kammas have to be experienced or not?" Tags="|theravada|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15166" CreationDate="2016-05-18T15:15:53.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;mana&lt;/em&gt; (pride &amp;amp; conceit) is the 9. fetter. It does not only mean feeling superior than somebody else, but also feeling inferior or feeling equal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These views are wrong, because they are not true in an absolute sense, since they are based on the illusion of self. Who is feeling proud? Who wants to achieve? I suggest to read those two very good articles about &lt;em&gt;mana&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Here are two methods to counteract conceit from the first article:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Recognize Conceit whenever he pops up and name him. This as readers will remember is the advise given by Nyanaponika Thera in his valuable articles in &amp;quot;Sangha.&amp;quot; Mara, like Satan, hates to be recognized. This practice is doubly effective because it &amp;quot;keeps one on one's toes,&amp;quot; and induces a real dislike of the tendency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get back to the first two &amp;quot;steps&amp;quot; of the Noble Eightfold Path (a) Right Understanding of the mental quality or capacity involved: to see according to reality &amp;quot;This (quality) is not mine; I am not this; there is no self in it&amp;quot;; (b) Right Aspiration towards the expunging of Conceit. In the Discourse on Expunging (Majjh. Nik. I.8) we read &amp;quot;Now I say that the arising of thoughts is very helpful in regard to skilled states of mind. Therefore the thought should arise 'Others may be harmful; as to this we will not be harmful' and so on for all our evil propensities. Others may be conceited; but we as to this will not be conceited.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reflection on death can be useful: &lt;em&gt;Would these thoughts, things I'm trying to achieve, trying to be really matter in the moment of death?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T15:15:53.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2016-05-18T22:30:56.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever you feel your eyes moving too much or straining during meditation, relax all tension around the eyes. Your eyes will tense up again, and when they do, relax the tension again. Check in with the tension on your eyes every few moments, and repeat this relax step as many times as necessary. Eventually your eyes will get used to staying relaxed and it will be easier to notice when you're straining them. It also helps you balance your energy in meditation by letting you know you're trying too hard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pay attention to what it feels like for your eyes to be relaxed when you close them naturally in your daily life, like when you brush your teeth, or wash your hair or lay down to sleep. Try to notice the position of the eyes and how relaxed they are. Then try bringing that, or replicating that feeling, when you start meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you're familiar with this feeling and your eyes are relaxed, experiment with increasing your mental concentration without moving or straining your eyes. Walking meditation is an excellent way for you to learn how to develop concentration without unintentionally focusing or squinting your eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If nothing else works, don't meditate for a day 2-3 days so that your eyes can rest and you can break the bad habit. Sometimes time itself is enough to reset our habitual actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8360" LastActivityDate="2016-05-18T22:30:56.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3552" CreationDate="2016-05-19T02:46:38.397" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The funny part about Buddhism is that teachers in it don't exist. So as soon as I answer this question, I take in the role of the teacher and I guess thus makes anybody my student. However, because I do not know and the great masters have nothing to teach, I suppose cuddly is right. I don't think Buddhist masters would stress much about this question. Instead they would point you out to where the answer isn't, and that's HERE. The Guru is trying to get you to come off it, and if he sees that you don't come off it, he puts you through a series of tests to simply get you to suffer, and frustrate you. This way you simply get yourself right off it and realize that you had it all along from the beginning. So deja vu is a simple experience, just like nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8361" LastActivityDate="2016-05-19T02:46:38.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3552" CreationDate="2016-05-19T04:57:58.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, it seems to be caused by a precognitive experience--one has a precognitive experience at a previous time and when the event actually comes to pass in the present, the meeting of the two is experienced as deja vu. Many times, I think that people have precognitions in dreams and forget them at the conscious level; in this case deja vu is experienced but without an understanding of its cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that the future can be seen is present in the Buddhist tradition. As Suminda mentioned, there is probably a psychic power that allows one to see the future. There is also discussion of seeing the future (incuding future births) through a vipassana power (which is distinct from psychic power) in Pa Auk Sayadaw's Knowing and Seeing (188-196).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-05-19T04:57:58.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15176" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15178" CreationDate="2016-05-19T07:38:59.783" Score="2" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha says if one plants mango, he will reap only mango not something else. Short-lived and get killed are the result of killing living beings, poverty is the result of stealing, not trusted by others is the result of lying and so forth. Then why Buddha says the result of kamma is one of the four imponderables. Does it mean one who loves to kill living beings will experience poverty or not trusted by others which is the result of stealing and lying? How do we relate that with &quot;sow apple seed, reap apple fruit?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T18:40:56.613" Title="Kammas are imponderable?" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15176" CreationDate="2016-05-19T08:55:48.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not all Pali suttas are the words of the Buddha, which is why there are contradictions. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, this issue is addressed by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?182-The-Four-Great-References-and-What-the-Buddha-Did-Not-Teach&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Great References&lt;/a&gt;. The scriptures also teach the teachings of the Buddha are to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.geocities.ws/exam_bisds/nota/Dhamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;verified by each wise person for themselves&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I am not willing to accept the Buddha spoke the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; because what is written in it is not true. For example, rich people are often rich due to greed &amp;amp; unethical business practises where as poor people are often poor due to political or social oppression or exploitation. It is not because of past kamma that children are abused, raped or murdered. It is not because of past kamma that millions of people were randomly murdered by communists in the Soviet Union or China.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the imponderables in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, I guess this might mean the 'exact' workings of kamma in minutiae detail. Kamma is a general rather than exact principle. Kamma is not ultimate truth, which is why in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it is said good karma can also lead to a bad result &amp;amp; bad karma can also lead to a good result. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-19T12:41:05.203" LastActivityDate="2016-05-19T12:41:05.203" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15176" CreationDate="2016-05-20T04:35:33.250" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The kammas are imponderable because people tends to expect action 'A' resulting in the equal fruit 'A'. However as we know a single action 'A' is only one cause, there are many other conditions (other causes) which result in a fruit. Just as a cup of coffee implies the existent of coffee beans, but coffee beans by themselves do not necessarily result in a cup of coffee. There are so many other factors such as farmers, the sun, customers wanting to drink coffee for the outcome 'a cup of coffee' to result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my temple we like to say that the merit of a good deed is 'immeasurable'. Why is this? Because the outcome cannot be entirely predicted, a single good action, can lead to opportunities for further good actions to occur. For example, you help someone with a small task, and then that person gives you an opportunity to do more good, and eventually eventhough the original good action was only the beginning seed the final result is immense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing we know for sure is that good actions will result in good outcomes (if something consistently results in bad outcomes it is a bad action and you should stop doing it). So instead of trying to predict the final outcome, you should focus on the simple strategy of doing more good as opportunity allows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Addendum regarding the comment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that because the Four Imponderables can not be deduced logically therefore it is imponderable. For example a common stated effect of karma is said that killing leads to a shortened life span. There is no clear logical explanation why this is the case, you could argue it's through some kind of revenge, or perhaps susceptibility to illness caused by psychological damage, but it's only speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, releasing animals doomed for butchering are said to be good karma for longevity, but once again there is no logical explanation why it would work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since speculations about the exact working of karma does nothing to lead to peace and end of suffering, the Buddha ask you to refrain from pondering about them and take it at face value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T05:44:08.503" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T05:44:08.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15179" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15180" CreationDate="2016-05-21T05:29:48.463" Score="1" ViewCount="4385" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the teachings of lord Buddha, what can we say about this quote? Is it fake?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8231" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-21T08:36:19.133" LastActivityDate="2016-05-21T09:38:27.090" Title="Did the Buddha say &quot;There is no path to happiness.. &quot;?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15179" CreationDate="2016-05-21T08:18:13.510" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently it wasn't the Buddha - it was  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._J._Muste&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A. J. Muste&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The American Dictionary of Quotations ascribes “There is no way to&#xA;  peace. Peace is the way” to a piece by Muste in the New York Times&#xA;  dated 16 November, 1967, although he definitely used the phrase well&#xA;  before that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/there-is-no-path-to-happiness-happiness-is-the-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ref Fake Buddha Quotes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more relevant Buddha quote is perhaps the fourth noble truth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is a way leading to the end of suffering, the eight-fold path,&#xA;  which is to be practiced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to the end of suffering - which isn't quite the same as happiness to be fair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-21T08:18:13.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15181" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15195" CreationDate="2016-05-21T08:33:49.590" Score="4" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to move on from this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15046/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; in the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/15045/157&quot;&gt;Is practising mindfulness ever a bad idea?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there particular things that it is a bad idea to be mindful of? Are there thoughts, feelings, emotions etc.. that one would be better advised not to apply mindfulness to? What are they? Or can every aspect of human existence be included productively in mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T07:25:52.570" Title="Are there things that one shouldn't be mindful of?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15179" CreationDate="2016-05-21T09:38:27.090" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the path is actually entered, this is stream-entry. It is essentially a path of happiness since there is very little suffering, even at this entry level (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 13.1&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'vossagga' (relinquishment; letting go) is similar to (yet less mature than) the word 'paṭinissagga', which is included as a quality of Nibbana as defined in the 3rd noble truth. In the meditation teachings, it is said the beginning path levels of meditation have the quality of 'vossagga'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, while the Buddha did not speak the quote in the OP, he did teach similar to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a noble disciple, making letting go (vossagga) the&#xA;  meditation object, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent&#xA;  on cessation, resulting in relinquishment (vossagga).&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-21T09:38:27.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15183" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15185" CreationDate="2016-05-21T17:35:51.833" Score="7" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there clear instruction about how one should practice the brahma viharas in the teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Should one go through each one in order [metta - karuna - mudita - upekkha] or is it possible to do i.e. only karuna (in a formal meditation sitting)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is it that (from my perspective) many meditation teacher only seem to focus on metta ('loving kindness') meditation (and not the other 3). Is there a particular benefit or is it important to practice it in order to get into the 'cycle' of the brahma viharas?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-05-21T18:50:54.323" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T19:59:57.717" Title="practicing the brahma viharas in meditation" Tags="|practice|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15183" CreationDate="2016-05-22T03:20:46.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The scriptures generally mention the practise of all four brahma vihara together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your 2nd question, I suppose the brahma vihara are dependent upon metta. If there is no friendliness &amp;amp; goodwill towards others, the other brahma vihara cannot be cultivated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T03:20:46.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15183" CreationDate="2016-05-22T03:43:45.840" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu said the other Brahma viharas are applications of Metta, and that is why Metta is the core focus in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of these four emotions, goodwill (metta) is the most fundamental. It's&#xA;  the wish for true happiness, a wish you can direct to yourself or to&#xA;  others. Goodwill was the underlying motivation that led the Buddha to&#xA;  search for awakening and to teach the path to awakening to others&#xA;  after he had found it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The next two emotions in the list are essentially applications of&#xA;  goodwill. Compassion (karuna) is what goodwill feels when it&#xA;  encounters suffering: It wants the suffering to stop. Empathetic joy&#xA;  (mudita) is what goodwill feels when it encounters happiness: It wants&#xA;  the happiness to continue. Equanimity (upekkha) is a different&#xA;  emotion, in that it acts as an aid to and a check on the other three.&#xA;  When you encounter suffering that you can't stop no matter how hard&#xA;  you try, you need equanimity to avoid creating additional suffering&#xA;  and to channel your energies to areas where you can be of help. In&#xA;  this way, equanimity isn't cold hearted or indifferent. It simply&#xA;  makes your goodwill more focused and effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T03:43:45.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15164" CreationDate="2016-05-22T09:30:23.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a look at translations of Dogen's essay &quot;Universally Recommended&#xA;Instructions for Zazen&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think of not thinking. Not thinking-what kind of thinking is that?&#xA;  Nonthinking. This is the essential art of zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://web.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_3/fukan_zazengi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://web.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_3/fukan_zazengi.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did further research on the text and came across the archaic Japanese original as well as the modern Japanese translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen's Original Passage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;箇（こ）の不思量底を思量せよ。不思量底、如何（いかん）が思量せん。非思量。これ乃（すなわ）ち坐禅の要術なり。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern Japanese&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;不思量に止（とど）まり居る処のみを任運に、そのまま不思量底であるところ、本来の相としての非思量に在る。これが、まさに坐禅の要術である。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.geocities.jp/sybrma/235.5hukanzazengi.yaku2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.geocities.jp/sybrma/235.5hukanzazengi.yaku2.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I am not a Japanese speaker, however the Chinese characters (Kanji) used in both passage are 不思量 and 非思量 which would roughly translates as 'not thinking' and 'non thinking'. Suggesting that 'be before thinking' is not a good translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further research indicates the context that the phrase was used:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These words appear in a dialogue that Dogen makes the subject of SBGZ&#xA;  Zazenshin: A monk asked Yueh-shan, &quot;What does one think of when&#xA;  sitting motionlessly in zanen?&quot; Yueh-shan replied, &quot;You think of&#xA;  not-thinking.&quot; &quot;How do you think of not-thinking?&quot; asked the monk.&#xA;  &quot;Nonthinking,&quot; answered Yueh-shan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sunypress.edu/pdf/60478.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sunypress.edu/pdf/60478.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would suggest that the intent of his message was not about some kind of '&lt;strong&gt;prescience&lt;/strong&gt;' (the fact of knowing something before it takes place; foreknowledge) as the word &lt;em&gt;be before thinking&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;before thought&lt;/em&gt; would suggest, but the single pointed concentration that result in the falling away of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This corresponds with the mental factors of the Jhana, which the the Pali root word for Chan/ Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First Jhāna — the five hindrances have completely disappeared and&#xA;  intense unified bliss remains. Only the subtlest of mental movement&#xA;  remains, perceivable in its absence by those who have entered the&#xA;  second jhāna. The ability to form unwholesome intentions ceases. The&#xA;  remaining qualities are: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;directed thought, evaluation&lt;/strong&gt;, rapture,&#xA;  pleasure, unification of mind, contact, feeling, perception,&#xA;  intention, consciousness, desire, decision, persistence, mindfulness,&#xA;  equanimity &amp;amp; attention&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Second Jhāna — all mental movement utterly ceases. There is only&#xA;  bliss. The ability to form wholesome intentions ceases as well. The&#xA;  remaining qualities are: &quot;internal assurance, rapture, pleasure,&#xA;  unification of mind, contact, feeling, perception, intention,&#xA;  consciousness, desire, decision, persistence, mindfulness, equanimity,&#xA;  &amp;amp; attention&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As noted, by the second Jhana all thoughts have ceased, only awareness of bliss and other Jhanic factors remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A poster here suggested that it could be to do with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one's perceptional faculties are acutely developed and on the&#xA;  cusp of awakening, logical perception will begin to occur before&#xA;  emotional perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this could possibly occur in meditation, it is not suggested in the actual text. Further more, given that the text was meant to be a &lt;strong&gt;universal recommendation&lt;/strong&gt;, it would imply that the text was directed at general audiences, who do not have the necessary background in meditation. Who might be wondering what they are supposed to think during sitting meditation, the answer being not think of anything in particular. (A more systematic way is to direct your thoughts to an object of focus, for example your breathing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T03:08:45.043" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T03:08:45.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15095" CreationDate="2016-05-22T10:10:30.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why worry about whether or not it is disrespectful? What it is is a drawing, in your own mind you can think of it as disrespectful and become stressed by this, or you can look at it as a cool logo and laugh about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which path leads to happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8376" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T10:10:30.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15051" CreationDate="2016-05-22T10:21:28.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different realms described but I don't think it needs to be so complicated. The point is that you create your own hell or your own heaven, for example; if you hit your head against a wall on purpose, would you not be in pain? Would this be hell? Another example; if you lie and cheat, people you have hurt may come after you and hurt you, wouldn't this be hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternative, if you are careful you can avoid hitting your head, wouldn't that be great? And if you don't lie and cheat, then you don't need to worry about people taking revenge, wouldn't not having to worry about anything be heaven?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You create your own reality, even right now in this lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8376" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T10:21:28.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15095" CreationDate="2016-05-22T13:58:45.870" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intentions matter.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only people and cultures take offense. The Dharma doesn't take offense. Awakened ones who have gone forth to become the Dharma can't take offense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In certain strictly Buddhist cultures such as Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Tibet, I'd expect to see a strong reaction, including jail time. In non-Buddhist cultures, it won't matter to the majority who are ignorant of the implications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sincere adept of Dharma can even use this insult as a stepping stone, and inquire into what in him takes offense and let go of that identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma results from volition. Someone seeking to cause injury to Buddhists would definitely be falling afoul of good intentions, and thus cause consequent karma to occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The act isn't the problem, it is the intention behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2016-05-22T16:25:43.600" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T16:25:43.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15164" CreationDate="2016-05-22T16:09:39.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think of not-thinking. How do you think of not-thinking? Be before thinking. These are the basics of zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one's perceptional faculties are acutely developed and on the cusp of awakening, logical perception will begin to occur before emotional perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if there is a loud bang, the first perception in the mind will be, just a loud bang, nothing to fear. The very next nano second, the emotional perception will arise, suggesting fear and panic. However this emotional message will have no relevance because the event has already been cognized logically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern scientific terms, one could describe it as the speeding up of the logical brain over the pre-brain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By intently examining every moment in zazen we cause the evolution of the response time of the brain's logical faculties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To be before thinking&lt;/strong&gt; is indeed a very literal action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pre-brain, or animal-brain, or Amygdala evolved in human evolution as a primtive information processor, only emitting a binary response - &lt;em&gt;fear or pleasure&lt;/em&gt;. It is very stupid but very quick. It keeps one alive, uses very little energy, but is useless for day to day human activity. The pre-frontal cortex is a far more sophisticated organ, whose response to inputs includes no emotion, only logic, but takes more calories, and has a slower response time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a normal unenlightened brain, the amygdala responds faster than the PFC. By the time the PFC gets event data it is already meddled with by the Amygdala and has been characterized as positive or negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To attain being before thought we train in faster response and intelligent reponse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we do long hours of zazen, by choice-less-ly observing events, we strengthen the nervous system leading to the pre-frontal cortex, and weaken the nervous system leading to the amygdala. Exactly like strengthening a muscle with use, and atrophying another muscle with disuse. In time the PFC reacts faster than the Amygdala to everything leading to a very logical person who's not swayed by the emotional ups and downs of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is a physical modification, and can change with age or injury.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real permanent change is when we also train our logical faculties to learn to recognize and discard the emotional meddling of the amygdala if and when it arrives before the PFC. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus even if an event is characterized as fearful or anger inducing by the Amygdala, by realizing no-self we can discard animalistic habit patterns, and utilizing the energy of mindfulness and wisdom we decide on the moment on its merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually after practicing this until it becomes second nature, and by discarding identification and habit patterns we are finally before thought, and the turbid waters of the mind become still and clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;CAVEAT: I am not a neural expert, this theory is solely based on personal inquiry, a little experience and a little hypothesis. YMMV.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastEditorUserId="715" LastEditDate="2016-05-22T16:57:03.483" LastActivityDate="2016-05-22T16:57:03.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15191" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-22T22:47:45.750" Score="4" ViewCount="411" Body="&lt;p&gt;Loneliness is an obsession of a person when facing old age and death. How should one practice the teachings of the Supreme Buddha in order to overcome this obsession?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T04:33:40.857" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T11:59:09.630" Title="How should one practice Dhamma in order to overcome loneliness?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15181" CreationDate="2016-05-23T00:01:23.353" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes there are. Being mindful of &quot;signs&quot; that turn the mind to anger (or lust etc.) is unwholesome. E.g. someone irritates you and you insist on attending (upaṭṭhāna) to that particular experience (a product of your mind!), instead of focusing on something more positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness in and of itself is a neutral factor of feeding, the question is what you feed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T00:26:53.843" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T00:26:53.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15095" CreationDate="2016-05-23T01:05:09.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees&#xA;  Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing&#xA;  Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vakkali&#xA;   Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T01:05:09.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15191" CreationDate="2016-05-23T01:14:18.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samatha&lt;/em&gt; (tranquility) meditation using &lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt; (meditation with in &amp;amp; out breathing) can be used as a method to overcome loneliness &amp;amp; distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I tell you, monks, that this — the in-&amp;amp;-out breath — is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains&#xA;  focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside wanting &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So if a monk should wish: 'May neither my body be fatigued nor my eyes and may my mind, through lack of clinging, be released from&#xA;  fermentations,' then he should attend carefully to this same&#xA;  concentration through mindfulness with in-&amp;amp;-out breathing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk should wish: 'May my memories &amp;amp; resolves related to the household life be abandoned,' then he should attend carefully to this&#xA;  same concentration through mindfulness with in-&amp;amp;-out breathing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dipa Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T02:15:24.280" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T02:15:24.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15181" CreationDate="2016-05-23T02:19:39.177" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right&lt;/strong&gt; Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; is a factor in the path. This implies that there are &lt;em&gt;Wrong Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;, things you shouldn't be mindful of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The definition (the four frames of reference)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains&#xA;  focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. He remains&#xA;  focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of itself...&#xA;  mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful —&#xA;  putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. This is&#xA;  called right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the&#xA;  overcoming of sorrow &amp;amp; lamentation, for the disappearance of pain &amp;amp;&#xA;  distress, for the attainment of the right method, &amp;amp; for the&#xA;  realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of&#xA;  reference.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— DN 22&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As well as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandoning the wrong factors of the path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  view: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  resolve: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  speech: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  action: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in&#xA;  right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 117&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sati/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially you need to be mindful of &lt;em&gt;Right View&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Right Intention&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Right Speech&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Right Action&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/em&gt;, if you are not mindful of those things you are not practicing Right Mindfulness. If you are mindful of wrong views and wrong intentions for example, it is also not Right Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T02:19:39.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15191" CreationDate="2016-05-23T05:40:06.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is actually an interesting problem that is personal to me, how do you introduce the teaching of the Buddha to a person who has no inclination in practicing the Dharma. While a practitioner might recognize the power of meditation to alleviate distress, your average person has no clue what it is and no interest to learn it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where the cultivation of Upaya skillful means comes in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own paternal grandmother for example, passed away after experiencing a lot of suffering in her final days. One of her regrets was not taking up a more vegetarian diet (my relatives consume a lot of meat) and believed it to be one of the cause of her pain. One of the things we did in her final days were to play recordings of Buddhist music, which seems to help calm her somewhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one could suggest to the person to start a basic practice, for example chanting the name of a buddha or bodhisattva or mantra for a certain number of times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example:&#xA;Namo Amitabha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Sakyamuni Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(x100 every day)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can couple this with buddhist prayer beads to aid counting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they find this too simple, you can add more challenging tasks such as longer dharani or even a short sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sukhavati Vyuha Dharani (往生咒)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Great Compassion Dharani (popularly known as Great Compassion Mantra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are highly effective form of meditation, and is a lot easier than telling someone to do sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist music are also easy and good gentle introduction cheer up lonely souls. In Chinese culture we actually have something called a 'chanting box', which is a music player with chanting installed. This is also great for someone who is sick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally you would want this person to participate socially at a community temple if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T05:40:06.293" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15197" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15198" CreationDate="2016-05-23T12:42:10.947" Score="2" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would it be acceptable to travel to Japan or China and seek out masters of Buddhism to learn from them? Would they accept the opportunity or is it expected of everyone to seek out their own truth on their own?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8379" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T12:57:13.790" Title="How open are current Zen Buddhism masters to teaching westerners?" Tags="|zen|learning|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15197" CreationDate="2016-05-23T12:57:13.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt; is a world renowned Zen master who has monasteries in France, USA and several other countries. He teaches and ordains students and monks from all cultures and ethnicities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His method of teaching is especially suited for the modern age, since Eastern or Western, cultures are increasingly all the same thanks to globalization. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe Western students will benefit most from working with such teachers, who understand both cultures. Firstly, there's no language barrier, secondly, the western manners and habits won't cause offense or impede progress, and thirdly, the teaching is especially suited for the intellectual Westernized person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh to be no less than a living Bodhisattva, a jewel among teachers. He doesn't teach anymore after an illness a couple of years ago, but his Plum Village tradition still carries on along the path he charted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One could also travel to Japan or China, many do, but finding a good teacher there can be hit or miss without knowledge of the language, culture and traditions. Ultimately though it is not the teacher, but the student who plays the largest role in enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There has been no one who has not been enlightened for want of a good teacher. When there is ardent desire to learn the Dharma, the Dharma will seek the seeker out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="715" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T12:57:13.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14964" CreationDate="2016-05-23T15:41:15.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are correct in say that in the Hindu Meditation practices the Chakra is used. Especially in types of Yoga practice such as ‘Lama Yoga’ they get you to energize your chakras, and fire up the kundalini using a type of breathing exercise. They refer to kundalini as a very transforming flame of raw sexual energy, and energizing the chakras is done by breathing exercises that requires excellent physical and cardiovascular health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism, and there is absolutely no mention in the Doctrine of the use of chakras.  In fact the only place that I came of a mention of a chakra is regarding Supreme Buddha’s chief disciple, Moggallana. The other chief disciple was Ven. Sariputta who died half a year before the Final Passing Away of the Awakened One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Soon after the death of Sariputta, Mara, the embodiment of evil and the Lord of Death, claimed Moggallana's mortal frame, by entering his bowels. He could not make him possessed by entering his head, because he had access only to the lowest Chakra. Moggallana, however, told him calmly to get out and away as he had well recognized him. Mara was very surprised that he had been found out so soon, and in his delusion he thought that even the Buddha would not have recognized him so quickly. But Moggallana read his thoughts and ordered him again to get away. So this is the only place that I found any mention of this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentrating and calming the mind by breathing in and breathing out, mindfully with full awareness, is known as Anapanasati.   How mindfulness of in and out breathing brings the contemplation of body and contemplation of feeling to their culmination is explained very differently in the Buddhist Doctrine. In reading Ananda Sutta, Girimananda Sutta, Anapanasati Sutta etc. it will be obvious that this meditation needs to be developed and pursued ardently with thorough understanding and awareness as per the scriptures. At the same time be aware not to mix it that of Hindu meditation practices. Hindus advice you to first be aware of breathing by first fixing attention on the feeling of the breath at the nose palate (roof of the mouth) and then progress to places like the one located either in the middle of the chest or the solar plexus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T15:41:15.900" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15200" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15257" CreationDate="2016-05-23T15:57:27.053" Score="1" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;A friend of mine recently mentioned Lo Jong mind training to me, when I asked my teacher he told me not to worry about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would anyone be willing to explain what it is and what it is used for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="852" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T01:33:16.157" Title="What is Lo Jong mind training?" Tags="|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15162" CreationDate="2016-05-23T17:53:15.630" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By synergy if you mean that you cannot do it alone, and God has to be with you or the universe should approve of you or whatever, then the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma is not synergetic. The formlessness of the God, Yehovah and Allah has resulted in banning idol worshipping and making statues or drawing pictures of the &quot;unmanifested&quot; being forbidden. There are these do’s and don’ts in other aspects too of these religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said in Buddhism, one needs the assistance of fellow Dhamma-farers who are fully established in the path, and the Devas, (at least up until you yourself is fully established in the path as a stream entrant) if one is to succeed in this path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the continuance of the round of rebirths occurs due to Dependent Origination, the latter must cease for the round of rebirths to cease occurring. The way to make that happen is to follow the Noble Eight-fold Path. To fulfil that process, one needs to association of noble friends, hearing the Doctrine and keep company with righteous people. He would also need a rebirth conducive to fulfil the process of following the Noble Eightfold Path. Now, that is where merit plays its part. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rebirth in worlds of the Brahmas and Devas becomes a very helpful asset to one who searches for the goal of Nibbana. Such rebirths are the results of merits. So we must understand the true worth of merit. Those who spend the time arguing &quot;We do not need merit but only wholesome deeds&quot; unfortunately may end up getting neither. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whoever is in the Noble Eight Fold Path – the road less travelled, need the company of Noble Friends who would encourage you in this path. When Ven. Ananda told The Buddha that 50% of the path depends on the association of Noble Friends, The Buddha corrected him, saying that it is depended 100% in the association of Noble Friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly in the present day and age there are many so-called-Buddhists that bear misguided and false views harming themselves and many around them.  In Sri Lanka specially, there are many who carry false beliefs while taking refuge in auspicious times according to asterism, auspicious signs, horoscopes, planetary objects, and the twelve houses of astrology. None of these have anything to do with Buddha’s teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We live in an unfortunate time where the Asura Forces are far greater and stronger. One would only make one’s refuge in the Triple Gem impure by believing in horoscopes, following auspicious times etc. etc... Tell me how many of us ‘Buddhists’ have made the Sutta &amp;amp; Vinaya Pitaka (the Doctrine) of the Buddha, their teacher? It’s only a handful. We may say that we seek the blessings of the Triple Gem to protect and guide us, but what we go behind and look up to are the politics, the horoscopes, the auspicious times, the Asuras that we call ‘Gods’, and other ‘a’dhammas.  So to overcome these we need the assistance of Davas who are well established in this path. In this way, the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma is synergetic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhists in the present day may believe that beings in the worlds of Devas cannot accumulate merits. This view is contrary to the discourses of the Buddha. In the Doctrine, there is a meditation called the 'Contemplation of Devas'. In it the Buddha spoke about The World of the Four, The World of the Thirty Three, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati, and Paramimmita Vasavarti. These are all Deva Worlds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A disciple who has developed the powers of a Noble learner such as faith, virtue, learning, liberality and wisdom, has the qualities to receive a rebirth in those Deva Worlds. Such a disciple with the powers of a Noble learner could contemplate: &quot;Devas too have noble qualities that I possess. After my death in this world, I can receive rebirth among the Devas&quot;. Thus the disciple with the powers of a Noble learner does the meditation called 'Contemplation of the Devas.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one cannot lead a life of virtue and Dhamma in the worlds of Devas, The Buddha would not have taught His disciples how to meditate on the 'Contemplation of the Devas'. Another thing we know is that when the Buddha preached 'The Motion of the Wheel of Truth' (Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta) only one person in the world of human beings reached fruition of the path, while Devas in twenty two worlds of Devas reached fruition of the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samyukta Nikaya there are discourses called Devata Samyukta and Devaduta Samyukta. When these discourses were spoken by the Buddha, there were many beings from the world of Devas who reached the fruition of the Path. Sakkapanha Sutta in Digha Nikaya (collection of long discourses) shows that Sakra, the Lord of the Deva world of the Thirty Three had reached fruition of the Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T17:53:15.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13198" CreationDate="2016-05-23T18:11:52.677" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mundane way to do the Anapanasati Meditation is given in the interpretations &#xA; that are out there of the following Doctrinal Discourses -  Ananda Sutta (Leading to Awakening) SAMYUTTA NIKAYA 12:10; Girimananda Sutta (To Girimananda) ANGUTTARA NIKAYA 10.60; Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing)  MAJJIMA NIKAYA 118 Etc. Etc.  The Supreme Buddha explained to Venerable Ananda (Among the greatest 10 disciples of the Buddha, the one who had the most retentive memory), “This one factor is Anapanasati, which when developed and pursued brings the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Cattaro Satipatthana) to completion. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, when developed and pursued bring the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to completion. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, when developed and pursued bring Clear Knowing and Release to completion.”&#xA;The million dollar question is whether any of these interpretations of the Anapanasati Meditation is correct or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T01:27:18.557" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T01:27:18.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14868" CreationDate="2016-05-23T21:08:42.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sounds really caught up in all kinds of cravings for spiritual attainments. If this 'craving' is dropped, the path the Buddha taught, which is the abandonment of craving (rather than mental gymnastics &amp;amp; magical formulas) might be learned. &lt;em&gt;Samatha&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; are natural fruits of the properly established or collected mind - aka &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;. The Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the faculty of concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;)? There is the case&#xA;  where a noble disciple, making 'letting go' his meditation object,&#xA;  attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.&#xA;   &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the practises mentioned in the original post, they are not 'advanced'. The more complicated &amp;amp; willful they sound, the less advanced they are. The most 'advanced' practises are the most simple. That is why the statement: &quot;Do nothing&quot; often frightens people. Simply 'let go'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-23T21:26:18.697" LastActivityDate="2016-05-23T21:26:18.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15162" CreationDate="2016-05-24T01:57:35.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever talk about this aspect of (what has ended up as) his teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&quot; lived in what's now northern India (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Varanasi&lt;/a&gt;) in maybe the 4th century BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism migrated into China starting in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;about 100 BCE&lt;/a&gt;, which is where it met with Taoism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, according to Wikipedia, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bon&lt;/a&gt; started in the 11th century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm not sure it makes sense to ask whether &quot;the Buddha talked about&quot; Buddhism merging with Taoism and Bon, given that this meeting occured centuries after his life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm answering that, in my opinion, the Buddha didn't talk about it. The idea of his talking about it would be anachronistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know what the Buddha &lt;em&gt;did&lt;/em&gt; talk about, I suspect our best rcord of that is what's recorded in the Pali &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttas&lt;/a&gt; (and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;), which are e.g. as published on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt; and on other sites &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4111/254&quot;&gt;including these&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did talk about or reference religious beliefs and traditions that were contemporary to his time and place (maybe Vedism, Brahmanism, and so on); sometimes implying some commonality between Buddhism and other schools or non-Buddhists (e.g. IIRC he says somewhere that he agrees with what the wise agree with), but more often pointing out some difference or distinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question (of what the Buddha talked about) is complicated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt; recorded after his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to ask about, for example, the influence of Taoism on Buddhism, then I think you ought to ask a slightly different question: e.g. ask about the influence on a specific school of buddhism (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism#Signification_of_Buddhism_and_Taoist_influences&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;) ... and maybe don't ask what the Buddha said about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T02:21:53.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15206" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-24T04:22:30.310" Score="2" ViewCount="6443" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are in a sexless marriage where your wife absolutely denys you any sex or intimacy no matter what, is it OK to cheat?  What is the Buddhist rules on that?  I understand that my wife's behavior can be considered sexual abuse.  What she does for me is actually not good for my health and well being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8383" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T07:59:25.690" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T02:42:48.463" Title="Infidelity in marriage" Tags="|ethics|well-being|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-24T05:19:17.580" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its not OK to 'cheat'. Buddhism states a husband should be faithful (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; honest (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn10/sn10.012.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 10.12&lt;/a&gt;) to his wife. However, you can &amp;amp; should honestly discuss your feelings &amp;amp; concerns with your wife. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not officially sexual misconduct in Buddhism to have sex with a person that is not in another relationship. This is because, in ancient times, wealthy men often had concubines (mistresses for sexual pleasure) &amp;amp; wives often primarily focused on having children &amp;amp; motherhood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often women, even today, grow out of sex. Essentially, Buddhism teaches what is 'natural', which means sex primarily exists for reproduction. Thus women can grow out of sex. It is not virtuous or warranted to put pressure on a woman to have sex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism holds to spiritual evolution, which for many, results in growing out of sex &amp;amp; seeking inner peace. This is why Buddhism is a monastic tradition. Thus Buddhism would not overly sympathize with a husband wanting sex but it does understand most people need to have sex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, if a wife gives her husband &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;permission&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to have sex with a 'mistress' or 'prostitute' then I suppose it is OK (i.e., if it is economically affordable) since the rules for lay people do not explicitly forbid it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Women can be problematic for men since women can grow out of sex but still want a husband since most women (much more than men) struggle to live alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus Buddhism would encourage you to be compassionate towards your wife. Generally, particularly in the West, husbands &amp;amp; wives take vows: &quot;For better or for worse, etc&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best to discuss these issues with your wife or have some marriage counselling. In Buddhism, a wife not being sexual is not a ground to leave her. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T06:12:35.673" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T06:12:35.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-24T07:35:24.993" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't need to have sex to be healthy and well. Otherwise, most Buddhist monks should be sick. Cheating breaks the 3rd precept. That is bad Karma for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether your wife agrees or not, associating with prostitutes has many bad consequences. You and your family's reputation can be tarnished. Higher risk of catching diseases. Your wealth will decrease. You could be cheated in many ways as you have very little idea about the character of the other person. You could be blackmailed by those who get to know about your habit. Most of all, your lust will increase. After sometime, you will start developing unnatural sexual cravings. There's no end to it, if you crawl down that pit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, sexual pleasures are not forbidden for lay people. So, as a Buddhist layman, you have several decent options available:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try different socially acceptable methods like being romantic, changing the environment, buying presents etc. and see if she changes according to your liking. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Talk to her, let her know that you are not happy and take a decision on the future of your relationship, if she doesn't change.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restrain yourself and try to focus on your spiritual development as having sex doesn't bring you true happiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T11:48:59.060" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T11:48:59.060" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15209" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-24T11:49:42.340" Score="3" ViewCount="1409" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw a cat chasing a mouse outside of my house and kill it. I could have chased the cat away and saved the mouse's life but I just watched and didn't do anything. Not that I was enjoying what I saw but this made me think whether what I did was a sin or not. I just think I would have interfered with nature had I stopped the cat from killing. One side there is the food chain and on the other karma. I am confused. Is it a sin to not stop a predator from catching its prey?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="7792" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T13:26:58.337" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T21:45:34.700" Title="I saw a cat killing a mouse. Could have stopped it, but didn't" Tags="|karma|ethics|daily-life|killing|animals|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-24T14:32:15.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one sees a judge passing death sentence to a criminal, can one stop it? One can only pray that both the judge and the criminal will not go to the lower realms, but one is not sure, and perhaps both judge and criminal can go higher realms- one is never sure of samsara! It really depends on motivations, karma etc which one who is not enlightened will never tell...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus focus on one's own enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, for now one cant judge activities of mouse and cats, predators and prey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T14:32:15.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-24T15:02:32.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMO there's a similar concern with people: outside my house I see people raising farm animals, in order to kill them for food. What should I do about that? Try to chase the people away?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think, probably not, even if only because I think that's likely to be ineffective (i.e. that kind of tactic on my part wouldn't stop people from killing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that the Buddhist equivalent of a &quot;sin&quot; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;klesha&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. I suppose or it feels to me as if it probably &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a sin, several sins: torpor (not doing something about it), ignorance (not knowing what to do about it), conceit (thinking that you could do something about it), hatred (not liking what you see)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically it's not breaking a precept: you're responsible for what you do, not for what other people do. But it's probably also right to find it questionable, if someone could have saved someone but didn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T15:02:32.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-24T15:13:38.810" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Chethanaham Bikkhawe Kammam Wadami&quot; - volition is Karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did you not prevent it because mice are usually an annoyance and 1 less mouse makes your life better? If so, it's bad Karma. Later you may make up an excuse like &quot;not wanting to interfere with nature&quot;. But what matters is the intention at the time.  If you were wishing for the mouse to escape, it is good Karma. If you actually saved the mouse, it's more good Karma. If you were neutral based on Upekkha(contemplating on Karma and Vipaka), it's good Karma. If you were neutral based on indifference born of ignorance, it is bad Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T16:34:13.740" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T16:34:13.740" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14877" CreationDate="2016-05-24T15:18:39.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's also a wonderful book by His Holiness' the Dalai Lama, How to Expand Love. Very clear step-by-step reflections. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0743269691&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.amazon.com/How-Expand-Love-Widening-Relationships/dp/0743269691&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8380" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T15:18:39.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15162" CreationDate="2016-05-24T17:21:19.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha clearly identified his dharma as something that both transcends and complements religion, including teachers, rules, lifestyles, and ethics. He specifically invites his hearers to remain associated with whatever religion they have inherited, and implies that the dharma is perfectly compatible with all of this. See, for example, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;…you may think: ‘the ascetic Gotama says this in order to get&#xA;  disciples.’ But you should not regard it like that. Let him who is&#xA;  your teacher remain your teacher. Or you may think: ‘He wants us to&#xA;  abandon our rules.’ Let your rules remain as they are. Or you may&#xA;  think: ‘He wants us to abandon our way of life.’ But you should not&#xA;  regard it like that. Let your way of life remain as it was. Or you may&#xA;  think: ‘He wants to establish us in the doing of things that according&#xA;  to our teaching was wrong, and are so considered among us.’ But you&#xA;  should not regard it like that. Let those things you consider wrong&#xA;  continue to be so considered. Or you may think: ‘He wants to draw us&#xA;  away from things that according to our teaching are good, and are so&#xA;  considered among us.’ But you should not regard it like that. Let&#xA;  whatever you consider right continue to be so considered. Nigrodha, I&#xA;  do not speak for any of these reasons.&quot; (Digha Nikaya, sutta 25, para. 23; iii 56)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere he tells a disciple who has converted from Jainism to continue to support the Jains with alms, and he disparages ethics, rules, and mere mechanical observances as inferior matters. He even warns against dogmatism, pointing out that dharma is beyond linguistic and rational categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T03:11:46.610" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T03:11:46.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-24T17:31:32.763" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is that you should care because, unlike human beings and animals, hell beings, ghosts, asuras, and devas do remember their past lives (this is clear from the suttas). Since it is not automatic that you will be reborn as a human being, there is a real chance that you will end up as a suffering being with full memory of your past lives. Therefore it is not quite true to say that &quot;you&quot; will disappear. This &quot;you&quot; of course is not a permanent thing, but rather a continuity of conscious states. Nonetheless, the memory of your past lives will give you an &quot;identity&quot; which will include your current identity (but also larger, clearly). You should also care because karma does not merely affect your future rebirth. Your karma affects you right now, right here, depending on your circumstances. This is the Buddha's argument  called the Four Assurances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-05-29T17:44:02.317" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T17:44:02.317" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14748" CreationDate="2016-05-24T17:40:04.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is agnosticism, a view that the Buddha explicitly calls stupid in the Brahmajala Sutta. I quote from my book, &lt;em&gt;Conversations with the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; p. 22 (see also p. 25):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The ‘Eel Wrigglers’ (amaravikkheppika), which can also be translated as ‘endless equivocators,’ are agnostics who refuse to commit themselves to any view, but simply say, “I don’t say this, I don’t say that. I don’t say it is otherwise, I don’t say it is not. I don’t not say it is not.” This belief, if we can call it that, is based on the desire to avoid lying, attachment, and cross-examination, which comes simply from not knowing. These are the first three arguments. The fourth argument is because one is dull and stupid.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This view should be distinguished from the view that the dharma is trans-linquistic and trans-rational, although the two views are often conflated, especially by Western students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T17:56:07.357" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T17:56:07.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14964" CreationDate="2016-05-24T17:54:32.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Tibetans have a chakra system similar to the Hindu system, but based on four, five, seven or even ten chakras instead of the familiar seven. The specific symbols of the individual chakras also differ somewhat, and the Hindu concept of kundalini is replaced by the notion of &quot;airs&quot; or &quot;drops.&quot; The 32 marks of the Buddha also seem to include some nascent references to the chakras, especially the 1000-spoke wheel sign on the feet, golden-hued body, ten-foot aura, long and broad tongue, the white urna curl that emits light between the eyebrows, and the protuberance at the crown of the head. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T17:54:32.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-05-24T17:57:21.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever works for you is right. In essence this is the doctrine of the 84,000 techniques. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T17:57:21.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14764" CreationDate="2016-05-24T18:06:57.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, the Buddha never talks about drugs as such. He talks about alcohol, including a form of alcohol that was used in Ayurvedic medicine as an anesthetic, i.e., a drug, but the Pali suttas do not include any words that can be directly translated as &quot;drugs.&quot; Alcohol is frequently absent from lists of prohibited activities, including the famous Pansil, i.e., Five Precepts. There is a fourfold version of pansil called the Four Restraints. As to why this is the case, the answer is that it is because the Buddha did not prohibit alcohol for the first eight years of the sangha. The Buddha only prohibited alcohol when a monk got drunk and passed out, embarassing the sangha. This happened during a famine, when all that the villagers had to offer the monastics was palm wine. Subsequently drinking alcohol was added to the Four Restraints to make the Five Precepts, and the Buddha forbade the ordination of drinkers, but at the same time drinking alcohol is a very minor offence in the Vinaya, requiring confession only. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T18:06:57.893" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-24T19:19:24.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you had small children (babies) in your home, would it be good karma to allow pests to accumulate in your home (like mice, rats, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, gadflies, etc) that might bite your children? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I lived in a forest monastery once where (in the past) there used to be tigers &amp;amp; mice that chewed the dhamma books. So dogs were introduced so the tigers would attack/eat the dogs rather than the novice (child) monks and cats were introduced to eat the mice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make oneself paranoid or worrisome about cats &amp;amp; mice is bad karma but to not stop a cat eating a mouse is not bad karma (just as 'cleaning' your house of dirty pests in not bad karma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of karma are for the purpose of keeping people free from trouble (rather than for imprisoning people). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the strict monks rules, a monk that kills a human being for any reason is expelled from the order. However, a monk that intentionally kills an animal must only confess the action. As for allowing or wanting a cat to kill a mouse, there is no offence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a monk to empty a water jar with mosquito larvae in it is an offense. However, for a monk to place a cloth over a water jar to prevent mosquito larvae is not an offense. What is what here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T19:37:22.010" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T19:37:22.010" CommentCount="17" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15221" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-24T20:24:17.910" Score="2" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha specifically mentioned anything about saving environment or planet in His teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If yes, what He said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If no, then Buddhist organizations need not to concern about environment? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8392" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-05-24T22:03:16.457" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T19:56:39.580" Title="Does the Buddha specifically said about saving environment?" Tags="|ethics|teaching|buddha|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-05-27T13:33:19.497" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-24T22:25:09.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Next time around, try to stop the cat from killing the mouse, and then give the cat some food to eat. That'd cover all grounds: saving the mouse's life without the expense of the cat going hungry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T22:25:09.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2016-05-24T22:37:59.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Notice that back then, humans were yet to possess the kind of technologies capable of screwing up the environment at such stupendous pace and scale as in the 21st century. Everything was bio-degradable. There was no plastic, nuclear wastes, fracking, oil drilling, massive fossil fuel burning, etc. So the problem didn't exist to require a specific teaching about it. Obviously if the Buddha was around today, He would've given teaching about the importance of keeping a safe and clean environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-05-24T22:37:59.947" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-25T01:48:10.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe a good reference for this question is Stephen Batchelor's &quot;Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening&quot;. He has spoken in many places of Buddhism without rebirth or reincarnation. I agree with him that Buddhism is about the here and now. Worries about an afterlife are evidence of a failure to come to grips with what Ernest Becker refers to as &quot;The Denial of Death&quot; (ISBN-13: 978-0684832401). A little over twenty years ago (1995) I did a simple meditation where i convinced myself that the mechanistic materialists were correct and that when I died there would be nothing left. Total annihilation was my inevitable outcome after death. It was frightening at first but eventually I went through all five of Kubler Ross' stages of grief as I attended my own mechanistic materialism funeral. I believe that all fear must be met head on if it is to be conquered. I decided to post this note because no one was doing the head on confrontation. Death as annihilation is a concept and from a Buddhist perspective(imho) has no independent reality. But the catch is that we all have our folk epistemology where death as annihilation seems to make commonsense. After all why should humans be so privileged but cockroaches and spiders have no hope of reincarnation(in Hinduism we have a different story). If you approach Buddhism as an &quot;opiate of the masses&quot; that is going to give you an &quot;all life sucker&quot; then you are really barking up the wrong tree(Bodhi Tree?). Take Ernest Becker's advice and grow up to the reality that annihilation is not all that bad. After all, think about never having to live in a world where George Bush could spend eight years as the president of the most militarily powerful nation on the planet. Think of nirvana as blowing out the candle as the reward of many lifetimes of diligent study merely to not be reborn then death as annihilation gives you nirvana for free. You don't have to do a damn thing to get it except die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T01:48:10.477" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15225" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-25T03:23:47.533" Score="2" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is death perceived in various schools of Buddhism? Are they all same ? What is death according to Buddhist monk and lay Buddhist? Are there references / materials by monks on death bed about death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T10:55:49.030" LastActivityDate="2020-09-17T10:07:25.787" Title="Death according to various schools of buddism" Tags="|death|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-25T04:14:06.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sexual activity in a marriage is a predictor about how a relationship is working out and how close and connected the partners feel. The fact that your wife is denying sex and intimacy is a sign of an unhealthy relationship. There could be various reasons for this, which only she may know or even not be aware of. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;However, you are abused not by your wife, but by the lustful tendencies within&#xA;you.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Couples, who have unsatisfied sex lives also find it difficult to talk openly and honestly about their physical needs and desires with their spouses. As the months and years go by it gets more and more difficult to open up. When that is the case, counselling or the involvement of a 3rd party might be needed as a catalyst, to either see if a.) the barriers to communication can be broken and intimacy restored or b.) if the relationship can be saved at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that the 3rd precept is about having sex with people who are 'protected or defenseless' (i.e. young/defenseless/prisoners/servants), 'committed (sexually) to others', or entails a punishment (public shame, a divorce proceeding where the partner who had an extra-marital relationship would lose everything, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main purpose of moral codes are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To prevent the arising of remorse, which is mentally taxing and damaging, and hence clouds the path. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To safe guard people and society, which is inherently relationship based (parent-child, teacher-student, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not prescribe monogamy, although it is the preferred option.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some things to consider: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Speak to your wife and explain your situation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together meet with a counselor&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;See if you and your wife have common ground other than sex, (couples who are equally spiritually also have wonderful relationships. The basic premise is that couples who do things together usually stay together happily.) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A mutually agreed separation (this could be a divorce or only a sexual separation)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have a  extra-marital relationship. You may receive some sexual relief but be prepared to suffer the consequences, mental guilt, STDs, blackmail, to public shame once exposed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Understand that sex/lust at the end causes suffering, and practice to destroy even the latent tendencies of lust. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Your wife's disinterest in sex may be a positive thing, allowing you the&#xA;freedom to fully commit to this practice of eliminating lust.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankha and Dhammadatu have provided very good answers answers which should be considered. What you will not get is a blanket 'go ahead' to have sex outside marriage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think? When lust arises in a person, does it&#xA;  arise for welfare or for harm?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For harm.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this lustful person, overcome by lust, his mind possessed by&#xA;  lust, harms living beings, takes what is not given, goes after&#xA;  another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise,&#xA;  all of which is for long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;paraphrased from the Kalama Sutta AN 3.65 &quot;lust&quot; replacing &quot;greed&quot; (Pali: Loba)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T12:11:56.197" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T12:11:56.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15225" CreationDate="2016-05-25T04:43:51.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the ancient Pali scriptures, the word 'death' has two meanings: (i) conventional; &amp;amp; (ii) ultimate. In the language of ultimate truth, 'death' refers to the psychological idea that &quot;I&quot; or a &quot;person&quot; or a &quot;being&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) dies (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught a 'self', 'person' or 'being' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;') is only a mental state of craving &amp;amp; attachment (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt;); that in reality, there is no 'being' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;') to be found (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Death' only happens when there is unenlightened 'self-view'. This is why the Buddha called enlightened selfless nirvana: 'The Deathless'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has been stilled where the currents of construing do not flow.&#xA;  And when the currents of construing do not flow, he is said to be a&#xA;  sage at peace.' Thus was it said. With reference to what was it said?&#xA;  'I am' is a construing. 'I am this' is a construing. 'I shall be' is a&#xA;  construing. 'I shall not be'is a construing. Construing is a disease, construing&#xA;  is a cancer, construing is an arrow. By going beyond all construing,&#xA;  he is said to be a sage at peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A sage at peace is not born, does not age, does not die&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  is unagitated, and is free from longing. He has nothing whereby he&#xA;  would be born. Not being born, will he age? Not aging, will he die?&#xA;  Not dying, will he be agitated? Not being agitated, for what will he&#xA;  long? It was in reference to this that it was said, 'He has been&#xA;  stilled where the currents of construing do not flow. And when the&#xA;  currents of construing do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhatu-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In enlightenment, all that occurs at what is conventionally regarded as 'death' is the five aggregates come to an end, that is all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Form is impermanent... Feeling... Perception... Fabrications...&#xA;  Consciousness is impermanent. That which is impermanent is&#xA;  unsatisfactory. That which is unsatisfactory has ceased and gone to&#xA;  its end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Very good, my friend Yamaka, very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yamaka Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T04:49:18.347" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T04:49:18.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2016-05-25T08:20:46.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No buddhism didn't teach it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But by the path it self are conserve enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Industries happen by greediness of people.&#xA;If you look carefully you'll see it's the starting point of every environmental problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8397" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T08:20:46.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15225" CreationDate="2016-05-25T08:43:01.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My rep not enough for comment, So this is not an good answer because I've no reference for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything that have soul are the same. Animals, people, human, monk, angel etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, The basic precept for every human to close the hell was 5 percepts because these percept make you not exploit other's and your's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for monk there where 227 percepts, This make lay buddhist and others can worship them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monk are so much much bigger chance to go to hell. But also much bigger merit for him if he was good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8397" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T08:43:01.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2016-05-25T10:47:24.740" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha made remarks (for lay people) about conserving wealth; for example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; warns against squandering wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sutta doesn't mention the environment, but modern environmentalists or economists say that degrading the environment (and other activities including the exploitation of fossil fuels, deforestation, mining, any &quot;unsustainable&quot; levels of fishing, etc.) is equivalent to spending capital rather than spending income ... and that we ought to be living sustainably, consuming renewable income rather than unrenewable capital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also made remarks about being harmless, not killing, allowing other being to live free from fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again I'm not aware of his saying that in an &quot;environmental&quot; context, but according to environmentalists, there is such a thing as being &quot;harmful to the environment&quot; which isn't the same as being &quot;harmless&quot; or &quot;saving the environment&quot;; and that destruction of natural habitat and indigenous wildlife is &quot;killing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, there are many comments from monks (not, as far as I know, from the Buddha himself, but from monks) about some environment or other being pleasant: of enjoying the smell of a forest at night, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T10:47:24.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2016-05-25T11:31:21.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path of all Buddhas is summarised as: (1) do not do evil; (2) do good; &amp;amp; (3) purify the mind. Purifying the mind means giving up attachment to the world. But this does not stop one from doing good. When the mind is free from attachment, it has few needs &amp;amp; even less wants. Therefore, the Buddhist path by nature looks after the environment &amp;amp; the planet as best as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught it is right view to regard everything received as a 'gift' or 'benefaction' (MN 117), which gives rise to a reciprocal obligation in return. This includes the natural environment as a benefactor. In Pali, the word for gratitude means: &quot;what is received; what must be done in return&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Vinaya (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;page 446&lt;/a&gt;) of the monks, there are rules about not polluting crops, water &amp;amp; other natural things that are required to support life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based in the Puttamansa Sutta, each day monks &amp;amp; some lay people reflect they use food, clothing, shelter &amp;amp; medicine merely to support the spiritual path &amp;amp; not for play, not for intoxication &amp;amp; not for beautification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T19:56:39.580" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T19:56:39.580" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2754" CreationDate="2016-05-25T13:08:01.340" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.. In some places Buddha has taught his followers to not to pollute the environment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7704" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T13:08:01.340" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-25T14:01:29.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most cases, cheating comes from craving. Where there's craving, there's identification with the I. Thus, in most cases, it is not ok to cheat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In most cases, relationships come from craving. Where there's craving, there's identification with the I. Thus, in most cases, relationships are not needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If ignorance is completely removed, identification with the I would no longer be, thus craving would never arise, thus, in most cases, cheating would not happen ... relationships would not happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your case, if ignorance would be completely removed, compassion towards your wife would arise and most probably you would never cheat on her. But, would you stay with her in the relationship? That depends on many other circumstances, which only you know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There isn't an absolute &quot;right&quot; or &quot;wrong&quot;. It depends on the individual. But there is certainly the best &quot;right&quot; action for each individual. Even though I don't know anything about your situation, I can tell you with certainty: don't cheat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T14:01:29.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15225" CreationDate="2016-05-25T14:16:14.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beings wander from life to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By experience they learn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By knowledge they destine themselves to future lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until enough knowledge is attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wander no more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T14:16:14.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15236" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-25T15:55:11.040" Score="4" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are living in a world where everything and anything is/can be measured. My daily grind goes like this -&#xA;have a goal&#xA;take action&#xA;measure the result&#xA;fine tune / control the deviation.&#xA;and Do it every day. This got me thinking , how do i measure my spiritual growth?&#xA;What do i measure ? How do i know i have reached my goal or deviated from the Path? What are the units of measurement? Can spirituality be measured? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T14:43:44.400" Title="measuring spiritual growth" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15236" CreationDate="2016-05-25T16:57:35.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://meditationexpert.com/measuringmeditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;how to measure and deepen your spiritual realization&lt;/a&gt;&quot;... it's the best book to answer this question as well almost all spiritual questions. Some would say it is somewhat too extraordinary but it has kept me motivated throughout my youth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/Chapter4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;excerpt&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that recommendation in mind, here you go:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Important Buddhist measuring sticks&lt;/em&gt; (most of them analyzed in-depth in the 700 page manual mentioned above):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 5 skandhas and how liberated one is from them. See Surangama Sutra's last chapter.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Stages of Insight as a direct correlation towards Awakening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 37 Wings of Awakening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Mahayana paramitas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The level of achievement of the Trikaya: dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 8/9 samadhis&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One's chi/chakra purification status (this is a very low form of correlation though as the real brilliant students of dharma attain the formless attainments before the much slower form/desire-based achievements--the former of which are superior anyhow).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-05-26T16:59:24.053" LastActivityDate="2016-05-26T16:59:24.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15236" CreationDate="2016-05-25T18:11:28.643" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You spiritual growth can be measure by the power you have acquired in your life as your cycles of past and future lives come to bear on yourself and those around you. You will find that when you do as you should you will find wealth and position as befits your new understandings. This is the meaning of the parable of the treasure tower, which is one of the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8402" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T18:11:28.643" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15225" CreationDate="2016-05-25T18:26:23.397" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All life is suffering. The transition to death is an escape from the sufferings we bear when we are in life. This is the teachings which the Buddha made about life and we should not have any attachments to this. There are many precepts which teach about these things and death comes when we have had enough experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8402" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T18:26:23.397" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14872" CreationDate="2016-05-25T18:40:24.653" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha meditation is based on mindfulness and the path from calm (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) to insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt;) so it is very important so you must make sure you are relaxed and feeling comfortable when meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two important points in meditation -- the body and the mind, so you will need to make sure you body feels good when you meditate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is important to keep the body straight so that the subtle channels of the body will be straight, too.&lt;/strong&gt; If these subtle channels are straight, then the subtle energies within these channels will circulate freely. It is said that the mind is like a horse riding the circulation of the subtle energies of the body. When it is riding this energy freely, it is relaxed and peaceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The fivepoint description is usually used to help with this&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first point is that &lt;strong&gt;the body should be straight and upright.&lt;/strong&gt; It&#xA;should be &quot;as straight as an arrow&quot; which means one's back should be&#xA;straight and one shouldn't lean forwards, backwards, or to either&#xA;side.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second point is that &lt;strong&gt;the throat should be slightly bent downwards&#xA;like a hook&lt;/strong&gt;. There are two subtle channels inside the throat, and if&#xA;they are bent slightly forward, the energy will circulate in them&#xA;reducing mental agitation in one's meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The third point is that &lt;strong&gt;the legs should be crossed in &quot;patterns of&#xA;latticework&quot; which means that the legs should be kept in a crossed&#xA;position.&lt;/strong&gt; If one can put them in the full lotus posture, good. If&#xA;not, simply cross them in the half lotus posture.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fourth point is &lt;strong&gt;the body should be &quot;gathered together like&#xA;chains.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; After straightening the body, lock it in that position as&#xA;with iron shackles. The way to do this is to join the hands, placing&#xA;them the width of four fingers below the navel.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fifth point is to &lt;strong&gt;keep one's mind and body reasonably tight&#xA;exerting a certain amount of effort so the body and mind are composed&#xA;and focused. This is compared to one's tongue when one, for example,&#xA;pronounces the Tibetan letters &quot;li&quot; and &quot;ri&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; which requires a certain&#xA;amount of tension in the tongue. In the same way, one should always&#xA;maintain a certain amount of effort and alertness in the body and&#xA;mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The great teacher, Marpa, said that there are many different instructions on meditation posture, but he preferred this fivepoint posture saying that if one could keep the body in this posture, the subtle energy circulating in the body would be ideal and would actually circulate though the central channel of the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8402" LastEditorUserId="8402" LastEditDate="2016-05-25T19:43:12.687" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T19:43:12.687" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-25T18:44:37.573" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you believe that your wife needs to give you sex then you would benefit from studying the teachings of the Buddha which are to retain from sexual misconduct in all times or else you will not be born again into the life you want to but will be stuck forever in the cycle of birth and death and all suffering. If you cheat on your wife you will be cast into the hells for many culpas for your transgressions and this is Karma. If you are tempted think of this and you will be able to resist but you must know it is wrong because if you hurt your wife in this way she will not forgive you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8402" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T18:44:37.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15206" CreationDate="2016-05-25T22:23:52.347" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All percepts are interpretations of Buddha. Sexual misconduct was never defined for householders by Buddha. I am yet to come across a man who does not cheat. The moment a beautiful girl crosses by all men invariably stare at her. The momemt you look at a girl its cheating because staring implies looking for possible mating opportunity. Sex drops only after enlightenment. If someone is asking you not to have it has not understood it completely or he is carrying hypocracy commonly found in Asian men. Body heat cannot be controlled only transcended. Ofcourse sexual activity varies from person to person but only impotent men can refrain but potent men just cannot. One cannot and should not fight nature. It is because of this fight very few enlightened beings are produced. It does not matter which religion you belong to sex is something which is not easily handled. The reason of failure of all religions is primarily sex.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-05-25T22:23:52.347" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2016-05-26T00:27:17.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is actually concrete scientific evidence that time is empty of inherent existence. This scientific evidence comes from the theory of relativity, together with something about relativity that Einstein himself had not realized. This is the fact that Einstein’s second postulate of relativity — that the speed of light is constant relative to all inertial frames of reference — is not actually a fundamental law of nature but a consequence of the fact that we have defined time in accordance with how we experience the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a scientific fact that the rate our body functions is governed by the rate of electromagnetic transmission, since all cells and all organs in our body function via electromagnetism. This means that if we use our conscious experience as the standard for defining our time, we have actually defined time by the rate of electromagnetic transmission, which is the speed of light. That is why the speed of light is always constant — we have actually defined it to be so!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means is that we have also defined time according to our conscious experience (which depends on the speed of light). That explains why, in relativity, time distorts depending on the observer's state of motion. Time is thus only an entity that is dependently arisen since it depends on the imputation of the mind that gives it the label “time.” Time does not exist independent of the observer, and hence is empty of inherent existence from its own side. Without the observer, it does not even make sense to talk of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more detailed explanation can be found in my article “Relativity Proves that Time and Space are Empty of Inherent Existence.” &lt;a href=&quot;http://kenneth-chan.com/physics/relativity-proves-time-space-empty-inherent-existence/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://kenneth-chan.com/physics/relativity-proves-time-space-empty-inherent-existence/&lt;/a&gt;. It is probably necessary to look at this longer explanation to fully understand what I am trying to convey. It is just not possible to explain things well in a short answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more mathematical explanation of how time and space are derived from our conscious experience can be found in the paper “Time and Space.” &lt;a href=&quot;http://kenneth-chan.com/physics/time-and-space/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://kenneth-chan.com/physics/time-and-space/&lt;/a&gt; (This paper was refereed and approved for publication by Professor Kip S Thorne, who is a world authority on General Relativity.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please realise that this is concrete scientific proof that the Buddhist Madhyamaka teachings regarding time and space are correct. There are no speculative elements whatsoever in this proof; so even scientists will have to take it into account. Professor Kip S Thorne would not have approved the paper &quot;Time and Space&quot; for publication if the dramatic findings there were based on speculation of any kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8407" LastEditorUserId="8407" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T22:07:52.280" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T22:07:52.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11217" CreationDate="2016-05-26T01:14:11.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha exclusively used the term 'dependent origination' to refer to twelve conditions that lead to suffering. Once you adhere to the Nagarjuna (Mahayana) view on 'dependent origination' (i.e., cause &amp;amp; effect or &lt;strong&gt;conditionality&lt;/strong&gt;) there will be conflicts since conditionality &amp;amp; the idea of 'no inherent existence' is difficult to apply to all things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'no-inherent-existence' ('emptiness' - 'sunnata') the Buddha was concerned with was the emptiness of 'self', i.e., 'egoism' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.85&lt;/a&gt;). The Buddha was not concerned with the 'no inherent existence' of time since time obviously does not have a 'self', 'ego' or 'personality view'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the laws of nature (&lt;em&gt;dhamma-niyama&lt;/em&gt;), which are conditionality, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, not-self, emptiness, etc. If they lacked inherent existence then they would not exist. How could they be 'lawful'? Even the idea of 'no inherent existence' would have 'no inherent existence'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught impermanent things naturally cannot be a 'self'. But this does not mean the opposite must apply, namely, permanent things must be a 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People often ask: &quot;If all things are impermanent, is impermanence itself impermanent?&quot; Naturally, this question is irrelevant since the Buddha only taught &lt;em&gt;conditioned&lt;/em&gt; things are impermanent &amp;amp; never taught that impermanence is a conditioned thing. Thus it is reasonable to conclude impermanence is permanent; just as not-self/emptiness (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;) is permanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-26T01:46:53.927" LastActivityDate="2016-05-26T01:46:53.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14870" CreationDate="2016-05-26T04:17:48.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nose tips or everywhere else is ok.&#xA;But when you found an obvoius point to observe.&#xA;Use that single point your entire life, focus on that, And don't try to move to everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do sammadi to make Janas.&#xA;Janas means become firmillar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you become firmillar with that point, Your mind will automatically observe that point without thinking of it or taking any effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8397" LastActivityDate="2016-05-26T04:17:48.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15236" CreationDate="2016-05-26T07:23:34.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the word &lt;em&gt;measurement&lt;/em&gt; really is the wrong term, because the spiritual path lies beyond the world and &lt;em&gt;gain&lt;/em&gt; is literally a worldly concern. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;em&gt;8 wordly dhammas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gain and loss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;acclaim and slander&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;status and loss of status&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;happiness and suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha gave this simile about progress in the practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as when a carpenter or carpenter's apprentice sees the marks of his fingers or thumb on the handle of his adze but does not know, 'Today my adze handle wore down this much, or yesterday it wore down that much, or the day before yesterday it wore down this much,' still he knows it is worn through when it is worn through. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, he does not know, 'Today my effluents wore down this much, or yesterday they wore down that much, or the day before yesterday they wore down this much,' still he knows they are worn through when they are worn through. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.101&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind that it's not important how &quot;much growth&quot; you have in the practice, because you cannot change your past which conditions this. Your only concern should be to practice now and keep your practice on the path. There is &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/O-dX-a0fmmM?t=2875&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a good explanation&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahmali about how you know that your practice is going in the right direction: in summary, it's going in the right direction if good states (peacefulness, mindfulness, gentleness inside, virtue, morality, kindness, understanding of the dhamma, all these things come together) are increasing and bad qualities (restlessness and desires) are declining, within the span of one meditation session or more powerfully over months and years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-27T14:43:44.400" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T14:43:44.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2016-05-26T07:32:21.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My rep is not enough to comment. I've no reference, So this answer may not be good for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can confirm you that your feeling, memory, thinking in next life still there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But your exist body today are void.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even you reached Nirvana your memory, thinking also still there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's the feeling of Arahant. You can talk or go to everywhere even in this earth with Nirvana's divine body but no more greediness, angriness, sensuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever you are in this rebirth circle. You've a possibility to go to hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the only problem that we have to reach Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8397" LastEditorDisplayName="user8397" LastEditDate="2016-05-26T19:11:18.920" LastActivityDate="2016-05-26T19:11:18.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15209" CreationDate="2016-05-27T21:45:34.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the mouse's karma to die, and the cat's karma to kill the mouse. We recognize that animals live in the realm where they cannot comprehend and benefit from the dharma. You could have saved that mouse, maybe, but it would not change the fact that some animal would most likely kill it. We can only direct our own karma, not the karma of others. You can save a cow from slaughter only to have it killed in pasture by a wolf. Do that which is compassionate, engaging in altruistic loving kindness and generousity. Do not beat yourself up because you cannot or did not save a single creature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-27T21:45:34.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8631" CreationDate="2016-05-28T00:58:30.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My research and practice of meditation in this area is something I have internally debated for many years also. Comparing Zen, which is extracted from the Mahayana Tradition comparing it to my first love and study of the Theravada tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly the major differences that I have traced between Mahayana and Theravada is that Mahayana, is essentially a revised and blended system. Mixed with Taoism and Confusion (i don't think I spelt that correctly but anyway). There are many mystic and magical things written and adopted within Mahayana that are not present with Theravada which is the written adoption of what was taught originally by Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you follow one or the other, or Zen or Vajrayana it doesn't matter, as long as you yourself are compassionate and a good person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The major difference I have discovered is the approach to your own salvation. Theravada emphasizes you cultivate through meditation and compassion towards Buddhahood and then when you have reached where you can, you help others. Like climbing over a tall wall, you get up and then help other get up there with you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana on the other hand has the opposite approach, first you help others as you travel the path so that they may reach their own enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Zen the approach seems to be neither here nor there with the path. Adopted from Ch'an with the Japanese strictness and systematic approach it focuses on a very deep foundation of meditation through which you achieve clarity. With this clarity one then is able to see things in a different light and able to help others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I were to classify myself I would be Theravadin, however I practice Zen style breathing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Zen and Mahayana and Theravada where a venn diagram they would all overlap with each other with with areas distinct to each.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing I can recommend, which Gautama Buddha himself teaches, is that you study and practice meditation. I believe that if you study deeply into one of doctrines and understand it, then you will be able to study the next and so forth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always comparing will cause confusion and distress in your mind and you won't be able to understand any of them at the end of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha said, question everything and make sure that it aligns with your own morals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8417" LastActivityDate="2016-05-28T00:58:30.557" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15200" CreationDate="2016-05-28T14:53:54.180" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;lo= mind, and jong=learn, train, purify. It is a combination of pithy instructions for training the mind on the Buddhist path, particularly for those who have taken bodhisattva vows, but can be used by any practitioner. It trains the mind to awaken compassion for self and others. Rather than dwelling on obstacles, crying mea culpa, one uses them to learn by taking on the suffering of self and others as a training exercise to improve the depth of ones compassion. The steps to mind training together with explanation are too extensive for this forum, however, Jamgon Kontrul's &quot;The Great Path to Awakening&quot; is a good place to find more in depth answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-28T14:53:54.180" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11379" CreationDate="2016-05-28T19:10:05.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Discernment (wisdom; panna) &amp;amp; consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It's not possible, having separated them one from the other, to delineate the difference between them. For what one discerns, that one cognizes. What one cognizes, that one discerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling, perception, &amp;amp; consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another, to delineate the difference among them. For what one feels, that one perceives. What one perceives, that one cognizes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahavedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-28T20:47:10.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14330" CreationDate="2016-05-28T19:10:07.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Autosuggestion engages the subconscious mind, and or a hypnotic state where one can induce self-oriented behaviors. This is not in keeping with calm abiding meditation, or insight meditation. One needs to stay awake and mindful in order to direct the meditation. In calm abiding the goal is to empty the mind of conceptual thoughts or at least push them aside so as not to dwell on them. One can use a focal point such as a picture of a deity, or the breath. However, when using an aid do not allow yourself to become hypnotized...keep mindful. This clear mind meditation will eventually lead to insight meditation, where one can meditate solely on matters related to dharma, without being interrupted by what needs to go on your grocery list!! Your success will come with practice. Your procrastination is an obstacle to be overcome, and that too is a beneficial practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-28T19:10:07.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14330" CreationDate="2016-05-28T20:40:31.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. This is good to do &lt;strong&gt;before and after meditation&lt;/strong&gt; (as opposed to DURING meditation) for the beginner and advanced student alike. (This is traditionally included in the form of loving kindness meditation e.g. &quot;May I/all beings be free from suffering&quot; etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DURING meditation however, whether it is samatha or vipassana, it is generally important to focus on practicing the technique: calmness abiding or naked awareness. On the other hand, one can use affirmations to summon specific qualities. I would recommend only using the same words as found in Buddhist manuals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Five Faculties are important to have in balance. One can make up affirmations relative for each characteristic. For example for mindfulness: &quot;my mindfulness faculty is balanced and strong&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your question though was aimed at the preliminary aspect of just setting up meditation habit which is absolutely crucial and I would recommend the following affirmations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I find it easy to sit in samatha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I sit without distraction for however long I like&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be intelligent in your affirmation design and do not make them unrealistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conclusively, understanding Buddhism in relation to purpose and life's priorities is the best fix-all though (i.e. motivation) and I would recommend the free book &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot; to get a good modern understanding of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T23:05:10.663" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T23:05:10.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14232" CreationDate="2016-05-29T03:23:34.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this post I will touch on one aspect of the Vipassana side to Anapanasati meditation - Contemplation of Mind Objects. Contemplating on Impermanence, He Trains (as part of Anapanasati Meditation) “Contemplating impermanence, he breathes in. Contemplating impermanence, he breathes out. Thus, he trains himself.”&#xA;Anicca means ‘impermanence’. Being able to see everything in terms of impermanence is not something that comes automatically after gaining concentration of mind. Now, he trains himself to breathe in contemplating impermanence, and he trains himself to breathe out contemplating impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some meditation teachers declare that impermanence is something that just becomes visible to a mind, like appearing in a meter, and enables one to gain something called ‘vipassana nana’ (insight knowledge) by continuous determination. This theory or view is not in accordance with the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is something that should be developed and pursued mindfully and discerningly. Now, he trains himself to breathe in focusing on impermanence, and to breathe out focusing on impermanence. Purity of mind has been achieved through the elimination of the hindrances (nivarana). His effort, mindfulness and concentration are now being directed towards focusing on impermanence. He is contemplating on impermanence within anapanasati. He can see the impermanent nature of his own breath in its rise and fall; the impermanence of his body; and the impermanent nature of the pleasant feeling and perception that he experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has he seen in the body? What does this body consist of? This physical body contains and comprises the four great elements, which are known as: solidity/earth (pathavi), fluidity/water (apo), heat or temperature (tejo) and air (vayo). We generally use the word rupa (material form) to denote the body. When he is breathing in and out, he is focusing on impermanence of material form which is derived from the four great elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereafter, he is focusing on feelings. Dependent on contact, feeling arises. What is contact? Contact is the coming together of three things. For example, eye, form and eye-consciousness come together, and it is their convergence, that is called contact. Similarly, with ear and sounds, nose and smells, and so on, through to mind and mental-objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this instance, when body, tangible object and consciousness come together, there arises contact. With the arising of contact, simultaneously, there arises feeling (vedana) – feeling born of body contact. Since feeling is conditioned by contact, feeling differs in accordance with the change of contact. This way, he contemplates on the impermanence of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there is the recognition of perception. This is called sañña (perception) which is also subject to change as it is conditioned by contact. Perception changes due to impermanence of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Formations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is followed by sankhara (mental formations). If the mental factor was directed to a certain matter, on that occasion there is volitional activity, and this is called sankhara. Here, he observes the impermanence of the mental formation with the change of contact. All these are based on the activities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he understands every aspect in this life process which was considered as self (form, feeling, perception and formation); or anything pertaining to a self. He has real wisdom to see things as they really are. One may contemplate on impermanence saying “anicca, anicca” continuously, but still be holding onto the notion of “I am” or “mine”. To avoid this, it is important to realize the impermanent, no-self nature in inhalation-exhalation and in any other external object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he sees the impermanent nature of all that has been cognized (the rise and fall of breath, rapture, joy, feelings, and perceptions). It is through this insight that the true nature of the five aggregates of clinging is understood and seen in the light of impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;material form (rupa) derived from the four great elements,&#xA;feeling (vedana) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;perception (sañña) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;mental formations (sankhara) that is conditioned by contact, and&#xA;consciousness (viññana) that is conditioned by mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being fully concentrated on anapanasati, he now dwells ardent, with full awareness, and clear comprehension of impermanence. With the base of this awareness, established in anicca (impermanence), he develops an understanding of his own life, the impermanent nature of others who breathe and live, and the impermanent nature of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness (the five aggregates of clinging).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, he observes the impermanent characteristic of phenomenal existence, internally and externally. He does not see a difference in him and the outer world. He sees the characteristic of phenomenal existence as subject to cause and effect. Now he is gaining knowledge, and his comprehension is increasing. He sees things as they really are, in whatever material form: whether past, present or future, far or near, external or internal. He sees the impermanence even of the rapture and pleasure that he is experiencing in breathing mindfully. Now, based on the impermanent breath, he understands the impermanent nature of the five aggregates of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He realizes that whatever is impermanent and subject to change, is suffering (dukkha). And, whatever is impermanent is without self (anatta). It is through this insight that the true nature of the aggregates is clearly seen; in the light of three signs (ti-lakkhana): impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He sees the impermanent, suffering and no-self nature of all conditioned and component things. As a result, he knows there is no “I”, no self, or anything pertaining to a self. When he trains himself to breathe in and out focusing on impermanence, he understands that anything taken as ‘mine’ is impermanent; anything taken as ‘I am’ is impermanent; and anything that is taken as ‘my self’ is impermanent. He realizes that whatever is impermanent, is without self. That which is without self, is not ‘mine’, not ‘I am’, and is not ‘my self’. Thus he sees everything as it really is – with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:23:34.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9056" CreationDate="2016-05-29T03:33:20.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever is impermanent (anicca), is without self (anatta). So to realize ‘without self’  (anatta), one has to contemplate on impermanence (anicca), and this is how it is done:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplating on Impermanence, He Trains (as part of Anapanasati Meditation) “Contemplating impermanence, he breathes in. Contemplating impermanence, he breathes out. Thus, he trains himself.”&#xA;Anicca means ‘impermanence’. Being able to see everything in terms of impermanence is not something that comes automatically after gaining concentration of mind. Now, he trains himself to breathe in contemplating impermanence, and he trains himself to breathe out contemplating impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some meditation teachers declare that impermanence is something that just becomes visible to a mind, like appearing in a meter, and enables one to gain something called ‘vipassana nana’ (insight knowledge) by continuous determination. This theory or view is not in accordance with the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is something that should be developed and pursued mindfully and discerningly. Now, he trains himself to breathe in focusing on impermanence, and to breathe out focusing on impermanence. Purity of mind has been achieved through the elimination of the hindrances (nivarana). His effort, mindfulness and concentration are now being directed towards focusing on impermanence. He is contemplating on impermanence within anapanasati. He can see the impermanent nature of his own breath in its rise and fall; the impermanence of his body; and the impermanent nature of the pleasant feeling and perception that he experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has he seen in the body? What does this body consist of? This physical body contains and comprises the four great elements, which are known as: solidity/earth (pathavi), fluidity/water (apo), heat or temperature (tejo) and air (vayo). We generally use the word rupa (material form) to denote the body. When he is breathing in and out, he is focusing on impermanence of material form which is derived from the four great elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereafter, he is focusing on feelings. Dependent on contact, feeling arises. What is contact? Contact is the coming together of three things. For example, eye, form and eye-consciousness come together, and it is their convergence, that is called contact. Similarly, with ear and sounds, nose and smells, and so on, through to mind and mental-objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this instance, when body, tangible object and consciousness come together, there arises contact. With the arising of contact, simultaneously, there arises feeling (vedana) – feeling born of body contact. Since feeling is conditioned by contact, feeling differs in accordance with the change of contact. This way, he contemplates on the impermanence of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there is the recognition of perception. This is called sañña (perception) which is also subject to change as it is conditioned by contact. Perception changes due to impermanence of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Formations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is followed by sankhara (mental formations). If the mental factor was directed to a certain matter, on that occasion there is volitional activity, and this is called sankhara. Here, he observes the impermanence of the mental formation with the change of contact. All these are based on the activities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he understands every aspect in this life process which was considered as self (form, feeling, perception and formation); or anything pertaining to a self. He has real wisdom to see things as they really are. One may contemplate on impermanence saying “anicca, anicca” continuously, but still be holding onto the notion of “I am” or “mine”. To avoid this, it is important to realize the impermanent, no-self nature in inhalation-exhalation and in any other external object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he sees the impermanent nature of all that has been cognized (the rise and fall of breath, rapture, joy, feelings, and perceptions). It is through this insight that the true nature of the five aggregates of clinging is understood and seen in the light of impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;material form (rupa) derived from the four great elements,&#xA;feeling (vedana) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;perception (sañña) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;mental formations (sankhara) that is conditioned by contact, and&#xA;consciousness (viññana) that is conditioned by mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being fully concentrated on anapanasati, he now dwells ardent, with full awareness, and clear comprehension of impermanence. With the base of this awareness, established in anicca (impermanence), he develops an understanding of his own life, the impermanent nature of others who breathe and live, and the impermanent nature of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness (the five aggregates of clinging).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, he observes the impermanent characteristic of phenomenal existence, internally and externally. He does not see a difference in him and the outer world. He sees the characteristic of phenomenal existence as subject to cause and effect. Now he is gaining knowledge, and his comprehension is increasing. He sees things as they really are, in whatever material form: whether past, present or future, far or near, external or internal. He sees the impermanence even of the rapture and pleasure that he is experiencing in breathing mindfully. Now, based on the impermanent breath, he understands the impermanent nature of the five aggregates of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He realizes that whatever is impermanent and subject to change, is suffering (dukkha). And, whatever is impermanent is without self (anatta). It is through this insight that the true nature of the aggregates is clearly seen; in the light of three signs (ti-lakkhana): impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He sees the impermanent, suffering and no-self nature of all conditioned and component things. As a result, he knows there is no “I”, no self, or anything pertaining to a self. When he trains himself to breathe in and out focusing on impermanence, he understands that anything taken as ‘mine’ is impermanent; anything taken as ‘I am’ is impermanent; and anything that is taken as ‘my self’ is impermanent. He realizes that whatever is impermanent, is without self. That which is without self, is not ‘mine’, not ‘I am’, and is not ‘my self’. Thus he sees everything as it really is – with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:33:20.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9004" CreationDate="2016-05-29T03:41:23.950" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati meditation is not for everyone. This meditation needs to be developed and pursued ardently with thorough understanding and awareness. One should realize how strong and enormous the mental effort and patience need to be, in order to bring about mental purity and perfection. You can take something from Supreme Buddha's advice to his son, Rahula, on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone can develop anapanasati bhavana immediately. Once, Venerable Rahula, as a young novice, approached Arahant Sariputta, and was advised to develop and pursue anapanasati. At the time, Venerable Rahula did not know the way to develop anapanasati, and so, he went to the Blessed One and asked, “Would the Blessed One teach me about anapanasati?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One, when exhorting the novice Venerable Rahula, first gave detailed instructions on vipassana – a method to investigate with insight, by analyzing aggregates, material elements, sense spheres, etc…, and then finally instructed him on the practice of anapanasati meditation. The reason is that the Blessed One recognized Venerable Rahula’s temperament and what would be most suitable for him. Could we all be cured from our various illnesses by using one type of medicine? No, we could not. Different medicines are being prescribed for different types of ailments, depending on each individual’s physical condition. Likewise, as temperaments differ, so do the objects of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha taught many ways to meditate. The Blessed One taught anapanasati to those with the ability to keep mindfulness well. The Supreme Buddha was emphatic on the importance of practicing anapanasati, and described it as peaceful, sublime, and perfects the four foundations of mindfulness. However, if one continually tries but cannot establish mindfulness on breathing, then he can practice other kinds of meditation for the time being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:41:23.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2016-05-29T03:50:08.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Crab bucket, if only you have taken the &quot;impermanence&quot; and &quot;anatta&quot; aspects a bit further into your meditation, you would have arrived at the &quot;Suffering&quot; aspect of it. Let me explain this to you...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being fully concentrated on anapanasati, he now dwells ardent, with full awareness, and clear comprehension of impermanence. With the base of this awareness, established in anicca (impermanence), he develops an understanding of his own life, the impermanent nature of others who breathe and live, and the impermanent nature of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness (the five aggregates of clinging).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, he observes the impermanent characteristic of phenomenal existence, internally and externally. He does not see a difference in him and the outer world. He sees the characteristic of phenomenal existence as subject to cause and effect. Now he is gaining knowledge, and his comprehension is increasing. He sees things as they really are, in whatever material form: whether past, present or future, far or near, external or internal. He sees the impermanence even of the rapture and pleasure that he is experiencing in breathing mindfully. Now, based on the impermanent breath, he understands the impermanent nature of the five aggregates of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He realizes that whatever is impermanent and subject to change, is suffering (dukkha). And, whatever is impermanent is without self (anatta). It is through this insight that the true nature of the aggregates is clearly seen; in the light of three signs (ti-lakkhana): impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He sees the impermanent, suffering and no-self nature of all conditioned and component things. As a result, he knows there is no “I”, no self, or anything pertaining to a self. When he trains himself to breathe in and out focusing on impermanence, he understands that anything taken as ‘mine’ is impermanent; anything taken as ‘I am’ is impermanent; and anything that is taken as ‘my self’ is impermanent. He realizes that whatever is impermanent, is without self. That which is without self, is not ‘mine’, not ‘I am’, and is not ‘my self’. Thus he sees everything as it really is – with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T03:50:08.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10100" CreationDate="2016-05-29T04:06:23.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Towards the later stages of the meditation you come to a stage where you are fully concentrated on the breath. Your concentration is very high. Rapturous joy, calm, and peace of mind are incredible experiences for you – something have have not experienced before. Now I will go to a third party person (You will become 'he/his/him from now on.) Remember, he is training himself. Therefore, he does not cling to this rapturous joy. He trains himself to breathe in experiencing rapture, and to breathe out experiencing rapture. He continues this in a calm detached way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people become elated when they get the feeling of happiness and bliss to the body and mind. A mind that is obsessed by elation cannot concentrate. At that point, the concentration he gained would disappear. Then he starts regretting as to why he could not uphold the concentration he developed previously. Concentration, rapturous joy, calm, and peace of mind and body, are causally dependent; they are conditioned results. They do not arise by chance. If the mind is self, there wouldn’t be a problem. As it would be possible to say with regards to the mind, ‘Let my mind be thus.’ However, mind is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out sensitive to rapture. Calming the entire process of body and mind, he is experiencing rapture. He is experiencing this as a result of continuous exertion for deliverance from mental defilements (atapi) and from clear comprehension (sampajano).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the rapture easeful or stressful? It is indeed easeful – physically and mentally. He is breathing in sensitive to pleasure and breathing out sensitive to pleasure, experiencing bliss. You can understand to what extent he has tamed his mind. The common nature of the mind is that it can be swayed by anything. He has trained himself and therefore, his mind is not being mesmerized by pleasure and rapture. His mind is tamed, controlled and restrained with continuous exertion for deliverance from defilements. His mind is fully concentrated on the breath, and his concentration is very high. What will he do next? He Trains Experiencing the Mental Formations. That is the next step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T04:06:23.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11469" CreationDate="2016-05-29T04:15:07.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For this meditation one needs the sitting posture with a straightened upper body and legs crossed. The Blessed One always recommended this sitting posture for anapanasati meditation. The Blessed One had not advocated a sitting posture for any other type of meditation. However, a person who has gained mental development through anapanasati meditation, can then continue by maintaining any posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Ujum kayam panidhaya parimukham satim upatthapetva” – “Holding his body erect, he sets mindfulness on the body.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, the normal breath should be noticed and observed. It is essential to be mindful of the breath. But, are we able to at once focus the mind on the breath and eliminate all other thoughts? No, it is difficult to do so. The mind wanders to other thoughts. This is the nature of the unrestrained body and mind. That is why it is essential to first discipline ourselves in speech and action. Then, we can train our mind for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have performed an unskilful action with your body and speech, your mind gets agitated and keeps on repenting the act. To avoid this, one should have a strong determination to preserve mindfulness, and never act mindlessly. If we entertain various kinds of distracting thoughts, we cannot train the mind to concentrate on the object of meditation. That is why the mental calm through virtue is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The foundation is virtue or morality (sila). This is the discipline in speech, action and thought. Control of verbal and physical action is somewhat easy. The more difficult task is controlling the mind. Nevertheless, there is a technique for disciplining the mind. It is called the restraint of faculties.&#xA;First, a person would abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and taking liquor or drugs that cause intoxication. Now, he is controlled with respect to physical action. Then, he would abstain from false speech, divisive speech, abusive speech and idle chatter. Now, he has anchored himself in refraining from unskilful actions with both body and speech. The next step would be controlling of mind. Having developed the virtues that purify speech and action, cleansing his thoughts is now a less difficult task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would be the process he adopts for mental development? He would go about it in the following manner. We have five physical sense organs – eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. The awareness or consciousness comes through these sense organs. He begins by preventing the cultivation of unwholesome thoughts. Let’s assume there is something that is unwholesome and blameworthy, yet we desire it very much. What should we do in this situation? We must be intelligent enough to think thus: ‘Although I am enjoying this at this moment, it will bring painful consequences throughout samsara’. In this manner, with the understanding of the misery and suffering of endless samsara, every effort must be made to prevent the arising of evil and unwholesome thoughts. This is the way to establish a solid base for developing the fourfold mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The in-breathing and out-breathing we know is automatic, and this happens throughout the day. However, when we try to breathe mindfully it is indeed complicated. Some people face difficulties in breathing when they try to breathe consciously, or mindfully. Some cannot notice the breath. The breath flows freely in its own natural rhythm; and normally, this flow of breath is not noticed. However, it is not easy to be mindful of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start your meditation on mindfulness of in and out breathing with your eyes closed. Merely allow the breath to ebb and flow freely under the light of full awareness. Your one and only aim is to focus the mind on the breath. You should not try to find the point where the moving air strokes the nostrils, but keep your focus at the nose breath. Breathe in and breathe out mindfully with full awareness. Your breathing should be very natural and effortless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T04:15:07.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10100" CreationDate="2016-05-29T05:28:26.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stage 4 is calming the breath ('&lt;em&gt;kaya sankhara&lt;/em&gt;': 'body conditioner'). Thus, naturally, stage 5 (experiencing rapture) is a product of stage 4. Stage 4 is a product of the instruction: &quot;&lt;em&gt;He trains himself&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which means training in &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt; of craving &amp;amp; attachment. Therefore, why would anyone crave to experience rapture? Is not such craving contrary to the training instructions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rapture is certainly a jhana factor however rapture can also arise on the lower levels of &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;khanikasamadhi&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;neighborhood&lt;/em&gt; concentration (&lt;em&gt;upacāra-samādhi&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enthusiastic beginner meditators can generate &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; rapture from &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; concentration by heavily suppressing thought. Such beginners end up in the situation described in this thread by Saptha Visuddhi, where they cling to &amp;amp; crave this coarse rapture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Neighborhood&lt;/em&gt; concentration (unlike &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; concentration) produces genuine rapture since in &lt;em&gt;neighborhood&lt;/em&gt; concentration the mind is sufficiently &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt; for rapture to arise from tranquility (rather than from the will) and sufficiently &lt;strong&gt;detached&lt;/strong&gt; to see the rapture as '&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; 'not-self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both &lt;em&gt;neighborhood&lt;/em&gt; concentration &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;attainment&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;) concentration are path factors or transcendent (enlightened) concentration. (Stream-enterers, for example, have mastered &lt;em&gt;neighborhood&lt;/em&gt; concentration but not reached &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind has path level concentration, it already knows the (preliminary) taste of peace (Nibbana) that comes from &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt;. Therefore, when rapture arises, in comparison to the &lt;em&gt;nibbanic&lt;/em&gt; peace, the rapture is felt as disturbing &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;momentary&lt;/em&gt; concentration taught by people such as Leigh Brasington is spiritual materialism or spiritual egoism. It is unrelated to the instructions &amp;amp; description in the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt; since the last 14 stages of the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt; each have the instruction of: &quot;He trains himself&quot;, which means full training in morality, concentration &amp;amp; wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever the mind is engaged in clinging, craving &amp;amp; delighting in pleasant feelings, this is not training in wisdom. Instead, the Buddha compared it to children that delight in building sandcastles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-29T05:51:16.057" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T05:51:16.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15268" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15272" CreationDate="2016-05-29T11:54:17.730" Score="6" ViewCount="10756" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1377/157&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; to '&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1365/157&quot;&gt;Are all Buddhists vegetarian?&lt;/a&gt;' the poster says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[the Dalai Lama] has a medical condition that disallows&#xA;  him to be a strict vegetarian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard this before and never questioned it. But thinking about it - what kind of medical condition would preclude the Dalai Lama from being a vegetarian. Suddenly I feel very skeptical that there is any such condition. Is that unfair?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2019-07-27T23:41:02.343" Title="Why can't the Dalai Lama be a vegetarian?" Tags="|food|dalai-lama|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15191" CreationDate="2016-05-29T11:59:09.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;“Loneliness is the poverty of self, solitude is the richness of self.” May Sarton (1912-1995) “We seem so frightened today of being alone that we never let it happen. Even if family, friends, and the movies should fail, there is still the radio or television to fill up the void. We can do our housework with soap-opera heroes at our side. Now, instead of planting our solitude with our own dream blossoms, we choke the space with continuous music, chatter, and companionship to which we do not even listen. It is simply there to fill the vacuum. When the noise stops there is no inner music to take its place. We must re-learn to be alone.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Aristotle has rightly stated that man is a social animal, Men wish to live in society, enjoy companionship, and happy to be crowded by fellow beings. Brahmajala sutta maintains that the initial feeling the first being to reappear in the present age of world reformation felt was loneliness. He wanted company. So, according to the Buddhist story also, the need of company and consequential necessity of interpersonal relations is ingrained in living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha’s practised (and, of course, made the followers also practice) seclusion only till they attained spiritual heights. After the attainments, they return to society to be in service for the benefit of many (bahujana). The Buddha once said “I, Udayi, sometimes, stay crowded by monks and nuns, lay disciples both men and women, by kings and chief ministers, by leaders and disciples of other sects.” (Majjhima Nikaya 11.8) According to Balakrishna Govinda Gokhale, the Buddha’s refusal of Devadatta’s five proposals is evidence to the fact that he did not want to make monks totally outside the social relationships. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Making those conditions compulsory would have meant a complete termination of all inter-personal relations even among the members of the Sangha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T11:59:09.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14761" CreationDate="2016-05-29T12:15:14.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we discuss virtuous living and behaviour according to the Buddha's teaching, two special Pali words are used - kusala and punna. Kusala has come to mean 'karmically wholesome', while punna is taken to mean 'merit'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often Buddhists in Sri Lanka use the two words to describe one and the same kind of activity - &quot;meritorious&quot;. However it would be good to look at these two words in the context of the Buddha's discourses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a difference in the two words, and have to be taken in the context in which they are used. The Buddha has said, &quot;Accumulate much wholesome actions.&quot; He has used the term 'wholesome' in the practice of the Noble eight-fold path, and development of tranquillity and insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Merit is the term often used to describe actions that bring about spiritual welfare and contentment. He has discoursed, &quot;Bhikkhus, 'pleasant disposition' is another word for 'merit.&quot; That would mean one should engage in meritorious deeds to receive a life of comfort and contentment. He has also said that it is an auspicious event in life to be possessing previously accumulated merits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a view among a few lay people as well as monks today that since merits prolong the process of existence and the round of rebirths, one needs to accumulate only wholesome actions and not merit. One gets into debate about merit and wholesome actions due to non understanding of the reasons for the continuance of the round of rebirths. Round of rebirths occur due to Dependent Origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the continuance of the round of rebirths occurs due to Dependent Origination, the latter must cease for the round of rebirths to cease occurring. The way to make that happen is to follow the Noble Eight-fold Path. To fulfil that process, one needs to association of noble friends, hearing the Doctrine and keep company with righteous people. He would also need a rebirth conducive to fulfil the process of following the Noble Eightfold Path. Now, that is where merit plays its part. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A rebirth in worlds of the Brahmas and Devas becomes a very helpful asset to one who searches for the goal of Nibbana. Such rebirths are the results of merits. So we must understand the true worth of merit. Those who spend the time arguing &quot;We do not need merit but only wholesome deeds&quot; unfortunately may end up getting neither. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Undoubtedly, it would be a wholesome action to have a thorough understanding of Merit and wholesome actions before one would discuss them. Trying to discredit merit can only result in accumulating unwholesome actions. The Buddha has this to say about merit: &quot;If one has enthusiasm to do a meritorious deed, do so over and over again. Develop a desire to do merit. Merit is comfort.&quot; &#xA;The Buddha's consistently emphatic message is to annihilate desire. However, He exhorts desire for merit because merit is needed to make our lives comfortable and conducive to search the goal of Nibbana. Our birth in this world and all our good achievements are results of accumulated merits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those who may say that in today's world many things need money and therefore even doing merit can be expensive. However that may be, money and merit have no real proportion. Merit is something that does not measure and count with money. Merit is based on a non-aggressive and virtuous mentality. &#xA;Merit has its origin in right thinking. It is the right thinking that teaches us the benefit of selfless giving, benefit of merit, that good and bad actions have similar outcomes, there is benefit in taking care of one's parents. To say that one cannot do meritorious actions for want of money would not amount to right thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observing the five precepts, observing the eight precepts on Poya day, Contemplation of the Buddha, Contemplation of the Dhamma and Contemplation of the Sangha, and meditation on loving kindness do not cost money. In short, we can earn merit even from the dish water we throw away. Thus the talk that merit is costly may be misleading to those who don't have money as well as to those whose wealth is more than they can count. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:15:14.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14025" CreationDate="2016-05-29T12:32:17.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Samyutta Nikaya Sutta 16.13, the Buddha warned that the true Dhamma would remain unadulterated for 500 years after his passing into Nibbana. Thereafter, it will become very difficult to distinguish the true Teachings from the false. Why? Because although many of these books contain a lot of Dhamma, some adhamma (i.e. what is contrary to the Dhamma) are added here and there. These alterations scattered throughout the text are only noticeable if one is sharp and very well versed in the earliest 4 Nikayas. Otherwise, one would find it very difficult to distinguish the later books from the earlier ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha likened this to gold trading. The market for gold will be strong when people are confident that it is pure, but if we come to a time when it is possible to make fake &quot;gold&quot; which is difficult to distinguish from real gold, people will be reluctant to buy. So it is that if the Dhamma becomes polluted with adhamma (ie what is contrary to the dhamma), people will start to lose interest in the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if someone tells you that it is necessary to have kamatahan, whether it is a well known monk or layman, then he/she spread and promote an adhamma.- - a falsehood. If I write, what I write for your eyes and ears only it is a ‘kamatahan’. But what I write is open to one and all, thus it is open and transparent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:32:17.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15268" CreationDate="2016-05-29T12:32:21.317" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rvgn.org/2014/08/10/is-the-dalai-lama-a-vegetarian/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is the Dalai Lama a vegetarian?&lt;/a&gt; on a web site named &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Reasonable Vegan&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 he took residence in India, the birthplace of the Buddha and a region with a rich tradition of vegetarianism. Here he adopted a vegetarian diet which he has described as being rich in milk and cream[2]. After 20 months of vegetarianism he succumbed to a Hepatitis B infection [3] and was encouraged by his doctors to resume consumption of meat to aid his recovery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The web site's opinion is that meat-eating isn't necessary (which contradicts his doctors' advice):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s quite possible that doctors advised this change in diet, but it is unnecessary advice since usually acute hepatitis B infection in adults is overcome by the patients own immune system. If the Dalai Lama’s infection was severe (which from his description it sounds like it was, jaundice causing yellowing of the skin is seen in patients suffering severe hepatitis B) he may have required antiviral treatment. Some studies have been published assessing the potential effects of nutritional supplements or adjustments on Hepatitis B patients none of which suggest consuming meat as either a remedy or therapy[5]. Eating healthily is advised for all patients especially those with liver inflammation so perhaps the advice to change his diet was appropriate ‘lay off the cream’ but returning to regular consumption of meat is unlikely to have had any effect on his recovery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since recovering from his illness the Dalai Lama has remained convinced that he is unable to be vegetarian, let alone vegan. It is hard to understand how he can maintain this belief when brief research into hepatitis B or the nutritional adequacy of a well balanced vegetarian or vegan diet reveals etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also FYI, here's a different article which may give some background information or insight into the prescriptions of Tibetan doctors: &lt;a href=&quot;http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/05/health/dalai-lama-doctor/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Medical advice from the Dalai Lama's doctor&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:32:21.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12257" CreationDate="2016-05-29T12:43:16.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another way to put your question (re-phrase) is... &quot;Is criticizing other religions allowed in Buddhism?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that criticism is fair and aims to correct others, then it’s allowed and is a good thing to do. As it is mentioned above in Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta, Jainism is criticized by Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha was one of the first crusaders against caste system, an apartheid evil ideology started by Aryans who used it to suppress indigenous Indian people. Lord Buddha was a social reformer and thoroughly criticized the animal sacrifices and discrimination of women which was common in the Hindu society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A heartfelt touching discourse of Lord Buddha on animal sacrifice comes in the Sutta Nipata, Brahmana-dhammika Sutta. In this discourse, it is discussed about the ethical conduct fit for a Brahmin. Lord Buddha speaks respectfully of ancient Brahmins who rejected disdainfully the taking of life and never allowed their religious rites to be contaminated by the blood of poor animals. But corruption came upon, and they started the wicked practice of animal sacrifices to please gods. When the knife was laid on the neck of cow, the gods themselves cried out in horror, seeing that crime of ingratitude and insensitivity committed on an animal that was such a faithful worker, such a sustain-er of life, to humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Agganya Sutta, Supreme Buddha focuses on the Brahman idea from Wrig Veda that Brahmans came through the mouth of Maha Brahma/God; thus they are supreme. Lord Buddha questions the Brahmins as to how they can claim so when they see day to day that women in the Brahmin caste get pregnant, give birth, and take care of their children? Don’t they understand that they all came from the mother’s womb, not from the Brahma’s mouth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘One is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy.’&#xA;– Supreme Buddha (Dhammapadha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T12:43:16.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14311" CreationDate="2016-05-29T15:57:05.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to various internet sources, 5000 years ago, or approximately 3000 BC, references to the form of mediation used at the time is found in Hindu scriptures. &#xA;According to Lovetoknow.com, A recent archaeological find in the then capital city of Moheyo-dara, capital city of the Indus Valley civilization, by John Marshall of a seal of a meditating yogi is dated at 2600 BC approximately. Of course , it may be assumed that meditation was taking place for an indefinite period of time prior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T15:57:05.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14311" CreationDate="2016-05-29T17:40:17.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Indian tradition the earliest appearance of meditation seems to be during the Indus Valley period (3300-1300 BCE) in the form of a bronze seal possibly depicting an early form of Shiva (Pashupati), seated in cross-legged pose with an obvious erection. It was found in Mohenjo-Daro, dated at about 2500 BCE. The figure is also surrounded by animals, and has been associated with the archetype of the Lord of the Animals (a.k.a. the Theriomorphic Ancestor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T17:40:17.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2016-05-29T20:39:36.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;May I add another thought all of the good answers provided so far?  This is what Kassapa Buddha said (as per the scriptures) on this issue. Kassapa Buddha is the sixth of the Seven Buddhas of Antiquity, and the third of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipata 2.2: Here the Buddha recalled an incident in his previous life during the Buddha Kassapa’s time. Buddha Kassapa was his teacher then. It was an occasion when an external sect ascetic met the Buddha Kassapa and reviled him for eating meat, which he said is a stench compared to eating vegetarian food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha Kassapa replied: “Killing … wounding … stealing, lying, deceiving … adultery; this is stench. Not the eating of meat… Those who are rude, arrogant, backbiting, treacherous, unkind … miserly … this is stench. Not the eating of meat… Anger, pride, obstinacy, antagonism, deceit, envy, boasting … this is stench. Not the eating of meat… Those who are of bad morals, … slanderous … pretentious … being the vilest of men, commit such wrong things; this is stench. Not the eating of meat ….”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T20:39:36.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13156" CreationDate="2016-05-29T20:49:07.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm is a British Theravada Buddhist monk, and a disciple of the Gautama Supreme Buddha. This this issue is of no concern to him. He knows very well that his master, The Supreme Buddha did not encourage us to eat meat or become vegetarians. The choice is entirely up to us. The important point is to take to heart the Buddha’s guidelines in MN 55 on the three conditions for unallowed and allowed meat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk is not allowed to cook and has to be totally dependent on the offerings of lay supporters. He is also taught that he should be easily supported and looked after. Since he is not allowed to ask for any preferential food (except during sickness), a monk cannot choose his food. He has to accept what is being offered. Lay people have more freedom to choose their food, and for lay people it is entirely up to individual preferences when it comes to eating meat or becoming a vegetarian. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is very beneficial for those who want to walk this path to its conclusion, not to be too critical of others no matter what our preferences are. The most effective way to reduce the killing and cruelty in the world is for people to understand the Buddha’s teaching. Ultimately, suffering (dukkha) is a characteristic of life, and the way to end suffering is to practise the Noble Eightfold Path of the Buddha to get out of the rounds of rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T20:49:07.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3108" CreationDate="2016-05-29T20:52:57.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Chinese Buddhists mistakenly think that Mahayana Buddhism teaches the practice of vegetarianism, and confuse ‘Chi Su’ (vegetarianism) with ‘Chi Zhai’ (not eating after noon until the next dawn). In the early Suttas, ‘Chi Su’ is said to be the unbeneficial ascetic practice of external sects. ‘Chi Su’ is practiced by Han Chuan (Chinese Buddhism), not Bei Chuan (Mahayana Buddhism), since Tibetan and Japanese Buddhists are not vegetarians. Chinese emperor Liang Wu Di commanded Buddhist monks and nuns to eat vegetarian food. The word ‘Zhai’ means not eating at certain hours, i.e. fasting. Thus the Muslim fasting month of Puasa is called ‘Kai Zhai’. The Buddha taught his disciples to ‘Chi Zhai’, i.e. not to eat (with exception of medical allowances) from noon until the next dawn (1 p.m. till 7 a.m. in Malaysia). In Han Chuan this ‘Chi Zhai’ became synonymous with ‘Chi Su’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T20:52:57.493" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2016-05-29T21:05:39.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk is supposed to go on alms round (begging) for his meal unless he is (1) invited to a meal, (2) the meal is brought to the monastery, or (3) the meal is cooked in the monastery. He is not allowed to cook food, store food overnight, or engage in agriculture to support himself. Thus mendicancy is one of the cornerstones of a Buddhist monk’s lifestyle. This can be seen in a Buddhist country (e.g. Thailand) where a monk has the freedom and support to practise totally in conformity with the Buddha’s teachings. There we see not only forest monks going on alms round but also town and city monks begging for food every day. Since a beggar must not be a chooser, as the saying goes, vegetarianism is incompatible with the Buddhist monk’s lifestyle.&#xA; –which was probably another reason why the Buddha rejected Devadatta’s request. However the Buddha also said that if a monk does not get sufficient or nutritious food, he should depart from that place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T21:05:39.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14795" CreationDate="2016-05-29T21:09:17.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The argument of demand and supply is not a valid one. On this planet, a great number of human beings (Two thousand per day according to a newspaper report) and countless animals are killed by motor vehicles everyday.  Just by driving vehicles or even sitting in them, we are encouraging the motor industry to make more motor vehicles. If we use the demand and supply argument, then just by using motor vehicles we are encouraging the killing of countless animals and a great number of human beings on the roads everyday — which is worse than eating meat! It is true that we are indirectly involved in the killing of animals but, as explained, there is no kamma-vipaka of killing. This indirect involvement in killing is true whether we eat meat or not, and is something which is unavoidable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We encourage killing even when we eat vegetarian food. Every day monkeys, squirrels, foxes, flying foxes, and other destructive pests are killed because they eat from fruit trees planted by farmers. Vegetable farmers also kill caterpillars, snails, worms, grasshoppers, ants, and other insects, etc.. Similarly, in Australia for example, kangaroos and rabbits are killed every day because they eat the crops. Many items commonly used by just about everybody cost the lives of living beings. For example, silk is made at the expense of the lives of countless silkworms, and white shellac (used to manufacture many products, including food), of countless lac insects. Cosmetics contain a huge range of animal derived substances. Many food additives, e.g. colourings, flavourings, sweeteners, also use animal derived substances. Commercially produced cheese uses rennet which is extracted from calves’ stomach to make the milk coagulate. Leather and fur are of course made from the hides of animals, often slaughtered for this purpose. Photographic film uses gelatin which is obtained by boiling the skins, tendons, and bones of animals. Even fertilizers for the vegetables and fruit trees often include dried, ground fish bones, and other fish scraps. Also, the use of cow’s milk and honey involve much cruelty to the animals or insects concerned. All these go to show that it is very difficult not to be involved one way or another in the cruelty inflicted on animals. So if one does become a vegetarian, one should reflect on the above and refrain from being over-critical of those who eat meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T21:09:17.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2016-05-29T21:21:07.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Questions of this nature can put one off course and is not beneficial to one and all. Meat eating is a very sensitive topic. There are many different views on this and each may be right to a certain extent, but they may not necessarily be wise. In this case, we should put aside our personal views and be open enough to look at the Buddha’s views. This is crucial as he is the Tathagata who knows and sees. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Suttas and Vinaya will be our source of reference because in AN 4.180, the Buddha said that if some monk claimed that such and such were the words of the Buddha, those words should be compared to the Suttas (discourses) and Vinaya (monastic discipline). Only if they conform to the Suttas and Vinaya can they be accepted to be the Buddha’s words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next consideration is which Sutta and Vinaya should we refer to? Although various schools of Buddhism have different interpretations of the Buddha’s teachings, all generally agree that the four Nikayas (collections), namely, the Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, and Anguttara Nikaya, and a few books of the Khuddaka Nikaya, are the earliest authentic discourses of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, these earliest books are consistent throughout with the flavour of liberation, while later books sometimes give contradictory teachings. The Vinaya books of the different schools of Buddhism are all quite similar to the Theravada Vinaya. For this reason, the earliest Suttas and Theravada Vinaya will be our source of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-29T21:21:07.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15285" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-29T23:58:21.270" Score="2" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a young child hears that someone died, it's natural for him to wonder whether he'll die too, or whether those who are most dear to him too die quite unexpectedly. So what kind of a response should one give in keeping with a Theravada Buddhist Perspective?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="120" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T00:47:25.800" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T02:59:19.310" Title="What do you think would be a good way to explain death to a child, from a Buddhist perspective?" Tags="|theravada|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14837" CreationDate="2016-05-30T01:39:44.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samma Ditthi is in short Right understanding.  Right understanding is explained as the knowledge of the four noble truths. In other words, it is the understanding of oneself as one really is, because, as the Rohitassa Sutta states, these truths are concerned with the &quot;one-fathom long body of man.&quot; The key-note of Buddhism is this right understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider the following statement: Pemato jayati soko, pemato jayati bhayam. [From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear]. Conventional minds will recoil to the idea - as it indeed did when the Buddha said it. The truth and meaning of Dhamma becomes a private experience by the wise only when there is insight or vipassana. But vipassana depends on samadhi or concentration. And samadhi depends on Samma-ditthi. Thus, everything in Dhamma is connected. Why is that? The Buddha is speaking, albeit in diverse ways, only of one thing and one thing alone – dukkha and the cessation of dukkha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One pre-requisite of one coming to ‘Right View’ (Samma Ditti) is learning to welcome advice of the Supreme Buddha with delight. We must not treat even a single verse of Dhamma as being plain and simple. We must learn to treat the Noble Dhamma as supreme. We must consider this Dhamma to be the most profound. One would ask as to why should we learn to perceive it in that way? It is because this Noble Dhamma is Svākkhāto (it is well proclaimed). Nothing needs to be corrected in this Dhamma and nothing can be discarded on the basis that it is too plain and simple (if one understands this quality, then this person comes to Samma Ditti— right view). This is why we must hold dear the advice we receive and use that noble advice to discipline ourselves than vice-a-versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In its fullest measure right view involves a correct understanding of the entire Dhamma or teaching of the Buddha, and thus its scope is equal to the range of the Dhamma itself. But for practical purposes two kinds of right view stand out as primary. One is mundane right view, right view which operates within the confines of the world. The other is supramundane right view, the superior right view which leads to liberation from the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mundane right view involves a correct grasp of the law of kamma, the moral efficacy of action. Its literal name is &quot;right view of the ownership of action&quot;, and it finds its standard formulation in the statement: &quot;Beings are the owners of their actions, the heirs of their actions; they spring from their actions, are bound to their actions, and are supported by their actions. Whatever deeds they do, good or bad, of those they shall be heirs.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This superior right view leading to liberation is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. It is this right view that figures as the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path in the proper sense: as the noble right view. Thus the Buddha defines the path factor of right view expressly in terms of the four truths: &quot;What now is right view? It is understanding of suffering (dukkha), understanding of the origin of suffering, understanding of the cessation of suffering, understanding of the way leading to the cessation to suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T01:39:44.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9426" CreationDate="2016-05-30T02:20:57.317" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Especially if you are a beginner it is extremely important that you get the basics right. Vipassana is the insights that you make in the Dhamma Path, and for that you have to have a very good grasp of the True Dhamma. We should not think that we have the ability to do it our way. There are places where the Buddha has stated directly: “Do it this way and the result will be this.”  In this present era we are at a disadvantage when it comes to the practice of Dhamma. The wisdom to see this ‘otherness ’started deteriorating from the time of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we must think of approaching the Dhamma from a convenient place. The best method of approaching Dhamma is to use a system indicated by the Buddha. There are places where he has directly indicated, “If done this way, these will be the results”. We should act thus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha said that there are five factors which if practiced extensively will result in being unemotional (with the world at large), to ridding oneself of egoism, to perfect wisdom and to Nibbana. What is it that prevents us from coming to this?  We have still not distanced ourselves from the ways of the world. We have been adopting a methodology which does not give rise to dispassionateness or profound disapproval.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people claim to be meditating. They claim to be studying the Dhamma. They are carrying out the four activities of listening to Dhamma, discussing Dhamma, Samatha and Vipassana.&#xA;In spite of performing those four activities pride, arrogance, thinking too much of themselves, looking down on others surface in them. That means although they claim to be performing the aforementioned four activities they have been doing something else. Something appearing as those four.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens if they had correctly done the four activities of listening to Dhamma, discussing Dhamma, Samatha and Vipassana? it is a upward path to progress up to Arahantship for the individual who practices these four activities. To proceed up to Arahantship one must establish in himself with understanding the quality of dispassionateness. This quality has to get built up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one practised listening to Dhamma, Dhamma discussions, Samatha and Vipassana properly, dispassionateness with understanding should take place in him. That should happen. But in case of some people the dispassionateness with understanding does not take place while vanity and pride surface. Then what has gone wrong? Doing something which appears as correct thinking or correct thing. That is where the mistake arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is due to not accepting what is given in the preaching. Or not carrying out what the Buddha has preached. Something which appears like that is carried out. If what the Buddha preached had been done, the results preached by him should materialize. Why doesn’t the anticipated result materialize? What has been done is not the relevant thing. Something else appearing like that has been done. That is why the mind turns towards aspects like vanity and pride.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If vanity, pride placing oneself above others, looking down on others arise in a person developing concentration after meditation it is due to his not doing the correct thing. That would not have happened if he had done the correct thing. If one practices the five factors indicated in this preaching he will invariably develop dispassionateness with understanding. The Buddha has stated ‘definitely’. It happens invariably.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what we should get done. If we practise the five Dhamma factors dispassionateness will definitely arise with understanding. If dispassionateness arises in one’s mind Vi-raga arises. Raga starts to fade away. Desire fades away. Bonds that tie you down starts to unravel. His mind starts to calm down. That is referred to as Upasamaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind someday becomes calm, it is possible to develop special wisdom in such a mind. Developing special wisdom in that manner is referred to as Abhinna. Understanding the four Noble Truths completely with such a calmed mind is called Sambodhaya. One who understands the Four Noble Truths in its entirety attains Nibbana. That fortune dawns on the person who trusts this Dhamma with confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T02:20:57.317" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-05-30T02:20:57.317" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15285" CreationDate="2016-05-30T02:25:52.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Use a tree as an example. Show the various stages of a tree from seed to plant to fully grown tree to an old leafless tree and explain the ageing and impermanence. Then show a decayed/dead tree that is on the ground to make him understand that everything that begins must end. You can use pictures for this. Then explain the life of an animal in the same way. And then explain how humans are the same way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, show a seed of the dead tree and show how a new plant comes from it. Use that to explain rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T02:25:52.093" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15289" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-30T02:37:52.303" Score="1" ViewCount="1400" Body="&lt;p&gt;Soren Kierkegaard &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard#The_Journals_of_S.C3.B8ren_Kierkegaard.2C_1840s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;once wrote&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Det er ganske sandt, hvad Philosophien siger, at Livet maa forstaaes baglænds. Men derover glemmer man den anden Sætning, at det maa leves forlænds.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;It is perfectly true, as the philosophers say, that life must be understood backwards. But they forget the other proposition, that it must be lived forwards.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Journals IV A 164 (1843)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;See Phenomenology: Critical Concepts in Philosophy, by Dermot Moran (2002)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Variants:&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We live forward, but we understand backward.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we view this statement from a Buddhist Perspective?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T03:54:51.043" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T22:26:51.317" Title="How can we view the statement that “life must be understood backwards but must be lived forwards&quot; from a Buddhist perspective?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11444" CreationDate="2016-05-30T02:54:30.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saddha has been referred to as the confidence towards the understanding of Supreme Buddha (Saddhahati Tathagatassa Bodhin). All of us must do everything possible to at least come to Saddha in this life.  One cannot go the distance in this Dhamma Path without Saddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we must cultivate right effort (Viriya), the will, to develop Saddha to receive the true benefits from Dhamma. One who has come to Saddha is one of  Samma Ditthi (right understanding of the four noble truths). A worthy person. This is not an easy thing. Only a fortunate few would arrive at this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we gradually but firmly establish Saddha in us and develop it, our Sakkaya Ditthi (the idea of self) leaves us. The Supreme Buddha preached that this is more delicate a thing than shooting one seventh of a horse hair with another seventh part of a horse hair face to face. A horse hair is taken for this simile because it is thinner than that of a human. To break free, to gain freedom from this notion of ‘self’ or Sakkaya Ditthi is even more difficult, but not impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many avenues that can lead us astray. But for Nibbana there is only one road. Only one guide.That single road is thinking that “Supreme Buddha knows. I do not know” (Keetagiri Sutta).  The only safeguard for us, in keeping us safe from harm is our association with a Kalyana-Mitta (Noble Friends in Dhamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On this ‘Noble Friend’guidance, Ananda, one of many principal disciples of the Supreme Buddha, once asked the Buddha if half of the reason for the spiritual life was friendship with others. The Buddha turned to Ananda, rebuking him mildly with the words, “Don’t say that, Ananda. The whole of the spiritual life is for friendship.” This shows that the Buddha elevated spiritual friendship to the highest status.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we regard ourselves as knowing the Dhamma well, we will be of the “I am the one who knows” mindset. Without allowing that to happen try to come to the view “I do not know. Only Supreme Buddha knows. I will accept it that way”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I am the one who knows” can be equated to a Thorn Bush. It is like this. There is a bush of thorns at the bottom of a hill. When it rains fertile soil settles down round the thorn bush after getting washed down from the hill. The soil is fertile but what gets nurtured is the thorn bush.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like this it is the fertile soil of Dhamma that we gather round us. But what gets nurtured is the thorn bush called “I am the one who knows”. When the thorn bush grows up even an animal does not approach it. Will not go even passing it. In the same way the biggest danger to a person on arriving at the view “I know”. “I understand” is his becoming a person who does not listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He loses his sincere friend. He loses his ability listen to Dhamma well. (He loses both external sources of help). Then what is he left with? Only with the notion “I know” and “I understand”. He keeps on repeating this. Finally he will say “No one taught me. I studied on my own. I do not need anyone now. I will become solitary now”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a big danger. Therefore you always think “Whatever Supreme Buddha taught I will do it in that way”. Think that you are the listener. What we want is to get released from Sansaric Sorrow. That is why Supreme Buddha preached to king Kosala as follows.&#xA;“Oh Maharaja. This is how you must discipline yourself. I will become a person with sincere friends. I must get inclined to having sincere friends”. (Kalyana Mitta Sutta – Sanyutta Nikaya 01)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you think that way, the idea “I know” will wear off. Then association with sincere friends becomes delightful.One will always cherish the company of noble friends. One will get the opportunity to listen to Dhamma well. Yonisomanasikara (thinking wisely as mentioned in Dhamma) will arise. This person will develop the Noble Eight Fold path. This happens solely due to association with sincere friends.  We must be humble enough to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one cultivates thoughts of “Supreme Buddha knows…….” I am a person with sincere friends….” no one can prevent us from getting onto the path leading to Nibbana. Chakku Sutta (Okkanthi Sanyutta – Sanyutta Nikaya.03)  Such a person is referred to as Sraddhanusari. He will not die until he attains the fruit of Sotapanna (the first stage on the path to deliverance)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha knows that the person with defilements is wrapped up in the idea of Self, is egoistic. Also that he is wrapped up in the concept “I know”.  Some people struggle to understand this simple truth in depth. That is why it is important to think and retain in your memory the following “I will obey Supreme Buddha and conduct myself in the way he wanted us to conduct ourselves. I will not do anything else”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting back to the simile about the thorny bush. When it rains fertile soil comes down to the bush of thorns and it grows up in a couple of days. Ultimately it becomes too big to be pulled out. Sin is also like that. So we must pull out this thorny bush and plant a good tree on that fertile soil. The biggest thorn bush we have is the notion “I know”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good tree we plant after uprooting the thorny bush is “Supreme Buddha knows. I don’t know”. These thoughts lift up the man to a noble level. If we are of the idea “We know” it amounts to our tightening our own necks. We read what Supreme Buddha has preached. Then we assume “I know”. Our sincere wish should be that such a thing will not happen to even an enemy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore if we become humble in this manner we would have done something very much beneficial to our lives. The instant we start having confidence that way, Kammic actions, causing rebirth in the fourfold hells will not take place in us. So to further onself in the Noble Path, the thorn bushes that need to be gotten rid of are “I am the one who knows”. “I can” “I have memorized. Others aren’t up to it”. “I understand well. I can speak well”. You must not have room for these and discipline this mind saying “I will do whatever the Supreme Buddha preaches and whatever my sincere friend tells me to do”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The immense benefit of understanding the True Path to Liberation has come to us. It is a pity if we let go of it. Therefore let us all try our best not to leave room for those immature thoughts such as “We know”. It is because we do not have confidence that we say “this is impossible” etc. If we step into Saddha we will be able to end our Sansaric journey at most in seven births. Attaining Nibbana is not a dream. Think of establishing Saddha in these principles and think of getting liberated from this sorrowful Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the nature of the person who has developed Sraddha in respect of these principles to endeavour to do it with mind, word and body. Then delight arises in him. Why? Because all his doubts leave him. When there are doubts he thinks “I do not understand. I do not know whether it will be possible” etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrances develop in him. Pleasant words, thoughts, deeds do not arise in him. His sense organs are not pleasant. Even the face is unpleasant. If the doubts are to be removed develop Saddha in these principles. Then he will think of the principles. Then he will live in delight. His thoughts, words and deeds will be beautiful. Even the facial expressions will be delightful. There will be no remorse, worries or difficulties in him. He will be inclined to help others. Such a group of people would be like flowers in a flower garden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He thinks of the good qualities of those who helped him. ‘Ingratitude’ will leave him.&#xA;The instant he arrives in Saddha, gratitude arises. He meditates without difficulty. He attains concentration. When he thinks of these principles while in concentration he understands “this eye is impermanent….” It becomes a realization to him. Then where did we start? After pulling out the thorn bush called “I know” and instilling Saddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T02:54:30.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15289" CreationDate="2016-05-30T05:04:26.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Obviously, most (learned) wisdom comes from past experience (including meditation experience). However, wisdom also comes from looking forward (such as contemplation of death). Wisdom of past &amp;amp; future crystallize as living in the (passing) 'present'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 6&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T05:09:38.753" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T05:09:38.753" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11444" CreationDate="2016-05-30T05:21:13.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not correct to have a superficial dichotomy of 'layperson' versus 'monk'. A 'monk' or 'layperson' is a state of mind. For example, some monks spend their life engaged in 'worldly' pursuits; while some laypeople live a personal life of meditative solitude. Therefore, it all depends on your personal goals &amp;amp; intentions in relation to your interest in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have suffering you wish to end, you learn the higher ('&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;') teachings, like a monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a 'householder' (with family, children, etc), you particularly learn the ('&lt;em&gt;lokiya&lt;/em&gt;') teachings for 'householders' (as well as the higher teachings about suffering, if you are inclined. Otherwise, you believe in 'rebirth'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T05:21:13.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12250" CreationDate="2016-05-30T15:15:36.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The scholar Hans Wolfgang Schumann in his (german) monography &quot;Der historische Buddha - Leben und Lehre des Gotama&quot; (1995) (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdom-books.com/product/historical-buddha/11199/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the historical Buddha - life and teaching of Gotama, 2005&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) gave a paragraph on the characteristics of &quot;Pali&quot; as a language. I'll try to translate it correctly to english from the german version (pg 296):           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The language which the Rajagaha-council used and in which it canonized&#xA;  the Word-Of-the-Buddha, has been &quot;Pali&quot;, a higher form of the Maghadi,&#xA;  which avoided local terms &lt;em&gt;(&quot;mundartliche Formen&quot;)&lt;/em&gt; and which had&#xA;  enriched its vocabulary with terms of related languages in India.&#xA;  &quot;Pali&quot; has been a conversational language, which was only spoken by&#xA;  educated people, but understood by the common people. The north-indian&#xA;  rulers used it as language for governmental and jurisdictive purposes&#xA;  - thus it was also well known to the Raja's son Siddhattha Gotama from his early youth. Also Upali and Ananda were likely able to speak it&#xA;  fluently.(...)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more involved consideration, which references many authors, can be found in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.payer.de/pali/pali01.htm#1.3.&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Was ist Pali&lt;/a&gt; topic on Aloys Payer's web site (unfortunately there is no english version of it and I cannot do the translation, but Google Translate can translate it adequately).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T15:49:42.883" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T15:49:42.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15295" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15305" CreationDate="2016-05-30T15:52:42.260" Score="1" ViewCount="232" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was practicing metta meditation today and the thought came up: &quot;What if your wish for happiness for one person (Person A) causes another to suffer indirectly (person B)?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding of the problem: the wish of metta is conditional, that is, it is for person A. Since metta is meant to be an unconditional love, how can we wish metta for individuals? Doesn't metta only make sense if it is wished for all beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we wish metta and have that wish be moral without understanding the consequences of what that wish may cause. Is metta not meant to be a literal wish? I have a feeling that I am not fully understanding metta properly, so I'd like to hear where I am falling short in my understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5382" LastEditorUserId="5382" LastEditDate="2016-05-30T21:31:19.783" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T10:01:19.143" Title="A few quetions on metta" Tags="|meditation|metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15295" CreationDate="2016-05-30T18:16:24.923" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand things: Metta-meditation is not &quot;magic&quot;, not something like &quot;positive voodoo&quot;. In the first instance it is a training for &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;your ability&lt;/em&gt; for loving kindness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Based on this it is also a stepwise training: you start with simple ones (loving kindness with yourself, your mama, your spouse, your best friend). After you have some fluent experience you change the subject to more neutral persons, and then even to some people you dislike (or you think they dislike you), or to rivals.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The effect of the training - if successful &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;for you&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; : then your new way of impulses might have effects to the world...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2016-05-30T18:16:24.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12250" CreationDate="2016-05-30T18:40:21.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, all we can know for certain are words spoken or written down by 'a Buddha' (i.e., an awakened enlightened mind) rather than by 'the Buddha' (i.e. Gotama). The only way we can know this is via &lt;em&gt;personal realisation&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Contemplative says this. We speak thus in line with the Contemplative's words'?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Is it the case that you speak simply in line with what you have known, seen &amp;amp; understood for yourselves?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.harv.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;, there are four translations of the Four Noble Truths, each one is different and not one of them accords to any meditative experience or realisation. Therefore, not one of them can be regarded as the words of a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;in brief, the five bundles of grasping-fuel are painful - Peter Harvey&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;in short, suffering is the five categories of clinging objects -&#xA;  Ñanamoli Thera&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;in brief the five aggregates subject to grasping are suffering -&#xA;  Piyadassi Thera&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful - Thanissaro&#xA;  Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the confusing translations above of '&lt;em&gt;saṃkhittena pañchupādāna'k'khandhā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;' does not mean a Buddha did not speak the words '&lt;em&gt;saṃkhittena pañc'upādāna'k'khandhā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;', which should simply state: &quot;In summary, attaching to the five aggregates is suffering&quot; or &quot;the five attachments to the five aggregates is suffering&quot; (which emphasizes 'attachment' as suffering or the problem rather than the neutral aggregates). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T20:32:29.170" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T20:32:29.170" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15298" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-30T23:31:37.853" Score="2" ViewCount="780" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could you try to formulate an answer to the above question, in line with the Pali Canon, using simple colloquial language, for someone who doesn't yet know Buddhist terminology?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking because I want to try to explain this to a loved one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a run-of-the-mill sort of person, life would take the path of least resistance and indulgence in sense pleasures is what is long sought. It is the path of least resistance, the downward path or ‘Anusothagami’ while the traveler of this road less traveled is climbing in the opposite direction to the flow or ‘Patisothagami’. How can one get such a person to see this otherness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-31T02:06:32.030" LastActivityDate="2018-07-09T19:08:34.727" Title="Want a simple explanation that sense restraint is an important aspect of ethical conduct, for a loved one who is not into Dhamma" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|modern-world|lay-buddhism|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15298" CreationDate="2016-05-30T23:54:56.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right view means understanding the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right intention follows as a consequence of right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three intentions (renunciation, non-aversion or loving-kindness, and non-injury or compassion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 45.8&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view gives motivation to renounce attachment (clinging to pleasure, fame, and so on ... these are usually seen as desirable but with right view you see that they lead to &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; ... with right view you naturally choose to renounce them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether that's an important aspect of &lt;em&gt;ethical&lt;/em&gt; conduct, though ... according to many definitions of &quot;ethical&quot;, it's the intentions of loving-kindness and compassion, not the intention of renunciation, that motivates ethical conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, I suspect they develop together (the factors of the eightfold path are inter-related).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be possible to think of examples of where someone has hurt or ignored another, either because they're busy greedily chasing a sense-pleasure or because they're suffering the consequences of misplaced attachment -- for that reason even if &quot;ethical&quot; is taken to mean &quot;good to others&quot;, renunciation (to avoid attachment and suffering) is &quot;an important aspect&quot; (which, for example, may make it easier to follow the precepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-05-31T00:21:32.550" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T00:21:32.550" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15300" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-31T00:33:06.490" Score="2" ViewCount="417" Body="&lt;p&gt;This looks like a bunch of riddles, for that pardon me....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone run past you and some chasing him with weapons ask you if you saw him or not, seeing the danger that he is in you might want to lie but if you do not lie he might get hurt&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your boss call you and ask if one of your Co-workers said something bad about the boss, you will have to be truthful but in doing so you break a precept as you are using your word to make two people dislike each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these kind of situations can we imagine some other thing and answer thinking i'm answering in reference to my imagination and skip the breaking of precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like saying i did not saw the man who ran away, thinking &quot;There is no such being called me in reality, also there is no man who ran away in reality either&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw something like this done by Lord Buddha when Lord Buddha tamed the anger of &quot;Anguli maala&quot;. Lord Buddha says....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I've stopped now you should&quot; &#xA;while walking, this was said in reference to the stopped journey through samsara in a Lord Buddha's life not in reference with feet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2018-02-20T17:18:07.060" Title="Alternative to lying?" Tags="|the-buddha|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-05-31T00:51:12.187" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If someone run past you and some chasing him with weapons ask you if you saw him or not, seeing the danger that he is in you might want to lie but if you do not lie he might get hurt.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While lying is deceit, if it saves a life, can that not be considered a wholesome act?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently while visiting one of the Sea Shepherd ships, I noticed a Buddhist statuette that was gifted from the Dalai Lama. While the sea shepherd ships stand between whales and other species that need their protection, the Dalai Lama himself is quoted as saying, in reference to Sea Shepherd tactics, 'when protecting life, it is not a [sin] to cause damage, as the life is more valuable'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would consider this to be in the same league as lying to someone who is going to cause serious injury or death. You are protecting life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist teachings it is the &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; that is of utmost importance in may areas of life decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If your boss call you and ask if one of your Co-workers said something bad about the boss, you will have to be truthful but in doing so you break a precept as you are using your word to make two people dislike each other.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would be the equivalent of 'gossip' I would say. I have been put in this situation before and my answer was &quot;the two of you need to sort your own business out and not involve others&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In these kind of situations can we imagine some other thing and answer thinking i'm answering in reference to my imagination and skip the breaking of precepts?&#xA;Like saying i did not saw the man who ran away, thinking &quot;There is no such being called me in reality, also there is no man who ran away in reality either&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would be very bad for you. At the end of the day your 'intention' is deception when you think this way. This can form a bad habit as you deceive yourself even more than you deceive the other people. As my example above, you don't have to lie, there are always other options.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, with the man chasing the other man, you could ask him instead &quot;what is wrong&quot; &quot;can I help you&quot;, maybe he is chasing a man who hurt his child, or a robber. There are many options to be considered, and delving into the situation to gain better understanding would be better than deceiving yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8417" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T00:51:12.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-05-31T00:51:47.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't really agree with replying using a riddle with the intention of deceiving or deluding the person you're talking to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, instead of ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like saying i did not saw the man who ran away, thinking &quot;There is no such being called me in reality, also there is no man who ran away in reality either&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... you could just say &quot;no&quot; with the intention of openly lying, as described &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12094/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a less extreme circumstance, (talking to your boss), if you don't want to say then don't say. You could reply something like, &quot;I think it's better not to gossip.&quot; and optionally explain why (e.g. &quot;because gossip gets taken out of context&quot; and stuff about &quot;confidentially&quot; and &quot;trust&quot; and &quot;team&quot; and so on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T00:51:47.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15298" CreationDate="2016-05-31T03:16:00.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There can come a time for any one of us who are indulging our desire for pleasure (such as desire for attractive and entertaining eye candy, liking to listen to music and wanting to smell nice odors, looking to delight your taste buds with comfy places to lie on and lost in thoughts etc. etc. ) the thought of what is it like walking to the beat of a different drummer. Then a thought would cross ones mind, what would it be like to practice Buddhism?&#xA;One has to first learn to take baby steps. You know well that it is impossible to jump over the wall of a big fortress. One can only enter through the door. Similarly, one cannot jump over walls to enter the dispensation of the Supreme Buddha. It can be entered only through that one door. That door is called, “listening to advice.” Once a person learns to take delight in advice that door opens immediately. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that advice he receives may be gentle and sweet at times and bitter and rough at other times. Every so often those words of advice may even feel like whiplashes. But the person who likes advice does not assess the nature of advice. He happily accepts it, knowing that it is for his benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one begins this journey through ethical conduct, that can be a big leap into this road less travelled. Note that ethical conduct is one of the three main lines of development of the noble eightfold path. “The avoidance of all wrongdoing, The undertaking of what is skillful, The cleansing of one’s own mind—This is the teaching of the buddhas.— Dhammapada 183.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of us afraid of going to have to let go of our sensual pleasures. As the Buddha said, the reason we’re afraid of death too is because we’re afraid we’re going to have to let go of our sensual pleasures. If you look into the mind to see it’s doing, to see where you’re adding any unnecessary element of stress, you will see the other side of indulging in sensual pleasures. The Buddha located that unnecessary element in craving, and specifically in three types of craving. The first is craving for sensuality, and here sensuality doesn’t necessarily mean sensual pleasures. The Buddha makes the point that our intentions for sensuality are what we’re really attached to. The idea of sensual pleasure, the activity of thinking about sensuality, is a lot more attractive than the actual pleasure itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can obsess about the idea over and over and over again, whereas the actual pleasure, once you’ve experienced it, quickly grows stale and is gone. Then you have to find another one to replace it. But ordinarily we don’t get so upset about replacing it because then the new pleasure provides more fodder for our sensual obsessions, and as long as we can keep on obsessing, we feel we’re okay.So our craving for sensuality, this tendency of the mind to keep obsessing about, planning about, how it’s going to experience different sensual pleasures: That’s what we’re really attached to. We really cling to that, feed on that. It’s our fodder. So that’s the first kind of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take the life of a Buddhist Monk. He is one who observes the eight precepts, and thereby move into another area of training for the mind. The eight precepts add the element of restraint of the senses. Each of the added precepts places restraints on the types of pleasures we might try to get through the sense doors. The precept against illicit sex turns into a precept against sex, period. That covers all of the sense doors right there. Then there’s the precept against eating after noon or before dawn. That covers pleasures of taste. The precept against watching shows, listening to music, using perfumes and scents covers pleasures of sight, hearing, and smell. And then the precept against high and luxurious beds and seats covers the sense of touch. As you go down the list, you can see that each of the five senses is covered. This adds a higher level of restraint and places some barriers on our typical ways of indulging our desire for pleasure: evening munchies; the desire for a nice, thick mattress to lie on; wanting to smell nice; liking to listen to music. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By taking on these precepts, you learn to put some barriers around your self-indulgence. These barriers serve several purposes. One, they focus you on the meditation: If you’re going to find any pleasure in the course of the day, you have to look more intently at developing pleasure in the meditation to make up for the restrictions you’ve placed on your foraging for pleasure outside. In addition, you learn important lessons about indulgence. If you tend to be indulgent in your daily life, you’re going to be very self-indulgent when you meditate. If you can’t say No to your daily desires, it’s going to be hard to say No to them while you’re sitting here mediating. The mind-states that want to go off and think about pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations are very easy to indulge in if you don’t have the habit of saying No to your impulse to look for pleasure in those things throughout the day. As you develop this habit of saying No to sensual indulgence in the course of the day, it’s a lot easier to say No to sensual thoughts in the course of the mediation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You’ve also developed the habit of learning when to say “enough,” which will hold you in good stead as you begin to develop the sense of non-sensual pleasure and rapture that come with concentration. You’ll be more likely to realize when you’ve indulged enough in those kinds of pleasure so that you can turn to the further work you need to do in terms of insight and discernment. You can’t just stay wallowing in the pleasure of concentration. You’ve got to learn how to understand what’s going on in the mind, why it creates mental worlds to begin with—the worlds that pull you away from the present moment and lead to suffering and stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the precepts are a crucial part of meditation. They help you develop good habits and foster insight. In particular, they help you see into your habits of self-indulgence. A lot of the pleasures we indulge in really do get in the way of deeper pleasure, deeper happiness. We all want to have our cake and eat it too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we play chess, we want to keep all our pieces and yet win at the same time. But an important lesson in life is that certain pleasures really do get in the way of higher happiness. You’ve got to learn how to say No to them. And to develop a sense of moderation: how much pleasure is enough for you to do the real work at hand. Ultimately, you see that even the most harmless pleasures in this world are not absolutely harmless. This realization leads to the sense of samvega that motivates you to look for an even higher pleasure: the absolutely blameless bliss of nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So learn to look at the precepts as an important part of the meditation. They’re not Sunday school rules or “conventional truths” that someone who hits the more “ultimate truths” can eventually put aside and discard with impunity. They’re an important part of training the mind in the skills and attitudes it’ll need in concentration, in developing discernment, and ultimately leading to release. So how you meditate in daily life is by being very careful about your precepts, respecting them, and being alive to the lessons they teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T03:16:00.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15295" CreationDate="2016-05-31T08:36:03.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't have to understand metta. Metta is an emotion, not a thought. You focus on people you like in order to give rise to this emotion and then develop it further and further. You can't start with loving all beings right away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T08:36:03.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15295" CreationDate="2016-05-31T10:01:19.143" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, your understanding of Metta is wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: If you are doing Metta towards a person who wishes to rob a bank, you don't wish the robbery to succeed. You simply wish happiness to arise in his mind so he does not need to rob. If Person-A wants to beat Person-B, you don't wish for that to happen. You simply wish for Person-A's anger to subside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta does not mean wishing for beings to give in to their defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;loving-kindness is characterized as promoting the aspect of&#xA;  welfare. &lt;strong&gt;Its function is to prefer welfare&lt;/strong&gt;. It is manifested as the&#xA;  removal of annoyance. Its proximate cause is seeing lovableness in&#xA;  beings. It succeeds when it makes ill will subside, and it fails when&#xA;  it produces (selfish) affection.  -Visuddhimagga&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T10:01:19.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15306" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-31T10:31:54.440" Score="0" ViewCount="48" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was struck, when reading on the history of Buddhism in China, by the stories of brave monks escaping certain death, often many times in one life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was curious is this was something Indian Buddhists also wrote about, or if it was something peculiar to China. Do these stories also appear in earlier reports, in the Buddha's life, etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T00:37:26.107" Title="Escaping &quot;certain death&quot; in the Mahayana tradition: does it occur in India?" Tags="|mahayana|death|buddhist-miracles|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15310" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-31T14:24:15.217" Score="-1" ViewCount="98" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do any of scholastic currents unambiguously &lt;strong&gt;affirm or deny&lt;/strong&gt; that there are any facts at all? In &lt;strong&gt;any tradition&lt;/strong&gt;, so I welcome a reply from any perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By facts, I &lt;em&gt;don't&lt;/em&gt; mean certain knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But if there &lt;em&gt;are facts&lt;/em&gt; then, if we did know that fact, what we knew&#xA;would be always be reliable, and there's nothing &lt;em&gt;out there&lt;/em&gt; which&#xA;means we couldn't be entirely certain, only our limited knowledge of&#xA;what is.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And if there are &lt;em&gt;no facts&lt;/em&gt;, then any supposed knowledge that anyone&#xA;has is possibly untrue, and not &lt;em&gt;just&lt;/em&gt; because of anything about the&#xA;belief.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that sounds very convoluted, I apologise; I've tried to give necessary and sufficient conditions of a fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-05-31T14:44:20.970" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T07:55:29.500" Title="Do any of scholastic currents conclusively affirm or deny that there are any facts at all?" Tags="|philosophy|truth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15310" CreationDate="2016-05-31T16:06:31.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not clear to me what your definition of &quot;fact&quot; is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My definition of &quot;fact&quot; is literally, &quot;something which has been done&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=define%20fact&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definition of 'fact' says&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;from Latin &lt;em&gt;factum&lt;/em&gt;, neuter past participle of &lt;em&gt;facere&lt;/em&gt; ‘do’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... so it means &quot;done&quot; (for example, if you ask, &quot;Is that a fact?&quot;, then I think that's the same as asking, &quot;Is or was that done, did that happen?&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore a sutta like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 60 Apannaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that there is action:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because there actually is action, the view of one who thinks, 'There is action' is his right view. Because there actually is action, when he is resolved that 'There is action,' that is his right resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this sutta is saying that, yes, there really are facts: there are actions, there are things done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that to say otherwise would be a form of nihilism or solipsism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think (described is more detail &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13791/254&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) that even the Yogacara (or &quot;mind-only&quot;) school teaches that there are facts or conventional reality (albeit dependently-originated).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T16:14:49.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-05-31T16:36:40.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;These situations require what is sometimes refereed to as &lt;strong&gt;skillful means&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your first example there are some possible replies, like in one Buddhist story a witness is called to the stand, and when asked a series of questions, he replied &quot;I saw&quot; &quot;I did not see&quot; to each of the questions. In such a way that no new information was added to the trial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However what if the man with weapons turns on you, then you have a different problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So then what answer is neither lie nor an answer that might anger the man with the weapon towards you? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I had dinner a few hours ago&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I like your pants, where did you get them?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It sure is cloudy today&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These statements (assuming they are true at the time) avoid the truth that the weapon wielder seeks. Aside from the Bodhisattva vows there is nothing saying you have to answer a question when asked, and even there, there are provisions for being asked questions that might cause harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the second situation you could say things like &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I don't feel comfortable having this conversation&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;You should ask them that not me&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or as ChrisW pointed out &quot;I think it is better not to gossip&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T16:36:40.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15306" CreationDate="2016-05-31T17:58:33.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Indian suttas (attributed to the Buddha), monks generally prepared their minds to accept death by violence, as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.88&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Indian suttas &amp;amp; commentaries, there are also stories of the Buddha &amp;amp; his disciples using love &amp;amp; psychic powers to avoid death, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Angulimala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the assassination attempts by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_5lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Devadatta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Moggallana&lt;/a&gt; using his psychic powers to escape assassination.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T00:37:26.107" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T00:37:26.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15310" CreationDate="2016-05-31T18:24:44.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In original Buddhism, absolute truth, such as in the Four Noble Truths, are 'facts'. One interpretation of the terminology 'Four Noble Truths' is they are irrefutable, which is why they are called 'Noble' or 'Ariya' (which means: 'without enemy'). The scriptures say at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma&#xA;  that cannot be stopped by brahman or contemplative, deva, Mara or God&#xA;  or anyone in the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those facts or absolute truths of Buddhism are considered to eternally &amp;amp; inherently exist, even if they are not comprehended or known by the human mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.20&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.134&lt;/a&gt;, the scriptures say about the natural laws of the Four Noble Truths (Dependent Origination) &amp;amp; the Three Characteristics (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self):     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas (Buddhas), this property&#xA;  stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness&#xA;  (lawfulness) of the Dhamma...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In original Buddhism, the workings of kammic inheritance are not absolute truth or fact, since bad can be the result of good kamma and good can be the result of bad kamma (per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-05-31T19:11:26.787" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T19:11:26.787" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15310" CreationDate="2016-05-31T18:59:01.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since this question is epistemological, I will speak of knowers rather than objects of knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana abhidharma defines seven types of consciousnesses. Lati Rinpoche says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three divisions of awareness and knowledge: into seven,&#xA;  three, and two. The division into seven consists of direct perception,&#xA;  inference, subsequent cognition, correct assumption, inattentive&#xA;  awareness, doubt, and wrong consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first four are realizing consciousness while the last three are not. A realizing consciousness realizes its &lt;em&gt;object of engagement&lt;/em&gt;. A consciousness that does not realize its object of engagement can not be factually concordant. While an eye-consciousness seeing blue where there is blue is factually concordant (and an actual direct perceiver), an eye-consciousness seeing a blue snow mountain instead of a white snow mountain is not 'factually concordant' because there is no blue snow mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A consciousness can be '&lt;strong&gt;incontrovertible&lt;/strong&gt; with regard to its object of engagement' and '&lt;strong&gt;factually concordant&lt;/strong&gt;'. For instance, a correct assumption is factually concordant (that is why it is correct) but is not firmly established (that is why it is just an assumption). It is not established in dependence on a perfect reason (contrary to an inferential cognizer, for instance). Because it is not firmly established, it is said to be 'controvertible'. All non-realizing consciousnesses are controvertible. A non-realizing consciousness can 'tend towards the fact' though: for instance, a doubt consciousness thinking 'all products are probably impermanent'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, that 'all products are impermanent' is a fact. That 'there is a white snow mountain' is a fact. That 'blue is the attribute of such or such entity' is a fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you ask about 'scholastic currents affirming...', I will explain what 'a current' is. Mahayana scriptures explain four philosophical schools also called 'tenet systems'. The first two are so-called 'hinayana schools of thought' (Vaïbashika &amp;amp; Sautrantika) while the last two are called 'mahayana schools or tenets' (Cittamatra &amp;amp; Madhyamika). The meaning of 'Tenets' is  &lt;strong&gt;'established conclusion'&lt;/strong&gt;. A person who propounds a tenet system is someone who has established conclusions in his continuum. For instance, he as come to established that 'all objects of knowledge are truly established, externally established', that 'all conventional truths are imputed existent while ultimate truths are truly existent', that 'there is no self-cognizer', that 'the four seals are valid', etc. He takes these as facts. For instance, a Buddhist monk disrobing and becoming a Christian monk is a person who had not established such conclusion in his continuum. His conviction was not firm, not based on proper reasoning, not derived from 'a perfect reason', not incontrovertible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, he four seals are posited by all Buddhist tenets since it is what makes a school Buddhist. There are other facts as well that are posited, such as reincarnation, that karma is infaillible, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T07:55:29.500" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T07:55:29.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15320" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-05-31T21:12:37.430" Score="1" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the question/answers on mindfulness of feelings and emotions. When I am meditating on the breath unpleasant body feelings arise and they are noted. (Example: A wave of fear permeating the body.  Not long after the fact, I realize that those unpleasant body feelings were a result of a thought. So, I get caught up in trying to label it correctly. I.e. Is it a body unpleasant feeling or a mind unpleasant feeling? This creates more anxiety and doubt. Do you have any suggestions on how to proceed. Thank you   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8436" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T14:25:33.953" LastActivityDate="2016-06-02T05:11:04.413" Title="Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15268" CreationDate="2016-05-31T21:17:45.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interview with HHDL on July 4, 2010 by New Delhi TV, in which His holiness answers the vegetarian question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then about taking meat, there are some contradictions but in vinaya no prohibition in eating meat, so monks in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, they take both veg and non veg food. One time I asked, discussed this subject with a monk from Sri Lanka about 40 years ago, he said Buddhist monks are neither veg nor non veg... he should accept whatever he gets, so that's the principle. But vinaya clearly mentions that meat which was purposely killed for you was not to be eaten but in general was not prohibited, some books like langaavatarasutra prohibited any kind of meat, including fish etc but some other texts not prohibiting, so different case, I think practically in northern part of Tibet, no vegetables. Very difficult. So that's practical reason. However, my age, about 13, 14, all Tibetan official festival, offered a  lot of meat - I changed all to vegetarian food. Then, in 59 come to India. Around 65, I became a vegetarian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NDTV: Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama: Better. Philosophical reason. 20 months I remained strict vegetarian. At that time I took advice from some of my Indian friends about the substitutes of meat. Lot of milk, cream and ...then in 67 I developed gall bladder, hepatitis. So my whole body became yellow. So at that time I become like living Buddha. Whole body yellow. Nails also yellow. It remained I think for about 3 weeks. So Tibetan physician, as well as allopathic physician advised me to take meat. So back to original diet. Meantime, all our monasteries in south India, also Namgyal monastery, common kitchen, serve only vegetarian food. In south India monasteries, population 300-400, all vegetarian food. Also in foreign countries when I visit Buddhist centers I always ask them. Now it is up to the individual. But as a society, as a institution, when they give some sort of a festival, it must be vegetarian. That business started the gall bladder trouble. Finally, surgery. So that's the background. So my own case, meat once or twice a week, otherwise vegetarian. So I tried to become a vegetarian but still difficult. I think it's useful to know the whole background.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T21:22:34.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-05-31T21:39:37.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;the answer is simple and it was offered in response to similar questions earlier&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;you cannot tell truth, you stay silent&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;maybe a white lie burdens with less black kamma than a malevolent or self-interested lie, but it's still a lie, so i see silence as the best strategy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-05-31T21:39:37.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15289" CreationDate="2016-06-01T00:36:26.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a very important word in Dhamma called “Pratyaveksha”. Sadly I have never come across any explanation of the meaning of this word in english. In Soren Kierkegaard’s saying  “life must be understood backwards but must be lived forwards&quot; if you substitute the word “Life” with “our experience of volitional actions”, it gives the closest meaning to the word “Pratyaveksha”.  So in re-phrasing Soren Kierkegaard’s saying  “our experience of volitional actions must be understood backwards but must be lived forwards”, the saying becomes one of Dhamma. Kierkegaard would quietly bring his readers into a position where the truth of their life was available for their own individual realization, though ultimately it was up to them whether or not to embrace that realization. This is the same in Dhamma. Only the few Dhamma Farers that do “Pratyaveksha” will get to go further in this Noble Eightfold Path in this short lifespan of theirs. In this Dhamma path too we are faced with reflection and action simultaneously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is to reflect on the two qualities “Ehipassiko” and “Opanayiko” of Dhamma,  Ehi-passiko means inviting any wise person to come and see. Ehipassiko (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika &quot;which you can come and see&quot; -- from the phrase ehi, paśya &quot;come, see!&quot;). The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test by applying it to their own lives and seeing its effects. Then the term “Opanayiko” means each person must practice the teachings and realize their value within one's own experience. Opanayiko (Sanskrit: Avapraṇayika &quot;leading one close to&quot;). The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life. So just as Soren Kierkegaard’s saying  dhamma confronts each and every individual, independently for him or her self.  It's truth is between the individual and his or hers meditative self, and cannot be mediated by thought or society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to see Soren Kierkegaard’s saying  is through Kamma. It is this doctrine of Kamma that can explain the problem of suffering, the mystery of so-called fate or predestination of other religions, and above all the inequality of mankind. As some Westerners prefer to say Kamma is &quot;action-influence.&quot; We reap what we have sown. What we sow we reap somewhere or some when. In one sense we are the result of what we were; we will be the result of what we are. In another sense, we are not totally the result of what we were and we will not absolutely be the result of what we are. For instance, a criminal today may be a saint tomorrow. So even if we live forwards righteously and with purpose and dedication, the results that we reap may not be in keeping with our expected results. &#xA;Only the ones who believe in Kamma will see another side to this saying. Even in life they will have a different perspective to life.  They will sympathise with each other and see that all human beings are of equal value, they find it easy to be forgiving and to live with one another in peace. They don’t despise one another for belonging to this or that class or for having only this or that much wealth – all of which are simply a matter of each person’s kamma. After all, no one wants to be poor or stupid. Everyone wants to be intelligent, wealthy, and highly respected. But when it isn’t possible, we have to leave it to the truth that living beings differ in their kamma. Whatever past kamma you have, you experience it and make use of it in line with what you’ve got. If we can forgive each other, with the thought that each living being has his or her own kamma, we can live together in peace. If we believe in the Dhamma, we have to believe in kamma and not in the defilements that make us arrogant and proud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This saying can also be seen through “Sanskara”. The terms Mental Formation and Volition are used together because each of these terms represents one half of the meaning of sanskara – mental formation represents the half that comes from the past, and volition represents the half that functions here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T00:36:26.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15320" CreationDate="2016-06-01T01:10:49.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even though I cannot help explain the first part of your question, for sure I can help you reduce the anxiety and doubt that arises in meditation. What I give below is only one small part of the many things that you can do to overcome this feeling. Please try the following and see….&#xA;Impermanence of Breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is something that should be developed and pursued mindfully and discerningly. Now, he trains himself to breathe in focusing on impermanence, and to breathe out focusing on impermanence. Purity of mind has been achieved through the elimination of the hindrances (nivarana). His effort, mindfulness and concentration are now being directed towards focusing on impermanence. He is contemplating on impermanence within anapanasati. He can see the impermanent nature of his own breath in its rise and fall; the impermanence of his body; and the impermanent nature of the pleasant feeling and perception that he experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has he seen in the body? What does this body consist of? This physical body contains and comprises the four great elements, which are known as: solidity/earth (pathavi), fluidity/water (apo), heat or temperature (tejo) and air (vayo). We generally use the word rupa (material form) to denote the body. When he is breathing in and out, he is focusing on impermanence of material form which is derived from the four great elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereafter, he is focusing on feelings. Dependent on contact, feeling arises. What is contact? Contact is the coming together of three things. For example, eye, form and eye-consciousness come together, and it is their convergence, that is called contact. Similarly, with ear and sounds, nose and smells, and so on, through to mind and mental-objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this instance, when body, tangible object and consciousness come together, there arises contact. With the arising of contact, simultaneously, there arises feeling (vedana) – feeling born of body contact. Since feeling is conditioned by contact, feeling differs in accordance with the change of contact. This way, he contemplates on the impermanence of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there is the recognition of perception. This is called sañña (perception) which is also subject to change as it is conditioned by contact. Perception changes due to impermanence of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Formations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is followed by sankhara (mental formations). If the mental factor was directed to a certain matter, on that occasion there is volitional activity, and this is called sankhara. Here, he observes the impermanence of the mental formation with the change of contact. All these are based on the activities of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now he understands every aspect in this life process which was considered as self (form, feeling, perception and formation); or anything pertaining to a self. He has real wisdom to see things as they really are. One may contemplate on impermanence saying “anicca, anicca” continuously, but still be holding onto the notion of “I am” or “mine”. To avoid this, it is important to realize the impermanent, no-self nature in inhalation-exhalation and in any other external object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence of Consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he sees the impermanent nature of all that has been cognized (the rise and fall of breath, rapture, joy, feelings, and perceptions). It is through this insight that the true nature of the five aggregates of clinging is understood and seen in the light of impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;material form (rupa) derived from the four great elements,&#xA;feeling (vedana) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;perception (sañña) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;mental formations (sankhara) that is conditioned by contact, and&#xA;consciousness (viññana) that is conditioned by mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being fully concentrated on anapanasati, he now dwells ardent, with full awareness, and clear comprehension of impermanence. With the base of this awareness, established in anicca (impermanence), he develops an understanding of his own life, the impermanent nature of others who breathe and live, and the impermanent nature of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness (the five aggregates of clinging).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, he observes the impermanent characteristic of phenomenal existence, internally and externally. He does not see a difference in him and the outer world. He sees the characteristic of phenomenal existence as subject to cause and effect. Now he is gaining knowledge, and his comprehension is increasing. He sees things as they really are, in whatever material form: whether past, present or future, far or near, external or internal. He sees the impermanence even of the rapture and pleasure that he is experiencing in breathing mindfully. Now, based on the impermanent breath, he understands the impermanent nature of the five aggregates of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He realizes that whatever is impermanent and subject to change, is suffering (dukkha). And, whatever is impermanent is without self (anatta). It is through this insight that the true nature of the aggregates is clearly seen; in the light of three signs (ti-lakkhana): impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He sees the impermanent, suffering and no-self nature of all conditioned and component things. As a result, he knows there is no “I”, no self, or anything pertaining to a self. When he trains himself to breathe in and out focusing on impermanence, he understands that anything taken as ‘mine’ is impermanent; anything taken as ‘I am’ is impermanent; and anything that is taken as ‘my self’ is impermanent. He realizes that whatever is impermanent, is without self. That which is without self, is not ‘mine’, not ‘I am’, and is not ‘my self’. Thus he sees everything as it really is – with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T01:10:49.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13798" CreationDate="2016-06-01T01:53:26.777" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with robermann's comment, and if I am to add something to it, it is this.&#xA;We have to have a strong belief that the path to Nibbana exists in this Dhamma. One who has that confidence meditates carefully. Does it in an orderly manner. This requires some time. It does not happen in a day or two. Not in a week, in a month or two or in a year or two. We cannot restrict it to a short period.&#xA;With metta....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T01:53:26.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14679" CreationDate="2016-06-01T02:00:13.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Almost every single one of us are in this very same boat, though we never say so openly. One can free from this Sakkāya-ditthi (personality-belief) by realizing suffering as a noble truth. The Satipatthāna is there for this purpose. The realization one gets out of it is the understanding of Paticca Samuppāda (dependent origination or the universal law of cause and effect). That is, the ability of seeing things in life according to cause and effect. Once a person acquires that skill, he will be able to free from the idea of ‘me’ by seeing it as a deceit (the true nature). Then, he understands that the concept of ‘me’ is just a (false) view. The first step toward the Noble Eightfold Path is for one to become Saddhānusārī (faith-devoted). It is a person who accepts this path of Dhamma who then becomes Saddhānusārī . He admits suffering of this Samsara. He accepts there exists a cause and effect. He accepts the fact that one needs to be free from suffering. He also accepts that the Supreme Buddha has freed Himself from suffering and the Dhamma can free us from that suffering. He accepts that the disciples (of the Buddha) will have to follow the Dhamma and that there are disciples who have attained the Arahantship by practicing the Dhamma. One who comes to these notions will become Saddhānusārī . One needs to come to these views if he wants to come to the Dhamma and be free from this personality belief - to be free from this Sakkāya-ditthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T02:00:13.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15082" CreationDate="2016-06-01T02:15:58.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Suttas are contained in the Sutta Pitaka, within which are 5 collections or nikayas. Of these, the first 4 are the earliest and the ones that can be fully trusted. It is because you will never find any contradictions in it - from one sutta to the other. They are :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Digha Nikaya consists of 3 books on the long discourses (34 Suttas) of the Supreme Buddha,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Majjhima Nikaya comprises 3 books containing the Supreme Buddha's middle length discourses (152 Suttas),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samyutta Nikaya contains about 2000 short discourses in 5 books, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anguttara Nikaya contains about 2000 short discourses in 5 books.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya, the fifth, is a minor or smaller collection. Although termed &quot;smaller&quot;, it is in fact the largest as more and more books have been added to it over the years. It has grown to 15 books in the Thai and Sri Lankan versions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1956, the Sangha Council in Burma added another 3 books, which are not the Supreme Buddha's own words. These 3 additions are Questions of King Milinda, Petakopadesa and Nettipakarana. This is how the Khuddaka Nikaya grew from a minor collection to become a major collection! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the future, say in 500 or 1000 years' time, this would definitely create more confusion. Out of the 18 books now, probably only 6 are reliable in that they do not contradict the earliest 4 Nikayas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 6 reliable books are the Dhammapada, Sutta Nipata, Theragatha, Therigatha, Itivuttaka and Udana.&#xA;As Buddhists, we should be familiar with the Suttas and if possible obtain our own copies. It is a sad fact that whereas we rarely find Muslims without the Quran or Christians without the Bible, yet we find many Buddhists without the Nikayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T02:15:58.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14943" CreationDate="2016-06-01T02:41:52.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now that you have got your answer in the earlier post by Dhammadhatu, let me give you this little story from Supreme Buddha's life. How He recognized and overcame these to attain nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha admits His past wanderings in existence which entailed suffering, a fact that evidently proves the belief in rebirth. He was compelled to wander and consequently to suffer, as He could not discover the Master Builder that built this house, the body. In His final birth, while engaged in solitary meditation which He had highly developed in the course of His wanderings, after a relentless search He discovered by His own intuitive wisdom the elusive Master Builder, residing not outside but within the recesses of His own heart. It was craving or attachment, a self-creation, a mental element latent in all. How and when this craving originated is incomprehensible. What is created by oneself can be destroyed by oneself. The discovery of the builder/architect is the eradication of craving by attaining Arhantship (perfect one), which in these verses is alluded to as “end of craving.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rafters of this self-created house are the passions (kilesa) such as attachment (lobha) aversion (dosa), illusion (moha), conceit (māna), false views (ditthi), doubt (vicikicchā), sloth (thīna), restlessness (uddhacca), moral shamelessness (ahirika), moral fearlessness (anottappa). The ridgepole that supports the rafters represents ignorance, the root cause of all passions. The shattering of the ridge-pole of ignorance by wisdom results in the complete demolition of the house. The ridge-pole and rafters are the material with which the builder/architect builds this undesired house. With their destruction the builder/architect is deprived of the material to rebuild the house which is not wanted. With the demolition of the house the mind, for which there is no place in the analogy, attains the unconditioned state, which is Nibbāna. Whatever that is mundane is left behind, and only the Supramundane State, Nibbāna, remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T02:41:52.373" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15320" CreationDate="2016-06-01T03:44:04.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Painful bodily feeling is, for example, a pain in the knee or a mosquito biting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear is not a 'feeling'. Fear is a mental defilement, mood or emotion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should label using a descriptor (label) that is most natural. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An empathetic label that resonates the feeling or emotion is also useful (such as 'sensation' or 'trembling') because this helps the mind harmonize with the sensation or mood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A pain in the knee you should label as 'pain' or 'painful sensation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear you should label as 'fear' or 'trembling' (in the clear knowledge it is a passing temporary mood).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear is a normal &amp;amp; ordinary arising in new practise. Even the Buddha-To-Be experienced it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-01T09:21:10.770" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T09:21:10.770" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14679" CreationDate="2016-06-01T09:42:53.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say it is not correct to say the mind is inherently attached to the body, particularly from child birth (since the Buddha taught a new born child does not have the view of 'self' - MN 64).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is happening is the body is producing painful sensations, such as hunger, pain &amp;amp; discomfort. For example, the body of baby children often have trouble breathing so the mind is afflicted with discomfort &amp;amp; starts to cry. These painful sensations cause cravings (desires), which then make the mind attach to the painful sensations. If the body never had painful sensations, there would never be any attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught as follows about what is happening:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Who, O Lord, feels?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The question is not correct,&amp;quot; said the Exalted One. &amp;quot;I do not say&#xA;that 'he feels.' The correct way to ask the question will be 'What is&#xA;the condition of feeling?' And to that the correct reply is:&#xA;'&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sense-contact is the condition of feeling&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;; and feeling is the&#xA;condition of craving.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Who, O Lord, craves?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The question is not correct,&amp;quot; said the Exalted One. &amp;quot;I do not say&#xA;that 'he craves.' The correct way to ask the question will be 'What is&#xA;the condition of craving?' And to that the correct reply is:&#xA;'&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Feeling is the condition of craving&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, and craving is the&#xA;condition of clinging.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Who, O Lord, clings?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The question is not correct,&amp;quot; said the Exalted One, &amp;quot;I do not say&#xA;that 'he clings.' The correct way to ask the question will be 'What is&#xA;the condition of clinging?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to that the correct reply is:&#xA;'&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Craving is the condition of clinging; and clinging is the&#xA;condition of the process of becoming&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.' Such is the origin of this&#xA;entire mass of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Phagguna&#xA;Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-01T09:42:53.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13474" CreationDate="2016-06-02T01:28:05.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Scriptures or the Doctrine of the Supreme Buddha is called the Sutta Pitaka, and consists chiefly of instructive discourses delivered by the Buddha to both the Sangha and the laity on various occasions. A few discourses, expounded by disciples such as the Venerable Sariputta, Moggallana, and Ananda, are incorporated and are accorded as much veneration as the Word of the Buddha Himself, since they were approved by Him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka consists of the following five Nikayas(Collections):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Digha Nikaya (Collection of Long Discourses)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Majjhima Nikaya (Collection of Middle-length&#xA;Discourses)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samyutta Nikaya (Collection of Kindred Sayings)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anguttara Nikaya (Collection of Gradual Sayings)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khuddaka Nikaya (Smaller Collection)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no changes made to the first four, but the fifth got expanded with time. Khuddaka Nikaya, the fifth, is a minor or smaller collection. Although termed &quot;smaller&quot;, it is in fact the largest as more and more books have been added to it over the years. It has grown to 15 books in the Thai and Sri Lankan versions. In 1956, the Sangha Council in Burma added another 3 books, which are not the Supreme Buddha's own words. These 3 additions are additions are Questions of King Milinda, Petakopadesa and Nettipakarana. This is how the Khuddaka Nikaya grew from a minor collection to become a major collection! In the future, say in 500 or 1000 years' time, this would definitely create more confusion. Out of the 18 books now, probably only 6 are reliable in that they do not contradict the earliest 4 Nikayas. These 6 reliable books are the Dhammapada, Sutta Nipata, Theragatha, Therigatha, Itivuttaka and Udana.. This is how the Khuddaka Nikaya grew from a minor collection to become a major collection! In the future, say in 500 or 1000 years' time, this would definitely create more confusion. Out of the 18 books now, probably only 6 are reliable in that they do not contradict the earliest 4 Nikayas. These 6 reliable books are the Dhammapada, Sutta Nipata, Theragatha, Therigatha, Itivuttaka and Udana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I personally would trust the Questions of King Milinda and Nettipakarana a whole lot more than the Abhidhamma, which got added much later on. I will not go into Abhidhamma (the third basket of the Tipitaka) as it will confuse things in my humble openion. When there are nearly 18,000 suttas that are found in the canonical texts why would one want to check the Abhidhamma? It came only after the 3rd Buddhist Council. So my advice to you is to please limit yourself to reading only canonical texts (Sutta Pitaka) until you are fully established in the Path. Do not go even into the Visuddhimagga – it is only a thesis that Buddhagosha Thera wrote to show his qualifications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-02T01:28:05.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15337" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-02T02:21:30.460" Score="0" ViewCount="189" Body="&lt;p&gt;As everyone is entitled to their own opinion to a question of this nature, let me first say this. Now I recognize that they’re both forms of conceit. If we learn the proper use of conceit: the confidence that, yes, you can do this; other people can do it, it’s something human beings have done—you’re a human being, you can do it too. Once you’ve got that amount of conviction, then it is time to drop the “you,” drop the “me,” the “I,” and then set to work. That right there makes it a lot easier. And this way you become your own best friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T18:01:43.767" Title="What would you say about being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic about the ways of approaching the path?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-hindrances|mind|practice|defilements|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15320" CreationDate="2016-06-02T04:49:48.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Feelings&lt;/strong&gt;/sensations ('&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;') are pleasure &amp;amp; pain (or unpleasantness). For example, the taste of ice-cream, being sweet, is a pleasurable sensation. The smell &amp;amp; sight of a rotting dead animal is an unpleasant feeling. Or a mosquito biting is a painful sensation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Emotions&lt;/strong&gt;/cravings/desires/defilements ('&lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;') in Buddhism are categorized into three types: (1) greed/lust/love; (2) anger/hatred; &amp;amp; (3) confusion (including fear)/ delusion/self-obsession. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;When there is a lack of mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;) pleasant feelings give rise to greed or desire &lt;em&gt;towards&lt;/em&gt; that pleasant feeling &amp;amp; experience. Unpleasant feelings give rise to hatred, anger, aversion or desire &lt;em&gt;against&lt;/em&gt; that unpleasant feeling &amp;amp; experience. 'Vague' feelings give rise to confusion, fear, etc, &lt;em&gt;circling around&lt;/em&gt; that 'vague' feeling (which Buddhism calls 'neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practise of Buddhism is that of having mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom when feelings occur. For example, you may feel pleasure towards the sight of expensive food but have the wisdom to realise you cannot afford that food. Such wisdom will eliminate the desire/craving towards that pleasant food. Or you may feel pleasure towards the sight of your friend's beautiful wife but have the care, good-will &amp;amp; wisdom to know lust for your friend's wife is wrong, inappropriate &amp;amp; harmful. Or you may feel displeasure in your work against a difficult client but know if you exhibit anger in your voice you may lose the client or have a complaint lodged against you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, it is taught pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant feelings will always occur. Even Buddhas have pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant feelings. But Buddhas, because of their mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom, do not have the arising of unwise emotions/desires that lead to harm &amp;amp; suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;How suffering arises:&lt;/strong&gt; On seeing a form with the eye, he is passionate (sàrajjati) for it if it is pleasing; he is angry&#xA;  (byàpajjati) with it if it is displeasing. He lives with attention to&#xA;  body (kàya-sati) unestablished, with a limited mind, and he does not&#xA;  understand realistically (yàthabhåtaü nappajànàti) the deliverance of&#xA;  mind (cetovimutti) and deliverance by wisdom (pannà vimutti) wherein&#xA;  those evil unwholesome states (dhammas) cease without remainder.&#xA;  Engaged as he is in favouring and opposing, whatever feeling he feels&#xA;  - whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful - he delights (abhinandati) in that feeling, welcomes it, and remains&#xA;  holding on to it. As he does so, delight (nandi) arises in him. Now,&#xA;  delight in feelings (vedanàsu nandi) is clinging (upàdàna). Becoming&#xA;  is conditioned by his clinging; becoming conditions (egoism) birth;&#xA;  (egoism) birth conditions (egoism) ageing-&amp;amp;-death; sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, grief and despair come to be. Thus is the arising&#xA;  of this entire mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;How suffering ends:&lt;/strong&gt; On seeing a form with the eye, he is not passionate for it if it is pleasing; he is not angry at it if it is&#xA;  displeasing. He lives with attention to body established, with an&#xA;  immeasurable mind, and he understands realistically the deliverance of&#xA;  mind and deliverance by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states&#xA;  cease without remainder. Having abandoned favouring and opposing,&#xA;  whatever feeling he feels - whether pleasant or painful or&#xA;  neither-pleasant-nor-painful - he does not delight in that feeling,&#xA;  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in&#xA;  feelings ceases in him. From the cessation of his delight comes&#xA;  cessation of clinging; from the cessation of clinging, the cessation&#xA;  of (egoism) becoming; from the cessation of (egoism) becoming, the&#xA;  cessation of (egoism) birth; from the cessation of (egoism) birth,&#xA;  (egoism) ageing-&amp;amp;-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair&#xA;  cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahàtanhàsankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-02T05:11:04.413" LastActivityDate="2016-06-02T05:11:04.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2016-06-02T10:43:37.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although this question is labeled Theravada, historically this did occur with Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. Because historically the Confucian Chinese government frown upon the practice of begging, Chinese monks were by imperial decree not allowed to go out for alms. Hence, they must either lived off donations of food, or grow their own in the monastery. Hence in Chan Buddhism, monks grow their own food, and the process of farming, cooking, serving food, and eating are taken as practices of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also the reason why Chinese Buddhism is strictly vegetarian, because growing their own food means that it would not be acceptable to raise animals as food because that would violate the no killing precept. And because they perform hard labor throughout the day, often in very cold weather condition, the vinaya rules of no eating afternoon is removed. Dinner is instead considered to be 'medicine' for keeping themselves healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-06-02T10:43:37.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14912" CreationDate="2016-06-02T20:15:48.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sanskirt version is best one to practice. The other ones sound too nasally and the feeling in my body when I practice different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Ohm a hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum&quot; x3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, it is a mantra referring to a Tibetan saint/reincarnation of Gautama... so maybe the Tibetan pronunciation would be more powerful.. I haven't practiced that one long enough to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-02T20:15:48.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15345" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-02T21:30:10.503" Score="3" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;Currently writing a summary of Buddhism, I now have to write about the famous&#xA;Samatha Bhavana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having explained &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; to practice Samatha Bhavana, I'm now proceeding to explain &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; practice Samatha Bhavana, and that's where I need your kind help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many say that the point of Samatha Bhavana is to stop desire, and therefore suffering - as desire and suffering are indeed intimately connected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that true : is that the point ?&#xA;And if yes, how does Samatha Bhavana stop desire ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's not true, what then is the &lt;strong&gt;real&lt;/strong&gt; point of Samatha Bhavana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've come across many different views on that matter, really... That's why I need the help of seasoned Buddhists in order to answer it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8455" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T00:25:55.020" Title="Goal of Meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15345" CreationDate="2016-06-03T00:40:40.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of Samatha Bhavana is to obtain a pleasant abiding in the here-&amp;amp;-now &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot;&gt;(AN 4.41)&lt;/a&gt; so the mind has a source of pleasure that is superior to (&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/2-dukanipata/007-Sukhavaggo-e.html&quot;&gt;AN 2.66&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; therefore overcomes the need for using (dangerous, troublesome, diminishing value &amp;amp; unsatisactory) sensual pleasures as a source of happiness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot;&gt;MN 75&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind the 'Middle Way' taught by the Buddha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;) is that way of life that seeks the pleasure of &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;. The Middle-Way is not a path of deprivation or torment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, Samatha or Tranquility is also one quality contributing to the stability of Concentration ('Samadhi'). Concentration serves as the means to Insight (Vipassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, Samatha Bhavana cannot permanently stop or 'uproot' the tendency towards desire (craving). Only Vipassana Bhavana can uproot desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as already stated, Samatha Bhavana does help in giving up much sensual desire since the pleasure of Samatha Bhavana is superior to the pleasure of sensuality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote the scriptures: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Sensual pleasantness and the pleasantness of giving up sensuality. Of these&#xA;  two, the pleasantness of giving up sensuality is better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/2-dukanipata/007-Sukhavaggo-e.html&quot;&gt;AN 2.66&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Māgandiya, a delight apart from sensual pleasures, apart from&#xA;  unwholesome states, which surpasses even divine sensual bliss. Since I&#xA;  take delight in that, I do not envy what is inferior nor do I delight&#xA;  therein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot;&gt;MN 75&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the development of [mind using] concentration that, when&#xA;  developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here &amp;amp;&#xA;  now....There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from&#xA;  sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters &amp;amp; remains in&#xA;  the first jhana... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the development of [mind using] concentration that, when&#xA;  developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to the &lt;strong&gt;ending of the effluents&lt;/strong&gt;....There&#xA;  is the case where a monk remains focused on arising &amp;amp; falling away&#xA;  with reference to the five aggregates...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 4.41 Samadhi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These two qualities have a share in clear knowing. Which two?&#xA;  Tranquillity (samatha) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When tranquillity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind&#xA;  is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it&#xA;  serve? Passion (lust) is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Discernment is&#xA;  developed. And when discernment is developed, what purpose does it&#xA;  serve? Ignorance is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.030.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 2.30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing thus [the five&#xA;  aggregates are impermanent, unsatisfactory &amp;amp; not-self], gets wearied&#xA;  of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception, gets&#xA;  wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness. Being&#xA;  wearied he &lt;strong&gt;becomes passion-free&lt;/strong&gt;. In his freedom from passion, he&#xA;  is emancipated. Being emancipated, there is the knowledge that he is&#xA;  emancipated. He knows: 'birth is exhausted, lived is the holy life,&#xA;  what had to be done is done, there is nothing more of this becoming.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-03T02:07:52.283" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T02:07:52.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15345" CreationDate="2016-06-03T02:05:52.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Arthur A. Jacomelli.. I felt that there is an inherent error in your question or approach. I do hope that you would see this from this little note that I will write. The goal of meditation in Buddha Dhamma is Nibbana, and nothing less than that. When writing a summary of Buddhism, Samatha &amp;amp; Vipassana, the most important point that should be stressed is that the thirty seven (37) requisites of Enlightenment (Bodhipakkhiya dhamma) comprise the entire Doctrine of the Buddha and all these dhamma pertaining to Enlightenment could be realized through contemplating on breathing. Only other summery is the discourse addressed by the Tathagatha to a hermit named Bahiya Daruchiriya (Bahiya of the Bark-cloth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had the exceptional quality of being able to direct his discourse in the most appropriate manner like an arrow that meets its target.  The Blessed One said to Bahiya, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus – In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen.  In reference to the heard, only the heard.  In reference to the sensed, only the sensed.  In reference to the cognized, only the cognized.  That is how you should train yourself.  Then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that.  Where there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there.  When there is no you there, you are neither here nor between the two.  This is the end of suffering”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sure that you will find enough material on Samatha as it is not particular to Buddhism alone. But in Buddhism Samatha and Vipassana cannot be separated. If you do the goal of meditation can never be reached. Before even getting into these two aspects something else needs to take place. The following simile explains this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Take the case of a wild elephant, the wild elephant has first to be brought out from the forest into the field hitched to a tame trained elephant. Hence it is taken to a stockade and tied up securely until it is tame. When it thus becomes absolutely tame and quiet, it is trained in the various kinds of work in which it will be employed in the service of the king. It is only then that it is used in state functions and on battlefields. The realm of sensual pleasures resembles the forest where the wild elephant enjoys himself. The Buddha Sasana resembles the open field into which the wild elephant is first brought out. The mind resembles the wild elephant. Confidence (saddha) and desire (chanda) in the sasana-dhamma resemble the tame elephant to which the wild elephant is hitched and brought out into the open. Sila-visuddhi (purification of virtue) resembles the stockade. The body, or parts of the body, such as out-breath and in-breath resemble the post in the stockade to which the elephant is tied. Kayagati-sati resembles the rope by which the wild elephant is tied to the post. The preparatory work towards samatha and vipassana resembles the preparatory training of the elephant. The work of and samatha and vipassana resembles the parade ground or battlefield of the king. Other points of comparison can now be easily recognised. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are different to one another, so there are four different ways samatha and vipassana is developed in us. In the first type… A person first develops Samatha, and after having established himself in subsequently contemplates the five groups of grasping etc. develops Vipassana. So that is Samatha followed by vipassana - after which the path is born in him/her. The second type is Vipassana followed by samatha - after which the path is born in him/her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8#q=Yuganaddha+Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yuganaddha Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya Sutta 4.170)&lt;/a&gt; explains the third type. That is these two develops in Tandem. Ven. Ananda describes the paths to arahantship by which insight (vipassana) and tranquillity (samatha) work hand-in-hand in this sutta. So that is Samatha and vipassana together, simultaneously - after which the path is born in him/her, and lastly in another type of people the mind stands fixed internally (i.e. on the cognizant consciousness or 'self') until it &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/meditation_theory.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;become one-pointed&lt;/a&gt;- after which the path is born in him/her. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-18T23:22:50.613" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T23:22:50.613" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5955" CreationDate="2016-06-03T02:10:17.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just attended a meditation retreat with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche where he discussed sleep meditation.  First, meditation while in lucid dreams is absolutely possible.  For this first pursue normal techniques for lucid dreams and separately for meditation.  Then in a lucid dream state, meditate.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, and more surprisingly, you can enter sleep in a state of open awareness and you can maintain awareness in a dreamless sleep.  Honestly I didn't believe him until I managed to do it myself the other night.  It's really odd to be aware of sleep paralysis, but the meditation state is amazingly clear and open.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8457" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T02:10:17.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15350" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-03T09:10:48.000" Score="1" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alan mentions a handout for this class from which he's teaching the Lojong. Is there any way to acquire this hand out or; is there a text that goes along with this lojong portion of the class?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8459" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-06-03T10:21:28.360" LastActivityDate="2021-03-13T02:42:38.427" Title="text for the 2013 course: Shamatha and the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Class 2 on Motivation and 7 Point Mind Training" Tags="|mahayana|alan-wallace|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15351" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-03T13:29:53.473" Score="2" ViewCount="68" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Going for Refuge &amp;amp; Taking the Precepts&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi that &quot;cognition is subservient to wish&quot;, and &quot;in subtle ways concealed from ourselves our desires condition our perceptions&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches that cognition is subservient to wish. In subtle ways concealed from ourselves our desires condition our perceptions, twisting them to fit into the mould they themselves want to impose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can the practice of insight meditation reveal this deception of the &quot;self&quot;, and, if so, how does the process work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="108" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-03T13:33:06.177" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T20:21:29.543" Title="How is the &quot;self&quot; able to recognize the interplay between the cognitive process and &quot;desire&quot;?" Tags="|meditation-insight|insight|desire|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15351" CreationDate="2016-06-03T20:21:29.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the introduction a strange way to encouraging people to go for Refuge, i.e., on the basis of a &quot;human situation is similar to an iceberg&quot;; since this is going to Refuge on the basis of ignorance or blind faith. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my reading of the Pali scriptures, generally people go for refuge for reasons such as a clear awareness of their personal suffering or dissatisfaction or in their clear awareness of the virtues &amp;amp; liberation of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those cognizant of their own suffering &amp;amp; dissatisfaction, the Buddha pointed to craving &amp;amp; attachment as the causes of that suffering and pointed to the Noble Eightfold Path as the method to develop mental tranquility &amp;amp; liberating insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, it is self-clinging that causes suffering. If you are suffering, you should be able to see it is the mind's own selfishness, self-obsession, possessiveness, etc, that is causing &amp;amp; manifesting the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the article is confusing because it gives the impression the 'self' creates desires and desires create perceptions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, &lt;strong&gt;ignorance &amp;amp; feelings&lt;/strong&gt; condition perceptions, which in turn condition desires, which in turn condition attachment &amp;amp; the sense of &quot;our self&quot;. That is why the Buddha called feelings &amp;amp; perception the '&lt;em&gt;citta sankhara&lt;/em&gt;' or 'mind conditioner' (MN 44). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;self&quot; does not create desires. It is desires that create the &quot;self&quot;. It is feelings of pleasure &amp;amp; pain that create desires. The Buddha made this reality very clear in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Phagguna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parileyyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; in many other places.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a small new born baby. The baby has has no idea of 'self'. It has no concrete perceptions. A new born baby is an organism subject to the painful feelings of hunger &amp;amp; discomfort. From these painful feelings of hunger &amp;amp; discomfort come primal desires for relief. The parents of the child feed it food &amp;amp; give it comfort, from which the mind of the child experiences pleasant feelings. From these pleasant feelings it develops perceptions of &quot;milk is good&quot;, &quot;breast is good&quot;, &quot;mother is good&quot; and, eventually, as its brain/mind matures, perceptions of &quot;my mother&quot; &amp;amp; my father&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the original source of perception is painful &amp;amp; pleasurable feelings rather than desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attempting to see through the &quot;deception of the self&quot; is a difficult way for a novice to approach the path. This is similar to attempting to climb a tree from the top. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Self&quot; is certainly a deception however the path begins by seeing the deception of desires (in that worldly pleasures cannot bring lasting &amp;amp; true happiness). If the mind cannot see the deception of worldly pleasures &amp;amp; desires, it will struggle to develop the clear concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) meditation which serves as the basis for the insight meditation (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) that can see through the deception of the illusory 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, when the mind is clear, it can start to examine the arisings &amp;amp; nature of the 'self' thoughts. There is actually no special method. One must simply meditate in quietude &amp;amp; stillness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T20:21:29.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15353" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-03T20:54:54.943" Score="1" ViewCount="822" Body="&lt;p&gt;I grew up in a western country raised in a western atmosphere with a western mentality. I'm talking things like the pyramid of needs and how apparently self-gratification and personal success are the highest on the checklist. I grew up with an attitude that stressed individuality above everything else, self-accomplishment as the most important trait of a person, and everything under it (money, fame, finance, cars, houses, etc). When I started practicing Buddhism, I began to look into the nature of the &quot;self&quot; and the ego, and now it seems to me like there is an inner cultural conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism say about success and accomplishment in life? It seems on one hand you have an absolute western mentality about achievement and individual strength and standing out from all others as an ultimate success. On the other, Buddhism and a lot of eastern cultures traditionaly emphasize humility, selflesness, and non-attachment to one's ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you all~. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T00:06:26.663" Title="What does Buddhism say about success?" Tags="|self|attachment|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15353" CreationDate="2016-06-03T21:30:19.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;True. Individualism, self-achievement &amp;amp; success are strong features of Buddhism. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; are excellent examples. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What mitigates blind &amp;amp; excessive material pursuit in Buddhism is the emphasis upon duty ('dhamma') towards the well-being of one-self &amp;amp; others and thus not pursuing what is excessive, harmful &amp;amp;/or unnecessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures always praise materially successful people who earn their wealth blamelessly (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) and share their wealth with others, without being attached to it (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta4/41-Gamini-Samyutta/01-Gamanivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;41.1.12.&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is Thai Buddhists have been particularly shrewd &amp;amp; successful as a nation, at least historically (rather than currently). The following link, whilst listing teachings from the ancient Pali scriptures, has a particularly Thai bent in its explanations. The focus on 'success' is very apparent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Constitution for Living: Buddhist Principles for a Fruitful and Harmonious Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-03T21:38:49.823" LastActivityDate="2016-06-03T21:38:49.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15355" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15421" CreationDate="2016-06-03T23:56:03.200" Score="0" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta Buddha says there are three conditions meat can be eaten&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the animals are not seen to have been killed for oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When someone is not told by other people that an animal has been killed for himself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When one does not suspect an animal has been killed for oneself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if someone heard an animal was screaming when that particular meat is prepared, is this included in three conditions above or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T15:42:23.857" Title="Jivaka Sutta on three conditions" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15353" CreationDate="2016-06-04T00:06:26.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also remember to read the Dighajanu Sutta or Vyagghapajja Sutta. The layman’s welfare.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;In this sutta Buddha instructs rich householders how to preserve and increase their prosperity and avoid loss of wealth. This is  The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T00:06:26.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15357" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-04T00:29:04.187" Score="1" ViewCount="445" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we reduce hindrances gradually ?  is it like we have 10000 units of hindrances (of different types)  and we lower them each time we are aware of them ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is it a right way to see how we advance - as how much we lowered our hindrances ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-22T19:38:13.493" LastActivityDate="2018-07-23T16:10:59.347" Title="Do we reduce hindrances gradually?" Tags="|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2016-06-04T00:50:41.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tathagata is one who will not be reborn. In the Sutta the word is used only for Sammasambuddha. It cannot be separated as Tatha + Agata; or Tatha + Gata. It is Tathaa + gata. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Tathagata has stopped 'moving' is Sansara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T00:50:41.403" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1629" CreationDate="2016-06-04T01:34:33.950" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot seem to find in which Sutta this is said, but...&#xA;The Blessed One said once: Bhikkhus, the world has been discovered by the Perfect One, he has dissociated from the world. The origin of the world has been discovered by Him. He has abandoned the origin of the world. The cessation of the world has been discovered and He has realised the truth. In the world with its deities and others, whatever can be seen, heard sensed and cognized or reached, sought out and encompassed by the mind, has been discovered by the Perfect One that is why He is called a Perfect One (The Thathagatha). The Most Enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T01:34:33.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15357" CreationDate="2016-06-04T02:00:44.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind when covered with the five hindrances is like clouding a clear bowl of water (still mind) with different contaminants or situations. – Sangarava sutta (SN 46.55) Also try to refer to Nivaranapahna Vagga. (The 5 mental hindrances: their causes and ending – A 1.2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five mental hindrances (nivarana) which obstruct concentration, are: (1) sense-desire, (2) ill-will, (3) sloth and torpor, (4) agitation and remorse, (5) skeptical doubt. For details, see The Five Mental Hindrances and their Conquest, by Nyanaponika Thera (BPS Wheel No. 26).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Samyutta Nikaya (Sutta 46.4.8), it is stated that when one listens to the Dhamma attentively, the five hindrances (nivarana) do not exist and the seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga) are present. Through factors of concentration these five are suppressed (also when wholesome activities are done these five hindrances can be suppressed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One 'pointedness' opposite of sense desires &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy opposite of ill will &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discursive (applied) thoughts opposite of sloth &amp;amp; torpor &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness or comfort (pali term 'sukha') opposite of restless &amp;amp; worry &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sustained thought opposite of doubt &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person becomes mindful about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Existence of a hindrance (sense desire, ill will, sloth &amp;amp; torpor, restlessness &amp;amp; worry, or doubt) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-existence of a hindrance &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When a non existing hindrance arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When a hindrance that has arisen is removed &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the removed hindrance does not arise again&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This widespread harmful influence of the five hindrances shows the urgent necessity of breaking down their power by constant effort. One should not believe it sufficient to turn one's attention to the hindrances only at the moment when one sits down for meditation. Such last-minute effort in suppressing the hindrances will rarely be successful unless helped by previous endeavour during one's ordinary life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should carefully observe how, and on which occasions, these hindrances usually appear. One should further know the positive forces within one's own mind by which each of these hindrances can best be countered and, finally, conquered; and one should also examine one's life for any opportunity of developing qualities to counter these. In some cases, subjects of meditation have been added which will be helpful in overcoming the respective hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the &quot;worldling&quot; (puthujjana)  however, only a temporary suspension and partial weakening of the hindrances can be attained. Their final and complete eradication takes place on the stages of sanctity (ariyamagga):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt is eliminated on the first stage, the path of stream-entry (sotapatti-magga). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual desire, ill will and remorse are eliminated on the third stage, the path of non-returner (anagami-magga) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sloth and torpor and restlessness are eradicated on the path of Arahatship (arahatta-magga). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the reward of the fight against the hindrances is not only the limited one of making possible a shorter or longer spell of meditation, but every step in weakening these hindrances takes us nearer to the stages of sanctity where deliverance from these hindrances is unshakable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-23T16:10:59.347" LastActivityDate="2018-07-23T16:10:59.347" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15285" CreationDate="2016-06-04T02:59:19.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you come across a situation where a friend is in pain or suffering, in mental distress, and dying you often can’t reach that person. They’re in their own private world, suffering their own private pains and torments. And especially at death, there comes a point where even before the actual moment of death, you realize that the person is beyond you. You can’t reach in and help, no matter how much you might want to. Such a situation is all-the-more harder if you are a child. A child's capacity to understand death and dying — and your approach to discussing it — will vary according to the child's age. Each child is unique, but as a practicing Buddhist who holds dear the five precepts, one needs to be honest.&#xA;No matter how difficult it is one must be honest with kids and encourage questions. This can be hard because you may not have all of the answers. But it's important to create an atmosphere of comfort and openness, and send the message that there's no one right or wrong way to feel. This is the moment to share any spiritual beliefs you have about death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we have to be ready for such moments in our lives. We have to learn how to observe from within what kind of thinking is skillful, what kind of acting, what kind of speaking is skillful, and what kind is not. Until kids are about 5 or 6 years old, their view of the world is very literal. So it is best to explain the death in basic and concrete terms. If the loved one was ill or elderly, for example, you might explain in one way. If someone dies suddenly, like in an accident, you might explain what happened — and reflect through dhamma. You may have to explain that &quot;dying&quot; or &quot;dead&quot; means as per the scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death could come at any time: your death, the death of your family, the death of other people. It’s there just waiting to happen. Kids this young often have a hard time understanding that all people and living things die sooner or later, and that it's final and they won't come back. So even after you've explained this, kids may continue to ask where the loved one is or when the person is returning. As frustrating as this can be, continue to calmly reiterate that the person has died and can't come back. Avoid saying such things as the loved one &quot;went away&quot; or &quot;went to sleep&quot; or even that your family &quot;lost&quot; the person. This may also be a time to share what is said in the Dhamma about an afterlife or heaven. Kids from the ages of about 6 to 10 start to grasp the finality of death, even if they don't understand that it will happen to every living thing one day. Remember that kids deal best with death when given accurate, simple, clear, and honest explanations about what happened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teens tend to search more for meaning in the death of someone close to them. A teen who asks why someone had to die probably isn't looking for literal answers, but starting to explore the idea of the meaning of life. It is important that we contemplate death. Then the answers are right there when you need them, when aging comes, when illness comes, when death comes. This knowledge will help you at time of need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T02:59:19.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15355" CreationDate="2016-06-04T08:32:53.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The third point of three conditions is  &quot;Suspecting of killing an animal for oneself.&quot; Therefore hearing screams of an animal of being killed will definitely give a person doubtful thoughts about the purpose of the killing. Whether the animal is killed for his own meal or not. If in doubt the person should not eat the prepared meal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8464" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T08:32:53.820" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2014" CreationDate="2016-06-04T13:00:40.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The vipassana practice uses a form of one pointed concentration to enter the jhanas. This the dominant tradition. A very different mechanism is described by Bhante Vimalaramsi, who uses the metta practice in combination with a relax step for dealing with hinderances. Bhante maintains that the combination of metta with the relax step leads to quicker access to deeper states. I have not practiced vipassana but have gotten to the 8th jhana with metta and the relax step. There are videos on youtube where he discusses the specifics, look for &quot;one by one as they occurred&quot; with Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8465" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T13:00:40.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15355" CreationDate="2016-06-04T14:03:18.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with Dulan's reply. We should heed what “Leave that which makes you doubt” means - that is to refrain from that which you are uncertain. The following example of a &quot;Analogy of Serial Killer&quot; will show you how we can knowingly or unknowingly be involved in 'killing' kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose we have a serial killer in a certain city who has raped and killed many women so that no woman dares to venture outdoor at night. The whole city is in uproar and the citizens demand that the authorities do their duty and catch the killer. So the police, after several months of pains taking effort, finally nabs the culprit. After this is a long trial and then the judge passes the death sentence on him. On the appointed day the killer is led to the execution platform where the executioner pulls the lever to end the killer’s life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this now leads to the question: “Who is involved in the evil kamma of killing a human being (i.e. the serial killer)?” According to the law of kamma-vipaka, the executioner bears the heaviest offence because he intentionally carried out the killing. Next would be the judge for pronouncing the death sentence. These two persons are directly involved in the killing kamma of the execution of the serial killer. The police are only indirectly involved and not responsible for the execution. How about the citizens? Ultimately the serial killer was executed to protect the citizens, i.e. he was executed for the sake of the citizens, or the citizens were the main beneficiaries of the execution. So are the citizens responsible for the killing kamma involved? No, because they did not ask for the execution of the serial killer. But they could be if they demanded his execution. The scenario is similar to the slaughter of animals for food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The persons who slaughter the animals bear the heaviest killing kamma. The persons who breed animals for slaughter are also involved in the killing kamma. They are like the judge who condemned the man to be executed. But the people who buy the meat of animals already slaughtered are not involved in the kamma of killing even though, like the citizens of the city above, they are the main beneficiaries. But if someone orders a live animal to be slaughtered for its meat, then killing kamma is involved for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T14:03:18.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10746" CreationDate="2016-06-04T15:29:28.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I provided an answer before, but reflecting on this question further it occurred to me that it is not a problem even if there is no food. In Buddha's time there was a time when the monks could not get their supply of food from the residents. King Agnidatta forbade his subjects from giving alms to the monks. But a group of horse dealers was passing through that place carrying barley for horses. The monks survived for four months eating this food given to the horses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once when Mara closed peoples' hearts against giving food to him, Lord Buddha spoke the following famous verse from the Dhammapada showing his power to obtain spiritual food from meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy, indeed, we live, We who possess nothing, Feeders on joy shall we be,&#xA;Even as gods of the radiant realm. — Dhp 200&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember well the Supreme Buddha’s words… “Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize the Nibbāna is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.” For true disciples who truly follow the Noble Eight Fold Path, food is of no issue as even the Devas / angels conspire to help them.  Also read the article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel073.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel073.html&lt;/a&gt; if time permits. It is very informative in this regard. May all beings, wheresoever they be, taste of this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T15:29:28.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15355" CreationDate="2016-06-04T15:33:47.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meat eating is prevalent in most Buddhist communities because of interpretation. Interpretation is a matter of convenience. So interpret it whatever you deem fit. If meat is the only thing you can survive on eat meat otherwise be vegetarian. Being vegetarian has its advantage that it helps in meditation but if you can digest meat easily and it is not a hindrance in meditation I guess you can have it. Be objective and use your own experience which can only be only obtained through experimentation. If you go by books and interpretation it will be impossible to come to any conclusions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T15:33:47.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="180" CreationDate="2016-06-04T16:16:41.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we will be able to free our minds from other external objectives and concentrate on the Satara Satipatthāna (The four foundations of mindfulness), if one could do it, then it is the Sapta Bojjañga (the Seven Factors of Enlightenment) that is going to get developed in him. That is, the items that aid attaining realization will start to get developed in him. There are seven items that aid realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sati (mindfulness)&#xA;Dhammavicaya (investigating the Dhamma)&#xA;Viriya (effort; energy)&#xA;Pīti (happiness)&#xA;Passaddi (tranquility)&#xA;Samādhi (concentration)&#xA;Upēkkā (equanimity)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We will start to understand that cultivation little by little (Sati). When a mind concentrate on the Dhamma in this manner, one will develop the talent of investigating the Dhamma by his wisdom (Dhammavicaya). When the talent of investigating Dhamma by his mind is developed, his effort gets cultivated (Viriya). When effort is developed, happiness gets cultivated (Pīti). When happiness is formed, alleviation/tranquility with respect to his (physical) body and mind gets cultivated (Passaddi). When he feels that relaxation with respect to his body and mind, his mind gets concentrated (Samādhi). A concentrated mind will become temperate since it is cultivated by wisdom (Upēkkā). This mind we have can be cultivated to that level. So with the purification of one factor helps achieving the same for the next factor. At the same time it is not strictly a linear process. Take the following as an example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proper Concentration (Samma Samadhi) is one of the 7 factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga), and one of the five spiritual abilities and powers (bala).  Concentration the last link of the 8-fold path. In the 3-fold division of the 8-fold path morality, concentration and understanding, it is a collective name for the three last links of the path. Proper samadhi has the qualities of purity, clarity, stability, calmness, readiness, and gentleness. It is perfected in one-pointedness (ekaggata). The supreme samadhi is the one-pointed mind (ekaggata-citta) which has Nibbana as its sole concern. In a broader sense, samadhi can be translated &quot;meditation,&quot; meaning development of the mind through the power of samadhi. A very good sutta that fully explains of this Supreme Samadhi is Rathavinãta Sutta. It explains in full the seven purifications (SAPTHA VISUDDHI) taught by the Buddha. Try to understand what these seven purifications are, that is found in the Rathavinãta Sutta (M.I,145). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T16:16:41.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15369" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-04T20:13:23.293" Score="2" ViewCount="466" Body="&lt;p&gt;My question today concerns Anatta's &lt;em&gt;usefulness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What good does it bring us to realize that the &quot;self&quot; (&lt;em&gt;what&lt;/em&gt; things are &#xA;and &lt;em&gt;who&lt;/em&gt; we are), because it is permanently changing, is therefore not real ? (that there's no &quot;this is like that&quot; or &quot;I am like that&quot; : only &quot;this is&quot;, and &quot;I am&quot;) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally - if this is Anatta, if I didn't get it wrong, realizing this gives me a sense of freedom (as knowing that I am born and that I die at &#xA;each moment makes me stop clinging to ideas I sometimes have about myself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this what Anatta's supposed to produce ? Not-clinging to reach Nibbana ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8455" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-12T13:29:59.700" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T13:29:59.700" Title="How is the Anatta (not-self) doctrine useful?" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15369" CreationDate="2016-06-04T20:29:17.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'self' is an idea/assumption born from craving for &amp;amp; attachment to things (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Parileyyaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, paragraphs 9 to 11). When the things attached to pass away (due to impermanence) there is suffering because of the 'self-clinging' or 'self-identity' with those impermanent things produces the sense of 'loss'. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nakulapita Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains this very well &amp;amp; simply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, yes. The purpose of anatta is to produce not-clinging to end suffering &amp;amp; reach Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; answers your question, particularly the last paragraphs (below):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...all...must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality,&#xA;  thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, &lt;strong&gt;seeing thus&lt;/strong&gt;, gets&#xA;  wearied of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception,&#xA;  gets wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness.&#xA;  Being wearied &lt;strong&gt;he becomes passion-free&lt;/strong&gt;. In his freedom from&#xA;  passion, he is emancipated. Being emancipated, there is the knowledge&#xA;  that he is emancipated. He knows: 'birth [of self] is exhausted, lived&#xA;  is the holy life, what had to be done is done, there is nothing more&#xA;  of this [self] becoming.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This the Blessed One said. Pleased, the group of five monks were&#xA;  delighted with the exposition of the Blessed One; moreover, as this&#xA;  exposition was being spoken, &lt;strong&gt;the minds of the group of five monks&#xA;  were freed of defilements, without attachment&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-04T20:41:16.793" LastActivityDate="2016-06-04T20:41:16.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15369" CreationDate="2016-06-04T22:21:29.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the use is described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abandoning Possessions &amp;amp; Views&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, you would do well to possess that possession, the possession&#xA;  of which would be constant, permanent, eternal, not subject to change,&#xA;  that would stay just like that for an eternity. But do you see that&#xA;  possession, the possession of which would be constant, permanent,&#xA;  eternal, not subject to change, that would stay just like that for an&#xA;  eternity?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Very good, monks. I, too, do not envision a possession, the&#xA;  possession of which would be constant, permanent, eternal, not subject&#xA;  to change, that would stay just like that for an eternity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, you would do well to cling to that clinging to a doctrine of&#xA;  self, clinging to which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair. But do you see a clinging to a doctrine of&#xA;  self, clinging to which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Very good, monks. I, too, do not envision a clinging to a doctrine of&#xA;  self, clinging to which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that clinging to any doctrine of self would cause sorrow and so on to arise. So it's better to have no doctrine of, to not have a doctrine of, self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read this essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No-self or Not-self?&lt;/a&gt; as saying that the question of self (&quot;Self or no self?&quot;) could lead to a doctrine of self if it were answered, and shouldn't be answered and/or an answer shouldn't be inferred (because doctrines of self lead to suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel268.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; says that what's impermanent is unsatisfactory and that it isn't proper to regard that as self,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, what is impermanent, is that unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it&#xA;  proper to regard it as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever form, past, future or present,&#xA;  internal or external, coarse or fine, low or lofty, far or near, all&#xA;  that form must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality,&#xA;  thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a sutta like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; he holds neither that body and soul are same, nor that body and soul are different; partly because,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the position ... is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, &amp;amp; fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggests that what's being taught is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO the Anatta doctrine should be understood as being in contrast to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ātman (Hinduism) doctrine&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that at least two of the fetters are associated with a sense of self: &quot;identity view&quot; and &quot;conceit&quot; (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;these answers about identity view&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;these answers about conceit&lt;/a&gt; for further details).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another famous, relevent summary is at the end of the The Anatta-lakkhana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever [of the five &lt;em&gt;khandhas&lt;/em&gt;], past, future or present, internal or external, coarse or fine, low or lofty, far or near, all that form must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality, thus: '&lt;strong&gt;This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That &quot;This is not mine&quot; could be viewed as an antidote to greed (thirst or attachment which, according to the second noble truth, causes suffering): either an antidote like a medicine taken to cure a disease, or perhaps a description of the healthy state when the disease doesn't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly the view that &quot;I am not this&quot; might be an antidote to pride.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, &quot;this is not my self&quot; (or &quot;not my soul&quot;) might be the logical consequence of the previous two, i.e. perhaps it's what you'd believe (i.e. what your view would be) if you had no craving (desire for &quot;mine&quot;), and also no &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conceit or pride&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moving on (from the Pali suttas to Mahayana-influenced doctrine), the Dalai Lama said that he views himself as &quot;not special&quot; and &quot;just like other people&quot;: that otherwise (e.g. if he thought of himself as &quot;the Dalai Lama&quot; or as &quot;the Nobel Peace Prize Winner&quot;) he would feel imprisoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T01:48:42.240" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15369" CreationDate="2016-06-05T02:17:38.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is &quot;useful&quot; like you said. But I would like to mention that in the context of society, it is useful to assume an ego. Without it, we would not be able to function responsibly. But of course, be aware that you are just assuming it and responsibly commit actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T02:17:38.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15373" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-05T02:23:14.617" Score="2" ViewCount="268" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which suttas in the Pali Canon give flat out instructions for how to develop equanimity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8468" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-05T02:26:04.267" LastActivityDate="2018-04-12T18:38:13.607" Title="Which suttas in the Pali canon give instructions for how to cultivate equanimity?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|pali-canon|sutras|equanimity|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3356" CreationDate="2016-06-05T02:49:59.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do mental noting of mind object whenever you remember too. You meditate with eyes open in your daily routine as often as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you realize your mind has wandered off, you mentally note &quot;wandering, wandering&quot; or &quot;thinking, thinking&quot;. Also, good to mentally note physical events like touching, seeing, hearing, chewing, walking, and etc. It keeps you in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindful breathing helps you with sitting meditation and helps your mind from wandering off as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sitting meditation supports mindfulness in daily life. Sitting meditation without daily mindfulness practice will take forever no matter how long you sit daily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In restaurant kitchen, a dishwasher working one hour at 9 pm can help reduce few dirty dishes but not enough to have all the dishes washed right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need a dish washer working for the whole time during the operating hours. Mindfulness practice in daily life is like that. One time dish washer for one hour is like sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very hard at first, but with persistence you can build mind muscle such that in few years you can have a calm mind that is active spontaneously only when you need to respond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two people among the long time mediators were being studied by a Harvard neuroscientist. These two people's brain just disappeared under MRI, because their mind was completely quiet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8469" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T02:49:59.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15373" CreationDate="2016-06-05T08:49:12.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.152.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya-bhavana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translation 1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya-bhavana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translation 2 with commentary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T08:49:12.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15377" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15380" CreationDate="2016-06-05T08:58:35.130" Score="1" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am pretty confident that the act of hating is bad, no matter the situation/problem you are facing.&#xA;Now, does hate have any intrinsic purpose? I am thinking that maybe it was useful to hate in some step in the evolutional chain. Probably as an unconscious triggering method to keep us away of danger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To what extent is this idea compatible with buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sorry if my question is not precise enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8473" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T10:24:25.040" Title="Is hate meant to be useful in any way?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15378" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-05T09:22:33.687" Score="0" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a Novice was ordained but was not ready to be ordained because of one little issue, like for example, the novice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;admitted to not having parental permission &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;admitted to an alchohol problem &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;admitted to still have 500 shares in Facebook&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;claims to not be human &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...and so on...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it the preceptor that gets in trouble or both? Is the novice defeated even if s/he didn't do anything wrong except tell the truth that s/he is defiled like most people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T15:27:54.017" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T01:10:59.780" Title="Bad Ordinations?" Tags="|karma|vinaya|ordination|wisdom|rules|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15377" CreationDate="2016-06-05T09:57:02.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is clear. I have not read anything in Buddhism that explicitly states that hate is a survival instinct. This is because Buddhism concerns itself with ending suffering &amp;amp; hate is something that is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;not peaceful (SN 35.28)&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, from an evolutionary perspective, your idea is compatible with the fundamental Buddhist principle of 'cause &amp;amp; effect' (conditionality) since Buddhism studies 'natural law'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains hate is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;underlying tendency (AN 7.11)&lt;/a&gt; that exists within the (subconscious) mind/brain &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/064-maha-malunkhyaputta-e1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;from child birth (MN 64)&lt;/a&gt; (even before a child can express hate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism states hate is a natural element or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dhatu (MN 115)&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha said that to really know any object, we must know five&#xA;  things about it, namely:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(1) What are the characteristics or properties of the object?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(2) From what does the object arise?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(3) What is its assāda, its enticing quality, its appeal, its&#xA;  allurement?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(4) What is the ādīnava, the hidden danger, the sinister power to harm&#xA;  that lies concealed in it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(5) What is the nissaraṇa, the trick by means of which we can get the&#xA;  better of it?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bd_students.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Question&#xA;  45 page 59&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-05T10:24:25.040" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T10:24:25.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15165" CreationDate="2016-06-05T11:07:21.147" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Turn to your experience&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply go as deep as you can go with each word.  Try and apply the word &quot;abiding&quot; to what is going on around you right now, then to your body, then to the totality of your undivided experience of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try and view the world from a frame where one could catch a glimpse of the flicker between moments.  What is that?  =)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arising, Abiding, Cessation ... all of these together are &quot;change&quot;  but the wording is very particular here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;abiding is a process of sustaining, that is: something is upheld by causes and the context much like how a tree holds out a branch, whereupon there is a leaf, whereupon there is a ladybug, for now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;cessation is also a process, the translator clearly opted for &quot;cessation&quot; as opposed to &quot;cessating&quot; because it would be strange, but the -ing makes for better contemplation because cessation or cessating is also a process, the process of dissolution of one entity, because whatever was sustaining its causes burned out or the context shifted ... micro and macro terms for the &quot;same thing&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;arising is the process of becoming, the process of manifesting, and this is precisely what Noble Arya Nagarjuna illuminates with Madhyamika (or middle-way) reasoning in his composition &lt;em&gt;Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For sake of completion to this answer, i'll add some words about arising&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arising is also no doubt a process; that of manifesting, as mentioned above.  Arising, the more we investigate it, can be seen to be a spontaneous (in-the-flash-of-the-moment) process yet there is clearly some sort of trajectory between qualities of moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to investigate on this level, one needs a lot of calm.  So first ones neural activity has to be very relaxed and near a state of homeostasis, which is Shamatha or Calm-abiding, the Tibetan term is Shi-nay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is insight meditation, it's possible for some people to really be able to get a perfect brief fissure/upheat of awareness and thereby polish their wisdom, but for the most part, and for sustaining clearer and more open / bare forms of attentiveness, it's crucial and wonderful, necessary and also exhilarating to develop a strong meditation practice.  That is, meditating every day for at least 30 minutes.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just make time to sit and at least try and stay undistracted for that long,&#xA;and when a good settling fits, try and crank up the light on your personal experience of the moment and its transitionings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With consistency and quality of meditation time, you are gradually making the conditions more and more perfect for something to happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is why we must totally discard the notion of expectation, and totally discard the notion of happening.  We are not investigating what &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; happen, we are investigating how everything is currently &lt;em&gt;happening&lt;/em&gt; and therefore, ah i just adore the phrase, &quot;turn to your experience.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T11:07:21.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15373" CreationDate="2016-06-05T11:37:26.317" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also you can check out Sata,upekkha Sukha Sutta. (The happiness of pleasure and of equanimity.) A.2.7.9. &#xA;When one is greedily attached to families one is always placed in an extreme position of difficulty and as a result one cannot maintain one's mental indifference, or equanimity. Equanimity (upekkha)is the main teaching of Buddhism. Attachment, either personal or impersonal, paves the way to ignorance (avijja) which prevents one from understanding what is good and evil, what is merit and what is demerit, what is right and what is wrong. Therefore we should be wise enough to be detached from the world as far as possible and of equanimity. But here I should emphatically say that revulsion is the other extreme. So attachment as well as revulsion should be understood very clearly and categorically. Understanding detachment paves the way to the realization of Nibbana through upekkha or equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T11:37:26.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11718" CreationDate="2016-06-05T11:38:14.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original question is about &lt;strong&gt;Brahmanism&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa-vyakarana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;namarupa-vyakarana&lt;/a&gt;) rather than about &lt;strong&gt;Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term '&lt;strong&gt;nama-rupa&lt;/strong&gt;' is confusing for many students of Buddhism because, in many suttas, the Buddha was speaking to Brahmans. Since those Brahmans did not understand the terminology of Buddhism, when the Buddha spoke to them, he was referring to nama-rupa as it was understood in Brahmanism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In addition, there are suttas obviously composed after the Buddha died probably for the purpose of preaching to &amp;amp; converting Brahmans, such as DN 15, since these suttas contradict the core principles of what the Buddha taught).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a 'a car' is a &lt;strong&gt;sense-object&lt;/strong&gt; of form (&lt;strong&gt;rūpāyatanaṃ&lt;/strong&gt;) rather than 'rupa' (the physical body) as found in the term 'nama-rupa'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;seeing of the car formation&quot; is &lt;strong&gt;eye contact&lt;/strong&gt; (phassa) dependent on &lt;strong&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/strong&gt; (consciousness) rather than &quot;nama&quot;. &quot;Nama' is defined as 'feeling, perception, intention, (internal) contact &amp;amp; attention (SN 12.2), and also other mental faculties, such as mindfulness (MN 111).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, that the car is a material thing (rupa &lt;strong&gt;dhatu&lt;/strong&gt;) is an ultimate reality since, no matter how small the atoms of a car are broken down into smaller particles, those particles remain as rupa dhatu (material elements). Being rupa dhatu, the rupa dhatu contains no 'self' within it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essential matter about ultimate reality is the car is &lt;strong&gt;anatta&lt;/strong&gt; (not-self) &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;sunnata&lt;/strong&gt; (empty of self) since the car can never be held to permanently belong to any owner (due to its impermanence). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The car does not really have an 'owner'. This is the ultimate reality the Buddha was concerned with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eye is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit. Forms are not yours...&#xA;  Eye-consciousness is not yours... Eye-contact is not yours... Whatever&#xA;  arises in dependence on eye-contact, experienced either as pleasure,&#xA;  as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let&#xA;  go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp;&#xA;  benefit.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 35.101&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-05T11:45:15.163" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T11:45:15.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15378" CreationDate="2016-06-05T15:09:35.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an answer to all of these issues in the Vinaya. Vinaya is the Monastic Discipline (code of ethics to be obeyed). In other words Vinaya is the disciplinary code of monks and nuns. For you and I, lay disciples, it is the 5 -8 precepts. Sadly  in the present day Vinaya is not given a due prominence. That’s why many are not in a position to realize the true benefits of the Dhamma. The basic code of the monastic discipline, also called ‘Patimokkha’  contains 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns.  Some rules and practices were regarded by the Buddha as essential and foundational to the pursuit of his teachings. Others were devised on an ad hoc basis as the Buddha encountered various behavioral problems or disputes among his followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the severity of the error a novice (sāmaṇera) can be re-ordained of expelled. &#xA;A novice (sāmaṇera) re-accepted (reordained) if the mistake is corrected and not that severe. Then &quot;Immediately the uposatha is to be done, the Pāṭimokkha is to be recited.&quot; — Mv.X.5.14.  punishment should be rescinded. Physical punishment is not allowed. A bhikkhu may not hit or lift his hand against a novice any more than he can do so to any other unordained person (see Pc 74 &amp;amp; 75). Even playful rough-housing is forbidden. A bhikkhu incurs a dukkaṭa under Pc 52 for tickling a novice, and a dukkaṭa under Cv.V.31.2 for flicking a novice with his tooth wood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Expulsion. As stated under Pc 70, a misbehaving novice may be subject to two types of expulsion: expulsion from his status as a novice and expulsion as a punishment. As with punishment, expulsion is the responsibility of the novice's mentor. Pc 70 covers the second form of expulsion.&#xA;&quot;I allow a novice endowed with ten qualities to be expelled: He is a taker of life, he is a taker of what is not given, he engages in unchastity, he is a speaker of lies, he is a drinker of intoxicants, he speaks dispraise of the Buddha, he speaks dispraise of the Dhamma, he speaks dispraise of the Saṅgha, he holds wrong views, he is a molester of a bhikkhunī. I allow that a novice endowed with these ten qualities be expelled.&quot; — Mv.I.60&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rules for GOING-FORTH are….&#xA;&quot;A boy less than 15 years old should not be given the Going-forth. Whoever should give it: an offense of wrong doing.&quot; — Mv.I.50.1 &quot;I allow that a boy less than 15 years old be given the Going-forth if he is capable of chasing crows.&quot; — Mv.I.51.1&#xA;&quot;A son without permission from his parents should not be given the Going-forth. Whoever should give it: an offense of wrong doing.&quot; — Mv.I.54.6&#xA;How a novice is to be ordained — Mv.I.54.3&#xA;&quot;Bhikkhus, I allow the Going-forth for a novice by means of these three goings for refuge.&quot; — Mv.I.54.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T01:10:59.780" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T01:10:59.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15385" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15483" CreationDate="2016-06-05T15:34:08.400" Score="1" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recall reading a &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt; in which the Buddha rises from meditation and says that while he was meditating, it occurred to him: Is it possible for a king to rule righteously without killing? If anyone knows the text I am talking about, it would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T05:02:40.097" Title="Reference request: Can a king rule justly without killing?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15337" CreationDate="2016-06-05T15:48:52.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being overly optimistic creates a turbulent mind, and in this Dhamma path it is important to calm your mind. Overly optimistic may fuel this “optimism bias” and specially in meditation takes you off base. An optimism bias, if its expectations are not met, its absence can signal anxiety or depression, its pessimistic opposite. The Buddhist term for this is Uddhacca-Kukkucca.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many are the obstacles which block the road to spiritual progress and uddhacca is one such. Uddhacca is a Buddhist term that is translated as &quot;excitement&quot;, &quot;restlessness&quot;, etc. Here I have to remind you that uddhacca is not the same as what we mean by “restlessness” or “agitation”, used in conventional language. Even when there is pleasant feeling, for example, when we are attached to a quiet place, there is restlessness, uddhacca, which arises together with lobha-mūla-citta. We may think that we are calm at such a moment, but we have actually “mental excitement”. In the Theravada tradition, uddhacca is defined as a mental factor that is characterized by disquietude, like water whipped by the wind. Uddhacca or 'restlessness', belongs to the 10 fetters (samyojana), and to the 5 hindrances (nīvarana). It is one of those 4 mental factors inseparably associated with all unwholesome consciousness. Uddhacca is a close friend to moha (ignorance). Uddhacca spreads and disperses and wanders around. It is said to be like throwing of a stone into a heap of ash. In its presence, citta becomes restless and upset. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who develops belief and confidence in Satipatthana will not be in a hurry. Also he will not be lazy. Many people have this indecent hurry. They are in an unnecessary hurry. That is why they try to practice for hours at the beginning itself. Such a person is in an unnecessary haste. That unnecessary haste is due to impatience. One who has trust in Satipatthana or has confidence in it is not in haste. What does he have? Patience. The nature of one who is pleased with Satipatthana, who trusts it, who understands it becomes patient. Patience arises in him. Why does he have patience? Why does patience arise in him? Why is he not in a hurry? Because of confidence. What is his confidence? It is the unflinching confidence in the Triple Gem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T15:48:52.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15385" CreationDate="2016-06-05T18:09:39.630" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to read the &quot;Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta&quot; - D26. It is the  Discourse on the Lion-roar of the Wheel-turner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha once explained... sometimes a person is born to the world with 32 bodily characteristics that a Buddha has. That person is known as a Sakviti Raja (a universal monarch). Even though the universal ruler also has the great 32 bodily characteristics, he could be a Prutakjana (one who has not come into Dhamma) person who has the propensity to be born in low-level worlds. Once he became the universal monarch, he rules the world or the Chakkavatti Rājjyaya (ChakkavattiKingdom) with great moral qualities. As a result of this, he gained great merits and will be reborn in heaven. However, if he is still in the Prutakjana state, he can get a birth in one of the four low-level worlds at the end of his lifetime in heaven. On the other hand, a noble disciple of Tathāgata (the Supreme Buddha) even with many difficulties in his life as a human will overcome the Prutakjana state. This results in his rebirth in same divine worlds as the Universal King was born. Thus, he overcomes the birth in these low-level worlds after his lifetime as that poor person. This example clearly shows us how the possibility of a normal being to be born in Hell, Animal, Preta, or Asura worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T18:09:39.630" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14806" CreationDate="2016-06-05T18:39:27.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Magadhi is Pali language in the spoken form at the time of the Buddha. Magadhi was a dialect spoken in the Maghadan area in the eastern part of North India and was thought likely to be a composite with features assembled from different geographical areas. Theravada Buddhists consider that Magadhi was probably the language preferred and used by the Buddha. It was this language that came to be developed and formalised as a written language, which we now call “Pali”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali is a written language, but it has no special script. It should be noted that the Magadhi/Pali we have now may not be the full and accurate spoken language of those days and in fact, may not have been actually used in this present form. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali, (“Pali” means “text”), has a vocabulary that has special significance for the study of Buddhism, because its words have been well defined for the needs of the Buddha’s teachings, which no other language could successfully define. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali is the language of the Theravada Buddhist religion’s record of teachings, the “The Tripitaka” the Vinaya Pitaka (the collection of rules for Monks), the Sutta Pitaka (main body of collected teachings) and the Abidhamma Pitaka (a  later addition to original teachings). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T18:39:27.170" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15389" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-05T19:27:56.283" Score="1" ViewCount="304" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are we not thinking of ourselves as either you're better than they are, or equal to them, or worse that they are? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-05T22:22:24.657" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T22:06:42.917" Title="Is it not conceit when you compare yourself to other people?" Tags="|teaching|daily-life|self|reality|learning|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15390" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-05T19:49:58.217" Score="1" ViewCount="176" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may get to see someone or an animal is sick and suffering in pain. You may be able to give that person or animal a medicine that helps relieve the pain somewhat. But sometimes there’s so much pain that it goes beyond the reach of any morphine, any opium, any painkiller at all. At  such moments what would be your thoughts? Being well informed of the Dhamma, you know in the back of your mind that it is our responsibility for what we are. We were the ones who chose to be born here. It was because of our desires and our cravings that we took birth as human beings or animals for that matter. When you’re responsible for your birth, then you also have to be responsible for how you handle your aging, illness, and death. They all come as part of the same package. So how could you be of help to self and the other in such a situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T21:13:25.243" Title="As a disciple of the Supreme Buddha, what would you do with an animal that is in severe pain?" Tags="|karma|daily-life|doctrine|volition|perception|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15390" CreationDate="2016-06-05T21:13:25.243" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;My mother and I saw a cat today by the side of the road, which had probably been hit by a car. Its back legs were outstretched, it didn't walk, I guessed its lower back was broken. It miaowed to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We went to find the owner of the nearby house, I told him that I had the regret to inform him that etc., he said that it sounded like his cat and we went to find it. He talked to it (saying, &quot;Oh my poor Fifi&quot;) picked it up (it miaowed again) and he told us that he'd take her to the vet, which seemed to me like a good idea. I was glad for the cat's sake that she now had her human companion/friend with her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mother told him that (in her opinion) the cat wll probably want to be euthanased (a.k.a. put to sleep or put to death) but I think that Buddhist doctrine denies that and says not to kill, even in that situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some references for how to behave with someone who is terminally ill:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are many other references at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/dad.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Buddhist Guide to Death, Dying and Suffering&lt;/a&gt; (the &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/kusalainfo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;author&lt;/a&gt; is or was a chaplain at a medical centre).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/2357157/What_nurses_need_to_know_about_Buddhist_perspectives_of_end-of-life_care_and_dying&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What nurses need to know about Buddhist perspectives of end-of-life care and dying&lt;/a&gt; (registration required) might be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also page 82 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary on the Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; describes the words a bikkhu might say during the dying process to inspire a patient.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answers to these questions might be helpful if dying is accompanied by pain as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5142/254&quot;&gt;Experiencing physical pain&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12654/254&quot;&gt;Buddhism view on mercy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T21:13:25.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15389" CreationDate="2016-06-05T21:30:46.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is useful for thinking: &quot;I can enter the path&quot; but it is useless for actually entering the noble path because entering the noble path is based on abandoning the conceit &quot;I am&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S48&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Best Kinds of Faith&lt;/a&gt; do not include the conceit &quot;I can&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Faith, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does not&#xA;  lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition for&#xA;  faith? 'Suffering' should be the reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.23&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, any delight in feeling is clinging. From his&#xA;  clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From&#xA;  becoming as a requisite condition comes birth [of 'self']. From birth as a&#xA;  requisite condition, then aging-&amp;amp;-death [of 'self'], sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this&#xA;  entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, there is the case where a&#xA;  Tathāgata appears in the world, worthy and rightly self-awakened. He&#xA;  teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its&#xA;  middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its&#xA;  particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He [the person discussed above], hearing the Dhamma, gains conviction&#xA;  in the Tathāgata and reflects: 'Household life is confining, a dusty&#xA;  path. Life gone forth is the open air. It isn't easy, living at home,&#xA;  to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, a polished&#xA;  shell. What if I, having shaved off my hair &amp;amp; beard and putting on the&#xA;  ochre robe, were to go forth from the household life into&#xA;  homelessness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small;&#xA;  leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair&#xA;  and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household&#xA;  life into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN&#xA;   38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-05T21:42:49.813" LastActivityDate="2016-06-05T21:42:49.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15396" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-06T09:22:42.557" Score="1" ViewCount="459" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that merit transfer is a later development. We reap what we sow, it is not possible for the merit to be transferred. Is it true any recipient will not be able to receive any merit that is done and transferred by someone? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T18:39:47.600" Title="The idea of transfer merit" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15396" CreationDate="2016-06-06T11:10:37.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paccha-bhumika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; implies that people's destiny is influenced by their own actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=transfer+merit+is%3Aquestion&quot;&gt;other topics on this site about transferring merit&lt;/a&gt; which explain the practice in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's similar to metta meditation, i.e. it could at least have an effect (or begin by having an effect) on the practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-06-06T11:10:37.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15401" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-06T12:12:44.873" Score="2" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between modern atomic theory and the Buddhist atomic theory? &#xA;Buddhism also employs certain technical terms such as Anu,Paramanu,Cunna,Kapala and so on at same time we can take following terms as counter part of Buddhist terms in modern science,atom,nucleus,electron etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8483" LastEditorUserId="8483" LastEditDate="2016-06-06T18:14:53.510" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T14:29:35.110" Title="Physics in Buddhism" Tags="|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15402" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-06T16:02:13.933" Score="2" ViewCount="11201" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do we not remember our past lives?&#xA;If it is possible to recollect one's previous lives by deeply concentrated thought,is it not possible for us to visit the hermits living in Himalaya area and verify the truth of doctrine of rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8483" LastActivityDate="2017-11-26T00:39:31.353" Title="Remembering past lives" Tags="|theravada|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15396" CreationDate="2016-06-06T17:00:59.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course merit can be transferred, such as when the love or goodness of one person makes another person feel love or goodness, such as when parents love their children &amp;amp; thus transfer their merit to their children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, transferring merit to dead or unconnected people, yes, that would bring the results to the giver similar to a metta or gratitude meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether there is actual merit being transferred to the dead would be not knowable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In five ways, young householder, a child should minister to his&#xA;parents as the East:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) Having supported me I shall support them,&#xA;(ii) I shall do their&#xA;duties, (iii) I shall keep the family tradition, (iv) I shall make&#xA;myself worthy of my inheritance, (v) &lt;strong&gt;I shall offer alms&#xA;in honor of my departed relatives&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-06T17:06:27.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15401" CreationDate="2016-06-06T17:14:46.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A difference between modern atomic theory &amp;amp; Buddhist atomic theory is their respective purposes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern atomic theory culminated in atomic bombs used to kill thousands of people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as the Buddhist atomic theory has the purpose of realizing 'not-self' (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; bringing the peace &amp;amp; love of selflessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-06T17:14:46.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15402" CreationDate="2016-06-06T17:36:12.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard monks such as The Dalai Lama speak their opinion about the 'reality' of past lives yet these teachers also state they cannot remember their own past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless, just because a person tells us they remembered their past lives does negate what they are saying may not be true. That person might possibly be deluded (i.e., clinging to the sense objects of mental formations as being 'self'; just like clinging to a dream that occurs in sleep as being real). Either way, another person cannot verify past lives for us since we ourselves cannot verify what the other person is saying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the oldest Buddhist scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), it is stated the Buddha did not remember 'past lives' (despite many Buddhists believing this &amp;amp; mistranslating words to mean this). Instead, the Buddha recollected the myriad times in the past (before he was enlightened) where his mind ignorantly clung to things as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, it is explained when a meditator recollects 'past abodes' (&lt;em&gt;pubbe nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;), what is recollected is only the five aggregates (body, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp; consciousness) and that this recollection is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: '&lt;em&gt;This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am&lt;/em&gt;.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, in scriptures such as MN 36, 'past abodes' (&lt;em&gt;pubbe nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;) is mentioned with previous 'births' ('jati'). The word 'birth' means the conceptual birth of the view of 'beings' ('satta' - SN 12.2) or 'self-identity' (MN 44). &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt; state 'beings' ('satta') is a mental state or wrong view; that in reality; there is no 'being' ('satta') to be found. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This&#xA;  is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So,&#xA;  when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when it was said the Buddha recollected his previous 'births', this was also the recollecting the myriad times in the past (before he was enlightened) where his mind ignorantly clung to things as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many videos on YouTube by Ajahn Brahm about past lives, where he claims he gives evidence of their verification. I recommend watching these or similar videos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-07T07:45:43.737" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T07:45:43.737" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15406" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-06T19:59:43.680" Score="3" ViewCount="5212" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a student at Manhattan College. I am in a class on religious discrimination. For my class I must go to a religious service other than mine. I picked Buddhism. However I don't know what a service would be called, or what day of the weekend it would be. I am lucky I have a monastery around the corner from me; what am I looking for? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8485" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-06T22:51:33.343" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T02:39:51.983" Title="What is a Buddhist ceremony or service called, and what day of the week is it likely to be?" Tags="|traditions|monastery|temples|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15402" CreationDate="2016-06-06T20:22:57.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why do we not remember our past lives?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a protective mechanism, kind of like how when you enter REM sleep your body paralyzes you to avoid hurting yourself. Similarly most of our chakras are in a semi-open, unpurified state because the full power of it can be harmful to ourselves and others. Many spiritual powers remain dormant. (I would not rely on the explanations of famous modern teachers because most of them are just intellectuals and have not put the prerequisite solitude and focus to attain realization... and sometimes they have to make publicly acceptable comments to avoid attack.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If it is possible to recollect one's previous lives by deeply concentrated thought?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. By entering the 1st jhana, one can even recall one's past lives. The below passage from MN 36 indicates Buddha went to 4th jhana before doing so, recalling many more. I would refer to the book Mind Experiment by Bavo Lievens for references on Buddhist texts, as well as beautiful Buddhist cosmology and how to go about doing this. Go to page 80.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished,&#xA;  rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, &amp;amp; attained to&#xA;  imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my&#xA;  past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth,&#xA;  two...five, ten...fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand,&#xA;  many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many&#xA;  eons of cosmic contraction &amp;amp; expansion: 'There I had such a name,&#xA;  belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food,&#xA;  such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life.&#xA;  Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a&#xA;  name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my&#xA;  food, such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life.&#xA;  Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus I remembered my&#xA;  manifold past lives in their modes &amp;amp; details.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T23:23:56.883" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T23:23:56.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15406" CreationDate="2016-06-06T22:02:56.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it is a Thai temple (eg. 76-16 46 Ave Elmhurst), the service is where the devotees chant to (take refuge in) the Buddha, Dhamma &amp;amp; Sangha, request the five precepts, generally offer the monks food, and receive a blessing in return, including sprinkling of water, as described here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.yelp.com.au/biz/wat-buddha-thai-thavorn-varanam-elmhurst&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.yelp.com.au/biz/wat-buddha-thai-thavorn-varanam-elmhurst&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wat-Buddha-Thai-Thavorn-Vanaram/137256256319623&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wat-Buddha-Thai-Thavorn-Vanaram/137256256319623&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Vietnamese temple (2222 Andrews West Bronx) would probably have the same service, such as shown in this video: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwo4JBbpraw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwo4JBbpraw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is best to go to an Asian temple (rather than a meditation centre or even a Zen centre, since meditation &amp;amp; Zen centres are usually run by Westerners &amp;amp; may not do food offerings &amp;amp; blessings) because a traditional Asian service involves an 'exchange' of devotion between the monks and the people. That said, a Zen centre may do a ceremony followed by meditation. You needs to check with your teacher whether 'personal meditation' is a 'service'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge, food offering &amp;amp; blessing service would probably occur on the weekend but could occur each day. Contact the temple &amp;amp; have fun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-06T22:09:39.147" LastActivityDate="2016-06-06T22:09:39.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15401" CreationDate="2016-06-06T22:27:25.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, if people talk about &quot;atoms&quot; in Theravada doctrine, they're referring to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, an explanation of &quot;kalapas&quot; is an explanation of &quot;the difference between modern atomic theory and the Buddhist atomic theory&quot; (especially since an explanation of 'modern atomic theory' is probably off-topic on this site).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps the answers to this topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9422/254&quot;&gt;Meaning of 'kalapas'&lt;/a&gt;, would answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-06-06T22:27:25.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15410" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-07T01:51:38.373" Score="2" ViewCount="333" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would be interested to hear all similes about removing the difilments step by step &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What i vaguely remember is a simile about purifying gold - and maybe there was one on purifying silver ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T18:52:37.200" Title="what similes buddha gave for removing defilments" Tags="|simile|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15410" CreationDate="2016-06-07T02:21:38.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vammika Sutta - The Discourse on the Ant-hill [Similes for the spiritual training] (Majjhima Nikya 23/1:142-145)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.13-Vammika-S-m23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.13-Vammika-S-m23-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vammika Sutta is one of the most interesting discourses that reveals the Truth of Buddha's Dhamma in a simple, effective way and in unequivocal terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ON the impermanence of the body. ON the fifteen puzzling questions that the dazzling non-human put to the Buddha: &quot;What is the anthill? What smokes by night? What flames by day? Who is the brahmin? Who is the sage? What is the tool? What is the digging? What is the bar? What is the frog? What is the forked passage? What is the strainer? What is the turtle? What is the meat cleaver? What is the joint of meat? What is the cobra?&quot; ON the parable of the smouldering anthill; with the Buddha explaining: the anthill symbolizes the body; the smoke by night symbolizes thought; flames by day symbolize words and actions; the brahmin symbolizes an enlightened being; the sage symbolizes the monk; the tool symbolizes wisdom; digging symbolizes effort; the bar symbolizes ignorance; the frog symbolizes passion and anger; the forked passage symbolizes doubt; the strainer symbolizes the five hindrances (passion, ill-will, indolence, anxiety, and doubt); the turtle symbolizes clinging to worldly things (the five aggregates: form, feelings, perceptions, formation, and consciousness); the meat cleaver symbolizes the pleasures of the five senses; the joint of meat symbolizes passion and delight; the cobra symbolizes those who have extinguished all desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T02:21:38.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15410" CreationDate="2016-06-07T02:39:32.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;MN 7 - Vatthupama Sutta: The Simile of the Cloth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With a simple simile, in this sutta, the Buddha illustrates the difference between a defiled mind and a pure mind. According to the Vatthupama Sutta in the Majjhimanikaya,2 the Buddha says that the cloth that is stained and dirty cannot be properly dyed because the cloth is not clean. Even so when the mind is stained or defiled a bad destination is to be expected. On the contrary when the cloth is quite clean and pure that can be dyed in bright colours. Even so when one's mind is not stained with defilements a happy destination may be expected a good bourne. That is the simile given in this Sutta to explain detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T02:39:32.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15410" CreationDate="2016-06-07T05:01:35.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as in the last month of the Rains, in the autumn season when the&#xA;  crops are ripening, a cowherd would look after his cows: He would tap&#xA;  &amp;amp; poke &amp;amp; check &amp;amp; curb them with a stick on this side &amp;amp; that. Why is&#xA;  that? Because he foresees flogging or imprisonment or a fine or public&#xA;  censure arising from that [if he let his cows wander into the crops].&#xA;  In the same way I foresaw in unskillful qualities drawbacks,&#xA;  degradation &amp;amp; defilement and I foresaw in skillful qualities rewards&#xA;  related to renunciation &amp;amp; promoting cleansing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice would use a small peg to&#xA;  knock out, drive out, and pull out a large one; in the same way, if&#xA;  evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion&#xA;  — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a&#xA;  particular theme, he should attend to another theme, apart from that&#xA;  one, connected with what is skillful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as a young woman — or man — fond of adornment, would be&#xA;  horrified, humiliated, and disgusted if the carcass of a snake or a&#xA;  dog or a human being were hung from her neck; in the same way, if&#xA;  evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion&#xA;  — still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme,&#xA;  connected with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of&#xA;  those thoughts: 'Truly, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, these&#xA;  thoughts of mine are blameworthy, these thoughts of mine result in&#xA;  stress.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T05:01:35.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-06-07T09:19:54.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you say anything which is a lie it will give bad karma. So avoid lying at all times. If you have a situation where you have to tell a lie otherwise you hurt someone, you should be silent and say nothing. Saying nothing and keeping quiet is a great way to avoid telling lies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8464" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T09:19:54.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15416" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-07T14:24:11.097" Score="1" ViewCount="97" Body="&lt;p&gt;A being is born into a Naraka-Niraya or Hell as a direct result of his or her accumulated actions (karma) and resides there for a finite period of time until that karma has achieved its full result. It is said that the Yamaraja assesses the vices of the sinful and accords judgement, assigning them to appropriate hells as punishment commensurate with the severity and nature of their sins.&#xA;Yama dutas also assigned the job of executing punishments on sinners in various hells.&#xA;In the Pali canon,the Supreme Buddha states that a person who has ill-treated their parents, ascetics, holy persons, or elders is taken upon his death to Yama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how does the karma affect to yamaraja and his servants,yama dutas for thier actions in assignig punishments?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8483" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T14:24:11.097" Title="Naraka/hell realms in Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|hells|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2016-06-08T18:28:59.080" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15401" CreationDate="2016-06-07T14:29:35.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short, modern scientists analyze the external universe from quarks to quasars in pursuit of &quot;the ultimate reality&quot;. On the contrary, we Buddhists analyze the matter in our sense experience as patavi, apo, thejo, wayo - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;to get rid of the dilution (&lt;em&gt;avijja&lt;/em&gt;) caused by Vijñāna(~consciousness) projected on Mahābhūta. This is the intention of &lt;em&gt;kayanupassana&lt;/em&gt; as described in the great &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta:AN 4.45&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear. But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress without reaching the end of the cosmos. Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T14:29:35.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15396" CreationDate="2016-06-07T15:07:28.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Merits(punya/the good deeds) as well as the bad deeds can be transferred/dedicated(&lt;em&gt;anumodana&lt;/em&gt;) to others. But there is an element of action involved at the receiving end. For example; someone commits a noble deed and transfers that merit to me. To receive the merit, I should endorse and acknowledge the action. This is usually expressed as &quot;&lt;em&gt;Sadhu! Sadhu! Anumodami&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Same applies for evil deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Chethanaham bikkawe kamman wadami.  Chethaithwa kamman karothi kayena&#xA;  wachaya manasa”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dear Bikkhus, I introduce thought as karma. It is after having thought&#xA;  that we engage in action physically, verbally and mentally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta: AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T15:07:28.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14811" CreationDate="2016-06-07T15:17:11.293" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am writing from the point of view of Tibetan Buddhism. Your question actually has two aspects. The only thing that can set humans apart from other sentient beings is realization of &quot;precious human life&quot;. This is the desire,ability,and opportunity to take refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha,Dharma,and Sangha.&#xA;The second aspect is the understanding of the three kayas (bodies) of the enlightenment of a buddha.&#xA;Dharmakaya represents mind,and as such has no bodily form. It is always present,yet does not change or transform. It is not the conceptual daily mind that we are all familiar with, but rather primordial, pure and clear mind, hence unchanging. It is the basis for determining sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya.&#xA;Sambhogakaya represents speech. It is the speech that manifests wisdom in a verbal and nonverbal aspect. In other words, thinking and speaking with wisdom from the Buddhist point of view. It is the ability to communicate wisely on all levels.&#xA;Nirmanakaya represents the body. This is the physical aspect of one who is enlightened. It is the literal body that communicates and relates, changing constantly as it purifies karmic influence and residue. This continues until purification to the point of being one with extraordinary ability to work for the benefit of others.&#xA;As a sentient being with precious human life,the three kayas work together as one to produce an enlightened buddha.&#xA;These topics and many others are covered in Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche's very easy to understand book,&quot;A Complete Guide To The Buddhist Path&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T15:17:11.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13029" CreationDate="2016-06-07T15:29:12.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although I do not know what you consider to be prohibitively priced, as of today, 6/7/2016, abebooks.com has a used copy for $34.95 plus $4.00 shipping. If the book is as scarce in hard copy as it appears to be, this seems to be a good price.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T15:29:12.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15355" CreationDate="2016-06-07T15:42:23.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the third point, I would give the benefit of the doubt and avoid eating that meat. This is prevalent in &lt;em&gt;bhikku vinaya&lt;/em&gt; too, if you are in reasonable doubt; refrain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T15:42:23.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15422" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-07T16:10:24.303" Score="2" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Doctor assisted suicide&lt;/a&gt; - a hot potato in the western countries these days. Although this is a kind of suicide, the patient is fully awake and living human being in contrast to a patient in life support due to brain death. According to the Buddhist teachings, what are the karmic repercussions for the doctor who assists the suicide?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T12:13:05.097" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T03:51:09.267" Title="Doctor assisted suicide - does doctor break the first precept?" Tags="|karma|ethics|modern-world|killing|suicide|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15422" CreationDate="2016-06-07T16:25:16.417" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assisting suicide would be considered an offence of defeat in a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever monk should intentionally deprive a human being of life, &lt;strong&gt;or should look about to be his knife-bringer&lt;/strong&gt;, he is also one who is defeated and is no more in communion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/euthanasia.html#one&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attitudes to Euthanasia in the Vinaya and Commentary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-07T16:33:37.883" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T16:33:37.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15133" CreationDate="2016-06-07T16:37:45.883" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My guess (from the brief description, which somewhat resonates with my previous experiences) is that your mind is in a partially frozen or disconnected/dissociated state. Equanimity is a netural feeling (from the set +/0/-), not absence of feelings. It can be a happy state in some sense, but it is not alive. Sometimes people don't realize that they are in such a state until they get out and feel the difference. One way of describing depression is that it is a state of disconnection (rather than a state of unhappy feeling); I am not diagnosing you, but it might be something in that direction (you say &quot;repressed&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My recommendation is to do vipassana. Do vipassana which only involves very little concentration (&quot;dry vipassana&quot;), otherwise your mind will be using concentration (fake calmness and equanimity) to hide stuff; you want to see it and release it as much as possible. I have a very good experience with Ajahn Tong's tradition, which is Mahasi with some Thai influences; they have a set &quot;basic course&quot; of 2-3 weeks and use noting to help develop mindfulness. Noting is useful, because it forces you to note something all the time (even if &quot;disconnected&quot;, &quot;frozen&quot;, &quot;equanimous&quot;, &quot;nothing&quot;, &quot;unconcentrated&quot;, &quot;confused&quot;), thus making it more difficult for the mind to hide somewhere and develop attachment to some states. Do the full course if you can, it is very powerful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To connect with the theory a bit, you are seeing one of the roots of suffering, namely ignorance -- not knowing what is happening. It is tough to see (tougher than greed and hatred, the other 2) because one literally does not know that one does not know. Something like curved space making light go around something, but it can only be identified indirectly and it looks like &quot;nothing&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you locate yourself, I can help you find centers in your area (they have in Thailand, Europe, Central America; and occasionally courses here and there).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T19:33:24.747" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T19:33:24.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14811" CreationDate="2016-06-07T18:18:52.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dharmakaya is not this virtue. Dharmakaya is the essence of Buddhahood and formless in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sambhogakaya is this collective virtue that you speak of and a highly cultivated person can &quot;show it off&quot; so to speak in a physical manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being understood, your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do any traditions claim that the dharmakaya is never manifest in a human being?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the proper above understanding in place, your question is actually about the sambhogakaya which is like a collective strength of one's paramitas.&#xA;No one has absolutely 0%, maybe some very very low. If one is lucky enough to be a human being, then they definitely do not have 0% and have done some great good (maybe lifetimes ago) to deserve being human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T18:18:52.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15427" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15428" CreationDate="2016-06-07T19:17:09.380" Score="2" ViewCount="935" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was meditating today on accepting and letting go of fear, anger and anxiety (which were very loud in my mind at the time) when suddenly my reactions to these states turned into disgust: whenever anger came up, I quickly became disgusted by it. Same thing happened for fear and anxiety. As soon as I sense the suffering in my thoughts, I become disgusted by them. Why is this happening?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5382" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T12:04:07.547" Title="Sudden arising of disgust" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15427" CreationDate="2016-06-07T19:43:57.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why is this happening? The mind could be becoming clear &amp;amp; attuned to what is healthy &amp;amp; peaceful. Inner wisdom could be functioning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.soma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Removal of Distracting Thoughts&lt;/a&gt; sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Like a well-dressed young man or woman who feels horrified, humiliated and disgusted because of the carcass of a snake, dog or&#xA;  human that is hung round his or her neck...the monk in whom&#xA;  unskillful thoughts continue to arise...ponders on the disadvantages&#xA;  of unskillful thoughts thus: Truly, these thoughts of mine are&#xA;  unskillful, blameworthy and productive of misery. Then the evil,&#xA;  unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their&#xA;  elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and&#xA;  concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fire Sermon&lt;/a&gt; describes the liberation that results from clearly seeing the 'fire', burning or oppressiveness of lust, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. In the text, the word translated as &quot;estrangement&quot; is '&lt;em&gt;nibbindaṃ&lt;/em&gt;', which also means 'disgust' or 'revulsion'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote below explains the word 'nibbindaṃ':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The more common translation of nibbidā is “disillusionment, disenchantment” but the more serious spiritual practitioners generally&#xA;  prefer “revulsion,” even “disgust.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some commentaries, 'nibbindaṃ-disgust' (&lt;em&gt;nibbidanupassana-nana&lt;/em&gt;) precedes or creates the 'desire for liberation' (&lt;em&gt;muncitukamyata-nana&lt;/em&gt;) rather than liberation itself (as found in the scriptures). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: 'Disgust' is not the same as 'hatred/aversion'. 'Disgust' leads to freedom, since it leads to the rejecting, dropping &amp;amp; subsiding of the negative emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T20:55:33.953" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15427" CreationDate="2016-06-07T19:55:16.310" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that all suffering is caused by craving, which is also interpreted as attachment. Your meditation started out as letting go of these afflictive emotions, which you were clinging to as evidenced by the loud noises in your mind. It was a good start, but what happened is rather than letting go you flipped to the polar opposite of attachment, which is aversion. This is not an uncommon event when one is trying to cope with afflictive emotions. Our conceptual mind outside of Buddhism has learned that what we do not like/love we must dislike/hate. Your meditative practice needs to find the middle...and I do not mean apathy...rather that you neither like nor dislike these emotions; that they do not influence your life in any positive way, and that you can let go of them without acting on or reacting to them in any manner. They will still crop up on occasion, so repeat the process until you can go through life without any need for these emotions to arise. Lama Surya Das devotes a large section of his book, &quot;Awakening the Buddha Within&quot;, to meditation training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T19:55:16.310" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14097" CreationDate="2016-06-07T21:06:07.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what I have been able to determine. It does not answer all of the symbolism or identify all objects from this particular image, but it is a good start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...Shri Kalachakra shining forth with stainless light rays of five&#xA;  [colours], with a body blue in colour. Having three necks the central&#xA;  is blue, right red and left white. The main face is black and fierce&#xA;  with bared teeth. The right face is red and desirous. The back face is&#xA;  yellow and in samadhi. The left face is white and very peaceful. Each&#xA;  face has three eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The hair is tied in a tuft [along with] a vishvavajra, crescent moon,&#xA;  and Vajrasattva as a crown, a vajra jewel, vajra earrings, vajra&#xA;  necklace, vajra bracelets, vajra belt, vajra anklets, vajra scarf,&#xA;  vajra mala, and a loose tiger skin skirt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first [two] shoulders on the right and left are blue, second red,&#xA;  third white, for a [total] of six [pairs] of shoulders, twelve upper&#xA;  arms and twenty-four hands. The first four [right and left] are black,&#xA;  second four red, third four white. The thumbs of all the hands are&#xA;  yellow, index finger white, middle finger red, ring finger black, and&#xA;  little finger green. The first knuckle is black, second red, third&#xA;  white. All of the fingers are beautiful and radiant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first four black right hands hold a vajra, sword, trident and&#xA;  curved knife. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The four red [hold] a flaming arrow, vajra hook, a rattling damaru and&#xA;  hammer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The four white [hands hold] a wheel, spear, stick and a battle axe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first four black left [hands] hold a vajra bell, shield, katvanga&#xA;  and a skullcup filled with blood. The four red [hold] a bow, vajra&#xA;  lasso, jewel and a white lotus. The four white [hold] a conch, mirror,&#xA;  vajra chain and the four-faced head of Brahma adorned with lotus&#xA;  [flowers].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Above a moon, sun and rahu, standing in a very playful manner, the&#xA;  right red leg is extended atop red Kamadeva having one face and four&#xA;  hands, holding five flower arrows, a bow, lasso and a hook. Under the&#xA;  left white leg is Rudra, white with one face, three eyes and four&#xA;  arms, holding a trident, damaru drum, skullcup and a katvanga. The&#xA;  demon [consorts] Rati and Uma in a woeful [manner] hold the soles [of&#xA;  Kalachakra's feet].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vishvamata, yellow in colour, embraces [Kalachakra] from the front.&#xA;  The faces, from the right are yellow, white, blue and red, each with&#xA;  three eyes. There are eight arms. The [first] right hands hold a&#xA;  curved knife, hook, a rattling damaru and bead mala. The left [hands&#xA;  hold] a skullcup, lasso, white lotus with eight petals and a jewel.&#xA;  Vajrasattva [appears] as a crown. Adorned with the five mudras. The&#xA;  left leg is extended - standing together with the Bhagavan.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- (Buton Tamche Kyenpa Rinchen Drub, 1290-1364. dus 'khor sgrub thabs bsdus pa rin po che'i snying po. gsung 'bum rin chen grub [zhol par khang] Volume 5, Pages 163-176. [TBRC W1934])&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Semi-wrathful in appearance, blue in colour, he has four faces,&#xA;  twenty-four hands and two legs. The main face is blue, right red, left&#xA;  white and the back face is yellow. Each has three eyes and an open&#xA;  mouth with slightly bared fangs. The first set of eight hands are blue&#xA;  in colour, second (middle) red and third (upper) yellow. The first&#xA;  pair of hands hold a vajra and bell crossed at the heart embracing the&#xA;  consort. The remaining right hands hold a sword, curved knife,&#xA;  trident, three arrows, vajra hook, damaru drum, hammer, wheel, spear,&#xA;  club and axe. The left hands hold a shield, katvanga staff, skullcup,&#xA;  bow, lasso, jewel, lotus, conch shell, mirror, vajra chains and the&#xA;  four-faced yellow head of Brahma. The Lord wears a long green scarf&#xA;  and a tiger skin as a lower garment. The consort, Vishvamata, is&#xA;  yellow, with four faces and eight hands. They are both adorned with&#xA;  crowns, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and various ornaments. The&#xA;  right leg of the Lord is straight and red, standing atop the figure of&#xA;  red Kamadeva. The left is bent and white, standing atop white Rudra.&#xA;  Above the layered discs of a white moon, red sun and dark blue Rahu&#xA;  (eclipse) they stand on a multi-coloured lotus blossom seat wreathed&#xA;  by the circular orange rays of pristine awareness fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the top center is the primordial buddha Vajradhara, blue, with one&#xA;  face and two hands holding a vajra and bell at the heart. At each side&#xA;  are two kings of Shambhala wearing long garments and elaborate&#xA;  headdresses. Slightly below are two lamas wearing orange and red&#xA;  monastic robes. Two celestial figures, white in colour, soar against&#xA;  the dark blue sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the left side is Sahaja Heruka Kalachakra, blue, with one face and&#xA;  two hands holding a vajra and bell embracing the consort. Vishvamata,&#xA;  yellow, holds a curved knife and skullcup. At the right is the&#xA;  tutelary deity Mahamaya, blue, with four faces and four hands holding&#xA;  a skullcup and katvanga staff and in the second pair a bow and arrow.&#xA;  The consort, Buddha Dakini, is light blue in colour, with one face and&#xA;  four hands holding the same objects as the Lord. Adorned with wrathful&#xA;  vestments, above a corpse, sun disc and pink lotus flower they stand&#xA;  in a dancing posture against an orb of red wisdom fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At the bottom center is the special protector for the Kalachakra cycle&#xA;  of Tantras, Vajra Vega (Tib.: dor je shug, Eng.: Vajra Strength). Very&#xA;  wrathful, blue in colour, with four faces, twenty-six hands and two&#xA;  legs he displays the same colours as Kalachakra. At the left is the&#xA;  tutelary deity form of Vajrapani, wrathful, blue, with one face and&#xA;  two hands holding an upraised vajra in the right and a bell in the&#xA;  left. Embracing the consort, green, they stand surrounded by fire. At&#xA;  the right is Hayagriva, red, with one face and two hands holding a&#xA;  stick and lasso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Kalachakra Mandala belongs to the non-dual anuttarayoga tantra&#xA;  practiced to a greater or lesser degree by all schools of Tibetan&#xA;  Buddhism. The concept of 'time' is used as the special metaphor to&#xA;  symbolize the process of transformation from mundane existence to&#xA;  complete enlightenment. From amongst the numerous lineages to enter&#xA;  Tibet the Rwa and Dro are the most famous. The Sakya school maintains&#xA;  seven distinct lineages of transmission. (See Guhyasamaja and&#xA;  Yogambara from the same set).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rwa Lineage: Buddha Shakyamuni-Kalachakra, the Shambala king&#xA;  Suchandra, a line of 8 Shambhala kings ending with Manjukirti and&#xA;  Pundarika, a Manjushri emanation, Chilu Pandita, Pindo Acharya,&#xA;  Kalachakrapada the younger (Naropa), Manjukirti, Samantashri, Rwa&#xA;  Chorab, Rwa Yeshe Sengge, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Jeff Watt 3-99&#xA;Himalayan Art&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://theoldmonkeymind.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/kalachakra.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://theoldmonkeymind.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/kalachakra.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-07T21:25:38.663" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T21:25:38.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15389" CreationDate="2016-06-07T22:06:42.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Buddhist viewpoint, conceit is a delusion that convinces us that we are the sum of our experiences. When we compare ourselves to others, we create a sense of self in our minds. then that sense of self is involved in comparison to others that generates &quot;self&quot; inflicted suffering, which is where the concept of no-self comes into Buddhist thought as an antidote to that particular suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha, there are three conceits. The first conceit, I am better that others, leads to pride and arrogance. The second, I am worse than others, leads to envy or resentment. The third, I am the same as others, generates complacency.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And what are the three kinds of conceit that are to be abandoned? (1) Conceit, (2) the inferiority complex, and (3) arrogance: these are the three kinds of conceit that are to be abandoned.&quot;&#xA;from AN 6.106, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit is among that which defiles the mind, and can generate several of the others on that list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Imperfections that defile the mind:&#xA;(1) covetousness and unrighteous greed&#xA;(2) ill will&#xA;(3) anger&#xA;(4) revenge&#xA;(5) contempt&#xA;(6) a domineering attitude&#xA;(7) envy&#xA;(8) avarice&#xA;(9) deceit&#xA;(10) fraud&#xA;(11) obstinacy&#xA;(12) presumption&#xA;(13) conceit (mana)&#xA;(14) arrogance&#xA;(15) vanity&#xA;(16) negligence&quot;&#xA;from MN7, translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, the short answer to your question is...Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T22:06:42.917" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15433" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15434" CreationDate="2016-06-07T22:55:03.917" Score="1" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems like you're supposed to do the dishes, drive your car, etc. and always be mindful of the present moment, but when is it okay to think about something like a work project or a hobby or something besides the moment? Even when you're meditating you're supposed to not be thinking... It feels like the only time you're allowed to think about things is when you're sitting alone in a dark room. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8489" LastActivityDate="2017-12-04T15:04:48.847" Title="When is it okay to think?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15433" CreationDate="2016-06-07T23:27:27.137" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;In the original Mindfulness Sutra, The Buddha described what he called the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. These teachings remind us to be aware of our bodies; aware of our feelings and emotions; aware of our &lt;em&gt;thoughts&lt;/em&gt;; and aware of events, as they occur, moment by moment.&quot; Lama Surya Das, &lt;strong&gt;Awakening the Buddha From Within&lt;/strong&gt;, pg 301-302. (Italics are mine.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, mindfulness does not mean that we should not think, rather that we do not dwell on the past, and stay in the present moment. If the present moment means that you need to think about future plans, that is acceptable. Just realize that those future plans are not set in stone, are subject to change, and will be in the present moment when they are implemented in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for meditation, it sounds like you are describing Samatha, or Calm Abiding Meditation. This does indeed call for training the mind to not have as many conceptual thoughts during the meditation. If one arises, we are aware, and dismiss the thought by returning to the object of focus, such as mindful breathing. The following link may be of assistance to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationlearningcenter.com/articles/article/6480935/110712.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Contemplation and meditation and thinking&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-07T23:37:23.213" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T23:37:23.213" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15422" CreationDate="2016-06-07T23:58:41.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First among the five precepts, acknowledged by all Buddhist practitioners, is not to take a life, especially a human life. Consequently, from the Buddhist point of view, that the time of death is uncertain precluding the taking of life to be determinable, both suicide and the one who assists suicide generate extreme negative Karma. In the case of euthanasia, the individual concerned is already actively dying, and the outcome is certain. It can be argued that &quot;mercy killing&quot; in the last hours is an act of compassion where the Karma is neutral; i.e., the patient will die if I act...the patient will die if I do not act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I would point out that your example of the patient who is brain dead, by definition cannot make a decision for Physician assisted suicide; and one cannot determine the number of years (with an otherwise healthy body) that that individual would live. So to take that individual's life would be a clear case of murder. It is the karma of such a person describe in your example to be and remain in that state until karma determines their life span.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-07T23:58:41.190" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15406" CreationDate="2016-06-08T00:05:31.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In early times, (and still today in some Buddhist countries), laypeople would intensity their practice on certain days according to the lunar calendar. The special weekly Buddhist holy day is called Uposatha and it is observed on the new moon, the full moon, and the quarter moons. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today, particularly in the West where we don't use a lunar calendar, you are more likely to find a weekly, bi monthly, or monthly meeting at a fixed time. At the Laotian temple I attend, everyone is invited twice a month to a Sunday morning service which runs from about 9:00 am through about 1:00 pm. The most significant parts of the service include taking refuge, reciting the precepts, and offering lunch to the monks. In our tradition (Theravada), the monks don't eat anything after noon. So the lunch offered is quite a big event and an opportunity for people to give dana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhist meetings and services are not uniform and can be scheduled for purely practical reasons. A temple in my area has a Sunday morning service in Vietnamese and a Wednesday evening service in English. Another has a Sunday morning service in Korean and a Saturday Day of Mindfulness in English. Some groups meet for meditation and others meet for something that is more similar to worship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best suggestion would be to call or stop by the monastery to see if they have services or events open to the public. The one universal rule is that shoes should be removed before you enter a monastery or temple. Have fun and be well. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="143" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T00:05:31.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15437" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-08T00:33:57.333" Score="0" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is enlightened cognition, in any Buddhist tradition, more than its parts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking cos:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(philosophical interpretations) they say that for Buddhists there is nothing more to a thing than its parts. But,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;every part of anything (it seems) is conditioned and only of a practical value.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T13:10:30.027" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T15:16:31.240" Title="Is enlightened cognition more than its parts?" Tags="|philosophy|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15433" CreationDate="2016-06-08T00:59:47.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;mindfulness&quot; (&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;) does not mean 'non-thinking'. It means to 'remember' or 'keep in mind' (the factors of the eightfold path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness does not exclusively apply to the (non-judgmental) observation practise in the 7th factor of the eightfold path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If right thinking (2nd factor of eightfold path) is practised, this is also an application of right mindfulness in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A (complex) quote below about how right mindfulness also applies to right thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right resolve (thought) that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path? The thinking, directed&#xA;  thinking, resolve, mental fixity, mental transfixion, focused&#xA;  awareness &amp;amp; verbal fabricators in one developing the noble path whose&#xA;  mind is noble, whose mind is without effluents, who is fully possessed&#xA;  of the noble path. This is the right resolve that is noble, without&#xA;  effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong resolve &amp;amp; for entering right resolve: This is one's right effort. &lt;strong&gt;One is mindful to&#xA;  abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right resolve (thought): This is&#xA;  one's right mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus these three qualities — right view,&#xA;  right effort &amp;amp; right mindfulness — run &amp;amp; circle around right resolve.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN&#xA;  117&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T02:43:44.773" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T02:43:44.773" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15437" CreationDate="2016-06-08T01:14:48.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana-Nagarjuna philosophy states everything is conditioned &amp;amp; comprised of parts. Original Buddhism does not. The impression is your question arises because of illogical philosophy, which makes the philosophy sound contradictory to you. The original Buddha was fully enlightened thus explained reality without flawed description. Enlightenment leads to the permanent end of suffering. Since enlightenment 'uproots' the causes of suffering, there is no longer spiritual work to do. So the 'parts' either end (in redundancy) or, otherwise, are permanently established.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T01:25:25.673" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T01:25:25.673" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15422" CreationDate="2016-06-08T01:39:59.920" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures explain 'kamma is intention' (AN 6.63). Thus the results of kamma (an action) will follow the quality of intention. The moral precepts are training rules thus not 100% fixed for lay people (however, the killing precept is 100% fixed for monks, since many of the monks rules are about the public image). That said, it is not considered bad karma for a mind free from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion to commit suicide. Therefore, a person that commits suicide due to unbearable physically debilitating (rather than emotional) pain is blameless. As for the doctor or helper...?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Channa said]...Friend Sāriputta, I am not getting well, I am not comfortable. My&#xA;painful feelings are increasing, not subsiding;…their increase and not&#xA;their subsiding is apparent. I shall use this knife, friend Sāriputta;&#xA;I have no desire to live...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[The Buddha said]...Sāriputta, when one lays down a 'body' ['kaya': grouping of five aggregates] &amp;amp; takes up a new 'body', then I say one is blameworthy.&#xA;This did not happen in the case of the bhikkhu Channa; the bhikkhu&#xA;Channa used the knife blamelessly.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/286-channovda-sutta-advice-to-channa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 144&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T02:22:26.720" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15410" CreationDate="2016-06-08T03:22:14.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 22.100 Gaddula Sutta: The Leash&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It's just as when a dog is tied by a leash to a post or stake: If it walks, it walks right around that post or stake. If it stands, it stands right next to that post or stake. If it sits, it sits right next to that post or stake. If it lies down, it lies down right next to that post or stake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person regards form as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' He regards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am.' If he walks, he walks right around these five clinging-aggregates. If he stands, he stands right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he sits, he sits right next to these five clinging-aggregates. If he lies down, he lies down right next to these five clinging-aggregates. Thus one should reflect on one's mind with every moment: 'For a long time has this mind been defiled by passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion.' From the defilement of the mind are beings defiled. From the purification of the mind are beings purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T03:22:14.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14872" CreationDate="2016-06-08T03:28:52.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When using a supine position the trick is to be comfortable without being so comfortable that one falls asleep or enters that subconscious state. I would recommend trying two positions and one form of breathing. First, the way people usually breath without thinking about it is through the chest. Try breathing with the diaphragm, allowing the belly to rise and fall. This type of breathing takes more concentration making one more mindful of the breath regardless of the meditative position assumed. Second, let's consider the two most likely to succeed positions. Lie down on the floor (beds ARE for sleeping) with your legs bent and your toes turned inward toward the center so that your legs do not flop open as you relax. Arms slightly away from the body with palms up. No pillow for the head. Jaw relaxed with tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. Eyes open to discourage sleepiness. Unless this is your normal sleeping position, you should be able to remain mindful during your meditation. The other position is to turn on your side with your arm crooked to rest your head. Your other arm should be resting on your side. Place a small tubular pillow under your shoulder for support. It is alright to move your arm occasionally for comfort, and then resume your meditative position. Again breath from your diaphragm, and jaw/tongue as described above, eyes open. A blanket may be used to lie on if you do not have carpeting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T03:28:52.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15443" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-08T05:14:32.997" Score="0" ViewCount="94" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have remembered at least 4 past incarnations, two being particularly influential throughout my current life before the memory of them. I had been cleaning my psyche and spirit during this time, but I still had a hard time keeping rooted in the present with all these different realities suddenly apparent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought I was ready, as I had been studying reincarnation and the possible implications for years before the memories started. Once they came, it was unlike anything I expected. They were visceral, real, encompassing and completely immersive. I could see so many parallels through them all, and deeply rooted throughout my current incarnation. It began to be too much, and I found it becoming hard to keep rooted in the present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I started to wonder if I really was just living the same mistakes again that I saw reflected in the most vivid life, and became scared I would suffer the same pain no matter what I did to stop it. I desperately wanted to seek advice, but had no one near me at the time that I felt would know any answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, even though it is years past now, I have found this forum, so I ask those who may know from experience: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How do you keep rooted in the now when all your pasts are constantly running through your mind, sometimes as clear as this moment?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How do you keep this present clear, and not let the other faces and experiences overlay everything? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8491" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T12:57:36.517" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T05:03:50.177" Title="Keeping rooted in the present in the face of past realities" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|rebirth|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15444" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-08T10:20:46.573" Score="0" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any intentional action is kamma. We do good and bad actions. Like any other actions, sometimes we do it intentionally, sometimes we just do it without intention. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it necessary to generating good intention before/when doing wholesome deed? The more we do good deeds the more frequent we create this intention which can easily become an obsession of the mind and create (new) sankhara. But if there is no intention, how can a good action become a good kamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T21:10:41.587" Title="Is generating intention necessary?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15443" CreationDate="2016-06-08T10:53:12.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do vipassana, a retreat if possible. In every moment you have a memory, know that it is a memory, know about feelings which are coming up and so on. Your mind is in the habit of believing the images, but in fact what you see is just mental noise. Maybe you had past lives like that, but it does not matter (I bet you think it does matter; that's exactly the power these images have over you). The training in returning back to the present moment (by acknowledging whatever is happening and letting it go, time and again) will gradually break the attachment of mind to those images, so you will be able to stay more stable even if these images come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever in the mind is not a hindrance to be present, if seen clearly for what it is (body sensation, feeling, mind, mind object -- technically speaking); present cannot be destroyed but we are sometimes unable to tune in back to it, and that's why we train.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a side note: if your condition is psychiatric (you are not able to take care of yourself in regular matters, often can't distinguish hallucinations from reality etc), do seek proper treatment first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T10:53:12.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15446" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-08T11:13:27.077" Score="2" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like this verse, it is simply stated, and I like simple statements that can be made into something, or understood as, important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eD98y.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eD98y.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm totally unsure how to make sense of its four (famous) components! I probably think that &quot;emptiness&quot; means no causation, the idea that conditioned (caused) things don't exist in &lt;strong&gt;reality&lt;/strong&gt;: that any &lt;em&gt;supposed&lt;/em&gt; knowledge about them is bound to be found out as a form of &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;. So then I understand them as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;causation isn't real&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;this is real&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we can study this&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and we already are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that an OK-ish understanding, or have I fallen into a trap? If it is, do all four of these teachings &lt;strong&gt;permanently replace&lt;/strong&gt; our deluded conceptualisations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T07:08:43.033" Title="Does Nagarjuna's Middle Treatise 24:18 teach real knowledge?" Tags="|sunyata|middle-way|nagarjuna|knowledge|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15444" CreationDate="2016-06-08T13:51:06.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With or without intention, volitional actions are defined as kamma. &#xA;For example, killing an animal in excruciating pain while the intention was to free it from agony.&#xA;Even in habitual or involuntary actions, there might be an element of intention. It is just the lack of awareness or mindfulness. For example; one could slap a mosquito involuntarily; but the thought process required to kill is complete, hence bad kamma is accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T13:51:06.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15450" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-08T15:47:10.250" Score="1" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhists believe that we shouldn't hurt animals, then would they kill one for survival?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8499" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T15:47:10.250" Title="If a Buddhists was trapped with a predator animal in a cage, would they kill it?" Tags="|ethics|karma|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2016-06-08T18:10:46.010" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15446" CreationDate="2016-06-08T17:01:42.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, this is not an OK-ish understanding, since it does not approach traditional interpretations (whether that of Tsongkhapa or his opponents belonging to the Jonang school or the Nyingma tradition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, from the Madhyamika-Prasangika viewpoint (Buddhapalita, Candrakirti, Shantideva, Tsongkhapa, etc) there are thee types of dependent-arising:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent on causes and conditions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent on parts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent on names&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Madhyamika-Svatantrika viewpoint (Bhavaviveka, Haribhadra, Kamalasila, etc). There are only the first two types (or maybe this is forced on them by Prasangika proponents).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is: &lt;strong&gt;all objects of knowledge are dependent arising&lt;/strong&gt;, even those that do not arise from causes and conditions and are therefore permanent phenomena (such as space, cessation, emptiness). This accords with the next verse of the same chapter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Something that is not dependently arisen, Such a thing does not exist.&#xA;  Therefore a non-empty thing Does not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally, we say that the meaning of dependent-arising is emptiness. This is an interpretation of the verse, since dependent-arising is not said to be emptiness, but the meaning of emptiness. This is because realizing emptiness does not equate realizing dependent-arising.  One can not realize something &lt;strong&gt;as&lt;/strong&gt; being a dependent-arising without having emptiness &lt;strong&gt;prior&lt;/strong&gt;. That 'this is a provisional name' refers to emptiness being dependent-arising. Since it is a permanent phenomena, it does not depend on causes and conditions. However, it depends on parts and names: the emptiness of the mind, for instance, depends on its basis (i.e. the mind). Emptiness is necessarily emptiness &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; something and depends on its basis, therefore it is a dependent-arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was stated because some think that emptiness exists truly (inherently) while it is not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you attend teachings on this text and commentaries. One needs to rely on a teacher to study such texts. You started saying that you like simple statements, but it might be a trap leading you to think you can understand on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T05:45:43.853" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T05:45:43.853" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15452" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15458" CreationDate="2016-06-08T18:11:50.713" Score="6" ViewCount="429" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have meditated and come to the conclusion that the world never ends, that conciousness goes on infinitely. This was ok when I felt I had free will, when I believed I was helping other people, when I thought that even what was apparently nonsense had purpose and when I felt like I could at least to some degree affect the feelings I have and those of others; to make things better for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But sometimes I feel like I can't, like everything is predestined and there's no control over anything. Like we're all trapped in a giant hamster wheel that runs around and around forever with no exit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the correct way to view this problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Also, you probably need an 'eternal return' tag.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8501" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T13:00:56.923" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T03:10:05.323" Title="Does the universe ever end?" Tags="|meditation-insight|right-view|free-will|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15444" CreationDate="2016-06-08T18:18:34.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mental intention is always necessary for an action. However an intention (such as Right Intention of the Noble Eightfold Path) does not always have to have 'self' or 'attachment' involved with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three kinds of kamma: (1) bad kamma; (2) good kamma; &amp;amp; (3) void kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intrinsic meaning of 'good &amp;amp; bad kamma' is there is attachment or 'self' invested in the action &amp;amp; its results. To quote the scriptures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right view with effluents (defilements), siding with merit (goodness), resulting in acquisitions (attachment)? There are&#xA;fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Void kamma' means there is no 'self' invested in the kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhas appear in the world for the primary purpose to teach about void kamma or ending kamma. The higher practise of Buddhism is doing necessary &amp;amp; compassionate kamma with a void mind or 'doing without a doer' (rather than for the accumulation of good karma). It is for stopping obsession with kamma &amp;amp; stopping creating (new) sankhara. To quote the scriptures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the cessation of kamma? This noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,&#xA;right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of&#xA;practice leading to the cessation of kamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the enlightened view is 'ignorance' is the doer of both good (meritorious) &amp;amp; bad (demeritorious) kamma and 'wisdom' is the doer of enlightened void selfless kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, if a person immersed in ignorance generates (abhisankharonti) a meritorious (good) formation (saṅkhāraṃ), consciousness fares on to the&#xA;meritorious; if he generates a demeritorious (bad) formation, consciousness fares on to the demeritorious; if he&#xA;generates an imperturbable formation, consciousness fares&#xA;on to the imperturbable. But when a bhikkhu has abandoned ignorance&#xA;and aroused true knowledge, then, with the fading away of ignorance&#xA;and the arising of true knowledge, he does not generate a meritorious&#xA;(good) formation or a demeritorious (bad)&#xA;formation or an imperturbable formation. Since he does not&#xA;generate or fashion formations, he does not cling to&#xA;anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated. Not being&#xA;agitated, he personally attains Nibbāna. He understands: ‘Destroyed is&#xA;birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been&#xA;done, there is no more for this state of being.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.51&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This link may be helpful: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/B%20-%20Theravada/Teachers/Buddhadasa/Kamma/Kamma%20in%20Buddhism.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T18:58:23.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15410" CreationDate="2016-06-08T18:52:37.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a collection of similes at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-similes.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;. If you search for &lt;em&gt;{defilements}&lt;/em&gt; you'll find them. You may also want to look for similar keywords like &lt;em&gt;{craving}&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;{clinging}&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;{sensuality}&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;{fetters}&lt;/em&gt; ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similes for &lt;em&gt;defilements&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Barley reaper: {defilements} Miln II.1.8&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Boat being bailed out: {defilements} Dhp 369&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rafters of house: {defilements} Dhp 153&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reeds or rushes: destroyed by their own fruit {defilements} SN 3.23&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;shedding its skin {defilements} Sn 1.1&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T18:52:37.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15452" CreationDate="2016-06-08T19:18:28.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In using the word &quot;we&quot;, you give the impression of viewing life collectively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The universe may never end, many things may be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;predestined&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;not controllable&lt;/a&gt;; often, we may not be able to help others or make the world a better place; but 'our own' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.12.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;individual mind&lt;/a&gt; can be set free from suffering about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; the world of conscious experience&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike you, when the Buddha meditated, he came to the conclusion consciousness is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;impermanent&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;finite&lt;/a&gt;. However, regardless of whether consciousness is finite or infinite, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism explain the method to be free from suffering by abandoning craving, liking &amp;amp; disliking and attachment towards &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.13.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the world&lt;/a&gt; of conscious experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T19:23:58.513" LastActivityDate="2016-06-08T19:23:58.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15456" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15457" CreationDate="2016-06-08T20:09:48.553" Score="1" ViewCount="742" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist teachings, is it possible to continue to reborn and suffer for all eternity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose if a being never attained any merit, never was able to work through its old karma. Would it be possible for that being to never escape suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard some people say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No, nobody can be reborn and suffer forever. For an extremely long time, maybe, but not &lt;em&gt;forever.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean, &lt;em&gt;forever&lt;/em&gt; is really an astounding concept. Even if you take billions of trillions of gazillions of births it's still &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt; compared to &lt;em&gt;forever&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; possible to be reborn forever, then it implies that all beings are eventually destined for Enlightenment. Some may have an insanely long way to go, but if they're not gonna be reborn forever, then they have to &lt;em&gt;eventually&lt;/em&gt; attain Enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do some beings continue to be reborn and suffer forever, or are all beings destined to attain Enlightenment &lt;em&gt;eventually&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I prefer answers that give sources and all that. But some nice reasoning is also welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8218" LastEditorUserId="8218" LastEditDate="2016-06-08T22:34:59.220" LastActivityDate="2020-04-30T11:48:15.923" Title="Is it possible to be reborn for all eternity?" Tags="|rebirth|enlightenment|suffering|samsara|liberation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15456" CreationDate="2016-06-08T23:31:23.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, if I may, I will correct one misunderstanding:&#xA;Enlightenment = free from rebirth =/= not no MORE rebirth... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment means one will not be bounded on the wheel of destiny--rather one will be able to help others freely. Thus, do not equate Enlightenment with totally never being born. It's beyond born and unborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question: The latter is correct: all beings are destined to attain Enlightenment eventually. The Mahayana sutras state how people will all be saved at some time or another, specifically Maitreya Buddha who, when he returns, will deliver &quot;billions&quot; of beings at a time through the universe. (Surangama Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is more info on this Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Maitreya Bodhisattva is the future buddha of this world who currently&#xA;  resides in the Tushita Heaven. A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and&#xA;  Concepts relates the following information about him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A bodhisattva predicted to succeed Shakyamuni as a future Buddha.&#xA;  Also called Ajita, meaning 'invincible.' Some accounts view him as a&#xA;  historical personage who preceded the Buddha in death. He is said to&#xA;  have been reborn in the Tushita Heaven where he is now expounding the&#xA;  Law to the heavenly beings there. &lt;strong&gt;It is said that he will reappear in&#xA;  this world 5.670 million years after Shakyamuni's death, attain&#xA;  Buddhahood, and save the people in Shakyamuni's stead.&lt;/strong&gt; For this reason&#xA;  he is also sometimes called Miroku Buddha. Belief in Miroku prevailed&#xA;  in India around the beginning of the first century A.D., and spread to&#xA;  China and Japan. In the fourth century, a monk named Maitreya (c.&#xA;  270-350) became famous as a scholar of the Consciousness-Only school,&#xA;  and was later identified with this bodhisattva.&quot; (pp. 266-7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Maitreya Bodhisattva is the only bodhisattva who is revered by both&#xA;  Theravadin and Mahayana Buddhists (aside from Siddhartha Gautama and&#xA;  his past lives as a bodhisattva). His coming is predicted in the Pali&#xA;  Canon as well as in the Mahayana Sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although no one falls on the end of the &quot;forever&quot; spectrum--nonetheless, there are certainly people are closer on the spectrum towards &quot;forever&quot; than others, having lived a very impetuous existence with little consideration for spiritual cultivation or making merit (e.g. chanting a Buddha's name).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T03:41:00.897" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T03:41:00.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15452" CreationDate="2016-06-09T00:01:20.653" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There were fourteen questions to which Buddha remained silent. The universe is eternal,  The universe is not eternal.. were two of them. Read the following sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 63 - Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day a man called Malunkyaputta approached the Buddha and demanded that He explain these questions to him. He even threatened to cease to be His follow if the Buddha's answer was not satisfactory. The Buddha calmly retorted that it was of no consequence to Him whether or not Malunkyaputta followed Him, because the Truth did not need anyone's support. Then the Buddha said that He would not go into a discussion of the origin of the Universe, whether it is eternal or not eternal etc. To Him, gaining knowledge about such matters was a waste of time because a man's task was to liberate himself from the present, not the past or the future. To illustrate this, the Enlightened One related the parable of a man who was shot by a poisoned arrow. This foolish man refused to have the arrow removed until he found out all about the person who shot the arrow. By the time his attendants discovered these unnecessary details, the man was dead. Similarly, our immediate task is to attain Nibbana, not to worry about our beginnings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Sutta to read in this context is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.45  -  Rohitassa Sutta: To Rohitassa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once I was a seer named Rohitassa, a student of Bhoja, a powerful skywalker. My speed was as fast as that of a strong archer—well trained, a practiced hand, a practiced sharpshooter—shooting a light arrow across the shadow of a palmyra tree. My stride stretched as far as the east sea is from the west. To me, endowed with such speed, such a stride, there came the desire: ‘I will go traveling to the end of the cosmos.’ I—with a one-hundred year life, a one-hundred year span—spent one hundred years traveling—apart from the time spent on eating, drinking, chewing &amp;amp; tasting, urinating &amp;amp; defecating, and sleeping to fight off weariness—but without reaching the end of the cosmos I died along the way. So … ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[When this was said, the Blessed One responded:] &amp;quot;In this very one-fathom long body along with its perceptions and thoughts, do I proclaim the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world, and the path leading to the cessation of the world.&amp;quot;&#xA;When the Buddha uses the term “world” or “cosmos” (loka), his primary meaning is the cosmos as experienced in terms of the six senses. As with the other factors of dependent co-arising, there is no need to study the cosmos “out there” behind our experience of the senses. It is enough simply to understand the cosmos as directly experienced for that experience to be brought to an end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T14:00:08.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15456" CreationDate="2016-06-09T00:54:20.280" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 22.99  -  Gaddula Sutta: The Leash&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.099.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha’s answer to your question in found in the Gaddula Sutta. So it is more or less eternity as He says, “Unimaginable, Bhikkhus, is a beginning to the round of births [and deaths]. For beings obstructed by ignorance and fettered by craving, migrating and going the round of births, a starting point is not evident.” Only if you could realize the Dhamma of a Supreme Buddha, you will escape this eternity. But you know what, it is so rare is it to find a Supreme Buddha! Do you have any idea what an aeon (world cycle / kappa) is? It is equivalent to eternity. Only by a simile you will get an idea of it. The Buddha offers a vivid simile to suggest the eon's duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anamatagga-samyutta — The unimaginable beginnings of samsara. In Samyutta ii, Chapter XV, the Buddha used the parables of the hill and mustard-seed for comparison:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;• Suppose there was a solid mass, of rock or hill, one yojana (eight miles) wide, one yojana across and one yojana high and every hundred years, a man was to stroke it once with a piece of silk. That mass of rock would be worn away and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;• Suppose there was a city of iron walls, one yojana in length, one yojana in width, one yojana high and filled with mustard-seeds to the brim. There-from a man was to take out every hundred years a mustard-seed. That great pile of mustard-seed would be emptied and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the last 91 Kalpa (Aeons) only 7 Buddha’s have come. At the time of the next Buddha, the average lifespan of a human is going to be eighty thousand years. (In the present day it is around 60 -80 years). What are our chances of being born during that time, when we could never meet any of the past Buddhas and are still in this samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T00:54:20.280" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15446" CreationDate="2016-06-09T02:08:18.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna is the master who gave a clear definition to the school of Buddhism that is known today as Mahayana Buddhism. So when you question whether what he thought in the quoted text is the real knowledge or not, it brought a smile to my face. How &quot;emptiness&quot; is defined in the Mahayana, and in the Pali Canon is different. I cannot remember where I came across it, so I will not comment further on this. You are not sure whether you have fallen into a trap or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All what I can tell you is that the Buddha taught us to be vigilant in the present and strive to understand the Dhamma by analyzing and investigating carefully. In society there are two predominant views. They are right view and wrong view. Right view leads to the proper path while the latter to a wrong road.  One thing that I know is that both the Mahayanins and the Theravadins believe in the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Noble Path, the Dependent Origination, the Three Characteristics of Existence and a number of other basic tenets. Above all, both the schools accept Gotama Buddha as their Teacher. So that is a good place to start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T02:08:18.800" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15443" CreationDate="2016-06-09T03:21:05.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kashalha, as vipassana is a too broad a word encompassing many aspects of Dhamma, I would recommend this one meditation, that can be done when you are walking, sitting, lying, or any other posture that when sleeping. It is called Sati Sampajañña. Alertness and awareness come under the Pali word, sampajañña. Sati means keeping something in mind, like remembering to stay with the breath, remembering the various things that help in the training of the mind. Our happiness, our lack of happiness, depends on our actions. So that’s where we focus our attention. That’s what we should keep in mind. This is called dhammanussati, keeping the Dhamma in mind. This is why the Buddha has us listen to the Dhamma, read the Dhamma. Whatever thinking that you do, it needs to be through the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you create a frame of reference here in the present moment, there are lots of things you can tune in to. You can choose the body in and of itself. You can choose feelings, mental states, mental qualities in and of themselves. Those frequencies are on the path. Other frequencies are off the path—there is such a thing as Wrong Mindfulness, you know. Our meditation consists of choosing the frequencies most beneficial for the mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever your thoughts go to recollecting your past incarnations, try to get them out of your mind, as they are a-Dhamma. To be consciously forgetful in that way requires an act of mindfulness—in other words, deciding which level you’re going to tune in to while you let everything else go for the time being. Of all the sensory input that comes in at any one particular moment, you make a choice of what you’re going to pay attention to, what memories, what frame of reference you’re going to bring to that particular moment. And it’s an important mental skill to be able to shift your frame of reference as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful means being very deliberate and clear about what you bring to whatever you’re doing: what you’re going to remember, what you’re not going to remember, what you’re going to recollect, what you’re going to let go, which things are useful to recollect right now. If you wanted to, you could sit here and spend the whole hour thinking about facts that would make you totally miserable, but what does that accomplish? We’re sitting here to think about things that are useful for the mind, so remember the things that are useful for the mind, that will help it develop. As for the other voices coming in and out of the mind, listen to the ones that are helpful and ignore the ones that are not. You can be selective.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, mindfulness becomes a quality we can apply to everything we do. And instead of making us unable to function, it actually heightens our ability to function, because we understand the process that the mind goes through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T03:21:05.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15456" CreationDate="2016-06-09T03:32:29.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person with achieved enlightenment will end the birthing cycle and go to nirwana. It is the greatest achievement of a Buddhist. Lord Buddha has told until there is no beginning or an end to the birthing cycle of all beings. So it is wise to go to nirwana and end the tormented cycle of sansara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8464" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T03:32:29.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15443" CreationDate="2016-06-09T05:03:50.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of people are recommending Vipassana but this is incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha (calm-abiding) is the appropriate one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because you need to bring yourself to this present moment, centering on your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, only when you make an intention to remember these things will you remember them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha for more information regarding this tip. There is an explanation on there on a single page...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T05:03:50.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15456" CreationDate="2016-06-09T05:59:50.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people are interested in living forever (eg Christians) because such people do not think living is suffering. Instead, they wish to spend forever with their loved ones. That is why they are not queuing up to practise Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is Buddhists are similar, in that they wish to believe in reincarnation so they can live more lives. That is why most Buddhists are not practising the path, hardcore, but preaching that Buddhists must believe in reincarnation, rebirth, whatever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Buddhism does not state making merit ends suffering (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.51&lt;/a&gt;) so what is its relevance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Buddhism does not state all beings are destined for enlightenment (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.95&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imo, the questions are an extreme &amp;amp; pointless misrepresentation of Buddhism. If the questioner truly believe they were suffering, they would be a monk urgently putting out the suffering, like as if their hair was on fire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T06:21:50.037" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T06:21:50.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15465" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15468" CreationDate="2016-06-09T08:34:58.480" Score="1" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a friend who introduced me to Buddhism. He was very insistent I go to Buddhist groups, though I ended up going to a different one to the one he suggested (the leader was Theravāda not Mahāyāna). I haven't spoken to him in a long time, but he is the person I associate most strongly with Buddhism. He was very insistent that I chant the same mantras as him, and go to the groups he suggested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, during the meditation (which took place immediately after the one where I resolved to check if the universe is eternal) I saw these things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I remembered a dream I had two days ago in which my Buddhist friend had changed from how I knew him. He was usually friendly and cheery, if a little unusual in manner sometimes. However, in the dream he looked very different and was angry, seemingly not just with me, but with everyone, but with me also. He grabbed me by my collar and screamed at me and I was afraid.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I saw there was a world within my laptop, which became large and over-filled with information, then shrunk to become the size of my left foot, and hovered just below my knee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I saw a bright light, which was powerful and pure white, but tinged at the edges with gold. The light appeared to come from a figure, whom I saw as bound but then released from his bondage, stepping down from the place where he was bound to walk on the earth and talk to the people there.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible there is any meaning to these, which I am supposed to untangle? They seem to all be connected to my previous question, about the limits of the universe and the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8501" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T09:16:18.197" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T15:32:30.290" Title="Is there any meaning, which I am supposed to untangle, to things I saw during meditation?" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15452" CreationDate="2016-06-09T13:47:16.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the universe ever end ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure anyone has the answer, quite frankly.&#xA;Who knows.&#xA;But in our case, it doesn't really matter that much : we're mostly concerned with the here and now, to my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8455" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T13:47:16.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15465" CreationDate="2016-06-09T15:32:30.290" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to possibly determine the meaning of your thoughts, you would need to consult a psychoanalyst. What is important within the reference of a forum answering questions on Buddhism, is that these conceptual thoughts during meditation are to be pushed aside so that you return to your focal point, usually the breathe. The goal of meditation is not to allow your thoughts to jump from one to another while you sit on a cushion. The goal is the absence of thought, thereby generating a clear calm mind. This takes practice. As you are someone new to to Buddhism, I recommend that you not rely on your friend alone, but read and study, and attend as many teachings offered by genuine lamas in order to extend your knowledge. You have made a good start. The Buddha said to listen to what he had to say but explore the truth of it on one's own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T15:32:30.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15446" CreationDate="2016-06-09T16:04:38.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some philosophical interpretations of Nagarajuna do phrase it in terms of dependently arising things not really being caused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Nagarjuna/Dependent_Arising.htm#four&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;there is no causation&lt;/a&gt;, when causation is thought of as involving&#xA;  causal activity. Nonetheless, he [Nagarjuna] notes (1: 2), there are&#xA;  conditions...  Suppose that you ask, &quot;Why are the lights on?&quot; I might&#xA;  reply as follows: (1) Because I flicked the switch. I have appealed to&#xA;  an efficient condition. Or (2) because the wires are in good working&#xA;  order, the bulbs haven't burned out, and the electricity is flowing.&#xA;  These are supporting conditions... [etc.] none of them makes reference&#xA;  to any causal powers or necessitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Garfield &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;seems&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; here to be saying that things are caused, but &lt;em&gt;their causes aren't real&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am quite unsure though whether he would say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that's because knowledge of what causes what is deluded;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we can have non deluded knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T16:20:37.757" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T16:20:37.757" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15470" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-09T17:37:22.223" Score="3" ViewCount="780" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know people who are living immoral lives committing crimes but getting away by bending the law towards their side due to wealth and influence. When ever I see or hear something like this I keep telling my self that karma will get them even though the legal system cannot. But then again I keep question as to why we need a legal system at all when we know that there is a natural system or justice called karma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T21:35:55.177" Title="Why have a legal/ justice system? Let karma take care of things?" Tags="|karma|daily-life|justice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-09T18:12:36.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your idea is not practical. A justice system is a convention developed based on social norms and logic. But karma is a metaphysical phenomenon which goes beyond logic. Therefore, we will have to let karma take its course and respect the conventional legal system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T18:12:36.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-09T18:38:22.383" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two theories about criminal law:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;absolute theory&lt;/strong&gt;: You should punish someone because his action is intrinsically bad and therefore he deserves to be punished. (refers to the past)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;relative theory&lt;/strong&gt;: The purpose of a law is to prevent a crime from happening. Therefore a penalty on certain actions is reasonable because it prevents 'criminals' from doing it again and scares people off. (refers to the future)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to come to your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A legal system (if it follows the relative theory) is useful at least to that extend that it will try to prevent crimes (&lt;em&gt;kamma of body and speech&lt;/em&gt;, if you want so) and create an environment in which you're conditioned to restrain from certain actions. So the great benefit is that your being conditioned not to do bad deeds (at least body and speech).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If somebody committed a crime and has been punished for it, this sounds to me like a clear coherence between cause and effect. Being punished by a government institution obviously is a result of your past actions, since you wouldn't have been punished if you didn't commit a crime. Kamma doesn't have to be something mystical, it's just cause and effect.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T18:38:22.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15473" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-09T19:04:26.673" Score="2" ViewCount="492" Body="&lt;p&gt;So now I fully understand Samatha Bhavana meditation and the goal of all meditative practice - thanks to some of you guys' helpful answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I fail to grasp how to practice the second type of meditation : &lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt; Bhavana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've looked at most of the answers attempting to answer similar questions &#xA;to mine here on this website, but didn't find them &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know of course what the position you're supposed to adopt is - most traditionally you'll do it sitting, the back straight preferably against &#xA;a surface such as a wall, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what is your &lt;em&gt;mind&lt;/em&gt; focusing on during Vipassana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8455" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:22:11.453" Title="Vipassana Bhavana" Tags="|vipassana|bhavana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-09T19:48:59.407" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Christians believe God or Jesus will correct the evils of the world but there has never actually been a time in history (for which we have real evidence) when this has actually occurred. Often views about karma are similar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there is the word 'kaya', which is often translated as (although it can mean) 'the physical body'. In reality, the word 'kaya' means 'collection' or 'group' &amp;amp; generally refers to the five aggregates (physical body, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp; sense consciousness). Every single action (act of kamma) is made up of a collection (kaya) of mental &amp;amp; physical components, which also manifests as 'self-identity-birth or 'jati'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, Buddhism teaches the results of kamma will only be reaped when the 'kaya' comes to an end &amp;amp; there is 'self-identity-death' (marana). For example, when a murderer is caught &amp;amp; imprisoned, their kamma &amp;amp; kaya of killing come to an end &amp;amp; their self-identity as a 'murderer' experiences 'death'. Thus, in prison, the ex-murderer is 'born anew' or 'reborn' with a new self-identity as a 'prisoner' &amp;amp; a new 'kaya' dominated by regret, remorse &amp;amp; even painful punishment, thus reaping the kamma they have sown. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am saying is 'kamma' will not take care of things, just as 'God' or 'Jesus' will not take care of things, because the kamma of the politically powerful must stop &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; they will reap the bad consequences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, people of normal human conscience (which Buddhism calls '&lt;strong&gt;humans&lt;/strong&gt;') quickly reap what they sow thus they grow in goodness &amp;amp; wisdom by learning from their mistakes (or bad kamma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But psychopaths &amp;amp; sociopaths that Buddhism calls '&lt;strong&gt;gods&lt;/strong&gt;' ('asura') do not have a normal moral conscience thus do not reap their bad kamma unless they are stopped by a legal system or revolution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard conspiracy theorists allege individuals such as David Rockefeller, George H. W. Bush, George Soros, etc, are engaged in evil deeds. But these individuals are alive &amp;amp; kicking, well into old age, with  David Rockefeller now 100 years old due to multiple heart transplants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one wants to believe like a Christian or Muslim there will be a Day of Judgment where God or kamma sorts it all out, that's fine. &lt;strong&gt;It will help the mind be free from suffering over the evils &amp;amp; horrors of this world&lt;/strong&gt;. For example, in Asia, many Buddhists believe a child is abused or raped because of evil deeds the child committed in a past life. Thus, those Buddhists free their mind from the suffering of righteous anger of injustice. They abide in non-attachment towards abused &amp;amp; raped children. But such beliefs about kamma won't help the world or those children.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-09T20:04:28.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T20:04:28.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-06-09T20:30:14.840" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Vipassana' ('clear seeing') is the mind focused on (i.e. continuous experiencing) &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; (arising &amp;amp; passing) &amp;amp; also &lt;strong&gt;conditionality&lt;/strong&gt;/cause &amp;amp; effect (eg. how craving &amp;amp; attachment cause suffering or how the absence of craving &amp;amp; attachment result in peace &amp;amp; freedom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focusing on impermanence &amp;amp; conditionality will also result in the concurrent clear seeing of 'not-self' (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) or 'emptiness' (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As quoted previously, vipassana is described below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the development of [mind using] concentration that, when&#xA;  developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents? There is&#xA;  the case where a monk &lt;strong&gt;remains focused on (ānupassī) arising &amp;amp; falling away with&#xA;  reference to the five aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;: '&lt;em&gt;Such is form, such its origination,&#xA;  such its passing away. Such is feeling, such its origination, such its&#xA;  passing away. Such is perception, such its origination, such its&#xA;  passing away. Such are fabrications, such their origination, such&#xA;  their passing away. Such is consciousness, such its origination, such&#xA;  its disappearance&lt;/em&gt;.' This is the development of concentration that,&#xA;  when developed &amp;amp; pursued, &lt;strong&gt;leads to the ending of the effluents&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.41&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these five aggregates (subjects of clinging) where a monk should stay, &lt;strong&gt;keeping track of arising &amp;amp; passing away&lt;/strong&gt; (thus): '&lt;em&gt;Such&#xA;  is form, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is&#xA;  feeling... Such is perception... Such are fabrications... Such is&#xA;  consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance&lt;/em&gt;.' As he&#xA;  stays keeping track of arising &amp;amp; passing away with regard to these&#xA;  five aggregates, he &lt;strong&gt;abandons any conceit that 'I am'&lt;/strong&gt; with regard&#xA;  to these five aggregates. This being the case, he discerns, 'I have&#xA;  abandoned any conceit that &quot;I am&quot; with regard to these five&#xA;  aggregates.' In this way he is alert there.**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 122&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in &lt;strong&gt;focusing on&#xA;  inconstancy&lt;/strong&gt;.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  inconstancy.'  [14] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in &lt;strong&gt;focusing&#xA;  on dispassion [literally, fading]&lt;/strong&gt;.' He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe out focusing on dispassion.'  [15] He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe in &lt;strong&gt;focusing on cessation [of suffering]&lt;/strong&gt;.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.'  [16] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in &lt;strong&gt;focusing on relinquishment [of 'self']&lt;/strong&gt;.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This commentary may be useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, observe that in the realization of impermanence there is the&#xA;  realization of many other things simultaneously. When impermanence is&#xA;  truly seen, this characteristic of impermanence is also the&#xA;  characteristic of dukkham, namely, it is ugly and unbearable. We will&#xA;  see the characteristic of not-self in it, also. Because these things&#xA;  are always changing, impermanent, unsatisfactory, and beyond our&#xA;  control, we realize anatta, also. Then we will see that they are void&#xA;  of selfhood, which is sunnata. We will see that they are just thus&#xA;  like that. Impermanence is just thus, just like that, thusness. And&#xA;  so, tathata is seen as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please understand that the realizations of these truths are&#xA;  interrelated. From seeing impermanence, we see unsatisfactoriness, see&#xA;  anatta, see sunnata; see tathata, and see idappaccayata&#xA;  (conditionality, the law of cause and effect), also. Each continues&#xA;  into the next. A complete realization of impermanence must include&#xA;  un­satisfactoriness, not-self, voidness, thusness, and the law of&#xA;  conditionality. When all of these are seen, then impermanence is seen&#xA;  completely in the most profound way. This is how we realize fully the&#xA;  impermanence of the sankhara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;, insight: literally, &quot;clear seeing,&quot; to see clearly, distinctly, directly into the true nature of  things, into aniccam-dukkham-anatta. Vipassana is popularly used for mental development practiced for the sake of true insight. In such cases, the physical posture, theory, and method of such practices must not be confused with true realization of impermanence, unsatisfactori­ness, and not-self. Vipassana cannot be taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is meant above by &quot;vipassana cannot be taught&quot; is that it arises naturally from concentration, as explained below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a person whose mind is concentrated, there is no need for an act&#xA;  of will, 'May I know &amp;amp; see things as they actually are.' It is in the&#xA;  nature of things that a person whose mind is concentrated knows &amp;amp; sees&#xA;  things as they actually are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 11.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T01:00:33.353" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T01:00:33.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-06-09T23:18:19.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You asked, &amp;quot;But what is your mind focusing on during Vipassana?&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're right, that when you do Samatha meditation then you &amp;quot;focus&amp;quot; your mind on something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example (to reference a concise summary), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha#Objects_of_meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objects of meditation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some meditation practices such as contemplation of a kasina object favor the development of samatha, others such as contemplation of the aggregates are conducive to the development of vipassana, while others such as mindfulness of breathing are classically used for developing both mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition there are forty objects of meditation. Mindfulness (sati) of breathing (ānāpāna: ānāpānasati; S. ānāpānasmṛti) is the most common samatha practice. Samatha can include other samādhi practices as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you &lt;em&gt;focus&lt;/em&gt; on something like: the breath; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, in Vipassanna I think the mental activity is described as &amp;quot;noting&amp;quot; rather than &amp;quot;focussing&amp;quot;: you &lt;em&gt;note&lt;/em&gt; that you're thinking something, you note that you're feeling something, that you're seeing, touching, or hearing something, etc. The object of meditation is &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the aggregates&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;. When you do that you'll notice that the things (e.g. sensations) you're noting come and go, they are thus impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's what Dhammadhatu's answer meant when writing, &amp;quot;the mind is focusing on impermanence (arising &amp;amp; passing)&amp;quot;: i.e. the mind notes anything/everything (a.k.a. &amp;quot;the aggregates&amp;quot;) and understands that what it notes, what it's noting, is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also notice other things from/of/about what you're noting, e.g. that it (each/any noted thing) is ultimately unsatisfactory; and that it's conditioned (e.g. that one thing causes another); etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, you benefit from this meditation by &amp;quot;seeing&amp;quot; or noting things, whatever they are, clearly -- the &amp;quot;goal&amp;quot; is e.g. learning to not &amp;quot;grasp&amp;quot; things, not to be greedy for and attached to things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-09T23:43:47.073" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-09T23:45:05.717" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think of the legal system formed as a natural part of the cause-and-effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your family and friends were tortured you would quickly become a part of this web of cause-and-effect and fight for justice, too, whether by being a cop, criminologist, etc... The energy created from the criminals act compelled certain people to fight, becoming part of the karmic play called justice system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, this whole fatalistic idealism is also one-sided and Buddha did not advocate it as complete. Buddha said to never attach to extremes in thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To forcibly NOT have a justice system because of fatalism is attaching to an ideal and incorrect thinking (and not just because the Buddha said not to... ANY extreme thought is metaphysically bound to incorrectness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The person holding back the energy to fight for justice even though they are motivated to is still participating in karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let what happens happen, justice system just happens to happen naturally, just like maybe one day when biological achievements become more affordable a system of eugenics will or electric cars will take over when they become affordable, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T03:12:14.757" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T03:12:14.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15452" CreationDate="2016-06-10T00:07:14.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You are having a subliminal taste of the Infinite Consciousness jhana.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of thoughts and states that we enjoy and pursue through various activities that would be fully satiated by entering into the respective jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe it is not about more thinking but cultivating that jhana (which require 1st jhana as prerequisite) to really understand consciousness and satisfy one's confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So similar to what Sapta says, &lt;strong&gt;it is best to practice to convert this ideation into true transformations and  realizations that jhana would produce.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T03:10:05.323" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T03:10:05.323" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-06-10T01:53:55.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Arthur Jacomelli, what I write here is what Vipassana is like in mindfulness of in and out breathing (anapanasati), as in the earlier post @Dhammadhatu has touched on what the scriptures say on this.  What I write is what I have learnt from my teacher. Before getting into the subject proper, firstly it is very important to remember that the truth and meaning of Dhamma becomes a private experience by the wise only when there is insight or Vipassana. But Vipassana depends on ones level of concentration (Samadhi). And samadhi depends on Samma-ditthi (acceptance of the Four Noble Truths). Thus, everything in Dhamma is connected. The Buddha spoke in diverse ways, only of one thing and one thing alone – dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One regularly repeated the phrase, “Atapi – sampajano satima vineyya loke abijjha domanassam.” Satipatthana means the setting up of mindfulness. There are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled in establishing mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atapi is ardent and continuous exertion and perseverance for the development of concentration and deliverance from defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sampajana means clear comprehension for deliverance from defilements, wrong views and perceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satima is mindfulness to focus the mind on the anapanasati, to the exclusion of all other thoughts and to fix the mind there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vineyya loke abijjha domanassam - Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind are the world. The world as experienced from these faculties, is continually correlating with the world of form, sound, smell, taste, tangibles, and mental objects. Interaction with the external world normally creates defilements like greed and distress. Therefore, we must tame and restrain this greed and distress,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a method to investigate with insight, by analyzing aggregates, material elements, sense spheres, etc. In Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma (Ananda Sutta, Girimananda Sutta), it is clearly explained how mindfulness of in and out breathing is developed and pursued so as to bring the four foundations of mindfulness to their culmination. When first developing mindfulness of in and out breathing, the meditator discerns the differences of his breathing, and remains focused on the breath. This is kayanupassana. Anapanasati (mindfulness of in and out breathing) is a form of kayanupassana (contemplation of the body). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereafter, he discerns the differences of the mind as he trains himself to breathe in and out sensitive to rapture and pleasure. Thus, he is experiencing feeling and perception. Further, perceiving the differences (of feeling and perception in his mind), he trains himself to breathe in and out calming mental formations. At that point, he remains focused on feelings (vedananupassana) – ardent, alert, and mindful, with continuous exertion for deliverance from mental defilements (atapi) and from clear comprehension (sampajano). Some people become elated when they get the feeling of happiness and bliss to the body and mind. A mind that is obsessed by elation cannot concentrate. Concentration, rapturous joy, calm, and peace of mind and body, are causally dependent; they are conditioned results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how mindfulness of in and out breathing brings the contemplation of body and contemplation of feeling to their culmination. Once he trained himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure, he will now develop equanimity – the result of a calm concentrated mind. Without clinging to the gladdening of the mind by calming; without being scattered; and without being obsessed by sense desire, ill will or sloth and torpor, he trains himself. . By concentrating on anapanasati to a higher degree, he brings the cittanupassana to its culmination. He will now develop dhammanupassana (contemplation of mind objects).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammanupassana (contemplation of mind objects) needs time and regular practice. We cannot properly analyze ourselves without first practising a meditation. Other meditations that will help in this regard is the meditation on repulsiveness (asubha), the meditation on loving kindness (metta), the concentration of reflection on material elements (dhatumanasikara), meditation on the extraordinary qualities of the Supreme Buddha (Buddhanussati).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, he trains himself to breathe in contemplating impermanence, and he trains himself to breathe out contemplating impermanence. His effort, mindfulness and concentration are now being directed towards focusing on impermanence. He is contemplating on impermanence within anapanasati. He can see the impermanent nature of his own breath in its rise and fall; the impermanence of his body; and the impermanent nature of the pleasant feeling and perception that he experienced. The recognition of perception is called sañña (perception) which is also subject to change as it is conditioned by contact. Perception changes due to impermanence of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is followed by sankhara (mental formations). If the mental factor was directed to a certain matter, on that occasion there is volitional activity, and this is called sankhara. Here, he observes the impermanence of the mental formation with the change of contact. All these are based on the activities of the mind. Now he understands every aspect in this life process which was considered as self (form, feeling, perception and formation); or anything pertaining to a self. He has real wisdom to see things as they really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he sees the impermanent nature of all that has been cognized (the rise and fall of breath, rapture, joy, feelings, and perceptions). It is through this insight that the true nature of the five aggregates of clinging is understood and seen in the light of impermanence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;material form (rupa) derived from the four great elements,&#xA;feeling (vedana) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;perception (sañña) that is conditioned by contact,&#xA;mental formations (sankhara) that is conditioned by contact, and&#xA;consciousness (viññana) that is conditioned by mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, based on the impermanent breath, he understands the impermanent nature of the five aggregates of clinging. He realizes that whatever is impermanent and subject to change, is suffering (dukkha). And, whatever is impermanent is without self (anatta). It is through this insight that the true nature of the aggregates is clearly seen; in the light of three signs (ti-lakkhana): impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta). With this realization, he understands clearly that what is impermanent is not worth clinging to. If his mind was obsessed by the five hindrances, he would not be able to concentrate successfully on an object of a wholesome nature, and he would not be able to avoid clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, he focuses on cessation. It is the cessation of what? It is not the cessation of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations or consciousness. It is the cessation of the wrong view of personality-belief, which he held with regards to the five aggregates of clinging, as this is ‘mine’, this ‘I am’, and this is ‘my self’. He understands the non-substantial (non-self) nature of the five aggregates of clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the seven factors of enlightenment (satta bojjhanga) should be cultivated in the mind. The Pali term ‘bojjhanga’ is composed of bodhi and anga. ’Bodhi’ is the realization of the Four Noble Truths and ’anga’ means ‘conducing factors’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T01:53:55.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15437" CreationDate="2016-06-10T02:21:06.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the flow of your words, I think that you may be confusing enlightenment with emptiness. Both can be confusing, but I will try to clarify each. According to Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, enlightenment is the ultimate achievement of buddhahood; and emptiness is the lack of inherent reality of a phenomenon or person. I have often heard lamas teach emptiness as the breaking down of phenomenon in their parts in order to establish that it does not exist as and of itself. In other words, we see a mundane table and we believe that it has an inherent existence, but the table is made up of legs,top,nails,screws,glue...not fixed, but constantly changing from moment to moment from the atomic level up to the fact that it ages and rots. All is impermanent.&#xA;Also, in the mundane world one would look at the collective parts as having a practical value as they appear to make the table. However, within Buddhism we see all things as dependently arising; all is depend for its existence upon something else, cause and effect, which is karma. Ergo, the table is dependent upon its parts to make a table. A person is dependent upon karma to make a life. these principles can be applied to all that we perceive in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to explaining enlightenment, I do not feel that I can explain it any better than Lama Surya Das:&#xA;&quot;Enlightenment is not about becoming divine. Instead, it is about becoming more fully human.In examining the archetypical experience of the Buddha, we see that his enlightenment represents the direct realization of reality---how things are and how they work. Enlightenment is the end of ignorance. when we talk about walking the path to enlightenment, we are talking about walking the path of an enlightened being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I have misinterpreted your question, please kindly rephrase the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T02:21:06.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15406" CreationDate="2016-06-10T02:39:51.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Assuming Manhattan College is in Manhattan, here is a website for an SGI-USA center which is in the Lotus Sutra/Nichiren tradition, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi-ny.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The New York Culture Center.&lt;/a&gt; It is in the old Cooper Union building at 7 E. 15th Street, New York, NY 10003&#xA;(bet. 5th Avenue &amp;amp; Union Square West). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The website's calendar shows a variety of meetings throughout the month, not only on weekends. There are various names like World Peace, Chanting, Lecture, and Intro to Buddhism. Other meetings are by interest group. There are also meetings in people's homes called Discussion Meetings. The World Peace Prayer meeting would probably be a good experience for a beginner. There's chanting with quite a few people which is pretty cool followed by a program which varies. People would be open to speaking with you before and/or afterwards. The intro meeting would of course be good also and is usually focused on Q&amp;amp;A. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SGI-USA is a lay organization so no priests with robes. People dress in whatever way is normal for them. Since your class is on discrimination note that one of SGI-USA's core principles is non-discrimination. This principle is based on the historic Buddhist opposition to the caste system in India, and more specifically on the Lotus Sutra's teaching that all people may attain Buddhism. Even women. This results in SGI-USA having a very diverse membership unlike many Buddhist denominations. As such, attendees reflect the diversity of the area, including the LGBTQ community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7295" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T02:39:51.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15385" CreationDate="2016-06-10T04:46:23.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are referring to comes from the Discourses of the Sutta Pitaka, and can be found within the book &lt;em&gt;The Connected Discourses of The Buddha; A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/em&gt; by Bhikku Bodhi, Vol. 1, pg 209.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans in a small forest hut in the Himalayan region.  Then when the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind thus: 'Is it possible to exercise rulership righteously: without killing and without instigating others to kill, without confiscating and without instigating others to confiscate, without sorrowing and without causing sorrow?' &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn04/sn04.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 4.20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T05:02:40.097" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T05:02:40.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15484" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15502" CreationDate="2016-06-10T08:23:38.257" Score="2" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have caught myself many times saying to others that I will do this and that. I also tend to confirm that I can and will do things, when I'm asked about it, even when I am not sure. Often people end up criticizing me when I fail to achieve what I promised to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also have a lot of over-expectations about myself. I intend to learn so many things or read so many things or meditate a lot etc., and also I always get carried away buying things just for the sake of fulfillment. I want to over achieve. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditations have helped me realize that this was due to my obsession with wanting to be 'great'. I want to always be appreciated and want to always feel high. How can I resolve this problem of mine?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T15:56:13.717" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T11:03:42.893" Title="Over expectations and overconfidence" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|right-effort|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15484" CreationDate="2016-06-10T10:29:24.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could try to practice Vipassana meditation and take the &lt;em&gt;wanting&lt;/em&gt; as an object, noting it as &lt;em&gt;&quot;wanting, wanting&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, while sending the mind out to the object. Note it a couple of times and return thereafter to the feeling of the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding &lt;em&gt;mental formations&lt;/em&gt; such as thoughts, do not engage them, meaning do not focus on the content, instead focus on the process. Content is not important. The process is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might benefit from studying the doctrine of &lt;em&gt;Dependent Origination (Paticcasammupada)&lt;/em&gt; to learn how craving and attachment arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also suggest for you &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How To Meditate:&#xA;A Beginner's Guide to Peace&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me know if you have any questions to what I wrote and I will try to answer them. May you have a fruitful practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T13:36:15.663" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T13:36:15.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15437" CreationDate="2016-06-10T15:16:31.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to break this down for clarity in my own mind, if not in the minds of others. By definition &quot;enlightened cognition&quot; means that one is &quot;freed from ignorance and misinformation&quot; in order to pursue &quot;the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding thought experiences and the senses&quot; (quotes from a couple of dictionaries). So to paraphrase, is the acquired knowledge and understanding of wisdom, in any Buddhist tradition, more than its parts? Wisdom, is insightful understanding. Simple put the question seems to be, is wisdom more than its parts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alright, now let's add the comment's reference to &quot;direct realization of reality&quot;, which from the Buddhist view means Ultimate Reality, the direct realization of emptiness which leads to the end of suffering completely which is enlightenment, or buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism translate Prajna and Bodhi as Wisdom. In the deeper sense, Prajna is insightful understanding; and Bodhi is the perfection of wisdom, or the teaching that all phenomenon are empty of self essence, which ties back into the direct realization of reality. &#xA;This also takes care of the &quot;in any Buddhist tradition&quot; part of the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is wisdom more than its parts? In the mundane world it is not, since one accumulates pieces and parts of wisdom, conventional wisdom, without sensing a higher pursuit. However, upon the realization of Ultimate Reality, the parts cease to play a role as they too become impermanent through emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T15:16:31.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15488" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-10T16:57:57.373" Score="2" ViewCount="132" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently attended a Tibetan Drinking Kagyu Buddhist retreat. During that time the visiting Rinpoche blessed several items, and I was told by His Eminence that one can renew the blessing of statues by placing them in a small bowl containing a little bit of saffron water, and then dribbling some of the water over the top of the statue. I neglected to ask how often this should be done. Does anyone know? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T10:57:01.907" Title="How long do blessings last?" Tags="|personal-practice|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-10T17:44:21.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The legal system is one of the many ways that karma can work. If you rob someone and end up in jail, that jail sentence is one of the ways in which you may experience the fruits of your actions. If you rob someone and don't get caught, you can experience the consequences in some other way. Karma has many ways to operate, most of which are beyond our understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8218" LastEditorUserId="8218" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T21:12:18.210" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T21:12:18.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-06-10T18:00:26.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In summary: vipassana means 'clear seeing' and is a meditation technique. The meditator knows the arising and ceasing of any/every object that comes to his/her mind without reacting with greed or aversion. The aim is to see the 3 characteristics of reality with one's own mind: impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and non-self (anatta). non-self means that there is only mind and an object arising to mind, but nothing else (no permanent self) beside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T18:00:26.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15289" CreationDate="2016-06-10T21:06:16.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel that the answer that is most akin to Buddhism comes from the Buddha's instruction to his son to determine what caused the action by reflecting back, and then take responsibility for the action as one moves forward, stated as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha: How do you construe this, Rahula: What is a mirror for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rahula: For reflection, sir.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha: In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and&#xA;  mental acts are to be done with repeated reflection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whenever you want to perform a bodily act, you should reflect on it:&#xA;  'This bodily act I want to perform-would it lead to self-affliction,&#xA;  to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily&#xA;  act, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection,&#xA;  you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of&#xA;  others, or to both; it would be an unskillful bodily act with painful&#xA;  consequences, painful results, then any bodily act of that sort is&#xA;  absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on reflection you know that it&#xA;  would not cause affliction...it would be a skillful bodily act with&#xA;  happy consequences, happy results, then any bodily act of that sort is&#xA;  fit for you to do.   (Similarly with verbal acts and mental acts.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While you are performing a bodily act, you should reflect on it: 'This&#xA;  bodily act I am doing-is it leading to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily act, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it is leading to self-affliction, to affliction of others, or&#xA;  both...you should give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is&#xA;  not...you may continue with it.   (Similarly with verbal acts and&#xA;  mental acts.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having performed a bodily act, you should reflect on it....If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both; it was an unskillful bodily act with painful&#xA;  consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it,&#xA;  lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy&#xA;  life. Having confessed it...you should exercise restraint in the&#xA;  future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to&#xA;  affliction...it was a skillful bodily act with happy consequences,&#xA;  happy results, then you should stay mentally refreshed and joyful,&#xA;  training day and night in skillful mental qualities.   (Similarly with&#xA;  verbal acts.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having performed a mental act, you should reflect on it....If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both; it was an unskillful mental act with painful&#xA;  consequences, painful results, then you should feel horrified,&#xA;  humiliated, and disgusted with it. Feeling horrified... you should&#xA;  exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that&#xA;  it did not lead to affliction...it was a skillful mental act with&#xA;  happy consequences, happy results, then you should stay mentally&#xA;  refreshed and joyful, training day and night in skillful mental&#xA;  qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rahula, all the priests and contemplatives in the course of the past&#xA;  who purified their bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts, did it&#xA;  through repeated reflection on their bodily acts, verbal acts, and&#xA;  mental acts in just this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All the priests and contemplatives in the course of the future...All&#xA;  the priests and contemplatives at present who purify their bodily&#xA;  acts, verbal acts, and mental acts, do it through repeated reflection&#xA;  on their bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts in just this way.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Therefore, Rahula, you should train yourself: 'I will purify my bodily&#xA;  acts through repeated reflection. I will purify my verbal acts through&#xA;  repeated reflection. I will purify my mental acts through repeated&#xA;  reflection.' Thus you should train yourself.   That is what the&#xA;  Blessed One said. Pleased, Ven. Rahula delighted in the Blessed One's&#xA;  words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/w_s6.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;M.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-10T21:10:51.687" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T21:10:51.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15289" CreationDate="2016-06-10T22:26:51.317" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We live forward&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is equatable to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_effort&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt; because Right Effort is related to exertion to decrease evil and increase good in the here and now (&quot;forward&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;but we understand backward.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is equatable to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right View&lt;/a&gt; because one's Right View is greatly enhanced by thinking about one's past karma, chain of causation, and marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As with all verbiage, Kierkegaard is 90% right in his statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are things your &lt;strong&gt;past&lt;/strong&gt; that you must take &quot;action&quot; for through hypnotherapy. You have to &lt;strong&gt;relive your past&lt;/strong&gt; and try to find out why this-and-that happened and can unwind that behavior. After you do this you will &lt;em&gt;actually&lt;/em&gt; become free of that behavior and can finally get your swag back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, there are things in the future that you must understand before you can live it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T22:26:51.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15488" CreationDate="2016-06-10T22:42:02.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I went to a famous temple in Rosemead and some ancient sacred items (sariras supposedly) were brought out and I blessed my amulet on them. I left the temple literally half an hour after that and on my drive back home had an accient and my car burned down, totalled. :-(&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, karma and merit is a complicated topic to understand and I don't think anyone will be able to give you a precise answer. One would have to go into the origins of said karma that created this object and those are either infinite as some sutras suggest, incomprehensible (as Buddha avoided the questions about origins of karma), or nil (see Zen master's response to king).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You will have to feel the object yourself. Try feeling with your non-dominant hand which is usually better at perceiving these energies.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This whole enchanting thing and sariras is something that comes from Vajrayana and the newer traditions which the original branches of Buddhism did not advocate, espouse, or uphold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As much as I believe in crystal energetics and various holistic technologies, I am now wary of &quot;sariras&quot; and know that the highest way to make merit is through appreciation of the Buddha, his teachings, and practice whether it is in the form of another object, ourselves, or others. Try practicing different mantras--THAT is definitely IMO way more powerful than any sarira.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-10T22:42:02.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15444" CreationDate="2016-06-11T00:17:59.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@B1100… it is worth checking the Atthi Raga Sutta (where there is passion) in Samyutta Nikaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 12.64 - Atthi Raga Sutta: Where There is Passion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta the Buddha explains the causes for the continuation of life from one existence to another or the life through samsara. In it the Buddha talks about four types of ‘food’ that are nourishment for the continuation of life from existence to existence, that is for the continuation of the process of birth, aging, sickness and death. One is material or physical, while the other three are mental nutriments. We were born because we had these four nutriments and as long as we are nourished by these nutriments, life will continue in countless numbers of various existences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third of the four is Nutriment of intellectual intention (manosancetana ahara). This consists of mental formation and intentions (volition) which the mind creates and with which it becomes involved in regard to the object with which it comes into contact. When the eye sees form, the nose smells odours, the tongue tastes, the body contacts tangible objects, volition and intentions arise in the mind.  This too is a nutriment which results in repeated births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The arising of volition (cetana) is the result of mental factors.  They may be wholesome or unwholesome intentions.  Mental factors are not permanent, they constantly change.  They are the result of desire.  If we are mindful we could realize this and understand the nutriment of intellectual intention in this manner.  If someone binds your hands and legs together and tries to throw you into a pit of glowing embers, what would you do?  You would try to run away and escape.  This is how the nutriment of intellectual intention should be regarded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T00:17:59.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15373" CreationDate="2016-06-11T00:36:06.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;MN 54 - Potaliya Sutta: To Potaliya &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said in the Potaliya Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya that the pleasures of the senses are perilous and of much pain, (bahudukkha bahupayasa adinavo ettha bhiyyo). Seeing this with right discernment, as it actually is, then avoiding the equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity, he develops the equanimity .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta, pleasures have been compared to a skeleton (atthikankalupamakama), to a lump of flesh (mansa pesupama kama),to a grass torch made of straw (tinukkupama kama), to a pit of glowing embers (angarakasupamakama), to a dream (supinakupamakama), to what is borrowed (yacitakupamakama), and to the fruits of a tree (rukkha phalupamakama). Sensepleasures are normally of little satisfaction and of much pain. In the Alagaddupama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya the Buddha compared sensual pleasures; to a skeleton, a lump of meat, a torch of dried grass, a pit of glowing embers, a dream, something borrowed, the fruits of a tree, a slaughter house, an impaling stake, and a snake's head. There are ten comparisons. So we see that pleasures of the senses are through and through of little satisfaction and cause much tribulation. We shall now examine the relationship between raga and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T00:36:06.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14995" CreationDate="2016-06-11T01:24:09.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Eggman… have you ever tried ‘Walking Meditation’? ; It’s an essential part of the meditation. It develops an added skill, the skill to be centered in the body not only while the body is still, but also while the body is moving. Walking meditation teaches you to be still in the midst of movement, to get a stronger sense of the mind as the observer that doesn’t move along with the things it observes.  The ability to observe the mind in action and yet not get caught up in the action is important. And this is why walking meditation is so important, because it helps give you practice in perfecting that ability.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you’re feeling tired, try to breathe in a way that gives you more energy. If you’re feeling tense, try to breathe in a way that’s more relaxing. You want to be friends with your wise qualities inside, the thoughts that help you, that point you in the right direction. You want to learn how to encourage them. After all, meditation is not simply a matter of driving thoughts out of the mind. You first have to learn how to think skillfully. Just listen to all the conversations going on in the mind: Should I meditate? Should I not meditate? Notice all the voices that say, No, I’m too tired, I need my rest, I want to do something else. Ask yourself: Are those your true friends? Where are they going to take you? Learn how to encourage the voices that take you where you really want to go. This is one of the most basic skills in meditation. If you can’t master this one, you can’t do anything else basic, like sticking with the breath.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T01:24:09.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14681" CreationDate="2016-06-11T01:49:44.360" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@jitin… try to stay within the five precepts, within the bounds of what’s skilful, be true to the five precepts. Afterall there is no ‘buddhist’ or ‘ christian’ in it. The knowledge that you’ve maintained your honor can give you a lot of strength even as you go through negative emotions. Then you try to take apart unskillful emotions: You take apart the physical side, then the verbal side, then the mental side. For the mental side, you have to learn how to think outside the box. The same with the verbal side—because “verbal,” here, refers to your inner chatter, what you say to yourself. Often what you say to yourself can be a lot more harmful than what people do or say outside. So a large part of your training lies in learning how to talk to yourself in skillful ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha taught that the most important part of the practice is appropriate attention, where you learn to look at the situation and divide it up into four categories: where’s the stress; where’s the cause of stress; what would be the cessation of that stress, i.e., by abandoning the cause; and then how you do that: the path of practice that you develop to abandon the cause of stress. In other words, you see things in terms of the four noble truths. Each truth has a task, which has to be mastered as a skill and brought to completion: comprehend the stress, abandon the cause, develop the path, so that you can realize the cessation. That’s a very different approach from simply being nonreactive, or learning to accept whatever comes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can consciously breathe in and out at times when these emotions overwhelm you. So we focus on the breath as a way of getting outside of these overwhelming emotions, to realize they don’t have to take over totally. We can have at least one corner of our awareness where they’re not raging and strong. Not only does the breath give us a place to stand, it also gives us some ammunition to use against these things. When anger comes, when fear comes, part of their power comes from the way they change the processes of the body. You can work with your breath to counteract at least the physical side of the emotion first. Regardless of what’s happening in the mind, you can still breathe calmly. In fact, this is an important way of retraining yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That way, if something does start creeping in, you’ll notice it immediately. And you find that these emotions are a lot easier to deal with when you catch them right at the very beginning, before they trigger the hormones, before they trigger the physical reactions, because otherwise, once those reactions are triggered, you simply have to ride them out, and that may take a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T01:49:44.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14673" CreationDate="2016-06-11T02:08:53.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are our habits. We are what we repeatedly do. So we can You focus on the issue of how we are creating suffering for ourselves because of our habits, and how we can develop new habits that create the causes for happiness. If we find ourselves engaged in unskillful habits, we’ve got to learn how to overcome those habits and replace them with more skillful habits. We can’t do this for one another. It’s a personal, individual matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the precepts are a crucial part of this. They help you develop good habits and foster insight. In particular, they help you see into your habits of self-indulgence. A lot of the pleasures we indulge in really do get in the way of deeper pleasure, deeper happiness. The hardest habit of all that we should strive to overcome is the ‘I am’, mine, myself belief in all of us. We can’t see things clearly because the “I am” gets in the way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s interesting: The Pali word for “conceit”—mana—doesn’t mean only a sense that you’re better than other people. If you say, “I’m worse than other people,” or “I’m equal to other people,” that’s conceit as well, because you’re still building the “I am” around things. There are several ways to get around this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One such is the Buddha’s advice to Rahula: Whatever comes up is inconstant. It doesn’t last, so it’s not enough to build an identity around. Another way around the “I am” is that, whatever comes up in the mind, you remind yourself that this happens to everybody. Remind yourself that you don’t have any innate nature. The mind is neutral. It just knows. The thinking is skillful or unskillful, but those are habits, which aren’t innate at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T02:08:53.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14058" CreationDate="2016-06-11T02:44:05.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;handa'dāni bhikkhave āmantayāmi vo, vayadhammā sankhārā appamādena sampādethā ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disciples, this I declare to you: All conditioned things are subject to disintegration - strive on untiringly for your liberation. (Mahāparinibbāna Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digha Nikaya Sutta 16&lt;/a&gt;) advised the monks assembled around his death bed that they should take the Dhamma-Vinaya as their teacher after his passing- or, in brief, the Dhamma is the TEACHER of every Buddhist. We  are all disciples, be it monks or Upasaka, Upasika…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in this Sutta he said that…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace whatever is said as ‘Dhamma’,  in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: ‘Certainly, this is not the Blessed One’s utterance; this has been misunderstood by that bhikkhu — or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.’ In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the Sutta, there are four points by which one can know of oneself that one is a sotapanna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti” - one is endowed with unshakable confidence in the Buddha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti” - one is endowed with unshakable confidence in the Dhamma;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Sanghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti” - one is endowed with unshakable confidence in the Sangha;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti”- one is endowed with the moral precepts cherished by the noble ones, i.e. the five precepts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Supreme Buddha says…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, Ananda, is the teaching called the Mirror of the Dhamma, whereby the noble disciple may thus know of himself: 'There is no more rebirth for me in hell, nor as an animal or ghost, nor in any realm of woe. A stream-enterer am I, safe from falling into the states of misery, assured am I and bound for Enlightenment.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T13:05:18.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14044" CreationDate="2016-06-11T02:57:17.453" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Ancient India, Dr. Ambedkar states: The history of India is nothing but a mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism. As Ambedkar saw it, the crucial conflict was not between Brahmans and non-Brahmans, nor between Aryans and non-Aryans, nor was it a conflict between the Vedas and the rest of Indian tradition. Rather it was between two world views, both generated within India itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“It was not within my capacity to be born in a particular religion. but though I was born as Hindu, I will not die as a Hindu.” This was the declaration of Dr. Ambedkar made by him as early as 1935 at Yeola in Nashik district in Maharashtra. He made this declaration after his dis-illusion of Hindu reforms due to experiences with the Satyagraha at Mahad to drink water from the public lake, burning of Manusmruti, Kalaram Temple Satyagraha for temple entry and treacherous behaviour of Gandhi at Round Table Conference and subsequent coercive Poona Pact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was Maha Thera Bhikkhu Chandramani Thera, the Most Senior Buddhist Monk in the country, who gave deeksha to Dr. Ambedkar. He was of Burmese origin but was resident in India for 40 odd years. After his own conversion, Babasaheb converted all the rest of half a million people by Trisaran, Panchasila and 22 vows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was a historical event in more ways than one. Never in history half a million were converted to any religion at one time and never had conversion been effected by a lay Buddhist and never ever the Hindu Gods and goddesses were denounced by 22 vows which became the inseparable part of rite of conversion to Buddhism in India, and never before it was declared that all and every Buddhist lay person was authorised to convert other willing person. There used to be rite of Upasampada for conversion as a Bhikku, but for lay Buddhist there was traditionally no rite. Ambedkar started this, as he believed one of the reasons of disappearance of Buddhism from India was absence of such a rite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one could ever call someone a Bodhisatva, it is Dr. Ambedkar. The next Buddha due to appear is said to be Maitreya (Skt; Pali: Metteyya), a bodhisatta currently residing in the Tusita heavens. It is said that at a  time in future when human lifespan is 80,000 years, once the teachings of the current Buddha have long been forgotten, he will be reborn as a human being, rediscover the Four Noble Truths, and teach the Noble Eightfold Path once again. This is mentioned in the Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta (DN). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T02:57:17.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12736" CreationDate="2016-06-11T03:55:33.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Theravada… as per the Dhamma chakka pawaththana Suttta, there are altogether 22 levels of Heavens. The first seven levels are for Davas who are not freed from attachment to sensual worlds (kamaloka). Bhummattha devas.. Cātummahārājika devas....  Tāvatiṃsa,....  Yāma,....  Tusita,..  Nimmānaratī, ....  Paranimmitavasavattī.... are those seven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next 15 levels are the adobes of the Brahmas. Brahmas of Brahma Parisajja... Brahma Purohita... Maha Brahma... Parittabha... Appamanabha... Abhassara... Parittasubha... Appamana subha... Subhakinna... Vehapphala... Aviha... Atappa... Sudassa... Sudassi... and Akanittha… reside in them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Suddhavasa Brahmaloka or Pure Abodes are a group of five heavens. They are the exclusive Planes of Anagamis or Never-Returners (those who have attained the third stage of Sainthood). Ordinary beings are not born in these states. Those who have attained Anagami in other planes are reborn in these Pure Abodes. Later, they attain Arahanthood and reside in those planes until that life-term ends. The names of the inhabitants of these Pure Abodes are: Aviha, Atappa, Sudassa, Sudassi and Akanittha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I will like to share a short story behind the following Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Chandajato anakkhate1manasa ca phuto siya&#xA;Kamesu ca appatibaddha citto uddhamsoto'ti vuccati”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He who has developed a wish for the Ineffable (Nibbana), he whose mind realises it (with the three Fruits), he whose mind is not bound by material pleasures, such a person is called an 'Upstream-bound One'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one occasion the pupil of an elderly monk asked him whether he had attained Arahanthood; but he did not say anything although he had actually attained the third stage of Sainthood. He kept silent because he had resolved not to talk about his attainment until he had attained Arahanthood. But he passed away without attaining Arahanthood, and also without saying anything about his attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His pupils thought that their teacher had passed away without attaining Sainthood and they felt sorry for him. They asked the Buddha where their teacher was reborn. He replied, 'Bhikkhus! Your teacher, who was an Anagami before he passed away, is now reborn in the abodes of the Brahmas (Suddhavasa Brahmaloka). He did not reveal his attainment because he felt ashamed that he had achieved only that much. He was ardently striving to attain Arahanthood. Your teacher is now freed from attachment to the sensual world (kamaloka).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English translations of these different planes are a bit difficult to comprehend without a proper explanation of each. FYI... Some of them are... ...of the gods that have Gone to Bliss......of the Contented gods...of the gods that Delight in Creating... of the gods that Wield Power over others' Creations... of the gods of Brahma's Retinue... of the Radiant gods... of the gods of Limited Radiance... of the gods of Measureless Radiance... of the gods of Streaming Radiance... of the Glorious gods... of the gods of Limited Glory... of the gods of Measureless Glory... of the gods of Refulgent Glory... of the Very Fruitful gods... of the gods Bathed in their own Prosperity... of the Untormenting gods... of the Fair-to-see gods... of the Fair-seeing gods... of the gods who are Junior to None... of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of space...of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of consciousness... of the gods of the base consisting of nothingness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T03:55:33.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15484" CreationDate="2016-06-11T10:46:02.420" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are not alone on this… @Ashwin Kumar. You have good company. When you stop and think about it, that’s what a lot of people do in this world. They do something because they think it makes them better than other people. That whole mindset—the idea of wanting to be better than others or that they are worse than others or equal to others—is a real trap because it tends to swing you back and forth between extremes: either exaggerated self-esteem or exaggerated self-hatred, back and forth, back and forth. And either extreme can make you miserable because the idea of self, of who you are, becomes the big issue in life. You have to do everything you can to shore it up. Then when you find yourself doing things that are not up to that high standard, you feel like a failure. It’s good to remind yourself that all those issues are useless. They don’t accomplish anything at all. We are practicing this Dhamma to overcome conceit, but conceit has its uses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as long as there’s going to be conceit in your mind—i.e., the idea that you define yourself in a certain way and you define yourself against other people in a certain way—try to use standards that are wise. Look in terms generosity, virtue, conviction, discernment. At the very least be your own best friend in terms of your values and try to keep those values clear and articulate so that you notice when you’re deviating from them. So that even though we’re living here in a land of wrong views, you try to create an island of right views around yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you can let go of that conceit of over expectations and over-confidence—even though you can’t totally conquer it, at least put it out of your mind for the time being—it allows you to look at situations less in terms of what you are, and more in terms of what you can do with the range of skills at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-11T11:03:42.893" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T11:03:42.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-06-11T13:12:00.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is your mind focusing on during Vipassana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the END focus on 'Nibbana'(Nirvana)(Sunnya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning focus on worldly things like 'Breathing'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During practice focus on impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta) of that &quot;Object'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a natural process like 'a hen warming an egg': after sufficient maturity the chick 'beeps'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-11T13:14:32.130" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T13:14:32.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15433" CreationDate="2016-06-11T15:05:44.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know what thinking is. I would like to add this instruction on mindfulness by Bhikkhu Bohdi on an online lecture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness &quot;functions in an atmosphere of detachment...[and] aspires toward a pure objectivity, an awareness which reflects the nature of objects exactly as they are as, without adding to them, without elaborating on them, without interpreting them through screens of subjective evaluation and commenting.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="8196" LastEditDate="2016-06-11T16:39:01.217" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T16:39:01.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15369" CreationDate="2016-06-11T18:25:04.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a very interesting question @Arthur A. Jacomelli, that you have raised. &#xA;There’s a famous simile in the texts where a man is suffering from pain. He gets tied up in anxiety and misery around the pain. And the Buddha says it’s like being shot with an arrow and then shooting yourself with a second arrow. The physical pain is the first arrow; the mental pain is the second one. And it’s the mental one that’s important. As the Buddha says, the enlightened person, the awakened person, may still get shot with those first arrows but doesn’t shoot him or herself with the second.  It is because an Arahant has gone beyond the last of the four kinds of clingings – the Attavada Upadana (attachment or upadana is “firmly grasping”.) Attavada is the last of the attachments which is in other words a hindrance to the realization of Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So our training is learning how not to shoot ourselves with that second arrow. The question is: How do we learn not to do that?  If a person who has gained very exalted states in meditation and responds by saying, “I am at peace. I am released”, the “I am” in those statements is what’s causing the problem. It shows that this person still has some connection, still has some clinging. After all, craving combined with clinging is what causes the suffering. You impose that idea of who you are on all kinds of experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where the teaching on not-self comes in to help. Learn how to view things without creating that sense of self—because after all, that sense of self is something that we do. We make this sense of self. And it does have its functions. As the Buddha said, when you want to understand something, you have to see both its allure and its drawbacks. You don’t just watch it arising and passing away. You want to understand when it arises why you hold onto it? So if you want to understand why you make a sense of self, you have to look for its allure. And the allure here is that the sense of self is useful in a lot of contexts. When you’re eating food, you know which mouth to put it in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s precisely at this fork in the road where the analysis of sabbe Dhamma anatta—all dhammas are not‐self—applies: where you might see nibbana as a dhamma, as an object of the mind. As long as you perceive it in that way, there’s going to be attachment, there’s going to be a dhamma to hold on to. So you have to learn how to overcome that attachment by applying the perception of not‐self to the dhamma of the deathless. Then, the texts say, you let go of all dhammas, which allows you to see nibbana in another way—not as a dhamma, but as the abandoning of all dhammas. That’s the ultimate. And at that point, these three perceptions lose their function. They’ve done their work, so you can put them aside. After all, they’re conditioned phenomena. When you’ve put all dhammas aside, you put them aside, too. Arahants can continue using these perceptions as a pleasant abiding for the mind, to remind them of why they’ve got the ultimate happiness, but these perceptions are no longer needed in the task of bringing about release.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T18:25:04.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15396" CreationDate="2016-06-11T18:39:47.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@B1100… your question applies to that of afterlife too. The question that arises is that… Who gets the benefit of the meritorious deeds at the time of one’s death, if there is no 'self'? Is the same person who does deeds will reap the benefits or is it another person who will reap the benefits? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not fall into two extremes when explaining who reaps the benefits.  One extreme is to say &quot;it is the same person who reaps the benefits&quot;.  The other extreme is to say &quot;it is another person who reaps the benefits&quot;.  It is neither the same person nor a completely different person&quot;. I am unable to find in which sutta this is explained – hopefully I’ll come across it sooner or later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T18:39:47.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15166" CreationDate="2016-06-11T18:55:26.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That’s the way it is in the beginning. Everyone wants to succeed. Who would not want to @ Ashwin Kumar? But as you are now working with it both in meditation and being neutral, you begin to notice that you can observe things in the mind you wouldn’t be able to observe any other way: how it changes its mind, how one intention can sneak up on you to sabotage a previous intention. If you’re careful, you can see these things. If you’re alert and mindful, you begin to notice the tricks the mind plays on itself.  As you get better and better at the meditation, you learn how to undo those tricks, work your way around them, find exactly what it is in the mind that wants to wander off anyhow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You start entering into a dialogue with all your different skillful and unskillful ideas, your skillful and unskillful intentions. And you start converting more and more of your mind to the skillful side. That right there is an important achievement. Bit by bit you begin to figure out all the different ins and outs of the mind. You develop a greater sense of unity, not only in getting the mind to stay with the breath in a state of good strong concentration, but also in getting more and more of your mind on the side of wanting to do what is correct. That’s what right effort is all about, learning how to generate desire to do what’s skillful and to drop what’s unskillful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T18:55:26.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15141" CreationDate="2016-06-11T21:20:30.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently, the Dalai Lama's original encounter with the concept of low self-esteem occurred at a psychology conference that he attended &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sharonsalzberg.com/sit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;as related by Sharon Salzberg&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“What do you think about self-hatred?” I asked when it was my turn to bring up an issue for discussion. I was eager to get directly to the suffering I had seen so often in my students, a suffering I was familiar with myself. The room went quiet as all of us awaited the answer of the Dalai Lama, revered leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Looking startled, he turned to his translator and asked pointedly in Tibetan again and again for an explanation. Finally, turning back to me, the Dalai Lama tilted his head, his eyes narrowed in confusion. “Self-hatred?” he repeated in English. “What is that?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of us gathered at that 1990 conference in Dharmsala, India-philosophers, psychologists, scientists, and meditators-were from Western countries, and self-hatred was something we immediately understood. That this man, whom we all recognized as having a profound psychological and spiritual grasp of the human mind, found the concept of self-hatred incomprehensible made us aware of how many of us found it all but unavoidable. During the remainder of the session, the Dalai Lama repeatedly attempted to explore the contours of self-hatred with us. At the end he said, “I thought I had a very good acquaintance with the mind, but now I feel quite ignorant. I find this very, very strange.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, tracing it back to the article you read may be difficult as the story has been written about or spoken of by others: Dr Alexander&#xA;Berzin, Edward Tolle, Steven A. Alper, K. Chandarami, Jack Kornfield, Jetsuma Palmo, to name a few. It is a very popular story, so giving you the article that you read is difficult, but Salzberg's is the one with the most detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-11T21:44:10.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15510" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-12T01:59:31.207" Score="5" ViewCount="461" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question that I was asked recently and couldn’t come up with a proper answer to was,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Please explain to me why I have to suffer due to a thing that a person in a past life has done that I have no control over?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha says that we suffer because of our mis-perceptions of things, seeing constancy in what’s inconstant, pleasure in what’s painful, self in what’s not-self, and attractiveness in what’s really unattractive. So the question that I am asking is in relation to this question, that an ordinary person who is suffering, and has little understanding about this ‘otherness’ that is found in the dhamma, once asked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-12T13:33:36.840" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:17:02.107" Title="Why do I have to suffer due to a thing that a person in a past life has done that I have no control over?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|karma|modern-world|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15422" CreationDate="2016-06-12T03:51:09.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suicide is one of the greatest of sins that one could do unto self. In the Vinaya generally, suicide is condemned. Assisting or encouraging suicide is equal to the gravest offences. A monk who deliberately ends the life of a patient, even from compassionate motives, is expelled from the monkhood and can never re-ordain in this life, so there’s no room for assisted suicide in Supreme Buddha’s dispensation. It is said that this act will take you to the worst hell - the great hell / Ānatareika Niraya. Now you know the danger of this Samsara. You and I would have committed suicide a countless number of times in our previous births. This shows the urgency and importance of becoming a Sotha-Aapanna – to get into the stream – the Noble Eight-fold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T03:51:09.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15402" CreationDate="2016-06-12T04:41:25.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some persons, who probably in accordance with the laws of association, spontaneously develop the memory of their past birth, and remember fragments of their previous lives. Such cases are very rare, but those few well-attested, respectable cases tend to throw some light on the idea of a past birth for those who doubt the scriptures. Disciples of the Supreme Buddha believe that there are countless past existences. The most valuable evidence Buddhists cite in favour of rebirth is the Buddha, for He developed a knowledge which enabled Him to read past and future lives. Suttas record that prior to Siddhattha Gotama’s Enlightenment, he had gained the three-fold supernormal knowledge. One of which is the rRecollection of his own past lives (pubbenivasanussati-nana). Following His instructions, His disciples also developed this knowledge and were able to read their past lives to a great extent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even some Indian Rishis, before the advent of the Buddha, were distinguished for such psychic powers as clairaudience, clairvoyance, thought-reading, remembering past births, etc. So are the experiences of some modern dependable psychics and strange cases of alternating and multiple personalities. In hypnotic states some relate experiences of their past lives; while a few others, read the past lives of others and even heal diseases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are we to account for great characters like Panini, Kalidasa, Homer and Plato; men of genius like Shakespeare, infant prodigies like Pascal, Mozart, Beethoven, Raphael etc.? Heredity alone cannot account for them. &quot;Else their ancestry would disclose it, their posterity, even greater than themselves, demonstrate it.&quot; Could they rise to such lofty heights if they had not lived noble lives and gained similar experiences in the past? Is it by mere chance that they are been born or those particular parents and placed under those favourable circumstances? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Western writer once said: &quot;Whether we believe in a past existence or not, it forms the only reasonable hypothesis which bridges certain gaps in human knowledge concerning certain facts of every day life. Our reason tells us that this idea of past birth and Kamma alone can explain the degrees of difference that exist between twins, how men like Shakespeare with a very limited experience are able to portray with marvelous exactitude the most diverse types of human character, scenes and so forth of which they could have no actual knowledge, why the work of the genius invariably transcends his experience, the existence of infant precocity, the vast diversity in mind and morals, in brain and physique, in conditions, circumstances and environment observable throughout the world, and so forth.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be stated that this doctrine of rebirth can neither be proved nor disproved experimentally, but it is accepted as an evidentially verifiable fact. The cause of this Kamma is avijja or ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. Ignorance is, therefore, the cause of birth and death; and its transmutation into knowingness or vijja is consequently their cessation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T04:41:25.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15513" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-12T05:31:35.293" Score="0" ViewCount="381" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the answers to this question '&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2303/is-there-a-tradition-or-practice-involving-fasting-in-buddhism-or-buddhist-count&quot;&gt;Is there a tradition or practice involving fasting in Buddhism or Buddhist countries?&lt;/a&gt;' says that fasting is followed by Tibetan Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is fasting allowed since it is as extreme as gluttony and not a middle way? If I am right, following the path of the śramaṇic and yogic systems which existed at the time of Gautama Buddha, he subjected his body to extremes such as fasting and then realized that such extremes do not help in his enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has the Buddha prohibited fasting in any of his teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T15:39:36.670" LastActivityDate="2018-03-27T15:39:36.670" Title="Why is fasting allowed in Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|philosophy|teaching|fasting|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15513" CreationDate="2016-06-12T06:15:46.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are a lot of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_fasting#Research&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;scientifically proven benefits of fasting&lt;/a&gt; for short periods of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the earliest form of Buddhism, fasting after noon is recommended way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means they would get done with the &quot;taking care of the body&quot; part of their life out of the way early and can devote the most time to what is truly important: spiritual cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a fast of 16 hours. On the other hand, very long fasts that are weeks long is not the Middle Way and Buddha recommended against that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eating 3 meals a day is actually falling further on the opposite spectrum: eating too much, so be wary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T06:15:46.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15513" CreationDate="2016-06-12T06:33:55.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lay Buddhists observe the Full-moon day as a day of fasting when meals are not taken after mid day.  On that day they abstain from sensual pleasures and the use of high and luxurious seats and beds.  Time is spent on the practice of the Dhamma.  This has to be developed as an inner strength.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fasting alone does not lead to purification. The bhikkhus too fast daily between midday and the following dawn.  But this is not called fasting. For some people when meditating fasting may work well, but for others it works just the opposite — the more they fast, the stronger their defilements get. It's not the case that when you starve the body you starve the defilements, because defilements don't come from the body. They come from the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the Dhammapada verse (with regards to ascetic Jambuka) in the scriptures that says that realization is far superior to mere fasting. It’s English translation is :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Month after month a fool may eat only as much food as can be picked up on the tip of a kusa grass blade, but he is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have comprehended the Truth.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But other ascetics at Buddha’s time did so. But it is said the prolonged, so-called meritorius fasting of other ascetics who have not destroyed the passions, is not worth the sixteenth part of a solitary day's fasting of an Ariya who has realized the four Noble Truths. There’s another Dhammapada verse (with regards to ascetic Bahu Bhandika)  that says, that external penances such as fasting cannot purify a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T06:33:55.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2016-06-12T08:30:23.110" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your friend believes they are suffering due to past life kamma. I have never read such a belief in the Pali suttas. Further, if this belief is true, there is no way for your friend to stop suffering since the causes of the suffering are inaccessible to them since the causes occurred in a past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; refutes the (sectarian non-Buddhist) view that suffering arises from past kamma. It states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one falls back on what was done in the past as being essential,&#xA;  monks, there is no desire, no effort [at the thought], 'This should be&#xA;  done. This shouldn't be done.' When one can't pin down as a truth or&#xA;  reality what should &amp;amp; shouldn't be done, one dwells bewildered &amp;amp;&#xA;  unprotected&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot;&gt;Cula-Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it is not said suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) arises due to past kamma. It is only said that past kamma determines certain worldly conditions, such as being short-lived, long-lived, sick, healthy, ugly, beautiful, insignificant, influential, poor, rich, low-born (social status), high-born (social status), stupidity &amp;amp; wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the teaching of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, which explains how suffering arises, the word 'kamma' does not even exist in the Pali (despite some erroneously translations including the term 'kamma-formations'). Therefore, past kamma is unrelated to Dependent Origination, which explains the ultimate cause of suffering is ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the teaching of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, it is explained suffering arises due to craving &amp;amp; new becoming occurring in the here-&amp;amp;-now: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the&#xA;  craving that makes for new becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp;&#xA;  delight, relishing &lt;strong&gt;now&lt;/strong&gt; here &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;now&lt;/strong&gt; there — i.e., craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasure, craving to be, craving not to be&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your friend has the non-Buddhist sectarian view described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;. Due to this wrong view, your friend has no solution to suffering &amp;amp; lives unprotected, as is warned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-12T08:38:58.620" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T08:38:58.620" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15513" CreationDate="2016-06-12T08:45:32.573" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read fasting is done when dying, since eating food can cause pain to the body &amp;amp; disturb the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'd like to relate to you an account I once came across of the way&#xA;  that people in the time of the Buddha prepared for death. For those&#xA;  who kept the Precepts of Virtuous Conduct fasting was not at all&#xA;  difficult because they were used to abstaining from an evening meal on&#xA;  Uposatha days. When their illness reached the point that they felt&#xA;  that they had no more than ten days left to live they would stop&#xA;  eating.... Their efforts to avoid food&#xA;  were for the purpose of having a mind completely undisturbed. When the&#xA;  body starts to run down it loses its ability to digest food and so&#xA;  anything consumed turns to poison, making the mind restless and&#xA;  confused. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So they prepared themselves for death by abstaining from food and&#xA;  taking only water or medicine. As death got closer, they would stop&#xA;  taking even water or medicine in order to focus their mindfulness and&#xA;  self-awareness, so as to die in the way of remainderless extinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Heart_Wood_from_the_Bo_Tree.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Heart_Wood_from_the_Bo_Tree.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T08:45:32.573" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8527" CreationDate="2016-06-12T13:18:14.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I took this course and my feeling is that Robert Wright is more into about asking questions rather than giving answers. At most he would give you potential answers, but it's up to you to decide for yourself what is &quot;the answer&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8514" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T13:18:14.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15519" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20669" CreationDate="2016-06-12T14:38:21.523" Score="2" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;For those who are scared of growing old and death, what would be a well thought out response be? My first thoughts on it would be, if you learn to meditate, you are going to enjoy your old age, and you will never fear death. But that is not an answer that will go down well with many people. So this is a question that cries out for a mature, seasoned response?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:54:20.277" Title="Scared of growing old – living in the moment" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|belief|suffering|reality|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2016-06-12T16:04:50.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine you were a 10-year-old kid born in a war torn country. The warlord army approached, raped your sisters, killed your brothers and parents, and forced you to become a child soldier who had to shoot and kill people for a living. Needless to say, the level of suffering and pain would be indescribable. Now half a world away, another 10-year-old boy borned into a royal family of a wealthy country who saw this terrible news on TV and gave either one of these 2 responses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Respone1: shrugged his shoulders and said: &quot;Oh well, sh...happens. There's no kamma, things are completely random. By sheer chance the poor kid just happened  to be born on the wrong side of the lucky coin of life while I happened to be born on the right side&quot; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Response2: things happens for a reason. Although you are not the same person as the guy in a previous life (different body and mind), you are not a completely different one from him either (the kammic stream continues on from one life to the next). Now whether you agree with this truth or not, the fact is you're currently in this terrible situation right now. You've been dealt a terribly lousy hand. But past kamma belongs to the past, what you do right now (your current kamma) is all that matters for it'll have a direct impact on your own life here and now and the many subsequent lives into the future:&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I am the owner of my actions (kamma), heir to my actions, &lt;strong&gt;born of my actions&lt;/strong&gt;, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir&quot;. ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T16:04:50.063" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2016-06-12T19:14:49.037" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We can approach it like this:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no past lives. There are only the experiences of the individual  person's moment, moment by moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My past life is my past  moment. Your past life is your past moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moments go to the next moment because of change or transcendence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth is a change. Death is a change. Everything is in flux. Birth and death. Rise and fall. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death of the physical body is simply another moment that seems like a lot of change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-06-12T19:14:49.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15523" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20665" CreationDate="2016-06-13T03:02:08.763" Score="1" ViewCount="433" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today I happen to read the article “&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/sep/08/charitable-giving-country&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Charitable giving by country: who is the most generous?&lt;/a&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then this question came up. When it comes to generosity, sometimes people look at what they’ve got and they’d like to be able to give much more. They’d like to make a more impressive offering, but their means are limited. So they have to content themselves with giving limited gifts. So what do you think happens when your tank is empty, and you’ve got nothing left to give?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-06-13T07:11:56.143" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:48:19.003" Title="What happens when your tank is empty, and you’ve got nothing left to give?" Tags="|traditions|daily-life|self|compassion|merit|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15524" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-13T03:45:57.273" Score="6" ViewCount="2105" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a famous story of such an encounter between the Buddha and a ‘difficult person’ named Akkosina. Akkosina’s name means “Not Getting Angry” but he was the exact opposite of his name. Akkosina was easily angered and was always angry about something or someone. When he heard that the Buddha did not get angry with anyone he immediately decided to visit him. He went up to the Buddha and scolded him for all sorts of things, insulting him and calling him awful names. At the end of this angry speech, the Buddha asked this man if he had any friends or relatives. “Yes.” Akokosina replied. “When you visit them, do you take them gifts?” the Buddha asked. “Of course, I always bring them gifts.” The angry man replied. “Then what happens if they don’t accept your gifts?” The Buddha asked. “Well I take them home and enjoy them with my own family” “And likewise,” said the Buddha, “You have brought me a gift here today that I do not accept, and so you may take that gift home to your family.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Akkosa sutta (SN 7.2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there more to learn from the story of the angry man? If someone insults you, it is hard to not be affected by it. So how to balance out your emotions and begin the day from a place of happiness, and how to respond in the same light?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-06-20T10:50:03.783" LastActivityDate="2021-01-13T18:35:16.100" Title="If someone insults you what should you do?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|daily-life|right-speech|non-violence|patience|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15525" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-13T05:18:12.490" Score="0" ViewCount="79" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always wondered why do people that practice Buddhist practices, label or opt not to label themselves &quot;Buddhist&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:16:14.357" Title="Being called Buddhist" Tags="|right-view|western-buddhism|wrongview|politics|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2016-06-13T17:17:43.760" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2016-06-13T05:31:22.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the tank attains emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;), the Dhamma is given because no amount of giving money can bring enlightenment. To quote what the Gautama Supreme Buddha allegedly taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma...to arouse, instil and strengthen wisdom in the unwise...the bestowal of equity: if a stream-winner becomes equal to a stream-winner; a once-returner&#xA;  equal to a once-returner; a non-returner equal to a non-returner; and&#xA;  an arahant equal to an arahant. This, monks, is called the power of&#xA;  benevolence. AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-13T06:31:59.623" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:31:59.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2016-06-13T05:49:15.293" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not really about what you give, it 's about what you give up. What you let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can always give love. We can always send lovingkindness and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can give to ourselves if it is from the heart. Love yourself by loving all beings. Free yourself by loving all beings. When you love yourself in a virtuous way, you see yourself as you humbly see everyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, If your tank is empty for giving then remember there are 7 other parts of the eightfold path other than giving that can be practiced by monastics    and    laypeople.  -m e t t a&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-06-13T06:52:18.527" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:52:18.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15525" CreationDate="2016-06-13T06:16:14.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All labels are conventions &amp;amp; attachment to mental states of non-becoming can make the mind uncomfortable with conventions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the term 'Buddhist' is a stereotype, loaded with all kinds of worldly connotations, such as believing in the Dalai Lama, reincarnation, statues, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those people might be more comfortable if asked: &quot;Do you practise the teachings (path) of the Buddha?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:16:14.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-13T06:18:09.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good response is one of good demonstrative right intention(or action). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then they might inquire further  and if so, maybe tell them about some fundamental Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:18:09.753" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-13T06:24:15.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Similar to a modern counselor, the Gautama Supreme Buddha was '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person-centered_therapy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;client centered&lt;/a&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to  psychic power, the Gautama Supreme Buddha taught people what was suitable for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, because you don't have psychic power, a starting point is to ask (with equanimity) the other person what they think will happen at death.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-13T06:30:10.177" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T06:30:10.177" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2016-06-13T10:26:03.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not about giving.. if you can live with good thoughts that's enough. You can give a little water to a thirsty animal, that's also a great thing. Keep your mind clean and good. Don't make your giving a competition with others. Read the following Dharma Padaya.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Manopubbangama dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  manosettha manomaya&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  manasa ce pasannena&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  bhasati va karoti va&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  tato nam sukha manveti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  chayava anapayini.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness (sukha) follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch the following video for more of this answer: &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/NPSkvV7qCAc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The poor man asking Buddha &quot;Why am I so poor?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T08:21:38.490" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T08:21:38.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-13T10:41:10.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a comment (now deleted) Bharat suggested this answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I would say Sattpatana Sutta gives us the means that realize the impermanent nature of all dhammas by meditating on various dhammas and observing their impermanent nature. Especially meditation on the 9 stages of corpse.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T10:41:10.480" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-06-13T10:41:10.480" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15470" CreationDate="2016-06-13T21:35:55.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been interested in a very closely related but more general question. What would an institution of social justice look like in a Buddhist dominant culture? There is a large amount of thought on this that has been published in the last 15 to 20 years. One way to rephrase the question is there a social philosophy that is compatible with Buddhism. Rather than name a long list, I will only mention David Loy as a good starting point. As I understand Buddhism, Buddhism is about personal liberation and that it is up to each individual to take up the challenge. If everyone were a Buddha, then very likely there would be no need for any fixed social justice institution. If the majority are still in ignorance, then what? I am still searching for a good answer to that question. If anyone answering the above initial question has a really excellent reference  to this more general question, please include it in your response to the initial question. It seems to me that organized force with the threat of violent or near violent retribution is antithetical to Buddhism. But surely, there must be something in an interim period where enlightened people are a minority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T21:35:55.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2016-06-13T21:58:09.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to be assuming that the &quot;other person&quot; referred was &quot;you&quot; in a previous life. I quoted the &quot;you&quot; as Buddhism asserts there is no self. I somewhat agree with the answer there are no past lives. This is a very hotly contested view in the larger Buddhist community. I personally, have no problem with that view. Stephen Batchelor has spilled a lot of ink in favoring the no past lives view. But let's say you want to keep past lives (probably an ego attachment) then the view of the alaya consciousness asserted by Vasubandhu, an early adherent ti the Yogacara school of Buddhism says (in my understanding) that a deep level consciousness called alaya consciousness is a continuous stream where the alaya consciousness acts as a karmic storehouse. The alaya consciousness may manifest as tendencies in this life. Who knows, maybe genetic correlates of personality. The genetic correlates of personality is hotly debated within the genetics community and it is beginning to look like the interweaving of genetics and the environment may be so complex that trying to tease out a causal model may be too deep(at this point in history). So.... how you choose to look at the nature/nurture question and the alaya consciousness may provide some insight on how you might answer your question. I think the Stephen Batchelor approach is probably more well suited for people deeply enmeshed in Western thinking(linear causality and principle based philosophy, see excellent book &quot;The Uncertain Phoenix&quot; by David Hall ISBN-13: 978-0823210534)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2016-06-13T21:58:09.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15535" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15582" CreationDate="2016-06-13T22:20:50.663" Score="11" ViewCount="725" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am attracted to Buddhist principles and would like to learn more. It seems there may be a prescribed path or course that is preferred, but I don't know what that is. What is a good place to begin?  For instance, is there a &quot;primer&quot; book that should be read or should i visit a Temple, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8519" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2016-06-21T07:12:15.400" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T04:34:11.223" Title="New to Buddhism" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15535" CreationDate="2016-06-14T00:23:22.697" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To tell you @#ATLBarb63, this path depends 100% on the association with ‘&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalyana Mittas&lt;/a&gt;’ (people of integrity in the Dahmma Path). But it is very difficult for most of us to meet in person such Kalyana-Mitta (‘Noble or good Friends’).  So you are very fortunate to have found this site - Buddhism Stack Exchange. In this site you have the good fortune of finding the first of the four factors that the Buddha once told us, in SN 55:5.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4111/254&quot;&gt;English translations&lt;/a&gt; of many of the suttas online, but I haven't found an English translation of SN 55:5, so here's my English translation of it from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/fr/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn55-005.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this French translation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day, the Venerable Sariputta came to see The Blessed One, gave him homage and sat to one side. Once he was seated, the Blessed one said to him,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta, people say, &amp;quot;the factors of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stream Entry&lt;/a&gt;, the factors of Stream Entry&amp;quot;. So what are, Sariputta, the factors of Stream Entry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The association with men of worth/virtue, venerable one, is a factor of Stream Entry; listening to the teaching / the authentic Dhamma is a factor of Stream Entry; wise considerations are a factor of Stream Entry; practicing the teaching (at the level of phenomena | in all its parts / in its totality | in accordance with the Dhamma) is a factor of Stream Entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Excellent, Sariputta, excellent. Friendship with virtuous people is a factor of Stream Entry; listening to the authentic Dhamma is a factor of Stream Entry; wise reflection is a factor of Stream Entry; and practicing the teaching is a factor of Stream Entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta, one hears being said, &amp;quot;The current. The current.&amp;quot; So what, Sariputta, is the current?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Way&lt;/a&gt;, venerable one, which is to say: correct view, correct aspiration, correct speech, correct action, correct means of subsistence (a.k.a. livelihood), correct effort, correct presence of mind (a.k.a. presence of spirit, or correct mindfulness), and correct concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Excellent, Sariputta, excellent. It is this Noble Eightfold Way, which is to say: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta, one hears people say: &amp;quot;A stream-enterer. A stream-enterer.&amp;quot; What then, Sariputta, is someone who has entered into the stream?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whoever, venerable one, is gifted with this Noble Eightfold Way, is called someone who is entered into the stream, such a venerable carrying such-and-such a name, issued from such-and-such a family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Excellent, Sariputta, excellent. Whoever is gifted with this Noble Eightfold Way is called someone who is entered into the stream, such a venerable carrying such-and-such a name, issued from such-and-such a family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those four factors that he mentioned was Association with people of integrity, Listening to the true Dhamma, Appropriate attention to what is heard or read, and Practice in accordance with the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am to elaborate on the second factor, the true Dhamma is found in the Sutta Pitaka (the Scriptures).  Another such name the Buddha used to describe the Sutta Pitaka is the “the Order of the Buddha with Nine Distinct Parts (Navānga Sāstru Sāsana).” That is because it contains discourses that can be categorized into nine parts. Each Buddhist needs to have the knowledge of these nine parts. Once you obtain the knowledge about these nine parts, you can do many things in meditation and in this path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third factor is appropriate attention to what is heard or read. Here my advice to you is, no matter how much you learn of the dhamma, how deep you go into it over the years to come, to always have the mind-set of a learner. You always think that ‘you do not know’. Then you will not be in the position of “I know”. When you think that way the idea “I know” will wear off, no matter how far you go in this path. Then association with sincere friends will become delightful for you. You will not be able to be without sincere friends. You will get the opportunity to listen to Dhamma. Yonisomanasikara (thinking wisely as mentioned in Dhamma) will arise in you. Then slowly but surely you will develop the Noble Eight Fold path. This happens solely due to association with sincere friends. So do not be in a hurry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T02:05:50.880" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15535" CreationDate="2016-06-14T00:47:09.320" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend you to listen to sermons and learn from a teacher rather than trying to learn from books. Because one can easily misinterpret what's in the texts. Try starting with this &lt;a href=&quot;http://video.sirimangalo.org/&quot;&gt;video wiki page&lt;/a&gt;. Also go through these &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF755B81CBBCA7B59&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; videos. And here's a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot;&gt;booklet on meditation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T00:47:09.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2016-06-14T02:42:28.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came across this storey in the article titled &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/Meditation4/040428%20The%20Stairway%20Up.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Stairway Up&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sometimes the little gifts bring the greatest reward.  Ajaan Fuang liked to tell&#xA;  the story of a man and his wife who had only one upper cloth between them. They each had a cloth to cover the lower parts of their bodies, but only one cloth between them to cover the upper parts of their bodies. That was back in the days in India when you didn’t go out of your house unless you had two pieces of cloth around you: one wrapped around your waist, the other over your shoulders.&#xA;  Because they only had one upper cloth between them, they’d have to leave the house at separate times. If one was going out, the other had to stay at home. They were that poor.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One night they heard that the Buddha was going to be giving a talk, so they agreed that the husband should be the one to go. The talk was basically on the rewards of generosity. The husband kept sitting there thinking, “This is why I’m so poor. I haven’t been generous. What have I got to give? Nothing. All I have is this one cloth, and if I give this I won’t be able to go anywhere. But if I don’t give this, what can I give? I won’t be able to give anything at all.” So he battled back and forth, back and forth, back and forth in his mind for hours, and the Buddha, noting what was going on, just kept on talking and talking on generosity. It was originally supposed to be a short Dhamma talk, but it went on and on and on until midnight. The king was in the audience, lots of people were in the audience, and they were wondering why the Dhamma talk was going on for so long.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally around midnight the man stood up shouting, “Victory! Victory!” He had overcome his stinginess. He was going to give the cloth to the Buddha, so he went down and gave the cloth. People in the audience wondered who this was, and why he was shouting “Victory.” When they learned of his poverty, they were very impressed. The king said, “Okay, I’ll give him another cloth and other things in addition”—a cloth and a horse and an elephant, all kinds of stuff. One of each.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And because the man was on a roll, a generosity roll, he gave all those things to the Buddha, too. So the king upped the ante—gave him two of each. The man gave all of that. The king kept doubling: four, eight, finally sixteen. At that point the man decided to keep eight of each of these things—eight pieces of gold, eight pieces of silver, eight pieces of cloth, eight horses, eight elephants. He gave the other eight to the Buddha and went home with his remaining eight. The lesson of the story is that a small gift by a person of little means translates into a lot more in terms of its rewards than a large gift from someone of large means, because the first gift requires more of a sacrifice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-04T12:27:00.330" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T12:27:00.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15535" CreationDate="2016-06-14T10:09:39.967" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice can be divided into theory/study (in Pali, the language of the original texts: &lt;em&gt;pariyatti&lt;/em&gt;) and practice (&lt;em&gt;patipati&lt;/em&gt;). You learn the teachings and then try to follow it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Teaching of the Buddha (= &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First you should know who Buddha was, who he claimed to be and what he taught. &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; is not a name, it means &lt;em&gt;awakened&lt;/em&gt;. So &lt;a href=&quot;https://simple.Twikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;reading about the historical person Sidarta Gautama&lt;/a&gt; would be a good start.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more than 10,000 discourses (&lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt;). It's not recommended to read as many teachings as you can, but to get familiar with the core teaching, the &lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;. All teachings are within this teaching. I recommend to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNb5fe_ixvg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;listen to this talk from Ajahn Sumedho&lt;/a&gt;. It's a really good and profound talk about Buddhism and the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (= suffering, illness, death, stress, sorrow, lamentation, being unsatisfied ...) exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The cause of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt; (means &lt;em&gt;thirst&lt;/em&gt; for sensual pleasure, attachement to self and aversion)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;, means &lt;em&gt;not burning anymore&lt;/em&gt;, enlightement, awakening)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a path leading to the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt; (Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing the &lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;, if anyone should be interested in the cessation of suffering, he/she should practice the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt; (and test if it works). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice has 3 aspects:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sīla&lt;/em&gt; (morality)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you are familiar with Buddhism or not, you should try to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;keep the &lt;strong&gt;5 precepts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;samādhi&lt;/em&gt; (calmness of mind, 'concentration') &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;paññā&lt;/em&gt; (wisdom)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentration &amp;amp; Wisdom come from meditation and practice of mindfulness. See answer from Sankha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-06-20T17:09:08.973" LastActivityDate="2016-06-20T17:09:08.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-14T15:10:58.100" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well actually your question has 2 different aspects,so does the Buddhism. They are '&lt;a href=&quot;http://sanskritdictionary.com/laukika/13563/2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;laukika&lt;/a&gt;' and '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=lokottara&amp;amp;link=m&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lokottara&lt;/a&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The excellency of Buddhism always goes with its 'lokottara' content, where the path to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Nirwana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nirwana&lt;/a&gt;. For a person who are in lokottara track, what to do when some one scolding is just to ignore. It is all about removing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;tanha&lt;/a&gt; from our mind. If we can't hold other's scolding that's just because we have tanha on our image/social aspect or any other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as most of us are just partially or not at all lakottara people, we may feel hard to do that. But at least we can behave thinking about the consequences what will be happened if we get into a counter argument/fight etc. So at least we should be able to understand that the best way to bear it is the silence and make that person convince, not to be get tempered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8520" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T15:10:58.100" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15541" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-14T16:21:15.140" Score="3" ViewCount="368" Body="&lt;p&gt;One topic that confuses me is that of rebirth, and how individuality may relate to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard/read that the buddhist concept of rebirth is different than the popular concept of reincarnation, though I haven't found a clear explanation of the difference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One metaphor that I've seem more than once is that of the flame in a candle, that can be transmitted to another candle, the idea being that of a certain continuity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I think that poses a challenge to the idea of individuality. For instance, a flame may be transmitted to another candle, and still exist simultaneously in the first candle. The equivalent in terms of human life would be some content of the mind of Joe being somehow transmitted to another person (or multiple individuals) while still existing in the mind of Joe (that is, during his lifetime).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a flame can be formed from 2 or more sources, for instance, we might use  match and a lighter to light a single candle. Conversely, one candle can transmit its flame to several other candles or objects. In terms of humans, that would be like the contents of the mind, or the karma, of Joe, being transmitted to Peter, Mary and Jeff after Joe's death. In that case, if Joe's karma is a mix of good/bad actions, presumably some of his &quot;heirs&quot; could get a good or bad portion of the karma by sheer luck. Also, we might imagine that the karma, or the contents of the minds of three different people, Peter, Mary and Jeff, combine after their deaths and then &quot;land&quot; on a newborn baby, Joe. In that case, If, say, Jeff was a really bad person, but Mary and Peter were really good, then Joe might receive a good &quot;inheritance&quot;, and, in that sense, Jeff's bad karma would have been &quot;diluted&quot; by those of Mary and Peter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm getting at here is that, the way the candle metaphor is presented, it seems to be incompatible with the idea of individuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if we think that the karma of Joe will be transferred to some individual being or entity or person after Joe's death, and that Joe's present conditions are affected by the karma of only a single being in the past (as opposed to being the amalgamation of 2 or more karmas), then in this case individuality is preserved. But in that case, how does the concept of rebirth differs or is incompatible with the popular concepts of reincarnation and soul? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Joe's karma gets transmitted after his death to Jeff, and after Jeff's death his karma gets transmitted to Mary, etc, isn't that tantamount to the idea of a soul? I think some people might object and say that the soul is like a &quot;thing&quot; that has infinite existence, while in the buddhist view there's a constant change, and constant creation of karma. But, to use another metaphor, wouldn't that be like comparing a tree, from the seed stage to a full grown tree? We might say that the full tree is not really the sapling, and the sapling is not the seed it once was, and that is true in one sense, but in another sense, the tree is still the same &quot;being&quot; as the seed. One seed will not generate 2 or more trees, and 2 or more seeds will not combine to form a single tree. Regardless of the definition of &quot;continuity&quot; that we choose, there's clearly a sense of individuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where does buddhism stand on that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8523" LastActivityDate="2021-02-12T16:43:23.160" Title="Individuality vs rebirth" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15542" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-14T16:26:48.313" Score="5" ViewCount="3106" Body="&lt;p&gt;Occasionally some buddhists monks will take up the practice of only sleeping in a sitting posture for an extended duration of time - sometimes up to 3 months.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are the meditational (preferably insight-meditational) benefits of such practice?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How would one undertake such practice regarding posture and technique?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that one could start sleeping 1-2 hours in sitting posture and then move to a lying posture. Then slowly increase the time sleeping in sitting posture while reducing the time spent sleeping in lying posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T23:00:15.560" Title="Benefits of sleeping in a sitting posture" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|well-being|sleep|technique|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15543" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-14T17:37:39.920" Score="0" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Budhdha really got to know his previous births&#xA;....or was it just mind hallucinating because of hunger, thirst?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I don't mean any disrespect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8524" LastActivityDate="2016-06-18T07:04:25.067" Title="Buddha's knowledge of prior births" Tags="|science|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15541" CreationDate="2016-06-14T19:02:10.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The flame analogy is not logical to me since, to me, a flame must depend on the fuel &amp;amp; wick, similar to how the mind must depend on the physical body &amp;amp; food. Imo, a flame cannot be 'disembodied', just as a mind cannot be disembodied. For example, when sparks spread fire (say in a forest fire), the sparks of fire are attached to some physical matter, such as leaves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the Pali suttas appear to state in many places (such a MN 38, SN 22.53 &amp;amp; SN 12.67) that there can be no arising of consciousness without a physical body &amp;amp; sense organs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have only read about a dozen or so places in the Pali suttas from around 8,000 suttas that teach about literal reincarnation (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.15&lt;/a&gt;, MN 143, MN 50, MN 81, etc). Since these contradict the main teachings, particularly SN 22.79 (which is about 'past dwellings' rather than 'past lives' &amp;amp; states all recollections of the past are not a 'self'), the impression arises these literal reincarnation suttas are later additions rather than the words of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas appear to explain the word '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;birth&lt;/a&gt;' ('jati') as the mental generation of the mental idea, view or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'assumption'&lt;/a&gt; of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beings&lt;/a&gt;' ('satta') or 'self-identity' ('sakkaya'); that, apart from 'view' or 'conceptual thought', there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no 'beings' to be found&lt;/a&gt;. It seems each time the mind believes it is a 'self', that is another 'birth' or 'rebirth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The impression of Buddhism I have is, as Buddhism grew in India, the clergy, keen to expand Buddhism, introduced reincarnation teachings (which are very appealing to many people), the most prominent being the Jataka Tales about the Buddha's past lives &amp;amp; similar suttas in the Digha Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On face value, my personal view is the core teachings of the Buddha do not include life-to-life physical rebirth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-14T19:10:26.503" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T19:10:26.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15543" CreationDate="2016-06-14T19:14:54.943" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas appear to explain the word '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;birth&lt;/a&gt;' ('jati') as the mental generation of the mental idea, view or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'assumption'&lt;/a&gt; of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beings&lt;/a&gt;' ('satta') or 'self-identity' ('sakkaya'); that, apart from 'view' or 'conceptual thought', there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no 'beings' to be found&lt;/a&gt;. It seems each time the mind believes it is a 'self', that is another 'birth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when the Buddha recollected his previous 'births', this could have been the recollection of each time in his life when he truly believed something to be 'him' or 'belonging to him' (such as when he was 4 years old &amp;amp; had a fight with another child over a toy, which he believes was his toy). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the word 'birth' is taken to mean 'ego birth' then it is easy to understand how the Buddha, on the night of his enlightenment, recollected the millions of times the mind in the 35 years prior to the Enlightenement believed it was a 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-14T19:20:21.393" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T19:20:21.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15543" CreationDate="2016-06-14T19:24:44.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;or was it just mind hallucinating because of hunger, thirst?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. You are mixing up chronology of events. The Buddha gave up extreme asceticism before gaining Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did Budhdha really got to know his previous births&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. By entering the 1st jhana, one can even recall one's past lives. The below passage from MN 36 indicates Buddha went to 4th jhana before doing so, recalling many more. I would refer to the book Mind Experiment by Bavo Lievens for references on Buddhist texts, as well as beautiful Buddhist cosmology and how to go about doing this. Go to page 80.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt;: &amp;lt;-- read the full sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished,&#xA;  rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, &amp;amp; attained to&#xA;  imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my&#xA;  past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth,&#xA;  two...five, ten...fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand,&#xA;  many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many&#xA;  eons of cosmic contraction &amp;amp; expansion: 'There I had such a name,&#xA;  belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food,&#xA;  such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life.&#xA;  Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a&#xA;  name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my&#xA;  food, such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life.&#xA;  Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus I remembered my&#xA;  manifold past lives in their modes &amp;amp; details.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T19:24:44.583" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15542" CreationDate="2016-06-14T19:37:45.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of sleeping in a sitting posture can be explained as one of the 13 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhutanga&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;13&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sitter's Practice (nesajjik'anga) — living in the three postures of walking, standing and sitting and never lying down.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The advantages of sleeping less as described by the Buddha can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jāgariyasutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vigilance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Lord…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should be vigilant; he should live mindful, clearly comprehending, concentrated, happy and calm, and should know when it is suitable to cultivate those things that are wholesome. Bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu who is vigilant and living thus, one of two fruits is to be expected: final knowledge here and now or, there being some residual defilement, the state of non-returning.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You vigilant ones hear this:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Wake up, you who are asleep!&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Vigilance is better than sleep:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  There is no fear for the vigilant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who is vigilant and mindful,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Comprehending and concentrated,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Joyful and calm in his thoughts,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By rightly investigating the Dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With unified mind, will in time&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Destroy the darkness of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore be devoted to vigilance,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  An ardent, discerning, meditative bhikkhu.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having severed the fetter of birth and decay,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  One may here and now attain&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Enlightenment which is supreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the pali word 'Jāgaro' which means 'deprive sleep' is translated as 'vigilant' in the above sutta translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-15T10:05:49.130" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T10:05:49.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15541" CreationDate="2016-06-14T20:32:33.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are right about a difference between the secular concept of rebirth and the Buddhist concept. Any secular definition will equate rebirth and reincarnation as the same thing. Within Tibetan Buddhism, it is the consciousness that is transferred from one life to the next, consciousness being one of the five aggregates that make up human existence; and more specifically subjective awareness. This process begins at death. It does not occur during the course of &quot;Joe's&quot; lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma belongs ONLY to the individual that generates it. That is cause and effect. I am not saying that in the secular world it does not appear that what I do cannot effect others, but within the definition of Buddhist karma, good or bad, it only applies to the person who generates it. In my experience, this concept is often misunderstood. &quot;Joe&quot; cannot pass on his karmic seeds to ripen in &quot;Jeff&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thoroughly agree with Dharmadhatu that the candle metaphor is bad as you interpret it. It should be dismissed entirely since it appears to be compromising your understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now as to individuality,it is that which distinguishes us for other human beings, our unique qualities. Given the correct understanding of rebirth (transfer of consciousness) and karma (individual cause and effect of actions), I see no challenge to the individuality of each person, other than the ramifications of their virtuous and unvirtuous deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="8196" LastEditDate="2016-06-14T22:06:20.217" LastActivityDate="2016-06-14T22:06:20.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13165" CreationDate="2016-06-14T22:42:23.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jocbs.org/index.php/jocbs/article/view/108&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma Studies III: Origins of the Canonical Abhidha(r)mma Literature&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abhidhamma Studies: Buddhist Explorations of Consciousness and Time;&#xA;and Abhidhamma Studdies--Introduction, both by Ven. Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Studies in Abhidhamma Literature and the Origins of Buddhist Philoposhical Systems by Erich Frauwaller. At Sunypress.edu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Similar books and/or articles:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karl H. Potter (1970). Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A.D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies. Motilal Banarsidass&#xA;Chandra B. Varma (1992).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Concise Encyclopedia of Early Buddhist Philosophy: Based on the Study of the Abhidhammatthasaṅgahasarūpa. Eastern Book Linkers.&#xA;Jay Garfield, Translation as Transmission and Transformation.&#xA;C. L. A. De Silva (1937/1988).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Treatise on Buddhist Philosophy, or, Abhidhamma. Sri Satguru Publications.&#xA;Gustav Roth (ed.) (2009).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stupa: Cult and Symbolism. Aditya Prakashan.&#xA;H. W. Bailey (ed.) (2010).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Poetry, Thought, and Diffusion. International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan.&#xA;Richard King (1998).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vij Aptim Trat and the Abhidharma Context of Rarly Yog C Ra. Asian Philosophy 8 (1):5 – 17.&#xA;Noa Ronkin (2005).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early Buddhist Metaphysics: The Making of a Philosophical Tradition. London ; New Yorkroutledgecurzon.&#xA;Herbert V. Guenther (1976).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophy and Psychology in the Abhidharma. Distributed by Random House.&#xA;Eli Franco (2004).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Spitzer Manuscript: The Oldest Philosophical Manuscript in Sanskrit. Verlag Der Österreichischen Akademie Der Wissenschaften.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-14T23:30:16.540" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T23:30:16.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15543" CreationDate="2016-06-15T00:26:05.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If ever you get a chance, @I don’t know,  please try to read the following sutta. It is rather lengthy, so let me give you the bit that is relevant to your question.&#xA;DN 2 - Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three knowledges, as described in DN 2, are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recollection of past lives (pubbenivāsānusati-ñāṇa): &quot;He recollects his manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, (recollecting,) 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he recollects his manifold past lives in their modes and details.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of the passing away and reappearing of beings (cutūpapāta-ñāṇa): &quot;He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of the ending of mental effluents (āsavakkhaya-ñāṇa): &quot;He discerns, as it has actually come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are (mental) effluents... This is the origination of effluents... This is the cessation of effluents... This is the way leading to the cessation of effluents.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. …”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first two of these knowledges, even though they comprised part of the Buddha's Awakening, are mundane, in that people may develop them without necessarily attaining any of the transcendent paths and fruitions. Thus they belong under the category of mahaggata dhamma, as they are based on the attainment of jhāna either in this or in a previous life. The third knowledge, however — because it describes the arising of the transcendent paths and fruitions — comes under the category of lokuttara dhamma, and is the only one of the eight knowledges to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 2 describes the remaining five knowledges as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight knowledge (vipassanā-ñāṇa): &quot;He discerns: 'This body of mine is endowed with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother and father, nourished with rice and porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, and dispersion. And this consciousness of mine is supported here and bound up here.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind-made body (manomayiddhi): &quot;From this body he creates another body, endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not inferior in its faculties, just as if a man were to draw a reed from its sheath.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supranormal powers (iddhividhī): &quot;He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahmā worlds.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clairaudience (dibba-sota): &quot;He hears — by means of the divine ear-property, purified and surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or far.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind-reading (cetopariya-ñāṇa): &quot;He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion (etc.).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T00:26:05.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15541" CreationDate="2016-06-15T02:01:55.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Five Aggregates of Attachment are the five ways in which people attach themselves to the world and to the Self. Basically, there are five factors in the human person, all of which are constantly changing, and which make up the illusion of the human Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha is trying to say is that the sum of these five parts does not make up a greater whole called the Self; all that exists are the parts. The Buddha wanted to remove the notion of the Self because he believed that the idea of the Self is the root of all suffering. It is your desire for self-satisfaction, self-existence, and self-advancement that create pain. If you remove the Self (realise there never was such a thing) suffering will go away. Since there is no soul or You, then there is no reincarnation. Buddha instead taught Rebirth. Rebirth does not involve getting a new body for an old soul (as taught in Hinduism). Instead, it is the continuation of the Five Aggregates in a long chain of cause and effect. Buddha taught that prior “sensations”, “perceptions”, and “mental formations” determine the “sensations”, “perceptions”, and “mental formations” of the next life; death does not end this chain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T02:01:55.177" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15542" CreationDate="2016-06-15T04:53:39.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Vissudhimagga:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The benefits are these. The mental shackle described thus, “He dwells&#xA;  indulging in the pleasure of lying prone, the pleasure of lolling, the&#xA;  pleasure of torpor”,  is  severed;  his  state  is  suitable  for &#xA;  devotion  to  any  meditation  subject;  his deportment  inspires &#xA;  confidence;  his  state  favours  the  application  of  energy;  he&#xA;  develops the right practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The adept that can place crosswise&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  His feet to rest upon his thighs&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And sit with back erect shall make&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Foul Mára’s evil heart to quake.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  No more in supine joys to plump&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And wallow in lethargic dump;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who sits for rest and finds it good&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Shines forth in the Ascetics’ Wood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The happiness and bliss it brings&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Has naught to do with worldly things;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   So must the sitter’s vow befit&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The manners of a man of wit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed subsides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the Sitter's Practise is the only recommended practise connected to energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-15T09:28:55.117" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T09:28:55.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14760" CreationDate="2016-06-15T05:04:54.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally think this happens. &#xA;Contact arises first &quot;seeing or thinking&quot;, followed by apprehension of the Sign (ie &quot;A cup&quot;), apperhension of Characteristics (ie Ugly) and so on with liking/disliking, wanting/aversion etc &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T05:04:54.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15555" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19376" CreationDate="2016-06-15T09:11:00.613" Score="4" ViewCount="627" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a follow-on from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15546/254&quot;&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer here&lt;/a&gt;, if it's alright to ask this, do we know, how do we know that the suttas talk about &quot;past lives&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a translation of the formula which &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15547/254&quot;&gt;Ahmed quoted from MN 36&lt;/a&gt; and which also appears in MN 4:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/formulae/pubbe.html#c&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Knowledge of the recollection of former living places —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  [&lt;em&gt;pubbe&lt;/em&gt;+&lt;em&gt;nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;+&lt;em&gt;anussati&lt;/em&gt;+&lt;em&gt;ñāṇa&lt;/em&gt;]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is the stock formula describing the first of the three vijjās attainable on the basis of the fourth jhāna, which consists in remembering one's past lives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So aneka·vihitaṃ pubbe·nivāsaṃ anussarati&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He recollects many former living places,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;seyyathidaṃ: ekam·pi jātiṃ dve·pi jātiyo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that is to say: one birth, two births,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Translations of &lt;em&gt;nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddha-vacana.org dictionary translates &lt;em&gt;nivāsa&lt;/em&gt; as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;nivāsa: residence, dwelling, abode, place of residence (w. ref. to past lives)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:545.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PTS dictionary translates it&lt;/a&gt; as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nivāsa&lt;/strong&gt; [fr. nivasati2] stopping, dwelling, resting -- place, abode; living, sheltering J i.115 (˚ŋ kappeti to put up); ii.110; PvA 76, 78. Usually in phrase pubbe -- nivāsaŋ anussarati &quot;to remember one's former abode or place of existence (in a former life),&quot; characterising the faculty of remembering one's former birth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Translations of &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#jati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;buddha-vacana.org dictionary translates &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;jāti&lt;/strong&gt;: birth, i.e. the entire process from conception to parturition. Jāti is defined by the Buddha at SN 12.2. For some beings, the birth is not immediate and requires a maturation in the mother's body, as it is the case for humans and animals; for some other beings, the birth is immediate: those are called opapātiko.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Jāti is the eleventh link of paṭicca-samuppāda, conditioned by bhava and giving rise to jarā-maraṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/nidana/sn12-002.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;its translation of SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt; it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is jāti? For the various beings in the various classes of beings, jāti, the birth, the descent [into the womb], the arising [in the world], the appearance, the apparition of the khandhas, the acquisition of the āyatanas. This, bhikkhus, is called jāti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:1751.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PTS dictionary quotes&lt;/a&gt; the same passage from SN 12.2 as the definition of &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt;. I note that &lt;em&gt;sañjāti&lt;/em&gt; (translated as &quot;birth&quot; in that translation of SN 12.2) is alternatively translated as &quot;origin&quot; or &quot;outcome&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammadhatu's theory/answer was that &quot;birth&quot; meant &quot;a time in the Buddha's life when he believed something to be 'him' or 'his'&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I look at the Pali (beware that I'm not even a novice, let alone a scholar) I don't see anything to necessarily contradict that. So my questions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When people translate &lt;em&gt;nivāsa&lt;/em&gt; why do they translate that as &quot;former lives&quot; instead of as, for example, &quot;former living places&quot; or &quot;former homes&quot;, or maybe &quot;former conditions&quot; or something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translation of MN 36&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When people translate &lt;em&gt;jāti&lt;/em&gt; why do they translate that as &quot;birth&quot; instead of as, &quot;appearing&quot;, &quot;coming into being&quot;, &quot;consolidation&quot;, &quot;becoming aware of the khandhas&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supplementary questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the Pali is more ambiguous, perhaps deliberately more ambiguous, than the English?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seems to be two views among Buddhists: one that Buddhist doctrine is literally about &quot;previous lives&quot;, and the other that Buddhist doctrine is about a non-continuity of oneself within this/one life. Does the Pali support either or both these views; and does it require either or both these views, i.e. would it contradict the scripture to not subscribe to one of these views?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there further evidence (for one view or the other) within the Pali text?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is there further evidence (for one view or the other) outside the text, e.g. is there a separate commentary where it's stated unambiguously?&#xA;I guess it's part of the teacher-to-student lineage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that there is ambiguity or uncertainty, is the ambiguity or uncertainty known and even accepted by scholars and monks? Or are 'they' sure that it's supposed to mean one or the other?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's true to say, isn't it, that a belief in &quot;rebirth&quot; was a feature of the beliefs of non-Buddhists at the time. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reincarnation is the philosophical or religious concept that a living being can begin a new life in a different body after biological death. This is also called rebirth or transmigration, and is a part of the Saṃsāra doctrine of cyclic existence. &lt;strong&gt;It is a central tenet of all major Indian religions, namely Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism&lt;/strong&gt;. The idea of reincarnation is found in many ancient cultures, and a belief in rebirth that was held by such historic figures as Pythagoras, Plato, and Socrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible that Buddhist doctrine is expressed in a way which doesn't contradict these beliefs (i.e. it would be understood as &quot;not annihilationist&quot; by an audience which already held that belief), yet also doesn't require such a belief?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T02:21:07.353" Title="How do we know that the suttas talk about past lives?" Tags="|translation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15556" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-15T11:36:16.967" Score="0" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything in moderation is the key to the Middle Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times when one can clearly see the outcome (insight or out of experience) and actions of other person and their way of thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the right way to react in those situations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when one doesn't have any take away from situation / outcome.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when one can gain from situation/outcome because the action of other can affect you or you have stake in the outcome.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does one just observe and let the nature/ karma take its course or act to moderate the outcome?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-15T20:18:01.900" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T03:21:32.080" Title="Insights of the Middle Path" Tags="|ethics|buddha-nature|middle-way|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15535" CreationDate="2016-06-15T12:17:31.310" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What is a good place to begin?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's a good question and a broad one. Perhaps I should start by saying that there are different schools of Buddhism (e.g. older and newer), perhaps as much variation in Buddhism as there is in Christianity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One place to begin could be with a popular book by a modern author: for example something written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or maybe by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Nh%E1%BA%A5t_H%E1%BA%A1nh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thích Nhất Hạnh&lt;/a&gt;. I think you're likely to read, in such a book, that what's important is to be kind, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also all the books listed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.enthusiasticbuddhist.com/best-buddhist-books-for-beginners-top-8/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Best Buddhist Books for Beginners: My Top 8 Picks&lt;/a&gt; are by modern authors (I haven't read all those books, but I have heard of or read other things by those authors).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you might like to read an account of the life of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. Like the Christian Gospels (allegedly) include words spoken by Jesus, a biography of the Buddha includes (some of) the doctrine taught by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI when I was in a hotel in Singapore, they had in the night side-table: a Gideon's Bible; an English copy of the Koran; and a copy of a biography of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there isn't necessarily a single most-canonical biography, instead there are many. They're based on the same (not English) texts but translated differently, arranged differently, with different fragments selected. I don't remember which (edition/publisher/author) was the first biography I read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A book that people on this site have recommended is &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf2/InTheBuddhasWordsBookPreview.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha’s Words&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possibility might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, for example Wikipedia says that it is, &quot;one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually I'm not sure that it's understandable if you know nothing else about Buddhism, but if you do know maybe something of Buddhism you might find it a great summary? Its contents are considered to be canonical, i.e. among &quot;the words of the Buddha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt; is maybe the best record we have of the early/earliest Buddhist scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon includes the Suttas which I think of as '(biographical/doctrinal) stories'. I expect the Suttas are the most important part of the Canon for a beginner, even then there are a lot of suttas. Fortunately there's some repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's probably worth saying that there's one sutta which has the reputation of being the first thing which the Buddha taught after his enlightenment: you should probably read that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An English translation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you read the answers to this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;Chronological or other sequence for beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&quot; (referenced above) introduced items of doctrine named &quot;Four Noble Truths&quot; and &quot;Noble Eightfold Way&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are possibly (or arguably) the first (or the most central) tenets of early Buddhism, but there are others, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Brahmavihāras (a.k.a. Four Immeasurables)&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Google, Wikipedia, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt; are all good places to search for further details on any topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this collection of Dhamma Lists&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See what lists there are, to get an overview of what's seen as important&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See what lists there are, to investigate each one further&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;These lists include the Pali words (a problem is that Pali words have several translations into English, so a search for &quot;Three marks of existence&quot; might not find articles which talk about the &quot;three characteristics&quot; or &quot;three dharma seals&quot; which are synonyms ... so it's sometime useful to know and search for the Pali word)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a beginner or lay person, if there's one thing you should know/study it would perhaps be &quot;the five precepts&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;eightfold way&quot; is sometimes categorized as a &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;threefold training&lt;/a&gt;&quot; of which the first is virtue/morality. People say that morality is the first in the sense that it's a prerequisite for other training, e.g. that you can't practice mindfulness and wisdom without virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this description of Virtue or &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, e.g. where the first reward of virtue is described as &quot;Freedom from remorse&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively see this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;, which is introduced as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An outline of the Buddha's teachings, organized according to his method of &quot;gradual instruction&quot; (anupubbi-katha). The Buddha frequently used this framework to guide his students from first principles through progressively more advanced teachings, all the way to the fulfillment of the Four Noble Truths and the realization of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this article the first training is Generosity (&lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This too has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a short biography of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; that you could read before you read about the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to read (investigate or study) any Pali word or any Pali sutta in more detail, you might find this answer helpful: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/4111/254&quot;&gt;English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far I've mostly mentioned the Pali suttas which are associated with Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are though several schools of Buddhism, perhaps for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;historical and geographical reasons&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a map&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/tcncw.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/tcncw.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus there's so-called modern Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different schools appear to have some doctrinal differences but much in common; see for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to be sectarian but I can't from my own experience recommend any Mahayana, Zen, or Vajrayana texts for beginners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example I read various Zen anthologies when I was young, and although they were appealing I couldn't really grasp/hold them, somehow?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's just me but some of the (Zen and/or Tibetan) texts make more sense, are more understandable, to me now that I have an inkling of what's taught in the earliest/original suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T13:34:53.633" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15556" CreationDate="2016-06-15T12:36:38.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In both situations you should be acting to try to minimize the suffering of everybody. This can involve:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving one person worldly pleasure because it is a temporary relief from suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving yourself worldly pleasure instead of somebody else because you are in greater need of a temporary relief&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving someone else worldly pleasure instead of yourself so that you can observe your suffering and learn to overcome it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Giving somebody worldly displeasure to open their eyes to reality and avoid later suffering (e.g. exposing a difficult truth)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T12:36:38.507" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-15T23:17:37.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Relief from the fear of death comes from the recognition of the true self. When one recognizes that the body is not the self, the mind is not the self, etc., and that one's true nature is timeless, the fear of physical death subsides. Death is a stripping away of all of those things that are not self anyway. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8534" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T23:17:37.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14995" CreationDate="2016-06-15T23:32:26.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it easiest to meditate first thing in the morning. I have a half cup or a cup of coffee first as part of my morning ritual, then meditate for an hour. The best thing you can do is to get a good night's sleep so you are rested in the morning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8534" LastActivityDate="2016-06-15T23:32:26.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15555" CreationDate="2016-06-16T01:04:21.900" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before coming to the subject proper – rebirth – let me give you an introductory note on the first couple of links to rebirth (rebirth is part of the continuous process of change.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Scriptures, tanha is craving. It is the chief root of suffering and of ever continuing cycle of rebirths. Dependant on tanha arises upadana (tanha paccaya upadanam). Upadana is a three-dimensional term which represent attachment, clinging and grasping. If one does not grasp things as one’s own and eradicate “I” concept (upadana) completely, one can achieve liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha presented and explained the teaching of Paticcasamuppada (Dependent origination ) in the Maha Nidana Sutta (The Great Causes Discourse) of the Digha Nikaya (DN15). It is a deep and complex doctrine. By not understanding, and not penetrating this doctrine beings have become entangled like in a knotted ball of thread, unable to pass beyond the woeful states of existence, and Samsara, the cycle of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should realize that according to the Paticcasamuppada (Dependent origination ), “dependent on becoming arises birth” (bhava paccaya jati).  That is kamma-process, or actions and the kamma-resultant rebirth process is the condition of the birth. In this way life continues from one existence to another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the many numerous suttas that talk about past lives, the way life continues from one existence to another, the most intriguing examples are given in fifteen suttas that are found in the Anamataggasamyutta (Connected Discourses on Without Discoverable Beginning).  You may not find it on internet. The best translation of it is THE CONNECTED DISCOURSES OF THE BUDDHA - A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi (pages 651 – 661).  In one of the 15 suttas Buddha confirms rebirth and that every creature has been reborn so many times that all are related to each other, every creature was either mother, father, brother, sister , son or daughter in past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A short description of it given in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;15&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anamatagga-samyutta — The unimaginable beginnings of samsara  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.3: Assu Sutta — Tears {S ii 179; CDB i 652} [Thanissaro]. &#xA;&quot;Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating and wandering this long, long time... or the water in the four great oceans?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.9: Danda Sutta — The Stick {S ii 184; CDB i 656} [Thanissaro]. &#xA;We bounce from one birth to the next, as a thrown stick bounces along the ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.11: Duggata Sutta — Fallen on Hard Times {S ii 186; CDB i 657} [Thanissaro].&#xA;When you encounter an unfortunate person, remember: you've been there, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.12: Sukhita Sutta — Happy {S ii 186; CDB i 658} [Thanissaro]. &#xA;When you encounter a fortunate person, remember: you've been there, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.13: Timsa Sutta — Thirty {S ii 187; CDB i 658} [Thanissaro]. &#xA;Which is greater, the blood you have shed in your long journey in samsara, or the water in the four great oceans?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;•   SN 15.14-19: Mata Sutta — Mother {S ii 189; CDB i 659} [Thanissaro]. &#xA;It's hard to meet someone who has not been, at some time in the distant past, your mother, father, son, daughter, sister, or brother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T01:04:21.900" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15555" CreationDate="2016-06-16T02:49:48.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Three other translations of &lt;strong&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/strong&gt; are below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, descent,&#xA;  coming-to-be, coming-forth, appearance of aggregates, &amp;amp; acquisition of&#xA;  [sense] media &lt;strong&gt;of the various beings in this or that group of beings&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  that is called birth. Thanisssaro&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is birth? It is being born, arising, coming to be &lt;strong&gt;among the&#xA;  various groups of sentient beings&lt;/strong&gt;, the appearance of the various&#xA;  aggregates, the arising of a particular sense door. This is birth.&#xA;  Birth conditions the arising of old age and death. Buddhadasa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The birth &lt;strong&gt;of the various beings&lt;/strong&gt; into the various orders of&#xA;  beings....etc..Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the translations above emphasises the birth of a 'being' or 'beings' ('satta'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, a 'being' ('satta') is not a biological organism. A 'being' is a state of 'attachment', a 'child's play thing', a 'view', a 'convention', a 'verbal designation' &amp;amp; a 'social &amp;amp; self identity'. The suttas state Mara believes a 'being' arises from parturition. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘A being,’ lord. ‘A being,’ it’s said. To what extent is one said to be ‘a being’? Any desire, passion, delight or craving for form,&#xA;  feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp;/or consciousness Radha: when&#xA;  one is caught up there, &lt;strong&gt;tied up&lt;/strong&gt; there, one is said to be ‘a being....Just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles...you too should smash, scatter &amp;amp; demolish...and make it unfit for play. SN&#xA;  23.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume ‘a being’? Mara, have you grasped &lt;strong&gt;a view&lt;/strong&gt;? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here &lt;strong&gt;no being is found&lt;/strong&gt;. Just as,&#xA;  with an assemblage of parts, the word ‘chariot’ is used, so, when the&#xA;  aggregates are present, there’s the convention ‘a being.’ SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In human bodies in themselves, nothing distinctive can be found. Distinction among human beings is purely &lt;strong&gt;verbal designation&lt;/strong&gt;….For name&#xA;  &amp;amp; clan are assigned, originating in conventions…Whoever makes his&#xA;  living among men by agriculture is called a ‘farmer’…Whoever makes his&#xA;  living among men by merchandise  is called a ‘merchant’…that is how&#xA;  the wise truly see…seers of dependent origination. MN 98&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Angulimala, say to that woman: “Sister, since I was &lt;strong&gt;born with a noble birth&lt;/strong&gt;, I do not recall that I have ever intentionally deprived a&#xA;  living being of life”. MN 86&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wikipedia: Jāti (in Devanagari: जाति, Telugu:జాతి, Kannada:ಜಾತಿ, Malayalam: ജാതി, Tamil:ஜாதி, literally “birth”) is a group of clans,&#xA;  tribes, communities and sub-communities and religions in India. Each&#xA;  jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function or&#xA;  tribe.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed person assumes form, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp;/or consciousness to be a ‘self’. That&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;assumption&lt;/strong&gt; is a mental formation. Now what is the cause, what is the&#xA;  origination, &lt;strong&gt;what is the birth&lt;/strong&gt;, what is the coming-into-existence of&#xA;  that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched&#xA;  by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises.&#xA;  That &lt;strong&gt;mental formation of ‘self’ is born&lt;/strong&gt; from that. And that mental&#xA;  formation is impermanent, fabricated, dependently arisen. That&#xA;  craving… That feeling… That contact… That ignorance is impermanent,&#xA;  fabricated, dependently arisen. SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T12:02:35.393" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T12:02:35.393" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15555" CreationDate="2016-06-16T03:16:01.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Knowledge of the recollection of former living places [pubbe+nivāsa+anussati+ñāṇa]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'nivāsa' is interesting because it is very similar to the word 'nivesa', which is found in this stock phrase as something mental:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how does one not live at home? Any desire, passion, delight, craving, any attachments, clingings, fixations of mind ['adherences': &lt;strong&gt;nivesa&lt;/strong&gt;], biases&#xA;  or obsessions with regard to the property of form: these the Tathagata&#xA;  has abandoned, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump,&#xA;  deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future&#xA;  arising. Therefore the Tathagata is said to be not dwelling at &lt;strong&gt;home&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  Haliddakani Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does not get&#xA;  involved with or cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of&#xA;  mind ['adherences': &lt;strong&gt;nivesa&lt;/strong&gt;], biases or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He&#xA;  has no uncertainty or doubt that just stress, when arising, is&#xA;  arising; stress, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his&#xA;  knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana,&#xA;  that there is right view. Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: the word 'home' above is not 'nivāsa' but its metaphor is very interesting, just like when the Buddha referred to the 'House-Builder' in his 1st words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: I do not know the difference between nivāsa &amp;amp; nivesa however based on the PTS, there is no difference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nivesa&lt;/strong&gt; [Vedic niveśa, fr. ni+viś] 1. entering, stopping, settling&#xA;  down; house, abode Vv 82 (=nivesanāni kacchantarāni VvA 50). --&#xA;  2.=nivesana 2, in diṭṭhi˚ Sn 785 (=idaŋ -- sacchâbhinivesa -- sankhātāni diṭṭhi -- nivesanāni SnA 522).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Abhinivesa&lt;/strong&gt; [abhi + nivesa, see nivesa2 &amp;amp; cp. nivesana] &quot;settling in&quot;,&#xA;  i. e. wishing for, tendency towards ( -- ˚), inclination, adherence;&#xA;  as adj. liking, loving, being given or inclined to D iii.230; M i.136,&#xA;  251; S ii.17; iii.10, 13, 135, 161, 186 (saŋyojana˚ iv.50; A iii.363&#xA;  (paṭhavī˚, adj.); Nd2 227 (gāha parāmasa +); Pug 22; Vbh 145; Dhs 381,&#xA;  1003, 1099; Nett 28; PvA 252 (micchā˚), 267 (taṇhā˚); Sdhp 71. --&#xA;  Often combd. with adhiṭṭhāna e. g. S ii.17; Nd2 176, and in phrase&#xA;  idaŋ -- saccɔ âbhinivesa adherence to one's dogmas, as one of the 4&#xA;  Ties: see kāyagantha and cp. Cpd. 171 n. 5.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Khajjaniya Sutta, it is unambiguous that what is recollected in pubbe+nivāsa+anussati+ñāṇa is not a 'self' but merely the five aggregates formerly mistaken to be 'myself'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;At Savatthi. &quot;Monks, any brahmans or contemplatives who recollect their manifold past lives all recollect the five clinging-aggregates,&#xA;  or one among them. Which five? When recollecting, '&lt;strong&gt;I was&lt;/strong&gt; one with such&#xA;  a form in the past,' one is recollecting &lt;strong&gt;just form&lt;/strong&gt;. Or when&#xA;  recollecting, 'I was one with such a feeling in the past,' one is&#xA;  recollecting &lt;strong&gt;just feeling&lt;/strong&gt;. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such&#xA;  a perception in the past,' one is recollecting &lt;strong&gt;just perception&lt;/strong&gt;. Or&#xA;  when recollecting, 'I was one with such mental fabrications in the&#xA;  past,' one is recollecting &lt;strong&gt;just mental fabrications&lt;/strong&gt;. Or when&#xA;  recollecting, 'I was one with such a consciousness in the past,' one&#xA;  is recollecting &lt;strong&gt;just consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;. ...is to be seen as it actually is&#xA;  with right discernment as: '&lt;strong&gt;This is not mine. This is not my self.&#xA;  This is not what I am&lt;/strong&gt;.' This, monks, is called a disciple of the noble&#xA;  ones who tears down and does not build up; who abandons and does not&#xA;  cling; who discards and does not pull in; who scatters and does not&#xA;  pile up.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T03:41:35.970" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T03:41:35.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15556" CreationDate="2016-06-16T03:21:32.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When there’s interaction with other people, and as you focus more carefully in that present moment, you begin to realize that you choose where to focus and how you want to shape the situation. You could let yourself suffer, fall victim to these things, or you could make a change. But if for instance when you’re being mindful, say, of feelings, you just watch whatever feeling comes up and don’t make any changes. Don’t meddle with it. Just be non-reactive, allowing whatever’s happening to happen. What this attitude does, though, is to drive underground some really important sources for insight: the ability to see to what extent you’re shaping your feelings of pleasure and pain right now. This applies to physical pleasure and mental pleasure, to physical pain and mental pain. So the way you think, the way you interpret, filter, make choices about how to shape the present moment is a purely internal matter. Mindfulness is to remind you that you can make choices, and that you want to learn to make them skillfully. You can learn how to think in a comfortable way, to fashion your thoughts and your perceptions so as to shape a greater sense of wellbeing. Just take time and use your powers of observation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T03:21:32.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15555" CreationDate="2016-06-16T04:03:12.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions asked:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When people translate jāti why do they translate that as &quot;birth&quot; instead of as, &quot;appearing&quot;, &quot;coming into being&quot;, &quot;consolidation&quot;,&#xA;  &quot;becoming aware of the khandhas&quot;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, ancient languages first began describing physical things, then moved on to mental things &amp;amp; borrowed words from the physical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In India, historically, the word 'jati' generally means 'caste'. The word 'birth' meaning 'social-identity' or 'social-status' does not only occur in India. For example, definition of 'noble born' in English: 'Belonging by birth to the aristocracy'. While 'birth' here means physically born into nobility, it also has a social class connotation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same as the word 'house'. In my parents Middle-Eastern culture, your family is called 'house'. When people know your name, they say 'House of XXXX&quot;, just as in England, they refer to the 'House of Windsor'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus in The Parable of the Great Ocean, the Buddha states: &quot;Just as the great rivers lose their names when they flow into the great ocean, so do those of the various castes lose their names when the enter into the Sangha&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is the Pali is more ambiguous, perhaps deliberately more ambiguous,&#xA;  than the English?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imo, no one knows Pali exactly. There are myriad words in the PTS dictionary that get translated with the same meaning. I guess understanding of the subtleties has been lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translators are sometimes like a line of 'blind men'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There seems to be two views among Buddhists: one that Buddhist&#xA;  doctrine is literally about &quot;previous lives&quot;, and the other that&#xA;  Buddhist doctrine is about a non-continuity of oneself within this/one&#xA;  life. Does the Pali support either or both these views; and does it&#xA;  require either or both these views, i.e. would it contradict the&#xA;  scripture to not subscribe to one of these views?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we ignore the dozen or so suttas (from 1000s) about literal reincarnation, the language of the Pali can give to two different views because words used in the teachings, such as kaya ('body'; 'collection'), birth (jati) &amp;amp; death (marana) have dual meanings, i.e., a physical meaning &amp;amp; a mental meaning. Thus we can only do our best to investigate the suttas because most words are officially defined in the suttas (such as 'jati'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there further evidence (for one view or the other) within the Pali&#xA;  text? Is there further evidence (for one view or the other) outside&#xA;  the text, e.g. is there a separate commentary where it's stated&#xA;  unambiguously? I guess it's part of the teacher-to-student lineage.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitely not. MN 22 and DN 16 are explicitly clear that the Dhamma taught by the Buddha is open, straightforward, free from patchwork, with nothing hidden or secret. It is simply a matter of understanding the Pali words used. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To the extent that there is ambiguity or uncertainty, is the ambiguity&#xA;  or uncertainty known and even accepted by scholars and monks? Or are&#xA;  'they' sure that it's supposed to mean one or the other?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no ambiguity or uncertainty because this is against the essence of the teachings. All that is exists is either genuine different interpretations of the teachings or, otherwise, ulterior agendas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears quite obvious, particularly under King Ashoka, that as efforts were made to increase the social popularity of Buddhism, suttas were introduced (particularly the DN; Jataka Tales, a few in the MN &amp;amp; AN) to expand the scope of the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana is a perfect example. Mahayana literally took various Hindu deities and transformed them into Mahayana Bodhisatva (such as Tara, Jambhala, etc).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is it possible that Buddhist doctrine is expressed in a way which&#xA;  doesn't contradict these beliefs (i.e. it would be understood as &quot;not&#xA;  annihilationist&quot; by an audience which already held that belief), yet&#xA;  also doesn't require such a belief?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite obvious to me that the teaching of Dependent Origination was hijacked &amp;amp; doctored to form the basis of a Buddhist reincarnation doctrine because terms such as &quot;kamma-formations&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;re-linking consciousness&quot; are not found in the suttas. The three-lifetimes version of Dependent Origination simply makes little sense plus it contradicts suttas such as MN 38, which state birth &amp;amp; death arise or cease while &quot;the eye sees a form, ear hears a sound, etc&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas show the Buddha generally did not teach higher dhamma (such as the 4 noble truths, dependent origination, not-self) to lay people. Howevever, over time, as lay people became more aware of the teachings, it is obvious many of the main teachings were doctored so fulfil the wants of those lay people who were not interested in Nibbana but had faith in the goodness of Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T04:49:06.647" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T04:49:06.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15566" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-16T08:36:40.503" Score="3" ViewCount="2145" Body="&lt;p&gt;A pigeon is going to build a nest on my balcony. I tried to make it fly away but it comes back. I rent this flat and not sure if I'll stay there till winter. I mean if another person rents the flat he'll definitely get rid of it. In my country people have no respect for animals. Besides the hostess doesn't like that. Should I insist in chasing the bird from my balcony or let him stay there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3694" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T14:13:21.140" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T21:15:56.623" Title="A pigeon settled on my balcony. What should I do?" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|animals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15567" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15577" CreationDate="2016-06-16T15:39:12.363" Score="2" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the sutta that uses the following metaphor?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Firefly(Samsaric being) jumps into candlelight seeking a&#xA;  pleasure(Tanha), not knowing(Avijja) that the candlelight will burn&#xA;  the firefly to death(Samsaric Dukkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T19:36:12.950" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T15:14:45.493" Title="Sutta with firefly simile" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|sutras|texts|simile|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15568" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-16T16:49:00.513" Score="3" ViewCount="2180" Body="&lt;p&gt;My cousin just had a baby two months ago, a beautiful baby boy. The father is a catholic and my cousin, the mother, is a Buddhist. They have taken this two month old baby to a very sacred Buddhist temple to receive blessing from the relics of Buddha and to give alms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the chief monks blasted them both, threatening them that they'll never be given permission to give alms or enter the premises: because the baby is only 2 months old and apparently should not have been brought to a sacred place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hearing this story made me so upset. On their way home they have visited a church where the reverend Father had welcomed them both and blessed the child. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I really want to do something about it but I just don't know what to do?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should be fixed. This is not the way monks should behave in sacred places in the presence of the relics of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7792" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T20:31:10.003" LastActivityDate="2016-06-19T23:23:05.980" Title="Receiving blessings for a baby at a temple" Tags="|monk|experiential|rules|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15566" CreationDate="2016-06-16T19:20:19.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A pigeon settled on my balcony. What should I do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right View (Samma Ditthi)&lt;/em&gt; would be the overall frame of reference when choosing how to act in such situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important and necessary to understand the ethical distinction of kamma into wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusala) and the roots from which these actions spring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome kamma is action that is morally blameworthy, harmful to spiritual development and contributive to suffering for oneself and others. Wholesome kamma is action that is morally praisable, conducieve to spiritual development and beneficial for oneself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is wholesome or unwholesome if its roots (mulas) are wholesome or unwholesome. These roots are three-fold. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unwholesome roots, also called the root defilements or &lt;em&gt;kilesas&lt;/em&gt; are &lt;em&gt;greed (lobha), aversion (dosa) and delusion (moha)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wholesome roots are their opposites, expressed in negation as &lt;em&gt;non-greed (alobha), non-aversion (amoha) and non-delusion (amoha)&lt;/em&gt;. Within the negation lies their corresponding virtues, ie. &lt;em&gt;renunciation, detachment, generosity, loving-kindness, sympathy, gentleness and wisdom&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A distinctive feature of kamma is its capacity to produce resultants corresponding to the ethical quality of the action, ie. the root cause. Actions originating from the wholesome roots will always produce wholesome resultants which in turn will prepare and make the mind conducieve to the practice of meditation by calming and tranquilizing it, making it steady and less wavering. Also wholesome, meritorious actions can be/is recommended to rejoice in. Afterwards the impermance of the meritorious action should be contemplated in order to achieve insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 9&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, the Buddha explains; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome, the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of right view, whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up, only you can decide how to act or if it's appropriate and ethical to act at all. If you do choose to act and want to base your action in the Noble Eightfold Path, then the action should be motivated by the wholesome roots, thereby producing a wholesome result for you and other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 9: Sammaditthi Sutta: The Discourse on Right View&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T19:27:06.260" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T19:27:06.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-16T20:04:47.103" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In such situation there are different objects to note, e.g. &lt;em&gt;&quot;hearing, seeing, feeling or thinking&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, all conditioned physical and mental phenomena are empty and ownerless. An insult can be a gift of Dhamma since it can show us our attachment to self and where we need to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can use the above objects to cultivate insights into the 3 characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the Noble Eightfold Path and keeping &lt;em&gt;Right View&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Right Intention&lt;/em&gt; would be enough to start the day of a place of happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T20:04:47.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15566" CreationDate="2016-06-16T20:07:44.963" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You cannot predict the future of the bird or take responsibility for it. Also, the bird may nest on your balcony temporary (for breeding) rather than permanently. If the bird does not harm you, then you should let it nest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the hostess (landlord) disapproves of the bird, they should remove it. It is not your responsibility to make modifications to the property of the landlord or hinder the landlord in the maintenance of their property. Instead, if you think the bird will damage the property, it is your duty (as a tenant) to report this to the landlord. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the bird is not your responsibility (karma) and the external structural problems of the apartment is not your responsibility (karma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is the bird's karma &amp;amp; you should not interfere with the bird's karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T20:12:47.357" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T20:12:47.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-16T20:15:58.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One could take the opportunity to explain the Dhamma or give instructions on insight meditation practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way to really overcome this is to take the fear as the object of meditation and learn about it and understand it by discovering its characteristics of &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self&lt;/em&gt; - The Three Gateways to Liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T20:15:58.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2016-06-16T20:19:57.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of Anatta is so subtle that it simply cannot be understood by mere reasoning or intellectual knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only insight meditation practice can lead one to ultimate understanding, i.e. that there exists no being, a man, a woman etc. These are concepts and have no real reference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead there exists a mental and a physical stream which can be understood through the practice of insight meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw says: &lt;em&gt;&quot;In brief, we should understand that life is only a ceaseless causal relationship of mind and matter with consciousness&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (Dependent Origination).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T10:38:28.810" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T10:38:28.810" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15568" CreationDate="2016-06-16T20:21:15.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not all monks are virtuous. Not all monks follow the Dhamma (teachings) &amp;amp; the Vinaya (social discipline). This one monk &amp;amp; temple will not threaten the survival of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T20:21:15.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15542" CreationDate="2016-06-16T22:15:28.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several online articles that relate to the question of sleeping upright:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dharmafolk.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/why-do-buddhist-monks-sleep-upright/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why do Buddhist monks sleep upright?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8112619.stm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Why do Buddhist monks sleep upright?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theminimalists.com/drew/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Sleep Sitting Up&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-16T23:00:15.560" LastActivityDate="2016-06-16T23:00:15.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15568" CreationDate="2016-06-17T00:46:25.253" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha has said that each and everyone should be responsible for good and bad one does.  According to this we can imagine the plight of this monk (I should not be calling him a disciple of the Buddha).  Be it Monks or laymen, that kind of actions (because it is done in the name of Supreme Buddha’s dispensation) will amass enough demerit to suffer in hell.   This is his own making.  We can only have pity on him and hope that someone will try and show him the gravity of the mistake that he has already made and that he will correct himself, which is highly unlikely. That tells us that the robe or the shaved head do not make a monk, ie. By that I mean a disciple of the Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T00:46:25.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15567" CreationDate="2016-06-17T01:28:21.410" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.09.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ud 6.9  - Adhipataka Sutta: Like Moths to the Flame&lt;br&gt;&#xA;translated from the Pali by Andrew Olendzki&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The insects are drawn irresistibly in the dark night to the shining&#xA;  lamps, but in their zeal to approach the light they go too far and&#xA;  only meet their doom. Humans likewise are drawn to the pleasures of&#xA;  the senses, to what is seen and heard, not realizing the dangers&#xA;  involved. When we get too close — when we hold on with too much&#xA;  attachment — we get burned by suffering. The senses can still be&#xA;  enjoyed, as the moth can stay circling the flame, but only when one&#xA;  holds the proper distance. This quality of &quot;stepping back&quot; or&#xA;  &quot;standing off&quot; from obsession with the senses is something that is&#xA;  cultivated with the practice of mindfulness meditation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T15:14:45.493" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T15:14:45.493" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15566" CreationDate="2016-06-17T01:59:23.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my home I let the pigeons be there year after year. I can’t remember ever killing an insect in my house in the past 12 years. It’s live and let live, as we are all here for a short time.  But if you want to get rid of the nest just wait for a while. You could let the birds build the nest and live with them until their babies have fledged.  Then when the winter comes get rid of it. It can be fascinating to watch the birds sitting on the nest, the eggs hatch and then the young grow up and fledge.  It doesn’t take that long for the baby birds grow. They will only stay in the nest and around your home for only a short time. They will then fly away to find their own mates. The parents too will move on and then you can get rid of the nest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I’m to quote from “Milinda Panha”… there is a lesson that we can learn  from this little bird. (44. THE HOUSE-PIGEON.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Venerable Nâgasena, that one quality of the house-pigeon you say he ought to take, which is it?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Just, O king, as the house-pigeon, while dwelling in the abode of others, of men, does not become enamoured of anything that belongs to them, but remains neutral, taking notice only of things pertaining to birds; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, while resorting to other people's houses, never become enamoured of women or of men, of beds, or chairs, or garments, or jewelry, or things for use or enjoyment, or various forms of food that are there, but remain neutral always, addicted only to such ideas as become a recluse. This, O king, is the quality of the house-pigeon he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Kulla Nânada Gâtaka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Frequenting people's homes for food or drink,&#xA;In food and drink alike be temperate,&#xA;And let not beauty's form attract thy thoughts.&quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-17T09:34:28.207" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T09:34:28.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2016-06-17T02:19:46.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Scared of growing old is a nagging kind of a fear. It is not like the fear for one’s future, one’s financial situation, ones separation from a loved one, of having a terrible accident. These are false fears that actually never will happen. But death is inevitable and the fear of it is very real when people are really possessive of their bodies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s this old gospel song, “When I'm growing old and feeble, When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me”. Also the key anthem of the Civil Rights Movement - the song &quot;We Will Overcome&quot; comes to mind. Unlike praying for this, or hoping for such, we can look to the scriptures for some advice as to what concrete steps that we can take to get rid of this nagging fear.  The Buddha says there are four reasons why death scares us, as us in fear. First is attachment to the body. Second is attachment to sensual pleasures. Third is the knowledge that we’ve done cruel and horrible things to other people, to other beings, and fear that after death we’re going to be punished for it. And the fourth reason is not having seen the true Dhamma, having doubts about the true Dhamma. If we are to learn to overcome these four causes of fear, death won’t bring suffering. If we are to learn to deal with our fear of death so that it won’t freak us out, we must see these four points in ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take the first two of the four points. It’s easy for us to see that there are lots of drawbacks to sensual desire but part of the mind refuses go that way. It’s afraid, because if we don’t get immersed in sensual desires, we fear there is going to be no pleasure in life at all. Even if the first two points may sound rather difficult, could we not be true to the third point? Then at a later date we can take up the first two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the third of the four points, Thanissaro Bhikku once wrote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“These are the activities that we have to engage in order to prepare, in order to withstand the storm—not just before the storm hits, but all the way throughout the storm. Being generous, observing the precepts, and meditating keep us strong, keep us from getting blown away. If your survival is accomplished without generosity, without virtue, without meditation, it’s not worth much. It’s not the sort of survival that keeps you healthy and well-nourished. You look at survivors of war, who had to go and kill and steal and cheat and bomb, and then go into a lot of denial about it. Look at all the veterans of past wars, emotionally scarred for life. They did survive, but at a huge cost, the cost of the skilful roots in the mind. It’s by nourishing the skilful roots that the health of the mind survives. Even if we have to leave this particular body, at least the mind has the potential for sending out skilful roots wherever it finds itself the next time around. It’s nourished with its inner sense of well-being, truthfulness, self-honesty. You look at your behaviour and there’s nothing you have to hide from yourself.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the fourth point, the purification by overcoming doubt (kankhāvitarana-visuddhi)&#xA;'purification by overcoming doubt', is the 4th of the 7 stages of purification (saptha visuddhi).&#xA;But this a another subject altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-17T02:19:46.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15535" CreationDate="2016-06-18T07:13:44.453" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Follow Below Basic &lt;strong&gt;Guidelines of Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; as a Start..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take what is not given&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not distort facts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from misuse of the senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from self-intoxication through alcohol or drugs &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T04:34:11.223" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T04:34:11.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15568" CreationDate="2016-06-18T18:12:05.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Tibetan culture it is normal to keep a newborn child home for a few months so as not to exposed it to disease at such a tender age. However, if the parents decided to bring the child for blessings prior to that time, blessings would be freely bestowed. The family would not be &quot;blasted&quot; for requesting this benefit. Might I suggest that the family seek out another temple so that the the baby may have blessings from both parent's religions. I agree that their experience was with an aberrant monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8196" LastActivityDate="2016-06-18T18:12:05.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15568" CreationDate="2016-06-18T20:18:15.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's good to discuss your visit with someone at the temple in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some temples have a once-a-year event at which infants are presented to the Buddha for the first time; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://westlosangelesbuddhisttemple.org/services-of-west-los-angeles-buddhist-temple/hatsumairi-infant-presentation-service&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hatsumairi (Infant Presentation) Service&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hatsumairi is a ceremony in which ones child is formally presented to the Buddha and to the Sangha for the first time. Contact the Temple Office if you wish your child to participate in the Hatsumairi service. This service is usually held in conjunction with the Buddha Day (Hanamatsuri) service.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tbc.on.ca/shosanshiki-infant-presentation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shosanshiki - Infant Presentation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you know of any families with a new baby or a new addition to the family in the last year?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let us know, so they can register to participate in “Shosanshiki” or a Baby presentation to the Buddha. We welcome the new babies to the temple in a special service on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 11am. If your toddler has never filed their name and missed a previous presentation, it’s never too late. The ceremony is open to any infants and children under three years of age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested please contact the temple office at (&lt;em&gt;telephone number&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nantien.org.au/en/events/baby-blessing-ceremony&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this temple has a baby-blessing ceremony&lt;/a&gt; three times per year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This looks relevent to do with Sri Lanka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; (1996)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this is the method of formal admission of a new entrant into Buddhism, there are also certain ritualistic practices observed when a child is born to Buddhist parents. The baby's first outing would be to a temple. When the baby is fit to be taken out of doors the parents would select an auspicious day or a full-moon day and take the child to the nearest temple. They would first place the child on the floor of the shrine room or in front of a statue of the Buddha for the purpose of obtaining the blessings of the Triple Gem. This is a common sight at the Dalada Maligawa — the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic — in Kandy. At the time of the daily religious ceremony (puja) of the temple, one can observe how mothers hand over their babies to an officiating layman (kapuva) inside the shrine room, who in turn keeps it for a few seconds on the floor near the Relic Chamber and hands it back to the mother. The mother accepts the child and gives a small fee to the kapuva for the service rendered. This practice too could be described as a ritual of initiation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what &amp;quot;when the baby is fit to be taken out of doors&amp;quot; means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above quote claims that, it's &amp;quot;a common sight at the the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic&amp;quot; (especially on an auspicious or full-moon day).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth_in_Sri_Lanka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Childbirth in Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Preparation for birth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During a first pregnancy, couples often visit temples of special significance in the Buddhist faith. Examples of such temples are Temple of the Tooth in Kandy or the Sacred Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura. At the temple they pray for the pregnancy and ask for an uncomplicated birth and healthy life. They make vows to ensure their wishes are granted. If their wishes are granted, they return to the temple or shrine to make offerings of praise to the Gods who protected their newborn child and mother during pregnancy and birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Newborn Rites of Passage&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exact time of birth is reported to an astrologer who uses the child’s horoscope to determine the best letters for the child’s name. Nam tebima is the Sinhalese naming ceremony.[39] The baby’s first outing is typically to a Buddhist temple on a full moon day to receive blessings for a prosperous life. Idul kata gema is the ceremony to celebrate a baby’s first solid food. The ceremony, which takes place either in the family home or in a temple, involves placing dishes of rice boiled with milk, traditional sweets, a banana, a book and a piece of jewelry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An article like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lankalibrary.com/rit/birth.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sinhalese birth rituals of yore&lt;/a&gt; isn't clear about when the baby goes outside for the first time, but maybe it's &amp;quot;in the fourth month after birth&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dorata vedima where the child is taken out of the house into the open and exposed to the rising morning sun is another important ritual in traditional Sinhalese society. The practice is evidently the same as the hiru vadana magula or 'Ceremony of the increasing Sun' mentioned in the Saddharma Ratnavaliya which consisted of exposing the child to the sun a few days after birth. The practice bears a striking resemblance to the ancient Hindu custom known as Aditya Darshana or the ceremony of taking the child out to see the sun which took place in the fourth month after birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.expatfinder.com/sri-lanka/expat-guides/article/culture-shock-in-sri-lanka/1072&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culture Shock in Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; suggests this kind of custom is still practiced:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rituals continue on with a child's first trip outdoors. There is a practice called Dorata where a child is first exposed to the rising morning sun, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-19T23:23:05.980" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-18T22:29:25.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists are supposed to be tolerate all things that are insensitive and even insulting of Buddhist sensibilities. @Supun in his answer has said to just ignore. It is true as insulting them back only transfers their problem to you. This person was probably having a bad day and took it out on you for some reason. If you reciprocate it can have negative consequences for both of you. Instead you can let it slide off you and not let their problem become yours. Also you can try to understand as to why would someone say something like that? Having a little empathy can make things a lot better for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again an insult can be a gift of Dhamma as @Lanka has said. Say if someone says to you, “You can’t do anything right! Why can’t you be like _ ?” This is comparing two people. People are different, with different ways of doing things, different strengths and weaknesses, different human characteristics. So from a comment like this everyone loses, as it is the opposite of celebrating our differences. At a time like this a good grasp of Dhamma helps, as the tendency to lash out, defame and belittle is an aspect of conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take for example the practice of spreading of loving-kindness properly – loving-kindness is a practical thing. If we can live without humiliating others when they disgrace us and if we can live without insulting others when they insult us, then that is true loving-kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-18T22:29:25.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15586" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-19T17:34:03.010" Score="3" ViewCount="409" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard from my teacher that between the insight &quot;equanimity of formation&quot; and the following path insights the meditator can be stuck in a delusion state. This state can only be mastered if the wisdowm faculties are ripe. The meditator cut through this with sharp mindfullness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anywhere heart about that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8553" LastEditorUserId="8553" LastEditDate="2016-06-19T17:39:34.290" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T21:36:38.537" Title="State between Equanimity and 1st or 2nd or further path" Tags="|stream-entry|insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15586" CreationDate="2016-06-19T18:40:30.540" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 16 steps to Anapanasati meditation. And almost all of us are at the first two to four steps. If one has a good foundation in virtue or morality (sila), a good knowledge of the Dhamma, and has established a solid base for developing the fourfold mindfulness, one will not get caught in any of the trappings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have mentioned is &quot;Experiencing the Highly Concentrated Mind (Step 10)&quot; of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta (SN 12:10)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta  patisamvedi assasissami’ti sikkhati.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Citta  patisamvedi passasissami’ti sikkhati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First he trains himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure.  Now what is he developing successively?  Equanimity – the result of a calm concentrated mind. At this we get attached to that pleasure in mind.  But if one can cognize all differences that occurre in mind – then one can experience the mental formations – feeling and perception in anapanasati, without being swayed by them. Then one is very sensitive to the mind.  Experiencing the highly concentrated mind that is inclined to equanimity, one breathes in and breathes out, in training oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-19T19:14:07.297" LastActivityDate="2016-06-19T19:14:07.297" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15586" CreationDate="2016-06-19T19:50:48.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is being asked about in the question is from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html#tenb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana Dhura&lt;/a&gt;, which is 16 stages of insight from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, written by the commentator Buddhaghosa in 430 CE in Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;sequence&lt;/strong&gt; of the 16 stages of Vipassana Dhura is not something the Buddha taught &amp;amp; can be confusing because terms used in Vipassana Dhura that indicate a beginning stage of insight- such as 'nibbida' - the Buddha used as the final stage of insight (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.23&lt;/a&gt; - 'disenchantment'). This can make discussions about Vipassana Dhura difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, some degree of 'nibidda' (disenchantment with worldly things) is required at the beginning of the path. Therefore, the stages in Vipassana Dhura do have some validity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings attributed to the Buddha describe the following kind of 'equinimity' (which is called '&lt;strong&gt;Sense Restraint&lt;/strong&gt;') before the arising of the path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he doesn't grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the&#xA;faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or&#xA;distress might assail him. On hearing a sound with the ear... On&#xA;smelling an aroma with the nose... On tasting a flavor with the&#xA;tongue... On touching a tactile sensation with the body... On&#xA;cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn't grasp at any theme or&#xA;details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the&#xA;faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or&#xA;distress might assail him. Endowed with this noble restraint over the&#xA;sense faculties, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being&#xA;blameless.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'equinimity' of not grasping at 'themes', when well developed, can become a kind of (deluded) liberation, described in the scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt; called 'theme-less awareness-release').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'equinimity' can be a state of delusion because the mind, being accustomed to the feeling of liberation via 'non-judging' or 'non-discrimination', does not discern the characteristics &amp;amp; cause-&amp;amp;-effect realities of many things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of 'equinimity' many Hindu, Mahayana &amp;amp; Zen traditions call 'advaita' or 'non-duality'. It is a delusion because the mind believes 'non-thinking' &amp;amp; 'non-discrimination' is liberation. Thus, the mind clings to 'non-thinking'; not clearly seeing thinking (sankhara khandha) is also 'not-self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even some Theravada Sri Lankans, such as  Katukurunde Nyanananda, give the impression of this delusion, as they give the impression they believe the ending of thinking ('sankhara') is Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be noted this 'equinimity' is not the equinimity of the 4th jhana because the stream-enterer (1st path) has not reached the 4th jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-19T21:05:10.117" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-20T03:24:01.177" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Notice that when you are reacting to something you are always assuming a self. An ego. So this could be a reaction to anything from the outside, not just insults. For example, if someone praises me, I notice my feeling easier and happier. Some sort of pride rises within. It could be described as stroking the ego. Same way with negative emotions, that is, when something goes against the ego, it will react badly. I somehow find it inescapable. But I found that if I simply let go and not bother with that insult for that moment, after 5 minutes, I am fine. And after 2 hours if I remind myself of my ignoring reaction, I feel better. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, it is mostly from the base of self, a mind concocted notion, that we act. Of course this applies to normal people. Enlightened people, I do not know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-06-20T03:24:01.177" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-20T05:40:56.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First off, you have to realize selflessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Selflessness is the entry-way to great understanding, and it is what sets us free from birth in the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider that your name or your label, whatever you could connect as an &quot;identity&quot; no longer points to You.  Then, one can be patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of depth to the story: the good qualities of patience are amazing.  The essential truth, as I have learned from writings by Tai Situ Rinpoche, are that circumstances arise based on karmic fruition and so being able to be patient makes what would otherwise be a recurring fruition into and empty husk.  It's almost like a bee that would be stinging you forever says &quot;hey, if I sting you just this once, the causes for me to sting you again cannot arise if you maintain your patience with the situation&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, patience is not simply waiting or stewing.  It is an openness, an acceptance that is dynamic.  Something that lets many aspects breathe.  All is transitioning and when we command identity, we are freezing flowing water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, depersonalize who is being attacked when you feel attacked. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, know that the situation itself is transformation.  The acceptance of what is as a clear recurrence-representation of reality is what lets the future fruitioning agent expire into an empty husk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rejoice, for patience is what lets us see that we learn patience with ourselves when we can admire the expression of nature through other peoples' experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is sometimes scrubbing that must happen in order to clear up stains, in general consider such situations as valuable and see them as enlightened.  Then, you can reap the benefits of having being patient fully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adjust your intentions (for the limitless benefit of the innumerable sentient beings in the six realms) and take plenty of time to reach stability in meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True natural balance comes from true natural harmony.  When we see life as teaching, impermanence as teacher, transition as change, we can finally begin to relax into the space that accommodates all life's situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the expanse of creativity and openness, one can resign the normal atmosphere of control and extension, and be attuned with what is simply manifesting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-06-20T05:40:56.047" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15524" CreationDate="2016-06-20T16:03:18.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are basically two ways to aproach everything. Two approaches to truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone could answer this question and &#xA;say, &quot;If someone insults you then do X&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will try to answer more like, &quot;Do X, so that if someone insults you then you will know how to do what is appropriate&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Know that ultimately, you cant be insulted.&#xA;Know that conceptually you can be insulted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I stated above, know that there are two ways of approaching reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn the two approaches to right view.&#xA;Practice to learn loving kindness and acceptance.&#xA;Practice to learn Patience.&#xA;Practice to learn compassion.&#xA;Practice to learn the entire eightfold path.&#xA;Practice mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is mindful then one is basically seeing one's own experiencial happenings as they happen, moment by moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing this, one see's beyond conceptual reality to what is fundamentally real. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is seeing things as they are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing things as they are will gradually destroy the delusion that there is a fundamental soul somewhere inside. The less delusion the more virtue, wisdom and ability to make the most appropriate decisions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;So, the Buddha was able to do what was appropriate because of his previous works using both conceptual and ultimate approaches to problem solving.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-06-20T16:25:54.677" LastActivityDate="2016-06-20T16:25:54.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15592" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-21T00:08:10.263" Score="-2" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;People tend to think that the disciples of the Supreme Buddha take life seriously. I feel that there is a grain of truth to this. Is this observation of others true? If so to what degree? I’m in search for a good answer to this question. This is not a casual and fun question, but a rather serious one. This is a question that will make you reflect, make you think. So please work through it and look inside to see what you really feel. My goal is to make me think, and to make you think before answering it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-21T01:58:40.007" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T14:37:44.217" Title="Buddhists are rather serious people, won’t wear make-up and never have any fun" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|lay-buddhism|daily-life|self|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="14" ClosedDate="2016-06-21T15:05:51.980" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15592" CreationDate="2016-06-21T03:23:06.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no grain of truth to this mental proliferation (&lt;em&gt;papanca&lt;/em&gt;). The Middle-Way revealed by the Supreme Buddha culminates in the bliss &amp;amp; liberation of jhana &amp;amp; Nibbana (which is much more 'fun' than wearing make-up). Buddhism teaches a path to the best kind of 'fun' (pleasure). But the mind won't reach this 'fun' if it thinks about it too much. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T03:23:06.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15592" CreationDate="2016-06-21T03:45:32.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In simple terms, this is an opinion. We have opinions (mental formations) of everything we see. We like to label them, categorize them and generalize them. Have I met a fun loving Buddhist? No. But when I do, an opinion such as the one you mentioned will change. So I would take that with a pinch of salt. It cannot be canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, I think when people try to follow precepts, there is definitely a sort of &quot;unnaturality&quot; to it, either because they are not used to it, or because they have a fear of breaking it, or a combination of both. This does not limit itself to Buddhism. It happens with other religions also. And it also happens within any social club/community which have some strict rules. This may come off as &quot;uptight&quot; or opinionated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As much as possible, I would try to be aware of such opinions though sometimes I cannot help judging something. Healthy skepticism is encouraged whenever you catch your mind making assumptions or generalizations about someone. But I do however strongly feel that we need not concern ourselves   with how others are. We could guide people the right way if that is what the situation requires. OR we could even learn from them if they know better about something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About opinions, well, they are always there, but don't cling to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T03:45:32.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15595" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15596" CreationDate="2016-06-21T04:28:41.143" Score="7" ViewCount="774" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know how else to phrase this question, but please advise. I have this constant irritating feeling that I am kind of enlightened. It is confusing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't really know if it is my ego which is trying to assume this sort of &quot;super self&quot;, when in reality I am just a normal person, making normal mistakes. I become unaware of my mental formations sometimes, or careless about what I say, or I get angry at times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little more about this. I know about this ultimate goal, like Nirvana or Moksha or call it anything. I listen to talks by Ajahn Brahmavamso, Alan Watts, J.Krishnamurti and some other yogis. Then I think my ego blends into acting like that enlightened being. I sometimes advise my parents on some matters also. It is definitely weird. You see I want to achieve that final goal, but I accelerate towards it in a moment. It definitely seems wrong. Or is there a final goal at all? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems like I am constantly checking myself against enlightenment. It is funny too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So please advise. And also I would like to know if there was any such situation(in the texts) which the Buddha faced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:53:26.290" Title="How should I stop thinking that I am even slightly enlightened?" Tags="|enlightenment|nirvana|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15595" CreationDate="2016-06-21T07:31:02.243" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The appropriate response to such a thought of personal enlightenment is: &quot;fart&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Su Dongpo was an avid student of Buddhist teachings. He was&#xA;  quick-witted and humorous; as a Zen Buddhism follower he was very&#xA;  serious and self-disciplined. He often discussed buddhism with his&#xA;  good friend, Zen Master Foyin. The two lived across the river from one&#xA;  another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Following is an interesting and famous story about him and Zen Master&#xA;  Foyin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day, Su Dongpo felt inspired and wrote the following poem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;稽首天中天， 毫光照大千； 八风吹不动， 端坐紫金莲。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I bow my head to the heaven within heaven, Hairline rays illuminating&#xA;  the universe, The eight winds cannot move me, Sitting still upon the&#xA;  purple golden lotus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “eight winds (八风)” in the poem referred to praise (称), ridicule&#xA;  (讥), honor (誉), disgrace (毁), gain (得), loss (失), pleasure (乐) and&#xA;  misery (苦) – interpersonal forces of the material world that drive and&#xA;  influence the hearts of men. Su Dongpo was saying that he has attained&#xA;  a higher level of spirituality, where these forces no longer affect&#xA;  him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Impressed by himself, Su Dongpo sent a servant to hand-carry this poem&#xA;  to Fo Yin. He was sure that his friend would be equally impressed.&#xA;  When Fo Yin read the poem, he immediately saw that it was both a&#xA;  tribute to the Buddha and a declaration of spiritual refinement.&#xA;  Smiling, the Zen Master wrote “fart” on the manuscript and had it&#xA;  returned to Su Dongpo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Su Dongpo was expecting compliments and a seal of approval. When he&#xA;  saw “fart” written on the manuscript, he was shocked . He burst into&#xA;  anger: “How dare he insult me like this? Why that lousy old monk! He’s&#xA;  got a lot of explaining to do!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Full of indignation, he rushed out of his house and ordered a boat to&#xA;  ferry him to the other shore as quickly as possible. He wanted to find&#xA;  Fo Yin and demand an apology. However, Fo Yin’s door closed. On the&#xA;  door was a piece of paper, for Su Dongpo. The paper had following two&#xA;  lines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;八风吹不动， 一屁弹过江。 The eight winds cannot move me, One fart blows me across&#xA;  the river.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This stopped Su Dongpo cold. Fo Yin had anticipated this hot-headed&#xA;  visit. Su Dongpo’s anger suddenly drained away as he understood his&#xA;  friend’s meaning. If he really was a man of spiritual refinement,&#xA;  completely unaffected by the eight winds, then how could he be so&#xA;  easily provoked?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With a few strokes of the pen and minimal effort, Fo Yin showed that&#xA;  Su Dongpo was in fact not as spiritually advanced as he claimed to be.&#xA;  Ashamed but wiser, Su Dongpo departed quietly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This event proved to be a turning point in Su Dongpo’s spiritual&#xA;  development. From that point on, he became a man of humility, and not&#xA;  merely someone who boasted of possessing the virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T07:31:02.243" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13404" CreationDate="2016-06-21T08:20:28.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada, is the chapter called 'The Just', which states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who does not judge others arbitrarily, but passes judgment&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;impartially&lt;/strong&gt; according to the truth, that sagacious man is a guardian&#xA;  of law and is called just.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your friend is caught in the cronyism of unjust, unethical &amp;amp; non-impartial people. This is very common. Your friend should look for a new job in an ethical workplace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the world has many defiled unethical people. It is not a matter of your friend not being good at making friends because true friends don't collectively conspire against individuals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, befriending such people requires the diminution of one's ethical values. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Sigalovada Sutta, it is taught in life there are true friends &amp;amp; false friends. We should try to associate with good people &amp;amp; good friends (even though they can be difficult to find). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-21T08:26:05.270" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T08:26:05.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15595" CreationDate="2016-06-21T11:38:36.590" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is what my teacher (Ven Nawalapitiye Ariyawansa Thero) had to say on this, @BlackFlam3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If we regard ourselves as knowing the Dhamma well, we will be of the “I am the one who knows” mindset. Without allowing that to happen try to come to the view “I do not know. Only Supreme Buddha knows. I will accept it that way”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I am the one who knows” can be equated to a Thorn Bush. It is like this. There is a bush of thorns at the bottom of a hill. When it rains fertile soil settles down round the thorn bush after getting washed down from the hill. The soil is fertile but what gets nurtured is the thorn bush.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Like this it is the fertile soil of Dhamma that we gather round us. But what gets nurtured is the thorn bush called “I am the one who knows”. When the thorn bush grows up even an animal does not approach it. Will not go even passing it. In the same way the biggest danger to a person on arriving at the view “I know”. “I understand” is his becoming a person who does not listen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“He loses his sincere friend. He loses his ability listen to Dhamma well. (He loses both external sources of help). Then what is he left with? Only with the notion “I know” and “I understand”. He keeps on repeating this. Finally he will say “No one taught me. I studied on my own. I do not need anyone now. I will become solitary now”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha knows that the person with defilements is wrapped up in the idea of Self, is egoistic. Also that he is wrapped up in the concept “I know”.  Some people struggle to understand this simple truth in depth. That is why it is important to think and retain in your memory the following “I will obey Supreme Buddha and conduct myself in the way he wanted us to conduct ourselves. I will not do anything else”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Getting back to the simile about the thorny bush. When it rains fertile soil comes down to the bush of thorns and it grows up in a couple of days. Ultimately it becomes too big to be pulled out. Sin is also like that. So we must pull out this thorny bush and plant a good tree on that fertile soil. The biggest thorn bush we have is the notion “I know”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The good tree we plant after uprooting the thorny bush is “Supreme Buddha knows. I don’t know”. These thoughts lift up the man to a noble level. If we are of the idea “We know” it amounts to our tightening our own necks. We read what Supreme Buddha has preached. Then we assume “I know”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Therefore if we become humble in this manner we would have done something very much beneficial to our lives. The instant we start having confidence that way, Kammic actions, causing rebirth in the fourfold hells will not take place in us. So to further oneself in the Noble Path, the thorn bushes that need to be gotten rid of are “I am the one who knows”. “I can” “I have memorized. Others aren’t up to it”. “I understand well. I can speak well”. You must not have room for these and discipline this mind saying “I will do whatever the Supreme Buddha preaches and whatever my sincere friend tells me to do”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The immense benefit of understanding the True Path to Liberation has come to us. It is a pity if we let go of it. Therefore let us all try our best not to leave room for those immature thoughts such as “We know”. It is because we do not have confidence that we say “this is impossible” etc. If we step into Saddha we will be able to end our Sansaric journey at most in seven births. Attaining Nibbana is not a dream. Think of establishing Saddha in these principles and think of getting liberated from this sorrowful Samsara.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T10:36:40.040" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9899" CreationDate="2016-06-21T12:27:33.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paris International Buddhist Center ( paris vihara ) is one of the oldest and well-established Buddhist Temples in Europe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8560" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T12:27:33.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15592" CreationDate="2016-06-21T14:37:44.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In comparison to the path towards ignorant self-destruction yes, Buddhism looks like &quot;no fun&quot;--even though it is the way to True Bliss and Freedom. But don't worry there are extremely loose forms of Buddhism (which almost don't count) and tighter forms of Buddhism (Theravada), many of the moral rules are hard to practice today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think you have a very superficial definition of fun. Buddhists are allowed to go to parties, have multiple partners so long as it is not &quot;sexual misconduct&quot;--Buddhism is actually truly scientific and logical. None of the practices are faith based unlike Western religions where one will have to be even more tightly disciplined to follow the religion to a tee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the Eastern practices, Buddhism is actually the middle way and there are even higher paths that lead to (a few) other benefits, namely of rupakaya. These paths require even more worldly sacrifice yet are not essential therefore Buddha did not speak of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T14:37:44.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15602" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-21T15:52:31.160" Score="4" ViewCount="352" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm curious as to what the difference is between meditation 1) with distractions / without distractions, and 2) for a long and motionless period / while in the business of motion and surroundings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing mindfulness in my day to day life, and I wondered whether this was not meditation, or even a complete waste. I feel as though certain states or insights are achieved in the process, but I'm really wondering the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does meditation, to even 'begin' or 'gain momentum' require the succession of non-distracted states which bear a similarity to one another? I.e. by varying the type of meditation or the states one experiences, and by having some slight distractions between them, is the whole meditative effort undermined?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I feel a great resistance to actually sit down motionless and attempt to concentrate on a specific point, or engage in a continuous / repetitive mental effort. I am unsure why this is, as I believe I can apply much effort otherwise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally, I would like to practice dry vipassana, and I hope someone can answer how this would be achieved in the context of what I have explained. I am willing to expend time and effort, but simply wish to know what is the &lt;em&gt;ideal&lt;/em&gt; way to proceed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any answer. (Also, how many distractions can one tolerate without too much impediment to one's meditation? Especially in regards to noise.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-06-22T16:18:30.097" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T07:02:05.273" Title="Momentum Within Meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2016-06-21T17:46:36.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali word 'atta' is generally translated as 'self, body, person, individuality; life, mind-soul.' As the PED makes clear, the Buddha is alluding to a very specific concept - the Upanishadic idea of a substantial being that inhabits the heart that is reborn from life to life and is inherently permanent, self-identical, and blissful. The Buddha points out that no amount of observation can confirm the existence of such a being. Instead, he posits a continuity of moments, each moment infintesimal and non-substantial, which he calls the 'santana,' generally translated as 'continuity, succession,' often referred to as the 'mind-stream.' The difference between the 'atta' and the 'santana' is that the former is substantial and static, whereas the latter is non-substantial and dynamic. The 'santana' manifests in samsara as a consecution of states resulting from unfruited karma, which in turn arises because of objectification due to ignorance (avijja). However, when all karmas are eliminated there is &quot;that which remains,&quot; which continues to be non-substantial and dynamic. This is the Deathless (amara, same root as amrita). The Buddha clearly rejected nihilism, he refers often to the attainment of immortality and refers to the &quot;self&quot; as frequently as he denies its existence. The notion that the Buddha denied the existence of a self in any sense is naive, and is easily disproved. When the Buddha attained Enlightenment, only the Buddha became enlightened, nor did the Buddha himself disappear. This proves the existence of the individuality, the essence of which is intention (cetana), the primary characteristic of which is 'not-knowing' (avijja). This is a primary aspect of reality itself, one polarity of the transdual absolute of which the opposite polarity is emptiness or void (shunyata). What the Buddha rejected is the doctrine of a being inhabiting the heart with the characteristics described. In other words, he is opposing the objectification of the santana as a static object. It is the process view of reality (cf. Whitehead's &lt;em&gt;Process and Reality&lt;/em&gt;). Esoterically, we may say that the ATTA is the A-TA, the &quot;not-that.&quot; See also the Dalai Lama, &lt;em&gt;Buddha Nature.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T17:46:36.823" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15595" CreationDate="2016-06-21T18:57:49.420" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How should I stop thinking that I am even slightly enlightened?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add another perspective to the existing answers (because you might want to know opposing or mutually-exclusive extremes in order to steer a middle way between them), maybe you &lt;em&gt;shouldn't&lt;/em&gt; &quot;stop thinking that you are even slightly enlightened&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if the Buddha and the Dhamma (the Triple Gem) cannot even slightly enlighten you, then what's the point of &quot;Buddhism&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's at least one Pali sutta which says that conceit (that you can become enlightened) is helpful (because you hear that someone else has become enlightened and you think, &quot;Why not me?&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you might find it helpful to read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13778/254&quot;&gt;this answer which describes &lt;em&gt;Dzogchen&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and the earlier &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13715/254&quot;&gt;answer which describes &lt;em&gt;tantrayana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saptha's answer said, &quot;Only Supreme Buddha knows&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to stop thinking that &quot;I am enlightened&quot; might be to think &quot;Buddha is enlightened. Am I Buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various answers follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is to consider Anatta. You wrote, &quot;I become unaware of my mental formations&quot; -- maybe it would be better instead to think that, &quot;There &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; mental formations, but they are not &lt;em&gt;mine&lt;/em&gt; and not me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid &quot;identity view&quot; you might also find it helpful to think, &quot;There is (sometimes) enlightened practice, enlightened understanding -- that too is what it is and not mine or me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't mean you should try to renounce &quot;right view&quot; or &quot;ethical conduct&quot; (by saying that they are &quot;not me&quot;), what I mean is that adding an &quot;I am&quot; view to those things is an extra complication which you and they may be better without (see also the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; which describe 'identity view' and 'conceit').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have this constant irritating feeling that I am kind of enlightened&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An alternate way to view that might be that the &quot;constant irritating feeling&quot; is of &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; being enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However maybe &quot;I am &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; enlightened&quot; is an ego-conceit, like &quot;I &lt;em&gt;am&lt;/em&gt; enlightened&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that the &quot;irritating feeling&quot; is a symptom of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a fetter&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a hindrance&lt;/a&gt;. Apparently you have associated &quot;being enlightened&quot; and &quot;feeling irritated&quot; -- maybe that's a mistake to associate them though, maybe it's better to associate &quot;being enlightened&quot; with &quot;&lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; feeling irritated&quot; (and by &quot;associate&quot; maybe I mean &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;saṃskāra&lt;/a&gt; i.e. &quot;things put together&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do have any &quot;irritated feeling&quot; sometimes maybe that's not surprising! For example maybe it's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;uddhacca&lt;/a&gt;, or &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.3:1:489.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;passion&lt;/a&gt;, which you might &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;expect of/in anyone who's not an arahant&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe not &quot;constant&quot; though, I guess it's more probably experienced as &lt;a href=&quot;http://grammarist.com/usage/continual-continuous/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;continual&quot; than &quot;continuous&quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Things that are unceasing or exist without interruption are &lt;strong&gt;continuous&lt;/strong&gt; ... they never pause. Things that occur frequently or recur intermittently are &lt;strong&gt;continual&lt;/strong&gt;. The continual action doesn’t happen ceaselessly, but it does happen regularly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing to note is that a characteristic of irritation is avoidance, i.e. if you characterize something as irritating then your inclination might be to avoid (not experience) it. Beware that this might be unwise, that it might be better to be willing to experience (better to know) your actual thoughts and feelings (I think that &quot;be mindful&quot; and not &quot;be averse&quot; is what some meditation teachers tell you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A little more about this. ... It is definitely weird. ... It is funny too.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps, if you want, your relationships with other people (e.g. parents), and how you &quot;check myself against enlightenment&quot;, could be the subject of some other questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And also I would like to know if there was any such situation (in the texts) which the Buddha faced.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, I'm not sure how that's relevant but &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt; is one the suttas in which the Buddha describes his quest for enlightenment. I read it as saying that he successfully learned what his teachers were teaching (and didn't for example pretend that he couldn't learn what they were teaching).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also had no &quot;doubt&quot; (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt;) when he did finally attain enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T19:18:55.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="26" CreationDate="2016-06-21T20:25:29.813" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In original Pali Buddhism, there are two levels of teaching: (i) mundane, for the purpose of nurturing morality; and (ii) supramundane, for the purpose of enlightenment (MN 117; MN 60). The teachings that imply 'rebirth' are mundane &amp;amp; the teachings that explain 'anatta' are supramundane. If we carefully read the many Pali suttas, we will not find 'rebirth' &amp;amp; 'anatta' in the same sutta. They are two distinct topics for two distinct audiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, MN 60 states the view of 'self' or 'existence' is right view for householders but SN 12.15 states the view of 'self' or 'existence' is not right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'birth' ('jati') refers to the birth of the idea of 'self-identity' ('sakkaya' - MN 44) or 'persons/beings' ('satta' - SN 12.2; SN 23.2; SN 5.10; SN 22.81). Minds that are not enlightened are subject to 'rebirth' of the deluded 'self-view' each time they cling to an act of karma. Minds that are enlightened have ended 'birth' &amp;amp; have ended clinging karma (AN 6.63). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the old Pali suttas do not mention anything that is 'reborn' from life to life, the later Buddhists were required to invent what they call 'relinking consciousness', 'storehouse consciousness', 'stream of consciousness', etc, which are ideas the original suttas did not teach. The original suttas only state consciousness is the six-fold cognition (MN 43) and there can be no arising of consciousness without sense organs (MN 38) and aggregates (SN 22.53; SN 12.67). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-22T11:00:20.863" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T11:00:20.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15602" CreationDate="2016-06-21T20:44:48.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. 'Momentum' requires a succession of non-distracted states. 'Momentum' is a product of purification &amp;amp; samadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dry vipassana itself will not result in momentum because dry vipassana uses 'noting' or 'mental labeling', which are essentially 'distractions' or 'speed bumps'. It is only when the mind 'lets go' that 'momentum' will develop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like letting go of a boat to flow down a river. Dry vipassana keeps the boat attached to the bank.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, dry vipassana is useful for developing 'sampajanna' ('clear comprehension'; 'applied wisdom'), which is a very important factor for samadhi development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Sampajanna' is necessary for negotiating speed-bumps but, naturally, when a speed bump is experienced, this results in a loss of momentum, however temporary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures describe four kinds of meditative results (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.41&lt;/a&gt;), the 3rd being the development of sati-sampajanna, for which dry vipassana is helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-21T20:50:03.403" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T20:50:03.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15566" CreationDate="2016-06-21T21:15:56.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to this website, and have little training, but wish to be helpful. I have been in a position, several times, in my life, where I wished to help an animal, but didn't know what action would be most helpful. My advice would be to let the pigeon do what it thinks best. It surely knows more about pigeon life than you do. If you drive it away, it may try to nest in a place even less suitable than your balcony. IF you do end up living there until it has offspring, AND you know what food would be healthy for them, and you can give them food, without giving your &quot;hostess&quot; cause for complaint,do so. That may allow the young pigeons to mature faster, and leave in time to avoid problems.Otherwise, I think it best not to interfere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8563" LastActivityDate="2016-06-21T21:15:56.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15610" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-22T02:59:06.430" Score="2" ViewCount="4487" Body="&lt;p&gt;Video: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9GXI_9DXF0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Does God Exist? - Sadhguru&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a story I picked up from the above video (watch from 4.25):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A man confused about the existence of god asks Buddha if god exists. Buddha gives a straightforward &quot;NO&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After a while another man asked the same question and the Buddha, surprisingly, said &quot;YES&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all I do not know whether this is a true story. If (or assuming that) it is true, I want to know what made Buddha give contradicting answers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7788" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-22T10:07:40.310" LastActivityDate="2017-10-20T07:54:54.243" Title="A man asks Buddha about god's existence" Tags="|the-buddha|god|doubt|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15610" CreationDate="2016-06-22T03:55:35.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Stephen Hawking makes it clear that there is no God, here comes Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh, saying that in fact there is God, and says that the Buddha said so. BTW…. There is no place for God in the Mahayana traditions of Buddhism as well. When you get a chance try to read  “Brahma-nimantanika Sutta”: The Brahma Invitation (MN 49). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all of the 18,000 + Suttas, the closest thing to the God concept is this Baka Brahma who once challenged Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as per Access to Insight: &quot;From a study of the discourses of the Buddha preserved in the Pali canon, it will be seen that the idea of a personal deity, a creator God conceived to be eternal and omnipotent, is incompatible with the Buddha's teachings. On the other hand, conceptions of an impersonal godheadof any description, such as world-soul, etc., are excluded by the Buddha's teachings on Anatta, non-self or unsubstantiality. In Buddhist literature, the belief in a creator God (issara-nimmana-vada) is frequently mentioned and rejected, along with other causes wrongly adduced to explain the origin of the world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/godidea.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/godidea.html&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;Buddhism and the God-idea – by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-22T04:03:19.797" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T04:03:19.797" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15610" CreationDate="2016-06-22T06:20:52.740" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have never read or heard of this story before. The Buddha did not teach &lt;strong&gt;Buddhists&lt;/strong&gt; to seek or worship 'god' (Brahma). Further, the scriptures report the Buddha said to &lt;strong&gt;Brahmans&lt;/strong&gt; that no Brahman teacher has ever seen god (Brahma) &amp;amp; also taught Brahmans that the way or path to Brahma is to radiate love in all directions (refer to Tevijja Sutta on the internet). For the Buddha, 'god' or 'the gods' are states of mind. In the Mulapariyaya Sutta, different gods are equated with mental states of meditation. In the Brahma-Nimantanika Sutta &amp;amp; Culatahnasankhaya Sutta, the Buddha visits 'gods', who are obviously human beings with super-normal spiritual attainments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T06:20:52.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15610" CreationDate="2016-06-22T10:03:28.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The speaker explains his story at the end:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What's the game Gautama is trying to play?&#xA;  See if you believe there is God, or if you believe there is no God, you're in the same boat: you believe something that you do not know.&#xA;  &quot;I believe this&quot;, &quot;you believe that&quot;, it doesn't make any difference.&#xA;  You can believe whatever you want, yes? Everyone can believe whatever they want, it need not have anything to do with reality as such.&#xA;  If you say &quot;I do not know&quot;, the longing to know will arise.&#xA;  If the longing arises then the seeking arises.&#xA;  If the seeking arises then the possibility of knowing, exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the story I noticed he said that the men asked the questions because &quot;a little doubt&quot; had come into their minds. That reminded me about these topics, on the subject of the role of &quot;doubt&quot; in (Zen) Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12263/254&quot;&gt;What happens after the great doubt of koan practice?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3492/254&quot;&gt;The role of doubt in Zen Buddhist practice?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've seen &quot;doubt&quot; elsewhere: it's one of the fetters, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt;, which a stream-enterer is free from. Note though that that's free from &quot;doubt about the Dhamma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the story is true (or rather, &quot;assuming for the sake of argument that the story is true&quot;), maybe it's saying that &quot;existence of God&quot; is not knowable. You can't, for example, use the standards given in the Kalama sutta to assess whether or not there's a God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing I noticed from the story-as-told is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first man uses only one word (&quot;Ram&quot;) to say everything/anything. Gautama replies to him accordingly, with one word: &quot;No&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second man is an expert arguer and missionary, no matter which of the Gods you believe in he can prove you wrong within ten minutes of formal argument. Instead of getting into an argument, Gautama answers him too with one word: &quot;Yes&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe &quot;does God exist?&quot; is a question that belongs in the same category as other questions in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.intro.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avyakata Samyutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe, using the logic in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 44.10&lt;/a&gt;, Gautama gave the answer which would least confuse (or best unconfuse) the person who is asking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The devotee was confused by their belief in God, so Gautama answered &quot;No&quot; (e.g. you need to see through, see beyond, see more than that belief).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similarly the atheist, the materialist, was confused by their belief in only-materialism, and so Gautama gave him a corresponding answer.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bit off-topic but it does remind me of this, which I read in a non-Buddhist collection of aphorisms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Fais que je me contredise souvent: afin d'être simple et vrai.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - &lt;em&gt;Prière paienne&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(my translation from the French)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Make me contradict myself often: in order to be simple and true.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - &lt;em&gt;Pagan prayer&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T12:04:16.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15610" CreationDate="2016-06-22T11:41:16.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;About the truth of the story, nobody can know. But one thing is for sure. The answers given by the Buddha are contextual. By simply asking &quot;Does God exist?&quot;, I don't feel like giving you a serious answer to be honest. This is what I meant by &quot;trolling&quot;. I think there are many spin-off questions that the questioner has to observe for themselves. Possibly by starting off with defining God and suchlike questions. Now that's another matter altogether. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T11:41:16.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15595" CreationDate="2016-06-22T12:51:56.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To check the enlightenment with pali Tripitaka &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/112-chabbisodhana-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chabbi­so­dha­na­sutta MN 112&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikāya 47&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Inquirer.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T12:51:56.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15617" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15681" CreationDate="2016-06-22T19:18:09.100" Score="1" ViewCount="811" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the movie &lt;em&gt;Fight Club&lt;/em&gt;, and the &lt;em&gt;Project Mayhem&lt;/em&gt; idea at all buddhist? Since it predicates &lt;a href=&quot;https://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/55824/is-project-mayhem-or-tyler-durden-buddhist/55825#55825&quot;&gt;detachment from material possesions&lt;/a&gt; there's a neat point. I believe in the end it's not, but wanted to ask here for a more argumented answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8197" LastEditorUserId="13525" LastEditDate="2019-10-29T20:18:52.257" LastActivityDate="2019-10-29T20:18:52.257" Title="Are the movie Fight Club, and Project Mayhem in it, buddhist?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|modern-world|zen|five-precepts|film-analysis|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14869" CreationDate="2016-06-22T20:49:52.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find the instruction confusing &amp;amp; contradicted because, to practise this advanced level of practise, there should be no (problematic/hindering) thoughts. The contradictions possibly arise because Wallace, as a professional Western teacher, does not want to alienate his audience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, '&lt;em&gt;thoughts&lt;/em&gt;' should not be mentioned since the instruction begins with: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;let your awareness come to rest in stillness and in its own natural clarity&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, '&lt;em&gt;explicitly be aware of something&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;take note of the duration of each in breath, each out breath&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; should not be mentioned, since the instruction states: &amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;without explicitly directing your attention to the sensations of the breath&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need for Wallace to make the dichotomy of '&lt;em&gt;explicitly&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;implicitly&lt;/em&gt;' because this confuses the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditation is to rest the mind in a silent natural state. In other words, in accordance with the instructions of the Buddha, the meditation is to establish the mind in a state free from craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this is done, awareness of the breath will come to dominate the awareness of the mind because, in a state of silence, the breath is automatically the grossest sense object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the slightest effort to 'bend' the mind towards the breath will defeat the purpose of the meditation &amp;amp; defeat the progress to jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion (non-craving), dependent&#xA;on cessation, that manifests as &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a noble disciple, making it his object to &lt;strong&gt;let go&lt;/strong&gt;, attains&#xA;concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn from&#xA;sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters &amp;amp;&#xA;remains in the first jhana...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Indriya-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/files/pdf/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt; may be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt; The word 'mindfulness' ('sati') does not mean 'awareness'. There is no such thing as being 'mindful of thoughts' or 'mindful of breathing'. 'Mindfulness' means 'to remember'. Remembering to keep the mind in a state of silent awareness, free from craving, is the practise of 'mindfulness'. Remembering to let go of attachment to objects (such as attachment to thoughts or attachment to breathing or attachment to progress) is the practise of mindfulness. The term 'anapanasati' means 'mindfulness with breathing' or 'mindfulness when breathing' rather than 'mindfulness of breathing'. These distinctions are crucial for understanding practise as this advanced level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T21:06:29.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14868" CreationDate="2016-06-22T23:16:39.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;merging the mind with space&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sounds like trying to emulate a formless jhana. To attain the formless jhanas before the form jhanas is unstable and advised against by Buddha. He even went so far as to say that those who do this--even attaining the 4th jhana before mastering the 1st jhana--could regress perpetually (due to bad habits).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samatha practice is ideally breathing practice and ideally leads to the first four jhanas and their corresponding factors.&#xA;Simple as that.&#xA;I would recommend reading anapanasati and The Six Dharma Gates to the Sublime&lt;/strong&gt; for more varied techniques on breathing practice--straight from orthodox Buddhism. In addition, if you  have the time, I would suggest reading Master Huai-Chin Nan's material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is an excerpt that may help put emphasis on the right things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When sitting in meditation the mind becomes refined, but whatever&#xA;  state it's in we should try to be aware of it, to know it. Mental&#xA;  activity is there together with tranquillity. There is vitakka.&#xA;  Vitakka is the action of bringing the mind to the theme of&#xA;  contemplation. If there is not much mindfulness, there will be not&#xA;  much vitakka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then vicāra, the contemplation around that theme, follows. Various&#xA;  weak mental impressions may arise from time to time, but our&#xA;  self-awareness is the important thing; whatever may be happening we&#xA;  know it continuously. As we go deeper we are constantly aware of the&#xA;  state of our meditation, knowing whether or not the mind is firmly&#xA;  established. Thus, both concentration and awareness are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To have a peaceful mind does not mean that there's nothing happening;&#xA;  mental impressions do arise. For instance, when we talk about the&#xA;  first level of absorption, we say it has five factors. Along with&#xA;  vitakka and vicāra, pīti (rapture) arises with the theme of&#xA;  contemplation and then sukha (happiness). These four things all lie&#xA;  together in the mind established in tranquillity. They are as one&#xA;  state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth factor is ekaggatā or one-pointedness. You may wonder how&#xA;  there can be one-pointedness when there are all these other factors as&#xA;  well. This is because they all become unified on that foundation of&#xA;  tranquility. Together they are called a state of samādhi. They are not&#xA;  everyday states of mind, they are factors of absorption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these five characteristics, but they do not disturb the&#xA;  basic tranquility. There is vitakka, but it does not disturb the mind;&#xA;  vicāra, rapture and happiness arise but do not disturb the mind. The&#xA;  mind is therefore as one with these factors. The first level of&#xA;  absorption is like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We don't have to call it first jhāna, second jhāna, third jhāna and so&#xA;  on, let's just call it 'a peaceful mind.' As the mind becomes&#xA;  progressively calmer it will dispense with vitakka and vicāra, leaving&#xA;  only rapture and happiness. Why does the mind discard vitakka and&#xA;  vicāra? This is because, as the mind becomes more refined, the&#xA;  activities of vitakka and vicāra are too coarse to remain. At this&#xA;  stage, as the mind leaves off vitakka and vicāra, feelings of great&#xA;  rapture can arise, tears may gush out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But as the samādhi deepens rapture, too, is discarded, leaving only&#xA;  happiness and one-pointedness, until finally even happiness goes and&#xA;  the mind reaches its greatest refinement. There are only equanimity&#xA;  and one-pointedness, all else has been left behind. The mind stands&#xA;  unmoving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the mind is peaceful this can happen. You don't have to think a&#xA;  lot about it, it just happens by itself when the causal factors are&#xA;  ripe. This is called the energy of a peaceful mind. In this state the&#xA;  mind is not drowsy; the five hindrances, sense desire, aversion,&#xA;  restlessness, dullness and doubt, have all fled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if mental energy is still not strong and mindfulness weak, there&#xA;  will occasionally arise intruding mental impressions. The mind is&#xA;  peaceful, but it's as if there's a 'cloudiness' within the calm. It's&#xA;  not a normal sort of drowsiness though; some impressions will manifest&#xA;  - maybe we'll hear a sound or see a dog or something. It's not really clear, but it's not a dream either. This is because these five factors&#xA;  have become unbalanced and weak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mind tends to play tricks within these levels of tranquility.&#xA;  'Imagery' will sometimes arise when the mind is in this state, through&#xA;  any of the senses, and the meditator may not be able to tell exactly&#xA;  what is happening. ''Am I sleeping? No. Is it a dream? No, it's not a&#xA;  dream...'' These impressions arise from a middling sort of&#xA;  tranquillity; but if the mind is truly calm and clear, we don't doubt&#xA;  the various mental impressions or imagery which arise. Questions like,&#xA;  ''Did I drift off then? Was I sleeping? Did I get lost?...'' don't&#xA;  arise, for they are characteristics of a mind which is still doubting.&#xA;  ''Am I asleep or awake?''... Here, the mind is fuzzy. This is the mind&#xA;  getting lost in its moods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's like the moon going behind a cloud. You can still see the moon&#xA;  but the clouds covering it render it hazy. It's not like the moon&#xA;  which has emerged from behind the clouds clear, sharp and bright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is peaceful and established firmly in mindfulness and&#xA;  self-awareness, there will be no doubt concerning the various&#xA;  phenomena which we encounter. The mind will truly be beyond the&#xA;  hindrances. We will clearly know everything which arises in the mind&#xA;  as it is. We do not doubt, because the mind is clear and bright. The&#xA;  mind which reaches samādhi is like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah (1919-1992)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;excerpted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://ajahnchah.org/book/_Taste_Freedom.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Taste of Freedom from A Collection of Dhammatalks by Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-22T23:16:39.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15617" CreationDate="2016-06-23T00:39:22.280" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;it predicates detachment from material possessions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not enough to call it Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism might be known for what it is, rather than for what it isn't. Maybe Buddhism &lt;em&gt;isn't&lt;/em&gt; material possessions, but, what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That (&quot;what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; Buddhism?&quot;) is addressed e.g. in many other topics on this site, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/15535/254&quot;&gt;New to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I think that these topics describe elements of Buddhism, and that you'd find it difficult to identify any of these specifically Buddhist element in the movie ... not only difficult to show that the movie identifies these elements but even that it doesn't contradict these elements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are other (non-Buddhist) common belief-systems which de-emphasize or criticize material possessions -- e.g. communism, &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/luke/18-22.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;christianity&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Property_is_theft!&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anarchy&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_nihilism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nihilism&lt;/a&gt; -- but these are not Buddhism ... which, is proof (a &quot;proof by counterexample&quot;) that critiquing material possessions isn't even nearly sufficient to identify an ideology as Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism isn't entirely or necessarily against material possessions, at least in lay society (and lay society is relevant to the topic, in that I assume you won't try to argue that the movie represents Buddhist clergy). I don't know a Zen example off-hand, but for example I'm thinking of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which talks about not squandering wealth, and about protecting and making peaceful and secure, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are books and essays you could read about the behaviors and attitudes recommended to Buddhist lay-folk, in summary I don't think I see these (generosity, non-violence) in the movie. I think that Buddhism was in many ways meant to co-exist with lay society, and not meant to destroy it (which, destruction, is I think more inline with what the movie is suggesting).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is that the movie isn't written by a Buddhist nor written for a Buddhist audience, not intended to teach a Buddhist message. Furthermore I think it arouses passion in its audience, rather than arousing a dispassion (or compassion) which might be more characteristic of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To address some of the points you made in &lt;a href=&quot;https://movies.stackexchange.com/q/55824&quot;&gt;your other question&lt;/a&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Narrator does bunches of haikus&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the haiku from the movie:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;worker bees can leave&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  even drones can fly away&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the queen is their slave&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from anything else I think that this isn't a good, Buddhist haiku e.g. as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/chanandzenbuddhism/fl/The-Zen-Art-of-Haiku.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Makes Haiku a Zen Art&lt;/a&gt; (I mean, &quot;yes it's a haiku but is it Zen?&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Haiku is an expression of direct experience, not an expression of an idea about experience. Possibly the most common mistake western haiku writers make is to use the form to express an idea about experience, not experience itself. A haiku does not present metaphors or try to explain meaning. It provides no concepts or opinions. It does not reflect on the past or anticipate the future. It is just this moment, right now. Plop! It is this directness that makes it a Zen art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, for example, this is a really bad haiku:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;A rose represents&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    A mother's kiss, a spring day&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    A lover's longing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's bad because it's all conceptual. It doesn't give us experience. Contrast with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Wilted rose bouquet&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Left in new grass&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    By the gravestone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second haiku is not great, perhaps, but it brings you into a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The haiku in the movie is conceptual: the queen bee represents a slave, which represents the alleged slavery of the fictional character's colleagues, which represent human office workers, which supposedly represent the movie's audience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn't just a criticism of the poetry, it's a criticism of the way in which the words are or are not used to connect the audience with reality (or unreality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Narrator's home intends to be zen-like looking&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well now you seem to be making a religion of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=ikea+minimalist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ikea's minimalism&lt;/a&gt;, which is actually one of the things the movie complained about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Car crash scene Tyler says Stop trying to control everything and just let go!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it's true that there's a time and a place for everything, IMO that's inappropriate (even potentially suicidal or murderous) behavior for a car driver.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase (&quot;Stop trying to control everything and just let go&quot;) sounds interesting but I'm not sure that it corresponds to what Buddhist might know as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Intention&lt;/a&gt;, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think the movie does teach renunciation; for example it advocates acquiring a harder body:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A guy who came to Fight Club for the first time, his ass was a wad of cookie dough. After a few weeks, he was carved out of wood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nor is it, IMO, especially good at teaching freedom from ill-will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detachment is a major theme since first conversation between Narrator-Tyler&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes the whole movie is about &quot;detachment&quot;, which is arguably a psychological pathology ... see for example Wikipedia articles like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_detachment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Emotional detachment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dissociation (psychology)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociative_identity_disorder&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dissociative identity disorder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociative_disorder&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dissociative disorder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc., etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think this is necessarily &quot;Buddhist&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;non-attachment&lt;/a&gt;, which isn't quite the same thing (as &quot;detachment&quot;). The opposite of non-attachment is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clinging&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:54:05.157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T00:39:22.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15617" CreationDate="2016-06-23T01:30:27.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The movie, Fight Club, and the Project Mayhem is no more or no less Buddhist than Hermann Hesse’s Novel “Siddhartha”. Please read it if you have not. Also do not forget to read “Narcissus and Goldmund” – its Christian equivalent. Just like Hermann Hesse came up with the novel “Siddhartha”,  David Fincher’s Fight Club has similar undertones. For those who are not familiar with Hermann Hesse’s book, Siddhartha here is not the historical Buddha, though he too is a character in the book. This Siddhartha is a Brahmin youth who leaves home in search of the truth, as the Buddha himself did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fight Club is a movie that is difficult to understand as there are many layers to it. But it is very unlike the True Dhamma, though some may think that it alludes to the Paccattam veditabbo viññuhiti  quality of the Dhamma - to be realized by the wise, each for himself, or &quot;To be personally known by the wise&quot;.  The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Ariyas) who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.  In Fight Club, the narrator challenges self to break out of the world, &lt;strong&gt;but it is nothing compared to the difficulty of our struggle stay in the Dhamma path in a quest for attaining the state of Sotapanna.  In the process we have to learn what are the pre-eminent qualities of a Sovan (stream entrant); What defilements should be eradicated to attain entry to the path;  How can we tread to the beat of a different drummer unlike the worldings - the great many beings-in-the-world,  that measures success by the yardstick of worldly achievements.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike these great many beings-in-the-world a Stream Entrant always sees things in their proper perspective. i.e. in the light of Anicca (Impermanence), Dukka (Suffering), and Anatta (Absence of “I”). This firm basis is a part and parcel of his/her personality and remains with him/her all the time. In our case we see fleeting glimpses of the truth, similar to lightning illuminating a dark sky. In the case of the Sotapanna, he/she has this right vision as a permanent acquisition. He/she sees things as being impermanent, unsatisfactory and without a permanent soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-29T02:22:52.437" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T02:22:52.437" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15622" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-23T03:27:15.970" Score="1" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just curious, since before I began practicing the Buddhist way of life, I was a very emotionally sensitive person. I constantly had my &quot;feelings hurt&quot; or got into petty arguments over small things in life with people who were once my friends. Sometimes this broke apart many friendships. However, a lot of Buddhist teachings seem to deal with detatchment from the ego, therefore as to loosen or weaken one's sense of self. I found that sometimes I no longer clung to my opinion about reality as if it was absolutely right. But what about emotions? Is Buddhism about taming one's emotions (I grew up as an often very emotional individual on many ends of the spectrum)? Or does one approach emotions by letting them manifest opnely? In short, in my practice, how can I go about dealing with my innate sensitivity? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T14:26:39.353" Title="Is Buddhism about being less &quot;sensitive&quot;?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15617" CreationDate="2016-06-23T03:27:48.480" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it has heavy Zen undertones if you take it in the context of the Ultimate Reality. It may also be nihilistic. This is not Buddhism per se, but it is somewhat related. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IIRC, there was this guy at the convenience store who actually wanted to be a vet, but instead he was giving himself excuses not to do that course because college/tuition fees for that is expensive and some other reasons. Possibly he isn't trying hard enough. So Tyler Durden gives him an ultimatum, death or be a vet. If that's what the convenience store person wants to do then he should just chase it and go off with a bang if it fails at all, instead of just whimpering about at the convenience store. I think it makes sense. We need to embrace failing gloriously to really feel ourselves. I hope I made sense there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It brings in concepts of &lt;code&gt;consumerism&lt;/code&gt; which is definitely a problem we are faced with in the modern world. We are stuck in a rut in society. Trying to be a perfect/complete person with IKEA furniture or that great body because we are constantly fed with it through advertisements/media. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We think too much, rather &lt;code&gt;over-think&lt;/code&gt;. And we think that through thinking, we can have a controlled environment which is what the Western world tries to do. I think it was Réné Descartes who said &quot;I think therefore I am&quot;. I think it is okay in reality but it seems to be a fallacy, because there is certainly something beyond our limited thinking. Too much importance has been given to thinking. Thinking is great, sure. But there is always that &lt;code&gt;mental-wobbling&lt;/code&gt; and deliberation in &lt;code&gt;choice&lt;/code&gt;, to quote Alan Watts. Do we really have a choice? Or are we just consoling ourselves with the &lt;code&gt;pseudo-control&lt;/code&gt; we think we have? We are no more respecting our intuition, or pure nature if I may say so. We are &lt;code&gt;trying to be politically correct&lt;/code&gt; which creates more layers, more religions, more useless communities and takes us farther and farther away from the Ultimate Truth/Reality. We are afraid of that naked truth. In Buddhist meditation, we just let our thoughts come and go. We try not to give them importance. Because that's all they are. Thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can say that there should be a willingness to let ourselves die. You have to be ready to give something up, let go, lose control to really experience something. The car crash scene in the movie is just a way of depicting it. Of course we don't have to do that literally. Its symbolic. Its a movie with a situation so take it as such. We are slaves to our minds. The mind is a bad master, but an excellent slave. So if we sort of let go of the steering wheel of life per se, we can let our minds work FOR us rather than against us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is this part where Tyler Durden says to the narrator that he is smarter in more ways than the narrator, more capable, free in ways that he is not. This is because Tyler lives free. There is this feeling of true freedom. The only thing that stops you from achieving enlightenment or ultimate reality, call it whatever you like, is YOU. There are many Zen stories which if we read, we sort of get this &quot;Aha!&quot; moment where we realize it is just us living in our mind, overthinking, rather than just taking it all in, partaking in the present moment. There is no other reality. There is only the NOW. Our mind creates all that other bullshit if I may say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another part in the movie where Tyler Durden says &lt;code&gt;self-improvement is masturbation, how about self-destruction?&lt;/code&gt; which is rather strongly the point in Buddhism. Maybe I should use the word &lt;code&gt;Dissolution&lt;/code&gt; rather than destruction. We get in our own way. This self-consciousness that we created of our own thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there are a lot of parts in the movie which seems to hit Zen aspects heavily. Some of it is nihilistic too like destroying buildings etc., I don't really approve of that of course, but again that's Hollywood. Has to be a show piece a little bit ;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Adding certain clarifications:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Death or be a vet&quot;: The idea is to just go ahead and try to accomplish that which you have been wanting to, without stopping to think too much. When you think unnecessarily, you have slowed down. The thinking might be in terms of what may happen or what happened in the past. You already know what you'd want to achieve. So proceed without unnecessary doubt. These are covered in right action in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;a willingness to let ourselves die&quot;: This is to sort of &quot;kill&quot; your self-consciousness. For example, when you were a kid you used to be joyful and playful. (Were you? I'd like to think so) As we get older, we start to live in our mind more rather than just how we are or where we are. Questions like &quot;What would others think about us?&quot; start to crop up. An inhibiting self-consciousness starts to creep into everything we do. It stops us from being spontaneous and lovely human beings. So the idea is to give yourself a little slack and room for failure and just barge into things as a kid would. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may have noticed how when you involve yourself into an activity, you automagically start thinking about necessary things and solving problems that lie ahead. Rather than cooping yourself in the mind, which is an endless interminable chatter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;tl,dr zen/buddhist elements in &lt;em&gt;Fight Club&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;accomplish what you want to, without stopping to think too much. [right action in Buddhism]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;kill&quot; your self-consciousness. It stops us from being spontaneous and lovely human beings. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="8197" LastEditDate="2016-06-23T15:39:58.630" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T15:39:58.630" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15622" CreationDate="2016-06-23T03:48:02.703" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The effect that the emotion has on you &lt;code&gt;to evoke an immediate reaction&lt;/code&gt; has reduced. But you will still feel emotions normally. You start to see emotions as a part of the whole play of things. They come to pass, when earlier you just reacted to everything. This is a sort of calmed reaction to any emotion. Having said that, Buddhism is sensitive in that it has &lt;code&gt;compassion&lt;/code&gt; in it which is something like how Jesus said, &quot;they know not what they are doing, forgive them&quot;, when he was being nailed to the cross. He was able to forgive them even as they were doing that horrific thing to him. That is compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T03:48:02.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15625" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-23T05:36:11.887" Score="2" ViewCount="284" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to achieve consciousness and that is my target to achieve it,...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am struck in &lt;strong&gt;Strange State&lt;/strong&gt; .. as Bruce lee said, in Enter The Dragon: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Its like a finger pointing away to the moon. Dont concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This dialogue describes my mind state exactly, and i want to overcome this state.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, i am stuck in a state, which is high self-consciousness state, and i feel stuck when i am going to do something in group of people or alone, i feel everyone is watching me, and i am literally freezing, and i dont know what to do next..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;example: when i am opening a door, a thought strucks me, like my mind shift towards some body is watching me, or something gets reminded to me, and i cant move in the intended direction of what i want to do...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any help regarding how to overcome this is greatly appreciated...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8411" LastEditorUserId="8411" LastEditDate="2016-06-24T07:17:45.750" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T16:32:00.913" Title="Mindfullness or Self Consciousness (Introvert's Struggle)" Tags="|vipassana|enlightenment|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|consciousness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15595" CreationDate="2016-06-23T06:51:29.690" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Posting my comment as an answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Do not be a bodhisatta; do not be an arahant; do not be anything at all. If you are a bodhisatta, you will suffer; if you are an arahant, you will suffer; if you are anything at all, you will suffer.&amp;quot; - Ajahn Chah&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, lady, how does emergence from the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling come about?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The thought does not occur to a monk as he is emerging from the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling that 'I am about to emerge from the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling' or that 'I am emerging from the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling' or that 'I have emerged from the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.' Instead, the way his mind has previously been developed leads him to that state.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T06:51:29.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15627" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-23T21:17:01.607" Score="-1" ViewCount="345" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha searched for truth in the world he used a method of empiricism. Empiricism is the precursor for modern science and although I believe that rebirth can be verified empirically I am not certain that is qualifies as a scientific theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The exact theory I am referring to is that rebirth is a mental process which occurs during our life and continues after physical death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I do not think that rebirth is contrary to scientific evidence I do wonder if it is a theory which can be considered scientific. One requirement for theories in modern science is that they are falsifiable which means that if they are wrong then we can show that they are wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually theories predict things and we can test if those predictions are false, however, I cannot think of any predictions which can be tested in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is assuming that one has a very still mind and can observe fundamental processes. I understand that this is related to the twelve nidanas and the stages when clinging leads to becoming which leads to birth. Is it possible for somebody to know what they should be seeing here before they see it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2016-06-23T22:53:07.200" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T01:04:57.190" Title="Is the principle of rebirth falsifiable?" Tags="|rebirth|science|pratityasamutpada|nidanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15627" CreationDate="2016-06-23T22:00:40.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each time the mind gives birth to the 'self' idea &amp;amp; believes it is a 'self', that is 'birth'. This is what the mind (rather than the idea of &quot;you&quot;) should be seeing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas explain the word '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;birth&lt;/a&gt;' ('jati') as the mental generation of the mental idea, view or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'assumption'&lt;/a&gt; of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beings&lt;/a&gt;' ('satta') or '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;self-identity&lt;/a&gt;' ('sakkaya'); that, apart from 'view' or 'conceptual thought', there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;no 'beings' to be found&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The twelve nidanas are verifiable by ordinary consciousness, as is taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of&#xA;  fabrications...From the cessation of birth, then aging-&amp;amp;-death,&#xA;  sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the&#xA;  cessation of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Contemplative says&#xA;  this. We speak thus in line with the Contemplative's words'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is it the case that you speak simply in line with what you have&#xA;  known, seen &amp;amp; understood for yourselves?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be&#xA;  seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nakulapita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, a frail old man without little meditation experience was taught the basics of dependent origination (the last four nidanas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you are unable to be free the mind from the &quot;you&quot; or &quot;self&quot; thoughts, you can examine the twelve nidanas in a more mundane manner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when you suffer, why are you suffering? The cause of suffering is a sense of loss (which is aging-&amp;amp;-death). The sense of loss is caused by the belief you are something or you own something (which is the object lost). This belief you own something is caused by becoming (for example, one day you married a woman &amp;amp; thus &lt;em&gt;become&lt;/em&gt; her &quot;husband&quot;. Later, your wife left you, which resulted in you suffering about the loss of your wife &amp;amp; your self-identity as a &quot;husband&quot;). You married the woman (who was previously a stranger) because you became attached to her, thinking: &quot;I like her; I want her; I must have her&quot;. These attachment thoughts of &quot;I&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;like&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;want&quot; were caused by pleasurable feelings towards the woman &amp;amp; an urge (craving; lust) for her. Ultimately, you suffered over your lost wife because of ignorance. You were ignorant of the reality that craving &amp;amp; attachment cause suffering (4 noble truths), which is why you attached to the woman. You were ignorant of the reality that all conditioned things are impermanent, cannot bring lasting happiness &amp;amp; are not-self. Because you took birth in believing this woman was &quot;my wife&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;I am her husband&quot; (rather than understanding she was &quot;not-self&quot;; &quot;not-mine&quot;), you suffered due to the twelve nidanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This link may be helpful, pages 3 to 6: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/shapeofsuffering.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/shapeofsuffering.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-23T22:42:15.507" LastActivityDate="2016-06-23T22:42:15.507" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15627" CreationDate="2016-06-24T03:03:32.460" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@25299… the only way that you will find out about the ‘falsification’ aspect, IMHO, is to first develop trust in the Dhamma. That means that you do not give way to any doubting or questioning. Only then will you put the Dhamma into practice in an orderly manner. If you have no conviction that Dhamma has to be practiced in an orderly manner, you will only carry out any given instruction for a short while only and abandon it. Why is it so?  It is simply because of the doubts that you have. It translates into no confidence, and therefore no results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say for example you want to go looking for gemstones. Only if you are aware of the existence of gemstones, and if you are confident about how to proceed in your search, will you in an orderly manner select the appropriate soil leaving out the unwanted, wash it, leaving out the pebbles and select the precious stones. If on the other hand you have no confidence, no knowledge of the technology, you will not have the patience to painstakingly do the needful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise if there is confidence we practise Dhamma and practice meditation in an orderly manner.  You do things carefully and in an orderly manner with confidence. Only then would you get results in this very life. The understanding in such a person will one day turn out to be a realization. For that you will have to develop the meditation on repulsiveness (Asubha Saññā’) - perceiving the impurity of the body; ‘Ahare Patikkula Saññā’ -perceiving the impurity of material food; ‘Sabba Loke Anabhirata Saññā’ - not taking delight in worlds; ‘Sabba Sankharesu Anicca Saññā’ -impermanence of all aggregates, and of ‘Marana Sati’ -to be mindful of death. (read Asavakkhaya Sutta where the Supreme Buddha explains these five). I could not find the Access-to-insight link, but you can read it in Bhikku Bodhi’s Book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these five meditation activities were to be carried out, dispassionateness will arise in you. When you become dispassionate with understanding, then you will begin to lose the desire and craving for materialistic things and sensual pleasures .  Your mind will become calmer and calmer. Only with such a calmed mind will it be possible to develop the special wisdoms.  Your Sakkaya Ditthi (the idea of self) will leave you. You will see results in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T03:03:32.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15625" CreationDate="2016-06-24T03:20:33.350" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@user2929.. now that you have told a bit more about yourself, I have to add this &amp;amp; edit my post. To tell you being an introvert is a blessing in disguise. It is a good thing. Just try to reflect on this… A person can say that he/she is shy and would sound as if it is bad. I do not think so. Only those who have the innocence and gentleness, who have the shyness and fear to do wrong are the fortunate few (ones who have Hiri &amp;amp; Othappa”). They are the ones who will see the Dhamma and walk the Noble Eight Fold Path if they put their mind to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who do not seek large crowds tend to turn their attention inwards, and there are very few of them in the world today. Buddha has pointed out that they have a far greater chance of going to heaven and finding liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still I am not going to change what I said before. This is a higher goal for you, that you got to work towards. The day that you come to the realization that what you conventionally call a ‘person’ can be understood in terms of five aggregates of clinging, and that the sum of which must not be taken for a permanent entity, your awkward feeling of self-consciousness will vanish.  It is because you are now mindful of your true nature - that you are nothing but an amalgam of ever- changing phenomena.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not acquire a thorough understanding of the five aggregates of clinging, you will not be able to  grasp the liberation process at work within you.  In reality you and I are nothing but an amalgam of the five aggregates of clinging. So please try to think it through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-24T09:45:56.740" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T09:45:56.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15625" CreationDate="2016-06-24T05:14:52.667" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not clear if you are doing some formal practice; if you do it regularly, you are likely to see the conditions more clear and learn to deal with them. The best is to do a retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the usual forms of vipassana  (Mahasi &amp;amp; similar I am familar with), you have an anchor (breathing, walking) and when something else comes to your mind (through the 6 sense doors -- western 5 senses plus mind, which includes thoughts, feelings, states of mind etc), you acknowledge/label/note/name what happened and come back to the anchor. This way you learn to (a) see what is there (b) let it go and come back to the anchor. Both points (a) and (b) are important; that's how you learn to deal with whatever happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, various states of mind such as frozen, switched-off or dissociated are common. If you find yourself in a stuck state, you can use the &quot;stuck&quot; label to acknowledge that state, and &lt;em&gt;come back&lt;/em&gt;. If you find yourself you want to get rid of that state (as you say), acknowledge that wanting and &lt;em&gt;come back&lt;/em&gt;. The feeling of being watched is also a feeling you should acknowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you follow a condition (which the mind does automatically when you don't acknowledge it), you see that a whole drama unfolds: first you notice the stuckness, then you dislike it, then you want to get rid of it, then you perhaps remember that it happened many times and you get frustrated or desperate, then you think what you've done wrong so that it does not disappear, maybe you think there is something wrong with you in general etc etc. That is endless. Acknowledge it as soon as you can, as quickly as you can, and let it go. See what comes next. That's the practice, always coming back to the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T05:14:52.667" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15610" CreationDate="2016-06-24T09:46:59.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very simple. He thought that arguments relating to the existence of god does not solve the problems and suffering in this world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example :  &lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;If you had been shot by a poisonous arrow,what would you do? Would you waste time trying to find who shot the arrow or would you try and heal yourself?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is and should be to heal yourself obviously. (If you think otherwise, well.. that is a serious mistake.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine this scenario, for the atheist if He said that there is God and to the theist there is no God. Both of situations would cause an unnecessary argument and the day would end up with anger on the person and ultimately not understanding Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Lord Buddha was intelligent and possessed with divine powers. Hence he was able to predict if the person was a theist or atheist.Then what He basically did was, He responded in such a way that wouldn't cause conflicts and taught them Dhamma. End of the day winning an argument about a God is obviously futile but knowing the Dhamma and the truth about this world is much worthwhile.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T09:46:59.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15622" CreationDate="2016-06-24T10:12:58.540" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The correct word would be to be less &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt;. The lesser you are attached, the less emotional you will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were less sensitive, you wouldn't be able to follow certain basic principles. You would not feel like giving, helping or showing compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Confusing as it can be, you should be less attached from worldly things. It maybe a game, women/man, alcohol, friends etc. The stronger you are bonded to it, the harder it is when it goes away from you (ultimately everything in this world is impermanent). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think in my opinion, what you should do is, realize this world is impermanent ( which is the truth). So if by nature you are sensitive, you will be able to realize that there is no point being sad over it because its not permanent and that it is a part of this world and its futile to be sad. Nothing in the world is unfair, it perfectly follows newtons third law : Every action has an equal but an opposite reaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meaning, if you beat someone up, you will, for sure, get a beating equally to the one that you brought upon to the person earlier. Now this may and may not happen instantly, but with time it will happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said, do not get me wrong, If you are hyper sensitive and if it seems to bother you a lot, it is probably because of a past Karma that you have done. Well we all need to pay it. But never be discouraged, in this life that you have got, do good karma, and less bad karma, eventually you will be able to overcome these sins and live a happy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping that in mind, a simple answer to your question: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how can I go about dealing with my innate sensitivity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow a proper meditation. You should consult a Buddhist monk to select what is best type of meditation for you. With time you will eventually fight this sensitivity. :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastEditorUserId="8579" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T14:26:39.353" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T14:26:39.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15634" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-24T11:47:03.840" Score="4" ViewCount="201" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am just beginning and in need of help and advice on rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm struggling for direction in life. I felt a connection with Buddhism in my day to day life and decided to pursue it further, In the hope it would help me connect to the universe in the way I crave. I'm struggling with the life, death rebirth concept. Before I take my next big step I need to know if my beliefs could be accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe heavily in cause and effect but I am struggling with the concept of rebirth. I believe that when I die, my mind dies with me. I am willing to accept that my mental energy may live on but not in the way I have read about. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please bear in mind I am not saying I categorically do not believe in rebirth I'm just saying my interpretation of it is probably not of the norm. I am concerned this will hinder my progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that my energy will not move to another being after I die, but I believe that the way I treat people and the good I do in my short time on earth will live on, although my body is gone I believe that in some way I will live on in the people I have encountered in life. The people I have done good and the people I have done bad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel I need to find a community as many people do not share my opinions and I find a lot of the things I believe marry up with that of the Buddhist beliefs and I want to extend I'm beliefs and build a better connection physically and spiritually with myself and my surroundings. I would like to find peace within myself and help others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I'm sure you can tell I am very new to this and the way I explain myself is probably not the best, my spiritual connection is lacking and I'm struggling to see the bigger picture, that I what I wish to expand on. I'm just getting to grips with things and regardless to whether the answer to my question is a yes or no I will still pursue my beliefs. Ultimately I would like to know if I can become a Buddhist and if I can become accepted within a Buddhist community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8580" LastEditorUserId="7295" LastEditDate="2016-07-01T06:23:16.603" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T06:23:16.603" Title="With my interpretation of 'rebirth', can I become a Buddhist and become accepted within a Buddhist community?" Tags="|rebirth|beginner|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15634" CreationDate="2016-06-24T13:43:16.473" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't have to believe in rebirth. &lt;strong&gt;Rebirth concept in Buddhism is not as simple as simple as reincarnation anyway.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's actually better if you don't hold any blind beliefs in Buddhism since it is a find-out-for-yourself kind of religion, i.e. when you reach the proper stage you will have the insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all starts from working on the trainings for morality, concentration and insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T13:43:16.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15625" CreationDate="2016-06-24T16:01:23.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the elaboration. I have based my answer on one of your comments;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;...Lanka I have to say that, i experienced consciousness, but its like a temporary spark(for few seconds), it is not in a stable state.. in which i can get hold of it and continue in being in that state.. that is my problem.. and more often i encounter the situation i described above.. And if i feel frustrated because of this state...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, don't feel sorry or frustrated because you cannot stay in a certain state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead understand, through insight meditation, that this is actually the &lt;em&gt;impermanent nature of conditioned phenomena&lt;/em&gt; that you are experiencing. You cannot control anything as long as being in &lt;em&gt;Samsara&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the conditioned realm. Trying to control stuff is actually the source of your (and others) frustration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All condition phenomena, whether mental or physical, follows a specific recipe/process. See drawing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/XsPEX.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/XsPEX.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when something comes into existence, it persists and then breaks up and falls apart. Even in the middle part of the process, i.e. the &lt;em&gt;Presence-part&lt;/em&gt; the phenomena is already falling apart. It's already travelling towards its own disintegration. Nothing is stable. Everything is in a constant flux and no matter how hard one tries to hold onto the object, it will vanish as sand through ones fingers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is simply the nature of conditioned phenomena. One cannot really understand this through the process of thinking or intellectualization. Instead one has to practice insight meditation (Vipassana) and see with ones own eyes how phenomena arise, persist and disolves into nothingness. When the mind has seen that enough times it will begin to let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha said; &lt;em&gt;&quot;Having known the world's impermanence, They (disciples) made an end to suffering&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to grasp at things creates attachment and as long as there is attachment, one cannot be free. Having something as your target might instead become a hindrance, depending on the intensity of the craving. The mind is like a little child or a dog, you have to teach it over and over in order to develop and purify it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. Think about it, we are all in the same boat, trying to become free from Samsara. We are just on different steps on the path. Being born human is extremely rare. Being lucky enough to come in contact with the Dhamma is even more rare. You are here now and that means countless of life times of performing wholesome and meritorious deeds, e.g. the practice of &lt;em&gt;meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me know if you have any questions to what I wrote and I will try to answer you. If you are interested in the technique I practice, I will be happy to share it with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lanka &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Samyutta Nikaya: Sagathavagga: Devaputtasamyutta: &lt;em&gt;Connected Discourses with Young Devas&lt;/em&gt;, Bodhi trans, p. 139.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-24T16:32:00.913" LastActivityDate="2016-06-24T16:32:00.913" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15634" CreationDate="2016-06-24T17:14:43.173" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Core Buddhism is the practise of morality (non-harming), meditation (concentration) &amp;amp; liberating insight (wisdom), which comprise the noble eightfold path. Belief in 'rebirth' is not found in the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless, in Buddhism, there is no compulsion or requirement that one must believe anything; which includes the reported teachings of the Buddha. Even when the Buddha was alive, it is reported he said, even if he taught something, one should not blindly believe but to investigate &amp;amp; realise the teaching for oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist communities (centres) strongly emphasise rebirth. However, one can often be part of these communities, as long as one does not actively or overtly try to subvert the teachings given there. Other Buddhist communities (centres) do not emphasis or teach rebirth &amp;amp; strongly emphasis the practise of meditation &amp;amp; the development of liberating wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, in Buddhism (even if 'rebirth' is believed or not) the method for liberation is the same. Liberation is not reach by believing in 'rebirth'. That is why 'rebirth' is not mentioned in the core ('&lt;strong&gt;noble&lt;/strong&gt;') teachings attributed to the Buddha.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T09:50:19.093" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T09:50:19.093" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13928" CreationDate="2016-06-25T02:08:29.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practise of metta is not rooted in ignorance but the idea of 'beings' ('satta') is rooted in ignorance. To quote the scriptures: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mara&lt;/strong&gt;, why now do you assume 'a being' ('satta')? Have you grasped a view? SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to&#xA;  be 'a being' ('satta')? Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form,&#xA;  feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness, Radha: when one&#xA;  is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.' SN&#xA;  23.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition comes...birth. And what is birth? Whatever birth...of the various beings ('satta') in this or that&#xA;  group of beings, that is called birth. SN 12.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when metta is practised, when it is reflected: &quot;&lt;em&gt;May all beings be happy; may all beings be free from suffering&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, this really means: &quot;&lt;em&gt;May all aggregates subject to ignorance be free from delusion &amp;amp; find happiness &amp;amp; peace&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the scriptures are read with ignorance, they can be interpreted materialistically. The same as Mara, ignorance will misinterpret terms such as &quot;beings&quot; ('satta') to mean &quot;people&quot; and &quot;worlds&quot; ('loka') to mean &quot;planets&quot; or &quot;reincarnation&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;beings&quot; (&quot;satta&quot;), in the language of ultimate truth, means: &quot;&lt;em&gt;aggregates trapped in the delusion of attachment&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(However, in conventional language, the term &quot;beings&quot; can mean &quot;people&quot;, such as when the Buddha is called a 'great being'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the idea of 'man' &amp;amp; 'woman' is also what Mara believes. To quote the scriptures, again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One to whom it might occur, 'I'm a woman' or 'I'm a man' Or 'I'm anything at all' — Is fit for &lt;strong&gt;Mara&lt;/strong&gt; to address. SN 5.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is quite amusing when Mara attempts to teach &lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt; of materialism (such as 'beings', 'men', 'women', 'worlds of reincarnation') to noble disciples. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T02:40:11.153" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T02:40:11.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14179" CreationDate="2016-06-25T02:35:23.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S68&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.246 How to Judge a Person’s Character&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-u.html#22.Don%E2%80%99tJudgeOthers!&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6:44 Don’t Judge Others!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T02:35:23.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15634" CreationDate="2016-06-25T02:46:36.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the group @megan. You have done the right thing as this path depends 100% on the association with people of integrity in the Dahmma Path. At the time of Buddha, one of His main disciples,  Ven. Ananda told The Buddha that 50% of the path depends on the association of Dhamma Friends, The Buddha corrected him, saying that it is depended 100% in the association of Friends in Dhamma. Whoever who wants to get into the the Noble Eight Fold Path – the road less travelled, need the company of people of integrity in the Dahmma Path who would encourage you in this path. There is a quality of the Dhamma called “Ehipassiko” (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika &quot;which you can come and see&quot; -- from the phrase ehi, paśya &quot;come, see!&quot;). The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test by applying it to their own lives and seeing its effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you are going to wonder, as to why it is so. Even though you may not see it this way right now, as you progress in this path, you will come to realize that we are suffering from a disease of the mind. The disease of passion, hatred and delusion. And if we are to recover from this disease, we must take the essential medication called advice. That is why you need the association of Friends in Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At times you may feel that this advice given by some is a bit harsh. At such times it is good to remember that strong advice is sometimes given to save someone from a big danger. However, if a person dislikes advice then he tries to keep away from such friends who gave advice. And ultimately, that person may come to dislike even the Supreme Buddha’s noble advice. Would a person who dislikes advice in general take delight in the Supreme Buddha’s advice? Of course he will not because the Supreme Buddha’s teachings are filled with advice. Therefore, we must learn to welcome advice. So again @megan, we are very pleased that you have joined our group.  If feel that we can help you in anyway, please do not hesitate to ask us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T02:46:36.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15602" CreationDate="2016-06-25T04:19:47.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The defiled mind always goes out in search of distractions. That’s a given. Buddha in ‘dutiya assutawantu sutta’  –(SN 12.61) said that which is called mind, is called thought, is called consciousness one moment rises as another ceases continually - just as a monkey wandering in a big forest seizes a branch and letting go of it seizes another.  Taming this monkey is not an easy thing. So you have to take baby steps in the beginning. Even if your attempt at meditation takes only a few seconds, or a couple of minutes, be happy about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you’re getting started, keep in mind that you’re like a kid learning to ride a bicycle. At the outset you may need training wheels, with only two wheels you will fall many a times, you will struggle, you may even need help. You can’t just learn overnight to ride a bike with a perfect sense of balance. With meditation, it will take months and years of continued practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s a Dhammapada verse that says, “Those who always earnestly practice 'mindfulness of the body', who follow not what should not be done, and constantly do what should be done, for those mindful and reflective ones the corruptions come to an end.  So in time, a day will come when you give away your defilements, and you gain freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T04:19:47.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15642" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-25T10:04:05.247" Score="2" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12:15 Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence &amp;amp; non-existence. But when&#xA;  one sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right&#xA;  discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not&#xA;  occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually&#xA;  is with right discernment, '&lt;strong&gt;existence&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;atthitañceva&lt;/strong&gt;)' with reference to the world&#xA;  does not occur to one. 'Everything exists': That is one extreme.&#xA;  'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. It's to this&#xA;  extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 60 Apannaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...this venerable person is still criticized in the here-&amp;amp;-now by the observant as a person of bad habits &amp;amp; wrong view: one who holds to a&#xA;  doctrine of non-existence.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...this venerable person is still praised in the here-&amp;amp;-now by the observant as a person of good habits &amp;amp; right view: one who holds to a&#xA;  doctrine of &lt;strong&gt;existence (atthikavādo)&lt;/strong&gt;.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reading of these two suttas gives an impression of a contradiction. MN 60 appears to state the 'doctrine of existence' ('atthikavādo') is right view. But SN 12.15 appears to state the 'view of existence' ('atthitañceva') is wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a contradiction? If so, what is the cause, what is the reason, for this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T10:13:05.227" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T13:01:21.690" Title="Does MN 60 contradict SN 12.15? If so, why is it so?" Tags="|pali-canon|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15642" CreationDate="2016-06-25T12:20:22.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you read the discourse on the right view -The Samma-ditthi Sutta, the ninth sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Collection of Middle Length Discourses – you will see that there are two levels of right view.  Lokiya Samma-ditthi (mundane right view) and Lokuttara Samma-ditthi (the TRUE right view). The persons that the Buddha addresses are in two different planes – one has a mundane right view, and the other has a Right View in its truest sense. So there’s no real contradiction between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Right View on Rebirth is explained in the famous Buddhist book “Milindapahna” which contains a long dialogue between the Greek king Milinder  and Arahant Nagasena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Miln III.5.5: Transmigration and Rebirth (Miln 71) &#xA;The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn?&quot;&#xA;&quot;Yes, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&#xA;&quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&quot;&#xA;&quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the other lamp?&quot;&#xA;&quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&quot;&#xA;&quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the scriptures, a being is a stream of Mind connected ‘ Nama-Rupa’. When a person dies, no soul departs. The stream of consciousness ( viññana) upon death, becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new set of five aggregates of clinging (Panca Upadana Khandas)  elsewhere.  In the Attakara sutta, you will find that you do exist. But there is no permanent self in you and the five clinging aggregates (panca upadanakkanda) which constitutes you is beyond your control, and therefore Anatta (non-self). (read  Anatta Lakkana Sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T21:58:50.363" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T21:58:50.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5456" CreationDate="2016-06-25T21:45:44.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are Amitabha and Sakyamuni the same? Since this question is not very specific, there are a few ways to answer.&#xA;(1) Sakyamuni and Amitabha took different paths to become a Buddha. Sakyamuni was Siddhartha Gautama before he was enlightened. Amitabha was Dharmakara before he became enlightened. So from this perspective they are different.&#xA;(2) Some say that Sakyamuni was an emanation of Amitabha. I am not sure how this works, perhaps Amitabha was the source of Siddhartha's enlightenment? Sakyamuni was called the light of the world. But, this would mean that they are the same. &#xA;(3) At the level of suchness, all Buddhas are one and the same. Same reason that our tathagatagarba is identical with Amitabha. So, Sakyamuni is also the same as Amitabha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, the Buddhas do not reside over galaxies, but over pure lands. Amitabha resides over Sukhavati, while Sakyamuni has his pure land on Vulture Peak. Vaipulya sutras (Lotus, Golden Light, etc.) explain that while the ordinary person sees different buddhas, there is actually just one. This goes back to the Buddhist concept of anatman and the realization that we are our thoughts only. Also, because of the concept of interdependent origination, we could say that these pure lands are all interpenetrating, or that there is only one pure land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastEditorUserId="8586" LastEditDate="2016-06-25T22:02:12.983" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T22:02:12.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3077" CreationDate="2016-06-25T22:10:55.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Short answer, no. Although we revere Sakyamuni, he is not the focus of Pureland. However, the devotion to bodhisattvas is something else. Mainly, there is Kuan Shih Yin Pusa, Ta Shih Chi Pusa, and the rest of the &quot;ocean-wide lotus-pond assembly&quot; of bodhisattvas in the Pureland. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there are other Buddhas in other pure lands, and people have paid reverence to them, that is not the definition of what we call Pureland Buddhism. Rather, that would be a secondary practice. Or it might even be part of Vajrayana Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastEditorUserId="8586" LastEditDate="2020-02-27T01:58:36.310" LastActivityDate="2020-02-27T01:58:36.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2792" CreationDate="2016-06-25T22:23:10.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not aware of anybody who has chosen to reenter samsara after having died in a previous life and being reborn in Sukhavati. Perhaps it is a rare event that has not happened yet since the death of Sakyamuni. Or perhaps it simply means that the appearance of buddhas from the Pureland is not a matter of incarnation, but a matter of influence. Personally, I am more interested in the bodhisattva that can reach into samsara to save sentient beings while remaining in sukhavati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-06-25T22:23:10.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7192" CreationDate="2016-06-26T01:42:53.670" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with the criticism about the lack of polish in the articulation of the question, but I try to see if there is any there there, no matter how inarticulate the questioner may be(could be a second language issue). So...... I will try to keep my answer simple and easy to understand but hopefully of some depth in spite of all that. First, consciousness has a very large amount to do with Buddhism. There are the five skandhas ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&lt;/a&gt; )of which consciousness is one of the skandhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subject of consciousness was considered so important that it became the point of a split off from Madhyamika Buddhism into Yogacara Buddhism with the assertion of the existence of alaya consciousness ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5514/what-is-storehouse-consciousness&quot;&gt;What is storehouse consciousness?&lt;/a&gt; ). Recently (january 17 to 22, 2013) there was a Mind and Life Conference where a prominent Cal Tech scientist (Christof Koch) had a dialog with the Dalai Lama where both Koch &amp;amp; the Dalai Lama agreed that panpsychism was a virtual sine qua non for forming a foundational understanding of consciousness and Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my answer is that the relation between panpsychism and Buddhism is of absolutely central importance.&#xA;   The question of empathy is more difficult. I can't quote any Buddhist sutras on this subject but if there is empathy as an inherent aspect of consciousness, then it does not seem to manifest until the relevant organism has the ability to have a theory of mind ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind&lt;/a&gt; ). It may be possible that there may be some form of subconscious or unconscious drive to include the consequences of one's own actions on other living beings (especially with respect to kinship factors &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kin_selection&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kin_selection&lt;/a&gt; ). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that(altruistic behavior) may be evidence for the possibility for empathy being part of basic panpsychic consciousness. For most people, however, there is an assumption of awareness of the emotional impact on the consciousness of the other that becomes an important consideration in karmic choices(volition, one of he five skandhas). I think the question is extremely interesting and wish more people had chosen to weigh in with informed responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T11:09:01.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13986" CreationDate="2016-06-26T02:38:25.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unlike an Arahant, who is a disciple 'perfected in training’, whenever we perceive something through the senses our consciousness decides to either take it negatively or positively. If the response is negative we refuse it. That is revulsion. And if the response is positive we grasp it as our own. That is attachment. The great Arahants (disciples who attained the enlightenment), too perceive things, but without ignorance. In the Thera-gathas one the arahants say: “I don’t delight in living, don’t delight in dying; I live out my time, waiting my time as a worker waiting for his wage.” The arahants no longer hungers, and theirs is a happiness that doesn’t need to feed.  They have come to a point where  kamma is ended. The only people who are really debtless in this world are the arahants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attaining Arahanthood  the arahants will continue to live,  continues to formulate intentions, but each intention is like a seed that’s been burnt as soon as it’s created so that it doesn’t sprout into anything else. &quot;Happy indeed are the arahants! No craving can be found in them. Cut off is the conceit ‘I am,’ Burst asunder is delusion’s net.” -  The Buddha (SN 22:76) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T02:38:25.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15649" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-26T03:36:08.973" Score="3" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;There’s a passage where the Buddha says that the reason we get so stuck on sensual desires, sensual pleasures, is because we don’t see any other alternative to pain. But when you see that there is the alternative and, as you reflect on it, you see that it has fewer drawbacks, greater rewards, and that you can learn how to tap into it when you need it, then it can be your new attachment—a better one. Does anyone know in which sutta that this passage is found?  Could someone help me in this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T14:59:46.550" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:30:09.047" Title="Addicted to a particular pleasure even when you know it has its drawbacks." Tags="|theravada|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13986" CreationDate="2016-06-26T04:54:35.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 12 nidanas are not necessarily about things 'arising' or 'created' out of ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unskilful things are 'created' by ignorance, such as craving, attachment, becoming, (self-identity) birth &amp;amp; (self-identity) aging-&amp;amp;-death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neutral things are 'tainted' or 'polluted' by ignorance, such as fabricators, consciousness, mind-body, sense organs, contact &amp;amp; feeling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perception is included in the fabricators, mind-body &amp;amp; feeling nidanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It follows there are two kinds of perception: (i) ignorant perception; &amp;amp; (ii) wise perception (often called 'full comprehension').   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quotes below may help: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities..SN 45.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine, Brahman, a bowl of water mixed with lac, turmeric, dark green or crimson dye. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the&#xA;  reflection of his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it&#xA;  really was. In the same way, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart&#xA;  possessed and overwhelmed by sensual desire... then he cannot know or&#xA;  see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, to the profit of&#xA;  others, to the profit of both. Then even sacred words he has long&#xA;  studied are not clear to him, not to mention those he has not studied.&#xA;  SN 46.55&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off, and there&#xA;  is no landing of consciousness. Consciousness, thus not having landed,&#xA;  not increasing, not concocting, is released. Owing to its release, it&#xA;  is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its&#xA;  contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is&#xA;  totally unbound right within. SN 22.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A monk who is a Worthy One, devoid of mental fermentations — who has attained completion, finished the task, laid down the burden, attained&#xA;  the true goal, destroyed the fetters of becoming, and is released&#xA;  through right knowledge — directly knows earth as earth. Directly&#xA;  knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does&#xA;  not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of&#xA;  earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth.&#xA;  Why is that? Because he has comprehended it, I tell you. MN 1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he isn't infatuated with pleasing forms, and doesn't get upset over unpleasing forms. He dwells with&#xA;  body-mindfulness established, with unlimited awareness. He&#xA;  discerns, as it has come to be, the awareness-release &amp;amp;&#xA;  discernment-release where those evil, unskillful qualities cease&#xA;  without remainder. Having thus abandoned compliance &amp;amp; opposition, he&#xA;  doesn't relish any feeling he feels — pleasure, pain,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — doesn't welcome it, doesn't remain&#xA;  fastened to it. As he doesn't relish that feeling, doesn't welcome it,&#xA;  &amp;amp; doesn't remain fastened to it, delight doesn't arise. From the&#xA;  cessation of his delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the&#xA;  cessation of clinging comes the cessation of becoming. From the&#xA;  cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation&#xA;  of birth, then aging-&amp;amp;-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp;&#xA;  despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress&#xA;  &amp;amp; suffering. MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T20:52:20.453" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T20:52:20.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15651" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15657" CreationDate="2016-06-26T05:02:37.587" Score="2" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Detachment,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Everything is lust and mirage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the real purpose of life/birth? Aren't we suppose to love, care ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8587" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T10:29:00.187" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T19:14:12.757" Title="Is detachment all about not giving damn to peoples/things?" Tags="|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15651" CreationDate="2016-06-26T06:27:50.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, detachment always comes with compassion.  For an outsider it sounds rather strange because these two sounds rather incompatible.  Any outsider usually would equate detachment with aloofness. But the type of detachment that a disciple of the Buddha develops helps to see the truth more clearly.  It also helps in being more impartial when judging.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being detached helps to keep that little voice in you at a distance – the inner voice that tends to mislead you from the true path.  It holds this little voice at bay.  Then when meditating with detachment, keeping a certain amount of distance from the activities of the mind helps get some perspective on what comes to mind. So this kind of detachment is not at all about not giving a damn to people or things, but the very opposite of it. In practicing the teaching of the Buddha, it is important to develop a sense of detachment.  Mindfulness is the most important factor that helps in this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T11:03:41.990" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T11:03:41.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15651" CreationDate="2016-06-26T11:53:14.577" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry I don't have much spare time so I'm going to write this answer mostly using hyperlinks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't heard the phrase &quot;Everything is lust and mirage&quot; before (is it a quote?), but it sounds like it's talking about the main two of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Three Poisons&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &quot;not giving a damn&quot; (in the title) sounds to me like the third poison, i.e. &quot;aversion&quot; or &quot;hatred&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's something (a concept) called 'attachment' in Buddhism, which is sometimes also translated into English as 'clinging' or 'grasping'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sanskrit and Pali word is &lt;em&gt;Upādāna&lt;/em&gt;, and (according to Wikipedia) the Tibetan is &lt;em&gt;len.pa (lenpa)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia articles about it include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#Attachment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attachment&lt;/a&gt; as one of the Twelve Nidanas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a concept called 'attachment' in Western psychology: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Attachment theory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although that's the same word (i.e. &quot;attachment&quot;) in English, it's not exactly the same theory!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly Western psychology uses the word 'detachment' in various ways, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_detachment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Emotional detachment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again this (Western meaning of ) &quot;detachment&quot; isn't exactly the same as what Buddhist theory recommends. To avoid that automatic association between Buddhist and Western meanings, caused by using the same word (&quot;detachment&quot;) for both, it might be better to use a slightly different word, e.g. &quot;non-attachment&quot; rather than &quot;detachment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in fact I'm not sure that Buddhists do talk about detachment or non-attachment very much. Instead perhaps they warn against the dangers of &quot;attachment&quot;: and recommend as an antidote, not &quot;detachment&quot;, but rather maybe &quot;renunciation&quot; or &quot;equanimity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related to non-attachment is the Buddhist term &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nekkamma (renunciation)&lt;/a&gt;. The original version of the question included the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/monk&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;monk&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;monk&lt;/a&gt; tag, and indeed it's maybe &quot;renunciation&quot; for which Buddhist monks are famous. Suttas in the Pali canon recommend renunciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhist lay people don't (and probably cannot) practice renunciation in quite the same way as Buddhist monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I note without comment that Nekkhamma is listed among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 perfections&lt;/a&gt; of Theravāda Buddhism, but isn't in the (shorter) list of 6 perfections of Mahāyāna Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist theory recommends attitudes called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Brahmavihāras&lt;/a&gt;. These include Compassion and so on, which (to answer your question) is not the same as &quot;not giving a damn&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the brahmavihāras is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Equanimity&lt;/a&gt;. Note that &quot;Indifference&quot; is described as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=near+enemy+buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;near enemy&lt;/a&gt; of equanimity which means that indifference might seem similar to, but is actually an opposite of, equanimity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T11:53:14.577" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15642" CreationDate="2016-06-26T13:01:21.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 12.15 says that &quot;everything exists&quot; and &quot;everything doesn't exist&quot; are opposite extremes and are both wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess there are different problems with each view: e.g. &quot;everything exists&quot; implies attachment and ignores conditioned/composite nature of everything; whereas &quot;everything doesn't exist&quot; implies nihilism and amorality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that MN 60 concentrates its argument on one aspect, i.e. that the view that &quot;nothing exists&quot; leads to amorality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it can be expected that, shunning these three skillful activities — good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct — they will adopt &amp;amp; practice these three unskillful activities: bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct. Why is that? Because those venerable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans do not see, in unskillful activities, the drawbacks, the degradation, and the defilement; nor in skillful activities the rewards of renunciation, resembling cleansing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For that reason, &quot;everything exists&quot; is the relatively skillful view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally I think that people sometimes talk about a &quot;two truths&quot; doctrine, i.e. that &quot;&lt;em&gt;conventionally&lt;/em&gt; things exist but &lt;em&gt;ultimately&lt;/em&gt; nothing exists&quot;. Another way to express the &quot;conventional truth (or relative truth) versus ultimate truth&quot; duality is to call conventional &quot;skillful&quot; or &quot;skillful means&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T13:01:21.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15649" CreationDate="2016-06-26T14:57:21.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even after one has seen and understood that there's a better way, that's still not sufficient to abandon sensual pleasures. One would need to attain and experience the higher path himself. As taught in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 14&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture &amp;amp; pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that[4] — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture &amp;amp; pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T14:57:21.723" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15651" CreationDate="2016-06-26T17:08:34.470" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Life has no requirements, including loving and caring. This is social programming talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life just is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, in Buddhism life is originated from ignorant perception ( see 12 nidanas) so on top of just this is-ness... Buddhism recommends that we fix our ignorance--which requires us to go about the Buddhist self-training process towards a natural happiness and freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, detachment is NOT indifference. It is about not attaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is usually better to translate detachment as &quot;non-attachment&quot; meaning there is no fabricated attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If attachment happens, you don't attach to getting rid of it. (i.e. forcing away your crush on someone)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If attachment doesn't happen, you don't attach to forcing it. (i.e. forcing yourself to like your biology studies.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If attachment has already happened, you don't attach to making more of it or making less of it (don't add energy to an obsession with something if it has arisen in your mind, but don't repluse against it  if it is continuing at the moment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just get Right View (the first step of the Eightfold Path) and non-attachment will arise naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow the rest of the Path accordingly including Right Effort and Right Action and Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Study the Four Noble Truths more in-depth and you will be really grateful that there is such a balanced, perfect, practical system to self-perfection for all-time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T18:14:52.813" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T18:14:52.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15651" CreationDate="2016-06-26T19:09:00.820" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The real purpose of life is to &lt;strong&gt;end suffering&lt;/strong&gt;. Love is merely one method for preventing &amp;amp; ending certain types of suffering. Non-attachment is another method for preventing &amp;amp; ending other types of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when a child is born, it is hungry &amp;amp; alone. This suffering of hunger &amp;amp; aloneness is to be ended by parents feeding &amp;amp; comforting the child. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the child gets older, it suffers from boredom &amp;amp; restlessness, so it plays with toys &amp;amp; games to end the suffering of boredom &amp;amp; restlessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the child becomes a teenager, it has the suffering of sexual urges &amp;amp; engages in sexual activity or gets married to end the suffering of sexual urges. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an adult, this person has children &amp;amp; suffers when it sees the suffering of its children so the adult practises love &amp;amp; care towards its children to end its suffering &amp;amp; the children's suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, the adult experiences the suffering of loss; such as loss of wealth, loss of status, loss of friends, loss of children, loss of spouse, loss of health, loss of life, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To end the suffering of loss, the adult can seek more wealth, more children, more status, another spouse, have plastic surgery or believe in reincarnation or going to heaven with Jesus or God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, to end the suffering of loss or change, like the Buddha, the person can practise &lt;strong&gt;non-attachment&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;not-self&lt;/strong&gt;, understanding all of the things that change &amp;amp; are lost never actually ever belonged to oneself or were 'oneself' in the 1st place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-26T19:14:12.757" LastActivityDate="2016-06-26T19:14:12.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14503" CreationDate="2016-06-26T21:15:44.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The third ring appears to be stating: (a) the five aggregates are 'passive' or 'neutral' (per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which describes neutral/mere/pure aggregates versus defiled aggregates subjected to clinging) &amp;amp; (b) it is the activity of ignorance, sankhara, craving, attachment &amp;amp; becoming that actively keep the 'wheel of life' spinning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This two-fold distinction of the illustrator is based on the premise that 'birth' &amp;amp; 'aging-&amp;amp;-death' refer to physical birth &amp;amp; aging-&amp;amp;-death (rather than psychological 'birth' &amp;amp; 'aging-&amp;amp;-death'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also based on the premise than 'sankhara' refers to 'volitional formations' (rather than the kaya, vaci &amp;amp; citta sankhara as described in MN 44).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also appears to infer the 3rd to 7th links are not 'activated' or 'disturbed' by ignorance.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T01:06:44.773" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T01:06:44.773" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14237" CreationDate="2016-06-27T00:06:06.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Intoxicants usually refers to alcohol and drugs. But it can also refer to the five pungent herbs: onion, garlic, leeks, chives, asofoetida. Supposedly, these act as aphrodisiacs. So, they are banned by one of the minor bodhisattva precepts in the Brahmanet Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T00:06:06.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10686" CreationDate="2016-06-27T00:26:19.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems that there is a wide opinion of what is allowable on the Buddhist diet. Some are strict vegans who will only take the fruits of plants, not the roots. Some practice practice pescatarianism, eating only fish. Personally, I follow the bodhisattva vows of the Brahmanet Sutra which says you shall not eat the meat of &quot;sentient&quot; creatures. I do not count oysters as sentient. Therefore, depending on which moral code you wish to follow, I think your profession is safe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T00:26:19.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-06-27T00:49:17.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shashank, There is no such thing as &quot;sin&quot; in Buddhism. Karma, yes, but not sin. Although, it is a rule for monks to avoid sexual relations, it does not apply to the laity. However, it seems to me that meditation will diminish sexual appetite regardless of monk or lay person. In the mean time, it is good to control sexual desire as there is a proper place, a proper time, and proper partner. It is kind of vague what the last one means, but at least it forbids adultery. As for being genetic, the latest and most extensive scientific studies I have seen suggest that homosexuality is NOT genetic.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T00:49:17.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2016-06-27T01:38:53.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas are silent on the matter of homosexuality. The matter of homosexuality is only mentioned in the monk's Vinaya, where certain types of ex-homosexuals (but not all) are forbidden from ordaining as a monk.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, homosexuality does not fall into the definition of 'sexual misconduct', which essentially is having sex with individuals who are in existing relationships (such as having sex with another person's husband or wife or with a child/teenager still living in the care of their parents). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It follows homosexuality itself is not a 'sin' or 'transgression' in original Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T02:19:12.957" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T02:19:12.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15663" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-27T05:49:33.207" Score="1" ViewCount="94" Body="&lt;p&gt;I Have been training third eye meditation for past three months,now the tingling sensation on my forehead never goes off and i couldn't go proceed and thought of trying mind full meditation,where we see everything in bare sense of view and i found about Buddha's teaching, i found it very interesting,and found some basics to start mind full meditation where they have said to keep my mind on raising and falling of abdomen during breathing.Which they told would help us realizing nothing is permanent and we should mind fully note everything that happens when we breath.this was basic. NOW THE PROBLEM IS MY FOREHEAD SENSATION IS ALWAYS THEIR MAKING MY MEDITATION TASK TOUGH.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8252" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T18:53:15.580" Title="Mind full Meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15663" CreationDate="2016-06-27T10:21:43.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depending on what method of meditation you are practicing there are different options.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing Samatha (tranquility) meditation, simply return back attention to whatever primary meditation object you have chosen, e.g. &lt;em&gt;the belly or entrance to the nostrils&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing Vipassana (insight) meditation, observe the tingling feeling and note it as &lt;em&gt;&quot;feeling, feeling&quot; or &quot;tingling, tingling&quot;&lt;/em&gt;, while keeping attention on the phenomena. Note it 2-3 times and then return attention to the feeling of the rising and falling of the abdomen (primary object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samatha meditation one is gently shifting attention away from all other phenomena except the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana meditation one is changing object according to whatever arises at the sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more info on how to meditate I would suggest Ven. Yuttadhammo's &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTM.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;booklet&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvU7ppM4vE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;video series&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on how to meditate (Vipassana meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T17:13:47.963" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T17:13:47.963" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15663" CreationDate="2016-06-27T11:43:09.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Ānāpānasati Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA; the Buddha taught sixteen themes of meditation Here I shall give you the first three of the 16 parts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We would start by going to a quiet place, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Keep in mind however, that although we may go to a quiet place, which is away from the rattle of busy life, the mind cannot be relaxed easily. We can find seclusion physically by going into a room and keeping it locked. But, would the mind be secluded? We must adjust our minds for seclusion and quiet contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Breathing in long, he understands: “I breathe in long”; or breathing out long, he understands: “I am breathing out long”;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Breathing in short, he understands: “I breathe in short”; or breathing out short, he understands: “I breathe out short”;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) He trains thus: “I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body [of breath]”; “I shall breathe out”; he trains thus: “I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body [of breath].”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T11:43:09.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15666" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-27T12:40:34.103" Score="1" ViewCount="1004" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I was practice Breath Meditation then OM Chanting Meditation from year. and finally leave these both because its not suite for me.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then I start Sound Meditation where I try to listen sound of my heart or other subtle sound. Last week I sit in meditation, after 2 minutes I hear sound like buzzing, hissing, humming.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;from that day its continuously buzzing in my ear. Its &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tinnitus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sound of Silence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7066" LastEditorUserId="7066" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T10:47:09.210" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T04:14:56.847" Title="I am hearing buzzing, humming sound in silence. Is this problem with my ear or its progress in meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation-effects|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15667" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-27T12:47:03.893" Score="2" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we are doing some work(eating food--&lt;strong&gt;first task&lt;/strong&gt;).. we hear something important  or some noise(&lt;strong&gt;second task&lt;/strong&gt;), which might require us to pay attention to it(to &lt;strong&gt;second task&lt;/strong&gt;)..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(means if we want to be truly mindful, then how we have to deal with this situation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NOTE:&lt;/strong&gt; In this case, the first task or work needs continuous attention stream of mindfulness from us..&#xA;and second one tries to hinder or abrupt first task's flow.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8411" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T13:37:08.930" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T04:02:27.517" Title="Doubt in being mindful when two tasks are going to happen?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-insight|consciousness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15667" CreationDate="2016-06-27T12:55:20.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are seeing or describing here is the &lt;em&gt;impermanent and uncontrollable&lt;/em&gt; nature of conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate solution is to win Nibbana, the unconditioned. Here there exists no arising or passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While in Samsara, you can practice Vipassana meditation and change meditation object according to whatever arises. You don't have to note everything. Try to balance the faculties to ensure restless and agitation does not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eat and be mindful of the entire process and if/when another object comes into contact with a sense door, e.g. the ear-door, note that object and return then to your primary meditation object, i.e. the eating-process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The below &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#ii&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Instructions for Mindful Eating&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is given by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. Note that these detailed instructions are used on retreat or when you have enough free time to practice in this way. If not, then use general awareness of the eating-process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instructions for Mindful Eating&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Look at the food, noting &amp;quot;seeing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Notice whether or not you are hungry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Note &amp;quot;intending to move.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Turn your right or left hand laterally until it's resting on edge, perpendicular to the knee. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.Raise your hand straight up until it's more or less at table-height. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.Move your hand forward toward the fork or spoon. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.Grasp the fork, being aware of the sensation of touch as you do so. Stop.&#xA;8.Lift the fork. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.Move the fork toward the food. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;10.Place a bite of food on the fork. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;11.Slowly raise the fork to your mouth. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;12.Touch the fork to your lips. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;13.Open your mouth. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;14.Put the food in your mouth. Notice the feel of your lips touching the fork, and the contact or temperature of the food on the tongue. Don't let yourself chew yet. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;15.Lower your hand slowly. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;16.Place the fork on your plate. Stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;17.Return your hand to your knee. (You still haven't begun to chew.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;18.Chew the food. Flavor will appear. Mentally try to isolate the flavor from the tactile mass of the food, the movement of your mouth, and any desire that arises. Flavor is its own object, separate from all these things. If the flavor is strong you should focus on it. But if the flavor is bland, focus on the movement of the jaw or tongue. Note &amp;quot;moving,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;tasting,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;desire,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;touch,&amp;quot; and so on, as appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;19.As you swallow, note &amp;quot;swallowing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;20.Be aware your mouth is empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;21.Notice whether or not you feel full.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;22.Note the intention to take another bite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;23.Repeat steps 1-22. (Although mental notes were not given for all the steps, you may wish to add them, labeling &amp;quot;moving&amp;quot; for steps 3-5 and so on.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need both hands to cut something, focus your attention on one hand only. Apply the same step-by-step procedure to drinking: observe the intention first; extend your hand; grasp the cup; move the cup toward you; take a sip of water; and finally, bring the cup back to the table, stopping completely after each action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When mindfulness and insight are strong you may not recognize what you are eating. This experience is a revelation. Instead of green beans or rice on the plate, you see only color. Rather than meat or cheese, you taste an unnamed burst of sensation. This experience is difficult to describe, but if it happens you will immediately understand what we are talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The step-by-step eating technique is intended mainly for meditation retreats. During daily life it usually isn't practical to eat this way, except on special days or when you have free time on the weekends. When you are unable to eat in the step-by-step manner just use general mindfulness to be aware of what you are doing as you eat the meal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T13:03:00.873" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15669" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-27T14:34:35.197" Score="0" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I did my research and getting familiar with actual teachings of Buddha.&#xA;Here are my questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 : There are some kids who can/ could remember things from their past life. Could this be true? If it is true how come? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And correct me if I'm wrong. According to my understanding, Everything including humans belongs to the nature. Human body is made of energies, atoms, molecules etc. When the body dies, those energies don't die with it. They take another form. Like the mango tree example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8593" LastEditorUserId="8593" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T14:56:06.163" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T14:56:06.163" Title="Theravada - Death and rebirth" Tags="|theravada|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2016-06-27T17:10:33.650" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15666" CreationDate="2016-06-27T18:28:29.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am experiencing the same when I focus on hearing when there is no sound/noise (not an intense sound, but definitely a sense impression). Either both of us have bad ears or it's normal (it may be the sound of the blood floating in your brain or something). Nevertheless, if I don't keep my attention on it, it's not there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I never did meditation on sound, but one option would be to chose another primary meditation object. There are enough of those. If you don't want to do breath meditation, you could use your body sensations as an object. There is a method called &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN7zmBIS6ig&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part by part sweeping&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (Link to a guided meditation by Ayya Khema), where you systematically notice sensations/feelings in your whole body. It has the advantage that you become more aware of emotions and reactions, since you are focused on all kinds of (changing) feelings and not i.e. only the breath going in and out. You can get quite concentrated with it, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to stay with the sound as your object, you should notice the &quot;hearing&quot; and also your reaction to it (&quot;worry&quot;, &quot;dislike&quot; ...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T18:28:29.727" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15663" CreationDate="2016-06-27T18:53:15.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I do &lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;, I (almost) always start with noticing the sensations in my face, (fore-)head and my neck/shoulders/back and relax them. There is so much tension and emotional stress to find there, especially in the muscles around the eyes, the lips or teeth pressing together and the forehead. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my point of view there is much benefit from staying with those as long as they are a distraction to you (I sometimes meditate on them for 20min or longer and then continue with the breath):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First there is this whole 'baggage', which is a mix of tension, pain, dislike, more tension because of dislike, thinking, dislike of the dislike and so on.  But if you focus on the body sensations exclusively (without reacting!), you'll see that they are always changing, moving around, getting better or worse, not really a problem and at the same time cut off your reaction to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It makes no sense to force your attention to the breath, you can actually get much more concentrated by focusing on the distraction than always trying to force your attention on the breathing. After those sensations are not a problem anymore or they're gone, get to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T18:53:15.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15672" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-27T20:49:21.400" Score="4" ViewCount="1043" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt; is found an explanation of the terms  'kaya, vaci &amp;amp; citta sankhara' (which are terms also found in Anapanasati steps 4, 7 &amp;amp; 8 and in the 2nd nidana of Dependent Origination).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Thanissaro's translation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, lady, what are fabrications (sankhara)?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These three fabrications, friend Visakha: bodily fabrications (kaya sankhara), verbal fabrications (vaci sankhara) &amp;amp; mental&#xA;fabrications (citta sankhara).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But what are bodily fabrications? What are verbal&#xA;fabrications? What are mental fabrications?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In-&amp;amp;-out breaths are&#xA;bodily fabrications. Directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation are verbal&#xA;fabrications. Perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are mental fabrications.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But&#xA;why are in-&amp;amp;-out breaths bodily fabrications? Why are directed thought&#xA;&amp;amp; evaluation verbal fabrications? Why are perceptions &amp;amp; feelings&#xA;mental fabrications?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In-&amp;amp;-out breaths are bodily; these are things&#xA;tied up with the body. That's why in-&amp;amp;-out breaths are bodily&#xA;fabrications.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Having first directed one's thoughts and made an&#xA;evaluation, one then breaks out into speech. That's why directed&#xA;thought &amp;amp; evaluation are verbal fabrications.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Perceptions &amp;amp; feelings&#xA;are mental; these are things tied up with the mind. That's why&#xA;perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are mental fabrications.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The explanation about the 'vaci sankhara' (which is bolded) clearly states thought is the &lt;strong&gt;cause&lt;/strong&gt; of speech. If this is true, how can thought be the &amp;quot;verbal fabrication&amp;quot; when it is obvious that: (a) speech is the verbal fabrication and (b) thought is that which fabricates (or causes) the speech?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, in MN 10, contemplating the 'citta' means observing to see whether the citta ('the mind-heart') has greed or not, hatred or not, delusion or not, etc. Therefore, how can perception &amp;amp; feeling be the &amp;quot;mental (citta) fabrication&amp;quot; when many suttas state it is feelings &amp;amp; perceptions that are the &lt;strong&gt;cause&lt;/strong&gt; of mental states of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion (as shown below)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If, when touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes&#xA;it or remains fastened to it, then one's lust-obsession gets&#xA;obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves,&#xA;&amp;amp; laments, beats one's breast, becomes distraught, then one's&#xA;hatred-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of&#xA;neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it actually is&#xA;present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback or escape&#xA;from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession gets obsessed. MN&#xA;148&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the English language, the term &amp;quot;fabrication&amp;quot; refers to something that is 'fabricated' (such as a 'building'). Therefore, should not the translation here of 'sankhara' mean something that fabricates (such as a 'builder')?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2021-10-25T14:32:30.107" Title="How should the terms 'kaya, vaci &amp; citta sankhara' be translated?" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|anapanasati|satipatthana|sankhara|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15673" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15677" CreationDate="2016-06-27T20:54:49.300" Score="1" ViewCount="187" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've recently joined a meditation center that is very welcoming. I have went to a few meditation sessions, and so far I have felt focus on a deeper level. The community is small, though so they don't show many of the teachings. I'd like to read up on the core values of Buddhism, and furthermore, I'm looking for some good methods of finding out for myself what the values are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any personal stories, all are welcome, as they will be more than useful to me and others with the same question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T09:56:00.783" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T09:56:00.783" Title="Good method to start finding the core values of Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15673" CreationDate="2016-06-27T20:59:09.947" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The basic values of Buddhism are found in the Noble Eightfold Path, which can be read at this link: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More teachings about values, particular for lay people (non-monks), can be read in the following links:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: You should be very careful to not get into arguments at your meditation centre about Buddhist values (since many Buddhists are not learned about Buddhist values &amp;amp; want to learn their own values by meditating).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-27T21:04:39.287" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T21:04:39.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15672" CreationDate="2016-06-27T21:13:55.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fabricate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cambridge Dictionary, &quot;Fabricate&quot; means&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;to invent or produce something false in order to deceive someone.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not see anything wrong with the usage here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is the definition of Sankhara given by the Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/khandha/sn22-079.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kajjaniya Sutta SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kiñca, bhikkhave, saṅkhāre vadetha? 'Saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharontī·ti kho,&#xA;  bhikkhave, tasmā 'saṅkhārā·ti vuccati. Kiñca&#xA;  saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti? Rūpaṃ rūpattāya saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti,&#xA;  vedanaṃ vedanattāya saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti, saññaṃ saññattāya&#xA;  saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti, saṅkhāre saṅkhārattāya&#xA;  saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti, viññāṇaṃ viññāṇattāya&#xA;  saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharonti. 'Saṅkhatam-abhisaṅkharontī·ti kho,&#xA;  bhikkhave, tasmā 'saṅkhārā·ti vuccati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-06-27T21:13:55.773" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15673" CreationDate="2016-06-28T01:00:47.717" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good method to start finding the core values of Buddhism, @tuskiomi, is to start reading the Dhammapada (The Way of Truth). These are “Stanzas on Dhamma”, a popular collection of 432 pithy verses of a largely ethical nature. There is always a story behind every verse. The Dhammapada is very accessible, many copies of which are found for free distribution through temples and Buddhist societies, and also on the internet. In the Dhammapada you will see a lot of ‘shoulds’. But each should is based on a condition, “This is what should be done by one if one desires that.” So it is your choice to do it or not. But if that is what you want, this is what you’ve got to do. The nature of cause and effect is such that these are the practices you have to follow. I will give you a few examples that you will find in:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If when you see that there’s a greater happiness that comes from abandoning a lesser happiness, be willing to abandon that lesser happiness for the sake of the greater one.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“A hand without a wound can hold poison and not be harmed. In other words, if you don’t have any bad kamma, the results of bad kamma won’t come to you. But if you have a wound on your hand, then if you hold poison it will seep through the wound and kill you.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“All tremble at violence. Life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, One should neither kill nor cause another to kill.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who recognize their own mistakes and change their ways “illumine the world like the moon when freed from a cloud.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Better than a thousand meaningless statements Is one meaningful word Which, having been heard,&#xA;Brings peace.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T01:00:47.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15673" CreationDate="2016-06-28T03:56:24.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am going to recommend three of my favorite teachers and their most popular books. Keep in mind that each of these teachers comes from a different tradition but they are mostly in agreement as to the core values of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A Path With Heart&quot; by Jack Kornfield. He was one of the very first westerners to teach Dharma in the West beginning in the 1970s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching&quot; by Thich Nhat Hanh. A famous Vietnamese monk who can trace his lineage back to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Awakening the Buddha Wihin&quot; by Lama Surya Das. An American who studied for many years in Tibet and became a Tibetan Monk and is a very popular teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these books are accessible and you may be able to find them at a public library or certainly find use used versions for sale online.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8597" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T03:56:24.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15667" CreationDate="2016-06-28T04:13:20.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A common definition of Mindfulness is present-moment awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question here is the first task of higher priority then the second task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the first example, someone is eating mindfully and they hear a loud noise. Realizing that it is simply a car honking outside the person notes it and resumes their mindful meal. They do this without getting distracted, or getting upset about their peaceful meal being disrupted or going into other trains of thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the second example, someone is eating mindfully and they hear a loud noise. Realizing that it is a fire alarm the person realizes they need to stop eating and take the proper actions to respond to the new situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful should not decrease but increase situational awareness and wise action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8597" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T04:13:20.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15672" CreationDate="2016-06-28T06:25:53.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Middle_Length_Discourses%28Majjhima_Nikaya%29,Nanamoli,Bodhi,1995.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt; (Bhikkhu Nanamoli &amp;amp; Bodhi) on page 1242 (in the PDF) there are some explaining footnotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;465 MA: Dhammadinna anticipated Visakha's intention to ask about the formations that cease when one enters the attainment of cessation. Thus she explained the three formations in this way rather than as wholesome and unwholesome volitions of body, speech, and mind, the meaning relevant within the context of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;466 MA explains further that the bodily formation and the mental formation are said to be formations &amp;quot;bound up&amp;quot; with the body and the mind in the sense that they are formed by the body and by the mind, while the verbal formation is a formation in the sense that it forms speech. The verb form vitakketva vicaretva has been rendered in a way that maintains consistency with the rendering of the nouns vitakka and vicara as &amp;quot;applied thought&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;sus- tained thought.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T06:25:53.607" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15617" CreationDate="2016-06-28T07:05:25.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;you're best if you just leave things as are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;1st RULE: You &lt;b&gt;DO NOT&lt;/b&gt; talk about FIGHT CLUB.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you do not talk about &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/zen&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;zen&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;zen&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you do not talk about the water is wet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you just dive in..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8278" LastEditorUserId="8197" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T17:59:56.407" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T17:59:56.407" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15682" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15688" CreationDate="2016-06-28T12:43:06.740" Score="1" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;non-duality&quot; oft appears in Buddhist English language literature, both contemporary and in translation. e.g. it is sometimes claimed to be the cornerstone of Yogacara philosophy, and its assertion of &quot;mind only&quot;, that no part of us exists independently of consciousness, but nevertheless it does tend to have some existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously the term nirvana means buddhist liberation, that point at which the sage or saint (both words appear in the English language literature) has put out the suffering of samsaric existence, be that its elimination or a realisation that it is, in someway, already so extinct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mara is the personification of skillessness, a character that deceives e.g. the aspirant away from the holy life, and as such represents (in a sentient being) let's suppose something &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; the opposite of skillful means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought that nonduality &lt;em&gt;often&lt;/em&gt; (if not always) means that opposing terms (good and evil, or illusion and reality) depend upon each other, by convention at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, whether or not the last paragraph is correct, does the above not suggest that nirvana is mara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T16:06:35.653" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T17:56:56.573" Title="Why is nirvana not mara?" Tags="|nirvana|compassion|mara|layman|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15683" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-28T13:37:11.710" Score="2" ViewCount="2278" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understood it from the abhidharma, nama-rupa is just another way of looking at the five skandhas, a different scheme for the same thing, along with others (e.g. the dhatus).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, as far as I can tell, this is never quite explicitly stated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And are they identical ways of saying the same thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T14:20:08.810" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T03:11:38.090" Title="What is the difference between nama-rupa and the five skandhas?" Tags="|theravada|abhidhamma|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15617" CreationDate="2016-06-28T16:07:33.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anarchist, nonmaterialist themes do not make something Buddhist. Buddhism goes WAAAAAAAY deeper than that: &lt;strong&gt;actual immortality and freedom from suffering&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless &lt;strong&gt;The Wings of Awakening&lt;/strong&gt; are addressed in a movie, it is not a totally Buddhist movie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Needless to say, with these high standards, even most overtly labelled Buddhist movies are not truly Buddhist (leading to the actual practice of actual Buddhist Three Trainings--not just ethics) because they get caught up in the drama of family life, never touching on stream entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be cool to one day see some phantasmagorical movie that goes through The Stages of Insight, pitfalls and triumphs through samadhi, powers, and some visual representations of Enlightenment. I think &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cloud Atlas&lt;/a&gt; was the closest so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="8197" LastEditDate="2016-06-29T00:51:09.727" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T00:51:09.727" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15683" CreationDate="2016-06-28T16:09:12.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rupa&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Matter&lt;/em&gt; and consists of the combination of the four great elements of &lt;em&gt;solidity, fluidity, motion and heat&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It corresponds to The First Aggregate of Form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nama&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Mind&lt;/em&gt; consists of the combination of &lt;em&gt;sensations, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It corresponds to the rest of the Aggregates, i.e. the Aggregate of Feelings/Sensations, Perception, Mental Formations and Consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T16:09:12.563" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15682" CreationDate="2016-06-28T17:56:56.573" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are four terminological divisions of nirvana, and none of them is mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-duality does not mean “that opposing terms depend upon each other”. Rather, we posit three types of dualistic appearances :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;appearance of conventionalities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;appearance of true existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;appearance of the apprehended object and the apprehending consciousness as two different substances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A consciousness that is free from the three is said to be “free from dualistic appearances”. By extension, the person who is the object-possessor knowing “in a non-dualistic manner” is also said to be free from dualistic appearances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an example: Conventional truths do not appear in the perspective of the wisdom directly realizing emptiness. True existence does not appear to the superior's exalted wisdom directly realizing emptiness. There is no appearance of the object and the consciousness as being to different substantial entities to that consciousness. Because the wisdom directly realizing emptiness is free from the three types of dualistic appearances, we say that he who directly realizes emptiness does so “in a non-dualistic manner”. He is free from dualistic appearances (as long as he abides in meditative equipoise on emptiness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are right to oppose mara to skillful means. Maitreya/Asanga's Ornament of Clear Realization, says: “The first application in skillful means is called application in skilful means which is victorious over the four mara-demons”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are four maras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mara of the contaminated appropriated aggregates,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mara of the afflictions,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mara of the lord of death, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mara of the sons of gods. Only this last one is actually referring to a being—obstructing external forces creating obstacles to gaining the freedom of the first three maras. They are gods of the desire realm only—not of the form realm and formless realm. The god Garab Wangchub is posited as an example in the commentary.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-abiding nirvana is freedom from the four (and is the final true cessation), therefore it is not mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T17:56:56.573" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15683" CreationDate="2016-06-28T21:03:08.223" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nama-rupa &amp;amp; the five aggregates are taught for different purposes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates are objects of insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is&#xA;  perception, such its origination, such its passing away. Such are&#xA;  fabrications, such their origination, such their passing away. Such is&#xA;  consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.' ...AN 4.41&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nama-rupa is a condition in Dependent Origination, where it serves as the 'control centre' for meditation. Either nama-rupa is overcome by ignorance or nama-rupa is controlled to end ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body [rupa] erect and setting mindfulness [nama] to the fore....MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He lives with attention to body [rupa] established, with an immeasurable mind [nama]...MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nama-rupa is 'mentality-materiality' &amp;amp; excludes consciousness (although includes internal contact, which includes consciousness one of three constituents but predominantly the mind/&lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt; as a sense organ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)? Feeling, perception, volition, contact and attention — these are called mentality. The four great elements&#xA;  and the material form derived from the four great elements — these are&#xA;  called materiality.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness,&#xA;  tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.2 &amp;amp; MN 9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nama = mentality. It also includes another mental functions, such as mindfulness, zeal, energy, persistence, decision, etc (as listed in MN 111). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why consciousness is kept separate is because consciousness is mere sense awareness, like a mirror. It is essentially 'passive' in nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as 'nama' is like 'intelligence'. It is a grouping of those functions of mind that discern, develop wisdom &amp;amp; makes decisions. Otherwise, if nama does not develop wisdom, it is controlled by ignorance (&lt;em&gt;avicca paccaya...nama-rupa&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Nama-rupa' is used as a word-compound to show nama &amp;amp; rupa are inseparably interrelated. For example, when nama becomes agitated, rupa simultaneously becomes agitated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;His bodily disturbances &amp;amp; mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments &amp;amp; mental torments grow. His bodily distresses &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  stress.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;MN 149&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as consciousness is just awareness or objectivity. Consciousness does not produce suffering where as an ignorant 'nama' produces &amp;amp; is afflicted by suffering; which also afflicts the physical body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Nama-rupa' is also a pre-Buddhist-Brahmanistic term that the Buddha adopted, redefined &amp;amp; thus debunked. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmanism was concerned with 'creationism', of how the mind names forms. In Brahmanism, nama-rupa is 'name-form'. Where as the Buddha said 'nama-rupa' is 'mind-body' (mentality-materiality), which should be observed in meditation so to understand how suffering afflicts the mind-body &amp;amp; also can cease in the mind-body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; intellect, that I declare that there is the world/suffering, the&#xA;  origination of the world/suffering, the cessation of the&#xA;  world/suffering and the path of practice leading to the cessation of&#xA;  the world/suffering... AN 4.45&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many scriptures where the Buddha talks to Brahmans and the word 'nama-rupa' retains its Brahmanistic meaning as 'name-form'. This causes confusion to most Buddhists &amp;amp; scholars, who incorrectly translate nama-rupa as 'name-form' in all contexts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha teaches Buddhists, the translation is 'mentality-materiality'. When the Buddha teaches Brahmans, the translation is 'name-form'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The brahman Jata Bharadvaja went to the Blessed One and said: Gotama, I ask you this: who can untangle this tangle?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Where name-&amp;amp;-form,   along with perception   of impingement &amp;amp; form, totally stop without trace:  that's where the tangle         is cut.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When this was said, the brahman Jata Bharadvaja said to the Blessed One, &quot;Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 7.6&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-28T22:16:15.680" LastActivityDate="2016-06-28T22:16:15.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15672" CreationDate="2016-06-29T01:11:09.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sankhara is the intentional element in experience—whether physical, verbal, or mental. In Buddha’s teachings on sankhara, He defines fabrication (for want of a better word) as intentional acts. There is an element of intention in all our experiences. This volitional behaviour is internally generated. Without that intention we wouldn’t experience anything. Even if we are to sit still, there’s still the intention, and the intention itself is a doing. It’s a sankhara, a fabrication. It’s what we live with all the time. In fact, all of our experience is based on fabrication, (for want of a better word).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without the breath one cannot survive.  Breath is intrinsically connected with the body.  Thus the breath is kaya‐sankhara - the “physical putting‐together” – that puts life together in the body. The question that is asked is more on the other two - vaci‐sankhara  and citta sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before one speaks aloud, there is a ‘speaking’ or contemplation that takes place internally.  The first or initial contemplation of a thought is ‘vitakka’, then we ‘think through’ or further the internal ‘speaking’. We call it consideration, or ‘vicāra’. Thus the contemplation is considered to be the vitakka/vicara. Another name for it is vaci‐sankhara or verbal fabrication.  So the two basic verbal sankharas are directed thought and evaluation  - vitakka &amp;amp; vicara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third is mental formations (citta sankhara). These mental formations are two recognizable attributes – perception and feeling (sañña and vedana).  Mental formations always start with a feeling  as pleasant, unpleasant and neutral.  Then comes perception - the recognition of the object felt.  So mental fabrication, citta‐sankhara, covers feeling and perception.  feelings of pleasure, pain, of neither pleasure nor pain. And then perceptions are the labels the mind gives to things: “This is pleasant. This is painful. This is this and that is that.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha once mentioned five categories of people who make use of the discourses. Anyone who tries to intellectually grapple with what was said about Sankhara falls into the third of the five categories that the Buddha mentioned. It is the kind of person who philosophises about the discourses, trying all the time to satisfy his philosophical thirst. In his quest he forgets to make use of as mode or life. He is called 'Vitakka-bahulo' who is eager only to indulge in philosophical aspects of the Suttas (Discourses). We will get to know more on this subject only through practice – through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T01:11:09.233" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15683" CreationDate="2016-06-29T03:06:48.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To get to know “Nama-Rupa”, and the ‘five skandhas”  the following dialogues between King Milinda and Arahant Nagasena is helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, what is ‘rupa’ and what is ‘nama’? Why do they generate together?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear king, ‘Namarupa’  means mentality &amp;amp; materiality.   Mentality (mind &amp;amp; thoughts) is ‘nama’. Materiality (the four great elements ‘Patavi’, ‘Apo’, ‘Thejo’, ‘Vayo’ which are transitory and the material form derived from them) is ‘Rupa’. ‘Nama’ and ‘rupa’ are linked together like flowers and their scent. They are born together. This phenomenon has been there for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, what does conceive as the birth?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear King, ‘Namarupa’  (psychological elements of the human person &amp;amp; physical body / Mentality &amp;amp; materiality) conceive as the birth. The body &amp;amp; mind we have at present would never be reborn. Because of the results of good and bad deeds (Karma Vipaka) which we have done using our mind and body, another ‘Namarupa’  (psychological elements of the human person &amp;amp; physical body) is conceived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, is it the materiality or form (Rupa) which is Nagasena? Is it the feeling or sense (Vedana) (pleasure, pain or the absence of the either) which is Nagasena? Is it cognitive perception (Sanna) ( awareness of colour, shape, sound, smell, taste &amp;amp; touch) which is Nagasena? Is it volition or mental formation (Sankhara) (habitual actions like greed, hatred, generosity, kindness…etc) which is Nagasena? Is it consciousness (Vinnana) (all the mental faculties pertaining to perception &amp;amp; experience) which is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None dear king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, Then is it the five aggregates (Rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara,  vinnana) which is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No dear king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then, who is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear King, you came here by a chariot. Do you call the compartment the chariot? Or, do you call the roof the chariot? Is the cart wheel or the beam the chariot ? Is the axle the chariot ? Is the bridle the chariot ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No Venerable Sir.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear king, when the compartment, the roof, cart wheels, the beam, the axle and the bridle is combined, it is called the chariot. If it is dismantled and heaped, nobody would call it a chariot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when my hair, teeth, nail, skin, flesh &amp;amp; bones are together, it is called Nagasena. When the five aggregates are together, it is called Nagasena. But, in reality, there is no such person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our Great Buddha said thus to Bhikkuni Vajira : “In the manner, that a chariot is called a chariot when the cart wheels, compartment, axle, beam, etc. are combined; a being is called thus when the five aggregates (the Five Skandhas)are merged. ”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;King Milinda was very happy about the explanation and thanked Venerable Nagasena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T03:06:48.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15667" CreationDate="2016-06-29T04:01:35.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as in meditation, you can maintain a sense of mindfulness when you deal with other things. Just as the theme or nimitta of the meditation, or in other words the topic of your meditation – when you deal with other things, the ‘nimitta’ is your main object of focus. If hatred forms in a mind as a result of a cause, then that is Patigha nimitta (an objective to hate) which is your focus. When this focus is powerful, there is no room for a second different object of focus to get in the way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The appearing of a nimitta is a sign of concentration. When you develop an ‘anapanasati  nimitta’, and practice it further, then you need a good knowledge of teachings (suttas) for you to overcome obstacles that you face. If your focus is not strong,  a meditator will face distractions in the form of colours – bright or subdued- of white, red, yellow, orange, blue, etc. and get trapped in them.  In normal life too it is the same thing. One quality that’s always appropriate in establishing mindfulness is being watchful or alert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word for alertness is sampajañña. It doesn’t mean being choicelessly aware of the present, or comprehending the present. Sampajañña means being aware of what you’re doing in the movements of the body, the movements in the mind. This is why mindfulness and alertness should always be paired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T04:01:35.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15666" CreationDate="2016-06-29T04:14:56.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buzzing humming sound can be that of breath energy. But if you practice according to the teachings of the Buddha, you will never face any problems.  The ‘Ehipassika’ Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha is open and transparent. So any issues that can arise can be openly discussed. An answer is always there in the scriptures.  For example... Abhibhayathana from Anguttara Nikaya 5 tells you how to overcome a type of obstacle a meditator faces in the form of colours – bright or subdued- of white, red, yellow, orange, blue, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a beginner, the maithri bhavana (loving kindness meditation) is the most important. It is not easy for everyone to properly do Anapanasati. So they have to first practice Asubha Bhavana and Dhathu/indriya Bhavana. You should not mix one meditation with another. You should get out of one type of meditation to get into another. Anytime when there is wandering thought, the concentration is not there. The appearing of a nimitta is a sign of concentration. When you develop an anapanasati nimitta, and practice it further, then you need a good knowledge of teachings (suttas) for you to overcome obstacles that you face. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T04:14:56.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15695" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-29T09:42:46.010" Score="1" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel a little stressed out when I move my attention through the body to observe the sensations. I am able to meditate far better if I focus on the entire body as a whole and feel sensations wherever they come up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this acceptable in the S. N. Goenka Vipassana technique or is it important that a mediator scan the body part by part?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4830" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T21:23:57.953" Title="Body scanning feels a little stressful" Tags="|vipassana|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2016-06-29T12:39:47.860" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its likely and its likely India was familiar with contemporary judaism due to Abraham's sons settling in the area and the later dispersion of the lost tribes, they had to go somewhere?&#xA;Buddha was a truth seeker and a reformer and disturbed by the suffering of people in his kingdom, he forsook all and set out to find answers&#xA;Israel was well known as news of the exodus spread wide and all the wilderness happenings, then the news of Babylonian captivity Nebuchadnezzar the statue, then the lions den, at that time many would have made the pilgrimage seeking truth ans wisdom, eg, Queen Sheba sought Solomans wisdom.&#xA;He forsook the ascetics of his land in search of truth and definitely Jerusalem would have attracted his enquirey like a magnet attracts steel&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8601" LastEditorUserId="8601" LastEditDate="2016-06-30T08:06:19.963" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T08:06:19.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7157" CreationDate="2016-06-29T13:52:55.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Supplication &lt;em&gt;does&lt;/em&gt; appear in Buddhism, even though there &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; less emphasis on it than in Christian teachings: Buddhists are less likely to e.g. put their successes down to being blessed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just an example quote form scholarly research:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the general teachings [rather than Vajrayana] of Buddhism only the fully awakened&#xA;  one, the Buddha, can be the object of supplication, veneration and&#xA;  devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T13:52:55.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15695" CreationDate="2016-06-29T18:25:57.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't speak for the method taught by S. N. Goenka, I only know the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPAJkaY2l0w&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;part by part sweeping method&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (link to a detailed talk by Ayya Khema about the benefits of it), but I guess you do the same thing. As for this method it is quite usual to get stressed or tensed, because you have to be much more focused on the experience you may or may not find at the current spot you're keeping your attention on.&#xA; Ayya Khema said it would be a very good sign if you get a feeling of nausea coming up when practicing it for the first time. In another context I heard a different teacher saying that it's like after cleaning your clothes your washbasin is full of dirt (because it was on your clothes). It may be similar with this technique since you have to notice all kinds of feelings or emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She also mentioned that if you really don't like to practice this certain method, you'll benefit the most from doing it :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T18:25:57.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15700" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-29T19:31:11.783" Score="15" ViewCount="1735" Body="&lt;p&gt;I work in a highly competitive market, and often people around me only talk about money or finances or the global economy day in and day out. A few of my friends/interns were attracted to Buddhism after I told them about meditation recently. Some of them became lay practitioners, but are now questioning what seems to be a contradictory lifestyle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, is having a goal of seeking financial success and money considered an attachment to the world? Is this contradictory to the Buddhist path of humility? Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T18:49:31.313" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T11:28:18.987" Title="Is it okay to seek financial gains as a layman?" Tags="|attachment|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15700" CreationDate="2016-06-29T20:41:27.523" Score="17" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the popular belief, Buddhist way of life does not start with the eradication of attachment.Detached nature is a quality of final realization but definitely not the main part of the process. The noble eight fold path starts with right-view(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot;&gt;Samma Ditti&lt;/a&gt;). If the path is correctly followed, the final destination will be free of suffering which is caused by attachment. Worldly beings are attached to the sensual world due to a false view(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja.html&quot;&gt;ignorance&lt;/a&gt;). Therefore, it is important to clear the vision first rather than removing attachment. Because it would be something forceful and artificial which leads to more problems.&#xA;This is clearly evident in Buddha's main lay disciples such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel334.html&quot;&gt;Anatapindika&lt;/a&gt;, Vishakha or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/bimbisara.htm&quot;&gt;King Bimbisara&lt;/a&gt; who were successful in worldly life as well as supra-mundane life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, aspiring financial success is not against the path as long as you are doing it in a right way(Samma Ajiva) and your main goal in life is the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-06-30T13:33:30.990" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T13:33:30.990" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15700" CreationDate="2016-06-29T20:55:27.573" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;Original Pali Buddhism makes a clear distinction between the monks &amp;amp; the lay followers. If you are a lay person, generally you must  earn a living or wealth, i.e., 'money'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha praised laypeople who were skilled at making money in a harmless enough manner, particularly when they were not attached to &amp;amp; shared their wealth (SN 42.12).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There, Gāmaṇi, the one partaking sensuality amassing wealth by&#xA;  righteous means and non forceful means, who with that wealth pleases&#xA;  himself, shares with others and does merit, not greedy, not infatuated&#xA;  and innocent about that wealth he partakes in it seeing the danger and&#xA;  wise about the escape from it. Gāmaṇi, this one partaking sensuality&#xA;  is praised for these four counts. What four? Amasses wealth&#xA;  righteously and non-forcefully this is the first praise. He pleases&#xA;  himself this is the second praise. He shares and does merit, this is&#xA;  the third praise. He is not greedy, not infatuated, innocent about&#xA;  that wealth and partakes it seeing the danger and wise about the&#xA;  escape from it. This is the fourth praise&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta4/41-Gamini-Samyutta/01-Gamanivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rāsiyo Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, Buddhism does not extol poverty &amp;amp; recognises Livelihood as a requisite of life (rather than as an attachment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if money is used for engaging in unwholesome types of sensual pleasures &amp;amp; vain luxury, which lead to strong addictions &amp;amp; egoism, this is contrary to the Buddhist way of life (since addictions &amp;amp; egoism generate suffering). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some more quotes below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation...This is the way leading&#xA;  to poverty...MN 135&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these four kinds of bliss that can be attained in the proper&#xA;  season, on the proper occasions, by a householder partaking of&#xA;  sensuality. Which four? The bliss of having, the bliss of [making use&#xA;  of] wealth, the bliss of debtlessness, the bliss of blamelessness. AN&#xA;  4.62&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The wise and virtuous shine like a blazing fire. He who acquires his&#xA;  wealth in harmless ways like to a bee that honey gathers,  riches&#xA;  mount up for him like ant hill's rapid growth&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With wealth acquired this way, a layman fit for household life, in&#xA;  portions four divides his wealth: thus will he friendship win.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One portion for his wants he uses,  two portions on his business&#xA;  spends, the fourth for times of need he keeps.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T11:28:18.987" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T11:28:18.987" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15700" CreationDate="2016-06-29T21:09:26.227" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nope: with lots of money (or lots of anything valuable), you can influence/help people and have time to cultivate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thus, the Buddha would encourage making money--but not at the behest of ignoring the rest of the Eightfold Path!&lt;/strong&gt; My teacher always said that the people with high cultivation in this day will strangely enough be the ones successful in business because they will have the right conditions to practice and share Dharma--while the others will not, minds plagued with &lt;strong&gt;un-managed&lt;/strong&gt; concerns, need, greed, and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot;&gt;Wikipedia entry for &lt;strong&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right livelihood? Right livelihood, I tell you, is of two&#xA;  sorts: There is right livelihood with effluents, siding with merit,&#xA;  resulting in acquisitions; there is right livelihood that is noble,&#xA;  without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the right livelihood with effluents, siding with merit,&#xA;  resulting in acquisitions? There is the case where a disciple of the&#xA;  noble ones abandons wrong livelihood and maintains his life with right&#xA;  livelihood. This is the right livelihood with effluents, siding with&#xA;  merit, resulting in acquisitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the right livelihood that is noble, without effluents,&#xA;  transcendent, a factor of the path? &lt;strong&gt;The abstaining, desisting,&#xA;  abstinence, avoidance of wrong livelihood in one developing the noble&#xA;  path&lt;/strong&gt; whose mind is noble, whose mind is without effluents, who is&#xA;  fully possessed of the noble path. (...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The early canonical texts state right livelihood as avoiding and&#xA;  abstaining from wrong livelihood. This virtue is further explained in&#xA;  Buddhist texts, states Vetter, as &quot;living from begging, but not&#xA;  accepting everything and not possessing more than is strictly&#xA;  necessary&quot;.[57] For lay Buddhists, states Harvey, this &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;precept&#xA;  requires that the livelihood avoid causing suffering to sentient&#xA;  beings by cheating them, or harming or killing them in any way&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.[28]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;TLDR:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scripture says at the minimum &lt;strong&gt;so long as you're not taking advantage of people or harming them it is OK.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can't make an ostensible positive impact through your line of work then use the loads of cash that you are making to help others become more at peace and free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-29T21:28:29.763" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T21:28:29.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15695" CreationDate="2016-06-29T21:18:42.880" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't speak for the method taught by S. N. Goenka but practise must always be balanced. It is not skilful to suppress or push down the mind (into the body) in such as way that suppresses or traps stress within the body (rather than allows stress to break up &amp;amp; rise up out of the body). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To release stress out of the body requires some degree of 'openness' of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focusing on the entire body as a whole sounds more closely aligned to the Buddha's teachings about letting go. As long as the mind is alert &amp;amp; quiet (i.e., not too lax in terms of letting distractions arise), focusing on the entire body as a whole is good method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is a famous scripture about too much &amp;amp; too little effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack&#xA;  persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right&#xA;  pitch for your persistence, attune the pitch of the [five] faculties&#xA;  [to that], and there pick up your theme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sona&#xA;   Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-29T21:23:57.953" LastActivityDate="2016-06-29T21:23:57.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15683" CreationDate="2016-06-30T01:48:26.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different time period. Namarupa is more Theravadin and Five Skandha is a much precise, evolved system that isn't really deeply spoken of until Surangama Sutra--a Mahayana invention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And are they identical ways of saying the same thing?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Not identical but very close.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa#Psychobio_constituents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia entry&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what [monks] is name-&amp;amp;-form? &lt;strong&gt;Feeling, perception, intention,&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;contact, &amp;amp; attention&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;strong&gt;This is called name&lt;/strong&gt;. The four great elements,&#xA;  and &lt;strong&gt;the form dependent on the four great elements: This is called&#xA;  form.&lt;/strong&gt; This name &amp;amp; this form are, [monks], called name-&amp;amp;-form.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Katamañca bhikkhave nāmarūpaṃ? Vedanā saññā cetanā phasso manasikāro,&#xA;  idaṃ vuccati nāmaṃ. Cattāro ca mahābhūtā, catunnaṃ ca mahābhūtānaṃ&#xA;  upādāyarūpaṃ, idaṃ vuccati rūpaṃ. Iti idañca nāmaṃ, idañca rūpaṃ, idaṃ&#xA;  vuccati bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With no argument from anyone, we can say from the above that form skandha = rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rupa = form skandha CHECK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, we are left with four skandhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;namas = feeling, perception, intention, contact, attention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's match them to the remaining skandhas based on the passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;**feeling/**sensation skandha CHECK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;**perception/**conception skandha CHECK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;intention, contact, attention&lt;/strong&gt; / part of the Ten Omnipresent Factors within the volition skandha.... CHECK&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;consciousness skandha?? 7th and 8th level of consciousness?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In conclusion namarupa can be generously rounded off to include 4.5 of the Five Skandhas as it seems to be missing much of the other delineations contained within the great volition skandha and the great consciousness skandha.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Elsewhere in the Pali Canon, nāmarūpa is used synonymously with the&#xA;  five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once again, I argue against this, since the 7th and 8th level of consciousness do not correlate entirely to &quot;intention&quot;... we cannot say that namarupa is a precise enough (or even late enough) to include these other layers which are actually worked on at the highest stages towards Complete Buddhahood and are described more in the Mahayana than in Theravada!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-06-30T03:11:38.090" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T03:11:38.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15706" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-06-30T03:24:45.590" Score="1" ViewCount="823" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term 'kaya-sankhara' is defined in MN 44 as the 'in &amp;amp; out breathing'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same term is found in step 4 of Anapanasati &amp;amp; in the 2nd nidana of Paticcasamuppada, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming kāyasaṅkhāraṃ. 'He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming kāyasaṅkhāraṃ.'&#xA;  Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what are saṅkhārā? These three are saṅkhārā: kāyasaṅkhāro, vacī (verbal) saṅkhāro, citta (mind) saṅkhāro. These are called saṅkhārā.&#xA;  Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does 'kaya-sankhara' have the same meaning in both contexts, i.e.,  in &amp;amp; out breathing?  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If not, is there another alternative definition apart from in MN 44? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If not, is it possible for both contexts to have the same meaning? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-06-30T03:31:13.917" LastActivityDate="2018-07-01T13:25:11.960" Title="'Kaya-sankhara' in Anapanasati &amp; Paticcasamuppada? Are they related?" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2016-06-30T10:39:46.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer is to your Question is &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T10:39:46.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15700" CreationDate="2016-06-30T10:40:11.623" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; as summary of practical morality for lay people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consider all the various types of people around you in society (the &quot;six directions&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't harm people around you, instead protect and make peace with them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't squander wealth, but spend it and save it for the various purposes for which it should be spent and saved&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have good-hearted friends, rather than enemies disguised as friends&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also recommend a book, &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/em&gt; by Bikkhu Basnagoda Rahula. It's a selection or anthology of suttas from the Pali canon, divided into various chapters by topic (preview the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/sites/default/files/preview/Buddhas-Teachings-on-Prosperity-Preview.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;table of contents here&lt;/a&gt;). Many or even most of the suttas in the whole canon are for monks, so I found that this book (which selects those intended for lay people) gave quite a different impression of what lay life is supposed to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;, says that &quot;the Buddha's six-stage gradual training&quot; begins with Generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more about Buddhist lay morality, consider the Five (or Eight or more) Precepts (including &quot;don't steal&quot; or &quot;take what's not given&quot;, and &quot;don't lie&quot;), and the three factors (right speech, action, and livehood) from the &quot;Virtue&quot; division of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The advice for &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is more detailed than the advice for a lay-person's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt;. If you're in a &quot;very competitive&quot; environment there may be a risk that people around you speak in harsh or cruel ways: maybe that (right speech versus wrong speech) is something to beware of more than simply earning a livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various types of wrong livelihood listed, and we're told to give up or renounce &quot;false (or wrong) livelihood&quot; which presumably includes lying and deception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In short, is having a goal of seeking financial success and money considered an attachment to the world?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think so, yes, but it isn't everyone who wants to be or who can be a monk (monks have no livelihood at all as such, and live via the generosity of laypeople).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, Buddhism (especially later Buddhism e.g. Mahayana rather than Theravada) has doctrine that includes &quot;skillful means&quot;. Many non-Buddhist cultures think you're clever if you're rich but not attached to wealth. I can't confirm from my own experience whether that's possible in practice, though there are examples in the literature of rich people being generous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your intention matters. If you're earning money to spend on showing off, to increase your pride, to spend on &quot;recreational&quot; drugs, etc., maybe that's not wise. If you're earning money to help other people or to repay your debts to society then maybe that's not unwise (and even if it may be attachment, isn't the same especially unskillful kind of attachment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen story &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/37publishingthesutras.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Publishing the Sutras&lt;/a&gt; seems to me an example of non-attachment within attachment: attachment (or dedication) to collecting money with a specific end in mind, and non-attachment in being able to renounce or change that goal if circumstances change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's presumably easy, though, to spend your life on the accumulation of money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are incidentally different schools or sects of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the newer ones is Soka Gakkai International (SGI) -- I know next to nothing about them but perhaps they're quite keen on prosperity. I am probably misrepresenting them (you should find out for yourself, if you're interested) but I provisionally categorize it as a Buddhist version of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Prosperity theology&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T10:40:11.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5892" CreationDate="2016-06-30T12:20:28.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is considers that &quot;sunaparantha&quot; is somewere in midlle east. following quats from pali thipitaka,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saṃyutta Nikāya 35 -Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Bases - 88. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.88&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Puṇṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now that you have received this brief exhortation from me, Puṇṇa, in&#xA;  which country will you dwell?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There is, venerable sir, a country named Sunaparanta. I will dwell&#xA;  there.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/145-punnovada-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;punnovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Punna, I have advised you in short. Now in which state will you&#xA;  abide?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Venerable sir, now that I'm advised in short, I will abide in the&#xA;  Sunaparanta state.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2016-06-30T12:29:08.427" LastActivityDate="2016-06-30T12:29:08.427" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14632" CreationDate="2016-07-01T00:20:26.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hmmm... I would say, the ability to believe in something is a function of dhyana. The power of belief is the power of mindfulness matured to the power of visualization/concentration (samadhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceptualization (in context of Buddhism) is confusing abstractions/projections for reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you think your abstraction/projection is reality you are a victim of your mind, you are not master of your mind. When you actively use your mindfulness/concentration to control your belief you are the master of your mind. That's the difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T00:20:26.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15444" CreationDate="2016-07-01T04:49:31.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you give a glass of coca cola to a person because he looked thirsty and its good karma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you give a glass of coca cola to a person with the intention of&#xA;increasing his/her sugar level in order to fall sick, then it is bad&#xA;karma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the actions come from an intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were walking listening to music and looking around and you happen to step on a cockroach, then its not bad karma for you, because you never knew a cockroach would be there nor you saw it before you took that footstep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you were walking in the path knowing there are cockroaches and there is a chance that you step on one but still you continue to walk carelessly and suddenly you step on a cockroach, then it is bad karma. This is because it is ignorance. True that you did not meant to step on one, yet you stepped. You walked carelessly knowing there is a chance that another living being could be harmed if you are not careful. But you continued to do so anyway and it harmed a living being. That is a sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T04:49:31.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15718" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-01T06:18:48.260" Score="1" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;When i am meditating, my breath which was normal(means three seconds longer both in and out), is becoming one second long or only half second long(extremely short in length).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to manage if breath becomes so short in length, am i going in right manner of meditation ?.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;note:&lt;/strong&gt; could any body say if i am going or doing meditation in intended manner.. or is there anything i could do to improve my situation or psychological state &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8411" LastEditorUserId="8411" LastEditDate="2016-07-01T09:06:39.673" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T19:02:32.503" Title="Doubt while Meditating regarding Breath" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-01T07:36:18.017" Score="7" ViewCount="567" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to Buddhism and I had just started to put some of the teachings into practice. But I'm having great difficulty dealing with my anger. I have always been rather intense in my emotions. I get angered quite easily. I've done some reading and I'm still stuck. I need some help on the way forward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the readings I've done, I was told to practice forbearance, which is something I'm actually quite used to doing. But the things is, instead of expressing it, the anger is seething inside of me, and I would be passive aggressive, which is also wrong. From doing this, I would get a headache and waste a great portion of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, I've read that I should practice metta towards my anger, accepting it with equanimity. So, this morning when I was angry, I tried but failed. I would tell myself that being angry is normal, but the anger still remained in me for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, actually, I'm rather confused with this acceptance of anger. How does it help in any way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8613" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-01T10:44:11.770" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T10:44:11.770" Title="Is it helpful, how is it possible, to deal with anger by 'accepting' it with equanimity?" Tags="|theravada|anger|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15718" CreationDate="2016-07-01T08:30:50.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meditation taught in the old scriptures includes being aware of both long &amp;amp; short breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long breathing is calming &amp;amp; soothing, which is why it feels preferable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Short breathing can be a sign of stored tension coming to the surface of awareness; therefore short breathing can feel uncomfortable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it is sometimes important to allow tensions to rise up so they can dissolve. This requires &lt;strong&gt;patience &amp;amp; forbearance&lt;/strong&gt;. Once tensions &amp;amp; short breathing resolve, the breathing will naturally become long again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If short breathing becomes too uncomfortable, you can deliberately take some deliberate long breaths to slow down &amp;amp; calm your body &amp;amp; mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The old scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk...sits down...holding his body erect...setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes&#xA;  in; mindful he breathes out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.'&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-01T09:00:19.763" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T09:00:19.763" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15719" CreationDate="2016-07-01T08:42:01.923" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are many methods to deal with anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method of &lt;strong&gt;accepting anger&lt;/strong&gt; is a method of 'non-conflict'. By fully acknowledging &amp;amp; accepting anger in an open way, you can develop some objectivity towards &amp;amp; independence from the anger (in that it will not control your behaviour) and, importantly, give anger the space to subside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method I personally prefer &amp;amp; the method most used by the Buddha before his enlightenment was to &lt;strong&gt;wisely reflect&lt;/strong&gt; (think about) the harm &amp;amp; dangers of anger; in how anger can harm yourself &amp;amp; harm others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are often habitually &amp;amp; uncontrollably angry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) You feel bad about yourself (afterwards).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) You become tense &amp;amp; can harm the health of your body &amp;amp; mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) People may dislike, fear or avoid you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) Important relationships can be harmed, broken &amp;amp; lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) You can lose your job (employment) &amp;amp; develop a bad reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I abided...a thought of ill will (anger) arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of anger has arisen in me. This leads to my own&#xA;affliction (harm), to others’ affliction and to the affliction of&#xA;both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties (vexation) and leads&#xA;away from peace.‘ When I considered thus…it subsided in me. Whenever a&#xA;thought of anger arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away&#xA;with it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, when the crops thicken, a cowherd would guard his cows by constantly&#xA;tapping and poking them on this side and that with a stick to check&#xA;and curb them. Why is that? Because he sees that he could be flogged,&#xA;imprisoned, fined or blamed if he let them stray into the crops. So&#xA;too I saw in unwholesome states danger, degradation and defilement...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Two Kinds of Thought&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you use the &lt;strong&gt;wise reflection&lt;/strong&gt; method, it is important to focus on the anger rather than on 'yourself'. You must think: &amp;quot;This anger is harmful&amp;quot; (rather than &amp;quot;I am harmful&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach the 'self' or 'I' is the ultimate cause of problems &amp;amp; suffering. The Buddha taught 'ignorance' or 'not-knowing' is the ultimate cause of problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, we think/reflect: &amp;quot;Anger is bad &amp;amp; harmful&amp;quot; (and not &amp;quot;I am bad &amp;amp; harmful&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T08:57:59.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15176" CreationDate="2016-07-01T11:31:00.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha himself said that karma is like a ripple effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's assume you killed the person A by firing a bullet through the forehead. So in direct terms, you should also be fired a bullet through your head. But it may and may not happen. Let me tell you why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when you killed that person A. There is a chance that you caused these effects on him : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caused him physical pain before death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caused his family immense pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caused his friends pain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you have caused person A's family a lot of heart breaks. Imagine, because of that person A's death, his spouse and children have no way of earning money and gets mentally weakened. The children do not get proper education nor the guidance. So the children end up drug addicts. Now the children are addicted to drugs and they grow up and commit murders to find money for drugs. Person A's parents die in terrible sadness and shock because of their sons murder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the Karma is like the ripple effect, it follows a lot of things. Hence you ignored the consequences of your actions to the people around and you just shot person A in cold blood. Now the sins you pay will be determined by these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you intended to kill person A &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you knew the person A had living parents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you knew the person A had a spouse and had children&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If all of the above is positive and committed the murder with the&#xA;intention of hurting the entire family, then you have committed a&#xA;massive sin and you will pay for it for a very longtime in hell.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you only wanted to kill him out of anger but did not know he had&#xA;living parents or family. The effect will most likely be&#xA;less than the previous one but still you will pay for a very&#xA;longtime in hell.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you didn't mean to kill him and it was totally some sort of an accident then probably there won't be any bad karma on you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the first two situations, the way you will pay for these may and may not happen like an mirror image of what you did. Mostly likely it won't. Because that is not the only Karma you have with you. You have previous good karma and bad karma. So the good and the bad karma will determine how you pay for each one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T11:31:00.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12321" CreationDate="2016-07-01T11:42:27.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignoring cultural beliefs and traditions and thinking in terms of pure Buddhism, it can be a sin and at the same time can not be a sin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Polyamory is not a sin if both your partners knows what is exactly happening and both of them know that you are in a polyamory. Hence if either of the partners do not like it, they have a choice to leave. You have been honest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mention to both of your partners that you are monogamous yet you continue the polygamous relationship, then you are deceiving both of your partners ( because each of them thinks they are the only one you have). This is a sin. Assuming one day both of them find out that you did, then you have caused pain and anger to both of your partners, that is also a sin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take a look at the 5 precepts: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;harming living things.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;taking what is not given.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sexual misconduct.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;lying or gossip.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;taking intoxicating substances eg drugs or drink.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;third precept&lt;/strong&gt; says to refrain from sexual misconduct. So assuming your partners are aware of the polygamous nature in your relationship but if one or all of them happened to be spouses of another individual (or happened to be in a relationship), then you are violating the 3rd of the 5 precepts as you have caused adultery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would immediately ask me why? Well it is because, although you wont hurt your partners, the other partners of your partners does not know it. They are deceived. Therefore that is a sin. It is true that your partners made that choice of getting into the polygamous relationship with you ignoring their spouses or boyfriend/girlfriend. In this scenario, your partners will commit a sin for deceiving their spouse or the person with the relationship, and you will face the karma of committing adultery because you knew they were married/engaged/in a relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T11:42:27.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15176" CreationDate="2016-07-01T18:40:56.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to ask the rebuttal question to this? Are we afraid of the consequence of our actions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes karma will deal with us and the future. Possibly. But yes we will never know what exactly we have done and to what consequence. Because we have not reached that level of perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we do much Sadhana, we may reach that level, but then again I am nobody to ask you to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, let's try to be aware of every moment, mindful, and let's face what the future has for us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T18:40:56.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15725" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-01T19:29:14.740" Score="2" ViewCount="2214" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sallatha Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; (SN 36.6)&lt;/a&gt; in the Pali Canon is well-known in the Theravada and MBI (mindfulness-based-intervention -- MBSR, MBCT, etc) worlds for the &lt;strong&gt;two-arrows paradigm&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first arrow is a physical pain (or in modern readings, also primary emotional pain such as loss of a loved one). The second arrow, which ones shoots at oneself, is the emotional reaction to the first-arrow pain. The first arrow is inevitable -- it's part of being in samsara; the second arrow is not inevitable and is preventable dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's sometimes expressed in the aphorism -- pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question -- is this paradigm, aphorism or sutta discussed anywhere in the Mahayana?&lt;/strong&gt; I cannot find it in the Gelug Lam Rim (via &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861711262&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pabonka&lt;/a&gt;), but maybe it's elsewhere, or subsumed under something else? But perhaps this sutta is not included in the Tibetan canon (the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangyur&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kangyur&lt;/a&gt;) at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is the two-arrow (dart) excerpt, Bikkhu Bodhi's translation. (But you might want to read the whole sutta; even though it is fairly short, there is a lot more to it than what's covered by most contemporary teachers and commentators.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, when the uninstructed worldling is being contacted by a&#xA;  painful feeling, he sorrows, grieves, and laments; he weeps beating&#xA;  his breast and becomes distraught. He feels two feelings a bodily one&#xA;  and a mental one. Suppose they were to strike a man with a dart, and&#xA;  then they would strike him immediately afterwards with a second&#xA;  dart,so that the man would feel a feeling caused by two darts. So&#xA;  too, when the uninstructed worldling is being contacted by a painful&#xA;  feeling ... he feels two feelings—a bodily one and a mental one.&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Bhikkhus, when the instructed noble disciple is contacted by a painful feeling, he does not sorrow, grieve, or lament; he does not&#xA;  weep beating his breast and become distraught. He feels one feeling&#xA;  a bodily one, not a mental one. Suppose they were to strike a man with&#xA;  a dart, but they would not strike him imme­diately afterwards with a&#xA;  second dart, so that the man would feel a feeling caused by one dart&#xA;  only. So too, when the instructed noble disciple is contacted by a&#xA;  painful feeling ... he feels one feeling—a bodily one, not a mental&#xA;  one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks! --David&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1046" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2016-07-02T17:08:09.600" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T12:11:41.083" Title="Two-arrows paradigm (Sallatha Sutta) -- in the Mahayana?" Tags="|pali-canon|mahayana|sutras|suffering|dukkha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15718" CreationDate="2016-07-01T20:57:09.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let go of control and any expectation of how it should be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have a misunderstanding that the breath should be like X and this is subconsciously making you go in circles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just watch it being however it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Totally be OK with how it is. No where in anapanasati does it say to force it to be in some way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any situation, life or death, it is important that you are treating reality with loving kindness/acceptance and wisdom (all of which lead to each other). In this case, it means accepting your breathing for how it is (it will change on its own according to your mental achievement).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**Focus on a calm steady mind by perfecting the Five Faculties. Breathe effortlessly, letting your breath go through its shifts. It will be long on its own. **&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-07-04T19:02:32.503" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T19:02:32.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15444" CreationDate="2016-07-01T21:10:41.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generating intention before doing good will reduce the karmic reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generating regret after doing bad will reduce the karmic punishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For deeper explanation see the chapter on the 6 Root Afflictions about Doubt in the book &quot;How to Measure and Deepen your Spiritual Realization&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-01T21:10:41.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15729" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15733" CreationDate="2016-07-02T10:34:31.987" Score="2" ViewCount="168" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the existence of dukkha a conventional or ultimate truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am confused, because on the one hand, it is usually mentioned together with two other marks of existence, which clearly look like the ultimate truth: &quot;self&quot; is conventional, and ultimately there is no self, and permanence of phenomena is conventional too, and ultimately everything is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, dukkha looks like something conventional: suffering, or lack of satisfaction, depends only on the existence of the sufferer, and ultimately, there is no sufferer, there are only empty aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, if I were the last sentient being to become enlightened, there would still be no self, and phenomena would still be impermanent. But there would be no suffering. I don't know how to wrap my mind around this asymmetry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T01:33:03.233" Title="Is dukkha conventional or ultimate? Is it different from the other two marks of existence?" Tags="|four-noble-truths|dukkha|truth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15730" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15763" CreationDate="2016-07-02T12:45:39.260" Score="1" ViewCount="244" Body="&lt;p&gt;Besides right livelihood described by Buddha, we also have to avoid action that is harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people claim that the long-term side effects associated with various modern products are unknown, or unpredictable at best: including products such as GM foods, EM radiation from cell phones and power transmission lines, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you worked in an industry which makes or sells products like these, would you consider this as right livelihood or not? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that since this is not a science forum, I don't want to discuss whether these examples (GM foods or EM radiation) are actually harmful, these are just examples of a more general question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would love to hear your thoughts about how to consider the question from the perspective or right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5315" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T09:38:24.083" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T03:29:50.373" Title="Right livelihood with modern (potentially dangerous) products" Tags="|theravada|modern-world|right-livelihood|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15731" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-02T13:56:53.360" Score="1" ViewCount="113" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read about Buddhism where I came to know, we learn to see everything from bare prospect and don't judge anything. And a random thing came to my mind: I even read that pain is seen as pain and nothing more, no bad or good feeling towards pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So suppose a Monk happens to see a pin in his path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Will he step on it and accept pain, and think of pain as pain and detach from its feeling?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or, would he judge the pin which will cause pain and move away?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moving away shows that he knows its bad to step on the pin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was just a question which came to my mind. I don't mean any offence, literally I have no idea of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8252" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-02T14:16:00.963" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T06:58:35.333" Title="If a monk sees a pin in his path, will he step on it and accept pain?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15729" CreationDate="2016-07-02T14:22:32.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Dharma Seals&lt;/a&gt;, some schools of Buddhism teach &quot;Three Dharma Seals&quot; as including Nirvana but excluding Dukkha (for example Google finds &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/G%20-%20TNH/TNH/The%20Three%20Dharma%20Seals/The%20Three%20Dharma%20Seals.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Three Dharma Seals by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;) because &quot;suffering is not an inherent aspect of existence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-02T14:22:32.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15729" CreationDate="2016-07-02T14:38:21.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no asymmetry because the word 'dukkha' in the context of the Three Characteristics (tri-lakkhana) does not mean 'suffering'; just as the word 'dukkha' in the context of feelings (vedana) does not mean 'suffering'. 'Dukkha' only means 'suffering' in the context of the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Dukkha' in the context of the Three Characteristics means '&lt;strong&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/strong&gt;'; namely, the inability of impermanent (conditioned) things to bring permanent lasting true happiness. (Only the unconditioned Nibbana can bring true lasting happiness). Thus, the teachings state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhaṃ, yaṃ dukkhaṃ tadanattā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That which is impermanent is unsatisfactory; that which is unsatisfactory is&#xA;  not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 22.15&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali, many words, such as 'dukkha', 'dhamma', 'nirodha' &amp;amp; 'sankhara' have different meanings in different contexts thus, in each different context, must be translated differently &amp;amp; appropriately. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was fully enlightened thus perfectly coherent. There can be no contradictions in a Buddha's teachings. It is the famous translators &amp;amp; gurus who are misinterpreting the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, as shown in the quotes below, only the ‘dukkha’ of attachment &amp;amp; egoism is real ‘suffering’ (mental torment/trauma). The ‘unsatisfactoriness' of conditioned things (dukkha lakkhana) and painful feelings (dukkha vedana) are not suffering (unless they are attached to). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Context 1 - Dukkha as suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In summary, (all) &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; is clinging to the five aggregates (as&#xA;  ‘I’, ‘me’ &amp;amp; ‘mine’). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1st noble truth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘I am’ is a construing. ‘I am this’ is a construing. ‘I shall be’ is a&#xA;  construing. ‘I shall not be’… is a construing. Construing is a&#xA;  disease, construing is a cancer, construing is an arrow. By going&#xA;  beyond all construing, he is said to be a sage at peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 140&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He is seized with the idea that ‘I am form’ or ‘Form is mine.’ As he&#xA;  is seized with these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls&#xA;  into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp;&#xA;  alteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments,&#xA;  clingings &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or&#xA;  cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases&#xA;  or obsessions; nor is he resolved on ‘my self.’ He has no uncertainty&#xA;  or doubt that just &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, when arising, is arising; &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  when passing away, is passing away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contex 2 - Dukkha as pain&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy&#xA;  life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;  burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;  released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;  remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and &lt;strong&gt;pain&lt;/strong&gt;. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate, and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbana-element …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Iti 44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Blessed One had entered upon the rainy season, there arose in&#xA;  him a severe illness, and sharp and deadly &lt;strong&gt;pains&lt;/strong&gt; came upon him. And&#xA;  the Blessed One endured them mindfully, clearly comprehending and&#xA;  unperturbed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 16&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Context 3 - Dukkha as unsatisfactoriness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“What do you think of this, O monks? Is form permanent or&#xA;  impermanent?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Impermanent, O Lord.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, that which is impermanent, is it unsatisfactory or&#xA;  satisfactory?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;Unsatisfactory&lt;/strong&gt;, O Lord.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, that which is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is&#xA;  it proper to regard that as: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my&#xA;  self’?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Indeed, not that, O Lord.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A&#xA;  monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus asked, I would answer, ‘Form is impermanent… Feeling… Perception…&#xA;  Fabrications… Consciousness is impermanent. That which is impermanent&#xA;  is unsatisfactory. That which is &lt;strong&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/strong&gt; has ceased and gone to&#xA;  its end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Very good, my friend Yamaka. Very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 22.85&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha - contexts 3 &amp;amp; 1 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All conditioned things are &lt;strong&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/strong&gt; — when one sees this with&#xA;  wisdom, one turns away from &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;. This is the path to&#xA;  purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammapada 278&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contexts 1, 1 &amp;amp; 2, 1 &amp;amp; 1 and 1 &amp;amp; 3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tisso imā āvuso dukkhatā, dukkhadukkhatā saṅkhāradukkhatā vipariṇāmadukkhatā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are these &lt;strong&gt;three&lt;/strong&gt; kinds of &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, my friend: &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; due&#xA;  to/about &lt;strong&gt;pain&lt;/strong&gt;; &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; due to/of &lt;strong&gt;mental concocting&lt;/strong&gt;; and &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;  due to/about &lt;strong&gt;change&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 38.14&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: That 'attachment is dukkha' is an ultimate truth because every experience of suffering is bound up in attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-02T20:58:18.583" LastActivityDate="2016-07-02T20:58:18.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15734" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15742" CreationDate="2016-07-02T14:45:11.690" Score="1" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wish to circumambulate around Mount Kailash on foot. This is roughly 33 miles of mountaineous terrain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people do this for spiritual reasons, i.e circumambulate once to wash away your sins, circumambulate 108 times to attain nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just want to circumambulate around Mount Kailash because I want to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What type of physical and/or spiritual training do I require? I understand this can take years, even decades.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some information about me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;lady in mid-30s (people swear I am in early 20s)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5'4&quot;, 140lbs (last time I weighed myself was Jan 2016)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mostly eat fruits, veggies, fiber&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;exercise 4 to 5 days a week, perform Surya Namaskar (started with 3 reps in Summer 2015, I'm up to 69 reps now, goal to reach 108 reps by end of 2017), plus light weights&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5242" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T09:37:49.627" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T02:33:51.250" Title="Wish to Circumambulate around Mt. Kailash" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|nirvana|pilgrimage|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15734" CreationDate="2016-07-02T17:29:11.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Circumnavigation of Mount  Kailash won't lead to Nirvana if we are going by what the Buddha taught. The Buddha never taught anywhere in the Suttas anything about this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-07-02T20:15:24.497" LastActivityDate="2016-07-02T20:15:24.497" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15730" CreationDate="2016-07-03T05:30:12.403" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not about following set rules. Monks have 227 rules &amp;amp;, if you have ever lived with monks, you will notice certain monks trying to find loop holes to circumvent the rules (rather than live according to the spirit, purpose &amp;amp; essence of the rules). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matter of right liveihood is something you must decide for yourself according to your spiritual conscience. While the scriptures list 5 kinds of wrong livelihood (trading in weapons, human beings, meat, intoxicants &amp;amp; poisons), there are many other jobs you may chose not to do due to their lack of ethicalness. If you personally find fault in GM foods, best you not work in that industry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T05:41:43.427" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T05:41:43.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15731" CreationDate="2016-07-03T05:38:51.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not read in original Buddhism we learn to see everything from bare prospect and don't judge anything (apart from possibly one popular yet questionable teaching, at this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches, about all things experienced by the senses, their origination, passing away, attraction, danger &amp;amp; escape from their danger should be comprehended (at this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...discern, as they actually are present, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawback and the escape from the six&#xA;spheres of contact.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Punna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T05:45:00.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15731" CreationDate="2016-07-03T07:17:10.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What would the monk be accepting? The monk would likely accept walking around the pin. A well practiced monk knows the appropriate path isn't always the intended path. The path a well practiced monk trys to make is the most appropriate path and not necessarily someone else's idea of an  appropriate  path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T07:17:10.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15734" CreationDate="2016-07-03T10:10:31.163" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about Mount Kailash but I trekked in Nepal over 100km with my 18 year old sister when I was 24. My sister was not particularly athletic but we did fine. While I was an athlete, I had been meditating full time for the previous 5 months so I was not exactly doing vigorous exercise. One day of the trek included walking up the very steep 3200 stone steps at Ulleri. We made it fine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;69 Surya Namaskar shows a lot of fitness. Sounds like you will do fine. Maybe walk up a few hills to tone up the leg muscles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'spiritual' part is having an open mind to take in the culture &amp;amp; atmosphere. Just go! With faith! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I always enjoy looking at the old photographs. Very warm &amp;amp; wholesome memories. It was a very worthwhile experience. Below is the Tibetan side of the Himalaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Cb94b.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Cb94b.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ChuL7.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ChuL7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T10:21:31.063" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T10:21:31.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2016-07-03T12:26:44.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as you are a normal human, you have many things to give, which money cannot buy such as simple act of kindness. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Simple smile&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Save a drowning ant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spare a life of a small insect.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Live with a good heart&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Follow the 5 precepts (it doesn't cost a single penny)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not have to be Bill Gates and start up a foundation and do mass offerings. This will bring in enormous amounts of good karma. &lt;strong&gt;But what we have to realize is, such good karma will take us to heaven and sometimes even blind us from the truth of life and put us back to hell.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good karma can be run out one day and hence it is impermanent. Any deed done with the hope of good karma to take you to heaven will take you to heaven. But it will end and take you back to hell. &lt;strong&gt;Good Karma is like fire, you need it in life but it can also destroy you completely&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The danger is even though you have helped billions of lives during your lifetime but the last dying moment, if you happen to think of your family, or your house, or even a temple, or anything impermanent out of attachment or greed or whatever, you will be born again in a hell or as a divine being (deva). True, if you are in a heaven, it is great, but like I said it is impermanent and there is  chance you falling back to the hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you need to do is to see that everything in the world is impermanent. Lord Buddha's body Itself was impermanent (He lived, and He passed away). That is the type of world we live in. Attachment to worldly things will bring you temporary happiness and will get you to suffering and it will keep going endlessly. You need to understand that and accept death is coming your way for sure. Be prepared for it. Do good, things I mentioned. Not multi million dollar offerings. Simple things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you understand this and follow it, and in your last dying moment you happen to think of these good things you did, and then you happen to think that even the good karma you got is impermanent like everything else in the world, then you are on your way to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Buddhism is about, not just do good and end up in heaven and do vice-versa and end up in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8579" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T12:26:44.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15731" CreationDate="2016-07-03T15:33:56.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When &lt;em&gt;Wisdom&lt;/em&gt; is gained through the practice of insight meditation one learns to navigate more skillfully in Samsara, i.e. to reduce the amount of suffering for oneself and others, through wholesome/skillful deeds, motivated by wholesome intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skillful action would not be to purposely inflict suffering onto oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T15:33:56.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15734" CreationDate="2016-07-03T15:42:50.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What type of physical and/or spiritual training do I require? I understand this can take years, even decades.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I work as a physiotherapist in Greenland. We have large mountains here too. I hike in them now in summer where the snow is gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When hiking in the greenlandic mountains there are complete stillness. One can only hear the ocean, wind and animal sounds. There is such silence so one can hear when to ice blocks are drawn together by the wind and make a peculiar cracking sound. One naturally enters meditation with very little effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is indeed a great way to support ones spiritual practice to undertake practice in Nature. It becomes very evident why the Buddha recommended that monasteries and hermitages were build in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you like I can give you some advice/exercises on how to train the physical body and some tips regarding clothing and gear, when hiking in the mountains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would not be considered on-topic to give such information here so if you are interested we can talk in one of the chat-rooms on Buddhism SE or via email.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-07-03T15:51:49.107" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T15:51:49.107" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15731" CreationDate="2016-07-03T16:52:04.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If that Monk have common sense he will avoid the pin. no one will accept intentional self pain.  if he cannot avoid the pain he will accept it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-03T16:52:04.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15744" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15767" CreationDate="2016-07-03T18:35:24.193" Score="1" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for a sutta in which the Buddha is recalling past lives, including, I believe, lives as the great Brahma, and asks himself on account of what actions he ascended to a position of such great power; he investigates and answers that it was because of three things. I remember two--abstention and giving--but can't remember the third. If anyone knows what passage I am talking about it would be much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T13:25:15.410" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T16:08:30.297" Title="Reference request: three types of actions" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15745" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15747" CreationDate="2016-07-03T21:56:19.150" Score="1" ViewCount="148" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of Buddha's four ways of training the mind for Sampajañña (&quot;clear comprehension&quot;) is to &lt;em&gt;know the suitability of an action&lt;/em&gt;. From an anecdote given by Joseph Goldstein, his meditation master was haggling with a seller. When asked why, he replied&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The path of the Dhamma is to be simple, not a simpleton.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following are two situations which I deal with on a daily basis, and I still am unsure what is the suitable or correct action to take. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two people are walking towards each other on a narrow path, do you yield first and let the other pass?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Two people both make eye contact, who should avert their gaze first to avoid a staredown contest? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more abstract problem here might be described as, the correct action to take when you and another have conflicting interests. An answer to that is appreciated as well, but I really do mean to ask, how do you deal with the two concrete situations given above?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T03:00:41.167" Title="Sampajañña: what is the correct action?" Tags="|mindfulness|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11627" CreationDate="2016-07-04T01:59:06.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas appear to state there are no 'indirect meanings', as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, this Teaching that is so well proclaimed by me...is plain, open, explicit and free of patchwork...MN 22&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard&#xA;  to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed&#xA;  fist of a teacher who keeps some things back....DN 16&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matter of 'neyyattha' is touched upon in the following commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers, Spoke two kinds of truths: The conventional and the ultimate. A third truth does not obtain. Therein:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The speech wherewith the world converses is true, on account of its&#xA;  being agreed upon by the world. The speech which describes what is&#xA;  ultimate is also true, characterizing dhammas as they really are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage, &lt;strong&gt;False speech does not arise&#xA;  in the Teacher&lt;/strong&gt;, Who is Lord of the World, When he speaks according to&#xA;  conventions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mn. i. 95&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, the inferred &quot;&lt;em&gt;conventional truth&lt;/em&gt;&quot; referred to above is not really a complete &quot;truth&quot; because, as stated, it is not &quot;&lt;em&gt;characterizing dhammas as they really are&lt;/em&gt;.&quot; Instead, it is a worldly interpretation that maintains the worldly (moral &amp;amp; kammic) efficacy or truth of those teachings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the 'neyyattha' appears to particularly refer to the 'rebirth' teachings. Ordinary people read words such as 'birth' ('jati'); 'death' ('marana'); 'worlds' ('loka') &amp;amp; 'kaya' ('body'; 'collection'; 'group') &amp;amp; immediately 'infer' a physical meaning (instead of examining how these words are actually defined &amp;amp; used in the supramundane suttas). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as stated, when ordinary people use 'neyyattha', the karmic efficacy or reality (truth) is retained, namely, it is correctly understood kamma (intentional action) made in the present has a future consequence or result. That ordinary people believe there will be consequences after the termination of life does not change the efficacy of those teachings because those teachings were given, not for the purpose of enlightenment, but for the purpose of nurturing non-harming, morality or 'merit' (as stated in MN 117). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right view with effluents, &lt;strong&gt;siding with merit&lt;/strong&gt;, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered,&#xA;  what is sacrificed. There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions.&#xA;  There is this world &amp;amp; the other worlds. There is mother &amp;amp; father. There&#xA;  are spontaneously born beings; there are contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans&#xA;  who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the&#xA;  others after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This&#xA;  is the right view with effluents, &lt;strong&gt;siding with merit&lt;/strong&gt;, resulting in&#xA;  acquisitions&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-04T02:22:41.477" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T02:22:41.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15745" CreationDate="2016-07-04T03:35:07.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Sampajañña' means to be clearly cognizant in the application &amp;amp; use of various kinds of 'pañña' (wisdom; discernment) that relate to giving up craving &amp;amp; the cessation &amp;amp; suffering. The scriptures state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The monk ardent (ātāpī), clearly-comprehending (sampajāno) &amp;amp; mindful (satimā) puts aside covetousness &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite Joseph possibly often having secular audiences, sampajañña does not relate to haggling for goods in the marketplace, which simply requires 'worldly shrewdness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people are walking towards me on a narrow path, I generally always yield &amp;amp; let the other pass since I am generally walking without a particular craving (unless there is an inherent danger that must be decided on, such as when walking on a narrow path near a cliff). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, sampajañña would generally not be used stare-down contests because using sampajañña to apply the 8 fold path results in abandoning hostility &amp;amp; egoism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of discernment (pañña)? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is discerning, endowed with&#xA;  discernment of arising &amp;amp; passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to&#xA;  the right ending of stress. He discerns, as it has come to be: 'This&#xA;  is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the&#xA;  cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the&#xA;  cessation of stress.' This is called the faculty of discernment&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Indriya-Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-04T04:35:59.033" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T04:35:59.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15748" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15749" CreationDate="2016-07-04T04:21:51.813" Score="2" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently, and accidentally, found out one of my very close family members has been watching pornography on my computer. He had borrowed it and had used it apparently for his own purposes one night. I am not too bothered by this, but I did find that in recent history he had watched some very extreme videos in sexual nature. I had to think about it for a long awhile. On one hand I know I cannot control his karma and what decisions he makes. On the other I still question whether or not it is considered a break of the sexual immorality precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not wish to judge anyone, but I was just so shocked to see one of my family members watching some very extreme videos in nature. Again, we are related, but his karma is not mine. I cannot push such a thought away, and I constantly wonder, not to my choosing, whether to consider it his personal free will and to let everyone be or if I should be worried if a relative was enjoying videos almost abusive in nature. I suppose some of this suffering stems from attachment to this relative, but I am just asking for advice from fellow Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am pondering whether or not pornography is considered a violation of the precepts? How should I view such a situation? Should I ignore it and move on? What is the buddhist response to a situation like this? I am dearly confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you to all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-04T10:20:02.403" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T01:54:29.433" Title="Question on sexual immorality and a family situation" Tags="|five-precepts|sexuality|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15748" CreationDate="2016-07-04T05:32:08.413" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not officially a breach of the 3rd precept, which, per definition, relates to actual sexual activity with specifically defined people (such as another person's husband or wife or children/teenagers still living under the care of their parents). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, pornography is of the kind of extreme &quot;dangerous&quot; (ādīnavā) potentially addictive vices found in the 'six causes ruin a man' in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, extreme pornography is particularly discordant with Buddhist views about the aims &amp;amp; needs of women (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-u.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6:52&lt;/a&gt;); it is often 'sexual objectification'; is a 'delusion' about reality; &amp;amp; thus does not abide with metta (wishing good welfare) &amp;amp; compassion (mitigating suffering). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since, it was your computer, you have a duty of care (towards yourself) to mention it to your relative because it was a breach of your trust &amp;amp; something that could potentially have imperiled you (such as if it was an illegal kind of pornography that could be traced to your computer or if it was a work computer supplied by an employer). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the relative is your child, again, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states a parent has the duty to restrain their children from evil &amp;amp; encourage them to do good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, as a genuine friend, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states to protect a friend when he is heedless, to not forsake him in his troubles, to give good counsel, to discourage from doing evil encourage &amp;amp; to do good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; contains most answers to Buddhist personal &amp;amp; social conduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for pornography, it is a very powerful (alluring) sense object, even if looked at out of curiosity. Since it is freely accessible on the public internet, many people watch it or have viewed it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have noticed more than a few members on a certain Buddhist chatsite that have brought up their problems with &amp;amp; addictions to pornography. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About sensual pleasures (which includes pornography) the scriptures advise to be cognizant of: (i) the origin (all lifeforms are sexual/reproductive/filial beings); (ii) the allure/attraction; (iii) the drawback/danger; &amp;amp; (iv) the method to escape the danger (which is appropriate healthy use of appropriate sexual relationship or, otherwise, restraint). Some links below. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pornography can have a powerful allure but I assume many people grow out of it (just as many people get addicted to it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T01:54:29.433" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T01:54:29.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15731" CreationDate="2016-07-04T06:58:35.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Monk trains himself in &lt;em&gt;sila (moral discipline)&lt;/em&gt;, which includes not intentionally hurting living beings. Since he himself is a living being, he should respect and protect his life as he would others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T06:58:35.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15744" CreationDate="2016-07-04T14:32:21.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sutta Nipāta - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp3.5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Māgha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - 3.5. To Māgha on Giving&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Māgha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who can be cleansed, released and Awakened? With what does the&#xA;  self to the Brahma-world go? O Sage, when asked reply to me—one who&#xA;  doesn’t know— for the Radiant I’ve seen with my eyes as Brahmā today&#xA;  and it’s true that you’re the same as Brahmā for us. In the&#xA;  Brahma-world, how does one arise, O Refulgent One?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The sacrificiant who achieves triple success in sacrifice,&#xA;  achieves their results through such gift-worthy ones; so perfected in&#xA;  sacrifice and complying with others’ requests, that one arises, I say,&#xA;  within the Brahma-world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T14:32:21.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15734" CreationDate="2016-07-04T14:55:14.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Circumambulate once to wash away sins, circumambulate 108 times to attain nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn02/sn02.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta:&lt;/a&gt; To Rohitassa &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is it possible, lord, by traveling, to know or see or reach a far end&#xA;  of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away or&#xA;  reappear?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling to know or&#xA;  see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth,&#xA;  age, die, pass away, or reappear.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T14:55:14.280" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15729" CreationDate="2016-07-04T15:26:03.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the existence of dukkha a conventional or ultimate truth?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Existence is Dukkha.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Existence is conventional.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;By realizing ultimate truth /(four noble truths) one can liberate  from Dukka.&#xA; They had fully transcended all existence, and were able to perfect the awesome deportment wherever they went.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T01:16:27.587" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T01:16:27.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15718" CreationDate="2016-07-04T15:44:16.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 16 steps shown in this sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now how is mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing developed &amp;amp; pursued so&#xA;  as to be of great fruit, of great benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the&#xA;  shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs&#xA;  crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the&#xA;  fore.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or&#xA;  breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or&#xA;  breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or&#xA;  breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [3] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'[2]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;  [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'[3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'[4] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;  [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I&#xA;  will breathe out steadying the mind.' [12] He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out&#xA;  releasing the mind.'[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion&#xA;  [literally, fading].' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing&#xA;  on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' [16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This is how mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing is developed &amp;amp; pursued&#xA;  so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T15:44:16.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15745" CreationDate="2016-07-04T15:57:36.087" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I really do mean to ask, how do you deal with the two concrete situations given above?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am inclined to &quot;yield first&quot;, although it doesn't often (or hardly ever) happen in practice that I'm walking on a path that narrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I'm on a bicycle on a shared footpath, pedestrians are usually inclined to yield to me, and then I allow them to yield (they walk on one side of the path and I cycle past them); or you could say I yield i.e. I cycle around them. I slow, slow to a stop, or dismount when necessary (e.g. on a single-lane footpath under a bridge, when passing small children or off-leash dogs, or on a pedestrian side-walk).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I drive a car on a single-track road. There is a (unwritten?) convention for which car is supposed to yield in that case, i.e. it's supposed to be whichever car is able to yield the most easily:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The car which has a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=lay%20by&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;lay-by&lt;/a&gt; in front of it, which it can pull into&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The car which is closest to the lay-by behind it (i.e. the car which has most recently passed a lay-by) into which it can reverse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The car which can most easily reverse (e.g. the car which will be reversing down-hill rather than up-hill, or the smaller car)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I stop for 4 &amp;half; seconds to see whether the other car (which is probably driven by someone who's more familiar with the road than I am) goes into reverse, and if not then I start to reverse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The more abstract problem here might be described as, the correct action to take when you and another have conflicting interests. An answer to that is appreciated as well ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see this as a conflicting interest. I want to get around in a friendly and more-or-less cooperative way, I want to be non-aggressive and I don't want to frighten people. I assume (and my experience has confirmed) that these ambitions are socially acceptable and not a &quot;conflicting interest&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one car yields to another is conventional for both drivers to do a small hand-wave to the other as they pass each other (each to acknowledge the other's politeness and &lt;em&gt;savoir faire&lt;/em&gt; perhaps).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On foot if I make eye-contact with someone (outside a city) then I'm likely to say &quot;Good day!&quot; to them (and vice versa, they do too). Someone said once that according to the older and more formal rules of politeness in this country it's conventional that it should be the more junior person who should be the first to say &quot;Good day!&quot;; but I'm happy ignore that and wish a good day to anyone, older or younger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T15:57:36.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15700" CreationDate="2016-07-04T20:28:43.460" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Accumulation of wealth is not directly the problem in Buddhism, rather it is the &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt; to wealth that creates suffering. Wealth and fame are ephemeral so relying on these for happiness is like walking on a frozen lake. You don't &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; to give away all your possessions or go to the top of the mountain for enlightenment/nirvana. Start with the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does outline some vocations that go against Buddhism such as those dealing with the buying and selling of arms and poisons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's always possible to give away wealth to good causes which is helpful karma. Nonetheless, your question reminds me of the &lt;em&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/em&gt; which is appropriate here: it is easier to carry a half-filled cup than one that is filled to the brim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2016-07-04T20:28:43.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9414" CreationDate="2016-07-05T00:52:22.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In summary it seems to mean approximately the same thing as a &quot;fetter&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a definition of &lt;em&gt;āsava&lt;/em&gt; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_a.htm#_Toc95122073&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&lt;/a&gt; by Maha Thera Nyanatiloka, which is copied into the Dhamma Wiki.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Asava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definition in the Dhamma Wiki&lt;/a&gt; is almost the same as in the manual, except that in the Wiki there is added an example of each of the four types. I think an example helps make it easier to understand:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The mental fermentation of sense-desire &lt;em&gt;kāmāsava&lt;/em&gt;, Ex: '&lt;strong&gt;All is pleasant&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The mental fermentation of desiring existence &lt;em&gt;bhavāsava&lt;/em&gt;, Ex: '&lt;strong&gt;Being is good&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The mental fermentation of wrong views &lt;em&gt;ditthāsava&lt;/em&gt;, Ex: '&lt;strong&gt;My opinion is best&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The mental fermentation of ignorance &lt;em&gt;avijjāsava&lt;/em&gt;. Ex: '&lt;strong&gt;Suffering exists not&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;&lt;em&gt;āsava&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is also introduced in the dharmafarer translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.8-Asavakkhaya-Jhana-S-a9.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhāna Sutta (AN 9.36)&lt;/a&gt;, including,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As “mental influxes,” the oldest list is probably the set of 3 influxes—of sense-desire&#xA;  (&lt;em&gt;kām’āsava&lt;/em&gt;), of existence (&lt;em&gt;bhav’āsava&lt;/em&gt;), and of ignorance (&lt;em&gt;avijjâsava&lt;/em&gt;)&#xA;   -- which are essentially the same&#xA;  as the 3 graspings (&lt;em&gt;ti,gaha&lt;/em&gt;) of craving (&lt;em&gt;tanhā&lt;/em&gt;), conceit (&lt;em&gt;mana&lt;/em&gt;) and views (&lt;em&gt;ditthi&lt;/em&gt;), on account of which&#xA;  arise, resp, the notions “this is mine,” “this I am,” and “this is my self”), such as in the Vatthûpama&#xA;  Sutta (M 7).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second half of the Dhamma Wiki definition says that these are destroyed at various stages of enlightenment, e.g. Stream Entry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through the path of Stream-Entry, the fermentation of views is destroyed; Through the path of Non-Returning, the fermentation of sense-desire; Through the path of Arahatship, the fermentations of existence and ignorance. M. 2 shows how to overcome the fermentations, namely, through insight, sense-control, avoidance, wise use of the necessities of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this implies that these four asavas correspond to, are not different than, four of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the ten fetters&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)&lt;/a&gt; implies that beyond these four there are other asavas, for example ill-will (which too corresponds to another of the ten fetters)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introduction to the dharmafarer translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.3-Sabbasava-S-m2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2)&lt;/a&gt; describes asavas in even more detail, including,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Apparently, the three influxes were in due course expanded into the ten fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; (on page 365) contains another definition of asava:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;âsavà— is derived from à +√ su, to flow. They&#xA;  are so called either because they flow up to the topmost plane&#xA;  of existence or because they persist as far as the Gotrabhå&#xA;  consciousness (i.e., the thought-moment that immediately&#xA;  precedes the Path-consciousõess of the ‘Stream-Winner’—&#xA;  Sotàpatti). These âsavas are latent in all worldlings and may&#xA;  rise to the surface in any plane of existence. They lie dormant&#xA;  in all from an indefinite period and are treated as strong&#xA;  intoxicants or drugs that infatuate beings. Defilements,&#xA;  Corruptions, Depravities, Taints, Intoxicants, Stains are suggested&#xA;  as the closest equivalents for this ‘infamously famous’&#xA;  Pàli term. See &lt;em&gt;Compendium&lt;/em&gt;, p. 170, n. 1, p. 227.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of the four âsavas kàmàsava means attachment to&#xA;  sensual pleasures, bhavàsava is attachment to Råpa and&#xA;  Aråpa planes of existence, diññhàsava are the sixty-two kinds&#xA;  of erroneous views (see Brahmajàla Sutta, DN1), and avijjàsava is ignorance with&#xA;  regard to the four Noble Truths, past life, future life, both&#xA;  past and future lives, and the Law of Dependent Arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Compendium&quot; which is referenced above is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://ia902607.us.archive.org/8/items/compendiumofphil00anurrich/compendiumofphil00anurrich_bw.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PTS Compendium of Philosophy&lt;/a&gt;, which says it's difficult to translate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We agreed to let this term, infamously famous, remain&#xA;  untranslated. Nothing to fit has yet been discovered.&#xA;  Warren's 'depravities' and Neumann's 'Wähnen' make&#xA;  no pretence to be literal. 'Floods' and 'Taints' (Rhys&#xA;  Davids) convey the idea of spreading movement, of&#xA;  disaster, of defilement, my 'Intoxicants' and 'Drugs'&#xA;  that of poison. The former idea seems alone active in the&#xA;  minds of the Commentators; and yet,&#xA;  if A. i., 124, § 7, be compared with Jataka IV., 222 (3):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;There is in the world an &lt;em&gt;Asava&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; called strong drink,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Jataka Commentary: i.e. 'a poison' (&lt;em&gt;visaij&lt;/em&gt;), from flower-&lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; and the like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the latter idea may claim some canonical support (cf. &lt;em&gt;Dialogues of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;, i. 92 ; ii. 28). To the general&#xA;  Buddhist, Asava probably conveyed no more 'visualizable' meaning than &lt;em&gt;sin&lt;/em&gt; does to the Christian, although,&#xA;  in either case, the &lt;em&gt;moral&lt;/em&gt; vibration in consciousness is heavy&#xA;  enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different suttas describe how to end the asavas; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)&lt;/a&gt;, which starts with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;Monks, the ending of the fermentations is for one who knows &amp;amp; sees, I tell you, not for one who does not know &amp;amp; does not see. For one who knows what &amp;amp; sees what? Appropriate attention &amp;amp; inappropriate attention. When a monk attends inappropriately, unarisen fermentations arise, and arisen fermentations increase. When a monk attends appropriately, unarisen fermentations do not arise, and arisen fermentations are abandoned. There are fermentations to be abandoned by seeing, those to be abandoned by restraining, those to be abandoned by using, those to be abandoned by tolerating, those to be abandoned by avoiding, those to be abandoned by dispelling, and those to be abandoned by developing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of the sutta gives example of inappropriate and appropriate attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.3-Sabbasava-S-m2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharmafarer introduction&lt;/a&gt; to this sutta has 15 pages, and among other things it tries to show that these methods correspond to the various factors of the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally the example in the sutta of &quot;attending appropriately&quot; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He attends appropriately, &lt;em&gt;This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress&lt;/em&gt;. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts &amp;amp; practices. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana Sutta (AN 9.36)&lt;/a&gt;, which starts with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana... the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness. I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.8-Asavakkhaya-Jhana-S-a9.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dharmafarer introduction&lt;/a&gt; to this sutta says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The (Āsava-k,khaya) Jhāna Sutta (A 9.36) describes&#xA;  the attainment of arhathood or non-return through meditation that applies calm (samatha) as a&#xA;  basis for insight (vipassanā). This is one of the four approaches or strategies to meditation as laid out by&#xA;  Ānanda in the (Yuganaddha) Paṭipadā Sutta (A 4.170), makes a very clear reference to the various&#xA;  vehicles for mental cultivation for the attaining of arhathood, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Insight preceded by calm.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  When the path arises in him, he pursues it, so that the mental&#xA;  fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies are destroyed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Calm preceded by insight.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  When the path arises in him, he pursues it, so that the mental&#xA;  fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies are destroyed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Calm and insight coupled together.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  When the path arises in him, he pursues it, so that the&#xA;  mental fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies are destroyed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A monk’s mind is seized by agitation caused by higher states of mind&lt;/strong&gt;;&#xA;  but there comes a&#xA;  time when his mind becomes internally steadied, composed, unified and concentrated. Then the&#xA;  path arises in him, and while he does so, the fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies are&#xA;  destroyed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T00:22:11.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9414" CreationDate="2016-07-05T02:24:36.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following words, in order of their psychological subtlety and manifestation (arising), are to be understood: (1) &lt;em&gt;anusaya&lt;/em&gt; (underlying tendencies); (2) &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; (outflows); (3) &lt;em&gt;nirvarana&lt;/em&gt; (hindrances); (4) &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; (cravings); (5) &lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt; (intentions); and (6) &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (action). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;anusaya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is the subconscious underlying tendencies (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 7.11&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;when anusaya flow out or erupt into the conscious mind, this is '&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;'. Asava is at the level of 'ignorance' in dependent origination (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of the taints (asava). With the arising of the taints there is the arising of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;on a mental level, asava take the form of the five &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Hindrances are also at the level of 'ignorance' in dependent origination (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ignorance, too, has its nutriment, I declare; and it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of ignorance? 'The five hindrances,' should be the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: The five hindrances are not the 'cause' of ignorance but the&#xA;food that keeps ignorance alive&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;asava and hindrances trigger off distracting internal memories, perceptions, feelings, thoughts &amp;amp; disturbances of breathing, which is 'kaya, vaci and citta sankhara' in dependent origination  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;if mindfulness does not stop the push of hindrances and sankhara at nama-rupa/mental contact, the hindrances will become '&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;craving-intentions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' for external sense objects &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;when the cravings &amp;amp; intentions are acted out mentally, verbally and/or physically, at 'becoming', this is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some quotes to ferret out the subtleties --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN12.63&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the nutriment of intentional thought is comprehended, the three kinds of craving are thereby comprehended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.76&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kamma is the field...the consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance &amp;amp; fettered by craving is established in to a&#xA;  sensual...material...immaterial element (dhatu). Thus there is the&#xA;  production of new becoming in the future. If there were no kamma&#xA;  ripening in the sensual...material...immaterial element, would&#xA;  becoming be discerned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/nidana/sn14-012.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 14.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In dependence on the sensuality element [anusaya; asava &amp;amp; nirvarana] there arises sensual perception [sankhara; nama-rupa; vedana]; in dependence on the sensual perception there arises&#xA;  sensual thought/kāmasaṃkappo [sankhara; nama-rupa]; in dependence on the sensual thought there arises&#xA;  sensual zeal/kāmacchando [nama-rupa; tanha]; in dependence on the sensual zeal there arises&#xA;  sensual fever/kāmapariḷāho [tanha; upadana]; in dependence on the sensual fever there arises a&#xA;  sensual quest [upadana; bhava]. Engaged in a sensual quest, the uninstructed worldling&#xA;  conducts himself [bhava; kamma; jati] wrongly in three ways - with body, speech and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-06T00:21:57.040" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T00:21:57.040" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15734" CreationDate="2016-07-05T02:33:51.250" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before you walk all the way around the Mt. Kailash try to read everything that you can find on the internet about this very storied mountain, the equally storied lake and the storied flower in it. Mt. Kailash is the mythical Mt. Meru. Read about it in the &quot;Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta&quot; The Sermon of the Seven Suns (Anguttara Nikaya VII. 62). In it the Buddha explains in detail about the events that would unfold, and in it, this monarch of mountains will get consumed and burnt, that neither ashes not soot will remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lake Anavatapta is said to be so sheltered and covered that the direct rays from the sun would not fall and the lake would not dry up until the day this world would come to an end, as per the Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta. In this &quot;Sermon of the Seven Suns&quot; the Supreme Buddha, tells us about the end of the earth due to the expansion of the dying sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly a bit about the storied flower that is found in its forest. It is the Kadupul flower - said to be the world’s most expensive flower. It survives around the Lake Anavatapta, because it is sheltered from the sun’s rays. The flower is said to be a midnight miracle, surviving during the night, and fading to nothing at dawn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/po9M0.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/po9M0.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;The Kadupul flower, Sri Lanka’s native blossom, is said to be the world’s most expensive flower&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T02:33:51.250" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15745" CreationDate="2016-07-05T03:00:41.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A true disciple of the Supreme Buddha is humble by nature as he/she has gotten rid of arrogance in its entirety. On the other hand a person who is not sincere, humble and innocent enough to surrender to the true Dhamma, has a greater degree of arrogance. So when &lt;strong&gt;two people are walking towards each other on a narrow path…&lt;/strong&gt;, it is the one who has the alertness and awareness ( sampajañña), and who has true humility that will give way to the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then to the question about &lt;strong&gt;two people both make eye contact, who should avert their gaze first to avoid a staredown contest?&lt;/strong&gt;…  it is the one who has the alertness and awareness ( sampajañña), that would give in as he/she is one who practises the five Sekha strengths. He/she lives in association with the five Sekha strengths and does not abandon them. What are these Sekha Dhamma? They are… Saddha (Confidence), Hiri (shame), Ottappa (fear), Viriya (energy) and Panna (wisdom). Such a person is humble enough to see what’s going on in that present moment, that would lead to a staredown contest, and to understand the eventual pain that would come as a result. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T03:00:41.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15762" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-05T03:23:37.987" Score="3" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been friendless for around 5 years. The reason I'm in this situation is due to my bad traits alone. I have actually grown accustomed to this till recently, when I became increasingly unsettled by the constant silence in my house. Usually, I've been able to shrug off this loneliness by busying myself with my studies, but lately, the strategy is not working.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This desire for friends has been gnawing at me everyday. But I've been alone for so long now that I find it hard to make friends. So my question is, is this desire healthy in terms of a Buddhist perspective? And if it's not, how do I subdue this desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8613" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T13:11:07.443" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T14:43:49.017" Title="Is this desire, to not be friendless anymore, healthy?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15730" CreationDate="2016-07-05T03:29:50.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right livelihood is refraining from livelihood or jobs that harms other beings, such as selling weapons, poison etc. that could harm others. So it can be said that right livelihood is an extension of the rules of Right Action to one’s role as a  breadwinner in a society. In the earlier reply to your query @ Dhammadhatu  had mentioned the five kinds of livelihood that are discouraged for Buddhists. There has to be a reason to limit its definition to these five trades, without expanding on it, like what Buddha’s cousin &amp;amp; brother-in-law, Devadatta did, in coming up with stricter ascetic rules for the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those five kinds of livelihoods are discouraged because they contribute to the ills of society and because they violate the principles of respect for life. It is very important to remember that dealing in intoxicants violates the principle of respect for the welfare of others. This contributes to the insecurity, to the suffering and discord in society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of good conduct creates within the individual an inner sense of peace, of stability, of security and of strength. Once he has created that inner peace, he can then fruitfully and successfully practice the other steps of the path. He can cultivate and develop meditation. He can achieve wisdom only when he has created both inwardly and outwardly in his relationships with others and in himself the necessary foundation of good conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists, it is our duty to practice, to follow the rules of good conduct as much as we can, but to over-analyze it, to include GMO foods etc. may sound a bit far-fetched. For the practice of good conduct, for the observance of moral rules, mental development is necessary. This is the next phase of the Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T03:29:50.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15762" CreationDate="2016-07-05T11:10:22.800" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any desire that cannot be achieved will cause suffering. Therefore, if (for some rare reason) you are intrinsically unable to make friends, you should accept this situation rather than suffer over it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, the luminous or clear part of our mind is not the same as the bad traits of the mind. If your mind is actually able to see it has bad traits then that part of the mind that can see is luminous &amp;amp; clear. That is why Buddhism teaches we have the capacity to comprehend, work with &amp;amp; change the bad traits of the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very fact that you have concern about your personal situation shows you have the trait of friendship towards yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are uncomfortable with pursuing friendship in an ordinary way, you can find a good Buddhist centre or temple to visit &amp;amp; discuss your personal concerns with a monk or teacher there. The Buddhist centre can be a place where you can learn to develop better traits &amp;amp; friendship skills with others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha called himself the 'Kalyanamitta' or 'Noble Spiritual Friend', who does not offer superficial friendship but the gift of skilful methods &amp;amp; wisdom leading to peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T11:20:59.057" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T11:20:59.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15762" CreationDate="2016-07-05T12:43:50.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think your situation is made of two parts: dealing with solitude and getting to know more people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From your description, it seems that you find solitude unpleaseant, so you've developted strategies to run away from it. Why do you find solitude so unpleasant? You have to investigate a little: what happends when you are alone? what kind of thoughts do you have? What do you find difficult to deal with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the second part, try to think about what you understand about &quot;having a friend&quot; and &quot;being a friend&quot;. What do you expect from a friend? Are your expectations realistic? Are you acting like a friend? Is there a behavior you can change so you come across as more gentle? Ask for feed-back from someone close ( a relative) and see what you can improve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I ask you if you have a meditation practice? &#xA;Good luck and take care of you and others!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T12:43:50.780" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15762" CreationDate="2016-07-05T14:43:49.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your desire to have friends is healthy and normal. From a Buddhism perspective a layperson should enjoy life in such a way as to not harm himself or others. Having friends is not harmful if those friends are good people. &#xA;I would advise you to go to dance classes, yoga classes or other activities where conditions are such that you get in contact with other people. There you could also get feeback as Anca suggesteted in her answer. Be kind and gentle to others and to yourself and friends will come as a consequence. You don't have to cling to the ideea &quot; i must make friends&quot; because it will happen by itself if you plant the right seeds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So enjoy life, continue your practice and accept yourself and others the way they are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T14:43:49.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15744" CreationDate="2016-07-05T15:21:00.927" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 3 qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;dānassa&lt;/em&gt; giving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;damassa&lt;/em&gt; self-control (or desires can't control you)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;saññamassā'ti&lt;/em&gt; restraint (have control over your faculties) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html#iti-022&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;§ 22.   {Iti 1.22; Iti 14}&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;Monks, don't be afraid of acts of merit. This is another way of saying what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming — i.e., acts of merit. I am cognizant that, having long performed meritorious deeds, I long experienced desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming results. Having developed a mind of good will for seven years, then for seven aeons of contraction &amp;amp; expansion I didn't return to this world. Whenever the aeon was contracting, I went to the realm of Streaming Radiance. Whenever the aeon was expanding, I reappeared in an empty Brahma-abode. There I was the Great Brahman, the Unconquered Conqueror, All-seeing, &amp;amp; Wielder of Power. Then for thirty-six times I was Sakka, ruler of the gods. For many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning emperor, a righteous king of Dhamma, conqueror of the four corners of the earth, maintaining stable control over the countryside, endowed with the seven treasures[1] — to say nothing of the times I was a local king. The thought occurred to me: 'Of what action of mine is this the fruit, of what action the result, that I now have such great power &amp;amp; might?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'This is the fruit of my three [types of] action, the result of three types of action, that I now have such great power &amp;amp; might: i.e., giving, self-control, &amp;amp; restraint.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Train in acts of merit&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that bring long-lasting bliss —&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  develop giving,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;          a life in tune,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      a mind of good-will.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Developing these&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  three things&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  that bring about bliss,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;          the wise reappear&lt;br&gt;&#xA;          in a world of bliss&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  unalloyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T16:08:30.297" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T16:08:30.297" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15768" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-05T19:35:10.307" Score="8" ViewCount="415" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lately, I have experienced a great breakthrough in my meditation. Being able to keep equanimous in front of deep sankharas I couldn't deal with before. My heart and mind are filled with happiness and joy, and I'm constantly deepening my practice. Although, I found that I have completely lost interest in my previous world. I was on the path of writing a dissertation towards doctoral studies, in philosophy, and now I can barely open a book without thinking - what nonsense this all is, philosophers, thinkers, full of ego and ignorance. How can I follow them? I ask myself, will my past life and interests come back to me or it is a true change of heart. I have considered now a way to contribute and give others the gift of dhamma. But dhamma should be given free. And I have a family to take care of. I wanted to share and ask for useful thoughts and other experiences like mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;:)&#xA;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8627" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T13:16:52.260" Title="My interests have changed. I wonder how to keep my previous life?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-05T21:28:24.557" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have a family to take care of &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;livelihood&lt;/strong&gt; is a factor of the Buddhist 8 fold path. You must earn a living. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have an intellectual talent for philosophy &amp;amp; have spent time &amp;amp; money in nearing completion of major studies, I would suggest you consider forcing yourself to complete your studies because your qualification can be used for livelihood. For example, once you complete your PHD, you can do some studies in Buddhism &amp;amp;/or psychology and thus branch out into that more practical &amp;amp; benevolent field (rather than work in pure Western philosophy). Formal qualifications can be very useful things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when I was young (23 years old) &amp;amp; first discovered meditation, I practised for a whole year, full time, and felt very free. I did not understand Buddhism well &amp;amp; left the meditation monastery to study psychology at university so I could learn to help people. I found the studies not practical at all; so I completed the 1st year of study, left university &amp;amp; returned to the meditation monastery. Some years later, after I discovered certain Buddhist teachings which are for helping ordinary people &amp;amp; returned to Western society, I regretted not completing the psychology degree. What you can do with a qualification is often more relevant than what you must study to obtain the qualification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't wish to burst your 'enlightenment bubble' but it appears you are 'attached' to this 'enlightenment'. While I am being humorous here, often ideals must be abandoned or modified for more practical considerations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest for you to consider (weigh up) how you could use the PHD in a more practical way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you are correct in stating Buddha-Dhamma should be given freely, I personally do not believe it is a crime to earn a living from Dhamma. Many universities have Buddhist studies; the lecturers/professors must have proper secular qualifications (rather than just be monks); therefore individuals, such as yourself, must fulfill these roles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are ex-Theravada monks who are now paid university professors, who still are part of the Theravada Buddhist community; including liaising with monks. They are never criticized.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-05T21:41:50.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-05T21:41:50.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15729" CreationDate="2016-07-06T01:33:03.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is one of those that have a conventional dimension and also an &quot;ultimate&quot; dimension--which means that it is happening at a microscopic level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When speaking about the &lt;strong&gt;perceivable&lt;/strong&gt; interdependent dissatisfaction especially in accordance with one's perfectionistic desires, &lt;strong&gt;this is regarding the conventional truth of things&lt;/strong&gt;. For example: life being hard work, one's developments fading, not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ultimate truth regards the principles not perceivable&lt;/strong&gt;, the micro-moment dissatisfaction, at a level that is disregarded by &quot;conventional truth.&quot; This could be one's cells changing, energy being stolen from place to place, the hidden war of energy exchange, inevitable dependency and weakness, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference between conventional and ultimate truth &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.trans4mind.com/personal_development/buddhist/ultimateAndConventionalTruth.htm#01bUltimate_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;is delineated here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://prezi.com/5wa1wxgvno-2/conventional-and-ultimate-truth-in-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;also here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T01:33:03.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-06T01:36:48.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Dhammadhatu has given you some valuable advice, and I do hope that you will heed this advice.  I sense that he is speaking from his heart. I have read that “Heart thinking is focused on reality and therefore unlikely to go too wrong.” To read that full write-up go to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lifepositive.com/moving-from-head-to-heart/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moving from head to heart&lt;/a&gt; It further says…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When Carl Jung, the great psychoanalyst, went to Taos Peublo in New Mexico in 1925, he met the chief of the native people, Ochwiay Biano. Biano told Jung that according to his people, the Whites were 'mad'-uneasy, restless, always wanting something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jung asked him why he thought they were mad, and the chief replied that it was because they thought with their heads, a sure sign of mental illness among his tribe. Jung asked him how he thought and he pointed to his heart. The response plunged Jung into a deep introspection that enabled him to see his race from outside himself and realise how much of the race's character was within him.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to tell you a bit about myself… as a Sri Lankan Buddhist, the ‘Buddhism’ that I experienced within the Sri Lankan community in Sri Lanka and Canada until 2006, was a religion that is more to do with rites, rituals, icon worship, collection / transference of merits etc., similar to what happens in the sacred places of other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I did not know the true Dhamma contained in the Sutta Pitaka, which is more of a clinical evaluation of our existence, a way of life, a philosophy than a religion, I turned to other sources. For many years I took to reading other books - both relevant and irrelevant material that are rich in intellectual content - such as “Zen and the art of motor cycle maintenance”.   I took to such authors as Hermann Hesse, Erich Fromm, Ayn Rand, J. Krishnamurti and Deepak Chopra.  But none of these could compare to what I learnt within the last ten years about the Buddha Dhamma contained in the Sutta Pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not the only one. There were many others who got this invaluable opportunity of learning the true Dhamma without any adulterations or distortions that are widespread in most of today’s preaching and in the written material found in book stores and libraries. This spiritual development in us that took place within the last ten years is the start of a beautiful journey that is continuing to unfold. Now that a full 10 years has come to pass, the time is ripe for us, as a group, to be Kalyāna-mitta (noble friends) to many others who haven’t had this good fortune of knowing the Dhamma. The awareness in us - that we are Saddhānusāri and Dhammānusāri - is enough reason to start helping others too to realize this unshakable confidence in the Three Jewels. Being a ‘Kalyana-mitta’  (noble friend) to others is the one way that we could show our gratitude for what we have gained.  Why I told you of this, is that I feel you too have had a turning point in your life. But going forward you have to be a bit cautious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is because I’ve seen quite a few families breaking up because they ignored the advice given to them to tread this path carefully. It is because we live in very unfortunate times. The outside forces (both within and without, both of this world of our friends and loved ones, and of the other unseen world (that are far more powerful than that of the known world) are too strong for us to overcome by ourselves. That is why the Buddha said that it depends 100% on our association of Kalyana Mittas. So for example if your mind says one thing and for instance a noble friend says another, you’ll have to do weigh very carefully what the noble friend advices you before going forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T01:59:22.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15772" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-06T03:23:35.347" Score="1" ViewCount="1012" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't understand the formless jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this meditator completely lose consciousness of form, or are they meditating on something formless and, apart from that, as before?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read the abhidharmakosa bhashyam, of Vasubhadhu, and he says that a mediator of this sort will be later reborn into a realm without form, so that suggests that there are sentient beings without any of the sense consciousnesses. But I just find the idea impossible, to be honest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesting, one of those books says that some Buddhists claim that there is a residue of visual consciousnesses there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone describe to me what the formless jhana is like? I'm especially intrigued as to whether there is any sense of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;shade&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to it: if it seems darker or lighter than any given colour I've experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2020-01-21T04:45:10.730" LastActivityDate="2020-01-21T04:45:10.730" Title="Are the formless jhanas without any consciouness of form at all?" Tags="|meditation-effects|consciousness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15706" CreationDate="2016-07-06T03:44:19.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you would look into the edited previous version, I’ve said that 'kaya-sankhara' have the same meaning in both contexts, but the problem is in the “I” as in “'I will breathe out…” but now I’ve come to understand that there is another meaning to 'kaya-sankhara'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has taught the way to identify a thought based on the basis of kaya, vedana, citta and dhamma.  The common meaning given to “kaya” at present is “physical body”. But, when the term “kaya” is closely examined, it becomes evident that the term “kaya” has been used to represent the “action of a thought”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are actions of a thought leading to defilements, habits; It comes from “san” + “kära” or actions that involve “san”. All our thoughts, speech, and bodily actions are based on sankhara that arise in the mind. Therefore, it is important to realize that vaci sankhara and kaya sankhara also arise in the mind. Kaya sankhara are in “conscious thoughts” that make our bodies move.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In each section of the Satipatthana Suta we find the phrase “ iti ajjhattam va kaye kayanupassi viharati, bahiddha va kaye kayanupassi viharati...”. In terms of the common translations found in the books, Ajjhatta Kaya and bahiddha  Kaya are considered as one’s own body and the bodies of others. Even though a mediator could contemplate one’s own body, attempts to contemplate the bodies of others may lead to problems. That is why we need to be skeptical about the real meaning of this situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satipatthana Sutta analyses a methodical, gradual approach to bring happiness and make progress steadily for practitioners. The stages such as sabba kaya patisamvedi..., passam bhayam kaya sankharam..., ajjhatta kaya, bahiddha kaya could only be discerned by a calm mind devoid of defilements to some extent. In other words, it is the stage where the in and out breaths have become shallow (rassa stage). The mind reaches “Samadhi” (concentration) at the rassa stage. Ajjhatta and Bahiddha are an analytical vision gained as a result and strength of the Samadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The misunderstanding regarding these terms has resulted from the misinterpretation of the word “kaya”. The Buddha has always emphasized the functional meaning of a word when analyzing the teachings. Therefore, the functional meaning of the term “kaya” is an “action”. In this context, “ajjhatta kaya” is the internal action, meaning the action of the “mind”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A meditator is supposed to observe whether or not his mind gets distorted as a result of an external stimuli, in terms of the Buddha’s teaching referred to as “ajjhattam va kaye kayanupassi viharati”. To take an example… If a person is teasing you from afar, you could see his attempts to infuriate you with his foolish, insensible actions. You could hear his remarks aimed at disappointing you. Despite these provoking actions, if you could remain indifferent without letting these provoking actions distort your mind, then, your ajjhatta kaya (mind) is not subjected to any change, distortion due to bahiddha kaya (external action).  If your mind had any negative impact due to these external actions (bahiddha kaya), you need to understand that you lacked the thoughts of “letting go” which could have prevented the negativities in the mind. You did not let go of the causes responsible for your mental stress. At this stage, you become aware that your mind is still geared towards the four miserable states of existence'' (satara apa). In this circumstance, the meditator realizes that if he were to progress with happiness and contentment, he should not accept and link with any external stimuli, relations. He decides at this moment that what is needed to preserve happiness is to identify each thought without letting them in to distort the mind through further dealings. He needs to sever external sensory links by confining thoughts brought about by the sense faculties to “identify”, “become aware” only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, we know that the root cause for our discomfort, suffering is getting involved, getting hooked up to the external world. With this first-hand knowledge, one is able to deal with any action of the external world, without having any negative impact on the internal world (ajjhatta kaya); without letting any external action shaken the internal world (ajjhatta kaya). This is the Satipatthana teaching known as “ajjhattam va kaye kayanupassi viharati...”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A meditator who progresses to this stage would comprehend perfectly that suffering is brought about by getting involved in external relations, stimuli. This is a very important stage in the Buddhist teachings involving the Dukkha Sacca (Noble Truth of Suffering and Samudaya Sacca (Noble Truth of Origination of Suffering). This stage brings the understanding that whenever an individual’s mind gets corrupted, distorted and changed to another condition, it is due to an admittance and involvement with a sense – faculty- based object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhavana is the advancement of mind which results from both, the practice of “letting go” and the discipline achieved by “letting go”. The anapana pabba (section on In and Out breathing) leads a practitioner’s mind towards a defilement-free state in three stages referred to as Sila, Samadhi and Panna. This is the stage known as “rassa” where a practitioner experiences shallow breathing during the anapana meditation. This is the composed state of mind known as Samadhi. So, it is clear that the cultivation of Sila and Samadhi is a direct result of subjugation of defilements due to the exercise of “letting go” and the discipline achieved by sustaining the process of “letting go”.  Panna is the understanding one gains at this stage. One realizes that one’s achievement is in line with the section “sabba kaya patisamvedi assasikkhamiti sikkhati… in the Satipattana Sutta. Accordingly, one experiences finer in and out breath, tranquility of mental factors (kaya-passaddhi) and tranquility of consciousness (citta-passaddhi), and less tendency for attachment at this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Kaya-sankhara' is also found in the 2nd nidana of Paticcasamuppada. Paticca samuppada begins with avijja (ignorance). What runs contrary to avijja is vijja (clear knowledge). It is the conduct based on non-attachment. When the conduct is geared based on non-attachment (vijja), formations (sankhara) cease to arise – vijja paccaya visamkara. As the Buddha’s conduct is entirely devoid of any attachment, the Buddha is known as “vijja carana sampanno”. &#xA;“kathameva bhikkhave sankhara…”; analysing the formations (sankhara) the Buddha classified three types of sankhara, namely , kaya sankhara ( in &amp;amp; out breathing – as defined in the Culavedalla Sutta), vaci sankhara (initial &amp;amp; sustained thought' -vittaka &amp;amp; vicara ) and citta sankhara (perception &amp;amp; feeling). These formations are shrouded in avijja (avijja) and function as a flow of energy associated with attachment which could be comparable to magnetic force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Formations with high degree of heat energy are known as “apunyabhi sankhara”. Formations with moderate heat energy are known as “punyabhi sankhara” and the formations with lower heat energy are known as “anenjabhi sankara”.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as avijja is in existence sankharas are bound to form with resulting attachment. When a mind is cultivated to dispense with avijja, then, sankhara begin to cease. This is the stage where the mind is devoid of intense heat and attachment. This mental state is described in the verse,&#xA;” visamkhara gatham cittam , tanha nam khayamajjhaga…”.  When sankaharas are present, vinnana (consciousness) takes place, and so on, and so on…. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-12-31T17:22:44.667" LastActivityDate="2017-12-31T17:22:44.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-06T03:46:37.330" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just my 2 cents. If you think that you once had a goal and now you have changed, you're just shifting goals probably for good karma. But either way you are being selfish. You cannot escape that. You are being selfish saying that now I wish to do this instead of that because this gives me larger satisfaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice the aversion you are having when commenting on those scientists or philosophers. They are just having thoughts like you do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point I am trying to make is, either way you're just thinking. You're just having opinions. Opinions are subject to change. The idea is to bring the mental vacillations down to a minimum. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could you try to simply be involved in an activity, in this case, your studies? Without judging? You are now thinking of doing something else because your mind says whatever you are doing is nonsense. Next thing your mind will say this is nonsense too, try something else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, you're just being dragged willy nilly by your mind. It's all a vacillation. I would suggest you just be aware of it and simply involve yourself in an activity. And let it pass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at one of my previous questions, I said I keep having this feeling of being enlightened. Now that's what I call a vacillation. I am just deluded into thinking something by the mind. Like I am this greater self, and I am better than all of you. That's the huge ego my friend. Ego can expand itself. I bet you're having the same idea too going deeper and deeper into your &quot;meditation&quot; as you say. Like you are this larger than life thingy.  And you and your thinking is better than all the nonsense those scientists and philosophers of western thought spew. See what I mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-07-06T04:18:01.970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T04:18:01.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15775" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15846" CreationDate="2016-07-06T09:14:31.610" Score="6" ViewCount="1151" Body="&lt;p&gt;I meditate daily, for around 30 minutes or so, I have been on and off for the last few yew years. I only ever do a simple breathing meditation and I find it tends to make my mind smoother and more relaxed (compared to days I do not sit). I am also in the process of becoming a mathematician (hopefully completing my PhD in the next few months). Before embarking on my PhD I worked in IT as a developer/support manager, so my work has always been fairly cerebral. Given this context, I was wondering - are there particular types of meditation that specifically improve mental ability ? I know one of the obvious answers is that solving a problem in pure math is really a form of meditation, and I should probably just continue with the daily grind. I'm hoping for a bit more though. Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8631" LastActivityDate="2017-12-14T21:23:28.573" Title="Are there meditation practices that improve logical problem solving skills?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15772" CreationDate="2016-07-06T09:37:42.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not aware of an explanation in the original Pali scriptures of exactly why the terms 'rupa (form) jhana' &amp;amp; 'arupa (&lt;strong&gt;formless&lt;/strong&gt;) jhana' are used. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I would guess the term 'rupa' jhana is related to the activity of the nervous system of the entire &lt;em&gt;physical body&lt;/em&gt; ('&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;'). For example, just before entering into the 1st (rupa) jhana, the mental stress stored within the physical is completely calmed &amp;amp; the entire bodily nervous system starts to radiate with bliss. Although the physical body &amp;amp; breathing can no longer be felt in the 1st jhana (due to the strength of the rapture-bliss in the brain dominating conscious awareness), the bliss of the entire bodily nervous system is the basis of the bliss of the rupa jhanas. The Pali scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana...in the second jhana...There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture &amp;amp; pleasure...&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 119&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As rapture (&lt;em&gt;piti&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; then pleasure (&lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt;) subside, the mind becomes purified &amp;amp; completely clear in the 4th (rupa) jhana; without the sense objects (sensations) of rapture &amp;amp; pleasure capturing consciousness awareness. The scriptures state, in attaining the 4th jhana, whatever physical-breathing activity remains is totally calmed: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Having attained the fourth absorption, inhalation and exhalation have ceased.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.011.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 36.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To gain a picture of what it means for the breathing to be completely calmed/ceased, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt; describes it is the same as a dead body (thus a medical doctor would think the body is dead due to no movement of the breathing despite the life-force of the body remaining alive). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the &lt;strong&gt;formless meditations&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;arupa jhana&lt;/em&gt;) are described as solely meditations upon consciousness &amp;amp; mentality, without any breathing &amp;amp; feeling sensations from the bodily nervous system being felt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The features of the formless meditations are described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.011.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 111&lt;/a&gt;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sariputta entered &amp;amp; remained in the dimension of infinitude of space...the dimension of infinitude of consciousness...the dimension of nothingness. Whatever qualities there are...singleness of mind, contact, (mental) feeling,&#xA;  perception, intention, consciousness, zeal, decision, persistence,&#xA;  mindfulness, equanimity &amp;amp; attention — he ferreted them out one after&#xA;  another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the '&lt;em&gt;dimension of neither perception nor non-perception&lt;/em&gt;' (4th formless meditation/8th jhana), the scriptures describe the mental sense objects listed above start to disappear/fade &amp;amp; in the '&lt;em&gt;cessation of feeling &amp;amp; perception&lt;/em&gt;' ('9th jhana') all mentality, including consciousness, completely disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness disappears in the '9th jhana' because there is no more perception &amp;amp; feeling thus, as taught in the scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.53&lt;/a&gt;), consciousness cannot arise without any sense objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: The '9th jhana' (&lt;em&gt;cessation of feeling &amp;amp; perception&lt;/em&gt;) is not Nibbana/Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, in Buddhism, there are &lt;strong&gt;six&lt;/strong&gt; avenues of sense consciousness. In the formless meditations (as described in MN 111), &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;sense consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; remains (although eye, ear, nose, tongue &amp;amp; body sense consciousness do not operate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-06T11:04:34.827" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T11:04:34.827" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-06T10:03:07.923" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not aware of any meditation practices that improve logical problem solving skills. However (although I am not an academic), I have found, in my experience, the more clear &amp;amp; calm the mind is, the better my logic &amp;amp; problem solving skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T10:03:07.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15772" CreationDate="2016-07-06T11:22:47.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Formless meditations exist. The eight attainments (atthasamapatti) in meditation (attaining Adhicitta) broadly has two parts - namely, the first four rupa jhanas and the four arupa jhanas. These last four are higher stages of mental concentration – the formless states - enable one to gain super-normal powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though we see the mind as normally inter-dependent with body, there are levels of existence where only mental phenomena exist, with nothing whatever of rupa.  The four 'formless' (arupa) meditative states are attainable from the fourth jhana onwards:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of infinite space (Akasanañcayatana);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is attained by transcending any cognition of rupa, by abandoning the metal image that was previously the object of concentration, and seeing that space is infinite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of infinite consciousness (Viññaaañcayatana);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In this second state, the focus is on the consciousness that had been aware of infinite space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of nothingness (Akiñcaññayatana);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In the third, this object (Viññaaañcayatana) is dropped, and the focus is on the apparent nothingness remaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of neither-cognition-nor-non-cognition (Nevasaññanâsaññayatana).&#xA;In the fourth, this object (Akiñcaññayatana) is dropped and the mind is in an attenuated state where it is hardly functioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SD 24.11 _ Pathama Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Savitakka) Pathama Jhana Sutta. Progressing in the 1st dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD24.12a _ Dutiya Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Avitakka) Dutiya Jhana Sutta. Progressing in 2nd dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD 24.13 _ Tatiya Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Sukhena) Tatiya Jhana Sutta. Progressing in the 3rd dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD 24.14 _ Catuttha Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Upekkhaka) Catuttha Jhana Sutta. How to progress in the 4th dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD 24.15 _ Akasanañcayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of infinite space.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SD 24.16 _ Viññaaañcayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of infinite consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD 24.17 _ Akiñcaññayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of nothingness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;SD 24.18 _ Nevasaññanâsaññayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T11:22:47.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15772" CreationDate="2016-07-06T13:09:12.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess words are not enough to describe experiences. I don't know if they exist or how it is to be in a formless jhana, but I can tell you for sure that you will only get frustrated by trying to understand any experience using words or thoughts. See for yourself!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T13:09:12.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-06T15:43:31.360" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can practice to be equanimous while writing about the philosophy. Philosophy can be a deep sankhara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T15:43:31.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-06T15:53:09.100" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few disconnected points:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I wonder how to keep my previous life&quot; might be your ignoring impermanence (your previous life was a combination of factors including your naivety which no longer apply), and ignoring &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, not to mention &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Academic study can be used as training for the so-called 'real world' e.g. I studied Maths at school ... I decided I wouldn't spend a life-time doing Maths after I graduated, so I looked for other work and was hired as a software developer ... but the discipline of academic study may be useful in itself (e.g. studying Maths trained my brain to grasp symbolic logic which is useful for software development), and helps to persuade an employer that you're disciplined and motivated enough to learn whatever (more specialized) body-of-knowledge they need you to learn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say you have family, something like &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; suggests to me that you should have a conversation with your &quot;partner&quot; to discuss what you plan to do together, to help each other and/or help others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You say, &quot;I can barely open a book without thinking - what nonsense this all is, philosophers, thinkers, full of ego and ignorance&quot;. That doesn't sound to me like equanimity on your part, or even good will. If you wanted to teach or help people, would you need to learn to listen to their ego and ignorance? I haven't actually read any philosophy, hardly, except &lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt; which I like and recommend. Some people don't like it but surprisingly many have. If you haven't read it already you might find it a new insight into how philosophy can be practiced (it's about Western philosophers rather than Eastern).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-07-06T15:53:09.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-07T11:41:22.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No but you can focus on your work better than before.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T11:41:22.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-07T14:36:02.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Learn no-self and there will be no problem&quot;:)(a quote I heard somewhere) Sorry, I probably should have explained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OP is practicing anapana right?&#xA;What I meant was, how about Practicing   vipassana to let go of problems, anything and everyone? It gives practitioners wisdom for more appropriate decisions when dealing with problems...although, I'm not so sure about &quot;logical problems&quot; although.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-07-07T21:27:36.973" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T21:27:36.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-07T15:50:10.010" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard that when you sleep on a problem, you're mind thinks of a solution during the rest. That's kind of how meditation works, a sort of self-induced slumber (though its important not to fall asleep during meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how exactly the mind works better after meditation and sleep but my personal theory is that it separates from the object of meditation gaining a clear overview of possible solution paths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you don't go too far during a session it's been proven that meditation relaxes you. Logical thinking, rationality, clarirty, etc, are necessary for a mathematical mind. However, I feel thats it is also necessary to have periods of fanciful and unplanned moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the type of meditatiom that would be good for math is samata as opposed to vipassana. Briefly, vipassana focuses on present moment awareness whereas samata is on an object of meditation such as a candle or burning incense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a graduate degree in statistics and work as a statistical programmer and feel that meditation not only helps me solve problems but also be a better person. It may also give you a competetive edge when used in moderation. Best of luck on your journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T15:50:10.010" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-07T15:55:06.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to the clarity and calm that samatha, that practice you do already, provides, I would suggest vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dedicated vipassana practice I had found makes me more aware of my own thoughts and any chronic logical fallacies. I would suggest adding vipassana, aka &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/howtomeditate.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;cessation-contemplation&lt;/a&gt;, practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T15:55:06.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2016-07-07T16:21:26.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't have statistics for you but I do want to point a few things out to give you hope against the dire (skillful means) predictions of a Dharma Ending Age:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Statistics lie. There must be a huge amount of &quot;unnanounced Buddhists&quot; who practice meditation with the quest for Awakening (freedom from suffering). This to me qualifies as Buddhist, especially because some of these &quot;untracked&quot; people spend far more hours in the day practicing the essence of Buddhism than those affiliated to a softcore branch of Buddhism.. I myself am one of those people who announces themselves as multiple religions/none.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism is more of a spiritual lifestyle than a '-ism'. Therefore anyone of any religion can practice it in the cover of their communal Abrahamic (or otherwise) religion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism can never die. The quest for freedom and happiness will never end and due to the information age, the Buddhist teachings/suttas are forever preserved even if a major portion of humanity is decimated.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So long as you yourself are interested in Buddhism for its life-benefitting knowledge, you can be sure many others are, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T16:21:26.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15788" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15803" CreationDate="2016-07-07T19:16:18.140" Score="5" ViewCount="341" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very interested in the concept of emptiness and freeing myself of all attachments. Naturally I gravitated towards the heart sutra, the chant in particular is very moving. However I am completely baffled by the text itself. Could someone help me understand the meaning, or purpose behind the story?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8643" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T07:27:35.607" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T14:37:20.613" Title="How to make sense of the Heart Sutra" Tags="|sutras|attachment|sunyata|mantra|prajnaparamita|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1782" CreationDate="2016-07-07T20:27:55.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the modern age of world-wide education &amp;amp; science, all religions that have superstitious beliefs will inevitably fall into decline (statistically). Asian cultural 'Buddhism' is no different to Western Christianity or Judaism. Many Asian cultural Buddhists will stop believing in unknowable superstitious ideas (such as 'reincarnation-rebirth' &amp;amp; external 'heavens &amp;amp; hells') &amp;amp; thus reject (what they believe) Buddhism (to be). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures (such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 95&lt;/a&gt;) report the Buddha criticised religions that adhere to blind faith yet, since that time, Buddhism has become the same. For example, today, there are famous teachers that will insist you cannot be a Buddhist if you do not believe in post-mortem-rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Master Gotama, with regard to the ancient hymns of the brahmans —&#xA;  passed down through oral transmission &amp;amp; included in their canon — the&#xA;  brahmans have come to the definite conclusion that &quot;...this is&#xA;  true...&quot; What does Master Gotama have to say to this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Tell me, Bharadvaja, is there among the brahmans even one brahman who&#xA;  says, 'This I know; this I see...this is true..'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Master Gotama.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Dhamma... is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil,&#xA;  refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by&#xA;  the wise..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I speculate Buddhism only historically grew as a cultural religion due to a change of emphasis towards 'rebirth-reincarnation' (which was also the primary reason why Buddhism became extinct in India due to it becoming undifferentiatable from Hinduism). Therefore, it is inevitable cultural Buddhism declines for the same reason that it grew; in that it was never ever True Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, (in ordinary circumstances) the True Dhamma will not decline since those that comprehend Ultimate Knowable Truth do not change their convictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-07T20:48:50.217" LastActivityDate="2016-07-07T20:48:50.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12816" CreationDate="2016-07-08T00:19:13.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please limit yourself to reading only canonical texts (Sutta Pitaka) until you are fully established in the Path. Do not go into the Visuddhimagga – it is only a thesis that Buddhagosha Thera wrote to show his qualifications. When there are nearly 18,000 suttas that are found in the canonical texts why would one want to check the commentaries and others first? Even Abhidhamma came only after the 3rd Buddhist Council. If one starts with Abhi-dhamma first, it will confuse things further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of Ven. Mahinda arrived in Sri Lanka the native language of the island was not called Sinhala, but known as “dipa bhasa”, the language of the island, and this was closely related to the Brahmi language of Asokan inscriptions. Ven. Mahinda used the Pali language to preach to the people, but used the native language for the purpose of commenting on suttas and it is these that became known as Sinhala-atthakatha. Only a learned individual can identify errors found in these atthakatha. So it is advisable to limit yourself to reading only canonical texts (Sutta Pitaka) until you are fully established in the Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Venerable Buddhagosa came to Sri Lanka in the 5th century AC and translated these Sinhala-atthakatha or Sinhala commentaries on the texts into Pali. He was not translating the canonical texts. So as I mentioned earlier, his Visuddhimagga is a text written to show his proficiency to convince the Mahavihara monks that he was capable of undertaking such a daunting task of translating the Sinhala-commentaries into Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T00:19:13.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2588" CreationDate="2016-07-08T00:39:10.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only sutta that fully explains the seven purifications is Rathavinita Sutta. It explains in full the seven purifications (SAPTHA VISUDDHI) taught by the Buddha:&#xA;see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ratha-vinita Sutta: Relay Chariots  (MN 24; M.I,145)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only place in the Canon where these 7 kinds of purification are mentioned is M. 24,, The Simile of the Stage-coach; There it is said that the real and ultimate goal does not consist in purification of morality, or of mind, or of view, etc., but in total deliverance and ceasing. Now, just as one mounts the first coach and travels to the second coach, then mounts the second coach and travels with it to the third coach, etc., in exactly the same way the goal of (I) the purification of morality (sila-visuddhi) is  (II) the purification of mind (citta-visuddhi) its goal: (III) the purification of view (ditthi-visuddhi) its goal: (IV) the purification by overcoming doubt kankhāvitarana-visuddhi its goal: (V) the purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggāmagga-ñānadassana-visuddhi) its goal: (VI) the purification by knowledge and vision of the path-progress  (patipadā-ñānadassana-visuddhi); its goal: (VII) the purification of knowledge and vision (ñānadassana-visuddhi) but the goal of this purification is deliverance freed from all clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice the first two of the seven purifications to the best of your ability, everything else will fall into place. The goal of  purification of morality (sila-visuddhi) is the purification of mind (citta-visuddhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purification of mind (citta-visuddhi)  is towards cultivating a mind that does not to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action,  attitude,  etc. as one would repent after one’s thoughtless acts. This is eradicating mind-defiling defilements that lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leads to  purification of view (ditthi-visuddhi); This is a difficult one as the idea that truth always triumphs over power is one of those pleasant falsehoods. This idea that ‘Truth Always Wins’ was first coined by the Hindus. Today the Buddha Dhamma is lost to the masses. what they call as ‘Buddhism’ is  ‘adhamma’ – a falsehood. Just compare todays views to the Sutta &amp;amp; Vinaya Pitaka, and you will find this out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you overcome this hurdle of purification of view (ditthi-visuddhi); its goal:&#xA;the purification by overcoming doubt (kankhāvitarana-visuddhi) – yet another big hurdle. So I wish you the best. If you are a person of humility, and always trust the original scriptures only, and makes this practice your one and only pastime you will succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2021-10-11T06:29:32.577" LastActivityDate="2021-10-11T06:29:32.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5446" CreationDate="2016-07-08T00:52:08.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not possible for anyone to have any idea of what an aeon (world cycle / kappa) is. It is equivalent to eternity. Only by a simile you will get an idea of it. The Buddha offers two vivid similes to suggest the eon's duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A maha kappa or aeon is generally taken to mean a world cycle. How long is a world cycle? In Samyutta ii, Chapter XV, the Buddha used the parables of the hill and mustard-seed for comparison:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a solid mass, of rock or hill, one yojana (eight miles) wide, one yojana across and one yojana high and every hundred years, a man was to stroke it once with a piece of silk. That mass of rock would be worn away and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a city of iron walls, one yojana in length, one yojana in width, one yojana high and filled with mustard-seeds to the brim. There-from a man was to take out every hundred&#xA;years a mustard-seed. That great pile of mustard-seed would be emptied and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T00:52:08.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12816" CreationDate="2016-07-08T00:59:20.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhana is only required for arahantship. The noble eighthold path is the path to Nibbana or arahantship but not necessarily a path that must be fully completed for insight (vipassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha267.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;, Bhikkhu Bodhi gives an excellent account of how, in the suttas, stream-entry does not require jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet to be a stream-enterer there must be some clear insight of anatta (not-self) since a stream-enterer is defined by breaking the fetter of 'self-view' ('sakkaya ditthi'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nakhasikha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it is stated the stream-enterer has &quot;not a hundredth, a thousandth, a one hundred-thousandth&quot; of their former suffering. To extinguish so much suffering cannot occur without insight (vipassana). Yet such a stream-enterer has not yet reached the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/079-culasakuludayi-e1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'world' of jhana&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T01:10:19.517" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T01:10:19.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-08T01:21:55.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You only have to keep the ultimate aim of enlightenment in mind when practicing meditation and living in the dhamma. Then everything else, like improved logical problem solving skills, is achieved. The good qualities that emerge and mature from the practice of Dhamma not only smooth the way for the journey to Nibbana; over time they have the effect of transforming the practitioner into a more generous, loving, compassionate, peaceful, and clear-headed member of society. The individual's sincere pursuit of Awakening is thus a priceless and timely gift to world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T01:21:55.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5446" CreationDate="2016-07-08T01:26:12.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A paragraph in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#fnt-21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;  brought to perfection the four constituents of psychic power could, if&#xA;  he so desired, remain throughout a world-period (&lt;strong&gt;kappa&lt;/strong&gt;) or until the end of&#xA;  it.  The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata&#xA;  could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the&#xA;  end of it.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kappam va tittheyya kappavasesam va. Comy. takes kappa not as &quot;world-period&quot; or &quot;aeon,&quot; but as ayu-kappa, &quot;life span,&quot; and explains&#xA;  avasesa (usually &quot;remainder&quot;) by &quot;in excess.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, a 'kappam' or 'kalpa' is not always calculated in the same way. Sometimes a 'kalpa' ('period of time') is very short. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T02:49:03.700" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T02:49:03.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14075" CreationDate="2016-07-08T01:51:23.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the second of the eight parts what the Supreme Buddha said was, that if an Arahant so wishes, he/she can create an earth quake, but these kind of earthquakes do not create any harm to any being. There are a couple of examples of Arahants doing such at the request of kings, to show their powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Maha-parinibbana Sutta , The Blessed One states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When an ascetic or a Brahmin or a deity of great power, of great majesty, has, through spiritual power, attained (complete) mastery of the mind, and has developed even a (slight) perception of this earth, or an unlimited perception of water, that individual who encompasses such spiritual powers has the ability to make this Earth move, waver, flutter, and shake. This is the second reason, the second cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Bodhisatta (person striving for Buddhahood) The being (satta) heading for Awakening (Bodhi).descends from the heavenly abode of Tusita, and mindfully, with full awareness, enters his mother's womb, this earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the third reason, the third cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Bodhisatta, highly mindfully, with full awareness, leaves his mother's womb, this earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the fourth reason, the fourth cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Tathāgata attains the supreme state of Sammāsambodhi (unsurpassed and perfect Awakening), this Earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the fifth reason, the fifth cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Tathāgata sets the unsurpassed wheel of the Dhamma rolling (expounds the Four Noble Truths to the world), this Earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the sixth reason, the sixth cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Tathāgata, highly mindfully, with full awareness gives up the “Ability to determine to live further” (Ayu Sanskara) this Earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the seventh reason, the seventh cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Tathāgata reaches Parinibbāna, leaving no basis for aggregates to continue remaining, this Earth moves, wavers, flutters, and shakes. This is the eighth reason, the eighth cause for the occurrence of a great earthquake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the eight reasons, the eight causes, Ānanda, for the occurrence of a great earthquake. -                                                              (Maha-parinibbana Sutta-DN)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T01:51:23.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14075" CreationDate="2016-07-08T02:38:16.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures explain the physical body ('rupa') is composed of the elements of earth, wind, fire &amp;amp; water &amp;amp; this 'rupa' is inseparable from mentality ('nama').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when the mind shakes with rapture (joy), so does the physical body (which is made of the earth element) shake with joy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Maha-Parinibbana Sutta states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What causes life, unbounded or confined  — His process of becoming  —  this the Sage Renounces. With inward calm and &lt;strong&gt;joy&lt;/strong&gt; he breaks, As&#xA;though a coat of mail, his own life's cause.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This reality is most well-known by ordinary people when they experience sexual orgasm &amp;amp; also when women complete (the trial of) childbirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mystics can also use psychic powers to send thought messages &amp;amp; emotions into the minds of other people. This will also cause the earth element within the bodies of those other people to shake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many reputed arahants have passed away in Thailand yet Thailand does not have earthquakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorrow is often connected to joy. When ordinary people think of the passing of enlightened beings, both the joy &amp;amp; sorrow in their minds causes the earth element in their physical bodies to shake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above said, if what is written in the Maha-Parinibbana Sutta is literally true then Jesus Christ must have also been a Buddha because the Bible states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jesus again gave a loud cry and breathed his last.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. &lt;strong&gt;The earth shook&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;the rocks split apart&lt;/strong&gt;, the graves broke&#xA;open and many of God's people who had died were raised to life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A+50-53&amp;version=GNT&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Matthew 27:50-53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T03:04:32.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15799" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-08T07:48:41.937" Score="7" ViewCount="2679" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read and learned many areas in Buddhism, for example the Seven Arya Dhana (Saptharyadhana - The Sevenfold Noble Wealth), the Four Noble Truths (Chathurarya Sathya) and the Eightfold Path (arya ashtangika marga). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sometimes feel in the time when Gautama was born, the Aryans had ultimate power because of the caste system. So Gautama needed to break that authority and misbehave and tell people that this is the way to be an Aryan (and not by family birth in the caste system). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I admit that the teaching of [how to live] life is the basis of Buddhism. But rather than that i feel that there are some other things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sorry about the Sinhalese wordings. I don't know how to say it in English. Please correct if you know the exact English words). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not a theory or something. This is something i feel when I am learning the philosophy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="242" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T17:50:57.013" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T11:08:04.050" Title="Was Buddhism a rebellion against the Aryans?" Tags="|history|four-noble-truths|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15788" CreationDate="2016-07-08T08:08:05.250" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing in a zen dôjô for the last year, and have been singing the haramita shingyo a lot of times without really understanding it. Your question made me look for a translation online, and I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zen-occidental.net/sutras/shingyo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; (for french readers only) whose introduction says,:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ce texte, très court, qui se présente comme le &quot;cœur&quot; des sûtra bouddhistes indiens de la Perfection de Sagesse (prajñâ pâramitâ) est devenu en Chine, puis au Japon, une sorte de credo aux vertus magiques. Au nom de la vacuité, il met à mal les anciennes doctrines des quatre nobles vérités et de coproduction conditionnée.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(my translation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This text, very short, which presents itself as the &quot;heart&quot; of the Indian Buddhist sutras of the perfection of wisom, has become in China and then in Japan a sort of &lt;em&gt;credo&lt;/em&gt; (creed) with magical properties. In the name of voidness it breaks from the ancient doctrines of the four noble truths and of conditioned &#xA;  co-arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I've understood, this sutra is about putting &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the 4 noble truths&lt;/a&gt; in a &lt;strong&gt;vacuity&lt;/strong&gt; perspective. Considering this, there is no &lt;strong&gt;Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha&lt;/strong&gt; nor &lt;strong&gt;Magga&lt;/strong&gt; as they are mental constructions themselves and, thus, you should free yourself from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the 5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a humble translation from French to English of the &lt;strong&gt;5th paragraph&lt;/strong&gt; that seems meaningful to me :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no ignorance and no cessation of ignorance and so forth there&#xA;  is no aging nor death and no cessation of aging and death.&lt;BR/&gt;There&#xA;  is no suffering, origin, extinction nor path.&lt;BR/&gt;There is no&#xA;  knowledge and no obtaining for there is nothing to obtain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="580" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T11:07:29.750" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T11:07:29.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15799" CreationDate="2016-07-08T09:45:04.570" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Gautama left his family to become an ascetic or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Arama%E1%B9%87a&quot;&gt;śramaṇa&lt;/a&gt;, he joined many other ascetics or wanderers who were separate from the Vedic-Brahmanism religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, when Gautama left his family to become an ascetic, his goal was not political. The Pali &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot;&gt;scriptures describe&lt;/a&gt; when Gautama lived the life of a prince in his palaces, he was very unhappy &amp;amp; disenchanted &amp;amp; also saw how his rich relatives &amp;amp; associates suffered about worldly things, such as money, status, sex &amp;amp; sensuality, which brought little happiness &amp;amp; much trouble &amp;amp; suffering.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Gautama became an ascetic for the sole purpose of finding a solution to suffering for himself &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html&quot;&gt;for the world&lt;/a&gt;. Gautama's sole purpose was a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot;&gt;Noble Search&lt;/a&gt; for Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, after enlightenment, when the Buddha became famous, the scriptures report many Brahmans ('Aryans') came to visit the Buddha to ask him questions about 'caste' or 'birth' ('jati').   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddha was an honest &amp;amp; ethical man, he spoke the truth to the Brahmans (for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.nymo.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp3.9&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.093.than.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Singala: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn93&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn93&lt;/a&gt; ~ &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn95&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn95&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;~ &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn98&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/si/mn98&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddha &amp;amp; many of his enlightened disciples were not from the Brahman caste, the Buddha understood with right wisdom that the highest, most peaceful, wise, virtuous &amp;amp; free state of mind was not related to birth caste (read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.budd.html&quot;&gt;Brahmanavagga&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would speculate that hundreds of years later, under King Ashoka, many new scriptures were written that were very prejudiced against Brahmans (such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara3/5-pancakanipata/020-sonavaggo-e.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say this because in many scriptures, the Buddha is very civil to Brahmans and encouraged them to follow their own religion in a better way. The Buddha did not try to convert anyone to Buddhism unless he knew Buddhism was the most suitable path for that person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T10:02:07.297" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T10:02:07.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15799" CreationDate="2016-07-08T09:49:51.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a book titled &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt; which people recommend as an introductory text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway that book has, amongst other things, this to say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Text IV,6(3), a long excerpt from the Assalayana Sutta, captures the Buddha in debate with a precocious brahmin pundit about the brahmins' claims on behalf of the caste system. In the Buddha's age the caste system was only beginning to take shape in northeast India and had not yet spawned the countless subdivisions and rigid regulations that were to manacle Indian society through the centuries. Society was divided into four broad social classes: the brahmins, who performed the priestly functions prescribed in the Vedas; the khattiyas, the nobles, warriors, and administrators; the vessas, the merchants and agriculturalists; and the suddas, the menials and serfs. There were also those outside the pale of the four main classes, who were regarded as even lower than the suddas. From the Nikayas it appears that the brahmins, while vested with authority in religious matters, had not yet attained the unchallengeable hegemony they were to gain after the appearance of such works as the Laws of Manu, which laid down the fixed rules of the caste system. They had, however, already embarked on their drive for domination over the rest of Indian society and did so by propagating the thesis that brahmins are the highest caste, the divinely blessed offspring of Brahma who are alone capable of purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to certain popular notions, the Buddha did not agitate for the abolition of the Indian class system and attempt to establish a classless society. Within the Sahgha, however, all caste distinctions were abrogated from the moment of ordination. People from any of the four social classes who went forth under the Buddha renounced their class titles and prerogatives, becoming known simply as disciples of the Sakyan son (that is, of the Buddha, who was from the Sakyan clan). Whenever the Buddha and his disciples confronted the brahmins' claim to superiority, they argued vigorously against them. As our text shows, the Buddha maintained that all such claims were groundless. Purification, he contended, was the result of conduct, not of birth, and was thus accessible to those of all four castes. The Buddha even stripped the term &amp;quot;brahmin&amp;quot; of its hereditary accretions, and hearkening back to its original connotation of holy man, defined the true brahmin as the arahant (see MN 98, not included in this anthology).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There was a caste system in the Buddha's time and place, but the system maybe wasn't so fixed or codified as it became later&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha said (in suttas and the in the Dhammapada) that it's how a person behaves etc., and not how they're born, that would make them a holy person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha didn't try to abolish the caste system in lay society&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Sangha however is &amp;quot;classless&amp;quot; e.g. the seniority between monks is based on how long they've been ordained, and not on how they were born.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find other people writing on this topic by doing a Google search for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.fr/search?q=buddhism+caste+system&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;buddhism caste system&lt;/a&gt;. For example, this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd53.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Glossary of Buddhist terms&lt;/a&gt; more-or-less agrees with the above, except that this text doesn't say, &amp;quot;Contrary to certain popular notions, the Buddha did not agitate for the abolition of the Indian class system and attempt to establish a classless society&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So Gautama needed to break that authority and misbehave&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know, maybe the question of authority and behavior is whether it's conducive to the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt; suggests to me that he was willing to learn politely from the teachers of his day, but he assessed, evaluated, judged what he learned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's maybe not fair to say that he &amp;quot;misbehaved&amp;quot; in the sense of &amp;quot;behaved immorally&amp;quot; -- even in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where he tells people to not to base their decisions on &amp;quot;reports&amp;quot; nor on the thought that &amp;quot;This contemplative is our teacher&amp;quot;, even so he recommends they do what's &amp;quot;blameless&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;praised by the wise&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T09:49:51.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15788" CreationDate="2016-07-08T13:41:45.093" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The topic of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 100'000 verses is (1) emptiness and (2) the mind that realizes emptiness. The Heart Sutra is its condensed version. All the Perfection of Wisdom sutras are called “mother sutras” because one achieves any of the three types of enlightenment (that of a sravaka, a pratyekabuddha or a bodhisattva) is obtained in dependence upon realizing emptiness: it's the mother that gives birth to all of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While emptiness is the explicit topic of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, the mind realizing emptiness in the continuum of a Bodhisattva is the implicit topic. You will find that all Mahayana schools of tenets (i.e. Cittamatrin, Madhyamika-Svatantrika and Madhyamika-Prasangika) explain emptiness very differently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a terminological division of the perfection of wisdom into four:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the resultant perfection of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the path perfection of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the scriptures perfection of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the nature of the perfection of wisdom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The resultant refers to the omniscient mind of a buddha... the path refers to the exalted wisdom in the continuum of a bodhisattva superior... the scriptures refer to the Prajnaparamita Sutras... the nature refers to emptiness. Basically: The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras (scriptures) explain explicitly the nature perfection of wisdom (emptiness) and implicitly the path perfection of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the sutra says “Son and daughter of good lineage...” This does not merely refer to those who have the Mahayana lineage, but to those who have awakened the Mahayana linage. This shows the sutra is intended for disciples that are Mahayana in conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it says “those five aggregates also are empty”, this shows that it explains Mahayana tenets. Proponents of Mahayana tenets usually hold that so-called Hinayana tenets do not posit selflessness of phenomena but only that of person. Most proponents of so-called Hinayana tenets hold that Mahayana sutras are not the words of the Buddha, and so forth. (a kind of speech common on SE)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although there is a lot to be said, I will jump to the essence of the explicit subject matter. What does “form is emptiness. Emptiness is form...” mean? My teacher commented on Tendar Lharampa, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Form is emptiness'. Although form is found by a conventional valid&#xA;  cognizer,  it is not the object found by a mind of ultimate analysis.&#xA;  'Emptiness is form', that emptiness is the emptiness of that form.&#xA;  'Emptiness is not other than form' in that it is not separate from&#xA;  form. This is because emptiness is posited on its basis. Emptiness is&#xA;  always emptiness of something with which it is one entity. 'Form is&#xA;  also not other than emptiness' in the sense that there is no other&#xA;  form than the form that is empty of inherent existence. Although form&#xA;  and its emptiness are two different isolates, and two different&#xA;  objects [of two different cognizers], they are of one entity. If form&#xA;  and its emptiness were one [object], then when the eye-consciousness&#xA;  of an ordinary being sees form, it would see emptiness. If form and&#xA;  its emptiness were two different entities, then they would be causally&#xA;  related. This is because two related phenomena are either causally&#xA;  related, or related in terms of [being one] entity. Therefore, the&#xA;  emptiness of form would not be the ultimate nature of form; it would&#xA;  not be anymore related to form than it is to feelings and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To learn about emptiness, it is better to study tenets, special insight chapters, and Maitreya/Asanga's Ornament (AA) than the Heart sutra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend these books on the sutra, though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's Heart of Wisdom Teachings.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Heart Sutra: An Oral Teaching, by Geshe Sonam Rinchen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism, by Kazuaki Tanahashi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tendar Lharampa's commentary on the Heart Sutra.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found Master Shengyen's commentary more superficial and didn't enjoy it that much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T14:37:20.613" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T14:37:20.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-08T16:18:47.950" Score="4" ViewCount="291" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently encountered an aggressive panhandler. To be exact, he was a peddler who was selling a small good at a profitable price.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't end up buying anything from him because I simply didn't need the small good he was selling; but now I'm conflicted as to whether I should've just bought the item to help him out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one hand, I recognize that he is making a tough living and I admire him for that. I could've easily spared a few dollars to buy the item and help him out. To be honest, I really wanted to buy the item out of pity but I couldn't reason why I should treat this man differently from any other salesman I come across. All beings are suffering, and material wealth is illusory and insignificant at the end of the day. I am confused as to whether not giving (through refusing to buy from the peddler) is just me being stingy, and this is my attempt to rationalise my actions, or indeed there is no point in saying 'yes' to every salesman I come across selling something I don't need just to help them out with their livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to clarify this man was clearly not a drug addict or alcoholic who would use the money to feed his addictions, probably just an honest man trying to make a living. I guess what I'm trying to ask in essence is from a Buddhist perspective, &lt;strong&gt;should we treat those who are poorer and 'worse off' better by accommodating them than we do to those who are presumably 'better off'?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that we should give whenever we can, but if the act of giving is accompanied by the moral high ground I take by deeming this man as more deserving of my sympathy, is it really the way I want to give?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On another note, this man was also aggressively trying to guilt trip me by saying that I could just give him money and it wouldn't make a difference to me but I didn't think this was relevant because I'm sure he has his reasons for any malevolence. &lt;strong&gt;I'm more troubled by the fact that I could've helped him, but I didn't simply because I didn't feel I should judge him differently from other salesmen and I really didn't need the small items he was selling.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8651" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-08T16:27:02.553" LastActivityDate="2016-08-20T09:14:18.983" Title="Should I help an aggressive panhandler?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|karma|philosophy|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15804" CreationDate="2016-07-08T16:41:23.343" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;And that is ok. Suppose you would have helped him, would you have felt aversion towards yourself because you allowed yourself to be tricked and towards him because he tricked you? Would his life improve beyond imagination if you would have bought the item? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible that you are allowing a trifling matter inflict exagerated suffering upon yourself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can accept the past the way it is and let it go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T16:41:23.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15806" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15839" CreationDate="2016-07-08T17:55:46.570" Score="1" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teach to love , but when we love someone it's lead to craving , we wanted they must love us too but when things get worse it lead to sorrow. Another thing is we can love ourselves but does it selfishness ? Dose love , kindness , affection lead to sorrow ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:32:55.430" Title="What does love means?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|love|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15804" CreationDate="2016-07-08T18:37:52.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your case would actually more suitable for the philosophy community (possible dilemma situation), because in Buddhism the answer to your question is quite simple (at least as I see it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist point of view an action is 'good', if the prior intention is wholesome. 'wholesome' means free from greed, anger and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect. - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html#kamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore you shouldn't be so concerned with &lt;strong&gt;what&lt;/strong&gt; you should do, but &lt;strong&gt;how&lt;/strong&gt; you do it. If you have a pure mind that is free from defilements, the right action will come naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't buy something from such a person, you may feel guilty.&#xA;If you do buy something, you may feel betrayed. So there is no warranty for a wholesome mind by only looking at the action itself, in both cases it is possible to reinforce bad habits and conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you do buy something or not, there is in both cases the potential to develop &lt;em&gt;loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity&lt;/em&gt; towards this person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that you're not responsible for the suffering of others. But if you really want to help, you should think about whether or not it would be more wise to give money to an organization that fights poverty than giving it to random individuals (I honestly don't know which one is more effective).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-08T18:37:52.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15806" CreationDate="2016-07-08T21:01:08.080" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains there are at least three kinds of love: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;raga&lt;/em&gt;: lust &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;pema&lt;/em&gt;: affection &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt;: unconditional love and compassion. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first and second kinds of love lead to sorrow, but not the third kind of love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some readings are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piyajatika Sutta: From One Who Is Dear (MN 87)&lt;/a&gt;, which starts with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time a certain householder's dear &amp;amp; beloved little son, his only child, had died. Because of his death, the father had no desire to work or to eat. He kept going to the cemetery and crying out, &quot;Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone, my only little child?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piyavagga: Affection&lt;/a&gt; (from the Dhammapada), which starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;209&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Giving himself to things to be shunned and not exerting where exertion is needed, a seeker after pleasures, having given up his true welfare, envies those intent upon theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness (SN 1.8)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Sutta: The Sublime Attitudes (AN 10.208)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-29T19:32:55.430" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:32:55.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15809" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15820" CreationDate="2016-07-09T00:40:49.670" Score="1" ViewCount="1496" Body="&lt;p&gt;How did the character Montho from Ramayana make it into the name of the Thai letter ฑ (tho montho) of the Thai alphabet. Where is the relationship and in what year was this connection established?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8558" LastActivityDate="2021-09-17T07:42:03.187" Title="Origin of the Thai letter ฑ (tho montho)" Tags="|thai|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2021-09-17T10:06:49.037" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10737" CreationDate="2016-07-09T01:27:55.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that you are referring to Arahant Sappadāsa. You can find the verse of that great Arahant in &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.ca/images/BookThumb/VoiceofEnlightenedMonksTheragathaSample.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.ca/images/BookThumb/VoiceofEnlightenedMonksTheragathaSample.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Those Who Walked the Path to Nibbana - Verses of Great Arahants&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This stanza was told by Arahant Sappadāsa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It has been 25 years since I received ordination. Yet, I have not achieved a mind fully concentrated, not even for a single moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I greatly suffered from sensual desires that arose in my mind. My mind was never tranquil. At the end, I was so discouraged and overcome with sorrow. With a sense of un-accomplishment, I went from one monastery to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I was determined to take my own life, even if I had to use a weapon on myself. What purpose is there in this life? How can a person like me, who received ordination because of my unshakable confidence in the Noble Triple Gem, disrobe? How can I leave this noble life and die as a householder?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And so, I took the knife on to my hand, and sat on my bed. So determined to cut off my veins, I placed the knife on my neck&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through that itself, ‘wise consideration’ arose in my mind. The suffering that arises from all defilements became apparent to me. I felt a sense of detachment through the understanding of that reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through that understanding, my mind became free from all impurities. Look at the miracle of this noble Dhamma. I too attained the noble Triple knowledge. I fully accomplished the highest level of achievement one can achieve in the Supreme Buddha’s dispensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T01:27:55.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15809" CreationDate="2016-07-09T02:03:07.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unusual question for a Buddhist forum. However, if this question is asking: &quot;&lt;em&gt;How did a Hindu letter find its way into a Buddhist culture?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, the answer to this question is Thailand has never been exclusively a Buddhist culture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original religious beliefs of Thai people, which are still upheld today, were animistic, such as spirit &amp;amp; ancestor worship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, Brahmanism (Hinduism) was a predominant religion in Thailand and other South East Asian lands, such as Indonesia. This is why there are old &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prambanan#/media/File:Prambanan_Trimurti.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Hindu&lt;/a&gt; temples in Java, why Bali is a Hindu culture and why the king of Thailand is considered a reincarnation of Vishnu &amp;amp; why the Thai royal family still has Brahmanistic ceremonies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a later time, Buddhism came to Thailand (and Indonesia, as demonstrated by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur#/media/File:Borobudur_Temple.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Borobudur&lt;/a&gt; temple in Java). Although Thailand abounds with many thousands of Buddhist monks, the animist &amp;amp; Hindu beliefs remain strong in Thailand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a later time, Islam came to Thailand (which included Malaysia) &amp;amp; Indonesia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T02:03:07.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3722" CreationDate="2016-07-09T03:03:08.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Digha Nikáya Sutta 14 Mahapadana Sutta  &amp;amp; DN 32 The Āṭānāṭiya Discourse, the Supreme Buddha stated that six Supreme Buddhas appeared over 91 world-cycles.  The seven Buddhas, including &quot;our&quot; Supreme Buddha, mentioned in DN 14 &amp;amp; DN 32: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa, and Gotama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were all born in this earth, in the land of the Rose Apple (Jambudipa), in north-central India in the area known then as the Middle Land (Majjhima Desa). This is been said by the Supreme Buddha as He can remember the past up to infinite time such as many Sanvatta Kalpa, Vivatta Kalpa, and Sanvatta Vivatta Kalpa. Buddha not only stated the aeon in which the past six Buddhas arose, but also their social rank, family, life-span, tree under which they became Enlightened, the names of the two chief disciples, the number of the Arahants present at assemblies, the name of the attendant Bhikkhu and the name of the then Buddha’s mother and father and birth place. In accordance with this Sutta, such natural happenings and laws are very common to all Bodhisattas. The main event of all seven Buddhas are the same. Their mothers die within seven days of birth.  They all go forth after seeing four signs (an aged man, sick man, corpse and recluse) to attain Enlightenment etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though all seven Buddhas were born in this earth, there are other planes of existence. Various planes of existence of beings are present even though we cannot see most of them. The Supreme Buddha taught that there are nine such different planes of existence. These are known as ‘Sattāvāsa’. Some of these worlds belong to the type called ‘Ēkatta Kāyā’ ‘Ēkatta Sagnyā’. The ‘Ēkatta’ denotes a meaning of ‘single’. This means, all the beings in this type of worlds are similar to each other with respect to their bodies and minds. These worlds also belong to one world which is known as ‘Ābhassara Brahma’. Beings in this world feed on a great deal of happiness. The main reason for such happiness is the absence of variety in these worlds that could induce hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the human world is completely different. Humans belong to the type known as ‘Nānātta Kāyā’ ‘Nānātta Sagnyā’, which means different bodies and minds. In human world, we have to face feelings mixed with suffering and happiness. This difference leads them to divide into different groups even due to a small incident and fight with each other. Human world is the lowest plane in which one can realize the four noble truths, that is why all of the Buddhas are born here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T03:03:08.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15809" CreationDate="2016-07-09T03:35:13.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thai is one of the most complicated written languages in the world..  (not saying most efficient).  One of the rules is if a word is from foreign language, a new alphabet and a written structure is invented so that it would be distinguishable between original thai and foreign languages, which mainly Pali or Sanskrit.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give an example of a word &quot;nirvana&quot;  since it is not English, there would be a need to invent a new letter that produces &quot;n&quot; sound and new structure on how to put letters together so the goal is to communicate to readers that &quot;nirvana&quot; isnt English origin.  Lets say &quot;&amp;amp;^&quot; is a new &quot;n&quot; sound, nirvana would spell &quot;&amp;amp;^ervanah*&quot;.  For that, now &quot;n&quot; sounds has two representations in Thai Language &quot;n&quot; and &quot;&amp;amp;^&quot;  and every time &quot;&amp;amp;^&quot; is used it cant be used with &quot;i&quot;  etc.   Most of foreign languages in thailand at the time of beginning of written system were Pali and Sanskit around 700-1000 years ago.  So my guess is, ฑ (tho montho) is younger than 1000 years old.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I dont think religious beliefs were not as strong driving force as the idea of separating foreign languages to original Thai. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tho montho produces &quot;T&quot; sounds but not of Thai Origin.  If word is originally Thai, &quot;t&quot; sound, would use &quot;tho thahan ท&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this guy put a video explaining thai written system.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKVtpCByEy4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;thai written language explained&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. Dont try to pronounce island of Phuket in Thailand, with an F. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6999" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T03:35:13.583" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15814" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-09T10:20:45.547" Score="4" ViewCount="788" Body="&lt;p&gt;And How the buddha know all of these things. I suppose he knew from meditation until enlighten? So it is possible that just by mediation alone one can know about other realm of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T20:46:32.927" Title="Are the thirty-one planes of existence real places or just metaphors?" Tags="|the-buddha|realms|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15071" CreationDate="2016-07-09T11:34:32.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightened qualities are ultimate. One's mind is innately ultimate ie. enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A highly achieved buddhist practitioner often likens the enlightened mind with the clear blue sky. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often clouds (defilements) obscure the clear blue sky and the clear sky cannot be seen. In other words, without the clouds, the clear blue sky (the ultimate) can be seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2016-07-09T16:47:48.667" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T16:47:48.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15814" CreationDate="2016-07-09T12:10:15.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a major principle in original Buddhism that the Dhamma (true reality) is experienced in the here-&amp;amp;-now (&lt;em&gt;sanditthiko&lt;/em&gt;); has immediate results (&lt;em&gt;akaliko&lt;/em&gt;); invites inspection (&lt;em&gt;ehipassiko&lt;/em&gt;); leads to peace (&lt;em&gt;opanayiko&lt;/em&gt;); &amp;amp; verified by the observant for themselves (&lt;em&gt;paccattam veditabbo vinnuhi&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 38 states disciples of the Buddha should not even believe what the Buddha has spoken but to only believe what is experienced for oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Teacher is our&#xA;  respected mentor. We speak thus out of respect for the Teacher'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Contemplative says&#xA;  this. We speak thus in line with the Contemplative's words'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is it the case that you speak simply in line with what you have&#xA;  known, seen, &amp;amp; understood for yourselves?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be&#xA;  seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are scriptures where the planes of existence are metaphors so you need to decide for yourself whether 'heaven', 'hell', 'animal behaviour', 'hungry ghosts' &amp;amp; 'humane beings' are metaphors or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are quotes that use the term '&lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;' obviously as a metaphor: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, these two bright qualities guard the world. Which two?&#xA;  Conscience &amp;amp; concern. If these two bright qualities did not guard the&#xA;  world, there would be no recognition of 'mother' here, no recognition&#xA;  of 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' or 'wife of&#xA;  those who deserve respect.' The world would be immersed in&#xA;  promiscuity, like rams with &lt;strong&gt;goats&lt;/strong&gt;, roosters with &lt;strong&gt;pigs&lt;/strong&gt;, or dogs with&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;jackals&lt;/strong&gt;. But because these two bright qualities guard the world, there&#xA;  is recognition of 'mother,' 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,'&#xA;  'teacher's wife' &amp;amp; 'wife of those who deserve respect.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lokapala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthi.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain &lt;strong&gt;serpent&lt;/strong&gt; [snake], born from a womb, observing the full moon&#xA;  observances, would even give up his body?”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Here, monk, to a certain serpent born from a womb it occurs: `Earlier we acted in two ways by body, speech, and mind, and after&#xA;  death were born with the serpents born from a womb.'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“`Today we develop the right conduct by body, speech, and mind. In this manner we go to a good state, go to heaven after death.'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“`Therefore at this time we develop the right conduct by body speech and mind.'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Monk, this is the reason that a certain serpent, born from a womb, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta3/28-Naga-Samyutta/01-Nagavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nāga Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So too, bhikkhus, those beings are &lt;strong&gt;few&lt;/strong&gt; who, when they pass away from&#xA;  the &lt;strong&gt;animal realm&lt;/strong&gt;, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are&#xA;  more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are&#xA;  reborn in hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For what reason? Because bhikkhus, they have not &lt;strong&gt;seen the Four Noble&#xA;  Truths&lt;/strong&gt;. What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of&#xA;  the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of&#xA;  suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 56.121 (no link)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in&#xA;  Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time&#xA;  a large number of monks, after the meal, on returning from their alms&#xA;  round, had gathered at the meeting hall and were engaged in many kinds&#xA;  of &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt; topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers,&#xA;  &amp;amp; ministers of state; armies, alarms, &amp;amp; battles; food &amp;amp; drink;&#xA;  clothing, furniture, garlands, &amp;amp; scents; relatives; vehicles;&#xA;  villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women &amp;amp; heroes; the gossip&#xA;  of the street &amp;amp; the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the&#xA;  creation of the world &amp;amp; of the sea; talk of whether things exist or&#xA;  not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN&#xA;    10.70&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watching this whole video carefully about how Angulimala becomes an animal (murderer) then become a human being again (after being reformed by the Buddha) may also help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBkprM2JJQk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBkprM2JJQk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the '&lt;strong&gt;heavenly realms&lt;/strong&gt;', &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 1&lt;/a&gt; is useful. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 1&lt;/a&gt; describes the 1st, 2nd, 3rd &amp;amp; 4th meditative absorptions (&lt;strong&gt;jhana&lt;/strong&gt;) as various heavenly or godly states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &quot;There is the case, monks, where an uninstructed&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men&#xA;  of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma —&#xA;  perceives earth as earth. Perceiving earth as earth, he conceives&#xA;  [things] about earth, he conceives [things] in earth, he conceives&#xA;  [things] coming out of earth, he conceives earth as 'mine,' he&#xA;  delights in earth. Why is that? Because he has not comprehended it, I&#xA;  tell you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He perceives water as water... fire as fire... wind as wind ...&#xA;  beings as beings... gods as gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as&#xA;  Brahma... the &lt;strong&gt;luminous gods&lt;/strong&gt; as luminous gods... the &lt;strong&gt;gods of refulgent&#xA;  glory&lt;/strong&gt; as gods of refulgent glory... the &lt;strong&gt;gods of abundant fruit&lt;/strong&gt; as the&#xA;  gods of abundant fruit... the &lt;strong&gt;Conqueror&lt;/strong&gt; as the Conqueror ... the&#xA;  dimension of the infinitude of space as the dimension of the&#xA;  infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  consciousness as the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness...&#xA;  the dimension of nothingness as the dimension of nothingness... the&#xA;  dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the dimension of&#xA;  neither-perception-nor-non-perception ... the seen as the seen... the&#xA;  heard as the heard... the sensed as the sensed... the cognized as the&#xA;  cognized ... singleness as singleness... multiplicity as multiplicity&#xA;  ... the All as the All ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He perceives Nibbana as Nibbana. Perceiving Nibbana as Nibbana, he&#xA;  conceives things about Nibbana, he conceives things in Nibbana, he&#xA;  conceives things coming out of Nibbana, he conceives Nibbanaas 'mine,'&#xA;  he delights in Nibbana. Why is that? Because he has not comprehended&#xA;  it, I tell you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/079-culasakuludayi-e1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 79&lt;/a&gt;, the jhanas are also described as a &quot;world&quot; (&quot;loka&quot;) of pleasant feelings. Here, the word &quot;world&quot; is used to described a mental state, similar to many suttas such as SN 12.44 &amp;amp; AN 4.45, which refer to the &quot;world of suffering&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kiṃ panudāyi, atthi ekantasukho loko, atthi ākāravatī paṭipadā&#xA;  ekantasukhassa lokassa sacchikiriyāyā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Udayi, is there a world of only pleasantness? Is there a course of&#xA;  actions to realise that &lt;strong&gt;world of only pleasantness&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, Udayi, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual desires and thoughts of&#xA;  demerit abides in the first jhana: Overcoming thoughts and thought&#xA;  processs and the mind in one point internally appeased, without&#xA;  thoughts and thought processes abides in the second jhana. Again with&#xA;  equanimuity to joy and detachment, feeling pleasant with the body too,&#xA;  abides in the third jhana. To this the noble ones say abiding in&#xA;  pleasantness with equanimity. Udayi, this is the course of actions,&#xA;  for realising the world of only pleasant feelings (ekantasukhassa&#xA;  lokassa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 75&lt;/a&gt;, is discussed the Buddha's former life in the palace before he was monk. Here, the words &quot;divine sensual pleasures&quot; are used to describe the luxurious sensual pleasures of the rich &amp;amp; wealthy. Obviously, the heaven mentioned here (which was also understood by the non-Buddhist questioner) is not a heaven gained from doing good charitable deeds but a heaven of luxurious sensual pleasures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Māgandiya, formerly when I lived the home life, I enjoyed myself,&#xA;  provided and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure: with&#xA;  forms cognizable by the eye…with sounds cognizable by the ear…with&#xA;  odours cognizable by the nose…with flavours cognizable by the&#xA;  tongue…with tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for,&#xA;  desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and&#xA;  provocative of lust. I had three palaces, one for the rainy season,&#xA;  one for the winter, and one for the summer. I lived in the rains’&#xA;  palace for the four months of the rainy season, enjoying myself with&#xA;  musicians, none of whom were men, and I did not go down to the lower&#xA;  palace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“On a later occasion, having understood as they actually are the&#xA;  origin, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the&#xA;  escape in the case of sensual pleasures, I abandoned craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasures, I removed fever for sensual pleasures, and I abide&#xA;  without thirst, with a mind inwardly at peace. I see other beings who&#xA;  are not free from lust for sensual pleasures being devoured by craving&#xA;  for sensual pleasures, burning with fever for sensual pleasures,&#xA;  indulging in sensual pleasures, and I do not envy them, nor do I&#xA;  delight therein. Why is that? Because &lt;strong&gt;there is, Māgandiya, a delight [i.e. meditative jhana]&#xA;  apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, which&#xA;  surpasses even divine bliss&lt;/strong&gt;. Since I take delight in that, I do not&#xA;  envy what is inferior, nor do I delight therein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Suppose, Māgandiya, a householder or a householder’s son was rich,&#xA;  with great wealth and property, and being provided and endowed with&#xA;  the five cords of sensual pleasure, he might enjoy himself with forms&#xA;  cognizable by the eye…with sounds cognizable by the ear…with odours&#xA;  cognizable by the nose…with flavours cognizable by the tongue…with&#xA;  tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired,&#xA;  agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative&#xA;  of lust. Having conducted himself well in body, speech, and mind, on&#xA;  the dissolution of the body, after death, he might reappear in a happy&#xA;  destination, in the heavenly world in the retinue of the gods of the&#xA;  Thirty-three; and there, surrounded by a group of nymphs in the&#xA;  Nandana Grove, he would enjoy himself, provided and endowed with the&#xA;  five cords of divine sensual pleasure. Suppose he saw a householder or&#xA;  a householder’s son enjoying himself, provided and endowed with the&#xA;  five cords of human sensual pleasure. What do you think, Māgandiya?&#xA;  Would that young god surrounded by the group of nymphs in the Nandana&#xA;  Grove, enjoying himself, provided and endowed with the five cords of&#xA;  divine sensual pleasure, envy the householder or the householder’s son&#xA;  for the five cords of human sensual pleasure or would he be enticed by&#xA;  human sensual pleasures?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, Master Gotama. Why not? Because divine sensual pleasures are more&#xA;  excellent and sublime than human sensual pleasures.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 37&lt;/a&gt;, Sakka, ruler of the Gods, lives in an actual palace, with rooms &amp;amp; many young sexy young women. If the godly realm here was a literal 'heaven' (in the clouds), why would there be a palace, with rooms? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Good sir Moggallana, it once happened that war broke our between the&#xA;  gods and the titans. In that war the gods won and the titans were&#xA;  defeated. When I had won that war and returned from it as a conqueror,&#xA;  I had the Vejayanta Palace Built. Good sir Moggallana, the Vejayanta&#xA;  Palace has a hundred towers, and each tower has seven hundred upper&#xA;  chambers, and each tower has seven nymphs and each nymph has seven&#xA;  maids. Would you like to see the loveliness of the Vejayanta Palace,&#xA;  good sir Moggallana?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 11.5&lt;/a&gt;, the 'democrat' gods (deva) &amp;amp; 'totalitarian' titans (asura) have a debate about how to rule people. The gods suggest patience &amp;amp; the titans suggest punishment. If gods is a heavenly place &amp;amp; the titans is hellish state of deprivation, how could the gods &amp;amp; titans have a debate with eachother about ruling the world of ordinary people? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, the 'gods' here refers to benevolent rulers &amp;amp; the 'titans' refer to tyrannical rulers of the human world who engaged in ideological &amp;amp; often military battle with eachother. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the word '&lt;strong&gt;human&lt;/strong&gt;' ('manussa') in Pali literally means to be 'high minded'. Therefore, it does not refer to 'people' ('puggalo') but to a state of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the scripture states: &quot;there is this world &amp;amp; the other worlds&quot;, the term &quot;this world&quot; refers to the high virtuous human state of mind when having an audience with a Buddha or noble being. (It does not refer to the planet Earth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 12&lt;/a&gt; distinguishes between types of physical birth &amp;amp; forms of spontaneous mental birth: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;32&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, there are these four kinds of generation. What are the four? Egg-born generation, womb-born generation, moisture-born&#xA;  generation and spontaneous generation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What is egg-born generation? There are these beings born by breaking out of the shell of an egg; this is called egg-born&#xA;  generation. What is womb-born generation? There are these beings born&#xA;  by breaking out from the caul; this is called womb-born generation.&#xA;  What is moisture-born generation? There are these beings born in a&#xA;  rotten fish, in a rotten corpse, in rotten dough, in a cesspit, or in&#xA;  a sewer; this is called moisture-born generation. What is spontaneous&#xA;  generation? There are gods and denizens of hell and certain human&#xA;  beings and some beings in the lower worlds; this is called spontaneous&#xA;  generation. These are the four kinds of generation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-09T21:58:01.977" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T21:58:01.977" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15814" CreationDate="2016-07-09T16:11:45.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's my personal interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A belief in hell, devas, and rebirth preceded (existed before) Buddhism and the Buddha. So when the Buddha was born, lived, and taught, people (non-Buddhists) already had a belief in hell, devas, rebirth, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the page you referenced (see also Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school&lt;/a&gt;) there isn't any one source e.g. a single sutta which identifies the 31 planes ... instead commentators have collected the 31 planes from several sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example one of the suttas, which mentions the &lt;em&gt;arupa-loka&lt;/em&gt;, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saleyyaka Sutta (MN 41)&lt;/a&gt;. This starts as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The brahman householders of Sala went to the Blessed One; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When they were seated, they said to the Blessed One: &amp;quot;Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the condition, why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell; and what is the reason, what is the condition, why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the brahman householders open the discussion by asking, &amp;quot;Why are some people reborn in hell and some in heaven?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the question assumes/presumes the existence of heaven and hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reply, the Buddha teaches them Dhamma: he defines or gives examples of good and bad bodily conduct, verbal conduct, mental conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, the sutta's message ends by saying that &amp;quot;deliverance here and now&amp;quot; is also possible (and is implicitly better than a heavenly rebirth):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;43&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;If a householder who observes conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, righteous conduct, should wish: 'Oh, that by realization myself with direct knowledge, I may here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of the heart and the deliverance by wisdom that are taint-free with exhaustion of taints!' it is possible that, by realization himself with direct knowledge, he may here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of the heart and the deliverance by wisdom that are taint-free with exhaustion of taints. Why is that? Because he observes conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, righteous conduct.&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that the purpose or intent of this sutta, is not to teach us about the various kinds of Gods (though it does list various kinds), rather it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; to teach &lt;em&gt;examples&lt;/em&gt; of good and bad conduct, and teach that each person's future (destination) depends on their conduct. Whether or not that's really the &amp;quot;sutta's intent&amp;quot;, that's what I get out of it when I read it using my personal set of biases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see it as being similar to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=393&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;verse 393 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. the Buddha uses the existing belief and vocubulary (e.g. the word &amp;quot;brahmin&amp;quot;), he &lt;em&gt;redefines&lt;/em&gt; those words, and he reuses their language and belief-system to speak to people (who have pre-existing beliefs).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words I think that people of his day believed in rebirth, heaven, and hell, and he used that as a &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative_hook&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hook&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; to tell them about good conduct, e.g. to say that their destination depended on their own behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you can see other examples where the Buddha selects his message to match the audience. When talking to a lay audience, for example, he talked about the six directions; when talking to monks, he talked about renunciation -- different messages to suit different audiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that a belief in or a doctrine of rebirth is tightly integrated into the Pali canon, for example a literal interpretation of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; including &amp;quot;once-returner&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;non-returner&amp;quot; presume rebirth and rebirth in heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO trying to remove a belief in &amp;quot;planes of existence&amp;quot; from Theravada might be like trying to remove a belief in &amp;quot;heaven&amp;quot; from Christianity i.e. it's not easy or a natural way to interpret the scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to answer this is to say that, inline with the reasoning I gave in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15654/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, it might be useful to &lt;em&gt;behave as if&lt;/em&gt; the realms exist, i.e. behave as if our conduct has future consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, so far as I know, an orthodox answer from a Theravadin (i.e. a type of answer that I have seen from other users on this site) might be that you should practice to perfect yourself and your spiritual abilities until you can know/see the truth for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T16:11:45.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-07-09T16:21:56.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please read Bhaddaali-Sutta MN65 &#xA;describing the laying down of the rule about not eating at improper times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta also contains the parable of the Ajaniya horse. An excellent tamed mule schooled by an expert trainer and put through the various stages of training, becomes endowed with ten qualities. Such a thoroughbred horse is fit to be regarded as a treasure by a king. Similarly, a man who has developed the Noble Eightfold Path and obtained right knowledge and right deliverance, becomes the richest field in which the seed of merit may be sown. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-65-bhaddali-sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-length-discourses-buddha/selections/middle-length-discourses-65-bhaddali-sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Bhaddali_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Bhaddali_Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T16:21:56.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15809" CreationDate="2016-07-09T22:11:13.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This seems to be pretty much straightforward:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Khamhaeng&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;King Ram Khamhaeng&lt;/a&gt; (c. 1237/1247 – 1298) is credited with &lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; the creation of the Thai alphabet and the firm establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the state religion of the Kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned in other answers, the writing system was built in the way so that original Pali/Sanskrit sacral texts underwent minimal change. However, the spoken language lacked many consonants that present in Pali script and in spoken Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since all wide variety of Pali consonants was preserved (in written form), this led to duplicate consonants, e.g., several &lt;em&gt;written&lt;/em&gt; consonants mapped to the same phone in a &lt;em&gt;spoken&lt;/em&gt; language. For example, there are whopping six Pali consonants mapping to &lt;code&gt;[tʰ]&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To mitigate this, Thai consonants have a &lt;strong&gt;&quot;guiding word&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;just like if English had &lt;code&gt;A - Apple&lt;/code&gt;, &lt;code&gt;B - Box&lt;/code&gt;, etc.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So if one tells you, &quot;write a &lt;em&gt;tho&lt;/em&gt; consonant&quot;, you would wonder, &quot;which one? — ah, &lt;em&gt;tho montho&lt;/em&gt;, not &lt;em&gt;tho than&lt;/em&gt;, not &lt;em&gt;tho thahan&lt;/em&gt;, I understood&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other Thai consonants having its &quot;guiding words&quot; related to Buddhism.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Consider &lt;code&gt;พ พาน&lt;/code&gt; /pho phan/ (a decorated tray with a pedestal, used in Buddhist ceremonies)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;or &lt;code&gt;ณ เณร&lt;/code&gt; /no nen/ (young monk).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JfkaP.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/JfkaP.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Young monks in Thailand&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;sub&gt;Young monks in Thailand, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dmc.tv/pages/%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2/%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B6%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%81.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;image courtesy of&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4" LastEditorUserId="4" LastEditDate="2016-07-09T22:40:38.193" LastActivityDate="2016-07-09T22:40:38.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15821" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-10T02:23:29.180" Score="2" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;Faith in hell and heaven, Karma, rebirth, other realms etc. because all of them can't be proved via scientific method. If you say that you can see them by yourself, how do you know that it is not an illusion like when we have a lucid dream. Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2225" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-10T12:21:55.710" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T16:06:25.157" Title="How much faith do you need to become a buddhist?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|faith|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-10T02:52:27.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The disciples of the Supreme Buddha are divided into two main categories: laity and clergy (Bhikkhus). These disciples only take refuge in the Triple Gem. They do not possess the weakness of taking refuge in various other views. That is called faith or Saddha. This faith has to be genuine and unflinching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha’s disciples are genuinely faithful towards the Triple Gem. They are also wise, brave, and dignified. The disciples of the Buddha do not bow in front of other false views. They do not share the false pretense of grasping every belief as true and slip away from the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly in the present day and age there are many so-called-Buddhists that bear misguided and false views harming themselves and many around them.  In Sri Lanka specially, the country of my birth,  there are many who carry false beliefs while taking refuge in auspicious times according to asterism, auspicious signs, horoscopes, planetary objects, and the twelve houses of astrology. None of these have anything to do with Buddha’s teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A disciple who has developed the powers of a Noble learner such as faith, virtue, learning, liberality and wisdom, has the qualities to receive a rebirth in those Deva Worlds (being born in the heavens). Such a disciple with the powers of a Noble learner could contemplate: &quot;Devas too have noble qualities that I possess. After my death in this world, I can receive rebirth among the Devas&quot;. Thus the disciple with the powers of a Noble learner does the meditation called 'Contemplation of the Devas.' . In the Doctrine, there is a meditation called the 'Contemplation of Devas'. In it the Buddha spoke about The World of the Four, The World of the Thirty Three, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati, and Paramimmita Vasavarti. These are all Deva Worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one cannot lead a life of virtue and Dhamma in the worlds of Devas, The Buddha would not have taught His disciples how to meditate on the 'Contemplation of the Devas'. Another thing we know is that when the Buddha preached 'The Motion of the Wheel of Truth' (Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta) only one person in the world of human beings reached fruition of the path, while Devas in twenty two worlds of Devas reached fruition of the path. This is mentioned in this same sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samyukta Nikaya there are discourses called Devata Samyukta and Devaduta Samyukta. When these discourses were spoken by the Buddha, there were many beings from the world of Devas who reached the fruition of the Path. Sakkapanha Sutta in Digha Nikaya (collection of long discourses) shows that Sakra, the Lord of the Deva world of the Thirty Three had reached fruition of the Path. So does one need any more evidence than that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-10T02:57:59.240" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T02:57:59.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-10T03:15:13.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In hardcore ('supramundane') Buddhism, it is taught the cause for the generation of &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt; is your personal experience of suffering or dissatisfaction with ordinary worldly life. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Faith&lt;/strong&gt;, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does not lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition for&#xA;faith? 'Suffering' should be the reply.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being subject to birth, &lt;strong&gt;seeing the drawbacks&lt;/strong&gt; of birth, seeks&#xA;the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Nibbana. Himself being&#xA;subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing&#xA;the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement,&#xA;seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled,&#xA;unexcelled rest from the yoke: Nibbana. This is the noble search.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, the scriptures explain hearing the True Teaching is a cause of &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Faith&lt;/strong&gt;, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of faith? 'Listening to the True Teaching,'&#xA;should be the answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hardcore scriptures explain individual people are &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta2/13-Dhatu-Samyutta/02-Sattadhatuvaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;drawn to eachother&lt;/a&gt; due to the individual genetic (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) composition of their bio-psychology (&lt;em&gt;nama-rupa&lt;/em&gt;). For certain individuals, hearing about unknowable things in Buddhism will turn them away from Buddhism therefore the purpose of Buddhism will never be achieved by anyone on the planet Earth (since craving for future lives, similar to how many Christians are interested in living forever, is contrary to the path to Nibbana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, on the hardcore level, &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt; in &lt;strong&gt;external&lt;/strong&gt; hells and heavens, karmic-rebirth, other realms etc, is not required, which is why in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh017.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;1st three sermons&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; attributed to the Buddha, which gave rise to many enlightened beings, these things were not mentioned at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say that you can see them by yourself, yes, in hardcore Buddhism, this is considered to be an illusion like when we have a lucid dream. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a sharp ax. There&#xA;he would see a large banana tree: straight, young, of enormous height.&#xA;He would cut it at the root and, having cut it at the root, would chop&#xA;off the top. Having chopped off the top, he would peel away the outer&#xA;skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he wouldn't even find sapwood, to&#xA;say nothing of heartwood. Then a man with good eyesight would see it,&#xA;observe it, &amp;amp; appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing&#xA;it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void,&#xA;without substance: for what substance would there be in a banana tree?&#xA;In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &amp;amp; appropriately examines any&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;mental fabrications&lt;/strong&gt; that are past, future, or present; internal or external;&#xA;blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing&#xA;them, observing them, &amp;amp; appropriately examining them — they would&#xA;appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there&#xA;be in fabrications?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Now suppose that a magician or magician's&#xA;apprentice were to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and&#xA;a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, &amp;amp; appropriately&#xA;examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately&#xA;examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for&#xA;what substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a&#xA;monk sees, observes, &amp;amp; appropriately examines any &lt;strong&gt;consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; that&#xA;is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle;&#xA;common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp;&#xA;appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without&#xA;substance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Phena Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, if the mind can see clearly the &lt;strong&gt;illusion&lt;/strong&gt;ary nature of all mental phenomena &amp;amp; sense objects of consciousness, it should be already enlightened (therefore does not require to ask questions about &lt;strong&gt;faith&lt;/strong&gt; in Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T03:49:30.567" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-10T08:41:09.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;you don't need faith to become a Buddhist. Buddhism is strictly not a religion in the context of being a faith and worship owing allegiance to a supernatural being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No saviour concept in Buddhism. A Buddha is not a saviour who saves others by his personal salvation. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his incomparable guide who indicates the path of purity, he makes no servile surrender. A Buddhist does not think that he can gain purity merely by seeking refuge in the Buddha or by mere faith in Him. It is not within the power of a Buddha to wash away the impurities of others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T08:41:09.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15814" CreationDate="2016-07-10T09:44:31.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;strong&gt;six worlds&lt;/strong&gt;, in it-self it makes &lt;strong&gt;one&lt;/strong&gt;, then you have &lt;strong&gt;seven&lt;/strong&gt; worlds...&#xA;Those six worlds are combined in three different ways*: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One and Two and Three | Four and Five and Six&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One and Two | Three and Four | Five and Six   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One and Four| Two and Five   | Three and Six&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We now have &lt;strong&gt;fifteen&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;worlds&quot;, which can be either male or female: So we double and get &lt;strong&gt;thirty&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The whole of it together makes &lt;strong&gt;one more&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*According to the I Ching scholars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7818" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T09:44:31.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15427" CreationDate="2016-07-10T12:04:07.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of meditation is to focus on your meditation no matter what. To be disgusted simply following your anger, fear, anxiety etc. means you are losing focus on meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every meditator goes through the same. Just bring your thoughts back on meditation again and everything is ok.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T12:04:07.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1433" CreationDate="2016-07-10T13:53:24.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you're goal is with meditation. There are different meditations and people meditate with different motivations and goals. With some goals incense is useful. With others it can be a hindrance. As meditation is experiential you can actively map or watch your own state of consciousness to see what the incense is doing. Is it helping or hindering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There needs to be a distinction made between those who are meditating to be calm and relaxed, to feel better and those who are trying to move into states beyond all mental fluctuations. They are different enterprises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been taught that meditation is fundamentally about involution of consciousness (turning consciousness inwards). As you go deeper you move away from the part of the mind that is related to the five senses. You enter deeper states of inner silence. Sensory input makes your mind react this inner silence is affected by fluctuations of your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incense affects your sense of smell which is a very basal sense. It goes deep into your brain. This results in deeply rooted reactions in the mind. Incense thus produces mental fluctuations which limits your ability to enter no mind states. Note that some people meditate in darkness with no sounds or smells to help the process of involution. The senses are starved of stimulus. So if your goal is to move beyond mind into complete silence then incense may hinder you as it stimulates the smell sense resulting in mental fluctuations at a deep level in mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively some incense has a calming effect on the mind and many people use it to achieve a sense of calmness and relaxation. So if you are meditating for calmness and relaxation then it could help you. Clearly Buddhism uses incense for many practices and rituals. But do Buddhist practitioners who are attempting to reach states of no mind use incense? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8661" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T13:53:24.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1433" CreationDate="2016-07-10T18:12:05.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it is important to create such rituals in meditation practice. I haven't encountered any description of such in my readings of Suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-07-10T18:12:05.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-11T00:21:30.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There isn't one answer to this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a start, there's more than one school of Buddhism: which have different doctrines, which you may find easier or harder to believe or understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/Living-A-Buddhist-Life/fl/Dharma-Gates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;84,000 dharma gates&lt;/a&gt;, or sometimes dharma doors, which is a fancy way of saying that people come to Buddhism in countless different ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the (many) variants of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism in the West&lt;/a&gt; is apparently called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhists interpret the teachings of the Buddha and the Buddhist texts in a rationalist and often evidentialist manner, considering the historical and cultural contexts of the times in which the Buddha lived and the various suttas, sutras and tantras were written.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the framework of secular Buddhism, Buddhist doctrine may be stripped of any unspecified combination of various traditional beliefs that could be considered superstitious, or that can't be tested through empirical research, namely: supernatural beings (such as devas, bodhisattvas, nāgas, pretas, Buddhas, etc.), merit and its transference, rebirth, Buddhist cosmology (including the existence of pure lands and hells), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, re. the traditional schools, the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; list many doctrines, none of which actually includes &amp;quot;faith in hell and heaven, Karma, rebirth, other realms&amp;quot;. Maybe they were omitted by mistake, maybe they're not a doctrine that all schools share, or maybe they're just not important enough to mention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IOW I think you can &amp;quot;become a buddhist&amp;quot; without much belief in, without faith in, and/or without much understanding of these doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess my introduction to Buddhism was the four noble truths -- and I'm not sure that took any faith at all. The first two truths seem self-evident to me (or matches my experience), the third would stand to reason as a logical corollary of the second, and the fourth therefore seems worth investigating further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with your question though. In my first question on this site I commented that a doctrine of &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot; might be &amp;quot;a reason why some people might reject the Buddhist teachings entirely without close examination&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the sake of answering this question more completely, you might want to read more about what &amp;quot;faith&amp;quot; means in Buddhism. For example, according to one school (quoting from &lt;em&gt;The Jewel Ornament Of Liberation&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that case, what does “faith” mean? There are three kinds of faith: trusting, longing, and clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;III. TRUSTING FAITH&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understand that this faith depends on the topic “cause and result”—the Truth of Suffering which comes from the Truth of Causation. Furthermore, it comes from trusting that happiness in the desire world is the fruit of virtuous causes. Trust that the suffering of the desire world is the result of nonvirtuous action. Trust that the happiness of the two higher realms is the result of unshakable causes. Trust that by engaging in the nonvirtuous actions of body, speech, and afflicting emotions, which are called the Truth of Causation, one obtains the five afflicted skandas, which are called the Truth of Suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IV. LONGING FAITH&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding the extraordinary nature of unsurpassable enlightenment, one follows the path with respect and reverence in order to obtain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;V. CLEAR FAITH&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clear faith arises in one’s mind by depending on the Three Jewels. Develop devotion for and interest in the Buddha as the teacher who shows the path, the Dharma which becomes the path, and the Sangha which guides one in order to accomplish the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that there is faith, it maybe doesn't mean &amp;quot;belief in phenomena which can't be observed.&amp;quot; Even if you can't observe &amp;quot;the two higher realms&amp;quot;, you can observe the &amp;quot;afflicted skandhas&amp;quot; (or conversely, something like &amp;quot;lack of remorse&amp;quot; after virtuous behaviour).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Admittedly that's expecting to observe phenomena such as happiness, desire, virtue, and affliction -- maybe it's difficult to observe those &amp;quot;scientifically&amp;quot; (though, speaking of &amp;quot;scientific observation&amp;quot;, people have begun to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;use an MRI&lt;/a&gt; to test monks' ability to use meditation to affect their own happiness), but it is a kind of thing you can evaluate for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of Buddhism's own summaries of Buddhism (i.e. Buddhist Dhamma) is that the teaching doesn't require a lot of faith -- i.e. it doesn't say about itself, &amp;quot;Buddhism is ineffable, mysterious, the chief virtue is faith, and it can only be understood through faith.&amp;quot; Instead &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/formulae/anussati.html#anussati-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here is an example&lt;/a&gt; of what it does say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is well declared by the Blessed One: visible here and now (a.k.a. actual, belonging to this life), immediate (or maybe timeless), inviting to come and see, effective, to be individually (by oneself) ascertained (known) by the wise (intelligent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T00:21:30.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15814" CreationDate="2016-07-11T03:00:07.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the planes of existence real or metaphor? They are both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8664" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T03:00:07.393" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15831" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15833" CreationDate="2016-07-11T03:06:25.840" Score="0" ViewCount="1764" Body="&lt;p&gt;When preparing a meal with eggs, If a person cracks a egg will it be bad karma? Because, It is considered that farm chicken eggs are not fertile or doesn't have chicks growing inside. Therefore will it give bad karma for making eggs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8464" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-11T10:57:15.500" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T21:45:02.403" Title="Is preparing eggs for a meal considered as sinful in Buddhism?" Tags="|karma|food|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15831" CreationDate="2016-07-11T05:00:43.590" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes its a Sin. the Buddha said if you like to eat, eat but it is a Sin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Exa: when Devadaththa, He requested the Buddha to make it compulsory for monks to follow five extra rules:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) Dwell all their lives in the forest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) Live only on alms obtained by begging&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) Wear robes made from rags collected from the dust heaps and cemeteries&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) Live at the foot of trees&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) Refrain from eating fish or meat throughout their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddha refused these Rules. so as u can see last rule request is &lt;strong&gt;Refrain from eating fish or meat throughout their lives&lt;/strong&gt; Buddha refuse this Rule with Other rules. Buddha said if you like to eat meat or fish its your decision. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-07-11T05:25:38.560" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T05:25:38.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15831" CreationDate="2016-07-11T10:02:16.007" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see over 99% of eggs as 'not alive' eggs (unfertilized eggs) and therefore is OK to eat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often eggs obtained from a farmers market have the potential to be fertile. So it is good to avoid them.  Also it is advisable to avoid eating crabs, lobsters as they are always cooked while alive. It is because these two come within the three instances in which meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I came accross this Dhammapada story that may be of interest to you..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there lived a woman in a village near Savatthi. She kept a hen and every time it laid an egg, the woman would break it up. The hen was very angry and as a result, she was reborn as a cat and the woman was reborn as a hen in the same house. The cat ate up the eggs of the hen. In their next existence, the hen became a leopard and the cat became a deer. The leopard ate up the deer as well as its offspring. Thus their feud continued for several existences. At the time of the Buddha, one of them was born as a woman and the other as an ogress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one occasion, the woman was returning from the house of her parents to her own house near Savatthi. Her husband and her young son were also with her. While they were resting near the pond by the roadside, her husband went to have a bath in the pond. At that moment, the woman saw the ogress who appeared in human form and she recognised her as her old enemy. Taking her child, she fled from the spirit straight to the monastery where the Buddha was expounding the Dhamma and put her child at his feet. The ogress who was in hot pursuit of the woman was prevented from entering the monastery. Summoning the ogress to his presence, the Buddha admonished both of them for their long bitter feud, 'If you two had not come to me today, your enmity would have continued endlessly. Enmity cannot be appeased by enmity; it can only be appeased by loving-kindness.' Reflecting on the admonition, both realised the futility of their hatred, both admitted their mistakes and resolved not to continue with their senseless feud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://suttanta.tripod.com/khuddhaka/dhammapada/dha214.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://suttanta.tripod.com/khuddhaka/dhammapada/dha214.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T02:19:47.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1433" CreationDate="2016-07-11T11:35:51.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For meditation &lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;/strong&gt; need any candles or incense things. just Focus your mind for one thing &amp;amp; meditate. but you should in a calm Quite place to do meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T11:35:51.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15768" CreationDate="2016-07-11T13:16:52.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to talk about the last part of your question. It is very noble of you to share the gift of Dhamma with everyone and it is true that Dhamma is invaluable. Since you have a family to take care of, I suggest you carry on with your profession for at least one year and side by side open a YouTube channel and/or a website where you could share your knowledge for free. Check the waters for a year to see if you earn sufficient Ad revenues. Also you could open a Patreon account where your grateful subscribers could donate for your living. And if that works out, you could even make everything Ad free. As I said test the waters for at least a year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T13:16:52.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15836" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15838" CreationDate="2016-07-11T16:19:37.357" Score="2" ViewCount="2724" Body="&lt;p&gt;I sometimes see rules suggesting that monks (at least Theravadan) should not eat various animals. The lists vary, but includes to varying degree: elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, hyenas, slugs, cows, and humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I try to find something authoritative about this, I've come up short. Can anyone shed light on: (1) is there a list of animals that monks are prohibited from eating, and if so, (2) where does this appear in the canon, and (3) how/why were the particular animals listed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-11T17:15:13.957" LastActivityDate="2020-01-29T18:52:37.913" Title="Prohibitions against eating certain animals?" Tags="|reference-request|monk|food|rules|meat|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15836" CreationDate="2016-07-11T16:54:18.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft_djvu.txt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vinaya Pitaka -&gt; Mahavagga pali-&gt; Bhesajjakkanda&lt;/a&gt;; following 10 meats are prohibited for ordained monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Human&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Elephant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Horse &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dog &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Snake &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lion &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tiger  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Leopard  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bear  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hyena&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T16:54:18.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15836" CreationDate="2016-07-11T17:09:22.240" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Page 308 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Rules&#xA;Translated &amp;amp; Explained&#xA;by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Mahavagga (Mv.VI.23.9-15) forbids ten kinds of flesh: that of human&#xA;  beings, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, and hyenas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To eat human flesh entails a thullaccaya; to eat any of the other unallowable&#xA;  types, a dukkata. Human beings, horses, and elephants were regarded as too&#xA;  noble to be used as food. The other types of meat were forbidden either on&#xA;  grounds that they were repulsive (“People criticized and complained and spread&#xA;  it about, ‘How can these Sakyan-son monks eat dog meat? Dogs are loathsome,&#xA;  disgusting’”) or dangerous (bhikkhus, smelling of lion’s flesh, went into the&#xA;  jungle; the lions there, instead of criticizing or complaining, attacked them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary adds three comments here: (a) These prohibitions cover&#xA;  not only the meat of these animals but also their blood, bones, skin, and hide&#xA;  (the layer of tissue just under the skin—see AN 4.113). (b) The prohibition&#xA;  against dog flesh does not include wild dogs, such as wolves and foxes, (but&#xA;  many teachers—including the Thai translator of the Commentary—question this&#xA;  point). The flesh of a half-dog half-wolf mixture, however, would be forbidden.&#xA;  (c) The prohibition against snake flesh covers the flesh of all long, footless beings.&#xA;  Thus eels would not be allowed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-11T17:09:22.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15806" CreationDate="2016-07-12T02:59:18.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The love that Buddhism teaches is Maitriya. It means that one would not do any harm to another from one’s mind, body, and words. The Supreme Buddha once told that, if you have kindness, love, and compassion toward the human beings, you should make their minds be pleased about the Supreme Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. Spreading loving-kindness towards others means to be compassionate, loving, and kind toward others’ well-being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love of the sensual kind in its extreme form turns to lust. It is said that there is no fire like lust. It is towards the eradication of passion, lust, and desire that we practice Dhamma. In Dhamma we look at things that used to set off our lust, and we do it in a way so that they don’t set us off. One way is to see the unattractive side of the human body. We do it with the understanding that lusting after the human body is what will keep us from this Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But being affectionate is another thing. This is the positive side of love, as in an affectionate Teacher, an affectionate parent. But being affectionate too lead to sorrow. Think about the story of Kisā Gōtami. She lost her one and only son. This affectionate mother cried in pain when she lost her beloved child. Kisā Gōtami took her child on to her hands and walked in each street looking for a cure for her child. The Supreme Buddha made her see the truth of life. She too became a Bhikkhuni and became an Arahant by practicing the Dhamma well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T02:59:18.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15804" CreationDate="2016-07-12T03:10:55.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Throwing a coin to a beggar in order to get rid of him would be considered a defilement of giving. Just try and reflect on the lesson in this story - Do You Have Any Change?  - Ron Atchison&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inspirationpeak.com/cgi-bin/stories.cgi?record=70&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.inspirationpeak.com/cgi-bin/stories.cgi?record=70&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several years ago I was at a train station in Amsterdam waiting in line to buy a ticket. As I stood there I saw a young homeless man asking people for money so he could buy breakfast. It was early in the morning and most of the travelers simply ignored the young man or gave him a dirty look. There was one exception though - an older, well-dressed businessman who looked as though he was from the middle-east. When approached by the panhandler, the gentleman looked straight into his eyes and quietly asked &amp;quot;How much will you need?&amp;quot; I couldn't hear what the young man said but watched as the older man pulled several bills from his wallet and calmly placed them in the young mans' hands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if the young man actually used this money for breakfast or for some other purpose. What I do know is that I witnessed two completely different reactions to the same situation. I saw people who were either afraid or annoyed or distrustful. And then I saw this man who was not afraid and treated the homeless man as though he were a brother. I decided then and there that, even though we have to be careful in this world, I would rather be like him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T03:10:55.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15831" CreationDate="2016-07-12T06:52:01.910" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the idea of sinful or not doesn't apply to Buddhism. There are only wholesome/skillful actions and unwholesome/unskillful actions.  Karma = intention.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you are mindful of what you're doing and your intention is to prepare a meal for nourishment, instead of causing harm in any way, cracking an egg during the meal preparation doesn't seem to be a cause for bad karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8665" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-12T21:45:02.403" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T21:45:02.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2016-07-12T17:13:40.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;who&quot; that attains the truth, there is simply the attainment of the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T17:13:40.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15804" CreationDate="2016-07-12T17:46:59.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The other answers are true, you should not give out of pity. This defiles the very nature of giving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather you can do the follow before you give this guy a dollar:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have him tell you a joke/story that entertains you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ask him what he will do with this money. If you deem it is for good, then give him a buck.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ask for his advice on a specific matter. Have him be your therapist for 5 minutes. :-)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The overall idea is that you should try to get a little something out of him. This has great mutualistic effects namely, you will feel better about giving and the beneficiary will also learn something about what is valuable to others (who knows he may eventually start a joke-selling business).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be creative. Everyone is useful for something even a baby who has no life experience!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not respond to pressure tactics of panhandlers. Stare them straight in the eye and do not be fazed by such subtle violence. Otherwise we would be feeding this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T17:46:59.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15844" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15868" CreationDate="2016-07-12T18:07:21.457" Score="0" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I could clearly improve my awareness and intuition through meditation, I want to improve my problem solving skills, not giving up attitude, analytical skills and interpersonal skills. Can meditation help me in this and how should I go about meditating for this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-12T18:42:08.417" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T17:10:59.800" Title="Problem solving attitude" Tags="|personal-practice|belief|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7071" CreationDate="2016-07-12T18:27:04.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;Our&lt;/strong&gt;' body &amp;amp; mind does not perish with time. Instead, &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; body &amp;amp; mind perish with time. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A&#xA;  monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus asked, I would answer, 'Form is impermanent... Feeling...&#xA;  Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is impermanent. That which&#xA;  is impermanent is unsatisfactory. That which is unsatisfactory has ceased and&#xA;  gone to its end.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Very good, my friend Yamaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.85&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;mind (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt; that attains the truth &amp;amp; is liberated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why liberation in Buddhism is called 'ceto-vimutti' or 'citta-vimutti' ('liberation of mind') rather than 'atta-vimutti' (liberation of self). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why meditation is called 'citta-bhāvanaṃ' (development of mind) rather than 'atta-bhāvanaṃ' (development of self). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;akuppā &lt;strong&gt;ceto&lt;/strong&gt;vimutti, etadatthamidaṃ brāhmaṇa brahmacariyaṃ, etaṃ&#xA;  sāraṃ, etaṃ pariyosānanti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The unshakable freedom of &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt;: That is the purpose of this holy&#xA;  life, that is its heartwood, that is its final culmination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.030.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Visaṅkhāragataṃ &lt;strong&gt;cittaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; taṇhānaṃ khayamajjhagā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; has reached the Unconditioned; attained the destruction of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhp XI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of &quot;who&quot; is explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Phagguna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, about how the body, mind, sense experience, feelings, craving &amp;amp; clinging are not a &quot;who&quot;; about how the idea or sense of &quot;who&quot; arises later at 'becoming'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, has a sense-impression?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say that 'he has a sense-impression'...the correct way to ask the question will&#xA;  be 'What is the condition of sense-impression?' And to that the&#xA;  correct reply is: 'The sixfold sense-base is a condition of&#xA;  sense-impression, and sense-impression is the condition of feeling.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, feels?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say&#xA;  that 'he feels.'...the correct way to ask&#xA;  the question will be 'What is the condition of feeling?' And to that&#xA;  the correct reply is: 'sense-impression is the condition of feeling;&#xA;  and feeling is the condition of craving.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, craves?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say&#xA;  that 'he craves.'...the correct way to ask&#xA;  the question will be 'What is the condition of craving?' And to that&#xA;  the correct reply is: 'Feeling is the condition of craving, and&#xA;  craving is the condition of clinging.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, clings?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One, &quot;I do not say&#xA;  that 'he clings.'...the correct way to ask&#xA;  the question will be 'What is the condition of clinging?' And to that&#xA;  the correct reply is: 'Craving is the condition of clinging; and&#xA;  clinging is the condition of the process of &lt;strong&gt;becoming&lt;/strong&gt;.' Such is the&#xA;  origin of this entire mass of suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-12T18:54:51.427" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T18:54:51.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15775" CreationDate="2016-07-12T21:29:39.240" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a practice called Analytical Meditation. In this type of meditation you make a problem, or something that you want a deeper understanding of, to become the object of your meditation.  You then shift the sensations of the breath to the background in your mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method is very well described on pages 361-368 of &quot;The Mind Illuminated&quot; by Culadasa.   I think it is exactly what you are looking for. It is a component of the Mahayana vipaśyanā system called “The Union of Wisdom and Calm Abiding.”   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only caveat is that you must be able to sustain your focus on the object of your meditation, in your case the sensations of the breath.  If you do not have some degree of stability in your attention to the breath, Analytical Meditation will not yet be an effective practice for you.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8229" LastActivityDate="2016-07-12T21:29:39.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15847" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-12T22:27:27.627" Score="4" ViewCount="571" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading on some later Buddhist and Mahayana sutras and kept seeing the principles along the lines of &quot;all phenomenon have no nature of their own and are thus empty.&quot; I've studied on scriptures like this before, like the Heart Sutra, but I don't think the Pali Canon or Tripitaka mentions anything about this doctrine. I'm curious what exactly later Buddhists meant by this, and if the Buddha actually taught this doctrine or if Sunyata has basis in the original sutras. Thank you to all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T06:39:45.913" Title="What does it mean when something has &quot;no self-nature&quot;?" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15847" CreationDate="2016-07-12T23:44:41.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sunnata&lt;/strong&gt; is from the original Pali scriptures, such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suñña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The definition of 'sunnata' is contained therein, namely, void/empty of self &amp;amp; anything belonging/pertaining to self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states discourses that are words of the Tathagata are deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness (suttantānaṃ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, from the perspective of the Pali suttas, the intellectual Mahayana quibble about '&lt;strong&gt;sabhava&lt;/strong&gt;', which also occupies the minds of many an intellectual Theravada, is an extreme view. This quibble is born from intellectual thinking rather than from the clear direct (non-thinking) observation of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is word 'sabhava' comes from the Theravada commentaries rather than from the Pali suttas. That being said, in my opinion, it does not contradict the Pali teachings of anatta (not-self) &amp;amp; sunnata (emptiness) because as long as 'things' (such as the five aggregates) are clearly seen as 'anatta' (not containing a 'self'); those 'things' remain 'empty'. In other words, there is no need to negate the 'thingness' (or 'sabhava') of 'things' because the word 'sabhava' does not mean 'self', 'ego' or 'personality'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures describe form, feeling, perception, fabrications, consciousness, earth, wind, fire, water, space, Nibbana, etc, as having intrinsic qualities, which is essentially the meaning of 'sabhava'. The word 'bhava' can mean 'produce' (rather than 'being') thus 'sabhava' can mean 'self-produced'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take, for example, the earth element. What produces/sustains the earth element? I suppose the only logical answer to that question is 'the earth element'. For example, for life forms to sustain the physical body, they must eat other physical life forms. If the earth element is physically broken down, all that is obtained is smaller particles of earth element (atoms, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, there is no need to quibble over 'sabhava' since, in the experience of meditation, the five aggregates are seen as the 'five aggregates' (rather than as a 'self') and seeing form as 'form', feeling as 'feeling', earth as 'earth', etc, is exactly the same as seeing form as 'empty', feeling as 'empty', etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Pali quotes below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the earth property? The earth property can be either internal or external. What is the internal earth property? Anything&#xA;  internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid &amp;amp; sustained [by food]:&#xA;  head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones,&#xA;  bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, large&#xA;  intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, feces or&#xA;  anything else internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid and&#xA;  sustained: This is called the internal earth property. Now both the&#xA;  internal earth property &amp;amp; the external earth property are simply earth&#xA;  property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right&#xA;  discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.'&#xA;  When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right&#xA;  discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the earth property and&#xA;  makes [craving towards] the earth property fade from the mind&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Rahulovada Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'form' ('rupa')? Because it is 'afflicted' ('ruppati'), thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold &amp;amp; heat &amp;amp; hunger &amp;amp;&#xA;  thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &amp;amp; reptiles.&#xA;  Because it is afflicted, it is called form.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it&#xA;  feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called&#xA;  feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it&#xA;  perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it&#xA;  perceives, it is called perception.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they&#xA;  fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, they&#xA;  fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness,&#xA;  they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of&#xA;  perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of&#xA;  consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated&#xA;  thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called&#xA;  fabrications.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is&#xA;  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, &amp;amp;&#xA;  unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-13T00:30:41.700" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T00:30:41.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15847" CreationDate="2016-07-13T00:23:57.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of what I’ve read and heard of so far, in the scriptures (Sutta-Vinaya – but I’m not in a position to quote) the emphasis on impermanence, or becoming, is not a belief in nothingness. As per the scriptures existence is real, but it is transitory. In the later day Mahayana, it was the later philosopher Nagarjuna, who brought in the concept of sunyata.  He argued against the belief that somehow there were ultimate forces or things which had a permanent reality of their own or swabhava as @ChrisW has mentioned. He was not describing sunyata as a void per-se but the present meaning is a later day development. Today some even call Nirvâna as Sunyata, 'emptiness.'. But IMHO if someone or something is there in one place and at the next moment that something or someone is not there any longer, then that place is now ‘Sunyata’ of that person or thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T00:23:57.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15804" CreationDate="2016-07-13T00:33:31.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what difference it makes whether the panhandler is aggressive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they weren't agressive, if they were just begging instead, what then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a line from the novel &lt;em&gt;Kim&lt;/em&gt;, when he (the child protagonist) meets a Tibetan Lama who has come into India on a pilgrimage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'And whom didst thou worship within?' said Kim affably, squatting in&#xA;  the shade beside the lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I worshipped none, child. I bowed before the Excellent Law.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kim accepted this new God without emotion. He knew already a few&#xA;  score.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'And what dost thou do?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I beg. I remember now it is long since I have eaten or drunk. What is&#xA;  the custom of charity in this town? In silence, as we do of Tibet, or&#xA;  speaking aloud?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Those who beg in silence starve in silence,' said Kim, quoting a&#xA;  native proverb. The lama tried to rise, but sank back again, sighing&#xA;  for his disciple, dead in far-away Kulu. Kim watched head to one side,&#xA;  considering and interested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Give me the bowl. I know the people of this city - all who are&#xA;  charitable. Give, and I will bring it back filled.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize this is just a novel but I found it a memorable phrase: &quot;Those who beg in silence starve in silence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might be some good reason to withhold charity. When my parents visited Mali they were advised to give any gifts to the village leaders and not to give to children, because tourists giving to children would encourage children to skip school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I remember times when I've been charitable I basically don't regret doing that. That might be a consequence of having done a good thing; the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta (AN 11.1)&lt;/a&gt; begins with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm more troubled by the fact that I could've helped him, but I didn't simply because I didn't feel I should judge him differently from other salesmen and I really didn't need the small items he was selling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... so if that troubles you, maybe try doing something different next time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's this video (actually an advertisement) from Thailand: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZGghmwUcbQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Heartwarming Thai Commercial&lt;/a&gt;. It starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does he get in return, for doing this every day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is a long article about &quot;&lt;em&gt;Dana&lt;/em&gt;: The Practice of Giving&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. Maybe the most relevant section of it from the point of view of this question is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE MOTIVATION FOR GIVING&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The suttas record various motives for exercising generosity. The Anguttara Nikaya (A.iv,236) enumerates the following eight motives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asajja danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: one gives with annoyance, or as a way of offending the recipient, or with the idea of insulting him.[5]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhaya danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: fear also can motivate a person to make an offering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Adasi me ti danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: one gives in return for a favor done to oneself in the past.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dassati me ti danam deti&lt;/em&gt; one also may give with the hope of getting a similar favor for oneself in the future.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sadhu danan ti danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: one gives because giving is considered good.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aham pacami, ime ne pacanti, na arahami pacanto apacantanam adatun ti danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: &quot;I cook, they do not cook. It is not proper for me who cooks not to give to those who do not cook.&quot; Some give urged by such altruistic motives.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imam me danam dadato kalyano kittisaddo abbhuggacchati ti danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: some give alms to gain a good reputation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cittalankara-cittaparikkarattham danam deti&lt;/em&gt;: still others give alms to adorn and beautify the mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Favoritism (chanda), ill will (dosa) and delusion (moha) are also listed as motives for giving. Sometimes alms are given for the sake of maintaining a long-standing family tradition. Desire to be reborn in heaven after death is another dominant motive. Giving pleases some and they give with the idea of winning a happy frame of mind (A.iv, 236).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But it is maintained in the suttas (A.iv,62) that alms should be given without any expectations (na sapekho danam deti). Nor should alms be given with attachment to the recipient. If one gives with the idea of accumulating things for later use, that is an inferior act of giving. If one gives with the hope of enjoying the result thereof after death, that is also an inferior act of giving. The only valid motive for giving should be the motive of adorning the mind, to rid the mind of the ugliness of greed and selfishness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest there are Buddhist scripture which would be interpreted as recommending your being generous towards the Sangha more than towards agressive pan-handlers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be surprising how much money (dollars per hour) some beggars can make, conversely it might also be surprising how poor some people can be. It's hard to assess others' needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at this story for example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3527/254&quot;&gt;Where is the story of the non-returner who “sold” pots on the side of the road?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I admire the sutta on &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stinginess (SN 1.32)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T00:33:31.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15847" CreationDate="2016-07-13T01:59:01.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali phrase in the Suñña Sutta is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;suññam idaṃ attena vā attaniyena vā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81#Pali_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; translates as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this world is empty of self or anything pertaining to self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;attena&lt;/em&gt; is a declension of &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:533.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attan&lt;/a&gt;, which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ātman&lt;/a&gt; in Sanskrit/Hinduism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ātman is a Sanskrit word that means inner self or soul. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Ātman is the first principle, the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena, the essence of an individual. In order to attain liberation, a human being must acquire self-knowledge (atma jnana), which is to realize that one's true self (Ātman) is identical with the transcendent self Brahman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which is cognate to (or opposed to, to be contrasted with) the Buddhist Pali term &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the term anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit) refers to the doctrine of &amp;quot;non-self&amp;quot;, that there is no unchanging, permanent soul in living beings. It is one of the seven beneficial perceptions in Buddhism, and along with Dukkha (suffering) and Anicca (impermanence), it is one of three Right Understandings about the three marks of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of Anatta or Anatman in Buddhism, is a major difference from the Hindu concept of Atman (self, soul).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that helps to explain what &amp;quot;self-nature&amp;quot; might mean, or whence it's derived, in &amp;quot;the original sutras&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also topics which are tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatman&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatman&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatman&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the term &lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt; appears a lot in &amp;quot;the original sutras&amp;quot; in that it's one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#Becoming&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 Nidanas&lt;/a&gt; and thus part of the theory of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da#The_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Svabhava&lt;/em&gt; (or the Pali &lt;em&gt;sabhāva&lt;/em&gt;) there's the word &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhava&lt;/a&gt; plus the root &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.3:1:2494.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sa&lt;/a&gt; which means &amp;quot;own&amp;quot;, a reflexive pronoun cognate to the Latin &lt;em&gt;sui&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;suus&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali, &amp;quot;becoming&amp;quot; is dependently originated. The whole &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14503/explain-this-theravada-wheel-of-life&quot;&gt;wheel of becoming&lt;/a&gt; is about how various things which shouldn't be considered 'self' sustain or feed each other, so I take it that (independent) self-becoming is a paradox, a contradiction, which explains the quote in the OP &amp;quot;all phenomenon have no nature of their own&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this isn't clear, and/or this appears to contradict other answers, perhaps that's because there are (or there are posited) several categories of self-nature (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/yogacara-part3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tri-svabhava-nirdesa&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svabhava#Therav.C4.81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pāli canon, &amp;quot;sabhāva&amp;quot; is absent from what are generally considered to be the earliest texts.[a] When found in later texts (e.g., the paracanonical Milindapañha), it generically refers to state (of mind), character or truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the post-canonical Abhidhamma literature, sabhāva is used to distinguish an irreducible, dependent, momentary phenomenon (dhamma) from a conventionally constructed object. Thus, a collection of visual and tactile phenomena might be mentally constructed into what is conventionally referred to as a &amp;quot;table&amp;quot;; but, beyond its constituent elements, a construct such as &amp;quot;table&amp;quot; lacks intrinsic existence (sabhāva).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this example (of the non-self of a table) is analogous to the parable of the chariot from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Panha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milinda Panha&lt;/a&gt;. Wikipedia dates the Milinda Panha to about 100 CE, which I contrast with the lifetime of the Buddha in about 400 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you progress (forward in history) into the foundations of Mahayana you get to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nagarjuna (150 to 250 CE)&lt;/a&gt;. The SEP says this about &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nagarjuna/#EmpSva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Emptiness and &lt;em&gt;svabhāva&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The central concept around which all of Nāgārjuna's philosophy is built is the notion of emptiness (śūnyatā). Emptiness is of course always the emptiness of something, and the something Nāgārjuna has in mind here is svabhāva. Different terms have been used to translate this word into English: “inherent existence” and “intrinsic nature” appear etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fwiw &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svabhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says of &lt;em&gt;Svabhava&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Mahāyāna Buddhadharma tradition(s) it is one of a suite of terms employed to denote the Buddha-nature&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T06:39:45.913" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15844" CreationDate="2016-07-13T02:41:28.733" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is something that you and I can learn from Buddha when it comes to inter-personal dynamics. Whenever Buddha, welcomed questions, he was also open to any queries of argumental nature and debates. He viewed the questioner as one who was intent on learning, even if the exchange of words was heated, and therefore led to a positive result.  Even those listening to such debates learnt from it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So meditation alone will not help you achieve all of those lofty goals that you have set for yourself, but if you study the Dhamma found in the scriptures and apply them to your life you will achieve all of your aims and more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Supreme Buddha’s dispensation, until we become Stream Entrants (Sotha-Aapanna), we have to be in the company of others.  Even after they attained spiritual heights, Buddha advised the monks to return to society to be in service for the benefit of others. This is another reason for Buddha to refuse  Devadatta’s five proposals as he did not want to make monks lead totally secluded lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Parabhava Sutta and Vasala Suttas for instance show how to perform one’s duties and responsibilities to others and maintain positive social relationships. Practicing these principles helps one to realize one’s self-worth that is necessary for all positive social relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s a series of meditations called guardian meditations, which are very helpful in using skillful perceptions to get the mind in the right mood, in the right attitude, with the right understanding, as you come into the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to love others one ought to love oneself first. That is why the Loving Kindness meditation starts with oneself.  One wants to be happy, safe and live long as much as others. So in Loving Kindness meditation one meditates thinking “May I be free from suffering... free from ill will... free from anger… may I be happy…  free from hostility and trouble and live happily.” Thereafter, one can meditate thinking “May those who are known to me, those who need my assistance, those who are indifferent to me, those who hate me, also be happy, free from sorrow and suffering.” A person who is unhappy, jealous and stressed will never make positive relationships with others, but one who cultivates the four brahma‐viharas, develop healthy inter-personal dynamics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha talked about goodwill in the brahma‐viharas, it wasn’t ordinary, everyday goodwill. It was goodwill all around, without limit. A person who cultivates social emotions like love (metta), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha) will find the defiling emotions like ill-will and hatred cease to exist. In their turn compassion or Karuna, will make one active and happy since it means attending to the needs of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Singalovada Sutta, the Buddha was told by Sigala that one should worships six directions. Six directions according to the Buddha were, as he advised Singala… &#xA;East Parents (when one is a son or daughter); South Teachers (when one is a pupil); West wife (When one is a husband); North friends (When one is also a friend); Up Clergy (When one is lay person); and Down Employer (When one is an employee).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in order to not get upset from the eight vicissitudes of life, you can practice Equanimity meditation (Upēkshā Bhāvanā). One who practices equanimity will not mourn when sufferings and troubles come. Upekkhā meditation can be cultivated in Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti and Appamānha Chētō Vimukkti methods similar to the Mettā and Mudita meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can cultivate Muditā meditation [Altruistic-joy meditation (Muditā Bhāvanā)] to get rid of discontent about wholesome actions. The happiness we feel about others’ progress/wellbeing is Muditā. One can thrive with money, lands, vehicles, and so on by earnest and righteous livelihoods. If we can be happy by seeing such development of others without getting angry about it, it is Muditā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Benefits of practicing the loving-kindness meditation are clearly shown in the Mettānisansa Sutta in Anguttara Nikāya. Those benefits are:  Sleeps well;  Wakes up well;  Does not dream nightmares;   Becomes likable to humans; Becomes likable to ghost beings; Gets protected by divine beings;  Does not come any harm from poisons or weapons;  Can attain concentration quickly;  Gets his/her body colorful/bright;  Dies consciously; Will be born higher plains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then lastly you can apply the same method that Buddha wanted us to use when learning Dhamma, when doing other studies. Learning is a gradual process. The Supreme Buddha said that his method is gradual training, gradual action and gradual practice. Methodology of learning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It starts with careful listening with full attention (Suthaa).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Then what he has heard has to be registered in the mind (dhathaa).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The next step is to familiarize himself with what has learned by reciting (vacasa paricita).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Then it has to be internalized with pondering over it, contemplating the meaning by applying it to yourself.  (Manasaanupekkhitha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The next step is practicing what one has learned to become a real know-er of the teaching - The realization. It is the result of the above 4 actions.  (Ditthiya Suppatividdha)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-13T02:54:34.500" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T02:54:34.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15853" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15856" CreationDate="2016-07-13T09:38:26.620" Score="-1" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;If our present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, what is the real present remedy for suffering in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T01:27:47.963" Title="What we have to do for bad karma from a prior life?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15853" CreationDate="2016-07-13T17:33:42.993" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't philosophize about past lives. You were born a human being, that in itself is a condition for old age, sickness and death (and all other types of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the remedy &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the Buddha stated&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the only way, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of Nibbana, namely, &lt;strong&gt;the four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; (mindfulness) is in Buddhism seen as the way of purification and the basis of wisdom. You can find many help &amp;amp; instructions already posted in questions on this site. Also there is a quite popular and helpful practical &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;booklet about&lt;/a&gt; this on the internet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T17:33:42.993" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15853" CreationDate="2016-07-13T19:08:44.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;your question falls into the 6th thing Buddha said we should know about Karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) what is Karma -   intention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) stage where karma is played out.  (i dont know if my pali English text is correct, Nidhana-sam-Bhava)  the answer is Pasa or dection.  Karma can bare result in those who have detection.  This matches independent origination detection is a condition for feeling to arise, in this case feeling of unpleasantness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) levels of Karma; karma that results in beings to be in hell realms, in animal wombs, in hungry ghost realms, in human realms, in heavens.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4)Time of karma.  Immediate, further in the future, or even more further in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) the end of karma.  Karma ends when detection ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6)path/road to the end of karma.  That's 8 fold paths.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please notice that the fundamental things to know about Karma matches well with OidaOudenEidos' answer.  Right mindfulness and concentration are 8 fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Demonstrates Buddha's great ability, no matter when and where he spoke of Dhamma, they all match well together.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-07-13T19:08:44.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15853" CreationDate="2016-07-14T01:27:47.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;We live in a befuddled world where one is born inferior and another superior. The inequalities among each other are numerous. How could one be born into a life of affluence, and another to abject poverty? How could one live long and another die young? How ill-luck could befalls the virtuous, and the wicked have all the luck? Why would one have to lead a sickly life when another is strong and healthy? How can there be a ravishing beauty and an ugly duckling in the same family. It is these kind of observations that made you ask the question…  &lt;strong&gt;If our present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, what is the real present remedy for suffering in this life?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where the Buddha’s teachings come in help. The teaching on kamma, or intentional action, is perceived by most of us as the idea that what you experience now comes from what you did in the past. It is erroneous thinking.  What Budddha said was:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Chēthanāhan Bhikkhavē kamman vadāmi. Chēthayithvā kamman karōthi kāyēna vāchāya manasā”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Dear Bhikkhu, I see intention as the Kamma. One does Kamma by body, words, and mind based on an intention.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbēdhika Sutta&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subject of outcomes of Karma is infinite. Only a Buddha has the ability to understand it. Buddha has said that our experience of the present moment consists of three things: pleasures and pains resulting from past intentions, present intentions, and pleasures and pains, resulting from present intentions.  This tells us that the present is not totally shaped by the past. Pleasures and pains come from intentions, which are actions. So in a sense, it means the meritorious and de-meritorious volition &lt;strong&gt;(Kusala Akusala Cetana)&lt;/strong&gt;  or in other words  &lt;strong&gt;&quot;action-influence.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not assert that everything is due to Kamma.  If it is so, a man must ever be bad, for it is his Kamma to be bad. But as per Dhamma, there are five orders or processes (Niyamas) which operate in the physical and mental realms: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kamma Niyama, order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Utu Niyama, physical (inorganic) order, e.g., seasonal phenomena of winds and rains.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bija Niyama, order of germs or seeds (physical organic order); e.g., rice produced from rice-seed, sugary taste from sugar cane or honey etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta Niyama, order of mind or psychic law, e.g., processes of consciousness (Citta vithi), power of mind etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhamma Niyama, order of the norm, e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Boddhisatta in his last birth, gravitation, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every mental or physical phenomenon could be explained by these all-embracing five orders or processes which are laws in themselves. Kamma is, therefore, only one of the five orders that prevail in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T01:27:47.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15859" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-14T02:16:26.883" Score="0" ViewCount="572" Body="&lt;p&gt;The happiness that can be found within our day to day life has to be sacrificed in the form of sense-restraint if one becomes a disciple of the Buddha. Our happiness’s ranging from the mundane to the supra-mundane, ranging from success, good fortune all the way up to skill in meditation, wisdom and Enlightenment comes at a price. So my question to you is, “What is the price?” Only if we can identify this, will we be able to create the proper foundation for us to succeed in treading the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-14T03:32:26.403" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T11:03:19.340" Title="How does Buddhist (supra-mundane) Happiness differ from ‘mundane’ happiness?" Tags="|personal-practice|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15859" CreationDate="2016-07-14T03:30:35.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana (the only true reliable perfect happiness) does not come with a price. It is 100% free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the difference between the two forms of happiness is: (i) Nibbana is completely free; (ii) where as the worldly pleasure of sensuality, materiality &amp;amp; status is extremely financially expensive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is the wrong view (&lt;em&gt;miccha ditthi&lt;/em&gt;) that sensual &amp;amp; worldly pleasures are being 'sacrified' at a 'price', the hindrance of lust will be difficult to overcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Friend Ariṭṭha, do not say so. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One;&#xA;  it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would&#xA;  not speak thus. For in many ways the Blessed One has stated how&#xA;  obstructive things are obstructions, and how they are able to obstruct&#xA;  one who engages in them. &lt;strong&gt;The Blessed One has stated that sensual&#xA;  pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering and despair,&#xA;  and that the danger in them is still more&lt;/strong&gt;. With the simile of the&#xA;  skeleton…with the simile of the piece of meat…with the simile of the&#xA;  grass torch…with the simile of the pit of coals…with the simile of the&#xA;  dream…with the simile of the borrowed goods…with the simile of fruits&#xA;  on a tree…with the simile of the butcher’s knife and block…with the&#xA;  simile of the sword stake…with the simile of the snake’s head, the&#xA;  Blessed One has stated that sensual pleasures provide little&#xA;  gratification, much suffering and despair, and that the danger in them&#xA;  is still more.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So too, Māgandiya, formerly when I lived the home life, I enjoyed myself, provided and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure:&#xA;  with forms cognizable by the eye…with tangibles cognizable by the body&#xA;  that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with&#xA;  sensual desire and provocative of lust. On a later occasion, &lt;strong&gt;having&#xA;  understood&lt;/strong&gt; as they actually are the gratification, &lt;strong&gt;the danger&lt;/strong&gt;, and the&#xA;  escape &lt;strong&gt;in the case of sensual pleasures, I abandoned craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasures&lt;/strong&gt;, I removed fever for sensual pleasures, and I abide&#xA;  without thirst, with a mind inwardly at peace. &lt;strong&gt;I see other beings&lt;/strong&gt; who&#xA;  are not free from lust for sensual pleasures &lt;strong&gt;being devoured by craving&#xA;  for sensual pleasures&lt;/strong&gt;, burning with fever for sensual pleasures,&#xA;  indulging in sensual pleasures, and &lt;strong&gt;I do not envy them&lt;/strong&gt; nor do I&#xA;  delight therein.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of sensual desire arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;sensual desire&lt;/strong&gt; has arisen in me. This &lt;strong&gt;leads to my own affliction, to&#xA;  others’ affliction, and to the affliction of both&lt;/strong&gt;; it obstructs&#xA;  wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna.’ When I&#xA;  considered: ‘This leads to my own affliction,’ it subsided in me; when&#xA;  I considered: ‘This leads to others’ affliction,’ it subsided in me;&#xA;  when I considered: ‘This leads to the affliction of both,’ it subsided&#xA;  in me; when I considered: ‘This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties,&#xA;  and leads away from Nibbāna,’ it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of&#xA;  sensual desire arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with&#xA;  it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As &lt;strong&gt;a mighty flood sweeps&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;away&lt;/strong&gt; the sleeping village, so death carries away &lt;strong&gt;the person of distracted mind who only plucks the flowers (of&#xA;  pleasure&lt;/strong&gt;). The Destroyer brings under his sway the person of&#xA;  distracted mind who, insatiate in sense desires, only plucks the&#xA;  flowers (of pleasure). The fool worries, thinking, “I have sons, I&#xA;  have wealth.” Indeed, when he himself is not his own, whence are sons,&#xA;  whence is wealth? A fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least to&#xA;  that extent, but a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.&#xA;  Though all his life a fool associates with a wise man, he no more&#xA;  comprehends the Truth than a spoon tastes the flavor of the soup. One&#xA;  is the quest for worldly gain, and quite another is the path to&#xA;  Nibbana. Clearly understanding this, let not the monk, the disciple of&#xA;  the Buddha, be carried away by worldly acclaim, but develop detachment&#xA;  instead. The good renounce (attachment for) everything. The virtuous&#xA;  do not prattle with a yearning for pleasures. The wise show no elation&#xA;  or depression when touched by happiness or sorrow. He is indeed&#xA;  virtuous, wise, and righteous who neither for his own sake nor for the&#xA;  sake of another (does any wrong), who does not crave for sons, wealth,&#xA;  or kingdom, and does not desire success by unjust means. Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains.&lt;strong&gt;Beset by craving, people run about like an entrapped hare&lt;/strong&gt;. Held fast by mental fetters, they come to suffering again and again for a long time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dhp#2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dhp#2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-15T21:17:25.173" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T21:17:25.173" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2016-07-14T09:20:03.263" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The simple explanation is that you are practicing mindful concentration. The latter threefold division of concentration required in the Noble Eightfold Path. Whether you are doing sitting meditation, chanting sutras, calling the name of the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or chanting mantras, or even following the monastic discipline Vinaya as a monk. You can't simply concentrate on anything though, importantly it must be Right Mindfulness that is skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandoning the wrong factors of the path &quot;One is mindful to abandon&#xA;  wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right&#xA;  mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  resolve: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  speech: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right&#xA;  action: This is one's right mindfulness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in&#xA;  right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— MN 117&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanting holy names is within this criteria, as with Myoho Renge Kyo -the Sublime Dharma of Lotus Sutra, as they do not promote bad unskillful thoughts and encourage positive reverential emotions. (With the added possibility of divine intervention..) The practice of the Noble Eightfold Path is said to lead to liberation from mental afflictions by the purification of mind, speech and action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As exactly how the exact mechanics of this works, I can't say for certain, but it does work. Abandoning negative thoughts does wonder for the mind and body. At certain level of concentration you enter what is called the Jhana/Chan/Zen where feelings of bliss and peace arise, and is also a state where you can make many realizations. This is certainly possible through chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-07-14T10:05:36.173" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T10:05:36.173" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15862" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15872" CreationDate="2016-07-14T11:53:35.510" Score="5" ViewCount="817" Body="&lt;p&gt;If all of us are re-incarnations of prior human beings, how do we account for the growing population? Where do “new” humans come from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-14T15:07:36.253" LastActivityDate="2019-02-11T00:35:06.760" Title="Where do “new” humans come from?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|human|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-07-14T14:16:09.187" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people think of this is a sort of moderate asceticism. However, reading the suttas and doing additional research I came to realize that the actual purpose of this practice is to maximize health and well-being. According to Indian Ayurvedic medicine, which was in its heyday during the lifetime of the Buddha, the digestive fire or agni is maximal during the waxing of the sun, i.e., from sunrise to noon, and it is during this time that food should be taken to maximize digestion and assimilation of nutrition. It has nothing to do with asceticism, although of course the Buddha did teach that one should eat moderately, i.e., only what is necessary for good health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T14:16:09.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3722" CreationDate="2016-07-14T14:18:38.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhas may be born anywhere on the earth-plane, which essentially means the universe of matter inhabited by human beings. I don't believe geocentricity is taught or implied by Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T14:18:38.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-07-14T15:01:57.350" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are &lt;strong&gt;not necessarily&lt;/strong&gt; re-incarnations of prior human beings. There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism. So the  present human beings could result from any of the 26 planes out of 31 planes of existence(except 5 non-returner Bhrama realms) which consist of unaccountably large number of beings. For example, imagine the number of beings living in  Animals realm (tiracchana yoni).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-14T18:14:20.803" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T18:14:20.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15866" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15867" CreationDate="2016-07-14T15:25:11.203" Score="1" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that after death, the mind may move to a different plane of existance to be re-incarnated, but what is the appeal of moving to a different plane after death? Is it wrong to say that I'm satisfied with where I'm currently at?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T17:32:53.937" Title="What is the appeal of not Re-incarnating?" Tags="|mind|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15866" CreationDate="2016-07-14T15:58:32.707" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha clearly rebuked the idea of consciousness/mind that runs and wanders on [from birth to birth] in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta (MN 38)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Exactly so, lord. As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is just this consciousness that runs and wanders on, not another.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Which consciousness, Sāti, is that?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This speaker, this knower, lord, that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; evil actions.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And to whom, worthless man, do you understand me to have taught the Dhamma like that? Haven't I, in many ways, said of dependently co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness'? But you, through your own poor grasp, not only slander us but also dig yourself up [by the root] and produce much demerit for yourself. That will lead to your long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth(&lt;em&gt;Jati&lt;/em&gt;) is caused by becomming (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, if there were no kamma ripening in the sensuality-property, would sensuality-becoming be discerned?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture. The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance &amp;amp; fettered by craving is established in/tuned to a lower property. Thus there is the production of renewed becoming in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhava Sutta: Becoming (AN 3.76)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T15:58:32.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15844" CreationDate="2016-07-14T17:10:59.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wanting to improve and having expectations is in Buddhism seen as the cause of suffering. Meditation can't help you to gain your goals, but you learn how to be content with the way things already are. As a side effect you become a better person and have a better attitude, but this is not the goal of meditation. The goal of (Buddhist) meditation is insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T17:10:59.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15866" CreationDate="2016-07-14T20:12:20.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;what wrong with being satisfied with current situations is that current situations don't stay with way.  They deteriorate and will break apart with 100% certainty.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there was no death, there would be no Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to be clear, Buddhism is not about leaving current situation to be in a better one.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T20:12:20.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15814" CreationDate="2016-07-14T20:16:14.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is how I see this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First off let's not forget the definition of '&lt;em&gt;World/Loka&lt;/em&gt;'. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I will teach you the origination of the world &amp;amp; the ending of the world. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As you say, lord,&amp;quot; the monks responded to the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;And what is the origination of the world? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. This is the origination of the world.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, 'world' is relative to one's six sense experience. And six sense(&lt;em&gt;Salayathana&lt;/em&gt;) bases are made out of past &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;(cause) and the experience based on those senses are &lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;(effect).&#xA;So the 31 planes of existence is nothing but 31 levels of sense base experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is can be further explained if we analyze the availability of senses in Kama Loka, Rupa Loka and Arupa Loka:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Loka     Senses&#xA;Kama     Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body, Mind&#xA;Rupa     Eye, Ear, Mind&#xA;Arupa    Mind&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this is evident as attaining to Rupa Jhana will result a birth in Rupa  Bhrama world and attaining Arupa Jhana will result a birth in Arupa worlds. So 31 planes of existence is 31 levels of deceived karmic experience. For example, If a being is deceived to the 6 sense bases; that's called Kama loka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-14T20:46:32.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15866" CreationDate="2016-07-15T01:13:32.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may be satisfied with where you are currently at, but sooner or later you are going to want something better. That’s human nature. You may not want to die, but it is going to come your way sooner or later. That’s life, @tuskiomi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a deathless happiness out there if you are willing to work towards it. For that firstly you need to get skillful in how you go about things in the present moment. It calls for a different kind of skillset. The problem is that most people in the world don’t have a correct idea about their skills. They just do not know of their latent skills that are helpful in realizing life. That is why you and I are satisfied just by living their lives eating, drinking, and enjoying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It never occur to us to see into these latent talents that can be developed in this very life. It is not our fault that things are such. The French would say “Ce La Vie” – such as the way life goes. That is why we are still in a journey of been born, getting sick, getting old, and dying again and again (Samsara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T01:13:32.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-07-15T01:48:20.597" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Overpopulation is sure to become a dilemma of human existence in another couple of centuries. Even in the present day it is a major concern to us all. We would all love to escape this forever becoming samsara. But how? Only way out is through the practice and realization of Dhamma. Now, with more population, more desirous things out there, more things to rouse your desire, promote your greed, selfishness, worry, fear, etc. it is actually more difficult to practice the true dhamma. But your question is “where do new humans come from’ according to the scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When studying the discourses of the Supreme Buddha, there is one thing that is clear to us: it tells us that the beings in the Samsāra have the tendency to ‘reincarnate’ in the four low-level worlds. They tend to get a birth in great hell (Niraya), Animal, Preta (ghost), and Asura worlds. Only rarely would a few go to the higher planes of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is to take Buddha’s word on this, only very rarely will a person will get to be born in the human world again. In the Chiggala Sutta: The Hole (SN 56.48) Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state.&#xA;It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy &amp;amp;&#xA;rightly self-awakened, arises in the world.&#xA;It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine &amp;amp; discipline&#xA;expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T01:48:20.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-07-15T02:01:46.873" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no evidence all of us are re-incarnations of prior human beings. If we were, the Buddha would have explicitly explained this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 38 explains how a new child comes to be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, the conception of an embryo in a womb takes place through the union of &lt;strong&gt;three things&lt;/strong&gt;. Here, there is the &lt;strong&gt;union&lt;/strong&gt; of the&#xA;mother and father...it is the &lt;strong&gt;mother’s season&lt;/strong&gt; and the&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;gandhabba&lt;/strong&gt; is present....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 31.1 gives the impression 'gandhabba' is similar to sperm, i.e., sexual seeds that create life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, I will teach you about the devas (gods) of the gandhabba order. Listen to that....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, are the&#xA;devas of the gandhabba order? There are, bhikkhus, devas dwelling in&#xA;the fragrant roots, devas dwelling in the fragrant heartwood, devas&#xA;dwelling in the fragrant softwood, devas dwelling in fragrant leaves,&#xA;devas dwelling in fragrant flowers, devas dwelling in fragrant fruits,&#xA;devas dwelling in fragrant sap and devas dwelling in fragrant scents.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These bhikkhus are called the devas of the gandhabba order.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commentary by Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The gandhabbas are associated with fragrant substances, no doubt because the word is based on the stem gandha, meaning scent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali language, the word for 'human' is 'manussa', which means 'high minded' or 'noble/good heart'. The word 'manussa' is not the same as 'puggala' ('people').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.102-113.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.102-131&lt;/a&gt; explain 'animals', 'ghosts' &amp;amp; 'hell' beings are reborn 'human' &amp;amp; 'godly' by seeing the Four Noble Truths and also explain gods &amp;amp; humans pass away into hell, the animal realm &amp;amp; the animal kingdom by not seeing (adiṭṭhā) the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T02:41:24.327" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-15T13:28:57.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist philosophy is built on facts and not on faith. Once you studied facts carefully and question your self and practice the teaching you will see it through yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7518" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T13:28:57.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11930" CreationDate="2016-07-15T14:42:35.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a device called a muse. It is a personal EEG. I purchased it and have been using it for months. This device is now invaluable to my practice. You wear the device while meditating, and use a mobile app that listens to your brain and translates the level of activity into natural weather sounds. If your concentration is good and you are focused the weather is mild, if you are thinking or distracted the weather is more severe. You can calm it by bringing your attention back to your breath. This device does exactly what it claims to do. The more you use it the better it gets also,as there is machine learning that builds a profile specific to your pattern of neural activity. After two months the detection is so precise that the weather noise accurately detects nearly every thought that I have while meditating, it is incredible. If you have issues with a wandering mind, or getting lost in planning or lamenting while meditating, then this device could certainly be of good use to you. &#xA;Here is a link to what I am referring.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.choosemuse.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;muse website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8682" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T14:42:35.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15876" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-15T17:35:18.707" Score="4" ViewCount="167" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes we feel nervous, afraid, or anxious while doing something. So, How can we attain peace in afraid mood or anxious mood?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8685" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T16:11:54.237" Title="How to Attain Peace?" Tags="|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-15T20:43:30.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;factors hinder&lt;/a&gt; peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual desire (kamacchanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ill-will (byapada)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sloth and torpor(thina-middha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restlessness and remorse (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skeptical doubt (vicikiccha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety is caused mainly by &lt;em&gt;Uddhacca-kukkucca&lt;/em&gt;. And it can be abandoned by developing tranquility, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concentration&lt;/a&gt; and equanimity of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is water in a pot, stirred by the wind, agitated, swaying and producing waves, a man with a normal faculty of sight could not properly recognize and see the image of his own face. In the same way, when one's mind is possessed by restlessness and remorse, overpowered by restlessness and remorse, one cannot properly see the escape from restlessness and remorse that have arisen; then one does not properly understand one's own welfare, nor that of another, nor that of both; and also texts memorized a long time ago do not come into one's mind, not to speak of those not memorized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangaravo Sutta SN 46:55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T20:50:09.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-15T21:40:16.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When anxiety arises, we should fully &lt;strong&gt;acknowledge&lt;/strong&gt; its arising, by thinking or noting: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I feel anxious; I feel anxious&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or simply: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Anxiety has arisen; anxiety has arisen&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then start to &lt;strong&gt;investigate&lt;/strong&gt; into the causes for why the mind is anxious; including why certain objects make the mind anxious . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then &lt;strong&gt;wisely reflect&lt;/strong&gt; (think) in ways to reduce the power of the anxiety, such as: &quot;This anxiety is irrational &amp;amp; unnecessary; I am safe; I am not in danger; this anxiety is impermanent; it will pass; the Buddha, Sangha &amp;amp; other practitioners have overcome anxiety &amp;amp; found freedom from it;&quot; etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anxiety is arising towards a worldly task, such as study or work, think: &quot;I can only do my best; being anxious will not help my endeavor; if I can, how can I improve&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anxiety is an emotion that can be resolved by rational or wise thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, mindfulness with &lt;strong&gt;breathing meditation&lt;/strong&gt; can also help resolve anxiety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-15T21:40:16.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15879" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-15T23:12:49.297" Score="2" ViewCount="212" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada there is a verse that says &quot;To his own ruin the fool seeks knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness&quot;. Is there a distinction between wisdom and knowledge? It seems to me that seeking knowledge would be a good thing unless maybe you didn't do anything good with that knowledge. Please elucidate. Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8686" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T09:00:00.740" Title="Knowledge as a bad thing" Tags="|teaching|dhammapada|knowledge|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15879" CreationDate="2016-07-16T00:09:23.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a slightly different translation &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=072&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; which says &quot;skill&quot; instead of &quot;knowledge&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the background story, the example of &quot;skill&quot; is of someone who &quot;was very skilful in throwing stones at things&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &quot;cleaves his head&quot; is a literal translation, the translator says that means &quot;destroys his wisdom&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you were wondering about the story, I think it's true to say that the verses in the Dhammapada are &quot;considered to be canonical&quot;, but that the stories are not. The &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1992/why-is-the-buddha-described-as-trackless#comment1452_1996&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Atthakatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atthakatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;) is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/noncanon/comy/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;classified here&lt;/a&gt; as &quot;paracanonical&quot; or &quot;noncanonical&quot;. I think that means that the stories illustrate the verses (or comment on the meaning of a word in the verse), however that the content of the stories are not considered to be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt;. The verses (not the stories) are canonical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; (for example) quotes (from the suttas, which are canonical) other examples of potentially-foolish knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Generally in talking to bhikkhu one should try to avoid unsuitable subjects of discussion. Bhikkhus were several times rebuked by Lord Buddha for engaging in &quot;animal-talk,&quot; which is defined by this quite common passage in the discourses: &quot;Talk about kings and robbers, ministers and armies, danger and war, eating and drinking, clothes and dwellings, garlands and scents, relations, vehicles, villages and markets, towns and districts, women and heroes, street talk, talk by the well, talk about those departed in days gone by, idle chatter, talk upon the world and the sea, and also on gain and loss&quot; (AN 10.69). When one comes to think about it, this list covers most of the subjects to be found in our newspapers! A layman may also remember that right speech, the third constituent of the Eightfold path, is defined as: restraint from lying, slander, rough speech, and chatter. Nor is it suitable to ask a bhikkhu what food and drink he likes, unless he is ill. Again, it is not proper to ask about the attainments which he has won through his Dhamma-practice. It is an offense of expiation for a bhikkhu to tell a layman even the truth regarding his own attainments, and an offense of Defeat should he be tempted to lie, saying that he has won what has not been won by him. Also among requests which are improper, as they could embroil a bhikkhu in what is not-Dhamma, are questions upon luck, signs, stars, and palms. All this is called animal-knowledge by Lord Buddha and he has made it an offense of wrong-doing for a bhikkhu to learn or to teach it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of a sutta which contains this mention of &quot;kings and robbers&quot; is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kathavatthu Sutta (AN 10.70)&lt;/a&gt; and other suttas mentioned in a footnote on that page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the reasoning is that not all topics (certainly topics of conversation, and I'd guess &quot;topics/subjects/types of knowledge&quot; as well) are worthwhile. In various suttas (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta (SN 56.31)&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha emphasizes that he does not teach things which&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T09:00:00.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15879" CreationDate="2016-07-16T00:11:07.737" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wisdom, in the context of Dhamma, is the knowledge of how things change, rise and fall. This insight will in the course of one’s practice, lead to the extinction of sorrow and unhappiness. In the Dhammapada you will find little nuggets of wisdom that you can wrap up and take home.  The thing is, if you take what was said, out of its context, it may not convey the proper meaning.  If you read the  Story of Satthikutapeta – the story behind this utterance… ( &lt;strong&gt;To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.&lt;/strong&gt; ) you will better understand what Buddha meant by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Story of Satthikutapeta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (72) of this book with reference to a peta-ghost named Satthikutapeta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana saw this enormous peta-ghost while going on an alms-round with Thera Lakkhana. In this connection, the Buddha explained that Satthikutapeta, in one of his previous existences, was very skilful in throwing stones at things. One day, he asked permissions from his teacher to try out his skill. His teacher told him not to hit a cow, or a human being as he would have to pay compensation to the owner or to the relative, but to find a target which was ownerless or guardianless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On seeing the paccekabuddha, the idiots lacking in intelligence, thought the paccekabuddha, having no relative or guardian, would be an ideal target. So he threw a stone at the paccekabuddha who was on an alms-round. The stone entered from one ear and came out of the other. The paccekabuddha expired when he reached the monastery. The stone-thrower was killed by the disciples of the paccekabuddha and he was reborn in Avici Niraya. Afterwards, he was reborn as a peta-ghost and had since been serving the remaining term of the evil consequences (kamma) of his evil deed. As apeta-ghost his enormous head was being continuously hit with red-hot hammers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, the Buddha said, &amp;quot;To a fool, his skill or knowledge is of no use; it can only harm him.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 72: The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T00:11:07.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-16T02:00:39.647" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is natural for people get into situations where they feel nervous, afraid, or anxious amidst the hustle and bustle of Life today with so many commitments and stresses. A way out of this is to somehow create some free time, to have a space to grow, to improve your spiritual practice. An answer lies in reducing your activities. When you have few duties, you have time to practice, because the answer lies in the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this you need mindfulness and the stillness. With the stillness, you’re in a position to let go of nervous activity, to let go of unskilful things in the mind. With mindfulness and  letting‐ go of the unwanted, you get to see things clearly. In Dhamma—kayagatasati—is mindfulness immersed in the body. It is a whole‐body awareness, that helps you feel more and more settled and at ease.  Then your nervousness will begin to fade away. You will become calm.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the back of our minds there’s always the fear of pain, fear of suffering.  To be at peace we have to get past that fear. If you’re afraid to face up to pain, the mind can never be in control over itself because it’s afraid. Then even your own mind is not a friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We’re afraid of many things. There are fears associated with greed, with anger, with delusion.  That is where you have to focus to understand your fears. You have to understand the emotions behind them. Then you will get to know which part of fear is dependent on greed / passion, / on the aversion, and on delusion. Then, when you address the underlying emotions, the fear will subside.  So learn to separate the physical from the mental side.  Remember that wherever there’s clinging there’s weakness and that’s what constitutes fear. Then you will get to know whether it is a realistic fear or not.  This will help you find ways to overcome fear. If you practice proper the Dhamma... there is nothing to fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T02:00:39.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15879" CreationDate="2016-07-16T02:44:19.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have attempted to examine the Pali in this verse. The key word appears to be 'ñattaṃ', which is said to mean 'intellectual faculty' rather than good knowledge (Ñāṇa). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.1.pali.1352205&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ñatta&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  (nt.) [nomen agentis from jānāti] the intellectual faculty,&#xA;  intelligence .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, this foolishness would not only apply to religion (such as religious people that seek worldly fame &amp;amp; material benefits from religion) but also to the worldly intellect in general (such as scientists, politicians &amp;amp; criminals that use their intellectual faculty to create harmful &amp;amp; destructive things &amp;amp; schemes). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T02:44:19.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-16T06:30:59.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer is to your Question is Try to Meditate. if you can do that your mind will be Still..if your mind still you can control other feelings very well..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T06:30:59.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15859" CreationDate="2016-07-16T11:03:19.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is an extract from &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.fr/books?id=Vpqr-eqdRusC&amp;amp;lpg=PA73&amp;amp;ots=R07nKdYPaF&amp;amp;dq=Lokuttara%20happiness&amp;amp;pg=PA73#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Lokuttara%20happiness&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Me and Mine: Selected Essays of Bhikkhu Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An equally close connection pertains between looking within and true &amp;quot;happiness.&amp;quot; In the Buddhist texts there are two kinds of happiness. One of these is found in home life, called &lt;em&gt;gehanissitasukka&lt;/em&gt;, the kind of happiness that derives from being a householder and raising a family. Contrasted with outward happiness is &lt;em&gt;nekkhammanissitasukka&lt;/em&gt;, literally the &amp;quot;happiness that comes from forsaking home life.&amp;quot; The reference is to a &lt;em&gt;mental&lt;/em&gt; forsaking, a state of mind in which there is no longer the idea of &amp;quot;my home.&amp;quot; This kind of happiness comes from looking within, observing things according to the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The happiness of home life is called &lt;em&gt;lokiya sukha&lt;/em&gt; or worldly happiness; and the happiness that goes beyond home life is called &lt;em&gt;lokuttara sukkha&lt;/em&gt; or transcendent happiness. It all depends on the state of mind. If a person's mind is worldly, he can stay in a monastery or in the forest but will attain nothing more than the happiness of home life. Solitude in a monastery or any other place cannot guarantee lokuttara sukha. This happiness depends on the ability to look within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter where we are, we have the power to transcend a preoccupation with the world, above and beyond the &amp;quot;home&amp;quot;, simply by looking within. There is a large, guarantee return. Without any outlay of capital we obtain this special happiness which appreciates continuously. As the Buddha said, &amp;quot;Nibbana costs nothing; we pay nothing for it.&amp;quot; All we have to do is &amp;quot;throw away&amp;quot;. If we will just throw everything away then we will get nibbana. This means simply having a mind high enough not to get stuck in the world. That is all there is to it. We throw away the world completely and get nibbana in return. We do not have to invest anything. We only have to be empty, to live rightly, and nibanna will come of itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It says that the Buddha says, &amp;quot;Nibbana costs nothing; we pay nothing for it.&amp;quot; -- I don't know which sutta the venerable is paraphrasing when he says that, but that agrees with Dhammadhatu's answer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being required to &amp;quot;throw everything away&amp;quot; everything might seem like a cost; on the other hand the one example of what you have to throw away is &amp;quot;the idea of 'my home'&amp;quot; -- if all it costs you is an idea (e.g. &amp;quot;ego&amp;quot;) that's maybe not a really tangible cost.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You wrote &amp;quot;supra-mundane&amp;quot; in the OP and I'm pretty sure that the Pali word for that is &lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt; (similarly, &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt; is &amp;quot;happiness&amp;quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Lokuttara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokuttara&lt;/a&gt; is used to refer to the four paths and four path-fruitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lokuttara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;its etymology&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loka + Uttara = Lokuttara. Here Loka, means the five aggregates. Uttara means above, beyond or that which transcends. It is the supra mundane consciousness that enables one to transcend this world of mind body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That meaning (i.e. &amp;quot;above&amp;quot;) might be why Bhikkhu Buddhadasa wrote, &amp;quot;having a mind &lt;em&gt;high&lt;/em&gt; enough not to get stuck in the world&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bikkhu Buddhadasa expands on that in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhadasa.com/naturaltruth/lookwithin3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this lecture&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even an old man who can hardly move about and must remain at home all the time, if he knows Dhamma at this level, while still living in the home, may attain the happiness that comes from forsaking the home life. This is because the term &amp;quot;forsaking the home life&amp;quot; refers to a mental forsaking to a state in which the mind transcends worldliness and goes beyond it. A person who is living at home may experience the happiness that comes from the home life. Or, he may experience the happiness that comes from forsaking the home life, provided he is capable of looking within using the technique and method of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading that, maybe you could say that another &amp;quot;cost&amp;quot; (or maybe &amp;quot;prerequisite&amp;quot;) is &amp;quot;knowing Dhamma&amp;quot;: i.e. time, effort, attention required to learn and to practice the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer doesn't directly address the sentence, &amp;quot;The happiness that can be found within our day to day life has to be sacrificed in the form of sense-restraint if one becomes a disciple of the Buddha&amp;quot; in the OP, but it does try to illuminate what &lt;em&gt;was&lt;/em&gt; asked about i.e. supra-mundane happiness and cost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T11:03:19.340" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15866" CreationDate="2016-07-16T13:00:22.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;but what is the appeal of moving to a different plane after death?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reincarnation has a forced nature due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;I would recommend looking at the Tibetan Book of the Dead for further anecdotal information on how we are drawn to reincarnating into certain destinies and then get sucked into that life (pre-birth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism has as its purpose to stop this forced birth-and-death&lt;/strong&gt; and control the process like a Tibetan lama, Enlightened master, or bodhisattva is able to, going where he is most needed in the universe, not where his karma (attachments/fears) compels him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is it wrong to say that I'm satisfied with where I'm currently at?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't wrong but don't think that it is possible to stay in an existence forever. Even if you live 100 thousand years as a golden immortal (one of the immortals that is discussed in Surangama Sutra) stretching out your existence for as long as possible through various health regimen, eventually it will end and when you reflect back on that time spent as an immortal, it will feel like a flash of lightning...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do what you came here to do and be ready to go.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is best to become a Buddha... the end result is this: dwell in your dharmakaya nature and emanate a new body where you are needed for as long as needed, for the highest good of all... at this point you have no attachment to staying or going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-07-16T13:05:31.790" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T13:05:31.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-16T18:27:18.070" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;By acknowledging your anxious mood as a truth (&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;). Don't push it away, don't try to change anything, don't blame or criticize yourself. It is a truth and therefore has the &lt;em&gt;3 characteristics of reality&lt;/em&gt;, namely &lt;strong&gt;anicca&lt;/strong&gt; (it has beginning, middle and end), &lt;strong&gt;dukkha&lt;/strong&gt; (it obviously doesn't satisfy you), &lt;strong&gt;anatta&lt;/strong&gt; (you cannot control it; it arises due to certain conditions/habits/situations). Why should it be different?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how to actually deal with fear/anxiety, you could listen to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hu5onZPHJI&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=22m25s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this talk&lt;/a&gt; from Ajahn Jayasaro. He describes how fear/anxiety works. It has both a physical and a mental aspect. Fear builds up using a feedback loop. If there is a fearful thought, a reaction in the body follows, you become worried about your bodily reaction with your mind, which then causes more tension in the body ... You can break that cycle by staying with the body and watching the feelings/sensations there (more detailed in the video).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being at peace means to be at peace with whatever arises, not getting things or mind states that are peaceful and dependent on external causes. Peace means you're never at war with yourself :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T18:27:18.070" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15890" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15891" CreationDate="2016-07-16T19:45:11.410" Score="11" ViewCount="16989" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a holy book for buddhists as the Bible is for Jews and Christians and Quran for Muslims? Is that the Tipitaka?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A book where you can find all the teachings of Buddhism, and how to behave, rules, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where can I read it translated to English or Spanish? In the same way I can read the Bible and the Quran online.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8690" LastActivityDate="2017-11-28T13:55:37.677" Title="Which is the Buddhist holy book? Where can it be read?" Tags="|texts|belief|beginner|tipitaka|rules|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-16T20:19:03.233" Score="16" Body="&lt;p&gt;There isn't exactly one short Buddhist bible (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4006/254&quot;&gt;Why isn't there a Buddhist Bible?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tripitaka&lt;/a&gt; is the Pali canon, possibly the earliest (or at least, among the earliest) of the surviving Buddhist literature. It has three parts, and of these three the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/a&gt; is the most relevant (to us).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read it (or at least begin to read it) online. Web sites with the Pali suttas translated include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&lt;/a&gt; -- popular, accessible, maybe a minimum of commentary&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt; -- suttas are introduced with a lot of commentary by the translator&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&lt;/a&gt; -- not so many of the suttas are translated, but those which are here are given with word-by-word Pali-to-English translations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt; (click on &quot;Sutta&quot; in the heading of the page) -- perhaps the most extensive collection (for example if eventually you're looking for a specific sutta, and find that it's not one of the suttas translated on Access to Insight, then look for it here)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the answers to these topics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4109/254&quot;&gt;English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;Chronological or other sequence for beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that although the Pali canon (which is the associated with the Theravada tradition) is among the oldest literature, there are also newer (or later) Buddhist schools with their own canonical literature -- so if you want to find &quot;all the teachings of Buddhism&quot; you might also investigate Mahayana literature (including Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan) as well as modern/contemporary literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simplest answer to &quot;how to behave, rules&quot; might be to say &quot;the five precepts&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also liked, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861715470&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World&lt;/a&gt; because it selects from the Pali canon the suttas which contain behaviour recommendations for lay-people. For example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; is my summary of one its chapters (the book references specific suttas, which my summary doesn't).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism seems to me to be rather a large topic, so almost any introduction to it will give a somewhat distorted or one-sided view of it. In my answer to the topic &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15557/254&quot;&gt;New to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; I tried to give an overview, and also said that people recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf2/InTheBuddhasWordsBookPreview.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha’s Words&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another answer wrote that &quot;Buddhism is not a religion based on a Holy Book&quot; which is more or less true:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are one of the so-called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_the_Book&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;People of the Book&lt;/a&gt;, perhaps you could over-estimate the importance of a &quot;book&quot; or Bible.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even so, some words that I guess may be equally important in Buddhism include &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt;, Sangha, Dhamma, (not to mention &quot;lineage&quot;), and various (practical) practices.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead of or as well as a Bible, people might recommend you look for (one or more) Buddhist teachers and/or communities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T14:39:33.797" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-16T21:03:06.630" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main Buddhist holy book - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sutta.html&quot;&gt;The Sutta Pitaka&lt;/a&gt; - is many times larger than the Bible, consisting of more than 10,000 discourses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the essential teachings the Buddha compared to a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot;&gt;handful of leaves'&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following teachings from the holy book cover the essentials: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On Higher Truth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh017.pdf&quot;&gt;Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html&quot;&gt;The Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For laypeople &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot;&gt;Maha-Mangala Sutta: Blessings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: In the link &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh017.pdf&quot;&gt;Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, the following teachings are translated incorrectly: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;in short, suffering is the five categories of clinging objects&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which should be translated as &quot;&lt;em&gt;in summary, [all] suffering is clinging to the five aggregates (body, feelings, perception, mental formations &amp;amp; consciousness)&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;It is the craving that produces renewal of being&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which should be translated as: &quot;&lt;em&gt;It is the craving that produces new becoming&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (since the word &quot;being&quot; may give the impression of a new life where as &quot;becoming&quot; is the process of the mental development of egoism).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;“&lt;em&gt;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&lt;/em&gt;”, which should be translated as: “&lt;em&gt;Now is what is impermanent unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&lt;/em&gt;”  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'unsatisfactory' means 'incapable of bringing true lasting happiness' (as found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; in an alternate translation and in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verse 278&lt;/a&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-16T21:55:27.013" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T21:55:27.013" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-16T21:53:19.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word for the Buddhist Pali (i.e,. Theravada) canon (and it is huge, too big to be put in one book) is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tripitaka&lt;/a&gt;, the three baskets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Somewhat unsurprisingly, it has three sections:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vinaya, rules for monks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abhidhamma, 7 sorts of commentary by monks on the suttas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sutta, a record of the sermons the Buddha gave.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three complete the Triptaka and can't be added to. However, there are important books which don't belong to Tripitaka but are assumed to be authentic. E.g. Buddhaghosa's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, which is similar to the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other early Buddhist schools had their own Tripitaka, similar to Theravada but with different abhidhamma authors, a different vinaya, and with a slightly altered set of suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahayana accepts the Tripitaka (I believe that in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taish%C5%8D_Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Taisho&lt;/a&gt;, the 20th century record of every canonical text in Chinese Buddhism, they use the Sarvastavadin Tripitaka, not the Theravadin) but adds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sutras (the sanskrit word for sutta), sermons of the Buddha for Bodhisattvas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sastras, which are commentaries on the sutras.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the sutras are, like the Tripitaka, complete (despite having slowly been recovered after the Buddha's death), anyone can write a sastra, though that wouldn't make it canonical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T21:53:19.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-16T22:14:10.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any Buddhist canon is huge. If you want to get a taste of it, I would suggest the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Dhammapada for Theravada Buddhism  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the Diamond Sutra for Mahayana Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T22:14:10.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15895" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-16T22:19:37.383" Score="-2" ViewCount="455" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that space is often said to be unconditioned, and it seems right to say that it is empty of svabhava.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But, is it impermanent?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2020-02-12T12:08:13.943" Title="Is space impermanent?" Tags="|impermanence|unconditioned|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-16T22:39:44.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every Buddhist tradition claims that the agent of a (karmic) act experiences its result, even though the two are not the same. There is continuity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't say for every tradition, but right view, which is the 1st link on the noble 8-fold path of Theravada, is often said to include belief in this cause and effect. You can read about right view &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, there's no need for any belief to consider yourself a non practicing Buddhist. And  I've read monks suggesting you practice zen without belief in karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-07-16T23:01:16.000" LastActivityDate="2016-07-16T23:01:16.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15898" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15903" CreationDate="2016-07-16T23:31:52.997" Score="7" ViewCount="1195" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the one place where the&lt;/a&gt; Buddha was asked point-blank whether or not&#xA;  there was a self, he refused to answer. When later asked why, he said&#xA;  that to hold either that there is a self or that there is no self is&#xA;  to fall into extreme forms of wrong view that make the path of&#xA;  Buddhist practice impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me, and I may be wrong, that the skandhas can be identified as a self, as long as they aren't then taken to be in any way unchanged from moment to moment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/OQOPN.png&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/OQOPN.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Encyclopedia of Buddhism, By Damien Keown, Charles S. Prebish&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So I was wondering if that above silence means that any dharma can fulfill the role of that empirical self.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example would be: &lt;strong&gt;Adam tastes the apple&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supposing this &quot;taste&quot; can be considered a kind of self, then if Adam sees smells touches feels nothing, just tastes the apple, there is &quot;continuity&quot; and he's &lt;em&gt;still Adam&lt;/em&gt;. But as long as he does have other senses, and from moment to moment, the taste of apple doesn't make him who is he.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never read any commentary which claims this is what the empirical self is in Buddhism, so would be really surprised that this &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;counts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;categorical denial of substantial self&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-07-19T18:25:14.393" LastActivityDate="2020-07-30T13:26:11.707" Title="How is it wrong to believe that a self exists, or that it doesn't?" Tags="|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="15" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-17T00:05:52.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There no contradiction. The opening post contains a serious misunderstanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one primary sutta where the Buddha remains silent. This was for the sole reason the listener (Vacchagotta) was unable to understand, i.e., 'bewildered'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vacchagotta asked the question: &quot;Is there a self (atta)? Is there no self (nanatta)&quot;? (kinnu kho bho gotama, &lt;strong&gt;atthattāti&lt;/strong&gt;...Kiṃ pana bho gotama, &lt;strong&gt;natthattāti&lt;/strong&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was Vacchagotta that defined the words or terms used in the discussion (rather than the Buddha). Vacchagotta was not asking a question about Buddhism but asking a question based on certain non-Buddhist doctrines. Vacchagotta did not ask about the Buddhist 'anatta'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please carefully read the relevant sutta below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a&#xA;  self (atthattāti) — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming&#xA;  with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism&#xA;  [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being&#xA;  asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self (natthattāti) — were to answer&#xA;  that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that&#xA;  death is the annihilation of the &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;]. If I — being asked by&#xA;  Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that&#xA;  there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of&#xA;  knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no&#xA;  self — were to answer that there is no self, the &lt;strong&gt;bewildered&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  Vacchagotta would become even more &lt;strong&gt;bewildered&lt;/strong&gt;: 'Does the self I used&#xA;  to have now not exist?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN&#xA;  44.10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T00:32:14.650" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T00:32:14.650" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15895" CreationDate="2016-07-17T00:28:57.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Scriptures the universe is infinite in time and space. By infinite what is meant is the length, width or number of solar systems (lokadhātu) in the universe are infinite. Within that infinite space there are sections that consist of one billion solar systems are called “Thri Sahashri Loka Datu” (equivalent to a galaxy). Such unfathomable spaces are always explained by similes. One such is -  If someone takes mustard seeds amount equal to the volume of Thri Sahashri Loka Datu (equivalent to a galaxy) and travel in one direction placing one seed on one solar system, the seeds will come to an end but not the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has not refereed to space as impermanent or not, but all things within it are. All the worlds of the devas, and the Brahma worlds are found within this time and space. For instance the scriptures talk about realms of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of space... realms of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of consciousness... realms of the gods of the base consisting of nothingness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of us beings of all these diverse worlds, whatever we do in time and space is going to come to pass sooner or later, like a picture you draw with a stick in flowing water.  But there is one realm outside of time and space, Nibbhana, that Buddha wants us to reach, where we find the deathless. Once you’ve found the Deathless it’s always there as it is beyond time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A collection of 1000 solar systems are called “Sahashri Loka Dhatu” in the scriptures. A collection of 1,000,000 solar systems are called “Divi Sahashri Loka Dhatu”.  The universe may not be impermanent (as there is no mention of it).  Within it, the solar systems are born, gets destroyed and it will be made again. Such cycles are called “Maha Kalpa(great kalpa)”. &#xA;Maha Kalpa are further divided:  time of solar system formation ( Sanwatta Kalpa), time of existence (Sanwatta Sthayi Kalpa), time of destruction (Wiwatta kalpa) and time of emptiness (Wiwatta Sthayi Kalpa). The time intervals are termed “Asankya Kalpa”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further reading:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/eng/Buddhist_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/eng/Buddhist_cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T00:51:11.057" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T00:51:11.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-17T00:39:51.353" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Adam tastes an apple. If this &quot;taste&quot; can be considered an&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;ephemeral&lt;/strong&gt; (short-lived; transitory) self, then supposing Adam sees smells touches feels nothing, only tastes the apple, there is a&#xA;  continuity and he's still Adam. But as long as he does have other&#xA;  senses, the taste of apple doesn't make him who is he&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The taste does make Adam 'who' 'he' believes 'he' is because there is no (self) 'becoming' without sense experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus kamma [Adam believing &quot;he&quot; is eating the apple] is the field, consciousness [tasting the apple] the seed and craving the&#xA;  moisture. The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance&#xA;  &amp;amp; fettered by craving is established in/tuned to a lower property.&#xA;  Thus there is the production of renewed becoming in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 3.76&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no &lt;strong&gt;real&lt;/strong&gt; ephemeral 'self' in Buddhism. In Buddhism, 'self' is a 'view' or 'idea' born of ignorance. It is considered to be a 'disease' or 'suffering'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...assumes form to be the self. That assumption is a fabrication. Now&#xA;  what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is&#xA;  the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact&#xA;  with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not Adam that tastes the apple but consciousness &amp;amp; the nervous system of the tongue, brain, etc, that taste the apple. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, has a sense-impression?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I do not say that 'he has a sense-impression.' Had I said so, then&#xA;  the question 'Who has a sense-impression?' would be appropriate. But&#xA;  since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will&#xA;  be 'What is the condition of sense-impression?' And to that the&#xA;  correct reply is: 'The sixfold sense-base is a condition of&#xA;  sense-impression, and sense-impression is the condition of feeling.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More relevant quotes below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This world is burning. Afflicted by contact, it calls disease a&#xA;  'self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ud 3.10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This&#xA;  is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So,&#xA;  when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's only suffering that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls&#xA;  away. Nothing but suffering comes to be, Nothing but suffering ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments,&#xA;  clingings &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does (with right view) not get involved with or&#xA;  cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases,&#xA;  or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty&#xA;  or doubt that just stress, when arising, is arising; stress, when&#xA;  passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent&#xA;  of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I am' is a construing. 'I am this' is a construing. 'I shall be' is a&#xA;  construing. 'I shall not be'... 'I shall be possessed of form'... 'I&#xA;  shall not be possessed of form'... 'I shall be percipient'... 'I shall&#xA;  not be percipient'... 'I shall be neither percipient nor&#xA;  non-percipient' is a construing. Construing is a disease, construing&#xA;  is a cancer, construing is an arrow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 140&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T01:00:39.463" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T01:00:39.463" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15895" CreationDate="2016-07-17T01:03:32.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Space is not unconditioned. For example, there is space in the nostrils &amp;amp; ears. But if that space is filled up, with wax, snot or earplugs, the space disappears. This shows space is not unconditioned. The space is dependent &amp;amp; impermanent. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the space property? The space property may be either&#xA;  internal or external. What is the internal space property? Anything&#xA;  internal, belonging to oneself, that's space, spatial &amp;amp; sustained:&#xA;  the holes of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the [passage] whereby&#xA;  what is eaten, drunk, consumed, &amp;amp; tasted gets swallowed, and where it&#xA;  collects, and whereby it is excreted from below, or anything else&#xA;  internal, within oneself, that's space, spatial, &amp;amp; sustained: This is&#xA;  called the internal space property. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 62&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism is explained immaterial meditative absorptions (&lt;em&gt;arupa jhana&lt;/em&gt;), such as the dimensions of space, infinite consciousness &amp;amp; nothingness. Many 'Buddhists' (particularly Mahayana fixated on non-conceptuality/non-thinking) mistake these for the unconditioned Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana, the Unconditioned, is the destruction of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion and is permanent for the arahant. Therefore, if an arahant thinks or speaks, the mind can no longer abide in the &lt;em&gt;arupa jhana&lt;/em&gt; of the dimension of space however the mind continues to abide in Nirvana because an arahant can think &amp;amp; speak without greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This simple fact shows why space is not the unconditioned &amp;amp; why non-thinking is not Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T01:18:06.547" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T01:18:06.547" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-17T01:23:09.477" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha kept silent in response to Vacchagotta’s question  because answering it in either way, it would have been misunderstood. This nature of the self is beyond the level of understanding of Vacchagotta. He is not yet at that stage in his spiritual development. Buddha never denies the existence of the self. He  rejects annihilationism.  Read the Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22), Yamaka Sutta (SN 22.85), Kalama Sutta (AN 3.65), Ananda Sutta SN 44.10.  In fact Buddha explained this  when asked by the Venerable Ananda about his silence regarding Vacchagotta’s question. He said that this would have lead Vacchagotta to misinterpret the answer in a way that would bring him further attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to self, the  Buddha said to Ananda in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, to stay as those who have the self as island, as those who have the self as refuge, as those who have no other refuge. (DN 16). As per the scriptures existence is real, but it is transitory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T01:23:09.477" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-17T02:31:44.757" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a Dhamma talk titled &quot;Selves &amp;amp; Not-self&quot;. The second part of it, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/selvesnotself.html#talk2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talk 2: Out of the Thicket and Onto the Path&lt;/a&gt; discusses the sutta that you're asking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That article is too long to quote but it's short enough to read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The use of &quot;the Thicket&quot; in the title is presumably a reference to this passage in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in him: The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this passage (from MN 2 above) helps to explain why the Buddha wouldn't want to declare whether or not &quot;there is a self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's saying that &quot;I have a self&quot; is a view, and &quot;I have no self&quot; is another view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; of views&quot; (or become fetters) ... as opposed to &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones... discerns what ideas are fit for attention, and what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he does not attend to ideas unfit for attention, and attends [instead] to ideas fit for attention... He attends appropriately, This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts &amp;amp; practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further to that I think there's another sutta, I don't remember which sutta but the following is a quote from an article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/this-is-not-me-this-is-not-mine-i-am-not-this&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This is not me; this is not mine, I am not this &lt;/a&gt; by Bodhipaksa,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach, incidentally, that there was no self. The word “anatta,” which is often translated as “no self” is invariably used in the Buddhist scriptures in the context of saying “This is not myself. That is not myself.” It’s never used, as far as I’m aware, to say “there is no self.” And in fact when the Buddha was asked flat out if he taught that there was no self he refused to answer, and &lt;strong&gt;he also said that there was no view of self that would not lead to suffering&lt;/strong&gt;: including the view that there is no self. I do sometimes say there is “no self” but what I mean by that is that there is no self that exists as we think it exists: separate and permanent. That kind of self doesn’t exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edited to add: Bodhipaksa was paraphrasing paragraph 23 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Snake Simile -- Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory[&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;] from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&quot; — &quot;No, Lord.&quot; — &quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Re. the question in the OP, whether &quot;the skandhas can be identified as a self&quot;, the footnote [&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;] says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attavaadupaadaanam upadiyetha. While in most translations the term upaadaana has been rendered by &quot;clinging,&quot; we have followed here a suggestion of the late Bhikkhu Ña.namoli, rendering it by &quot;assumption&quot; [see The Wheel No. 17: Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha, p. 19 (Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy)]. In this context, the word &quot;assumption&quot; should be understood: (1) in the sense of a supposition, (2) in the literal sense of its Latin source: adsumere, &quot;to take up,&quot; which closely parallels the derivation of our Paali term: upa-aadaana, &quot;taking up strongly.&quot; In this sense we have used it when translating the derivative verb upaadiyetha by &quot;you may accept.&quot; Attavaadupaadaana is one of the four types of clinging (see Nyanatiloka's Buddhist Dictionary), conditioned by craving (ta.nhaa). This term comprises, according to Comy, the twenty types of personality-belief (sakkaaya-di.t.thi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Quoting this passage of our text, the Ven. Dr. Walpola Rahula remarks: &quot;If there had been any soul-theory which the Buddha had accepted, he would certainly have explained it here, because he asked the monks to accept that soul-theory which did not produce suffering. But in the Buddha's view, there is no such soul-theory...&quot; (What the Buddha Taught, London, 1959; p.58).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The so-called &quot;twenty types of personality-belief&quot; are listed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt; as well as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/a&gt; i.e. four types of belief for each of the 5 khandhas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the khandha is the self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the self possesses the khandha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the khandha is in the self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the self is in the khandha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmafarer has a similar &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;translation of MN 22&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, you may well cling to the self-doctrine&lt;sup&gt;194&lt;/sup&gt; that would not cause sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, grief and despair to arise in one who clings to it.&lt;sup&gt;195&lt;/sup&gt; But do you see any such possession, bhikshus?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, bhante.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Good, bhikshus. I, too, do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair in one who clings to it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or perhaps you're asking whether it's OK to &quot;consider&quot; a khandha as self, as long as they're not taken to be unchanged?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paragraph 23 of MN 22 says that you can't &quot;cling to&quot; (or &quot;assume&quot;) a self-view that doesn't cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe your question hinges on whether you can &quot;consider&quot; (as it says in the question) or &quot;believe&quot; (as it says in the title) something (a belief or identification) that's impermanent? If so perhaps the answer is that words like &quot;view&quot; and &quot;doctrine&quot; and &quot;belief&quot; are taken to be somewhat fixed, not transient -- see for example the answers to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I need to leave it to you to decide whether your saying &quot;skandhas can be as a self, as long as they aren't then taken to be in any way unchanged from moment to moment&quot; matches something like SN 22.1,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta said: &quot;Now, how is one afflicted in body &amp;amp; afflicted in mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(as well as 'form', likewise for feeling, perception, fabrications, and consciousness)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind? There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for men of integrity, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their Dhamma — does not assume form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is not seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is not seized with these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, but he does not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2020-03-27T21:42:33.687" LastActivityDate="2020-03-27T21:42:33.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="15905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-17T02:48:40.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually Buddha didn't wrote any holly Books. All of the books written by Buddhist monks wrote after many years later of Buddha's Nirvana. Buddhism is not religion Based on a Holy book. It's a practical religion. It's basic Followings are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take what is not given.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not distort facts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from misuse of the senses.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from self-intoxication through alcohol or drugs.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn about them first and after go for the Higher things. Search on the Internet. You will find so many books about Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8690" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T11:20:04.710" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T11:20:04.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15906" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-17T05:12:02.713" Score="0" ViewCount="386" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two questions about Auto-suggestion : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is buddhism's view on Auto-suggestion? What does Auto-suggestion affect?   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How to use Auto-suggestion?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can answer one question or both: the more you explain the better, but all answers and links are appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like people to expand on the subject, because I couldn't find much about it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit :  i mean to use it not for meditation itself or to affect it - but on all other aspects like  &quot;i will meditate a lot&quot; &quot;i wont do things for fun&quot; ect ...   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be even clearer : I know how to meditate - im not asking about how to improve my meditation with autosuggestion but how to use it to make myself meditate more and act better in daily life  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what i wonder is : can i say &quot;meditate&quot; or &quot;dont do stuff for fun&quot;  and &quot;brainwash&quot; myself somehow to help advance my practice somehow ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T19:37:59.153" LastActivityDate="2016-07-18T07:55:33.200" Title="Auto-suggestion and buddhism and how to use it" Tags="|autosuggestion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15906" CreationDate="2016-07-17T11:39:55.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A widely used human strategy when someone has to deal with difficulty is autosuggestion.  Whenever anything unpleasant comes up, we convince ourselves that it is pleasant rather than unpleasant. This is auto-suggestion.  But what the Buddha pointed out is quite the opposite. He never wanted us to hide or disguise an unpleasant matter, the Buddha's teaching encourages us to examine it to the fullest. It is important that we confront the less pleasant aspects of existence, and, to see ourselves in an unbiased way, complete with all our sorrows and inadequacies. Confronting unpleasantness when it arises is really being kind to oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Auto-suggestion means implanting feelings that you don't really have or avoid feelings that you do have. The truth of the matter is that if you are miserable, in reality you are miserable.  So rather than avoiding this reality, we have to learn to confront it, to observe it mindfully.  The only way out of such phenomenon is to thoroughly examine it. Do this by taking the phenomenon apart piece by piece. Then you are free from such trappings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha talked about it in this way not because He is pessimistic but because He is optimistic. He has a solution. Life is suffering and that is the real truth. We have to learn to confront this uncomfortable reality of pain, death and illness. To learn how to deal with it is not pessimism, but a very pragmatic form of optimism. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is not. They are two different things. Life can seem pleasant for most of the time, but there comes a time that we have to face the unpleasant. So it is advisable that we invest some of our time and energy in learning to deal with unpleasantness, because some pain is unavoidable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are occasions, as in the case of illness, which weaken the mind, when hetero-suggestion has been found to be more effective if you have not yet learnt to confront the situations by self. Hetero-suggestion is used by one person to influence another at times of great illnesses. Here another will help you to think through the Dhamma. The Buddha has shown that the mind is very closely linked with the body that mental states affect the body's health and wellbeing.  There is no such thing as a purely physical disease. It is possible so to change one’s mental state grounded in reality, as to cause mental health and physical well-being to follow thereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple of examples of what I mean by &quot;hetero-suggestion&quot; in the context of Dhamma:&#xA;Maha Kassapa Thera Bojjhanga Sutta is a chant that Buddha recited when both both Ven. Maha Kassapa and Ven. Maha Moggallana were sick.  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Girimananda Sutta was recited when Bhikku Girimananda was diseased, in pain, severely ill. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha never rejected any activity, if that was wholesome and profitable to the people. The Buddha said that if through some kind of incantation or a mantram, or through a well-spoken word, or through a traditional Act of Truth, or through some mystical power of the Three Refuges, good could be done to the people, then an attempt should be made to bring about that kind of blessing. &#xA;  - Mahamevnawa Pali-English Paritta Chanting Book &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhanava is not quite the same thing as auto-suggestion. At some places in the Suttas, the Supreme Buddha explained: “If one does this, these things will happen”. We come across places where Dhamma is explained directly in this manner. In Asavakkhaya Sutta and the Nibbida Sutta, the Supreme Buddha explains, “Oh Bhikkhus, there are five activities which if practiced, if practiced extensively results in the eradication of defilements”. Buddha adviced a bhikku in his deathbed to do this same five meditations. If one feels that there is no possibility of getting liberated from samsara such a person has the fear for samsara. It exists at times of grave illnesses and one has to live in that fear. If an individual is certain that he has a chance of getting liberated from samsara his fear of samsara starts to desipate. The understanding in such a person will turn out to be a realization. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For that you will have to develop the meditation on repulsiveness (Asubha Saññā’) - perceiving the impurity of the body; ‘Ahare Patikkula Saññā’ -perceiving the impurity of material food; ‘Sabba Loke Anabhirata Saññā’ - not taking delight in worlds; ‘Sabba Sankharesu Anicca Saññā’ -impermanence of all aggregates, and of ‘Marana Sati’ -to be mindful of death. (read Asavakkhaya Sutta where the Supreme Buddha explains these five). I could not find the Access-to-insight link, but you can read it in Bhikku Bodhi’s Book.&#xA;If these five meditation activities were to be carried out, dispassionateness will arise in you. When you become dispassionate with understanding, then you will begin to lose the desire and craving for materialistic things and sensual pleasures.  Your mind will become calmer and calmer. Only with such a calmed mind will it be possible to develop the special wisdoms.  Your Sakkaya Ditthi (the idea of self) will leave you. You will see results in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-17T14:31:00.600" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T14:31:00.600" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14760" CreationDate="2016-07-17T14:08:15.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said in the scriptures that the order is this: contact - feeling - perception - thought formation - consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed one should find out for oneself that this is true and not believe it without examining. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My suggestion to your experiment would be to vary the object you call to mind to be unpleasent, pleasent since the hardest feeling to detect is the neutral one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T14:08:15.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15895" CreationDate="2016-07-17T15:49:08.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course space is impermanent! Just put an object in it and the space is gone!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T15:49:08.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15821" CreationDate="2016-07-17T16:06:25.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on individual. Some starts with small faith ends with big faith. Some starts with big faith ends with little faith. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An accomplished Buddhist practitioner has unwavering faith no matter what happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T16:06:25.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15876" CreationDate="2016-07-17T16:11:54.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on whether one follows sutrayana or tantryana. Sutrayana finds peace in understanding there's a cause to everything. Tantrayana finds peace through thought transformations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T16:11:54.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-17T16:48:19.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Poor translations often lead to unnecessary questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali in SN 44.10 is &amp;amp; poorly translated as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;kinnu kho bho gotama, &lt;strong&gt;atthattāti&lt;/strong&gt;...Kiṃ pana bho gotama, &lt;strong&gt;natthattāti&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there a self? Is there no self?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words 'atthattāti' &amp;amp; 'natthattāti' also appear in the Kaccaayanagotto Sutta, again, poorly translated, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The world in general, Kaccaayana, inclines to two views, to existence (&lt;strong&gt;atthitañceva&lt;/strong&gt;) or to non-existence (&lt;strong&gt;natthitañca&lt;/strong&gt;). But he does&#xA;not go along with that system-grasping, that mental obstinacy and&#xA;dogmatic bias, does not grasp at it, does not affirm: ‘This is my&#xA;self.’ He knows without doubt or hesitation that whatever [self-view&#xA;that] arises is merely dukkha that whatever [self-view that] passes&#xA;away is merely dukkha and such knowledge is his own, not depending on&#xA;anyone else. This, Kaccaayana, is what constitutes right view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Atthi’ appears to mean “to be” or “to exist” &amp;amp; related to the word ‘asmi’ (“I am”). ‘Atthitā’ is said to mean ‘state of being’ (where ‘ta’ means ‘state’) and to be an abstact of ‘atthibhāva’. The word ‘natthi’ naturally has the opposite meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in SN 44.10, Vacchagotta probably asked the following questions (in order to illicit the response of the Buddha to Ananda):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Am &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; a self? Do &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; have a self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Am &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; not a self? Do &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; not have a self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since both questions are not free from the idea of being an '&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;', they are bewildered questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a mind ('person') believes it is a 'self' &amp;amp; tries to annihilate this self, in MN 102, the Buddha compared this to a dog chasing its own tail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...through fear of identity &amp;amp; disgust with identity, keep running &amp;amp;&#xA;circling around that same identity; just a dog tied by a leash to a&#xA;pillar keeps running around that same pillar...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 102 - Bhikkhu Bodhi translation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T20:58:41.270" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15895" CreationDate="2016-07-17T17:36:49.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider that for something to be impermanent it must have some sort of arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arising implies Cessation.  Without arising, there can be no cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you tell me, does space arise?  Or is it simply the unawareness of space that ceases?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate, compassion is a much more profound topic to put your efforts toward, for &quot;the view of emptiness without compassion shall not lead you onto the sublime path&quot; ~ Saraha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-07-17T17:36:49.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15906" CreationDate="2016-07-17T18:29:51.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Edit: not using the link previously provided in the answer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never heard of this word before, I just read the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autosuggestion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Autosuggestion is a psychological technique [...] It is a form of self-induced suggestion wherein the thoughts, feelings, or behavior of an individual are guided by oneself. This technique is often used in self-hypnosis.&#xA;[...]&#xA;The Coué method centers on a routine repetition of this particular expression according to a specified ritual, in a given physical state, and in the absence of any sort of allied mental imagery, &lt;strong&gt;at the beginning and at the end of each day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What I wonder is: Can I say &amp;quot;meditate&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;don't do stuff for fun&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;brainwash&amp;quot; myself somehow to help advance my practice somehow ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I still find this technique (from what I've read in Wikipedia) problematic for several reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coué maintained that curing some of our troubles requires a change in our subconscious/unconscious thought, which can only be achieved by using our imagination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you regularly say to your self things like &amp;quot;meditate&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;don't do stuff for fun&amp;quot;, then you're brainwashing yourself, that's right. You are therefore creating a view/opinion inside yourself, which is based on a judgement. The reasoning behind these thoughts is: &amp;quot;Meditation is good. Therefore you have to meditate.&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Doing stuff for fun is bad. Therefore I mustn't do stuff for fun.&amp;quot;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your practice you should try to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/conze/wheel065.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;balance the 5 faculties&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Faith and Wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having faith that meditation is beneficial is a good thing. But don't belief blindly in it. Balance it with wisdom. Reflect rather than &lt;em&gt;suggest&lt;/em&gt;. Also, a problem using &lt;em&gt;auto-suggestion&lt;/em&gt; could be that you become more and more self centered. &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; am doing meditation, it is &amp;quot;me&amp;quot; practicing. Who is &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; that should do something? Who is trying to &lt;em&gt;auto-suggest&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy and Concentration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The patient must thus abandon his willpower and instead put more focus on his imaginative power in order to fully succeed with his cure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not what Buddhism teaches. You have to put effort into your practice. Nobody and no technique will do the actual work of bringing yourself back to the present moment for you. If you find yourself lazy and don't want to meditate, you cannot overcome this by programming yourself, but by seeing your lack of energy as a hindrance and bringing up energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reminding yourself is mindfulness. But &lt;strong&gt;Right Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt; means being without judgement. Remind yourself of your wish wanting to meditate as a intention, not as something that you have to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to develop faith, you could do chanting. It's probably more effective and doesn't bring you in conflict with yourself. Also differentiate &lt;em&gt;suggestion&lt;/em&gt; from determination. If you make the determination to meditate whenever possible or to keep the 5 precepts, that's different from what I've read you would do using &lt;em&gt;auto-suggestion&lt;/em&gt; and imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-18T07:55:33.200" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9768" CreationDate="2016-07-18T05:46:55.173" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Zen Monk I can answer the question regarding worldly participation in the following way. There is no definitive suggestion or rule within the Monastic Code of a Mahayana Monk. A Monk or Nun has no requirement to teach or not teach. Often the suggestion may come from the Senior Abbot that one should follow the teaching path. This is what happened in my case. Naturally the Abbot has to feel that the particular Monk or Nun has the required personal experience before they can teach others. I teach as often as I can and I am also the Buddhist Chaplain to a number of Hospitals. One should always direct the teaching at a level that would match the understanding of the audience. Thank you. Thay Tam Thien.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8699" LastActivityDate="2016-07-18T05:46:55.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9768" CreationDate="2016-07-18T06:55:44.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Christianity, priests generally do not meditate. Often, the sole role of a Catholic priest is to preach the religion to devotees. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Asian Buddhism, the role of many monks is similar, which is why they devote most, if not all, of their time to teaching &amp;amp; conducting ceremonies. There are even Western monks, in Asia, that mostly teach &amp;amp; translate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I have never read it myself, I have heard the Buddha stated that monks who primarily meditate should not criticise monks who primarily study &amp;amp; teach. If this is true, then the dichotomy between 'meditation monks' &amp;amp; 'study/teaching monks' goes back to the time of the Buddha. A good example is Venerable Ananda, who often gives the impression in the suttas of not being a particularly adept meditation practitioner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my monastic experiences, I have not observed any correlation between teaching &amp;amp; practising the eightfold path. Often it is those that are seriously practising the eightfold path that do not teach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are highly reputed monks (eg. Ajahn Jayasaro) that spent many years as a (highly reputed) meditation monk before teaching extensively to the public.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-18T07:08:02.227" LastActivityDate="2016-07-18T07:08:02.227" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15895" CreationDate="2016-07-18T13:59:48.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, everything(except nibbana) is subject to causality(Sankatha) and everything arises dependently (Paticcasamuppanna) and there is no exception to space and time!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali Canon, the term Aggregate(Skandha) is defined as follows;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;To what extent does the designation 'aggregate' apply to the aggregates?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monk, whatever form is &lt;strong&gt;past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near:&lt;/strong&gt; that is called the aggregate of form. Whatever feeling is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the aggregate of feeling. Whatever perception is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the aggregate of perception. Whatever fabrications are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: those are called the aggregate of fabrication. Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the aggregate of consciousness. This is the extent to which the term 'aggregate' applies to the aggregates.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.109.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-punnama Sutta (MN 109)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;So in a nutshell; aggravate means the delusion of existence(of Rupa, Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara and Vinnana) in time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Seela Sutta (SN 22.122)&lt;/a&gt; Ven. Maha Kotthita asks from Ven. Sariputta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta my friend, which things should a virtuous monk attend to in an appropriate way?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta replies;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the &lt;strong&gt;five clinging-aggregates&lt;/strong&gt; as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Inconstant(&lt;em&gt;Aniccato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Stressful(&lt;em&gt;Dukkhato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A disease(&lt;em&gt;Roghato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A cancer(&lt;em&gt;Gandato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;An arrow(&lt;em&gt;Sallato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Painful(&lt;em&gt;Aghato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;An affliction(&lt;em&gt;Abadato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Alien (&lt;em&gt;Parato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A dissolution(&lt;em&gt;Palokato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;An emptiness(&lt;em&gt;Sunnato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not-self (&lt;em&gt;Anattato&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. A virtuous monk should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a virtuous monk, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant... not-self, would realize the fruit of stream-entry.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastActivityDate="2016-07-18T13:59:48.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-07-19T02:30:07.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not a Pali scholar but &quot;wrong&quot; sounds like a wrong translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It  is &quot;something that leads one to suffering&quot; to believe that the self exists, or that it doesn't? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view or belief that there is a self is the most fundemental idea that leads beings to suffering on an individual scale and is the separator of us all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-07-19T14:24:08.937" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T14:24:08.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15919" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15920" CreationDate="2016-07-19T09:03:07.877" Score="5" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;If our present existence is the result of something we could not control (from a prior life), what hope can we have related to our present situation in this life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T09:29:03.083" Title="prior life what hope can we have related to our present life?" Tags="|karma|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15919" CreationDate="2016-07-19T09:29:03.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our present 'existence' (state of mind) does not have to be related to a prior life. The scriptures explain having such a view results in having no hope &amp;amp; leaves one stuck in inaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one falls back on what was done in the past as being essential, monks, there is no desire, no effort [at the thought], 'This should be&#xA;  done. This shouldn't be done.' When one can't pin down as a truth or&#xA;  reality what should &amp;amp; shouldn't be done, one dwells bewildered &amp;amp;&#xA;  unprotected. One cannot righteously refer to oneself as a&#xA;  contemplative. This was my first righteous refutation of those&#xA;  brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who hold to such teachings, such views.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tittha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T09:29:03.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15921" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="25827" CreationDate="2016-07-19T11:09:57.903" Score="15" ViewCount="49625" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9768/a-question-regarding-the-level-of-worldly-participation-for-a-buddhist-monk/10383#10383&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;A question regarding the level of worldly participation for a buddhist monk&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Bhante gave an answer containing a Zen quote. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote is; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water.  After enlightenment chop wood, carry water&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the origin of the quote?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the meaning of the quote?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2023-12-06T21:49:22.630" Title="What is the meaning of the Zen quote: &quot;Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|texts|zen|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2016-07-19T15:22:16.487" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm an authorised Buddhist teacher and I don't know of anywhere in the texts where it is said or implied that sex or wanting sex is bad, that fornication is wrong, that homosexuality or being transexual are wrong, or that prostitution is wrong - in fact the quote mentioned above suggests that it is seen as being like any other business- or that anal or oral sex are wrong.  The Dalai Lama himself has said he is not able to discover any such thing in the texts.  The above answers are cultural myths only, and if you ask Theravada teachers to point out the relevant passages in the texts, they cannot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither will normal desire, which is natural to humans, lead to a bad rebirth.  Only very serious acts like killing your father or mother automatically lead to a bad rebirth.  The word 'tanha', which is translated as craving, actually means a very unhealthy, obsessive desire, a real stalker mentality.  The Victorian translators understood 'craving' as the nearest equivalent to a quite horrible word.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the Buddha's life, many laypeople both married and unmarried became Enlightened, some of whom it seems implied in the texts, led an active sexual life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8709" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T15:22:16.487" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5979" CreationDate="2016-07-19T15:47:42.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Dhammanando is perfectly correct.  You break the third precept only if you have sex 1) Non-consensually or though violence 2) With a person 'under the protection of another' - what this means is that the person does not have the capacity to give consent as they are not able to look after themselves.  This includes children;  as with other cases in the Pali canon, age is not mentioned but rather the capacity of the person.  It doesn't mean eg someone still living at home. 3) A married person whose partner has not given consent 4) A slave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentators on that thread are quite wrong to conflate prostitution with slavery.  This is a puritan-derived attitude.  Instead we could point out that a woman running her own business is making more money and has more freedom than a women in a garment factory.  Slavery is a separate matter and it is already clear that Buddhism is opposed to slavery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8709" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T15:47:42.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-07-19T17:17:52.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are at least three Tripitakas: the Pali Canon is the oldest and the only surviving complete canon of a somewhat early school. In addition, there are the Tibetan Kanjur and the Chinese canon, Tantric and Mahayana respectively. Finally, the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism has the inspired terma texts of Dzogchen. I think the consensus is that the Four Great Nikayas of the Pali Canon represent the closest thing to a common ground accepted by all schools, and in fact if one studies the nikayas closely one can see the seeds and even the roots of the tree that became Buddhism there. The Four Great Nikayas, in rough chronological order, are the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, and Anguttara, and have all been translated into modern English. In some ways they correspond to the gospels of the Christian New Testament (so-called).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-09-16T14:59:26.107" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T14:59:26.107" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15925" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-19T17:50:33.087" Score="-1" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha and others repeatedly says that those that have genuine samadhi can easily cultivate the Six Paranormal Powers--if they have not experienced them by accident already. The Path of Purification even outlines the step-by-step method to cultivate them after obtaining concentration attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Taoist tradition there are plenty of stories of such immortals and super-powered people, some of them even very modern, such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.asiantown.net/-/9042/indonesian-man-burns-paper-with-the-electric-power-inside-his-body.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Youtube video of John Chang emitting fire through his hands&lt;/a&gt;. [The books that are based on him are very awesome and interesting, like The Magus of Java.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are some modern accounts in the Buddhist tradition?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I meet Buddhist people and others, they often say they have samadhi but they seem quite ordinary to me. Oftentimes, I am convinced that they make claims of samadhi merely to gain a following--however small it may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T01:52:16.550" Title="Credible Modern Videos/Stories of Buddhist Six Paranormal Powers" Tags="|modern-world|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2016-07-19T18:19:41.753" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question is, why prostitute does not include in the prohibited&#xA;person? Does it mean having sex with prostitute does not considered&#xA;sexual misconduct?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on its definition, the 3rd precept is obviously a teaching about social (rather than personal) morality. Its essence is to not have sex in a way that harms existing relationships or reputations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, to not have sex with those living under the protection of their family is to avoid harming the family relationship or to not have sex with those living in institutions is to avoid harming the social reputation of the institution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why, even today, to have sex in the workplace is generally prohibited by employers &amp;amp; corporations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, having sex with prostitutes falls under the Six Roads That Can Ruin A Man, found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second question is, from my understanding for married people having&#xA;sex with their partner is not an offense but how about having oral sex&#xA;or sodomy with your own wife or husband? Is it true that oral sex and&#xA;sodomy will make you take rebirth as an animal?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For most worldly people, sex is a necessity. For me, 'rebirth' is a metaphor &amp;amp; rebirth as an 'animal' means to develop the mental state of lacking reason (reflective intelligence) &amp;amp; emotional self-control, just as animals cannot reflect with objective intelligence or control their emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, sodomy is 'rebirth' as an animal (i.e., stupidity) since sodomy can be a dangerous activity (since the anus &amp;amp; intestines are not physically designed for sexual activity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, often, women do not actually enjoy anal sex but do it to please the voyeuristic wants of their male partners. At least in past generations, before the era of universal birth control, many women in certain cultures abhorred being forced to have anal sex to satisfy their husbands &amp;amp; avoid pregnancy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a man forces or coerces his wife to do an act she really does not want to do, this is 'animal' behaviour &amp;amp; thus 'rebirth' as an animal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, 'death' is not a requirement for taking 'birth' as an animal, as shown below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright&#xA;  principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned&#xA;  respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle's wife or a&#xA;  teacher's wife or the wives of other honored persons, and the world&#xA;  would have fallen into promiscuity, as with goats, sheep, chickens,&#xA;  pigs, dogs, and jackals. But as these two bright principles protect&#xA;  the world, there is discerned respect for mother... and the wives of&#xA;  other honored persons.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lokapala Sutta: The Bright Protectors&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the history of Buddhism, some 'authorised Buddhist teachers' (for example, Chögyam Trungpa &amp;amp; his authorised heir Ösel Tendzin) often took 'birth' in this world as 'animals', as demonstrated by their sexual &amp;amp; other social behaviours. For example, Ösel Tendzin had &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajradhatu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;unprotected sex with students while knowing he had AIDS&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any Buddhist teacher that has sexual relations with a student transgresses the 3rd precept &amp;amp; is immediately ('opapatika') reborn as an 'animal'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, to preach immorality &amp;amp; to engage in immorality is also 'spontaneous birth' ('opapatika') as an 'animal', even for so-called 'authorised Buddhist teachers'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-19T18:57:32.397" LastActivityDate="2016-07-19T18:57:32.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15925" CreationDate="2016-07-19T19:29:20.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha forbade monks to demonstrate psychic powers to lay people. Therefore, at least in Theravada Buddhism, it is uncommon to meet Buddhists claiming &amp;amp; displaying psychic powers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monks rules state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Should any bhikkhu report (his own) superior human state to an unordained person, when it is factual, it is to be confessed.&#xA;  Displaying psychic powers. A related rule at Cv.V.8.2 states that to&#xA;  display psychic powers to lay people is a dukkata [offense]. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Page 263 to 266&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Psychic powers are said to occur only in individuals with a latent pre-disposition. For example, many arahants, such as Venerable Sariputta, a jhana master, did not have supernormal powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Buddha could not have repeatedly said that [all of] those that have genuine samadhi can easily cultivate the Six Paranormal Powers. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Susima Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it is reported the Buddha explains to Susima that development of psychic powers is not a prerequisite for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kayagata-sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (quoted below) that generalise about samadhi &amp;amp; powers are probably fake. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, for one in whom mindfulness immersed in the body is&#xA;  cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis,&#xA;  given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, &amp;amp; well-undertaken, ten&#xA;  benefits can be expected. Which ten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] &quot;He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes&#xA;  many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He&#xA;  goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, &amp;amp; mountains as if through&#xA;  space. He dives in &amp;amp; out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on&#xA;  water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he&#xA;  flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches &amp;amp;&#xA;  strokes even the sun &amp;amp; moon, so mighty &amp;amp; powerful. He exercises&#xA;  influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] &quot;He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified &amp;amp;&#xA;  surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine &amp;amp; human, whether&#xA;  near or far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[7] &quot;He knows the mind of other beings, other individuals, having&#xA;  encompassed it with his own mind....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself did not think highly of psychic powers (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) despite often using psychic powers to only help monks with their practise (example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sona Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We must also understand the Buddha's enemies, such as Devadatta &amp;amp; Mara, had psychic powers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, psychic powers are 100% unrelated to the goal of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-20T01:52:16.550" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T01:52:16.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2016-07-20T03:40:46.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can only offer a small partial answer here. My understanding from general reading is that historical Buddhism tolerated prostitution because of the difficult financial situation of widows in post-Vedic India. How early this toleration manifested itself I do not know, but it seems likely that it was early for the same reason that the whole Pali Canon accurately manifests the tenor of the time of the Buddha. Thus, it may have influenced the writing of the Pali Canon (3rd-1st cent. BCE).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T03:40:46.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15921" CreationDate="2016-07-20T03:58:22.420" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure about the origin of this quote but possibly as it used as a Zen message it may have come from Bodhidharma. I am sure about its meaning however. It relates both to Enlightenment and Mindfulness. The true practice of mindfulness which means watching the mind to find the Essence of the Mind will lead to Wisdom and Enlightenment. In simple terms we can say that before I developed the true nature of Wisdom I could chop wood and carry water but my mind was everywhere-it was heavily polluted with mental obstructions and worldly thoughts-it was not present. After I found the Essence of my Mind and found true Wisdom then I experience Enlightenment. To the external eye nothing is different-I still appear to chop wood and carry water but in fact within the internal eye everything is different. Everything has changed. It teaches us to be aware of the transience of visual forms. Nothing is what it appears to be and No thing is what it appears to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thay&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8699" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T03:58:22.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15930" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-20T07:01:12.247" Score="-1" ViewCount="84" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does 'right speech' prohibit expressions which &quot;hate&quot; anything at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, not an individual, or even really a point of view, but to ex-press the sensation of intense (if not actually visceral) &lt;em&gt;dislike&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T10:00:09.850" Title="Does 'right speech' prohibit expressions which &quot;hate&quot; anything at all?" Tags="|right-speech|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15931" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15933" CreationDate="2016-07-20T08:44:48.240" Score="1" ViewCount="596" Body="&lt;p&gt;if believe we can escape the suffering of this world and the limits of our material existence by observing and practicing a set of practices. for Christian, we know that the way of “escape” is only through faith in Jesus Christ as they are spiritually reborn with God’s life through the Holy Spirit? what about Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T13:03:08.450" Title="Escape the suffering?" Tags="|suffering|daily-life|buddhist|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15930" CreationDate="2016-07-20T08:53:48.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here on Access to Insight there's a anthology of descriptions of right speech speech from the Pali suttas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech &lt;em&gt;samma vaca&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO something like, &quot;It is spoken with a mind of good-will&quot;, or &quot;speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing &amp;amp; pleasing to people at large&quot;, might be quite incompatible with &quot;express the sensation of intense (if not actually visceral) dislike&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the Buddha as portrayed in the suttas might point out that an action or view was &quot;unskillful&quot;, or &quot;leads to suffering&quot; ... but &lt;em&gt;wouldn't&lt;/em&gt; say something like, &quot;I hate that&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10694/254&quot;&gt;What is a wrathful Buddha?&lt;/a&gt; (from another tradition, Tibetan Buddhism) about maybe appearing to be angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4117/254&quot;&gt;Did the Buddha ever 'thunder' during a Fire Sermon?&lt;/a&gt;, in which I asked whether the Buddha would &quot;display affect&quot;. The accepted answer says, &quot;The closest he gets to actual disturbance is ... Pretty tame, but then that's to be expected; he was, after all, a fully enlightened Buddha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &quot;hate&quot; is usually seen as one of the fundamental &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three poisons&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (with possibly some difference between Theravada and Mahayana viewpoints e.g. as might be inferred from this topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4057/254&quot;&gt;Could Lobha(craving) and Dosa(aversion) be working in tandem?&lt;/a&gt;) -- see also the fact that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; is a virtue: it's presumably better to abandon even the experience of hate, let alone the expression of hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T10:00:09.850" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15931" CreationDate="2016-07-20T09:13:35.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We accept the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha, namely, &lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, the fact that our existence in this world is in predicament, is impermanent, imperfect, unsatisfactory, full of conflict; &lt;em&gt;Samudaya&lt;/em&gt;, the fact that this state of affairs is due to our egoistic selfishness based on the false idea of self; &lt;em&gt;Nirodha&lt;/em&gt;, the fact that there is definitely the possibility of deliverance, liberation, freedom from this predicament by the total eradication of the egoistic selfishness; and &lt;em&gt;Magga&lt;/em&gt;, the fact that this liberation can be achieved through the Middle Path which is eight- fold, leading to the perfection of ethical conduct (&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;), mental discipline (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) and wisdom (&lt;em&gt;pañña&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer to your question is that the 'way' to escape suffering is the &quot;Fourth Noble Truth&quot;, which is the &quot;Noble Eightfold Path&quot;, which is also known as the Threefold Training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another answer might the &quot;taking refuge&quot; in the Triple Gem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We all take refuge in the Triple Jewel: the Buddha, our Teacher; the Dhamma, his teaching; and the Sangha, the Community of holy ones. In other words, we take refuge in the Teacher, the Teaching and the Taught.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the above are slightly Theravada-centric answers. The answer I accepted to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt;, reveals a range of other/different Buddhist schools/understandings also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone like the Dalai Lama seems to preach compassion and a kind of selflessness, maybe thinking of all people as the same, as a way to escape suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And something like the answer to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;What is meant by Namu Amida Butsu and also Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?&lt;/a&gt; begins to explain another school of Buddhism. If you're familiar with the idea that, as you wrote in the OP, &quot;escape is only through faith in Jesus Christ&quot;, this answer too depends on a kind of &quot;faith&quot; or realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is a theoretical or a referenced answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An answer more from personal experience (this site wants answers based on references and/or personal experience) is that there is some escape from suffering (when suffering arises) from having learned (i.e. read or hear, study, try to understand, make sense of, internalize, and apply) dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consequently if a conceit like &quot;I am experiencing suffering&quot; arises, then some dhamma (or awareness of dhamma arises and) might provide some kind of mental, habitual antidote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of what I'm talking about are summarized as/by relatively short phrases. The phrases are short enough that they can be &quot;held in mind&quot; i.e. I can remember a phrase as a unit. I haven't tried to remember a whole paragraph at once, but I find that a short phrase is helpful as mental furniture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't try to explain every phrase in this answer (that would be wordy) but the following are some of those phrases or important summaries that I found helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves (SN 56.31)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore your duty is the contemplation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Your duty is the contemplation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: On the No-self Characteristic (SN 22.59)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever (of the five khandhas) ... all that ... must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta: What is the Purpose? (AN 11.1)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and &lt;strong&gt;freedom from remorse&lt;/strong&gt; as their reward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the Brahman (SN 51.15)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever ... he first had ..., on attaining ... that ... is allayed. This is a path with an end&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People also recommend good company (friends, teachers) and good communities as helpful; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta: Half (of the Holy Life) (SN 45.2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. &lt;strong&gt;Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life&lt;/strong&gt;. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/15876/how-to-attain-peace/15911#comment27374_15911&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not easy in an answer to answer from the whole of Buddhism; so the above is biased on my personal experience. See also for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13703/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; (Tibetan) and/or maybe &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1973/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; (Zen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T13:03:08.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15935" CreationDate="2016-07-20T14:22:03.947" Score="6" ViewCount="353" Body="&lt;p&gt;When reading through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Nidana sutta&lt;/a&gt; I came across the three types of becoming: Sensual becoming, form becoming, and formless becoming. I am trying to understand what the different forms of becoming are. This sutta does not explain how they are different, it only says that birth occurs if any type of becoming occurs. To try to understand the differences I read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhava sutta&lt;/a&gt;; this sutta says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ananda, if there were no kamma ripening in the sensuality-property, would sensuality-becoming be discerned?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture. The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance &amp;amp; fettered by craving is established in/tuned to a lower property. Thus there is the production of renewed becoming in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is repeated replacing &amp;quot;sensuality-property&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;sensuality-becoming&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;form-property&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;form-becoming&amp;quot;, and likewise for formless property/becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu mentions in his notes on the Bhava sutta that the Buddha never defines becoming, the Buddha just splits becoming into these three types. From these suttas it appears that knowing what sensuality-property, form-property, and formless-property mean is all there is to knowing the differences in the types of becoming but I haven't been able to find information on what they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T20:12:40.147" Title="What are the differences between the three types of becoming?" Tags="|nidanas|bhavanga|becoming|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15934" CreationDate="2016-07-20T15:36:26.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the passage you're asking about (in the Access to Insight translation of DN 15) is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.' Thus it has been said. And this is the way to understand how from becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. If there were no becoming at all, in any way, of anything anywhere — i.e., sensual becoming, form becoming, or formless becoming — in the utter absence of becoming, from the cessation of becoming, would birth be discerned?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's a summary of the previous paragraph, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there were no birth at all, in any way, of anything anywhere — i.e., of devas in the state of devas, of celestials in the state of celestials, of spirits in the state of spirits, of demons in the state of demons, of human beings in the human state, of quadrupeds in the state of quadrupeds, of birds in the state of birds, of snakes in the state of snakes, or of any being in its own state — in the utter absence of birth, from the cessation of birth, would aging and death be discerned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e. the types of becoming correspond to birth in the various planes of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.13-Bhava-S-1-2-a3.76-77-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer's introduction to the Bhava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes them as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Another interesting feature of the two discourses is their treatment of the&#xA;  three realms as “low” (&lt;em&gt;hīna dhātu&lt;/em&gt;), “middling” (&lt;em&gt;majjhima dhātu&lt;/em&gt;), and “subtle” (&lt;em&gt;paṇīta dhātu&lt;/em&gt;), that is,&#xA;  the sense-world, the form world, and the formless world, respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “lowly” &lt;strong&gt;sense-realm&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;kāma,dhātu&lt;/em&gt;) [§1b] is the realm of beings dependent on some form of physical&#xA;  senses, and is the lowest of the three existential spheres. It comprises the human world, the subhuman&#xA;  realms (the hells, the animal kingdom, and the ghost realm of the departed), and the six lower heavens.&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;  It&#xA;  is said to be “low” (&lt;em&gt;hīna&lt;/em&gt;) because the beings there are dependent on the physical senses and the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “middling” &lt;strong&gt;form realm&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;rūpa,dhātu&lt;/em&gt;) [§2] is the realm of blissful dhyanic existence of radiant&#xA;  fine-materiality,&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt; whose beings still have the faculties of seeing and hearing, but which along with the&#xA;  other physical senses are temporarily suspended in the four dhyanas.&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt; The beings of such realms are called&#xA;  brahmas (&lt;em&gt;brahmā&lt;/em&gt;), or “high gods,” who normally have almost nothing to do with the sense world,&#xA;  since they are absorbed in their celestial dhyanic bliss. When they do appear in the sense-world, they&#xA;  apparently have to emerge from their dhyanic state.&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “subtle” &lt;strong&gt;formless realm&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;arūpa,dhātu&lt;/em&gt;) [§3] comprises of beings of pure energy, that is, without&#xA;  any physical form whatsoever.&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt; They exist only as varying refined states of the four mental aggregates&#xA;  (feeling, perception, formations and consciousness). These beings have no contact with the sense-world&#xA;  whatsoever.&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T16:54:33.127" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15934" CreationDate="2016-07-20T19:24:34.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am trying to understand what the different forms of becoming are. This sutta does not explain how they are different.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different forms of 'becoming' are 'sensual', 'material' &amp;amp; 'immaterial' becoming.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensual becoming is when there is 'self-identity' in relation to sensuality. For example, the mind thinks: &quot;I love this delicious food, this is now my favourite good, I am going to visit this restaurant every week&quot;. Or: &quot;I love this (sexy &amp;amp; beautiful) woman, she is my wife, I am her husband&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Material becoming is 'self-identity' in relation to a material object or in relation to one of the four rupa jhanas. For example: &quot;I am rich, I have lots of money, this is my big house (which make me feel materially secure rather than give me sensual pleasure); I am now a meditation master because I have attained the 1st jhana&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Immaterial becoming is 'self-identity' in relation to an immaterial object or in relation to one of the four arupa jhanas. For example: &quot;I am famous, I am loved; I have a good reputation; I am important; I am now a meditation master because I have attained arupa jhana&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures explain: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;craving resulting in new becoming&lt;/strong&gt; — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasure, craving to be, craving not-to-be: This, friend&#xA;  Visakha, &lt;strong&gt;is the origination/arising of&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; described by the&#xA;  Blessed One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu mentions in his notes on the Bhava sutta that the Buddha never defines becoming.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures certainly define 'becoming'; just as the scriptures define the word 'being' or 'satta', as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance &amp;amp; fettered by craving is &lt;strong&gt;established in/tuned to&lt;/strong&gt; a lower property. AN 3.76&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘A being,’ lord. ‘A being,’ it’s said. To what extent is one said to be ‘a being’? Any desire, passion, delight or craving for form,&#xA;  feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp;/or consciousness Radha: when&#xA;  one is &lt;strong&gt;caught up&lt;/strong&gt; there, &lt;strong&gt;tied up&lt;/strong&gt; there, one is said to be ‘a&#xA;  being'. SN 23.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus both 'becoming' &amp;amp; the 'birth' of 'being' appear to be forms of or extensions of 'attachment'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Mahanidana Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; is different to the many other stock suttas (such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;) on Dependent Origination. For example, the Mahanidana Sutta does not define 'aging-&amp;amp;-death'; defines 'birth' differently; ignores the six sense spheres; defines nama-rupa &amp;amp; consciousness differently; ignores sankhara &amp;amp; ignores ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is rather unusual that DN 15 is called 'The Great' sutta about causation when a number of causes (nidana) are missing or undefined. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to DN 15, the other stock suttas appear to define 'birth' as the production of the ignorant 'view' of 'beings' ('satta'): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, entering, coming-to-be, coming-forth of the various &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; in this or that group&#xA;  of &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; based on the manifestation ('play') the aggregates &amp;amp; taking&#xA;  possession of sense spheres/sense objects, that is called birth. SN&#xA;  12.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In human bodies in themselves, nothing distinctive can be found. &lt;strong&gt;Distinction among human beings&lt;/strong&gt; is purely verbal designation….For name&#xA;  &amp;amp; clan are assigned, originating in conventions…Whoever makes his&#xA;  living among men by agriculture is called a ‘farmer’…Whoever makes his&#xA;  living among men by merchandise  is called a ‘merchant’…that is how&#xA;  the wise truly see…seers of dependent origination. MN 98&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Angulimala [the former mass-murderer], say to that woman: “Sister, since I was &lt;strong&gt;born&lt;/strong&gt; with a &lt;strong&gt;noble birth&lt;/strong&gt; [as a monk], I do not recall that I have ever intentionally deprived a&#xA;  living being of life”. MN 86&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed person assumes form, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp;/or consciousness to be a ‘self’. That&#xA;  assumption is a mental formation. Now what is the cause, what is the&#xA;  origination, what is the &lt;strong&gt;birth&lt;/strong&gt;, what is the coming-into-existence of&#xA;  that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched&#xA;  by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises.&#xA;  That mental formation of ‘self’ is &lt;strong&gt;born&lt;/strong&gt; from that. And that mental&#xA;  formation is impermanent, fabricated, dependently arisen. That&#xA;  craving… That feeling… That contact… That ignorance is impermanent,&#xA;  fabricated, dependently arisen. SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume ‘&lt;strong&gt;a being&lt;/strong&gt;’? Mara, have you grasped &lt;strong&gt;a view&lt;/strong&gt;? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found. Just as,&#xA;  with an assemblage of parts, the word ‘chariot’ is used, so, when the&#xA;  aggregates are present, there’s the convention ‘a being.’ SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-20T20:12:40.147" LastActivityDate="2016-07-20T20:12:40.147" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15937" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-20T22:12:43.413" Score="1" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not particularly into Buddhist style meditation but wasn't sure where else to ask. I tend to accumulate a lot of random ideas that filter in and after my session I jot them down - is this counter productive to an effect meditation? I use the Muse brain sensing headband and still stay in a fairly calm state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8717" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T02:06:23.313" Title="Is it counter productive to accumulate a lot of ideas while meditating?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-hindrances|meditation|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8776" CreationDate="2016-07-21T00:37:28.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one of the goals to becoming enlightened is to lose all craving, desire or Tanha &lt;strong&gt;how is one to do that without the craving&lt;/strong&gt;, desire or tanha to do just that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not supposed to be that way. &lt;em&gt;Tanha&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;neutral&lt;/em&gt; factor (in a sense that it will not necessarily cause evil deeds). Tanha is also always and everywhere present factor in non-englihtened beings. And tanha is quite complicated notion to define, so, it's rarely used directly &lt;em&gt;as is&lt;/em&gt; (in the Abhidhamma). Instead, it's used in derived terms, like &lt;em&gt;lobha, raga&lt;/em&gt;, etc. But, &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; could present itself not just as unwholesome roots (&lt;em&gt;lobha, desa, moha&lt;/em&gt;), but also as factor of enlightenment (&lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, &lt;strong&gt;is wanting to eradicate all craving&lt;/strong&gt; and desires &lt;strong&gt;a craving&lt;/strong&gt; or desire &lt;strong&gt;itself&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is. &lt;em&gt;Tanha&lt;/em&gt;, in the form of &lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;, is conductive to exertion. With wisdom you could direct it on the &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt; way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nettipakarana&lt;/em&gt; p.87: There are two types of tanha, skilful and&#xA;  unskilful. Unskilful tanha leads to samsara, skilful tanha is&#xA;  abandonment, it leads to diminution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Implied question) Is it contradictory to &lt;em&gt;stop tanha with tanha&lt;/em&gt;? No, as already mentioned, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; confirms. Tanha is stoppable factor, if it's done in proper way. Cause of tanha is ignorance (&lt;em&gt;avijja&lt;/em&gt;) which is stoppable factor either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additional quotes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.westernbuddhistreview.com/vol2/tanha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;R. Morrison article&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Anguttara Nikaaya we have the statement: 'he abandons tanhaa by means of tanhaa'.[A ii. 146] [...] commentary [adds]: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Based on the present craving [tanhaa] (i. e., desire for becoming an Arahant), he gives up previous craving that was the root-cause of (one's involvement in) the cycle of rebirth. Now (it may be asked) whether such present craving (for Arahantship) is wholesome [kusala] or unwholesome [akusala]? — It is unwholesome. — Should it be pursued or not? — It should be pursued [sevitabbaa]. — Does it drag one into rebirth [patisandhim aakaddhati] or not? — It does not drag one into rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As Nyanaponika adds at the end of this quote, 'Such permissible (sevitabbaa) craving is abandoned when its object is attained'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, how Enlightenment &lt;strong&gt;is not&lt;/strong&gt; producible &lt;strong&gt;by&lt;/strong&gt; tanha? Function of tanha is to drag us into next birth. Thus, relying on tanha we can not expect next birth to be Enlightenment, we can not &lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt; into arhats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T00:37:28.797" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15937" CreationDate="2016-07-21T00:53:55.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Accumulating ideas is what happens when we meditate. When we distance ourselves from the mind, we can watch these ideas in a detached way. For that we have to step back from all the influences inside our mind. When you have reached a place within where you can be quiet, then you can observe these voices to see what they are. Watch them in detachment. If you know Buddha’s teaching on not‐self it will be easier for you to step back and do the watching. Not only ideas but feelings of pleasure and pain too will come and go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another kind of ideas is perceptions, or thought‐ constructs. You can observe these too, to see the influence they have over the mind.  Then you will know what type of ideas to encourage, and what to get rid of. Again if you know the Dhamma it helps. Dhamma contains all sorts of useful and encouraging ideas. You can broaden on the ideas of loving kindness for example. You can start with goodwill for yourself, then expand into goodwill for other people etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has to be gotten rid of are the burdensome ideas - the burdensome notions the mind,  Such ideas will make you react this way, to think that way. Once you identify them, you can let go of them. You do not have to entertain ideas of greed or anger that come in to the mind. Also never allow lustful or angry or cruel ideas to arise within you. With earnest effort, you can straighten out any crooked and bent and shifty ideas. &#xA;Thanissaro Bhilkku once had the following to say about ideas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”We hold on to ideas even though they have proven themselves again and again and again that they don’t work. It’s like that famous story about Nasruden eating a whole bushel full of peppers and crying. Someone asked him, “Why do you keep eating peppers when they make you cry?” And he responded, “Because I’m looking for the sweet one.” &#xA;  You may have some ideas about what should work, but when you find that they don’t, you drop them. You’re not attached to them. “&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T00:53:55.747" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7926" CreationDate="2016-07-21T01:22:00.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hirakawa probably only meant that &quot;classification of dharmas into conditioned and unconditioned&quot; is found in the Agamas, not that space were considered to be unconditioned dharma &quot;is found in the Agamas&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditionality of space (&lt;em&gt;akasa&lt;/em&gt;) was controversial topic even inside of &lt;em&gt;Sarvastivada&lt;/em&gt;. If it would be mentioned to be non-conditional anywhere inside of &lt;em&gt;Agamas&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. in &lt;em&gt;sutras&lt;/em&gt;, as in 'Buddha's words') it would not be that controversial subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T01:22:00.747" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15942" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-21T05:53:25.930" Score="3" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I have started meditating on my own, by observing my breath and rise and fall of abdomen. Half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the night before going to sleep. Sometimes sleep takes over and I go to sleep immediately after meditation. But when I try to concentrate more during meditation, my mind becomes charged and even when I sleep, my mind is awake , although body is resting. I aware that my mind has not shutdown. Is this normal? am I doing correctly? This wakefulness is there till next day. Is this some kind of alpha state of mind? Please help. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-07-21T18:29:01.563" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T19:02:03.140" Title="Awake mind after meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15942" CreationDate="2016-07-21T06:19:14.637" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;But when I try to concentrate more during meditation, my mind becomes charged...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If what you are describing here is concentrate with more effort (rather than meditating for a longer duration) then what you have described is a common symptom of concentrating with too much power &amp;amp; effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While beginner meditators often meditate with mental force to counter (suppress) discursive (habitual) thinking, ultimately, Buddhist meditation is based on letting go &amp;amp; emptying the mind (rather than pushing the mind with power &amp;amp; effort). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-21T09:44:37.360" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T09:44:37.360" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9307" CreationDate="2016-07-21T07:11:21.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;GR3 1st learn about Basic Guidelines of Buddhism as a Start..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not take life&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not take what is not given&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not distort facts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Refrain from misuse of the senses&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Refrain from self-intoxication through alcohol or drugs&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in Buddhas time also their was Prostitutes. having sex others (including Prostitute) beside your wife as per Buddhism its &lt;strong&gt;WRONG&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;find below the meaning of the Guide line 4&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refrain from misuse of the senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The senses in Buddhism include not only the five generally thought of: touch, hearing, seeing, smelling and tasting, but also the mind: thinking. This means overindulgence in touching (for instance sex), hearing ( overindulging in listening to music for instance), seeing (too much focuss on beauty or ugliness around us), smelling and tasting (overindulgence in food preparation for instance). Lay people aren't expected to refrain from sex, yet they are expected to refrain from overdoing it. Moderation in this respect has become highly unpopular, &lt;strong&gt;with kids having sex at earlier ages every year and sexual crime becoming almost usual. To be a virgin equals being ashamed,&lt;/strong&gt; these days. Buddhist morality is old-fashioned in this respect.&#xA;The the last sense which can be overindulged is thinking or thought, or use of the mind. One often meets people who think so much, they forget to practice. Or they out-think any morality one can come up with. The mind is a highly deceptive tool and overuse makes it overly powerful over us. When thoughts start seeming real, and control ones life, beyond what is reasonable, it is perhaps time to consider whether perhaps one has overindulged in thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-07-21T07:17:37.733" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T07:17:37.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15948" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-21T16:10:33.323" Score="2" ViewCount="351" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following are the instances of Lay Arahants that I'm aware of;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_348.story.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uggasena the acrobat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhist-Legends/10-09.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Santati the King Pasenadi's Minister&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;King Suddodhana [Looking for reference]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt; What are the other instances of lay arahants (excluding Paccekabuddhas)  in the  recorded history?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5838" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-07-21T17:12:47.750" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T02:40:11.280" Title="Lay arahants mentioned in the Pali Canon" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|arahant|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15948" CreationDate="2016-07-21T18:20:07.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven Bahiya.  Buddha proclaimed him great disciple of fast learner of Dhamma.  He reached enlightenment while was a lay person, however, he was killed while looking for personal items to join the Sangha.  Buddha classified him as one of the 41 great Bhikku.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-07-21T18:27:42.127" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T18:27:42.127" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15937" CreationDate="2016-07-21T18:36:06.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I looked up &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.choosemuse.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Muse Brain Sensing Headband&lt;/a&gt; and have to say that you cannot practice Buddhist meditation while using such a device for at least two reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You should always try to be as secluded from sense impressions as possible (in formal meditation). Listening to sounds or music while sitting is counterproductive and not a Buddhist style of meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As I understand it this device generates pleasant sounds when it senses less movement in the head (not in the mind!) and unpleasant sounds when the activity in the head increases. This is problematic! You're reinforcing judgement, thinking it is good to have a calm state of mind, bad to have an agitated state of mind. And also mixing up bodily and mental sensations (by mistaking the activity in your brain with the activity in your mind).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you asked about accumulating ideas, I guess that you don't have a clear and comprehensive instruction to follow. And since you asked this question on the Buddhism Stackexchange, you'll get the Buddhist explanation of meditation :). In Buddhism, the meaning of the word 'meditation' may differ from what you associate with it. A common misunderstanding is that you practice meditation in order to get calm. You don't. You practice in order to get wisdom. This can be done by using a calm mind, but only as a means. The following is a good, practical instruction based on the original Buddhist teachings (over 2500 years of people practicing it has proven it works):  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to meditate&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T18:36:06.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15942" CreationDate="2016-07-21T19:02:03.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(thīna-middha) is one of the 5 hindrance of mind. I too experience the same way.  I feels more alert after a good session of meditation.  5 hindrance and mediation are polar opposites.  I think we are doing good, where Buddha compare self monitoring to being a great chef who watches king at his dinner table to figure out his personal palate and adjust the next meals accordingly.  This kind of chef will reap rewards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thīna-middha-heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression or could even be sleepiness.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-07-21T19:02:03.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15952" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-21T19:25:20.600" Score="0" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible, having been taught meditation by a zen master, to &lt;strong&gt;naturally&lt;/strong&gt; enter the 1st three jhanas. By that, I mean through mental effort which is not really meditation as we normally think of it (seated or walking, &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; effort being applied to that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask because the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Rupa_Jhana_related_factors&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1st three jhanas&lt;/a&gt; seem, &lt;em&gt;potentially&lt;/em&gt;, much more mundane than the rest, worldly. e.g. I feel pretty strong sensations of pleasure &lt;em&gt;most of the time&lt;/em&gt;, as long as I'm not there and then planning to &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that second paragraph seems &lt;em&gt;super&lt;/em&gt; delusional, then how close is dhyana to a pleasure in which you can't identify &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; you feel good?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T09:31:41.033" Title="Is it possible to &quot;naturally&quot; reach the first three jhanas" Tags="|zen|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15948" CreationDate="2016-07-22T01:15:36.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Soṇa Sutta 1 (S 22.49), the Supreme Buddha  teaches Soṇa the houselord‘s son of Rājagaha, a teaching usually given to monastics. At the end of the discourse, Soṇa the houselord‘s son becomes an arhat .&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.49&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.49&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laymen arhants are very rare. No sooner they attain Nibbana, if they do not join the order of Sangha, they are unable to live as lay disciples and they attain parinibbana.  In the The Gilāyana Sutta (S 55.54), Buddha tells how a lay follower in his/her deathbed can become a Arahant.  And the lay followers liberation (while in his deathbed) is no different to that of a monk. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.10-Mahanama-Gilayana-S-s55.54-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.10-Mahanama-Gilayana-S-s55.54-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I have heard of a mention in one of the suttas, as to how a king became an Arahant while resting. His queen (wife) was fanning him first and gives the task to a servant girl. It was the rhythm of her bangles was the trigger that awakened him. No sooner I find the reference to this, I will post it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T01:59:06.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15954" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-22T03:22:12.877" Score="0" ViewCount="315" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading about the Cathars, and was really struck by the scale of persecution by Christians of Christian heretics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously there are reasons for that besides not meditating well enough. But in the 2,500 year history of Buddhism all I can think of in those terms is some political manoeuvring in Tibet, and arguments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Has there ever been a systematic persecution of Buddhist heretics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T02:40:37.900" Title="Has there ever been a systematic persecution of Buddhist heretics?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15952" CreationDate="2016-07-22T06:01:12.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All dogs are animals but all animals are not dogs. Similarly, each of the 1st three rupa jhanas has pleasure as a factor however all feelings of pleasure are not jhana. Each jhana is characteristized by ekaggatā (one-pointedness; stillness; unmovingness) rather than by feelings of pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, jhana is not reached by 'effort'. It is reached by 'letting go', as quoted below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a noble disciple, making it his object to let go (vossagga),&#xA;attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when you say: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;I feel pretty strong sensations of pleasure most of the time, as long as I'm not there and not planning to do something&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, this is the 'natural' path to jhana the Lord Buddha described in SN 48.10.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar to the Zen masters, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Supreme Way is not difficult If only you do not pick and choose. Neither love nor hate, And you will clearly understand. Be off by a&#xA;hair, And you are as far from it as heaven from earth. If you want the&#xA;Way to appear, Be neither for nor against. For and against opposing&#xA;each other This is the mind's disease. Without recognizing the&#xA;mysterious principle It is useless to practice quietude. The Way is&#xA;perfect like great space, Without lack, without excess. Because of&#xA;grasping and rejecting, You cannot attain it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hsin Hsin Ming&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhadasa, Thai teacher, who fancied Zen, spoke a lot about natural concentration:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As for samadhi, an empty mind is the supreme samadhi, the supremely focused firmness of mind. The straining and striving sort of samadhi&#xA;isn't the real thing and the samadhi which aims at anything other than&#xA;non-clinging to the five khandas is micchasamadhi (wrong or perverted&#xA;samadhi). You should be aware that there is both micchasamadhi and&#xA;sammasamadhi (right or correct samadhi). Only the mind that is empty&#xA;of grasping at and clinging to 'I' and 'mine' can have the true and&#xA;perfect stability of sammasamadhi. One who has an empty mind has&#xA;correct samadhi.  Heartwood from the Bo Tree&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also refer, here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa10.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T06:20:59.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15952" CreationDate="2016-07-22T09:31:41.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think one can conclude that there are other activities, apart from the classic meditation, which may lead to states similar to the lower jhanas. Long distance runners often speak of getting into unrestricted states of mind. Where thinking is moved to the background and concentration is unwavering but not tense, there are feelings of deep joy, rapture, loss of all doubt, loss of hindering self conscious. The runner feels as if he can go on forever. (Similarities with The Tibetan Lung gom pa, trancerunner, comes to mind) &#xA;Other athletes than runners also describe kicking into similar states of &quot;flow&quot;. These states mainly appear after longer repetitive tasks that requires keeping the mind on one place, so to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Artists, and especially musicians move in and out of states that are very similar to the first levels of jhana. One might suggest that they enter even higher levels. The difference being that the musician is bodily active playing an instrument. And since he/she also utilises parts of the active mind to do so, it cannot get passed that level of absorption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, yes. I would definitely say that other activities, more or less mundane, indeed can trigger states that in comparison are quite the same as the Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8732" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T09:31:41.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15954" CreationDate="2016-07-22T10:18:05.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;King Asoka liked the Dhamma so much that he lavished the monks with robes, food and medicine...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This attracted many fake monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks were beheaded in an effort to find the imposters but that didn't work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They started the third council to purify the monastic order by questioning monks to find out who knew the Dhamma and who held heretical views so they could  expell the real imposters   from the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T10:18:05.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15954" CreationDate="2016-07-22T10:59:37.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the post of @Saptha Visuddhi is related to the question because it is very difficult to avoid this departure into why Buddhism became extinct in India when asked a question about heresy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, 'true believers' do not persecute others &amp;amp; it is the 'true heretics' that persecute others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;speculate&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; King Asoka was related to the distortion of the teachings that gave pre-eminence to creating populist reincarnation &amp;amp; Brahmanism-directed (conversion) teachings, which ultimately lead to the extinction of Buddhism in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would speculate Buddhism was a victim of its own anti-Brahmanism-directed propaganda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we read the Pali suttas, what became to be 'Hinduism' (eg. Tri-Murti of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva or moksha after reincarnations) did not exist during the Buddha's life but, in fact, was possibly distorted adaptations of the Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Pali suttas contain suttas (MN 1, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.124&lt;/a&gt;, etc) that equate each meditation jhana with a Brahmanistic god but then state attachment to being a Brahmanistic god leads to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While such suttas appear to be a form of anti-Brahmanistic propaganda (not spoken by the Buddha), most Buddhists believe the Brahman cosmology to be a true &amp;amp; real Buddhist cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This shows how Buddhism was possibly a victim of its own anti-Brahmanism-directed propaganda &amp;amp; shows how monks with the True Dhamma were probably treated as heretics (while monks with the false teachings that were indifferentiable from Hinduism got absorbed into Hinduism) .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One has to ask what heretical atmosphere prompted Nāgārjuna to compose so many treatises in an attempt to expound a pure &amp;amp; genuine Buddhist doctrine of emptiness &amp;amp; cause-&amp;amp;-effect?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, last century in Thailand, there was a young monk, who named himself Buddhadasa, who began publicly teaching supramundane Dhamma, which resulted in the Thai religious authorities (for a short time) accusing young Buddhadasa of 'heresy' &amp;amp; seeking to disrobe him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He was opposed by conservative monks and laymen such as those from the Abhidhamma Foundation and Anan Senakhan who strongly disagreed&#xA;with his interpretation of Buddhism to the point of accusing that&#xA;Buddhadasa devalues Buddhism by explaining it simply and that tried to&#xA;match the ultimate truth of Buddhism with the ideas of modern man.&#xA;Buddhadasa was even accused of being a &lt;strong&gt;heretic&lt;/strong&gt; and communist.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In his book he wrote the title &amp;quot;What is Paticcasamuppada&amp;quot; (1971) showing the distinction between what he considers the interpretation&#xA;of Buddhist teaching using Hindu concepts and in the Buddhist sense.&#xA;He is convinced that uncritical adherence to the Buddhaghosa orthodoxy&#xA;has obscured a real encounter with the Buddha's dhamma. The criticism&#xA;of Visuddhimagga implies that Buddhadasa goes against the belief and&#xA;understanding of not only most Thai Buddhists but also Buddhists in&#xA;general. Consequently, he is condemned by some groups of monks and&#xA;laymen as an ungrateful and &lt;strong&gt;heretical&lt;/strong&gt; person who destroys&#xA;Buddhism. On the other hand, his book has became an important&#xA;reference which most of Buddhist students have to take into&#xA;consideration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.e4thai.com/e4e/images/pdf2/Buddhadasas%20Movement%20%20An%20Analysis%20of%20Its%20Origins,%20Development,%20and%20Social%20Impact.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhadasa's Movement: An Analysis of Its Origins,&#xA;Development and Social Impact&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T02:40:37.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15959" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-22T11:05:08.630" Score="3" ViewCount="2252" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is it? Is sex just for pleasure with your partner breaking a precept? Eg with a condom. And is being circumcised bad over personal preferences/ (hygiene,aesthetic)? is oral and anal sex bad? Is masturbation bad? And is circumcising your sons bad?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8734" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T12:38:08.057" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T01:48:34.137" Title="Sexual misconduct, what is it" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|sila|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2016-07-22T11:16:18.203" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Citta: The mirror of mind that lacks any qualities of it's own, but provides the canvas for the phenomena of samsara and nirvana (synonymous with the all-ground consciousness in Yogachara, though here being referred to in it's mundane aspect, as it appears to ordinary beings).  It is also considered to be the domain where karmic tendencies rest dormant, but with the possibility of manifesting when exposed to an external stimuli that generates grasping and conceptualization (which is the function of manas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Caitta: The qualities of the mind.  The waves on the ocean, the coloring of a gem with a colored cloth beneath it, etc.  The basic dispositional sense that the mind is imbued with.  For more info see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;51 mental factors&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vijnana: the basic sense of self-orientation and &quot;I-making&quot; that infuses the experience of reality for unenlightened beings.  It is differentiated into six forms given the six classes of phenomena (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and ideation).  It is the projection of an illusory &quot;I&quot; in reference to these phenomena.  The basis of this reference is the citta, which itself has no self-qualities (though it can become anything).  This is what the Buddha propounds anatman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Manas: Conceptual thinking.  Can be afflictive or non-afflictive.  Vijnana (a basic self-orientation toward reality), is a necessary precondition for the functioning of conventional manas. This is the part of the mind that believes in the solid, unchanging, self-nature of phenomena and conceptualizes about their various inter-relations.  Whether there is still conceptualization within enlightenment (with the transcendence of vijnana) is argued about, but the most sensible description is that conceptualization occurs, but those concepts are not experienced as solid and unchanging, but are seen as the play of interdependent phenomena, none of which possess their own self-nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8735" LastEditorUserId="8735" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T11:22:47.590" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T11:22:47.590" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15959" CreationDate="2016-07-22T11:37:04.663" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, sexual misconduct means any sexual conduct that involves violence or lying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One kind of sex is no worse than the other. It all leads to suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have never heard of anything on circumcision in the Buddha's teaching but there is a rule that monastics can't cut the penis clear off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-07-22T11:58:41.117" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T11:58:41.117" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7865" CreationDate="2016-07-22T14:07:43.247" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/a0p39.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/a0p39.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Metta meditation with four nutriments&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Why it is difficult to spread metta? Because our mind is not ready to do it. Correct metta meditation is not difficult. According to Buddhist teaching, spreading metta to oneself is never taught taught in 'Sutta' or 'Abhidhamma Pitaka'. Because one can't reach measureless state with metta by spreading  metta to oneself. Measureless states are the doors to nibbana as Load buddha has Taught us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before spreading metta, one must have good qualities, as mentioned in 'karaneeya metta sutta'. Good qualities such as Upright, Exceedingly upright, obedient, gentle and humble, controlled in the senses, prudent, courteous, not hanker after associating with families are meditated and determined before spreading metta. It is a bit complicated at the beginning and later it would become a great platform and make a comfortable position for a meditater to start spreading metta easily. Guided meditation is described in this link -  &lt;a href=&quot;http://visuddhimagga.info/download.php?file=http://secondary4.anaalaya.com/Dhamma2016/M_MettaSutta_3_07_2016.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to meditate metta dhamma talk. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8738" LastActivityDate="2016-07-22T14:07:43.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15959" CreationDate="2016-07-22T20:21:04.373" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sexual misconduct is defined in the Pali scriptures as having sex with someone else's partner or fiancee and with those living under the protection of their parents or an institution (in the case parents, if the parents disapprove). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of refraining from sexual misconduct is to not harm/damage existing relationships. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, having sex for pleasure, using a condom, circumcision, masturbation &amp;amp; oral &amp;amp; anal sex are not, in themselves, sexual misconduct (even though some of these things can be unwholesome &amp;amp; unskilful). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-28T02:29:20.803" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T02:29:20.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15965" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-22T21:04:21.323" Score="4" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked my teacher how somebody should see for themselves that rebirth occurs, he (a Theravadin monastic) said that with great samadhi one should watch the twelve nidanas (the process of dependant co-arising) to see the eleventh nidana (becoming leads to birth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can accept that if one watches the nidanas then one would see that becoming leads to birth. However, seeing birth occurring during our (biological) life is separate from concluding that (re)birth occurs after physical death. I think that the most simple way to put this is that the process of becoming leading to birth is not dependent on the body. If one can see the eleventh nidana then how would they confirm that the eleventh nidana does not require form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps I am on the wrong track entirely and the proper action is to watch some other process to see that the mind (instead of just the nidanas) does not require a body to sustain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T01:50:44.620" Title="How should a disciple of the Buddha with great samadhi verify that rebirth occurs after physical death?" Tags="|rebirth|insight|nidanas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15966" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-22T23:06:43.937" Score="5" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the Nihilism view (&lt;em&gt;natthika-dithi&lt;/em&gt;) actually denying rebirths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Fuller's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/The%20Notion%20of%20Ditthi%20in%20Theravada%20Buddhism_Fuller.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Notion of Diṭṭhi in Theravāda Buddhism: The Point of View&lt;/a&gt;, in the translation of the Sāmaññaphala-sutta, &lt;em&gt;natthika-ditthi&lt;/em&gt; is formulated like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nothing is given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no&#xA;  fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other&#xA;  world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn spontaneously;&#xA;  no good and virtuous recluses and brahmins in the world who have&#xA;  themselves realised by direct knowledge and declare this world and the&#xA;  other world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The person is composed of the four great elements; when&#xA;  he dies, earth returns and goes back to the element of earth, water&#xA;  returns and goes back to the element of water, fire returns and goes&#xA;  back to the element of fire, wind returns and goes back to the element&#xA;  of wind, while the senses disappear into space. [Four] men with the&#xA;  bier as a fifth take up the corpse, the funeral orations last as far&#xA;  as the burning ground, his bones are a dull white, his offerings end&#xA;  in ashes. They are fools who teach alms-giving. The doctrine of&#xA;  affirmation (atthika-vāda) is empty and false banter. Fools and wise&#xA;  alike are destroyed and perish at the breaking up of the body, they do&#xA;  not exist after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following statements are related to 'rebirth':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Denying the &quot;fruit or result of good and bad actions&quot; -- which, except this-life fruit or results, are rebirth-related.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Denying &quot;the other world&quot; -- if it's not rebirth-related then it would be interesting to understand what &quot;other world&quot; is actually supposed to mean.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saying &quot;they do not exist after death&quot; -- description of death as complete destruction (without rebirth).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="145" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T03:44:29.427" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T03:44:29.427" Title="Does the Nihilism view (natthika-dithi) actually deny rebirths?" Tags="|theravada|rebirth|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15965" CreationDate="2016-07-23T01:12:19.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. This question is on the wrong track because Dependent Origination is only about the 12 conditions that result in &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;, i.e., sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabricators. From fabricators as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes mentality-&amp;amp;-materiality. From mentality-&amp;amp;-materiality as a requisite condition&#xA;  come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes&#xA;  feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From&#xA;  craving as a requisite condition comes clinging. From&#xA;  clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming. From&#xA;  becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a&#xA;  requisite condition, &lt;strong&gt;then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this&#xA;  entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of Dependent Co-arising&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the 12th nidana is not about physical death. The following quote states aging-&amp;amp;-death cease when 'the eye sees a form', i.e., while the physical body is still alive: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On seeing a form with the eye&lt;/strong&gt;, he isn't infatuated with pleasing&#xA;  forms, and doesn't get upset over unpleasing forms. He dwells with&#xA;  body-mindfulness established, with unlimited awareness. He&#xA;  discerns, as it has come to be, the awareness-release &amp;amp;&#xA;  discernment-release where those evil, unskillful qualities cease&#xA;  without remainder. Having thus abandoned compliance &amp;amp; opposition, he&#xA;  doesn't relish any feeling he feels — pleasure, pain,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — doesn't welcome it, doesn't remain&#xA;  fastened to it. As he doesn't relish that feeling, doesn't welcome it,&#xA;  &amp;amp; doesn't remain fastened to it, delight doesn't arise. From the&#xA;  cessation of his delight comes the cessation of clinging.&#xA;  From the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of&#xA;  becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth.&#xA;  From &lt;strong&gt;the cessation of birth, then aging-&amp;amp;-death&lt;/strong&gt;, sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this&#xA;  entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 38&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone or something you love &amp;amp; are attached to dies, you suffer. This is because the mind previously took 'birth' ('jati') via becoming ('bhava') as a 'self-identity' ('sakkhaya') attached ('upadana') to the sense object ('ayatana') that passes away ('marana'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you identify yourself with a sense object that is a woman that you call '&lt;strong&gt;my&lt;/strong&gt; wife' &amp;amp; you call yourself '&lt;strong&gt;her&lt;/strong&gt; husband'. If your wife physically dies (by physical death) or the legal status (convention) of 'wife' socially dies (by divorcing you), your self-identity as a 'husband' also 'dies', which is suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or when you look into a mirror &amp;amp; see your skin wrinkling, your hair becoming grey, your teeth rotting, etc, you suffer due to the thought: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt; aging, &lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt; going to die&quot;. These thoughts produce suffering because those five aggregates that appear in the mirror the mind regards to be &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;myself&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you may watch TV and see 10,000 Chinese people die in an earthquake but suffer more if you see your pet dog, pet cat or pet goldfish die. You may suffer more if your favourite pen is stolen. This is because the mind identifies with &amp;amp; is attached to the pet dog, pet cat, pet goldfish or pen but not attached to the 10,000 Chinese people. The death of 10,000 unknown Chinese people do not cause suffering but the death of a pet cat causes tremendous suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Aging-&amp;amp;-death&lt;/a&gt; in Dependent Origination refers to the aging-&amp;amp;-death of 'beings' ('satta') and the various orders of 'beings'. 'Beings' ('satta') is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;defined&lt;/a&gt; in the suttas as states of attachment &amp;amp; identity (rather than physical life forms). 'Satta' is merely a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;view&lt;/a&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relationship between the nidanas of birth (self-identifying) &amp;amp; aging-&amp;amp;-death (suffering due to loss) is explained simply below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing&#xA;  consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in&#xA;  consciousness. He is seized with the idea that 'I am consciousness' or&#xA;  'Consciousness is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his&#xA;  consciousness changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nakulapita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may ask yourself when suffering: &quot;Why am I suffering?&quot;. The general answer is because of change &amp;amp; loss, i.e., aging-&amp;amp;-death. Then ask: &quot;Why did aging-&amp;amp;-death cause me to suffering?&quot; The answer is because I ignorantly regarded the lost or deceased object to be &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;; I took birth as the 'owner' of those objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is what famous Thai monk Ajahn Chah had to say about this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, how do we know that it's a bhava? It's a bhava (sphere of existence) because of our clinging to the idea that those trees are&#xA;  our own, that that orchard is our own. If someone were to take an ax&#xA;  and cut one of the trees down, the owner over there in the house&#xA;  ''dies'' along with the tree. He gets furious, and has to go and set&#xA;  things right, to fight and maybe even kill over it. That quarreling is&#xA;  the ''birth.'' The ''sphere of birth'' is the orchard of trees that we&#xA;  cling to as our own. We are ''born'' right at the point where we&#xA;  consider them to be our own, born from that bhava. Even if we had a&#xA;  thousand apple trees, if someone were to cut down just one it'd be&#xA;  like cutting the owner down.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Flood_Sensuality1.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Flood_Sensuality1.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This taking 'birth' as the 'owner' of sense objects is explained in the definition of 'birth', below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, entering, coming-to-be, coming-forth, production of the the various beings in this or that group of beings via the manifestation (distorted perceptual appearance) of the five aggregates &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;acquisition (taking ownership) of sense media (objects)&lt;/strong&gt;, that is called birth.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of Dependent Co-arising&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the same Pali term for 'acquisition' is used below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;yāyaṃ attabhāva&lt;strong&gt;paṭilābho&lt;/strong&gt; yasmiṃ attabhāvapaṭilābhe attasañcetanā&#xA;  kamati no parasañcetanā, attasañcetanāhetu tesaṃ sattānaṃ tamhā kāyā&#xA;  cuti hoti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...in that acquisition (paṭilābho) of individuality (attabhāva;&#xA;  self-becoming) in which one's own volition (attasañcetanā) operates&#xA;  but not the volition of others (parasañcetanā), it is by reason of&#xA;  their own volition that beings (sattānaṃ) pass away (cuti; shift;&#xA;  vanish) from that group (kāyā)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.171&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta below states whenever objects of consciousness are appropriated or 'stolen' to be &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;, there will be inevitable punishment or suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how, O monks, should the nutriment consciousness be considered?&#xA;  Suppose, O monks, people have seized a criminal, a robber, and brought&#xA;  him before the king saying: 'This is a criminal, a robber, O Majesty!&#xA;  Mete out to him the punishment you think fit!' Then the king would&#xA;  tell them: 'Go, and in the morning strike this man with a hundred&#xA;  spears!' And they strike him in the morning with a hundred spears. At&#xA;  noon the king would ask his men: 'How is that man?' — 'He is still&#xA;  alive, Your Majesty.' — 'Then go and strike him again at noontime with&#xA;  a hundred spears!' So they did, and in the evening the king asks them&#xA;  again: 'How is that man?' — 'He is still alive.' — 'Then go and in the&#xA;  evening strike him again with a hundred spears!' And so they did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, O monks? Will that man, struck with three hundred&#xA;  spears during a day, suffer pain and torment owing to that?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Even if he were to be struck only by a single spear, he would suffer&#xA;  pain and torment owing to that. How much more if he is being struck by&#xA;  three hundred spears!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In that manner, I say, O monks, should the nutriment consciousness be&#xA;  considered. If the nutriment consciousness is comprehended,&#xA;  mind-and-matter are thereby comprehended. And if mind and body are&#xA;  comprehended, there is, I say, no further work left to do for the&#xA;  noble disciple.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: A Son's Flesh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-23T01:50:44.620" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T01:50:44.620" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15954" CreationDate="2016-07-23T01:27:25.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot more to what @Uilium mentioned in the earlier post. It was the moguls that did most of the killing of Buddhist Monks, and the process of decline continued until Buddhism got fully wiped out in India by the end of the 12th century, when Somapura Mahavihara (in the present day Bangladesh) was set ablaze. In 1199 CE Odantapuri Mahavihara close to Nalanda was burnt down after killing all the monks. Buddha’s place of Enlightenment, Bodhgaya too was attacked. If only the Mughals and other Muslims of yesteryear, were not like the present day ISIS, we would be having a lot priceless idols, monuments, original scriptures of Asoka era that were there at Nalanda and elsewhere.  Let me now tell you’ll in brief how it all happened from the time of King Asokha.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As @Uilium mentioned, the third council got underway to purify the monastic order of the bad monks.  These other monks who used to practice ‘Buddhism’ according to their own interpretations rose up again. It was a death blow to those who practiced the true dhamma. Their first act was to translate the Dhamma into Sanskrit. They rejected attaining of the Margaphala. &#xA;At the time only the Brahmins’ Veda was written in Veda and Sanskrit languages. Brahmins never felt that other religions will be a threat to their own since Veda as it was the only religious script written in Sanskrit. However, after the translation of the distorted scriptures into Sanskrit by the falsified monks who were thrown away from the third council, the Brahmins started to argue pointing out its content. In trying to defeat these Brahmins, these other monks built large universities like Nalanda with the aim of learning the Veda. The language used in these universities was Sanskrit. They tried to outdo the Brahmins. They tried to argue with the Brahmins. This is in contradiction to the Alagaddūpama Sutta, which states that “if anyone tries to learn my teachings to argue with others, then he will be destroyed like the man who tried to catch a snake by its tail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the monks won an argument the monks got the king to make the Brahmins their servants in the Nalanda University. The monks were beheaded when Brahmins won their arguments. The Brahmins went for the kill, because of the change that these monks have made to the Brahmin society. An extremist Sothern Indian Brahmin called Sankarāchārya rose up to break the power of these monks. The  Musālman invaded India at this time. The Brahmins got them to first destroy Buddhism, or at least what was left of it. This was how the Buddhism got wiped out from India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T01:27:25.830" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15966" CreationDate="2016-07-23T02:57:05.063" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nothing is given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no&#xA;  fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other&#xA;  worlds; no mother, no father; no beings who are spontaneously born;&#xA;  no good and virtuous recluses and brahmins in the world who have&#xA;  themselves realised by direct knowledge and declare this world and the&#xA;  other worlds.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have amended the translation above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'beings' ('satta') &lt;/a&gt; is defined in the suttas as mental states of attachment &amp;amp; identity (rather than physical life forms). 'Satta' is merely a '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;self-view&lt;/a&gt;' held by Mara. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The very fact that 'beings' are 'spontaneously' or 'immediately born' ('opapatika') due to acts of karma into the other worlds (heaven, hell, animal &amp;amp; ghost) show it is not related to after-death-reincarnation or a new physical birth, as explained below:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;32. Sariputta, there are these four kinds of generation. What are the four? Egg-born generation, womb-born generation, moisture-born&#xA;  generation and spontaneous generation (opapatika)&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-sihanada Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For example, the very moment the mind gets angry, it is spontaneously born as a 'hell-being'. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;'This world' ('loka') refers to the human world of good morals &amp;amp; conscience. The 'other worlds' ('paraloka') refer to the heavenly (bliss), hell (torment), animal (immoral, emotionally reactive &amp;amp; unreflective) and ghost (addiction) worlds. For example, MN 79 refers to the 'world of only pleasant feelings':&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kiṃ panudāyi, atthi ekantasukho loko, atthi ākāravatī paṭipadā&#xA;  ekantasukhassa lokassa sacchikiriyāyā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Udayi, is there a world of only pleasantness? Is there a course of&#xA;  actions to realise that world of only pleasantness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Udayi, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual desires and thoughts of&#xA;  demerit abides in the first jhana: Overcoming thoughts and thought&#xA;  processs and the mind in one point internally appeased, without&#xA;  thoughts and thought processes abides in the second jhana. Again with&#xA;  equanimuity to joy and detachment, feeling pleasant with the body too,&#xA;  abides in the third jhana. To this the noble ones say abiding in&#xA;  pleasantness with equanimity. Udayi, this is the course of actions,&#xA;  for realising the world of only pleasant feelings (ekantasukhassa&#xA;  lokassa).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The person is composed of the four great elements; when he dies, earth returns and goes back to the element of earth, water returns and&#xA;  goes back to the element of water, fire returns and goes back to the&#xA;  element of fire, wind returns and goes back to the element of wind,&#xA;  while the senses disappear into space. [Four] men with the bier as a&#xA;  fifth take up the corpse, the funeral orations last as far as the&#xA;  burning ground, his bones are a dull white, his offerings end in&#xA;  ashes. They are fools who teach alms-giving. The doctrine of&#xA;  affirmation (atthika-vāda) is empty and false banter. Fools and wise&#xA;  alike are destroyed and perish at the breaking up of the body, they do&#xA;  not exist after death.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is not a teaching of the Buddha but a teaching of Ajita Kesakambalin. In many places (eg. MN 115, MN 62, etc) it is taught life is only composed of elements (dhatu), which accords with Emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;). That is why the Buddha's response to the doctrine of Ajita Kesakambalin is similar but different, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'This body...is endowed with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother and father...subject to&#xA;  impermanence...dissolution and dispersion...this consciousness...is&#xA;  supported here and bound up here.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two primary reasons why the doctrine of Ajita Kesakambalin (quoted) is 'nihilism'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The quote denies the efficacy (consequences) of kamma (actions). Thus, Buddhists who believe in present-life kamma-vipaka are not nihilists. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The quote holds there is a 'person' or 'self' that ends at death. This is the precise definition of 'nihilism' found in the suttas. In other words, 'nihilism' is not the view of 'impermanence' but the view that a 'self' is impermanent. Thus, 'nihilism' is a wrong view because it is a 'self-view'. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Herein, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine and view: ‘The self (attā), good sir, has material form; it is&#xA;  composed of the four primary elements and originates from father and&#xA;  mother. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated (ucchijjati) and&#xA;  destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death,&#xA;  at this point the self (attā) is completely annihilated&#xA;  (samucchinno).’ In this way some proclaim the annihilation (ucchedaṃ),&#xA;  destruction (vināsaṃ) and extermination of an existent being&#xA;  (sattassa).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, bhikkhus, do some hold back? Devas and humans enjoy being, delight in being, are satisfied with being. When Dhamma is taught to&#xA;  them for the cessation of being, their minds do not enter into it or&#xA;  acquire confidence in it or settle upon it or become resolved upon it.&#xA;  Thus, bhikkhus, do some hold back.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How, bhikkhus, do some overreach? Now some are troubled, ashamed and disgusted by this very same being (bhaveneva) and they rejoice in (the&#xA;  idea of) non-being (vibhavaṃ), asserting: ‘In as much as this self&#xA;  (attaṃ), good sirs, when the body perishes at death, is annihilated&#xA;  (ucchijjati) and destroyed (vinassati) and does not exist (na hoti)&#xA;  after death (parammaraṇā) — this is peaceful, this is excellent, this&#xA;  is reality!’ Thus, bhikkhus, do some overreach.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 49&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What you, Kassapa, first called ‘suffering caused by oneself’ — this amounts to the eternalist theory (vadaṃ sassataṃ)….and ‘suffering&#xA;  caused by another’ — this amounts to the annihilationist theory (vadaṃ&#xA;  ucchedaṃ).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t say that, friend Yamaka. Don’t misrepresent the Blessed One. It’s not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, for the Blessed One&#xA;  would not say, ‘A monk with no more effluents, on the break-up of the&#xA;  body, is annihilated (ucchijjati), perishes (vinassati) &amp;amp; does not&#xA;  exist (na hoti) after death (parammaraṇā).’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus asked, I would answer, ‘Form is impermanent… Feeling… Perception… Fabrications… Consciousness is impermanent. That which is&#xA;  impermanent is unsatisfactory. That which is unsatisfactory has ceased&#xA;  and gone to its end.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Very good, my friend Yamaka. Very good.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yamaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, often unenlightened people (&lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt;) falsely accuse Noble (Enlightened) People of being 'heretics' &amp;amp; 'nihilists', as also occurred to the Lord Buddha himself: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;37. &quot;So teaching, so proclaiming, O monks, I have been baselessly, vainly, falsely and wrongly accused by some ascetics and brahmans: 'A&#xA;  nihilist is the ascetic Gotama; He teaches the annihilation, the&#xA;  destruction, the non-being of an existing individual.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;As I am not as I do not teach, so have I been baselessly, vainly, falsely and wrongly accused by some ascetics and brahmans thus: 'A&#xA;  nihilist is the ascetic Gotama; He teaches the annihilation, the&#xA;  destruction, the non-being of an existing individual.&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What I teach now as before, O monks, is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T03:26:39.613" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T03:26:39.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15970" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-23T04:10:35.480" Score="4" ViewCount="278" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to meditate, lower parts of Dependent Origination with five aggregates ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8738" LastActivityDate="2017-10-22T14:59:45.817" Title="How to meditate, lower parts of Dependent Origination?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15970" CreationDate="2016-07-23T04:46:30.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'meditator' is 'nama-rupa' (4th link). 'Nama' is defined as 'feeling, perception, intention, internal contact &amp;amp; attention' and also includes mental functions such as 'mindfulness', 'effort', etc. 'Rupa' is the physical body.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The breathing is 'kaya sankkara' (2nd link). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the breathing arises into awareness, this is consciousness (3rd link). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the breathing is 'felt' &amp;amp; 'perceived' as 'long', 'short', 'smooth', 'rough', 'calming', 'agitated', etc, this feeling &amp;amp; perceiving is 'nama' (4th link).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind drifts away from the object of meditation (breathing) and then makes the decision to return to the breathing, this wholesome intention is 'nama' (4th link). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind sustains attention (4th link) on the breathing (2nd link), this is nama (4th link). Knowing the breathing &amp;amp; nama is consciousness (3rd link).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must meditate continuously on the method described above until you can clearly distinguish between the 2nd, 3rd &amp;amp; 4th links &amp;amp; their role. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the breathing (2nd link) feels (4th link) agitated, this agitation is due to ignorance (1st link). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If distracting thoughts (2nd link - vaci sankhara) and perceptions &amp;amp; feelings (2nd link - citta sankhara) arise in the mind, these are produced from ignorance (1st link). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the drives or moods of the five hindrances (sensual desire, ill-will, sloth, restlessness, remorse, doubt, fear) spontaneously flow out (asava) of the mind, this outflow of hindrances is the 1st link (ignorance). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the nama (4th link) generates intention (4th link) to calm or remove the distracting thoughts (2nd link) &amp;amp; hindrances (1st link), this intention &amp;amp; application of wisdom is the 4th link (nama). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the nama perceives (4th link) the ignorant thoughts &amp;amp; perceptions arising at the 2nd link, the right perception (4th link) of the wrong perceptions (2nd link) is mindfulness &amp;amp; clear-comprehension (4th link)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the nama-rupa (4th) link is overwhelmed &amp;amp; controlled by ignorance (1st link), the nama-rupa will generate intentions (4th link) to seek external sense objects (5th link) and make contact with the external world (6th link). From this, the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th &amp;amp; 12th links will lead to the generation of dukkha (suffering).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is meditation upon the first 4 links of dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the sankhara (2nd link) are all calmed &amp;amp; clear, this is &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ignorance (1st link) is reduced or eradicated due to seeing the four noble truths &amp;amp; the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self of the five aggregates, this is &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-23T04:54:00.247" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T04:54:00.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2016-07-23T14:33:45.597" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depending on your goals with Buddhism, frequent masturbation is generally violating that precept because it harms the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Frequent masturbation is all sorts of sexual misconduct and harms the body-mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taoist bioenergetics standpoint: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.healingpointtherapeutics.com/2011/05/13/losing-jing-the-taoist-perspective/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;losing jing&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Usually accompanied by porn, this trains the mind is various erroneous ways&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, masturbation performed with the intention to cultivate one's biophysical energies rather than lose them, e.g. kegel practice, multiple orgasm self-training, is good for oneself in the long-run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-07-23T14:33:45.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15975" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-23T18:48:58.310" Score="3" ViewCount="661" Body="&lt;p&gt;How important is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABra%E1%B9%85gama_S%C5%ABtra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;surangama sutra&lt;/a&gt; in contemporary Mahayana Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I know there's never been any &quot;school&quot; which based itself on its interpretations, unlike the Mahaparinirvana, hua-yen, lotus, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where can I find out about its historical and contemporary use?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-12-21T15:22:32.880" Title="How important is the surangama sutra in cotemporary buddhism?" Tags="|mahayana|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15976" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-23T20:55:44.037" Score="6" ViewCount="1056" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was said to have meditated 40 days and 40 nights in a single sitting which begs the question is it possible to sit this long without any physical or mental injury?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, my meditation sessions vary in discomfort. Sometimes when it's good, I wish the alarm hadn't rung  and then sometimes my foot falls asleep in 5 minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's this theory I have that when meditation is done properly (i. e. you are not fighting yourself), the body will begin to self-regulate itself and the mind will begin to heal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elsewhere, I have read that its good not to sit more than 40 minutes. Is this more of a legal disclaimer to prevent novice meditators from injuring themselves? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I really want to know is that if you're comfortable and physically able to sit 40 days and 40 nights, is it OK to sit that long? I guess there's a chance you may be stuck in that meditative state. Have there been reports of meditators who don't return to their consciousness? Are there any reports of people who have tried it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T06:52:36.570" Title="The Dangers of an Extended Meditation Session" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8073" CreationDate="2016-07-24T03:43:04.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When 'jati' ('birth') occurs via Dependent Origination, the 'will' (intention -&lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;) is a contributory condition but not '&lt;strong&gt;control&lt;/strong&gt;'. That the (ignorant) 'will' generates 'birth' is due to 'ignorance' (avicca) therefore, when ignorance is functioning, 'control' cannot exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it is correct to suggest that when there is 'birth' ('jati') or 'new birth', there is no sense of controlling actions. People can only ever be responsible for their enlightenment because their unwholesome actions are always controlled &amp;amp; created by ignorance (rather than by their 'self'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why enlightenment generates metta, equinimity &amp;amp; forgiveness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T03:55:51.507" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T03:55:51.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15978" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15980" CreationDate="2016-07-24T11:39:53.363" Score="0" ViewCount="399" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do Buddhists worship Buddha. What is the purpose of Buddhists in worshiping and making Buddha images?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8475" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T10:01:26.010" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T10:13:57.657" Title="Why worship Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|worship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15979" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15989" CreationDate="2016-07-24T12:08:12.683" Score="0" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;A fundamental tenet of Buddhism is freedom from attachments. If that is so, what is the purpose of the Buddhist marriage ceremony? It seems to be a contradiction, a celebration of attachment within a philosophy that avoids attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T22:21:07.627" Title="what is the purpose of the Buddhist marriage ceremony?" Tags="|daily-life|marriage|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15978" CreationDate="2016-07-24T12:11:16.350" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me it is not ‘worship’ of the Buddha when I put my hands together and bow in front of a Buddha Statue. It really means paying homage at the Buddha image to pay my respects to the Buddha in remembering His nine supreme qualities. The image is a visual aid that helps me to recall the following qualities:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Araham&lt;/strong&gt; Firstly, we must understand that our great teacher was an “Arahant”. An Arahant is one who has eradicated all bad conditions of the mind, which include: passion, lust, desire, hatred, ill will, delusion, and all other defilements of the mind. There should be an unshakeable confidence about that quality or our Great Teacher. That unshakeable confidence if developed by knowing that in this world, and throughout all worlds, there is no other teacher with this Arahant quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sammâ-sambuddho&lt;/strong&gt; This second quality of our Teacher “Samma Sambuddho” means that our Great Teacher understood the Four Noble Truths without anyone’s help. So our Great Teacher is really the one and only Teacher. What is the significance of the Four Noble Truths? These Truths explain the realities of life. Our Great Teacher understood the realities of life, without anyone’s help. By knowing this, we can establish an unshakeable confidence based on this second quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vijjâ-carana sampanno&lt;/strong&gt; The third quality is “Vijjacaranasampanno”. Vijja means ‘true knowledge’. There are three kinds of knowledge. Firstly, the Supreme Buddha, our great teacher had knowledge of the past lives of beings. Through this knowledge the Supreme Buddha knew that this is a long journey through samsara (the cycle of birth and death). The second knowledge our Great Teacher had was passing away and the reappearing of beings. There should be a confidence based on both these kinds of knowledge. Because of that knowledge, we can be sure that if we do not try to achieve the Stream Entrant stage in this life, our next destination will not be a good one. The third knowledge that the Supreme Buddha had was knowledge of the destruction of all taints (the destruction of all defilements. So, with this true knowledge, our Great Teacher had excellent virtue, excellent concentration, excellent wisdom, and excellent liberation. And that is called vijjacaranasampanno – the one and only Teacher in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sugato&lt;/strong&gt; The fourth quality is sugata. Su means ‘the correct path’. Gatha means ‘followed’. Therefore, sugata means ‘following the correct path’. Supreme Buddha followed the best path, the Noble Eight fold Path, and achieved the bliss of Nibbanna (ultimate liberation). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lokavidû&lt;/strong&gt; The fifth quality “Lokavidu” means ‘knower of the worlds’. It is one who understands the origin of all worlds, understands the cessation of all worlds, and understands how to escape from all the worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anuttarro Purisa-damma-sârathi&lt;/strong&gt; The sixth quality is “ Anuttara Purisa-dammasarathi”. Anuttara means ‘excellent’. It means ‘exalted’, there is no one else. Purisa-dammasarathi  means ‘Buddha is the Teacher of the people to be tamed’. What is the way of taming? The Supreme Buddha’s way of taming is with virtue, concentration and wisdom, and without any weapons. Even today, we are tamed by those great qualities. We are following the Path of virtue (precepts and good discipline), we are following the Path of concentration, and we are following the path of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Satthâ deva-manussânam&lt;/strong&gt; The seventh quality “Sattha devamanussanam” means ‘the Teacher of gods and humans´. We have to clearly understand that our Great Teacher is not only the Teacher of humans, but also the Teacher of gods. If we are able to achieve the Stream Entrant stage in this very life, Supreme Buddha explained that we will be re-born in the heavenly world. The Dhamma, the Teachings of the Buddha, exists in the heavenly worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddho&lt;/strong&gt; The eight quality “Buddha” means The Enlightened One - ‘the one who has understood the Four Noble Truths without anyone’s help, and is able to proclaim the Dhamma to others’. Buddha means one who teaches without holding anything back; with great compassion and with great loving kindness, so that others may understand the Four Noble Truths and achieve real happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bhagavâ&lt;/strong&gt; The ninth quality, Bhagava, means ‘the blessed one’,  The Exalted One. This means that our Great Teacher, is the one and only teacher who held all these qualities. These are the great qualities of the Supreme Buddha. Because of these qualities, we can develop an unshakeable confidence in the Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T12:11:16.350" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15979" CreationDate="2016-07-24T12:30:12.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are just secular affairs in Buddhist countries, and nothing what-so-ever to do with the Teachings.  The newly wedded couple and the assembly may recite the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha Vandana, the Tisarana and Pancasila at such an occasion. They may obtain the blessing a from monk at the local temple. There are similar Buddhist funeral rites too, but they are all cultural, and nothing to do with the Doctrine or practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no instructions anywhere in the Vinaya or the Suttas (The Doctrine) as to what one should do at such an event. Whether to marry or to stay a bachelor are personal and individual concerns. You are not duty-bound to do one way or the other. But there are a set of fundamental rituals that have been accepted and followed in a Buddhist marriage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T12:39:30.723" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T12:39:30.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15976" CreationDate="2016-07-24T13:19:41.383" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe it's more of a legal disclaimer, or due to ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have met monks who sat straight for days (2 to 3 days) under recommendation of their teacher - this is in the Chan lineage. In Chan, you get all sorts of affliction and pain but if you don't quit and be vigorous, you will progress quite fast. It is said long sitting produces Chan. You have to be patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by any means you get stuck in a state, your Master should be able to spot that and help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please see Master Hsuan Hua's texts, it has some reports of monks sitting days straight in samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8747" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T13:19:41.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15983" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15987" CreationDate="2016-07-24T13:32:18.517" Score="2" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;My friend meditates daily (non-Buddhist). He finds that from time to time a very annoying person tries to seemingly drag power and energy from him like a magnet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can any one explain how he can escape from this seemingly difficult situation? How can I advise him to emotionally cut free from this individual in his life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="220" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T16:53:33.760" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T06:48:26.020" Title="How to emotionally cut free from an individual?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15984" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="15986" CreationDate="2016-07-24T14:04:36.563" Score="4" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to join buddhist group which is in another city so I'll have few occasions to meet sensei especially because she is from USA and she arrives only few times a year to my country. So how should my practice look?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8746" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T22:16:21.067" Title="How to practice without a teacher?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15984" CreationDate="2016-07-24T14:28:46.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sutta-vinaya is your ultimate teacher. It is found in the books written by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Bhikkhu Bodhi is an American Buddhist monk from New York City. Ven. Bodhi has many important publications such as: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya , The Connected Discourses of the Buddha — a New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya , In the Buddha’s Words (An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon), Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy.. to name a few. As Buddhists, we should be familiar with the Suttas and if possible obtain our own copies. It is a sad fact that only we Buddhists who would not go to the original source for guidance. Do you find Muslims without the Quran or Christians without the Bible? It is only we Buddhists who are without the Nikáyas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that still it is very important to have a ‘Kalyana Mitta (a noble friend), as it is much more important than all else for one who wants to walk this road less travelled. It is even more important than one’s developed morality (Sila). Then that Noble Friend protects you from your own mind, until you are well established in the path.  Mind is a strange thing. It is always out to find others faults, and to justify your own thinking and actions. It is your Teacher, who could remind you now and then of this. A sense of 'hiri-ottappa' accompanied by mindfulness is to reflect on oneself only, and never let your mind to compare it to others (Hiri is an innate sense of shame over moral transgression; ottappa is moral dread, fear of the results of wrongdoing). Every time you do so, you get thrown away from this path. It is because of this mind, because of us trusting this mind that we never even now see the danger of Samsara, and we are forever in it. Thankfully I have such a noble friend. One can have only one or two such, the most. Otherwise you give into your mind again, and it decided what advice to take, and what to reject or ignore.  So I do hope that you  will find another Teacher close to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important thing to understand the Dhamma is to remember what is heard or read. Then follows the examination of the meanings of what is remembered. We tend not to do that. Just having a collection of books, or notes in the computer will not do. The process of learning the Dhamma goes through the stages of listening, remembering, constant reciting, mental observation and ideological understanding of the Dhamma. As per the scriptures, the self-study of Dhamma should thus have the following components:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methodology of learning&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;It starts with careful listening with full attention (Suthaa). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Then what he has heard has to be registered in the mind (dhathaa). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The next step is to familiarize himself with what has been learned by reciting (vacaya paricita). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Then it has to be internalized with pondering over it, contemplating the meaning by applying it to yourself.  (Manasaanupekkhitha) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The next step is practising what one has learned to become a real knower of the teaching - The realization. It is the result of the above 4 actions.  (Ditthiya Suppatividdha) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T16:46:07.133" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T16:46:07.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15984" CreationDate="2016-07-24T21:38:30.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ask your questions (about how to practice without a teacher) to the Sensei when you meet her. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you appear to be taking refuge in the Sensei, her advice would be the most appropriate (in the near term). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T22:16:21.067" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T22:16:21.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15983" CreationDate="2016-07-24T21:45:07.707" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem described here is all within the mind of your friend. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains, in our lives, we will encounter 'true friends' &amp;amp; 'false friends'. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes in detail the characteristics of 'true friends' &amp;amp; 'false friends'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method of escape is two-fold: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Discern clearly with wisdom the other person is a 'false-friend'.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ensure this clear discernment is free from hatred &amp;amp; established in equanimity &amp;amp; concern (compassion). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T21:50:30.017" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T21:50:30.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15976" CreationDate="2016-07-24T22:06:12.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is unlikely Gotama/The Buddha sat for 49 days in a single sitting as the legendary stories claim. For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains how Gotama nearly died due to not eating food and his enlightenment only occurred after eating food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities...is not easy to achieve with a body so extremely emaciated...Suppose I were to take some solid food: some rice &amp;amp; porridge.' So I&#xA;  took some solid food: some rice &amp;amp; porridge. ...So when I had taken&#xA;  solid food and regained strength, then — quite secluded from&#xA;  sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental qualities, I entered &amp;amp;&#xA;  remained in the first jhana:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is doubtful, after nearly dying, that only one meal would sustain Gotama for another 49 days. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.01.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Udana&lt;/a&gt; states, for 7 days after enlightenment: &quot;&lt;em&gt;at the foot of the Bodhi Tree, having just realized full enlightenment, the Lord sat cross-legged for seven days experiencing the bliss of liberation&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. A 7 day single sitting of a fully enlightened Buddha may be possible &amp;amp; is not as unlikely as 49 day sitting of an unenlightened Bodhisatta (seeker of enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When considering for the rest of his life the Buddha generally ate one meal per day, the stories or fables about a 49 day single sitting appear exaggerated, similar the the 40 days &amp;amp; 40 nights of Jesus in the desert. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-24T22:22:23.207" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T22:22:23.207" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15979" CreationDate="2016-07-24T22:21:07.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has teachings for both monks &amp;amp; laypeople. If there were no lay people with worldly attachments, the monks could not be supported with food &amp;amp; other requisites. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Marriage is praised for laypeople, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In five ways, young householder, the parents thus ministered to as the&#xA;  East by their children, show their compassion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) they restrain them from evil, (ii) they encourage them to do good,&#xA;  (iii) they train them for a profession, (iv) &lt;strong&gt;they arrange a suitable&#xA;  marriage&lt;/strong&gt;, (v) at the proper time they hand over their inheritance to&#xA;  them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Husband &amp;amp; wife&lt;/strong&gt;, both of them  having conviction,  being responsive,&#xA;    being restrained,   living by the Dhamma,   addressing each other   with&#xA;  loving words: they benefit in manifold ways.  To them comes bliss.&#xA;  Their enemies are dejected    when both are in tune in virtue. Having&#xA;  followed the Dhamma here in this world,   both in tune in precepts &amp;amp;&#xA;  practices, they delight in the world of the devas, enjoying the&#xA;  pleasures they desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samajivina Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-24T22:21:07.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15991" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17735" CreationDate="2016-07-25T01:26:32.127" Score="0" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;(This may be more of a philosophy stack exchange question; feel free to move it. Actually, the example I give below is probably off topic or something since it's the real meat and potatoes of the question: money.)&#xA;In general, where does Buddhism and the philosophy of effective altruism split, when one spends all their time &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earning_to_give&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Earning to Give&lt;/a&gt;? (Again this question assumes many things, a &lt;a href=&quot;http://chat.stackexchange.com/?tab=site&amp;amp;host=buddhism.stackexchange.com&quot;&gt;chat&lt;/a&gt; would greatly be appreciated.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While reading &lt;em&gt;The Middle Way&lt;/em&gt; by the Dalai Lama (give as a gift) this question keeps surfacing. In the book is says, &quot;the aspiration to bring about &lt;strong&gt;others' welfare&lt;/strong&gt; and the aspirations to &lt;strong&gt;seek buddhahood for this purpose&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; Maybe I'm misdefining the translation of &quot;welfare&quot;...but this point will come up again and again when reading about Dharma anyway. Please help answer the essential question, and not the details of this specific quote. It is arbitrary for the main game.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps what I mean is better though an example:&#xA;Somehow assume that a person has this extraordinary altruistic resolve, or even bodhicitta (if that's close to correct). And they decide to spend much time Earning to Give. Let's assume they work 16 hour days (from one job being professional, such as an electrical engineer, and a second in a similar job or a factory job--six days a week). Try to also assume they get enough sleep (7.5 hours), stay hygienic (taking a shower during a break at the factory), manage to eat bagged lunch, and everything else to spend virtually no money on unnecessary expenses such as rent (by sleeping in a van near both companies). And so, after all that, there is no time to meditate. Literally, every waking hour is spent Earning to Give. How on earth can this person seek buddhahood?! And wouldn't others' welfare be all what this person lives for anyway? (Additionally, since this question is seeped in money, also assume that 'Robin Hood tactics' are not a means to Earning to Give...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T03:49:16.470" Title="Can effective altruism (specifically Earning to Give) and Buddhism co-exist if Earning to Give was done to the extreme?" Tags="|ethics|meditation|buddha-nature|time|money|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15992" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-24T21:34:35.503" Score="0" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the points of Buddhism the eight fold lists &quot;proper speech,&quot; but does this propriety in speech include the ability to insult others or express yourself strongly through the use of curse words/ cursing if it's necessary to get the point across to someone who wouldn't get the point otherwise? Why/ why not?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8750" OwnerDisplayName="Jesse Cohoon" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T09:36:37.157" Title="According to &quot;proper speech&quot; in Buddhism's eight-fold path, is cursing allowed if it's necessary to get the point across?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15991" CreationDate="2016-07-25T03:35:52.453" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada there is a story about the jealous monk Kala. The altruistic person in your OP is like the elderly woman in this story. The only difference is that this elderly woman wants to listen to the true Dhamma and learn from it. It is unfortunate that the altruistic person in your OP has no such inclination, even though he has given his life in the service of others. Before going any further let us listen to the Dhammapada Story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”Once in Savatthi, an elderly woman was looking after a monk named Kala, like her own son. One day, hearing from her neighbours about the virtues of the Enlightened One she wished to go to the Jetavana monastery and listen to his discourse. So she told Kala about her wish; but he advised her against it. Three times she spoke to him about her wish but he always dissuaded her. But one day, in spite of his objections, the lady went to the Jetavana monastery. When the monk came to know that she had left for the monastery, he reflected selfishly, 'If she hears the Dhamma from the Master, she will have no more use for me.' He hurried to the monastery, and found her listening to a discourse given by the Buddha. He approached him respectfully and said, 'Venerable Sir! This woman is very dull. She will not be able to understand the sublime Dhamma. Please teach her only about charity (dana) and morality (sila)'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha knew that Kala was talking out of spite and with an ulterior motive. So he admonished him, 'Because of your foolishness and wrong view, you have abused my Teaching. You are only destroying yourself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving (dana) is one of the integral parts of the practice of Dhamma. When practiced in itself, it is a basis of merit or wholesome kamma, but only when combined with morality, concentration and insight, will it lead to liberation from samsara, the cycle of repeated existence. If a person only practice giving in and of itself in this endless journey of samsara he will reap wealth, beauty and pleasure in future lives, but nothing else. A sad example of one such births is the dogs that get treated better than humans in the world today. Seeing a dog being treated as a 'little-furry-human' isn't necessarily wrong. It is simply that the dog is reaping what he has sowed in a previous life. Its past merits brought this doggie happiness in the future, in accordance with the kammic law of cause and effect taught by the Buddha. As the altruistic person in your OP never developed morality, concentration and insight, he never found the ‘Kshana Sampattiya’ (getting the rare fortune of seeing the Dhamma), which is a very rare gem in one’s existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T03:35:52.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15992" CreationDate="2016-07-25T04:07:33.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the Five Precepts (pañca-sila) - the basic training rules that is observed by all practicing Buddhist lay men and women -  is to follow the precept of abstaining from wrong speech. Wrong speech involves a great many things apart from uttering falsehoods. It includes insulting speech, malicious speech, even gossip.  This in positive terms is the practice of Right Speech.  It is said that &quot;If you can't control your mouth, there's no way you can hope to control your mind.” This is why right speech is so important in day-to-day practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cursing if it's necessary to get the point across to someone can be termed as harsh speech (spoken with the intent of hurting another person's feelings). The important point is that you were mindful of this slip. I do not see it as a transgression. It is not a sin as that of a transgression against a god, as in other faiths. This is only a trifling unwholesome act done by one who strives to practice the Dhamma, as opposed to the same act by another. What I said above is in keeping with the scriptures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Suppose that a man were to drop a lump of salt into a small amount of water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become salty because of the lump of salt, and unfit to drink?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Yes, lord ….”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “Now suppose that a man were to drop a lump of salt into the River Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become salty because of the lump of salt, and unfit to drink?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “No, lord ….”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  “In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil act done by one individual [the first] takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort of trifling act done by the other individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  — AN 3:99&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T04:07:33.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15970" CreationDate="2016-07-25T04:44:05.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditating Ignorance, Volition, Consciousness, name and form belongs to upper parts. Meditating lower parts below six sense bases are easy for beginner. To achieve some level of Right View and concentration meditate, birth aging sickness and death at first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Birth Aging Sickness Death&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose you have born in all worlds such as Hell, Peta loka, Animal world. Hell exists and hell beings are suffering. Burn their bodies, uproot muscles, cut hands legs and gore with spikes. In 'Preta Loka', some Preta's are burning and they are suffering in hunger for millions of years. In animal world, animals are always in fear of their lives. Animals like bulls are being killed by people violently. As a human we were in mother's womb nearly 9 months. It was very painful to stay in a same posture for such a long time. When we were young we learned with lot of difficulties sometimes in hungry and other times uncovers to rain. When doing jobs we meet lot of similar difficulties with people to fix problems. We have suffering from lot of diseases. With getting older we will have to suffer more than that with the weakness of our faculties. Think about the suffering.  In heaven, gods have similar works like us since they are living on a society. After getting tired, they have a drink by smelling stink 'SAL' flowers. Brahma also has mental distress when they loose their concentration level. Everybody is dying. Every world is suffering. (If you understand this you will have great level of concentration with pleasure. Because suffering is the first noble truth.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then do death meditation. Imagine a person who died. Think about you are dead as him. What happens to your body with the time passes? Body outgrows. Moisture comes out of all nine halls such as mouth, nose, and ears. Then the whole body putrefies until the Skeleton. Then the Skeleton decays and emptiness remains. Then one will understand mind and body is not my or mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the death meditation when the concentration level is higher, you have to think lower part of dependent origination as taught in &quot;Samadhi Bhavana Sutta&quot;. We do not think highest part at first because it is too much complicated to meditate at first. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Arising of five aggrigates&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about this yourself like you teach this to somebody. That is Vipassana meditation. Take an example such as food or watching television. We enjoy those things. In Dhamma that is called welcome form. We welcome form. Accept and see with your experience. Then we seek delight form. We say in our mind &quot;that food is very tasty or this film is good&quot;. Sometimes we say to others. That is seeking delight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we remain holding. We are clinging on to particular food or TV program again and again. That is called remain holding Above process generate pleasure. We are clinging onto that pleasure. Then clinging cause becoming or existence. Becoming means craving exist for food and TV programs this case. What happen if we die at this moment? We need food and TV this case. We need rebirth as quickly as possible where we can find this food and TV programs. We look for rebirth. After birth we have this form (body). Birth cases aging sickness and death. It is suffering. (Not only the form, one can meditate feeling, perception, volition... as above.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. cessation of five aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then think about the cessation part. (How does one end suffering)&#xA;We do not enjoy form. We don't welcome form such as TV program or food. If we take food for maintain our life. Don't take food for enjoyment. If we don't seek delight food or TV program. If we don't remain holding food or TV program. Then we don't have pleasure. We do not clinging onto that pleasure. (Merely see this during meditation. don't try to stop taking food or anything. Just see and understand the process.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then cessation of clinging ceases becoming (existence). Craving does not exist for food and TV programs this case. What happen if we die at this moment? We don't need food and TV this case. We don't need rebirth.Then Cessation of birth occurs. Cessation of Birth cases cessation of aging sickness and death. Cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question yourself, What cases suffering? Then you will have answers such as 'craving,  becoming'  yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then spread Metta to all beings. (NOT SELF. Self does not exist. The case and effect only exists.) If you are intelligent enough and concentration is strong, you will be able to understand cessation at this moment.&#xA;After meditating this Sutta one should understand impermanence nature, suffering and no self. Aging and death process exist. This is process, and nobody has created us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8738" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T04:44:05.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-07-25T05:12:26.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest attending a 10 day Vipassana course run by SN Goenka.  You can find one in most countries around the world.  It will help you to understand the pain you are experiencing at a very deep level.  Before attending the course I had the same problem with leg numbness and back pain.  In fact I was frightened that I was doing damage to my body.  After the 10 days however, I can sit for periods of 1 hour with no problem.  Even if my legs go to sleep I can observe the sensations objectively rather than attaching to the unpleasantness.  If you have the time I would highly recommend doing it.  Otherwise, I agree with some of the other folks.. try and sit closer to the coccyx on a higher cushion.  Or perhaps try a kneeling aid.  May you be well and happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8751" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T05:12:26.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15602" CreationDate="2016-07-25T06:20:19.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you want to balance your faculties? Like, I do walking meditation before I sit and that usually balances concentration and effort. I am not sure if effort is increased or concentration is increased but I generally have a better sit right after walking meditation. There isn't as many distractions during walking meditation for me at least, I can stay more one pointed on my feet. It gets my momentum up. &#xA;   Some people do some breath meditation or some other form of samatha concentration meditation before mindfulness of mind and body. I went through a period where I couldn't sit down to meditate and I also had no idea why. I probably need to go to a retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T06:20:19.820" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15983" CreationDate="2016-07-25T06:48:26.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had a situation like that. I tried to turn it into a practice to strengthen my patience and compassion(for both of us). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T06:48:26.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="15999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15976" CreationDate="2016-07-25T06:54:53.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Empty Cloud The Autobiography of Master Xu Yun (famed Chinese monk of the 20th century usually with name transcribed as Hsu Yun).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day I cooked taro in a cauldron and sat cross-legged while waiting&#xA;  for my meal to cook and involuntarily entered the state of samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MY 63RD YEAR (1902/03)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Master Fu-cheng and others who stayed in nearby huts were surprised&#xA;  that I had not called on them for a long time and came to my hut to&#xA;  present their New Year greetings. Outside my hut, they saw tigers’&#xA;  tracks everywhere with no traces of man. They entered my hut and&#xA;  seeing that I was in samadhi, they awoke me with a qing (a musical&#xA;  instrument made of stone, the sound of which is subtle but&#xA;  penetrating). When I returned to self-consciousness, they asked me,&#xA;  ‘Have you taken your meal?’ I replied, ‘Not yet, the taro in the&#xA;  cauldron should be well cooked by now.’ When its cover was lifted, the&#xA;  cauldron was covered with an inch of mould. Fu-cheng was startled and&#xA;  said, ‘You must have been in samadhi for half a month.’ We then melted&#xA;  ice, cooked taro and ate our fill. They joked with me and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you can take this story with a grain of salt, but I wouldn't discount the possibility of hibernation-like state for deep meditation...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T06:54:53.073" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16000" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-25T09:14:10.830" Score="1" ViewCount="313" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard about these traditions: Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Hinayana. In today's world, Buddhist people dwell in South Asia and East Asia. Who among them follows each particular sect? Does anybody follow more than one of them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8756" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T10:10:59.140" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T10:51:27.143" Title="Who follows which yana (Vajrayana, Hinayana or Mahayana)?" Tags="|mahayana|vajrayana|hinayana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15992" CreationDate="2016-07-25T09:36:37.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15932/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for some references to definitions of &quot;right speech&quot;, but also &quot;wrathful Buddha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that the situation is as the question was phrased, i.e. &quot;if it's necessary&quot;, then the answer might be yes it's allowed. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12094/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; gave a (hypothetical and extreme) example of where even lying could be allowed (well not &quot;allowed&quot;, exactly, but preferred as the lesser of two evils).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be especially allowed in Mahayana Buddhism, which maybe has more of a tradition of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;skillful means&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (doing something because it's necessary in practice, not because it's theoretically correct).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of a &quot;wrathful&quot; Buddha (which is again, I think, especially a concept taken from Mahayana/Tibetan Buddhism) reminds me of some parents who said once that their children &quot;would &lt;em&gt;never&lt;/em&gt; take the boats out without permission: because they know that we would &lt;em&gt;murder&lt;/em&gt; them&quot; (the point of the story being that the boats and tides were dangerous for small children, and though the parents' wrath seems to or even claims to threaten the children, it is actually intended to protect them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still the number of times when you think it's necessary, versus the number of times when it's actually necessary might be very different -- i.e. it might be (too) easy to justify misbehaviour (&quot;it's necessary ... I want to ... everyone does it&quot;). This is where it might be useful to have a good role model to emulate -- maybe you know a good parent or teacher who would never insult people or use curse words?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also FWIW I think that &quot;proper speech&quot; appears in two places: it's the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fourth of the precepts&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;third factor of the Noble eightfold way&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the precepts seem to be especially focused on social or inter-personal harmony, whereas the eightfold way is especially focused on your own personal perceptions. So maybe these are two/both reasons for &quot;right speech&quot;: to promote a well and harmonious society, and as a means towards avoiding being upset yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T09:36:37.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16000" CreationDate="2016-07-25T09:53:28.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hinayana (individual enlightenment vehicle) practitioners practise only Hinayana; i.e, the realisation of not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;); which they will also teach to others who they regard as suitably predisposed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana practitioners (developing 'bodhicitta'- the wish to attain enlightenment motivated by great compassion for all sentient beings) must practise both Hinayana (to realise emptiness) and Mahayana (altruistic intention). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana (tantric) practitioners (developing the qualities of a deity or god) must practise Hinayana, Mahayana &amp;amp; Vajrayana because, if the Hinayana path is not realised, their tantric Vajrayana practise of self-deification will become egotistical &amp;amp; thus delusional. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above was taught to me by a fully ordained Tibetan Vajrayana monk &amp;amp; geshe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, Hinayana practitioners only practise Hinayana because they do not believe Mahayana (saving all sentiment beings &amp;amp; being reborn as a Bodhisatva for many future lives) is possible. Instead, they only help those who they believe Buddhism can help (which is not all people but only those suitably predisposed). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T09:58:53.237" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T09:58:53.237" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16000" CreationDate="2016-07-25T09:58:09.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In today's world Buddhist people dwell in South Asia and East Asia . Who among themselves follows particular sect.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; article has a map.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does anybody follows more than one of them?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that it makes sense to talk of &quot;following a sect&quot;. If you think of them as &quot;schools&quot; then, yes, I'm pretty sure that there are some (or many?) people who learn from more than one school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the Pali canon could be associated with the Theravada school, but it is studied by people who also learn from other (e.g. Tibetan or Zen) teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't tell you how wide-spread that practice is geographically, but there are certainly some users like that on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And people sometimes emphasize what the &quot;sects&quot; of Buddhism have on common (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1487/254&quot;&gt;What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.noblepath.info/buddhist_articles_essay/one_vehicle_for_peace.pdf&amp;amp;embedded=true&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;One Vehicle for Peace&lt;/a&gt; which is referenced from that topic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, please refer to this topic: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1858/254&quot;&gt;How should we police the use of the word Hinayana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;em&gt;One Vehicle for Peace&lt;/em&gt; (referenced above) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is universally accepted by scholars that the terms Hinayana and Mahayana are later inventions by Mahayanists. Theravada cannot be included in either of these divisions. Historically speaking Theravada already existed long before these two terms came into being. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia map I referenced shows &lt;em&gt;Theravada&lt;/em&gt;, Mahayana, and Vajrayana (not &lt;em&gt;Hinayana&lt;/em&gt;, Mahayana, and Vajrayana) as you wrote in the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer is about Hinayana (&quot;individual enlightenment vehicle&quot;) since that's what you asked about -- it's one of the yanas which are described in Mahayana doctrine. But maybe (since you asked about different schools in different geographical places) you intended to ask instead about Theravada (which I think of as &quot;old school&quot; or &quot;original school&quot; or literally &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;school of the elder monks&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T10:51:27.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15978" CreationDate="2016-07-25T10:13:57.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not recommend making Buddha statues. The Buddha said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;What is there to see in his physical body? He who sees the Dhamma sees the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, ancient Greeks of Persian Bactria embraced Buddhism &amp;amp; were particularly influential in the development of making Buddha statues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddhists, particularly in the former Persian-Greek lands did not make Buddha statues, it is possible Buddhism may have survived both the growth of good Islam in Persia and the onslaught of violent Mongol 'Islam' (but unlikely) since Muslims regarded Buddha statues as 'idolatry'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T10:13:57.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15921" CreationDate="2016-07-25T12:38:07.260" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It means your liabilities are before and after the enlightenment the same ones. You have to live a life, to meet responsibility and to master challenges. You still have to follow the Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dharmanet.org/&lt;/a&gt; a source quoting &lt;em&gt;Wu Li&lt;/em&gt; as a source:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Wu Li&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmanet.org/coursesM/22/ZM3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.redleopard.com/2011/05/quotes-and-idioms/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Site&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;顿悟之前砍柴挑水，顿悟之后砍柴挑水——吴力。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dùnwù zhī qián kǎnchái tiāo shuǐ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Dùnwù zhī hòu kǎnchái tiāo shuǐ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;–Wú Lì&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;–Wu Li&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Enlightenment does not relieve one of the details of daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have no unequivocal spring identified, so, a similar quotation was possibly modified for the western Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="7039" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T19:01:42.653" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T19:01:42.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16008" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-25T14:39:56.130" Score="2" ViewCount="182" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether this is an Buddhist point of view, but it comes from Byron Katie. She says that there is no real pain because it is only remembered or anticipated. But I don't understand that. So is this also a Buddhist kind of mediation, if so can you explain how physical pain doesn't exists in the now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if I chew on my tongue it can hurt very much, but for me that pain does really exist at that moment and the time after. So how can she say it is only a remembering or anticipation of it? How does buddhism sees this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ul5UI6KO50&amp;amp;t=1140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ul5UI6KO50&amp;amp;t=1140&lt;/a&gt; (scroll to time min 19:00 through 20:20)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T15:53:14.283" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T04:17:54.807" Title="Is physical pain only 'remembered' or 'anticipated' so actually there is no pain? If so, how to understand?" Tags="|personal-practice|pain|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-07-25T16:32:42.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not an expert on this subject by any means, but based off of what buddhist texts/commentary I have read, I'll try to answer the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you ask the question, you assume that whatever the &quot;quantity&quot; for human life is, that it is finite (e.g. 1 &quot;unit-of-life per person) ( I know that's kind of a reduculous comparison, but I couldn't think of anything better).  However, life isn't finite and so, theoretically, so long as there are enough physical recourses, there never would come a time when life simply can't occur due to too much already existing life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My next point is that there are two &quot;entities&quot; of our lives. The first is the one that we know, have experienced, and remember. It is our life according to out memories and basically what it is that makes us different on the surface from someone else. On the other hand, every living thing also posseses its &quot;life force&quot;. It is from that that we derive karmic chains, karma from &quot;past lives&quot; and really just karma in general, as well as the ten worlds. This too is from where we derive, &quot;the nature of our lives&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important to know is that our, &quot;life force&quot; is existant as a single entity in everything. Not only that, but, its existance is constant. Our life force is eternal in that it has existed since the infinite past and will forever exist into the future. (Sorry if right here I'm getting a bit confusing. I'm having a hard time explaining this, so please feel free to ask clarifying questions) What I'm trying to say is that, were the life force a concious being just as we are, it wouldn't precieve time nor space. The past is occuring right now, in its present, just as the future is. All of time and space exists within the &quot;life force&quot; that I'm trying to explain. Just as a photon, since it is going at the speed of light, &quot;precieves&quot; no time, the same is true of the &quot;life force&quot;. To it, something that happened a countless number of years ago is, and forever will be, happening at the same time as you are reading this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is for this reason that in one of the first paragraphs I put &quot;past lives&quot; in quotations. We don't really have past lives in terms of past recolections. We do though in terms of our life force which has existed since the infinite past. This is what is meant by the fifth supernatural power that the Buddha has which is, &quot;the ability to see past lives&quot;. Basically, what the Buddha really was able to do is precieve the nature of his life, and therefore &quot;see&quot; past lives (this is where the karmic chain stuff I said earlier becomes relevant). So we are, as living beings, more physical manifestations of our life force than we are our own singular entity, which would mean that there is no physical limitation of our life. And that therefore, the population could reach quadrillions and we still will have been &quot;reincarnated&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T16:32:42.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16008" CreationDate="2016-07-25T17:05:27.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pain is a subjective experience from individual to individual and also from moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From personal experience, it's not possible to feel the pain and simultaneously be in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the flip side, if you're one with the pain, there's no one left to feel the pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I have pain (i) I focus all my attention on it; this causes the pain to increase in intensity momentarily, then subside (ii) Focus my attention on the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T17:05:27.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16011" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-25T17:31:42.240" Score="1" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know if exist some practice to meditate when I am ready to sleep, in order to train while I am dreaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="134" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T10:36:37.507" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T16:45:15.703" Title="What is the best meditation practice to fall asleep?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|sleep|dreams|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10925" CreationDate="2016-07-25T18:13:22.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While idealism (1) gives some substantial existence to ideas and (2) separates neatly inner and outer worlds, in Buddhism (mahayana) (1) ideas and emotions (inner world) are as much unsubstantial as &quot;matter&quot; (outer world) is and (2) the concepts of inner and outer reality still belong to a dualistic, relative view, hence are not elucidating what the true nature of reality is (true nature is non-dual). Mahayana Buddhism practices sometime &quot;prioritize&quot; mind over matter for the only pragmatical reason that mind can usually be controlled directly, broadly and more efficiently, but at one point of training, mind (thinking mind) should be overcome too in order to experience the true nature (enlightment). Mahayana don't idealizes mind or ideas thus, IMO, it is not a form of idealism...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8761" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T18:13:22.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16013" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-25T18:54:48.717" Score="2" ViewCount="521" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why use a word thought by some to be offensive even if the meaning isn't meant to be offensive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no other word that can be used? Would using another word (or phrase) be compassionate towards those who might get offended by it's use even if the intent wasn't to offend or provoke?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is &quot;Hinayana&quot; so sacred, useful and descriptive that it must be used even when talking to an audience that likely has people in it who would be offended? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T10:24:21.603" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T10:15:16.913" Title="Even if those offended are just ignorant about the word &quot;Hinayana&quot;, why use it?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|compassion|wrongview|hinayana|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16008" CreationDate="2016-07-25T19:38:10.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's teachings feeling is of three kinds: pleasant, unpleasant, neutral. Feeling is dependent on contact with the senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, sound, mental object ( idea, thought, other) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;An untaught worldling, O monks, experiences pleasant feelings, he experiences painful feelings and he experiences neutral feelings. A well-taught noble disciple likewise experiences pleasant, painful and neutral feelings. Now what is the distinction, the diversity, the difference that exists herein between a well-taught noble disciple and an untaught worldling?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To see the difference read the continuation here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta: The Dart (SN 36.6)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-25T23:38:50.327" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T23:38:50.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16008" CreationDate="2016-07-25T23:30:50.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are a few comments about what I guess it might mean if it is a Buddhist point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first is that Buddhism distinguishes like a rainbow or spectrum of mental phenomena, which occur one after the other, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sense bases -- for example skin and the sense of touch&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contact -- between objects and the senses and the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling -- the sensation or assessment that a contact is pleasant or unpleasant or neutral &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving -- for continued (or for discontinued) contact and feeling&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the view (Buddhist doctrine) might be that these (these events or mind-moments) happen one after another, and that you're not aware of them all simultaneously. For example first there's contact (e.g. between the mind and the sense of touch), and then there's feeling (e.g. &quot;that feels nice&quot; or &quot;that feels painful&quot;), and then there's craving (e.g. &quot;I wish that would continue&quot; or &quot;I wish that would stop&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe a theory is that by the time you develop a &quot;feeling&quot; or &quot;craving&quot;, then the &quot;sensation&quot; which caused it is already in the past. At the moment when you have a &quot;sensation&quot; you haven't developed a &quot;feeling&quot; or a &quot;craving&quot; about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second is that her quote says to &quot;localise&quot; the pain: which might be important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't localise the pain then you might think, &quot;that's pain, I am hurt&quot;. If you localise it then you might think, &quot;Pain ... in the hand ... in one small part of the right hand.&quot; Localizing it to one spot might be already better then feeling as if it had hurt all of you. It might also make you aware of other parts which are or aren't also hurt. If you're also aware of other parts, then your awareness of the localized hurt part might be intermittent (assuming it's true that you can only be aware of one part at a time).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an exercise, now try touching two fingers or two thumbs (on two different hands), and try to be aware of the sense of touch on both fingers. You might find that your awareness switches rapidly from one finger to another and back again: you're not continuously or solidly aware of both.&#xA;This exercise might demonstrate an example of discontinuous awareness of physical sensation: i.e. that it happens in the past or future but not exactly right now (instead it comes and goes several times per second).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are small time scales (e.g. one second, more or less).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general statement might be also true (be meaningful/applicable) over much longer time-scales: if e.g. pain hurts today I might worry that it will get worse tomorrow, or next year; or maybe it doesn't hurt much today but I remember  it used to hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly there's a Buddhist aphorism, that &quot;This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having &quot;a view of self&quot; apparently makes things worse: a thought like &quot;I am hurt&quot; increases suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If instead you avoid that view (of self), perhaps that's a kind of emptiness which she seems to hint at when she says, &quot;you begin to see that there isn't anything in between&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phenomena are maybe transient, distant, and/or localized, passing, past, or future (not present).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See e.g. this essay about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/emptiness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Emptiness&lt;/a&gt; (emptiness is an important part of Buddhist doctrine).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important Buddhist view is that things are &lt;em&gt;impermanent&lt;/em&gt;. Whatever they are, they come and go, they arise and cease, they change and change again. In that way, things tend to be past or future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related to that, I think that a view like &quot;that is pain&quot; is a mental categorization. The experience which it's categorizing might be already past, or just about to happen (or &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; just about to happen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Katie#Process&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Byron Katie's Wikipedia page&lt;/a&gt; is that she might encourage you to experiment (or &quot;play&quot;) with alternative categorizations like, I don't know, maybe: what if you &lt;em&gt;don't&lt;/em&gt; call it &quot;pain&quot;? what if you &lt;em&gt;concentrate&lt;/em&gt; on it? or what if you &lt;em&gt;don't&lt;/em&gt; concentrate on it, or concentrate on something or someone else? what if you try to &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; something about it (seek medical help)? or what if you &lt;em&gt;stop&lt;/em&gt; trying to do something about it? etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-25T23:30:50.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-07-26T05:15:36.393" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my very first encounters with Buddhism I've always thought, that this is simply the distinguition between &quot;maha&quot; and &quot;hina&quot; in a sense of a larger fraction and a smaller fraction of the sangha in the first larger schism after the second(?) council. An example already known to me was the pair of nouns &quot;Men-shewiki&quot; (smaller fraction) and &quot;Bol-shewiki&quot; (larger fraction) of the communist movement at the early time of Lenin, when the two fractions separated due to different view of things and of how to proceed.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So also the basic term &quot;maha-sanghika&quot; came to me, as &quot;the larger fraction&quot; of the sangha, and I thought, &quot;maha-yana&quot; and &quot;hina-yana&quot; was simply derived from that (physical) comparision of size (the &quot;vehicle of the larger/ smaller fraction&quot;).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;But with irritating frequency I heard of disgust of buddhists connected with the term &quot;hinayana&quot; - and I'd seen one time in an online discussion someone telling, that &quot;hina&quot; does not simply mean &quot;small(er)&quot; but has a derogatory, diffamating tone.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It seems difficult to find an entry in an actual dictionary (online, don't have a Pali/Sanskrit dictionary at my own), but I found this in a yoga-wiki:              &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Hina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Hina&lt;/a&gt;                         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hina (Sanskrit: hina adj. u. n.) ist das PPP der Sanskrit Verbalwurzel&#xA;  (Dhatu) ha und bedeutet: verlassen, zurückgelassen; mangelhaft,&#xA;  fehlend, klein, gering, schwach; kleiner, weniger wertvoll; Mangel,&#xA;  das Fehlen.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;(I try to translate but may miss the tone of valuation: &quot;... lost, left behind; buggy, missing, small, low, weak; smaller, less valuable; the lack, the missing&quot;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... while I still do not know the opposite term of &quot;maha&quot; simply with the meaning &quot;small&quot; without a social/valuating tone.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(In principle) I still cannot understand how such a connoted term as &quot;hina-yana&quot; could have at all been born in the sangha of the followers of the Buddha - possibly coined by members simply of &quot;the larger fraction&quot; (&quot;maha-sanghika&quot;) even when they thought themselves (and maybe correctly) as practioners of a &quot;wider concept&quot; ...            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The disgust of Theravadins seems to me understandable, if I imagine of calling one path/&quot;vehicle&quot; the &quot;omnibus&quot; (mahayana) and the other one the &quot;Bobby car&quot; (&quot;hinayana&quot;) using english language - and even to insist on such an implicite valuation in face of the concern with this, which was expressed openly many times and also long times.                &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A funny/joking example of the tricky relation of ours to the terms &quot;large&quot; and &quot;small&quot; stems from the former socialistic german republic, when the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;ideal(!)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of smallness (in the realms of electronical devices) could not be met as perfect as in &quot;the west&quot;, and the people ironically trumpeted: &quot;we have the largest microprocessors of the world!&quot;.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in focusing more on the answering of your question - surely it should be advised to look at common examples, where the &quot;smaller&quot; is the &quot;finer&quot;:       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;being more focused        &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having more concentration,         &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;being free of a bunch of litter (and -for instance- of fetters)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and -just for the mental exercise of emanicpation from the connotations of &quot;greater&quot; and &quot;less&quot; - one can try to find then actual terms for the advantages-of-the-smaller to get rid of any feeling of being-pissed, of confrontation or even of revenge or of any unkind emotion which might come up when feeling bullied by the term &quot;hina-yana&quot;.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T05:49:41.070" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T05:49:41.070" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16017" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-26T06:07:50.437" Score="6" ViewCount="3542" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a buddhist but I have a friend who is. He dislikes dogs and I have questioned him as to whether he is a true Buddhist. I believe that the Buddha is peaceful and nature loving, and so would love dogs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8764" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T16:49:43.267" LastActivityDate="2022-07-26T01:46:28.593" Title="Does the Buddha like dogs?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddha-nature|animals|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-26T06:20:06.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha loved all the animal (can see to eye &amp;amp; cannot see to eye) in the world not only dogs. for examples like &quot;Alcoholic Elephant Nalagiri&quot;. before become Buddha prince siddartha save's a swan life hunted by Devadaththa.. these are few examples..you can see so many examples in the net about this. any way lord Buddha loves Humans &amp;amp; Animals in equal &amp;amp; same way..    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T11:29:15.060" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T11:29:15.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-07-26T09:11:48.753" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why use a word thought by some to be offensive even if the meaning isn't meant to be offensive?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the reason why, the circumstances in which it's used, varies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2399/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, Andrei wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... the term &amp;quot;Hinayana&amp;quot; is widely used by Tibetan Buddhism teachers to refer to basic/elementary/foundational (and because of this often simplified) aspects of Buddha-Dharma ... Imagine two teachers discussing their students with each other:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have 3 Hinayana-level students, 2 Mahayana-level, and 1 Mahamudra&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this (hypothetical) example it's &amp;quot;two teachers&amp;quot; using a technical term in private.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there's no chance of the word being overheard and thought of as offensive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same answer, Andrei used the word &amp;quot;Hinayana&amp;quot;. I presume that was because he was answering the question, which was &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2271/254&quot;&gt;Is there a better term than Hinayana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word has been discussed a lot (perhaps too much?) on this site. And obviously, you and I too are both again &amp;quot;using the word&amp;quot; in this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's used in this question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/16000/254&quot;&gt;Who follows which yana (Vajrayana, Hinayana or Mahayana)?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I couldn't tell whether the OP wanted to ask about Hinayana or whether he meant to ask about Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two words have different meaning so you shouldn't use the one instead of the other (shouldn't say Theravada when you mean Hinayana, and shouldn't say Hinayana if you mean Theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammadhatu's &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/16002/254&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; answered the question as face value (not as an offensive term but as a yana taught by a Tibetan teacher).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/16003/254&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt; assumed that the OP might have misused the term when asking the question. I made that assumption for two reasons: the OP asked for a &amp;quot;geographical distribution&amp;quot; which is answerable using a map if-and-only-if you assume that the question is asking about Theravada not Hinayana. Another reason why I assumed that meaning is because when I was at school my (non-Buddhist) school-teacher (more or less wrongly) explained that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are two forms of Buddhism: the older Hinayana and the newer Mahayana.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IIRC he might have brought up the same Menshevik/Bolshevik analogy as in Gottfried's answer ...  and/or he might have referred to the size of a boat, i.e. a &amp;quot;small boat&amp;quot; is big enough to carry one person whereas a &amp;quot;big boat&amp;quot; is meant to be able to carry many people. I think that my school-teacher's explanation could be obsolete, may be seen as offensive, and may be a very elementary view ... and may be common (e.g. I heard it, so it's &amp;quot;not unheard of&amp;quot;) so maybe the OP made a similar use of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T09:29:13.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-07-26T10:28:30.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the mind is 'offended', it is not actually practising the 'Hinayana' (Pali) path. Therefore, the question is &lt;em&gt;non-sequitur&lt;/em&gt;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How many Hinayana practitioners have reached the goal of Arahantship or even Stream-Entry (which is also noble &amp;amp; free)? Many enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How many Mahayana practitioners have reached the goal of saving all sentient beings? Zero. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are we offended when fundamentalist Christians declare Buddhism is evil &amp;amp; Jesus is the only way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what is there to be offended about when the Lord Buddha remained silent &amp;amp; calm about this matter? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Master Gotama, when having directly known it, you teach the Dhamma to your disciples for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of&#xA;  sorrow &amp;amp; lamentation, for the disappearance of pain &amp;amp; distress, for&#xA;  the attainment of the right method &amp;amp; for the realization of&#xA;  Nibbana, will all the world be led [to release], or a half of it,&#xA;  or a third?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Uttiya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T11:28:17.247" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T11:28:17.247" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-26T10:52:44.327" Score="13" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught 'birth' with an 'animal' state of mind is a state of woe (beset by chronic suffering) or lower state of 'existence' (being).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokapala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states that people who do not have moral shame (human conscience) and fear of wrongdoing (compassion for self &amp;amp; others) will behave like dogs &amp;amp; thus not have the bright principles that protect, respect &amp;amp; honor the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.057.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kukkuravatika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains people behaving like dogs will lead those people to the company of dogs; but if it does not, it will lead to hell. This is why we can observe in society like-minded immoral people who create cliques where they keep eachother's company but, eventually, they turn on each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, recently my neighbour's dog killed their pet cat. While pet dogs &amp;amp; cats can live harmoniously &amp;amp; friendly with each other, if the dog or cat is emotional, it will act without conscience &amp;amp; concern for the other pet. This is similar to people who are killed by their pet lion, snake or crocodile who they mistakenly thought was loyal &amp;amp; tame.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogs can be very loyal to their human masters that feed them but they also bark at strangers &amp;amp; fight a lot, particularly about sex &amp;amp; territory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Western countries, dogs are generally desexed thus do not have normal sex lives. However, in non-Western countries, this does not generally occur and one can witness male dogs literally bite each other to shreds over sex during the mating season.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people also behave like this, such as politicians &amp;amp; those in government, who tear each other to shreds, stab each other in the back &amp;amp; start horrible wars merely for the purpose of (imperialistic) territory, power &amp;amp; empire building.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Buddha may have shown unconditional love to all living creatures but this does not mean he encouraged all of their behaviours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2022-07-24T05:12:33.067" LastActivityDate="2022-07-24T05:12:33.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="16023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-26T15:58:01.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You tagged this question &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/buddha-nature&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;buddha-nature&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;buddha-nature&lt;/a&gt; -- I'm not sure if that tag is relevant.&#xA;There's a famous koan about a dog and &quot;Buddha-nature&quot; -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ibiblio.org/zen/gateless-gate/1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Joshu's Dog&lt;/a&gt; -- which this question reminds me of.&#xA;Maybe we're not supposed to discuss koans on this site, but I think the phrase &quot;Buddha-nature&quot; means &quot;has potential to become Buddha&quot; ... so this question combined with this tag, together, confuse me a bit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignoring the tag and taking the question at face-value: if you were asking about the historical Buddha ... I get an impression of the Buddha's character, from reading suttas in the Pali canon, e.g. as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot;I believe that the Buddha is peaceful and nature loving, and so would love dogs&quot; and I think that's more or less true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bit more precisely, one of the aspects of being &quot;peaceful&quot; is being &quot;non-violent&quot; or &quot;harmless&quot;. I find it incongruous to imagine the Buddha wanting to kick a dog, for example. Living in the forest, monks were meant to coexist harmlessly with animals -- see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.067.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ahi Sutta: A Snake&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you mention &quot;love&quot;, some more precise definitions of the orthodox-Buddhist kinds of love are found in descriptions of the four &lt;em&gt;Brahma-viharas&lt;/em&gt;, which are often translated as &quot;compassion&quot;, &quot;goodwill&quot;, &quot;empathetic kindness&quot;, and &quot;equanimity&quot; (described on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;, on &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=brahmaviharas&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, and in many topics on this site &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/14307/254&quot;&gt;like maybe this one for example&lt;/a&gt;). I suppose the Buddha would be compassionate to all beings (including dogs) -- see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=131&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this verse&lt;/a&gt; from the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who seeks his own happiness by oppressing others, who also desire to have happiness, will not find happiness in his next existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that this is &quot;not oppressing&quot; others, that's not exactly the same as &quot;being attached&quot; to others ... and the word &quot;love&quot; often conventionally implies a form of attachment (e.g. if &quot;I love my dog&quot; then perhaps I am sentimentally attached to it). But the Buddha maybe wasn't sentimental about love -- &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; about choosing a marriage partner, for example, suggests a fairly clear-eyed assessment of their abilities and nature -- and the suttas are full of warning about attachment leading to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So though it may be true to say that the Buddha would &quot;love dogs&quot;, I think that shouldn't be understood as saying that he was &quot;a stereotypical dog person&quot;, who might seek to follow dogs or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T15:58:01.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15976" CreationDate="2016-07-26T17:25:02.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a physiological point of view, the body is not designed to remain fixed and stationary for long periods. After two hours there is a risk of blood clots. This can be ameliorated by doing a period of walking meditation every two hours. Such practices are also bad for the lymphatic system, which is probably why diet has been emphasized by many yogins, to reduce toxicity in the body. On the other hand, the great Korean master Seongcheol (1912-1993) is reputed to have remained seated inside a very small area (too small to lie down in) for eight years without sleeping. A fellow monastic who disbelieved that Seongcheol was actually doing this spied on him, verified that he was in fact doing it, and tried it himself; his teeth fell out! From a psychological point of view, there is some evidence that there is about a 10% chance of precipitating a latent psychosis as a result of fairly short periods of meditation retreat. In one case I read about, after two days a female experienced a psychotic break which required ten years of psychiatric treatment to rectify. So meditation is not something to be undertaken casually. It is a serious spiritual quest no different from the shamanic quest. We have an idea that it's just a relaxation exercise. This is grossly naive. There are cases where people in the West have died as a result of extreme Buddhist practices. What is your reference to the Buddha sitting in meditation for forty days and forty nights? According to the Pali Canon, the Buddha remained sitting in meditation for seven days and nights after attaining nirvana. My fellow Torontonian Tim Ward wrote a book called &lt;em&gt;What the Buddha Never Taught&lt;/em&gt; in which he discusses &quot;samadhi suicde,&quot; a Theravadin ascetic practice in which one intentionally meditates oneself to death. Of course, such a person immediately ceases to be a member of the sangha for violating the first precept (third defeat or &lt;em&gt;parajika&lt;/em&gt; offence) against killing. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anyone who advocates such practices is also automatically banned.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; The Buddha forbade such practices after discovering an outbreak of suicide amongst the monastics while the Buddha was on retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-07-26T19:26:27.203" LastActivityDate="2016-07-26T19:26:27.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-27T00:42:38.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;buddha loved all animals and all humans  -  the thing is  you dont have to pet an animal to love it  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i dont pet cows and chickens but im still vegan   - so he dosnt have to like petting them as long as his not hating them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T01:48:02.750" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T01:48:02.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-27T03:04:00.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not only the Buddha but even his disciples liked dogs and all other animals. Here is a story about how a bhikku practiced giving when he didn’t have anything. It is about a Bhikkhu who once happened to eat his meal under a tree. By the time he finished eating his meal, a hungry dog who didn’t have anything to eat in few days after giving birth to its puppies came to him. Thero then put his finger in his throat and made him vomit. That dog then ate that vomit/food and quenched its hunger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many are the instances where the Buddha took examples of animals to drive a point across. The following is one such interesting parable from Samyutta Nikaya to bring to light the teaching of attachment, revulsion and detachment. The parable states :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose, brethren, a man catches six animals of diverse range and diverse pasturage, and tethers them with a stout rope. He catches a snake and tethers it with a stout rope; also a crocodile, a bird, a dog, a jackal, and a monkey; he tethers them with a stout rope. Having done so, brethren, he ties them together with a knot in the middle and sets them going. Now brethren, these six animals of diverse range and diverse pasturage would struggle to be off each one to his own range and pasture. The Snake would struggle, thinking I will enter the anthill. The crocodile I ‘ll enter the water, the bird I will mount into the air, the dog I ‘ll enter the village, the jackal would think I ‘ll go to charnel-field and the monkey would think I'll be off to the forest.&amp;quot;1 (Six animals are six sense bases).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”… The same parable is continued to bring out the roles of the six senses with reference to the six animals. It says when those six hungry animals grew weary while they are tethered they would follow after the one of them that was stronger and they would conform to that one; thus they would become subject to him even so of the six senses.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With reference to a Dog, the following is a story that Thanissaro Bhikku once shared in one of his Dhamma discussions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”There’s a story they tell in Thailand of a dog who was changed into a prince. A princess met him, fell in love with him, and prevailed on her parents to let her marry him even though they didn’t know him. He looked like a prince, acted like a prince, but they didn’t know what kingdom he came from. But she was really in love with him, so she convinced her parents that he was a good prince worthy of being her husband. Yet this prince, even though he looked like a prince on the outside, still had the passions of a dog. One day the princess found him in the bathroom eating shit out of the toilet, as dogs do in Thailand. So of course he was thrown out of the palace. Went back to his life as a dog.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T03:04:00.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16017" CreationDate="2016-07-27T03:21:13.773" Score="5" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Mata yatha niyam puttam&#xA;Ayusa eka-putta-manu rakkhe&#xA;Evampi sabba-bhutesu&#xA;Manasam-bhavaye apari-manam&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  Here it's meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;    Even as a mother protects with her life Her child, her only child,&#xA;    So with a boundless heart Should one cherish all living beings;&#xA;    Radiating kindness over the entire world: Spreading upwards to the skies, &#xA;    And downwards to the depths; Outwards and unbounded,&#xA;    Freed from hatred and ill-will.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So definitely Buddha shows unconditional kindness and love to every living things including trees. &#xA;but Buddha never force any one to do as he said , it is his/her choice,  So &lt;strong&gt;if some one want to dislike dogs or like dogs that is personal&lt;/strong&gt;, So if Buddha liked dogs that is not a reason for a follower to love dogs. Buddha only showing a way, we are the ones who deciding how much faster we are going that way and how much percent we acquire. That is the Freedom of Buddhism. It's well explained in&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8766" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T03:21:13.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-07-27T03:43:34.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those of the ‘Mahayana’ viewed the Theravada School of Buddhism as ‘Hinayana’ - as incomplete realization. For them it was a “lesser” vehicle - word expressing contempt or disapproval. Then the World Fellowship of Buddhists decided unanimously in Colombo in 1950 that the term Hinayana should be eliminated when referring to the Theravada School of Buddhism. The term Hinayana is now a thing of the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was only in the centuries around the birth of Christ that a new school was born, and its adherents called it Mahayana. The adherents of the older schools criticized the Mahayanists, especially &#xA;for creating new sutras, forging the word of the Buddha. The Mahayanists on the other side reacted to that critique by accusing their opponents of not understanding the teaching of the Buddha at all and for being narrow minded egoists. These views were debated and the Mahayana side of the debate came up with the word  “hiinayaana  - that any fool could grasp”  as an insult, and it stuck. So it does not simply mean &quot;Lesser vehicle&quot;.  The opposite of mahaa is cuu.la, so this is the normal word for &quot;small&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term &quot;hiina&quot; is used in the canonical Pali texts in the first recorded sermon of the Buddha, the &#xA;Dhammacakkappavattanasutta spoken to the five ascetics who became the first five bhikkhus. There the Buddha says:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world. What are the two? That conjoined with the passions and luxury, low (hiina), coarse, vulgar, &#xA;  ignoble and harmful ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one can regard &quot;coarse, vulgar, ignoble and harmful&quot; as definitions of &quot;hiina&quot;. Here the Buddha clearly denotes the path not to be practised, as hiina, which without any reasonable doubt means &quot;of low quality&quot;. Then Hinayana is not Theravada Buddhism.  It is both insulting and historically wrong. Therefore, there is no Hinayana.  Wise Buddhists ought to lay that word at rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T03:43:34.720" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16029" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16031" CreationDate="2016-07-27T03:54:10.970" Score="1" ViewCount="322" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has lord Buddha preached not to get angry even if limbs are cut if you are a real follower of me? If so, please quote from the relevant sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T08:39:48.437" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T11:42:13.467" Title="Did lord buddha preach not to get angry even if a leg is cut?" Tags="|personal-practice|reference-request|the-buddha|pali-canon|patience|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16011" CreationDate="2016-07-27T04:19:59.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there is one meditation, it is ‘Aanaapanasati’  Meditation. You can direct your breathing meditation to other aspects if you want to. One such is having the breath as a way of training yourself to be kind to yourself and others in developing goodwill.  Likewise you can breathe in such a way that puts yourself to sleep.  Here you do not entertain any thoughts but you are distracted rather than being mindful of breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sleepiness is a hinderance. One of the characteristics of the hindrances is that they deceive you. When sleepiness arises, your mind is usually already on the side of falling asleep. You don’t see it as a problem. It is what you desire and it is something desirable at that moment in time. When the mind is lethargic, it’s time to get some rest. It’s time to sleep.  You have to learn to see this as genuine hindrances, as a real obstacle on your path, and not be fooled into siding with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T04:19:59.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16029" CreationDate="2016-07-27T04:29:52.053" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha said that even if someone were to cut you to pieces with a two-handed saw, if you got angry you wouldn’t be a true disciple of his -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kakacupama Sutta: The Simile of the Saw, MN 21&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Dear Monks, if a person does not get angry or form a hateful mind even when he is dragged, placed upside down, moved his legs to sides, and cut with a saw, he is indeed a disciple who recalls my advice.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/do-not-be-afraid-of-merit/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this Dhamma article&lt;/a&gt; the Mahamevnawa Theravada Buddhist Monastery once elaborated on this as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus the Supreme Buddha always preached and praised about living free of hatred. He preached that there is one circumstance in which a person cannot realize the Dhamma; that is when the Sangha is not peaceful. If the Sangha is not peaceful or someone acts to break their unity/peace, then one cannot practice the Dhamma since they blame each other. They blame one another saying that each person is wrong. In such situation, they cannot recall the Dhamma and instead they accumulate bad karma. These unwholesome deeds bring great misfortune. So remember that a hatred is formed in a person when he is either in an office, a house, a temple, or in any other place, it is not for the good of any person at all. It is a universal truth. It is because hatred never ends any quarrel. It is ended by not being hateful. It is a universal Dhamma. This Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha is a universal truth. What is this Dhamma? It is the spreading of loving-kindness. Ending hatred by not being hateful (a universal truth). The Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma is no longer exists in India where the Buddha’s Dhamma was born. What is the reason for the Dhamma to disappear from India? It is the hatred that formed in that time. As a result of hatred that formed in the people at that time, they argued and disgraced and insulted on each other. They further used governmental power for that. This resulted in hatred. Hatred is the reason for the Gautama Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma to vanish from India. Therefore, we should not practice to hate for one another. We shall spread our loving-kindness to all beings in all ten directions. One first spread loving-kindness to oneself and not give into being hateful. He dislikes to be angry or hateful and get rid of it quickly. He frees himself from hateful mind and practices the loving-kindness mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T09:37:53.393" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T09:37:53.393" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16032" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-27T06:56:28.870" Score="7" ViewCount="6398" Body="&lt;p&gt;I live and work around a person (relative) whom is constantly negative in my life. He always belittles me about what I do, and whenever I succeed at something, he claims it was luck. When I fail at something, he usually mocks me or says it was my fault, or calls me deragatory terms. Given this is a relative, he does care about me, but I think it is from caring too much that he always puts me down or spreads negative karma when I am around him. If I am too afraid to do something, he calls me a coward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being that my environment calls for existing around this person for much of the time, is there any way I can respond as a Buddhist? It will be awhile before my living condition changes. I tried Metta and showing compassion, and I read stories on how Buddha had historically handled insults from strangers. The hard part about this is that this person is a relative and family member. I tell myself to not be attached to my ego or self image, but I am very much a beginner, and when reality hits me, I find my peace broken by the negativity. I find the day poisoned by this bad karma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like I wish for others' opinions to not bother me or steal from my inner peace, but somehow what others say or think about me eventually robs me of the day's equanimity. Eventually I succumb to the negative energy. I always feel low in self-esteem after this happens. I always think as if I have failed in my practice by being bothered and robbed of my sense of harmony. One morning I woke up for Samatha meditation, and as soon as I left my room to begin the day I was greeted with a barrage of cold remarks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what Buddha taught on this? I feel as if I am wrongly clinging to my self image or sense of self-worth in life. Sometimes I am mindful of it, and realize the attachment is there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you, peace on you all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastEditorUserId="7115" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T07:01:56.193" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T12:24:09.090" Title="What does Buddhism say about dealing with negative people?" Tags="|personal-practice|metta|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16032" CreationDate="2016-07-27T11:26:38.870" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;With an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D&quot;&gt;ensō&lt;/a&gt; (and &quot;the beauty of imperfection&quot;) as an avatar, you might like a Zen story: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/4obedience.html&quot;&gt;Obedience&lt;/a&gt;. The story reminds me of my mother, a nursery school teacher (very young children) -- she said that instead of trying to control their behaviour by criticizing them, &quot;I wait until they do something right and then praise them&quot; (e.g. &quot;Thank you for putting your work away&quot;, or &quot;Thank you for sharing&quot;, or etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the funniest stories I remember was of one of her assistants who, instead of directly addressing and criticizing the whole class, raised her voice just loudly enough for everyone to hear and said to my mum: &quot;Mrs. Teacher, where have all the &lt;em&gt;quiet&lt;/em&gt; children gone?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't easily fathom your relative's motive. You're talking about &quot;self image&quot;: could it be that he wants you to be like him (or, like his image of himself), or that he wants to be like you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would it be fair to say that you are already behaving well? You say that your peace is stolen and your equanimity robbed, but I'm hoping you don't fuel the flames, e.g. try to take revenge on him and so on. If you can stay untainted by misbehaviour, harsh speech and so on even when he's making &quot;cold remarks&quot; then you're already doing well. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/desilva/wheel337.html#lay&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; for example claims that, &quot;The satisfaction of leading a blameless life is the highest form of satisfaction that a layman can have&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just want to add that &quot;blameless&quot; doesn't mean &quot;holier than thou&quot;, which would be more self-image.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, to answer your question, &quot;I'm wondering what Buddha taught on this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder whether you might be interested in reading about &quot;fame&quot;. That might be another side of the coin of what you're talking about -- i.e. being motivated by how we think others see us (and maybe identity-view too, how we see ourselves).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=fame+lay&amp;amp;sa=Search&amp;amp;siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accesstoinsight.org%2F&quot;&gt;search for 'fame' and 'lay'&lt;/a&gt; on Access to Insight finds articles that may be a useful introduction, or another perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing, is that your language includes the feeling of being &quot;robbed&quot; of your equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's kind of a dangerous view to have; for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada starts&lt;/a&gt; with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps that should be contrasted with the Zen story, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/9themooncannotbestolen.html&quot;&gt;The Moon Cannot Be Stolen&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot;Sometimes I am mindful of it, and realize the attachment is there&quot;; but attachment isn't only to &quot;self image or sense of self-worth in life&quot; -- an attachment can also be to a &quot;feeling&quot; (such as equanimity), so thinking of it as &quot;&lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt; equanimity&quot; might be dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And maybe you're treating equanimity like glass, as if an equanimity could be broken; instead maybe you could see it as more fluid, less rigid or resistant, perhaps more like water (an ocean) or air or fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe a traditional metaphor is of the moon reflected in water, if the water is troubled then the image is harder to see, but the moon itself is not troubled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T11:35:15.497" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T11:35:15.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16032" CreationDate="2016-07-27T14:49:09.140" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;the fact that you (and all of us) are susceptible to other people's opinions  is due to our ego, the sense of precious self &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in this respect development of understanding of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; is a useful strategy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and an excellent advice is given in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.162&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ā­ghātapa­ṭi­vinaya­ sutta 2 (AN 5.162)&lt;/a&gt; of only attending to pure qualities of a person&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T14:49:09.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16032" CreationDate="2016-07-27T18:38:57.127" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught on three levels:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;morals - skilful action; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;concentration - non-judging mind; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;wisdom - not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of the three levels of practise can be used to address such issues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the moral level, the Buddha taught members of a family should cultivate &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_2.htm#11&quot;&gt;four qualities&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;truthfulness; honesty; straightforwardness (&lt;em&gt;sacca&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;training in self-improvement (&lt;em&gt;dama&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;patience; forbearance (&lt;em&gt;khanti&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;generosity; sacrifice (&lt;em&gt;caga&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, on the moral level, you may straightforwardly, honestly &amp;amp; patiently communicate to the relative that their behavior is not constructive to a good family relationship &amp;amp; that you believe they should improve their manner of relating towards you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Families can be different to other social interactions in that families are a constant. Being a constant, we can be more firm in our expectations &amp;amp; hopes. If a relative behaves in a rude manner towards me, I straightforwardly tell them I am not interested in such interactions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught families that do not practise the five precepts (which includes good speech) will end up with troubles. The Buddha compared family members as '&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#14&quot;&gt;fires&lt;/a&gt;' that must be tended safely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-27T18:58:21.470" LastActivityDate="2016-07-27T18:58:21.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16011" CreationDate="2016-07-28T03:42:36.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maintain extraordinarily sharp attentiveness to your body as you fall asleep.  Your day-time meditation practice will have to be regular and consistent, without a daytime practice dreamtime practice will not really have a foundation to rest upon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you fall asleep, train yourself to stay aware of how all your limbs feel, the tension or laxity in your body, and the gentle rise and fall of your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, in my experience, the best way to maintain aware levels of mind while falling asleep.  You must be able to observe without interfering too much, and that is why a daytime meditation practice is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you set your intentions just before bed strongly, with the intent to further your practice and realizations in your dreams in order to bring ultimate benefit to all sentient beings and all that lives, you will make progress quickly.  There may be a few days where nothing happens, but if you keep to it, one day you shall break through.  As you fall asleep, keep your mind on your body energy and warmth, and you can use the physical body as an anchoring point for your attention until the falling away of gross perceptions takes place&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T03:42:36.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16008" CreationDate="2016-07-28T04:17:54.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One must distinguish physical pain from mental suffering. Pain is a fact of life and is inevitable but suffering is optional. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones, when touched&#xA;  with a feeling of pain, does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, does not&#xA;  beat his breast or become distraught. So he feels one pain: physical,&#xA;  but not mental. Just as if they were to shoot a man with an arrow and,&#xA;  right afterward, did not shoot him with another one, so that he would&#xA;  feel the pain of only one arrow. In the same way, when touched with a&#xA;  feeling of pain, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones does&#xA;  not sorrow, grieve, or lament, does not beat his breast or become&#xA;  distraught. He feels one pain: physical, but not mental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8775" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T04:17:54.807" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16032" CreationDate="2016-07-28T06:58:59.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha said about this was already answered in the last question about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Simile of the Saw&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a burning grass torch and saying, 'With this burning grass torch I will heat up the river Ganges and make it boil.' Now, what do you think — would he, with that burning grass torch, heat up the river Ganges and make it boil?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord. Why is that? Because the river Ganges is deep &amp;amp; enormous. It's not easy to heat it up and make it boil with a burning grass torch. The man would reap only a share of weariness &amp;amp; disappointment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to the river Ganges — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&#xA;  [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding&lt;/strong&gt;. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it isn't a practical to say 'Just have loving kindness towards that person all the time'. But having in mind this simile can be great for such situations. One way of dealing with these situations is morality, having this attitude 'I am angry, but I'm not gonna let my speech &amp;amp; action be affected by that'. In some extreme cases you might consider leaving the situation, knowing 'I am not up to this yet'. The best way to do loving-kindness for this person is when this person is absent or you're in a different place (But don't begin with this person, the difficult persons have to come at the end of metta meditation after the loved ones). From a Buddhist point of view being confronted with difficult people is a great teacher. It shows you where there is attachment and work to do. Don't think 'He is stealing my peace', nobody can make you react to things except yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But herein, Cunda, effacement should be practiced by you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will be harmful; we shall not be harmful here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will kill living beings; we shall abstain from killing living beings here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will take what is not given; we shall abstain from taking what is not given here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will be unchaste; we shall be chaste here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will speak falsehood; we shall abstain from false speech here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will speak maliciously; we shall abstain from malicious speech here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will speak harshly; we shall abstain from harsh speech here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will gossip; we shall abstain from gossip here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will be covetous; we shall not be covetous here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will have thoughts of ill will; we shall not have thoughts of ill will here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will have wrong views; we shall have right view here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will have wrong intention; we shall have right intention here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will use wrong speech; we shall use right speech here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will commit wrong actions; we shall do right actions here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Others will have wrong livelihood; we shall have right livelihood here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-28T12:24:09.090" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T12:24:09.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16039" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16042" CreationDate="2016-07-28T08:52:48.247" Score="1" ViewCount="736" Body="&lt;p&gt;This page, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/panchasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lay Buddhist Vows&lt;/a&gt;, says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not distort fact&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This one is usually translated as: don't lie. Again: it wider than that. Sometimes the use of words can make something seem acceptable, when it could also have been said very differently and be totally unacceptable. This would not be a lie, but it would be a distortion of fact.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per above phrase about 3rd precept of Pancha Sila, as a Buddhist if we tell lies it's definitely a sin. But in this modern world sometimes we have to lie: we will lie to our wife, we will lie in the working place, we will lie to our mother father; in this world you cannot find a person who has not lied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is, if tell so many lies to save lives, will it be a sin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-29T01:20:54.690" LastActivityDate="2020-05-12T12:23:30.760" Title="If we tell lies to save lives, will that be a sin?" Tags="|five-precepts|daily-life|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16039" CreationDate="2016-07-28T09:24:35.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What matters is whether the lie teller has sinful intentions or not when telling the lie. The precepts where never meant to be mechanically followed because we read it in the Vinaya. The precepts are guidelines, not commandments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T09:24:35.997" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16039" CreationDate="2016-07-28T12:08:00.650" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this question is a duplicate of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9518/254&quot;&gt;Enlightened Lies - Can lying be the correct action in certain situations?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12093/254&quot;&gt;Should a person never lie?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Duplicate&quot; means that the answers to those questions should answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;we have to lie, we will lie to wife, we will lie in the working place, we will lie to our mother father&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but I'm not sure that's true. If you read the definitions of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt; on Access to Insight, it includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel the need to lie about something (e.g. your behaviour) then perhaps you should change your behaviour instead of lying about it. Therefore &quot;not lying&quot; becomes a &quot;training rule&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subject is difficult to talk about, though, because you didn't describe examples of the various lies, which you say we have to lie about to almost everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, about the phrase you quoted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first bit of it, i.e...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;don't lie&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... is presumably clear enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you have a question about the quoted phrase, then maybe the question is about the next bit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sometimes the use of words can make something seem acceptable, when it could also have been said very differently and be totally unacceptable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;This would not be a lie, but it would be a distortion of fact.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second sentence isn't clear to me: it seems to me that a &quot;distortion of fact&quot; maybe &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a lie by definition. See also e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9531/254&quot;&gt;Sankha's answer&lt;/a&gt; here for a more precise Theravada definition of lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I clearly don't understand the second sentence, I also don't understand the first:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first might be talking about telling the truth in an acceptable way, e.g. about whether the truth is spoken gently and at the right time (which is acceptable) or harshly and at the wrong time (which is less easily accepted)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But it might also be talking about the opposite situations, &quot;sugar-coating&quot; a lie to make it seem acceptable, e.g. &quot;I'll just tell my boss this little white lie: everyone else lies like this and I have to lie too.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T12:08:00.650" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16043" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-28T12:41:14.033" Score="4" ViewCount="462" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I can see myself feeling superior to others because of what I know and they don't . I know that it is my ego which raises it head and is active at the moment. I also see persons, who are successful in profession, business, sports display show of superiority just to break the opponent's composure. Often ego needs bolstering and acknowledgement to survive the life's challenges. My question is how to achieve the balance without pampering the ego and without showing disrespect to others, by own accomplishment, knowledge, possession, gender, class etc and carry on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T17:30:33.920" Title="Feeling of Superiority and what to do about it?" Tags="|sankhara|superiority|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16044" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16049" CreationDate="2016-07-28T13:53:37.747" Score="7" ViewCount="598" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am wondering how to go about starting on the path of Buddhism without offending or appropriating the culture. As a white male I am well aware that I am privileged with the ability to overlook the repercussions of my actions when adopting a new practice/lifestyle what have you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have spent nearly four years with a great interest in buddhism, reading books, texts, and listening to others talk about it - but I've always felt uneasy declaring myself buddhist. I don't want to be seen as &quot;some white guy with an obsession with asian culture&quot; and I also don't want to offend those who's cultures were shaped by it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess what I'm asking is - how can I start myself on the path respectfully in a manner that shows my true reverence for the teachings of the Buddha? I have privately tried my best to follow the path for some time now, but I've realized I can never truly embrace it until I find the courage to be open about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Advice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="anon" LastEditorDisplayName="anon" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T17:05:53.997" LastActivityDate="2019-10-24T20:10:26.700" Title="How To Follow Buddhism Without Offending" Tags="|belief|beginner|society|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16043" CreationDate="2016-07-28T14:00:41.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will answer honestly, with my impressions from what I've read, in translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read some monks say that buddhism is good for the ego, but there's just no way that they can mean the competitive ego that strives to be better than others. Maybe mindfulness can help with that, but the entire practice of buddhism is, like Abrahamic religion can seem to be, based on humility and respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do have the recorded sayings of zen masters, but these are performed in a tightly knit community of monks. Sure they are competing, and it is perhaps quite similar to highly aesthetic game, but the goal is found in the bodhisattva vows (to save all sentient beings through your own efforts), at near any cost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In no way am I saying you don't get &lt;em&gt;anything at all&lt;/em&gt;, but would suggest that if &quot;what I know&quot; is about the dharma, the best response is &quot;no merit&quot;; abandon some of your ideas!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T14:00:41.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16046" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-28T14:10:54.240" Score="1" ViewCount="626" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha talk about karma and sexual misconduct independent of the lay precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing a Buddha results in (immediate) rebirth in avici; what is the karma for cheating on your spouse?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is karma, but I'm asking merely because I don't think many people realise it is considered important in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T19:23:57.367" Title="Did the Buddha talk about karma and sexual misconduct independent of the lay precepts" Tags="|five-precepts|lay-buddhism|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16047" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16052" CreationDate="2016-07-28T14:18:56.117" Score="13" ViewCount="1941" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been focused on the breath in meditation and I am interested in Vipassana, but I am confused about the object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read that you focus on the breath and as thoughts arise, you should observe them and then return to the breath and that it is the returning to the breath that increases one's mindfulness.  I have also read that in Vipassana meditation, one shifts the object of meditation to the thoughts that arise and make them the object of mediation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This approach seems to be just sitting and letting your thoughts wander.  Do I misunderstand the meaning of making arising thoughts the object of meditation?  As it is now, I continue to make the breath the object and observe my other thoughts but generally do not pursue them, rather just categorizing the thought (like &quot;planning the future&quot; or &quot;reliving the past&quot;) and then return to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7184" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-07-28T14:25:38.367" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T08:14:20.960" Title="The object of meditation" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16043" CreationDate="2016-07-28T14:28:53.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is perhaps due to seeing your journey on the path as &quot;self improvement&quot;.  Chögyam Trungpa wrote a book addressing this exact issue: &lt;em&gt;Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism&lt;/em&gt; that I have found to be very helpful in providing insight to this trap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the spiritual path involves awakening the mind and eliminating ego.  &quot;Bolstering&quot; the ego may seem to help but often results in allowing the ego to use spirituality to reinforce its own power over your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If we become successful at maintaining our self-consciousness through spiritual techniques, then genuine spiritual development is highly unlikely.  Our mental habits become so strong as to be hard to penetrate.  We may even go so far as to achieve the totally demonic state of complete &quot;Egohood&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also from this book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Retreat to nature, isolation, simple, quiet, high people-- all can be ways of shielding oneself from irritation, all can be expressions of the Lord of Form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7184" LastEditorUserId="7184" LastEditDate="2016-07-28T15:23:42.043" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T15:23:42.043" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16044" CreationDate="2016-07-28T14:37:04.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, I'm just going to give my two cents, based on not being raised a Buddhist or in a Buddhist etc. nation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read about the effects of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cultural appropriation&lt;/a&gt;, and decide if you want to call yourself a Buddhist, practice as one, etc.. I had never encountered this in scholarship, but it doesn't exist peculiar to Buddhism only. There'll be blogs discussing it, but who do you believe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the question of religion, like philosophy and ethics, is not just cultural. So (and I wouldn't want to &lt;em&gt;affect&lt;/em&gt; concern) if you feel Buddhism could be sound on these accounts, and / or you need it (to be?), then I would suggest retaining your interest, and concern.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I embraced reading about it because it felt right to. Terms like &quot;Buddhist&quot; don't seem as important, which may be offensive but also seems right. IME asking people &quot;is this offensive&quot; is offensive, and you have to ultimately have to make that judgement yourself, short of being ordained or something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that you get the answer you're looking for!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, I asked this question of a philosopher who lectures on cultural appropriation, but is more concerned with e.g. white musicians playing the blues, over religion. Their answer -- in paraphrase -- was: most religions are keen for new adherents; with its reach and varieties it's unlikely to class as &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;cultural appropriation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2019-10-23T22:11:54.737" LastActivityDate="2019-10-23T22:11:54.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="16050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16046" CreationDate="2016-07-28T15:16:39.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;light karma from sexual misconduct is creating enemies (someone who is delighted to see your destruction).  heavy karma is to be born in suffering realms (hell, animal wombs, hungry ghosts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need to have supernatural power to see this.. wives, mistresses, girlfriends, husbands, boyfriends, parents of children under their custody, etc. will try to get back at cheaters.  I will post reference if I find the Sutta.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T15:16:39.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-07-28T15:33:10.937" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, &quot;hinayana&quot; was originally intended to be offensive, and is also misleading, because it implies a homogeneity of the early schools that did not exist. Of course, Mahayanists are not the only ones who developed offensive language concerning the early schools. The Theravadins (who are not one of the original eighteen schools by the way, contrary to popular misconception; see below) referred to the early schools as so many thorns on the tree of dharma. However, the word is also useful because there are not a lot of alternatives, and it has the advantage of being recognizable. The title of my book, &lt;em&gt;Fundamental View,&lt;/em&gt; intentionally alludes to the literal meaning of &quot;hina,&quot; i.e., base, = basic, using a bit of etymological sleight of hand. I wanted to take what was good about the word and use it, without the pejorative connotation. In my subsequent book, &lt;em&gt;Conversations with the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; I consistently replaced the word with the phrase &quot;the Eighteen Schools,&quot; the Hinayana traditionally being identified with the original eighteen schools of early Buddhism. A synonymn for Hinayana is Sravakayana, &quot;the hearers' vehicle,&quot; but this is also pejorative. Some people use Theravada as a synonymn for Hinayana, but this is inappropriate since it implies that the relatively late &quot;early&quot; school of Theravada (4th cent. CE) is primary, whereas in fact the Theravadin self-identification with the Sthaviriya (4th cent. BCE) is retrospective and is not mentioned by Warder, for example; this is therefore an ahistorical, sectarian, ideologically motivated back formation, like the word &quot;hinayana&quot; itself, rather like the Jehovah's Witnesses referring to their sect as &quot;original Christianity.&quot; Moreover, the Sthavira were not the original Buddhist school, they split from the Mahasamghika, so that one must therefore logically regard the Mahasamghika, precursor of the Mahayana, as the original Buddhist school. Original or presectarian Buddhism is also inappropriate, because the Hinayana consisted of multiple schools and was not presectarian. Incidentally, here is a chronological list of the 18 original Buddhist schools according to A.K. Warder as of circa 50 BCE: Sthaviravada, Mahasamgha, Vatsiputriya, Ekavyavaharika, Gokulika (a.k.a. Kukkutika, etc.), Sarvastivada, Lokottaravada, Dharmottariya, Bhadrayaniya, Sammitiya, Sannagarika, Bahusrutiya, Prajnaptivada, Mahisasaka, Haimavata (a.k.a. Kasyapiya), Dharmaguptaka, Caitika, and the Apara and Uttara (Purva) Saila (quoted from my contribution to the Wikipedia article s.v. Early Buddhist Schools; see also his &lt;em&gt;Indian Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; chap. 9). It is also worth mentioning that the Mahayana does not reject the Hinayana, only one school of which still exists. It is a bodhisattva downfall to disparage the Hinayana. IMHO, the proper Mahayana perspective on the Hinayana is that it constitutes the foundation of Buddhism, much as the foundation of a house; it is not identical with the whole construction of the house, but the whole construction of the house rests on and is supported by the foundation. The house and the foundation need each other. Take away either one, and the whole structure would collapse or be uninhabitable respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-07-29T16:00:45.777" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T16:00:45.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16047" CreationDate="2016-07-28T17:46:01.353" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the meditation taught in the original Buddhist scriptures, the mind stays with the breath &amp;amp; free from thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the original Buddhist scriptures, there is no 'shift' when vipassana is practised. Instead, calmness (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) are developed simultaneously. The scriptures state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity &amp;amp; insight.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 149&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the original Buddhist scriptures, the term '&lt;strong&gt;vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;' refers to the 'clear seeing' of the impermanent (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;), unsatisfactory (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) characteristics of the &lt;strong&gt;five aggregates&lt;/strong&gt; (body/breathing; feeling sensation; perception; thought/mood; sense consciousness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the breath arises &amp;amp; passes continually; a breath appears &amp;amp; disappears; a new breath appears, then disappears; another breath appears then disappears. To see/experience clearly &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; of breathing is vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To see clearly that it is the physical body that breathes (rather than the 'self' or 'I' that breathes) is also vipassana of '&lt;strong&gt;not-self&lt;/strong&gt;' in relation to breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;Unsatisfactoriness&lt;/strong&gt;' means to see that because X breath &amp;amp; Y breath is impermanent; that breath cannot form the basis of or be relied on for lasting happiness (due to its fleeting impermanent nature). It can also mean the impermanent nature of a breath, if clung to, will lead to suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;ordinary distracting thoughts&lt;/strong&gt; the mind has are not really suitable for vipassana because they actually diminish awareness, clarity &amp;amp; discernment of the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the mind to practise effective 'vipassana' in relation to thought (sankhara aggregate), 'samadhi' (mental clarity &amp;amp; stability, aka 'concentration') must ideally be very developed &amp;amp; pure (empty). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, true 'vipassana' is 'enlightenment'. It is very profound because it discerns the 'not-self' nature of the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Believing 'you' are observing 'your thoughts' or thinking 'my thoughts' are impermanent is not really vipassana because vipassana sees 'not-mine' or 'not-yours' (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) rather than 'my' or 'yours'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, categorizing the thought (like &quot;planning the future&quot; or &quot;reliving the past&quot;) and then return to the breath is the right method according to the original scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the future. What is past     is left behind. The future  is as yet unreached.&#xA;  Whatever phenomena/truth (dhamma) is present you clearly see right there,&#xA;       right there. Not taken in, unshaken, that's how you develop the heart.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhaddekaratta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-28T18:11:27.043" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T18:11:27.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16047" CreationDate="2016-07-28T20:16:06.980" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a book you might be interested in.  It's compilation of about 30 sutta by Buddha about breathing mediation.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://watnapp.com/media/Anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AnapanaSati per Bhudda wajana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T20:16:06.980" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8233" CreationDate="2016-07-28T20:45:13.037" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;To offer a more personal answer -- about 6 and a half years ago I decided to begin keeping the 5 lay precepts scrupulously, as an experiment. Not that I was in the habit of, say, killing, lying or getting drunk prior to that. But my temperamental tendency was to be flexible and not want to make others uncomfortable socially. Specifically, I adopted a strict vegan diet, gave up alcohol altogether, and began being more careful about speaking truthfully and not taking anything not freely and obviously given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The results? The words stability and clarity come to mind. I am less wishy-washy, a sense of integrity supports my practice. And there is more of a sense of self-respect now. I know I can be trusted and I think others sense this, as well. Try exploring the precepts both in their explicit and implicit meanings and try keeping them scrupulously for a few weeks. You will see the benefits for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8781" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T20:45:13.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16047" CreationDate="2016-07-28T21:24:58.443" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The focus of this meditation is breath. Keep coming back to that. I recommend you seek out some in-person meditation instruction - it will really help your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8782" LastActivityDate="2016-07-28T21:24:58.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16039" CreationDate="2016-07-29T00:34:42.207" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are no sins in Buddhism, only skillful and unskillful behaviors. You have to ask yourself whether the behavior causes suffering. If it causes suffering you shouldn't do it. Not because it is a sin, but because it causes suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8534" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T00:34:42.207" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16039" CreationDate="2016-07-29T00:48:25.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Silence is not a lie. Honesty is spoken.&#xA;If your believe in sin you do not understand self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8784" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T00:48:25.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16046" CreationDate="2016-07-29T01:27:22.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ask yourself if the misconduct will bring about less suffering for any being.&#xA;Bring yourself to be honest with the person you wronged, take on their burdens.&#xA;Only once the suffering is forgiven will you see your true life potential Buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8784" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T01:27:22.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16044" CreationDate="2016-07-29T01:36:21.787" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a white male I am well aware that I am privileged&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's as may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless I think that &quot;cultural appropriation&quot; is a relatively modern obsession: that it has become fashionable for &quot;holier-than-thou&quot; people in college to fuss about it; but sfaik other people are less likely to think that way (to see or preconceive it as a concern).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose if you've heard of Buddhism, maybe &quot;Buddhism&quot; has begun to be present &quot;your culture&quot; too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your being born into a place and time where you're able to be interested in Buddhism (not only human, but able to hear and understand Buddhist teaching) might be seen as a good thing, a fruit of good kamma. I suspect that Buddhists might feel &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mudita&lt;/a&gt; towards your good fortune, such as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I've always felt uneasy declaring myself buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Well there are other ways to phrase a declaration if the situation arises; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm interested in Buddhism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As you said, &quot;I have spent nearly four years with a great interest in buddhism, reading books, texts, and listening to others talk about it&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I find Buddhism helpful for X or Y reason&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I study or practice with this or that group, or with such and such a teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people on this site (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=ism&quot;&gt;these topics&lt;/a&gt;) don't like the -ism (Buddhism) word. Buddhist as an adjective is a bit more precise, maybe paired with a noun like (Buddhist) Dharma or (Buddhist) practice etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I too have &quot;felt uneasy&quot;, by the way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If said to someone, &quot;I am Buddhist&quot; or &quot;I am a Buddhist&quot;, then would that misrepresent Buddhism ... am I a bad examplar, might I put other people off Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it even true (is that a true statement about myself)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it an view of self, a conceit, a misguided thing to say?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would it make other people inclined to see me (and Buddhism) as alien?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such unease could be egocentric nonsense, but anyway, with that kind of thing in mind I have preferred to make declarations that are more concrete, kind of objectively true, sensible (tangible), justifiable: for example &quot;I have been interested in&quot; etc. (&quot;I &lt;em&gt;verb&lt;/em&gt; a &lt;em&gt;noun&lt;/em&gt;&quot; rather than &quot;I am an &lt;em&gt;adjective&lt;/em&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a slightly analogous way I'm content to be vegetarian (i.e. to eat vegetarian food) but I'm usually less comfortable with saying so to other people ... in case people think I'm weird (I've been doing it for so long that I think it's normal, it's normal for me) or that I'm judgmental i.e. that I think that they too ought to be vegetarian (it's common but not normal in my culture, some 10% of the total population).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I don't want to be seen as &quot;some white guy with an obsession with asian culture&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose we don't have total control over how other people see us. If someone sees you as a white guy, that's their &lt;strike&gt;privilege&lt;/strike&gt; burden. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe how you see yourself (or attach to a view-of-self) that's more to the immediate point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If having &quot;an obsession with asian culture&quot; is said to be wrong, my guess would be that's because &quot;culture&quot; is ephemeral and distant, and &quot;obsession&quot; might be harmful. Whereas instead, Dharma (as opposed to culture) is meant to be &lt;em&gt;akalika&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=7598&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;timeless or immediate&lt;/a&gt;) ... practical. And being &lt;em&gt;harmless&lt;/em&gt; (causing no injury) is one of the Buddhist virtues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I also don't want to offend those whose cultures were shaped by it&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see why you'd offend. To be inoffensive, don't claim to know more or to be better, &quot;don't criticize what you can't understand&quot;, be a friend. Beware of the elements of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't remember anyone telling me I shouldn't be interested in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally if you share someone's interest they see that as a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at the &quot;Dhamma gifts&quot; available (i.e. people trying to share Dhamma), I think they're there because the donors want the gifts to be available to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how can I start myself on the path respectfully&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer (or non-answer) is that there are many &quot;dharma gates&quot;: i.e. it's up to you and your environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people choose to &quot;Take the Triple Refuge&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can practice with (and/or live with) a group of Buddhists, study with a teacher, study texts, find or make a good friend, do good, be generous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can never truly embrace it until I find the courage to be open about it&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ah yes. I don't know if that's true. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Three_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the 'fetters'&lt;/a&gt; which are abandoned at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first stage&lt;/a&gt; of enlightenment in the Theravada tradition, the question is maybe tangled up in two of these fetters: i.e. maybe &quot;identity view&quot; includes &quot;I can never truly embrace it&quot; and &quot;declaring myself Buddhist&quot;; and &quot;making a declaration&quot; might be mistaken for a &quot;right and ritual&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what you said about needing &quot;courage&quot; also isn't necessarily quite canonical: maybe what you want instead of &quot;courage&quot; is a &quot;confidence&quot; or a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lack of doubt&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;Or maybe it's called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;faith and energy&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to say you're wrong about courage, but if you can't seem to summon enough of it maybe it's something else (e.g. confidence and so on, right view, etc.) you could develop instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I suspect that courage and so on might be part of a Buddhist training, but maybe a Mahayana training of a sort that requires a teacher or at least a group to practice with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T01:36:21.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11381" CreationDate="2016-07-29T02:06:07.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15219/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; says that the fifth precept was added a little later:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alcohol is frequently absent from lists of prohibited activities, including the famous Pansil, i.e., Five Precepts. There is a fourfold version of pansil called the Four Restraints. As to why this is the case, the answer is that it is because the Buddha did not prohibit alcohol for the first eight years of the sangha. The Buddha only prohibited alcohol when a monk got drunk and passed out, embarassing the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14764/why-intake-of-intoxicating-substances-is-not-included-in-10-unwholesome-actions/15219#comment25365_15219&quot;&gt;This comment&lt;/a&gt; adds some support for that statement -- for example you can see that the section titled &quot;The Short Section on Virtue&quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt; only mentions the first four precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T10:37:07.897" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-07-29T02:06:07.770" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16063" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16065" CreationDate="2016-07-29T02:51:42.757" Score="9" ViewCount="1055" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm sure that at some point Shakyamuni talked about fear, but I am wondering more specifically if he had listed something like &quot;the five types of fear&quot; or something like that(e.g. Four noble truths, ten worlds, ten factors, five eyes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T04:53:36.430" Title="Did Shakyamuni Buddha say anything in regard to fear" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16063" CreationDate="2016-07-29T03:38:16.447" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are, monks, four powers. The power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of an unblemished life and the power of&#xA;benevolence....Now, monks, a noble disciple endowed with these four&#xA;powers has left behind &lt;strong&gt;five fears&lt;/strong&gt;: the fear for his livelihood, the&#xA;fear of disrepute, the fear of embarrassment in assemblies, the fear&#xA;of death and the fear of an unhappy future destiny.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html#book-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T03:38:16.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16063" CreationDate="2016-07-29T03:50:04.787" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Cātumā Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya, 67) Buddha talks about four types of fear in the case of Bhikkus just as there are dangers and hazards in a sea like stormy waves, crocodiles, whirlpools, and sharks. Those four fears were temper (ill will against those who instruct them and guide them); gluttony (dissatisfaction with training rules such as those concerning taking of meals), women and pleasures of senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.7-Catuma-S-m67-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.7-Catuma-S-m67-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddha spoke of four reasons as to why we fear death. They are:  attachment to the body,  attachment to sensual pleasures; knowledge that we’ve done cruelty to others and the resulting fear that after death we’ll have to face consequences for it,  and lastly the fear of not having seen the true Dhamma, or for still having doubts about its truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in the Sangaha Bala Sutta, (The Discourse on the Powers (in connection with conciliation) Aṇguttara Nikāka  9.5)  Buddha talks about how to free yourself from five common fears.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.21-Sangaha-Bala-S-a9.5-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.21-Sangaha-Bala-S-a9.5-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those five fears are the fear of livelihood; ājīvika bhaya (2) the fear of disrepute; asiloka bhaya (3) the fear of nervousness before an assembly; parisa,sārajja bhaya (4) the fear of death; and maraṇa bhaya (5) the fear of a bad destiny [rebirth]. duggati bhaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Sutta that talks about fear is  ‘Pancha Bhayavera Sutta’ or the discourse on the five fears and hates. [Disadvantages of breaking the Five Precepts] (Anguttara Nikaya  5.174)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.4-Vera-S-a05.174-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.4-Vera-S-a05.174-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A noble disciple will overcome these five factors that caused fear and hate. The first is to abstain from killing. The second is to abstain from stealing. The third is to abstain from wrongful sexual conduct. The fourth factor is to abstain from falsehood. The last factor is to live refraining from intoxicants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dutiya Anagata-bhayani Suttam (The Discourses on Future Dangers )  is another of interest:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/an/05_fives/an05.078.than.ati.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/an/05_fives/an05.078.than.ati.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, these five future dangers, unarisen at present, will arise in the future. Be alert to them and, being alert, work to get rid of them. Which five? …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There will be, in the course of the future, monks undeveloped in body,[1] undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment. They — being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment — will give full ordination to others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. They — being undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment — will give full ordination to still others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T04:53:36.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16066" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16070" CreationDate="2016-07-29T09:50:39.670" Score="6" ViewCount="343" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that the active seeking of sensual pleasure is not seen as good, but it's not clear to me whether it should be actively avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was preparing some noodles to eat this morning and inside the pack was a sachet of flavouring. I pondered upon this for a moment; should I add it to the food?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following thoughts occurred in favour of adding the flavour:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am eating the noodles for the purpose of feeding the body, not for the sensual pleasure. Why not add it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Deliberately depriving oneself of the little sensual pleasure there is in a meal could be regarded as self-mortification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following thoughts occurred in opposition of adding the flavour:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does the very notion of considering this only highlight my craving of sensual pleasure?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why should I feel compelled to add the flavouring for reasons other than nutritional value?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am interested in whether any Buddhist teachings directly address this sensual pleasure in such a situation, and more broadly whether sensual pleasures should be actively avoided in such a manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8783" LastEditorUserId="8783" LastEditDate="2016-07-29T11:21:49.950" LastActivityDate="2023-05-25T01:06:21.240" Title="Should sensual pleasure be actively avoided, rather than simply not sought? I am particularly interested in regards to taste" Tags="|teaching|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16067" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-07-29T10:19:22.530" Score="4" ViewCount="211" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not clear about one important phase of the Buddha's life: when he was a wandering aspirant, after leaving his two earlier teachers of yoga. There is not much reliable information available about how the Buddha conducted his practices of meditation and thought control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best I know is some fragment of a text wherein the Buddha talks about how he sought to control his thoughts by jamming his tongue to the roof of his mouth. At best, that description sounds like a struggle, not a practice or a method.&#xA;Is there any sermon where he talks about his struggle? Or a sutra which gives an account of his efforts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you throw some light? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8788" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T18:54:35.427" Title="What were the Buddha's meditation methods and practices during his pre-enlightenment wandering years in India?" Tags="|the-buddha|meditation-practicalities|mindfulness|meditation-insight|yoga|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16067" CreationDate="2016-07-29T10:39:48.410" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha talks about this in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36: Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. It's quite a long and detailed passage, in which he describes how he went to different teachers who taught him the Jhanas and starved his body to the extreme. His story sums up the extreme ways of practicing, that one should avoid using &lt;em&gt;The Middle Path&lt;/em&gt;: First living in sensual indulgence &amp;amp; luxury while growing up in a powerful family, then leaving this live behind and almost starving himself to death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I thought: 'Whatever brahmans or contemplatives in the past have felt painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the utmost. None have been greater than this. Whatever brahmans or contemplatives in the future will feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the utmost. None will be greater than this. Whatever brahmans or contemplatives in the present are feeling painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the utmost. None is greater than this. But with this racking practice of austerities I haven't attained any superior human state, any distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of the noble ones. Could there be another path to Awakening?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T10:39:48.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16066" CreationDate="2016-07-29T11:51:20.557" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading your post, i remembered the Middle Way or the Noble Eightfold Path as a path of moderation, between the extremes, any sensorial pleasure provokes addiction if not moderated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, it reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;these two extremes ought not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the household life. (What are the two?) There is addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable; and there is addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata (the Perfect One) has realized the Middle Path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the spiritual tradition, some are more strict on interpreting moderation, and some like my own have a stronger focus on the self conscience: If you are mindful your unconscious urges will be apparent to you, and you will know what causes suffering to you and what does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said so, Monastics were advised in the 8 precepts not to indulge in any sensual pleasures, because I believe Budha regarded that as a problem if one was to attain enlightenment since it is so prone to cravings which will result in suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Kamma Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one, longing for sexual pleasure, achieves it, yes, he's enraptured at heart. The mortal gets what he wants. But if for that person — longing, desiring — the pleasures diminish, he's shattered, as if shot with an arrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For lay people it is recommended in the 5 precepts to abstain from sexual misconduct, which along with some guidelines more or less sprinkled in the Buddhist literature, I believe it should be interpreted in light of cultural and traditional practices, or even the self own conscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citations from here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_sexuality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and sexuality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5386" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T12:20:38.770" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16071" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16090" CreationDate="2016-07-29T12:13:49.853" Score="0" ViewCount="179" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a question. is the 'magical'/spiritual world another dimension of mind and thus an illusion to leave through meditation whether it is obviously part of life and not one men's mind time?&#xA;in my experience, I'm very happy and easily, but still straggle with 'the magical/spiritual world (sorry I don't use scholars words, or being careful enough) starts to be clearer and nice. I start to like it after many years. but I still got the feeling - although its my daily reality, and I need to deal with it in the best way I can and learn it - that it might be also a level of illusion, that I have to get out of. I still like the simple life. its easier and lovely enough... so I'm between - 1. maybe that is my ego denying the real truth... should I focus on something special, or just go on with this nice tour. 2. I admit, a lot of that is west of time for me when it comes to others differences: like again and again. ok there is no me, but we know that already, and your angry still, and I'm tiered, or at that point I don't know what to do.... the good side is the 'little monks' (nick name) with them its at home and happy, joy, not u me, and good perspective, wisdom... but because of the duality, pleasant not pleasant... it always like maybe I should stop talking at all - like treat all of that like mind, time - yes not only mine, but still the same, and just let it flow in silence, meditate. is that the answer? it sounds like a good answer. is it to lie, to insist emptiness is the truth, or sort of miss understanding the world.&#xA;thank you &amp;lt;3 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8791" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T03:01:58.247" Title="is the 'magical'/spiritual world another dimension of mind and thus an illusion" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16071" CreationDate="2016-07-29T13:17:38.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To insist emptiness is the reality without having realized what the words mean brings no benefit..  in order to become realized one must train in both merit/virtues and wisdom.  Through gathering the two accumulations of merit and wisdom one can arrive at the perfectly awakened state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is your question?  The entire world is rather magical!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T13:17:38.790" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16073" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16082" CreationDate="2016-07-29T14:38:18.587" Score="2" ViewCount="517" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was born a layman. I tried to have a loving life, but my partner wanted me to convert to her religion (Islam) to marry. I was ready to do so. When she left me, I realised how silly I was. Now I'm completely distracted from life. I don't feel having family and I don't think a girl who knew about my past would accept my love. She would know I was ready to leave Buddhism. She did ask me, &amp;quot;Don't you think this is wrong ?&amp;quot; I want to apologize her and promise &amp;quot;I'll spent my whole life as a Buddhist&amp;quot;. How do I get rid of my state of mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2024-02-07T03:18:40.317" LastActivityDate="2024-02-07T03:18:40.317" Title="I'm feeling hopeless about life after nearly leaving Buddhism in order to marry" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="16074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-29T15:08:40.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;why cant you just combine them? accept ur dids simply. at the end it's just titles. so u'll be/was a unique Muslim, the one that came from Buddhism.  after all, a good man, muslim or what ever, wouldn't ask u to stop meditating on god, to be a vegi, to do ur best. these r all possibilities, choices. it can be hard to accept other manners, and find yourself there. but it can be easy or hard be respectable. at the end it just a change of names, its the same. go with a good spirit, u got the opportunity to learn about another religion. what the shame in that? visiting israel, the dalai lama once said to the druze spiritual leaders/cadis 'I also was a druze'... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8791" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T15:08:40.333" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16067" CreationDate="2016-07-29T15:52:11.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please read the Anupada Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I have gathered over the years, before the lion of the Shakya clan (Buddha Shakyamuni) was enlightened, he had found teachers to teach him various methods and practices, and he would master all of them.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He found that his most advanced teacher of the period taught him all the way to the state of &lt;em&gt;neither perception nor non-perception&lt;/em&gt; which he figured out to be &quot;pretty cool but really only puts the cosmos matrix on pause and is not taking me all the way to liberation&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think if you go through the jhanas, those were basically the states he was able to master, and if you can practice them (and use them as a ladder) you can eventually tap into the Sublime Holy state of Emptiness, which transcends all the jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blessings and stillness be with you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T15:52:11.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16067" CreationDate="2016-07-29T15:56:50.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha practised extreme fasting, mental concentration, breath control, wilderness retreats, and living in cemeteries (he says somewhere that he used a pile of human bones for a pillow). I have theorized that one might describe the types of asceticism in which the Buddha engaged as proto-Shaivite, the earliest text of which is approximately dated to the parinibbana of the Buddha (but the actual traditions encoded in texts are invariably older). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T15:56:50.373" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15959" CreationDate="2016-07-29T16:20:27.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general, the Pali Canon is quite exoteric and seems to equate sexual misconduct with various kinds of adulteries. Of course, for a monastic any sexual activity at all with the sole exception of involuntary nocturnal emissions is forbidden by the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T16:20:27.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16078" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16086" CreationDate="2016-07-29T18:53:47.453" Score="1" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume that there variations of sects within buddhism that deem certain sutras  as more &quot;correct&quot; or being closer to the buddha's teaching. I personally see the Lotus sutra as the &quot;true teaching&quot;, but I know that some other sects often see the Flower-garland sutra as being closer to the &quot;true teaching&quot;.  Is there a system for determining such assertations, or is it more based on text evidence? I have little knowledge with buddhism outside of the sect I'm apart of, so I'm interested in how other parts of Buddhism work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T15:37:07.187" Title="How are the importance of sutras determined?" Tags="|philosophy|sutras|texts|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16067" CreationDate="2016-07-29T18:54:35.427" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 12&lt;/a&gt; also gives an account: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;44&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, I recall having lived a holy life possessing four factors. I have practiced asceticism — the extreme of asceticism; I&#xA;  have practiced coarseness — the extreme of coarseness; I have&#xA;  practiced scrupulousness — the extreme of scrupulousness; I have&#xA;  practiced seclusion — the extreme of seclusion.[17]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Such was my asceticism, Sariputta, that I went naked, rejecting conventions, licking my hands, not coming when asked, not stopping&#xA;  when asked; I did not accept food brought or food specially made or an&#xA;  invitation to a meal; I received nothing from a pot, from a bowl,&#xA;  across a threshold, across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating&#xA;  together, from a pregnant woman, from a woman giving suck, from a&#xA;  woman lying with a man, from where food was advertised to be&#xA;  distributed, from where a dog was waiting, from where flies were&#xA;  buzzing; I accepted no fish or meat, I drank no liquor, wine or&#xA;  fermented brew. I kept to one house, to one morsel; I kept to two [78]&#xA;  houses, to two morsels;... I kept to seven houses, to seven morsels. I&#xA;  lived on one saucerful a day, on two saucerfuls a day... on seven&#xA;  saucerfuls a day; I took food once a day, once every two days... once&#xA;  every seven days, and so on up to once every fortnight; I dwelt&#xA;  pursuing the practice of taking food at stated intervals. I was an&#xA;  eater of greens or millet or wild rice or hide-parings or moss or&#xA;  ricebran or rice-scum or sesamum flour or grass or cowdung. I lived on&#xA;  forest roots and fruits, I fed on fallen fruits. I clothed myself in&#xA;  hemp, in hemp-mixed cloth, in shrouds, in refuse rags, in tree bark,&#xA;  in antelope hide, in strips of antelope hide, in kusa-grass fabric, in&#xA;  bark fabric, in wood-shavings fabric, in head-hair wool, in animal&#xA;  wool, in owls' wings. I was one who pulled out hair and beard,&#xA;  pursuing the practice of pulling out hair and beard. I was one who&#xA;  stood continuously, rejecting seats. I was one who squatted&#xA;  continuously, devoted to maintaining the squatting position. I was one&#xA;  who used a mattress of spikes; I made a mattress of spikes my bed. I&#xA;  dwelt pursuing the practice of bathing in water three times daily&#xA;  including the evening. Thus in such a variety of ways I dwelt pursuing&#xA;  the practice of tormenting and mortifying the body. Such was my&#xA;  asceticism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Such was my coarseness, Sariputta, that just as the bole of a tinduka tree, accumulating over the years, cakes and flakes off, so&#xA;  too, dust and dirt, accumulating over the years, caked off my body and&#xA;  flaked off. It never occurred to me: 'Oh, let me rub this dust and&#xA;  dirt off with my hand, or let another rub this dust and dirt off with&#xA;  his hand' — it never occurred to me thus. Such was my coarseness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Such was my scrupulousness, Sariputta, that I was always mindful in stepping forwards and stepping backwards. I was full of pity even&#xA;  for (the beings in) a drop of water thus: 'Let me not hurt the tiny&#xA;  creatures in the crevices of the ground.' Such was my scrupulousness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Such was my seclusion, Sariputta, that [79] I would plunge into some forest and dwell there. And when I saw a cowherd or a shepherd or&#xA;  someone gathering grass or sticks, or a woodsman, I would flee from&#xA;  grove to grove, from thicket to thicket, from hollow to hollow, from&#xA;  hillock to hillock. Why was that? So that they should not see me or I&#xA;  see them. Just as a forest-bred deer, on seeing human beings, flees&#xA;  from grove to grove, from thicket to thicket, from hollow to hollow,&#xA;  from hillock to hillock, so too, when I saw a cowherd or a shepherd...&#xA;  Such was my seclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I would go on all fours to the cow-pens when the cattle had gone out and the cowherd had left them, and I would feed on the dung of the&#xA;  young suckling calves. As long as my own excrement and urine lasted, I&#xA;  fed on my own excrement and urine. Such was my great distortion in&#xA;  feeding.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I would plunge into some awe-inspiring grove and dwell there — a grove so awe-inspiring that normally it would make a man's hair stand&#xA;  up if he were not free from lust. When those cold wintry nights came&#xA;  during the 'eight-days interval of frost,' I would dwell by night in&#xA;  the open and by day in the grove.[18] In the last month of the hot&#xA;  season I would dwell by day in the open and by night in the grove. And&#xA;  there came to me spontaneously this stanza never heard before:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Chilled by night and scorched by day, Alone in awe-inspiring groves,&#xA;  Naked, no fire to sit beside, The sage yet pursues his quest.&#xA;  51. &quot;I would make my bed in a charnel ground with the bones of the dead for a pillow. And cowherd boys came up and spat on me, urinated&#xA;  on me, threw dirt at me, and poked sticks into my ears. Yet I do not&#xA;  recall that I ever aroused an evil mind (of hate) against them. Such&#xA;  was my abiding in equanimity. [80]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;52&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Sariputta, there are certain recluses and brahmans whose doctrine and view is this: 'Purification comes about through food.'[19] They&#xA;  say: 'Let us live on kola-fruits,' and they eat kola-fruits, they eat&#xA;  kola-fruit powder, they drink kola-fruit water, and they make many&#xA;  kinds of kola-fruit concoctions. Now I recall having eaten a single&#xA;  kola-fruit a day. Sariputta, you may think that the kola-fruit was&#xA;  bigger at that time, yet you should not regard it so: the kola-fruit&#xA;  was then at most the same size as now. Through feeding on a single&#xA;  kola-fruit a day, my body reached a state of extreme emaciation.&#xA;  Because of eating so little my limbs became like the jointed segments&#xA;  of vine stems or bamboo stems. Because of eating so little my backside&#xA;  became like a camel's hoof. Because of eating so little the&#xA;  projections on my spine stood forth like corded beads. Because of&#xA;  eating so little my ribs jutted out as gaunt as the crazy rafters of&#xA;  an old roofless barn. Because of eating so little the gleam of my eyes&#xA;  sank far down in their sockets, looking like a gleam of water which&#xA;  has sunk far down in a deep well. Because of eating so little my scalp&#xA;  shriveled and withered as a green bitter gourd shrivels and withers in&#xA;  the wind and sun. Because of eating so little my belly skin adhered to&#xA;  my backbone; thus if I touched my belly skin I encountered my&#xA;  backbone, and if I touched my backbone I encountered my belly skin.&#xA;  Because of eating so little, if I tried to ease my body by rubbing my&#xA;  limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell from my body&#xA;  as I rubbed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;53-55. &quot;Sariputta, there are certain recluses and brahmans whose&#xA;  doctrine and view is this: 'Purification comes about through food.'&#xA;  They say: 'Let us live on beans'... 'Let us live on sesamum'... 'Let&#xA;  us live on rice,' and they eat rice, they eat rice powder, [81] they&#xA;  drink rice water, and they make various kinds of rice concoctions. Now&#xA;  I recall having eaten a single rice grain a day. Sariputta, you may&#xA;  think that the rice grain was bigger at that time, yet you should not&#xA;  regard it so: the rice grain was then at most the same size as now.&#xA;  Through feeding on a single rice grain a day, my body reached a state&#xA;  of extreme emaciation. Because of eating so little... the hair, rotted&#xA;  at its roots, fell from my body as I rubbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;56&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Yet, Sariputta, by such conduct, by such practice, by such performance of austerities, I did not attain any superhuman states,&#xA;  any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why&#xA;  was that? Because I did not attain that noble wisdom which when&#xA;  attained is noble and emancipating and leads the one who practices in&#xA;  accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T18:54:35.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-29T19:07:38.307" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught it is 'ignorance' ('not-knowing') that creates unskilful actions rather than 'our self'. The Buddha taught (in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.17&lt;/a&gt;) to believe: &amp;quot;I create my own suffering&amp;quot; is a wrong view. That is why the Buddha does not blame people for unskilful actions but blames ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;Monks, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities, followed by lack of conscience &amp;amp;&#xA;lack of concern. In an unknowledgeable person, immersed in ignorance,&#xA;wrong view arises. In one of wrong view, wrong resolve arises. In one&#xA;of wrong resolve, wrong speech... In one of wrong speech, wrong&#xA;action... In one of wrong action, wrong livelihood... In one of wrong&#xA;livelihood, wrong effort... In one of wrong effort, wrong&#xA;mindfulness... In one of wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration&#xA;arises.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avijja Sutta: Ignorance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have seen the error of the action &amp;amp; regret it, the Buddha has forgiven you. The Buddha always forgives a person who confesses an error (for example, at the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught it is best to marry a person of the same religion (faith) as your self. If you do not sincerely believe 'God' exists, it is best to not marry a Muslim because problems will arise in the marriage &amp;amp; respective families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said: &amp;quot;If both husband &amp;amp; wife want to see one another&#xA;not only in the present life but also in the life to come, they should&#xA;be in tune [with each other] in faith, in tune in virtue, in tune in&#xA;generosity, and in tune in discernment. Then they will see one another&#xA;not only in the present life but also in the life to come.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samajivina Sutta: Living in Tune&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a Muslim should not marry a Buddhist who is skeptical about 'God'. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_marriage_in_Islam&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; states Muslim women are forbidden from marrying non-Muslim men according to Islamic law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:18:41.603" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13607" CreationDate="2016-07-29T19:28:33.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no strict law about Buddhist marriage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha did teach it is best (preferable) to marry a person of the same faith (religion). The Buddha listed the same faith (religion) as the 1st and therefore most important quality because it is your faith (religion) that defines your life values &amp;amp; morals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you are a Buddhist, you will have the tolerance &amp;amp; loving-kindness to marry a person of another religion. However, if you are a Muslim, you will not tolerate marrying a person of another religion &amp;amp; ask them to convert to Islam (since Islam forbids interfaith marriage). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samajivina Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One spoke thus: “If householders, both wife and&#xA;  husband wish to be in one another’s sight so long as this life lasts&#xA;  and in the future life as well, they should have the same faith, the&#xA;  same virtue, the same generosity, the same wisdom; then they will be&#xA;  in one another’s sight so long as this life lasts and in the future&#xA;  life as well.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When both are faithful and bountiful, self-restrained, of righteous&#xA;  living, They come together as husband and wife Full of love for each&#xA;  other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many blessings come their way, They dwell together in happiness, Their&#xA;  enemies are left dejected, When both are equal in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having lived by Dhamma in this world, The same in virtue and&#xA;  observance, They rejoice after death in the deva-world, Enjoying&#xA;  abundant happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S52&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-07-29T19:36:57.657" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:36:57.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-29T19:41:44.220" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wish to encourage you at this point of confusion. Having done many mistakes in your life, or at least finding them as mistakes is truly a place that can cause much confusion and self-criticism. But hopefully soon enough you'll be able to see things clearly and realize that through this journey you took, you realized the way back to a place which is truthful for you. There is nothing to be sorry about! I hope that you will find the strength soon to reestablish your course of life again. I wish to encourage you to find optimism in your realization, because there is much to be found. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;She did asked me &quot;Don't you think this is wrong ?&quot;. I want to apologize her and promising &quot;I'll spent my whole life as Buddhism &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that once you let go of your past, you will be able to go back to the life you wish to take, safely and happily. And your partner, your future or intended spouse, will accept you just as you are. Budhism doesn't have to be a religion. It's a way of life. Muslim, just a title. I know things might be more complicated than that in real life. But at the end, these are only titles. I'm sure you'll be able to find your true way of life, with this title or the other. And find a person who accepts you and understands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8627" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T19:41:44.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-29T20:27:06.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;if ur a budhist use your tools. there's nothing wrong. u can go back gently. all this suffering is just a wave in your mind. watch it, let it go. the feelings r temporarily. they r there, look at them, smile at them, create a distance...walk back to the silent place in ur heart, home. &#xA;I can relate. I am a jew by birth, I believe in many things. I can imagine converting for someone I love. giving that. my heart will remain the same. the truth is the same. in any language. its naked. maybe u'll get to a different conclusion. &#xA;someone here referred me to the Metta Sutta: Good Will (accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html). I think it can help. welcome back, be well.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8791" LastActivityDate="2016-07-29T20:27:06.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-30T01:47:31.863" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess the reason why you were feeling hopeless is that you were anxious about the past, a memory ... but the past isn't something you can conveniently change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You were also anxious about the future ... &quot;I don't think a girl who know about my past will accept my love&quot; ... but the future too is something you can't easily change ... it's beyond your control at the moment (for example because it isn't happening yet) and because you can't control it it's easy to feel hopeless (or helpless) about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of being &quot;distracted from life&quot; by anxiety about the past and future, maybe the one thing you can affect more easily, one thing you can reach, is the present. You're aware of what you're doing now, how you're thinking now ... maybe you can use Buddhist practices to relieve your suffering now, your present suffering ... maybe in fact that's something you can hope for, i.e. you can hope that Buddhism can help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason why you might be feeling helpless is because &quot;I tried to have loving life&quot; -- a lot of people in society want that, but it maybe &quot;hopeless&quot; to depend on someone else loving you (again, because you can't control that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; has some advice on how to choose a marriage partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, is it true to say that &quot;hope&quot; isn't a big factor in Buddhism? There are things that are &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; hope, e.g. faith and confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope is maybe similar to ignorance, e.g. you 'hope' that something is true when you don't 'know' that something is true. Maybe it's better to concentrate on what's knowable, on what makes sense, rather than trying to hope for what's unknown (and the future is maybe not just unknown but unknowable).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found (only) a couple of essays by Thanissaro Bhikkhu about &quot;hope&quot;. One is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/change.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;All About Change&lt;/a&gt; ... which says that it may be stressful to have &quot;hope&quot; in things that are impermanent. It then goes on to describe a search for &quot;the Deathless&quot; via concentration. You said &quot;I born as layman&quot; so, I don't know, maybe you're saying you're not interested in that ... but maybe the essay is worth reading anyway, because it's lucid and includes a question from the Buddha that's worth considering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What, when I do it, will lead to my long-term well-being and happiness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another short essay was a Dhamma talk about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/meditations2.html#sublime&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Sublime Attitudes&lt;/a&gt;. It includes this quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Notice that the teaching on equanimity is a reflection on the principle of karma. Of the four chants we have for the sublime attitudes, it's the only one that's simply a statement of fact. The others say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;May all beings be happy.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    May they be free from stress and pain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    May they not be deprived of the good fortune they're experiencing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first three are wishes, attitudes, things you would like to see happen. &quot;&lt;em&gt;May... May... May...&lt;/em&gt;&quot; The fourth one is simply a reflection on the way things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;All living beings are the owners of their actions, heir to their actions...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This reflection actually turns up in lots of different contexts. In the five reflections, the reflection on karma is the one that gives hope. You realize that you're in charge of your actions. You're not simply a victim of fate or of the stars or of some other being acting through you. You're the one who's making the choices. That's what gives you hope.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the difference is that you can be hopeful about what you do (instead of trying to depend on someone else).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-07-30T01:47:31.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16078" CreationDate="2016-07-30T02:53:36.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every one of the 18,000 plus suttas are important in their own way as the Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold Path to his followers according to a &quot;gradual&quot; system of training. We are all at different levels and none are at the same level in this road less travelled.  The &lt;strong&gt;Paccattam veditabbo viññuhiti&lt;/strong&gt; quality of Dhamma is to be realized by the wise, each for himself.  So one sutta will speak for one, but not the other.  But there are two Suttas in the Anguttara Nikaya that will apply to all. It is the &lt;strong&gt;Pathama Lokadhamma Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;Dutiya Loka,dhamma Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;.  They are about the Eight Worldly Conditions (Vicissitudes) Of Life. Everyone of us sorrow when we face of our everyday sufferings and troubles, and we joy when we face the moments of pleasure and happiness. There are eight such vicissitudes of life (ata lō dahama). We are slaves of the vicissitudes of life. These sermons help develop a better range of strengths to deal with these eight vicissitudes of life. So please read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.2-Lokadhamma-S-1-a8.5-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.2-Lokadhamma-S-1-a8.5-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.3-Lokadhamma-S-2-a8.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.3-Lokadhamma-S-2-a8.6-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you seek &lt;strong&gt;Advice on the Practice&lt;/strong&gt;, suttas such as Bhaddaali Sutta MN 65, Bodhiraja Kumara Sutta MN 85, Chathuma Sutta MN, Chula Sakuludai Sutta MN, Dhamma Dayada Sutta MN 03, Ganaka moggallana Sutta MN 107, Giminananda Sutta AN 10.60, Hatthigamaka Ugga Sutta AN 08, Lomasangiya Bhaddekaraththa Sutta MN 131, Maha Rahulovada Sutta MN 62, Sakkara Garukara Sutta, Samadi Bhavana Sutta AN 4.41, Sambodhi Pakkhiya Sutta, Vasijatopama sutta would be helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to learn about &lt;strong&gt;Skillful &amp;amp; Unskillful Thoughts&lt;/strong&gt; read Kalama Sutta AN 3.65, Kodhana Sutta AN 7.60, Kukkuravatiya Sutta MN 57, Maha Dhamma Samadana Sutta MN 46, Maha Vacchagotta Sutta SN 44.8, Malunkaya Putta Sutta SN 35.95, Sakka Panna sutta SN 35.118, Vassakara Sutta AN 4.35, Vitakka Santhana Sutta MN 20.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to read on &lt;strong&gt;Skillful, Unskillful Actions&lt;/strong&gt; the following suttas will do: Chakkavatthi Sihanada Sutta DN 26, Gopalaka sutta AN 11.18, Ina Sutta AN 6.45, Jivaka Sutta AN 8.26, Kandaraka Sutta MN 51, Lakkana Sutta AN 3.2, Subha Sutta MN 99.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there are Suttas aimed at &lt;strong&gt;Life of a Layman&lt;/strong&gt;.  Chalabijathi Sutta, Devadaha Sutta MN 101, Gayha Sutta SN, Janussoni Sutta AN 10.177, Jara Sutta SN 48.41, Mahanama Sutta AN 11.13, Patama Nathakarana Sutta AN, Pattakamma Sutta AN 4.61, Sallekha Sutta MN 8, Sattabharya Sutta, Sigalovada sutta DN 31, Sihasenapati sutta AN 5, Vyaggapajja Sutta AN 8.54.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;strong&gt;Intentional action_Kamma&lt;/strong&gt; you can check out the suttas: Cula Kamma Vibanga Sutta MN 135, Hemavatha Sutta KN, Lonaphala sutta AN 3.99, Maha KammaVibanga Sutta, Mallika Sutta SN 3.8, Purisa Indriya gnana Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then on the &lt;strong&gt;seven_enlightenment_factors&lt;/strong&gt;  - Kundaliya Sutta SN 46.6&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And on the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eight Fold Path&lt;/strong&gt; (Arya Ashtangika Margaya) - Maha Chattarisaka Sutta, Sachcha Vibhanga Sutta MN 141, Samma Ditthi Sutta MN 9, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-30T03:30:40.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16078" CreationDate="2016-07-30T03:56:48.363" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Indo-Tibetan tradition&lt;strong&gt;s&lt;/strong&gt;, questions such as &lt;em&gt;&quot;what are the sutras of definite meaning? in what way are they different from sutras of interpretative, provisional meaning? what makes them sutras of definite meaning?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; arise when we investigate the meaning of emptiness. This is because, since the wisdom realizing emptiness is the direct antidote to ignorance, it abandons the obstructions to liberation. Therefore, ascertaining the meaning of emptiness is of utmost importance, and it is why one has to rely on sutras 'of definite meaning' in order to do such ascertainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Roughly, a sutra of definite meaning is &quot;more correct&quot; when it comes to ascertaining the meaning of emptiness, but not necessarily with respect to other topics such as the method-side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, most texts and textual genres that mainly teach emptiness explain what sutras of definite meaning are and why they are taken to be so. They do that to show that they rely on reliable sutras, i.e. sutras of definite meaning, as opposed to sutras of interpretative meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of texts teachings emptiness are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Candrakirti's Madhyamakavatara and commentaries to it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nagarjuna's Karika and commentaries to it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maitreya/Asanga's Abhisamayalankara and commentaries to it,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Texts on the Tathagata Essence such as Maitreya's mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Presentation of the Special Insight Lam Rim chapter such as Atisha's and so forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introductions to the Kagyu &amp;amp; Nyingma commentaries of Maitreya's Ornament are worth studying in that respect. It explains the three turnings of the wheel and what is definite. (Blue-covered thick books titled Gone Beyond, and Groundless Paths)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the Tibetan traditions really are **Indo-**Tibetan, various Buddhist schools did not elaborate on and expanded much on Indian commentaries such as the ones I listed above. For instance, Chan (and later on Zen, Thyen, Seon) does not particularly rely on Indian sources. This means that you will hardly find what Chan masters answer to your question in commentaries to those texts. However, there are aspects of early Madhyamika (and thus Nagarjuna) even in Chan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna and Maitreya/Asanga are Indian sources that have been elaborated on a great deal by Tibetan Scholars, but also by other traditions such as Tiantai, Pure Land, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Prasangika-Madyhamika school of Tenets say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sutras of the Pali canon are provisional and are the first turning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perfection of Wisdom Sutras are of definite meaning and are the second turning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sutras of the third turning are usually of provisional meaning, except those which meaning accord with the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, such as the Tathagatagarbha Sutra.&#xA;Prasangika posit that a sutra which main subject-matter is emptiness is of definite meaning. Sutras of the Pali canon that speak of emptiness are not of definite meaning because they do not teach the final view on emptiness, the lack of inherent existence. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The condensed version of the Pefection of Wisdom sutras is the Heart Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chan masters were initially called 'Lankavatara masters'. However, the Lankavatara Sutra was so difficult to understand that, later on, as Chan popularized and became less provincial, the Avatamasaka Sutra (Garland of Flowers Sutra) took over. Thomas Cleary made an amazing translation of this particular sutra, about than 1'600 pages. Furthermore, the introduction of the English translation of the Avatamsaka states that according to Chan:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Avatamkasa was taught by Buddha in a pure Land, after he showed the aspect of achieving enlightenment and before he taught the sutras of the Pali canon. It is of definite meaning. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sutras of the Pali canon &amp;amp; Perfection of Wisdom Sutras are the second turning of the wheel, and of interpretative, provisional meaning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Lankavatara Sutra, Tathagatagarbha sutra, etc. are the third turning and, like the first turning, of definite meaning.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third turning of the wheel sutras explain the three natures. It is called 'the turning of correct differentiation (between what is and what is not truly existent)'. The condensed version of the Avatamsaka is the King of Prayers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pure Land Buddhism highly regards the following three sutras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Infinite Life Sutra,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Amitabha Sutra,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation Sutra.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I do not know whether they posit them as being 'of definite meaning', and which turning of the wheel they claim these sutras belong to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is all in all very incomplete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-07-30T08:44:11.073" LastActivityDate="2016-07-30T08:44:11.073" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1364" CreationDate="2016-07-30T05:47:57.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was given my son to hold during the first few minutes after his birth, as I looked into his new eyes and he (seemed) to look into mine, I was STRONGLY compelled to touch my forehead to his. I couldn't resist if I'd wanted to. It just felt like the &quot;right&quot; way to welcome him into this world. I still remember how it seemed to hum where we touched and behind my eyes, and my throat and heart ached. It was one of the three most charged (physically and emotionally) moments of my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8792" LastActivityDate="2016-07-30T05:47:57.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16078" CreationDate="2016-07-30T22:20:27.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, the original sole purpose of the teachings was to end suffering. However, overtime, certain suttas were introduced to promote morality in laypeople (which emphasise kamma &amp;amp; 'rebirth') &amp;amp; to create propaganda against &amp;amp; convert people from Brahmanism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in Pali Buddhism, the most important suttas are those connected with Emptiness (sunnata) &amp;amp; the ending of suffering, such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel017.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;First Three Sermons of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; on the Four Noble Truths, the Three Characteristics &amp;amp; on the Fires of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the only suttas that can be deemed to be fully authentic are those that accord with the principle of '&lt;em&gt;paccattam veditabbo viññuhiti&lt;/em&gt;', namely, to be realized by insight, each for himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning,&#xA;transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. We will&#xA;lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these&#xA;teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how you should train&#xA;yourselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What I have revealed is: 'This is Suffering, this is the Arising of Suffering, this is the Cessation of Suffering, and this is the Path&#xA;that leads to the Cessation of Suffering.' And why, monks, have I&#xA;revealed it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because this is related to the goal, fundamental to the holy life, conduces to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquillity,&#xA;higher knowledge, enlightenment and Nibbaana, therefore I have&#xA;revealed it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T01:32:02.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16078" CreationDate="2016-07-31T00:17:00.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are accounts or records of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist councils&lt;/a&gt; which were convened to determine (and record) what suttas were true/accurate/well remembered versions, of discourses which were spoken, heard and remembered during the Buddha's lifetime, and which were then passed on by word of mouth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Theravada school maybe doesn't see the Lotus sutra (nor the Flower Garland nor any 'Mahayana' sutras) as &quot;canonical&quot; -- I don't know why that is: my uninformed guess is that it's because the authorship/provenance of those sutras is too late (and maybe too distant geographically), and the intent of the Theravada school is to preserve the 'original' teachings as far as possible; and maybe that there are 'enough' Pali suttas, and that the original teachings are seen as sufficient (because for example there's a record of teaching being effective during the Buddha's lifetime).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pāli Canon&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Āgama &lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutta_Pitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta Pitaka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T00:17:00.900" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16071" CreationDate="2016-07-31T02:45:36.740" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sacredness and spiritualism are states of being that we can never fully analyse or rationalise.  It can be felt deep within ones self, but this feeling cannot be captured fully by using words.  The way of the sacred, as Lao Tzu have said “is like a well, used but never used up.  It is like the eternal void, filled with infinite possibilities.  It is hidden but always present.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of 20th century eastern philosophers, J. Krishnamurti saw the spiritual nature of solitude. He compares it with aloneness, which is very different to loneliness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“…This aloneness is not aching, fearsome loneliness.  It is the aloneness of being; it is uncorrupted, rich, and complete. That tamarind tree has no existence other than being itself.  So is this aloneness.  One is alone, like the fire, like the flower, but one is not aware of its purity and of its immensity.  One can truly communicate only when there is aloneness.  Being alone is not the outcome of denial, of self-enclosure.  Aloneness is the purgation of all motives, of all pursuits of desire, of all ends.  Aloneness is not an end product of the mind.  You cannot wish to be alone.  Such a wish is merely an escape from the pain of not being able to commune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Loneliness, with its fear and ache, is isolation, the inevitable action of the self.  This process of isolation, whether expansive or narrow, is a product of confusion, conflict, and sorrow. Isolation can never give birth to aloneness; the one has to cease for the other to be. Aloneness is indivisible and loneliness is separation.  That which is alone is pliable and so enduring.  Only the alone can commune with that which is causeless, the immeasurable.  To the alone, life is eternal; to the alone there is no death. The alone can never cease to be.” ( Krishnamurti, p. 17) Krishnamurti, J., Commentaries on Living. The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, Ill. U.S.A. 1967.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T03:01:58.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16073" CreationDate="2016-07-31T03:19:37.777" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are times in our lives that we may make negative judgments about ourselves and are at a loss at making positive ones.  It may not seem easy to get out of a rut but we need to realize that we have what it takes to get out of such mindsets. We should have the willingness to look at what we’ve been doing. We have to realize that it is only our actions that have been unskilful.  We must pass judgment on our actions, and not on ourselves. Even though our intentions and actions in the past have been unskilful, we are not stuck there. 'Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?  We can change our minds. We can change our habits.  So let us use our sense of shame in a skilful way, to use our sense of judgment in a skilful way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T03:19:37.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16043" CreationDate="2016-07-31T07:55:17.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice the Zen tradition so I believe once you realise the meaning of emptiness then one is able to understand that the concepts of superiority or inferiority, are the result of the deluded mind creating &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.existentialbuddhist.com/tag/nonduality/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;separation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It reminds me of the famous Bodhidarma talk with emperor Wu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The emperor told Bodhidharma that he had built temples and given&#xA;  financial support to the monastic community, and asked the patriarch&#xA;  how much merit he had gained for these actions. Bodhidharma replied,&#xA;  &quot;None whatsoever.&quot; Perplexed, the emperor then asked the eminent monk&#xA;  who he was to tell him such things, to which he answered, &quot;I don't&#xA;  know.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5386" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T07:55:17.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9880" CreationDate="2016-07-31T08:36:35.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Punishments for breaking vinaya rules&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&#xA;The Dhamma Shown to the world by Lord Buddha and the Vinaya promulgated by Lord Buddha do not prescribe punishments. The sub-questions related to the question do not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person becomes a Pabbajita by makes a solemn promise by uttering:Buddham Saranam Gacchami, Dhammam Saranam Gacchami, Sangham Saranam Gacchami,three times after his teacher, according to a formal procedure. The procedure is same for Upasampada also.[See Vinaya Mahavagga]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The responsibility for observing the Patimokkha rules rests with the Bhikkhu. If he breaks any of the rules he must purify himself before attending the next Uposatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a dispute between two bhikkhus arise, then there is a procedure called Adhikarana to settle the matter. [Adhikaranasamathasutta AN].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sukha Sanghassa Samaggi (Lord Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T08:36:35.473" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16071" CreationDate="2016-07-31T09:34:06.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know about all that but there isn't much magical about &quot;seeing reality as it is&quot;, meaning consistantly focusing on something arising in your own experience, as it arises, moment by moment , in a nonreactive, nonconceptual and impartial way. If something magical seeming  does happen then see it as it is and it won't be  magical anymore because it was seen without concepts such as &quot;magical&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T09:34:06.337" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16066" CreationDate="2016-07-31T11:16:10.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The scriptures tell us that all beings subsist on food. So we have to eat. But there is a big difference between &lt;strong&gt;live to eat&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;eat to live&lt;/strong&gt;.  That’s why there is a precept for monks against eating after noon or before dawn. It is there for them to not give into pleasures of taste. So it is OK to taste the tastes, but being mindful about is, as in how Buddha advised Mahànàma, on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/majjhima/053-sekha-e1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;how does the noble disciple partake food reflecting?&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The discourse “where there is passion” in Samyutta Nikaya or  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atthi Raga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Buddha says that there are four kinds of nutriments.  One is material or physical, while the other three are mental nutriments.  It is important that we understand these four nutriments clearly to understand how they nourish us resulting in rebirth. Also it will answer your next question. Of course you should add the flavour. Also you should have the full awareness when you taste the flavour. This is how my teacher, Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, explained it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;” To understand this factor, I will explain in this manner.  Our consciousness is with the physical food we consume.  For example, do we have a desire for food?  Yes, we have.  Do we not derive pleasure from what we eat?  Yes, we do.  Do we have a passion for what we eat?  Yes, we do.  Thus our mind is attached to the food.  When our mind is attached, consciousness arises and grows.  It grows like a tree.  Therefore the cause for the growth of consciousness is passion, delight or pleasure and craving.  When consciousness arises, mentality-materiality (nama rupa) alights.  We will try to understand what this means in the following manner. For example, we see some tasty food.  Then what happens in our mind?  The food was something that we saw from our eyes.  What happens next?  We develop a desire to consume it.  Therefore desire for taste has arisen.  Then what happens?  We feel like buying it, to cook it, to taste its flavour.  What has grown is consciousness.  When consciousness arises, mentality-materiality is established.  When we see some tasty food or think of food, there is secretion of saliva.  What does it mean?  It is a reaction in our body - contact and feelings have arisen automatically.  There are six factors that manifest itself.  The four elements that constitute our body - the material phenomena (rupa); contact (phassa), feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), volition (cetana) and attentiveness (manasikara).”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”If you think carefully you would realize this happens when our thoughts are with food.  As we think of food, before we could flutter an eyelid, desire for food arises and consciousness is established.  Then mentality-materiality alights.  Where mentality-materiality alights, there is the growth of fabrications resulting in the ‘kamma’ process, and thus renewed becoming and rebirth results. Birth results in ageing, sickness and death, and sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”In the same way the Tathagatha has explained the nutriment of physical food to be regarded.  It should be for sustenance and not for its passion, delight or desire.  To cultivate one’s mind in this manner is difficult but not impossible.  In the modern world we are often misled by the propaganda to promote the sale of various kinds of food.  The mentality of our society is to satisfy man’s senses and desires.  Food advertisements often rouse our desires and they do not show reality.  That is why the Buddha said when one consumes food one should not think that the food consumed is to gain strength, sensual desire or to be athletic. We should consume food with the thought that it is for sustenance.  This would help in our moral training and would also help in the development of mindfulness.  We should think that food is subject to change, is impermanent, it gets spoilt and perishes.  Then the desire, craving for food will not arise.  Then we would learn to be mindful that all conditioned things are impermanent (anicca).”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T18:46:01.297" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16066" CreationDate="2016-07-31T12:01:41.870" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that's an advanced/difficult question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think it's recommended that you to avoid becoming 'attached' to sensual pleasure[s]. Seeking (sensual) pleasure (i.e. 'thirsting' or 'craving' for pleasure) might be a symptom of and a precursor to being attached to it. And 'contact' with objects, from which arise 'feelings' of pleasure, might lead to 'craving' and 'attachment'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the above is part of the theory of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt; (sense base -&gt; contact -&gt; feeling -&gt; craving -&gt; attachment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure but maybe theoretically you can break the chain anywhere: if you avoid contact for example then it doesn't arise; or if you have contact but avoid feeling; or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Food is a difficult subject partly because (unlike sex, drugs, music, money) it isn't possible to avoid contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that to the extent that monastics eat what they're given, they don't choose it and so it's easier to see it as uncontrolled/non-self/impermanent -- not a karmic act maybe (not an act of will) -- nothing to worry about (though this about &quot;not worrying&quot; is more-or-less idealistic on my part -- in practice they cope with hunger).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason why I assume that this topic is difficult is because, according to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;,  &quot;freedom from sensual desire&quot; is associated with one of the last two stages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.14-Sekha-S-m53-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;annotated version of the Sekha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (which Saptha Visuddhi's answer recommended). It begins to explain terms like &quot;one whose sense-doors are guarded&quot;. Even so it might require more to understand, for example it says &quot;he grasps neither its sign nor its detail&quot; which supposes you understand the word &quot;sign&quot; (which is annotated in a footnote but also mentioned in the introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.7-Nimitta-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Sutta Discovery essay&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's possible that you'll find basic teaching helpful: &quot;Thinking about food but don't get attached to the thought, let it go, keep breathing&quot; or &quot;This is the arising of stress, and the cessation of stress&quot; or &quot;Not me or mine&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mentioned &quot;mortification&quot; but, in English anyway, I think that means literally &quot;putting to death&quot; i.e. it's an extreme. Foregoing a useless snack isn't necessarily it. I think the theory is that by avoiding attachment/craving for sensual pleasure you can avoid suffering and find a more lasting ease. Mortification is wrong but (for monks, more or less 'advanced') something like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;disillusionment/revulsion (&lt;em&gt;Nibbidā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; is recommended in various of the Pali suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T14:10:58.830" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16078" CreationDate="2016-07-31T15:37:07.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Think about martial arts. One'd be a lot more reserved before walking into any dojo and claim that his style is the one true style. Why? because he knows that his claim will sure be put to the test inside the ring. And until he walks out of that ring alive and on two feet then all his words don't mean a thing. Just like that, the Buddha Dhamma is there for a purpose, not for mere talk. He actually emphasized that when instructing Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.53&lt;/a&gt;. Anyway, as you mentioned you have little knowledge with Buddhism outside your own sect and you're interested in how other parts of the Teaching works, I'd strongly recommend you checking out accesstoinsight.org and suttacentral.net. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/befriending.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;Befriending the Suttas&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; link is particularly useful for the Buddha's original teaching is there and treasured by all schools (the Theravada's Nikayas and the Mahayana/Tibetan's Agamas):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to passion, not to dispassion; to being fettered, not to being unfettered; to accumulating, not to shedding; to self-aggrandizement, not to modesty; to discontent, not to contentment; to entanglement, not to seclusion; to laziness, not to aroused persistence; to being burdensome, not to being unburdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is not the Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher's instruction.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As for the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered, not to being fettered; to shedding, not to accumulating; to modesty, not to self-aggrandizement; to contentment, not to discontent; to seclusion, not to entanglement; to aroused persistence, not to laziness; to being unburdensome, not to being burdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's instruction.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T15:37:07.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16043" CreationDate="2016-07-31T15:53:35.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One'd use the same approach to solve the problem like everything else in life: first is to get a clear understanding about the nature of that problem, then spend time to contemplate, and finally apply the proper methodology to solve it. So, the first thing to investigate is to clearly understand the nature of that &quot;feeling of superiority&quot;. The Buddha taught about it in quite a few suttas &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#mana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T15:53:35.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16043" CreationDate="2016-07-31T17:30:33.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his book “Further Along the Road Less Traveled: Self-love Versus Self-esteem”,  M. Scott Peck talks about the difference between the two.  In it he says that one being in love with one’s self esteem is NOT a good thing. A person being in love with oneself is good. It is an overall self-acceptance of who one is as a person, despite all of the foibles and faults. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the scriptures - especially in the fourth chapter of the Suttanipāta I it says that it is not good to even grasp/cling onto one’s sense of goodness, because such clinging only reinforces identifying  with self-view. It only leads to moral superiority or in other words one’s self esteem. So instead we should have thoughts on the superiority of the Dhamma, as nothing excels Dhamma. So even when discussing of our own experiences it is good to refer /writing in third person (writing from the third person point of view).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say for example, an individual who meditates inquires from a friend “How is your practice? How are you doing? Depending on the answer one will feel inferior, and the other will feel superior.  Did the result of such a conversation be beneficial to either one of them?  The Arahant are the only ones who have eliminated all types of conceit. Not only the superiority and the inferiority complex, but the complex one of feeling equal (seyya mana, hinamana Sadisamana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you get a chance to read M. Scott Pecks books like People of the Lie and The Road Less Traveled, etc. you will be able to distinguish between  Narcissism and self-love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T17:30:33.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16046" CreationDate="2016-07-31T19:23:57.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://teacher.sduhsd.net/tpsocialsciences/ap_wld_history/foundations/isidisai.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Arahant bikkhuni Isidasi&lt;/a&gt; in the scriptures, is a good example of karma and sexual misconduct independent of the lay precepts. She became aware of the secret of the cause of her suffering only after she attained Arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;She realized seven births prior to her current birth she had being born a male.  During that life he had molested young girls.  After his death he was born in hell.  He suffered in hell for a considerable period of time.  Next he was born a monkey.  Attacked by an older monkey he was wounded.  The wound festered.  The festered wound did not heal for a long time and finally died after much suffering.  His ‘kamma’ was not over. He was born a goat, next a cow and suffered similar fates.  Thereafter he was born a human being.  He was born a female.  Her mother was a low caste poor servant.  One day debtors took the young girl away from the mother.  Her life ended thus.  Finally she was fortunate to be born during the time of the Buddha and was liberated from the sufferings of ‘samsara’.  Thus we all should realize that we should reform our inner selves by conforming to the Dhamma if we are to attain liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught us that one finds a faithful, loving and committed spouse as a result of their past actions. Those who did not engage in sexual misconduct, and those who stayed faithful to their husbands and wives in their past lives, in turn receive loving and faithful spouses in their prospective lives. But those who engaged in sexual misconduct in their past lives face results of their unwholesome actions in their present or future lives. Hence, the Buddha advised us to restraint from engaging in sexual misconduct and to cultivate love and faithfulness to one’s partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-07-31T19:23:57.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15937" CreationDate="2016-08-01T01:16:05.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Talking from a Zen perspective and Zazen meditation, one should just sit and stay with whatever comes up, and accept without judgment whatever rises in consciousness. Having a measure of how good or bad your mental state is, is judging what is coming up in the moment, so not supportive of Zazen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as someone has mentioned and related to what I just said before, judging your mental state will lead to clinging to &quot;good states of mind&quot; and aversion of &quot;bad states of mind&quot; which will lead to suffering, see the 2nd Noble truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dukkha, and repeated life in this world, arises with taṇhā, &quot;thirst,&quot;&#xA;  craving for and clinging to these impermanent states and things. This&#xA;  craving and clinging produces karma which leads to renewed becoming,&#xA;  keeping us trapped in rebirth and renewed dissatisfaction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Citation from Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About accumulating ideas, in Zazen the invitation is be aware of thoughts but not to engage with them and let them pass,so I believe there is nothing wrong with jotting them down after the session, some people even keep a log of notes, etc to discuss with the teacher.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5386" LastEditorUserId="5386" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T01:25:28.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T01:25:28.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16104" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="16105" CreationDate="2016-08-01T01:44:47.243" Score="4" ViewCount="582" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just finished a vipassana retreat and well, I am still confused with just observing and feeling, and holy **** that was a h**** of an experience.... a-bomb (more bad then good, but we all need it, I felt pain from others in distance, and well I need this pain to project later on metta bavahna, but annicca,annicca,. The day I left (today) I was crying and well spotted a sensation in the throat, observed it, crying, don't even know why, should I look for the why? And is the crying equanamously crying, or was I? Didn't feel like doing stuff for 3 hours. Is that generating new sankaras? Or it's just old sankaras coming up? It like a bad sensation makes me forget ANNICCA, but a good sensation makes me more ANNICCA... I mean I am still confused if I am allowed to get angry and observe, then cry and observe, and being sure that, I am equanimous.... I do not want to read books anymore on this lol, I had enough, so I continue the body scan, I mean I keep calling the people from vippa... and everytime everything is different, and I am confused with the emotions.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks to anyone who can clarify and guide me better on the DHAMMA!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love to you all!&#xA;May you all remain equanimous!&#xA;alexei&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8304" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T05:19:04.673" Title="Does being Emotionial generate new sankaras?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16104" CreationDate="2016-08-01T02:53:07.433" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did anyone advice you to focus on the five and the eight precepts once you end the retreat?  Following the precepts is an important part of any meditation. When you are fully grounded in the precepts your intentions are skillful, as you can break a precept only intentionally. It gives you the inner resolve as you will do no harm to any being by killing, stealing, engaging in illicit sex, lying, or by taking intoxicants. Such a person is always mindful and alert. Then you can continue to practice the meditations that you’ve learnt like staying with the breath without any ill effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation retreats are rather regimented. By that I mean very strictly organized or controlled. As a result, a lot gets left out in that approach. So it is not so healthy. That is why I asked you whether anyone adviced you to focus on the five and the eight precepts.  A retreat does not help in the whole mind training and being heedful. That is why you are going through all these emotional ups and downs as you have not developed the strengths to overcome such emotions.  You should have developed the ability to say NO to such negative states of mind. A sense of hiri-ottappa  (a sense of shame – but NOT in a negative way) accompanied by mindfulness  helps you to overcome such.  I do not think that at the retreat any emphasis was given to the five Sekha strengths. One who has the ability to develop and live in association with the five Sekha strengths and does not abandon them, have the ability overcome such situations. The five Sekha strengths are a must for everyone in this path.  They are… Saddha (Confidence), Hiri (shame), Ottappa (fear), Viriya (energy) and Panna (wisdom). These strengths helps you to weather any emotional waves you go through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Sankhāra’ means intention (volitional effort).  So as I said at the outset, your intentions needs to be skillful. An intention occurs according to what we perceive - about a figure that is recognized. Likewise, intentions occur about sounds, smells, tastes, and contacts that are recognized. When a mind’s thoughts are perceived, intentions occur according to those thoughts. All these intentions that are formed in various ways are Sanskhāra Upādānaskandha. So you are correct in identifying with sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T03:30:10.853" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T03:30:10.853" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16104" CreationDate="2016-08-01T04:03:06.183" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You just finished a retreat. Give everything time to settle down. Currently, you are taking it all far too seriously.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, you had an arduous experience. Tears of relief; possibly some catharsis. There is no need to be concerned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Give 'anicca' ('impermanence') a long term view; such as one month for those 'sankharas' to settle down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Sankhara' does not (exclusively) mean 'intention'. 'Sankhara' is any kind of mental formation, including non-intentional or automatic instinctual emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example. when the mind goes into 'shock' due to an accident, this is not intentional. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, during an intense retreat, emotions will arise that are not intentional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears that a few emotions, more or less, is not going to increase or reduce the sankharas stored within your mind in any significant way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest, for the next few weeks, to forget the teachings you heard &amp;amp; return to some ordinary activity, particularly some physical exercise to burn off &amp;amp; settle the emotions &amp;amp; hyperactivity.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T20:32:13.783" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T20:32:13.783" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12294" CreationDate="2016-08-01T06:38:40.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Donating porn/nude arts, women to men for evil purposes, bulls for cows to breed, alcohol and arranging dances(probably sexually arousing) are considered evil charity which are sinful. So clearly porn is not something good but sinful whether or not it falls under physically cheating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T06:38:40.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12294" CreationDate="2016-08-01T08:36:00.950" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some socially 'Islamic' people (as distinct from Muslim practitioners) get married on a Friday and divorce on the Monday just so they can have sex on the weekend &amp;amp; not break the rules. Obviously, this does not conform with the true spirit of the religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, regardless of whether a person is married, delighting in pornography is an expression (for men) of the mind's view ('ditthi') about women, human relationships &amp;amp;/or sex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures state a wise man looks upon every woman like a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.127.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mother, sister or daughter&lt;/a&gt;. For example, in a traditional marriage, a wife has the primary role of a mother (rather than a sex partner).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A pornographic lifestyle &amp;amp; outlook is the opposite of compassion &amp;amp; the development of spiritually strengthening &amp;amp; liberating qualities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T08:41:47.777" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T08:41:47.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16109" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-01T08:48:38.640" Score="5" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;After contemplating death while reading some articles on accidents, it dawned upon me (particularly strongly) that &quot;everything&quot; is out of our control. Everyone wants to be healthy, to have gains, not to have losses, but I recall feelings of helplessness/dejection in the inability to control when we are on the plane for example and there's turbulence and it's all in the hands of the elements, physics and fate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I contemplated more and more, the past times when I was sick, the various times throughout when I was in the doldrums of my 31 years of life. I can literally  feel my heart has sunk as few notches. Though mentally I don't feel disturbed or weighed down, I feel overcome by the sorry fact that we (everyone) no matter how much we wished and tried our efforts, things are just out of our control, that our body, our circumstances, are all Non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to get to a productive state from this place. Please advise?&#xA;I feel a sense of defeated-ness acceptance regarding this Noble Truth, is there anywhere I can go from here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8801" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T13:18:37.600" Title="What can I do regarding Non-Self" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16109" CreationDate="2016-08-01T10:13:05.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.38&lt;/a&gt;) report, before his enlightenment to Buddhahood, when the unenlightened Gotama lived in three palaces, he had the vision he would get old, sick &amp;amp; die and this vision made him lose intoxication with his youth &amp;amp; life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then upon enlightenment, he fully realised the five aggregates that compose life (body, feelings, perception, thought function &amp;amp; sense consciousness) are 'not-self'; and one reason why each of the five aggregates cannot be a 'self' is because each can be subject to affliction &amp;amp; sickness that cannot be controlled (refer to beginning of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is reported the Buddha once taught to an elderly man that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The body is afflicted, weak &amp;amp; encumbered. For who, looking after this body, would claim even a moment of true health, except through sheer&#xA;foolishness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, although Gotama's original vision of death as a youth resulted in great angst in his mind &amp;amp; a long experimental spiritual search, in the end, his Buddhahood was merely the full acceptance &amp;amp; thus being at complete peace with his original vision of inevitable decay, death &amp;amp; impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your situation, the place to go is the development of meditative calm (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; clear insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) so the mind is at complete peace &amp;amp; freedom with illness, aging &amp;amp; death (rather than having discomfort with this initial vision). In Buddhism, this is called reaching the 'Deathless'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, mindfulness of death — when developed &amp;amp; pursued — is of great fruit &amp;amp; great benefit. It gains a footing in the Deathless, has the&#xA;Deathless as its final end (culmination).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 6.20&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T10:25:13.507" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16109" CreationDate="2016-08-01T10:50:22.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In seeing a glimpse of one insight into Dhamma (a rather big part of the Path at that) – that life is Not-Self – you now wonder what next.  Now it is good to go deeper into Buddha’s teachings on inconstancy (Anitya), stress (Dukkha), and not self (Anatma).  For this understanding and insight into Samma Dhitti to truly sink into you will take time. It is a given.  The heart of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right Concentration.  The other seven factors of the path are pre-requisites to come to that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you could take all three characteristics, that anything and everything in life is inconstant, stressful, and not self, and focus on them properly, it will have a big impact. Then you will be clearly established in the road to put an end to suffering. So now is the time for you to will into being the first seven qualities of the Noble Eightfold Path. Desire is a very important factor of the path towards this. Your desire to work towards this goal should far exceed all of your other worldly desires. Only then will you be able to focus on this properly, and to create the right conditions for it. Then you will start developing skilful qualities in your mind.  So the first thing that you should do is to associate with people who will encourage you in this direction. Finding the right people to associate goes a long way in furthering in this Dhamma Path. This one factor will help instil an unflinching faith in the Buddha’s awakening. This is paramount. Instilling of ‘Saddha’ is more important than anything else, as it will carry you through the rest of the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T10:50:22.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16109" CreationDate="2016-08-01T11:40:57.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &amp;quot;things are just out of our control&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If seeing things as impermanent and non-self is Right View, the next factors on the Eightfold Path are Right Resolve, the training in virtue (Right Speech, Action, and Livelihood), and Right Effort and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that there is Right Resolve, Right Effort and so implies that things aren't out of our control, or at least, not all things: for example we can (at least to some extent) control resolve, speech, effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doctrine about karma suggests we can also control intention, or that we're responsible for our intentional acts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ittha Sutta: What is Welcome (AN 5.43)&lt;/a&gt;) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I tell you, these five things are not to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes. If they were to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes, who here would lack them? It's not fitting for the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life should follow the path of practice leading to long life. In so doing, he will attain long life, either human or divine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wise person, heedful,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;acquires a two-fold welfare:&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;welfare in this life &amp;amp;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;welfare in the next.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;By breaking through to his welfare&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;he's called prudent,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said, &amp;quot;when we are on the plane for example and there's turbulence and it's all in the hands of the elements, physics and fate.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's true to a certain extent. It's also in the hands of the pilot; of the people who designed, tested, and certified the plane; and in your hands when you chose whether and how to travel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I see the anatta view as a helpful when you can't control (e.g. after you're on the plane); but you can (try to) control whether you make a good (prudent) decision before you get on the plane. Making a good (virtuous) decision can result in a &amp;quot;lack of remorse&amp;quot; (I don't mind being on a plane ... it was the right decision to make, at the time when I made that decision).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing everything as uncontrollable and inevitably dying may be an extreme (an extreme which Buddhism calls, in English, &amp;quot;nihilism&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;annihilationism&amp;quot;, and is considered one of the &amp;quot;wrong views&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the definition of &amp;quot;Non-self&amp;quot; is that it's better not to think too much about the self, nor to have definite views about the self. There are other things (apart from Self) that it's good to consider: other people, Dhamma, Sila, and so on. And the classic formulation of Non-Self isn't &amp;quot;this is out of my control&amp;quot;, it's &amp;quot;this isn't me and this isn't mine&amp;quot;, precisely because having views of self like &amp;quot;this is my body (and it's out of my control)&amp;quot; lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T11:40:57.280" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-01T12:08:46.723" Score="6" ViewCount="278" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am facing this problem currently. I am very sensitive and fearsome. I don't like to hurt others and am scared to argue with anyone. I become very hurt if someone has a bad attitude towards me. This only ends up in my stress levels increasing and losing patience and self hatred.&#xA;Colleagues and friends say that I am not manipulative and very straightforward and that is what causes so many problems to me. I feel that I should not care whether others are good with me or are bad with me.&#xA;But I tend to become over reactive suddenly and this is creating a chain of problems. I am sure in Buddhism, there would be the way to solve my problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastActivityDate="2017-11-13T13:33:56.260" Title="Being assertive/manipulative" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16113" CreationDate="2016-08-01T14:23:29.273" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very good that you are frank about how you feel. You have identified the problem, and have brought it to the open. You are not hiding it from self or others. Suppressed emotions like pent-up anger is not a good thing as there can be times they can collide violently with disastrous consequences. So you have to learn how to deal with your emotions in a skilful way in more perceptive, intelligent way, and see relationships through the Dhamma perspective.  Dhamma can be of great help in learning to use the mind wisely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most helpful initially is the practice of the four satipatthanas, or establishings of mindfulness. Being ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful , helps keep the negative emotions at bay. You begin to develop an inquisitive attitude, to better understand as to why you feel, what you feel at a given moment.  Then you get a clearer sense of what’s actually going on, and may even question “Who is this ‘me’ that’s getting worked up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gift of forgiveness too helps, if you could instil in self.  Then even is someone else upsets you, you will not be a victim for it. This will allow you to see things in another way. So the practice of ‘loving kindness’ meditation helps. Your egoism that makes you manipulative will be eradicated  if ‘karunaa’ is to developed. Karunaa is an important part of this spiritual path. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.03.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gopala Sutta: The Cowherd&lt;/a&gt; Buddha has pointed out that:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy, or a foe to a foe, the ill-directed mind can do to you even worse.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kakacupama Sutta: The Simile of the Saw&lt;/a&gt; we were advised as to:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T14:23:29.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16113" CreationDate="2016-08-01T15:53:49.560" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is no solution for 'my problem', because there is no problem in the first place. The mind is creating problems out of ignorance, and causing useless suffering. The title says 'Being assertive/manipulative', but as you wrote the people you ask say you're straightforward. Where is the problem? I would suggest to drop this thinking and pondering upon 'I', 'me', 'mine' and focus on the real practice. By using mindfulness ('thinking', 'emotion' ...) and in daily life applying the practice of &lt;strong&gt;sila&lt;/strong&gt; (morality).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore you should know the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;10 skillful/unskillful actions&lt;/a&gt; and practice them (the skillful ones) actively in daily live (i.e. try to speak in a honest way). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T15:53:49.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1860" CreationDate="2016-08-01T15:56:12.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Look, from what I experienced during vipassana, is this: and after a masturbation session after the retreat was done:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Step 1: You look at some romantic porn&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Step 2: Your sense lightens up or some emotion, and the mind creates, &quot;oh wow I want that kind of romantic sex, I need a girl friend&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Step 3: In reality you are not searching for an authentic relationship because the mind was clouded by judgment because you were not observing what was happening when you felt horny and needed to expulse some toxic waste. In truth, that sensation is the you want to just have sex for personal gain, and to numb that pain if you feel lonely for example (my case) ANICCA. For this reason, I CANNOT masturbate, and need to continue cleaning myself until I find an authentic girlfriend or wife for the right reasons. Sex and masturbation in marriage and with a GF is OK if the person and you have pure love and both judgments are not clouded, but usually in Traditional Chinese medicine there has to be exchange of yin and yang, so, if you do expulse makes sure you are observing what is happening on the surface and inside of the body... &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I now understood why I could not just find a girlfriend: because it would have caused her a lot emotional pain and it was not right, and pornography and masturbation caused a lot of suffering which I was ignorant from, just like a drug addict or a carrot addict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't be surprised you fall in love with women all the time, but make sure to do vipassana and read the Ananda sutta to see more insight. Sex and love are terms that are very well clouded because of our unawarness... which leads to SUFFERING.. I mean look, I am typing something, and boom! the urge to just launch off some nuclear sperm comes to my mind with a tons of PORNO, and wanting a wife. what to do if your a vipatator ( vipassana meditator)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-1 I accept that face that I am horny and cannot do anything about besides be EQUANIMOUS...&#xA;-2 My sensation of hornyness is on my stomach and chest,&#xA;-3 Heart Beats 130 Round per minute lol, breathing becomes faster&#xA;-4 I decide if I want to or not, but I observe and I am aware, and no shame...&#xA;-5 it disappears after a while, 10 minutes later comes back again! ANNICCA, same process... observe. Nothing ever lasts, everything changes.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sleeping with random women too, creates suffering for them and you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8304" LastEditorUserId="8304" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T19:04:47.643" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T19:04:47.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16117" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-01T20:24:34.530" Score="1" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some denominations in buddhism there is a conventional and an ultimate reality. So from the conventional point there could be, to begin with, two people so they could love each other. But in the ultimate reality there is only one, so it looks like that there aren't two people moreover there can't be love between people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if I think about that it seems to be strange that there isn't love in buddhism. So what is love meant to be in buddhism and how could love be practised in the ultimate reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="7648" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T20:32:42.533" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T00:46:31.337" Title="In Buddhism what is love meant to be and how is it shown and can two people love each other?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16117" CreationDate="2016-08-01T23:46:49.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Beatles sang “All you need is love” in our times. Then there is another song on ‘Love’ that the celestial being, Pañcasikha, wrote to his ladylove in the time of the Buddha. Pañcasikha approached the Buddha and playing on his vinā, sang of the parts of the body of his ladylove that he loves as much as the Arahants love the Dhamma. The song that this Deva sang talks about both of the carnal love of passion, and of the altruistic love of the Triple Gem. Our question here is how we can see this other “Love” through Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The love that we project in the loving-kindness (Metta) Meditation is the true love that one exercises toward oneself and others. We spread this other-worldly ‘love’ that is altruistic in nature in two ways. The two methods are Appamānha Chētō Vimukkti and Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti. Loving-kindness meditation is meant to be a challenge for you to really think through as to why you would want to limit your love, and to remind yourself of why it’s good to have love for everyone. In this guardian meditation, we spread love direction-wise without any limit. Also we can spread loving-kindness by expanding the area of focus progressively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a person progresses deeper into Dhamma, he/she discards the false values in self, in cultivating awareness and a love that is altruistic and unselfish. When a person gets into the Noble Eightfold path, he/she rises above the &quot;fetters&quot; (samyojana) of  (1) personality view, (2) doubt, (3) clinging to rules and rituals. This person is then possessed with qualities of honesty, uprightness, benevolence, altruistic joy, magnanimity, modesty and humility. The negative qualities of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, jealousy, avarice, feelings of self-importance and arrogance are not found in one who begins to walk the Noble Eightfold Path. So to your question, Love still exists, but goes beyond to a level of limitless that is difficult to fathom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-01T23:54:38.610" LastActivityDate="2016-08-01T23:54:38.610" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2016-08-02T08:39:36.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanting raises your personal vibration. Chanting vibrates on a high frequency so when you chant consistently, you vibrate on a higher frequency therefore the universe must mirror back to you what you are signaling out because we live in a attraction base vibrational universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Also listen to the teachings of Abraham Hicks she really breaks down vibration, frequency etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We live in a field of Vibration&#xA;We Physical beings are also vibration&#xA;Our dominate thoughts, feelings and action is what the universe is mirroring &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We experience High Vibration/Frequency when we are Feeling Good.&#xA;(releasing Resistance)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything we desire is because we feel our desire will make us feel good&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Chanting and Meditating are perfect examples that help raise the personal vibration. But it has to be done consistently and you must be patient. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings of the Buddhist practice is to live with absolute happiness, meaning Unconditional Happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy feelings= high vibration&#xA;Everything you want= high vibration &#xA;Who we are naturally= high vibration &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Living with unconditional Happiness, meaning feeling good no matter what and being positive attracts what you want. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But understand EMOTION/FEELING is truly the important manifestation. The actual manifestation is just the proof of your alignment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the feeling is the real manifestation,whatever feels good... continue to do it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8807" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T08:39:36.090" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16120" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-02T08:41:37.687" Score="1" ViewCount="4338" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone beleves in aswaha and katawaha? Is aswaha and katawaha defines in Buddhism? Can anyone explain is there any explanations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8806" LastEditorUserId="8806" LastEditDate="2016-08-02T09:02:43.897" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T03:49:34.983" Title="aswaha and katawaha in Buddhism" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16120" CreationDate="2016-08-02T09:47:45.710" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/16120/aswaha-and-katawaha-in-buddhism#comment27646_16120&quot;&gt;this interpretation of those words&lt;/a&gt; of those words is correct, then FYI I think that is a common folk belief in non-Buddhist cultures too; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/dont-jinx-it.314008/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;don't jinx it&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can explain this expresion to me? and in what context can I use it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A jinx is a little like a magical spell, specifically to make something go wrong. &lt;strong&gt;It's often used to refer to something good that is hoped will happen, but that might not happen if you talk about it in advance&lt;/strong&gt;. &amp;quot;Don't jinx it by talking about it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gutenberg.org/files/236/236-h/236-h.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;How beautiful are the noble children! How large are their eyes! And so young too! Indeed, indeed, I might have remembered that the children of kings are men from the beginning.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, Tabaqui knew as well as anyone else that there is nothing so unlucky as to compliment children to their faces. It pleased him to see (the parents) look uncomfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I can think of many other examples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One possible (non-supernatural) explanation might be that things are likely to get &amp;quot;better&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;worse&amp;quot; by themselves, no matter what anyone says -- and anyone expecting a &amp;quot;good&amp;quot; state to continue might be mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I once read another (non-Buddhism) aphorism, &amp;quot;good health is a temporary state which foretells nothing good&amp;quot; -- and I read something similar last night, though I forget where: the young Buddha telling an old man that only a fool would see their body as healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corollary might be that it's better might be that it's better not to say such things (i.e. if it's customary not to say such things then maybe this is one of the reasons for the custom). For example there's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.noogenesis.com/pineapple/Taoist_Farmer.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt; (which is maybe Zen or more possibly Taoist), about how it's wrong to predict the future (and predictions are often wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anther practical reason might be found in the (again, non-Buddhist) phrase: &amp;quot;Hope for the best but plan for the worst.&amp;quot; If you're not aware of the possibility that things might (or will) go 'bad' then you have no plan to handle it or you're slow to recognize the need for that plan and put it into action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying such a thing (e.g. &amp;quot;he is winning&amp;quot;) might show an attachment to that thing (attachment to &amp;quot;his state-of-winning&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T10:10:25.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16044" CreationDate="2016-08-02T12:48:31.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suggest that you do not overthink matters in relation to Buddhism. Remember that the Buddha was not a Buddhist. He practiced The Way and then showed others how to overcome suffering in their lives. This is basically it. Do Good-Avoid Evil and Purify your Mind. The value in The Buddha Way is not in intellectualism but rather within the intuitive practices. You can become your greatest teacher just find your Way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8699" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T12:48:31.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16109" CreationDate="2016-08-02T13:18:37.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is there anywhere to go from here?&quot; You go where your desires take you until you are ready to accept right where you are but we all push away where we are and cling to something else. We all do so, in some way or another unless we have mastered the Buddha'Eightfold Path(or a similar path). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be nonreactive and impartial with things as they are as they occur and you will see how you can have peace and happiness. How? Follow the Buddha's  Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T13:18:37.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16124" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-02T15:11:12.187" Score="5" ViewCount="482" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has been evolving dramatically since Buddha created it. Somehow it spawned into many different 'sects' across the world. There are numerous sutra and books on Buddhism. As a beginner, it's really hard to know what to start, but I had a feeling that I need to understand the original dogma/meaning of Buddhism when it was invented. However I heard that most sutra were written by Buddha's disciples, or disciples' disciples, or even laymen; Some of the recordings are contradict each other when interpreting Buddha's true meaning; Some original meaning was lost or probably altered since then. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone has suggestion how I should start and what to read?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8811" LastActivityDate="2019-09-27T05:23:25.903" Title="How to understand Buddhism original dogma?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16124" CreationDate="2016-08-02T16:54:41.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures are mostly consistent; without contradiction. The primary themes are non-harming (morality), non-sensual happiness (concentration) &amp;amp; non-attachment (wisdom). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are certainly some notable contradictions in them (for example, the Maha-Nidana Sutta), which I speculate were later attempts to introduce ideas about 'reincarnation' into the scriptures so a 'social religion' attracting a broader audience could be developed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would speculate this ultimately lead to the demise of Buddhism in India, making Buddhism indifferentiatible from Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The foundation for a proper understanding of the Pali teachings is to embrace the principle that is chanted everyday in Theravada Buddhist countries about the Dhamma or Teachings, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Svākkhāto Bhagavatā dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko, akāliko, ehipassiko, opaneyyiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī ’ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well taught is the Dhamma of the Blessed One, visible here and now, not involving time, inviting investigation, leading onwards, to be&#xA;  experienced by the wise.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a doctrine is believed or adhered to that cannot be experienced in the here &amp;amp; now by an ordinary mind, this is not the original doctrine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, any translations of the Pali Canon that do not make sense to the ordinary reader are not the original doctrine (since the Dhamma is 'well taught', plain &amp;amp; straightforward, as stated in the scriptures).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The greatest problem is that of language &amp;amp; translations. There are many crucial translated words, such as 'birth', 'death', 'cessation', 'body', etc, which are interpreted in ways that result in not being able to experience the interpretation in the here &amp;amp; now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, all of these crucial words are well-defined in the scriptures therefore those searching for a meaning that can be 'experienced in the here-&amp;amp;-now' can find it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to read something for beginners that accords with my explanation above, these links:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammatalks.net/Books5/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Two_Kinds_of_Language.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Two Kinds of Language&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammatalks.net/Books5/Buddhadassa_Bhikkhu_Buddha_Dhamma_for_University_Students.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddha-Dhamma For Students&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-02T17:02:49.963" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T17:02:49.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16117" CreationDate="2016-08-02T17:16:40.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;On a &lt;strong&gt;conventional&lt;/strong&gt; level &lt;em&gt;metta (loving-kindness)&lt;/em&gt; means wishing all beings to be happy. It's unconditioned in a sense, since the love is not dependent on the being (i.e. whether it's someone likeable or unlikeable), but still deals with the concept of '&lt;em&gt;beings&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever beings there may be, weak or strong, without exception, long, large, middling, short, subtle, blatant, seen &amp;amp; unseen, near &amp;amp; far, born &amp;amp; seeking birth: May all beings be happy at heart - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;ultimate&lt;/strong&gt; reality there exist &lt;strong&gt;no&lt;/strong&gt; beings at all (not even you exist). There is only the experience of one of the 6 senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, thinking). So &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; would here not refer to the concept of loving other people, but rather to the state of mind that is free from defilements (&lt;strong&gt;anger&lt;/strong&gt;, greed, delusion). This aspect is mentioned at the end of the &lt;em&gt;Metta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not taken with views, but virtuous &amp;amp; consummate in vision, having subdued desire for sensual pleasures, one never again will lie in the womb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-08-02T17:16:40.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-02T19:39:39.723" Score="1" ViewCount="671" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is masturbation a sin &lt;em&gt;in Vajrayana variety practiced in Bhutan as official state religion?&lt;/em&gt; When performed by non-monk, for example, adolescent boy, divorced man, as part of wider sexual practices used by partners, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8815" LastEditorUserId="7039" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T07:09:27.500" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T23:42:39.443" Title="Is it sinful to masturbate in Bhutanese variety of Vajrayana?" Tags="|ethics|vajrayana|laws|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16127" CreationDate="2016-08-03T00:04:39.807" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Masturbation is not a Dharma practice, even in Secret Mantra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T02:27:07.607" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T02:27:07.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16120" CreationDate="2016-08-03T03:49:34.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;“aswaha” and “katawah” in Sinhala, if translated  could be said as “Evil eye, evil mouth and evil tongue”.  This belief is found in almost all cultures. The effect of the evil eye is being misfortunate. The same is true in Buddhism. This is something that comes to pass when one tries to put into practice the Dhamma that one has learnt. This person could be one who has cultivated the five ‘Sēkha Bala Dhamma’ – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma).  Also this could be a person that has religiously gone through the stages of listening, remembering, constant reciting, mental observation and ideologically understanding the Dhamma (Sutha, dhata, vacasa paricita, manasanupekkhita, ditthiya suppatividdha). Still when trying to put into practice in daily life, what one has learnt, one faces many obstacles, difficulties, emotional pain, and conflicts that throw one away from this Dhamma path.  This is due to the “Evil eye, evil mouth and evil tongue” of ones own making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We’ve got to remember that Mara has a stranglehold of our six senses. (Mara is more precisely understood as &amp;quot;cravings and delusions&amp;quot;)  In the Samyutta Nikāya 4 -Connected Discourses with Mara: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn4.19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;19 – The Farmer&lt;/a&gt; this point is made clear to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Mine alone is the eye (in creatures). Mine are forms, mine is the sphere of consciousness &amp;amp; contact at the eye. Where can you go to escape me? Mine alone is the ear…the nose…the tongue…the body…. Mine alone is the intellect. Mine are ideas, mine is the sphere of consciousness &amp;amp; contact at the intellect. Where can you go to escape me?” – Mara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Yours alone is the eye, Evil One. Yours are forms, yours is the sphere of consciousness of contact at the eye. Where no eye exists, no forms exist, no sphere of consciousness &amp;amp; contact at the eye exists: there, Evil One, you cannot go. Yours alone is the ear…the nose…the tongue…the body…. Yours alone is the intellect, Evil One. Yours are ideas, yours is the sphere of consciousness &amp;amp; contact at the intellect. Where no intellect exists, no ideas exist, no sphere of consciousness of contact at the intellect exists: there, Evil One, you cannot go.” – Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember well the Supreme Buddha’s words…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize the Nibbāna is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The “Lokavidu” Buddha, the ‘knower of the worlds’ showed us the path, and told us how to escape from all the worlds. This Dhamma is for the wise. Each one has to come to Dhamma by one’s own effort.  As it is to be personally known by the wise, one cannot force it on ones loved one. The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Ariyas) who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.  So as long as we keep our personal practice very close to our hearts, with utmost humility, one can go far in this path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is possibility of being one amongst the minute few who remain in the finger tip, if we could relegate self, and put Dhamma to the forefront. This is an extremely difficult thing to do. That is why only a minute few succeed in this Path. If you are of the “I think therefore I am” type, telling the whole wide world what you do, why and how you go about it, you will not gain anything in this path even if you meditate at length, and you are the most benevolent, righteous person as per world view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T03:49:34.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16127" CreationDate="2016-08-03T04:01:21.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not a sin for laymen. Even for monks, it will become a &quot;sin&quot;, if it's goal or end result is ejaculation, but not otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T04:01:21.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16131" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-03T04:44:37.117" Score="3" ViewCount="996" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's clear right view is the foremost factor as without the right view one would not go for practicing the noble eightfold path at all. But when the rest is considered, is there a real sequence? My physical actions are generally good and my speech is fine but needs to be improved as I'm vulnerable to idle chatter. But controlling speech the action is difficult to me. But when I realize that idle chatter(rather idle communication, not just idle chatter alone) leads to more dukkha I am abstaining from it. It's kind of right concentration. Am I following the noble eight foldpath correctly in that scenario? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2022-10-06T06:25:12.573" Title="Sequence in the noble eightfold path" Tags="|theravada|four-noble-truths|stages-of-the-path|dukkha|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16131" CreationDate="2016-08-03T08:33:04.457" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right view is the leader ('forerunner') of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you realize idle chatter leads to more dukkha, this is right view leading your speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind maintains right speech in communication, this is right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In actually practising the path, right view &amp;amp; right mindfulness work together, as described below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is &lt;strong&gt;right view&lt;/strong&gt; the forerunner? &lt;strong&gt;One discerns wrong speech as wrong speech and right speech&#xA;as right speech&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong speech &amp;amp; for entering right speech: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon&#xA;wrong speech &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain in right speech: This is one's right&#xA;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort &amp;amp;&#xA;right mindfulness — run &amp;amp; circle around right speech.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Cattarisaka Sutta: The Great Forty&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T08:33:04.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16133" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-03T10:48:04.283" Score="5" ViewCount="587" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please note that i have no idea about what Zen is, and I mean no disrespect to anybody with this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have heard these words &quot;Zen Buddhism&quot;, many times, and I'm curious: why it is called or attached to Buddhism, and how did it come to be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T11:19:51.507" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T11:17:49.957" Title="What is Zen, what are Zen beliefs, and why is it called Buddhism?" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16133" CreationDate="2016-08-03T11:17:14.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Zen' is a Japanese word from the Chinese 'chaan', which is from the Sanskrit 'dhyana' &amp;amp; the Pali 'jhana'. Thus, 'Zen' means 'meditative absorption' &amp;amp; refers to a school of Buddhism with a primary focus on meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen is how Buddhism came to be after a long &amp;amp; centuries long journey across Asia to Japan. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen is generally included within 'Mahayana Buddhism' however, in my opinion, it is more 'Hinayana' ('individual focused') than Theravada (which has many teachings for laypeople).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T11:22:54.627" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T11:22:54.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16133" CreationDate="2016-08-03T12:43:46.583" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the history is that at some point, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;people in China&lt;/a&gt; began to hear of &quot;Buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From China it eventually moved/migrated to Japan (where it's called &quot;Zen&quot;). There were/are several schools or sects in Japan. My (not well-informed) impression is that an emphasis on meditation (or &quot;sitting&quot;) might be partly in reaction/opposition to sectarian arguing over doctrine and intellectualisation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As well as Japan, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen#Spread_of_Ch.C3.A1n&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen also exists in&lt;/a&gt; Korea and Vietnam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West#Immigrant_Buddhists_and_teachers&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first Buddhists to arrive in the USA&lt;/a&gt; were Zen school, and &quot;Zen&quot; might be better known (I don't mean &quot;well known&quot;, but known in the sense that &quot;a lot of people will have at least heard of it&quot;) in Western popular culture than, for example, Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example among the popular books on Zen that I read quite a while ago, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Kapleau#Writings&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Three Pillars of Zen&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Zen Flesh Zen Bones&lt;/em&gt; (both of which helped to popularize Japanese Zen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the popular foundations in the West at the moment is &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plum Village&lt;/a&gt; whose founder is, I read, from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.originmagazine.com/2013/08/04/thich-nhat-hanh-interview-by-oprah-winfrey/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vietnamese Zen&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to try to begin to answer &quot;Why is it called Buddhism?&quot; there's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lineage_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lineage&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_transmission&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharma transmission&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that in theory or traditionally that's understood as an unbroken chain of transmission of Dharma from teacher to student, a chain going back to the earliest teachers and the Buddha himself. The historical reality might be more complicated than that. Even so I think there's an emphasis on studying with (learning from) a living and relatively enlightened teacher, perhaps instead of an emphasis (or an exclusive emphasis) on studying the earliest texts (e.g. the Pali suttas or the Chinese &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhist_canon#Contents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Agamas&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As well as suttas there's also the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya#Traditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; which (I read) is apparently followed within some schools of Zen and not others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T13:07:05.283" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T13:07:05.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16136" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-03T14:54:25.647" Score="2" ViewCount="1337" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am practising mindful breathing and after a while it takes my concentration directly to my forehead. I tried to be in thoughtless state and just keep watching my forehead. After this practice for 2 or 3 days i feel a kind of pressure in my forehead for a day now. is this normal ? i am hesitated to continue my practice because of this. why i experience this sensation ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8817" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T01:29:36.990" Title="third eye experience of mindful breathing" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16131" CreationDate="2016-08-03T15:26:14.863" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some sequence at the beginning of the practice would be helpful. Please see Ven. Bodhi's excellent &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&quot;The Noble Eightfold Path&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, especially the sequence of practice described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chapter2&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T15:26:14.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16136" CreationDate="2016-08-03T15:44:36.020" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas didn't place any restriction on what area of the body one can focus on for mindfulness of breathing meditation. But there're 2 areas commonly taught by most masters and widely practiced: the nostril gates or the diaphragm. The nostril gates are taught in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; commentary (starting from page 259). If you find some discomfort during meditation, please consult your meditation master if you have one. I you don't have one, make sure to closely follow the textual instruction and try switching the focus to the nostril gates to see if it helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T15:44:36.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10789" CreationDate="2016-08-03T19:06:44.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 3rd and 4th truths do not relate to Pratītyasamutpāda. Instead, the relate to Pratītyanirodha. In  other words, the 3rd and 4th truths end/destroy Pratītyasamutpāda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda is the 2nd noble truth explained with more detail (quoted below).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha gave the 1st sermon on the 4 noble truths, this was simply an introductory or beginners teaching &amp;amp; not the Dhamma in full.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, there is no difference between the 4 noble truths &amp;amp; Pratītyasamutpāda/Nirodha, apart from the 4 noble truth is a short version &amp;amp; Pratītyasamutpāda/Nirodha is a long version.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is&#xA;stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp;&#xA;despair are stressful; association with what is not loved is&#xA;stressful, separation from what is loved is stressful, not getting&#xA;what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates&#xA;are stressful. This is called the noble truth of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the noble truth of the origination of stress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From&#xA;fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From&#xA;consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From&#xA;name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From&#xA;the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From&#xA;contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a&#xA;requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite&#xA;condition comes clinging. From clinging as a&#xA;requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite&#xA;condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then old&#xA;age &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into&#xA;play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp;&#xA;suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T19:06:44.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16136" CreationDate="2016-08-03T19:18:45.177" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sensation is being experience probably because you are deliberately focusing your intention on your forehead. Your post states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I tried to...just keep watching my forehead.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practising mindful breathing probably takes your concentration directly to your forehead because you are probably concentrating with your forehead. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to '&lt;em&gt;concentrate&lt;/em&gt;' to practise mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;with&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; breathing. If you simply let go &amp;amp; make the mind quiet, awareness of breathing will still occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because when the mind is quiet &amp;amp; not craving, breathing becomes the most gross or dominant sense object for the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why the 8 fold path does not start with concentration but ends with concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' means to let go of craving. When the mind is quiet, it starts to 'collect' or 'gather' itself, which is the meaning of 'concentration' ('samadhi' - 'collectedness'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T22:11:25.070" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T22:11:25.070" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16133" CreationDate="2016-08-03T22:26:25.320" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Zen' is the Japanese name of the school of Buddhism that originated in China around the 5th century AC, called (in Chinese) Chan Buddhism, and whose founder is thought to be Master Bodhidharma, an Indian monk. Later, in the XIIIth century, Master Dogen introduced this species of Buddhism into Japan, where it is mostly practiced today, alongide with the USA and Europe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a form of Buddhism because, among other things, it acknowledges the Way of the Buddha as a way to Awakening; because there is a traceable heritage that links today's Zen Masters with the historical Buddha; and because it emphasizes the practice of sitting meditation ('Zazen') as a way to achieve 'Satori', the Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various schools among the Zen tradition, but the more important today are the Soto and the Rinzai schools. Each of these schools emphasizes different aspects of the Buddhist heritage, and though their ceremonies and mindsettings somewhat diverge, they converge in the emphasis they make on Zazen as a practice that provides, when constantly and earnestly taken upon, an insight into the nature of the Self and the ultimate unsubstantiality of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8816" LastEditorUserId="8816" LastEditDate="2016-08-03T22:46:28.493" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T22:46:28.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16127" CreationDate="2016-08-03T23:42:39.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I get the impression that the word 'sin' is wrong when applied by a westerner toward Buddhism. The concept of sin is in and of itself a western concept and as such does not directly apply.  The 'sin' is relative and depends on context and is therefore diffused by virtue of relativity and context: and we see that the sin is in the eye of the beholder and not defined a priori as SIN.  The concept of God does not exist in Buddhism.  Sin is not really sin at all but mearly an opportunity to experience a path which may provide an excuse to change for the 'better'?. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8818" LastActivityDate="2016-08-03T23:42:39.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="16143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16124" CreationDate="2016-08-04T00:13:30.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.ca/books?id=9VcZttQMhMAC&amp;amp;pg=PA6&amp;amp;lpg=PA6&amp;amp;dq=original+buddhist+dhamma&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=okg4Rwbdnt&amp;amp;sig=o1LVe8Qi4Sgz3iagZG3oVo-Db5M&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjm-tmOuKbOAhXFDxoKHViyD8U4ChDoAQghMAA#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=original%20buddhist%20dhamma&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Original Buddhist Sources&lt;/a&gt; say is very true.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”The Dhamma possesses multiple forms and levels. It is incumbent upon the interpreter to seek the internal coherence and consistency within a text in order to understand it. If the method of interpretation must be based on the inherent structure and intention of the Dhamma, interpretation must mirror the Dhamma itself. This means, for instance, that any interpretation that contradicts the three marks of existence (that is, all life is suffering, everything is impermanent, and non-self) is incorrect. The nature of the Dhamma necessarily requires interpreting the Dhamma in terms of itself. This suggests that the Buddha becomes the interpreter of his own teachings. More specifically, the meaning of the Dhamma points to the purpose or goal of Nibbana, and demonstrates the way that the teaching is interrelated with other parts.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have an interest in learning the Dhamma, start with the Majjhima Nikaya.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://readingfaithfully.org/majjhima-nikaya-as-daily-practice/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Reading Faithfully&#xA;Building a relationship with the suttas&lt;/a&gt; tells you why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawasaskatoon.com/uploads/5/4/5/0/54508875/building_a_sutta_library.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;building a Sutta Library&lt;/a&gt; go to this link. It gives a list of Cannonical Collections, Sutta Anthologies, and Sources.  Use this list to build a basic collection of the discourses of Gotama Buddha that is readable, accurate, and nearly complete. Use this list to build a basic collection of the discourses of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T00:13:30.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16131" CreationDate="2016-08-04T01:10:48.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as the paths of Stream entry, Once returner, Non-returner , and Arahantship must be passed through and attained in sequence to reach full Purification and emancipation. There is a sequence to the &lt;strong&gt;complete&lt;/strong&gt;  understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path.  But it does NOT mean that it is to advance step by step in the sequence of the enumeration (one after the other) until “Samma Samadhi’.  The process starts in sequence and (the full completion of each step) ends in sequence though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1 .Right Understanding (sammâ ditthi)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Right understanding is seeing things as they really are – seeing things as impermanent, as dependently originated, as not-self, as impersonal, as seeing the Four Noble Truths. When we understand in all these various ways, all these descriptions are opposed to ignorance, to bondage, to entanglement in the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Right Thoughts (sammâ samkappa)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Clear vision or right understanding leads to clear thinking or Right Thoughts. Thought has an immense influence on one’s behavior. The cause of suffering is described in terms of desire, ill-will and ignorance. Right Understanding removes ignorance. Right Thought removes desire and ill-will. To remove desire and greed we need to cultivate renunciation or detachment. To remove ill-will, we need to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion. Nekkhamma, Avydpdda, Avihimsa are the three-fold Right thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Right Speech (sammâ vâcâ)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Right thoughts lead to right speech, the third factor. It speech involves respect for truth and respect for the welfare of others. Right speech means to avoid lying, to avoid back biting or slander, to avoid harsh words, and to avoid idle talk. Always be truthful and trustworthy and seek the good. Idle talk refers to malicious gossips, diverting oneself, entertaining oneself, recounting the faults and failings of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Right Action (sammâ kammanta)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;This leads to Right Action. Right action entails respect for life, respect for property, and respect for personal relationships. Respect for personal relationship means to avoid adultery, to avoid sexual misconduct. These three evil deeds are caused by craving and anger, coupled with ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Right Livelihood (sammâ âjîva)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Right livelihood is an extension of the rules of Right Action. It is very important to remember that dealing in intoxicants violates the principle of respect for the welfare of others. This contributes to the insecurity, to the suffering and discord in society. The practice of good conduct creates within the individual an inner sense of peace, of stability, of security and of strength. Once he has created that inner peace, he can then fruitfully and successfully practice the other steps of the path. He can cultivate and develop meditation. He can achieve wisdom only when he has created both inwardly and outwardly in his relationships with others and in himself the necessary foundation of good conduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. Right effort (sammâ vâyama)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Right effort is the first of the three steps in the mental development group. Together these three steps encourage and enable one to be self reliant, attentive and calm. Right effort (enthusiasm) means cultivating a positive attitude towards our undertakings. It means undertaking our tasks with energy, and a will to carry them through. J ust like the strings of the lute, effort should never become too tense, too extreme, and similarly, it should never become too slack. Right effort is a controlled, sustained, enthusiastic, cheerful determination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. Right Mindfulness (Sammâ Sati)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Mindfulness is awareness or attention, avoiding a distracted and clouded state of mind. Mindfulness acts as a rein upon our mind. At almost every moment of our life, our minds are running after objects of the senses, may they be sounds, or sights. The mind is never concentrated or still. This guard against unwholesome thoughts is mindfulness. It simply entails being aware and attentive, watching your mind, seeing where it is going, seeing what it is doing with regards to body, with regards to feelings, with regards to moments of consciousness, and with regards to objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. Right Concentration (sammâ samâdhi)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Right concentration is the practice of focusing the mind single pointedly on a object, be it physical or mental. When total single-pointed ness of the mind is achieved through concentration, the mind is totally absorbed in the object to the exclusion of all thoughts, distractions, wavering, agitation, or drowsiness. When one’s ability in this kind of meditation is developed, it has two principal benefits. Firstly, it leads to mental and physical well-being, comfort, joy, calm, tranquility. Secondly, it turns the mind into an instrument capable of seeing things as they really are. It prepares the mind to attain wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to turn our understanding of the Four Noble Truths from book knowledge into direct experience we have to achieve one-pointed ness of the mind. It is at this point that mental development is ready to turn its attention to wisdom. It is at this point that we see the role of concentration in Buddhism. This is similar to sharpening the pencil to write with, or sharpening of the axe which we use to cut off the roots of greed, hatred and delusion. When we achieve single-pointed ness of the mind, we are then ready to conjoin tranquility with penetrative understanding, meditation and wisdom. Wisdom is described as the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, or the understanding of the dependent origination and so forth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T01:10:48.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17143" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17225" CreationDate="2016-08-04T02:35:06.840" Score="1" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha tailored his teachings to meet the particular needs of his audience. &#xA;What are the different audiences then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a slightly related question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11320/should-a-beginner-try-to-educate-others-about-the-benefits-of-vipassana&quot;&gt;Should a beginner try to educate others about the benefits of Vipassana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T10:20:49.180" Title="To introduce Dharma, what categories of people are there?" Tags="|teaching|dharmas|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-04T03:10:20.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to group the audience s into categories as the differences are many. Each person differs in each ones' level of understanding. The skillful and unskillful qualities of a persons mind differs from person to person. Then every questioners need is different from one to another. Some questions call for analytical answers, and others require categorical answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had &lt;a href=&quot;http://tbsn.org/english2/talk.php?id=91&amp;amp;classid=7&amp;amp;page=40&amp;amp;keyword=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ten special powers&lt;/a&gt;. One of them was the ability to know positive and negative attribute of every being. So Buddha tailored the response depending on the person’s beliefs, or need, or level of knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The examples are many. One that came to mind was that of Cula Panthaka. The Buddha helped him to remove his ‘kleshas’ &amp;amp; ‘upakkleshas’  and finally release his mind from all defilements. The story goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of the Supreme Buddha, there were two brothers. They ordained in the Dispensation of the Buddha. The elder brother was very talented in remembering the Dhamma really well, but the second brother was unable to remember even one stanza. So, the elder brother asked his young brother to give up the monkhood and leave, “You can’t remember the Dhamma. You must go back home and start cultivating some plants.” But the younger brother didn’t want to leave the monkhood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end, the younger-brother monk went to the temple’s gate and sat there crying. The Supreme Buddha came to him.&#xA;“Chūla Panthaka, why are you crying?”&#xA;“Oh dear Sir, my brother asked me to leave the temple.”&#xA;“Why was that?”&#xA;“I can’t remember any stanza I read. Therefore, he asked me to leave the monkhood and cultivate a field at home.”&#xA;“No, that’s not what you should do. Your brother doesn’t own this dispensation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha gently touched the monk’s head and took his hand, “Come with me.” The Supreme Buddha gave this young monk a small piece of cloth. “Dear monk, rub this cloth saying ‘cleaning, cleaning (rajō haranhan)’.” The young monk did as the Buddha told him. He saw that even though his intention was to clean the cloth, it was actually getting dirty gradually, “I rubbed this saying it to clean, but it is actually getting dirty.” His mind was well concentrated on to what happened to the cloth. The Supreme Buddha preached the Dhamma, so that the monk’s mind will be cultivated. In a moment, the young monk became an Arahant. See how his talent of realizing the Dhamma was concealed within him. If it was not the Buddha himself, who else would be able to do such a miracle? How many chances we may have missed and how many talents of us realizing life may have been concealed within us? Who would know how to unveil that talent in us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was this Chūla Panthaka Thero who became the first among the Bhikkhus who were able to create mental (Manōmaya) bodies. His brother monk didn’t know about it. He thought Chūla Panthaka Thero has gone home by that time. On that same day, all Bhikkhus went to alms-offering invitation. The Supreme Buddha told them that one monk is missing. Nobody knew about Chūla Panthaka Thero. The Supreme Buddha asked someone to go fetch the missing monk from the temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he went to the temple, he saw one thousand monks. They were all alike. They were walking, cleaning the ground, and meditating. That person who came to fetch the monk ran back to the house and told the Supreme Buddha, “Dear Sir, there are thousand monks in the temple now.” The Supreme Buddha told him, “Please go back and ask what his name is. Touch the robe of the monk whoever answers first.” So, that person went back to the temple and said, “Who among you is called Chūla Panthaka Thero?” Then all thousand monks came forward saying, “I am… I am… I am…” As soon that person touched the monk who first answered, all other nine hundred ninety nine monks (bodies) disappeared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He said, “Dear Sir, please come to lunch.” Chūla Panthaka Thero answered, “Dear devotee, you go please. I will come later.” The Supreme Buddha had the devotees at home to make a chair for Chūla Panthaka Thero. Then a Bhikkhu appeared from beneath the ground and sat on that chair; it was the Chūla Panthaka Thero.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T03:46:05.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16136" CreationDate="2016-08-04T03:41:21.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;May be that your problem lies in taking literally what your meditation master said.  If you find that focusing on the breath gets you distracted, the normal advice that you get is to just focus right between your eyes, or the middle of the forehead when breathing.  The problem comes when you stare right there literally.  While sitting upright, you should ‘touch’ that  spot &lt;strong&gt;with your mind’s eye&lt;/strong&gt;,  and not strain to focus your eyes to that spot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T03:41:21.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-04T09:30:54.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures show two basic audiences: (i) ordinary people (&lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt;), who have or are not capable of abandoning self-view; and (ii) the noble disciple (&lt;em&gt;ariyasāvaka&lt;/em&gt;), who has or is capable of abandoning self-view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus there is a stock phrase in the Pali scriptures, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...this is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between a noble disciple and an ordinary&#xA;  person...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, MN 117 lists teachings that are taken on faith by the ordinary person &amp;amp; teachings that are for the noble disciple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered,&#xA;  what is sacrificed. There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions.&#xA;  There is this world &amp;amp; the other worlds. There is mother &amp;amp; father. There&#xA;  are spontaneously born beings; there are contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans&#xA;  who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the&#xA;  other worlds after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This&#xA;  is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in&#xA;  acquisitions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path? The discernment (wisdom), the faculty of&#xA;  discernment, the strength of discernment, analysis of qualities as a&#xA;  factor for awakening, the path factor of right view in one&#xA;  developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without&#xA;  effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right&#xA;  view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the&#xA;  path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the teaching above states the ordinary person should believe there are 'beings' ('satta') spontaneously born due to their good &amp;amp; bad actions yet teachings for noble disciples, such as SN 5.10, state there are no 'beings' to be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the reason there a teachings that contradict each other, such as MN 60 which states the view of 'existence' is right view for a householder &amp;amp; SN 12.15 which states the view of 'existence' is wrong view for the noble disciple; or teachings such as in Sigalovada Sutta which states the duty of a monk is to point out the path to 'heaven' (rather than to Nibbana) to the lay devotee. That is why the teachings about kamma &amp;amp; 'rebirth' never include the teaching of 'not-self' in them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later scholars, such as Buddhaghosa, created ideas that impersonal not-self (empty) phenomena are reborn in cycles of rebirth but the Buddha did not teach like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures also include some special teachings to Brahmans using their own religious ideas, such as ending 'nama-rupa' ('name-&amp;amp;-form') &amp;amp; radiating love as the path to union with Brahma (God). These teachings confuse many modern Buddhists, who take these teachings to be Buddhism rather than (improvements to) Brahmanism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In relation to what is posted above, the scriptures never report the Buddha making the declaration that 'karma &amp;amp; rebirth' or 'the path to Brahma' were his personal teachings &amp;amp; revelations (since these basic ideas pre-existed before the Buddha or used ideas not relevant to the Buddha himself). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures (eg, AN 3.61, AN 3.134,  SN 56.11, SN 56.31, SN 12.20, SN 20.7, MN 56, etc) only state the Buddha declared the 'six elements', the 'eighteen applications of mindfulness at feeling', the 'four noble truths', the 'three characteristics', 'dependent origination' &amp;amp; 'emptiness' to be his special &amp;amp; unique teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the Blessed One discoursed to him a graduated sermon, that is to say, he spoke on the subjects of generosity, virtue, the heavens, on&#xA;  the evil consequences, the vanity and the depravity of sensual&#xA;  pleasures and on the advantages of renunciation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Blessed One perceived that the mind of Upāli, the householder, was prepared, pliant, free from obstacles, elevated and&#xA;  lucid, then he revealed to him that special doctrine of the Buddhas,&#xA;  viz. Suffering, its Arising, its Ceasing and the Path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 56&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-04T09:37:19.460" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T09:37:19.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17147" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17168" CreationDate="2016-08-04T09:53:32.710" Score="4" ViewCount="181" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been hosting people in my home recently, and I felt uncomfortable because they were being a little lazy for the common chores and sometimes even greedy when we had to pay for goods (eg. food, gasoil, etc.) by not proposing any financial participation (I wasn't asking anything though, but they are far from being poor), even though I was accepting them in my own house for a whole week and taking them with my car here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was, considering my culture, a big disrespect not because I expected any money in return, but because the least they could've done is to show some gratitude. (Note : it is not the first time that this happens, we had them a few times and I felt the same way every time)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I spoke with my wife, who doesn't feel the same way, and told her I wouldn't invite them for such a long period anymore because I was afraid this might eventually take my patience to its limits and consequently provoke the end of this friendship. I'd rather spend nice evenings with them or even weekends from time to time, but nothing more than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel guilty for making my wife sad by not accepting those people that aren't being harmful objectively and that we really like, but doesn't the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eight-fold Path&lt;/strong&gt; specifies that one should avoid bad thoughts by cutting the source of them ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did I do the right thing or am I overreacting there ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="580" LastActivityDate="2016-08-06T11:45:30.590" Title="Hosting people who are making me feel angry" Tags="|anger|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-08-04T12:49:02.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Uilium, I would ask you, what is your aim, or goal? If liberation is what you are intent upon, the Buddha had this to say in regards to how one should conduct their speech :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html#speech&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skillful Verbal Action&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;And how is one made pure in four ways by verbal action?&lt;/strong&gt; There is the case where a certain person, abandoning false speech, abstains from false speech. When he has been called to a town meeting, a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives, his guild, or of the royalty, if he is asked as a witness, 'Come &amp;amp; tell, good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I don't know.' If he does know, he says, 'I know.' If he hasn't seen, he says, 'I haven't seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I have seen.' Thus he doesn't consciously tell a lie for his own sake, for the sake of another, or for the sake of any reward. Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world. Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech. What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not tell here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, &lt;strong&gt;he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing &amp;amp; pleasing to people at large.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, &amp;amp; the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal. This is how one is made pure in four ways by verbal action.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5191" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T13:56:12.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17147" CreationDate="2016-08-04T13:44:12.427" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my personal favorite. I have had this happen so many times although the victim was my mother who had to do a lot of things and I contributed a bit in a constructive fashion. This seems to be a fairly common case experienced by many hospitable people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the deal here is that I would not worry what the noble eight fold path says or whatever. This is rather general i.e., in terms of how best to deal with things that happen. It is about the choices you make and consequence you receive. There are lots of options to consider and each one would have a consequence. But without hurting others, (although I wouldn't mind giving the guests a piece of my mind), choose the best and most congenial option available. Sometimes it may be best to go out or do something else wherein you are busy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Funny thing is they know they are being unhelpful too. But they still stick around. You could employ the tactic of asking for help when and if you need it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with being practical about such matters. But know that you always deserved everything that came to you. Feeling something about it, either positive or negative, makes no difference to the matter. This is a little hard to take. &#xA;I am not asking you not to feel guilty or angry but know that when it comes, it is pointless to act on a whim. There are other ways to deal with the matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One other important thing is that, trying to satisfy other people is not your problem. You can treat/guide them to an extent. And in the world I have observed that no matter what you do you will be criticized in some way. Even Jesus was criticized. Buddha has been criticized. It's important how they took it. Because they were in total control of how they reacted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again I am not perfect and nobody is, and sometimes I get irritated too. But being practical and working on distancing yourself from emotions is important. The rest is how you conduct yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T13:44:12.427" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-04T15:17:29.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kesi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  is where Buddha explained to a horse trainer of methods he used in teaching.  It indirectly explains types of audiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gentle,  result of good conduct.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;harshness, result of misconduct.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gentleness &amp;amp; harshness, both methods above.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;put down,  Buddha regarded him as being worthless to teach.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T15:17:29.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-04T16:35:09.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though I agree with other answers I'm not sure I agree with the question: i.e. I'm not sure it's sane to try to categorize the different audiences, or decide there's only one possible categorization-system (still there are many &lt;em&gt;common&lt;/em&gt; categorization-systems, e.g. ordained or lay, enlightened or not, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I mean is that, although it's true he spoke to groups of people (and a group might be seen as a category), sometimes he taught small groups or 'individuals': assuming each teaching was &quot;tailored to meet the particular needs of his audience&quot;, that's a specific/individual audience (not a category).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26)&lt;/a&gt; which I think explains &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; he started the Dhammacakkappavattana by teaching the doctrine of the Middle Way: i.e. he did that because that specific audience (who had met him before enlightenment) thought he must be wrong (and therefore, perhaps, unenlightened and not worth listening to) because he had stopped performing austerities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Friends, here comes Gotama the contemplative: living luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they for example could be called a &quot;category-of-people-who-think-you-need-to-perform-austerities-in-order-to-find-enlightenment&quot;, or the &quot;category-of-people-who-thought-they-could-address-the-Tathagata-by-name-and-as-'friend'&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, lots of categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as I said perhaps it's not sane to try to categorize (so the preceding was an example of wrongly categorizing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there are as many different categories are there are different ignorances/delusions. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear which Buddhist school you're asking about but the question is tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/dharmas&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;dharmas&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;dharmas&lt;/a&gt;. Apparently, a translation of one of the versions of the Bodhisattva vows is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sentient beings are numberless; I vow to save them all.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Desires are inexhaustible; I vow to end them all.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Dharma Gates are infinite; I vow to enter them all.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha Way is unexcelled; I vow to attain it completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another translation of that is, &quot;the dharmas are infinite&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your question was asking how to teach (asking how you could teach) Buddhism to different (categories of) people, there were &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; answers to that here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question, though, might be like asking, &quot;My mum has given people little presents which meet their particular needs. What are the different categories of people?&quot; Well, there's a category of people who'd appreciate being given a new, easy-to-use, pink umbrella for their own use; there's a category of people who'd feel touched, by a hand-sewn sachet with dried lavender and their name embroidered on it; etc. If it really is 'tailored' and enlightened it might defy categorization, automation, generalization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case it matters, when you asked the question my first thought/memory was that there was only one category: i.e. &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.2-Ayacana-S-s6.1-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;beings with little dust in their eyes (SN 6.1)&lt;/a&gt;&quot;. Or depending on how you interpret that sutta, a different (single) category i.e. &quot;those who would hear&quot; (sometimes translated, &quot;those with ears&quot;). Or a more inclusive set of categorizations,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their&#xA;  eyes and beings with much dust in their eyes, the keen and the dull, the good and the evil, those easy to&#xA;  teach and those hard to teach, and some who live seeing blame (for wrongdoing) and fear (of pain) and in the hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as in a lotus pond of the blue or white or red lotuses, some lotuses might be born in the&#xA;  water, grow up in the water, and thrive while submerged in the water, without rising out of the water;&#xA;  some lotuses might be born in the water, grow up in the water, and stand up at an even level with the&#xA;  water; some lotuses might be born in the water and grow up in the water, but would rise up from the water&#xA;  and stand up in the water without being soiled by the water––&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, too, surveying the world with the Buddha Eye, the Blessed One sees beings with little dust in&#xA;  their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities&#xA;  and with bad qualities, easy to teach and difficult to teach, and a few who dwelt seeing blame and fear in&#xA;  the next world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-04T18:02:28.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17152" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-04T23:39:41.743" Score="7" ViewCount="5568" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I were to begin meditating, what practical list of advises would you give me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9820" LastEditorUserId="9820" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T00:44:50.647" LastActivityDate="2020-02-14T07:15:15.997" Title="In short, what is the path to enlightenment? Where to begin?" Tags="|enlightenment|beginner|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17147" CreationDate="2016-08-05T00:29:14.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@ZenJin, there’s something that you and I and all of us can get from &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.ca/books?id=BHj-EGgb-RUC&amp;amp;pg=PA51&amp;amp;lpg=PA51&amp;amp;dq=There+are+two+kinds+of+families,+one+is+the+karmic+family+that+you+beget+and+marry&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=cS_Y0lQP8D&amp;amp;sig=8WzYL2EIAzhkkb5T24T5bmswru0&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwigjfP-_KnOAhVK7IMKHfpTAvwQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=There%20are%20two%20kinds%20of%20families%2C%20one%20is%20the%20karmic%20family%20that%20you%20beget%20and%20marry&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Priestess Diotima’s advice to Socrates&lt;/a&gt;. She said to him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”There are two kinds of families, one is the karmic family that you beget and marry; the other is the true family and Spiritual family. These are the people who share your knowledge and follow your aspirations and dreams. These are the people who share your bliss.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“O Diotima why could not these be the same? Why cannot I have my Karmic family be the same as my Spiritual family?” cried Socrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;”On a rare occasion this can happen. In your case your Karma is to have a nagging wife and unresponsive children. In your passed life you must have invoked this Karma by your own deeds.” Said Diotima.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your predicament, @ZenJin,  is having to host these people. Since you cannot get away from it, as your wife too has a equal say on it, what lessons could you learn from it, to further your Dhamma path? You can either create suffering and stress around this event, or let it be a lesson in Dhamma by thinking in terms of the four noble truths.  Or think that it is of your own making, and let it pass without thinking too much about it (verbal fabrication),  and not trying to bring up past unpleasant memories of them (mental fabrication). Then this can provoke anger in you (bodily fabrication). Likewise you can think through Dhamma, as these thing you just can’t get rid of; it’s like a cart wheel tightly fastened by an iron pin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;” “Dear Monks, these beings live having Karma as what they own. They live inheriting the Karma, making it the birth place, and making it their relative. The Karma is their refuge. If a friendly or evil karma is performed, that Karma will be his inheritance.” - (Sansappanii Pariyāya Sutta – A.N. 10th Nipātha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of creating any unpleasantness , if mindfully you see such a situation in a positive light?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Dear Monks, if a person with the Sammā Ditthi has a bodily action, an action with respect to words, an action with respect to mind, an intention, an existence, an aim, and Karma (Sanskāra) that cause effects according to his view, all these will result in fulfilled, as desired, and pleasurable things. What is the reason for that? Dear Monks, that view is pleasant. Dear Monks, it is like this: let’s think that a seed of sugar cane or hill rice or grape was planted in a wet ground. If these seeds grow well by drawing nutrition and water from the earth, all these will result in sweet and tasty products. What’s the reason for that? Dear Monks, it’s because it was a pleasant seed.” - (A. N. 3rd Nipatha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Past kammas are non-eternal.  So come into the Path, and free yourself of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Dear Monks, what does it mean by freeing oneself from the Karma? The touching of the freedom by freeing oneself from the Karma done by body, words, and mind is known as the freeing from Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear Monks, what is the path to free from Karma? It is the Eight Noble Path: Sammā Ditthi, Sammā Sankappa, Sammā Vāchā, Sammā Kammantha, Sammā Aajeeva, Sammā Vāyāma, Sammā Sathi, and Sammā Samādhi. Dear Monks, this is called the path of freeing oneself from the Karma.” - (Kamma Sutta – S. N. 4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T09:40:15.970" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-05T01:31:42.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan traditions, especially in the &lt;strong&gt;old&lt;/strong&gt; Kadampa and the Gelug tradition, there is a genre of teachings called &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Gradual&lt;/strong&gt; Path to Enlightenment&quot; (Lam Rim).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It shows how relying on a qualified teacher matters and how to do so, how to meditate on death and impermanence, abide by ethical discipline, renounce the pleasure of this life, and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atisha's &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.kagyumonlam.org/Download/TEXT/Lamp%20For%20the%20Path%20to%20Enlightenment/English%20Root%20Text%20BodhipathapradIpa.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lamp on the path to enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; is a short Lam Rim that His Holiness the Dalaï-Lama &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/english/itp.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Commented&lt;/a&gt;. Je Tsongkhapa wrote a short, middle-length and great Lam Rim. Here you find his short Lam Rim, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fpmt-ldc.org/pdf/gtz_bk_lamrim.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The foundation of all good qualities&lt;/a&gt;, with Geshe Sopa's commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, my main advise to you: &lt;strong&gt;study with a qualified teacher&lt;/strong&gt;. An I am not saying this teacher ought to be a Tibetan one, as long as he is qualified. Too often do we see people who did not study properly, who have wrong views (new-age like views or Hindu-like views at best) and who think they can understand the texts on their own. They end up thinking that &quot;all is one&quot;, that &quot;nothing exists whatsoever&quot;, that &quot;this is all a dream&quot;. This is neither correct nor healthy. Focus on that rather than meditation. Dharma practice has to be ordinary, you should not hope for extra-ordinary experiences and that would be a risk if you engaged in meditation without having studied thoroughly beforehand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T01:41:12.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T01:41:12.773" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-05T01:45:54.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You would like to know where to begin this Path to Enlightenment, and you want the answer to be short.  The question is whether you are clever enough to have confidence in the Dhamma that Buddha had explained systematically and in detail. If you cannot develop an unflinching belief in the Buddha (Saddha), you will not go far. If Buddha’s advice to you is to first practice the meditations of ‘Asubha Sanna’ (idea of the impurity of the body), Loathsomeness of food, not taking delight in worlds, Considering all Sankharas as impermanent, and thinking of death before getting into Breathing Meditation, but you think otherwise, then you will not go far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who accepts the Buddha’s Teachings  is in it for the long run. He will not be in a hurry.  His will be a slow, continuous, methodical, orderly practice. Even if it takes five to ten years to get results, he will not falter.  If such a person fails to realize Enlightenment (Nibbana) in this life, he will definitely do so within seven lifetimes the most. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditating such a person will only have one goal – that is to liberate from this never ending Samsara – the never-ending cycle of re-becoming.  To have this level of confidence you have to ONLY read the TRUE teachings of the Budddha and accept it. There is an inherent calmness in such a person. He is never in a hurry. This calmness is not a forcefully formed one. All these starts with ‘Sadda’ -  the unflinching belief in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Arya Sangha – the Arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T01:45:54.327" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-05T02:40:23.640" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The shortest explanation of the path to enlightenment is to not crave or cling egoistically (possessively) to anything, which includes meditation &amp;amp; enlightenment. For example, in meditation, if everything becomes peaceful, calm &amp;amp; blissful, the mind does not think: &quot;I am blissful&quot; or &quot;I love this bliss&quot;. Instead, the mind just experiences the bliss, without thinking about or judging it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when reading or hearing about 'breathing meditation', the mind should not try to do breathing meditation because this is craving. Instead, the mind should just quietly &amp;amp; gently free itself from craving (while sitting in meditation) and allow the breathing meditation to occur by itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While 'non-clinging' is not exactly the same as 'non-judging', for a beginner, it is similar. Therefore, a short path to enlightenment is described as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You should train yourself thus: 'When seeing, merely see what is seen; when hearing, merely hear what is heard; when&#xA;  sensing, merely sense what is sensed; when cognizing (a mental&#xA;  object), merely cognise what is cognized.' In this way you should&#xA;  train yourself, Bahiya.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.irel.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bahiya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation for enlightenment requires the foundation of non-harming; with the aspiration to not harm anything or anyone. This makes &amp;amp; keeps the mind pure, without obstacle or hindrance. It also generates compassion, which is an important energy for meditation. Here, a clear v ision/view in respect to sexual morals is especially important because the primary obstacle to meditation for enlightenment is often sexual desire. When there is non-harmful view about sex, the instinctual sexual drive can be transformed into compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, beginning by doing a short meditation retreat (7 to 10 days) in a meditation centre or monastery can be particularly useful; not so much for the teachings; but for the atmosphere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T03:24:21.497" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T03:24:21.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-05T03:15:09.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically each Dharma will finally lead you to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start with the one that is easy for you, that you are happy to practice, that does not annoy other people, that you can afford to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similar as you eat, pick up the food that is available for you, that you are happy to eat, that does not cause other being suffering, that you can afford to get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such as your name is Richard, you might start to think what is Rich, what does money do with my life, is it important to my life, and keep asking questions until you have answered many questions related to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such as your name is Santiago, you might start to ask what is ago, what is time, what has happened to me yesterday, what am I currently doing, what I m going to do tomorrow, do I remember what I did one year ago, what is happened to me when I was young, what happened to me before I was born, and keep asking questions until you are clear of many things related to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are lots of Dharma that Buddha has taught during his time. Pick one book and read, and practice according to what the dharma book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy and enlightened soon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7697" LastEditorUserId="7697" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T03:20:30.777" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T03:20:30.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17159" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-05T03:51:43.210" Score="2" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I did bit research, I found that. All the Goddess in Buddhism are Demons (&lt;strong&gt;Yesha&lt;/strong&gt;) by origin. After getting enlightenment and following from Buddha's teaching, they are transform from Demon to Goddess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Example: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hariti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hārītī Ajima&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; who use to kill and feed on human children, become the goddess to protect infant children (Very Interesting Story).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am just interested to know more about Buddhism. I heard there are certain steps or processor that need to achieve to reach such &lt;strong&gt;Divine&lt;/strong&gt; stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So just wondering what are those process or steps called and there definition??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If possible can, someone can share sites with interesting and motivation stories on Buddhism??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7210" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T04:36:45.533" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:08:29.507" Title="Goddess in Buddhism" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-05T06:54:03.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was very clear on this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta (The Foundations of Mindfulness)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the only way, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of Nibbana, namely, &lt;strong&gt;the four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;This is the only way, monks&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; is a translation of the Pali&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EKYĀNO AYAṀ BHIKKHAVE MAGGO&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are different interpretations to what is meant by this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no other way leading to &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt; (= &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Awakening&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;) than &lt;em&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This way must be practiced by oneself alone&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This way is not crooked, it's the direct/shortest way to &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the teaching he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for six years... five... four... three... two years... one year... seven months... six months... five... four... three... two months... one month... half a month, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way &lt;strong&gt;for seven days&lt;/strong&gt;, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So practicing &lt;em&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/em&gt; would be the best option for you. For a basic understanding of the practice you can read the original teachings itself, and read/listen to explanations by other teachers like these&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loYrma9Zr3o&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Sumedho: Talk on mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru-V5cY8Gbs&amp;amp;list=PLapl9kiFcUgw-7JFK-NQbyHcV7Nw6tmry&amp;amp;index=7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi: Talk on the Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;How To Meditate&amp;quot; by Ven. Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course the only thing that really matters is your actual practice of meditation and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T06:54:03.080" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17147" CreationDate="2016-08-05T09:05:08.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Look for techniques to cultivate Metta(loving-kindness) and karuna(compassion) then practice compassion for yourself and for your guests, it is a good replacement for anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T09:05:08.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16131" CreationDate="2016-08-05T15:42:33.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am only going to address the first part of your question. The Noble Eightfold Path is paradoxical because it begins with Right View, which follows immediately after the pre-path &quot;grade&quot; of dharma follower (which in turn follows after faith follower). The nun Dhammadina came up with a threefold classification that the Buddha accepted, consisting of Virtue, Meditation, and Wisdom, in that order. This then raises the question of sequence, since the sequence of the NEP - without which the Buddha said there is no authentic dharma practice - is clearly Wisdom, Virtue, Meditation. Although some religious Buddhists discount the order of the NEP, suggesting that the stages can be achieved simultaneously or in any order (and it is certainly true that the Buddha taught all sorts of meditations to different people at different stages of development), noted Pali scholar Peter Masefield has suggested that the order of the NEP is important, and my own comparative researches in the Pali Canon confirm this. The apparent discrepancy is resolved by regarding the threefold classification as being in order of importance, which has also been suggested by Buddhist scholar Hirakawa Akira. However, the paradox remains. How can the first step of the path be identical with the attainment of wisdom, which the Pali Canon makes clear is the salvific principle itself? The attainment of wisdom makes one a stream enterer, beyond which salvation is certain - it's just a matter of time. Some religious Buddhists have suggested that Right Wisdom is simply a kind of formal religious or intellectual assent, much as some Christians associate &quot;repentance&quot; (&lt;em&gt;metanoia&lt;/em&gt;) with a kind of formal catechism, but the word &lt;em&gt;samma&lt;/em&gt; means 'perfect.' Thus, each step of the path must &lt;em&gt;perfected.&lt;/em&gt; Others might regard Right View as formal entry to the sangha in the sense of monastic community, but the inclusion of Right Livelihood in the NEP militates against this interpretation too, since monastics are not permitted to earn a livelihood. It is also true that many Buddhist monastics were and are &lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt; monastics and not enlightened at all. From this it follows that the path is also open to householders, as is clearly shown in the Pali Canon itself (difficult, but not impossible). It follows therefore that entry to the NEP in itself represents an advanced spiritual attainment, and is not merely a matter of intellectual assent or even conversion, which clearly pertains to the two pre-path stages aforementioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T15:42:33.513" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17163" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-05T20:17:08.403" Score="4" ViewCount="334" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) How are cetasikas expressed? Could they be expressed as how the mind is orientated, thus influencing how, when, and what cittas arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Do cetasikas therefore play any indirect role in the patticasamuppada process (dependent origination, did I spell the Pali right), say, for example, by governing what vēdana arises in response to contact?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8552" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T23:57:01.400" Title="Questions about cetasikas" Tags="|theravada|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2016-08-05T22:36:56.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have personally never studied 'cetasikas' but have studied Paticcasamuppada in detail. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paticcasamuppada explains the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;12 conditions&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) rather than causes (&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;) that condition the origination or generation of psychological suffering (sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it is important to distinguish between 'generic vedana' arising at contact (such as vedana experienced by a fully enlightened arahant that has attained &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;) and 'ignorant vedana' arising in paticcasamuppada, which occurs due to ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since 'contact' is a 'cetasika' (per &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;), all vedana is a response to the citasika of contact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in paticcasamuppada, every one of the 12 conditions (and their sub-constituents, which total at least &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;54&lt;/a&gt;) arise due to the cetasika of ignorance/wrong-view/delusion, as described in the quote below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by &lt;strong&gt;feeling that which is felt born of contact with ignorance&lt;/strong&gt;, craving arises. That fabrication of 'self'&#xA;  is born of that. And that fabrication is inconstant, fabricated,&#xA;  dependently co-arisen. That craving... That feeling... That contact...&#xA;  That ignorance is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Parileyyaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-05T22:55:20.260" LastActivityDate="2016-08-05T22:55:20.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2016-08-06T01:32:23.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because you have specifically asked as to what “Cetasika” means I will give a brief introduction. But I have no interest in giving the sources for it, as to where I took it from. It is because I do not want to see any of my Dhamma friends to go into this level of detail. Life is fleeting. It doesn't last as long as we would like. We have precious little time to practice this Dhamma. We cannot even make sense of the simpler discourses in the Sutta Pitaka, so why would one want to go into such?. The Sutta Pitaka consists chiefly of discourses delivered by the Buddha Himself on various occasions. In it the mental factors are beautifully explained, and one need NOT go any further. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Cetasika” is found in the Abhidhamma. In my opinion it is there for the “I think therefore I am” type – the so called deep thinkers, who are too smart for their own good. Anyway this is what “Cetasika” means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 52 cetasikas (mental factors), which, arising together in various combination, giving rise to what we call the Mind. Of these fifty-two, Vedana and Sanna are treated as two distinct groups. The remaining fifty are collectively called Sankhara.  Unlike the Conventional Teachings of the Suttas, the later day  intellectualization  of the Dhamma came up with  Abhidhamma or  Paramattha Desana  (An Ultimate Doctrine). This Abhidhamma Pitaka is composed of the following works:-- Dhamma-Sangani (Enumeration of Phenomena); Vibhanga (The Book of the Treatises); Katha Vatthu (Point of Controversy); Puggala Pannatti (Description of Individuals); Dhatu Katha (Discussion with reference to Elements); Yamaka (The Book of Pairs); Patthana (The Book of Relations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four ultimate things (Paramattha) are explained in order in the Abhidhamma. They are Citta, (Consciousness), Cetasika (Mental concomitants), Rupa (Matter) and Nibbana. The “being” is microscopically analysed and its component parts are minutely described in it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A citta is a single act of consciousness - &quot;a state of mind.&quot; Each citta consists of many components. Consciousness - the basic experiencing of the object is taken seperately. Together with consciousness every citta contains cetasikas or mental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cetasikas is said to color the citta and give it its distinctive character.  By reference to cetasikas, citta is broken down to: a mind that is lustful, a mind without lust, a mind with or without aversion, a mind with delusion or without delusion, a cramped or scattered mind, a developed or undeveloped mind, a surpassable or unsurpassable mind, a concentrated or unconcentrated mind, the freed or unfreed mind. Mind is not identified with as &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine,&quot; not taken as a self or as something belonging to a self. it may be in a pure state or a defiled state, a lofty state or a low state. Likewise this analytical doctrine, this analysis goes on and on and on minutely describing everything. If that is what you want you can start reading the Abhidhamma. Good luck to you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-06T01:40:07.017" LastActivityDate="2016-08-06T01:40:07.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17167" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17179" CreationDate="2016-08-06T10:30:59.157" Score="1" ViewCount="1268" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Four Nutriments ('ahara') of physical food, sense contact, intention &amp;amp; consciousness are discussed using four comparative similes ('metaphors'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st simile of eating the flesh of one's own son (merely for the sake of crossing the desert) is very straightforward. However, the remaining three similes of a '&lt;em&gt;skinned cow&lt;/em&gt;', of '&lt;em&gt;two strong men dragging a man into a pit of fire&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; of a '&lt;em&gt;thief punished by a king&lt;/em&gt;' are not obvious in their meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These three similes are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, O monks, should the nutriment &lt;strong&gt;sense-impression&lt;/strong&gt; be considered? Suppose, O monks, there is a skinned cow that stands close&#xA;  to a wall, then the creatures living in the wall will nibble at the&#xA;  cow; and if the skinned cow stands near a tree, then the creatures&#xA;  living in the tree will nibble at it; if it stands in the water, the&#xA;  creatures living in the water will nibble at it; if it stands in the&#xA;  open air, the creatures living in the air will nibble at it. Wherever&#xA;  that skinned cow stands, the creatures living there will nibble at&#xA;  it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, O monks, should the nutriment &lt;strong&gt;volitional thought&lt;/strong&gt; be considered? Suppose, O monks, there is a pit of glowing embers, filled&#xA;  to cover a man's height, with embers glowing without flames and smoke.&#xA;  Now a man comes that way, who loves life and does not wish to die, who&#xA;  wishes for happiness and detests suffering. Then two strong men would&#xA;  seize both his arms and drag him to the pit of glowing embers. Then, O&#xA;  monks, far away from it would recoil that man's will, far away from it&#xA;  his longing, far away his inclination. And why? Because the man knows:&#xA;  'If I fall into that pit of glowing embers, I shall meet death or&#xA;  deadly pain.&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, O monks, should the nutriment &lt;strong&gt;consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; be considered? Suppose, O monks, people have seized a criminal, a robber, and brought&#xA;  him before the king saying: 'This is a criminal, a robber, O Majesty!&#xA;  Mete out to him the punishment you think fit!' Then the king would&#xA;  tell them: 'Go, and in the morning strike this man with a hundred&#xA;  spears!' And they strike him in the morning with a hundred spears. At&#xA;  noon the king would ask his men: 'How is that man?' — 'He is still&#xA;  alive, Your Majesty.' — 'Then go and strike him again at noontime with&#xA;  a hundred spears!' So they did, and in the evening the king asks them&#xA;  again: 'How is that man?' — 'He is still alive.' — 'Then go and in the&#xA;  evening strike him again with a hundred spears!' And so they did.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do we think each of these similes means? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2020-05-11T03:19:36.150" Title="The Four Nutriments: what do the metaphors in SN 12.63 mean?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17147" CreationDate="2016-08-06T11:45:30.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found my answer while I was randomly reading &lt;a href=&quot;http://tinybuddha.com/blog/simple-way-confront-someone-minimize-potential-conflict/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this TinyBuddha article&lt;/a&gt; :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are angry with the other person and actually can’t whittle it down to being able to ask for something you need from them, then perhaps it is an internal conflict that the other person triggered, and you actually don’t need to involve them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focusing on what you need removes “should” and “should not” from your internal dialogue –”they shouldn’t be so insensitive” or “they should be more respectful.” It isn’t true that they should or shouldn’t be a certain way; that’s just something you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After determining how their behavior is affecting you, you can then discover what you need or would like to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intention of simply asking for what you need is not to elaborate, but if the other person seeks to understand the situation further, then they might ask questions that lead you to sharing your feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If grieving that relationship is a less painful option than having that person remain in your life, then that is something for you to consider, especially if it affects your self-worth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="580" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-06T11:45:30.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17167" CreationDate="2016-08-06T13:52:58.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Existence is nourished by four nutriments as pointed out in the Sutta in @Dhammadhatu ‘s OP. They are essential to continue life in this repeated existence in samsara. This is true even to the deities in the celestial world and brahmas in the Brahma world. Of these four kinds, one is material/physical, and the other three are mental nutriments. The first is the easy one as @Dhammadhatu pointed out. But how can one see one’s mental state or mental growth if not for the guidance that the Buddha provided in many of the suttas? The Buddha provided the explanation in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Atthi Raga Sutta (where there is passion) in the Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How we have to view the four similes is that ONLY if we eradicate the Cause, would the Result be eradicated, and NOT otherwise. It is our Desire for Life that prevents this. The day that we establish wisdom over ignorance, and liberation over desire, we will see the light. The day we remove our passion, delight and craving for the four nutriments Consciousness will not arise. Then mentality-materiality won’t happen, and as a result there is no growth of fabrications, and no renewed becoming. If no future birth, there is no decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To explain the 2nd simile -  that of the nutriment sense-impression:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sense impression (phassa ahara) is Contact.  So what is contact? It is the coming together of three things. It is the eye, the visible object and consciousness coming in contact with each other (seeing forms). It is the ear, sounds and consciousness coming in contact with each other (hearing sound). it is the nose, odours and consciousness coming in contact with each other (smelling odours), and likewise. What is important to understand is with the arising of consciousness, it is inevitable for contact to arise. Only if we eradicate the desire for what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think, will the contact and consciousness not arise. The simile of the flayed cow is about this contact that one cannot get away from as long as there is desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To explain the 3rd simile -  that of the nutriment volitional thought:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Volitional thought (Cetana) is Intellectual Intention. It is the arising of wholesome or unwholesome intentions. As before, these mental factors are a result of desire. Beings who cannot comprehend that these mental factors are not permanent, that they constantly change, and be mindful, gets thrown into the pit whether they like it or not. Only getaway is eradicating the cause – the arising of ‘cetana’ – of intellectual intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To explain the 4th simile -  that of the nutriment of Consciousness:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA; Our sense faculties are constantly contacted and stimulated because of Consciousness as explained before. The two that I did not touch on are that of the body and intellect.  Dependent on the body and tactile sensations, arises consciousness at the body.  Dependent on the intellect (ideas/thoughts), there arises consciousness at the intellect. With the Consciousness, desire arises. This arising of passion, delight and craving results in greed, hatred and delusion – these are the spears that one gets shot at with. As long as you have passion, delight and craving, you are alive and get shot at and experiences pain and distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So our Desire for the Dhamma, to live in the Dhamma should be even greater than our desire for Life. Those are the ones who will stay in the finger tip. What the Buddha has said is patisotagami or against the current of conventional thinking. Buddha knew this well. That is why He said, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize this is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-06T13:52:58.213" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17170" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17171" CreationDate="2016-08-06T22:08:56.243" Score="4" ViewCount="452" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to understand how somebody following the dhamma is supposed to verify what the Buddha said about rebirth. In the past I've been told that once somebody has developed samadhi/calmed the mind to a great extent then they will be able to see that rebirth occurs after death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually samadhi helps along the path by making it easier to observe thing and see the world as it is. It's clear how this helps to see anatta/anicca/dukkha, but I do not understand how samadhi helps with seeing anything related to rebirth. I don't know what anyone would begin to observe to see rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question has a very similar title to my &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/15965/how-should-a-disciple-of-the-buddha-with-great-samadhi-verify-that-rebirth-occur&quot;&gt;previous question&lt;/a&gt; but it is not a duplicate. In the previous question I had one idea on how someone could verify rebirth occurs after death but the answers said that my idea was incorrect. This new question is asking for other ideas on how someone can verify rebirth through experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2018-05-22T08:57:42.100" Title="How should somebody who has developed samadhi verify that rebirth occurs after death?" Tags="|rebirth|samadhi|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17170" CreationDate="2016-08-07T02:59:59.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Go into a very deep samadhi. Very deep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When in that very deep samadhi, make a subtle mental formation arise. Observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice how with the arising of the mental formation, awareness comes to be. That very same awareness is consciousness. Within it is the subtle sense that feels the mental formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let the mental formation cease by going back to deep samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice how with the ceasing of the mental formation, awareness goes away. That very same going away of the awareness is death. Within it is the absence of the subtle sense that feels the mental formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to get additional insight about this is to go into a very deep samadhi and arise a VERY pleasant mental formation. Observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice how with the arising of the VERY pleasant mental formation, awareness comes to be. Within it is the attachment/craving for that pleasant mental formation. As long as craving/attachment is present, the mental formation is there and the feeling is pleasant and awareness is present. That very same pleasure is &quot;being alive&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, don't let the VERY pleasant mental formation to cease, but crave for it to maintain it. Crave for it! Want it! Sooner or later the pleasant mental formation will cease by itself. When it ceases, as long as there is craving/attachment for that pleasant mental formation, the feeling is unpleasant and awareness is present. That very same unpleasant feeling is &quot;fear of death&quot;. The cessation of that very same unpleasant feeling is &quot;death&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, don't let the craving/attachment for that pleasant mental formation to cease, but crave for it! Really crave for it! Want it! Sooner or later the pleasant mental formation will arise by itself. When it arises, as long as there is craving/attachment, there is also the pleasant mental formation and the feeling is pleasant and awareness is present. This very same pleasure is &quot;being alive&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wisdom you'll gain by experiencing the above is that awareness consists of many little formations arising and ceasing with high frequency, thus making it seem that consciousness is steady and pleasant. In individuals who don't practice the dhamma, there are so many of these formations, that even if you shut off all your body senses (eye, nose, tongue, ear, body, mind), they would still be arising and ceasing. These formations can be dependent on your body or independent of the body. Impossible is to know exactly. They can come from deep within you. It's like a spider web that has no ends. It's these formations that condition other formations until the center of the web is created: your physical body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the death of the body awareness ceases similar to going into a deep samadhi, and craving/attachment &quot;fear of death&quot; is present ... this very same craving/attachment responds/reacts to the many little formations, thus creating new formations and rises the awareness because of the many new formations until a new body is created.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This must be experienced. It's the only way to verify that rebirth occurs after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you get the above insight, it's simple to follow a logical conclusion: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By wishing/acting/deciding/doing we're doing activities that create formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By activities we create subtle senses and come into existence. Then, because of our further activities, we create the senses of our body (eye, nose, tongue, ear, body, mind) and we're born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By gaining knowledge we are changing our current activities and creating new activites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we're changing our current activities and creating new ones, we're also changing our first activities that we acted upon that propelled us into this existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the dead of the body our activities on the surface (eye, nose, tongue, ear, body, mind) are destroyed. And what remains? The primary activities that are changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because these primary activities are changed, after death we will come into a new existence that will be changed too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, there is no death. There is just the changing of awareness from one existence to the other due to activities. This process is constantly happening ... even now in this very same moment. It will happen as long as craving/attachment is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, the logical way to continue the path towards the ultimate would be: When craving/attachment stops, all activities stop and suffering stops. Thus, the next step is to stop craving/attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T02:59:59.693" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17173" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-07T12:48:32.703" Score="0" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;See question above. So far I know to kickstart emotion : writing about emotion, boxing, put your awareness to bodily feelings(kind a hard if you just feel numbness) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8760" LastEditorUserId="8760" LastEditDate="2016-08-07T17:20:25.900" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T02:55:41.920" Title="Is there a budhistic way to experience suppressed emotions?" Tags="|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17167" CreationDate="2016-08-07T14:12:49.540" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Four Nutriments ('ahara') of physical food, sense contact, intention &amp;amp; consciousness are true for the worldlings who have craving (tanha) and greed (lobha) or aversion / revulsion (dosa), caused by ignorance (moha).  Tanha, lobha, dosa, moha provides nourishment for the continuation of life from existence to existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The worldlings have  five aggregates of clinging (Panca Upadana Khandas).  In the case of Arahants – the awakened ones - there is no craving. They have rooted out the “I concept”.  They have fully realized five groups of existence and the five grasping groups of existence (Panncakkhandha and panca upadanakkhandha) .  Arahants have only the five aggregates in detachment  (Anupadana).  Upadana means ‘grasping’ and Anupadana means ‘non-grasping’ or letting go.While Upadana leads to Samsara, Anupadana leads to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put it in another way, (for better understanding), after the elimination of all defilements an arahant lives in society without Upadana or Attachment to any thing in the world. He does not have the five grasping groups (pancaupadanakkhandha) but only five groups,aggregates (Pancakkhandha), namely, rupa (body), vedana (feeling), sanna (perception), sankhara (volitional formation), and vinnana (consciousness).  His consciousness is ‘translucent’ (for wont of a better word) as no food is provided. In this he is immeasurable - is like the Buddha. All measurement is from a here to a there, with in-betweens. In the Buddha, there is neither a here nor a there nor any in-between. He is thus immeasurable. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bahiya Sutta: About Bahiya - Ud 1.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there’s no you in that. When there’s no you in that, there’s no you there. When there’s no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress.” (Ud I.l0)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An arahant is sustained by ONLY the physical food that does not create upadana. He does not have the other three ‘mental’ foods as he has rooted out the “I concept”.  He is free from attavada upadana by seeing it as a deceit (the true nature). So if there is no nutriment  consciousness, an Arahants  consciousness is mere presence.  Since there cannot be presence without something being present, it is what distinguishes living from non-living, such as tables and chairs. The Buddha has stated that consciousness is dependently arisen, since without a condition there is no origination of consciousness. In an Arahant, Paticcasamuppada (dependent arising) ceases.  Which means Vinnana paccaya (conditioned by consciousness) too ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-07T14:32:03.320" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T14:32:03.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-07T16:47:57.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll try to give a logical answer (I'm worried that a ten-word answer would be easy to misunderstand).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware almost every word in the following answer is part of a technical/specialist vocabulary, and each word is the subject (topic) of innumerable &quot;dharma talks&quot; or essays: including words like enlightenment, suffering, cessation, ignorance, etc. They look like English words, but they're translations into English. The original words may have specific meaning and/or a range of meaning, e.g. &quot;suffering&quot; might be translated as &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot; instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is enlightenment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe start by understanding what 'enlightenment' is: what's the goal? There are maybe two definitions of enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cessation of suffering (and/or cessation of craving)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cessation of ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the path?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Canonically (according to the Buddha's first and most famous speech) the &quot;path which leads to the cessation of suffering&quot; is what's called the Noble Eightfold Path or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=threefold%20training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What of meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are at least two or three types of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intended to concentrate or pacify the mind (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intended to see phenomena clearly and learn wisdom (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intended to increase 'divine' attitudes e.g. good-will and equanimity (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each type has different ways in which it can be practiced, i.e. there are various explanations (instructions) of techniques for how to practice them ... this answer is meant to be &quot;in short&quot; so I won't try to reference them here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that meditation might be only one or two of the parts of the &quot;Threefold Training&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What more about enlightenment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of suffering states or non-enlightened states are sometimes called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;afflictive emotions&lt;/a&gt;. There are long lists of them (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html#fn-mn-007-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example this list&lt;/a&gt; ... and there are also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lists of factors conducive to enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be your experiencing these (afflictive emotions) which you'd equate with &quot;suffering&quot; and a desire for enlightenment might be a desire to not experience these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you may experience them there are things to know about them that may make them easier to cope with during meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They're impermanent (they come and go), don't try to cling to them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They're part of a cycle of cause and effect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People (minds) are more-or-less susceptible to them, have more-or-less-well-developed mental immunity/habits. Some Buddhist traditions see enlightenment as gradual, a progression; perhaps at an early stage of enlightenment people still experience suffering, but more-or-less cope with it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They tend to have an immediate cause (e.g. a cause like, seeing something, deciding that you like it, deciding that it ought to be yours and that you want it), and an immediate effect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha identified some root causes: e.g. craving, attachment, ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path is &quot;Right View&quot;. Developing right view is important, and (conversely) wrong view is a cause of suffering (or more accurately, doesn't lead to the cessation of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if you hold the view that &quot;he hit me, he hurt me&quot; then that's a view associated with suffering. It's wrong, not necessarily in the sense that it's untrue but in the sense that it's unwise or unskillful (to attach to this sort of view if you want to stop suffering -- therefore don't hold to that view).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some examples of right view include, don't see something as permanent if it's impermanent; don't attach to self-centred views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To wrap this up, one of the root causes of suffering is craving. One of the types of craving might be a craving for enlightenment! One of the views of enlightenment is that it's a state in which craving (which leads to suffering) has been abandoned ... so for example there's a sutta like this one: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Another view is that it's a state in which you have removed the fuels (causes) of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7275/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; because it points out (accurately, I think) that different schools of Buddhism have slightly different takes on what the problem is and what the solution is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer is still short: it doesn't mention teachers, good (and bad) friendship, social responsibility, harmlessness as a guiding principle, other guiding principles such as timelessness or immediacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T16:47:57.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17167" CreationDate="2016-08-07T17:24:47.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While the sutta did not state the nutriments are evil, it did give vivid and explicit similes of the son's flesh, the skinned cow, the man being dragged toward a burning pit, and a criminal being pierced with three hundred spears. Needless to say, one doesn't have to be very smart to think carefully before indulging oneself with the nutriments after hearing what the Buddha just said. Imho, SN 12.63 reflects the Dukkha inherent in all conditioned phenomena. And the Four Nutriments are no exception. For us regular worldlings, we tend to only understand the 1st of the 3 aspects of Dukkha, Dukkha-dukkha, for the obvious reason that it's right there in front of our naked eye. That's why we continue to indulge in the nutriments and sense pleasures. It would take a significant degree of cultivation and penetrative insight to understand the other 2: Viparinama-dukkha and Sankhara-dukkha. And until then, we'd still only be able to have some superficial understanding of what SN 12.63 was trying to say. Per ChrisW's suggestion, I've reposted as an answer and include the 2 very helpful links from Prof. Tan and Ven. Nyanaponika with detailed commentary on SN 12.63:&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.6-Puttamamsa-S-s12.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.6-Puttamamsa-S-s12.63-piya.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T17:24:47.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13029" CreationDate="2016-08-07T17:30:31.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first search result that showed up gave me &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/saints-and-psychopaths.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this PDF&lt;/a&gt;... and it has the full preface.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T17:30:31.290" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17178" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-07T18:00:11.833" Score="1" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking that the presence itself, in sense objects, of ignorance, the first link, is never erased; that with final nirvana something has being, the absence of the 12 links. Can the absence of causation itself be present like sense objects are, in absolutely any Buddhist philosophy? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is that silly, like saying that the there exists the non existence of a crow's teeth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T02:22:27.473" Title="How does extinction fit in the 12 links?" Tags="|nirvana|nidanas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17167" CreationDate="2016-08-07T19:49:34.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am happy to see this quiz or riddle being attempted. For many years I used to wonder about this teaching of nutriments, was never satisfied with  Ven. Nyanaponika's explanation &amp;amp; could not work out a satisfactory explanation for myself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal interpretation is as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The skinned cow refers to all sense contact, including the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;sense contact of arahants&lt;/a&gt;, which still experience pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant vedana (feeling). Therefore, the noble disciple comprehends sense contact affected by feeling (vedana) will always occur like the skinned cow &amp;amp; thus stops/eradicts craving &amp;amp; attachment towards the 'creatures' ('vedana') nibbling at sense contact. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The two strong mean are good &amp;amp; bad intentions, which both can lead to trouble &amp;amp; suffering, thus the English saying: &quot;The road to hell is paved with good intentions&quot;. Therefore, the noble disciple acts with wise intention rather than good or bad intention. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 'thief' or 'criminal' is attachment (upadana), which takes possession of ('appropriates') sense objects of sense consciousness as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;. The Buddha taught that the sense spheres of consciousness are &quot;not-yours&quot;. Therefore, the noble disciple does not, like a thief, take possession of sense objects that do not belong to them (otherwise, they will be punished by dukkha each time they take possession of a sense object). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eye is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit. Forms are not yours...&#xA;  Eye-consciousness is not yours... Eye-contact is not yours... Whatever&#xA;  arises in dependence on eye-contact, experienced either as pleasure,&#xA;  as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let&#xA;  go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp;&#xA;  benefit.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The ear is not yours: let go of it...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The nose is not yours: let go of it...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The tongue is not yours: let go of it...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The body is not yours: let go of it...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The intellect is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit. Ideas are not yours...&#xA;  Intellect-consciousness is not yours... Intellect-contact is not&#xA;  yours... Whatever arises in dependence on intellect-contact,&#xA;  experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let go of it. Your&#xA;  letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Na&#xA;  Tumhaka Sutta: Not Yours&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-07T19:55:32.680" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T19:55:32.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17173" CreationDate="2016-08-07T20:01:20.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By prolonged meditation, suppressed emotions &amp;amp; experiences will generally inevitably rise into to the surface of consciousness awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T20:01:20.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17178" CreationDate="2016-08-07T20:11:37.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are many kinds of causation. See this &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; about the five 'niyama' or 'laws of causation' (physical, biological, mental, moral &amp;amp; dhamma/spiritual). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The twelve links are the conditions leading to suffering; the cessation of which leads to Nirvana. They are 'dhamma niyama' or 'spiritual causation'. The twelve links are not mental causation (citta niyama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, sense objects can be experienced without ignorance because mere sense objects (which are mental causation) are not suffering in themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only absence of causation is Nirvana, when the twelve links stop creating suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the other four kinds of causation, they keep rolling on (unless human life becomes extinct, which would make extinct moral causation &amp;amp; leave three laws of causation). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-07T20:24:06.463" LastActivityDate="2016-08-07T20:24:06.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15627" CreationDate="2016-08-08T01:04:57.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to try and relate how the process of rebirth is falsifiable and therefore try and relate the concept to science, I will have to establish a number of ideas/theories before I can directly try and relate it to science, so I'll have a bunch of definitions or excerpts from sutras and then I'll try and relate it all together, so the beginning of my question may be just listing a bunch of theories which will later be brought together.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process of &quot;rebirth,&quot; as I understand it, doesn't allow for one to remember a past life or past life experiences. It is important to make the distinction between the physical Buddha (Shakyamuni himself) and, what is in essence, the &quot;life force&quot; of the Buddha. Shakyamuni himself wasn't able to see his past lives or remember past experiences from before he was born. What he was able to do, and this is what his fifth transcendental power of being able to see past lives is, is understand his &quot;life force&quot; and perceive the nature of his life, which he had in his previous lives. It is from this concept that karma/karmic chains and other such related ideas come from. To support this affirmation, in the Lotus Sutra, chapter 16 (The Life-span of the Thus-come One), when Shakyamuni Buddha is addressing an assembly of nearly all of his followers, he says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You must listen carefully and hear of the Thus Come One’s secret and his transcendental powers. In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of&#xA;  practice not far from the city of Gaya and there attained annuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since&#xA;  I in fact attained Buddhahood.... in truth the time since I attained Buddhahood is extremely long (1)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shakyamuni here is saying that there was no start to his &quot;existence&quot; or life force in it of itself. Basically, he is saying that his, and everyone else's life force has existed from &quot;the infinite past&quot; and will continue to exist throughout. What is important to know is that one's life force isn't life in the standard sense, but is intrinsically existing as a function of the universe regardless of whether there is life. Life is more the manifestation of one's life force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Lotus Sutra, in chapter 14 (Peaceful Practices), Shakyamuni states, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All phenomena are empty, without being, without any constant abiding, without arising or extinction.... phenomena exist, do not exist, are real, are not real, are born, are not born.... &lt;strong&gt;Look upon all phenomena as having no existence&lt;/strong&gt;, like empty space, as without firmness or hardness, not born, not emerging, not moving, not regressing, constantly abiding in a single aspect (1)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, Shakyamuni is saying that the true aspect of all phenomena is that it has no existence. Another way to say this is that causes don't have intrinsic implications; only effects do. It also is to say that, whatever happens, that doesn't mean anything other than that that happened; how one reacts is all that matters. Here one can see how Shakyamuni's statments of the true aspect of all phenomena can be easily applied to our day-to-day lives, so the next logical step is to have a system of, in essence, figuring out which different effects one can create from any phenomena. This leads us into the next philosophical idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3000 Realms is an philosophical theory developed by T'ien-T'ai, a Chinese buddhist philosopher. It is to say that the, &quot;entire phenomenal world exists within a single moment of life (2)&quot;. The realms themselves are used as a way to &quot;categorize&quot; the phenomenal world. Below is a chart explaining how he came up with 3000 realms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VruUW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VruUW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;3000 Realms&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Ten Worlds (or Ten Spiritual Realms) are basically thought to be the full spectrum of one's life condition, which comes from ones life force (i.e. how one feels). I'm not entirely sure where the concept of the ten worlds comes from, although I believe it is a relatively universall concept, at least within Mahayana Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, however one feels can be represented as one of the &quot;Ten Worlds&quot;, or &quot;Spiritual Realms&quot;. The part of the chart which lists it as &quot;The Ten Worlds and Their &lt;em&gt;Mutual Possession&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is referring to the fact that T'ien-T'ai considers the ten worlds to exist within each other. That is to mean that, even in the realm of hell, one can exist in a realm of buddhahood. An example from history of this concept would be of Martin Luther-King Jr.. He led the civil rights movement in America for some time and did so peacefully and, as far as I know, ethically too. One may say that he often times existed in one of the upper worlds like Buddhahood or Bodhisattva (I don't know the Ten Worlds well enough to be able to say with much confidence which particular world he was in while he was working for Civil Rights). Anyhow, while he was doing that though, he was angry because of the injustice of how he and other people were being treated and that motivated him. However, the important distinction to be made is that, although he was angry, he didn't act violently, he still thought and acted like one who was in one of the higher worlds would act. The inclusive world which he often dwelled in was Anger, even though he was in one of the higher worlds nonetheless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important aspect of the Ten Worlds is that the entirety of them exist intrinsically within us at all times and one can, moment-to-moment, move from one world to the next- either up or down. That is to say that, at all times, for all people without exception, the World of Hell exists within us, but so does Buddhahood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next part of The 3000 Realms is The Ten Factors. This theory too comes from the Lotus Sutra in the second chapter (Expedient Means) and is expounded by Shakyamuni to Shariputra and goes as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Shariputra, to sum it up: The buddhas have fully realized the law that is limitless, boundless, never attained before.... The true aspect of all phenomena can only be understood and shared between buddhas. This reality consists of appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, external cause, latent effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end (1)&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally have a hard time explaining The Ten Factors and so I'll also add a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/ten-factors.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link that describes The Ten Factors&lt;/a&gt; (3) more clearly. To the best of my understanding, The Ten Worlds are how we feel emotionally, and the Ten Factors are how we project ourselves upon the world and how these two concepts interact with each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final part of The Three Thousand Realms is called, &quot;The Three Realms&quot;. I know the least about this part of the Realms, and so my explanation for it probably wouldn't be complete, but there are many websites which I think would be able to better explain them. Everything that I would be able to say about them is addressed in the image I added above, so I'll stop here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important to know about The 3000 Realms as a whole is that they describe all of the possible effects within a single moment of life. It also means that everything is subjective - in terms of point-of-view - and that all things are equal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason that I have included the concept of The 3000 realms is because it shows that not just Shakyamuni has a life force, and also that one's enlightenment (world of Buddhahood) intrinsically exists within one's self (as well as every other realm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All perspectives are equal because anything that we perceive is a perception of a phenomena and all phenomena are &quot;empty&quot;, as stated above, thus meaning that everyone's perceptions are equal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would mean that, if one can prove that all perspectives are equal, one can prove the principle of rebirth to be falsifiable because: If all perspectives are equal, because all phenomena are empty because there is nothing to perceive, all that is left to exist is our life force. Because our life force isn't constrained by any phenomena (e.g. birth and death), it exists for eternity neither beginning nor ending. One however, can not say that life simply doesn't exist, because as Descartes said, &quot;I think therefore I am.&quot; This would leave the only option left being that &quot;rebirth&quot; exists, because our physical selves are bound by physical limitations and phenomena, things will be born and will die. However, since our life force is eternal, and not really &quot;alive&quot; in the sense that living is usually implied with, when we are physically living we embody that life force just as how, when there is matter, there will be gravity. Our life force is eternal, however, we, as living beings, are not, and so we will forever be born and die, but whenever we are born, we embody our life force. This is what reincarnation is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is left to do is then prove that all perspectives are equal. For that one must look at Einstein's Theory of Relativity. I don't understand this concept in its entirety, but I do know that it says that, if there is a person who isn't moving, time will be faster for him or her than it is for someone who is moving. This has been scientifically proven to happen. Time wouldn't change for certain people (or anything for that matter), if someone's perspective could be deemed invalid. It is because everyone's perspective is equal, that time itself changes when something moves.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this answers your question. I know that some of my explanation may be a bit murky or unclear, so I would be happy to try and clear up anything.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Works Cited: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras. Tokyo: Soka Gakkai, 2009. 57-267. Print.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) &quot;Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life.&quot; Soka Gakkai International Buddhism in Action for Peace. Soka Gakkai International, Apr. 2012. Web. 6 Aug. 2016. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/three-thousand-realms-in-a-single-moment-of-life.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/three-thousand-realms-in-a-single-moment-of-life.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3)&quot;Ten Factors.&quot; Soka Gakkai International Buddhism in Action for Peace. Soka Gakkai International, Oct. 2000. Web. 6 Aug. 2016. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/ten-factors.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/ten-factors.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T01:04:57.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17183" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17185" CreationDate="2016-08-08T01:23:55.527" Score="1" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am searching for a precise understanding of what Buddhist authors mean by the &quot;pair&quot; of &quot;knowing&quot; and &quot;object&quot;. For &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=OcEdBAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PT13&amp;amp;ots=23UbXBDHOT&amp;amp;dq=buddhism%20pairwise%20knowing%20and%20object&amp;amp;pg=PT13#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=buddhism%20pairwise%20knowing%20and%20object&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;example&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...we see that what we call &quot;self&quot; is simply the pairwise progression of knowing and object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A second &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;example&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In all perception, at each event of noting, there is always this twin&#xA;  pair, the object and the mind,  which observes the object. These two&#xA;  elements of the object and the knowing mind always arise  in pairs,&#xA;  and apart from these 2, there does not exist any other thing in the&#xA;  form of a 'person',  an 'observer', an 'experiencer', nor any 'Ego',&#xA;  'Subject', or  any 'Self'! No identity is present! Similarly is there&#xA;  no 'observed object', or  any 'substance' &quot;out there&quot; independent of&#xA;  the mind!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can this &quot;pair&quot; of &quot;knowing&quot; and &quot;object&quot; be explained precisely? Or is it subject to many interpretations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What insight is gained from discussion of this pair of knowing and objects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T04:37:44.657" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T22:19:01.530" Title="the Pair of Knowing and Object" Tags="|consciousness|contemplation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2016-08-08T02:11:18.273" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;People here come up with all sorts of answers about enlightenment, believing in this or that. I hate to burst your bubble. They are not telling you about enlightenment because they don't know what it is. If nobody knows what the hell it is, how can they tell you how to achieve it? They only have concepts of something they read, which they have not verified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha really meant to reduce the suffering we are currently undergoing in our lives by techniques like meditation. How do you feel after meditating? If done properly, you will feel calm right? And then later you would be back, your villain mind will be back. This mind always looks after itself. It's ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR &quot;YOU&quot;. So when this mind asks for &quot;enlightenment&quot; it is trying to add onto itself! &quot;Become better&quot; or something like that. It's looking for something more and then something more, endlessly. It's like wanting to be a billionaire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We always desire this or that and think about the future or past. Be clear about this. Buddha did NOT talk about enlightenment. I repeat there IS NO ENLIGHTENMENT in the way you or your mind thinks there is. If you think so, you are unnecessarily bullshitting yourself and will chase your own tail and end up nowhere. It's not outside you. But if you clear yourself out, I hope you find it, God willing or yourself willing ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha is only telling you about reducing your level of mental misery. The very fact that you are searching for something means you are not okay with whatever you have currently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll only tell you one thing here. By looking at the enlightenment of other people, I think they mean &lt;code&gt;self-annihilation&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;self-destruction&lt;/code&gt;. Your concept of your own self. Destroy that and see yourself as a part of everything in this universe. When I say &quot;you&quot; cannot achieve enlightenment, I mean this current thing which you think is &quot;you&quot;. Enlightenment is when you somehow find out you are NOTHING but a blob of energy which will leave its current form when the universe needs it. That's it. Everything else is, I am sorry to use this word, bullshit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I don't know how to do this clearly, because my thoughts get in the way everytime telling me this or that. That's all the karma. A memory of myself. I don't want to get into the details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why I said you have to clearly know what you are looking for. If you don't know it, don't bother with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T02:28:45.860" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T02:28:45.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17183" CreationDate="2016-08-08T04:56:57.440" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;pair&quot; or &quot;dyad&quot; of &quot;knowing&quot; and &quot;object&quot; is found in the Pali scriptures, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus... there is&#xA;  this (&lt;strong&gt;internal&lt;/strong&gt;) 'group' ('kaya': of five aggregates) and &lt;strong&gt;external&lt;/strong&gt; minds-and-bodies: thus this &lt;strong&gt;dyad (pair)&lt;/strong&gt;. Dependent on the&#xA;  dyad (pair) there is contact.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to a &lt;strong&gt;dyad (pair)&lt;/strong&gt;, monks, consciousness comes into being. And how, monks, does consciousness come into being owing to a dyad?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the eye and forms arises eye-consciousness. The eye is impermanent, changing, 'becoming-otherwise.' Forms are impermanent,&#xA;  changing, 'becoming-otherwise.' Thus this dyad is fleeting and&#xA;  transient; impermanent, changing and 'becoming-otherwise.'&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the ear and sounds arises ear-consciousness. The ear is impermanent...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the nose and scents arises nose-consciousness. The nose is impermanent...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the tongue and savors arises tongue-consciousness...The tongue is impermanent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the body and tangibles arises body-consciousness. The body is impermanent...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to the mind and ideas arises mind-consciousness. The mind is impermanent...contacted, monks, one feels. Contacted, one intends.&#xA;  Contacted, one perceives. Thus these states also are fleeting and&#xA;  transient; impermanent, changing, 'becoming-otherwise.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanananda/wheel183.html#passage-21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.93&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The six &lt;strong&gt;internal&lt;/strong&gt; media should be known. The six &lt;strong&gt;external&lt;/strong&gt; media should be known. The six classes of consciousness should be&#xA;  known.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 148&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st example in the opening post is incorrect understanding. For example, what is called &quot;self&quot; is not included in the pairwise occurring of knowing and object. The mind can know an object but be empty of 'self' because 'self' is a product of thought/thinking (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) while knowing an object is a product of sense consciousness (awareness: &lt;em&gt;vinnana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd example in opening post is correct understanding, in that when the dyad operates, there is no 'self' in its operation. However, the thought of 'self' can arise quickly afterwards (called 'becoming'), as described in the following quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, has a sense-impression?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;I do not say that 'he has a sense-impression.'... The sixfold sense-base is a condition of sense-impression and sense-impression is&#xA;  the condition of feeling.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, feels?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One.... And to that the correct reply is: 'sense-impression is the condition of feeling;&#xA;  and feeling is the condition of craving.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, craves?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say that 'he craves.'...the correct reply is: 'Feeling is the condition of&#xA;  craving, and craving is the condition of clinging.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, clings?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One, &quot;I do not say that 'he clings.'... 'Craving is the condition of clinging; and&#xA;  clinging is the condition of the process of &lt;strong&gt;(self) becoming&lt;/strong&gt;.' Such&#xA;  is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, to assert there are no objects &quot;out there&quot; independent of the mind goes too far. It is an extreme view because to assert there are no objects independent of mind asserts the mind is 'God' or 'Brahma'; that the mind is the 'Creator' of the external world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures state, for example, the Laws of Nature exist &quot;out there&quot; regardless of whether they are known by a human mind or not, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas, this property stands — this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness&#xA;  of the Dhamma: All processes are inconstant. All processes are&#xA;  unsatisfactory. All phenomena are not-self. The Tathagata directly&#xA;  awakens to that, breaks through to that. Directly awakening &amp;amp; breaking&#xA;  through to that, he declares it, teaches it, describes it, sets it&#xA;  forth. He reveals it, explains it, &amp;amp; makes it plain&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma-niyama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The insight gained in knowing this pair of knowing and objects is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanananda/wheel183.html#passage-21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.93&lt;/a&gt; quoted above, namely: (i) the mind can clearly identify or be aware of them and not create 'self-becoming' &amp;amp; suffering in relation to them; (ii) the mind can see they arise &amp;amp; pass; are impermanent &amp;amp; not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, an object of sight comes to be when eye-consciousness functions &amp;amp; an object of sight ceases to be when the eye-consciousness ceases to function. If this is watched, the mind will realise all sense objects are impermanent each time the eye blinks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T07:22:00.667" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T07:22:00.667" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17186" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17188" CreationDate="2016-08-08T05:44:39.630" Score="0" ViewCount="246" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been researching this lately and thought it was amazing. I just don't know where to begin or know any techniques. Can someone list some?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9830" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:53:57.630" Title="How to practice Mindfulness Meditation?" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3972" CreationDate="2016-08-08T06:17:07.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Observing eight precepts in regular life is not a common practice in traditional Buddhist countries. In Sri Lanka, for example, eight precepts are observed on Poya days (full moon days, at the temple). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many variants of the practice. Usually Upasakas (those who observe the eight precepts) begin the practice in the morning and finish it at in the evening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the temple, Upasakas take part in various Pujas and listen to sermons by Buddhist monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T06:17:07.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2016-08-08T06:18:16.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I m reading a dharma book (The Chinese Version), which 25 great beings demonstrated how they practiced mindfulness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The winner is: Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva practices on hearing:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama5/shurangama5_12.asp&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama5/shurangama5_12.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be interested to have a read of above link as well as 24 other practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy and at ease&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7697" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T06:18:16.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2016-08-08T06:19:31.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try starting with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/concmind.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jon%20kabat-zinn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jon Kabat Zinn&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f0mrUZ0Ga8&amp;amp;list=PLXmodMq3KyittfptG7wvcBfgR5ccaOnlb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Joseph Goldstein&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f0mrUZ0Ga8&amp;amp;list=PLXmodMq3KyittfptG7wvcBfgR5ccaOnlb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Google Search Inside Yourself&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-08-14T04:44:42.403" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T04:44:42.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4094" CreationDate="2016-08-08T06:25:47.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isnt the desire for giving up the desires, a desire?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, certainly. That desire is what causes one to give up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I use the term Tanha for desire, then Tanha is the cause of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tanha is eradicated only reaching the statuse of Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T06:25:47.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15799" CreationDate="2016-08-08T11:08:04.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Was Buddhism a rebellion against the Aryans?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is difficult for me to understand this question. Oxford Dictionary defines Buddhism thus: A widespread Asian religion or philosophy, founded by Siddartha Gautama in NE India in the 5th century bc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aryan is defined as: Relating to or denoting a people speaking an Indo-European language who invaded northern India in the 2nd millennium bc, displacing the Dravidian and other aboriginal peoples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am unable to see the connection between Buddhism and Aryans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it is a fact that Pali Text Society, London, publishes a set of books it calls Tripitaka. In this set there are two Pitakas called Sutta and Vinaya Pitakas. These Pitakas attribute virtually all the saying in them to a person named Bhagava, meaning Lord. There are many other epithets by which he was known.&#xA;The Sutta Pitaka essentially contains the truths about all beings--humans, gods, animals and so on. This is the Dhamma pointed out by the Lord (Bhagavata Dhammo). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lord was the Leader of gods and men (Sattha Devamanussanam) and the Dhamma was for the welfare and happiness of all beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word Ariya is found in the Dhamma. It has no racial connotations whatsoever in the Dhamma. There is no English equivalent for the word. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the guiding prinicples of the Dhamma, called &lt;strong&gt;Avihinsa&lt;/strong&gt; is never to kill or hurt any living being under any circumstances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why talk about rebellion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma of the Lord, was verified by the Lord by seeing with his own eyes (&lt;strong&gt;Sacchikatva&lt;/strong&gt;) before proclaiming to the world. They are absolute truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T11:08:04.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17192" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-08T15:18:51.940" Score="2" ViewCount="156" Body="&lt;p&gt;In MCTB (Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha), Daniel Ingram describes the following exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I sit quietly in a quiet place, close my eyes, put one hand on each&#xA;  knee, and concentrate just on my two index fingers. Basic dharma&#xA;  theory tells me that it is definitely not possible to perceive both&#xA;  fingers simultaneously, so with this knowledge I try to see in each&#xA;  instant which one of the two finger’s physical sensations are being&#xA;  perceived. Once the mind has sped up a bit and yet become more stable,&#xA;  I try to perceive the arising and passing of each of these sensations.&#xA;  I may do this for half an hour or an hour, just staying with the&#xA;  sensations in my two fingers and perceiving when each sensation is and&#xA;  isn’t there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I found most curious about this, was the assumption that &quot;it is definitely not possible to perceive both fingers simultaneously&quot; and that this assumption is supported by &quot;basic dharma theory&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that sensations arise and pass, but I feel like I have experienced multiple sensations simultaneously and/or the sensations of multiple body parts have formed a single sensation. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the form of specific questions:&#xA;I can feel tingling in all of my fingers simultaneously. Does this refute his assertion that &quot;it is definitely not possible to perceive both fingers simultaneously&quot;? Or am I not understanding something? I suspect the latter and am hoping to be enlightened. I'm also curious what &quot;dharma theory&quot; he is most likely referencing?&#xA;Thanks in advance for any response.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9831" LastEditorUserId="9831" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T20:54:20.807" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T12:37:41.337" Title="Basic dharma theory tells me that it is definitely not possible to perceive both fingers simultaneously" Tags="|meditation-insight|six-senses|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17192" CreationDate="2016-08-08T16:19:40.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's kind of an advanced book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no body parts within each of our own bodily experiece, only sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless you are a natural you can't see how fast the mind works or see if awareness arises simultaneously in the beginning. It's all a blur until we have practiced long enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess your being taught to see things as they are in your own experience. While one does this kind of practice one sets concepts aside. Ideally even Dhamma theory could be put aside when one gets the hang of the practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T19:38:14.977" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T19:38:14.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2016-08-08T19:23:29.177" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You won't learn this one from books, only by trying out and practicing it. The practice is to go beyond concepts like &lt;em&gt;Now I'm meditating&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;this is good, bad, me, mine...&lt;/em&gt; and focus on the raw experience which is present. If you sit down to start meditating with the intention to be mindfull you might have the feeling &lt;em&gt;Now I'm meditating&lt;/em&gt;, but in reality all you do is change postures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should have some basic instructions, but don't get into theory too much. It won't help you, it will only reinforce your opinions and ideas. I'd suggest to get to know the &lt;em&gt;framework&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;strong&gt;Right Mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, which are body, feelings, mindstates, mindobjects (&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original teaching from the Buddha himself: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more practical guide from Ven. Yuttadhammo (the noting technique): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Meditate&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T19:23:29.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17192" CreationDate="2016-08-08T20:08:11.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It may feel like you have experienced multiple sensations simultaneously and/or the sensations of multiple body parts have formed a single sensation. However, this is unrelated to Daniel's exercise because Daniel is referring to the specific exercise of two discrete sensations (rather than a blur of sensations). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, now it is a relatively cold morning where I am (6:00 am) but I am not wearing a shirt (having just left the warmth of being wrapped in a blanket). If I turn my mind to meditation, I can feel breathing sensations but can also feel the cold chill on my skin, particularly my lower arms, at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as Daniel has placed two index fingers on his knees, which are difficult to cognise exactly simultaneously because they are very specific &amp;amp; small sized sensations. Interesting exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T20:08:11.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2016-08-08T20:20:19.077" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word 'mindfulness' means '&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;keep in mind&lt;/em&gt;'. In the context of Buddhism, it means 'to remember' to practise the factors of the eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you are speaking/talking, you remember to speak in a manner that is honest, pleasant/gentle, cordial &amp;amp; beneficial. This is practising mindfulness meditation when meditating upon speech. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If practising formal sitting meditation, mindfulness is to remember to keep the mind in state that does not have desire for or get distressed about anything in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in formal sitting meditation, how to practise mindfulness meditation is to sit without desire or worry &amp;amp; just sit with natural quiet. When this is done properly, awareness of breathing will arise naturally as a sign of right mindfulness &amp;amp; later pleasant feelings will arise as a sign of right mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T20:20:19.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17192" CreationDate="2016-08-08T20:32:05.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basic Buddhist theory says that you can only know one thing at a time. If you have two hands held in front of your face then you might think &quot;This is my right hand&quot; so at that moment you &lt;em&gt;know&lt;/em&gt; your right hand. Then you think &quot;This is my left hand&quot;, then you have knowledge of your left hand but you forgot your right hand momentarily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually this process of knowing and forgetting goes by very quickly. You might think that you can feel the wind,see a dog and hear a car at the same time but actually you're rapidly shifting from one object to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to clarify one point of confusion on this. Going back to the two hands example, if you have the two hands in front of your face you might think &quot;These are hands&quot; so at that moment you have knowledge of &quot;hands&quot; but you no longer have the knowledge of &quot;left hand&quot; or &quot;right hand&quot;. The two hands become a single object in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T20:32:05.937" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2016-08-08T20:34:27.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;How about The Bhante Yuttadhammo channel on YouTube? He has a lot of useful videos but check out &quot;How to Meditate&quot; for beginners. His online  videos are beginner to intermediate on much more than only mindfulness and he gives meditation courses from beginner to advanced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachers below teach about the same way as Bhante Yuttadhammo and are very beginner friendly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joseph Goldstein, Bhante Bodhidhamma,  Gil Fronsdal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just Google one of the above names in quotes and add &quot;Dhamma talks&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a Youtuber called &quot;Stephen Proctor&quot; who gives outstanding beginning teachings on mindfulness meditation in my opinion. Has anyone else heard of him? Is it just me or can this guy really teach or what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These teachers practice  the same way I try to practice but there are a lot of good teachers who might have a different approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-08-08T20:46:13.097" LastActivityDate="2016-08-08T20:46:13.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17200" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-08T23:40:18.260" Score="1" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now this may sound silly but I'm new to mediating and I hear that when you have a thought you just let it go. But if I'm focusing on the breath do I go off it, accept that I'm thinking then go back to the breath or just stay on the breath and if I get distracted go right back to it and not even focus on my thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9830" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:21:32.913" Title="How do i Focusing on the breath and letting thought go" Tags="|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17200" CreationDate="2016-08-09T03:20:12.843" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should stay with the breath as much as you can. Therefore, if a thought arises &amp;amp; it will just float away, then let the thought float away; like it is a passing visitor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You only have to 'let go' of something after you have 'picked it up'. Therefore, if you have not picked up (attached to) the thought, you do not need to let it go. Instead, just stay with the breathing &amp;amp; let the thought float by &amp;amp; away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This method develops both &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; (calmness) &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; (insight). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-09T03:28:39.623" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T03:28:39.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2016-08-09T03:32:25.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Seems like you are referring to iddhi powers which are extremely important in achieving arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Developing the four bases of iddhi seems to refer to developing concentration founded on desire, persistence, intent, and discrimination (SN 51.20).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says in SN 51.7:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, all the monks in the past … future … present who realize the&#xA;  undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life,&#xA;  and who live having realized it with their own insight due to the&#xA;  ending of defilements, do so by developing and cultivating the four&#xA;  bases of iddhi power.&quot; (SN 51.7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means it's impossible to achieve arahantship or the ending of mental fermentations without developing a certain degree of iddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the superhuman powers themselves that are important but the well-developed concentration ability required to achieve those powers which is important which is required for achieving arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I understand why my own personal progress in achieving arahantship is halted I'm only a little skilled in iddhi development though I've achieved higher states and have experienced some effects of iddhi development here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Originally desire and enthusiasm was viewed as important and beneficial in Buddhism for achieving arahantship even though now the popular media portrays&#xA;the opposite (I think this is in part because of the disappearance of arahants).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is part of the Noble Eightfold Path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, bhikkhus, is right effort? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu&#xA;  generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome&#xA;  states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and&#xA;  strives. &quot; (SN 45.8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta took a week longer than Moggallana to achieve arahantship perhaps because Moggallana was much more skilled in iddhi development than Sariputta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With developed iddhi powers one can do nearly anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moggallana boasts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sāriputta, the monk who has crossed over,  may be supreme  in respect&#xA;  of his wisdom,  ethics, and peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But in a moment I can create the likenesses  of ten million times&#xA;  100,000 people!  I’m skilled in transformations;  I’m a master of&#xA;  psychic powers.&quot; (Thag 20.1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the suttas looks like it's necessary to develop a certain level of concentration to achieve arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general things can be beneficial if it leads towards arahantship, but maleficial if it leads away from arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Iddhi development is necessary for achieving arahantship, easing doubts, perceiving the truth, and especially useful if one decides to become a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What type of teacher would The Buddha have been if he hadn't developed supernormal powers to a very high degree? It would've been extremely difficult to teach and know certain things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is because he has developed and cultivated these four bases of&#xA;  iddhi power that the Realized One is called ‘the perfected one, the&#xA;  fully awakened Buddha’&quot; (SN 51.8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember The Buddha used his power to avoid the serial killer Angulimala, who He converted into a monk who eventually achieved arahantship and also used it constantly for teaching (like looking into someone's past existences to see what teachings would trigger unconscious memories that lead towards arahantship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Iddhi development was encouraged for monks but displaying iddhi powers became viewed as a negative thing after the arahant Pindola Bharadwaja started flying in public to take down a bowl. Now in modern times it seems because of frauds, imposters, non-arahants, the faithless, and other incapable people iddhi powers are viewed as even more negatively even though a very positive thing for achieving arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Iddhi development may be viewed as more negatively now probably because of the disappearance of real arahants existing in the world but it is still extremely important for those desiring to achieve arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, whoever has missed out on the four bases of iddhi power has&#xA;  missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering.&quot; (SN&#xA;  51.2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2019-09-10T05:20:50.723" LastActivityDate="2019-09-10T05:20:50.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16124" CreationDate="2016-08-09T04:04:53.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, your use of the term dogma indicates a profound ignorance of Buddhism. As Alan Watts (an adherent of the Zen Buddhist school(NOT sect &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/sect-and-sects-etymology-and-meaning&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/sect-and-sects-etymology-and-meaning&lt;/a&gt; ) said, Buddhism is the religion of no religion. Buddhism shares a lot in common with clinical psychology. You learn best by direct face to face contact with a competent teacher. Rather than waste a lot of time trying to understand on your own with your head(left brain , language, analytic) I suggest you would benefit most from direct contact with a Buddhist teacher. Finding the right one for you is a lot like finding a potential mate or a clinical psychologist. I hope I haven't discouraged you by my blunt reference to your ignorance. A really good teacher is like a good psychotherapist who will be able to reach you where you are at now and help you on your self learning process. Buddhism is not dogma but a tool box for self exploration. The different schools vary on whether enlightenment is slow or sudden or another difference is how to understand consciousness(Madhyamika vs Yogacara). There is almost universal agreement on the non-concept of emptiness(Pure Land Buddhism is a school that abdicates responsibility of learning or teaching emptiness and instead advocates a life of chanting Amitabha Buddha in order to be reborn into a Pure Land similar to Christians' concept of heaven). A koan of sorts, for me, was the question &quot;What is the difference between death and transformation?&quot;. A serious practice of Buddhism leads to a shedding of the false ego that might be perceived by the ego as no different than death but in actual fact it is through ego death that you can really begin to live life fully. Not only that, it is a lot more fun, kinda like what Tom Robbins says that it is never too late to have a happy childhood. Have fun!!! Oh, BTW, all I have said is a gross oversimplification and therefore false(partially). It is up to you to take responsibility for your search for truth. In this respect it might be worth your while to read the very short Kalama Sutta ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&lt;/a&gt; ). As usual, Wikipedia is where you begin to search, not the end of your exploration. If you do a search on &quot;find a good Buddhist teacher&quot; (with or without the quotes) you should be able to find some good tips on locating a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T04:04:53.890" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="166" CreationDate="2016-08-09T05:00:27.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Superhuman abilities are described many times in the suttas like the Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta and many others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course they are real and not metaphors or vain myths. But there are many other abilities outside the basic categorizations (as mentioned by The Buddha himself). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one achieves a certain level of concentration they can experience all types of superhuman abilities. They are categorized in a certain manner in the Pali canons called the &quot;six higher knowledges&quot; or &quot;Abhijñā&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I saw a documentary a long time ago, called something like &quot;The KGB Paranormal Files&quot; about the Soviet Union researching psychic powers encountering Tibetan monks rumored to have all types of psychic powers. They did experiments with some monks and asked them to concentrate on breaking a skull and within moments it really happened. I found the video, here it is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CH0VyYbwuk&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=3741&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CH0VyYbwuk&amp;amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;amp;t=3741&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me personally I've only experienced subtle powers like sometimes knowing the minds and perceptions of others, healing myself, and experiencing extreme enjoyment from the destruction of asavas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that with practice almost anyone who develops concentration would be able to achieve superhuman powers with little difficulty, it's not as a hard as it seems. With proper training it would probably only takes months or less of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm not very interested in developing superhuman abilities right now because it seems unnecessary and not useful to me given my current state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm only interested in the ending of mental fermentations (asavas) because it's very useful to me to experience such enjoyment and put an end to the perpetual cycle of misery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thought arose in my mind &quot;What is the point in having all types of superhuman abilities if one still experiences fear, anger, sorrow, boredom, and other miserable states?&quot;. With the destruction of asavas I would experience extreme enjoyment, stand fearless, doubtless, sorrowless, just enjoying this eternal moment. So what greater power could there be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now I'm focusing on developing mind-exercises to end mental fermentations (asavas) since exact precise methods seem to have either completely disappeared or are hidden well during this time-period. All that's leftover now in modern times are vague teachings and ideas, not exact precise methods. I hope to become an arahant or paccekabuddha in this existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that achievement I would be able to develop other superhuman abilities easily if I wanted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some of my personal experiences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I concentrate on healing myself, after a few seconds or minutes of concentration I feel tingling vibrations coming out of my body, my nose becomes unstuffed, my vision improves slightly, and my overall health improves&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I concentrate on destroying painful feelings inside of me, I see that in the past I insulted others harshly which is one of the vain trifling deeds holding me back&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I concentrate on destroying painful feelings inside of me, I feel a type of energy go into my forehead third eye area and experience bliss, I try harder and the energy goes above my third eye to the top of my head and experience such an extreme form of enjoyment that I see no other greater pleasure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also believe that in the past I practiced mind-exercises in early pre-ancient Egypt a long long time ago, which unconsciously unknowingly I revived now in modern times. It seems that the earlier Egyptians were highly interested in mind-exercises and meditation, many from that time are now here during this time-period. Also sometimes I see spirits of deceased relatives, heavenly and hellish beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly this extreme form of enjoyment is the greatest gain, greatest pleasure, the only noteworthy goal in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-08-09T05:29:41.220" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T05:29:41.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16133" CreationDate="2016-08-09T11:17:49.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;the very thorough explanation of what Zen is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8278" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T11:17:49.957" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17192" CreationDate="2016-08-09T12:37:41.337" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It doesn't seem like a sutta to me. I'm guessing it's Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You noticed, did you, that Daniel Ingram is describing some switching or vibrating (alternating) very rabidly (e.g. 30 times per second)? Something that rapid might seem continuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Manual of Abhidhamma (Abhidhammattha Sangaha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The time-limit of such a consciousness is termed&#xA;  one thought-moment. The rapidity of the succession of&#xA;  such thought-moments is hardly conceivable by the ken of&#xA;  human knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, for instance, a person looks at the radiant&#xA;  moon on a cloudless night, he gets a faint glimpse of the&#xA;  surrounding stars as well. He focuses his attention on the&#xA;  moon, but he cannot avoid the sight of stars around. The&#xA;  moon is regarded as a great object, while the stars are&#xA;  regarded as minor objects. Both moon and stars are perceived&#xA;  by the mind at different moments. According to&#xA;  Abhidhamma it is not correct to say that the stars are perceived&#xA;  by the sub-consciousness and the moon by the consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-08-09T12:37:41.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5463" CreationDate="2016-08-09T18:07:31.490" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am concerned that Mahayana has been sold short; Zen even holds certain aspects of mantrayana/tantrayana as well. There appears to be a remnant  of secularism ringing in my ears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I recall correctly, Buddhism was established in far east Asia before &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songtsen_Gampo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Songtsen&lt;/a&gt; called for its establishment in Tibet. Recent archaeological findings along the Silk Road confirm that Tibet was well aware of this, yet sent to India for teachers, teachings, and texts leaving a perfectly able, completely qualified, and fully willing, swarthy, furry Buddha Dharma to stare at a wall for nine years). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Inconceivable with the Eight&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Are a fish with a bicycle &#xA;&lt;br&gt;Brown M&amp;amp;M's, Blue M&amp;amp;M's&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Chikpa, chik khyang&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Taste like Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Smell like Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Sound like Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Look like Dharma &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Sit and Walk like Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Dream and Wake like Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;It is probably Dharma&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Probably perfectly good Dharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Buddha Dharma in any culture&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Is Gone, Gone Far Beyond&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Unlike the internet&#xA;&lt;br&gt;Suchness is unbreakable &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9839" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-09-25T20:00:47.050" LastActivityDate="2017-09-25T20:00:47.050" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3302" CreationDate="2016-08-10T02:52:25.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;h2&gt;In America&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The largest group near you, depending on the size of the city (large metropolises usually have more specific options), will most likely be implicitly though a weekly meditation group. The experience of these groups, and the individuals in them, very widely. For other countries, it may be different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to actually find a meditation group near you? Well you're already online, why not start there? Then, paper bulletins of the group could be at the local public library, organic grocery store/shop, etc. Gold is only as good as the one digging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T02:52:25.403" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17209" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-10T06:21:20.740" Score="6" ViewCount="618" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my friends got himself into some serious debts. I've loaned him money, helped him get his admin organised, I've helped him move into a new apartment....and I single-handedly moved his stuff back out, after he had fled the country in an attempt to run away from his debts. Now, he's back and I've managed to get him into a program to pay off those debts over the course of the next three years. Until recently, we were quite close and he shared many of his fears and thoughts with me and I was glad to be there for him, any way I could. His life seems to be improving now and I'm happy for him. Two weeks ago he started ignoring me and blocking me, because his current girlfriend doesn't believe our friendship is merely platonic. (it really is, though)&#xA;I do not regret helping him; I did it for him, not for myself.&#xA;I'm happy he's trying to rebuild his life.&#xA;I don't think he's in a nurturing relationship right now, but I think that's for him to figure out by himself.&#xA;My other friends keep telling me he's using me and he's not treating me with the respect I deserve.&#xA;I agree partly: I do not feel respected anymore. I feel ambivalent. What should I do next? End our friendship? Keep a low profile? How does that teach him not to forsake his friends for romance? We've all been blinded by love before, so I understand why he's doing this right now, however, when I reach a point where it's hurting my feelings, should I end the friendship? I've tried to talk to him about it, but he remains incommunicado. Still I am doing his admin for him and making sure he stays in the afore mentioned &quot;debt program&quot;; it's not helping him to move forward, though, because currently he's not an active part of sorting out his admin. Please advise me....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9845" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:51:54.140" Title="altruism or being used?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15976" CreationDate="2016-08-10T06:52:36.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not about the Physical dimension.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose if you do not have physical body, what is the problem in sitting for 10,000 years, vedic rishi's were able to remain in samadhi for 300 years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Deep meditation you are separated from your physical body (which is not you)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to think that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T06:52:36.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17209" CreationDate="2016-08-10T07:13:00.907" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are two kinds of friendship: (i) ordinary friendship; &amp;amp; (ii) spiritual friendship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;ordinary friendship&lt;/strong&gt;, Buddhist principles ensure what is called 'false friends' or 'false friendship' does not harm us, including economically. The principles of 'true friendship' &amp;amp; 'false friendship' are listed in this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; in the 2nd section, which begins with: &quot;&lt;em&gt;These four, young householder, should be understood as foes in the guise of friends&lt;/em&gt;...&quot;. You may read this thoroughly &amp;amp; thoughtfully to help provide perspective &amp;amp;/or guidance.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what you described in your post, the impression of 'false friendship' does not appear to exist because: (i) you have volunteered to help him; (ii) you are not threatened economically; and (iii) you are not being taken advantage of sexually or illegally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, your situation appears to be an issue of &lt;strong&gt;spiritual friendship&lt;/strong&gt;. In Buddhism, spiritual friendship (&lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt;) or 'altruism' is &lt;em&gt;unconditional&lt;/em&gt;; it is not given to receive anything in return; it is selfless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, since it appears you are not being threatened or harmed, your issues are those related to hurt from 'pride' or 'conceit'. This kind of 'egoism' the Buddhist path seeks to end or overcome because it causes suffering. A mind training verse is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When someone whom I have helped, Or in whom I have placed great hopes, Mistreats me in extremely hurtful ways, May I regard him still&#xA;  as my precious teacher.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/teachings/training-the-mind/verse-5--6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Eight Verses for Training the Mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism would recommend to continue helping your friend in a selfless manner &amp;amp; identify the problem as your 'pride' or 'ego' rather than your relationship being something inherently dangerous you must urgently end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While his new girlfriend may not be ideal, ordinary people do often get possessive in relationship so you can give them some space rather than officially break your platonic friendship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, it is ideal the new girlfriend trust you and express gratitude towards you given you have helped her new boyfriend in an extraordinary &amp;amp; praiseworthy way. Give it time. His new love affair may not work out, anyway (since she sounds very possessive &amp;amp; controlling), thus he made need your help &amp;amp; support again when it falls to pieces. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, true spiritual friendship &amp;amp; altruism cannot hurt or harm us. As long as the five Buddhist precepts are not transgressed (namely, physical violence, economic theft, sexual exploitation, deliberate lying &amp;amp; drug addiction/enabling) then we cannot be harmed or hurt; unless we ourselves are controlling &amp;amp; possessive, in which only our own pride &amp;amp; attachment hurts us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer: keep a low profile! (but be prepared for when he needs you again). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, this is called 'upeka' ('equanimity'), which literally means: 'to watch over/observe a person in a detached manner until we have the opportunity to help'. An intrinsic element of 'upeka' is giving others the space to take responsibility for &amp;amp; learn from their own karma (actions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have genuinely helped him, you should be satisfied in your own virtue &amp;amp; goodness. One meditation in Buddhism is reflecting upon your own good altruistic deeds (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;cāgānussati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-10T09:42:44.367" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T09:42:44.367" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17213" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17215" CreationDate="2016-08-10T09:01:17.977" Score="1" ViewCount="2450" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a human being consists of two parts as mind and body, is it then possible to live without mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appreciate your ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9849" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-08-10T14:55:19.787" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:50:48.930" Title="Is it possible for a human being to live without the mind?" Tags="|philosophy|lay-buddhism|buddhas|academic-buddhism|doctrine|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-08-10T09:49:33.997" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eating once or twice a day has been shown to be very healthy and is called &quot;intermittent fasting&quot;.  It is especially useful for mental clarity and promoting the body's use of fat for energy, actually eliminating hypoglycemia rather than promoting it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This state is called ketosis (not to be confused with diabetic ketoacidosis) and it has a profound impact on the brain, energy and cognition.  It is being employed today in everything for aiding in the treatment of cancer, fueling ultra-long distance atheletes, reversing or greatly improving type 2 diabetes and treating brain injuries and conditions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It and the teaching to eat temperately undoubtable has great benefit for meditation practices.  Ever tried meditating with a food coma.  Its like the reason for abstaining from alcohol.  Its all about what is useful and helpful to one's practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also advised avoiding things like onions and garlic due to their supposed effect on one's meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have been relying on many small meals it is due to getting most of your energy from carbohydrates.  People who prefer a carb based diet may want to look at something like a &quot;slow-carb diet) which eliminates sugar and refined grain in favor of slower absorbed carb sources like beans and oats that give a more even, longer lasting energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9850" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T09:49:33.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17213" CreationDate="2016-08-10T09:53:54.600" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer this question accurately is very difficult if you are not a scientist but often people have accidents that results in them being in a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;coma&lt;/a&gt; for an extended period, where their physical body is alive but their mind is not conscious. If the mind is not conscious at all here then that physical body is living without mind (however from a Buddhist perspective, this is probably not a &amp;quot;human&amp;quot; living since, in Buddhism, the word translated as &amp;quot;human&amp;quot; means to have a reflective &amp;amp; wise mind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is a meditation state where the mind becomes unconscious, called 'the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling'. This meditative state is compared to a dead body, where even breathing cannot be felt yet the 'life force' or 'vitality' of the body &amp;amp; heat remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the Buddhist scriptures, there are stories about monks that enter into the meditation state of 'the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling' &amp;amp; people watch them meditating (not moving) under a tree for many days, believe they are dead &amp;amp; try to bury or cremate them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it appears it is possible to that a 'human' can live without mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the difference between one who is dead, who has completed his time; and a monk who has attained the cessation of perception &amp;amp;&#xA;feeling?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the case of the one who is dead, who has completed his time, his bodily fabricator (breathing)...his verbal fabricator (thinking)&#xA;... his mental fabricator (perception &amp;amp; feeling) have ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his vitality is&#xA;exhausted, his heat subsided &amp;amp; his (five sense) faculties (eye, ears, nose, tongue &amp;amp; body nervous system) are scattered.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But in&#xA;the case of a monk who has attained the cessation of perception &amp;amp;&#xA;feeling, his bodily fabricator... his verbal&#xA;fabricator ... his mental fabricators have ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his&#xA;vitality is not exhausted, his heat has not subsided &amp;amp; his (five sense) faculties&#xA;are exceptionally clear (pure).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the difference between one who is&#xA;dead, who has completed his time, and a monk who has attained the&#xA;cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahavedalla Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T10:03:48.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17216" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17324" CreationDate="2016-08-10T11:48:27.607" Score="1" ViewCount="566" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the doctrine of interdependent origination found in Vedas . What is real origin of this?  I have heard of indra net .just curious&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9851" LastActivityDate="2020-09-13T01:05:14.657" Title="Interdependent origination" Tags="|philosophy|mindfulness|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3302" CreationDate="2016-08-10T11:54:46.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Technically the SGI (Soka Gakkai International) is a lay Buddhist group, but there aren't any priests or nuns, so it may also be considered a secular form of Buddhism also. It is an orginization, but in my experience, I have never fealt like they were just trying to get my money or anything like that. There are many meetings that one can attend and there is a strong community emphasis, so you get to know a lot of people. Once a month, there is a big city-wide meeting which people often attend, but there is also a monthly district meeting, which usually comprises a small number of people (~5-20). In addition to that, there are many other meetings which one can attend (many do) outside of these two meetings. Usually at a meeting, there is a part where everyone medetates, and then after that, we often times talk and discuss the certain literary works of Nichiren Daishonin, a buddhist monk from the 1200's. That is where the meeting is more philosophical. After that, there may be food or something like that and people usually just talk with eachother. There are some meetings where there is only medetation (toso), and meetings where there is only philosophical discussion  (study meetings). I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for, but that is probably one of the more common sects of Buddhism, so depending on that country you live in and the size of your city, there probably is at least a group of people there who practice.&#xA;Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhist-lineage/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a link to the SGI website&lt;/a&gt; if you're interested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T11:54:46.370" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-08-10T11:54:46.370" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17213" CreationDate="2016-08-10T15:36:35.437" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without the mind the human body dies, there are many case of people in comas, but in cases where there is absolutely no brain activity these people are kept 'alive' using life support. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would argue that you can't live without the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9854" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T15:36:35.437" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17216" CreationDate="2016-08-10T17:42:20.187" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of (Inter) Dependent Origination is solely the doctrine of the Buddha &amp;amp; unrelated to the Vedas. If it was related to the Vedas there would be no Buddha and no Buddhism since the term 'Buddha' solely rests on the premise that the Buddha 'discovered' or 'was enlightened' to the previously unknown truths that lead to Nirvana (here-&amp;amp;-now perfect peace &amp;amp; freedom of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some secular scholars such as Joanna Jurewicz, &lt;strong&gt;Linda Blanchard&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; possibly Richard Gombrich that claim Dependent Origination is related to the Vedas in that: &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/04/08/dependent-arising-in-context-by-linda-blanchard-a-review/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the 12-nidana chain mirror the creation myth involving the deity Prajapati &amp;amp; the Buddha repurposed the Brahmanic creation myth &lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;. This view is wrong &amp;amp; primarily arises from a misunderstanding of the term 'nama-rupa' (the 4th link in Dependent Origination). 'Nama-rupa' is a term that originates from the Vedas however the Buddha redefined the term to mean 'mentality-materiality' ('mind-body') instead of the Vedic 'name-form'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the majority of official Buddhist translators today, such as Bhikkhu Bodhi &amp;amp; Thanissaro Bhikkhu, while not sharing the Vedic views of &lt;strong&gt;Linda Blanchard&lt;/strong&gt;, etc, also mistranslate 'nama-rupa' in Dependent Origination as 'name-form'. This mistranslation occurs because there are contexts in the Buddhist scriptures where the Buddha is answering questions to Brahmans who have no understanding of Buddhism thus in these contexts (but not in the context of Dependent Origination) the translation of 'name-form' is appropriate since it has the same meaning as found in the Vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real origin of Dependent Origination is described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.010.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Sakyamuni Gotamo Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, where, before his enlightenment, the Buddha-To-Be was searching for how suffering occurs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha-To-Be asked himself: &amp;quot;Why do people suffer?&amp;quot; He replied: &amp;quot;People suffer due to change &amp;amp; loss; due to aging &amp;amp; death&amp;quot;...he continued...Why does aging-&amp;amp;-death occur? Because of 'birth' ('identity'). People self-identify themselves to be 'of this clan', 'of this family', 'this self' or 'this person'. Why does 'birth' occur? Due to becoming. People 'become' what they believe themselves to be. Why becoming? Attachment. The mind attaches to sense objects &amp;amp; pleasurable feelings. Why attachment? Craving. The mind craves for sense objects &amp;amp; pleasurable feelings. Why feelings? Sense contact. Why sense contact? Sense organs. Why sense organs? Having a body &amp;amp; mind. Why does a body &amp;amp; mind exist? Due to consciousness. Why does consciousness exist? Due to having a body &amp;amp; mind. Why is the body, mind &amp;amp; consciousness not at peace &amp;amp; primed to create its own suffering? Due to 'sankhara' ('inner formations'). Why sankhara? Ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, those that claim Dependent Origination has its origin in the Vedas cannot be Buddhists (since they deny the Buddha's enlightenment) and simply do not understand how suffering comes to be &amp;amp; how suffering is extinguished (which is the sole purpose of Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha declared: &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What I teach now as before, O monks, is suffering and the cessation of suffering&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;. Thus, the Buddha did not teach from the Vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2020-09-02T13:31:12.633" LastActivityDate="2020-09-02T13:31:12.633" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-08-10T20:12:26.510" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;although to my knowledge this view isn't attested for anywhere, i think this custom has also an aspect of inculcating a sense of moderation, modesty and knowing one's limits in getting free rides &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the monastics obtain their meals for free as donations, just one meal is a great gift and act of generosity, because lay people aren't obliged to feed monastics&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;expecting to be fed for free trice a day for instance would be impudent of monastics as it would put more strain on the lay community resources&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T20:12:26.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17221" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17223" CreationDate="2016-08-10T20:36:22.243" Score="2" ViewCount="413" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between Enlightenment and Nibbana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-08-11T15:55:36.220" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T21:38:59.073" Title="What is the difference between Enlightenment and Nibbana?" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2016-08-10T21:14:13.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose is ideally for those who meditate were the extra food is more than what is appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specialists must claim what they claim for active people who use up substantial energy on defilements and don't meditate much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could be wrong but it seems to me that often the majority of specialists, at least those whose religion is material science, are incorrect. They are biased by materialist views IMO. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T21:14:13.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17221" CreationDate="2016-08-10T21:30:01.367" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is the insight knowledge that cuts through &amp;amp; extinguishes the mind's defilements (cravings) of greed, hatred or delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is final peace or coolness that is experienced after the 'fires' of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion have been extinguished. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is the cause which allows (the pre-existing but hidden) Nibbana to be experienced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This process is described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seeing (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self) thus&lt;/strong&gt; , the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with&#xA;  perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with&#xA;  consciousness. Disenchanted, he &lt;strong&gt;becomes dispassionate&lt;/strong&gt;. Through&#xA;  dispassion, he is &lt;strong&gt;fully released&lt;/strong&gt;. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'seeing thus' is enlightenment. 'Becoming dispassionate' (end of craving) is Nibbana. 'Fully released' is liberation (which is also Nibbana). The knowedge 'fully released' is enlightenment, in clearly knowing the end of craving is Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-10T23:22:51.560" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T23:22:51.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16011" CreationDate="2016-08-10T22:47:21.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a question about Buddhism. &#xA;Counting down from 100, starting back at the top with a mistake or forgetting the next number. There are many other ways to fall asleep too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation should not be done too close to sleep. With that, meditation should not be done in the lying down position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for lucid dreaming, a dream journal is an apt idea. (Sleeping is sleeping, there is no training.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastActivityDate="2016-08-10T22:47:21.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-11T00:52:57.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Tama (dark) to Tama (dark)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tama (dark) to Joti (light)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joti (light) to tama (dark)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joti (light) to Joti (light)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those going from darkness to darkness, darkness to light, light to darkness, and light to light--four different categories -- from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/18.6-Tamojoti-Puggala-S-s3.21-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puggala Sutta (SN 3.21/S.I. 93ff)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T10:20:49.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17221" CreationDate="2016-08-11T02:24:17.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is a translation of the Pali word Nibbana. They are supposed to mean the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-08-11T03:13:00.940" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T03:13:00.940" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17143" CreationDate="2016-08-11T03:15:13.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha's audience is not only human beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1 - Buddhas,&#xA;2 - Bodhisattvas&#xA;3 - &quot;Sound-Hearing&quot; Arhats&#xA;4 - &quot;Enlightened by Conditions&quot; Arhats&#xA;5 - Gods&#xA;6 - People&#xA;7 - Asuras&#xA;8 - Animals&#xA;9 - Ghosts&#xA;10 - Hells&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In The Shurangama Sutra, plus one additional: 11 - Immortals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for categories / grades of each of above, depending on how you group them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;eg There are roughly 10 big categories of people mentioned in The Shurangama Sutra, and more sub-categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Gods (excuse for my English), there are 4 in Formless realm, which is above 18 in Form realm, which again is above 6 in Desire realm:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology#Form_Realm_.28R.C5.ABpadh.C4.81tu.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology#Form_Realm_.28R.C5.ABpadh.C4.81tu.29&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Bodhisattvas, there are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;10 Faiths&#xA;10 Dwellings&#xA;10 Conducts&#xA;10 Transferences&#xA; 4 Positions of Additional Practices&#xA;10 Positions of the Ten Grounds&#xA;The Position of Equal and Wonderful Enlightenment&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7697" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T03:15:13.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17228" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-11T07:33:58.637" Score="1" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had this moment , when I was engaged in conversation of topic with my friend, which we both reveled. I enjoyed the talk and we discussed without inhibition as it was natural. My question is whether I should flow with the events in my natural state of mind/body or just watch the flow of events without engaging fully (because doing and watching are two separate activities,and I can't be doing both at the same time without loss of concentration). When I watch, this creates duality, am I the doer or watching the doer, who is also me. Who is real me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5016" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T23:11:24.867" Title="Watching the flow or flow?" Tags="|mindfulness|zen|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17228" CreationDate="2016-08-11T21:20:42.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your language betrays you. Articulation does not bring you to Enlightenment, because, through articulation you must engage a frame of reference or a representation of human nature. Enlightenment is a state of awareness unhindered by such constructs. Talk about &quot;without inhibition,&quot; &quot;natural,&quot; &quot;flow,&quot; &quot;concentration,&quot; &quot;duality,&quot; &quot;doer,&quot; and &quot;real me,&quot; are all theory laden concepts. I have practiced mindfulness meditation for 50 years. On the basis of my experience, I recommend this practice. Enlightenment comes from the Bodhicitta. The intellect cannot help you. The &quot;real me&quot; is, at best, a fool and, at worst, a form of conceit. Be careful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T21:20:42.150" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17221" CreationDate="2016-08-11T21:38:59.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The real problem is that both concepts are poorly defined in the Pali Canon. If you are a Westerner, then you want a more psychologically sophisticated answer. After 50 years of mindfulness practice, I only offer the following answer: Enlightenment or nibbana can be viewed as that fullest possible attunement with the Bodhicitta, which is an innate and ancient intelligence that has developed within you and is the product of a long evolution of intelligent consciousness that is deeply loving. Complicated? Absolutely. But an intellectual definition won't help much anyway. However, the mindfulness of breathing allows your Bodhicitta to function (if only unconsciously at first). More advanced forms of mindfulness meditation are somewhat like &quot;focusing&quot; as defined Eugene Gendlin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T21:38:59.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17200" CreationDate="2016-08-11T21:48:42.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of breathing consists of paying attention to the sensation of breathing at the nose. When you are distracted (which is natural) you return to the breathing. The objective is to maintain a state of objectivity. The key is not to avoid distraction but to not get involved with it. By maintaining a state of objectivity, you automatically engage your Bodhicitta. Later on, the Bodhicitta will become more conscious and become something like &quot;focusing&quot; as defined by Eugene Gendlin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T21:48:42.653" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17183" CreationDate="2016-08-11T22:19:01.530" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You seem to be asking about the relationships among the concepts of &quot;self,&quot; &quot;action,&quot; and the &quot;object&quot; or situation targeted by that action. (In Buddhism, the perception of an object is an action.) You could say that an agent or self threw (or saw) a ball. Or you could say that a set of beliefs and wishes in the form of an action-plan caused the ball to fly through the air (or caused the perception of the ball). The first is a form of object-causality. The second is a form of event-causality. In event-causality, the agent or self or subject disappears. Confusion arises when a person believes that talk about object-causality implies that, when switching to event-causality, one should become aware of the self as an object of awareness. The real problem arises when, in some kind of meditation, a person imagines an experience of a self and slips into full samadhi and believes he has achieved greatness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-11T22:19:01.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17173" CreationDate="2016-08-12T02:55:41.920" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very very important question. I have practiced mindfulness meditation for 50 years. I have been a novice monk for 30 years (only recently has it become possible to get full ordination in Canada and now I do not need it). First of all, a definition of emotion: An emotion addresses an issue or situation of overriding importance. It is unconsciously motivated. It causes the mind to address the issue or situation with energy and focus. It gives the highest priority or importance to dealing with the issue or situation. That is why it can be hard to hold back. But, if the emotion is very painful or sad, then you will suppress it as best you can, but it can still make you very unhappy. In Buddhist terminology, this state of unhappiness (or any emotion for that matter) is called &quot;kamma-vipaka,&quot; which merely means that, in some previous decision making process (citta-vithi), you decided on the importance of the issue. Since being loving or being loved is such a profoundly important issue in life, you are understandably subject to relentless suffering if you have come to the conclusion that you are not lovable. Even though everyone is born in an Enlightened state and therefore very loving and lovable, subsequent experiences (such as those experienced in a dysfunctional or abusive family) can cause you to decide that you are unlovable. This is a profoundly tragic situation. The problem is that you often forget making that tragic decision so that you are stuck with the unhappiness it causes. Fortunately, the Satipatthana-Sutta provides a way to recall (re-experience) that original decision. First of all, it is advisable to practice mindfulness of breathing for awhile. Mindfulness of breathing consists of paying attention to the physical sensation of the breath at the nose. When a distraction arises (which is perfectly natural and is not a mistake), you return your attention to your breathing so that you do not get caught up by the distraction. The purpose of this meditation is to maintain a state of objectivity (so that your Bodhicitta gets a chance unconsciously correct misunderstandings). In a more advanced state of mindfulness you pay attention to &quot;the body in the body,&quot; which happens to be the &quot;felt sense&quot; as described by Eugene Gendlin in his book called &quot;Focusing.&quot; (I suggest you study this book.) By recalling the original decision, you have the opportunity to correct it in terms of subsequent experience. You have a liberating &quot;Aw-ah&quot; experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T02:55:41.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17170" CreationDate="2016-08-12T03:24:06.623" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very important to distinguish between full samadhi and upacara-samadhi (sometimes called neighbourhood samadhi, which is true but also misleading). Upacara-samadhi leads to insight or knowledge because it allows one to form concepts that place the object of awareness into a frame of reference or understanding. This cannot happen in full samadhi because of the one-pointedness of mind removes any context in which the object can be understood. It is for this reason that (in the Vissudhimagga, for example) upacara-samadhi is more important than full samadhi in Buddhist literature. You encounter reincarnation when you happen to recall a previous lifetime. A more formal practice is to remember previous events backwards in time. When you do this, you do not get involved in individual recollections&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. With practice, the sequence of recollections becomes something like watching a flat stone skip over water. Eventually, the stone makes an additional skip into your previous life. This may be just the feelings you had before death. You may have to catch several skips before you get perspective on your previous life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; By &quot;you do not get involved in individual recollection&quot;, I mean that When dealing with unwholesome sankhara in upacara-samadhi (vipassana), it is important to recall the formation of sankhara, one must trace backwards in time its development until you reach the memory of the experience that caused a maladaptive decision (karma). This gives you a chance to revise that decision based upon more recent experience. In this way, unwholesome sankhara can be undone. In this context, an individual recollection is generally not helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to understand an individual recollection, it must be placed in a context. The recollections that arise from upacara-samadhi are from another dimension of reality that is difficult to understand. In order to understand karma, for example, you must recall a sequence of events backwards in time that are linked together in a special way. Another problem is that the unconscious is far more intelligent than the conscious mind, making it difficult to understand. Generally, an individual recollection requires a sophisticated explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When saying &quot;another dimension&quot;, I am talking about the realm of &quot;mind-forms&quot; that I write about in my book, &lt;em&gt;The Path of Love&lt;/em&gt;. This the vast system of chakras and nadis that form the mind-base and the psychic body. My experience of this dimension resulted from my exploration of the Theravadin Abhidharma. Mind-forms are perceived by means of the siddhi called anima, which unfortunately is very rare. All intelligent consciousness is based upon the citta-vithi described in the Abhidharma. Stephen Phillips referred to anima as micro-psi perception. Through the micro-psi perception of atoms, quantum physics will be transformed into a deterministic theory. These studies are far beyond the work needed to achieve Enlightenment. They are the science of the remote future. I mention it only in order to answer the (implied) questions in the comments below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-05-22T08:57:42.100" LastActivityDate="2018-05-22T08:57:42.100" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2016-08-12T03:32:23.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience with studying the Theravadin Abhidhamma, if found that the 52 cetasikas did not make much sense until I studied the citta-vithi (thought process). Then it made more sense how or why one citta (moment of consciousness) is different from another in terms of the cetasikas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T03:32:23.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17159" CreationDate="2016-08-12T03:39:36.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan Buddhism, a deity is an Enlightened person in my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T03:39:36.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5463" CreationDate="2016-08-12T03:50:49.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is basically how I understand it, the Dharmakaya - the Dharma Body, is basically the Dharma, the Law, the Truth, The Teachings of all of existence and non existence, containing both side of the Four Noble Truths - of Suffering and the End of Suffering. The sentient beings in the Dharma as reflected by the physical body of the Buddha as well all of us, are the manifestation of this Dharma - the Nirmanakaya - the Manifestation Body. But since they contain both suffering and end of suffering, ignorance and enlightenment, where then is the Enlightened mind of the Buddha. This is conceptualized as Sambhogakaya, the Reward Body, the mind of enlightenment as distinct from the totality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course at the end everything is still all part of One Truth, the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T03:50:49.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16117" CreationDate="2016-08-12T04:53:20.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Understanding love is difficult unless you are already a very loving person. People who have lived through a dysfunctional or abusive family life understandably have a cynical or negative view of love. That is a very tragic situation for anyone to be in. But, if you want to observe someone in a very loving state, then you best observe the way a young infant loves his (or her) mother and father. Concerning the Tibetan concept of sunyata, it is best learned after you learn about love. For example, the Dalai Lama argues that the experience of sunyata does not deny the existence of anything. To understand why he says that is another story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T04:53:20.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17245" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-12T07:18:02.390" Score="2" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I research I am hearing people say pick a single point and focus on that. Then I hear other say you should just focus on the sensation that arise in your body. Personal one point focusing is much easier and I often get distract on if I should focusing only on the breath or move it to the inch on my leg or the numbness from sitting. Most people from the east that I hear say single point focusing more western meditator that hear say focusing on different sensation. Which is it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9830" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-08-12T15:59:21.570" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T10:28:09.943" Title="Should I meditate on one thing or just any sensation that arise?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-mindfulness|technique|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17245" CreationDate="2016-08-12T08:57:25.407" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main objective of meditation is to maintain a mind of equanimity (calmness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is calm, it can also develop insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditating upon one thing helps establish equanimity (calmness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main practise in the teachings of the Buddha is to establish the mind on knowing when the body breathes in &amp;amp; when the body breathes out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In does not matter where this knowing of breathing in &amp;amp; breathing out is established. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowing can be in a small area, such as the nostrils, nose-tip &amp;amp; upper lip. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the knowing can be in a larger area, such as the abdomen; or even a larger area, from the nostrils, throat, chest to abdomen (stomach).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T08:57:25.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17170" CreationDate="2016-08-12T09:46:59.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I dont practise Samatha meditation but afaik you can only verify it either by gaining insight and understanding of moment to moment rising and ceasing of reality or by remembering past lives by developing appropriate Samatha meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T09:46:59.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17245" CreationDate="2016-08-12T10:17:23.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should find a teacher and follow their method.&#xA;There are two meditation branches, namely Samatha and Vipassana, in general the former developes great concentration whilst the second developes insight into the nature of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T10:17:23.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2016-08-12T12:09:26.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is neither a religion nor a philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism can refer to the Truths (Ariyasaccani) (Dhamma) pointed out by Lord Buddha (Buddho Bhagava) to the world and His explanations thereof as given in the Nikaya texts published by the Pali Text Society; or&#xA;To the numerous Buddhist traditions, both living and dead. All these traditions arose after the First Council and the before the Second Council (See 2500 Years of Buddhism, Government of India, 1956). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Almost all these traditions do not acknowledge a 'creator god'nor they worship one.None of them are religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is needless to say that Dhamma is not a philosophy. It is called a philosophy by people who do not and cannot ever understand Dhamma. This is the reason for numerous 'interpretations' of Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T12:09:26.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17228" CreationDate="2016-08-12T16:06:52.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My opinion, that feeling of &quot;I, me, mine, or even you etc&quot; is part of high fetters (Sanyojana).  specifically, Māna which English translation is related to conceit.   This fetter is for people with high paying grade (none-returner) to deal with.  As for myself, low fetters, especially the 5 sensual pleasures are handful to resolve already.  But many have the ability and strength to deal with all 10 fetters simultaneously, and they have been successful too.  My observation, Buddha gave many target specific suttas regarding lower fetters and what to deal with them (perhaps in 100+ suttas), but he gave very general instruction on higher fetters. Basically to see them as 3 marks for existence (subject to destruction, changing, and none-self).          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T16:06:52.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17245" CreationDate="2016-08-12T18:31:29.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think what you described is foundation of mindfulness (2 out of 4 in your question). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reccomendation is to study &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;satipatthana sutta&lt;/a&gt; first.  Buddha said we may focus on one of :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of the body; (breath is form of body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta); and.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of dhammās&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T18:31:29.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14496" CreationDate="2016-08-12T19:49:18.180" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh made an error because he was attempting to rationalize another error. If Thich Nhat Hanh actually understood the teachings, he would not state the teaching of 'samskara dukkhata' is false but instead, simply rectify the error in the interpretation of the teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The spirit of what Thich Nhat Hanh said is correct, namely, there is no inherent or pervasive suffering in the five aggregates &amp;amp; there is a state of bliss &amp;amp; freedom living beings can experience, which is called Nirvana. The teachings explain quite unambiguous that it is &lt;strong&gt;attachment&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) to the five aggregates that is suffering rather than the five aggregates themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Three Characteristics, the 2nd characteristic is not 'suffering' but '&lt;strong&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/strong&gt;'. The five aggregates are unsatisfactory (in that because of their impermanence they cannot bring lasting happiness) but the five aggregates are not 'suffering'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the idea of &lt;strong&gt;all-pervasive suffering&lt;/strong&gt; (&quot;the suffering of composite things&quot;,samskara dukkhata) does not exist in the Pali suttas because the term 'samskara dukkhata' does not mean &quot;the suffering of composite things&quot; but means &quot;the suffering of &lt;strong&gt;mental constructing&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh has correctly said that &lt;strong&gt;nirvana&lt;/strong&gt; is the joy of completely extinguishing our ideas and concepts. However, Thich Nhat Hanh does not intellectually understand that the word 'samskara' has many meanings dependent on context and, in the context of the compound 'samskara dukkhata' means '&lt;strong&gt;ideas and concepts&lt;/strong&gt;'.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, using the language of Thich Nhat Hanh, the three kinds of dukkha are translated correctly as: &quot;suffering about pain&quot; (dukkha dukkhata); &quot;suffering of ideas &amp;amp; concepts&quot; (samskara dukkhata) and &quot;suffering about change&quot; (viparinama dukkhata).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intellectually, Thich Nhat Hanh was wrong but spiritually Thich Nhat Hanh was correct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-12T19:55:09.337" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T19:55:09.337" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1584" CreationDate="2016-08-12T20:02:44.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original supramundane teachings of the Buddha are neither religion or philosophy. They simply express the true nature of suffering, the cure of suffering &amp;amp; reality. Core Buddhism is like a 'science' in that everything explained in it can be verified by direct insight (rather than are objects of belief or conjecture). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was only later in history did Buddhism become a 'religion' of unverifiable beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, Buddhism is neither religion, philosophy or science but, instead, 'dharma', which means a 'system of understanding &amp;amp; practise that supports freedom from suffering'. The word 'dharma' generically means 'that which supports'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-12T20:02:44.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15937" CreationDate="2016-08-13T04:29:06.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course, there is nothing wrong with accumulating ideas, especially if they turn out to be useful. And if the head band helps you do that, why not use it? But there can be no doubt that you are not practicing Buddhist mindfulness meditation as it is described in the Satipatthana Sutta. Indeed, the meditation you describe prevents mindfulness from doing its job. I have just published a book called &quot;How Mindfulness Meditation Works&quot;. It will be available in a month or so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T04:29:06.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14632" CreationDate="2016-08-13T05:07:46.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Superficially, imagination and conceptualization clearly have shared attributes and different connotations. Using philosophical analysis, a person (after a good deal of reflection) could come up with the rules that govern their application. The unconscious mental processes that contribute to experiencing them are beyond the grasp of modern psychology. Indeed, we can marvel at the unconscious sophistication and intelligence that goes into causing common experience. But these explorations are not relevant to the practice of Buddhist mindfulness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T05:07:46.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17257" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17259" CreationDate="2016-08-13T12:10:07.890" Score="3" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dogen's &lt;a href=&quot;http://wwzc.org/dharma-text/zazengi-how-sit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;zazengi&lt;/a&gt; says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Zazen is the dharma gate of great ease and joy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does the term &quot;joy&quot; mean here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if I can feel something like that without zazen, should I cultivate it? As well as learning meditation, I mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T19:16:13.407" Title="What does &quot;joy&quot; mean in the phrase &quot;dharma gate of great ease and joy&quot;" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-zazen|soto|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2016-08-13T12:13:44.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was from the Saka tribe which is part of the Scythians. And the Scythians were a Thracian/Pelasgian tribe. The Thracians according to the historians covered a large area around the today's Black sea in Europe and Asia Minor. After the great flood which turned the big lake into the now Black sea many migrated to different parts of the world. According to Herodotus they were the most numerous nation on Earth after the Indians. The name Scythians comes from the word &quot;skitam&quot; which means to move a lot from place to place. They were the eastern Thracians. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pelasgian/Thracians were the most advanced people on Earth. They created the first civilisation on Earth and had knowledge in every sphere of life. They were the ones who through their migrations spread that knowledge to other people and parts of the world. Part of this knowledge was spiritual which was passed on to other people through the well known spiritual teachers from Pelasgian/Thracian ethnicity one of which was the one called Buddha. Buddha comes from the word &quot;budia&quot; which means awake.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the Aryans, the Aryans were later called Thracians. The old name of Thracia was Aria. So he was an aryan if we are to use the old name of the Thracians. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong in calling oneself an Aryan if people are from this descend. I am proud to call myself an Aryan and to know that people like Buddha, Zaratustra, Lao Dzu, Dionysus, Orpheus, Zalmoxis and many more spiritual teachers shared the same blood as me.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9863" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T12:13:44.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17257" CreationDate="2016-08-13T15:40:44.420" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When there is joy, when a person is full of happiness and joy, there is little chance for ‘Uddhacca’ &amp;amp; ‘Kukkucca’ to arise. These are two of the hinderances mentioned in the scriptures. Restlessness (uddhacca) is agitation or excitement, which drives the mind from thought to thought.  Worry (kukkucca) is remorse over past mistakes and anxiety about their possible undesired consequences. When one's mind is possessed and overpowered by restlessness and remorse, one cannot properly see things in a clear way. It is compared to when water is stirred by the wind, agitated, swaying and producing waves, a man is unable to see the image of his own face. Buddhists are taught to diffuse the Four Divine States of Mind: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity towards all sentient beings, as this brings about a Joyous State of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Merits, through ‘Daana’, ‘Sila’ &amp;amp; ‘Bhavana’ bring you joy. ….  As the Buddha preached:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Don’t ignore even a small merit thinking that it will not come to you! It is in fact with each drop of water that a pot is filled. Therefore, a wise person will collect all merits even if it is by bit by bit. In this way, his life will full with merits at the end.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A joyous state of mind is important when learning to meditate. As the Buddha once explained:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If the thought should occur to you that, when defiling mental qualities are abandoned and bright mental qualities have grown, and one enters &amp;amp; remains in the culmination &amp;amp; abundance of discernment, having known &amp;amp; realized it for oneself in the here &amp;amp; now, one’s abiding is stressful/painful, you should not see it in that way. When defiling mental qualities are abandoned and bright mental qualities have grown, and one enters &amp;amp; remains in the culmination &amp;amp; abundance of discernment, having known &amp;amp; realized it for oneself in the here &amp;amp; now, there is joy, rapture, serenity, mindfulness, alertness, and a pleasant/happy abiding.” — DN 9&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T15:40:44.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17257" CreationDate="2016-08-13T19:10:36.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures describe &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/2-dukanipata/007-Sukhavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;two kinds of joy&lt;/a&gt;: (i) worldly/sensual joy; and (ii) dhammic or Zen joy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensual joy is like joy from sex or drugs. The more this joy is indulged in, the more it harms a person via addiction &amp;amp; diminishing pleasure. These sources of 'joy' can cease to bring joy &amp;amp; instead bring pain (such as the torturous craving &amp;amp; withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as Zen joy is completely harmless &amp;amp; always satisfying. The more Zen joy is cultivated, the greater the happiness (from generosity to harmlessness to jhana/Zen until perfect Nirvana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if you can feel joy without zazen, it does not necessarily mean you should cultivate it because some sources of joy (such as drugs or wrong sex) are very harmful (poisonous).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-13T19:16:13.407" LastActivityDate="2016-08-13T19:16:13.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17228" CreationDate="2016-08-13T20:20:35.270" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;@8CK8, what you have experienced is an “alive (in-the-flow-of-things),” &amp;amp; “timeless” moment when you were engaged in conversation with your friend. Architect Christopher Alexander spent many years trying to pin down exactly what makes a building or a community seem “alive” “comfortable” or “timeless.”  Alexander identified this quality to be there in moments of timeless present. If one lives the life of here and now, not in an imaginary tomorrow, or a bygone past, then one is truly alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“We cannot be aware of these most precious moments when they are actually happening - such as when trying to finish something late at night over a table with a group of friends, cigarette stuck to lower lip, eyes tired, earnest concentration.  It is the time we are most right, most just, most sad, and most hilarious.  Places that have this quality, invite this quality to come to life in us.  It is a self-supporting, self-maintaining, generating quality.  It is the quality of life.  And we must seek it, for our own sakes, in our surroundings, simply in order that we ourselves become alive.” (Alexander. Christopher,   Timeless Way of Building) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alexander identified certain examples of architecture that fosters this quality. These places help one to dwell in the eternal timeless present and live the truth that one understands, immediately. Truth is never in the past.  Truth is a living thing, and not within the field of time. Sacredness is not found in the past, in memory. The question for you and is, how could we bring this quality to our practice of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now in seeing through Dhamma eye, ‘in-the-flow-of-things’ can have a positive or a negative connection, depending on the intention. With intensions of generosity you create a positive connection, a connection where good things can flow back and forth. Being ‘in-the-flow-of-things’ and immersing yourself in the breath in the present moment creates positive results as discribed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/ePublish_talks_3/031220_Limitless_Thoughts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Limitless Thoughts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The more immersed you are, the more difficult it is to pull away and start wondering about someplace else. So allow yourself to be immersed totally in the body right here right now: breath coming in, breath going out, whole body breathing in, whole body breathing out. Aware of the whole body, the whole nervous system opening up, all your blood vessels, all the little tiny, tiny muscles in your blood vessels: allowed them relax so that the breath energy has a free rein to flow anywhere in the body at all. This is a very immediate way of showing goodwill to yourself, because it’s both a good place to stay and it’s a process of developing the mindfulness and alertness you’re going to need to learn even more as the meditation progresses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I have to look into this other aspect of distancing oneself from the flow, and how to observe the flow in detachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-15T23:11:24.867" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T23:11:24.867" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14496" CreationDate="2016-08-14T04:19:44.003" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No this does not reflect Zen teachings. Thich Nhat Hanh is his own man in his attempt to reconcile Buddhism with popular views such as scientific materialism. He even recently attempt to try to re-translate the Heart Sutra to fit his own conceptions. I could be wrong my judgement of him, he could in actual fact be practicing skillful means to teach Buddhism to skeptical, pleasure seeking westerners who do not want to hear that all things are suffering. In fact the Buddha himself did not teach the doctrine of suffering to laymen because of the risk of misunderstanding. You can see from the sutta quoted above that he taught it specifically to advance monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By itself not teaching suffering is ok, there are examples of suttas where the Buddha taught about better births which are more pleasurable than our current life to lay Buddhists who has good ethics. Mahayana Sutras like Pure Land sutras are also employ skillful means of teaching the reward of bliss first for practicing Buddhism such as the Pure Land of Supreme Bliss of Amitabha. However I think Thich Nhat Hanh harms the cause of Buddhism when he starts going around claiming that various doctrines does not reflect the teachings of the Buddha, as if he knew better than all the previous masters who agreed on the teachings of the Buddha and preserved them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fundamental Buddhist doctrine: All conditioned existence are ultimately suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However from a conventional point of view many of the states of existence will be described as extremely blissful and peaceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, everything is suffering in the sense that they are ultimately unsatisfactory because of impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure the experience of the Jhana/Chan/Zen is supremely blissful and peaceful compared to physical suffering or even physical pleasures. The fact is that even the state of the Jhanas are themselves impermanent and subject to dependent origination. It is of course better to be in meditative Jhana rather than indulging in immoral pleasures because negative consequences result from the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However if you are attached to the pleasures of Jhana you will experience suffering when you are out of that state. Ultimate you must be detached to them all and that detachment is Nirvana. That is also the realization that all conditioned existence is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Edit&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I got side tracked with some of the claims regarding suffering here including the claims of Thich Nhat Hanh. As some posters pointed out, the error is in the 'scope' of 'all'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the Four Dharma Seals:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All compounded things are impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All conditioned phenomena and experiences are unsatisfactory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All phenomena are non-self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana is true peace&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Chinese translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;一切行無常印 - All 'conditioned experience' (sankhara) are impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;一切行苦印 - All conditioned experience are suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;一切法無我印 - All dharmas are not self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;涅槃寂滅印 - Nirvana is the end (of suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Three Suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dukkha-dukkha, the dukkha of painful experiences.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Viparinama-dukkha, the dukkha of the changing nature of all things.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankhara-dukkha, the dukkha of conditioned experience.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese:&#xA;三苦&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;苦苦 &quot;Suffering of Suffering&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;壞苦 &quot;Suffering of (Pleasures) becoming broken&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;行苦 &quot;Suffering of Sankhara - mental formation&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Three Realms, the Desire Realm - that is the realm of sensuality suffers from all three types including pain, loss of pleasure, and impermanent conditioned mental formations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Form Realm - corresponding to the Four Jhanas do not suffer from pain, but from losing what is pleasurable through impermanence, and conditioned mental formations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Formless Realm - corresponding to the Formless Jhanas suffer from neither pain nor pleasure but continue to suffer from the impermanence of mental formations. So the Chinese translation does not include the word 'pervasive'. However suffering is pretty pervasive from an experiential basis in any of the three realms...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as some posters point out there is a case where there is the end of suffering, as long we are talking about Nirvana, the detachment from your pain, pleasure and mental formations, outside of the scope above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-08-16T12:30:08.490" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T12:30:08.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17263" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-14T10:40:14.947" Score="1" ViewCount="284" Body="&lt;p&gt;For denourishing restlessness and remorse, code of discipline and principles of moral conduct are useful. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#rest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#rest&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;But what are exactly these principles of moral conduct and code of discipline for laymen? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are so many codes of discipline(five precepts, eight precepts) and principles of moral conduct. I am somewhat clear about the codes of discipline, but what are these principles of moral conduct? (some principles in my mind are ten skillful actions.&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T14:42:59.527" Title="Principles of moral conduct" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|lay-buddhism|precept|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17263" CreationDate="2016-08-14T13:50:25.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have correctly identified principles (IMO) of moral conduct in your OP,  @Dewmini  Gunasekera. For the benefit of others may I list them? While the five precepts are usually stated in negative terms they have their positive counterparts. They are the principles of non-injury and loving-kindness, the principles of honesty, the principles of sexual propriety, the principles of truthfulness and the principles of sobriety that a Lay Follower is to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhists observe the Eight Precepts once a month. These three additional precepts are:  Abstaining from eating after mid-day; Abstaining from dancing, singing, music and other forms of entertainment; and  Abstaining from garlands, scents, cosmetics and other kinds of adornment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who are desire a greater degree of withdrawal from lay life, and are prepared to make a full-time commitment, there are two more precepts. They are Abstaining from luxurious beds, and Abstaining from accepting money. For lay Buddhists the keeping of the five basic moral precepts of is adequate but is in itself quite demanding.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the fundamental Buddhist principles of moral thought and action is kamma. Kamma is the Law of Moral Causation. Kamma, literally, means action; but, in its ultimate sense, it means the meritorious and demeritorious volition (Kusala Akusala Cetana). It is the principle of Kamma that prompts a person to refrain from evil, do good and be good without being frightened of any punishment or tempted by any reward. For Buddhism the relevant kind of action is volitional action, deeds expressive of morally determinate volition, since it is volition that gives the action ethical significance. Thus the Buddha expressly identifies action with volition. In a discourse on the analysis of kamma he says: &quot;Monks, it is volition that I call action (kamma). Having willed, one performs an action through body, speech, or mind.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Majjima Nikaya Sutta Number 24, Rathavinãta Sutta, shows us the importance of the Purification of Morality (Virtuous conduct). Moral discipline is the foundation for concentration, concentration the foundation for wisdom.  The Pali word for &quot;moral discipline,&quot; is Sila. The observance of sila leads to harmony at several levels — social, psychological, kammic, and contemplative. At the social level the principles of sila help to establish harmonious interpersonal relations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate moral code taught by the Buddha is beyond the changing conditions of the world. For example a disciple is a person who has submitted to the Blessed One and His Dhamma. To yield or surrender (oneself) to the will or authority of Buddha and Dhamma requires real discrimination—the capacity to recognize the necessity of completely opening oneself and letting go. The more one surrenders, the more accountable one will become for ones own choices, ones own practice, and for the terms of one’s engagement in this path. If you find a person who understands submission to authority and you’ll see a person who is humble, full of love, unselfish, accountable, and personally responsible. Find a person who does not understand submission to authority and you’ll see a person who is prideful, full of criticism, selfish, self ruled, and spiritually irresponsible. Such mindful surrender is an opening to a deeper dimension of truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T13:50:25.557" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17263" CreationDate="2016-08-14T14:42:59.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was ordained as a novice monk some 30 years ago, I was given the Dharma name Sila Ananda. In that context, the term &quot;sila&quot; meant &quot;merit,&quot; referring to a quality acquired over previous lifetimes. A fundamental cause of confusion occurs when a person assumes that the Buddhist rules of conduct have a purpose similar to the Christian rules of conduct. To understand the difference, it helps to take note that the Christian rules involve the concept of a God who is a constant presence in the life of a monk or nun, whereas the Buddhist rules lack such a reference. My meditation teacher, the late Namgyal Rinpoche, referred to rules as forms of aspiration. The concept of sin is not present in Buddhism. My teacher used to give a &quot;Lama Couple Ordination&quot; to couples who were in a sexual relationship and wanted to teach Dharma together. In order to understand sila, one must look for the psychological reasons for following a rule. Essentially, each rule was formulated (while the Buddha was still alive) when a monk or nun became seriously confused because of something they did. For example, when a monk became sexually involved with a woman, he will have become deeply connected with her, thereby interfering with inner transmissions from the Buddha. Do not forget that the Tibetan Buddhists have works of art that display male and female deities in sexual union. And, if the woman were to bear a child, the monk would be responsible for caring for both mother and child. Also, there is no &quot;sin&quot; in finding the opposite sex attractive. In an interview on Youtube, the Dalai Lama talked about finding women attractive. The formation of a rule by the Buddha back then was an act of compassion for the monk or nun and for anyone else affected by the action in question. This underlying principle hold true for both the ordained and the layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T14:42:59.527" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15337" CreationDate="2016-08-14T16:54:23.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being your own best friend is good if you can manage it. Conceit is an attempt at having self-worth probably as compensation for being unloved as a child. The need to be conceited is a tragic situation that is very difficult to unlearn. Being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic may or may not be caused by conceit, but it is caused by ignorance (lack of information). Real confidence comes from knowing how a meditation actually works. For those of us who have grown up in a culture that values meditation, confidence in meditation comes easily. But, for those of us who grow up with a high regard for Western science, there is a need for an explanation that is not provided by Buddhist texts. I have recently written a book on &quot;How Mindfulness Meditation Works.&quot; The explanation I suggest is that the Bodhicitta provides &quot;safeguards&quot; that eventually correct mistaken beliefs, wishes, and emotions, by seeking a better versions of the mental actions (karma) involved. The Buddhist mindfulness meditation accelerates this innate process of correcting attitudes that undermine our ability to be attuned to the wisdom of the Bodhicitta. The traditional way to deal with a hindrance is to take note, &quot;I am experiencing conceit,&quot; and carry on meditating. &quot;Dropping&quot; the &quot;you,&quot; &quot;me,&quot; and &quot;I&quot; is based upon a misconception that these concepts are hindrances to Enlightenment or to a true understanding of the mind. The reality is that every concept has meaning in terms of the frame of reference, representation of reality, and/or the past experiences of the person using the concept. By questioning your concept of &quot;me,&quot; you do not come any closer to the Buddha's concept of &quot;me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T16:54:23.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17267" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-14T18:00:57.847" Score="6" ViewCount="843" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the English words 'suffering' &amp;amp; 'unsatisfactoriness' are often used as translations of the Pali word 'dukkha'. What is the difference between 'suffering' &amp;amp; 'unsatisfactoriness'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-14T18:16:14.323" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T13:38:20.590" Title="'Dukkha': What is the difference between 'suffering' &amp; 'unsatisfactoriness'?" Tags="|pali-language|four-noble-truths|dukkha|three-lakshanas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17267" CreationDate="2016-08-14T18:00:57.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Suffering' is the subject of the Four Noble Truths. 'Suffering' refers to psychological or emotional trauma, including sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when a woman is to give birth to a child, this event is often one of great anxiety, worry &amp;amp; physical pain, which is why the Four Noble Truths explain there is suffering associated with 'birth' (&lt;em&gt;jatipidukkha&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then for nine or ten months the mother shelters the embryo in her womb with great anxiety, as a heavy burden. Then, at the end of nine&#xA;  or ten months, she gives birth with great anxiety, as a heavy burden.&#xA;  MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, aging, illness, death, separation from the loved, etc, are experiences of human suffering when human beings are tied up in these experiences with self-view (attachment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now at that time a certain householder's dear &amp;amp; beloved little son, his only child, had died. Because of his death, the father had no&#xA;  desire to work or to eat. He kept going to the cemetery and crying&#xA;  out, &quot;Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone,&#xA;  my only little child?&quot; The Blessed One said: &quot;That's the way it is,&#xA;  householder. That's the way it is — for sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from&#xA;  one who is dear. MN 87&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nakulapita went to the Blessed One and said &quot;Lord, I am a feeble old man, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life. I&#xA;  am afflicted in body &amp;amp; ailing with every moment.&quot; The Blesssed One&#xA;  said: &quot;'Even though I may be afflicted in body, my mind will be&#xA;  unafflicted.' That is how you should train yourself.&quot; Now, how is one afflicted in body &amp;amp; afflicted in mind? He assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration. SN 22.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The causes of suffering, as explained in the 2nd Noble Truth &amp;amp; Dependent Origination, are ignorance, craving, becoming, attachment &amp;amp; self-identifying (self-view). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha or fully enlightened person has eradicated all suffering. A Buddha experiences no suffering in life whatsoever.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are pictures of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6noqH.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6noqH.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cAINI.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cAINI.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bubWg.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bubWg.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-14T18:38:39.860" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T18:38:39.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17267" CreationDate="2016-08-14T18:01:29.753" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Unsatisfactoriness' is one of the Three Characteristics. 'Unsatisfactoriness' refers to an inherent quality of all (conditioned) material &amp;amp; mental things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause of unsatisfactoriness is impermanence. Due to impermanence, all (conditioned) mental &amp;amp; material cannot be relied upon for lasting true happiness. Therefore, all impermanent things have a quality of unsatisfactoriness, be it major or minor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha or fully enlightened person cannot eradicate unsatisfactoriness because every conditioned phenomena in the universe, including stars &amp;amp; planets &amp;amp; the body &amp;amp; mind of a Buddha, contains the characteristic of unsatisfactoriness. A Buddha experiences unsatisfactorines in everything they see, hear, smell, taste, touch &amp;amp; cognize (except Nirvana. Nirvana is satisfactory because it is the unconditioned peace experienced from letting go of craving).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death? Thus asked, I would answer, ‘Form&#xA;  is impermanent… Feeling… Perception… Fabrications… Consciousness is&#xA;  impermanent. That which is impermanent is unsatisfactory. That which&#xA;  is unsatisfactory has ceased and gone to its end. Very good, my friend&#xA;  Yamaka. Very good. SN 22.85&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my eightieth year, and my life is spent. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is&#xA;  held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata is&#xA;  kept going only with supports. It is, Ananda, only when the Tathagata,&#xA;  disregarding external objects, with the cessation of certain feelings,&#xA;  attains to and abides in the signless concentration of mind, that his&#xA;  body is more comfortable. DN 16&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experiencing unsatisfactoriness is the cause of eradicating craving &amp;amp; suffering. When conditioned things are seen with wisdom as unsatisfactory, those conditioned things cease to be desirable. Thus, when desire (craving) ends, suffering ends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Seeing (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self) thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with&#xA;  form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception,&#xA;  disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness.&#xA;  Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is&#xA;  fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully&#xA;  released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled,&#xA;  the task done. There is nothing further for this world.' SN 22.59&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; suffering are not the same thing because experiencing unsatisfactoriness results in not experiencing suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to&#xA;  purification. Dhammapada 278&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are pictures of unsatisfactoriness; i.e, undesirable things that cannot bring true lasting permanent happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZePZ3.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZePZ3.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zivgG.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/zivgG.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nEcxH.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nEcxH.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dXy6w.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dXy6w.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QGdKu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QGdKu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-14T18:53:37.870" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T18:53:37.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15725" CreationDate="2016-08-14T23:50:47.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Mahayana sutras are in Chinese Text, as a result someone who is good both in English and Chinese will help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried google, and found 2 results based on the titles: (however not sure how smart google is in buddhism, so i do not know if they are Chinese versions of your selected sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T01n0026_060&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T01n0026_060&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;（二二一）中阿含例品箭喻經第十&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T01/0094_001.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T01/0094_001.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;佛說箭喻經&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However similar story might appear in some other sutras, the story below is one of them which I read before:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;======================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T19/0945_005.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T19/0945_005.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(From line: T19n0945_p0126b20(00))&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;畢陵伽婆蹉即從座起，頂禮佛足而白佛言：「我初發心從佛入道，數聞如來說諸世間不可樂事，乞食城中心思法門，不覺路中毒刺傷足，舉身疼痛我念有知，知此深痛雖覺覺痛，覺清淨心無痛痛覺，我又思惟如是一身寧有雙覺？攝念未久身心忽空，三七日中諸漏虛盡成阿羅漢，得親印記發明無學。佛問圓通，如我所證，純覺遺身斯為第一！」&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;======================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the English version of above text:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;======================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pilindavatsa arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When I first left home to follow the Buddha and enter the way, I often heard the Thus Come One explain that there is nothing in this world that brings happiness. Once, when I was begging in the city, I was reflection on this Dharma-door and did not notice a poisonous thorn on the road until it had pricked my foot. My entire body experienced physical pain, but my mind also and recognized the feeling of pain, I knew that in my pure heart, there was neither pain nor awareness of pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I also thought, 'Is it possible for one body to have two awareness?' Having reflected on this for a while, my body and mind were suddenly empty. After twenty-one days, my outflows disappeared. I accomplished Arhatship and received certification in person and a confirmation that I had realized the level beyond study.&#xA;&quot;The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. As I have been certified to it, purifying the awareness and forgetting the body is the superior method.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;======================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you be happy and at ease&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7697" LastEditorUserId="7697" LastEditDate="2016-08-14T23:56:34.453" LastActivityDate="2016-08-14T23:56:34.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17267" CreationDate="2016-08-15T04:49:29.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha is a vast subject. After 50 years of practicing Buddhist mindfulness meditation based upon the Satipatthana Sutta as taught by the late Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche, I am able to talk about the kind of Dukkha that mindfulness meditation deals with, along with a little common-sense. For example, mindfulness helps a person stay objective. Hence, physical pain remains simply that--physical pain without an emotional response such as self-pity or anger. Yet, it remains painful to observe a loved one suffer, for that is the nature of compassion. Advanced states of mindfulness meditation have three other general benefits: (1) It allows a person to explore the siddhis (psychic powers that depend upon previous karma), such as perceiving the nature of karma and the nature of the Bodhicitta. (2) It frees the mind to function more in accord with the awareness, wisdom, and love of the Bodhicitta. (3) It brings a person to Enlightenment and helps them to understand Enlightenment, just as the Buddha promised. Beyond that, I am inclined to agree with the Tibetan Buddhists that the true purpose of Enlightenment is to help others suffer less rather than to achieve lasting true happiness. If you want more than that, then the karma-vipaka of that wish will turn around and bite you with disappointment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T04:49:29.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9312" CreationDate="2016-08-15T05:23:58.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One siddhi worth mentioning is the one called &quot;anima,&quot; the ability to see atoms. Almost a century ago, two clairvoyants, Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater, used this ability to examine all the elements of the periodic table known at the time. More recently, a physicists named Stephen Phillips found a mathematical relationship between their observations and our modern knowledge of the elements. Someday, I suspect, people will be developing this siddhi in order to provide new information about atoms for modern physicists. I suspect that the same siddhi can also be used to observe the physical form of citta. But that is another story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T05:23:58.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17274" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-15T07:39:29.267" Score="2" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;In what ways you advance on the path? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is it by lowering the hindrances ? or your ability to notice them ?  you get a greater ability to not attach and let go ?  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;im trying to understand in what ways we advance -  i mean before becoming a sotapanna what do you improve throw meditation  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and if you answer for example : &quot; you have less ill will your less angry&quot;  do you mean we lower the anger levels - if so how -  did i remove existing anger &quot;seeds&quot; or did i improve my ability to notice and let go of anger - and if so is this an ability which builds up from meditaiton to meditation ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i would appreciate everything you can expand on the subject of advancing in the path   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T00:41:22.073" Title="In what ways you advance on the path ?" Tags="|path|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17275" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17294" CreationDate="2016-08-15T08:32:59.760" Score="2" ViewCount="623" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any body who achieved Nibbana currently (in the current world).&#xA;If so give one or two names, please.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9849" LastActivityDate="2020-12-13T11:39:54.390" Title="Are there any body who achieved Nibbana currently (in the current world)" Tags="|philosophy|lay-buddhism|buddhas|academic-buddhism|doctrine|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17274" CreationDate="2016-08-15T08:58:54.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path is lead by right view, which is wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each hindrance is the drive/motivation to do harm or enslave. Therefore, to advance on the path, it is ideal that wisdom investigate each hindrance &amp;amp; examine why its motive is harmful &amp;amp;/or enslaving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind is not a slave to hindrances, to enter sotapanna the mind must have the selflessness to 'let go'. Sotapanna will not be entered with force or will power. It will be entered by dropping ego &amp;amp; self. For some people who are very ethical or harmless, dropping the self can be difficult because it can be like 'dying' existentially. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, a good way to advance on the path is to focus on being a harmless &amp;amp; unselfish person and to also abide regularly in solitude so existential fear can be overcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you live in society, you can find somewhere, like some bushland or empty beach, to meditate alone a few nights a week. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-15T09:05:19.997" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T09:05:19.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-08-15T09:26:32.153" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures describe 4 levels of enlightenment, which equate to 4 levels of Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nakhasikha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states in the 1st level of enlightenment the vast majority of the previous suffering has been ended &amp;amp; extinguished.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhist practitioners have tasted Nibbana (freedom from suffering). However, I suspect those that have reached the highest Nibbana are not many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Thailand, monks would say Ajahn Maha Bua &amp;amp; Ajahn Chah (both now deceased) reached the highest Nibbana. You can watch these videos:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u76o7xZe3PE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah - Bio 43 - Talking about enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tT5r-qQNEU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah - Bio 44 - How attained was Ajahn Chah?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Ajahn Brahm is close to the highest Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said if people practise the 8 fold path in the right way, people will know Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This article, '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha013.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbana for Everyone&lt;/a&gt;', may be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-15T21:30:27.497" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T21:30:27.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17278" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-15T10:31:28.260" Score="3" ViewCount="430" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to do breath meditation during daily activities ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T14:42:52.263" Title="Breath mediation during daily acvities" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17278" CreationDate="2016-08-15T11:01:29.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is possible but as there are a lot of types of breath meditation it may not be possible to do your type. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do breath meditation for samatha remember that the point is to develop calm, the point isn't to see how long your can focus on your breath. So if you have to focus on your task a bit that's not a bad thing as long as you do it calmly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If what you are doing is a simple task you can largely be aware of your breath while you do the action in the background. If you are doing a complicated task then you'll have to put a lot of attention on the task but keep an awareness of the breath in the background which you can frequently go back to momentarily to remind you of equanimity, in that way the breath is like a refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compared to sitting in a quiet room, during daily activities there is a lot going on and your attention is probably jumping from a sight to a sound to a smell and then to another sight. Some people use this to observe impermanence; as you inhale notice the sense arising in your awareness, as you exhale notice how what you are aware of has changed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T11:01:29.480" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17278" CreationDate="2016-08-15T12:32:02.407" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness and Awareness is not a concept only to be practiced during Meditation. Practicing Mindfulness and Awareness during the day, with Parents, Teachers, Customers ... and all other Beeings is a powerfull and healthy practice. It is a tremendous challenge,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha spoke of the power of mindfulness in a very emphatic way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mindfulness, I declare, is all-helpful.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SAMYUTTA, 46:59&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All things can be mastered by mindfulness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ANGUTTARA, 8:83&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Further, there is that solemn and weighty utterance opening and&#xA;  concluding the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Discourse on the Foundations&#xA;  of Mindfulness:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is the only way, monks, for the purification of&#xA;  beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the&#xA;  destruction of pain and grief, for reaching the right path, for the&#xA;  attainment of Nibbana, namely the four foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/powermindfulness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;THE POWER OF MINDFULNESS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/gawarens.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guide to Awareness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no sense in not beeing mindfull and aware during your carmic activities, you know Buddhism ... it is not all about your breath, it is all about your awareness and mindfullness during the day, the week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel you need more help, teaching or instructions, look for a good teacher with a solid reputation and established traditions along a respectable linage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Addendum:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the publication &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/essentials.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Essentials of Insight Meditation Practice&lt;/a&gt; is of some aid and section &lt;em&gt;OTHER DAILY ACTIVITIES&lt;/em&gt; a good introduction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="7039" LastEditDate="2016-08-17T14:02:00.190" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T14:02:00.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-08-15T20:32:01.453" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this question has a great potential for misunderstanding the concept of &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;. Why is it important to know? There is no way to know if &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; is just another silly concept like &lt;em&gt;God&lt;/em&gt; except you have experienced what this word is pointing to. If there is the claim that somebody else is 'enlightened' it doesn't really change the fact that you simply don't know if this is true.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T20:32:01.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16124" CreationDate="2016-08-15T22:01:21.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different schools of Buddhism but virtually all subscribe to some notion of emptiness which Zen practitioners often refer to as &quot;no mind&quot; or &quot;beginner's mind&quot; and is echoed in Christianity in words ascribed to Christ as &quot;unless you become as little children you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven&quot; )&lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/matthew/18-3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://biblehub.com/matthew/18-3.htm&lt;/a&gt;). Incidentally the capper follow up to that is &quot;The kingdom of heaven is within you&quot; ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/luke/17-21.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://biblehub.com/luke/17-21.htm&lt;/a&gt; ). Almost all religions mention the notion of transformation within but Buddhism is the only philosophy(I prefer to refer to Buddhism as a philosophy because it insists that you diligently verify all its claims yourself much in the spirit of philosophy.) that centers focus on self transformation in a practical how-to fashion.&#xA;Buddhism is unlike almost all religions which insist you take most of their credo &quot;on faith&quot; until you die and then all will be revealed. Some of their credo is downright silly like virgin birth and walking on water. Buddhism does have some very hard to verify beliefs like rebirth. There has been a lot of work recently on near death experience(Pim van Lommel &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pimvanlommel.nl/home_eng&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.pimvanlommel.nl/home_eng&lt;/a&gt; ) and the earlier work of Ian Stevenson ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson&lt;/a&gt; ) on memories of prior lives(mostly among pre-school children). Stephen Batchelor says it is possible to be a &quot;good Buddhist&quot; while disavowing rebirth. The jury is out for me personally. I will need a bit more data in terms of tightly controlled studies. A note, the American Asociation for the Advancement of Science(AAAS) has the Parapsychological Association ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parapsych.org/home.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.parapsych.org/home.aspx&lt;/a&gt; )as an associate organization. Conventional science is beginning to abandon the view that ultimate reality is mechanistic materialism. My personal focus is to work at a joining of East and West and I see the scientific study of consciousness as the first big step in that direction. Finally, as respects Hinduism, I was a student of Hinduism for a number of years(primarily Sri Aurobindo, whom I still venerate). Sri Aurobindo wrote &quot;A Synthesis of Yoga&quot; where he advocated that all kinds of Yoga(Hatha, Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana) be united in a single practice with the proviso that Jnana should be avoided by all except those with an exceptional intellect (Nagarjuna would be an example of Buddhist Jnana Yoga). Sri Aurobindo taught Advaita Vedanta Hinduism which is nearly identical with Buddhism. So, finally, at the risk sounding like a broken record, Buddhism is about self transformation by non-attachment to all mental and material phenomena (to become as a little child or to have a beginner's mind). Buddhism can help you put your left brain analytical self in its proper role as a help in understanding conventional thought(each age has its own flavor..humans were once convinced that the Earth was flat and the center of the universe where all else revolves around the Earth). Giordano Bruno ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno&lt;/a&gt; ) advocated a remarkably modern view  that resulted in the Catholic Church burning him at the stake. Buddhism always advocates that any and all mental constructs are provisional and NEVER final. In other words, the Buddhist claim is that there will never be a final theory of everything. The analytical mind is very useful in navigating through the conventional reality du jour but it is of paramount importance to keep in mind &quot;this too shall pass&quot;, That is the Buddhist &quot;doctrine&quot; of impermanence (Buddhists also say that emptiness is empty). The study and practice of Buddhism has the potential to afford you the grandest adventure of any life you might hope for. A last note, my guess is that you might like to try Sokkai Gakkai International ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sgi.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.sgi.org/&lt;/a&gt; ) it starts as a very simple practice of chanting and allows you to progress at your own pace. Many people consider it to be a cult but I have investigated it thoroughly and it is most definitely NOT a cult. It is true that there are a lot of ex-Catholics and ex-Mormons (I believe it is true that both the Catholic Church and the Church of LDS are most definitely cults(an organization whose leadership have direct contact with God and  therefore are infallible)) members who fan the flames of the cult of personality surrounding Daisaku Ikeda. Regrettably there is a widespread cult of personality within the SGI surrounding Daisaku Ikeda but he disavows any association with such attitudes. The nice thing about SGI is that it is the fastest growing Buddhist group in the history of Buddhism and is spread widely on demographics factors( income, education, race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ, etc). Obviously, I respect your right to decide for yourself, but a word of warning, there are many practitioners of Buddhism who get all wrapped up in the intellectual side of Buddhism and fail to understand it is all about having a genuinely happy and joyful life. It was that tendency that led to a Daoist critique of Buddhism ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/daoism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/daoism/&lt;/a&gt; ). So follow your genuine concerns and maybe you will find a home in Buddhism. I have many homes, myself. There are versions of many of the great faiths (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Jainism, and Hinduism) that I call home but Buddhism and Daoism are the most homely for me.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T22:01:21.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17274" CreationDate="2016-08-15T23:03:24.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good first step to advancing on the path is by increasing one's mindfulness. Motivation and meditation are sufficient to do that, and this will start to show you specific instances where you are encountering hindrances or could do better. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you are walking impatiently and end up continually advancing in front of a friend rather than walking side by side with him, mindfulness may show you that you are doing this because of impatience to reach a goal, a desire for that goal, and clinging as well as a tendency to live in the future, rather than the present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is a powerful tool at many stages along the path, it will show you many sides of yourself, details of your own reactions, the hidden parts of your nature that we usually don't get to see. It is a key factor for early advancement on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of the seeds, my understanding is that it depends on which ones we &quot;water&quot;. The nutrients we take in, be they newspapers, movies or actual food, can feed our store of seeds. So you can choose to feed a seed of anger or a seed of calmness, which may help you to stay detached when anger comes to visit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8809" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T23:03:24.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17284" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17291" CreationDate="2016-08-15T23:10:13.137" Score="1" ViewCount="718" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently visited Nanzō-in Temple, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, home of a very large bronze reclining Buddha. In front of the statue are many vertical metal cylinders. My initial thought was that they are prayer wheels - and you may tell me that this is the case - but I did not see any obvious means for them to rotate. What are these cylinders?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xiYHN.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xiYHN.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Picture showing what I described&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(image from Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Original at &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanzoin_temple#/media/File:Reclining_Buddha_statues_of_Nanzoin.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanzoin_temple#/media/File:Reclining_Buddha_statues_of_Nanzoin.jpg&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9868" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T01:02:45.857" Title="What are the cylinders in front of the Buddha statue at Nanzō-in Temple, Japan?" Tags="|temples|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16124" CreationDate="2016-08-15T23:28:14.037" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like &lt;em&gt;The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching&lt;/em&gt; by Thich Nhat Hanh as a beginning book on the core of the Buddhist teaching. It is well written and modern in style, and covers essentials such as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path as well as slightly deeper topics. It will give you a grounding and a place from which to appreciate the sutra's. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various web based repositories of sutra's which you can explore, I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt; to be pleasant and good. The book includes many references to sutra's which you can look up online. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to be aware of in Buddhism is that the different schools hold differing opinions on the words of the Buddha. There is a doctrine called the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma, which sets out the Mahayana view on the Buddha's teaching, while the Theravadan view is that the Pali Cannon which constitutes much of the Mahayana tradition's First Turning is authoritative by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan tradition has composed a series of texts called &lt;em&gt;lamrims&lt;/em&gt;, of which there have been many following on from Atiśa's 11th-century original text &lt;em&gt;A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;. These aspire to order the sutra's in a logical order of progression for actual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8809" LastActivityDate="2016-08-15T23:28:14.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17286" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-15T23:39:59.953" Score="2" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a person has health reasons that make sleeping late (say, 3am-11am) a necessity, can such a person appropriately hold monastic vows in the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism?  Are there certain sleeping restrictions mentioned in the vows?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9869" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T13:39:45.267" Title="Can an ordained person keep a late sleep schedule?" Tags="|sleep|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-08-15T23:54:07.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one would carry placards announcing that they are on the Path.  If there are any who have fulfilled the practice of the Path, then certainly even today there could be Arahants in the world.  But if any one loudly publicizes his/her attainment of Arahantship, then there arises some doubt about it.  This is because such public announcement is not in keeping with Arahants, for they are totally self-effacing. The ones who are in the Path knows, when a level of Path and Fruition is achieved, but he/she would never share it with a lesser person.  If a lay- person makes such an announcement it could be due to some sort of misunderstanding of the doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali Canon, an Arahant is one who has attained the final goal of Buddhist practice -- the Nibbāna, The term arhant is one of the epithets of a Buddha, and is used to refer to an enlightened disciple of Gautama Buddha. An Arahant is one who has completely destroyed greed, hatred and delusion. Usually the term ‘enlightenment’ is used to denote one who has attained arahantship. Such a person is called an enlightened person. The Path Fruition has four levels. They  are Sotapatti (Stream-Winner), Sakadagami (Once-Returner), Anagami (Never-Returner), and Arahatta (The Worthy Ones).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sotapanna is usually referred to as a ‘stream entrant’. Sotapatti is the first stage in the Path of spiritual progress to Nibbana.  The ‘Sota’ is used in Pali in diverse senses.  It denotes also craving, the ear, the Noble Eightfold Path etc.  In this context the term ‘sota’ is used to denote the Noble Path.  It is also designated as the Dhamma-sota – the stream of doctrine.  A person who reaches this dhamma-sota is called a sotapanna. When one attains sotapatti stage, Sakkaya ditthi or soul-view view gets eradicated as a sotapanna understands the true nature of the five aggregates.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sotapanna obtains the Right view, the first feature in the Noble Eightfold Path and this is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths.  Consequently a sotapanna gets rid of both doubt and clinging to rites and rituals. A Sotapanna has to establish himself in Right View and further develop the four establishments of mindfulness.  A Sotapanna person still has craving.  If we call a sotapanna an enlightened one, how are we going to describe an Arahant? In order to understand the nature of a Sotapanna one could read the Sammaditthi sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one becomes an once-returner (sakadagami), the two fetters - sensual desire (kamaraga) and enmity (patigha) get eradicated. To attain anagamihood one has to cultivate Right Concentration and develop jhanic attainments. The Buddha very well knew that all cannot attain Arahantship.  The Buddha viewed this world as a lotus pond where there are fully blossomed lotuses as well as buds of different stages of maturity. According to their knowledge the Sotapannas and the Anagamins are divided into further categories. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahaparinibbana sutta says that as long as the bhikkhus in this dispensation follow the Noble Eightfold Path, the world will not be empty of Arahants. So there are Arahants who walk this earth though we may never know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-16T01:59:03.863" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T01:59:03.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17286" CreationDate="2016-08-16T00:35:40.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, such a person can appropriately hold monastic vows in the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. There are sleeping restrictions in the Vinaya, but not regarding the time or length of sleep. Although Vinaya states that sleep is an impediment to the three trainings, in any case over-sleeping (are 8 hours of sleep over-sleeping? this is open to interpretation) would not constitute a downfall since it is not the breaking of a vow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, sleeping at such hours and for so long would be seen as inappropriate by many. In addition, a monk could hardly stay in a monastery or in a center (even in the West) with such a schedule, because there are (1) monastery-schedules, and (2) rules that are not Vinaya but institutional. It is not rare to have pujas in the morning, etc. Of course, Western institutions are not as strict as  the Tibetan ones (for Tibetan have to wake up at 5:30 am, and if they do not, they are fined by the disciplinarian) but still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the western sangha are relatively wealthy elderly women who live in their houses, enjoying various floors, living with their cat, great gardens and the like, on their own, and not all taken that seriously by monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest you read Lama Yeshe's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1891868012&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Advice for monks and nuns&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-08-16T04:41:50.390" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T04:41:50.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17274" CreationDate="2016-08-16T00:41:22.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.4-Abhabba-Tayodhamma-S-a10.76-piya_bk-1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“Thayodhamma Sutta”&lt;/a&gt; in the Anguttara Nikaya tells you how to go about it, @breath. It explain in full why and how to practice the spiritual life. Specifically this sutta describes what you should avoid or irradiate in order to achieve Nibbana.  Thayo means Three – so it is abandoning three things at a time towards Path Fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon  1. Birth  2. Old age  3. Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to abandon:  1. Greed (passion);  2. Hatred;  3. Delusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Personality view;  2. Doubt;  3. Rituals and observances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Drowsiness of the mind;  2. Following the wrong path;  3. Unwise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Unmindfulness (wrong mindfulness);  2. Unawareness;  3. Mental distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Dislike to see the noble ones;  2. Dislike to hear the noble teachings;  3. Fault-finding mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Conceit;  2. Unrestraint;  3. Immorality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Lack of confidence;  2. Dislike to listen to others;  3. Laziness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Unfriendliness;  2. Disobedience;  3. Bad Friends (Asathpurisa Sevanaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon:  1. Shamelessness;  2. Fearlessness;  3. Non-diligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T00:41:22.073" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17159" CreationDate="2016-08-16T00:44:09.810" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before all I appreciate your interesting towards the Buddhism my friend. I have few clarifications to be done before answering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First thing you have mentioned &quot;All the Goddess in Buddhism are Demons&quot; is completely wrong. Ladies who were died with good and powerful enough karma wipaka to be born in heaven will born as goddess.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually there are very few english translations are available about dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you to read &quot;wimana wattu and Pretha watthu&quot;. there are lot of stories contain information about people who were born among heaven and hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T00:44:09.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17284" CreationDate="2016-08-16T01:02:45.857" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The urns are numbered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tourabsurd.com/fukuoka-japan-nanzoin-temple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Many Faces of Fukuoka’s Nanzoin Temple&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are 365 urns in front of the Buddha.  Visitors travel long distances to place messages to their dearly departed loved ones in the urn marked with the day they died.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T01:02:45.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15937" CreationDate="2016-08-16T01:11:11.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of meditation available in Buddhism. &lt;strong&gt;Samatha&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samatha, you should concentrate your mind into one &lt;strong&gt;target sense&lt;/strong&gt;. The target sense can be inhale and exhale witch is popular as Anapanasathi. &lt;strong&gt;There are more Samatha meditation methods&lt;/strong&gt; which are targeting difference target senses. &lt;strong&gt;Kasina&lt;/strong&gt; meditation and &lt;strong&gt;Asuba&lt;/strong&gt; meditation are some of them. There you continually get that target sense into mind without allowing any idea, sense or feeling other than that. Then you will feel your mind become more powerful and very high state of calmness. actually Samatha is like sharpening your weapons against a war. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists, our main intention is to attain Nibbana. So after performing Samatha we look at the uncertainty of the body and mind. Here what we are doing is not generating ideas. but perform root cause analysis on uncertainty of body and mind. actually wipassana is like use your weapons against enemy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;you cannot get good results if you are not following sila, at least five precepts&lt;/strong&gt;. My friend, Use five precepts not Headbands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="496" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T01:11:11.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17293" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-16T06:56:39.230" Score="1" ViewCount="398" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard about &quot;Mahabhutha&quot; as 4 elements but in few occasions as 6 elements with the addition of &quot;Akasha&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;Vijñāna&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain why there is a difference and how they connect with the other 4 elements?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:16:29.683" Title="Four great elements : what is the other 2 elements?" Tags="|four-elements|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17294" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-08-16T07:04:45.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's nobody in the current world. The current world is one of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking. Nibbana is devoid of any of those.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T07:04:45.027" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14496" CreationDate="2016-08-16T10:16:22.633" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My interpretation would be that all things are not suffering, for several reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, the first Noble Truth needs to be seen in context with the other Noble Truths - it says in life there is suffering, but also that there are causes and a path to the cessation of suffering. Most composite entities are not alive and so cannot follow the path. It stands to reason that most composite things follow a natural path to physical decomposition and recomposition, which doesn't necessarily include (mental) suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, in the sutra's the words 'conditioned things' often refers to Sankhara, which is a term that largely refers to mental phenomena. To extend this to try and construct a doctrine which implies that the whole physical world is suffering is an error in conception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without clinging there can be no suffering, and clinging is a property of mental formations. I would say that Thich Nhat Hanh may well be right. Others are likely better placed to comment on Zen beliefs and practices regarding suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8809" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T10:16:22.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-08-16T14:40:50.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are there any body who achieved Nibbana currently (in the current world). If so give one or two names, please&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The easiest answer to the above question is to say 'Not known'. However, please consider the following. The name Lord Buddha (Bhagava Buddho) gave to his teaching is Dhamma-Vinaya. Dhamma cannot be understood because it is based on: Dukkha Ariyasacca. Dukkha (dukkham) cannot be translated into English. See the following quote from the entry, Dukkha in the PED.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B. (nt.; but pl. also dukkhā, e. g. S i.23; Sn 728; Dh 202, 203, 221. Spelling dukha (after sukha) at Dh 83, 203). There is no word in English covering the same ground as Dukkha does in Pali. Our modern words are too specialised, too limited, and usually too strong. Sukha &amp;amp; dukkha are ease and dis-ease (but we use disease in another sense); or wealth and ilth from well &amp;amp; ill (but we have now lost ilth); or wellbeing and ill-ness (but illness means something else in English). We are forced, therefore, in translation to use half synonyms, no one of which is exact. Dukkha is equally mental &amp;amp; physical. Pain is too predominantly physical, sorrow too exclusively mental, but in some connections they have to be used in default of any more exact rendering. Discomfort, suffering, ill, and trouble can occasionally be used in certain connections. Misery, distress, agony, affliction and woe are never right. They are all much too strong &amp;amp; are only mental (see Mrs. Rh. D. Bud. Psy. 83 -- 86, quoting Ledi Sadaw).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ariyasacca is usually given the English Equivalent 'Noble Truth'. The term 'noble truth' is not in Oxford Dictionaries. That means it is not an English word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one understands the Dukkha Ariyasacca, therefore they cannot understand Nibbana. Therefore the question is meaningless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T14:40:50.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17293" CreationDate="2016-08-16T15:06:44.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four great elements : what is the other 2 elements?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Nikaya Texts, there is a term called 'Cattari Mahabhutani'(four Mahabhuta). These Mahabhutani consitute Rupa. (See Sammaditthi Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A being (human being is an instance) is defined in terms of six Dhatus. It is Cattari Mahabhutani and Akasa and Vinnana Dhatus (Caddhaturo Ayam Puriso) (See for example Bhahudhatukasuttam.) However, there are no meaningful translations of these Suttas in any language. These Suttas could be understood only by Lord Buddha's direct disciples, who listened to Lord Buddha in person. This non-understanding is the reason for the existence numerous Buddhist traditions and sects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T15:06:44.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17293" CreationDate="2016-08-16T15:57:49.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure this is useful to you but here is some further reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As written in user1387280's answer, various &quot;6 elements&quot; (including those you mentioned i.e. earth, wind, fire, and water, plus space and consciousness) are listed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1a-Bahudhatuka-S-m115-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu Dhātuka Sutta (MN 115)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Footnote 21 to the phrase &quot;eighteen elements&quot; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1 Def at Vbh §§183-184/87-90; expl in detail at Vism 15.17-43/484-490. See Intro (1) above&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a description of each of the six elements in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhatu-vibhanga Sutta (MN 140)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure they do &quot;connect&quot; with each other (maybe what makes them &quot;elements&quot; is that one can exist without the other). Still insofar as they are elements of a person they are a put-together assemblage. The teaching that applies to all of them is that they're all not mine, not me, not myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, Chapter 15 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; discusses &quot;elements&quot; and says, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;30&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The earth, fire, and air elements are the tangible-data element; the water&#xA;  element and the space element are the mental-data element only; “consciousness&#xA;  element” is a term summarizing the seven consciousness elements beginning&#xA;  with eye-consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Footnote 32 on page 443 explains why water is 'mental': it's because 'water' is the mind's perceiving an absence of 'fire'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T15:57:49.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16047" CreationDate="2016-08-16T18:05:33.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; means 'seeing clearly'. That means you cannot practice &lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;, because it is the result of the practice. Likewise if you practice Samatha, you don't sit down and become calm &amp;amp; one-pointed right away. The practice and the result are not the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to practice &lt;em&gt;Vipassana Bhavana&lt;/em&gt; (= development of insight) you would traditionally use the instructions from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The foundation/object of this practice is not whatever comes up. There are 4 things you should be mindful of (body, feelings, mind, mind objects).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All necessary instruction can be found in this guide: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How to Meditate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T18:05:33.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17293" CreationDate="2016-08-16T22:24:12.807" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume (speculate) the four great elements was an understanding before the Buddha found in many cultures (see Wikipedia: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;classical elements&lt;/a&gt;). In ancient times, different cultures or philosophies would add onto the four great elements other elements they regarded to be important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Chinese had a somewhat different series of elements, namely Fire, Earth, Metal (literally gold), Water and Wood, which were understood&#xA;as different types of energy in a state of constant interaction and&#xA;flux with one another, rather than the Western notion of different&#xA;kinds of material.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In respect to the &lt;strong&gt;four great elements&lt;/strong&gt;, the Buddha used this in his definition of the physical body for the purposes of Dependent Origination, i.e., to show how ignorance-created-formations (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) condition stress &amp;amp; agitation in the physical body (&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is mentality-materiality (nama-rupa)? Feeling, perception, volition, contact and attention — these are called mentality. The four&#xA;great elements and the material form derived from the four great&#xA;elements — these are called materiality.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In respect to the &lt;strong&gt;six elements&lt;/strong&gt;, the Buddha was concerned with those non-personal (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;) elements (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) that could be directly discerned/experienced by the mind in their most natural state. He emphasized earth (solidity), wind (breath; wind), fire (heat; including body heat), water ( moisture, softness), space (internal &amp;amp; external) and primal consciousness (awareness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refer to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Short-Pieces/MahaRahulovadasuttam.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahārāhulovāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu, this person consists of six elements. There are the earth element, the&#xA;water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element&#xA;and the consciousness element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhu, is the earth element? The earth element may be either internal or external. What is the internal earth element? Whatever&#xA;internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung-to,&#xA;that is, head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews,&#xA;bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs,&#xA;intestines, mesentery, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever&#xA;else internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and&#xA;clung-to: this is called the internal earth element. Now both the&#xA;internal earth element and the external earth element are simply earth&#xA;element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom&#xA;thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one&#xA;sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes&#xA;disenchanted with the earth element and makes the mind dispassionate&#xA;towards the earth element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhu, is the water element? The water element may be either internal or external. What is the internal water element? Whatever&#xA;internally, belonging to oneself, is water, watery, and clung-to, that&#xA;is, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle,&#xA;snot, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging&#xA;to oneself, is water, watery, and clung-to: this is called the&#xA;internal water element. Now both the internal water element and the&#xA;external water element are simply water element. And that should be&#xA;seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine,&#xA;this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it&#xA;actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the&#xA;water element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the water&#xA;element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhu, is the fire element? The fire element may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire element? Whatever&#xA;internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, and clung-to, that&#xA;is, that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by&#xA;which what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted gets completely&#xA;digested, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fire,&#xA;fiery, and clung-to: this is called the internal fire element. Now&#xA;both the internal fire element and the external fire element are&#xA;simply fire element. And that should be seen as it actually is with&#xA;proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my&#xA;self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one&#xA;becomes disenchanted with the fire element and makes the mind&#xA;dispassionate towards the fire element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhu, is the air element? The air element may be either internal or external. What is the internal air element? Whatever&#xA;internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung-to, that is,&#xA;up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the belly, winds in the&#xA;bowels, winds that course through the limbs, in-breath and out-breath,&#xA;or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and&#xA;clung-to: this is called the internal air element. Now both the&#xA;internal air element and the external air element are simply air&#xA;element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom&#xA;thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one&#xA;sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes&#xA;disenchanted with the air element and makes the mind dispassionate&#xA;towards the air element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhu, is the space element? The space element may be either internal or external. What is the internal space element? Whatever&#xA;internally, belonging to oneself, is space, spatial, and clung-to,&#xA;that is, the holes of the ears, the nostrils, the door of the mouth,&#xA;and that aperture whereby what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted&#xA;gets swallowed, and where it collects, and whereby it is excreted from&#xA;below, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is space,&#xA;spatial, and clung-to: this is called the internal space element. Now&#xA;both the internal space element and the external space element are&#xA;simply space element. And that should be seen as it actually is with&#xA;proper wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my&#xA;self.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with proper wisdom, one&#xA;becomes disenchanted with the space element and makes the mind&#xA;dispassionate towards the space element.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then there remains only consciousness, purified and bright. What does one cognize with that consciousness? One cognizes: ‘This is pleasant’;&#xA;one cognizes: ‘This is painful’; one cognizes: ‘This is&#xA;neither-painful-nor-pleasant.’...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-16T22:34:19.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17293" CreationDate="2016-08-17T00:03:55.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As disciples of the Buddha it is good to view the four physical elements (dhatu) of nature: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind (pathavi, apo, tejo, and vayo) as Elements of solidity, fluidity, heat and motion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(1)        Earth element (pathavi-dhatu) has the property of hardness, strength, thickness, immobility, security and supporting.  - they represent the solidity property of forms. &#xA; (2)        Water element (apo-dhatu) has the property of oozing, humidity, fluidity, trickling, permeation and cohesion.  - they represent the fluidity or cohesiveness property of forms.&#xA; (3)        Fire element (tejo-dhatu) has the property of heating, warmth, consuming and grasping.  - they represent the heat or cold temperature property of forms. &#xA; (4)        Air element (vayo-dhatu) has the property of motion, supporting, coldness, ingress and egress, easy movement and grasping.  - they represent the distended-ness property of forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four elements are there in any form, including our body. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta (AN 10.60)&lt;/a&gt; The Buddha tells Ananda:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Herein, Ananda, a monk contemplates this body upward from the soles of the feet, downward from the top of the hair, enclosed in skin, as being full of many impurities. In this body there are hairs on the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucous, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), and urine. Thus he dwells contemplating foulness in this body. This, Ananda, is called contemplation of foulness.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last two Dhatu – Akasa &amp;amp; Viññaña  can be seen in this way. Akasa is of two types. The one in Arupa Jhana is the sphere of infinite space (Akasanañcayatana). This is attained by transcending any cognition of rupa, by abandoning the metal image that was previously the object of concentration, and seeing that space is infinite. The Akasa Dhatu is more limited. It is the space element, belongs to derived materiality.  This element has the characteristic of delimiting matter or form, and indicates the boundaries of matter. Akasa is the container of matter or form being untouched by the 4 great elements, and in holes and openings. It is for Akasa element that one can say 'this is above. below, around that'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Viññāna is the 5th in the sixfold division of elements dhātu. It is the mind-consciousness-element. Like the other 5 Dhatu, this too is impersonal. Consciousness, when you're aware of it inwardly, arises and passes away by its very own nature. There's no real essence to it. Viññāna as dhatu or elements, are divided into 7 classes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;cakkhu-vinnana-dhatu = cakkhu-vinnanadvi. They depend on cakkhu-vatthu for their arising. (eyes)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sota-vinnana-dhatu = sota-vinnanadvi. They depend on sota-vatthu for their arising. (ears)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ghana-vinnana-dhatu = ghana-vinnanadvi. They depend on ghana-vatthu for their arising. (nose)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;jivha-vinnana-dhatu = jivha-vinnanadvi. They depend on jivha-vatthu for their arising. (tongue)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;kaya-vinnana-dhatu = kaya-vinnanadvi. They depend on kaya-vatthu for their arising. (body)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;mano-dhatu = panca-dvaravajjana and sampaticchanadvi. They depend on hadaya-vatthu for their arising. (mind)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both @user1387280 and @ChrisW were not sure when it came to this OP. There is nothing wrong in this. Even I do not know much about the last two Dhatu – Akasa &amp;amp; Viññaña. There is another deeper level of understanding to Dhamma beyond our empirical surface experience of what we read or hear of Dhamma. That is why Venerable Ajahn Chah once said, ‘Not Sure!’ is the standard of the Noble Ones. Only those who really do not know what practice is would say “we know”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-21T15:16:29.683" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:16:29.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17245" CreationDate="2016-08-17T08:46:54.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation practices can be broadly divided into Samatha and Vipassana. For more information on them see this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3547/what-exactly-differentiates-vipassana-from-samatha-meditation&quot;&gt;question&lt;/a&gt; and this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/meditation/222-the-difference-between-samatha-and-vipassana-meditations.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;explanation&lt;/a&gt;. Vipassana meditation is mainly based on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which describes four foundations of mindfulness, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of Body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of Feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness of Mental Objects&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally agreed view is that Samatha helps to develop concentration required to develop insight - which is knowing the three marks of existence impermanence, suffering and non-self based on mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although mindfulness of breath is fairly simple and one could practice it by watching online videos or reading online, technique of Vipassana is quite complex and requires special guidance from teacher. One of the many available options would be 10 day retreat at one of the meditation centers established in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin and as taught by Ven S. N. Goenka. You could register for a course near you at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="985" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T08:46:54.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17304" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17310" CreationDate="2016-08-17T09:36:31.723" Score="5" ViewCount="1814" Body="&lt;p&gt;You read the suttas, understand their meaning, and put the teachings into practice. At the end of the day, how do you know if you have attained Nibbana? I think this is an important question because Nibbana is the ultimate goal and you need to know if you have finally reached the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9876" LastActivityDate="2016-08-18T00:53:30.177" Title="How do you know if you have attained Nibbana?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17304" CreationDate="2016-08-17T09:47:52.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the mind has reached final Nirvana, nothing in the whole world can bother it and make it suffer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind will completely cleansed of greed, lust, anger, hatred, irritation, delusion, attachment, fear, worry, hurt, sorrow, self-view, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T09:47:52.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17304" CreationDate="2016-08-17T10:13:49.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer: They see that there is no greed, anger or delusion arising in the mind anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long answer: You might wonder how someone can know they have no greed, it is possible that they haven't experienced greed for several months but they are not yet free from greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this I think you have to ask a more basic question first: How does an enlightened know anything? or What does it mean for an enlightened being to know something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that an enlightened person is looking at a bird in a tree and the thought arises &quot;There is a bird&quot;, now we might say that they &quot;know&quot; that there is a bird. They make use of this information and scatter some seed for the bird to eat. But perhaps they had poor eyesight and the bird was actually a brown leaf, when they see that it is a leaf they do not suffer because they knew that the sight of the bird was impermanent and they didn't attach significance to it. They also knew that the thought &quot;There is a bird&quot; is something which just arises and passes, they didn't insist that the idea had to be true, if they had insisted that the bird existed then they would have suffered. Despite this they were still able to use the information and scatter some seed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, if somebody is enlightened and they see evidence for nibbana (such as a year passing without greed, anger or delusion) then they have thoughts like &quot;This mind is awakened&quot; arising. They don't insist that these thoughts are true- just like the bird.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T10:13:49.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17245" CreationDate="2016-08-17T10:28:09.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, there are different techniques within meditation. The one-pointed focussing technique is one, the letting things arise is another. They are useful for different things. One pointed focus will help develop equanimity and concentration, while letting things arise is good for insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you ask, which is it, there is no hard and fast answer, it depends on what you are trying to do. Often a meditation teacher will try and guide you through different processes over time, and when you have a teacher it is best to follow their sequence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have a teacher, mindfulness of the breath is a good place to start. This is a technique which can be begun very simply by just sitting and focussing on the breath, but can be extended by taking account of correct sitting and becoming more aware of the breath's subtleties. YouTube carries a number of good guides. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8809" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T10:28:09.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-08-17T14:16:16.223" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to use meditation to gain Self control?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to define the words meditation and 'Self control' before answering the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition of meditate is: Focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation [Oxford Dictionaries]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-control: The ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations [Oxford Dictionaries]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the above definition meditation and self-control are not related.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my answer to the question is no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T14:16:16.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14895" CreationDate="2016-08-17T14:38:48.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like mindfulness would be more useful to you than meditation. Mindfulness is the art of being in the present moment, and it is often assisted with things like a &quot;mindfulness bell&quot; at certain intervals, to help remind you to come back to the present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have known insight meditation in combination with mindfulness to yield some good results in staying grounded in the present, as it will give you insight into the working of your mind and help resolve some of the root causes of your distraction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should also investigate the 'perfection' of &lt;em&gt;viriya&lt;/em&gt;. This is one of the ten perfections of Mahayana Buddhism, it is the art of acting with vigour and using strenuous effort to overcome unskillful ways, such as overindulgence in sensual things, ill will and other problems. There are sutra's on how to stay focussed and how to spark energy in you if you are overcome with lethargy and mindlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8809" LastActivityDate="2016-08-17T14:38:48.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17304" CreationDate="2016-08-18T00:53:30.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbāna is a state of 'deathlessness' (amata)- the &quot;unconditioned&quot;. “This is immortality, that being the liberated mind/will (citta) which does not cling (after anything)” (Majjhima Nikaya 2.265; SN 5.9). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is &quot;bhavanirodha” (The cessation of becoming / &quot;subjugation of becoming&quot;). Nibbāna is “no longer coming (bhava) and going (vibhava)&quot;, It is &quot;liberation (vimutta)&quot;. Nibbāna is not a place nor a state, it is an absolute truth to be realized, and a person can do so without dying. When a person who has realized Nibbāna dies, his death is referred as his pari-Nibbāna, his fully passing away. What happens to a person after his PariNibbāna cannot be explained, as it is outside of all conceivable experience. A definition of Nibbāna can only be approximated by what it is not. It is not the clinging existence with which man is afflicted. It is not becoming. It has no origin or end. It is not fabricated. It has no dualities. It cannot be described in words. It is not conditioned on or by anything else. In SN43:14  it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“the far shore, the subtle, the very difficult to see, the unaging, the stable, the undisintegrating, the unmanifest, the unproliferated, the peaceful, the deathless , the sublime, the auspicious, the secure, the destruction of craving, the wonderful, the amazing, the unailing, the unailing state, the unafflicted, dispassion, purity, freedom, the unadhesive, the island, the shelter, the asylum, the refuge...” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calling Nibbāna the &quot;opposite&quot; of samsāra or implying that it is apart from samsāra is doctrinally incorrect. It is probably best to understand the relationship between Nibbāna and samsara in terms of the Buddha while on earth. Buddha was both in Samsara while having attained to Nibbāna so that he was seen by all, and simultaneously free from samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-18T00:53:30.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15725" CreationDate="2016-08-18T01:19:07.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some confusion here, whenever you are looking for a parallel in the Theravada Pali Canon, it's in the Agama Early Buddhist Scripture. They are generally preserved in Chinese and generally translated from Sanskrit (among other Indic languages), and they are actually not considered Mahayana Sutras by Mahayana Buddhism, as Mahayana is very clear about preserving Early Buddhist teachings separately from Mahayana, but they are the foundation of Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the best thing to do is to open up Sutta Central and look for the Sutta in question, then look for the neatly categorized parallel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/sn36&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where the Chinese Agama parallel is found at Saṃyuktāgama SA 470&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/lzh/sa470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/lzh/sa470&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;箭 &quot;Arrow&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately there is no translation into English here, but it's about the same story of getting shot by arrows twice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-08-18T01:19:07.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17312" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-18T18:22:21.850" Score="3" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering whether when people refer to concentration meditation such as shamatha, they mean that there is still conceptual thought or its absence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I am capable of meditating upon an object, e.g. breath, and focus with an intensity that no thoughts or very few emerge. However, I am also capable of simply paying attention to the object while thoughts emerge, but I redirect attention to the object when thoughts have done so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am basically asking whether genuine concentration is more like the first or the second. What exactly is referred to by absence of thought, or the fact thought helps meditation until the jhanas. Do we mean gross thought, such as sentences and ideas, or do we mean the intelligence of awareness, discernment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If possible, can anyone relate this with calm abiding and special insight, and what is meant by these terms? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T12:58:28.800" Title="Technique for Concentrative Meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17312" CreationDate="2016-08-18T23:11:32.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term 'shamatha' means 'tranquility' or 'calm abiding' rather 'concentration' ('collectedness'; non-distraction). 'Shamatha' is a fruit of concentration rather than concentration itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not matter if you are also capable of simply paying attention to the object while thoughts emerge &amp;amp; can redirect attention to the object when thoughts have done so. The very fact that thoughts are emerging is a loss of concentration, however momentary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, the kinds of thoughts that help meditation are wise thoughts used to counter unwise thoughts and the very subtle thought (intention) of giving up (letting go) or non-attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some subtle thoughts can serve as objects of insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) into impermanence but there is generally no need to deliberately cultivate such thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-19T00:47:06.230" LastActivityDate="2016-08-19T00:47:06.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17314" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17315" CreationDate="2016-08-19T01:42:24.513" Score="4" ViewCount="2573" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read about the jhānas which one can experience from concentration (samatha) meditation. I have been practicing some form of mindfulness, breathing meditation, but have not experienced a state of absorption that is characteristic of the jhānas. I know that the jhānas cannot be experienced only by reading about them, however, the insight from my meditation practice alone has not brought me to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my perspective as a novice practitioner, it makes sense to look to the Zen (derived from the word &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;dhyāna&lt;/a&gt;) branch of Buddhism for guidance on the subject of &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-zen/#TheAdjMin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;meditation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the process of deepening meditation, one can roughly identify three&#xA;  distinct stages: the stage of concentration, the stage of meditation,&#xA;  and the stage of absorption. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This dualistic relationship is broken gradually as the practitioner&#xA;  moves into the stage of meditation. The ego-conscious activity is&#xA;  gradually lessened, and the barriers it set up for itself will&#xA;  gradually be removed. When the practitioner enters the stage of&#xA;  absorption, the dualistic framing of the mind will be removed such&#xA;  that the mind starts structuring itself non-dualistically. There will&#xA;  be no separation or distancing between an object of the mind and the&#xA;  activity of the mind itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have the budget for every book on Zen Buddhism, but I have read all the Zen books on Kindle Unlimited (the content is mostly history, terminology, and sitting accessories). What books are there that go into depth on Zen/samatha meditation practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2019-09-11T09:50:22.060" Title="jhānas, Zen, and how to practice concentration meditation" Tags="|zen|jhana|meditation-concentration|samatha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-08-19T01:49:00.957" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm wrote a book about &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt; called 'Mindfulness, Bliss &amp;amp; Beyond'. It is 291 pages long. The first 65 pages are at this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/files/pdf/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method in this book emphasizes 'letting go' &amp;amp; is thus similar to many Zen teachings, such as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinxin_Ming&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Xinxin Ming&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I have not read it, a well-known book on Xinxin Ming is &lt;a href=&quot;http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-MISC/misc38333.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Faith in Mind &lt;/a&gt; by Master Sheng-Yen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T01:41:09.717" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T01:41:09.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-08-19T05:10:36.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are some great ressources around, some I frequently relay on are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/ftp11.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha Net file Library on Zen, Chan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_m.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Buddha Net e-book Library on Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVL-Zen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Buddhism WWW Virtual Library&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But my advise will be, look for a Zen Sangha and learn to practice by a good teacher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you ask: &lt;em&gt;Which readings would you suggest for the purpose of concentration meditation?&lt;/em&gt;, start with;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism#Dhy.C4.81na_in_Chan_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhyāna in Chan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; and see also the footnotes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commercial, i.e. not free of charge:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.de/Sit-Teachings-Master-Taisen-Deshimaru-ebook/dp/B0086V4DUI/ref=sr_1_3?s=books-intl-de&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1471694375&amp;amp;sr=1-3&amp;amp;keywords=taisen+deshimaru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sit: Zen Teachings of Master Taisen Deshimaru&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.de/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Katsuki-Sekida-ebook/dp/B007WVNUUW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books-intl-de&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1471685804&amp;amp;sr=1-1&amp;amp;keywords=katsuki+sekida&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.de/Guide-Zen-Lessons-Modern-Master-ebook/dp/B00AW2P4U2/ref=sr_1_4?s=books-intl-de&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1471685804&amp;amp;sr=1-4&amp;amp;keywords=katsuki+sekida&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A Guide to Zen: Lessons from a Modern Master&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.de/Three-Pillars-Zen-Roshi-Kapleau-ebook/dp/B00H129592/ref=sr_1_7?s=books-intl-de&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1471685742&amp;amp;sr=1-7&amp;amp;keywords=philip+kapleau&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Three Pillars of Zen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Japanese Zen sites of different lineages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://zen.rinnou.net/whats_zen/sacred_texts.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rinzai-Obaku Zen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As expressed in the famous description of Zen attributed to&#xA;  Bodhidharma, “A special transmission outside the scriptures, not&#xA;  relying on words and letters / Direct pointing to the human mind,&#xA;  seeing one’s true nature and attaining Buddhahood,” the essential&#xA;  standpoint of the Zen school is not to depend on words and letters.&#xA;  Nevertheless, it does regard the study and chanting of sacred texts as&#xA;  an important part of Zen practice. The texts and sutras most often&#xA;  used in Zen temples are the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Links to Text&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/library/key_terms/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Soto Zen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basic Key Terms of Soto Zen Teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A great many people are now practicing zazen in the Japanese Soto Zen&#xA;  Buddhist tradition outside Japan. But, because the tradition is so new&#xA;  in other lands, their practice may not always firmly based on a good&#xA;  understanding of the teaching. Before we begin practice, we need some&#xA;  clarity about what we are doing and why we are doing it that way. It&#xA;  is important to begin the practice with an understanding of the basic&#xA;  principles and underlying teaching behind what we will be doing. We&#xA;  need accurate background knowledge and a good understanding of ideas&#xA;  about the nature of zazen so that we can practice properly and&#xA;  skillfully. We should not start blindly. Otherwise our practice would&#xA;  likely go astray and get lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Links to Text&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; sites find some how to's and or chapters about &lt;strong&gt;Practice&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastEditorUserId="7039" LastEditDate="2016-08-20T13:07:29.327" LastActivityDate="2016-08-20T13:07:29.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-08-20T08:19:16.493" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;A true Jhana master, Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books14/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Breakthrough-in-samatha-meditation-and-vipassana-meditation.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Breakthrough in&#xA;SAMATHA MEDITATION&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing (4th revised edition)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if you can purchase this book, I highly recommend it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation&lt;/em&gt; as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's written by actual students of the Venerable Pa Auk, who actually succeeded in developing the Jhanas: very clear and concise, with practical advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-21T21:21:19.290" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T21:21:19.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15300" CreationDate="2016-08-21T08:49:23.767" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is common to desire not to tell a lie but at the same time to desire to answer a question and both desires can be very strong. &#xA;However, the answer to a question is a statement, so what statement to make, if any?&#xA;You can choose. &#xA;This question is about control and influence. You perceive the opportunity to influence the action of another person by your own action of answering his question. But this is a conditioned and conventional response. In truth you have the opportunity to influence by your physical proximity, and always do. Other options are an attempt to disarm, a gift of money, a prayer, a quizzical look, to engage, or to ignore... the possibilities are endless!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9893" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T08:49:23.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17312" CreationDate="2016-08-21T12:58:28.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reading the article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/ePublish_talks_3/061012_The_Riddle_Tree.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Riddle Tree&lt;/a&gt; you will see that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;there’s no one-size-fits-all, no one technique that’s going to work for everyone. But if you’re observant while you calm down the mind, you begin to see the way your mind works. That’s really what you want to know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In quoting that article again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The same principle applies not only to tranquility, but also to insight. There’s a sutta called The Riddle Tree in which a monk goes to different senior monks and asks them, “What topic do you contemplate in order to gain awakening?” One monk says, “the five aggregates,” another one says, “the six sense media,” another one says, “the six elements,” another one says “dependent co-arising.” The monk was not satisfied with all these different answers, because he couldn’t understand why their answers should be so different. So he went to see the Buddha. And the Buddha said that the different answers were like the Riddle tree. Apparently there’s a tree in India that’s kind of like the coral tree: During some seasons it has leaves, and at other seasons it has no leaves at all, and when it has no leaves it puts out red flowers. It’s called the Riddle tree because people would say, “What’s black like coal in the winter and red like meat in the spring?” That sort of thing. In other words, the appearance of the tree depends on which time of year you’re talking about. “In the same way,” the Buddha said, “those different monks answered in different ways because for each of them a different topic worked, so they talked in line with what had worked for them.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T12:58:28.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-08-21T13:13:31.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right concentration (Samma Samadhi) is what you call jhana.  Right concentration then develop into directed thought and evaluation. Directed thought is when you keep your thoughts on one topic. Thinking of the breath or focusing on the breath, and being inquisitive will lead one to directed thought and evaluation, two of the factors of jhana.  If you would read the article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/Meditations/0211n3a1%20M1%20The%20Steps%20of%20Breath%20Meditation.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;“The Steps of Breath Meditation”&lt;/a&gt; you will see that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...as you let go, say, of the directed thought and evaluation of the first jhana,&#xA;  releasing yourself from the burden of those factors as you move into the second&#xA;  jhana, and so on through the different levels of concentration. As you do this,&#xA;  you begin to see how much those levels of concentration are willed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T13:13:31.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17286" CreationDate="2016-08-21T13:39:45.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are true to the practice of Dhamma, with time you tend to sleep less and less due to the ‘tranquility’ or 'calm abiding' that you experience in your day to day life. So your late sleep schedule is not a given. It is going to change to the better. In practice you learn to push yourself to alter negative habits. When it comes to sleep, at times you may back off from this kind of pushing a little bit until you find what is the number of hours of sleep is right for you. For each of us, this is going to be different as to how much sleep we need. This will inform you as to how much you can push yourself in the practice. The important principle is you learn to be responsible for yourself—because this is how discernment is developed.  Too much sleep is a hindrances to the pursuit of this path. The Dhamma word for this is “thina middha”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once when the Venerable Maha Moggallana, one of the Buddha's two chief disciples, was meditating in the forest, thina middha arose. His mind shrank and withered, as unworkable as a piece of butter that hardens in the cold. At this point Supreme Buddha looked into the Venerable Maha Moggallana's mind. Seeing his plight, he approached and said, &quot;My son Maha Moggallana, are you drowsy, are you sleepy, are you nodding?&quot;&#xA;  The elder replied, &quot;Yes, Lord, I am nodding.&quot; He was frank and candid in his reply. the Buddha said, &quot;Listen, my son, I will now teach you eight techniques of overcoming sloth and torpor.&quot; &#xA;  Some of the eight Ways to Stay Awake are…  first is to change one's attitude. When torpor attacks, one may be tempted to surrender to thoughts like, &quot;I'm so sleepy. It's not doing me any good just to sit here in a daze. May be I'll lie down for a minute and gather my energy.&quot; As long as you entertain such thoughts, the mental state of sloth and torpor will be encouraged to remain. If, on the other hand, one states decisively, &quot;I'll sit through this sloth and torpor, and if it recurs I still won't give in to it,&quot; this is what the Buddha meant by changing one's attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T13:39:45.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17216" CreationDate="2016-08-21T15:09:06.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Joanna Jurewic would have tried to interpret Dependent Origination from the perspective of “Vedic thought&quot;, but what is important to you and I is to clearly understand what Dependent Origination (paticcasamupada) is. The Blessed One said that if you would be freed of dependant arising, if there is no dependant origination, there is no you in terms of that.  When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there.  When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two.  Then you would be liberated”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of Paticcasamuppāda (Pāli); Dependant Arising is &lt;strong&gt;THE MOST IMPORTANT&lt;/strong&gt; part of Buddhist metaphysics. It states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. This is the understanding that any phenomenon ‘exists’ only because of the ‘existence’ of other phenomena in an incredibly complex web of cause and effect covering time past, time present and time future. Because all things are thus conditioned and transient (anicca), they have no real independent identity (anatta) so do not truly ‘exist’, though to ordinary deluded minds this appears to be the case. Simply stated this can be said as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With this as condition, That arises.&#xA;  With this NOT as condition, That does NOT arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &quot;Coming to be, and Ceasing to be&quot; is happening all the time. All phenomena are subject to this unending interaction. And since all phenomena are dependent on other phenomena, they are all transient and impermanent. Avidyā the first condition. And then because in this life one has been ignorant, and acted in such a way as to produce karma, the cycle continues. The realization one gets out of understanding of Paticca Samuppāda (the universal law of cause and effect) is the ability of seeing things in life according to cause and effect. Once a person acquires that skill, he will be able to free from the idea of ‘me’ by seeing it as a deceit (the true nature). Then, he understands that the concept of ‘me’ is just a (false) view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:09:06.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17213" CreationDate="2016-08-21T15:35:04.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind is Vinnana and is one of the very basic six elements (Dhatu) that constitute you and me. What would it be if we take out this ‘Mind’ element? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Viññāna as dhatu or elements, are divided into 7 classes:&#xA;cakkhu-vinnana-dhatu = cakkhu-vinnanadvi. They depend on cakkhu-vatthu for their arising. (eyes)&#xA;sota-vinnana-dhatu = sota-vinnanadvi. They depend on sota-vatthu for their arising. (ears)&#xA;ghana-vinnana-dhatu = ghana-vinnanadvi. They depend on ghana-vatthu for their arising. (nose)&#xA;jivha-vinnana-dhatu = jivha-vinnanadvi. They depend on jivha-vatthu for their arising. (tongue)&#xA;kaya-vinnana-dhatu = kaya-vinnanadvi. They depend on kaya-vatthu for their arising. (body)&#xA;mano-dhatu = panca-dvaravajjana and sampaticchanadvi. They depend on hadaya-vatthu for their arising. (mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is Vinnana and is one of the four type of food that is required for our survival. What would it be if we take out this ‘survival’ factor – the Nutriment of Consciousness (Vinnana Ahara)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six classes of consciousness.  When eye and forms are both present, eye consciousness arises dependent on them.  Similarly when ear and sounds are present, ear consciousness arises dependent on them; nose and smells are present, nose consciousness arises dependent on them; tongue and tastes are present, tongue consciousness arises dependent on them; body and tactile objects are present, body consciousness arises dependent on them; mind and mental objects are present, mind consciousness arises dependent on them.  This is a cause which results in the our existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:35:04.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17209" CreationDate="2016-08-21T15:51:54.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You were very compassionate in how you reached out to that person. Mine too was a very similar story. I have no ill will in any way what so ever against that person, but I now keep my distance with him. What I would like to tell you here is that you have to learn compassion for the people around you, and also compassion for yourself. And most importantly you need a good sense of humor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the ability to laugh at the foibles of human nature that leads both you and the person that you reached out to, to doing what is unskillful. We have to learn to laugh at that kind of behavior, but it’s a good-natured laugh. It’s not nasty or mean. It’s the recognition that we all have had those impulses, and we can see the foolishness in giving in to them. The virtue of humor is that it allows you to step back and separate yourself from what you’re laughing at. If you can develop a sense of distance between self and the act, then you can laugh at human behavior. So when you can laugh at yourself, you’re putting yourself apart, separate from your foibles and above them. Then you will learn from any unskillful actions or thoughts from your part, and learn to keep on giving, and reaching out to others without any form of expectations in return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T15:51:54.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17159" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:08:29.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a very important question that you asked IMO.  It is because we live in very unfortunate times. The outside forces and other distractions are so many that it is extremely difficult to practice the Dhamma in this lifetime. So it is vital that we make sure that we are born in the heavenly worlds amongst the Devas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realizing the fact that there is not going to be another chance of getting the protection of the Dhamma in this human world, we should cultivate the Sēkha Bala Dhamma – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma) – at this present time. These are qualities that are found in the Devas. If you develop them, then there is divinity within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person gets a chance to be born among divine beings by developing the Sēkha Bala Dhamma in this life, he/she will get another chance to practice the Dhamma. But that chance will be missed if that person gets a birth in the human world or a lesser world instead. That is because we do not know how long this chance of practicing the Dhamma will last in this human world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, you should realize the importance of getting a help from this life by wisely cultivating wisdom and mindfulness. If you get a birth in the Thuthisa Divine World for instance by realizing this importance and cultivating the Sēkha Bala Dhamma, then you will definitely get the protection to your life. Scriptures talk about many Deva worlds.  So you can get the chance to complete the rest of the path of the Dhamma even in the Chatummahārājika Divine World. If you get a birth either in Thāvathinsa, Yāma, Thusitha, Nimmānharathi, or Paranimmitha Vasavatthi Divine World, you will still have the protection in the Dhamma since you already have the Sēkha Bala Dhamma developed in you. The teachings of the Supreme Buddha clearly show this protection – it is your duty to secure it to your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:08:29.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17200" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:21:32.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/Meditations/0303n2b1%20M1%20Generosity%20First.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;“Generosity First”&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu will help you IMO. If you take to heart what he says and follow it to the letter, then,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...this confidence is what allows you to overcome a lot of the initial difficulties: the distractions, the pain. At the same time, the spaciousness that comes from generosity gives you the right mindset for the concentration practice, gives you the right mindset for insight practice—because when you sit down and focus on the breath, what kind of mind do you have? The mind you’ve been creating through your generous and virtuous actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:21:32.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9154" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:24:02.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is my thinking that for an original mind to be it has to have an essence, i.e. essentially existent.  All other phenomenon are  without essence and consequentially conditional, relatively existent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9895" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:24:02.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17178" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:46:18.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you ponder, weigh, and compare the teachings of the Buddha, you have to base it on adopting the right attitude and asking the right questions about them. AN 2.25 points out that some of the teachings are meant to have their meaning inferred, whereas others are not. Only a Stream Entrant will be able to see this difference. So you and I have a way to go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If everything is impermanent and transitory, how can there be anything be present or absolute?  Because all things are thus conditioned and transient (anicca), they have no real independent identity (anatta) so do not truly ‘exist’, though to ordinary deluded minds this appears to be the case. Simply stated Dependent Origination can be said as,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;With this as condition, That arises. With this NOT as condition, That does NOT arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &quot;Coming to be, and Ceasing to be&quot; is happening all the time. All phenomena are subject to this unending interaction. And since all phenomena are dependent on other phenomena, they are all transient and impermanent. Avidyā the first condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:46:18.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17213" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:50:48.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was about 17 years old, my grandmother told me she would sometimes  suddenly come out of her body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking that in all the time I had lived with my grandmother as a child, I never seen her fall unconscious or anything. She told me that was because her body would never loose consciousness when she went out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She would feel &quot;herself&quot; or her &quot;mind&quot; hovering above her body but the body was still walking and talking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, a lot of the time when my grandmother was lucid and holding intellegent conversations with me and everyone else, she wasn't even in her body! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't claim to know if this means there actually was no mind in her body but I thought it might be worth mentioning nonetheless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T16:50:48.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17332" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-21T16:59:16.660" Score="6" ViewCount="819" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had been cruel to a cat before and it bothers me a lot that I had been unkind to him. He's been dead for more than a year but I still think about how he suffered because of my callousness at the time. Is there a way for me to send him love now, or any way I can make it up to him somehow?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9897" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T05:03:48.687" Title="How can I make amends with the one I wronged?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-21T18:06:06.450" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Kamma has been laid down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now there's no use in scruples over the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best and the most constructive thing to do I think is make a commitment to never repeat acts of callousness and actually fulfil it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible to mitigate acquired new bad Kamma, counterbalance it as it were, by development of wholesome qualities such as good will, cheerfulness and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-08-22T10:27:07.730" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T10:27:07.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-21T20:32:39.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may do a chanting / convey rememberence by engaging in a charity event at a Temple. It is a good idea to talk to a Monk in the Temple and arrange a small Alms giving event at the Temple or in your house. By doing this you will be able to send collected merits over to its soul if it is in a place where it can receive. As the above person just mentioned, never repeat acts of callousness. Spread loving kindness to each and every living being from east to west, north to south and top to bottom. May the noble triple gem bless you my friend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7979" LastActivityDate="2016-08-21T20:32:39.693" CommentCount="2" CommunityOwnedDate="2016-08-21T20:32:39.693" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-22T02:23:03.657" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you have is a ‘healthy kind of shame’, says Thanissaro Bhikkhu in his article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/ePublish_talks_3/070307_Living_Forwards,_Understanding_Backwards.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Living Forward, Understanding Backward”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, and advises you to develop goodwill for everybody as, then it is a lot harder to harm people, harm yourself or harm anyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... So a large part of the practice is learning how to take mistakes in stride. The Buddha says you should feel shame over your mistakes. But it’s not the kind of shame where you feel that you’re a horrible person, but simply realize that you did something that was beneath you, that was not appropriate for you. You don’t want to repeat that mistake. So it’s a healthy kind of shame. It’s not debilitating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He teaches the same attitude in terms of issues of remorse. You realize that you’ve made mistakes in the past. He doesn’t have you dwell on them more than just recognizing that they were mistakes. And then you remind yourself that no matter how guilty you may feel about the mistake you made, that guilt is not going to go back and erase the mistake. The best you can do is to resolve not to repeat it. And then you try to strengthen skillful qualities in the mind. And he highly recommends the attitudes we were chanting just now—unlimited goodwill, unlimited compassion, unlimited empathetic joy or appreciation and unlimited equanimity. In other words, put yourself in a position where you can feel these emotions for anybody. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basically you start out with goodwill. Reminding yourself there’s no need to see anybody in the world suffer, because if people are suffering that’s why they tend to do evil things. They feel threatened, they feel attacked, they feel like they are in a weak position and so they strike out. So no matter how much you may dislike a particular person, there is really no reason to wish ill on them. What you do is wish for this person to find true happiness. If they could find true happiness within, the disagreeable behavior that they’re engaging in would fall away. At the same time, if you can develop goodwill for everybody, it’s a lot harder to harm people, harm yourself or harm anyone else. It strengthens your resolve not to repeat your mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T02:23:03.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-22T05:20:21.133" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;WHAT CAN I DO TO REMOVE PREVIOUS NEGATIVE KARMA?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody likes to suffer, so we all like to rid ourselves of negative karmic potential.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There are several possibilities, and in fact we may need to try and apply all of these methods as much as we can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To avoid having negative thoughts that lead to negative actions in the future, we need to observe and control our own thoughts and behaviour, and destroy our negative attitudes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similarly, we can observe/study (meditate) our own mind and encourage positive thoughts that lead to positive actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We can avoid negative karmic seeds to ripen by purifying it, using the four powers of purification (see below). Although this does not eliminate the negative karmic actions, it can avoid the results to occur.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ultimately, when we realise emptiness directly (see the page on Wisdom), and remove all our delusions, we are not under the control of past karma anymore.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE FOUR POWERS OF PURIFICATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purification practices found within Buddhism are not unlike the practices applied in many other religions. The most essential mental factor that one requires is sincerity or honesty with oneself. When one wants to purify past negative karma, one has to do some action with the correct motivation.&#xA;This is summarised in the following Four Powers of Purification: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Power of the Object: One should practice thinking of all sentient beings one may have hurt. Traditionally, one remembers all sentient beings and the Three Jewels of Refuge (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), by generating compassion for all sentient beings and taking refuge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Power of Regret: This should not be senseless guilt or self-recrimination, which are said to be useless emotional torture. What is intended here is to examine oneself and one's actions and to recognise that negative actions done in the past were very unwise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Power of Promise: As a logical consequence of the above, one should promise not to repeat these negative actions. It is good if one can promise to avoid a negative behaviour for a specific time, or at least promise that one will put effort in avoiding repetition. Not being honest at this stage makes the practice useless or even harmful to oneself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Power of Practice: Basically any positive action with a good motivation can be used as practice. Traditionally in Buddhism, one can practice e.g. making prostrations (throwing oneself to the floor - as a means to destroy pride), making offerings (to counteract greed), reading Buddhist texts (to counteract ignorance and negative thoughts), reciting mantras etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html#7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;A View on Buddhism, BUDDHIST KARMA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7039" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T05:20:21.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-22T05:31:30.293" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The highest level of Buddhism explains it is 'ignorance' ('not-knowing') rather than 'the self' that performs hurtful actions. This is the method for the highest freedom &amp;amp; dropping the heavy weight of guilt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the cat, I am sure the cat was also naughty because cats are often naughty. If the cat is reincarnated, it can, the same as you, learn from &amp;amp; improve its actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T05:31:30.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11532" CreationDate="2016-08-22T08:48:10.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Increase your mindfulness: if you aren't aware of your breathing, then where is your awareness? Is there something bigger distracting your attention? Different things will distract you to lesser or greater degrees, but remember this is an exercise in mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, my breath had become more subtle than my heartbeat during meditation. It helped to ask, are you breathing or are you not breathing? How do you know if you're breathing? To do so I had to develop my mindfulness further, notice the most infinitesimal sensation of  breath, with full attention over the entire cycle, and let nothing come between my mind and my breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-09-17T02:17:57.893" LastActivityDate="2016-09-17T02:17:57.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11532" CreationDate="2016-08-22T10:29:56.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Directed mental effort or intention to know the breathing is a thought. Being a thought, it is a hindrance to awareness. It brings limited results because it calms the breath but does not calm the mind commensurately, which makes the breath disappear from awareness when the breath calms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, the best method I found to strengthen the perception of the breath was to stop trying to perceive the breath &amp;amp; to just sit still &amp;amp; quiet. This method will allow the mind to collect (gather) itself upon the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend the introductory parts of Ajahn Brahm's &lt;em&gt;Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond&lt;/em&gt;, which can be read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/files/pdf/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-22T10:35:49.297" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T10:35:49.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17341" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-22T13:27:42.130" Score="1" ViewCount="5781" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to anchor my awareness while sitting at the desk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When bringing awareness to the body , I'm getting a tickling/tingling in the body .  So to make it bearable I'm trying to move attention to different body parts and it keeps following too.  So unable to hold awareness in the body for a long time.  Is there any advice/guide on this ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastEditorUserId="5069" LastEditDate="2016-08-22T13:32:55.933" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T17:04:03.100" Title="Awareness in the body : ticklish/tingling feeling" Tags="|mindfulness|daily-life|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2016-08-22T15:58:53.110" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no single definition of consciousness, but what seems to be common to all, at least implicitly, is the existence of an internal model of the &quot;external&quot; world, and sensory input to inform the model. Humans have several kinds of sensory input, and their internal models usually consist of a field of different densities (objects with different &quot;hardnesses, e.g. steel, wood, water) and with varied luminance, along with sound, flavor, scent, and so on. Bacteria have very different consciousnesses, built almost solely on chemical concentration gradients (which way to the sugar?).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9905" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T15:58:53.110" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2553" CreationDate="2016-08-22T18:36:13.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures define consciousness as 'sense cognition' or 'sense awareness'. This is the most accurate single definition to use. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Consciousness, consciousness': Thus is it said. To what extent, friend, is it said to be 'consciousness'? 'It cognizes, it cognizes':&#xA;  Thus, friend, it is said to be 'consciousness.' And what does it&#xA;  cognize? It cognizes 'pleasant.' It cognizes 'painful.' It cognizes&#xA;  'neither painful nor pleasant.' 'It cognizes, it cognizes': Thus it is&#xA;  said to be 'consciousness.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahavedalla Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is&#xA;  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, &amp;amp;&#xA;  unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises consciousness at the eye. Dependent on the ear &amp;amp; sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. Dependent on the nose &amp;amp; aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. Dependent on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. Dependent on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. Dependent on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chachakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Consciousness, monks, is classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which it arises. Consciousness that arises in&#xA;  dependence on the eye &amp;amp; forms is classified simply as&#xA;  eye-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the ear&#xA;  &amp;amp; sounds is classified simply as ear-consciousness. Consciousness that&#xA;  arises in dependence on the nose &amp;amp; aromas is classified simply as&#xA;  nose-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the&#xA;  tongue &amp;amp; flavors is classified simply as tongue-consciousness.&#xA;  Consciousness that arises in dependence on the body &amp;amp; tactile&#xA;  sensations is classified simply as body-consciousness. Consciousness&#xA;  that arises in dependence on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas is classified&#xA;  simply as intellect-consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-22T18:36:13.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17341" CreationDate="2016-08-22T18:43:31.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Relax your facial muscles &amp;amp; take an out-breath or let go of some out-breathes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your efforts to anchor awareness, it sounds like you are suppressing the (mental) tension stored in your physical body (which will arise into your awareness if meditating). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Balance your effort. At regular intervals, take your foot off the accelerator; ease off the throttle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-23T01:45:45.750" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T01:45:45.750" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17341" CreationDate="2016-08-23T00:19:14.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are experiencing tickling / tingling sensations ticklish feeling, then first check on the clothes you wear. Try to wear clothes loose and soft. If they restrict blood flow or put pressure on nerves, you will feel like scratching, or feeling tingling numbness. Don't wear tight pants or pants made of thick material. Take your shoes off and if your socks are thick and binding, take them off, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People experience all kinds of varied phenomena when trying to practice awareness / meditation. Getting itches or feeling other sensations like tingling, or feeling of lightness or a floating sensation are some of the common ones. It is because, as relaxation sets in, the nervous system begins to pass sensory signals more efficiently. They are sensory data that were kept blocked before. When the body gets relaxed or more aware, it  gives rise to these unique sensations. So try to see it as just sensation. Try not to get too excited about it. If you are practicing awareness, make it a part of the practice. Just observe as to how it come up and watch it pass away. The main thing is not to get involved. Keep your distance, and just observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you don't feel at ease, or you can't relax, try to just observe it, without letting it rule you. Let those feelings arise and look at them mindfully. If you just sit still and observe your agitations, they will eventually pass. They come and they go. They have no real grip on you at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T00:19:14.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17349" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-23T00:50:18.407" Score="2" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;Specifically, I am wondering if it is better to meditate at 7am or 7pm (even though doing both would be ideal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:49:23.980" Title="Are there studies about the difference between meditating in the morning versus in the evening?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17349" CreationDate="2016-08-23T01:53:12.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The number of times or the time of day depends on the type of meditation that you do. If it is ‘Loving Kindness Meditation, it is good to do it for even a couple of minutes both morning, noon and night. That is what Ajaan Mun did as told to us by Thanissaro Bhikku. He said that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajaan Mun  spread thoughts of goodwill to all living beings three times a day: in the morning when he woke up, in the afternoon when he woke up from his nap, and at night before he went to sleep. In this way, the desire for goodwill, the desire for true happiness, framed his practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best time to meditate is when you are not sleepy or drowsy or weighed down by the food. It can be in the morning or the evening. Most of the meditation practices that have become popular today are not in line with the Dhamma. Some ‘so-called teachers’ would erroneously advice a student of mediation to note in your mind, “pain, pain”, when you feel pain in some part of your body during meditation. For them it is vedananupassana – contemplation on feeling. Then your mind goes astray, they will get you to note “going, going”. Some view it as cittanupassana – the contemplation of mind. Likewise if sleepy, to note “sleepy, sleepy”, and, if a desire or agitation come to pass, to note “desire, desire”, or “agitation, agitation”. This to them is dhammanupassana – the contemplation of mind objects. These are incorrect practices that people are being taught as meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is not the time of the day as we do not know the nature of each individual. But no one should develop the idea of doing meditation in a hurry. Your goal should be to develop mindfulness, and not doing it in a hurry. So if you are more relaxed and have more time in the evening then that is the best time. Then do it little at a time and generate mindfulness. If too distracted or restless, then that is the time to stop. After generating mindfulness in that manner you will realize that you can maintain the object of meditation without becoming sleepy or without allowing the mind to get dispersed. Thereafter gradually increase the duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-23T02:02:49.310" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T02:02:49.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-08-23T03:13:19.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to add that I disagree that looking into Zen is the best place to learn about the jhānas. 'Jhāna' is a Pāli word and jhānas are most systematically talked about in Theravada traditions. In my admittedly limited experience with Zen, they do not talk about jhāna except to discourage it in some cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T01:21:02.980" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T01:21:02.980" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17352" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17353" CreationDate="2016-08-23T05:43:29.897" Score="2" ViewCount="474" Body="&lt;p&gt;My friend was healthy and normal. There was a sudden bleeding in her brain due to an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/TypesofStroke/HemorrhagicBleeds/What-Is-an-Arteriovenous-Malformation-AVM_UCM_310099_Article.jsp#mainContent&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AVM&lt;/a&gt; and went through a serious brain surgery. Now around 3 weeks she is in a coma status. How can I understand this in Buddhism. Does she hear us? Can she feel what is going on? Is she in pain? Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5025" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T14:49:27.990" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T14:49:27.990" Title="How to understand a patient's coma status in Buddhism" Tags="|lay-buddhism|mind|pain|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17352" CreationDate="2016-08-23T06:24:07.270" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether a person can hear, see, smell, taste etc. while in a coma is probably a question for medical science. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, it can be seen as a case of senses being shut off as in when you are in deep sleep. Only &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/b_f/bhavanga_sota.htm&quot;&gt;Bhavaanga Cittas(life continuum)&lt;/a&gt; are present in deep(dreamless) sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, it could just be a case of the patient not being able to respond in anyway. Here's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/geoffrey-lean-i-was-in-a-coma-but-i-could-hear-every-word-415327.html&quot;&gt;such an instance&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The situation is probably different from patient to patient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T06:24:07.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-23T06:41:24.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whenever the worry comes to your mind, meditate on it: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Worrying.. Worrying.. Worrying..&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;, until the worrying stops.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you do good deeds, transfer merits to the cat: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Let it accept the merits of this good deed and go to a better place or become happier &amp;amp; free from suffering&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-08-23T06:47:33.840" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T06:47:33.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-08-23T08:21:36.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Lord Buddah&#xA;The best thing to do is without thinking and worrying about the wrong things that you have done in the past and do good things and gain 'kusal'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you memorize or worry about the wrong things you did it would be more harmful for you. So instead of worrying or thinking about the past just think about good things you have done. And continue good things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is the one and only thing you must do. There won't be any other ways&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memorizing and worrying about the bad things you did and the good things you couldn't do is a sin. This is called &quot;Kukkuchcha&quot;. So don't do it. Once again I would say it is a sin. And Try to learn &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; it'll resolve all of your problems. And also study about &lt;strong&gt;theravada&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhism which is the real Buddhism.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5089" LastEditorUserId="5089" LastEditDate="2016-09-07T05:03:48.687" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T05:03:48.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2016-08-23T15:46:41.390" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only ethnicity claim that has any interest to me is the view, found expressed very rarely, that the Buddha may have been of mixed Mongolian-Aryan type ancestry, based on the location of Nepal and historical information concerning mixed race groups in Nepal as well as the physical description of the Buddha in the Pali Canon. The most academic reference I know of where this is mentioned is &lt;em&gt;The Buddha and Dr. Fuhrer,&lt;/em&gt; by Charles Allen (London: Haus Publishing, 2008), p. 1. There is a very small amount of information online about this too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-08-23T16:52:53.653" LastActivityDate="2016-08-23T16:52:53.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17357" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-24T00:23:11.990" Score="4" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;When was taking refuge in the 3 jewels of Buddha, Dharma &amp;amp; Sangha started? Was it started by the Buddha in his time or was it after him? When I mean taking refuge, I mean for a lay Buddhist and not for a Bhikku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the source of the 3 refuges mantra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&#xA;Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&#xA;Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="135" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T02:55:15.930" Title="History of refuge in the 3 jewels" Tags="|history|refuge|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17357" CreationDate="2016-08-24T00:50:28.117" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking  refuge in the 3 jewels of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha was recommended by the Buddha as providing protection from certain afflictions. It is specifically mentioned in the &lt;strong&gt;Dhajagga-paritta (&quot;Banner Protection&quot;) - SN 11.3&lt;/strong&gt;. Dhajagga-paritta is about the recollections of the Three Jewels, and is for the lay followers for protection against fear, trembling and horror. You will find it &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection.html#s11&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six heavenly realms, viz: Catummaharajika, Tavatimsa, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati and Paranimmitta Vasatti. Sakka is the ruler of the Tavatimsa Deva Loka. Although Buddhists worship and pray to Sakka to receive his blessing and protection, in the Dhajagga Sutta the Buddha says that Sakka is not free from mental defilements like greed, hatred, delusion and fear. However, it is a traditional belief among Buddhists that Sakka has undertaken to protect Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this discourse of the Banner protection (Dhajagga)  the Buddha introducing himself to monks said “O monks, the Tathagata who is Arahant Supremely Enlightened, is free from lust, free from hate is free from delusion, and is not liable to fear, terror, fright or flight”.(Tathagato bhikkhave araham Samma Sambuddho Vitarago Vitadoso Vitamoho abhiru acchambhi anutrasi apalayiti)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Dhajagga-paritta  you will come to know that the qualities of the Supreme Buddha’s community of Sangha are most precious and admirable. These precious qualities were taught to us by the Awakened One himself in the Dhajagga Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In going for refuge, when we say, &quot;Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.;  Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.;  Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&quot;  it is important that we know of the Supreme Qualities of the Three Jewels&quot;. Many of us know the qualities of the first two jewels, but not of the third Jewel. So let us take a few moments to contemplate and recollect the great qualities of our Great Teacher’s noble community of Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Supatipanno”&lt;/strong&gt; - The Noble Sangha follow the path to eradicate passion, lust, ill-will, hatred and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Ujupatipanno”&lt;/strong&gt;- The Noble Sangha follow the straight way, the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nayapatipanno”&lt;/strong&gt; “ - The Noble Sangha follows the path to realise the Four Noble Truths in order to eradicate suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Samicipatipanno”&lt;/strong&gt; - The Noble Sangha teaches the Noble Dhamma to others, so that they too can understand the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Yadidam chaththari purisa yugani”&lt;/strong&gt; - The Noble Sangha consist of four types when taken as pairs: The stream entrant, The once-returner, The Never Returner and The Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eight individuals &lt;strong&gt;“Atta purisa puggala”&lt;/strong&gt; - When taken individually, the community of Sangha consist of eight individuals:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The one striving to Enter the stage of Stream Entry Fruit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The stream Entrant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The one striving to attain the stage Once-Returner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The once-Returner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The one striving to reach the stage of a Non-returner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-Returner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The one striving for the stage of Arahanthood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The arahant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Ahuneyyo”&lt;/strong&gt; - Because they hold these great qualities, The Supreme Buddha’s community of Sangha are worthy of receiving offerings even from those residing faraway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Pahuneyyo”&lt;/strong&gt; - Because they hold these great qualities they are worthy of hospitality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Dakkineyyo”&lt;/strong&gt; - Because they hold these great qualities they are worthy of receiving offering from others in expectation of merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Anjalikaraneeyo”&lt;/strong&gt; - Because they hold these great qualities they are worthy of respect and worship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Anuttaram punchakketham lokassathi”&lt;/strong&gt; - Beholding these supreme qualities, the Supreme Buddha’s Noble Sangha is a field of merits to both humans and deities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the homage be to those Noble disciples who encompass such supreme qualities!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T02:55:15.930" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T02:55:15.930" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2016-08-24T03:39:10.173" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is likely that he was Indo-Aryan, descended from the Scythians, the Sakya clan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Genetic research shows that blue-eyes originated around the northwest coasts of the Black Sea (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-511473/All-blue-eyed-people-traced-ancestor-lived-10-000-years-ago-near-Black-Sea.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-511473/All-blue-eyed-people-traced-ancestor-lived-10-000-years-ago-near-Black-Sea.html&lt;/a&gt;) which is the same region that the Scythians were allegedly from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also likely that the first people with blue eyes were all black-haired rather than light-haired as ancient Europeans are found to have dark-hair and blue-eyes, indicating that light hair came separately from blue-eyes and maybe more recently as well (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livescience.com/42838-european-hunter-gatherer-genome-sequenced.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.livescience.com/42838-european-hunter-gatherer-genome-sequenced.html&lt;/a&gt;). Where light hair comes from is still a mystery, it may have come from the Neanderthals. Modern day Europeans are likely not Aryans but Aryans admixed with Neanderthals or mutated into something else, which explains their features.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that uncommon to see people in modern day India and Nepal with black hair and blue eyes just as Siddhartha Gautama was described.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is also important to note that The Buddha was against the caste system and someone's ethnicity does not make one an arahant. An arahant is someone who is free from mental effluents, pains, taints, hankers, fermentations (Âsavas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He used many arguments against the caste system in the Assalayana Sutta (MN 93) mainly arguing that good deeds are good for anyone of any caste and that bad deeds are bad for anyone of any caste, also using a clever analogy that anyone of any caste can make a fire and the fire would still be a fire with a flame regardless of the person who made the fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Master Gotama. The fire made by those born from a noble warrior clan, a brahman clan, or a royal clan... would have flame, color, &amp;amp; radiance, able to do whatever a fire might be needed to do. And the fire made by those born from an outcast clan, a trapper clan, a wicker workers' clan, a cartwrights' clan, or a scavengers' clan... would have flame, color, &amp;amp; radiance, able to do whatever a fire might be needed to do. For all fire has flame, color, &amp;amp; radiance, and is able to do whatever a fire might be needed to do.&quot; (Assalayana Sutta, MN 93)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T05:22:14.923" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T05:22:14.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17361" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17362" CreationDate="2016-08-24T07:22:01.390" Score="12" ViewCount="4262" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new to this site. So I'd like to ask a question about God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhists believe in the existence of a God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Lord Buddha mention anything about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8753" LastEditorDisplayName="user10243" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T20:06:35.060" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:39:25.683" Title="Does God exist in Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|god|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-08-24T08:49:26.220" Score="18" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, this is one of the first questions people ask, especially if they are coming from a theistic background. As a result, many who require the belief of a 'God' as a precondition, turn away from Buddhism without even practicing and finding out for oneself. Likewise, many atheists also get turned off when they hear about hells/heavens/rebirth in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, if by &lt;strong&gt;'God'&lt;/strong&gt;, you mean a &lt;strong&gt;creator/omnipotent/all governing&lt;/strong&gt; entity, the answer is &lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'God' is a Christian term. At the time of the Buddha, words like &lt;strong&gt;'Mahābrahmā'&lt;/strong&gt; or 'Brahma' were used to describe such concepts. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala sutta&lt;/a&gt; talks in detail about how this belief was originated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept goes directly against one of the core teachings of Buddhism: &quot;Sabbe Dhamma Anatta&quot; - all phenomena are non-self or devoid of a soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even a Jataka story questions the belief in such a being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;If the creator of the world entire &#xA;They call God, of every being be the Lord &#xA;Why does he order such misfortune &#xA;And not create concord?&quot;&#xA;&#xA;&quot;If the creator of the world entire &#xA;They call God, of every being be the Lord &#xA;Why prevail deceit, lies and ignorance &#xA;And he such inequity and injustice create?&quot; &#xA;&#xA;&quot;If the creator of the world entire &#xA;They call God, of every being be the Lord &#xA;Then an evil master is he, (O Aritta) &#xA;Knowing what's right did let wrong prevail!&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a related article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha068.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist attitude towards 'God'&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that all misbeliefs(beliefs that block the path to Nibbana) are variations of 2 fundamental misbeliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sassata Vada - &lt;strong&gt;Eternalism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Uchcheda Vada - &lt;strong&gt;Nihilism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The belief of 'God' falls under the first category. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though holding onto such a belief does not prevent one from being born in heavens(given that they do many good deeds), it does block the path to Nibbana(Enlightenment). That's why it is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://theeyeofdhamma.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-moral-conduct-that-is-free-from-any.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maggavarana&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhism has very little to offer to such people until they are ready to give up that belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T05:33:35.637" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T05:33:35.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17363" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-24T11:35:35.297" Score="1" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to become enlightened without realising it? My question is prompted by the thought that if your progress is very gradual and you do not have a measuring stick (or any labels), you might, after years of meditation become enlightened but only realising it when you read the works of enlightened masters writing about their own experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9914" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T16:55:32.497" Title="Reference points" Tags="|enlightenment|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17363" CreationDate="2016-08-24T14:43:35.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;according to the early Buddhism doctrine codified in the four Nikayas of the Pali and Agamas of the Chinese Tipitakas that is impossible&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;realization of &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt; is necessarily accompanied by the &lt;strong&gt;knowledge of destruction of taints&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;knowledge of liberation&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there&#xA;  comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is&#xA;  birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been&#xA;  done, there is no more for this state of being.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because of being disenchanted, he does not delight in it. Because of&#xA;  not delighting in it, he is liberated. Being liberated, he knows and&#xA;  sees: ‘Birth for me has been eradicated, the holy life has been&#xA;  established, what had to be done has been done, I myself know that&#xA;  there will be no receiving of any further existence.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa195&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SA 195&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-08-24T17:50:34.913" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T17:50:34.913" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14521" CreationDate="2016-08-24T19:59:32.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any commentary on the Suttas by anyone is a personal opinion. For example, I personally rarely agree with the commentaries of Piya Tan. Similarly, often other people do not agree with my personal views of the suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, we can only deal with this using &lt;strong&gt;non-attachment&lt;/strong&gt; because, in reality, there is not much consensus in Buddhism. My impression is many Buddhist groups &amp;amp; sects have idiosyncratic &amp;amp; worldly agendas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is only by letting go of craving &amp;amp; attachment can the true reality of Buddha-Dhamma be known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T19:59:32.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14380" CreationDate="2016-08-24T20:09:05.457" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a series of Pali suttas starting with Samyutta Nikaya &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.102-113.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;56.102&lt;/a&gt; that state an 'animal' can be 'reborn' as a 'human' by realising the Four Noble Truths. The impression here is 'animal' refers to people with certain kinds of habitual (shameless &amp;amp; immoral) behaviours (rather than four legged animals), such as in the Buddhist story of the reformed mass-murderer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Angulimala&lt;/a&gt; or as described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokapala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The behaviour of biological animals is largely programmed by biology. The Pali scriptures explain taught 'karma is intention' expressed by various 'actions of body, speech &amp;amp; mind'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness&#xA;follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is unlikely the behaviour of animals falls under the laws of kamma, which appear to be about the behaviour of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Animals for the most part kill only to eat &amp;amp; have sex only for reproduction thus are generally 'moral'. Where as people create kamma based on greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. For example, many animals give birth &amp;amp;, soon after, expel their offspring from their presence. Whereas most humans cling to their offspring &amp;amp; families for their entire lives, which results in a kind of suffering from 'death' that animals do not experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-24T23:55:52.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17363" CreationDate="2016-08-25T00:36:55.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is possible, @Uluru, but not for you and I, nor anyone else. The short answer to your OP is ONLY those beings who are destined to be Pacceka-Buddhas (Solitary Buddhas) will fall into this category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Solitary Buddhas are born in the years just before a fully enlightened Buddha appears. We are still at the early stages of the present eon in which one other Fully Enlightened Buddha will come when a time comes of a people with an eighty-thousand-year life-span. This will be after a long period of spiritual darkness blankets the world, that these individuals will eventually be born who, through their own effort, re-discover the long-forgotten path to awakening and liberate themselves once and for all from the long round of rebirth, thereby becoming Solitary Buddhas. They lack the requisite development of that of a Supremely Enlightened One. So they are unable to articulate their discovery to others and that is why they are known as a &quot;Silent&quot; or &quot;Private&quot; Buddha (paccekabuddha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming a Pacceka Buddha is not easy. In one’s previous life one has to perfect generosity to the level of relinquishing of one's children, &#xA;wives, and belongings, such as wealth, and relinquishing of one's own limbs and even one's own life, and had heard the Supreme Dhamma of a Fully Enlightened One at least in one lifetime to become a Pacceka Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T00:36:55.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17371" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18041" CreationDate="2016-08-25T13:45:24.500" Score="-1" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;A year or so ago an ex-New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) German Tibetan Buddhist living in a monastery in Italy referred me to an article online for $35 that (he claimed) proved that the Pali Canon was invented by Western Orientalists. Since I didn't have $35 to spend at the time I didn't order the article, and now I've lost track of it. Anybody know the article and its location that I am referring to or have any information about this somewhat dubious claim?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to clarify, I am asking whether you know the title, author, or location of the article. There is no doubt about the article's existence - I saw it (I just didnt buy it). I believe it was located on one of those academic websites where you have to pay for articles, if that helps. Secondarily, I am also interested in what the article's author's argument might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-10-27T15:57:09.030" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T15:57:09.030" Title="Can you reference an article which (dubiously) claims that the Pali Canon is an invention of Western Orientalists?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17372" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17376" CreationDate="2016-08-25T13:55:05.810" Score="1" ViewCount="283" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist writers seem to imply that they can apply a screen or test, linguistic or otherwise, to the Pali Canon and thus separate the original teachings of the Buddha from its &quot;later&quot; degenerations, and are thus able to describe &quot;original Buddhism.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, any application of this &quot;method&quot; seems to degenerate almost immediately into an ideological argument based on implicit assumptions of what the Buddha's teaching was like or naive inferences that because a text appears to be later, that automatically disqualifies it from consideration (in fact, later texts can incorporate or revise older traditions, elaborate older doctrines, consist of valid inferences, or even consist of valid original insights based on the original set of insights and thus be valid in their own right). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet despite these claims one finds only vague generalizations (e.g., Pande) or outright ideology. If such an algorithm existed, it should be possible to create a revised textus receptus and I have not seen this. A.K. Warder, a Pali scholar and a linguist, says nothing about this in &lt;em&gt;Indian Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; although he does imply that the Digha Nikaya is the oldest and therefore most authentic part of the Pali Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anybody know of an in depth and articulate description of such a linguistic algorithm or method that is free of ideological bias?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T21:57:28.177" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T07:25:16.100" Title="Pali Linguistic Algorithm?" Tags="|pali-canon|pali-language|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17278" CreationDate="2016-08-25T14:42:52.263" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gathas&lt;/em&gt; can be helpful for increasing awareness of daily activities and breathing. They are short practice verses/poems read silently while we synchronize the reading with our breathing. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Breathing in)&#xA;  Washing the dishes is like bathing the baby Buddha;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(Breathing out)&#xA;  The the everyday is the sacred, the mundane is the profound&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find more practice poems &lt;a href=&quot;http://truepeacetoronto.ca/practice/55-gathas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and in the book &quot;Present Moment, Wonderful Moment - Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living&quot; by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T14:42:52.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17374" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-25T16:18:26.173" Score="1" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am subject to thoughts containing anger, hatred, resentment etc. which causes me lower back pain.&#xA;I am using medicines but useless because the relief is temporary.&#xA;I am a meditator but I watch breath at nose tip, which causes me more&#xA;tension after the session is over by 2 -3 hours.&#xA;I have read somewhere that watching breath at belly i.e. Dantian is also &#xA;recommended.&#xA;I have tried it once and found it more relaxing.&#xA;What should I do? Watch breath at nose tip or belly button?&#xA;I have been doing nose tip meditation for six months which took me sometimes to thoughtless awareness - but did not solve my problems of physical pain and irritability&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9924" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T05:21:26.920" Title="Correct meditation Technique" Tags="|anger|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17372" CreationDate="2016-08-25T19:56:46.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A.K. Warder, a Pali scholar and a linguist ... does imply that the Digha Nikaya is the oldest and therefore most authentic part of the&#xA;  Pali Canon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;beneath is some gleaned info on the relative chronology of the canonical Buddhist texts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From T.W. Rhys Davids, Appendix to Chapter 10 of 'Buddhist India' Putnam, 1903.&lt;/em&gt; &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fsnow.com/text/buddhist-india/chapter10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://fsnow.com/text/buddhist-india/chapter10.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[The list] represents the probable order in which the extant Buddhist documents of this period were composed. They were not yet written, and a great deal has no doubt been lost.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Episodes found, in identical words, in two or more of the existing books.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sīlas, the Pārāyana, the Octades, the pātimokkha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Dīgha, Majjhima, Aṅguttara, and Saṁyutta Nikāyas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Nipāta, the Thera- and Therī-Gāthās, the Udānas, and the Khuddaka Pāṭha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Vibhaṅga and the Khandhakas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Jātakas and the Dhammapadas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Niddesa, the Itivuttakas, and the Paṭisambhidā.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Peta- and Vimāna-Vatthus, the Apadānas, the Cariyā Piṭaka, and the Buddha Vaṁsa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma books; the last of which is the Kathā Vatthu, and the earliest probably the Puggala Paññatti.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alternative chronological order&lt;br&gt;&#xA;from Bimala Law: A History of Pali Literature, Ch 1, pp. 29-66&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chronological placement of the Octades (Atthakavagga) and Patimokkha,&#xA;whole Nikayas, regarding their strata, is questionable, same for Sutta Nipata&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found in identical works in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Episodes found in identical works in two or more of the existing books. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Silas, the Parayana group of sixteen poems without the prologue, the Atthaka group of four or sixteen poems, the Sikkhapadas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dlgha, Vol. I, the Majjhima, the Samyutta, the Anguttara, and earlier Patimokkha code of 152 rules. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Digha, Vols. II and III, the Thera-Theri-gatha, the collection of 500 Jatakas, Suttavibhanga, Patisambhidamagga, Puggalapaññatti and&#xA;  Vibhanga. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Mahavagga and the Cullavagga, the Patimokkha code completing 227 rules, the Vimanavatthu and Petavatthu, the Dhammapada and the&#xA;  Kathavatthu. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Cullaniddesa, the Mahaniddesa, the Udana, the Itivuttaka, the Sutta Nipata, the Dhatukatha, the Yamaka, and the Patthana. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhavamsa, the Cariyapitaka, and the Apadana. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Parivarapatha. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Khuddakapāṭha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-08-25T19:56:46.703" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17374" CreationDate="2016-08-26T01:11:37.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are having pent-up anger, hatred and resentment, then  the maithri bhavana (loving kindness meditation) is what you should practice morning noon and night. It is not easy for everyone to properly do Anapanasati , and it is wrong advice to watch breath at belly. So if you have difficulty in watching the breath,  first practice Asubha Bhavana and Dhathu/indriya Bhavana. You should not mix one meditation with another. You should get out of one type of meditation to get into another. Anytime when there is wandering thought, the concentration is not there. The appearing of a nimitta is a sign of concentration. When you develop an anapanasati nimitta, and practice it further, then you need a good knowledge of teachings (suttas) for you to overcome obstacles that you face. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T01:11:37.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17374" CreationDate="2016-08-26T01:37:41.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wise-reflection (&lt;em&gt;yoniso-manasikara&lt;/em&gt;) is generally recommended as a preliminary practice to formal (&lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;) meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the practitioner reflects/thinks thoroughly with reason &amp;amp; wisdom on the harm &amp;amp; dangers of anger, hatred, etc, in a manner conducive to give them up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes the Buddha-To-be doing this practice before his enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-26T01:46:44.900" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T01:46:44.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10803" CreationDate="2016-08-26T01:50:16.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With right intention, bodybuilding can be used as a tool to practice wholesome activities, in lieu of more impermanent, less wholesome activities. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A welcoming towards what is normally perceived as negative feelings or vedanā with hard physical training or dieting and deprivation. (FYI: the &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=97xCAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;lpg=PA44&amp;amp;dq=zazen%20yojinki%20%22two-thirds%22&amp;amp;pg=PA44#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=zazen%20yojinki%20%22two-thirds%22&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Zazen Yojinki says&lt;/a&gt; you should eat two-thirds of your capacity.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lifting heavy weights as an exercise of vitakka and vicara.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Enforcing a wholesome routine which strengthens the body. (It has been said that the body is the physical aspect of the mind.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mileage may vary depending upon your definition of bodybuilding. Yours assumes aggression as a prerequisite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-08-28T22:11:08.257" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T22:11:08.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2016-08-26T05:42:03.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not familiar with all Nichiren Buddhist sects, however, the one I do know a fair amound about stresses that just chanting isn't going to solve your problems or lead to your enlightenment. During the actual process of chanting (saying nam yoho renge kyo), there is no &quot;set&quot; thing or reason one has to chant. Generally though, people are chanting for (amung other things) happiness for themselves and others. The important part to remember is that, when chanting, and I'm paraphrasing Nichiren when I say this, &quot;one must summon the faith that nam-yoho renge kyo is one's life itself.&quot; He also said that if you think that &quot;the power&quot; of nam yo ho renge kyo is outside of yourself, it is like a poor person counting a rich person's money and expecting to become wealthy. &#xA;     In essence, the purpose of chanting is as a sort of medetation or self-introflection. But it is more than just that, it is considered the way to, and I'm paraphrasing again, &quot;polish the mirror of one's life to attain buddhahood.&quot; I have also heard that the reason chanting is said to be so useful is because it is like &quot;the name of the universe&quot;, and that, just as a person, if you call them by the wrong name, wont respond, neither will the universe. (By universe here I mean pretty much all phenomena as well as the mystic law. Which are fairly complicated terms that I'm not good at explaining.) Anyhow, the question I asked once I heard this explaination was, &quot;Isn't that pretty arbitruary? Why can't you just say literly any other phrase and expect the same result?&quot; I personally don't know the best andwer to the question, as my knowledge is limited, but I think that it does have to do with the Lotus Sutra in the expedient means chapter where Shakyamuni Buddha says, &quot;what the buddhas have achieved  is the rarest and most difficult-to-understand law (termed the mystic law in Nochiren). The true aspect of all phenomena can only be understood and shared between buddhas.&quot; This is to say that namyohorengekyo is also the true aspect of all phenomena. -it has many meanings and the title of the lotus sutra is only one-.&#xA;   Anyhow, and to answer your question about whether it's uniform throughout the ages, I would say yes, but I don't know too much specifics about the direct history itself. As for today, one of the reasons that it's kept in Japanese is because then whoever knows how to chant could chant with someone from where ever. There wouldn't be a language barrier or anything like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;  I hope I was able to answer your questions. If not I'm happy to elaborate. Sorry for the answer kind of being all squished together. I was writing this in a hurry. If you want to get a quick, better, understanding of chanting and such, the link below goes to a short letter Nichiren wrote to a follower which basically outlines chanting and some other parts of the philosophy pretty well. Its also like 2 and a half pages or something like that so it doesn't take long to read.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T05:42:03.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17374" CreationDate="2016-08-26T07:23:09.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd suggest to leave anapanasati behind, do low-concentration (&quot;dry&quot;) vipassana which will make you face and learn to face the anger (you will learn how to not attach to it, let it come &amp;amp; go, not judge yourself for it, not analyze and not make theories about the pain it causes), dtto for the back pain. There is nothing wrong with anger, it is your teacher just like pain; the attachment and unskillful dealing is the problem; by observing the pain or anger, you will get insight into yourself, and will learn to accept anger and pain as a part of you being human, and integrate it into your life skillfully, without (progressively) harming yourself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Explanation:) The reason for this is that people tend to use concentration (including anapanasati or brahmaviharas) to run away from conditions, instead of dealing with them. Those practices can be beneficial, but they have also their blind spots, and the best is to have a long-term teacher who can guide you here. Otherwise it  likely that the ego will use metta-practice to re-affirm itself, such as persuading you about being loving and caring when you're perhaps full of anger and hate. I've seen on a few occasions people developing metta-crust on the top of stuff they never dealt with; which means (a) they learn to live with lie (delusion) instead of being in the present and in the truth (b) in more difficult situations, the crust breaks and I was very surprised how quickly the seemingly loving person turned into almost a hate monster; they regretted that themselves later, but did not understand what happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2016-08-26T07:54:10.750" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T07:54:10.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10803" CreationDate="2016-08-26T09:16:22.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you ask, &quot;What buddhism says&quot;, one quote which might be relevant is from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta (SN 12.63)&lt;/a&gt;, which I think recommends what's the appropriate attitude to have towards food:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How, O monks, should the nutriment edible food be considered?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do you think, O monks? Will they eat the food for the pleasure of it, for enjoyment, for comeliness' sake, for (the body's) embellishment?&quot;[7]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Certainly not, O Lord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The corresponding quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Reflecting&#xA;  wisely, he uses alms food neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for&#xA;  smartening nor for embellishment, but only for the endurance and continuance of&#xA;  this body, for the ending of discomfort, and for assisting the life of purity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;‘Thus I&#xA;    shall put a stop to old feelings and shall not arouse new feelings, and I shall be&#xA;    healthy and blameless and live in comfort.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta (AN 4.159)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk, considering it thoughtfully, takes food — not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification — but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, [thinking,]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'Thus will I destroy old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]. I will maintain myself, be blameless, &amp;amp; live in comfort.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then he eventually abandons food, having relied on food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are addressed to monks (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10804/254&quot;&gt;Thiago's answer&lt;/a&gt;). In answer to, &quot;can someone who trains with weights become buddhist&quot;, I suppose it would be abnormal for a Buddhist &lt;em&gt;monk&lt;/em&gt; to be a &quot;body-builder&quot; ... maybe an ambition like &quot;become more manly&quot; is a kind of conceit, where the intention is to beautify the body ... not exactly immoral but not really on-topic as far as a monk is concerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, some monks do (or have done) physical work: helping to build things using concrete, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think that (most?) monks do tend to have some physical exercise in their daily routine: especially walking (or, &lt;a href=&quot;http://providencezen.org/why-we-bow-108-prostrations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;prostrations&lt;/a&gt;); whether it's walking on alms-round each morning, walking meditation, even (in the case of the Dalai Lama) walking on a tread-mill. So some endurance exercise (or &quot;building the body&quot; for endurance even if not to look muscle-bound, or &quot;maintaining&quot; the body even if not &quot;building&quot; it) isn't incompatible with even a monk's life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T09:16:22.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-08-26T16:49:54.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it is. Depending on the Karma (good Karma) you have gathered, you can born as a God in &quot;God's world&quot;. So yes, Buddhism believes in the existence of God. Well, not just one God who controls everything, but plenty of Gods. You can even enter to that level if you bring your mind to a higher level through meditation. There are so many evidences in the Buddhist literature about Gods. However Buddhism doesn't say or ask to expect anything from them. That's the difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9927" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T16:49:54.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17363" CreationDate="2016-08-26T16:55:32.497" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a very simple answer. How did Buddha know he attained the enlightment? Didn't he realize it? When you become enlightened, your heart will tell that to you. You will feel it. So you will definitely realize it when you have attained Nibbana. As the last step, when you are just about to attain it, you will give up the &quot;requirement of attaining Nibbana&quot; as well!. So there you are!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9927" LastActivityDate="2016-08-26T16:55:32.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15959" CreationDate="2016-08-27T00:29:37.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ideally, sexual pleasure should be avoided since it is craving. But Buddha knew that this was difficult for the laity. Therefore, he suggested that the laity should avoid sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is simply sexual behavior which is outside social acceptance. And you can interpret that according to your own society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T00:29:37.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14725" CreationDate="2016-08-27T00:42:10.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The bodhisattva precepts forbid the killing of &quot;sentient beings&quot;. Bacteria is not sentient so I see no problem with using antibacterial soap. It is also rather difficult to avoid killing bacteria through daily living. So, it would be extreme, if not impossible, to try to kill all bacteria around you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T00:42:10.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-08-27T00:56:30.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I look at apologizing like confession. Buddha clearly taught that confession eradicates karma. How much karma is another question. A simple apology probably does not eradicate much. Better to recite a confession. Better still through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T00:56:30.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17390" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-27T17:11:19.743" Score="2" ViewCount="1417" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma says that not helping parents is evil and preaches to take care of the elderly parents. What can be some positive outcomes the children will get by helping the parents?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T11:06:32.580" Title="What are the benefits of caring parents?" Tags="|theravada|lay-buddhism|parents|layman|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17390" CreationDate="2016-08-27T17:50:03.453" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says that there are two people that you can never repay, no matter what you do. They are your mother and your father. Again the Buddha said that there is one way that you can repay for all what they have done.  That is to establish them in this Dhamma Path. It is not an easy task, as we are all full of defilements that muddy the waters and prevent us from seeing this path. So if they’re stingy for example, then you can try to find some way to influence them to be more generous.  If they are not the type to observe the five precepts, then you could try to get them to be more virtuous, to have more principles in their lives. You can gain merits that will help pave the way to your own Dhamma path, if you could help introduce your parents to the practice of Dhamma. Try to do it in as diplomatic a way as possible. Most parents resent their children who try to tell them what is right or wrong.  That is why you will have to find some means of doing this in an indirect way. If they are not into Dhamma, try not to say that this is a Buddhist thing. That is how SN Goenka thought Vipassana Meditation to the Westerners. Only later that they get to know that this is the Noble Eightfold Path that their Master is leading them to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T17:50:03.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17390" CreationDate="2016-08-27T21:40:20.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Helping parents engages the mind in the moral '&lt;strong&gt;right view&lt;/strong&gt;' of knowing what has been received as benefaction (gift; sacrifice) from one's parents &amp;amp; one's resultant reciprocal obligations (good actions to be performed). This is called '&lt;em&gt;katannukatavedi&lt;/em&gt;' ('gratitude'), namely, '&lt;em&gt;what others do for me; what I must do in return&lt;/em&gt;'. The Pali scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the &lt;strong&gt;right view&lt;/strong&gt;...siding with goodness...‘There is gift, offerings, sacrifice [from] ...mother &amp;amp; father.&#xA;  There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions. There is&#xA;  this world &amp;amp; the other worlds.  There are spontaneously born beings&#xA;  (sattā opapātikā)...’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having this 'right view' of '&lt;em&gt;katannukatavedi&lt;/em&gt;' also helps develop skillful means in the other relationships in life &amp;amp; can also help develop the higher Noble Eightfold Path because 'giving up' (&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;) selfishness is a primary factor for developing meditation &amp;amp; the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When having such right view, the mind spontaneously arises in the 'human' (wise) or 'humane' (compassionate) state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If parents are not helped, when required, the mind is spontaneously born in the 'animal kingdom' (of ignorance &amp;amp; immorality) &amp;amp; probably eventually in 'hell' (suffering) due to wrong view. All people age, start dying &amp;amp; experience loss and those with wrong view generally are not able to cope with their own inevitable aloneness, old age &amp;amp; imminent death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above said, sometimes parents can be very stubborn, even to the point of death, therefore we should not always expect we can help our parents, as we would like. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-27T22:15:30.807" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T22:15:30.807" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-08-27T22:39:03.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apologizing certainly deletes bad results (&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;) of bad &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (actions) because it establishes the mind on the right path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it is said the confession of a man who killed his father was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;...cause of growth in the Dhamma &amp;amp; Discipline of the noble ones when,&#xA;  seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with&#xA;  the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-27T22:39:03.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17374" CreationDate="2016-08-28T00:51:05.360" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are having trouble with anger, hatred, resentment etc. then there is a couple of methods I could suggest. Sakyamuni Buddha taught the four brahmavihara (love, sympathy, joy, equanimity) for countering the type of thoughts you are having. This is good for whatever type of Buddhism you follow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I am a Pureland Buddhist and we chant the nembutsu in faith of Amitabha Buddha. By faith I mean trusting in the Buddha's power, and don't worry about things outside of yourself. I have found that this inward reflection on Buddha's power makes me more loving and compassionate to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T00:51:05.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-08-28T01:06:15.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you mean Isvara, a personal creator like Jehovah, Allah, Shiva or other such deity which exist forever and creates the world from nothing, the answer is no.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mean a god in the sense of Hinduism, again the answer is no. Buddhism refers to the same gods by name, but the Buddhist concept of a god (deva) are heavenly beings who are limited in existence and power. Not something we want to aspire to since they are still caught in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha refered to Brahma, but his interpretation of this word is simply a state of existence, the uncreated. Similar to the concept of the Tao.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for something similar to Christianity, then Pureland somes close. Amitabha Buddha is not a god, but you can be reborn in his pureland. And there is the story of Kuanyin (a manifestation of Amitabha) who was born as Miao Shan. Miao Shan was killed, descended into hell, rose from the dead, and rescues those who call her name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T01:06:15.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2016-08-28T04:05:50.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanting the names of Buddha, Bodhisattvas or even as it happens the Title of the Lotus Sutra essentially works by being a powerful form of meditative mindful concentration. This is an easy straight forward way to practice the Concentration branch of the Noble Eightfold Path. Effects include experiencing the factors of the Jhana aka Zen - rapture, happiness, equanimity and clarity. This also eventually leads to the growth of ethics and wisdom. Best of all there's no special knowledge or meditative techniques explanation required, just chant. Ideally the syllables chosen should be ones that evokes reverential feelings and associations and is of a suitable length. &quot;Sutra of the Lotus of the True Dharma&quot; in English would be a tad too long but &quot;NA-MU-MYO! HO! REN! GE! KYO!&quot; is just about the right length to keep your mind concentrated. Usually 6 - 7 syllables are chosen and probably under 10 at most for 南無本師釋迦摩尼佛 - Namo Benshi Shijiamoni Fo in Chinese - Namo Sakyamuni Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As people point out it also plant the seed of the dharma, i.e. interest as people wonders what it is you are doing. When it is done as a team effort in group it also inspires feelings of camaraderie, strength, respect and persistence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism, they actually do this intensively at these seven days chanting retreats - similar to meditation retreats, where you spend 7 days chanting only the name of Amitabha, tens of thousands of times each day. I hear the effects of the training are incredible with people feeling like they are blissfully floating in the air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plus, divine assistance is always a possibility. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T04:05:50.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-08-28T04:24:40.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Karma theory is age-old in Hindu society where Buddha was born.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma theory was not age old when Buddha was born, it was his specific discovery, you can see in the records that during the time of the Buddha, people have various theories about working of the world including: God Brahma determining everything so it doesn't matter what you do as long as you have faith  and obey God (quite similar to Christianity), to requiring the performance the Vedic rituals exactly as prescribed including animal sacrifices, to nihilism - whatever you do doesn't matter you are gonna die anyway. Many of these thinking are still present today. It is Hinduism that changed dramatically by adopting many of the teachings of Buddhism so that many modern people believe that Buddha did not teach anything new because many of his teachings have already been incorporated into Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically during his enlightenment he confirms that actions matter, and specifically what is behind the action, the mind - the thoughts and emotions of that action is the leading cause of the effect of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Repentance and apologies have no effect on your accumulated bad kamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong, while karma - your action cannot be erased the effect can always be lessen by changing yourself. Karma does not imply one to one result, but a cause is always impacted by other conditions (secondary causes) to bear the necessary results. The act of repentance is one such conditions to ease the effect of karma, even though the original cause is not erased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chinese Buddhism, the act of repentance is one of the most important part of Buddhist practice. This is reflected too all the way from Indian teachings through the sutras. Even the Vinaya requires monks to confess their offenses to the community as part of this practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, good karma does not erase nor balance bad karma, good karma interacts with bad karma, just like the existence of one plant does not eliminate another plant, but they both interacts so bad karma can reduce/change the positive impact of your good karma, and good karma can reduce/change the negative impact of your good karma. None the less both of these causes still exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give a practical example: It will be much worse for the outcome of a conflict if you refuse to apologize your wrongs. While if you have done a lot of good things, having done something blatantly unethical will cause people to reduce their trust in you no matter your contributions formerly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-08-28T04:31:22.330" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T04:31:22.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2016-08-28T16:28:49.760" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple approaches to answer this question. Two very different answers might both be correct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologizing is it's own karma that can be good or bad depending on the intentions behind the apology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One couldn't ease past bad karma because conditions in the past no longer exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologizing with good intentions will ease the future results (vipaka) of the bad karma that is being apologised for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NOTE: Basically, karma means &quot;action&quot; and vipaka means &quot;result&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T16:28:49.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17399" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-28T22:37:50.913" Score="1" ViewCount="293" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachings/Dogen_Teachings/GenjoKoan_Aitken.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;genjo-koan&lt;/a&gt; means? Especially:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To study the buddha way is to study the self. To study the self is to&#xA;  forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad&#xA;  things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well&#xA;  as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization&#xA;  remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A fish swims in the ocean, and no matter how far it swims there is no&#xA;  end to the water. A bird flies in the sky, and no matter how far it&#xA;  flies there is no end to the air. However, the fish and the bird have&#xA;  never left their elements. When their activity is large their field is&#xA;  large. When their need is small their field is small. Thus, each of&#xA;  them totally covers its full range, and each of them totally&#xA;  experiences its realm. If the bird leaves the air it will die at once.&#xA;  If the fish leaves the water it will die at once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Know that water is life and air is life. The bird is life and the fish&#xA;  is life. Life must be the bird and life must be the fish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is possible to illustrate this with more analogies. Practice, enlightenment, and people are like thi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does it mean to say that these are life and that there's no realisation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T00:56:25.027" Title="What does dogen's genjo-koan mean?" Tags="|nirvana|samsara|soto|dogen|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15672" CreationDate="2016-08-28T23:12:08.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The explanation about the 'vaci sankhara' (which is bolded) clearly states thought is the cause of speech. If this is true, how can thought be the &quot;verbal fabrication&quot; when it is obvious that: (a) speech is the verbal fabrication and (b) thought is that which fabricates (or causes) the speech?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali just one word, &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;, or pair of words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;English, being precise, has a lot of grammar. You can't construct an English sentence without a verb, a subject, maybe an object, and &quot;prepositions&quot;. Maybe English has too much grammar (maybe there's a similar problem translating from Chinese into English), i.e. that to create a grammatical English translation you need to add extra grammar which didn't exist in the original.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insisting on having a subject (an actor or an agent) for each verb (as English does), doesn't that invite the same kind of mistake as I-making or I-assuming, or reification?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So FYI (and I might be wrong) I think of (i.e. I mentally translate) &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;putting together&quot;, i.e. as a kind of verb or a kind of process ... but without assuming there's a corresponding subject ... or you might translate is construction or constructing (or fabrication) without assuming there's a corresponding constructor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you take thought as the cause (or prequel) of speech, I understand it as saying that it's the putting together (creation or construction) of speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said that &quot;speech is the fabrication&quot; but in this context I think it's the fabricated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that in English the word &quot;fabrication&quot; can refer to the process and to the end result (so &quot;a fabrication&quot; can be used as a synonym for &quot;the fabricated&quot;): e.g. &quot;the story is a fabrication&quot; means that telling the story is the process of telling a lie, and the told/completed story is the result of telling or having told a lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; is the process of constructing/fabricating something (e.g. breath, speech, thoughts) and also the product or result of that construction/fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing is (and again I may be wrong), isn't the direction of the causation deliberately a bit vague? I read the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; as saying that it isn't as simple as &quot;A causes B&quot;, nor &quot;B causes A&quot;. It's not that &quot;body causes breath&quot; nor &quot;breath causes body&quot;, rather it's &quot;body and breath co-arise&quot;, or &quot;body is the condition in which breath arises and vice versa&quot;. I might be wrong but does Western science/philosophy/logic/religion for one maybe try to teach us to believe in &quot;cause and effect&quot;? But isn't Buddhist logic rather about &quot;co-arising&quot;, which might be a better description than simplistic &quot;cause and effect&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming &quot;causation&quot; leads to (it invites) logical problems/fallacies like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Post hoc ergo propter hoc&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I think, it is that &quot;fire causes heat&quot;, or is it that &quot;heat causes fire&quot;? Instead of one or the other, let's say that &quot;heat and fire co-arise&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A final comment, if you read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dharmafarer commentary on MN 44&lt;/a&gt;, the author distinguishes (or tells us to distinguish) between the singular &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/em&gt; and the plural &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārā&lt;/em&gt; -- saying that the singular (e.g. thought forming speech, or mindful speech, or &quot;functional consciousness&quot;) is a quality (property or function) of the relatively enlightened mind, whereas the plural is &quot;mental proliferation&quot; or &lt;em&gt;papañca&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-08-28T23:12:08.050" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17399" CreationDate="2016-08-29T00:02:59.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta: To Rohitassa&lt;/a&gt; you will find a parallel to this GenjoKoan that you pointed out. For the fish it is the water, and for the bird it is the air. Likewise for the gods / celestial beings, it is the cosmos. This Deva told the Buddha about a desire that he had in a previous life when he was a seer named Rohitassa and its result. He said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;” ‘I will go traveling to the end of the cosmos.’ I—with a one-hundred year life, a one-hundred year span—spent one hundred years traveling—apart from the time spent on eating, drinking, chewing &amp;amp; tasting, urinating &amp;amp; defecating, and sleeping to fight off weariness—but without reaching the end of the cosmos I died along the way. So … ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the above Sutta, the Buddha says that the end of the world cannot be reached by going the distance. Buddha said that only by finding your own self, or in other words, it is the understanding of oneself as one really is, that one would see the light. As the Rohitassa Sutta states, these truths are concerned with the &quot;one-fathom long body of man.&quot; The key-note of Buddhism is this right understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get to know what life is, one has to first come to Samma Ditthi.  Samma Ditthi is in short, Right understanding.  Right understanding is explained as the knowledge of the four noble truths. In other words, it is the understanding of oneself as one really is. One pre-requisite of one coming to ‘Right View’ (Samma Ditti) is learning to welcome advice of the Supreme Buddha with delight. We must not treat even a single verse of Dhamma as being plain and simple. We must learn to treat the Noble Dhamma as supreme. We must consider this Dhamma to be the most profound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said in the scriptures… “ Pemato jayati soko, pemato jayati bhayam”.  [From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear].  Conventional minds will recoil to the idea. But it is seeing this other side to life will one get to know what life is. The truth and meaning of Dhamma becomes a private experience by the wise only when there is insight or vipassana. But vipassana depends on samadhi or concentration. And samadhi depends on Samma-ditthi. Thus, everything in Dhamma is connected. Why is that? The Buddha is speaking, albeit in diverse ways, only of one thing and one thing alone – dukkha and the cessation of dukkha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Noble Dhamma is Svākkhāto (it is well proclaimed). Nothing needs to be corrected in this Dhamma (found it the Sutta &amp;amp; Vinaya – the first two baskets) and nothing can be discarded on the basis that it is too plain and simple (if one understands this quality, then this person comes to Samma Ditti— right view). This is why we must hold dear the advice we receive and use that noble advice to discipline ourselves than vice-a-versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T00:02:59.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17402" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17403" CreationDate="2016-08-29T01:18:08.733" Score="2" ViewCount="530" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are these conditions mutually exclusive? Is complacency a form of sloth/torpor?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth/torpor is a hindrance, but to say that one must not be satisfied seems contrary to the spirit of contentment and non-doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that sloth is inertia rooted in avoiding challenge, but not sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please define sloth/torpor, comparing it to contentment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T02:18:06.520" Title="contentment, complacency, sloth/torpor" Tags="|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17402" CreationDate="2016-08-29T02:01:18.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Complacency is a form of sloth/torpor. Complacency can be said as lethargy in the body (sloth) and drowsiness in the mind (torpor). It is when the mind is not sleeping, but not awake either. So be aware of this twilight zone, where nothing of use is achieved. Buddha advises us to be aware of this enemy in life that would stop you from succeeding in life. So we have to make a habit of getting up early every day, being energetic. Energy arises when one has a clear-cut direction. One knows exactly where one is going and keeps at it. This is one to keep Mara’s armies at bay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The host of Mara, the Evil One, is described as comprising ten kinds of passions (kilesa). They are: 1. material pleasures (kama). 2. aversion for the Holy Life (arati), 3. hunger and thirst (khuppipasa), 4. craving (tanha), 5. sloth and torpor (thina middha), 6. fear (bhaya), 7. doubt (vicikiccha), 8. detraction and obstinacy (makkhathambha), 9. gain (labha), praise (siloka) honour (sakkara) and ill-gotten fame (yasa), 10. Extolling of oneself and contempt for others (attukkamsana-para-vambhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt; and specially on &lt;strong&gt;sloth and torpor (thina middha)&lt;/strong&gt; following is a good example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once when the Venerable Maha Moggallana, one of the Buddha's two chief disciples, was meditating in the forest, thina middha arose. His mind shrank and withered, as unworkable as a piece of butter that hardens in the cold. At this point Supreme Buddha looked into the Venerable Maha Moggallana's mind. Seeing his plight, he approached and said, &amp;quot;My son Maha Moggallana, are you drowsy, are you sleepy, are you nodding?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The elder replied, &amp;quot;Yes, Lord, I am nodding.&amp;quot; He was frank and candid in his reply. the Buddha said, &amp;quot;Listen, my son, I will now teach you eight techniques of overcoming sloth and torpor.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the eight Ways to Stay Awake are…  first is to change one's attitude. When torpor attacks, one may be tempted to surrender to thoughts like, &amp;quot;I'm so sleepy. It's not doing me any good just to sit here in a daze. May be I'll lie down for a minute and gather my energy.&amp;quot; As long as you entertain such thoughts, the mental state of sloth and torpor will be encouraged to remain. If, on the other hand, one states decisively, &amp;quot;I'll sit through this sloth and torpor, and if it recurs I still won't give in to it,&amp;quot; this is what the Buddha meant by changing one's attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are content in life is easier to overcome these subtle barriers, these “hindrances,” or “obstacles” as they’re self­-created.&#xA;Contentment counters sensual desire that the Buddha compared to debt. He compared Ill will to a sickness or an illness. Sloth and torpor he compared to a prison. Restlessness and anxiety he compared to slavery. Uncertainty he compared to traveling across a barren, dangerous landscape.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contentment is to be content about everything else - all other aspects of your life, but NOT of your spiritual development. Your liking for the Dhamma Path should far exceed the liking that you have for all other things. Then only &lt;strong&gt;Contentment can be taken as being detached. The term detachment gives a much deeper meaning than just non attachment.&lt;/strong&gt;  It is used in Dhamma to denote a certain state of mind, which characterizes calmness, serenity, and equanimity. One become thus by being detached from both  aversion or revulsion, and attachment. The absence of the five hindrances - namely; sensuous desire (kamacchanda), ill-will (Vyapada), sloth and Torpor (thinamiddha), restlessness and scruples (uddhacchakukkuccha) and Skeptical doubt (vicikiccha) helps one to arrive at such a state of mind.  A content mind which is neither attached to anything nor repulsed by anything, helps one to dwell in calmness, coolness, and serenity of mind. &lt;strong&gt;A state of calm,detachment is a very positive state, unlike complacency.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T02:18:06.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17402" CreationDate="2016-08-29T04:38:34.680" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Complacency' would be a lack of urgency, thus a deficiency in wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Sloth &amp;amp; torpor' is a lack of energy (tiredness) or mental dullness ('sinking mind'), which can occur in concentration development &amp;amp; thus a deficiency in optimum concentration technique.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'contentment' &amp;amp; 'complacency', yes, they could occur together when a practitioner is content with a liberating yet lower level of attainment, such as stream-entry or jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-29T04:48:04.453" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T04:48:04.453" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-08-29T05:46:55.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per My knowledge of Buddhism Lord Buddha said this is a Question That Time Wast's. Buddha said you cannot ever find end for where new Humans come from.. its like you cannot find End of the Universe..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T05:46:55.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17406" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-29T09:17:49.620" Score="0" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt; are explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga of&#xA;  Buddhaghosa, the central text of the Mahāvihāra commentarial&#xA;  tradition. Buddhaghosa recounts four methods to interpret the Twelve&#xA;  Nidanas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Working from &quot;bottom to top&quot;,&#xA;Working from the &quot;middle to the top&quot;,&#xA;Working from &quot;top to bottom&quot;,&#xA;Working from the &quot;middle to the source&quot;.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems a bit like you might claim these four are &lt;em&gt;in turn&lt;/em&gt; the f&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths#Basic_set&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;our noble truths&lt;/a&gt; in turn&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;idam dukkham, &quot;this is pain&quot;&#xA;ayam dukkha-samudayo, &quot;this is the origin of pain&quot;&#xA;ayam dukkha-nirodha, &quot;this is the cessation of pain&quot;&#xA;ayam dukkha-nirodha-gamini patipada, &quot;this is the path leading to the cessation of pain&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone ever claimed this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T01:04:15.427" Title="Does it make any sense to read the four noble truths parallel to the Buddhaghosa's 4 interpretations of the nidanas" Tags="|reference-request|four-noble-truths|nidanas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15725" CreationDate="2016-08-29T12:11:41.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sutta Central&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn36.6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/a&gt; has been translated into Chinese as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/lzh/sa470&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SA 470&lt;/a&gt; (Saṃyuktāgama). Sutta Central does not show a Tibetan parallel for it, but it might be incomplete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, as a Gelug monk, I have never heard of it. As far as I know, it is not an object of study of the Geshe program or other programs and is not referred to in any Lam Rim text. Apart from the Heart Sutra, we do not study Sutras that much, but commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T12:11:41.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17408" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-29T16:16:35.713" Score="0" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was refreshing myself with some stuff on Madhyamaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't understand how the difference between Prasangika and Svātantrika can be svabhava. How can svabhava exist without changing anything else about conventional entities or ultimate reality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what other claims does this entail about conventional entities by Svātantrika?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does Prasangika show their ultimate reality cannot be empty?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="5838" LastEditDate="2016-08-29T17:08:09.140" LastActivityDate="2023-12-23T13:08:06.053" Title="How are Prasangika and Svātantrika different?" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17399" CreationDate="2016-08-29T18:18:46.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st koan is of the phrase in the Pali scriptures: &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;deep, deep...connected with emptiness&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali scriptures, there is the statement about enlightenment &amp;amp; Nirvana: '&lt;em&gt;Birth is ended...there is no more renewal of being&lt;/em&gt;'. 'Birth' ('jati') &amp;amp; 'being' ('bhava') are the generation of the idea that there is 'self' &amp;amp; 'other people', i.e., that there are '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;various beings &amp;amp; group of beings&lt;/a&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in the actualization described by Dogen, all 'birth' ends. There is no longer the generation of the idea or view that there are 'beings' or 'people', both internally or externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that is experienced is the continuous flow of myriad sense objects or 'things'; of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches &amp;amp; experiences of mind, including the peace called Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the sense of concrete/solid minds &amp;amp; bodies drops away as experience is only the flow of myriad sense objects of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches &amp;amp; mental experiences; merely elements (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this experience becomes completely normal &amp;amp; ordinary ('suchness'; 'thusness'; '&lt;em&gt;tathata&lt;/em&gt;'), the idea of ('special') 'enlightenment' or 'realisation' also drops away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, in the 2nd koan, all there is is nature or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;elements&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; this is all life is; there is no 'self' that is separate from the elements of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/83Uka.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/83Uka.gif&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reaching the Source&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is no more self-consciousness reactions to distort the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistdoor.com/OldWeb/passissue/9710/sources/art9.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;9th Oxherding Picture&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T21:56:39.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17406" CreationDate="2016-08-29T18:46:36.230" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is simply a more detailed explanation of the 2nd noble truth, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;. Therefore, both the Noble Truths and D.O. can be read in parallel with eachother. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddhaghosa's interpretation is followed, there will be a departure from the here-&amp;amp;-now into ideas about 're-birth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-29T18:46:36.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17399" CreationDate="2016-08-30T00:56:25.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dogen is pointing to emptiness. When the self drops, you realise you are one with the ten thousand things, and there is no more I and them. Enlightenment, path, etc are no more than concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Heart Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not&#xA;  differ from form. That which is form is emptiness, that which is&#xA;  emptiness form. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses,&#xA;  consciousness. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, in emptiness no form, no feelings, perceptions, impulses,&#xA;  consciousness. No eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind;&#xA;  no color, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind;&#xA;  no realm of eyes and so forth until no realm of mind consciousness. No&#xA;  ignorance and also no extinction of it, and so forth until no old age&#xA;  and death and also no extinction of them. No suffering, no&#xA;  origination, no stopping, no path, no cognition, also no attainment&#xA;  with nothing to attain. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kwanumzen.org/wp-content/uploads/Heart-Sutra-in-English-text1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.kwanumzen.org/wp-content/uploads/Heart-Sutra-in-English-text1.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5386" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T00:56:25.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17406" CreationDate="2016-08-30T01:04:15.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Buddhaghosa himself has said in his book THE PATH OF PURIFICATION (VISUDDHIMAGGA) that 'one's own opinion is the weakest authority of all and should only be accepted if it accords with the Suttas' (DA. 567-68). So far I have not come across such an explanation in the Suttas. So until I come across such an explanation in the Scriptures (Sutta-Vinaya), I’ll have to take it that Ven. Buddhaghosa’s own opinion is the weakest authority of all and should only be accepted if it accords with the Suttas'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the Four Noble Truths the 4 'foundations of mindfulness’ is there.  The Satipatthāna is there for this purpose. The realization one gets out of it is the understanding of Paticca Samuppāda (dependent origination or the universal law of cause and effect). That is, the ability of seeing things in life according to cause and effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first step toward the Noble Eightfold Path is for one to become faith-devoted – that all the answers are there in the Suttas. One who accepts this path of Dhamma admits that there is suffering of this Samsara. He accepts there exists a cause and effect. He accepts the fact that one needs to be free from suffering. He also accepts that the Supreme Buddha has freed Himself from suffering and the Dhamma can free us from that suffering. He accepts that the disciples (of the Buddha) will have to follow the Dhamma and that there are disciples who have attained the Arahantship by practicing the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one who comes to these notions, an internal spiritual faculty will be formed. It is a faculty that operates within the mind. This person will come to the Noble Eightfold Path, as this person has accepted the Supreme Buddha, His Dhamma, and His disciple monks wholeheartedly. It is this person who will begin to study the scriptures in earnest. Only then he/she will begin to realize the Paticca Samuppāda gradually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T01:04:15.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17408" CreationDate="2016-08-30T08:32:07.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, the Gelug and the Nyingma presentations of the Prasangika system vary (in particular with respect to other-emptiness / self-emptiness). My answer is from the Gelug standpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, I am confident that the following references would answer your questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Editor's introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590304195&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Adornment of the Middle Way: Shantarakshita's Madhyamakalankara with Commentary by Jamgon Mipham&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Editor's introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590300092&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to the Middle Way: Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Ju Mipham&lt;/a&gt;, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861713249&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Svatantrika-Prasangika Distinction: What Difference Does a Difference Make?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prasangika give a short definition of conventional truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An object found by a mind distinguishing conventionalities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the short definition of ultimate truth is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An object found by a mind distinguishing the ultimate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the Svatantrika definitions differ, these two help understand the issue at hand. The definition mentions what consciousness has one or the other truth as its object: in one case, &quot;a mind distinguishing conventionalities&quot;, in the other &quot;a mind distinguishing the ultimate.&quot; It is important to understand what a conventional valid cognizer and an ultimate valid cognizer are, because they apprehend different objects. A conventional valid cognizer apprehends conventional truths while the mind analyzing the ultimate apprehends ultimate truth, the lack of inherent existence. Nihilist think that, since a mind analyzing the ultimate does not find conventionalities (i.e. all it finds is the absence of inherent existence, emptiness) then conventionalities are utterly non-existent. This is the reason why Khedrup Je reminds us: not seeing sounds does not refute the existence of sounds... in the same way, not finding conventional truths with a mind of ultimate analysis does not refute the existence conventional truths. It is not because an Arya in meditative equipoise on emptiness does so in a non-dualistic manner, not apprehending any conventionality, that conventionalities are refuted. Conventional truths and ultimate truths are just the objects of two distinct cognizers, just like smells and sounds are the objects of two distinct consciousnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Svatantrika and Prasangika assert that ultimate truth - the absence of inherent existence - is not found by any conventional valid cognizer: it is found only by the pristine wisdom realizing emptiness. This wisdom is a mind that we also call &quot;mind distinguishing the ultimate&quot;, &quot;mind of ultimate analysis&quot;, &quot;mind analyzing the ultimate.&quot; Svatantrika posit that phenomena are empty of inherent existence ultimately because the mind of ultimate analysis apprehends the lack of inherent existence, but they are not empty of inherent existence conventionally because such emptiness is not found by any conventional valid cognizer. Khedrup Je says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, when [Svatantrika] explain that entities are natureless, it should be taken in the context of referring to an ultimate [nature, and should not be taken as denying that things exist from their own side]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prasangika disagree with this assertion. They posit that inherent existence is utterly non-existent. Therefore, phenomena do not exist inherently, be it conventionally or ultimately. Emptiness of inherent existence is not found by any conventional valid cognizer but this does not entail that phenomena are empty only ultimately and not conventionally. According to Prasangika, phenomena are empty of inherent existence even conventionally, since inherent existence is a mode of existence that is refuted by ultimate analysis. Since emptiness of inherent existence is apprehended by an ultimate valid cognizer, its opposite –  inherent existence – must be utterly non-existent. Another way of saying is that inherent existence is not an object of knowledge of even conventional valid cognition. Therefore, no phenomena exist inherently in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Jetsün Mipham and Geshe Dreyfus suggest that this distinction was overly emphasized by Prasangika while needed not be. It is the point of Geshe Dreyfus's book: &lt;em&gt;What Difference Does a Difference Make?&lt;/em&gt; In the introduction to Mipham's commentary to Shantarakshita, it also says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those who, through practice associated with the view of the concordant ultimate, thus attain the experience of the ultimate truth in itself may be called either Prasangika or Svatantrikas depending on the way they make or do not make assertions in subsequent attainment. But one should know that in terms of their realization there is no difference between them. They are both in possession of the wisdom the Aryas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prasangika claim, however, that the object of negation asserted by Prasangika is not the same as that of the Svatantrika. Asserting that anything exist inherently in any way (as the Svatantrika do) is untenable. Therefore, according to Prasangika, only a proponent of Prasangika tenets is “in possession of the wisdom of the Aryas”. Indeed, we often believe that all Superiors (Aryas) must be Prasangika by tenets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is that Svatantrika posit a conventional analysis while Prasangika do not. Since they posit the entity of conventional valid cognizer differently, what these cognizers apprehend must differ as well. Prasangika argue that no conventionality is an object of analysis, but an object apprehended by a conventional valid cognizer that does not investigate the mode of existence of anything. The introduction to Mipham's commentary to Shantarakshita reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Some] think that to affirm a tenet that investigates conventional&#xA;  phenomena is incompatible with the Prasangika stance, which is to&#xA;  accept phenomena as they are, without analysis, according to the&#xA;  general consensus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because conventionalities – conventional truths – are just that: conventions. They are not to be refuted or investigated. Once, in a class I was attending, a student asked our teacher &lt;em&gt;“Since I only see John's body, and the person is not intrinsically one with her body, then it means I have never seen John, doesn't it?”&lt;/em&gt; It is due to this type of misunderstanding that Prasangika refute any conventional analysis. It shows just how important it is to understand how conventional truths are objects of conventional cognizer, not of minds analyzing the ultimate. As soon as one engages in analysis, he leans towards the direction of realizing emptiness, and the mind realizing emptiness does so in a non-dualistic manner, it does not apprehend conventional truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Svatantrika posit that one can analyze the mode of existence of phenomena by way of a mind of conventional analysis, and thus refute that phenomena exist in certain ways conventionally. For instance, Svatantrika-Yogacara posit that external establishment can be refuted with a conventional analysis. Thus, they claim that phenomena lack external establishment conventionally, do not lack inherent existence conventionally, lack inherent existence inherently. They lack external establishment conventionally because a conventional valid cognizer can refute external establishment; they do not lack inherent existence conventionally because the emptiness of inherent existence can not be found by way of conventional analysis; they do lack inherent existence ultimately because the emptiness of inherent existence is found / realized by way of a mind analyzing the ultimate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introduction to Mipham's commentary to Shantarakshita reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It must be said, however, that in the context of pramana, or valid&#xA;  cognition, applied on the conventional level, [according to&#xA;  Svatantrika] it is quiet acceptable to say that phenomena exist&#xA;  according to their characteristics or that they are established by&#xA;  valid cognition and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prasangika say, on the other hand: (1) there is no such thing as conventional analysis (2) inherent existence is utterly non-existent even if its absence is found only by a mind of ultimate analysis, because inherent existence and its emptiness are opposites. It is important to understand what conventional valid cognition and ultimate valid cognitions are to understand what their respective objects are. In the introduction to Mipham's commentary to Shantarakshita, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Prasangika texts refute 'true existence' (bden grub) and&#xA;  'existence according to characteristics' (rang mtshan nyid kyis grub&#xA;  pa) indiscriminately. But when one makes a distinction between these&#xA;  expressions – as the Svatantrikas do (refuting true existence on the&#xA;  ultimate level and asserting existence according to characteristics on&#xA;  the conventional level) – one must distinguish, if one is not to&#xA;  confuse the issue, the two kinds of reasoning and their respective&#xA;  spheres.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, according to Prasangika, if a phenomena was inherently existent, then it would have to appear the way it exists (i.e. it would have a truly existent phenomena).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Svatantrikas, however, conventional truths are empty of true existence (i.e. they do not exist the way they appear) but are not empty of inherent existence conventionally. When Prasangika say that a phenomena does not exist inherently, they mean that if you look for it with a mind analyzing the ultimate, you do not find it. Svatantrika mean something else, since they posit both that (1) they exist inherently and (2) they do not withstand ultimate analysis. In the introduction to Mipham's commentary to Shantarakshita, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[According to Madhyamika-Svatantrika-Yogacara] if conventional&#xA;  phenomena were assessed from the standpoint of ultimate valid&#xA;  cognition, they would not be even slightly established thereby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This helps understand the Svatantrika position that conventional truths do not exist inherently ultimately but do exist inherently conventionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do conventional phenomena appear, according to Svatantrikas? They appear as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;existing by way of their own characteristics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not being imputed by mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While they are, both: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;existing by way of their own characteristics, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;imputed by mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-08-30T10:26:25.230" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T10:26:25.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17414" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17423" CreationDate="2016-08-30T12:48:50.207" Score="0" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard that when we settle our mind and focus in one thing, if we meditate we can go to Nirvana. In Buddha's time and many centuries after, people went to nirvana. So my question is, is it possible in this present time if we do all of these things: is it possible go to Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-30T13:56:56.210" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T02:47:52.460" Title="In this present time, can we go to Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|final-nirvana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17415" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17416" CreationDate="2016-08-30T13:44:07.917" Score="0" ViewCount="351" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know that Ananda Thero was Buddha's personal attendant -- &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the long list of the disciples given in the Anguttara Nikaya (i. xiv.), where each of them is declared to be Prime in some quality, Ānanda is mentioned five times (more often than any other). He was named Prime in conduct, in service to others, and in power of memory. The Buddha sometimes asked Ānanda to substitute for him as teacher and then later stated that he himself would not have presented the teachings in any other way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is: after Buddha's Nirvana, Ananda Thero became arahant before the The First Council; so what is the position of meditation that Ananda Thero became arahant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-08-30T13:54:43.393" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T01:59:40.857" Title="What is the meditation position in which Ananda thero became an arahant?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-posture|arahant|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17415" CreationDate="2016-08-30T16:14:57.650" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda’s realization of emancipation happened when he was neither walking, standing, sitting or lying down.  Ven. Ananda was doing the walking meditation at that time.  It is interesting to note that meditation could be practiced employing any of the four bodily postures, and he never got out of his 'walking meditation..  For emancipation one has to eradicate influxes (asava) and this is how Ven. Ananda got emancipated. At that very moment when he was about to lie down, when he was between standing and lying down to sleep, just before his head hit the pillow, he became an arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nyanaponika Thera discribed it thus, in his book &amp;quot;Great Disciples of the Buddha - Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“He practised the four foundations of mindfulness throughout the night - sitting and walking, sitting and walking, sitting and walking. In the early hours of the morning, as he was preparing to lie down after a full night of striving, just when he has raised his legs off the ground but had not yet laid his head on the pillow, his mind was released from all cankers....”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;...When Ananda was 120 years old......Ananda chose a way to die in keeping with his gentle nature: he raised himself into the air through his supernormal powers and let his body be consumed by the fire element. The relics were devided and stupas erected.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T01:59:40.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9855" CreationDate="2016-08-30T16:26:46.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Pande, T.W. Rhys Davids places the chronology of the nikayas midway between the parnibbana and Ashoka, which accepting the modern date for the parinibbana of circa 400 BCE would place the composition of the nikayas about 325 BCE, merely 75 years after the death of the Buddha, but after the Parayana Vagga, Octades (Atthakka Vagga), and Patimokkha. The Atthakavadda and Parayanavagga may be found in the Khuddaka Pitaka, as the fourth and fifth sections of the Suttanipata. The pattimokkha is of course a summation of the Vinaya. Thus, these appear to be the oldest parts of the Pali Canon. (G.C. Pande, &lt;em&gt;Studies in the Origins of Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; 5th ed., Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass 2006, p. 20.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gombrich suggests that the nikayas are mid-4th century BCE. Rupert Gethin criticizes this view and suggests that they are somewhat later, &quot;a few generations&quot; after the parinibbana. (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/reviews/16095/gethin-gombrich-what-buddha-thought&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Gethin on Gombrich: What the Buddha Thought&lt;/a&gt;&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to noted University of Toronto Buddhologist A.K. Warder &quot;the order of the five 'traditions' [referring to the agamas, a.k.a. nikayas] happens also to be the order of their authenticity.&quot; The first of these is the Digha Nikaya (Skt. Dirgha Agama). Warder claims that this is proved by &quot;comparing the various available recensions.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut053.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;B.C. Law&lt;/a&gt; divides the Digha in half, placing the first part earlier than the second and third parts, which postdate the Four Great Nikayas, and distinguishes between an earlier pattimokkha of 152 rules and a later pattimokkha of 227 rules. Warder also considers the Ksudraka or Minor Tradition to be the least authentic portion of the Canon. At the same time he recognizes the Khadgavisanaghata, Munigatha, Sailagatha, Arthavargiyani Sutrani, Parayana, Sthaviragatha, Sthavirigatha, and Ityukta to constitute the &quot;original nucleus of the Ksudraka common to all the schools,&quot; whereas the Udanas, Jatakas, and Avadanas &quot;seem at least in origin to have been nothing but anthologies from the Tripitaka.&quot; (Warder, &lt;em&gt;Indian Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; 3rd rev. ed., Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2000, pp. 196ff.). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-09-15T18:46:28.880" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T18:46:28.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17418" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17425" CreationDate="2016-08-30T17:44:35.520" Score="1" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an enlightened buddhist figure I remember reading about a year or two ago, but I am failing completely to search him up. I would like to find his name and story again, could you help me identify him? These are the details I remember:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He was enlightened (I think), and the head of a monastery.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He was known to say quite profound things (of course!), but forbade anyone from writing down what he said.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A couple of his disciples thus resorted to wearing paper robes and carrying ink with them, so that when they were within earshot of him and heard him say something impressive, they could write it down immediately.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He was quite angry at people who wrote down what he said in his presence. I remember reading he once chased a disciple out of his meeting room in fury, shouting &quot;You'd sell &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; if you could!&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think books/scrolls were sold of his teachings by those disciples; which is what frustrated him (it seems he was concerned some people were only there to make money by doing this) and is what compelled him to forbid people to write down what he said and chase that person out.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think he may have been from Japan.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This man contrasts very well with one popular image of enlightenment (outwardly serene, all the time, and completely unable to be messed with in any way) and I would like to show this to a friend who might be struggling with unrealistic self-expectations in their path to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3573" LastEditorUserId="3573" LastEditDate="2016-08-30T21:52:30.827" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T14:46:08.003" Title="Who was the buddhist figure who forbade writing what he said, and whose disciples instead wore paper robes?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17418" CreationDate="2016-08-30T19:15:41.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;unfortunately i can't answer your question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He was quite angry at people who quoted him. I remember reading he&#xA;  once chased a disciple out of his meeting room in fury, shouting&#xA;  &quot;You'd sell me if you could!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;not an 'enlightened' behavior if you ask me&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This man contrasts very well with one popular image of enlightenment&#xA;  (outwardly serene, all the time, and completely unable to be messed&#xA;  with in any way) and I would like to show this to a friend who might&#xA;  be struggling with unrealistic self-expectations in their path to&#xA;  enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if we talk Buddhadhamma there should be no unrealistic expectations, since qualities of an awakened state are pretty much known in advance being described in the Buddhist scriptures&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;besides, one cannot know for certain that the said teacher was indeed 'enlightened', especially considering his obvious attachmment to the way his teaching is treated and propensity to anger, and so adducing him for the argument in favor of an alternative form of 'enlightened' demeanor could be misleading and not necessarily convincing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-08-31T06:40:23.947" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T06:40:23.947" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17414" CreationDate="2016-08-30T20:37:06.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind can reach Nirvana. It is unrelated to time &amp;amp; place. It is related to &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; towards the world. Craving, which is an inborn instinct of all life forms, is the major obstacle to Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-08-30T20:37:06.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17414" CreationDate="2016-08-30T23:34:11.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This Dhamma is not sterile. The Dhamma is alive. &lt;strong&gt;The Dhamma has the quality of “Akalika” (not belonging to time)&lt;/strong&gt;. So for those who walk this Noble Eightfold Path in an orderly manner, it is still possible to attain Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that I have to now say that it is much harder for a person to realise Nirvana (Nibbana) in the present day. It is because the protective fence that was there in the first 1000 years is not there anymore. Today the world is influenced to a greater degree by Asura Forces. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samyutta Nikáya Sutta 16.13, the Supreme Buddha warned that the true Dhamma would remain unadulterated for 500 years after his passing into Nibbána. It is not so today. Today, the Supreme Buddha’s teachings are referred to as Tipitaka (The Three Baskets of Treasuries), although they were called &quot;Dhamma-Vinaya&quot; by the Supreme Buddha in the discourses. In Anguttara Nikáya Sutta 4.180, the Buddha  refers to Dhamma as the Suttas (discourses). Vinaya is the disciplinary code of monks and nuns. In the Nikáyas, it is also implied that the Suttas are &quot;Saddhamma&quot; which means &quot;true Dhamma&quot;.  (to be continued....)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mentioned that the Suttas are &quot;Saddhamma&quot; which means &quot;true Dhamma&quot; - not my words but that of the Supreme Buddha. I left it at that for a couple of days expecting a reprisal. Today one has to be ‘politically correct’ in what one say and do in public. The present-day attitudes are very much a product of the rapid development of science and technology. What the Buddha has said is patisotagami or against the current of conventional thinking. Buddha knew this well. That is why He said, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize this is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only if we develop two important attitudes that strengthen skillful desires: a sense of dismay (samvega) over the universality of suffering that we tend to see as otherwise, and an attitude of heedfulness (appamada) to avoid being duped by types of desires that come our way, that we will have a sense of urgency towards the practice of Dhamma, then ‘Nirvana’ is not that far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many a times Buddha had said things to induce samvega:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries—enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released.” — SN 15:14-19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha’s preaching, amount of people who would NOT attain enlightenment is like the amount of soil in this earth. Amount of people who would attain the enlightenment will be like the small amount of soil one can put on a finger nail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-02T02:47:52.460" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T02:47:52.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17414" CreationDate="2016-08-31T09:47:25.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the qualities of the teaching is &quot;Akalika&quot; which means &quot;Timeless&quot;. Lord Buddha directly said that the teaching is fruitful regardless of the time it is practiced in. So there is nothing stopping you or anyone from realizing the teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is not a place like &quot;Heaven&quot; mentioned in other religions. It is a state of mind. As long as true words of lord Buddha exists,the path is open.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a beginner to the path do not worry about the end you are trying to reach. Keep practicing so that one day you would reach the destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are few links for you to expand your knowledge...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/index_en.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;www.mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;www.Dhammasiith.blogspot.com&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T09:47:25.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17414" CreationDate="2016-08-31T13:16:36.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I heard that when we settle our mind and focus in one thing, if we&#xA;  meditate we can go to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its much more deeper than this. To put some context to this you can settle your mind in many ways by calming your mind doing breathing exercises, listening to music or many other forms of meditation. This is not what budha's way of calming your mind to go to nirwana. Only way of meditation mentioned in budhism is Anna Pana Sathi (Assa Passa Bawana) Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it means is  focusing on your current thoughts. If good thoughts come to your mind keep them and refrain from bringing in bad thoughts inside. Also create good thoughts in your mind and remove existing bad habits from inside. This is Anna Pana (Anna pana is not a breathing exercise nor focusing on breathing)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddha's time and many centuries after, people went to nirvana. So&#xA;  my question is, is it possible in this present time if we do all of&#xA;  these things: is it possible go to Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do Anna pana sathi you have to do it in the present moment. For example if a bad thought (Moha, Raga, Dewesha) come to your mind few mins earlier you can't clean that using Anna Pana meditation. You can only clean current thoughts not past ones. So that's why budha said Nirwana is at the current moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person who do Anna Pana meditation are capable of Removing Raga Attachments, Moha Attachments, Dwesha Attachments at current moment. You can remove all three with practice of Anna Pana meditation. Any of these could come at any order in a given moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Raga - getting attached to something because you like it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dwesha - getting angry or hate something because you don't like it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moha - Because you don't know of the truth you measure things between good or bad&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex: You go to a restaurant and eat a peace of cake which is the best cake you had ever tried. at that (Current) moment you get Raga thoughts and mind get attached to this thinking this is the best. This thought gets stored in your mind how awesome is this cake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;after few months later your mind provide the picture of the cake and all those thoughts stored in your mind suddenly comes to you. again you get attached to that thought in current moment thinking about how awesome was that cake. You picture it taste it from mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next day you go to the same restaurant and order the same cake. But you realize its not the same taste. You get bit of anger at that moment (this is Dwesha) thinking why is it bad today &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then on the very next moment with moha mind you compare the old cake with new cake thinking how awesome was that and how bad is this. It is the same cake same cook same restraunt  but different taste but you got attached Raga Dwesha Moha mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a person who had become enlighten minds at those moments are different&#xA;He eats the cake at the current moment notice it is a tasty cake and that's it. He doesn't get attached to it (he doesn't fantasize about the cake with Raga) therefore for him story ended at that moment and moments to come. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="439" LastEditorUserId="439" LastEditDate="2016-08-31T13:37:47.433" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T13:37:47.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9120" CreationDate="2016-08-31T13:31:09.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a velocity which get generated from the act of attachments (Raga Attachment, Moha Attachments, Dwesha Attachments) in a given moment. This velocity Vinyana get stored in a place in mind. If a person don't get attached with Raga, dwesha, Moha using Ana Pana sathi meditation then at that moment you are in a nibana state of mind (no velocity is generated at that moment) If he/she can sustain the state of mind by removing 100% of Raga Dwesha Moha then you attain nibana.  So in simple terms soul is nothing but the velocity you carry from one moment to another. Even without a Body you can generate this velocity (ex: gods, pretha, gandaba they all generate this velocity)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="439" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T13:31:09.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17418" CreationDate="2016-08-31T14:46:08.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yúnmén Wényǎn (862 or 864 – 949 CE), (雲門文偃; Japanese: うんもんぶんえん, Ummon Bun'en; also known in English as &quot;Unmon&quot;, &quot;Ummon Daishi&quot;, &quot;Ummon Zenji&quot;), was a major[a] Chinese Zen master in Tang-era China. He was a dharma-heir of Xuefeng Yicun &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T14:46:08.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17426" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-08-31T20:43:00.297" Score="1" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had meditated Vipassana for about 8 years up to about an hour and a half a day, had an experience, and for no reason related to the experience,  I stopped meditating for about the last 10 years.   Within the last year (after about 10 years) I started meditating again.  My practice has gone from about a half an hour to about 2+ hours a day for the last several months.   Not long after ramping up to about 2 hours a day I had several experiences, one didn’t really fit the mold of anything I have read about with Jhanas, etc.  So I was hoping someone experienced might offer a few words on what it might be.   I understand I am not supposed to grasp or try recreate this, and though I know I had this tendency for a week or two following it, I’m long over it – if I never have another experience again I’m just fine with that.  I’m content just sitting and going nowhere as that’s a great place to be in itself.   But I still would like some context to understand what it was.  I think not having had a real knowledge of jhanas or other altered states until AFTER the second experience happened (I’ve read a few books since then) gives the “uneducated” brain some latitude as my experience hadn’t read those books either.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had read Ajahn Chah say not to worry about what the books say as it never happens that way anyway, from what he said he didn’t know much about jhanas or altered states either until it happened to him and what he described. Though Ajahn Chah’s experience sounded like a far more powerful and deeper experience than mine, there were some similarities.  He never described (named) his experience into any traditional Buddhist context in his narrative,  and I have none for mine as the closest thing I am aware of is the 5th Jhana – but from what  I’ve read you can’t “jump” Jhana’s more than one or two levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had been doing samatha meditation, unlike the more normal long slow quieting of my mind,  I got into a deep concentration quickly.   I found that unlike normal, I was tight; I had to continuously make a conscious effort to relax my arms, hands, and legs.   I began rocking and turned my concentration from breath to my mind and the peace that was there. I made a mental effort to remember that all of the small very quiet thoughts and images left (vapors of thoughts) were just mental constructs and were not real until the thoughts were vapors of vapors. I knew intuitively that absolute peace was almost uncovered and made a very slight mental exertion to push into it.. The state was very near total quiet and peace.  It was at the most peaceful place a consciousness could be within the realm of my experience. I sensed a piece material comprising a wall, and they started vibrating very hard and as it vibrated it cracked and intuitively I pressed on that and it shattered. .   I know the material, pressing, and shattering I experienced was also a mental construct and not real..  I think it was my thinking mind trying to create something to make sense out of something that doesn’t work in a thinking world, a portal to something beyond thinking.  Things completely flat lined, absolute peace, incredibly vast space, just a consciousness in space without limit.   I had a meditation timer on and it made a chime so I know that I was in this state for about 20 minutes which I did hear from what seemed a great distance away.  I had no sensations of my body, no pain, physical sensations, no breathing, and almost no sound. Then my mind just took itself back, I made no effort to stay or go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This experience was almost identical to the one that happened to me about 10 years before. The difference was with the ten years old experience I remember coming out if it with a powerful epiphany “It’s all true” about the dharma as I had experienced some doubt that “all this Buddhist meditation stuff” could be some clever parlor mind game and that I had wasted years practicing.. I had no doubt of the truth.   This time I didn’t have that epiphany, but a whole lot of the permanent deep seated stress (PTSD) of many events events of the last 10 years were gone (2 long term unemployment experiences, complete loss of wealth, near homelessness, the drug addiction of one of my kids, and divorce). The persistent stress that was a part of my identity had vanished and has now been gone for months.   Knowing where you are on the path and to put things into some type of context, are good to know.  If you have some wisdom to share about this I would appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9951" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T22:56:39.853" Title="A question about mental states in meditation" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17426" CreationDate="2016-08-31T20:57:53.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The state was very near total quiet and peace. It was at the most peaceful place a consciousness could be within the realm of my&#xA;  experience. I sensed a piece material comprising a wall, and they&#xA;  started vibrating very hard and as it vibrated it cracked and&#xA;  intuitively I pressed on that and it shattered....Things completely&#xA;  flat lined, absolute peace, incredibly vast space, just a&#xA;  consciousness in space without limit....I had no sensations of my&#xA;  body, no pain, physical sensations, no breathing, and almost no sound.&#xA;  Then my mind just took itself back, I made no effort to stay or go...a&#xA;  whole lot of the permanent deep seated stress (PTSD) of many events&#xA;  events of the last 10 years were gone (2 long term unemployment&#xA;  experiences, complete loss of wealth, near homelessness, the drug&#xA;  addiction of one of my kids, and divorce). The persistent stress that&#xA;  was a part of my identity had vanished and has now been gone for&#xA;  months.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your lovely &amp;amp; inspiring post. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My explanation is this was a vivid experience of the inherent purity of mind/consciousness, including experiencing the capacity/ability of the mind to purify/cleanse itself of conditioned impure emotions (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pabhassara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The peace is the Nirvana Element and the vibrations are the Suffering (Dukkha) Elements and when the Nirvana Element 'touched' the Suffering Elements, the Suffering Elements were dissolved/shattered by the Nirvana Element (just like pure water can dissolve/clean dirt). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, your accumulated PTSD from the mind attaching &amp;amp; clinging to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;vicissitudes of life&lt;/a&gt; was also shattered or cleansed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say your experience was not 'jhana' but it was a profound cleansing catharsis (from which consciousness can get very exalted), which is a most excellent, beneficial &amp;amp; healthy experience to have. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind (rather than &quot;you&quot; or &quot;ego&quot;), after many years, itself decided to clean up the mess in its house. Its like the digestive system deciding to go to the toilet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video about Ajahn Chah may be relevant: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1oK4Vt_ntY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1oK4Vt_ntY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-08-31T22:56:39.853" LastActivityDate="2016-08-31T22:56:39.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17429" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17448" CreationDate="2016-09-01T00:44:19.547" Score="2" ViewCount="414" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering if pali has a specifically designated word for the view that the outer world is a reflection of one's own life state, not the other way around. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, I am wondering if there are any good recources that people know of online that acts as a pali dictionary for buddhist philosophical concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2019-04-18T16:59:22.490" Title="The pali word for this concept" Tags="|philosophy|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9810" CreationDate="2016-09-01T02:24:18.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The distinction between Vipassana as a practice to Samatha is a relatively modern one, most likely led by the Vipassana Movement. This is most likely due to the fact that cultivating the Jhana is very time consuming and probably require intensive monastic training and was not possible to be taught in a ten days meditation retreat. So the goal becomes to allow the novice meditators to at least recognize some of the three marks of existence within the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But if you look directly at the Pali discourses — the earliest extant&#xA;  sources for our knowledge of the Buddha's teachings — you'll find that&#xA;  although they do use the word samatha to mean tranquillity, and&#xA;  vipassana to mean clear-seeing, they otherwise confirm none of the&#xA;  received wisdom about these terms. Only rarely do they make use of the&#xA;  word vipassana — a sharp contrast to their frequent use of the word&#xA;  jhana. When they depict the Buddha telling his disciples to go&#xA;  meditate, they never quote him as saying &quot;go do vipassana,&quot; but always&#xA;  &quot;go do jhana.&quot; And they never equate the word vipassana with any&#xA;  mindfulness techniques. In the few instances where they do mention&#xA;  vipassana, they almost always pair it with samatha — not as two&#xA;  alternative methods, but as two qualities of mind that a person may&#xA;  &quot;gain&quot; or &quot;be endowed with,&quot; and that should be developed together.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/onetool.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/onetool.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This distinction between vipassana and samatha is also not emphasized in Northern Buddhist tradition (i.e. Mahayana Chinese Zen and so forth), but cultivation of Jhana is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact the distinction have led to some criticism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A group of laypeople who had studied the Abhidhamma together came to&#xA;  Ajaan Fuang to try out his version of mental training, but when he&#xA;  told them to sit, close their eyes, and focus on the breath, they&#xA;  immediately backed off, saying that they didn't want to practice&#xA;  concentration, for fear that they'd get stuck on jhana and end up&#xA;  being reborn in the Brahma worlds. He responded, &quot;What's there to be&#xA;  afraid of? Even non-returners are reborn in the Brahma worlds. At any&#xA;  rate, being reborn in the Brahma worlds is better than being reborn as&#xA;  a dog.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/itself.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-09-01T02:40:01.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T02:40:01.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17431" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17436" CreationDate="2016-09-01T09:40:28.713" Score="2" ViewCount="239" Body="&lt;p&gt;lets imagine that in all the human in earth become Arhant, so after their death they will not born again (i mean all of the humans).  after this will new humans born or Not, will earth become a planet without Humans  ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T11:21:15.977" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T08:06:12.897" Title="Will earth become a planet without Humans?" Tags="|human|arahant|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2016-09-01T10:59:32.033" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definitly, As per science when there is a start, there must be end.&#xA;Even our galaxy will expire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you can take example of anything in this world, nothing is permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9954" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T10:59:32.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17390" CreationDate="2016-09-01T11:06:32.580" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;looking for benefits is like doing business.&#xA;When ever you care or help your parents or others who cannot help in return, &#xA;As per bhagavad gita, krishna said you will get more energy and inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the society you become role model.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't expect anything in return from your loved one's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9954" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T11:06:32.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3201" CreationDate="2016-09-01T12:38:43.703" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a sencation in my eyes and fourhead when i touched soneone else is fourhead. If they have alot of energy i noticed the feeling is mire intense. I only noticed it by accident long ago lol. I still do not know why that happens. I recently put my hand on someones head and then felt that sencation. Still i di not know why that is. Maybe im sencative to energys ? I can only suspect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9955" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T12:38:43.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17435" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17441" CreationDate="2016-09-01T14:28:39.893" Score="1" ViewCount="1426" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is satipatthana a synonym for vipassana? If not, what is the difference between both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2019-03-09T14:18:00.323" Title="Difference between satipatthana and vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2016-09-01T15:04:29.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not &lt;em&gt;if&lt;/em&gt;, my dear friend, &lt;em&gt;when&lt;/em&gt;.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering will always exist.   It is after all the first noble truth.  But I think your question is a theoretical one, and a very good one.  Yes, theoreticaly, if all beings now on earth attained enlightenment, then there would be no sentient beings as we know them (born live die).  But back to the vastness of reality's expanse, surely another meteor would come around and add new life to the earth before it falls into the sun....   de ja vue )))&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9956" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T15:04:29.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17437" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-01T17:06:11.213" Score="15" ViewCount="1216" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is in context of practicing mindfulness in one's day-to-day activities (e.g. walking, talking, washing dishes etc.), where one is supposed to be &quot;aware of&quot; / &quot;observe&quot; / &quot;be mindful of&quot; these activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how does one be &quot;mindful&quot; during thinking, since the very act of &quot;observing&quot; thinking would interrupt the thought process? And, say, if the thought process is about solving a specific problem, the very act of &quot;being aware of /observing&quot; the thoughts would result in one being unable to effectively solve that problem - when compared to not observing/ not being mindful about those thoughts. Or, be unable to solve it all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same question for when reading something very interesting, or studying, where one is fully engrossed? Wouldn't being mindful about these activities interrupt the reading/study?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New to mindfulness here. Apologies if the question sounds foolish, or irrelevant due to my misunderstanding of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9957" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T18:26:01.890" Title="How does one practice mindfulness during thinking - e.g. thinking about how to solve a problem?" Tags="|mindfulness|study|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17435" CreationDate="2016-09-01T18:13:49.930" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana is not a synonym for vipassana. However, countless satipatthana retreats are advertised as &quot;vipassana retreats&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is often translated as 'special insight'. According to Mahayana, any analytical meditation belongs to the class of vipassana. Whether one engages in analytical meditation on death and impermanence, or the three types of suffering, etc. this belongs to the class of vipassana. &lt;strong&gt;Actual&lt;/strong&gt; vipassana, however, is analytical meditation on emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Lam Rim Chen Mo, Tsongkhapa says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, all the meditative stabilizations starting from a&#xA;  single-pointed mind placed on a virtuous object are included in the&#xA;  class of calm abiding, and all the virtuous wisdom minds individually&#xA;  analyzing the meaning of the mode or varieties are included in the&#xA;  class of special insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana is often translated 'four placements of mindfulness'. Placement of mindfulness on the body, feelings, minds, dharmas. Some argue that placement of mindfulness on dharmas imply placement of mindfulness on the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths, including &quot;empty&quot; and &quot;selfless&quot;. Such a placement might be vipassana, analytical meditation on emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-09-01T18:13:49.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17437" CreationDate="2016-09-01T18:14:25.930" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;A.K. &#xA;It's not a foolish question at all,  I think it's something everyone spends sometime trying to understand when they first start learning meditation and mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is being present.  If you're sitting you know you're sitting, if you're standing you know you're standing. If you are washing dishes you are only washing dishes, you are not thinking about the what happened at work, about the bills, or about any problems you may have had with your spouse or friend. Eventually with enough practice you can stay present while sleeping though I make no claims on being able to do this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can extend to studying, shopping, for groceries, driving, etc.  I meditate most days while driving into work, as I'm completely mindful of what I'm doing and undistracted,  I'm probably the safest driver on the road. As an &quot;intellectual worker&quot;, I stay mindful and undistracted with the work I do.  I think many people do this and do not understand they are being mindful. Mindfulness is not &quot;non-thinking&quot; though it can be as being present doesn't require thinking, it's being completely present with and aware of what you are doing. Decisions can be part of the process but should be void of I or my, rather the appropriateness of the decision to completing the task in the physical world is the factor of action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A suggestion is that you don't draw a distinction between being mindful in meditation and when you get up from the mat, try to find things to extend your mindfulness to as the day goes on, pick simple things at first like taking a shower, going to the bathroom, driving, and start working on extending it through the entire day.  You will find things like basic planning and paying bills will take care of themself to a large extent.  You won't forget your social security number or to pay the bills..no worries. It is also a process that takes years -&gt; decades, etc to fully develop but it is well worth the effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addendum: I realized I hadn't addressed part of your question. About being mindful with &quot;engrossing&quot; or something or really interesting. This is probably the unpopular part of the answer but truth is just what it is.  For monastics, entertainment is not allowed.  The reason for this isn't that it's evil, but because by design it &quot;hooks you&quot;,  creating desire (i.e. Dukka - suffering).  There is no problem with experience happiness or suffering - but mindfulness is to help you not cling to good things &quot;engrossing&quot; and desire (Dukka - suffering) push away bad things.  If you are fairly well down the path you may be able to do this quite easily without suffering, but most of us aren't.  So if you want to know how &quot;engrossing&quot; things cause suffering, imagine being denied to watch the next season of &quot;Game of Thrones&quot; if you are a fan.  This is a gross example, there are much more subtle forms of suffering also, things that re-enforce I and my. So though some could be mindful watching &quot;Game of Thrones&quot; without desire/attachment/suffering, it's really tough for most of us.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd Addendum:&#xA;I believe there are two different issues that are being mixed, one is thinking or concentration, the other is actively encouraging suffering. When you are mindful,  you are not bored as you are present and observing, and as noted taking action (decisions and thinking) such as braking and not hit the stopped car in front of you when driving. Working on a really hard problem is not much different than washing dishes and deciding to wipe more or not, except that it's more likely to be iterative. If you are really mindful, it's not necessarily more focused as you can be really focused on simple tasks as well as difficult problems. Working difficult problems does not encourage I or my  (dukka - suffering), unless of course you scold or complement yourself on how stupid or smart you are.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The case of entertainment again is something designed to make you unmindful, to rouse desire and emotions (dukka), if they didn't then shows like the &quot;Out of Focus Pages of the Telephone Book&quot; would be very popular.  The &quot;designed to make you unmindful&quot; part again doesn't make it evil - it's just with Buddhism the long game is rejiggering your mind, taking advantage of neuroplasticity to break life long habits that lead to suffering.  If you meditate alot, you will find watching something like GoT will make it really difficult to meditate for sometime afterwards. You find that avoiding things like this make you a more contented person.  I know that if you watched GoT in a completely mindful way, it would be like having a teflon mind, nothing would stick, but you would also not get the &quot;high&quot; (or &quot;low&quot;) from it, you would not feel jubilation when the bad guy gets killed or depression when the good guy gets killed - you would just be observing and noting.  Renunciation is a process, you don't do it in a day, it happens naturally while developing your practice. It turns out not to be a sacrifice or hardship when you really understand on a deeper level more than an intellectual level within yourself that you're really gaining peace by doing so. In the mean time go and enjoy GoT and note how if it disturbs your mind and do not take my word for it. If you find this is true as you develop a practice (meditation,etc), it will make you naturally draw back from watching other programs of this sort in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3rd Addendum: From your last comment, I'll try my best to answer but I admit I am working somewhat out of my pay grade so take it as as a potentially flawed answer.  The purpose of meditation is as a vehicle to enlightenment which is the end of suffering by extinguishing the ego.  It is the ego that causes suffering,  not consciousness and not emotions.  With or without the ego emotions are still with us, it's just without the ego there is no suffering because the emotions are experienced without clinging and aversion. You can be happy, but as it passes since everything is temporary, you don't try to hold on to it or make it last longer, and when you're unhappy, you're not pushing this away. Without an ego there is no one to suffer. So an enlightened person can laugh and cry and is not an emotionless robot.  The difference is that there is no clinging or aversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person may not detached from life at all, or may detach completely.  Though the next comment may cause some ire of others, I believe it to be true.  Many persons who very likely were enlightened have done things that people thought were unenlightened.  Examples are Suziki Roshi crying when his wife died, he mourned for a few days and some criticized him for it asking how could he be enlightened and do such a thing. He later commented that he mindfully observed his mourning. I've gone to a lecture with the Dalai Lama and he is very engaged, he often tells funny stories and jokes. Some of the best dharma talks I've heard could almost have been standup comedy routines. Metta meditation intentionally works to create compassion and raise positive emotions as does Tonglen meditation.  Probably more controversial would be Trungpa Rimpoche who drank, smoked, and was a womanizer, he never tried to hide any of this. You'd have to study his life and his work and try to figure out if you think he was authentic or not. I do personally. It's thought that this was at least in part to confound the minds of his followers as to what an enlightened being was and break their wrong preconceived notions.  When you read his writings and look at his accomplishments they were authentic and significant.  It would be tough to have much more of a less (apparently) detached life than his. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks are students, just like the lay Buddhist, it's just they've pledged their life exclusively to the path.  If they actually become a fully realized being, there are no longer bound by restrictions as those restrictions were only there to help them become a fully realized being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope I answered you're question rather than creating more confusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9951" LastEditorUserId="9951" LastEditDate="2016-09-02T16:55:39.647" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T16:55:39.647" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17435" CreationDate="2016-09-02T00:18:28.810" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Satipatthana is firmly established mindfulness / heedfulness. The four satipatthana are Kayanupassana-satipatthana, Vedananupassana-satipatthana, Cittanupassana-satipatthana, Dhammanupassana-satipatthana.  It is extremely important for a disciple of the Buddha &lt;strong&gt;to know the connection / relationship of Satipatthana to Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;. The Supreme Buddha said in the Satipatthāna Sutta that a Bhikkhu would become an Arahant or an Anāgāmii within 7 days if he practices the path in the exact way the Buddha advised. (Anāgāmii: the 3rd fruition, which is one step lower to Nibbāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who meditates should have a sharp mindfulness, if he/she wants to gain the Vipassanā Paññā (wisdom of contemplating the true nature of things). It is said that a person who practice samatha and vipassana (calm and insight) without first coming to kayagata-satipatthana (mindfulness as regards the body), resembles the owner who yokes the still untamed bullock (a young male cow) to the cart or plough without the nose-rope. Such an owner would find himself unable to drive the bullock (male cow/steer) at his desire, as the steer is wild. Having no nose-rope, the steer will either try to run off the road, or break loose by breaking the yoke. &#xA;A person who first trains his mind with kayagata-satipatthana (contemplation of the body) before turning his mind to the practice of samatha and vipassana (calm and insight), his attention will remain steady and his meditation will be a success. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; the Blessed One said that, Anapanasati, which when developed and pursued brings the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Cattaro Satipatthana) to completion. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, when developed and pursued bring the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to completion. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, when developed and pursued bring Clear Knowing and Release to completion.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This tells us that the thirty-seven bodhipakkhiya Dhamma in included in the Vipassana. The bodhipakkhiya dhamma consist of seven kinds: the Four Satipatthana; the Four Sammappadhana Viriya; the Four iddhipada; the Five Indriya; the Five Bala; the Seven Bhojjhanga; and the Noble Eightfold Path. When contemplating on the Dhamma thus, the meditator comes to realize the absence of a permanent and unchanging self (identity) or soul in any or all of the constituents of empirical existence, and beyond skandhas, there is no actual self. He she comes to the understanding that what is normally thought of as &quot;self&quot; is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components [of clinging] ([upadana-]skandhas). Then the meditator realizes &lt;strong&gt;the true nature&lt;/strong&gt; and detached him/herself from what is mistakenly regarded as his or her self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T00:18:28.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17435" CreationDate="2016-09-02T00:34:44.383" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is a compound of two words: vi - and passana. Vi means various, i.e. the three characteristics (transiency, unsatisfactoriness, non self). Passana means right understanding or realization by means of mindfulness of mentality and physicality. Vipassana therefore means the direct realisation of the three characteristics of mentality and physicality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana or the right understanding requires the right awareness(Satipattana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, &lt;strong&gt;'Satipattana' is the meditation you do to gain Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;. &#xA;It is of 4 kinds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kayanupassana&lt;/strong&gt;(awareness of the body): the movements and postures.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vedananupassana&lt;/strong&gt;(awareness of feelings): bodily and mental sensations of pain, happiness, calm, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cittanupassana&lt;/strong&gt;(awareness of the mind): thoughts that arise in the mind – of the past or future, good or bad;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammanupassana&lt;/strong&gt;(awareness of phenomena): groups of mental and physical phenomena that are of specific interest to the meditator, including the mental states that cloud one’s awareness, the six senses by which one experiences reality, and many others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/chapter-one-what-is-meditation/&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/chapter-one-what-is-meditation/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-09-02T00:43:12.663" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T00:43:12.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2016-09-02T00:53:56.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you think that everyone in this world will develop a sense of dismay (samvega) over the universality of suffering?  Of those who see life in this way, what is the percentage that will develop an attitude of heedfulness (appamada) to avoid being duped by types of desires that come our way?  How many will have a sense of urgency towards the practice of Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha has said is patisotagami or against the current of conventional thinking. Buddha knew this well. That is why He said, “Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize this is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the Teachings of the Buddha, the world will be without humans, but it will take an extremely long time. This is been said by the Supreme Buddha as He can remember the past up to infinite time such as many Sanvatta Kalpa, Vivatta Kalpa, and Sanvatta Vivatta Kalpa. Sanvatta kalpa means the time that takes the world to be destroyed after countless years. Vivatta kalpa means, time of the beginning of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Long before this day is going to pass and in that time of the people with an eighty-thousand-year life-span, there will arise in the world a Blessed One, an Arahant fully enlightened Buddha named Metteyya /Maithree. You may now wonder whether there would be enough food for all. Buddha once said, ““Dear devotee, I am looking at 92 Kalpas (a long time) to the past right now. In all that time, no one had to face any destruction of their families as a result of offering their food.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-03T11:36:22.193" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T11:36:22.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17437" CreationDate="2016-09-02T01:13:25.767" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' ('sati') is not 'observing' ('anupassi'). This common idea is a misunderstanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' ('sati') is 'remembering' or 'keeping in mind'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in formal meditation/concentration development, at the most crude level of practise, 'mindfulness' does not mean 'observation' but 'remembering' to be observant (rather than being distracted). At a more profound level, 'mindfulness' in meditation means to 'keep the mind' in a state of 'not-attachment' (the 'observing' happens automatically because the mind is automatically conscious).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in your daily life, you practise Buddhist mindfulness by remembering to practise Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action &amp;amp; Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the right speech...? Abstaining from lying, from divisive tale-bearing, from abusive speech &amp;amp; from idle chatter.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong speech &amp;amp; for entering right speech: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon&#xA;wrong speech &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;to enter &amp;amp; remain in right speech: This is one's right&#xA;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort &amp;amp;&#xA;right mindfulness — run &amp;amp; circle around right speech.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is sammasati (right mindfulness)? Sati means to bear in mind or bring to mind. Sati is the state of recollecting, the state of&#xA;remembering, the state of non-fading, the state of non-forgetting.&#xA;Sati means the sati that is a Spiritual Faculty, the sati that is a&#xA;Spiritual Power, Sammasati, the Sati that is an Enlightenment Factor,&#xA;that which is a Path Factor and that which is related to the Path.&#xA;This is what is called sammasati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/B%20-%20Theravada/Teachers/Ven%20Payutto/Sammasati/Sammasati%20An%20Exposition%20of%20Right%20Mindfulness.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vbh.105, 286&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T01:33:12.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17437" CreationDate="2016-09-02T01:20:49.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very interesting question that you asked. When you are fully engrossed in something, the time stops, as you are in oneness with it. The following describes such a moment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“We cannot be aware of these most precious moments when they are actually happening - such as when trying to finish something late at night over a table with a group of friends, cigarette stuck to lower lip, eyes tired, earnest concentration.  It is the time we are most right, most just, most sad, and most hilarious” (Christopher Alexander)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satipattana or Establishment of mindfulness, which is the only way to Nibbana, is not this kind of absorption.  Here to be mindful means observing self in the very act of doing things, in a detached way.  Here establishment means bringing mindfulness or sati to the mind - the mental object being mindfulness or sati.  Here we have to be aware of the body, and what we are doing.  Gradually as the practice develops we will be aware or mindful all the time.  This is the only sure way to keep the mental defilements at bay, and the mind will then never get strongly attached or does not become ill with aversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T01:20:49.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17429" CreationDate="2016-09-02T16:12:51.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sltp/Dhp_utf8.html#v.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yamakavaggo.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā manoseṭṭhā manomayā 1 Manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā Tato naṃ dukkhamanveti cakkaṃ'va vahato padaṃ. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā manoseṭṭhā manomayā 2 Manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā Tato naṃ sukhamanveti chāyā'va anapāyinī.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1-2   Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of&#xA;  the heart. If you speak or act with a corrupted heart, then suffering&#xA;  follows you — as the wheel of the cart, the track of the ox that pulls&#xA;  it.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of the&#xA;  heart. If you speak or act with a calm, bright heart, then happiness&#xA;  follows you, like a shadow that never leaves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; context the pali term ‘Dhamma’ is translated as penomina.&#xA;And ‘Mano’(=mind) as heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dhp#1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these&lt;/a&gt; translation Dhamma is translated as mental states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all&#xA;  mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all&#xA;  mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness&#xA;  follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist philosophy the  term Dhamma is used for everything belongs to outer and inner world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2019-04-18T16:59:22.490" LastActivityDate="2019-04-18T16:59:22.490" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17437" CreationDate="2016-09-02T18:26:01.890" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's a good question, since I have asked me the same some time ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wouldn't being mindful about these activities interrupt the reading/study?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it does. It 's practically speaking impossible to do both things at the same time. What you can do is intentionally interrupt your activity. Like when you're reading a book, you can stop reading for a short moment and notice your body sensations or your posture and then continue reading after a few seconds. For studying a very useful technique is to do short meditation sessions in between (like 30min studying, then 5min meditation, repeat .... ). It's very useful because brings your mind back to reality and prevents it from getting lost in all those concepts. Also if you feel stressed during studying, you can stop and use that feeling of discomfort as your meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T18:26:01.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17429" CreationDate="2016-09-02T20:22:43.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Pali word for the view that the outer world is a reflection of one's own life state is 'namati', which means 'inclination' or 'bent'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dependent Origination explains when ignorant &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; arise &amp;amp; control the mental faculties (&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt;), the mind (&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt;) develops an inclination (&lt;em&gt;nati&lt;/em&gt;) bent (&lt;em&gt;namati&lt;/em&gt;) by those ignorant &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, the mind will pursue &amp;amp; engage in sense contact (&lt;em&gt;passa&lt;/em&gt;), in which it views the external world in an ignorant way, such as viewing evil as 'good', the ugly as 'beautiful', the undesirable as 'desirable', the impermanent as 'permanent', the unsatisfactory as 'satisfactory' &amp;amp; not-self things as 'self', etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking &amp;amp; pondering, that becomes the &lt;strong&gt;inclination&lt;/strong&gt; (nati) of his mind. If a monk keeps pursuing&#xA;  thinking imbued with sensuality, abandoning thinking imbued with&#xA;  renunciation, his mind is &lt;strong&gt;bent&lt;/strong&gt; (namati) by that thinking imbued with&#xA;  sensuality. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with ill will,&#xA;  abandoning thinking imbued with non-ill will, his mind is &lt;strong&gt;bent&lt;/strong&gt; (namati) by&#xA;  that thinking imbued with ill will. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking&#xA;  imbued with harmfulness, abandoning thinking imbued with harmlessness,&#xA;  his mind is &lt;strong&gt;bent&lt;/strong&gt; (namati) by that thinking imbued with harmfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nati (f.) [Sk. nati of nam] bending, bent, inclination S ii.67; iv.59; M i.115.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namati [Ved. namati, Idg. nem to bend; also to share out]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-02T20:27:57.280" LastActivityDate="2016-09-02T20:27:57.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-03T03:08:35.600" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about lord buddha.&#xA;Lord Buddha mainly wanted mindful of inner peace. and control mindset, and spread his thoughts to his devotees, he removed anger, anxiety, etc from him,&#xA;&quot;He showed with patience we can achieve anything in this world&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex:Gandhi, Dr. BR.Ambedkar, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg who followed Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;God is nothing but believe and belief in yourself.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9954" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T03:08:35.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17429" CreationDate="2016-09-03T15:46:32.337" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Law of Attraction says “Like attracts like” and “Birds of feather flock together”. This is based upon the idea that people and their thoughts are both made from pure energy, and the belief that like energy attracts like energy. The scriptures too attest to this truth. In the Samyuktha Nikaya, Kamma Sutta 3 (S.ii.155)  that was preached at Gijjhakūta, the Buddha tells the gathered bhikkhus: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Do you see Ven.  Sāriputta, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;have great wisdom.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Ven.  Moggallāna, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;have great spiritual powers&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you sees Mahā Kassapa ,walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;are proponents of the Ascetic practices&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Ven.  Anuruddha, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;possess the devine eye&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Ven.  Punna Mantānīputta, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;are speakers on the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Ven. Upāli, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;are upholders of the discipline&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Ven. Ananda, walking with several other bhikkhus? All those bhikkhus &lt;strong&gt;are highly learned&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“Do you see Devadatta, walking with several other bhikkhus? &lt;strong&gt;All those bhikkhus have evil wishes.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha ends this discourse by saying that &lt;strong&gt;beings of similar disposition come together.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-03T22:46:34.400" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T22:46:34.400" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2016-09-03T19:55:50.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The merit cannot be transferred through anyway to the passed one or man to man. But the merit can be shared to the departed one and also man to man. In the Tirokuddo Sutta, has no mentioned that the merit can be transferred to passed one or others. in this Sutta, in the last verse, the word 'puñña's has mentioned but that is acquired by the donor himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Nidāna of this sutta, has referred that the deceased person Peta (Ghost) can say the word, (Sadhu-3x). The word sadhu means well-done, share (Anumodana), can say 3 times by the Paradattabhojhi peta that is why they can earn merit themselves, I think it is crucially important to introduce here about the peta realm. In the peta world, there are 40 types of petas but, among them, only a type  of peta can earn merit based on who share through their relatives and the rest of  39 types of petas never get the chance to earn merit from their relatives because they are unable to utter the word (Sadhu). When the ghost's relatives accomplish virtuous activities then they respectfully utter sadhu 3 times by pouring water, at the same time the ghost enable to appreciate sadhu 3 times, that means after saying the word 'sadhu' the ghosts earn merit themselves, when the ghosts earn merit then the ghosts can be freed from ghosts lives. It is not the true fact that they receive the donor's transferring merit. The ghost acquires merits themselves through uttering the word Sadhu thrice. Here I can give a parallel of sharing: if a person lights a candle, then you also wish to delight your candle but, you have no lighter to lighting it, then other shares his candle's fire from his candle and you lighted your candle. When you took at the fire by comparing from others candle, then both candle's flems are similar. It is called the 'sharing', in this way merit can be shared to others but, merit cannot be Transferred to others. Buddhism never says merit can be transferred, it's only possible to share. Those who proclaim that the merit can transfer please cite the reference in where did the Buddha say in Tipitaka. Thank you.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9965" LastEditorUserId="9965" LastEditDate="2016-09-03T22:26:12.373" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T22:26:12.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17429" CreationDate="2016-09-03T20:35:05.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You asked about,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;the view that the outer world is a reflection of one's own life state, not the other way around&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that that is a conventional/orthodox view from the Pali canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mean, maybe there are views that are like that ... but maybe not exactly like that, or nothing phrased exactly like that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone weren't familiar with Buddhism then their first/naive interpretation of that phrase might be, &quot;if 'the outer world is a reflection of one's own life state', does that mean so one's own life state is true and real contrasted with the outer world being less true or unreal (i.e. merely a reflection or illusion)?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I think that (saying that the outer world is unreal) might be (or might be, if it's misunderstood or taken to a naughty extreme) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html#micchaditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;a wrong view&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no contemplatives or brahmans who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to western philosophy/language there's a view called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solipsism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Solipsism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moving on from there, some people who know very little about Buddhism might think that &quot;Buddhism teaches that the outside world is an illusion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wondered where that belief might come from and found &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(illusion)#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maya (illusion)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;Maya&quot; is more Indian or Vedic than Buddhist, the more-Buddhist counterparts to that might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Saṃsāra&lt;/a&gt; (which is Sankrit and Pali), or perhaps &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.049.olen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vipallasa (distortions of the mind)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that (&lt;em&gt;Vipallasa&lt;/em&gt;) is a more standard view in the Pali canon: it's a view/philosophy that we mis-see, that we mis-understand the (whole, outside and inside) world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about phenomenology in Pali, which I think is a subject of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Understanding_in_Theravada_Abhidhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;. So far as I know, the Pali canon doesn't say that the &quot;outer world&quot; is more or less than some counterpart &quot;inner world&quot;. If you read about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ayatana&lt;/a&gt; it says that there are &quot;external&quot; and &quot;internal&quot; sense objects, maybe without saying that one is a reflection of the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (which I understand as meaning &quot;forms&quot; or &quot;external objects&quot;) shows up among the 5 aggregates and the 12 nidanas ... in context maybe we should understand as saying that Rupa has some existence (though not &quot;self-existence&quot;) but it's important because of its effect on our consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I'm mentioning &quot;&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;&quot; let me also mention &quot;&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, since other answers here talk about it ... it's a word with many meanings, I think one of those meanings is that it means &quot;idea&quot; ... I think the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; implies that dhammas are perceived by the mind, in a way that's similar to (no more and no less important than) the way in which forms are perceived by the eye, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a comment you mentioned the Vimalakirti Sutra: which I haven't read.&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sutra teaches, among other subjects, the meaning of nondualism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;non-duality&quot; as a teaching will be found more in scriptures that are later than the Pali canon, so maybe there isn't exactly a Pali word for that philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is such a word though then it might be &lt;em&gt;advaya&lt;/em&gt; ... &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:2613.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dvaya&lt;/a&gt; means &quot;two-fold&quot; or &quot;dual&quot;; so &lt;em&gt;advaya&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;not two-fold&quot;, &quot;non-dual&quot;, or &quot;single&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the Vimalakirti Sutra de-emphasizes the &quot;outside world&quot; by talking about &quot;emptiness&quot; ... the Pali word for that is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;suññatā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T20:35:05.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3512" CreationDate="2016-09-03T23:48:19.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here the question has been asked: how can merit be transferred?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But most of the commentators are commented out of the question. do not say how to transfer or whether merit can be transferred or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the main differences between Theravada and Mahayana?&#xA;Answer: There are three main differences between Theravada and Mahayana. they are as follows: the Mahayana strongly believe that the Buddha nature, Bodhisattva path and Transfer of Merit.  which Theravada does not follows.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9965" LastEditorUserId="9965" LastEditDate="2016-09-03T23:55:13.193" LastActivityDate="2016-09-03T23:55:13.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17454" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17457" CreationDate="2016-09-04T01:59:40.153" Score="5" ViewCount="209" Body="&lt;p&gt;I vaguely recall that before he sat to meditate under the bodhi tree and was enlightened, he learned all the different techniques of meditation. Where does it say this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-09-05T03:57:15.883" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T03:57:15.883" Title="Where does it say Siddhartha Gautama mastered all types of meditation?" Tags="|reference-request|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2016-09-04T02:14:48.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If all of the humans become enlightened you still have other sentient creatures who would become humans. At that point those would be saved by buddhas and bodhisattvas. But even then there is not a finite number of sentient beings since there is no transmigration, just rebirth of sankharas which is not strictly limited to one entity. So, I don't see an end of sentient beings reborn on earth. Whether humans evolve into something else is unknown. And eventually the earth will be destroyed by the sun and disintegrate with the rest of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-09-04T02:14:48.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17454" CreationDate="2016-09-04T03:18:59.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For sure what you have heard of is this incident. After the night of his Awakening, the Buddha spent 49 days experiencing the bliss of release. The knowledge of all that one will ever know in all of the three worlds was known to the Buddha within those 49 days. A mention of the vastness of this knowledge in him was mentioned when he was in the forest of simsapa trees. The Simsapa tree has very small leaves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking a handful of the Simsapa leaves Buddha asked the monks, “Which is more, the leaves in my hand or the leaves in the forest?” The monks replied, “Of course, the leaves in the forest are many more than the leaves in your hand.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said, “In the same way, what I learned in the course of my Awakening is like the leaves in the forest. What I have brought out to teach is like the leaves in my hand.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8#q=buddha%20what%20is%20greater%20leaves%20in%20hand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves - Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-04T03:18:59.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17454" CreationDate="2016-09-04T08:54:34.223" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it describes his learning some meditation types/techniques, from teachers, before he sat and was enlightened:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alara Kalama ... the dimension of nothingness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Uddaka Ramaputta ... the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever brahmans or contemplatives in the past have felt painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the utmost.&#xA;  None have been greater than this. Whatever brahmans or contemplatives&#xA;  in the future will feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to&#xA;  their striving, this is the utmost. None will be greater than this.&#xA;  Whatever brahmans or contemplatives in the present are feeling&#xA;  painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the&#xA;  utmost. None is greater than this. But with this racking &lt;strong&gt;practice of&#xA;  austerities&lt;/strong&gt; I haven't attained any superior human state, any&#xA;  distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of the noble ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-04T10:11:23.810" LastActivityDate="2016-09-04T10:11:23.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5762" CreationDate="2016-09-05T08:32:35.643" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;May be the goals of Buddhism, Hinduism , and Taoism are similar or same.&#xA; But as per Gautam Buddha, only vipassana is the only way, which he has followed to reach the ultimate Nirvana( which Buddha discovered in the quest to know the truth). It was not his goal to reach nirvana. Vipassana doesn't speak of setting goals and meditate .&#xA; Buddha has considered any other practices, which is right , will lead to nirvana . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9972" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T08:32:35.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9120" CreationDate="2016-09-05T21:32:41.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, the 'soul' ('Atman') is something permanent that reincarnates from life to life (as described in the Bhagavad Gita, for example).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in the Christian Gospels attributed to Jesus, the 'soul' appears to be described as something more like the human mind/'heart'/conscience that can be saved/set free or, otherwise corrupted/defiled (by karma); what in Buddhism is called the 'citta'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(However, the same as in Buddhism, over historical time, the soul has been taken in Christianity to be something that exists after the passing of the physical body). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the 'soul' or 'citta' is something 'immaterial'. Therefore, it cannot be said what it is 'made of'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that can be known is the 'soul' knows, feels, perceives, thinks &amp;amp; creates emotions that can torment itself into suffering or, otherwise, can be set free/purified from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures define 'mind'/'soul' as being made up of 'feeling', 'perception', 'intention', 'contact' &amp;amp; 'attention'; plus other mental faculties such as 'mindfulness', 'decision', 'energy', 'zeal', etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what 'mind'/'citta'/'soul' is 'made of' cannot be defined because it is '&lt;strong&gt;immaterial&lt;/strong&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;arupa&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-09-05T21:32:41.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9135" CreationDate="2016-09-06T02:56:40.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A direct answer to this very question is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.025.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 1.25&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-09-06T02:56:40.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-06T03:40:55.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, for many schools, the idea of god exists (is not the God of Christians and Muslims and Jews, mind you).  Buddhism is a big and old religion with many schools.  But Buddhist religion is not centered around the idea of God.  Their metaphysics is more concerned with ideas of rebirth and nirvana and such, than with describing a god or ideas of heaven and hell.  In addition, in West it is more the philosophy of Buddhism than its religious aspects, that have received attention.  For instance, because of its emphasis on introspection and disciplined cognitive activities such as focused attention and concentration, this philosophy has been easiest to fuse with psychological sciences.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to get a real sense for Buddhist ideas of the supernatural, don't rely on popular books published in West because they're either trying to bring the Buddhist idea of the first cause and creator closer to Christianity to make it easier for religious readers, or to do away with god completely.  Neither is true.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9974" LastActivityDate="2016-09-06T03:40:55.270" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15862" CreationDate="2016-09-06T22:31:39.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is born out of the misconception that Buddhism teaches reincarnation as in after death you can only become a human (I've seen this same question and criticism of reincarnation on many websites before), this portrayal in the media is completely wrong and inaccurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Sariputta, there are these five destinations. What are the five? Hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, human beings and devas&amp;quot; (Maha-sihanada Sutta, MN 12)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are the five possibilities for anyone's prior existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern day humans were not necessarily humans on Earth in their previous existence (actually quite unlikely), they could've been in a hellish world, an animal, a spirit, or in a heavenly world in their very last previous existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means a growing human population does not contradict rebirth or re-existence (the world population was 3 billion in 1960, now it's more than 7 billion).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha for instance was not thought to have been a human on Earth in his last existence, but existing in the Tusita heaven before taking birth on Earth. He had a great childhood, good-natured parents, and lots of luxuries which few humans even in modern times have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short all &amp;quot;new&amp;quot; humans in their prior existence before taking birth as a human existed in a hellish world, as an animal, a ghost, a human, or in a heavenly world (and very unlikely to have been a human right before this existence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is just a popular misconception that Buddhism teaches that after death one is only born as a human on Earth again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;UPDATE: The Buddha seems to explain that the majority of humans and devas (heavenly beings) do not take birth as humans after passing away:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, &amp;quot;What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, monks, few are the beings who, on passing away from&#xA;the human realm, are reborn among human beings. Far more are the&#xA;beings who, on passing away from the human realm, are reborn in&#xA;hell... in the animal womb... in the domain of the hungry ghosts.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, monks, few are the beings who, on passing away from&#xA;the deva realm, are reborn among human beings. Far more are the beings&#xA;who, on passing away from the deva realm, are reborn in hell... in the&#xA;animal womb... in the domain of the hungry ghosts.&amp;quot; (Pansu Suttas, SN&#xA;56.102-113)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stereotype portrayed in the media of Buddhist reincarnation (after death one is born as a human again) is here stated as extraordinarily rare by The Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The majority of humans and devas after death go to hell, the animal womb, or the realm of ghosts instead of being reborn as a human or a deva in a heavenly world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So based on what The Buddha says I would expect that the majority of &amp;quot;new&amp;quot; humans came from hellish worlds, the animal realm, or the realm of ghosts since The Buddha explains how extremely unlikely birth as a human is after death as a human or deva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the number of existences is countless so everyone existed in one the five realms many times before which may cause confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also explains in the Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta (MN 135) how one can exhaust their good and bad kamma in a human state instead of in a heavenly or hellish world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also explains in the Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta (MN 136) how it's not true that all good people go to heaven or that all evil people go to hell and that some evil people go to heaven and some good people go to hell by explaining the different variables involved (one's past kamma, later kamma, views at the time of death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I still don't know where the popular media portrayal view of rebirth only as a human comes from debunked by The Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Birth as human is really rare, usually more pleasant than many other destinations, and gives one many opportunities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-02-11T00:35:06.760" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17332" CreationDate="2016-09-07T00:01:53.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want the kamma to be exhausted quickly here and now rather than leading to negative destinations in the future then become well-developed in body, virtue, mind, and discernment, unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with the immeasurable just as The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain&#xA;  individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same&#xA;  sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the&#xA;  here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him&#xA;  to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped&#xA;  in [contemplating] the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in&#xA;  mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling&#xA;  with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual&#xA;  takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is&#xA;  experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears&#xA;  for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is&#xA;  developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed&#xA;  in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted,&#xA;  dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this&#xA;  sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most&#xA;  part barely appears for a moment.&quot; (Lonaphala Sutta, AN 3.99)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta (MN 136) The Buddha explains the complexities of kamma that it's not true that all people who do good go to heaven or that all people who do evil go to hell (some people who do evil go to heaven and others that do good go to hell).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my personal experiences I know that you can exhaust lots of negative kamma in a few seconds time if meditating correctly. In the future there should be a way to objectively measure the kamma inside of you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-09-07T00:17:27.743" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T00:17:27.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17374" CreationDate="2016-09-07T01:22:48.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Certainly a variation of meditative techniques may be effective, but modern science has shown that massage therapy effectively reduces aggression (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12458696&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12458696&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've found that monitoring bodily feelings helps you trace the root of the negative thoughts. So try monitoring your negative bodily feelings then massaging that area, it seems to work well temporarily (not but permanently).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've attempted to trace where my negative bodily feelings come from (which causes me have negative thoughts, say negative things, and take negative actions) and I've traced it to early negative childhood experiences (from around age 5 or earlier). It seems that these early negative memories stay inside of us unconsciously, unknowingly until death unless we do something about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to permanently end the pains you have to deal with the negative memories associated with those bodily feelings which is more complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-09-07T05:21:26.920" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T05:21:26.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2016-09-07T05:18:41.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not all, only Mahayana Buddhists are required to be in normal conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha forbids the eating of 10 meats (humans, elephants, horses,&#xA;dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, panthers, bears, hyenas ) and says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat meat without having enquired (what it is). He who does, commits a dukkata offence&quot; (Mahavogga 6.23)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wrong Livelihood part of the Eightfold path includes things like hunting, fishing, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha refuses Devadatta's request that monks not be allowed to eat fish&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explains that meat can be eaten under three conditions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I say, that meat could be partaken on three instances, when not seen,&#xA;  not heard and when there is no doubt about it.&quot; (Jivaka Sutta, MN 55)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then explains the five conditions when one gains demerit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If he said, go bring that living thing of such name.  In this first&#xA;  instance he accumulates much demerit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If that living thing is pulled along, tied, with pain at the throat,&#xA;  feeling displeased and unpleasant.  In this second instance he&#xA;  accumulates much demerit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it was said, go kill that animal.  In this third instance he&#xA;  accumulates much demerit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When killing if that animal feels displeased and unpleasant.  In this&#xA;  fourth instance he accumulates, much demerit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Tathagatha or a disciple of the Tathagatha tastes that&#xA;  unsuitable food.  In this fifth instance he accumulates much demerit.&quot; (Jivaka Sutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in my opinion Theravada Buddhism seems to be encouraging vegetarianism or veganism but not requiring it (remember any doubts about demerit means don't eat the meat).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one part of virtue for monks is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He abstains from damaging seed and plant life.&quot; (Apannaka Sutta, MN&#xA;  60)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly vegetarians and vegans don't abstain from damaging seed and plant life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;After my tranquility, in the Dharma-ending Age, these hordes of&#xA;  ghosts and spirits will abound, spreading like wildfire as they argue&#xA;  that eating meat will bring one to the Bodhi Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ánanda, I permit the Bhikshus to eat five kinds of pure meat. This&#xA;  meat is actually a transformation brought into being by my spiritual&#xA;  powers. It basically has no life force. You Brahmans live in a climate&#xA;  so hot and humid, and on such sandy and rocky land, that vegetables&#xA;  will not grow; therefore, I have had to assist you with spiritual&#xA;  powers and compassion. Because of this magnanimous kindness and&#xA;  compassion, this so-called meat suits your taste. After my extinction,&#xA;  how can those who eat the flesh of beings be called the disciples of&#xA;  Shakya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You should know that these people who eat meat may gain some&#xA;  awareness and may seem to be in samádhi, but they are all great&#xA;  rakshasas. When their retribution ends, they are bound to sink into&#xA;  the bitter sea of birth and death. They are not disciples of the&#xA;  Buddha. Such people as these kill and eat one another in a&#xA;  never-ending cycle. How can such people transcend the Triple Realm?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When you teach people of the world to cultivate samádhi, they must&#xA;  also cut off killing. This is the second clear and decisive&#xA;  instruction on purity given by the Thus Come Ones, the Buddhas of the&#xA;  Past, World Honored Ones. (Shurangama Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Previously,I taught this in cases arising from the needs of the&#xA;  situation. Now, on this occasion, I teach the harm arising from&#xA;  meat-eating.&quot; (Mahaparinirvana Sutra)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayanists believed that The Buddha allowed meat-eating during his time in special conditions which no longer apply. During The Buddha's time monks had to beg to get food and without food humans die! Certainly monks living independently that have to produce their own food (rather than begging as was during The Buddha's time) would have to kill animals to gain meat, which would violate Theravada Buddhism as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayanists also argue that The Buddha used supernormal powers to avoid the negative effects of meat-eating which the majority of monks in modern times cannot do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I understand both sides of the argument, obviously if you have to produce your own food you would have to kill animals to get meat (or wait for them to naturally die which would be too rare).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't personally stress or encourage vegetarianism or veganism. I've personally found that things like caffeine have a much more negative effect on the brain than meat-eating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own personal observations there may be some conditions when eating meat causes demerit and others when not (similar to what The Buddha says) but other things seem to matter much more so I don't focus on it much and still eat meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T05:18:41.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17467" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17469" CreationDate="2016-09-07T10:00:48.293" Score="7" ViewCount="2804" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is really confusing to me. Buddha himself was an ascetic, and his teachings seem to imply that the path to nirvana is attained through renouncing one's worldly possessions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't this in direct contradiction to the Middle Way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9985" LastActivityDate="2019-02-11T00:32:20.343" Title="If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?" Tags="|middle-way|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17468" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17475" CreationDate="2016-09-07T12:05:00.667" Score="3" ViewCount="1034" Body="&lt;p&gt;This fascinating &lt;a href=&quot;https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/06/buddha-was-a-data-scientist/?ncid=rss&amp;amp;utm_source=feedburner&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20Techcrunch%20%28TechCrunch%29&amp;amp;sr_share=facebook&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article describes the Buddha as data driven ascetic&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha took a different approach: His rules were grounded in his own&#xA;  experience. Like a lot of us, he tried some crazy diets. But what&#xA;  worked for him was very simple. He gave little advice about what his&#xA;  monks should eat, but he was very particular about when they should&#xA;  eat it. His followers were basically free to eat anything they were&#xA;  given — even meat — but only between the hours of dawn and noon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Like any good data scientist, Buddha learned to ignore the outliers.&#xA;  Buddha didn’t give a mystical or supernatural explanation for this odd&#xA;  time restriction. But he was pretty sure it would improve their&#xA;  health. He had tested it on himself. “Because I avoid eating in the&#xA;  evening, I am in good health, light, energetic, and live comfortably,”&#xA;  he explained. “You, too, monks, avoid eating in the evening, and you&#xA;  will have good health.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article goes on to discuss the empirical results of calorie restriction diets with mice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, what I'd like to know, is there any grounds to believe that the Buddha had health in mind when he suggested not eating dinner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read that many vinaya rules were based on how the laity would see the Sangha- eat lots would make the sangha look like gluttons, so they only took two meals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Nikaya Buddhism's central problem to be solved was desire &amp;amp; aversion, so it was the fixation on hunger that was the problem, not that dinner was making one fat, unhealthy or short-lived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T00:31:50.493" Title="Was the prohibition on eating dinner health advice?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2016-09-07T13:23:25.153" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are common misunderstandings of the middle way. The middle way is best explained through the Buddha's life story. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha began as a nobleman who had the money for all the indulgence in sensual pleasures which he wanted. However, indulgence in pleasure did not lead to lasting happiness. This is the first extreme. The Buddha then became an ascetic who starved himself and took part in self mortification. This was an attempt at gaining happiness through pain, or indulgence in pain. This is the second extreme and it did not lead to lasting happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle way is neither indulgence in pleasure nor indulgence in pain. The middle way is not about moderation, it is about the attitude to indulgence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking a simple example like eating chocolate: There are extremes of never eating chocolate or eating 10 bars of chocolate each day, but eating in moderation such as 1 bar per day is not going to bring about happiness. If you eat 1 bar of chocolate and you treat it as the best thing you've ever tasted then you're already indulging in pleasure. The amount of chocolate is irrelevant. The point is to eat chocolate without doing it to seek pleasure and without doing it to seek pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One final common misconception which you didn't mention is &quot;The middle way is for laypeople, monks don't follow the middle way&quot;. This misconception comes from the idea that the middle way is moderation. Although monks deny themselves things like sex or perfume this is not a type of indulgence in pain, the purpose of the rules is entirely different. The monks don't try to use perfume in moderation but as I've explained moderation is not the middle way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T13:23:25.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2016-09-07T20:07:38.170" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'Middle-Way' does not require giving up all worldly possessions. Instead, the Middle-Way states to not engage in sensual pleasures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person can have basic worldly possessions ('requisites'), such as food, housing, clothing, medicine, etc, and still practise the Middle-Way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, practising the Middle-Way does not require being a monk or nun. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'Middle-Way' was described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;1st Sermon&lt;/a&gt; as the way of life that does not rely on impermanent &amp;amp; unsatisfying sensual pleasures for happiness nor subjects oneself to &amp;amp; attempts to become impervious to pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Middle-Way culminates in the four blissful meditations (jhana) and ultimately Nirvana, which is permanent peace &amp;amp; freedom. The happiness of the Middle Way is far superior to the happiness of sensual &amp;amp; worldly pleasures. Therefore, there is no contradiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are attached to sensual pleasures, which generates suffering when those sensual pleasures cease &amp;amp;/or are lost. Sensual pleasures also create enslaving tormenting addictions. Further, sensual pleasures cannot bring true permanent happiness, which is why people get bored of sensual pleasures and continually search for &amp;amp; acquire new sensual pleasures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, from a Buddhist perspective, reliance on sensual pleasures cannot be bring lasting true permanent happiness. The scriptures state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, much stress, much despair &amp;amp; greater drawbacks. The&#xA;  Blessed One has compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones...to a lump of flesh... a grass torch... a&#xA;  pit of glowing embers... a dream... borrowed goods... the fruits of a&#xA;  tree... a butcher's ax and chopping block... swords and spears... a&#xA;  snake's head: of much stress, much despair &amp;amp; greater drawbacks.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what may be said to be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement? Spouses &amp;amp; children... men &amp;amp; women slaves...&#xA;  goats &amp;amp; sheep... fowl &amp;amp; pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, &amp;amp; mares...&#xA;  gold &amp;amp; silver are subject to aging... illness... death...&#xA;  sorrow... defilement. Subject to aging... illness... death...&#xA;  sorrow... defilement are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to&#xA;  them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being&#xA;  subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to aging...&#xA;  illness... death... sorrow... defilement&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-08T16:33:58.723" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T16:33:58.723" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17468" CreationDate="2016-09-07T20:40:26.150" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My recollection is the rule about not eating after noon was to stop monks going on alms round at inappropriate times of the day, including at night, where they could frighten lay people. You can research the 'Vinaya' for this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There certainly is a sutta where the Buddha states he enjoys good health by eating once a day but my recollection is that is not the rationale, which is why many monks today eat twice per day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When these staple foods go beyond their time limit (i.e., after noon) a bhikkhu will incur an offence if he consumes them. The original&#xA;  story shows the complications that can arise from leaving the&#xA;  monastery at the wrong time:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The 'group-of-seventeen' bhikkhus — another set of frequent misdoers — went out one afternoon to enjoy themselves at a festival outside the&#xA;  city. When lay people saw them they gave them a meal and food to take&#xA;  back to the monastery. The Buddha therefore laid down this rule:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Should any bhikkhu chew or consume staple or non- staple food at the wrong time, it is [an offence of Confession.]&quot; (Paac. 37; BMC p.362)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#begging&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#begging&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-07T20:45:29.733" LastActivityDate="2016-09-07T20:45:29.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17472" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-08T04:13:26.587" Score="3" ViewCount="689" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be like water - but what if i fail &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i really like the quote &quot;be like water&quot;  and wanted to live by it  -  but the problems was what happenes when i fail - when i cant meditate or more truly too lazy to meditate - and always take a few days break no matter what ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;because water don't fail - they don't take a break -  so when i do fail and not meditate and get lazy it breaks my whole motivation cause the &quot;be like water&quot;    theory doesn't work cause water don't stop and get back up  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;can someone here help me find some explanation to make the &quot;be like water&quot; quote reasonable to failing as well &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not a buddhist connected idea directly - but i ask this to help my practice - and its very very important for me if i get a good reply  - very wholsome kamma    +++  plus its more related to the practice than   other questions ive seen here before&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-08T20:45:32.803" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T14:12:05.600" Title="Be like water - but what if i fail" Tags="|personal-practice|philosophy|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-08T05:29:26.770" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're clinging to your theory. Clinging causes fear of letting it go. And hence your predicament. Let it be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T05:29:26.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-08T07:05:25.657" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If &quot;be like water&quot; is Buddhist, it sounds to me like an Eastern form of it (i.e. Chan or Zen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One view/aspect of Chan or Zen is that it's the result of Buddhism's mixing with Taoism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know more about &quot;be like water&quot;, one place to find that might be in the (Taoist, not Buddhist) &lt;a href=&quot;http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html&quot;&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/a&gt;, for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The supreme good is like water,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  which nourishes all things without trying to.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  It is content with the low places that people disdain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus it is like the Tao.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In dwelling, live close to the ground.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In thinking, keep to the simple.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In conflict, be fair and generous.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In governing, don't try to control.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In work, do what you enjoy.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In family life, be completely present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you are content to be simply yourself&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and don't compare or compete,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  everybody will respect you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;because water dont fail - they dont take a break - so when i do fail and not meditate and get lazy it breaks my whole motivation cause the &quot;be like water&quot; theory dosnt work cause water dont stop and get back up&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tao Te Ching has imagery of water occupying the low places, the valleys:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All streams flow to the sea&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  because it is lower than they are.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Humility gives it its power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I understood your question, but if you find yourself in a low place, maybe that (where you are, in the low, in the place) is where you meditate: without self-striving to get back up before you do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, water has three states: vapour rises, water flows, ice is more solid. When you wrote, when I read, &quot;I fail&quot;, I thought of that as being more like ice than being like water: because it sounds like a fixed/solid view of &quot;I&quot; ... instead of a natural/flowing view (I'm not sure how &lt;em&gt;water&lt;/em&gt; could be said to fail).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that Zen meditation posture includes being solidly planted/rooted on/with the ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, on topic, a different example of being like water, here is one story: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/8greatwaves.html&quot;&gt;Great Waves&lt;/a&gt;. I'm not sure what &quot;bashful&quot; means in the story, I suppose it's a harmful or confused or ignorant form of being 'self-conscious'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T07:05:25.657" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17468" CreationDate="2016-09-08T07:29:05.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm skeptical that the Buddha said skip dinner because it's good for your health&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes if I hadn't read it I'd be skeptical too. It sounds a bit contrary to the primary/normal message: almost as if the Buddha were giving advice on how to be rich or become wealthy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless there are other seemingly-health-related suttas, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ittha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's not fitting for the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life should follow the path of practice leading to long life. In so doing, he will attain long life, either human or divine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above (which also describes Beauty, Happiness, Status, and Rebirth in heaven as welcome, agreeable, pleasant) is addressed to a householder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer's introduction to MN 70&lt;/a&gt; talks about untimely eating on pages 1 and 2: it mentions &quot;health&quot; and also other reasons, and says that the rules (or prohibitions) were phased in gradually to let the monks adjust gradually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think it says (on pages 2 and 3) that the monks being addressed in this Sutta were monks but not very good monks: who were eventually expelled from the Sangha. Perhaps, who knows, &quot;health&quot; is mentioned in this sutta because it's appropriate to the audience, i.e. of several reasons (for skipping dinner) the Buddha chose one (health) which he thought had the best chance of appealing to this particular audience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T07:29:05.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17476" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17486" CreationDate="2016-09-08T09:36:28.230" Score="3" ViewCount="5698" Body="&lt;p&gt;While reading about Lord Buddha I found that he traveled to some other countries. But I couldn't find exactly how many countries. Does anyone know the answer for this?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T12:20:30.310" LastActivityDate="2020-08-26T17:18:25.487" Title="How many countries did Lord Buddha travel?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17468" CreationDate="2016-09-08T13:02:51.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I doubt the advice was for health purposes even if it may improve health. It was probably to improve self-discipline for monks and is stated as a sign of a monk's virtue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He eats only once a day, refraining from the evening meal and from&#xA;  food at the wrong time of day.&quot; (Apannaka Sutta, MN 60)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now modern science shows that eating too much is bad probably because the body wasn't designed to be digesting food all the time. The FMD (Fast Mimicking Diet) has gained popularity as well showing great health benefits so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One meal a day (with calorie requirements) may or may not improve health, but will certainly improve self-discipline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T13:02:51.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-08T13:17:45.090" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you're in some kind of meditation crisis. From what I've read it seems to me that you on the one hand think of meditation as something beneficial (because you want to practice it daily), but on the other hand are currently a bit aversed to meditation and yourself (when you find yourself unable to do it). And as a result you experience frustration because your practice is not as you want it to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should definitely check if you push yourself too hard or if you are too serious about your practice. Because if you try too hard and are too hard with yourself, a natural response of the mind is to resist and dislike. This makes it hard to meditate and you feel guilty because you can't keep up with your expectations...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read in one comment you practice according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;technique of Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;. I don't think I'm in a position where I could give you the right advise how to deal with this. But according to this technique you would try to be objective about your emotions when they arise or are present by saying to yourself &quot;unmotivated, unmotivated ..&quot;, &quot;disliking, disliking ...&quot;, &quot;frustrated, frustrated ...&quot;, &quot;overwhelmed, overwhelmed ...&quot;, &quot;thinking, thinking ...&quot;, &quot;bored, bored ...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's probably best to discuss this with a teacher. If you don't meet with one, you can start an online course with Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu at &lt;a href=&quot;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/schedule&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/schedule&lt;/a&gt; and ask him for advice. This would probably help you with your motivation as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T13:17:45.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2016-09-08T14:48:23.387" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not true, The Buddha did not say that one only achieves nirvana (the highest happiness) after renouncing the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arahantship or enlightenment is caused by the ending of mental fermentations, defilements, pains, hankers, cankers (asavas), not from merely giving up worldly possessions (this is something repeated throughout the Pali canons).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were lots of people during The Buddha's time who gave up worldly possessions but did not achieve arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Siddartha Gautama did severe austerities (like starving) he found that it had no benefits and just made him weak. When he started eating again after regaining his strength he found it easier to concentrate, but his enlightenment came only after the ending of mental fermentations (asavas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha discovered the &amp;quot;Middle way&amp;quot; in between the extremes of austerities and the extremes of a worldly life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rules for monks are there to help one achieve arahantship in this lifetime, but arahantship won't come until the ending of mental fermentations, defilements, pains, cankers, taints, hankers (asavas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go too much into the extremes of austerities it becomes difficult to end mental fermentations and when you go too much into the extremes of a worldly life it becomes difficult to end mental fermentations. So it's the &amp;quot;Middle way&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Cula-dhammasamadana Sutta (MN 45) The Buddha describes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practicing strict painful austerities as a practice that is &amp;quot;painful in the present and yields pain in the future&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Engaging in sensual pleasures as a practice that is &amp;quot;pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doing good deeds even when experiencing grief and misery as a practice that is &amp;quot;painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Entering higher states (jhanas) as a practice that is &amp;quot;pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's important to emphasize the ending of mental fermentations (asavas) above everything else as The Buddha himself said that ascetics who torment and afflict the body even while following many of the same rules that Buddhist monks follow lead a life that yields pain in the future (to lower destinations like hell).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Master Gotama, are there any Ājīvaka ascetics who make an end of suffering when the body breaks up?” “No, Vaccha.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“But are there any Ājīvaka ascetics who go to heaven when the body breaks up?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Vaccha, when I recollect the past ninety-one eons, I can’t find any Ājīvaka ascetics who have gone to heaven, except one; and he taught the efficacy of deeds and action.” (MN 71)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-02-10T23:57:13.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2016-09-08T20:26:52.620" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the moderate amount of cigarettes to smoke? None.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moderation in the pursuit of truth is a vice.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moderation does not mean indulgence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T20:26:52.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-08T20:53:28.117" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing will happen if you fail Buddhist practise, apart from not have higher (non-sensual) free happiness &amp;amp; not being able to be free from suffering when inevitable life changes occur, such as aging, illness, loss &amp;amp; death occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't have higher happiness, you can still chase pleasures in the world (if you enjoy them) as ordinary people do, such as watching TV, relationships, family, traveling, sports, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't know how to end suffering, you can still suffer, cry, hug &amp;amp; celebrate at funerals or fear your own death, as ordinary people do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's about it. If you fail Buddhist practise, God or Buddha will not punish you and there is no nasty reincarnation waiting for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please try to relax about Buddhism because Buddhism exists to free people from suffering rather than to create suffering in people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you listen to the wrong teachers, Buddhism can certainly create suffering for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally, Buddhism is practised to overcome suffering a person is already aware of. There is no point consuming medicine if you are not sick or using a fire-water-hose when there is no discernible fire occurring. A fire-water-hose is heavy &amp;amp; will just bring weariness if used for no reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reasons why we practise meditation should come from motivation from within us (rather than from what other people &amp;amp; teachers tell us). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xXaxm.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/xXaxm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-08T21:04:45.310" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T21:04:45.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-08T21:39:00.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything comes in cycles.  There have obviously been times you feel very dedicated and enthusiastic. There are times you are completely the opposite.  Keep it in your head that these are both constructs, basically just ephemeral thoughts and feelings that pass and don't cling to them and call them me. You are most definitely attaching yourself to &quot;be like water&quot;.  Stop it. Know that that too is a mental construct and not real - let go of it. You just go to the mat and sit and keep pulling yourself back no matter how distracted you get. Everyone goes though these periods - just sustain. Maybe instead of &quot;be like water&quot; you should take a practice of &quot;let go&quot; and give it a try - whatever mental image you get just &quot;let go&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9951" LastActivityDate="2016-09-08T21:39:00.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-09T01:47:54.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the very outset of this post, may I make it clear to one and all that this is only an interpretation from a Buddhist Point of View, and it is not a criticism of any one of the religions that believe in a single all-powerful 'God' such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowhere in the scriptures is found a mention of ‘A God’, and it can be said that the concept of ‘God” is constructed by the mind due to the ignorance or &quot;avidya&quot; of &quot;anicca, dukka and anatta&quot;. Because all things are conditioned and transient (anicca), the concept of ‘God’ too has no real independent identity (anatta) - so do not truly ‘exist’. Furthermore the mind that is being used to comprehend what is written here is also created due to ‘avidya’ or ignorance. What we are dealing here is relative truths, as opposed to Nirvana, Anicca, Dukka, and Anatta which are Absolute Truths that we will never fully comprehend. To make this point clear, let me take ‘Anicca’ that we have come to know as “impermanence”. Only an Arahant would fully understand ‘Anicca’. Whoever that realizes what Anicca, Dukka, or Anatta is will attain ‘Nirvana’ that very moment of understanding. So what we will ever know is kind of sort of what it is – or &quot;rather,&quot; &quot;partial,&quot; or &quot;somewhat&quot; of what it truly is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the people of the world, the worldlings, of a bygone era, the Sun was the Surya Divya (Sun God). From a not so distant a past, thay have created a &quot;body less&quot; entity in the God, Brahman, Allah or Yehovah that has taken the place ‘Sun God’ and others. According to Buddhism, these entities are created by the ‘worldlings’ / ‘sattva’ and create more ‘samskaras’ in this very act, and extending their very journey in this endless samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of Buddhism is the Four Noble truths. It is Buddha’s essential teachings aimed at ending dukkha in this very life, through the realizing of The Four Noble Truths.  The essence of Dukkha/Suffering lies with the mind, and aging, illness, and death are its shadows. The ignorance of these truths is avidya or ignorance / unawareness. The Dharma, teaches that the essence of Dukkha / Suffering is clinging, and the most basic form of clinging is self‐identification. The Buddha advised us to seek to attain the state of non-returners.  At least all should try to attain the state of stream-entrants in this very life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I may expand on this in a couple of months. This post is in response to @ChrisW &amp;amp; @Raymond comment &amp;amp; post. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T02:39:00.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T02:39:00.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-09T02:33:32.263" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;People create all kinds of ideas about 'God', to the point where people murder in the name of 'God' or people develop ideas 'God' will give them immortality simply for taking a personal allegiance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were always 'gods' among the ancient peoples but the Jewish idea of 'God' (which was transmitted to Christianity &amp;amp; Islam also) was originally about 'Law' ('Torah'). 'God' and 'Law' were originally essentially the same thing. Many religious Jews do not personify 'G-d'. Even Muslims openly discuss/debate the issue of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.askthesheikh.com/what-does-islam-say-about-anthromophic-philosophy-and-transcendent-view-of-allah-swt/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anthropomorphism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has 'Law' ('&lt;em&gt;Niyama&lt;/em&gt;') thus has something similar to 'God', albeit, strictly impersonal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like many Buddhists wrongly take the Buddha to be a 'person', so do many people take 'God' to be a 'person', particularly Christians. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T03:00:45.270" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T03:00:45.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17476" CreationDate="2016-09-09T02:35:07.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solosmasthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Solosmasthana&lt;/a&gt; are 16 sacred places in Sri Lanka, that Gautama Buddha is said to have visited. Buddha is said to have visited the country three times and on one occasion, the  footprint of the Buddha was placed symbolizing the Buddha's presence. The sacred left footprint is said to be imprinted by Buddha on his third visit to Sri Lanka at the apex of the Sri Pada Mountain. There are two other places that the Buddha is said to have visited and placed the sacred footprint. One is in Thailand, and the other is at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tamroiphrabuddhabat.com/chaiwat/myanmar/2553/January/Buddha%20Visit%20to%20Shwesettaw.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sunaparanta&lt;/a&gt; – the present day Saudi Arabia, &amp;amp; at the Kaabah.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T13:05:11.903" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T13:05:11.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7319" CreationDate="2016-09-09T02:40:49.967" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is an e-book about the similarities between the two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.islambuddhism.com/docs/CommonGround.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Common Ground Between Islam and Buddhism&lt;br&gt;&#xA;by Reza Shah-Kazemi&lt;br&gt;&#xA;with an essay by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf&lt;br&gt;&#xA;introduced by&lt;br&gt;&#xA;H. H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama&lt;br&gt;&#xA;H. R. H. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Professor Mohammad Hashim Kamali&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9994" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T09:57:28.217" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T09:57:28.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7319" CreationDate="2016-09-09T02:52:27.217" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Buddhism is regarded as 'psychology' rather than as 'religion', there will be no competition/conflict between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if this attitude is adopted, generally the 'belief' aspects of cultural Buddhism (such as Buddha statues, reincarnation, etc) must ideally be dropped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the ancient Greeks did not introduce alien Buddha statues into Buddhism &amp;amp; if the ambitious Buddhist rulers &amp;amp; clergy did not taint their scriptures with Brahmanistic ideas (for the purpose of religious conversion), Buddhism may have lasted longer in central Asia due to not being falsely regarded as a form of idolatry.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T02:57:31.763" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T02:57:31.763" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2016-09-09T06:49:35.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha refers to the Middle Way he wasn't talking about 'moderation' of indulging in desire, he was talking about avoiding the pitfall of extremes. To the Buddha any level of 'moderation' of indulgence in desire is not the Middle Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha calls this path the middle way (majjhima patipada). It is&#xA;  the middle way because it steers clear of two extremes, two misguided&#xA;  attempts to gain release from suffering. One is the extreme of&#xA;  indulgence in sense pleasures, the attempt to extinguish&#xA;  dissatisfaction by gratifying desire. This approach gives pleasure,&#xA;  but the enjoyment won is gross, transitory, and devoid of deep&#xA;  contentment. The Buddha recognized that sensual desire can exercise a&#xA;  tight grip over the minds of human beings, and he was keenly aware of&#xA;  how ardently attached people become to the pleasures of the senses.&#xA;  But he also knew that this pleasure is far inferior to the happiness&#xA;  that arises from renunciation, and therefore he repeatedly taught that&#xA;  the way to the Ultimate eventually requires the relinquishment of&#xA;  sensual desire. Thus the Buddha describes the indulgence in sense&#xA;  pleasures as &quot;low, common, worldly, ignoble, not leading to the goal.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The other extreme is the practice of self-mortification, the attempt&#xA;  to gain liberation by afflicting the body. This approach may stem from&#xA;  a genuine aspiration for deliverance, but it works within the compass&#xA;  of a wrong assumption that renders the energy expended barren of&#xA;  results. The error is taking the body to be the cause of bondage, when&#xA;  the real source of trouble lies in the mind — the mind obsessed by&#xA;  greed, aversion, and delusion. To rid the mind of these defilements&#xA;  the affliction of the body is not only useless but self-defeating, for&#xA;  it is the impairment of a necessary instrument. Thus the Buddha&#xA;  describes this second extreme as &quot;painful, ignoble, not leading to the&#xA;  goal.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aloof from these two extreme approaches is the Noble Eightfold Path,&#xA;  called the middle way, not in the sense that it effects a compromise&#xA;  between the extremes, but in the sense that it transcends them both by&#xA;  avoiding the errors that each involves. The path avoids the extreme of&#xA;  sense indulgence by its recognition of the futility of desire and its&#xA;  stress on renunciation. Desire and sensuality, far from being means to&#xA;  happiness, are springs of suffering to be abandoned as the requisite&#xA;  of deliverance. But the practice of renunciation does not entail the&#xA;  tormenting of the body. It consists in mental training, and for this&#xA;  the body must be fit, a sturdy support for the inward work. Thus the&#xA;  body is to be looked after well, kept in good health, while the mental&#xA;  faculties are trained to generate the liberating wisdom. That is the&#xA;  middle way, the Noble Eightfold Path, which &quot;gives rise to vision,&#xA;  gives rise to knowledge, and leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  enlightenment, to Nibbana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Cutting Off the Causes of Suffering&quot;&gt;Cutting Off the Causes of Suffering&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything short of the Noble Eightfold Path is actually indulgence in sensual pleasure, no matter how 'moderate'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, these two extremes ought not to be cultivated by one gone&#xA;  forth from the house-life. What are the two? There is devotion to&#xA;  indulgence of pleasure in the objects of sensual desire, which is&#xA;  inferior, low, vulgar, ignoble, and leads to no good; and there is&#xA;  devotion to self-torment, which is painful, ignoble and leads to no&#xA;  good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The middle way discovered by a Perfect One avoids both these&#xA;  extremes; it gives vision, it gives knowledge, and it leads to peace,&#xA;  to direct acquaintance, to discovery, to nibbana. And what is that&#xA;  middle way? It is simply the noble eightfold path, that is to say,&#xA;  right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right&#xA;  livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That&#xA;  is the middle way discovered by a Perfect One, which gives vision,&#xA;  which gives knowledge, and which leads to peace, to direct&#xA;  acquaintance, to discovery, to nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; title=&quot;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T07:02:34.987" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T07:02:34.987" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17476" CreationDate="2016-09-09T19:41:38.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;i tried to look for document i read a few years back but no luck. Maybe someone saw the same document as i did and has a better luck finding it.  Someone have compiled a list of places mentioned in the beginning of suttas to map out Buddha's where about at each raining season.  He stayed in Jettawana grove the longest for 20 years, next was monastery (i dont remember the name) built by lady Visaka for 10 years, 5 years or less in other places such as one built by his physician Jivaka (i believe it was mango grove), Bamboo groove (Veluvana) etc.  If you go by the record in these sutta, Buddha did not travel beyond what currently are India and Napal.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-09-09T21:41:50.713" LastActivityDate="2016-09-09T21:41:50.713" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17492" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17508" CreationDate="2016-09-10T05:17:16.957" Score="5" ViewCount="281" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha said that we shouldn't take his teachings as dogma, but rather try to experience for ourselves what realization is--why should we study the scriptures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8816" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T03:12:48.150" Title="Why should I study the Suttas?" Tags="|sutras|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-10T06:10:29.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas say to realise the Buddha's teachings. If we do not read any teachings that provide a guide to what is to be realised then doing it all by ourselves will be very difficult; maybe impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if we master meditation and have strong realisations of 'emptiness' ('&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;'), there remains important knowledge (both mundane &amp;amp; transcendent) necessary for mature realisation found in the suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many individuals in various esoteric traditions have realisations of 'emptiness' ('selflessness') but lack the maturity of vision as the Buddha, including within what is currently known as 'Buddhism'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T06:21:01.400" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T06:21:01.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-10T08:54:49.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term that the Buddha used to describe his disciples was ‘savakas’, that is to say, listeners or hearers. The importance of listening to Dhamma is clear from this, [and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha163.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THIS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; ]. Today we are unable to hear his teachings directly from the Buddha. The next best thing is the Suttas that contain a close record of the Buddha’s own words. Meditation without the Dhamma is not sufficient. The Suttas describe five conditions through which we can become Ariya, a Noble One. They are: Listening to the Dhamma, Teaching the Dhamma, Repeating the Dhamma, Reflecting on the Dhamma, Meditating. This shows that only one of the four factors are within meditation, the other four are out of meditation, ie. listening, teaching, repeating and reflecting on the Dhamma. For this we have to refer to the Buddha’s original discourses found in the Anguttara, Samyutta, Digha and Majjhima Nikayas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T08:54:49.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-10T08:58:38.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One factor of the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt; is &lt;strong&gt;Right view&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;sammaditthi&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without Right view as taught by the Buddha whatever you practise is not Buddhadhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas study allows one to find out what actually goes into the Right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides this suttas contain a lot of advice with regard to the practice and explain many finer points of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that the Buddha said verbatim that &lt;code&gt;we shouldn't take his teachings as dogma&lt;/code&gt;. However what I know he did say is that the Dhamma is a raft, when one needs to cross over the stream (&lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;) to the other shore (&lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;) this raft is indispensable, but it can be discarded when the other shore has been reached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So without the Dhamma &lt;strong&gt;as it has been taught by the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; the prospects of realizing &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt; are extremely faint, practically non-existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if one adheres to the idea that the Buddha's teaching shouldn't be taken as a dogma, how then one is to verify that what they practises and follows is the genuine Buddhadhamma and not their own diluted makeshift version of that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is not only hard and fast rules, but also principles by which to be guided in life so it's skillful, conducive to personal development and leads to good kammic results. It's not about dogma, it's about what's beneficial. One either accepts these principles, seeing their benefit, or one doesn't, and the latter case means that a person doesn't accept the Dhamma in its entirety, which indicates deficiency of the Right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T07:04:04.867" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T07:04:04.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17496" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-10T09:09:02.823" Score="4" ViewCount="529" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to develop Chanda?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything you have to add on this subject is welcomed and appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-12T13:32:02.987" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T13:32:02.987" Title="How to develop Chanda?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17496" CreationDate="2016-09-10T09:25:18.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanda (Desire) is the first of the Four iddhipada. An important reading in this regard is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://realtruthlife.blogspot.ca/2011/04/samyutta-nikaya-iddhipada-samyutta.html#.V9PWF5grKUk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Iddhipada Samyutta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; - The connected sayings on the four bases of spiritual power. Iddhipaada can be defined as the state of reaching completeness or perfection. Iddhiya: of attaining completion or perfection; pado: root or basis. The root or basis of attaining completion or perfection. Hence it is called iddhipada. Desire is considered one of the iddhipada, the bases of success.  It is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By chanda iddhipada (Chanda Samadhi Padhana Sankhara Samannagata iddhipada) is meant desire to obtain, desire to attain, desire to reach, desire to fulfil, desire to accomplish, The desire indicated here is extreme or excessive desire. There is nothing within or without one's personality that can obstruct that desire. It is the kind of desire that evokes the thought, 'If I do not attain this accomplishment in this life, I shall not rest content. It is better that I die rather than that I shall not attain it.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to develop Chanda is by developing Citta as an iddhipada. Citta iddhipada (Citta Samadhi Padhana Sankhara Samannagata iddhipada) means: attachment to iddhi when one comes in contact with the sasana (Buddha's Dispensation) and hears the Dhamma. It is attachment that is extremely ardent and strong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...One attains satisfaction and tranquillity only when one's mind is absorbed in matters connected with the iddhi. It is like the absorption of the alchemist engaged in the transmutation of the baser metals into gold or silver. Such an alchemist has no interest in anything else but his alchemy. He forgets to sleep or whether he had slept or eaten. He does not notice anything when out walking. Citta is great absorption or attachment of this nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this you require Viriya (great energy and effort.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A person with this viriya is infused with the thought that the aim can be attained by energy and effort. He is not discouraged even though it is said to him that he must undergo great hardships. He is not discouraged even though he actually has to undergo great hardships. He is not discouraged even though it is said to him that he must put forth effort for many days, months, and years. He is not discouraged even though he actually has to put forth effort for such long periods. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T09:42:05.753" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T09:42:05.753" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17496" CreationDate="2016-09-10T09:37:33.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To often reflect on the First Noble Truth in the context of a daily life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to do &lt;em&gt;maranasati&lt;/em&gt; (contemplation of death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T15:31:51.697" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T15:31:51.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17499" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17511" CreationDate="2016-09-10T10:51:36.510" Score="9" ViewCount="4527" Body="&lt;p&gt;One major differing point between Hinduism and Buddhism is the understanding of the self. Buddhist reject the Brahminical notion of an eternal, non-material soul substance that is distinct from the mind, body and sense organs. How then, is consciousness explained? Acts of cognition must occur from a &lt;em&gt;cogniser&lt;/em&gt;, a subject that knows, because consciousness does not belong to the body or the mind. Could it not be therefore inferred that this &lt;em&gt;cogniser&lt;/em&gt; exists as the self - a non-material soul? How can Buddhism explain  consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9982" LastActivityDate="2017-09-01T19:30:11.870" Title="How does Buddhism explain consciousness if there is no self?" Tags="|anatman|consciousness|soul|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T11:31:52.540" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Remember the Buddha refuses to answer &quot;Is there a self?&quot; and &quot;Is there no self?&quot;. He frequently points out things which are not self which is in line with his teaching &quot;sabbe sankhara annata&quot; (All compounded things are not-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you experience as consciousness is not-self because you cannot control it which is explained in the annata-lankana sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is also impermanent. You can theorize all you want about whether consciousness is a self but if you attach to the way your consciousness is then you will suffer. When you go to sleep your consciousness stops, that is a sign of impermanence. When you drink a lot of alcohol you can fade in an out of consciousness, your consciousness is hazy, if you were attached to your consciousness being a specific way then when you drink you'll suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T11:31:52.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T12:13:59.163" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a being is subdivided into &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;five aggregates&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rupa(Body/Form)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1. Rupa - Materiality(earth element, water element, fire element, air element etc.) &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nama(Mind)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; 2. Vedana  - Feeling(pleasant, unpleasant, neutral)&#xA; 3. Sanna - Perception(of form, of sound, of smell etc.)&#xA; 4. Sankhara - Mental Formation(greed, anger, delusion, love, kindness etc.)&#xA; 5. Vinnana - Consciousness(eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness etc.)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Consciousness' here means the bare awareness. Awareness is a caused phenomenon just like the rest of the five aggregates. It is not under your domain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ex: when you open your eyes, you cannot prevent from being aware of form. If you close your eyes or if there's no light, you cannot make eye-consciousness to arise. If you can control awareness you should be able to be aware of only pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes etc. But you can't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Acts of cognition must occur from a cogniser&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not! That is an assumption one makes due to paying unwise attention(Ayoniso Manasikhara) to experiences. When congnising happens, it should be noted in the most unadulterated form. It is simply 'cognising'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am cognizing&quot; is a fabrication or a perverted thought. It does not reflect reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism there are 4 such false views of 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Owner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dweller&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiencer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Consciousness' is merely a momentary mental phenomenon that arises due to causes and performs the task of being aware. Nothing more, nothing less!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T12:13:59.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T12:20:07.013" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One way to view consciousness is e.g. as described in this Wikipedia article: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vijñāna&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My paraphrase is there are three things for each of the six senses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An internal sense-organ (e.g. &quot;ear&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;External sense-objects (e.g. a &quot;sound&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Corresponding sense-consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's something translated as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;contact&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, if and when all three touch (e.g. if an &quot;ear&quot; and a &quot;sound&quot; contact each other, together with &quot;auditory consciousness&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose you can theorize that any of these three might (or might not) exist independently of such contact: e.g. maybe a sound-object exists even where there isn't an ear, or an ear without a sound, or ear-and-sound without consciousness, or consciousness without ear-and/or-sound, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway there's &quot;contact&quot; when all three coincide. Contact is something with arises-and-dissolves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say &quot;six senses&quot; because I think that &quot;idea and mind&quot; are viewed as a sixth &quot;sense&quot;: i.e. the mind perceives an idea (or series of ideas), in a similar way to the eye perceiving a sight (or series of sights).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, given those definitions ... is such consciousness (i.e. sense-consciousness) &quot;me&quot;, is it worth viewing it as self or as a non-material &quot;soul&quot;? Would you say for example, &quot;there's a sight, and there's an eye seeing it, there's contact/consciousness of seeing it, the object being seen has the form and name of (i.e. it is, and it is called) &quot;a tree&quot; for example, or &quot;a car&quot;, or whatever the external object is?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is such consciousness &quot;eternal&quot;, in your opinion? And would viewing consciousness as &quot;self&quot; lead to liberation and/or realization?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism argues that views of self (i.e. seeing anything as &quot;me&quot;) leads to a &quot;thicket of views&quot; and other problems -- for example, quoting from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory[27] from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&quot; — &quot;No, Lord.&quot; — &quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My paraphrase of that is, &quot;You're welcome to have a view about the self from which sorrow doesn't arise ... but do you see any such view? Because your answer is 'no', because you don't see such a view (i.e. a view of self from which sorrow doesn't arise) then don't assume such views (don't assume views of self from which sorrows do arise).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T12:20:07.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-10T14:13:30.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist cosmology describes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt;, divided into the following groups:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Formless realm &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Form realm &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensuous World &amp;lt;--- we humans are here &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not-so-pleasant place to be&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As some of the answers here explained, Buddhism is after all concerned with the cultivation of the holy life. An all-powerful god has little relevance as far as the cultivation of the holy life is concerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, it is interesting to note that among the 31 planes of existence one being comes very close to fitting the description of an all powerful god. This god belongs to the Form world and is called the Great Brahma, who (in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) is described by other lesser gods as the: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... the Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All-Seeing, All-Powerful, &#xA;      the Sovereign Lord, the Maker, Creator, Chief, Appointer and &#xA;      Ruler, Father of All That Have Been and Shall Be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Legend has it that great Brahma came into existence where he was alone. When other lesser deities and beings manifest into being; it so happened that he was at that time hoping for some company. He then mistakenly believed that he was the cause that willed them into existence, and thus consider himself the creator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kevaddha sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the great Brahma shares a amusing exchange with a monk, where he couldn't answer questions of his &quot;creations&quot;. I'm not going to spoil it for you, so I have included the link for you to find out yourself. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite the spirit of poking fun at these deities, it is also important to acknowledge that the level of cultivation that they have achieved in their previous lives are nothing to scoff at. It is unfortunate that these beings did not have the fortune of encountering the Buddha and his teachings. Otherwise, these are beings who in their previous lives polished their virtues to the utmost; and that is worthy of praise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10004" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T14:44:42.243" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T14:44:42.243" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T14:24:04.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the teaching of the Buddha consciousness and mind aren't strictly distingushed, mind (mano) is subsumed under consciousness (vinnana) which constitutes one of 5 aggregates (khandhas, processes which comprise the entire human experience)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An act of cognition is performed by consciousness being conditioned by contact (phassa) of the 5 senses with the phenomena or of the mind with ideas. There's no necessity in existence of a permanent independent entity for the act of cognition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T15:48:41.940" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T15:48:41.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17506" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17507" CreationDate="2016-09-10T14:25:57.523" Score="2" ViewCount="199" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.72&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.72&lt;/a&gt;, the buddha had an exchange which goes like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“What do you think, bhikkhu, do you regard the eye thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Good, bhikkhu! And here, bhikkhu, you should clearly see the eye as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Thus this first base for contact will be abandoned by you for no future renewed existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Repeats for the remaining 5 sense bases, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the buddha said, &lt;code&gt;this base for contact will be abandoned by you for no future renewed existence&lt;/code&gt;, does he mean that your future existence will be devoid of that sense base i.e. being born without sight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10004" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T18:29:02.240" Title="What does &quot;abandoned for no future renewed existence&quot; mean in this sutta?" Tags="|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17506" CreationDate="2016-09-10T14:45:10.000" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it means to give up the clinging towards eyes and sights since they are neither you nor yours. As a result, eyes and eye contact cannot cause you to be reborn again in Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T14:45:10.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-10T15:19:37.623" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the Buddha said that we shouldn't take his teachings as dogma, but rather try to experience for ourselves what realization is--why should we study the scriptures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, one should study the scriptures so one is not caught on hearsay of what the Buddha might have taught. Moreover, how can one expect to learn the teachings of the Buddha while at the same time ignoring the teachings of the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, besides being understood as a religion or carrying a philosophy, Buddhism carries a pedagogy and much of what the Buddha taught is a training, and like all training, it is intimately associated with &lt;em&gt;technique&lt;/em&gt; (pretty much anything that requires repetitive practice is an exercise on technique).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By comparison, take anything else that requires training and technique, like martial arts, for example. With the dedication to study and practice guided by a master, one can expect you to become a master yourself, perfectly fluent in the craft, in this life time. But turn your eyes away and ignore those who came before you, and the likelihood is that you might not develop yourself at all, much less, become a master yourself -- possibly, will hurt yourself before there's any significant progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another analogy, take calculus. It's not so hard to learn what Newton created by studying his work. However, it's very hard to come up with and invent calculus yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now note, it's not impossible to progress alone in any path -- some of them did have someone to pave the way after all. It just requires a certain commitment, a high endurance to failures and skills that is really rare. On that vein, some people may entertain the idea of trying alone anyway -- but then, the goal is not something like achieving nirvana (or understand calculus) but something else (like being recognized as someone who did it all by oneself -- a strange devotion to the very ego one is trying to destroy, one could say).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, to explain why a teacher would say to avoid taking the lessons as dogma, imagine for example a martial arts student copying and memorizing the lessons and boasting others by how well he has memorized -- but who could not perform a single move of what has been taught. Such student would likely have the teacher telling him &quot;hey, don't take what I say as a dogma, but experience [the movements in order to learn]&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-09-17T03:27:43.770" LastActivityDate="2016-09-17T03:27:43.770" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17506" CreationDate="2016-09-10T15:57:02.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is this hierarchy in the teaching. One such is in the Nama, of the  rupa (material phenomena) &amp;amp; nama (mental phenomena).  Nama is broken down into Vedana (feeling) , Sanna (perception),  Sankhara (mental activities),  Passa (contact) , and manasikāra (mental advertence). Buddha placed Passa &amp;amp; Manasikaara to the end for a reason. For the three things: feeling, perception and volition (vedana, sañña, and cetana) to be born contact has to be there. Dependent on contact only manasikāra (mental advertence) happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is sankhara (kaya sankhara, vaci sankhara and citta sankhara), and when we open our eyes, consciousness arises with ignorance. With the six faculties, six kinds of consciousness arise. consiousness of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness of mind. Because of consciousness, mentality and materiality arise. For example, in order to cognize a form, there should be attention to the form. When attention is there, consciousness arises. When there is consciousness, there is contact (the meeting of eye, form and consciousness of eye). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Passa (Pāli) is a Buddhist term meaning &quot;contact&quot; or &quot;touching.  By fully understanding (abandoning) this link in the chain of the 12 Part Cycle of Dependent Origination, you can solve the puzzle and be free from it.  The thrust of the formula is such that when certain conditions are present, they give rise to subsequent conditions, which in turn give rise to other conditions and the cyclical nature of life in Samsara can be seen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot escape from contact and consciousness.  It is inevitable.  Therefore what we have to eradicate is not contact and consciousness, but desire for what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. Buddha explained this by a simile.  Suppose a flayed cow was released.  To escape suffering, it jumps into water, then the creatures living in the water would attack it.  If it were to stand leaning against a tree, the insects on the tree would attack it.  If it were to stand exposed to the air, the creatures living in the air would attack it.  In the same way, we cannot escape from the nutriment of contact.  One cannot run away from reality.  We should be mindful and realize the truth that it is only by eradicating desire that we could eradicate unwholesome mental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is conceived of as stopping this cycle. By removing the causes for craving, craving ceases. So with the ceasing of birth, death ceases. With the ceasing of becoming, birth ceases... and so on until with the ceasing of ignorance no kamma is produced, and the whole process of death and rebirth ceases. In fact the opportunity for change comes between the stages of sensation and desire, since it is craving that drives the whole process. If one can simply experience sensations without desiring, then craving will not arise, and one can begin to be free from the cycle of birth and death. It is Passa paccaya vedana, With Vedanā as condition, Tanhā arises. So do you get the picture?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Avijja - ignorance or delusion;     With Avidyā as condition, Sanskāra arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8#q=Sankhara+-+kamma-formations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; - kamma-formations;  With Sanskāra as condition, Vijñāna arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Vinnana – consciousness;     With Vijñāna as condition, Nāmarūpa arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nama-rupa - mind and matter;     With Nāmarūpa as condition, Salāyatana arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Salayatana - six sense bases;    With Salāyatana as condition, Sparśa arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Passa - contact or impression;   With Passa as condition, Vedanā arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Vedana – Feeling;        With Vedanā as condition, Tanhā arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Tanha - craving ;        With Tanhā as condition, Upādāna arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Upadana – clinging;  With Upādāna as condition, Bhava arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Bhava – becoming;   With Bhava as condition, Jāti arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Jati – rebirth;         With Jāti as condition, Jarāmarana arises &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Jara-marana - old age and death; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T17:15:09.100" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T17:15:09.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1875" CreationDate="2016-09-10T17:53:41.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To know how to become a vipassana teacher go through this link &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.globalpagoda.org/Seva-questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.globalpagoda.org/Seva-questions&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10006" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T17:53:41.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T18:10:52.020" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Acts of cognition do not require a &quot;cogniser, a subject&quot; that knows (apart from the mind itself), because consciousness belongs to the body &amp;amp; mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original question contains an implicit assumption that is invalid. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cognition results from consciousness; just as a mirror reflects without a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains there are five aggregates (khandha) that compose a human life. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/a&gt; explains the idea of 'self' is ignorantly created by the 'sankhara khandha' (mental forming aggregate) and not the 'vinnana khandha' ('consciousness aggregate'). SN 22.59 clearly states each aggregate is 'not-self'. The sankhara created 'self' is a temporary product of ignorance (SN 22.81) &amp;amp; suffering (SN 5.10). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite ideas contained in later-day Buddhism about 'relinking' or 'stream of consciousness', the Pali suttas report the Buddha taught there can be no arising of consciousness without sense organs (MN 38), without other aggregates (SN 22.53) and without a mind-body (SN 12.67). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the suttas do not explain a 'cause' ('hetu') of consciousness, i.e., the parts or sub-elements that create consciousness (similar to how water, clay &amp;amp; pain are the parts used to make a cup or how ignorance, craving &amp;amp; attachment mix together to create suffering). The suttas only state consciousness has a requisite 'condition' ('paccaya'), which is the mind-body ('nama-rupa') &amp;amp; sense bases ('salayatana'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T00:26:05.747" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T00:26:05.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17506" CreationDate="2016-09-10T18:29:02.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;These kinds of teachings always mean to abandon craving &amp;amp; attachment towards the five aggregates &amp;amp; sense spheres, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.53&lt;/a&gt;, which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk &lt;strong&gt;abandons passion&lt;/strong&gt; for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off, and there&#xA;  is no landing of consciousness. Consciousness, thus not having landed,&#xA;  not increasing, not concocting, is released. Owing to its release, it&#xA;  is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its&#xA;  contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is&#xA;  totally unbound (Nibbana) right within.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iti 44&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; others suttas unambiguously explain the fully enlightened arahant still has five aggregates &amp;amp; sense bases, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;  burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;  released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;  remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure &amp;amp; pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate &amp;amp; delusion in him that is called...&#xA;  Nibbana...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T18:29:02.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17513" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-10T19:20:52.587" Score="12" ViewCount="1056" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been doing meditation for long time and have felt a change in me. I have started developing strong compassion, and due to this I am speaking very politely to everyone and always agreeing with the views of others. In fact, I am helping others in their work. However, now people have started taking me for granted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I speak kindly with my subordinates, they are taking advantage of me by commanding me to do their work and are trying to dominate. They have started speaking in rude ways to me as they have started feeling that I am not harmful for them and cannot do anything. I am now becoming a victim of their politics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to overcome this problem? I cannot leave my post as this is the only way of earning my bread and butter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being on the path of Buddhism, how to maintain relations with your colleagues?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10008" LastEditorUserId="8218" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T11:15:41.967" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T00:49:00.747" Title="Meditation, compassion: How to handle people who dominate you in the office?" Tags="|personal-practice|daily-life|compassion|relationship|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-10T20:03:55.110" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every worker has a duty to become proficient in &amp;amp; do their work. A proper leader must nurture this. Also, rude speech is improper in the workplace; just as rude speech is improper in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, the values in original Pali Buddhism perfectly fit a secular world. For example, if the Pali scriptures are read, it will not be found the Buddha speaking very politely to everyone and, particularly, always agreeing with other's views. Often the Buddha was firm (but always fair) to others in his speech &amp;amp; the Buddha always conformed with what is ethically &amp;amp; dhammically correct thus often correcting or even admonishing the wrong views of others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like the Dhamma-Vinaya (Doctrine-&amp;amp;-Disciple) has clear rules, a workplace has set rules &amp;amp; delegation of duties. These should be adhered to, without prejudice, which results in a lack of confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a leader, you have the opportunity to nurture a clear, ethical &amp;amp; unconfused workplace. It is when workplace leaders become corrupt, prejudiced or too wavering when confusion arises &amp;amp; difficulties begin, particularly for ethical workers. Most people take any chance to dominate. A fair &amp;amp; ethical leader is rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, less focus on personalities (including your own) and more focus on rules &amp;amp; responsibilities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kesi, I train a tamable person [sometimes] with gentleness, [sometimes] with sternness, [sometimes] with both gentleness &amp;amp;&#xA;  sternness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kesi Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some references: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://pintojukjun.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/right-speech-from-his-own-lips.html#.V9RrPfl9600&quot;&gt;Right Speech From His Own Lips&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot;&gt;A Constitution for Living: Buddhist Principles for a Fruitful and Harmonious Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Potaliya, four kinds of people exist and can be found in the world.  What four kinds?  The four kinds are:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some people blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not praise those who should be praised,&#xA;  according to the truth, at the proper time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some people praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not blame those who should be&#xA;  blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some people do not blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, and do not praise those who should be&#xA;  praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some people blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, and praise those who should be praised, according&#xA;  to the truth, at the proper time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Potaliya, these four kinds of people exist and can be found in the world.  Of these four kinds of people, that kind should be the most&#xA;  fair and right, the most refined, to you?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Venerable Lord Gotama, of all those four kinds of people, the kind of person who does not blame those who should be blamed, according to&#xA;  the truth, at the proper time, and does not praise those who should be&#xA;  praised, according to the truth, at the proper time; is the kind of&#xA;  person who is the most beautiful and refined to me.  What is the&#xA;  reason for this?  Because this is fair and right with upekkha&#xA;  (equanimity).&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Potaliya, of all those four kinds of people, whichever kind of person blames those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the&#xA;  proper time, and praises those who should be praised, according to the&#xA;  truth, at the proper time; this kind of person is the most beautiful&#xA;  and refined of these four kinds of people.  What is the reason for&#xA;  this?  It is fair and right because such a one knows the right time in&#xA;  those circumstances.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avoiding the biases: when an administrator is carrying out his functions, he should not allow the four biases, or deviations from&#xA;  righteousness, to interfere:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chandagati: biased conduct on account of like&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dosagati: biased conduct on account of dislike&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mohagati: biased conduct on account of delusion or foolishness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhayagati: biased conduct on account of&#xA;  timidity and fear&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T20:32:54.897" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T20:32:54.897" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-10T20:26:52.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;and always agreeing on others view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;very wrong message, polite disagreement is completely normal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;try to overcome it by ceasing being meek and docile, because people are animals and take kindness for weakness, and then the following saying is at work&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the willing horse gets the whip&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;without knowledge of the hierarchy and distribution of powers at the workplace it's difficult to offer suggestions, but if there're enough powers to effect a dismissal of such manipulative and brazen subordinates, they can be given a warning, maybe in an indirect form&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-10T21:00:36.777" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T21:00:36.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-10T21:58:24.873" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Acts of cognition must occur from a cogniser&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really?  The shining of the sun is happening naturally without the need for a &quot;shiner&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where does &lt;em&gt;cognizing&lt;/em&gt; happen?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or even better, if you drink a cup of tea, where is the drinker?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the drinker in the hand?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In the tea?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In the cup? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha Shakyamuni taught that there is no independent, lasting self, which is what selflessness alludes to from the perspective of pure wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is, even a single action by a single person requires the rest of the universe to come into alignment at all.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, when coming to consider our very personal and intimate experience of the world, we find that we all have proclivities, patterns, and pathways or courses through life that are distinct and fairly individual.  However, all beings wish for freedom from pain and discomfort, and yearn for bliss and happiness, we all just go about it in ways that may be contrary to our goals, and the Buddha taught true causes, true effects, true pathways to where we want to go.  One of the contemplations taught by the Buddha was the contemplation of selflessness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without faith, it is not possible (in my limited perspective and ignoramus opinion) to realize selflessness.  With doubt we can sharpen our perception and acumen to a degree, but when one sits down to try and realize truths that were illuminated by the Lion of Speech (another pet name for the Buddha), doubt is a huge obstacle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So rather than doubt whether or not &lt;em&gt;selflessness&lt;/em&gt; is true, we can doubt the notion of a &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can investigate: if there is a self, where does it dwell?  Does it dwell in the body, does it dwell in the mind?  Is it the same as the body?  Is it the same as the mind?  When your attention is focused on a sound or on a flavor or on a taste, would this experiencing be a &lt;em&gt;Self&lt;/em&gt;?  What happens when the experience dissolves or the rest of the cosmos transitions.  Where did this &quot;lasting self&quot; go?  Was it ever actually there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We may be fooled and think selflessness means that we have no agency or power in the universe, but it is precisely because &lt;em&gt;identity&lt;/em&gt; is not a static thing that we can grow and make our way towards Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So consider with any phenomenon: where is its &lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt; nature.  Does it perhaps come into being based on all the phenomena around it?  Does this computer exist in the way we think it to, or does it arise due to the circumstances and all the parts and intentions coming together?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;anatman may be translated as &lt;em&gt;selflessness&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;identitylessness&lt;/em&gt; and both terms are great for meditating.  If they are difficult to accept as truth or reality, then we must contemplate them over and over and ask questions.  Finally, when we have faith that there is no alternative to all forms of existence exhibiting the (three) marks of existence [selflessness/identitylessness being one of the three marks] then we can sit down to meditate with great faith and inspiration and gratitude to the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-09-10T21:58:24.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-11T03:26:02.617" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have experienced some brief training as a novice monk in a short term monastic retreat in the Chinese Chan (Zen) tradition, and I can assure you that you get a lot of tough love. The disciplinary monks are very stern and you can expect a good earful if you make careless mistakes. That is how they push the monks really hard into a disciplined life style. It's effectively a boot camp for mindful living. I have been unable to maintain the same standard of discipline in my lay life but it has changed me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as you get to know the teachers you realized they actually has a very soft side and are very compassionate in training us harshly even though it means they might not be liked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't take abuse from people. It's not acceptable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T03:26:02.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17519" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17526" CreationDate="2016-09-11T05:56:54.630" Score="4" ViewCount="1005" Body="&lt;p&gt;From this coming full moon I've to start fasting and keep it on, so what I've to practice on this day ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2018-03-27T15:42:15.153" LastActivityDate="2018-03-27T15:42:15.153" Title="What to do for fasting on full moon?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|fasting|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9161" CreationDate="2016-09-11T07:26:51.860" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm decidedly not an expert in this--but I'd argue it is both. Your goal is to be mindful of each passing moment: in, of, and for itself. But that is also the path. There is nothing to do, but do to it--stop worrying, stop analyzing: just be in the present moment, mindful of all that is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But mindfulness is hard. As soon as you try to meditate, thoughts bubble upwards, your monkey mind takes you a dozen directions. The goal is for all of that to stop, but the only way to achieve this is practice--and that is done by following the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5555" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T07:26:51.860" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17361" CreationDate="2016-09-11T07:50:19.677" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is &lt;strong&gt;yes&lt;/strong&gt;, but in a different way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maha Brahma, Great Brahma:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Brahma really exists, but his existence is viewed as temporary and impermanent, He is an extremely powerful being who mistakenly believes himself to be the all-knowing all-powerful Creator of the universe, who comes into existence at the beginning of the universe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There comes a time, bhikkhus, when after the lapse of a long period&#xA;  this universe contracts (disintegrates). While the universe is contracting,&#xA;  beings for the most part are reborn in the Ābhassara Brahma-world.&#xA;  There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving&#xA;  through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long,&#xA;  long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But sooner or later, bhikkhus, after the lapse of a long period, there comes a time when this universe begins to expand once again. While&#xA;  the universe is expanding, an empty palace of Brahmā appears. Then a&#xA;  certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the&#xA;  exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and&#xA;  re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made,&#xA;  feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in&#xA;  glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, as a result of dwelling there all alone for so long a time, there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation, (and he yearns):&#xA;  'Oh, that other beings might come to this place!' Just at that moment,&#xA;  due to the exhaustion of their life-span or the exhaustion of their&#xA;  merit, certain other beings pass away from the Ābhassara plane and&#xA;  re-arise in the palace of Brahmā, in companionship with him. There&#xA;  they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving&#xA;  through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long,&#xA;  long period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thereupon the being who re-arose there first thinks to himself: 'I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the&#xA;  the All-Seeing, All-Powerful, the Lord, the Maker and Creator,&#xA;  the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that&#xA;  are and are to be. And these beings have been created by me. What is&#xA;  the reason? Because first I made the wish: &quot;Oh, that other beings&#xA;  might come to this place!&quot; And after I made this resolution, now these&#xA;  beings have come.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And the beings who re-arose there after him also think: 'This must be&#xA;  Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the&#xA;  the All-Seeing, All-Powerful, the Lord, the Maker and Creator,&#xA;  the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that&#xA;  are and are to be. And we have been created by him. What is the&#xA;  reason? Because we see that he was here first, and we appeared here&#xA;  after him.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Herein, bhikkhus, the being who re-arose there first possesses longer life, greater beauty, and greater authority than the beings who&#xA;  re-arose there after him. (Brahmajāla Sutta, DN 1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma worlds are full of pleasure and last for such an extremely extremely long time that it is often mistaken as eternal by many but eventually the Brahma worlds come to an end (it's a temporary heavenly world, so it's not a solution to ending suffering). Maha Brahma is extremely powerful so He is often mistaken as all-powerful, all-knowing, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most likely Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (and other religions that speak of a Creator god that existed in the beginning of the universe) came from the Brahma worlds or beings influenced by the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why many morals in Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions resemble Buddhism is because they lead towards the Brahma worlds which is viewed as one of the best possible destinations, but still below the Pure Abodes and nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to get into the Brahma worlds one has to be extremely virtuous and loving or enter higher meditative states (jhanas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Brahma and other Brahma-beings are viewed as mostly good and closer in accordance to the dhamma than most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Brahma and other extremely powerful beings in this universe-system are still influenced by the Evil One (Mara, Satan), and still experience sorrow, anger, etc...unlike arahants and Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a story in the Brahma-nimantanika Sutta (MN 49) where the Evil One possesses followers of Brahma to say something like &quot;Don't defy Brahma otherwise you'll go to hell&quot; just like many modern day followers do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Evil One (Mara, Satan) prefers that people go to the temporary Brahma worlds rather than achieve arahantship knowing that it's temporary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says to a Brahma-being &quot;Thus I am not your mere equal in terms of direct knowing, so how could I be inferior? I am actually superior to you&quot; (Brahma-nimantanika Sutta, MN 49).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Unborn / Nibbana:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor&#xA;  fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor&#xA;  dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of&#xA;  nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception;&#xA;  neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there,&#xA;  I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor stasis; neither passing&#xA;  away nor arising: without stance, without foundation, without support&#xA;  [mental object]. This, just this, is the end of stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Udana 8.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is, monks, an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If&#xA;  there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there&#xA;  would not be the case that emancipation from the born — become — made&#xA;  — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an&#xA;  unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, emancipation from the born&#xA;  — become — made — fabricated is discerned.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— Udana 8.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhas:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhas are viewed as Supreme Beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhas and arahants are viewed as higher (or superior) to Maha Brahma and other beings in the universe under samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also has superior supernormal powers to Maha Brahma as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All-conquering, all-knowing am I, with regard to all things,&#xA;    unadhering. All-abandoning, released in the ending of craving: having&#xA;  fully known on my own, to whom should I point as my teacher?&quot;&#xA;  (Dhammapada, 353)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pure Land Buddhism there are Buddha-lands that last for an incalculably long time. Amida Buddha seems to be the main one centered, who's light shines everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Primordial Buddha:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Buddha is the Original Buddha, like the unborn itself inside of everything found in Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I am the core of all that exists. I am the seed of all that exists. I&#xA;  am the cause of all that exists. I am the trunk of all that exists. I&#xA;  am the foundation of all that exists. I am the root of existence. I am&#xA;  ‘the core’ because I contain all phenomena. I am ‘the seed’ because I&#xA;  give birth to everything. I am ‘the cause’ because all comes from me.&quot;&#xA;  - All-Creating King Tantra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So certainly Buddhism has Supreme Being concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T07:50:19.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-11T08:58:52.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am speaking very politely to everyone and always agreeing with the&#xA;  views of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not compassionate to be overly lenient towards others and allow them to push you around. If you do this, you allow &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; egos to grow and &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; bad qualities to rise. A compassionate Buddhist should behave to others in a way that he believes will be the most beneficial to everyone. This means speaking clearly and openly to others. If one disagrees with something, one can say it clearly and frankly, but in a kind, considerate way. Repressing one's own opinions and wishes is not going to benefit anyone. Clear communication, interaction and occasional compromises are necessary for a harmonious work-environment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, as a leader, it's your &lt;em&gt;duty&lt;/em&gt; to take the lead and tell your subordinates what to do in some way or the other. That doesn't mean you have to be overly bossy, or refuse to listen to the viewpoints of your subordinates. However, it means you need to take both views into account and, in the end, make balanced decisions as a leader. Sometimes this may mean putting your foot down and say you disagree with some of the wishes/views of your subordinates. As a part of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;right&amp;nbsp;livelihood&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; you need to fulfill your obligation and agreement with your employer. As a part of that obligation, you have made a promise to be a leader. (It's part of your job.) If you don't fulfill that obligation, you are not keeping your promise to your employer. Thus, it would not be right livelihood, since you'd be breaking your obligation and word. You need to act as a leader, as you're expected to. The challenge for you is to combine this with being compassionate and kind. This is hardly easy, but it's what the Buddhist path can be like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8218" LastEditorUserId="8218" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T09:12:40.483" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T09:12:40.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17519" CreationDate="2016-09-11T09:05:50.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The full moon day is called the 'Uposatha'. It may help to google the word &amp;amp; read it about, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhanet: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/devotion/devotion06.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Observance Day (Uposatha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Access to Insight (which categorizes it as a type of &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;, virtue): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha Observance Days&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wikipedia: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T09:21:14.967" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T09:21:14.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17496" CreationDate="2016-09-11T09:09:20.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In its introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kāmacchanda&lt;/em&gt; (Desire for Sensual Pleasure)&lt;/a&gt;, Dharmafarer describes or defines &lt;em&gt;Chanda&lt;/em&gt; as a &amp;quot;morally neutral&amp;quot; term. It's too long to quote, but:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are 'negative' forms of Chanda which include taṇhā (craving), upādāna (clinging), and desire for sense-objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chanda can also be used to describe a 'positive' desire:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When desire is rooted in any of the three wholesome roots (non-greed,&#xA;non-hate, non-delusion), it is said to be motivated by a wholesome mind (&lt;em&gt;kusala,citta&lt;/em&gt;). Once&#xA;moved by such a wholesome state, we have the desire (&lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;) to arouse and direct our effort to letting&#xA;go of the evil we have been doing, to keep on avoiding it, to cultivate good, and maintain it. Here,&#xA;&lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt; is clearly a word for &lt;strong&gt;right effort&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;sammā vāyāma&lt;/em&gt;). The Commentaries regard this as a wholesome&#xA;desire (&lt;em&gt;kusala-c,chanda&lt;/em&gt;),&#xA;a spiritual desire (or Dharma-moved desire, &lt;em&gt;dhamma-c,chanda&lt;/em&gt;),&#xA;the desire (or&#xA;will) to create wholesome states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming it's 'positive' chanda that you want to develop, I think the above suggests several answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If or given that &amp;quot;chanda is clearly a word for right effort&amp;quot;, then learn to develop &amp;quot;right effort&amp;quot;. I say that because, because &amp;quot;right effort&amp;quot; is a factor of the noble eightfold path, there might be a lot more spoken and written about &amp;quot;right effort&amp;quot; than there is about &amp;quot;chanda&amp;quot; -- for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here are some quotes&lt;/a&gt; about right effort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understand what's meant by the &amp;quot;three wholesome roots&amp;quot; (and the &amp;quot;three unwholesome roots&amp;quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It might be worth considering, why did the Buddha do what he did? Well, legend has it was that what triggered Siddhārtha Gautama's search was the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four sights&lt;/a&gt;. That fits in with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17498/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which gives &amp;quot;first noble truth&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;contemplation of death&amp;quot; as relevant factors.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a (non-Buddhist) maxim, that people develop ability in accordance with their need: if you want to increase your ability you should increase your need. A silly example of that is that when I was learning to swim, when I was young, I jumped into the deep end of the swimming pool (then struggled from there to the edge of the pool, and so on, jumping in repeatedly).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion there are times in life (losing things and/or people you were attached to) when the &amp;quot;need&amp;quot; for dhamma (and maybe the need for mindfulness and so on) become more apparent. I think it wouldn't be nice of me to say that &amp;quot;I hope your chanda increases, because I hope your need increases, because I hope you lose what you're attached to!&amp;quot; Nevertheless that may be what you do for yourself: i.e. you contemplate the nature of attachment, remember that things &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; impermanent, and so on, so that you're better prepared for such events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I guess that's what monks do: i.e. voluntarily renounce various things they might be attached to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I guess there are going to be moments, big moments in your life, and little moments in your day, when you become of aware of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first noble truth&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;association with the unbeloved is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; not getting what is wanted is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be a time of naturally-occurring &amp;quot;need&amp;quot; on your part. You said in a comment that you want to practice &amp;quot;tiny meditaitons - gung ho meditations&amp;quot; ... it's when/whenever you're aware of 'suffering', that might be when you have an opportunity to &amp;quot;meditate&amp;quot; in one way or another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that after a while of practice you might make a 'right effort' earlier, before stress really even arises. For example if you were an alcoholic, then you might suffer a lot, and that suffering might prompt a big effort to quit alcohol. Later you might relapse into alcoholism again, and then repeat this cycle several times. After a while, when you're sober, you might be aware of just a little suffering which is triggering a desire to start drinking ... and be able to forestall that with just a small right effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T09:09:20.163" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-11T10:10:10.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could also ask this question on &lt;a href=&quot;https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions&quot;&gt;Workplace.SE&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here I'll try to give an answer that relevant to Buddhism .SE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As I speak kindly with my subordinates, they are taking advantage of me by commanding me to do their work and are trying to dominate.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has happened, when I was working somewhere, that a friend/colleague told me that he'd decided to leave and go and work elsewhere. Instead of being annoyed (that they were leaving), I wanted to be happy for them (i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mudita&lt;/a&gt;): that they were free to find another job that they preferred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An opposite (a negative), to be avoided, is to have a &amp;quot;mind of ill-will&amp;quot;. I think you can (should) &amp;quot;speak kindly to your subordinates&amp;quot; and avoid having ill-will towards them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That needn't mean they &amp;quot;dominate you&amp;quot;, though, for a few reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Compassion&amp;quot; means, &amp;quot;may they be free from suffering&amp;quot;. You seem to be treating this as a zero-sum game (they win if you lose, and compassion means that you should let them win). Instead of &amp;quot;zero-sum&amp;quot; I prefer to see work as a cooperative endeavour, i.e. &amp;quot;we win if we cooperate&amp;quot;. You can want them to be free from suffering, without wanting them to dominate you. You might also do this with children or animals: if you know what's good and bad for them, you tell them and insist on that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &amp;quot;equanimity&amp;quot;: part of the Buddhist teaching on equanimity is to reflect that everyone is the owner of their  kamma. For example once, when I was working as a software developer, I had one colleague, who couldn't do the work, and who smelled of alcohol at work. I told my boss, and he was fired. I didn't have ill-will towards this man, and it wasn't my fault he was drinking: but this wasn't the right job for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has a concept of &amp;quot;right livelihood&amp;quot;, i.e. that in order to be moral you shouldn't have immoral employment. Buddhism doesn't have much to say about it for lay people, there are very few &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rules describing right livelihood&lt;/a&gt; for lay-people. Nevertheless I think that one of the rules is &amp;quot;not cheating&amp;quot;: for example if your employer hires you to be a manager, then you owe it (to your employer) to be a good manager. This needn't mean being a cruel manager (if it does then maybe you need a different employer), but IMO your job as manager is to balance the needs of the employer with the needs of the employee (and the rest of society too, i.e. the employer's owners and customers etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for example you define work, assign it to employees, supervise the quality of the work, integrate their output with other people's work, etc. The fact that you're trying to do right livelihood means that it's inappropriate as a manager to be a push-over, to be too dominated. You might find it help to read this collection of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definitions of right speech&lt;/a&gt; ... which even permits some things said which other people don't like, which they find &amp;quot;unendearing and disagreeable&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That quote is taken from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which also includes this line:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think, prince: If this young boy, through your own negligence or that of the nurse, were to take a stick or a piece of gravel into its mouth, what would you do?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would take it out, lord. If I couldn't get it out right away, then holding its head in my left hand and crooking a finger of my right, I would take it out, even if it meant drawing blood. Why is that? Because I have sympathy for the young boy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another concept more-or-less related to Buddhism might be being impersonal. For example when I was the &amp;quot;chief software developer&amp;quot; at a company, I didn't think of it as my job to supervise the people: I saw it as my job to supervise the software that was being created. I'd talk to people about the software (e.g. &amp;quot;this software which you wrote is good and/or bad&amp;quot;), not try to dominate the people (e.g. &amp;quot;you are good and/or bad&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When reviewing their software I tried to have three (not just two) categories of comment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is good: acceptable, well done.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This is, in my opinion, not (yet) good enough, for this and that reason: please change it in this and that way before I accept it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Well, OK; I wouldn't have done it that way. FYI I would have done it so and so. If you like/agree/prefer you could change it to include my suggestion, or we can keep it the way you've done it: it's acceptable.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving my opinion on the software was something I was relatively competent at. Because I was focused on the software, people couldn't easily &amp;quot;dominate&amp;quot; me except my giving me high-quality software, which is what I (and my employer) wanted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly you find it better to be shoulder-to-shoulder with your subordinates, assessing the work, working together, instead of face-to-face and trying to dominate each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I remember, just once, it happened that someone wasn't willing to let me review their changes to the software. Well, responsibility and authority tend to go together. In this case I was (part) responsible for the quality of the software and I had the corresponding authority (e.g. I had the Administrator password and authority to use it). Instead of arguing with the person, I used Administrator functionality to remove their write-access to the software, so that they couldn't (so that only I could) write their changes. That was kind of forceful but it was the really least amount of force, harmless, an appropriate response to the risk/threat of unreviewed software being written.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;They have started speaking in rude ways to me as they have started feeling that I am not harmful for them and cannot do anything.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be worth telling them: &amp;quot;Don't be rude to me. I'm trying to do a useful job here, and trying to help you do a good job.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that doesn't work, you might talk to your boss about it. Note that &amp;quot;X is rude to me&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;X is rude to others&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;X isn't doing their job&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;X doesn't accept my advice&amp;quot; are various different statements you could make to your boss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T11:42:37.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17519" CreationDate="2016-09-11T11:57:00.067" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Visakha Uposatha Sutta AN 8.43&lt;/a&gt;  and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha AN 3.70&lt;/a&gt;  are good reads in this regard. Also in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uposatha Sutta— Practicing uposatha —AN 3.71&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha defines how lay people should practice Uposatha and describes the different types of devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uposatha practice is the practice by which lay people rest from their daily work, devoting a day on the full moon, new moon, and quarter moon days,  to listening to the Dhamma and training the mind in meditation. The question is whether one does it the proper way or not. The practice of taking the eight precepts in the morning, then taking the five precepts again in the evening, is not proper. In the Uposatha Sutta, Buddha describe it as ‘the Cowherd’s Uposatha.’  It is not the Uposatha of the Noble Ones. The eight precepts should be observed for at least twenty-four hours. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another thing to be mindful about is that those persons who, on uposatha days plan to go to quiet places to meditate they inadvertently fall into other trappings. They at times end up in the company of friends and get into other unrelated conversations, because they have no control over their minds. Even in meditation even when they attempt to direct their minds to the samatha (calm) or metta (loving-kindness), their thoughts get scattered aimlessly and they end up only with the visible manifestation of the recitation. The 24 hour uposatha is for the mind, and not for the body. Lastly, it is important for one be mindful to take the five precepts to formally end the uposatha, whenever one wants to terminate it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T21:39:16.070" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T21:39:16.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17528" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17537" CreationDate="2016-09-11T13:39:41.270" Score="6" ViewCount="510" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that there is insight meditation (mostly as part of practicing Buddhism) and Samantha (which involves Buddhism, but really just as a tool in the beginning of a meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question springs from a question below and reading this answer about (Samantha) Anapanasati:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9185/8475&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9185/8475&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, I believe that the answers about meditation for &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5716/8475&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; are inadequate. I may be alone here, but the current answers do not specify a practical technique for meditation (assuming that mindfulness is a subcomponent). Categorizing the different types of meditation may help in for these underlying reasons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14251/best-type-of-meditation-for-attention&quot;&gt;Best type of meditation for attention&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17312/technique-for-concentrative-meditation&quot;&gt;Technique for Concentrative Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3547/what-exactly-differentiates-vipassana-from-samatha-meditation&quot;&gt;What exactly differentiates Vipassana from Samatha meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, I intent to make a venn diagram showing the similarities and such...&#xA;Here are related questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/8351/does-zen-distinguish-between-concentration-and-insight-meditation&quot;&gt;Does Zen distinguish between concentration and insight meditation?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9810/buddhas-advice-regarding-meditation-practice&quot;&gt;Buddha's advice regarding meditation practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T21:18:24.320" Title="What are the broad categories of the different types of meditation?" Tags="|meditation-effects|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17529" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-11T15:56:05.947" Score="6" ViewCount="792" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the several advertised benefits of listening to audiobooks is that it is an ideal activity to accompany those many chores, such as washing the dishes, doing the laundry, running outside etc., that considered all together subtract a considerable amount of free time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For normal people doing this may look like a great idea, but as a meditator and buddhist practitioner I also see which dangers are there in relation to the mindfulness practice. In particular, I am afraid that by listening to audiobooks or, more generally, by conducting too many activities all at once, I may easily undo the effects of concentration meditation and mindfulness or lead my mind too astray.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though I'm planning to do the experiment myself, I would nevertheless like to ask: have you ever been able to integrate your mindfulness practice with doing multiple activities at the same time? What have been, specifically, the results regarding listening to audiobooks, provided you have ever tried this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5275" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T16:02:55.983" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T06:07:22.673" Title="Should I consider multitasking while listening to audiobooks? Is it a danger to mindfulness?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2016-09-11T20:00:09.410" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you visit &amp;amp; stay in Buddhist centers, you listen to audio talks about Buddhism while you meditate. Deep meditation &amp;amp; listening to audio can occur at the same time. Therefore, I doubt listening to audio information impairs meditation. I listen to as much audio information as I can (rather than read books) since I have never been partial to reading books. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for multi-tasking, meditation can help a lot there. A nibble mind can multi-task better.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T20:00:09.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17528" CreationDate="2016-09-11T20:39:37.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The link referred to uses the ideas of the monk Yuttadhammo as a guide. Yuttadhammo is connected to a certain idiosyncratic Burmese meditation tradition that appears to misapprehend Anapanasati.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very fact that the Pali scriptures report Anapanasati is '&lt;em&gt;The Tathagata's Dwelling&lt;/em&gt;' (SN 54.11) shows believing Anapanasati to be only 'samatha' is an error. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If anyone, bhikkhus, speaking rightly could say of anything: &quot;It is a noble dwelling, a divine dwelling, the Tathagata's dwelling&quot;, it is of&#xA;  concentration by mindfulness with breathing that one could rightly say&#xA;  this.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 54.11&lt;/em&gt; (no direct link)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati, when performed correctly, develops both samatha (&lt;em&gt;tranquility&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) together. In the majority of discourses in the Pali suttas, Anapanasati is recommended as a complete system of meditation, where samatha (&lt;em&gt;tranquility&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) are developed in tandem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There cannot really be different kinds of meditation, when meditation is practised correctly &amp;amp; successfully. The reason for this is because when attention &amp;amp; concentration are properly developed, insight will naturally occur as an automatic result. But if concentration is practised incorrectly, such as by &lt;em&gt;suppressing&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;forcing&lt;/em&gt; the mind, insight will not occur and the samatha that occurs will be unclear &amp;amp; drowsy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if the Burmese 'insight' techniques can be practised successfully, true insight will lead to the mind's hindrances/defilements/thoughts stopping, which will result in the mind automatically developing concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.25.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; states there can be no concentration without insight &amp;amp; no insight without concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;372. There is no meditative concentration for him who lacks insight and no insight for him who lacks meditative concentration. He in whom&#xA;  are found both meditative concentration and insight, indeed, is close&#xA;  to Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meditation methods developed in Burma, which Yuttadhammo teaches, appear to have been developed to avoid the lethargy of mind that occurs from when samatha meditation is developed improperly, which is extremely common. It is probably a fact that most people do not practise Anapanasati in an ideal manner, which results in misunderstandings about Anapanasati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very fact that most translators translate 'Anapanasati' as '&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness Of Breathing&lt;/em&gt;' demonstrates an inherent misunderstanding of what 'Anapanasati' is (since the translation should be 'Mindfulness With/When/While Breathing'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The so-called 'Insight' techniques taught by Yuttadhammo are designed to keep the mind open, awake &amp;amp; alert; to avoid the lethargy of wrong anapanasati practise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this may seem to be a very positive thing, the best thing is to correct one's misunderstandings of Anapanasati rather than preach misunderstandings about Anapanasati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, we must choose the technique that is best for us. For those unable to practise Anapanasati as instructed in the suttas (which is based on the practise of 'letting go' called '&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;'), the Burmese 'insight' methods of Mahasi Sayadaw that Yuttadhammo teaches may be a better option if they wish to develop alertness &amp;amp; attention.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening&#xA;  dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on&#xA;  cessation, resulting in relinquishment (vossagga).&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He develops analysis of&#xA;  dhammas (insight) as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on&#xA;  dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment&#xA;  (vossagga).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go&#xA;  (vossagga), attains concentration, attains singleness of mind&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-11T21:11:24.330" LastActivityDate="2016-09-11T21:11:24.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17468" CreationDate="2016-09-12T00:31:50.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the reason for no meal after noon was two fold. First, it was inconvenient for people to have monks come begging at that time of day, and people had leftovers in the morning from the previous day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, monks who spend a lot of time meditating do not require as much food (calories) as the average person. Buddha said that we should eat according to the needs of the body. That means not only when you eat, but also what you eat. Not a problem in ancient times, but consider modern times when monks are given junk food. Many of them now have diabetes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T00:31:50.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17513" CreationDate="2016-09-12T00:49:00.747" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is cited as Victor for a reason: a good Buddhist is strong and certain - not weak and doubtful. These strength and certainty come from standing firmly with both feet in reality (Tatha) - standing firmly with both feet in Dharma. A good Buddhist does not surrender to what is false, nor does he (or she) cling to what is false. Because there is nothing in him that is false, he can be strong and certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T00:49:00.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-12T00:58:29.180" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Be like water&quot; - so when you fail you keep going. There is no going back. You keep going and learning will happen (almost) by itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T00:58:29.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17535" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17496" CreationDate="2016-09-12T01:09:24.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Simple answer: you get motivation from thinking. Thinking about the consequences of doing this way or doing that way, or consequences of not doing anything. Tell yourself a story, add details, tell it again, focus on the details that make the point - here you go, motivation. If you can't tell yourself a story, then read a story. Or go to a place that inspires you. Simple, right? The power of narratives can create miracles - should not be underestimated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the deeper level, why do you think you need motivation/desire? Usually it is the other way - desire finds you and makes you run around. Maybe desire is sickness and you are healthy? ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T01:09:24.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5211" CreationDate="2016-09-12T02:26:27.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that life is actually following a law that is universal and unavoidable just like gravity.When we chant we try to awaken ourselves to this ultimate law and synchronize our lives with the same .Our life at each moment encompasses the whole universe (as is written in the concept of Three thousand realms in a single moment of life) and we can tap the utmost potential hidden in this very moment by chanting Nam myoho renge kyo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10014" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T02:26:27.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17528" CreationDate="2016-09-12T02:58:37.193" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;THE BROADER CATEGORIES ARE MENTIONED WITHIN SOME OF THE TYPES OF MEDITATIONS LISTED BELOW, and ALSO IS LISTED &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HERE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Reflective meditation&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are a series of meditations that can put you in the right frame of mind.  The &lt;strong&gt;guardian meditations&lt;/strong&gt; are one tool to reduce the power of the hindrances.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhanussati  (reflection on the qualities of the Buddha)&#xA;The first guardian meditation is recollection of the Buddha, keeping in mind his Awakening. It is the reflection on the nine supreme qualities of the Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta (Loving Kindness Meditation)&#xA;The second guardian meditation is goodwill.  If one is friendly to oneself, that person will not harm himself/herself. If a person is friendly to others, that person would not harm others’ lives. Therefore, the friendship that brings good to oneself and others is called Mettā.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asubha (Meditation on loathsomeness)&#xA;The third guardian meditation - Here one reflects on this very body from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin and full of various kinds of unclean things: 'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.'&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maranasati (Meditation on the recollection of death)&#xA;The fourth guardian meditation - “Mindfulness of death, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation.” – Anguttara Nikaya 8.7&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are 10 &lt;strong&gt;Anussati meditations&lt;/strong&gt; - 8 reflections and 2 on mindfulness.  Anussati means repeated reflection or constant awareness or mindfulness on some object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dhammanussati (reflection on the qualities of the Dhamma)&#xA;. The second of the 10 is Reflecting on the virtues of the Dhamma (Dhammanussati). It is the reflection on the six supreme qualities of the Teaching of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sanghanussati (reflection on the qualities of the Sangha)&#xA;The third of the 10 is the Sangha is the third of the Three Jewels in Buddhism. It is the reflection on the supreme qualities of the ideal community of Noble Ones (ariya-sangha) — those monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen who, throughout history, have by their own diligent efforts successfully carried out the Buddha's instructions and gained at least a glimpse of the supreme happiness of nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Silanussati (meditation about virtue)&#xA;The fourth of the 10 is is the recollection of one's own moral virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Devatanussati (meditation about heavenly beings)&#xA;This is the fifth of the 10 is this. We should cultivate the Sēkha Bala Dhamma – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma) – at this present time. These are qualities that are found in the Devas. If you develop them, then there is divinity within you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chaganussati (meditation about generosity)&#xA;The sixth of the 10 is Chaganussati. - Reflecting on Giving (dana) is one of the integral parts of the practice of Dhamma. When practiced in itself, it is a basis of merit or wholesome kamma, but only when combined with morality, concentration and insight, will it lead to liberation from samsara, the cycle of repeated existence. So it is of the recollection of one's own generosity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the peace in Nibbana (Upasamanussati)&#xA;The 'recollection of the peace of Nibbana', is the last of the 10 recollections anussati. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Karuna (Compassion meditation)&#xA;The way to cultivate Karunā meditation - the second of Four Divine Abodes… May I be free of bodily pains… May I be free of mental pains… May I be physically healthy… May I be mentally healthy… May I live well and happy… I and … (Karunhā meditation can be cultivated in Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti and Appamānha Chētō Vimukkti methods similar to the Mettā and Mudita meditations.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mudita ( Altruistic-joy meditation)&#xA;Loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity are known as “the Four Divine Abodes (satara brahma viharanha)”.  The third of the group is the cultivation of Muditā to get rid of discontent about wholesome actions… The happiness we feel about others’ progress/wellbeing is Muditā. One can thrive with money, lands, vehicles, and so on by earnest and righteous livelihoods. If we can be happy by seeing such development of others without getting angry about it, it is Muditā. The Buddha preached to cultivate Muditā to get rid of discontent (aratiya) about wholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Upekkha (Equanimity meditation)&#xA;This is the last of the four. We do this in order to not get upset from the eight vicissitudes of life.  One who practices equanimity will not mourn when sufferings, troubles find that person. He will not get excited when pleasure, happiness find him. He/she will feel all with an indifferent mentality. What we all have to face is the eight vicissitudes of life (ata lō dahama). One shall cultivate equanimity in order to not to worry or sorrow from the eight vicissitudes of life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nava Sivatika (Nine cemetery contemplations)&#xA;The last exercise in mindfulness of the body is a series of &quot;cemetery meditations,&quot; contemplations of the body's disintegration after death, which may be performed either imaginatively, with the aid of pictures, or through direct confrontation with a corpse. By any of these means one obtains a clear mental image of a decomposing body, then applies the process to one's own body, considering: &quot;This body, now so full of life, has the same nature and is subject to the same fate. It cannot escape death, cannot escape disintegration, but must eventually die and decompose.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cittanupassana (Contemplation of the mind) &#xA;Cittanupassana-satipatthana means mindfulness which is firmly established on thoughts or mental processes, such as thoughts associated with the passions or dissociated from the passions. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammanupassana (Contemplation of mental objects or thoughts)&#xA;Dhammanupassana-satipatthana means mindfulness which is firmly established on phenomena such as nivarana (hindrances), etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kayanupassana (Contemplation of the body)&#xA;This is the first of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.  Buddha's advice is to look at the body, as it is, neither getting attached nor developing aversion towards it. The Buddha's advice is to observe and analyze it without being biased by any views or prejudices and to develop mindfulness. Within the first major section on mindfulness of body there are five meditation methods.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(1) mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(2) Satisampajaññya (awareness) meditation in Satara Satipatthana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(3) mindfulness of postures (iriyapatha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(4) refelection on internal and external impurities and other vital parts (kunapa)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(5) analysis of four elements (dathu)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(6) reflection on nine stages of a dead body (nava seevaththika) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Concentrative&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati)&#xA;The Buddha explained to Venerable Ananda, “This one factor is Anapanasati, which when developed and pursued brings the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Cattaro Satipatthana) to completion. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, when developed and pursued bring the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to completion. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, when developed and pursued bring Clear Knowing and Release to completion.” in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Iriya patha (Meditation on postures of the body)**&#xA;The postures of the body can be good subjects leading to the proper establishment of concentration. Here one attempts to be mindful of walking, standing, sitting, lying, bending, stretching, eating, drinking, chewing, savouring, defecating and urinating. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Uncategorized&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhathu Manasikara (analysis of four elements)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;It is the meditation of the four physical elements (dhatu) of nature: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind (pathavi, apo, tejo, and vayo) as Elements of solidity, fluidity, heat and motion.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Combinations&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sati sampajanna&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word for alertness is sampajañña. It doesn’t mean being choicelessly aware of the present, or comprehending the present. Sampajañña means being aware of what you’re doing in the movements of the body, the movements in the mind. This is why mindfulness and alertness should always be paired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8475" LastEditDate="2016-09-18T03:23:17.753" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T03:23:17.753" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17538" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-12T11:55:37.217" Score="1" ViewCount="135" Body="&lt;p&gt;(&quot;Recondite-subject majoring&quot; is meant to mean the more challenging subjects, such as electrical engineering or a doctorate based major.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a student who has one hour to meditate, every day, and one more hour on the weekend, will practicing an insight meditation be counterproductive to concentration and calmness? &lt;strong&gt;The main aim is to be a better student.&lt;/strong&gt; [This purpose may seem narrow minded, but I do not know where else to ask this question.] This question sprung from a recommendation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although what I am about to say may cause some amount of sensation to&#xA;  arise in people who are attached to their insight meditation&#xA;  traditions, I would advice, from my personal experience, that you&#xA;  don't practise &lt;strong&gt;insight meditation exclusively&lt;/strong&gt; (the anapanasati&#xA;  meditation that I recommend is not an insight meditation, it is a&#xA;  calming meditation) since it &lt;strong&gt;will cause many troubles, especially&#xA;  in a student life&lt;/strong&gt; like ours. This is because exclusive practise of&#xA;  insight meditation will initially cause many defilements to come about&#xA;  (although the goal is the contrary) - for example, all kinds of&#xA;  craving will come about. This is not conducive at all to a successful&#xA;  student life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You can, however, practise [sic] insight meditation during daily life&#xA;  (rather than the main meditation practise) such as while walking and&#xA;  eating and so on, without getting into much trouble, ASSUMING that you&#xA;  have a solid practise [sic] of Anapanasati going on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does not insight meditation, such as Vipassana, involve anapanasati in the beginning? It just feels counterproductive to go back to doing anapanasati only for the hour available. Actually, it just seems &lt;em&gt;hard&lt;/em&gt; to do that. (There may be a sort of &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt; to the body scanning technique happening here?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Research&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://prsinstitute.org/downloads/related/spiritual-sciences/meditation/TowardtheIntegrationofMeditationintoHigherEducation.pdf#page=32&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Toward the integration of meditation into higher education: A review of research&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; ~ What specifically are mindfulness-based interventions? What is a specific technique for a student (beginner)? Most importantly, &lt;strong&gt;is &quot;mindfulness-based&quot; the same as &quot;insight&quot; meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Meditation, social change, and undergraduate education&lt;/em&gt; ~ authors informal attempt of Zen in group sits (no real help)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;[Other studies will be listed in my answer. It is getting too lengthy here.]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8475" LastEditorUserId="8475" LastEditDate="2016-09-12T21:25:58.920" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:36:18.620" Title="Reasons against practicing insight meditation as a main (sitting) practice for medical or other recondite-subject majoring students?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17540" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17541" CreationDate="2016-09-12T15:08:06.663" Score="3" ViewCount="602" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am very new to Buddhism. &#xA;What would be the most accurate way to practise and reach to Nirvana?&#xA;Did Lord of Buddha show us? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4972" LastActivityDate="2022-10-29T02:59:18.943" Title="How to get to Nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|practice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17540" CreationDate="2016-09-12T15:20:33.410" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fourth noble truth states that the path to ending suffering is the noble eightfold path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right view&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right resolve&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right speech&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right livelihood&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right effort&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right mindfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 and 2 are the foundations of wisdom. 3, 4 and 5 are the foundations for virtue, 6, 7 and 8 are the foundations of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very broad outline of the path to nirvana. You should be wary of people who give a simple precise description with promises of results like &quot;Just follow my practice for 10 years and you'll be nearly enlightened&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T15:20:33.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17540" CreationDate="2016-09-12T17:16:08.753" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The noble eightfold path is the way to reach Nirvana. However, often the noble eightfold path is misapprehended, where: (i) the wisdom component is misinterpreted in a manner that disconnects it from the rest of the path rather than has it lead the path; (ii) 'self-views' (about karma &amp;amp; reincarnation) are created from the morality component; &amp;amp; (iii) the concentration component is practised like &lt;em&gt;hatha yoga&lt;/em&gt;, with all kinds of rigid &amp;amp; structured mind-body exercises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;many places&lt;/a&gt;, the Lord Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;summarised&lt;/a&gt; the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;path&lt;/a&gt; to Nirvana as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;non-attachment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To practise the noble eightfold path most accurately, every factor must be based in non-craving, non-attachment &amp;amp; non-egoism. Otherwise, ideas about the noble eightfold path may be followed for more than 10 years, enlightenment may never occur and ideas about reincarnation will be created to postpone practise for a future life you imagine the noble eightfold path teaches about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the Right View component explains: (i) attaching to the five aggregates is suffering; (ii) this suffering arises due to craving &amp;amp; new becoming in the here-&amp;amp;-now; &amp;amp; most importantly; (iii) this craving (attachment &amp;amp; ego-becoming) are to be abandoned. It follows the Right Effort &amp;amp; Right Mindfulness factors function to keep the mind in a state of non-craving, non-craving &amp;amp; non-egoism, as described as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of those, right view is the forerunner (leader). One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong view &amp;amp; for entering into right view: This&#xA;  is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter&#xA;  &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these&#xA;  three qualities — right view, right effort &amp;amp; right mindfulness — run &amp;amp;&#xA;  circle around right view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A monk develops mindfulness as a factor for enlightenment dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion (non-craving), dependent on&#xA;  cessation, resulting in letting go (vossagga).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of mindfulness? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful...abandoning greed &amp;amp;&#xA;  distress with reference to the world. This is called the faculty of&#xA;  mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go&#xA;  (vossagga), attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. This is called the faculty of concentration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-12T17:41:26.580" LastActivityDate="2016-09-12T17:41:26.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17538" CreationDate="2016-09-13T04:43:59.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation doesn't cause defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation causes one to be able to see the defilements that have always been there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; Real education consists in drawing the best out of yourself. -Mahatma Gandhi&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-09-13T04:50:18.333" LastActivityDate="2016-09-13T04:50:18.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17538" CreationDate="2016-09-13T10:23:15.657" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I did my first longer vipassana retreat while I was a postdoc researcher (applied math and numerics), and did many more since then. I found it beneficial to have days/weeks dedicated for intense practice (which are tough, but you're in a protected environment) and then off-retreat time for work &amp;amp; other stuff. After retreats, I was mostly much more creative in work (especially after the first one; I finished within weeks papers I had been  writing for months), as retreats remove a lot of negative conditions which we carry around. Sometime there were difficult post-retreat states, true, but you want to learn to face those as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not be afraid that light (1 hours and such) daily practice will cause some substantial trouble in your life; it's more about seeing stuff which is happening anyway. If you have a competent teacher, he can help you to adjust your practice if you think there is some difficulty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said: if you have some serious psychological condition, don't forget to take care of it along the way, using also conventional means (psychotherapy, medication) as necessary. Traditional 3 Buddhist trainings are (1) personality (they call it &quot;morality&quot;, but it is really about having a stable psycho-social basis, as I understand it) (2) concentration (3) insight; and the first one has to be strong enough to support the other ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana (=3) as such does not imply separate concentration training (=2). Some schools do that (e.g. Goenka which you seem to mention implicitly -- anapanasati, then bodyscanning) but the &quot;dry vipassana&quot; approaches (Mahasi and similar) don't; you do vipassana and build up concentration along the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being a dry person, I personally do the dry vipassana. It is very important to include all 4 foundations of mindfulness (body, feeling, mind, mind objects) in the practice. High concentration is not necessarily good; I was depressive for years and had terrible (though successful) life as a result of being very concentrated and pushing stuff away without even knowing that. In fact if you are doing PhD, odds are that your concentration is rather high. You maybe hope that if you concentrate &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt;, you will be more successful; maybe, but maybe you won't be very happy, and maybe you will run into burn-out. It is important to be flexible with concentration (to be able to release it), to not become its slave. Concentration sometimes causes people to be excessively serious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PS (added):&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Mindfulness-based&quot; is sometimes used to refer to secular contemplative approaches often based on vipassana, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), MBCT (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) etc. You will find both mindfulness/insight meditation used as translations of vipassana (meaning &quot;seeing distinctly/clearly&quot;); I personally find &quot;insight&quot; more appropriate, since insight is the goal and mindfulness (sati) only the means, though mindfulness might become prevalent, sounding perhaps less mysterious...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2016-09-13T14:06:55.313" LastActivityDate="2016-09-13T14:06:55.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17540" CreationDate="2016-09-13T12:57:46.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as an addition to all these quite detailed answers: As I understand it you can't get &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;. This phrase is like an oxymoron. &lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt; is a word meant to describe the state of non-clinging, meaning you're &lt;em&gt;doing less&lt;/em&gt; and not &lt;em&gt;getting something new&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-13T12:57:46.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17538" CreationDate="2016-09-13T13:37:59.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have you tried the instructions from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this booklet&lt;/a&gt;? Seems very basic and simple, but it's actually not easy to do and quite profound. I wouldn't intellectualize about it too much (like reading studies or books). Bhikkhu Bodhi used the analogy that this is like going into a restaurant, reading the menu and then leave without eating anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm linking this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loYrma9Zr3o&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;talk by Ajahn Sumedo&lt;/a&gt; which I personally found very helpful. I don't find the source, but there is a Buddha quote that goes like '&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; (mindfulness) is always useful'. So if you find time to even meditate on your breath that's great. Also just reminding in what posture you're in (sitting, walking, lying, standing) I find to be a very powerful tool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never heard the term &lt;em&gt;mindfulness-based&lt;/em&gt;, but in general mindfulness (= reminding, reaffirming what's present) is the practice and insight (= clear understanding, knowing) is the result (likewise if you clean your house cleaning is the practice, the clean house is the result).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-13T13:37:59.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17540" CreationDate="2016-09-13T13:57:24.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(With the risk that this only corresponds to a certain interpretation of Theravada buddhism, in particular based on Mahasi Saydaw and Sayadaw U Pandita's texts.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is &quot;state&quot; when mental processes (samsara, uniterrupted moment-to-moment arising of conscious experience) cease, thus it is a &quot;state&quot; called supramundane, outside of time &amp;amp; space. It is said to have a profound impact on how one relates to experience and can be achieved through vipassana (contemplation practice). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81-%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a#Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vissudhimagga describes 16 stages of insight&lt;/a&gt; naturally occuring during contemplation and the knowledge of fruition (phala-nana, #15) is just this. The reason why I put &quot;state&quot; and &quot;experience&quot; in quotation marks is that the &quot;moment&quot; is missing from consciousness (like discontinuity in time which you only realize when it's gone). &quot;It&quot; is never achieved permanently but its purification effects are lasting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very first &quot;experience&quot; of nibbana is called stream-entry (sotapatti) and it can be attained repeatedly through practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that Nibbana is achieved through vipassana (which cultivates wisdom, and rests upon morality/personality and concentration), as explained in other answers in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2016-09-14T07:12:07.087" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T07:12:07.087" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17548" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-13T23:01:48.713" Score="3" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very famous, so famous it may be apocryphal, zen quote says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Before Enlightenment chop wood carry water, after Enlightenment, chop&#xA;  wood carry water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does this mean? Specifically, is the discourse saying that time without effort is wasted time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2023-12-03T02:56:29.327" Title="Chop wood, carry water: why?" Tags="|zen|daily-life|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2016-09-13T23:42:52.810" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17548" CreationDate="2016-09-13T23:42:16.087" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Admittedly, I am not a well-versed student of Zen ... or Buddhism for that matter. However, I will offer my interpretation: Before you achieve enlightenment you will have to do chores associated with everyday living. Then, even after becoming enlightened, you will still have to do the same chores - becoming enlightened does not remove the need to deal with everyday things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="69" LastEditorUserId="69" LastEditDate="2023-12-03T02:56:29.327" LastActivityDate="2023-12-03T02:56:29.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17550" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="27116" CreationDate="2016-09-14T02:04:42.467" Score="2" ViewCount="5176" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is commonly known that the Buddha decided that asceticism does not lead to enlightenment, but less common is the reason why given. From Ajahn Brahm's book &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com/books?id=ptmMsW16fqkC&amp;amp;lpg=PA129&amp;amp;ots=7HEGKhuTb-&amp;amp;pg=PA129#v=onepage&amp;amp;q&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond&lt;/a&gt;, it appears as though the Buddha abandoned asceticism because eating well was necessary to pursue the jhānas and the Middle Way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;once the Bodhisatta realized that jhāna was the way to enlightenment&#xA;  (MN 36,31), he immediately recognized that it was impractical to&#xA;  attain jhāna with an emaciated body so began eating well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt; do we find this reasoning? Is there general agreement in Buddhism that this is indeed why the Buddha decided to give up asceticism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2018-12-09T18:43:17.963" Title="Why the Buddha abandoned asceticism" Tags="|the-buddha|jhana|middle-way|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17550" CreationDate="2016-09-14T02:38:31.743" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt; is more relevant: towards the end of it, the Five ask questions like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the group of five monks replied to me, 'By that practice, that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision worthy of a noble one. So how can you now — living luxuriously, straying from your exertion, backsliding into abundance — have attained any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision worthy of a noble one?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and afterwards, the end of the sutta is of their being taught the various jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be somewhere where it's stated as a positive, i.e. &quot;eating well was necessary to pursue the jhānas and the Middle Way&quot; -- I think I've read something like that, but I don't remember whether that's a direct quote or an indirect paraphrase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only versions I've found at the moment are expressed as a double-negative, not as a positive, i.e. that &quot;utmost austerity is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; the way&quot;; for example from this translation of the (non-canonical) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits007.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Introduction to the Jâtaka&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Future Buddha, thinking, &quot;I will carry austerity to the uttermost,&quot; tried various plans, such as living on one sesamum seed or on one grain of rice a day, and even ceased taking nourishment altogether, and moreover rebuffed the gods when they came and attempted to infuse nourishment through the pores of his skin. By this lack of nourishment. his body became emaciated to the last degree, and lost its golden color, and became black, and his thirty-two physical characteristics as a great being became obscured. Now, one day, as he was deep in a trance of suppressed breathing, he was attacked by violent pains, and fell senseless to the ground, at one end of his walking-place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now the six years which the Great Being thus spent in austerities were like time spent in endeavoring to tie the air &#xA;  into knots. And coming to the decision, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;These austerities are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; the way to enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;,&quot; he went begging through villages and market-towns for ordinary material food, and lived upon it. And his thirty-two physical characteristics as a great being again appeared, and the color of his body became like unto gold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the band of five priests thought, &quot;It is now six years that this man has been performing austerities without being able to attain to omniscience. And how much less can he be expected to do so in future, now that he has again taken to ordinary material food begged from town to town! He has become luxurious, and given up the Struggle. For us to look for any benefit to come from that quarter would be as reasonable as if a man were to imagine he could bathe his head in a dew-drop. We will have nothing more to do with him.&quot; With that they took their bowls and robes, and left the Great Being, and going eighteen leagues off, entered Isipatana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are suttas which describe or recommend an attitude towards food (I expect there are in the vinaya too), for example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk, considering it thoughtfully, takes food — not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification — but simply for the survival &amp;amp; continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, [thinking,] 'Thus will I destroy old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]. I will maintain myself, be blameless, &amp;amp; live in comfort.' Then he eventually abandons food, having relied on food. 'This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-14T12:37:58.553" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T12:37:58.553" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-14T11:01:31.170" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be &lt;em&gt;fluid&lt;/em&gt; water.&#xA;Grab it stab it &lt;em&gt;unchanging&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;Resilient &lt;em&gt;rock.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10030" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T11:01:31.170" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17550" CreationDate="2016-09-14T17:38:35.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;here's a precise link to relevant portion of the MN 36&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn36/36-42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn36/36-42&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the discovery of the middle way is not only manifested in the decision to resume eating and stop tormenting the body because austerities impede entering the jhana, but primarily in my opinion in the actual realization that the pleasure of jhanas is permissible and desirable because it's not sensual, only then came the understanding of incompatibility of severe asceticism with jhanas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this positions the Dhamma halfway between the practices of ascetics who avoided any kind of pleasure, being of the opinion that pleasure in future lives, or even liberation, is secured with suffering in this life (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html#pain&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;like the jains&lt;/a&gt;), and indulgence in low carnal sensuality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-14T17:57:49.707" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T17:57:49.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17555" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-14T18:43:17.103" Score="2" ViewCount="495" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Soto-Zen Buddhism there is a sitting meditation known as Shikantaza which is the art of just-sitting. My question, what techniques are given to Soto-Zen practitioners to prevent the mind from being &quot;sticky&quot; or &quot;stuck&quot; during Shikantaza. For example, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I have been told by some practitioners that they would call sight, sound, taste, touch, smell and mind as objects. By referring to the six sense organs as objects they disconnect themselves from the object to prevent the formation of subject. Although it sounds interesting that doesn't sound like, at least by what I've read, as Shikantaza. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another practitioner told me they simply listened to silence or emptiness. This reminded me of Eckhart Tolle's meditation instructions especially given in his book &quot;Stillness Speaks&quot;. The problem I find through this method is the practitioner is focusing on an object, as Lao tzu mentioned in his book the &quot;Tao Te Ching&quot;; the form which is formless. Also, Dogen encouraged the sitter to just sit with no attention to a single object. Concentration on emptiness is neglecting sitting and the original face. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, another practitioner explained he would simply try to keep his attention centered as if he were sitting inside of a dome. That is, trying to be aware of the world and his thoughts while building a kind of cushion between himself and object. Almost but not exactly a combination of the first two.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what are the steps Soto-Zen practitioners are encouraged to take in order to practice Shikantaza. To clarify, I'm not interested in physical postures such as sitting, hand positions, the position of the tongue, etc... but rather, what is the sitter doing with his/her mind and the steps they are taking to separate subject from object.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T05:00:48.540" Title="The mind during Shikantaza" Tags="|meditation-zazen|soto|shikantaza|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17555" CreationDate="2016-09-14T23:24:18.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The nature of consciousness is it always has an 'object'. This is similar to if a very loud noise occurs; hearing the loud noise cannot be avoided. Consciousness of the loud noise happens automatically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a practitioner 'just sits', i.e., does not think or does not exercise &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt;/&lt;em&gt;volition&lt;/em&gt; apart from 'just sitting', then the mind will automatically (primarily) be aware of the silence. Then objects, such as sounds may enter consciousness. Or, more predominantly, objects such as the in &amp;amp; out breathing may become the dominant sense object of consciousness. Similar to a loud noise, consciousness cannot avoid continuously experiencing the in &amp;amp; out breathing, jhana, etc. It will be automatic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind is allowed to wander in thoughts, certainly this cannot be '&lt;em&gt;just sitting&lt;/em&gt;' since it would be '&lt;em&gt;sitting &amp;amp; thinking&lt;/em&gt;' rather than '&lt;em&gt;just sitting&lt;/em&gt;'. Allowing the mind to wander in thought is different to continuously experiencing in &amp;amp; out breathing since the mind can control/stop thoughts but cannot control/stop breathing.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Just sitting', I imagine, is just sitting. Thus, intention operates for the sole purpose of just sitting. Since thinking is not 'just sitting', the mind must act to maintain a state of just sitting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Thinking' is not 'just sitting'. Acting to stop thinking is also not 'just sitting'. But once both thinking &amp;amp; acting to stop thinking stop, there will be only the state of 'just sitting'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, there is say 'the path' to achieve 'just sitting' and the actual achievement of 'just sitting', which are two different things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once 'just sitting' is achieved, the mind will automatically be enlightened by the 10,000 things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-14T23:37:50.703" LastActivityDate="2016-09-14T23:37:50.703" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7319" CreationDate="2016-09-15T03:28:17.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well certainly Allah is mentioned by The Buddha as Maha Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He is Allah , the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.&quot; (Quran 59:24)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly the Great (Maha) Brahma is described:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But there is Brahma, the Great Brahma, the Conqueror, the&#xA;  Unconquered, the All-Seeing, All-Powerful, the Sovereign Lord, the&#xA;  Maker, Creator, Chief, Appointer and Ruler, Father of All That Have&#xA;  Been and Shall Be.&quot; (DN 11)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually whenever people speak of a Creator that existing in the beginning of the universe they are referring to the same Maha Brahma that The Buddha spoke of. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means Judaism, Christianity, and Islam likely came from the Brahma worlds or beings influenced by the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The angel Gabriel is likely an attendant of Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Brahma in Buddhism is mostly good but sometimes influenced by the Evil One (Satan, Mara), is extremely powerful and knowledgeable but not all-knowing and all-powerful, but He usually praises The Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certain virtues and morals that lead towards the extremely long-lasting Brahma worlds are also in-line with what helps one achieve arahantship, but The Buddha goes further and beyond the Brahma worlds towards arahantship here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma worlds last for an extremely long time but eventually disappear towards the end of the universe-system, so arahantship here and now or going to the Pure Abodes is preferred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course an arahant in the world is extremely rare, even during The Buddha's time there were few arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going to the Pure Abodes after death is also extremely rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going to the Brahma worlds after death is also extremely rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's much more common for people to go to hell, the animal womb, the realm of ghosts, or a lower heavenly world after death than the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputta explains in MN 97 how to get to the Brahma worlds, by encompassing your awareness with good will, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similar teachings and virtues to what Muhammad says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow-beings first”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“They will enter the Garden of Bliss who have a true, pure, and&#xA;merciful heart”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds and good deeds leads&#xA;him who does them to Paradise&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Ye will not enter Paradise until ye have faith, and ye will not have&#xA;faith until ye love one another”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means the majority of people will most likely not go to the Brahma worlds after death (including most Muslims).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The majority of rules and virtues in Islam seem mostly inline with achieving arahantship minus the violence and sex allowed so it shouldn't be that difficult to integrate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha forbids violence for monks under all circumstances whereas Islam allows violence in some circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha forbids sex for monks whereas Islam allows it under certain circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the majority of rules in Islam are inline with achieving arahantship likely because they lead towards the Brahma worlds, and most of the things that lead towards the Brahma worlds are also inline with what helps one achieve arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But remember that arahantship directly comes from extinguishing mental fermentations (asavas) not from merely doing good deeds alone (which makes achieving arahantship easier but doesn't directly cause arahantship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T03:28:17.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17555" CreationDate="2016-09-15T05:00:48.540" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Look, there is nothing special about Shikantaza or any other type of meditation. If you ask me honestly, I say that meditation is for fun really. You don't do it to achieve anything. In fact the idea is to let everything be. And NOT achieve anything. No &quot;Nirvana&quot;, No &quot;Moksha&quot;, No &quot;separation&quot;, No &quot;clinging&quot; or whatever labels we like to create. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is really no answer to this question apart from experience. You just sit and go on with whatever happens, your physical and mental sensations. Until they cease (or not). The moment you start thinking anything about it or whatever to do about it, the point is lost. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I mean is whatever you are thinking right now about the way to do it, or &quot;am I doing it right?&quot; or &quot;what should I focus on?&quot; or such like questions are mere thoughts and are invalid. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T05:00:48.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17559" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17561" CreationDate="2016-09-15T07:02:15.160" Score="0" ViewCount="195" Body="&lt;p&gt;From an article about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/heidegge/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Heidegger&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The beginning of this story, as told by Heidegger especially in the Nietzsche lectures, is the end, the completion of philosophy by its dissolution into particular sciences and nihilism—questionlessness of being, a dead end into which the West has run. Heidegger argues that the question of being would still provide a stimulus to the research of Plato and Aristotle, but it was precisely with them that the original experience of being of the early Greeks was covered over... For the later Heidegger, “western philosophy,” in which there occurs forgetfulness of being, is synonymous with “the tradition of metaphysics.” Metaphysics inquires about the being of beings, but in such a way that the question of being as such is disregarded, and being itself is obliterated. The Heideggerian “history of being” can thus be seen as the history of metaphysics, which is the history of being’s oblivion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this itself reason to suspect that philosophers like Plato, by which I mean contemporary thinkers who are paid to publish philosophy (including I suppose self help authors and some aspects of psychology) are bound to misunderstand the &lt;em&gt;concept&lt;/em&gt; of emptiness? When the Buddha taught, the history of Being, metaphysics, had not yet, it seems, begun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are philosophers and people in general misunderstanding the terminology the Buddha used, perhaps because he lived at a time before 'Being' when there was only 'world' -- etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-15T13:32:04.643" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T21:43:32.677" Title="Are philosophers today misunderstanding 'emptiness' because of a new metaphysics?" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14650" CreationDate="2016-09-15T07:40:38.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it happens to the one who is fully dedicated to the holly book n concentrate on Buddha which I can give example of our lama who died last week n he is still in thukdam now &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10040" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T07:40:38.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17559" CreationDate="2016-09-15T09:00:20.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many people in general misunderstand the terminology the Buddha used, including Buddhists &amp;amp; even translators. If these people misunderstand the terminology then what is to be expected of Western philosophers? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About 'being', the Pali scriptures report the Buddha discussed this word at length. For example, in the core doctrine of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, the notion of 'beings' is central to the meaning of the word 'birth' ('&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, entering, coming-to-be, coming-forth of the various &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; in this or that group of &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; based on the appearance ('look'; 'features') of aggregates &amp;amp; appropriation of the sense spheres, that is called birth.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'being' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;') refers to an internally generated 'view' of 'self' or 'persons' (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; below). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although 'beings' in these suttas is described as a mental state or mental view, most Buddhists &amp;amp; people regard 'beings' meta-physically, i.e., as an organism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, most people &amp;amp; Buddhists regard the word 'birth' ('&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;') meta-physically, rather than the meaning in the Indian languages of 'social &amp;amp; self identity' (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C4%81ti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wiki&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'emptiness' ('&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;'), it is defined as the absence of &quot;self&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, 'being' &amp;amp; 'emptiness' are opposite things however both can exist in the human experience; 'being' arising from ignorance &amp;amp; emptiness discerned by enlightened clear seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most crucially, the Buddha was not a philosopher but, instead, a 'Spiritual Doctor'. The Buddha had only one sole concern, namely, the ending or curing of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the Buddha, the arising of 'being', i.e., the arising of 'ego' or 'self', is the arising of suffering. For example, a new born child has no idea of 'self' but later develops ideas of 'myself' based on cravings for things (such as food, comfort, love, pleasures, etc). These cravings are sufferings thus the manifestation of 'being' is always from the manifestation of suffering (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; below). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, feeling, perceptions, mental fabrications &amp;amp;/or consciousness, Radha: when one&#xA;  is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So, when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's only suffering that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls away. Nothing but suffering comes to be [when 'being' comes to be],&#xA;  Nothing but suffering ceases [when 'being' ceases].&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or into&#xA;  an empty dwelling, considers this: 'This is empty of self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to self.' This is called the emptiness&#xA;  mind-release.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahavedalla Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is empty of&#xA;  a self or of anything pertaining to a self? The eye is empty of a self&#xA;  or of anything pertaining to a self. Forms... Eye-consciousness...&#xA;  Eye-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ear is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The nose is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The tongue is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The body is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Ideas... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty&#xA;  of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Thus it is said that&#xA;  the world is empty.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suñña Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-15T10:23:18.173" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T10:23:18.173" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17559" CreationDate="2016-09-15T10:51:41.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One can hardly say &quot;philosophers today&quot;, as philosophy itself is a wide field of activities; it can mean academic philosophy (which is publish-or-perish style of life, plus perhaps thinking &quot;I am special because I do something which is profound and special&quot; -- but that's the same for physicists or biologists) or conceptual reflection of experience. But it matters what experience is reflected, at what level, and what is the reflection supposed to bring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I will discuss philosophy as something extra-theoretical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I happen to disagree with Heidegger in his accusations of metaphysics. Metaphysics (reflection) and being (contemplation) are orthogonal, but it is important that metaphysical reflection is based on contemplation (rather than delusion). There are contemplative geniuses, who are also masters of conceptualization of that experience (think of Nagarjuna, Dogen or Aquinas) all while knowing that it does not replace the experience itself (or being; ironically, it was Aquinas who re-introduced the concept of being (&lt;em&gt;esse&lt;/em&gt;) into the western tradition). There are also great contemplatives who don't do conceptualization (for whatever reason) -- think of masters like Joshu, or John of the Cross if you wish, or a big amount of monks who never wrote anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also people who have little access to being (no contemplation), yet write papers/books about it -- unaware of their own ignorance. And there are people who are out of touch with being, and don't conceptualize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of emptiness (just like the concept of being) is pointing at something more than the concept itself, and its understanding comes through contemplative practice (which is called vipassana in buddhism). What I can suggest is that you do a vipassana retreat (I mean, 2 weeks or more), it is really worth it for many reasons, and then you will be able to see better if what they write about Wittgenstein &amp;amp; Nagarjuna and so on makes sense. A good question is what is the use of reading those papers anyway :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(PS: I am a philosophy major and have later experience with vipassana.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-09-15T12:34:18.613" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T12:34:18.613" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17563" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17568" CreationDate="2016-09-15T14:14:07.623" Score="4" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a discussion, my meditation leader was talking about people who cannot control their cravings and wants, who are easily subjected to actions based on their whims and wants of their anger. He associated these people with having akusala thoughts. He could not find the English word to describe the person, and so I gave him the word &lt;strong&gt;impulsive&lt;/strong&gt; as a way to describe these people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was this the right word to use, and is there a better word that I could have used?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-15T14:34:54.710" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T15:59:25.583" Title="Did I describe the following concept correctly?" Tags="|terminology|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17563" CreationDate="2016-09-15T19:13:30.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's a great translation.  Other words that may fit like &lt;code&gt;impulsive&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;hasty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;imprudent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@ChrisW mentions in a comment that &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; means skillful, so &lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt; +kusala would mean the negation of &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; (if you look at how sanskrit works), thus another word may be &lt;code&gt;unskillful&lt;/code&gt;  and it sounds like your meditation friend was trying to expound on what that term actually means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many words have nuances that can become lost in translation, so sometimes it is good to leave words untranslated, or look at how they were constructed.  For example: we could not say &quot;pulsive&quot; as the negation of &quot;impulsive&quot; even though &quot;possible&quot; and &quot;impossible&quot; have the same relationship as &quot;kusala&quot; and &quot;akusala&quot; -- it just depends.  Again, good translation, but be open to the idea that not everything need be translated (and thus nuance can be ushered into a new language body and preserved)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T19:13:30.557" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14406" CreationDate="2016-09-15T19:17:43.563" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As i am aware, there is a transcendent entity informally known as the Adi-Buddha but called by various names (Indra/Vajradhara or Vajrasattva, for examples), which could be regarded as a &quot;God&quot; by non-Buddhists, but this would be a gross simplification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T19:17:43.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5684" CreationDate="2016-09-15T20:48:26.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism denies the existence of an objective universe. There is only the &quot;packets&quot; of sensation which if experienced un analysed contain no name nor form, and thus are chaos or void. We fudge-stitch our experiences together, assuming that things that are similar are the same. There never was any space to fly through nor up nor down. When you experience that purity, when you shake the other from your back, then at least it feels like you are flying, and other people who can see the fire in your eyes will feel like you are flying too.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nietzsche is about the only Western philosopher who associates states of mind with freedom from gravity, which he expresses in the following way in Zarathustra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when I saw my devil, I found him serious, thorough, profound, solemn: he was the spirit of gravity - through him all things fall. Not by wrath, but by laughter, do we slay. Come, let us slay the spirit of gravity!&#xA;I learned to walk; since then have I let myself run. I learned to fly; since then I do not need pushing in order to move from a spot. Now am I light, now do I fly; now do I see myself under myself. Now there dances a God in me.-&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But perhaps Einstien himself experienced that rapture too. He explained &quot;The happiest thought of my life&quot; in the following way. &#xA;The gravitational field has only a relative existence... Because for an observer freely falling from the roof of a house - at least in his immediate surroundings - there exists no gravitational field. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/13359/einsteins-happiest-thought&quot;&gt;https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/13359/einsteins-happiest-thought&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:40:15.117" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T20:48:26.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17559" CreationDate="2016-09-15T21:43:32.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term 'misunderstanding' does not has the same meaning for a philosopher and a Buddhist. From the Buddhist perspective misunderstanding something means not seeing with one's own mind, not being able to see empirically. As for most philosophers, understanding only requires the ability to understand language and being able of logical analysis. Metaphysics is mostly subject to speculations about what is 'meta' (after, behind) 'physics' (empirically perceivable nature). I'm sure there are exceptions, i.e. Aristotle is said to be a big empiricist, but in Buddhism there's the big difference that words and terminology are useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for misunderstanding the &lt;em&gt;concept of emptiness&lt;/em&gt;, in Buddhism &lt;em&gt;concepts&lt;/em&gt; don't really exist because you can't experience them (you can only experience thinking itself, you can't experience &lt;code&gt;1 + 1 = 2&lt;/code&gt; for example), but &lt;em&gt;emptiness&lt;/em&gt; is claimed to be a real experience. That being said, Buddhists would rather speak about the &lt;em&gt;emptiness of concepts&lt;/em&gt;, claiming that theoretical knowledge won't bring you any insight. This is probably not a satisfying answer for you particular question, but since this is the Buddhist SE I hope it's good enough... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A suitable quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ajahnchah.org/pdf/food_for_the_heart.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you don’t practice you won’t know. Frankly speaking, you&#xA;  won’t know the Dhamma by just reading it or studying it. Or&#xA;  if you do know it your knowledge is still defective. For example, this spittoon here. Everybody knows it’s a spittoon but they&#xA;  don’t fully know the spittoon. Why don’t they fully know it? If&#xA;  I called this spittoon a saucepan, what would you say? Suppose&#xA;  that every time I asked for it I said, “Please bring that saucepan&#xA;  over here,” that would confuse you. Why so? Because you don’t&#xA;  fully know the spittoon. If you did there would be no problem.&#xA;  You would simply pick up that object and hand it to me, because&#xA;  actually there isn’t any spittoon. Do you understand? It’s a spit-&#xA;  toon due to convention. This convention is accepted all over the&#xA;  country, so it’s spittoon. But there isn’t any real “spittoon.” If&#xA;  somebody wants to call it a saucepan it can be a saucepan. It&#xA;  can be whatever you call it. This is called “concept.” If we fully&#xA;  know the spittoon, even if somebody calls it a saucepan there’s&#xA;  no problem. Whatever others may call it we are unperturbed because we are not blind to its true nature. This is one who knows&#xA;  Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T21:43:32.677" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17563" CreationDate="2016-09-15T23:37:40.417" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#kusala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a definition of &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kusala&lt;/strong&gt;: characterizes all which has pleasant and happy results: advantageous, meritorious, skilful, virtuous, morally good, good, right, prosperous, salutary, skilful. Especially used in its moral sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Commentary defines the term as having three meanings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(psychologically, spiritually) healthy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;blameless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;productive of pleasant and favourable results.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kusala can also be defined as what arises on the basis of the three &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#kusalamula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kusala·mūlas&lt;/a&gt;. In terms of action, ten main kusala actions are listed and called together &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#kusalakammapatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kusala·kamma·patha&lt;/a&gt;s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think 'impulsive' isn't exactly the same as &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/impulsive&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an antonym of 'impulsive'&lt;/a&gt;, for example &amp;quot;cautious&amp;quot;. Or @slova's answer suggests &amp;quot;slow&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;prudent&amp;quot;. I imagine that someone who is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; impulsive might think twice before speaking, look both ways before crossing the street, save their money instead of spending it ... but that (e.g. hoarding their money) is not necessarily &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or let's consider for example Siddhārtha Gautama's deciding to leave home: that story might (or might not) seem a bit &amp;quot;impulsive&amp;quot;, but we shouldn't call it &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being impulsive might be one example of &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. losing your temper and suddenly killing someone in anger), but there are other forms of &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; which are not impulsive (e.g. carefully planning a crime for a long time before doing it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I hope that there are some forms of being impulsive that are not very &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; (for example impulsively deciding to try to help someone else, being impulsively kind).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said that your &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;leader was talking about people who cannot control their cravings and wants, who are easily subjected to actions based on their whims and wants of their anger&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things like cravings and anger (and ignorance) are known &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;akusala-mūla&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which are translated/called/known in English the &amp;quot;three poisons&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;three unwholesome roots&amp;quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198605607.013.0068&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;also&lt;/a&gt; &amp;quot;three roots of evil&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;the three unwholesome mental states&amp;quot;. In that phrase, &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; is translated as &amp;quot;unwholesome&amp;quot; or even evil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As @sova mentioned in a comment it's the mental state (e.g. of anger) that's unwholesome, or the result (like the tree which grows from the &amp;quot;root&amp;quot;) that's unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-15T23:37:40.417" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9407" CreationDate="2016-09-16T00:50:30.807" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm the author of the Deathbed Sutra, so I can assure you that it's fiction.  It was intended as a work of philosophical fiction which examines some problematic aspects of the Buddha's teachings in the Pali sutras. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10048" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T00:50:30.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17570" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-16T01:26:53.957" Score="5" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;A further question: is there an online community that creates kōans?&#xA;Thank you so much!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;John&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9980" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T09:52:06.780" Title="Which materials exist on the construction and origin of kōans?" Tags="|koans|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17571" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-16T02:36:15.277" Score="3" ViewCount="929" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been learning about time and the varyous perspectives that it is viewed through, and it seems like there are two main ways of thought. The first, generally associated as a western mindset, is that time is linear. The second, and this is generally considered more eastern, is that time is considered cyclical. I'm pretty sure that this is also a common way-of-thought in Hunduism, but I'm, in particular, wanting to learn more about the nature of time from a buddhist perspective. Of what I have read sutra-wise (pretty much just the Lotus Sutra), I have only seen time's cyclality being alluded to once, when Shakyamuni Buddha is saying that, at the end of a kalpa, when the world is consumed by fire, his pure land will, although appearing to burn with the rest of the world, stay safe and untouched. I assume from this that at the end of kalpas, it was considered that the world would burn (maybe signifying the start of a new cycle). Anyhow, I'm just wanting to know more about the nuances of Buddhist-cyclical time and how one can comprehend/view the world in such a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T02:48:30.910" Title="Cyclical time in Buddhism" Tags="|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9407" CreationDate="2016-09-16T03:55:06.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on one of the reviews of the book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The conversation recorded in this Sutra, between Lord Buddha and his&#xA;  closest disciple Ananda, largely unravels the core teachings of&#xA;  Buddhism, and portrays the Buddha as condemning himself to hellfire on&#xA;  his own deathbed for the errors in his teachings which he suddenly&#xA;  confesses to. In these, his final teachings, Buddha is in fact veering&#xA;  in a completely new direction, away from the austerities, sensory&#xA;  deprivation and renunciation which are the hallmarks of his teachings&#xA;  in the Pali Cannon, which form the traditional basis of Buddhism. He&#xA;  practically does a u-turn, and goes full speed towards a more&#xA;  humanistic teaching, one that discourages renunciation and accepts&#xA;  romantic love, one that honors the sacred value inherent in sensory&#xA;  contact with the objects of the world, and even affirms the existence&#xA;  of a Self – an entity consisting of the noblest essence of the&#xA;  personal identity. Having spent much time around several Enlightened&#xA;  Masters of the modern age, I personally cannot imagine any of them&#xA;  having such a deathbed renunciation of their core teachings. Such a&#xA;  strange turn of events would, I think, be reserved for deluded&#xA;  teachers such as Rev. Jim Jones, or perhaps Andrew Cohen, who after&#xA;  three decades of claiming himself Enlightened suddenly admitted that&#xA;  he wasn’t Enlightened after all. I certainly never imagined the Buddha&#xA;  to be in that category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds to me like the author is trying to create some controversy to sell his book by promoting his own ignorant understanding of Buddhist teachings. Wrong View, Wrong Intention, Wrong Speech, Wrong Action and Wrong Livelihood being displayed here. Bad karma all around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T03:55:06.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14406" CreationDate="2016-09-16T05:37:10.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some confusion here, in all mainstream forms of Buddhism including Theravada, Mahayana as well as Vajrayana gods are accepted as real. That is they exist and have certain powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What they do not have however is unlimited omnipotence as described by the God of Monotheistic religions, because that would break the law of causality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of these gods are like you and me, not enlightened and hence subjected to the same mental afflictions and the cycles of birth and death. The Buddha being enlightened himself is titled the Teacher of Gods and Men. This is why Buddhism/Buddhists are touchy about describing the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as 'mere' gods, because they are not at the same level of being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As shown many Buddhists accepted the term 'deity' to describe the Buddha/ Bodhisattvas, even though they are ultimately from the same linguistic origin in meaning as gods in English, because it sounds 'better'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yes the Dharma (i.e. the Law, the Truth, the Teachings of the Universe) can be conceptualized as a singular entity, such as the Dharmakaya or the Cosmic Buddha. This might seems to be in contradiction with the concept of denying an Omnipotent God, but the dharma always follow causality and hence no such omnipotence is claimed. In fact causality itself is Dharma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T05:37:10.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17571" CreationDate="2016-09-16T06:26:08.087" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cyclicality and Linearity are both alluded to in Buddhism. Essentially many beings are trapped in Samsara living their lives and doing similar things over and over through the aeons because they are chasing after the same endless desires and suffering the same afflictions. However, it is also linear in the fact that progress is possible, you can transcends Samsara by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. The future is by no means fixed that you are required to repeat the past. The world have many internal cycles but it is also moving forward. You can see day turn into night into day, and each day we do many similar things we have already done before, but it is also not quite the same day, and you will certainly be a different person 10 years from now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate goal of Mahayana Buddhism is to liberate all beings, turning the world into a Pure Land of peace and joy. Yes, such a goal is very distant but never the less they strive towards that goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T06:26:08.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-16T07:52:36.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot of confusion here. &quot;Be like water&quot; is a quote popularized by Bruce Lee. His philosophy is to become fluid and adaptable like water, being able to fit into any container, with special attention to the application of martial arts and fighting. This is a goal founded in Taoism, aiming to harmonize with the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha although often using the metaphors of the elements including water in his discourses for the practice of the Dharma. For example: entering the stream of the Noble Eightfold Path, which steadily flows towards the ocean of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is when you stretch the metaphor too far. Like you pointed out, water is passive. This is great if you are trying to resist the pulls of external forces of aversion and craving, you still your mind into non reactivity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Develop the meditation in tune with water. For when you are&#xA;  developing the meditation in tune with water, agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable&#xA;  sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your&#xA;  mind. Just as when people wash what is clean or unclean in water —&#xA;  feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood — the water is not horrified,&#xA;  humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are&#xA;  developing the meditation in tune with water, agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable&#xA;  sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your&#xA;  mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha-Rahulovada Sutta: The Greater Exhortation to Rahula&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, a fundamental aspect of the Buddhadharma Noble Eightfold Path is Right Effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, monks, is right effort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[i] &quot;There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors,&#xA;  activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the&#xA;  non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[ii] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful&#xA;  qualities that have arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[iii] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds&#xA;  &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities&#xA;  that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[iv] &quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase,&#xA;  plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have&#xA;  arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The definition (the four Right Exertions)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot possibly be 'non reactive' like water without some serious work cultivating ourselves when faced with cravings and aversion, because we are steeped in our bad habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandoning the wrong factors of the path &quot;One tries to abandon wrong&#xA;  view &amp;amp; to enter into right view: This is one's right effort...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One tries to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter into right resolve:&#xA;  This is one's right effort...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One tries to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to enter into right speech: This&#xA;  is one's right effort...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One tries to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to enter into right action: This&#xA;  is one's right effort...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One tries to abandon wrong livelihood &amp;amp; to enter into right&#xA;  livelihood: This is one's right effort.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without doing so, we are not actually practicing the Buddhadharma and will go nowhere. And our claims of being like water will only be empty conceptualizations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, else where in the canon, the Buddha compares a mind that is overwhelmed by afflictions to a bowl of water that is tainted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Well, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed by sense-desires, and does not know, as it really is, the&#xA;  way of escape from sense-desires that have arisen, then he cannot know&#xA;  or see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, nor can he know&#xA;  and see what is to the profit of others, or of both himself and&#xA;  others. Then even sacred words he has long studied are not clear to&#xA;  him, not to mention those he has not studied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Imagine, Brahman, a bowl of water mixed with lac, turmeric, dark&#xA;  green or crimson dye. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the&#xA;  reflection of his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it&#xA;  really was. In the same way, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart&#xA;  possessed and overwhelmed by sense-desires... then he cannot know or&#xA;  see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, to the profit of&#xA;  others, to the profit of both. Then even sacred words he has long&#xA;  studied are not clear to him, not to mention those he has not studied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed with ill-will... then he cannot know or see...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Imagine a bowl of water, heated on a fire, boiling up and bubbling&#xA;  over. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the reflection of&#xA;  his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it really was...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed by sloth-and-torpor... then he cannot know or see...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Imagine a bowl of water covered over with slimy moss and&#xA;  water-plants. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the&#xA;  reflection of his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it&#xA;  really was...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed by worry-and-flurry... then he cannot know or see...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Imagine a bowl of water ruffled by the wind, so that the water&#xA;  trembled, eddied and rippled. If a man with good eyesight were to look&#xA;  at the reflection of his own face in it, he would not know or see it&#xA;  as it really was...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed by doubt-and-wavering... he cannot know or see...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Imagine a bowl of water, agitated, stirred up muddied, put in a dark&#xA;  place. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the reflection of&#xA;  his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it really was. In&#xA;  the same way, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart possessed and&#xA;  overwhelmed by doubt-and-wavering... then he cannot know or see, as it&#xA;  really is, what is to his own profit, to the profit of others, to the&#xA;  profit of both. Then even sacred words he has long studied are not&#xA;  clear to him, not to mention those he has studied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sangaravo Sutta: Sangarava The Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the goal isn't simply to be/have water, but to have pure water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-09-16T08:39:01.613" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T08:39:01.613" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17472" CreationDate="2016-09-16T13:42:10.660" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I first began my path as a Buddhist practitioner I faced a very similar problem. It can be hard at times especially when you're not feeling motivated. It can even feel like a war between the ego and the will. I hope by giving you a few practical tips which maybe useful for your practice. Remember to only take what works for you. No one is the same and what works for one person may not for another.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make it a personal habit to listen to the Dharma both in the morning and at night. The Dharma will help guide you, motivate you, and support you through the help of the Sangha. For myself, I enjoy listening to &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmaseed.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dharmaseed.org&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sfzc.org/teachings/audio/recorded-dharma-talks&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;San Francisco Zen Center&lt;/a&gt;. Both offer talks which I find very encouraging especially on my harder days. Sometimes if I'm feeling miserable I will even listen to a talk by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA/videos&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ajahn Brahm&lt;/a&gt;. He has a true gift in making personal matters just wash away. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;learn to build discipline through the simple things in life. Believe it or not I first began my discipline through drinking black coffee. It may sound small to most people, but through it I found a wonderful practice. Now, because I began with small steps I only eat two meals a day; and occasionally do whole day fasts.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remind yourself to live without any goals, with no aim, and with no targets. This isn't to say you're avoiding your responsibilities, quite the contrary, instead you're now focusing on your responsibilities without adding stress, impatience, and other hindrances caused by desire. You'll never become a mathematician by thinking of becoming a mathematician, but only by doing math. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let's consider your quote on &quot;Being [/ Becoming] like Water&quot;. A quote I found by Bruce Lee gives a fantastic overview by what is meant by becoming like water, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The lesson behind becoming like water is to separate the notion of doing and the doer. Suzuki Roshi, an American Zen teacher, once said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for a more practical approach to &quot;Being like Water&quot; than I recommend practicing &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.treeleaf.org/for-new-comers-and-about-treeleaf/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Shikantaza&lt;/a&gt; also known as &quot;just-to-sit&quot; or &quot;just-sitting&quot;. That is, we don't practice sitting Zazen to gain anything but to sit. There is nothing more and nothing less. There are no distinctions between the sitter and the sitting. There are no distinctions between the walker and the walking. There are no distinctions between the sleeper and the act of sleeping. It simply just is. The moment you say &quot;I am walking&quot; or &quot;I am sitting&quot; you are no longer the water. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-16T14:12:05.600" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T14:12:05.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14406" CreationDate="2016-09-16T15:18:21.930" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is a very interesting question because you do read about God's in Buddhism. But these God's are different from the western ideas of &quot;God&quot;. Infact, I would say &quot;heavenly beings&quot; is much more appropriate to prevent confusion. Buddhist, especially those found in Tibetan Buddhism, believe in the 31 realms of existences as well as the 6-major realms of Samsara. That is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Realm of Devas (Deva-Gati). This is where the heavenly beings reside.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Realm of Asura (Asura-Gati). This is where the Titans (not like those found in Greek mythologies) reside.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Realm of Hungry Ghosts (Preta-Gati). This is where the ghosts reside (very painful and miserable).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Hell Realm (Naraka-Gati). Where the wicked go for a period of time to be cleansed. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Animal Realm (Tiryagyoni-Gati). Sentient beings are born as animals. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Human Realm (Mausya-Gati). The most desired realm to be reborn as. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the Deva Realm is essentially all about pleasure and excitement. These &quot;heavenly&quot; or &quot;exalted&quot; beings live for a very long time (very being emphasized); but eventually die. They aren't immortal and continue to live in the realms of Samsara. The only men and women who cease to die are the Buddhas. They exist in a realm known as &quot;Buddha Land&quot;. Supposedly very beautiful with mountains, rivers, flowers, grass, trees, etc... It is also possible to be born in Buddha land while not being a Buddha yourself. This of course depends on certain circumstances being fulfilled. You're essentially taken under the wings of a Buddha and guaranteed full enlightenment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closest to an actual &quot;God&quot; in Buddhism is the leading deva known as Brahma. He was a deity who appeared to Buddha after Shakyamuni became fully enlightened. Some Buddhist may argue that Brahma was the creator and therefore an immortal God; while some maintain he is not. We simply don't know. All we do know is he reigns over Deva-Gati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Buddhist, despite popular belief, may or may not choose to believe in God. It's simply your choice. Therefore, if a Buddhist say's to you, &quot;Buddhist don't believe in a God&quot; that is their personal opinion. It is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; the view of every Buddhist. Some Buddhists, especially those who practice in the Western world, do believe in a creator God. The emphasis you find in Buddhism on the disbelief/belief in God really comes down to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/do-not-believe-in-anything-simply-because-you-have-heard-it/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quote&lt;/a&gt; (which ironically is falsely attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Do not believe in what you have heard; do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations; do not believe in anything because it is rumoured and spoken by many; do not believe merely because a written statement of some old sage is produced; do not believe in conjectures; do not believe in that as truth to which you have become attached from habit; do not believe merely the authority of your teachers and elders. After observation and analysis, when it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and gain of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.&quot; (Sayagyi U Ba Khin, 1951)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this clarifies your question.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extension: a Buddha is said according to the Mahayana tradition to have three bodies (Trikaya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dharmakaya (Transcendental): Dharmakaya also known as absolute reality is beyond mental comprehensions. It can never manifest itself through form, yet all beings and phenomena originate from it. It is the &quot;true&quot; present moment which pervades everything. Without the Dharmakaya nothing including nothingness could ever exist. It is completely transcendental and is beyond time, form, and the formless. It depends on nothing but itself for existence. Interestingly, the Dharmakaya plays a special role in the origination and unification of the Buddhas. It is through the Dharmakaya that all Buddhas are equally embodiment's of truth. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sambhogakaya (pure body): Sambhogakaya is another appearance which is the manifestation of the Dharmakaya. It is the reward body that Buddhist practitioners receive through practice and the fruits of enlightenment. It is a completely purified body of the Buddhas and occasionally used for appearances to living Bodhisattva's; also, it is the body used to teach men and women in who are in the Pure Lands (Buddha Land). It is through this stage the the Buddhas remain distinct from one another. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirmanakaya (body): Nirmanakaya is the physical/historical body of a Buddha. For example, Shakyamuni Buddha is the historical person of the Nirmanakaya. His body was subjected to birth, sickness, old age, and eventually death. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is through the Dharmakaya that the first Buddha, also known as Adi-Buddha, originated from the void as a flame. He has many names and according to some sections of Buddhist traditions they do include Adi-Buddha as God. For &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanghyang_Adi_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;example&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In Indonesia, the term Sanghyang Adi Buddha is agreed upon and used by the Indonesian Supreme Sangha and the Indonesian Buddhist Council as the designation for the God Almighty.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While Buddhists may have different opinions on whether Adi Buddha is God or not; they all agree on his importance and his unique and divine characteristics. It is through the Adi Buddhas incredible mental skills that he manifested (not created) the five Dhyani-Buddhas, the historical Buddhas, and the Bodhisattva's. Some practitioners are even considered to be the physical manifestations of the Adi Buddhas personalities such as Samantabhadra. One of the five Dhyani-Buddhas known as Vairocana is believed to be the Sambhogakaya (pure body) of Shakyamuni; which is the physical extension of the wisdom of Adi Buddha. So is Adi Buddha a God? I'll let you decide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-16T21:16:42.483" LastActivityDate="2016-09-16T21:16:42.483" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17580" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-17T01:52:55.900" Score="1" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I heard from a group of commentators that the Bodhi tree, a tree species which Buddha choose to attain enlightenment under, was actually known to have medicinal properties. Has anyone ever heard this before? Apparently, this tree was what allowed Buddha to sit under the tree for long periods of time without developing pressure sores across his lower body. This particular sect of Buddhism believes Buddha sat under the tree for at least 7 years. Honestly I'm not surprised to find apologetical statements because of their position. Does anyone know if the Bodhi tree actually has these &quot;medicinal&quot; properties? Also, would you consider it's properties sufficient enough in explaining away the lack of pressure wounds we would expect to find on Buddha's body?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize my question: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does the Bodhi tree actually have medicinal properties as some Buddhists claim?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are the medicinal properties sufficient enough in explaining away the pressure sores we would expect to find on Shakyamuni's body through his prolonged meditation model (years)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Please no short term models to undermine the question, thank you. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2018-09-18T16:17:53.923" Title="The healing Bodhi tree for Shakyamuni Buddhas long term sitting?" Tags="|meditation|gautama-buddha|pain|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17580" CreationDate="2016-09-17T07:55:54.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does the Bodhi tree actually have medicinal properties as some Buddhists claim?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it does? For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249921/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Phytopharmacology of &lt;em&gt;Ficus religiosa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; references studies which say it does. I can't judge whether these are good/reliable studies (questioning the reliability of those studies might be a good question for &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions&quot;&gt;Skeptics.SE&lt;/a&gt; if you really want to pursue it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are the medicinal properties sufficient enough in explaining away the pressure sores we would expect to find on Shakyamuni's body through his prolonged meditation model (years)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't say I'm an expert on pressure sores, I'm not sure what to expect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bicyclists for example can sit on their saddle for hours and days on end, partly because they have become physically accustomed to it through practice/use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, for what it's worth and for example, to prevent pressure sores in a bed-ridden geriatric patient, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/archive/082510p20.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this paper&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When older adults are admitted to a hospital or a nursing home, caregivers should inquire how often patients will be repositioned, Edsberg says. She suggests ascertaining the facility’s policy on repositioning. “&lt;strong&gt;It’s recommended that the patient be repositioned every two hours&lt;/strong&gt;,” she says. “Caregivers might want to consider being proactive in enforcing this by setting a timer in the patient’s room so that it’s not forgotten.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also recommends good nutrition. Anyway, that confirms my preconception that occasional repositioning is important (and is used) to help prevent pressure sores.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also this topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5746/254&quot;&gt;Buddha meditation under the bodhi tree&lt;/a&gt;, which questions whether the Buddha &quot;sat and did not move for days&quot;... a meditator might change position occasionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I presume that Gautama maybe did develop sores and so on, when he was practicing during his ascetic period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that ideally to answer this question you might like a comparative (double-blind) study of people sitting on Bodhi tree leaves, or something like that (I don't know of such a study); or an answer from someone with personal experience of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-09-17T07:55:54.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17582" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17585" CreationDate="2016-09-18T01:21:20.143" Score="3" ViewCount="459" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach a single meditation that includes jhāna and insight, or do the scriptures have him separate meditation into different techniques? In what Buddhist traditions is it necessary to qualify meditation as vipāssana or samatha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T21:24:21.780" Title="Separating meditation into vipāssana or samatha" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17582" CreationDate="2016-09-18T02:45:36.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Samatha&lt;/em&gt;' means 'tranquility' while '&lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;' is a certain degree of 'mental collectedness' ('&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;' - 'concentration'). '&lt;em&gt;Samadhi&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;' are not synonyms. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the most part, the suttas teach &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; (tranquility) &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; (insight) are developed in tandem (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 149&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path...for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquility &amp;amp; insight.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; ('pleasant abiding') &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; ('focused on arising &amp;amp; falling') are fruits of concentration (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.41&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapansati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, each of the sixteen lessons (apart from the 1st two) has the words: &quot;&lt;em&gt;He trains himself&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which means training ('&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sikkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;') the mind in higher morality, higher concentration &amp;amp; higher wisdom. Therefore, &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; occurs in the successful practise of each of these 14 lessons (as well as &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; in lessons 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 &amp;amp; 15). For example, to concentrate on the breath will result in the breath calming (which is &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;; lesson 4) but will also result in seeing clearly the breath is impermanent &amp;amp; that the quality of the breath conditions/affects the quality of the body &amp;amp; mind (which is &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;; lessons 3 &amp;amp; 4). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-18T03:06:10.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T03:06:10.773" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9983" CreationDate="2016-09-18T09:30:17.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Vedantic teachings inevitably lead to the direct discovery that &quot;consciousness is all.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is a fitting distinction between Vedanta &amp;amp; Pali Buddhism. The short answer is, in Pali Buddhism, consciousness is not all. Many Pali suttas (MN 18, MN 38, MN 148, SN 12.67, SN 22.53, etc) explicitedly state consciousness is dependent on the physical body, sense organs &amp;amp; sense objects, that: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt; &quot;&lt;em&gt;Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/a&gt;; that: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;a coming, a going, a passing away, an arising, a growth, an increase or a proliferation of consciousness apart from form, from feeling, from perception, from fabrications ...would be impossible&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Rupa' is defined as the elements of earth, wind, fire &amp;amp; water &amp;amp; the physical body composed of them (MN 9, SN 12.2, etc); that is fed with rice &amp;amp; porridge (MN 74) &amp;amp; is anything physical that is subject to inevitable decay (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt; provides an excellent description of 'rupa'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Feeling' is best understood as the basic pleasant, unpleasant &amp;amp; neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feelings that arises from sense contact. For example, a massage feels pleasant; the sight &amp;amp; smell of a rotting corpse feels unpleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Perception' is the labels placed on sense objects, such as 'blue', 'green', 'man', woman', 'beautiful', 'ugly', etc, which are learned &amp;amp; memorised. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mental forming' is anything formed from feeling &amp;amp; perception. For example, pleasant feelings &amp;amp; the perception of 'beautiful' can give rise to the mental formations of lust, greed or love and thinking &amp;amp; making images (mental pictures) about those objects of feeling &amp;amp; perception (refer to MN 18). Therefore, defilements (greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion), active thoughts, images and positive virtues, such as metta &amp;amp; wisdom, are mental formations. What are called 'emotions' in English are a mixture of defilements &amp;amp; thoughts or otherwise 'mature emotions', such as &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Consciousness' is a mental capacity that allows cognition via the senses. Thus the scriptures state: &quot;&lt;em&gt;There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (MN 9, SN 12.2, MN 148, etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because consciousness is required to experience the other four aggregates does not mean '&lt;em&gt;consciousness is all&lt;/em&gt;'. To believe so would make consciousness like 'God', 'Brahma' or 'Atman'. In a possible response to Vedic ideas, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.23&lt;/a&gt; states 'The All' is sense organs &amp;amp; sense objects rather than consciousness or Brahma. In Pali Buddhism, consciousness only facilities experience, that is all. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.134.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.134&lt;/a&gt;, SN 12.20 &amp;amp;  SN 12.65 each state the Laws of Dhamma inherently exist whether or not they are discovered, cognized &amp;amp; revealed by a Buddha or any other human being. Therefore, unknown/unexperienced things can exist outside of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the five aggregates are described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'form'? Because it is afflicted, thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold &amp;amp; heat &amp;amp; hunger &amp;amp;&#xA;  thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun &amp;amp; reptiles.&#xA;  Because it is afflicted, it is called form.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it&#xA;  feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called&#xA;  feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it&#xA;  perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it&#xA;  perceives, it is called perception.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'fabricating'/'fabricator'? Because it fabricates fabricated things, thus it is called 'fabricating.' What&#xA;  does it fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, it&#xA;  fabricates form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness,&#xA;  it fabricates feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of&#xA;  perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of&#xA;  consciousness-hood, it fabricates consciousness as a fabricated thing.&#xA;  Because it fabricates fabricated things, it is called&#xA;  fabricating/fabricator.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is&#xA;  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, &amp;amp;&#xA;  unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-18T09:57:08.757" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T09:57:08.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17582" CreationDate="2016-09-18T14:23:24.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said in the scriptures that depending on the type of person, that person falls into the PATH in four different ways. That happens through &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/onetool.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;insight (vipassana)&lt;/a&gt; and tranquillity (samatha). If a person listens to true Dhamma, take part in Dhamma discussions, and practise Samatha and Vipassana properly, dispassionateness with understanding definitely take place in him/her. That’s a given. If not so, then the fault is in that person. It is because of doing something which appears as correct thinking, or erroneously thinking that what one does is the correct thing. That is where the mistake is and not in the Suttas or in the Noble Eight-fold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;amp;ion=1&amp;amp;espv=2&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8#q=Yuganaddha+Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Yuganaddha Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya Sutta 4.170)&lt;/a&gt;, it is said that insight (vipassana) and tranquillity (samatha) is developed in Tandem. In this sutta, Ven. Ananda describes the paths to arahantship by which insight (vipassana) and tranquillity (samatha) work hand-in-hand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are people in whom the other three ways may work. These three are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha followed by vipassana - after which the path is born in him/her;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana followed by samatha - after which the path is born in him/her; &amp;amp;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind stays fixed internally and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/meditation_theory.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;become one-pointed&lt;/a&gt; - after which the path is born in him/her. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-18T21:24:21.780" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T21:24:21.780" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2016-09-18T19:32:07.923" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to me the Mahayana is more about rituals and such:prayer wheels, manadala's, medicine bowls, prayer flags. Plus there are too many esoteric &quot;secretive&quot; teachings where one has to receive empowerment from a lama I guess. It's all good but I feel Theravada tradition contains the heart of Buddha's teachings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10056" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T19:32:07.923" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17580" CreationDate="2016-09-18T23:17:28.400" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Bodhi-Tree is sacred to Buddhists. In the scriptures it says that Ven. Ananda once asked the Buddha what could be done to help the many disappointed devotees who travelled to Savatthi (a city of ancient India and one of the six largest cities in India during Gautama Buddha's lifetime)  to see the Buddha, only to find that He was away attending to another in distress. The Buddha then advised Ven. Ananda to plant a sapling from the great Bodhi tree under which He had attained enlightenment in Savatthi. It was at this occasion that He proclaimed that the Bodhi Tree would be a symbol of the Buddha that devotees could venerate in His absence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not heard of any healing/medicinal properties but even to this date we can see devotees conducting Bodhi Poojas at the local temples to invoke blessings. What is important IMO, is to get a true understanding of the Dhamma than having a belief that all problems could be solved by Bodhi Poojas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-18T23:17:28.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17571" CreationDate="2016-09-19T02:48:30.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is the cyclical nature of life in Samsara. The doctrine of Paticcasamuppāda (Pāli) states that when certain conditions are present, they give rise to subsequent conditions, which in turn give rise to other conditions. This is the cyclical nature of life in Samsara. If you read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.11b-Ma-Punna-Bhayi-S-it22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mā Puñña Bhāyī Sutta – It.22&lt;/a&gt; it can be said that even time is cyclical.&#xA;Buddha had the ability to see the past up to infinite time such as many Sanvatta Kalpa, Vivatta Kalpa, and Sanvatta Vivatta Kalpa. Sanvatta kalpa means the time that takes the world to be destroyed after countless years. Vivatta kalpa means, time of the beginning of the world. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.11b-Ma-Punna-Bhayi-S-it22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mā Puñña Bhāyī Sutta – It.22&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha says that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…when it was the time of the world’s destruction, He was born in the Ābassara divine world. And when it was the time of the beginning of the world, He was born in a beings-free Brahma abode as a Brahma divine being. The Buddha also said that He was born as the Mahā Brahma in the Brahma realm for seven times and as the Sakkra who is the head of all deities in Cātum Māhārājika and Thāvatinsa divine worlds for thirty six times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T02:48:30.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2016-09-19T03:22:58.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you multi-task you do not give the fullest attention to what you do. Also you may think that you are multi-tasking, but in reality you are not. Just see how the following things happen so quickly when our five senses comes in contact with the related one of the outside?  For instance, when body, tangible object and consciousness come together, there arises contact. With the arising of contact, simultaneously, there arises feeling (vedana) – feeling born of body contact. Since feeling is conditioned by contact, feeling differs in accordance with the change of contact. Then, there is the recognition of perception. This is called sañña (perception). These things happen so quickly when our five senses comes in contact with the related one of the outside, that only a highly developed and ‘quiet’ mind can differentiate the time difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana can be said as a sense of wellbeing and stability you can develop from within. For this one has to close all other doors, and have open only one sense door – leaving no room for ‘multi-tasking’. Only inside Jhana, can the sapta bodhyanga (Seven factors of enlightenment) can be fully developed. For this one has to practise Samatha and Vipassana properly. Then a different kind of ‘multi-tasking’ takes place. When you are practicing concentration, you are developing several factors of the Noble path at once. There’s right resolve, the resolve to renounce sensuality, to find a pleasure that’s not involved with &#xA;sensual passion; right mindfulness, which is the theme of right concentration; and right livelihood, looking after your needs in a skillful way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T03:22:58.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17591" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-19T05:38:10.967" Score="6" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I've been facing problems with trying to remain mindful of any thoughts that pass through my mind. This problem is particularly prevalent in my formal meditation, where I only realise I am thinking half way through the thought, or even when it has stopped. I also cannot remember the first parts of the thought pattern, what made it to arise, etc. Any tips on keeping a more stable eye on this 'frame of reference'? Thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8552" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:21:54.287" Title="How to improve mindfulness of thinking?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2016-09-19T10:00:08.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my experience, though I'd hardly call myself a mindfulness expert, I don't feel audiobooks and the small level of multitasking they allow me to take on really negatively affect my mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess, truly, the challenge is to resist the temptation to multi task or listen to books when you SHOULD be being mindful.  I suppose everyone's mileage varies, but I became an avid audiobook listener before beginning my mindfulness practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mostly I listen to these while driving or if I'm doing some menial tasks like cleaning.  These aren't exactly places and times I find myself practicing really being present anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just my 2 cents.  Hope it helps someone. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10059" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T10:00:08.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17591" CreationDate="2016-09-19T10:05:40.363" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding is the 3rd frame of reference (&lt;em&gt;cittanupassana&lt;/em&gt;) does not involve observing thoughts (&lt;em&gt;vitakka&lt;/em&gt;). It involves knowing whether the mind-heart (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) is defiled or not. Defilements (&lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;) are not thoughts. Although there can be 'defiled thoughts', 'defilements' (&lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;) are the energy/drive/mood of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion, which are not thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when there is sexual lust, anger or fear, the energy or vibrations that runs through &amp;amp; simulates the physical body with lust, anger or fear, giving rise to all kinds of physical reactions &amp;amp; tensions, is not 'thought'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching about the 3rd frame of reference does not mention thoughts. It states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in &amp;amp; of itself? There is the case where a monk, when the mind has lust, discerns that the&#xA;mind has lust. When the mind is without lust, he discerns that&#xA;the mind is without lust. When the mind has hatred, he discerns&#xA;that the mind has hatred. When the mind is without hatred, he&#xA;discerns that the mind is without hatred. When the mind has&#xA;delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion. When the mind is&#xA;without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without delusion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the mind is constricted, he discerns that the mind is constricted. When the mind is scattered, he discerns that the mind is&#xA;scattered. When the mind is enlarged, he discerns that the mind is&#xA;enlarged. When the mind is not enlarged, he discerns that the mind is&#xA;not enlarged. When the mind is surpassed, he discerns that the mind is&#xA;surpassed. When the mind is unsurpassed, he discerns that the mind is&#xA;unsurpassed. When the mind is concentrated, he discerns that the mind&#xA;is concentrated. When the mind is not concentrated, he discerns that&#xA;the mind is not concentrated. When the mind is released, he discerns&#xA;that the mind is released. When the mind is not released, he discerns&#xA;that the mind is not released.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be able to observe clearly or meticulously the arising, existing &amp;amp; passing of thoughts requires a high degree of concentration (mental collectedness/clarity/stability). The teachings state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the (mental) development using concentration (samādhi) that, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to mindfulness (sati) &amp;amp;&#xA;clear-comprehension (sampajaññā)? There is the case where feelings&#xA;(vedanā) are known to the monk as they arise, known as they persist,&#xA;known as they subside. Perceptions (saññā) are known to him as they&#xA;arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Thoughts&#xA;(vitakkā) are known to him as they arise, known as they persist,&#xA;known as they subside. This is the (mental) development using&#xA;concentration that, when developed &amp;amp; pursued, leads to mindfulness &amp;amp;&#xA;clear-comprehension.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samadhi Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A tip I can provide is to develop concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;), such as by using Mindfulness With Breathing (&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy is as follows. If you wish to scientifically examine water, ideally, you take a drop of water &amp;amp; place it under a microscope. You do not walk into a raging surf (in the ocean) with a microscope. Similarly, to observe thoughts in a meticulous manner generally requires a large amount of concentration and a small amount of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T10:24:33.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17591" CreationDate="2016-09-19T10:07:34.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd honestly say to focus on your breath, then just allow thought to come and go naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have trouble &quot;noting&quot; your thoughts or thought process--try instead to focus on the feeling that the thought produces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember though, the idea of noting thoughts is one of a very soft touch, never forcing yourself to think about your thinking.  Quite simply acknowledging that a thought exists or has passed is more than enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything else depends on time and practice.  And try not to try so hard. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10059" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T10:07:34.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2016-09-19T11:53:58.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, I wouldn't recommend a practitioner to multi-task while working. As Alan Watts explained, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your job as a practitioner is not to think about anything while working. It is through work that mind-body falls away. What does that mean? While washing the dishes your job is to only concentrate on washing the dishes. No aim, no goal, no thoughts, no expectations, no Buddha but washing dishes. This is your practice. No thinking, &quot;I am washing the dishes&quot; or &quot;I am not thinking while washing dishes&quot; because you're not allowing mind-body to fall away. Simply wash the dishes with non-thinking. Here's a quote by Bodhidharma, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Not thinking about anything is zen. Once you know this, walking, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is zen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I want you to consider why you're wanting to multi-task? Does your mind get bored? Are you trying to avoid certain sensations? Is it hard to concentrate? Does your mind get frustrated in the silence? Why are you wanting to entertain the mind? This is your practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2016-09-19T11:53:58.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17563" CreationDate="2016-09-20T02:05:38.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I see it, &lt;strong&gt;impulsive&lt;/strong&gt; is not the right word to describe “Akusala”.  Because the word is the opposite of “kusala”, depending on the situation and what I would have to convey, there are other ways to better describe it; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If “kusala” denotes the advantageous, the “akusala” is disadvantageous when referring to intentions, as in  kusala and akusala-cetanā.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If “kusala” denotes the wholesome, the “akusala” is unwholesome when referring to the roots of the wholesome (kusala-mula) and the roots of the unwholesome (akusala-mula).  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If “kusala” denotes the meritorious, the “akusala” is de-meritorious when again referring to volition (Kusala Akusala Cetana).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When “kusala” is the Good, the “akusala” is the Bad/Evil. &#xA;When “kusala” is the Advantageous, the “akusala” is the Disadvantageous / detrimental. &#xA;When “kusala” is the Skilful, the “akusala” is the Unskilful.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can understand you wanting to define it as “impulsive”. But since the defilement tends to work impulsively, without deliberation, the transgression is less serious than slander and the kammic consequence generally less severe. Still, harsh speech is an unwholesome action with disagreeable results for oneself and others, both now and in the future, so it is a “akusala”.&#xA;I agree that we speak and we act impulsively, and out of our thoughts arise speech and action. It just means that mindfulness and clear comprehension were lacking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two suttas to read on “Akusala” are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Akusalamula) Aññatitthiya Sutta - A 3.68. The nature of the 3 unwholesome roots.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(Akusala) Kamma Nidana Sutta - A 10.174. The negative root causes of karma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-20T09:41:44.950" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T09:41:44.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-20T07:11:48.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;If the Buddha said that we shouldn't take his teachings as dogma, but rather try to experience for ourselves what realization is--why should we study the scriptures?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha isn't saying his teachings aren't true. He wants his students to  be objective, be impartial and not just believe the teachings because he is saying words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He want's his students to put the eightfold path into practice and see for themselves. &#xA;   Most people can't just spontaniously become enlightened. Everyone can't be as lucky as Krishnamurti. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you heard of J Krishnamurti? If not, maybe you would like him.  He is supposed to have had some kind of spontaneous enlightenment and after that he gave many speeches were he always strongly advocated no method, no path, no scriptures and no teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Krishnamurti talks about is very similar to the Buddha's teaching but in in my opinion, Krishnamurti misunderstood what the Buddha's teaching  is about, ironically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-09-20T14:43:08.427" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T14:43:08.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17604" CreationDate="2016-09-20T14:50:45.153" Score="4" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TEYSK.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This document&lt;/a&gt; contains instructions for ridding the sense of a personal self. I was wondering which suttas (or other texts) the quotes at the end come from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“By rightly understanding ‘I am,’ one makes and end of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The eradication of ‘I am’ is the attainment of Nibbana here and now.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-20T18:32:45.717" LastActivityDate="2016-09-23T03:12:53.070" Title="Can anyone identify which suttas these quotes (having to do with the sense of self) come from?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17563" CreationDate="2016-09-20T15:59:25.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although 'impulsive' can describe a part of what exactly &quot;akusala&quot; means, I'm not sure if we can see it as an English translation of the Pali word &quot;akusala&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we know, &quot;Akusala&quot; is the antonym for &quot;Kusala&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Kusala kamma&quot; denotes &quot;Righteous action&quot; or to simply put it, &quot;Good/virtuous actions' ,which are actions that bring happiness and give rise to pleasant feelings. h&#xA;Hence, &quot;Akusala&quot; is just the exact opposite of this....that is it means something sinful or immoral, something that yields results that are unpleasant for one's heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally think, 'unrighteous' ,'unvirtuous' or something as simple as 'wicked' can be the closer translation of 'Akusala'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10073" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T15:59:25.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15890" CreationDate="2016-09-20T16:24:34.850" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For beginners and enthusiasts, &quot;Budhha and His Dhamma&quot;, by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is a highly recommended book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It contains English translations of some very important sermons delivered by Budhha and also has content of Tipitika. It gives a complete overview of the Buddha's life, right from His birth to His journey from a layman to The Enlightened One. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10073" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T16:24:34.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14072" CreationDate="2016-09-20T18:43:07.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel to be at least qualified for answering basic requests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since no one else has already mentioned it, I would recommend to start with reading the Four Noble Truths. An arguably complete treatment can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;. I would not only recommend it because it was my very first exposure with the subject, but also because, generally, it is considered one of the most fundamental teachings of the Buddha, and as a consequence also one of the most present in introductory buddhist texsts. If you would like more a book recommendation, my suggestion is to give a read or acquire an overview &lt;em&gt;only after the Four Noble Truths&lt;/em&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003OYIG00&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, a most famous text and apparently a highly reviewed one. I too read it and can say good things about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are certainly other valid entry points, some of which have already been recommended (such as learning the five precepts, a prerequisite often advocated by the Buddha himself), but since it is easy to fall into an information-overload trap nowadays and only basic instructions are being asked for here, I would limit myself to suggesting only the most essential material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5275" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T19:22:50.323" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T19:22:50.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17600" CreationDate="2016-09-20T19:03:55.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the first one is for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kutuhalasala Sutta (SN 44.9) (S iv 398)&lt;/a&gt;, the relevent sentence in that translation being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Instead, he describes him thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;He has cut through craving, severed the fetter, and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;by rightly breaking through conceit has made an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;rightly breaking through conceit&quot; might be a translation of of the same text as &quot;rightly understanding ‘I am’&quot; (because &quot;breaking through&quot; = &quot;understanding&quot;, and &quot;I am&quot; = &quot;conceit&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more about the relationship between &quot;conceit&quot; and &quot;identity view&quot; in the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another translation is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.15-Kutuhalasala-S-s44.9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But, he declares of him, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“He has cut off craving, and through full mastery over conceit, he has&#xA;    made a total end of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This gives the Pali in a footnote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Acchejji taṇhaṁ vivattayi saññojanaṁ sammā,mānâbhisamayā antam akāsi dukkhassâ ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's part of a dictionary definition of one of those words, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/abhisamaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhisamaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abhisamaya, (abhi + samaya, from sam + i, cp. abhisameti &amp;amp; sameti; BSk. abhisamaya, e. g. Divy 200, 654) “coming by completely”, insight into, comprehension, realization, clear understanding, grasp, penetration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can see how that word might be translated as &quot;understanding&quot; and/or &quot;penetration&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A later part of that same dictionary definition says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sammā-mān’âbhisamaya&lt;/em&gt; full understanding of false pride in ster. phrase &quot;&lt;em&gt;acchecchi&lt;/em&gt; (for &lt;em&gt;acchejji&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;em&gt;taṇhaṃ, vivattayi saññojanaṃ sammāmānâbhisamayā antam akāsi dukkhassa&lt;/em&gt;&quot; at S.IV, 205, 207, 399; A.III, 246, 444; It.47&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... in other words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's a &quot;ster. phrase&quot; (maybe &quot;stereotypical phrase&quot;?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That dictionary translates it as &quot;full understanding of false pride&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It can be found in several suttas, including S.IV (205, 207, and 399), A.III (246 and 444), and It.47.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And indeed, as stated in that definition, here it is again at the end of (for example) the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.200.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nissaraniya Sutta (AN 5.200) (A iii 245)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has cut through craving, has turned away from the fetter, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;and by rightly breaking through conceit he has put an end to suffering &amp;amp; stress&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's found in at least two of the suttas (quoted/hyperlinked above), and presumably found in at least all 6 of the suttas referenced in the dictionary definition above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T19:03:55.817" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17591" CreationDate="2016-09-20T19:19:33.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think this is a sign of weak mindfulness. Actually, the opposite might be the case: When your mindfulness improves you'll be able to see more clearly. But seeing more cleary often means seeing the mess and chaos in mind and body that is going on all the time whether we are aware of it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, you're describing the 3 characteristics: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thoughts are impermanent and change quickly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You cannot control when a thought comes up, nor can you really control your awareness of thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thoughts are not satisfying. You say not being aware of thinking is a problem for you. Who was first, the thought or you not being a aware? (Not) wanting and therefore suffering can arise from thoughts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't worry about it too much. Wherever you catch thinking that's where you should note it. If you realize you were not mindful you can note it with 'knowing'. Actually when you realize you were not mindful before, that's the only way of becoming mindful again, by becoming mindful of not being mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having a &lt;em&gt;stable eye&lt;/em&gt; is really a wrong perception of what meditation is about. It's supposed to be unstable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-20T19:19:33.477" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17540" CreationDate="2016-09-21T00:50:29.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there is ONE Sutta that tells in a nutshell the &lt;a href=&quot;http://blog.noeticmonk.com/p/factors-of-enlightenment.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;,  the Path to Nibbana, it is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lordbuddhaswords.org/Factors%20of%20Enlightenment.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Greater Discourse to Sakuludayin (Mahasakuludayi Sutta) . MN 77&lt;/a&gt; . They are:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Foundations of Mindfulness  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Right Kinds of Striving  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Four Bases for Spiritual Power  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Five Faculties    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Five Powers   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Seven Enlightenment Factors  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T00:50:29.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14546" CreationDate="2016-09-21T04:11:42.660" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, hell exists in Buddhism as a literal real place as real as this world we live in, but there many hellish worlds and they are temporary (though many can last for extremely long time-periods).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality the concept of hell might have originated in Buddhism because early Hinduism does not seem to have the concept nor does early Judaism or the majority of pre-Buddhist religions, they have only vague ideas and concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is among the only religion where hell is central concept, described in high graphic details, highlighted and emphasized all the time. Most certainly it was not added in because it is found everywhere in earliest scriptures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes me wonder if NT Christian writers had copied the concept of hell from Buddhism since there were many Greco-Buddhists. The Greek concept of hell is vague and only somewhat like the NT Christian version which seems to more resemble Buddhist hell. It would be much more reasonable to argue that hell was added into NT Christianity than added into Buddhism, because the evidence shows Buddhism as the probable originator of the hell concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which other recorded figure had ever described hell in such high graphic details before The Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same manner bhikkhus, the unpleasantness and displeasure&#xA;  experienced on account of six thousand whips three times a day&#xA;  cannot be reckoned as a comparison, not even as a quarter, nor even&#xA;  as a sign for the unpleasantness and displeasure experienced in hell.&#xA;  The warders of hell give him the fivefold binding.&quot; (Balapandita&#xA;  Sutta, MN 129)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And then later on, with the divine eye, which is purified and&#xA;  surpasses the human, I see that on the dissolution of the body, after&#xA;  death, he has reappeared in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy&#xA;  destination, in perdition, in hell, and is experiencing extremely&#xA;  painful, racking, piercing feelings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose there were a charcoal pit deeper than a man's height full of&#xA;  glowing coals without flame or smoke; and then a man scorched and&#xA;  exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched and thirsty, came by a path&#xA;  going in one way only and directed to that same charcoal pit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: 'This person so&#xA;  behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path, that he will come&#xA;  to this same charcoal pit'; and then later on he sees that he has&#xA;  fallen into that charcoal pit and is experiencing extremely painful,&#xA;  racking, piercing feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind...&#xA;  piercing feelings.&quot; (Maha-sihanada Sutta, MN 12)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It&#xA;  also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the&#xA;  religion as well.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know, lots of things create fear, but the belief in hell can create positive fear and motivation to act. The Buddha states the truth not what people necessarily want to hear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal belief is that hellish worlds are really physically real and that it would be proven in the future, it's only a matter of time. I already have a hunch on how it could be proven, but who wants to witness or go to hell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-09-21T11:58:55.277" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T11:58:55.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17550" CreationDate="2016-09-21T05:13:50.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Didn't the Bodhisattva master the Jhanas with teachers before his remembering about Jhana states as a child while practicing extreme asceticism? What am I missing here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Middle Way is not eating extremely well and it is not eating extremely little. The middle way is in the middle of those two extremes so the Buddha was a mild ascetic or middle way ascetic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T05:13:50.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2016-09-21T06:22:04.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think so, how can anyone believe that Maitreya would appear in this lifetime?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main sign of Maitreya's arrival is the life span being around 80,000 years. During The Buddha's time He said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;At present, monks, one who lives a long time is 100 years old or a&#xA;  little bit more&quot; (Arakenanusasani Sutta, AN 7.70)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is basically the same as now in modern times. The life expectancy among people that had food has been like nearly the same since ancient times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But arahants and paccekabuddhas still can arise during the time-period in between the appearance of a Sammasambuddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The distinction between paccekabuddhas and sammasambuddhas is that sammasambuddhas are considered as Supreme Teachers but paccekabuddhas can still teach just not as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T06:22:04.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17611" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-21T07:43:22.767" Score="2" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have you heard of sensory deprivation tanks? This is a tank which is supposed to be soundproofed and dark, and which would hold a little water for a person to float in. The idea is for the conditions inside the tank to allow a person to enter a place where they can avoid all bodily sensation. Still not for creating aversion to the body/bodily sensations, is this type of experience valuable in the practice of meditation? Would you yourself consider trying this experience for yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10079" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-09-21T11:11:07.020" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T12:07:53.510" Title="Sensory Deprivation tank" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-classification|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17612" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-21T08:29:15.663" Score="1" ViewCount="1224" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wrote this article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://vixra.org/pdf/1601.0024v1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Do people leave in Matrix? Information, entropy, time and cellular-automata&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article tries to prove that the visible world is an illusion or a &quot;dream&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question here is, is &quot;the visible world is an illusion or dream&quot; the main topic of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the article includes a proof of the existence of a Higher Conscience. Is that in direct relation with Buddhism (i.e. the topics discussed here on this site)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you found any logical flaws in this article then please mention/list them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10080" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-21T13:48:15.770" LastActivityDate="2016-11-22T07:20:06.600" Title="Does Buddhism claim that our World is an illusion? In other words is it a Matrix? Any proof for this?" Tags="|nirvana|hells|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="8" ClosedDate="2016-11-22T11:57:43.163" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17611" CreationDate="2016-09-21T11:57:38.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sure. Meditation is a mental activity which means it can be done anywhere at anytime. It doesn't matter if you're on a bus, in your room, or in a deprivation tank. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is a deprivation tank valuable? Sure! People today and in ancient times have always used sensory deprivation techniques to further their mind. Today, people still use ancient forms of sensory deprivation techniques such as retreats into caves, living in dark rooms, living underground to avoid sound and light, sitting in one place for a pro-long length of time, etc... The only downfall for deprivation tanks is that you can't live inside them. Otherwise, I could see it being beneficial. Though long-term sensory deprivation techniques should &lt;strong&gt;NOT&lt;/strong&gt; be used by beginner practitioners. Your mind will begin to hallucinate after 2 - 3 days of continues deprivation. If you're not trained to handle the mind under these conditions it can be scary, strange, and confusing if you're not prepared to face it. The only kind of teachers I would trust in doing such an extreme meditation practice (myself being a zen practitioner) would be the  Buddhist Lama's living in Tibet. They are very intelligent, hard-core, and specialize in matters concerning the subconscious mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nnekxGE0nM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is a video of a group of men and women Hallucinating after a few days of visual sensory deprivation.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-21T12:07:53.510" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T12:07:53.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17612" CreationDate="2016-09-21T16:10:11.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not the main topic of Buddhism. Such ideas are called 'speculative views'. I think a good reference would be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 63&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with poison. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would provide him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble warrior, a brahman, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know the given name &amp;amp; clan name of the man who wounded me...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the Blessed One as long as he does not declare to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,' or 'The cosmos is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' or 'After death a Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist', the man would die and those things would still remain undeclared by the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T16:10:11.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17612" CreationDate="2016-09-21T18:51:09.093" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;My question here is, is &amp;quot;the visible world is an illusion or dream&amp;quot; the main topic of Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it's not the main topic of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Pali canon point of view, it's also not a claim of Buddhism that the world is an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, the main topics of Buddhism are the nature of suffering, the nature of pleasure, the ultimate freedom of suffering, and the ultimate pleasure (born from the freedom of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's visible from the sutras that the Buddha refrained himself from making many ontological statements -- statements about &amp;quot;what is out there&amp;quot; and the nature of &amp;quot;what is out there&amp;quot;. And some people seem to believe he refrained from making any ontological statements at all, which may induce the idea that he regarded the world as an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, however, his concerns with the world starts when a stimulus is &amp;quot;perceived&amp;quot; -- when sense data is contacted. The nature or reality of what lies behind what has been sensed is not dwelled on. Thus, generally speaking, the formulations of the World from the Buddha are in terms of the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the origin and the passing away of the world. Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of the world? In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. This, bhikkhus, is the origin of the world.&#xA;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the passing away of the world? In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he doesn't ignore &amp;quot;the outside world&amp;quot;, it's possible that he could be speaking in conventional terms instead of positing a view, as in &amp;quot;there's a house behind that mountain&amp;quot; (and not as in &amp;quot;that house exists and it's real&amp;quot;, in the ontological sense). When he speaks of characteristics of &amp;quot;the house&amp;quot;, his focus arguably lies in what is perceived by the senses and his interest is in how these perceptions affect us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The closer he gets to an ontological &lt;em&gt;view&lt;/em&gt; (i.e. when the nature of the &amp;quot;house&amp;quot; is of interest) could still not really be about trying to pinpoint the actual nature of the thing &amp;quot;out there&amp;quot; independent of observer, but about the perception of it, in particular, associated with three characteristics: being subject to change, it's unsatisfactoriness as ultimate protection of all suffering and, upon inspection, showing a lack of ultimate stable essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, he is known to have &amp;quot;proclaimed the world with it's devas, Mara and Brahma&amp;quot; against those who proclaimed otherwise, which is an assertion about &amp;quot;objective reality&amp;quot;. Also, he taught a moral law which distinguish between sentient beings and non sentient beings which seem to imply some ontological distinction. But I think the interest to investigate the non-subjective actual nature of things is generally lacking when such knowledge does not benefit the path to terminate suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, since Buddhism regards mind as a sense (in the same category as taste and sight), then even in a universe where all interactions are confined within ones own mind, Buddhism still applies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-22T07:20:06.600" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17612" CreationDate="2016-09-21T20:24:41.937" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;..is &amp;quot;the visible world is an illusion or dream&amp;quot; the main topic of Buddhism?...includes a proof of the existence of a Higher&#xA;Conscience...if you found any logical flaws...please mention/list&#xA;them...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my fleeting personal illusory opinion, there is no obvious connection to Buddhism here at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, it is consciousness that is an illusion or dream, i.e., there is no higher consciousness in Buddhism. To quote from the Buddhist (Pali) scriptures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good eyesight&#xA;were to see it, observe it &amp;amp; appropriately examine it. To him —&#xA;seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would&#xA;appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there&#xA;be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees, observes &amp;amp;&#xA;appropriately examines any consciousness that is past, future or&#xA;present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;&#xA;far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately&#xA;examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for&#xA;what substance would there be in consciousness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Phena Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it is difficult to argue using Buddhism, the quote below does lend support to a theory that the visible world is less an illusion than consciousness. For example, it would take a lot of arrogance or hubris to suggest Mt Everest, which has logically existed for millions of years, is an illusion, yet consciousness, which only lasts a short moment, is not an illusion but something &amp;quot;higher&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the&#xA;mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the four&#xA;great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three, four,&#xA;five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or more. But&#xA;what's called 'mind,' 'intellect' or 'consciousness' by day and by&#xA;night arises as one thing and ceases as another. Just as a monkey,&#xA;swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of&#xA;it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one.&#xA;Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's&#xA;called 'mind,' 'intellect' or 'consciousness' by day and by night&#xA;arises as one thing and ceases as another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Assutavā Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is the questioner might find an answer that might suit their tastes on the Hinduism forum: &lt;a href=&quot;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/&lt;/a&gt; since Hinduism might teach more inherently the external world is an illusion &amp;amp; the Higher or True Self is permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-21T20:49:38.350" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17617" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17623" CreationDate="2016-09-21T22:21:33.160" Score="4" ViewCount="1427" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my interactions with other people I am sometimes very full of my self, proud and vanitous and it leaves me with a bad taste afterwards or it even stops me from taking action in a direction I would desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you know any examples in the Suttas where these conditions of the mind are treated? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am thinking about the perception of a skeleton as a helpful aid in this matter but maybe there are others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T13:55:53.027" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:50:40.303" Title="How to deal with pride and vanity from a Buddhist perspective?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17618" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-22T00:03:25.063" Score="4" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;I dont get much effect from death contemplation on myself - i wondered lately maybe contemplating the death of those close to me might work to install a sense of urgency  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;do you think its effective ? and should i do it the same way as death contemplation of self or different ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to do it to get a sense of urgency &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;all thoughts on subject are welcome &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T00:50:37.170" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T14:38:29.510" Title="Doing &quot;death contemplation&quot; on others" Tags="|death|contemplation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17619" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17720" CreationDate="2016-09-22T00:22:50.390" Score="2" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it wholesome to set expectations for one's own practice (e.g. to have a mind free of all Five Hindrances, or to have all Seven Factors of Awakening present)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To firmly commit to the path of enlightenment, against all worldly distractions,  how can this be done without setting goals or expectations? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are conditions for the presence/absence of the Five Hindrances, Seven Factors of Awakening to arise and to pass, are these not impermanent? If one clings to the impermanent, does this not lead to dukkha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-09-23T00:21:27.107" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T22:06:35.320" Title="Attachment to practice itself" Tags="|personal-practice|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17618" CreationDate="2016-09-22T00:33:29.363" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether you contemplate death of self or your immediate loved ones, if you could make sure that (when death come to you) you will face it as a disciple who have attained path-fruition and not as a lay person with false-views, then you have done what is right. When doing it, try to do the ‘Nava Sivatika’ (Nine cemetery contemptations). This is the last exercise in mindfulness of the body. You could do this contemplation of the body's disintegration after death either imaginatively, or with the aid of pictures. Then this clear mental image of this decomposing body, you apply to your own body, or that of your loved one, considering: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This body, now so full of life, has the same nature and is subject to the same fate. It cannot escape death, cannot escape disintegration, but must eventually die and decompose.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is one single word that is more important than any other in the whole of the Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha, it is &lt;strong&gt;URGENCY&lt;/strong&gt;. In whatever way, if one could develop a sense of urgency, and in your case what you have stated above, then by all means stick to it. Do you think that everyone in this world will develop a sense of dismay (samvega) with what is happening around you? Who would ever see the other side of life -  the universality of suffering?  Of those who see life in this way, what is the percentage that will develop an attitude of heedfulness (&lt;strong&gt;appamada&lt;/strong&gt;) to avoid being duped by types of desires that come our way?  How many will have a sense of urgency towards the practice of Dhamma? So whatever means that you will employ to instil a sense of urgency, then that is the way to go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha has said is patisotagami or against the current of conventional thinking. Buddha knew this well. That is why He said, “Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize this is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T14:38:29.510" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T14:38:29.510" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17619" CreationDate="2016-09-22T01:24:33.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is a very good desire to have, @avatar Korra. Such desires are often helpful in the path. That kind of conceit can be a good thing. Setting expectations for one's own practice and desiring to do well, in thinking that “Other people can do this, why can’t I?” helps.  Those are actually useful tools in the path. But it is important to remember well to keep it to self, and let your actions speak. This is the most important advice that a noble friend can give you in this regard (Please do not ask me as to why it is so. It is up to you to take this advice or leave it. How this truism plays out in your life is a mystery. So you will have to be mindful of your actions, and its results, and learn from it.) Then you will one day get to see that only such people who heed this advice are likely to pursue this demanding path of practice all the way through to the end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T01:24:33.123" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17622" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17618" CreationDate="2016-09-22T01:46:40.517" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death contemplation/meditation has many reasons for existing. Some people may use death meditation to overcome sexual addictions (bodies decaying), accepting their impermanence (coming to grips with reality), and others (like yourself) will use Death meditation to motivate themselves to practice (resetting priorities). While some may find it extremely beneficial for their practice; others like yourself, may not feel the same way. That's ok. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of trying to find a sense of urgency for practice; I would recommend trying to find joy and happiness through your practice! The whole point for being a Buddhist is finding happiness and joy. If your miserable, bored, lazy, unhappy, etc... than somethings not right. It's possible you need to find a different teacher, monastery, Buddhist sect, etc... basically whatever it takes to rekindle the fire. The hardest workers will always be those who love to do what they do. Whenever I look for a mechanic I always choose a person who loves to work with cars. why? Because cars is their passion. They love what they do. And many of us love to practice Buddhism. It's not hard to practice Buddhism if it makes you happy. Consider elite/competitive gamers, they love to play their video games. They will literally play for hours every single day because they enjoy it. Do they feel pressured to play those hours? No. Does it feel like a job to them? Sometimes. End games can suck, but they love it. They play games for hours because it makes them happy. Here's a quote I think you should keep in mind next time you feel obligated to push urgency into your practice,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.&quot; - Confucius&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T01:57:03.460" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T01:57:03.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17617" CreationDate="2016-09-22T02:52:46.050" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are doing things the correct way in your practise in listening to Dhamma, in participating in Dhamma discussions, in doing Samatha and Vipassana properly, dispassionateness with understanding should develop within you. At times this happens. But if this is not the case - if dispassionateness with understanding does not take place, it is the vanity and pride that surfaces. That’s what happens when doing something which appears as correct thinking or correct action. If vanity and pride arises in you, then you will have to take a step back and go through a process of introspection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If vanity and pride is what gets developed in placing oneself above others and looking down on others arise in a person, it is due to his not doing things the proper way. That would not happen if you follow this Path with a sense of humility. To deal with this defilement from a Buddhist Perspective, one has to practice five factors that is found in the scriptures. Then you will invariably develop the required antidote in dispassionateness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.ca/books?id=up5O9zrSX80C&amp;amp;pg=PA300&amp;amp;lpg=PA300&amp;amp;dq=Asavakkhaya+Sutta&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=y7JrhSt8DV&amp;amp;sig=HjUE5LxK474iRZokl8xk5cKmnJ4&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwiJt7OH-qHPAhWJ7oMKHbGvCwMQ6AEILDAD#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=Asavakkhaya%20Sutta&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Asavakkhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha explains, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Oh Bhikkhus. There are five activities which if practised, if practised extensively results in the wiping out of defilements”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These five activities are the same as explained in the Nibbida Sutta. They are Asubha Sanna (perceiving the impurity of the body), Ahare Patikkula Sanna (perceiving the impurity of material food), Sabba Loke Anabhirata Sanna (not taking delight in worlds), Sabba Sankharesu Anicca Sanna (impermanence of all aggregates), of Marana Sati (to be mindful of death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T02:52:46.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14546" CreationDate="2016-09-22T11:18:11.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;How would hell be completely existent in every school of Buddhism if it was a tool added to control society? If something was added not everyone would accept it resulting in various schools as we see now but this hasn't occurred with Hell so it isn't a later addition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T11:18:11.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17619" CreationDate="2016-09-22T11:26:11.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading a sutra where someone asked the Buddha something similar to this and he replied (in a paraphrased way)&#xA;&quot;Did you desire to come here before arriving here?&quot; Buddha&#xA;&quot;Yes&quot; Someone&#xA;&quot;Now you are here do you still desire or are attached with coming here&quot; Buddha&#xA;&quot;No&quot; That Guy&#xA;&quot;It is the same with Nirvana/Practice, when you are there you can let it go&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with it Master Zhi Yi classifies desire for practice/achievement as one of the helpful qualities to Cultivation/Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T11:26:11.637" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17612" CreationDate="2016-09-22T11:30:35.530" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Diamond Sutra the Buddhas says&#xA;“All conditioned things&#xA;are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows&#xA;they are like dew or lightning&#xA;this is how they are to be viewed&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is since all phenomena like the world are impermanent and therefore subject to an end like an illusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T11:30:35.530" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17627" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-22T11:31:45.013" Score="5" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any sources about Meditations of Mahayana Schools?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T14:36:29.053" LastActivityDate="2018-08-01T19:45:52.373" Title="What are some resources on Mahayana forms of Meditation?" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17612" CreationDate="2016-09-22T12:12:58.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question here is, is &amp;quot;the visible world is an illusion or dream&amp;quot; the main topic of Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure. I think the main topics of Buddhism include, &amp;quot;What is good and not-good for people?&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Why do we suffer or find things unsatisfactory? What can we do about death and illness and so on?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've heard &amp;quot;the world is an illusion&amp;quot; as a (uninformed?) summary or paraphrase of Buddhism, but I don't know where that summary comes from. That's not the message that I get when I read translations of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word I associate with &amp;quot;illusion&amp;quot; is &lt;em&gt;Maya&lt;/em&gt;. Wikipedia's article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(illusion)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maya (illusion)&lt;/a&gt; suggests that's not really a feature of Theravada Buddhism; and when it's used within Mahayana it's used in the context of &amp;quot;misunderstanding based on ignorance&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is apparently a feature of Hinduism and other Indian philosophies. I guess that possibly that's where the impression that &amp;quot;Buddhism teaches that the world is illusion&amp;quot; comes from, i.e. maybe it comes from people being vague about the difference between Buddhism and other eastern philosophies (some views which are, IMO, vague and similar were also maybe popularized as a take on 'physics' e.g. in the 1970s -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quantum mysticism&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't say that the theory the &amp;quot;the world is an illusion&amp;quot; is useless, but my very limited (or non-existent) understanding of the theory is more-or-less useless to me: because (unlike the more useful scientific 'models') this theory is neither predictive (explaining/predicting what's going to happen), nor prescriptive (explaining/recommending what we should do about that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's possible that &amp;quot;illusion&amp;quot; is a poor translation of something which &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a topic of Buddhism. One of Buddhism's themes is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;ignorance&amp;quot; or &lt;em&gt;avijjā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. I think there are various forms of ignorance, especially &amp;quot;seeing impermanent things as permanent&amp;quot; or not properly considering that things are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism distinguishes between so-called right and wrong views. 'Right view' is the right way to view things, wrong view is the wrong way. Right view is the &amp;quot;fore-runner&amp;quot; in the sense that it's because of (or conditioned by) having right or wrong view that we think and do right and wrong things (where &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; is the translation of an adjective &lt;em&gt;Sammā&lt;/em&gt; which is e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/samma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;described/defined here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;summary of right view&lt;/a&gt; extracts definitions of 'right view' from various suttas. IMO this passage ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is wrong view...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... says more-or-less explicitly that disregarding or denying the existence of these things (e.g. regarding them as illusion) is 'wrong'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that Buddhism does talk about illusion, I think that illusion consists of placing an improper value on something. If I hate something, if I fear it, or if I crave it, then it's important to me ... perhaps an undue importance, whereas it would be better if I were more equanimous towards it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's part of Buddhism teaching that's interested in, I don't know what you call it, 'phenomenology'? Maybe 'phenomenology', I don't know (I was never taught philosophy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is interested in how 'craving' comes to be (because 'craving' is identified as a or the cause of suffering). This Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayatana&lt;/a&gt; is a summary of that: it says that 'craving' arises from 'feeling'; and that 'feeling' arises from 'contact' between three things, i.e. a 'sense-object' (e.g. &amp;quot;something seen&amp;quot;), a 'sense-organ' (e.g. &amp;quot;eye&amp;quot;), and 'sense-consciousness' (e.g. &amp;quot;sense-consciousness of sight&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's important to be aware that what/all you crave (or used to crave) comes from senses in this way, and that these sense-impressions are transient or fleeting (impermanent). I think some Buddhist literature describes these fleeing sense-impressions (or moments of consciousness, or more specifically moments of contact between consciousness and senses) as &amp;quot;like foam&amp;quot; or like a soap bubble. Our consciousness of things is, what shall I say, unstable: e.g. it's one thing after another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anther kind of &amp;quot;illusion&amp;quot; is that there's a continuous &amp;quot;I&amp;quot;. I think that Buddhism does not argue that the world is an illusion, rather that it's the &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; that's an illusion ... or if not an illusion, that &amp;quot;egoism&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;wrong&amp;quot; in the sense that having a sense of I results in a &amp;quot;thicket of views&amp;quot; and no end to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the most famous suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt;) says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any kind of (form, feeling, perception, determination, and/or consciousness) whatever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later Buddhist doctrines begin to emphasize that the world is empty (note, not 'illusory' but 'empty'), by which I think they mean, 'empty of self'. It's also emphasized that things don't have an 'independent' existence, i.e. they're caused by things (or they arise when the conditions for their arising are present), and dissolve when those conditions are no longer present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking Dhammadhatu's example of Mount Everest I'd say it arises as a result of (or, 'is conditioned by') tectonic plate movement (and isn't or won't be eternal), and also that perception of it arises from causes (and is also impermanent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In other words is it a Matrix?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Really? The capital M implies you're referring to the movie. I suppose I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7444/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Any proof for this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any proof for what: proof for the world being illusion, or proof for what Buddhism teaches?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that part of what Buddhism teaches seems self-evident and/or common-sense, and/or it's a good description of already-observed phenomena (e.g. unhappy when a loved one dies).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has also plausible theories (e.g. unhappiness may be caused by becoming emotionally attached to or expecting permanent happiness from something impermanent), which are also useful in the sense that they're prescriptive (e.g. to avoid unhappiness, you should avoid unwise attachment), with techniques and practices for doing that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also, the article includes a proof of the existence of a Higher Conscience. Is that in direct relation with Buddhism (i.e. the topics discussed here on this site)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For reference, here is the article &amp;quot;proof of the existence of a Higher Conscience&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition: Higher Conscience is a conscience that has always more knowledge (amount of information) than all people have.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theorem: Higher Conscience exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proof: Assume that Higher Conscience does not exist. Then the number Pi can not exist in Human Conscience (knowledge of all people) since people know, describe and operate only with what they see or sense. But number Pi can be derived only from the fact that someone saw or sensed the circle (“perfect wheel”).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is a fallacious proof: I think it's based on the assumption that the ability to reason about irrational numbers implies that there exists a &amp;quot;higher consciousness&amp;quot; which &amp;quot;knows&amp;quot; an infinite amount of information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know that's nothing to do with Buddhism. FYI I think there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity#Early_Indian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Early Indian&lt;/a&gt; treaties on mathematical infinities (but not especially Buddhist).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some supernormal abilities described in Buddhist literature: see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ṛddhi&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhijñā&lt;/a&gt;, but I think consensus is that these aren't very important to the practice of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; important to the practice of Buddhism is to eliminate or abandon &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental stains&lt;/a&gt; such as greed and conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also, if you found any logical flaws in this article then please mention/list them.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's off-topic for this site, but in case this helps ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paper proves that we leave in Matrix. We show that Matrix was built by the creator. By this we solve the question how everything is built&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just re. a spelling mistake, I think that &amp;quot;leave in Matrix&amp;quot; should be spelled &amp;quot;live in a 'Matrix'&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, IMO you don't &amp;quot;prove&amp;quot; those things: instead you state that you choose to describe or model the world in that way. However you don't IMO demonstrate that it's a good model. A good model would:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Account for many/all current observations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make predictions about the future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ideally make useful/testable predictions, be 'falsifiable'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the number Pi can not exist in Human Conscience (knowledge of all people) since people know, describe and operate only with what they see or sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People (mathematicians) define Pi based on (some finite number of) axioms. For example a 'perfect circle' might be defined as 'a line whose points are equidistant from a centre', and that definition doesn't take infinite or 'higher' consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mathematicians can also show that Pi is irrational/transcendental, and can't be expressed in finite decimal digits. I don't think they infer that there's an infinite matrix or Matrix which contains these digits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a bit of a jump (too much of a jump) to say, &amp;quot;I can do geometry, therefore an infinite/random/evolving creator-God exists&amp;quot;. I think that's mere conceit (attaching undue importance to one's ideas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally I think that Buddhism sees ideas as being a kind of sixth sense, similar to the other five: e.g. in the same way that an &amp;quot;an eye perceives sights&amp;quot; you can say that &amp;quot;a mind perceives ideas&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence Infinite Monkey who typed EVERYTHING EXISTS&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These basis of this argument seems to me to be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The probability of randomly typing &amp;quot;banana&amp;quot; on a 50-key keyboard is ((&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;/&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doing so would require infinite monkeys&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am a monkey, who has just typed the word &amp;quot;banana&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore &amp;quot;infinite monkeys&amp;quot; exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some logical fallacies with this argument are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;banana&amp;quot; is not a random word&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;although &amp;quot;I am a monkey&amp;quot; I don't type randomly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary you seem to be arguing that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I observed something&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It happened at random&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Therefore every other possibility exists simultaneously&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theorem on Halting Problem&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're saying that an infinite problem could be solved with infinite computing resources; but you're using (fallacious) conclusions from previous proofs to assume that infinite computing resources exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T12:34:57.467" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17617" CreationDate="2016-09-22T13:36:09.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The premise of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; is that conceit is one of the last fetters to be abandoned (so I guess you may just have to live with it: be aware of it, occasionally, for a while).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of articles about it &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/bl014.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here on Access to Insight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not a sutta, but there's a Zen story: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/53thegivershouldbethankful.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Giver Should Be Thankful&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma#Encounter_with_Emperor_Xi.C4.81o_Y.C7.8En_.E8.95.AD.E8.A1.8D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhidharma&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall says that in 527, Bodhidharma visited Emperor Wu of Liang, a fervent patron of Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emperor Wu: &amp;quot;How much karmic merit have I earned for ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Bodhidharma: &amp;quot;None. Good deeds done with worldly intent bring good karma, but no merit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T13:36:09.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17630" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-22T14:37:42.360" Score="-1" ViewCount="239" Body="&lt;p&gt;The police seem necessary for any defiled society; but that doesn't mean being a police officer, who must follow laws objectively but also blindly, is necessarily right livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are encouraged in the US to use violence, depending on what the laws say not what their hearts say, and are allowed to lie to make the job easier. What do the suttas say? What does your heart say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T14:42:24.977" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T04:15:10.343" Title="Blind police justice and right livelihood" Tags="|right-livelihood|right-view|justice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17630" CreationDate="2016-09-22T15:32:54.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;this comes to me, im not 100% sure if my memories correct.  One time, Lady Visaka (or other rich merchant in savatthi) was upset (or even crying) that king Pasendikosala denied her something.   Buddha said to be under someone's authority is suffering, but being under the authority of sensual desires is much worst.  When I get bullied (by bosses or any authority figures), my heart would think of this.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as view from authority figures, they have options not to break precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T15:32:54.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17619" CreationDate="2016-09-22T15:43:59.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember a sutta, It is normal for an oldest son of a king with legitimate blood line 7 generations up, to have expectation to the throne. same with monks, if he has all the Seven Factors of Awakening, it is normal for him to expect Nirvana.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T15:43:59.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17630" CreationDate="2016-09-22T20:37:52.553" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;if one thinks of it human society is completely defiled with criminal activities being only one aspect, and doing almost any job, not just law enforcement and policing, and especially those requiring interaction with other people, involve activities, decisions and strategies incompatible with elements of the Buddhist ethics and ethics period &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in many cases the very performance of job duties run into moral dilemmas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T20:37:52.553" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17630" CreationDate="2016-09-22T20:41:09.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Life will always be filled with Dukkha. It's the very nature of being alive. Men and women who choose to be police officers take on a very special role in protecting our lives. Personally, I'm very thankful for their services despite a few bad apples. Because I'm not a police officer I won't give them advice on how to do their job. But i can give advice to other practitioners. &lt;strong&gt;The only men and women who are credited to give advice are those who have been on the field themselves.&lt;/strong&gt; That being the case, I hope to direct my comment to practitioners to help soften their hearts towards our police. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Our police officers are constantly living in danger just to keep us safe. And with all good deeds sometimes it can come with a costly price. It can be very difficult at times serving citizens as a police officer. Your job is to protect those from the many ugly faces of society. So when you and I go to sleep at night in our safe warm homes, there is a police officer risking his/her life just to keep us safe. And sometimes, they actually die. A wife lost her husband, a child lost her dad, a mom lost her son, and so on. Sometimes we forget that police officers are just people living under those badges. A few years ago some of them were class clowns, while others were drama nerds trying to get the lead parts in the school plays. Personally, I believe that many of the men and women who serve are doing well despite the many challenges they've faced. So how can we make their lives easier? &lt;strong&gt;The first thing we can do as Buddhist practitioners is show how much we love and care for our police officers!&lt;/strong&gt; You may disagree with a few of their policies and practices, but only disagree through love and kindness. As Buddha said, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hatred does not cease through hatred but through love alone they cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realize that if you were born with their body and mind, there would be no differences between you and them. Their lives would be your life. You would go through the same experiences they've faced in life. You would have the same name, health problems, mom and dad, struggles for acceptance as a teenage, etc... And eventually, you would become a police officer just as they did. And guess what? &lt;strong&gt;Their mistakes are also your mistakes too. How? Because everyone is only an extension of yourself.&lt;/strong&gt; They only appear separate because they live in different bodies and minds, but ultimately, it's only you living under the many masks of life.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember that at one point everyone was your mother in a previous life.&lt;/strong&gt; This means that the police officer who is giving you a ticket is simultaneously your past mother. Keep in mind that at one point she was worried sick because you didn't come home until midnight. Sometimes, she even lost sleep because she worried about how well you were doing in school. And sadly, it's even possible she may have been the mother who buried you because you died at a young age. Just remember this is the very same person who only wished for your well-being and happiness. And although the officer may not remember his/her past life; at least we do. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finally, remember your Bodhisattva vows!&lt;/strong&gt; You're purpose is to bring joy and happiness to world. Here is a Bodhisattva vow written by st. Shantideva, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;May I become food and drink in the aeons of famine for those poverty-stricken sufferers.&#xA;  May I be a doctor, medicine and nurse for all sick beings in the world until everyone is cured. &#xA;  May I become never-ending wish-fulfilling treasures materialising in front of each of them as all the enjoyments they need. &#xA;  May I be a guide for those who do not have a guide, a leader for those who journey, a boat for those who want to cross over, and all sorts of ships, bridges, beautiful parks for those who desire them, and light for those who need light. &#xA;  And may I become beds for those who need a rest, and a servant to all who need servants. &#xA;  May I also become the basic conditions for all sentient beings, such as earth or even the sky, which is indestructible. &#xA;  May I always be the living conditions for all sentient beings until all sentient beings are enlightened.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Extension: &lt;strong&gt;Should we not express what is truth or what we think is truth just because it might step on some toes?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is because of our compassion and love for others that we are determined to help others. If you feel inclined to share truth for the benefit of all beings, than go for it. As William Shakespeare wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;They do not love that do not show their love.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To name just four persons who've changed the world through love and kindness is H.H. the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Saint Teresa of Calcutta , and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. What's strange is that every person I just named has a group of enemies who hate them. Mother Teresa and Gandhi both have been attacked on multiple occasions just by sharing love. Did that stop them? No. So here are a few quotes on being active with your love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.&quot; ~Mother Teresa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In doing something, do it with love or never do it at all&quot; ~Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.&quot; ~ H.H. Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Our primary purpose in this life is to help others and if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.&quot; ~ H.H. Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An ounce of practice (service) is worth more than tons of preaching.&quot; ~Mahatma Gandhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.&quot; ~Mother Teresa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Compassion is a verb.&quot; ~Thich Nhat Hanh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love is a double-sided sword. It's both internal and external. As Ajahn Brahms punch line go's, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It's cutting two carrots with just one knife.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-23T14:10:13.593" LastActivityDate="2016-09-23T14:10:13.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17630" CreationDate="2016-09-22T21:03:08.267" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every modern/civilised government occupation has ethical guidelines. When government officials cease to be perceived as acting ethically (such as police in an emerging totalitarian state), it is obviously not the specific occupation (e.g. policeman) that is the problem but the entire government itself. In addition, democracy has also failed. For example, there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;moral principles in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; about how government should be conducted (both &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2.html#7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;monarchy&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2.html#6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;democracy&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this violent totalitarian government occurs, the general moral principles of Buddhism will dictate livelihood rather than an occupation (vocation) itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the drawback of sensuality? There is the case where, on account of the occupation by which a clansman makes a living — whether&#xA;  checking or accounting or calculating or plowing or trading or&#xA;  cattle-tending or archery or as &lt;strong&gt;a king's man&lt;/strong&gt;, or whatever the&#xA;  occupation may be — he faces cold, he faces heat, being harassed by&#xA;  mosquitoes &amp;amp; flies, wind &amp;amp; sun &amp;amp; creeping things, dying from hunger &amp;amp;&#xA;  thirst.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 13&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-22T21:08:47.893" LastActivityDate="2016-09-22T21:08:47.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17600" CreationDate="2016-09-23T02:49:42.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A noble disciple of the Buddha – a Stream Entrant – having let go of the clinging to the personality belief (sakkayaditthi), has to start working towards uprooting its more subtle form, in ‘Attavada’. One cannot be a stream-enter-or  as long as he is in possession of the personality belief.   &lt;strong&gt;Attavada&lt;/strong&gt;  is the very last hindrance, if eradicated will realize Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.089.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khemaka Sutta: About Khemaka, SN 22.89&lt;/a&gt;  it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Friends, even though a noble disciple has abandoned the five lower fetters, still, in relation to the five aggregates subject to clinging, there lingers in him a residual conceit ‘I am,’ a desire ‘I am,’ an underlying tendency ‘I am’ that has not yet been uprooted. Sometime later he dwells contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging: ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling … such is perception … such are volitional formations … such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away.’ As he dwells thus contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging, the residual conceit ‘I am,’ the desire ‘I am,’ the underlying tendency ‘I am’ that had not yet been uprooted—this comes to be uprooted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.16-Dighavu-S-s55.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīghāvu Upāsaka Sutta, SN55.3&lt;/a&gt; Buddha states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, Dighavu, when you are established in these four factors of stream entry, you should further develop six qualities conducive to clear knowing. Remain focused on inconstancy in all fabrications, percipient of stress in what is inconstant, percipient of not-self in what is stressful, percipient of abandoning, percipient of dispassion, percipient of cessation. That's how you should train yourself.&quot; ….. Dīghāvu later passes away and arises spontaneously in the Suddhāvāsa as a non-returner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.069.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upasena Sutta: Upasena, SN 35.69&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Records the incident of the death of Upasena Vangantaputta from a snake-bite. Summoned by him, Sāriputta looked at him and said that he noticed no change at all in Upasena, either in his body or in his faculties. Upasena answered that that was because he had long before quelled all lurking tendencies of &quot;I&quot; and &quot;mine.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-23T03:12:53.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11410" CreationDate="2016-09-23T07:26:30.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/pesala.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Pesala&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; kindly agreed to share with us a draft of an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/LediSayadaw/Anatta%20Dipani.odt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;English translation of Anatta Dipani&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final version may later be published in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/ledi.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Web site&lt;/a&gt;, together with other translations of Ledi Sayadaw's works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the moment many drafts are available on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/LediSayadaw/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.aimwell.org/LediSayadaw/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastEditorUserId="3631" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T14:58:36.917" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T14:58:36.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17639" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-23T11:20:22.733" Score="6" ViewCount="431" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would you kindly give your input on these Pali text quotes and comments?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are derived from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9983/254&quot;&gt;Questions on the Five Skhandas&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, specifically &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17584/254&quot;&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer&lt;/a&gt; regarding the common reference &quot;Consciousness is All.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, here are the comments and responses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vedantic teachings inevitably lead to the direct discovery that &quot;consciousness is all.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of your quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness&quot;; that: &quot;a coming, a going, a passing away, an arising, a growth, an increase or a proliferation of consciousness apart from form, from feeling, from perception, from fabrications ...would be impossible.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am familiar with both traditions but find the definitional- semantic Vedantic and Buddhist use of the term &quot;consciousness' different at times, causing confusion among Advaita Vedanta and Buddhist students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I quote &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Aggregates: A Study Guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From their commentary, they appear to make contradictory statements. Ultimately, the text differentiates between the use of the term &quot;consciousness' and &quot;Awakening Awareness&quot; or &quot;the deathless&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text, referenced above, says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He (The Buddha)... discovered a reality — the Deathless — that no words could describe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The author speculates that Buddha had to &quot;stretch&quot; the use of various words to help teach the tools necessary to investigate the kkhandas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some issues I would love to hear input on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the intransience/impermanence of all &quot;things&quot;. As the text illustrates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Form is inconstant, feeling is inconstant, perception is inconstant, fabrications are inconstant, consciousness is inconstant.' Thus he remains focused on inconstancy with regard to the five aggregates.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What follows is commonly discovered to be inexplicable. Here is the revelation of--perhaps--another term which might be equivalent to both traditions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;....If passion and delight are entirely eradicated, though, all clinging is entirely abandoned, the intentions that fabricate khandhas are dropped, and the mind totally released. The bricks of the pavement have turned into a runway, and the mind has taken off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Into what? The authors of the discourses seem unwilling to say, even to the extent of describing it as a state of existence, non-existence, neither, or both (§§49-51). As one of the discourses states, the freedom lying beyond the khandhas also lies beyond the realm to which language properly applies (§49; see also AN 4:173). There is also the very real practical problem that any preconceived notions of that freedom, if clung to as a perception-khandha, could easily act as an obstacle to its attainment. Still, there is also the possibility that, if properly used, such a perception-khandha might act as an aid on the path. So the discourses provide hints in the form of similes, referring to total freedom as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unfashioned, the unbent, the fermentation-free, the true, the beyond, the subtle, the very-hard-to-see, the ageless, permanence, the undecaying, the featureless, non-elaboration, peace, the deathless, the exquisite, bliss, rest, the ending of craving, the wonderful, the marvelous, the secure, security, unbinding, the unafflicted, dispassion, purity, release, attachment-free, the island, shelter, harbor, refuge, the ultimate. — SN 43.1-44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other passages mention a consciousness in this freedom — &quot;without feature or surface, without end, luminous all around&quot; — lying outside of time and space, experienced when the six sense spheres stop functioning (§54). In this it differs from the consciousness-khandha, which depends on the six sense spheres and can be described in such terms as near or far, past, present, or future. Consciousness without feature is thus the awareness of Awakening. And the freedom of this awareness carries over even when the awakened person returns to ordinary consciousness. As the Buddha said of himself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Freed, dissociated, &amp;amp; released from form,the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness. Freed, dissociated, &amp;amp; released from feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness… birth… aging… death… suffering &amp;amp; stress… defilement, the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness&quot; (§56).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would you kindly give your input on these Pali text quotes and comments?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence-- so what is it that is described above as &quot;permanent&quot;, &quot;deathless&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is it that is referred to as &quot;unfashioned&quot;, &quot;exquisite&quot;, &quot;bliss&quot;, &quot;the ultimate&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the semantic difference between what is referred to by some traditions as &quot;consciousness&quot; and Buddha's exquisite, permanent &quot;awareness of Awakening&quot;--&quot;without feature or surface, without end, luminous all around&quot; — &quot;lying outside of time and space, experienced when the six sense spheres stop functioning (§54)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If not consciousness, what is the correct term for &quot;consciousness without feature&quot; that Buddha refers to? 5)How do you describe this &quot; this freedom that carries over even when the awakened person returns to ordinary consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10052" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2020-08-01T14:37:22.707" Title="What is difference (Vedic) Consciousness versus Pali Text terms &quot;Deathless&quot;, &quot;Awakened Awareness&quot;?" Tags="|pali-canon|consciousness|five-skandas|buddhist|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17640" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-23T22:19:44.623" Score="3" ViewCount="4265" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there an appropriate phrase when some-one says 'sadhu' to you, for example after making an offering at a monastery?&#xA;Saying 'no worries', or 'that's okay' doesn't seem appropriate.&#xA;Is there a appropriate response, or should I just smile and accept the compliment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10093" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T19:08:46.047" Title="What is a good response when some-one says 'sadhu' to you?" Tags="|pali|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17640" CreationDate="2016-09-24T01:32:38.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;**“Namo Buddhaya!”**is what is most appropriate IMO.  Ven. Gnanananda Thero of the Mahamevnawa  in the year 2011 requested from devotees  to say  'Namo Buddhaya' whenever we meet or depart, and this is his reasoning for getting us to do so:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”At the time when the Supreme Buddha was alive, it was the practice observed by His disciples to place both hands together in a gesture of worship and greet each other by saying ‘Namo Buddhaya’, whenever they met. Owing to the influence of this ancient Buddhist practice, today, whenever Hindus meet one-another, they too bring their hands together and say ‘Namo Narayana’ or ‘Oh Namah Shivaya’. Some Buddhists too say ‘Namo Sairam’ when they enter the ashram of Sai Baba. But the words ‘Namo Buddhaya’ have been forgotten by the Buddhists. I realized that these old values must be rekindled. Accordingly, I made a request from devotees on this Sri Sambuddhatwa Jayanthi Vesak Full Moon Day that the greeting ‘Namo Buddhaya’ should be brought back into usage once again. This is a noble phrase that had been in use in our country for several centuries earlier. ‘Namo Buddhaya’ connotes that; ‘May this Salutation be to the Supreme Buddha’. The four-fold disciples, who have recognized the three refuges, use the phrase ‘Namo Buddhaya’ quite happily today.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone says &quot;Sadhu!&quot;, then you too can reciprocate by saying &quot;Sadhu!&quot; or &quot;Namo Buddhaya&quot;. We say ‘Sadhu’ to show our appreciation of something. We as disciples of the Supreme Buddha say sadhu three times to express our happiness or approval of something related to the Dhamma. Now a person may ask as to why we should keep our gathered palms near chest or forehead or above the head when we say “Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu?”, Why three times and not four times or two times? My answer to such questions of course is not to dwell in such irrelevant questions, as then it is stretching this a bit much.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T16:45:43.903" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T16:45:43.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17640" CreationDate="2016-09-24T03:05:00.193" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Sadhu' means good. So you can say 'Sadhu' back. Here in Sri Lanka we commonly say &quot;Theruwan Saranai&quot;, which means &quot;May the noble triple gem be your refuge&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T03:18:12.633" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T03:18:12.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17630" CreationDate="2016-09-24T04:15:10.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anytime a police officer strikes or shoots with the intention of causing injury or death, it's bad Karma. Nevertheless, a police officer who follows Buddhism would not look for opportunities to gain gratification of violence, hiding behind the badge. He would go into a scene with the genuine intention of wanting to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible. He would try his best with words and tact until he has no other choice. Even when he resorts to force, he would not take any pleasure in doing so. He would do only what is required to take the suspect into custody.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T04:15:10.343" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17644" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-24T04:40:40.670" Score="3" ViewCount="567" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could he have erred, even as the enlightened one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8816" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:03:51.790" Title="Was the historical Buddha infallible?" Tags="|the-buddha|philosophy|history|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17644" CreationDate="2016-09-24T05:02:33.677" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, a Sammasambuddha does not make mistakes as they are omniscient and do not have any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%81san%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vāsanā&lt;/a&gt; remainders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T05:02:33.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17644" CreationDate="2016-09-24T06:43:42.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In respect to the core teachings ('heartwood'), a Buddha is infallible. These core teachings are those of ultimate truth (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara dhamma&lt;/em&gt;), namely, the Four Noble ('&lt;em&gt;Ariya&lt;/em&gt;' - Irrefutable) Truths, the Three Characteristics, Dependent Origination, the Elements (&lt;em&gt;Dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; Emptiness (&lt;em&gt;Sunnata&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths, for example, are infallible because what they explain cannot be disproven by any person, namely: (i) all suffering is egoistic attachment; (ii) this suffering arises when there is craving leading to new ego becoming; (iii) this suffering will end when this craving ends; &amp;amp; (iv) the noble eightfold path ends suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the Three Characteristics cannot be disproven, namely all conditioned things are: (i) are impermanent; (ii) cannot bring lasting happiness; &amp;amp; (iii) cannot be ultimately owned or possessed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt; separates wisdom, &amp;amp; thus the teachings, into two kinds: (i) pure teachings of ultimate truth (&quot;without effluents&quot;) leading to liberation (&quot;transcendence&quot; from the world); &amp;amp; (ii) moral teachings (&quot;siding with merit&quot;) with &quot;effluents&quot; connected to &quot;kamma&quot; &amp;amp; the &quot;worlds&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a number of places (MN 136; AN 4.77; etc), it is explained the principles of moral &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (action) &amp;amp; result ('&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;') are not exacting but merely general principles (for example, good kamma while generally leading to good results can also lead to bad results). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes these explanations (MN 136; AN 4.77; etc) about the non-exact nature of kamma infallible since they cannot be disproven. In other words, the general teachings about kamma (good leading to good; bad leading to bad), due to not being 100% true, cannot be used to deem the Buddha as fallible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, anything that is 'worldly' in nature, such as moral teachings about &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;, the success &amp;amp; failure of students, the structure &amp;amp; rules of the Sangha (community, including admission of women), etc, cannot be used to deem the Buddha was fallible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures are clear the Buddha kept silent when asked would he lead all beings to liberation (AN 10.95). The scriptures (AN 4.111) are clear about the success of students ultimately depends on the disposition of the student rather than on the instruction of a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, AN 10.95 &amp;amp; AN 4.111 are infallible, i.e., cannot be proven to be untrue, since Buddhism has existed for 2,600 years and all beings on the earth are not liberated from suffering, let alone 1% of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, DN 16 offers the principle of the Four Great References, which allows for scrutiny of contradictions in teachings given by other monks or created in later years. There are contradictions in the Pali suttas (eg. MN 64, which states a new born child has no idea of 'self'; and MN 123, which claims the Buddha had ideas of 'self' the moment he was born from his mother's womb; SN 22.79, which states ideas of 'self' existing in the past are delusions; and AN 3.15, which claims the Buddha declaring he existed in a past life). If the principle of the Four Great References is followed, it is easy to weed out the unverifiable teachings that comprise of a immeasurable fraction of the scriptures  (eg. MN 123; AN 3.15) with the core principles found in the vast majority of the teachings (which support MN 64; SN 22.79, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some teachings (particularly about 'rebirth') may appear unverifiable however this impression only occurs when the language of these teachings is not fully understood. The Commentaries state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers,  Spoke two kinds of truths:  The conventional and the ultimate.  A third truth does not obtain.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therein:  The speech wherewith the world converses is true  On account of its being agreed upon by the world.  The speech which&#xA;  describes what is ultimate is also true,  Through characterizing&#xA;  dhammas as they really are.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage,  False speech does not arise in the Teacher,  Who is Lord of the World,  When he speaks&#xA;  according to conventions.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Mn. i. 95)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T19:21:09.460" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T19:21:09.460" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17647" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17649" CreationDate="2016-09-24T09:28:09.287" Score="0" ViewCount="583" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Lord Buddha say  anything about magic and fortune telling? I  just want to know because in this modern world everyone is following some astrology (Fortune tellers).  People believe what ever these people say. media also giving high priority to them.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-11-08T07:34:11.060" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:34:11.060" Title="Did the Lord Buddha say anything about magic and fortune telling?" Tags="|teaching|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17648" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17665" CreationDate="2016-09-24T09:51:14.927" Score="3" ViewCount="2283" Body="&lt;p&gt;In lord Buddha's daily routine, divided into five parts as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the morning session&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the afternoon session&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the first watch&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the middle watch &lt;strong&gt;(10.00 P.M. TO 2.00 A.M.)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the last watch&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the 4th part is The Middle Watch, from 10.00 PM to 2.00 AM.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that time Lord Buddha will answer the questions from &quot;Devas&quot;, and these Devas come to see Buddha by flying Machine called &quot;Wimanas&quot; (or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimana&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is, does &quot;Devas&quot; here means Aliens? Did Aliens came to see Lord Buddha, and learn about Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T12:19:52.157" LastActivityDate="2021-01-29T00:00:57.890" Title="Did aliens come to meet Lord Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|reality|deva|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17647" CreationDate="2016-09-24T10:02:32.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are examples of wrong livelihood. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses fortune telling and magic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in&#xA;faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such lowly arts as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;reading marks on the limbs [e.g., palmistry]; reading omens and signs;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;interpreting celestial events [falling stars, comets];&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;interpreting dreams; reading marks on the body [e.g., phrenology];&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice; offering fire oblations, oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil; offering oblations from the mouth; offering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;blood-sacrifices; making predictions based on the fingertips;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;geomancy; laying demons in a cemetery; placing spells on spirits;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;reciting house-protection charms; snake charming, poison-lore, scorpion-lore, rat-lore, bird-lore, crow-lore; fortune-telling based on visions;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;giving protective charms;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;interpreting the calls of birds and animals —&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he abstains from wrong livelihood, from lowly arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T10:02:32.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17644" CreationDate="2016-09-24T11:31:02.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people argue that e.g. his allowing Devadatta to become a monk was a mistake (&quot;erring&quot;); others argue that that was no mistake, and had a good outcome (or, at least, best possible outcome).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that the Buddha describes his own, actual experience (of the way to enlightenment), not mere conjecture or hearsay, is a reason for his statements being real or true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that he was careful when he spoke, e.g. when he &lt;em&gt;doesn't&lt;/em&gt; answer the unanswered questions, helps to make him &quot;infallible&quot; (or never-wrong): those are examples of times when he might have failed but didn't, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; starts with a question which was intended to make the Buddha fail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose another doctrine which makes it difficult to point to example of where the Buddha &quot;erred&quot; is the doctrine that &quot;each person is responsible for their own kamma&quot;: so if someone else (e.g. one of hs students) errs, then that doesn't count as for example a failure in leadership or a failure to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not sure what you're asking but given the word &quot;infallible&quot; and your (Mexican) background, perhaps you mean &lt;strong&gt;infallible about doctrine&lt;/strong&gt;, like the Catholic Pope is reputed to be. That's a narrower/more specific question, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.catholic.com/tracts/papal-infallibility&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a biblical example of papal fallibility, Fundamentalists like to point to Peter’s conduct at Antioch, where he refused to eat with Gentile Christians in order not to offend certain Jews from Palestine (Gal. 2:11–16). For this Paul rebuked him. Did this demonstrate papal infallibility was non-existent? Not at all. Peter’s actions had to do with matters of discipline, not with issues of faith or morals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you restrict the question to matters of doctrine-and-not-discipline it's even easier to answer &quot;yes infallible; no error&quot;. For example the Buddha is said to have reversed his own previous pronouncement on the question of whether women might become monks (nuns), and I suppose someone might argue that must be therefore an example of the Buddha &quot;erring&quot;, either in his original decision (that women cannot or may not join the Sangha), or in his reversal (that they can). Similarly, apparently various rules of the vinaya were added over time as necessary. If you exclude all those and say &quot;Well that's about discipline, not about doctrine&quot; then counter-examples to infallibility are harder (if not impossible) to identify.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, and I'm not completely sure about this but I'm pretty sure, that the Buddha's words are (i.e. the Buddha's doctrine is) usually understood to be or &lt;strong&gt;defined&lt;/strong&gt; as true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it's the Buddha's doctrine then it's true&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it's not true then it's not the Buddha's (true) doctrine&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might see an example of that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3326/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3322/can-the-buddha-ever-be-a-woman/3336#comment4199_3326&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; where some detail that's published as &quot;doctrine&quot; is assumed to be a later error, introduced into the doctrine by someone else (i.e. by someone other than the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There also seems to me to be a certain amount of self-contradiction within the doctrine. I think this is assumed to be (explained as being) because the doctrine is simplified or condensed, maybe for various stages of understanding. If I can try to invent an example of that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering exists, caused by desire, suffering ceases when desire ceases&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actually it's not as simple as &quot;cessation of desire&quot;: there are actually two kinds of desire, i.e. wholesome and unwholesome, and it's only the &lt;em&gt;unwholesome&lt;/em&gt; desire that you're supposed to abandon&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actually it's not as simple as &quot;cultivation of wholesome desire&quot; because once you have attained the Wholesome you need no longer desire it for yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actually it's not as simple as &quot;not desiring it for yourself&quot;, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or here is another example, quotes from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Chah_A_Still_Forest_Pool.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Still Forest Pool&lt;/a&gt; (the author was a respected contemporary Buddhist teacher):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Go Left, Go Right&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Western monk at WatBa Pong became frustrated by the difficulties of practice and the detailed and seemingly arbitrary rules of conduct the monks had to follow. He began to criticize other monks for sloppy practice and to doubt the wisdom of Achaan Chah's teaching. At one point, he went to Achaan Chah and complained, noting that even Achaan Chah himself was inconsistent and seemed often to contradict him self in an unenlightened way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Achaan Chah just laughed and pointed out how much the monk was suffering by trying to judge others around him. Then he explained that his way of teaching is very simple: &quot;It is as though I see people walking down a road I know well. To them the way may be unclear. I look up and see someone about to fall into a ditch on the right-hand side of the road, so I call out to him, 'Go left, go left' Similarly, if I see another person about to fall into a ditch on the left, I call out, 'Go right, go right!' That is the extent of my teaching. Whatever extreme you get caught in, whatever you get attached to, I say, 'Let go of that too.' Let go on the left, let go on the right. Come back to the center, and you will arrive at the true Dharma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Middle Way&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches us to keep laying down the extremes. This is the path of right practice, the path leading out of birth and becoming. On this path, there is neither pleasure nor pain, neither good nor evil. Alas, the mass of humans filled with desiring just strive for pleasure and always bypass the middle, missing the Path of the Excellent One, the path of the seeker of truth. Attached to birth and becoming, happiness and suffering, good and evil, the one who does not travel this Middle Path cannot become a wise one, cannot find liberation. Our Path is straight, the path of tranquility and pure awareness, calmed of both elation and sorrow. If your heart is like this, you can stop asking other people for guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might see that these may appear to contradict each other (&quot;go left, go right, our path is straight&quot;), but I think that it's the student that's assumed to be incorrect or vacillating, and the Buddha (and Buddha-Dhamma) that's assumed to be infallible/accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question of infallibility is I think related to doubt, i.e. you ask that question when you have doubt about the doctrine. &quot;Doubt&quot; is described in the doctrines, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicikitsa on Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's further detail in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.8-Vicikiccha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt; article on Dharmafarer, which identifies many types of doubt, and their effect. Towards the end it says that an opposite of doubt is faith:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The opposite of doubt is faith (saddhā), which arises when our doubts&#xA;  about the Dharma or the Vinaya are cleared up. But faith can be already present in us in some measure.&#xA;  We could be faith-inclined people who easily believe others. This is good when we follow good and wise&#xA;  teachers, but bad when we are misled by dubious gurus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Early Buddhism distinguishes between blind faith or “rootless faith” (amūlika,saddhā), that is, baseless&#xA;  or irrational faith, and wise faith (avecca-p,pasada), that is, “faith with a good cause” (akaravati,-&#xA;  saddha), faith founded on seeing. The Vinaya defines the word amulaka as “not seen, not heard, not&#xA;  suspected.” This definition is a legal one, ascertaining whether something has been seen, or spoken by&#xA;  someone, or suspected to have happened so that proper action follows. But both in a Vinaya and Dharma&#xA;  situation, further investigation is often necessary or desirable for the truth to be revealed. True reality, as a&#xA;  liberating experience, however, can only be discovered by us for ourselves: it is a personal and direct experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;faith&quot; in Buddhism doesn't necessarily mean exactly the same as &quot;faith&quot; in Christianity (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3681/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Theravada tradition teaches that there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;; and &quot;doubt about the teaching&quot; is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt;; and not having doubt about the teaching is associated with the first stage of enlightenment. Especially if you're a 'doubting Thomas' I think that would include seeing/understanding/experiencing the doctrine for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T13:09:04.340" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17644" CreationDate="2016-09-24T13:29:54.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you mean by failing. Also, for clarity sake, one thing is to ask whether he did made mistakes and the other to ask if people believe he was capable of making mistakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by mistake it's meant a &quot;moral mistake&quot;,  he is seen as very consistent in the texts and buddhists regard him as incapable of error here. After all, morality is not only his expertise: he is regarded as embodying perfect morality as direct consequence of his accomplishment of eradicating mental defilements (the very root cause of moral mistakes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;mistake&quot; it's meant a &quot;false statement&quot;, he is also regarded as incapable of that: the texts explicit say arahats can't lie, and buddhists believe it so. Now, much of the teachings show him going long distances to be careful with what he say, which is particularly suggestive that he was indeed capable of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by &quot;mistake&quot; is meant any action that does not seem to accomplish a certain goal (unrelated to failing morality), this is harder to evaluate and there are some interesting episodes that can be interpreted either way. Also, many buddhists regard him unable to err. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One interesting example that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17650/382&quot;&gt;@ChrisW's answer&lt;/a&gt; mentioned is the nun order: first, the Buddha said &quot;Do not ask so&quot; to the women looking to be accepted in the sangha, and later on, he finally conceded when Ananda asked in their behalf. In this case:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those who believe he can err might see this episode as evidence that he either had doubts or had to make decisions without knowing if they would lead to an implicit goal (e.g: of helping more people, growing the sangha, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;those who believe he can't err might see this episode as he making the correct decision early when he refused to accept nuns and later making the correct decision of accepting them (e.g. circumstances might have changed)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, both positions make assumptions that are hard to probe. They assume the reasons for the rejection and acceptance which are a mystery to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T21:45:17.043" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17648" CreationDate="2016-09-24T17:56:00.690" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Devas are buddhist celestial beings. They don't have to mean aliens. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10094" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T17:56:00.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17640" CreationDate="2016-09-24T19:08:46.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;i don't think &lt;code&gt;Sadhu!&lt;/code&gt; requires a response, because it itself is a response or a reaction much like the exclamations &lt;code&gt;Great!&lt;/code&gt; &lt;code&gt;Well done!&lt;/code&gt;, which normally don't envisage any response&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T19:08:46.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17656" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17668" CreationDate="2016-09-24T19:46:42.637" Score="1" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism learns that everything is in constant change and in constant interaction; that nothing is steady and separated from the other things. Does that mean that buddhism is nondualistic?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T20:00:11.303" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T17:19:52.950" Title="Is buddhism nondualistic?" Tags="|vipassana|nonduality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17656" CreationDate="2016-09-24T22:25:35.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Original Pali Buddhism does not teach about 'non-dualism'. Instead, it teaches about '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;voidness&lt;/a&gt;' (selflessness; &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The world is empty...In what respect is it said that the world is empty? Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a&#xA;  self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 35.85&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a number of places, it states there are internal &amp;amp; external phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The six internal media should be known. The six external media should be known.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 148&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Owing to a dyad (pair), monks, consciousness comes into being. And how, monks, does consciousness come into being owing to a dyad?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Owing to the eye and forms arises eye-consciousness. The eye is impermanent, changing, 'becoming-otherwise.' Forms are impermanent,&#xA;  changing, 'becoming-otherwise.' Thus this dyad is fleeting and&#xA;  transient; impermanent, changing and 'becoming-otherwise.' That cause,&#xA;  that condition, that gives rise to eye-consciousness — that also is&#xA;  impermanent, changing, becoming-otherwise.' And how, monks, could eye&#xA;  consciousness, having arisen dependent on an impermanent condition,&#xA;  become permanent? Now the coming-together, the falling together, the&#xA;  meeting-together, of these three things: this, monk, is called&#xA;  'eye-contact.' Eye-contact, too, is impermanent, changing,&#xA;  'becoming-otherwise.' And how, monks, could eye-contact, having arisen&#xA;  dependent on an impermanent condition, become permanent? Contacted,&#xA;  monks, one feels. Contacted, one intends. Contacted, one perceives.&#xA;  Thus these states also are fleeting and transient; impermanent,&#xA;  changing, 'becoming-otherwise.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 35.93&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 1&lt;/a&gt; lists the perception of 'oneness' ('ekatta') as not Nirvana &amp;amp; as one a many possible experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He perceives earth as earth...He perceives water as water... fire as fire... wind as wind ... beings as beings... gods as&#xA;  gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as Brahma... the luminous gods as&#xA;  luminous gods... the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent&#xA;  glory... the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit...&#xA;  the Conqueror as the Conqueror ... the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  space as the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of&#xA;  the infinitude of consciousness as the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  consciousness... the dimension of nothingness as the dimension of&#xA;  nothingness... the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception&#xA;  as the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception[3] ... the&#xA;  seen as the seen... the heard as the heard... the sensed as the&#xA;  sensed... the cognized as the cognized ... singleness as &lt;strong&gt;singleness&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;ekatta&lt;/strong&gt;)...&#xA;  multiplicity as multiplicity ... the All as the All ... Nirvana as&#xA;  Nirvana...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This essay may help: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_27.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhamma and Non-duality&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-24T22:30:38.397" LastActivityDate="2016-09-24T22:30:38.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17658" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-25T02:21:53.850" Score="2" ViewCount="707" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is stated that Buddha said that it is more difficult to achieve nibbana in this realm than in the human realm (due to absence of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine, that one of these gods, has realized that in fact he is &quot;stuck&quot; there and want to achieve nibbana and get out, even more, he created a whole reality where he &quot;lives&quot; similar to the human realm.&#xA;This god did this because experiencing suffering, (even in this &quot;simulation&quot;), it will be easier to look for the exit out of samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that this god realizes that he's created all that, &#xA;what should be the next steps for those kind of gods, (which actions or intentions), to follow Dharma and finally exit the samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should he assume a &quot;human form&quot; just to follow Dharma or should he do it &quot;from&quot; the same &quot;gods realm&quot; &quot;perception&quot; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if the question is too &quot;fictious&quot; or not understandable, let me know if you need more clarification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10098" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-25T09:35:26.537" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T21:52:55.620" Title="Gods realm, how do you get out? Achieve Nibbana in this realm?" Tags="|nirvana|realms|god|dharmas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14632" CreationDate="2016-09-25T04:42:32.897" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ability to believe is a function of karma ( in your words - imagination). Conceptualising is the follow on activity based on one's karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha thought the 12 dependant arisings. Good to understand 12 dependent arisings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2016-09-25T04:42:32.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17658" CreationDate="2016-09-25T05:28:57.637" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the perspective of the old Pali scriptures, I am not aware of anywhere that states: &quot;&lt;em&gt;It is more difficult to achieve nibbana in the a godly realm than in the human realm&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.123&lt;/a&gt; describes Nirvana (&quot;unbound&quot;) in the god realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer to this common view is based in the type of 'godly' realm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A most common godly realm in the Pali scriptures are higher meditation states (&lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;), as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.123&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are godly realms that equate to luxurious wealthy lifestyles of sensual pleasures (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 37&lt;/a&gt;). It is possibly this godly realm called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Sensuous World (kama-loka)&lt;/a&gt; that makes it difficult to achieve Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Good sir Moggallana, the Vejayanta Palace has a hundred towers, and each tower has seven hundred upper chambers, and each tower has seven&#xA;  nymphs and each nymph has seven maids. Would you like to see the&#xA;  loveliness of the Vejayanta Palace, good sir Moggallana?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-25T18:44:14.983" LastActivityDate="2016-09-25T18:44:14.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17661" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17662" CreationDate="2016-09-25T21:00:41.373" Score="8" ViewCount="755" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta feels great. It is unconditional love on tap. So, could there be too much of it? It is addicting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7235" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-10-07T10:40:01.613" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T21:43:08.107" Title="Should I limit the time I do metta?" Tags="|meditation-metta|metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17661" CreationDate="2016-09-25T21:19:39.570" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, there's no limit to practising metta. In Metta sutta it is mentioned that the one who practices this can do it anytime and anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether standing or walking, seated&#xA;or lying down free from drowsiness,&#xA;one should sustain this&#xA;recollection.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is one of the four protective meditations (metta, contemplation of the Buddha, death and foulness of the body) and you won't experience side effects as in other types of meditations as well. You cannot practice breathing meditation when you are ill, like headaches and anxiety, it tends to aggravate the problem, but metta doesn't. Also, it is usually recommended to practice the four protective meditations before breathing meditation to reduce defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The claim, metta meditation does not lead to wisdom is also not entirely true. In  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.16&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.16&lt;/a&gt; sutta it is clearly stated how a metta jhana can be used to  develop insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again, a monk keeps pervading the first direction with an&#xA;awareness imbued with good will, likewise the second, likewise the&#xA;third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, &amp;amp; all around,&#xA;everywhere, in its entirety, he keeps pervading the all-encompassing&#xA;cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will—abundant, expansive,&#xA;immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He reflects on this&#xA;and discerns,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘This awareness-release through good will is fabricated&#xA;&amp;amp; intended. Now whatever is fabricated &amp;amp; intended is inconstant &amp;amp;&#xA;subject to cessation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Staying right there, he reaches the ending of&#xA;the mental fermentations. Or, if not, then—through this very&#xA;Dhamma-passion, this Dhamma-delight, and from the total wasting away&#xA;of the first five Fetters—he is due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes],&#xA;there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.16&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN11.16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T21:43:08.107" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17661" CreationDate="2016-09-26T06:44:56.963" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is a type of samatha (tranquility, concentration; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot;&gt;2nd training&lt;/a&gt;) practice (with a particular object: loving-kindness), so it feels good and has other benefits -- but it does not produce any insight/wisdom. It is not a criticism, it is simply not its goal (just like eating does not produce wisdom, but is still something very useful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've seen people doing &quot;too much metta&quot;, as an escape from looking at negative stuff they had inside, in particular hatred they were unaware of and could not deal with. As you say that it feels addicting, be aware of attachment to those mind-states (attachment to jhanas is removed only at the moment of final enlightenment -- says the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot;&gt;theory of 10 fetters&lt;/a&gt;) as much as possible. What produces insight/wisdom, and also removes negative conditions (incl. attachments), is vipassana (3rd training).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take good care to do enough Vipassana, that's what ultimately brings more understanding about oneself and better life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T06:44:56.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17658" CreationDate="2016-09-26T09:11:17.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends, there are three realms Desire, Form, Formless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire realm gods as the name suggests have desires and are more likely to be attached to their luxuries making it hard to study the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Form and Formless realm gods all attained their positions from high skill in meditation and are far less attached to desire and they probably don't find too much harder than us in following Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T09:11:17.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17648" CreationDate="2016-09-26T11:30:14.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could say that they are aliens. They are from a different world/plane/dimension. Also the definition of aliens means from another world. So yeah. Check this &lt;a href=&quot;http://the-reason.weebly.com/are-gods-aliens.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T11:30:14.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17648" CreationDate="2016-09-26T16:25:50.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Deva&lt;/strong&gt; is from our universe (sometimes from other universe).&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Alien&lt;/strong&gt; is something we cannot identify yet. May be they are living on a surface like human beings or may be they are living in the space like some &lt;strong&gt;Devas&lt;/strong&gt;. The word &lt;strong&gt;alien&lt;/strong&gt; is recently being used (in the science fiction sense, from 1953) and we cannot tell &lt;em&gt;Deva&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Alien&lt;/em&gt; are same or not by any means.&#xA;So back to the question, &lt;strong&gt;Deva&lt;/strong&gt; met Buddha so many times from this universe and other universes (precisely &lt;strong&gt;Devas&lt;/strong&gt; from 1,000,000,000,000 universes) but not necessarily &lt;strong&gt;Alien&lt;/strong&gt;. For the flying machine, I didn't read anything like this in Sutra, what I read in Buddhist books is &lt;strong&gt;Deva&lt;/strong&gt; used coach drawn by horses. It may be flying but it is not a machine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2021-01-29T00:00:57.890" LastActivityDate="2021-01-29T00:00:57.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17656" CreationDate="2016-09-26T17:11:43.493" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes it certainly is nondualistic, however Buddhism goes beyond simple nondualism, effectively assuming perfect loss of (attachment to) any form not just the illusion of &quot;I&quot;. So you no longer hold position such as &quot;everything is one&quot; either. You don't even hold a position such as &quot;everything is so&quot; or &quot;I should not hold on to any position&quot;. It's a complete and utter abandonment of any position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-09-26T17:19:52.950" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T17:19:52.950" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17648" CreationDate="2016-09-26T17:55:32.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you accept the Pali Canon as the basis of Buddhism, then it is clear that &quot;original Buddhism&quot; taught that the Buddha both taught and learned from devas, that they visited him and that he visited deva worlds. Even the historically oldest Buddhist texts refer to devas and other worlds. Moreover, as I have shown in my book, &lt;em&gt;Conversations with the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; many of these descriptions match the phenomenology of the UFO experience as described for example by Jacques Vallee in his book, &lt;em&gt;Passport to Magonia.&lt;/em&gt; Whether one accepts these descriptions or how one chooses to explain or interpret them is of course a matter of conjecture, but the references are clearly there and they are archaic. No less an authority than Ajahn Brahm has publicly stated that he has personally seen both &lt;em&gt;nagas&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;garudas,&lt;/em&gt; and appears to be open-minded about UFOs. On the other hand, Richard Gombrich considers these references to be ironic (a view rejected by Rupert Gethin).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-09-26T18:42:23.973" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:42:23.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17644" CreationDate="2016-09-26T18:03:51.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon clearly considers the Buddha to have been omniscient and he was apparently considered to be a reliable oracle by King Ajatashatru, who tried to use him to predict whether his war against the Vajjians would be successful or not (DN 16). Of course, one can rationalize these references and interpret them in many different ways, but the assertion that he was omniscient occurs in the earliest Buddhist texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:03:51.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17647" CreationDate="2016-09-26T18:11:33.990" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha prohibits magic and fortune telling in the first sutta of the Digha Nikaya (therefore the first sutta of the Suttapitaka), referring to them as &quot;base arts,&quot; along with astronomy, meteorology, medicine, accounting, mathematics, poetry, philosophy, surgery, and pediatrics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:11:33.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7183" CreationDate="2016-09-26T18:23:25.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are some modern alternative religious movements, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, that claim that Maitreya's rebirth is imminent, or that he is even amongst us now, but neither the suttas nor the sutras support this view. The most ancient texts concerning Maitreya clearly state that he will not appear for many tens of thousands of years, when human civilization is enjoying a super-industrial golden age. The earliest scriptural date I've seen for Maitreya is his association with the appearance of Shambhala in the 25th century, according to the Kalachakra. Many sutras suggest that he will not appear for millions of years. Bahais belive that Baha'u'llah was Maitreya. Followers of Adidam believe that Adi Da was Maitreya. The Nepalese &quot;Buddha Boy&quot; appears to believe that he is Maitreya. Other recent claimants include Peter Deunov, Samael Aun Weor, and Claude Vorilhon. Annie Besant and Leadbeater , leaders of the Theosophical movement, made this claim for Krishnamurti but he repudiated it. There have been many people who have claimed to be Maitreya since the seventh century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T18:23:25.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17673" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17759" CreationDate="2016-09-26T18:33:36.843" Score="4" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both the Theravada and the Zen traditions appear to regard pain, even extreme physical pain, as a necessary part of sitting, whereas Ngakpa Chogyam in &lt;em&gt;Journey into Vastness&lt;/em&gt;, speaking for the Dzogchen point of view, seems to imply that pain is an indication that one is not sitting properly and that there are ways of sitting that do not produce pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only references to pain in the context of meditation in the Pali Canon appear to refer to the Buddha's six-year period of self-mortification, which he repudiated (correct me with a specific reference if I am mistaken). Therefore, I am interested in the attitude of different Buddhist schools to pain in the context of sitting and meditation. Is it a sign of poor sitting practice or is it part of the experience, perhaps even something important that should be cultivated (e.g., ancient shamans used pain to induce altered states of consciousness, an example being the famous Sun Dance in which in which practitioners hung themselves by the pectoral muscles from a post for several days). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do the different Buddhist schools and traditions say about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T21:57:03.480" LastActivityDate="2017-11-01T09:35:21.943" Title="What are the attitudes of the schools to the experience of physical pain during sitting meditation?" Tags="|meditation|pain|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17674" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-26T19:37:31.127" Score="5" ViewCount="1621" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today when i was doing &quot;space between breathing&quot; meditation i experienced something strange which caused me to panic.&#xA;When i got deep enough in meditation, gradually space between my breaths expanded and my breaths became very shallow. I could no longer feel my breathing. Also i lost sensation of my body and awareness of environment. I entered a silent dark space which was very tight.&#xA;I felt like a vibrating round mass. The vibration gradually increased and also i felt a really hot sensation in my body. As heat increased i felt as if the space became tighter. Then i had the panic attack. My heart start beating very forcefully and fast. I couldn’t feel and move my body. I couldn’t find my breathing. It took me so long to find my breath and get back to awareness. I am so scared i cannot meditatie again.&#xA;I was wondering what was this sensation. is this feeling  normal. How can i avoide the panic i experienced&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10107" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T01:37:06.203" Title="Help me with my panic attack during meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17673" CreationDate="2016-09-26T20:36:41.633" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pain is obviously related to physical posture; obviously related to the mobility of an individual's body &amp;amp; joints. Therefore, some individuals without any samadhi (meditative development) can sit for long periods while other individuals (who might have better samadhi) cannot sit as long without experiencing pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the West, are often found slender naturally flexible women leading &lt;em&gt;hatha yoga&lt;/em&gt; classes, who display no evidence of spiritual development (e.g., they are emotionally unbalanced, addicted to cigarettes, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imo, the above shows there is no relevance or correlation between physical posture/pain and meditative development. If it was otherwise, a naturally physically flexible person would either be advantaged or disadvantaged compared to another person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; (concentration) is genuinely developed (absorption into breathing, jhana, etc), awareness of pain disappears from consciousness, even though the legs themselves may become very stiff &amp;amp; very painful. A samadhi practitioner may sit for a few hours without consciously experiencing pain then, after emerging from samadhi, will struggle to stand up &amp;amp; walk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why I am not aware of any instructions in the Pali teachings about meditation &amp;amp; physical pain. In fact, the very essence of the Middle-Way is the development of jhana (with rapture, happiness &amp;amp; equanimity) which is contrary to those Theravada schools (Goenka; Mahasi, etc) that teach meditation on pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the ultimate purpose of Buddhist meditation is to develop a bliss (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) that liberates an individual from reliance on sensuality &amp;amp; then insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;) that liberates a individual from attachment, self-view &amp;amp; suffering, it is obvious meditation on pain is not directly relevant to the Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was young, I practised meditation very intensively and developed some capacity to be non-attached. Then at a later time, my body suffered an injury &amp;amp; a lengthy rehabilitation that was very painful at times. I required no additional training in non-attachment to deal with my injury &amp;amp; rehabilitation. The non-attachment developed in my painless meditation, when I was younger, was more than sufficient. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may sound like a paradox but non-attachment &amp;amp; dispassion towards rapture (&lt;em&gt;piti&lt;/em&gt;) is said by some to be much more effective at dealing with pain that direct meditation on pain itself. This is probably why the Buddha encouraged the development of non-attachment &amp;amp; egolessness (rather than meditation on pain itself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-28T01:51:39.127" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T01:51:39.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17674" CreationDate="2016-09-26T20:54:46.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend learning &amp;amp; practising meditation in a group, that has a competent teacher or monk, so you can learn to become fluent in the basics of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your panic attack, it sounds like your mind was focusing more &amp;amp; more on the space, thus lengthening the gap of the space &amp;amp; shorting the duration of the breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, not only did your mind lose a soothing, comforting &amp;amp; calming sense object (the breathing) but also found itself in a state of 'emptiness' ('diminishing ego') that it could not cope with; thus fear or panic arose; which is similar to a fear of 'death' people commonly feel. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, correctly practised Buddhism meditation should 1st develop a strong foundation of calm, which gives the mind refuge &amp;amp; strength to develop more profound insights. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as &quot;space between breathing&quot; (emptiness) meditation is taught by ambitious teachers who foolishly believe they will enlighten students more quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real Buddhist meditation path is something gradual &amp;amp; natural and based on giving up desire (craving) &amp;amp; positive &amp;amp; negative judgments (rather than based on exercises designed to eliminate the 'ego' or 'self' prematurely; when the mind is not yet ready or spiritually mature enough). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-26T21:02:57.453" LastActivityDate="2016-09-26T21:02:57.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17674" CreationDate="2016-09-27T01:37:06.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you may have had a very deep meditative practice. It is possible that your body may have fallen asleep while you were still awake. It's not very common but pro-meditators (like the 9 hour guys) may experience it more often than others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did your limbs randomly move or shift without your effort? This is usually one of the first signs that your body falling asleep. Your brain is now trying to wake up different parts of the body. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did you lose your ability to move while sitting in meditation posture? At this point your body released a hormone which paralyzes the body not to move. If you can't move your arm or finger than your paralyzed. It's not permanent but it can be scary.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The mental realm became more solid. Your body is beginning to shut down and the brain starts activating the areas of the brain associated with sleep. The dream state you experience in the morning starts to become active in your sitting.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sense organs officially start shutting down. You can no longer hear, smell, taste, touch, or see the room you previously were in. Your body has officially fallen asleep while your brain still remains partially active/asleep. You are officially conscious of the subconscious realm. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this is not recommended for most meditators, and it shouldn't be practiced without having a trained teacher. But this does sound like your body was beginning to fall asleep. Tips on how to handle the anxiety?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Move your attention onto Metta meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Move your attention onto the breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Move onto walking meditation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Move your attention into the anxiety and notice how it's just energy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep your awareness center and let the anxiety be itself.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Encase the anxiety in a space bubble and let it slowly disappear overtime. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Place your hand on your chest and let love flow into your body. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc....&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T01:37:06.203" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17492" CreationDate="2016-09-27T03:12:48.150" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like you to explain a little about &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;dogmatism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in degree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three containers-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One is opened, you can put anything what you like. It is like a general container in garage. You do not limit/categorize what you are going to put inside the container. There no specific rule or guide that what can store in it or/and how to. You just put things just like that. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Second container is open too, but you cannot put anything you like. It is like labeled container in kitchen. You can only put certain things related to kitchen. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Third and last container is closed, sealed. You can put nothing inside. Extreme of disapproval, no standing ground. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, people who study Buddha's Dhamma is like second container. They read &lt;strong&gt;Suttas&lt;/strong&gt; as guide, or manual book to understand how to choose good ingredients to store them in it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;When &quot;Buddha said that we shouldn't take his teachings as dogma&quot;, it means you should not follow the guide/manual book blindly. (Let's say if the pickle are not safe to be consumed, you will not put it in container and store for later use.) In Buddhism, you have your right to criticize Buddha's teachings. You can discuss, consult with anyone here/anywhere about what you seem not in the right way in Buddha's teachings. But you have first yet to know what Buddha teachings are. That is where you should read &lt;strong&gt;Suttas&lt;/strong&gt; in where you can find the teachings. If you don't listen to someone when he/she is saying, you will not know his/her saying is good or bad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T03:12:48.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17679" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17683" CreationDate="2016-09-27T04:41:13.047" Score="3" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard in a lot of sermons about how an individual achieve a goal. Even Buddha had the same type of characteristics. As far as I know they are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Determination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consistency&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire to see and end of the goal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are these correct? If not what are they?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In which sutra can I find this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T11:53:07.650" Title="Three types of characteristics to achieve a goal" Tags="|sutras|nirvana|buddha|desire|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2016-09-27T08:54:33.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The views of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I was brought up in the Theravada tradition and have little knowledge&#xA;  on Mahayana. Recently some of my friends participated in a Mahayana&#xA;  retreat and praised it highly. One of them even claimed that Mahayana&#xA;  is for practical Buddhists and Theravada is for rituals and ceremonies&#xA;  etc. So I got a bit curious about this and started searching on&#xA;  Mahayana. But I couldn't find the answer to my main question.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It seems to me the Mahayana is more about rituals and such:prayer&#xA;  wheels, manadala's, medicine bowls, prayer flags. Plus there are too&#xA;  many esoteric &quot;secretive&quot; teachings where one has to receive&#xA;  empowerment from a lama I guess. It's all good but I feel Theravada&#xA;  tradition contains the heart of Buddha's teachings&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These views are both understandable given the respective situations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I live in a Theravada Buddhist country (Thailand), but is a practicing Mahayana Buddhist (Chinese of Chan lineage). The reason both perspectives - that the other side is more practical, can be observed is that, a Theravada Buddhist community is often very conservative, and as such can get completely out of touch with lay people. Monks for example often chant in Pali for a lay funeral service while doing very little to teach the lay people the Dharma. I have attended Thai funerals where people start zoning out while the monks chants in Pali, a language ordinary Thais do not understand. Some disrespectfully chatted away with their friends during service. Some even start browsing their phones! Your average Thai religious participation involve making some donations during special Buddhist festival dates. On the other hand, my personal practice involves weekly chanting service at the temple, as well as many social participation. Lay Buddhists chant along in Chinese Mahayana Buddhist texts, which are understandable to the Chinese audience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the preoccupation of Mahayana Buddhism is the development of upāya - skillful means. That is, how to teach the difficult to understand Buddhadharma to the masses, as well as various students at different stage of the path. Employing various strategy such as rituals for participation, conceptual aids such as Pure Land Buddhist teachings, group chanting involving the lay people, the use of repetition of mantras. Many teachings are also simplified to be relevant to needs of the lay Buddhist. The Tibetans for example heavily use seemingly mystical rituals as well as magnificent art and architecture to inspire the interest and faith of the people. (Their art is one of the finest in the Buddhist world). Modern Buddhist organization even hold similar youth functions and camps similar to those done by Protestant Christianity to engage young people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not to say that there aren't temples on both sides that do not reach out to people, nor that Theravada do not employ skillful means. The emphasis is just different, and in my personal opinion many Buddhists societies have grown way too lax and take the Dharma for granted. Some very successful modern oriented Thai temples such as the Dhammakaya even came under heavy criticism for being 'too big', 'unorthodox' or even downright accusatory 'cult-like'. From my understanding, their success boil down to: having large lay participation by holding big events, teaching meditation to lay people, and having monks who are highly disciplined and walking in a very mindful orderly manner. Unfortunately this practice is deemed 'strange and cult-like' by those who do not actually understand the Dharma and are used to un-orderly behavior from monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T08:54:33.410" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17679" CreationDate="2016-09-27T09:40:00.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These qualities are found in many &lt;em&gt;sutta&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are the four determinations: the determination&#xA;  for discernment (wisdom), the determination for truth, the&#xA;  determination for relinquishment, the determination for calm (peace)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'We will develop mindfulness...we will pursue it, hand it the reins and take it as a basis, give it a grounding, steady it, consolidate it&#xA;  and undertake it well.' That is how you should train yourselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 47.20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of persistence? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, keeps his persistence aroused for&#xA;  abandoning unskillful mental qualities and taking on skillful mental&#xA;  qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his&#xA;  duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. He generates desire,&#xA;  endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the&#xA;  sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not&#xA;  yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful&#xA;  qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful&#xA;  qualities that have not yet arisen... [and] for the maintenance,&#xA;  non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development &amp;amp; culmination of&#xA;  skillful qualities that have arisen. This is called the faculty of&#xA;  persistence.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chanda mūlakā sabbe dhammā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;All dhamma-practises are rooted in 'chanda' (wholesome desire; zeal; devotion).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 10.58&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-27T09:48:46.020" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T09:48:46.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2016-09-27T10:30:24.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;I&quot; is simply mentioned too many times in the question and this is what the &quot;conflict&quot; is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the &quot;I&quot; itself was seen as &quot;dependently originated&quot; then no special effort would be required for practice because that insight itself would be the culmination of practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt; makes it clear that the &quot;I&quot; does not practise meditation (i.e., observe dependently arisen sense objects). Instead, the &quot;I&quot; arises at a later time from the process of &quot;becoming&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-27T10:35:25.470" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T10:35:25.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17679" CreationDate="2016-09-27T11:46:38.130" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the question is on the &lt;em&gt;four iddhipada&lt;/em&gt;, the four mental factors of achieving a goal: chanda (intention), citta (thoughts), viriya (effort), wimansa (investigation). According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this section&lt;/a&gt; in wikipedia, there's a collection of discourses on this topic in Saṃyutta Nikāya called  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Iddhipāda Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-09-27T11:53:07.650" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T11:53:07.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-27T11:49:11.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is how consciousness happens in Buddha's teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seeing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is object to see&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eye&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Eye and object meet, consciousness of seeing happens. This moment is very short and consciousness of seeing is stop being exist and replace by memorize. After memorization is done, judging happens whether the object seen is good or not. After judging, deciding happens whether the seer likes the object seen or dislikes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this sequence, the moment of consciousness of seeing is very short not even last for a second. If you are looking for &lt;strong&gt;notion of an eternal, non-material soul substance that is distinct from the mind, body and sense organs&lt;/strong&gt; in that sequence, you will find none because it does not even exist. For example, there are few people who is blind at birth. The consciousness of seeing will never happen for him/her. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sequence of mind for &lt;strong&gt;Hearing&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Smelling&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Tasting&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Touching&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Thinking&lt;/strong&gt; follows the same way as &lt;em&gt;Seeing&lt;/em&gt; does. In Buddhist literature this is called &lt;strong&gt;Law of sequence of mind&lt;/strong&gt; and it is constant and not mutable by any means. You cannot find &quot;self-ness&quot; in this sequences what you everyday have. Collectively, you can say &quot;I see&quot;, &quot;You see&quot;, &quot;He/she see&quot;, but upon disintegration to details level, you cannot find the idea of &quot;self&quot; called &lt;strong&gt;Atta&lt;/strong&gt; which is your own, controllable by you or which is own by the creator, controllable by creator. Because of this pure sequence of mind, you cannot find the sense of &lt;strong&gt;cogniser&lt;/strong&gt; in anywhere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T11:49:11.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17685" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-27T12:12:55.660" Score="5" ViewCount="141" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to do death contemplation ?    it seems i really dont care about dying that much   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;how long can i do it ?  is there a formal technique to do it ? cause just thinking about it dosnt seem to have no effect at all  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i do seem to care about others who die though but not on myself  - and even on others i care much more about them being ill and suffer than them dying &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so any tips you have to add to make this more effective would be great  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and just to make it clear  : i want to do this to get a sense of urgency so i will meditate more so i will get chanda &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T23:42:23.080" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T23:42:23.080" Title="How to actually do death contemplation?" Tags="|meditation|death|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2016-09-27T21:14:11.360" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17686" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-27T14:36:37.713" Score="4" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm kind of curious, some people may have looked a little aloof and cold from the outside, and get commented on this too but deep down she/he isn't like this. She/he are probably just quiet and doesn't mingle around, don't think it's a wrong trait?&#xA;How can metta help on this? And how can metta be practiced on situation like this?&#xA;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T12:35:22.103" Title="Unfriendly and unapproachable faces - Metta Practices" Tags="|meditation-insight|meditation-metta|metta|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17685" CreationDate="2016-09-27T20:14:43.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i do seem to care about others who die &lt;em&gt;though but not on myself&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that's the whole point. So if you already don't mind dying (that's how i understand your statement), then maybe you're an arahant?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I of course am not familiar with your background, but whether you mind or not can be found out in the life and death situation, when contingency of dying is very real.  Good health and safe environment are not the conditions to help to realize one's own mortality. An event which has a potential of causing a profound shift in one's attitude towards death is a death of a close relative, and especially a sudden and unexpected one, because it hits very close to home and with great impact due to suddenness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of death for development of &lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt; is described in Maranasati suttas 1 &amp;amp; 2&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.019.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.020.than.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here's how actual practice of perception of death is described in a Gandhari Samyukta Agama Sanna sutra (Andrew Glass, Mark Allon, 'Four Gāndhārī Saṃyuktāgama Sūtras: Senior Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 5')&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the concentration connected with the perception of death? In&#xA;  regard to this, a monk who is at the root of a tree, or in an empty&#xA;  house, or in an open space… thinks “I will die, I will not live long,&#xA;  I will perish, I will die, I will disappear. It is the undistracted&#xA;  one-pointedness of mind of a person so positioned, which is called&#xA;  “the concentration connected with the perception of death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-09-29T18:39:53.630" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T18:39:53.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-27T23:53:59.187" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without repeating everything above, I'd like to add something very simple to the discussion, amongst the many quotes from suttas and texts :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is an Illusion. The assumption that one's experience of the Universe somehow necessitates &quot;Consciousness&quot; is not valid, since it requires an absolute.. aka. Consciousness, to make it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is an infinite regress, and thus must be illusory. Or.. at least.. that conclusion seems closer to Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question becomes then, if Consciousness is illusory, what the heck is going on? How are any of us even making assumptions in the first place?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that is just what Buddhism is trying to figure out. I suppose we'll all be let in on it when it does :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-27T23:53:59.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17686" CreationDate="2016-09-28T00:02:16.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Loving Kindness, I would think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are asking, really, what should we do when confronted with an unpleasant person (who is unpleasant in any way, including appearance). We cannot NOT be human, and so our reactions are, and will be, whatever they will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you relax and give freely, of your attention and time, you may find their attitude changing towards you. You will also find your reactions changing. Through that process of feedback comes learning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be very clear, &quot;giving freely&quot; doesn't mean &quot;giving without discretion&quot;. Give only what you would give to anyone on earth. Use your discrimination to determine how much farther you are willing to go in compassion. And end the interaction if you decide it is no longer fruitful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T00:02:16.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2016-09-28T00:13:02.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The base of the pillar of the answer to this is probably what is called &quot;Silent Illumination&quot; or Yuganaddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silent illumination comes from the integrated practice of shamatha (calming the mind) and vipashyana (insightful contemplation) called &lt;b&gt;yuganaddha&lt;/b&gt; (union), and was the hallmark of the Chinese Caodong school of Ch'an. It therefore means one is practicing with both a calm mind and &quot;questioning observation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Caodong school is very interesting, and is the predecessor of the Soto Zen school. It is a very esoteric school, which is probably why it almost vanished, as its ways were not popular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caodong_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caodong_school&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, since Zen is Mahayana, I believe this is where you should look.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T00:13:02.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17673" CreationDate="2016-09-28T00:23:57.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To give a more practical take on this, I would answer &quot;It depends on who you ask&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been a number of realized masters that have said The Full Lotus position or nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are others who have said that posture is important, but how you achieve it is meaningless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yet others who say that Lotus Position sitting is silly, outmoded, and should be updated for the modern world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What it really comes down to is that the lotus position, full, half, or any variation of it, is actually a fertility symbol, as well as a way (not THE way) to achieve some balance between attentiveness and a wandering mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about it, the buddha in full lotus resembles a phallus. This is probably intentional. It goes back into the mists of time through Hinduism, and is a symbol of focus and asceticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which is why some teachers criticize the use of that posture today. But as I said, others believe the pain is important, as it gives us more to be concerned about, thus making our sitting even better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T00:23:57.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17673" CreationDate="2016-09-28T07:33:15.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about the teachings but what I have experienced is at a time our mind can do one task only. we don't feel pain unless our conscious is aware of the pain or is on other thing. I would suggest while meditating, take it easy, follow your breath or any mantra and when we feel pain, let don't push it more. It is all about practice. keep practicing, it will be very easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10061" LastEditorUserId="10061" LastEditDate="2017-11-01T09:35:21.943" LastActivityDate="2017-11-01T09:35:21.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17693" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17696" CreationDate="2016-09-28T10:38:29.350" Score="3" ViewCount="208" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've tried several Buddhist traditions (Zen, Diamond Way) and none of it really worked for me. So now I intend to give it another try, but in a way, which is tailored to my personality. This time I want to do it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;on my own (working with teachers or mentors did more harm than good for me, both in spiritual and in professional spheres) and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;without things that I don't need, especially without the idea that the purpose of Buddhist practice is to achieve enlightenment (the reason for me to practice is to reduce my suffering in this life; I don't care about enlightenment or rebirths or Karma) and without communicating with other people (again, experience shows that this doesn't help me at all).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a way to obtain &lt;strong&gt;Buddha's description of the practice&lt;/strong&gt; in English, German or Russian? If yes, where?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that I'm not interested in later interpretations of his words. I want to learn what he himself said about how to practice (what exercises, rituals etc. he recommend, i. e. something you can do). I'm also not interested in philosophical stuff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;take his original texts (those parts, which most likely come from Siddhartha Gautama himself, not later additions),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;devise a set of &quot;procedures&quot; (e. g. meditations of different kinds, exercises) and metrics, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;regularly estimate the quality of my practice (the better my practice, the less suffering there is in my life), and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;modify my practice (the procedures and intensity of doing them) so that the quality increases with time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot measure the amount of suffering directly, but I can estimate it. For example, the happier I am, the harder and more effectively I work (my experience is that I can't be really sad or euphoric, when I'm immersed in certain kinds of work). The latter two parameters (amount of productive work per week, number of tasks of comparable size completed per week) can be measured using timetracking and project management software. Both of them are estimates of the amount of suffering in my life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10111" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T18:48:50.810" Title="Where can I get Buddha's teachings of the Dharma practice?" Tags="|personal-practice|practice|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17694" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17695" CreationDate="2016-09-28T10:39:27.943" Score="2" ViewCount="361" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do Buddha statues exist that portray Buddha as a person of white or European likeness? Where would I find them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Not sure what other than &quot;white&quot; or &quot;European&quot; to call it; you are free to correct me.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I would like to explain in a few words why I am asking that question, but find it difficult to pin down the right words. It has something to do with the feeling of familiarity or likeness, and just plain fun of entertaining the idea that the Buddha can look like all the other people that are typically around me all day long. Plus, whatever drives people to make cover versions of songs, just seen as a &quot;cover version&quot; of the typical Buddha statue.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Replaced the word &quot;caucasian&quot; with &quot;white&quot;, because this should be less offensive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10113" LastEditorUserId="10113" LastEditDate="2016-09-28T22:34:28.230" LastActivityDate="2024-03-18T15:28:23.790" Title="Buddha statue of European/white likeness?" Tags="|modern-world|art|iconography|statue|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17694" CreationDate="2016-09-28T11:07:31.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My impression is the original Buddha statues were of Greek origin. Try google 'Greco-Buddhist art'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TQXpl.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TQXpl.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The original Indian Buddhist art (below) did not depict a 'personal form' but usually showed a wheel, tree, footprint or empty space as a symbol of the Buddha. This is probably because the Buddha famously said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/5CaQZ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/5CaQZ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fvEeb.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fvEeb.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mEfmd.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mEfmd.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description her e&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wOTtz.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wOTtz.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fZ7Vk.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fZ7Vk.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-28T23:19:29.047" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T23:19:29.047" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17693" CreationDate="2016-09-28T11:38:50.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not speak English, German or Russian therefore it is difficult to find translated instruction that is not subject to 'interpretation' (since there is not one well-known translator that has translated the instructions 100% accurately). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know exactly what the Buddha taught, you must use logic &amp;amp; intelligence ('wise reflection': '&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;') to discern his teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in his 1st sermon on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; (note: linked translation is not 100% accurate), the Buddha taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) suffering is to be &lt;em&gt;comprehended&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the origin of suffering, namely, craving leading to self-becoming, is to be &lt;em&gt;abandoned&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the cessation of suffering, namely, the cessation of craving, is to be &lt;em&gt;realised&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) the path to the cessation of suffering, namely, the noble eightfold path, is to be &lt;em&gt;developed&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what is 'suffering' (which the Buddha summarised as egoistic 'attachment/grasping' to the five aggregates) is something that must be comprehendible. It follows common ideas such as 'life is suffering' or 'the five &lt;em&gt;aggregates&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;body, feeling, perception, mental forming &amp;amp; consciousness&lt;/em&gt;) are suffering' is not something comprehendible therefore do not form part of the instruction. The instruction is to comprehend that egoistic attachment/grasping ('&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;') is suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clearest &amp;amp; most obvious instruction that represents a radical change in behavior is that of '&lt;em&gt;craving is to be abandoned&lt;/em&gt;'. In other words, the noble eightfold path, including the meditation components, is obviously not to be developed using craving. Practising forms of meditation, such as watching breathing, with craving, is obviously contrary to the instructions. This is why many meditation instructions state the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;concentration&lt;/a&gt; developed is based in giving up craving &amp;amp; letting go of attachment (i.e., '&lt;em&gt;relinquishment&lt;/em&gt;').  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the other components of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;noble eightfold path&lt;/a&gt;, such as the 2nd, 3rd, 4th &amp;amp; 5th, they are very straightforward. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-28T11:49:14.977" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T11:49:14.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17694" CreationDate="2016-09-28T15:28:07.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe Sakaya (Buddha's clan) were Aryan (not the same context as Nazi would use it).  And per sutta where Buddha explained his physical features, he said his eyes were complete green (this is up for academic debate because &quot;complete green&quot; in Pali could mean pitch black.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Wiki&lt;/a&gt; says they were deep blue.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URqN0Iu64D4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is modern day real Aryan race&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T15:28:07.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17673" CreationDate="2016-09-28T19:52:10.577" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Theravada Buddhist Answer. Vipassana instructions following the tradition of the late Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The body is conditioned and therefore &quot;dukkha&quot;. There will arise pain sooner or later in one form or the other. That is its nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain is just pain. There is nothing inherently bad about it. It's simply an experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sallatha Sutta (SN 36.6)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha compared pain and our reaction to the pain as being shot by 2 arrows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first arrow is the pain we cannot avoid, e.g. physical pain from doing sitting meditation. The second arrow is our aversion (attachment) to the pain. This arrow we can avoid by being mindful and taking the pain as an object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana meditation pain should be observed with mindfulness in the present moment. If aversion to the pain arises, then the aversion should be taken as an object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This allows us to see the object clearly and thereby change the reactionary behavior of the untrained mind into a behavior based on impartiality and acceptance of what is ocurring at the sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T14:36:40.597" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T14:36:40.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-09-28T23:36:13.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Engaged Buddhism  (a belief started by Thich Nhat Hanh during the vietnam war in the 1960's) Thich Nhat Hanh states that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Be aware of anger; anger blocks the communication and brings suffering&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then advises that in order to reach Dhamma one must rid their mind of defilements of such things like suffering and ignorance, which cause angry fits of passion. By being constantly aware and in control of one's actions, conciously one can prevent from experiencing these selfish emotions and focus on the communication and the content of the heated debate, occurrence, and/or problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10118" LastActivityDate="2016-09-28T23:36:13.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17700" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-29T01:25:33.893" Score="3" ViewCount="2411" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe i misread this but i read again now that in buddhist view life span will become shorter and shorter until 10 year life span &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;did i misunderstand somehthing ?  it seems that the lifespan is getting bigger and not shorter &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T05:41:54.920" Title="Does the lifespan get shorter or longer ?" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16136" CreationDate="2016-09-29T01:29:36.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my humble opinion, you should not be hesitant to continue - you should be happy.  This started happening to me yesterday, and continued today when I meditated.  I have a sensation in the middle of my forehead, a humming/glowing feeling.  As I meditated, I simply went with the flow to see what this was about.  I believe that it's what's called the &quot;Third Eye&quot; or the &quot;Mind's Eye&quot;.  If you think about the way mindfulness mediation activates your brain's prefrontal cortex (please look at this article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindful.org/how-the-brain-changes-when-you-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.mindful.org/how-the-brain-changes-when-you-meditate/&lt;/a&gt; ) it completely makes sense that we feel a tingling sensation at the center of our forehead.  I realized that while meditating I was sort of seeing myself from some interior position, like my 2 eyes but further in.  Then when I felt this third eye opening, I decided to let that be my vantage point for looking within, for viewing the chatter and the images that my mind throws about, and when I did that I felt that I made a real breakthrough in strengthening the powers of my prefrontal cortex.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking now about the result of this, well, I can say that I have had some real progress thinking through some career issues today, and it may very well be that I have gotten more in touch with my gut instincts and deeper self-knowledge.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm no expert, this is just me.  I hope this is food for thought.  Good luck&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Michael&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10119" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T01:29:36.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17694" CreationDate="2016-09-29T03:03:26.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're welcome.    He also said his skin was like gold.  This too is up for interpretation.   But with support from other sutta, i believe the idea of beatiful skin tone at the time was not too white nor too dark.   My take is that Buddha had tan skin.  But for sure he shaved his head.   In many sutta, it was one of the insults to Buddha by those of others beliefs.   Said to Buddha as he was walking &quot;stop right there you bald headed monk, stop right there you thug!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ah.  I meant to put this on a comment.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10120" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T03:03:26.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17700" CreationDate="2016-09-29T05:47:03.263" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The statement, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Lifespan of human is growing and will become 100 years&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; needs extensive research and proof. Honestly, I didn't read it in anywhere so far yet. But how about what we see everyday; the condolence columns in newspapers, tombstones in cemeteries, all is saying that we lived only around 70-80 years. I rarely see someone lived for 90 years and over on them. Now people usually says &quot;you are very long live&quot; when we see someone who is over 90. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;Human lifespan is growing&quot; might come from Mathematical estimation. We experienced wars in our history. Young people died in Europe and many other areas. Mathematically lifespan may be lower in past centuries due to these events. Comparatively, now the lifespan is higher than that but it will not be over 100 years.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T05:47:03.263" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17499" CreationDate="2016-09-29T07:52:35.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without thinking or thoughts, there is no thinker.&#xA;Without experiencing or experiences, there is no experiencer.&#xA;Without an object, there is no subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These things are like 2 sides of a coin. The subject/consciousness cannot stand alone. &quot;Who hears/sees?&quot; is not a valid question based on a wrong assumption. A valid question would be &quot;How does hearing/seeing occur?&quot;. All processes without an inner core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in many ways I have said of dependently co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Consciousness, monks, is classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which it arises. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the eye &amp;amp; forms is classified simply as eye-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the ear &amp;amp; sounds is classified simply as ear-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the nose &amp;amp; aromas is classified simply as nose-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors is classified simply as tongue-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations is classified simply as body-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas is classified simply as intellect-consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8775" LastEditorUserId="8775" LastEditDate="2016-09-29T08:01:33.560" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T08:01:33.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17705" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-29T09:45:51.047" Score="2" ViewCount="305" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've practiced meditation, and a lot of it seems to be about not dwelling in the past, or waiting for a future which may not arrive as we expect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what about the present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The deal is relatively trivial or trite; I want someone to say something: apologise. Actually, any sane person would want the same, given the (past) behaviour or this person. All the same, it seems of overwhelming importance whenever I let my thoughts wander.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And while it is pretty trivial, when my thoughts do wander in this way, I believe that everything in my life is great just as it is, except this, which is making me want to give up completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems a little wrong to say &lt;em&gt;just don't think about it&lt;/em&gt;. Is there any other option?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10124" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T17:05:01.180" Title="What can be done about wanting to change things in the present that you can't?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17705" CreationDate="2016-09-29T10:39:41.313" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One simple, effective, answer would be to ask why you think this way. Are you e.g. using it as an excuse?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to find out why you want to change something may be one everyday way in which you can then learn to do otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10125" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-09-29T15:52:49.687" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T15:52:49.687" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17700" CreationDate="2016-09-29T10:49:58.547" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddha's time the life span is said to have been 100 years and there were several theras who touched even 120 years e.g. Ananda and Maha Kassapa. In fact &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/bakkula.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bakkula&lt;/a&gt; thera is said to have lived 160 years, he had ordained when he was 80. But we rarely hear anyone passing 100 at present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A well-respected monk in Sri Lanka (late Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma) has mentioned that the life span reduces by 10 years in each millennium. Judging from that, the 10 year period should occur roughly in 7500 years from now. Who knows what can happen within this period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The causes of illnesses and therefore, the reduction in life span according to Buddhism is mentioned in Cakkavatthi sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, brethren, from goods not being bestowed on the destitute &lt;em&gt;poverty&lt;/em&gt; grew rife; from poverty growing rife &lt;em&gt;stealing&lt;/em&gt; increased, from the spread of stealing &lt;em&gt;violence&lt;/em&gt; grew apace, from the growth of violence the &lt;em&gt;destruction of life&lt;/em&gt; became common, from the frequency of murder &lt;em&gt;lying&lt;/em&gt; grew common, from lying growing common, &lt;em&gt;evil speaking&lt;/em&gt; grew abundant, from evil speaking growing abundant, &lt;em&gt;adultery&lt;/em&gt; grew common, from adultery growing common &lt;em&gt;abusive and idle talk&lt;/em&gt; grew common, from abusive and idle talk growing common, &lt;em&gt;covetousness&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ill-will&lt;/em&gt; grew common, from covetousness and ill-will growing common, &lt;em&gt;false opinions&lt;/em&gt; grew common, from false opinions growing common, &lt;em&gt;incest&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;wanton greed&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;perverted lust&lt;/em&gt; grew common, finally from incest, wanton greed and perverted lust growing common &lt;em&gt;lack of filial and religious piety&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;lack of regard for the head of the clan&lt;/em&gt; grew great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From these things growing, the life-span of those beings and the&#xA;  comeliness of them wasted, so that, of humans whose span of life was&#xA;  two and a half centuries, the sons lived but one century.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 26&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of this is that for the life span to increase, human qualities also have to improve, advances in medication and increase in the standard of living alone will not be enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-09-29T14:22:37.760" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T14:22:37.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17709" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17711" CreationDate="2016-09-29T13:57:47.183" Score="6" ViewCount="308" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've hurt a beloved one a lot. I've done something which is unforgivable to this person and the contrition is eating me up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrition is, of course, a essential part in learning and preventing mistakes from beeing done multiple times. &#xA;However, my regret is blocking me, I can't think about anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has Buddha told us anything about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I have to, and already do, a dialoge with this person.&#xA;However, how should I handle this within myself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10128" LastActivityDate="2023-01-09T16:43:19.477" Title="How to handle contrition" Tags="|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17705" CreationDate="2016-09-29T15:39:35.027" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is only now, the present moment. There are thoughts about the past, fantasies about the future that are arising in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What must be done is to become aware when such a thought do arise, and to observe that thought, objectively. Without investigation or analysis, without reacting, by simply turning, holding and sustaining your attention to what has just appeared, just at time of its duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will realize that when you do this, the thought will simply disappear, it will vanish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately it is only a thought, nothing more. The problem is that we create more out of it. The desire to control what is out there will only lead to your own misery. Let it go, give it up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever heard about &lt;em&gt;satipatthana / vipassana&lt;/em&gt; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should help you, friend.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/vipassana/what_is_it.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://en.dhammadana.org/vipassana/what_is_it.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T15:39:35.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17709" CreationDate="2016-09-29T16:37:49.027" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; Buddha says this to people feeling remorseful about their past: there is no use worrying about the past you can't change. Focus on acting with skill going forward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the most underappreciated techniques in Buddhism is &lt;em&gt;weaving useful narratives&lt;/em&gt;. This is when you tell yourself a story about yourself in a way that induces and sustains the good states of mind. The story can't be a lie though! -- so before you can do it, you have to actually repent/reconcile/resolve to not let it happen again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the first step is to actually finalize the internal decision: what shall you do differently from now on. Then you should let some time pass to give you a chance to act in the new way. And then you can say hey, I have not committed the same mistake for such and such time, I think I am good now. Simple, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out the story about Angulimala and a Pregnant Woman. It illustrates this principle brilliantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T16:37:49.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17694" CreationDate="2016-09-29T16:59:53.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just to add to the above, it is unknown what the historical Buddha looked like, and it is a matter of debate if he was, indeed, one particular person. There are conjectures based on the Suttas and so on, but none of those are essentially good enough to make a strong conclusion on the subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the ordinary response has been to make him look like whatever you like, and which helps you in your practice. The Buddha could look occidental, african or aryan and as long as the image was useful, it would be fine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, its about the practice and the result. The Buddha would probably be the first to say appearances are unimportant, and in this sense you don't get points for &quot;getting it right&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T16:59:53.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17705" CreationDate="2016-09-29T17:05:01.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your idea of not being able to change things in the present is not quite correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can always change &lt;strong&gt;yourself&lt;/strong&gt; in the present moment. Always.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be difficult, or seem impossible, but the entire practice of Buddhism and Meditation is about this one, simple thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer to your question is &quot;Change Yourself&quot;. This is not to say you should either accept OR reject any condition your are currently experiencing.. this is to say &lt;strong&gt;change&lt;/strong&gt; and then see how that affects your view of your experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rinse, repeat. This is The Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T17:05:01.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17700" CreationDate="2016-09-29T17:14:35.087" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea that lifespan was longer in ancient times is nonsense, and has been throughly debunked, disproven, and so on. Over and over again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any monk or nun who states something like this, that they somehow &quot;know&quot; that lifespan has &quot;decreased&quot; is bullshitting you in order to seem &quot;magical&quot; or &quot;wise&quot;. Don't fall for that nonsense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At best, the average lifespan in ancient times was the same as now, but that isn't what we find when we investigate. Universally, Human beings are now, on average, living much longer than in ancient times, and this has been proven over and over again by the careful analysis of human remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that we have found some surprising outliers in ancient bones.. ages that seem to be upwards of 75 and greater. But nothing whatsoever that shows that anyone has ever lived 160 years, and the averages are in the 40s and 50s. And lets not even discuss infant and child mortality, which was 5 in 6 back in the good old days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is simply no hard evidence for age expansion or contraction, and the insistence that modern man is somehow &quot;degenerate&quot; is a dangerous idea that seeks to place 2000 year old ideology ahead of current life in order to create power structures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, it is a con game. Please do not fall for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yes, human average lifespan has gotten longer, although it seems to have plateaued.. aka stopped growing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T17:14:35.087" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-09-29T17:23:05.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This desire to demonize an emotion is disturbing, and I have always had a problem with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger is a useful emotion. It can allow us to react properly to a life threatening situation, either for ourselves or for another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is not Anger. The problem is not being able to recognize when it is harming, rather than helping, the situation you are currently experiencing. It is also the problem that Anger severely limits our ability to reason, trading reason for energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you understand these things, then Anger can be your friend, just like all other emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loving Kindness, in some situations, might be scolding someone back, if that is what teaches them the proper lesson. It could even be defending someone, or yourself, physically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to &lt;strong&gt;recognize&lt;/strong&gt; that moment is the hard part. THAT is what I believe is the liberating thought in this case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T17:23:05.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8964" CreationDate="2016-09-29T17:26:18.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent Origination, or as I have heard it expressed slightly differently, &quot;Interdependent Co-Emergence&quot;, is a philosophical point to be studied. It is an idea to be explored.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Effort is a Practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no conflict, as they are different Kayas, as it were :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T17:26:18.287" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17693" CreationDate="2016-09-29T19:10:32.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...without things that I don't need, especially without the idea that the purpose of Buddhist practice is to achieve enlightenment...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we walk the path to the higher goal, the lower goals will be fulfilled along the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...the reason for me to practice is to reduce my suffering in this life...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sooner or later, we'll realize that the only way to reduce our suffering in this life, is to help reduce the suffering of others. To have the strength to do it, we'll need very strong motivations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, the happier I am, the harder and more effectively I work...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong in using the teachings to achieve mundane goals. However, this achievements are only temporary, and if we are not able to see this, they will only lead to more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Our ultimate purpose is using the practices to liberate ourselves of all relative conditionings, not only to improve them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tenzing Wangyal Rinpoche&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10129" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T19:10:32.763" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17658" CreationDate="2016-09-29T21:52:55.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds to me like you are talking about a particularly Vajrayana idea. please correct me if that is not so! If so, it should be noted that in that context, the &quot;realms&quot; are not considered to actually exist (I know they tend to say to the lay people that they do, but that's different from what the monks believe) and are symbols of Human Stereotypes. Another you could have mentioned was The Hungry Ghost Realm. All of them are symbolic of different broad ideas of ego, rather than being places which genuinely exist. So, to answer your question, the same way everyone gets out: The Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T21:52:55.620" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17619" CreationDate="2016-09-29T22:06:35.320" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Desire is not a hindrance.. attachment/addiction to objects of desire is. And this is, in fact, the proper translation of Tanha. (Craving isn't a bad one either, as long as it is in the sense of a habitual craving).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translation made that &quot;Suffering arises from desire&quot; has caused more difficulty than has helped, in my view. The modern translation has been, for some time, &quot;Suffering arises from attachment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because it is not possible to rid yourself of desire. Ever. You are human. You will always desire things. What you CAN rid yourself of is attachment to those desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, renunciation of everything except The Path, and thus being subject to attachment TO The Path, is considered easier than the alternative, and is thus thought to be a more expedient way to reach enlightenment by some schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-09-29T22:06:35.320" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17693" CreationDate="2016-09-30T02:02:53.077" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You probably know this already but the name of the texts that preserve the teachings of the Buddha are called &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; (or &lt;em&gt;sutras&lt;/em&gt;). Generally speaking, they are the closest records of what the buddha might have taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than these texts, the teachings of the Buddha survive through transmission from master to disciples across millennia spread through many branches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are likely the only sources of the teachings and both present problems of trust and authenticity (This does not mean current teachers are not to be trusted, nor that texts are not to be trusted, only that one needs to be at least aware of the problems one may encounter).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the suttas, they are voluminous and were written down at different periods -- some of them arguably composed at different periods as well. One particular collection is often considered to be the earliest part (and, to many, the most authentic): these are the four nikayas/agamas (Dīgha, Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara) plus the Vinaya. Translations of these collections to many languages are available online. They are also available in physical books in english (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003XRDC2K&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B004124JKK&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B009OFEYWM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003XRDC16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These collections had translations preserved by many schools across many countries through centuries without much exchanges with each other, in particular, Tibet, Sri Lanka and China. The oldest texts are preserved in Sanskrit, Pali, and Classical Chinese, respectively. None of these are believed to be the language the Buddha spoke (some speculate that Pali might be a language close to their tongue).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fifth book, Khuddaka Nikaya, is a miscellaneous collection and seem to have more divergences across recensions, mixing what seems to be older and newer compositions. Some schools also developed a third basket: the Abbidhamma, whose origin is not clear (some believe it was a project initiated by the Buddha to systematize the teachings, some believe it was developed by the schools as they attempted to solve conflicts between them or to clarify ambiguous passages, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two important take aways from the four Nikayas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all schools recognize these collections as preserving the Buddha's teachings; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;comparative analysis of the existing recensions show a remarkable consistency in content for texts of these collections.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, the buddhist schools grew apart and dispersed geographically. In doing so, they developed their own literature on top of what they already had: meditation manuals, philosophical treatises, commentaries, but also, some of them developed new sutras (that is, texts narrating the Buddha's dialogues and teachings). These new sutras have a distinct style and emphasis, and are usually recognized as &lt;em&gt;Mahayana&lt;/em&gt; sutras. Some  regard them as superior in their teachings than early texts, some regard them as equivalent in meaning to the content of the nikayas and some do not regard them as authentic (the fact that they were composed much later is mostly accepted by scholars -- some buddhists have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana_sutras#Origins_and_early_history&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;another explanations for their origin&lt;/a&gt;). Exemples of Mahayana sutras are Lotus, Diamond and Prajna Paramita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, as someone who studies alone, I find the nikayas to be the best bet to get to the closest of what might have been the Buddha's words -- my own opinion, of course. The closest, not the actual words verbatim, because it seems he never wrote from his own wrist, and you know, oral transmissions, translations and editions have a way of introducing errors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On that note, two scholar monks, Bhikkhu Sujato and Bhikkhu Brahmali have done an interesting work defending the authenticity of the nikayas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1312911506&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts&lt;/a&gt; (pdf &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Theravada, considered the oldest surviving branch of buddhism is the most known tradition to preserve, study and practice according to the nikayas &amp;amp; vinaya. Moreover, scholars of early buddhism (in contrast to late/Mahayana buddhism) focus on the nikayas. In contrast, many Mahayana schools, although recognizing the nikayas as authentic, generally are not known for studying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, for the most part, the reading of the nikayas is not really obscure (as one might expect after reading texts from other religions); I think they are very readable. Of course, when they get deep they are remarkably deep. And sometimes confusing -- after all it's arguably a 2500 year old text. However, there's plenty of books (commentaries, manuals, etc) that help clarify specific sutras or concepts. And for everything else, there are forums and Q&amp;amp;A like this to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T16:07:45.933" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T16:07:45.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17722" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17726" CreationDate="2016-09-30T05:26:53.940" Score="4" ViewCount="267" Body="&lt;p&gt;How I can live longer and healthier as well as peaceful by following practices taught by Buddha, Buddhism and Sanga?&#xA;I like to live long as a normal person (not being a monk). Live long here, I means if possible 100 years. If not, 90s. If not I like live longer than average of people at least. &#xA;I like to live longer but I don't want to lose the opportunities of - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having many things to see which make me cheerful and pleasing. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Listening music which make me pleasing. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Smelling good things and fragrances. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Savour what I like and people says the best things I can have in life. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Touch of aesthetically pleasing woman, touch of delicate fabrics&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to follow the practices, rules, dos and don'ts said by Buddha or Buddha's teachings or from Sanga or from a Buddhist monk. The goal I like to achieve is to live longer and heathy (practically live much more longer than current generation like 100 years, 90-100 years). Is it possible instance that I can achieve if I am passing my teenage years? Or If I am not, is it possible for age of child or new born baby by applying teachings, guidance, practices and care by Buddhism, he/she can live longer and healthy for the rest of his/her life? &#xA;Can you point me out any reference about &lt;strong&gt;living longer and healthier&lt;/strong&gt; from Buddhism teachings, book of monk, audio/video recording, web link or Suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T01:42:10.577" Title="How I can live longer as well as peaceful by doing practices taught by Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|teaching|practice|rules|buddhist|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14632" CreationDate="2016-09-30T06:36:51.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imagination&lt;/strong&gt; happens in one's mind (sixth sense in Buddha's teaching). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, you have a &quot;subject&quot; to think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Second, you memorize the &quot;subject&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, you determine the &quot;subject&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Forth, you decide the subject is good or bad.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fifth, you like or dislike the &quot;subject&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(For the above sentences, I am referring to Diga Nikaya. Silakkhanda Vagga, 9:416 but the reference text didn't directly answer your question)&#xA;Imagination composes of one or more subjects (many impacts of subject and mind) above. Subjects could be related or non-related each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conceptualization&lt;/strong&gt; composes of many subjects (also many impacts of subject and mind) which are related and interact each other in a way to achieve the &quot;Concept&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Belief is  - making strong decision that imagination or concept is wright or wrong (or you take the concept in your heart that you like or dislike) but belief is more like on process/concept which is more concrete in sense than imagination (which is more abstract in sense). Imagination is cornerstone of belief (but in some cases there are many imaginations come and go in the mind without being mature to be a concept and to be a belief eventually). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many references in Tripitaka as far as I read in before, but for me it difficult to pinpoint the exact paragraph. So if anyone who frequent in these can comment or add more precise reference answer here&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T06:36:51.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-09-30T09:26:59.603" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's simple, if you like a long life, abstain from killing any living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the way, student, that&#xA;  leads to long life, namely, abandoning the killing of living beings,&#xA;  one abstains from killing living beings; with rod and weapon laid&#xA;  aside, gentle and kindly, one abides compassionate to all living&#xA;  beings.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn135&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN135&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a healthy life, abstain from harming any living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the way, student, that leads to health, namely, one&#xA;  is not given to injuring beings with the hand, with a clod, with a&#xA;  stick, or with a knife.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn135&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN135&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T09:26:59.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17693" CreationDate="2016-09-30T11:30:41.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The nowadays Vipassana (Mahasi Saydaw &amp;amp; his many direct or indirect descendants) reference Satipatthana Sutta. However, quoting an excellent &lt;a href=&quot;https://vividness.live/2011/07/07/theravada-reinvents-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Theravada reinvents vipassana&lt;/a&gt; blogpost:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you read the Satipatthana Sutta, the most-used one, and if you know&#xA;  how to meditate, you can say “yeah, parts of that are a pretty good&#xA;  description of what we do.” (Other parts are nothing like what people&#xA;  do now. I think that’s important, as I’ll explain in a later post.) If&#xA;  you had no idea what meditation was, the Sutta would not seem like&#xA;  much of a guide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your prospect of getting straightforwardly useful meditation instruction from the text itself is bleak, unless you want to repeat what people like Mahasi Sayadaw did (and they spent lifetime studying and refining the technique). (I am sorry you had bad luck with your previous teachers.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is even more the case for devising progress metrics. Theoretically, there are 3 trainings in buddhism (sila, samadhi, panna) which are to a significant extent orthogonal. There are some traditional metrics (8 jhanas (pre-buddhist AFAIK), 16 insight stages (later commentarial), 4 paths (Buddha original)) but there is often little agreement on what they actually are, including among people who devoted significant time to studying them (see e.g. Shankman's &lt;em&gt;The experience of Samadhi&lt;/em&gt;; or online discussions in communities like dharmaoverground.org; see also what unnamed Pa Auk monks say about Mahasi's &lt;em&gt;sotapatti&lt;/em&gt; certificates -- there is a great deal of rivalrly and &quot;we are right, you're wrong&quot; attitude) let alone some codified assessment procedures. You've seen some of that, I guess.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Progress&quot; is not a monotonic (not to say constant) function, more happy now does not necessarily mean better off long-term. The goal of Buddhist practice (as I understand it) is freedom from suffering, some say &quot;freedom in the midst of suffering&quot; -- implying it is not absence of suffering but rather a different way of relating to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the universal characteristics (3C is Buddha), &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, means uncontrollability, and it is also a characteristics of your practice. If your task is to have your practice under control, odds are that you will suffer because the practice simply does not care about what you want :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do a long Vipassana retreat; walk the path from where you are right now, before you dream about what your ideal path is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(PS If you want to read original texts, you have to get over words like &quot;enlightenment&quot;, they are really there.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T18:48:50.810" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T18:48:50.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-09-30T12:32:24.927" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is a list of a few things you can do to live a longer and healthier life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-may-ease-anxiety-mental-stress-201401086967&quot;&gt;Meditate&lt;/a&gt;: Stress will make you age quicker and die younger. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eat &lt;a href=&quot;http://nutritionfacts.org/2012/09/20/why-meat-causes-inflammation/&quot;&gt;vegetarian meals&lt;/a&gt;: Most meats will cause inflammation which lowers your life-span.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2016/03/25/health-benefits-fasting.aspx&quot;&gt;Intermittent fasting&lt;/a&gt; or only eating for the first half of the day. This will help you keep thin, slow down your metabolism (the idea is animals who have slower metabolisms live longer than those with faster), and your body has the chance to clean out it's system. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Put aside yourself and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livescience.com/15978-volunteers-live-longer.html&quot;&gt;help others&lt;/a&gt;. Helping other people makes you active, social, younger, and happier.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/cut-stress-simplify-life&quot;&gt;Simplify your lifestyle&lt;/a&gt;. Buddha always encouraged his followers to live a simpler life, why? Because it helps you live longer by lowering your stress and finding happiness. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Finish all your work in the morning so you can rest in the afternoon. This is a pretty common practice in the monasteries. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/minds-business/better-get-to-work-procrastination-may-harm-heart-health.html&quot;&gt;Procrastinate&lt;/a&gt;! Buddha encourages us to keep up with our work so we don't add unnecessary stress to our lives. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha gave us a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/media-spotlight/201507/how-sense-purpose-can-help-you-live-longer&quot;&gt;purpose&lt;/a&gt; in life which helps you live longer. We're not just piles of flesh waiting to die.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Many Buddhist sects believe in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosie-osmun/go-to-bed-early_b_7157026.html&quot;&gt;early to bed&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://stronglifts.com/7-reasons-why-you-should-wake-up-early/&quot;&gt;early rising&lt;/a&gt;. Life becomes much easier when following this pattern of living. Stress decreases significantly! Less stress means a healthy body. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is but a few practical tips given by Buddha, with external sources (supporting) the reasons for why you should follow them. I hope this helps and have a wonderful day!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T13:31:47.483" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T13:31:47.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-09-30T14:47:13.103" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A long live doesn't necessarily mean being happy all the time. Moreover, you can't control how long your live will be (&quot;Live is uncertain, Death is certain.&quot;). So being concerned about how long your going to live isn't that useful, because it's not really up to you. If you want to know how to live most healthy, you'd need to ask a doctor or somebody else. But even then you have no assurance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to use the Buddha's approach, you might need to reconsider your goals. You say you want to live as long as possible and to have as much pleasure in your live as possible. Your actual question probably is something like &quot;How to live as happy and peaceful as possible?&quot;, but you're already assuming that having a long and pleasant live is what leads to happiness and peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism it is wrong view to believe that the more pleasant experiences you have, the happier you will become. The hard truth is that pleasant things don't lead to lasting happiness. You can test this out: If you're listening to music it's quite pleasant, there is no  doubt that this pleasure is a kind of happiness. But try listening to the same music for 3 hours (or longer), are you then still happy? If nice music was the cause of happiness, then the more you listen to it, the happier you should get, because this is how cause and effect work, right? But in reality it's not like this. In fact you probably would get quite agitated and frustrated after listening that long to the same music without break.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole point of Buddhist teaching is that if you make your happiness dependent upon the things you experience (pleasantness of sights, sounds, smells, touches, tastes and thoughts), then suffering will follow you inevitable. Because pleasant feelings change and you can't control what's pleasant and what's not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T14:47:13.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17728" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17729" CreationDate="2016-09-30T15:59:03.783" Score="0" ViewCount="515" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a lot of Buddhist literature you will find passages suggesting that our Buddha nature is actually &quot;nothingness&quot; or &quot;emptiness&quot;. I was wondering if this was true? I'm starting to doubt this claim because of the Dharmakaya. The Dharmakaya is one of the three bodies of Buddha which is transcendent. While some say that the Dharmakaya &quot;is&quot; nothingness, others claim that it is neither part of space (emptiness and form) nor time. The idea is that everything, including nothingness (emptiness), originated out of the Dharmakaya. It's an impersonal force which holds everything together, originated everything, and maintains everything through a transcendent state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question&lt;/strong&gt;: What is the proper understanding of the Dharmakaya and it's relationship with our Buddha nature? Is it the Buddha nature or not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastEditorUserId="10036" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T16:18:27.937" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T06:58:15.783" Title="Is the Buddha nature nothingness or the Dharmakaya?" Tags="|buddha-nature|dharmakaya|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17728" CreationDate="2016-09-30T18:23:05.527" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Yogacara, buddha nature is a seed in the mind basis of all. According to Madhyamika, buddha nature is the emptiness of the mind of a sentient being. It is not the dharmakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmakaya is divided into two (sometimes three): 1. the wisdom truth body, which is the omniscient mind of a buddha, and 2. the nature truth body, which is the emptiness of the mind of a buddha. We also call the nature truth body: 'emptiness [of the mind] without defilements' while buddha nature  is 'the emptiness [of a mind with] defilements'. Just like the emptiness of the table is not the same phenomena as the emptiness of the cup, the emptiness of the mind of a sentient being (i.e. a non-buddha) is not the same as the emptiness of the omniscient mind of a buddha. Therefore, we can not say that buddha nature is the dharmakaya or that an arya buddha possesses buddha nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, in no traditional text have I seen the dharmakaya qualified as 'transcendent'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T06:00:21.167" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T06:00:21.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17728" CreationDate="2016-09-30T19:32:47.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the old Pali Buddhism, the word '&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;' ('emptiness'/'voidness') does not mean 'nothingness' (&lt;em&gt;ākiñcaññā&lt;/em&gt;) or 'empty space' (&lt;em&gt;ākāsā&lt;/em&gt;). It refers to the state ('&lt;em&gt;ta&lt;/em&gt;') of being 'empty (&lt;em&gt;sunna&lt;/em&gt;) of self' &amp;amp; 'anything belonging/pertaining to self'. 'Sunnata' was also used to refer to a state empty of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, everything in the universe without exception, including &lt;em&gt;Dharmakaya&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Buddha Nature&lt;/em&gt;, etc, are inherently empty of self &amp;amp; anything pertaining to self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the term &quot;&lt;strong&gt;our&lt;/strong&gt; Buddha nature&quot; is wrong relationship with 'Emptiness' &amp;amp; Dharmakaya since, in view of emptiness &amp;amp; Dharmakaya, Buddha nature is not &quot;&lt;strong&gt;ours&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or&#xA;  into an empty dwelling, considers this: 'This is empty of self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to self. This is called the emptiness&#xA;  mind-release.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Suñña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the unprovoked mind-release is declared the foremost. And this unprovoked mind-release is empty of passion, empty of aversion,&#xA;  empty of delusion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the effluent of sensuality... becoming... ignorance'.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 121&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-09-30T19:46:34.027" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T19:46:34.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17731" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-09-30T21:29:46.727" Score="3" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;because just thinking about it for a short time didnt have any effect on me   - how should i do a long death contemplation meditation ? like half hour or an hour  ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;should i repeat a mantra over and over again ?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what to do when there are disturbances - should i focus on the words more strongly ?  where my attention should be ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(doing death contemplation to gain a sense of urgency - chanda)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-19T22:36:05.930" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:15:20.647" Title="How to do a long meditation of &quot;death contemplation&quot;?" Tags="|meditation|death|contemplation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-09-30T21:31:40.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;from  Āyussa Suttaṃ  AN 5:125-126  , this sutta is straight forward teaching us how to have longevity.  i haven't found English translation that I totally agree with but here is my best:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5 dhamma for longevity for here and now.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know to add some comfort to life.    &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Moderation in that comfort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;consume food that are easily digested (no details given.  Probably varied from person to person)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;move within right time (IMO, know your body'schedules and keep it regular, like when to exercise, when to sleep, when to eat etc.. ) other words, keep routine schedules that are agreeable with your body.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;practice like Bhrama god (stay with equanimity as much as you can).  (minimize stress level) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T21:31:40.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17728" CreationDate="2016-09-30T21:47:48.260" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dharmakaya is equivalent to Buddha Nature, God, Allah, Brahmin, etc.... the Ultimate source that is beyond existence and non-existence. The &quot;Creator&quot; (though it neither creates nor is created, it begets nor is begotten).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness is similar to it but it is not it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because emptiness is similar to it we cultivate peaceful mind until we achieve samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar and brings us &quot;closer&quot; to enlightenment but nonetheless Emptiness is still falsity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we can initially let go of the peace of emptiness and leap beyond all Three Realms... then we are bodhisattvas... on the road to Buddhahood and learning to clear out the even more deep-seated attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically the order of cultivation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;let go of existence attachment (Desire Realm and Form Realm)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;let go of nonexistence attachment (Formless realm)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;abide in the Ultimate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-09-30T21:47:48.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17731" CreationDate="2016-10-01T01:31:26.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some ideas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For half an hour chant &quot;closer&quot;(or &quot;closer to death&quot;) as you focus on a clock's second hand each time it moves forward. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visualize yourself on your deathbed, I bet there are some good guided meditations out there that can help get those visualizations flowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend guided meditations especially for beginners, even for advanced practitioners starting a new side practice as long as they are done by good teachers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T01:31:26.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15991" CreationDate="2016-10-01T03:49:16.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is asking about Bodhicitta (Mahāyāna Buddhism), Confirmed Candidate of Future Buddha (Theravada). &#xA;I would like to explain Striving to attain the Nirvana with an example flying with airplane. If you offered more money, you can get more luxurious class or seat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;so, after all that, there is no time to meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is most simple way to attain Nirvana. Concisely, meditate and then attain Nirvana. This is a kind of flying with an economy seat. Because you offer less, you just get a seat what you pay for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bahiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. He was the one who attained Nirvana the most fastest way in Gautama Buddha's teaching. Even though he attained Nirvana in fastest way in his last life meeting with Buddha, he strived for many uncountable years during his past lives. It means that it is not an easy job to be a student with flying colors in Buddha's teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the life of a confirmed Candidate of Future Buddha, the job is extremely harder to accomplish; only the strongest determination and dedication can go through because being a Sammasambuddha is highest class of attaining Nirvana. If you are going that way, you have to strive for perfect in offering. &quot;Earning to give&quot; or Earning to offer&quot; is the very first step to strive for being Sammasambuddha. The candidate offered even his life to complete his offering capacity. There are countless of lives where candidate of Gautama Buddha dedicated just offering (Earning to give/donate). Yes, &quot;there is no time to meditate&quot;, there might be the case because he just strived for donation, trying not to attach anything he owned. But the act of Dana is very first cornerstone to become a Sammasambuddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Canonical_sources&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Here is list of paramis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And wouldn't others' welfare be all what this person lives for anyway?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know exactly to what extent he lived/survived only for other's welfare (at least he needed to consume to be alive in particular past life but probably, I guess). I like to request reference/citation if anyone knows about Buddha past lives regarding to this statement.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How on earth can this person seek buddhahood?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This person had long way to complete all the paramis to become Buddha. Not a single life, not 100 lives, not 1000,000 lives but uncountable lives he strived for being Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;where does Buddhism and the philosophy of effective altruism split, when one spends all their time Earning to Give?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it was done to extreme by the example above. Yes, both can co-exist if you're moderate person and you are going to strive for attaining Nirvana in normal way (just want to be a normal student of Buddha's teaching). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example in real life two students may differ in determination and dedication. One is striving for LSAT to attend Columbia Law School or Harvard Law School. Another might say &quot;he is not himself recently&quot; but two students differ in their goals. So that kind of case is expected. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T03:49:16.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-10-01T07:27:37.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyanaponika Thera said (I don't know if he's quoting the Suttas or not),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Non-delusion is a condition of longevity, because one who is undeluded will know what is beneficial and what is harmful, and by avoiding the harmful and resorting to the beneficial one will have a long life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/amitayus-sadhana-practice.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Transcript: Amitayus Sadhana practice&lt;/a&gt; (which is Tibetan long life practice).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T07:44:14.500" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T07:44:14.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2016-10-01T09:34:34.250" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The child is the cause of his own suffering in this lifetime. The Father is the perpetrator of the suffering inflicted on the child in this lifetime. By the laws of karma, the child suffers from their own actions of the past. The Father will suffer too as a result of the action he has taken against the child in this lifetime, when the soul within his human vehicle reincarnates again in a future lifetime, be it that he chooses ignorance for the remainder of this lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same way that the child was born into this lifetime carrying the karma that caused his/her suffering from this lifetime. The child is living the consequence of his own actions of the past and therefore is the cause of his own suffering. The Father is the soul contact who is teaching the child his karmic lesson, and the person who inflicted the suffering, but the Father is not the actual cause of the suffering, by the laws of karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People can't grasp it because they are not viewing it in spiritual terms of the soul essence reincarnating into another human vehicle. People view it as a child being hurt and abused, an innocent child in this lifetime, but they neglect to acknowledge that this child's soul may have lived a life as a serial killer in a past and they are now having their own karmic debt repayed. Or what if in a past life the child was the Father's, Father and the Father was abused by the child in that lifetime, and this lifetime the child is carrying the karma from those actions that he/she now must repay, by the laws of karma. Everything is energy, what you give out must come back. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every action has a consequence, you reap what you sow. If we are all taught to look within, as a natural way of life, we can heal and release some of this karma we all carry and heal the ancestral lines of our genetic dna. If we look within we can access our akashic records and learn what our karma is about, understand our life lessons, learn them and stop them from reoccuring. Of course in order for this to happen the Parent must first become aware before they become a Parent, and then raise the child in the same fashion so that the child has a chance to also be aware, and release attachments to emotions and the past. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The karma can be minimized but the lessons still need to be learned to end the repeating and to get out of the karmic wheel of reincarnation. But the suffering must still exist for people to grow and evolve. If life was always great why would we need to seek out our higher selves, why would we have a need to no longer be ignorant if their was never suffering or lessons to be learned we would cease existence. But, there are better ways of going about this than by staying ignorant. Everytime a harmful action is taken by someone, someone or something must then return that same action to the one who first created the harm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then that something or someone must also have someone or something return that energy back to them, and so the karmic wheel of reincarnation goes around and around. Until we all heal ourselves and others, learn to love each other unconditionally and accept that spiritually we are all of the same energetic consciousness, learn forgiveness, patience, non-judgment and selflessness, then the wheel will keep going. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's nature and with nature comes karma. Heal your past karma and that of your ancestry, live in mindfulness, look within and connect to your higher self, create a balance of giving and receiving, love and treat everyone as equal, and live and act in kindness and honesty and you will only create good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10134" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T20:41:09.030" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T20:41:09.030" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9716" CreationDate="2016-10-01T11:21:45.237" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.17&lt;/a&gt;) state, from the perspective of ultimate truth, that the cause of suffering is 'ignorance' (rather than 'one-self' or 'another'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in the conventional scenario presented in the question, the father is causing the suffering because a 3 year old child does not have the cognitive capacity to engage the Buddhist path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is occurring to the child has no relationship to any (imaginary) past lives. I have never read this idea in the Pali suttas, where suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), let alone the suffering of helpless small children, is attributed to past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering is due to the evil within the mind of the father because the child cannot overcome the in-born ignorance in their mind that is causing the suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 137&lt;/a&gt; clearly states there are &quot;innocent&quot; victims of crime &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; states what a person feels in not related to past kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;137. He who inflicts violence on those who are unarmed and offends those who are inoffensive, will soon come upon one of these ten&#xA;  states:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;138-140 Sharp pain, or disaster, bodily injury, serious illness, or derangement of mind, trouble from the government, or grave charges,&#xA;  loss of relatives, or loss of wealth, or houses destroyed by ravaging&#xA;  fire; upon dissolution of the body that ignorant man is born in&#xA;  hell.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one falls back on what was done in the past as being essential, monks, there is no desire, no effort [at the thought], 'This should be&#xA;  done. This shouldn't be done.' When one can't pin down as a truth or&#xA;  reality what should &amp;amp; shouldn't be done, one dwells bewildered &amp;amp;&#xA;  unprotected. One cannot righteously refer to oneself as a&#xA;  contemplative. This was my first righteous refutation of those&#xA;  brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who hold to such teachings, such views.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T11:32:49.350" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T11:32:49.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17731" CreationDate="2016-10-01T16:04:07.133" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan Geluk tradition, contemplation of death would usually involve the two:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Analytical meditation on death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Placement meditation on a specific mind induced by analytical meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A beginner would start with 24 minutes meditation sessions. The point is to do it every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, by engaging in analytical meditation on &quot;death is certain, but its time is most uncertain, and at death only karma will follow&quot;, a mind of non-attachment to your goods will arise, or a mind of non-anger towards your so called-enemies will arise, or a mind of loving kindness for friends you are presently angry with will arise, or a mind wishing to practice dharma and a sense of urgency will arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this or that mind arises, we are advised to take it to mind, concentrate on it, stay with it without analyzing anymore. This is to dwell in these &quot;places&quot; and familiarizing with it. Every time you dwell on non-attachment, you make it easier to dwell on it again. Moreover, every time you manage to make a mind of non-attachment arise, finding your way there (so to speak) becomes easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you loose your object of concentration (be it a mind of love, non-attachment, urgency, etc) you engage in analysis again for it to arise again. The purpose is to find your way to these &quot;places&quot; and dwell on them again. We are very skilled in doing so with anger, feeding it, finding reasons to be unhappy and angry, and staying with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Geluk tradition, this type of meditation (alternating analytical and placement) are laid out in the Lam Rim (i.e. Stages of the Path). Venerable Karin Valham compiled an outline of it: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/lam_rim_outline.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Lam.Rim Outlines &amp;ndash; Beginners' Meditation Guide&lt;/a&gt;. Whether you want to meditate on impermanence and death, or precious human rebirth, or suffering, etc. this is just food for thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T16:30:32.523" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T16:30:32.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17731" CreationDate="2016-10-01T16:22:57.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have you actually considered working with the dead? Throughout Buddhist history both monks and nuns were encouraged to work with the dead. Here is a picture of a modern day monk blessing a deceased man. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jw2KL.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jw2KL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This technique has been used ever since the beginning of Buddhism. The Buddhist monks and nuns are notorious for walking into Battles just to bless, pickup, and bury/burn the dead. It can be hard in the western world to find a morgue that allows people to do community service. Partly because it can be dangerous working with dead bodies, as well as strict religious protocols based on the religious background of the person who died. Morticians are required to have education in both theology and biology for this reason.  So what are possible substitutes you can use if your denied opportunities to work at your local  morgue?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Work with the dying, sick, and homeless. This will shock the reality of death into your life. It will rip your heart apart but eventually compassion, love, and wisdom will eventually follow. Mother Teresa practiced this lifestyle and eventually she became a saint because of it. This is the hardest teaching of the Buddha, but it is also the most rewarding. &lt;strong&gt;Remember to keep this in mind. Practicing Buddhism is far more beneficial for you and others, rather than just meditating on his teachings.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T16:22:57.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17741" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17745" CreationDate="2016-10-01T19:12:41.257" Score="1" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;There seems to be this reoccurring phrase to describe a specific type of person in the suttas. For example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.045.than.html#fnt-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 45&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where someone is a cloth-less&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.045.than.html#fnt-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; ascetic, rejecting conventions, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not staying when asked. He doesn't consent to food brought to him or food dedicated to him or to an invitation to a meal. He accepts nothing from the mouth of a pot or from the mouth of a bowl. He accepts nothing from across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating together, from a pregnant woman, from a nursing woman, from a woman lying with a man, from a food collection, from where a dog is waiting or flies are buzzing. He takes no fish or meat. He drinks no liquor, wine, or fermented drink. He limits himself to one house &amp;amp; one morsel a day, or two houses &amp;amp; two morsels... seven houses &amp;amp; seven morsels. He lives on one saucerful a day, two... seven saucerfuls a day. He takes food once a day, once every two days... once every seven days, and so on up to a fortnight, devoted to regulating his intake of food. He is an eater of greens, millet, wild rice, hide-parings, moss, rice bran, rice-scum, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. He lives on forest roots &amp;amp; berries. He feeds on fallen fruits. He wears hemp, canvas, shrouds, refuse rags, tree bark, antelope hide, strips of antelope hide, kusa-grass garments, bark garments, wood-shaving garments, head-hair garments, animal wool, owl's wings. He is a hair-&amp;amp;-beard puller, one devoted to the practice of pulling out his hair &amp;amp; beard. He is a stander, one who rejects seats. He is a hands-around-the-knees sitter, one devoted to the exertion of sitting with his hands around his knees. He is a spike-mattresser, one who makes his bed on a bed of spikes. He is a third-time-in-the-evening bather, one who stays devoted to the practice of bathing in water. Thus in a variety of ways he stays devoted to the practice of tormenting &amp;amp; afflicting the body. With the break-up of the body, after death, he goes to a bad bourn, destitution, the realm of the hungry shades, hell.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really don't understand what is meant by this. Can anyone please give a simple explanation or some reference to other translation or commentaries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-02T12:55:58.757" Title="What is meant by this description of a type of person in the suttas?" Tags="|sutras|texts|translation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17741" CreationDate="2016-10-01T20:20:33.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think ChrisW gave a clear and concise answer to your question. That is, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This describes someone who practices asceticism ... not a Buddhist who practice a Middle Way.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to comment on your follow up question by saying the details are un-important. There are many forms of asceticism. The description of asceticism Buddha is describing can be found in Indian asceticism (for obvious reasons), but the principle extends to all forms of asceticism. He is encouraging his followers to avoid living their lives in extremes, such as only craving pain and discipline while neglecting the natural pleasures in life. These natural pleasures he concluded are blessings because they bring us momentary happiness. On the other hand, he encouraged us not to live only for pleasure and lack discipline. You'll never achieve ultimate happiness if you can't let go of lower forms of happiness and practice self-control. Both will eventually lead to suffering, but if balanced, will lead to happiness and joy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10036" LastActivityDate="2016-10-01T20:20:33.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17743" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-01T22:27:26.427" Score="3" ViewCount="121" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhūmija Sutta&lt;/a&gt; in the Nidanasamyutta of the Samyutta Nikaya appears to be a very important sutta for the Sri Lankan Mahavihara &amp;amp; Buddhaghoṣa school that came to dominate south east Asian Buddhism. For example, it appears that from the Bhūmija Sutta comes the rationale for the translation of the Dependent Origination terms '&lt;em&gt;kāyasaṅkhāraṃ&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;vacīsaṅkhāraṃ&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;cittasaṅkhāraṃ&lt;/em&gt;' as 'volitional or kamma formations' despite these terms being explicitly defined in a different manner in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Of note, monks such as Buddhadasa, Nanavira, Nanananda &amp;amp; even a certain work by Thanissaro have used the MN 44 definitions in their explanations of Dependent Origination). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhūmija Sutta&lt;/a&gt; appears to begin by stating the Buddha does not teach as the &quot;proponents of kamma&quot; do, namely, maintaining that happiness and suffering are done by oneself or by another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet the common translations then appear to later show the Buddha explaining that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;...on one’s own initiative (sāmaṃ), Ānanda, one generates (abhisaṅkharoti) that bodily volitional formation (kāyasaṅkhāraṃ) conditioned by which pleasure and pain arise&#xA;  internally....&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More questionable is the different terms 'kāya­sañ­ceta­nā' (as 'bodily volition') &amp;amp; 'kāyasaṅkhāraṃ' (as 'bodily volitional formation') appear to be translated in essentially the same way, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ānanda, when there is the body, because of bodily volition (kāya­sañ­ceta­nā) pleasure and pain arise  internally...with ignorance as condition...Either on&#xA;  one’s own initiative, Ānanda one generates that bodily volitional&#xA;  formation (kāyasaṅkhāraṃ)...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now it should be noted the suttas, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;, clearly state that: &quot;volition is kamma&quot; &amp;amp; conform with the start of the  Bhūmija Sutta by starting happiness &amp;amp; suffering are dependent on contact. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Intention (volition), I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech &amp;amp; intellect....Contact is the cause by&#xA;  which kamma comes into play.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, is there a contradiction in the translation of the Bhūmija Sutta where the &quot;proponents of kamma&quot; are refuted yet essentially the same doctrine of 'self-generated-kamma' is translated as the doctrine of the Buddha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-01T22:55:29.240" LastActivityDate="2016-10-02T08:55:17.567" Title="Is there a contradiction in the translation of the Bhūmija Sutta?" Tags="|karma|sutras|pratityasamutpada|pali|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17743" CreationDate="2016-10-02T07:44:40.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no such contradiction. Karma can indeed be categorised as prompted and unprompted as in if it was instigated by another or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's refuted here is a person or a third party being able to create pain, pleasure or neutral feelings at will. Feelings arise due to contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex: One cannot say &quot;let there be pleasurable feeling at the ear&quot; and make it arise, if there's no contact at the ear. Even if one performs the physical act of playing a song, if one is deaf, pleasurable hearing won't arise since there's no contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-10-02T08:55:17.567" LastActivityDate="2016-10-02T08:55:17.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17741" CreationDate="2016-10-02T12:55:58.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can anyone please give a simple explanation or some reference to other translation or commentaries?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta is describing four ways to practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;practice that is pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future&quot; -- seeing no harm in sensual pleasures&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future&quot; -- an ascetic life, which is &quot;devoted to the practice of tormenting &amp;amp; afflicting the body&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;practice that is painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future&quot; -- someone who is passionate/aversive/deluded and consequently experiences grief (in the present), yet lives the holy life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;practice that is pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future&quot; -- someone who is not passionate/aversive/deluded, who is equanimous, withdrawn from sensuality, entering the four jhanas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you quoted in the OP is a list of various (several) ascetic practices. I presume these were actual (current/contemporary) behaviour practiced by some people at the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a bit about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism#Indian_religions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ascetism in Indian religions&lt;/a&gt; on Wikipedia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddhārtha Gautama tried to practice austerities himself, but found it unhelpful; e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt; describes many types of austerities he practiced, which end with his thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with this racking practice of austerities I haven't attained any superior human state, any distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of the noble ones. Could there be another path to Awakening?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That &quot;other path&quot; is the Middle Way which he tells to his five (former) companions when he meets them again after his enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the details are not important, just the fact that one tortures oneself?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were presumably actual practices, which the sutta is listing as explicitly austere (unnecessary).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhutanga&lt;/a&gt; practices which are optional (regarding which &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/dhutanga.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt; says these are not extreme, and may optionally be adopted to further simplify a monk's life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what the motive is or was for asceticism; I could guess (e.g. ascetism is also associated with devotees of Shiva), but with the Buddha stating that asceticism is fruitless (or, more specifically, is painful in the present and leads to hell in the future) I don't see much point in pursuing that topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-10-02T12:55:58.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17746" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17748" CreationDate="2016-10-02T20:11:00.647" Score="7" ViewCount="1355" Body="&lt;p&gt;Further to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3545/if-theres-nobody-to-get-enlightened-why-bother/3550?noredirect=1#comment29427_3550&quot;&gt;these comments&lt;/a&gt;, why do the Noble Truths talk about 'craving', specifically, instead of about 'attachment'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wouldn't they make as much sense, or even make more sense, if they identified attachment rather than craving as a condition for the types of suffering which are mentioned in the first noble truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2018-05-23T17:01:50.823" Title="Why do the Noble Truths talk about 'craving', instead of about 'attachment'?" Tags="|attachment|four-noble-truths|tanha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-02T20:27:32.240" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very difficult to deal with attachment (clinging; egoism) if one has not dealt with craving. If (the urge; drive; energy of) craving is not extinguished then attachment will keep raising its ugly head. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like having craving symptoms towards a drug. To resolve this, the craving symptoms must be destroyed via cold turkey, otherwise the mind will continue to be tormented by the craving symptoms. To attempt to be non-attached towards craving symptoms is a difficult endeavor because the craving symptoms themselves, whilst not being suffering itself, still have a tormenting or oppressive quality. MN 148 is the only sutta I am aware of that mentions non-attachment towards craving. Most suttas mention the extinguishing of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or many men become monks but fail due to not being able to overcome sexual desires. Abstinence from sexuality &amp;amp; attempts at non-attachment towards sexual desire generally do not extinguish the sexual desire (craving). Thus, the life of a monk is difficult for them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, attachment (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) is mentioned in the 1st noble truth as suffering itself. By using the word '&lt;em&gt;sankhittena&lt;/em&gt;', the 1st noble truth summarises all suffering as attachment (to the five aggregates), such as described in MN 140:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am' is a construing. 'I am this' is a construing. 'I shall be' is a construing. 'I shall not be'... 'I shall be possessed of form'... 'I&#xA;  shall not be possessed of form'... 'I shall be percipient'... 'I shall&#xA;  not be percipient'... 'I shall be neither percipient nor&#xA;  non-percipient' is a construing. Construing is a disease, construing&#xA;  is a cancer, construing is an arrow. By going beyond all construing,&#xA;  he is said to be a sage at peace.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the various sufferings that occur in relation to child-birth, living, aging, sickness, death, separation, grief, loss, etc, only occur when there is attachment involved. The sufferings of birth, aging, sickness &amp;amp; death do not occur when there is no attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether the mind is attached to something (e.g. possessive) or whether the mind suffers sorrow (grief) from losing what it is attached to, both the pre-grief possessiveness &amp;amp; post-possessiveness-grief are suffering &amp;amp; bondage. (However, this can generally only be comprehended with the experience of non-attachment. Without a meditative experience of liberation via non-attachment, most people cannot comprehend attachment itself is suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd noble truth does mention 'becoming', which is similar to attachment, when it describes the arising of suffering as: &quot;craving leading to new becoming&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T07:37:34.817" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T07:37:34.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-02T23:53:49.297" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving (lit. &quot;thirst&quot;, &lt;code&gt;tanha&lt;/code&gt;) is a technical term that means that very phenomenological moment when you (here!) daydream about something (over there!). Buddha says &quot;unsatisfied craving IS dukkha&quot; (suffering) - note how he does not say &quot;craving is &lt;em&gt;the cause of&lt;/em&gt; suffering&quot;, he says &quot;unsatisfied craving IS&quot;. That's because dukkha isn't exactly &quot;suffering&quot;, it should be more precisely translated as &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot;, or, as I sometimes translate it, &quot;the feeling of wrongness&quot;. So as you see, to say that &quot;unsatisfied craving IS the feeling of wrongness&quot; is almost a truism, a statement that is obviously and self-evidently true. This way Buddha not as much identifies the cause of suffering, as illustrates the nature of suffering, brings it into light and shows it upclose so we can see it for what it is. Indeed, suffering is nothing else but the painful experience of the unsatisfied craving for another experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;attachment&quot;, I feel like this is a long-standing misunderstanding that crept in since the earliest days of Buddhism, when the term &lt;code&gt;upatthana&lt;/code&gt;/&lt;code&gt;upattana&lt;/code&gt; (to attend) got mixed up with &lt;code&gt;upadana&lt;/code&gt; (fuel). In my opinion, the sequence here is that what one craves for, one attends to, thereby fueling the craving. In other words, as you keep obsessing over the object of your craving, you only make it worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes it clear that &lt;code&gt;upattana/upadana&lt;/code&gt; (to-attend/to-fuel, usually translated as clinging or attachment) is not really the direct cause of suffering, but only a sustaining factor. The direct cause of suffering is craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four Noble Truths (at leat the first three) are focused on the immediate experience of suffering, as it occurs and can be ceased in the present moment. That's why they talk about craving being the cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Twelve Nidanas cover the big picture: how entire experience of &quot;I&quot; and &quot;The World&quot; arises. In that context it's more appropriate to talk about Upadana being a fuel for Bhava, and Avidya being the root cause of it all.  Avidya (invalid/confused understanding ~of the experience) causes reification of experience as external objects which then become the object of craving. This craving causes dukkha, sure, but more importantly for the big picture it leads to ego-centric imagination (Upadana) which leads to individuation (Bhava). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this analysis of the terms and how they relate to the phenomenology of suffering clarifies the topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2018-05-23T17:01:50.823" LastActivityDate="2018-05-23T17:01:50.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-03T00:03:17.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Wouldn't they make as much sense, or even make more sense, if they identified attachment rather than craving as a condition for the types of suffering which are mentioned in the first noble truth?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understand correctly, in that case it seems it would explain the origin of attachment as attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta SN 56.11 in your &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17746/why-do-the-noble-truths-talk-about-craving-instead-of-about-attachment#comment29433_17746&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; itself is exemplified by a list of things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and summarized as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The list of examples seems to freely mix things that can more or less swing either way as craving or attachment. But when describing the origin of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, he says &quot;craving&quot;. Though he gives a few examples afterwards, one reading is that the very presence of &quot;craving&quot;, this identifiable and characteristic thirst independent of the object it craves, is a deeper problem, more fundamental than attachment, this being a posterior stage in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, this is reflected in dependend origination:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With craving as condition, attachment comes to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reverse order:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving comes cessation of attachment; with the cessation of attachment, cessation of existence [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T00:09:53.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17722" CreationDate="2016-10-03T01:31:03.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Health is the most precious gain and contentment the greatest wealth.&#xA;A trustworthy person is the best kinsman, Nibbana the highest bliss.&amp;quot;&#xA;(Dhammapada, Verse 204)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to live long (as long as the aeon or kappa) you should try to develop concentration (iddhi power).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One said: &amp;quot;Whosoever, Ananda, has developed,&#xA;practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and&#xA;brought to perfection the four constituents of iddhi power could, if&#xA;he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of&#xA;it. (Maha-parinibbana Sutta, DN 16)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientists claim that there is no theoretical limit to how long humans can live (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_life_span#In_humans&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_life_span#In_humans&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me personally what I do is concentrate and hold the feeling that &amp;quot;really in reality I'm fully completely healed of all negative health conditions&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens is after a few seconds of holding this feeling my nose becomes unstuffed, vision improves, and I feel tingling vibrations coming out of my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course the majority of humans can't hold a feeling or thought uninterrupted for even 5 seconds, let alone, a minute, 10 minutes, or an hour, but The Buddha claimed to be able to for up to seven days (168 hours) (MN 14).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you don't want to lose opportunities then become well-developed in body, virtue, mind, discernment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is&#xA;experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears&#xA;for a moment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case where a certain individual is&#xA;developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed&#xA;in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted,&#xA;dwelling with the immeasurable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A trifling evil deed done by this sort&#xA;of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part&#xA;barely appears for a moment.&amp;quot; (Lonaphala Sutta, AN 3.99)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realistically everyone in general has intentionally or unintentionally done evil deeds, so it's best to develop those four things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T01:42:10.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17700" CreationDate="2016-10-03T02:40:16.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It comes from the prediction in DN 26 Cakkavatti Sutta, but The Buddha doesn't give an exact specific amount of years when it would happen or say if it would happen to everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prophecy in DN 26 is that the children of the humans that have a lifespan of a hundred will eventually have lifespan of ten-years-old:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Among those of a ten-year life-span no account will be taken of&#xA;  mother or aunt, of mother's sister-in-law, of teacher's wife or of&#xA;  one's father's wives and so on--all will be promiscuous in the world&#xA;  like goats and sheep, fowl and pigs, dogs and jackals. Among them,&#xA;  fierce enmity will prevail one for another, fierce hatred, fierce&#xA;  anger and thoughts of killing, mother against child and child against&#xA;  mother, father against child and child against father, brother against&#xA;  brother, brother against sister, just as the hunter feels hatred for&#xA;  the beast he stalks&quot; (Cakkavatti Sutta, DN 26)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prediction then states that eventually the lifespan would go up from there up to 80,000 years:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The children of those whose&#xA;  life-span is twenty years will live to be forty, their children will&#xA;  live to be eighty, their children to be a hundred and sixty, their&#xA;  children to be three hundred and twenty, their children to be six&#xA;  hundred and forty; the children of those whose life-span is six&#xA;  hundred and forty years will live for two thousand years, their&#xA;  children for four thousand, their children for eight thousand, and&#xA;  their children for twenty thousand years will live to be forty&#xA;  thousand, and their children will attain to eighty thousand years.&quot;&#xA;  (Cakkavatti Sutta, DN 26)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people think that the lifespan of 10 years already happened in the past temporarily and now we are in the age when the lifespan will go up from 80 to 160 but others think that the lifespan will soon go down to 10 years briefly then back up eventually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course there probably will be a global food crisis in the future (which means the lifespan would go down dramatically) but then it would probably go up from there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A scientific model has suggested that society will collapse in less than three decades due to catastrophic food shortages if policies do not change.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/society-will-collapse-by-2040-due-to-catastrophic-food-shortages-says-study-10336406.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/society-will-collapse-by-2040-due-to-catastrophic-food-shortages-says-study-10336406.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without food people kind of die, so the life expectancy would go down dramatically if a food crisis breaks out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to modern scientists, there is no fixed theoretical limit on the lifespan (Gavrilov, L. A.; Gavrilova, N. S. (1991). The Biology of Life Span: A Quantitative Approach. New York City: Starwood Academic Publishers. In Gavrilov, Leonid A.; Gavrilova, Natalia S.; Center on Aging, NORC/University of Chicago (June 2000). &quot;Book Reviews: Validation of Exceptional Longevity&quot; (PDF). Population Dev Rev. 26 (2): 403–4).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many researchers already believe that humans will eventually live to be thousands of years old in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;We will be able to live not just a little bit longer, but a lot longer, and to look younger as well. We are on the verge of a number of separate medical breakthroughs that together will allow us to live to 150. These technologies will definitely be available&quot; (Harvard Medical School genetics professor Dr. David Sinclair, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newsmax.com/SciTech/aging-researchers-immortality-Aubrey-de-Grey/2015/04/16/id/638926/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.newsmax.com/SciTech/aging-researchers-immortality-Aubrey-de-Grey/2015/04/16/id/638926/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prediction is that the lifespan will first go down to ten briefly then up to twenty to forty to eighty to one sixty, etc...until eighty-thousand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that the food crisis not simply possible but likely. So much evidence shows us that it's going to happen yet so few humans are prepared for it. Right now I envision the world population in the 2200s as 500 million or less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sure if you told someone in the year 2000 that the food price index would be more than double in ten years they wouldn't believe you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T03:58:34.647" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T03:58:34.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14282" CreationDate="2016-10-03T04:36:48.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammapada, The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by&#xA;  goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking&#xA;  the truth.&quot; (Dhammapada, 223)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also here The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whence is there anger for one free from anger,   tamed,  living in&#xA;  tune — one released through right knowing,    calmed  &amp;amp; Such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You make things worse when you flare up at someone who's angry.&#xA;  Whoever doesn't flare up at someone who's angry   wins a battle   hard&#xA;  to win.&quot; (Akkosa Sutta, SN 7.2)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But with making an end to mental fermentations, why would you be concerned about managing another's anger?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy, angerless, fearless, doubtless, sorrowless, becomes the one who's put an end to mental fermentations, such an extreme form of pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T04:47:05.093" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T04:47:05.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17753" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17755" CreationDate="2016-10-03T11:09:10.077" Score="6" ViewCount="6376" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just wan to know whether there are any measurements advised by the Buddha to identify a stream enterer (sotapanna). I know for a fact that from the stream enterer and above, all four types have given up on self doesn't tell that he/she is enlightened or in this state or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how are we to find these noble people? Are there any instructions and where is it cited? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T11:32:47.337" LastActivityDate="2020-02-01T14:59:11.997" Title="How to identify a sotapanna (stream enterer)" Tags="|enlightenment|nirvana|stream-entry|arahant|sotapanna|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17753" CreationDate="2016-10-03T14:22:04.030" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have posted this book before, here it is again: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youblisher.com/p/623524-Sotapanna-Handbook-English/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sotapanna Handbook&lt;/a&gt; (or available &lt;a href=&quot;https://meditationexplorer.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/sotapanna_handbook_english_version-2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a compilation of 50 or so suttas where Buddha mentioned stream-enterer (free from publisher).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, Buddha gave us tools to measure ourselves.  Please notice that there is no tool to measure other people's progress.  Only Buddha had that quality, not even his great disciples ever proclaimed progress in others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And for reference why one should not judge other's progress (stream-enterer, once returner, etc..) is from Migasala Sutta, Buddha told Ven. Ananda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I alone, Ānanda, can measure their measure or one like me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason i feel it should be told because some teachers would proclaim their students to be such and such for some other questionable purpose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;summary of migasala sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda visits Migasālā in her home and is questioned as to why both&#xA;  Pūrana and Isidatta, the former of whom was a brahmacārī and the&#xA;  latter not, should both have been born in Tusita, as sakadāgāmins.&#xA;  Ananda offers no explanation, but consults the Buddha, who declares&#xA;  that Migasālā is but a foolish, frail, motherly body with none but&#xA;  mother wit; how, then, could she understand the diversity in the&#xA;  person of man? (purisa-puggala-paropariyañāna). The Buddha then goes&#xA;  on to divide men into six classes according to their capabilities and&#xA;  attainments. It is not possible for anyone, save a Tathāgata, to&#xA;  measure persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T21:20:08.457" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T21:20:08.457" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-03T20:59:41.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/pdf/palidict.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pali dictionary&lt;/a&gt; from the Ven. Nyanatiloka (p. 327)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/strong&gt;: (lit. ‘thirst’): ‘craving’, is the chief root of suffering, and of the evercontinuing cycle of rebirths. “What, O monks, is the origin of suffering? It is that craving which gives rise to ever-fresh rebirth and, bound up with pleasure and lust, now here, now there, finds ever fresh delight. It is the sensual craving (kāma-taṇhā), the craving for existence (&#xA;  bhava-taṇhā), the craving for non-existence (vibhava-taṇhā)’’ (D. 22).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this explanation it becomes quite clear that &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt; and the second Noble Truth is more a statement about the &lt;strong&gt;origin&lt;/strong&gt; of suffering. The term &lt;em&gt;condition&lt;/em&gt; doesn't really imply that. If you ask about the pure &lt;em&gt;condition&lt;/em&gt; of suffering clinging would probably be the proper answer (according to dependent origination). But it's practically speaking more important to name the root, because that is where &lt;em&gt;you tear something out by the roots&lt;/em&gt; (make an end to suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From page 340:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Upādāna&lt;/strong&gt;: ‘clinging’, according to Vis.M. XVII, is an &#xA;  intensified degree of craving (taṇhā, q.v.). The 4 kinds of clinging are: sensuous clinging (kāmūpādāna), clinging to views (ditthūpādāna), clinging to mere rules and ritual (sīlabbatūpādāna), clinging to the personality-belief (attavādūpādāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the definition of clinging as strong desire is very compact and explaining. If you look at it from a point of view of dependent origination, there is &lt;em&gt;vedanā&lt;/em&gt; (feeling) followed by &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt; (craving) which is the key point in this chain, because before the moment of craving the mind is still free from defilements. After this there is &lt;em&gt;upādāna&lt;/em&gt; (clinging), but it's of the same type as craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T21:05:53.383" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T21:05:53.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17753" CreationDate="2016-10-03T22:19:32.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To find or identify noble people can be difficult, even impossible, because you yourself must have some idea about the True Dhamma to be able to do this. Therefore, a problem arises similar to the question of: &quot;&lt;em&gt;What occurs 1st, the chicken or the egg?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Canki Sutta&lt;/a&gt; provides the following preliminary answer to the question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How is truth discovered? There is the case, Bharadvaja, where a monk lives in dependence on a certain village or town. Then a householder&#xA;  or householder's son goes to him and observes him with regard to three&#xA;  mental qualities — qualities based on greed, qualities based on&#xA;  aversion, qualities based on delusion: 'Are there in this venerable&#xA;  one any such qualities based on greed that, with his mind overcome by&#xA;  these qualities, he might say, &quot;I know,&quot; while not knowing, or say, &quot;I&#xA;  see,&quot; while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a way&#xA;  that was for his/her long-term harm &amp;amp; pain?' As he observes him, he&#xA;  comes to know, 'There are in this venerable one no such qualities&#xA;  based on greed, hated &amp;amp; delusion. His bodily behavior &amp;amp; verbal behavior are those of&#xA;  one not greedy, hateful or delued. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard&#xA;  to realize, tranquil, refined, &lt;strong&gt;beyond the scope of conjecture&lt;/strong&gt;, subtle,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;to-be-experienced by the wise&lt;/strong&gt;. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a&#xA;  person who's greedy, hateful or delued.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also provides possible guidance. It states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...in the course of the future there will be monks who won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their&#xA;  meaning, transcendent, &lt;strong&gt;connected with&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;emptiness (sunnata)&lt;/strong&gt; — are being recited.&#xA;  They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing them, won't&#xA;  regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will&#xA;  listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets,&#xA;  elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of&#xA;  disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on&#xA;  knowing them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today, many Buddhists claim to study words from the Buddha only but when these individuals explain the core teachings, such as Dependent Origination, their explanations do not accord with a dhamma that &quot;&lt;em&gt;can be experienced for the wise for themselves&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Canki Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) or that are &quot;&lt;em&gt;connected to emptiness&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). Instead, their explanations are &quot;&lt;em&gt;within the scope of conjecture&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, namely, unverifiable speculative theories about an unknowable past &amp;amp; future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, if you yourself are not a stream-enterer or are not well versed in the teachings of the Buddha, you probably cannot measure if another person is a stream-enterer, regardless of how virtuous that person may appear externally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-03T22:34:18.280" LastActivityDate="2016-10-03T22:34:18.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17673" CreationDate="2016-10-04T04:01:58.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My experience with Soto Zen is that, a first mention of pain during sitting is regarded as normal and one should &amp;quot;just keep doing it&amp;quot;. Generally, there's also a culture within Soto Zen taking pride on painful things -- like hard blows of keisaku, or sleeping on hard wood -- but I suspect this is more related to novices then advanced practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, using a different posture or a chair was always welcomed -- despite the toughness attitude, meditation itself was more important than posture, specially if it's becoming an obstacle. My experience with Tibetan and Theravada is similar on this: there's a preference for a stable and &amp;quot;portable&amp;quot; position like lotus. But being in unbearable pain when meditating in a posture is not seeing as positive to the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, westerns are notorious for having difficulties sitting cross legged and many monasteries of different schools offer cushions and chairs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the suttas, I think the attitude towards pain in the training depends on a few things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether the physical discomfort is optional (e.g. dwelling temperature, body position, hunger/thirst, etc) as opposed to medical condition.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether the pain is present right now.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whether the hindrance of aversion is present.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some specific points to draw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Training samatha, for example, is notoriously difficult under physical pain. Here's a section of a sutta that is indicative of the problem of physical discomfort to develop samadhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might &lt;strong&gt;tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration&lt;/strong&gt;. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Dvedhāvitakka Sutta [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think understanding how pain is dealt with in general in the suttas might illuminate how one should approach it during sitting (or non-sitting) meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general teaching that I think most schools share towards pain is to be mindful of the pain being experienced. Here's an associated sutta section:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“There are, bhikkhus, tangible objects cognizable by the body that are agreeable and those that are disagreeable. One should train so that these do not persist obsessing one’s mind even when they are repeatedly experienced. When the mind is not obsessed, tireless energy is aroused, unmuddled mindfulness is set up, the body becomes tranquil and untroubled, the mind becomes concentrated and one-pointed”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.134&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.134&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more detailed technique is described in the sathipatana sutta in the contemplation of feeling section:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how, O bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu live contemplating feeling in feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Here, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu when experiencing a pleasant feeling, understands: 'I experience a pleasant feeling'; when experiencing a painful feeling, he understands: 'I experience a painful feeling'; when experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, he understands: 'I experience a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling'; when experiencing a pleasant worldly feeling, he understands: 'I experience a pleasant worldly feeling'; when experiencing a pleasant spiritual feeling, he understands: 'I experience a pleasant spiritual feeling'; when experiencing a painful worldly feeling, he understands: 'I experience a painful worldly feeling'; when experiencing a painful spiritual feeling, he understands: 'I experience a painful spiritual feeling'; when experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful worldly feeling, he understands: 'I experience a neither-pleasant-nor-painful worldly feeling'; when experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful spiritual feeling, he understands: 'I experience a neither-pleasant-nor-painful spiritual feeling.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus he lives contemplating feelings in feelings internally, or he lives contemplating feeling in feelings externally, or he lives contemplating feeling in feelings internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination-things in feelings, or he lives contemplating dissolution-things in feelings, or he lives contemplating origination-and-dissolution-things in feelings. Or his mindfulness is established with the thought: 'Feeling exists,' to the extent necessary just for knowledge and remembrance and he lives independent and clings to naught in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus, indeed, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives contemplating feeling in feelings.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Satipatthana Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.soma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt; (Soma Thera Trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, presence of pain is an opportunity to develop equanimity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now how, Ananda, in the discipline of a noble one is there the unexcelled development of the faculties?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[...] when touching a tactile sensation with the body, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable. He discerns that 'This agreeable thing has arisen in me, this disagreeable thing... this agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing has arisen in me. And that is compounded, gross, dependently co-arisen. But this is peaceful, this is exquisite, i.e., equanimity.' With that, the arisen agreeable thing... disagreeable thing... agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing ceases, and equanimity takes its stance. Just as a strong man might easily extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, that is how quickly, how rapidly, how easily, no matter what it refers to, the arisen agreeable thing... disagreeable thing... agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing ceases, and equanimity takes its stance. In the discipline of a noble one, this is called the unexcelled development of the faculties with regard to tactile sensations cognizable by the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how is one a person in training, someone following the way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case where, when touching a tactile sensation with the body, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable. He feels horrified, humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted with the arisen agreeable thing... disagreeable thing... agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how is one a noble one with developed faculties?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case where, when touching a tactile sensation with the body, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable. If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome. If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome. If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome &amp;amp; what is. If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome &amp;amp; what is not. If he wants — in the presence of what is loathsome &amp;amp; what is not — cutting himself off from both, he remains equanimous, alert, &amp;amp; mindful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Indriya-bhavana Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.152.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 152&lt;/a&gt; (Thanissaro Trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Endurance is an important part of the practice as well (Soto Zen is particularly emphatic on this one):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, in three cases ardor should be exercised. What three? (1) Ardor should be exercised for the non-arising of unarisen bad unwholesome qualities. (2) Ardor should be exercised for the arising of unarisen wholesome qualities. (3) Ardor should be exercised for enduring arisen bodily feelings that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable, sapping one’s vitality. In these three cases ardor should be exercised.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.49&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.49&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, here's how the Buddha is described reacting to bodily pain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now on that occasion the Blessed One’s foot had been cut by a stone splinter. Severe pains assailed the Blessed One—bodily feelings that were painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable. But the Blessed One endured them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 1.38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Complementary, the presence of aversion is one of the 5 hindrances that generally obstruct one's practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these five hindrances. What five? The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will [aversion], the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt. These are the five hindrances. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five hindrances, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.177&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-04T06:40:46.180" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17760" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18059" CreationDate="2016-10-04T04:05:44.473" Score="9" ViewCount="1271" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the twelve nidanas in the dependent origination it is said that through ignorance arises constructive activities (Sankskara). I do understand that. But the fact that I am still having trouble understanding is how Sankara causes the consciousness to arise and how consciousness cause the name and form to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do understand that cause of name-form the consciousness arises as these two are very interdependent. But my question is as the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does Sankskara cause consciousness to arise? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does consciousness cause the name-form to arise? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T17:17:19.737" LastActivityDate="2023-12-26T18:15:36.890" Title="Consciousness and Name-Form" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|consciousness|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1443" CreationDate="2016-10-04T08:20:15.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personally (and I belong to a Shambhala sangha and have 20+ years as a Zen Buddhist practitioner), it's good to see Shambhala returning to it's roots. The &quot;old&quot; Shambhala incorporated too much of Trungpa's crazy wisdom, a scheme that finally killed him through alcohol poisoning. I'm always shocked when people from other Shambhala centers across the country visit our place and admit that they have very little meditation discipline. Instead, Shambhala focuses on training courses, most of which cost money. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's much more helpful if people get their meditation discipline down FIRST, then try different things. The Buddha knew what he was talking about. Sitting meditation, and mindfulness practice when we leave the cushion, are the heart of this practice, and they work! Thankfully, those disciplines are offered at Shambhala, and the Sunday sits are very Zen like with 20 minutes of sitting meditation, 10 minutes of walking meditation, and this goes on from 9Am to around 11AM. After that a &quot;teacher&quot; gives a talk of sorts (not a dharma talk). I usually skip this, and go help w/ food preparation for the free community Sunday lunch at noon. Or go for a walk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10148" LastEditorUserId="10148" LastEditDate="2016-10-04T08:47:02.983" LastActivityDate="2016-10-04T08:47:02.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17763" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-04T17:45:02.220" Score="6" ViewCount="3029" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have attended seven 10-day and one 20-day Goenka course, but never experienced either the &quot;subtle sensations&quot; or the &quot;free flow.&quot;  I have stopped going to Goenka retreats because I get frustrated hearing about how after the first day I should be experiencing such and such, etc.  I still practice anapana for a couple of hours a day and study the Dhamma, and am resigned to being apparently incapable of having these experiences, which they also say are not important, lol. However, Goenka talks about them over and over in the courses and about how various people get &quot;good results.&quot; I wonder if others have this experience also, and how they have dealt with it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10150" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-04T17:48:55.817" LastActivityDate="2019-04-04T04:33:43.040" Title="Seven 10-day and one 20-day Goenka Course but no &quot;good results&quot;" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2016-10-04T17:52:15.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my interpretation (a product of study, practice, and meditation), the translation and interpretation of nidanas is a little different. I tend to think of nidanas in terms of developmental psychology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avidya is innate ignorance, so far so good.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankskara is &amp;quot;imprint that creates subsequent tendency to react in a certain way&amp;quot;. Kind of like memory but at a lower organizational level. So when there is ignorance, the interaction of primordial nature with itself leaves traces, which, given enough repetitions, eventually accumulate into tendencies and expectations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;These tendencies and expectations get progressively more robust and integrated until they connect into full-fledged continuous &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; ('vijnana'). This experience is not reality itself though, but an interpretation/projection assembled from the tendencies and expectations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Through the same process of accumulation of sankskaras (which remain the underlying fabric comprising the experience) the whole process keeps on maturing until some of the tendencies and expectations crystallize to the status of objects ('namarupa'). These objects are second-order constructs - the signs (nimitta) that make up the original experience are further interpreted up the chain of abstraction.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in my interpretation the twelve nidanas describe the natural process by which the primordially impersonal becomes (first aware and then) personal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2023-12-26T18:15:36.890" LastActivityDate="2023-12-26T18:15:36.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17763" CreationDate="2016-10-04T18:28:11.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Disclaimer: I'm not a teacher. This is just my interpretation of Goenka's words, but his words are so explicit about this topic, and repeated so many times, that I feel that I'm just stating the obvious in the following paragraph.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Free flow&quot; &lt;strong&gt;is not the point of the technique&lt;/strong&gt;. The point is to systematically observe whatever you feel in different parts of the body, &lt;strong&gt;with equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;. Goenka talks a lot about the free flow, because many people experience it, so that they know how to respond to it. If you don't experience it, you can simply ignore that part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;subtle sensations&quot;, I'm not exactly sure how you interpret them, because (as far as I know) Goenka never explicitly says what exactly a &quot;subtle sensation&quot; is. I'm pretty sure that acute pain wasn't the only sensation that you ever felt in your life. Some sensations are more subtle than others, and Goenka explicitly says that we aren't supposed to judge them, so why should anyone care if any particular sensation is &quot;subtle enough&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did experience good results of meditation, and they are completely unrelated to the free flow or subtle sensations. The benefits I experienced include things like better self-confidence, less stress, better social relations with others, less procrastrination. Sometimes I felt free flow, sometimes didn't. The benefits I get when I meditate regularly are not related to whether I feel the free flow in a particular period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seriously, I really don't see the point of struggling to have a free flow or some other particular sensations. If your aim is to have pleasant sensations in your body, then I'd suggest having sex or masturbating, or perhaps watching porn. That will get you what you want. And requires much less time than two hours of sitting per day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I ask, did you ask the teacher about your problem? What did he/she say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="760" LastEditorUserId="760" LastEditDate="2016-10-05T08:11:41.393" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T08:11:41.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17763" CreationDate="2016-10-04T19:06:50.860" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation techniques being sold in marketplace are one size fit all which rarely work. It is the right living and right technique which gives the results. In the spiritual marketplace goods are sold without any guarantees !!!. Low stress, boost in self confidence, happy feelings etc etc is not the goal. The goal (I take the liberty to be precise ) is to experience metaphysical and then go beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not find a particular technique or teaching worthwhile there are many techniques or teachers which can give you the results much faster. Do not get stuck with one technique or guru or teaching/teacher. Become a seeker who will not stop till he or she has the taste of the beyond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Goenka talks about is the free flow of Prana which makes possible for higher bodies to manifest and therefore generate experiences. But the ultimate goal is to go beyond. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not practise hard as it is counter productive.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-10-04T19:06:50.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17768" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17778" CreationDate="2016-10-04T20:34:03.417" Score="3" ViewCount="497" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many western Buddhists have non-western names:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jeffrey Block&lt;/strong&gt; -  &lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Geoffrey DeGraff&lt;/strong&gt; -  &lt;em&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Ajaan Geoff&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Deirdre Blomfield-Brown&lt;/strong&gt; - &lt;em&gt;Pema Chödrön&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are they given to them when they are ordained as monks/bhikkuni (like &lt;em&gt;Dances with Wolves&lt;/em&gt;), or are they more informal (e.g. &lt;em&gt;Ajaan Geoff&lt;/em&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just curious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7184" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:02:38.060" Title="Where do westerners get their &quot;Buddhist&quot; names?" Tags="|western-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2016-10-04T20:56:24.130" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Awareness is simply consciousness without any engagement. Consciousness when it engages in senses results in mind and emotional activities. Awareness can also be stated as mindfulness but I find this defintion has mind in it therefore confusing. If you are in your natural state i.e. without thoughts and emotions you are aware or conscious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-10-04T20:56:24.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2016-10-04T22:44:10.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Awareness&quot; is an English word used by Westerners that (to my knowledge) does not really exist in the terminology of Pali Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with the view that &quot;mindfulness&quot; ('sati') is a purposeful application of awareness or consciousness. 'Sati' means to 'remember' or 'bring to/keep in mind'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali uses the word '&lt;em&gt;anupassi&lt;/em&gt;' ('continous seeing') when referring to being aware of meditation objects or uses the word '&lt;em&gt;sampajjana&lt;/em&gt;' ('ready wisdom') when referring to knowing clearly what is going on in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Westerners like using the word 'awareness' but I do not know a Pali equivalent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-05T05:22:13.340" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T05:22:13.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17763" CreationDate="2016-10-05T02:43:07.503" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't say those meditative  experiences aren't important. I would say they kind of can give us a rough guide to were we are in our practice but we have to be careful of attatching to them or misunderstanding them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, how do you practice? Do you focus your attention on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the raw experience of your breath as it happens&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The raw sensations in and on your body as they happen&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The partiality towards your experience as it happens?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T02:43:07.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-10-05T03:59:18.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suzuki Roshi's calls his teaching Hinayana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suzuki Roshi was in the lineage stream of Zen master Dogen (1200–1253) and was committed to introducing Dogen’s way of practice to the West. Although he recommended studying the many written works of Dogen (few of which were translated into English at that time), it was the spirit of Dogen that was most vital for him. Like Dogen, he did not consider Zen a teaching or practice separate from buddha dharma, or that the Soto school of Zen was either superior or inferior to any other school. &lt;strong&gt;He characterized our way as Hinayana (Narrow Vehicle) practice with a Mahayana (Wide Vehicle) mind.&lt;/strong&gt; Sounds like Suzuki Roshi has a good reason for using the term. Does anyone know what is meant by 'narrow' and 'wide'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T03:59:18.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7223" CreationDate="2016-10-05T04:06:21.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could think it like this. Consciousness means cognizing something. Or become aware of. In other words Vinyana. So Awareness and Cognizing is somewhat the same in terms of terminology. Mindfulness is knowing that you know something. In other words knowing that you cognize or knowing that you are aware of.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T04:06:21.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17774" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-05T06:43:27.540" Score="2" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why is samghabedabastu section of the mulasarvastavadin monastic code not published in any language besides it's original language? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10152" LastEditorUserId="7184" LastEditDate="2016-10-05T18:40:32.587" LastActivityDate="2017-10-08T21:21:06.643" Title="Why is samghabedabastu section of the mulasarvastavadin monastic code not published in any language besides it's original language?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2016-10-05T13:31:32.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. It would be exciting to find out the scientific aspect/explanation on the mechanisms of the act of of chanting daimoku. Arnold Toynbee had any explanation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From personal experience I notice metabolism increase in accordance with using my voice and breathing; thus blood circulation is promoted. On a cellular level (I am a beauty therapist and masseuse and assistant nurse btw) I notice a clearer vibrant skin as a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From an energy perspective I feel &amp;quot;charged&amp;quot;. I think this energy is what attracts others to us when newly-chanted. But energy is really in constant motion and can just as easily be lost. That's why new energy has to be produced morning/evening. The energy achieved puts us in a higher frequency (a bit like a &amp;quot;kick-in&amp;quot;) and that's when we produce new happy thoughts and see solutions. Like consuming quality food! There can be not a single defect in chanting. But watch out for using chanting as an excuse to avoid doing some action needed - &amp;quot;escapism&amp;quot;. I have seen and experienced this type of hide-away chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The time spent on chanting according to Mrs Asano in Japan (world leader) if you have short of time to chant, your body/mind is SO smart that it can actually give you same effect in 10 minutes of chant as if you would have had in one hour. Here comes the physical law of Determination/Focus. And time is transformed into energy!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The explanation to this phenomenon is your attitude (you would so much like to chant longer but only have this amount of time etc)! What I must admit, however, is I lack physical motion as moving your body in motion at the same time. As I jog, do yoga, and tennis a lot. It would really be that extra complete thing in our act of chanting... Maybe in the future it will be so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10155" LastEditorUserId="11206" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2022-10-24T18:02:11.910" LastActivityDate="2022-10-24T18:02:11.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11522" CreationDate="2016-10-05T17:18:06.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I view it as adoption can be nothing but good. you are providing a child with a home, food and most importantly love. if it is done with good intention then it cant be bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10156" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T17:18:06.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17768" CreationDate="2016-10-05T18:48:15.127" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where do westerners get their “Buddhist” names?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition a novice receives a new name in Pali when a senior monk accepts his/her request to become Preceptor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/ordination1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Ordination Procedure in the Theravada Tradition&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:02:38.060" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:02:38.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17763" CreationDate="2016-10-05T20:20:37.677" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you try another vipassana lineage. Goenka goes for body sensations only (AFAIK, later they add mind objects, but I only have 2nd-hand knowledge about it). Use a technique where all 4 foundations (body, feelings, mind, mind objects) are used from the very start could be useful; I am personally doing Chomtong-style practice (Ajahn Tong, a variant of Mahasi, dry-vipassana with lower concentration) and being exposed to e.g. difficult feelings and learn to acknowledge them and let go is extremely valuable for me. What I also find very useful is to have regular interviews with teacher on the retreat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation has good results if you have more clarity, understanding or yourself and others etc; in short, if your life is better. Experiences come and go and have little long-term relevance (despite the mind trying to persuade us &lt;strong&gt;this is it&lt;/strong&gt; in that moment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T20:20:37.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17768" CreationDate="2016-10-05T22:02:27.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The same is true for Mahayana traditions (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_name&lt;/a&gt;) allthough exceptions are possible.&#xA;So for example the German Mr. Nölke, since many years abbot Muhô in Antaiji, Japan, got the freedom by his predecessor to choose his own dharma name, which he then officially &quot;received&quot;. Justification: as one could not choose its own name at birth, at least the choosing of the dharma name should or can be in our own hands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4873" LastActivityDate="2016-10-05T22:02:27.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17781" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17782" CreationDate="2016-10-06T03:48:25.600" Score="3" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that pleasant feeling had arisen in him, it didn't invade his mind and remain because of his &lt;em&gt;development of the body&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 36 Maha-Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; translated by Thanissaro.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pleasant feeling (vedanā) is not limited to five senses, but can also be experienced by the mind. To understand the sutta, it seems important to understand what exactly is meant by &lt;em&gt;development of the body&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When that painful feeling had arisen in him, it didn't invade his mind and remain because of his &lt;em&gt;development of the mind&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the Buddha makes a clear distinction here between 'development of the body' and 'development of the mind', and from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 119&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Blessed One said:] &quot;And how is mindfulness immersed in the &lt;em&gt;body&#xA;  developed&lt;/em&gt;, how is it pursued, so as to be of great fruit &amp;amp; great&#xA;  benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What did the Buddha mean by 'development of the body' versus 'development of the mind'?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, how does one develop the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorDisplayName="user8619" LastEditDate="2016-10-08T23:38:41.357" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T23:38:41.357" Title="What did the Buddha mean by 'development of the body'?" Tags="|attachment|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17781" CreationDate="2016-10-06T04:47:15.480" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I only quickly browsed the sutta (not reading it all) but the question seems to not really be relevant to the Buddha because it was not the Buddha that introduces the phrase: &quot;&lt;em&gt;development of the body&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Instead, it was Saccaka the Jain that introduced the phrase, probably from Jainism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then Saccaka the Nigantha...said to the Blessed One, &quot;There are, Master Gotama, some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who live committed to&#xA;  the development of the body...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha answered as follows, which is just the standard teaching about development of mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom in relation to the six spheres of sense contact:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is one developed in body and developed in mind? There is the case where a pleasant feeling arises in a well-educated disciple of&#xA;  the noble ones. On being touched by the pleasant feeling, he doesn't&#xA;  become impassioned with pleasure, and is not reduced to being&#xA;  impassioned with pleasure. His pleasant feeling ceases. With the&#xA;  cessation of the pleasant feeling there arises a painful feeling. On&#xA;  being touched with the painful feeling, he doesn't sorrow, grieve, or&#xA;  lament, beat his breast or becomes distraught. When that pleasant&#xA;  feeling had arisen in him, it didn't invade his mind and remain&#xA;  because of his development of the body. When that painful feeling had&#xA;  arisen in him, it didn't invade his mind and remain because of his&#xA;  development of the mind. This is how one is developed in body and&#xA;  developed in mind.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When suttas are read, such the often cited &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 44.10&lt;/a&gt; which is about 'self' &amp;amp; 'no-self' (rather than about the Buddha's doctrine of 'not-self'), I suggest we should be very careful about putting words into the Buddha's mouth based on terms used in questions made by non-Buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example is the Tevijja Sutta, in which the Buddha answers questions to Brahmans, yet some scholars believe it is about Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asked about the path to union with Brahma, the Buddha explains it in terms of the Buddhist path, but ending with the four brahmaviharas;&#xA;  the abbreviated way the text is written out makes it unclear how much&#xA;  of the path comes before this; Robert Gombrich has argued that the&#xA;  Buddha was meaning union with Brahma as synonymous with nirvana.&#xA;  Wikipedia&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the Buddha often uses the term 'nama-rupa' in answers to questions made by Brahmans. Since the Brahmans did not know the Buddha's teachings, the term 'nama-rupa' in these contexts probably retains the Brahmanistic meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-06T05:08:31.520" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T05:08:31.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17783" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17784" CreationDate="2016-10-06T08:00:22.587" Score="5" ViewCount="179" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17693/where-can-i-get-buddhas-teachings-of-the-dharma-practice&quot;&gt;another question&lt;/a&gt; user Dhammadhatu wrote that according to the &lt;em&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;suffering is to be comprehended,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the origin of suffering is to be abandoned,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the cessation of suffering is to be realised, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the path to the cessation of suffering is to be developed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it correct that this process needs to be applied to different types of suffering separately, like explained below?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that on a given day I experienced and registered following phenomena:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Someone said something and I was upset for 15 minutes.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I was angry at the people around me in a crowded place and wanted punch them in the face.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Instead of doing something productive, I watched a movie I saw many times before.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All three are &lt;strong&gt;symptoms&lt;/strong&gt; of suffering. In step 2 (origin of suffering is to be comprehended) I find out, what exactly it was that &lt;strong&gt;caused&lt;/strong&gt; my suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the first example it may be my wish to be accepted by all people, and when someone reacted in an unexpected way, I interpreted it as if thy weren't liking/accepting me. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the second example the cause of the suffering was my emotional (I just don't like it) and fact-based (among every 100 people, there are at least 5 rude idiots) aversion to crowded places. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the third example the cause of the suffering was my thought that I'm too weak resisting the habit of watching movies I already saw.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 3 maybe the goal -- how do I want to behave in future, if I experience a similar situation? What could be a better response to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the first example I could realize that the number of people, whose opinion really matters to me is very small, and the person I was upset about wasn't one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the second example I could decide to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;avoid crowded spaces at all (e. g. by coming and going to work outside of the rush hours),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when I experience bad emotions I use them as motivators (emotional fuel) for work (say to myself &quot;work hard now in order to never see those ... faces in the public transport&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the third example I could decide to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;allocate a quota of my weekly time for entertainment and then use it for that purpose without guilt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;define a healthy reward for not watching that movie (if I work instead of watching the movie today, I'll do something fun tomorrow), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;during that work I'm supposed to do, regularly think about why (to what end) I do that work and artificially create a feeling of joy during work so that gradually it will become a reward in itself (more attractive than watching a movie).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The final and fourth step is to implement these solutions, i. e. develop a habit of reacting to old challenges in a new way. Then, other types of sufferings will appear, which I handle in an analogous way. Note that for every type of suffering I design a separate strategy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this how the Dharma practice is supposed to work?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T20:26:27.313" Title="Are the four noble truths supposed to be applied to every type of anguish separately?" Tags="|personal-practice|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17783" CreationDate="2016-10-06T12:06:12.257" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, 'yes', dhamma practise is done in ways you described. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it is comprehended our suffering arises from our self-centred desires &amp;amp; attachments towards things, we work to change those unhealthy desires, views &amp;amp; habitual reactions (which arise in many forms &amp;amp; are summarised as greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called 'Right Effort', which is the effort to prevent &amp;amp; give up unhealthly &amp;amp; unwise states of mind and the effort to develop &amp;amp; maintain healthy &amp;amp; wise states of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'Right Effort', particularly in the social situations you described, often is about changing the way we think about &amp;amp; view things and often requires the creative &amp;amp; thoughtful efforts shown in your post. In Buddhism, this creative thinking for developing solutions is called 'wise reflection' ('&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;'). The purpose of it is to change to a kind of thinking that does not produce greed, hatred, anger, confusion &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures provide an example of this in the discourse on &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Two Sorts of Thinking&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-06T12:13:54.640" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T12:13:54.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17783" CreationDate="2016-10-06T15:54:44.063" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;i think all strategies must be based on certain principles, which are also dhammic, and in fact grow out of them, so that a few strategies as possible would cover as much base as possible, because otherwise the practice becomes unnecessarily particular, unsystematic and caught up in strategies&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in fact the method described in the suttas is very simple and straightforward: one analyzes whether or not their actions, speech and thoughts enhance the existing and engender the absent wholesome qualities  and whether or not they reduce the existing and prevent emergence of the absent unwholesome qualities, and so acts accordingly doing more of that which enhances and engenders wholesome qualities and less of that which enhances and engenders their opposites&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7049" LastEditorUserId="7049" LastEditDate="2016-10-06T18:19:13.377" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T18:19:13.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17768" CreationDate="2016-10-06T17:12:08.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What amazes me is that people's &quot;Buddhist&quot; names all seem to be Asian. :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People 'get' their name from a guru, which is a form of initiation into that particular tradition, and so the new name is almost always related to the root culture from which that tradition sprung. The new name is a psychological device to provide a sense of belonging to that tradition, and pride is encouraged around it, since you have to meet approval to receive it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is really no reason your &quot;buddhist name&quot; needs to be from a particular culture. unless it is useful to you as a tool to walk The Path. If you need that sense of belonging, then its a wonderful thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &quot;naming&quot; isn't a &quot;Buddhist&quot; thing. It is a traditional cultural thing that was brought along for the ride as a useful tool.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T17:12:08.513" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17783" CreationDate="2016-10-06T17:36:27.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my perspective, the answer to your question is &quot;It Depends&quot;. Please forgive me as I go off on a ramble... :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is essentially only one type of 'anguish' and that is &quot;that which arises from craving&quot;. However, many buddhist monks have geeked out over the years in categorizing various &quot;types&quot; of things in order to create their own understanding in practice about their condition. It is useful, but it probably isn't &quot;the underlying state&quot; they are talking about, but mental forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have spent a laudable amount of effort thinking about how to fulfill the various conditions to reach equanimity. That's a very good thing, and is important to raising of sensitivity to your condition that you need to develop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, The Practice is what is the most important thing. &quot;Thinking&quot; about Practice is second, even though it does tend to condition our Practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, although Theravada practice is a bit proscriptive for me (as mentioned above.. and if that works for you, then please go in that direction!) I don't believe there is much to gain from continuously questioning every action we take. Rather, being aware of conditions inside our own being that occur when things happen is much more important to our path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, being aware of those things which cause us and others suffering is important. However, how do you judge the particulars? What is &quot;enough&quot; fun, or relaxation? What is too much? Although we believe we know what &quot;extremes&quot; of these look like, as far as normal boundaries these tend to be arbitrary distinctions, codified into traditions by monks that grew tired of these questions and made up a simple formula that would work for anyone. They knew that if you practiced long enough you would see through this, and find the ground on which you stand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the end, the main thing that matters is letting go of Attachment and Craving. That's it. The Path(s) are ways to approach that goal, and The Noble Truths are the guideposts that show you which direction to go. The behavioral, moral and ethical boundaries you set along the way should be informed by your practice, and by compassion towards yourself and other sentient beings. Often, this is the hard part for people.. so they follow a set of guidelines set down by others, and that is perfectly great. But don't forget... these are not written on stone.. they are just starting points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, I'll paraphrase a number of masters when I say... please don't try to eliminate desire, for that would be as ridiculous as ridding yourself of your head if you wanted to stop thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T17:36:27.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17783" CreationDate="2016-10-06T18:42:40.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It feels to me that all can be worked with &lt;em&gt;discursive meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the first example I could realize that the number of people, whose opinion really matters to me is very small, and the person I was upset about wasn't one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, this solution is still focused on craving/aversion. The reason why we feel upset is because &quot;we crave&quot; acceptance, which is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eight_worldly_preoccupations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;eight worldly preoccupations&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;em&gt;the pursuit of praise&lt;/em&gt;. As long as we're holding to this &quot;craving&quot;, there is not &lt;em&gt;small enough&lt;/em&gt; set of people whose opinions will lead us to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the second example I could decide to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;avoid crowded spaces at all (e. g. by coming and going to work outside of the rush hours),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, for me, this solution is still focused on craving/aversion. In this case, the worldly preoccupation is &lt;em&gt;the avoidance of discomfort&lt;/em&gt;. Discomfort is inevitable; what is not is our reaction to it. For example, one could deal with this specific problem by doing loving-kindness with all the crowd, or thinking that we're exposed to this crowd in order to do virtuous actions (such as work) which will lead to the ease of suffering for ourselves and others (i.e., &quot;I'm carrying this suffering so other people won't have to&quot;, or &quot;as many others have suffered for me, this is my time to suffer for others&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;when I experience bad emotions I use them as motivators (emotional fuel) for work (say to myself &quot;work hard now in order to never see those ... faces in the public transport&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using our emotions as fuel for &lt;em&gt;the pursuit of material acquisitions and the avoidance of their loss&lt;/em&gt; is even a greater pathway to suffering. Not only we're identifying with our emotions, but we are using them to increase our ignorance. There is nothing wrong with being with other people; there is nothing wrong with &lt;em&gt;being other people&lt;/em&gt;. They, as us, are there trying to be happy, trying to make other people happy, and trying to avoid suffering. No amount of money or status in the world will prevent us from feeling or seeing ours and other peoples' suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the third example I could decide to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;allocate a quota of my weekly time for entertainment and then use it for that purpose without guilt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;define a healthy reward for not watching that movie (if I work instead of watching the movie today, I'll do something fun tomorrow),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;during that work I'm supposed to do, regularly think about why (to what end) I do that work and artificially create a feeling of joy during work so that gradually it will become a reward in itself (more attractive than watching a movie).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, two preoccupations are arising: &lt;em&gt;the pursuit of stimulus-driven pleasure&lt;/em&gt; and its counterpart, &lt;em&gt;the avoidance of discomfort&lt;/em&gt;. As long as we crave for pleasure, we will suffer. Rewarding ourselves with stimulus for having gone through some suffering will only lead us to more craving, because we're coping with suffering by means of stimulus. There is nothing wrong with watching movies or to &lt;em&gt;relax&lt;/em&gt;; what drives us to suffer from such activities is that we haven't done what's important today (this doesn't mean &lt;em&gt;work&lt;/em&gt;): the acts that will lead us to a good death. One solution here is to meditate on our &lt;em&gt;precious human life of leisure and opportunity&lt;/em&gt;, and on the &lt;em&gt;inevitability of &lt;strong&gt;our&lt;/strong&gt; death&lt;/em&gt;. If we don't act &lt;strong&gt;now&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;tomorrow&lt;/em&gt; will be too late; there is no time to loose &lt;em&gt;today&lt;/em&gt; if we haven't worked on our spiritual practice, our tours, our work, our goals. If we have, &lt;em&gt;today&lt;/em&gt; we can watch the movie without fear, as if we die this instant, we won't feel we have wasted our lives (and because watching this movie will help us tomorrow to act with virtue, i.e., a good motivation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember: we are not among bullets and persecution; we are not working ourselves to exhaustion; we don't have mental or physical restrictions; we have this &lt;em&gt;precious human life of leisure and opportunity&lt;/em&gt; to be happy, to make others happy, to meditate on the &lt;em&gt;four noble truths&lt;/em&gt; and to release ourselves from ignorance and to ease the suffering of all &lt;em&gt;sentient beings&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our lives are finite, they can end right this moment; there is no time to waste. In order to have a good death we have to have a good life, not tomorrow... &lt;em&gt;today&lt;/em&gt;. A good life is not a life full of pleasures or achievements, is a life full of love, compassion and truth for ourselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10129" LastEditorUserId="10129" LastEditDate="2016-10-06T20:26:27.313" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T20:26:27.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17789" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-06T19:47:14.027" Score="2" ViewCount="563" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can you define the experience of &lt;em&gt;the proces&lt;/em&gt; (or the flow) of raising and passing away of all conditioned things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10165" LastEditorUserId="10165" LastEditDate="2016-10-06T19:53:52.080" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T20:41:56.513" Title="The Proces of arising and passing away" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17789" CreationDate="2016-10-06T20:41:56.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;as you meditate, one of knowledge reveals to you is consciousness (vinnana) can only take place in one thing at a time, tho it rises and falls in one of the other 4 skanda very quickly.    As you pay attention, when you are aware of a thought (could be anything that is not about 5 sensual pleasures or anger) and dwell in it, (that's a power of nandi) you let go of nundi and consciousness raises back in breathing (form), old thought disappeared.  only this much, one recognizes the raise and fall of name-form.   What other dharma reveals in the process?  you would see the feeling of &quot;self&quot; does not disappear along with disappearing thought.  so you know and see for yourself that a thought isn't you.  this is first clear vision of anatta or non-self.  the ultimate goal is to see of non-self in consciousness.  consciousness is the final burden.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-10-06T20:41:56.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17781" CreationDate="2016-10-07T01:53:24.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There Buddha said &quot;The developed body&quot; and &quot;The developed mind&quot; (I deliberately changed the word &lt;strong&gt;development of&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;developed&lt;/strong&gt; because it would be more closer meaning to Buddha speech by following). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How you can have &quot;developed mind&quot; and &quot;developed body&quot; in Buddha teaching in this particular Sutta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Developed Body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a student of Buddha who has moderated mind and knowledge in teachings has pleasing sensation. Like having pleasing view by eyes, pleasing sound by ears, pleasing smell by noses, delicious and/or pleasing taste by tongue, pleasing touch by delicate fabrics/material(s) or by a touch of human being. One of the five senses of pleasing or very pleasing which make him/her &quot;out of the world&quot; feeling happens. Then this very clever student has his/her mind in a way that he/she does not leave the mind where it pleases, does not leave this pleasing sensation to overwhelm his/her mind (it does not make him/her obsession). He/she does not let his/her mind to follow the sensation. He/she does not let go &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sati&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; he/she has Sati while he/she has pleasing sensation, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;. This is the one who has &quot;developed body&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Developed Mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a student of Buddha who has moderated mind and knowledge in teachings has unpleasing sensation (suffering or very unpleasing sensation). Like having unpleasant view by eyes, unpleasant sound by ears, unpleasant smell by noses, unpleasant taste by tongue, unpleasant touch or pain in body. One of the five senses of unpleasing or very unpleasing which make him/her feel the pain happens. Or &lt;strong&gt;the pleasant sensation described above is ceased to persist or depleted&lt;/strong&gt;.  Then this very clever student has his/her mind in a way that he/she does not leave the mind where it sticks himself/herself to feel the pain and allow himself/herself to let crying, lamenting, burning, loosing consciousness;he/she does not leave this unpleasing sensation to overwhelm his/her mind (it does not make him/her angry, sad). He/she does not let his/her mind to follow the sensation. He/she does not let go &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sati&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; he/she has Sati while he/she has unpleasing sensation, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dukkha&lt;/a&gt;. This is the one who has &quot;developed mind&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of the Sutta said when Buddha was being a monk he had Dukkha when he did asceticism (limiting food intake himself, limiting breath), Dukkha &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedana&lt;/a&gt; cannot overwhelm his mind. &#xA;When he had Sukha Vedana (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhyana Sukha&lt;/a&gt; which much more powerful and stronger than Sukha Vedana by five senses [Karma Sukha]), it cannot overwhelm Buddha's mind too. It is recommended to read the whole sutta to respect more on Buddha, to behave like Buddha when we have sufferings or pleasing sensations. This will lead you escape from all sufferings and guidance to attain Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-07T01:53:24.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17792" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-07T03:03:35.547" Score="2" ViewCount="954" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.102-113.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.102-113 &lt;/a&gt; state those that realise the Four Noble Truth will be 'reborn in the human state' (&lt;em&gt;manussesu paccājāyanti&lt;/em&gt;). The same message is found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.47 &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.48&lt;/a&gt;, which also state the human state (&lt;em&gt;manussattaṃ&lt;/em&gt;) is very rare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the law of kamma, the message that unwholesome actions lead to pain &amp;amp; wholesome actions lead to pleasure is found in countless suttas, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'These beings — who were endowed with &lt;strong&gt;bad conduct&lt;/strong&gt; of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions&#xA;  under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death, have &lt;strong&gt;re-appeared in the plane of deprivation&lt;/strong&gt;, the bad&#xA;  destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were&#xA;  endowed with &lt;strong&gt;good conduct&lt;/strong&gt; of body, speech, &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile&#xA;  noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the&#xA;  influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,&#xA;  have &lt;strong&gt;re-appeared in the good destinations&lt;/strong&gt;, in the heavenly world.&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, a sutta named the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cula-Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; claims evil-doers can be 'reborn' in the human state, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case, student, where a woman or man is a &lt;strong&gt;killer of living beings, brutal, bloody-handed&lt;/strong&gt;, given to killing &amp;amp; slaying,&#xA;  showing no mercy to living beings. Through having adopted &amp;amp; carried&#xA;  out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she&#xA;  reappears in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower&#xA;  realms, hell. If, on the break-up of the body, after death — &lt;strong&gt;instead&#xA;  of reappearing in the plane of deprivation&lt;/strong&gt;, the bad destination, the&#xA;  lower realms, hell — &lt;strong&gt;he/she comes to the human state&lt;/strong&gt;, then he/she is&#xA;  short-lived wherever reborn. This is the way leading to a short life:&#xA;  to be a killer of living beings, brutal, bloody-handed, given to&#xA;  killing &amp;amp; slaying, showing no mercy to living beings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can this be? How can one single sutta (Cula-Kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) override the doctrine or law found in all of the suttas that a brutal bloody-handed killer of living beings will experience a state beset by suffering? Surely, a killer than feels no pain from killing &amp;amp; murdering is a psychopath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-07T03:14:13.783" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T09:49:46.380" Title="How can evil doers be 'reborn' as 'human'?" Tags="|karma|pali-canon|pali|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17661" CreationDate="2016-10-07T09:17:14.173" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Tikaṇḍaki Sutta (A 5.144) the Buddha recommends a balance. &#xA;Contemplating impermanence or the foulness of the body with regards to those objects (people) we are agreeable with, projecting metta towards objects that we find repulsive, seeing impermanence and the foulness of the body in those objects we find repulsive, and projecting metta towards those objects we find agreeable, and considering both the repulsive and agreeable with equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.12-Tikandaki-S-a5.144-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tikandaki Sutta translation and comments by Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-07T09:17:14.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2016-10-07T13:36:58.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;will all beings attain enlightenment or will all beings not attain englightement is a speculative view, much like is the view about is universe finite or is the universe infinite and the other 9 questions. This question should be set aside. It is irrelevant to the grow or maturity of the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-10-07T13:36:58.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2016-10-07T16:07:49.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no conflict between &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 135&lt;/a&gt; and the rest of the Suttas. From this beginningless Samsara, no body in it had not once committed some very terrible kamma at some point and some very wholesome kamma other time. Even one of the Buddha's greatest disciples, Ven. Moggallana, in a distant past life, committed the horrific kamma (one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anantarika-karma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five Heinous Acts&lt;/a&gt;) of murdering his parents. No body is able to see the exact working of kamma except the enlightened ones, but we can safely assume it'll unfold according to a certain algorithm that takes into account of all the actions an individual has done in many life times, one of which s/he might had saved many lives, and at other point, killed someone. The only exception is the Five Heinous Acts which guarantee an immediate fruit of a rebirth in hell. So basically, the moral of the story is that until attaining the rank of the Noble Ones, starting with Sotapanna, all human beings are still capable of and potentially commit great harm and great help to their fellow human beings and hence reap the appropriate results accordingly. We'll continue to ride this merry-go-round of the Six Realms of existence, sometime experiencing much suffering as a hell being, other the countless pleasures as a deva, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-10-07T16:07:49.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2016-10-07T16:24:37.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;In the Pali suttas, SN 56.102-113 state those that realise the Four Noble Truth will be 'reborn in the human state' (manussesu paccājāyanti).&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[edit]:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming we agree with Bodhi translation, let me quote it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So too, bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in hell. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't read that sutta stating that those who &lt;strong&gt;realise&lt;/strong&gt; the Four Noble Truths &lt;strong&gt;will&lt;/strong&gt; be reborn in the human state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I read is that the reason why so many people reappear in a bad destinations contrasting with so few who reappear in better ones is because they haven't &lt;em&gt;seen&lt;/em&gt; the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, to better illustrate a subtleness of logic, consider the following statement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So too, those beings are few who, when trying to construct a bridge, successfully construct it. But those beings are more numerous who, when trying to construct a bridge, fail. For what reason? Because they have not obtained a PhD in civil engineering&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above does not necessarily say that &lt;em&gt;everyone&lt;/em&gt; who constructed a bridge (i.e. reappeared in a good destination) necessarily have a PhD in civil engineering (i.e. saw the FNT). It also does not necessarily say that all bridges constructed &lt;em&gt;were&lt;/em&gt; constructed by a PhD in civil engineering (i.e. it does not say that all beings who reappeared in human realm saw the FNT).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, I don't read the Buddha saying that those who see the four noble truths &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; reappear in the human realm (as stated in the question). And just for completeness, I also don't read the Buddha saying that all those who appear in human realm necessarily saw the Four Noble Truths. In other words, and to be more precise, it does not seem to say that seeing the FNT is a necessary (or necessary and sufficient) requirement for appearing in human (or deva) realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the intent of the sutta seems to be to inspire by showing how easy is to reappear in a bad destination, and to take the opportunity to dedicate to the dhamma practice which would be the best bet to reappear in a better destination. It informs that those who see the FNT have something going for them to reappear in human realm or better destinations, like a civil engineering training is a good bet for successfully constructing bridges (but not necessarily a necessary requirement for building one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How can this be? How can one single sutta (Cula-Kammavibhanga Sutta) override the doctrine [...]&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not the case that a single sutta overrides a doctrine. A few suttas explain that kamma always comes to fruition at some point:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated so long as one has not experienced its results, and &lt;strong&gt;that may be immediately [in this very life], or soon after  [in the next rebirth], or after that [on some subsequent occasion]&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.218&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.218&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some notes on translation of the above &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.liberationpark.org/study/pdf/Kamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and and &lt;a href=&quot;http://justalittledust.com/blog/?page_id=608&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 135 is also not a single sutta that says something to the effect of not tying deterministically the deed to the rebirth destination. The  Maha-Kammavibhanga Sutta is even more emphatic, and fully explains all possibilities of rebirth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) “Now, Ananda, there is the &lt;strong&gt;person who has killed living beings&lt;/strong&gt; here… has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, &lt;strong&gt;he reappears in the states of deprivation&lt;/strong&gt;, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But (perhaps) the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him earlier, or the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him later, or wrong view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. And that was why, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappeared in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But since he has killed living beings here… has had wrong view, he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next rebirth, or in some subsequent existence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) “Now there is the &lt;strong&gt;person who has killed living beings here&lt;/strong&gt;… has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, &lt;strong&gt;he reappears in a happy destination&lt;/strong&gt;, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) “Now &lt;strong&gt;there is the person who has abstained from killing living beings here&lt;/strong&gt;… has had right view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he &lt;strong&gt;reappears in a happy destination&lt;/strong&gt;, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death.  [...]  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) “Now there is the &lt;strong&gt;person who has abstained from killing living beings here&lt;/strong&gt;… has had right view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, &lt;strong&gt;he reappears in the states of deprivation&lt;/strong&gt;, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But (perhaps) the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him earlier, or the evil kamma producing his suffering was done by him later, or wrong view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn136&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 136&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that the nature of the result of kamma can be drawn solely based on the deed is contested in suttas such as The Salt Crystal:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, for anyone who says, ‘In whatever way a person makes kamma, that is how it is experienced,’ there is no living of the holy life, there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. But for anyone who says, ‘When a person makes kamma to be felt in such &amp;amp; such a way, that is how its result is experienced,’ there is the living of the holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He goes on to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain individual takes him to hell. There is the case where the very same sort of trifling deed done by another individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in [contemplating] the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An 3.100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the following passage, the Buddha refutes the idea that &quot;Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by what was done in the past.&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these three sectarian tenets which, when questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined by the wise, and taken to their conclusion, will eventuate in non-doing. What are the three?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by what was done in the past.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “Bhikkhus, I approached those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by past deeds,’ and I said to them: ‘Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view?’ When I ask them this, they affirm it. Then I say to them: ‘In such a case, it is due to past deeds that you might destroy life, take what is not given, indulge in sexual activity, speak falsehood, utter divisive speech, speak harshly, indulge in idle chatter; that you might be full of longing, have a mind of ill will, and hold wrong view.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Those who fall back on past deeds as the essential truth have no desire to do what should be done and to avoid doing what should not be done, nor do they make an effort in this respect. Since they do not apprehend as true and valid anything that should be done or should not be done, they are muddle-minded, they do not guard themselves, and even the personal designation ‘ascetic’ could not be legitimately applied to them. This was my first legitimate refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, some suttas (such as MN 136) give prominent role to right view at the moment of death and to whether consciousness is tied to sensual gratification at the moment of the death, things that seem to exert strong forces that influence the next destination (see the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10321/382&quot;&gt;Last thought before death?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[edit]:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I understand that it's not that a brutal bloody-handed killer of living beings will be reborn here or there. There's no such killer: there's the killing, and there are also all other good &amp;amp; bad deeds performed in the past, and when these deeds come to fruition, to quote the Buddha again in AN 3.61: &quot;When a person makes kamma to be experienced in such &amp;amp; such a way, that is how its result is experienced.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T17:01:00.427" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17798" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-07T17:06:52.353" Score="2" ViewCount="964" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Sal Tree' is revered by most people in sri lanka and most temple in the country grown it. Is this tree mentioned in the buddhist tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10159" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T20:54:10.160" Title="What Is the significance of 'Sal Tree' in Buddhism?" Tags="|texts|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2016-10-07T17:18:18.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;might be lost in translation somehow.   from this &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No ce kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ&#xA;  upapajjati, sace manussattaṃ ..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if replace &quot;in stead of&quot; with &quot;if not&quot; , that it makes more sense.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if not reappearing in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination,&#xA;  the lower realms, hell — he/she comes to the human state,....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could also mean that when karma is exhausted in suffering plane, and being appear in human world after? So once you burn your &quot;debt&quot; you move to the next phase or rebirth, lacking the &quot;debt&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vice versa is said to occur at the end of a rebirth in the heavens as a god. They burn through their &quot;good debt&quot; quickly and tend to fall into the lower realms when their dues are paid. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am an amateur self taught Pali.  I could be wrong but at least it opens up for those who know more about Pali to chime in.  Could &quot;No ce&quot; together with rest of a sentence,  is better to translate to &quot;if not&quot; rather than &quot;instead of&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2016-10-08T02:35:30.860" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T02:35:30.860" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17800" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-07T23:59:06.730" Score="4" ViewCount="571" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any school or institution dedicated to teaching Jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teaching &quot;Jhana&quot; means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accepting students to learn only about Jhana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Proper courses and guidelines for student: step by step, from first Rupa Jhana to Four Arupa Jhanas, in Theravada Buddhist teachings (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhyāna in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be a monastery or public institution or school, which people can join by paying fees or free; but well disciplined and helping students to experience and acquire the capabilities to enter the state of various Jhanas above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any printed courses or lectures about entering Jhanas, published by such a school or institution (or by an author at least)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-08T04:37:58.103" LastActivityDate="2018-01-04T15:05:59.357" Title="Is there any school or institution dedicated to teaching Jhana?" Tags="|theravada|teaching|jhana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5176" CreationDate="2016-10-08T02:30:37.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, the Brahmajala Sutta is one of the greatest Suttas in Pali Canon. It was the foot print of Gautama Buddha's wisdom. Any possible mis-believes covered in this sutta. It is almost impossible another living being that can articulate this kind of Suttas. The section &quot;Mahāsīla&quot; was &lt;strong&gt;intended for the Buddhist monks who are trying to attain Nirvana&lt;/strong&gt; and the part you are referring in section is concordant with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt; in Noble Eightfold Path. So it should be part of Buddhist cultures, it should be the Buddha's teaching that &lt;strong&gt;monks need to follow&lt;/strong&gt;, it should be the Buddhists need to cherish the monks who follow this path. It is clearly seen that Right Livelihood make Sanga less tasks and errands where the tasks and errands are adverse to practicing Dhamma to attain the Nirvana. Sanga with Right Livelihood is more respectable and fruitful. You are interpreting it in the right way by agreeing &quot;Mahasila&quot; section in Brahmajala Sutta. Currently, in most countries Buddhists and Buddhist monks are taking Vinaya (the guidances/teachings of Buddha) loosely in general. Buddha said Dhamma will be loosely followed/practiced later and there will be no one like to followed/practiced Buddha's Dhamma and Vinaya eventually. So ignorance to Buddha's Dhamma (Suttas, teachings, practices) is expected. There will be time that the sunset/end of Buddhism in future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The perspective of Right Livelihood for normal people is quite different from the Buddhist monks who are trying to attain Nirvana. For normal people who are not trying to attain Nirvana, five percepts and not harming to other living being (does not trade in weapons, living beings, meat, alcoholic drink or poison)seems enough for that person not to rebirth as an inferior life (other than human). So it is not appropriate to apply &quot;Mahasila&quot; to normal people and Buddha said &quot;Mahasila&quot; intended to apply Sanga (and person who joins Sanga) many times in Silakkhandha Vagga. Nowadays, with the people of varieties of desires, greeds, thirsts, angers and offenses, it is impractical to apply &quot;Mahasila&quot; in public but instead Buddhist monks should follow since they are maintaining Buddha's teachings.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T02:30:37.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17802" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17800" CreationDate="2016-10-08T09:15:55.573" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Brahm's group are dedicated to jhana. Try these links: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/files/pdf/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond - A Heditator's Handbook&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahm&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Welcome to the Buddhist Society of Western Australia -&#xA;Dhammaloka Centre&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://cms.jhanagrove.org.au/about/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jhana Grove&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://cms.bodhinyana.org.au/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bodhinyana Monastery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-08T09:40:11.063" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T09:40:11.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16013" CreationDate="2016-10-08T10:15:16.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People keep bringing up stuff like Hina used to mean something bad but this was thousands of years ago. Hina now just means small, the standard interpretation is that Hinayana schools only liberate themselves while Mahayana Bodhisattva's continuously liberate themselves as well as other sentient beings therefore it is compared to a Vehicle which is larger as it carries oneself and others as opposed to the Hinayana which only carries oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-10-08T10:15:16.913" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-08T21:07:16.657" Score="1" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;recently i read an article about a troubled young man who was brought to attention by one of his friends to a temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a brief description....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A young guy suddenly started acting really weird which was noticed by a good friend of him. This person was a regular guy and he suddenly developed an unnatural state of mind which his friends first assumed to be a typical porn addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But his behavior soon became worse and he started being really indecent and started doing some perverse things like groping women on the bus and such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was accompanied by his friend when they traveled to &lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;Ruwan Weli Stupa&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;(The monument with highest number of Lord Buddha's remains on earth)&lt;/em&gt; in hopes that some advice and worshiping the stupa would be sufficient to re-discipline him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he was worshiping he started acting weird and the friend asked for the help of monks. As Monks were chanting (In suspicion of the influence of a lower realm) he started talking in a rough voice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The voice said....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will not go away without taking him, he is like us.&#xA;I was passing by one day when i saw him looking at a picture box, he was by two humans in coitus (Porn) and i cling on to his body. I liked sex too, specially the taste of men. Now i only influence him he watch it and i get to feed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After further questioning These were revealed....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are building power among humans, it is easy now that they are seduced easily in the present. Food for us is not rare anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our kind cant know each other's gender until the season comes. When it comes they rip each other with claws to feed on each other. So we find satisfaction while clinging on to humans and letting them do our bidding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have captured the other parts of the world (this happened in Asia), almost all of those humans are born among us when they die. Soon we will establish our power here too (Asia)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not some article but a national newspaper published by a one of the most well respected monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What can we take as reference from the teaching to understand this &amp;amp; What would be the proper cause of action other than precepts?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T11:23:01.683" Title="Lower realms rising?" Tags="|realms|reality|human|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17804" CreationDate="2016-10-09T01:29:40.213" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the man was a monk, he would eventually be expelled from the monastic order. Similarly, if the man's mind has been consumed by pornography to the  point his behaviour is contrary to social norms, he should probably be forbidden from entering the temple. Often, people with addictions cannot be helped, until those people can recognise for themselves they have a serious problems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four brahma vihara (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;upeka&lt;/em&gt;) include equanimity when we wish to help someone but are unable to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the monks who are responsible for the temple should probably telephone the police to remove the deranged man from temple. Buddhism does not have the power to save everyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-09T01:34:57.410" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T01:34:57.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2016-10-09T02:00:17.577" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha characterized our human lives as &quot;dukkha&quot;.  Often translated as &quot;suffering&quot;, but that is really a bit dramatic.  A more accurate definition is &quot;unsatisfactoriness.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &quot;Unsatisfactoriness&quot; doesn't arise from life itself, but rather from our response to it.  As was said in Hamlet, &quot;there's nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist solution to suffering is not to change the external world, but to change our thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10170" LastEditorUserId="10170" LastEditDate="2016-10-09T02:07:59.070" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T02:07:59.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2122" CreationDate="2016-10-09T03:04:20.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;More traditionally, Buddhism is concerned with achieving enlightenment&#xA;  and ending the rebirth process.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, the word 'traditionally' means 'culturally', which means not the real Buddhism. The original Buddhism found in the Pali scriptures did not focus on ending the 'rebirth process'. It focusing on ending suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From a more modern perspective, Buddhism is primarily concerned with&#xA;  ending suffering&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not true. From the original perspective, Buddhism is primarily concerned with ending suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I realize that it is much more nuanced than this, but I am speaking in gross generalities.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not more nuanced. The sole purpose of Buddhism, to quote the Pali scriptures, is the '&lt;em&gt;unshakable freedom of mind&lt;/em&gt;'. The sole purpose of Buddhism is freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This question really only applies to the working, modern interpretation of Buddhism.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it does not. How can there be a &quot;modern&quot; Buddhism that is different from original Buddhism? If the modern version was different how can it be called &quot;Buddhism&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If the goal is to end suffering, why don't Buddhists simply kill themselves?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to kill oneself because living or life is not the cause of suffering. Buddhism teaches ignorance, craving &amp;amp; attachment are the causes of suffering. Suffering is created by wrong (mental) views rather than by being alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I suppose this pertains to how they see themselves after death. If&#xA;  they believe in some shade of &quot;nothingness&quot; after death, I would think&#xA;  all Buddhists would commit suicide.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not relevant &amp;amp; also is inconsistent with the claimed &quot;scientific&quot; or &quot;secular&quot; approach. Science generally believes there is nothing after death therefore why do not all psychologists commit suicide? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I also understand that different sects of Buddhism will probably have different answers.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Valid point, possibly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I am mostly curious as to what modern, practicing Buddhists believe--particularly those that reconcile Buddhism with modern&#xA;  science.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, at the heart of each Buddhist school will be found the teaching that attaching to the five aggregates is suffering i.e., the five aggregates are not oneself. Thus, what happens after death is not so relevant. Suffering is arising in the here &amp;amp; now due to not-knowing, craving &amp;amp; attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This question is really a segue for me to understand the existential beliefs of Buddhism. I can read about the teachings of Buddhism, but I&#xA;  do not understand the &quot;why&quot; behind it all. If I can understand why&#xA;  Buddhists do not commit suicide, I hope to gain a greater&#xA;  understanding into how they view the meaning of life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Committing suicide is not required to end suffering. Buddhism explains Nirvana (perfect peace) can be found in the here-&amp;amp;-now by putting into practise the Noble Eightfold Path while living. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-09T03:21:00.563" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T03:21:00.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="74" CreationDate="2016-10-09T05:58:02.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What, precisely, is kamma/karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no answer to the above question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is not in the Oxford Dictionaries. Thus its meaning is dependent on the user.&#xA;Karma is defined in the Oxford Dictionary, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition of karma in English:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1[mass noun] (in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia defines it as follows:&#xA;Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म; IPA: [ˈkərmə] ( listen); Pali: kamma) means action, work or deed;[1] it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect).[2] Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.[3][4] Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions.[5] In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives - one's saṃsāra.[6]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With origins in ancient India, karma is a key concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism,[7] and Taoism.[8].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is no precise definition for Karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word Kamma is not found in the Nikaya Texts of Theravada; however, it is found in compounds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A word kammaṃ is found in the Nikaya texts. The words &lt;em&gt;cetanāhaṃ bhikkave kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/em&gt; is an example of usage. The meaning of the word is not understood is clear from the discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T05:58:02.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17804" CreationDate="2016-10-09T06:04:21.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This person could probably benefit from modern psychiatric treatment.  Unfortunately Buddha said it's impossible for insane people to make progress in dharma (stream enterer or higher).  Buddha didn't give detail on this subject.  I don't think Buddha ever talked about lower realms raising but he did talk about devil (mara) both literally and figuratively.   Meditation in first jhanna is enough for one to temporary elude from mara or dangers from sensual pleasures and anger.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T06:04:21.593" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17812" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-09T10:42:25.530" Score="2" ViewCount="174" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do ascetic practices create saṃvega? If so, how?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I am trying to find ways to create samvega - and I understand ascetic practices can help in that).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-09T15:26:55.283" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T19:06:27.283" Title="Do ascetic practices create samvega? If so, how?" Tags="|ascetic|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-09T11:06:59.140" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think we can show that the Noble Truths talk about &lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt; craving and attachment. We don't have to read them as craving &amp;quot;instead of&amp;quot; attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First note that the Noble Truths (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 22&lt;/a&gt;) describe the origination of stress as particular kind of craving, and this kind is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[b] &amp;quot;And what is the noble truth of the origination of stress? &lt;strong&gt;The&#xA;craving that makes for further becoming&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.092.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.92&lt;/a&gt; says specifically about the condition for suffering is a lot of things but begins with ignorance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With ignorance as a condition ...&#xA;With feeling as a condition there is craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With craving as a condition there is clinging/sustenance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With clinging/sustenance as a condition there is becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With becoming as a condition...old age &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Second Noble Truth (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 22&lt;/a&gt;), identifies non-&lt;strong&gt;attachment&lt;/strong&gt; (&amp;quot;letting go&amp;quot;) as the condition for the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[c] &amp;quot;And what is the noble truth of the cessation of stress? The&#xA;remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment,&#xA;release, &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt; of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the way to awakening was to simply to quit all desires (water, food, sleep, breath, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/suwat/attitude.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chanda&lt;/a&gt;, etc) &amp;quot;cold turkey&amp;quot;, then why would the Noble Truths tell us that &amp;quot;letting go&amp;quot; leads to cessation stress, rather than to say simply &amp;quot;quit food, water, breath, etc.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm almost in agreement with your second question, since the condition for cessation of stress is non-attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T23:56:12.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17804" CreationDate="2016-10-09T11:23:01.683" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;an unnatural state of mind which his friends first assumed to be a typical porn addiction&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't off the top of my head list symptoms of &amp;quot;a typical porn addiction&amp;quot;. So I'm not sure there is such a thing: could it be like saying, &amp;quot;This sour milk is a typical witch infestation&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, there's an English verb &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=to%20demonize&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;to demonize&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; that might be relevant:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;portray as wicked and threatening.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;seeking to demonize one side in the conflict&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some examples a &amp;quot;demonizing&amp;quot; porn (in that sense of the word &amp;quot;demonize&amp;quot;) might include saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Porn is wicked&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You'll go to hell if you watch porn&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People who like porn are (or become) evil&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Porn is addictive&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are a porn addict&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some alternative statements which are, IMO, kinder:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Porn is unsatisfactory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There are other, more satisfactory states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While you watch porn, you don't learn how to be alone with yourself, and/or to be with others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I suggest you avoid &amp;quot;demonizing&amp;quot; people and their activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here for example is a (non-Buddhist) set of mottos which helped to guide preschool teachers: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.empowermentresources.com/info2/childrenlearn-long_version.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Children Learn What They Live&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;... etc. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What can we take as reference from the teaching to understand this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some references to possession in the Vinaya; for example, on page 308 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Patimokkha Rules&#xA;Translated &amp;amp; Explained&#xA;by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Raw flesh and blood are allowed at Mv.VI.10.2 only when one is possessed&#xA;by non-human beings. Thus, in more ordinary circumstances, one may not eat&#xA;raw fish or meat even if of an allowable kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some mention of exorcism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vibhanga states that bhikkhu who kills a “non-human being”—a&#xA;yakkha, naga, or peta—incurs a thullaccaya. The Commentary adds a devata to&#xA;this list, and goes on to say that a spirit possessing a human being or an animal&#xA;can be exorcised in either of two ways. The first is to command it to leave: This&#xA;causes no injury to the spirit and results in no offense. The second is to make a&#xA;doll out of flour paste or clay and then to cut off various of its parts (!). If one cuts&#xA;off the hands and feet, the spirit loses its hands and feet. If one cuts off the head,&#xA;the spirit dies, which is grounds for a thullaccaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Appendix I of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part 2 (Khandhaka Rules)&lt;/a&gt; mentions insanity as a reason why a monk may or may not be present at a community meeting (i.e. the meeting may be held with or without them). I don't know how/whether monks distinguish between &amp;quot;possession&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;insanity&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ratana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.32.0.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atanatiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; are examples of suttas which describe how to pacify demons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Book of Protection - Paritta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Book of Protection which is an anthology of selected discourses of the Buddha compiled by the teachers of old, was originally meant as a handbook for the newly ordained novice. The idea was that those novices who are not capable of studying large portions of the &amp;quot;Discourse Collection&amp;quot; (sutta pitaka) should at least be conversant with the Book of Protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What would be the proper cause of action other than precepts?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;a href=&quot;https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120126134631AA7rcdg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a story attributed to Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was once a woman in Thailand who was said to be posessed. She was violent: she'd attack anyone and everyone. She never cleaned herself. She screamed and cursed at passers by. One day, the villagers went to see Ajahn Chah, hoping to get him to exorcise the demon. Ajahn Chah hemmed and hawed, and the villagers persisted till he said, &amp;quot;fine...bring her by tomorrow.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next day, the villagers brought her to the monastery. Ajahn Chah had some monks dig a hole, and told another one to go boil some water. So off they went. They held the woman down in the hole, and he kept shouting for the monks to hurry with the water. When they came back with a steaming kettle of boiling water, he said, &amp;quot;Okay...we have to pour the water on her. That will get the demon out.&amp;quot; They held the kettle over the woman as if to pour it, and the woman stopped her behavior and calmed down. He was able to talk to her about her problems and help her from that point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People confuse mental illness with demon posession. Ajahn Chah knew she wasn't posessed. It wasn't demons. She was in horrible pain and needed help, but no one could help her as long as she was acting the way she did. People who are &amp;quot;posessed&amp;quot; need professional help, not an exorcism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not to say that even &amp;quot;professional help&amp;quot; is necessarily effective. Mental illness is difficult to treat. All the more reason for metta, IMO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still at the moment I think of it as a form of wrong view: for example, thinking &amp;quot;I am me&amp;quot; (or whatever it is that people think) is a form of identity-view. Similarly, thinking &amp;quot;I am human&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;I am a supreme being&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;I am a demon&amp;quot; are also, IMO, apparently examples of identity-view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're talking with someone who is expressing that kind of insanity I think you're supposed to avoid confirming their delusion; for example&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Saying &amp;quot;No you're &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; a demon&amp;quot; can be counter-productive because it's contradicting them (how would you like it if I contradicted you -- if you came up to me an said, &amp;quot;Hi there, I'm Theravada&amp;quot; and I replied &amp;quot;No you are not&amp;quot;?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is based on theory that saying &amp;quot;I am a demon&amp;quot; is trying to communicate something. Whatever it's trying to communicate, it's not communicating it well/clearly, but that's their 'personal truth' and it's not good enough to simply deny what they're trying to say. It's miscommunication, but you shouldn't contradict (i.e. deny that there was any communication at all). So instead of denying, you might reply something like, &amp;quot;Are you telling me that you're feeling bad?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Saying &amp;quot;Yes you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; demon&amp;quot; can be counter-productive because that confirms their delusion, and is I think an expression of a wrong/reifying view whereas you ought to be offering them something gentle and real (how would you like it if I came up to you and said, &amp;quot;Hi, you're a demon&amp;quot;?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you do meet a demon I think that metta (and, maybe, faith: faith that the Buddha and Dhamma can help whatever ails them) is the proper course of action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T11:23:01.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17746" CreationDate="2016-10-09T18:33:24.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving is not good because it is more than an unconscious attachment--it is an uncontrollable addiction... and it is an extreme form of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment can be good. Having an attachment to Dharma can be good, having an attachment to truth, good words, etc. leads to unconscious inclination towards factors of the Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did declare that we must have a strong attachment to Dharma and then eventually must abandon it. But he never said we need craving for anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment to everything including the idea of attachment itself is eliminated as one dissolves into complete enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the idea of eliminating this attachment-to-attachment. It might seem like just playing with words. At the ultimate state there is no such thing as attachment, no nothing and no not-nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is something to meditate on when doing vipassana to be free from mind-objects and the idea of freedom form it in itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T18:33:24.667" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17812" CreationDate="2016-10-09T18:46:40.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samvega is a sense of urgency to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this light, &lt;strong&gt;yes, ascetic practice and all distasteful events lead to samvega for all aspirants of the Way because of the first two &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i.e. when someone is mindful and investigates, then it turns into samvega.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Almost all ascetic practices, &quot;good&quot; (fasting) and &quot;bad&quot; (self-abuse), do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my extensive experiences in the healthy spiritual practice of fasting, when fasting for more than a day I definitely more intensely realize more of what is most important in life... though I can push this to the background of my mind still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be due to the mental clarity and energies freed up (that normally go into digestion) or it may be due to the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) system becoming activated. It may be a combination of both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self-abuse and pain also lead to samvega as one is triggered to think about death and of course liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may only be true for Buddhists though or those who have connected the idea of &quot;liberation&quot; with &quot;death.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand&lt;/strong&gt;, a person who is ignorant of a way leading out of birth-and-death may just immediately shirk away from the pain, missing the chance to contemplate life-and-death and instead seek out and comfort themselves in hedonistic pleasure instead of the pleasure of self-cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-10-09T20:40:00.987" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T20:40:00.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17812" CreationDate="2016-10-09T20:16:27.680" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ascetic practices do not necessarily let someone acquire Wisdom of Samvega. You can see examples below. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When prince Siddhārtha saw four Nimitas (Old man, Sick man, Dead man and Monk) he was having the best of kinghood, the best of materials that a king can earn and have. He also had a very beautiful wife and life was on the bed of rose petals. But when he saw four Nimitas, he acquired Wisdom of Samvega and did retreat to find the truth about sufferings and escape from sufferings (free from suffering). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another example about a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paccekabuddha&lt;/a&gt;. He was also a king and he got Samvega- while he was watching one of his maids preparing fragrance (Sandalwood paste); he heard the two gold bracelets on the maid's arm hit each other and made sound. Eventually he became Paccekabuddha-hood after his mind did not attach to anything (from Samvega to Nirvana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the two examples above, it is not necessary to be ascetic to obtain Samvega. Even if it is pleasing sense, one can get Samvega if he/she can think all the pleasing sense come into existence finally become depleted, finally come to an end. By this way, many people got &quot;wisdom of Samvega&quot; before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T20:16:27.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17798" CreationDate="2016-10-09T20:54:10.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sal Tree has &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shorea_robusta#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Religious significance&lt;/a&gt; in Buddhism. It was believed that the prince Siddhārtha was born under Sal Tree and Gautama Buddha did Parinibbana (DN 16) under the pair of Sal Trees. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sal tree in Sri Lanka might be different from India and Burma but if people do respect to sal trees, it must be the two reasons above.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T20:54:10.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5203" CreationDate="2016-10-09T22:34:23.397" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is neither group nor solo practice. It is a false distinction. The delusion of duality perpetuates this illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10174" LastActivityDate="2016-10-09T22:34:23.397" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17820" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17822" CreationDate="2016-10-09T22:46:43.020" Score="0" ViewCount="84" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do you find out the source of a sutta? For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.109.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 109&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;begin&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we know who this author is? Is there general guidance on who to attribute the suttas to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T01:38:05.927" Title="Finding the source of a sutta" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17820" CreationDate="2016-10-10T01:19:18.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the back stories are included in the commentaries. For English readers I recommend Mr. Piya Tan's translations and commentaries which are available at www.dharmafarer.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T01:19:18.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17820" CreationDate="2016-10-10T01:38:05.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about this but according to Wikipedia (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils#First_Buddhist_council_.28c._400_BCE.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) it was Ananda who narrated the stories in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A council of 500 Arahats was held at Rajgir (Sanskrit: Rājagaha) to agree the contents of the Dhamma and Vinaya. Ananda recited the Suttas, such that each begins: ‘Thus have I heard’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T01:38:05.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17823" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-10T07:35:22.243" Score="7" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am an Australian monk at Pa Auk Tawya in Myanmar. For my studies I need some tipitaka translations to read on my kindle (available from amazon).&#xA;I have no means to pay for these. Any suggestions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10175" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T16:25:04.507" Title="Help for a monks studies" Tags="|monk|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-10-20T22:49:24.820" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12981" CreationDate="2016-10-10T17:49:53.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As to Buddhist point of view what is sleep and how to cope with it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/TheTibetianYogasOfDreamAndSleep&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All of our experience, including dream, arises from ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, he goes further:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This sequence of experiences shows us something about karmic traces.&#xA;  When the man was young, he reacted to the fighting in his home with fear,&#xA;  anger, and hurt. He felt aversion toward the fighting, a normal response, and&#xA;  this aversion left a trace in his mind. Decades later he passes a house and hears fighting; this is the secondary condition that stimulates the old karmic trace, which manifests in a dream that night.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the dream, the man reacts to the dream-partner's provocation with feelings of anger and hurt. This response is governed by the karmic traces that were collected in his mental consciousness as a child and that have probably been reinforced many times since. When the dream-partner who is wholly a projection of the man's mind provokes him, his reaction is aversion, just as when he was a child. The aversion that he feels in the dream is the new action that creates a new seed. When he wakes he is stuck in the negative emotions that are the fruit of prior karmas; he feels estranged and withdrawn from his partner. To complicate matters further, the partner reacts from her karmically determined habitual tendencies, perhaps becoming short-tempered, withdrawn, apologetic, or subservient, and the man again reacts negatively, sowing yet another karmic seed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All has to do with karmic traces:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All samsaric experience is shaped by karmic traces. Moods, thoughts, emotions, mental images, perceptions, instinctive reactions, &quot;common sense,&quot; and even our sense of identity are all governed by the workings of karma. For example, you may wake up feeling depressed. [...] There may be a&#xA;  hundred reasons for this depression to occur on this particular morning, and it may manifest in a myriad of ways. It may also manifest during the night as a dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In dream, the karmic traces manifest in consciousness unfettered by the&#xA;  rational mind with which we so often rationalize away a feeling or a fleeting&#xA;  mental image. We can think of the process like this: during the day the&#xA;  consciousness illuminates the senses and we experience the world, weaving&#xA;  sensory and psychic experiences into the meaningful whole of our life. At night the consciousness withdraws from the senses and resides in the base. If we have developed a strong practice of presence with much experience of the empty, luminous nature of mind, then we will be aware of and in this pure, lucid awareness. But for most of us the consciousness illuminates the obscurations, the karmic traces, and these manifest as a dream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In dream yoga, this understanding of karma is used to train the mind to react differently to experience, resulting in new karmic traces from which are generated dreams more conducive to spiritual practice. It is not about force, about the consciousness acting imperially to oppress the unconscious. Dream yoga relies instead upon increased awareness and insight to allow us to make positive choices in life. Understanding the dynamic structure of experience and the consequences of actions leads to the recognition that every experience of any kind is an opportunity for spiritual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dream practice also gives us a method of burning the seeds of future karma&#xA;  during the dream. If we abide in awareness during a dream, we can allow the&#xA;  karmic traces to self-liberate as they arise and they will not continue on to&#xA;  manifest in our life as negative states. As in waking life, this will only happen if we can remain in the non-dual awareness of &lt;em&gt;rigpa&lt;/em&gt;, the clear light of the mind. If this is not possible for us, we can still develop tendencies to choose spiritually positive behavior even in our dreams until we can go beyond preferences and dualism altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ultimately, when we purify the obscurations until none remain, there is no&#xA;  film, no hidden karmic influences that color and shape the light of our&#xA;  consciousness. Because karmic traces are the roots of dreams, when they arc&#xA;  entirely exhausted only the pure light of awareness remains: no movie, no story, no dreamer and no dream, only the luminous fundamental nature that is&#xA;  absolute reality. This is why enlightenment is the end of dreams and is known&#xA;  as &quot;awakening.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10129" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T17:49:53.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17812" CreationDate="2016-10-10T19:03:05.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone can arise into samvega, spontaneously. In the West, it is discouraged as a non normative realization which leads to cognitive dissonance. But at any moment, ascetic practice or not, one can stumble into samvega, given fortunate causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In its most simple form, samvega is the thing which causes us to start practicing. To try to find a way out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This talk may be of help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.abhayagiri.org/audio/samvega-and-the-flailing-fish&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Samvega and the Flailing Fish &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ajahn Thanissaro defines samvega as “the oppressive sense of shock, dismay, and alienation that come with realizing the futility and meaninglessness of life as it's normally lived...and an anxious sense of urgency in trying to find a way out of the meaningless cycle.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-10T19:06:27.283" LastActivityDate="2016-10-10T19:06:27.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14236" CreationDate="2016-10-10T23:23:59.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As well as the suttas which are listed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14240/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are translations from the Vinaya &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;linked here&lt;/a&gt; on Access to Insight (many of the PDFs are commentaries rather than translations).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This page&lt;/a&gt; (from 2005) of Access to Insight implies (though I don't know if that's true) that many of the Abhidhamma books haven't even been translated at all, let alone made available in eBook format. Still, there is at least &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt;, a commentary in PDF format. There are also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga#English_translations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;translations of the Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt; (not sure whether that counts as tipitaka).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are many PDFs at &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&lt;/a&gt; including suttas, Pali grammars, texts from the vinaya, dhammapada, jataka, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There's an eBook library at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistelibrary.org/en/index.php?lang=english&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhistelibrary.org/en/index.php?lang=english&lt;/a&gt; (which may have some books not found elsewhere, in its &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistelibrary.org/en/index.php?cat=7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravada Texts&lt;/a&gt; category).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;These &lt;a href=&quot;http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/indexes/idx_downloads.htm#pts_pdfs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pali Text Society Publications&lt;/a&gt; are suttas in PDF format (actually they're ZIP files with a PDF inside, I don't know whether you can unzip on the Kindle, or need to download and then unzip before copying to Kindle).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-11T08:50:47.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2016-10-11T06:42:26.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The world is full of ideas. The ideas themselves do not cause wrong view. The solution is not ignorance. Opening one's mind to them, or education, is the opposite of ignorance. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mindandlife.org/mission/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mind and Life Institute&lt;/a&gt; is a living example of doing so by one of Buddhism's most advanced practitioners -  the Dalai Lama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-10-11T06:42:26.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17829" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17831" CreationDate="2016-10-11T18:31:06.870" Score="5" ViewCount="288" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been using &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/mental-noting/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mental Noting&lt;/a&gt; to improve my handling of anxious thoughts and emotions but I ran into a strange situation today. Most of my thoughts have been neutral or negative, and mentally noting such thoughts has allowed me to disassociate myself with any such passing clouds in my mind so that I can continue about my day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, after a physically gloomy day today I saw the sun come out and light up the city. I initially felt very happy seeing the sun shine across the buildings but then my habit of noting came in the picture and I felt a distance between me and the emotion (just as I would an anxious emotion). From what I understand, this is what the practice calls for me to do in any type of event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there something I'm doing wrong or missing here? It seems that long-term noting will cause me to put a distance between pleasurable moments just as it would with negative ones? Why would I want this? I enjoy such emotions and whatever pain I experience from them being so fleeting is worth it. I'd rather maintain the duration by which I experience such moments, not shorten it with noting. I'm not sure what perspective to have in such cases and whether there is some greater benefit to continuing to do this for all situations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10184" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T14:22:02.020" Title="Benefits of &quot;Mental Noting&quot; during positive events?" Tags="|mindfulness|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17830" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17870" CreationDate="2016-10-11T20:05:24.930" Score="3" ViewCount="626" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the meaning of &lt;em&gt;'awareness of the flow'&lt;/em&gt;? Does that mean awareness of the continuous flow of arising and passing away of all conditioned things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase is mentioned on several occasions by Stephen Levine in '&lt;em&gt;A Gradual Awakening&lt;/em&gt;' (which is a book in which the author &quot;writes about his experiences with and insights into vipassana meditation&quot;); for instance at p. 39:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By gently letting go of everything—not through force, not by slaying it, but simply seeing all the content as passing show, as process and flow—we become the whole of our experience and open to our natural understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example p. 57:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We can observe [with our practice] what anger feels like, what joy feels like, what separation from the flow feels like, what fear or worry feels like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last example p. 58:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Hindrances] distract us from an even-minded awareness of the flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-14T10:16:35.407" LastActivityDate="2016-10-18T05:06:22.630" Title="What does 'awareness of the flow' mean" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-10-11T22:55:38.450" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I spoke before about the power of narratives. Narratives is how our mental world is shaped, narratives is one of the main ways to control the sukha/dukha mechanism described in the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, mental noting is a special case of narrative. By looking at thoughts and emotions in a certain way (&quot;in and off themselves&quot; as Buddha said in Satipatthana) we create a special philosophical narrative in which the thoughts are things of a different order than they are in our regular everyday context. We look at them neutrally, philosophically. Hence the dissociation effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, mental noting is just one way to do narrative. The idea is to be the master of your thoughts (via control of the context / frame of reference) instead of being driven by your thoughts (being locked in a certain context). So don't fall in the same trap with your positive experiences, you don't have to shape it in a way that does not induce positive states of mind. You are totally free to create any sort of narrative (assuming it is true, not harmful, and does not go contrary to Dharma) - as long as it drives you up. In fact the whole point of the First Jhana is to learn to control your mood via narratives (and then directly, in the Second Jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-10-11T22:55:38.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-10-12T05:47:04.113" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being happy seeing the sun shine across the buildings is a relatively harmless, simple &amp;amp; beautiful pleasure however, according to Buddhism, it remains a 'sensual pleasure' that the mind depends on or takes refuge in for happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches about an even greater happiness or pleasure when the mind experiences the 'non-sensual pleasure' of meditation/concentration/&lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.21.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 209&lt;/a&gt; states:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater&#xA;  happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the&#xA;  greater.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T05:47:04.113" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-10-12T10:32:12.737" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theory: if you don't acknowledge positive state, you are likely to become more attached to it and have suffering when it ceases (that's what the mind does automatically: liking → craving → (later) disappointment). You've known this for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking (but I am only guessing based on what you write) you should acknowledge/note &lt;strong&gt;very carefully&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;liking and disliking&lt;/strong&gt; of conditions (of anxiety, negative thoughts, happy states etc);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the &lt;strong&gt;intent to change a condition&lt;/strong&gt; by noting - this might come after the previous (liking &amp;amp; disliking), if you don't note it. You seem to have the habit of avoiding unpleasant stuff by noting; so you avoid the condition by diverting your attention, replacing hatred by ignorance (both are roots of suffering; the third one is craving, as you know). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the &lt;strong&gt;feelings&lt;/strong&gt; of distance, disconnection, maybe sadness, isolation, loneliness etc. Disengagement has its price. (I am happy you could overcome your negative thoughts but maybe you need to overcome side-effects of that treatment now.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not (ab)use noting to manipulate your experience, whatever it is, even if it is terrible: note the dislike, terrible, hate, anger, whatever it brings up. The goal is that you can fully experience negative, positive and neutral states, without making them go away or stay longer. Vipassana means &quot;seeing clearly&quot; - not &quot;seeing clearly but only what I like&quot; :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T10:32:12.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2016-10-12T14:47:42.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To be short and to the point, no. It is my understanding that &lt;em&gt;Pure Desire&lt;/em&gt; is the absolute teaching of Buddhism. So, as long as you don't get the feeling that you must due to the desire, you should still reach nirvana based on this issue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10190" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2016-10-12T19:22:03.523" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T19:22:03.523" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2016-10-12T16:21:49.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think what described here is that (it says IF), if in case that person posesses good kamma (he/she gained from previous lives or good kamma that can erase bad) enough to bring him/ her back to human state but not to hell, then he/she will have a short-lived lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes it happens like this also;&#xA;He/she suffers in hell for a long time (too long), and when finaly he/she is done spending his/her kamma relevant to the hell state, born again as an animal. (may go to ghost world as well) then once that kamma is also spent, then goes back to human state but with short-lives; Until all kamma relevant for that mis-deed is finaly spent off. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for my english, im not a good writer in buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3538" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T16:21:49.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="82" CreationDate="2016-10-12T16:41:33.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are a Tantric Buddhist, you could use Mathematics and Science AS a path to enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the word 'wrong' is not relative to some 'right' which is known to Buddhists. The Eightfold path is a conjecture that &quot;seems to work ok&quot;, but the Buddha himself said there were innumerable paths besides it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, this question could be answered in many ways, from many different viewpoints. It all depends on how you have decided to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is too large a viewpoint to answer this question.. you need to narrow it to what vehicle, and even flavor, of Buddhism as it is practiced in the world to get a meaningful answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: It seems that many here are pointing out that studying a difficult subject outside of Buddhism can lead to pride or distraction or attachment. I agree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The broad point I am trying to make is that this is not any different than being prideful in anything, and does not in itself constitute a danger to your path, any more than being prideful in your appearance, strength, or taste in wine would be. In this way, there is no difference between Math and Literature, or between Physics and Dharma Studies. Thus, I maintain that there is no area of knowledge that will lead you to being more prone to pride, &lt;strong&gt;as long as you maintain your path while learning it&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastEditorUserId="3629" LastEditDate="2016-10-17T21:06:31.817" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T21:06:31.817" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14760" CreationDate="2016-10-12T22:54:05.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The optic nerve first goes to the amygdala where emotion resides and then to a large processing area to the back of the head where the image is formed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So indeed feeling is first but still this knowledge must be realized for oneself by oneself through meditative attention or else it is just intellectual knowlegde. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-10-12T22:54:05.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17839" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-13T00:46:26.207" Score="5" ViewCount="4409" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any reference/citation saying that Buddhism or Buddha's teachings will last only 5,000 years after Buddha's Mahaparinirvana? How can this be possible if more people like to learn more about Buddha's teachings and Buddhism? Is there any weak point in Buddhism or Buddha's teachings that it is going to cease to accept and learn any more by people because that particular point is no longer adaptable by current/future generation? It could be related to moral principles, rules, disciplines, as well as concepts and ideas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2019-09-07T05:19:00.317" Title="Will Buddhism last only 5,000 years after Buddha's Mahaparinirvana?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|teaching|rules|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17839" CreationDate="2016-10-13T01:40:16.363" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Vinaya (monk's rules), it is said (somewhere) the Buddha's teachings would last for 500 years (rather than 5,000 years). Many Buddhists claim this did not come true therefore the Vinaya teaching is false, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The passages surveyed so far help to set into context the prophecy that because an order of bhikkhunīs had come into existence during the&#xA;  lifetime of the Buddha, the duration of the teachings will be&#xA;  shortened to 500 years (Cv X.1). Now this prophecy is surprising,&#xA;  since once would not expect the Buddha to do something which he knew&#xA;  in advance would have such an effect. In fact, the prophecy in the way&#xA;  it is recorded in the Vinaya has not come true, as after 2,500 years&#xA;  the teaching is still in existence. Even the bhikkhunī order was still&#xA;  in existence in India in the 8th century and thus more than a 1,000&#xA;  years after the time of the Buddha.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thubtenchodron.org/2014/09/arguments-for-against-full-nun-order/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu Anālayo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, this was later altered by the scholar Buddhaghosa to 5,000 years (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&amp;amp;t=22447&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the majority of Buddhists, including Bhikkhu Anālayo, seem to often interpret many Buddhist teachings in a manner contrary to the original spirit of the teachings (such as, originally, the teachings of the Buddha were to be only accepted upon personal verification rather than through mere faith in unknown things). This seems to make an argument the 500 year prophecy actually came true in respect to the mainstream Buddhist religion. This video seems to make such an argument: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZgYgZhuF4Q&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The True Dhamma Has Disappeared: Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, the Pali scriptures are mostly still pure so they do continue to exist in their purity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the course of the future there will be monks who won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their&#xA;  meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited.&#xA;  They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing them, won't&#xA;  regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will&#xA;  listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets,&#xA;  elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of&#xA;  disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on&#xA;  knowing them. They will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp;&#xA;  mastering. In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are&#xA;  words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent,&#xA;  connected with emptiness — will come about.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-13T03:34:53.963" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T03:34:53.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2016-10-13T08:51:34.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe only a Buddhist can understand Buddhism.&#xA;But enlightenment, do you think that an Asian have more chances to reach enlightenment than a European?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything based in the impermanence of our senses and mind will produce more ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also ignorant but I prefer lo live in a world where the enlightenment it is reachable from any living or not living form, and right here, right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10193" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T08:51:34.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2016-10-13T10:11:30.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a series of suttas at the very end of the Samyutta Nikaya, namely, SN 56.114 to SN 56.131, which appear to state 'hell beings', 'animals' &amp;amp; 'ghosts' can realise the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/0MPaR.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/0MPaR.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/PtW7y.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/PtW7y.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-13T10:18:22.690" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T10:18:22.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14236" CreationDate="2016-10-13T16:25:04.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can find here some selected sutta translations from the Pali Canon, as translated by Thanissaro Bhikku to English, in the azw3, mobi, epub and pdf formats. With Kindle, please use the mobi format for best results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's what you can find at this page:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta Pitaka, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (revised Jan. 21, 2016)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handful of Leaves, Volume I: an Anthology from the Digha Nikaya, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 17, 2016)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handful of Leaves, Volume II: an Anthology from the Majjhima Nikaya, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 31, 2015) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handful of Leaves, Volume III: an Anthology from the Samyutta Nikaya, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 31, 2015) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Handful of Leaves, Volume IV: an Anthology from the Anguttara Nikaya, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 19, 2016)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Itivuttaka: This was said by the Buddha, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 21, 2015)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Udana: Exclamations, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 21, 2015)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammapada: A Translation, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 10, 2014; pdf revised Dec 16, 2015) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Poems of the Elders: An Anthology from the Theragatha &amp;amp; Therigatha, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 19, 2016) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code, Volumes I &amp;amp; II, translated and explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Jan. 10, 2014)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T16:25:04.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17800" CreationDate="2016-10-13T17:11:12.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi is dedicated to teaching insight progress through jhana, following the original Pali suttas rather than the commentaries. He is the abbot of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3600" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T17:11:12.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-10-13T18:59:28.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;..has allowed me to disassociate myself with any such passing clouds..&quot;, sounds like annatta-sanna (perception of non-self) to me.  I dont think there is anything wrong with it.  As a matter of fact, Buddha encouraged us to stay in that perception.    and if focusing on &quot;passing clouds&quot;  that might even be an impermanent perception (annicca sanna).  These two perceptions are leading straight to nirvana.  I dont remember exact which to which, but Buddha compared perception of non-self as archer who can shoot far, and impermanent perception to sharp accurate shooter. Together makes a great archer who can destroy enemies.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-10-13T20:09:44.320" LastActivityDate="2016-10-13T20:09:44.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17830" CreationDate="2016-10-14T10:40:24.483" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the meaning of 'awareness of the flow'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read your question I actually think you gave a perfect answer, i.e. &lt;em&gt;&quot;...the continuous flow of arising and passing away of all conditioned things...&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not too familiar with Stephen Levine or his book but it sounds like he is teaching about exactly this quality of conditioned phenomena. What is this quality?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditioned phenomena is also called compounded phenomena, meaning that they consists of other phenomena that again consists of other phenomena. In other words, we are here dealing with phenomena based on causality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we have a Dhamma called the &lt;em&gt;Three Characteristics of Existence&lt;/em&gt;, which are &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt;. These characterize conditioned phenomena. In regard to the question, especially &lt;em&gt;impermanence and uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt; is important here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence shows that phenomena arise and cease. They come and go according to their respective causes and conditions. Uncontrollability shows that there is no stability or control to be found anywhere. One cannot exercise control over this &lt;em&gt;flow&lt;/em&gt;. Mahasi Sayadaw calls it therefore &lt;em&gt;oppressive and terrible&lt;/em&gt;. Oppressive is the incessant arising and ceasing of conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds very much as what Stephen Levine is teaching about and what you yourself are describing. Now, the Buddha once said that its okay to use conventional language but that one should not be fooled thereby. In this regard, it means that all these different words (concepts) really just mean the same thing. Its just different ways of teaching it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we really want to understand what &lt;em&gt;flow&lt;/em&gt; is then the practice of insight meditation should be undertaken. Intellectual knowledge only goes so far. With wisdom gained from insight meditation one will be able to see conditioned reality with ones own eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha taught about 7 taints that should be overcome and with what method they should be overcome. The first taint should be overcome by &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. The Four Noble Truths should be seen with ones own eyes. The truth about Samsara should be seen with ones own eyes, in here lies the incessant arising and ceasing of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By gently letting go of everything—not through force, not by slaying it, but simply seeing all the content as passing show, as process and flow—we become the whole of our experience and open to our natural understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might mean that when staying in the present moment and not letting the mind straying into past or future even for one moment, Wisdom (natural understanding) will arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We can observe [with our practice] what anger feels like, what joy feels like, what separation from the flow feels like, what fear or worry feels like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Separation from the flow, meaning that when the mind has wandered off into past or future one disconnects from ultimate reality and instead ventures into conceptual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What joy, fear or anger feels like, means to know the quality of that object when it arises, as it exists and when it disintegrates. To thoroughly contemplate the objects qualities and distinctive marks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Hindrances] distract us from an even-minded awareness of the flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When hindrances are present one cannot clearly see reality as it has been plastered over with many different colors of dye (example given by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-10-14T17:00:56.420" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T17:00:56.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14927" CreationDate="2016-10-14T11:47:04.430" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Actual incident is when Buddha was asked whether there is God or not?&#xA;He said &quot;there is no GOD&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But next day someone came and asked the same question now Buddha replied&#xA;&quot;YES, there is GOD&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually the name &quot;Shiva&quot; means that which is NOT.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;GOD Exist and he does not exist, as he is omnipresent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-14T12:38:24.283" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T12:38:24.283" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="123" CreationDate="2016-10-14T14:04:45.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We cannot find truth by studying and making comparisons among those so called scriptures of different theories time experienced , we have to experience our own doubts with humble and gentle    self precipitation, which needs very innocent and Self ignited mind , as an individual entity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10200" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T14:04:45.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14927" CreationDate="2016-10-14T14:27:55.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon refers to &quot;God&quot; (as distinct from gods) in several places. When the Buddha became enlightened, at first he hesitated to teach others, because he thought that his realization was too subtle and profound for others to understand. Recognizing what a great loss this would be to the world, God (in the form of Sahampati, chief of the Brahma world) appeared to the Buddha and entreated him to teach, much as Ananda entreated the Buddha to admit women to the sangha. Sahampati was very happy when the Buddha relented, something very difficult for devas to do, because he earned a lot of merit by inducing the Buddha to teach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God is also mentioned in connection with a monastic's search for the place where the elements cease as I recall. The monastic concentrated his mind and travelled in his mental body to the Brahma world, where Brahma appears as a broken record, mindlessly affirming his own divinity much like the Wizard of Oz. Privately taking the monastic aside, the chief of the Brahma realm explained that he did not know the answer to the question and recommended that the monastic ask the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the suttas explain that the notion of God arose as a result of the formation of a new universe, which appears out of a state of potentiality after the collapse of the previous universe. The first being to be reborn in such a universe sees that he is the first such being and the delusion arises in him that he is the creator of the universe. Subsequent beings are reborn as well, and they see that there was a first being, and the delusion arises in them that he is God. This is how religion (= theisim) arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One need not take these stories literally or historically to realize that they communicate real underlying theological ideas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T14:27:55.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17853" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17862" CreationDate="2016-10-14T16:28:24.323" Score="3" ViewCount="310" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does nibbāna relate to the 31 lokas and does rebirth into higher realms of existence precede enlightenment or result from it? Many thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T10:09:28.153" Title="How does enlightenment relate to the higher realms of existence?" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|nirvana|realms|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17839" CreationDate="2016-10-14T16:50:15.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The good Dhamma of penetration (&lt;em&gt;pativedhasaddhammo&lt;/em&gt;) will last five thousand years. The Dhamma of learning (&lt;em&gt;pariyattidhammo&lt;/em&gt;) will also last this long. For without learning, there is no penetration, and as long as there is learning, there is penetration&quot; (quoted from the &lt;em&gt;Manorathpurani&lt;/em&gt; in Bodhi, trans., &lt;em&gt;The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; p. 1805, n. 1747). Each millennium represents a progressive diminution in dharma attainment, passing through five stages of analytic knowledge, dry-insight arhantship, non-returning, once-returning, and stream enterering. (&quot;Dry insight&quot; appears to refer to attainment without jhana.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, arhants only appear for the first two thousand years of the Buddhist dispensation according to this schema. If we take this literally and accept the modern date of circa 400 BCE for the &lt;em&gt;Parinibbana,&lt;/em&gt; this refers to the period ending circa 1600 CE. Thus, according to this schema, the attainment of arhantship is no longer possible and non-returning is the best we can hope for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some authorities refer to a minor cycle of five periods of five hundred years each, which will be completed circa 2100 CE, including the &lt;em&gt;mappo&lt;/em&gt; or 'degenerate age' or millenium that began about 1000 CE. This was celebrated in 1956 based on the erroneous Theravadin Buddhist era (BE) that dates the &lt;em&gt;Parinibbana&lt;/em&gt; to 544 or 545 BCE.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edward Conze cites a Burmese Theravadin sutta, dated to the mid-13th century by Andrew Dicks (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dc.uwm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1808&amp;amp;context=etd&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightening the Bats&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) called the An[a]gatavamsa to the effect that &quot;when the Dispensation of the Perfect Buddha is 5,000 years old, the relics, not receiving reverence and honour, will go to places where they can receive them. As time goes on and on there will not be reverence and honour for them in every place. At the time when the Dispensation is falling into (oblivion), all the relics, coming from every place: from the abode of serpents and the deva-world and the Brahma-world, having gathered together in the space round the great Bo-tree, having made a Buddha-image, and having performed a 'miracle' like the Twin-miracle, will teach Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No human being will be found at that place. All the devas of the ten-thousand world system, gathered together, will hear Dhamma and many thousands of them will attain to Dhamma. And these will cry aloud, saying: 'Behold, devatas, a week from today our One of the Ten Powers will attain complete Nirvana.' They will weep, saying: 'Henceforth there will be darkness for us.' Then the relics, producing the condition of heat, will burn up that image leaving no remainder. This, Sariputta, is called the disappearance of the relics&quot; (quoted in &lt;em&gt;Buddhist Texts through the Ages,&lt;/em&gt; pp. 49f.). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The An[a]gatavamsa also predicts that Metteyya (Skt. Maitreya) will appear before the end of the age (a vast but incalculable period of time). This sutta also refers to five disappearances: of attainment, conduct, learning, outward form, and finally the disappearance of the relics that constitutes the last stage referred to above. As we are now in the middle of the third millenium of the Buddhist era, according to this schema we are in the age of learning, which will last for almost another 600 years approximately (to circa 2600 CE). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This stage or age will be characterized by corrupt government, secularism, climate change, environmental degradation, the decline of the sangha, and the gradual disappearance of dharma from the world. (The Buddha also says in the Pali Canon that the sangha will end after about a thousand years, i.e., circa 600 CE.) This is the Theravadin schema. Other schools have different specific schemas, but all agree that the dharma will gradually decline over time and finally disappear entirely, but then be revived by the appearance of a future Buddha at some uncertain but distant time in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This five-thousand year schema is also repeated in the Surangama Sutra, an eighth-century Mahayana Ch'an sutra. I am not aware of any reference to the specific period of time in the Pali Canon itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The significance of five thousand years may be astrological. This is very close to the period of two astrological ages defined by the precession of the equinoxes. The classical calculation is based on one degree of precession per 72 years, which would equal 4,320 years, i.e., five millenia in round numbers. (A more accurate rate of 50.27 arc seconds per year gives a period of 4,296.8 years.) Since the signs of the zodiac alternate between positive and negative polarities, two ages constitute a complete binary cycle. Karl Jaspers places the advent of the Axial Age, of which the Buddha was the exemplary exponent, in the eighth century BCE. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Upanishads/samana movement, which deeply influenced the Buddha, may date back to the seventh century BCE. 799 BCE corresponds to the exact midpoint of the Age of Aries according to the current ayanamsa, which predicts the advent of the Age of Aquarius in 2424, corresponding to the appearance of Shambhala (global Buddhism) according to the Kalachakra. The Kalachakra appears to know the significance of the 2,500-year cycle as well as the midpoint of the Age of Aries too, as it puts the reign of King Suchandra, the first Shambhala king who requested teachings from the Buddha, from 900 to 876 BCE, and the twenty-five Kalki kings each reign for one hundred years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still others would date the five-thousand year cycle from the advent of the Kali Yuga in 3102 BCE instead of the &lt;em&gt;Parinibbana,&lt;/em&gt; identifying the advent of the end of the age with the end of the 19th century of the common era. One might also interpret the prophecy concerning the appearance of Maitreya to refer to the end of the five thousand year period (i.e., circa 4600 BCE) or even the Age of Aquarius (2424-4572 CE), but these interpretations are not consistent with other suttas that place Maitreya's appearance in a distant &quot;golden age&quot; of humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-29T17:43:15.293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T17:43:15.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-10-14T16:51:45.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Benefits of “Mental Noting” during positive events?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From an insight meditational perspective the benefit would be to cultivate impartiality and objectivity towards both pleasant and unpleasant sense objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is cultivating impartiality towards unpleasant phenomena but partiality towards pleasant phenomena, then one cannot really be free from attachment and ultimately suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Yuttadhammo likens pleasant phenomena to &lt;em&gt;sweet poison&lt;/em&gt;, i.e. the stuff people give to ants in order to exterminate them. The poison is sweet smelling so the ants bring it down to their nest, thereby poisoning all the other members too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pleasant sense objects is like this since they are conditioned meaning they are subject to constant change and flux. One cannot be free from addiction if endulging in either pleasant or unpleasant phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T16:51:45.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17800" CreationDate="2016-10-14T17:15:29.210" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw teaches both Samatha and Vipassana meditation. First one develops Jhanas and then one can progress to Vipassana if wanted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a description from the website of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/meditation.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pa-Auk Forest Monastery&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The meditation taught at Pa-Auk Tawya is based on the instructions by The Buddha as found in the Tipiṭaka (the Pāli Canon) and its commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, the main practice is to begin with Samatha (tranquility) meditation, which is to develop absorption concentration, also called jhāna. A yogi (meditator) is free to choose any of the forty Samatha subjects as taught by The Buddha. In Pa-Auk Tawya, most yogis develop jhāna with mindfulness-of-breathing (ānāpānassati).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having developed Samatha, the yogi may proceed to practise Vipassanā (insight) meditation&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T17:15:29.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1254" CreationDate="2016-10-14T17:34:25.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm assuming that by &quot;understand Buddhism&quot; you mean achieving arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is known as the &quot;teacher of humans and devas&quot; so at least both humans and devas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many suttas The Buddha gives teachings and instructions to devas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devas seem to be just like humans basically like extraterrestials, except most are longer-lived, experience more pleasure, are better looking with better brains, better senses, etc...many are possessed of iddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also likely that others like nagas, asuras, yakkhas, and other beings intelligent enough would be able to understand Buddhism because Maha-samaya Sutta (DN 20) mentions some of them as having iddhi power and visiting and taking refuge in The Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagas seem to be humanoid reptile-like beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in general most humans (and other beings in the universe) won't be able to understand Buddhism well enough to achieve arahantship and some are actually incapable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, one who hasn't abandoned nine things is incapable of realizing&#xA;  arahantship. Which nine? Passion, aversion, delusion, anger,&#xA;  resentment, arrogance, insolence, envy, &amp;amp; stinginess. One who hasn't&#xA;  abandoned these nine things is incapable of realizing arahantship.&quot;&#xA;  (AN 9.62)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could say that only arahants, paccekabuddhas, and sammasambuddhas understand Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also even beings that are willing and capable of achieving arahantship still won't, The Buddha uses similes of attempting to make a fire with wet wood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then these three similes — spontaneous, never before heard — appeared&#xA;  to me. Suppose there were a wet, sappy piece of timber lying in the&#xA;  water, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick,&#xA;  thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' Now what do you&#xA;  think? Would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing&#xA;  the upper fire-stick in the wet, sappy timber lying in the water?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because the timber is wet &amp;amp; sappy,&#xA;  and besides it is lying in the water. Eventually the man would reap&#xA;  only his share of weariness &amp;amp; disappointment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is with any brahman or contemplative who does not live&#xA;  withdrawn from sensuality in body &amp;amp; mind, and whose desire,&#xA;  infatuation, urge, thirst, &amp;amp; fever for sensuality is not relinquished&#xA;  &amp;amp; stilled within him: Whether or not he feels painful, racking,&#xA;  piercing feelings due to his striving [for Awakening], he is incapable&#xA;  of knowledge, vision, &amp;amp; unexcelled self-awakening. This was the first&#xA;  simile — spontaneous, never before heard — that appeared to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then a second simile — spontaneous, never before heard — appeared to&#xA;  me. Suppose there were a wet, sappy piece of timber lying on land far&#xA;  from water, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick,&#xA;  thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' Now what do you&#xA;  think? Would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing&#xA;  the upper fire-stick in the wet, sappy timber lying on land far from&#xA;  water?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because the timber is wet &amp;amp; sappy,&#xA;  even though it is lying on land far from water. Eventually the man&#xA;  would reap only his share of weariness &amp;amp; disappointment.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is with any brahman or contemplative who lives withdrawn from&#xA;  sensuality in body only, but whose desire, infatuation, urge, thirst,&#xA;  &amp;amp; fever for sensuality is not relinquished &amp;amp; stilled within him:&#xA;  Whether or not he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings due to his&#xA;  striving, he is incapable of knowledge, vision, &amp;amp; unexcelled&#xA;  self-awakening. This was the second simile — spontaneous, never before&#xA;  heard — that appeared to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then a third simile — spontaneous, never before heard — appeared to&#xA;  me. Suppose there were a dry, sapless piece of timber lying on land&#xA;  far from water, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick,&#xA;  thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' Now what do you&#xA;  think? Would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing&#xA;  the upper fire-stick in the dry, sapless timber lying on land?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because the timber is dry &amp;amp; sapless,&#xA;  and besides it is lying on land far from water.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So it is with any brahman or contemplative who lives withdrawn from&#xA;  sensuality in body &amp;amp; mind, and whose desire, infatuation, urge,&#xA;  thirst, &amp;amp; fever for sensuality is relinquished &amp;amp; stilled within him:&#xA;  Whether or not he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings due to his&#xA;  striving, he is capable of knowledge, vision, &amp;amp; unexcelled&#xA;  self-awakening. This was the third simile — spontaneous, never before&#xA;  heard — that appeared to me.&quot; (Maha-Saccaka Sutta, MN 36)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No matter how hard someone tries to make a fire even if they are willing and capable if their method is wrong they won't succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way no matter how hard someone tries to achieve arahantship even if they are willing and capable if their method is wrong they won't succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is doubtful that there any arahants or paccekabuddhas in the world right now. Even during The Buddha's time with his assistance and teaching there were only a few thousand arahants in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you could say that only arahants, paccekabuddhas, and sammasambuddhas understand Buddhism you could say that it is doubtful that anyone in the world right now understands Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There probably are however some humans in this world who have achieved higher states (jhanas) and developed iddhi powers (concentration) but still haven't achieved arahantship (the ending of mental fermentations), and also many who mistakenly believe themselves to be enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T17:34:25.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2016-10-14T17:59:05.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like an apple falls from a tree to the ground because of gravity, in the same way beings are born because of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not knowing the cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By not knowing the cause, beings search an end to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While searching for an end, beings do activities. Activities like: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This is me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This is mine.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I am this and that and that.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When I die, I'll go to heaven.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When I die, I'll be reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I wish I had a better life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I want that!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;That is what would make me happy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Oh I'm miserable! Let me be better.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These same activities in the moment of our death are the cause of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Activities is karma. Karma in the present, which defines our future. Karma from the past, which defines our present. Karma which gives us form over and over again. Which propels our births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In most beings activities arise because of not knowing an end to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how to see all this for yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Close your eyes and let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let go even of the perception of the object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let go even of the perception that you let go of the object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let go of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this very same &quot;state&quot; truth can be realized by asking yourself the question &quot;who am I?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing this, and asking yourself the question &quot;who am I&quot; a path will be entered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Who am I?&quot;, observe and let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observe. Let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learning will occur. New knowledge will be gained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many questions will be asked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many answered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One will lead to the next naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like an experienced detective drills to the motive of a murder, in the same way you will drill to the cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This path will lead you to the end of suffering. Along it, the truth about reincarnation will be realized too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5000" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T17:59:05.810" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17859" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17860" CreationDate="2016-10-14T19:16:21.210" Score="4" ViewCount="224" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding suffering -- craving and aversion and all which it results in -- exists in living beings to help sustain procreation, evolution, and life. Can the ideal of all beings attaining liberation, enlightenment, and thereby ending existence, then, be equated with the aspiration of the end of all life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T02:41:32.383" Title="Does the aim of enlightenment equal the aspiration of the end of all life?" Tags="|enlightenment|suffering|life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17859" CreationDate="2016-10-14T20:48:21.253" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It certainly seems that the cravings &amp;amp; aversions that result in suffering are also the instinctual or underlying tendencies ('&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;anusaya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;') that exist in living beings to help sustain procreation, evolution and physical life. This seems to be why the biological life of both animals &amp;amp; people involve the struggle for survival, the merciless devouring of the weak, wars &amp;amp; emotional heartbreaks, such as mothers mourning for their lost sons, children &amp;amp; family members killed in war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may seem like a contradiction but the Buddhist way of life has its foundation in harmlessness &amp;amp; thus the preservation of life. Where as the biological evolutionary life that includes cravings &amp;amp; aversions (but which also must include love &amp;amp; social co-operation), as already mentioned, often demonstrates a scant respect for life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in fables for children that later appeared in cultural Buddhism, there is the story of the Buddha in a past life deliberately &amp;amp; compassionately feeding his body to a starving tigress (female tiger) that had just given birth to offspring. The female tigress devoured the Buddha-To-Be without a thought. This shows how the craving tigress cared less for (another) life than the cravingless Buddha-To-Be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the idea of attaining liberation &amp;amp; enlightenment cannot be equated with the aspiration to end life because the sole goal of Buddhist practise is to improve life by ending both mental suffering &amp;amp; animalistic cruelty. Buddhism is about spiritual/wisdom evolution rather than biological evolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is called 'liberation' in Buddhism means 'liberation from suffering' (rather than liberation from life). To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This unshakeable deliverance (liberation) of mind is the goal of this holy life, its heartwood and its final end (culmination). &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Simile of the Heartwood&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have been baselessly, vainly, falsely, and wrongly misrepresented by some recluses and brahmins thus: ‘The recluse Gotama is one who&#xA;  leads astray; he teaches the annihilation, the destruction, the&#xA;  extermination of an existing being.’ As I am not, as I do not&#xA;  proclaim, so have I been baselessly, vainly, falsely and wrongly&#xA;  misrepresented by some recluses and brahmins thus: ‘The recluse Gotama&#xA;  is one who leads astray; he teaches the annihilation, the destruction,&#xA;  the extermination of an existing being.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, both formerly and now what I teach is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 22&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How can a fool gain gain the human ('humane') state...when there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous&#xA;  conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity...where there&#xA;  prevails mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak...when they have not seen the Four Noble Truths...leading to the cessation of suffering. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 56.47&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, enlightenment is equal to a higher or better way of &quot;life&quot;, which is why, as shown in the first quote above, it is called &quot;this holy life&quot;. Dhammapada verse 21 clarifies this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead&#xA;  already.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why a synonym for enlightenment is 'The Deathless'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The destruction of lust, hatred and delusion: this is called the final goal of the holy life. SN 45.20&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The destruction of greed, hatred, and delusion: this is called the unconditioned. SN 42.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The destruction of greed, hatred, and delusion: this is called the deathless. SN 45.7&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote again from MN 140 about the Deathless:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By overcoming all conceivings, bhikkhu, one is called a sage at peace. And the sage at peace is not born, does not age, does not die;&#xA;  he is not shaken and does not yearn. For there is nothing present in&#xA;  him by which he might be born. Not being born, how could he age? Not&#xA;  ageing, how could he die? Not dying, how could he be shaken? Not being&#xA;  shaken, why should he yearn?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude,  the ideal of attaining liberation &amp;amp; enlightenment cannot be equated with the aspiration to end life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the ideal of &lt;strong&gt;all beings&lt;/strong&gt; attaining liberation (which would probably end human life but not all life), this is only found in Mahayana Buddhism and did not exist in the original Pali Buddhism, as shown in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Uttiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. From the very beginning, the Buddha never believed all beings could reach enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Out of compassion for beings, I surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did so, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes&#xA;  and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull,&#xA;  those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and&#xA;  those hard, some of them seeing disgrace &amp;amp; danger in the other world.&#xA;  MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-14T22:25:11.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T22:25:11.877" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17853" CreationDate="2016-10-14T21:42:40.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The higher realms are not directly related to enlightenment although some higher realms (such as the moral humane 'human' realm or the meditative jhana 'godly' realm) can help with reaching enlightenment. Thus, some (but not all) higher realms precede enlightenment rather then result from enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'existence' or 'bhava' generally refers to attaching to things as 'self' thus, as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.123&lt;/a&gt;, for example, any attachment, self-becoming or 'ego-existence' in a higher realm will eventually lead to 'hell' ('suffering'; 'torment'; 'despair'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, enlightenment cannot precede from or result in any kind of 'existence' ('bhava') since enlightenment ends 'ego-existence'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-10-14T21:42:40.163" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17863" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17864" CreationDate="2016-10-15T11:39:46.850" Score="5" ViewCount="275" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have recently attended my first Vipassana 10-day course. I observe the moral precepts fully, practice diligently and attempt to proceed wisely on the path. I came into contact with Vipassana because of my ex, who, both in showing me to the path and in harming me, has been my precious teacher. In harming me, in failing to observe the fourth precept and sila, in seeking passion as a distraction from his suffering and a confirmation of his ego, without apparently being aware of this and even if being aware, not changing his behavior, my ex has caused me concern with regard to my own attempts at leading a proper life. I know I am not in a position to help my ex, as he has harmed me (also, I tried and he reacted with hostility), so what I am left with is the striking fact that this amount of delusion is possible in someone who calls himself a serious Vipassana meditator, which worries me with regard to my own practice. If someone who has been practicing for over 10 years thinks they are aware and are everything but, what am I going to do? I have fled into passion as well, in a quest for distraction from suffering as well as from a need for guidance and affirmation of my own ego. &#xA;The obvious answer is to truly feel and accept painful feelings without reacting by fleeing into passion. But these impulses are strong and the mind is clever. What can I do to prevent this behavior? Can there be a mistake in the meditation practice itself that causes such obscurations to persist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, I do hope to find a partner who observes truthfulness towards himself and others. How do I go about avoiding the blinding capacities of passion and idealistic desires in judging any such “romantic&quot; situation accurately? I imagine working on one’s own mental and emotional hangups will diminish obscurations — how is one advised to go about this other than meditating? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know these are big and difficult questions. Any and all input is appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T02:50:29.397" Title="How to prevent self-deception?" Tags="|vipassana|suffering|truth|love|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17863" CreationDate="2016-10-15T14:27:34.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If someone who has been practicing for over 10 years thinks they are aware and are everything but, what am I going to do?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this issue you are raising is not really related to Buddhist meditation practices but to the individual. Some individuals, be they Buddhist or non-Buddhist, religious or non-religious, have a keen sense of not harming others &amp;amp; being responsible towards others. Others do not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, about Buddhism, my impression is cultural Buddhism, both Western &amp;amp; Asian, is quite weak in its explanations of sexual misconduct to its lay followers since I get the impression monks don't want to put pressure on people by over-moralising. Therefore, it can be expected that people may practise Buddhist meditation for 10 years but have no real sense of the purpose of the precepts. In fact, there are enough Buddhist teachers that practise sexual misconduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexuality is a very strong emotion/drive thus many people struggle to manage it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The obvious answer is to truly feel and accept painful feelings without reacting by fleeing into passion. But these impulses are&#xA;  strong and the mind is clever. What can I do to prevent this behavior?&#xA;  Can there be a mistake in the meditation practice itself that causes&#xA;  such obscurations to persist?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are probably many suggestions to this question. One suggestion is to reflect on (think about) what benefit &amp;amp; what harm will come from impulsive fleeing into passion? Will impulsive passion really help yourself? Will it really help the other person involved in the impulsive passion? Or will it create more hurt, more confusion, more regret? Is it really something you really want to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practises about wise reflection are described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 61&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Additionally, I do hope to find a partner who observes truthfulness towards himself and others. How do I go about avoiding the blinding&#xA;  capacities of passion and idealistic desires in judging any such&#xA;  “romantic&quot; situation accurately?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As has been mentioned by Chris, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;the teachings in Buddhism about finding the right partner&lt;/a&gt; are not based in &quot;romance&quot;. Instead, they are based on determining what your life goals &amp;amp; values are and then finding a partner that can fulfil/meet your life goals &amp;amp; values, i.e., a partner that shares your same goals &amp;amp; values. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This includes things many take for granted, such as having children. There are occasions when two people are together, romantically, for many years and suddenly one person raises their want for children and the other person objects to this. Ideally, the matter of having children should be sorted out before beginning the relationship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, Buddhism does not really recommend get &quot;romantically&quot; or sexually involved with a prospective life partner before determining whether that prospective partner is suitable. It may sound very unromantic &amp;amp; clinical but I assume it is like interviewing another person for a job. An employer does not employ a prospective employee until determining &amp;amp; assessing the suitability &amp;amp; qualifications of that person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often, this is how traditional cultures operated. Parents would get together &amp;amp; assess whether a partner was suitable for their son &amp;amp; daughter in marriage. The Buddhist approach is similar, i.e., more rational or cerebral rather than &quot;romantic&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once &quot;romance&quot; (sex) occurs, that itself starts to make the situation less flexible since two people become attached to each other sexually (with the various demands &amp;amp; expectations) even though they may not be suitable in terms of individual aspirations or temperament.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, Buddhism encourages the development of 'metta' (friendliness; loving-kindness). We should learn to relate to all people as 'friends' first; putting their welfare first. In meeting a prospective partner, ideally, we put friendship first. We become friends for a significant amount of time before committing to romance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I imagine working on one’s own mental and emotional hangups will diminish obscurations — how is one advised to go about this other than&#xA;  meditating?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be done by learning about &amp;amp; reflecting upon the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Buddhist teachings about relationship&lt;/a&gt;. By doing this, we can learn about the mistakes we make in our past relationships &amp;amp; the way forward for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if we can see the necessity of the Buddhist qualities prescribed for a suitable partner, we can realise our previous partner never did have the qualities or abilities to fulfill our expectations. But doing this, we may stop blaming them &amp;amp; instead focus on our own choices.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main teaching of the Buddha can be read in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.55&lt;/a&gt; however the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; already provided explains the main relevant teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T14:52:39.303" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T14:52:39.303" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17865" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17866" CreationDate="2016-10-15T14:54:56.363" Score="2" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;All sorts of impulses and urges in human and other beings are invoked by nature in order to sustain life. In my way of thinking, it is a rational &quot;I&quot; who attempts to control reacting to these impulses and urges. If there is no &quot;I&quot;, how am I supposed to see or think of my acting self? Is this &quot;citta&quot; or the &quot;empirical self&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it &quot;I&quot; am not an unchanging thing but merely an accumulation of conditioning resulting in habits; a point of view to which modern science would likely not oppose. However, I have or am, then, still a mind (citta)? Is it this mind that has accumulated karma in this and past lives? And how is that, then, not, in a way, &quot;me&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:49:00.647" Title="If there is no &quot;I&quot;, who or what is controlling my animalistic urges?" Tags="|anatman|self|mind|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17865" CreationDate="2016-10-15T15:30:07.227" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;I&quot; is a survival function of the (unenlightened) human mind &amp;amp; is actually created by the very impulses &amp;amp; urges it seeks to control. (Or otherwise this type of &quot;I&quot; is also created by social or religious conditioning). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, sexual urges arise due to hormones &amp;amp; other physical &amp;amp; psychological mechanisms and then, a short time later, the mind thinks: &quot;I feel sexual&quot;. Thus, the urge occurs before the &quot;I&quot;. The &quot;I&quot; is a product (result) of the urge rather than the producer (cause) of the urge.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A child (not conditioned by its parents or religion about right &amp;amp; wrong) does not attempt to control its impulses &amp;amp; urges. A child simply follows its impulses &amp;amp; urges. It is only later, when the child or adult learns through experience that some of its impulses &amp;amp; urges lead to harming itself or are dangerous that it tries to control its impulses &amp;amp; urges.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in reality, it is not the &quot;I&quot; that is trying to control the impulses &amp;amp; urges that have lead to hurt, pain &amp;amp; suffering. In fact, it was not really the &quot;I&quot; that experienced pain &amp;amp; hurt. Instead, it is simply the 'citta' (&lt;em&gt;mind-heart&lt;/em&gt;) that experienced hurt &amp;amp; it is simply the wisdom of the citta through feeling hurt that seeks to control impulses &amp;amp; urges. That is why enlightened minds (cittas) do not need an &quot;I&quot;. Such enlightened minds are guided by wisdom (i.e. neurological sensitivity) only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like breaking a leg. First the pain of the broken leg arises and, a short time later, the mind thinks &quot;I am hurt&quot;. The &quot;I am&quot; is not required for the mind to feel the hurt. The mind itself knows the hurt &amp;amp; the &quot;I am&quot; is extra or the commentary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, this business of &quot;I&quot; is very deep. It is natural for the minds of people to develop the &quot;I&quot;. Since months after child birth, most feelings, sensations, urges &amp;amp; impulses have been deemed by the mind to be &quot;I am&quot;. This is all part of natural human development. Generally, a mind without a development of &quot;I&quot; (to give it personal &amp;amp; social boundaries) will have some kind of mental illness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best Buddhist explanation about the &quot;I&quot; is probably &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'Anatta and Rebirth' by Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The citta (mind) certainly accumulates 'kamma'. An example is a drug addict, which accumulates addiction or craving symptoms for a drug. The drug addict decides to break the addiction and successfully enters into 'cold-turkey'. This shows the person is not the accumulated kamma of drug-addiction since the drug addiction (&lt;em&gt;accumulated kamma&lt;/em&gt;) can be broken &amp;amp; cleansed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the teachings (AN 6.63) state the Noble Eightfold Path is the path for the ending of accumulated kamma. Accumulated kamma is also something conditioned &amp;amp; subject to impermanence &amp;amp; change when the conditions that created it are removed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the teachings (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;) also state what we experience is not due to past lives but to how the mind responds to (internal &amp;amp; external) sense experience/stimuli in the here-&amp;amp;-now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a certain kamma in the past may have once hurt us (the mind-heart). But if there is a change in attitude or response towards that kamma, such as regarding that kamma as a &quot;lesson&quot; rather than &quot;hurt&quot;, that kamma will stop hurting us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why the teachings state &quot;old kamma&quot; &lt;em&gt;ought to be&lt;/em&gt; viewed as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body &amp;amp; mind (since &quot;old kamma&quot; is only sense stimuli arising in the present). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, accumulated kamma is not something fixed &amp;amp; static but something that people can learn from, i.e., a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T16:13:24.600" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T16:13:24.600" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17865" CreationDate="2016-10-15T15:50:26.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at the many aspects of mind and wondering whether they are self or not self at a metaphysical level can lead to a trap of continuous doubt about anatta. It can be better/more skillful to ask if it fits with criteria which the Buddha described for not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One criteria given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;anatta-lakkhana sutta&lt;/a&gt; is that something which is not controllable is not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Form, O monks, is not-self; if form were self, then form would not lead to affliction and it should obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus'; and indeed, O monks, since form is not-self, therefore form leads to affliction and it does not obtain regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ask yourself &quot;Is the controller or animalistic urges controllable?&quot;, if not then it is not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second criteria in this passage is that a self would not lead to affliction (dukkha). Instead of asking &quot;Is X a self?&quot; ask yourself &quot;Does self-view of X lead to dukkha?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T15:50:26.790" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17868" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17876" CreationDate="2016-10-15T18:58:45.867" Score="1" ViewCount="426" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have some questions regarding &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; Buddhadhasa text saying there is no rebirth in Buddhism. &#xA;Is rebirth not what enlightenment is supposed to bring an end to? Is there no rebirth because rebirth is actually to be understood in a moment-to-moment manner unrelated to the end of life (rebirth as pertaining to the condition of willing no more)? Then why does Goenkaji talk about &quot;good fortune from a past life&quot;? I thought I also heard him imply the rebirth of our consciousness in the context of suicide being a bad idea for this reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastEditorUserId="10201" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T19:25:29.413" LastActivityDate="2016-10-22T22:23:57.527" Title="How is rebirth to be understood?" Tags="|rebirth|anatman|consciousness|suicide|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17868" CreationDate="2016-10-15T19:59:41.973" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I didn't read the whole thing but this part of the text that I'm basing my answer on &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now we come to the third question which they will ask: When there is no attā, then what is reborn?&#xA;  What or who is reborn? Forgive us for being forced to use crude language, but this question is absurd and&#xA;  crazy.4&#xA;  In Buddhism, there is no point in asking such a thing. There is no place for it in Buddhism. If you&#xA;  ask what will be reborn next, that's the craziest, most insane question. If right here, right now, there is no&#xA;  soul, person, self, or attā, how could there be some &quot;who&quot; or &quot;someone&quot; that goes and gets reborn? So&#xA;  there is no way one can ask &quot;who will be reborn?&quot;Therefore, the rebirth of the same person does not&#xA;  occur. But the birth of different things is happening all the time. It happens often and continuously, but&#xA;  there is no rebirth. There is no such thing, in reality, as rebirth or reincarnation. That there is one person,&#xA;  one &quot;I&quot; or &quot;you,&quot; getting reborn is what reincarnation is all about. If all is anattā, there is nothing to get&#xA;  reborn. There is birth, birth, birth, of course. This is obvious. There is birth happening all the time, but it&#xA;  is never the same person being born a second time. Every birth is new. So there is birth, endlessly,&#xA;  constantly, but we will not call it &quot;rebirth&quot; or &quot;reincarnation.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normally to distinguish between Hindu ideas and Buddhist ideas of afterlife we use reincarnation and rebirth as different terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reincarnation is often used to describe a soul (self) being born again in another life like Hindus and other faiths believe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is used as a word in Buddhism to describe the aggregates constantly changing and coming together to continue existence. There is no self involved in this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote sounds like he's talking about the term rebirth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But the birth of different things is happening all the time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then he insists that the term rebirth involves a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the text it appears that he has decided to use both terms &quot;rebirth&quot; and &quot;reincarnation&quot; to describe a process with a self and the term &quot;birth&quot; to describe a process without a self. His conclusion sounds controversial but he has just chosen to use words differently to most sources. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T20:25:27.730" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T20:25:27.730" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17830" CreationDate="2016-10-15T22:50:59.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The continuous flow of arising and passing away of all conditioned things&quot; is exactly what it means. Levine mentions an &quot;even-minded awareness of the flow&quot;, which is the definition of Vipassana: awareness with equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The flow itself one can only know by experiencing it through practicing Vipassana meditation. So to truly know what &quot;awareness of the flow&quot; means one must feel it by practicing Vipassana! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I would say the best reference here is: www.dhamma.org/en-US/courses/search  :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10201" LastEditorUserId="10201" LastEditDate="2016-10-15T22:58:27.200" LastActivityDate="2016-10-15T22:58:27.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17871" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17872" CreationDate="2016-10-15T23:57:36.857" Score="7" ViewCount="5506" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ever since I have started following Buddhism, I have stopped killing any type of insects but during the course of time I have accidentally killed few insects when I had no intentions of harming them like &lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) While using touchscreen a tiny insect of few millimeters in length came between my screen &amp;amp; finger.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2) Accidental killing mosquito in sleep as they bite us.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3) Ants come under my feet whenever I am busy going from A to B (Here I mean totally immersed in work mode where you don't have time to think of anything else.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is Karma different for such types of incidents because I never intent to harm such beings, forget about killing them or will I get the same punishment for intentional killing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastEditorUserId="6925" LastEditDate="2016-10-16T13:18:36.377" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T05:32:01.943" Title="Is Karma different for accidental killing than intentional killing?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|karma|modern-world|daily-life|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17871" CreationDate="2016-10-16T00:12:05.650" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The background story to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first verse of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; is of an arhat killing insects accidentally, because he's blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verse says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think we're meant to infer that if you don't act with an evil mind (or act without an evil mind), that if the killing is accidental or unintentional, that's not as bad as intentional killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something similar is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;monastic rules&lt;/a&gt; (page 29):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In analyzing offenses for the purpose of determining penalties, the&#xA;  Vibhanga divides an action into five factors: the &lt;strong&gt;effort&lt;/strong&gt;, the &lt;strong&gt;perception&lt;/strong&gt; under which&#xA;  it is made, the &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; motivating it, the &lt;strong&gt;object&lt;/strong&gt; at which it is aimed, and the&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;result&lt;/strong&gt;. In some of the rules, all five factors play a role in determining what is and&#xA;  is not a full offense. In others, only two, three, or four play a role. For example,&#xA;  under the parajika rule forbidding murder, all five factors have to be present for&#xA;  a full offense: The object has to be a human being, the bhikkhu has to perceive&#xA;  him/her as a living being, he has to have murderous intent, he has to make an&#xA;  effort for the person to die, and the person has to die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If any of these factors is missing, the penalty changes. For instance, object: If&#xA;  the bhikkhu kills a dog, the penalty is a pacittiya (i.e. a less-severe penalty]. Perception: If he cremates a&#xA;  friend, thinking that the friend is dead, then even if the friend is actually alive but&#xA;  severely comatose, the bhikkhu incurs no penalty. Intention: If he accidentally&#xA;  drops a rock on a person standing below him, he incurs no penalty even if the&#xA;  person dies. Effort: If he sees a person fall into the river but makes no effort to&#xA;  save the person, he incurs no penalty even if the person drowns. Result: If he&#xA;  tries to kill a person, but only succeeds in injuring him, he incurs a thullaccaya [which is another less-severe penalty].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-16T00:26:13.810" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T00:26:13.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17871" CreationDate="2016-10-16T00:26:16.080" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;While usually we understand an &amp;quot;action&amp;quot; to be equated to its effects (e.g. the act of killing would be the act of &amp;quot;turning&amp;quot; a living thing dead),  in Buddhism, intention is often equated with action, as per the sutra &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/06/an06-063.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;cetanāhaṃ bhikkave kammaṃ vadāmi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma (action)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, wholesome and unwholesome actions are not simply judged by it's effects. They are also not judged solely by one's intention, but generally also by one's (lack of) wisdom (i.e. by one's ignorance of the workings of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, it's not a dilemma a well-intended person doing something foolish (both the intention and the foolish act are distinguished).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nevertheless, I think one is ultimately not really accounted for what lies outside the touch of the senses and the consciousness of the sensed data (as exemplified in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17872/382&quot;&gt;@ChrisW's answer&lt;/a&gt;). Thus, killing a living being by stepping on it without having sensed it was there is not quite considered an act of killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T00:26:16.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17859" CreationDate="2016-10-16T00:48:27.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can the ideal of all beings attaining liberation, enlightenment, and thereby ending existence, then, be equated with the aspiration of the end of all life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the above presupposes that this is an ideal: that all beings should be liberated. Moreover, we don't really know how life springs -- thus, perhaps it may always do so regardless if there is already life or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if we consider Buddhism doctrine alone, apparently the only known &quot;exit door&quot;, the only way out of it is nibbāna. So, another way of seeing an ideal is that, ideally, the path to the &quot;exit door&quot; should always be there for whatever being that comes to be to choose to finally rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-10-16T00:57:06.570" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T00:57:06.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17863" CreationDate="2016-10-16T02:45:26.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;so what I am left with is the striking fact that this amount of delusion is possible in someone who calls himself a serious Vipassana meditator, which worries me with regard to my own practice. If someone who has been practicing for over 10 years thinks they are aware and are everything but, what am I going to do?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While this is disheartening indeed, we probably should not measure ourselves against anyone. Consider the following sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] From there the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, &quot;Bhikkhus, I will teach the method of the forest. Listen and attend carefully, I will teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides in a certain forest stretch. When abiding there, unestablished mindfulness does not get established, unconcentrated mind does not concentrate, not destroyed desires do not get destroyed, and the not attained noble end of the yoke is not attained; as for the four requisites of life for the one gone forth, robes, morsel food, dwellings, and requities when ill, are collected with difficulty. That bhikkhu should reflect:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'I abide in this forest stretch, to me abiding in this forest, unestablished mindfulness does not get established, unconcentrated mind does not get concentrated, not destroyed desires do not get destroyed, and the not attained noble end of the yoke is not attained; as for the four requisites of life for the one gone forth, robes, morsel food dwellings, and requisites when ill, are collected with difficulty.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, he should not abide in that stretch of forest, he should leave it by night or by day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/vanapattha_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 17&lt;/a&gt; Vanapattha Sutta - Jungle Thickets&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, to evaluate progress, we can reflect on the things like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does concentration comes easier then before or harder than before?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;does unwholesome thoughts come more often or less often?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc. (can go so far as all the seven enlightenment factors, five hindrances, etc)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The immediate lesson of the sutta above, on the other hand, is that the environment (work, duties, people, food, etc) we find ourselves in may enable or obstruct some aspects of our practice. While someone fully committed to the practice may just take the words above to heart and leave whenever the environment is unsuited, those of us who did not make such commitment might need to find a trade-off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another perspective to bring is that the Vinaya orient the sangha members to come forward whenever they transgress. Thus, we should expect people (even the ones we consider to be advanced) to make mistakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;But these impulses are strong and the mind is clever. What can I do to prevent this behavior? Can there be a mistake in the meditation practice itself that causes such obscurations to persist?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a few suttas describing how the Buddha handled these issues in his own mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. I understood thus: 'This thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna'. When I considered: 'This leads to my own affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to others affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to the affliction of both', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna', it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu  frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation(*) of those thoughts. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind(**) (***).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasanthāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, [Bodhi Trans.] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) &quot;relaxing of thought-fabrication&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(**) &quot;crush his mind with his awarenes&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(***) &quot;crush unwholesome states of mind with wholesome states of mind&quot;, per Majjhima Nikāya Atthakathā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-10-16T02:50:29.397" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T02:50:29.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17868" CreationDate="2016-10-16T06:07:43.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddhadhasa text saying there is no rebirth in Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhadasa text states 'birth' is the mental birth of the 'self' or 'I' thought and that there is no 'rebirth' because each time the conditioned 'I' thought is born it is a brand new 'I' rather than the same 'I' being reborn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, is the 'I' you sense yourself to be today the same 'I' as when you were 4 years old? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhadasa concluded there is on-going 'ego-birth' for unenlightened people but not 'rebirth'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is rebirth not what enlightenment is supposed to bring an end to?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures state enlightenment brings about the end of the &quot;I-conceit&quot; (MN 22); the end of 'I-making' &amp;amp; 'my-making'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures (very end of MN 38) states 'birth' ends while the mind remains conscious, which supports Buddhadasa's view that 'birth' refers to the birth of the 'I' concept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.81 also supports Buddhadasa's view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is there no rebirth because rebirth is actually to be understood in a moment-to-moment manner unrelated to the end of life (rebirth as&#xA;  pertaining to the condition of willing no more)?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhadasa, yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then why does Goenkaji talk about &quot;good fortune from a past life&quot;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a common idea in cultural Buddhism &amp;amp; Hinduism, which also probably explains why Buddhism became extinct in India (since both doctrines became essentially the same). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I thought I also heard him imply the rebirth of our consciousness in the context of suicide being a bad idea for this reason.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, this is also a common idea and possibly a beneficial idea, namely, to discourage people from committing suicide. However, there are no references in the Pali suttas I have read where the Buddha was pre-occupied with this concern. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following discussion supports Buddhadasa's viewpoint:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 15&lt;/a&gt; is the only discourse from thousands attributed to the Buddha, I am aware of, which makes an unclear inference that consciousness is 'reborn' (i.e., enters into a mother's belly).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DN 15&lt;/a&gt; is unclear &amp;amp; considered by many scholars, including scholars that believe in reincarnation/rebirth, to be unauthentic is because it contradicts the many other reported discourses on the same subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the many other discourses, such as MN 43, SN 22.79, MN 9, MN 148, MN 18, SN 12.2, SN 12.67, SN 22.56, SN 22.82, MN 38, SN 22.53, etc, it is written that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;consciousness is (only) mental cognition (MN 43, SN 22.79); &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;there are only six types of consciousness (SN 12.2; MN 9; MN 148);&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;consciousness arises in dependence on sense organs &amp;amp; sense objects (MN 148, MN 18, MN 38);&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;consciousness is caused by the mind-body (SN 12.67, SN 22.56, SN 22.82);&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;for consciousness to arise without the body, feelings, perceptions &amp;amp; mental formations is impossible (MN 38; SN 22.53). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, similar to DN 15, the idea the consciousness is reborn in the form of a 're-linking consciousness', 'stream of consciousness', 'mindstream', 'storehouse consciousness', etc, are all ideas created after the passing of the Buddha by different &amp;amp; various Buddhist schools. These terms about a 'rebirth consciousness' commonly used by Buddhists have no source in the original teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures actually state that &quot;beings&quot; (&quot;sattā&quot;) or &quot;men &amp;amp; women &quot; (itthī vā puriso vā) are 'reborn'. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, &amp;amp; attained to&#xA;  imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away&#xA;  [fall] &amp;amp; reappearance [rise] of &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; (satta).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, student, some &lt;strong&gt;woman&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;man&lt;/strong&gt; is a killer of living beings, murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to&#xA;  living beings. Due to having performed and completed such kammas, on&#xA;  the dissolution of the body, after death, &lt;strong&gt;he/she&lt;/strong&gt; reappears in a state of&#xA;  deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN 5.10 &amp;amp; SN 23.2, a &quot;satta&quot; ('being') is described as a 'view' ('idea') about the totality of the five aggregates born from attachment &amp;amp; craving. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So, when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being'.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp;/or consciousness, Radha: when one is&#xA;  caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, based on the words attributed to the Buddha, what is 'reborn' appears more likely to be the 'self-view' or 'I-thought' based on all of the five aggregates rather than only consciousness being 'reborn'. In MN 38, the Buddha is reported to have heavily criticized &amp;amp; admonished a monk for holding the view that consciousness is reborn. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is just this consciousness that runs and wanders on, not another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Which consciousness, Sāti, is that?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This speaker, this knower, lord, that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of good &amp;amp; evil actions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And to whom, worthless man, do you understand me to have taught the Dhamma like that? Haven't I, in many ways, said of dependently&#xA;  co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is&#xA;  no coming-into-play of consciousness'? But you, through your own poor&#xA;  grasp, not only slander us but also dig yourself up [by the root] and&#xA;  produce much demerit for yourself. That will lead to your long-term&#xA;  harm &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, the ideas of people such as Goenka, which are also held by the majority of Buddhists, seem to have next to no basis in the original Pali scriptures. Where as the ideas of Buddhadasa at least seem to conform with a diligent (rather than superficial) examination of the original Pali scriptures. Further, the ideas of Buddhadasa can also be verified by meditative insight (where as the ideas of Goenka cannot), which conforms again with MN 38, which states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-16T06:44:29.143" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T06:44:29.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17830" CreationDate="2016-10-16T09:26:44.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to suggest the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com.mm/books?id=nzPMLm9B1xkC&amp;amp;d&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Models of Brain and Mind: Physical, Computational and Psychological Approaches&lt;/a&gt; page 249 and onwards. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There you can find Awareness of sensation, mind or consciousness, mental contents. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana#Four_domains_or_aspects&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;four domains of &lt;strong&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The awareness flow in Vipassana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a practitioner of Satipatthana, one should have prerequisites before doing any Satipatthana, then one should sit in quiet place and do practices of Awareness of body (Breath or Kaya Cinkhara). After enough of practicing Awareness of body, the practitioner can have strong concentration to continue Awareness of mind or consciousness(Citta Cinkhara). This is recommended practice because Breath is comparatively slower in sequence than mind or consciousness. Any practitioner without properly trained Satipatthana of Awareness of body cannot practice Awareness of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Awareness of flow&lt;/strong&gt; is process in Awareness of mind or consciousness. The essential part of awareness of flow is the practitioner must not stimulate or initiate any feeling or thought. It is crucial the awareness (&lt;strong&gt;Sati&lt;/strong&gt;) must be quick enough to catch up when there is any change of the state of mind/consciousness. Train of thought, feeling or sensation is not allowed to happen because it is required the effort or attempt to make this happen. At least, when feeling or sensation is happened awareness is quickly followed and the feeling or sensation is ceased to continue to be mature to train of thoughts. By mastering this technique, awareness of flow is obvious in practitioner's mind. Any state of change of mind can come and go and awareness is always in between of the flow. The result is mind is clear and free from craving, anger and other hindrances that make one's mind to pollute. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above explanation is very succinct note and details studies of Satipatthana is required to practice it in real world and it'd better join long retreat to Vipassana meditation center to seek correct guidance to do so. The below references are recommended details of Satipatthana and you are free to adopt any practice preferred or comfortable for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suttareadings.net/audio/mn.010.sclo.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta Audio&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahasatipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasit1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Practical Vipassana Exercises&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T09:26:44.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17830" CreationDate="2016-10-16T10:42:12.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Awareness of the flow&amp;quot; doesn't seem to be a standard phrase (if you Google for it). So I tried two Google searches to try to find out how he (Stephen Levine) uses the phrase (I haven't read his book):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=flow+%22Stephen+Levine%22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;flow &amp;quot;Stephen Levine&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=flow+%22A+Gradual+Awakening%22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;flow &amp;quot;A Gradual Awakening&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two of the quotes or paraphrases I found by doing this are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lifeparalyzed.blogspot.fr/2011/05/gradual-awakening.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://lifeparalyzed.blogspot.fr/2011/05/gradual-awakening.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He says everyone must start by focusing on the mind, as an observer, to watch thoughts, as they pass through the mind, and to begin to recognize the constant change, and flow, that is present, from moment, to moment. He warns, not to let one's self get pulled in, or get attached to any one thought, but to detach and let each moment unfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part6.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part6.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we attend to the ongoing mind we see that even &amp;quot;the watcher&amp;quot; becomes part of the flow. The who that's asking &amp;quot;Who's watching?&amp;quot; is another thought-flash we see go by; there's &amp;quot;no one&amp;quot; watching, there's just awareness. When the &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; becomes just something else observed in the flow we see we're not different from anything else in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These seem to be using 'flow' to refer to a 'flow of thoughts', a sequence of thought, a progression or an ebb and flow of mental process ... watching flow is the same as watching thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This (&amp;quot;flow of mental observations&amp;quot;) may or may not be exactly the same as &amp;quot;flow of arising and passing away of all conditioned things&amp;quot; ... instead maybe it's &amp;quot;flow of arising and passing away of mental awareness of all conditioned things&amp;quot;.&#xA;On the other hand I don't know how much emphasis you want to put on the difference between &amp;quot;the observed&amp;quot; (e.g. &amp;quot;all conditioned things&amp;quot;) versus &amp;quot;the observation&amp;quot; (e.g. the mental awareness).&#xA;I think investigating the difference or relationship between observed and observation, between objective and subjective, has been a big theme of western philosophy ... it may or may not be important to understanding Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also this quote from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.personaltransformation.com/stephen_levine.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.personaltransformation.com/stephen_levine.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it's &lt;strong&gt;my&lt;/strong&gt; cancer, I'm alone with my cancer. I have nobody, just me and my cancer, and it looks like there is no way out. When I realize it isn't my cancer, but &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; cancer, there is space to work on it. My depression, my cancer, crams me in, like being in a phone booth full of my life. You open the phone booth and see that everybody is standing outside of their phone booth. It's isn't &lt;strong&gt;my&lt;/strong&gt; depression, it's &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; depression. When it's the cancer, I am in this &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;flow&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; of human-kind, with all the energy of four or five million other people going through the same thing at this same moment. You connect to something universal, which brings peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here he may be using the word 'flow' to refer to &amp;quot;conditioned things&amp;quot; (i.e. human kind), or he might still be using it to refer to 'mental process' (i.e. saying &amp;quot;I am in the flow of mental process that's common to human kind&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you quoted, &amp;quot;what separation from the flow feels like&amp;quot;, that's not clear or is a bit ambiguous. I think that phrase implies that &amp;quot;flow&amp;quot; refers to observation rather than observed (maybe we don't separate from a flow of things, separate from human kind, when we meditate, but might separate somehow from flow of observations). Assuming that flow is referring to the flow of mental observations (and assuming it's even meaningful to distinguish that from the flow of observable/conditioned things), I think that &amp;quot;separation&amp;quot; might mean either suspension of observation (e.g. entering &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a jhana state&lt;/a&gt;), or a disassociation or dis-identification (i.e. some kind of awareness of anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T10:42:12.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17871" CreationDate="2016-10-16T11:33:00.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sinful Killing/Intentional Killing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can determine yourself whether it is intentional killing or not by checking as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Before physically kill any living being, do you or don't you have intention to kill. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the process of killing (like pressing [on insect], hitting, cutting, thrusting) you know yourself (you are aware of) doing killing. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After the killing is done you see the living being is killed (or injured) and you are pleased to see that happens (you justify that it is killed and right to kill). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Any of three&lt;/strong&gt; is happened on your mind? You committed &quot;Killing&quot; karma. It is subtle point that you break the first precept or not by completing three steps above. But it is bad Karma if you did any one of the three steps and you should expect reflection of your deed. Sometimes the state of mind and transition of mind during killing process was very fast and one or all of the steps seems not happened. But careful analysis might show it happened very fast in your mind. The most important point here is let bygone be bygone. Do not let the notion that you committed killing linger in your mind. You need to move on. You need to determine yourself you will not break first precept in future. Every end of the day you didn't do killing you should have notion and keep that notion with pleased yourself to multiply good karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T11:33:00.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17881" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17882" CreationDate="2016-10-16T16:27:42.060" Score="2" ViewCount="770" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, in this information age, computer is like essential part in normal people life. But for monks, does it apply same way like that? Or computer can make harm than good to a monk? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does a book is better than electronic book on computer (in term of donation and uses by monk)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Typewriter (or more basic pen and book) is more distract-free than a computer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this cruel world of advertisement, it is almost impossible a monk can avoid some explicit content while browsing internet. And internet and computer can be a great deal of wasting precious time of a monk if improperly used. Monks are not allowed to use/manipulate money but money is required to use a computer (buying softwares/applications/electronic books etc). Piracy is another serious potential issue for a monk who uses computer (it could lead to end of monk's life if stealing is involved).     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is it better not to offer a computer to a monk or is there any chance that computer cannot make any harm to donor and monk both? If there are more harm than good, why do we need to care to offer a computer to a monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a monk and using computer but you are almost free from the harms that I described above, please let me know how this can be achieved? Please include do and don't if possible. It is expected that practices are Vinaya-complied uses of computer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-10-18T09:23:34.030" LastActivityDate="2017-12-09T15:14:43.190" Title="Computers and Buddhist monks, offering computer to monk makes bad karma to both monk and donor?" Tags="|theravada|monk|vinaya|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17881" CreationDate="2016-10-16T17:23:47.027" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;In western monasteries isn't not uncommon for monks to use computers to teach the dhamma online or write books. However, a monk wont own the computer, you'll be giving the computer to the sangha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You shouldn't have to worry about whether a pen or a computer is more of a distraction, the monk should be able to handle his own mind and distraction. If he knows that a computer is too distracting for himself then he will use a pen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Vinaya, you may want to search for terms &quot;piracy&quot; and &quot;pornography&quot; in Thannisaro Bhikkhu's book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Monastic code I&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Piracy isn't against the vinaya but if a monk wanted to avoid piracy then unintentional stealing is not against the Vinaya. Accidentally seeing pornography isn't against the Vinaya but staring lustfully at a woman's parts (without intending on emitting semen) earns the lowest punishment- a dukhata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T17:23:47.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17883" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17884" CreationDate="2016-10-16T21:17:10.613" Score="4" ViewCount="387" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a book of kōans that contains things like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nasreddin Khodja commanded his disciples, when he sneezed, to salute him by clapping their hands and crying out: &quot;Haïr Ollah, Khodja,&quot; that is &quot;Prosperity to thee, O Master!&quot; Now it came to pass that on one of the days the bucket fell into the well [...] he descended, caught the bucket, and the boys were already pulling him up, when, just as he was drawing near the edge of the well, he chanced to sneeze. Whereupon they, mindful of the master's behest, let go the rope and, clapping their hands in high glee, cried out in chorus: &quot;Haïr Ollah, Khodja,&quot; Nasreddin was precipitated violently into the well, bruising himself against the sides. [...] &quot;Well, boys, it was not your fault, but mine: too much honour is no good thing for man.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A  farmer’s horse ran away. His  neighbors gathered upon hearing the news and said sympathetically, “That’s such  bad luck.”&#xA;  “Maybe,” the  farmer replied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The horse  returned on his own the next morning, and brought seven wild horses with it.  “Look how many more horses you have now,” the neighbors exclaimed. “How  lucky!”&#xA;  “Maybe,” the  farmer replied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The next day, the  farmer’s son attempted to ride one of the wild horses, was thrown, and broke his  leg. “How awful,” the neighbors said. “It looks like your luck has turned for  the worse again.”&#xA;  The farmer simply  replied, “Maybe.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The following  day, military officers came to town to conscript young men into the service.  Seeing the son’s broken leg, they rejected him. The neighbors gathered round the  farmer to tell him how fortunate he was.&#xA;  “Maybe,” said the  farmer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An elder monk was addressing his students with a large staff. He asked the first student, &quot;What is the Buddha mind?&quot; The first student answered as well as he could, and said &quot;To know the Buddha nature in all things.&quot; The elder monk hit the first student in the head with the staff.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He went to the next student, and asked again: &quot;What is the Buddha mind?&quot; The next student answered &quot;non attachment,&quot; and the elder monk hit him with the stick, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He asked the third student the same question, and the third student did nothing but quake in fear. That student got a knock on the head as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The process continued until one of the elder monk's students, before the elder monk had even finished his question, grabbed the stick out of his hand. That was the correct answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. &quot;You have come a long way to visit me,&quot; he told the prowler, &quot;and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.&quot; The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. &quot;Poor fellow,&quot; he mused, &quot; I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there such a book? If so, what is its name?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to read more of these types of enlightening little stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't like kōans that are heavy on doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10211" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T18:25:38.530" Title="Book of zen kōans" Tags="|zen|koans|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17883" CreationDate="2016-10-16T21:30:39.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two of the ones you quoted are new to me (and two are not).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a collection of 101 such stories here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These koans, or parables, were translated into English from a book called the Shaseki-shu (Collection of Stone and Sand), written late in the thirteenth century by the Japanese Zen teacher Muju (the &quot;non-dweller&quot;), and from anecdotes of Zen monks taken from various books published in Japan around the turn of the 20th century.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is a well-known collection; I don't know whether you consider it &quot;heavy on doctrines&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T10:37:27.990" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T10:37:27.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17883" CreationDate="2016-10-16T22:27:02.810" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gateless_Gate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Gateless Gate&lt;/a&gt; is a classic koan compilation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-10-16T22:27:02.810" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17859" CreationDate="2016-10-17T02:41:32.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The aspiration to end life violates the first precept and therefore cannot be right view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T02:41:32.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1789" CreationDate="2016-10-17T03:13:36.673" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Beyond culture, and more towards the philosophy of Buddhism, if you look up the 'Eight Percepts', you will notice that number seven mentions abstainment from cosmetics, jewelry, etc.. Yes, this percept is of three monk percepts added to the layperson's 'Five Percepts.' However, I think tattoos in general are kind of at odds with the Buddhist worldview in general.  The three marks of existence, particularly 1 &amp;amp; 3 -- impermenence and non-self, and the principles of simplicity/straightforwardness are the fundamental themes that led to the construction of these percepts initially. If one to get a Buddhist tattoo, without the desire of perhaps being ironic, one should ask him/herself why they are getting the tattoo - is this tattoo a reminder or display and what exactly would that entail?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10212" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T03:13:36.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17888" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-17T04:10:42.737" Score="1" ViewCount="463" Body="&lt;p&gt;The six senses are arises from NamaRupa in PaticcaSamuppada. NamaRupa paccaya Salayathana. So basically all 6 senses are a combination of Mentality(Nama) and Form (Rupa - which is a combination of the four great elements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is the mind (6th sense) created from the Form? As in from the 4 elements? Is it created from unseen molecular level 4 elements? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it somewhat similar to Light? Where light was considered as an energy but later it was considered as both energy and particles as well?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T04:16:59.503" Title="Six Senses and Four elements" Tags="|vipassana|pratityasamutpada|mind|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17888" CreationDate="2016-10-17T05:29:36.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In case of the mind-sense(the stream of Bhavaangha cittas), the object received by the sense is a thought itself. There's no physical element involved. That's why Arupa beings only have the mind sense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Energy' is a concept. There's no such thing according to Buddhism. Even sunlight is said to be containing the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;pure octad&lt;/a&gt;. Anything physical is Rupa and the rest is Nama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T05:29:36.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17888" CreationDate="2016-10-17T06:20:43.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;PaticcaSamuppada is about how ignorance pollutes/taints the elements &amp;amp; senses leading to the creation of suffering rather than about how the elements &amp;amp; senses are physically or neurologically created, as shown in the following quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of &lt;strong&gt;contact with ignorance&lt;/strong&gt;, craving arises. That&#xA;  fabrication [of 'self'] is born of that. And that fabrication is&#xA;  inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.18&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when 'nama-rupa' is polluted &amp;amp; controlled by ignorance (remaining unchecked), this will lead to the sense organs being polluted &amp;amp; controlled by ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PaticcaSamuppada is about psychology rather than about biology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-17T06:29:22.290" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T06:29:22.290" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17888" CreationDate="2016-10-17T09:23:50.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The subtle most level of mind is understood to have &#xA;no defining characteristics(2)&#xA;no origination (3)&#xA;no cessation (4)&#xA;absence of defilement (5) &#xA;not undefiled (6)&#xA;no decrease (7)&#xA;no increase (8)&#xA;Those are 7 of the 8 profound emptiness (Tsongkhapa).  The 1st is that all things are empty.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the three doors to emptiness:&#xA;1 and 2 are emptiness, the thing itself&#xA;3, 4, 5, 6 are signlessness the cause of emptiness&#xA;7, 8 are wishlessness the result of emptiness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the answer to your question is that the mind is not created it is understood to always have existed.  Also see mindstream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9956" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T09:23:50.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2016-10-17T11:38:01.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is the one of the main reasons to practice Buddhism otherwise you are just following nihilism, just kill yourself and its done. It will not match the concept of dependent origination or the middle way. Its no included in the agreements of the Theravada and Mahayana because it is not part of practice and also assumed knowledge, if you go to a Buddhist country and ask a Buddhist about rebirth they will undoubtedly believe it but they might not know the four noble truth. In the same way both schools recognize there are Gods,Asuras, Animals, Hells why not add it too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T11:38:01.900" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17871" CreationDate="2016-10-17T22:05:35.293" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To add to the already good spread of answers here,  carelessness is something to be avoided.  Stepping on an ant can still add up,  especially if throughout the week it becomes ants.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can avoid it,  but do not avoid it,  you are in some sense complacent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now if there is the situation where one was completely unaware of the situation and did not see the bug until it was too late...  Well that is different.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if the sidewalk is flowing with ants,  and one knows this,  one should watch their step as they traverse the path...  And maybe put ones phone away for the few minutes of travel,  and try to just be, and observe  things as they are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2016-10-17T22:05:35.293" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2016-10-18T00:59:34.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My recommendation maybe it's not the more orthodox, but the best way to ignore noises, if your meditation skills do not allow you to ignore them yet, is to hide them with another noise less annoying and easier to ignore. These kind of noises are called &quot;White Noises&quot;, and you can find a lot of resources online:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Wind, waves, rivers, rain, fire, etc..)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=white+noise&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=white+noise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10215" LastEditorUserId="10215" LastEditDate="2016-11-30T11:52:50.390" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T11:52:50.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17830" CreationDate="2016-10-18T05:06:22.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Awareness of the flow is surrendering your mind to a higher truth, being centered on your non-being beyond the material plane, and observing the outwards events flowing like clouds. You are fully aware of the passing clouds, but you're not caught in the drama and are not affected by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10216" LastActivityDate="2016-10-18T05:06:22.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17897" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17903" CreationDate="2016-10-18T05:14:23.040" Score="6" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;What enters the mind of a Buddha when left idle? Suppose a Buddha were confined to a hospital bed or prison cell. One cannot remain within the conditioned states of jhana indefinitely. If one is unconditionally content, even in states of pain, it would seem there is no need to reflect or contemplate anything. Can you cite specific examples from the Buddha's life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2018-05-26T15:17:08.130" Title="What enters the mind of an idle Buddha?" Tags="|buddhas|dukkha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17898" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17902" CreationDate="2016-10-18T05:51:58.827" Score="8" ViewCount="21474" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism do anything to prevent sexual desires?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do they do anything to lower sexual desires? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prevent eating certain foods or something similar?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10049" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-10-18T14:21:12.997" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T06:49:12.093" Title="What do Buddhists do to prevent sexual desires?" Tags="|sexuality|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17898" CreationDate="2016-10-18T12:17:00.403" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ways to prevent sexual desire are described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.127.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bharadvaja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the best method for developing the &quot;&lt;em&gt;lifelong chaste life, perfect &amp;amp; pure, and make it last entire lives&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is advised to be development of 'loving-kindness &amp;amp; compassion' ('&lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt;'), namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'With regard to women who are old enough to be your mother, establish the attitude you would have toward your mother. With regard to women&#xA;  who are old enough to be your sister, establish the attitude you'd&#xA;  have toward a sister. With regard to women who are young enough to be&#xA;  your daughter, establish the attitude you'd have toward a daughter.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When 'loving-kindness &amp;amp; compassion' (which require wisdom) are not strong enough for &quot;unruly&quot; minds, the next method the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.127.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bharadvaja Sutta&lt;/a&gt; prescribes is the (theoretically popular although less effective) method of '&lt;em&gt;asubhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' (loathsomeness) found in many suttas (together with metta &amp;amp; compassion), such as in MN 62, MN 118, etc, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asubhaṃ rāhula bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. Asubhaṃ hi te rāhula bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo rāgo so pahīyissati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Develop the meditation of the unattractive [loathsome]. For when you are developing the meditation of the unattractive, lust will be&#xA;  abandoned.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, during the Buddha's time &amp;amp; also today, men &amp;amp; women left/lost interest in the family life to become monks &amp;amp; nuns because they reflected upon the burdens &amp;amp; problems of the family life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a strict Buddhist perspective, sexual promiscuity is not an alternative to the family life because sexual promiscuity is regarded as harmful. Here, there are basically two sexual choices, particularly for a man: (i) serve or be the support for a woman, in her needs &amp;amp; wants; or (ii) celibacy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when the harm, burdens, obligations, disadvantages &amp;amp; unsatisfactoriness of sexuality are reflected upon, in addition to what is truly loving &amp;amp; compassionate for others, sexual desire reduces, is brought under control or even disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-18T20:00:38.667" LastActivityDate="2016-10-18T20:00:38.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17897" CreationDate="2016-10-18T12:30:36.107" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddha would meditate or, as was posted, not reflect on or contemplate anything. The scriptures do report the Buddha often disappeared for periods of solitude (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 54.9&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, a Buddha might use psychic powers to teach people (eg. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 6.55&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-18T12:35:44.007" LastActivityDate="2016-10-18T12:35:44.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17897" CreationDate="2016-10-18T14:51:55.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha did Arahata Phala Samapatta (Extinguished, emptiness and neglecting any sankhara needed to be maintained, in brief Buddha was in the state of leaning Nirvana), in between his daily routines and his discourses on Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people are in aversion each other Buddha stayed with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt;, when people are in vain with debate/disagreement Buddha stayed with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkh%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upekkha&lt;/a&gt;. Buddha looked for people with sufferings to discourse Dhamma with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuna&lt;/a&gt; Samapatta in every morning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-11-07T18:11:07.463" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T18:11:07.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17898" CreationDate="2016-10-18T17:12:37.900" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, they do something to lower sexual desire. Sexual desire is a form of &lt;strong&gt;sensual desire&lt;/strong&gt; which is the first of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;the 5 Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; to meditation practice. The commentaries to the Satipatthana Sutta list &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#des&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;6 antidotes&lt;/a&gt; for sensual desire:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning how to meditate on impure objects&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Devoting oneself to the meditation on the impure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Guarding the sense doors&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Moderation in eating&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Noble friendship&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suitable conversation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first two methods refer to the practice of &lt;strong&gt;Asubha Bhavana&lt;/strong&gt; (the meditation on the foulness and impurity of the body), which explicitly counteracts sexual lust and is one of the Four Protective Meditations. In this technique you examine your own body by looking at  each of the &lt;strong&gt;32 body parts&lt;/strong&gt; individually. The purpose is to see the sign of the unattractive nature of the human body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And further, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects on just this body hemmed by the skin and full of manifold impurity from the soles up, and from the top of the hair down, thinking thus: 'There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, fibrous threads (veins, nerves, sinews, tendons), bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, contents of stomach, intestines, mesentery, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, solid fat, tars, fat dissolved, saliva, mucus, synovic fluid, urine.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Just as if, O bhikkhus, there were a bag having two openings, full of grain differing in kind, namely, hill-paddy, paddy, ...; and a man with seeing eyes, having loosened it, should reflect thinking thus: 'This is hill paddy; this is paddy, ...' In the same way, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects on just this body hemmed in by the skin and full of manifold impurity from the soles up, and from the top of the hair down, thinking thus: 'There are in this body: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, ...' - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html#discourse&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very good practical guide is in the video series of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgu0hJSLkqCXihm1Kbb1yW6Ql-4zriweO&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi's course of the 4 protective meditations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-18T17:12:37.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17897" CreationDate="2016-10-19T04:48:08.303" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16#table-of-contents&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;parinibbana suttha&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;16: The Gracious One’s Sickness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One, after living near Ambapālī’s Wood for as long&#xA;  as he liked, addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “Come Ānanda let us&#xA;  approach the little village of Beluva.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” venerable Ānanda replied to the Gracious&#xA;  One. Then the Gracious One together with a great Community of monks&#xA;  arrived at the little village of Beluva. There the Gracious One lived&#xA;  near the little village of Beluva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying: “Go, monks, and&#xA;  undertake the Rains Retreat in the vicinity of Vesālī living like&#xA;  friends, like companions, like comrades, and I will spend the Rains&#xA;  Retreat right here at the little village of Beluva.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” and those monks, after replying to the&#xA;  Gracious One, undertook the Rains Retreat in the vicinity of Vesālī&#xA;  living like friends, like companions, like comrades. But the Gracious&#xA;  One spent the Rains Retreat right there at the little village of&#xA;  Beluva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then while dwelling for the Rains Retreat, &lt;strong&gt;a heavy affliction arose&#xA;  for the Gracious One, and continued with strong and death-like&#xA;  feelings. There the Gracious One dwelt mindfully, with full awareness,&#xA;  and without being troubled.&lt;/strong&gt; Then this occurred to the Gracious One:&#xA;  “It is not suitable that I, without having addressed my attendants,&#xA;  without having given notice to the Community of monks, should attain&#xA;  Final Emancipation. Having energetically dismissed this affliction, I&#xA;  could live on after determining the lifespan.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One having energetically dismissed that affliction&#xA;  lived on after determining the lifespan. Then the Gracious One’s&#xA;  affliction abated. Then, the Gracious One, having risen from that&#xA;  sickness, not long after rising, departed from the Sick Room and sat&#xA;  down on the prepared seat in front of that Room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then venerable Ānanda approached the Gracious One, and after&#xA;  approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side.&#xA;  While sitting on one side venerable Ānanda said this to the Gracious&#xA;  One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I have seen, reverend Sir, the Gracious One comfortable, I have seen,&#xA;  reverend Sir, the Gracious One bearing up while sick, and my body,&#xA;  reverend Sir, became faint as it were, and although I could not see&#xA;  straight, and things were not clear, it appeared to me, reverend Sir,&#xA;  that the Gracious One was sick, but it was some small comfort that the&#xA;  Gracious One would not attain Final Emancipation until the Gracious&#xA;  One had spoken regarding the Community of monks.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But what, Ānanda, does the Community of monks expect of me? The&#xA;  Teaching has been taught by me, Ānanda, without having made a&#xA;  distinction between esoteric and exoteric, for the Realised One there&#xA;  is nothing, Ānanda, of a closed teacher’s fist in regard to the&#xA;  Teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To whoever, Ānanda, this thought occurs: ‘I will lead the Community of&#xA;  monks’ or ‘I am the instructer of the Community of monks’ let him&#xA;  speak, Ānanda, regarding the Community of monks. But to the Realised&#xA;  One, Ānanda, this thought does not occur: ‘I will lead the Community&#xA;  of monks’ or ‘I am the instructor of the Community of monks’. Then&#xA;  why, Ānanda, should the Realised One speak regarding the Community of&#xA;  monks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I, Ānanda, at present, am old, elderly, of great age, far gone,&#xA;  advanced in years, I am eighty years old. It is like, Ānanda, an old&#xA;  cart, which only keeps going when shored up with bamboo, just so,&#xA;  Ānanda, I think the Realised One’s body only keeps going when shored&#xA;  up with bamboo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the Realised One doesn’t pay attention, Ānanda, to any of the&#xA;  signs, when all feelings have ceased, he lives having established the&#xA;  signless mind-concentration, and at that time, Ānanda, the Realised&#xA;  One’s body is most comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, Ānanda, live with yourself as an island, yourself as a&#xA;  refuge, with no other refuge, with the Teaching as an island, the&#xA;  Teaching as a refuge, with no other refuge. And how, Ānanda, does a&#xA;  monk live with himself as an island, himself as a refuge, with no&#xA;  other refuge, with the Teaching as an island, the Teaching as a&#xA;  refuge, with no other refuge?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, Ānanda, a monk dwells contemplating the nature of the body in&#xA;  the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and&#xA;  sorrow regarding the world; he dwells contemplating the nature of&#xA;  feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing&#xA;  avarice and sorrow regarding the world; he dwells contemplating the&#xA;  nature of the mind in the mind, ardent, fully aware, and mindful,&#xA;  after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world; he dwells&#xA;  contemplating the nature of things in various things, ardent, fully&#xA;  aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the&#xA;  world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, Ānanda, a monk lives with himself as an island, himself as a&#xA;  refuge, with no other refuge, with the Teaching as an island, the&#xA;  Teaching as a refuge, with no other refuge. For whoever, Ānanda,&#xA;  whether at present or after my passing, lives with himself as an&#xA;  island, himself as a refuge, with no other refuge, with the Teaching&#xA;  as an island, the Teaching as a refuge, with no other refuge, those&#xA;  monks of mine, Ānanda, will go from darkness to the highest—whoever&#xA;  likes the training.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Second Chapter for Recital is Finished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T04:48:08.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17888" CreationDate="2016-10-19T06:20:46.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are six elements. 4 physicals(relate to Mass), space(relate to Dark matter) and consciousness(relate to time).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“‘Bhikkhu, this person consists of six elements.’ So it was said. And&#xA;  with reference to what was this said? There are the earth element, the&#xA;  water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element,&#xA;  and the consciousness element. So it was with reference to this that&#xA;  it was said: ‘Bhikkhu, this person consists of six elements.’(&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhātuvibhaṅga&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist explanation about these phenomena (patichchasamuthpada) is.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The teaching of interdependent co-creation is based on an&#xA;  understanding of the twelve causal links (davadasa nidana) producing&#xA;  what is called the cycle or the wheel of existence (bhavacakra). What&#xA;  this means is that there are twelve causal steps in the arising and&#xA;  passing away of phenomena in general, and understanding these steps&#xA;  helps the seeker to free themselves from the bonds of worldly karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namarupa.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Name and Form (namarupa, characterization) – this term is used in&#xA;  Buddhism to mean that feature of a thing which defines one object from&#xA;  another. There is, in other words, a discriminative movement here.&#xA;  Objective 'characterization' – the distinction of a thing ­­– derives&#xA;  from the particular focus of perception that has arisen from whatever&#xA;  specific force of creation we are referring to. You see, from the&#xA;  Buddha's point of view, everything existing arises from a mental state&#xA;  of knowing; that is, from awareness. Awareness is key to everything.&#xA;  Nothing exists in a state where they is absolutely no awareness of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Salayathana.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Six Sense Fields (sadayatana) – the six sense fields or &quot;objects of&#xA;  sense-perception&quot; are rudimentary at this stage. They subliminally&#xA;  consist of visible form or what amounts to light vibrations, as the&#xA;  sense-field of seeing; sound vibrations, as the sense field of&#xA;  hearing; scent or odour vibrations, as the sense field of smelling;&#xA;  taste vibrations, as the sense-field of tasting; tangible vibrations,&#xA;  as the sense field of touch; and internal mental phenomena in general,&#xA;  as the sense field of mental-consciousness. In other words, each&#xA;  'perception' must have an object in the form of the perceptional field&#xA;  of vibrations that will impinge upon the six sense organs, and which&#xA;  those organs then relay to the brain. It is actually from 'name and&#xA;  form,' the distinguishing characteristic of things, whence these&#xA;  fields arise. Without having their specific character differentials,&#xA;  it would not be possible to distinguish one field from another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/first-principles-of-buddha-dharma.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right view&lt;/strong&gt;. from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Kaccanagotta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At Savatthī. Then the Venerable Kaccanagotta approached the Blessed&#xA;  One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:&#xA;  “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘right view, right view.’ In what way,&#xA;  venerable sir, is there right view?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This world, Kaccana, for the most part depends upon a duality—upon&#xA;  the notion of existence and the notion of nonexistence. But for one&#xA;  who sees the origin of the world as it really is with correct wisdom,&#xA;  there is no notion of nonexistence in regard to the world. And for one&#xA;  who sees the cessation of the world as it really is with correct&#xA;  wisdom, there is no notion of existence in regard to the world.....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Theravada explanation &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thripitakaya.org/tipitakaya/Index/90?s=239&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Dhathuvibanga sutta&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn140&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Exposition of the Elements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T04:16:59.503" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T04:16:59.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17905" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-19T07:08:25.063" Score="3" ViewCount="100" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cognition, how it happens on one's mind? Is there any comprehensible English explanation about it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T10:54:47.190" Title="How cognition can be explained in Buddha's Abidhamma?" Tags="|theravada|mind|abidhamma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17906" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17928" CreationDate="2016-10-19T08:45:22.803" Score="3" ViewCount="1351" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Ancient India when Prince Siddhartha became Lord Buddha, Buddhism started. After that so many people in India followed Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yVj76.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yVj76.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per this Map in India shows very little stats having Buddhism, so my question is if Buddhism is a very good religion why didn't it go all over India, Why is Buddhism not popular in India in Lord Buddha's time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T21:36:32.657" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T23:07:47.690" Title="Why didn't Buddhism become Popular in India in Lord Buddha's time?" Tags="|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-19T10:23:01.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There &lt;em&gt;was&lt;/em&gt; an empire in India, which was at least partly Buddhist: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Maurya_Empire%2C_c.250_BCE_2.png/1280px-Maurya_Empire%2C_c.250_BCE_2.png&quot; alt=&quot;image from wikipredia&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emperor became Buddhist: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka#Buddhist_conversion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka#Buddhist_conversion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia, the Maurya Empire started in 320 BC; and Siddhartha Gautama died in about 400 BC plus or minus a few decades; so, that empire started (only) about 50 or 100 years after the Siddhartha Gautama's death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pilgrimage sites on the map you quoted are places associated with Siddhartha Gautama's life (after which, the &quot;popularity&quot; of Buddhism extended beyond those places).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T10:23:01.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17905" CreationDate="2016-10-19T10:54:47.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma, a single cognitive experience consists of 17 continuous thought moments. Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;useful Abhidhamma manual&lt;/a&gt; which explains those 17 thought moments. Look for the &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Mind in its passive and active forms&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; section.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T10:54:47.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17909" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="34046" CreationDate="2016-10-19T14:37:50.450" Score="3" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not &quot;clinging to rites and rituals&quot; is one of the three requirements to become a Sotapanna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in creating a Sangha with strict rules (especially given the extensive permutations within the Tripitaka), the recitation of the Patimokkha etc, do followers of the Dhamma and Vinaya inadvertently accept the usefulness of ritual? Was the Buddha's warning more specifically against any practice that is not grounded in empirical experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And given that the Noble Eightfold Path establishes a concrete method and practice for the attainment of the goal, did the Buddha embrace &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Ata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ṛta&lt;/a&gt; - the natural order of the Universe or Truth - if only in its most stripped down, empirical form?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2019-07-14T09:07:11.663" LastActivityDate="2019-07-15T13:46:51.260" Title="Ṛta, ritual and Buddhism" Tags="|early-buddhism|rituals|hinduism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17910" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-19T16:16:04.270" Score="1" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-parmenides/#HowSavForPlaDed134&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Plato's Parmenides&lt;/a&gt; contains the following eight deductions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D1) If the G is, then the G is not F and not con-F in relation to itself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D2) If the G is, then the G is F and con-F in relation to the others.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D3) If the G is, then the others are F and con-F in relation to the G.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D4) If the G is, then the others are not F and not con-F in relation to themselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D5) If the G is not, then the G is F and con-F in relation to the others.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D6) If the G is not, then the G is not F and not con-F in relation to itself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D7) If the G is not, then the others are F and con-F in relation to the G.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(D8) If the G is not, then the others are not F and not con-F in relation to themselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(where ‘con-F’ refers to the property contrary to the property of being F):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do the eight deductions within the dialogue offer a convoluted view of the two truths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deductions 1, 4, 6, 8 have conclusions only stated in the negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deductions 2, 3, 5, 7 have conclusions only stated in the positive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the classical concept of Form (that from which Essence is acquired) is kept, then:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;D1 through D4, which assume &quot;the one is&quot; demonstrate that &quot;the one is not&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;D5 through D8, which assume &quot;the one is not&quot; demonstrate that &quot;the one is&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this not dissimilar to the duality that the Buddha stated, where &quot;being&quot; and &quot;non-being&quot; 'reinforce' each other - are dependently originated? Are the eight deductions a kind of logical (binary) glimpse of Samsara?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T07:34:50.317" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T07:34:50.317" Title="Plato's Parmenides, Samsara and Nirvana" Tags="|nirvana|pratityasamutpada|samsara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17910" CreationDate="2016-10-19T17:54:55.023" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'two truths' in Pali Buddhism are different to the 'two truths' in Mahayana Buddhism. Possibly, the 'two truths' of Mahayana Buddhism are more relevant to Plato's Parmenides. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, the 'two truths' refers to the difference between how enlightened &amp;amp; unenlightened people interpret certain (mundane/moral) teachings of the Buddha, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers,  Spoke two kinds of truths:  The conventional and the ultimate.  A third truth does not obtain.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therein:  The speech wherewith the world converses is true, on account of its being agreed upon by the world.  The speech which&#xA;  describes what is ultimate is also true,  through characterizing&#xA;  dhammas as they really are.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage,  false speech does not arise in the Teacher,  who is Lord of the World,  when he speaks&#xA;  according to conventions.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Commentary by Buddhaghosa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, the translations &quot;being&quot; ('bhava') and &quot;non-being&quot; ('vibhava') refer to two kinds of dependently originated 'becoming' ('bhava') based on two kinds of dependently originated craving (as defined in the 2nd noble truth in SN 56.11), namely, '&lt;em&gt;bhavatanha&lt;/em&gt;' (craving to be) and '&lt;em&gt;vibhavatanha&lt;/em&gt;' (craving not to be). Both kinds of craving &amp;amp; becoming involve 'self-view'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, 'non-being' is not synonymous with the enlightened or unconditioned state of selflessness/emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some relevant texts that show how the translations 'being' &amp;amp; 'non-being' are used are below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, duk­kha­sa­muda­yaṃ ariyasaccaṃ—yāyaṃ taṇhā ponob&lt;strong&gt;bhavikā&lt;/strong&gt; nandi­rāga­saha­gatā tatra­tat­rā­bhinan­dinī,&#xA;  seyyathidaṃ—kāmataṇhā, &lt;strong&gt;bhavataṇhā&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence/becoming (bhava), accompanied by&#xA;  delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasures, &lt;strong&gt;craving for existence&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;craving for&#xA;  extermination&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;em&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So neva taṃ abhisaṅkharoti, na abhisañ­ceta­yati &lt;strong&gt;bhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā &lt;strong&gt;vibhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā. So anabhi­saṅ­kha­ronto anabhi­sañ­ceta­yantoanabhisañcetayanto: ? &lt;strong&gt;bhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;vibhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā na kiñci loke upādiyati, anupādiyaṃ na paritassati, aparitassaṃ paccattaṃyeva parinibbāyati. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ&#xA;  brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He does not form any condition or generate any volition tending towards either &lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;non-being&lt;/strong&gt;. Since he does not form any&#xA;  condition or generate any volition tending towards either being or&#xA;  non-being, he does not cling to anything in this world. When he does&#xA;  not cling, he is not agitated. When he is not agitated, he personally&#xA;  attains Nibbāna. He understands thus: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy&#xA;  life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no&#xA;  more coming to any state of being.’ MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sato vā pana sattassa ucchedaṃ vināsaṃ &lt;strong&gt;vibhava&lt;/strong&gt;ṃ paññapenti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those who describe the...&lt;strong&gt;extermination&lt;/strong&gt; of an existing being (satta)...Just as a dog, tied by a&#xA;  leash to a post or stake, keeps running around and circling around&#xA;  that very post or stake, through fear of identity and disgust with identity keep&#xA;  running &amp;amp; circling around that same identity... MN 102&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Samsara' is defined as the state of the mind circling &amp;amp; running around in ignorance &amp;amp; craving: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;From an inconstruable beginning comes samsara. A beginning point is not evident, although beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by&#xA;  craving are running around &amp;amp; wandering on....Just as a dog, tied by a&#xA;  leash to a post or stake, keeps running around and circling around&#xA;  that very post or stake; in the same way, an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person...keeps running around and circling around that&#xA;  very form... that very feeling... that very perception... those very&#xA;  fabrications... that very consciousness. He is not set loose from&#xA;  form, not set loose from feeling... from perception... from&#xA;  fabrications... not set loose from consciousness...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.99&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, dependently originated &quot;being&quot; and &quot;non-being&quot;, namely, wanting to be this &amp;amp; not wanting to be that,  are certainly  characteristics of 'samsara' &amp;amp; probably reinforce each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, whether they relate to &lt;em&gt;Plato's Parmenides&lt;/em&gt; is another matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-19T18:29:22.483" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T18:29:22.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17898" CreationDate="2016-10-19T20:36:28.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To provide my perspective on this question &quot;Many Buddhists do not, indeed recognize they cannot, prevent sexual desire.. they prevent attachment to sexual desire fulfillment. This can be accomplished through renunciation, meditation and right action. Any statement that 'desire' is to be conquered should be restated as 'attachment' is to be conquered.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these suttas that prescribe visualizing the objects of those desires as disgusting or unattractive merely subverts, but never addresses, the attachment, nor the desire in and of itself. In fact, taken to extreme, such practices often cause one to develop a new desire even more powerful than the original, but in the opposite direction. Hence, you are running in place, achieving nothing, if you do not recognize the desire itself cannot be conquered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Renunciation is not about rejection.. it is about contemplation. A desire arises, we watch it rise, we discover its roots and the roots of our attachment to it through non-action. But rejecting a desire, or subverting it, is contrary to the entire point of Attainment. You can certainly engage in rejection as part of your path, but believing that rejection is anything other than acceptance is the wrong idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think we REALLY need to be more specific as to WHAT school of Buddhism we are talking about when we answer questions like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true that according to some paths, including some aspects of the original interpretations of the Eightfold path (which, by the way, some argue was distorted from the Buddha's intentions by charismatic ascetics.. I am neutral on this) what you say about sexual desire and sensual pleasures is correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also true that there are paths that acknowledge sensual pleasure as a part of the path, and advocate a different route to mastery over desires. We could even say that these paths might be more in line with what Ananda believed to be so (that would be a stretch, but it is defensible).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that sexual desire is harmful is an absolutely horrible way to talk about this situation. Even within the most renunciatory path, it must be admitted that desires are not a target for elimination, but attachment TO those desires. We must admit to everyone and ourselves that renunciation has nothing to do with eliminating desire.. but with eliminating attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It must also be admitted that we need to look at any sutta with a liberal dose of grains of salt. These things were written in the Bronze age (in general) and any particular advocacy of behavior during that time must be put in context with that age, otherwise its utility is lost. Foe example, it could be argued that any renunciation of sexual pleasure was primarily advocated so as to help monks avoid entanglements, which would be brought about by pregnancy.. most especially considering how the predominant culture treated such a situation (aka if you abandoned a pregnant woman you were dooming her to suffering). With modern birth control, there may not be a need for this proscription, as worded, anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you say (or anyone says, including those sayings in the suttas) that desire needs to be conquered, you immediately setup dissonance that is impossible to satisfy. This is useful to a Religious Organization, but has no bearing on Enlightenment or Attainment, unless a school's intention is to enlighten through dissonance, which is a common thread in some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any event, It is attachment that is the enemy, not desire. Which is why the translation of 'taṇhā' is so important. And it is why I sincerely think that we must  stop fetishizing the suttas as somehow 'inviolable' or as some sort of unerring guide to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are thousands of years away from the events and sayings in the suttas.. they are useful and wise, but not perfect, nor even directly applicable to our daily lives. It seems to me that our job is to extract meaning and intent from all of it, not to slavishly follow proscriptions established in a time of &amp;lt;1% literacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T20:36:28.903" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12096" CreationDate="2016-10-19T20:50:24.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm with the 'Old School' on this one.. if noises are a problem while you meditate, then you should surround yourself with noises.. perhaps gradually, perhaps abruptly..  thus your practice will become rapidly better, even though it may seem at the time that it is very difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is not noises, then it will be something else. The idea of meditation is not to get into some kind of state, but to practice, over and over again, in different conditions, the discipline of meditation and thus improve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense, any type of meditation has &quot;The Goalless Goal&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-19T20:50:24.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17914" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-19T20:59:22.103" Score="1" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quantamagazine.org/20160421-the-evolutionary-argument-against-reality/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://www.quantamagazine.org/20160421-the-evolutionary-argument-against-reality/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fascinating read, and I wondered what the wisdom of the crowd was on how closely they thought this notion fit with the principles of Buddhism, most notably the idea of reality being an illusion, and the liberation of ourselves from the chains of perception?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T06:59:19.367" Title="How do you see this article fitting in with Buddhist principles?" Tags="|philosophy|reality|delusion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17914" CreationDate="2016-10-20T00:35:44.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not state 'perception' ('&lt;em&gt;sanna&lt;/em&gt;') is a chain. In fact, without perception, enlightenment (perceiving the true nature of things, including perception itself) cannot occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, Buddhism lists the following chains (fetters):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;belief in a self (Pali: &lt;em&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;doubt or uncertainty,&#xA;especially about the teachings (&lt;em&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;wrong use of morals and rituals (&lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sensual desire (&lt;em&gt;kāmacchando&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ill will (&lt;em&gt;vyāpādo or byāpādo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lust for material jhana, lust for material things (&lt;em&gt;rūparāgo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;lust for immaterial jhana, lust for immaterial things, such as status,&#xA;fame, etc (&lt;em&gt;arūparāgo&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;conceit (&lt;em&gt;māna&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;restlessness (&lt;em&gt;uddhacca&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;ignorance (&lt;em&gt;avijjā&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fetter (Buddhism) adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the perception of the 'illusion of perceptions', if this was actually seen clearly, desires &amp;amp; attachments would end because, in reality, the mind only desires &amp;amp; attaches with concrete (solid) self-belief to concrete (solid) objects .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is one thing for a cognitive scientist to create concrete ideas &amp;amp; theories about the illusion of perception, which may not end the desires &amp;amp; attachments of the scientist. It is another thing to actually see the illusion of perception meditatively, which will certainly end desires &amp;amp; attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage were shimmering and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it &amp;amp;&#xA;appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it &amp;amp;&#xA;appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without&#xA;substance: for what substance would there be in a mirage?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the same&#xA;way, a monk sees, observes &amp;amp; appropriately examines any perception&#xA;that is past, future or present; internal or external; blatant or&#xA;subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing&#xA;it &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void,&#xA;without substance: for what substance would there be in perception?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Phena Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T00:52:51.447" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17914" CreationDate="2016-10-20T00:53:42.650" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it fits well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article claims there's an &quot;independent reality&quot;; and that evolution has shaped how we perceive reality (it's not specific, but if I'm to fill in the gaps and play devil's advocate, an example might be that we've evolved to see sex and violence as good?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article is full of words which aren't well-defined (e.g. &quot;independent reality&quot;). It evokes &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;quantum mysticism&lt;/a&gt; again, which I'm averse to. It implies that &quot;first-person conscious experience&quot; is inescapable, perhaps the only possible view (which is naive and maybe contradicted by Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It makes statements like ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Its perceptions will be tuned to fitness, but not to truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... without defining what &quot;truth&quot; is, thence argues that perceptions are &quot;illusion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a statement like ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can pull the W out of the model and stick a conscious agent in its place and get a circuit of conscious agents. In fact, you can have whole networks of arbitrary complexity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... I think he's introspecting: he's thinking about the &quot;I&quot; and has reached &quot;a thicket of views&quot;. He might be explicitly trying to discard &quot;fitness&quot; from his view: he thinks that viewing things as &quot;fit or not fit&quot; (e.g. for evolutionary survival) prevents us from seeing what &quot;true&quot; (which he hasn't defined, and which he argues we can't perceive without bias).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to that, if you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (or the Pali suttas) it categorizes things as good and not-good ... &quot;things&quot; including feelings, and views, and intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one of the differences between Buddhism and this article, IMO, is that Buddhism discusses what's &lt;em&gt;good and not-good&lt;/em&gt; ... which this article doesn't, at all. Instead this article tries to discuss what's &lt;em&gt;true and not-true&lt;/em&gt;, what's &lt;em&gt;real and not-real&lt;/em&gt; (but the article doesn't succeed, and/or isn't useful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that if Buddhism talks about &quot;illusion&quot; (and I'm not sure that it does), that illusion doesn't consist of failure to perceive reality, instead it's failure to assign the proper value to perception: e.g. the illusion is perceiving something that's unpleasant as pleasant, perceive something that's impermanent as everlasting, perceive something that's not-self as self, etc. I'm really not sure what Buddhism says about &quot;illusion&quot;: but it might be a more accurate or a more common translation to say that Buddhism talks about &quot;ignorance&quot;, and that &quot;ignorance&quot; is a cause of &quot;wrong view&quot; (as opposed to &quot;right view&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T02:55:04.283" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T02:55:04.283" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17909" CreationDate="2016-10-20T01:32:27.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clinging to rites and rituals&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is mis-belief in something miracle and shortcut. It is mis-belief in worshipping the creator or god can bring the worshipper's liberation/salvation. It is something one is throwing away own efforts and nurturing own knowledge and wisdom. It is just mis-belief in some powerful beings (god) or some powerful things (fire [in some india place people worship to fire]) that ultimate liberation/bliss can be offered/transferred from it. It is mis-belief that the manners, habits and practice of dog or cow(bull) can cleanse one's impurities in mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noble Eightfold Path is one needs to practice oneself. The practitioner of Noble Eightfold Path never expects the salvation from anyone/anything. The very first of the Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_view&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Right View&lt;/a&gt; already gets rid of the idea of &quot;Clinging to rites and rituals&quot; and so the two path clearly opposite to each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vinaya&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vinaya is set of rules to monks. The tipitaka indicates that it is purely from Buddha's authoritative order (there is no one who defined Vinaya and only Buddha did). The purpose of Vinaya is clearly stated by Buddha in Vinaya pitaka as follow:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To accept and be disciplined by Sanga that Sanga likes to comply&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To be in Sanga with pleasant mind/body by complying Vinaya  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To identify and punish the committed one&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Complied monks stay together peacefully/cherishing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To get away from present dangers/prosecutions by broking the law (vinaya)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To get rid of future dangers/sufferings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To be pleased by lay people who has not done to do so&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To be more pleased by lay people who already has done to do so&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To maintain three Sasana(s) more longer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To promote the vinaya (rules)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is the purpose of Vinaya and it is &lt;strong&gt;clearly intended to Sanga (the organization of monks)&lt;/strong&gt; to be followed, disciplined and complied. &lt;strong&gt;The lay people is not abided by the Vinaya.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To attain the Nirvana, it is only one needs to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. It is not necessary to to be part of Sanga, be a monk(eventually it is not necessarily to be disciplined by Vinaya). So Vinaya is optional to lay people and it is only adopted when joining the Sanga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For about Rules (Vinaya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In above 10 purposes of Vinaya, Buddha clearly stated that to get rid of dangers and sufferings by complying it. By following it, one can free from accusing/prosecuting oneself at least. On closer learning of vinaya, it is trying to get rid of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; to some extent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another example that would not go deep like above statement. Even in some club membership (and some religious matters) in real world, there are some ridiculous rules need to follow by new members. The only explanation is &quot;it is tradition&quot; and nothing more will be detailed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is another example also stating that rule is not ritual. For travelers to Singapore it is illegal to bring/consume Chewing Gum but nobody say Singapore is in ritual by applying this law. There are many queer/odd rules applied by a number of countries but it does not totally apply those countries are in ritual. So there is clear distinction between rules and rituals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's vinaya is clearly path-ed/reasoned than those of that. The two reasons (7 and 8) of vinaya on Sanga are because organization of monks (Sanga) is totally relied on offerings (meals, robes, accommodations and medicine) of lay people; in terms of living on donation. So it is very heavy burden for monks to comply rules so that people are pleased to see that their offerings go not in vain (they are not offering things bought by their hard-earned money to total jerks for nothing). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another meaningful of vinaya is by following it, the complied person can feel oneself free from harms. Opposite to this, in ritual, the practitioner cannot clearly state why ritual has to be done, the practitioner cannot explain more than it is a tradition, it must be done but no reason. After completing/fulfilling the ritual, there is no obvious proof that result/outcome is achieved. The only thing is forced to believe. Let say a weight-controlling lady avoids any solid food meal after noon and after some days/weeks practicing this she can feel she lost her weight and feel better, healthy and active. Ritual is not close enough this in the sense of &quot;Result oriented&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, Vinaya is not ritual and set of rules bound to Sanga only. It is optional to lay people who follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Vinaya has 10 reasons to be put in place and Vinaya is trying to get rid of bad deeds as much as possible so that the practitioner can please himself and prone to mindfulness (good concentration) but ritual only based on belief (not clearly defined outcome/result of achievement). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T03:05:12.037" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T03:05:12.037" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1766" CreationDate="2016-10-20T03:49:31.373" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many meditation techniques work by over riding the autonomic nervous system. I find this technique effective at 'thought stopping'. Like many meditation practices you must practice the technique to benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10224" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T03:49:31.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17919" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17925" CreationDate="2016-10-20T08:44:13.783" Score="16" ViewCount="2169" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing mindfulness meditation for around three months now. I've heard many times that a key aim for meditation is to be with whatever thoughts and feelings are present, without trying to change anything. I understand to a large extent why this is important, as much upset is caused by suppressing and mentally running away from things that we are afraid of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in my practice I have found that if I consciously try to relax during a session (muscular tension is an issue with me) it can be a much more fulfilling, refreshing experience. Is this not an example of trying to change something, and therefore 'bad' practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10225" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T20:52:50.907" LastActivityDate="2022-11-10T18:28:10.120" Title="Meditation and 'not trying to change anything'" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T09:13:09.200" Score="15" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Not trying to change anything' is a modern idea and is not what is taught in the original Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the original teachings, there are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four right efforts&lt;/a&gt;, namely: (i) effort to prevent unwholesome states of mind; (ii) effort to dispel unwholesome states of mind; (iii) effort to cultivate wholesome states of mind; and (iv) effort to maintain &amp;amp; increase wholesome states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Refreshing' calmness/tranquility ('&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;') is considered a wholesome state of mind that is preferably developed. To cultivate calmness requires a keen/observant yet very gentle effort to keep the mind clear &amp;amp; equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path...the&#xA;four right efforts... go to the culmination of their development.&#xA;[And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity&#xA;(&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.149.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 149&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T09:18:20.813" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T10:29:33.040" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight or Vipassana meditation is about finding out the real nature of phenomena. Achieving relaxation or some kind of a refreshing feeling is not the goal. The correct method is to note all conditioned phenomena as they are without trying to alter or make things easy for you. The effort you put into doing that is the right effort indeed as it cuts-off(over time) the causes of unwholesome(greed, aversion, ignorance) mind states; It prevents already arisen unwholesome mind states from propagating; it cultivates &amp;amp; improves on wholesome(non-craving,non-aversion, wisdom) mind states.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the&#xA;  seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the&#xA;  heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to&#xA;  the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train&#xA;  yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the&#xA;  seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in&#xA;  reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the&#xA;  cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When&#xA;  there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When&#xA;  there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the&#xA;  two. This, just this, is the end of stress.&quot;[2] - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bāhiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T03:58:12.303" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T03:58:12.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17922" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-20T12:29:54.293" Score="1" ViewCount="45" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not trying to offend anyone of to be disrespectful, but I cannot help to notice that the images of Buddha always represent him as an overweight man.  In my culture an overweight person is associated with an healthy lifestyle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I am curious to know why Buddha presented as an overweight man?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10226" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T12:29:54.293" Title="Why is Buddha presented as an overweight man?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-10-20T12:35:08.950" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17923" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17927" CreationDate="2016-10-20T13:20:02.307" Score="3" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find sutras describing about the 10 paramithas and the 3 types of paramithas in the pali cannon? I couldn't find a proper sutra on it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T16:29:44.587" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T18:36:56.187" Title="Dasa Paramitha - Sources" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|paramitas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T13:56:28.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In meditation one observes everything. That includes your muscular tension, you're subsequent conscious effort to relax, en your enjoyment of your relaxed posture afterwards. It can include your thoughts about &quot;bad practice&quot;. After you are done sitting you can continue your meditation by observing your body and thoughts move around again. After a while you will conclude that you were actually never not meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is to forget about &quot;bad practice&quot;. Observing yourself as you truly are is the essence of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10229" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T13:56:28.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T15:07:36.760" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very important to distinguish what buddhists call threefold training (sikkha), see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&lt;/a&gt;. Each of the training parts has different methods and different goals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Morality training&lt;/strong&gt; (sila-sikkha), or, in today's language I'd say &quot;personality development&quot;, deals with making one's ordinary life conditions suitable for meditation practice: both externally (like livelihood, relationships, health) and also internally (like some basic psychological sanity). It is called &quot;first and last training&quot;, because one starts here (and it includes 5 precepts which are basic transgressions to be avoided) but is also never perfect and can always improve. The goal is not to harm oneself and others, and do good.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Concentration training&lt;/strong&gt; (citta-sikkha), which is samatha (tranquility, concentration) meditation. The goal is to be fluent in attaining various mind states, especially absorptions (jhanas) and to develop concentrative power of the mind. Some lineages don't do this training separately, e.g. Mahasi Saydaw taught practices where concentration is developed along the way with the next one. Whether this training has some end point is a question which is disputed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Insight training&lt;/strong&gt; (panna-sikkha, wisdom training): vipassana meditation. The goal is to see clearly things as they are, especially (the accent depends on the lineage) in terms of 3 characteristics (uncontrollability, impermanence and unsatisfactoriness). Theory says that this training has an end-point, which is final enlightenment (attainment of the 4th path knowledge, thereby destroying all &quot;fetters&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that in 1. and 2. you are &lt;strong&gt;supposed to manipulate&lt;/strong&gt; your experience as a part of the training, where as in point 3 (vipassana), &lt;strong&gt;non-manipulation is essential&lt;/strong&gt;. It is very important to be aware of this context, otherwise people might use meditation instruction in daily life (e.g. being mindful of pain or other's suffering instead of going to see doctor or helping someone).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During vipassana practice, you should be aware of things happening; this might include what you conventionally think &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; do, such as stretching or relaxing, but actually happening in a way by themselves (that is one of the 3 characteristics - anatta, non-self or non-controllability), though we are often in habit of ascribing them to ourselves and making ourselves guilty of such actions, thinking we are performing &quot;badly&quot;. Before you relax, try to become aware of feelings taking you there (disliking, maybe feeling of helplessness, thoughts about the pain never going away, craving for peace or similar - dunno) which actually make you want to relax. And if you relax anyway, be mindful of judging thoughts or whatever else comes afterwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As others said, fulfillment from the practice is something very hard to measure and is definitely not co-extensive with good feelings during the practice. In the long run, you actually want to bring bad feelings up (so that you deal with them), a little bit in the line of &quot;no pain, no gain&quot;, but let the practice take you there, it does its own thing quite well if you don't interfere :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;strong&gt;PS:&lt;/strong&gt; I attribute the 3 trainings discussion and difference in goals they have to D. Ingram's &lt;em&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastEditorUserId="4753" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T05:38:14.480" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T05:38:14.480" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17897" CreationDate="2016-10-20T16:04:00.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta (SN 6.1)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then, while he (Buddha) was alone and in seclusion, this line of thinking arose&#xA;  in his awareness&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to&#xA;  see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of&#xA;  conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. But this generation&#xA;  delights in attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment.&#xA;  For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by attachment,&#xA;  enjoying attachment, this/that conditionality and dependent co-arising&#xA;  are hard to see. This state, too, is hard to see: the resolution of&#xA;  all fabrications, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending&#xA;  of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding. And if I were to teach&#xA;  the Dhamma and if others would not understand me, that would be&#xA;  tiresome for me, troublesome for me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at&#xA;  ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of&#xA;  thinking in the Blessed One's awareness, thought: &quot;The world is lost!&#xA;  The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathagata, the Arahant, the&#xA;  Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to&#xA;  teaching the Dhamma!&quot; Then, just as a strong man might extend his&#xA;  flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahma Sahampati disappeared from&#xA;  the Brahma-world and reappeared in front of the Blessed One. Arranging&#xA;  his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on&#xA;  the ground, saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart,&#xA;  and said to him: &quot;Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the&#xA;  One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in&#xA;  their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma.&#xA;  There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn4.1/en/bodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tapokammasutta (SN 4.1)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvela on the bank&#xA;  of the river Nerañjara at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree just&#xA;  after he had become fully enlightened. &lt;strong&gt;Then, while the Blessed One&#xA;  was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind&lt;/strong&gt; thus: “I am&#xA;  indeed freed from that gruelling asceticism! It is good indeed that I&#xA;  am freed from that useless gruelling asceticism! It is good that,&#xA;  steady and mindful, I have attained enlightenment!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Mara the Evil One, having known with his own mind the reflection&#xA;  in the Blessed One’s mind, approached the Blessed One and addressed&#xA;  him in verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Having deviated from the austere practice&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By which men purify themselves,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being impure, you think you’re pure:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You have missed the path to purity.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having understood, “This is Mara the Evil One,”&#xA;  replied to him in verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Having known as useless any austerity&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Aimed at the immortal state,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That all such penances are futile&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Like oars and rudder on dry land,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By developing the path to enlightenment—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Virtue, concentration, and wisdom—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I have attained supreme purity:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You’re defeated, End-maker!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Mara the Evil One, realizing, “The Blessed One knows me, the&#xA;  Fortunate One knows me,” sad and disappointed, disappeared right&#xA;  there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2018-05-26T15:17:08.130" LastActivityDate="2018-05-26T15:17:08.130" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17923" CreationDate="2016-10-20T16:40:14.337" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can find a study guide here by Thanissaro Bhikkhu: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/perfections.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ten Perfections&#xA;A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There seem to be four types of perfection, and not three.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Passages in this guide are drawn from the Pali canon and from the teachings of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four determinations:&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;One should not be negligent of &lt;em&gt;discernment&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;should guard the &lt;em&gt;truth&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;be devoted to &lt;em&gt;relinquishment&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;and train only for &lt;em&gt;calm&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find a further commentary here by Bhikkhu Bodhi: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel409.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Treatise on the Paramis&#xA;From the Commentary to the Cariyapitaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T18:36:56.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-20T16:56:53.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta (SN 6.1)&lt;/a&gt;: the Buddha thought that it would be too hard to teach the dhamma and considered not doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, while he (Buddha) was alone and in seclusion, this line of thinking arose&#xA;  in his awareness: &quot;This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to&#xA;  see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of&#xA;  conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. .....&#xA;  And if I were to teach&#xA;  the Dhamma and if others would not understand me, that would be&#xA;  tiresome for me, troublesome for me.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading on, Brahma Sahampati requested the Buddha to teach the dhamma, saying that there would be those (with little dust in their eyes) who would understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of&#xA;  compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened&#xA;  One. As he did so, he saw beings with little dust in their eyes and&#xA;  those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those&#xA;  with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those&#xA;  hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world. Just&#xA;  as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses — born and&#xA;  growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water,&#xA;  without rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level&#xA;  with the water; while some might rise up from the water and stand&#xA;  without being smeared by the water — so too, surveying the world with&#xA;  the eye of an Awakened One, the Blessed One saw beings with little&#xA;  dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and&#xA;  those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those&#xA;  easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger&#xA;  in the other world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, from the Buddha's perspective, not many would be qualified to truly understand the dhamma when he first taught it. This would explain why it does not become wildly popular in his time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like some other religions, Buddhism got adopted by the masses due to being endorsed by the rulers who have accepted it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T00:36:19.493" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T00:36:19.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T19:55:01.083" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;[...] a key aim for meditation is to be with whatever thoughts and feelings are present, without trying to change anything.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the &quot;without trying to change anything&quot; part, this advice is a popular (but often confusing) way of teaching &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt; (pali: &lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt;), an important skill in the Buddhist curriculum.  In a sense, the advice's purpose seems to aim both at preventing mindless habitual reactions to a certain event and preventing reactions based on aversion (pali: &lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt;) or craving (pali: &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;), two of the five hindrances that prevent us from progressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation&lt;/em&gt;, Ven. Analayo explains &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt; as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Equanimity or equipoise, upek(k)ha, from the etymological perspective suggests a mental attitude of 'looking upon', not an indifferent 'looking away'. The term thus conveys an awareness of whatever is happening combined with mental balance and the absence of favoring or opposing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] &quot;equanimity is [...] a mental equipoise that rounds off a systematic opening of the heart which has been brought about through cultivation of the other three divine abodes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's, for example, how the Buddha teaches the development of &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt; in the suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now how, Ananda, in the discipline of a noble one is there the unexcelled development of the faculties? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[...] when touching a tactile sensation with the body, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable. He discerns that 'This agreeable thing has arisen in me, this disagreeable thing... this agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing has arisen in me. And that is compounded, gross, dependently co-arisen. But this is peaceful, this is exquisite, i.e., equanimity.' With that, the arisen agreeable thing... disagreeable thing... agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing ceases, and equanimity takes its stance. Just as a strong man might easily extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, that is how quickly, how rapidly, how easily, no matter what it refers to, the arisen agreeable thing... disagreeable thing... agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable thing ceases, and equanimity takes its stance. In the discipline of a noble one, this is called the unexcelled development of the faculties with regard to tactile sensations cognizable by the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Indriya-bhavana Sutta, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.152.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 152&lt;/a&gt; (Thanissaro Trans.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As illustration, here's a sutta narrating the attitude of the Buddha when in physical pain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha at the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed within him — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — but he endured them mindful, alert, &amp;amp; unperturbed. Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid out, he lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, with one foot placed on top of the other, mindful &amp;amp; alert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 1.38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to note that &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt; is not some kind of passivity as if one should remain idle when facing a threat to one's health. One should still take care of one self and others equanimously － instead of trying to take care of oneself and others moved by fear, despair, anger or craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another related sutta is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;The Arrow&lt;/a&gt; which illustrates the differences between pain and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;However, in my practice I have found that if I consciously try to relax during a session (muscular tension is an issue with me) it can be a much more fulfilling, refreshing experience.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During meditation, specially, the &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; aspect of the practice, that's good. Here's the Buddha describing his own experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, as you can see, &quot;consciously trying&quot; is necessary in the Buddhist training. Knowing what to try to do and what to prevent doing, however, requires understanding what are wholesome actions and attitudes (those leading to enlightenment) and unwholesome actions (those that lead to more suffering) as well as knowing the skills and goals to be developed during a certain practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the importance of &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt;, it is an important factor in many doctrinal aspects, among them, the 7 enlightenment factors. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Investigation (dhamma vicaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (viriya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy or rapture (pīti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relaxation or tranquility (passaddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samādhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equanimity&lt;/strong&gt; (upekkha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the five hindrances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these five hindrances. What five? The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will [aversion], the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt. These are the five hindrances. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five hindrances, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.177&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 45.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T22:11:30.530" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T22:11:30.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-20T20:25:42.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with making a concious effort to relax your body (you mentioned having muscular tension) during meditation. Indeed, it's helpful. It's also good to approach your meditation with an open, relaxed mental state. The rest will follow naturally -- give it time. I think some of the other replies are over thinking/analyzing the issue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7701" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T20:25:42.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-20T22:43:35.140" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;so my question is if budhism is very good religion why it didn't went all over the india, Why Buddhism not became Popular in India in Lord Buddha time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually, the Buddha traveled extensively around the territory and he is said to have had the most followers along with the Ājīvikas and the Jains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After his death, popularity increased much more, particularly with imperial support by Ashoka, who not only helped build monasteries and raising pillars with Buddhist ethics content around the empire, but also financed missions to spread Buddhism beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, though, Buddhism declined in India, presumably through many forces. Among them, I've seen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lost (and lack) of support from royalty (later favoring Brahmanism).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism persecution during the Shunga Empire.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;War and invasions (some of which destroyed buddhist universities, particularly big ones such as Nalanda).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Schism within the buddhist sangha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lack of engagement of monastics with laity (one of the criticism drawn in the Mahayana/Hinayana polemics).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Socio-economical circumstances driving interest of the public to Brahamanism -- and ability of the latter to incorporate and mix buddhist elements.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-10-20T22:49:03.160" LastActivityDate="2016-10-20T22:49:03.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-21T01:48:51.630" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay, let me start by saying I'm not a super religious person but having lived in Srilanka, right next to India and a Buddhist country qualifies me to answer this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indians at the time of Gautama Buddha were mostly Hindus and had a caste system where the Brahmans, the teachers of Hinduisms were on the top and the poor was at the very bottom. The poor literally had to jump in to the drains when people of higher castes were traveling on the same road. The Buddha, however, opposed the caste system and he was very ambiguous about the creator deity Brahmans and Eternal self Atman and rejected them both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there were somewhat of a tension between hindu brahmins and buddhist monks. The Buddha however did not deny the existence of gods (devas) and said that the did exist in other worlds that is better than our world but are subjected to the same samsaric sufferings as humans. They too die but they have much larger life spans compared to us. Humans can go to these heavens if they do enough good deeds and when it runs out, they will be reborn depending on their karmas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism attained prominence as it was supported by Royal courts and virtually disappeared from India after the fall of the Guptas. By the 8th century Shiva and Vishnu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Emperor Ashoka who ruled most of India from Afghan mountains to Bangladesh was greatly responsible among other kings for spreading Buddhism around the world. He created Nalanda a huge library containing Buddhist documents and even some Hellenic people turned to Buddhism during his reign as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan. He sent his own son and daughter to Srilanka with a branch from the tree that the Buddha attained Nibbana and ordained the king and the royal court at the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Troops from the Muslim Malmuk Dynasty later destroyed Nalanda, along with a huge number of Buddhist scriptures and eventually the Boh tree the Buddha attained enlightenment was cut down. The one in Srilanka is still there and is the oldest tree in the island. Events like these and Hinduism coming back to the royal courts gradually decreased the number of Buddhist followers in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10233" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T10:03:38.393" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T10:03:38.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17898" CreationDate="2016-10-21T02:26:33.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Its not a sin in Buddhism to have a high sexual drive&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot prevent sexual desiveres unless you attained nirvana. Even monks get sexual desires because we cannot control our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said Buddhists so I assume you mean un ordained people like you and me, not monks (who have much stricter code). Unordained people have to live by the five precepts. We had to say this verse before school starts back when I was in Srilanka and we said it in pali but the translation is and some words I don't know the exact words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1&lt;/strong&gt; I will not kill, harm any living things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2&lt;/strong&gt; I will not steal or take anything that isn't mine&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3&lt;/strong&gt; I will not have wrong sexual relations. Sex isn't banned or even restricted in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4&lt;/strong&gt; I will not gossip or say things that will hurt other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5&lt;/strong&gt; I will not take any alchohol/cigarette/drug substances (I don't know the exact translation from Pali to Sinhala in this much less the English translation  for the 5th but you get the idea)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are the five things normal people should follow to live a happy life. Having lived in a traditional Buddhist country before moving for college, I can say that well sex isn't a taboo unless you're cheating etc. The mind cannot be controlled unless you attain nirvna so until then its normal to feel sexual desires, hate, jelousy etc. There are no rules for unordained people in Budddhism. Instead a set of guidelines to follow and people can choose to follow them or not. Bad karma will have bad results and good deeds will have good results&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10233" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T02:26:33.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17935" CreationDate="2016-10-21T04:00:00.890" Score="1" ViewCount="310" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen in certain books that there is gonna be a lot of buddha shunya kalpas after the bhadra kalpa. Also it has stated about names of 10 Buddhas after the Bhadra kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a sutra source for these facts? Where can i find them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T12:00:43.717" Title="Buddhas after Bhadra Kalpa" Tags="|sutras|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17934" CreationDate="2016-10-21T11:51:09.293" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no mention on the future buddhas except Metteyya buddha in the pali canon. However, there's a book, &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasabodhisattuppattikatha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dasabodhisattuppattikatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; which was written much later than the compilation of the pali cannon, possibly influenced by Mahayana bodhisattva ideals. Here's a list of the 10 buddhas in that book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metteyya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rāma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dhammarāja&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abhibhū&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dīghasonī&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cankī&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Subha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Todeyya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tissa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sumangala&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_10_Future_Buddhas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/The_10_Future_Buddhas.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T12:00:43.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17936" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-21T12:51:27.180" Score="0" ViewCount="121" Body="&lt;p&gt;I came  along with this (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.net/dwncounter.php?number=29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.aathaapi.net/dwncounter.php?number=29&lt;/a&gt;)  detailed description of the Buddhas (during vag and mano pradani era of Gautama Bodhisattva) before the 28 Buddhas. 512000 in number to be exact. I have also heard about this fact in some texts as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this stated in the pali canon? What are the sutras? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="10105" LastEditDate="2016-10-23T03:10:54.093" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T07:09:14.450" Title="Past Buddha's : Sources" Tags="|sutras|buddhas|paramitas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-21T18:40:09.177" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;During The Buddha's time, he was just another teacher in India, there were many others teachers and dhammas already existing in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't find the suttas detailing the number of followers The Buddha had during his time but probably still at least 10,000 (including lay followers).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ancient times that's how things start off, they only become popular later on. The majority of people all around the world were illiterate prior to the 17th Century so transmitting information was done primarily orally and verbally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spreading ideas in ancient times was much more difficult, and still in modern times it would be difficult. Scientology for instance only gained popularity later on in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christianity and many other religions also started off very small and only gained popularity much later on in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few hypotheses to explain why Buddhism didn't gain popularity in India later on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caste system (The Buddha was against it, seems to be only found in India or regions near India)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism was never in India anymore popular than Jainism was in India (Jainism is also unpopular in India in modern times)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism was prosecuted and forcefully exterminated from India&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vedantist teachings lead to the decline of Buddhism in India&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in reality Buddhism still lives on in India since post-Buddhist Hinduism seems to have copied or integrated concepts from Buddhism, same with post-Buddhist Jainism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also possible that Christianity was influenced by Buddhism since Buddhism was popular among the Greeks for some time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-10-21T19:01:10.707" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T19:01:10.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17939" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-21T19:24:02.653" Score="7" ViewCount="304" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could someone illuminate me in &quot;consciousness&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it simply the ability to rationalize, analyze and most important concentrate? With or without ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does consciousness dictate who we are? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T14:03:17.437" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:59:20.453" Title="What is considered consciousness?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8415" CreationDate="2016-10-21T19:39:07.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Interpreting dreams is against a monk's virtue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in&#xA;  faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such lowly arts as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;reading marks on the limbs [e.g., palmistry];  reading omens and&#xA;  signs;  interpreting celestial events [falling stars, comets]; &#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;interpreting dreams&lt;/strong&gt;;  reading marks on the body [e.g., phrenology]; &#xA;  reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice;  offering fire oblations,&#xA;  oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains,&#xA;  ghee, and oil;  offering oblations from the mouth;  offering&#xA;  blood-sacrifices;  making predictions based on the fingertips; &#xA;  geomancy;  laying demons in a cemetery;  placing spells on spirits; &#xA;  reciting house-protection charms;  snake charming, poison-lore,&#xA;  scorpion-lore, rat-lore, bird-lore, crow-lore;  fortune-telling based&#xA;  on visions;  giving protective charms;  interpreting the calls of&#xA;  birds and animals — &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he abstains from wrong livelihood, from lowly arts such as these.&quot;&#xA;  (Kevatta Sutta, DN 11)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what the dream means, it could mean nothing or something but whatever it means would be irrelevant to achieving arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T19:39:07.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2016-10-21T21:05:02.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Acting leads towards hell (or lower destinations), it is one of those things perceived to be harmless but actually causes harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's not true that all actors would go to hell just that acting itself leads towards hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact believing &quot;all people who do certain things go to hell&quot; is a wrong view that leads towards hell according to The Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Our teacher holds this doctrine, holds this view: 'All those who&#xA;  steal... All those who indulge in illicit sex... All those who tell&#xA;  lies are destined for a state of deprivation, are destined for hell.'&#xA;  There are lies that I have told. I, too, am destined for a state of&#xA;  deprivation, am destined for hell.' He fastens onto that view. If he&#xA;  doesn't abandon that doctrine, doesn't abandon that state of mind,&#xA;  doesn't relinquish that view, then as if he were to be carried off, he&#xA;  would thus be placed in hell. (Sankha Sutta, SN 42.8)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also explains in other suttas the complexities of kamma that it's not true that all people who do evil go to hell or that all people who do good go to heaven, some people who do evil still go to heaven and others that do good go to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now there is the person who has killed living beings here... has had&#xA;  wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he&#xA;  reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.But (perhaps)&#xA;  the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the&#xA;  good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right&#xA;  view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death.&quot;&#xA;  (Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta, MN 136)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happens to a person after death relies on much more than just one thing or one deed, but also earlier kamma, later kamma, and the view at the time of death, which is why sometimes good people go to hell and evil people go to heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The effects of kamma however will always be felt in some form either now or in some existence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next&#xA;  rebirth, or in some subsequent existence&quot; (Maha Kammavibhanga Sutta,&#xA;  MN 136)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also explains how an evil deed can take one individual to hell but for another individual gets experienced here and now and barely appears for a moment, depending how developed the individual is in body, virtue, mind, and discernment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him&#xA;  to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped&#xA;  in [contemplating] the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in&#xA;  mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling&#xA;  with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual&#xA;  takes him to hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is&#xA;  experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears&#xA;  for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is&#xA;  developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed&#xA;  in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted,&#xA;  dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this sort&#xA;  of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part&#xA;  barely appears for a moment.&quot; (Lonaphala Sutta, AN 3.99)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since everyone has intentionally or unintentionally done evil deeds, had wrong views, etc...either now or in the past they should try to become developed in body, mind, virtue, discernment, and large-hearted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So will &quot;all actors go to hell?&quot; the answer is no.&#xA;But will &quot;most actors go to hell?&quot; I'm not sure, The Buddha seems to indicate that most people in general go to the three lower destinations after death (hell, the animal realm, realm of ghosts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of&#xA;  his fingernail, said to the monks, &quot;What do you think, monks? Which is&#xA;  greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my&#xA;  fingernail, or the great earth?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the&#xA;  Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to&#xA;  nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a&#xA;  fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with&#xA;  the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, monks, few are the beings who, on passing away from&#xA;  the human realm, are reborn among human beings. Far more are the&#xA;  beings who, on passing away from the human realm, are reborn in&#xA;  hell... in the animal womb... in the domain of the hungry ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... &quot;In the same way, monks, few are the beings who, on passing away&#xA;  from the human realm, are reborn among devas. Far more are the beings&#xA;  who, on passing away from the human realm, are reborn in hell... in&#xA;  the animal womb... in the domain of the hungry ghosts.&quot; (Pansu Sutta, SN 56.102)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So most people in general go towards the three lower destinations (hell, the animal realm, realm of ghosts) after death including actors and non-actors...very few go to the more pleasant destinations (humans, devas (heavenly world)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T21:05:02.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8415" CreationDate="2016-10-21T21:36:41.743" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this works for the awake state, it'll work for dreams too. Or your interpretations of your dreams, subject to honesty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2016-10-21T21:36:41.743" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17939" CreationDate="2016-10-21T23:46:26.070" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, 'consciousness' ('&lt;em&gt;vinnana&lt;/em&gt;') is the sense awareness or cognition that operates through the six sense organs to facilite: (i) seeing; (ii) hearing; (iii) smelling; (iv) tasting; (v) touching &amp;amp;; (iv) knowing of the mind's internal feelings, perceptions, moods, thoughts, images, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To use a rough analogy, 'consciousness' can be compared to the mere reflecting of an image by a mirror. Consciousness only 'reflects' sense objects, like a mirror, that is all. Consciousness does not 'think' or 'analyse', just like a mirror does not think or analyse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is consciousness? These six are classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness,&#xA;  tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, intellect-consciousness.&#xA;  This is called consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on ear &amp;amp; sounds, ear-consciousness arises...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on nose &amp;amp; aromas, nose-consciousness arises...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on tongue &amp;amp; flavors, tongue-consciousness arises...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, body-consciousness arises...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on intellect (mano) &amp;amp; ideas, intellect-consciousness (mano-vinnana) arises&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The meeting of the three is sense contact.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 18&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, the ability to rationalize, analyse &amp;amp; concentrate are other functions of other kinds of mentality (called '&lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt;', '&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt;', '&lt;em&gt;sankhara khandha&lt;/em&gt;', etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of these mental functions, be they consciousness ('&lt;em&gt;vinnana&lt;/em&gt;'), intellect ('&lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt;') or mental intention ('&lt;em&gt;sankhara khandha&lt;/em&gt;'), can operate without ego or self ('&lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;'). 'Ego' or 'self' is a natural instinctual yet ignorant idea the mind imputes upon conscious experience &amp;amp; mental activity. (If interested, read more &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, what 'we' are is a product of the mind's accumulated &amp;amp; conditioned intentions &amp;amp; thinking (&lt;em&gt;sankhara khandha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; thus '&lt;em&gt;what we are&lt;/em&gt;' is essentially unrelated to consciousness itself (even though what 'we' are are thoughts about what the mind is conscious of). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, we are what we '&lt;strong&gt;think&lt;/strong&gt;' we are. What we think we are is called 'bhava' ('becoming' or 'existence') in Buddhism. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt; that makes for further &lt;strong&gt;becoming&lt;/strong&gt; (bhava) — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasure, craving to be (bhava), craving not to be (vibhava):&#xA;  This, friend Visakha, is the origination of &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;  described by the Blessed One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'view' or 'belief' ('&lt;em&gt;ditthi&lt;/em&gt;') of '&lt;em&gt;what we are&lt;/em&gt;' is what the mind clings or attaches to (rather than what the mind is conscious of). To quote again: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these five clingings to the aggregates, friend Visakha: clinging to the form (body) aggregate, clinging to the feeling (vedana) aggregate, clinging to the perception (sanna) aggregate, clinging to the fabricating aggregate (sankhara khandha), clinging to the consciousness (vinnana) aggregate. These five clingings to the aggregates&#xA;  are the &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; ('sakkhaya ditthi') described by the Blessed One.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a small baby, before its mind/brain is mature enough to develop ideas of &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;I&quot;, is continually conscious of an image, sound, smell, taste &amp;amp; touch of a certain woman. Then one day, when the mind/brain became mature enough, it started to categorise (label &amp;amp; solidify) those images, sounds, smells, tastes &amp;amp; touches as &quot;my mother&quot;. This categorising of &quot;my mother&quot; was the beginning of developing the ideas that dictate what we are or what we think ourselves to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To continue the original quote from above so to incorporate the process of thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there is&#xA;  feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind). What one&#xA;  perceives, one thinks about. What one &lt;strong&gt;thinks&lt;/strong&gt; about, one &lt;strong&gt;objectifies&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot;&gt;MN 18&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &quot;we&quot; are, namely, &quot;self-identification&quot;, is what the mind thinks &amp;amp; objectifies about. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-22T00:21:20.210" LastActivityDate="2016-10-22T00:21:20.210" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17868" CreationDate="2016-10-22T21:52:34.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my understanding rebirth is a continuation of the process of causality of actions in the way that the aggregates are generated to reap the results of the past actions. This generative process of aggregates continues until one reaches the state of an arahant when his actions are not influenced by greed, hate or delusion and do generate new kamma so no new aggregates to experience the result. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like it is said in MN 135 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the cause, why baseness &amp;amp; excellence are seen among human beings, among the human race? For short-lived &amp;amp; long-lived people are to be seen, sickly &amp;amp; healthy, ugly &amp;amp; beautiful, uninfluential &amp;amp; influential, poor &amp;amp; rich, low-born &amp;amp; high-born, stupid &amp;amp; discerning people are to be seen. So what is the reason, what is the cause, why baseness &amp;amp; excellence are seen among human beings, among the human race?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is a person born ugly? Or handicapped?&#xA;This is the result of actions to be reaped by this new set of aggregates that has been generated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Student, beings are owners of kamma, heir to kamma, born of kamma, related through kamma, and have kamma as their arbitrator. Kamma is what creates distinctions among beings in terms of coarseness &amp;amp; refinement.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an impersonal process thats why there is no 'I', aggregates arise and are destroyed and arise again and are destroyed and so on and they are chained, or linked by actions. So past lifes would be past aggregates that commited action that resulted in new aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'I' part is a construction of the mind, a story that we use to give meaning to things but is meaningless. The story that links out memories is somehow part of the I. Someone who lost his memories has no longer the same I that was conditioned by them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To cling is to give meaning to things, we sometimes give excessive meaning to trivial things and we suffer because someone said something trivial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no meaning to the seen, heard..., just seen, heard .. equals freedom from I. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress.&quot;[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example about consciousness transfer that is in the pali canon is the transfer of a flame from a candle to another candle. Is it the same flame? This was not said by Buddha but by an arahant that answered a kings question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastEditorDisplayName="user4878" LastEditDate="2016-10-22T22:23:57.527" LastActivityDate="2016-10-22T22:23:57.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17936" CreationDate="2016-10-23T05:04:27.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would check out the (dubious) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digha_Nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Digha Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;, particularly the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahāpadāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is now ninety-one aeons ago, brethren, since Vipassī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is now thirty-one&#xA;  aeons ago, brethren, since Sikhi, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha&#xA;  Supreme, arose in the world. It was in that same thirty-first aeon,&#xA;  brethren, that Vessabhu, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme,&#xA;  arose in the world. It was in this present auspicious aeon, brethren,&#xA;  that Kakusandha, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in&#xA;  the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Koṇāgamana,&#xA;  the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was&#xA;  in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kassapa, the Exalted One,&#xA;  Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is in this auspicious&#xA;  aeon, brethren, that now I, an Arahant, Buddha Supreme, have arisen in&#xA;  the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/050-maratajjhaniya-sutta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 50&lt;/a&gt; also contains a story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw the Evil One stuck in the throat and said, I see you there too. You are stuck in the throat. In the past&#xA;  there was an Evil One named Dūsi. To me there was a sister named Kāli.&#xA;  You were her son. Then you were my nephew. It was at the time of the&#xA;  perfect rightfully enlightened Blessed One Kakusanda's time. To the&#xA;  perfect rightfully Enlightened One, Kakusanada, there were two chief&#xA;  disciples named Vidura and Sañjīva&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Disclaimer: Based on human &amp;amp; social evolution, I personally doubt there were any past Buddhas. For example, the Mahāpadāna Sutta appears state the very first Buddha had 6,800,000 or 68 lacs arahant disciples; the older the Buddha, the more arahant disciples they had, which seems to contradict historical evidence of human population. The above genre of suttas that number a handful among 1,000s of suttas, which also contradict &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt; in talking about literal 'personal' past lives, I would speculate were later writings rather than words of the Buddha.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-23T07:09:14.450" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T07:09:14.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17948" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17951" CreationDate="2016-10-23T12:29:40.483" Score="1" ViewCount="374" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Cakkavatti Sihanaada Sutra it is mentioned about three types of raaga or unwholesome acts that people did at the lifespan of 500 years. It is named&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Adharma Raaga&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Visama Lobha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Michcha Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does these 3 mean? The meaning is not specially mentioned in the pali canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-10-24T23:47:33.510" Title="Three types of Raaga" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-23T14:27:58.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the premise of your question is incorrect. During his lifetime the teachings of the Buddha were very popular, including amongst the mercantile classes and several kings, and after his life it spread across India. The reason for the subsequent disappearance of Buddhism in India is the Muslim invasions and also the subsequent success of Hinduism, which incorporated many Buddhist teachings but in a more populist form. Some scholars also think that the popularity of Tantra in later centuries weakened Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T14:27:58.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2016-10-23T14:37:00.060" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human rebirth is a consequence of merit. However, every person is a complex stew of positive and negative karmas. Each subsequent rebirth is not the consequence of a single karma - it is the result of the confluence of all previous karmas, the number of which is incalculable. If one possesses sufficient karma to be reborn in a meritorious state, i.e., human rebirth, it does not follow that there no negative karmas are present, or that the human life will necessarily be free of negative karmas, the latter because human volition is essentially free, though conditioned. Thus human life, while meritorious in itself, exhibits both positive and negative aspects, and beings possessing negative karmas may be reborn as humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T14:37:00.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17948" CreationDate="2016-10-23T15:04:52.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Page 19 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer PDF&lt;/a&gt; says they're explained in the commentary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Commentary here explains them as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“abnormal lust” (adhamma,raga) as incest, that is, “lust between mother and mother’s sister and&#xA;  father’s sister and maternal uncle’s wife and other such improper situations” ;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“excessive greed” (visama,lobha) or “neurotic desire,” as excessive greed by way of consuming&#xA;  things (in other words, unbridled materialism and&#xA;  consumerism); and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;“deviant conduct” (miccha,dhamma) as homosexuality, ie, sex “between men and men, women&#xA;  with women.”&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't quoted the whole page here: see page 19 of the PDF for more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T15:04:52.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17952" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17954" CreationDate="2016-10-23T16:38:38.867" Score="2" ViewCount="810" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dharma is usually donation-ware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a really valuable dharma book that my friend is in no financial condition to buy (it is $100) but he also does not want to download it for free from me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any sutta which clearly states that dharma is donation-ware and that it is OK to redistribute dharma content even if it is copywritten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T16:17:17.567" LastActivityDate="2022-03-14T03:17:25.910" Title="Dharma should be free?" Tags="|copyright|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17939" CreationDate="2016-10-23T21:14:33.757" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN38: Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; might be helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as fire is classified simply by whatever requisite condition in dependence on which it burns — &#xA;  a fire that burns in dependence on wood is classified simply as a wood-fire, a fire that burns in dependence on wood-chips is classified simply as a wood-chip-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on grass is classified simply as a grass-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on cow-dung is classified simply as a cow-dung-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on chaff is classified simply as a chaff-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on rubbish is classified simply as a rubbish-fire — in the same way, consciousness is classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which it arises. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the eye &amp;amp; forms is classified simply as eye-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the ear &amp;amp; sounds is classified simply as ear-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the nose &amp;amp; aromas is classified simply as nose-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the tongue &amp;amp; flavors is classified simply as tongue-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the body &amp;amp; tactile sensations is classified simply as body-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas is classified simply as intellect-consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T21:14:33.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2016-10-23T21:14:52.487" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should not go about making a business out of the Dhamma&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=74&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;This web page&lt;/a&gt; gives a source for the quote. They use a different numbering scheme (&quot;Ud 66&quot;) to Access to Insight, which gives it in the verse at the end of &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud 6.2 PTS: Ud 64&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One   should not make an effort everywhere,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      should not be another's hireling,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      should not live dependent on another,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      should not go about&lt;br&gt;&#xA;          as a trader in the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is on the side of the seller. The seller is putting wealth above sharing the dhamma which is why this normally is considered to give bad karma. This quote says nothing about the buyer. Just because selling the dhamma is not a wholesome action does not mean that taking the dhamma is a wholesome action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was no written language at the time of the Buddha so there was no such thing as taking the dhamma which was not given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll have to make your own decision about whether you should pirate the book. The second precept may also be relevant but some consider it to not apply to pirating. &quot;I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-23T22:59:12.963" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T22:59:12.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2016-10-23T22:03:51.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word '&lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt;' is not exclusive to Buddhism. All Indian religions are forms of '&lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha-Dhamma ('&lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt; of the Buddha') is a &quot;benevolent gift&quot; thus is given free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma. And this is the best of friendly speech: to teach again and again Dhamma to those who wish&#xA;  for it and who listen attentively. This, monks, is called the power of&#xA;  benevolence.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha-Dhamma is found in the Pali suttas. A Wall Street opinion about what Buddhism may or may not be is obviously not Buddha-Dhamma. It is another type of 'dharma'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if the Wall Street &lt;em&gt;Dharma&lt;/em&gt; is not free, taking it without paying for it is stealing. Buddhism does not allow stealing from the rich to give to the poor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-23T22:09:45.160" LastActivityDate="2016-10-23T22:09:45.160" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17948" CreationDate="2016-10-24T02:56:38.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These three terms appear to be not mentioned anywhere else in the suttas, which, like many suttas of the Digha Nikaya, creates doubt to whether the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda-Sutta&lt;/a&gt; was spoken by the Buddha himself. The doubt is increased with verses by the Buddha, such as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.77&lt;/a&gt;, that state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or MN 122:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'I will not engage in talk that is base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unbeneficial, that does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion,&#xA;  cessation, calm, direct knowledge, self-awakening, or Unbinding —&#xA;  i.e., talk about...the creation of the world &amp;amp; of the sea...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When these three terms are first mentioned, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda-Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among humans of the latter span of life, brethren, three things grew apace: adhammarāgaṃ visamalobhaṃ micchādhammaṃ.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thereby the life-span of those beings and their comeliness wasted, so that, of humans whose span of life was five hundred years, some sons&#xA;  lived but two and a half centuries, some only two centuries.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among humans of a life-span, brethren, of two and a half centuries, these things grew apace—lack of filial piety to &lt;strong&gt;mother and father&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  lack of religious piety to holy men, lack of regard for the head of&#xA;  the clan&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the suttas, '&lt;em&gt;adhammarāgaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' (non-dhammic lust) in the context of &quot;&lt;em&gt;lack of filial piety to mother/s and father/s&lt;/em&gt;&quot; does not necessarily only mean extremes such as '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;incest&lt;/a&gt;', as has been translated. It can also refer to sexual promiscuity in general, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright&#xA;  principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned&#xA;  respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle's wife or a&#xA;  teacher's wife or the wives of other honored persons, and the world&#xA;  would have fallen into promiscuity, as with goats, sheep, chickens,&#xA;  pigs, dogs, and jackals. But as these two bright principles protect&#xA;  the world, there is discerned respect for &lt;strong&gt;mother&lt;/strong&gt;... and the &lt;strong&gt;wives&lt;/strong&gt; of&#xA;  other honored persons.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 2.9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is confirmed, when the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda-Sutta&lt;/a&gt; later states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among such humans, brethren, they who lack filial and religious piety, and show no respect for the head of the clan—’Tis they to whom&#xA;  homage and praise will be given, just as today homage and praise are&#xA;  given to the filial-minded, to the pious and to them who respect the&#xA;  heads of their clans.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among such humans, brethren, there will be no [such thoughts of&#xA;  reverence as are a bar sexual intercourse with] mother, or mother’s&#xA;  sister, or mother’s sister-in-law, or teacher’s wife, or father’s&#xA;  sister-in-law.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The world will fall into promiscuity, like goats and sheep, fowls and swine, dogs and jackals.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, '&lt;em&gt;micchādhammaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' can more broadly mean 'wrong religion' or 'wrong doctrine', such as religions that worship sex &amp;amp;/or money; engage in human &amp;amp; animal sacrifice; or preach tribal warfare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally doubt &lt;em&gt;micchādhammaṃ&lt;/em&gt; refers explicitly to homosexuality, given promiscuous (rather than non-promiscuous) homosexuality would simply fall under '&lt;em&gt;adhammarāgaṃ&lt;/em&gt;'. To blame homosexuality for major world problems is what fundamentalist Christians, Catholics &amp;amp; Muslims do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike '&lt;em&gt;adhammarāgaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;visamalobhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;', there is no reference to homosexuality as being a major problem anywhere in the suttas. Where as forms of '&lt;em&gt;adhammarāgaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' (eg. AN 2.9) &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;visamalobhaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' are described in many places as being significant problems, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, craving is dependent on feeling, seeking is dependent on craving, acquisition is dependent on seeking, ascertainment is&#xA;  dependent on acquisition, desire and passion is dependent on&#xA;  ascertainment, attachment is dependent on desire and passion,&#xA;  possessiveness is dependent on attachment, stinginess is dependent on&#xA;  possessiveness, defensiveness is dependent on stinginess, and because&#xA;  of defensiveness, dependent on defensiveness, various evil, unskillful&#xA;  phenomena come into play: the taking up of sticks and knives;&#xA;  conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations, divisive speech, and&#xA;  lies&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda-Sutta&lt;/a&gt; later states the following, which could also apply to '&lt;em&gt;micchādhammaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' ('wrong religion'):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among such humans, brethren, keen mutual enmity will become the rule, keen ill-will, keen animosity, passionate thoughts even of killing, in&#xA;  a mother towards her child, in a child towards its mother, in a father&#xA;  towards his child and a child towards its father, in brother to&#xA;  brother, in brother to sister, in sister to brother.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as a sportsman feels towards the game that he sees, so will they feel.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Among such humans, brethren, there will arise a sword-period of seven days, during which they will look on each other as wild beasts; sharp&#xA;  swords will appear ready to their hands, and they, thinking ‘This is a&#xA;  wild beast, this is a wild beast,’ will with their swords deprive each&#xA;  other of life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some examples of this (killing family in the name of religion) from the Bible include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Someone else may say to you, “Let’s worship other gods.” That person may be your best friend, your brother or sister, your son or daughter,&#xA;  or your own dear wife or husband. But you must not listen to people&#xA;  who say such things. Instead, you must stone them to death. You must&#xA;  be the first to throw the stones, then others from the community will&#xA;  finish the job. Don’t show any pity. Deuteronomy 13:6&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Leviticus 20:9 Whoever curses their father or mother must be put to death. They cursed their father or mother, so they are responsible for&#xA;  their own death!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Leviticus 21:9 If a priest’s daughter becomes a prostitute, she ruins her reputation and brings shame to her father. She must be burned to&#xA;  death in the fire!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, I would confidently guess '&lt;em&gt;micchādhammaṃ&lt;/em&gt;' means 'wrong religion' or 'wrong doctrines'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-24T23:47:33.510" LastActivityDate="2016-10-24T23:47:33.510" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2016-10-24T07:38:55.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you perceive something as theft, or 'taking that which is not given', then best to avoid it. Since you intend not to steal, but perceive something that is close to it, if you wish to avoid it, don't do it! If you don't perceive it as some form of theft, and do not intent to steal, then you're fine!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-pj2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-pj2&lt;/a&gt; for the permutations!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the price, given the cost of publication, I would guess covering costs would be reasonable, but $100 seems a bit much. Also is counter intuitive that a person who follows the Dhamma truly would try and make themselves rich off it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-24T14:34:03.920" LastActivityDate="2016-10-24T14:34:03.920" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2016-10-24T11:35:20.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hmmm.. money talks !! I would not buy this book ....if you are looking for the real thing visit a temple some have libraries ...you can borrow a real book !! Or some wealthy temples will even give you the book with all the trimmings ...also you will notice a donation box around somewhere in the the temple ...&quot; What do we do then &quot;? Shall we  donate for the cost of the book as we shouldn't get something for nothing the question is how your mind works ....personal effort is what the great Lord wanted ..he only gave us the directions for the path ....be free all is well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-24T11:35:20.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2016-10-24T21:23:32.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a significant problem with this as well... the enriching of one self in either money, status or both, by charging for Dharma teachings. It is the primary reason I stopped going to for pay teachers whatsoever. It is also the reason I do not often buy Dharma books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Begging or putting out a donation box is one thing. Charging is another. Even more insidious is the giving of favors to those who donate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are serious about teaching, why on earth would you care about any of this? Your life isn't about having 'things' beyond food, shelter and companionship, and so there is no need to charge. A monastery or dharma center could easily make ends meet if they ran a few simple businesses that had nothing directly to do with The Dharma, such as selling malas, clothing, icons, and so on, Even better would be an unrelated thing, such as running a grocery store, accounting group or research team.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings should always, always be free. The teacher should always, always be able to turn away anyone, for any reason other than money or material things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stopping charging actually frees the teacher up to do 'right action' in teaching. He isn't bound to make himself available to those who pay a large sum of money. He isn't bound by anything material except society, which seems to be the trickiest part of this. And he isn't bound so much that he is forced to say, when asked &quot;How do you know all these people are ready to hear these teachings?&quot; he says &quot;By virtue of their Karma, they were able to afford it, and thus must be worthy&quot; which to me is ridiculous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as books go, the teacher should accept an amount to cover costs, and when that has been repaid, he should offer the book for free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3629" LastActivityDate="2016-10-24T21:23:32.423" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17962" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T06:10:27.167" Score="3" ViewCount="596" Body="&lt;p&gt;Want to know about big bang in terms of Buddhism point of view&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10256" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T06:33:17.660" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T06:03:43.550" Title="How does big bang happen in terms of Buddhism?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-25T07:42:17.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here's a nice detailed article on that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistculture.org/decline-and-fall-of-buddhism-in-india.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;DECLINE AND FALL OF BUDDHISM in India&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T07:42:17.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17962" CreationDate="2016-10-25T08:53:57.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Buddhist scriptures concern themselves with suffering &amp;amp; freedom from suffering rather than ideas about the creation of the universe. Therefore, the 'Big Bang' is unrelated to Buddhism because it is unrelated to freedom from suffering &amp;amp; because it is not knowable,i.e., it is superstition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an&#xA;  unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 4.77&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'...talk that is base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unbeneficial, that does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion,&#xA;  cessation, calm, direct knowledge, self-awakening or Nibbana —&#xA;  i.e., talk about...the creation of the world &amp;amp; of the sea...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 122&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T08:53:57.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17967" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T08:56:48.320" Score="1" ViewCount="643" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.hsk.academy/en/words/%E5%88%B9%E9%82%A3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;刹那&lt;/a&gt; in Chinese, is the smallest unit of time, from Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question: How to pronounce Ksana in Sanskrit ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please leave phonetic symbol or click &lt;a href=&quot;http://forvo.com/search/Ksana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10257" LastActivityDate="2021-01-20T13:55:15.397" Title="How to pronounce Ksana?" Tags="|learning|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17967" CreationDate="2016-10-25T09:06:28.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=DI&amp;amp;beginning=0+&amp;amp;tinput=moment+&amp;amp;trans=Translate&amp;amp;direction=ES&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.spokensanskrit.de&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;क्षण    kṣaṇa   m. n.   moment&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T09:06:28.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17962" CreationDate="2016-10-25T09:22:57.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no 'creation' story within Buddhism, at least not as such.. there are 62 beliefs (wrong views), from some of which you can infer different 'starts' to the universe, but it is literally the first Sutta within the Sutta Pitaka, and effectively asks the individual to abandon all of them!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong View 5 reminds me of the Big Bang/Big Crunch model, but again - these views are usually a-priori metaphysical views, and not confirmed by evidence or experiment. In any case, their discussion is not conducive to the goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Science and Buddhism do meet, here is a fun philosophy article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&lt;/a&gt; , but they have overlap within the philosophy of science, more than science itself!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within Buddhist thought, the Universe does not have a first cause (since it is illogical), rather it keeps on going 'around' within Samsara.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T09:28:15.210" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T09:28:15.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17970" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17983" CreationDate="2016-10-25T09:47:34.413" Score="0" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;in lord Buddhas time their was many kingdoms in India. these kingdoms had many kings. kings had many wives. some kings had 500, 1000 (Antappura) wives but they all have main 1 queen &amp;amp; other wives used for sex uses.most of these kings became followers of Buddhism &amp;amp; Buddha &amp;amp; they obtain nirvana (1st 3 stages as below) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The First Stage – Skt srotaapanna (The stream-winner)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Second Stage – Sakridagamin&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Third Stage – Anagamin (The non-returner) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so my question is after these became Buddhist &amp;amp; obtain nirvana did these kings given freedom to these Wives who use for sex uses?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="8305" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T06:39:49.250" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T06:39:49.250" Title="In Buddhas Time Did Kings give Freedom to His Sex Wives(Anttappura Wives)?" Tags="|sexuality|life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-25T09:51:08.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its not really not trying to change anything. This probably stems from a bad interpretation of Zen/Chan Buddhism where one practice is to observe the mind. Thoughts that come whether good or bad will arise then pass so you can observe them realizing they are impermanent, non-self, etc or simply observe them without attaching to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Chan master taught a series of five techniques of increasing subtlety. All are misguided in some way apart from the fifth and ultimate method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A direct awareness of the arising of deluded thoughts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An examination of that awareness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The prevention of the arising of thoughts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The perception that thoughts have no intrinsic nature (that is, they are empty).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Awareness of the arising of deluded thoughts without analysing or pursuing this awareness, so that thoughts are freed the instant they arise.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Chan Teachings: Therefore you should not suppress concepts. Whenever they arise, if you do not fabricate anything but instead let them go, then they will stay as they are and come to rest by themselves; thus you will not pursue them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Chan teachings: When you are engaged in contemplation itself, look at your own mind. Then, the lack of any mental activity at all is non-thought. If there is movement of the conceptual mind, be aware of it. “How should one be aware?” Do not analyse the mind which is moving in terms of any kind of quality at all: do not analyse it as moving or not moving; do not analyse it as existing or not existing; do not analyse it as virtuous or non-virtuous; and do not analyse it as defiled or pure. If you are aware of mind in this way, it is natureless. This is the practice of the dharma path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T09:51:08.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17962" CreationDate="2016-10-25T10:12:10.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Note the other answers, which say that conjectures about the Big Bang are irrelevant to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &amp;quot;beginning&amp;quot; is also described (it's described as being something which cannot be discerned), in suttas, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gaddula Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, from an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, although beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmafarer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.7a-Gaddula-S-1-s22.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;translates this same sutta&lt;/a&gt; as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Without a beginning or an ending, bhikshus, is this samsara [cycle of lives and deaths]. A first&#xA;point cannot be discerned of beings roaming and wandering on, hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still you might also be interested in these references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology#Temporal_cosmology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist cosmology - Temporal cosmology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta (DN 27)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T10:12:10.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17975" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T12:39:26.493" Score="-1" ViewCount="231" Body="&lt;p&gt;Presently I found an old steel bangle belonging to the sheik faith ...and I started to think of circle and unity how pleasent it would be to flow freely, and then I had the ephifany that this is possible except for the friction caused by opposites that have put a stop to  my flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it me or are we as yet not free from this cosmic and earthly struggle between contradictions ie good and evil //heat //cool ..night //day there seems to be a checker board pattern emerging to me . the  sessation of suffering according to my knowledge of Buddhism is to recognise the hindrances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And rectify them in order to escape from the karma wheel of cause and effect .  so again .. Conflict if opposing ideas or suggestions would be suffering to me as well as all sentient beings in this case I'm yet again asking like many before me can there exist harmony amongst chaos ? Or good amongst evil both subjectively and objectively ....good - a small Daisy flower evil - this very flower will kill a person allergic to it!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T16:10:26.667" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T16:32:45.387" Title="Can good and evil live in harmony?" Tags="|ethics|vipassana|reality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17975" CreationDate="2016-10-25T13:39:19.060" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(this is less Buddhism than a demonstration that actions within the empirical world do not suit Essential concepts like 'good' and 'evil'.. though to me this flows from the Buddha's analysis!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral system 1: Killing = Evil (100%). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wake up and find yourself faced with two option (you are placed in this position by a third actor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Option A, kill 1 person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Option B, 100 people are killed (by that third actor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing that 'Killing = Evil', you choose option B (within that 100%, the non-relational, there can be no justification for choosing A).. In that you do not personally pull the trigger, you are not the 'efficient cause'. You have done no wrong (within your moral system).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral system 2: No killing &gt; less killing &gt; more killing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Logically, B is never reasonable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An essential moral construct like 'good' or 'evil' will agree with a relational moral construct in all scenarios, other than the one where it is compared to itself. As such, it is simply inefficient. No need for opposites in their essential form!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Treat this as this, not this as that or that as this&quot; As the Buddha said. (in other words, not 'This=This'.. given evidence from empirical experience, the law of identity is flawed!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now how this fits in within the Buddhist world view, whether you can put it down to past karma for finding yourself in such a position.. how to square that you are damned either way is the more interesting question! :D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T14:05:48.380" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T14:05:48.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5565" CreationDate="2016-10-25T14:06:34.303" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Sat-Dharma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sat-Dharma is most probably a Sanskrit word. I am not sure what it means because I use the Theravada canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada canon there is a word &lt;em&gt;saddhamma&lt;/em&gt;. Most probably that is what the question refers to. The meaning of Saddhamma is: Dhamma of Sappurisa. A Sappurisa is a person who has two qualities called Hiri and Ottappa. There are no English equivalents for these two words. Rough equivalents are: (1) Hiri: shame shyness. Hiri prevents one from transgressing social norms, family traditions etc: (2) Ottappa is fear of wrong-doing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Asappurisa is a person who has no Hiri and Ottappa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above explanations are based on the sayings attributed to the Lord Buddha (Bhagava Buddho) in the Theravada canon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T14:06:34.303" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17962" CreationDate="2016-10-25T14:23:09.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the universe goes through 4 phases from expansion, expanded, contracting and collapsed states. This cycle is infinite hence there is infinite Big Bangs hence the no single point of origin whist the &quot;Big Bang&quot; is not the origin of the universe but start of this world cycle. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGuq2QfbZAQ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Big Bang and the Buddha's View of the Universe&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhante_Vimalaramsi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/a&gt;. In fact there are infinite parallel universes which are at various stages of development. See: Abhidharmartha Pradipika by Amaradasa Rathnapala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The start of the &quot;Big Bang&quot; is triggered by by lust and craving of beings in Ābhassara Brahma World ending their life span there which causes the lower planes to be formed. As their lust grows then come and inhabit lower realms without the merit to go back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally cosmology does not help eliviate stress in your current exitance and perhaps case more stress through theorising hence unless you make your living as astonomer or cosmologist then this is best left aside. Also see chapter: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/297.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Origin of the World&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/main.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What Buddhists Believe&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Sri_Dhammananda&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5409/295&quot;&gt;Can one practice meditation to gain knowledge about the universe?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T14:58:42.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17970" CreationDate="2016-10-25T14:31:00.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So my question is after these became Buddhist &amp;amp; obtain nirvana did these kings given freedom to these Wives who use for sex uses?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one wins Nibbana one has lived the holy life and done what had to be done, i.e. one has destroyed all fetters and achieved complete security from all bondage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One has removed the veil of ignorance permanently and therefore do not produce either wholesome or unwholesome kamma. Instead one's kamma becomes purely functional (kiriya), meaning that its no longer kammically potent and creates no further resultants (rebirth). The cittas that arise in the javana process is no longer kammically determinate since craving has been destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since an enlightened being has destroyed all fetters and root defilements its not possible to hold other beings captured against their will or use anyone for personal gratification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T14:31:00.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17763" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:04:38.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;1st if you crave for these experiences more further away they will be. Once your caving subsides they may suddenly pop up, but this they are also transient and replaced by other experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also lack of confidence also hinders your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To progress you should&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stop caving&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Build self confidence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:04:38.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17970" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:16:08.003" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess your question is after meeting Lord Buddha and achieving Nirvana would sex be permitted , one point I'd like to make is present day Buddhism does not condemn sex between a loving husband and wife .. But sex for the use of pleasure would be inappropriate in a secular area such as temples etc or those in  robes who take wows to abstain from many types of pleasure in the physical body also having more than one partner is kinda unfaithful too. There would be as then a certain moral code once you reach Nirvana or some enlightenment. Sorry just to clarify ...I think what you've asked is whether the Kings post enlightenment allowed their former concubines to be used for sexual pleasure? To my knowledge no body after enlightenment would approve of prostitution!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user10244" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T21:57:26.017" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T21:57:26.017" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17919" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:18:41.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Meditation and 'not trying to change anything'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. You are not trying to do something through you are doing it with a objective relieve your stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try there is a possibility of subtle craving. If at all you are changing anything is to calm your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt; and tame your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;afflictions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, in my practice I have found that if I consciously try to relax during a session (muscular tension is an issue with me) it can be a much more fulfilling, refreshing experience. Is this not an example of trying to change something, and therefore 'bad' practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you generate any anger or aversion towards this feeling or any liking towards another state or wanting something else then it is bad. Otherwise it is good. Relaxing means you can:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;meditate for long hours&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentrate your mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and perhaps a basis for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/the-6rs.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;What is Mindfulness?  What are the 6 Rs?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-10-28T16:00:08.680" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:00:08.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17970" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:26:25.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One such instance was King &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bimbisara&lt;/a&gt; giving freedom to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khema&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khema&lt;/a&gt; to enter the order. Many more may be found in the cemeteries and many may not even be documented!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:26:25.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17967" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:27:53.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume you are looking for a sound ...saaa...shaa sana ksana k is like shhh..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:27:53.120" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17865" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:38:51.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anything part of a being or if you take the the being as a whole this is &lt;strong&gt;not self&lt;/strong&gt;. If you take your eyes this is not self as there are people without eyes. Likewise even the mind cannot be taken as self as you cannot control your mental feelings / emotions and thoughts. So you cannot take this as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you take something as an action is it really done by yourself. If so was the volition the self or your body which was instrumental in doing is the self or is the result of the action the self. In each case none of it you can call self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sum total of your past Sankhara give result to the arising of the aggregates. The Sankhara of this moment along with what is there not creates the next. So Karma of Sankhara is not self and you cannot control it as if you own it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise if you analyse there is nothing worthy of call yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T15:49:00.647" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:49:00.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15898" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:46:17.777" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should not &lt;strong&gt;believe&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;hold a view&lt;/strong&gt; that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is a self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is no self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whatever you consider as self is not worthy of being called self as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you cannot control it to your will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it is impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since if you take a being as parts in terms of the 5 aggregates or 6 faculties each part which constitutes a being is &lt;strong&gt;not self&lt;/strong&gt;. E.g. the &lt;em&gt;eye&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;not self&lt;/em&gt;, what you &lt;em&gt;see&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;not self&lt;/em&gt;, what you &lt;em&gt;feel&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;not self&lt;/em&gt;, your &lt;em&gt;corporeal body&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;not self&lt;/em&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2020-07-09T04:02:10.013" LastActivityDate="2020-07-09T04:02:10.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="17987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17939" CreationDate="2016-10-25T15:59:20.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is simply to know or awareness of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it simply the ability to rationalize, analyze and most important concentrate? With or without ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you describe there seems like thinking and pondering. Through thoughts ego arises and always associated with and unwholesome root. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does consciousness dictate who we are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes and no. Concies does not on its own does nothing to dictate who we are. We are formed due to past conditioning. This is decided by whether we react to the feelings arising from contact with craving, aversion and ignorance. E.g. you touch a soft fabric and think I want this. This creates fabrications and becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T15:59:20.453" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17975" CreationDate="2016-10-25T16:27:31.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism you perceive everyhit experience in 2 opposites may it be hot or cold, long or short, good or evil, etc. as simply:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;favorable or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unfavorable or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;do not care&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you perceive something favorable you get a good feeling about it and get attached and if unfavorable you get a bad feeling about it and get averse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever experience you should keep a balanced mind and use each experience to eradicate the unwholesome roots. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The bipolar evaluation something as favorable and unfavorable always result in either craving or aversion hence result in misery. Also may result in Sensory Desire and Ill Will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, if you are allergic to a flower and if hurts someone, this being good or bad is matter of perception hence resulting is pleasant and unpleasant sensation followed by craving and aversion followed by becoming. So if might be that the perception which may create more misery now and in the future than a person who is getting an allergic reaction. The allergic reaction maybe his Karma or negligence. When you harmonise your mind the notion of good (being favorable) and evil (unfavorable) will not be present but you will be equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T16:32:45.387" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17989" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T17:54:06.820" Score="0" ViewCount="28" Body="&lt;p&gt;Put this in an answer before, but actually wondering what the texts would say is the correct course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wake up and find yourself faced with two options (you are placed in this position by a third actor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Option A, kill 1 person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Option B, 100 other people are killed (by that third actor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(There is no option C, I would put suicide is better than causing harm to others, but assume this is also not possible)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral system 1: Killing = Evil (100%).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing that 'Killing = Evil', you choose option B (with your Essential certainty in the wrongness of killing, there is no reasoning that can convince you to pull the trigger yourself. And as you do not personally pull the trigger, you are not the 'efficient cause'. You have done no wrong within your moral framework, the person damned is the person who executed the 100 people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral system 2: No killing &gt; less killing &gt; more killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Logically, B is never reasonable, you choose A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second moral system reduces suffering. It is non-essential, therefore being more in line with anatta (imo). Whether you choose A or B (regardless of your moral system), the end result is conditioned by you (by choosing B within the first moral system, you have not escaped the fact that you have chosen, you have just escaped being called the efficient cause). The first moral system 'treats this as that', which the Buddha warned against. In addition, moral system 2 is equivalent to moral system 1 apart from very extreme cases like above, where a thing is compared to itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say you are on the Buddhist path. Faced with the above situation, following system 1 and choosing B, you end up not personally causing harm, but there is no escape that you are a condition for the effect. Choosing A, you are plainly no longer in communion as you have broken the 3rd expulsion rule..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in that the Buddha did not 'invent' anatta, but came to it through a deep and unbiased analysis of empirical experience (the 5 aggregates), would you be pushed to adopt the non-essential system (and choose A)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the Buddha feeding the tigress in a past life point to A being a better answer? In that story, he sacrificed himself out of compassion. Killing someone is not compassionate, but avoiding the deaths of 99 extra people at the expense of becoming a killer (with the consequential karma) surely is!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Also the efficient cause must matter more than progressively less proximate causes, otherwise the butterfly that flapped its wings and inadvertently flooded New Orleans with that hurricane is heavily damned too! :p )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(putting it in maths terms, choosing A you do less damage but are closer to it, therefore whether A is better than B can't be determined simply)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T18:11:14.847" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T18:11:14.847" Title="A comparison of two ethical systems (one essential, one relational)" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2016-10-25T18:13:00.177" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17990" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="17993" CreationDate="2016-10-25T18:14:18.107" Score="1" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember one just one of my treasured books 1955 copy of &quot; the teachings of a compassionate Buddha&quot; where I read that the Lord had a morbid fascination with death ..suffering etc and inquiring of death ( possibly a force //entity within)he gained insight into a possible way out of suffering ..rebirth etc pls let me know if this is true ?&#xA;For example there is reference made to countless past lives of the Buddha by him so I guess he was able to tap into his own death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user10244" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T18:32:32.607" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T20:40:27.503" Title="Did Lord Buddha gain enlightenment by inquiring into death?" Tags="|death|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17990" CreationDate="2016-10-25T20:21:06.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While living in the palace, Prince Gotama realised he would die (read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Sukhamala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), which resulted in him losing intoxication with the ordinary life of pursuing transient pleasures, which he also saw caused anguish &amp;amp; addiction in people and brought little happiness &amp;amp; much disappointment (read &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Magandiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Gotama did not directly or actively inquire into death to gain enlightenment because death was an established fact to him. The 'morbidity' referred to is 'suffering' &amp;amp; Gautama's inquiry was always into suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when inquiring into suffering, Gotama inquired into Dependent Origination (read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.010.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Maha Sakyamuni Gotamo Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). Gotama asked: &quot;Why do beings suffer?&quot; and answered: &quot;Beings suffer due to aging &amp;amp; death&quot;, i.e, &quot;loss'. Then Gotama asked: &quot;Why do beings suffer due to aging &amp;amp; death?&quot;. His answer was &quot;birth&quot;. Why does birth occur? Due to becoming &amp;amp; attachment, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for his countless &quot;past lives&quot; and also the word &quot;reborn&quot; (in  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.010.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 12.10, above&lt;/a&gt;), these are just mistranslations of the respective Pali words &quot;&lt;em&gt;pubbe nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and &quot;&lt;em&gt;uppajjati&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. For example, this translation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt; correctly does not use the words &quot;past lives&quot;. Instead, it uses &quot;past abodes&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything above points to something called &quot;birth&quot; (&quot;jati&quot;) as being the main problem the Buddha identified. After his enlightenment, the Buddha's 1st words were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;153. Through many a birth (jati) in samsara have I wandered in vain, seeking the builder of this house (gaha). Repeated birth is indeed&#xA;  suffering!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;154. O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My&#xA;  mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of&#xA;  craving&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What &quot;birth&quot; ('jati') actually means will depend on your personal study, practise &amp;amp; realisation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Haliddakani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; may possibly provide some insight into what the Buddha meant by &quot;abodes/homes/fixations&quot; ('nivāsa'/nivesā) and &quot;house/home&quot; ('gaha'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-25T20:40:27.503" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T20:40:27.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17995" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T22:30:41.517" Score="2" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the election and all the hyperbole on both sides in the US,  I've never seen emotions running this high.. ever.. and I've been though elections since the 1950s.  Like just about everyone in the US I've gotten sucked into this incredibly unmindful sickness and it definitely has had an negative impact on my practice in the last month - I own this.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had been trying to practice loving kindness with both candidates and felt like it was working, but realized that there is a slightly more subtle emotion than raw hate that metta practice addresses, but not head on and I was sucked in.  So I wanted to comment on it - both because I suspect it may be tripping up others and see in general if anyone thinks it worth commenting on and has any advise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It concerns this word, and its effect on one's practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;scha·den·freu·de&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ˈSHädənˌfroidə/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;noun: Schadenfreude; noun: schadenfreude&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I'd felt like I wished them both happiness, health, and to be free of suffering and its causes - and convinced I sincerely felt it.   I had discovered with some introspection a huge amount of glee felt when the candidate(s) not of my choice had some significant misfortune. It may sound obvious to many, but it wasn't to me.. Somehow it seemed rather innocuous to laugh when something bad happened to them and it didn't come to the forefront of my awareness like naked hatred - though it really is in a thin disguise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize just how much work I need, and that there is still a lot of media I now avoid. I would appreciate any constructive advice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be Well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yetanotherguy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9951" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T22:25:55.867" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T22:50:18.013" Title="Disguised negative emotions and the mindless brawl called an election" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17996" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-25T22:54:16.357" Score="0" ViewCount="277" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm stuck on this for now ...does the Buddha say anything about why we exist ( mankind ? I know how much he stated about reasons why we should not exist such as Nirvana being the highest goal to escape from the karma bond!! Just like to know for balance of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T00:24:59.377" Title="Life and why we (mankind ) exist" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17906" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:07:47.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To define popular in India in Lord  Buddha's time would be hard ..as people were struggling to survive ( general masses ) ..and new thoughts of do nothing ...life is suffering etc were concepts only the mystics could adhere too .. Sometimes even  today the messenger and message fall in deaf ears but sure enough when concerned with dharma / Buddhism it's about accepting the real state of life how many even today want to know this detail when there is so much else we could be doing .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T23:07:47.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17996" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:16:09.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main point of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/a&gt; pretty much comes down to: &quot;if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist&quot;. And so the reason to our existence, not just mankind but pretty much all conditioned phenomena is that the condition or the root cause for that existence still exists. So in our particular case, the reason we, mankind, still exists is because the conditions to our existence, the 3 unwholesome roots of greed, hatred, and ignorance, still exist. And as long as one has not completely uprooted them, s/he will continue to wander in Samsara's 6 realms of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T23:16:09.740" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="17999" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18006" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:16:46.367" Score="3" ViewCount="2087" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between &lt;em&gt;yatha bhuta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;? Or are they just synonyms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2021-10-28T03:22:21.303" Title="Difference between yatha bhuta and vipassana" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17995" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:19:12.373" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes friend ...I think what you are referring to is media pollution or media puppetry ...as well as unresolved issues in your practice . the exertion if will power sometimes is not enough power to overcome ingrained emotional intelligence ie, hatred, anger ,fear all three if these go way back to when we were all in caves wondering how we would get the next  meal!! So Buddhism is unique as it allows the practitioner at any level to go further I.nquire a little more and learn through observing our own efforts and inner mind so that we can effect positive change.&#xA;Lastly staying away from powerful stimulus like media biast TV is not so bad after all for some its only a distraction from the real picture ...I wish you well.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-25T23:19:12.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18002" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18005" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:46:30.877" Score="3" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;So far I have been exposed to some frontier thinking (thanks for those who truly are helping).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where did the &quot;hindrances&quot; originate from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, who or what transpired for us to have these negative  conditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Bible talks in mystery about &quot;sin&quot;, which is a transgression of &quot;divine law&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Buddhism, somewhere in the universe of mind, is the origin of the hindrances something like craving/desire that gave birth to suffering? From what was that born out off, and for what reason if any?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T00:16:56.960" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T15:17:12.997" Title="Where did the hindrances originate from?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17995" CreationDate="2016-10-25T23:52:04.803" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Possibly you have more loving-kindness (good-will &amp;amp; good-hope) towards the majority of the people in the world than towards the minority made up of politicians that promote war, death &amp;amp; poverty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Possibly that is why an innocuous laugh occurs when something bad happens to them. Possibly the laugh is really a celebration ('&lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;') for the good fortune of the majority of the people of the world rather than hatred. Personally, I would not get hung up over it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having 'loving-kindness' does not eradicate the perception of 'evil'. A Buddha has loving-kindness (non-hatred) but still perceives evil as 'evil'. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'See evil as evil.' This is the first Dhamma discourse. 'Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there,&#xA;  released.' This is the second Dhamma discourse.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — has given in sequence.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.028-049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 2.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice is to distinguish between the perception of 'evil' and your mind's emotional response to that perception of 'evil'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st acknowledge the real &amp;amp; ever-present 'evil'. Then work to free the mind of the emotional response of hatred &amp;amp; anger towards evil &amp;amp; instead cultivate 'sadness' towards that evil then 'equanimity' ('&lt;em&gt;upeka&lt;/em&gt;') towards that evil. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt wishing happiness, health &amp;amp; free of suffering will save evil doers from 'hell'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T22:15:27.203" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T22:15:27.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17996" CreationDate="2016-10-26T00:14:30.530" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Existence' ('&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;') is a mental 'view' ('&lt;em&gt;ditthi&lt;/em&gt;'). When the mind is free from 'self-view', 'existence' will cease. Instead, there will only be mental &amp;amp; physical 'elements' (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) rather than 'existence'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence &amp;amp; non-existence. But when one&#xA;  sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right&#xA;  discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not&#xA;  occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually&#xA;  is with right discernment, 'existence' with reference to the world&#xA;  does not occur to one.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kaccayanagotta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of 'physical life', this comes from the elements &amp;amp; from mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...this body composed of the four elements, born of mother &amp;amp; father, fed on rice &amp;amp; porridge...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ganda Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T00:24:59.377" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T00:24:59.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18002" CreationDate="2016-10-26T00:26:25.657" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A new born child is born (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt;) with the underlying tendencies (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 7.11&lt;/a&gt;) to the five hindrances. The child is born that way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For a young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion ‘identity,’ so how could identity view arise in him? Yet the&#xA;  underlying tendency to &lt;strong&gt;identity view&lt;/strong&gt; lies within him. A young tender&#xA;  infant lying prone does not even have the notion ‘teachings,’ so how&#xA;  could doubt about the teachings arise in him? Yet the underlying&#xA;  tendency to &lt;strong&gt;doubt&lt;/strong&gt; lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone&#xA;  does not even have the notion ‘rules,’ so how could adherence to rules&#xA;  and observances arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to adhere to&#xA;  rules and observances lies within him. A young tender infant lying&#xA;  prone does not even have the notion ‘sensual pleasures,’ so how could&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;sensual desire&lt;/strong&gt; arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to sensual&#xA;  lust lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone does not even&#xA;  have the notion ‘beings,’ so how could &lt;strong&gt;ill will&lt;/strong&gt; towards beings arise&#xA;  in him? Yet the underlying tendency to ill will lies within him.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 64&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrances (sensual desire, ill-will, restlessness &amp;amp; remorse, sloth &amp;amp; torpor and doubt) are just more elements ('&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;'). To quote MN 115:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are, Ānanda, these six elements: the &lt;strong&gt;sensual desire&lt;/strong&gt; element, the renunciation element, the &lt;strong&gt;ill will&lt;/strong&gt; element, the non-ill will&#xA;  element, the &lt;strong&gt;cruelty&lt;/strong&gt; element, and the non-cruelty element. When he&#xA;  knows and sees these six elements, a bhikkhu can be called skilled in&#xA;  the elements.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrances come from ignorance &amp;amp; are sustained by the three types of bad karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Monks, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities...&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avijja Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the five hindrances, too, have their nutriment ('food'), monks; they are not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of the five&#xA;  hindrances? 'The three ways of wrong conduct,' should be the answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, ignorance is the 1st cause for the creation of the 'worlds' (of mental sufferings). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the origination of the world? From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications....from becoming as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging&#xA;  &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp; despair come into&#xA;  play. This is the origination of the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What primitive religions such as Judaism call 'God', Buddhism calls 'ignorance'. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://biblehub.com/genesis/6-5.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Genesis 6:5&lt;/a&gt; describes how God regretted his creation, which shows how God has ignorance. Since 'regret/remorse' is one of the five hindrances, God also has hindrances. God also loves the smell of the the fatty parts of the meat (Genesis 8:21; Leviticus 3; etc), which shows God also has the hindrance of sensual desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More modern religions, such as Christianity, teach 'God is love' (1 John 4:8). In Christianity, God has no hindrances because it is said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;God is light; in him there is no darkness at all&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (1 John 1:5). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the old Jewish God is the same as the new Christian God, maybe this God learned how to be free from the five hindrances from the Buddha, who is the &quot;Teacher of Gods &amp;amp; men&quot; (&lt;em&gt;sattha devamanussanam&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T10:49:35.960" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T10:49:35.960" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17999" CreationDate="2016-10-26T01:18:48.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The two terms are not exactly synonymous although their context of usage is synonymous since both terms are associated with &quot;seeing&quot; (&quot;passa&quot;) the same true reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Yathā&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;bhūta&lt;/em&gt;' means &quot;true nature&quot;, as is found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;AN 11.2&lt;/a&gt;, namely: '&lt;em&gt;yathā&lt;/em&gt; (true) &lt;em&gt;bhūta&lt;/em&gt; (nature) &lt;em&gt;jānāmi&lt;/em&gt; (know) &lt;em&gt;passāmi&lt;/em&gt; (see)*' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;&quot; means &quot;clear seeing&quot; (namely, the Four Noble Truths, the true nature of suffering &amp;amp; peace; &amp;amp; the Three Characteristics, the true nature of conditioned things). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T10:35:23.453" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T10:35:23.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17898" CreationDate="2016-10-26T06:49:12.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To my understanding ...Buddhists and not celebent monks would experience sexual desires at appointed times in life such as adolescent boys and girls post legal age of 16 in Victoria Australia ...however to ACT on these impulses would be dangerous for untrained minds .perhaps Buddhist would have an advantage as mediation gives insight into behaviour of  desires / craving and one can observe rather than react in ignorance .  nut shell yes I believe Buddhist can do and only by choice react or dismiss such thoughts on sex .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T06:49:12.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18009" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-26T08:30:41.797" Score="3" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I first started to think of encouraging myself on the path I imagined that when I reach the moment of cessation that I would see and experience dharma in an all pervading way &quot; omniscient &quot; is this true or false ...to sum it up once reaching enlightenment there should be a connection made with some sort of unified reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T07:13:18.700" Title="When the obstacles are abandoned does one experience dharma everywhere?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17883" CreationDate="2016-10-26T09:35:53.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is  a YouTube channel / site where actual Zen masters will read out  koans for a crispy treat the gateless gate is really good and if you can track a copy of &quot; the Zen bible &quot; that has a mixture of study and story.. Also our of Zen ...the gospel of Buddha has very early stories similar to koans ..one such story is of a mother grieving for only son ....it's titled story of mustard seeds.. Just. Google this info and enjoy :: edit just go into Google ...then YouTube type in Zen talks ...the Zen bible is also on Google it's in my very congested room it would take me a day to retrieve please understand I use Google plus input topic and there you go...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user10244" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T09:49:46.817" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T09:49:46.817" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18009" CreationDate="2016-10-26T11:26:58.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I imagined that when I reach the moment of cessation that I would see&#xA;  and experience dharma in an all pervading way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong! There's no seeing at the moment of cessation. All experiences cease. There is no arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only the Buddhas attain omniscience with enlightenment. Others do not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Connection made with some sort of unified reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no such thing called a &quot;unified reality&quot;. But just before cessation, you will come to the understanding that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory &amp;amp; uncontrollable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read the answer given by ven.Yuttadhammo to the following question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/216/how-does-stream-entry-occur&quot;&gt;How does stream entry occur?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T11:26:58.580" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18012" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-26T13:12:34.997" Score="3" ViewCount="1168" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do Buddhists look to deities such as Green Tara or the Medicine Buddha by saying prayers or mantras for another person? How do the deity and the divine operate or function for this purpose? I believe that there can be divine intervention of a divine source. How is it with these deities? When I send healing to another person through reciting a mantra to the Medicine Buddha for example? How does the thought get through? How is the Medicine Buddha or Tara a vehicle for my prayers? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutras speak about the benefits of reciting Medicine Buddha mantras for oneself. What does it do in praying for someone else? Simply, does the deity have powers to heal that person in a divine way? Like through God or calling for the archangels to assist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10261" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T15:49:47.670" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T10:10:08.250" Title="Praying to a Buddhist deity for healing of someone" Tags="|mantra|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18009" CreationDate="2016-10-26T13:35:16.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At point of cessation what you understand is Dependent Arising in some form of the other. The main systematised whay this is described is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and The Conditionality of Life by Nina van Gorkom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some teachers emphasise on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; though from my learning these are necessary but not sufficient realisations, i.e., if you have seen the 1st glimpse of Nirvana you have also seen &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; but having seen it does not necessarily mean you have seen Nirvana. Necessary and sufficient condition being understanding of 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Arising or / and Conditional Relations at the experiential level through at this point you will have the knowledge of the three marks of existence also. [1] and also Goenka's instruction in 20 day course mentions the 1st grilms is when you see the links of depedent origination break and reform.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Visuddhimagga there are nine insight knowledges. In the sub-commentary written by Mahasi Sayadaw, there are 16 knowledges. &lt;strong&gt;And supposedly you are supposed to be able to attain nibbana by seeing anicca, dukkha, or anatta.&lt;/strong&gt; After you get to what to what they call Sankharu – pekkha; that means “equanimity to formations.” That is the 11th insight knowledge. When you go through this knowledge - far enough - you get to a place where you will see anicca arise 4 or 5 times very, very quickly. Or dukkha arise 4 or 5 times very, quickly. Or anatta arise 4 or 5 times very, quickly. And then you have a black-out. When you come back you will see all the insight knowledges you have gone through; it will happen automatically and you have them in the right order. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;That’s what they call nibbana.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; I understand these insight knowledges all the way up to 16. &lt;strong&gt;That is not nibbana.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://Bhante%20Vimalaramsi%20turns%20the%20whole%20history%20of%20Buddhism%20upside%20down&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhante Vimalaramsi turns the whole history of Buddhism upside down&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T07:13:18.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18014" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-26T13:47:37.280" Score="10" ViewCount="3609" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does it mean to &quot;guard the sense doors&quot;? What is the practical application of this concept in daily life? For example, does this concept mean that a heterosexual male should entirely avoid looking at women?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4748" LastActivityDate="2020-08-18T07:42:01.237" Title="&quot;Guard the sense doors&quot;- What does this mean, and what is it's application?" Tags="|personal-practice|teaching|desire|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18014" CreationDate="2016-10-26T14:21:34.513" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;With each contact your perceive the experience: a pleasant, unpleasant or neutral feeling arises which you also perceive as either favorable, unfavorable and neutral. &quot;Guarding the sense door&quot; is you are aware of the sensation that arose and the perception that arose. Ideally you should be equanimous towards this experience, i.e., not attached or averse to the sensation and stimuli and also realise the evaluation you have given and feed the perception. If not (i.e. you react with craving, aversion or ignorance) then fabrications form: in which case you have be be aware of the fabrications also. These manifest as physical feeling in the body, having the characteristics of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;6 elements&lt;/a&gt;; and the mental component has the content 50 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cetasikas&lt;/a&gt; (52 - 2 = 50 as feeling and perceptions are also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cetasikas&lt;/a&gt;) -- see section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#cetasika&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Cetasikas&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;em&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/em&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note the initial experience, which even if you are have been equanimous has a bodily aspect which you have the characteristics of the elements. The sensation is three-fold (are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral). Likewise the contact, as well as the subsequent reaction of craving if present, has an impact in all aspects of the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness -- for more details on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; related Suttas and literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The framework to guard your senses is outlined in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; though there are more comprehensive dispositions also in other Suttas which covers other aspects also e.g. Satipatthana Sutta Dhammanupassana section.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE EYE.&lt;/em&gt; Bhikshus, dependent on eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the three meet, there is contact. Dependent on contact, there is what is&#xA;  felt as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one delights in it, welcomes it, remains attached to it. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; (rāgânusaya)&#xA;  lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one sorrows, grieves, laments, beats one’s breast and falls into confusion. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt; (paṭighânusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a feeling that is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;one does not understand it as it really is, the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape with regards to that feeling. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; (avijjā’nusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; abandoning &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings, &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; removing &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; uprooting &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;IMPOSSIBLE&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abandoning the latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ABANDONING LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE EYE.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; abandoned &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; removed &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; uprooted &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;POSSIBLE&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in many other suttas the following passage appears. The implication is do not crave and grasp the sensory experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikshus, when a monk &lt;em&gt;sees&lt;/em&gt; a form with the &lt;em&gt;eye&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;grasps neither its sign nor its detail&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So long he dwells &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;unrestrained&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;eye-faculty&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;evil, unwholesome states of covetousness&#xA;  and displeasure might overwhelm him, to that extent&lt;/em&gt;, he therefore keeps himself restrained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He practises the restraint of it. He guards the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;restraint&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;eye-faculty&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he commits himself&#xA;  to the restraint of the &lt;em&gt;eye-faculty&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.14-Nimitta-anuvyanjana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta and Anuvyañjana&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T06:33:04.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18014" CreationDate="2016-10-26T14:51:49.860" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu answers a question about &quot;guarding the senses&quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m6tonrhIdA?t=2076&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;this video (at time 34:40)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Guarding the sense doors is a way of protecting ourselves from being overcome by passion for the sensed object (which leads to dukkha). In his video Yuttadhammo mentions three ways to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Physically avoiding the object (in relation to your example, when on alms round monks may keep their eyes facing down to avoid lust from seeing a beautiful woman).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;By developing samadhi the mind is disconnected from the sense doors (only the sixth sense &quot;thought&quot; is present)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;By developing insight we know the inherent dukkha of sensed objects, therefore no passion arises for them when they are sensed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third approach is part of the goal, the first two are training practices to help us maintain a calm mind to achieve the goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T21:54:32.083" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T21:54:32.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15921" CreationDate="2016-10-26T18:30:39.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This quote means- Before enlightenment you use to chop wood n carry water. Now an enlightened soul will also continue to do the same chores, coz enlightenment doesn't have to do anything with the activities of living.. it is totally about the way life happens to a soul once enlightened.. it's a state of living.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10264" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T18:30:39.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18014" CreationDate="2016-10-26T22:23:13.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sense-control is to experience things with mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sense-control, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment.&#xA;And what is the nutriment of sense-control? 'Mindfulness and clear&#xA;comprehension,' should be the answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html#book-10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T22:23:13.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18009" CreationDate="2016-10-26T22:45:55.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;cessation&quot; (&quot;nirodha&quot;) as a Noble Truth means the cessation of craving &amp;amp; suffering (rather than the cessation of sense experience or life). To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the &lt;strong&gt;cessation&lt;/strong&gt; of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same&#xA;  craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it,&#xA;  nonreliance on it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;  burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;  released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;  remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbana-element&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Cessation' is part of both the beginning &amp;amp; end of the noble path. For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states the mindfulness that leads in insight ('investigation-of-dhammas') is supported by 'cessation' and also has the final result of (final) 'cessation' (of suffering). To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion and &lt;strong&gt;cessation&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  and ripens in relinquishment. He develops the investigation-of-states&#xA;  enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion, and&#xA;  cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A bhikkhu trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating&#xA;  impermanence’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating fading&#xA;  away’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating fading away’;&#xA;  trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating &lt;strong&gt;cessation&lt;/strong&gt;’; trains&#xA;  thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating cessation’; trains thus: ‘I&#xA;  shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment’; trains thus: ‘I shall&#xA;  breathe out contemplating relinquishment’— on that occasion a bhikkhu&#xA;  abides contemplating Dhamma as Dhamma, ardent, fully aware and&#xA;  mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. Having&#xA;  seen with wisdom the abandoning of covetousness and grief, he closely&#xA;  looks on with equanimity.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why cessation also is required at the beginning of the noble path is because if a person cannot abandon the basic forms of craving, they will struggle to progress very far. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the point of final cessation, dependent origination actually ceases (rather than is understood). Understanding dependent origination is required to achieve cessation rather than is the result of cessation. To quote how dependent origination ends when the mind is established in cessation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with&#xA;  mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he&#xA;  understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance&#xA;  by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without&#xA;  remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever&#xA;  feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or&#xA;  neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling,&#xA;  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in&#xA;  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes&#xA;  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of&#xA;  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the&#xA;  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On hearing a sound with the ear…On smelling an odour with the nose…On tasting a flavour with the tongue…On touching a tangible with the&#xA;  body…On cognizing a mind-object with the mind, he does not lust after&#xA;  it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing…With&#xA;  the cessation of his delight comes cessation of clinging; with the&#xA;  cessation of clinging, cessation of being; with the cessation of&#xA;  being, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, ageing and&#xA;  death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Such is&#xA;  the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If final cessation occurs, the living &amp;amp; present mind will always be unified with seeing the true nature of conditioned reality (i.e., impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self) &amp;amp; also always be unified with the permanent, satisfactory, not-self &amp;amp; unconditioned Nibbana (perfect peace). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Dhammapada states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. The heedful die not.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;22. Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;23. The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering, alone experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-26T22:58:48.860" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T22:58:48.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17995" CreationDate="2016-10-26T22:50:18.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's obvious that people are (i.e. humanity in general is) vulnerable to having their attitudes manipulated by politicians: I think that's how wars happen. I suppose that part of it to demonize the enemy, so that you rejoice in their downfall; part of it is to create an &amp;quot;us-versus-them&amp;quot; scenario; part of it is to create a &amp;quot;we're on the winning side&amp;quot; message, or (conversely) &amp;quot;we're oppressed and should rise up&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's probably good to be aware that you're vulnerable/susceptible to that kind of  political manipulation or messages: although you may recognize it as an unpleasant/sick emotion, at least maybe it's better than &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; recognizing it as evil and allowing yourself to get swept away to wage a war against others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (as well as developing &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) might help too: because part of the root of the schadenfreude might be holding views like &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot; (e.g. &amp;quot;I am on the winning side&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;I am against this politician&amp;quot;) and &amp;quot;I have&amp;quot; (e.g. &amp;quot;I have these reasons for wanting them to lose&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If schadenfreude arises and passes away, even though you don't have a wrong view which nurtures it, you might find answers to this topic interesting: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having learned that, if you still find it bothersome an option is to switch off the channels from which you're getting those messages (e.g. TV or wherever it is). Note that this summary of definitions of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Speech&lt;/a&gt; includes this section with quotes from the suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kinds of speech to be avoided by contemplatives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these — talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; (etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T22:50:18.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18014" CreationDate="2016-10-26T23:14:51.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, does this concept mean that a heterosexual male should entirely avoid looking at women?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I can add to the other answers, a book about Buddhism (that I read once long ago) had a photo (of a monk with a fan), whose caption said that Burmese monks use their fans to hide their eyes (e.g. hide from things or from people they don't want to be tempted by the sight of) when they're out in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18014/guard-the-sense-doors-what-does-this-mean-and-what-is-its-application/18019#comment29819_18016&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt;, I think that may be one technique among many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-26T23:14:51.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18009" CreationDate="2016-10-27T00:15:25.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;three characteristics&lt;/a&gt;: things are (everything is) impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's said that a person's first glimpse of nirvana is clearly seeing at least one of these: for example, &quot;everything is impermanent&quot; or &quot;everything is unsatisfactory&quot;. Clearly seeing one of these leads to detachment etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not &quot;omniscient&quot; (i.e. &quot;knowing everything&quot;): but it &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; what you said in the title (i.e. &quot;experience dharma everywhere&quot;), in that it is seeing these (dharmic) characteristics in everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A related term is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vicikitsa&lt;/a&gt; (which means &quot;doubt&quot;): this is one of the so-called &quot;10 fetters&quot;, and is one of the first 3 fetters abandoned at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment#Stream-enterer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;first stage of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some kind of supernatural knowledge (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Abhijñā&lt;/a&gt;) is also mentioned in the Buddhist tradition; however the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;psychic powers&lt;/a&gt; are not synonymous with enlightenment (people might be enlightened without have such power, and vice versa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;to sum it up once reaching enlightenment there should be a connection made with some sort of unified reality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know: that &quot;unified reality&quot; might be &quot;dhamma&quot;; i.e. if it's true that there is &quot;a connection made with some sort of unified reality&quot;, I think that what that means is it's your seeing that the dhamma applies to everything, is an accurate description of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T00:15:25.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-27T03:21:47.163" Score="0" ViewCount="66" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it a truth in Buddhism that all beings have past lives? How does Buddhism explain new life? For example, would the increasing amount of population be explained by some us having shared past lives?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8619" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:46:34.707" Title="do all beings have past lives?" Tags="|impermanence|samsara|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-10-27T10:57:19.377" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18024" CreationDate="2016-10-27T06:00:26.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;yes I'm pretty sure that all beings have past lives . there was an old saying from Buddhist litriture where if you cut short the life of any living creature (intetially killing) then you are forcing that being to be born again to go through the process of life again .also the Buddha said that some have had a birth of another species and through good karma became human etc the same is true for humans going back to another lower realm ie animal if bad karma prevails...as to the rest of your questions I hope someone else will jump in ..edit : in reference to your last question about population ...yes there is a possibility as I've mentioned. Humans are born again again this is samasra ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorDisplayName="user10244" LastEditDate="2016-10-27T10:46:34.707" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:46:34.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18012" CreationDate="2016-10-27T06:06:06.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No...this is not possible as the Buddha stated he was not a God!! Instead he wanted  people to follow his path to liberate themselves through hard work in study and meditation . .the Buddha has left the great noble path with his teachings for us to use...he will not intervene like say / maybe the Christ or other dieties again that too is a hugely faith based debate ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T06:06:06.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18027" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18057" CreationDate="2016-10-27T06:49:39.373" Score="1" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sitting in front of the rising sun, observing atmosphere and self. Mostly all of come to me in a very unexpected way. Yes, it is easy to achieve what he and a few of holy them have achieved. Is it not a kind of craving?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:32:55.037" Title="Why mind is all set to achieve something unknown during meditation?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18027" CreationDate="2016-10-27T06:58:45.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;intention&lt;/a&gt;. Enlightened people had intention but not craving to achieve their goal which is what you should aim to develop. Craving for the goal also will set you back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-10-27T10:09:28.957" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:09:28.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18012" CreationDate="2016-10-27T08:30:55.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two answers to this. First, the traditional answer you would get from classical sources like the Sutta Pitaka, which are, at the very least, close to the Buddha's words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's goal was to discover a way to end individual human stress/suffering. His critical analysis of the human condition was heavily bound by personal, empirical experience. This is expressed within the Kalama Sutta, where he advises the Kalamas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by&#xA;  traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, &quot;This contemplative is our teacher.&quot; When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, &quot;These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these&#xA;  qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering&quot; —&#xA;  then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to&#xA;  this was it said.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This gives you a basic insight into his method for gaining insight. It does not deny the validity of God, but the Buddha had something to say about faith in concepts that are neither provable, nor verifiable within our experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a doctrine &amp;amp; view like&#xA;  this: 'After death, the self is exclusively happy and free from&#xA;  disease.' I approached them and asked them, 'Is it true that you have&#xA;  a doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: &quot;After death, the self is exclusively&#xA;  happy and free from disease&quot;?' When asked this, they replied, 'Yes.'&#xA;  So I asked them, 'But do you dwell having known or seen an exclusively&#xA;  happy world?' When asked this, they said, 'No.' So I asked them, 'But&#xA;  have you ever been aware of a self exclusively happy for a day or a&#xA;  night, or for half a day or half a night?' When asked this, they said,&#xA;  'No.' So I asked them, 'But do you know that &quot;This is the path, this&#xA;  is the practice for the realization of an exclusively happy world&quot;?'&#xA;  When asked this, they said, 'No.' So I asked them, 'But have you heard&#xA;  the voices of devas reborn in an exclusively happy world, saying,&#xA;  &quot;Practice well, my dears. Practice straightforwardly, my dears, for&#xA;  the realization of an exclusively happy world, because it was through&#xA;  such a practice that we ourselves have been reborn in an exclusively&#xA;  happy world&quot;?' When asked this, they said, 'No.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So what do you think, Potthapada — when this is the case, don't the&#xA;  words of those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord. When this is the case, the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Potthapada, it's as if a man were to say, 'I'm in love with the most&#xA;  beautiful woman in this country,' and other people were to say to him,&#xA;  'Well, my good man, this most beautiful woman in this country with&#xA;  whom you are in love: do you know if she's of the warrior caste, the&#xA;  priestly caste, the merchant caste, or the laborer caste?' and, when&#xA;  asked this, he would say, 'No.' Then they would say to him, 'Well&#xA;  then, do you know her name or clan name? Whether she's tall, short, or&#xA;  of medium height? Whether she's dark, fair, or ruddy-skinned? Do you&#xA;  know what village or town or city she's from?' When asked this, he&#xA;  would say, 'No.' Then they would say to him, 'So you've never known or&#xA;  seen the woman you're in love with?' When asked this, he would say,&#xA;  'Yes.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So what do you think, Potthapada — when this is the case, don't the&#xA;  words of that man turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: 'After death, the self is exclusively happy&#xA;  and free from disease.'... Don't the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is from the Potthapada Sutta and it addresses exclusively one sides concepts of Self, or Atman. The relationship between the Hindu Atman and the Hindu concept of God (Brahman or Ishvara, depending on whether the deity is impersonal or personal, is  complicated, but a close parallel can at the very least be drawn here).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's realization was that, within the empirical world*, &quot;every thing that has a beginning, has an end&quot;. As such, when you try and find this 'thing' that you look for, this Atman, you 'only' find emptiness. As such, there is no base, no ground on which to build a reistic philosophy (nor for that matter any reason to infer a God, at least not a God that has any Essential properties whatsoever!) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*this is a very important point - the Buddha did not step into metaphysical conjecture, because it was not conducive to the goal of liberation from stress/suffering. In fact, the first Sutta within the Digha Nikaya (a sort of introduction to Buddhism for novices and the curious) denies the validity of all metaphysical speculation. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt; and the first Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya (arguably for the more advanced student) states that 'the root of all things' is not found. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above realization was key to the First of the Four Noble Truths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress: Birth is stressful,&#xA;  aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is&#xA;  stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is&#xA;  wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are&#xA;  stressful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If permanence within the empirical world is denied (a property that Atman and God must maintain in some way, in order to be anything more than the mundane impermanence that our experiences reveal to us), then the above follows (like Satre's exsistential dread). From this follows the next Three Truths, which are on the origination of stress/suffering, the cessation of stress/suffering, and the path to end stress/suffering. This is best read from the source! &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is understood is that the Noble Eightfold Path stated in the Fourth Truth, is entirely dependent on the individual. There is not even the slightest removal of power to progress within the path from the individual to any other individual, including any conception of God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes sense because a world view that explicitly states that the ground from which the world manifests is not to be found, explicitly denies that any truth can be gleaned from such a ground (after all, it is not found!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In denying the validity of reistic world views, the Buddha did not however embrace annihilationism (or nihilism to us). He created a relational philosophy, where things are dependently originated. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(If you like classical logic, here is a nice article on why Essentialism and Nihilism can be treated as the same: &lt;a href=&quot;https://plus.google.com/+DenisWallez/posts/K9PsvMRQhve&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://plus.google.com/+DenisWallez/posts/K9PsvMRQhve&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you like quantum physics, this is not much different from the relational interpretation of Quantum Mechanics by Rovelli. &lt;a href=&quot;https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/9609002v2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/9609002v2.pdf&lt;/a&gt; Whilst drawing parallels between the scientific method in the late 20th century and the Buddha's world view 2,500 years before that is a complex enterprise, Nagarjuna (the second Buddha to most, and someone who took the Tripitaka as authoritative, took a much more 'Western friendly approach' to this concept of 'dependent co-arising' within his Mulamadhyamakakarika, and you do get comparisons with his reasoning and Rovelli within Western publication: &lt;a href=&quot;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&lt;/a&gt; ) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddha created a method that denied the validity of a permanent Essence, it ironically gave him the right to say that the power to deliverance from stress/suffering lies in each person's individual power. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to ethics, this is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn8&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to the practice of Buddhism, the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta lays out what needs to be done in its entirety: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up, the Buddha did not place any faith in prayer, mantra, chanting or God. The path is, mostly, walked alone &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are gods within Buddhism, but they are simply beings that through their good karmic actions end up in higher realms (in fact, humans who practice the Noble Eightfold Path diligently can end up in these realms too). But none of them are permanent, and they all still possess the risk of falling into lower realms (including the hells, the animal realms and the human realm), if they act in such a way as to bring bad karma onto themselves. The Buddha neither worshiped nor placed any authority in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second answer is that Buddhism has spread to a very diverse group of people, some of which invoke the power of prayer, mantra, even begin to define Buddha as divine in one way or another. Strictly speaking, this is not Buddhism as the Buddha envisioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So! If you place your faith in God and the divine, His power and authority, you will find Buddhism lacking in these respects. But, in that all possible power to act, change and improve, is left within the sphere of influence of the individual, all that is necessary to bring about an end to suffering is already within you. Physical illness the Buddha would have likely advised to leave to those that practice medicine!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-27T08:55:01.393" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T08:55:01.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18030" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-27T08:31:12.220" Score="0" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;What I believe is what I look up to, everyday. Every belief originates me. Then am I a phenomena in itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:07:28.747" Title="What is a belief as per the buddhism?" Tags="|thoughtprocess|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18030" CreationDate="2016-10-27T10:01:52.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes Buddhism can be seen as a belief philosophy ,,  as you stated  all beliefs are from in you this doesn't mean that they are true !! That's why we need dharma ..and yes you can say one believes in dharma and Buddha ...you are a phenomena we all are !! Belief as a definition in Buddhism is little bit more complicated .. As statements like I believe are not the intended methods in this practice ...as the I am,..thing is seen as image and ego...and not permanent, if you were to say belief is imperninant then it would fit in Buddhist teachings and woud be unimportant and useless for the path. So it's complicated as most faith based religions that put faith and belief in a God are thriving all over the world .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:01:52.737" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18030" CreationDate="2016-10-27T10:02:27.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What I believe is what I look up to, everyday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you believe in may just be your perception and not reality. Whatever you should be able to verify at the experiential level then you should look up to it. Since you know it from experience no external person needs to convince you of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every belief originates me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thoughts gives arise to self notion which intern aversion or craving based on your evaluation. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] To be more precise you crave to the sensations based on your evaluation. This conditions your future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then am I a phenomena in itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are sum total of past conditioning including that of your past conditioning ue to yourself notion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:07:28.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15473" CreationDate="2016-10-27T10:22:11.453" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You focus should be in&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising and passed away of&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sensations, (pleasant, unpleasant and neither pleasant nor unpleasant)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;while maintaining utmost equanimity to the sensations,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and conditioning that follows, if you react to the sensations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more details see my answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18015/295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T10:22:11.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17371" CreationDate="2016-10-27T15:38:41.083" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have found an article that may be the article I asked for. It certainly seems to approximate to what I remember about the person who made the statement to me that &quot;Western Orientalists invented the Pali Canon&quot; and the academic article I found online (except that I article I saw was not free). It is &quot;The Buddhist Canon and the Canon of Buddhist Studies&quot; by Oliver Freiberger and is published by the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies at &lt;a href=&quot;https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/8951&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/8951&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T15:38:41.083" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18042" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-27T16:58:20.100" Score="0" ViewCount="54" Body="&lt;p&gt;...I have been working on this one question for a while so can everything we experience in life internally and externally be used as our teachers from a Buddhist point of view?examples..&#xA;Anger = powerful emotion active in a person when one is threatened or insulted ,,an injustice over a issue etc also known to protect the persons personality ( possible to say anger is a friend then ! ) anger is an emotion that is automatically generated ,defense mechanism. It is repetitive and has been for x million yrs within the human psyche.  We could also say it  exists in lower beings birds ,goats , dogs etc so anger could be an important link to other forms of life by now I think you'll get some idea about just one state of mind that's revealed so much ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T23:54:14.127" Title="In Buddhism can all we percieve / experience b used as teachers?" Tags="|teachers|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17627" CreationDate="2016-10-27T17:20:38.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The heart sutra is from mahyana schools of thought it's out there and one quite popular sutra .this trend of Buddhist thought teaches the message through meditation one upon inquiry about reailty , samsara etc is like a dream / dreams which appear and then disappear ...the meditation on Mahayana view is that all the mental problems ..joys knowledge etc are not real they will arise and subside .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T17:20:38.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18042" CreationDate="2016-10-27T17:27:37.140" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha told us the three marks of existence, all things which exist in the mind have these properties:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe sankhara anicca&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe sankhara dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe dhamma anatta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned things are impermanent, All conditioned things are suffering, All things are without a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that everything has the potential to teach us. We can learn about impermanence, dukkha, and not-self from anything which arises in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T17:27:37.140" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18045" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18055" CreationDate="2016-10-27T17:46:17.067" Score="0" ViewCount="234" Body="&lt;p&gt;In deep &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;trance / Samadhi meditation&lt;/a&gt; does contemplating on the subject, before hand, give rise the mental image or Nimitta, or does it arise while contemplating? Put it in another way, do you have to stop the contemplation for the Nimitta to arise or does it arise while contemplating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-24T04:05:49.977" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T04:05:49.977" Title="Does contemplation activity, before hand, give rise to the mental image?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation|samatha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18046" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18048" CreationDate="2016-10-27T19:28:09.637" Score="1" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am posting because I have had for the past years, despite my attempts at resolving this, trouble feeling my emotions and sensations. You could almost say I'm numb. To remedy this problem, I've thought of engaging in two practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I thought of sensing the basic aspects of the body, in my whole body, e.g. tingling, warmth/cold, numbness, etc. This has not let to gains so far because I seemingly cannot engage in discursive or associative thought while doing this, so I just feel my sensations mindfully period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, I thought of visualizing images that I free-associate with, and in this situation lust in the form of images, anger in the form of images, and memories in the form of images arise. However, I'm worried that this might involve elaboration that doesn't exist, i.e. fantasy elements. However, if this is not undoing repression, I am not sure how else to undo my emotional repression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T19:57:52.090" Title="Emotional Release: Images Versus Dry Body Awareness" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18014" CreationDate="2016-10-27T21:00:20.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is right at the center of &quot;right effort&quot; in the Noble Eightfold Path.  Buddha talked about it many times in different ways.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is right effort?&#xA;  Here the monk arouses his will, puts forth effort, generates energy, exerts his mind, and strives to prevent the arising of evil and unwholesome mental states that have not yet arisen.&#xA;  He arouses his will... and strives to eliminate evil and unwholesome mental states that have already arisen. He arouses his will... and strives to generate wholesome mental state that have not yet arisen....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T21:00:20.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18046" CreationDate="2016-10-27T21:04:05.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lack of sensitivity can occur due to using meditation techniques. Whenever a technique is used, such as watching breathing at abdomen or nose-tip, body scanning or the two methods proposed in the question, there will be a deliberate, fixed &amp;amp; gross intention operating in the mind to exert the mind. This 'intention'  &amp;amp; 'exertion' is a thought and it is this thought intention that hinders sensitivity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To feel the body, breathing &amp;amp; associated feelings &amp;amp; emotions sensitively, the ideal practise is to simply 'let go' of all wanting &amp;amp; all intention. The mind must be quiet however the effort used must be a little as possible. Just sit, but very quietly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T21:04:05.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18042" CreationDate="2016-10-27T22:03:50.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A trite answer might be &amp;quot;Yes, everything is a learning experience! You can learn from anything&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A better answer might be &amp;quot;No: maybe not&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;To start with, saying for example that &amp;quot;a turnip can be used as a teacher&amp;quot; maybe does a disservice to actual/genuine teachers (including the Buddha himself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; suggests that various things like food, and even craving and conceit, can be helpful or instrumental. But not sexual intercourse, it says. It doesn't explain why, but perhaps we might infer that sexual intercourse cannot be &amp;quot;used as our teacher&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I note that perhaps &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.venerabilisopus.org/en/writing/dalai-lama-secret-teachings-of-the-buddha-on-sex&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;some forms of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; do teach that, in some circumstances and for some people, there is something to be learned from sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that maybe negative emotions, such as anger or jealousy, maybe can't be used as a teacher. Maybe they teach remorse ... however the lesson you ought to be learning instead of that is &amp;quot;skillful virtues&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;freedom from remorse&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You say that anger &amp;quot;protects the person's personality, so it's possible to say anger is a friend then&amp;quot;. I suspect however that if you practice anger, then that does nothing but teach you how to be angry (which maybe isn't a lesson worth learning, nor a &amp;quot;personality&amp;quot; you want to preserve).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T22:03:50.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18042" CreationDate="2016-10-27T23:24:41.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anger certainly exists in lower beings such birds, goats, dogs, etc. That is why, in Buddhism, anger does not represent the 'human state' ('&lt;em&gt;manussa&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;'). Instead, in represents 'birth' ('&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;') in the 'animal world' (&lt;em&gt;tiracchā­na­yoni&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sensual desire... ill-will (anger)... sloth &amp;amp; drowsiness... restlessness &amp;amp; anxiety... uncertainty is an obstacle, a hindrance that overwhelms&#xA;the mind and weakens wisdom... when a&#xA;monk has not abandoned these five obstacles... for him to understand what is for his&#xA;own benefit, to understand what is for the benefit of others, to&#xA;understand what is for the benefit of both, to realize a superior&#xA;human (manussa) state (dhammā), a truly noble distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision: that is&#xA;impossible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.051.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avarana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although anger is certainly a pre-programmed instinctual survival mechanism, does anger teach us it is the ideal way to respond to perceived threats? Or is there a more 'human' ('reflective/wise') way to respond to perceived threats?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains everything can be a teacher, it that everything has:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) a cause/reason for its arising (&lt;em&gt;samudaya&lt;/em&gt;);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) a condition for its passing (&lt;em&gt;atthaṅgama&lt;/em&gt;);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) an attractive, alluring or stimulating quality (&lt;em&gt;assāda&lt;/em&gt;);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) a danger or drawback (&lt;em&gt;ādīnava&lt;/em&gt;);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) a method to escape from the danger (&lt;em&gt;nissaraṇa&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people confessed their sins (moral transgressions) to the Buddha, he generally responded their sins were a 'teacher' for their growth &amp;amp; development. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes, great king, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to kill your father — a&#xA;righteous man, a righteous king — for the sake of sovereign rulership.&#xA;But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in&#xA;accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a&#xA;cause of growth in the Dhamma &amp;amp; Discipline of the noble ones when,&#xA;seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with&#xA;the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-27T23:54:14.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17639" CreationDate="2016-10-27T23:37:13.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vedantic teachings inevitably lead to the direct discovery that&#xA;  &quot;consciousness is all.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not so for the Buddha. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in&#xA;  Ukkaṭṭhā in the Subhaga Grove at the root of a royal sāla tree. There&#xA;  he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they&#xA;  replied. The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, I shall teach you a discourse on the root of all things.&#xA;  Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.”—“Yes, venerable sir,”&#xA;  the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Arahant (and the Tathagata)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He directly knows all as all. Having directly known all as&#xA;  all, he does not conceive himself as all, he does not conceive&#xA;  himself in all, he does not not conceive himself apart from all,&#xA;  he does not conceive all to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in&#xA;  all. Why is that? Because he has fully understand it, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He directly knows Nibbāna as Nibbāna. Having directly known Nibbāna as&#xA;  Nibbāna, he does not conceive himself as Nibbāna, he does not conceive&#xA;  himself in Nibbāna, he does not not conceive himself apart from&#xA;  Nibbāna, he does not conceive Nibbāna to be ‘mine,’ he does not&#xA;  delight in Nibbāna. Why is that? Because he has fully understand it, I&#xA;  say.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With consciousness, The All, Nibbāna, every thing, the Buddha simply asks each person to treat &quot;This as this, not this as that and that as this.&quot; The Buddha denied the usefulness of the law of identity (imo). This seems reasonable, because whatever you choose to 'know', you will only 'perceive to know'. An individual's perceptions always get in the way for identity to be established!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A condition is not an Essential property (at least within Nagarjuna's discussions).. Cause points to an Essential concept, whilst condition is simply an empirical reason to which we can turn to explain why an effect has dependently co-arisen (the effect also being conventional in this case!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He (The Buddha)... discovered a reality — the Deathless — that no&#xA;  words could describe.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not entirely accurate imo. Look at Nagarjuna's dedicatory verses to the Mulamadhyamakakarika: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I prostrate to the Perfect Buddha, &#xA;  The best of teachers, who taught that&#xA;  Whatever is dependently [co-]arisen is &#xA;  Unceasing, unborn,&#xA;  Unannihilated, not permanent, &#xA;  Not coming, not going, &#xA;  Without distinction, without identity, &#xA;  And free from conceptual construction.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No mention of the 'reality of the Deathless is stated'. In addition, the Buddha specifically criticized individuals who asked what exactly cessation is (to paraphrase, somewhere in the DN, but can't find it, sorry!), saying that they have 'gone beyond the round of questioning'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic starting point for Hindu philosophy (imo, as I am not as well versed in Hindu theory, going through Samkhya fully atm, read some of Shankara's Advaita..) is that Brahman is 'neti neti', 'not this, not that'. This is just like Nagarjuna's description of dependent co-arising - a negational truth. The difference is that the Darshanas go from there and give positive, Essential, definitions of Brahman and Atman: The real, unlike the unreal that is our empirical experience. But no matter how you spin the above, in that 'real' and 'unreal' are defined, that is only Dvaita!! (Plato's Parmenides shows this within logic imo, but I am only starting to think through this fully, have a look at it, it is very fun! &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-parmenides/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-parmenides/&lt;/a&gt; ). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is a clear and permanent line that can be drawn between the Atman-Brahman complex and the empirical world (as seems to be the case with Advaita), or between Soul and Nature within Samkhya (sorry, only have translations, not sure if those are Atman and Brahman.. assume so!), you have two, entirely separate, fully independent concepts). Samkhya embraces the Dvaita, whilst Advaita imo lives with a contradiction!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never stated that either consciousness, or The All, or even Nibbāna are independent entities that could be considered 'real' relative to the 'unreal' that is the rest.. This is evidenced by the fact that Nibbāna is only achieved by the Noble Eightfold Path! This clearly demonstrates, without any doubt, that the Buddha considered even the experience of the end goal to be dependently co-arisen! (which (I would have to conclude) is also empty in and of itself, but don't quote me on that!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, if &quot;Truth is One&quot;, then all Darshanas have the issue that there is an Ultimate truth that is Brahman/Atman, and there is a conventional truth that is Empirical Experience. The Buddha also stated (somewhere in the Sutta Nipata, sadly no quotes again!) that 'I also teach Truth is One..' (to paraphrase), but that truth was that &quot;every thing that has a beginning, has an end&quot;, dependent co-arising and the emptiness that follows from it! With this, there is no dividing line between the Ultimate and the conventional, as Nagarjuna later stated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To paraphrase Nagarjuna again, if Nibbana was not dependently co-arisen, but an essential, independent quality, what would be the use of a path? Either you had it or you didn't. But if everyone has it, then everyone is enlightened, and suffering/stress remains an unexplained phenomenon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm still thinking about this, but the Kapila Sutra states in book 1 that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aph. 67. Since the root has no root, the root (of all) is rootless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not dissimilar from what the Buddha stated in MN 1.. (my current thought is whether this is better phrased as &quot;the root of all things is found empty&quot;, or &quot;the root of all things is not determined&quot;. I like the first one, but it is a positive description of a thing that cannot have a positive description, if 'neti neti' is stuck to truly!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aph. 79. It (the world) is not unreal; because there is no fact&#xA;  contradictory (to its reality), and because it is not the (false)&#xA;  result of depraved causes, (leading to a belief in what ought not to&#xA;  be believed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to me, this is very problematic given recent advances in the interpretations of quantum mechanics ( &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics&lt;/a&gt; ), you have a new, relational ontology, where each individual quanta has no intrinsic qualities..  Relational QM states that all properties arise out of a quanta's interaction with another one. As such, there is no &quot;external reality&quot;.. in fact, there is no &quot;external&quot; or &quot;internal&quot; (the Buddha said this once in the Sutta Nipata somewhere, but again, no quote - sorry!), because, like with the Buddha's concept of Anatta, there is simply no ontologically real ground on which to build any notion of essential difference, or similarity, or both, or neither!! ( &lt;a href=&quot;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;http://philpapers.org/archive/CAPIOQ-2.PDF&lt;/a&gt; )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be interested how Hindu philosophers reply to the above issue! (the question would be - if Brahman and Atman are real and identical, what exactly is created within an unreal empirical experience? If 'something in and of itself' stands opposed to 'nothing in and of itself', what exactly has this 'something in and of itself' achieved by creating an illusion? Surely Brahman-Atman can't then be considered the holder of Satya!!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now for the questions!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) &quot;Tao called Tao is not Tao&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) You have gone beyond the round of questioning!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) Consciousness without feature is probably best described with silence.. after all, language expresses features.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) Like Ramana Maharishi, and like Huike did when asked by Bodhidharma: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma asked, “Can each of you say something to demonstrate your&#xA;  understanding?” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dao Fu stepped forward and said, “It is not bound by&#xA;  words and phrases, nor is it separate from words and phrases. This is&#xA;  the function of the Tao.” &#xA;  Bodhidharma: “You have attained my skin.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The nun Zong Chi stepped up and said, “It is like a glorious glimpse&#xA;  of the realm of Akshobhya Buddha . Seen once, it need not be seen&#xA;  again.” &#xA;  Bodhidharma; “You have attained my flesh.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dao Yu said, “The&#xA;  four elements are all empty. The five skandhas are without actual&#xA;  existence. Not a single dharma can be grasped.” &#xA;  Bodhidharma: “You have attained my bones.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, Huike came forth, bowed deeply in silence&#xA;  and stood up straight. &#xA;  Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my&#xA;  marrow.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Brahman or Nibbana, Atman etc are truly 'neti neti', then all of the Darshans do, in engaging in language, are little more than speculation. Which is why the first Sutta of the Digha Nikaya asks those on the path not to do so! If this is not enough, Nagarjuna in the Mulamadhyamakakarika, explained the Buddha's words within a more philosophical context. His treatise however, is also metaphysics free, in that it never steps beyond the bound of logic and the empirical - neither nihilism nor essentialism are asserted, only the empirically evident dependent co-arising, within the framework of emptiness, is asserted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) I am not awakened, so I'm sure someone could say otherwise, but in having given up greed, sensual attachment and aversion, whether the awakened person is conscious or in deep meditation, by the definition of what the end goal is, they are free from attachments. There is not much more than that that needs to be said in this imo!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(in other words, your 5 questions go beyond what language can provide, if you wish to know, find out for yourself! :D )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(sorry, this is a bit long and probably incomplete, but it's a good start imo!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-10-28T16:21:16.410" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:21:16.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18052" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-28T00:45:37.503" Score="2" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ok for starters allot of talk is about the mind in Buddhism... So the question I'm posting is there only really (truthfully ) awareness ? For example thinking has awareness.. Feeling has awareness... Seeking ..studying all have awareness as the common factor ...if there was no awareness non of the above is possible so is it really awareness in a conclusive form that is there and mind is just a term for it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:06:09.027" Title="Is the term &quot; mind &quot; another way of describing awareness?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18052" CreationDate="2016-10-28T00:50:34.357" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Awareness&amp;quot; is a very poor or inaccurate word to use in relation to Buddhism, despite the fact that so many Buddhists use it. This is because, in English, &amp;quot;awareness&amp;quot; has many meanings, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) mere sense awareness; e.g. He was aware of the sight of the plane in the sky&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) knowledge; e.g. He is aware that drugs are dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Having knowledge or discernment of something: was aware of the difference between the two versions; became aware that the music had&#xA;stopped.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Attentive and well informed: &amp;quot;Most scientists are thoughtful, liberal-minded and socially aware people&amp;quot; (Armand Marie Leroi).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Archaic Vigilant; watchful.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thefreedictionary.com/awareness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.thefreedictionary.com/awareness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are different words for the different types of mentality (&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt;), such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;consciousness ('&lt;em&gt;vinnana&lt;/em&gt;'); that which 'experiences' sense objects via the sense organs&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;' ('mind-heart'); that which generates emotions (greed, anger, love, etc) &amp;amp; thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt;' ('intellect'); that which makes decisions, generates intentions, develops wisdom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, to answer the original question, feeling, thinking, studying, etc, have consciousness ('vinnana') as the common factor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism defines the composition of a human life into five aggregates, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) body;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) feelings (pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant sensations);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) perceptions (labels);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) mental forming (emotions, thoughts, images, etc) &amp;amp;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is consciousness that allows each aggregate, including consciousness itself, to be experienced or known. Thus the common factor, in terms of 'experience', is consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if we take a scientific approach, in terms of how these different mental functions exist, we would say the common factor is the brain or neurology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T01:12:34.710" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18052" CreationDate="2016-10-28T02:56:11.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you take &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Namarupa&lt;/a&gt; according to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skandha&lt;/a&gt; classification the following falls under Nama (mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feelings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perceptions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mental formations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You know or are aware due to consciousness but there other 3 items which form the mind. Also awareness is the function of consciousness and not consciousness itself. So awareness in itself is not mind. You are aware since partly due to conciousness, as you have to have an external stimuli, organ, and attention, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; may help shed some light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T07:38:09.060" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18055" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18045" CreationDate="2016-10-28T05:25:00.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mental image (Nimitta) as per some teachers appear as a bright radiant light. You have to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bring your attention to a particular stimuli&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;retain the attention on the chosen stimuli&lt;/a&gt; by continuously bringing your mind to the chosen stimuli. At some point you might get the Nimitta. This does not happen for everyone and every time. You should do active thinking about the subject of concetration followed by letting go of it altogether to progress futher before the Nimitta apears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are doing the above as Vipassana you have to look at sensation (or phenomena that is know and felt) and continuously keeping your mind on it. Then you will see the arising and passing of sensations, which perhaps you can consider the Nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.7-Nimitta-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta: The radiant and blissful sign [How to enjoy and benefit from your meditation]&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.14-Nimitta-anuvyanjana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nimitta and Anuvyañjana: Signs and Details [Sense-restraint &amp;amp; wise attention: how to master the senses]&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T07:24:44.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18052" CreationDate="2016-10-28T15:50:25.413" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;from what I know, you are absolutely correct.  Awareness is an entity you can not isolate it by itself.  It has to aware of something to be there.  In other word, there cant be know without the known.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha said, vinnana ends when name-form ends, and name-form ends when&#xA;  vinnana ends/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so I agree with you when you said &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if there was no awareness non of the above is possible &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-10-28T16:06:09.027" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:06:09.027" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18027" CreationDate="2016-10-28T16:32:55.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is it not a kind of craving?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're asking whether a craving for enlightenment is a kind of craving, I think the answer is &amp;quot;yes&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That kind of craving is mentioned e.g. in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-28T16:32:55.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18046" CreationDate="2016-10-29T02:40:14.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your metal experiences (thoughts, memories, emotions, etc) create sensations. You should use it to reduce your unwholesome roots. Even visualisation is a function of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE MIND.&lt;/em&gt; Bhikshus, dependent on mind and mind-objects, eye-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the three meet, there is contact. Dependent on contact, there is what is&#xA;  felt as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one delights in it, welcomes it, remains attached to it. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; (rāgânusaya)&#xA;  lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one sorrows, grieves, laments, beats one’s breast and falls into confusion. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt; (paṭighânusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a feeling that is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;one does not understand it as it really is, the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape with regards to that feeling. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; (avijjā’nusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; abandoning &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings, &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; removing &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; uprooting &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;impossible&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abandoning the latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ABANDONING LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE MIND.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; abandoned &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; removed &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; uprooted &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;possible&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are mindful about the body you experience the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt; through these have an impact on if it is pleasurable or not. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and other similar suttas analyse this aspect in the section about the 6 elements (bodily aspect) as well as the mental aspect under the section on 18 mental examination (metal aspect - including visualisation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-10-29T02:51:00.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2016-10-29T13:54:28.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt; (craving) and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;upādāna&lt;/a&gt; (clining) creates &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt; (fabrication) to experience the karmic result of what you craved for. To experience past fabrications when they materialise in the present a particular &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/a&gt; (consciousness) should arise, e.g. fabrication to experience pleasant taste now due to past conditioning you need tongue consciousness hence also a tongue and tasty food. Since consciousness cannot arise on its own, i.e., there cannot be tongue consciousness without an tongue, arises &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;nāmarūpa&lt;/a&gt; (name form) with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;saḷāyatana&lt;/a&gt; (sense bases / faculty) so the particular experience can be felt. Since particular experience does not arise without &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;phassa&lt;/a&gt; (contact) this should happen giving arise to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Vedanā&lt;/a&gt; (feeling) so that the Karmic experience is completed, but base on your reaction of craving and clining you create &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Bhava&lt;/a&gt; (becomming / exsitance). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avijj%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Avijjā&lt;/a&gt; (ignorance), i.e., not knowing the 4 Noble Truths, what make you react with craving and clinging hence creating fabrications and consciousness. Also the experience any residue of fabrication, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C4%81ti_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jāti&lt;/a&gt; (birth) must happen and if so &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar%C4%81mara%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Jarāmaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; (old age and death) follows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, past fabrication to experience creates the experience, to which contact, faculty, consciousness should be in place, and for faculties to be in place a live being with a body and mind needs to be in place. Also if you do react to sense stimuli with craving and grasping you continue your existence, and if not you cease existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-10-29T15:30:39.527" LastActivityDate="2016-10-29T15:30:39.527" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18060" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18522" CreationDate="2016-10-29T16:53:50.053" Score="4" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is &quot;Anapanasati&quot; day? I used to fasting on Uposatha, I became unable to do after my health got down. Last time I had asked to what to do on Uposatha Day but as I mentioned above and still unable to do; but now I've to practice seriously and go to Vihara on Anapansati day so is it same as Uposatha ? And if it is have to practice, then can I go for it in the middle stage or from the beginning? But anyhow I want to practicing and feel spirit of it when I loosed of my life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2016-12-18T12:37:03.780" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T12:37:03.780" Title="What is &quot;Anapanasati&quot; day which is coming on this November 14?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18061" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18096" CreationDate="2016-10-30T14:20:02.507" Score="10" ViewCount="288" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started decreasing the amount of music I listened to before and especially after I started meditating so that I had to cope less with replaying music passages and enjoy a clearer and more silent mind. Even though now I do not actively listen any more music, sometimes I happen to hear some passages from a TV, a radio or randomly on the Internet, and on certain occasions, while sitting or doing some work, it happens that a certain &quot;mental process&quot; starts reproducing music fragments that I've been exposed to, or that for some reason - for example, through a synesthetic &quot;link&quot; - I've recollected from the past.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to receive some suggestions, and even some observations based on what fields like neurology, psychology etc. offer when relevant, on how to silence my mind when it tries to reproduce fragments of music automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question originates from a personal need, but I think that it could apply more generally even to other circumstances and for other people. When several months ago I was trying to weaken this automatic habit of reproducing music in my head, I remember I had to apply myself with perseverance for several days, and that the kind of noise from music seemed unusually stronger than any other I had experienced before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5275" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-07-11T15:24:46.100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T15:24:46.100" Title="Why is mentally reproducing music so hard to control? How can it be counteracted?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18062" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-30T15:27:22.467" Score="7" ViewCount="837" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are stories of people who claim to remember their past lives. Such stories have been investigated by researchers such as Ian Stevenson and Jim Tucker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These accounts lend themselves nicely to Jewish and Hindu understanding of transmigration of souls. How do they fit into the Buddhist understanding of rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10280" LastEditorUserId="10280" LastEditDate="2016-10-30T23:56:36.457" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T17:43:58.780" Title="What are some Buddhist ininterpretations of claims of past-life memories?" Tags="|rebirth|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18063" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18070" CreationDate="2016-10-30T16:23:41.570" Score="3" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm observing around me, family and in society. I want to know while Dr. B.R Ambedkar gave the way to peace to Dalit(Backward people) . I could see still my family into ritual other than Buddhism. And also so many people who are just called Buddhism but still following Hinduism rituals. In society, t.v. channels supporting and their relational perspective. I seen in serials they celebrating festivals but never seen celebrating Vesak Day and they calling themselves secular. When Buddhism is an ancient religion and was speeded all around the world very well. I read many present Hinduism temple and mosque was Viharas. And people also wouldn't change their mind. They following myths. I'm really feel very bad about it and for Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. When it's sole way to the peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-11-01T03:31:14.803" Title="How to survive Buddhism ? Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha" Tags="|history|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18064" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-10-30T16:28:52.830" Score="1" ViewCount="1527" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question I pose is the same as the title of this post. Any experience or further reading of how to practice this reaching of a loved one to support and guide them after they have passed through the bardo into rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I mean by reaching....is, I suppose after reading the post below by bhumishu; to send a blessing. Is this received? Now even another question....I have read that there are 49 days in the bardo and the first day is equal to four days which in total will be 52. All of which are merely symbolic. Can someone or you please expound on this? Also, I do have a copy of The Tibetan Book of the Dead which will need to be opened and read again and refereed to again for retained wisdom. Any and all acceptance that can be given that I was unable to be there to guide my Grandmother within the 49 or 52 day time frame according to the practices given in the teachings. This is why I deeply want to assist or send blessings to her that are received by her in whatever or wherever she may be now. Thank you so much!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10281" LastEditorUserId="10281" LastEditDate="2016-11-10T03:48:26.037" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T20:25:57.260" Title="Can we still reach loved ones with guidence after they have passed through the bardo into a rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|tibetan-buddhism|bardo|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18062" CreationDate="2016-10-30T19:04:50.073" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;An answer to this question is in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains life is comprised of five aggregates, namely: (i) body; (ii) feelings; (iii) perceptions; (iv) mental formations; &amp;amp; (v) sense consciousness. Mental stories about so-called or imaginary 'past lives' are 'mental formations', similar to dreams the mind constructs or manufactures in sleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states 'mental formations' about the past should be interpreted as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any kind of mental formations whatsoever … whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior,&#xA;  far or near, all mental formations should be seen as it really is with&#xA;  correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my&#xA;  self.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'rebirth', the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; explains 'birth' ('&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;') is the mental generation of the mental idea, view or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;'assumption'&lt;/a&gt; of '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beings&lt;/a&gt;' ('satta'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt; explains that, apart from 'view' or 'conceptual thought' (which are mental formations), there are no '&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;beings&lt;/a&gt;' to be found. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt; also states the idea of a 'being' (or 'soul') is a view held by Mara (Satan). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It follows, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;SN 22.85&lt;/a&gt;, each time the mind gives birth to the 'self' idea &amp;amp; believes it is a 'self', that is 'birth' ('jati'). To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in&#xA;  their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes the body,&#xA;  feeling, perception, mental fabrication &amp;amp;/or consciousness to be a&#xA;  'self'. That assumption (of 'self') is a fabrication. Now what is the&#xA;  cause, what is the origination, what is the birth (jati), what is the&#xA;  coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact&#xA;  with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication (of 'self') is born&#xA;  of that.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the 'self' fabrication keeps arising in the mind, each new fabrication of the 'self' idea is a new 'becoming', a new birth or 'rebirth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly, regardless of how the words 'birth' ('jati') &amp;amp; the myriad terms translated as 'rebirth' are interpreted, the most salient feature of Buddhist rebirth is it is always connected to the results of kamma (actions), i.e., productive of happiness ('heaven') &amp;amp; unhappiness ('hell'). To quote a stock phrase:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp;&#xA;  mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions&#xA;  under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,&#xA;  after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad&#xA;  destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were&#xA;  endowed with good conduct of body, speech, &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile&#xA;  noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the&#xA;  influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,&#xA;  have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike the Hindu reincarnation found in the Bhagavada Gita, which states the soul (atman) will always enter a new physical body at death, the idea of 'rebirth' in Buddhism is always connected to the results of kamma or moral efficiency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in Buddhism, unlike Hinduism &amp;amp; unlike the heretical branches of Judaism, 'rebirth' in Buddhism is not 'meta-physics' but, instead, 'morality' about results of kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, even Buddhists that do not believe in life after death still must believe in 'results of kamma' or 'moral rebirth' in order to have right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The language used in the Pali scriptures accommodates both views about 'rebirth' since terms such as 'beings' ('satta'), 'death' ('&lt;em&gt;marana&lt;/em&gt;'), 'body' ('&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;'), etc, have dual meanings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As previously stated &amp;amp; quoted, in the older Pali suttas, the predominant view about 'rebirth' is good kamma leads to 'heaven' &amp;amp; bad kamma leads to 'hell'. It seems only in later teachings did the idea of returning as a human being start.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, Buddhism teaches all things whatsoever are 'not-self' or, if using Hindu terminology, 'not-soul' ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;'). Therefore, Buddhism is contrary to Hindu &amp;amp; later-day-Jewish ideas about transmigration of souls. The Jewish Encyclopedia states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Transmigration' of souls (metempsychosis)...This doctrine was foreign to Judaism until about the eighth century, when, under the&#xA;  influence of the Mohammedan mystics,  it was adopted by the Karaites and other Jewish dissenters.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the pseudo-science of  Ian Stevenson and Jim Tucker, since their claims arise from the studies of literally few children from billions, their claims can be debunked with explanations such as: (i) the child was conditioned by is parents; (ii) the child has a mental disposition or psychic power that can absorbs external ideas; and (iii) mystics with psychic powers are controlling the mind of the child. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the failure of many so-called reincarnate Tibetan lamas, such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzin_%C3%96sel_Hita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Tenzin Ösel Hita&lt;/a&gt;, shows such ideas about the reincarnation of souls are spurious or tenuous. In the case of Ösel Hita, it seemed to be not 'transmigration' but child abuse. To quote Ösel Hita: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;At 14 months I was recognized and taken to India. They dressed me in a yellow hat, they sat me on a throne, people worshipped me ... They&#xA;  took me away from my family and put me in a medieval situation in&#xA;  which I suffered a lot. It was like living a lie.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we all were really reincarnated souls then we would all remember our past lives or we would all be born with knowledge &amp;amp; experience from our past lives. But, unfortunately, we are all born ignorant, like a blank slate with some natural instincts, and we all must learn how to live &amp;amp; survive in life, as though we all started out anew &amp;amp; fresh. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some translators of old Buddhist scriptures use the word &quot;transmigration&quot; but this is just a mistranslation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similar to the Jewish dissenters, later-day Buddhists created many ideas about reincarnation &amp;amp; even ideas about how 'consciousness' (which is mere sense cognition) is reborn, which probably explains why Buddhism become extinct in India, since it became the same as Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the Pali suttas, there are maybe a dozen suttas from thousands (such as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Chariot Maker&lt;/a&gt; sutta) that state the Buddha had a literal past life. These suttas are questionable as to their authenticity given they contradict the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Khajjanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, original Buddhism taught the idea of 'self' is merely a mental formation/fabrication born from ignorance and that, in ultimate reality, there is no 'self' to be found. Therefore, the idea that 'my soul transmigrated' or the idea that &quot;I&quot; had a past life is contrary to original Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-10-31T18:49:51.390" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T18:49:51.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18063" CreationDate="2016-10-30T20:08:06.710" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have found the true heart of Buddhism, you should practise it for your own liberation from the sufferings of this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never taught all people would or could follow his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did so, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those&#xA;with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes&#xA;and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them&#xA;seeing disgrace &amp;amp; danger in the other world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When once asked: &amp;quot;Would he lead all people to liberation?&amp;quot;, the Buddha remained silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Master Gotama, when having directly known it, you teach the Dhamma to your disciples for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of&#xA;sorrow &amp;amp; lamentation, for the disappearance of pain &amp;amp; distress, for&#xA;the attainment of the right method &amp;amp; for the realization of Nibbana,&#xA;will all the world be led [to liberation] or a half of it or a&#xA;third?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.95&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T19:01:17.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18067" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18069" CreationDate="2016-10-31T06:56:52.977" Score="1" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;By marathi language &quot;Buddhi&quot; means intellectual so what is meaning of &quot;Buddha&quot; or is same as Buddhi? Does people started call him Buddha ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T08:24:50.443" Title="What is meaning of Buddha and how he called Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18067" CreationDate="2016-10-31T07:12:44.127" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Definition of Buddha based on Pali Dictionary is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha Skt., Pali, lit., “awakened one.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia entry is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_(title)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word Buddha means &amp;quot;awakened one&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;the enlightened one&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hypothetical root budh &amp;quot;perceive&amp;quot; 1. Pali buddha – &amp;quot;understood, enlightened&amp;quot;, masculine &amp;quot;the Buddha&amp;quot;; Aśokan (the language of the Inscriptions of Aśoka) Budhe nominative singular; Prakrit buddha – ‘ known, awakened ’; Waigalī būdāī, &amp;quot;truth&amp;quot;; Bashkarīk budh &amp;quot;he heard&amp;quot;; Tōrwālī būdo preterite of bū, &amp;quot;to see, know&amp;quot; from bṓdhati; Phalūṛa búddo preterite of buǰǰ , &amp;quot;to understand&amp;quot; from búdhyatē; Shina Gilgitī dialect budo, &amp;quot;awake&amp;quot;; Gurēsī dialect budyōnṷ intransitive &amp;quot;to wake&amp;quot;; Kashmiri bọ̆du, &amp;quot;quick of understanding (especially of a child)&amp;quot;; Sindhī ḇudho, past participle (passive) of ḇujhaṇu, &amp;quot;to understand&amp;quot; from búdhyatē, West Pahāṛī buddhā, preterite of bujṇā, &amp;quot;to know&amp;quot;; Sinhalese buj (j written for d), budu, bud, but, &amp;quot;the Buddha&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha means one who understood or awakened. This understanding / awakening is based on intelligence gained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T08:08:09.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18067" CreationDate="2016-10-31T08:24:50.443" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does people started call him Buddha ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's according to the suttas that he told people to remember him as &amp;quot;Buddha&amp;quot;. For example, at the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dona Sutta (AN 4.36)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember me, brahman, as 'awakened.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and so, brahman,&#xA;I'm awake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.13-Pada-Dona-S-a4.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dharmafarer translation of this sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, brahmin, remember me as the Buddha.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... therefore, brahmin, am I buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali for that last line:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tasmā buddho’smi brāhmaṇâ ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Buddha&amp;quot; isn't the only word used; for example there's also &lt;em&gt;tathagata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T08:24:50.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18063" CreationDate="2016-10-31T14:43:15.950" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see one aspect of your question is practice of rites and rituals much like other religions. This is also important for Buddhism to be socially and culturally integrated, but this does not give you liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhists strip Buddhism of some of the aspects which cannot be conventionally seen (e,g, other realms, life after death) and perhaps some of the aspects not in line with western culture (e.g. respect to the Triple Gem). Accepting and dismissing things beyond your comprehension is a mistake, so would be accepting things which you cannot empirically verify. Until you know something at an experiential level it is best to set them aside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were many Buddhist sites in India which perhaps became sites for other religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-10-31T14:43:15.950" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18063" CreationDate="2016-11-01T03:13:22.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is sad to see what has become of Ambedkar Buddhism in contemporary India today. For those who do not know Dr. Babasahab Ambedkar, he is the father of the Indian Constitution – a public figure who is far greater and more famous within India than Mathathma Gandhi.   If one could ever call someone a Bodhisatva, it is Dr. Ambedkar. After his own conversion as a disciple of the Supreme Buddha, Babasaheb converted all the rest of his half a million people, by Trisaran, Panchasila and 22 vows. This was a historical event in more ways than one. Never in history half a million were converted to any religion at one time and never had conversion been effected by a lay Buddhist and never ever the Hindu Gods and goddesses were denounced by 22 vows which became the inseparable part of rite of conversion to Buddhism in India, and never before it was declared that all and every Buddhist lay person was authorised to convert other willing person. There used to be rite of Upasampada for conversion as a Bhikku, but for lay Buddhist there was traditionally no rite. Ambedkar started this, as he believed one of the reasons of disappearance of Buddhism from India was absence of such a rite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My only criticism of Dr. Ambedkar’s declaration of the famous 22 vows (in 1935 at Yeola in Nashik district in Maharashtra) is the mention of Paramitas. In the number 12 of the 22 vows, he said, “I shall follow the Paramitas prescribed by the Buddha.” The TRUE teachings of the Supreme Buddha do not have any mention of the pāramitās and thus ‘Paramita’ is not Dhamma. The pāramitās are only for the Buddhas. The ‘Buddha Vishaya’ and ‘Loka Vishaya’ is not for the disciples. The entire vast infinite universe is Supreme Buddha's “Vishaya Kshetra”. Our lives are too precious and short to waste time on these unwanted topics. Paramita is one such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today India has lost the Order of the Gautama Buddha. Those who call themselves as Buddhists have political/social goals as their central component. Furthermore, they have made the Triple Gem impure by worshiping Hindu “Demigods”, by believing in horoscopes, following auspicious times, and even in having a higher regard to being vegetarians [like Devadattha (Buddha’s cousin) &amp;amp; his teacher, Nighanta-Naatha-Puthra] than the Five Precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus for those few remaining disciples of the Supreme Buddha it is very difficult in the present day to meet in person a 'Kalyana-Mitta' / ‘Noble (or good) Friend’ in Dhamma. For them I would recommend the Buddhagyan Ashram, as there you can find the Kalyana-Mitta that you seek.   Many in and around this Ashram in India were able to develop confidence in the Triple Gem because the monks there practice the Dhamma truely. Whenever an Indian friend in Dhamma ask for my advice, always my advice to them is to go to the Buddhagyan Ashram even for a week or two as it would be a life-changing experience for him or her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very sad that Dr. Ambedkar passed away too soon before showing the people of India that the Dhamma-Vinaya is our Teacher. Today to help one in the Dhamma path, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/buddhagyan.ashram.7?pnref=friends.search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhagyan Ashram&lt;/a&gt; is there. Address : RATTI BIGHA, BODHGAYA-824231, GAYA, BIHAR, INDIA. Phone: 00919006029637&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-11-01T03:31:14.803" LastActivityDate="2016-11-01T03:31:14.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18072" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18080" CreationDate="2016-11-01T06:42:38.820" Score="1" ViewCount="1762" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that every person comes with a nature in-built into self and creates/maintains his/her own behaviour into self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, may I call it fate? Or, is there more I have to learn about? How does buddhism take it? I wish to get personal views, only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2442" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2016-11-03T15:07:30.360" LastActivityDate="2016-11-03T15:07:30.360" Title="What is the difference between a nature and a behaviour?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18072" CreationDate="2016-11-01T14:55:23.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Inbuilt is nature and Reaction of mind toward other is behavior &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10286" LastActivityDate="2016-11-01T14:55:23.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18072" CreationDate="2016-11-01T17:50:06.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Inbuilt is also a quality/quantity someone had being practicing all over the past lives of oneself. Due to practicing the recurring actions, learnt and acquired knowledge and attitudes during past lives, you are who you are now and you have chemistry now that makes you and your own nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Behavior is present actions. Current knowledge and attitudes have major influence upon it but it is also based on personal nature (the collected effects of past actions). That is why you can use the word fate because nature and behavior can make your life predictable unless you make turning point and changing direction.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist teachings can help you to learn more about you and determine yourself whether you are going more sufferings direction or going to Nirvana. There are information and instructions in Dhamma for you getting the right direction to live with less sufferings and finally end of all sufferings. So in terms of personal practice, personal nature (past experiences collected) is not anymore major factor of your future if you can adapt/adopt Buddhism behavioral practices. You can maneuver yourself on right path and get the goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-11-01T20:12:32.710" LastActivityDate="2016-11-01T20:12:32.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18072" CreationDate="2016-11-01T17:57:37.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;from what i know, I would call it &#xA;Avijja or ignorance.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;nature in-built into self and creates/maintains his/her own behavior into self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we are born without the knowledge of how to get out of sufferings the right way (not knowing four noble truths is ignorance)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-11-01T17:57:37.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17883" CreationDate="2016-11-02T18:17:47.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's important to point out that what you are citing aren't koans per se.  Excepting the third one you've quoted, these would be better labeled as stories or parables.  A koan doesn't try to convey an intellectual lesson but rather attempts to point out either an obstacle a student is wrestling with or a characteristic of the enlightened mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every koan (literally a legal case) can be separated into two parts.  First, there is usually a little story that may or may not make much sense to us intellectually.  A example that will be familiar to most is the Buddha holding up a flower on Vulture Peak.  The second part of the koan is called the turning phrase.  This phrase expresses the &quot;essence&quot; of the koan.  A teacher usually provides you with that.  I mean, you really can't tease out the essence of a koan until you've answered it, right?  ;-) (And I'd say that even after you answer it, you still might not understand its essence!)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The turning phrase is probably the most important part of the koan.  It's what the student would apply their mind to in meditation - saying that phrase on every out breath.  I'd even go so far as to say that it's what makes the koan what it is...and it's the reason why the sources you quoted don't quite pass muster as an official koan.  The turning phrase is both the vehicle for entering mushin (e.g. one-pointed attention on emptiness) and the place where insight occurs.  In the example of Buddha holding up a flower, the student would say &quot;flower&quot; on every out breath.  As the student did this, their mind would become collected and blank.  As their mind settled into mushin, they would then begin to explore what the word &quot;flower&quot; was really pointing at.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three of the best known koan collections are the Mumonkan, The Blue Cliff Record, and the Book of Serenity.  If you are interested in learning more about koans, I cannot recommend &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0834801302&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sekida's translations&lt;/a&gt; of the Mumonkon and Blue Cliff Record highly enough.  They're the best available in English and his footnotes are indispensable.  If you are interested in practicing Zen and really want to learn what these koan things are all about, you absolutely must work with a teacher.  Zen is very much an oral tradition of live transmission.  You can't go it alone.               &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2016-11-02T18:25:38.530" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T18:25:38.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10020" CreationDate="2016-11-02T18:28:04.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only by own experience (through insight meditation), one can better know Magga which is just like the entrance to a retreat which is comparable to Phala where one ( four Ariya) have it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10292" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T18:28:04.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18061" CreationDate="2016-11-02T19:19:24.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we sit, we pass through different phases of consciousness.  At first our mind is active and discursive.  It ruminates over all manner of things, rehearses events to come, and rehashes those that have past.  As we move towards stillness - which can be done simply by sitting quietly in one place - our mind settles into a more passive state.  Rather than taking an active role in the creation of our thoughts, our mind relaxes, revealing its deeper layers.  At this point, things may begin to spring up unbidden.  Sometimes we can experience memories from long ago, other times we may see fragments of pictures in our minds, and sometimes we may experience traces of emotion that have no obvious cause.  If you spend any amount of time listening to music, recollection of song is also exceedingly common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry about about the music.  If you persist in your sitting, it will begin to fade.  Song is just a different kind of thought.  Treat it like you would any other - let it have its space, don't try to chase it down or drown it out, sit still, and do your best to maintain attention on your breath.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T19:19:24.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18046" CreationDate="2016-11-02T19:57:52.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Law of Action and Reaction ,&lt;strong&gt;Every action of the Individual will be Neutralized by a Reaction from Nature&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;em&gt;If you want Body Consciousness ,then you must think of Universal Consciousness&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;br/&gt;If you are concentrating or observing or being conscious  of your Breathing Process (&lt;em&gt;Pranayama&lt;/em&gt;) ,then &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;think&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; that the &lt;strong&gt;Air that you Breathe ,fills the Universe and Infinite Space as Ether&lt;/strong&gt; . The Air becomes less and less dense ,as we move away from the Earth ,but it never-the-less exists as Ether (&lt;em&gt;Sunya or Brahma&lt;/em&gt; ) .&lt;br/&gt; This thought will create an Universal Consciousness . &lt;strong&gt;Body Consciousness will come as a Reaction to this thought&lt;/strong&gt; . &lt;br/&gt; An alternative , is to study some popular books on  Cosmology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2016-11-02T19:57:52.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18072" CreationDate="2016-11-03T08:00:07.307" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I welcome such a discussion and find this question enjoyable, especially because it merits personal views and not just carved-in-stone texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even from a scientific point of view, defining &quot;what is nature (natural)?&quot; has been a difficult task that has been evolved in different fields such as meta-physics, astronomy, mathematics and religious studies, etc for many many years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simple question as follows could solicit long discussion, which could bring up hundreds of other questions that would eventually become a &quot;chicken or egg?&quot; problem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is acid rain natural?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one thinks in her own logical way that has been taught in school, the answer is Yes and No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some say it is natural in a sense that it is &quot;cause and effect&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some say it is not, because it &lt;em&gt;shouldn't&lt;/em&gt; exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting science aside and leaning back on my own personal view of what I have read/learnt in Buddhist books and articles over the years:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing we could be sure of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all born with a good heart and will. Having a good heart and will not in a sense that we start making donations to charities, look for someone to save, or counter others whose deeds we deem &quot;bad&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather, we were all born a &quot;Buddha&quot;. But we are not (yet), due to &quot;senses (feelings)&quot; that we so quickly acquire the second after birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;It tastes good.&#xA;&#xA;He is handsome.&#xA;&#xA;She looks beautiful.&#xA;&#xA;I must do it against all odds to uphold and thus protect this, because of my tradition. (clinging)&#xA;&#xA;I hate ....&#xA;&#xA;It is so funny (laughters).&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my own thinking based on books that I have read, people and nature that I have met and observed (including observing my own self, too), to be &quot;natural&quot; (nature) is to lose those layers of &quot;cocoons&quot; that bar us from being a Buddha since birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those layers being - senses and feeling - hence thoughts (judgements, logic, biases, preferences, liking, disliking, stubbornness, heroism, etc etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other words, following the buddhist path is to become one with everything and all (even an ant is of greatest &quot;importance&quot; in its own existence in this space).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The preceding on &quot;Nature&quot; is only my personal view based on my own experience and thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following brings us to &quot;Behavior&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Behavior, in my opinion, is what has been mentioned above - senses and feelings - all these surmises to &lt;strong&gt;thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts bind you to do or not do something regardless whether or not it is &quot;&lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;wrong&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;bad&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It becomes a fuel that &quot;&lt;em&gt;supports&lt;/em&gt;&quot; your actions based on senses and feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other words, behaviors are learnt since brith though sense, feeling - thus thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Examples:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;My mother told me....&quot; &#xA;&#xA;&quot;I was trying to be nice to her, but she, nonetheless, refuses to go out with me. I guess all girl with short hair are mean.&quot;&#xA;&#xA;&quot;It feels so good, even feels better in the winter.....&quot; (senses)&#xA;&#xA;&quot;I loved him so much, although I knew he has wronged me. But I just couldn't help it, I hope he will love me one day and sees finally what I have been doing to myself out of love of him..&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above behaviors could be unlearnt and thus undone, usually though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;My mother was wrong; now I know because ...&quot;&#xA;&#xA;&quot;No, not all girls with short hair are mean; my neighbor has short hair and she is very friendly&quot;&#xA;&#xA;&quot;You know what, I have read that even it feels good, one shouldn't do it because ......&quot;&#xA;&#xA;&quot;I guess I was naïve; he was not for me, now I met the greatest man of my life, who cares for me......&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are examples of &quot;counter-behaviors&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In buddhist sense, the above is not the way we should lead ourselves to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We shouldn't need to find a counter-behavior to eliminate a behavior.&#xA;Other words, we should not pick up the behavior from the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Example:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does action (behavior) A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Years later, one finds that action (behavior) A is bad, then she finds (learns) action B to counter action A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;1 + (-1) = 0&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would stay so, as long as action B &quot;prevails&quot;; if one day, through time and experiences, you find action B unpleasant or you simply lose your will to hold on to it, you revert back to carrying out action A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, Buddhism teaches us to not pick up &quot;action A&quot; or behaviors through senses and feelings in the first place, thus eliminating the &quot;need&quot; to find a counter-action such as action B, because the process is clinging and un-clinging, which disturbs our peace of mind and our &quot;Nature&quot; to become one with everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastActivityDate="2016-11-03T08:00:07.307" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18082" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-03T12:45:03.600" Score="3" ViewCount="238" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of Nibbana is a person who has overcome 5 skandas.&#xA;I could not perceive the state as we are constantly bombarded with internal and external stimulations which makes me assume that this state can never be achieved and only an incremental change towards nibbana can happen. This leads to another interesting observation, if 5 skandas are overcome, does one really need a body? If body is not needed, then is Nibbana attained only at death?&#xA;What is it like to be without skandas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10296" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T13:08:24.657" Title="What is it like to perceive without 5 Skandas?" Tags="|nirvana|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18082" CreationDate="2016-11-03T15:34:51.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If body is not needed, then is Nibbana attained only at death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Pali text references are made to Nibbana as &lt;strong&gt;sopadisesa&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;anupadisesa&lt;/strong&gt;. These, in fact, are not two kinds of Nibbana, but the one single Nibbana, receiving its name according to the way it is experienced &lt;strong&gt;before&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;after&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;death&lt;/em&gt;. - Buddhism in a Nutshell - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/nutshell10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it like to be without skandas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot exist without skandas. Nibana is like the flame blowout.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could not perceive the state as we are constantly bombarded with internal and external stimulations which makes me assume that this state can never be achieved and only an incremental change towards nibbana can happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. It is a gradual process where you pass multiple stages before the glimpse of Nirvana and also after until final Arahatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T03:33:38.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18082" CreationDate="2016-11-03T20:02:12.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is the 5 skandas have overcome the idea of a &quot;person&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;who&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures define Nibbana as the end of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion and occurring to a living conscious mind. The following is merely one teaching from many:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;  burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;  released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;  remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbana-element...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-03T20:02:12.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18085" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-04T01:14:42.183" Score="5" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do I get started on my journey to become Buddhist? I'm familiar with the basics and really connect with the teachings I know of so far on a personal level. I need some guidance as to what I should do now...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10303" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T22:36:31.547" Title="Getting Started" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-04T03:41:33.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You approach should be pariyatti (learn), patipatti (practice) and pativedha (experience / validate)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To learn you can read. Perhaps a good starting point will be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta translations&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can find a course or teacher:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana (as taught by S.N. Goenka)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T13:43:32.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18064" CreationDate="2016-11-04T03:48:30.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Can we still reach loved ones with guidence after they have passed through the bardo into a rebirth?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If &quot;guidance&quot; you refer to what the book &quot;Tibetan Book of The Death&quot; instructed, then it would be &quot;no&quot;. That person is in a new life form, all the possibilities during the bardo stage is conclusive now. In general saying, the bardo lasts max. 49 days. However, you may send blessings to the loved ones any time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T03:48:30.797" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-04T04:59:18.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you to take one or two sutras to read yourself first. The Buddhas said his life merges into the sutras. It's the purest way to get your first hand understanding, before joining or listening to any school anyone. Since opinions and viewpoints are flooding thanks for the advance of medias, the purity of the Dharma and a good teacher is not easy to find. To begin with, Heart Sutra, Jakata although some said it's stories (made up by others). Personally I like to read Lotus Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Diamond Sutra (very difficult to understand), Vimalakirti Sutra, Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, Lankavatara Sutra, I may begin &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamapada&lt;/a&gt; which I read few lines, seemed like a very easy beginner text but dived into the meanings underneath the words one will get the nectar. I found that reading the original text is far easier since the great men's minds had infused into their words. Translations, explanations, elaborations etc. don't always make them simpler, unless necessary. Here &quot;original text&quot; I mean Classical Chinese, unfortunately I haven't learnt Sanskrit yet.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T04:59:18.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17829" CreationDate="2016-11-04T06:38:02.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Is there something I'm doing wrong or missing here?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the the original Buddhist teachings in the Suttas you should be aware of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also similar passages in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Where does the latent tendency of sensual lust lie latent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;The latent tendency of sensual lust lies latent here in the two feelings [pleasant and neutral] of the sense-sphere &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from Pm §587/123, Vbh §816/341, cf S 45.175 in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta goes to the extent that is is not possible if you delight in the pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE EYE.&lt;/em&gt; Bhikshus, dependent on eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the three meet, there is contact. Dependent on contact, there is what is&#xA;  felt as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, or as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one delights in it, welcomes it, remains attached to it. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; (rāgânusaya)&#xA;  lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feeling, &lt;em&gt;one sorrows, grieves, laments, beats one’s breast and falls into confusion. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt; (paṭighânusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When one is touched by a feeling that is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;one does not understand it as it really is, the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape with regards to that feeling. Thus one’s latent tendency of &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; (avijjā’nusaya) lies latent.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; abandoning &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings, &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; removing &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; uprooting &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;IMPOSSIBLE&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abandoning the latent tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ABANDONING LATENT TENDENCIES ARISING THROUGH THE EYE.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, that one could make an end of suffering here and now,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; abandoned &lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt; for &lt;em&gt;pleasurable&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; removed &lt;em&gt;aversion&lt;/em&gt; towards &lt;em&gt;painful&lt;/em&gt; feelings,&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;having&lt;/em&gt; uprooted &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; towards feelings that are &lt;em&gt;neither pleasant nor painful&lt;/em&gt; this is &lt;em&gt;POSSIBLE&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta, Titth’ayatana Sutta establishers the 1st 3 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; should be done at the level of sensations and Chachakka Sutta establishes that the last Satipatthana is also at the level of sensations though it does not cover the full extend of Dhammanupassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what ever pleasantness (and even neutral and unpleasant feelings) you experience be aware of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising and passing nature&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;keeping you mind firmly equanimous.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything else, you are doing it wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Benefits of “Mental Noting” during positive events?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any metal verbalisation creates Verbal Fabrications which you should explicitly avoid or your practice should be such that leads to ending of fabrication than creating them. Creating fabrication means future existence and misery hence hence there is little benefit though this might help develop a shallow form of Samadhi. See: Vedalla Suttas, Samma Ditthi Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Formations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Saying, “Good avuso,” the monks delighted and rejoiced in the venerable Sariputta’s words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then they asked him a further question: “But, avuso, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view, whose view is&#xA;  straight, attained to wise faith in the Dharma, and has arrived at this true teaching?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There might be, avuso.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, avuso, a noble disciple&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;understands formations (sankhara),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;understands the arising of formations,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;understands the ending of formations, and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;understands the way leading to the ending of formations,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;in that way, avuso, he is one of right view , whose view is straight, attained to wise faith in the Dharma, and has arrived at this true teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what are formations, what is the arising of formations, what is the ending of formations,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is the way leading to the ending of formations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are, avuso, these three kinds of formations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the bodily formation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the verbal formation, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the mental formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the arising of ignorance, there is the arising of formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the ending of ignorance, there is the ending of formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The way leading to the ending of formations is just this noble eightfold path, that is, right view, right&#xA;  intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;It seems that long-term noting will cause me to put a distance between pleasurable moments just as it would with negative ones?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because noting there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitarka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt; (also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.4-Vitakkavicara-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka,vicāra&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan) creating access concentration. Though this process is creating fabrication which is negative the Samadhi part is gives a positive result. The net result of the -ve and +ve aspect will change from mental state you are in when practicing and net result will be hard to quantify hence should be avoided. People who might have benefited from this may have practiced in such a way that there was a net positive result, but this might not always the case for everyone and the same person at different times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18218/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;I enjoy such emotions and whatever pain I experience from them being so fleeting is worth it. I'd rather maintain the duration by which I experience such moments, not shorten it with noting. I'm not sure what perspective to have in such cases and whether there is some greater benefit to continuing to do this for all situations?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to shorten it is aversion and trying to prolong it is clinging which are extremes you want to avoid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get the best benefit follow Pahāna Sutta and other Suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, there are these three kinds of feelings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neutral feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of lust should be abandoned in regard to pleasant feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of aversion should be abandoned in regard to painful feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance should be abandoned in regard to neutral feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when a monk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;has abandoned the latent tendency of lust in regard to pleasant feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;has abandoned the latent tendency of aversion in regard to painful feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;has abandoned the latent tendency of ignorance in regard to neutral feeling—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;then, bhikshus. he is called a monk without any latent tendency, one who sees rightly. He has cut off&#xA;  craving, undone the fetters,18 and fully penetrating conceit, he has made an end of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T14:22:02.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18091" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18093" CreationDate="2016-11-04T07:58:56.977" Score="1" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard that there are suttas where the Buddha forbade people to call him by his given name. Which suttas are these?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T10:31:34.040" Title="sutta reference: forbidding to call the Buddha by name" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-04T08:28:40.567" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Start with a Vipassana retreat. Buddha sates clearly that the goal is the attainment of Nibbana by the practice of Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am fan of Thai-style (Ajahn Tong) Mahasi tradition (don't worry if this means nothing to you), they do a 3-week &quot;basic course&quot; which is suitable even for people who never meditated before. Something like that will give you a good taste how meditation makes you a better person and will build up your confidence (in the practice and in your ability to meditate), something books will never give you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T08:28:40.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18091" CreationDate="2016-11-04T09:12:50.327" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This first occurred when he met the five ascetics after the enlightenment when they started calling him by his name Gotama before teaching his earliest discourse, Dhammacakkapavattana sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkus, do not address me by the name Gotama nor as a friend. I have&#xA;  become a Perfect One, worthy of the great reverence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/damachak.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/damachak.pdf&lt;/a&gt; page 56&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T09:12:50.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18091" CreationDate="2016-11-04T10:31:34.040" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/085-bodhirajakumara-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhikumāra Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and any other suttas that describe the Buddha's search for awakening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in Isipatana, to where the group of five monks were staying. From afar&#xA;  they saw me coming and, on seeing me, made a pact with one another,&#xA;  (saying,) 'Friends, here comes Gotama the contemplative: living&#xA;  luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance.&#xA;  He doesn't deserve to be bowed down to, to be greeted by standing up,&#xA;  or to have his robe &amp;amp; bowl received. Still, a seat should be set out;&#xA;  if he wants to, he can sit down.' But as I approached, they were&#xA;  unable to keep to their pact. One, standing up to greet me, received&#xA;  my robe &amp;amp; bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for&#xA;  washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata  by name and as &quot;friend.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T10:31:34.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18061" CreationDate="2016-11-04T11:41:59.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes I don't know if my answer is on-topic; maybe it helps you to recognize what music is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Music is kind of designed to be memorable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The music which you (and other people) remember is music which has proven itself to be memorable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that The Beatles didn't know how to write music: and so their songs (especially their early songs), which they played, were only whichever songs they were able to remember the next day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My grandfather had a similar technique, by the way, for writing children's stories: he would tell children a story, and then asked the children the next day to tell the story back to him -- whichever bits of the story the children were able to remember were the memorable bits, and popular with the children, and those were the bits of story which he wrote in the official/published version of the story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, components of a music (e.g. a popular song) which help to make it memorable include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Words:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Familiar words (e.g. in a language you know)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A story (narrative) and/or characters (people), which are emotive (a love song, a sad song, a let's-get-to-work song)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rhythm and rhyme (i.e. poetry)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A chorus (repeated words)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Music:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Familiar scale (selection of notes)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Melody&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Harmony&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rhythm&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Repetition (not only is the chorus repeated, but also all the verses of a song usually have the same tune)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also (in this age of recorded music) hear the music more than once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Music is surprisingly memorable. A music radio station, which I used to hear, used to have a phone-in competition: they'd play a fragment (maybe half a second or two seconds) of a popular song, and ask the listeners to name the song.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ability to recognize small bits of sense-input and associate it with the whole of a larger previous learned experience is more-or-less what brains do: e.g. hear a spoken word, recognize that as mother's voice, associate that with etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason it's difficult to control is because you think that you can (and to some extent you train yourself to be able to) listen to music while you're doing something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T11:48:02.637" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T11:48:02.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18061" CreationDate="2016-11-04T12:01:27.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds are processed in the temporal lobes, which have a very strong connection with the limbic system (the one that processes, among others, memory and emotion). Just to have an idea about how strong this connection is, a person that has a seizure or a stroke in the temporal lobes can actually hear real sounds - people talking, music playing - they can hear(not just in the head) songs they knew and liked or disliked decades ago (apparently, we don't lose any memories, we just can't seem able to find these memories).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we hear a song (temporal lobes), it activates emotions (limbic system) which gives that sound a certain energy and fixating it in the memory (limbic system). By trying not to think about a song, we create what it's called &quot;&quot;counter -intentional effect - &quot;not thinking about X&quot; actually activates X. Plus, by not liking that thought, we give it even more energy, making the thought more and more activated and more likely to show up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In everyday life, when we hear a song playing, by being mindful (it's just a sound), we don't make a strong connection between that sound and an emotion (positive or negative), meaning, we don't give that sound power. &#xA;If the memory of a song still comes up, the best thing to do is to see it just as it is (a thought), without giving it power by liking or disliking it. Trying to suppress the thought will keep that thought activated in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you find this explanation useful. Good luck in your practice! Be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastEditorUserId="5850" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T12:37:57.467" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T12:37:57.467" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-04T12:07:24.803" Score="5" ViewCount="588" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a practising Buddhist, I am often asked this question: what is passed from life to life in the process of rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have several answers to this depending on my audience - e.g. lessons to be learned, experiences to be resolved or, simply, one's own personal cockpit-style 'black box' of all that has been seen, heard, experienced etc in previous lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To what extent do colleagues believe that 'personality' or 'behavioural tendencies' should also be included?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I welcome your views. My question is directed at any practitioner of Buddhism, Theravadan or otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T13:29:31.053" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T15:39:44.443" Title="What is passed from life to life in the process of rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-04T13:32:12.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Start with the Digha Nikaya, I would say. It is the Pali Canon's 'introduction' to the Dhamma. There are two really good websites for this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/dn&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you like to get a hard copy, then you can't beat Bhikkhu Bodhi's (Maurice Walsh's) translation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Discourses-Buddha-Translation-Digha-Nikaya/dp/0861711033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1478265250&amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;keywords=digha+nikaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Discourses-Buddha-Translation-Digha-Nikaya/dp/0861711033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1478265250&amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;keywords=digha+nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a heavy rationalist then also read Nagarjuna's 'Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way', preferably the Garfield edition, as it gets misinterpreted quite a lot and he gets it right!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fundamental-Wisdom-Middle-Way-Mulamadhyamakakarika/dp/0195093364&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fundamental-Wisdom-Middle-Way-Mulamadhyamakakarika/dp/0195093364&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I am such a rationalist, and for the first year of getting through the Digha Nikaya, with the cosmology and gods found in some Suttas, made me read too much into the similarities between 'original Buddhism' and other faiths.. after reading Nagarjuna that wasn't as much of a worry!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say don't explore Mahayana scriptures too much (beyond Nagarjuna), until you have gotten through some of the Pali Canon. It is the oldest of the old, likely very very close to what the Buddha spoke and there is little in it which confuses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a lighter load then the above, get the Dhammapada and the Sutta Nipata. The latter is considered one of the oldest parts of the Pali Canon, and is at the very least very similar to the Buddha's Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1586380206/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&amp;amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&amp;amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;amp;pf_rd_i=1590303806&amp;amp;pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&amp;amp;pf_rd_r=Q8V4YF3PA0DHYFPS170Z&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1586380206/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&amp;amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&amp;amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;amp;pf_rd_i=1590303806&amp;amp;pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&amp;amp;pf_rd_r=Q8V4YF3PA0DHYFPS170Z&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sutta-Nipata-Group-Discourses-H-Saddhatissa/dp/0700701818/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1478266004&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=sutta+nipata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sutta-Nipata-Group-Discourses-H-Saddhatissa/dp/0700701818/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1478266004&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=sutta+nipata&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly, meditate! Digha Nikaya 22 gives a long and detailed analysis of how to meditate &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22&lt;/a&gt; .. I find the commute to be a good time to meditate (some earphones can kill the noise, and overall those journeys are very impersonal - a strangely 'secluded' space imo!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T16:02:07.243" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T16:02:07.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-04T14:30:48.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's deconstruct what you are saying.  You find the teachings resonating with you.  You feel you've got a handle on the basics.  It would seem like you've got some faith in the Buddha and you are beginning to feel the pull of the dharma.  Well, what's missing?  The next step for you is to find a sangha!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot overstate the importance of a community when it comes to your practice. It really keeps you honest about your progress.  There is a major tendency for people to live their Buddhism in their heads.  While sutra study and meditation are both extremely important, neither is worth a damn unless you can integrate those practices with those around you.  Enlightenment doesn't happen in a vacuum located somewhere between your right and left ear.  It happens in the world and in your relationships with others.  The sooner you can begin that integration, the better off you'll be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In our digital age, we are pathologically cut off from others.  This is the exact opposite of what the Buddha taught.  Compassion, loving-kindness, and wisdom are hardest yet find their fullest expression face to face.  And as an aside, remember that the sangha isn't some thing out there that will always be waiting for you to join somewhere down the road.  YOU are the sangha.  Unless you participate in it, it doesn't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T15:11:26.913" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T15:11:26.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-04T17:10:53.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is happens mometerity through the process of Momentary Dependent Origination (ekaccittakkhanika-paticca-samuppada). So you die and reborn multiple times in a split second. At physical death also something similar happens. The aggregates passes away and arise but in this case aggregates pass away in one body and arise in another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a more details explanation with additional references please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14954/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T05:27:01.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17314" CreationDate="2016-11-04T20:48:43.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590302834&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen Training&lt;/a&gt; by Katsuki Sekida offers a thorough introduction to the practice of samatha meditation in Zen practice.  He comes at it from a Rinzai perspective.  John Daido Loori presents a very solid introduction to samatha from the Soto school in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/086171394X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Art of Just Sitting&lt;/a&gt;.  Neither author ever explicitly describes the jhanas in quite the same way as the Theravada canon does.  Still, even if they aren't explicit, the techniques both authors describe can be employed to reach everything up to and including the second jhana.  After all, there aren't all that many ways you can riff on one-pointed concentraton!  Beyond that, I'd recommend either turning to the Pali suttas, the Visuddhimagga, or any of the many jhana manuals that are currently available.  No Zen teacher or text that I'm aware of discusses techniques like the abandonment of rapture (piti) which is essential for moving into the third jhana.  This isn't to say that such texts don't exist, however.  It just means I haven't read them!  ;-)    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But to be blunt, it doesn't make much sense to me to go digging in Zen for what's extremely well described elsewhere.  The Elder tradition did a great job documenting these states.  Might as well read what they have to say!     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T20:48:43.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-04T22:19:14.797" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, I have not read anything about a &quot;life to life&quot; process of rebirth. In the Pali language, the word for &quot;life&quot; is &quot;&lt;em&gt;jiva&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Where as the words often erroneously translated as &quot;past lives&quot; are &quot;&lt;em&gt;pubbe nivāsa&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which literally mean &quot;previous homes&quot; &amp;amp; is often more accurately translated as &quot;past abodes&quot;, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṃ pubbe&lt;strong&gt;nivāsa&lt;/strong&gt;ṃ anussaramānā anussaranti sabbete&#xA;  pañcu­pādā­nak­khan­dhe anussaranti etesaṃ vā aññataraṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who recollect their manifold past &lt;strong&gt;abodes&lt;/strong&gt; all recollect the five aggregates subject to clinging&#xA;  or a certain one among them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any kind of aggregate, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all&#xA;  should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not&#xA;  mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79 translation Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the many suttas that mention the Buddha recollecting his &quot;past lives&quot; are actually about the Buddha recollecting his &quot;past homes/abodes&quot;, which, in respect to suttas such as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;  Hāliddikāni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;, may have an entirely different meaning to &quot;past life times&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above said, the general principles in the Pali suttas refer to the &quot;death&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;marana&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) of one &quot;body&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) and, if enlightenment does not occur, the &quot;taking up&quot; of (attaching/clinging to) another &quot;body&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The words &quot;marana&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;kaya&quot; do not necessarily mean &quot;physical death&quot; &amp;amp; the &quot;physical body&quot;. &quot;Kaya&quot;, which also means &quot;collection&quot; or &quot;group&quot;, can refer to a certain set of five aggregates (e.g. five aggregates affected by alcohol, which manifest as a happy person or happy being/&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;). When those five aggregates or that state of 'being' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;'; refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt;) ceases, one &quot;kaya&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;satta&quot; dies (&quot;&lt;em&gt;marana&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; a new &quot;kaya&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;satta&quot; arises (e.g. a new collection of five aggregates &amp;amp; a new state of being that have a headache &amp;amp; sickness or addiction due to drinking too much alcohol). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, in the same way an addiction to alcohol is developed, what passes from one &quot;body&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;collection&quot;) to another &quot;body&quot; (&quot;&lt;em&gt;kaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;collection&quot;) is craving &amp;amp; its associated underlying tendencies/habits (&quot;&lt;em&gt;anusaya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) &amp;amp; effects (&quot;&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;&quot;). The short answer to the question is: &quot;craving&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the Pali suttas state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vaccha, when a being sets this body aside and is not yet reborn in another body, I designate it as craving-sustained, for craving is its&#xA;  sustenance at that time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kutuhalasala Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-04T23:05:19.330" LastActivityDate="2016-11-04T23:05:19.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2016-11-05T00:56:08.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have enough belief in Dhamma and your meditation teacher, purified Sila(at least five precepts), relentless effort for insight meditation, you will surely get sustainable concentration to achieve stream-entry level wisdom in seven days . It was in the past, so is the same nowadays. It is the TRUTH.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T00:56:08.303" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2016-11-05T01:20:09.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nowaday, not like Buddha time, one must do need proper meditation to achieve stream entry level. But it is not so difficult as some may think. What one needs is to search for proper meditation master. The very will to achieve this level is the first step. But there is no short cut but with proper guidance and relentless effort, in seven days to seven years one can attain enlightenment.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T01:20:09.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18106" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-05T01:22:33.567" Score="7" ViewCount="961" Body="&lt;p&gt;Elements of Buddhism can be rationally accepted such as the suffering that arises through attachment, the benefits of meditation, and even the acceptance of anatta, or non-self. It seems, however, that a belief in rebirth cannot be accepted &lt;em&gt;rationally&lt;/em&gt;. A believer must suspend rationality to accept a theory that describes the migration of some level of consciousness across a lifetime. A common analogy used is the light emitting from a candle. Nothing &lt;em&gt;substantial&lt;/em&gt; transmigrates, however something passes over from one life to the next. This theory cannot be directly perceived. Therefore, it cannot be tested, or verified rationally. It is simply a metaphysical inference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism encourages debate and questioning of its theories, and to not accept everything on face value. How then can a Buddhist test this theory? Can one disregard this element of Buddhism? Is it an &lt;em&gt;essential&lt;/em&gt; aspect of the philosophy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9982" LastActivityDate="2020-02-26T14:26:01.077" Title="Is rebirth essential to Buddhist philosophy?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|anatman|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="216" CreationDate="2016-11-05T01:54:11.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once one attain the enlightenment as stream entry, all four Noble Truths perceived at the same time eradicating the first three fetters. As a bhikkhu(not necessarily a monk), afraid of Sansara, working hard on meditation achieving sixteen stages of wisdom , come to reach the Phala and clearly know what is Nibbana  with Magga nana getting rid of all doubts on Buddha teachings. Out of sixteen stages of wisdom, even at fourth stage one can have clear view  of non-self, no wonder stream-entry have no single grain of the three fetters left. But how this detail is so subtle that if you wish to know , as one of Dhamma Characteristics, ready to take on, come and try to achieve it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T01:54:11.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9391" CreationDate="2016-11-05T02:17:37.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati(mindfulness of breathing)meditation technique is given by the Buddha for the lay men/women married life. One can practice this while doing household chore. As a stream entry, there is still attachment for his/her spouse, only three fetters got rid of. Then if progress to be a Sakadagami, this attachment for the spouse just lessen, still not get rid of. Only at attaining Aanāgāmi, no more attachment to spouse still need not to be a monk.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T02:17:37.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-05T02:28:13.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha is the best example of that of a person developing a knowledge which enabled Him to read past and future lives. For skeptics, and for those of other faiths of course, one may have to give examples of what modern psychics have given, or recorded evidence of ghostly phenomena, or of spirit communications that one get to hear or experience, to explain rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is never a question for ones who have gone far in this road less traveled, and the very reason that they went the distance is that they accepted rebirth as an evidentially verifiable fact, never for one moment questioned it. One sure thing is no one will ever come forward to prove to the worldlings – those who are absorbed by worldly pursuits and pleasures – and the skeptics, that this doctrine of rebirth can be proved experimentally.It is never going to happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These individuals that I mentioned above are the “Arahant disciples” of the Supreme Buddha – the ones who have found out experientially that they will have no rebirth again. It is because these Noble Ones have overcome the cause for rebirth, and the Patticca Samuppada (Law of Cause and Effect) has been defeated.  They have had first-hand knowledge that there is no birth due to Bhava, as there is no formation of Karma to result in a birth (“Bhava paccaya jāti” as noted in Patichcha Samuppada) for Arahants. This is why Arahants are completely free from being born again, are the only ones to know of this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the scriptures, it is the flux-of-consciousness, from a past life (Viññaña) that goes onto start of another life. Viññaña never exist independently – in and of itself – but always with Nama-Rupa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Were consciousness, Ananda, not to fall into the mother's womb, would mind-and-body (nama-rupa) be constituted there?' 'It would not, Lord'. 'Were consciousness, having fallen into the mother's womb, to turn aside from it, would mind-and-body come to birth in this present state?'. 'It would not, Lord.' (D. II. 62-3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is erroneous to say that consciousness (Viññaña a) is able to 'break free' from  ‘nama-rupa’. (Here nama is used to refer to all aspects of mind except consciousness itself.) Therefore simultaneous with the arising of rebirth-consciousness there come into being mind and body (Nama-rupa). The six senses (Salayatana) are the inevitable consequences of mind and body. Because of the six senses contact (Phassa) sets in. Contact leads to feeling (Vedana). Dependent on feeling arises craving (Tanha). Craving results in grasping (Upadana). Grasping is the cause of Kamma (Bhava) which in its turn, conditions future birth (Jati). Re-Birth is the inevitable cause of old age and death (Jara-marana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2016-11-05T02:52:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T02:52:06.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18106" CreationDate="2016-11-05T03:08:40.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is regarded by the Supreme Buddha as essential and foundational to the pursuit of His teachings. This is very evident and is clearly illustrated in the Dependent Origination (Paticca samuppāda) that the being is born in the Becoming (bhava) caused by the grasping or attachment (upādāna) as stated &quot;Upādāna paccaya bhavō, bhava paccaya jati...,&quot; But many people have mistaken the Becoming given here to soul or ego (ātma). This clearly shows that 'Rebirth' is integral to the Dependent Origination taught by the Supreme Buddha and is one of the twelve reasons that all of us are unable to comprehend. What are these twelve reasons?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dependent on ignorance or lack of knowledge arises volitional actions or thoughts or kamma formations: Dependent on volitional actions or thoughts arises consciousness; where the consciousness is created, there exist mind and matter or mental physical phenomena and caused by them, arise spheres of senses (salāyatana) or faculties. Those faculties cause to contact and then get to sensation or feeling. Through feeling arise, desire thirst or craving (tanhā) Through craving arises grasping or clinging which leads to the process of Becoming where the concept of being exists. This existence of the concept of being is subjected to the concept of birth decay, illness and death etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T03:08:40.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11032" CreationDate="2016-11-05T03:42:30.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures report stream-entry occurs at the very moment that Right Understanding is perfected &amp;amp; applied (e.g. the stream entry of the monk Kondanna in SN 56.11 &amp;amp; the stream entry of the householder Upali in MN 56). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 10 states full enlightenment can happen in 7 days therefore stream-entry obviously sooner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Should any person practice these four foundations of mindfulness in this manner for a week, then one of these two fruits may be expected&#xA;  by him: highest knowledge here and now, or if some remainder of&#xA;  clinging is yet present, the state of non-returning.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T03:42:30.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18106" CreationDate="2016-11-05T03:45:09.673" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Ven. Bodhi's excellent short essay &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_06.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Dhamma Without Rebirth?&quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The aim of the Buddhist path is liberation from suffering, and the Buddha makes it abundantly clear that the suffering from which liberation is needed is the suffering of bondage to samsara, the round of repeated birth and death. To be sure, the Dhamma does have an aspect which is directly visible and personally verifiable. By direct inspection of our own experience we can see that sorrow, tension, fear and grief always arise from our greed, aversion and ignorance, and thus can be eliminated with the removal of those defilements. The importance of this directly visible side of Dhamma practice cannot be underestimated, as it serves to confirm our confidence in the liberating efficacy of the Buddhist path. However, to downplay the doctrine of rebirth and explain the entire import of the Dhamma as the amelioration of mental suffering through enhanced self-awareness is to deprive the Dhamma of those wider perspectives from which it derives its full breadth and profundity. By doing so one seriously risks reducing it in the end to little more than a sophisticated ancient system of humanistic psychotherapy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T03:45:09.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-05T04:14:25.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is passed from life to life in the process of rebirth? Kamma. As taught in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions[Kamma], heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are &lt;em&gt;beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Nyanatiloka further explained in his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanatiloka/wheel394.html#ch2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Kamma &amp;amp; Rebirth&quot;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there are three factors necessary for the rebirth of a human being, that is, for the formation of the embryo in the mother's womb. They are: the female ovum, the male sperm, and the karma-energy (kamma-vega), which in the Suttas is metaphorically called &quot;gandhabba,&quot; i.e. &quot;ghost,&quot; or &quot;soul.&quot; This kamma-energy is sent forth by a dying individual at the moment of his death. The father and mother only provide the necessary physical material for the formation of the embryonic body. With regard to the characteristic features, the tendencies and faculties lying latent in the embryo, the Buddha's teaching may be explained in the following way: The dying individual, with his whole being convulsively clinging to life, at the very moment of his death sends forth kammic energies which, like a flash of lightning, hit at a new mother's womb ready for conception. Thus, through the impinging of the kamma-energies on ovum and sperm, there appears just as a precipitate the so-called primary cell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T04:14:25.017" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18106" CreationDate="2016-11-05T04:34:40.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt; together with SN 23.2, SN 5.10 &amp;amp; SN 22.81 are studied carefully, it appears what the Buddha actually taught about was &quot;birth&quot; (&quot;jati&quot;) rather than &quot;rebirth&quot;, which is not physical birth from the womb of a woman but instead the birth of the idea, view or mental concept of &quot;beings&quot; (&quot;satta') or, more simply, &quot;self&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the goal of Buddhism is to eradicate the birth of the &quot;self&quot; idea, i.e., eradicate attachment,i.e, realise not-self (anatta). The Alagaddupama Sutta states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk's conceit 'I am' is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions&#xA;  of development, not destined for future arising.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk's wandering-on to birth, leading on to further-becoming, is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a&#xA;  palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined&#xA;  for future arising.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is obvious believing in post-mortem &quot;rebirth&quot; is not essential to Buddhism because many fully enlightened beings came into existence after the Buddha spoke his &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel017.html#s1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first three sermons&lt;/a&gt; and none of those three sermons mentioned &quot;rebirth&quot;. Each of those sermons only mentioned the eradication of craving &amp;amp; self-view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures explicitly state that the dhamma of the Buddha is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.047.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;visible here-&amp;amp;-now &amp;amp; is to be verified by each wise person&lt;/a&gt; thus &quot;rebirth&quot; cannot fall into the dhamma of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The common analogy about the light emitting from a candle is not logical, which is why the Buddha never taught such an analogy. In Buddhism, only a later-day monk famed for teaching Greeks is known for such an analogy. This is because the light of the candle depends on the wick &amp;amp; wax. The light (flame) of a candle cannot move to a second candle if the first candle is devoid of wick &amp;amp; wax. Further, the first candle cannot even be lit without fuel from other source. This is why the Buddha taught consciousness cannot arise without a physical body &amp;amp; without sense organs &amp;amp; admonished a monk for teaching consciousness is reborn (refer to &lt;em&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;Upaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism originally criticized other religions that believed in unverifiable things  (refer to Canki Sutta, Tevijja Sutta, Tittha Sutta, Bhūmija Sutta, etc) but later-day Buddhism over the years must have started to teach &amp;amp; write scriptures about unverifiable things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures themselves explain any belief about any kind of &quot;rebirth&quot; is not a factor of the noble eightfold path but is, instead, a polluted right view that sides with only morality (refer to Maha-cattarisaka Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-05T04:45:55.517" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T04:45:55.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-05T05:11:50.427" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;what is passed from life to life in the process of rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Information. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T05:11:50.427" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18106" CreationDate="2016-11-05T05:42:28.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Rebirth&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth and death is momentarily. Each instance the material composition of your body changes, arising and passing away. Physical death is not different. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18100/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14954/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3424/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;How then can a Buddhist test this theory?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing Samatha meditation some people can develop memory of past lives. This way you can ascertain it. Also buy validating what you remember. Also there are studies like: Many Mansions: The Edgar Cayce Story on Reincarnation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Can one disregard this element of Buddhism? Is it an essential aspect of the philosophy?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an essential part. Each subatomic particle (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt;) arise and pass away. Main practice of Buddhism (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana&lt;/a&gt;) is to understand this at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally use this knowledge and insight at the moment or physical death to release oneself from the cycle of birth and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-11-05T05:42:28.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2016-11-05T10:58:01.787" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 5 ways to start your journey:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;listening to the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teaching the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reciting the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reflecting on the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Followed by:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;joy arises in him;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;because of joy, zest arises;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;because of zest, the body becomes tranquil;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when the body is tranquil, he feels happiness;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a happy mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So formal meditation is not the only way. But having said that you should come to a reasonably concentrated and aware mind to progress from joy onwards. For this you might need some mediation. Even if you are not formally doing meditation, awareness and concentration of the arising and passing away of sensations (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral) is a must during normal course of daily activities for reasonable part of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18227/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for more reference on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbida&lt;/a&gt; formula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T01:48:07.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18119" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18120" CreationDate="2016-11-06T00:23:32.127" Score="3" ViewCount="167" Body="&lt;p&gt;Seemingly, despite my questions, I still am encountering great difficulties. I've been meditating for perhaps 1-2 years in a haphazard fashion, on the metro, walking places, while doing things. Perhaps the word &quot;meditation&quot; is inappropriate, it was more like a mindfulness or perhaps a mixture of different types of reasoning, contemplation and attempts at realizing certain facts. Overall, I feel like I've accomplished absolutely nothing in these two years, and that I've wasted much time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say the only thing I want now is to be able to stop all this, whether to meditate properly, or even to understand how to reverse the conditioning that I unwittingly imposed upon myself. I'm asking if anyone knows or conjectures a means by which I could achieve this, and perhaps some tips on what I should avoid doing to create this massive incoherence in my mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T16:58:15.240" Title="Incoherent Meditations" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18119" CreationDate="2016-11-06T04:56:35.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I also experienced similar situation where progress stalled through there was some initial progress where I tried out different traditions and techniques until I fell into the right track.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What could be happening in your practice is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the wrong technique as meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a technique not suitable for you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the technique the wrong way &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to figure out what went wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A formal meditation supposed to strengthen your practice while engaging in daily activity. Mindfulness should be present throughout your daily activities. This is not what is going wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scrutinise the instructions and read to validate your understanding. In case you practice what is unsuitable for you a wrong technique. Best starting point is to look into the Suttas which highlights the practice which might work for the majority. You will need a bit of trial and error to figure out what works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basic outline of what needs to be done is the you should be aware of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arising and passing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;of sensation (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral) that is felt.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can analyse this at the level of sensations from corporeal body as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahabhuta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vedana can certainly be connected with three of the four mahabhuta (elements), which are collectively known as rupa. These three are pathavi (earth element), tejo (fire element) and vayo (air element). Apo (water element) is too subtle to touch, or is so subtle that one finds difficulty in feeling it. Now, to illustrate the connection between vedana and the three bhuta, when you have a cramp, which is the tightening of the muscles, it is pathavi; when you feel temperature of the body it is tejo; when you suffer from pain in the stomach, it may be something to do with vayo, for when the air in your stomach is stuck and finds no vent to get out, you have that experience of unpleasant feeling called pain. The connection of vedana with these mahabhuta makes it all the more manifest and helps one realize its true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vipassana-and-Vedanaas-Understood-by-a-Novice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana and Vedana as Understood by a Novice&lt;/a&gt; by U Tin Lwin&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly any of the 4 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;. More details and references can be found &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18090/295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13495/295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also look at the links between the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and what is felt. For details see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-and-the-Four-Noble-Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana and the Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; by VRI.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the link between &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; and what is felt. For details see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-in-Paticcasamuppada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedana in Paticcasamuppada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understand the relationship with what is felt (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral) with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. See answer &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13744/295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-11-06T14:14:00.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11166" CreationDate="2016-11-06T09:53:55.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hope you are well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a Tibetan Buddhism student and a ashtanga yoga practitioner. I have been reaching from the answer to this for a while. In ashtanga yoga, the full lotus posture or Padmasana is always with right leg first, and my teachers in India recommends this because of energy channels stimulation. In tantra traditions (like Tibetan Buddhism), the left leg is always first, and it is called vajra posture ( with the seven point of Vairochana describing this posture); my teacher in India will hit you literally if you put your left leg first as it is considered left handed practises, more exoteric and less God oriented. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I cannot find anything else about the differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regareds,J &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10312" LastActivityDate="2016-11-06T09:53:55.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2016-11-06T12:23:46.210" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;MN 115 (Bahudhātuka Sutta) does not state a woman cannot be an arahant (fully enlightened being). MN 115 (Bahudhātuka Sutta) only states a woman cannot be the Sammasambuddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one Sammasambuddha in a world system. In the current world system, the only Sammasambuddha is Gotama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Importantly, a Sammasambuddha is the Buddha that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) discovers enlightenment without a teacher, when Buddhism does not exist in the world; and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) commences the Buddhist religion by teaching his discovery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha that attains or discovers enlightenment without a teacher but does not teach &amp;amp; does not start the Buddhism religion is not a Sammasambuddha. Instead, they are a silent Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, a woman cannot be a Sammasambuddha. This is not an unreasonable point of view since it is difficult for a woman to convince men who believe in God or Atman that all things are not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the future, if the Buddha-Dhamma disappears, it is unlikely (impossible) the new Sammasambuddha will be a woman for the same reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since woman are not particularly to partial to the teaching of anatta (not-self), it is unlikely a female Sammasambuddha would arise in a matriarchal society since women are less likely than men to accept the teaching of anatta because the majority of women have stronger reproductive instincts than men. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, it is likely MN 115 is correct when it states it is impossible for a Sammasambuddha to be a woman. Modern ideas of &quot;feminism&quot; will not change this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-06T12:23:46.210" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18106" CreationDate="2016-11-06T19:49:46.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Elements of Buddhism can be rationally accepted such as the suffering that arises through attachment, the benefits of meditation, and even the acceptance of anatta, or non-self. It seems, however, that a belief in rebirth cannot be accepted rationally.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the Buddha described his Dhamma as &quot;The Dhamma visible here &amp;amp; now&quot;. However, if that visibility were immediately accessible, we wouldn't have doubts about it, and it would not be necessary a &quot;path&quot; to help us &quot;see it&quot;. So, knowledge and skills are necessary to develop understanding, just like knowledge and skills are necessary in sciences to &quot;see&quot; phenomena (e.g. whether the claim of climate change affected by humans is true or not).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, knowledge and skills are necessary to see past lives according to the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the recollection of past abodes. I recollected my manifold past abodes, that is, one birth, two births ... 'There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance' ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;A believer must suspend rationality to accept a theory that describes the migration of some level of consciousness across a lifetime.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not need to accept (believe) or reject a theory that one is unable to verify at the moment. One can simply be aware of the competing theories and strive to see which one, if any of them, is true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In science something similar happens where researchers point out flaws or remaining questions that need to be answer (i.e. that need more research) before accepting a theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find this similar to the way the Buddha taught as well (e.g. refer to the discourse of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;). Thus, generally speaking, it's better to try out methods to see the truth than to hold or cling to any view prematurely. Or, more than that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who is attached still enters into doctrinal debates,&#xA;  but one unattached, how could he take sides?&#xA;  For him nothing is taken up or put down,&#xA;  With all views shaken off, relying on none.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp4.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Snp 4.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the idea of &quot;what transmigrates&quot; is an old and on going debate, as the Buddha explicitly denied that any substance transmigrates, which would make that very substance something that endures -- that is, a Self (see this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10122/then-where-did-the-concept-of-rebirth-come-from&quot;&gt;Then where did the concept of “rebirth” come from?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;A common analogy used is the light emitting from a candle. Nothing substantial transmigrates, however something passes over from one life to the next. This theory cannot be directly perceived.  Therefore, it cannot be tested, or verified rationally. It is simply a metaphysical inference.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained above, the buddhist doctrine asserts this knowledge can be directly perceived without resorting to fragile or indirect means (like beliefs). So, in the context of buddhism, recalling past lives is as metaphysical and irrational as the idea of remembering what one did a few moments ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism encourages debate and questioning of its theories, and to not accept everything on face value. How then can a Buddhist test this theory&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not able to recall my past lives, so my knowledge is not rooted in practice, only in reading. The progression of meditative attainments the texts shows seem to indicate that one who has mastered the fourth jhana (samadhi practice) possess enough skills in concentration to direct his/her mind to memories of past lives. I've heard that one practice is to gradually recall childhood, infancy, even memories in the womb, and then, to the past life, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Can one disregard this element of Buddhism? Is it an essential aspect of the philosophy?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question has been asked here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7098/382&quot;&gt;Is rebirth/reincarnation central to Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is, though, a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; movement in the west which seem to, literaly, strip out a lot of things from Buddhism, including rebirth. Also, some buddhists who may not subscribe to this movement may also believe rebirth (as in dying and reappearing in another life) is not true or not part of what the Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-11-09T18:35:01.717" LastActivityDate="2017-11-09T18:35:01.717" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7098" CreationDate="2016-11-07T00:37:13.573" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no single word for &quot;rebirth&quot; in the Pali suttas. There are around a dozen different terms that are translated as &quot;rebirth&quot;. &quot;Rebirth&quot; is merely an &lt;em&gt;interpretation&lt;/em&gt; of these terms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, &quot;birth&quot; (&quot;jati&quot;) refers to the generation of the view or idea of &quot;beings (&quot;satta&quot;) and &quot;self&quot; (refer to SN 12.2; SN 23.2; SN 5.10 &amp;amp; SN 22.81). What is loosely translated as &quot;rebirth&quot; refers to the continuation or re-arising of &quot;self&quot; view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, good kamma is done &amp;amp; the mind celebrates: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; have done good&quot;. Bad kamma is done &amp;amp; the mind regrets: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; have done bad&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both good &amp;amp; bad kamma keep the mind trapped in suffering due to egoism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is &quot;core&quot; to Buddhism is what the Pali suttas state are &quot;core&quot;, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The six elements (AN 3.61)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The six sense spheres. (AN 3.61)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The eighteen applications of mindfulness in relation to the eighteen feelings. (AN 3.61)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths. (AN 3.61; SN 56.31)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination (which does not explain life after death; MN 28). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Three-characteristics (AN 3.134)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness (SN 20.7). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 38 states the dependent origination taught by the Buddha is visible in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures state what the Buddha taught: &quot;&lt;em&gt;leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as believing in &quot;rebirth/reincarnation&quot; does not lead to Nibbana &amp;amp; especially leads to passion, which is why MN 117 explains ideas about 'rebirth' are polluted teachings that side with morality only; which is confirmed by MN 60, which states believing in rebirth only leads to morality (the three skilful actions). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 3.61 states believing 'past lives cause suffering' is easily refuted &amp;amp; is not the Buddha's teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves. For it has been said, 'This&#xA;  Dhamma is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification,&#xA;  pertinent, to be by the observant for themselves,' and it was in&#xA;  reference to this that it was said.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These, bhikkhus, are the three sectarian tenets which, when questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined by the wise, and taken to&#xA;  their conclusion, will eventuate in non-doing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But, bhikkhus, this &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma taught by me&lt;/strong&gt; is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable, and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins. And what&#xA;  is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled,&#xA;  irreproachable and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘These are the &lt;strong&gt;six elements&lt;/strong&gt;’: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins.&#xA;  ‘These are the &lt;strong&gt;six bases for contact&lt;/strong&gt;’ … ‘These are the &lt;strong&gt;eighteen mental&#xA;  examinations&lt;/strong&gt;’ … ‘These are the &lt;strong&gt;four noble truths&lt;/strong&gt;’: this, bhikkhus, is&#xA;  the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable,&#xA;  and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;emptiness&lt;/strong&gt; — are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these teachings as worth grasping&#xA;  &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 20.7&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;All processes are inconstant. All processes are unsatisfactory. ll phenomena are not-self. &lt;strong&gt;The Tathagata&lt;/strong&gt; directly awakens to that, breaks&#xA;  through to that. Directly awakening &amp;amp; breaking through to that, he&#xA;  declares it, &lt;strong&gt;teaches it&lt;/strong&gt;, describes it, sets it forth. He reveals it,&#xA;  explains it &amp;amp; makes it plain:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 3.134&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, the Blessed One has said, &quot;Whoever sees &lt;strong&gt;dependent co-arising&lt;/strong&gt; sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees dependent co-arising.&quot;&#xA;  And these things — the five clung-to-aggregates — are dependently&#xA;  co-arisen. Any desire, embracing, grasping &amp;amp; holding-on to these five&#xA;  clung-to-aggregates is the origination of stress. Any subduing of&#xA;  desire &amp;amp; passion, any abandoning of desire &amp;amp; passion for these five&#xA;  clung-to-aggregates is the cessation of stress.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 28&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what have I taught? 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of&#xA;  practice leading to the cessation of stress': This is what I have&#xA;  taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected&#xA;  with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to&#xA;  disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct&#xA;  knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught&#xA;  them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What I teach now as before, O monks, is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 22&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-07T10:32:02.687" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T10:32:02.687" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18119" CreationDate="2016-11-07T00:56:31.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you are experiencing runaway mindfulness.  At the very least, you're falling into discursive thought (as you say &quot;reasoning&quot; and attempts at &quot;realizing certain facts&quot;).  Neither of those is really Buddhist in practice.  They're also not going to get you any closer to true realization.  I really think you need to slow things down.  A little samatha might go a long way in settling your mind and help keep it a bit more collected.  Once you've established some degree of calm, you might have more success with a mindfulness practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And like Suminda says, make sure you learn correct technique before you have at it again!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T00:56:31.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18126" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-07T17:54:13.243" Score="2" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Maha-parinibbana Sutta, Buddha said &quot;if Sanga want, after I completed Parinibbana, you can remove small and/or light codes from Vinaya&quot;. Why Buddha said this approval to Sanga? Is it a kind of testing to future members of Sanga whether they can completely comply the Vinaya or not? This approval may lead to breakage of Sanga to Mahayana, Theravada, and more. This approval, is it being served as a reference to other parties of Sanga who cannot comply the vinaya completely not to be blamed by normal people? Or is it just a question to just Sanga at the time of been said and this was the way to be. Or any purpose of this approval? Or is it totally not approval, and just question? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T22:07:12.390" Title="Why Buddha said &quot;if you want to remove small/light codes from Vinaya&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vinaya|rules|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18126" CreationDate="2016-11-07T18:10:33.263" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha had totally approved the removal of certain rules then the Buddha would have explicitly mentioned which ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 1st Council the monks could not decide what extent was minor rules, so ultimately decided to keep all the rules with the fault of not clarifying being with Ven. Ananda when the Buddha mentioned this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-11-08T05:50:03.463" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T05:50:03.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18128" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-07T18:43:59.713" Score="2" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha's teaching, how can one cure the offense of &quot;blaming someone who we should not blame&quot;? Here &quot;someone&quot; means from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sotapanna to Arahant&lt;/a&gt;; and &quot;blame&quot; means to accuse that what he/she does (or what he/she does not do) is done (or not done) in not a good way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any chance that normal people like me can blame Sotapanna - Arahant in a way he/she is not doing good?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I should not blame and I blamed, how can it be cured so that I do not accuse improperly and do not make any harm to myself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Buddha's teaching said about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is proper way of curing to completely remove the burden of accusing the noble being? How it can be done in details?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if it is not in direct Buddha's teachings or in Dhamma, is there any example or something that had been done before in some past experiences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-07T19:49:04.113" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T05:10:21.140" Title="How to cure &quot;if I blamed someone who we should not blame&quot;?" Tags="|personal-practice|theravada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18129" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18137" CreationDate="2016-11-07T20:10:54.837" Score="3" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everyone in this little community is awesome, and the people contributing have helped me in the path tremendously. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is this, how can a person remain calm and courageous during sessions? When meditating, I've been reaching very intense states that become hard to handle. I've been getting the sensation that I am melting into this state of pure love. I get scared because it's just so unbelievably intense, and feel that the fear that arises is a hindrance. Have any of you experienced this? If so, what did you change that allowed you to handle it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10316" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T17:17:14.847" Title="Retaining courage during mediation" Tags="|meditation-insight|meditation-hindrances|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-07T21:05:01.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;sounds like what Buddha described as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; (litteraltraslation is &quot;excitement&quot;).  It comes with first jhanna.  it will be gone when enter 3rd Jhanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality,&#xA;  withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first&#xA;  jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by&#xA;  directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses&#xA;  and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from&#xA;  withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture&#xA;  and pleasure born from withdrawal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath&#xA;  powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again&#xA;  and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated,&#xA;  moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not&#xA;  drip; even so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body&#xA;  with the rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal. There is nothing of&#xA;  his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from&#xA;  withdrawal...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T21:05:01.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18128" CreationDate="2016-11-07T21:17:51.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;this is my own thinking and not from any sutta, why not become a noble follower yourself?  Fighting fire with fire.&#xA;Then Dhamma of the noble followers will come to you naturally.   Example, if someone causes you some displeasure, you have the knowledge that pleasure/displeasure is not caused by others but because of Phassa (contact), vedana arises.  This is not a common knowledge. all other beings in the universe who have not heard dharma think that pleasures or displeasure caused by others, by self, no cause...etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when one applies Pratītyasamutpāda to everyday life, there is really no one to blame.  Clinging to 5 skandha as self is Dukkha &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-11-07T22:33:22.167" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T22:33:22.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18132" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18140" CreationDate="2016-11-07T22:02:29.863" Score="7" ViewCount="1031" Body="&lt;p&gt;In most Buddhist traditions, monks are expected to follow an austere life without being married or involved with another person, but what about lay people who are not going to become monks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I've reached what most people consider mid-life and I'm getting too old for any monastery to accept me, but I'm sure this question applies to lay people both older and younger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am under the impression, monks are required to be single because of the attachment and desire that arises when being involved. However, a good number of monks do not live among lay people which I imagine would make it easier. It seems like lay people would benefit though, and when their time on Earth has expired also make it easier to let go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I don't have a teacher nor do I have access to one so I wanted to reach out to the community to see what their impressions were. My guess is that it is helpful but a personal choice that differs from individual to individual. I mean 'helpful' in the sense of being closer to Nirvana or Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2021-05-05T03:38:34.047" Title="Is it helpful to stay single if I am not going to become a monk?" Tags="|attachment|marriage|desire|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18132" CreationDate="2016-11-07T22:25:51.860" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you've said, it all varies from individual to individual. The bottom line is one should not do what other people expects one to do. Instead, do whatever is best for oneself in terms of peace, happiness, and most important, suitable and favorable conditions to the learning, contemplation, and practice of the Buddha Dhamma. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.6-Pasadika-S-d29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 29&lt;/a&gt;, where the Buddha taught about the 10 kinds of disciples that make up His spiritual community. Out of those 10, 4 are from lay folks like us: celibate laymen, householder laymen, celibate laywomen, and householder laywomen. Give it a careful read and it could be a useful guide to help with your inquiry. Good luck..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T22:25:51.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18128" CreationDate="2016-11-07T22:39:41.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the intention behind the criticism that will determine the weight of one's kamma. So check youself everytime, what you do, say, and think to the other person, whether they're for sincere positive, and constructive criticism for their own good, or it's simply for the sheer unwholesome pleasure of criticism. The safest approach, is to thoroughly investigate and gather all the info. before saying anything to anyone. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 58&lt;/a&gt; for some guideline on proper speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T22:39:41.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-07T22:48:45.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because the &amp;quot;I&amp;quot; still interferes with those meditative states. Do not hold on to self-identity and your meditation would go much smoother:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is feeling permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is perception permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Are determinations permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Impermanent, venerable sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Painful, venerable sir.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&amp;quot;? — &amp;quot;No, venerable sir.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So, bhikkhus any kind of form whatever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near, must with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any kind of feeling whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any kind of perception whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any kind of determination whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Any kind of consciousness whatever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.' ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-07T22:48:45.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-08T00:11:15.520" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fear is instinctual (due to the ego fading/dissolving/melting somewhat). This instinctual fear can only be endured with composure &amp;amp; with the full acknowledgment it will pass. After the mind has experienced the impermanence of the fear a few times and is fully confident the fear will pass, the fear will no longer be a hindrance because it will be easily passed through.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind thinks about/rationalizes the fear too much, the concentration will be lost. You have answered your own question, since the only real method is composure &amp;amp; courage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Pali suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What if I, in whatever state I'm in when fear &amp;amp; terror come to me, were to subdue that fear &amp;amp; terror in that very state?' So when fear &amp;amp;&#xA;  terror came to me while I was walking back &amp;amp; forth, I would not stand&#xA;  or sit or lie down. I would keep walking back &amp;amp; forth until I had&#xA;  subdued that fear &amp;amp; terror. When fear &amp;amp; terror came to me while I was&#xA;  standing, I would not walk or sit or lie down. I would keep standing&#xA;  until I had subdued that fear &amp;amp; terror. When fear &amp;amp; terror came to me&#xA;  while I was sitting, I would not lie down or stand up or walk. I would&#xA;  keep sitting until I had subdued that fear &amp;amp; terror. When fear &amp;amp;&#xA;  terror came to me while I was lying down, I would not sit up or stand&#xA;  or walk. I would keep lying down until I had subdued that fear &amp;amp;&#xA;  terror.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhaya-bherava Sutta: Fear &amp;amp; Terror&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T00:11:15.520" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18128" CreationDate="2016-11-08T03:11:59.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, everything is forgivable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a noble person is practising their realisation, there are no grounds for us to blame them since the noble person will not be harming us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a noble person &lt;em&gt;unintentionally&lt;/em&gt; harms us, they should ask for our forgiveness &amp;amp; we should forgive them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we think a person that &lt;em&gt;intentionally&lt;/em&gt; harms us is a &quot;noble person&quot;, we are mistaken because a noble person cannot intentionally harm others, even out of good-will (e.g., to kill a murderer) because the eightfold path prohibits all violence for any reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is common for ordinary people to mistakenly believe practitioners of forms of black magic are noble people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why if a monk kills any human being for any reason, including mercy killing, they are expelled from the monastic order.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.7&lt;/a&gt; says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...an arahant monk whose mental fermentations are ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the&#xA;  true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is&#xA;  released through right gnosis, cannot possibly transgress these nine&#xA;  principles.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[1] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to intentionally deprive a living being of life.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[2] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to take, in the manner of stealing, what is not given.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[3] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to engage in sexual intercourse.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[4] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to tell a conscious lie.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[5] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to consume stored-up sensual things as he did before, when he was a&#xA;  householder.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[6] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to follow a bias based on desire.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[7] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to follow a bias based on aversion.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[8] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to follow a bias based on fear.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[9] It is impossible for a monk whose mental fermentations are ended to follow a bias based on delusion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-08T03:24:43.680" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T03:24:43.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18128" CreationDate="2016-11-08T05:03:09.240" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no completely escaping the consequences of a bad deed unless the Karma becomes defunct. But you can do much to mitigate the effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If the monk is alive, apologize in person. If he is dead, think of him and apologize.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do good deeds. ex: offering alms to the monk you insulted or to the Sagha as a whole.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do meditation. ex: Spreading Metta to all beings, practicing the four foundations of mindfulness etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of the above will help a great deal, but only a Buddha would know what exactly you should do to make a Karma defunct, if it is possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-11-08T05:10:21.140" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T05:10:21.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18132" CreationDate="2016-11-08T05:31:09.463" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;What matters is what you do when you are single. If being single means using prostitutes to satisfy one's sensual desires, it could lead one further away from the path as compared to a person who restrains himself to one woman and practices loyalty, kindness, doing good deeds together etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if being single means being celibate and using one's free time for meditation etc., one would generally have a higher chance of progressing in the path as compared to the average family man. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the time of the Buddha, there were monks who went to forest for seclusion and ended up having sex with monkeys. So what really matters is what you do when you are single.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-11-08T06:18:35.117" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T06:18:35.117" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2016-11-08T06:33:33.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the differences/similarities in the concept of faith as used in Buddhism and Christianity?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith is an English word. It is defined in Oxford Dictionaries: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definition of faith in English:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.1[count noun]A particular religion.&#xA;‘the Christian faith’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.2[count noun]A strongly held belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Definitions 2, 2.1 and 2.2 are applicable to faith in Christianity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These definitions are not applicable to Buddhism because there is no God in Buddhism. This gets further complicated by the fact that there are numerous Buddhist traditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma of Lord Buddha (Sammasambudda), 'four noble truths' (Cattari Ariyasaccani), from which all Buddhist traditions have been developed after the Parinibbana (extinction without remainder), does not entertain faith or  beliefs in any form. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhamma is without beliefs&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T06:33:33.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18062" CreationDate="2016-11-08T08:19:28.653" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are stories of people who claim to remember their past lives. Such stories have been investigated by researchers such as Ian&#xA;  Stevenson and Jim Tucker.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read Dr. Weiss's &quot;Many Lives Many Masters&quot; before I start learning Bhuddhism. As I re-digest the content, many questions: a) Why every turn of a rebirth the character recalled she/he a human being? For there are 6 main scopes of lifeforms. A rebirth, on account of Karma, one could be Celestial beings, Asura, Man, Animal, Ghost, Hell beings. According to Tibetan tradition, almost only a Saint could return consecutively 7 times a man. b) Why many of them claimed they were Egyptians in their past lives? Etc. I can't comment IS and JT since I've not read any of their works. I intuit theirs will be similar to Dr. Weiss's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These accounts lend themselves nicely to Jewish and Hindu&#xA;  understanding of transmigration of souls. How do they fit into the&#xA;  Buddhist understanding of rebirth?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I would tend to acknowledge that your mentioned &quot;Jewish and Hindu understanding of transmigration of souls&quot; is different from the Buddhist. In Buddhist teaching, there isn't a &quot;soul&quot;, or permanent &quot;self&quot; that brings along it's memories and karma etc and jumped into another body, and lives again. In Buddhist, this &quot;living&quot; is like fire, passing from one log to another, that's &quot;rebirth&quot;, if one may call it. But we cannot say this fire is the same fire that burnt log A, now is burning log B, for we cannot consolidate a fire, preserve it, give it an identity. Fire is the phenomena. In every fickle of millisecond (chana), the fire is no longer the same as the previous one, however so appeared the same in our impression. This is the analogy of our impression of there is a &quot;me&quot;, &quot;self&quot; independently resided in certain body, which is not. But the Karma (the energy of the fire, all the attributes) will pass on milliseconds after milliseconds, and also interacting with the next conditions to produce new tendency. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not easy to describe this concept, and as a student my ability to explain/ to understand is not perfect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T08:19:28.653" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3681" CreationDate="2016-11-08T10:07:34.860" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures refer to faith (&lt;em&gt;saddha&lt;/em&gt;) in two most basic ways, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) The 1st of the five spiritual faculties (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part2.html#part2-e&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;indriya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) The 1st of the five spiritual powers (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part2.html#part2-f&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;bala&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, faith is the 1st mental quality required for any kind of spiritual activity. The other spiritual faculties &amp;amp; powers are energy, mindfulness, concentration &amp;amp; wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The spiritual 'faculty' of faith represents the mental capacity for belief, trust or conviction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The spiritual 'power' of faith represents the mental capacity or faculty of faith put into action &amp;amp; bringing spiritual results or fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Christian teachings also distinguish between mere faith &amp;amp; the power of faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Matthew 17:20  Jesus answered, “You were not able to make the demon go&#xA;out, because your faith is too small. Believe me when I tell you, if&#xA;your faith is only as big as a mustard seed you can say to this&#xA;mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. You will be&#xA;able to do anything.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Matthew 21:21  Jesus answered, “The truth is, if you have faith and no doubts, you will be able to do the same as I did to this tree. And&#xA;you will be able to do more. You will be able to say to this mountain,&#xA;‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have faith, it will&#xA;happen.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;James 2:14 [ Faith and Good Works ] My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have faith but does nothing, that faith is worth&#xA;nothing. Faith like that cannot save anyone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;James 2:17 If it is just faith and nothing more—if it doesn’t do anything — it is dead.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;James 2:18  But someone might argue, “Some people have faith, and others have good works.” My answer would be that you can’t show me&#xA;your faith if you don’t do anything. But I will show you my faith by&#xA;the good I do.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;James 2:24  So you see that people are made right with God by what they do. They cannot be made right by faith alone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One major difference is the objects of faith. In Christianity, faith is in conditioned phenomena. In Buddhism, faith is in both conditioned &amp;amp; unconditioned phenomena, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, among things conditioned and unconditioned, dispassion is reckoned to be the best of them all: the crushing of all infatuation,&#xA;the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the cutting off of&#xA;the round, the destruction of craving, dispassion,&#xA;Nibbāna. Those who have faith in the Dhamma of dispassion have faith&#xA;in the best; and for those who have faith in the best, the best result&#xA;will be theirs. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S48&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.34&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, there was a time when the famous Christian nun Mother Teresa lost her faith:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and&#xA;the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do&#xA;not hear,&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; she wrote the Rev. Michael van der Peet in September 1979.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Mother Teresa had faith in the silence &amp;amp; emptiness, her mind may have reached the unconditioned Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T10:30:28.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18144" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18145" CreationDate="2016-11-08T13:26:36.527" Score="2" ViewCount="510" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta (AN 10.29)&lt;/a&gt; it quotes the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As far, bhikkhus, as this thousandfold world system extends, Mahābrahmā there ranks as the foremost.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically as far as the sun and the mood illuminates the light a world system is there. 4 hells, human world , 6 humans and so forth. And thousand of this is called a thousandfold world system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to the above quote, does this mean that there is only one Maha Brahma to all these thousand world systems?  Or are there 1000 Maha Brahmas in this thousand world system? Or is it just 1?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-08T16:29:41.670" LastActivityDate="2021-05-14T17:18:35.883" Title="Thousand fold world system" Tags="|sutras|brahma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18144" CreationDate="2016-11-08T18:17:13.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;31 planes of existence coming together is one universe. In each universe there is a Maha Brahma in each Brahma plane.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... a thousand brahmā worlds. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Abhidhamma there are infinite world systems. See: Abhidharmartha Pradipika By Amaradasa Rathnapala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/resource/the_buddhist_concept_of_world/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist Concept of World&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu T. Seelananda and also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17962/how-does-big-bang-happen-in-terms-of-buddhism/17978#17978&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T06:32:35.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18085" CreationDate="2016-11-08T22:36:31.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the instructions of the Buddha Himself in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (MN 118): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sit down comfortably and breath...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... &quot;Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or&#xA;  breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or&#xA;  breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or&#xA;  breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.'He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily&#xA;  fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.'He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.'He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I&#xA;  will breathe out steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out&#xA;  releasing the mind.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion&#xA;  [literally, fading].' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing&#xA;  on dispassion.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on&#xA;  relinquishment&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T22:36:31.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18132" CreationDate="2016-11-08T22:47:19.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you can try to guard your sense doors. This can be the best help you can get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ayya Khema (&lt;em&gt;Who Is My Self: A guide to Buddhist Meditation'&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here a monk, on seeing a visible object with the eye, does not grasp&#xA;  at its major signs or secondary characteristics. Because greed and&#xA;  sorrow, evil unskilled states, would overwhelm him if he dwelt leaving&#xA;  this eye-faculty unguarded, so he practices guarding it, he protects&#xA;  the eye faculty, develops restraints of the eye-faculty. . .  On&#xA;  hearing a sound with the ear, . . . on smelling an odor with the nose,&#xA;  . . .  on on tasting a flavor with the tongue, on feeling an object&#xA;  with the body, . . . on thinking a thought with the mind . . . He&#xA;  experiences within himself the blameless bliss that comes from&#xA;  maintaining this Ariyan guarding of the faculties. In this way . . . a&#xA;  monk is a guardian of the sense-doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the eye sees, it simply registers color and shape. All the rest&#xA;  takes place in the mind. For instance, we see a piece of chocolate.&#xA;  The eye sees only the brown shape. It is the mind that says: &quot;Ah,&#xA;  chocolate! That tastes delicious - I want a piece!&quot; Not to grasp at&#xA;  the major signs or secondary characteristics is to stop the mind from&#xA;  doing exactly that.  We can practice this easily with anything we&#xA;  either very much like or very much dislike . . .  . . .   If we are&#xA;  easily swayed by what we see, the best thing to do is to recognize the&#xA;  sense-contact and stop the mind at the perception, the labeling. It is&#xA;  very hard to stop it before that. So, for example, if we see a person,&#xA;  or even think of a person, for whom we have hate or greed, someone we&#xA;  either dislike or long for intensely, we should practice stopping at&#xA;  the label, person friend, male, female. Nothing further. The rest is&#xA;  our desire. That is what is meant by guarding the sense-doors. Our&#xA;  senses are our survival system. It is much easier to survive if we can&#xA;  see and hear than if we are blind or deaf. Most people assume,&#xA;  however, that the senses are there in order to provide them with&#xA;  pleasure. We use them in that way and become angry when they fail to&#xA;  do so. We then blame the trigger. If someone displeases us, we blame&#xA;  that person. It has nothing to do with the other person, who, like us,&#xA;  is made up of the four elements, has the same senses, the same limbs,&#xA;  and is looking, as we are, for happiness. There is nothing in that&#xA;  person that is producing displeasure. It is all in our own mind.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Exactly the same applies when we think another person will provide us&#xA;  with pleasure . . . There is no reason to look to that person for&#xA;  pleasure or blame then for not providing it. All we have to do is see&#xA;  &quot;person&quot;. Nothing more. There are so many &quot;persons&quot; in this world, why&#xA;  should we allow this particular one to arouse our syndrome of&#xA;  desire-distaste? If we guard our senses, we guard our passions, which&#xA;  enables us to live with far greater equanimity. We are no longer on&#xA;  that endless seesaw; up, when we are getting what we want, down, when&#xA;  we are not, which induces a continual inner feeling of wanting&#xA;  something that just escapes us. Nothing that is to be had in the&#xA;  world, anywhere, under any circumstances, is capable of bringing&#xA;  fulfillment. All that the world can provide are sense-contacts -&#xA;  seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, and thinking. All are&#xA;  short-lived and have to be renewed, over and over again. This takes&#xA;  time and energy, and here again it is not the sense-contact itself&#xA;  that satisfies us. It is what the mind makes of it. Guarding the&#xA;  sense-doors is one of the most important things we can do, if we want&#xA;  to lead a peaceful, harmonious life, untroubled by wanting what we do&#xA;  not have, or not wanting what we do have. These are the only two&#xA;  causes of dukkha; there are no others. If we watch our sense-contacts&#xA;  and do not go past the labeling, we have a very good chance of being&#xA;  at ease.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T22:47:19.887" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18082" CreationDate="2016-11-08T22:57:09.453" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purification..., Liberation..., Nibbana...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha Himself in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbana Sutta, Udana 8.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Nibbana... that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water,&#xA;  nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor&#xA;  dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of&#xA;  nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception;&#xA;  neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there,&#xA;  I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor stasis , neither&#xA;  passing away nor arising: without stance, without foundation, without&#xA;  support.  This, just this, is the end of dukkha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T22:57:09.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-08T23:08:07.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be very aware of the changing nature of the sensations. And stay equanimous. Awareness &lt;em&gt;(Pali: sati)&lt;/em&gt; and equanimity &lt;em&gt;(Pali: upekkha)&lt;/em&gt; are the two wings of &lt;em&gt;vipassana.&lt;/em&gt; Awareness of the changing sensations and equanimity of the experience of the law of anicca create wisdom &lt;em&gt;(Pali: panna).&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-11-08T23:08:07.297" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7476" CreationDate="2016-11-09T11:35:51.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the arupa worlds you cannot hear the Dhamma as you do not have this faculty, also the mental process is too subtle making it not possible to meditate on it. But if you have experiences even the 1st state of sainthood you can progress from here to the final goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By the way, living in an arupa world would imply in my understanding that it is possible the arising of a mind consciousness (manovinnana) without a physical sense base (such as our heart base or hadaya-vatthu): is this assumption correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My thinking is also that the heart base does not have a physical associated location in the arupa realm as there is nothing physical or corporeal here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, in the brahma world as you quoted you to not have physical sensation relating to the elements but sensations are present in the arupa cittas. See 121 cittas in Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-11-09T11:41:29.973" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T11:41:29.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18151" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18154" CreationDate="2016-11-09T12:03:45.587" Score="1" ViewCount="266" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, is the existence of &quot;God&quot; accepted, or not? If not, what is the reason? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-09T13:56:06.333" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T09:20:27.343" Title="In Buddhism, does &quot;God&quot; exist or not?" Tags="|god|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2016-11-11T12:16:44.463" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7476" CreationDate="2016-11-09T12:54:27.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Goenka said: &lt;em&gt;It is clear that vedana as a part of the nama that is firmly rooted in kaya is what the Buddha wanted us to focus on when he talked about&#xA;  meditation to eradicate suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas do not conform with this. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he isn't infatuated with pleasing ideas, and doesn't get upset over unpleasing ideas. He dwells&#xA;  with body-mindfulness established, with unlimited awareness. Having thus abandoned compliance &amp;amp; opposition, he doesn't relish any feeling he feels — pleasure, pain, neither-pleasure-nor-pain — doesn't welcome it, doesn't remain fastened to it. As he doesn't relish that feeling, doesn't welcome it, &amp;amp; doesn't remain fastened to it, delight doesn't arise. From the cessation of his delight comes the cessation of clinging. MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;If anyone were to say, 'Feeling at the intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The arising &amp;amp; falling away of the intellect are&#xA;  discerned. And when its arising &amp;amp; falling away are discerned, it would&#xA;  follow that 'My self arises &amp;amp; falls away.' That's why it wouldn't be&#xA;  tenable if anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self. MN 148&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Goenka said: &lt;em&gt;This is also the reason why brahmas from arupabrahmaloka cannot practise Vipassana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 1 &amp;amp; MN 111 states vipassana can be practised on arupa jhana. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the dimension of the infinitude of space as the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  consciousness as the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness...&#xA;  the dimension of nothingness as the dimension of nothingness... the&#xA;  dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the dimension of&#xA;  neither-perception-nor-non-perception...does not conceive as 'mine'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Goenka said: &lt;em&gt;and why the Buddha could not give Dhamma to his past teachers of arupa jhanas (seventh and eighth jhanas/dhyanas).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha could not give Dhamma to his past teachers because they died. Refer to MN 26. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the fifth to eighth jhanas, jhanas the mind is set free from the body and thus there is no experience of vedana.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 111 explains there is vedana in arupa jhana. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sariputta entered &amp;amp; remained in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. Whatever qualities there are in the dimension of the&#xA;  infinitude of consciousness — the perception of the dimension of the&#xA;  infinitude of consciousness, singleness of mind, contact, feeling,&#xA;  perception, intention, consciousness, desire, decision, persistence,&#xA;  mindfulness, equanimity, &amp;amp; attention — he ferreted them out one after&#xA;  another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Goenka said: &lt;em&gt;Therefore, these brahmas lack rupa and cannot experience body-sensations. Hence, the practice of the awareness of vedana is not&#xA;  possible for them and they cannot walk on the path of liberation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Vedana' does not mean 'body-sensations'. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'feeling' ('vedana')? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it&#xA;  feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called&#xA;  feeling. SN 22.79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, what are generally regarded as 'body-sensations' or 'stress' are generally 'sankhara' (mental formations of lust, hatred &amp;amp; delusion) that condition &amp;amp; get stored in the physical body rather than 'vedana' (pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant feelings). To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks — the clinging to the five aggregates head toward future&#xA;  accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming —&#xA;  accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now this &amp;amp; now that —&#xA;  grows within him. His bodily disturbances &amp;amp; mental disturbances grow.&#xA;  His bodily torments &amp;amp; mental torments grow. His bodily distresses &amp;amp;&#xA;  mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  stress. MN 149&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-09T13:30:22.400" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T13:30:22.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18151" CreationDate="2016-11-09T13:51:57.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you mean when you say &quot;God&quot; and &quot;exists&quot;. In Buddhism all entities (objects) are abstractions or models, conceptual labels on top of mind-made constructs. So all things really exist in one sense, but don't really exist in another sense. God is like that too. If by God we mean &quot;The Absolute&quot; then it in one sense it obviously exists (since everything is included in it) but then in another sense The Absolute is just an abstraction so it doesn't really exist. It certainly exists as concept or model in our mental world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T13:51:57.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18151" CreationDate="2016-11-09T14:09:26.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Tripitaka, the oldest and most authentic memories of the Buddha's words, the Essential God, or simply Essence, is neither affirmed nor denied. This is explained in The All Embracing Net. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metaphysical positions can never be more than speculation. The Essential Form that God needs to either Be or Not-Be is simply not evident within our empirical domain, nor within the domain of reason and logic. Mathematics even forbids Essential Truth within all formal systems:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarski%27s_undefinability_theorem&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarski%27s_undefinability_theorem&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read Nagarjuna's Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, the deeply logical discussion of the Buddha's message, Essence within our empirical experience is denied evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was careful not to speculate beyond where perception and evidence were possible. Because if God Is (and all the mess that option 2 entails for him in Plato's Parmenides), and He Is beyond reach of our empirical experience, Independent of all of this, then we are like the man looking for the most beautiful woman in the land:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/dob/dob-13tx.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/dob/dob-13tx.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(this is not an affirmation of Not-Being, Nihilism of any sort) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theoretical insight of the Buddha is now merging with scientific evidence with regards to the absence of Essence within experience. Background independence, conservation laws, flatness of local space time, even relational quantum mechanics, all point to a much more profound understanding of all this: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are curious how modern philosophy approaches the Buddha's message, &lt;a href=&quot;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/#NonSel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/#NonSel&lt;/a&gt; is interesting!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-11-09T15:42:15.540" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T15:42:15.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-09T16:32:00.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu, not necessarily to be a monk, who is afraid of Samsara(round of birth and rebirth), must do insight meditation with relentless effort that even all your energy run out, (be courageous like a lion). If one feels scared, just meditate scare/fear , just keep faith in Dhamma, it will go away because nothing is permanent. If still there is, remember the Arahan(one of the nine Qualities of Buddha) , and take refugee in Buddha again and again. Sometimes one is in the sixth stage of  nana (knowledge of fear), then keep on meditating leads to higher stage of nana and overcome it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T16:32:00.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18119" CreationDate="2016-11-09T16:58:15.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati( mindfulness of breathing, breathe in, know it, breathe out, know it), sit in a quiet place and try to keep on any time you have. One may think it is the beginning of meditation(or just to concentrate, because it is so simple) but later surely will know: it is the very beginning, middle and the end i.e. you will see the Nibbana, no other way, the ONLY way and never missed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T16:58:15.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18129" CreationDate="2016-11-09T17:17:14.847" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot; For every action , there is an equal and opposite reaction &quot;. This is a Fundamental law of Physics and is applicable to Human Mental activities. &lt;br/&gt; If fear comes as a reaction to the feeling of Intense Love ,you have to &lt;em&gt;Absorb&lt;/em&gt; these reactions . Assume that these fears are &lt;em&gt;Unreal and Temporary&lt;/em&gt;,wait for some time and allow the fears to die down .And then , continue with your daily activities--in this case--Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T17:17:14.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15586" CreationDate="2016-11-09T18:15:21.973" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;equanimity of formation&quot; is the 11th stage of insight knowledge(out of sixteenth stages) where all phenomenon one can make notice definitely and may feel like enlightened. If you understand it is not the goal, keep on your mindfulness and your notice on all the phenomenon become faster and clearer and come to a sudden end just like a candle light went out or just like you cut out a tiny string of rope with a sharp knife this phenomenon cannot be described by words. Sharp mindfulness is important to go through this phase and also your entire faith in your meditation master is also important that is you are going the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T18:15:21.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5309" CreationDate="2016-11-09T19:45:24.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the matter of concentration. Whenever thinking of &quot;where am I&quot; arise, try to focus on meditation with what you start. If you start noticing breathing in and out at the tip of nose , just start it again. But it is not meant that you are not making progress. Mind used to get wander like that. All the things whatever happen , just focus simply on the  meditation with what you start. It is better noting mindfully &quot;breathing in, know it, breathing out , know it&quot;. Whenever you noticed wandering thoughts, just focus again on this &quot;breathing in, know it, breathing out , know it&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-09T19:45:24.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1884" CreationDate="2016-11-10T00:10:21.297" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we look for &quot;impermanence&quot; we find only a single instant - hence &quot;impermanence&quot; (the process of change from  moment to moment in the form of a &quot;continuity&quot; comprised of past, present, and future) is not there. (There is no continuity as there is only a single instant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When, within that single instant, we look for a thing, we find only non-thing parts - hence, that so-called &quot;thing&quot; is not there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when we look at those parts referred to as &quot;self&quot; in the theory of self, we find that each of them is not self - hence, that so-called &quot;self&quot; is not there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And since none of those parts is &quot;self&quot;, neither can any part be owned by a self - because there is no self there which could own any part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10319" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T00:10:21.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2016-11-10T01:53:39.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Layman(non-Arya) is blind with lobha, dosa and moha , so no wonder cannot see through Arhat, but if you follow his teaching and get enlightened, you have no more doubt. Exactly to say, Sotapanna can teach one to be a Sotapanna, Sakadagami can teach one to be a Sakadagami, Anagami can teach one to be a Anagami and Arahat can teach one to be a Arahat. If you follow his teaching and get enlightened, you have no more doubt. Nowaday, still there are Arya. Try to catch the train if not will be left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T01:53:39.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3656" CreationDate="2016-11-10T02:13:51.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;stream entry described as a turning about in the deepest seat of&#xA;  consciousness&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is the turning point and never fall back.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;there is something about the experience that is unmistakable. Is that&#xA;  true?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True! The experience marked is for layman (non-Arya: four noble truth if taught just like writing in the air, for cula-sotapanna just like writing on the water surface, for sotapanna just like inscribed on the large stone slab will persist more than hundred years i.e. until throughout afterlife.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If one were to attain stream entry would one know it without doubt.&#xA;  Is it such a notable experience that it couldn't be mistaken for&#xA;  anything else?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes! If one achieve the Nibanna with your own Khanda, no doubt on Dhamma knowing four Noble Truths at the same time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-12T14:00:22.097" LastActivityDate="2016-11-12T14:00:22.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3623" CreationDate="2016-11-10T02:31:42.803" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any food in moderation is enough only one should have it without lobha, dosa and moha. Once in Buddha time , Anagami lady who knew the other's mind, serving the monks who worked hard for enlightenment. The monks without having their food to taste, could not work hard, perceiving that the Anagami lady served according to taste and all monks got enlightened. Again in this story, the monks might come to know the lady who served food knew their mind and tried to get rid of this defilement, better concentrate on meditation and thus got enlightened. All these count. So it depends on individual so far to get moderation and only thing is concentrate on the meditation, purifying the mind, be scare of danger of Sansara and get enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T02:31:42.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1999" CreationDate="2016-11-10T03:01:31.813" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It so happened in progressing to higher stage of knowledge. Out of sixteen stage of knowledge regarding insight meditation, in the third stage it used to happen in somebody depending on the past merit. &quot;intense emotional explosion in my chest&quot;  and &quot;overwhelming bliss&quot; if you note &quot;know it&quot; repeatedly or if you cannot concentrate any more just remember Arahan (one of the qualities of Buddha) until you can concentrate again. By doing so you can attain higher stage of knowledge. If you dare not do by yourself alone, go to one of the retreat and in front of the meditation master you can try again. Surely there will be no problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T03:01:31.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18165" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18166" CreationDate="2016-11-10T05:55:33.397" Score="3" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the best way to focus? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also how can I stop passing judgment on myself during? Its really difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9830" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-10T10:57:22.473" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T17:55:47.713" Title="During meditation how do I focus" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|meditation-hindrances|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-10T06:46:17.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the best way to focus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Initially bring your mind to the object.&lt;/a&gt; Now note (without any verbalization or visualisation) any sensations anything you feel about the object. This can be a something like touch of air in breathing or more particularly related to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;elements&lt;/a&gt; or positive, neutral and or negative perceptions and sensory reaction if mental. (additional information see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) Now knowing the mind is on the object &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;try to bring the mind to the object again, i.e., retain the mind on the object.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And also how can I stop passing judgment on myself during? Its really difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judgement about self to arise you need through about self. Just focus on the object so all metal activity is directed at being focused until such time you mind just sticks with the chosen object and thoughts do not arise. This way you can aviod judgements about self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-11T03:44:58.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18151" CreationDate="2016-11-10T09:20:27.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, is the existence of &quot;God&quot; accepted, or not? If not, what&#xA;  is the reason?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;God&quot; has many meanings depended on what religious or cultural context this word referred to. Yet to make it simple, God, as a being who is in a higher ranking than man, does exist, in Buddhist teaching. The Christian God, and Brahma, both exist, so are many of those mentioned in different cultures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist teaching, there are many worlds and many forms of beings, which mainly categorized into 6 groups: 1. Celestial beings (they are gods; beings who accumulated great merits almost subdued greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, distrust but still controlled by desire) 2. Asuras (some may call them devils, demons; the beings who accumulated great merits but are deeply grabbed by anger and arrogance) 3. Men 4. Animals 5. (hungry) Ghosts 6. Hell beings.  The Celestial beings (sometimes Asuras) many cultures referred to as gods. They have more abilities due to their subduing of contamination (the 5 main pollutants that hindered one's abilities: greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and distrust). Thus they can exhibit supernatural powers such as being able to alter weather, turn stone into gold, etc. And of course they have clarity of vision they can see anything from any distance and be in any place in a blink of seconds, etc. And their body material is a different made from man, we cannot see them, and depends. Some of the gods such as Indra and Brahma (one is called &quot;Conch-tufted Brahma&quot; because of His hair style??) are mentioned in some of the sutras, they were audiences in the Buddha's sermons or pledged to uphold the teachings. Often said that Indra is the God in Christian faith however this is just one of the sayings.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T09:20:27.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18064" CreationDate="2016-11-10T12:27:00.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Monism Pantheist&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read your above added, 1) 49 days or 52 days? I would rather not to stuck with a concrete answer. But it's important to understand the significance of number. 49=7x7, 7 is an important number, we have 7 days a week, 7 colors in the rainbow... 7 is a number for a cycle. In the TTBoD you will find that every 7 days a more significant change. There is another sutra &lt;a href=&quot;http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T11n0317_001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;《佛說入胎經》&lt;/a&gt; which described how the embryo developed inside the womb, also in a 7 days cycle. And for female body, 7 years is a major cycle too, in general, eg, 7x2=14 a girl reached puberty, 7x7=49 a woman had menopause. And 3 is another number for a cycle. It is not easy to determine when exactly a person has left the body been in the Bardo stage. The doctor said heartbeat ceased means deceased, or breathe stopped, but some culture waited until the body is cold, the TTBoD said when the yellow fluid oozed from the body, etc. Thus 52 maybe is a safer indication since normal people do not have the ability to reach and communicate with the one already deceased to confirm when the cycle of leaving the body complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) To &quot;reach&quot; a departed loved one after the Bardo: In Mahayana practice, many Buddhist Monasteries have a place to lit light (candle) for the departed, with his/her name on it. This could be for 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, or 49 days. The other way is to chant the mantra or sutra, and tranferred the merit to the departed. These are more ritualistic. Or to give away/ donate in the name of the departed, or his/her possessions, will add merit. However, in the buddhist teaching, everything is interconnected a thought with feeling is sort of energy, your thinking (blessing) directed to your grandmother will have effect on her, no matter whatever/ wherever she is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddhist view is that we have many deaths and rebirths in eons of kalpas therefore everyone could once be our father and mother, daughter and son, we should have compassion to all, and let go once a kinship ended. It is respectable you cared much about your grandma, however, after you have done all you know and can, that's the best of all.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T12:27:00.073" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18169" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18171" CreationDate="2016-11-10T13:36:24.247" Score="3" ViewCount="135" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can I purify my mind so that I can gain confidence and believe that I can study and practice efficiently? The major hindrance for that, what I believe, is that my subconscious mind is strongly saying that I am incapable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8159" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T02:54:09.673" Title="Purifying my mind" Tags="|personal-practice|right-action|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18169" CreationDate="2016-11-10T14:38:22.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is just simple. The hierarchy is sila(at least five precepts for lay man),Samadhi(concentration),and insight knowledge. To achieve this in order, the very first thing is one's strong believe in Dhamma and the meditation master who can teach you in every detail. Just like inertia, if one not yet start , it is difficult to do so. But one of the encouraging fact is the will to do so if one has, it the very beginning. Throughout Sansara, all these defilement clinging to one mind but insight meditation if properly done no matter one has all the misdeeds except the great five ones. So as a very step go to a retreat you rely on where you can find a god master, and start this hierarchy relentlessly at least for 2 weeks. If you have the basic after that you can proceed at home whenever you find time. As mentioned earlier, just to start. If concentration moment accumulate from second to minute to hour , you will find the progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T14:38:22.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-10T14:51:33.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is so many hindrance to focus in  meditation. To overcome this, one must be truly modest first. To take refugee in three Gems and also to the meditation master. To ask for pardon for all the misdeed physically, verbally or mentally either knowingly or unknowingly. Also to forgive everybody for their misdeed to you. All the preparation made with strong belief, it is easier to get concentration. After that with the most comfortable, posture, start noting mindfully &quot;breathing in, know it, breathing out , know it&quot; focusing at the tip of the nose and no where else. Still difficult to focus, just remember Arahan or any qualities of Buddha which you prefer and after that resume meditation. It will surely help you.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T14:51:33.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18169" CreationDate="2016-11-10T15:02:31.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Doubt&lt;/a&gt;. The best way to overcome this is wise &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;attention&lt;/a&gt;, i.e., see through vipallasa by means of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; as mentioned in the other answer. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/0A2-BM2-introduction.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 5 Mental Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T15:16:33.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-10T18:22:01.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha talked about focusing on body (breath is part of the body) more often, than also he talked about 3 other foundations (Satipatthana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;you may focus your attention on any of the 4 foundation of mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body (breathing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling (feeling of equanimity from meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness (the awareness itself)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and dhammas (such rise and fall/unreliable/subject to destruction of each of the above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-11-10T18:22:01.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-11T01:14:21.157" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To focus, you remember to keep the mind on the meditation object (breathing) &amp;amp;, when the mind strays, just bring it back to the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind strays, it is not &quot;you&quot; that is intentionally straying but &lt;em&gt;the mind&lt;/em&gt; itself therefore it is not logical to judge &quot;yourself&quot; since &lt;em&gt;the mind&lt;/em&gt; is the problem rather than &quot;yourself&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind is straying a lot and you are judging yourself a lot, you may have to train the mind new ways of acknowledging the straying, such as mentally noting: &quot;&lt;em&gt;The mind is straying&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;the mind has craving&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;the mind has anger&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;the mind is restless&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; etc or simply: &quot;&lt;em&gt;straying&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;anger&lt;/em&gt;&quot;; &quot;&lt;em&gt;restlessness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, instead of judging &quot;yourself&quot; &amp;amp; attributing blame upon &quot;yourself&quot; unnecessarily &amp;amp; unwarrantedly, the mind is judged or the states of mind are judged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are preliminary meditation techniques for beginners such as the popular &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/mental-noting/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahasi Sayadaw method&lt;/a&gt; that use this  kind of mental noting. You may check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/m_part1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these methods&lt;/a&gt; or, otherwise, read about how the Buddha dealt with his straying mind in the sutta on &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Two Kinds of Thinking&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-11T01:20:03.413" LastActivityDate="2016-11-11T01:20:03.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-11T03:09:14.403" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest obstacles that beginners often run into is &lt;em&gt;trying&lt;/em&gt; to focus.  This strategy is very artificial and is often extremely counter productive.  Seng Ts'an, the third patriarch of Zen states this plainly when he says &quot;when you try to stop activity to achieve passivity, your very effort fills you with activity&quot;.  Don't do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's look at your mental ecology for a minute.  First, you are exerting effort and trying to achieve mental focus.  I don't know about you, but whenever I &lt;em&gt;try&lt;/em&gt; to do anything, my body clenches, my breath gets shorter, and my mind resembles something like television static.  That's no way to enter samadhi.  To add to your problems, the amount of self-judging going on is just going to make matters worse.  Frankly, if you find yourself getting into that kind of try-critique-frustration loop, my best advice to you is to get up off the cushion, go for a walk, or make yourself a cup of tea.  Either of those are going to benefit you far more than staying on the cushion and beating yourself up.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to relax, my friend.  Meditation isn't like lifting weights or running track.  Crushing down on your meditation object is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing.  One-pointedness is something that arises all of its own.  It's not something that you create through effort.  All you can do is set the table.  Samadhi will show up to eat if he likes what you laid out for him.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could give you some hokey metaphor - something about how the dishes on the table are moral discipline, the mashed potatos your karmic roots, or something equally dreadful.  I'm not because I think you've got enough swimming around in your head already.  Instead, my advice to you is to do nothing.  I'm serious.  Sit on the cushion or even a chair.  Plop down on a bed.  It doesn't matter.  Just spend thirty minutes there being completely still and doing absolutely nothing.  Don't count your breath.  Don't watch your thoughts.  Don't do anything!  Just hang out and don't move a muscle.  Easy peasy, right?  I'll bet you still struggle with it, but so long as you are doing nothing, you are doing it right.  If you find this boring, great.  In fact, I hope you do.  Boredom is what it feels like when your small mind is struggling to stay afloat in the ocean of Big Mind.  You want to drown that bastard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should be a regular form of self care.  We all spend way too much time doing.  Instead, make a point of don'ting.  Go for a hike.  Practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhan_zhuang&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;zhan zhaung&lt;/a&gt; (which is sort of what I'm recommending above).  Whatever.  It doesn't matter.  Just stop trying so damn hard.  Once you've don'ted consistently for a while, you should begin to have a better idea of what it is to passively &lt;em&gt;watch&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; with the breath versus attacking the poor thing.  And remember, the Buddha's path is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end.  It should never be a source of self loathing.  Just relax.                    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2016-11-11T03:52:09.943" LastActivityDate="2016-11-11T03:52:09.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18177" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18183" CreationDate="2016-11-11T04:21:16.007" Score="5" ViewCount="2627" Body="&lt;p&gt;As we all have heard the Buddha spent 7 weeks after his enlightenment in different places and engaging in different activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the Mahavagga Pali (the first half) in Vinaya Pitakaya states that the Buddha only spent 4 weeks after enlightenment. And after that week only the Sahampati Brhama invited him to teach Dhamma to the world. (In the 7 weeks tradition this happened in the 7th week)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st Week  - Under the Bodhi tree&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd Week  - Under the Ajhapal Nuga(Goatherds’Banyan tree) tree&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3rd Week  - Under the Midhella tree (The Mucalinda story) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4th Week  - Under the Kiripalu tree (The Tapssu Balluka story)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Sutra Pitakaya I found the following sutras as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These sutras talks about the first week.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud1.1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud1.1&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud1.2&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud1.2&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud1.3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud1.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutra talks about the second week.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud1.4&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud1.4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutra talks about the third week&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud2.1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud2.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4th week is anyways stated in the Mahavagga Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in the Pujawaliya written by Ven. Mayurapada Parivenadhipathi Buddhaputhra suggests that the Buddha spent 7 weeks after the enlightnment in different places and engaging in different activities. &lt;a href=&quot;http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/05/14/jun07.asp&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sath Sathiya - 7 Weeks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Vinaya Pitakaya is the one that is to be accepted (Vinaya and Dhamma are the Teachers after me - Buddha) then did the Pujawaliya writer exaggerate the 4 weeks into 7 weeks? Even in that book i didn't find any references to the Tripitakaya (Pali Canon) as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2022-11-20T02:17:50.647" Title="After Enlightenment - 7 Weeks (Sath Sathiya)" Tags="|pali-canon|enlightenment|buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-11T14:52:24.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;the best object for beginner to concentrate on is breathing, the reason is because you have it, you dont have to visualisation&#xA;when you meditate, keep focusing on your breath, dont control it, just let it breath by itself, when your mind start to wander around(not focus) then take a deep breath and start it all over again&#xA;good luck, you can do it!!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10325" LastActivityDate="2016-11-11T14:52:24.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18126" CreationDate="2016-11-11T16:50:49.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original sangha had no rules. The rules arose in response to specific situations. The number of such rules is given as 150 in the suttas, but there are 227 rules for male monastics in the Theravadin Vinaya. The Buddha was dissatisfied with the state of the sangha toward the end of his life. He refused to appoint a leader of the sangha after his death. He also stated that the lesser and minor rules could be abolished after his death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to many modern monastics, who boast concerning the number of rules they follow, Mahakassapa said that the number of rules is inversely proportional to the state of spirituality in the sangha. If you analyze the pratimoksha, you will see that there are really only about ten fundamental rules (see my &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://palisuttas.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/synopsis-of-the-vinaya/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Synopsis of Vinaya&lt;/a&gt;&quot;). These are not that different from the precepts of the vow of the bodhisattva. Elsewhere the Buddha makes it clear that following rules is a relatively minor thing, contrary to the aforesaid monastics. This provides context for the Buddha's injunction, which was not honoured by his immediate successors. The rules of the Vinaya became a major point of controversy that led to the first schism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-29T22:07:12.390" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T22:07:12.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-11T16:58:26.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only &quot;things&quot; that persist from rebirth to rebirth IMHO are the potential effects of unfruited karmas, which together constitute the continuity of the mind stream. These are non-manifest potentials, not &quot;things&quot; (hence the quotation marks). Thus, there is no &quot;thing,&quot; no &lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt; that continues from rebirth to rebirth. Since there is no effect without a cause, and no cause without an effect, every intentional thought, word, and deed that has not yet resulted in an effect at death results in rebirth and consequent experience. This continues until (a) non-intention results in the cessation of new karmas, and (b) all prior karmas have been exhausted, either by fruition or extermination through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-11-24T15:39:44.443" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T15:39:44.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2016-11-11T17:19:20.363" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali texts are quite misogynistic and clearly state that a female can never become a Buddha due to the fact that she experiences several karmic disadvantages compared to males, especially menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth, but also including inferior social status (see Peter Harvey, &lt;em&gt;Introduction to Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; p. 285). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, females are the &quot;door&quot; through which rebirth occurs, and are thus identified with samsara. Since the bodhisattva in his final birth must be the &quot;best of men,&quot; free of all ordinary afflictions, though not yet a Buddha, a bodhisattva will never be reborn as a female in his final rebirth. The 32 marks of a great man clearly include exclusively male attributes. There is no denying that this is the orthodox or traditional attitude of those who accept the Pali Canon as their basis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether this was the actual teaching of the Buddha is less clear, since the Buddha stated that females could attain nirvana and clearly ordained nuns. He also implied that the sangha must include nuns to be complete, and explicitly affirmed women's rights as the fifth principle of a good and strong society. One can criticize this view logically on the grounds that men also suffer various gender-related afflictions, such as excessive lust, aggression, violence, etc. More than five hundred female arhants are mentioned in the Pali Canon (ibid). The Chinese Tientai school and Tibetan Buddhism both recognize female Buddhas (op. cit., p. 186). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dalai Lama has clearly stated that a female could become a Dalai Lama, but of course the Dalai Lama is a bodhisattva, not a Buddha, and is not experiencing his final birth (otherwise there would be no lineage of Dalai Lamas). Ajahn Brahm has criticized this doctrine publicly, for which offence he was expelled from his lineage in Thailand. Female ordination is still prohibited in Thailand so far as I know. I have presented a talk on this topic entitled &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://palisuttas.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/the-status-of-women-in-ancient-india-and-the-pali-tradition/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Status of Women in Ancient India and the Pali Tradition&lt;/a&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T21:56:32.370" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T21:56:32.370" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18097" CreationDate="2016-11-11T18:57:18.483" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of the Theravada perspective:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is passed from life to life in the process of rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on what one means by &quot;passed&quot;, the stock answer is &lt;em&gt;there is nothing passed from one life to another&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something passes from one life to another (be it memories, consciousness, karma, etc), than that something should be regarded as one's Self. However, the Buddha's admonished (sometimes, strongly, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;) when someone say his teachings promulgate that some substance can be observed to go through rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha also said we are heirs of our karma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“ Bhikkhus, beings are the owners of their kamma, the heirs of their kamma; they have kamma as their origin, kamma as their relative, kamma as their resort; whatever kamma they do, good or bad, they are its heirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.216&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.216&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difficulty with grasping this subject intellectually is the doctrine of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;/no-self and buddhist doctrine of karma. Thus, the puzzle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if there's no substance that persists, how could we say that something passes from life to life?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;But, if there's no such substance, why the Buddha rejected the idea that physical death is simply the end and talked about &quot;beings appearing at X after death&quot;? And what does it mean to &quot;inherit&quot; karma?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, if we say that karma is what is passed from life to life, then we are turning karma into a substance that persists: saying this is roughly the same as making karma the Self, the Soul. Thus, many avoid saying something of the sorts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider Bhikkhu Bodhi's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha058.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;words&lt;/a&gt; about the word &quot;rebirth&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddhist term for rebirth in Pali is &quot;punabbhava&quot; which means &quot;again existence&quot;. Buddhism sees rebirth not as the transmigration of a conscious entity but as the repeated occurrence of the process of existence. There is a continuity, a transmission of influence, a causal connection between one life and another. But there is no soul, no permanent entity which transmigrates from one life to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, an answer here is that there's no substance that is passed from life to life, instead there is a causal connection, a process of influence. If the fetters have not being put to an end, after death there's continuity of experiencing &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, continuity of experiencing samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-11-11T19:04:26.487" LastActivityDate="2016-11-11T19:04:26.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18177" CreationDate="2016-11-11T20:13:32.327" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a possibility that Buddha stayed in Uruvela forest more than four(4) weeks. It was mentioned in &lt;strong&gt;Mahavagga Pali, section 6, end of paragraph 10&lt;/strong&gt; but it did not specify exactly 3 weeks more or places of additional weeks. The last line of that paragraph &lt;a href=&quot;http://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft_djvu.txt&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bAhYL.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bAhYL.png&quot; alt=&quot;][1]&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;did mention Buddha stayed more than four(4) weeks probably made the best timing for five foremost monks for first discourse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If found about this more details in any sutta, I'll update here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-11-13T06:41:25.110" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T06:41:25.110" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18169" CreationDate="2016-11-12T14:43:47.633" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;meditate, if you meditate correctly, you can gain relax mind that will help you to see the problem that you have right now and think of the solution, but focus on meditating not the problem when you meditate, for beginner the best object for beginner to concentrate on is breathing, the reason is because you have it, you dont have to visualisation when you meditate, keep focusing on your breath, dont control it, just let it breath by itself, when your mind start to wander around(not focus) then take a deep breath and start it all over again.&#xA;but if your real problem is your mindset that think negative about yourself, i offer you to read book:&#xA;1. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J.Schwartz&#xA;2. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10325" LastActivityDate="2016-11-12T14:43:47.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-13T09:28:15.493" Score="6" ViewCount="2921" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found &quot;The Blessed One&quot; in English translation of Suttas. Because in Buddhism blessing is not legit/proper word to use to anyone, especially Buddha need not to be blessed, is it loosely translated or in purpose? I didn't see any part of Sutta that one can be blessed or a meaning that blessing can be done so far. What should be proper translation of &quot;The Blessed One&quot; in Sutta if it is bad translation?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T11:11:52.080" Title="&quot;The Blessed One&quot;, is it bad translation?" Tags="|theravada|sutras|buddha|translation|english|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18186" CreationDate="2016-11-13T11:19:28.043" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word is '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavan#Etymology_and_meaning&quot;&gt;bhagava&lt;/a&gt;', from '&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=pali&amp;amp;query=bhagava&amp;amp;matchtype=exact&amp;amp;display=utf8&quot;&gt;bhaga&lt;/a&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may prefer 'Fortunate One' if you believe 'blessings' can only be given by a person or a god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T11:19:28.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18186" CreationDate="2016-11-13T11:29:01.667" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;A couple of dictionary translations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#bhagava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavā&lt;/a&gt;: venerable, fortunate, blessed, sublime. Generally designates the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3436.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavant&lt;/a&gt; (adj. n.) [cp. Vedic bhagavant, fr. bhaga] fortunate, illustrious, sublime, as Ep. and title &quot;Lord.&quot; Thus applied to the Buddha (amhākaŋ Bh.) and his predecessors. Occurs with extreme frequency; of fanciful exegetic explns of the term &amp;amp; its meaning we mention e. g. those at Nd1 142=Nd2 466; Vism 210 sq.; DA i.33 sq. Usual trs. Blessed One, Exalted One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, perhaps as an etymology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3433.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhaga&lt;/a&gt; [Vedic bhaga, bhaj, see bhagavant etc.] luck, lot, fortune, only in cpd. dub˚ (adj.) unhappy, unpleasant, uncomfortable It 90; DA i.96 (˚karaṇa). -- bhaga (in verse &quot;bhagehi ca vibhattavā&quot; in exegesis of word &quot;Bhagava&quot;) at DA i.34 read bhava, as read at id. p. Vism 210.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blessed&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;definitions of &quot;blessed&quot; from an American dictionary&lt;/a&gt; (perhaps Protestant culture):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simple Definition of blessed&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  : having a sacred nature : connected with God&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  : very welcome, pleasant, or appreciated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Full Definition of blessed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;a :  held in reverence :  venerated &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  b :  honored in worship :  hallowed &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  c :  beatific   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;:  of or enjoying happiness; specifically :  enjoying the bliss of heaven —used as a title for a beatified person  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;:  bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you might see that many of these definitions are suitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're right that it's probably not blessed in a Catholic sense, i.e. sanctified via the agency of a priest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-13T15:49:30.037" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T15:49:30.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18189" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18190" CreationDate="2016-11-13T12:19:53.507" Score="3" ViewCount="905" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any known case, where someone was sexually attracted to Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7235" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T16:58:26.983" Title="How did Buddha deal with people that were sexually attracted to him?" Tags="|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18189" CreationDate="2016-11-13T12:32:45.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recall there is a story (which is probably not from the Pali suttas but from a commentary) where a woman was in love with the Buddha so the Buddha used psychic power to make his appearance age before the woman, similar to the commentary story below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Janapadakalyāṇī became a nun because her eldest brother (the Buddha) had renounced his kingdom to become a monk, his son Rāhula had become&#xA;a monk, her own husband, Nanda, had become a monk, and her mother, had&#xA;all gone forth. Due to her great beauty, she became known as Rūpanandā&#xA;Therī. Hearing that the Buddha deprecated beauty, she avoided visiting&#xA;him. However, hearing the lavish praise of the Buddha by the nuns and&#xA;women devotees, she wished to see and hear the Buddha, so one day went&#xA;with the other nuns, sitting behind them. The Buddha used his psychic&#xA;powers to create a vision of a beautiful young woman fanning him.&#xA;Rūpanandā was captivated by her beauty. The Buddha then caused the&#xA;young woman to age gradually, slowly taking on the form of an old&#xA;woman, then one dying in agony. Finally he made her body became a&#xA;bloated corpse, pecked at by crows. Becoming thoroughly disgusted,&#xA;Rūpanandā reflected that her own body was the same. Then the Buddha&#xA;uttered the above verse and Rūpanandā gained Arahantship.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/11-jara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.aimwell.org/11-jara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T12:32:45.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17349" CreationDate="2016-11-13T16:39:33.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For certain individuals they may be alert more in the morning and others during the night. Even for the same individual this may change from period to period. So it is vise to divide the session into two parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also more defilements gather when there are longer gaps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So 1 hour in the morning and one in the evening / night is the minimum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:49:23.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16011" CreationDate="2016-11-13T16:45:15.703" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;40 meditation&lt;/a&gt; subjects &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;loving kindness meditation&lt;/a&gt; has the benefit of sleeping easy. Hence this is the best meditation to help with sleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams.&lt;/strong&gt; One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and – if penetrating no higher – is headed for [reborn in] the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T16:45:15.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18189" CreationDate="2016-11-13T16:48:58.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a monk named Vakkali who was attracted to buddha's physical appearance. He became a monk only to be able to stay closer to buddha and gaze at his beauty. Buddha warned him firmly by saying the following,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vakkali, what is there in looking upon this filthy body? Vakkali, he who sees the Dharma sees&#xA;  me&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and sent him away from his presence. Vakkali was depressed by this and wanted to commit suicide, however at the moment of committing suicide buddha was able to help him get enlightened. &#xA;&lt;em&gt;Source:&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.8-Vakkali-S-s22.87-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.8-Vakkali-S-s22.87-piya1.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T16:58:26.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18194" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18200" CreationDate="2016-11-13T17:17:18.267" Score="5" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure what to focus on when practicing everyday mindfulness. For example, when washing dishes due we focus on what we notice in our current experience; like as I wipe the dishes I can focus on the feel of my hands on the plate or the view or sound of the wiping.&#xA;Or do I decide to pick one thing(sense) and focus on that purpose for a few seconds?&#xA;Or do I try to focus on everything in the now which seems like information overload?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5144" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T18:49:12.017" Title="What should I be mindful of in everyday mindfulness?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18165" CreationDate="2016-11-13T17:55:47.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If it is difficult to focus, please check&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Did you take (at least) eight(8) precepts before meditation? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have to please yourself that your day is good and you didn't break any of eight precepts so that any immediate judging yourself will not occur. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are you doing meditation in quiet place where no sound distraction, no view distraction (the best practice is closing your eyes during meditation but any movement of people passing by, etc)? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dedication to meditation (you have strong determination to commit meditation no matter what dangers and hinderances you need to overcome). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the people with difficult to focus, it is good to start watching breathing-in and breathing-out. Most important fact is you need to breath normally and naturally. If you try to breath faster, you will get tired very soon. If you try to breath slower, you will get distracted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very first beginner can start counting breath, breath in and breath out count as one, another pair two and so on. Counting should not less than 5 and not more than 10 so that any mathematical distraction is not involved during meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next stage is just watching on breathing in and breathing out without counting. There might be some distractions happen in your mind and lose attention on breath-in and out. Then you need to know there is distraction. As soon as you know there is distraction the train of thoughts(or some other form of distraction) will cease. Then you need to put your attention back to breath-in and out again. You need to do this till you are master to putting your attention back as fast as you start distracted. Soon you can get full attention on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is very fast to tend to distraction even if you can do full attention to your breath-in and out. Then you need to do next level of Anapana. Get your attention to beginning of breath-in, middle (the air passing in your nose) of breath-in, end of breath-in; the beginning of breath-out, middle (the air passing out your nose) of breath-out, end of breath-out. If you can master this level of attention on Anapana, you can probably be free from focus problem in meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the next levels of meditation, you need to approach a good teacher who can closely guide you. People with different hobbies, perspectives, intentions and goals needs to be taken care of by individually. You definitely need to go meditation centers and need to do proper retreat. There you can nurture/practice your mindfulness, concentration, and whatever you are looking for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T17:55:47.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-13T18:34:00.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For everyday mindfulness, you need to focus on your movement (physical) and your thoughts, the ability to know (mental). For the example you mentioned, you need to focus on washing dishes in every details states (as much details as you can). &#xA;Below is some details you can watch and know yourself you are doing (not limited to this level of details, if you can do concentration on much more details). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Taking dish &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;opening tap on basin&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;putting dish under water (...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rubbing dish under running water&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;close water tap&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;moving wet dish to dish washing liquid dispenser&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;get some dish washing liquid on dish&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;get sponge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rubbing sponge on dish (...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;open water tap&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rinsing dish under running water&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;putting dish on the shelf&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For normal lay people, it is very difficult to accomplish every day routines to be focused and known details of movements, thoughts. Because people do business and job; just focusing on mindfulness cannot help in professional activities. Sometimes it can even lead to problems/conflicts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you really want to do mindfulness and meditation, you need to do proper retreat. Buddha said many times the life of normal people (with profession and/or family) is like narrow/confining, like road with dusty air. By staying as life of normal people, it is difficult to practice all the Buddha teachings (complete mindfulness here). So if you want complete/full mindfulness, you need to approach meditation center, do retreat and get guidance from there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T18:34:00.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-13T21:03:41.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' does not mean to meticulously '&lt;em&gt;observe&lt;/em&gt;' things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' means to '&lt;em&gt;bring to mind&lt;/em&gt;' or to '&lt;em&gt;remember to practise&lt;/em&gt;' the Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When washing dishes, mindfulness does not mean to observe &amp;amp; feel the water, dishes, etc, but, instead, mindfulness means to wash the dishes with a mind free from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the practise of Buddhist mindfulness in everyday life is to do things with a mind free from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Right Mindfulness is do things with Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action &amp;amp; Right Livelihood, as explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right action: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-13T21:03:41.530" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-14T03:24:50.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some coaching I have received before is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do whatever you are doing as if it is your one and only chance for &lt;em&gt;self-expression&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;freedom&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;peace of mind&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or as J Krishnamurti said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[awareness] is like living with a snake in the room; you watch its every movement, you are very, very sensitive to the slightest sound it makes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2016-11-16T18:49:12.017" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T18:49:12.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18199" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18203" CreationDate="2016-11-14T04:27:34.460" Score="8" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question applies mainly to Theravada Buddhism, which is the prevailing branch of Buddhism in my country (Sri Lanka).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've observed, many times, how many temples and monks are amassing wealth and influence. Some monks travel in luxury vehicles. Some buy expensive phones. These are just a few examples that comes to mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is practices like this aligned with Buddhism, i.e. how is it justified or explained by Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note that I emphasize &quot;some&quot;, and not all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="299" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-14T19:57:49.793" LastActivityDate="2019-09-15T20:58:51.277" Title="How do Buddhists justify or explain that monks and/or temples amass and use wealth?" Tags="|theravada|ethics|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-14T13:34:05.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a good question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always the mindfulness should be in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 foundations of mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;. One objective of mindfulness is to remove defilements or letting go. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; gives an outline in brief. Another is to keep you on the path as outlined in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.10-Maha-Cattarisaka-S-m117-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Cattarīsaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensation&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; this is the link to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and also with sensation, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;, arises &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt;. If you miss this link you miss the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the when taking the 1st foundation of mindfulness, the body, feel the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;elements&lt;/a&gt; like the temperature of the water, the texture of the plate, etc. and you reaction. The water is too hot, my hand is burning or water is too cold, etc., i.e., evaluation you give as this is desirable, undesirable or neutral and satisfaction, dissatisfaction and neutral feeling that follows. The look at the posture and position. The pain and resulting dissatisfaction from standing a long time near the sink, pleasure from changing postures when the previous posture becomes uncomfortable, the pain for wariness from hard work (movement - scrubbing), and the pleasure of rest, etc. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.1-Dighanakha-S-m74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha,nakha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The examin feelings in general. Are you evaluating something as favorably, unfavorably, or neutrally and the resulting feelings of pleasure, displeasure and neutral feelings. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.1-Dighanakha-S-m74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha,nakha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also mental analysis of the situation. Plates are dirty hence displeasure. I have better things to do then displeasure. Or whatever else that might arise either pleasure, displeasure or neutral by your evaluation of liking, disliking or do not care. For more detail refer the 18 investigation in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also note the feeling arising from whether you like it, hate it, what kind of thoughts are aroused (my friends are at a party while I am washing dishes) etc. and thinking pondering and planning that follows and what you feel about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see if you are transgressing any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;moral principles&lt;/a&gt;. There is an ant in the sink, I should not kill it and perhaps save it. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.10-Maha-Cattarisaka-S-m117-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Cattarīsaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately whatever feeling that arises you should be aware of its arising and passing nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.1-Satipatthana-S-d22-m10-intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Satipaṭṭhāna Suttas: An introduction&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.3-Khandha-2-Vedana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā (Feeling)&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general situation, regarding the body, when you see a body you perceive as beautiful hence pleasurable and so on. Again in these situation you should be mindful of the perceptional evaluation beauty / smart, ugly, plain and the feelings that arise with it. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] You can also go to the extent of cemetery contemplations if you are very lustful to overcome Vipallasa. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; more detail on the mechanics than the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when wanting to answer a call of nature the feeling of tightness and the displeasure before and the subtle pleasure of release. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can be mindful of the breathing. Is it deep or shallow. If you are displeased what happens and what happens when you are pleased and what is it like when you are neutral. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;aggregates&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;faculties&lt;/a&gt; and their experiences, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;phenomena&lt;/a&gt;, etc. all having the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. Expecting something &lt;em&gt;positive&lt;/em&gt; as &lt;em&gt;permanent&lt;/em&gt; gives &lt;em&gt;disatisfaction&lt;/em&gt; when it happens to be &lt;em&gt;impermanent&lt;/em&gt; and likewise for other combination. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.7-Anicca-Cakkhu-S-s25.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Anicca) Cakkhu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbida&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan which has more ferences of relevant Suttas towards the end of the essay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, when washing dishes do we focus on what we notice in our current experience; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your current experience is what you sense or feel. So concentrate on what is felt like in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. This is one of the simplest forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;like as I wipe the dishes I can focus on the feel of my hands on the plate or the view or sound of the wiping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus on both. Sounds may trigger other things. You may be irritated by the sound. Also it may trigger memories. Whatever sense door body (hand) or ear just be mindful of the &lt;em&gt;evaluation&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;sensation&lt;/em&gt;. (18 evaluations above.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or do I decide to pick one thing(sense) and focus on that purpose for a few seconds? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In normal work no need to pick. Just keep a check that your awareness is present on some sensation or the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms, your focus should be on the arising and passing of sensations like in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or do I try to focus on everything in the now which seems like information overload?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your focus should be on what is felt (feelings / sensation) and their &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impermanence&lt;/a&gt; as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T06:06:26.797" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-14T14:08:49.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have enough concentration in sitting meditation, you will find easier in everyday chore how to be mindful. Actually, just start with gross act like the most distinct fact cold or hot or touching the plate or something like that. If your concentration deepen, every acts you come to know, that is your notice on what you are doing become more detailed without much effort. Then just &quot;know it, know it&quot; is enough. Please refer to Mahasi Sayadaw basic meditation practice. But it takes time to focus in every day acts at first. If you keep on doing so, you will surely get enlightened, it is so simple Buddha gave us, for lay disciples to practice meditation while cooking, washing etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-14T14:08:49.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2135" CreationDate="2016-11-14T15:57:01.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One interpretation of &lt;code&gt;Parimukam&lt;/code&gt; with appear in nearly all &lt;code&gt;Anapana&lt;/code&gt; related Suttas is around the mouth. According to this interpretation the best place is  the triangular area from top of the nose to the mouth, depending you level you can narrow this down to the tip of the nose to the base of the upper lip, upper lip itself or just the centre of the upper lip depending on your sensitivity towards feeling the breath. For more explanation and references see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9198/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-11-14T15:57:01.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18199" CreationDate="2016-11-14T17:20:18.880" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One should feel pity for those ignorant monks for they're sowing some very bad seeds for their future's well-being:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are these five themes that should often be reflected upon by a woman or a man, by a householder or one gone forth. What five? (1) A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I am subject to old age; I am not exempt from old age.’ (2) A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I am subject to illness; I am not exempt from illness.’ (3) A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I am subject to death; I am not exempt from death.’ (4) A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to me.’ (5)&lt;strong&gt; A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I am the owner of my kamma, the heir of my kamma; I have kamma as my origin, kamma as my relative, kamma as my resort; I will be the heir of whatever kamma, good or bad, that I do&lt;/strong&gt;.’ ~~ &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.57&lt;/a&gt; ~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-14T17:20:18.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18186" CreationDate="2016-11-15T02:13:46.350" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yeah; in the original text of The Bible (when Jesus is giving The Beatitudes, saying &quot;Blessed are the 'this' &amp;amp; Blessed are the 'that&quot;), the word they translated &quot;Blessed&quot; actually means something more like 'deliriously, abundantly joyfully-happy.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10341" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T02:13:46.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18194" CreationDate="2016-11-15T02:36:44.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cause &amp;amp; Effect, breathing ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10341" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T02:36:44.243" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18169" CreationDate="2016-11-15T02:54:09.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I forget what the Nichiren practice is called ... Gosho? Daimoku? where you memorize the Korean Sanskrit of an entire surya (either the Expedient Means one or the Life-Span of the Thus Come One one or something) and recite it (usually in unison with the rest of the Nichiren Buddhist congregation) ... &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/650WAvcZokA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/650WAvcZokA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10341" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T02:54:09.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18208" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-15T05:25:05.987" Score="3" ViewCount="198" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently got to know that the Ata Pirikara that is to be given to Maithree Bodhisatva at the time of the renunciation by the Maha Brahma has already been created and ready. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there anything related to this sort of dharma in the tripitaka? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2024-03-16T18:38:18.737" Title="Maithri Bodhisatvas Ata pirikara" Tags="|brahma|maitreya-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18209" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18213" CreationDate="2016-11-15T12:21:49.530" Score="4" ViewCount="297" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not have the finances to go to a dedicated meditation retreat but do not see why I cannot recreate the environment at home. I am unemployed but financially dependent and already live a pretty austere lifestyle so just by cutting out some elements may be able to create a strong meditative environment. Not sure how many days would be a good idea for a beginner. I spend almost 90% of my day at my computer. Here is a typical day:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7:00 - Wake up&lt;br&gt;&#xA;8:00 - Have breakfast with family&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |--- Spend time at computer&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1:00 - Lunch with family&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |--- Spend time at computer maybe sleeping for 1 hour inbetween&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;6:30 - Exercise at gym&lt;br&gt;&#xA;7:00 - Shower&lt;br&gt;&#xA;7:30 - Formal meditation&lt;br&gt;&#xA;8:00 - Dinner with family&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |--- Spend time at computer&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  |&lt;br&gt;&#xA;11:00- Go to bed&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of my time at the computer is spent browsing internet, reading, listening to popular music or watching movies. Besides my family I have no social contacts since I live in a city where I don't currently speak the language. My mobile phone rings about 2-3 times a month and most of those are wrong numbers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking I could spend a few days where I stop internet, music and movies.&#xA;Also only use computer for 3 hours each day. 1 hour each in morning, afternoon and evening. Spend that time on computer reading spiritual documents only. When I am not on computer I can alternate between formal meditation(sitting) and walking meditation. Not sure if I should stop exercise(I only do jogging on treadmill). I can also only have vegetarian meals and reduce portion size.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any suggestions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5144" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T22:29:48.943" Title="Any tips on creating a stay at home retreat?" Tags="|retreat|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18209" CreationDate="2016-11-15T12:52:15.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is what you can do in every day life, not only at retreat. All your schedule you can do as you like it. The more time spent for sitting meditation, the better you can concentrate as a beginner. I recommend for sitting meditation Anapanasati (breathing in , know it, breathing out, know it)just concentrate on tip of the nose. It is so simple that one may think it is the beginning. In fact, it is Anapanasati(breathing in , know it, breathing out, know it) is the beginning, middle and the goal to enlightenment. The simplest one given by Buddha to be practised by the lay disciples.Each sitting meditation session should be 1 hour. If you cannot focus that long at first, maybe 15 minutes each. All your leisure time if occupied more with Anapanasati, your progress will be amazing. If you wish to read literature on meditation , those written by Mahasi Sayadaw are my choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T12:52:15.833" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18209" CreationDate="2016-11-15T12:53:01.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is possible through it is ideal to go to a retreat. You can try &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt; with does couses on donation basis. Also there might be suitable teachers in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are doing this on your own and do it wrong it can lead to complications so you have to put is some pre preparations. You should 1st read and build some knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found an excellent post hence I just quote it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Body Scan Meditation&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use this body scan meditation to strengthen body mindfulness by sweeping your awareness through your body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Begin at the top of your head and as you breathe, allow your inhalations to focus your attention in this region. Simply be aware of any sensations or vibrations that you experience here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then allow your mindful attention to travel slowly down through your body, breath by breath, and part by part. When your awareness reaches your toes, then gently return your attention to the top of your head and once again let your awareness sweep down through your body, lighting each part up with awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Welcome whatever comes to your attention. If what you encounter is pleasurable or painful, let those feelings flow into and through your awareness of the present, ever-changing moment. Let your mindfulness flow through your body like a warm wave or gentle breeze passing through an icefield, or like a pure light shining through a dark crystal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the warm light of your awareness sweeps through your body, allow the blocks of tension to melt, soften, and release. Like a magnet passing over a pile of jumbled iron filings, with each pass through your body, feel subtler dimensions of your body beginning to align and flow more smoothly and harmoniously. Pay particular attention to how these subtle sensations change, how everything inside you is moving, vibrating, changing moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With practice of this body scan meditation, you will refine your sensitivity to be able to sense, feel, and actually alter the patterns of subtle sensation and energy through the power of your awareness. As you sweep your tender awareness through your body, allow it to flow particularly through regions of discomfort or disease. Gently direct the mind to sweep back and forth, up and down, moving like a laser beam or a floodlight, sweeping from different directions, front to back, top to bottom, diagonally or in spirals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intuitively feel how you can best move your attention into a region of internal space and try different approaches until no obstruction or resistance remains. Though at first the body may seem riddled with discomfort or some regions may be impossible to sense or feel at all, gradually these parts of yourself will come alive with sensations and feelings of a more harmonious resonance. As your mindfulness of your body deepens through practice of body scan meditation, it will reveal a treasury of profound insights to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.self-guided.com/body-scan-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.self-guided.com/body-scan-meditation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do breath meditation. Following material might be of help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/mini_anapana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mini Anapana Meditation - An Introductory Session&lt;/a&gt; by Mr. S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do some loving kindness meditation. For this perhaps have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/meditation-instructions.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/meditation-instructions.html&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key here is what ever experience do not get attached or averse to it. Quietly look at the sensations they create. My previous answer to: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18194/&quot;&gt;What should I be mindful of in everyday mindfulness?&lt;/a&gt; might also help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you might also want to look for Guided Meditation instructions online. Even choosing any online guided meditation instruction see if it adheres to the following principles: Any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensation&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; this is the link to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and also with sensation, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;, arises &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; which fuels the vicious cycle which keeps you in misery. If this is missing, you will miss the path and benefits of meditation. Also make sure any instruction in these online retreats are not contrary or tangential to the right view as mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T09:56:58.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18209" CreationDate="2016-11-15T16:39:35.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You seem to have enough time, why not become financially independent by taking up a job &amp;amp; earning some money? (To put it straight: don't use meditation as an excuse to be lazy and not engaged with everyday stuff.) Then go to a meditation center. Having a teacher who guides you is essential for efficient practice, not matter how much reading you have done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, you can do home retreats (with a teacher on phone), but make sure you establish yourself in some well-defined practice first, otherwise your mind will start playing games like switching techniques when you get outside of your comfort zone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-11-15T16:39:35.300" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18209" CreationDate="2016-11-16T05:26:30.370" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;First purify your conduct by keeping to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.00 AM: Waking up&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.00 to 5.15 AM: Personal Grooming Mindfully&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.15 to 5.30 AM: Take refuge in the Triple Gem and take the 8 precepts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.30 to 6.00 AM: Sitting Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.00 to 6.30 AM: Walking Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.30 to 7.00 AM: Sitting Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.00 to 7.30 AM: Walking Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.30 to 8.00 AM: Sitting Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8.00 to 8.30 AM: Have breakfast mindfully. Do not get involved in worldly chatter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8.30 to 9.00 AM: Walking Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.00 AM to 1.00 PM: Sitting &amp;amp; Walking meditation(30 minute sessions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.00 PM to 1.30 PM: Have lunch mindfully. Do not get involved in worldly chatter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.30 PM to 2.00 PM: Walking Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.00 PM to 3.00 PM: Sitting &amp;amp; Walking Meditation(30 minute sessions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.00 PM to 4.00 PM: Lying meditation until you fall asleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.00 PM to 6.30 PM: Sitting &amp;amp; Walking Meditation(30 minute sessions)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.30 PM to 7.00 PM: Exercise Mindfully&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.00 PM to 7.30 PM: Shower Mindfully&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.30 PM to 8.00 PM: Sitting Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8.00 PM to 8.30 PM: Have dinner mindfully. Do not get involved in worldly chatter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8.30 PM to 9.00 PM: Walking meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.00 PM to 9.30 PM: Sitting Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.30 PM to 9.45 PM: Walking Meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.45 PM to 10.00 PM: Personal Grooming Mindfully&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;10.00 PM: Lying meditation until you fall asleep&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a guide book on how to do sitting and walking meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-11-16T08:29:25.963" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T08:29:25.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18214" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18216" CreationDate="2016-11-16T10:55:21.783" Score="2" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read an introductory book written by Hsing Yun, about humanistic budhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I meditate every day, and now I feel like taking the next step in my journey. I don't know people who practice budhism, and I have many doubts... There is a temple near my city, but I feel a little intimidate by the number of tourists that shows up there, and the only practices that I know of, are paid meditation courses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I start practicing with more people? And who do I look for when I have doubts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10346" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T14:25:14.047" Title="Advices on start practicing" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18214" CreationDate="2016-11-16T12:24:19.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Read the 2 booklets &quot;How to Meditate&quot; part 1 &amp;amp; part 2 found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Then signup for a free online meditation course at &lt;a href=&quot;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/schedule&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/schedule&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;This course is conducted by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;venerable Yuttadhammo&lt;/a&gt; who instructs both novice and advanced meditators&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T12:24:19.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18214" CreationDate="2016-11-16T12:38:33.940" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Courses conducted by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are done solely on donation basis without commercial interest. It is best to take such a course as there will be lesser distraction including people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are multiple centres worldwide and has the best out reach. Also you can watch some &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana+meditation+testimonial&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;testimonials&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20meditation%20experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;experiences&lt;/a&gt; to build some confidence in the technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you can try to find a teacher and course through:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also online material on meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in doing so be careful. Even choosing any online guided meditation instruction see if it adheres to the following principles: Any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensation&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; this is the link to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and also with sensation, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;, arises &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; which fuels the vicious cycle which keeps you in misery. If this is missing, you will miss the path and benefits of meditation. Also make sure any instruction in these online retreats are not contrary or tangential to the right view as mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition you can try building you knowledge further. Some resources website:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research-Index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research-Index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Online-Books-and-Pamphlets&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Online-Books-and-Pamphlets&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammasukha.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/Library.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/Library.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also another beginner to intermediate book that might be of help to further your knowledge might be: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T14:25:14.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18214" CreationDate="2016-11-16T13:15:31.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend Lede Sayardaw practice taught by Sayargyi U Ba Khin and also Mahasi Sayardaw Books for detail reading. But basic technique should be focused on only one. &quot;Breathe in, know it, breathe out, know it&quot; focusing on tip of the nose. It is the simplest one and easiest way to follow. One may think it is the beginning of the practice, but in fact it is the beginning, middle and the final goal to enlightenment. Mahasi Sayardaw technique on noting arising and falling abdomen is if not practiced and have experience first is kind of difficult to follow but once used to it, is also very simple and also lead to the goal. But just take only one otherwise confusing to get progress although it is the very first step. But Mahasi sayardaw books are so convincing and detailed that they are just exactly like  meditation master guiding closely to you. &#xA;Once you get the basic, no need for the retreat. Just continue to practice. The most important thing is one's strong belief in Dhamma and in the meditation master. And one must do practice insight meditation for fear of consequence of Sansara. Only after that one will get enlightened in seven days to seven years as Buddha said. Otherwise just to accumulate merit for the afterlife still it is worth doing.  But to get enlightened in this very life must be the target.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T13:15:31.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2016-11-16T14:19:01.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, this seems to make the practice very cognitive&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because noting there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitarka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt; (also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.4-Vitakkavicara-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka,vicāra&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan) creating access concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... teacher has once told me to note as fast as possible to not let anything else enter the mind ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... when I correctly remember that one needs to do that this fast to enter vipassana-jhanas or something like this ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing this very fast build some level of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concentration&lt;/a&gt;. This does have some benefits, but again this also creates verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt; which you should avoid. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18090/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what do you think? Are there simply two ways of handling noting?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since nothing creates verbal fabrications ideally you should avoid this. Also any visualisation of metal or cognitive activity. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18058/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic principle of mediation should be on arising and passing of sensations (either as pleasant, unpleasant). For more information see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18200/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. Also mentioned the basic principles in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18216/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18211/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(one being to note very fast and the other one at a moderate speed)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you still choose to do this. It should be fast enough to stop other thoughts arising. This depends on the situation and metal state. More distractions and more restless you mind is do it faster and less distractions and more composed you are do it slower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T14:51:16.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2016-11-16T19:56:11.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depend on the individual's concentration. One should focus on either tip of the nose noting &quot;breathe in, know it, breathe out, know it&quot;, not too fast, not too slow, just like normal breathing one get used to do. If mind is wandering about just a little faster, but just to note &quot;wandering, wandering&quot;, then focus on tip of nose breathing. Mind used to get astray, just note &quot;know it&quot; without any wishing to grasp it. It is Anatta. Yogi wish is to grasp it, but mind used to get wander and just know it once it get wander. Then focus on breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T19:56:11.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18220" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-16T23:09:03.313" Score="4" ViewCount="264" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chapter 16 of The Dhammapada seems to say that we should let nothing and no-one be dear. From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.floweringofgoodness.org/dhammapada-16.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Practicing what one shouldn't, Not practicing what one should, Having&#xA;  abandoned the goal, Clinging to what is dear, One comes to envy those&#xA;  who practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Don't get entangled With what you long for or dislike. Not seeing what&#xA;  you long for is suffering; So also is seeing what you dislike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, do not turn anything Into something longed for, For then&#xA;  it's dreadful to lose. Without longing or dislike, No bonds exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this conflict with the idea of having friends and family? Or is it simply stating that we should avoid being overattached to any one person, experience, or thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10348" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T00:55:09.650" Title="Managing Dearness" Tags="|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18220" CreationDate="2016-11-16T23:45:15.633" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the common notion that the Dhammapada is the 'Buddhist Bible' or the 'Buddha's little-coffee-table-friendly-book-of-wisdom', to me, the Dhammapada is an extremely serious almost '&lt;em&gt;militant&lt;/em&gt;' book of teachings for monks/renunciates (rather than for householders). For example, the Piyavagga being referred to states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;218. One who is intent upon the Ineffable (Nibbana), dwells with mind inspired (by supramundane wisdom), and is no more bound by sense&#xA;  pleasures — such a man is called &quot;One Bound Upstream.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Piyavagga certainly conflicts with the idea of having family &amp;amp; worldly friends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person is predisposed to having family &amp;amp; friends, there are more suitable &amp;amp; highly excellent Buddhist teachings from the Pali scriptures on these subjects, which are summarized at this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very important to know the Buddha gave two types of teachings: (i) supramundane (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;) teachings for liberation from the world; and (ii) mundane (&lt;em&gt;lokiya&lt;/em&gt;) teachings for living in the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-16T23:59:32.713" LastActivityDate="2016-11-16T23:59:32.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18220" CreationDate="2016-11-17T00:26:57.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why be attatched at all? If one is attatched that means one won't let go or  can't let go without suffering. If we don't want to suffer then we could practice the Buddha's teaching to be able to let go of what or who we hold dear without suffering when it is appropriate to let go. If we don't cling to family and friends that doesn't mean we don't love them or we don't like them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-11-17T00:47:04.590" LastActivityDate="2016-11-17T00:47:04.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18220" CreationDate="2016-11-17T02:49:53.187" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is simply saying that you should not cling to people as clinging causes suffering. What you practice towards friends and family are Kindness(Metta), Compassion(Karuna), Sympathetic Joy(Mudita), Equanimity(Upekkha). They are called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=4_Brahma_Viharas&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 divine abidings&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving and clinging are not required to have a friendship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-11-17T02:49:53.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18220" CreationDate="2016-11-17T03:15:59.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does this conflict with the idea of having friends and family? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any worldling will have some form of attachment or aversions or neutrality towards people, experiences and things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A friend is someone you consider or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perceive&lt;/a&gt; positively among others. When you think of someone you consider a friend you get pleasant feeling and likewise unpleasant, and neutral for foes and random strangers. In our mind's eye we classify people into buckets: me, dear ones / my friend / my relative / etc., neutral people, foes. [page 85, section &quot;HOW YOU BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing - 4th Edition&lt;/a&gt; by Ven Pa-Auk Sayadaw]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as this mental classification is present suffering arises. So you have to break this perceptual classification. The tools to do that are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara meditation&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or is it simply stating that we should avoid being overly attached to any one person, experience, or thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should try to reduce:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perceiving / reactively classifying an experience as favorable (friend)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;perceiving / reactively classifying an experience as unfavorable (foe / someone you dislike)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And not being attached to sensation (pleasant, unpleasant) that arise with it. Getting attached to this gives rise to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clinging&lt;/a&gt;. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is does not mean you should not care about others but care for all as your would care for your self without clining to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also looking at it in the larger context would make it easier to understand:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Practicing what one shouldn't,&#xA;Not practicing what one should,&#xA;Having abandoned the goal,&#xA;Clinging to what is dear,&#xA;One comes to envy those who practice.&#xA;&#xA;Don't get entangled&#xA;With what you long for or dislike.&#xA;Not seeing what you long for is suffering;&#xA;So also is seeing what you dislike.&#xA;&#xA;Therefore, do not turn anything&#xA;Into something longed for,&#xA;For then it's dreadful to lose.&#xA;Without longing or dislike,&#xA;No bonds exist.&#xA;&#xA;Longing gives rise to grief;&#xA;Longing gives rise to fear.&#xA;For someone released from longing&#xA;There is neither grief nor fear.&#xA;&#xA;Affection gives rise to grief;&#xA;Affection gives rise to fear.&#xA;For someone released from affection&#xA;There is no grief;&#xA;And from where would come fear?&#xA;&#xA;Infatuation gives rise to grief;&#xA;Infatuation gives rise to fear.&#xA;For someone released from infatuation&#xA;There is no grief;&#xA;And from where would come fear?&#xA;&#xA;Sensual craving gives rise to grief;&#xA;Sensual craving gives rise to fear.&#xA;For someone released from sensual craving&#xA;There is no grief;&#xA;And from where would come fear?&#xA;&#xA;Craving gives rise to grief;&#xA;Craving gives rise to fear.&#xA;For someone released from craving&#xA;There is no grief;&#xA;And from where would come fear?&#xA;&#xA;People hold dear those&#xA;Who have done their own work,&#xA;Complete in virtue and vision,&#xA;Established in the Dhamma,&#xA;And who speak the truth.&#xA;&#xA;Anyone who aspires to the Indescribable,&#xA;Whose mind is expansive,&#xA;And whose heart is not bound to sensual craving&#xA;Is called &quot;one bound upstream.&quot;&#xA;&#xA;Relatives, friends, and companions&#xA;Rejoice&#xA;When a long-absent person&#xA;Returns from afar.&#xA;Just so, in passing from this world to the next,&#xA;The merit we have made&#xA;Receives us,&#xA;As a family does the return of a beloved relative.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T00:55:09.650" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T00:55:09.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10947" CreationDate="2016-11-17T04:15:40.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From page 39 of Daniel Ingram's &quot;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The practice is this: make a quiet, mental one-word note of whatever&#xA;  you experience in each moment. Try to stay with the sensations of&#xA;  breathing, noting these quickly as “rising” (as many times as the&#xA;  sensations of the breath rising are experienced) and then “falling” in&#xA;  the same way. This could also be considered fundamental insight&#xA;  practice instructions. When the mind wanders, notes might include&#xA;  “thinking,” “feeling,” “pressure,” “tension,” “wandering,”&#xA;  “anticipating,” “seeing,” “hearing,” “cold,” “hot,” “pain,”&#xA;  “pleasure,” etc. Note these sensations one by one as they occur and&#xA;  then return to the sensations of breathing. &lt;strong&gt;Here are some valuable&#xA;  tips for successful noting. Don’t get too neurotic about whether or&#xA;  not you have exactly the correct word for what arises. The noting&#xA;  should be as consistent and continuous as possible, perhaps one to&#xA;  five times per second.&lt;/strong&gt; Speed and an ability to keep noting no matter&#xA;  what arises are very important. Anything that derails your noting&#xA;  practice deserves aggressive and fearless noting the next time it&#xA;  arises. Note honestly and precisely. So long as you note whatever&#xA;  arises, you know that you were mindful of it. Noticing each sensation&#xA;  and those that follow, you will see their true nature. Seeing their&#xA;  true nature, you will gain profound insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judging from the language of your question, I thought you were referring to this book. If you have not already, read the whole thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-11-17T04:15:40.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18227" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17999" CreationDate="2016-11-18T01:36:30.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is the process of methodology to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yath%C4%81-bh%C5%ABta-%C3%B1%C4%81na-dassana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;see things as they are&lt;/a&gt;. Seeing this as they are (yathā,bhuta.ñana.dassana) leads to revulsion (nibbidā) --&gt; dispassion (virāga) --&gt;  liberation (vimutti) --&gt;  knowledge of the destruction of the influxes (āsava-k,khaya,ñāna). [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.12-Upanisa-S-s12.23-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So by means of Vipassana you get yathā,bhuta.ñana.dassana though which you can get liberation transitively. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions this, though it skips some intermidiate steps &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbida&lt;/a&gt; fomular implies that you have to pass through yathā,bhuta.ñana.dassana. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18118/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbida&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T01:46:22.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18228" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18236" CreationDate="2016-11-18T06:26:38.003" Score="4" ViewCount="805" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta the Buddha said &quot;desire is source of all suffering&quot;. So we cannot avoid suffering in life. It is a part of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, he also said there was a path to the cessation of this suffering, which was following the eightfold path. The main point of this seemed to be ending that desire. Or clinging to that desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But does this teaching work for real life? It is true that desire leads to suffering but desire ALSO leads to pleasure. As long as we are experiencing that pleasure in the moment without expecting more, is there anything wrong with desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the Buddha, many monks live very detached lives of routine. They don't have jobs or families so essentially they dont form bonds with other people. Essentially they try to minimize desire in life and posssibly only have desire for the distant goal of nirvana. If another monk becomes sick or dies, there may be little suffering but it is accepted. If we want the human race to survive, everybody cannot live like the monks. They have to form lasting bonds which I admit is a form of clinging. At the very least don't mothers have to nurture their children at least for a while?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an example of a real world situation. How would it be approached using Buddhist methods?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A child comes home from school and the mother sees he has bruises. He says a bully has beaten him up. The mother notifies the school and they notify the parents of the bully. But it turns out the bully is acting the way he does since he comes from a dysfunctional family and his parents have no wish to correct his behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5144" LastEditorUserId="5144" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T11:20:45.483" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T19:51:55.523" Title="buddhism in real life" Tags="|suffering|reality|desire|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T07:25:38.470" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha said &quot;&lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;) is source of all suffering&quot;. So, tanha (craving) can be avoided. It does not have to be part of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said there was a path to the cessation of this suffering, which was following the eightfold path. The 2nd factor of the eightfold is path is 'right desire' or '&lt;strong&gt;right intention&lt;/strong&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Buddha taught about &lt;strong&gt;two types of desire&lt;/strong&gt;: (i) unwholesome desire, which is called 'craving' ('&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;'); &amp;amp; (ii) wholesome desire, which is called 'right intention'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the teaching works for real life. In all the things we need to do in life that bring us real happiness, we engage right desire to pursue that wholesome happiness rather than craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire actually does not lead to pleasure. Pleasure arises from sensations of the nervous system. Pleasure creates desire rather than desire created pleasure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if we desire pleasure from meditation, it is not the desire that brings happiness. What brings happiness is the calming of the breathing, body &amp;amp; mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although unwholesome desire can lead to actions that give rise to pleasure, it is very difficult to experience that unwholesome desire in the moment without expecting more. This is why people get addicted to things, such as getting addicted to drugs. A person thinks: &quot;I will just try this drug once&quot; but eventually they get addicted. This occurs because unwholesome pleasures generate or condition unwholesome desires into the mind that pop up again in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like the Buddha, many monks live very detached lives of routine. They don't have jobs or families so essentially they don't form bond s with other people. Essentially they try to minimize desire in life and posssibly only have desire for the distant goal of nirvana. If another monk becomes sick or dies, there may be little suffering but it is accepted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if we want the human race to survive, everybody cannot live like the monks. They have to form lasting bonds which is a form of clinging. This is why Buddhism does not teach all people should or must become monks. Buddhism teaches the life of a monk is for the few rather than for the many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also why the Buddha gave many excellent &amp;amp; wise teachings to help people live a family life as happy as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an example of a real world situation. This is how it would be approached using Buddhist methods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A child comes home from school and the mother sees he has bruises. He says a bully has beaten him up. The mother notifies the school and they notify the  parents of the bully. But it turns out the bully is acting the way he does since he comes from a dysfunctional family and his parents have no wish to correct his behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist action here is twofold: (i) forgive the bully due to his dysfunctional circumstances; and (ii) act with right intention to ensure the bully does not harm other children. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the bully was an adult, he can be put into prison to protect society. However, even if the bully is a murderer, Buddhists cannot apply the death penalty to the murderer. They can only restrain the murderer (in prison). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T07:31:29.500" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T07:31:29.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T10:28:13.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta the Buddha said &quot;desire is source of all suffering&quot;. So we cannot avoid suffering in life. It is a part of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can limit the pain. Due to different &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/The-Five-Niyamas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niyamas&lt;/a&gt; you get experiences of pleasure, displeasure and neutral sensations. 1st when you experience this as and experience through the 5 faculties followed by mental experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you exercise equanimity the mental main is cut off. No mental reaction means you this experience is not proliferating into future experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All experiences are essentially unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is true that desire leads to suffering but desire ALSO leads to pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire can be devoid of attachment. See @Dhammadhatu 's answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you reach Nirvana it is pressure as it is is not dependent on impermanent feelings which is the source of unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be detached is to be equanimous. Still being equanimous and liberate you can care for other. The foremost example is the Buddha himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming to your example at the end, correcting some one does not mean in action or being reactive. It is to be proactive. If the mother looses her temper and acts this is reactive. If she maintains her composure and acts it is proactive. The latter is the Buddhist way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T10:28:13.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3797" CreationDate="2016-11-18T11:09:56.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check this book:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.lk/books?printsec=frontcover&amp;amp;id=LLkyNT5md7cC&amp;amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=japan&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Life of Nyanatiloka Thera: The Biography of a Western Buddhist Pioneer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He was in Japan in the 1920s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were apparently two Theravadan Monks at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T11:20:18.293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T11:20:18.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T13:12:04.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is true that desire leads to suffering but desire ALSO leads to pleasure.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be careful not to mix pleasure &amp;amp; desire. The first one is a feeling, the second one is a reaction (liking, wanting to keep/experience again). It is true to some extend that sensual desire itself can feel pleasant, even though it is/leads to suffering. There are a lot of very distinct similes in the Suttas regarding sensual pleasures, where sensual desire is compared to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html#hungrydog&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;gnawing on a chain of bones&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html#torch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;running against the wind with a torch in your hands&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html#borrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;borrowing goods that do not belong to you&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with the following explanation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, householder, a disciple of the noble ones considers this point: 'The Blessed One has compared sensuality to a pit of glowing embers, of much stress, much despair, &amp;amp; greater drawbacks.' Seeing this with right discernment, as it actually is, then avoiding the equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity, he develops the equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness, where sustenance/clinging for the baits of the world ceases without trace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding your question with the example, a Buddhist would probably respond that there are two layers of reality: relative and ultimate. In relative reality you would try to prevent your kid from getting bullied. In ultimate reality, where there are no beings, but only experience, you would understand that the only thing that can make you suffer is your own desire and nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T13:12:04.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2016-11-18T15:35:56.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is clear from the suttas that the Buddha advocated total pacifism for monastics, much as Yeshua did. The relevant passage has already been quoted by a previous respondent. However, this precept is not necessarily applicable to householders. I cannot imagine that the Buddha actually advocated allowing bandits to overrun society, which is what would happen if the First Precept were taken literally and applied universally by householders. The Chinese Shaolin monastics developed the discipline of martial arts in the context of persistent attacks on monastics and the monasteries to use the energy of the attacker to repel them without injuring or killing them. In the context of the First Precept, not to harm or kill others, intention is the essential thing in Buddhism as noted above. An important point is that one's body is a colony of living, sentient beings - i.e., about 37 trillion human cells and an equal number of microbiota (see Wikipedia, Human microbiota). Buddhism does not distinguish between quality of life and demands that all life be respected. Therefore, to actively allow an attacker to injure one's body also violates the First Precept. This is the reason for the prohibition of suicide. It follows from the foregoing that one not only has a right to defend oneself, it is one's duty to do so based on the First Precept. Where the question becomes tricky is what to do if repelling an attacker is not sufficient and one faces actual death or injury if one does not respond in kind. Does one have the right to kill or injure the body of another living being if it is certain that that living being would otherwise kill or injure one's own body? Can one kill or injure another living being without having the will or intention to kill or injure them? I'd love to see a primary canonical text that addresses this specific point, but have not seen such as yet. With respect to a sub-question of the question being asked, it would definitely not be ok to kill or even injure an intruder into one's home based on the foregoing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later today I happened to come across the following in Peter Harvey, &lt;em&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;: &quot;Asanga's &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattva-bhumi&lt;/em&gt; ... says that an (advanced) Bodhisattva may kill a person about to kill many people - so that he saves them and the assailant avoids the evil karma of killing - provided that this is done out of genuine compassion, and with a willingness to suffer the karmic consequences of killing; however, if this is sincere, such consequences will be lighter than normal. He may also lie to save others, and steal the booty of thieves and unjust rulers, so that they are hindered in their evil ways. ... The first precept ... is the resolution not to intentionally kill any human, animals, bird, fish or insect: the word for 'living being' (Pali &lt;em&gt;pana&lt;/em&gt;; Skt &lt;em&gt;prana&lt;/em&gt;) in the precept literally means a 'breather.' ... Most lay Buddhists have been prepared to break the first precept in self-defence, though... &quot; (pp. 271f).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-11-19T04:54:22.713" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T04:54:22.713" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T16:30:53.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is a perception that the middle way is very narrow. You discover the Dhamma, place your faith in it, and aim for the cessation of suffering - ignoring everything else. In my opinion, this is only one side of the road - a necessary one, because without right effort progress along the path is not possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhism aims to attain this state of Arahantship. Mahayana Buddhism aims for the Bodhisattva ideal however, where the individual practices the path for the well being of all life on earth. This is no different from the Arahant ideal, but the framing can be seen as different. Like two sides of the road - one side concentrating on the internal, the other concentrating on the external.. it would also make sense that the Noble Eightfold Path is not some 'extreme middle ground', as the Buddha asked his followers to cast off all extremes. And either utterly detaching yourself from the world for your own aim (at the expense of the world), or utterly attaching yourself to the world for its benefit (at the expense of your own progress) are both extremes!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for craving, there is no need for it within normal relationships. A Buddhist practitioner of any denomination would strive to practice the four immeasurables: loving kindness, boundless compassion, altruistic joy and equanimity (found within the Metta Sutta). A lasting bond does not require the craving for that bond to continue for ever (evidently impossible anyways!), the above four virtues are enough. It is also hard to argue how any individual who practices the above could be seen as 'detached' in any way that would be perceived as negative. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity, Upekkha, is not indifference incidentally.. best to quote Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“The real meaning of upekkha is equanimity, not indifference in the&#xA;  sense of unconcern for others. As a spiritual virtue, upekkha means&#xA;  stability in the face of the fluctuations of worldly fortune. It is&#xA;  evenness of mind, unshakeable freedom of mind, a state of inner&#xA;  equipoise that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honor and dishonor,&#xA;  praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all&#xA;  points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the demands of&#xA;  the ego-self with its craving for pleasure and position, not to the&#xA;  well-being of one's fellow human beings. True equanimity is the&#xA;  pinnacle of the four social attitudes that the Buddhist texts call the&#xA;  'divine abodes': boundless loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic&#xA;  joy, and equanimity. The last does not override and negate the&#xA;  preceding three, but perfects and consummates them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the bully example, the Dhammapada starts off with: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me” -&#xA;  those who dwell on such thoughts will never be free from hatred.&#xA;  “He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me” -&#xA;  those who do not dwell on such&#xA;  thoughts will surely become free from hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the bullied child, this is the simplest advice (as well as the advice to practice the four virtues towards the bully).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the bully, the Buddha gave a discourse to his son, Rahula, in Majjhima Nikaya 61 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whenever you want to do a bodily action, you should reflect on it:&#xA;  'This bodily action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction,&#xA;  to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful&#xA;  bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on&#xA;  reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful bodily&#xA;  action with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily&#xA;  action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be&#xA;  a skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then any bodily action of that sort is fit for you to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;While you are doing a bodily action, you should reflect on it: 'This&#xA;  bodily action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the&#xA;  affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily action,&#xA;  with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you&#xA;  know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of&#xA;  others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you&#xA;  know that it is not... you may continue with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Having done a bodily action, you should reflect on it: 'This bodily&#xA;  action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction&#xA;  of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with&#xA;  painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know&#xA;  that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to&#xA;  both; it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences,&#xA;  painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to&#xA;  the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having&#xA;  confessed it... you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on&#xA;  reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a&#xA;  skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results,&#xA;  then you should stay mentally refreshed &amp;amp; joyful, training day &amp;amp; night&#xA;  in skillful mental qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bully's actions will end up having negative consequences (karma) for himself through his own wrong actions. Having compassion for him, the parent of the bullied kid should try and explain this to him and his parents, but if they do not listen then it is for them to learn for themselves. Buddhism denies the ideology of violence, whether physical or mental, therefore no method beyond 'think, speak and act by example' is embraced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is interesting to point out that the Buddha as depicted within the Tripitaka was not detached in the way you perceive of Buddhist monks. He formed a life long relationship to those within his Sangha, even if not defined within the framework of having any desire for such a relationship. In fact, because he lead a homeless life dependent on the food of householders, he was engaged with the world as a whole. I have yet to read of him rejecting an offer to teach the Dhamma to anyone within the Sutta Pitaka, including those that threatened his life. In my opinion, he tread the whole middle way, engendering both the detached Arahant ideal, as well as the Bodhisattva ideal of being (not wishing, since he was the Buddha after all!) for the benefit of all beings. The two ideals don't exclude but rather reinforce each other - it is much easier to be filled with loving kindness for all when there is no desire for one's own self to interfere in the equation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T16:36:08.720" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T16:36:08.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T18:25:00.340" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first part of the question is about desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire is relative and not universal. It is not based on truth. It can even worse, it can lead anyone to magical illusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this world of materialism, material is power but not everywhere. You will definitely see the very sophisticated material or the very expensive material is practically useless in some corner of world. This fact indicate the desire of owning this material is very relative meaning. One you admired is vain for other or other place. This the very beginning fact is about futility of desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, materials are always improving. If you earn one today, tomorrow better one come out and you will be jealous about other people who own it if you cannot make up your mind properly. And materialism world is endless abyss, bottomless abyss. There is no such case you will get extinguished your desire, the is no such thing/material with ultimate/optimal stage to be possessed. So cultivating, letting grow and hardworking to fulfill your desire is endless cycle of dog chasing it own tail; it will never stop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is part of the life? It definitely not part of the life. It is what you want to believe. You want to own a material that is so sophisticated and it will going to change your life (like you are being deceived by advertisement). You made it yours by bloody and hardworking ways. After some time later it turn out not making pleasure/happiness you expected. This is the most case currently we are having, only the different of time taken to realize the truth, some people never realize, but the vain is obvious to them even if they do not want to believe. So this the third state of illusional about desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the desire is not about material, but for mental state/condition, it is more illusional. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We all do judge wrong about material, desire, happiness, pleasure. But Buddha did indicate that we are mislead by desire. Desire does not send us a better place, peace; instead it makes suffering, endless struggle, illusional happiness (in this case, you are traveling in desert and you see illusion of water, you may be happy to see illusional water but you will never get a drop to drink). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha guided us to live a better life; to have goal/achievement oriented life. So in Buddha's teachings, you can find the way/path to ultimate/final goal free from continuous struggles and sufferings. Many Suttas are guidance to you, path to you. You are the one to walk along the path to ultimate extinguishing of desire, no one can send you. So there is a way/path, it is up to you to follow it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second part of question is caring, nurturing child. Because you have to raise the child, for the people who stay in the house it is their duties/responsibilities to make your child well grown up, healthy and morally disciplined. There are many ethical guides both in Buddha's teachings and outside of Buddha's teachings. And also regional ethical aspect should be respected as well. There is no conflict between self liberation free from desire and nurturing your child. You should know the time when one is needed to practice and one is needed to complete. It is something like you make your own good and you make other people good. A good balancing is required. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T18:25:00.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18228" CreationDate="2016-11-18T19:44:03.257" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not desire that leads to pleasure, it is (&quot;good&quot;) action that does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire in and of itself is blind, it just wants, craves. Desire does not always translate into good action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, 1) There could be passive frustrating hopeless desire. 2) There could be blind desire that makes you act in self-destructing ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So desire for pleasure could very well lead to suffering. Either (1) suffering of frustrating hopeless desire, or (2) suffering of a bad side-effects of careless action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What leads to pleasure is &quot;good&quot; action. Good action is action that not only creates short-term pleasure, but creates indirect/latent causes for more pleasure and peace and harmony in the long-run! Good action is strategic!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's wrong with desire for pleasure? Desire for pleasure is not strategic. Desire for pleasure tends to be either short-sighted or careless in terms of side-effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, you could ask, how can there be action without desire? Very simple! It is action informed by education, or right understanding, or shame, or honor, or fear etc. Not all action comes from desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, you should understand that in Buddhism &lt;em&gt;pleasure&lt;/em&gt; is seen as inherently short-term and prone to side-effects, so per Buddhism the better goal is &quot;peace&quot; or &quot;harmony&quot;. Therefore in Buddhism we say that right action, the one that comes from right understanding, leads to peace and harmony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2016-11-18T19:51:55.523" LastActivityDate="2016-11-18T19:51:55.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18237" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-19T00:41:42.177" Score="0" ViewCount="170" Body="&lt;p&gt;there is some text that speaks something related about, what would happen with a soul in a eventually case of succesfull cryogenic resucitation? i know this is a very new theme, but, if reincarnation is possible, what happens when that last body reach a reanimation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5357" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T08:31:48.547" Title="in Budhism, what would happen with a soul in a eventually case of succesfull cryogenic reanimation?" Tags="|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18237" CreationDate="2016-11-19T02:38:45.470" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not possible. Once you die the stream of consciousness arises in another body. This is another person. You cannot bring back this stream of consciousness to the same / previous body.`&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the consciousness has left the body regardless of it being frozen or not the body is dead. The body cannot be made alive again. In believe in the process of freezing the body would at some point die as heat is needed to sustain life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in Buddhism there is concept of no soul. So what question like what happens to the soul is irrelevant. I believe once procedure is done you are simply dead and just a lump of matter devoid of any life faculty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are stories of dead getting reanimated, but this is due to other entities repossessing the body and not that the person has become alive again. This appears in the Vinaya, exact location I forget, but there is a rule not to take clothes from a fresh dead body for robes until some lapse of time, if I remember right. See note on Vetala-panka-vimsati &lt;a href=&quot;https://arhatbuddhism.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/buddha-brahmagala-sutta/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BRAHMA-GALA SUTTA&lt;/a&gt; and p252, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs20/Imperial_Gazetteer_of_India-Vol.02-1909-to-s.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA: THE INDIAN EMPIRE VOL II HISTORICAL&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of these possessions the body does not live again as the entity which walks in does have a own subtle body but is controlling the &lt;strong&gt;dead&lt;/strong&gt; body. For this to happen is very rare as you have to be a very powerful entity to do something like this. There are some less powerful entities which can do an illusion of being actually moving. That is why when you are meditating on a corpse it is advised to concentrate also on position of the corpse relative to objects around the corpse before starting so you can reassess that this is not the case such illusion comes to your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following question might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18241/where-in-the-pali-canon-are-there-discussions-on-reanimated-corpse&quot;&gt;Where in the Pali Canon are there Discussions on Reanimated Corpse?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T08:31:48.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18237" CreationDate="2016-11-19T06:49:51.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone was somehow reanimated then I suppose it would be like there was never a death. The resurrected person would be born in the human realm yet again then again and again in every  moment because a being is always changing in every moment, moment by moment. The last moment person is dead and the new present moment person is reborn. The whole frozen death thing would have been just another moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T06:49:51.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18240" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-19T08:36:13.303" Score="3" ViewCount="1303" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been doing a lot of scripture reading on consciousness (vijnana, mana, citta, etc) in the pali canon and Mahayana doctrines. Buddha never seemed to accept materialism, or that mind was material, in much of the scripture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as someone who also observes the empirical sciences, I am a bit confused. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is true we are all evolved beings from microscopic organisms over millions of years via cell growth and evolution, would this not verify, then, that consciousness is truly material in origin? That our thinking minds evolved and gradually arose, over the years, from some material and previously mindless thing like a single celled organism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, my concern is this: if science is right that consciousness is just chemicals and nerves in the human brain, would a large part of Buddhism be disproved? If consciousness is really just a material reaction, would rebirth be impossible then since the mind would exist as brain functioning and cannot transmigrate? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, I seemed to have run into a block in my practice. I just have fundamental doubts about everything now. Is there a way we can prove the mind is immaterial or experiences the birth/death cycle...and is not just the evolved brain? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you to all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7115" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T16:17:50.523" Title="Is consciousness immaterial?" Tags="|rebirth|consciousness|mind|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18241" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-19T09:41:01.103" Score="2" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard about are couple of places in the Vinaya which discusses situations involving reanimated corpses. I want to find the exact locations and reference. Also are there any other in the Tipitaka and / or Commentaries this appear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition,  p252, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs20/Imperial_Gazetteer_of_India-Vol.02-1909-to-s.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA THE INDIAN EMPIRE VOL II HISTORICAL&lt;/a&gt; mentions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A collection of pretty and ingenious fairy-tales is the Vetala pancha vimsati,&#xA;  or ' Twenty-five Tales of the Goblin,' stories&#xA;  supposed to be told to king Vikrama of Ujjayini by a demon&#xA;  inhabiting a corpse. They are known to English readers from&#xA;  Sir Richard Burton's Vikram and the Vampire. Another&#xA;  collection of fairy-tales is the Simhasana-dvatrimsika, or ' Thirty two&#xA;  Stories of the Lion-seat,' supposed to be told to king&#xA;  Vikrama by his throne. &lt;strong&gt;Both these works are of Buddhistic&#xA;  origin.&lt;/strong&gt; To the same class belongs the Suka-saptati, or&#xA;  ' Seventy Stories of a Parrot,' represented as narrated to a wife&#xA;  whose husband is away on his travels. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In which Buddhist text does this appear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Particularly is there references to such in the Vinaya and commentaries or sub commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-11-21T03:52:51.387" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T03:52:51.387" Title="Where in the Pali Canon are there Discussions on Reanimated Corpse?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|tipitaka|literature|commentary|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18240" CreationDate="2016-11-19T09:43:02.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha never seemed to accept materialism, or that mind was material, in much of the scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A being has a material structure and mental structure (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Namarupa&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it is true we are all evolved beings from microscopic organisms over millions of years via cell growth and evolution, would this not verify, then, that consciousness is truly material in origin? That our thinking minds evolved and gradually arose, over the years, from some material and previously mindless thing like a single celled organism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are fine material and immaterial planes where thinking is not linked to a material organ like the brain. Thinking is linked heart in the Abhidhamma. In immaterial spheres since there is no materiality thinking cannot be material base.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for organism in this world, Buddhism does not seems to contradict Darwinism but Buddhism evolution is much more, where the evolution began from celestial beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Their body was still coarse and roughly shaped. Thus, after a very long time, the mud-like substance began to be exhausted. Then, mushroom-like plants began to grow so fast that they replaced the mud-like ocean. The creatures began to devour them as well, and they also found it delicious, like sweet honey and milk. Their body hardened more and details began to turn finer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;After another very long time, the mushrooms also began to be exhausted, replaced by cassava or turnip-like plants. They also began to devour them night and day, and thus they began to notice differences amongst them. As the changes of their bodies varied between each other, the concept of difference arose. The concepts of the beautiful and the ugly were born. The beautiful scorns the ugly and they became arrogant because of their appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Then, after the turnips, the earth was grown with rice plants. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basically, my concern is this: if science is right that consciousness is just chemicals and nerves in the human brain, would a large part of Buddhism be disproved? If consciousness is really just a material reaction, would rebirth be impossible then since the mind would exist as brain functioning and cannot transmigrate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is both a physical and non physical part. Science cannot proble not non physical aspects hence. So any scientific proof and disproof is not considering all the facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basically, I seemed to have run into a block in my practice. I just have fundamental doubts about everything now. Is there a way we can prove the mind is immaterial or experiences the birth/death cycle...and is not just the evolved brain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This you have to mediate. If you develop any higher knowledges then it is possible, but only a few are capable of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T09:43:02.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18186" CreationDate="2016-11-19T09:48:05.450" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well the term is translated as The World Honored One in Chinese &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T09:48:05.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18240" CreationDate="2016-11-19T10:30:20.943" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Words such as 'material' &amp;amp; 'immaterial' are just translations. It is probably best to not impute our own ideas onto these translations, particularly the idea that 'materiality' &amp;amp; 'immateriality' are independent of eachother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, meditators can enter into the 'immaterial jhanas' where the physical body cannot be felt anymore. However, the mind of the meditator is still dependent upon its physical body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the word 'material' or 'rupa', this is pointing to the nature of physical things, such as the physical body. For example, about 'rupa', the Pali scriptures have certain descriptions of 'rupa' that do not pertain to 'consciousness', such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'form' (rupa)? Because it is afflicted (ruppati), thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold &amp;amp; heat &amp;amp; hunger &amp;amp; thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun &amp;amp; reptiles. Because it is afflicted, it is called form. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html#fn-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...the body — endowed with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother &amp;amp; father, nourished with rice &amp;amp; porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution &amp;amp; dispersion — is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, hyenas or all sorts of creatures... (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahanama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The four great elements, bhikkhu, are the cause and condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.82&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puṇṇamā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for consciousness, it is defined as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty &amp;amp; unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html#fn-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas state in many places that there can be no arising of consciousness independent of a physical body &amp;amp;/or sense organs (e.g. MN 38, SN 22.53, SN 12.67, SN 22.82, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures do not teach consciousness transmigrates from life to life. Ideas of re-linking or a stream of consciousness were created by later-day Buddhist philosophers &amp;amp; scholars. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;, the bhikkhu Sati was severely reprimanded, admonished &amp;amp; censured by the Lord Buddha for holding such a pernicious viewpoint that consciousness transmigrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, if science is right that consciousness arises from chemicals and nerves in the human brain, this will not disprove what the Buddha taught but, to the contrary, will affirm what the Buddha taught about consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it will disprove what the majority of Buddhists believe about Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Although consciousness may arise from chemicals &amp;amp; nerves, chemicals &amp;amp; nerves are not the operation of consciousness. Chemicals &amp;amp; nerves are 'rupa' where as 'consciousness' is 'knowing' or 'cognition'. Thus, consciousness is not chemicals &amp;amp; nerves, which is why consciousness is immaterial. The immaterial (nama) arises from the material (rupa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mind-and-body (nama-rupa) is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate. SN 22.82&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T10:58:58.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18240" CreationDate="2016-11-19T11:12:08.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If it is true we are all evolved beings from microscopic organisms over millions of years via cell growth and evolution, would this not verify, then, that consciousness is truly material in origin?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yes&lt;/em&gt;, sort of, if one precisely defines &quot;consciousness&quot; and show it (&quot;show it&quot; is a technical scientific term for &quot;lots of evidence&quot;) to be a product of material manipulation. But nothing like this has been done, it's currently just speculated on, so &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That our thinking minds evolved and gradually arose, over the years, from some material and previously mindless thing like a single celled organism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, that's just a theory. We don't know how &quot;mentality&quot; (thought, intelligence, agency and everything else associated with it) arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basically, my concern is this: if science is right that consciousness is just chemicals and nerves in the human brain...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note, &quot;science&quot; doesn't know (therefore, &quot;science&quot; is not really right) about &quot;consciousness&quot; being just chemicals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we have is scientists and philosophers -- and everybody else -- offering opinions (&quot;opinion&quot;: also a technical term, which means &quot;I don't know, but maybe...&quot;) beyond their expertise, beyond the realm of evidence, beyond consensus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, some of these opinions share common structure and are categorized (mostly by philosophers) to make it easier to both identify them and to analyze them.  This opinion, in particular is called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;materialism&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... would a large part of Buddhism be disproved? If consciousness is really just a material reaction, would rebirth be impossible then since the mind would exist as brain functioning and cannot transmigrate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is highly speculative over an already polemical subject but hopefully suffice to say that a materialistic notion of rebirth is not so far fetched (it just may involve materials and dynamics one is not so familiar with -- like the mystery electricity once was; or the mystery subatomic physics is).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Basically, I seemed to have run into a block in my practice. I just have fundamental doubts about everything now. Is there a way we can prove the mind is immaterial or experiences the birth/death cycle...and is not just the evolved brain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry to hear that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking of our personal practice, is it that important to have some random scientist to &quot;prove&quot; rebirth? Scientists did not proved that asking questions here is beneficial, yet we do it, trying it ourselves and seeing if and how it works. The same goes for making an effort to understand our suffering and training to see how it gets eliminated (and how it doesn't).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See, for example, how the Buddha approached &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mālunkyāputta (MN 63)&lt;/a&gt; who was really anxious with questions to the point he felt he could not go on without the Buddha giving him answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“And what have I declared? ‘This is suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the origin of suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the cessation of suffering’—I have declared. ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—I have declared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Why have I declared that? Because it is beneficial, it belongs to the fundamentals of the holy life, it leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is why I have declared it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, I'm not suggesting that we should throw the question of rebirth to the side, but if our uncertainty regarding it becomes an obstacle, I think this is a problem (that is, a problem &lt;em&gt;in addition&lt;/em&gt; to the problem we still face: the problem of being subject to suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-11-19T11:23:21.177" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T11:23:21.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18240" CreationDate="2016-11-19T17:02:12.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What Buddha taught is not the science which layman(non-Ariya) call at present. Science cannot prove everything Buddha taught so far, maybe later. Sansara and the end of the samsara(i.e. Nibbanna) many people tried to find out but in vain. What Buddha said is one have suffering, there is cause of suffering and liberation of suffering. To know this Buddha mentioned something related to mind and matter what most people disputed. Just like making dispute on the footprint of the person whom one want to trace although that same person is just in front of one.&#xA;One has already been injured by the spear which should be removed instantly so that one can be saved in time. If one practice insight meditation towards Nibbanna and attaining Bhanga Nana(knowledge of dissolution) no more doubts on these things. If you observe so-called empirical science, particle theory, wave theory , dual theory of light even Einstein find difficulty in understanding, will be clear even by lower Nana of insight meditation. Then why some who attain Nibanna never mention is , it is NOT WORTH MENTIONING. Let alone Nibanna which is the ultimate goal. So what I suggest you is practice meditation if you believe it or not, once you attain these levels mentioned, all doubts will be cancelled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T17:02:12.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18061" CreationDate="2016-11-19T18:00:45.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In practicing meditation, if you hear something(maybe music or voice), just note &quot;hear, hear&quot;. No more thinking further. If all these cannot noted mindfully, surely will lead to other things one may think related or unrelated, actually all are really related, related to your past events not only this life. So the main aim of meditation is to get rid of all these clinging to the past and present action one have to do is note down very mindfully every phenomenon. But sitting meditation is easier to get rid of these thing, later in every posture, every situation you can get rid of it. Never try to control it. Just note &quot;hear, hear&quot;, sometimes just &quot;know it, know it&quot; is enough so that no need to analyse whether hearing or thinking or knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-19T18:00:45.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17178" CreationDate="2016-11-20T02:22:27.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can the absence of causation itself be present like sense objects are, in absolutely any Buddhist philosophy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one this arisen by casue - Nirvana. Everything else is asien due to a case. Sense objects, sense faculties and contact and the sensation that follows are also arise by cause. Sense faculties cease when you are in Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;with final nirvana something has being, the absence of the 12 links.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is when you break out of the vicious cycle so it cannot be part of the dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm thinking that the presence itself, in sense objects, of ignorance, the first link, is never erased; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you do not understand the 4 Noble Truths. You have Ignorance. This asies at the point of contact. When you contact an object you feel a sensation and perceive the object not inline with its true nature and react with craving or aversion. How to break Ignorance at this point is to be aware of the true nature (arising and passing) of the experience keeping you mind firmly equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T02:22:27.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7660" CreationDate="2016-11-20T12:58:23.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever Buddha or Arahant said something, it is only for Nibanna. &#xA;&quot;Have you done this war with your own will to kill the enemy?&quot;&#xA;&quot; Did you do that killing by your own will or because of the king ordered you to do so?&quot;&#xA; When these questions when heard by the king Dutugamunu of Sri Lanka, and the executioner, they felt like relax and had chance to listen to Dhamma and finally got better afterlife. This is just the questions not proving it is right. No one is spared for consequences of Karma  even Buddha, sometimes having low back pain because of deliberately injuring the opponent in previous life. So there is NO JUST WAR. When Buddha time all the Ariya of Buddha relative got killed without any defense. So every body can do what one like only the consequence of Karma will have to be suffered later in the very life or afterlife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T12:58:23.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18250" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18258" CreationDate="2016-11-20T13:51:12.383" Score="2" ViewCount="571" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra33c.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;upaseka precepts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He levies one sixth of people’s wealth as taxes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I used to just think this was prosocial advice, but for much of Buddhism's history, it has been state supported. Paying taxes mean supporting state Buddhism. But Buddhism isn't state supported anymore and even when it was, those taxes paid for military and government bureaucracy in addition to Buddhist temples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Christianity, some sects have a policy of expecting 1/10 of income.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, other than a rhetorical dodge (It depends!), do we have any &lt;strong&gt;modern&lt;/strong&gt; examples of recommended dana as a percent of income, or failing that, numbers on what constitutes a fair contribution towards the support of organized religion in modern, western (US or European) countries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-11-20T14:49:45.630" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T19:15:22.513" Title="What percent of income do Buddhists give to temples?" Tags="|mahayana|dana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18241" CreationDate="2016-11-20T13:57:37.973" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following appears in the Patika Sutta, DN 24:1.7-10 (iii 8-10) (Walshe, &lt;em&gt;Long Discourses of the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; pp. 373f): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha invites Sunakkhatta to verify this [referring to Korakkhattiya's rebirth as an &lt;em&gt;asura&lt;/em&gt;) for himself, which he&#xA;  does by performing an act of what amounts to necromancy—the magical&#xA;  art of divining using corpses—with the corpse of Korakkhattiya, which&#xA;  he finds thrown aside on a heap of grass in a charnel ground. Striking&#xA;  the body three times with his hand, Sunakkhatta cries out, “Friend&#xA;  Korakkhattiya, do you know your fate?” The corpse sits up, rubs his&#xA;  back with his hand, and says, “Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I&#xA;  have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras.” The corpse then falls&#xA;  back, dead once more. This type of divination was reputedly performed&#xA;  by witches and sorcerers in Europe during the Middle Ages, and is&#xA;  clearly a universal archetype. Afterward, the Buddha reminds&#xA;  Sunakkhatta of his complaint that the Buddha has not performed a&#xA;  miracle. Sunakkhatta admits that he has, and leaves the sangha in&#xA;  disgrace.&quot; (Duncan, &lt;em&gt;Conversations with the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; pp. 268f.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T13:57:37.973" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17550" CreationDate="2016-11-20T14:24:59.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In MN 36:33 (i 247) the Buddha says: &quot;I considered, 'It is not easy to attain that pleasure with a body so excessively emaciated. Suppose I ate some solid food - some boiled rice and porridge.'&quot; (Nanamoli and Bodhi, &lt;em&gt;Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; p. 340). What is especially interesting here is that the Buddha explicitly identifies the practice of the path with the experience of wholesome pleasure, as against the pain of his previous asceticism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T14:24:59.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18253" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-20T16:16:43.860" Score="3" ViewCount="638" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've eliminated many addictive fetters which deterred me from practising meditation. However, now I've noticed that getting into a meditative posture leads--perhaps because of the addictions such as social media which gave me dopamine are gone--to a kind of lethargy, a low energy. I have thus a few questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) I've always had trouble with the breath as meditation object. I enter a state of less thoughts when I'm focusing upon it, and seemingly it diminishes my total experience of the body, mind, etc. Which meditation object would really increase my awareness and energy? Is it possible to achieve shamatha with outer objects, or even inner images?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Are there alternative ways to raise energy, such as physical exercise or other things like this. Will such activities increase my meditation energy specifically?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) In terms of interior images, which seemingly arouse my mind slightly when I let myself visualize random things: are these recommended as meditation objects? I'm a very visual person, but I've been afraid of interior images as meditation objects for a few reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the images that arise during meditation, in my case, sometimes seem disturbing. Second, I have always had a difficult time separating my inner impressions from reality; although, to be fair, I always am conscious of what's real and what is not, but I am very superstitious and attribute a lot to images or impressions that arise in me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any of my questions are answered, I thank you in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T22:34:53.140" Title="Ways of Raising Energy" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18253" CreationDate="2016-11-20T17:37:59.940" Score="0" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Increasing Energy&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sustained mental activity increases energy. 1st bring your mind to the object (initial application), then bring the mind to it again continuously regardless of the fact that it is on the object or not (sustained application).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Samatha with Outer Objects&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also possible. But essentially this is mind made object. E.g. you look at a disk try to recreate this in your mind, and meditate on this mind make object. In this case, arising and passing nature of the mentally created object is not very clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Recommended Method&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is best to raise your energy by means of Vipassana practice, which is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. As re iterated above this is done through initial application and sustained application, i.e., you bring your attention to the object and refocus your attention on the object. Once you practice this your mind becomes sticky with the objects you choose. This increases both energy and concentration. The Sutta mentions different &quot;flavours&quot; the Jhana. Once you get hang of things you can try them out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T17:45:48.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18250" CreationDate="2016-11-20T18:01:57.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no hard and fast rule. Just give what you can afford to give. In times you are short give less and in times you are well to do give more. This way giving will not be a burden and will help you reap more benefit as you are not mechanically doing but doing it out of strong competition without attachment. If you set a proportion then this becomes like a tax. Many people do not pay taxes with joy thinking &quot;Oh how wonderful, my tax returns will benefit many!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T18:01:57.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18253" CreationDate="2016-11-20T18:07:47.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you have breath as meditation object, and the more you concentrate , there will be a stage of less experience of body and mind. It is one of the progress depending on the individual concerned. At that point , actually no need to increase your energy. Meditation is should not be as what you want. This is the nature you have to observe mindfully. Otherwise you will not see the three basic facts Anacca, Dukkha, Anatta. If you go on meditating breathing mindfully, it will become more and more subtle and fade out, come again and again like that. These are the stages you will be observing in meditation. So try to keep on doing and never try to change it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T18:07:47.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18253" CreationDate="2016-11-20T18:54:27.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anapana (Breath-In/Breath-Out meditation)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapana is suitable for people who frequent train of thoughts. If you are easily distracted person Anapana is well suited technique as meditation. Thoughts are hindrance to meditation. It is also one of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five hindrances&lt;/a&gt; prohibit meditator not to achieve keen concentration to clearly see the bubbles of matter and non-matter states. If you are seeing images/thinking about images during meditation, it is some kind of restlessness (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auddhatya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;uddhacca&lt;/a&gt;) and this does not allow your progress in meditation (whatever goal you are trying to achieve). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please keep in mind that meditation does not help healthy body or energy. The mindfulness/proper attentiveness plus having insightful knowledge of eating habit of your own (when you have to eat, how much do you have to eat and which one you can eat) can only help sound body and energy. Other than walking with normal pace, physical exercises are not recommended as body building is not recommended for those who practice meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2-3 &lt;strong&gt;Samatha Recommendations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on your hobbies and attitudes, you need to choose which type of Samatha is suitable for you. Usually, this is done when you go retreat to some meditation centers. Generally people nowadays are easily distracted and that is the reason Anapana is ubiquitous choice in many meditation centers. For the people with distraction it is recommended to do meditation in confined space and do meditation walking in open space is not suitable. There are some constraints in choosing type of meditation for particular type of people with specific hobbies but nobody is master in choice, only combination with own personal determination/reasoning on type and experienced teacher from meditation centre can do approximation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are some of the type of Samatha for the person with specific hobbies, attitudes and inclinations but you are warned to seek proper guidance from centers instead of choosing the type of Samatha your own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anapana - for most distracted people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Marananusati (intensive mindfulness of dying) - for people of pride&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asuba/32 Human parts - for people with strong sexual/sensory desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta - for people with strong aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many more; colors, four elements, and 10 anusati including Marananusati. All are for people with different hobbies, attitudes and inclinations. I hope you could find your most suitable techniques of meditation by consulting a good teacher in meditation center and make progress in meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T18:54:27.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18250" CreationDate="2016-11-20T19:15:22.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From DN Book 3 8:265, Buddha said 25% is to be consumed, 50% is to be in investment/trading, 25% is to be in keep for retirement or emergency safe. This does not include donation reserve to answer your question but by doing justified modification of above dividing, 20% should go to donation if we have to calculate proportionally.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T19:15:22.513" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18259" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18260" CreationDate="2016-11-20T21:27:26.577" Score="3" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any reference scheme for paragraph in Sutta? How it can be presented in numerical notation? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is there any complete translation of all tipitaka into English language (not leaving any single Sutta without English translation)? And &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any good Pali-English online dictionary available? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T04:28:30.777" Title="Is there any reference scheme for paragraph in Sutta?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|tipitaka|pali|english|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18259" CreationDate="2016-11-20T22:07:39.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any reference scheme for paragraph in Sutta? How it can be presented in numerical notation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two (or maybe three) that I've seen, to reference a sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Two are used in Access to Insight, for example a sutta like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is numbered as (see the top of the page, above the title) &quot;DN 31&quot; and/or &quot;PTS: D iii 180&quot;.&#xA;The second one, &quot;PTS&quot;, is the Pali Text Society's numbering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dharmafarer's numbering for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.1-Sigalovada-S-d31-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;that same sutta&lt;/a&gt; includes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;D 31&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;D 3:180-193&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;D 3.8 (Dīgha Nikāya 3, Pāthika Vagga 8)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Central uses&lt;/a&gt; the same pair of numbers, i.e. &quot;DN 31&quot; and &quot;DN iii 180&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8566/254&quot;&gt;this answer to the question 'Tripitaka Section Numbering'&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;A deleted comment to that answer says that there are a few major numbering schemes: PTS, Buddha Jayanthi, Royal Thai, Burmese, SLTP, and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi et. al., Access to Insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I answer questions I like to include a hyperlink to the sutta I'm citing (I think that's the clearest way to reference a sutta and the easiest for other people to read).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To reference a paragraph, I give the name, number, and hyperlink of the sutta, and then copy-and-paste (block-quote) the relevant paragraph -- for example, like this from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta (DN 31)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One portion for his wants he uses,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  two portions on his business spends,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the fourth for times of need he keeps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively Sutta central lets you create a hyperlink to any fragment (including though not necessarily paragraphs): use the mouse to highlight the section you want to quote, click on the thing that pops up which says &quot;Link to selected text&quot;, and it will say &quot;URL Copied&quot;. Then you can paste the link into the answer; the link for example looks like this: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn31/45.355-&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn31/45.355-&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any complete translation of all tipitaka into English language (not leaving any single Sutta without English translation)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several online collections of translations, I think the most complete (not necessarily the best) is Sutta Central's. I try Sutta Central when the sutta I'm looking for isn't listed elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Any good Pali-English online dictionary available?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a PTS dictionary here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It needs you to use the right non-ASCII letter when you search, so to search for &quot;Ditthi&quot; for example I would:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Type &lt;code&gt;di&lt;/code&gt; in the search box&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Click on &quot;Search entry words only (not definitions)&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Click on &quot;Words starting with  (Example: bud)&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Press the Search button&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That finds words including &lt;em&gt;Diṭṭha&lt;/em&gt; which is the correct spelling (note the non-standard &lt;code&gt;ṭ&lt;/code&gt; with a dot underneath, which I wouldn't know I need to search for: that's why I search by prefix).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reference I like is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/&lt;/a&gt; -- it has a glossary and side-by-side word-for-word translations of a few of the most famous suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've also seen people recommend, or say that they use, &lt;a href=&quot;http://pali.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Digital Pali Reader&lt;/a&gt; (also &lt;a href=&quot;https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yuttadhammo.tipitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;available here for Android&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T22:32:17.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18253" CreationDate="2016-11-20T22:34:53.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Achievements. Focus on your achievements. Review how difficult it was and how you made it. Review your good qualities. Review how you are free from many problems that people have. Review the progress you are making. Tell yourself a good story. This is first jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-11-20T22:34:53.140" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18262" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18264" CreationDate="2016-11-20T23:10:58.517" Score="3" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha speak about the duration of lives in any way that related it to where one currently stands on the path?  For example:  &quot;When one is closer to enlightenment, one will have shorter lives after each successive rebirth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This wouldn't make a lot of sense when following the literal doctrine of Rebirth, but maybe it would make sense as a metaphor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At any rate - is anything like this idea touched upon in the sutras?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T01:44:30.273" Title="Life Duration and Rebirth" Tags="|philosophy|rebirth|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18259" CreationDate="2016-11-21T00:37:06.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The standard reference scheme in the West seems to be the Pali edition of the Pali Canon published by the Pali Text Society. One often finds it referenced in the standard English translations at the top of each page. Unfortunately, it is only useful to Pali specialists who have this edition of the Pali Canon.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each part of the Pali Canon has its own reference scheme. Unlike the King James Bible, for example, each text has its own internal structure, ranging from simple to complex. Here are some examples: V:III.4.2[72] (III.2) (Horner, &lt;em&gt;Book of the Discipline,&lt;/em&gt; p. 125); DN 21:[263]1.6 (ii 268) (Walshe, &lt;em&gt;Long Discourses of the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; p. 323); AN VII:64(11)(7) (IV 96) (Bodhi, &lt;em&gt;Numerical Discourses of the Buddha,&lt;/em&gt; p.  1067); etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Burmese Pali Tipitaka is also online at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org&lt;/a&gt;. It uses a system of sutta and paragraph references that do not necessarily correlate with the English editions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A critical edition of the Pali Canon in English is in preparation, based on all Pali editions. Hopefully this will simplify the matter (when it is completed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Text Society has published English translations of nearly all of the Pali Canon. These are available in North America from Pariyatti (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pariyatti.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.pariyatti.org&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The best and standard Pali-English dictionary is still the &lt;em&gt;Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/em&gt; of Rhys Davids and Stede, published by the Pali Text Society.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T00:37:06.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18262" CreationDate="2016-11-21T01:44:30.273" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Life expectancy (Ayu-Kalpa) changes, but not related to any individual's progress. This is related to the whole society itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ayu-Kalpa - a variable time span representing the life expectancy of a typical human being in a particular era or yuga. This can be as high as one Asankya or as small as 10 years. This number is directly proportional to the level of virtue of people in that era. Currently this value hovers around 100 years and is continually decreasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kalpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kalpa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As society declines or improves life expectancy declines and improves. A rough outline is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;stealing 1st &amp;amp; 2nd thieves given financial aid - 80,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;killing: 3rd thief executed; stealing grows - 80,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;beauty decline; killing is widespread - 40,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;lying: beauty declined further - 40,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;slander: some beautiful, some ugly - 20,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sexual misconduct: the ugly coveted the beautiful - 10,000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;harsh speech &amp;amp; idle chatter - 5000 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;covetousness &amp;amp; ill will - 2500 years (some 2000)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wrong view - 1000 years (some 500)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;abnormal lust, excessive desire, deviant conduct - 500 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;disrespect towards all elders and the holy life - 250 years (some 200)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;beauty declines further - 100 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;life-span at its shortest; widespread immorality &amp;amp; war - 10 years&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from: Commentary on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T01:44:30.273" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18259" CreationDate="2016-11-21T02:01:13.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any reference scheme for paragraph in Sutta? How it can be presented in numerical notation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not universal but here is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-lists-and-indexes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta lists and indexes&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan. These indices give the reference numbers to Sutta Discovery (SD) and PTS schemes. Also multiple indices at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-sutta.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-sutta.html&lt;/a&gt;, etc.) which included PTS and their own Scheme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sutta_numbering&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/sutta_numbering&lt;/a&gt; which highlights the scheme used in the site which modified vertion of the PTS scheme which is used in the Indices on the site but Meta data is found for other numbering schemes within the Suttas. Also if you go to the side bar (you have to navigate to a sutta 1st and click on textual information you get couple of paragraph numbering schemes. This is not complete and varies depending on the Sutta. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mūla­pariyā­ya­sutta&lt;/a&gt; has paragraph numbering of Suttacentral {SC}, PTS and Wisdom Publication Paragraph Number {WP} at the time of writing. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#1&lt;/a&gt; {SC}, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#pts1.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#pts1.1&lt;/a&gt; {PTS}, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#wp2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#wp2&lt;/a&gt; {WP}). Paragaph 3 in the WP scheme is: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#wp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn1#wp3&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Burmese edition numbering see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org&lt;/a&gt; as menioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18263/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; by &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/4970/&quot;&gt;@alexander-duncan&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha Jayanti (BJT) has another schemes, e.g., see &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/001-mulapariyaya-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mūlapariyāyasuttaṃ&lt;/a&gt; (from &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/&lt;/a&gt; which is a mirror of now defunt &lt;a href=&quot;http://metta.lk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://metta.lk&lt;/a&gt;) which has meta data on the BJT scheme and PTS.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each edition seems to have their own Scheme. Many online editions generally tend to cross reference the PTS edition. This with the Sutta name can perhaps help in navigating across editions. Also there are lesser know editions: &lt;a href=&quot;http://pitaka.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A P de Soyza&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any complete translation of all tipitaka into English language (not leaving any single Sutta without English translation)? And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the PTS edition is missing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yamaka&lt;/a&gt;, hence there is no complete translation. But the whole Tripitaka is translated but you have to collect from different sources and authors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.0-4-Pali-Canon-and-related-works-REV.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Pali Canon &amp;amp; Related Works&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan does mention some of the translations available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Any good Pali-English online dictionary available?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt; (This includes non english Pali dictionaries also - included in the side bar and main search function)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Searches multiple dictionaries / sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T04:28:30.777" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18266" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-21T03:55:41.820" Score="4" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I run a Buddhist blog with daily updates and i am facing a bit of trouble finding sources for it as i try to update it everyday with at least a single new article or a book everyday.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am already using &quot;Accesstoinsight.org&quot; as a primary source of good materials.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you please mention a few more such good web sites?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T09:14:28.723" Title="Can someone mention few good web sites to learn theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18266" CreationDate="2016-11-21T04:09:08.443" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Handful of Leaves&lt;/a&gt; has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/Library.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;books&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/Articles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;papers&lt;/a&gt;. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.net/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdomlib.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/&lt;/a&gt; (multiple authors) and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammatalks.org/&lt;/a&gt; (by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanissaro_Bhikkhu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.aimwell.org/&lt;/a&gt;. In addition &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://archive.org/&lt;/a&gt; does have many old Buddhist books. &lt;a href=&quot;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/&lt;/a&gt; has also got scans of some old books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.abhidhamma.com/&lt;/a&gt; has many Abhidhamma books. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is Piya Tan's website - &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharmafarer.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dharmafarer.org/&lt;/a&gt; which has essays and traslations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also VRI (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Khin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;U Ba Khin&lt;/a&gt; tradition) has couple of online resource:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research-Index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research-Index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Research&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Online-Books-and-Pamphlets&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vridhamma.org/Online-Books-and-Pamphlets&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can look into magazine like: &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://tricycle.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mindful.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.mindful.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lionsroar.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.lionsroar.com/&lt;/a&gt; to get material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also have a look at: &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://what-buddha-said.net/&lt;/a&gt;. This is a blog which posts something new on Buddhism nearly every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following are other sites like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://newguide.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://newguide.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-10T09:14:28.723" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T09:14:28.723" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8685" CreationDate="2016-11-21T09:03:17.293" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;What are the “Qualities of the Buddha”?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Qualities of 'Bhagava Araham Sammasambuddho' is infinite and cannot be known by any human being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please see Sampasadaniya Sutta of Digha Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The expression &quot;qualities of the Buddha&quot; belong to English Buddhism. Oxford Dictionaries define the 'the Buddha' as a historical figure that lived about 25 centuries ago-his birth date or the date of death is unknown. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Tipitaka published by the Pali Text Society refer to a Bhagava Araham Sammasambuddho, in the Sutta and Vinaya Pitakas. Most of the words in the two Pitakas are utterences of Bhagava; the word means a spiritual teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human beings who have no clue to even the physical form of Bhagava, what would they know about his mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1094" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T09:03:17.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18266" CreationDate="2016-11-21T12:58:02.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/&lt;/a&gt; offers a more comprehensive collection of the Tripitaka, in many languages too!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2016-11-21T12:58:02.057" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2016-11-22T05:19:13.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm French and have been practicing 29 years. I apologize for my English writing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo makes a high vibration, 7.5hz, the same as the earth's. Inside our body all cells will activate emotions and feeling registered in Alaya consciousness. At the same time, our life is connected To the Universe.&#xA;Following our desires High mains convictions, the Universe sends the results back like a mirror. So your goal and desire need to be clear and to be useful to our life and kosen rufu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I got achieved many good results and some of them have been very wonderful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10367" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-11-22T22:41:42.277" LastActivityDate="2016-11-22T22:41:42.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18271" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-22T16:06:29.680" Score="0" ViewCount="355" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia, “Extant vinaya texts include those of the Theravada (the only one in Pali), the Kāśyapīya, the Mahāsāṃghika, the Mahīśāsaka, the Dharmaguptaka, the Sarvāstivāda and the Mūlasarvāstivāda.” Does anyone know which of these Vinayas has the least number of rules? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Peter Harvey (&lt;em&gt;Introduction to Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; p. 290), the Theravadin Vinaya has 227 rules for male monastics, the Mula-Sarvastivadin has 258, and the Dharmaguptaka has 250, making the Theravadin the one with the least number of rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Wikipedia article on Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; substantially agrees with this, but has 253 for the Mulasarvastivadin Vinaya. However, the Wikipedia articles for Mahasamghika and Sthavira (and elsewhere) also state that the Mahasamghika Vinaya has the least number of rules, citing Andrew Skilton, &lt;em&gt;A Concise History of Buddhism,&lt;/em&gt; stating that the Mahasamghika Vinaya has 67 rules in the &lt;em&gt;śaikṣa-dharma&lt;/em&gt; section, compared to 75 for the Theravadin (apparently referring to the 75 &lt;em&gt;sekhiyavatta&lt;/em&gt;), which appears to contradict Harvey’s statement that the Theravadin Vinaya has the least number of rules.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone (1) have any insights concerning the relative number of rules in the Vinayas that can reconcile this apparent contradiction or (2) know where English translations of the n&lt;em&gt;on-Theravadin&lt;/em&gt; Vinayas may be found? I am still researching this question online so may end up answering my own question, but would like to hear any relevant information from others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2018-05-04T11:13:11.053" LastActivityDate="2020-04-24T23:59:03.820" Title="Which Vinaya has the least number of rules?" Tags="|vinaya|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7944" CreationDate="2016-11-22T17:31:16.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a mathematician Gödel who stated back around the 1920s using something we might imagine as &quot;meta-math&quot; that any axiomatic system (so any mathematical system you can create or imagine) cannot satisfy simultaneously two properties.  Which two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the system is complete&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That the system is consistent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I shall try and state in a useful metaphor these key insights.  I like to imagine a wheel and at the center of the wheel are some basic operations like multiplication, addition, subtraction.  However, it could be anything.  We are basically trying to figure out all the infinite possible combinations of our basic fundamental rules and then see if we can make this infinite variety of conclusions both internally consistent and completely exhaustive of every possible outcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is like trying to build a house with some basic pieces: a roof, a chimney, a floor, a basement, a fridge, a garage, a kitchen.  Now say you try every combination of possibilities such that the fridge ends up on top of the place and the roof ends up on the ground.  This is us trying to make all the exhaustive combinations possible, but in doing so we contradict the terms we have used: fridge is now roof and roof is now floor.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short: if we tried to make our system demonstrably &quot;complete&quot; then we would invariably end up with a plethora of contradictions.  That is, we could say 1 = 1 and 2 = 2 but once we start saying 2 = 1 and 1  = 2 to get &quot;completeness&quot; then we have contradiction (non-consistency)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, if we want to have consistency (1 = 1 and 2 = 2 and 5 = 5 and 4-3 = 1) we cannot have completeness guaranteed, because we omit terms and therefore don't know if there is a true term we have not yet discovered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the basic idea of Gödel's incompleteness and completeness theorems are that mathematics cannot be both &lt;em&gt;consistent&lt;/em&gt; (or coherent) and &lt;em&gt;complete&lt;/em&gt; which means that mathematics, is in fact, empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any postulate is empty of its own being because it is necessarily dependent on other terms to relatively define its value/position/significance.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any postulate is also empty of an absolutely true nature because there is no way to have absolutely true consistency, for that would require completeness, and Gödel showed that you can only have one or the other, like a scrambled egg or an unbroken egg, you cannot have both unless you sacrifice consistency (the egg is both unbroken and scrambled?) or completeness (just one or the other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in short, all mathematical systems must abide as either incomplete or inconsistent which is [another reason] why mathematics in itself is not graspable and not inherent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, however, is a long way to arrive at the basic truth that all phenomena are empty of their own being (they have inter-being as Thich Naht Hanh says).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-11-22T17:31:16.473" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18012" CreationDate="2016-11-22T17:47:04.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many misconceptions regarding mantrayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, the ultimate nature of the deity is bliss and emptiness, just like the ultimate nature of our own minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we invoke the deity via visualization and/or recitation or chanting of the mantra, we are invoking that aspect of our own consciousness, our Tara-ness or our Medicine-Buddha-ness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha Shakyamuni did teach that treasuring someone while in positive states of mind or sending beneficent prayers and thoughts would benefit another being, certainly in the &quot;realm beyond&quot; (afterlife, afterlives) and in the present there can certainly be effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to remember that Tara is Prajnaparamita, she is not a self-existent deity, the same for all the deities of the Buddhist pantheon.  Some are called deities to mean deva or god-like rebirth, but in the tradition you are referring to deity means something special: it means that long ago a being aspired to be of benefit to countless sentient beings and through the strength of such aspirations and the diligence and patience of practice one was able to reach a state that helped reflect the fundamental goodness of all beings who practice their mantra/visualization with joy and faith, or devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what happens when you are invoking green Tara or Medicine Buddha to help heal a friend?  Well, the attitude you have is the most important part.  You are using enlightened Buddha forms as a fulcrum for your own praxis, to adjust your mind and heart attitude to embrace their full healing potential.  This will certainly result in a positive effect, and the waves of which may reach your friend rapidly through causation and intensity, having an ameliorative effect.  At the very least, your mind will become more adjusted to these divine states of being (please see the four unlimited or immeasurable abodes) which is of immense benefit to yourself and to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, attitude is just about everything.  Karma is intention, so cultivating the intention to heal and relieve suffering (kindness, bodhichitta) is excellent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many methods, but sometimes it is easiest and fastest for us to relate to our own primordial purity through the practice of such sophisticated &quot;spiritual technologies&quot; such as deity and mantra practice.  There are pure aspects of our consciousness, just remember that their ultimate nature is no different from the nature of mind itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-11-22T17:47:04.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18274" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-22T18:23:35.640" Score="4" ViewCount="1690" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/the-5-mindfulness-trainings/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Mindfulness Trainings&lt;/a&gt; as presented in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, the third one - called &quot;True Love&quot; - says: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual&#xA;  energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think &lt;em&gt;appropriate ways&lt;/em&gt; means here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7107" LastActivityDate="2016-11-23T14:59:52.673" Title="Taking care of our sexual energy" Tags="|mindfulness|sexuality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18274" CreationDate="2016-11-22T19:37:05.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I assume he meant &lt;em&gt;not giving in&lt;/em&gt;.  Just like one way of taking care of cigarette craving is to smoke a cigarette but that would be &lt;strong&gt;inappropriate&lt;/strong&gt; way of dealing with it.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave 7 ways to remove (or dealing with) asavas;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that should be removed through vision.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that should be removed through restraint.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that are to be removed through proper use.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that are to be removed through forbearance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that are to be removed through avoidance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that are to be removed through rejection.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;āsavas that are to be removed through cultivation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, learning appropriate ways to take care of sexual energy is probably one of the six ways above (excluding the 3rd method because it deals with &quot;proper use&quot; of necessities to maintain life, which sex isn't).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-23T14:59:52.673" LastActivityDate="2016-11-23T14:59:52.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18274" CreationDate="2016-11-23T01:18:28.813" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;five mindfulness trainings&quot; obviously correspond to the traditional &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can find more (by other authors) on that subject by searching for &quot;third precept&quot;, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel225.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Sex&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of what what &quot;appropriate ways&quot; means is explained fairly clearly in the paragraph you referenced, i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;True Love&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simplest definition of &quot;appropriate ways&quot; is &quot;not inappropriate&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of &quot;inappropriate&quot; are described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.176&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He gets sexually involved with those who are protected by their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their sisters, their relatives, or their Dhamma; those with husbands, those who entail punishments, or even those crowned with flowers by another man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, don't break existing families. Like, first of all, do no harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people interpret this as meaning that, according to the letter of the law, casual sexual relations with otherwise-unattached (i.e. unmarried, independent) partners (or prostitutes) is OK: not wise, necessarily; and ultimately dissatisfactory; but at least not immoral, not breaking the third precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Thich Nhat Hanh goes further than that, when he says, &quot;true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends&quot;, which sounds to me like marriage (or celibacy).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also says that &quot;sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms&quot;: so &quot;appropriate ways&quot; means consequent to a loving relationship, in which in which sexual desire is not mistaken for love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; summarized some guidelines for choosing a marriage partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize the paragraph:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware that &quot;sexual misconduct&quot; causes suffering&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Protect other people, by not engaging in sexual misconduct&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Manage&quot; your sexual energy accordingly&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/the-5-mindfulness-trainings/les-cinq-entrainements-a-la-pleine-conscience/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;French translation&lt;/a&gt; uses the verb &lt;em&gt;gérer&lt;/em&gt;, which means &quot;manage&quot; (it's the word used for what a professional manager does, at work)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm not sure what he means by &quot;take care of&quot; in English.&#xA;It could perhaps mean &quot;beware of&quot;.&#xA;Another Buddhist parable (that I read a while ago, I'm not sure where) is that you should &quot;take care of&quot; your body in the same way that you would &quot;take care of a wound&quot;: i.e. don't love it, but bandage it and protect it from further harm (though perhaps that isn't what Thich Nhat Hanh was saying).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Develop &quot;true love&quot; (the four elements of love which he lists are more-or-less equivalent to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmavihāras&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist notions of virtue (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;), for each of the five precepts, equate virtue with protecting or freeing everyone from harm; and freeing everyone includes or results in a share of that freedom yourself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the third gift...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the famous summaries of Buddhism is from the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 183: Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Not doing evil&quot; ranks highly, is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Abstaining from (harmful or evil) sexual misconduct&quot; is part of the five precepts, which is part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not only a negative (absence of harm), it's also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a way towards a positive&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-11-23T14:56:48.423" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2157" CreationDate="2016-11-23T03:16:06.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My Muslim friend's family just had a member die. On much reflection on what to say I re-edited my christian upbringing so it was true to my buddhist beliefs but not condescending to hers. &quot;Our thoughts are with you and your family at your time of loss and reflection. Please pass on our love&quot;. The person has died but the living can know they are loved and we love everyone, don't we :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10371" LastActivityDate="2016-11-23T03:16:06.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18278" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-23T03:37:44.113" Score="2" ViewCount="948" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello regarding the reclining Buddha statue here in this link &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhastatuesnow.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhastatuesnow.com&lt;/a&gt; --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/gvEFQ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/gvEFQ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the differences between this and other reclining statues in Asia? I have seen several and this one is different. For example the fingers are much longer and the Buddha appears happy while in other countries he is more solemn and hands are not so prominent. Thank you for any info you can provide!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10372" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-23T10:47:37.577" LastActivityDate="2016-12-23T15:19:40.873" Title="What is the significance of Reclining Buddha Statue in Laos compared to other countries in Asia?" Tags="|art|iconography|buddha|statue|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18278" CreationDate="2016-11-23T15:04:45.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a depiction of the Buddha in his last moments of life, just before he achieved parinibbana (nirvana-after-death). There are 32 signs of a great man and 80 secondary signs (all of which the Buddha possessed) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_32_Signs_of_a_Great_Man&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha#The_32_Signs_of_a_Great_Man&lt;/a&gt; and long slender fingers, long earlobes as depicted are two of the lesser signs.. I guess if you examine it up close, you will probably get some more  (foot arches etc?)! As for the differences, I am not well versed in art or its history, sorry!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2016-11-23T15:16:38.903" LastActivityDate="2016-11-23T15:16:38.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18280" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-23T16:48:03.210" Score="-3" ViewCount="1724" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths and Eight Noble Paths are the main principles of the Buddha and every person can be a Buddha if he/she follows these principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as I've heard the Buddha didn't believe in the existence of God, in the immortality of the soul, and the soul itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Was the reason why the Buddha didn't speak about God and the soul, because he couldn't provide the proof for it? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He wanted to be more practical than theoretical (so that the practicality ultimately leads one to believe in God and soul)? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He wanted to attract the atheists to Buddhism? Please what is the truth behind it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10377" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-24T15:33:38.093" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T11:15:03.613" Title="Why didn't the Buddha speak about God and the soul?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-23T18:18:52.223" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm by no means an expert in this, but based off of what I've studied, I would say that there is grounds for there being a &quot;soul&quot;, but I don't think that there is much for there being God or a god.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard to the soul, when I say that I do get the sense that the Buddha believed in a soul, I'm not referring to it in its colloquial sense. In many sutras (e.g. The Heart Sutra), the Buddha says that there is no soul in the sense that every individual doesn't have their own soul that would go somewhere after death or is separate from the body. However, he did believe in something of that sort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in The Lotus Sutra, in the &quot;life span of the thus come one&quot; chapter, the Buddha addresses the great assembly and says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Since I attained buddhahood&#xA;  the number of kalpas that have passed&#xA;  is an immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands,&#xA;  millions, trillions, asamkhyas.&#xA;  Constantly I have preached the Law, teaching, converting&#xA;  countless millions of living beings,&#xA;  causing them to enter the buddha way,&#xA;  all this for immeasurable kalpas.&#xA;  In order to save living beings,&#xA;  as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana&#xA;  but in truth I do not pass into extinction.&#xA;  I am always here, preaching the Law.&#xA;  I am always here,&#xA;  but through my transcendental powers&#xA;  I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement&#xA;  do not see me even when close by.&#xA;  When the multitude sees that I have passed into extinction,&#xA;  far and wide they offer alms to my relics.&#xA;  All harbor thoughts of yearning&#xA;  and in their minds thirst to gaze at me.&#xA;  When living beings have become truly faithful,&#xA;  honest and upright, gentle in intent,&#xA;  single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha,&#xA;  not hesitating even if it costs them their lives,&#xA;  then I and the assembly of monks&#xA;  appear together on Holy Eagle Peak.&#xA;  At that time I tell the living beings&#xA;  that I am always here, never entering extinction,&#xA;  but that because of the power of expedient means&#xA;  at times I appear to be extinct, at other times not,&#xA;  and that if there are living beings in other lands&#xA;  who are reverent and sincere in their wish to believe,&#xA;  then among them too&#xA;  I will preach the unsurpassed Law.&#xA;  But you have not heard of this,&#xA;  so you suppose that I enter extinction.&#xA;  When I look at living beings&#xA;  I see them drowned in a sea of suffering;&#xA;  therefore I do not show myself,&#xA;  causing them to thirst for me.&#xA;  Then when their minds are filled with yearning,&#xA;  at last I appear and preach the Law for them.&#xA;  Such are my transcendental powers.&#xA;  For asamkhya kalpas&#xA;  constantly I have dwelled on Holy Eagle Peak&#xA;  and in various other places.&#xA;  When living beings witness the end of a kalpa&#xA;  and all is consumed in a great fire,&#xA;  this, my land, remains safe and tranquil,&#xA;  constantly filled with heavenly and human beings.&#xA;  The halls and pavilions in its gardens and groves&#xA;  are adorned with various kinds of gems.&#xA;  Jeweled trees abound in flowers and fruit&#xA;  where living beings enjoy themselves at ease.&#xA;  The gods strike heavenly drums,&#xA;  constantly making many kinds of music.&#xA;  Mandarava blossoms rain down,&#xA;  scattering over the Buddhaand the great assembly.&#xA;  My pure land is not destroyed,&#xA;  yet the multitude sees it as consumed in fire,&#xA;  with anxiety, fear, and other sufferings&#xA;  filling it everywhere.&#xA;  These living beings with their various offenses,&#xA;  through causes arising from their evil actions,&#xA;  spend asamkhya kalpas&#xA;  without hearing the name of the three treasures.&#xA;  But those who practice meritorious ways,&#xA;  who are gentle, peaceful, honest, and upright,&#xA;  all of them will see me&#xA;  here in person, preaching the Law.&#xA;  At times for this multitude&#xA;  I describe the Buddha’s life span as immeasurable,&#xA;  and to those who see the Buddha only after a long time&#xA;  I explain how difficult it is to meet a buddha.&#xA;  Such is the power of my wisdom&#xA;  that its sagacious beams shine without measure.&#xA;  This life span of countless kalpas&#xA;  I gained as the result of lengthy practice.&#xA;  You who are possessed of wisdom,&#xA;  entertain no doubts on this point!&#xA;  Cast them off, end them forever,&#xA;  for the Buddha’s words are true, not false.&#xA;  He is like a skilled physician&#xA;  who uses an expedient means to cure his deranged sons.&#xA;  Though in fact alive, he gives out word he is dead,&#xA;  yet no one can say he speaks falsely.&#xA;  I am the father of this world,&#xA;  saving those who suffer and are afflicted.&#xA;  Because of the befuddlement of ordinary people,&#xA;  though I live, I give out word I have entered extinction.&#xA;  For if they see me constantly,&#xA;  arrogance and selfishness arise in their minds.&#xA;  Abandoning restraint, they give themselves up to the five desires&#xA;  and fall into the evil paths of existence.&#xA;  Always I am aware of which living beings&#xA;  practice the way, and which do not,&#xA;  and in response to their need for salvation&#xA;  I preach various doctrines for them.&#xA;  At all times I think to myself:&#xA;  How can I cause living beings&#xA;  to gain entry into the unsurpassed way&#xA;  and quickly acquire the body of a buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know it's a bit of a lengthy excerpt, but I think it outlines you point quite well. The Buddha said that his life span is countless kalpas, but that through his transcendental powers, he appears dead. One however, can not say that he is living in the normal sense- you can't meet him in person or anything like that. Basically, he is saying that his &quot;soul&quot;, is immortal. The term that is used to describe this in my experience is, &quot;life force&quot;. Although his body has long been gone, his life force is never born and nor does it die. We all have this, &quot;life force&quot;, and for that reason, one can say that he is &quot;immortal&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is really the closest thing I can think of that really describes what you're terming a &quot;soul&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the existence of God or a god(s), I think that there is little evidence for this. Although there is mentioning of gods that &quot;strike heavenly drums&quot; in the excerpt above, that is a metaphor. When the Buddha describes his &quot;pure land&quot;, he is referring to the Saha world, saying that, if one acts is gentle, peaceful, upright, etc., one will find that the Saha world is in fact, the pure land. &#xA;    Another reason that I don't think that there are any gods in Buddhism that the Buddha believed in is just by logic. Some of this is my own personal inference and from my studying of Absurdism and Existentialism, but there, to me, is no reason that there would be a god or God. That however, is personal opinion, so to back it up, here is an exerpt, also from &lt;em&gt;The Lotus Sutra&lt;/em&gt;, in the &quot;expedient means&quot; chapter. Here, the Buddha is also addressing the great assembly and, among other things, is talking about the nature of reality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What the buddhas have achieved is the rarest and most difficult-to-understand Law. The true aspect of all phenomena can only be understood and shared between buddhas. This reality consists of the appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This would indicate that reality consists only of things occurring. This reality is then divided into 10 parts as listed above. Suppose there were no living things in the universe. If the sun were to explode and planets to collide, would it really make any difference? Because there is nothing to, in essence, care, it doesn't really matter if there is total destruction of planets or stars or anything. This is the reality we live in. However, we cannot say that no living things exist, for we see them every day. The difference is that, now, were planets to collide and stars explode, people would care- it would then affect living things. Really, when we say something is bad, evil, etc., really what is happening is that the events that occurred that cause our displeasure are just happening to be against what would allow us to live most easily. People say they don't understand how evil or other such things exist in the world. In reality, it exists in our mind. That's not to say that it's nor real, but that it has no existence in reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As such, I don't think that the Buddha was trying to manipulate people or cause them to slowly believe in something (at least not God). I think that many people want to believe in God , and so it makes sense for it to exist, but since the Buddha knew that no event has any intrinsic implications, there was really no need for a desire for a god or God. This is the main reason that I see no evidence for a god and nor does it seem like something that would exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that helps. If you have any other questions or things that I should clarify, feel free to comment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="8080" LastEditDate="2016-11-25T05:45:02.830" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T05:45:02.830" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-24T01:48:42.987" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm Influenced by the teaching of Buddha. The Four Noble Truths and Eight Noble Paths are the main principles of Buddha, and every person&#xA;  can be a Buddha if he/she follows these principles.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no real 'person' in Buddhism (please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;) apart from 'view' (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;) and conventional speech (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.025.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 1.25&lt;/a&gt;). In Buddhism, the idea or view of a 'person', 'being' or 'self' is dependently originated from ignorance, craving &amp;amp; becoming (refer to SN 22.81; MN 44, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, what becomes a Buddha is the mind (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;). The Buddha is not really a 'person' (refer to SN 22.85, for example). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As far as I've heard Buddha, didn't believe in the existence of God, in the immortality of the soul, and the soul itself;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. These matters are discussed in suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; AN 3.61. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhp279&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 20.7&lt;/a&gt; state all things whatsoever are not self &amp;amp; the whole universe is void of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;..but I think he&#xA;  believed in God and in the existence of soul. Since he wanted to make Buddhism a unique and separate religion from other religions in that time, he made the principle of Buddhism more&#xA;  practical or scientific than other religions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is just a personal opinion about something completely unknowable. The Buddha Gotama may have never existed. All that can be known is what is written in the scriptures. It is the scriptures rather than an imaginary person that lived 2,600 years ago that is Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures say the Buddha was only concerned about one primary matter, which was/is the complete cessation/freedom from suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) or the unshakeable freedom of mind (refer to MN 22, MN 29, MN 30, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Was the reason why the Buddha didn't speak about God and the soul, because he couldn't provide the proof for it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. AN 3.61 gives reasoning for refuting the idea of an existence of a creator god. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures speak extensively of the '&lt;em&gt;world of gods&lt;/em&gt;' or 'deities' (&lt;em&gt;deva loka&lt;/em&gt;) but these gods seem to be just people with worldly power (e.g. kings &amp;amp; queens); great wealth &amp;amp; luxury; or great spiritual powers (such as great love, supernormal meditative attainments or psychic powers). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, it is said the Buddha had a psychic power called the 'Divine Eye' or 'Eye of God'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Or, He wanted to be more practical than theoretical (so that the practicality ultimately leads one to believe in God and soul)?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. There is no soul or creator God to be found. In Buddhism, all of the gods or deities have minds with ignorance &amp;amp; are destined for 'hell' (suffering) if they do not realise the Four Noble Truths (refer to AN 4.123; SN 56.102-113; etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Or He wanted to attract the atheists to Buddhism?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Buddhism is for people who wish to find freedom from suffering &amp;amp; perfect peace. The Buddha is called the '&lt;em&gt;teacher of gods &amp;amp; humans&lt;/em&gt;'. The scriptures report most of the Buddha's leading disciples were formerly Brahmans. If the history of religion is studied, both Indian &amp;amp; Western, it will be found great changes to religion occurred after the Buddha. For example, the Jewish Bible is divided into pre-exile &amp;amp; post-exile writings, in which many of the post-exile writings sound very similar to Buddhist ideas. The novel teachings of Jesus are closer to Buddhism than to pre-exile Judaism. For example, in the Tevijja Sutta, it is taught the way or path to Brahma (God) is to radiate perfect unconditional love in all directions (which is similar to what the Christians later taught). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, SN 12.23 states the supporting condition for faith in Buddhism is the clear experience of suffering (and thus wanting to end suffering). The Buddha is the Spiritual Doctor; the Healer of Suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please what is the truth behind it?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-24T02:37:39.873" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T02:37:39.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18283" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-24T02:31:21.910" Score="2" ViewCount="89" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, when I am focusing on the body or the breath, I have a feeling that thoughts have ceased. I am unsure whether I am suppressing or not, I don't feel that I am, but that I am merely focusing upon an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I worry about this lack of thoughts? Should I keep meditating even if very few thoughts arise? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T06:23:27.113" Title="Thoughtlessness" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18283" CreationDate="2016-11-24T02:36:04.850" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The development of calm (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) in meditation is based on the mind focusing on the breath without any thoughts. It is important to feel a soothing calm in this process.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T02:36:04.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-24T04:03:35.737" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did speak about God or Brahma. He said that God is the chief of the realm of the Brahmas, the lowest realm of the Form world, but that he is deluded and others are deluded by virtue of being the first to be reborn in a new universe, thus being deceived and others being deceived that he was the creator of the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can regard this as a mythological expression of the truth, also stated in the suttas, that God as a First Cause is an unnecessary speculation because the question then becomes, &quot;Who created God,&quot; thus positing an infinite regression and begging the question of the origin of things. The Buddha taught that there was no singular origin point, that the phenomenal world of samsara is eternally self-perpetuating, with no beginning, since to posit an absolute beginning is to posit an uncaused cause, which violates the law of karma and the identity of cause and effect. (This appears to be the direction that modern physics is heading too, with the infinite complexity of interconnected black and white holes, multiverses, etc.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the soul, the Buddha taught that the Upanishadic notion of a 'little man in the heart' (&lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;; see PED) is undemonstrable and that no self is found anywhere, since a self must be permanent and everything observable is impermanent and dependent on conditions. Both God and the self are also objects of attachment and thus suffering, and thus merely another form of error. Ultimately the Buddha rejected both theism and the soul theory because they are delusions and objects of attachment. We see this being played out today in the internecine strife of theists around the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this interlocutor may be confused by the occurrence of the word &quot;brahma&quot; in the Pali Canon, where it does not mean &quot;God&quot; but rather &quot;ultimate&quot; or &quot;divine&quot; (e.g., the title of the first sutta of the Digha Nikaya, the Four Divine Abidings, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T21:58:41.573" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T21:58:41.573" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18286" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18331" CreationDate="2016-11-24T09:06:10.257" Score="1" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you need both parents' permission to become ordained?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if one of the parents refuses contact? Should you strive for it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7235" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-06-20T19:19:08.380" LastActivityDate="2021-06-20T19:23:13.843" Title="Do you need both parents' permission to become ordained?" Tags="|monasticism|ordination|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18287" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18297" CreationDate="2016-11-24T11:01:50.903" Score="2" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where can I find a canonical definition of equanimity &lt;em&gt;(upekkha)&lt;/em&gt; in the Theravada buddhist texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-24T12:30:39.533" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T23:02:35.713" Title="Canonical definition of Upekkha" Tags="|reference-request|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-24T11:11:17.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a matter of translations and concepts here. Let's take the concept of &lt;strong&gt;God&lt;/strong&gt;. In other religions god is an entity or a divine being that created all of existence. Buddhism rejects the idea. There is no divine being that created the existence. Or no-one has. That type of &lt;strong&gt;God&lt;/strong&gt; concept is rejected. But there are gods in buddhism. They are beings just like humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha understood that there are 3 types of realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Realm of Desire(Kaama)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Realm of Form(Rupa)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Realm of Non-Form(Arupa)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Desire realm there are 11 planes(worlds in our conventions).&#xA;4 myseries, human plane and 6 Deva heavens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Form realm there are 16 Brahma(much more superior to Devas) planes.&#xA;In the Non-Form realm there are 4 Brahma planes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as you can see they are just beings in the universe. They are also have a life expanse. They also die. You can be born in any type realms too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically the term &lt;strong&gt;God&lt;/strong&gt; in Buddhism is basically referred to the &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Devas&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; in the Deva realm, and beings from &quot;Brahma&quot; realm are referred to as &quot;Brahma Devas&quot; or &quot;Brahmas&quot; itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything changes in all the these realms. So nothing is actually Divine or everlasting up there. Divine is just a way to express a superior lifestyle relative to humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now regarding the &lt;strong&gt;Soul&lt;/strong&gt; let's take the concept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According the definition of Soul by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/soul&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Oxford&lt;/a&gt; it says&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded&#xA;  as immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism accepts the soul as the mind as it is the immaterial part of a being but rejects the idea of immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's basically your mind that we refer as the soul in our normal lives.&#xA;The mind cannot live without the body. And vice versa. Then when the body dies, how can the mind exists? How can it be immortal? The mind also comes to and end. It your things you collect (Sanskara/Fabrications/Formations) in this life creates your conscious to your next life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like Newton's third law. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Every action has a equal opposite reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words &lt;strong&gt;Karma&lt;/strong&gt;. The past tense of things you collect or in other words Sanskara/Fabrications/Formations, is Karma. They become karma. So basically your thoughts is the starting place of Fabrications. And they become Karma. Based on your karma, you will be born as per your karma itself. So if you are born as a Dog, you will have eye,ear,nose,tongue,body and mind(Soul) of a Dog. Therefore your soul is never immortal. Even your mind/Soul comes to an end. Everything changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As far as I've heard Buddha, didn't believe in the existence of God&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not the fact of believing. Because the Buddha has access to direct knowledge. So he knew the there is no existence of an almight God and an Immortal soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Was the reason why the Buddha didn't speak about God and the soul,&#xA;  because he couldn't provide the proof for it? Or, He wanted to be more&#xA;  practical than theoretical (so that the practicality ultimately leads&#xA;  one to believe in God and soul)? Or He wanted to attract the atheists&#xA;  to Buddhism? Please what is the truth behind it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, Since he has access to Direct Knowledge of all of existence, he understood there's is no need to show proof that an almighty god and an immortal soul exists. Rather than that he taught something anyone has never taught before. The four Noble truth. When you understand them, you will see for yourself that there is no possibility to an almighty god and an immortal soul to exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read more on &lt;strong&gt;Paticca-Samuppada&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/strong&gt;. Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DammaCakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananta-Lakkana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Check on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Aggregates&lt;/a&gt;. once you understand these things, meditate on them. Then you will be able to see the connection of all the above, and the answer to your question as a personal experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T11:11:17.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18291" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-24T16:08:49.193" Score="0" ViewCount="19760" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://9gag.com/gag/arOnzn5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://9gag.com/gag/arOnzn5&lt;/a&gt; says that the Buddha's &quot;hair&quot; on this statue represents snails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VMjX1.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VMjX1.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thought Buddha shave his head like all his disciples. And there is a claim that his hair are actually snails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10381" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-05-30T10:59:46.633" LastActivityDate="2019-11-03T10:31:43.713" Title="Why this hair style on statues of the Buddha?" Tags="|buddha|iconography|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-11-24T16:22:13.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This blog entry, &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdhammika.blogspot.fr/2009/07/buddhas-hail.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Hair&lt;/a&gt;, says no: not snails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, you're probably right about his shaving his head:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Tipitaka offers no authentic information about the Buddha’s hair other than to say that it was black (kalakesa) and that he cut it off when he renounced the world to become a monk (M.I,163). Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the Tipitaka, we can safely assume that the Buddha shaved his head like all other monks. Depictions of him with hair, is an iconographical convention without historical basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It theorizes that it's an attempt to depict one of the &quot;32 Signs of a Great Man&quot;, which it calls &quot;a rather strange idea introduced into Buddhism at a later period&quot;, one of the signs being that &quot;the Great Man’s hair was black and curled upwards and to the right&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T16:22:13.243" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-11-24T16:50:59.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From an unverified source I read that those are snakes protecting his head from heat when he was exerting himself for enlightment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T16:50:59.380" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18294" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18295" CreationDate="2016-11-24T19:17:28.970" Score="1" ViewCount="1300" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have practiced meditation for the better part of a decade now. I wouldn't call myself a Buddhist, but that's immaterial. I've experienced and practiced many kinds of meditation (energy, dream, mindfulness), and all of the meditations I have practiced I have a logic for. I can understand the goal of the meditation and why the meditation works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One meditation that I've always been troubled by is visualization meditation. The type where repeatedly visualizing a very complex scene leads to certain goals. How is it that by visualizing a certain scene I enact unique changes in my psyche?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously there are many different flavors, but recently every path I turn to has resulted in some kind of visualization meditation and I quite honestly doubt the very fundamentals of such a meditation. When I have such a strong doubt I certainly won't be able to practice effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any resources on this subject? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10382" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-11-25T20:32:55.990" LastActivityDate="2018-03-19T15:49:44.600" Title="What is the logic behind visualization meditation" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|doubt|tantra|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18294" CreationDate="2016-11-24T19:27:12.040" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on the system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutra system, there are analytical meditations involving visualizing the form of the body of the Buddha, for instance. You do this in order to achieve calm abiding on the mental image of the form of the body of the Buddha. It is very much practiced in Tibetan traditions, since it is said that the object (that mental image) is very virtuous and thus preferable to neutral objects such as one's breath and so forth. It is said that one has to focus on a mental image to achieve calm abiding: if you take the breath, usually from the fourth mental abiding (calm abiding itself being the tenth), your mind becomes so subtle that a mental image of the breath starts to appear. Taking a mental image (such as the form of the body of the Buddha) from the outset makes things easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the tantra system, the way of visualizing, the reasons to do so, and the objects visualized are completely different. I will not go into it here because it is secret mantra. However, in general, one engages in deity yoga so as to take the resultant enjoyment body into a path. It's called &quot;taking the result as a path&quot;, or &quot;mixing of the ordinary states with the three kayas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea is to create the substantial cause of the enjoyment body. This substantial cause has to be of a similar type (and in the continuity of its result). It is a special body, a special mental body you create the cause of when you identify with the deity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-11-24T20:01:37.880" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T20:01:37.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18287" CreationDate="2016-11-24T22:01:42.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.31&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, O monks, what is worldly equanimity? There are these five cords of sensual desire: forms cognizable by the eye... tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for and desired, agreeable and endearing, associated with sense desire and alluring. It is the equanimity that arises with regard to these five cords of sense desire which is called 'worldly equanimity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, what is unworldy equanimity? With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of gladness and sadness, a monk enters upon and abides in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This is called 'unworldly equanimity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the still greater unworldly equanimity? When a taint-free monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of hatred and freed of delusion, then there arises equanimity. This is called a 'still greater unworldly equanimity.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T22:01:42.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18287" CreationDate="2016-11-24T23:02:35.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a chapter about the Brahmaviharas in the Visuddhimagga -- chapter IX, which starts on page 291 of this PDF: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga)&lt;/a&gt;. The section on Equanimity starts on page 310.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga is a Theravada text, I'm not sure whether it's &quot;canonical&quot; (Wikipedia says, &quot;It is considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-11-24T23:02:35.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18294" CreationDate="2016-11-25T03:54:37.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Visualization utilizes the right hemisphere of the brain that encodes information in images far more efficiently than the left hemisphere that is verbal/linguistic/logical/rational. The old adage is that &quot;a picture is worth a thousand words.&quot; This principle is the basis of the medieval system of memory training (see Francis Yates, &lt;em&gt;The Art of Memory&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unconscious expresses archetypal information using visual images and prelinguistic symbols that are psychologically powerful and empowering, as evidenced by the research of psychologist Carl Gustav Jung for example. Peter Harvey discusses visualization in his &lt;em&gt;Introduction to Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; (Cambridge University Press), esp. pp. 347-57. See also Guenther, &lt;em&gt;The Teachings of Padasambhava&lt;/em&gt;; Korn, &lt;em&gt;Visualization: The Uses of Imagery in the Health Professions&lt;/em&gt;;  Ahsen, &lt;em&gt;PsychEye: A Basic Introduction to the Natural Self-Analytic Images of Consciousness Eidetics&lt;/em&gt;; and Assagioli, &lt;em&gt;Psychosynthesis.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Virtually all religions and spiritual paths testify to powerful visionary experiences including in the Pali Canon, including collective visionary experiences. It seems to be psychologically innate. Poetry and art also testify to the power and importance of the visionary/symbolic dimension of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T21:58:20.857" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T21:58:20.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18283" CreationDate="2016-11-25T06:23:27.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You better stick to only one meditation technique of a meditation master. Also it depends on how long you practice each session, to which interval already practiced so that to which level of concentration you achieved, it all depends. Sometimes stages of insight meditation go up and down and sometimes stick to one stage and cannot get through it if not enough concentration.  If you focusing on breathing in and out, focusing point to note mindfully at the tip of the nose , if other phenomenon  arise only if it is remarkable try to note mindfully as &quot;know it, know it&quot; if it disappears, noting breathing again. If you get concentration more and more, all your noting become so subtle that you noticed nothing. Sometimes just like lack of thought.  Then appear again clearer visualizing some phenomenon never seen before. Then all these disappear again slowly disintegrating into smaller ones. This time again sometimes so clear-minded and nondescribable feeling of experience.   Like that much more left. Not every one will have similar experience. Based on your previous experience from the beginning of practice and how closely done each session without hiatus so that how deep your concentration achieved it all depends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T06:23:27.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-11-25T06:34:48.830" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha didn't shave his hair like a monk, as a &lt;strong&gt;teacher&lt;/strong&gt; doesn't wear uniform when &lt;strong&gt;students&lt;/strong&gt; do, in school. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has deep blue hair, 绀青色 similar to ultramarine, his hair naturally curled clockwise, harmonized with the spinning of the universal energy. In fact the Buddha statues in ancient China are made with strict proportions, with support from the Sutras. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha statues show signs that we ordinary human beings don't have, it's not necessary an imagination of the people at that time. For Buddha is an enlightened being, when one's self-cultivation has reached a higher level, the body will change, too, it must, else this is not a true advancement but only an intellectual achievement. The structure of a body is the reflection of thought, thus a facial feature, hair colour, skin texture, limbs etc., all are not randomly by chance, it has it's intrinsic value. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-05-30T13:52:09.340" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T13:52:09.340" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18303" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-25T06:36:24.930" Score="-1" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Buddha didn't believe in soul why did he believe in Re-incarnation, after life etc which could be because of soul ? What causes one to be born again, is that the desire, if it's the desire, Buddh's belief is the same as told by Krishna(who is supposed to be the previous incarnation of Buddha) who said &quot;what you think at think about at the time of dying, you will be born likewise&quot; Is the desire main cause of &quot;Re incarnation&quot; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10378" LastEditorUserId="10378" LastEditDate="2016-11-25T08:35:16.890" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T15:14:14.460" Title="Causes of Reincarnation" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18303" CreationDate="2016-11-25T07:52:48.650" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures (e.g. SN 12.2) define the word '&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;birth&lt;/em&gt;') to mean the mental generation of the view, idea or thought concept of 'beings' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;') or 'self'. Please also refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in India today, the word '&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;social-self identity&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;caste&lt;/em&gt;' rather than child birth from a woman's womb. To quote Wikipedia:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jāti (in Devanagari: जाति, Bengali: জাতি, Telugu:జాతి, Kannada:ಜಾತಿ, Malayalam: ജാതി, Tamil:ஜாதி, literally &quot;birth&quot;) is a group of clans,&#xA;  tribes, communities and sub-communities, and religions in India. Each&#xA;  jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function or&#xA;  tribe. Religious beliefs (e.g. Sri Vaishnavism or Veera Shaivism) or&#xA;  linguistic groupings may define some jatis. Among the&#xA;  Muslims, the equivalent category is Qom or Biradri.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A person's surname typically reflects a community (jati) association: thus Gandhi = perfume seller, Dhobi = washerman, Srivastava = military&#xA;  scribe, etc. In any given location in India 500 or more jatis may&#xA;  co-exist, although the exact composition will differ from district to&#xA;  district.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This contemporary Indian meaning of the word 'jati' is also found in ancient Pali scriptures, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/098-vasettha-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 98&lt;/a&gt; (which describes the various social designations or 'jati' of people based on their kamma) and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 86&lt;/a&gt; (which refers to the life of a monk as a 'noble birth'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what is called 'rebirth' in the Pali scriptures is the re-arising of this 'self-view' or 'self-social identity' within the mind (rather than reincarnation from life-to-life). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'rebirth' is caused ignorance &amp;amp; craving. Due to &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (action), the mind develops more craving &amp;amp;, due to ignorance, the mind clings to that craving as 'self' or 'me'. This is 'rebirth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The famous Buddhist monk Ajahn Sumedho said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Or, we speculate about re-birth: what is it that carries on from one life to the next if there's no soul? If everything's anatta, how can&#xA;  'I' have been something in a previous life and have some essence that&#xA;  is born again?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But if you watch the way things operate independently of yourself, you begin to understand that rebirth is nothing more than desire&#xA;  seeking some object to absorb into, which will allow it to arise&#xA;  again. This is the habit of the heedless mind. When you get hungry,&#xA;  because of the way you've been conditioned, you go out and get&#xA;  something to eat. Now that's an actual rebirth: seeking something,&#xA;  being absorbed into that very thing itself. Rebirth is going on&#xA;  throughout the day and night, because when you get tired of being&#xA;  reborn you annihilate yourself in sleep. There's nothing more to it&#xA;  than that. It's what you can see. It's not a theory, but a way of&#xA;  examining and observing kammic actions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Sumedho_Cittaviveka.htm#KAMMA%20AND%20REBIRTH&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kamma &amp;amp; Rebirth&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Krishna, his appearance in the Bhagavada Gita (composed around 200 BC) occurred after the Buddha therefore Krishna could not be a previous reincarnation of the Buddha. Such ideas are obvious Hindu rather than Buddhist because, in the Pali Buddhist scriptures, the only gods mentioned are Indra (Vishnu), Brahma &amp;amp; Prajapati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-11-25T15:14:14.460" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T15:14:14.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7315" CreationDate="2016-11-25T10:26:11.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because people often wish to deny that starvation and illness exist. Even Buddhists find these facts challenging&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10385" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T10:26:11.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18303" CreationDate="2016-11-25T15:00:26.790" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's most famous sutta about &amp;quot;not-self&amp;quot; is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta (SN 22.59)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various things (called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skandhas&lt;/a&gt;) which you might (mistakenly) think of as self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Form (matter or body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensation (feeling)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental formations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha argues that these are all impermanent, and not under our control, so we shouldn't think of them as self: we shouldn't think, for example, &amp;quot;I am this body&amp;quot; nor &amp;quot;I have this body&amp;quot;; and similarly for sensation, consciousness, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because there's nothing that isn't impermanent, there's nothing that can be described as self (or as soul).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another sutta is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt;, which includes the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;22&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You may well take hold of a possession,[26] O monks, that is permanent, stable, eternal, immutable, that abides eternally the same in its very condition. (But) do you see, monks, any such possession?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;No, Lord.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such possession that is permanent, stable, eternal, immutable, that abides eternally the same in its very condition.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory[27] from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;No, Lord.&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the above verses he says that if you can find something that's permanent, which if you accept it doesn't lead to &amp;quot;sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair&amp;quot;, then you may accept it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, he doesn't see anything like that, and therefore doesn't assume there is such a thing (a thing which you should view, which you would be wise to view, as permanent self, permanently yours, e.g. &amp;quot;soul&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;40&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;Therefore, monks, give up whatever is not yours.[45] Your giving it up will for a long time bring you welfare and happiness. What is it that is not yours? Corporeality is not yours. Give it up! Your giving it up will for a long time bring you welfare and happiness. Feeling is not yours. Give it up! Your giving it up will for a long bring you welfare and happiness. Perception is not yours. Give it up! Your giving it up will for a long time bring you welfare and happiness. Mental formations are not yours. Give them up! Your giving them up will for a long time bring you welfare and happiness. Consciousness is not yours. Give it up! Your giving it up will for a long time bring you welfare and happiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above verse is maybe part of the general Buddhist advice, that being attached to (or desiring) impermanent things results in unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If Buddha didn't believe in soul why did he believe in Re-incarnation, after life etc which could be because of soul?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So apparently he didn't believe in soul because he saw things (everything) as impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various reasons for believing in rebirth: but one of them might be not seeing death as permanent. Someone once wrote, &amp;quot;Buddhists don't believe in death&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually the same person wrote that Buddhists (at least, Theravada Buddhists ... Tibetan Buddhism explains things differently) don't believe in reincarnation, they believe in rebirth. And really it's more just a believe in &amp;quot;birth&amp;quot; (as a cause of suffering and existence), rather than rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason, I think, was because it's important to teach that actions and intentions have moral (as well as material) consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, by the way, there's the matter of other people and of altruism. Assuming that actions are inconsequential would be wrong, according to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.176&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how is one made impure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is covetous. He covets the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears ill will, corrupt in the resolves of his heart: 'May these beings be killed or cut apart or crushed or destroyed, or may they not exist at all!' He has wrong view, is warped in the way he sees things: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made impure in three ways by mental action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some teachers like the Dalai Lama say that it's by seeing other people as important that he doesn't feel trapped (which he would feel, trapped, if he thought of himself).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to answer this question would be to say that the &amp;quot;cause&amp;quot; is karma, craving, and/or (in more detail) the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 nidanas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T15:00:26.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18303" CreationDate="2016-11-25T15:10:48.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there are two main reasons &quot;why,&quot; which is the question. First, according to the Pali Canon the Buddha actually experienced past life memories as a result of his Enlightenment experience. Second, the law of karma requires that every cause have an effect; therefore, if at death there are any &quot;unfruited&quot; causes, as will be the case with anyone driven by desirous attachment, these must remanifest in a subsequent rebirth, even if there is no permanent self or &quot;soul.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T15:10:48.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18311" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-25T18:20:34.560" Score="3" ViewCount="1945" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read in an article on religious views on masturbation that there were individuals in the Buddha's time that viewed masturbation as therapeutic. The reference given was (Vin. III 109) which I'm guessing stands for a part of the Vinaya, but I cannot really navigate my way and find the source. I'm wondering if anyone knows about these arguments for masturbation, and those which the Buddha gave in disagreement to these views. Ultimately I'd like to know whether masturbation is always a fetter, if one gains many benefits from its non-practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T12:55:07.227" Title="Therapeutic Effects of Masturbation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18311" CreationDate="2016-11-25T19:05:44.327" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Celibacy and Religious Traditions,&lt;/em&gt; edited by Carol Olson (&lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.ca/books?id=apq1G-o2OzoC&amp;amp;pg=PA222&amp;amp;lpg=PA222&amp;amp;dq=masturbation+vinaya+pitaka&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=YtJc3M7TAs&amp;amp;sig=DShKDVt6HKWn1yGu2D-tjf9dlSA&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwiBkO3Sy8TQAhUkS2MKHXnYBlwQ6AEILzAD#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=masturbation&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://books.google.ca/books?id=apq1G-o2OzoC&amp;amp;pg=PA222&amp;amp;lpg=PA222&amp;amp;dq=masturbation+vinaya+pitaka&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=YtJc3M7TAs&amp;amp;sig=DShKDVt6HKWn1yGu2D-tjf9dlSA&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwiBkO3Sy8TQAhUkS2MKHXnYBlwQ6AEILzAD#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=masturbation&amp;amp;f=false&lt;/a&gt;) mentions Vinaya III.109 on page 222.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reference appears to be to &lt;em&gt;Sanghadisesa&lt;/em&gt; I, which appears on pages 192-98 of Horner, &lt;em&gt;The Book of the Discipline,&lt;/em&gt; Vol. I (PTS ed.), where the venerable Seyyasaka was emaciated with yellowish skin and varicose veins. The ven. Udayin saw this and recommended that he eat, sleep, bathe and engage in the activity asked about &quot;as much as you like,&quot; for reasons of health. This cured him, &quot;and in a short time the venerable Seyyasaka was nice-looking with rounded features, of a bright complexion and a clear skin.&quot; Since the 5th cent. BCE was the golden age of Ayurveda, one wonders if there might be an Ayurvedic precedent for this? In any case, the Buddha rebukes Seyyasaka for this practice, saying that it is not appropriate for a monastic to engage in such a practice, which leads to passion, bondage, and grasping. The actual rule to which it gave rise is stated on page 195. As an infraction of the second order (&lt;em&gt;disesa&lt;/em&gt;), it entails a formal meeting of the order. Also see the example referred to on page 359 (Vin. III 112).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The prohibition reminds me a bit of the Qur'anic prohibition against drinking alcohol, which simultaneously recognizes its health benefits yet prohibits it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4970" LastEditorDisplayName="user4970" LastEditDate="2016-11-25T19:32:06.343" LastActivityDate="2016-11-25T19:32:06.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18313" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18325" CreationDate="2016-11-26T12:20:36.750" Score="2" ViewCount="320" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I'm knowing Buddhism called atheism religion but I've doubt both are different, I call myself I'm an atheist as well as Buddhist. Or it just described what is it ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T18:33:19.327" Title="How Atheism and Buddhism are different?" Tags="|buddha|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-26T19:23:22.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no proof that God (Creator, the first living being who rule/manage the new comers and their fate/destiny) exists in scientifically, biologically, historically, philosophically and logically. Set aside Buddha, there is no one who can prove that God exists, never before and never will be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Immortality never exists in any form (both physical and mental). There is no such thing (or state mind) that exists eternally or that exists along with something eternal. There is no such thing (or state of mind) that never perish or that exists along with something never perish. Also in science, biology, history, philosophy and logics no a single person can define something everlasting beyond time or eternity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any practical way/mean, no one can find the above two. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-26T19:23:22.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18313" CreationDate="2016-11-26T20:19:37.647" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atheism &amp;amp; Buddhism are the same in that both do not believe in a creator god. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atheism &amp;amp; Buddhism are different in that atheism does not provide a path to end suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism and some theistic religions have some similarities in that both share some (moral) aspects of the path to reduce suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-26T23:25:20.483" LastActivityDate="2016-11-26T23:25:20.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18311" CreationDate="2016-11-26T21:01:40.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea/notion &quot;Masturbation is therapeutic&quot; in Vinaya was highly personal experience. In Vinaya, this particular monk is not pleased to be in life of monk and had thin body and he got normal body weight after having regular masturbation. In this very personal experience the monk had tendency to do sexual intercourse but he cannot. By doing masturbation he was trying to satisfy himself but actually he is encouraging the fetter to overcome him. There was nothing therapeutic effect in any extent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will try to answer your question with medical example. While we are trying to test the effect of placebo medicine to sampled/surveyed patients, it show significant positive effect on targeted patients. But not a single FDA from any country will approved that it will have therapeutic effect on the particular type of patient we tested. Scarcely, placebo medicine will be commercially available for this particular disease. Masturbation is lightweight demonstration of sexual intercourse. If you cannot do the latter, you are satisfied with masturbation. It will make you psychologically feel better but is is not therapeutic cure to extinguish strong sexual desire (which is fetter in Buddha's teachings). It is just like placebo medicine and highly personal experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another example, if someone is highly allergic to nicotine and addicted to cigar, will change from cigar to cigarette be better for his allergy? So as masturbation, it will make your sexual desire to burn more inside (which is definitely fetter in Buddha's teachings). If you think masturbation has therapeutic effect, then you are changing from cigar to cigarette expecting same therapeutic effect of cutting off nicotine intake. And that is why masturbation is prohibited in Sanga society by Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said masturbation is not make people bored about Samsara (born, live, die, reborn, live, die cycles). It is not beginning of noble practices to stop/get out of sufferings (Samsara). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masturbation has only placebo effect on sexual desire to intercourse it will make personal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Raga&lt;/a&gt; to make stronger. Raga is one of three unwholesome roots and now (at the time of 2016 AD) people thinks masturbation is disgusting and not allowed to do in public (compared to smoking, people does not like it, but there are public smoking places). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People has mindset that sexual desire is normal to animal instinct and one should practice masturbation if he/she cannot find mating partner but clearly it is psychological placebo and not therapeutic solution to cure to make calm to sexual thirst because they do not know what is cause of Raga, what is supporting Raga to grow in mind, what is the nearest cause of Raga and how to get rid of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T11:12:15.003" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T11:12:15.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-11-26T21:44:34.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha cut his hair himself when he left his palace for retreat. In some India and Buddhism countries, it is not respectful that touching one's head if the one who touched is younger in age or less respectful (lower in rank) than the one who was touched. So logically no one should touch Buddha's head for shaving since Buddha is superior to all living beings. That is why there was no barber who did Buddha's hair after his retreat and Buddha-hood. So Buddha cut his hair by himself once when his monk life began, definitely not possible to shave himself. So there some hair left on the head and are all in clockwise spiral shape and rest till Buddha's Mahaprinivana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above statement is very logical but there are no reference or citation in pali canon as far as I read. Buddha definitely was not totally bald like monks and hair relic are supporting facts about it though it has not been proved scientifically.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-26T21:44:34.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7308" CreationDate="2016-11-26T23:33:05.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The whole Buddhist philosophy is describing things, being on the base of &quot;mind&quot;. Hence, it doesn't matter whether is it real or unreal, if you believe sort of perspective as real, that is enough. Because, though you think real world is &quot;real&quot;, according to the Buddhist philosophy, nothing is real. All are momentarily illusions that we think of as real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10391" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2019-01-29T20:00:22.723" LastActivityDate="2019-01-29T20:00:22.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12691" CreationDate="2016-11-27T03:38:53.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this entire universe is made up of Sankara, which cannot be seen thorough our 5 senses(Vinyana-Perception).Also &quot;San&quot; means collection and &quot;kara&quot; means information. It is the collection of information. Buddha said &quot;Pragnya&quot; eye can see this small particles..Buddha told Rahula, &quot;you and that tree are the same&quot;...it has a nature of &quot;create&quot; and &quot;cessation&quot; at the same time...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10392" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T03:38:53.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12691" CreationDate="2016-11-27T04:27:41.490" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali word ‘sankhara’ has multiple meanings dependent on the context. It can mean:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) a conditioned thing (formed from various causes or parts);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) something that conditions another conditioned thing, i.e., a ‘conditioner’;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) the process of conditioning;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) the aggregate of mental forming, such as desiring, intention, thinking, etc and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) mental conditioning/concocting by greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion, i.e., uncontrolled disturbing mental proliferating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, shampoo is a ‘conditioned thing’, because it is manufactured from &amp;amp; comprises of many ingredients. When shampoo is applied to hair, a ‘conditioning’ process takes place, which makes hair soft, clean &amp;amp; shiny. Therefore, shampoo is also a (hair) ‘conditioner’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of each context from the Pali suttas are below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. ‘Sankhara’ as ‘conditioned things’.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rūpaṃ kho āvuso channa, aniccaṃ, vedanā aniccā, saññā aniccā, saṃkhārā aniccā, viññāṇaṃ aniccaṃ, rūpaṃ anantā, vedanā anattā, saññā&#xA;anattā, saṃkhārā anattā, viññāṇaṃ anattā, sabbe saṃkhārā aniccā, sabbe&#xA;dhammā anattā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Form, friend Channa, is impermanent. Feeling is impermanent. Perception is impermanent. Mental formations (saṃkhārā) are&#xA;impermanent. Consciousness is impermanent. Form is not-self. Feeling&#xA;is not-self. Perception is not-self. Mental formations are not-self.&#xA;Consciousness is not-self. All (sabbe) conditioned things (saṃkhārā)&#xA;are impermanent (aniccā). All (sabbe) phenomena (dhammā) are not-self&#xA;(anattā).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.90&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verse above contains the word ‘sankhara’ twice: (i) as the aggregate of mental forming; and (ii) as all conditioned things, referring to each of the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This stock phrase – sabbe saṃkhārā aniccā – is found in the exact same context at AN 3.134 and at Dhammapada 277.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates are conditioned things because they arise &amp;amp; exist subject to &amp;amp; dependent upon various causes and conditions. Thus, SN 22.21 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rūpaṃ kho ānanda, aniccaṃ, saṃkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ khayadhammaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Form…feeling…perception…mental formations…consciousness  are&#xA;impermanent,  conditioned (saṃkhataṃ), dependently arisen&#xA;(paṭiccasamuppannaṃ), subject to destruction (khayadhammaṃ)…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in this context, ‘sankhara’ also refers to physical or material things, as found in the Pali terms ‘kaya sankhara’ (which is defined in MN 44 as the ‘in &amp;amp; out breathing’) &amp;amp; ‘aayu sankhara’ (defined in MN 43 as the ‘vitality’ or ‘life force’ of the physical body that remains when the mind is unconscious).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.  ‘Sankhara’ as ‘conditioners’.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, ‘sankhara’ as ‘conditioners’ refers to the words ‘kaya sankhara’, ‘vaci sankhara’ &amp;amp; ‘citta sankhara’, which are found at the 2nd condition of Dependent Origination &amp;amp; at stages 4, 7 and 8 of the Anapanasati Sutta and which are defined in MN 44 as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In-&amp;amp;-out breaths are the body conditioner (kāyasaṅkhāro). Initial &amp;amp; sustained thought are the verbal conditioner (vacīsaṅkhāro).&#xA;Perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are the mind conditioner (cittasaṅkhāroti).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why are in-&amp;amp;-out breaths the body conditioner? Why are directed&#xA;thought &amp;amp; evaluation the verbal conditioner? Why are perceptions &amp;amp;&#xA;feelings the mind conditioner?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In-&amp;amp;-out breaths are a bodily thing upon which the body depends on (or is bound on). That’s why in-&amp;amp;-out breaths are the body&#xA;conditioner. Having first applied &amp;amp; sustained one’s thought, one then&#xA;breaks out into speech. That’s why applied &amp;amp; sustained thought are the&#xA;verbal conditioner. Perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are mental; these are&#xA;things that determine mental states (i.e., upon which mental states&#xA;depend). That’s why perceptions &amp;amp; feelings are the mind conditioner.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above translation has been done liberally to demonstrate the meaning. However, the part of the translation about why thought is the verbal conditioner is the same as all translators. This part demonstrates clearly what the mean of ‘sankhara’ is in this context, namely, the ‘verbal sankhara’ is a preceding cause that determines the happening of speech. Thus ‘thought’ is not the ‘verbal condition’ or ‘verbal fabrication’ but, instead, the ‘verbal conditioner’ or the ‘verbal fabricator’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the ‘kaya’ &amp;amp; ‘cittta sankhara’ have the same meaning. The breathing conditions the state of the body. Breathing gives life to the body. If breathing is healthy, the body is healthy &amp;amp; energetic. If breathing is poor, the body is unhealthy &amp;amp; weak. This is why breathing is the body ‘conditioner’ (rather than the bodily condition). Similarly, pleasant feelings &amp;amp; perceptions condition mental formations of love, greed or lust; whilst unpleasant feelings &amp;amp; perceptions condition mental formations of anger or hatred. This is why perception &amp;amp; feeling is the mind ‘conditioner’ (rather than the mental condition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. ‘Sankhara’ as ‘conditioning’.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are two straightforward examples of the word ‘abhisaṃkharontīti’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kiñca bhikkhave, saṃkhāre vadetha: saṃkhataṃ abhisaṃkharontīti bhikkhave&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why do you call them ‘fabricators’? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called ‘fabricators.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avijjāgatoyaṃ bhikkhave, purisapuggalo puññaṃ ce saṅkhāraṃ abhisaṅkharoti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, if a person immersed in ignorance generates a meritorious formation…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.51&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.  ‘Sankhara’ as the ‘mental formations aggregate’.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are five aggregates (khandha) of life (body, feeling, perception, mental formations &amp;amp; consciousness), of which ‘sankhara khandha’ (mental formations/forming) is the 4th.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The  ‘sankhara khandha’ operates in all people, including Buddhas. For example, about the end of the life of a fully enlightened being, the scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;break-up of the body, after death?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus asked, I would answer, ‘Form is impermanent… Feeling… Perception… Fabrications… Consciousness is impermanent. That which is&#xA;impermanent is unsatisfactory. That which is unsatisfactory has ceased&#xA;and gone to its end.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Very good, my friend Yamaka. Very good.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yamaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, for a Buddha to think or speak, the sankhara aggregate must operate in the mind/brain of a Buddha. In this context, ‘sankhara’ is not ‘mental suffering’ but referring to a neutral mental faculty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5.  ‘Sankhara’ as the ‘mental concocting’.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many passages about how ‘sankhara’ is the greatest suffering &amp;amp; about how Nibbana is the stilling of ‘sankhara’. Since a Buddha must think (in order to teach) &amp;amp; is comprised of five undefiled pure five aggregates, the term ‘sankhara’ is these passages does not refer to ‘sankhara’ as ‘conditioned things’ or the ‘sankhara aggregate’. Sankhara, here, also probably does not refer to ‘sankhara’ as ‘conditioners’ since Buddhas still have breathing, feeling, perception &amp;amp; thought. Therefore, ‘sankhkara’ here must refer to the mind being ‘conditioned’, ‘concocted’, ‘stirred up’ &amp;amp; ‘polluted’ by greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion, i.e., uncontrolled disturbing mental proliferating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some relevant well-known passages are below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Saṅkhāra paramā dukhā…nibbāṇa paramaṃ sukhaṃ.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mental concocting is the worst suffering….Nibbana is the highest bliss.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 203&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tisso imā āvuso dukkhatā, dukkhadukkhatā saṅkhāradukkhatā vipariṇāmadukkhatā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these three kinds of suffering, my friend: suffering due to/about pain; suffering due to/of mental concocting; and suffering&#xA;due to/about change. These are the three kinds of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 38.14&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Construing is a disease, construing is a cancer, construing is an arrow. By going beyond all construing, he is said to be a sage at&#xA;peace.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Idampi kho ṭhānaṃ duddasaṃ yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṃ.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This state, too, is hard to see: the calming (samatho) of all (sabba) mental concocting (saṅkhāra), the relinquishment of all acquisitions,&#xA;the destruction of craving; dispassion; cessation [of suffering];&#xA;Nibbana.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/strong&gt; In the Pali, the word ‘sankhara’ is used in many different contexts. For a clear &amp;amp; practical comprehension of the Pali teachings, the suitable context is best discerned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is an example of an internet translation &amp;amp; the alternate translation of this webpage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These three feelings have been spoken of by me: a feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain &amp;amp; a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain.&#xA;These are the three feelings spoken of by me. But I have also said:&#xA;‘Whatever is felt comes under stress.’ That I have stated simply in&#xA;connection with the inconstancy of fabrications (sankhara). That I&#xA;have stated simply in connection with the nature of fabrications to&#xA;end… in connection with the nature of fabrications to fall away… to&#xA;fade away… to cease… in connection with the nature of fabrications to&#xA;change.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These three feelings have been spoken of by me: a feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain &amp;amp; a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain.&#xA;These are the three feelings spoken of by me. But I have also said:&#xA;‘Whatever is felt comes under unsatisfactoriness.’ That I have stated&#xA;simply in connection with the inconstancy of conditioned things&#xA;(sankhara). That I have stated simply in connection with the nature of&#xA;conditioned things (sankhara) to end… in connection with the nature of&#xA;conditioned things to fall away… to fade away… to cease… in connection&#xA;with the nature of conditioned things to change.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 36.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T04:27:41.490" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18324" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18326" CreationDate="2016-11-27T09:55:25.527" Score="5" ViewCount="323" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which are the vipassana jhanas? What are the differences with the jhanas? Where can I find more information about them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T15:26:43.533" Title="Which are the vipassana jhanas?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18313" CreationDate="2016-11-27T10:33:51.550" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atheism is not a religion. It's just a view that says there are no deities. Atheism is harmless &amp;amp; compatible with Buddhism when it just means there is no creator/almighty God who is responsible for our fates. But it becomes extremely dangerous and contradictory to Buddhism when it grows into nihilism &amp;amp; materialism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Buddhism is a comprehensive religion with vast number of texts containing in depth teachings and clear guidance on the nature of phenomena and their workings. It teaches the causes of these phenomena, what we need to aim for, and how to achieve that which needs be achieved.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These teachings include deities, non-humans, hells, heavens, rebirth, karma etc. &amp;amp; also guidance on how to make the household life successful. Buddhism also has rules &amp;amp; rituals associated with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T11:09:23.900" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T11:09:23.900" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18324" CreationDate="2016-11-27T15:26:43.533" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please see Ven. Gunaratana's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/a&gt;. He gave pretty detailed descriptions of the standard jhanas versus the vipassana one, what's called &quot;momentary concentration&quot;/khanikaSamadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T15:26:43.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18327" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-27T17:50:45.520" Score="0" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha found the traditional path of previous Buddhas and spoke about &quot;The four noble truths&quot;. Nowadays, people cannot talk about/discuss the truth or falsehood of idea/notion/philosophical/religious entity. Did the current generation lose the ability to judge/determine/conclude the truth or falsehood of idea/notion/philosophical/religious entity? Or do we universally accept the idea that not a single living being be able to find/invent/prove that the new truth about the entities? Do we really have to remove the words truth and false from our dictionaries since we are not allowed to use in anywhere else? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T23:39:35.910" Title="Four noble truths, any single being of mankind can invent, find the new truth other than that?" Tags="|truth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3361" CreationDate="2016-11-27T18:35:07.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its important to keep your head neck and trunk in a straight line during meditation.The position of you upper extremities and lower extremities is not the Important thing.Once you truly get into meditative state you will not feel the pain and numbness in your body...over a long period of sustained practice, you will learn to be in meditative state for longer hours without knowing any pain....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing stretching exercises and other physical exercises will help you to get used to the postures with certain ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lotus posture(Padmasana) and Adept posture(Siddhasana) are the postures used by great yogis, However, all the other postures are equally good as long as the head, neck, and trunk are held in a straight line and if you are doing the meditation right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10395" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T18:35:07.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17570" CreationDate="2016-11-27T18:38:00.967" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A kōan is nothing more than a puzzle that seems self-contradictory or paradoxical, and yet contains a teaching of truth in it. Those who want a book about it are probably unqualified to create kōans to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said, each sangha (whether online or not) can adopt kōans as they see fit, whether validated by a group of masters or not. Such validation serves only to give a thorough review of the proposed kōan, and doesn't pertain to whether or not it validly teaches, since the acceptable answers can vary greatly between students and even teachers. The abstract quality of a kōan to begin with makes it an uncertain thing at best, anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is not any particular qualification, other than understanding what a kōan actually is, in its full and ineffable truth. Any book on the subject would necessarily have to ignore the ineffable (e.g., indefinable) part of that, and so would completely miss the point of the abstract. But if it was to teach you what you need to get to the level of abstract comprehension, that would suffice, and there are lots of those.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T18:38:00.967" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18327" CreationDate="2016-11-27T19:33:28.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;So, your question is from outside the perspective of Buddhism, which I have to say is wonderful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Buddhist perspective, the word &quot;truth&quot; in English has multiple meanings which don't always strictly mean the objective truth of a situation without bias. For example, the Four Noble Truths are not true in the sense of &quot;true/false&quot; but rather in the sense of &quot;true to the ideal&quot;&amp;mdash;in their case, true to the ideal of overcoming suffering. They are &quot;truths&quot; in that they are statements about that ideal as the Buddha taught, rather than being &quot;false&quot; and diverging from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should each measure the truth of these by experience, rather than by any absolute truth or falsehood. Trying to talk about them in this sense shows a degree of lacking knowledge, and it doesn't apply in that sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, no, it's not that these words are removed; it's that they don't apply in the way you want to apply them. They are faithful to the ideal teachings of the Buddha, and so cannot be claimed as false, even if they are found false by the measure of any particular person's experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T19:33:28.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18286" CreationDate="2016-11-27T19:45:56.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a question of law. In some places, the laws will allow one parent, or even no parents, since it's a matter of religious preference. In other places, the laws are strict, and require both parents' permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also a question of the sangha's policies. Most will have an age limit because they observe a need to gain life experience. Some will permit children, and others will even seek after them, so that children will not be unduly influenced by outside ideas. So it depends a lot on who is asking, and who is doing the ordaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordination can be a big deal. Mostly, though, it's merely feeling a call to serve others, seek the best interests of the world and promote its well-being. Nobody needs an ordination for that, but it helps to have a legal piece of paper to avoid certain troubles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T19:45:56.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18327" CreationDate="2016-11-27T20:09:35.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths are absolutely true &amp;amp; cannot be disproven as false. Therefore, it is pointless to argue they are false. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, Buddhism does not encourage the dogmatic attachment to spoken truth but totally exhorts the truth must be verified by each wise person prior to belief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the Four Noble Truths state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All suffering is (egoistic) attachment to the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All suffering arises when there is craving leading to new (egoistic) becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This suffering will end when craving ends. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The noble eightfold path is the way of practise to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, it is impossible to show there is an arising of suffering without craving, attachment, becoming, egoism, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, people may not accept the truth due to craving, such as occurred in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piyajatika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, where a man did not believe the Buddha, when the Buddha said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair are born from one who&#xA;  is dear, come springing from one who is dear&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the man believed gamblers who said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Happiness &amp;amp; joy are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-27T22:16:10.363" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T22:16:10.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2816" CreationDate="2016-11-27T20:12:01.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the teachings of my own tradition is the use of inner imagery after overcoming bias. Our inner accuracy improves once we learn to identify what is biased and what is not, and this could be called 'clairvoyance' by most, though this doesn't necessarily mean you are seeing what is there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also said that siddhi meditations develop human superpowers, as well. But in the case of siddhi, there is a lot of esoteric learning that has to happen first, some of which is lost to time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2190" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T20:12:01.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18327" CreationDate="2016-11-27T23:39:35.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you will study in-depth, the Four Truths are a complete system in themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking if there is a 5th truth to be invented is like saying if there is an additional step to the scientific method... i.e. such a person does not understand the scientific method in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T23:39:35.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18294" CreationDate="2016-11-27T23:42:17.833" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of visualization is manifold depending on the practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;guidance of the energy systems of the body (sambhogakaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;making oneself focused and absorbed (samadhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mental factors are cultivated (i.e. generosity when practicing giving away of the body to hungry ghosts)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;realigning one's belief systems with Right View&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not all true for every visualization practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2016-11-27T23:42:17.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18280" CreationDate="2016-11-28T11:15:03.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard it said that when Buddha was asked about God and what is, he just laughed. I heard it said that he laughed because it is not something for words. Like the Buddha taught different things in different places(The all is illusion, that nothing is illusion and that there is illusion[coming from you] and reality from outside ~ Or maybe that's the other way around ;) and like there are saint from all walks of life, with all sorts of stature. God is not something to be described because God is not something. God is in nothingness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no right or wrong answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10398" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T11:15:03.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3322" CreationDate="2016-11-28T15:57:51.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Neither a man nor a woman can become a Buddha. Only a Bodhisattva having completed the necessary parami can become a Buddha. In that last life of the Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva takes on a masculine shape at birth. This is what is said in the Theravada texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="17694" LastEditDate="2020-02-15T19:32:35.427" LastActivityDate="2020-02-15T19:32:35.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17372" CreationDate="2016-11-28T16:02:04.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are already such linguistic algorithms around, as far as I understood based on neural networks, which are able to attribute texts to authors by evaluating frequencies of words, groups of words, patterns in stylish expressions and so on. I have not an actual source, maybe one can find this in the realms of the &quot;Big-data&quot; or of sociolinguistic qualitative research or forensic psychology/lingusitic, but I remember to have read newspaper articles about some progress.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The situation with the pali-canon is a bit more difficult than modern texts by original authors, because     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reports are by the memory of Ananda and some others, and although we know, that educated people of that times had an enormous memory to cite word-by-word, the patterns of words of the Buddha have patterns of memories of the reciting people overlaid &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;additionally the Pali might not be the original language of the Buddha (for instance the &quot;Maghadi&quot; has possibly been his conversation language) so the translation-variances overlay an original pattern               &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;additionally over the centuries up to the first writing-down on the palm-leaves it is likely that pieces of text were rhytmisized to be better for reciting and remembering             &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the amount of text is rather large, so perhaps, if someone would really try, some patterns might be discernible and separatable to different authorship.             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is so far possible is to look-out for terms, which were not known to the Buddha, because they came up centuries later. Or for rather obvious deviations from the main teachings in concept and style. Here can likely be said something already.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Unfortuately without a reliable analysis tool this is rather subjective, and someone who wants to insert texts/thoughts into the Buddha's teaching and even to attribute this to the Buddha would surely challenge you, to &lt;em&gt;prove&lt;/em&gt; your assumption of fabrication...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Subjective&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; example: in an &quot;encounter&quot; some years ago I was confronted with the Mahayana-version of the Great Parinirvana-sutra. Reading this I felt a lot of sentences being nearly hate-speech against the &quot;iccantika&quot;s, against the &quot;non-believers&quot;, heretics; in many places I found the style of a talk being &lt;em&gt;competitive&lt;/em&gt; with others, and found records about numbers of people attending the burial-ceremony as given with &quot;millions&quot;, &quot;billions&quot; - for me seemingly just simply born out of a drunken delirium of the writer. But &lt;em&gt;prove&lt;/em&gt; that that impressions indicate fabrication...               &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Subjective again:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  there is a certain stand in the attribution of Palicanon-suttas to the Buddha and to later redaction, but for me this is in moderate, usually neglectable amount - so I have not really looked at this systematically. I'm curious, though, what next years might bring us, in presence of always better pattern-detection-software - textanalysis is already beginning to become spectcular...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2016-11-28T16:09:53.667" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T16:09:53.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18342" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18359" CreationDate="2016-11-28T16:35:17.050" Score="2" ViewCount="3354" Body="&lt;p&gt;By first precept I shouldn't kill even a mosquito it bite me but when as by 7th precept I can listen music for therapy If things fall into such circumstances like this mosquito biting can lead me to malaria or dengue. Also I've to ask if I can consume yogurt when it's made with help of bacterias they are also living being. I don't mean I'm trying to find breaking precepts,but I stopped killing them really.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2018-01-07T11:48:30.320" Title="Shouldn't I kill even mosquitoes that bite me by first precept?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18313" CreationDate="2016-11-28T18:33:19.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism and Atheism, these two words although having some overlap, are contradictory for most people. Atheism is not Buddhism, Buddhism is clearly not Atheism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism can be said to be Atheistic because of rejection of conventional notions of afterlife and creation but Atheism cant be said to be Buddhistic because Atheism is rejection of specific views and not a view itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As i see it Atheism is a counter opposite to Theism and rejection of theistic religious views. Atheism clearly communicates what it doesn't believe, rather than what it actually believes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism gives totally new definitions to words like &quot;god&quot;, &quot;angel&quot;, &quot;good&quot;, &quot;evil&quot;, &quot;death&quot;, &quot;wisdom&quot; which are common concepts in theistic religions. Therefor Atheism doesn't really apply very well to the framework of Buddhism as i see it, because they deal with same words but completely different meanings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T18:33:19.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18342" CreationDate="2016-11-28T18:51:54.367" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st precept is a training rule to refrain from killing 'breathing' things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali is: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;, where the word &amp;quot;pana&amp;quot; means &amp;quot;life&amp;quot; or 'breath&amp;quot;, such as in the term &amp;quot;ana-pana-sati&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st precept does not apply to bacteria because they do not breathe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Strictly speaking, bacteria do not “breathe” as humans and other animals do, but they must still engage in the act of cellular&#xA;respiration. Cellular respiration is the method by which cells convert&#xA;chemicals into energy that the cell needs to stay alive.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.reference.com/science/bacteria-breathe-27fb019917dae7bc&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bacteria&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for mosquitoes, the probability of contracting malaria or dengue fever is very low. I lived in Thailand for 9 years and had dengue fever only once. I can contract dengue fever where I have lived for the last 10 years &amp;amp; have never got it (although one friend did). When I lived in Thailand, there was a period of a few years when hundreds of mosquitoes would bite my feet when I was meditating at sunset. I never got dengue fever or malaria during this period. I felt very free when my mind became accustomed to not worrying about &amp;amp; fearing mosquitoes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not killing mosquitoes is beneficial for cultivating metta (loving-kindness), fearlessness &amp;amp; freedom. However, that said, killing mosquitoes is not particularly bad karma. When I first visited Thailand &amp;amp; learned meditation, I did not care about killing mosquitoes &amp;amp; killing a mosquito never affected my &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; (calmness; concentration) meditation. This is because killing a mosquito is kammically a natural act. The mosquito wants to steal our blood &amp;amp; can (possibly) kill us. This is why the kammic results (&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;) of killing a mosquito are trifling (insignificant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people have killed many mosquitoes &amp;amp; remain mentally normal. Their minds do not become deranged (crazy). Where as the majority of soldiers that kill in war are often mentally affected for life in a negative way. Some ex-soldiers become mentally deranged &amp;amp; even commit suicide. (Here, an ex-soldier must learn to forgive themselves!) This shows the difference between killing many mosquitoes &amp;amp; killing just one or even many human being/s. Kammic consequences (&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;) follow the law of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught &amp;quot;kamma is intention&amp;quot; (AN 6.63). A mosquito killed with the intention of avoiding malaria or dengue fever is not an unwholesome intention. However, it is still an intention rooted in fear, attachment &amp;amp; a lack of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, to kill a mosquito so it does not bite a small baby or child is probably good karma. If it was known you let mosquitoes bite your small baby, many people would criticize you. You would be blamed &amp;amp; censured for being a bad parent. The government may take your child away from you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I would not worry too much about it since not killing mosquitoes is a higher level of dhamma practise. The Buddha did not make strict rules for monks about killing mosquitoes or even about killing animals (for food) for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual doesn't tolerate cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of&#xA;flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words;&#xA;&amp;amp; bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp,&#xA;piercing, disagreeable, displeasing &amp;amp; menacing to life. This is called&#xA;intolerant practice.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual tolerates cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of flies,&#xA;mosquitoes, wind, sun &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words; &amp;amp;&#xA;bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp,&#xA;piercing, disagreeable, displeasing &amp;amp; menacing to life. This is called&#xA;tolerant practice.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.165.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Khama Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T19:21:08.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18345" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-28T20:12:31.483" Score="2" ViewCount="269" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read about the existence of mental lethargy, and have experienced it for myself. But, when it comes to physical lethargy, is there any meditative practice that counters it? Also, I'm saying this especially in relationship to willpower (avoiding attachment activities) and effort (practicing aversive activities). Ideally, I'm looking for the best practices to counter these things, and ultimately have more energy, willpower and effort in the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While we're at it, can anyone give me their opinions on activities which involve attachment but which aren't necessarily so for everyone, e.g. facebook and junk food. These activities, in me, seem to create a strong attachment and consequently I'm trying to rid myself of them, but keep experiencing a failure of willpower and determination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T19:04:29.807" Title="Physical Lethargy" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18342" CreationDate="2016-11-28T21:13:18.127" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the formula is actually &lt;em&gt;I will restrain from the killing of sentient beeings&lt;/em&gt;. Keep in mind that the 5 precepts are not obligations, but rather rules you take up voluntarily. Nobody forces you to keep them, but they are an absolute minimum of Buddhist morality. The mind that has the intention of killing, stealing... is not able to have a clear perception of reality, at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="7548" LastEditDate="2016-11-30T17:46:10.013" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T17:46:10.013" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18345" CreationDate="2016-11-28T21:23:57.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Physical lethargy is not really a problem as long as your mind stays unaffected. But in reality physical lethargy most of the time comes with mental lethargy. There are already lots of answers regarding the 3. hindrance on this SE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18253/ways-of-raising-energy&quot;&gt;Ways of Raising Energy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9970/clarity-during-meditation&quot;&gt;Clarity During Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3485/sloth-torpor-restlessness-worry/3523#3523&quot;&gt;Sloth-torpor-Restlessness-worry&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &amp;quot;bad habits&amp;quot; IMO the best way to deal with them is to be patient. Using willpower and trying to changes things is often a guarantee for more feelings of guilt, failure and suffering. Instead of trying to get rid of you could develop wholesome habits (meditation, sati, virtue of action, speech and thought ...) alongside the bad ones and then step by step replace old habits with new ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-11-28T21:23:57.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17372" CreationDate="2016-11-28T23:41:24.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does anybody know of an in depth and articulate description of such a linguistic algorithm or method that is free of ideological bias?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textual_criticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Textual criticism&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_criticism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Higher criticism&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigraphy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Epigraphy&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Philology&lt;/a&gt; are fields of study concerned with the study of texts, their language, meaning, authenticity, history and &quot;evolution&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a number of buddhist scholars who engage in such works. Sometimes they write their &lt;em&gt;personal opinions&lt;/em&gt;, sometimes they elaborate more &lt;em&gt;rigorous conclusions&lt;/em&gt; regarding the age of some texts. The difference between the two, of course, is whether the author spends some time analyzing a number of evidences carefully to justify their conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some scholars, however, seem to reject these methods altogether and are more skeptical of historical dating of the texts without relying on archeological material. For some discussion on the issues, see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Alexander Wynne's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut056.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How old is the Suttapiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu Sujato's &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/the-ironic-assumptions-of-gregory-schopen/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ironic Assumptions of Gregory Schopen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu Sujato &amp;amp; Bhikkhu Brahmali's &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Authenticity of Early Buddhist Texts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, any application of this &quot;method&quot; seems to degenerate almost immediately into an ideological argument based on implicit assumptions of what the Buddha's teaching was like or naive inferences that because a text appears to be later, that automatically disqualifies it from consideration (in fact, later texts can incorporate or revise older traditions, elaborate older doctrines, consist of valid inferences, or even consist of valid original insights based on the original set of insights and thus be valid in their own right).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, this kind of study is what happens when any group of people is interested in answering difficult questions about ancient texts. For example, a lot of what these scholars are doing they learned from scholars of Christianity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it may happen, any immediate disqualification based merely on what is perceived (with or without evidence) to be later texts is a matter of personal inclination. Such implicit assumption and naive inferences is, to an extent, in the eyes of the beholder -- but to another extent, it can be in the fingers of the scholar, if that is his  unjustified &lt;em&gt;opinion&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing to keep in mind, though, is that one can't study history of Buddhism and, at the same time, avoid making any historical investigation or answer historical questions about that very history.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-11-29T07:25:16.100" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T07:25:16.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18351" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18353" CreationDate="2016-11-29T03:17:18.780" Score="3" ViewCount="76" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am having difficultly logically understanding how clinging leads to becoming. Can anyone elaborate on this link of dependent orgination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10402" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T06:42:53.680" Title="Having difficulty logically understanding how clinging leads to becoming" Tags="|becoming|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18351" CreationDate="2016-11-29T06:25:51.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas define three types of 'becoming', as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is becoming? There are three kinds of becoming: sensual becoming, fine-material becoming &amp;amp; immaterial becoming. This is called&#xA;  becoming. ~ SN 12.2 ~&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In AN 3.76, ‘becoming’ (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;) is defined  as the mind &quot;&lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; in a sense object: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“the consciousness of beings (sattānaṃ), hindered by ignorance and bound by craving, that is &lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt; (patiṭṭhitaṃ) in the sensuality,&#xA;  materiality or immateriality element/sphere”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, these three types of becoming simply reflect the levels of sustained &amp;amp; continued attachment to: (i) the physical body and its sensations; (ii) attachment to fine-material states of meditative absorption (&lt;em&gt;rupa jhana&lt;/em&gt;); and (iii) attachment to the immaterial states of meditative absorption (&lt;em&gt;arupa jhana&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the mind of a man sees (has sense contact with) a certain woman (sense object) and due to pleasant feelings &amp;amp; craving/lust towards the woman, the male mind gets stuck on or &quot;picks up&quot;/&quot;carries&quot; the sense object in his mind &amp;amp; starts thinking about the woman. This beginning to be mentally pre-occupied with the woman is attachment or grasping (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;). The male mind then becomes fixated or obsessed with the woman, falling in love, thinking about the woman all the time &amp;amp; dreaming about how they will live romantically forever. This continued establishing &amp;amp; transforming of the mind in relation to the sense object is &quot;becoming&quot;. Then the man &amp;amp; woman have a marriage ceremony and the man &quot;becomes&quot; the woman's husband and the woman &quot;becomes&quot; the man's wife. The marriage ceremony is &quot;becoming&quot; and the finality of actually being a &quot;husband&quot; or being a &quot;wife&quot; is called &quot;birth&quot; (&quot;jati&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Jati&quot; (&quot;birth&quot;) is defined as the mental creation of the ideas or social conventions of &quot;beings&quot; &amp;amp; the &quot;various orders of beings&quot;, such as &quot;man&quot;, &quot;woman&quot;, &quot;husband&quot;, &quot;wife&quot;, &quot;lawyer&quot;, &quot;doctor&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;you&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in summary, '&lt;em&gt;becoming&lt;/em&gt;' is just the continuation of '&lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt;', however more intensely, to the point that the mind 'transforms' itself into something different to what is was previously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-29T06:42:53.680" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T06:42:53.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18355" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18356" CreationDate="2016-11-29T09:05:31.497" Score="3" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need to give some background before I can ask my question so, my apologies for the long winded post.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am back from a wonderful 6 days retreat (Bhikkhu Buddhadasa teaching/ Anapanasati). With the last 3 days of those in newly reached blissful state, working on exploring this sate and doing body scans to sharpen the mind further -and bring me back to earth- (as discussed with the instructor since I had previous experience with the Goenka method).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the retreat is over, I have spend some time reading about what happened to me (Rapture, Jhana, ...) as the dhamma talks did not covered this topic (it was a beginners retreat).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can still focus my mind or have a quiet mind for some period of time, but, when I let go, I reach I very weak bliss state, if at all... (which I am OK with: I  have a lot to deal with in my life right now and only opportunity for 1 sitting a day in the early morning in poor conditions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should I use my little sitting meditation time doing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking spending every second sitting doing metta meditation and the other one simply watching the beautiful breath (as defined by Ajahn Brahm), going back to body scan at later stage, when my life is a bit more in order and I have my own space to practice. Probably leaving my further investigations of Jhana for my next retreat...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any advice or experience on this topic appreciated. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10401" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T14:32:21.637" Title="Back from a retreat: what to practice?" Tags="|theravada|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18355" CreationDate="2016-11-29T10:26:55.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your idea to practise alternate metta &amp;amp; breath meditation sounds ideal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You correctly understand that the development of rapture &amp;amp; jhana generally require retreat conditions thus generally cannot be cultivated when there is limited time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T10:26:55.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18240" CreationDate="2016-11-29T16:17:50.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, &quot;material&quot; or &quot;immaterial&quot; is the modern philosophical term&#xA; invented by philosophers; &quot;consciousness&quot; is the term invented by the scientists likewise. They fit not to wrap around the Buddhist teaching, but render confusion. In Surangama Sutra, the Buddha explained how the world came into &quot;existence&quot;, he used a metaphor, that the world's existence was like a man who rubbed his eyes so hard, that eventually this caused defected eyesight to see flowers appearing in empty space. The fives senses plus thought/mind are the palette, cardboard and pen with the Self created this great painting (my metaphor). I would boldly assume that Buddha will comment out &quot;consciousness is chemical reaction thus is material&quot;. In Surangama, Buddha has described that the eyes, seeing, image are not associated as our scientific understanding understood. For example, a blind man has never lost the &quot;seeing&quot; ability although he cannot see, as in a dark room our eyesight is perfect but we cannot see. Thus seeing is not because of eyes, same as consciousness is not because chemical reaction between the brain and nerves. Aniruddha was able to see with supernatural capacity (third eye) though he lost his eyesight. And these 6 are interchangeable if one has achieved the full mastery. Darwinist evolution is one of the mind &quot;games&quot; the thought created, Surangama summed there are 4 types of birth: egg, embryo, humidity, metamorphosis; with 3 phrases of time, past-present-future: 4x3=12 in total major categories. Pure mind renders the being rising up as celestial, all instinct renders the being sinking down, 7 mind vs 3 instinct is the celestial being, 5 mind vs 5 instinct is man, 3 mind vs 7 instinct is animal; what you eat is making what you are: eating crops from the earth man has his feet locked on the ground... I'm roughly grabbing some of the ideas from Surangama, I believe it has the answer to your question. That's based on my reading the Chinese Classic text Sutra, not sure what it's like the English translation.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T16:17:50.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18342" CreationDate="2016-11-29T17:49:11.113" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Questions about killing insects have appeared a few times here, I suggest reading them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/87/is-killing-vermin-and-insects-justifiable&quot;&gt;Is killing vermin and insects justifiable?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7562/what-does-buddhism-say-about-intentionally-killing-dangerous-insects-and-beings&quot;&gt;What does Buddhism say about intentionally killing dangerous insects and beings?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some may dispute whether or not the precept apply to insects or whether they are sentient beings, in general, deliberately killing a mosquito is considered &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt; (unwholesome) action, rooted in &lt;em&gt;dosa&lt;/em&gt; (aversion, ill will, hatred) / &lt;em&gt;moha&lt;/em&gt; (ignorance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for traditions, I've heard Zen, Theravada and Tibetan monks teaching to regard insects to be living beings and they may consider intentionally killing them to be breaking the precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one answer from the questions linked above, Bhikkhu yuttadhammo writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if killing a single mosquito would end all cases of malaria in the world for ever, the (Theravada) Buddhist philosophy would be to abstain from killing the mosquito.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information from the Theravada point of view, check this text by Bhikkhu Bodhi on the precepts, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel282.html#prec2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The first precept: abstinence from taking life&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, on your question, killing a mosquito because it may threaten you may be justified if you regard it as a living being. Is killing it the only way to preserve oneself? Sometimes one can simply stay away, isolate oneself from it, os just go somewhere else. That's, I think, the general teaching to avoid breaking the precept to save oneself from harm: try to get away from danger without causing you and others harm, with a mind inclined to non-harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for bacterias, I'm not so sure one is killing them by eating yogurt. Eating yogurt with the intention to kill them, however, would likely be worrisome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in general, I think buddhism is silent regarding micro-organisms and most traditions seem to consider an act of killing by the intention to kill (thus, deaths caused accidentally are not considered such acts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T17:56:24.137" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17839" CreationDate="2016-11-29T23:07:11.797" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, the Teaching's number is actually quite optimistic compared to the number that world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking gave, which is around &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/17/health/hawking-humanity-trnd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1,000 years&lt;/a&gt; when earth becomes completely unhabitable. So, no, there's no weak point in the Dhamma. The responsibility is squarely on us humans. How we've continue to mess up the earth and every single aspect of its eco-system. It's true that more folks are learning more about the Dhamma nowadays but that doesn't mean anything. Due to the information age, the average 21st century Buddhist's Dhamma knowledge vastly exceeds even learned monks in the old days. One can recite the entire Tipitaka and yet if s/he's not able to observe the most basic precept (like the Five Precepts for lay people), then his vast knowledge would mean absolutely nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-11-29T23:07:11.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17839" CreationDate="2016-11-30T03:49:55.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism-dict.net/cgi-bin/xpr-ddb.pl?q=%E6%9C%AB%E6%B3%95&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digital Dictionary of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (enter username: guest), which covers mostly Chinese and Japanese Mahayana traditions, there are three periods of the dharma: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...true dharma 正法, the semblance dharma 像法, and the degenerate dharma 末法.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pure Land Buddhism came to popularity nearly 1000 years ago because of the belief that the earth had already entered the period of &quot;degenerate dharma&quot;—essentially the end times of dharma. In the current, degenerated era, no one is able to achieve enlightenment on their own and can only do so with help—that is, the help of Amitabha (阿彌陀佛). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the Pure Land perspective, we are already well into the third period and must first progress to the Pure Land of Amitabha, a sort of staging ground where cultivation may continue, before it is possible to aspire to the ultimate goal of achieving Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10386" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T03:49:55.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12941" CreationDate="2016-11-30T06:50:17.367" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I doubt the laws of kamma can be reconciled with the laws of evolution for many reasons, such as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Buddhism only proposes good results come from good kamma. The Buddhist laws of kamma are not about biological survival &amp;amp; evolution but about psychological happiness &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Where as Darwinian evolution (I assume) would propose both good actions (e.g., loving off-spring; living in balance with environment) and bad actions (e.g., killing, stealing, raping &amp;amp;/or lying/deceiving when required) contribute to survival &amp;amp; thus evolution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) The supreme practise &amp;amp; goal of Buddhism (the noble eightfold path) results in    celibacy &amp;amp; non-reproduction, thus a diminishing of the gene-pool of enlightenment genes (&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) Buddhism states the fully-enlightened being or 'arahant' has completed human spiritual evolution where as Darwinism (I assume) would not offer any completion or fulfillment of evolution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) In short, Buddhism is spiritual evolution while Darwinism is biological evolution, i.e., miles apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-30T07:00:43.980" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T07:00:43.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18364" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-30T12:55:32.377" Score="2" ViewCount="408" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been previously practicing meditation with the breathing, but for various reasons, among which my inability to latch on to the breath and my facility to focus upon outer objects, I want to engage in outer object-focused meditation. I'd like to know if anyone can explain the process by which to engage in these meditations, and explain the elements linked with focusing and analyzing the object. &#xA;Thanks &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T06:17:06.033" Title="Proper Meditation Upon A Physical Object" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18355" CreationDate="2016-11-30T14:32:21.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Glad to hear you achieved certain steps in insight meditation during retreat. Your achievement will never go back if you continue mindfulness in every day living noting not detailed but grossly as when you eat , just &quot;eat&quot;, when you walk&quot; walk&quot;, or &quot;move&quot;, when you touch water, &quot;cold&quot; or &quot;hot&quot;, like that as simply doing as possible so that your concentration will surely help you at your short sitting meditation. All these concentration will surely lead to higher stage of insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T14:32:21.637" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17839" CreationDate="2016-11-30T18:00:48.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism will last 5000 years. How it will disappear? &#xA;What Buddha said is Buddhism is magga-phala. That mean nobody will achieve magga-phala at that time of 5000 year after Buddha Mahaparinirvana. That mean magga-phala will disappear first at that time of 5000 year after Buddha Mahaparinirvana because nobody practice to achieve it anymore out of lobha, dosa and moha. After magga-phala disappear, nobody will know how to achieve it  because only those who achieve nibbana will be able to teach one to be like that. Then the Buddha Dhamma literature will disappear with no more proper guidance. But magga-phala is still present during this 5000 years and everybody can achieve it during this 5000 years upto the arahantship. Please do not have doubt on this.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T18:00:48.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18367" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-11-30T18:40:23.027" Score="1" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said Sariputra &quot;&lt;em&gt;My Sila is the best/incomparable&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. But people at the time of Buddha donated flowers, perfumes and jewelries to Buddha (Need citations in Pali Canon and Pitaka). The monk/num's Sila are 227 and more and monks do not allowed to get/use flowers, perfumes and jewelries, etc. How the Sila of Buddha was superior to monks' Sila whilst the latter seems more restricted than the former? Is there any more facts that I was missing to know about Sammasam Buddha's Sila? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T21:32:35.833" Title="Sammasam Buddha's Sila, was it the best Sila?" Tags="|theravada|buddha|sila|comparison|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18368" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18369" CreationDate="2016-11-30T19:33:01.713" Score="1" ViewCount="344" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10465/how-not-to-kill-the-mouse-in-my-house&quot;&gt;How not to kill the mouse in my house?&lt;/a&gt; and this got me thinking. Would it be wrong to own a cat that would then kill the mouse? I'm not referring to buying a cat strictly to kill a pest, but rather letting a prevously owned pet cat do as it pleases, and turn a blind eye when the mouse is gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Directly, you're not the one harming the creature, and a cat killing a mouse is completely natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indirectly, you've caused the death of the mouse, and have reinforced the killing behavoir in the cat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would intervening in the cat's hunting practices be good karma? The cat has plenty to eat, and the mouse only provides accomplisment to the cat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-12-02T12:26:03.687" Title="Killing a mouse in the house with a third party" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18368" CreationDate="2016-11-30T20:20:43.710" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are not responsible since the mouse came into your home upon its own volition. Also, you are not purposefully trying (wishing?) to create conditions in which a being would get killed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since you are aware of the situation, about a mouse and a cat roaming free inside your home. You should try to catch the mouse and then release it elsewhere in nature. In the meantime, you could try to prevent the cat from reaching this mouse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said: I declare that the mere arising of an intention of performing good deeds is productive of great benefits. - MN 8&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastEditorDisplayName="user9888" LastEditDate="2016-11-30T21:02:04.843" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T21:02:04.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18368" CreationDate="2016-11-30T22:01:13.350" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not actually arise for the purpose of teaching about good &amp;amp; bad kamma. The teaching about good &amp;amp; bad kamma is merely a 'secondary' teaching in Buddhism. These kinds of questions that create worry, flurry &amp;amp; anxiety in the mind about trivial matters are not the purpose of Buddhism. Buddhism exists to set the mind and people free (rather than place people into bondage from making  mountains out of molehills). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, recently Hillary Clinton lost the US presidential election. In her previous terms in government, Hillary Clinton voted for every foreign war resolution &amp;amp; is said to be personally responsible for the destruction of the good nation of Libya. Despite her complicity in the deaths, murders &amp;amp; raping of millions of men, women &amp;amp; children, when Hillary Clinton lost the election, scores of fully ordained Western bhikkhus (monks) &amp;amp; bhikkhunis (nuns) were grieving her loss (such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhistglobalrelief.me/2016/11/09/a-trump-presidency-need-not-be-the-end-times/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This example shows how individuals in general, including fully ordained monks &amp;amp; nuns, are indirectly supporting evils infinitely more evil than the killing of a mouse by a cat (which is not actually evil since the laws of kamma only apply to people rather than to animals). If the laws of kamma operated in such a indirect manner, these pro-Clinton monks &amp;amp; nuns would probably all end up in the hotttest &amp;amp; most torturous Avīci Hell for eons &amp;amp; eons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LScKF.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LScKF.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jrp5B.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jrp5B.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-11-30T22:21:36.090" LastActivityDate="2016-11-30T22:21:36.090" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18371" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18376" CreationDate="2016-12-01T04:54:32.847" Score="2" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is funeral law of Buddhism is there any ? For both layman and monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T11:16:10.590" Title="What is funeral law of Buddhism?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18364" CreationDate="2016-12-01T05:27:51.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I cannot answer your original question, however, I second the comments above: stick to the breaths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend using Buddhadasa Bhikkhu interpretation of the scriptures for the 1st step of your meditation: learn the long breath by &lt;strong&gt;controlling&lt;/strong&gt; the flow of air coming in and out of your lungs, this will relax your body and help you move to the next steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much more details here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness with breathing: Dhamma Talks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Mindfulness with breathing: full book&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10401" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T05:27:51.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18364" CreationDate="2016-12-01T07:48:29.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Breath watching has tremendous advantages over outer objects. First of all breath is joining point of mind-body and consciousness. No breath no life. More unruly breath is, more disturbed you are. Watching breath slows it down and bring about a balance much faster compared to other techniques. Secondly it is what Buddha taught. Ofcourse one can start with outer objects as is practiced in yoga or other spiritual sects. You can start with sound as is practiced in Nachiren Buddhist sect but I must warn you that it is not what Buddha prescribed. Buddha's techniques and teachings are far superior to any sect teachings or techniques. I recommend changing your lifestyle and even try Vipassna to increase ability to stay focussed.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T07:48:29.963" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18374" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-01T09:02:05.763" Score="5" ViewCount="1057" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any sutras or parables where Buddha applies the middle way, not to the self or to abstract metaphysical principles, but to concrete conflicts in practical life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10414" LastActivityDate="2017-10-15T16:05:20.350" Title="The Middle Way in practical life" Tags="|sutras|middle-way|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18374" CreationDate="2016-12-01T10:15:46.017" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a large body of texts of discourses of the Buddha touching on lay life issues. Below, I paste a (probably not exhaustive) list of suttas compiled by a user from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&amp;amp;t=259&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhammalwheel forum&lt;/a&gt;. There's also an upcoming book from Bhikkhu Bodhi presenting a collection of suttas of discourses of the Buddha dealing with lay life themes: &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/1614293554&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 31: Sigalovada Sutta — To Sigala/The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn31&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 14: Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta — The Lesser Mass of Stress&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 41: Saleyyaka Sutta — The Brahmans of Sala&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn41&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn41&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 52: Atthakanagara Sutta — To the Man from Atthakanagara&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn52&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 53: Sekha-patipada Sutta — The Practice for One in Training&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 54: Potaliya Sutta — To Potaliya&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 56. Upāli, the Householder&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 57: Kukkuravatika Sutta — The Dog-duty Ascetic&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn57&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn57&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 58: Abhaya Sutta — To Prince Abhaya (On Right Speech)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 59: Bahuvedaniya Sutta — Many Things to be Experienced/The Many Kinds of Feeling&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.nypo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 60: Apannaka Sutta — A Safe Bet&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 97: Dhanañjani Sutta — To Dhanañjani&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.097.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.097.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 99:  To the Brahmin Subha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/099-subha-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/099-subha-e1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 143: Anathapindikovada Sutta — Instructions to Anathapindika&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.143.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.143.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 3.19: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (1)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.019.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 3.20: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (2)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.020.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.1: Nakulapita Sutta — To Nakulapita&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.3: Haliddakani Sutta — To Haliddakani&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.80: Pindolya Sutta — Almsgoers&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.80&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.80&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 41.3: Isidatta Sutta — About Isidatta&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.003.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 41.4: Mahaka Sutta — About Mahaka&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.004.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.004.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 41.6: Kamabhu Sutta — With Kamabhu (On the Cessation of Perception &amp;amp; Feeling)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 41.7: Godatta Sutta — To Godatta (On Awareness-release)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.007.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 41.10: Gilana Sutta — Sick (Citta the Householder's Last Hours)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 47.29: Sirivaddha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.29&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.29&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 47.30: Manadinna&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.30&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.30&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 55.30: Licchavi Sutta — To the Licchavi&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.030.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.030.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;107&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discourse to a Householder&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa107&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa107&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 3.65: Kalama Sutta — To the Kalamas/The Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 3.66: Salha Sutta — To Salha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.66&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.66&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 3.70: Muluposatha Sutta — The Roots of the Uposatha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.70&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.70&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 3.92: Urgent&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.92&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.92&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.32: Sangaha Sutta — The Bonds of Fellowship&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.32&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.32&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.55: Samajivina Sutta — Living in Tune&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.60: The Layperson’s Proper Practice&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.60&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.60&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.62: Anana Sutta — Debtless&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 4.258: Kula Sutta — On Families&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.258&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.258&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.38: Saddha Sutta — Conviction&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.38&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.41: Adiya Sutta — Benefits to be Obtained (from Wealth)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.41&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.41&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.43: Wished for&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.43&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.57: Upajjhatthana Sutta — Subjects for Contemplation&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.175: Candala Sutta — The Outcaste&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.175&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.175&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.176: Piti Sutta — Rapture&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.176&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.176&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.177: Vanijja Sutta — Business (Wrong Livelihood)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.179: Gihi Sutta — The Householder&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.179&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.179&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 5.180: Gavesin Sutta — About Gavesin&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.180&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.180&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 6.16: Nakula’s Parents&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.16&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.16&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 8.25: Mahanama Sutta — Being a Lay Buddhist&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 8.26: Jivaka Sutta — To Jivaka (On Being a Lay Follower)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.26&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.26&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 8.43: Visakhuposatha Sutta — The Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha with the Eight Practices&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.43&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 8.54: Vyagghapajja (Dighajanu) Sutta — Conditions of Welfare/ To Dighajanu&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.54&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.54&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 10.92: Vera Sutta — Animosity&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.92&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.92&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 10.93: Ditthi Sutta — Views&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.93&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.93&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 10.94: Vajjiya Sutta — About Vajjiya&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.94&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.94&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 11.11: Mahanama Sutta — To Mahanama (1)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.11&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 11.12: Mahanama Sutta — To Mahanama (2)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.12&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammapada — The Path of Dhamma&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 8.8: Visakha Sutta — To Visakha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.08.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 2.5: Upasaka Sutta — The Lay Follower&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 2.6: Gabbhini Sutta — The Pregnant Woman&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.06.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.06.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 2.7: Ekaputta Sutta — The Only Son&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.07.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.07.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 2.9: Visakha Sutta — To Visakha&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.09.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.09.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ud 5.6: Sona Sutta — About Sona&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.06.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.06.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sn 1.2: Dhaniya Sutta — Dhaniya the Cattleman&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sn 2.1: Ratana Sutta — Treasures&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sn 2.4: Maha-mangala Sutta — Protection&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sn 2.14: Dhammika Sutta — Dhammika&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T10:15:46.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18371" CreationDate="2016-12-01T11:16:10.590" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is some information about funerals at this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html#ch5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I lived in a forest monastery in Thailand, dead monks &amp;amp; residents were cremated on a pile of wood in the forest &amp;amp; we would practise meditation on the burning corpse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IQRyi.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/IQRyi.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T11:16:10.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18374" CreationDate="2016-12-01T11:20:26.003" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This web book called &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Constitution for Living&lt;/a&gt; summarises the Buddha's teachings for laypeople. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My selection for the list in the other post is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 3.65: Kalama Sutta — To the Kalamas/The Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sn 2.4: Maha-mangala Sutta — Protection&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?213-The-Buddha-s-Unshakable-Ethics-the-Discourse-to-the-People-of-Bamboo-Gate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 55.7 Veludvareyya Sutta - Discourse to the People of Bamboo Gate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.55: Samajivina Sutta — Living in Tune&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.62: Anana Sutta — Debtless&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 5.177: Vanijja Sutta — Business (Wrong Livelihood)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.258: Kula Sutta — On Families&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.258&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.258&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 31: Sigalovada Sutta — To Sigala/The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 5.57: Upajjhatthana Sutta — Subjects for Contemplation&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 8.25: Mahanama Sutta — Being a Lay Buddhist&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-01T11:32:51.837" LastActivityDate="2016-12-01T11:32:51.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18368" CreationDate="2016-12-02T12:18:26.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to have several pet cats and I remember rescuing many mice &amp;amp; squirrels from the jaws of death. The cat killing animals is not bad Karma for you, but here are some ways you can get bad Karma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being happy when you see that the cat has caught the mouse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Making the cat starve for sometime expecting it to catch pests.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not making any effort to rescue when you see the cat chasing the mouse. Technically it's possible to practice Uppekkha in this instance, but usually it is our cruelty, wanting for the cat to succeed, disliking towards the pest are the mind states that prevent us from intervening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-12-02T12:26:03.687" LastActivityDate="2016-12-02T12:26:03.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18367" CreationDate="2016-12-02T12:56:35.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sila becomes higher depending on your knowledge of the virtues/benefits of it.&#xA;The Sila becomes higher depending on how focused you are when you are keeping them.&#xA;In other words, Sila becomes higher depending on your Samadhi &amp;amp; Panna.&#xA;That's why the Sila of the Buddha is higher than anyone else's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lord did not use the flowers offered to him.Offering flowers is merely a way of people showing reverence to the Buddha. Perfumes are not offered. Perfumes would have been sprayed by the people when preparing places for the Buddha to stay. It is the same with jewellery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-02T12:56:35.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18381" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-03T15:00:16.417" Score="2" ViewCount="2208" Body="&lt;p&gt;While doing meditation, I am feeling intense sensations on my forehead and after sometime my whole will start shaking and my hands become rigid. Why are these things happening?Whether i am doing the meditation in the wrong way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10422" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T13:51:38.283" Title="Feeling intense sensations in my forehead and also my head and body is shaking a lot during meditation" Tags="|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18382" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-03T19:59:29.050" Score="0" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any historical evidence or sayings that Buddha went to America and Africa continent for some discourses or teachings? In their writings, local languages or any painting, drawing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2023-11-05T17:11:08.863" Title="Is there any historical evidence or sayings that Buddha went to America and Africa continent for some discourses or teachings" Tags="|history|buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18381" CreationDate="2016-12-03T23:23:50.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which meditation method you are doing? Whenever you do insight meditation, the most important thing, strong belief in your meditation master and meditation technique. Once one undergo some kind of strong experience either tolerable or not, then he/she must know these are the consequences of before-life experience or the experience in this very life before this practice. So please don't disappoint at what occurring. Please stick to the practice. Nothing is permanent. Strong belief and effort will lead you to another step. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-12-03T23:23:50.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18381" CreationDate="2016-12-04T01:46:04.697" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like you're doing fine.  What you are experiencing are just the first signs of samadhi.  As your mind begins to collect and your body relaxes, there is a tendency to shake a bit in chronically tight muscle groups.  You've probably always been tight in your hands; you just never noticed before!  ;-)  The feeling on your forehead is no big deal.  It might even travel to different places.  You might even feel like your head is getting inflated like a balloon, that your body is twisting, that your head is vanishing, etc. etc. etc.  All of these kinds of things are very common.  The first signs of samadhi manifest differently from person to person.  You'll get used to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T01:46:04.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18386" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18393" CreationDate="2016-12-04T17:27:18.920" Score="4" ViewCount="203" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently bought this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/ayya-khema-ebook-bundle&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ayya Khema Ebook Bundle&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I bought the bundle for my own interest in the first place but after reading in them I would now like to share them with my friend, who is just starting out on the Buddhist Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can I share the books I bought with my friend or should I buy the Ebook bundle again in order to share it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:15:45.473" Title="Ethics regarding the sharing of paid Dhamma material" Tags="|ethics|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18387" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-04T17:41:45.533" Score="3" ViewCount="135" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IZEQWjrpL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Be An Island&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ayya Khema, the following section can be found in a chapter discussing the benefits of solitude:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... Once the Buddha went to a village where nobody had any faith in&#xA;  him. Nobody in the village paid any attention to him, and he received no&#xA;  alms food at all. He went to the outskirts and sat down on a bit of straw&#xA;  and meditated. Another ascetic, who saw that the Buddha had not received&#xA;  any food, commiserated with him: “You must be feeling very bad, not&#xA;  having anything to eat. I’m very sorry. You don’t even have a nice place to&#xA;  sleep, just straw.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha replied, “Feeders on joy we are. Inner joy&#xA;  can feed us for many days ...”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately there are not any references to the story in the book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would anyone happen to know the sutta reference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-12-04T18:34:39.473" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T18:40:10.873" Title="Sutta Reference" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18388" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18391" CreationDate="2016-12-04T18:21:33.753" Score="4" ViewCount="955" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm experiencing a lot of speculative thoughts and fantasizing about the future when I'm going about my day. I'm wondering whether I should attempt to deny these thoughts, or merely let them arise without judgment. I'm also wondering whether engaging in concentrative breathing meditation will reduce this thoughts in the rest of the day, and whether the arising of these elements or other negative elements such as anger, lust, hatred, pride and narcissism can impede spiritual progress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the main question is: should one allow such thoughts non-judgmentally, even if they are delusional, or should one reduce them e.g. via the breath. The speculative and fantasy related thoughts seem to take my time, and so I wonder how one can let these thoughts arise in non-judgment without detrimental effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T14:58:26.713" Title="Attitude Towards Speculation and Fantasy" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18387" CreationDate="2016-12-04T18:40:10.873" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn4.18&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 4.18&lt;/a&gt; strikes me as similar to that story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Magadhans at the brahmin village of Pañcasala. Now on that occasion the gift-festival of the young people was being held at the brahmin village of Pañcasala. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Pañcasala for alms. Now on that occasion Mara the Evil One had taken possession of the brahmin householders of Pañcasala, inciting in them the thought, “Don’t let the ascetic Gotama get alms.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One left Pañcasala with his bowl just as cleanly washed as it was when he entered it for alms. Then Mara the Evil One approached the Blessed One and said to him: “Maybe you got alms, ascetic?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Was it you, Evil One, who saw to it that I didn’t get alms?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then, venerable sir, let the Blessed One enter Pañcasala a second time for alms. I will see to it that the Blessed One gets alms.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“You have produced demerit, Mara,&#xA;  Having assailed the Tathagata.&#xA;  Do you really think, O Evil One,&#xA;  ‘My evil does not ripen’?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Happily indeed we live,&#xA;  We who own nothing at all.&#xA;  We shall dwell feeding on rapture&#xA;  Like the devas of Streaming Radiance.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Mara the Evil One … disappeared right there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T18:40:10.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18388" CreationDate="2016-12-04T18:46:43.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two methods to reduce thoughts: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Wisdom method, which is replacing unwise thoughts with wise thoughts. This will reduce the thoughts &amp;amp; build the wisdom that stops the re-arising of such thoughts in the future. Examples of wise thoughts are exactly what you have posted, which is thinking to yourself: &quot;&lt;em&gt;These fantasies are delusional &amp;amp; are a waste of time&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Concentration method, which is to use the breath to feel calmness. When the mind feels calmness, it will not be inclined to think unnecessary thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before the Buddha attained enlightenment, he generally used the wisdom method to reduce his unbeneficial thoughts (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;). This is called '&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;' or 'wise reflection'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is difficult to know clearly &amp;amp; manage therefore this is a task we each much learn. The Dhammapada states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;33. Just as a fletcher straightens an arrow shaft, even so the discerning man straightens his mind — so fickle and unsteady, so&#xA;  difficult to guard.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;36. Let the discerning man guard the mind, so difficult to detect and extremely subtle, seizing whatever it desires. A guarded mind brings&#xA;  happiness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your situation, the wisdom method is probably the best method since you ask lots of questions here about meditation, which shows you probably need to know your mind more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'non-judging', the Pali suttas do not really teach the practise of 'non-judging' towards unbeneficial thoughts. In addition, fantasies themselves are 'judgmments'. Therefore, if the mind was really abiding in 'non-judgment', it would not be fantasizing about the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-04T18:59:12.373" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T18:59:12.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18386" CreationDate="2016-12-04T19:02:11.400" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I doubt sharing things is a transgression of the 2nd precept; otherwise how could we practise generosity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be more concerned about the &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; of selling the Dhamma for money since the Pali suttas state the Dhamma should be taught with &amp;quot;benevolence&amp;quot; &amp;amp; given (freely) as a &amp;quot;gift&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, monks, is the power of benevolence? There are four ways of benevolence; by gifts, by friendly speech, by helpful acts and by&#xA;bestowal of equity. This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T19:02:11.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18386" CreationDate="2016-12-04T19:44:58.527" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you know this is a controversial topic which has been discussed before, e.g. here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2847/254&quot;&gt;Does illegal downloading or viewing of copyright material violate the second precept?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer (the accepted answer) to that topic says that &quot;copyright is an artificial right&quot; and isn't theft.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think a safe or safer answer would be that if you keep to the terms (copyright agreement) under which you acquired your copy, then you're OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear what the copyright terms are for Wisdom Publication's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/digital-editions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digital Editions&lt;/a&gt;. Perhaps it's in some fine print of the copy you received? There may be a copyright notice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One tennet that's usually accepted for physical books is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;First-sale doctrine&lt;/a&gt;. IMO someone selling books implicitly agrees to the First-sale doctrine. I'm not a lawyer but I think the First-sale doctrine says that you can't copy the book, but you can sell or lend your copy of the book to someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's a valid analogy (and I think it has been used for copyrighted software), then the answer would be that you can give or lend your copy to someone else. And/or you can lend them the hardware on which your copy is stored. But you can't make a new copy. So yes you can give your friend your copy, if you delete your own copy. Or if you want two copies (one for your friend and another for you to keep) then you should buy a second copy from the copyright holder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest this answer regardless of what type of copyrighted material it is (i.e. regardless of the fact that you're asking about paid Dhamma material).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T19:44:58.527" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18388" CreationDate="2016-12-04T20:58:05.070" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;{The speculative and fantasy related thoughts seem to take my time}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why they do take your time is because you indulge in them.&#xA;You get carried away by these thoughts, you create more out of them.&#xA;That's what happens when we are not aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as unbeneficial, unskillful thoughts arise, do observe them as they are. They will simply remain at the preconceptual level, they will then disappear. All of this takes place very quickly.. hence the importance of continuous mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality they are merely thoughts, not you, not yours, they do not belong to anyone. They arise depending on causes and conditions.&#xA;You don't &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; to cling to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is simply about not performing any action, not producing, not constructing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;---- The Buddha instructed thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized.&#xA;Then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress.&quot; - Ud 1.10 ----&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you wish to take the &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; path, first, so that in time you will be able to use it for insight, you will need to train very diligently until the developement of the Jhanas. &#xA;It can take many years, sooner or later you will have to practice &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; in a retreat setting as well. It is a very good way, alas quite difficult unless you renounce the lay life and meditate, day and night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until then, you should put emphasis on being mindful, aware, alert, here and now. &quot;When something appears to consciousness, whatever it is, do observe and know it as it is&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastEditorDisplayName="user9888" LastEditDate="2016-12-04T23:24:39.213" LastActivityDate="2016-12-04T23:24:39.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18395" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18399" CreationDate="2016-12-05T00:27:30.567" Score="4" ViewCount="2871" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to be a strong affinity in media for monks to be beggars. There doesn't seem to be anything in Buddhism that effectively correlates to being poor, or even using begging for livelihood.  The Noble Eightfold Path even has occupations in one of the folds, and doesn't recommend too much of a constrain to the point of driving people poor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, I would put the book &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/302995.Buddha_Boy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Boy&lt;/a&gt; by Kathe Koja on display, where a Buddhist boy moving into a rather bad neighborhood is picked on at school for his actions, one of which is begging for food during his lunch period.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this example, &quot;Buddha Boy&quot; begs for food, however, that doesn't seem like anything I've seen in Buddhist culture. Is this a common misconception, or am I misinformed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastEditorUserId="8595" LastEditDate="2016-12-06T00:52:10.107" LastActivityDate="2019-05-25T07:51:45.150" Title="Why is it that Buddhist monks are strongly associated with beggars?" Tags="|five-precepts|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18395" CreationDate="2016-12-05T03:59:19.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Classic Chinese Sutras, the translated word relating to the &quot;offering to the Buddhist monk&quot; is this: 供養, the monk is said to receive 供養 from the &quot;adoring believers&quot;: 善信. 供 has the intrinsic value of offering from the lower to the higher, 養 is nurturing, cultivating. It is said that 供養 a Buddhist monk is an act of &quot;cultivating the blessing/blissful/fortune field&quot;: 種福田. It hasn't any depriving meaning in it, although the monk purely received without making any &quot;effort to earn&quot;. In the practice of old, the food offered to the monk must be the fresh and best, i.e., the offeror has not even eaten himself; the monk will stand at the door or make a sound with his bowl, max. 3 sounds from the bowl if the offeror doesn't response, he will pass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't understand how it has been translated into &quot;begging&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the monk is regarded as one renounced the world, thus he is not supposed to put any more effort in creating the worldly values these incl. fortune, he renounced thus not having personal belonging this renderred him &quot;light&quot; and spent all his life in practicing for liberation. And the offering to nourish the monk from the believer is an act of sharing the merit because with this effort and connection, the monk once reached enlightenment he would 1st help to liberate the offeror. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Buddha when he was on his way to the Great Retreat he passed a country the king enchanted by his charm for Siddhartha was handsome and princely build, he offered half of his kingdom asking Siddhartha to stay with him. We can also understand the emotion we have when seeing a lovely child we would instinctly offer candies, or anything nice just to make the child smile. Thus a true Buddhist monk should receive the offers from the believer in the same way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it may not be so in worldly practice; esp. today.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-12-05T03:59:19.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18395" CreationDate="2016-12-05T04:37:33.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You ask about &quot;strong affinity in media&quot;. You don't say what country/language you're asking about, but might it be viewed though a western/christian perspective?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think of monks as doing &quot;alms rounds&quot; (because that's the English I've read; as proof, the first page of results for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=alms%20round&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Google search&lt;/a&gt; is all Buddhist monks (or at least it does when I use that search)).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alms&lt;/a&gt;&quot; is described in Wikipedia as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Main article: Dāna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Christianity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The giving of alms is an act of charity toward those less fortunate. In the Apostolic age, Christians were taught that giving alms was an expression of love etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the confusion might come from language, e.g. from using a word like &quot;alms&quot;, without necessarily always carefully explaining that the word being used doesn't mean what you think it means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-12-05T04:37:33.127" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18382" CreationDate="2016-12-05T05:07:09.720" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. There is no indication the Buddha ever left north-eastern India (now Uttar Pradesh, Magadha, and Nepal.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5527" LastActivityDate="2016-12-05T05:07:09.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18364" CreationDate="2016-12-05T10:27:31.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Latching onto the breath is not exactly easy, even if the mind has non-distraction, i.e., is free from hindrances. This is because watching the breath with an ordinary mind causes the breath to calm so, very soon after, the breath is often too calm for the ordinary mind to discern or &quot;latch onto&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Establishing the mind on an external object, such as the posture &amp;amp; parts of the body (arms, legs, hands, head, etc), can assist here because it can keep the mind both clear and, in particular, open. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, in the Anapanasati Sutta, the instruction literally begins with the words: &quot;&lt;em&gt;the meditator sits with spine erect establishing/maintaining mindfulness in front of one's face&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, I have found that maintaining a clear &amp;amp; open mind ('externally') has resulted in infinitely better breath meditation (better than deliberately attempting to 'inwardly' watch the breath). The more I deliberately attempt to not watch the breath, the more clear the breath is in the mind. I play a game of '&lt;em&gt;reverse psychology&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;play hard to get&lt;/em&gt;' with the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please remember, the ultimate training in Buddhism is abandoning craving therefore the less craving the better. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-05T10:45:41.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-05T10:45:41.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18404" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-05T22:15:49.187" Score="1" ViewCount="141" Body="&lt;p&gt;How detrimental are noises in meditation? I don't live alone and the people I live with often watch TV or make noise in other ways. Should I seek somewhere peaceful to meditate or is there a way to deal with the noise otherwise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T19:19:39.513" Title="Noises in Meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18404" CreationDate="2016-12-05T23:39:59.953" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Noise is not necessarily a bad thing; some people choose to meditate with their eyes open, it allows them to enter a meditative state without relying on reduced vision. People also do walking meditation where there is a lot more touch involved and this can be a help in bringing meditation into daily living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course there are still a lot of people who seek out quiet places where they can sit still with their eyes closed. You have to find what's right for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trick to dealing with distractions is to not see the distraction as a problem, don't become averse to the distraction because the only real problem is your reaction to the distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-12-05T23:39:59.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18406" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-05T23:52:32.133" Score="2" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you don't do akusla actions you do kusala actions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I'm aware of the middle way  -  harming yourself is not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another question (you can answer whatever you like or both) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you don't do stuff for fun  do you do good things? ....   of course with 2 important exceptions:   you have right view and you don't avoid fun stuff (meaning not to do on purpose stuff cause they are fun but you can do stuff that are fun if it serves you) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And my main question is:  if I avoid doing bad stuff (akusala)  will I do only good stuff (kusala) or neutral ones?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because I'm pondering a way to advance in the path after trying many many ways as to just focus on avoiding doing bad  and cause I have right view more or less  I will be pushed to do good.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also many things for fun are akusala (bad)  so it seems avoiding them I am pushed to do good.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(And yes I know there are &quot;levels&quot; and you can look at actions in general or moment by moment - and I ask this on each level - also in the big picture of actions and also moment by moment)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if it's a mess of a question - but I hope the smart people here can give their opinion on this line of thought nonetheless  - you don't have to answer the question directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2019-01-29T21:53:51.500" LastActivityDate="2019-01-29T21:53:51.500" Title="When you don't do akusla you do kusala?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18395" CreationDate="2016-12-06T00:40:08.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is tradition of past Buddhas how to live on laypeople donation, the future Buddhas will follow this pure path, less effort on living. Because it is not appropriate Buddha will plough his own farm, it is not appropriate Buddha will do trade to get money to buy meals and snacks, it is not appropriate Buddha to deceit people and earn money, it is not appropriate Buddha will do any profession/occupation to earn money. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Livelihood&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) begging for meals from laypeople either by walking along the street, stopping in front of each houses sequentially for alms (not money, &lt;strong&gt;just something to eat&lt;/strong&gt;) or going to particular laypeople house where the donor specifically ask the monk to come and have lunch at their premises, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) just wearing robe &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; either donated by laypeople or picking up cloth from death bodies in cemetery/graveyard (in ancient India death bodies are buried in ground and before undertaker to do so, the death bodies are wrapped with new or low quality cloth and people do not like to wear that cloth at all; in Sutta Gautama Buddha wore this kind of cloth after it was washed and tanned properly [need citation here]), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; live under shelter/accommodation donated by laypeople or live under the tree if none available, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) &lt;strong&gt;ask&lt;/strong&gt; laypeople for medicine to donate only if the monk suffers illness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This makes Buddhist monks simple, less effort and care for living because monk should dedicate only learning Pitaka and meditation. Beggar is not inappropriate word for monks and Buddha but it contains a sense of detesting which Buddhist laypeople usually do not use to call. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Buddhism driving people poor&quot; is badly associated view of the above Noble Onefold Path to Buddhist laypeople. It is wrong conclusion drawn by western people who cannot differentiate Buddhist laypeople lives and monk lives. It is unrelated collective assumption on livelihood by westerners who do not understand the correlation between monks and Buddhist laypeople. In Buddhist countries, the monks and laypeople relation is like a pond with bank(high ground around the water to conserve it). Monks are like the pond and laypeople are bank. To keep monk life to survive laypeople needs to donate/offer, otherwise there is no monk at all. So Buddhism laypeople earn money for living theirselves as well as donation/offering to monks. So In Buddhism communities laypeople has to try more for earning. In Pitaka sutras, Buddha encouraged laypeople to earn money (discourses about earning more by mindfulness/awareness) and make rich as long as laypeople do not do Wrong Livelihood for earning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong Livelihood &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Trade of arm and weapons&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Trade of poison&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Human trafficking &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Trade of alcohol, wine and other narcotic drugs or drug that make harm to people consciousness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is false assertion that Buddhism correlates to being poor. Buddha's teachings make monks to live simple and effortless live at the same time laypeople to earn righteous money by Right Livelihood and support monks. It is much more humane than &quot;earn and consume self&quot; idea. It required less self-centered and broad-minded. Even &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_economics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism Economics&lt;/a&gt; cannot agree the idea of &quot;Being poor and being Buddhist&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-12-06T17:15:32.250" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T17:15:32.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18408" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18411" CreationDate="2016-12-06T00:45:19.400" Score="3" ViewCount="123" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult for me to find the reference about Gautama Buddha wore robe made from cloth which was wrapped to a death body. Which part of Sutta do I have to reference? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can we calculate how long Buddha wore this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2016-12-06T21:00:11.997" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T15:54:34.403" Title="In which Sutta, Buddha wore cloth of dead body?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|sutras|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18395" CreationDate="2016-12-06T06:53:18.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The monks are trained to be humble to lessen the stranglehold of ego and the defilments. When the Buddha addresses the monks in the suttas he calls them &quot;Bhikkus&quot; in Pali that means &quot;Beggars&quot; in English. This Isn't derogatory, it's a teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T06:53:18.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2016-12-06T08:35:44.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;For Arahants, all actions are neither Kusala nor Akusala.&#xA;For normal beings, all intentional actions are Karma. Which means it is either Kusala(wholesome) or Akusala(unwholesome) Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;neutral Karma&quot;. But there are actions which are Karmically neutral.&#xA;They are called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/a/avyaakata.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avyaakata&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T08:35:44.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18408" CreationDate="2016-12-06T12:46:01.147" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is in  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn16.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 16.11&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Your outer robe of patches is soft, Kassapa.’–‘Venerable sir, let the Blessed One accept my outer robe of patches, out of compassion.’–‘Then will you wear my worn-out hempen rag-robes? ’–‘I will, venerable sir.’ Thus I offered the Blessed One my outer robe of patches and received from him his worn-out hempen rag-robes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the English translation doesn't mention that the Buddha wore a cloth wrapped to a dead body instead it just mentions &lt;em&gt;worn-out hempen rag-robes&lt;/em&gt;. In the pali version it says the robe was &lt;em&gt;paṃsukūlāni&lt;/em&gt; (rags discarded on the ground). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has obtained it from the dead body of a servant named Punna lying in the cemetery (this part is in the commentary). He wore this robe until he exchanged it with Maha Kassapa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-12-07T15:54:34.403" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T15:54:34.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2016-12-06T14:52:59.223" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think generally speaking you are on the right track. Your question seems very clear to me and your logic is valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't do akusala, on all levels from coarse - to very subtle, exactly this was my path, this can be your path. You don't need to worry about kusala, as long as you put serious effort in not doing akusala, you will advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, &quot;serious effort&quot; is very serious. There is akusala hiding inside kusala, and there is kusala hiding inside akusala. So you should be very bold and very brave. I see you are making progress since you joined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T14:52:59.223" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18413" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18388" CreationDate="2016-12-06T14:58:26.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche called this &quot;idiot democracy&quot;. Being impartial/nonjudgemental towards bullshit is not &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt; (conducive to good results). You should definitely make effort to overcome speculation, fantasy, inner monologue, negativity, and other non-productive states of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T14:58:26.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2016-12-06T20:52:05.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha gave imperative teachings to Sanga (monks) on every 15 days (twice a month). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not do any bad deed. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do all good deed in complete way (make them complete). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cleanse the mind from impurities. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this teachings, you can depict not doing any bad deed (Akusala/Parpa) is not necessarily you are doing good deed (Kusala). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when we are talking about five precepts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not killing any living being perceiving while doing; it is not doing Akusala (killing). &#xA;But Kusala on this first precept is spreading Metta and Karuna to all living beings. You are practicing Kusala by having positive kindness, wishing all living being to survive in peace and enjoy their lives. In this practice, spreading Metta and Karuna to all living beings is something to be done and not automatic by being law-abiding first precept. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;No stealing&#xA;If you don't do stealing (Akusala), you are not practicing offering/donation. Donation/offer is abandoning your possessions and it is also separate deed other than avoiding stealing. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not having affairs with other people's spouse. &#xA;Even though you make up your mind not to mess up other people relations and partnership, you may have some burning or subtle inner desire to want to mess up. If you don't cleanse your mind from this impurities, you are not breaking third precept but you don't practice third of Buddha's teaching. If you can cleanse your mind from inappropriate sensual desire, you will have fruitful Kusala about this precept. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;not telling Lie to deceive people. &#xA;It is apparent that telling no lie is not telling the truth, you still have right to remain silent. Buddha had practiced &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca&lt;/a&gt; parami completely so refrain from telling lie is not enough to practice Kusala. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Refrain from drinking intoxicating liquor/wine/fermented drink. &#xA;You need to have proper meal with comfortable to your metabolism/ability to digest. Awareness/mindfulness is you need to practice so that you won't hurt yourself by eating junks or inappropriate foods while you don't even drink any alcohol. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is highly recommended that even though you are not doing any Akusala (keeping five precepts above), at least you should review yourself on daily/weekly basic that you should cherish your Sila is clean, not broken. It will make you have peace in mind and acquire concentration. Mindfulness/awareness is plus to your Kusala and it is not automatic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-12-06T20:52:05.793" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2016-12-07T07:40:54.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A good reference is &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/114-sevitabba-asevitabba-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 114&lt;/a&gt; (only source I've found on the web)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, I say &lt;strong&gt;bodily conduct&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;Verbal conduct&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;Mental conduct&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;Arousing of thoughts&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;The gain of perceptons&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;The gain of view&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other. &lt;strong&gt;The gain of a self&lt;/strong&gt; is twofold, consisting of that should be practiced and should not be practiced, that too quite different from each other.”&#xA;   ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On account of what was it said by the Blessed One? When practicing certain bodily conducts [Verbal conducts, Mental conduct ...], if &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;unwholesome states&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; increases and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;wholesome states&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; decrease such bodily conduct [Verbal conducts, Mental conduct ...] should not be practiced. When practicing certain bodily conducts [Verbal conducts, Mental conduct ...], if &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;unwholesome states&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; decrease and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;wholesome states&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; increase such bodily conduct [Verbal conducts, Mental conduct ...] should be practiced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the translation I have as a book (not english), it says instead of &quot;&lt;em&gt;is twofold, consisting of&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &quot;&lt;em&gt;is twofold and either of the one or the other&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which is more clear in my opinion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I've replaced the words &lt;em&gt;merit&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;demerit&lt;/em&gt; in the translation with &lt;em&gt;wholesome/unwholesome states&lt;/em&gt;, which is a better translation &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn114&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;of the Pali&lt;/a&gt; &lt;em&gt;kusalā/akusalā dhammā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T07:40:54.670" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18404" CreationDate="2016-12-07T13:22:05.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's best to find a quiet place where you can meditate and get as comfortable as possible, it's easier to find peace when there are fewer external factors involved but that's not always possible. The whole idea of meditation is to let go, the noise will always be there and you should just let it be. If it does annoy or disturb you in any way, try to welcome this feeling and ask yourself why are you feeling this way. For someone who is new to meditation, noise can be pretty hard to ignore and you should not struggle to ignore it, over time it will lose its power. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also play some environmental music on your headphones such as nature sounds or binaural beats while you are meditating. What's important is that you stick to your meditation routine and not use the noise as an excuse not to meditate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I often find noise quite helpful, because noise makes you fell a certain way and then you have another feeling that you can simply feel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10452" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T13:22:05.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18417" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-07T16:28:18.163" Score="3" ViewCount="674" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a way to read Sinhala translation of commentaries and subcommentaries online..? &lt;br&gt;&#xA;I found the pali one, but not in Sinhalese. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope for a help. Triple Gem Bless you all!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7524" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-12-07T17:53:57.707" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T06:44:41.213" Title="Sinhala translation of commentaries and subcommentaries" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18418" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18422" CreationDate="2016-12-07T17:44:58.220" Score="4" ViewCount="3711" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhanga: the dissolution of the ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can it be described as a synonym of wisdom (panna)? As the realization (experiential seeing and knowing) of the tilakkhana (anicca; dukkha; and anatta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2017-10-20T15:44:34.643" Title="What is bhanga?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18419" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-07T18:36:11.303" Score="2" ViewCount="117" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had this question yesterday, when I was using my navigation system to navigate somewhere completely new in my car. I, by accident, took a wrong turn that resulted in multiple miles of detour. When I realized my mistake, &lt;em&gt;I verbally spoke an explicit word out loud&lt;/em&gt;. I was completely alone in the car at the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I immediately realized my second mistake in speaking as such and I verbally corrected myself to a non-explicit word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path puts emphasis on right speech, and not saying anything to harm others and self. I was not meaning to harm anyone in my outburst, but to express the anguish of a delayed trip.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism writings (specifically the Dhammapada) also put emphasis on sage qualities, more specifically in the quote &quot;a sage tames himself&quot;. Certainly what I did in that situation was not a kusula action, and thus can help breed other akusula actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question is:&lt;/strong&gt; Is it bad practice to display this kind of poor self-control when in solitude?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8595" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T20:27:49.320" Title="According to the Noble Eightfold Path, is it poor practice to speak poorly in solitude?" Tags="|personal-practice|eightfold-path|dhammapada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18419" CreationDate="2016-12-07T19:19:26.627" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Solitude is the best time to practice skillful behavior!  When you don't have anyone else watching you, it's that much easier to lag in your discipline.  The best noble qualities are ones that are intrinsic to your character.  They show that your integrity is deep and that your practice is strong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T19:19:26.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18419" CreationDate="2016-12-07T19:31:07.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not the word that's the problem but the arising of sudden unmindful pushing away of what is arising in one's experience(AKA anger). This is why we try to be mindful continuously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if someone else was there and you intended to hurt them with words that you know they will be sensitive to then that is a defilement. It all boils down to our intentions even if they don't come to transgression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T19:31:07.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18418" CreationDate="2016-12-07T20:07:17.737" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Modern Buddhism refers to '&lt;em&gt;magga-phala-nibbana&lt;/em&gt;'. '&lt;em&gt;Magga&lt;/em&gt;' is 'path', '&lt;em&gt;phala&lt;/em&gt;' is 'fruition'; '&lt;em&gt;Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;' is final outcome. To quote an opinion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;magga-phala-nibbana&lt;/strong&gt;, path, fruition and nibbana: this compound (although the three terms appear separately throughout the Pali texts,&#xA;their compound is found only in Thai) refers to the three activities&#xA;that occur in rapid succession in the realization of  Dhamma. Magga&#xA;(path) is the activity of  vipassana cutting through defilements.&#xA;Phala (fruit) is the successful completion of that cutting, the result&#xA;of magga. Nibbana is the coolness which appears once the defilements&#xA;are cut.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Glossary of terms&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the definition above, the final dissolution of the defilement of ego-delusion is a fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An examination of Pali suttas finds at least the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(13) He trains himself; constantly contemplating impermanence (unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self) I shall breathe in. He trains himself; constantly contemplating impermanence I&#xA;shall breathe out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(14) He trains himself; constantly contemplating fading away (dispassion) I shall breathe in. He trains himself: constantly contemplating fading away I&#xA;shall breathe out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(15) He trains himself: constantly contemplating quenching (nirodha) I shall breathe in. He trains himself: constantly contemplating quenching I&#xA;shall breathe out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(16) He trains himself: constantly contemplating tossing back (relinquishment) I shall breathe in. He trains himself: constantly contemplating tossing back I&#xA;shall breathe out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the dissolution of ego-delusion (fading away &amp;amp; relinquishment) is a result of the realization of the tilakkhana (anicca; dukkha; and anatta). Therefore, realisation of the &lt;em&gt;tilakkhana&lt;/em&gt; comes first, followed by the result or fruition, which includes the dissolution of ego-delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;, about the &lt;em&gt;tilakkana&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Seeing (the three characteristics) thus , the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted&#xA;with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with&#xA;fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he&#xA;becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With&#xA;full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns&#xA;that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is&#xA;nothing further for this world.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, seeing or realising the three characteristics comes first. This is wisdom. As a result, there is 'dispassion' (dissolution of craving &amp;amp; ego) and the ending of 'birth'. This is fruition. The Pali word 'birth' ('jati') actually means the 'birth' of the ego-delusion (rather than birth from a woman's womb).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'unborn' is also a synonym for Nibbana, so all these dhammas are very close.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, monks, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Nibbana, I&#xA;reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Nibbana. MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the dissolution of ego is not a synonym of wisdom (panna) nor is it the realization (experiential seeing and knowing) of the tilakkhana (anicca; dukkha; and anatta). Instead, the dissolution of ego is a result or fruition of wisdom &amp;amp; realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy is using medicine to cure an illness. Ego is the illness. Wisdom is the medicine. By taking the medicine the illness is ended. What remains is the wisdom &amp;amp; freedom from illness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T20:19:04.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18423" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18404" CreationDate="2016-12-07T20:26:56.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Kantaka Sutta, Buddha used &quot;thorn&quot; instead of detrimental.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;...To one in the first jhana, sounds are a thorn. To one in the second jhana, thinking and examining are a thorn. ...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if noise perception (sanna in noise) or recognizing that noise has occurred, best to let go of it as fast as you can and go back to perception of breathing. Don't latch on to it.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/an10_72.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kantaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T17:30:55.347" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T17:30:55.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18419" CreationDate="2016-12-07T20:27:49.320" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right Speech in the Noble Eightfold Path certainly refers to not saying anything that harm others and self. However, as a 'morality' factor of the path, it would seem Right Speech is about words spoken to others because morality is generally about our actions in social relationship with others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think your situation of angry speech in solitude probably falls under the 2nd path factor, namely, Right Thought. Essentially, you had a mind of ill-will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Expressing the mind of ill-will via speech in solitude would not change the suffering (harmful) effects of that ill-will upon the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-07T20:27:49.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18425" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18427" CreationDate="2016-12-08T03:48:07.310" Score="4" ViewCount="491" Body="&lt;p&gt;New to the idea of getting external help, too. I have several questions about this path after read this Q&amp;amp;A:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/15535/new-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;New to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17540/how-to-get-to-nirvana&quot;&gt;How to get to Nirvana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What attracted me to buddhism was&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation: Practice it many times on Padmasana because I thought that was the unique meditation form. Then I knew I can meditate over a skateboard, too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness: Dreaming about achieving it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hatha Yoga: Practiced it many times.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ninjutsu: Practiced it several months on Bujinkan Dojo school (not a recommendation to go there). The concepts I got from Japanese culture were great though. They are attached to Buddhism but I think they misimpreted the message.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kriya yoga: Autobiography of a yogi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of my greater achievements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Leave drugs &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Leave alcohol&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Became vegan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practiced a lot in the non-attachment in objects and people too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These questions are general, mine are more precise. Please be open minded about my questions, they are very real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Was Buddha an artist of our times?&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt; I know a lot of teachers, I don't know any monks I can remember.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What's special about Buddha? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why should someone follow him? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I see this like being someone else. Is this a bad concept about Buddhism? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why he has &lt;em&gt;in fist sight&lt;/em&gt; all the answers?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I read that is some kind of comparison about Buddhism schools and Cristians religions, but I learned that Buddhism is not a religion but a lifestyle. Is it or not?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;About Yin and Yang, is that part of Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 12 universal laws are part of Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's all for the moment. Oh, I forgot, the most important one: About this little part of me you could read, is there a school recommendation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10446" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2022-10-25T22:05:56.790" Title="New to the site, new to Buddhism" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation|yoga|new-age-buddhism|martial-arts|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18425" CreationDate="2016-12-08T07:37:58.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Artist Buddha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha denounces individual expression and passion in favor of being grounded in peace and happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to get to Nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow the Buddha's Eightfold Path to cultivate an ability to let go of everything you want to pull to you(greed, clinging, desire) and develop acceptance of reality you normally push away(anger, aversion). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yin Yang is a Taoism concept but it was remixed into Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's special apout the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is appropriately ordinary and fully enlightened. He developed special teachings that arn't seen in any other religions like Anatta and the 12 links of Dependant Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-08T07:37:58.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18425" CreationDate="2016-12-08T07:51:47.983" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some quick answers, which I may add to later: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is certainly not a religion because it states all of its teachings are to be known &amp;amp; verified by its wise followers. It is certainly a way of life, which leads away from suffering to peace. Buddha defined it as the 'holy way of life'. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha is the most special individual human being because history shows he was the first to fully &amp;amp; truly diagnose what suffering really is and, more importantly, the methods to overcome suffering. Although today there are many religions &amp;amp; disciplines incorporating direct or indirect principles of the Buddha to overcome suffering, the Buddha was the 1st to fully diagnose suffering &amp;amp; its solution. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha actually does have all of the answers to all important questions. The teachings of the Buddha cover all facets of life, including money, work, relationships, human behaviour, meditation &amp;amp; spiritual wisdom that overcomes suffering. However, as the saying goes: &quot;&lt;em&gt;When the student is ready, the teacher will appear&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. To test the Buddha, we can ask questions about different things and a well-educated Buddhist can offer answers from the Buddha. By asking questions, we can learn how wise the Buddha was. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not the same as Christianity because Buddhism holds everything is just natural elements (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) where as Christianity believes in God. However, Christianity does share some principles with Buddhism about charity, morality, love, non-violence &amp;amp; some aspects of mental development. But Christianity does not explicitly teach the higher wisdom of Buddhism, such as the four noble truths, three-characteristics, not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;), emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;), the elements (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;), etc. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is very straightforward, extremely thorough in its analysis and the language used is literal. Where as Christianity can often be very vague and the language used is often metaphorical. Jesus himself said he taught in parables to hide his teachings from certain people. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ying &amp;amp; yang is not really related to Buddhism because ying &amp;amp; yang is a principle that explains the creation of natural things where as Buddhism is about ending suffering (rather than natural creation). However, some ying &amp;amp; yang principles are found in Buddhism, such as in its description of male &amp;amp; female faculties &amp;amp; it is description of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicissitudes of life&lt;/a&gt;. While the psychology of Buddhism certainly explains ying &amp;amp; yang principles pertaining to the cyclical relationship between pleasure, craving &amp;amp; suffering, the goal of Buddhism is to transcend or be beyond ying &amp;amp; yang (rather than to embrace or celebrate ying &amp;amp; yang). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Similar to ying &amp;amp; yang, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://lawsoftheuniverse.weebly.com/12-immutable-universal-laws.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 laws of the universe&lt;/a&gt; are mostly about creationism &amp;amp; therefore not related to the liberative purpose of Buddhism (although Buddhism would agree with some of them but not all). For example, since Buddhism transcends 'self', the idea of '&lt;em&gt;we reap what we sow&lt;/em&gt;' is not central to Buddhism, although it does exist in Buddhism. This idea is only morality for worldly people that believe they are a 'self' &amp;amp; believe 'they &lt;em&gt;personally&lt;/em&gt;' reap &amp;amp; sow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;As for being an &quot;&lt;em&gt;artist of our times&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, most of the world still must advance towards the spiritual evolution of the Buddha. Buddhism states the way/path of the Buddha is &quot;timeless&quot; (&lt;em&gt;akaliko&lt;/em&gt;). As long as beings or minds exist that can experience suffering, the way/path of the Buddha will properly address such suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, about 'schools of Buddhism', this depends on your disposition. i.e., the Law of Attraction. The Buddha taught individuals of different dispositions are attracted to different teachers with different emphasis. The general distinctions between Buddhism schools are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Helping oneself versus helping others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Individual self-reliant practice versus teacher lead&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) One present life focus versus reincarnation/rebirth focus.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-09T05:19:43.037" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T05:19:43.037" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18404" CreationDate="2016-12-08T15:26:04.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I tried to accept the noise as it is. But in my case it often goes beyond 50 dB which is typically what a normal human physiology can tolerate. I do not struggle with my mind which keeps remembering that the nois is indeed beyond normal physiological tolerance levels. I go elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10457" LastActivityDate="2016-12-08T15:26:04.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3547" CreationDate="2016-12-08T16:49:27.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In direct simplicity, respectfully, all meditation is either concentrative or contemplative.  Shamatha is concentrative.  Vipashyana is contemplative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10458" LastActivityDate="2016-12-08T16:49:27.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18431" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-09T17:31:09.897" Score="1" ViewCount="231" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm relatively new to mindfulness meditation and I've been having trouble focusing / concentrating during my sessions. Even thought my meditation sessions are around 10 - 20 minutes, I feel like my mind is just wandering. I've tried to really focus on my breathing but after a while I notice myself thinking about something else. I've read this article: &lt;a href=&quot;http://societyofzen.com/concentration-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How A Few Simple Things Helped Me Meditate Without Losing Concentration&lt;/a&gt; and it has helped me a bit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm reading around other websites and people are saying that meditation is the opposite of concentration and if you're concentrating then you're not meditating. That meditation is expanding the mind while concentration is narrowing it and that the two are mutually exclusive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel lost on what I should be practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10460" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T10:07:56.527" Title="Is Meditation And Concentration Mutually Exclusive?" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation|zen|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18062" CreationDate="2016-12-09T17:43:58.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhumishu makes a great analogy to fire leaping from one log to the next.  In my studies and understanding, consciousness is often referred to in this way as the “mindstream” in Buddhism.  The mindstream does not have a beginning nor an end as a either would suggest an independent existence of the consciousness apart from reality which would start to head down the road of the nature of a self/soul, etc., which is self-contradictory and an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, according to Mahayana and Vajrayana/Tantrayana Buddhism (which I believe is the evolved form of Buddhist thought personally), consciousness as mindstream can be viewed as an ocean and that individual manifestations of it, i.e. you and me, are like waves in the ocean that rise and fall.  We can also see it when we look at the impermanence of our own lives - for example, we are not the same person we were 10 years ago, 20 years ago, or even five minutes ago.  In this sense we are born and die moment to moment, millisecond to millisecond.  Buddhism strongly advocates that the idea of a soul (or atman) is nonsensical and is a grasping for permanence in an impermanent existence.  In this light, no, there is no such thing as rebirth or reincarnation as the &quot;self&quot; one supposes will be &quot;reborn&quot; doesn't exist in the first place – however, the energies that make up an individual’s sense of awareness/consciousness may indeed pass on to another “existence” or “rebirth”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This type of thinking quickly leads to a discussion of karma.  Karma is not a sense of fate or some mystical magical hippie fairy dust (although I think there may be some mystical aspects to it, but that is purely subjective).  It is simply cause and effect.  The things you do and even think affect you which can affect others and your environment, etc., akin to the Butterfly Effect.  In this way, karma can carry on a person's energies (if you will) to other lives beyond their death.  In concrete terms, how your parents raise you and interact with you throughout your life carries on past their death in your own conventional sense of personality and behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a more mystical level, karma, in Buddhism, leaves an imprint on the eternal mindstream.  Thus, there are aspects of your life as you know it that will, on a subtle level, make &quot;memories&quot; in the mindstream that can carry over to the next life.  In this sense, yes, Buddhism supports a notion of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further down this discussion is what Buddhism refers to as &quot;appreciation for the preciousness of life&quot; or something along those lines.  In a nutshell, this is a meditation on the appreciation of our current life situation - we are born in a human body that can contemplate life and happiness, etc.  We enjoy the comforts of technology improvements both physically and development of freedom and philosophical/rational/scientific thought.  This is in contrast to being born as an animal or in a situation of intense suffering or intense pleasure (perhaps oppressed by slavery or being born in extreme wealth and power).  All of these things enable us to be grateful that we can study Buddhism and ask these kinds of questions.  When we talk about rebirth in this area, the expectation is that the fragments of our consciousness that &quot;return&quot; (if you will) to the mindstream after death may indeed form as a part of consciousness in a future life.  This is not rebirth of the self but merely part of the energy we all possess in the form of memories, etc., but (in Buddhism) these are likely not to be reborn in this human existence but perhaps as an animal or an alien in another galaxy, who knows (although human rebirth can happen and later Buddhism does believe in reincarnation of enlightened beings - i.e. beings that gain enlightenment to the point that they can &quot;traverse&quot; the mindstream to a future human life after death like the Dali Lama or Lama Yeshe reincarnating as Ösel Hita as mentioned in another comment – although I disagree with the assessment of Ösel Hita in that comment).  All this said, most of us (or at least most of our sense of awareness or consciousness) will not be reborn as a human but will be mixed in with the larger ocean of consciousness and will end up as part of an animal or something else, perhaps even part of humanity's emergent global consciousness or whatnot, but this is purely speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, long story short, Buddhism believes in rebirth and it doesn’t.  If you argue that Buddhism is strictly the Hinayana/Theravada school of thought (which I don't believe) then, as Dhammadhatu mentioned, rebirth is largely disputed.  If, however, you view Buddhism as merely a label to a particular type of evolving Vedic thought that began as Hinayana (enlightenment only for monks) and evolved along with broader human thought to include enlightenment for everyone and following Buddhist logic rationally to conclusions beyond Hinayana (as I do) then rebirth is definitely a thriving concept in Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a scientific level, one can look at rebirth as the conservation of energy.  Where does our conscious energy go after death?  It is certainly not destroyed but somehow dispersed.  On a Buddhist level, one can also do what the Buddha taught even back in the days of the Theravada school.  That is, go and find out yourself.  Meditate on your memories and walk back through them as far back into your childhood as you can.  Once you get there, sit for a while and absorb the experience.  I think you will start to answer your own questions that way - religious dogma is not necessary to tell you what to do or think or believe; your rational mind can explore for itself if you develop the skills of concentration, patience, and wisdom.  This to me is the true beauty of Buddhism – that is, there are foundational tenants but not really any dogmatic thinking by and large.  It is a process, belief, and philosophy of the discovery of reality in all its forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that helps!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10459" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T17:43:58.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-09T19:12:42.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gah!  Don't read anymore.  Just relax and count every out breath up to ten.  When you reach ten, start again.  If you make it to ten, great.  If not, start back at one and try again.  Your mind will wander.  You will get agitated, sleepy, annoyed, and think about all sorts of things.  You will have doubts about the method and probably will have a strong feeling that your aren't doing it right.  That's all part of the process.  Don't worry about it; keep returning to the breath.  Just sit, breath, and count.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T19:12:42.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-09T19:34:35.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's should be the other way around. One needs concentration for meditation and one can't attain concentration without diligently meditate. It's also a common misconception that insight/vipassana and serenity/samatha are 2 mutually exclusive practices. Furthermore, insight and serenity by themselves are still not sufficient. Various other factors are also needed to make progress in meditation: observing the precepts, diets, surrounding environment, etc. For further details, please see Ven. Buddhadasa's  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf&lt;/a&gt; and Ven. Nanamoli's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf1/MindfulnessBreathing.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf1/MindfulnessBreathing.pdf&lt;/a&gt; . Some introduction to meditation in general from Ven. Gunaratana's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T19:34:35.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-12-09T20:15:16.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism contains optimism and pessimistic view points on life. On the positive side, there is the celebration of merit (virtue, alms giving, helping one another etc). There are the four sublime states of lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. But it is a religion which points out that there is a field of unhappiness as well as a field of merit/happiness. This field of unhappiness contains painful human circumstances/woe and the woe of beings in hungry ghost realms, animal realm and ultimately hells. But salvation is Nirvana which is (the realisation) of emptiness but which is said to be a completely blissful state of being. So the goal of Buddhism isn't nihilistic. There is something &quot;in&quot; the aim. It is the promise of a pleasurable/transcendant state of being as a reward for good actions of body speech and mind and following the 8-fold path. But the religion could be construed as nihilistic in the sense that Buddha didn't directly, as far as I am aware, offer an explanation of why we suffer or why the law of karma exists. He merely states that that is how life is, in Samsara, the wheel of life and death/ cycle of becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10461" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T20:15:16.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-09T20:41:56.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea is wrong that meditation is 'expanding the mind' while 'concentration is narrowing the mind' and that the two are mutually exclusive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'mindfulness' ('sati') in Buddhism means to 'remember to apply' or 'keep in mind' the Buddhist path; which means to keep the mind in a clear &amp;amp; aware state that is free from unwholesome &amp;amp; unbeneficial mental states, such as craving &amp;amp; distracting thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word for 'concentration' in Buddhism is 'samadhi'. The word 'samadhi' means 'collectedness' &amp;amp; refers to when the mind gathers together its energy, power, awareness, wisdom &amp;amp; other wholesome qualities due to its practise of 'mindfulness'. The Pali scriptures states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any singleness of mind equipped with these seven factors — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,&#xA;right effort &amp;amp; right mindfulness — is called noble right concentration&#xA;with its supports &amp;amp; requisite conditions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind achieves the perfection of 'samadhi', this is called 'one-pointedness' or 'jhana'. The mind here is completely exalted &amp;amp; expanded, i.e., 'heavenly'. The term 'one-pointedness' does not refer to a 'narrow' awareness. Instead, it refers to a mind that is completely undistracted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy is a wheel that spins around an axle. The wheel is fixed to &amp;amp; revolves around the axle. This being fixed to the axle is 'one-pointedness'. However, the wheel itself, which is an analogy for the mind, is not 'narrow'. Instead, the wheel/mind is both expanded &amp;amp; perfectly functional. If the wheel is not fixed to the wheel, the wheel cannot function properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the proper practise of 'mindfulness' causes 'concentration' to happen. The Buddhist scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In one of right mindfulness, right concentration comes into being...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T21:17:58.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18418" CreationDate="2016-12-09T22:31:17.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhanga can be meant to refer to Bhanga-ñana, &quot;the knowledge of dissolution&quot; defined in Vissudhimagga as #5 within the 16-stages progress of insight. Some Vipassana lineages (Thai and Mahasi, those I know of and have first-hand experience with) use the 16-stages model extensively. This stage of the naturally occuring progression is often accompanied by (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html#fourb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html#fourb&lt;/a&gt;) feelings of losing ground (hence &quot;dissolution&quot;) and sadness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By acknowledging these conditions, insight into 3 characteristics is strenghtened. Experiencing sadness is by itself not insight, only a condition of the practice, which does not lead to wisdom without being acknowledged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4753" LastActivityDate="2016-12-09T22:31:17.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-09T23:59:37.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will try an experiment because it is finals week and I am kinda short on time. I will answer without sources. If I get upvoted I will put sources, if I get no upvotes/get downvoted I will not put sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All meditation (Buddhist or otherwise) is concentration. Tibetan and other esoteric traditions have mandalas/mantras/deities/mudras/&quot;other stuff&quot;. Zen and other Madhyamaka derived things have impermanence/no-abiding-nature/no-essence/Buddha-nature (not identical ideas but closely related in complex ways). Hua-yen has/had &quot;interpenetration&quot;/&quot;constituent/constituted(&quot;golden lion&quot;)&quot;. Pure land/&quot;folk traditions&quot; have various bodhisattvas with powers of salvation. Nichiren (SGI) has its mantra and scroll (Gohonzon). Etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Point being, one of the complexities of Buddhist thought is that &quot;something&quot; and &quot;nothing&quot; are not always different! So, when you meditate, you concentrate, but not necessarily on &quot;something!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10462" LastEditorUserId="10462" LastEditDate="2016-12-10T00:51:13.873" LastActivityDate="2016-12-10T00:51:13.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18425" CreationDate="2016-12-10T01:17:53.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A few comments on Dhammadhatu's excellent answer, for now mostly pertaining to &quot;Is Buddhism a religion?&quot; and &quot;Does Buddhism answer important questions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, it is correct to say that Buddhism is not a religion. However, I believe that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is absolutely not the case that Buddhists are atheists.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is probably not the case that Buddhists are agnostics in the Western sense.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Buddhist artworks of Ancient India depict the Buddha teaching various Hindu deities. While Hindus considered this blasphemy, the artists were making an important point; whether or not the Hindu gods (or any Gods) exist, they cannot be a source of &quot;ultimate knowledge&quot;. If all things and beings are arising and perishing (and therefore cannot access &quot;ultimate knowledge&quot;), then either Gods are somehow &quot;not things or beings&quot; (special pleading, and leads to problems of causal efficacy) or they are also arising and perishing, and therefore have no access to &quot;ultimate knowledge&quot;. But, since Buddha teaches that the only &quot;ultimate knowledge&quot; is &quot;arising and perishing&quot; now all gods (Hindu included) will have to learn from him! So, to return to the matter at hand, in fact Buddhists do not think that the existence or non-existence of God/Gods is an &quot;Important Question (r)(tm)&quot;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, when Dhammadhatu says &quot;Buddhism answers important questions&quot;, the word &quot;important&quot; must be &lt;em&gt;exceedingly carefully&lt;/em&gt; used and interpreted. Questions regarding any &quot;soul&quot; and &quot;afterlife&quot; are &lt;em&gt;mostly&lt;/em&gt; regarded as unimportant. Also, questions regarding the origin of the universe and the end of the universe, origin of man, etc. are almost totally dismissed. For greater detail, see this. In my not-so-humble opinion this is the most important part of Buddhism and gets short shrift in the literature; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Poisoned_Arrow&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wiki: parable of the poisoned arrow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I retract my statement that Buddhism is not a religion, because I was using a wrong definition of religion. See here; &lt;a href=&quot;https://area51.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/8236/isnt-buddhism-a-religion&quot;&gt;https://area51.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/8236/isnt-buddhism-a-religion&lt;/a&gt;. I do not insist that it is or is not a religion. Probably this is an &quot;unimportant question&quot;! =P&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10462" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T08:41:04.720" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T20:01:48.903" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18425" CreationDate="2016-12-10T10:02:36.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is &quot;samsara&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;samsara is , according to buddhism , all the living beings (not only humans and animals , there are lot of other living things in this univers according to buddhism  ) are having a rebirth after death .everytime a living being dies he will be reborn,( where you going to born next will be decided on several facts, I will talk about that later.) samsara means all the lives that a living being will have till he finds the nirvana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Nirvana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana is a state of mind where you no longer have any kind of attachment to anything, not even to yourself , not even to nirvana itself, SO when someone achieve this state of mind he will not born again in another life , that is the end of his 'samsara'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is Buddha ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha was the first person to achieve Nirvana. the first person to stop the samsara from happening . As his teaching all the sadness starts with birth . If one is able to stop the birth , he will be able to end all the sadness, that means achieving nirvana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. I will add things to this answer soon , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10467" LastEditorUserId="10467" LastEditDate="2016-12-10T17:49:26.147" LastActivityDate="2016-12-10T17:49:26.147" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-10T12:09:41.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is Meditation And Concentration Mutually Exclusive?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No it's not.In fact meditation develops concentration.Scientific studies have shown that meditation improves attention and memory.Meditation requires attention to be anchored to an object.Repetitively doing so would strengthen focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2008914,00.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A recent paper in the journal Psychological Science tries to identify brain functions that are actually enhanced by meditating. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2016-12-10T12:09:41.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-12-10T14:45:46.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So can anyone state for us why Buddhism is not Nihilism?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One can argue that from the Ego's point of view Buddhism is nihillisim&lt;/strong&gt; .Because practicing Buddhism fully, inevitably leads to the destruction of the ego.Buddhism helps shatter the ego's solidity.So quite understandably the ego freaks out at some stage of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fortunately,we're not the ego.&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism is not nihilistic&lt;/strong&gt; because we're not the five aggregates which we continuously mistaken ourselves to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2016-12-10T14:45:46.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-11T04:38:45.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you meditate you need to concentrate about one thing,one positive feeling which relax you eventually.&#xA;But when you try that, your mind/feelings do not obey to you and it will give to different feelings and later you will feel tired of concentrating.&#xA;So then you can do one thing, you can fallow the feelings, you do not try to control the feelings, just go with the feelings and aware that you are fallowing the thoughts.&#xA;After a while you will be able to tell the feelings that, lets concentrate about breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10470" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T04:38:45.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-11T07:55:35.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.125.horn.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 125&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha compares the mind that tries to settle down in meditation with taming a forest elephant. If you pull a forest elephant out of his residence into the open, it'll rage and battle for some time, before the elephant tamer is able to tame him. The same thing goes for the mind: If you take the mind out of the world of the senses by focusing it on an object, it'll at first rage and battle, too. This is just how the mind naturally reacts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As, Aggivessana, a noble anointed king addresses an elephant hunter saying; 'You, good elephant hunter, mount the king's elephant and go into an elephant forest. When you see a forest elephant, tie him to the neck of the king's elephant.' And, Aggivessana, the elephant hunter having answered: 'Yes, sire,' in assent to the noble anointed king, mounts the king's elephant and goes into an elephant forest. Seeing a forest elephant, he ties him to the neck of the king's elephant. So the king's elephant brings him out into the open. But, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has this longing, that is to say for the elephant forest. But in regard to him the elephant hunter tells the noble anointed king that the forest elephant has got out into the open. The noble anointed king then addresses an elephant tamer, saying: 'Come you, good elephant tamer, tame the forest elephant by subduing his forest ways, by subduing his forest memories, and aspirations and by subduing his distress, his fretting and fever for the forest, by making him pleased with the villages and by accustoming him to human ways.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't get too fixed on the idea to get concentrated in meditation.In general, the practice is to bring your mind back to the present and be aware of any of the &lt;strong&gt;5 hindrances&lt;/strong&gt; which prevent you from having a clear mind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Drowsiness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Distraction/Restlessness/Worry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt &amp;amp; Confusion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're looking for some instructions, I would recommend those which refer to the original teachings of the Buddha. A good one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to meditate&lt;/a&gt;. There is also a meditation community where you can sign up for an online course, if you need some guidance, at &lt;a href=&quot;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T07:55:35.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18431" CreationDate="2016-12-11T10:07:56.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is sitting:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nondistracted, collected &#xA;(focus is too specific a term, yet you don't want to be scattered),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with clarity (not clouded)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;joyfully / happily / blissfully&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the recent words of a very kind teacher of mine, may they be a cause for everyone to reach true relaxation of body, speech, and mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sit for short periods and sit with good &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quality over quantity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T10:07:56.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18446" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18455" CreationDate="2016-12-11T13:40:47.513" Score="3" ViewCount="804" Body="&lt;p&gt;I first apologize to ask like this, I'm so sorry but I found people who don't respect other religions by my one older question I had to ask almost like this one that one I'm asking. As this religion is secular and against violence. Teaching kindness, forgiveness and beyond the concept of god and religion. But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ? In Buddha's time he was en lighted he could make them feel what they are doing, there were so many incidents he changed them but when I seen someone insulting Buddhism I feel like I must break first precept; all the time I tolerate because I'm not violent and it's not what I learn, but I get really really angry.&#xA;Also bad people look at us as beneficial sake and annoying that we are non-violence and so can't do nothing. There's quote of Napoleon Bonaparte “The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.&quot;&#xA;I don't expecting war and violence but peace. Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2016-12-11T13:57:02.137" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T20:54:23.230" Title="How to tolerate if someone insulting Buddhism?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|eight-precepts|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18446" CreationDate="2016-12-11T14:48:24.547" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;So an example from another faith.  I met a gentleman by the name of Ron.  He was from Barbados and had moved to the US for better opportunity.  Back when he lived in his homeland, Ron had been a doctor.  Before he could practice medicine in America, Ron had to recertify in a number of areas (I remember him complaining about hematology the most!)  I was working at a bookstore at the time and everyday, he'd come to our cafe to study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Ron was a well dressed chap and nice as any person you'd ever want to meet.  Everyday he'd come and talk to me and the other staff members for a bit.  He had a great sense of humor and always had a kind word for everyone.  Ron used to spend a lot of time talking to me because I was a competitive weight lifter at the time.  Ron had been Mr. Barbados back when he was younger, so we had a lot to talk about.  I even used to even call him after my weight lifting meets to tell him how I did.  Whenever I placed, I swear he was happier for me than I was.  You could not love this man!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ron studied at our store for about a year.  Right before he went off to take his medical boards, he joked about how he had to present all kinds of ID as a security measure against cheating.  &quot;Cheating!&quot; he says to me.  &quot;I'm a Jehovah's Witness!  We don't cheat!&quot;  Now, I don't know if you know anything about Jehovah's Witnesses, but a prime tenant of there faith is to spread it.  Where I live, they'll even go door to door proselytizing.  They call it &quot;bearing witness&quot;  Ron never did any of that.  In fact, it was such a departure from what I was used to, I asked him how after a year, he never spoke a word about his religion.  I'll never forget his words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;To convince someone with words is cheap.  The mind is not the place of faith.  My whole life is my witness for others.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way you are going to convince anyone of the efficacy of the dharma is in how you conduct yourself.  It's a waste of effort to try and argue with someone else about Buddhism.  You aren't going to convince them.  The only thing that is going to change their minds are your actions of body, speech, and mind.                      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T14:48:24.547" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18446" CreationDate="2016-12-11T14:51:24.953" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you're supposed to remember that people are heir to their own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If people insult Buddhism instead of respecting and learning from it, instead of benefiting from it, then you might feel pity for them (or preferably &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254&quot;&gt;compassion&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure you or I should see a need for forgiveness (i.e. a need for us to forgive them) because I (hypothetically) don't see their disrespect as hurtful towards &quot;you&quot; or &quot;me&quot;. Perhaps you're identifying with Buddhism in some way (thinking that their disrespect is hurts others or hurts you, and needs forgiveness)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I get really really angry.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See for example the Dhammapada, which &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;begins with&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting really angry doesn't seem to me appropriate. I think of replying with anger as being like &quot;putting out fire with gasoline&quot;, i.e. it may fuel disrespect and further anger, rather than putting it out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize many people feel that they shouldn't usually get angry, but might feel that sometimes anger is excusable, normal, necessary, even praise-worthy, and inevitable (e.g. &quot;if I get angry that their fault for being disrespectful, not my fault&quot;); for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I don't usually get angry; but if you insult my &lt;em&gt;mother&lt;/em&gt; then I'll punch you!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I wouldn't usually fight; if you attack my &lt;em&gt;country&lt;/em&gt; then of course I will!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I'm usually a nice guy; but if you attack my &lt;em&gt;religion&lt;/em&gt; then I can't stand it!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also realize that some countries/societies criminalize disrespect, which might make it see normal to try to punish disrespect (e.g. by meeting it with anger), and/or to be averse to (and unaccustomed to) disrespect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But ignoring what society does and looking at the scripture, remember the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;parable of the saw&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;because of the silence of the good people&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think it might help, maybe you can disagree without getting angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone tells a lie about Buddhism, for example, maybe you can say what the truth is; or if it's not an appropriate place and time for a lecture, maybe say something short like &quot;I disagree&quot; or &quot;I don't think so&quot; ... enough so that if someone is interested then they can ask for more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism teaches that causes of suffering are ignorance, craving and attachment and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T14:51:24.953" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18450" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18456" CreationDate="2016-12-11T17:39:52.493" Score="1" ViewCount="460" Body="&lt;p&gt;I always wondered what should I do according to buddhism in a situation like that. Obviously I have two options.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hit the snake and save the frogs' life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Just keep watching without doing anything.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain this &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10467" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-12-12T23:57:44.143" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T23:57:44.143" Title="If a snake is eating a frog in front of me, what should I do?" Tags="|karma|animals|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18450" CreationDate="2016-12-11T20:39:37.840" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't hit snake, but better we understand it's the nature. We cannot get snakes to eat non-veg. We can't change the nature of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Animal world is described as one of 4 hells in Buddhism. Their Karma stance causes them to born in different worlds. The most eligible karma they have done in their sansara (chain of lives birth, live, die) will bring their life events to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also If we kill the snake, we get it on our Karma account. Karma is like a chain which keep our lives continuing through sansara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://justbegood.net/MoreQuestions.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://justbegood.net/MoreQuestions.htm&lt;/a&gt; for better understanding of Karma and their consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10474" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T20:39:37.840" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18452" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-11T22:26:22.420" Score="-5" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While having a concrete floor, is it okay to chop off trees for a wooden floor?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If [a monk or nun] is ruthless with regard to plants, this is an offence to be atoned.&quot; (Patimokkhasutta Pacittiya 11)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10476" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T16:12:54.180" Title="1. While wearing my new warm jacket, is it okay to kill animals for their fur?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18452" CreationDate="2016-12-11T22:47:46.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The rules for monks and nuns outlined in the Patimokkha do not apply to lay people. The things you mention are not violations of the code of ethics for non-monastics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="120" LastActivityDate="2016-12-11T22:47:46.200" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18446" CreationDate="2016-12-12T00:42:58.970" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha explains how to deal with people who insults the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Sangha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should not give way to resentment, displeasure, or animosity against them in your heart. For if you were to become angry or upset in such a situation, you would only be creating an obstacle for yourselves. If you were to become angry or upset when others speak in dispraise of us, would you be able to recognize whether their statements are rightly or wrongly spoken?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Certainly not, Lord.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should unravel what is false and point it out as false, saying: ‘For such and such a reason this is false, this is untrue, there is no such thing in us, this is not found among us.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following are a few excerpts from the sutras on how the Buddha dealt with and instructed his disciples to train when thoughts of anger and ill will are present:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. I understood thus: 'This thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna'. When I considered: 'This leads to my own affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to others affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to the affliction of both', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna', it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu  frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation(*) of those thoughts. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind(**) (***).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasanthāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, [Bodhi Trans.] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(*) &quot;relaxing of thought-fabrication&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(**) &quot;crush his mind with his awarenes&quot;, per Thanissaro Bhikku&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(***) &quot;crush unwholesome states of mind with wholesome states of mind&quot;, per Majjhima Nikāya Atthakathā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2016-12-12T00:49:32.387" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T00:49:32.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18450" CreationDate="2016-12-12T04:50:47.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samsara means we live in a world where things are as great as we'd like them and we are often faced with choices without a good alternative. (For a western contrived example, see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Trolly Problem&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern biologist often conclude that predator and prey, while not in a situation that benefits the prey, have worked out a solution that is horrible, but the best among the options. When predators are removed from an ecosystem, creatures that evolved expecting predators will over graze and create worse problems than when there were predators, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.missionwolf.org/page/trophic-cascade/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wolves&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana Buddhism, which is the most close to modern Animal Liberation encourages not getting involved with the world of the animals-- let them be, do no harm. (Except for providing medical assistance, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_Buddhism#Behaviour_regarding_animals&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhists in the time of Ashoka advocated providing medical help for wild animals&lt;/a&gt;.) And in the Bhrama Net Sutra, there is a precept prohibiting owning predator pets, such as cats, but nothing along the line of eliminating cats from nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T04:50:47.970" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18450" CreationDate="2016-12-12T07:46:23.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, there are those who can just stand there and say &quot;frog karma, snake karma&quot; and they might get accused of having no empathy when really they are just trying to see the situation in a broader way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are those who will try to help a fellow being and they might get accused of only superficially understanding the Buddha's teachings when really they are just practicing compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both sides have there points , probably  either way is correct or it depends on the person. If not saving the animal would cause one distress then one should save the animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-12-12T08:08:39.870" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T08:08:39.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18446" CreationDate="2016-12-12T08:40:13.563" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists don't do nothing do they? Cultivate compassion and Metta for them instead of anger like they are cultivating anger or ignorance and you will be doing something as a good person :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T08:40:13.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18450" CreationDate="2016-12-12T10:47:15.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Snake charmers would know how to apply pressure at the neck or head to subdue them without causing injury.&#xA;But you can try hitting the ground next to the snake with a stick and try to scare it. If it does not work, practice Uppekkha to keep yourself from giving into sadness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-12T10:47:15.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18463" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-13T07:35:31.063" Score="1" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think &quot;self&quot; is the right term in English for the sort of quality I want to ask about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, regardless of its ontological status, or that of what it relates to (objects), do (any) Mahayana Buddhists teach subjectivity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10489" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T07:11:11.837" Title="Do (any) Mahayana Buddhists teach subjectivity?" Tags="|mahayana|anatman|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18464" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-13T10:24:33.970" Score="2" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta was natural to me when I was young. I didn't give much thought to it then. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I find it difficult. So many thoughts come when I want to donate to charity like,&#xA;&lt;em&gt;is it a recognized charitable institution? how is it run? if they are adequately funded, should I donate to an institution which does not do marketing? or whether I should give the part to the homeless person?&lt;/em&gt;   All these thoughts makes metta a mental process of deciding who is worthy and who is not with limited funds I have for donation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one inculcate metta? Is it influenced by skandhas ? Can metta itself become an attachment leading to mental craving for that feeling when one can observe on giving? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10296" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-12-13T12:23:23.120" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T19:57:25.990" Title="How to inculcate metta in me?" Tags="|metta-bhavana|metta|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18464" CreationDate="2016-12-13T14:34:58.717" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If funds are limited and the opportunities to donate are plenty, you should find out which is the best place to donate as in who is genuine, who will benefit the most, who is the most worthy etc. It's an aspect of wisdom which guides Metta to have the best possible outcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to note the difference between worrying and looking for the best available option. The former is a consequence of clinging whereas the latter is a form of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Skandhas(5 aggregates) is a different teaching which has nothing to do with Metta, except for Metta bieing an instance of Sankhara-skandha(mental formations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta can never be craving, but craving can disguise itself as Metta. &#xA;Ex: Wanting to donate because the collection girl is pretty; wanting to join community service to get a chance to spend time with someone you are  attracted to; wanting to donate to impress someone; wanting to donate to get a heavenly birth etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Technically speaking, wanting to help the poor &amp;amp; the afflicted is more Karuna(compassion) than Metta. Metta is simply kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-12-13T15:02:19.653" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T15:02:19.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18467" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-13T17:05:22.267" Score="3" ViewCount="298" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference if the snake was eating a frog or a human? What do Buddhist scriptures say about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T17:14:41.103" Title="If a snake is eating a human infant in front of me what should I do?" Tags="|ethics|animals|human|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18468" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18467" CreationDate="2016-12-13T19:25:22.480" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just kill the snake and save the baby&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok , this would be the reaction of a person who has no idea what Buddhism is . But , even if we know Buddhism to some extent, we would do the same . Because still our minds are not developed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically all lives are equal , if a snake is eating a frog , there will be no reaction from a person who has achieved nirvana. If the snake is eating a human (even if the infant is his own kid , there won't be a difference )he would never kill the snake , he will try to remove the snake using a stick , if it doesn't succeed,he will give himself to the snake and will save the life of his kid or any other human. But if the snake is eating some other animal, he will not interfere . Because according do Buddhism , people should not interfere with animal lives , all those things are unnecessary attachments. Buddha advises not to have pets , not to even give food to animals continuously , because if you do those animals will start to make bonds with you and you with them , that will definitely make ones samsara longer . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People should not interfere with actions of animals. But you can save any human being by sacrificing yourself or by using some strategy &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorUserId="10479" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T17:14:41.103" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T17:14:41.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18469" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-13T19:27:45.950" Score="1" ViewCount="173" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm right now working on &lt;a href=&quot;https://sunyatazero.github.io/buddhist-well-being-pyqt5/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;an application&lt;/a&gt; for increasing happiness in everyday life, inspired by practical teachings in Buddhism about happiness for laypeople.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: What did the Buddha say about happiness for laypeople?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have found these Sutras helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigalovada_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dighajanu_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What else did the Buddha say about happiness for laypeople?. (Is there a compilation of teachings regarding this?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T16:49:12.840" Title="Happiness for laypeople" Tags="|ethics|sutras|lay-buddhism|layman|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-12-13T19:53:19.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha had hair before he achieved nirvana. After that he shaved his head . Because buddha's father asked him not to be like that, because that was shameful to their family status , because in india all the lower class people and beggars used to shave the head . &#xA;But Buddha didn't listen to what his father said and kept the head shaved. &#xA;And he is like any other human being , no such differences as those stories say . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Side story&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Buddha was going somewhere by foot at stopped his journey when it 's dark and went inside a small public cottage nearby to spend the night. There was this person in this cottage who also was on his way to see Buddha. His name was &quot;pukkusathi&quot; as much as I remember, so Buddha asked about him, and he said he was going to see the Buddha, so this implies the Buddha was same as any other monk in appearance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He might had curly hair before he achieved nirvana , &#xA;I think its best to not to talk about Buddha s appearances because , only thing Buddha asked from humans was to follow the path to nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the hair is like that on statues because , There are statues of other monks as well , so people have to identify who is Buddha to worship those statues, so the artists who made those had to make it that way to make it different from other statues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorUserId="10479" LastEditDate="2016-12-13T20:05:25.450" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T20:05:25.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18464" CreationDate="2016-12-13T19:57:25.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is comprehensible that you like know your donation goes not in vain and the one accepting your donation is legitimate. This is because you like please that your donation goes well and effective so that you will multiply good Karma when you rethink and think about how it is well contributed. The most important thing here is you need to multiply your pleasant feeling by thinking again and agin when you did a good, legitimate donation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So for donation, it is wise to choose people to whom you donate. If you cannot choose (are you doing donation on regular basic and difficult to examine/check at the point of time of donation?) try not have second thought, regret, disappointment after donation. At least, try to please by reviewing yourself that you got rid of attachment on things/money that you just donated. You should not linger your thoughts about quality of donee(s) which could do harm on your pleasantness of doing donation (difficult and challenging mind exercise for most people). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To inculcate Metta, you need to know it is opposite of aversion and hatred. Our Lord Buddha said many times that Metta is unmeasurable, limitless making up of your mind. So Metta is not correlated with quality/value/ethic/intention or any physical quality or moral status of any living being you are trying to spread on. It is not appropriate just spreading Metta to good people or people good to you. You can put Metta to any &lt;strong&gt;living&lt;/strong&gt; great benefactor as well as &lt;strong&gt;living&lt;/strong&gt; tyrant dictator. To achieve this you have to understand that no matter the target living being shall receive your Metta or not, you definitely have peace and pleasant mind without aversion and hatred by spreading Metta to infinite living beings around all directions (east, west, south, north, ++, up and down). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By spreading Metta to all living beings(unlimited), you should expect the following effects of it (need citation in Pali Canon). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can sleep soundly. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can wake up gently. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You do not have bad dream. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can be protected by Gods(Devas). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People loves you. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gods(Devas) love you. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Weapons, fire and poisons cannot harm you. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your face is cheerful. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have elegant/respectable moral esteem. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You have strong &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati&lt;/a&gt; till you would have last breath. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you cannot do leverage on your Metta Jhana to Vipasana, you can still be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma&lt;/a&gt; (rebirth at one of Brahma realms after life). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T19:57:25.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18472" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18473" CreationDate="2016-12-13T20:46:30.707" Score="2" ViewCount="831" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Vipassana jahna is the focusing of the mind on paramattha dhammas&lt;/em&gt;'.   (Sayadaw U Pandita, &lt;em&gt;In This Very Life&lt;/em&gt;, p. 179)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the meaning of paramattha dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T22:42:41.253" Title="What is the meaning of paramattha dhamma?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18472" CreationDate="2016-12-13T22:13:21.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Paramattha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paramattha dhamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is an Abhidhamma term, meaning the 'highest' dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The equivalent in the Pali suttas is called '&lt;em&gt;lokattura&lt;/em&gt; (supramundane) dhamma' or 'heartwood'. Such dhamma is related to not-self ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;'), emptiness ('&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;') &amp;amp; here-&amp;amp;-now liberation-&amp;amp;-Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning,&#xA;  transcendent (lokuttara), connected with emptiness — are being&#xA;  recited'.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paramattha dhamma&lt;/em&gt; is the opposite of '&lt;em&gt;lokiya&lt;/em&gt; (mundane) dhamma', which is about kamma, rebirth, metta &amp;amp; any other mundane moral dhamma which can be practised with 'self-view' by ordinary unenlightened people. The primary goal of lokiya dhamma is morality &amp;amp; non-harming. Where as the goal of paramattha dhamma is to extinguish all suffering. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paramattha-dhamma (absolute truth of nature) is the Dhamma or the knowledge, which when we know it, will enable us to extinguish dukkha.&#xA;  Ultimate truth then is the way the thing that helps us, enables us to&#xA;  extinguish all dukkha.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/system/books/files/000/000/048/original/Dependent_origination_suanmokkh_retreat_900810.pdf?1472200659&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important distinction between 'lokuttara' ('paramattha') &amp;amp; 'lokiya' dhamma is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which explains two sorts of Right View:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is right view? Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: (i) There is right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in&#xA;  acquisitions [of becoming]; (ii) there is right view that is noble, without&#xA;  effluents, transcendent (lokuttara), a factor of the path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, my posts on this forum are exclusively about '&lt;em&gt;paramattha dhamma&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-13T22:42:41.253" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T22:42:41.253" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18469" CreationDate="2016-12-13T23:16:18.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a handy list of linked suttas at this link &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/in-the-buddha-s-words/29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;IV. The Happiness Visible in This Present Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.A. Payutto's &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Constitution for Living&lt;/a&gt; is most excellent &amp;amp; includes the sutta reference for each list.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is an excellent sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-14T10:38:56.103" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T10:38:56.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18467" CreationDate="2016-12-13T23:31:02.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on the monk's Vinaya (rules), intentionally killing a human being results in immediate expulsion from the monastic community where as killing a snake does not. Therefore, killing an infant is far more serious than killing a snake. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is based on the natural laws of kamma known within our heart. If we must kill the snake to save the infant, we should kill the snake because if we allow the snake to kill the infant, we will feel great regret &amp;amp; remorse in our heart &amp;amp;, even worse, other people will blame us for our lack of compassion towards the child. We may be socially ostracised &amp;amp; rejected. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The snake was murdering the child thus the snake will reap its 'own kamma' (even though, in reality, animals are not subject to the laws of kamma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures (AN 6.63) teach 'kamma is intention' &amp;amp; 'kamma only comes into play due to sense contact'. Therefore, the only repercussions/consequences of killing the snake will be known within your own heart &amp;amp; nowhere else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I lived in Thailand, alone near a village, I walked passed a very large cobra laying across the road to the village. Upon closer inspection, the cobra was fighting with an even larger python and had its jaws wrapped around the python's neck. A monk's house was nearby so I informed the monk, who returned with a big stick and hit the cobra until the cobra detached. We did this to save the cobra's life, since it could easily be crushed by a motor vehicle driving to the village. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On another occasion, a large cobra was in the visitor's quarters. Again, we had to use a large stick to remove the cobra. Although cobras are our friends, sometimes we must be firm with them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-13T23:52:25.997" LastActivityDate="2016-12-13T23:52:25.997" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18291" CreationDate="2016-12-14T05:46:44.323" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question isn't just whether the hair represent the snails, but what do the 108 snails present. Recall that Buddhism heavily utilize symbolism to convey it's message. It doesn't mean that the historical Buddha actually had snails on his head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The number 108 represents the 108 mental afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mrob.com/pub/epist/buddhism.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mrob.com/pub/epist/buddhism.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In traditional Buddhist thought, people are said to have 108&#xA;  afflictions or klesas. There are six senses (sight, sound, smell,&#xA;  taste, touch, and consciousness) multiplied by three reactions&#xA;  (positive, negative, or indifference) making 18 &quot;feelings.&quot; Each of&#xA;  these feelings can be either &quot;attached to pleasure or detached from&#xA;  pleasure&quot; making 36 &quot;passions&quot;, each of which may be manifested in the&#xA;  past, present, or future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;which corresponds to: {sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and&#xA;  consciousness} × {positive, negative, indifferent} × {attached to&#xA;  pleasure, detached from pleasure} × {past, present, future}    =&#xA;  6×3×2×3 = 108&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense the snails and their hard shells essentially represents mindful concentration which guards against all these afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T05:46:44.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18477" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-14T07:12:08.647" Score="3" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;The problem I find is that modern technology enables easy yielding to exciting moving images in a compulsive way via television, DVDs, cinema and the internet. How can I find free online Buddhist guidance to prevent and avoid online yielding to such powerful cravings which I find are so obsessive and compulsive in me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10495" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T08:59:20.097" Title="very strong cravings for compelling images of moving exciting images" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2016-12-14T10:55:08.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditate on your urge to watch movies. &#xA;Ex: wanting...wanting.... wanting... or bored... bored... bored... until it goes away.&#xA;Here's a good guide for you: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T10:55:08.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18479" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18485" CreationDate="2016-12-14T12:47:39.573" Score="5" ViewCount="2237" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know that after Lord Buddha's &lt;em&gt;parinirvana&lt;/em&gt;, he will never be born again. So my question is, if Lord Buddha does not have a rebirth after parinirvana, what is actually happening to him (after death)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-15T21:05:01.583" LastActivityDate="2019-03-03T20:11:26.437" Title="What is happening to Lord Buddha after &quot;parinirvana&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|death|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18479" CreationDate="2016-12-14T13:06:16.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing. That's THE END ! His conscience is gone, and there's nothing left of him. That's the meaning of &lt;strong&gt;parinibbana&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10498" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T13:06:16.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2016-12-14T13:43:49.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just unplug.  A period of abstinence is the best way to moderate any compulsive behavior.  It's the basis for most addiction and 12 step programs.  You're over stimulating yourself.  Rather than bang around on the internet looking for a solution to your problem, go take a walk instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a Buddhist answer - every time you cave in to one of those compulsive pressures, you are strengthening your karmic attachment to them.  Cut them off at the root.  If you don't allow for these behaviors to be born, the rest of the 12 links comprising the chain of dependent origination can't be established.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T13:43:49.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18479" CreationDate="2016-12-14T14:24:54.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is based on an invalid framework! There was no 'him' in the first place. When the cause of the future arising of the 5 aggregates has been eliminated, there will be no more arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2016-12-14T14:34:41.943" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T14:34:41.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8616" CreationDate="2016-12-14T15:59:35.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tom will get the car first&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all other external factors are same Tom will get the car first, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes suffering is a motivator&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one in the world likes to suffer. Everyone wants to end the suffering. When Tom is suffering he asks himself, what makes him suffer, because he has an old car , then he asks , what can I do to end the suffering,  he can get a new car , so he works really hard to get a new car to end the suffering, let's look at another example, if you have a slight chest pain (less suffering) you will ignore it and will not go to see a doctor . But if you had a severe chest pain (severe suffering), you would run to a doctor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If suffering is a motivator, then it does not make sense to&#xA;  completely remove it, because if you remove it, you will be less&#xA;  proactive to reach your goals in life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Approach from Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught us to eradicate suffering. Achieving nirvana will end the suffering. Buddha did not teach us how to reach our goals in life. &lt;strong&gt;Goals&lt;/strong&gt; are things that you make up in your mind to end your suffering temporarily. Every goal has a hidden suffering. Even &quot;Happy(a person in your question)&quot;  suffers (but less than Tom), else he would never buy a new car. Root cause of motive is suffering. If Happy achieved nirvana , he would never want a new car. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If above people get new cars , they will find some other reason soon to suffer thus new motives happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught us to end this chain-suffering (one after the other) which makes ones samsara.&#xA;To do that we have to follow the path to nirvana , not to follow some goals to solve our suffering problem temporarily, its just a plaster to an erupting  volcano of samsara which never ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T15:59:35.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18479" CreationDate="2016-12-14T16:13:38.663" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nothing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because there is no person to happen anything, and there is no samsara. So that's The End. When a person achieves nirvana , there is no person anymore. Death is not the end of a person, nirvana is. After achieving nirvana, 'he' can help others to achieve nirvana , and just wait for the physical death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T16:13:38.663" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2016-12-14T16:25:41.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just keep watching&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't try to stop it . The more you try to stop it , the more the cravings be. So if you want to watch something watch it. Make your life goal just to watch it , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;example :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if you love &quot;Titanic movie&quot; watch it 100 times , 1000 times till you start thinking there is no point watching these stuff , I was wrong this whole time , I suffered a lot because of this cravings , Every time I watched , I needed more , there is no end to this. You have to understand that from within. Trying to stop it will just make it worse , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At one point your mind will say , this is enough, there may be some other way to end my never ending needs and desires , then you can follow the path to nirvana. And you will reach it faster than others , because you have understood that there is no point doing those things practically , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T16:25:41.150" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18452" CreationDate="2016-12-14T16:39:50.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wearing your jacket or being naked it is not okay to kill any living being&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But according to &lt;strong&gt;Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; cutting trees is okay . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T16:39:50.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18469" CreationDate="2016-12-14T16:49:12.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to be happy, just give up everything in your mind . What I meant was do not have any kind of attachment to anything, at least try not to have attachments , the lesser the number of attachments the more happy you will be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Example :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can have every physical thing in the world , (money , cars, houses etc) but do not have any kind of attachment towards them in mind. That does not mean give up everything and go to be a monk . &#xA;It means give up everything just from your mind , physically you work with them use them and do everything, but without making an attachment in mind. If you do this , you will be happier than ever , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T16:49:12.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2016-12-14T19:51:22.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome cravings are extinguished by using wisdom rather than by using willpower. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This requires seeing clearly &amp;amp; reflecting upon the danger &amp;amp; harm of unwholesome phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind must examine &amp;amp; investigate cause &amp;amp; effect very deeply. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples of this method are found in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhavitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn54&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potaliya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If pornography is a problem, this requires changing wrong views in order to understand what brings women real happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what Master Gotama, is a woman’s aim?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A man, O brahmin, is a woman’s aim, her quest is for adornments, her mainstay is sons, her desire is to be without a co-wife and her ideal&#xA;  is domination.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-u.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The psychological problem with pornography is related to wrong view or delusion (rather than lust). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Readings: &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/the-5-mindfulness-trainings/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Mindfulness Trainings&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/precepts/precept-3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sexual Responsibility&lt;/a&gt; by Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-14T20:15:41.490" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T20:15:41.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18064" CreationDate="2016-12-14T20:25:57.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can send your blessings&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are few conditions, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your loved one must be in a life form which can receive your blessings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every person is not going to reborn as a human being . Being a human is very rare .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your loved one reborn as a human or an animal he/she can not receive your blessings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They can receive only if they reborn as a lower-level(lower than humans/animals)  being .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism if someone died , he will be born right after (maybe temporarily for few days and reborn in another life form) , in a way that a dying candle ignites another candle just after its death. The flame is the one which passes , not the candle , the candle can be different. Here , the candle is the life form (human,animal etc...), the flame is the soul that passes after the death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can contact your loved ones after death, but it has a one in a million chance . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you developed your mind to a certain point , you will be able to see what's going on after someone dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please don't read much books , because it has been a long time and most books have changed , deliberately or by mistake, it is very rare to find books with real Buddhism.&#xA;So if you want to learn more I think it's best to learn from a teacher who has a practical knowledge(who has developed the mind to some level) about the path to nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T20:25:57.260" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18446" CreationDate="2016-12-14T20:54:23.230" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just don't get attached to Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Example :&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In school , if a teacher scolded you , you get really upset and humiliated, but that does not happen if your teacher scolded someone you don't know . Let's ask why ,  because you are attached to yourself and not to a some  person who you don't know. &#xA;This applies to everything. If you take something as yours , you will make a bond with it, thus all the sadness and anger will come along eventually because of that bond you made. &#xA;So if you take Buddhism as your religion, the best religion(we all know it is the best ) and try to make attachments with it, you will be sad and angry if someone insulted it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Religions can make terrorists&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes above statement is true. We have seen on news , people becoming terrorists because of some religions. &#xA;Basically it happens when someone doesn't know what that religion really taught , but when trying to make bonds with it. So those people think the only religion in the world is their religion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should not make attachments with anything. At least we should try not to. When following the path to nirvana, you have to give up everything, if you gave everything up and still stuck without achieving nirvana, that's the time you should give up the desire to achieve nirvana. Then only you can achieve nirvana. It is a very complex point, think about it more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T20:54:23.230" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2016-12-14T21:19:50.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avoiding akusala karma is not a kusala karma.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If kusala and akusala karma are two ends of a pencil with an eraser attached, if you did not use the eraser side does not mean you used the other side . In a same way , if you did not do akusala karma, does not mean you did kusala karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What you should do&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically there are 10 kusala karma and 10 akusala karma (I assume that you know them). Avoid akusala karma and do kusala karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing just kusala karma will not help you achieve nirvana. You must develop your mind to achieve nirvana. But , every kusala karma you do will have consequences, those will be good. In a same way , akusala karma will have bad consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T21:19:50.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18367" CreationDate="2016-12-14T21:32:35.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhas sila is the best sila&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks were not allowed to use those fancy things because that would distract them from going in the path to nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone achieved nirvana, there is no person anymore , thus there is no rules or regulations. They just exist , with the best sila in the world. Because they have stopped their desires. There's nothing else they have to do . Nothing will change their state of mind . So their sila is incomparable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-14T21:32:35.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18082" CreationDate="2016-12-15T00:23:32.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;What's it like to be without the five skandhas?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read the Heart Sutra, &quot;Avalokiteshvara saw the five skandhas to be empty [of essence, empty of having a self, selfless, empty of an 'independent individual'].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that it is not the five skandhas that we are trying to abandon, we are simply trying to see them clearly and without beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Five Aggregates or Heaps or you might even say Piles or Sediment  are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Form (or we can say &quot;matter&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling (physical awareness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perceptions (sounds, smells, tastes, touches, identified and pre-identified [or without labeling])&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Formations (such as birth, death, figments of continuity over moments)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With enough relaxed meditation, relaxing the speech and the thinky/discursive mind, one can collect and attune their pervasive-attentiveness to an investigation of self and if all the aggregates are truly selfless, as is taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta and joy.  Just offering some notes to aide, perhaps they will be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T00:23:32.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18495" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-15T05:04:39.810" Score="3" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;i would like to know the answer to the question from your point of view:&#xA;what is the significance of buddhism in this age of terrorism, tyrannies and insolence?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10503" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T20:23:48.393" Title="significance of buddhism in this age of terrorism tyrannies and insolence" Tags="|ethics|modern-world|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18495" CreationDate="2016-12-15T05:35:02.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has within it a vision for a perfect world. However Buddhism has never had the agenda to create a perfect world because Buddhism comprehends the majority of the world is immersed in ignorance &amp;amp; the world is ruled by 'gods' (the tyrants) that hoodwink the people to finance via taxation, vote for, fight &amp;amp; die in their wars (as shown in the top left triangle of the picture). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/J9AVO.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/J9AVO.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, most Western people cannot even see that it is their own governments &amp;amp; their political allies that are financing &amp;amp; arming the terrorists for economic &amp;amp; political aims. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WkFLz.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/WkFLz.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xmfdq.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xmfdq.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus Buddhism states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;170. One who looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;171. Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;58. Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;59. Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, only last week did President Obama waive the US Arms Export Act so weapons of murder &amp;amp; death could be freely sold to terrorists fighting for US goals in Syria. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9elpW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9elpW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;December 8, 2016&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Presidential Determination No. 2017-05&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SUBJECT: Presidential Determination and Waiver Pursuant to Section 2249a of Title 10, United States Code, and Sections 40 and 40A of the&#xA;  Arms Export Control Act to Support U.S. Special Operations to Combat&#xA;  Terrorism in Syria&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I hereby: determine that the transaction, encompassing the provision of defense articles and services to foreign forces, irregular forces,&#xA;  groups, or individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating ongoing&#xA;  U.S. military operations to counter terrorism in Syria, is essential&#xA;  to the national security interests of the United States.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/12/08/presidential-determination-and-waiver-pursuant-section-2249a-title-10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Presidential Determination No. 2017-05&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LKPuE.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/LKPuE.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The terrorists are funded by US political allies &amp;amp; both the USA and the terrorists have caused a refugee crisis in Europe from lands (Libya &amp;amp; Syria) destroyed by the USA, NATO, its Wahhabi allies &amp;amp; the terrorists. Yet most Western people still believe the terrorists are Muslims that hate the West. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9hbXu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9hbXu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2sqRm.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2sqRm.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Al Qaeda’s Abdelhakim Belhadj poses with US Senator John McCain. McCain’s lobbying would play a part in securing Al Qaeda and its&#xA;  affiliates with sufficient arms to overthrow the secular government of&#xA;  Muammar Qaddafi in Libya. Soon after, these terrorists and their&#xA;  weapons would find their way to Syria via NATO-member Turkey.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/u85Oj.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/u85Oj.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ywoRE.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ywoRE.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are even Western Buddhist monks (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhistglobalrelief.me/2016/11/09/a-trump-presidency-need-not-be-the-end-times/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) that greive when the war maker Hilary Clinton loses the election in favour of Donald Trump who at least said America should not be supporting wars in Syria &amp;amp; the Middle East. One of the rationales of this monk was Mr Trump did not support abortion for women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Posted on November 9, 2016 by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It was with feelings of shock and dismay that early this morning I woke up to learn that Donald Trump had been elected president of the&#xA;  United States.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/SzGse.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/SzGse.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KJuHc.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KJuHc.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When people are so easily fooled like this, including by Western Buddhist monks, change cannot occur &amp;amp; danger cannot be escaped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since as Buddhists we cannot make war, we must prepare for the worst &amp;amp; learn to let go.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Dhamma-Sacca of Samatha-Vipassana for the Nuclear Age&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The nuclear age form of Dhamma prepares all people to face the events of our nuclear era: events of war and events of peace. It also&#xA;  prepares us for the general events in the daily lives of human beings.&#xA;  In the case of war, if nuclear war occurs, what sort of Dhamma will&#xA;  enable the mind to face such horrible dangers and punishment? With&#xA;  peace, what knowledge is needed regarding this situation in which&#xA;  there is still this nuclear age kind of peace?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nowadays, what are people doing that we call this &quot;The Nuclear Age&quot;? They can go up to the moon, circle it, land on it, and come back to&#xA;  earth. They can send vehicles to look at, explore, and go beyond the&#xA;  planets.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Obviously, this kind of progress leads to strange and powerful results. In Dhamma language, we call these results atimahantaramana&#xA;  (ati, extreme; mahanta, great; aramana, things known or felt, things&#xA;  which strike or make contact). They are sense objects that powerfully&#xA;  strike the mind in the form of dukkha (suffering). Why don't we take a&#xA;  happier view of the situation? Because that's impossible. Material&#xA;  progress that leads people to be infatuated with sensual pleasure and&#xA;  stimulation blocks the way to peace. Even though we may be enjoying&#xA;  some delicious sensual pleasures now, such sense experiences support&#xA;  and increase defilement (kilesa), especially the defilement of&#xA;  selfishness. With selfishness reaching extreme levels, there's no&#xA;  peace in sight. Therefore, we can see only these undesirable things&#xA;  that we have created.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In this nuclear age, such dangers can come at any time. Although we may have parents and children, it's as if we had no one. Then who will&#xA;  help us? What will help? I think that Dhamma will help us, which means&#xA;  the Buddha will help us.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Realize aniccam, dukkham and anatta (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and not-self). Realize sunnata (voidness,&#xA;  selflessness), tathata (thusness), and then idappaccayata&#xA;  (conditionality). Penetrate to these realizations with every&#xA;  exhalation and inhalation - that's the most important issue. That's&#xA;  what's best, having Dhamma that keeps one calm and quiet in all&#xA;  circumstances.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhadasa.com/naturaltruth/samatha1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samatha-Vipassana for the Nuclear Age&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-15T10:14:35.730" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T10:14:35.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18495" CreationDate="2016-12-15T11:34:36.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's all about money and power&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In modern world , almost everything happens according to money and power. So people and governments try to have money and power . Some people try to get those by force. We call them terrorists . And there are terrorist governments as well. There is a huge competition nowadays to be the richest or the most powerful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But why...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's ask why those things happen. There is one simple answer. Greed.&#xA;It is one of the worst qualities one can have , greed drives people crazy. Never ending desires , anger , jealousy and suffering , everything above is happening because of greed . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So according to Buddhism, we have to get rid of greed , then only we will be able to create a better world than this. We have to make ourselves better first, if everyone thought it that way , the whole community will be better eventually, we can't change government, we can't change the world, only way we can change the way world works is to change ourselves. To do that Buddhism will help a lot. Everyone should follow the path to nirvana. If we all did this , those cruelty, terrorism and rudeness will fade away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T11:34:36.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2016-12-15T12:39:12.287" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just looked up &quot;Abhinna&quot; in Google, and eventually found this page. I'm the American from Florida that has the Jhana8.com site. My name is Vern Lovic. I am not Buddhist or any other religion. I have no agenda, except to further the idea that meditation without religion can lead to Jhana states and possibly Abhinna...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I won't go through a huge history about what happened with me. In short, I read some meditation books in the late 1990's. I wasn't looking for a religion to be attached to the meditation, so I thought - why not just pull the essence from the Vipassana and other books? Pull out all the religious fluff and sit and look at the breath... and see what happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happened was that Jhanas came without me having known in advance about them. I had no idea what a first Jhana was, and then there it was... I had no idea what to do when the amazing light grew in my mind... I had no teacher, I had no authority. So, I just did what I did with everything - note it, and let it go. When it didn't go - I watched it. It was the same with all the Jhanas, which occurred in sequence one after another exactly as the Buddha described. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it was an incredible state, I was sometimes attached to it, and couldn't let it go. It disappeared until another time when it arose, and I could let it happen, observe with the mind until it either disappeared, moved into something else (another Jhana or experience), or I somehow lost focus and snapped out of the Jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, there is a lot of information about my experience at the jhana8.com site. I chose .com because everyone chooses .com, not for any specific reason. I sell my two meditation books on the site. I also mention that if someone doesn't have the money, I will send it to them for free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abhinna seemed to occur to me in a few different ways. I was already experiencing the fourth Jhana regularly during sitting meditation, and then on a few occasions some weird things happened that appeared to be the Divine Eye, and mind-penetrating knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is one experience that I am open to believing it could be the Divine Eye Abhinna... &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jhana8.com/what-is-abhinna/my-divine-eye-experience/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.jhana8.com/what-is-abhinna/my-divine-eye-experience/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand people disbelieving a person can get into and through the Jhanas in under a year. I think it is available to so many more people than are currently experiencing it. I think that because I didn't know what the Jhanas were, and that they were important to Buddhists - and not being Buddhist - they were not important to me, I could let them go so easily - as if they were nothing. They really were nothing more than just another experience as I meditated. There were many strange things that went on prior to Jhanas, so to me they were just another bunch of experiences. They were cool, they were amazing, but so too were some other experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhist monks, and other Buddhist practitioners have a much more difficult time of ever stumbling upon Jhana because they are aiming for them. They are so strongly attached to the idea of experiencing Jhana that they make it the main goal. As you may know, when you are attached to something, to some experience, during meditation, it just goes... it doesn't stay any longer. The experience stops, and you're left looking at yourself like - oops!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when monks first creep up on Jhana, they are already ecstatic about it. Emotion, attachment engages, and there goes Jhana - bye-bye! lol.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, so, I just wanted to comment a bit about Jhana and Abhinnas because I saw a reference to me above in the comments. I have lived in Thailand now for 12 yrs. I have reached a point where I don't meditate at all... but some changes have taken place even after I stopped meditating. It seems to me that once the process really starts - say, maybe by the time you start experiencing the fourth Jhana - it kind of keeps going, regardless whether you're going to keep meditating, or not. I like to say, it has its way with you... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are 2 audio files you can listen to to hear about my path - I think they are on the about page on that jhana8 site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ok, cheers, and best of life to everyone... VJL&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10504" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T12:39:12.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18082" CreationDate="2016-12-15T13:08:24.657" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it like without the 5 Skandas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Speaking from personal experience, I would say it probably a place of healing. It's not a &quot;black and white&quot; state (it doesn't have a clear demarkation). When a meditator focuses on the present moment, they lose all sense of self and the five aggregates that you mention. They don't feel anything when they are in that state, but only when they &quot;return&quot; do they feel the benefits of escaping. The first thing they notice upon returning is the effects of the absence of the constant chatter of the mind. It's like there was a jackhammer constantly running in the background and for the duration of the session it had stopped. It's almost like being asleep, but its different. Letting go is difficult though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;if 5 skandas are overcome, does one really need a body? If body is not needed, then is Nibbana attained only at death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about this one. The Buddha encourage one to stay away from metaphysics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T13:08:24.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12107" CreationDate="2016-12-15T16:58:09.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe , maybe not&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible to achieve those things , but when a person achieves it , his mind has developed to a very high level. So there is no need or desire in his mind. Thus , he do not need to show off his powers . And there are people who can send their minds to different places and see whats going on . Specially in India and Sri Lanka. &#xA;If you want to see how they have achieved it you can go to those countries and learn from a teacher ,you can't learn those things by reading books. Must learn from a person who has practical knowledge ,but in the process you will loose all your desires and needs , and you won't use your abilities even if you have them. So it is impossible for other people to even believe that those people exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So , &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe , maybe not...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T16:58:09.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18501" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18504" CreationDate="2016-12-15T17:12:41.387" Score="3" ViewCount="560" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you achieve nirvana , you have given up yourself. There is no person anymore. But my question is , if someone says publicly that he is arahant, is there a possibility that it can be true? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T20:41:29.767" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T20:41:29.767" Title="If someone says publicly that he has achieved nirvana , can it be true?" Tags="|theravada|nirvana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18479" CreationDate="2016-12-15T19:46:30.357" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not as knowledgeable in these matters as many others I see in this Exchange, but it seems to me that the answer to this question might fall under the categories of the 14 Unanswered Questions #'s 11-14 - Pali Canon or the 16 Unwise Reflections - Sabbasava Sutta. (Although the latter seems to focus on self reflection and, so, may not apply to reflections on others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that is the case, the question may not have an answer from the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd appreciate correction if my answer is without merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10505" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T19:46:30.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18495" CreationDate="2016-12-15T20:23:48.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The significance of Buddhism is the same as it ever was. The modern age is nothing special unless we believe it is and belief is the problem according to the Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have beliefs, opinions, religions  and assumptions that we cling to and they causes borders, wars and terrorism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism ideally teaches us the difference between our assumptions and beliefs and What is arising in one's present moment experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists have beliefs of course but the idea is to understand the difference of what is and what is conceptual. This understanding is a big part of what will lead one to less suffering.The more we understand, the less greed, anger, ignorance and suffering we have until we are liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that the purest truth is found in each one's individual experience and not so much in a system of government.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T20:23:48.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2016-12-15T20:30:04.727" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada perspective, the answer is probably &amp;quot;no&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While not being a sutta, the Milindapanha states if a layperson attains to Arahatship they either ordain as a monk or die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the layperson Arahant ordains as monk, the Vinaya forbids them making a public declaration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Should any bhikkhu report (his own) superior human state to an unordained person, when it is factual, it is to be confessed.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Page 263&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Buddha &amp;amp; monks that declared arahantship in the Pali suttas, if they used the personal pronoun &amp;quot;I&amp;quot;, they were only speaking in conventional language. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.025.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 1.25&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-15T20:36:44.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18467" CreationDate="2016-12-16T04:19:25.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are 2 stories from the Abhidhamma commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A farmer who, after having taken his precepts from a respected monk,&#xA;  went to look for his buffalo that had strayed into the forest. Along&#xA;  the way, he was caught by a python. His first thought was to use his&#xA;  axe to kill the snake coiled around him. Then he remembered that he&#xA;  had taken his precepts from a respected monk. The thought came to him&#xA;  for a second time and again he refrained from killing. The third time&#xA;  he was prompted to kill, he threw away his axe. The snake uncoiled&#xA;  itself and freed him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A lay devotee who was told by a physician to give rabbit meat to his&#xA;  sick mother to get her well. When he caught a rabbit, he thought that&#xA;  to take a life so that his mother could prolong hers was wrong. So, he&#xA;  freed the rabbit. On reaching home, he was scolded by his elder&#xA;  brother. However, he stood by his sick mother’s side and said, “Since&#xA;  I was matured enough, I’ve never intentionally taken a life. By the&#xA;  power of this truth, may my mother be healed.” This asseveration of&#xA;  truth saved his mother’s life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the difference if the snake was eating a frog or a human?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saving a human is much more meritorious compared to saving a frog&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If a snake is eating a human infant in front of me what should I do?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Killing breaks the first precept no matter how you try to justify it!&#xA;So, try to save the human without killing the snake. Use wisdom instead of fear/aversion towards the snake.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They say snakes dislike clove, cinnamon smell. Even a pepper spray might work.&#xA;If you don't have those, try making loud noises and threatening gestures with sticks &amp;amp; stuff. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T04:19:25.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2016-12-16T10:15:54.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to portray a &quot;non-dharmatic&quot; solution which is effective. Expose yourself to as many as &quot;exciting moving images&quot; as you wish, continuously, until you can take no more; 24 hours 3 days or whole week consecutively. If you wish to cure yourself, opt a period out to do this non-stop exposure, the time required depends on the person. Then you will feel disgusted with all these stimulations.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, if it's related to sexual desire and images, try the White Skeleton Visualization; or see images of the Tibetan Sky Burial - which you can google, then you will feel disgusted with this perishable body that rotten and decayed like the meat on the butcher's chop board, putrefying and ugly.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T10:15:54.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18507" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18510" CreationDate="2016-12-16T11:16:44.343" Score="1" ViewCount="857" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that &lt;strong&gt;Lord Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; once told &lt;strong&gt;Ananda thero&lt;/strong&gt; that a Buddha can live till the end of a &lt;strong&gt;Kalpa&lt;/strong&gt;, if he wishes so. He did this because he wanted Ananda thero to invite him to live till the end of the Kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, Ananda thero did not invite him as &lt;strong&gt;Maaraya&lt;/strong&gt; was inside his head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, if Lord Buddha was able to read minds and see future, why did he asked that question in the first place ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why didn't he lived till the end of this Kalpa himself ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am missing here ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10498" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T15:50:39.270" Title="Why Lord Buddha didn't stay alive till the end of this &quot;Kalpa&quot;" Tags="|the-buddha|nirvana|life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18452" CreationDate="2016-12-16T11:22:19.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is, animal and plant, both are lives, if killing animal is an offence why not killing a plant? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Animal has feeling of pain, plant has feeling but it's not the same as pain to animal. Meditate: why some plants grow fruits for animals to eat to propagate? Is the fruit &quot;painful&quot; when being eaten? &#xA;2) Plant is also life, thus the monks are taught not to step on the grass if they could avoid; the summer retreat is also one reason to avoid destroying the flourishing plants in a season of growth. But plant life is different from animal life: grasses trod, will continuous to grow afterwards, even stronger; a tree when a branch is chopped, will regrown, or split from the cut more branches... &#xA;3) The plant in the Cycle of Life the only mean is to offer itself to accumulate merits for enlightenment, since it's not able to act (immobile) nor speak. Meditate on this... &#xA;4) A log after chopped down (a tree's life is ended in a simple sense however, the roots are deep buried some could spring to life again. But it's different the modern way of timbering I don't know, for the modern way tends to uproot everything and take it all), is it going to die spilling blood and rotten like an animal carcass? No. Normally a log could last for thousands of years if it's not attacked by bugs or mold. Some logs may appear even more polished or with fragrance if it's aged. In contrast, a tree may be attacked by bugs or molds or even ivies while still &quot;alive&quot;. Thus we cannot determine what is &quot;death&quot; to a tree like defining an animal. I'm sure if I'm a log being crafted into a Buddha image and adorned in the temple I'm &quot;happier&quot; than exposed in the forest ;) Meditate: the bees' world view - social structure, individuality? Sure it's different from human; thus the plant's is different.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) Buddha did instruct the students not to wear fur, leather or silk (from the cocoon of silkworm) clothes in Surangama Sutra, if they wish to have clean practice.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to grasp the core idea of having loving-kindness to all beings. However to sustain a body that's conditioned with material, we can't avoid taking material from around. Thus we shall vow to become enlightened quickly, to end this dependency. Before that's achieved, we shall opt for the minimum of harm and consumption.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2016-12-16T16:12:54.180" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T16:12:54.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18509" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-16T12:37:09.990" Score="2" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; on Gautama Buddha,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition and first committed to writing about 400 years later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why were the teachings of Buddha not preserved in writings by his first generation of followers? In other words, what is the reason for adopting an oral method instead of written verbal method?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2243" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T04:56:40.720" Title="Why did first gerneration followers of Gautama Buddha chose oral method instead of written verbal method to preserve his teachings?" Tags="|teaching|gautama-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18507" CreationDate="2016-12-16T13:43:59.970" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not ask venerable Ananda to invite him to extend his life. He only hinted that it is possible for him to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mara's Appeal&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;And when the Venerable Ananda had gone away, Mara, the Evil One, approached the Blessed One. And standing at one side he spoke to the&#xA;Blessed One, saying: &amp;quot;Now, O Lord, let the Blessed One come to his&#xA;final passing away; let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has&#xA;come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For the Blessed One, O Lord, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not&#xA;come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and&#xA;bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples —&#xA;wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma,&#xA;living according to the Dhamma, abiding by the appropriate conduct,&#xA;and having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach&#xA;it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and&#xA;make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able&#xA;to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and&#xA;liberating Dhamma.' [23]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;And now, O Lord, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have become the Blessed One's disciples in just this way. So, O Lord,&#xA;let the Blessed One come to his final passing away! The time has come&#xA;for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;For the Blessed One, O Lord, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not&#xA;come to my final passing away, Evil One, until this holy life taught&#xA;by me has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular, and&#xA;widespread, until it is well proclaimed among gods and men.' And this&#xA;too has come to pass in just this way. So, O Lord, let the Blessed One&#xA;come to his final passing away, let the Happy One utterly pass away!&#xA;The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.&amp;quot;&#xA;......................................................&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhas do as they proclaim, so once the Sasana is well established, the lord would not extend life without an invitation as Buddhas do not have the desire to live on. Besides, venerable Ananda was the one attending to the Buddha. So it is only proper that the Buddha hinted it to him. Also, it was always going to be someone who has not yet attained Arahanthship that should invite the Buddha to stay on as Arahanths have already achieved what needs to be achieved and do not require the Buddha to stay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists do not believe in determinism. The future is not fixed in all situations. Only some things can be predicted to happen for sure. The Mara stopping venerable Ananda from inviting the Buddha was not destined to happen. He would have invited if he was able to overcome Mara at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, the word Kalpa here means an Ayu-Kalpa. Which means the Buddha would have lived 120 years at most, even if ven. Ananda had invited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T14:12:16.787" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18507" CreationDate="2016-12-16T15:50:39.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why didn't he lived till the end of this Kalpa himself ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st, the life-expectancy for human at this kalpa of this period is 100, Buddha lived till 80, which is within and fits in, to set example that a human can reach enlightenment, same as Buddha who is a human. 2nd, Buddha gave a metaphor in the Lotus Sutra, that a loving father (Buddha) in making his sons (students) to take the curing medicine (Dharma), feigning his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...if Lord Buddha was able to read minds and see future, why did he asked that question in the first place ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To honour the Law of Karma, Buddha would not interfere with the course of events, for any intervention with a subjective purpose is going to flush away by the force of Karma, creates reactions, like an equation with only one correct answer. Thus to &quot;see future&quot;, &quot;read minds&quot; is not applicable in this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha had hinted this 3 times to Ananda, however, Ananda missed all the chances. Then Mara Papman appeared and requested His nirvana, He accepted. Thus chances were given to Ananda, who the sum of all we students on the path of cultivation, a representative of all of us. The path to enlightenment is the overcoming of our nivāraṇa and Mara Papman by ourselves, Buddha could show you the way, but he couldn't do it for you. Thus Ananda must overcome Mara Papman to request Buddha's staying on. To staying on or to enter nirvana is the same to Buddha, who's no longer bound by life/death, black/white, cold/hot... but He will response to request. Same as, if you read the sutras, it always begins with a question asked by someone (Ananda was always the one initiated the teaching), then Buddha answered...   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T15:50:39.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18509" CreationDate="2016-12-16T19:04:15.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The really basic answer is that the subcontinent had a longstanding oral tradition stretching back to at least 1200BC, which can be determined from linguistic analysis of the Rig Veda.. Just common practice until about 300-200BC probably!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2016-12-16T19:04:15.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18509" CreationDate="2016-12-17T02:27:37.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a great hunch as to why:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You don't need writing for survival, you need food, water, and shelter for survival&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reading/Writing consumes many resources (The Buddha was against destroying plant life)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Evidence shows that reading causes headaches, nausea, and myopia indicating that our brain was never specified for reading and writing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The achievement of arahantship does not rely on reading/writing but instead on the ending of mental fermentations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Illiterate people can learn and accomplish the same things as literate people learning orally or with images or video&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Oral recitations may benefit self-discipline, memory, and concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Learning things orally consumes very few resources and doesn't require that someone know how to read/write&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha predicted that the pure dhamma would disappear within 500 years...no amount of writing things down would've changed that&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me personally I notice that I can remember most things much better if I orally recite it a few times rather than if I try to visually memorize it so oral recitations are really useful for me. I had memorized many things this way like my credit card numbers, driver's license number, etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also think that humans in general may learn many things better without writing (learning orally, using images, video, or through experience). So it may be a good direction for society to abandon writing or lessen the use of writing in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just imagine if you achieved arahantship would writing things down really help anyone out in achieving arahantship (the ending of mental fermentations)? It's experience vs. reading. Would reading archery books (with no images, video, etc...) cause someone to become an excellent archer or would the actual experience of practicing archery cause someone to become an excellent archer? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many conditions reading something won't matter or help much at all whereas experience really matters (for everything in general).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I notice that even if I give exact precise instructions a lot of people still won't get it or achieve anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it makes sense to me that The Buddha didn't care about writing things down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the future since a food/water crisis seems likely writing may be abandoned or only reserved for some few. We're cutting down trees and using lots of resources on literacy and reading/writing instead of on food, water, and shelter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference between literate vs. illiterate is oral vs. written. That's really it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember in the Dhammapada The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Much though he recites the sacred texts, but acts not&#xA;  accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the&#xA;  cows of others — he does not partake of the blessings of the holy&#xA;  life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Little though he recites the sacred texts, but puts the Teaching into practice, forsaking lust, hatred, and delusion, with true wisdom&#xA;  and emancipated mind, clinging to nothing of this or any other world —&#xA;  he indeed partakes of the blessings of a holy life.&quot; (Dhammapada, 1.19-20)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems like The Buddha wanted to encourage people to act on the teachings that lead towards arahantship rather than encourage people to focus on superficial things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-12-22T04:56:40.720" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T04:56:40.720" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18479" CreationDate="2016-12-17T03:33:38.407" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is something undeclared by The Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four views are undeclared by The Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After death a Tathāgata exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After death a Tathāgata does not exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After death a Tathāgata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would&#xA;  describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed,&#xA;  made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development,&#xA;  not destined for future arising. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Freed from the classification of&#xA;  consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to&#xA;  fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear'&#xA;  doesn't apply. 'Both does &amp;amp; does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither&#xA;  reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply.&quot; (Aggi-Vacchagotta&#xA;  Sutta, MN 72)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is thus&#xA;  released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view, that&#xA;  would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after death'...&#xA;  that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death'...&#xA;  that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death' is&#xA;  his view, that would be mistaken. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why? Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of&#xA;  the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of&#xA;  the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of&#xA;  the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent&#xA;  of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves:&#xA;  Having directly known that, the monk is released. [To say that,] 'The&#xA;  monk released, having directly known that, does not see, does not know&#xA;  is his opinion,' that would be mistaken.&quot; (Maha-nidana Sutta, DN 15)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is unknown, unanswered, or undeclared what happens to the Tathagata after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-12-17T03:33:38.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18467" CreationDate="2016-12-17T04:47:43.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sounds like a lot of instinct to kill the snake. Replace the snake with say a cannibal and tell me what you would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You would most logically attempt to disengage the predator from the baby. With the baby safe, then toss a good meal to the predator to make sure he doesnt go empty handed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10509" LastActivityDate="2016-12-17T04:47:43.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2016-12-17T08:47:34.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's not possible for an arahant that is a monastic, because it is appropriate for monastics to follow the monastic rules (which discourage saying such a thing in public).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An arahant has no attachment to ego so it isn't as though a lay arahant's public proclamation of enlightenment would cause the arahant any bad karma. An arahant would need an appropriate reason to make such a claim though. Maybe there could never be an appropriate reason to make such a claim; or maybe there could be an appropriate reason, as simple as someone asking the arahant, &quot;How's your meditation practice going&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-22T20:28:14.880" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T20:28:14.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2016-12-17T13:49:46.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depends on the achievement of nirvana, either monk or not, in case of sotapanna, sakadagami, anagami,arahant, if they say with good intention, it is ok referring to Thera Theri Apadana. GOOD INTENTION means not for fame, not for offerings , only for the laymen to follow the proper path of Magga and attain nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-12-17T13:49:46.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18509" CreationDate="2016-12-17T14:21:34.963" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever Buddha taught, it is for nirvana. Each and every person used to get attain nirvana in different way. Only Buddha know the exact way to achieve nirvana in different person with different background. So Buddha taught in different ways and not every words of Buddha is recorded in Tripitaka. When orally one learn from the enlightened, it goes deep down to heart even can get nirvana before ending of verse. Orally received teaching vibrate your entire heart and can tame even the animal to get to higher abode. If you have chance to listen to the Dhamma of some great venerable monk, you will know what it means. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-12-17T14:21:34.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18509" CreationDate="2016-12-18T05:58:48.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know but maybe writing hadn't been invented there yet (or not introduced from elsewhere), or at least it wasn't common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Indian_epigraphy#First_appearance_of_writing_in_the_Indian_Subcontinent&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;First appearance of writing in the Indian Subcontinent&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first introduction of writing to the Indian Subcontinent apart from the Bronze Age Indus script, which is undeciphered and may not be an actual script, is mostly identified as the Edicts of Ashoka from c. 250 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same is true of Hindu texts, i.e. the earliest records of writing dates from a couple of hundred years after the Buddha,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit#Origin_and_development&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanskrit -- Origin_and_development&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The earliest attested Sanskrit texts are religious texts of the Rigveda, from the mid-to-late second millennium BCE. No written records from such an early period survive, if they ever existed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmi_script&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmi script&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmi (brāhmī) is the modern name given to one of the oldest writing systems used in South and Central Asia during the final centuries BCE and the early centuries CE. ... The origin of the script is still much debated, with most scholars concurring that Brahmi was derived from or at least influenced by one or more contemporary Semitic scripts, while others favoring the idea of an indigenous origin or connected to the much older and as-yet undeciphered Indus script.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, who knows, perhaps that kind of writing was introduced via the Alexandrian empire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T05:58:48.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15975" CreationDate="2016-12-18T07:28:42.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very good question. You can see that no scholars here can answer this question.&#xA;It really depends on which school you follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada school, the Surangama Sutra does not exist: the Surangama Sutra exists only in the Mahayana school. Many of those here are answering questions based on the Theravada school, and in a scholarly manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's Teachings is not about being scholarly or showing off your knowledge! I am not here to write great answers but to clarify.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Japanese said that Surangama Sutra is not real and written by someone. The someone must be highly wise. The reason for Surangama Sutra being accused of not being  genuine is because it contained a lot of actions that we should not do and precepts to follow. The Japanese did a lot of those forbidden actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the Kali Yuga period or Dharma Ending Age or Apocalypse.&#xA;In the Kali Yuga period, the Buddha's Teachings will become an academic exercise like what is happening here. How scholarly with your knowledge.&#xA;The Surangama Sutra will be the first sutra to disappear in the Kali Yuga period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inside the Surangama Sutra, there is the Surangama Mantra which is now separated from  the Sutra as a standalone. This is the daily morning recitation mantra, that all Mahayana Buddhist temples in the world recite (when sky is still dark). &#xA;It is the most important part of the Surangama Sutra in contemporary Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Surangama Sutra is losing its importance in contemporary Mahayana Buddhism. The reason being it is a long sutra to be recited, and it is not easy to understand if it is in Chinese.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The best book on Surangama Sutra is Surangama Sutra translated by the late Charles Luk K'uan Yu (he died in 1978).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The late Master Hsuan Hua and his disciples did some translations. It is available on their web. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Warning to practitioners section really tells you what will happen when you reach a certain stage. It is a good warning.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to recite the the Surangama Sutra, the person must be a full time vegan without eating the 5-6 pungent items -- some Mahayana monks said. I am not sure about being a full time time vegan only you can recite the sutra. Don't try reciting it unless you want to invite demons and devils to fight with you in the first place. Read it first.&#xA;Not many can do so, then it is losing its appeal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Surangama Sutra and Mantra only exist actively in temples. Externally it is just another book with a few that will recite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As far as I know there's never been any &quot;school&quot; which based itself on its interpretations, unlike the Mahaparinirvana, hua-yen, lotus, etc.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All schools are the same -- upekkha or equanimity.&#xA;Hua Yen-Avatamsaka sutta a great book that I will fall asleep reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is there to interpret about? It is a straightforward book. Use it in your meditation and daily life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where can I find out about its historical and contemporary use?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read the whole book. The Surangama Sutra is about Ananda and Matangi: yes, Matangi. The mantra is about breaking breaking evil spells like Atanatiya.&#xA;Contemporary use -- it is not about theory and exorcism. It is all there.Read it.&#xA;Usually more suited for monks and upasakas who had been monks before. &#xA;If you don't understand, please seek more clarification from me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cult endless attacks on Nalanda University put the Surangama Sutra existence only in Chinese after Chinese monks brought it back to China before the 12th century. The destruction of Nalanda University dealt a big blow not only to the Buddha's Teachings but to the Sanskrit Surangama Sutta existence. All important knowledge destroyed and later claimed by the cult. &#xA;Many cult students attended the Nalanda University before they informed their blood brothers to destroy all the knowledge that should be left to us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10427" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-21T15:22:32.880" LastActivityDate="2016-12-21T15:22:32.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18521" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-18T11:08:46.507" Score="3" ViewCount="1885" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for early Sutras that talk about gratitude. I'm especially interested in if there are lists of things that we can be grateful for, and there are sources that deal with gratitude for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(So far I've seen the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which in the translation linked to talks about &quot;blessings&quot;, but in another place (&quot;Old Path, White Clouds&quot; by Thich Nhat Hanh) is translated as &quot;observances&quot;, so I'm not sure if it's relevant)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thankful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2019-06-22T14:17:15.223" LastActivityDate="2019-07-12T05:53:56.430" Title="What did the Buddha say about gratitude?" Tags="|ethics|lay-buddhism|right-view|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18060" CreationDate="2016-12-18T11:32:31.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's the anniversary of Buddha delivering the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (Sutra on the Mindfulness of Breathing), an important Sutra about meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha#Special_uposatha_days&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha#Special_uposatha_days&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sorry but I don't know enough to answer the other questions you asked, but I hope this answer and reference helps to some extent)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T11:32:31.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18523" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18527" CreationDate="2016-12-18T13:06:21.000" Score="2" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are the words &lt;em&gt;Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Buddha Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; synonyms? Or are there hidden differences between between both? Are these words used in different circumstances? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2022-11-02T23:27:33.197" Title="Dhamma and Buddha Dhamma" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18523" CreationDate="2016-12-18T14:32:38.513" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, technically &lt;code&gt;dharma&lt;/code&gt; (Pali &lt;code&gt;dhamma&lt;/code&gt;) means any tradition (a particular view of the world and a lifestyle passed down through generations) such as, for example, baker dharma, trader dharma, knight dharma etc. So buddha dharma is just one possible dharma out of many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T14:32:38.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18521" CreationDate="2016-12-18T17:43:59.383" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali is '&lt;em&gt;kataññutā&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; also '&lt;em&gt;kataññutā kataveditā&lt;/em&gt;'. '&lt;em&gt;Kataññutā&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;what others have done for us&lt;/em&gt;'. '&lt;em&gt;Kataveditā&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;what we must do in return&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kataññu (adj.) [cp. Sk. kṛtajña] lit. knowing, i. e. acknowledging what has been done (to one), i. e. grateful often in combn with&#xA;katavedin grateful and mindful of benefits&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kataññutā (f.) [abstr. fr. last] gratefulness (defined at KhA 144 as katassa jānanatā)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kataveditā (f.) [abstr. fr. last] gratefulness:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.1.pali.125178&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pali dictionary&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta2/19-Opamma-Samyutta/01-Pathamovaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 20.12&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tasmātiha bhikkhave, evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ: ''kataññuno bhavissāma katavedino. Amhesu appakampi kataṃ mā nassissatī''ti. Evaṃ hi vo&#xA;bhikkhaveva, sikkhitabbanti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks. You should train yourselves thus: &amp;quot;We will be grateful &amp;amp; thankful and we will not overlook even the least favour done to us&amp;quot;.&#xA;This is how you should train yourselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 2.31-32&lt;/a&gt; state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity is ungrateful &amp;amp; unthankful.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother &amp;amp; father. Even if you were to carry your mother&#xA;on one shoulder &amp;amp; your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and&#xA;were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, &amp;amp; rubbing&#xA;their limbs, and they were to defecate &amp;amp; urinate right there [on your&#xA;shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mother &amp;amp; father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses&#xA;his unbelieving mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp; establishes them in&#xA;conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother &amp;amp; father, settles &amp;amp;&#xA;establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother &amp;amp; father, settles&#xA;&amp;amp; establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother &amp;amp; father,&#xA;settles &amp;amp; establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays &amp;amp;&#xA;repays one's mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the word 'mangala', it means 'luck' or 'blessing' (rather than 'observances')&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mangala (adj.) [cp. Vedic mangala. Expld by Dhtp 24 with root mang, i. e. lucky; see also mañju] auspicious, prosperous, lucky, festive&#xA;Nd1 87, 88; KhA 118 sq.; SnA 273, 595; Sdhp 551. -- nt. mangalaŋ good&#xA;omen, auspices, festivity&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T17:51:00.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18523" CreationDate="2016-12-18T17:59:51.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Th word '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma#Etymology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;supporter&lt;/em&gt;' and is used universally in the various Indian religions to refer to any doctrine that attempts to maintain life &amp;amp; the mind to be free from suffering &amp;amp; problems. The Thai teacher Bhikkhu Buddhadasa once explained &amp;quot;dhamma&amp;quot; as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma is the thing called &amp;quot;the Duty of all living things&amp;quot; that which they must do to survive both physically and mentally, both for their&#xA;own sake and for that of society. Even when translating this word as&#xA;&amp;quot;teaching,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;learning&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;practice,&amp;quot; the important understanding is&#xA;still in its being the duty of salvation. Whenever duty is done, that&#xA;is Dhamma practice.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thachdo.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/buddha-dhamma-buddhadasa-archives.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, some religions will include the notion of &amp;quot;God&amp;quot; and practising dharma includes belief in God. Such beliefs in God help the believer reduce their suffering, such as believing when a loved one dies the loved one is dwelling in heaven or in the other world with God or Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, dependent on context, the term '&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;' is translated in different ways, such as 'phenomena', 'nature', 'law', 'truth', 'path', 'skilful practices', 'fruit', etc, because each of these are things that 'support' the spiritual life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term '&lt;em&gt;Buddha-Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;' specifically refers to the dharma of the Buddha, i.e., the Buddha's understanding &amp;amp; method to support life so life is free from suffering &amp;amp; problems. For example, when Sariputta (Upatissa) first met a Buddhist monk:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upatissa said: &amp;quot;Serene are your features, friend. Pure and bright is your complexion. Under whom, friend, have you gone forth as an&#xA;ascetic? Who is your teacher and whose dhamma do you profess?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Assaji replied: &amp;quot;There is, O friend, the Great Recluse, the scion of the Sakyas, who has gone forth from the Sakya clan. Under that Blessed&#xA;One I have gone forth. That Blessed One is my teacher and it is his&#xA;Dhamma that I profess.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel090.html#i&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Life of Sariputta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the words 'dharma' and 'Buddha-Dhamma' are not synonymous because Buddha-Dhamma refers to the Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, the Three Characteristics and Emptiness, which are not dhammas found in other Indian religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2020-12-11T18:30:29.257" LastActivityDate="2020-12-11T18:30:29.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18528" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-18T18:26:43.570" Score="3" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just discovered this website and it seems really interesting! &#xA;But now I ask myself: &quot;What exactly is this? What exactly is Buddhism? How can it help me? Where does it help me?&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I really want to start with it (if it really helps me in everyday life), but I don't know how :(. Can anyone explain it to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10517" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T20:50:57.910" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T20:50:57.910" Title="What exactly is Buddhism? Where does it help me? How can I start?" Tags="|teaching|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18528" CreationDate="2016-12-18T18:50:13.993" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The exact nature of Buddhism is it exists to diagnose the suffering &amp;amp; problems that exist in human life for the sole purpose of overcoming &amp;amp; being free from suffering &amp;amp; problems in human life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I teach about two things: suffering &amp;amp; freedom from suffering&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever problems people have, be they related to work, finance, relationships, life skills, grief, suffering, discontent, existentialism, etc, Buddhism generally has an answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, Buddhism exists to bring human happiness, peace &amp;amp; freedom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T18:50:13.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18528" CreationDate="2016-12-18T20:18:49.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suggest you do a retreat at a monastery or other practice centre. Practicing in a sangha (a Buddhist community) is a fundamental part of Buddhism, and you will have the opportunity to meet a teacher and put your questions to him (or her).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2016-12-18T20:18:49.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18531" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-18T22:11:28.433" Score="3" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to get back to practice after failing ?   i  always try and fail try and fail &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;meditating for some years- had and have a teacher - did retreats  -  but i never manage to keep meditating for more than a few days  - tried going all in - tried only meditating 5 minutes - or just being mindful ect ect &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;cause every time i fail i take a month or two break if not more  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so how can i get back to practice each time ?   the more i &quot;fail&quot; and take this breaks i feel that its for no use cause i never manage to persevere no matter what i try &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-12-18T22:23:00.053" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T18:52:15.883" Title="How to get back to practice after &quot;falling&quot; from it?" Tags="|practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18531" CreationDate="2016-12-19T07:47:46.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ask your teacher. But my advice would be to just continue trying. Failing is not the problem here, it is the expectation of achieving some results which is the problem, because it causes suffering. Do as much meditation as you can without thinking about the past or future. Also sometimes being frustrated can be useful, because it shows you what kind of approach to meditation works and what doesn't. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T07:47:46.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18531" CreationDate="2016-12-19T09:45:20.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you think it is that is making you fall? I could only speculate. I ask myself this question all the time.  Your problem sounds similar to a problem I am having. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I practice continuously but  intermittently and only a very tiny bit here and there throughout each day in whatever position I happen to be in. I can't seem to get myself to sit down and practice even though I have plenty of time to so. It appears that I am able to see more and more subtly even with such little practice. I usually try to meditate on my desires or vedana,  aiming to resolve this tiny practice problem . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a feeling like all I have to do is remove a twig and this boulder of intense practice will run me over. That sounds scary but that is probably why the twig is there because I fear the boulder of intense practice for some reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recently saw that I probably am not taking silla seriously enough and that is probably causing me a lack of concentration on some level. Also I ponder my effort and what it could be that I am taking for granted. Maybe something in here will help your situation. Good luck :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T09:45:20.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18531" CreationDate="2016-12-19T14:35:18.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, don't be too hard on yourself. Living in Samsara is not easy, hence why we practice to become free from the rounds of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You made it this far, i.e. being born as a human being. That in itself is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.dk/books?id=sy2QAwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PT43&amp;amp;lpg=PT43&amp;amp;dq=turtle%20put%20a%20head%20in%20yoke&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=fD6bedHXkk&amp;amp;sig=Dy5BzmOLES-9XfzXhbINMt7-zpQ&amp;amp;hl=da&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwj24e-ktoDRAhWBCsAKHWEvCO4Q6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=turtle%20put%20a%20head%20in%20yoke&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;very rare thing&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A human life is short and can end at any moment. The Buddha recommended us to contemplate the 5 Daily Recollections each day. Combined with meditation on death this can be effective in creating &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83vega&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to reflect upon your practice and why you are practicing. Are you practicing to keep being in lay life? Are you practicing to become free from suffering? Are you practicing to become a Buddha? Then align your effort with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly, are you practicing in order to understand reality? Only the understanding of reality (wisdom) will set us free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you practicing according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Noble Eight Fold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;? &#xA;Check the different groupings and see where practice is needed. It tends to be people-specific, e.g. some people needs to put more practice into the concentration-group while others need to work more on the morality-group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will allow you to see where you need to practice and it will show you which of the 5 hindrances you need to work on. That in turn also shows which of the Ten Paramis you need to cultivate in a greater deal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not mentioned meditation-practice (vipassana) in this answer as the text-body will become too large. You are more than welcome to sent me an email if you want to discuss that. My mail address is on the profile page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you have a fruitful practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DHQSJ.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DHQSJ.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/XdYjw.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/XdYjw.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T15:24:29.420" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T15:24:29.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18535" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-19T15:26:15.823" Score="4" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to know if masturbating with his/her boyfriend/girlfriend, during a sex cam session for example, is a sin ? &#xA;Is showing one's private parts to his/her bf/gf is a sin? Does it take part in breaking the 3rd precept ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10519" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T15:35:26.727" LastActivityDate="2018-10-09T21:26:21.910" Title="Is camsex a sin" Tags="|ethics|sila|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18536" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18613" CreationDate="2016-12-19T16:42:25.497" Score="6" ViewCount="342" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm new here. I have a question regarding &quot;Not-Buddhism&quot; as the highest level of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure where is the source, but this is the koan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tozan said to his monks, &quot;You monks should know there is an even higher understanding in Buddhism.&quot; A monk stepped forward and asked, &quot;What is the higher Buddhism?&quot; Tozan answered, &quot;&lt;strong&gt;It is not Buddha.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Tozan mean by &quot;It is not Buddha&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10472" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T15:18:29.073" Title="Not-Buddhism is the highest level of Buddhism?" Tags="|zen|koans|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18537" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-19T16:56:33.710" Score="-4" ViewCount="420" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my perspective, the two biggest obstacles to to perfect understanding of Dharma is the apparent contradictions between &quot;Tanha&quot; and &quot;Right Aspiration&quot; and Anatta vs Buddha's condemnation of nihilism (SN 1.96: “The nihilist…goes to terrible hell…from darkness to darkness”) and his teachings on rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tanha, &quot;thirst&quot; (desire) is given as the primary cause of Dukkha and yet &quot;right Aspiration&quot; (basically desire) is part of the 8 fold path. Clearly Buddha did not condemn &quot;desire&quot; if you define it as wanting something you don't have. So what distinguishes between the two? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta doctrine held by some Buddhist, that there ultimately is no-soul or self and nothing really &quot;exists&quot; but is empty of inherent existence and therefore insubstantial and suffering is basically nihilist. This contradicts Buddha's teaching on rebirth and Nirvana (the unborn, unmade, unconditioned etc. makes liberation from the born, made, conditioned possible). No matter how you want to spin it, if your position is that the soul does not exists and there is no self outside of conditioned existence, then you are doomed to the grave and there is zero possibility for enlightenment or liberation from Samsara because how can an &quot;illusion&quot; that doesn't exists be &quot;enlightened&quot; or &quot;saved&quot;? The only option for a mind made illusion is to simply cease to exist once the causes that create the illusion (the body 5 kandas etc.) dies. You just fade to black, no karma, no rebirth, no Nirvana, no enlightenment no nothing. How do you resolve this seeming contradiction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T20:16:55.767" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T22:09:52.470" Title="Tanha vs &quot;Right Aspiration&quot; &amp; Anatta vs nihilism: how does one resolve contradictions in BUddhism?" Tags="|nirvana|anatman|tanha|nihilism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18531" CreationDate="2016-12-19T17:55:20.253" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your practice fails review first step on 8 fold path. Perfect knowledge will bring you stream entry and practice flows naturally from that. In other words, a lack of momentum in practice means you have gotten the lesson wrong somewhere. You can't be blamed considering the layers of bs that have been heaped upon the teachings of the Buddha over the centuries. You will have to study hard. Read &quot;Doctrine of the  Buddha &quot; by George Grimm. Will clear the nonsense from truth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="5801" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T18:17:07.413" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T18:17:07.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18531" CreationDate="2016-12-19T18:52:15.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this question comes from a place of misunderstanding.  There is ultimately no reason why you have to practice meditation.  Somehow, in the West at least, we've concluded that real Buddhism involves a cushion and sore backside.  Those who claim to be Buddhist and don't sit are looked down upon.  This is rubbish and completely contradictory to how the Buddha actually taught.  The dharma he preached was always tailored specifically for the audience he was addressing.  Householders were given instruction on how to make the most of their situation, kings were advised accordingly, and monks received teachings geared towards them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You aren't a bad person for not being able to sit.  A deep meditation practice isn't and shouldn't be the immediate goal for everyone. We all have different strengths, different karma, and different life circumstances.  Find the dharma you can practice first.  Gradually grow into the rest later.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T18:52:15.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18404" CreationDate="2016-12-19T19:19:39.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Get soundproof headphones. Unless you are a very experienced meditator, I find too much noise will just end up frustrating you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T19:19:39.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18535" CreationDate="2016-12-19T19:59:10.123" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The five precepts define ways that do not harm others. Forms of unconventional sex with a permissible (non-prohibited) partner do not fall under the 3rd precept. However, they may be unwholesome &amp;amp; stupid behaviors that harm oneself, either in the short or long term (such as cultivating unbeneficial &amp;amp; dangerous mental tendencies, habits &amp;amp; addictions). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T19:59:10.123" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18536" CreationDate="2016-12-19T20:11:02.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many Zen teachings seem to regard '&lt;em&gt;non-discrimination&lt;/em&gt;' as the highest thing, such as when &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistdoor.com/OldWeb/bdoor/archive/zen_story/zen3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Huineng&lt;/a&gt; said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is no Bodhi Tree&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nor the stand of a bright mirror,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Since all is void,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Where can the dust alight?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: This does not conform with the original Buddhism of the Buddha, which is only concerned with eradicating craving &amp;amp; self-views rather than eradicating all discrimination (which the Buddha rejected as Nirvana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T20:57:57.390" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18544" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-19T20:17:43.723" Score="0" ViewCount="272" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fact: Buddha ate meat. He died from food poisoning eating pork. Are not thousands if not millions of living being slaughtered when you harvest vegetables (worms, insects, micro-organisms etc.)? So how is vegetarianism morally superior to eating meat in a Buddhist context?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T13:41:39.087" Title="How is Vegetarianism morally superior to eating meat in a Buddhist context?" Tags="|right-livelihood|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18537" CreationDate="2016-12-19T20:33:37.263" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anatta doctrine held by some Buddhist, that there ultimately is no-soul or self&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;and nothing really &quot;exists&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incorrect. Mind &amp;amp; body exist. Five aggregates exist. Nibbana exists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;but is empty of inherent existence&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Empty of 'self' existence. Empty of permanent existence. But exist temporarily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;and therefore insubstantial&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five aggregates are 'insubstantial' due to their impermanence. But not Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;and suffering&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a mistranslation. In respect to the five aggregates, the translation is 'unsatisfactory' because impermanent things cannot bring lasting happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;is basically nihilist.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, 'nihilism' refers to the (wrong non-Buddhist) view that there is a 'self' that ends at death. Since Buddhism explains there is no self to die, it is not nihilist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This contradicts Buddha's teaching on rebirth&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Rebirth' refers to the re-arising of 'self-view' due to ignorance. There is no contradiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;and Nirvana (the unborn, unmade, unconditioned etc. makes liberation from the born, made, conditioned possible).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is the peace that is known by the mind when 'self-view' &amp;amp; craving end. There is no contradiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No matter how you want to spin it, if your position is that the soul does not exists and there is no self outside of conditioned existence,&#xA;  then you are doomed to the grave and there is zero possibility for&#xA;  enlightenment or liberation from Samsara&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Samsara' simply refers to the mind spinning around in 'self-views' due to craving &amp;amp; ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;because how can an &quot;illusion&quot; that doesn't exists be &quot;enlightened&quot; or &quot;saved&quot;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is saved is the 'mind'. In Buddhism, it is called 'ceto-vimutti', which means 'mind-liberation'. When the mind is cleansed of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion, it is 'saved'. That the mind has a illusory quality is irrelevant to this salvation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The only option for a mind made illusion is to simply cease to exist&#xA;  once the causes that create the illusion (the body 5 kandas etc.)&#xA;  dies.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is an illusion rather than life. For example, the planet earth is not really an illusion. It is only the &lt;em&gt;mental perceptions&lt;/em&gt; (of earth) that are 'illusory'.  The earth is very solid and has existed for billions of years. But the mind exists for moment, ceases &amp;amp; then arises for another illusory impermanent fleeting moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You just fade to black, no karma, no rebirth, no Nirvana, no enlightenment no nothing. How do you resolve this seeming&#xA;  contradiction?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. It can seem to be like a '&lt;em&gt;contradiction&lt;/em&gt;'. But when the mind is free from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion, what seems to be '&lt;em&gt;contradictory&lt;/em&gt;' to an ignorant unenlightened mind will vanish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was never under the illusion that all individuals could comprehend his Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T20:41:56.783" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T20:41:56.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18544" CreationDate="2016-12-19T20:57:11.100" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, the Buddha didn't die from eating pork at least in the Theravada point of view. In fact, his last meal was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammikaweb.com/?p=19738&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sukara maddava&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, translated to English &lt;em&gt;dug by pigs&lt;/em&gt;, a mushroom which still grows in India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, vegetarianism is not considered morally superior to eating meat in Theravada. The general guideline followed with regards to eating meat by both monastics and laity is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I say that there are three occasions in which meat may be eaten: when it is not seen, not heard, and not suspected, that the living being has been killed for sake of the bhikkhu, I say: Meat may be eaten on these three occasions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/MN/MN55.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, a person can be a strict vegetarian while craving for tastier food and could be strengthening his ego considering his higher morality, both of which are not good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2016-12-19T21:39:12.000" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T21:39:12.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18544" CreationDate="2016-12-19T21:57:56.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not a direct answer just some points about this : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 - More crops are grown specifically to feed livestock than to feed humans &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so the move of people to a vegan diet will reduce the amount of crops needed &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(and yes animals are fed non-edible plant parts and feces &quot;fish flour&quot; ect but thats on top of the crops you grow  -   about &quot;grass fed&quot;  first its a tiny tiny part of the meat in genral and even grass fed are fed crops- by piles of crops put in the fields - by feeding cattle in winter time - by feeding the cows a high calorie diet some months before slaughter ect) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so if someone really cares for  insects ect&#xA;that's just another good reason to become vegan !  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 . A good source on the buddhas diet is : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Diet_of_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Diet_of_Buddha&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3 . A good video about eating meat is &quot;animals and the buddha&quot;  :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0MWAAykFuc&amp;amp;t=254s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0MWAAykFuc&amp;amp;t=254s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 . This is hard to explain in non-buddhist sites but here its simple :  INTENTION to kill is key - a lot of the deaths in crops are not intended to be dont (some are but not all)  unlike the deaths in the meat industry which are intended  -   so when you buy meat you pay for someone to kill  you pay someone to cause some very bad karma &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So INTENTIONAL KILLING vs UNINTENDED KILLINGS    .....  and knowing for sure that when you buy meat its going to cause intentional killing &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and yes its not like killing the animal yourself  ...  but still there is a difference  - and this is another thing people should take into account &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5 . i follow theravada buddhism so i talk from this point  but i know there are vegetarian sects in mahayana buddhism - but maybe im wrong didnt research this  -  but my view in theravada is you can eat meat - but it is conducive to avoid eating meat completely and being vegan  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6 . monks and lay people are very different and theres a different between a monk accepting meat  and a lay person buying meat at the supermarket &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-12-22T13:41:39.087" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T13:41:39.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18537" CreationDate="2016-12-19T21:58:42.093" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Annata and enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; gives an answer of sorts as to what happens to the Buddha after he dies. A summary of the sutta might be that any view about what happens after the death of an enlightened being is wrong-view because that being didn't ultimately exist before death (you should read the sutta yourself to get a more full understanding).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The only option for a mind made illusion is to simply cease to exist &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that this is a problematic position on the issue. There's a distinction made between a self which didn't inherently exist before or after enlightenment, and the illusion of self which existed before enlightenment but not after. Annata is about the self whereas enlightenment is about the illusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You object to the idea of the illusion being enlightened or saved but this is really just a problem with semantics, you think that the word &quot;saved&quot; has to refer to something real which is saved but when we use this term in Buddhism we used a more flexible definition and it's only the illusion of self which was suffering that is now saved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Craving and right-aspiration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Clearly Buddha did not condemn &quot;desire&quot; if you define it as wanting something you don't have. So what distinguishes between the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two Pali words &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;chanda&lt;/em&gt;. Chanda is a sense of wanting which arises in the mind before the defilements turn it into tanha which is the craving that leads to dukkha. When chanda arises we can use wisdom to decide whether to follow a want or not, if we have no wisdom then when chanda arises we immediately attach to it and think that our wants have to be met and so we suffer. If chanda arises and the wanting is right-aspiration then we choose to follow that thought, however, we don't attach to it so that when our efforts don't get us what we wanted we don't suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a difficult distinction to see, an example of how we can treat chanda with wisdom might help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Imagine that you see a starving man and there is a wanting (chanda) to give him food. You know that you don't have control over the world and limited control over your body so you can only attempt to give him food. You pick up some rice and walk towards him but your hip dislocates and you can't walk to the man so he starves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this example from the moment the chanda arose you knew that you could only attempt to feed the man so there was no attachment to the result of your actions. This line of thinking didn't lead to a craving for the man to be fed and so there was no dukkha as a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T21:58:42.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18537" CreationDate="2016-12-19T22:09:52.470" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what distinguishes between the two?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe one thing that distinguishes it is whether it is &quot;Right&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right Aspirations follows from Right View, whereas presumably Tanha does not follow from right view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy to find explanations, e.g. here's the first thing I found via a Google for &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble23.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right aspiration&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is important to see that aspiration is not desire. The Pali word ‘tanha’ means desire that comes out of ignorance, whereas ‘sankappa’ means aspiration not coming from ignorance. Aspiration might seem like a kind of desire to us because in English we use the word ‘desire’ for everything of that nature - either aspiring or wanting. You might think that aspiration is a kind of tanha, wanting to become enlightened (bhava tanha) - but samma sankappa comes from Right Understanding, seeing clearly. It is not wanting to become anything; it is not the desire to become an enlightened person. With Right Understanding, that whole illusion and way of thinking no longer makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also a sutta whose topic is the question you asked: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta (SN 51.15)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anatta doctrine held by some Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's held by all Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's listed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1492/254&quot;&gt;this answer to 'What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share?'&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;We understand, according to the teaching of the Buddha, that all conditioned things (samkhara) are impermanent (anicca) and imperfect and unsatisfactory (dukkha), and all conditioned and unconditioned things (dhamma) are without self (anatta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;nothing really &quot;exists&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That might be a mis-statement of the doctrine. See for example this Zen story: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is basically nihilist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that what Buddhism describes as &quot;nihilism&quot; is the belief that actions have no consequence; or a &quot;nihilist&quot; might be used to describe someone with no doctrine at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;you are doomed to the grave&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's implying there's a &quot;you&quot;; or that the body which is destined for the grave is you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism teaches that views-of-self (ego-centrism, identity-view) lead to suffering, and that it's therefore better not to hold to such views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The only option for a mind made illusion is to simply cease&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe. Apparently sometimes the &quot;ego&quot; struggles against &quot;ego death&quot;? Those are words that I read sometimes, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ego death - Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose it's obvious that illusions do come and go; no big deal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or maybe illusion doesn't cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How do you resolve this seeming contradiction?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, I also recommend paragraph 23 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Snake Simile (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&quot; — &quot;No, Lord.&quot; — &quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T22:09:52.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18536" CreationDate="2016-12-19T22:10:34.833" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.072.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; shows how the Buddha treats views about the cosmos being eternal and views about the fate of the Buddha after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vaccha, the position that 'the cosmos is eternal' is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, &amp;amp; fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And another quote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.' Because of this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading away, cessation, renunciation, &amp;amp; relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations, all I-making &amp;amp; mine-making &amp;amp; obsessions with conceit — is, through lack of clinging/sustenance, released.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having a position about what is Buddhism has similar drawbacks to having a view about the eternal-ness of the cosmos. Tozan is discouraging views like &quot;This practice Buddhist&quot; or &quot;That idea is part of Buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2016-12-19T22:10:34.833" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18553" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-20T00:06:41.353" Score="-5" ViewCount="300" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The purification of one's own mind/will (citta); this is the Doctrine&#xA;of the Buddha&quot; [DN 2.49]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;How is it that one is called a 'Buddha'?...gnosis that the mind/will&#xA;(citta) is purified (visuddham)...such is how one is deemed a&#xA;'Buddha'.&quot; [MN 2.144]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[DN 2.157] &quot;Gotama who is steadfast in mind (citta), inherently&#xA;quelled from all desires the mighty sage has passed beyond. With mind&#xA;(citta) limitless (Brahman) he no longer bears sensations;&#xA;illumined and unbound (nibbana), his mind (citta) is definitely (ahu)&#xA;liberated.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[SN 3.45] &quot;The mind (citta) being so liberated and arisen from&#xA;defilements, one is fixed in the Soul as liberation, one is quelled in fixation upon the Soul. Quelled in the Soul one is unshakable. So being unshakable, the very Soul is thoroughly unbound (parinirvana).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Soul is Charioteer&quot;[Jataka-2-1341]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;I leave you now, having made my Soul the refuge (saranamatta) DN 2.120&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The Self (atman) as refuge, with nary another as refuge&quot; DN 2.100&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[KN J-1441] “The Soul is the refuge that I have gone unto”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“the body cannot pass that gate to fare beyond,..only the Soul (The Self)” -Udana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Whatever form, feelings, perceptions, experiences, or consciousness there is (the five aggregates), these he sees to be without permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil, a sting, a pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty (suññato), as Selfless (anattato). So he turns his mind/will/spirit (citta, Non-aggregate) away from these; therein he gathers his citta (nous/spirit/mind) within the realm of Immortality (amataya dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which is the most excellent!” [MN 1.436]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[MN 1.511] “For a long time I have been cheated, tricked and hoodwinked by my citta. For when grasping, I have been grasping onto form, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto feelings, , for when grasping, I have been grasping onto perceptions, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto experiences, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto consciousness.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 1.96 “The nihilist…goes to terrible hell…from darkness to darkness”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[SN 2.17] ‘Nonbeing (asat, natthiti [views of either sabbamnatthi ‘the all is ultimately not’ (atomism), and sabbam puthuttan ‘the all is merely composite (atoms)’ [SN 2.77] both are heresies of annihilationism])'”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T01:42:48.900" Title="Is no soul doctrine (there is no eternal soul) supported in Buddhist suttas?" Tags="|the-buddha|nirvana|enlightenment|anatman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18554" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18553" CreationDate="2016-12-20T00:23:40.210" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't understand the Buddha, do you... The moment you speak of a &quot;soul&quot;, you're done, lost your way to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is all about &quot;deconstructing&quot; the -words-, thus demolishing all virtual dichotomies, ending the conceptual imputation. Why? Because it is a neutral monism!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T00:23:40.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18553" CreationDate="2016-12-20T01:21:44.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The purification of one's own mind (citta); this is the Doctrine of the Buddha&quot; [DN 2.49]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How is it that one is called a 'Buddha'?...gnosis that the mind (citta) is purified (visuddham)...such is how one is deemed a&#xA;  'Buddha'.&quot; [MN 2.144]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[DN 2.157] &quot;Gotama who is steadfast in mind (citta), inherently quelled from all desires the mighty sage has passed beyond. With mind&#xA;  (citta) limitless he no longer bears sensations; illumined&#xA;  and unbound (nibbana), his mind (citta) is definitely (ahu)&#xA;  liberated.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes although there is a flaw in this translation about &quot;sensations&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[SN 3.45] &quot;The mind (citta) being so liberated and arisen from defilements, one is fixed in the Soul as liberation, one is quelled in&#xA;  fixation upon the Soul. Quelled in the Soul one is unshakable. So&#xA;  being unshakable, the very Soul is thoroughly unbound (parinirvana).&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Soul is Charioteer&quot;[Jataka-2-1341]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;I leave you now, having made my Soul the refuge (saranamatta) DN 2.120&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The word here is 'self' used in conventional language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Self (atman) as refuge, with nary another as refuge&quot; DN 2.100&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The word here is 'self' used in conventional language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[KN J-1441] “The Soul is the refuge that I have gone unto”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“the body cannot pass that gate to fare beyond,..only the Soul (The Self)” -Udana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Whatever form, feelings, perceptions, experiences, or consciousness there is (the five aggregates), these he sees to be without&#xA;  permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil, a sting, a&#xA;  pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty (suññato), as&#xA;  Selfless (anattato). So he turns his mind/will/spirit (citta,&#xA;  Non-aggregate) away from these; therein he gathers his citta&#xA;  (nous/spirit/mind) within the realm of Immortality (amataya dhatuya).&#xA;  This is tranquility; this is that which is the most excellent!” [MN&#xA;  1.436]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/a&gt; states citta, mano &amp;amp; vinnana have the same impermanent nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[MN 1.511] “For a long time I have been cheated, tricked and hoodwinked by my citta. For when grasping, I have been grasping onto&#xA;  form, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto feelings, , for&#xA;  when grasping, I have been grasping onto perceptions, for when&#xA;  grasping, I have been grasping onto experiences, for when grasping, I&#xA;  have been grasping onto consciousness.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/a&gt; states citta, mano &amp;amp; vinnana have the same impermanent nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 1.96 “The nihilist…goes to terrible hell…from darkness to darkness”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nihilist believes in &quot;self&quot; or &quot;soul&quot;. Refer to DN 1 &amp;amp; Iti 49.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;*[SN 2.17] ‘Nonbeing (asat, natthiti [views of either sabbamnatthi ‘the all is ultimately not’ (atomism), and sabbam puthuttan ‘the all&#xA;  is merely composite (atoms)’ [SN 2.77] both are heresies of&#xA;  annihilationism])'”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above quote is incomplete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nihilist believes in &quot;self&quot; or &quot;soul&quot;. Refer to DN 1 &amp;amp; Iti 49.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 115 states everything whatsever is an element (dhatu) in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T01:42:48.900" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T01:42:48.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18557" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18564" CreationDate="2016-12-20T01:47:03.413" Score="4" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;A core teaching of Buddhism is 'anatta' or 'not-self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the word 'atta' refer to both 'self' &amp;amp; 'soul' or can these two ideas (self &amp;amp; soul) be different in Buddhism to give them different meanings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, are the ideas 'self' &amp;amp; 'soul' (be they used in Buddhism or non-Buddhism) necessarily synonymous in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T20:03:08.587" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T03:43:01.700" Title="Is there are difference between 'self' &amp; 'soul' in Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|mahayana|pali|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2016-12-20T03:45:13.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You tagged this question &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/pali&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;pali&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;pali&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:533.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PTS dictionary&lt;/a&gt; does gives two meanings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The soul as postulated in etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Oneself, himself, yourself. etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is for example a chapter of the Dhammapada called &lt;em&gt;Attavagga&lt;/em&gt;, whose verses include the word; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=165&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attana hi katam etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 165: By oneself indeed is evil done and by oneself is one defiled; by oneself is evil not done and by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend entirely on oneself; no one can purify another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could try to read/understand this as, &quot;By the soul indeed is evil done&quot;, to see whether that makes more sense to you; but the conventional translation of it is, &quot;By oneself is...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that I should try to grasp this topic, for example because of the warning in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; that questions like &quot;what am I?&quot; will result in various types of &quot;views of self&quot;, a &quot;thicket of views&quot;, a fetter -- and because I think it's an intellectual idea, which may be &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn5.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;associated with &quot;Mara&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the introduction of Piya Tan's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.16-Is-there-a-soul.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is There a Soul?&lt;/a&gt; one of the principle attributes of the alleged or Brahmanistic soul is that it's &quot;eternal&quot;. I guess that &quot;eternal&quot; might contradict another of of the &quot;three characteristics&quot;, i.e. impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm told that there is such a thing (a state) as nirvana and maybe timelessness; but I think that those are not maybe associated with a personal &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T03:45:13.180" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2016-12-20T04:42:49.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist texts when discussing non-Buddhist views appear to use the term 'atta' for 'soul', reflecting the beliefs of non-Buddhists about an eternal soul or abiding essence, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are eternalists, and who on four grounds proclaim the self/soul and the world to be eternal.&#xA;  DN 1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Buddhist texts refer to 'self' as merely a fleeting conceptual thought fabrication, such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He assumes form to be a 'self'. That assumption is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is&#xA;  the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact&#xA;  with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that. SN&#xA;  22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it seems clear that 'self' &amp;amp; 'soul' are not synonyms in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T05:18:47.083" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T05:18:47.083" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2016-12-20T15:24:19.047" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Saw this on a blog. Absolutely BRILLIANT. Not sure who wrote it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Unariyan Eightfold Ways on how to squirm and wiggle on the Soul&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no Soul because my teacher said so&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because Atta is only conventional meaning such as yourself and doesn't designate anything really existing whatsoever.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because Venerable Puthujjana Thera translates this passage with the word &quot;myself&quot;, a reflexive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because the belief in a Soul is &quot;Hinduism&quot; not Buddhism.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because Mr. Rhys David's 1921 Pali-English Dictionary which is based entirely on Theravada-nihilism advice says that Atta has two meanings depending on the context, even though his wife C.A.F. Rhys Davids who was far more a prolific translator states outright that her husband erred on this point completely.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because Anatta means &quot;no Soul&quot; but Atta only means &quot;yourself&quot; (sick duplicity).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because I am bipolar depressive and often suicidal and the notion of there being no Soul whatsoever calms me mentally.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because ten million Theravada anti-foundationalist nihilistic sectarians cant be wrong!? Can they!?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Eightfold no Soul Magga of the puthujjana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No soul is bliss. Soul belief is the source of all suffering. The end of the belief that there is a Soul is no Soul bliss. There is a path to no Soul from the suffering of the Soul&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom is knowing that true Soul is no Soul. That which possesses true wisdom is no Soul.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Soul is unreal and untrue, therefore what is real and true is no Soul. What is real and true is highest! What is highest is no Soul.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What proclaims that there is no Soul is no Soul proclaiming it. What is no Soul is khandhas. Khandhas are Mara. Always listen to Mara!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is never a Soul but always what is other than a Soul which is no Soul. What is no Soul is never Soul. What is no Soul is all. What is no Soul is the true refuge!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a path and no Soul reaps the fruit of it. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What truly knows that there is no Soul is no Soul. No Soul knows what it truly is, which is no Soul. This is bliss of no Soul.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is an unborn, an unmade, an unmanifest and no Soul enters into it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say there is no Soul, then you are aggregates. If you are the&#xA;aggregates then you are Mara. Mara is the five aggregates. What is&#xA;telling you there is no Soul must be the aggregates, which is Mara.&#xA;Mara is the great deceiver. If you believe there is no Soul then you&#xA;are none other than Mara, which is the great deceiver; therefore you&#xA;deceive yourself into believing there is no Soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your never Self, then your always other. If your always other, then&#xA;your never Self. Therefore you can never be other than what you truly&#xA;are which is always other and never Self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T15:42:10.947" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T15:42:10.947" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2016-12-20T15:44:00.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Truth is unless you can get into a time machine and personally encounter the Buddha you can never know for sure. However, The Buddha was a historical figure his teachings were preserved. Read them and judge for yourself if the Buddha was exactly what he claimed to be or not. Even better, actually do the practice and see if it works for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T15:44:00.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2245" CreationDate="2016-12-20T15:49:10.033" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you hold the view that the Buddha taught there is no eternal soul, then Buddhism is basically nihilism. If there is no transcendent self outside the scope of samsara, there is no rebirth, no enlightenment and no liberation from samsara because there is nothing that is being reborn, enlightened or liberated, just a phantom and an illusion. Fortunately this is absolutely something the Buddha DID NOT TEACH:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Whatever form, feelings, perceptions, experiences, or consciousness there is (the five aggregates), these he sees to be without permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil, a sting, a pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty (suññato), as Selfless (anattato). So he turns his mind/will/spirit (citta, Non-aggregate) away from these; therein he gathers his citta (nous/spirit/mind) within the realm of Immortality (amataya dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which is the most excellent!” [MN 1.436]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T16:20:14.553" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T16:20:14.553" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18563" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-20T17:25:51.617" Score="3" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach that a self or soul (whether permanent and fixed or impermanent and changing) cannot be found, did he teach that it cannot exist, or what? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="11422" LastEditDate="2018-07-11T04:35:15.910" LastActivityDate="2018-07-14T16:20:01.020" Title="Did the Buddha leave room for the possibility of a self?" Tags="|the-buddha|anatman|self|soul|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2016-12-20T18:22:51.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From as far as I could contemplate after reading some of the sutras and articles, the &quot;self&quot; and &quot;soul&quot; are different. In Buddhism, &quot;self&quot; is the result of &lt;strong&gt;polluted &quot;manas-vijñāna&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;; while soul is a pure hypothesis resulted from the intellect (a theorem, conjecture in some religious systems). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As &quot;self&quot; is resulted from polluted &quot;manas-vijñāna&quot; the 7th vijñāna, it is &lt;strong&gt;real&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;but&lt;/strong&gt; it is &lt;strong&gt;not-true&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus causes the karma and birth/death built upon this not-true &quot;self&quot;, the polluted manas-vijñāna. Thus has the Buddhist teaching of not-self (anatta?) for end of suffering. However it is real since it produced effects. Like a dream is real when one is in the dream and all the dream scenes are with impacts, but a dream is not true when one awaken and realized (enlightenment). (眼識visual、耳識audio、鼻識nasal、舌識taste、身識touch（以上合稱五識these are the 5 vijñāna）、6.意識consciousness/intellect、7.末那識manas-vijñāna 及 8.阿賴耶識ādāna-vijñāna.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I got the inspiration from reading this: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;「浩浩三藏不可窮，淵深七浪境為風。受薰持種根身器，去後來先作主公。」 ── 玄奘法師 (Bhikkhu Xuanzang 602AD-664AD &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately I don't read or write Pali thus not sure if this is acceptable since the question tagged &quot;pali, pali-canon&quot;. I try to offer what I know. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do an experiment: If one uses a knife to cut himSELF, will his &quot;self&quot; feel the pain (definitely yes); or, will his &quot;soul&quot; feel the pain (probably not).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T18:37:10.277" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T18:37:10.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18565" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-20T18:47:04.257" Score="2" ViewCount="61" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is most of the Chinese content (books or articles) about Zen Buddhism, available on the internet, written in simplified or traditional Chinese?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course, now and then we want to buy printed books: so what about them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is simplified or traditional more widely used?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10525" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T18:56:05.920" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T03:43:34.260" Title="Do Chinese-language publications about Zen Buddhism usually use Simplified or Traditional Chinese?" Tags="|zen|language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18563" CreationDate="2016-12-20T18:49:56.437" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not teach that things exist (that's one extreme) or that things do not exist (that's another extreme). Buddha teaches that things exist &lt;em&gt;to some extent&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;in some context&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;relative to some frame of reference&lt;/em&gt; &amp;ndash; and do not exist in other contexts. It's the same with the &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="11422" LastEditDate="2018-07-11T15:27:59.633" LastActivityDate="2018-07-11T15:27:59.633" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18563" CreationDate="2016-12-20T18:51:32.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali canon, it seems there is no categorical denial of a permanent self by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most common texts about the not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) doctrine are taught in the form &quot; &lt;code&gt;[something]&lt;/code&gt; is not self&quot;, where &lt;code&gt;[something]&lt;/code&gt; is a phenomenon that is cognized: forms, feelings, thoughts, perceptions, etc. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Feeling is impermanent…. Perception is impermanent…. Volitional formations are impermanent…. Consciousness is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.45&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.45&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A generalization of this teaching is found in AN 3.136:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sabbe dhammā anattā'ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  all phenomena are non-self (Bodhi translation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where &quot;phenomena&quot; (&lt;em&gt;dhammā&lt;/em&gt;) stands as a constituent of experience,  something or anything that can be experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the Buddha has been asked point blank if there's a self, but he refused to answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: &quot;Now then, Venerable Gotama, is there a self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then is there no self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A second time, the Blessed One was silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Vacchagotta the wanderer got up from his seat and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 44.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He then proceeds to explain why he did not answer (another explanation is given in SN 44.7):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that death is the annihilation of consciousness]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;— &quot;No, lord.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used to have now not exist?'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people take that Vacchagotta episode, plus the lack of any categorical denial and a few other texts and try to create evidence that the Buddha actually taught a permanent self doctrine. But all of them are considered  attempts of fitting a square into a circle hole -- usually they are not very convincing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's quite reasonable that If there was a permanent self that could be grasped, all the Buddha had to do was declare it and teach it. It would be much easier to understand then his doctrine of dependent origination and he wouldn't have to answer puzzling questions like &quot;if there's no self, what reborns?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the best of my knowledge, the closest refutation for a doctrine of permanent self in the pali canon is the following sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, you may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. But do you see any such doctrine of self, bhikkhus?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  —&quot;Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this teaching holds true, then the only possibility for a permanent soul to exist is if it exists outside the reach of experience, outside the possibility of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if we can't reach it to assess if it exist or not, if we cannot come into contact with it, then either it doesn't exist, or it exists but doesn't seem to have any effect in our existence -- since it's completely isolated from our experience. Thus, even if no phenomenon is our permanent self, but such a self still exists somewhere else, certainly it is irrelevant for our life, and believing or not seems to do little to help in the path towards nirvana -- after all, that permanent soul does not affect us in anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T18:51:32.273" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18565" CreationDate="2016-12-20T19:47:33.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a black and white simple answer... however, to give you ideas, for the original sutras that have been translated into Chinese, the classical ones are the best, they were translated by great masters like Kumarajiva, Xuanzang... these masters they themselves had reached the high level of self-cultivation (Bodhisattvas, Arhats) and the translation was promoted and sponsored by the Chinese Emperors in Ancient China; great scholars would be gathered, discussed, debated, then concluded the translations. For example, Kumarajiva and Xuanzang were both fluent in Sanskrit and Chinese. However, these sutras are written in Classical Chinese 文言文, the complete collection &lt;a href=&quot;http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tripitaka&lt;/a&gt; in Traditional Chinese. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Simplified Chinese is used in Mainland China by 11bn people since 1950s/1960s, and the Putonghua with Pinyin is very easy to learn for Westerners. There are brilliant practitioners in Mainland China and many of the treasures are inherited in the Mainland simply they are there. But Taiwan has strong roots in Buddhism since it's never truncated by any turmoils or Cultural Revolutions they used the Traditional Chinese. If you intend to read by the Modern Chinese you could find 南懷瑾 老師 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nan_Huai-Chin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Teacher Nan Huai-Chin&lt;/a&gt;, he is in this time one of the few most learnt and bright teachers resided in Taiwan but he really learnt all his knowledge when he was still in China. (Passed away.) A website has almost all his works: 实修驿站 (shixiu.net) in Simplified. Another is the Tibetan &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huidengzhiguang.com/index.php/huideng-jiangtang&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rinpoche 慈誠羅珠&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are trying to buy books with translated sutra from Classical Chinese 文言文 to Modern Chinese 白話文 you have to be very very careful. These modern translations maybe erroneous or partially grasped the original meanings; Chinese language is a very graphical and refined language the meanings are not on the faces of the words, literally speaking. This is in particular for the Zen Buddhism. There is a famous Buddhist metaphor, that is &quot;the finger pointing to the moon&quot;, if one watches the finger, one will fail to see the moon.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T19:55:00.143" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T19:55:00.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2016-12-20T19:55:05.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Does the word 'atta' refer to both 'self' &amp;amp; 'soul' or can these two ideas (self &amp;amp; soul) be different in Buddhism to give them different meanings?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems &lt;code&gt;atta&lt;/code&gt; was never directly defined in the texts. While non-canonical texts help inform it's translation, it's meaning is drawn from context and seems to range from simple &quot;oneself&quot; (reflexive pronoun) to something that is &quot;unchanging / non-suffering / under one's control&quot;. The latter meaning is drawn from dialogues such as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, form is &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;. What is &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. What is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;anattā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, form is &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. For if, bhikkhus, form were &lt;em&gt;attā&lt;/em&gt;, this form would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of form: ‘Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, whether the second meaning can be translated as 'soul' or not, to me seems to be a a matter of 'soul' being understood to embody the characteristics of &lt;code&gt;atta&lt;/code&gt; (e.g. from above: non-affliction, something we have power over as in &quot;let it be thus / let it not be thus&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, it may be misleading to translate this term as the upanishadic &quot;universal soul&quot;. For a discussion of this term (though a little old, not sure if dated), see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/vonglasenapp/wheel002.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanta and Buddhism&#xA;A Comparative Study&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-12-01T03:43:01.700" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T03:43:01.700" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18563" CreationDate="2016-12-20T20:20:42.827" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Did the Buddha leave room for the possibility of a self?&quot;&#xA;Well, let's let THE MAN himself answer your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 2.157 Therefore Ananda, stay as those who have their True Self as&#xA;  the illumination, as those who have their True Self as supreme refuge,&#xA;  as those who have no other as the refuge; as those who have the true&#xA;  law Dharma as the illumination, as those who have the Dharma as&#xA;  refuge, as those who have no other refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 3.78 And whoever, Ananda, either now or after my end will stay as&#xA;  those who have the True Self as the illumination, as those who have&#xA;  True Self as refuge, as those who have no other as the refuge…they&#xA;  among my bhikkhus shall reach the peak of immortality, provided they&#xA;  are desirous of training their True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 3.174 Like a surge of the great ocean, so also will birth and death&#xA;  roll over you like a surge. Therefore, do make your True Self the&#xA;  supreme illumination, since there is no other refuge anywhere to be&#xA;  found for you. 4. My life is fully ripe, my life is at an end, I shall&#xA;  depart leaving you, I have made a supreme refuge for the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 2.24 Do make your True Self the illumination, strive fast, be wise.&#xA;  Having removed all stain, flawless, you will come to the divine Ariyan&#xA;  land.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 3.21 The phenomenal world all round is devoid of true essence, the&#xA;  four quarters are quaking. Desirous of an abode for the True Self, I&#xA;  saw none occupied.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 5.77 Is there by any chance any other dearer to you Mallika than&#xA;  the True Self? No Lord, there is not by any chance that which is&#xA;  dearer to me than the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 2.79 Going around all quarters with the mind. Not a thing was found&#xA;  dearer to me than the True Self. In this way the True Self of every&#xA;  one is dear to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 3.119 There is no love comparable to that of the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 5.38 One should not impair the good of the True Self, for the sake&#xA;  of the good of others, however great. Having ascertained the good of&#xA;  the True Self, let him be ever intent on it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 1.109 One watches zealously over that which he holds dearest. This&#xA;  should apply to the True Self better than to anything else: If a man&#xA;  were to think the True Self dear, he would guard it most well guarded.&#xA;  The wise man should be watching in every one of the three watches of&#xA;  the night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 4.83. And what does it mean to guard the True Self? Lord, while I&#xA;  was meditating in solitude, there arose in my mind the following&#xA;  thoughts. By whom is the True Self guarded, by whom is the True Self&#xA;  is not guarded? Then it occurred to me, whoever misbehaves by action,&#xA;  by word, or by thought, are those by whom the True Self is not&#xA;  guarded. Even if they were guarded by a troop of elephants, or horses,&#xA;  or of chariots, or of infantrymen, even so their True Self most dear&#xA;  would not be guarded by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 2.234. Bhikkhus, I shall keep the True Self safe, this means that&#xA;  the stations of antecedent-recollectiveness of Samadhi must be dwelt&#xA;  upon intently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 3.216. The True Self, the dearest thing for man, becomes an&#xA;  absolute value, which has to be preserved by all means and in&#xA;  preference to everything else: What should a man desirous of his own&#xA;  good never give up? What should a mortal man never surrender? Man&#xA;  should never give up the True Self most dear, he should never&#xA;  surrender the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 2.119. Him for whom the True Self is not enough, who procures for&#xA;  the True Self the taste of all sensual pleasures, even if the whole&#xA;  world were his, he would not obtain true bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 3.218. Lord, while I was meditating in solitude, there arose in my&#xA;  mind the following thoughts. For whom is the True Self a dear friend,&#xA;  for whom is the True Self a hateful enemy? Then it occurred to me,&#xA;  whoever misbehaves by action, by letter of the law or by thought, are&#xA;  those for whom the True Self is a hateful enemy. Even if they were to&#xA;  say, the True Self is our dear friend, even so the True Self would be&#xA;  to them a hateful enemy. Why so? Whatever one who hates would do to&#xA;  the one he hates, that is what they themselves does unto their True&#xA;  Self. That is why the True Self is a hateful enemy to them. Whoever&#xA;  behaves properly by action, by letter of the law, or by thought, are&#xA;  those for whom their True Self is a dear friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 3.29. If he would recognize the True Self as dearest friend, he&#xA;  would not associate it with evil. 18. Then what do you think&#xA;  youngsters, what is the best thing for you, that you go in search of a&#xA;  woman or that your go in search of the True Self most dear? This Lord,&#xA;  is the best for us, that we go in search of the True Self!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 4.67. Bhikkhus, wise and developing a boundless penetration of&#xA;  antecedent recollection. A fivefold knowledge arises in their True&#xA;  Self in the case of those who, wise and immersed in antecedent&#xA;  recollection of the source develops a boundless penetration of&#xA;  antecedentness. What fivefold knowledge? This antecedent&#xA;  recollectiveness is pleasant at present and will yield a pleasant&#xA;  karmic result in the future, such knowledge arises in their True Self.&#xA;  This antecedent recollectiveness is noble, entirely spiritual and&#xA;  otherworldly, such knowledge arises in their True Self; this&#xA;  antecedent recollectiveness of the source is not practiced by the&#xA;  unworthy man. This antecedent recollectiveness is peaceful, most&#xA;  exquisite, obtained by the peaceful man, attained by means of mental&#xA;  fixation, not subject to the blame of the Sankaras. I too being in&#xA;  antecedent recollection of supreme beforeness in connection with the&#xA;  source enter into it and in antecedent recollection I emerge from it.&#xA;  Such profound knowledge arises in their True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 5.18. A Buddha has arisen in the world, the doctrine of the Buddhas&#xA;  is at present being taught. The True Self can be saved by a man&#xA;  desirous of this doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 1.118 Whoever looks for the happiness of the True Self, should pull&#xA;  out the mortal dart of the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 2.281. Whose faith and wisdom are always properly fitted to the&#xA;  yoke, Supreme alert vigilance is the pole, mind is the yoke-straps,&#xA;  antecedent recollectiveness of the source is the guard and the&#xA;  Charioteer. The chariot having all the accessories of good faring,&#xA;  otherworldly knowledge as the axle, vigilant energy as the wheels.&#xA;  Equanimity is the fitting peg for the axle, desireless for fain of&#xA;  this world is the protective board. Excellent equanimity,&#xA;  deathlessness, and seclusion being the weapons, endurance the leather&#xA;  armor, it proceeds towards utter security. Such is the unsurpassed&#xA;  Brahman chariot produced in the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 3.28` Even as a deviating cart out of control, unrestrained,&#xA;  unmastered, destroys both the cart and the rider, in the same way the&#xA;  reckless fool, like a deviating cart destroys his True Self in hell,&#xA;  destroys the True Self in animal rebirth, destroys the True Self in&#xA;  the realm of wandering ghosts and spirits, destroys the True Self in&#xA;  the world of men, destroys the True Self in the world of gods.&#xA;  AN 2.28. And how is one a knower of the True Self? Herein bhikkhus, a&#xA;  bhikkhu knows the True Self. Just this much am I as regards faith,&#xA;  virtue, learning, disembodiment, wisdom, intelligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 2.97 Leaving aside the five hindrances for the obtainment of utter&#xA;  security. Taking up the mirror of Dharma for the knowledge and vision&#xA;  of the True Self, I observed the body both within and without,&#xA;  interiorly and exteriorly the body appeared to be empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 4.57 No Brahman ever claimed purity from any different source than&#xA;  the True Self. Either in things seen, heard, thought, or in&#xA;  observances. Unattached both to good and evil deeds, disclaiming&#xA;  whatever is obtained, he should be inactive in these observances. The&#xA;  ultimate purity which is the ideal of the enlightened man, here called&#xA;  a true Brahman, is a purity unaffected both by moral good and by moral&#xA;  evil, belonging to the plane superior to both, consisting in a&#xA;  condition that is reflected in the total absence of willful moral&#xA;  activities, in the absolute desirelessness to do evil and to obtain&#xA;  fruitless merit. This is the absolute isolation of the True Self which&#xA;  brings about liberation. The improvement caused by morality and moral&#xA;  practices is meant first of all to detach the True Self from what is&#xA;  evil, and this is mainly done by the counterpractice of goodness. This&#xA;  is not enough; any attachment of the True Self to whatever is not the&#xA;  True Self is itself wrong from the ultimate point of view. Moral good&#xA;  and the subsequent merit is not the True Self, even though it takes&#xA;  the True Self towards an ever more perfect detachment from worldly&#xA;  things. Finally the True Self has to be detached from morals,&#xA;  morality, merit and be freed with a freedom that is its very nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 2.281 Hence, let the wise man, discerning the welfare of the True&#xA;  Self, thoroughly investigate the Dharma, thus thereby he will be&#xA;  purified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 2.27 I shall apprehend and perfect the True Self, having in mind&#xA;  the spiritual welfare of the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.76. Force the True Self by means of the True Self, control the&#xA;  True Self by means of the True Self. Being well guarded of the True&#xA;  Self, in antecedent recollectiveness, you shall bhikkhus dwell in&#xA;  supreme bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;DN 1.195 Leaving aside the way of darkness, the wise man should&#xA;  practice the way of light. Going from home to the homeless state, in&#xA;  solitude, where worldliness joys are difficult, there should he desire&#xA;  for the unexcelled bliss, setting aside sensory pleasures, possessing&#xA;  nothing. Let the wise man cleanse the True Self from the impurities of&#xA;  the mental goings on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 3.28 Just as the goldsmith melts and removes the gross impurities&#xA;  of gold, then melts and removes average impurities, and melts and&#xA;  removes even the finest of impurities. Just so does the bhikkhu melts,&#xA;  removes, leaves aside, dispels, destroys, the impurities of his True&#xA;  Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 5.73 Not by heaping up firewood does the Brahman dream of&#xA;  purification. That is something external. Because, so the wise say,&#xA;  purity is not obtained by him who wishes to reach gain by means of&#xA;  external rituals. I, leaving aside the burning of wood, Brahman, make&#xA;  only destruction come unto those flames that are attached to by my&#xA;  True Self. With fire constantly burning, always with my True Self well&#xA;  composed, I that very Arahant, live my Brahman life. A shoulder yoke,&#xA;  Brahman is your conceit, anger is your smoke, your false words are the&#xA;  ashes. The tongue of the man is his sacrificial spoon, the heart his&#xA;  fire alter. The self well tamed is the fire. Dharma O' Brahman, is a&#xA;  lake with holy virtue as the bathing place, pure undefiled, praised by&#xA;  the good. Where the wise bathing, with their True Self disembodied, do&#xA;  so cross sweetly to that other shore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 4.78 Where water, earth, fire, and air find no footing, there where&#xA;  the stars no longer shine, nor the sun, nor does the moon gleam; no&#xA;  darkness is found there. And when the mighty sage, that holy Brahman,&#xA;  has come to supreme knowledge by the True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 2.118. One who has made a path by the True Self, he does so go unto&#xA;  complete retraction from aggregated being, having crossed all doubts.&#xA;  Leaving aside becoming and passing away. One who has lived the life,&#xA;  who has suppressed all rebirth, such a one is called a true bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;KN 4.283. Sweetly within antecedent recollective penetration as&#xA;  regards the body, restrained within the six sensory spheres. The&#xA;  bhikkhu who is well composed would know the complete retraction from&#xA;  aggregated being of his True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;AN 1.81 There is monks, an unborn, an unoriginated, an unmade, and an&#xA;  unformed. If there were not monks, this unborn, unoriginated, unmade&#xA;  and unformed, there would be no way out for the born, the originated,&#xA;  the made and the formed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 4.57 And I O' monks, who speak thus, and teach thus am accused&#xA;  wrongly, vainly, falsely, and inappropriately by some ascetics and&#xA;  Brahmins who say &quot;A denier is the ascetic Gotama, he teaches the&#xA;  destruction, annihilation, and the perishing of the being that now&#xA;  exists&quot;. These ascetics wrongly, vainly, falsely, and inappropriately&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T20:24:36.000" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T20:24:36.000" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18563" CreationDate="2016-12-20T20:34:34.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 35.85 states the world is completely void/empty (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;) of self or anything belonging to self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 5.10 and SN 12.15 state there is no temporary conditioned 'self' because, in reality, what is regarded as a temporary delusion or view of 'self' is really &lt;em&gt;only&lt;/em&gt; 'suffering'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So, when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; suffering that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls away. &lt;strong&gt;Nothing but&lt;/strong&gt; suffering comes to be, Nothing but suffering&#xA;  ceases.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By &amp;amp; large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings &amp;amp; biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or&#xA;  cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases&#xA;  or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty&#xA;  or doubt that &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; stress, when arising, is arising; &lt;strong&gt;only&lt;/strong&gt; stress, when&#xA;  passing away, is passing away. SN 12.15&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-20T20:40:07.363" LastActivityDate="2016-12-20T20:40:07.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18573" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-20T21:39:58.857" Score="4" ViewCount="383" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we know any Zen teachers/masters that do not have Chinese origins and do not speak Chinese? For example English?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. I know that such type of logical questions are taken humorously in the zen culture, as it does not really matter but still my &quot;small mind&quot; is curious. Does one need to know Chinese in order to get to the heart of the teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10525" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T19:57:20.990" Title="Can one get into the heart of Zen Buddhism without Chinese?" Tags="|zen|language|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18573" CreationDate="2016-12-21T15:56:49.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course!  There are plenty of American roshis who never took a day of Chinese in their lives.  Frankly, not knowing any language would be even better than knowing Chinese.  ;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2016-12-21T15:56:49.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18576" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19374" CreationDate="2016-12-21T17:16:33.247" Score="2" ViewCount="535" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is &lt;em&gt;anuloma-nana&lt;/em&gt; and how does this adaptation-knowledge makes the switch from the mundane to the supramundane world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2022-07-03T05:27:59.447" Title="What is Anuloma-nana? How does this insight works?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18576" CreationDate="2016-12-21T17:49:47.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yogi with dedication work hard in meditation achieving lower nana stages step by step , will attain the knowledge of equanimity regarding the formation where all notice on phenomena is so clear cut that each and every detail can be noted without much effort and to the exact timing. With more effort and further concentration, noting on these phenomena become faster and faster , more and more subtle with great moment until all of a sudden, all these cease to be, reaching gotrabhu. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2016-12-21T17:49:47.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18578" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-21T19:27:52.853" Score="2" ViewCount="317" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a story in which a concubine of a certain Deva died while she was with him and other concubines of him in a park. She was born as a human in next life but she remembered who she was in her last life and so she wanted nothing but to return to her deva. So she lived a virtuous life and was born among the very bunch again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Her death has gone unnoticed and her deva asks her where she's been. Here she tells him about her human life and he is amazed by the short life of humans as they are still in the very same park enjoying it's beauty, remaining there since the last time she was a deva (A whole human life spent in a single visit to a park)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have often seen this story used as an anchor by monks to explain the length of life in higher realms saying&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It has only been a few days for them since the &lt;em&gt;Parinirvana&lt;/em&gt; of Lord Buddha, so there is still thee purest of the teaching as there are ones who saw  and listened to lord buddha there still among them. Also there are enlightened one's from that era still living and advising there.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't help but think that no mater what no one will spend a human lifetime's length to have a  walk in a park.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Perhaps this is a time lapse that is here?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know this is not a place to play with science and buddhism. but i'm asking this to get an explanation as i've seen many people listen to this and delay their efforts limiting themselves to hording only good karma but no other efforts on much arduous sections of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before you downvote or delete this please consider the kind of good or harm that can come of this as this is an interpretation that has rallied too many people behind it (At least in my country). And i'm not asking for opinions either&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can we make of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it a universal phenomenon like time lapse/ Einstein's reletivity?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Or a misinterpretation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-23T04:46:14.990" Title="Realms : About a certain Deva's concubine's rebirth?" Tags="|realms|six-realms|correct-interpretation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18573" CreationDate="2016-12-22T02:09:39.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Australia, America and many other countiries, many zen temples offer classes in both English and Chinese (separately).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10101" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T02:09:39.830" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18565" CreationDate="2016-12-22T02:14:23.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is fairly short: in both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10101" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-22T03:43:34.260" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T03:43:34.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18578" CreationDate="2016-12-22T03:43:49.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question is: is it scientifically and metaphysically true that there are different time scales for the devas, humans and other beings? If so, my answer is yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metaphysically, there are different realms of beings. Those celestial beings have longer lifespans and their days and nights are longer than humans, depended on the layer of celestial realm they belonged. some's day and night is equal to a year in human's, or equal to thousand years of the human time scale. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientifically, these could be proved. In the Solar System, some planets take longer time to circulate the sun, compared to earth's 365.25 days (a year); some planets' self-rotation is longer, compared to earth's 24 hours (a day). It is estimated that the sun takes 25000/26000 years to circulate the galactic center, and the milky way is circulating another astronomical object. Only this will make the time scale different, not to say that there are Einstein/quantum level of force and phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha also talked about the lifespan for human was co-related, from 84000 (I believe this figure equal to the meaning of numberless in Buddha's time) to 100. When in the 100, it will reduce to 10, as the karma of the kalpa going worser and worser. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &quot;time lapse&quot; stories not only exist in the Deva stories (Indian), also told in Chinese myths.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2016-12-23T04:46:14.990" LastActivityDate="2016-12-23T04:46:14.990" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9844" CreationDate="2016-12-22T07:22:24.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An enlightened person who has achieved arahantship has put an end to mental fermentations, so how would they cry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fermentations which would cause one to cry, experience grief and sorrow wouldn't be there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means they could only pretend to cry or have the appearance of crying but not actually experience grief or sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. For one who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?&quot; (Dhammapada, 216)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But whoever overcomes this wretched craving, so difficult to&#xA;  overcome, from him sorrows fall away like water from a lotus leaf.&quot;&#xA;  (Dhammapada, 335-336)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is the highest bliss, highest enjoyment, with fermentations (asavas) put to an end how can someone cry, be fearful, sorrowful, angry? Experiencing such an extreme form of enjoyment why would anyone cry?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doubtless, fearless, sorrowless, angerless, calm, and happy walks the arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T07:22:24.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18573" CreationDate="2016-12-22T07:53:32.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not really but when looking for good sources to learn from make sure translations are accurate and be ware of teachers that are those new age hippies that say Buddhism is not about rebirth, karma, has no gods, Zen is not Buddhism, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T07:53:32.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18563" CreationDate="2016-12-22T07:55:24.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sravakayana Sutras he stated that any dependently originated phenomenon are not self and in Mahayana Sutras he makes it clear that the Tathagatagharba and Nirvana hold the qualities of Permanence, Bliss, Self and Purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10084" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T07:55:24.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18544" CreationDate="2016-12-22T08:44:29.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not clear if The Buddha died from eating pork or mushrooms (sukara-maddava). But it was obviously intentional or planned out (since according to the sutta no one else in the universe would be able to eat such a thing and entirely digest it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear that The Buddha did not support vegetarianism. He opposed directly killing animals (hunting, fishing, etc...) but eating meat that wasn't directly killed by you or naturally died is allowed. He also opposed damaging plant and seed life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also pointed out that ascetic practices (which includes avoiding eating meat, drinking alcohol, etc...) are painful in the present and yield pain in the future (MN 45), they lead to hell or lower destinations as explained because they simply torment one's body without causing one to achieve arahantship or higher states (jhanas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vegetarianism fits into the category of an ascetic practice that by itself doesn't cause one to achieve arahantship or higher states (jhanas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A vegetarian who hasn't ended their mental fermentations is still a non-arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A vegetarian who does evil deeds is still an evil doer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practices are only helpful if they lead towards arahantship (the ending of mental fermentations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I praise the right method of a householder or of one gone forth&#xA;  homeless. Whether a householder or one gone forth homeless, if fallen&#xA;  to the right method it is possible that he should be convinced of&#xA;  noble merit. &quot; (MN 99)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Not by shaven head does a man who is indisciplined and untruthful&#xA;  become a monk. How can he who is full of desire and greed be a monk?&quot;&#xA;  (Dhammapada, 264)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just as kusa grass wrongly handled cuts the hand, even so, a&#xA;  recluse's life wrongly lived drags one to hell&quot; (Dhammapada, 311)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How important is vegetarianism by itself to achieving arahantship? Not very.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lots of things you do can indirectly kill living beings besides eating meat (not directly killed by you or your request), better to focus on the things that matter that lead towards arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For reference, here's what it says in MN 45:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the&#xA;  present and yields pain in the future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where someone is a cloth-less ascetic, rejecting&#xA;  conventions, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not staying&#xA;  when asked. He doesn't consent to food brought to him or food&#xA;  dedicated to him or to an invitation to a meal. He accepts nothing&#xA;  from the mouth of a pot or from the mouth of a bowl. He accepts&#xA;  nothing from across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating&#xA;  together, from a pregnant woman, from a nursing woman, from a woman&#xA;  lying with a man, from a food collection, from where a dog is waiting&#xA;  or flies are buzzing. &lt;strong&gt;He takes no fish or meat.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;He drinks no liquor,&#xA;  wine, or fermented drink.&lt;/strong&gt; He limits himself to one house &amp;amp; one morsel&#xA;  a day, or two houses &amp;amp; two morsels... seven houses &amp;amp; seven morsels. He&#xA;  lives on one saucerful a day, two... seven saucerfuls a day. He takes&#xA;  food once a day, once every two days... once every seven days, and so&#xA;  on up to a fortnight, devoted to regulating his intake of food. He is&#xA;  an eater of greens, millet, wild rice, hide-parings, moss, rice bran,&#xA;  rice-scum, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. He lives on forest roots&#xA;  &amp;amp; berries. He feeds on fallen fruits. He wears hemp, canvas, shrouds,&#xA;  refuse rags, tree bark, antelope hide, strips of antelope hide,&#xA;  kusa-grass garments, bark garments, wood-shaving garments, head-hair&#xA;  garments, animal wool, owl's wings. He is a hair-&amp;amp;-beard puller, one&#xA;  devoted to the practice of pulling out his hair &amp;amp; beard. He is a&#xA;  stander, one who rejects seats. He is a hands-around-the-knees sitter,&#xA;  one devoted to the exertion of sitting with his hands around his&#xA;  knees. He is a spike-mattresser, one who makes his bed on a bed of&#xA;  spikes. He is a third-time-in-the-evening bather, one who stays&#xA;  devoted to the practice of bathing in water. &lt;strong&gt;Thus in a variety of ways&#xA;  he stays devoted to the practice of tormenting &amp;amp; afflicting the body.&#xA;  With the break-up of the body, after death, he goes to a bad bourn,&#xA;  destitution, the realm of the hungry shades, hell.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&#xA;  (Cula-dhammasamadana Sutta, MN 45)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in MN 12 The Buddha explains how following a certain diet didn't help him achieve enlightenment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Sariputta, there are certain recluses and brahmans whose doctrine and&#xA;  view is this: 'Purification comes about through food.' They say: 'Let&#xA;  us live on beans'... 'Let us live on sesamum'... 'Let us live on&#xA;  rice,' and they eat rice, they eat rice powder, they drink rice water,&#xA;  and they make various kinds of rice concoctions. Now I recall having&#xA;  eaten a single rice grain a day. Sariputta, you may think that the&#xA;  rice grain was bigger at that time, yet you should not regard it so:&#xA;  the rice grain was then at most the same size as now. Through feeding&#xA;  on a single rice grain a day, my body reached a state of extreme&#xA;  emaciation. Because of eating so little... the hair, rotted at its&#xA;  roots, fell from my body as I rubbed.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yet, Sariputta, by such conduct, by such practice, by such&#xA;  performance of austerities, I did not attain any superhuman states,&#xA;  any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why&#xA;  was that? Because I did not attain that noble wisdom which when&#xA;  attained is noble and emancipating and leads the one who practices in&#xA;  accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.&quot;&#xA;  (Maha-sihanada Sutta, MN 12)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also The Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, one who hasn't abandoned nine things is incapable of realizing&#xA;  arahantship. Which nine? Passion, aversion, delusion, anger,&#xA;  resentment, arrogance, insolence, envy, &amp;amp; stinginess. One who hasn't&#xA;  abandoned these nine things is incapable of realizing arahantship.&quot;&#xA;  (AN 9.62)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means those who abstain from eating meat and follow other rules but haven't abandoned these nine things would still be incapable of becoming arahants even though they follow all types of rules and ascetic practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2016-12-22T10:41:07.613" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T10:41:07.613" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18536" CreationDate="2016-12-22T20:24:51.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea is similar to the philosophy of &lt;strong&gt;Adwaita Vedanta in Hinduism&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; We may worship &lt;strong&gt;GOD with form (sakara , finite) or without form (Nirakara ,Infinite)&lt;/strong&gt; .&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Worshiping a Human being&lt;/strong&gt; as God or Son of God or Incarnation of God or Representative of God on Earth (Prophet, teacher, leader) etc. ,..is the &lt;em&gt;First stage of Human Spiritual Development&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Worshipping the INFINITE Nature or Universe -- or-- the Invisible Power or Laws that move and control it&lt;/strong&gt;,..is the &lt;em&gt;Second sage of Human Spiritual Development&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Scientists Studying the Universe or Cosmos , trying to discover the &lt;strong&gt;Laws&lt;/strong&gt; , that Govern the Universe , are in practice , worshipping that Infinite God .&#xA;An would be cosmologist , &lt;strong&gt;first&lt;/strong&gt; studies the works of Scientists like Newton ,Einstein etc. and &lt;strong&gt;second&lt;/strong&gt; studies the Universe Himself ,taking the latest available information into consideration. &lt;br/&gt;He gets satisfaction only in the second stage .&lt;br/&gt; &lt;em&gt;As he continues his study ,he might change or modify the thinkings of previous scientists , like Newton or Einstein and at a later stage , may give his own views or theory of the working of the Universe&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; So , the logic is this --- &lt;strong&gt;First&lt;/strong&gt; ..Worship and &lt;strong&gt;follow the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; and then &lt;strong&gt;Second..  , go beyond Buddha , and think of the Infinite Universe YOURSELF&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2016-12-22T20:24:51.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18589" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-23T23:24:33.843" Score="3" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;i practice for a few years - did basic course and few retreats in Ven/ajhan tong tradition (vipassana)  - But no matter what technique i try (meditating a short amount like 5 minutes - only being mindful - keeping 8 precepts meditating all day) i never manage to keep practicing more than a few days and than taking a break for a few months with 0 minute meditating and being mindful &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question : I remember reading in several places the importance of continued practice of a steady practice  - and since i make huge breaks all the time and cant seem to prevent them - i wonder if there is a point in the practice if i almost certain i will take this huge breaks  - i don't seem to be &quot;advancing&quot; in any way but i would keep practicing if it was only not seeing &quot;results&quot;  but cause i read in so many place the importance of continued practice   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is there a point in a very inconsistent practice ? if so in what ways  someone who has this an inconsistent practice like mine be advancing advance ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T00:09:23.117" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T05:08:39.323" Title="Is there a point for a not continues practice?" Tags="|practice|consistent|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18589" CreationDate="2016-12-24T02:48:06.843" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should consider the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Change your approach&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism the emphasis is on skillful means, sitting meditation is not the only practice available, there are plenty of other Dharma practices you can do, build up your base of merits first. You could focus on chanting a particular passage or mantras, this allow your mind something to focus on, and you will naturally see mindful concentration arise through this practice, even without trying to sit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could attend services, try to participate in any group chanting if available - Theravada is far as I know is not available for lay people in this case. But there are plenty of Mahayana Buddhist temples that offer group chanting with lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could offer to help clean up the temple, cleaning is also a powerful practice for mindful concentration if you can focus on what you are doing. Zen monks can do chores like cleaning and still experience Zen also known as Jhana. They blissfully and mindfully perform the tasks needing to be done. Go forth and volunteer! In fact, just participate and enjoy the community, you will learn something!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can practice offering alms to your community of monks, giving is a great practice of Dāna and give rise to skillful mental qualities. In fact before you try to focus your mind on sitting meditation, try to cultivate positive qualities like love, kindness and avoid negative ones like anger in your daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you build up your merits, you will find it easier to sit because your mind will naturally begin to calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know that your effort makes a difference&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes a consistent practice is of course better, but even one single change of thought will make a difference no matter how small. Take comfort in this. Have some confidence in the fact that even when you don't seem to be 'getting somewhere' at least you are not doing something harmful, and that is already making a difference, and if you are not advancing, at least you are not sliding towards more suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And your actions will eventually create the causes and conditions favorable to further your path, whether it will take years or life times. Have some faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T02:57:44.490" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T02:57:44.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15446" CreationDate="2016-12-24T04:33:08.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are actually misunderstanding the verse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The verse is in fact the KEY to unlocking the understanding of the Prajñāpāramitā sutras - Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra as well the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an alternative English translation (You Zai) of the verse from Mulamadhyamaka Karika from the Chinese translation by Kumarajiva&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All dharmas that arise from causes and conditions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I call them emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are also provisional names,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And also the Middle Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chinese text&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;眾因緣生法，我説即是空；&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;亦為是假名，亦是中道義。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Nagarjuna is saying, is that because all dependent originated phenomenon are due to causes and conditions, by their very conditionality they are impermanent and without self. As stated by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This arising, that arises;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This ceasing, that ceases.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore because things are impermanent and without a true lasting self. He call them 'empty'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the term 'emptiness' is also just a convenient label, because it does not fully explain the complexity of the phenomenon and all the causes that made up something. To say something is 'empty' is that it ultimately lacks an underlying 'essence', but does not mean that it does not exist but that it does not &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;truly&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is therefore the Middle Way between Eternalism and Annihilationism. To be annihilationist is to say nothing exists and that there are no causes for anything to occur. This isn't the definition of emptiness as used by Nagarjuna. It is because there are causes, there are outcomes, but because they are made up of causes, there are also impermanent, hence is not Eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whenever you come across a text like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your should consider the meaning of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is dependently generated, Dependent origination is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is impermanent, Impermanence is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is without self, Without self is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question would be, why did Mahayana Buddhist Nagarjuna rephrase what is already a known Buddhist concept into 'emptiness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It because of what they perceived as the reification of Buddhist teachings in the Abhidhamma by schools such as the Sarvastivada (one of the ancestors of the Theravada), recall that even in modern Theravada teaches that Nibanna is unconditioned, a deathless dimension, and that the Arahants are perfect etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna denies such permanence and eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is No Wisdom, and There is No Attainment Whatsoever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because wisdom is itself conditioned (by the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path), and therefore wisdom too is impermanent. Hence the fruit of Four Stages of Attainment (Stream Entry, Once Returner, One Returner, Arahantship) are impermanent too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not saying that there wisdom does not exist or the fruits of the contemplative life does not exist. They do exist, but like everything else are impermanent and not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna is breaking our attachments to the attainments within the very Dharma itself! Even Nirvana itself is impermanent! The end of suffering as is suffering is caused and conditioned and is impermanent!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T07:08:43.033" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T07:08:43.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18592" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-24T05:21:35.957" Score="3" ViewCount="1038" Body="&lt;p&gt;Namo Buddhaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to ask something related to vegetarianism in Buddhism. This question started when I read about vegetarianism according to several schools of Buddhism such as Theravada and Mahayana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada, the Buddha allows Buddhist and monks to consume meat if it is not seen, heard, or suspected as a sentient being is not slaughtered only for the eater. This is stated in Jivaka Sutta, MN 55. There were also monastic guidelines in Theravada stated that Buddhists are prohibited to eat 10 types of meat such as humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears and hyenas. This is because these animals can be provoked by the smell of the flesh of their own kind, or because eating of such flesh would generate a bad reputation for the Sangha. This makes sense for me but why is cat not included ? So, the monks are not prohibited to eat meat and the rule is also not stated in the Vinaya (227 Patimokkha precepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana, the Buddha doesn't allow his followers not to eat any kind of meat. Even if vegetarian food has been touched by meat, it needs to be washed away before it can be eaten. The Mahayana's precepts refer to the Dharmadatu. It means when you eat the flesh of a sentient being, it is the same as you eat the flesh of a single dhatu. For example, when you eat a chicken's flesh, it is the same as you eat the flesh of the chicken's mother.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2 schools have made me confused which one is the right one? Why the Buddha's preaching about vegetarianism is not same in Theravada and Mahayana schools. Is the Buddha who preached about those not only Sidharta Gautama? However, because of this confusing, I take the own way or Middle way, that is, not to eat meat too often in order to save the world because of the green house gases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope the Buddhists here can help me to attain bright explanation of vegetarianism in buddhism. I'm sorry if there are misintrepreted sentences from me. Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhitatta. I hope all sentient beings can live happily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10539" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T19:54:53.093" Title="Vegetarianism in Buddhism on different schools" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14245" CreationDate="2016-12-24T07:24:27.357" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this article when I was searching &quot;Buddhism&quot; and bad parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For nearly 20 years I have been working with young people who have been emotionally abused by their parents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have learned a lot about society and belief systems while doing this work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now I am trying to help a 15 year old transgender teenager who was sent to a mental health hospital by her emotionally abusive and neglectful mother. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is unhealthy for her to live under the control of this mother. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mother is not meeting the emotional needs of the teen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest we look at things from a perspective of &quot;who needs what&quot;. I have found that a lot of parents have a big need to control their children, of any age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way they do that is with guilt trips. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not sure what a guilt trip is, you can google it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would say that telling someone that to &quot;not listen to your parents is bad karma&quot; is a manipulative guilt trip designed to control behavior. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I thank Heisenberg for their post and for using their brain and emotional intelligence to question something that is, for me at least, very obviously messed up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10540" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T07:24:27.357" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18594" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-24T10:07:13.643" Score="1" ViewCount="721" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that the standard Mahayana claim about the Theravada canon is that he needed to teach it for those who were not ready to accept the Mahayana. But do all Buddhas have to teach the four noble truths, etc., as they appear in Theravada? Or will / have some Buddhas taught only (their own) enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking because I'm &lt;em&gt;confused&lt;/em&gt;: whether or not it's logical to be! How can there be a Buddha without Arhants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If some or all Buddhas teach an enlightenment without Arhants, who in turn teach an enlightenment without Arhants, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;how this is any different to Arhantship&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, just under a different name?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T14:08:04.263" LastActivityDate="2019-04-16T01:33:39.970" Title="Why did the buddha teach the mahayana?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18592" CreationDate="2016-12-24T10:29:35.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;maybe you dont eat meat based on other Bodhisattvas you have or other holy perosns views which are not the historical buddha ?? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About theravada which i follow :   the buddha we are talking about at least didnt ban eating meat &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i think in theravada its all about kusala and akusala &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and i can think at the moment on  benefits from being Vegan : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restraint which helps in many ways  -  and it might even help in metta &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;probably more benefits also  - and like all things you can have bad sides like if you give money and you get to proud of the fact you give money and think your better than others same with not eating meat ect   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the problem with this issue is that meat tastes good - so people will look for ways to justify eating it but not so much why not to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T12:32:45.727" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T12:32:45.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18596" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-24T10:33:57.870" Score="0" ViewCount="1910" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have any important Buddhists made any claim/s about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U._G._Krishnamurti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Krishnamurti's&lt;/a&gt; teachings? Especially (caveat I know nothing about this) his claim that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Tell them &lt;strong&gt;there is &lt;em&gt;nothing&lt;/em&gt; to understand&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bold emphasis is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U._G._Krishnamurti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mine&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He claimed that the demand for enlightenment was the only thing&#xA;  standing in the way of enlightenment itself, if enlightenment existed&#xA;  at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T19:56:13.423" LastActivityDate="2022-09-23T14:13:59.897" Title="Have any notable Buddhists commented on Krishnamurti's teachings?" Tags="|comparative-religion|teachers|religion|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="10" ClosedDate="2022-09-23T14:20:07.540" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18592" CreationDate="2016-12-24T10:43:57.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana, the Buddha doesn't allow his followers not to&#xA;  eat any kind of meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To my limited knowledge, this statement is not true. What I mean is that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I do not know of any Mahayana sutra in which the Buddha proscribed the eating of meat. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no Pratimoksha vow (neither in the Mūlasarvāstivāda nor in the Dharmagupta linage) prohibiting even a monk to eat meat.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;However, it is true that Mahayana tends to encourage the stoppage of meat consumption. For instance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the 8 Mahayana &lt;strong&gt;24 hours&lt;/strong&gt; precepts says not to eat at inappropriate times. Most Mahayana institutions interpret it to mean (in addition to not eating after lunch) not to eat black food. In this respect, Lama Yeshe says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Fasting. The foods we shouldn’t have are onion, garlic, eggs, and&#xA;  meat—these are recognized as black foods. Also, radish has a bad&#xA;  element, a bad power. Taking these foods affects the pure power of the&#xA;  mind. If we are only concerned for the body, it is okay, but for a&#xA;  person practicing Dharma and following precepts the reason is keeping&#xA;  the body clean but not with attachment. These foods destroy the power&#xA;  of the body and the power of the mind, making one sleepy, unconscious,&#xA;  and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Master Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, stated in his terma Jewel Lamp Commentary on the Three Roots: “The eating of meat should be gradually stopped,...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In some countries where Mahayana strives, it is expected of monks and nuns not to eat meat. It is even expected of them to eat vegan. Such is the case of Vietnam, for instance, where I went last summer. It is not because of the Pratimoksha, but because it is expected of monks holding the bodhisattva vows to express compassion in this way. It is a matter of principle, since there is no bodhisattva vow prohibiting the eating of meat.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not think it is related to the Dharmadhatu, but simply to the notion that eating meat amounts to eating the flesh of a sentient being that used to be one's mother. If anything, it is related to karma, rebirth and compassion. It is because the seven-fold training to arise the mind of enlightenment - bodhicitta - includes remembering that all sentient beings have been our mother, remembering their kindness, wanting to repay their kindness, generating compassion, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although Mahayana tends to encourage the stoppage of eating meat, several Mahayana practitioners do eat meat &lt;strong&gt;in fact&lt;/strong&gt;. For instance, there is a great practitioner who eats so much meat that, when she approaches our area, we say the cows are crying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche gives his view on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khenposodargye.org/2013/10/on-vegetarianism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vegetarianism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T10:43:57.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18592" CreationDate="2016-12-24T12:25:19.587" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not much to explain here. There is no evidence for results of kamma outside of your conscious experience. You have a conscience. The more you meditate &amp;amp; are sensitive to the heart, the clearer your conscience, the more compassion you have, the more ability to reason with wisdom. If the mind is free from greed &amp;amp; lust for food, it can calmly make a sensitive decision based on weighing various factors (costs &amp;amp; benefits). People have always eating meat for food, meat will always be available, we certainly feel better knowing we are minimizing harm &amp;amp; damage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's attitude for food is summed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T12:25:19.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18594" CreationDate="2016-12-24T12:32:43.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada teaches the path to individual enlightenment. Mahayana teaches the path to save all sentient beings, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Not until the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha; not until&#xA;  all beings are saved will I certify to Bodhi&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Beings are numberless, I vow to save them. Desires are inexhaustible,&#xA;  I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless, I vow to enter them.&#xA;  Buddha's way is unsurpassable, I vow to become it.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.about.com/od/mahayanabuddhism/a/bodhisattva-vows.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhisattva Vows&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No person has ever saved all sentient beings or emptied the hells, including any Buddhas. It would be expected a Buddha would teach what is possible &amp;amp; achievable. A person that has not completed their Path cannot be a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T19:06:48.977" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T19:06:48.977" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18600" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-24T12:51:47.850" Score="1" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;In what ways have Buddhists responded to the apparent impossibility of saving all sentient beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do they claim that it isn't impossible, or only need be partially achieved, or that not all Buddha's took this vow, or what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T21:05:18.123" Title="In what ways have Buddhists responded to the apparent impossibility of saving all sentient beings?" Tags="|bodhisattva-vows|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1983" CreationDate="2016-12-24T14:16:48.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is to be overcome in Buddhism, though IIRC there's a point made in the abdhidharma that lacking &lt;em&gt;good fear&lt;/em&gt; is a bad thing, an obstacle to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, internally speaking, Buddhist philosophy and religion &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; motivated by fear. If we cross the road to avoid traffic, then that it motivated by the traffic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have even, I think, seen it suggested that it's only fear of suffering which the Buddha conquered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the idea of practicing Buddhism out of fear of bad karma is I think a fairly coarse understanding of the philosophy and religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T14:16:48.990" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18594" CreationDate="2016-12-24T16:00:30.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why did the buddha teach the mahayana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Buddha knows that there are ready students for the Mahayana; same as there are ready students for the Theravada; same for Hinayana. As &lt;strong&gt;A BUDDHA&lt;/strong&gt;, HE is able to teach any truth/doctrine. The Four Noble Truths is one of the fundamental teachings in Mahayana, it's not exclusive for Theravada only. If you read the Lotus Sutra (translated by Kumarajiva into Chinese), a chapter told that this Lotus Sutra was taught in the previous-previous sermon by the previous-previous Buddha. Buddha Prabhutaratna (many-treasures), the Buddha who had entered Nirvana eons of kalpas ago, appeared, and sat together with Buddha Shakyamuni inside the Prabhutaratna Stupa for this sermon of the Lotus Sutra... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another chapter used a metaphor, to &quot;lure&quot; the sons leaving the burning house, the rich father said there were vehicles adorned with treasures drawn by cows, deers and etc waiting at the entrance. In fact, the father would like to give all the sons the great vehicles with most of the treasures because he was very very rich and loving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since all beings are the buddha-to-be; and was in essence a buddha, thus maybe you would give teaching in the time-to-be, it would be the same truth but told in the way that dictated by your audiences ;)      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T16:05:32.777" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T16:05:32.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18603" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18600" CreationDate="2016-12-24T16:49:47.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Mahayana viewpoint, the mind of enlightenment is the wish to achieve buddhahood in order to benefit all sentient beings. It is true we also often say &quot;to set them in enlightenment&quot; as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The omniscient mind of a buddha gives birth to the teachings of the buddha in that it causes him to teach us the Dharma. We say that the teachings of the buddha emanate from his omniscient mind (the wisdom truth body part of the dharmakaya). In a way, he teaches all of us but some do not have the ears to listen to him. This is merely an analogy. The meaning is that not all sentient beings have the karma to listen to the Buddha dharma but his enlightened deeds (in particular his teachings) pervade all sentient beings, just like the rays of the sun illuminate indiscriminately. However, the deeds of a buddha do not engage with all sentient beings, they are &lt;strong&gt;capable&lt;/strong&gt; of doing so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his &lt;em&gt;Commentary to Maitreya/Asanga's Great Vehicle Treatise on the Sublime Continuum&lt;/em&gt; (mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga) Gyaltsab Je says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These three can be illustrated: meditating on the path of utilizing&#xA;  the basic element results in the attainment of the dharmakaya of a&#xA;  perfect buddha whose enlightened deeds emanate and pervade to all&#xA;  sentient beings. These enlightened deeds of the dharmakaya are capable&#xA;  of engaging with sentient beings and exist exclusively for the mind&#xA;  streams of sentient beings. Because of this it is said that all&#xA;  sentient beings possess tathagata essence. This is similar in meaning&#xA;  to the Abhisamayalamkara when it says, &quot;Because enlightened deeds are&#xA;  vast, it said that the buddha is all pervasive.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Illustrating the teachings of conventional and ultimate truth with&#xA;  similes gives further explanation of the term &quot;emanate&quot; in the line,&#xA;  &quot;The perfect buddha body emanates. &quot; This is because &quot;dharmakaya&#xA;  emanates&quot; means &quot;dharmakaya pervades,&quot; which in turn refers to being&#xA;  pervaded by enlightened deeds, and enlightened deeds engage with all&#xA;  sentient beings by way of the speech of the tathagatas teaching the&#xA;  dharma to various disciples. The capability of the enlightened deeds&#xA;  to engage with sentient beings is always present and this is the&#xA;  meaning of &quot;pervaded by the dharmakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, according to Mahayana tenets, the continuum of a buddha is not severed. His enlightened deeds will not stop as long as one being remains in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2016-12-24T22:03:17.797" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T22:03:17.797" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18594" CreationDate="2016-12-24T17:16:00.790" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why did the Buddha teach the mahayana? No, He did not teach Mahayana. Nor did He teach Theravada, Sarvastivada, Pudgalavada, etc. and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;18 or so schools&lt;/a&gt; that splitted from His original Teaching/Dhamma after His passing away. Fortunately for us, all the different schools still share the same &quot;core&quot; regarding the Discourses and Discipline: 3 characteristics, 4NT, 5 Precepts, 8NP, 12DO, etc. Of course there're certain doctrinal disagreements among the schools which is expected and unavoidable but if one sticks to those pillars of teaching, one'd find out that they have a lot more in common than difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T17:16:00.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18594" CreationDate="2016-12-24T20:56:27.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I know that the standard Mahayana claim about the Theravada canon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that it's &quot;about the Theravada canon&quot;.&#xA;I don't know what you're referring to but if you look at &lt;em&gt;The Jewel Ornament Of Liberation&lt;/em&gt;, for example, the introduction (Part 1) identifies five &quot;families&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Disconnected -- no concern for&#xA;  what others think, no modesty, no compassion, and so forth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Indefinite -- might join the Hearer or Solitary Realizer or a Mahayana, depending on what kind of master they meet or what texts they study&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hearer -- The family of Hearers consists of those who fear samsara and yearn to achieve nirvana, but who have little&#xA;  compassion. It has been said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who is afraid upon seeing the suffering of samsara&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And yearns to achieve nirvana&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  But has little interest in benefitting sentient beings—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These three are the marks of the Hearer family &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Solitary Realizer -- similar to hearer except also,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Little compassion, arrogance,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Secretive about their teachers, and enjoying solitude—&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A wise one should understand that these are the marks of the Solitary Realizer family&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana family&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's worth noting that the Mahayana is not being contrasted here with Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One tradition associated with Bodhisattva vows teaches that disparaging others is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhicitta.net/BODHISATTVAVOWS.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a downfall&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is very risky for Mahayana practitioners to think that the Mahayana teachings are the highest, the most complete or advanced teachings and that the other teachings such as those of the Theravadin are lower or incomplete. Having such a feeling is really a very heavy negativity. &#xA;  When the Buddha taught these different liberation vehicles he did not teach that the Individual Liberation vehicle is the starting point, the Mahayana vehicle is in the middle and Vajrayana is the completion. He taught according to people’s different mental dispositions and we must understand it in that context. No one system is ‘better’, ‘higher’ or ‘more advanced’ than the others. &#xA;  Of course, in order to understand teachings such as the Vajrayana, an understanding of the Bodhisattva teachings on emptiness and bodhicitta is needed because there is a strong link between them and the entire Vajrayana practice is designed to make the Bodhisattva path quicker. It is very important not to have a notion that some teachings are lower or inferior to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it's less to do with what the canons are, and more to do with how you relate with other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But do all Buddhas have to teach the four noble truths, etc., as they appear in Theravada?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only thing I've read on that subject (i.e. about the teaching of &quot;all Buddhas&quot;) are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;these verses of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Ananda asked the Buddha whether the Fundamental Instructions to bhikkhus given by the preceding Buddhas were the same as those of the Buddha himself. To him the Buddha replied that the instructions given by all the Buddhas are as given in the following verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Verse 183: &lt;em&gt;Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Verse 184: &lt;em&gt;The best moral practice is patience and forbearance; &quot;Nibbana is Supreme&quot;, said the Buddhas. A bhikkhu does not harm others; one who harms others is not a bhikkhu.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Verse 185: &lt;em&gt;Not to revile, not to do any harm, to practise restraint according to the Fundamental Instructions for the bhikkhus, to be moderate in taking food, to dwell in a secluded place, to devote oneself to higher concentration - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally see the four noble truths as central; but I think &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; showed that they're not a doctrine that make sense to everyone, and the answers to that question show that there are different aspects of Buddhism that different people consider central.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;set of lists&lt;/a&gt; suggests that even only within the Theravada canon, the doctrine is more than the four noble truths (or it's sometimes summarized as doctrine simpler than the four noble truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-12-24T20:56:27.753" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18606" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18611" CreationDate="2016-12-25T02:40:43.893" Score="-2" ViewCount="816" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the major Christian teachings that Buddhists don't accept and why? For further reading, can anyone recommend books which critique Christianity from a Buddhist viewpoint?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For context, I am a follower of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jiddu Krishnamurti&lt;/a&gt;, whose teachings were similar to Buddha's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9851" LastEditorUserId="575" LastEditDate="2016-12-30T02:48:12.377" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T02:48:12.377" Title="What are the major Buddhist critiques of Christianity?" Tags="|christianity|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18594" CreationDate="2016-12-25T03:17:56.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I know that the standard Mahayana claim about the Theravada canon is that he needed to teach it for those who were not ready to accept the Mahayana. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a skillful means explanation to a very long issues spanning centuries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all you need to be aware of the Abhidhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma Pitaka is a detailed scholastic reworking of material&#xA;  appearing in the Suttas, according to schematic classifications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The narrative:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tradition[4] holds that the Buddha thought out the Abhidhamma&#xA;  immediately after his enlightenment then taught it to the gods some&#xA;  years later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The facts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Scholars, however, generally date the Abhidhamma works to originating&#xA;  some time around the third century BCE, 100 to 200 years after the&#xA;  death of the Buddha. Therefore, the seven Abhidhamma works are&#xA;  generally claimed by scholars not to represent the words of the Buddha&#xA;  himself, but those of disciples and scholars&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The debate&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the last major division of the canon, the Abhidhamma Pitaka has had&#xA;  a checkered history. It was not accepted as canonical by the&#xA;  Mahasanghika school[dubious – discuss][2][10] and several other&#xA;  schools[dubious – discuss].[11] Another school included most of the&#xA;  Khuddaka Nikaya within the Abhidhamma Pitaka.[2] Also, the Pali&#xA;  version of the Abhidhamma is a strictly Theravada collection, and has&#xA;  little in common with the Abhidhamma works recognized by other&#xA;  Buddhist schools.[12] The various Abhidhamma philosophies of the&#xA;  various early schools have no agreement on doctrine&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Early Mahayana sutras&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, which&#xA;  are among the earliest Mahāyāna sūtras,[17][18] developed among the&#xA;  Mahāsāṃghika along the Kṛṣṇa River in the Āndhra region of southern&#xA;  India.[19]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The earliest Mahāyāna sūtras to include the very first versions of the&#xA;  Prajñāpāramitā genre, along with texts concerning Akṣobhya Buddha,&#xA;  which were probably written down in the 1st century BCE in the south&#xA;  of India.[20][21] Guang Xing states, &quot;Several scholars have suggested&#xA;  that the Prajñāpāramitā probably developed among the Mahāsāṃghikas in&#xA;  southern India, in the Āndhra country, on the Kṛṣṇa River.&quot;[19] A.K.&#xA;  Warder believes that &quot;the Mahāyāna originated in the south of India&#xA;  and almost certainly in the Āndhra country.&quot;[22]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prajñāpāramitā &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Prajñāpāramitā is a central concept in Mahāyāna Buddhism and is&#xA;  generally associated with the doctrine of emptiness (Shunyata) or&#xA;  'lack of Svabhava' (essence) and the works of Nagarjuna. Its practice&#xA;  and understanding are taken to be indispensable elements of the&#xA;  Bodhisattva path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why is all this important to the question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is because the Mahayana started out to counter the ontological claims presented in the Abhidhamma of various early Buddhist schools. You first need to understand the fundamental of the teachings before you can point out the issues within the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people including scholars and practitioners find Prajñāpāramitā sutras to be incomprehensible, even labeling it crazy wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However it is ultimately the application of dependent origination even to the attainments themselves. This verse by Nagarjuna in the Mulamadhyamaka Karika is the key to unlocking this understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All dharmas that arise from causes and conditions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I call them emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are also provisional names,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And also the Middle Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chinese text&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;眾因緣生法，我説即是空；&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;亦為是假名，亦是中道義。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Nagarjuna is saying, is that because all dependent originated phenomenon are due to causes and conditions, by their very conditionality they are impermanent and without self. As stated by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This arising, that arises;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This ceasing, that ceases.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore because things are impermanent and without a true lasting self. He call them 'empty'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However the term 'emptiness' is also just a convenient label, because it does not fully explain the complexity of the phenomenon and all the causes that made up something. To say something is 'empty' is that it ultimately lacks an underlying 'essence', but does not mean that it does not exist but that it does not &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;truly&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is therefore the Middle Way between Eternalism and Annihilationism. To be annihilationist is to say nothing exists and that there are no causes for anything to occur. This isn't the definition of emptiness as used by Nagarjuna. It is because there are causes, there are outcomes, but because they are made up of causes, there are also impermanent, hence is not Eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whenever you come across a text like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your should consider the meaning of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is dependently generated, Dependent origination is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is impermanent, Impermanence is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form is without self, Without self is form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question would be, why did Mahayana Buddhist Nagarjuna rephrase what is already a known Buddhist concept into 'emptiness'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It because of what they perceived as the reification of Buddhist teachings in the Abhidhamma by schools, recall that even in modern Theravada teaches that Nibbanna is unconditioned, a deathless dimension, and that the Arahants are perfect etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna denies such permanence and eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is No Wisdom, and There is No Attainment Whatsoever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because wisdom is itself conditioned (by the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path), and therefore wisdom too is impermanent. Hence the fruit of Four Stages of Attainment (Stream Entry, Once Returner, One Returner, Arahantship are too impermanent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not saying that there wisdom does not exist or the fruits of the contemplative life does not exist. They do exist, but like everything else are impermanent and not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna is breaking our attachments to the attainments within the very Dharma itself! Even Nirvana itself is impermanent! The end of suffering as is suffering is caused and conditioned and is impermanent! This is the meaning of non-duality in Mahayana Buddhism. It is not that wisdom and ignorance is the same. It is because they are both ultimately impermanent and cannot be permanently separated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you can see you first need to know what is there, such as the attainment of wisdom, the ending of suffering before you can come back and let go of even the attachments to those things. A person with no experience in Buddhism hearing 'emptiness' will either recoil with horror or become dangerously nihilistic increasing his own delusion. Even in the early Buddhist canon stated that the Buddha taught the results and rewards of good actions to lay people, encouraging them to be generous, and assuring them that they will reap the fruits of their actions. To more advance practitioners he cultivates their concentration and wisdom, finally pointing out that things are impermanent and not self. You need to know the basic goal of becoming enlightened before you realize there is never an end to the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No person has ever saved all sentient beings or emptied the hells,&#xA;  including any Buddhas. It would be expected a Buddha would teach what&#xA;  is possible &amp;amp; achievable. A person that has not completed their Path&#xA;  cannot be a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As pointed out, no person can ever be 'perfectly' enlightened either. The Mahayana Buddhists know their goal is not truly possible just as even the goals of the Theravada - extinction of rebirth is not truly possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If some or all Buddhas teach an enlightenment without Arhants, who in&#xA;  turn teach an enlightenment without Arhants, how this is any different&#xA;  to Arhantship, just under a different name?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In truth the names Bodhisattvas, Arhats, Buddhas are merely labels. But the distinction is the connotations that each term refers to. Arahant implies an end state to the practice. Bodhisattvas indicates that there are actually no end state, hence you can have an unenlightened bodhisattva as most beings are, or a Great Bodhisattva with immense practice. A 'Buddha' implies 'perfection' even as there is no real perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T04:41:29.590" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T04:41:29.590" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18600" CreationDate="2016-12-25T04:19:36.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You actually save all the beings in your heart. The hell within. Your demons within of anger, craving, delusion. When they are saved you are left with enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T04:19:36.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18610" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18617" CreationDate="2016-12-25T05:40:47.367" Score="-1" ViewCount="704" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In many web sites they are saying that there is another buddha and he is the incarnation of lord vishnu and he existed before lord buddha existed.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My Question&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Were there two buddhas ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Was he an incarnation of lord vishnu ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Was his teachings same as lord buddhas teachings ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10543" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T00:25:51.063" Title="Who is the adi buddha?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18606" CreationDate="2016-12-25T06:19:52.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist teachings are three-fold, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Morality; non-harming&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Concentration; unified non-judgmental awareness; unconditional love; unworldly '&lt;em&gt;heavenly&lt;/em&gt;' states of mind called '&lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom of four noble truths; three characteristics; not-self; emptiness of self; natural elements. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christianity &amp;amp; Buddhism are essentially the same in respect to 1. morality &amp;amp; 2. unified non-judgmental love however different in relation to 3. wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, it is highly probable the Christian teachings that set Christianity apart from Judaism come from Buddhism &amp;amp; post-Buddhist-Brahmanism (Hinduism). 'Brahma' is the 'Father of All' and the Buddha (in the Tevijja Sutta) taught to non-Buddhist Brahmans that the way or path to Brahma was to radiate limitless unconditional love in all directions, which is essentially the same as what Jesus taught, namely: &quot;&lt;em&gt;My love is the Way to the Father&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (John 14.6) &amp;amp; &quot;&lt;em&gt;God is love&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (1 John 4:8). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism differs from Christianity in that is does not believe in a creator God and believes everything in life, whether physical, mental or Nirvana, is merely natural elements ('dhatu'). Buddhism is strictly impersonal ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;') where as Christianity believes in personality, including the personality of God. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following book makes a comparison however I doubt it is completely objective since it seeks to make mutual understanding between religions: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thaicrc.com/gsdl/collect/MIS/index/assoc/D1928.dir/1928.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Christianity &amp;amp; Buddhism - Buddhadasa Indapanno&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T06:19:52.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18610" CreationDate="2016-12-25T06:36:42.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the Buddha is unrelated to Vishnu (refer to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/nutshell.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;),which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha is neither an incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu, as is believed by some, nor is He a savior who freely saves others by His&#xA;  personal salvation. The Buddha exhorts His disciples to depend on&#xA;  themselves for their deliverance, for both purity and defilement&#xA;  depend on oneself. Clarifying His relationship with His followers and&#xA;  emphasizing the importance of self-reliance and individual striving,&#xA;  the Buddha plainly states: &quot;You should exert yourselves, the&#xA;  Tathagatas (Buddhas) are only teachers.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, in the oldest Pali scriptures, it appears Vishnu is not mentioned at all because the primary Brahmanistic gods mentioned were Indra, Brahma &amp;amp; Prajapati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About the Vedas that existed during the Buddha's life, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vishnu is a Vedic deity, but not a prominent one when compared to Indra, Agni and others. Just 5 out of 1028 hymns of the Rigveda, a 2nd&#xA;  millennium BCE Hindu text, are dedicated to Vishnu, and he finds minor&#xA;  mention in the other hymns.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea that the Buddha was a reincarnation of Vishnu is strictly &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;from Hinduism&lt;/a&gt; and part of the assimilation of Buddhism into Hinduism, which made Buddhism extinct in India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T06:42:21.567" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T06:42:21.567" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18536" CreationDate="2016-12-25T06:47:58.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever Zen Buddhist talks of 'emptiness', or 'no', they are essentially referring to dependent origination with the terminology as used by the Madhyamaka. As stated by Nagarjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All dharmas that arise from causes and conditions,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I call them emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are also provisional names,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And also the Middle Way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Nagarjuna is saying, is that because all dependent originated phenomenon are due to causes and conditions, by their very conditionality they are impermanent and without self. As stated by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This arising, that arises;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This ceasing, that ceases.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore because things are impermanent and without a true lasting self. He call them 'empty'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Huineng's famous stanza response to Shenxiu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Our body is the Bodhi tree,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And our mind is like a bright mirror with stand,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Diligently we wipe them all the time,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And let no dust alight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Shenxiu indicates: we need to practice to cleanse ourselves of defilement craving, aversion and delusion as represented by the dust. This is reflected in the practice of mindful concentration (following monastic discipline and meditation) which can suppress the effects of our mental afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no Bodhi Tree&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor the stand of a bright mirror,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since all is void,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where can the dust alight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However Huineng using wisdom pointed out that in fact the body and mind are themselves dependently originated. That is they are caused and conditioned, impermanent and without self, so where are afflictions actually coming from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 'dust' themselves are dependently generated craving. This is the root source of suffering. As noted earlier, emptiness means impermanence and not self. The defilement has a condition for appearing, and when the condition is removed (through the application of wisdom), the defilement dissipate. The awareness of impermanence, selflessness and understanding of dependent origination is the tool for this. Of course that level of insight only comes with the practice of ethics and concentration. So Huineng is not denying the validity of what was said by Shenxiu, but that there is a deeper way of seeing things with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tozan said to his monks, &quot;You monks should know there is an even&#xA;  higher understanding in Buddhism.&quot; A monk stepped forward and asked,&#xA;  &quot;What is the higher Buddhism?&quot; Tozan answered, &quot;It is not Buddha.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Tozan (Chan master Dongshan Liangjie) is pointing out that true wisdom is seeing emptiness, impermanence and selflessness even within the Buddha. That a Buddha is dependently originated too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately Buddhism is still talking about dependent origination, impermanence, not self, suffering and the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T06:54:45.677" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T06:54:45.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18596" CreationDate="2016-12-25T07:37:55.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not found anything about &quot;Buddhists&quot; saying anything about UG Krishnamurti. UG Krishnamurti was too low key anyway to take a &quot;religion&quot; seriously and for any &quot;eminent Buddhists&quot; to think about him. Perhaps the &quot;Buddhists&quot; here can offer some opinion(of course that would just make the site go on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's one thing I'd like to add here. UG Krishnamurti will not come off as a gentle man when he speaks and he speaks very controversially about other religions and religious leaders. People may not like it but he didn't care about it either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T07:57:56.117" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T07:57:56.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18615" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-25T09:14:44.840" Score="0" ViewCount="144" Body="&lt;p&gt;advice solicitated:i went to a wedding to perfect my mantra recitation and help around in the vedic work say,setting the &quot;havan-kunda&quot; etc.at night on the last day while i was sleeping in the outhouse,my sister was sleeping beside me, well aware of this fact,was in deep sleep,in my sleep i saw an arousing dream and then in a semi awake sate put my arms around her first in a brotherly way,but then lust gripped me,but i immediately retracted my hand and then went to bed..crying...my questions are...will god forgive me for my sin....moreover i did not spill my virya(semen)but i did commit a break in Brahmachari(out of the 8 breaks)so have i lost my rank of a Brahmachari ?????please help me.....(though this queation pertains to hinduism,i feel my Buddhist brothers and sisters can help)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T01:50:49.320" Title="should i consider this as a hindrance in my practice" Tags="|theravada|ethics|meditation-insight|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18615" CreationDate="2016-12-25T11:54:51.557" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, you have not lost your &lt;em&gt;brahmacharya&lt;/em&gt; because your action was not intentional because your mind was in partial sleep. In Buddhism, for sin or transgression to occur, it seems there must be conscious intention. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to train in discipline like a Buddhist, you should never sleep with your sister, let alone with any other female, even your mother, let alone in public, because, for a &lt;em&gt;brahmacharya&lt;/em&gt;, nocturnal emission can happen anytime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists do not believe in God. Sexual arousal is caused by chemicals, electrons &amp;amp; hormones and only enlightened beings do not have sexual arousal. Sexual arousal is 'not-self' ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The error you made was to sleep with your sister. As a &lt;em&gt;brahmacharya&lt;/em&gt;, you must not do this because a &lt;em&gt;brahmacharya&lt;/em&gt; should no longer behave like an ordinary householder. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T12:00:42.950" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T12:00:42.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18610" CreationDate="2016-12-25T14:02:05.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Were there two buddhas ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are not just one, nor two, but many many buddhas in all directions of the cosmos, literally speaking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Was he an incarnation of lord vishnu ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;adi-buddha&quot; belongs to the Tibetan Buddhism, maybe related to the Tibetan's rooted religion, Bon. &quot;adi-buddha&quot;, thus completely confusing here how does an Indian god related. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Was his teachings same as lord buddhas teachings ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. I think in the &quot;adi-buddha&quot; related faculty no record showed what he taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in Buddhism, read some fundamental sutras such as the Heart Sutra. Buddhism is about how to end the suffering and be truly liberated from life. It's not about supernatural, mystic, magic, spell, voodoo power that sorts of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T14:02:05.200" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18596" CreationDate="2016-12-25T14:26:49.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I only just read the title, and try to answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Have any notable Buddhists commented on Krishnamurti's teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Jiddu Krishnamurti &lt;em&gt;(not U. G.)&lt;/em&gt; is not particularly being concerned by any Buddhist. If you don't ask this question, this is not really a dish that's waiting to be served. This dish may even not exist.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From past material I read, he was &quot;chosen&quot; by the Theosophical Society and groomed to be a spiritual leader, later he rebelled. Theosophical Society one of the founders was Helena Blavatsky who had learnt something from the Tibetan Lama, thus formulated her theory about the 5/7(?) races, the Atlanteans, Lemurians... and the Aryans are the supreme race... her theory later was adopted by Hitler... then we will have to go on analyzing the hands playing in the dark under the table, the world history and wars how these happened... OK. Pause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;According to @sandeepani:&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;The Theosophical Society has helped the &lt;code&gt;reviving&lt;/code&gt; of Buddhism greatly during the British Colonial Era in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. But &lt;strong&gt;their teachings were somewhat different&lt;/strong&gt; still (a lot of mythical interest and combining religions), which caused many Buddhist members to leave it in later years.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are seeking to nourish your spirit, your inner life, my advice is to seek pure, pristine teachings from great teachers.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T15:33:24.177" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T15:33:24.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18619" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18679" CreationDate="2016-12-25T15:20:35.370" Score="3" ViewCount="277" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my point of view everything we love finally ends up with sufferings. love is a root to suffering. But in the society there are plenty of people who lead very happy and non-suffering lives with love. But the people with full of honesty mostly get cheated and suffer their lives. So why is this world seems to be unfair ? does it completely depends on our PREVIOUS BIRTH sins and merits ?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T04:50:33.723" Title="love and caring is suffering" Tags="|suffering|love|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18620" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18686" CreationDate="2016-12-25T15:28:44.550" Score="4" ViewCount="230" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is caring is a bad thing according to Buddhism ? Because as I experience caring leads us to suffering. But caring can come in so many levels such as we do help a person normally as a result of our caring towards that person/ animal. And in a relationship we do caring on very tiny things even by checking the other person has reached home safely etc. But in the big picture finally we get reasons to suffer due to our caring. It seems like we can get rid of most of the sufferings if we do not care. &#xA;So is it not appropriate to care ? Otherwise how can we avoid suffering ourselves while caring ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastEditorDisplayName="user7658" LastEditDate="2016-12-29T17:42:07.807" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T03:27:47.127" Title="Caring is wrong?" Tags="|suffering|relationship|love|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18622" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18647" CreationDate="2016-12-25T16:48:51.757" Score="0" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you have any suggestion on how to view the &lt;em&gt;act&lt;/em&gt; of sexual intercourse objectively? For example, when we view a lady, we view her as a composite of flesh, bones, feces, pus, joint oil, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in which way can we address sex neutrally without labelling it as good or bad? This is because I have learnt to remove my lust for the human flesh, but not for the sexual act. Is there any thought based method using which I can achieve this feat? Similarly while using urge surfing, when a lustful desire comes up I repeat in my mind &quot;pleasure, pleasure&quot; -- similarly how can I combat a desire to have sex through this technique as I am on a period of abstinence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T02:14:56.677" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T21:17:10.347" Title="How to acknowledge emotions and their consequences in day to day life?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|buddha-nature|satipatthana|craving|delusion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18619" CreationDate="2016-12-25T18:37:07.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true that worldly love finally ends up with sufferings; that worldly forms of love is a root to suffering. The only people without suffering are enlightened people. It may appear in the society there are plenty of people who lead very happy and non-suffering lives with love but this appearance is not true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the people with full of honesty mostly get cheated and suffer their lives, how can such sinlessness (honesty) be the result of previous sins &amp;amp; merits? Such an idea is illogical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People with full of honesty get cheated because of acts of evil people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am a good person &amp;amp; an evil person wants to murder me, how can I stop this? I cannot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-25T18:42:08.443" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T18:42:08.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-25T18:44:46.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ordinary caring can lead to suffering but caring with wisdom does not lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We avoid suffering ourselves while caring by developing wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T18:44:46.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18600" CreationDate="2016-12-25T21:05:18.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is Hui Neng's (the Sixth Zen Patriarch) interpretation of the first of the Bodhisatta's Four Vows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Learned Audience, all of us have now declared that we vow to deliver an infinite number of sentient beings; but what does that mean? It does not mean that I, Hui Neng, am going to deliver them.  And who are these sentient beings within our mind? They are the delusive mind, the deceitful mind, the evil mind, and such like minds-all these are sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From 'The Platform Sutra': &lt;a href=&quot;http://zen.thetao.info/read/platform.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://zen.thetao.info/read/platform.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T21:05:18.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18589" CreationDate="2016-12-25T22:45:00.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've once heard a Buddhist nun saying &lt;em&gt;If you say &quot;I can't do it&quot; it almost always means &quot;I don't want to do it&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. I felt a bit caught hearing this the first time. But it seems to be true, if the mind is always thinking about the future, what might happen and what might not happen, what you will gain or what you will loose, or if it's thinking about the past it's really impossible to stay present have and &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; and rememeber what's actually happening. The (so called untrained) mind will do anything to escape the present moment. Therefore a inconsistent practice is far better than no practice at all, because a inconsistent practice can become consistent ... through practice. But if you don't practice at all, there is no practice that could become consistent. So if your aim is a consistent practice you continue being inconsistent until you're consistent. Also what do you think is practice? Do you mean only formal meditation by saying 'practice'? It's not quantity but quality that is important. I.e. If I were to ask you &quot;In what posture are you in right now? Sitting, Lying, Standing, Walking?&quot; and you'd remind yourself &quot;I'm sitting (or else)&quot; then this moment of reminding would be practice, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've made a small collection of motivating and inspiring references/quotes from the teachings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html#hen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN22.101&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn't cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.02.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada (II. Heedfulness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[21.] Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[26.] The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness, but the wise one keeps his heedfulness as his best treasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[29.] Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake among the sleepy, the wise man advances like a swift horse leaving behind a weak jade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ajahnchah.org/pdf/food_for_the_heart.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah: Food for the Heart (Chapter: Steady Practice)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I didn’t know what to do, I was&#xA;  baffled. Then I realized that the practice which is steady is the&#xA;  important thing. One must practice consistently. They call this&#xA;  the practice that is “consistent in all postures.” Keep refining the&#xA;  practice, don’t let it become a disaster. Practice is one thing, disaster is another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most people usually create disaster. When they&#xA;  feel lazy they don’t bother to practice, they only practice when&#xA;  they feel energetic. This is how I tended to be.&#xA;  All of you ask yourselves now, is this right? To practice when&#xA;  you feel like it, not when you don’t: is that in accordance with&#xA;  the Dhamma? Is it straight? Is it in line with the teaching? This&#xA;  is what makes practice inconsistent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether you feel like it or not you should practice just the&#xA;  same: this is how the Buddha taught. Most people wait till they’re&#xA;  in the mood before practicing, when they don’t feel like it they&#xA;  don’t bother. This is as far as they go. This is called “disaster,”&#xA;  it’s not practice. In the true practice, whether you are happy or&#xA;  depressed you practice; whether it’s easy or difficult you practice;&#xA;  whether it’s hot or cold you practice. It’s straight like this. In the&#xA;  real practice, whether standing, walking, sitting or reclining you&#xA;  must have the intention to continue the practice steadily, making&#xA;  your&#xA;  sati&#xA;  consistent in all postures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html#tuning&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN06.055&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what do you think, Sona. Before, when you were a house-dweller, were you skilled at playing the vina?&quot; - &quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too taut, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; - &quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too loose, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; - &quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were neither too taut nor too loose, but tuned&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html#hen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt; to be right on pitch, was your vina in tune &amp;amp; playable?&quot; - &quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attune&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.02.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;the pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your theme.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.131.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN131&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the future. What is past is left behind. The future is as yet unreached. Whatever quality is present you clearly see right there, right there. Not taken in, unshaken, that's how you develop the heart. Ardently doing what should be done today, for — who knows? — tomorrow death. There is no bargaining with Mortality &amp;amp; his mighty horde. Whoever lives thus ardently, relentlessly both day &amp;amp; night, has truly had an auspicious day: so says the Peaceful Sage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2016-12-25T22:45:00.160" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-26T01:08:35.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Misunderstanding leads to suffering! Also if you want to care just for some benefit is misunderstanding as well. Every our action has consequences so to act rightly we need wisdom, we need to be very careful. We have to learn and open our minds. If you want to care you need to know how to do it. You need to know what consequences your action might bring. Don't regret what you've done wrong as long as what you did was done with compassion. As long as you want to help and expect good results of your action you should help/care. But suffering is always present.&#xA;Another aspect of caring is transforming ourselves. You should transform your mind and realise how bad is the world that we live. Realising this you should generate even more compassion to others. You can't get rid of suffering of the world, but you can develop 'armour' to protect you from result of suffering (spiritual path, wisdom). You might still suffer in traditional meaning but you can be happy anyway (when you achieve high enough level of spiritual development or wisdom). Just be a good observer of the world, people, emotions (also yours). Remember when things happen I try to figure out the relationship between them. Knowledge with compassion eventually will bring wisdom.&#xA;That's what I think about it and believe in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10547" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T01:08:35.823" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-26T01:57:06.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is caring is wrong?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not wrong to &amp;quot;care for&amp;quot; someone who is sick or dying: even if they (or you) ultimately die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monks were instructed to care for each other -- see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv.08.26.01-08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this story&lt;/a&gt; from the vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks, you have no mother, you have no father, who might tend to you. If you don't tend to one another, who then will tend to you? Whoever would tend to me, should tend to the sick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Otherwise how can we avoid suffering ourselves while caring ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid suffering perhaps it's wise to avoid attachment to a particular outcome, result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a complicated question: &amp;quot;how to avoid suffering ourselves?&amp;quot; is a central question of Buddhism, and so the answer might be as big as the whole of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good beginning, according to the Theravada doctrine, might be to develop the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahma viharas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T01:57:06.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18615" CreationDate="2016-12-26T03:09:36.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Give up Hinduism &amp;amp; any views of a God. Take refuge in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://refuge.sirimangalo.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Triple Gem&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, you break the third of the eight precepts the moment you touch someone with lustful intent. But you can retake the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Eight precepts&lt;/a&gt; after taking refuge in the Tripe Gem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you wish to keep the eight precepts, avoid getting in a bed with any woman.&#xA;Avoid sleeping in the same bed with your sister in any case!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For meditation, try &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipattana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T03:09:36.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18630" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18635" CreationDate="2016-12-26T06:58:41.040" Score="0" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;it is a well-observed fact that that the cycle of emotions never cease to exist, but they do follow a defined route which I shall refer to in this question as the SFE route namely:&#xA;A sensation-----feeling-------emotions(----represents&quot;gives rise to&quot;)say, when I eat a doughnut, the sensation is of eating, feeling of pleasure, and emotion of happiness.&#xA;how can I use a similar mindset of this technique to counter lust like emotions which arise and disturb through my meditation practice and sometimes cause me to relapse on my bad track of sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;for eg: when a lustful thought emerges in my mind is suppress it easily by satipathana and mindfulness however when a thought arises related to the act of copulation, it becomes impossible to suppress it as it is very difficult to view the act objectively.(i.e without any biased feelings and from a neutral point of view).this thought then keeps appearing until I finally give into my bad ways of self-pleasuring as I am a novice-in-training and not being accepted due to this reason.&#xA;P.S: please forgive me if this answer seems to violate or copy other answers, i am new to the various technicalities of this website and will take time to adjsut.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorDisplayName="user10546" LastEditDate="2016-12-26T07:29:36.313" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T10:40:06.333" Title="The odd phenomenon of cycle of emotions" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-effects|daily-life|satipatthana|craving|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-26T08:06:00.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's wrong to cling, not wrong to care. Isn't there a difference? Wrong in that it will lead to suffering. This is why there is the Brahma Viharas. Loving-kindness, compassion, appreciating the success or wellbeing of others and equanimity, they show us how to care with the way lit by mindful insight. Dissolving away the sense of self so one is truly selflessness and caring for others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To care for yourself it can be very helpful to care for others. It helps to drop the selfishness. A love for everyone is all that remains when one finds themself aware that there is no boundary to selfless emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T08:06:00.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18632" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18634" CreationDate="2016-12-26T08:32:58.347" Score="1" ViewCount="537" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the explanation of Ahankaara(Ego) &amp;amp; Swabhimaan(Self Respect) as per Buddhism ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any way something in a way so that one keeps his &lt;strong&gt;self respect&lt;/strong&gt; without showing &lt;strong&gt;Ego&lt;/strong&gt; ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T10:46:12.493" Title="what is the difference between Ego and self respect?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18630" CreationDate="2016-12-26T08:35:35.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It can work out that Satipatthana can help one let go of desire. Usually, as you may know, Satipatthana isn't to suppress but to see the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our sex drives are strong though and if they are too strong for standard Satipatthana then they can be surpressed by other techniques like the naming of the parts of the body, that can have a repulsive affect on sensual desire. An other good technique to turn one off quick is to look at autopsy photos. That is also good for reflecting on death. These little practices really are very supportive of the main Satipatthana practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2016-12-26T08:42:44.580" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T08:42:44.580" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18632" CreationDate="2016-12-26T10:16:04.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, any positive term that includes &quot;self&quot; is merely a statement of conventional language because there is no other way to communicate whatever concept pertaining to individual persons that needs to be communicated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, most teachings that positively use the term &quot;self&quot; are mundane or moral teachings. They do not represent the highest truth. For example, (somewhere) it is taught one of the benefits of giving/charity/generosity is 'self-respect'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the most part, 'self-respect' is related to freedom from remorse, guilt &amp;amp;/or regret. Here, to use the word 'self-respect' is not so necessary because '&lt;em&gt;freedom from regret&lt;/em&gt;' implies '&lt;em&gt;self-respect&lt;/em&gt;', such as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.2&lt;/a&gt;, which states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue, there is no need for an act of will, 'May freedom from remorse arise in me.' It is&#xA;  in the nature of things that freedom from remorse arises in a person&#xA;  endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For a person free from remorse, there is no need for an act of will, 'May joy arise in me.' It is in the nature of things that joy arises&#xA;  in a person free from remorse.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as the teachings about ending &quot;I-making&quot; and &quot;my-making (ahaṅkāra &amp;amp; mamaṅkāra) represent the highest truth about freedom from suffering (Nibbana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, 'self-respect' is a statement of conventional mundane reality where as the destruction of &quot;I-making&quot; and &quot;my-making&quot; is a statement of ultimate supramundane reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to keep self respect without showing ego is to comprehend the word 'self' is only a word, only a convention &amp;amp; not something inherently real, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.025.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 1.25&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-26T10:46:12.493" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T10:46:12.493" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18630" CreationDate="2016-12-26T10:34:46.053" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once a woman becomes sexually active but does not have a permanent partner, it is difficult for her to stop engaging in sex for seeking a partner. Therefore, women give the 'impression' they want to have sex just like men do, i.e., for a short term pleasure. However, this 'impression' is false &amp;amp; a deception. Yet there is an entertainment (movie) industry devoted to giving the public this wrong impression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught women want to find a husband, not share a husband with another wife, have children &amp;amp; control/dominate her husband (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am saying is when thoughts arise related to the act of copulation, these thoughts are generally about scenarios that are implicitly harmful. These thoughts are only sexual objectifying women with no respect for a woman's emotions &amp;amp; feelings and no regard for the potential consequences. These thoughts have no real love &amp;amp; no compassion. In summary, they are harmful thoughts about doing harmful things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind can only sustain such thoughts when it wrongly believes the imagined sexual acts are pleasurable to both parties &amp;amp; not harmful. But in reality, the acts are harmful. That is why our world is full of broken-hearted &amp;amp; lost souls, both men &amp;amp; women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In religion, it is generally taught if you want to have sex with a woman, you should marry her. This is right view. Therefore, when you have sexual thoughts, think about marrying that woman, having children with her, working for her &amp;amp; having her boss you around &amp;amp; nag you, like her slave. If you adjust your thoughts like this, the thoughts about copulation may stop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method the Buddha used before his enlightenment is at &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-26T10:40:06.333" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T10:40:06.333" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18636" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18669" CreationDate="2016-12-26T14:20:04.833" Score="1" ViewCount="499" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel that Buddhism is not what it used to be (the original teachings of Lord Buddha). It has got corrupted and what is left mostly relates terminology and worldly-matter and excuses. For-example: recently I came across a question in which someone said Buddhism teaches it is okay to eat meat, drink wine, etc. with various excuses such as it's okay as long as the animal isn't killed particularly for you and so on. I think, like Christianity and Hinduism, the teachings of Buddha are mis-interpreted for one's own benefits and the discipline with which Buddhism started out has long faded. Neither remains the atheism which Buddha preached, for example see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13872/did-buddha-walk-on-water-was-jesus-trained-as-a-buddhist&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt;. People have forgotten the abstract concepts and the Buddhist way of life and instead focus on miracles, folklores and powers that Buddhists monks possess. The question:&lt;br/&gt; Do you think so too? If so, provide references of Buddha's teachings being mis-interpreted. If not, tell me then what was it that Buddha forbade, and if it was nothing, then why is Buddhism a religion? Shouldn't it be just living your life the usual way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10520" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T23:19:43.027" Title="Downfall of the Buddhist religion?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-26T19:00:12.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important to always remember that Zen &lt;a href=&quot;http://101-zen-stories.blogspot.com/9999/12/cup-of-tea.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Empty your cup of tea&quot;&lt;/a&gt; story. Most of the time, our perception is shaped by our preconception. So always keep an open mind and read extensively before jumping to a conclusion. The most important thing the Buddha taught us is that we should &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12649/shouldnt-we-take-lord-buddhas-word-above-the-all-others/12662&quot;&gt;rely on the teaching, not the teacher&lt;/a&gt;. So if someone said this or that about Buddhism, always &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;verify, verify, and verify&lt;/a&gt; even if that person is the world most renowned Buddhist teacher. Most of the Buddha's suttas have already been made available for free online at accesstoinsight.org and suttacentral.net. So if someone claim something about the precept of eating meat or drinking wine, simply go back to the suttas and you'll find the answer for yourself. On eating meat, refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Jivaka_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 55&lt;/a&gt;, on drinking, refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.39&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T19:00:12.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18592" CreationDate="2016-12-26T19:54:53.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Strictly speaking the Buddha did not forbade the consumption of meat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am from the Chinese Mahayana tradition and I have taken the Refuge in the Triple Gem, as well as the Five Precepts. Even with taking upon the Five Precepts, I was not expected to be a vegetarian outside the setting of the temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Historically the Buddha considered the support of the Sangha and allowing people to perform Dana by giving alms much more important than a strict vegetarian diet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks were expected to go on alms round, and were expected to accept any food offered by devotees. The Theravada Buddhist monks who continue to practice going out for alms are essentially not vegetarian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in Tibet where they are also Mahayana, the monks as well as lay devotees consume meat, since vegetables do not grow at that altitude. In the modern day, vegetables are imported from the rest of China, so I have seen some vegetarian restaurants there during my visit. Most of Tibetans do still consume meat however, with Sichuanese cuisine being an apparent favorite due to the influx of Sichuanese immigrants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why vegetarianism became predominant in Chinese Buddhism as well as the rest of the Sinosphere is because of historical reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, historically the ruling Confucian philosophers objected to monks going out for alms, seeing them as a form of begging, which was against the civic-minded Confucian values. Monks were restricted to obtaining donations and many were forced to subsist by farming. Since the very first Precept require monks to abstain from killing, vegetarianism naturally arise. Hence Chinese tradition like Chan Buddhism have a long history of growing and cooking their own vegetarian food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second condition I believe was during the reign a Buddhist Chinese emperor (Liang Emperor if I recall) pious support for the Buddhist clergy, he found it rather contradictory to the teachings that so many animals were being slaughtered to be offered as alms for monks, so required the food to be vegetarian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally it is expected that lay followers of the Bodhisattva precepts take up vegetarianism (but I believe is not strictly stated in the Precepts), out of compassion for animal. The karmic effect presumably is the same as the practice of freeing animals doomed for slaughter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, even though Chinese Vegetarianism is typically vegan, if someone offered cakes to the temple (typically having dairy and eggs), it would be accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially Chinese Buddhism encourage vegetarianism, but do not strictly require it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The effect of this is that it is much easier to find vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan than say Thailand, despite the latter being much more overtly Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T19:54:53.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-26T20:56:47.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not what it used to be. Just as every conventional construction, within a conventional world, it is exposed to change. Is that a bad thing? Ideas need to be applicable to people within completely different frames, separated by time and space, so change and differentiation is only negative if it limits people's ability to achieve the idea's goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha banned the intentional use of mind altering substances, possibly outside of medicinal cases.. Within Buddhism drugs serve no purpose within the soteriological process.. Personally I think that they provide possibly valuable different ways to look at the world, but that such experiences are less and less needed the further you are along the path, and at some point they become detrimental to progress. In some ways, modern neuroscience is giving a more nuanced view on substance, meaning maybe the rule should be like with sex - 'none' for monks are 'no misconduct' for the laity, and much more than ghee for medicine! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meat is more interesting. The Buddha only ruled that monks should never intentionally accept meat that was killed directly for them. This makes sense in their world - in 500BC householders were not all rich enough to be picky with what they gave monks as a gesture of goodwill.. The monks refusing meat could cause embarrassment or even offence to people, sometimes that is all they had maybe. But having it cooked for you is a different story. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach an atheist message -  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt; atheism is not usually clearly philosophically defined, but in denying 'God', it (usually, both in style and substance)  lands on an essentials, nihilist position, which the Buddha saw as just another idea to be found within the thicket of views. The Middle Way begins with the abandoning of philosophical speculation, with Nagarjuna providing the best philosophical argument for why this is the obvious thing be done much later, and a more sparse and scattered reasoning by the Buddha on why within the Tripitaka (imo).. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though the Kalama Sutta states to find out for yourself, which limits the faith element to be found within Buddhism, faith (lack of doubt) in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha is a prerequisite for stream entry (this faith is not absent in buddhist laity anywhere imo btw).. I'm not sure if that makes Buddhism a religion, I don't personally like the word as I see it too close to the broader and more useful one of ideology. Buddhism is definitely not an ideology. It asks for the abandonment of ideology, just as any other conceptual construction. The social structure that was born and exists within buddhist cultures, being moulded and mixed into ethnic customs can become religious in nature (a hodge podge of cultural history, law, economics etc),  and this can have detrimental impacts on people's progress on the path, but this is a delicate point, because after millenia, there are many people with an ironic 'their' version of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the Dhamma and the Vinaya as a path to the cessation of stress. This original path, as likely best described within the Vinaya, Nikayas or Agamas, in its proper implementation likely has had difficulty in all times and places. The message is profound and wonderful, but it's implementation is tough. It is primarily a path of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Broadly speaking, the Buddha asked people to not harm themselves or others either in thought, speech or actions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&lt;/a&gt;, even broader  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&lt;/a&gt; give a map for an honest decision making process with regards to what actions should be taken and which ones abandoned. So yes, with regards to morality, it is basically living your life in the usual way, but 'usual' requires more definition for most people than they think imo! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T20:56:47.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-26T22:39:34.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha gave scenario of the disappearing of his teachings with a drum..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Staying at Savatthi. &quot;Monks, there once was a time when the Dasarahas had a large drum called 'Summoner.' Whenever Summoner was split, the Dasarahas inserted another peg in it, until the time came when Summoner's original wooden body had disappeared and only a conglomeration of pegs remained. [1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, in the course of the future there will be monks who won't listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. They won't lend ear, won't set their hearts on knowing them, won't regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — will come about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how you should train yourselves.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is new tradition of Buddhism about 15 years, they study only what can be credited to Buddha and dismiss all later additions or if later additions that are not directly supported by Buddha's teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2016-12-26T22:39:34.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18641" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-26T23:38:56.453" Score="0" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;what is the value of a single moment of mindfulness- and is it worth anything if not combined with other moments &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when i do a good action to help others even a small one it has its benefit to the other without even looking at its affect on the practice even &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;even if i do one deed like washing the dishes of the family than i dont do nothing for 4 months its worth something  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if i meditate for 30 minutes or  be mindful while doing some action for 30 minutes   and than i dont do meditation or even be mindful  for 4 months   -  is it worth something ?  why you say so ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(there are so many teachers talking about the importance of consistent practice which makes me think that its not worth anything) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a continuation of a precius question i ask which is very similar but not exactly the same : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18589/is-there-a-point-for-a-not-continues-practice&quot;&gt;Is there a point for a not continues practice?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T04:50:39.333" Title="Is there a value for a single moment of mindfulness (without others) ?" Tags="|practice|consistent|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18642" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-27T00:15:21.533" Score="2" ViewCount="378" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find this an interesting question. When we say things are impermanent, we often say that it is because they constantly undergo change. But in that, do we make the assumption that change will always be around and therefore that it's permanent? Could there be a place where change never occurs? Has this kind of question been pondered in Buddhist texts at all? The possibility of change never occurring?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7336" LastEditorUserId="7336" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T00:26:52.280" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T05:59:03.703" Title="Is change permanent?" Tags="|philosophy|impermanence|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-27T00:32:22.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism became extinct in India due to its transformation into a religion of reincarnation, which resulted in it being the same as &amp;amp; thus absorbed by Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Original Buddhism is about the here-&amp;amp;-now, as chanted everyday in Buddhist countries but, at the same time, ignored:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Savakkhato bhagavata dhammo&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sanditihiko&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Apparent here and now&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Akaliko&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Immediate&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ehipassiko&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Inviting inspection&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Opanayiko&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Leading to liberation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paccattam veditabbo vinnuhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To be experienced individually by the wise&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is unrelated to vegetarianism, which is the fetter of &lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt; (i.e., using morality in ways that is unrelated to the goal).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T10:55:52.783" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18642" CreationDate="2016-12-27T00:38:14.563" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Change is permanent.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Laws of Nature (Dhamma) are permanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unchanging Nibbana (Nirvana) is also permanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains only conditioned things (sankhara) are impermanent; thus conditioned impermanent things are permanently impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma (Natural Truth) is permanent (but not-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is standard Buddhism, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;277&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;All conditioned (sankhara) things are impermanent&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;All conditioned things (sankhara) are unsatisfactory&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;All things (dhamma) are not-self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T00:38:14.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18646" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-27T02:57:47.170" Score="4" ViewCount="600" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm 22 years old and have been interested in Buddhism for a long time and consider myself Buddhist. I meditate 2 or 3 times a week and have read a few books on Buddhism. I am more interested in Theravada Buddhism and am not sure where to move forward from here. Should I read and study the Digha Nikaya? I should probably find a sangha near me and go to it, too. For starters, though, should I purchase and read the Digha Nikaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10551" LastActivityDate="2018-06-19T14:04:27.603" Title="Where do I start?" Tags="|texts|beginner|sangha|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18622" CreationDate="2016-12-27T04:38:52.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path has 3 trainings: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sila/morality&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;samadhi/concentration&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;panna/wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To view a lady as a composite of flesh, bones, feces, pus, joint oil, etc, is the practise of panna/wisdom. It is called 'asubha'. There are many 'asubha' videos on Youtube. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not judging things as 'good' &amp;amp; 'bad' is the practice of samadhi/concentration but not the practice of morality or wisdom. Not judging sex as 'good' or 'bad', i.e., '&lt;em&gt;theme-less-ness&lt;/em&gt;', can also overcome sexual urges. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality forms the foundation of the path. It is to know what is good (harmless/beneficial) &amp;amp; what is bad (harmful/unbeneficial). Without morality, there may possibly be a battle against sex because by using &lt;em&gt;asubha&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;theme-less-ness&lt;/em&gt; only it may be difficult to generate empathy &amp;amp; thus &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; (loving-kindness) towards women, whose natural purpose in life &amp;amp; often greatest joy is motherhood. Morality includes the precept about refraining from 'sexual misconduct'. The purpose of the precept is to preserve the integrity &amp;amp; nurturing of families. In the modern world, since the era of universal birth-control, there is obviously a correlation between sexual liberalism &amp;amp; difficulties in maintaining the family unit. Thus morality views certain types of sex as 'good' &amp;amp; other types of sex as 'bad'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A well-rounded practitioner uses all three methods, as described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.127.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bharadvaja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. The 1st method here is to view women as family members only, i.e., mothers, sisters &amp;amp; daughters; the 2nd method is to see the unattractive nature of the parts of the body; the 3rd method is to abide without any judgments (themes). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T04:55:49.590" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T04:55:49.590" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2016-12-27T05:19:58.233" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally would not recommend the Digha Nikaya because it is mostly a book of long-winded suttas, most of which were probably not spoken by the Buddha and was probably written at a later time for the purpose of propagating a hybrid form of Hindu-Buddhism to the general population at a time when Buddhism was attempting to expand its following. Scholar monks as diverse as the old Bhikkhu Buddhadasa and the new Bhikkhu Sujato have questioned &amp;amp; asserted the unauthenticity of much of the Digha Nikaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahmajāla Sutta is a good &amp;amp; important sutta but its sounds more like a PhD dissertation than a sermon of the Buddha. The principles of the  Brahmajāla Sutta are found throughout the other sutta collections. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahaparinibbāna Sutta is good sutta story about the Buddha's last days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sigalovada Sutta is a very important sutta about morality for laypeople. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from those, in my opinion, most of the other Digha Nikaya suttas will lead you astray, being about creation stories &amp;amp; anti-Brahman rhetoric (see this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19010/schopenhauer-s-inexplicable-disturbance-in-the-heavenly-calm-of-nirvana&quot;&gt;topic&lt;/a&gt;), past Buddhas &amp;amp; other superstitious things. DN 15 (Mahanidana Sutta) is particularly bad, since it contradicts the many other suttas on Dependent Origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, newcomers start with the Majjhima Nikaya and move on to the Samyutta Nikaya when serious. The scholar monk Bhikkhu Bodhi first translated the Majjhima, followed by the Samyutta. The small books of the Khuddaka Nikaya, such as the Dhammapada, Sutta Nipata, Udana and Itivuttaka are also popular &amp;amp; can be good for newcomers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Anguttara Nikaya is long, with many very good suttas but, similar to the Digha, has many suttas that seem composed with the aim of both debunking &amp;amp; converting Brahmans (Hindus). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, in the long run, all these Buddhist-Hindu suttas did was destroy Buddhism in India, making it the same as Hinduism &amp;amp; poisoning the pure teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi compiled a good selection from all of the suttas: &quot;&lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. However, one must take care with Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnotes, which are often sectarian &amp;amp; superstitious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T00:10:24.737" CommentCount="16" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18641" CreationDate="2016-12-27T05:37:47.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate Buddhist practise is letting go or non-attachment (refer to &lt;em&gt;Culatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;). Selfless or unselfish acts, such as washing the family dishes, contribute to a mind that can let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha spoke of mindfulness, concentration, etc, he referred to qualities of mind that have the quality of 'letting go' or '&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;': &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting&#xA;  in relinquishment. He develops analysis of dhammas as a factor for&#xA;  awakening... persistence as a factor for awakening... rapture as a&#xA;  factor for awakening... serenity as a factor for awakening...&#xA;  concentration as a factor for awakening... equanimity as a factor for&#xA;  awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent&#xA;  on cessation, resulting in relinquishment ('vossagga'). Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go ('vossagga'),&#xA;  attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn&#xA;  from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters&#xA;  &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana... SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Definitions for vossagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Concise Pali English Dictionary vossagga masculine donation; relinquishing; giving up.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PTS Pali English Dictionary vossagga relinquishing, relaxation; handing over, donation, gift (see on term as ethical Bdhgh at K.S.&#xA;  i.321) DN.iii.190 (issariya˚ handing over of authority)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T05:47:23.410" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T05:47:23.410" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18650" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-27T10:55:11.730" Score="0" ViewCount="796" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, there are scores of suttas about Dependent Origination which take the classic form of the 12 links, the benchmark being &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Digha Nikaya, there is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Nidana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, called the 'Great Cause'. I find the name of the sutta strange since if it is 'great', why are there only 9 links instead of 12?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there are many suttas containing less than 12 links, it seems strange the Maha-Nidana Sutta omits the six sense spheres, which the Buddha described as one of his core teachings in AN 3.61 &amp;amp; are central to so many suttas on Dependent Origination (such as MN 18, MN 38, MN 148, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly, the Maha-Nidana Sutta defines consciousness &amp;amp; nama-rupa differently to other suttas. In the Maha-Nidana Sutta, consciousness (which is only &lt;em&gt;mental cognition&lt;/em&gt; in other suttas) is said to descend into the womb of a mother. Nama-rupa has a Brahmanistic meaning of 'naming-forms'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, 'birth' refers to the birth of different animals &amp;amp; creatures rather than the birth of &quot;beings&quot; or &quot;satta&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt; refers to a &quot;being&quot; as a mind that is attached to the five aggregates as &quot;self&quot;. It is doubtful birds &amp;amp; snakes conceive the five aggregates as &quot;self&quot; or generate &quot;self-views&quot; of &quot;beings&quot; (as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any compelling reasons or grounds why Buddhists should accept the Maha-Nidana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya as the words of the Buddha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T11:03:50.217" LastActivityDate="2019-08-08T13:09:32.150" Title="Did the Buddha speak the Mahanidana Sutta in the Digha Nikaya?" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13665" CreationDate="2016-12-27T10:58:06.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;How should we understand the saying ...&quot;for a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue, there is no need for an act of will&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it not right to say that a person endowed with virtue, consummate in virtue the person's act of will is one with Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer lies within &quot;Ayacana Sutta: The Request&quot;, but I'm in the dark and don't yet understand why the Blessed one only surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened one after request by Brahma Sahampati to teach the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T10:58:06.550" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8351" CreationDate="2016-12-27T12:27:15.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;David, in answer to your question, you are not supposed to be examining your mind or anything else in Zen meditation. The practice is very simple, yet difficult. The focus is on the breath, and the posture is important. When thoughts arise, as they will on their own accord, the attention is simply brought back to the breath. They are not labeled or judged, they are simply &quot;thoughts&quot;. Sometimes we get caught in them in the meditation, and when we notice this, we gently return our focus to the breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first question that naturally comes to mind is, how on earth can something that simple wake people up to enlightenment. Well, it can. You are doing it by not doing it. If you attempt to get any insight or anything else from the practice, it will not work. But if we let go of that concept, or any and all ideas and concepts, then it works. It is a lifetime thing too. Over time, one's understanding of the mind increases. As Dogen said, Buddhism is about understanding ourselves (our true self, not the ego self). If we understand ourselves, then we understand everything. But if we do not understand ourselves, then we do not understand anything. Enlightenment is  experience (not simply insight) to the entire universe, and the experience that all is one, and all is empty, clear, impermanent and in constant change. Yet there is something that is not impermanent and is not change. Zen and some other spiritual practices understand that words will not get you there, it is beyond language, language is a bit of the problem, It is the experience that is the truth.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10553" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T12:27:15.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2016-12-27T14:15:30.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;where to move forward from here&quot; is actually all you need to fulfill the purpose of your quest, which is yourself, here and now, empty of conceiving, in the midst of profound objectivity and subjectivity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add to your experience by means of knowledge and study is merely a way to defer the simplest of insights from taking root in you. Experience alone is sovereign and complete, full and empty, blissfully replete, without implication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is already so, nothing further need be attained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness confounds itself with ideation; as the separate self, ensconced in body, dwelling in a definable place, of the nature of time implying what is imagined of the past, the present, and the future. None of these are real or binding, they are apparitional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question already has you convinced of that which is not true, and thus condemns you to find some remedy or path of action when there are none. This is cessation and nirvana, to see through the complex and richly adorned nature of samsaric implication, to be relieved of a codependent relationship with existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here you are, thus relieved, no one possesses any knowledge that isn't yours already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly,&#xA;NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T14:15:30.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18642" CreationDate="2016-12-27T14:30:21.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no actual condition that enjoys a moment's stasis. Consciousness comprised of perception and that which appears in and as perception can never fulfill the notion of a present moment and no possible moment has any duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That impermanence is all that can be found as present experience may suggest &quot;change&quot; is &quot;permanent&quot; and thus it is an insightful curiosity to ask if there is a place, or an observable perception, of &quot;change never occurring&quot; and this same curious demonstration of perception masquerading as experience/existence can also be said to be &quot;change never occurring&quot; with as much verve as you can muster &quot;Change is permanent&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that appears as mind in receipt of a find-able object or subject is the improvisational display of Consciousness, itself not a thing, and having no actual properties or implication. Thus, by the time we have conceived of something being experienced as change or otherwise, it is long gone, and yet does not cease even for a moment though there are none.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly, NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T14:30:21.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18655" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18663" CreationDate="2016-12-27T14:37:35.377" Score="6" ViewCount="230" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monastery nearby my house, where I was about to be ordained and venture into the world of which I have been waiting so long, has now denied me ordination due to my bad habits of reading erotic literature, sensual audios and masturbating -- all of which I want to leave forever. I do go on abstinence streaks, but when something unfortunate happens to me(an incident or mishap that saddens me) I get triggered and relapse.sometimes even the most simplest of natural phenomena such a blossoming flower can be the root of the lapse.other times it's just plain advertisements on t.v which cause the downfall.it has become tedious to avoid triggers, it also leaves no time for meditation and other stuff. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to the kind advice of ven. Yuttadhammo bhikkhu I have quit my porn viewing addiction, but  I can't seem get enough of masturbation and other forms of pornography(though the frequency has been significantly reduced)I request the members of this forum to provide some comprehensive techniques and advice  that can be adapted with a practical approach and help me quit all these bad habits forever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has ruined my life to such an extent that I longer feel the state of bliss that I used to have during my abstinence streaks(i now recognise they were the best period of my Buddhist training)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S: if possible, do explain in detail how to inculcate &quot;sila&quot; in my practice, because @Dhammadhatu mentioned that a proper practitioner has to practice three methods of lust eradication (I have attained mastery over the other two).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorDisplayName="user10546" LastEditDate="2016-12-28T04:46:29.183" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T06:13:32.187" Title="how to eradicate past smaskaras" Tags="|mindfulness|sila|craving|delusion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18641" CreationDate="2016-12-27T14:43:43.160" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Value, let's face it, is an idea - not to diminish the question. Value can be attributable to all and everything that occurs, whether once and forgotten, or consistently applied. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that can be found is mindfulness, whether realized or ignored. No moment, or what appears in it, can possibly have a beneficial or detrimental effect on some other moment, though a clean sink is bliss itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one's present course of practice is intermittent, it is beautiful. If one's present course of practice is consistent, it is beautiful. If we tie our quality of practice to some preferential outcome, there is binding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we fail to see or appreciate the fulfillment of things as they are, our very commitment to practice can reinforce the myth that we are somehow less than enlightenment. Presence is awake, this is irrefutable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly, NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T14:43:43.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18655" CreationDate="2016-12-27T15:02:16.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Addiction of a thousand faces is pandemic in the &quot;world&quot;. The harmonic of social and political instability and perhaps the sub-harmonics of rapid onset climate disruption and accelerating species extinctions also contribute to explicit and subtle triggering events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be possible to eradicate the behavioral loops of trigger, response, ease, and it may not be - thus the way of the renunciate in a formal and traditional sense may be closed to you, at least for now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perfection of behavior is neither a requirement for nor an impediment to full awakening. In fact, gnarly afflictions, can be accelerants for the conditioned mind to burn through its cherished beliefs and adornments thus opening the doors of unafflicted being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One's primary objective is what's already present, this would be objectless and unafflicted being. Perhaps the life puzzle that's before you is not how to remedy and transcend your local nature so you can enter the monastery, but how to discover nirvana in the midst of your local nature, suffering no loss or permission to enter the gate of yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly, NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T15:02:16.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-27T15:54:18.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism was never the point, Buddhism, like any and all systems, is made of delusion - it cannot be otherwise. To pursue and deify the Buddha or the Buddhism is merely one's own delusional association with causality and means to soothe or transcend causality, and such effort can only lead to more hubris and more delusional authority making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one adorns the primary miracle of being with the cloak of implication, anger and positioning ensues. The Buddha gave the simplest of observations as means and memes to evoke clear seeing. The volumes and volumes of instruction and moralistic encouragements and discourses on the discourses are all indulgences in deferral and avoidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't it the privilege and duty of each generation to make the Dharma their own? What was true then is true now, and that truth is uncomplicated by the gifts and prisons what came before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly, NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T15:54:18.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18650" CreationDate="2016-12-27T16:11:46.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true that Maha Nidana Sutta in the Digha Nikaya points out Paticcasamuppada  (the process of Dependant Arising), and of Nāma-kāya Rupa-kāya - (mentality and materiality) together with vinnana (consciousness) somewhat different to some other suttas.  Paticcasamuppada is the most important of all other related teachings. It is a deep and complex doctrine, and understanding this is Key to seeing the Truth. So one cannot rule out Maha Nidana Sutta in the Digha Nikaya by just such observations as that you’ve pointed out. We should remember well Buddha’s words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By not understanding, and not penetrating this doctrine of Paticcasamuppada, beings have become entangled like in a knotted ball of thread and have become like munja grass and rushes, unable to pass beyond the woeful states of existence, and Samsara, the cycle of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Buddha to exclude Ignorance, Volitional Activities, and Six sense-bases, there is a reason. It is just that you and I have not yet found out as to why it is so.  In Maha Nidana Sutta it is said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus, Ananda, from Nāma-Rupa as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes Nāma-Rupa. Then from Nāma-Rupa as a requisite condition comes contact...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was shown thus because one cannot exist without the other. The Buddha showed this with an example of two bundles of reeds to make it easy to understand. Two bundles of reeds are kept on the ground with a little space between them leaning against each other with their top ends, that both the bundles are kept standing with the support of each other. Removing one removes the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will try and find the answer to your question within the month, but let us keep in mind that learning is a gradual process. The Buddha said that his method is gradual training, gradual action and gradual practice. So I will look into ‘Pancha Bhaya Wera Sutta’, ‘Nalakalapa Sutta‘, ‘Loka Sutta’, ‘Maha Nidhana Sutta‘ etc. on Paticca Samuppadaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until we find a proper answers let us not discard any of the original suttas. Let us not put away what we feel are contradictory statements till we have understood thoroughly the fundamentals. Only if when we detect the structural principles of such paticcasamuppada links, in the entirety of the teaching, then you would have arrived at the true Dhamma. So let us try to dig a little deeper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T16:11:46.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2016-12-27T16:32:57.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The starting point is Saddha. It is the first of the five Sekha Dhamma.  What are these Sekha Dhamma? Saddha (Confidence), Hiri (shame), Ottappa (fear), Viriya (energy) and Panna (wisdom). A student of Dhamma would practise these five Sekha strengths. He would live in association with them. He would not abandon them. While cultivating the Sekha Dhammas he would then practise five types of meditation, once he gets a good grasp of the fundamentals of dhamma. All of us have six Indriyas. They are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.  In a true student of Dhamma, another five Indriyas arise and become strong. What are these five Indriyas? They are Saddha, Viriya, Sati, Samadhi and Panna. Such a person takes a lot of trouble, exerts immensely to live in Dhamma. For example in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chakku Sutta (Okkanthi Sanyutta – Sanyutta Nikaya.03)&lt;/a&gt; Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Oh monks, Eye is an impermanent object. A changing object. Something that transfers to another form. Ear is an impermanent object……. Nose…….. Tongue…….. Body……. Mind is an impermanent object. A changing object. Something that transfers to another form.  Oh monks, if someone believes these principles in that way, gets immersed in Saddha he is referred to as Saddhanusari. He will not die until he attains the fruit of Sotapanna (the first stage on the path to deliverance)”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has taught us the importance of Saddha. Saddha means having a pleasant mind towards, and confidence, in the Supreme Buddha. This confidence should be rooted (mulajata), and it should be well established (patitthita). To develop this kind of unshakeable confidence, it is important to know about the knowledge of The Buddha. By learning the Dhamma, The Buddha’s Teachings, we can learn about the knowledge of Tthe Buddha.&#xA;The Noble Dhamma has a special quality. In Pali, it is ‘paññavantassa ayam dhammo; nayam dhammo duppaññassa’ which means, ‘this Dhamma is for the wise; not for the unwise’ (AN 8:30). If the listener is wise, then he will be able to cultivate a pleasant mind by hearing and learning the Dhamma. Therefore, when we talk about Saddha, confidence or pleasant mind, we are speaking about confidence in the knowledge of the Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T16:32:57.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17275" CreationDate="2016-12-27T16:43:31.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The effusive fruition of the great and wonderful dhamma has become known by countless persons alive today. It is your privilege and duty to find them and test them and be affected by them in order to answer your question for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone can deny and question the profundity of realization or Nibbana being present in another person, reality is up to you. Nibbana is up to you. How many may have walked casually by the Buddha without a second glance? How many submitted themselves to his presence and instruction? How many benefited?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you must find the answer to your question it will be a solo journey, the opinions of others can only take you so far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly, NightSkySanghaGuy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10554" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T16:43:31.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18662" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18666" CreationDate="2016-12-27T16:55:19.443" Score="3" ViewCount="1984" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abilities (such as flying through the air, walking through solid obstructions, diving into the ground, walking on water, and so forth) are performed by changing one element, such as earth, into another element, such as air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does one expect to achieve them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read some commentaries which claim they are mere illusions on the path to enlightenment and that the true sadhka shouldn't be distracted by them and should aim for higher realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover are these claims made in documentaries true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T17:46:13.587" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T05:00:39.630" Title="How prevalent are siddhis in buddhism?" Tags="|meditation-insight|rituals|superiority|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18655" CreationDate="2016-12-27T17:15:02.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven.Yuttadhammo bhikkhu has given you proper advice. Being true to monkhood is being rooted and grounded in a Life of celibacy. The benefits of celibacy (sexual abstinence) are obviously not widely understood nor fully appreciated. Even though sex may be a natural, essential part of life, so is being stuck in a physical body along with all its severe restrictions, miseries and complications lifetime after lifetime. Celibacy is a change in the direction of sex and sensuality, not its repression. But this advice is easier said than done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In becoming a Bhikku with an idea of performing the practice of breathing towards samatha and vipassana (calm and insight) without first attempting kayagata-satipatthana (mindfulness as regards the body), resembles an owner who yokes the still untamed bullock (an adult bovine animal) to the cart or plough without the nose-rope. Such an owner would find oneself unable to drive the bullock at his desire. Because the bullock is wild, and because it has no nose-rope, it will either try to run off the road, or try to break loose by breaking the yoke. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, in one of the Suttas pointed out that the realm of sensual pleasures resembles the forest where the wild elephant enjoys himself/herself. The Buddha Sasana, &quot;the teaching of the Buddha&quot;,resembles the open field into which the wild elephant is first brought out. The mind resembles the wild elephant. Confidence (saddha) and desire (chanda) in the sasana-dhamma resemble the tame elephant to which the wild elephant is hitched and brought out into the open. Sila-visuddhi (purification of virtue) resembles the stockade. The body, or parts of the body, such as out-breath and in-breath resemble the post in the stockade to which the elephant is tied. Kayagati-sati resembles the rope by which the wild elephant is tied to the post. The preparatory work towards samatha and vipassana resembles the preparatory training of the elephant. The work of samatha and vipassana resembles the parade ground or battlefield of the king. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly what you have to learn to do is the Meditation on loathsomeness (Asuba). There’s a series of meditations called guardian meditations, which are very helpful in using skillful perceptions to get the mind in the right mood, in the right attitude, with the right understanding, as you come into the present moment. You’ll often find, as you’re sitting here meditating on the breath, that the problem is not with the breath. It’s with the mental baggage you’re carrying with you. So you want to open up the bags and throw out all the unnecessary weight. In practicing this, you see that we all have the same garbage inside ourselves. This contemplation is helpful because it’s a guardian. There are so many people out there you could feel lust for, so cultivating this protects you from inappropriate lust. Even if you’re not practicing celibacy, you need a way to guard yourself against that kind of vagrant lust. So instead of weaving all sorts of narratives you’ve developed around beauty, it’s good to teach yourself other narratives, other associations. While at it, you should learn to do what is skillful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what is skillful? Abstaining from taking life is skillful, abstaining from taking what is not given... from sexual misconduct... from lying... from abusive speech... from divisive tale-bearing... abstaining from idle chatter is skillful. Lack of covetousness... lack of ill will... right views are skillful. These things are called skillful.”—MN 9&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddha said… “Come guard your sense-faculties; be the master of your senses. When you see something with the eye, do not get attracted to it by its appearance, but treat it with self control. So allways be mindful by controlling and guarding your senses the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T17:15:02.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18664" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-27T18:29:19.613" Score="4" ViewCount="2181" Body="&lt;p&gt;I switched my diet to complete vegetarian diet just out of compassion towards animals. However I am confused about feeding meat to my pet dogs. Feeding meat to one animal will directly or indirectly involve the killing of another animal. I feel like I am provoking the slaughtering of animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that a bad karma though it's good for another animal? What was Buddha's thoughts about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2016-12-28T20:45:49.263" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T22:50:16.227" Title="Feeding meat to pets is it a good karma or bad?" Tags="|the-buddha|karma|compassion|vegetarianism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18622" CreationDate="2016-12-27T19:38:35.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see you have accepted an answer but i feel like to add something because I can personally feel related.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;learnt to remove my lust for the human flesh, but not for the sexual act&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do yo mean like you learnt to let go of the ice but still desire its cooling property? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, that means you can let go of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (form) but stuck at &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;kama sanna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (perception of sensual pleasure).  Perception of grossness of body may not help with kama sanna because you are already above Rupa and dealing with something of a higher level.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So many ways to deal with kama sanna such as meditation.  I promise you it will help.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;FYI: I recognize a pattern for terms Buddha used for satisfactory in sensual pleasures; kama chanda, kama raga, kama sanna, kama yogi.  Each has specific use and definitely not interchangeable.  For example, when Buddha taught about sensual pleasure in 5 hindrance, or jhanna, he would use kama chanda, or kama sanna.  Howerver, when he talked about higher fetters or an anagami, he would use kama raga or kama yogi.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who are interested in the difference between Kama Chanda (English-sensual desire), and kama raga (sensual lust): &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Greater Discourse to Mālunkyāputta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2016-12-27T21:17:10.347" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T21:17:10.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18662" CreationDate="2016-12-27T19:49:54.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhi - a paranormal power possessed by a siddha – is a true phenomenon. These are certain by-products of the practice itself. But just as gain, respect and fame can become obstacles to liberation, so, too, can such siddhi. Such phenomena are categorized under the Tenth Army of Mara. A battle faced by meditation masters, this last army is perhaps the most lethal of all. In the Buddha's time there was even a man, Devadatta, who tried to kill the Buddha under its influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was once a layman who told that the Buddha should widely deploy all of his disciples who had psychic powers and ask them to demonstrate miracles to the people. &quot;People will be really impressed,&quot; the layman said. &quot;You'll get a lot of followers that way. The Buddha refused. Three times the request was repeated, and three times it was refused. Finally the Buddha said, &quot;Layman, there are three types of psychic powers. One is the power to fly in the air and dive into the earth, and to perform other superhuman feats. The second is the power to read other people's minds. But there is a third psychic power, the power of instruction. This last power is the most important psychic power. The first two psychic powers can be attained and displayed if this interests you. It is not essential, or a hindrance, if you know it for what it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True disciples of the Buddha are more interested in developing ‘the Four Irdhi-paada.’ Iddhiya: of attaining completion or perfection; pado: root or basis -the root or basis of attaining completion or perfection. Hence it is called iddhipada. There are four kinds of iddhipada. But this is another subject/answer for another time/question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T19:49:54.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18664" CreationDate="2016-12-27T20:05:05.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meat eating is a very sensitive topic. Other people or You or I may have different views on this and each may be right to a certain extent. But we all should be open enough to look at the Buddha’s insights on this. He is the Tathagata who knows and sees, or by that I mean the Suttas and Vinaya – our guide and teacher (AN 4.180). In Majjhima Nikaya 55, it is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Jivaka, I say that there are three instances in which meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself) … I say that there are three instances in which meat may be eaten: when it is not seen, heard, or suspected (that the living being has been specifically slaughtered for oneself)….”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If anyone slaughters a living being for the Tathagata (i.e. Buddha) or his disciple, he lays up much demerit in five instances … (1) When he says: ‘Go and fetch that living being’ … (2) When that living being experiences pain and grief on being led along with a neck-halter … (3) When he says: ‘Go and slaughter that living being’ … (4) When that living being experiences pain and grief on being slaughtered … (5) When he provides the Tathagata or his disciple with food that is not permissible ….”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you know how the Buddha distinguishes between meat that is allowable (With the exception of ten types of meat which are prohibited to monks: human, elephant, horse, dog, hyena, snake, bear, lion, tiger, and panther. Refer to Mahavagga, the Books of the Discipline: Book 4, pages 298-300. The Books of the Discipline is the English translation of the Vinaya books (in Pali) by the Pali Text Society, U.K..).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T20:05:05.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18642" CreationDate="2016-12-27T22:35:48.267" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There’s permanency when one eventually achieves complete, permanent freedom from all the suffering and limitations of the physical body and after death, freedom from the need to reincarnate into yet another physical body. The permanency of a complete mastery over life, and death is possible, and with that one can one can even achieve absolute memory recall of every moment in this lifetime and even countless past lifetimes. Until the moment of Nibbana it is otherwise.  The comforts of the day before disappear today the comforts of the moment before perish this moment. This unavoidable variation functioning with nothing existing permanent is called the' viparināma dukkha' (suffering caused by change) functioning in the nature of being and person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T22:35:48.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18636" CreationDate="2016-12-27T23:19:43.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, we can't tell with absolute certainty what is the original teachings of the Buddha -- unless we were &lt;em&gt;there&lt;/em&gt;. In principle, any buddhist who says &quot;this is the absolute original teachings of the Buddha&quot; is putting forward a belief. A belief that may have varying degrees of proximity with the real facts. But that belief can be quite different from another buddhist living in a different buddhist culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a question here is how can we tell what is original and what is not? People who misinterpret something think they interpret it right. How are these people different from &quot;us&quot;, those who think interpret things right -- maybe we are the ones misinterpreting it. And what is the source of the information misinterpreted? A text? A teacher's word? A feeling?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Five hundred years after the Buddha, there were over 18 distinct names identifying distinct buddhist groups. These already disagreed with each other in some topics, so of course two thousand years later buddhists still disagree with each other over topics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But also, there are buddhists and there are &lt;em&gt;buddhists&lt;/em&gt;. For example, Brazil has a large percentage of catholics. Most likely, the great majority never read the bible. It's reasonable that many buddhists are buddhists due to being born in a culture of buddhism, but this does not mean such a person is familiar with the entire doctrine -- or with any word believed to be said by the Buddha. The general case is they don't know. There are even buddhist monks who didn't even know scriptures quoting the Buddha existed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, just because there's a large population who are not quite engaged with their religion doesn't mean the religion is declining. After all, there are the buddhists who take it seriously, who dedicate their life to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, some people come here with varying degrees of knowledge of Buddhism and very distinct interests on Buddhism (e.g. super powers), who may not even be buddhists themselves, and may ask questions that are perceived as strange to some buddhists. But these questions are not evidence that buddhists are going bananas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to you Buddhism comprises some abstract concepts and way of life that you claim have been forgotten. But other Buddhists are following their traditions -- which they claim to be genuine -- or are reading old scriptures -- which they believe to contain the words of the actual Buddha. To them, Buddhism is being practiced. They think themselves to be genuine monks when they follow what they read in the scriptures, e.g., that the Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/43.4-Majjhima-Jivaka-S-m55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;instructed them to not eat meat if they know the animal has being killed for them to eat it&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to answer your question: yes, the Buddha forbade, in the sense that he instructed people to abstain of many kinds of actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But forbidding is inconsequential for a doctrine to be a religion or not. One could still spawn a religion by just saying what people should do or how people should understand their lives, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T23:19:43.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18670" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18641" CreationDate="2016-12-27T23:47:16.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have only a single moment of mindfulness it is only two types of thought moments that will be of immense benefit to you. Even other thoughts are OK if you understand the nature of your mind, how merits and demerits form in the mind, how to free yourself from those demerits, and ways to cultivate merits, and then follow such a process with effort. You will then be able to come to the Dhamma gradually. It will be like a hole-less pot being filled by droplets of water with the each drop it receives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two thought moments to cultivate are that of Metta and impermanence (Anicca). Such moment thoughts would be of immense benefit (as per the scriptures). Here I did not say loving kindness, as metta is not necessarily an attitude of loving-kindness. It’s more an attitude of goodwill—wishing the other person well, but realizing that true happiness is something that ultimately each of us will have to find for him or herself, and sometimes most easily when we go our separate ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-27T23:47:16.827" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18641" CreationDate="2016-12-28T00:10:38.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't say what your practice is - unless I missed it - but there is more than one way. Have you considered hunting around and reviewing a few different ways? Life is fleeting and opportunity is soon lost, as is said. Even reading a sutra or chapter a day would be more protective than what you are describing, I think. I hope you find something that works for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10558" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T00:10:38.377" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18664" CreationDate="2016-12-28T00:15:22.407" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Brahmanet Sutra you should not own any pets which typically eat meat, except dogs who guard your property. Part of the reason is that a bodhisattva should not be engaged in fostering the consumption of meat, which is not compassionate. However, I would also be concerned with the health of the animal on a vegetarian diet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T00:15:22.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18610" CreationDate="2016-12-28T00:25:51.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adi Buddha is the first primordial Buddha. The trikaya consists of dharmakaya (truth), sambhogakaya (bliss), nirmanakaya (emanation). Adi Buddha is particularly known for emanating the universe. Buddhahood is neither god nor man. All devas (including Vishnu) in Buddhism  are created and impermanent. All Buddhas teach the same thing, although they might teach it in a different way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T00:25:51.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18664" CreationDate="2016-12-28T00:53:24.830" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;a non-buddhist reply : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it depends  -   people who feed their dogs  not bought store food should really be experts on the subject of what dogs eat  --   and if you feed the a vegeterian diet i belive its much harder to mess up  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some good quality balanced vegan dog food actually of some known producers like natural balance  which have their experts advising them on the food .... but im not sure that you have that in india (your indian right?)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be more compassionate to feed your dog a good diet with meat than to give him a home made diet without meat    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but also if you give your dog home made with meat you still need to become an expert on the subject so you wont mess up on it &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;............ that being said  - the longest living dog ever in the world which lived to 27 years  ate  a vegan diet of &quot;rice, lentils and organic vegetables&quot; ..... but im sure her owners knew what vegetables to give her - they might have been organic   - i dont know where the dog got  b12 from - maybe his own body can make it....this are issues you need to check first - and understand them very well  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;anyway i dont think feeding a dog meat is the same as eating it yourself which is much more important : not in an atheistic way  and   in my personal understanding of Theravada it has benefits to you personally cause it reduces attachment and even might help develop metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So keep with the meat until your sure ......  !!!  You can try to get free leftover meat from butchers - my grandpas brother used to do that -   he got leftover meat from butchers to feed his dog and they were quality parts also - this seems like a good solution - making good kamma for you and the butcher !!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2016-12-28T22:50:16.227" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T22:50:16.227" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17570" CreationDate="2016-12-28T02:00:25.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You know the definition of &quot;kōan&quot; is &quot;case,&quot; right? As in &quot;law case&quot; for instance; or as in &quot;the case of the purple pimpernel.&quot; Maybe because Zen did not have the large body of writings that Indian Buddhism had, examples were used as a teaching method. After a while the best - maybe most profound - examples were collected, as in the Blue Cliff Record. There was never a secret to constructing them, they are each a record of an instance that happened.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10558" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T02:00:25.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18676" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18682" CreationDate="2016-12-28T15:28:27.273" Score="3" ViewCount="581" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there (small) differences between the vipassana meditation technique of U Ba Khin and S.N. Goenka?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2017-01-22T10:49:09.930" Title="Differences between U Ba Khin and S.N. Goenka" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2016-12-28T17:51:45.603" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Consciousness&quot; is a broad term with many different contexts. The vinnana following sankhara in the DO formula is the kammic-consciousness/KammaVinnana, a connecting thread of personal continuity through sequence of rebirths, as described in the commentary to SN 22.3 (Ven. Bodhi's footnote in &quot;The Connected Discourses&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I follow the reading of the text in Se and Ee, rūpadhāturāgavinibaddhaṃ , also supported by Spk (Be), as against Be -vinibandhaṃ. Spk resolves the compound, rūpadhātumhi rāgena vinibaddhaṃ, and explains this consciousness as the kammic consciousness (kammaviññāṇa). The passage confirms the privileged status of consciousness among the five aggregates. While all the aggregates are conditioned phenomena marked by the three characteristics, consciousness serves as the connecting thread of personal continuity through the sequence of rebirths. This ties up with the idea expressed at 12:38-40 that consciousness is the persisting element in experience that links together the old existence with the new one. The other four aggregates serve as the “stations for consciousness” (viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo; see 22:53-54). Even consciousness, however, is not a self-identical entity but a sequence of dependently arisen occasions of cognizing; see MN I 256-60.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T17:51:45.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18642" CreationDate="2016-12-28T21:36:47.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is end of changes. No efforts, no maintain, no continuous care to colloquially exist/survive, free from Sinkhara Dhamma which require continuous attentiveness to persist (Kaya Sinkhara, Citta Sinkhara). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example of Nirvana is fire is extinguished because oil is depleted as well as  the rope dipping in oil is burnt completely. The state of Sunyata of Nirvana also means there is no single entity left change or to be changed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2016-12-28T21:36:47.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18619" CreationDate="2016-12-29T04:07:03.687" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Iresha Rubasinghe, the answer to your question lies in the story of Arahant bikkhuni Isidasi’s life before monkhood. It is best explained in one or two of the Sinhala sermons that I’ve come across. It is mentioned in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/malunkyaputta-sutta-reject-sensuality/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Malunkyaputta Sutta (Reject Sensuality) SAMYUTTA NIKĀYA 35:95&lt;/a&gt;. The story of Arahant bikkhuni Isidasi in the scriptures, is a good example of karma and sexual misconduct independent of the lay precepts. She became aware of the secret of the cause of her suffering only after she attained Arahantship. In a nutshell :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;” She realized seven births prior to her current birth she had being born a male. During that life he had molested young girls. After his death he was born in hell. He suffered in hell for a considerable period of time. Next he was born a monkey. Attacked by an older monkey he was wounded. The wound festered. The festered wound did not heal for a long time and finally died after much suffering. His ‘kamma’ was not over. He was born a goat, next a cow and suffered similar fates. Thereafter he was born a human being. He was born a female. Her mother was a low caste poor servant. One day debtors took the young girl away from the mother. Her life ended thus. Finally she was fortunate to be born during the time of the Buddha and was liberated from the sufferings of ‘samsara’. Thus we all should realize that we should reform our inner selves by conforming to the Dhamma if we are to attain liberation.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This story will help you in getting your mind in a state where it’s willing to learn, where it’s able to observe cause and effect, so you will be less judgmental, and less despondent.  Then you will love others, and you will care for others without any expectations in return. Your mind will begin to settle down. You will no longer want things to be this way or that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-29T04:07:03.687" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18619" CreationDate="2016-12-29T10:46:59.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am answering this question without having previously read other answers herein and would like to express without citing textbook references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I may.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love (cause):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I love cows, because my family had a cow, which farmed for us; it&#xA;  brought us income and thus food on the table.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Care (as a result):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, I love to wash my cows on the field very frequently; I&#xA;  love it when passer-by come touch my cows and pet them. I think these&#xA;  beings are magnificent, which &lt;strong&gt;deserves&lt;/strong&gt; love. I hate those who are&#xA;  so afraid to approach magnificent animals such as cows. What are they&#xA;  afraid of? Stupid people, oh well, oh well.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the opposite of love (dislike/hate):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;We had a cow; my mom would milk it daily. With the milk, we'd make&#xA;  cheese, which we would sell to the locals. But one day, this cow took&#xA;  a swing with its hind legs as my mother milked it that injured my&#xA;  mother. Stupid cow, which I thought we took very well care of. Now,&#xA;  when I see on T.V. what they do to cows and bulls on Spanish T.V., I&#xA;  don't feel bad for them, given for the cow we had did to my mother.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result (on the opposite side of care):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, we have cows that farm for us; but who cares, these &lt;strong&gt;things&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  would just freak out one day and hurt you, who knows? It's winter, but&#xA;  I don't care if they are let out and freeze.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Love (out of compassion):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is none (minimized). But compassion exists, regardless of the amount of love (and/or hate/dislike) within you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Care:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without love or hate, one suddenly &lt;em&gt;sees&lt;/em&gt; a &lt;em&gt;clearer&lt;/em&gt; picture. There is no &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;fuel&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (love or hate) that forces/drives you to care or abuse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then, you &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;care&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; out of compassion. Care, in my opinion, is often mistaken as a result of &lt;strong&gt;love&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your caring of one thing/being, suddenly, becomes &lt;em&gt;unbiased&lt;/em&gt;, it stems from compassion that benefits those, whom you need not to love or hate (cause) previously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without those attributes, your &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;care&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;/&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;tending to those in need&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; suddenly become unbiased and is thus truly beneficial/helpful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only then &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; care benefit those in need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for previous life (debt or gain).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't know it, and we wouldn't care. Compassion doesn't care.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="170" LastEditorUserId="170" LastEditDate="2016-12-29T11:02:21.667" LastActivityDate="2016-12-29T11:02:21.667" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18418" CreationDate="2016-12-29T17:03:24.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhanga: the dissolution of the ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhanga is the experience of total dissolution of the body and not necessary ego. Everywhere in your body you experience arising and passing. This experience can be vivid like vibration, bubbling, electric pulses running through you body, or even feel the body is a cluster of particles caught in brownian motion like vibrations.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can it be described as a synonym of wisdom (panna)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This itself is a level of wisdom but still you wisdom to realise is not complete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As the realization (experiential seeing and knowing) of the tilakkhana (anicca; dukkha; and anatta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Bhanga you start seeing anicca but this is not realization, though some teachers teach it as such, but a step before realisation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/A-Meditators-Handbook--PDF-eBook-br-spanVipassanaspan_p_4863.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Page 51, A Meditator's Handbook&lt;/a&gt; by Bill Crecelius, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mapjourney6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Map of the Journey&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Jotika, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Progress of Insight&lt;/a&gt; by The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-12-31T05:18:38.217" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T05:18:38.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18676" CreationDate="2016-12-29T17:15:14.580" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;From many of S.N. Goenka's writing it is implied that U Ba Khin gave explicit instruction not the change anything regarding to the technique and I believe this is the case. Also many times in this writing S.N. Goenka has expressed profound and deep respect to his teacher. So it is unlikely there would have been any changes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since U Ba Khin died some time back, while S.N. Goenka taught based in India while U Ba Khin this would only be known to someone who was a student of both masters if at all who might be surviving would be very few who would know the this for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18970&quot;&gt;U ba Khin / Goenka Vipassana putting stress only on vednanupassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-01-22T10:49:09.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-29T17:15:52.680" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that caring is right, good and human.&#xA;The only people that do not care are evil people, psicopaths or dead people.&#xA;Hate and evil can only be overcome with love and care.&#xA;Care is also the basis and precondition of cure. Care is pure friendship.&#xA;True care means love with wisdom and without attachment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10562" LastActivityDate="2016-12-29T17:15:52.680" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11903" CreationDate="2016-12-29T22:17:48.337" Score="0" Body="&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other types of media (books, films, etc) can also have an effect on us. Plato thought that books were an assault on the person reading because the reader were not able to argue against the thoughts presented there&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Mindfulness and concentration&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However a difference is that the immersion is often bigger in computer games, in other words it's more difficult to maintain mindfulness and easier to be fully concentrated on the game. We easily &quot;get lost&quot; in this other world&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Content of the game&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming that we are concentrated on the game and have lost connection with our body and mindfulness in general, the content of the game becomes extra important. Do we think it will be beneficial for us? What states of mind does it help to create and maintain?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many games contain violence or competition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some games create empathy and understanding of others, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondeyes-game.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Beyond Eyes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://papersplea.se/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Papers Please&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;A positive perspective from a Buddhist gamer&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jane McGonigal&lt;/em&gt; is a futurist, author and Buddhist who has written and lectured about the positive psychological effects of gaming&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is an excerpt from one of her lectures at a &quot;Buddhist Geeks&quot; conferance: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ1IKokGUlg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is Super Mario a Buddhist?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Her tips for gaming:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Don’t play more than 21 hours a week.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Playing with real-life friends and family is better than playing alone all the time, or with strangers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Playing face-to-face with friends and family beats playing with them online.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Cooperative gameplay, overall, has more benefits than competitive gameplay.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Creative games have special positive impacts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2016-12-29T22:17:48.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18619" CreationDate="2016-12-30T00:20:50.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The moment is a good place to go birdwatching some truth , moment by moment, without anyone's assumptions about reality or truth being you or his or mine or unfair or Abercrombie...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we approach reality this way then the world isn't unfair, it just is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we approach reality this way then it is easier to understand that &lt;strong&gt;love&lt;/strong&gt; isn't at the root of suffering, the attachment mixed in with the love leads to suffering. Pure love sets the loved free, it doesn't strangle the loved one with a &lt;strong&gt;what's in it for me?&lt;/strong&gt; attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T04:50:33.723" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T04:50:33.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18620" CreationDate="2016-12-30T01:17:26.160" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Iresha Rubasinghe, I understand that caring for others is very much a part of you, but the question that you have is how to avoid having to suffer while caring. You seem to have a lot of good traits that an adult would like to see in the present day youth. It is interesting to note that you are somewhat of the same age as my own son, and is in the same field of Software Engineering.  If I am to have a fervent wish for this coming New Year 2017, it is to see in the present day youth, a new breed in the making, who are compassionate, caring, trustworthy and well-disciplined. Young couples who earlier spent time on film halls and botanic garden shrubs, who would begin to observe Sil with their partners. Then start helping with charities, and became respectable citizens as a by-product of this endeavour. Some of the most fortunate amongst them, who have a special calling, because of their past meritorious deeds, to get to shed all their bindings to the mortal world and became Anagaarikas &amp;amp; Monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A law of the universe is the more one gives away, the more one gets. You would not believe it, (that's why you asked this question) yet it is a law of cause and effect. Always believe it and act accordingly, but keep in mind that it will only be effective if the giving is done in purity. We can give our time, our caring, our concern for others' well-being. We have the immediate benefit of happiness in our own heart, when we see the joy we have given to someone else. This is about the only satisfaction we can expect in this life which is of a nature that does not disappear quickly, because we can recollect the deed and our own happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who are of the selfish kind would never know of this complete satisfaction, contentment and peacefulness. For them life would only be about getting up, eating breakfast, washing, dressing, thinking and planning, cooking, buying things, talking to people, going to work, going to bed, getting up... over and over again. Is that enough for a lifetime?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are all concerned about how to change our mind from enmity, hurtfulness and unhappiness, to their opposites. It possible to change the mind, but we have to work towards it, it will take time, and only  gradually will we come to this stage over time. The body doesn't change overnight, to become athletic, and neither does the mind change instantly. But if we don't continually train it, it's just going to stay the same it has always been, which is not conductive to a harmonious and peaceful life. This willingness to change our mind should make it possible to live each day meaningfully, which is the difference between just being alive and living. We would do at least one thing each day, which either entails spiritual growth for ourselves or helpfulness and consideration for others, preferably both. If we add one meaningful day to the next, we wind up with a meaningful life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T01:17:26.160" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18688" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-30T10:09:06.387" Score="1" ViewCount="630" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any thing that Buddhism can add to a Stoic Pursuit?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is a friendly laid-back discourse between a Stoic and a Buddhist, which could be used as a guide to what I’m trying to compare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist:  &lt;em&gt;Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, &amp;amp; despair are suffering; association with the unbeloved is suffering; separation from the loved is suffering; not getting what is wanted is suffering. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;Yes, if you attach yourself to what is not given you will sure suffer. These five aggregates you counted must have been something not in your power. Have you nothing which is in your own power, which depends on yourself only and cannot be taken from you, or have you any thing of the kind?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;what do you mean, there are only five aggregates there is no I or mine&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;what? Is any man able to make you assent to that which is false or compel you to desire what you do not wish?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;No&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;In the matter of assent and desire then you are free from hindrance and obstruction?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;Yes&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;So, if we let go of the body which is subject to revolution of the whole and withdraw from externals, turns to our will to exercise it and to improve it by labor, so as to make it conformable to nature, elevated, free, unrestrained, unimpeded, faithful, modest, and virtuous will we not achieve tranquility and avoid suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist:  &lt;em&gt;Well said, training an act of will is a noble did, but until you learn that there is no “I or my-self” you would remain in cycle of rebirth.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;what do you mean?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;But what is that you call my-self or I?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;Sir, it’s my soul. If you ask me what is a soul I can’t say this or that, but I have just told you an attribute of mine which is not bound by suffering. Will you be kind enough to show me that my act of will is not mine?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;If that you call mine is the volitional formation you should know that it has ignorance as conditions and he who assume volition to be the self will surely be afflicted in mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;I do not understand, you seem to me to be talking very obscure, you surly do not mean that the all wise will not act?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;No, I’m saying you should not say volition is mine.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;Why?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;Perhaps you will understand if you look at it from another angle. Answer my question, by acting virtuously and by wisdom you are training the will towards the good?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;Yes&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;When the will become all virtuous, all wise and attain the good with no trace of ignorance will you claim that all wise will to be yours.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;Far from it, there is but only one wise. If at all possible to reach of what you speak without quitting the body then the act of will be one with the one.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HE&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2016-12-30T22:22:50.767" LastActivityDate="2018-08-27T12:02:53.327" Title="What does Buddhism add to a Stoic?" Tags="|karma|anatman|pratityasamutpada|comparative-religion|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18689" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-30T10:54:22.330" Score="3" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is mindfulness itself kamma ? does it create kamma ? is it one of the 50 types of kamma ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(my teacher who is a monk told me mindfulness is kamma  - and like kamma its an accumulated thing )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im asking cause if mindfulness is kamma than its accumlated - and if its accumlated it answers my &quot;problem&quot;  : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18641/is-there-a-value-for-a-single-moment-of-mindfulness-without-others&quot;&gt;Is there a value for a single moment of mindfulness (without others) ?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T18:06:56.660" Title="Is mindfulness itself kamma ? does it create kamma?" Tags="|karma|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18689" CreationDate="2016-12-30T14:11:34.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fabrication (Sankhara)&lt;/a&gt;, consists of 50 of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;52 Mental Factors (cetasika)&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; appears in the 25 mental factors which arise with wholesome consciousness. Mindfulness is wholesome as it aids liberation. Unlike some factors which accumulates Fabrication which is one which aids in not creating new fabrication which keeps a being in misery. Also what every is Wholesome is not necessary accumulation of positive Karmic Fabrications. The reduction in accumulated Karma is also Wholesome are you are more closer to liberation. Also note the 50 cetasikas are not all wholesome and they influence karmic accumulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-12-30T17:35:17.967" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T17:35:17.967" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18691" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-30T15:29:15.530" Score="2" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some resolution that we can made in order to make the upcoming year more peaceful ,fruitful. Resolutions which may bring some major changes in our life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T16:29:40.747" Title="New Year Resolutions" Tags="|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18689" CreationDate="2016-12-30T16:01:03.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two types of karma , positive karma and negative karma.&#xA;Karma are acts done by body ,words and mind.&#xA;Mindfulness itself is not a karma since  it is not an act.&#xA;But it will reduce the negative karma that  you'd do unknowingly.because you are aware of your mind.&#xA;Thus eventually it will help you to achieve nirvana even though doesn't create karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T16:01:03.730" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18691" CreationDate="2016-12-30T16:19:27.193" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In school, teachers was asking students their resolutions, they can be not to lie, getting high score and so on.&#xA;But after some days or times gone no one seem aware of resolutions they had made at start of new year. Seldom of them aware of it; so if I've made resolution as not to lie, first thing I need to remind myself about it for practically achieve it. Need to mind control to not to lie. And so you asking for making year peaceful and happy then you can set it as practicing better than before and so many as you wishing. Meditation is there also you can made resolution of it and you'll have peaceful and bright year, not even year but life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T16:19:27.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18573" CreationDate="2016-12-30T16:51:46.927" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just stumbled upon an extract from the book &quot;Zen mind, Beginner's Mind&quot; that fits the question very well! I'm sure this quote from the book will save many smart or intelligent people from wasting their time!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The best way to develop Buddhism is to sit in zazen—just to sit, with a firm conviction in our true nature. This way is much better than to read books or study the philosophy of Buddhism.&#xA;  If you want to be a sincere Buddhist, the best way is to sit. We are very fortunate to have a place to sit in this way. I want you to have a firm, wide, imperturbable conviction in your zazen of just sitting. Just to sit, that is enough. &#xA;  Reality cannot be caught by thinking or feeling mind. Moment after moment to watch your breathing, to watch your posture, is true nature. There is no secret beyond this point.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, &quot;the best&quot; are just relative 2 words that the authors try to simplify the whole book but I thought it'd be useful for the &quot;mind wanderers&quot; like me to settle down. Knowing that it comes from an expert, haha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10525" LastEditorUserId="10525" LastEditDate="2016-12-30T19:57:20.990" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T19:57:20.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18689" CreationDate="2016-12-30T18:06:56.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right mindfulness is an intentional (mental) act therefore it is kamma. However it falls under a 3rd type of kamma that is called the &quot;kamma that ends kamma&quot;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN 6.63 states the noble eightfold path is the kamma that ends kamma therefore right mindfulness falls within this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T18:06:56.660" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14912" CreationDate="2016-12-30T18:40:04.213" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, the spelling of the mantra in Devanagari (&quot;Sanskrit&quot;) and Tibetan scripts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/AL9i3.png&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/AL9i3.png&quot; alt=&quot;Devanagari Vajra Guru Mantra&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transliteration: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/clPYh.gif&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/clPYh.gif&quot; alt=&quot;Tibetan Vajra Guru Mantra&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Transliteration: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;oṃ āḥ hūṃ badzra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following two characters differ (Tibetan script followed by IPA): བ = /ba/, ཛ = /dza/. Why is that? There's no व &quot;va&quot; in the native Tibetan alphabet, so the options are ཝ &quot;wa&quot; or བ &quot;ba&quot;. In this case, &quot;ba&quot; has been chosen. Letter ཛ /dza/, instead of the native &quot;ja&quot; ཇ /dʒa/, is commonly used to transliterate the Devanagari ज &quot;ja&quot;, being phonetically closer (although not identical). The spelling of &lt;em&gt;&quot;padma&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is identical, however in Tibetan the pronunciation becomes &lt;em&gt;&quot;pema&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. Likewise &quot;&lt;em&gt;badzra&lt;/em&gt;&quot; becomes &quot;&lt;em&gt;benza&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, non-native Sanskrit conjuncts like &quot;dzr&quot; often morph like that. The literal spelling &quot;pema&quot; has also entered some Tibetan texts, though I haven't seen it used for this particular transliteration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also variations (regional/lineage/historical) of the actual pronunciation in Tibetan, so the answer to your question, &quot;&lt;em&gt;which version is more authentic&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, depends largely on &quot;&lt;em&gt;according to whom&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Undoubtedly each Tibetan lineage will hold that their version is the preferred one. If you should find an Indian Vajrayana practitioner from a native lineage, they would probably prefer the Sanskritic version. If you happened to find a heir to the Mahasiddhas of early medieval Bengal, chances are they'd prefer you muttering &quot;&lt;em&gt;bojro-guru podmo-siddhi&lt;/em&gt;&quot; instead. To each their own, I say, and all success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Is it up to the individual?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; Again, it depends. If you follow a traditional Lama who has inherited a certain version, then that's probably what you are expected to emulate. (Be aware that Roman transliterations in Tibetan writings available in English are often approximate, if not crude, and non-standardized. Find a recording and follow that if you want to have it 100% per the source.) If you follow your own lead, then yes, surely it is up to you, and your experience, which variant you may prefer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're a lonely rider on the path to nowhere, you will want to burrow into the effects of each version and try to pin down the mind-space and energy impact conjured by each variant, along with the syllables when individually uttered. (This is worthy practice with any mantra and in any case.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The greatest benefit&lt;/em&gt; follows from no particular pronunciation, but from the skill of entering the mantra and deploying it as a medium for entering the &quot;lotus-born diamond-master&quot; space of awareness, flanked by the energies of the seed-syllables — and in due course embodying all that yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4969" LastEditorUserId="4969" LastEditDate="2016-12-30T18:47:14.263" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T18:47:14.263" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18697" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-30T21:55:06.097" Score="1" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does mindfulness end kamma ? is that a good thing ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;!!! yes I am aware that the goal is not to attach to anything so avoiding suffering and that good kamma in the end is also &quot;bad&quot;  !!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am asking about whats the benifits of mindfulness eradicating kamma becaus :  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dont we all have a ton of kamma from a gigantic amount of kamma and if we eradicate kammas throw mindfulness it will just be replaced with other kammas which can also be bad kammas ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i mean its not like we reach nibana by cleaning up all the kamma &quot;We&quot; got - but by developing wisdom  so whats the good thing about mindfulness ending &lt;em&gt;spesific&lt;/em&gt; (not all)  kammas ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask this after receiving this reply (and wanted this as a follow up different question) : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Right mindfulness is an intentional (mental) act therefore it is kamma. However it falls under a 3rd type of kamma that is called the &quot;kamma that ends kamma&quot;. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from here (I wanted this as a follow up in different new question) : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18689/is-mindfulness-itself-kamma-does-it-create-kamma&quot;&gt;Is mindfulness itself kamma ? does it create kamma?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2022-09-29T14:37:48.613" Title="Does mindfulness end kamma ? is that a good thing ?" Tags="|karma|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18688" CreationDate="2016-12-30T22:20:40.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, that dialog reminds me of two stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This bit of your dialog:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;what? Is any man able to make you assent to that which is&#xA;  false or compel you to desire what you do not wish?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;No&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: &lt;em&gt;In the matter of assent and desire then you are free from&#xA;  hindrance and obstruction?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist: &lt;em&gt;Yes&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reminds me of a Zen story called &quot;Nothing Exists&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;82&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after&#xA;  another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Desiring to show his attainment, he said: &quot;The mind, Buddha, and&#xA;  sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena&#xA;  is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no&#xA;  mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked&#xA;  Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If nothing exists,&quot; inquired Dokuon, &quot;where did this anger come&#xA;  from?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps I'm not supposed to explain it, but the way I read it is that Buddhism (though I'm not sure about Zen Buddhism) identifies various &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances or fetters&lt;/a&gt;, of which maybe &quot;anger&quot; is one. Buddhist teaching (including e.g. the doctrine of &quot;emptiness&quot;) is intended to help people escape these fetters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this story the student is claiming &quot;attainment&quot;, i.e. he's claiming to realize that things are empty, perhaps implicitly claiming that by his realization (of emptiness) he has attained freedom (from fetters).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher's action shows (teaches) that it's not enough to just &lt;em&gt;say&lt;/em&gt; that things are empty: the youth's pride and self-protection (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amour-propre&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;self-love&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) remain as a seed from which anger can arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in your story you have the Buddhist claim that he's immune to coercion, free from hindrance, etc., which I think begs the question: because part of the purpose of Buddhism is to develop such freedom, and Buddhism doesn't take for granted that people already have that freedom which maybe your Stoic is trying to claim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your Stoic is maybe describing an ideal, an ultimate end. The Buddha (Buddhism, Buddhist Dharma) describes the present non-ideal (suffering) situation, and outlines a way towards the end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Stoic's claim, as stated, might be a bit naive, too, if you analyze it; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;to desire what you do not wish&quot; might be a paradox (logically impossible), but IMO there are real-life examples of desires that make people unhappy, and of addictions etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In the phrase &quot;you are free from hindrance&quot; it presumes that &quot;free from hindrance&quot; and &quot;you&quot; can coexist; whereas perhaps &quot;you&quot; (i.e. a sense of self) is a type of attachment, and maybe &quot;free from hindrance&quot; starts when the sense of &quot;you&quot; stops.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter part of your dialog starts with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: Sir, it’s my soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And ends with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist: Perhaps you will understand if you look at it from another angle. Answer my question, by acting virtuously and by wisdom you are training the will towards the good?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: Yes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the topic has been focused on &quot;self&quot; and &quot;my&quot; and &quot;soul&quot; and &quot;one&quot; and so on, rather than on the previous hindrances-versus-freedom dichotomy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well on that subject I think that Buddhism has at least two things to say about &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One is that a sense of self, or a self-view, or selfishness, is a cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory[27] from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&quot; — &quot;No, Lord.&quot; — &quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When it (the sense of self) is used towards the good (which your Stoic seems to be suggesting, &quot;by wisdom I train my will towards the good&quot;), I think that Buddhism maybe calls this type of sense-of-self, &quot;conceit&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit is a subject of the answers to this question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt; which includes for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one is better than someone and he thinks &quot;I am better&quot;, or &quot;I am equal&quot; or &quot;I am not as good&quot; it is conceit. If the person is equal and he thinks: &quot;I am better&quot; or &quot;I am equal&quot; or &quot;I am not as good&quot;, it is conceit&quot;. If the person is not as good and he thinks: &quot;I am better&quot; or &quot;I am equal&quot; or &quot;I am not as good&quot;, it is conceit. - it should be 9 permutations rather than levels.. I couldn't find the sutta to link it. I just remembered it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceit is also mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sutta (AN 4.159)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now. Then why not me?' Then he eventually abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. 'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a bit long but I think it's saying, &quot;I have a conceit that I think I can be good: that I can be as good as someone else who was good or did well. The conceit itself isn't good, but by relying on it, etc.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO there's a similar sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 51.15&lt;/a&gt;) about using desire to abandon desire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think these are examples of what Buddhism can &quot;add to&quot; what your Stoic was saying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why the Stoic introduced &quot;self&quot; into the conversation at all. Buddhism too talks about Wisdom and Intention (e.g. &quot;Right Intention&quot;, etc.), but maybe (at least initially) without claiming whether they are or are not mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what the purpose of the Stoic's &quot;soul&quot; (or theory of soul) is. I guess its purpose is to identify with eternal/divine virtues, which I more or less ignorantly attribute to piety of the Ancient Greeks (who I imagine saying that Man isn't good but that some men embody some godly virtues).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2016-12-30T22:49:30.133" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18699" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18701" CreationDate="2016-12-31T00:19:54.237" Score="3" ViewCount="137" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/reference-request&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;reference-request&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;reference-request&lt;/a&gt; question. Which sutta contains the following story?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It starts with a monk who will travel to a far land (perhaps to a state on the west coast of what's now India, and perhaps as a missionary). The Buddha asks, how will he react if he's attacked?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It ends with the monk's saying that he will reflect that death is something which some (other) people seek, that these people have to arrange to find a murderer who will kill them, and that the people killing &lt;em&gt;him&lt;/em&gt; have saved him this trouble! And in that way, he'll keep a mind of good-will.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha approves.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember it as similar to the parable of the saw; perhaps a much shorter sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T03:51:31.820" Title="Which is this sutta, which describes a monk prepared to travel and to experience violence?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18699" CreationDate="2016-12-31T03:51:31.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Punna Sutta: To Punna (SN 35.88)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell the story goes like this.....There was a rural village called Sunāparanta. No one went to this village because the people of Sunāparanta were fierce and rough, but a Bhikkhu volunteered himself to go visit that village. That Bhikkhu’s name was Punhnha. He requested the Buddha’s permission to go to that village. The Buddha told him the nature of the villagers in Sunāparanta. The Buddha showed him that if he goes to that village, even his life could be in danger. Punhnha Thero happily accepted that challenge and went to that village. After only few days, the whole village was changed. Those dangerous villagers took refuge in the Triple Gem. Some of them entered the monkhood and developed virtuous qualities… How did that happen? Even though those villagers were known to be vicious people, they had skills in them. When they started to listen to the Dhamma, those skills started to develop in them. If someone realizes the Dhamma after listening to it one day, that person’s skills start to develop gradually. This Sunāparanta could be the present day Saudi Arabia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T03:51:31.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18702" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-31T04:12:03.593" Score="5" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the time we are under control of our mind and old habits.If a beginner wants to break the old habits and get more control of it.From where do they should start ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T08:47:14.767" Title="More self control - Beginners" Tags="|meditation|meditation-hindrances|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18702" CreationDate="2016-12-31T04:40:31.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is BE WISE. BE PURE IN DEED, SPEECH AND THOUGHT.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The wise are controlled in deed, they are controlled in speech, they are controlled in thought. Only if you could stay heedful, would you be able to put out the fire of lust (Ragaggi), the fire of hatred (Dosaggi), and the fire of delusion (Mohaggi) that are waiting to flare up at any moment. We all have these traits to a lesser or greater degree. Otherwise we cannot be living in the society. Since one does not live alone, living in unity in society requires self-awareness, self-control, adaptability, non-violent attitude and good-will. Buddhists are taught to diffuse the Four Divine States of Mind: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity towards all sentient beings who may be of different nationalities, religions and environments. The Five Precepts that we follow help us to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants which cause carelessness. We should be kind, honest and mindful. Then our society will reach the goal that persons can live together peacefully and in mutual trust. In the scriptures it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Good is restraint in action,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;             And good restraint in speech,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;             Good is restraint in mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;             Restraint throughout is good.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;             Well guarded is he said to be&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who is ashamed of sin, in all things self-controlled &quot;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T04:40:31.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18641" CreationDate="2016-12-31T04:50:39.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine some valuable has fallen into a well and you are draining it to get the items. Every bucket of water you take out has a value towards draining it. But if you take buckets of water far apart new water will replace the old and the water level will not go down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same with Fabrication. You have to take them out faster than new ones forming, i.e., every moment you practice has a value as long as you practice often enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T04:50:39.333" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18697" CreationDate="2016-12-31T05:05:49.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is wholesome is what you perceive positively at the time the result manifests. Since all worldly experiences are unsatisfactory, experiencing Nirvana is wholesome. Anything that reduces your stress and suffering is a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are practice Right Mindfulness, you do not create new Karma then your old Karmas start surfacing which reduce your old stock of karma and newly created karma. Development of the path factors is good Karma. Path factors are also part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental Factors (cetasika)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2016-12-31T05:13:36.467" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T05:13:36.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18589" CreationDate="2016-12-31T05:08:39.323" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you take ups a sport and do irregular practice there will be some benefit but you will not react your true potential which you perhaps can reach with regular practice. Practice of mindfulness is also similar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T05:08:39.323" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18707" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-31T05:16:27.593" Score="3" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before sitting for meditation I got a few strange questions: why does my mind even wander? What does my mind want, and can it ever be satisfied completely? Can anybody please explain this to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7903" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-01-01T15:17:34.323" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T14:11:28.713" Title="Why does my mind naturally wander?" Tags="|mindfulness|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18708" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-31T07:25:20.093" Score="8" ViewCount="328" Body="&lt;p&gt;If one has cultivated a habit for countless lifetimes, how is it possible to reverse such habit? Is it possible at all? Is that person entirely at the mercy of external factors? (are we ever not entirely at the mercy of external factors? This is an entirely different question though).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have trouble understanding how habits are changed, and where that change originates. I figure the answer to this 'extreme case' question will shed some light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&#xA;This question is a different way of phrasing these two questions &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18716/what-allows-to-make-a-choice&quot;&gt;What allows to make a choice&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18738/what-is-volition/18762#18762&quot;&gt;What is volition?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T14:24:44.550" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T14:24:44.550" Title="How is it possible to change habits cultivated over lifetimes" Tags="|mind|five-hindrances|defilements|habits|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2016-12-31T10:15:33.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali Buddhist scriptures teach that present happiness &amp;amp; suffering of a person are not caused by actions performed in the past. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;, which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one falls back on what was done in the past as being essential, monks, there is no desire, no effort, 'This should be&#xA;  done. This shouldn't be done.' When one can't pin down as a truth or&#xA;  reality what should &amp;amp; shouldn't be done, one dwells bewildered &amp;amp;&#xA;  unprotected.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T10:15:33.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2016-12-31T13:49:18.977" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not at all a simple task to reverse the habits cultivated over umpteenth lifetimes. It is next to impossible without gaining a good knowledge of the Dhamma and putting it to practice diligently.  Then, and only then you are going to have any success in thwarting the mind’s ingrained habits. The personality view is the hardest of them all. If you could begin altering your habits, one day in the years to come you will be very thankful for getting into a path that made the impossible possible. Now it will feel like drug withdrawal of an addict when quitting the bad habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can alter our habits because they too are impermanent. Consciousness too is impermanent and constantly changing. Thus, all these aggregates are constantly changing and impermanent. They are processes, not things. They are dynamic, not static. This knowledge will help us to see personal experiences in terms of processes, in terms of impersonal functions rather than in terms of a self and what affects a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You’re learning to use the tools that Buddhism offers to sort out your own mind. First the tools help you look at the habits, the things the mind is doing. Then goodness will come, not from any innate goodness in the mind, but from a keen sense of the dangers of the unskillful habits already there, and the benefits of the skillful habits that one can develop in their place. Once we have this understanding, we can overcome ingrained habits. This is why the Buddha said that heedfulness is the root of all skillfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In psychotherapy, to root out ingrained tendencies in the mind one may trace things back to what you did as a child.  The teachings of the Buddha instead gets you to focus on looking at your habits right now, as they keep coming back again and again and again.  The Dhamma will inform you as to what is virtue, and what is not; what is blameworthy, and what is not; what should be made a habit of, and what should not. This will get you to civilize your eating habits by learning to wean yourself  from your passion for the junk food of sights, sounds, smells, etc., and look instead for good food within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlearning some old habits is not easy.  After a while complacency sets in. Complacency is a form of sloth/torpor. Complacency can be said as lethargy in the body (sloth) and drowsiness in the mind (torpor). It is when the mind is not sleeping, but not awake either. So be aware of this twilight zone, where nothing of use is achieved. Buddha advises us to be aware of this enemy in life that would stop you from succeeding in life. So we have to make a habit of getting up early every day, being energetic. Energy arises when one has a clear-cut direction. One knows exactly where one is going and keeps at it. This is one to keep Mara’s armies at bay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also check &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6abc-Cetana-S-s12.38-40-piya-1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetana Sutta 3 - S 12.40&lt;/a&gt; to find out how we form our personal habits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T14:39:12.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2016-12-31T17:19:27.503" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a yard has lots of weeds, just by getting rid of the weeds alone won't be effective. One will also need to overseed their yard with strong grass so that they will overwhelm the weeds and grow into a healthy lush green lawn. Similarly, not only one needs to abandon bad habits, one'd also need to cultivate good habits so that they will &quot;overwhelm&quot; the bad ones. In Buddhism, it's called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SammaPpadhana/The Four Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T17:19:27.503" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18707" CreationDate="2016-12-31T17:30:28.590" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's because of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy_(order_and_disorder)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;entropy&lt;/a&gt;, a natural law of nature which measures disorder (the higher the entropy, the greater the disorder), as physicist Rudolf Clausius stated: &quot;The entropy of the universe tends to a maximum&quot;. The mind, like all conditioned phenomena, always tends toward scattering, fading away, disorder, decay, and cessation. It'd take effort to control and steady the mind just like proper effort is required to maintain a physical building from disorder and decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T17:30:28.590" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18707" CreationDate="2016-12-31T18:16:00.880" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every life form is born in the world due to craving. Within life forms, there are seeds, such as sperm cells, which are propelled by craving. Parents of children engage in sexual intercourse &amp;amp; reproduce new life propelled by craving. New born children are born with craving to eat, craving to be safe, craving for love, craving for pleasure, etc. The mind wanders due to craving. This 'wandering' is called 'samsara'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T18:16:00.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18707" CreationDate="2016-12-31T18:25:36.260" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You ask as to why the mind wanders. But it is there for cognizing thoughts – just as the eye is there to seeing forms, ear for hearing sounds, nose for smelling odours, tongue for tasting flavours, and body for touching tangibles. That is why, the more we watch our mind and see what it does to us and for us, the more we will be inclined to take good care of it and treat it with respect. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is taking the mind for granted. The mind has the capacity to create good and also evil for us, and only when we are able to remain even-minded no matter what conditions arise, can we say that we have gained a little control. Until then we are out of control and our thoughts are our master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taming this monkey is not an easy thing. So you have to take baby steps in the beginning. Even if your attempt at meditation takes only a few seconds, or a couple of minutes, be happy about it.&#xA;Left alone the mind behaves like a monkey in a forest. Meditation is a great way to calm the monkey mind.  But prior to that we have to learn how to go beyond - being resolved on sensual passion, being resolved on ill will, being resolved on harmfulness—because all these things stir up the mind and interfere with its settling down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T18:25:36.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18702" CreationDate="2016-12-31T18:29:45.440" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;One starts by seeing with insight how the old habits are disadvantageous, &lt;em&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/em&gt; (incapable of bring lasting hapiness), dangerous, harmful &amp;amp;/or promote suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One starts by seeing with insight the advantage &amp;amp; benefit of giving up those old habits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is one of many suttas describing how the Buddha, before his enlightenment, reflected upon the advantages &amp;amp; disadvantages of differing types of thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.023.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states a cause of faith in Buddhist practises is the experience of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-31T18:34:47.383" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T18:34:47.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18716" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2016-12-31T19:04:32.703" Score="4" ViewCount="314" Body="&lt;p&gt;For example, the body has the choice to walk on path A or B. Before the body starts walking, there must be thoughts of path A and B. There must also be a (mental?) decision/choice made to walk on one path or the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is it that allows to make choices?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have always been at loss to understand what that untouchable phenomenon is. What is it that let's me choose at all?&#xA;I have trouble phrasing the question. So I will give another example. When someone offers me a marijuana joint, there are the options to accept or decline. Both feel just as far, just as easy to make. Sometimes I accept, sometimes reject. What phenomenon chooses? I've never been able to 'touch' that phenomenon directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18708/how-is-it-possible-to-change-habits-cultivated-over-lifetimes&quot;&gt;This question about changing habits&lt;/a&gt; is the same question as this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&#xA;In another attempt to convey what is being asked (my apologies), there is now another question (this one with a bounty) &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18738/what-is-volition&quot;&gt;What is volition?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T13:29:52.917" Title="What allows to make a choice" Tags="|mind|psychology|free-will|volition|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18697" CreationDate="2016-12-31T19:05:23.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does mindfulness end kamma ? is that a good thing ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a necessary condition toward the ending of kamma. But it's not a sufficient condition. SammaSati is one factor to be cultivated among the 8 factors of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. Regarding the other question, one even needs to have wholesome desires in order to put an end to all desires. See Ven. Ananda's &quot;park&quot; simile in SN &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;51.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T19:05:23.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18716" CreationDate="2016-12-31T19:26:59.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Human consciousness (&amp;amp; wisdom) allows choice, which is what distinguishes the 'human' from the 'animal'. The 'animal' is instinctual programmed behaviour &amp;amp; reactions where as the 'human' consciousness is 'reflective'. The human consciousness can objectively (like a mirror) know the inner motivations &amp;amp; drives of the mind &amp;amp; can choose to follow or not follow those drives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the meaning of a 'human' birth in Buddhism. When people (mentally) behave like 'animals', they cease to be 'human', even though they have the physical body of people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The common saying in the world of: &quot;&lt;em&gt;he/she is only human&lt;/em&gt;&quot; when someone makes a mistake or acts badly is not Buddhist. In Buddhism, 'human' means having a reflective aware mind that can choose between right (good) &amp;amp; wrong (harm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chiggala 1 Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes the non-human state or birth as: &quot;&lt;em&gt;mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2016-12-31T19:34:44.227" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T19:34:44.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18716" CreationDate="2016-12-31T19:33:48.920" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it that allows to make choices?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a complex combination of various variables, nature vs. nurture, old habit energy, one's own effort and energy, etc. That's why the 4-pronged approach of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SammaPpadhana/Four Right Exertions&lt;/a&gt; in the other thread is a necessary tool to help one making progress on the Path. For example, to one who's never smoked marijuana and lives a healthy life style (a positive habit), s/he'd be less prone to accept the offer by his friend to smoke. But then if s/he lacks effort and discipline, s/he can still accept it. To one who's a chain smoker (a negative habit), s/he'd be very likely to accept the offer. But then again, if s/he puts in the effort and discipline, s/he can reject the offer. Anyway, until one's attained the super-normal power like the Buddha, it's difficult to know the exact threshold/quantity required for a variable to start &quot;overriding&quot; the effect of other variables. However, common sense tells us that our own volition/intention here and now probably is the main influential variable..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2282" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T19:33:48.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18716" CreationDate="2016-12-31T19:37:02.817" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a person has a choice between Path A or B, on what basis would that person make that decision, for it to be the right one? For that one has to have a very good knowledge of the True Dhamma. How can one differentiate between what is the Truth and what is not. Even if there is only one path, there is a lower level and a higher level to it. How would a person know such a thing?  Take for example Generosity. Giving (dana) is one of the integral parts of the practice of Dhamma. When practiced in itself, it is a basis of merit or wholesome kamma, but only when combined with morality, concentration and insight, will it lead to liberation from samsara, the cycle of repeated existence. So it is of the recollection of one's own generosity. This is Chaganussati (meditation about generosity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why I would say that you and I are living in very unfortunate times. It is very rare that you and I get to find someone who will teach us the correct path, the True Dhamma, and how to meditate the proper way. Once we learn how to, we will be able to practice these while we are walking, while standing, sitting or when lying down in bed. Then there is no such thing as ‘Choice’. We have found our guide in whom we will place our complete trust. Then we will have unflinching faith in the Path that was shown to us. Then what is important is to practice the little Dhamma that you have learnt. Today almost all the people only read about dhamma. Next moment all this is forgotten. Then there are others who only talk about Dhamma that they think that they’ve understood. They are only fooling themselves to think that they have understood, and put many others too in the wrong path, thereby creating a lot of ‘Akusala Kamma”.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to enlightenment is not so easy. It is a path that goes against the stream. Buddha called this &quot;Patisothagami &quot; or going against the stream. It is just like when almost all the fish in the water are swimming with the flow while only one fish is trying hard to swim against the flow. It's not swimming against the resistance of the flow of water but also the resistance of the other fish that may impede its path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2016-12-31T19:37:02.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2017-01-01T02:48:08.270" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Easy. Well, easy in theory :) -- you need to get fed up! You need to get really sick and tired of your conditions, so sick that you cannot live like that anymore. You are so fed up that you are either ready to die - or to change your habits. So that desire to get out leads to iron intent to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T02:48:08.270" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18662" CreationDate="2017-01-01T04:55:35.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhis only occur in people/minds with an underlying disposition for siddhis. For example, the famous arahant disciple &amp;amp; jhana master Sariputta did not have siddhis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enemies of the Buddha, such as Mara &amp;amp; Devadatta, had siddhis. Christians &amp;amp; Hindus have siddhis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddhis are a supernormal yet mundane worldly phenomena, unrelated to Buddhist enlightenment (refer to Susīma Sutta &amp;amp;  Kevatta Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are enough Buddhists &amp;amp; Christians that have siddhis. If you look or pray for them, you might find them. Or if you practise seriously in monasteries &amp;amp; other serious places, you might meet them. The Attavagga states such people cannot purify your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, people with siddhis control their devotees, who relate to/worship them like gods. In the Kevatta Sutta, it is taught the greatest miracle is that of 'instruction' to Nibbana rather than siddhis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-01T05:00:39.630" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T05:00:39.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18725" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-01T11:06:49.717" Score="3" ViewCount="88" Body="&lt;p&gt;How far should lay followers go, to help others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no denying that we all have innate desire to ease suffering of others, but when it’s done without right understanding it may lead to a higher suffering to the assisted person. On the other had if it’s done with right understanding and with the aim to assist the others to grow in Dharma then it is fruitful.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example, let’s say your friend is grieved for not being able to celebrate New-Year in Paris with his fiancée because he wasn’t able to save up enough money. If you restore in relieving his grievance you could give him money, but this could be adding fuel on fire. A true teacher of the Dharma will correct his view and relieve him from clinging, however, most of us don’t have that kind of ability: we are in a dark, trying to correct our own view, and the virtues we call virtues are but a guess work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point that I’m trying to get at is that on some cases the so-called suffering which we trying to prevent on other people could be a wake-up call or a learning curve, and by preventing it we could be hindering the person from realizing the first noble truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes these so called virtues extend even further in the name of compassion and we find ourselves teaching and arguing about Dharma to correct other. There may be many other cases as well. So how should we curb our act not to hurt others and ourselves in the name of virtues?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-01T21:13:23.230" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T08:52:20.963" Title="What are the guides for lay followers, as to how far they should go to be compassionate?" Tags="|ethics|compassion|right-effort|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18726" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-01T12:14:17.263" Score="1" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible for a layman to achieve enlightenment by his or her own study without joining the temple and robes? As some of you may know I have studied as a recluse for many yrs and am again considering the possibility of becoming a monk in a temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is do I need approval from the temple etc to become enlightened or is it possible with doctrines to achieve liberation from suffering on my own experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-01-01T18:23:11.200" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T18:23:11.200" Title="Is it possible for a layman to achieve enlightenment?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2017-01-01T19:29:03.413" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18716" CreationDate="2017-01-01T12:36:56.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personally I think the beauty of this life is that we have a choice. Otherwise there would b total control ...not sure if that is the aim you are looking for ?&#xA;My thoughts are be free with what ever you want but  at the same time according to Buddhist logic there are repercussions of that choice .&#xA;You mention how someone offers you a J ..and sometimes you say yes or decline this is a choice between chemical phenomena in your brain that will be yes if you really want a puff or on the other hand you might decline as you don't feel up to it just count yourself lucky you still have the strength to make a choice !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T12:36:56.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18728" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-01T13:26:32.380" Score="3" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a student becomes aware of the thinking mind and begins to detach from it, would knowledge of how the thinking mind works be relevant to go deeper into the practice?&#xA;Would an understanding of how the thinking mind works be an opinion and therefore lead to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10570" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T19:49:39.150" Title="Opinions and beliefs" Tags="|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18729" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18757" CreationDate="2017-01-01T16:48:06.703" Score="3" ViewCount="1081" Body="&lt;p&gt;Somewhere on this site I read in an answer that certain traits you develop or inherit are responsible for your physical appearance. Now of course good deeds in one life will lead to positively perceived things in the next life (wealth, health, noble birth etc.), however my question is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can one deduce ones physical appearance from traits in a previous lifetime? Again, of course, there are many factors coming together, but I think there could also be a general trend in this. What I read here for example was that if you are a calm, patient and kind person and/or practiced and developed patience and kindness, you would be reborn as a person that other people perceive as attractive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm aware of karma and if you are generous, you lay the ground for other people being generous to you at some point in a certain way, but I'm interested in certain traits manifesting in your physical appearance, or influencing your behaviour/demeanor/impression on other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7830" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T09:12:31.260" Title="Traits of a person manifesting in certain ways in the next life" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18730" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18744" CreationDate="2017-01-01T17:13:33.887" Score="1" ViewCount="634" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;sankharas&lt;/em&gt; be considered as synonyms? And if not, which are the differences between both? Which is the relationship between them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2023-01-01T04:33:02.237" Title="Kamma and sankharas" Tags="|vipassana|terminology|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18688" CreationDate="2017-01-01T21:22:27.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is poorly made-up conversation to find the loophole of Buddhism teachings especially no self idea (Anatman) but actually it does not prove any strong self (Atta) existence. The answers of Buddhist must be written by non-Buddhist who studied Buddha's teachings superficially and on this particular point &quot;The Act of Will&quot; called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chanda in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; should be &quot;I&quot; and with strong belief that Buddhism cannot deny Chanda is not &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who learned Buddha's teachings properly will reply Stoic questions differently. It could be verbally written like below. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: Yes, if you attach yourself to what is not given you will sure suffer. These five aggregates you counted must have been something not in your power. Have you nothing which is in your own power, which depends on yourself only and cannot be taken from you, or have you any thing of the kind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer should be - &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;In Buddha's teachings there are only Sankhara Dhamma are occurring. There is none can be given to possess/control to be taken ownership. There is nothing a single person can possess (can tell this is mine, I am controlling it, I am taking it with me indefinitely, I have power to control/manage how it behaves...).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: what? Is any man able to make you assent to that which is false or compel you to desire what you do not wish?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer should be - &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;There is nothing can be called as &quot;You&quot; or &quot;I&quot; in here. In this Sankhara world where one person verbally say to another person to understand each other as we called people &quot;Mr. or Mrs./Ms. A&quot;, &quot;Mr. or Mrs./Ms. B&quot;, A can ask B to do something and vice versa. So called you ask so called me to do something and vice versa. This is the case. There is another case A does something on A's own desire/will/Chanda. This is the second case. Chanda is one of Nama Kaya and it is not permanent/eternal, not able to be possessed. It is one of Nama Kaya originated from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avidya (in plain English Ignorance)&lt;/a&gt;. Because of this Ignorance a person viewed as Chanda/Will is mine, I did my Chanda to happen, I have Chanda therefore I am,...But in a period of single day, there are many countable obvious Chanda(s) happened and extinguished as well as many delicate Chanda(s) where a very good mindfulness and concentration require to notice them.&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Stoic: In the matter of assent and desire then you are free from hindrance and obstruction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is something backing up the religions in which people believe there is god/creator/ruler (details below). In Buddha's teachings Avidya/Ignorance lead Citta Sinkhara (I memorize, I suffer) eventually lead to Chanda/Will/Desire. In proper Buddha's teachings we do not say my Chanda/Will/Desire. Laypeople (one who didn't get any attainment to be enlightened) with Atta Samjna(the perception of existence of &quot;Self&quot; which has either eternal or being controllable/possess-able or both) see the mind is &quot;Self&quot; (I think therefore I am/I desire therefore I am). But in Buddha's teachings there is no such entity callable &quot;Self&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;Act of will&quot;/Will/Free Will is originated from religions of God(s). For the early believers of God, everything is under God's will. But modern people found that is dangerous and outlaw idea. If someone burn other people or bomb a group of people to death/injured and that person says it is God's will then religion of such people does not help very much about the damage in both physical and ethical. So new civilized people invented a things called Free Will or Will of people which is separated from God's will. By doing so God is relieved from inappropriate responsibility of a single person wrong doing as well as ethical and legal constraint can posted and it is publicly and religiously acceptable. It is obvious that Physical Bodies (Rupa Khandha) is Anatta (not Atta) for Westerners (Middle easterners and Mediterraneans of early Buddhism ages) but they do not fully understand other four Khandhas (Vedana, Samjna, Sankhara, Vijnana Khandas) or called soul to one of them. So all four Khandas combined to a word called mind or soul and they thought there is a chance to find a loophole of Anatta (no self, no Atta) of Buddha's teachings because they failed to notice the latches and couplers between two consecutive transitions of state of mind since Citta Khandas very short-lived and very fast. Only the trained person to do Vipasana with strong concentration can see the details transitions of Nama Kaya.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many anatman definitions and explanations in Buddhism literature both printed and web but here is concise repetition here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I see, therefore I am.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No, I see because I have eyes and things to views. When these two contact I have a sequence of thinking, memorizing, examining and judging occurs in my mind. Seeing doesn't prove it is me&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I hear, therefore I am.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...As above seeing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I smell, therefore I am&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I can taste, therefore I am&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I can feel the touch, therefore I am&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;...all as above seeing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I think, therefore I am&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;the contact of things memorized and mind makes thinking, judging and examining mentally and all phases are temporary, not controllable, not possess-able and extinguished/depleted eventually. In every steps and phases of transitions of state of mind (or called soul) a properly taught Buddhist cannot find Atta Samjna (the idea of perception of self). That is true, all mental bodies (four Khandas, Vedana/suffer, Samjna/memorize/percept, Sankhara/initiate/encourage/activate, Vijnana/be conscious or called soul to one of four) are Anatta (not to be possessed, have an end, can deplete, can extinguish). Chanda is also Anatta in both wholesome desire/Chanda and unwholesome desire/Chanda. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said when a person is doing meditation or Vipasana only Samkhara Khanda is observing or insightfully viewing to other Samkhara Khanda. That means we cannot find I or Me or My or Mine even in doing meditation/Vipasana. Verbally we say I meditate, I do Vipasana but it is just for the sake of language and colloquial sayings. There is no such case that you are going to find any sixth Khanda or/and a Khanda that can be called &quot;I&quot;, &quot;Mine&quot; or &quot;Self&quot; in Buddha's teaching or outside Buddha's teaching. This also applied to both external and internal from a viewpoint of a person's Khandas. So will/volition/Chanda or whatever Stoic called cannot be &quot;I&quot; or &quot;Mine&quot; because it has originated cause &quot;Ignorance/Avidya&quot; and other supporting factors which are not controllable/possess-able by a person. In conclusion, any Stoic or early/late philosopher cannot prove a single entity (in physical or metal form) that can be self (either can control/possess, persist, eternal, can be created, can be managed). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T21:22:27.383" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18732" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-01T22:10:29.427" Score="2" ViewCount="1700" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is smoking tobacco acceptable in any school of Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it shouldn't be considered acceptable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because of the fifth precept&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because of the first precept (smoking is physically harmful, so trying to logically defend smoking is rationalizing suicide)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and because smoking is addictive.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reality of smoking, as I see it, include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;400 chemicals poisoning your physical body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pictures of diseased lungs on cigarette packages in Canada&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having a parent with emphysema spend the last ten years of life hooked to an oxygen tank&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seeing someone die suddenly from a heart attack or complete heart failure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seeing someone go through chemotherapy with toxic chemicals to kill a cancer tumor and the hair loss and vomiting that comes with it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seeing people treated for cancer using radiation therapy that leaves behind second and third degree burns on the skin&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think this is not exactly &quot;craving&quot;, but rather, &quot;addiction&quot;. The power that is has on us is purely a physical addiction: it is not due to the intentions (volition) which the mind creates, it is due to a physical chemical controlling the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find it amazing that Buddhists want to dance around the issue of addiction and their unwillingness to discuss addiction in modern terms. &#xA;I challenge Buddhists to not hide from modern addiction problems using irrelevant Buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10572" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T07:43:20.560" LastActivityDate="2019-02-05T02:25:49.803" Title="Is smoking tobacco acceptable in any school of Buddhism?" Tags="|attachment|dukkha|craving|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18725" CreationDate="2017-01-01T22:29:20.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most important things is to get &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Panna&lt;/a&gt; yourself as much as you can. You can achieve it by either reading Tripitaka or consulting monks about wholesome and unwholesome acts or both. &#xA;Passionate or compassionate about others is generally speaking wholesome act. But it has it own merit as well as harm to helper and helped if improper intention or volition. &#xA;To be specific to your question, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Donation is good to donor as long as donor have no attachment to things donated and have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta&lt;/a&gt; to donee that he/she will free from sufferings. That is the very minimum requirements to have mind in donor. (There are many more details about making donation to the best, you can consult in Tripitaka and/or a well taught monks). In this case donor won't worry about how donee will use donated material/money. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For mental or verbal assistance,&#xA;Try to make your friend cheerful by encouraging, assisting to understand sufferings are not persisting. Try to do some activities and distracting him/her from thinking negative ideas if you are persuasive enough (you can either read some from Buddha's teachings or other religious teachings and non-religious self-help. The more you read, the more persuasive you are. Words have power). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For helping other people from clinging, you are absolutely right. No one, except Sammasam Buddha is the best because people with different hobby, desire, volition, perception and attitude need different delicate guidance to right path. We can only recommend some right ways to soothe sufferings. You can recommend him/her to do some meditation/Vipasana. Let him/her find what is bothering by himself/herself. How he/she can understand sufferings and how Buddha's Dhamma can guide him/her right way to end sufferings. There is nothing wrong if you are pushing someone to get to know Buddha's Dhamma as long as you put Metta on the people you are pushing. I read in Buddha's past life, he was pulled from hair to bring in front of Buddha and to get to know prior Buddha and Buddha teachings. But in this age of personal freedom, communities and societies don't go details to true intention of pushing someone hard and is not appreciated.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T22:29:20.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18729" CreationDate="2017-01-01T22:57:02.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For the physical appearances you should read &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lakkhaṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. But it is not guaranteed that you can have specific physical appearance in next life because how much extent averse effects you did previous lives and current life. Buddha only have this exceptional and scientifically impossible physical characteristics by practicing specific wholesome acts in many uncountable lives. By practicing the Sila, Samadi and Panna taught by Buddha in this sutta you can attain Nirvana as Buddha or student of Buddha, that is for sure.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T22:57:02.837" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18730" CreationDate="2017-01-01T23:24:53.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are not synonyms. Kamma is one entity of Sankharas Dhamma. We can be taught by the following Buddha saying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cetana&lt;/a&gt;) I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cetana is one of the Nama Kaya and as well as Sankhara Dhamma. Collectively speaking, everything is Sankhara Dhamma except Nirvana. Only Nirvana is Asankhara Dhamma (it is not maintained, use no effort to persist, not needed continuous care to survive/last). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-01-01T23:24:53.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18737" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-02T00:32:07.130" Score="3" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was once again challenged by my scientific friends: who say that all mind phenomena is just chemical reaction!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, how does Buddhist philosophy view this question? I'm leaning towards my science friends' view, after reading &lt;em&gt;A Manual of the Excellent Man&lt;/em&gt;, where the seven aspects of perception on materiality are considered to be the combination of natural elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so how does a chemical overpower another, and is the transcendental self also chemical / elements? Because if it were not, then we could assume spiritual forces were active in creation, etc.!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-02T00:46:50.247" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T11:59:43.580" Title="Does Buddhism view mind phenomena as chemical or as supernatural?" Tags="|phenomenology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18738" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18821" CreationDate="2017-01-02T05:00:35.080" Score="9" ViewCount="2823" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a third attempt at formulating a question.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18716/what-allows-to-make-a-choice&quot;&gt;This question&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18708/how-is-it-possible-to-change-habits-cultivated-over-lifetimes&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; have been asked, but not formulated in a way that conveyed the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now, in a third attempt, the formulation shall be: &lt;strong&gt;what is volition?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The answers still do satisfy the question in the mind, although they are answers to the question on 'paper'. Apologies for the lack of skill in phrasing the question. Let us see if the following clears up what is being asked:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine life as a series of moments; one moment after another in a line infinitely long. Imagine that there is a decision that must be made, to chose A or B, both equally likely to be chosen (for whatever reason, such as lack of understanding which is the right choice). This decision is present only in a single moment within the infinite series of moments. &lt;strong&gt;What is that single moment of choice? What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena? Who/What is doing the choosing? Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5849" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2022-07-24T18:14:28.767" Title="What is volition?" Tags="|mind|volition|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18655" CreationDate="2017-01-02T06:13:32.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My advise is do the &lt;a href=&quot;http://32parts.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;32 Parts of the Body Meditation&lt;/a&gt; (click the link to practice sytematically)or Asubha meditation.This helps counter a lustful mind.You are attracted to bodies because your not seeing the reality of it's unpleasantness.Since you magnified their attractive qualities to the point of masturbating you need to magnified their unattractive qualities to the point of being turned off.You have to train the mind to see skin as skin,sinew as sinew,body hair as body hair,bile as bile,feces as feces,mucus as mucus.See this in every one.When you see a person your sexually attracted to even romatically. See this in them.That they pass gas and excrement,that they smell,that they store urine,that their mouth and stomach is filled with bacteria.when you see a beautiful person picture them in the toilet,vomiting.blowing mucus or having their period or picture them old.See these people through this lens/filter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T06:13:32.187" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18728" CreationDate="2017-01-02T08:11:39.903" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In (Pali) Buddhism, what leads to suffering is craving &amp;amp; attachment rather than opinions. Opinions in themselves are not necessarily suffering. It is only attachment to opinions or opinions born of craving that are suffering. For example, the opinion that the 'sky is blue' is not suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T08:11:39.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18725" CreationDate="2017-01-02T08:33:06.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...by preventing it we could be hindering the person from realizing the first noble truth.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very difficult to actually prevent another person from suffering. Generally, people are destined to suffering because of their strong wrong views &amp;amp; opinions. Otherwise, they have a positive intuition or wisdom, which allows us to help them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not believe each person can attain enlightenment therefore we should try our best to prevent suffering because only a small minority of people will realise the 1st noble truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For many, suffering leads to a cycle of more suffering, which is why so many people use drugs &amp;amp; alcohol to annihilate their suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sometimes these so called virtues extend even further in the name of compassion and we find ourselves teaching and arguing about Dharma to&#xA;  correct other. There may be many other cases as well. So how should we&#xA;  curb our act not to hurt others and ourselves in the name of virtues?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot hurt people with the Dharma teachings. When people are hurt in Dharma discussion or debate, it is because they are using the teachings in the wrong way, i.e., for egoism (as explained in the Alagaddupama Sutta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-02T08:52:20.963" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T08:52:20.963" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-02T08:56:12.880" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Volition is an act of will or decision to act. The volition may be produced from both ignorance (not-knowing) &amp;amp; wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three kinds of actions born of volition: (i) thoughts; (ii) speech; (iii) physical movement. All actions start with a thought (mental action), which is why the Dhammapada states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness&#xA;  follows him like his never-departing shadow&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is crucial to distinguish between: (i) feelings, moods &amp;amp; drives; and (ii) thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feelings (of pleasure &amp;amp; pain), moods &amp;amp; drives occur for a number of reasons: (i) having a nervous system that feels pleasure &amp;amp; pain; (ii) having in-born natural instinctual drives; and (iii) having conditioned drives or 'habits'. In short, 'nature &amp;amp; nurture'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts &amp;amp; volition arise as a &lt;em&gt;reaction&lt;/em&gt; to feelings, moods &amp;amp; drives. Buddhism teaches to have mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom when feelings, moods &amp;amp; drives arise in order to not allow thought &amp;amp; volition to create suffering from those feelings, moods &amp;amp; drives. If the mind does not act upon feelings, moods &amp;amp; drives, particularly the moods &amp;amp; drives will start to lessen due to not being fed/nourished.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, sensual thoughts arise with a source, not without a source; thought of ill will arises with a source, not without a source;&#xA;  thought of harming arises with a source, not without a source. And how&#xA;  is this so?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the sensuality element there arises sensual perception; in dependence on the sensual perception there arises&#xA;  sensual intention; in dependence on the sensual &lt;strong&gt;intention/volition&lt;/strong&gt; there arises&#xA;  sensual desire; in dependence on the sensual desire there arises&#xA;  sensual passion; in dependence on the sensual passion there arises a&#xA;  sensual quest.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the ill will element there arises perception of ill will...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the cruelty element there arises perception of harming...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the renunciation element there arises perception of renunciation...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the non-ill will element there arises perception of non-ill will...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the harmlessness element there arises perception of harmlessness. In dependence on the perception of harmlessness there&#xA;  arises &lt;strong&gt;intention/volition&lt;/strong&gt; of harmlessness; in dependence on intention of&#xA;  harmlessness there arises desire for harmlessness; in dependence on&#xA;  desire for harmlessness there arises passion for harmlessness; in&#xA;  dependence on passion for harmlessness there arises a quest for&#xA;  harmlessness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 14.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-02T09:12:39.643" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T09:12:39.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18737" CreationDate="2017-01-02T09:32:39.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism calls the physical 'material' ('rupa') and the mental 'immaterial' ('arupa') however it also states mind-&amp;amp;-body ('nama-rupa') are dependent upon eachother (refer to &lt;em&gt;Nalakalapiyo Sutta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism states the arising of consciousness without a physical body &amp;amp; sense organs is impossible (&lt;em&gt;Upaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;; etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is likely mentality arises from the physical, as your scientific friends say, since when brain injury occurs, mental impairment follows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like the following quote attributed to (Gnostic) Jesus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(29) Jesus said, &quot;If the flesh came into being because of spirit (consciousness), it is a wonder. But if spirit (consciousness) came into being because of the body, it is&#xA;  a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has&#xA;  made its home in this poverty.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gospel of Thomas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, the mind or enlightenment does require a chemical basis, which is why edible food is a requisite of the path. Without physical food, the functioning of the mind is impossible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-02T22:35:52.980" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T22:35:52.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18730" CreationDate="2017-01-02T09:47:28.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sankhara&lt;/em&gt; is a very broad word with many meanings or contexts (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12691/can-anyone-explain-sanskara-sankara-indepth?noredirect=1&amp;amp;lq=1&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;). For example, 'sankhara' can mean '&lt;em&gt;condition thing&lt;/em&gt;' therefore a material thing such as a tree or rock can be a 'sankhara'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of 'sankhara' a mental processes, &lt;em&gt;unusually&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.056.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parivatta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states the &lt;em&gt;sankhara khandha (aggregate)&lt;/em&gt; is intention. Since AN 6.63 states: &quot;&lt;em&gt;kamma is intention&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, it may seem 'kamma is sankhara' but this is not really ideal because it creates confusion. This is because a Buddha or arahant still has a functioning &amp;amp; pure &lt;em&gt;sankhara khandha (aggregate)&lt;/em&gt; despite a Buddha has eradicated kamma (in the ordinary sense of the word). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it is best to not regard 'sankhara' &amp;amp; 'kamma' as synonyms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a mental process, sankhara is 'thought'. There can be pure &amp;amp; undefiled thoughts. However, kamma is generally always impure &amp;amp; defiled, including 'good' karma (refer to MN 117).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is pure kamma (per AN 6.63) however this pure kamma is the kamma that ends kamma. Because this type of kamma destroys kamma, it is best to not call it 'kamma' since how can the ending of kamma be kamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T09:53:54.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-02T11:01:55.640" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;volition&quot; is what Buddhists call &quot;intention&quot;, especially in the context of &quot;Right Intention&quot; (and wrong intention).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be circular (therefore unsatisfactory) definition, i.e. &quot;volition is intention&quot;; but a benefit of that definition is that you can find a lot written about it, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp3.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;RIGHT INTENTION (Samma Sankappa)&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;follows view&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And how is right view the forerunner? One discerns wrong resolve as wrong resolve, and right resolve as right resolve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related terms include &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chanda&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer previous questions (e.g. &quot;how do you develop intention where there was previously no intention?&quot;), I think that &quot;view is the forerunner&quot; implies it's by developing a (new) view. For example if you previously viewed, &quot;that is desirable&quot;, but then develop a new view (a new understanding, a new perception) that &quot;that is unsatisfactory&quot;, then a consequence of the new view might be new intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2782/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; (on the subject of &quot;free will&quot;) which I think implies that &quot;what is volition?&quot; as an abstract question matters less than actual decisions and their consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T11:01:55.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18746" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-02T16:24:21.193" Score="0" ViewCount="438" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please limit the benefits to the here and now, because an ingenious youth hearing the benefit of future rebirths and also hearing hard to grasp concepts of karma might surely say “what’s in it for me &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt;? what do I care what happens in the future?”.  In other words, one who is a beginner and who lack virtues will say “Ooh this karmic concept you teach is like borrowing money from someone I don't know and I don't have to pay right &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt; so why should I care?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By saying the above I’m not trying to open a discussion about Karma / Self etc… a virtue done because of idea of self as proposed by other religions where you get tormented in the future for action done here is a phony virtue, its like being temperate toward your wife for fear of losing her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-04T20:53:03.403" LastActivityDate="2021-05-04T20:53:03.403" Title="What are the benefits of Dhamma in this very life that could be understood by a beginner?" Tags="|sila|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18746" CreationDate="2017-01-02T18:07:50.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Beginners&amp;quot; should be taught what is honest &amp;amp; true (rather than speculations &amp;amp; superstitions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Mangala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; lists the many blessings of the Buddha-Dhamma, without mentioning 're-birth' or 're-incarnation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the guidance given in the Pali scriptures, beginners can be taught the following dependent upon their needs &amp;amp; aspirations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) The many benefits of morality (non-harming), which include the preservation of psychological 'normalcy', integrity, self-respect, trustworthiness, social relationships &amp;amp; freedom from remorse &amp;amp; regret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) The benefits of giving/generosity, which include happiness, beauty, strength &amp;amp; self-respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) The dangers of sensuality &amp;amp; extreme behaviours (such as gambling, intoxicants, etc), which include addiction, loss of freedom, breakdown of relationships, loss of wealth, bad health, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) The benefits of the Brahmavihara, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) The benefits of concentration meditation, particularly how it brings a free here-&amp;amp;-now pleasure/happiness that is superior to worldly/sensual happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(6) The benefits of wisdom, in ending sorrow &amp;amp; suffering &amp;amp; guiding life safely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One discoursed to him a graduated sermon, that is to say, he spoke on the subjects of liberality, virtue, the heavens, on the&#xA;evil consequences, the vanity and the depravity of sensual pleasures,&#xA;and on the advantages of renunciation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Blessed One perceived that the mind of Upāli, the householder, was prepared, pliant, free from obstacles, elevated and&#xA;lucid, then he revealed to him that exalted doctrine of the Buddhas,&#xA;viz. Suffering, its Cause, its Ceasing and the Path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upali Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T18:07:50.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18737" CreationDate="2017-01-02T21:23:58.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism view mind phenomena as chemical or as supernatural?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither. Buddhism views mind phenomena as &lt;em&gt;relational&lt;/em&gt;. Mind is interplay of information - a transient flow of appearances arising from structures and relationships occurring between the ever changing forms (sankharas - transient conditionally existing assemblies of various factors). If you see it as such, mind is the other form of matter organization, it's dynamic side, it's structure and potentiality as it plays out over time. So the mind, strictly speaking does not require chemical basis, but it does always require some kind of media for information to ride upon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T21:23:58.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18746" CreationDate="2017-01-02T21:33:58.553" Score="6" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Karma works in this life too. If you are kind to people, you create friends, then friends will take care of you. This is called karma - creating conditions for your future, in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you are driven by emotions, like obsession or negativity - you become kind of blind, so you create bad conditions for yourself. So seeing your mind and developing ability to stop harmful thoughts is useful for you, in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stupid people always argue about things, they always see them from one side only. Buddhism teaches you that things have many sides, and when you see it from all sides - you don't argue. This is useful for you, in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T21:33:58.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18737" CreationDate="2017-01-02T23:07:47.427" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consciousness (viññana) and Materiality (rūpa) are related as are magnetism and electricity. Their relationship is reciprocal, each conditioning the other. They are dependently originated, i.e. neither exists independently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10577" LastActivityDate="2017-01-02T23:07:47.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18751" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18752" CreationDate="2017-01-03T01:28:36.783" Score="2" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;What verse that has actually meaning and carries value is similar in both Buddhism and Christianity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be closed as to broad but I think it holds value to have a verse that crosses between such distinct and different religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10049" LastActivityDate="2021-10-08T18:06:54.633" Title="Buddhist Verse Closest To Christian/Jewish Verse" Tags="|texts|scripture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18751" CreationDate="2017-01-03T04:48:38.620" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me? &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn55.7/en/sujato&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Veludvareyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Luke 6:31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the same way others each love themselves, Therefore one who cares for himself should not harm another. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud5.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udana 5.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2019-01-20T00:20:56.790" LastActivityDate="2019-01-20T00:20:56.790" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18728" CreationDate="2017-01-03T05:57:23.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question you asked is the result of modern compartmental education, it is a hindrance to The Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a student becomes aware of the thinking mind and begins to detach from it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you detach from your thinking mind? You still have to use the &quot;mind&quot; to detach from the mind, isn't it? Not &quot;detach&quot;, but observe, aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how the thinking mind works&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is none of your business how the thinking mind works, as how the lung, the heart... the breathe works, unless you want to be a doctor, not the &quot;student&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would an understanding of how the thinking mind works be an opinion and therefore lead to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Opinion formed when you hold on to your &quot;self&quot;, then you will have like, dislike; mine, yours; good, bad... etc. If you observe, be aware, then you know; then you will be free from suffering for you are above the like/dislike but see the wholeness, literally speaking.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T05:57:23.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18746" CreationDate="2017-01-03T06:38:11.990" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The immediate benefits of Dharma are many many, depends on how the student gets it. As a personal experience, from someone who almost &quot;despised&quot; when learnt the &quot;world religions, Buddhism&quot; on primary school history lession formed a negative perception, to a particular occasion tasted the authentic favour of the Dharma:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will understand how the world is formed and why everything exists, literally speaking. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will realize that confrontation is useless, war will not end war, protest will not bring equality... you will be much wiser in dealing with matters. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will know that humans are limitless, instead the body and mind is the cell to block our knowing. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We are the master of our destiny. What we sow is what we reap, therefore, we could be in peace with ourselves and what we do and what happen, no one to blame, no unfairness, in fact; in the long test by time. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is a perfect stage that can be reached by mere human, not by any salvation, by any mercy of a god. This perfectness is all knowing and in bliss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will naturally start to treasure and respect all living beings, including plants, insects, animals... because they have the same essence in you, and you somehow involved in creating them, literally speaking.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will become more intelligent, and with better temperament. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Your appearance will become more lovely, people will become more friendly to you and like to be around you. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will not be driven by the hectic and noisiness of the now-a-day life pace, for you have found the center/pillar, instead of drifting like a log in the sea. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You will not fear death as if you fear darkness in an bottomless abyss or endless night; but you will fear death because the rotting of the body after death (my current stage, especially seeing the photos of the Sky Burial).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many many more...    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T06:38:11.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18755" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18767" CreationDate="2017-01-03T07:51:35.973" Score="6" ViewCount="1392" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Wikipedia article &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_logic&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Logic&lt;/a&gt;, it is mentioned that Buddhist Logic is different from classical western logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Indian Logic’ should be understood as being a different system of logic than modern classical logic (e.g. modern predicate calculus), but as anumāna-theory, a system in its own right. ‘Indian Logic’ was influenced by the study of grammar, whereas Classical Logic which principally informed modern Western Logic was influenced by the study of mathematics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does Buddhist logic work then? And how is it used in the exegesis of Buddhist scriptures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10472" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T07:54:27.880" LastActivityDate="2018-11-29T12:14:10.477" Title="How does Buddhist Logic work?" Tags="|texts|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18737" CreationDate="2017-01-03T08:14:38.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, &quot;mind&quot; here cannot be directly replaced by one Buddhist terminology. We are trying to get sensible knowledge from two different systems, literally, a goat's respiratory activity with an orange's. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;where the seven aspects of perception on materiality are considered to be the combination of natural elements&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't read &lt;em&gt;A Manual of the Excellent Man&lt;/em&gt;, &quot;natural elements&quot; here I assumed you mean chemicals. If these chemicals are pulled together, without the &quot;man&quot;, can they think, i.e., inject these chemicals into a sole brain, or a highly sophisticated robot? Thus mind is definitely not chemical, although chemicals activities may relate to the process of thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, Buddhist doesn't view material as &quot;material&quot;, like the science way of material formed by atom, atom combined by electron and proton... baron, quark... etc. Material appears because the &quot;Aware&quot; (覺) stagnated (attached), combined by collected &quot;logos&quot; (names) stored in the 8th vijnana. Buddha used a metaphor in Surangama Sutra, that someone who looked at the empty space for long long time and worn out, he started to see &quot;flowers&quot; (sparkles of lights etc.) in the sky. Because of habitual in many many lives, this &quot;material&quot; interacted with us, like it has it's own property. Like someone walking on a path with a hole on it, after many many times, he gets used to the hole as if it's flat, if this hole leveled, he may feel like to walk on a mound in the beginning. The hollow, flatness is not the property (permanent, self-existed) of the hole, neither the mound. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, there is nothing &quot;supernatural&quot; in Buddhist teaching. All phenomena is as-is, including sometimes we read in the Sutras describing the abhiññā demonstrated by some arahants. &quot;Supernatural&quot; if we used this term is just because we don't understand how it happened.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism view mind phenomena as chemical or as supernatural?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus this is not a correct way to phase the question. I noticed &quot;mind&quot; is used widely in English discussion on Buddhism. This seems a confusing translation that often &quot;mind&quot; being viewed as the ultimate essence. Therefore, we have the term &quot;mindfulness&quot; to be praised and worked hard on. This is not, although I'm also in the process of learning can't be sure if I'm correct, as much as I've understood and learnt.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T11:59:43.580" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T11:59:43.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18729" CreationDate="2017-01-03T09:12:31.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are looking for practical causal-relationships: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but I'm interested in certain traits manifesting in your physical appearance, or influencing your behaviour/demeanor/impression on other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to list some I learnt, to add to your collection:&#xA;1. If you put up with insult and &quot;digest&quot; it, without negativeness or hatred, you will have beautiful visage. &#xA;2. If you respect others, you will be tall and well-built. &#xA;3. If you speak truth and words of love to others, you will have even teeth and nice lip shape, your breathe is pleasant. &#xA;4. If you cultivate  merits and do goods for the others, your ear loops will be long and nice shaped like the Buddha's. &#xA;5. If you study the Sutras, you will be intelligent. &#xA;6. If you are tender to others and be tolerant, your limbs will be flexible and skin texture is fine and soft. &#xA;7. If you tell lies and speak ills, your teeth is uneven and with bad breathe. &#xA;8. If you are lewd, you will have bad body odor. &#xA;9. If you look down upon others, are arrogant, you will be short and tiny. &#xA;10. If you harm other living beings, disassembled their body-parts, you may be born crippled, lame. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After you read some more, you will start to gain the insight of how this causal-relationship works on the physical and personal impression. This is also good for doing physiognomy. Sometimes a person maybe from the animal realm in the previous life, sometimes an animal (e.g. dog) maybe from the human, these also have the traits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes a human maybe from the celestial realm:&#xA;a) like fine clothes, jewelries&#xA;b) good looking&#xA;c) like elegant things, music, arts... &#xA;d) like tranquility, intellectual, cleanliness&#xA;e) proud, high moral standard&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is general speaking, to authenticate any trait with cause, sometimes the traits and causes could be from many and complex, it requires wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T09:12:31.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18755" CreationDate="2017-01-03T09:15:44.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the original Pali scriptures, it is taught to not rely on logic:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by &lt;strong&gt;logical conjecture&lt;/strong&gt;, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these&#xA;  qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to&#xA;  suffering'...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T09:15:44.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18732" CreationDate="2017-01-03T09:19:08.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Obviously, smoking is not compatible with the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Asian Buddhist countries, the majority of monks serve a social/cultural purpose &amp;amp; therefore do not practise the (entire) Noble Eightfold Path and may smoke as a cultural norm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T09:31:13.380" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T09:31:13.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18732" CreationDate="2017-01-03T10:09:27.757" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is smoking tobacco acceptable in any school of Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that smoking is done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Broken Buddha&lt;/em&gt; includes these (and other) references to smoking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No Sri Lankan monk&#xA;  would dare to smoke in public because this is believed to infringe the Vinaya but it is quite&#xA;  acceptable for them to chew tobacco. Thailand’s Thammayut sect likewise considers smoking to be&#xA;  contrary to Vinaya but the Mahaniky sect does not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A study released in&#xA;  2002 showed that the leading cause of death amongst Thai monks was smoking related illnesses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, here in Burma, in the afternoon a&#xA;  Bhikkhu can drink iced mineral water but not hot water, must not eat fruit but can smoke a box of&#xA;  cigars, can eat jaggary but not onions, beetel nut and not coconut.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When last in Upper Burma I noticed the&#xA;  number of Christian Missions that had sprung up, and when I asked a prominent man the reason he&#xA;  replied, ‘These missionaries have opened schools and hospitals and help us in many ways. They are&#xA;  doing the work of the Lord Buddha while our own Bhikkhus do nothing but sleep and smoke all&#xA;  day.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thirdly. Food. The present food regulations observed by the Sangha do much more harm than good.&#xA;  They produce ill health, gluttony, bad habits, and dishonesty. Let me explain what I see almost&#xA;  daily. A Monk goes around with a bowl in the morning, gets meat, fish, fowl, rice, etc, food that&#xA;  heats the blood and has little nourishment. But he must eat it all before noon and then starve for&#xA;  eighteen hours, so he stuffs down much more usually than he can digest and so has to sleep for&#xA;  some hours after. Late in the afternoon he gets hungry and then has to chew tobacco, pan leaf and&#xA;  jaggery, and smoke innumerable cigarettes and cigars. Bad health often results, and while boys in&#xA;  day schools are taught that smoking is ruinous to health, in the Order they are actually encouraged&#xA;  to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Ceylon&#xA;  and Burma for example, a Bhikkhu can smoke but must not drink beer, but in Tibet a monk drinks&#xA;  as much native beer as he pleases but never smokes, which is a most serious offence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13700/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; was from someone who is known as a monk. I think it's defensive about smoking, saying that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Smoking is less harmful than cars, chocolate, or burgers (I think he means &quot;less harm for others&quot; rather than &quot;less harm for the smoker&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fifth precept is more about &quot;heedlessness&quot; and smoking (unlike e.g. alcohol) doesn't cause heedlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sila&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;virtue&quot;) is about not harming others; a recluse, smoking in private, is relatively harmless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T10:09:27.757" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18755" CreationDate="2017-01-03T10:51:52.013" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the one hand, there is logic which is &lt;em&gt;a set of rules for making deductions, inductions, etc.&lt;/em&gt; Even in the West, there are various. For instance, (1) classical logic and (2) intuitionistic logic. I believe that they have different ways of dealing with the law of excluded middle. I used to study more philosophy of logic than logic itself, and there are great differences in that respect between formal and intuitionistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, when logic is applied, there is no &quot;set of rules for making deductions&quot; that is different from those of classical formal logic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ilya Grushevskiy gave an explanation of the law of identity and law of non-contradiction that makes you think that Indian logic is different from classical logic. However, Tibetans give another explanation. We say: X does not exist inherently. Therefore, X is not inherently one with X, but it is conventionally so. It is not inherently different from not-X, but it is conventionally so. And so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, the first verse of Nagarjuna's Karika says &lt;em&gt;&quot;Neither from itself nor from another, Nor from both, Nor without a cause, Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.&quot;&lt;/em&gt; We explain: of course, a tree arise from another conventionally, since a sprout, or a seed, is not a tree. But since it is not inherently produced, it does not inherently arise from another. We call that &quot;refuting the four &lt;strong&gt;extremes&lt;/strong&gt; of production.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you say &quot;Indian Logic should be understood as being a different system of logic than modern classical logic[...]&quot; it could refer, not to logic itself but to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dialectic, as for instance that of Nagarjuna. Western scholars tend to describe it as negative, but that is a category that is applied as well to that of Western philosophers (such as Kierkegaard, for instance)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A set of propositions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Epistemology.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indian and Indo-Tibetan epistemology mainly describes types of consciousnesses. Consciousness is qualified as an object-posessor since it knows its object, and so we speak of seven types (or more or less, depending on the text). For instance, a &quot;wrong consciousness&quot; that engages its object erroneously, an &quot;inferential cognizer&quot;, etc. Consciousness is always described in relation to the causes of its arising (a sense power, an object, a immediately preceding condition) and is thus not taken independently.&#xA;In the Indo-Tibetan traditions, one studies epistemology so as to know how mind works. It is all aimed at mind training and is not merely &quot;philosophical&quot; in that sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T10:38:14.867" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T10:38:14.867" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-03T12:35:42.730" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is volition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition is the result of the 'stubborn-ed' &quot;Self&quot;. Yes, Buddhist teaching is &quot;non-self&quot;. But before you are enlightened, after you become one of the &quot;sentient beings&quot; (眾生), you have a &quot;self&quot; - literally speaking. This is from the mechanism of the 7th vijnana, an interplay with other faculties. While you can use this to attain Buddha-hood, Bodhisattva vowed to save all sentients with this; it will get you trapped in the Samsara as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;=====   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Further Elaboration:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are the words related to &quot;volition&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;執 clinging, grasping, holding-onto&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;念 thinking, minding (it's hard to translation, the character is formed by the &quot;heart&quot; (心) at the bottom; the &quot;now&quot; (今) at the top, thus this is an abstract word like saying &quot;citta (heart) now&quot;, ie, at this moment the mind/heart dwelt.   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;願 wishing, willing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I learnt from this forum that there are a lot of issues related to whether there is volition when if it is &quot;not-Self&quot;. This is my first time to participate in English discussion on Buddhism. For some reasons and for some people that they discard Mahayana and Chinese Sutras simply they are Mahayana and Chinese, I have to declare that my opinion is based on what I learnt thus it's Mahayana and from Chinese Sutras. I would say that volition should never be an issue to exist hand-in-hand with &quot;not-Self&quot;, it could be resulted from mis-understanding Buddha's teaching when reading the - most likely English translated - Sutras. I discovered a contradictory translation initially when compared Chinese with the English Sutra in posts &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18815/did-the-buddha-said-that-there-is-no-self-there-is-no-soul&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18766/is-there-any-volition-or-will-that-i-can-manage-or-control&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. This still needs to elaborate and cross-check to ensure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, &quot;I&quot; exists even it is &quot;not-Self&quot;. This &quot;I&quot; is created by all the 8 vijnanas when they are &quot;polluted&quot;, thus this &quot;I&quot; is not-true but it does exist (Something can still exist even it is not true, right? All the people and events in the movies but the movie is just a movie, not true; likewise a lie can be told and heard but it's a lie; someone can act in accordance to the lie if he/she doesn't know it's a lie). That's why the Dharma always uses the metaphor of dreaming (in samsara) and awaken (enlightenment) to describe the Path to Liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now since we can allow this &quot;I&quot; exists, there this &quot;I&quot; is the master of all when living in this world, &quot;I&quot; is the doer and &quot;I&quot; make the choice of what to do for &quot;I&quot; is the subjectivity to &quot;animate&quot; all the phenomena that's lack of the &quot;Self&quot;, ie, &quot;not-Self&quot;. As we talk about &quot;not-Self&quot; thus impermanent, inconstant, subject to change; this subjectivity is interacting with to achieve the &quot;changes&quot;, else nothing will change/ (or we don't know since an observer is required to report), then &quot;not-Self&quot; will be permanent/ (or we don't know since an observer is required to report), right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore volition is &quot;I&quot; it's intention/choice/preference/insisting, ie, will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is that single moment of choice? ... Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a thought arises, it's making the judgement: &quot;choice&quot;. Buddha said that there are 84000 (means many many) thoughts in a single breathe, some you are aware, some you are not. This &quot;I&quot;'s existence is fed by these thoughts 念. When a particular moment required a choice, first of all, it is conditioned by Karma. That is the force, tendency that's accumulated in previous lives. For instance, you naturally like A dislike B, because the past Karma the memories stored in your consciousness/subconsciousness/collective consciousness/group consciousness related to A and B dictated. Most of the time, when someone are not acting with awareness/mindfulness, they will be taken by the Karma. Like in fact B is good for you but you will choose A, following your Karma/ habit (執, holding onto biased view without awareness). When &quot;I&quot; is in awareness, then you can choose consciously (念, awareness at the moment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this is not the ultimate, since &quot;I&quot; is the result of &quot;pollution&quot;, thus your judgement is &quot;colored&quot;, these &quot;colors&quot; are from the 5 aggregrations and the 6th vijnana and the subjectivity (that's needed to make sense of what perceived, like the pole to lift up the earth for Archimedes) of the 7th vijnana, since the 7th vijnana is the house of &quot;I&quot;. In fact, as we learnt in the Dharma, &quot;not-Self&quot; is the ultimate truth. Therefore with all these &quot;mal-functions&quot; of the vijnanas we created the world (samsara) and thinking there is an &quot;I&quot; existed, like someone in a dream. That's why the Buddha called these, the 5 aggregations and 6th vijnana, are the thieves.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But don't &quot;despise&quot; or be afraid of this &quot;I&quot;, the Bodhisattva made the vow from the volition of &quot;I&quot;, and you make wishes by it too. Until someone reached Buddha-hood, this &quot;not-Self&quot; state cannot be achieved. Therefore Buddha is all-knowing since there is none of the &quot;pollutions&quot; or &quot;colors lens&quot; in all the faculties/vijnanas, in fact a Buddha doesn't use any of the vijnanas to perceive but still perceive. These vijnanas are names only, a tool for the practitioner. Therefore in the Lankavatara Sutra or Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment it is said that using the illusory &quot;I&quot; to cultivate for reaching the ultimate truth/ liberation. It seems contradictory but Buddha has explaint why and how does it work, it's too complex to elaborate here. But remembered that Form is Empty, Empty is Form from the Heart Sutra, you may get more understanding out of it. Like placebo will have effect on illness, illusion could be &quot;consolidated&quot; to something &quot;real&quot;, ie, thoughts can become things, therefore things are in fact thoughts, ie, illusions. Modern physics is coming closer and closer to see this, atom, electron, neutrino... observed further then matters are in fact &quot;not solid&quot; but just vibration... empty. A lucid account has been given in the Surangama Sutra, about how the world was created, from &quot;emptiness&quot; to &quot;full of things&quot;, how the Four Greats (attributes, not really the fire water wind earth we used in common language) work, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Could you expand on &quot;it will get you trapped in the Samsara as well&quot;? What will trap? How will it trap?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now it's easy to see that &quot;I&quot; is the answer. But we can't get rid of it, literally speaking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope these clumsy words help. Don't take into the words, but into the thoughts inspired by these words.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T06:05:27.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18763" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-03T13:29:53.470" Score="2" ViewCount="574" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some one please tell me the story of Buddha said to some one how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10582" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T15:31:28.160" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T15:31:28.160" Title="Buddha teaching regarding eating" Tags="|reference-request|death|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18763" CreationDate="2017-01-03T14:44:16.737" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's in Puttanmansa Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband &amp;amp;&#xA;  wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With&#xA;  them would be their only baby son, dear &amp;amp; appealing. Then the meager&#xA;  provisions of the couple going through the desert would be used up &amp;amp;&#xA;  depleted while there was still a stretch of the desert yet to be&#xA;  crossed. The thought would occur to them, 'Our meager provisions are&#xA;  used up &amp;amp; depleted while there is still a stretch of this desert yet&#xA;  to be crossed. What if we were to kill this only baby son of ours,&#xA;  dear &amp;amp; appealing, and make dried meat &amp;amp; jerky. That way — chewing on&#xA;  the flesh of our son — at least the two of us would make it through&#xA;  this desert. Otherwise, all three of us would perish.' So they would&#xA;  kill their only baby son, loved &amp;amp; endearing, and make dried meat &amp;amp;&#xA;  jerky. Chewing on the flesh of their son, they would make it through&#xA;  the desert. While eating the flesh of their only son, they would beat&#xA;  their breasts, [crying,] 'Where have you gone, our only baby son?&#xA;  Where have you gone, our only baby son?' Now what do you think, monks:&#xA;  Would that couple eat that food playfully or for intoxication, or for&#xA;  putting on bulk, or for beautification?&quot;&#xA;  &quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Wouldn't they eat that food simply for the sake of making it through&#xA;  that desert?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, I tell you, is the nutriment of physical food to be&#xA;  regarded. When physical food is comprehended, passion for the five&#xA;  strings of sensuality is comprehended. When passion for the five&#xA;  strings of sensuality is comprehended, there is no fetter bound by&#xA;  which a disciple of the noble ones would come back again to this&#xA;  world.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T14:50:47.793" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T14:50:47.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18765" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-03T15:10:53.513" Score="2" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please note that I’m not referring to momentary happiness from distractive actions, like narcotic or alcohol consumption: I’m referring to excessive happiness that arises, from birth of a child, or success in career, which are not unwholesome in themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Socratic/stoic tradition identifies intense pleasure as a nail that rivets us with the desire of the body, and causes cyclic rebirth again and again. To remain detached, the stoics say we should never give full license to the appearance of happiness, and should not allow our pleasure to go as far as it chooses: instead we should check it, and curb it. For example they say, when kissing your child, to remind yourself that he who you love is mortal and momentary, you should say with a lisping voice, &quot;tomorrow you will die&quot;; and to a friend also, &quot;tomorrow you will go away or I shall, and never shall we see one another again&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T15:20:04.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T00:11:28.470" Title="Are there any teachings about how we should censure happiness which arises without right view?" Tags="|comparative-religion|impermanence|right-view|right-intention|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18766" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-03T18:45:58.387" Score="0" ViewCount="240" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddha's teachings, all mind-related entities are &quot;not-self&quot; i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;uncontrollable (opposite of controllable = when I want it I can make it happen, I can turn it on and off as I desire)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unmanageable (opposite of manageable = I can make it details how it happen and how it behave)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not possess-able (opposite of possess-able = I own it, it is with me all the time, I can keep it, I can store it in somewhere I want it to be at)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;temporary (opposite of permanent/eternal/long-lasting/with one's whole life).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This not-self attribute also applied to &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; or/and &lt;em&gt;volition&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found sexual desire has it own physical limitation. It is difficult for me to keep sexual desire and sexual pleasure(effect of sexual desire) to last a single day, two days, three days, four days,... up to seven days (even if I use medical supplementary to keep my will/volition/desire). And another thing I found is sexual desire is not primitive will of man, it usually comes around/after puberty, sexual education, physical development in teenage ages. So if I had never learnt what sexual intercourse is (or I am autism child who does not have any chance to learn/understand sexual education in my whole life) I doubt there will be sexual desire/will happen in my mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I was looking for more self-ness will/volition or desire and I found another will/desire, Gastronomic. This may seem primitive to me since I had breastfeed to bottle-feed since I was born. But even without any physical limitation imposted (I haven't had any food so many hours), sometimes I lost my appetite. I found gastronomic will is also uncontrollable and unmanageable too here. It seems like chemical, environmental and other factors governed gastronomic will/desire. It may seem primitive but I have doubt that I can find self-ness in here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I searched for more will/desire which can be self and found a weak will of survival. Everyone want to survive so as mine will and it seem primitive, closer to self to me. (You can tell there are some people who end their life by taking poison to death, yes but I am not looking for universal self, I am just looking for self to me, self to my life, self to individual being.) But on careful consideration, sometimes I crossed the street and nearly to die hitting by a car. If the idea of will to survive is controllable, manageable I can avoid those events by power of will. There should not be other things or will or desire to overcome one will or desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here is my question, is there any will/volition/desire that is controllable, manageable, self (at least for a person whole life if we cannot find eternal, indefinite period of time). If you have personal experience about it, I am glad to hear if it exists. If it is written in somewhere I like to get a reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-03T20:06:39.883" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T07:38:31.733" Title="Is there any volition or will that I can manage or control?" Tags="|self|volition|atta|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18755" CreationDate="2017-01-03T21:36:43.360" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article goes through the catuskoti - the fourfold statemnt of 'is, is not, both is and neither' - and attempts to put Buddhist logic into 20th century Western logical terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha would not have accepted the three classical laws of logic imo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The law of identity: 'X=X', is different from the Buddha's declaration of &quot;treat this as this and that as that, not this as that and that as this&quot;. In other words, treat X as X, but don't axiomatically assume equality. (on a side note, 'X=X' is a tautology, and provides no information, so not a very useful rule when dealing with the perception of identity!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The law of non-contradition is dealt with in the article really well, and the law of excluded middle, weeell - I think we can all surmise what the Buddha would have said about that!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha saw the limits of rationality and logic, at the very least in his understanding that language is limited in that it cannot describe the ineffable, possibly paralleling Tarski's undefinability theorem.. but I am biased! :p &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the six methods of acquiring knowledge (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pramana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pramana&lt;/a&gt;), as seen within classical Indian philosophy, Buddhism embraces perception and inference. But in seeing the limits of inference ends up with the point made in the Kalama Sutta (as in another answer), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by&#xA;  traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these&#xA;  qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;placing perception as the only method of laying down the burden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T21:36:43.360" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18766" CreationDate="2017-01-03T22:28:39.187" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; refers to '&lt;em&gt;uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt;' only in relation to the five (&lt;em&gt;conditioned&lt;/em&gt;) aggregates. In other words, it does say to the path to (the &lt;em&gt;unconditioned&lt;/em&gt;) Nibbana is uncontrollable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experiencing Nibbana has the giving up of desire as its primary condition. Therefore, the will/volition/desire that is controllable is the will/volition/desire to give up will/volition/desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this will/volition/desire that gives up will/volition/desire is not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) because it is only a mental phenomena rather than a self-phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; equates 'uncontrollability' with 'not-self', it is an error of logic to equate all 'not-self' with 'uncontrollability' or to equate 'controllability' with 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All dogs are animals but not all animals are dogs. Similarly, all uncontrollable things are not-self but all not-self things are not uncontrollable things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to Nibbana is controllable but is not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T22:28:39.187" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18766" CreationDate="2017-01-03T22:32:26.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I have learned,（sexual）desire（s) comes with human, in other words, if you don't have it, you won't come to this world/ become a human (in the case of a sentient being).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think realise what's 'true self' would help you, and it comes with practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a link of a sutra (you can download the PDF version): &lt;a href=&quot;http://ctzen.org/sunnyvale/enUS/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=141&amp;amp;Itemid=57&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Diamond of Perfect Wisdom Sutra&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://ctzen.org/sunnyvale/enUS/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=145&amp;amp;Itemid=57&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, While deeply immersed in prajna paramita,&#xA;  Clearly perceived the empty nature of the five skandhas, And&#xA;  transcended all suffering. Shariputral! Form is not different from&#xA;  emptiness, Emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness,&#xA;  emptiness is form. So it is with feeling, conception, volition, and&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(You can also download the PDF, it's wih annotation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10101" LastEditorUserId="10101" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T00:34:49.863" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T00:34:49.863" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18765" CreationDate="2017-01-03T22:48:30.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist tradition arose before the Socratic/stoic tradition and, since Greeks were very interested in Buddhism, it is likely the Socratic/stoic tradition was influenced by the Buddhist tradition. In other words, what is written in the question is essentially Buddhism. The following links are merely a small sample of similar Buddhist teachings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kisa Gotami was the wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi. Her story is one of the more famous ones in Buddhism. After losing her only child,&#xA;  Kisa Gotami became desperate and asked if anyone can help her. Her&#xA;  sorrow was so great that many thought she had already lost her mind.&#xA;  An old man told her to meet Buddha. Buddha told her that before he&#xA;  could bring the child back to life, she should find white mustard&#xA;  seeds from a family where no one had died. She desperately went from&#xA;  house to house, but to her disappointment, she could not find a house&#xA;  that had not suffered the death of a family member. Finally the&#xA;  realization struck her that there is no house free from mortality. She&#xA;  returned to the Buddha, who comforted her and preached to her the&#xA;  truth. She was awakened and entered the first stage of Arhatship.&#xA;  Eventually, she became an Arhat.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisa_Gotami&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kisa Gotami&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;210. Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;211. Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or&#xA;  unloved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Piyavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now at that time a certain householder's dear &amp;amp; beloved little son, his only child, had died. Because of his death, the father had no&#xA;  desire to work or to eat. He kept going to the cemetery and crying&#xA;  out, &quot;Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone,&#xA;  my only little child?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to&#xA;  him, &quot;Householder, your faculties are not those of one who is steady&#xA;  in his own mind. There is an aberration in your faculties.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Lord, how could there not be an aberration in my faculties? My dear &amp;amp;&#xA;  beloved little son, my only child, has died. Because of his death, I&#xA;  have no desire to work or to eat. I keep going to the cemetery and&#xA;  crying out, 'Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you&#xA;  gone, my only little child?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;That's the way it is, householder. That's the way it is — for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair are born from one who&#xA;  is dear, come springing from one who is dear.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now at that time a large number of gamblers were playing dice not far from the Blessed One. So the householder went to them and they said:&#xA;  &quot;That's the way it is, householder [said the gamblers]. That's the way&#xA;  it is. Happiness &amp;amp; joy are born from one who is dear, come springing&#xA;  from one who is dear.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So the householder left, thinking, &quot;I agree with the gamblers.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Piyajatika Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then Sakka, ruler of gods, and the divine King Vessavana had the venerable Maha Moggallana walk all over and explore the Vejayanta&#xA;  Palace: &quot;See, good sir Moggallana, this loveliness of the Vejayanta&#xA;  Palace! See, good sir Moggallana, this loveliness Vejayanta Palace!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the venerable Maha Moggallana considered thus: &quot;This spirit is living much too negligently. What if I stirred up a sense of urgency&#xA;  in him?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the venerable Maha Moggallana performed such a feat of supernormal power that with the point of his toe he made the Vejayanta&#xA;  Palace shake and quake and tremble.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the venerable Maha Moggallana knew that Sakka, ruler of gods, was stirred to a sense of urgency with his hair standing on end, he&#xA;  asked him: &quot;Kosiya, how did the Blessed One state to you in brief&#xA;  deliverance in the destruction of craving? It would be good if we&#xA;  might also get to hear that statement.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Good sir Moggallana, I went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, I stood at one side and said: ‘Venerable sir, how in&#xA;  brief is a bhikkhu liberated in the destruction of craving, one who&#xA;  has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate goal, one who is foremost&#xA;  among gods and humans?’ When this was said, good sir Moggallana, the&#xA;  Blessed One told me: ‘Here, ruler of gods, a bhikkhu has heard that&#xA;  nothing is worth adhering/attaching to&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(1) Bhikkhus, when an uninstructed worldling meets with gain, he does not reflect thus: ‘This gain that I have met is impermanent,&#xA;  suffering, and subject to change.’ He does not understand it as it&#xA;  really is. (2) When he meets with loss … (3) … fame … (4) … disrepute&#xA;  … (5) … blame … (6) … praise … (7) … pleasure … (8) … pain, he does&#xA;  not reflect thus: ‘This pain that I have met is impermanent,&#xA;  suffering, and subject to change.’ He does not understand it as it&#xA;  really is.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gain obsesses his mind, and loss obsesses his mind. Fame obsesses his mind, and disrepute obsesses his mind. Blame obsesses his mind, and&#xA;  praise obsesses his mind. Pleasure obsesses his mind, and pain&#xA;  obsesses his mind. He is attracted to gain and repelled by loss. He is&#xA;  attracted to fame and repelled by disrepute. He is attracted to praise&#xA;  and repelled by blame. He is attracted to pleasure and repelled by&#xA;  pain. Thus involved with attraction and repulsion, he is not freed&#xA;  from birth, from old age and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  dejection, and anguish; he is not freed from suffering, I say.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lokavipatti Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With contact as condition there arises a feeling felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a&#xA;  pleasant feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it and remains&#xA;  holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one.&#xA;  When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and&#xA;  laments, weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the&#xA;  underlying tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched&#xA;  by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, if one does not understand&#xA;  as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the&#xA;  gratification, the danger and the escape in regard to that feeling,&#xA;  then the underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Bhikkhus,&#xA;  that one shall here and now make an end of suffering without&#xA;  abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feeling,&#xA;  without abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful&#xA;  feeling, without extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in&#xA;  regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, without abandoning&#xA;  ignorance and arousing true knowledge — this is impossible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With contact as condition there arises a feeling felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a&#xA;  pleasant feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and&#xA;  remain holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not&#xA;  lie within one. When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one does&#xA;  not sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and&#xA;  become distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not&#xA;  lie within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant&#xA;  feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination, the&#xA;  disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard&#xA;  to that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not&#xA;  lie within one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of&#xA;  suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant&#xA;  feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards&#xA;  painful feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance&#xA;  in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, by abandoning&#xA;  ignorance and arousing true knowledge — this is possible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn148&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Chachakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T00:11:28.470" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T00:11:28.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18765" CreationDate="2017-01-03T23:17:30.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Instead of (or, perhaps, as well as) &lt;em&gt;censuring&lt;/em&gt; &quot;happiness that arises without right view&quot;, Buddhism maybe &lt;em&gt;praises&lt;/em&gt; &quot;happiness that arises with right view&quot;: including for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pīti&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that the &quot;censure&quot; you mention is distinguishable from right view: right view will tell you that, right view is the view that, things are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism warns against &quot;attachment&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upādāna&lt;/a&gt;, and to that extent it might be be analogous to the &quot;nail that rivets us with the desire&quot; which you mentioned. According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas#The_Twelve_Nidanas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;, feeling is a prerequisite for craving, which is a prerequisite for attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, Buddhism doesn't &quot;censure&quot; by saying e.g. &quot;don't be too happy&quot;. It says that &quot;the all&quot; which we experience is the result of contact between things (sense-objects) and our senses (including &quot;ideas&quot; and &quot;mind&quot; as a sixth type of sense-object and sense-organ), and that such contacts are impermanent (and that it would be unfortunate to become attached to them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-03T23:17:30.663" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18766" CreationDate="2017-01-04T01:04:31.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess this question relate to the discussion we had with regards to free will &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18731/10552&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, or at any rate, there are some overlap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the answer to your question is given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.038.niza.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attakārī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, brahmin, when there is the element of endeavoring, endeavoring&#xA;  beings are clearly discerned; of such beings, this is the self-doer,&#xA;  this, the other-doer. I have not, brahmin, seen or heard such a&#xA;  doctrine, such a view as yours. How, indeed, could one — moving&#xA;  forward by himself, moving back by himself — say ‘There is no&#xA;  self-doer, there is no other-doer’?*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also reads on the notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha taught that there is no permanent, eternal,&#xA;  immutable, independently-existing core “self” (attā), he also taught&#xA;  that there is “action” or “doing”, and that it is therefore meaningful&#xA;  to speak of one who intends, initiates, sustains and completes actions&#xA;  and deeds, and who is therefore an ethically responsible and culpable&#xA;  being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If only will/volition/desire direct to the path to Nibbana are controllable, all other volition including all bad volition are uncontrolled, and to say this is not wise because it offers a free licence for unaccountability.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T01:04:31.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18773" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18775" CreationDate="2017-01-04T07:40:31.537" Score="1" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've watched on t.v that a monk had dreamt that Lama told him a lady will come to monastery and will request him let her with them when this was only for monks though he going to let her with them and teach Dhamma. Next day it happens what he had dreamt about; first he disagreed but later on he remembered his dream last night he had and then she became nun. So does dreams making sense ? I had one on full moon day that I'm crying next Buddha's statue in vihara saying give me power and peace.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T11:59:41.893" Title="Does dreams make sense?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18381" CreationDate="2017-01-04T07:45:23.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It maybe several things.But here's something to investigate.You may or may not have this problem.If your doing anapanasati meditation with the aim of developing tranquillity your body should be relaxed.Having intense emotions on the forehead,body shaking,and rigidity could indicate excessive effort,you may be paying too much attention on the breath in a stressful way.Notice if your breathing heavily as well.Try not control the breath.Loosen the grip.If possible repeat &quot;calm,calm,or relax,relax,let go,let go&quot; while breathing in and out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T07:45:23.473" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18773" CreationDate="2017-01-04T07:57:24.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes and no.Dreams sometimes makes sense sometimes they don't.It's not an isolated event people  sometimes experience dreams that do take place in the future.And it's getting harder to just dismiss it as mere coincidence &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/01/precognitive-dreaming-dismissed-science&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Precognitive Dreams)&lt;/a&gt;.This is just a natural functioning of the mind.Whether dreams makes sense or not is not what releases us from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T07:57:24.713" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18776" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18777" CreationDate="2017-01-04T08:34:54.563" Score="2" ViewCount="179" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have started doing things consciously, i don't want to laugh anymore, i just want to maintain that inner peace felt in doing things meditatively.&#xA;But people have started asking that &quot;i am looking sad&quot;.&#xA;Should i smile or should i go with the flow, i want to follow Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing i want to know the Essence of Lord Buddha with in few lines, i theoretically know only about focusing on breathing and vipassana meditation(which i am going to attend soon)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T17:49:34.300" Title="Why do i look sad, while doing things consciously?" Tags="|the-buddha|meditation-insight|consciousness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-04T12:00:17.907" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to be around non-meditative people when you are meditative. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.21.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 302&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suffering/difficulty comes from association with unequals.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When they say: &quot;&lt;em&gt;You are looking sad&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, this is a reflection of their own lack of knowledge, their own sadness &amp;amp; their own underlying fear. This has happened to me a few times before, when I used to work in an office. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that a person accomplished in meditation can in a 'finger-snap' generate &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; (loving-kindness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, if for just the time of a finger-snap a monk produces a thought of loving kindness, develops it, gives attention to it, such a&#xA;  one is rightly called a monk. Not in vain does he meditate. He acts in&#xA;  accordance with the Master’s teaching.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh155-u.html#S3&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 1:6.3–5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, you probably should smile, say you are fine &amp;amp; offer an easy explanation, such as you are training yourself to work/do things with calmness &amp;amp; without stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the essence of the Lord Buddha, this was explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 37&lt;/a&gt; as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nothing is worth clinging to...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T12:06:03.363" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T12:06:03.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18755" CreationDate="2017-01-04T12:41:38.840" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist logic is to acknowledge that there is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist logic is to acknowledge that there are causes to these  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist logic is to acknowledge that it is possible to be free from all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist logic is to acknowledge that there are paths that lead one to be free from all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T12:41:38.840" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18779" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18782" CreationDate="2017-01-04T13:11:43.593" Score="3" ViewCount="309" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Lord Buddha teachings, How should a normal employee spend his/her day ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much time should one meditate? (annapanna or vipassana) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While sitting in office, how should i sit (sometimes i try to sit as straight as possible, but after 10 minutes i am back to ordinary state)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to know how to spend all my 24 hours in order to remain all time conscious (what exactly means conscious, suppose i am walking, should i remain aware about my hand and legs moving or my breath) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kindly help&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:19:33.650" Title="How should I spend my day, according to Lord Buddha teachings?" Tags="|the-buddha|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18780" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18784" CreationDate="2017-01-04T13:29:24.363" Score="3" ViewCount="2238" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unlike all other gods and deities, Buddha blesses everyone on this earth without caring who is believing in his techniques (Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha). But god wouldn't bless someone unless he starts praying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read about Buddha and his Dhamma from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. God wouldn't bless unless you wouldn't pray. God is just like wanting bribe from the worshiper, god examines it's devotee. Also It wouldn't accept a person as his devotee unless he wouldn't convert his religion that god is made for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm sure Buddha blesses everyone and until now. Is Buddha still blessing us all human beings?             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T19:23:18.923" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T21:41:52.130" Title="Does Buddha bless all human beings?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18381" CreationDate="2017-01-04T13:51:38.283" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether i am doing the meditation in the wrong way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is right nor wrong these experiences come and go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are these things happening?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you meditate you stop creating new &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt;. Many of these experiences are your past fabrications manifesting themselves. More details see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3471&quot;&gt;That &amp;quot;Electric Feel&amp;quot; body sensation during meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have to do is continue equanimously without giving importance or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;thinking and pondering&lt;/a&gt; about the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T13:51:38.283" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18779" CreationDate="2017-01-04T14:11:21.177" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How much time should one meditate? (annapanna or vipassana) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 session of 1 hour each sitting meditation generally works well for many, but this is not the true meditative practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Lord Buddha teachings, How should a normal employee spend his/her day ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Real meditation is from awakening to sleep. Be aware of sensation arising and passing either due to posture, bodily sensations, mental activity and thoughts, sensory experiences, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an employee you should earn your living in the right way and ethically. Meditating or other activity in office which might interfere with your duties might not be ethical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While sitting in office, how should i sit (sometimes i try to sit as straight as possible, but after 10 minutes i am back to ordinary state)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What every posture that works for you is fine. Over rigid postures may give undue attention of colleagues which might not help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are referring to &quot;crookedness of body&quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.7-Pacetana-Rathakara-S-a03.15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Pacetana) Ratha,kara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, this is a figure of speech referring to lax morality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I want to know how to spend all my 24 hours in order to remain all time conscious (what exactly means conscious, suppose i am walking, should i remain aware about my hand and legs moving or my breath) ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short the breath and arising and passing of sensations. Generally when you are waking moving parts have more sensations, but as you progress it is good to look throughout the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the sensations are pleasant you get attached if not averse. This is one thing you have to understand and be aware of. Staying in a particular posure may be present for a little while but becomes painful and the urge to more arises. When you move the new posture becomes pleasant and cycle continues. Similarly for thoughts, memories, and other sensory experiences. Regarding sensory experiences and perceive it as positive or negative or neutral, if positive you experience a pleasant sensation and you get attached to the pleasant sensation triggered by the evaluation and similarly when the experience is negative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:19:33.650" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18728" CreationDate="2017-01-04T16:58:35.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To start with some background, Basic Satipatthana formula is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;exertive&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;clearly aware&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mindful&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;observing&lt;/em&gt; ... in the ...,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;removing &lt;strong&gt;covetousness&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;displeasure&lt;/strong&gt; in regard to the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;So he dwells observing the ... in the ... &lt;strong&gt;internally&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;or, observing the ... in the ... &lt;strong&gt;externally&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;or, observing the ... in the ... &lt;strong&gt;both internally and externally&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;or, he dwells observing states that &lt;strong&gt;arise&lt;/strong&gt; in the ...,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;or, he dwells observing states that &lt;strong&gt;pass away&lt;/strong&gt; in the ...,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;or, he dwells observing states that &lt;strong&gt;arise and pass away&lt;/strong&gt; in the ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Or else, he maintains the mindfulness that &quot;There is ...,&quot; merely for knowing and awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And he dwells &lt;strong&gt;independent&lt;/strong&gt;, not &lt;strong&gt;clinging&lt;/strong&gt; to anything in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And that, bhikshus, is how a monk dwells &lt;em&gt;observing&lt;/em&gt; the ... in the ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.3-Satipatthana-S-m10-main-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;all mental states flow along with feeling (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vedanā samosaranā sabbe dhammā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.10-Kim-Mulaka-S-a8.83-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kiṁ Mūlaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now coming to your question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a student becomes aware of the thinking mind and begins to detach from it ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to be detached from your thoughts you have to remove covetousness and displeasure due to sensations created by the metal activity of thinking. So be aware of the sensations arising and passing due to mental activity as discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Would an understanding of how the thinking mind works be an opinion and therefore lead to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you need to understand is how sensation due to metal activity lead to covetousness and displeasure and if you abandon craving and aversion to this you come out of suffering. More on this from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;INITIAL APPLICATION [THINKING]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Thinking of sights in the world is agreeable and pleasurable,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;—and there this craving arises and establishes itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;SUSTAINED APPLICATION [PONDERING]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Pondering on sights in the world is agreeable and pleasurable,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;—and there this craving arises and establishes itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;INITIAL APPLICATION (THINKING)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Thinking of sights in the world is agreeable and pleasurable,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;—and there this craving is abandoned, there it ceases&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;SUSTAINED APPLICATION [PONDERING]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Pondering on sights in the world is agreeable and pleasurable,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;—and there this craving is abandoned, there it ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.2-Kammavada-Bhumija-S-s12.25-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Kamma,vāda) Bhumija Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:54:39.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18780" CreationDate="2017-01-04T21:10:32.697" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's teaching continues to bless us so I suppose the Buddha is still blessing those that discovered his teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha isn't magic. The Buddha's teaching blesses the one who practices the teaching. The teaching (AKA The Dhamma) isn't magic as well, it's practical and it's sober although magic can happen. Check this out:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here from the Mangala Sutta are the concise answers given by The Buddha to the question,&quot;What is a blessing&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not being around fools&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being around the wise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Remembering the honorable&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having one‘s abode in a suitable place for safe practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having done meritorious actions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The pursuit of higher understanding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being rich in knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being rich in skill&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;to be highly restrained ethically &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using only well-spoken words&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Supporting one's parents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caring for the family&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unconfused actions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right living&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Caring for one‘s relatives&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Refraining from unskillful things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To abhor unwholeseome things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To avoid unwholesome things&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To avoid intoxicants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Diligence in righteousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reverence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Humility&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contentment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gratitude&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hearing the Dhamma at the right time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Patience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compliance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing the monks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discussing the Dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self-restraint&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A holy life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing The Four Noble Truths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Realizing Nibbana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A heart not trembling, unshaken&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A heart not trembling, sorrowless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A heart not trembling, stainless&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A heart not trembling, secure&#xA;(from Khuddaka Nikaya, Sutta Nipata 2.4)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha probably does bless even people that have never heard of the Buddha. The good karmic actions of Dhamma practice should have a ripple effect on many people. :) metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T21:41:52.130" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T21:41:52.130" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18779" CreationDate="2017-01-04T22:42:14.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could work vipassana into the workday. It's designed to help us just see what is happening as it is happening, and to catch even our most subtle emotional reactions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also practice meditation that supports the main vipassana practice: like Metta or loving-kindness if too much anger comes, or anapana (breath meditation) if you need to calm down quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of my favorite teachers, who specializes in teaching people for the working world, is Stephen Procter.&#xA;These are videos with the method and the theory:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZlaI7mNuyZkRA9Ob_5r5x__b2S48M2Ws&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness Meditation Talks - Stephen Procter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZlaI7mNuyZnWJMfczjhVttgqN1wwfb4s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Guided Mindfulness Meditation Training&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-04T22:59:22.237" LastActivityDate="2017-01-04T22:59:22.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18779" CreationDate="2017-01-05T00:04:25.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha tends to give a different style of teaching for lay people and monastics. Meditation is rarely advised for lay people, they focus on developing merit for a good future rebirth. Lay people are frequently urged to follow the five precepts, to develop right livelihood, and to give dana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you are already going beyond what is suggested by the Buddha. You may find his teachings for monks to be more relevant for your practice but don't lose sight of the basics, precepts are an important practice to complement meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T00:04:25.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18787" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18790" CreationDate="2017-01-05T04:25:11.603" Score="2" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yesterday I saw in a funeral banner the following statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rupam Jirati Machanam, Nama Gottam Najirathi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means, &amp;quot;the body decays but the Name and the Tribe does not&amp;quot;. But I have concerns on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first part of the statement is valid but however the second part doesn't for me. If everything decays/dies then how is the name and tribe doesn't? For me this is clearly a misinterpretation and destroys the whole base of the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also found this article on this topic as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://parafox-asoka.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-common-misinterpretations-of-pali.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Common misinterpretations of a Pali Verse that states the body decays but the Name and the Tribe does not&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any Tripitaka source to this statement? or anything similar? Where can I find it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2022-09-11T03:17:46.440" LastActivityDate="2022-09-11T03:17:46.440" Title="Misinterpretation of a Pali phrase - Rupan Jirathi" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18788" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18795" CreationDate="2017-01-05T05:51:56.090" Score="2" ViewCount="3656" Body="&lt;p&gt;Correct me if I am wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddharth went to Alara Kalama, who told him to focus on his breath in order to get rid of Feelings, (Buddha achieved Alara Kalama level in 2 months), Now he told his teacher that when he is in meditation, everything is fine but on coming to ordinary state, Negative &amp;amp; positive Feelings again came to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Alara Kalama told him to go to uddaka rāmaputta, &lt;strong&gt;What did Siddharth learn under uddaka rāmaputta ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above information is seen in an indian television show &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&#xA;I wanna know what happened in real ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2021-04-21T15:24:46.607" Title="What exactly was the difference between Alara Kalama &amp; uddaka rāmaputta teachings?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18787" CreationDate="2017-01-05T07:09:41.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, this is a very Buddhist thing to say in a funeral. It sounds like a namarupa sort of thing. The form has changed but the name and memory(concepts of the deceased) stay the same. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concepts don't really die like with real ultimate moment by moment things, they never existed to begin with in the experiential world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T07:09:41.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18787" CreationDate="2017-01-05T07:27:39.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This appears in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn1.76&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Najīratisutta&lt;/a&gt; ( Najīrati - What does not decay / what does not age; version in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/sn1.76&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sinhala&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.76&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;English&lt;/a&gt;). From what I have heard and learned in this context what is referenced as Nama is reputation and not the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. the some historic people are long gone but they are still remembered for what they were.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-05T07:48:49.803" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T07:48:49.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18766" CreationDate="2017-01-05T07:39:24.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the 1st sight I'm completely lost in reading the content. After I read and commented on Dhammadhatu's, I begin to understand what this question is about. I think the question resulted is because there is a Buddhist concept being translated to &quot;not-self&quot;, since it's &quot;not-self&quot; therefore it's &quot;uncontrollable&quot;, thus &quot;I&quot; can't exercise my volition. Would it be Niḥsvabhāva (sanskrit)? &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svabhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Svabhava&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is as I inferred, then &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddha's teachings, all mind-related entities are &quot;not-self&quot; i.e.:&#xA;  ...uncontrollable &#xA;  ...unmanageable &#xA;  ...not possess-able &#xA;  ...temporary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is incorrect. It is not &quot;not-self&quot;, it is Niḥsvabhāva 無自性 - without-self-nature. That means these are relational and dependent-origin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any volition or will that I can manage or control?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition and will has already the intrinsic value of control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3 examples you listed: sexual desire, eating, survival that you said in them you have a &quot;self&quot; therefore it's not &quot;not-self&quot; therefore you can exercise your volition/will/control? It is not as you understood. It is because the 7th Vijnana conjectured the &quot;self&quot;, with information collected in the 8th Vijnana called Ālayavijñāna over eons of lives/time, with the interplay of the 5 aggregates and the 6th Vijnana, to give rise all these activities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main point is about all things (not just &quot;all mind-related entities&quot;) are Niḥsvabhāva 無自性 - without-self-nature. It is Sunyata 空 empty, thus emptiness  is all phenomena/forms 色. (Don't be into my words, since this is a very sophisticated concept which can't be conveyed accurately with language.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Niḥsvabhāva and Sunyata doesn't harm your &quot;self&quot; :) In fact you do have a &quot;self&quot;, and you are not able to escape from your &quot;self&quot;, even you killed yourself, unless you are enlightened. Thus you can exercise your volition/will to any acts, not only 3, but all, e.g., you can be angry with someone who do good, likewise you can be kind to a bad person. This &quot;self&quot; is like a dust on a perfect mirror, therefore every image in the mirror is tinted. This &quot;self&quot; is also the root of suffering and samsara. This &quot;self&quot; is empty too, since all things are empty; thus Anatta, not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;=====&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Remarks added:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The 3 examples you listed: sexual desire, eating, survival that you said in them you have a &quot;self&quot; therefore it's not &quot;not-self&quot; therefore you can exercise your volition/will/control?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;My misunderstanding of your examples. It's the other way, that these 3 you regarded with the &quot;uncontrollability&quot;, thus &quot;not-self&quot;? No. One can choose not to engage in sexual activity; likewise one can over-done with it and die. It's not as purely mechanic/instinct as you described. One can refuse to eat even dying from hunger; one can go burst of over-eating. And what about those who commit suicide? When a car is approaching and hitting does one not have an attempt/idea to escape?&lt;/em&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;=====&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additional Remarks:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After reading Dhammadhatu's comment I read the Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta attentively, not just once, since I really want to know what this issue is about. However, maybe because of English is not my mother tongue thus I can't make sense out of it. I then googled and found a Chinese translation that is the same Sutra: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;（三四）如是我聞。一時。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c14(08)║佛住波羅奈國仙人住處鹿野苑中。爾時。世尊告餘五比丘。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c15(01)║色非有我。若色有我者。於色不應病．苦生。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c16(00)║亦不得於色欲令如是．不令如是。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c17(02)║以色無我故。於色有病．有苦生。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c18(05)║亦得於色欲令如是．不令如是。受．想．行．識亦復如是。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c19(00)║比丘。於意云何。色為是常．為無常耶。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c20(01)║比丘白佛。無常。世尊。比丘。若無常者。是苦耶&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c21(00)║比丘白佛。是苦。世尊。比丘。若無常．苦。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c22(02)║是變易法。多聞聖弟子寧於中見是我．異我．&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c23(01)║相在不。比丘白佛。不也。世尊。受．想．行．&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c24(02)║識亦復如是。是故。比丘。諸所有色。若過去．&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c25(02)║若未來．若現在。若內．若外。若麤．若細。若好．若醜。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c26(00)║若遠．若近。彼一切非我．非我所。如實觀察。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c27(00)║受．想．行．識亦復如是。比丘。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c28(06)║多聞聖弟子於此五受陰見非我．非我所。如是觀察。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0007c29(02)║於諸世間都無所取。無所取故無所著。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0008a01(02)║無所著故自覺涅槃。我生已盡。梵行已立。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0008a02(01)║所作已作。自知不受後有。佛說此經已。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0008a03(01)║餘五比丘不起諸漏。心得解脫。&#xA;  T02n0099_p0008a04(04)║佛說此經已。諸比丘聞佛所說。歡喜奉行 &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.sutta.org/books/ZAHJ/ZAHJ_002.HTM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;雜阿含經卷第二（三四）&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My attempted translation to English: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As I heard, at a time, Buddha was staying in The Deer Park of Benares where the deva/sage dwelt. Then, Bhagavam told rest of the five Bhikṣu(s) {如是我聞。一時。佛住波羅奈國仙人住處鹿野苑中。爾時。世尊告餘五比丘}: &quot;Form has no Self (Atman/Atta) {色非有我}. If form has Self, in form should there not be illness、suffering arose {若色有我者。於色不應病．苦生}; also in form can't it be able to intend to make-this, not to make-this {亦不得於色欲令如是．不令如是}. Because form is not-Self (Anātman/Anatta), in form there is illness、suffering arose {以色無我故。於色有病．有苦生}; also in form it is able to intend to make-this, not to make-this {亦得於色欲令如是．不令如是}. Same is for feeling (Vedana), cognition (Saṃjñā/Sañña), doing (Saṃskāra/Saṅkhāra), consciousness (Vijñāna/Viññāṇa)&quot; {受．想．行．識亦復如是}. &quot;Bhiksu, What does it mean? Is form constant, is inconstant (anitya/ anicca)?&quot; {比丘。於意云何。色為是常．為無常耶}. Bhiksu answered the Buddha: &quot;Inconstant, Bhagavam.&quot; {比丘白佛。無常。世尊}. &quot;Bhiksu, if inconstant, it is suffering, is [subject to] the law of change.&quot; {比丘。若無常．苦。是變易法}. &quot;Well-learnt venerable disciple can he from this take into that this is me, non-me, any quality (lakṣana) in it?&quot; {多聞聖弟子寧於中見是我．異我．相在不}. Bhiksu answered the Buddha: &quot;No, Bhagavam.&quot; {比丘白佛。不也。世尊}. &quot;Same is for feeling, cognition, doing, consciousness.&quot; {受．想．行．識亦復如是}. &quot;Therefore, Bhiksu, all those forms, as in the past, as in the future, as at now; as the internal or external; as coarse or fine, as good or bad; as far or near, those all are not-me, not my-dwelling. Observes as it is. Same is for feeling, cognition, doing, consciousness.&quot; {是故。比丘。諸所有色。若過去．若未來．若現在。若內．若外。若麤．若細。若好．若醜。若遠．若近。彼一切非我．非我所。如實觀察。受．想．行．識亦復如是}. &quot;Bhiksu, Well-learnt venerable disciple in these five aggregations realize the not-me, not my-dwelling, observes as it is, in this world not take-in anything, because not take-in therefore not attached.&quot; {比丘。多聞聖弟子於此五受陰見非我．非我所。如是觀察。於諸世間都無所取。無所取故無所著}. &quot;Not attached therefore self-awaken and nirvana-ed. My life is complete,  Pure-doing (brahmacaryā/ brahmacariya) established, to-do has been done, I myself know that there is no cause to return to life [rebirth].&quot; {無所著故自覺涅槃。我生已盡。梵行已立。所作已作。自知不受後有} The rest of the five Bhiksu(s) did not arise any fetters, the mind (citta) was freed. After the Buddha had said this sutra, those Bhiksu(s) heard Buddha's words, happily followed suit.  {餘五比丘不起諸漏。心得解脫。佛說此經已。諸比丘聞佛所說。歡喜奉行}&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is more for my own exercise. I can't ensure the correctness of my English grammar. I notice that in the Chinese version there are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;有我 = has Self &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;非有我 = not has Self &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;無我 = not-Self/ non-Self &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;是我 = is me&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;異我 = non-me/ others (異 means different)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;非我．非我所 = not-me. not my dwelling (非 means no, antonym of 是 yes) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With these words and the syntax, this sutra seems now making more sense to me. However, I'm still stuck that why this sutra will lead to the issue about &quot;controllability&quot;. Maybe it is here (my translation from the Chinese version of this sutra):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because form is not-Self (Anātman/Anatta), in form there is illness、suffering arose {以色無我故。於色有病．有苦生}; also in form it is able to intend to make-this, not to make-this {亦得於色欲令如是．不令如是}. Same is for feeling (Vedana), cognition (Saṃjñā/Sañña), doing (Saṃskāra/Saṅkhāra), consciousness (Vijñāna/Viññāṇa)&quot; {受．想．行．識亦復如是}.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This paragraph in fact denotes that because form is not-Self, therefore &quot;&lt;strong&gt;it is able&lt;/strong&gt; to intend to make-this, not to make-this {亦得於色欲令如是．不令如是}&quot;. Is this not the act of volition/will? Why is the issue with &quot;controllability&quot;? A volition/will is the &lt;strong&gt;freedom to act&lt;/strong&gt;, but it doesn't imply the &lt;strong&gt;control of outcome&lt;/strong&gt;, isn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I notice that these are phased differently in the Chinese when checked against the Pali-English version. &lt;em&gt;Chinese-English version&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If form has Self, in form should there not be illness、suffering arose; also in form &lt;strong&gt;can't it be able&lt;/strong&gt; to intend to make-this, not to make-this&#xA;{亦&lt;strong&gt;不得&lt;/strong&gt;於色欲令如是．不令如是}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because form is not-Self, in form there is illness、suffering arose; also in form &lt;strong&gt;it is able&lt;/strong&gt; to intend to make-this, not to make-this&#xA;{亦&lt;strong&gt;得&lt;/strong&gt;於色欲令如是．不令如是}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pali translated English sutra&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; phased:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if form were self, then form would not lead to affliction and it &lt;strong&gt;should obtain&lt;/strong&gt; regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;since form is not-self, therefore form leads to affliction and it &lt;strong&gt;does not obtain&lt;/strong&gt; regarding form: 'May my form be thus, may my form not be thus&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If as the Pali-English version phased, the meaning of the sentence is in contradictory because: A) form = self, what is more to be obtained for the self from the form then? It has already declared &quot;form would not lead to affliction&quot;. If form does change because &quot;May my form be thus, may my form not be thus&quot; then this self also changes due to &quot;obtain&quot; and since &quot;form were self&quot;, then is it still the &quot;self&quot;? Likewise, B) form x= self (unfortunately I can't make sense out of this paragraph in the Pali-English version).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Chinese version was translated by: &lt;a href=&quot;http://baike.baidu.com/view/161721.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;宋天竺三藏求那跋陀羅譯&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%E1%B9%87abhadra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Guṇabhadra&lt;/a&gt;)&#xA;It was translated in the Song Dynasty (about 1500 years ago), by an Indian Monk who traveled and stayed in China for the rest half of his life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-12T07:38:31.733" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T07:38:31.733" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18792" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18793" CreationDate="2017-01-05T08:32:13.510" Score="1" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddarth promised Alara Kalama &amp;amp; uddaka rāmaputta that if he ever finds the way, he will come and tell them ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that buddha saw them being born in a Universe, where there was not physical body, but only mind ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in Buddha's way one must have a physical human body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2019-10-04T16:15:08.123" Title="Did Buddha saw his two teachers were born, where living beings did not have physical body?" Tags="|buddha|gautama-buddha|life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18792" CreationDate="2017-01-05T09:37:57.160" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have no physical form, you do not have ears to listen to the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Siddarth promised Alara Kalama &amp;amp; uddaka rāmaputta that if he ever finds the way, he will come and tell them ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if such promise was made. As far as I know this was not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it true that buddha saw them being born in a Universe, where there was not physical body, but only mind ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it to be true, though I have not seen this for my self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T09:37:57.160" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2017-01-05T09:39:45.190" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one should worship any Statue, in death bed Lord Buddha says not to build any statue of him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More over He had been saying this all his life that his path is the path of practice not worship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now comes your Question why should we worship him ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a king denied to worship a statue, then swami vivekananda asked him to spit on one his fathers portrait, as a result kind was angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we should always keep in mind that the most important thing is to focus our minds, &lt;strong&gt;some may need help to keep it focused maybe some statue and some may need breathing techniques, some doesn't need anything, they just sit totally blank, As everything came out of nothing, nothingness is god, having a controlled &amp;amp; focused mind in nothing is all we need to do.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="9846" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T07:29:50.063" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T07:29:50.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18788" CreationDate="2017-01-05T10:43:16.807" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The two teachers are in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alara Kalama taught to focus on '&lt;em&gt;nothingness&lt;/em&gt;' and Uddaka Ramaputta taught to enter the '&lt;em&gt;dimension of neither perception nor non-perception&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both meditations are only mental stillness &amp;amp; quiet and do not uproot the causes of suffering. The the '&lt;em&gt;dimension of neither perception nor non-perception&lt;/em&gt;' is very close to unconsciousness. They can only bring temporary peace, which is why the Buddha rejected them. They are not freedom. The Buddha discovered true freedom is having no craving, no attachment and no self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T10:43:16.807" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2017-01-05T10:51:44.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one worshiping Buddha in India, We just ignite candle only .&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;And so if we gonna experiencing just observe, you'll see Buddha's statue, his face there's lighted spirit, you'll not find with other gods, only Buddha's eyes are closed and peaceful spirit on face.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Peaceful atmosphere you'll feel.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Worshiping means bribe from devotee and want praise through chants; but we don't have to worship Buddha to achieve peace.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;He just beyond concept of god and religion.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;You can meditate next to Buddha's statue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2020-11-04T08:03:17.547" LastActivityDate="2020-11-04T08:03:17.547" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18773" CreationDate="2017-01-05T11:59:41.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we are in deep sleep our mind (chitt) doesn't get prana from self(soul, energy) and in result we do not remember anything, just nothingness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as soon as we are not in deep sleep, our chitt (which actually has the memory of each and every past lives), which in result gives us Dejavu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paradoxical point now is a blind man never saw dreams, a deaf being would never listen in dream(he will only see).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it also depends on our perception, i have seen a girl who can see with closed eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T11:59:41.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18798" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18800" CreationDate="2017-01-05T12:18:36.317" Score="5" ViewCount="1709" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Lord Buddha's wife Yashodhara also joined Sangha (become bhikkhuni), what happened to her ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did she also get enlightened ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did his son Rahula get enlightened ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3324/9846&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3326/9846&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; answers says &lt;strong&gt;Buddha can never be a woman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2020-05-14T23:54:02.477" Title="What happened to Siddhārtha Gautama wife Yashodhara?" Tags="|vipassana|buddha|sangha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18799" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18801" CreationDate="2017-01-05T13:34:30.040" Score="3" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said that there is a specific way to teach the dhamma. That for example, if I remember correctly, among other things, it's important to mention the cause and effect in one's teaching. I can't find this anywhere, can someone give me a source for this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, what if I teach the dhamma in a wrong way? Is this causing demerit/bad merit/bad karma? What if I mean to teach it in a right way, but it comes out wrong or even causes the listener to have a strong aversion to buddhism/listening to the dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7830" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:06:48.100" Title="Right way to teaching Dhamma" Tags="|karma|teaching|merit|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18798" CreationDate="2017-01-05T14:28:26.027" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When Lord Buddha's wife Yashodhara also joined Sangha (become bhikkhuni), what happened to her ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As part of the Bhikkhuni order nothing special or noteworthy incidents through the Buddha acknowledged her past contribution to his enlightenment in realising the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parami&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And like anybody else she aged, decayed and passed away. On passing away she was truly free from suffering as she was enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did she also get enlightened ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasodhar%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yasodharā&lt;/a&gt; achieved enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did his son Rahula get enlightened ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C4%81hula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rāhula&lt;/a&gt; also achieved enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... says Buddha can never be a woman&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A woman can never become a fully enlightened Buddha. But a woman can achieve enlightenment as a disciple nun. Yasodara became a disciple nun not a Buddha. She was the wife of Prince Siddhartha. She became a nun later in the Buddha's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81sana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sasana&lt;/a&gt;. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.1a-Bahudhatuka-S-m115-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu Dhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T03:06:01.650" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18799" CreationDate="2017-01-05T14:53:28.723" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One should teach the dhamma for the sake of revulsion, of dispassion, of cessation, regarding:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;decay-and-death,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Birth,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Existence,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Clinging,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contact,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The 6 sense-bases,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Name-and-form,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Decay of Formations,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.18-Nibbida-Dhammakathika-S-s-12.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nibbidā) Dhamma,kathika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above included: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the 3 good truths (saddhamma);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the 12 links of dependent arising (paṭicca,samuppāda); and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the “revulsion” (nibbidā) formula.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See introduction &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.18-Nibbida-Dhammakathika-S-s-12.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nibbidā) Dhamma,kathika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the teacher should:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;talk on the progressive teaching&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teach understanding the context&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teach the Dharma out of compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teach the Dharma not for the sake of material gain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teach the Dharma without hurting myself or others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.1-Dhamma-Desaka-Udayi-S-a5.159-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dhamma,desaka) Udāyī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what if I teach the dhamma in a wrong way? Is this causing demerit/bad merit/bad karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it would.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What if I mean to teach it in a right way, but it comes out wrong or even causes the listener to have a strong aversion to buddhism/listening to the dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you have been diligent and taught the right way and tries to correct misunderstanding then what can you do? It is not your fault.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make sure you do not contribute to the disappearance of the Dhamma. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.7-Sugata-Vinaya-S-a04.160-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sugata Vinaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/38.2-Candupama-S-s16.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Candûpama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and others which deal with decline of the Dhamma and impure ways to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:06:48.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18802" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18803" CreationDate="2017-01-05T15:30:24.733" Score="2" ViewCount="80" Body="&lt;p&gt;The more insight one gains by meditation and studying the suttas, does one also gain a higher proficiency in teaching the dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To put up an extreme example, if someone attains nirvana/full enlightenment, is he as proficient/competent in teaching the dhamma as the Buddha himself was?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read that there can be Buddhas, which attain enlightenment by themselves, but neither have the fellowship nor the necessary skill to teach the dhamma, is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7830" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:50:14.260" Title="Proficiency in teaching Dhamma" Tags="|teaching|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18802" CreationDate="2017-01-05T15:50:14.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The more insight one gains by meditation and studying the suttas, does one also gain a higher proficiency in teaching the dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could be misunderstanding or misinterpreting your meditative experiences. So meditation on its own does not make you fit to teach. (Many wrong views in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; arise due to meditative experiences.) You should have theoretical knowledge also and validating the experience with the teaching. Also you should have good communication skills.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To put up an extreme example, if someone attains nirvana/full enlightenment, is he as proficient/competent in teaching the dhamma as the Buddha himself was?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.7-Duta-S-a8.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dūta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses qualities of a good messenger or teacher of some which I glossed over above. Nobody will have skills in teaching compared to the Buddha but if you were to aspire to become skilled what you should cultivate are the analytical skills related to teaching:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;connotative meaning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;denotative meaning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;verbal expression&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;analytic insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.4-Samyojana-Kotthita-S-s35.232-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Saṁyojana) Kotthita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Teaching-Methods-of-the-Buddha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE TEACHING METHODS OF BUDDHA&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I read that there can be Buddhas, which attain enlightenment by themselves, but neither have the fellowship nor the necessary skill to teach the dhamma, is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I believe to to be true. They are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paccekabuddhas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T15:50:14.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-05T16:32:16.730" Score="3" ViewCount="572" Body="&lt;p&gt;First - this is a question directed towards advanced practitioners of mindfulness or similar meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been meditating and practicing other transformational work for about 17 years.  Throughout the work, I've had many peak experiences, many &quot;aha&quot; moments, and I've experienced the deepening and expansiveness of my awareness and understanding.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've learned to be suspicious of any type of insight or experience that presents itself as &quot;the answer&quot; - in other words;  I've had thoughts like &quot;this is finally it!  I got it!&quot; So many times that I pretty much ignore that type of noise as soon as notice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lately while meditating, I've become increasingly aware of  physical sensations (neither pleasant or unpleasant) in my body, particularly around my upper chakras; and the overall - for lack of a better word - intensity of my experience is elevated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I allude to - I've never had a transformational experience that I considered &quot;real&quot; that came about with a bang - the worthwhile experiences are usually quite subtle - if fact my sense is that the essence of transformation is increasingly subtle rather than the other way around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, what do I make of my recent experiences?  It carries with it an intensity that seems well, intense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recognize that more information is probably necessary to answer this; but in general terms, is this par for the course?  Is it just something to notice, and let pass?  Is it a symptom of something and/or, is there anything to do about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T00:30:54.780" Title="What to expect from meditation?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-effects|meditation-body|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18804" CreationDate="2017-01-05T16:43:26.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In meditation you get experience &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pīti&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt; which can be intense, pleasant and stubtle. If you dwell on these too much you get attached to them and crave to them, causing regression in your meditation. Also if you think this is the final goal you stop short half way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So do not give much importance to them and continue your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3471&quot;&gt;That &amp;quot;Electric Feel&amp;quot; body sensation during meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T16:59:46.957" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-05T16:55:48.093" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you have some ideas collapsed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't want to laugh anymore&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is actually a goal, I'd like to suggest that you may have wandered off from your true intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness during daily activity can produce a sense of peace and satisfaction, but if it is so self-contained that it forbids laughter, it becomes restrictive, and won't produce anything lasting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While concentration is important, mindfulness includes the entirety of your environment, not just the task at hand.  That means mindfulness includes attentiveness to others; to the dog across the street wagging his tail in such a way that you can't help but laugh;  to the non-restrictive space that grants being to all that exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you wish to understand yourself, you must succeed in doing so in the midst of all kinds of confusions and upsets. Don’t make the mistake of sitting dead in the cold ashes of a withered tree. - Enyo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Mindfulness] is doing each thing you do as if it is your one and only chance for self-expression, joy, freedom, and peace of mind. - Werner Erhard&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't get attached to the peace of mind part.  Mindfulness that is overly self-conscious will leave you attached to being '&lt;em&gt;good at concentrating&lt;/em&gt;' or something.   Open yourself to your task and the environment within which the task exists - let the outward expression of joy you find in your practice be a gift to those who are near.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2017-01-05T20:16:20.870" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T20:16:20.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18804" CreationDate="2017-01-05T17:08:01.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it just something to notice, and let pass? Is it a symptom of something and/or, is there anything to do about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Treat the object according to your practice, i.e. for&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha meditation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when mind wanders, bring it back to the breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;every object is treated in the same way, there is no discrimination, i.e. no object is more or less important than the other. Note the object and return to the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T17:08:01.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18804" CreationDate="2017-01-05T18:16:44.980" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In meditation, you can consider these three:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental factors that you cultivate, a bit like a sportsman. For instance, mindfulness, alertness and concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiences of yours (that are also mental factors, in fact) that indicate something about the quality of your mind. For instance, Prasrabhi indicate the achievement of śamatha. Each dhyāna has its branches as well. In this respect, each branch indicate something about the quality of one's mind. For instance, if you abide in neither-pleasure-nor-pain, it shows you abide in the fourth dhyāna.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The objects you pay attention to. This is because the purpose of meditation is to get to open one's eyes so as to see things the way they are. Another way of saying is that the purpose is to directly realize the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu and others point out that samatha and vipassana are aspects of the same practice (&quot;practicing dhyānas&quot;). It is impossible to achieve even calm abiding without having contentment, few desire, and ethical discipline, and these three do not come about without a good deal of understanding to start with. Such an understanding comes about through studying, listening to the teachings, and engaging in vipassana. Without understanding, one's practice of samatha will be forceful, fruitless and might even be harmful. In turn, whatever one gets to see with a still and clear might will be more beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you experience might indicate the quality of your mind. Either way, you have to get clearer about it, to know what to do with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T18:16:44.980" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18766" CreationDate="2017-01-05T18:49:05.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever is dependently arisen and Nirvana is not self / non self, i.e., all dhamma is not self / non self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition is dependently arisen hence not self / non self. Volition being dependently arisen it is not entirely controllable as arising and passing of volition appears when a conducive condition is present and disappears when the cause ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition is not entirely out of our control also. When you experience something pleasant or unpleasant you can react with craving or aversion which is the general pre conditioned response or you can be equanimous and be aware of its arising and passing nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T18:49:05.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18810" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-05T19:16:05.983" Score="1" ViewCount="83" Body="&lt;p&gt;List below is extracted form Kimattha Sutta noting how skillful virtues lead step-by-step to the consummation of arahantship.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is does skillful virtue require knowledge of non-self or knowledge of non-self is achieved at step 8 when one contemplate on impermanence / conditioned nature of all things including serenity and pleasure one get from virtuous act?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skillful virtues&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;freedom from remorse&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;joy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;rapture&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;serenity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pleasure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;disenchantment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dispassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;consummation of arahantship&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T17:05:21.953" Title="At what stage / step of development do we start to contemplate on non-self?" Tags="|meditation-insight|anatman|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18798" CreationDate="2017-01-05T19:16:46.907" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are at least three suttas to Rahula:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh033-u.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Short-Pieces/MahaRahulovadasuttam.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn147&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 147&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yasodharā is mentioned as 'Baddha Kaccānā', having great wisdom in &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/1-ekanipata/014-Etadaggapali-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 1.245&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T19:16:46.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18810" CreationDate="2017-01-05T19:31:28.680" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually are&lt;/em&gt;' is the complete contemplation of not-self (although not-self can be observed in some ways when concentration starts to develop).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T19:31:28.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18814" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18862" CreationDate="2017-01-05T22:13:57.813" Score="4" ViewCount="1444" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Soto Zen sources that I've seen advise daily Zazen, preferably when first rising and before going to bed. However, few make reference to a length of time. The only one I remember says half an hour. At this point I feel like 15 minutes would be a serious challenge (I am a beginner). Is this a problem on my end, or could I perhaps start with 15 and work up? If so, at what rate should I increase?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10462" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T14:23:56.597" Title="Length of daily meditation (Soto zen)" Tags="|meditation|zen|soto|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18815" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18827" CreationDate="2017-01-05T22:59:29.737" Score="4" ViewCount="476" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://essenceofbuddhism.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/is-there-no-self-or-is-there-free-will-in-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; article, &lt;strong&gt;the writer of the article&lt;/strong&gt; claims, purports or alleges that Bhikkhu Thanissaro and Bhikkhu Bodhi state that the Buddha NEVER said that there was no self. The Buddha NEVER said that there is no soul. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The views and opinions expressed in this article are  contrary to many response given in this platform, for example response given for one of the most frequently vised question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/38/10552&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is described as fatalism and NOT Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, is the view presented widely accepted view in Buddhism or is it a new development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T08:07:23.480" Title="Did the Buddha said that there is no self there is no soul?" Tags="|anatman|soul|volition|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18816" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18881" CreationDate="2017-01-05T23:02:16.847" Score="2" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;What did &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iep.utm.edu/santideva/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Santideva, the authour of the&lt;/a&gt; Bodhicaryāvatāra, say about the realisabaility of Buddhahood? What assurances did he make?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T21:43:21.750" Title="What did Santideva, the authour of the Bodhicaryāvatāra, say about the realisabaility of Buddhahood?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18804" CreationDate="2017-01-05T23:10:12.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The title and the question are a little different, but I'll try to address both.  I think of meditation as a way to practice paying attention. When I meditate, I try to focus more on paying attention and less on whether the experience matches my expectations.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking &quot;What to expect from meditation?&quot; is kind of like asking,  &quot;What should I expect what I stand outside and listen?&quot;.  If you pay attention, you may notice things.  What you notice will depend on your own circumstances. Some times nothing may seem to happen; other times, you may notice something dramatic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An idea you may hear about in Buddhism is taking refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.  In addition to asking questions here, if you're curious about the sensations you notice in meditation, you might consider seeking out a Sangha where you can share your experiences with others in a more intimate way than you can on an Internet site.  I think a Sangha will often have a teacher who can help you investigate what you notice in meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="544" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T23:10:12.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18815" CreationDate="2017-01-05T23:27:48.403" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas unambiguously state the entire universe is void of self (SN 35.85). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the deluded idea of 'self' is born (SN 22.81) in the human mind, according to the Pali suttas, it is not a real 'self' but merely a 'view' (SN 5.10), merely a verbal convention (SN 1.25; MN 98), merely the arising of suffering (SN 5.10; SN 12.15), merely a disease (Ud 3.10) &amp;amp; a cancer (MN 140)  or, in short, neurosis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This world is burning. Afflicted by contact, it calls disease a 'self.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This world, overcome by contact, is tormented, It speaks of a disease as the self,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.3.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Udana 3.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it is a mistake to refer to SN 44.10 &amp;amp; insist the Buddha did not take a position on the question of whether or not there is a self. In SN 44.10, the Buddha kept silent because the questioner Vacchagotta was confused &amp;amp; befuddled. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-05T23:38:22.417" LastActivityDate="2017-01-05T23:38:22.417" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18815" CreationDate="2017-01-05T23:51:55.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a very sensitive point for understanding Buddhism imo. The Buddha, through the whole of the Pali Canon, explains in many ways how an Essential 'self' or 'soul' is not evident within perceived experience (Dhammadhatu's post is better for links to this!) - an unchanging constant for 'things' is not evident within what we perceive.&#xA;The Buddha also asks, in the Brahmajala Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&lt;/a&gt;), for the follower not to speculate within the 'metaphysical sphere' - speculation beyond that which can be directly experienced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The combination makes for a delicate point. The Buddha definitively stated that within perceived experience (the 5 skhandas) the Noble Truth of suffering - that each and every construct is impermanent - is imminently evident and true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the Buddha was always careful to warn against speculation, therefore he never explicitly denied the 'self' or 'soul' in whole, if only because that which is beyond experience can neither be experienced nor denied (nibbana doesn't count here - it is to be known by the wise etc).. Experience and evidence (Nagarjuna, science) agree with the Buddha's Noble Truths, beyond that - the thicket of views is all that is left. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(logically then, the answer is a simple yes - because no rational attempt at describing/explaining/analyzing 'that which is beyond experience' is possible!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read this for some good insight! &lt;a href=&quot;https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/#NonSel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/#NonSel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-06T00:12:02.410" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T00:12:02.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-06T05:12:01.497" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is Volition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘It is volition, bikkhus, that I call kamma. For having willed, one acts by body, speech, or mind.’ – Buddha &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is not fate. It literally means action, that is volitional action. A deed done deliberately through body, speech or mind. Every volitional action (except that of a Buddha or of an Arahant) is called Kamma. Kamma-formations (sa&quot;nkhaara-cetanaa, 'karmic volition') constitutes both good and evil. In Karmic Volition (kusala Akusala Centanaa), good gets good, evil gets evil. Like attracts like. It is natural law that every action produces a certain effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma denotes volition (cetanaa) and the other accompanying mental states found in any particular moral or immoral type of consciousness. Mind is the forerunner of all good and bad mental states. Cetanaa or volition is the most important of all mental states. It is this volition that constitutes Kamma, for the Buddha says - 'I declare that cetanaa (volition) is Kamma'. Mind precedes all actions and serves as the principal element both in performing and in assessing deeds. It is mind that rules and shapes action. Words and deeds are also produced by mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volitional thought when occurring as kamma leading to rebirth on the sensuous plane, feeds and conditions sensuous existence. When occurring as kamma leading to rebirth on the fine-material or immaterial plane, it feeds and conditions the corresponding existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six classes of volitions (cetanaa): will directed to forms (ruupa-cetanaa), to sounds, odors, tastes, bodily impressions, and to mental objects. The `group of Mental Formations' (sankhaara-khandha) is a collective term for numerous functions or aspects of mental activity which, in addition to feeling and perception, are present in every single moment of consciousness. All such volitional constructs were conditioned by ignorance of the reality behind appearance. It is this ignorance that keeps us from making skillful decisions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How the word functions in the &quot;thought world&quot; of the Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When contact is there, these three things are born: feeling, perception and volition (vedana, sañña, and cetana). These three things are born dependent on contact. Therefore, when there is consciousness, all these factors arise: attention, contact, volition, perception and feeling, with a combination of the four great elements. Mentality (nama) consists of: feeling, perception, volition, contact, and attention – the same factors. Viññanam paccaya nama-rupam – dependent on consciousness, mentality and materiality arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says ‘Bikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated as long as one has not experienced its results.’ Therefore, he stresses, that if you fear and detest suffering, do not commit evil deeds openly or secretly. From what we perceive we create sankhara (mental formations). If the mental factor was directed to a certain matter, on that occasion there is volitional activity, and this is called sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhāra means either 'that which has been put together' or 'that which puts together'. To better understand the different ways that Sankhāra is described you could read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_43.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;‘Anicca Vata Sankhara’ by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;. In the passive sense it refers to any compound form in the universe, a human being, or a thought. All these are sankhāras. All such things are impermanent, arising and passing away. Sankhāra is used in this first sense to describe the mental conditioning that gives any individual human being his or her unique character and make-up at any given time. In the active sense (sankhāra-kkandha) it refers to the form-creating faculty of mind (volition) that propels human beings along the process of becoming by means of actions of body and speech (kamma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is that single moment of choice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The single moment is an intention (volitional effort) - a ‘Sankhāra’.  So this single moment of choice – intention - needs to be skillful. An intention occurs according to what we perceive. Intentions occur about sounds, smells, tastes, and contacts that are recognized. When a mind’s thoughts are perceived, intentions occur according to those thoughts. All these intentions that are formed in various ways are Sanskhāra Upādānaskandha. The usual case is that the world is created within ownself as a result of ignorance. The consciousness created within ownself as volitional actions (sankhārā), proceeds on in search of worldly comforts sunk in the darkness of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an intention (volitional effort) to occur, feeling and perception should be in the mix. This is called contact. There are six kinds of contact. Contact of eye is the coming together and meeting of: eye, form and consciousness of eye. When we close our eyes, there is no contact of the eye, as consciousness of eye is not there at that moment to cognize a form. When there is the meeting of the three factors for contact of eye, then feeling, perception &amp;amp; intention (volitional effort) arises. The same is true for contact with the other five faculties: ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who/What is doing the choosing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no doer. This is dependent arising (paṭicca-samuppāda), the law of cause and effect, whereby everything that exists arises due to specific conditions. As for what is doing the choosing…. Buddha said: &quot;cētanāhan bikkhavē kamman wadāmi&quot; ('O' monks, I declare that the volitions are kamma). The arising of volition (cetanaa) is the result of mental factors.  They may be wholesome or unwholesome intentions.  Mental factors are not permanent, they constantly change.  They are the result of desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance if our consciousness is with the physical food we consume, we have a desire for food.  We derive pleasure from what we eat.  We have a passion for what we eat.  Thus our mind is attached to the food.  When our mind is attached, consciousness arises and grows.  It grows like a tree.  Therefore the cause for the growth of consciousness is passion, delight or pleasure and craving.  When consciousness arises, mentality-materiality (nama rupa) is established.  It is a reaction in our body - contact and feelings have arisen automatically.  There are six factors that manifest itself.  The four elements that constitute our body - the material phenomena (rupa); contact (phassa), feeling (vedanaa), perception (sannaa), volition (cetanaa) and attentiveness (manasikara). This is Kamma in the making.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your actions are the results of choices that come and go.  You can change yourself through changes in your actions. Like the porridge in the story of Goldilocks, you have all kinds of choices, but what you want is the one that’s just right. You always shape your life by the choices you make in what you say and do. If you’re not convinced of the importance of your actions, your actions are careless. The usual culprits are distractions, either internal or external. The internal ones are other thoughts, other intentions. Usually we are not in charge of our thoughts and act impulsively. It is our cravings and our ignorance / Avijja (Avidya) that determine what those choices we make. A lot of them are buried in subconscious parts of your awareness. We shape our life by the choices we make in what we say and do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aggregate of volitional activities (sankharakkhandha) is a burden. Life demands that we satisfy our daily needs and desires and for that satisfaction we decide on A over B, or B over A.  This choice gets encouragement from our volition prompted by desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T04:00:47.973" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T04:00:47.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18822" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18826" CreationDate="2017-01-06T05:38:15.883" Score="3" ViewCount="2153" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been doing mantra meditation for years and saying &quot;Aum&quot; for a few minutes makes me go deeper in meditation within like 10 minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But focus on the breath is difficult compared to the mantras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the results of breath vs vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can hardly do 10 conscious breaths (feeling peace). Any suggestions for betterment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand doing vipassana makes me feel very strange (like perceiving vibrations) in my entire body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In mantra meditation, it feels like something (kind of waves) is coming out of my body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I on the right path or is it hallucination? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="9846" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T10:28:43.217" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T09:20:06.953" Title="Why is focusing on the breath more difficult than focusing on Mantras, and how important is it before vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-insight|meditation-effects|buddha|mantra|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18823" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-06T06:22:10.597" Score="4" ViewCount="280" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the requisites for attaining the path of a stream-enterer is to accumulate merits and having favourable conditions, what are the best ways to gain merits and having all the necessary conditions to achieve this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10602" LastEditorUserId="408" LastEditDate="2017-01-06T07:37:16.383" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T17:09:34.057" Title="How best to accelerate vast accumulation of merits?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|merit|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18822" CreationDate="2017-01-06T06:46:46.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do not recommend to do mantra like what you are saying &quot;Aun&quot;. I prefer meditation to mantra since mantra was not recorded in Pali Canon or Tripitaka. In Buddha discourses mantra is not found as far as I read. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Less effort, more natural&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapana (watching breathing in and out) is more natural to man. You do not need to put any extra unnecessary effort to acquiring concentration. To say &quot;Aun&quot;, you need have the following unfavorable conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;volition/will to say&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;making movement of sound producing organs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;opening your mouth to produce voice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if saying &quot;Aun&quot; is too long, there could be distraction during producing sound &quot;Aun&quot;, if the duration is short and fast (to eliminate distractions during long &quot;Aun&quot;), you can get tired easily. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sound is danger to Jhana, so you cannot achieve the common fruitful expectation of getting more concentrated mind or sharp mind. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You said your body emitted wave when you did mantra but what it is good about it or you just like the sensation of wave coming out from your body. And definitely, you are detouring from your mantra by getting attention on waves from your body (lost primary focus). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lack of specific goal in doing mantra. I have read very little about mantra but as far as I found in literature, it is obscure and no specific goal or achievement by doing mantra.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand Anapana seems legit (we have Buddha discourses about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapana&lt;/a&gt;). Even if you cannot do leverage on Anapana meditation to Vipasana, you can achieve concentration up to some Jhanas. There is some personal experiences (on both web and printed form) that people get more healthy by doing Anapana (need citations here). &#xA;The more favorable facts are &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is more natural&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Less effort, the breath in-breath out goes even if you do not have any attention or care to do so&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It does not make any tiresome extra physical activities (Kaya Sinkhara)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It does not produce any sound, distracting to others and as well as you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you are trying to build concentration, it is more proper way and easy to do. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can put concentrated mind to where you like to be at and this could eventually lead to acquire 4 Rupa Jhanas (under favorable environment, Sila and good guidance)  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anapana&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;For about Anapana and getting focused during Anapana meditation please find my answer in this question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18165/during-meditation-how-do-i-focus/18195#18195&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This may be a little biased answer to Anapana than your mantra but I can guarantee that if you do properly Anapana you can acquire peaceful mindfulness, and keen concentration by practicing Anapana. That's for sure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T06:46:46.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18815" CreationDate="2017-01-06T09:19:04.370" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I'm dealing with the Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta (which caused the issue with not-Self and volition) and the Chinese version of it in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18766/is-there-any-volition-or-will-that-i-can-manage-or-control/18769?noredirect=1#comment30822_18769&quot;&gt;another post&lt;/a&gt; I noticed the subtle differences between the words applied in the Sutra. Anatta translated as not-Self/ non-Self in English, another concept is &quot;no Self&quot;, they are clearly different in the Chinese version. When I'm attempting to translate the Chinese Sutra to the English I found these words related to the &quot;Self&quot; applied: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;有我 = has Self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;非有我 = not has Self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;無我 = not-Self/ non-Self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;是我 = is me&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;異我 = non-me/ others (異 means different)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;非我．非我所 = not-me. not my dwelling (非 means no, antonym of 是 yes)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Chinese to English Sutra I translated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Form has no Self {色非有我}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Because form is not-Self... {以色無我故...}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Well-learnt venerable disciple can he from &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; take into that this is me, non-me, any quality (lakṣana) in it?&quot; {多聞聖弟子寧於中見是我．異我．相在不}&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;this: form&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;those&lt;/em&gt; all are not-me, not my-dwelling. {彼一切非我．非我所}&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;those: the attributes of the forms such as coarse or fine, good or bad...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;in these five aggregations realize the not-me, not my-dwelling {於此五受陰見非我．非我所}&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appeared that when said &quot;Form has no Self&quot;, ie, I do not dwell in form, there is not a part of me that's &quot;mixed&quot; into form, ie, if one of my limbs chopped off, I'm still I'm, intact, although my body is not intact. &quot;Because form is not-Self&quot;, ie, since form is not self-existed, independently existed without a subject (me), the rest of the Sutra goes as: &quot;therefore, suffering... I want to make it the way I like...&quot; The other sentences dealt with the aggregations and emphasized the not-me, non-me, not my-dwelling我所 (means objects I possessed therefore are attributes to me, similar to &quot;not mine&quot;, but not exactly). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, I'm more agreed with the article writer. That many of the issues arise because somehow it's misunderstood that not-Self is no Self, and not-Self is used in place that is no Self, or not-me, or non-me, or not mine. Therefore &quot;I&quot; is not-Self since the five aggregations and everything is not-Self... therefore I can't have any volition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta in Chinese translated as 無我, if &quot;no Self&quot; is &quot;not has Self&quot; it is 非有我, here Self = 自(己)(我), 我 this character can mean &quot;subjectivity&quot;, I, self;  自 this character can mean self, imply self-exist, self-dependent, therefore another Buddhist term Niḥsvabhāva (without-self-nature, without-intrinsic-nature) translated as 無&lt;strong&gt;自&lt;/strong&gt;性.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The question is, is the view presented widely accepted view in Buddhism or is it a new development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I have read the article and understood, most of it agreed with what I've learnt, excluded the opinion of the Bhikkhus and about the soul I have no comment. I won't say this author discovered a new view since there is no issue as such in my tradition, ie, learnt all my Dharmas from Chinese Classic Sutras and some Chinese articles. Instead I was stuck when reading questions related to not-Self therefore no volition, or &quot;uncontrollability&quot;. This kind of question will never come into my mind. I do observe that there is subtle differentiation in the English translation of this Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta that is contradictory to the Chinese version produced the not-Self therefore &quot;uncontrollability&quot; issue. I'm still working on cross-checking the different versions of Chinese Sutras and the English ones.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T09:36:29.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18822" CreationDate="2017-01-06T12:19:27.153" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When reciting a mantra you have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; which helps you get close to the 1st &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;. But this is also accumulation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fabrications&lt;/a&gt; (more particularly Verbal Fabrications) which should be avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; without the constant awareness of arising and passing inhibits the ability to see impermanence. That is why when you are doing Vipassana you become aware of vibration but not when doing mantra meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To aid you breath meditation you can use &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; to your advantage. Be aware that your are aware of breathing then periodically assess whether you are actually with the breath, but at the reducing frequency. Start with even in breath and out breath and when you notice you can stay a while then do it after each breath and then after few breaths and you your mind just sticks to the task then drop it altogether.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vitakka and vicara in initial application and sustained application. 1st your bring your mind to the breath then this is the initial application followed by trying to keep the breath in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T15:54:34.537" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T15:54:34.537" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18827" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18815" CreationDate="2017-01-06T12:31:46.123" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism if you take part by part (organ by organ, aggregate by aggregate, faculty by faculty, the mind or body, the world) there is nothing worth identifying as self or soul. What ever place or part you look there is no self, but also taking the view there is no self is also an extreme. In essence the best way to put this is not self or nonself than no self, as whatever you take is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thought or view about a self (including no self) will never be in touch with reality and result craving and aversion ultimately leading to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T08:07:23.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18823" CreationDate="2017-01-06T12:37:48.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Accumulation of merit will only give favorable conditions. If you are born and able bodied person and the ability to access the dhamma this purpose is already served. If you miss this opportunity the conditions perhap many not be as favorable again for a long time. So practice hard to achieve the final goal. This effort will not be in vain as if you miss the goal in this life your most likely be in a more favorable position to practice and also your past practice will help with help mastering the teachings and technique easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T12:37:48.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-06T13:09:15.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is volition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply put it it is the intention to act. The intention gives arise to fabrications / conditioning which manifests them self later as Karmic results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is that single moment of choice? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now or the present moment is the single moment or choice and you cannot change the past or time travel to do something in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This single moment is made of contact. As every mind state arises due to contact. The substance of the moment is that you make the mental examination is this stimuli arising from contact favorable, unfavorable or neutral and reacting with sensations or it being present if favorable evaluation, unpleasant if it is an unfavorable evaluation and neutral if it is a neutral evasion. Pleasant feeling leads to craving and clinging and unpleasantness lead to aversion and neutral feeling leads to delusion. This keeps creates future contact and experiences which are entirely unsatisfactory. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Who/What is doing the choosing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person experiencing the contact makes a choice. Due to past habits we we tend to make our choices reactively. The objective is the make the choice such that what when future contact and experiences manifest themselves these would be pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is most likely is you habitual or reflexive reaction. With much effort you can change this to one would be conducive for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say someone spills a drink on you. You think the person is careless and you beat him up. Beating someone up will give bad results. The person could immediately retaliate. If the previous would be your natural response if you make a choice to compose yourself then will not happen but the mental intention will carry some Karma. With more practice you take a step beyond there even the invention to assault the person does not arise you do not create any Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T13:09:15.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18823" CreationDate="2017-01-06T13:11:38.813" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ways to earn merits:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practice the Buddha's teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practice &lt;em&gt;Dana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practice daily meditation and share the merits with all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support the Sangha or better yet, become a Bhikkhu/Bhikkhuni.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With every wholesome deed one gets closer to Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With every unwholesome deed one gains distance to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T13:11:38.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2017-01-06T13:25:23.553" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each experience can trigger your habitual response which might be followed by and intention to act. What triggers your habitual or reflexive response is and external stimuli coming in contact with your sense faculties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what you have to see is if your intention is good or bad. If it is good follow through else try to practice some restraint. When trying to restrain yourself you find then your habitual response overpowers you. But with practice you will be able to retrain your self when in intentions are not good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally when your intentions are bad you have either unpleasant or neutral feeling / sensation in your body. If they are good it is pleasant or neutral. You do not get pleasant sensation if your motivation is bad and unpleasant sensations if your motivations is good. Neutral being a gray area. To get a better understanding see the 121 mind states and 52 mental contents. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kītagiri Sutta&lt;/a&gt; section on feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T05:18:59.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18716" CreationDate="2017-01-06T13:29:52.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is it that allows to make choices?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom and awareness helps you make the choice. Being aware you can exercise restraint when your habitual or reflexive response is suffering and this is not the most conducive action to follow though with for the given situation. Wisdom aids to you asses the situation in the right frame (right angle or right light).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T13:29:52.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18707" CreationDate="2017-01-06T14:11:28.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;why does my mind even wander? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever there is a contact we perceive this as favorably or unfavorably, this results in a feeling of pleasantness or unpleasantness, this leads to thoughts of memories of the past or future expectations, these thoughts proliferate into more thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does my mind want, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mind always crave for sensations / feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... and can it ever be satisfied completely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not by means of seeking pleasant experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But still it it can be stratified if you practice meditation and realise Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T14:11:28.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18702" CreationDate="2017-01-06T14:26:25.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You start with self restraint. Initially this would be having a list of rules or code of conduct you try to adhere to. When your old habitual or reflexive responses try to manifest himself try to take a step back, compose yourself, see if the actions are in the list of acts you want to avoid if so avoid it. Also have a list of action you want to do as try to do it when you get the opportunity. As you go on see if the actions are for the good of oneself or that of others, or one's action are the way you want to treat others, then follow through accordingly and if not abstain from such action. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.5-Veludvareyya-S-s55.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Velu,dvāreyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.19-Sedaka-S-s47.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Finally as your wisdom increases see if the metal states and content (Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt; section on feelings) are favorable and then follow through if the actions are conducive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T08:47:14.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18702" CreationDate="2017-01-06T14:57:35.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stop trying to control is a good way to gain  some control(: Insight meditation(I assume your talking about insight so if your practicing something else than this answer probably doesn't apply) is so easy in a way because the only thing you ultimatly have to do is experience what is going on in your own experience. Although it's good to do preliminary stuff like doing good sila so that the mind can better become clear and concentrated and making sure the facilities are ballanced. In insight meditation there are ways to control your own faculties but it's better to find a good teacher. They will know how to guide you so your practice is effective. -Good luck &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-01-06T16:31:23.407" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T16:31:23.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18836" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18837" CreationDate="2017-01-06T15:10:12.897" Score="4" ViewCount="1618" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the people follow the 3rd precept of lay buddhism without knowing the actual meaning of it. Personally, even I don't know the actual meaning of it. Most of the people including me understand it as, &quot;not practicing adultery outside marriage&quot;. But I know there's more than that. I simply don't know what. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you give a clear answer for this two questions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the actual meaning of the 3rd precept? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What does it(the 3rd precept) say about &quot;fornication&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10606" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-01-06T19:30:41.893" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T01:28:31.837" Title="Buddhism and fornication" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|daily-life|sexuality|sexual-misconduct|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18836" CreationDate="2017-01-06T15:49:09.963" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are four conditions for wrong conduct in sexual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be a man or woman with whom it is improper to&#xA;have sexual intercourse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be intention to have sexual intercourse with such a&#xA;person.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Action must be taken to have such an intercourse.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There must be enjoyment from contact of the sexual organs. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With reference to the first condition, there are twenty kinds of&#xA;women with whom men should have no sexual relations. They can&#xA;be divided into three groups, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;women under the&#xA;guardianship of parents, family members, relatives and authorities&#xA;charged with their care;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;married or betrothed women;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bhikkhunis and religious women observing the Holy Life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For all women, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a man forbidden by tradition or &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;under religious rules&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;is prohibited as a partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone is an unwilling partner, who is drugged or forced to&#xA;have sexual intercourse under threat of violence or coercion,&#xA;conditions (2) and (4) exclude them from having violated the precept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA)&lt;/a&gt; - urbandharma.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also sexual misconduct when one engages a partner at an inappropriate time, such as when a woman is pregnant, or when she is nursing. It is unethical to take the mother away from the baby for sex. It is also misconduct to have sex at inappropriate places, such as at places of worship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://snfwrenms.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/the-second-precept-abstain-from-stealing/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Third Precept: Abstain from Sexual Misconduct&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is sometimes considered &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Poya&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uposatha&lt;/a&gt; is in appropriate time to have sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, outside the bedroom is considered an inappropriate place in some interpretations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the question about fornication: if the partner belongs to a category you should not have sex with, then you break the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T05:13:06.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T05:13:06.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18810" CreationDate="2017-01-06T16:35:08.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever that is unsatisfactory is not self. Whatever is impermanent is not satisfactory. This is a realisation by direct experience not a form of contemplation. This realisation happens at the stage of &quot;knowledge &amp;amp; vision of things as they actually&quot; which in turn triggers the next stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T16:35:08.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18823" CreationDate="2017-01-06T17:09:34.057" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Perform the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ten Meritorious Deeds&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Charity.(Dana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Morality.(Sila)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Mental culture.(Bhavana/Meditations)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Reverence or respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.Service in helping others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.Sharing merits with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.Rejoicing in the merits of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;8.Preaching and teaching the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;9.Listening to the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;10.Straightening one's views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In addition to that,cultivate the factors for stream entry.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The practices leading to stream entry are encapsulated in four factors:&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Association with people of integrity is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Listening to the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Appropriate attention is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also here are some things i've observed from personal experiences:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving to someone who has greater sila or meditates generally increases one's merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practising metta increases merit (for me).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving or performing any good merit towards a noble person increases one's merit substantially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T17:09:34.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18840" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18903" CreationDate="2017-01-06T17:57:11.107" Score="7" ViewCount="543" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhartha by Herman Hesse is an excellent book and is written with the spirit of mystery and wonder that also permeates most Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote class=&quot;spoiler&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;  At the end of the book, Siddhartha has attained what appears to be Nirvana.  He is sitting with his friend Govinda.&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Govinda has spent the entirety of his adult life seeking Nirvana, and he is lamenting about this to Siddhartha; practically begging for some guidance and teaching.&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Siddhartha, feeling great compassion for his friend's suffering, instructs him to kiss his [Siddhartha's] forehead.  Govinda finds this odd, but is compelled by a great love of Siddhartha to accept.  As he does this; he attains some kind of enlightenment -  and though it's always seemed to me to be less 'significant' or permanent than what Siddhartha has attained - it is still a profound and magical moment of transformation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know what Hesse intended us to derive from this sequence? Specifically, has he spoken upon this issue, or written about it? It's always been completely mysterious to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for something more solid than unverified speculation.  I'm not opposed to opinions, but I'd like that any opinion be informed by some source - either Hesse, or another writing about Hesse's works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="315" LastEditorUserId="315" LastEditDate="2017-01-06T20:03:53.767" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T15:07:37.517" Title="Interpretation of Siddhartha by Herman Hesse" Tags="|books|correct-interpretation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18836" CreationDate="2017-01-06T19:34:13.970" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 3rd precept was spoken by the Buddha at a time in social/cultural history where it was a social/cultural norm for parents to arrange the marriage of their children. The Sigalovada Sutta advocates this is a duty of parents towards their children. Therefore, the 3rd precept should be considered in this social context. In other words, the 3rd precept when literally read may be inadequate for modern Western society/culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T19:34:13.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10811" CreationDate="2017-01-06T23:13:32.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It helps me to live (now) in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10608" LastActivityDate="2017-01-06T23:13:32.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18844" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-06T23:37:35.410" Score="2" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quoted below is from, Kitagiri Sutta MN 70&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…There is the case where, when conviction has arisen, one visits [a&#xA;  teacher]. Having visited, one grows close. Having grown close, one&#xA;  lends ear. Having lent ear, one hears the Dhamma. Having heard the&#xA;  Dhamma, one remembers it. Remembering, one penetrates the meaning of&#xA;  the teachings. Penetrating the meaning,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is where it says “&lt;em&gt;one remember the Dhamma&lt;/em&gt; ” does this mean that the person is recollecting from previous forgotten knowledge?  To be specific does mindstream-continuum from previous life reaching the person been thought contain knowledge of the Dhamma albeit forgotten?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T05:55:17.320" Title="Is there concept of recollection in Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|mind|knowledge|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18844" CreationDate="2017-01-07T04:07:16.460" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there concept of recollection in Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recollection meditation is a form of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anussati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;contemplative meditation&lt;/a&gt;. You should recollect as such, in the case of recollection of the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well-taught is the True Teaching [the Dharma] of the Blessed One,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;visible here and now,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;immediate,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;inviting one to come and see,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;accessible,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;to be personally known by the wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.3-Agataphala-Mahanama-S-a6.10-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Agata,phala) Mahanama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.5-Dhajagga-S-s11.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhajagga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The outcome of this contemplative practice if done right is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;mind is straight&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;gains inspired knowledge in the goal [the meaning of Dharma],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;gains inspired knowledge in the truth [the Dharma],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;gains gladness connected with the Dharma;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;when he is gladdened, zest is born;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;when the mind is zestful, the body is tranquil;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the tranquil body feels happy;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;when one is happy the mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/15.3-Agataphala-Mahanama-S-a6.10-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Agata,phala) Mahanama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is where it says “one remember the Dhamma ” does this mean that the person is recollecting from previous forgotten knowledge?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the following list with regard to training:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;he who has faith (in a teacher) approaches him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Approaching him, he respectfully draws near to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Respectfully drawing near to him, he lends his ear [listens attentively] to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;He who lends his ear, listens to the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having listened to the Dharma, he remembers [memorizes] it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having remembered the teachings, he investigates their meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having investigated their meaning, he reflectively accepts the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having reflectively accepted the teachings, desire [will-power] arises in him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When desire [will-power] has arisen in him, he exerts himself [he applies his will].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having exerted himself [Having applied his will], he weighs [balances his practice].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having weighed [balanced his practice], he strives on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having strived, he realizes through his own body the supreme truth and sees it by penetrating&#xA;it with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is said here is to learn attentively, remember what is taught and understand the theory and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be specific does mindstream-continuum from previous life reaching the person been thought contain knowledge of the Dhamma albeit forgotten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This remembering is to commit to memory what has been though and nothing to do with past life recollections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist meditation there are also techniques to recollect past lives. For this you have to develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt; through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T05:09:48.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18840" CreationDate="2017-01-07T06:14:15.950" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Siddhartha asks Govinda to kiss him on the forehead. As he&#xA;does so, for Govinda &quot;a certain contempt for his friends's words conflicted with a tremendous love...for him .&quot; Govinda then goes through a kind of mystical experience, as Siddhartha's face somehow merges with and contains a continuous stream of thousands of other faces, which he appreciates in each of their specificity.  Govinda emerges from the kiss with tears uncontrollably trickling down his face and an overwhelming feeling of great love for his friend, and through him [quote] &quot;of everything that he had ever loved in his life, of everything that had ever been of value and holy in his life.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So in the end Siddhartha is not only capable &#xA;  of love himself, but of spreading it powerfully to others.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://web.stanford.edu/group/religiouslife/docs/sermons/2004/sermon_07-11-2004_McLennan.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;WAS HESSE'S SIDDHARTHA CAPABLE OF LOVE? &#xA;  A Sermon by Dean Scotty McLennan &#xA;  University Public Worship &#xA;  Stanford Memorial Church &#xA;  July 11, 2004 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T06:14:15.950" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18847" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18860" CreationDate="2017-01-07T07:14:39.283" Score="4" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vesak means on the day Buddha born and is word Vesak (Pali; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha) means Vaishakh month by marathi calendar(Maharshtra, India)?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T19:08:04.250" Title="Does Vesak means Vaishakh?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18848" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-07T09:40:46.707" Score="2" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;As my mind willed I visited my local temple for a chat with the monks .&#xA;Surprised to learn,  this time I was advised to independently seek out my emancipation from suffering and only use the dharma for a guide !! Then arose this question ...are other peoples  experience etc on this path valid for my own personal path ( if u could call it so as mind has no beginning or end nor an owner , but the ego claim !!)&#xA;So why read up on Buddhism at all ? If my inner being is not compatible with the author of the book/ books ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10244" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T13:42:54.597" Title="Teachings vs self experience" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18849" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18848" CreationDate="2017-01-07T10:36:12.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;independently seek out my emancipation from suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody can emancipate you. Only yourself. Reason being liberation is based on experiencing the reality and not doing things which are not conducive / unskillful and doing what is conducive / skillful. No bodies experience can be a substitute to your experience. Say someone describes a taste of a good dish, you cannot reconstruct this task by any description without tasting it yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;use the dharma for a guide&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The taught Dhamma is guide. It has theoretical and practical aspects about stress and the was out of it. The theoretical aspects will be milestones in the path for you to validate if you are in the right route. The practical aspect is how to travel the path. Anybody who walks the path will reap the benefits of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;are other peoples experience ... on this path valid for my own personal path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot validate the path by other people's experience. If there is an epidemic and you and your neighbour both sick you have to take medicine to become better. Just because your neighbour taking medicine will not make you better. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So why read up on Buddhism at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To learn the path and the milestones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but the ego claim&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is much material regarding this in: &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/self&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;self&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;self&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatman&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatman&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always our notion of self is deluded and tied with craving. Unless we let go of this deluded notion of self there is misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If my inner being is not compatible with the author of the book/ books ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is universal regardless if you agree with it or not. There are lot of misinformation about Buddhism. Some of this will become clear when you practice. Each step of the way validate the results at the experiential level. Also validated what you practice with the original teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T12:53:58.200" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T12:53:58.200" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18850" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18853" CreationDate="2017-01-07T10:53:02.293" Score="0" ViewCount="129" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the wicked have a better bargain at death in Buddhism considering that there are no soul to transmigrate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's assume there are two persons A and B, born to similar condition. Person A surround himself with virtuous people, learn the Dhamma and practice it. Person B surround himself with wicked people, don’t respect the Dhamma and does evil deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this very life, both persons have conditioned free will, but person A open for himself preferable condition of choice by acting virtuously. For example, the joy of virtuous act as a condition to be preferred is only open to person A, person B will never feel this joy until he correct his volition. Likewise, both persons feel sensual pleasure the same, but person B crave for more endlessly, and he live in want. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person A been compassionate to all beings future or present he delighted when he hear that, at time of death, because of his virtuous act the mindstream-continuum will form another being in favorable condition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Person B is also happy when he hear the fruit of karma at death,because been evil he care less for condition of future beings and he is also happy that his life of want and endless craving will end at death, and he will be no more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorDisplayName="user10552" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T11:12:16.447" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T01:21:45.880" Title="Does the wicked have a better bargain at death in Buddhism?" Tags="|ethics|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18848" CreationDate="2017-01-07T11:05:46.960" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to build a house, it is easier done having read a book about it than without. It will guide you through the process, hint you at problems that may arise and give possible solutions. But then, there may be other solutions around, no problem with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, reading the book alone will not be much beneficial; without actually building your house, you will not be able to sleep under the protecting roof.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;being not compatible&quot; - I think this is rather unlikely, as long as you are open-minded. Of course, one has to be careful not to take laziness as incompatibility, i.e. it would be too easy to give up meditation after 30 seconds, labelling it &quot;frustrating, my mind isn't built for that&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I take the literature as a wealth of wonderful ideas I can ponder on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7928" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T11:05:46.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18708" CreationDate="2017-01-07T11:08:09.267" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paying conscious attention to whatever you are doing now fully, whatever the activity may be. Life is happening right now, right this moment as you read. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any actions have consequences, even thoughts. Unconscious activities have unknowable/unforeseeable consequences. Habits are like unconscious activities. If you are doing a good thing why don't you do it with full attention? Why do you need &quot;good habits&quot;? Why do you need habits? Habit seems like you are using some body memory to just do whatever action and it will have whatever consequence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put yourself in control over this moment. The next moment does not exist except in your mind. Quell it. Your past lives don't exist except in your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't create past lives in your mind. It does not know anyway. You have no idea about them. Habits are forming when you don't pay the right attention to whatever you are doing. For example, if I go to draw water from the well everyday, outside people may see it as a habit, but I am doing it for a particular purpose, we need water for some other activities. In the same way, look at your actions as doing something we need for the circumstances. Not as a habit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focus on whatever action you are taking now. Focus on life right now. Not past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T11:23:35.043" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T11:23:35.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18850" CreationDate="2017-01-07T11:25:26.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does the wicked have a better bargain at death in Buddhism considering that there are no soul to transmigrate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though there is no soul (unchanging, eternal core in a being) there is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependently arisen&lt;/a&gt; continuity of a person. If your are wicked, you continue in lower realms which are dominated by suffering, through like other doctrines this is not internal. In other words there is a continuum in the form of a causality driven process, but there is not solid, unchanging entity or part as person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a probabilistic element what will be your last mind as this decides the next birth. In balance of probability your last mind will be good only if have done a great lot of good deeds near your death and habitually being doing good deeds. Also you do not know whether you die young or old so you have to cultivate goodness whenever you can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also being born in the different realms are like gravity. Lower realms attract the most. Also there is a higher chance that a bad thought will pop up at the last moment. So majority of humans end up lower. If you were to have a chance of getting to a higher realm you have to be very good. Therefore, it is the good that has some bargain for an upgrade from where they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Person A surround himself with virtuous people, learn the Dhamma and practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good friends are the main cause of being able to practice the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Person A surround himself with virtuous people, learn the Dhamma and practice it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be careful when you act. If you act unwisely the result will not be desirable? If you are wise and act accordingly you will be able to reap favorable results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;crave for more endlessly, and he live in want&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unsatisfied desires is also a source of misery and stress. This produces additional karma which also result in stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;happy that his life of want and endless craving will end at death, and he will be no more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reality is not what someone believes. Generally believes are far from reality. Dhamma is reality. You need to know it at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person with the roots (craving, aversion or ignorance for lower rebirths and unselfishness, hatefulness and undecidedness for higher rebirths) will always be reborn. A person who is not liberate will have the roots. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Roots of Good and Evil&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T13:03:16.790" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T13:03:16.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-07T11:50:37.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think being conscious and mindful must make you look sad. Quite the contrary. If you look sad, you might just have attached to much to what you're doing, feeling tense and tightened up. This may become obvious if you feel the tension in your forehead and tell yourself to relax.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a strong coupling between the expressions of the body and the feelings. If you are experiencing joy in any form, it's almost impossible to look sad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As in meditation, when that little sparkle of bliss comes up, there's no reason not to look happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Allow yourself to enjoy the work you're doing, smiling and laughing isn't a bad thing. Maybe you find reasons for happiness &lt;em&gt;within&lt;/em&gt; the work, as you are content with well it all fits together. There's no obligation to freak out about some superficial video on the internet - there are so many real nice things your mindfulness can observe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7928" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T11:50:37.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-07T12:01:31.303" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't want to laugh anymore&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why? What happened? Why can't you laugh in a situation meditatively? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself was like this. Not talking. Being silent. Not involved in/Aloof from the situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are misunderstanding the meditative nature a little bit. When you are playing a game, why won't you be joyful or laugh? Or be disappointed if you lose. And still feel that everything is okay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See, Lord Buddha said, as quoted, &lt;code&gt;I am awake&lt;/code&gt;. Which means he would laugh when the situation is so, shed tears when the situation is so, advise people when situation is so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems like you are getting stuck and taking life too seriously. See you can be serious when required and joyful when required. What is the problem?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T12:59:24.967" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T12:59:24.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18848" CreationDate="2017-01-07T12:21:50.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;are other peoples experience etc on this path valid for my own personal path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To an extent, you have to see patterns. What they did, how things happened, etc., But spiritual path is a very subjective process, your internal nature as it has happened by your past accumulations and external circumstances. It is about YOU. Unconscious and conscious mental/physical impressions have played a large part in how you are right now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more thing, please don't split yourself up into parts like &lt;code&gt;ego&lt;/code&gt;, etc., It is all a mental construct. Throw it away. You are one person. Please be that first, and start from there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So why read up on Buddhism at all ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why not? Simply read? Take what you feel is right? There are many explanations. You may be mislead. That's why I said simply read. Don't stop yourself from reading/exploring. But why should you get carried away by what's in the books of a person? Most importantly, start reading your own life. Look at what's happening to you in situations, how you react, how you respond, what you are doing. Take conscious actions. That will give you more than enough knowledge on what you need than all the books in the world.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If my inner being is not compatible with the author of the book/ books ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is this &lt;code&gt;inner being&lt;/code&gt;? Define that clearly. For yourself. Ask yourself. Then worry about authors of books or something else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T12:21:50.490" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-07T12:46:43.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism deals with the mind. &quot;Are you sad?&quot; Or &quot;are you sad not?&quot; These are distractions. Distractions keeps one from progressing - one hears others louder than the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T12:59:20.230" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T12:59:20.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18847" CreationDate="2017-01-07T15:19:49.547" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vesak is the day marking the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha, which according to traditional accounts all occurred on the full-moon day of May. Vesak (by that I mean the three events) has nothing to do with the Vaishakh Month in India.It is just that the three event happen to fall on this month. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three great events that took place on Vesak day in the life of the Buddha are - the birth of Prince Sidhartha, the Bodhisatva at the Royal Park of Lumbini, His attainment of the Perfect Enlightement in his 35th year under the shade of Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya, and His Parinirvana. His Pari-nibbhana, at Kusinara in the Sala Grove, Upavartana that belonged to Royalty of Malla-occured on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. It is renowned as the most sacred Poya Day in the Buddhist world over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the recognised Vesak Full Moon ‘Poya’ (holiday) Day falls in the month of May, there is an additional Vesak Full Moon called &quot;Adhi Vesak Full Moon Poya Day&quot;. This Adhi ‘Poya’ occurs once in 3 years, due to the change of planentary movements. There are 365 days in an year. According to astrology (SriLankan ‘Nekath’), they calculate a year usually as 360 days. The planets rotate round the Sun. Sometimes the course of the planetary movements change. According to astrological calculations, this leads to an additional month.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here I should mention the name of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanthan, who was a Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon from 1879 to 1892, Solicitor General from 1892 to 1906, a member of the Legislative Council from 1911 to 1921, and from 1924 to 1930. A Barrister by profession, he was elected by a broad coalition of Buddhists and Hindus. He supported the efforts of the Theosophical Society to establish Buddhist denominational schools. He worked tirelessly for Hindu Buddhist unity. He was responsible for making Vesak, the birth anniversary of the Buddha, a public holiday in colonial Ceylon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T19:08:04.250" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T19:08:04.250" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18847" CreationDate="2017-01-07T16:07:30.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The wikipedia article on Vesak mentions that this name is derived from Vaisakha month in Hindu calendar . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The name of the observance is derived from the Pali term vesākha or&#xA;  Sanskrit vaiśākha, which is the name of the lunar month in the Hindu&#xA;  calendar falling in April–May.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Marathi calendar is also related to Hindu calendar, there is an obvious relationship between Vesak and the Vaishakh month. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vaisakha (Telugu: వైశాఖ) Vaishakha (Marathi: वैशाख) or Baisakha&#xA;  (Hindi: बैसाख) (Nepali: बैशाख) is a month of the Hindu calendar that&#xA;  corresponds to April/May in the Gregorian Calendar&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaisakha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaisakha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-01-07T16:21:18.127" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T16:21:18.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18814" CreationDate="2017-01-07T16:50:31.513" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have a Sensei or Roshi, ask them. If not, I would recommend you to start with a length which is challenging but not impossible to manage. From time to time you can do a longer meditation. In example, on a weekend sit 4 times 15 minutes with 5 minutes kinhin between. You'll find this a valuable experience. Don't just stay with a specific time without changing: no challenge means no progress. Zen meditation is about interrupting, its hard work. If you feel relaxed, work harder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no official recommendation because every teacher recommends it different. In example Kodo Sawaki emphasizes Zazen and he would most likely recommend stricter practice than modern teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would definitely recommend you to find a meditation group (sangha) as the sangha is also part of the way. Questions like you asked can't be answered easily, especially by people like me who never met you. Additionally you might get theoretical answers by people like me who are not competent enough to guide you (I am not a sensei, just a student). Remember, zen is a way, not just a quantified meditation block. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if you don't have a sangha close (or just crazy people in it) it's better to start somehow instead of doing nothing. So I would suggest the 15 minutes and work up and keep reading old masters. I recommend sawaki specifically to you because of the question you asked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="98" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T16:50:31.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18810" CreationDate="2017-01-07T17:05:21.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;An individual who wants to get into the practise Saddhamma in its truest sense needs to be grounded in Sila. Better still is to have sila-visuddhi (purification of virtue), once Saddha (Confidence) is firmly instilled within. The mind never leans towards kusala kamma (wholesome volitional actions) without saddha (faith and confidence. This is true also in the case of effort to achieve sila-visuddhi (purification of virtue), and in the study of the sacred texts.  Sila-visuddhi (purification of virtue) resembles the enclosure  as a defense against outside forces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who is established in Sila and comes to Saddha, sees things in their proper perspective. i.e. in the light of Anichcha (Impermanence), Dukka (Suffering), and Anatta (Absence of “I”). This firm basis is a part and parcel of his personality and remains with him all the time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-07T17:05:21.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18844" CreationDate="2017-01-08T05:55:17.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10419/4928&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; and the answers below. &#xA;It is indeed possible in the Buddhist view to remember past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in the quote presented I believe they are talking about remembering a teacher's Dhamma within the same lifetime it was taught.  It seems to more be speaking towards interdependence of events and causality than the remembrance of past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T05:55:17.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18755" CreationDate="2017-01-08T07:33:49.917" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; shown by @llya Grushevskiy is discuss very interesting logic. Some extracts from it gives bellow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... The four original possibilities, {T}, {F}, {T, F} and {}, as t, f, b&#xA;  and n, respectively....And now there is a fifth possible value – none&#xA;  of the above, ineffable, that which lies beyond language. Call it i,&#xA;  ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We started with two possible values, T and F. In order to allow things&#xA;  to have both of these values, we simply took value of to be a&#xA;  relation, not a function. Now we have five possible values, t, f, b, n&#xA;  and i, and we assumed that value of was a function that took exactly&#xA;  one of these values.  Why not make it a relation instead? That would&#xA;  allow it to relate something to any number of those five value.....In&#xA;  this construction, something can relate to both t and i: and so one&#xA;  can say something true about something ineffable after all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The similarities between this and our Buddhist paradox of ineffability&#xA;  are, you must admit, pretty unnerving ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i like to give example to 'i'.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Take &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Life&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; as a fact.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So t = life is,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;f = life is NOT,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;b = life is AND life is NOT,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;n = NOT life is OR NOT life is NOT,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;then what should be the i?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    &lt;strong&gt;i = 'life is'  &lt;em&gt;BUT&lt;/em&gt; 'a dream'.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;....This does not, of course, show that they are true. That’s a different&#xA;  matter. But it does show that these ideas can be made as logically&#xA;  rigorous and coherent as ideas can be. As the Buddha may or may not&#xA;  have said (or both, or neither): ‘There are only two mistakes one can&#xA;  make along the road to truth: not going all the way, and not starting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T07:33:49.917" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18867" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-08T11:41:37.747" Score="4" ViewCount="274" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was introduced to meditation many years ago through a short course and a book. Essentially I tried the mindful breathing meditation. I kept at it for a couple of years after which different circumstances resulted in me forgetting all about the meditation. Maybe it was due to my not noticing any discernable effects. But now I am trying to pick it up again. Currently I am following the book &quot;Wherever you go, there you are&quot; by Jon Kabat-Zinn.&#xA;However, I have a few questions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Everywhere I keep reading stuff of the kind &quot;Observe your thoughts without judgment&quot;. What does that really translate into in practice? How do you observe without judging? I mean, if you get sad thoughts, you get sad too. Thats why they are called sad thoughts. I never understood how to actually follow this advise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Again, I keep reading &quot;Observe this particular moment&quot;, &quot;be in this moment&quot; etc. What other moment are we normally in? What special tasks do we need to undertake to be in this moment? I mean, as long as you don't daydream about the future or wallow in the past, you're in the moment, right? This is something I again fail to comprehend clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3)&quot;Observe the breath&quot;. Do I feel the breath? Or note that I am breathing? Or count the breath? It just feels like more thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) How do you ever &quot;know&quot; that your meditation is working right? Or how do you even know your practice is headed in the right direction? I got tired after 2 years of it and nothing in return. Okay maybe I did it wrong, but how would it have been had I done it right? Is there a time frame within which you can expect some sort of result if you do it right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5) There seem to be many kinds of meditations, each with its own set of fanboys. Are these different types simply different paths to the same goal? Or are they meant for different goals? Moreover, are their learning curves different? How do I know what is right for me? Does this analysis even matter at all or am I just complicating things needlessly? My aim is to be able to concentrate and think clearly without getting overwhelmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly I am doing it wrong, for I feel no difference. The meditation books are full of hollow cliches and deep-sounding mumbo-jumbo which isn't helping at a practical level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to put the facts out: I am a mathematics grad student deeply interested in algebra and computing, and a Hindu by birth. I find religion and mythology fascinating from a historical perspective though am not spiritual or too keen on the underlying philosophies. I have also faced recurrent issues with OCD and clinical depression and insomnia, but medication, therapy and most importantly, time, have made things better. I am, and have always been curious about meditation, but have not been too successful or consistent with it. I am not opposed to religious imagery or artefacts in the meditation practice, though I'd prefer it to be as objective as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any advise/suggestions would be great. Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10616" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-01-08T14:53:52.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T08:22:21.400" Title="What am I doing wrong?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation-concentration|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18868" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18876" CreationDate="2017-01-08T12:29:36.663" Score="3" ViewCount="7325" Body="&lt;p&gt;Will happen same with me the way I had build my bad Karma?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;e.g If I've stolen money then will I face same, will someone steal my money?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or do I've to pay more than that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2019-02-11T14:18:31.143" LastActivityDate="2024-03-29T04:21:00.960" Title="How does Karma works?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18869" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18875" CreationDate="2017-01-08T13:08:52.997" Score="2" ViewCount="54" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had heard in the yoga class there's something like prenatal elaboration and it's benefits. Then if a pregnant woman will practice meditation or techniques so baby will born wise, calm, intelligent, kind and curiosity of Dhamma ? Will it born heartily and spiritually Buddhist?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T05:03:16.060" Title="Meditation or practicing technique has benefits of prenatal elaboration?" Tags="|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|technique|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18867" CreationDate="2017-01-08T16:18:44.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you did a really good job of breaking down your doubts into individual points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;1) Everywhere I keep reading stuff of the kind &quot;Observe your thoughts without judgment&quot;. What does that really translate into in practice? How do you observe without judging? I mean, if you get sad thoughts, you get sad too. Thats why they are called sad thoughts. I never understood how to actually follow this advise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we separate the initial thought from the emotion which we apply to it. The thought isn't a bad thing until we start to apply our ideas to it, we call it sadness and we want to get away from it, we start to think of how good life would be if we could avoid sadness. It is only after we apply our ideas that this thought becomes bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As humans it's very hard not to see sadness as a bad thing, we cannot immediately control our reactions to avoid labeling sadness as bad. When beginning with meditation we practice allowing the sadness to be present in the mind and not try to get rid of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;2) Again, I keep reading &quot;Observe this particular moment&quot;, &quot;be in this moment&quot; etc. What other moment are we normally in? What special tasks do we need to undertake to be in this moment? I mean, as long as you don't daydream about the future or wallow in the past, you're in the moment, right? This is something I again fail to comprehend clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're right that thoughts about the future and past are not part of the practice but sometimes we get distracted without going to the future or past. For example if we see a bar of chocolate we have sight in the present moment; then we might get distracted and start to think &quot;Where are these chocolates made?&quot; or &quot;How many calories are in the chocolate?&quot;. These thoughts aren't about the past or future but we are now lost in thinking and we are not in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an extra note, if you change from seeing chocolate to thinking &quot;How many calories are in the chocolate?&quot; then the present moment changed from sight to this thought about calories, you could remain in the present by observing the thought but observing a thought is different from just thinking it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;3)&quot;Observe the breath&quot;. Do I feel the breath? Or note that I am breathing? Or count the breath? It just feels like more thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the suggested techniques do involve more thinking than others. One aim of meditation is to reduce the amount we get caught up in thoughts. Just feeling the breath involves less thought than counting the breath, in that way feeling is better than counting. You know from meditating that it is difficult to stay aware of the breathing, some people are so stressed that they have to count their breath, it is too difficult to only feel the breath. For these people counting is a good idea until they are calm enough to just feel the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;4) How do you ever &quot;know&quot; that your meditation is working right? Or how do you even know your practice is headed in the right direction? I got tired after 2 years of it and nothing in return. Okay maybe I did it wrong, but how would it have been had I done it right? Is there a time frame within which you can expect some sort of result if you do it right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are doing meditation correctly then you should notice an improvement in your reactions to things. Maybe before when a person shouts at you then you get angry and shout at them, after meditating for months when a person shouts at you then you notice your anger and you don't immediately think that you have to shout.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;5) There seem to be many kinds of meditations, each with its own set of fanboys. Are these different types simply different paths to the same goal? Or are they meant for different goals? Moreover, are their learning curves different? How do I know what is right for me? Does this analysis even matter at all or am I just complicating things needlessly? My aim is to be able to concentrate and think clearly without getting overwhelmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Largely the different meditations are different paths to the same goal. Any meditation which involves observing an object (the breath, the body, a coloured disc, a flame) the object is unimportant because eventually in deep meditation you will not be able to see/feel the object. Because breath meditation is so popular there are many many variations of how to watch the breath but you just need to find the one that works best for you. The only way to know what is right for you is to experiment with different types, a month should be long enough to know if you like it. None are perfect so just find one that is good enough for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last bit of advice: Meditation involves letting go of what is happening. If you are trying very hard to follow your breath then you are preventing yourself from being relaxed. Ideally you should not require effort to remain aware of the breathing, you just won't get distracted by other things because you are calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that some of these answers help you to develop a fruitful practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T16:18:44.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18868" CreationDate="2017-01-08T16:20:14.440" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is dependent on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;intensity of your volition and number of thoughts involving the action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;purity of the subject of the action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you seal from a very good person the the karma will be strong likewise you take time to execute with a lot of effort and /or you feel very strongly overcome by greed then this will cause more strong Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to overcome this Karma if you make a donation the same apply. In this case the motivation is not strongly rooted in greedlessness hence Karma may be week. Hence giving many time over what you stole may not defunct this Karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note your &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ku%C5%9Bala-m%C5%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;roots of good&lt;/a&gt; are generally weaker than roots of good. This again means unwholesome action (stealing) and counteraction (donation) in the balance of probability might be heavier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this is balance of probability. There are rare cases where people who have done a loot of good and little bad have got bad results and people who have done a loot of bad and little good have got very good results, hence this is also a motivator to get out of the cycle of birth than accumulating Karma may it be good or bad. Whenever you face a situation alway try your level best to accumulate good karma and not the bad though. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you perceive someone to be good to do something against them you need stronger volition regardless of the person being good or bad. Also you repent and regret the action more increasing your Karma. Regardless of the level of volition of perception if a person is good he is like a mirror. If you steal from such a person the Karma will be greater.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://paauktawyausa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/the-workings-of-kamma2nd-rev.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Working of Kamma&lt;/a&gt;, 2nd ed, by Ven. Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T04:57:07.857" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T04:57:07.857" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18776" CreationDate="2017-01-08T17:49:34.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have started doing things consciously, i don't want to laugh anymore, i just want to maintain that inner peace felt in doing things meditatively. But people have started asking that &quot;i am looking sad&quot;. Should i smile or should i go with the flow, i want to follow Lord Buddha.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a similar experience i've encountered.When I do things meditatively i usually look like i'm in a trance like state.My eyes are down cast.I don't talk a lot.I keep to myself.I have also observed, i also look quite expressionless.This can sometimes be misconstrued as sad.But i feel enormousness peace.I'm just not animated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In our society today, everyone has to be constantly talking,reacting,bubbly,hyped,on their phones,smiling,being a running commentary on daily events..Two people have expressed concern about me because i don't seem as interested in many things,since they equate happiness with &quot;doing&quot; things.Travelling,partying,listening to music,adventure,talking about anything under the sun etc.(Accumulating more experiences).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After experiencing peace from meditation my idea of happiness is more of peace and stillness.Instead of smiling,looking happy and experiencing more experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T17:49:34.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18869" CreationDate="2017-01-08T20:08:13.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Birth', comprises the entire embryonic process beginning with conception and ending with Giving Birth (Childbirth). It is the springing into existence of the groups materiality, feeling, perception, mental constructions, &amp;amp; consciousness. So a calmer and more focused mind in meditation has pass to a child in the womb, as this &lt;a href=&quot;http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-benefits-for-pregnancy/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;study by the Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in India&lt;/a&gt; shows.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-08T20:08:13.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18869" CreationDate="2017-01-09T05:03:16.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one make positive vibration (Kamma) this effect people around you. This is like the hanky effect. Say you wrap a perfumed flower (good person) then the hanky (another person) then the hanky will also smell good. If you warp dried fish (bad person) then the hanky will smell bad. Likewise if the mother is creating good vibrations then the child maybe influenced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if the mother has been good even before conception then this would attract a good child with also more merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T05:03:16.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18868" CreationDate="2017-01-09T07:16:37.000" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma works in visible ways. If you steal money, the results (&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;) of that kamma (action) can include worrying you will get caught &amp;amp; getting punished if you get caught. People will not trust you. Your reputation will be bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas (AN 6.63) state kamma ends when the eightfold path is practised. If you stop stealing &amp;amp; know with clear wisdom why should never steal again, the old kamma ends. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you stole money from someone you know, you can repay it if you can, to make it all better. If you cannot repay it, no problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing that will guarantee the same theft will happen to you in return. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T07:22:42.013" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T07:22:42.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-09T09:11:31.480" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whether choose A or B is depend upon volition, volition is, you have your choice whether choosing A or B. when lack of understating which one has to choose; possibly you may choose wrong without knowing it is harmful. But when you choose right that is &amp;quot;conscience&amp;quot; (sense of right and wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition &lt;strong&gt;(will power, desire, incline, volition, inclination, intent, readiness)&lt;/strong&gt; are you have chosen A or B even conscience or without lack of understanding. And conscience will come from inside of you with your soul.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;That makes a choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone's experience would vary because all aren't the same but on the way to Nirvana then we would choose A or B with a conscience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My own experience as you asked in your prior question was if your friends offer marijuana my friends also offer me drinks but when I consume it, I felt desperate that I'm intoxicated. It depends upon our mind and our soul whether choose A or B for the rest of our life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2022-07-24T18:14:28.767" LastActivityDate="2022-07-24T18:14:28.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="18878" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18882" CreationDate="2017-01-09T09:33:01.750" Score="2" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone building their bad Karma by manipulating against me and if I've do something for revenge then It'd be my bad karma or wouldn't considered as Karma? Or It'd be same as &quot;The Lady and the Ogress - Dhammapada Stories.&quot; Not in other, next life but in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T16:38:18.400" Title="If someone constrain me to build my bad Karma or it wouln't be Karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18814" CreationDate="2017-01-09T11:35:52.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to recommend Christian's answer: assuming that &quot;15 minutes is a serious challenge&quot;, it might be a good experience to find a teacher and/or other practitioners to practice with.&#xA;I find that many activities are much easier in a group: I find it easier to do what other people do, when they do it, and to continue (not stop) because they are continuing (not stopping), and to stop when they stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T11:35:52.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18816" CreationDate="2017-01-09T15:14:01.847" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In general, the following positions are accepted by Mahayana tenets:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We can achieve Buddhahood because we can separate mind from afflictive obscurations and knowledge obscurations since neither is in the nature of the mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The way to abandon the two is ultimate bodhicitta: the wisdom directly realizing emptiness in the continuum of a bodhisattva. Since we can (a) cultivate bodhicitta and (b) see things the way they are (empty of inherent existence) then we can abandon the two obscurations and actualize the four kayas. There is the following analogy: wisdom is like an ax while bodhicitta is like a strong arm. Having developed both the ax and the strong arm – wisdom and method – one can cut off the tree, the two obscurations.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The mind is empty of inherent existence, therefore it is not inherently one with afflictions (from which it can be separated).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;With regard to this, the fourth chapter of the Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, verses 3 – 4 says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But how can I ever withdraw From what has been examined by the great&#xA;  wisdom Of the buddhas and their children, And has been examined and&#xA;  examined by myself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, having made such a promise,&#xA;  I do not accomplish it through action,&#xA;  Then by deceiving all those sentient beings&#xA;  What kind of rebirth will I take?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gyaltsab Je says that Shantideva speaks here of &quot;The reasons why it is inappropriate to discard bodhicitta&quot;. In addition, Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen explains that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We increase the capacity of the mind by investigating and&#xA;  understanding. [The mind] has the capacity to develop into anything&#xA;  possible. The capacity of the mind is limitless like the mind of a&#xA;  buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Apart from these verses, Shantideva does not establish that Buddhahood is feasible. He does not expand on any of the previous (three) arguments. Taking them as a given, he shows how to achieve Buddhahood. He does so in a didactic manner. This &lt;strong&gt;might&lt;/strong&gt; be because he addresses people that are already convinced (i.e. in the Mahayana lineage).  The Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra belongs to the genre of Mind Training (Lo Jong). Lojong texts include instructions aimed at cultivating bodhicitta, the cause of perfect enlightenment. This is because according to Mahayana, (1) bodhicitta is the entry door to the Mahayana path, (2) bodhicitta is the main cause of Buddhahood, and (3) Buddhahood is the ultimate result of the Mahayana path. As Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Mahayana lineage refers to great compassion, the substantial cause&#xA;  of bodhicitta. [And] The ultimate benefit [of bodhicitta] is the&#xA;  state of complete enlightenment or Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;These notions and these arguments are accepted by most Mahayana texts. Therefore, they do not bother establishing that Buddhahood is feasible. However, if you attend teachings on the Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, or on a Lam Rim text, or on Asanga’s Ornament of Clear Realization, you will probably hear about these arguments (that the two obscurations are not in the nature of the mind, they can be abandoned, that bodhicitta is the cause of Buddhahood, that you need the accumulations of method and wisdom, etc.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know more about systematic arguments on the feasibility of Buddhahood, I suggest you investigate other texts. For instance, you could study Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha Nature) by reading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and Its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge between Sutra and Tantra. Tsadra Collection.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Great Vehicle Treatise on the Sublime Continuum differentiating the Lineage of the Three Jewels (mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga) by Maitreya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen's commentary to Maitreya.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;As my teacher says “The ninth chapter is on wisdom and it all leads up to the result we search, Buddhahood.” In chapter 9 of the Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, you find systematic refutations of non-Prasangika systems (some Mahayana, some Hinayana, some non-Buddhist). Shantideva explains that one could not achieve even arhatship without realizing emptiness of both persons and phenomena. He dismisses so-called Hinayana tenets such as Vaïbashikas and Sautrantikas. It is as close as you will get to finding explanation of the feasibility of Buddhahood in Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, but it does not really answer your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concerning “how to achieve Buddhahood”, Gyaltsab Je’s commentary explains that “Buddhahood will not be accomplished by practicing only method or wisdom.&quot; The meaning is indeed: one achieves Buddhahood by way of method (bodhicitta and the six perfections) and wisdom (directly realizing emptiness of all phenomena). That is what Shantideva explains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of view, it is the wisdom realizing the two emptinesses (as presented by Mahayana tenets, namely Prasangika Madhyamika). In terms of method, it is generating the mind of enlightenment as to enter the Mahayana path, cultivate the six perfections, etc. In terms of views, he explains one can not attain liberation is not possible without realizing emptiness of both person and phenomena. Thus, he says that achieving even individual liberation without having directly realized emptiness of phenomena is not feasible. In terms of method, he explains that a Mahayana path is a “virtuous mind conjoined with renunciation and bodhicitta” and that is the cause of buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;All in all, positing “Buddhahood is not feasible” would imply that we are unable to generate bodhicitta or that bodhicitta is not the cause of Buddhahood (neither is accepted by Shantideva). Or it would imply that we can not accumulate the two collections or that they do not cause Buddhahood (and neither is accepted by Shantideva). Or it would imply that our minds do not have the capacity to abandon all obscurations (that is not accepted by Shantideva). Or it would imply that the mind exists inherently and therefore it is inherently one with the afflicted side (it is not accepted either).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-09T21:43:21.750" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T21:43:21.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18878" CreationDate="2017-01-09T16:20:55.273" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If due to some contain you cannot follow through with your action this does not become a potent karma with the potential to give rebirth but the volition forms a mild karma which can give result after rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of if you follow through with a action of intend to do some action as retaliatory or not, action and intention will become karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T16:20:55.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18878" CreationDate="2017-01-09T16:38:18.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;this may not be direct answer but more of friendly reminder of 6 things one should know about Karma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;intention is karma&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;causal of Karma (nidana) which is detection through sense gates.  This is important because it is not a common knowledge.  Those who have not heard Dhamma would think pleasures or sufferings are caused by self, others, etc.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vemattata, or level, magnitude, differences of karma.  Karma that causes being to be in hell, animal realms, hungry ghost, human, heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Timing, karma in the here and now, later, and even further away.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ending.  Karma ends because detection from sense gates is ended.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;path of ending of karma, 8 fold path&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to put things in perspective, Buddha said throughout the Samara, each of us had been a thieve so many times. all of the blood shed from the punishment when caught in all those life time is more than the oceans combined.  And the opportunity for one to be born in a human is as rare as a chance of a Buddha to appear.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;your karma hypothetical question is impossible to be answered by anyone but Buddha because of the complexity of karma.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-01-09T16:38:18.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18867" CreationDate="2017-01-09T17:45:06.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Everywhere I keep reading stuff of the kind &quot;Observe your thoughts without judgment&quot;. What does that really translate into in practice? How do you observe without judging? I mean, if you get sad thoughts, you get sad too. Thats why they are called sad thoughts. I never understood how to actually follow this advise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When any thoughts arise there is a feeling accompanying them. Thei can be pleasant (happy throughs) or unpleasant (anger, sad, fear) or neutral. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&#xA;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&#xA;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they are pleasant this leads to craving / covetousness and if they are unpleasant they lead to aversion, which you should avoid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; a monk dwells exertive, clearly aware, mindful,&#xA; observing the mind in the mind,&#xA; removing covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non judgemental way is not to have any attachment or aversion to the pleasant, unpleasant and knowing the nature of neutral sensations arising from the thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&#xA;the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&#xA;the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;pleasant feeling is pleasant when it persists, painful when it changes;&#xA;painful feeling is painful when it persists,   pleasant when it changes;&#xA;neutral feeling is pleasant when there is knowledge of it, &#xA;    painful when there is no knowledge of it&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do become judgemental this leads to attachment or aversion which should be avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Taking the painful as pleasurable&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;when the latent tendency of lust takes over, we are lustful;&#xA;when the latent tendency of hate takes over, we are hateful;&#xA;when the latent tendency of ignorance takes over, we are delusive&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are non judgemental where by maintaining complete &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; and towards any sensation knowing their &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impermanence&lt;/a&gt;, you will not be overcome by latent tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensations&lt;/a&gt; as there are many Suttas which are assertive about it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;all mental states flow along with feeling - Vedanā samosaranā sabbe dhammā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.10-Kim-Mulaka-S-a8.83-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kiṁ Mūlaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Ānanda, two kinds of feeling, relatively speaking [by way of instructing], have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Three kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Five kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Six kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Eighteen kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Thirty-six kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me. &#xA;One hundred and eight kinds of feeling, too, relatively speaking, have been spoken of by me.&#xA;Thus, Ānanda, has the Dharma been shown by me in a relative manner.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.1-Pancakanga-S-s-36.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcak’aṇga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14155/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for a more generic description and more references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) Again, I keep reading &quot;Observe this particular moment&quot;, &quot;be in this moment&quot; etc. What other moment are we normally in? What special tasks do we need to undertake to be in this moment? I mean, as long as you don't daydream about the future or wallow in the past, you're in the moment, right? This is something I again fail to comprehend clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your thoughts tend to roll and be preoccupied in the past and future most of the time than the present and many of these thoughts are either pleasant or unpleasant leading to craving and aversion. There are times you mind is in the present also dwelling in pleasant or unpleasant thoughts which also should be avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Thus, there are thirty-six such preoccupations with craving regarding the past, &#xA;preoccupations with craving regarding the future, &#xA;and preoccupation with craving regarding the present, &#xA;making 108 preoccupations with craving&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being is the present means to be aware of the sensations resulting from thoughts and mental activity observing their arising and passing nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sensations&lt;/a&gt; are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt;. This is the key point which links to the 1st Noble Truth in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and the main link (among the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 links&lt;/a&gt;) which you can break the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuous_circle_and_vicious_circle&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicious cycle&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;. In this specific case every thought that arises in your mind you should try to understand the working of Dependent Arising and 4 Noble Truths at the experiential level. This is not a logical thinking exercise just keep looking at the arising and passing of the sensations due to your thinking and metal activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3)&quot;Observe the breath&quot;. Do I feel the breath? Or note that I am breathing? Or count the breath? It just feels like more thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not count, visualise or verbalise as this leads to creating verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breath meditation at early stages involve &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitarka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt; which is like thinking and pondering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) How do you ever &quot;know&quot; that your meditation is working right? Or how do you even know your practice is headed in the right direction? I got tired after 2 years of it and nothing in return. Okay maybe I did it wrong, but how would it have been had I done it right? Is there a time frame within which you can expect some sort of result if you do it right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many measures of progress. See these answers &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13182/295&quot;&gt;one answer on progress&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3467/295&quot;&gt;another answer on progress&lt;/a&gt;. Also if you are too concerned with the progress this will lead to excessive efforts and also resentment which hinder progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) There seem to be many kinds of meditations, each with its own set of fanboys. Are these different types simply different paths to the same goal? Or are they meant for different goals? Moreover, are their learning curves different? How do I know what is right for me? Does this analysis even matter at all or am I just complicating things needlessly? My aim is to be able to concentrate and think clearly without getting overwhelmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many meditation have different goals. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt; does not deal with ultimate peace but limited to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt;. There are many types or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; is what aims at ultimate peace and happiness. This also has been thought in different ways with some techniques being effective than the other overall. Also a technique that works for one may not be the best suited for another. You have to figure what works. If you have not already tried it have a look at:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which follows the tradition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Teachers-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saya Thetgyi&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Khin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saya Gyi U Ba Khin&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webu_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Webu Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lineage_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lineages and tradition&lt;/a&gt; which you might be able to find from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notable other traditions are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw's Tradition&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Forest_Tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai Forest Tradition&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do not change your practice too often. Give any type of meditation and ernest and fair trial for about 6 months to 1 year and if it does not work more on. If you see that one technique is working and you are making continuous progress then stick to it without changing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also validate if the theory and practice is congruent and the practice validates the theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T08:22:21.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18850" CreationDate="2017-01-10T01:21:45.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It mostly depends upon your state of mind at death. However, it is also said that your karma comes to weigh heavy on you at that time. When a good person dies, he dies with goodness and light karma. When a bad person dies, he dies with a disturbed mind and heavy karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are six possible state of rebirth in samsara: hell, animal, preta, asura, deva, and human. They correspond to hate, ignorance, craving, jealousy, pride, and humans have not to much of any of these. So, this person you describe would be reborn as a preta. A preta is a craving monster who's appetite cannot be satisfied. A horrible fate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, a good moral person who is born in the heavens of the devas gets to enjoy the heavenly life. I would say that the good person is luckier. Even though that existence, like all such in samsara, is limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better to be reborn in the pureland of a Buddha. But you have to take refuge in that Buddha and end these mental deficiencies. It is the training ground of bodhisattvas who can eventually transcend samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T01:21:45.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18836" CreationDate="2017-01-10T01:28:31.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Precepts are originally designed for monks. So, a monk would totally abstain from sex. However, for the laity Buddha simply said that the average person should avoid sexual misbehavior. Sexual misbehavior is simply sexual conduct which is socially unacceptable. One example is adultery. Another might be beastiality. Another might be homosexuality. It largely depends on the culture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T01:28:31.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18848" CreationDate="2017-01-10T04:01:16.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;my mind willed I visited my local temple for a chat with the monks…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You did the correct thing in seeking the company of the friends in Saddhamma. But is is not easy to find a true disciple.  On the ‘Noble Friend’s guidance, Ananda, one of many principal disciples of the Supreme Buddha, once asked the Buddha if half of the reason for the spiritual life was friendship with others. The Buddha turned to Ananda, rebuking him mildly with the words, “Don’t say that, Ananda. The whole of the spiritual life is for friendship.” This shows that the Buddha elevated spiritual friendship to the highest status.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;was advised to independently seek out my emancipation…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly many are of this view in the present day. So it is important that we compare todays views to the Sutta &amp;amp; Vinaya Pitaka, and to find out the truth of the matter. Always remember that the Scriptures are out Teacher. Buddha once said that “By not understanding, and not penetrating this doctrine beings have become entangled like in a knotted ball of thread and have become like munja grass and rushes, unable to pass beyond the woeful states of existence, and Samsara, the cycle of existence.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;are other peoples experience etc. on this path valid…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is Yes. Specially at the outset, until you become a Stream Entrant others company &amp;amp; guidence is important. Just as the great ocean gradually slopes and inclines and shelves without any sudden drop, so too this Dhamma and Discipline there is gradual training and work and practice without any sudden penetration of final knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So why read up on Buddhism at all ?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because that is The ONLY Way. . Buddha said “Let an intelligent person come to me, sincere, straight forward and honest; I shall instruct him in the doctrine so that on my instruction he could practise by himself in such a way that before long he would himself know and himself realize …”(M.II.44)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Methodology of learning …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It starts with careful listening with full attention (Suthaa). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then what he has heard has to be registered in the mind (dhathaa). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The next step is to familiarize himself with what has been learned by reciting (vacaya paricita). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then it has to be internalized with pondering over it, contemplating the meaning by applying it to yourself.  (Manasaanupekkhitha) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The next step is practising what one has learned to become a real knower of the teaching - The realization. It is the result of the above 4 actions.  (Ditthiya Suppatividdha) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If my inner being is not compatible with the author… &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issue of compatibility is not what is important. Of utmost importance is whether your inner being has recognized the URGENCY. Whatever means that you will employ to instil a sense of urgency, then that is the way to go. If there is one single word that is more important than any other in the whole of the Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha, it is &lt;strong&gt;URGENCY&lt;/strong&gt;. In whatever way, if one could develop a sense of urgency, then by all means stick to it. For that you have to develop a sense of dismay (samvega) with what is happening around you. To see the other side of life -  the universality of suffering and develop an attitude of heedfulness (appamada) to avoid being duped by types of desires that come our way.  How many will have a sense of urgency towards the practice of Dhamma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T04:01:16.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18889" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18890" CreationDate="2017-01-10T05:25:45.297" Score="3" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have observed one thing, when i meditated first time Vipassana last week, i saw vibrations in my body, but after that day its been many days i have not seen them, in-fact i can not sit for long  (only 15-20 minutes), its not that my legs hurt, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But its my mind, it says “Why are you doing this, lets sleep, when i tell it no, it says its more comfortable to meditate in sleep”.&#xA;and then i sleep, How do i control it, am i missing something ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T10:07:29.727" Title="Why my Mind told me to Sleep?" Tags="|the-buddha|vipassana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18889" CreationDate="2017-01-10T05:54:36.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i saw vibrations in my body, but after that day its been many days i have not seen them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you experience something like vibration you should understand this is also not permanent. You should not crave to experience it again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This craving can also lead to arising of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But its my mind, it says “Why are you doing this, lets sleep, when i tell it no, it says its more comfortable to meditate in sleep”. and then i sleep, How do i control it, am i missing something ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be either you being merely lazy and trying to find and excuse to doze off or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;torpor&lt;/a&gt; taking its hold. Whenever, you experience something like vibration this stirs up deep rooted &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt; which might manifest itself like aches and pains or hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sloth and torpor is nourished  by unwise attention, you should denourish it by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wise attention&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;exertion&lt;/a&gt;. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera and also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which deals with dozing off. Also there are many answers, which I have given, which deal with Pacalā Sutta which which are listed &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Pacal%C4%81+Sutta+user%3A295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and relevant to this context and also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3487/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. Also more content may be tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/meditation-hindrances&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;meditation-hindrances&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;meditation-hindrances&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/five-hindrances&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;five-hindrances&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;five-hindrances&lt;/a&gt; which are also relevant. Content I have created under the above tags are found &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bmeditation-hindrances%5D%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bfive-hindrances%5D%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; which might be less noisy and more relevant. Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.6-Thinamiddha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thīna,middha&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan might be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vipassana method, as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, is as follow:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;    “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;    And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;    Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;    things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;[Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;    &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T10:07:29.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18867" CreationDate="2017-01-10T07:23:46.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have asked your question systematically. However, as a practitioner, in conclusion, you do not find the right way. &quot;Observe your thoughts without judgment&quot;... &quot;Observe the breath&quot;... etc., this so-called techniques however does the one advocated it really understand, try and prove? For example, counting the breathe, many people misunderstand it by counting from 1, 2... 100 and on, like counting sheep for sleep. No. Counting breathe (隨息) it should count like: 1, 2... 10; then 10, 9... 1. And it's not like counting breath-in: 1, breath-out: 2... No. It should be counting breath-in, hold-on, mindless/mindfulness, concentrate on your nose-tip, until release: 1; repeat: 2. I shouldn't say too much in breathe technique since personally I'm not so interested in this at the moment. The other called &quot;observe your thoughts&quot; etc will take too much time to explain. But as what you reported in your question, those are wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One less complex method you may try, chanting &quot;Om, Ah, Hum&quot;. Either just concentrate to listen to the sound you chant, or with thought on: &quot;Om&quot; is vibrating in your head, &quot;Ah&quot; is vibrating in your heart, &quot;Hum&quot; is vibrating in your abdomen. Mantra chanting maybe is an easy way to follow if you don't have a real teacher and you can't read the Dharma text. There are many Buddhist Sutras and techniques in Classical Chinese however I doubt if these are translated into English or any language for you; if the translation is correct.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-10T07:38:06.770" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T07:38:06.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18822" CreationDate="2017-01-10T08:08:22.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In mantra meditation, it feels like something (kind of waves) coming out of body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It agrees with my own experience. I just attended a practice led by a monk since 18 now in his 50s. He instructed us to observe the vibration starting from the abdomen spiraling up to the head, chanting &quot;Om Ah Hum&quot;. We were a group of few and did it the same time, the mantra amplified in resonance we were all uplifted.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have no idea about vipassana since personally I don't practice it but I do visualization. Neither am I interested in breathing practice however I read something related which I answered in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18867/what-am-i-doing-wrong&quot;&gt;this post&lt;/a&gt;. For breathing practice, the aim is not just about concentration/ awareness, it's also an energy gathering practice - in short; related to the Sacred-Vase-of-Wind 寶瓶氣 and Primordial-Fire 拙火. (The English translations are my inventions not sure if these have proper terms in English). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T08:08:22.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-01-10T09:16:00.977" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Volition?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition is movement. It gives birth to time and space, in which it moves in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's what turns and churns the wheel of samsara. Creating karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition is what operates when delusion is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because &lt;em&gt;that's what happens&lt;/em&gt; when there is no realisation of anicca, anatta, and dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When delusion is present.You don't see things as being inherently empty. Then &lt;em&gt;&quot;I am&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition itself is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is that single moment of choice?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a moment that was conditioned/influenced by past choices. Choice doesn't arise singularly on its own. Every choice we made arose conditioned by something else. We pick A over B or vice versa because of past conditioning. Even when it's neutral, it's neutral because of something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's as empty as the last moment and the next moment to come. There is no substance. It's an empty phenomenon. The only thing giving it substance or meaning is volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who/What is doing the choosing?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not about who or what is doing the choosing, it's about &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; the choosing is being done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For someone who is not enlightened, volition does the choosing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For someone who is enlightened, volition does not do the choosing. So Who or what does the choosing for an enlightened being? As long as we are asking that question we are still standing at the wrong vantage point. We are still under the assumption that there is a &quot;being behind our eyes&quot; operating. When really no one gets enlightened. And if no one gets enlightened then who is doing the choosing? Well the answer is the choosing chooses itself. Experiences experience themselves. Consciousness is conscious of itself. Phenomenon happens to itself. All without us. The biggest illusion is thinking we're part of the picture. Nature follows its own rules. You don't need volition to do things. Try lifting your arm without willing to... see...lol. I think NIKE sums it up well: Just Do It. You don't need volition to make decisions either. So it's not about who or what does the choosing but HOW the choosing is being done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T01:11:38.093" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T01:11:38.093" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18894" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-10T11:35:16.607" Score="8" ViewCount="1318" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do people (monks and/or scholars) have a sense of how old (or relatively old) each sutta is in the Pali canon: i.e. which suttas are considered &quot;earlier&quot; or &quot;later&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not for individual suttas, how about for whole Nikayas: are some Nikayas viewed as being probably earlier and/or later?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the answer is &quot;yes&quot;, is there a reference on this subject suitable for a non-expert (&quot;suitable&quot; meaning &quot;readable&quot; and &quot;not controversial, generally accepted by other experts&quot; and preferably &quot;identifies the evidence on which it bases its conclusions&quot; ... and preferably also translated into English)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does this (notion of some progressive history of earlier and of later suttas) fit with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_councils&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist councils&lt;/a&gt;? Were different suttas adopted at different councils? The Wikipedia article about the councils gives me the (perhaps wrong) impression that all suttas were recorded in the first council. Do differences arise from when the suttas were transcribed as translated rather than from when they were accepted into the remembered/oral canon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.9-Lakkhana-S-d30-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan's analysis of DN 30&lt;/a&gt; includes text like the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Historically,&#xA;  the Buddha has none of these superhuman marks, but his authenticity and spirituality are in no way&#xA;  diminished or affected. They are at best mythical marks of the fruits of his past good karma, as detailed in&#xA;  the Lakkhaa Sutta (D 30).12 We will now examine how and why these marks arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The earliest sources of a full list of the thirty-two marks are the following&#xA;  suttas: ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Earliest allusions: ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I take that as implying that he has a reference that tells him which are the &quot;earliest&quot; suttas? Or is he saying there that all suttas are the earliest source?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/bahudhatuka.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this paper&lt;/a&gt; as an example, should I infer that the current state-of-the-art is that some scholars try to decide what's early and late by comparing different versions (e.g. Pali and Chinese) of a sutta: but that though with a lot of work they try that for one sutta, such hasn't been done for most suttas and there's no reference of dates (of specific suttas) nor even generalization (e.g. about Nikayas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I've read various people mention other examples too, of topics evolving: for example that earliest suttas talks about fewer than five lay precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-12-11T08:50:10.263" Title="Which suttas in the Pali canon are relatively early or late?" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|history|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-01-10T12:27:13.647" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would hold the view that all Theravada Suttas were recorded in the 1st council. There was a split that happened in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2nd council&lt;/a&gt; which resulted in schism which lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theravada&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahayana&lt;/a&gt;. The Mahayana school did develop new Suttas but also preserved the old in the Agamas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many scholars referring to figure out if a Sutta is early or later compares these Theravada and Agama source this are very similar but having disimilarities also. If they tally they rationalize this is an early source. If there is any addition they consider this perhaps a later composition. I would personally believe if something is missing in the Agamas this would have been transmission error as the Mahayana school was not as metriculers as to preserving wording as the Theravada tradition. (Since there are many later additions in the Mahayana school.) Also Mahayana texts were translations whereas Pali language was close to or same as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magahi_language&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Magahi&lt;/a&gt; which was spoken by the Buddha himself. So here also discrepancies could have arose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the 3rd council the likelihood of changes to the Theravada Tripitaka would have been very small as Buddhism spread to to multiple location which survived in countries like Burma. If there would have been discrepancies then the version in the countries would diverge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Buddhist_council&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4th council&lt;/a&gt; the Tripitaka was put in writing. This would have eliminated any room to discrepancies as this was also not confined to one country. Any changes would lead to discrepancies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Theravada councils were more heard to collect compare all the sources and redistribute the aggregate source than new compositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the case of the Bahudhātuka-sutta certain parts were missing in the chinese version which prompted to ascertain than this is a later composition by the Theravada school which would resonate well with modern through with equal rights to women. I feel this seams like biases in the research there the research was bent to fit modern thought and outlook. Sometimes it might be personal perceptions backed by evidence and logic to rationalize. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also taking the intersection than the union may not be the way to go in my opinion as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.4-Satipatthana-Mula-m10-sujato.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Mula&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan this would leave out some aspects of the Sutta which does make practical sense. Also note certain areas in this analysis does have common areas from more than one independent school which indicate certain parts may have been lost than composed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least in the Theravada school miss attributing anything to the Buddha or changing the words would have been very much feared hence would have been preserved well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the current editions the discrepancies are very rare, but there are some discrepancies. One example is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately what is the Dhamma and what is not should be settled not at intellectual speculation but at experiential level and practice wherever possible, though some insights may not arise in every one. Any discrepancies regarding the practice should be verified by the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T12:34:23.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18896" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18971" CreationDate="2017-01-10T12:46:27.960" Score="0" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha have access to unlimited knowledge, This information can be found in old Indian scriptures as well, that human body is capable to visiting to another planets with his/her Astral body (Suksham Sharir).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there some particular way or do i need Guru for this particular thing ?&#xA;Many Buddhist monk don't teach this, i am aware that Lord buddha himself have denied not to show any super powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These Siddhi's (powers) may lead to Ego, But going in universe have always been an interesting thing for anyone.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T00:49:46.763" Title="How exactly i can access my Astral body in meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|lay-buddhism|buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2017-01-10T13:45:29.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no reason we have to. There is also no reason I have to. Plus there also is the same reason you don't have to either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you have free will, you can choose to do so however. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10624" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T13:45:29.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18728" CreationDate="2017-01-10T19:49:39.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What most people understand as opinion would in Buddhism probably be categorized under &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;papañca&lt;/a&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN18&lt;/a&gt; for deeper explanation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowledge that leads to letting go is something different. It has to be an immediate experience without proliferation. I like the example of the man touching a hot hotplate. If he doesn't understand that him touching the hotplate and keeping his hand there causes him suffering, then he might blame someone else for causing him suffering or form all kinds of opinions. But if he realizes that he's touching the hotplate, he automatically pulls away his hand because he understands the cause of his suffering. Likewise the Buddha said ignorance is the cause of craving and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T19:49:39.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18840" CreationDate="2017-01-10T19:52:49.787" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The paper titled &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.hermann-hesse.de/files/pdfs/en_religion.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Between reverence and revolt:&#xA;Hesse and the two faces of religion&lt;/a&gt;&quot; suggests that Hesse was primarily a (Christian) Protestant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It says for example that in his 1921 diary he wrote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And now the whole of Buddhism increasingly appears to me to be&#xA;  a kind of Indian Reformation, an exact equivalent of the Christian one”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, a primary Protestant belief is that people are saved by God (maybe by their love of God and/or by God's love): a Christian's duty (to God) is faith and obediance, which God rewards with salvation (perhaps miraculous salvation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's also (especially in contrast with pre-Reformation Catholicism) something to do with a personal relationship, unmediated by clergy (and perhaps by ritual), between each person and God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that influences this sentence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote class=&quot;spoiler&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt; But while Govinda with astonishment, and yet drawn by great love and expectation, obeyed his words, bent down closely to him and touched his forehead with his lips, something miraculous happened to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote, &quot; It's always been completely mysterious to me.&quot; Perhaps that's because it's so Christian-influenced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T11:58:46.220" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T11:58:46.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="89" CreationDate="2017-01-10T23:04:32.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never asked to be worshiped, he only asked that we use the Dhamma and Vinaya as a guide to cessation. Respect and veneration of the Buddha are wonderful, in that they engender a respect for their Buddha,  Dhamma and Sangha, but valuing the Buddha as anything more than a teacher will likely lead to attachment and stress/suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha shined a lamp onto an individual path, one without an idol - where the cessation of stress/suffering is realisable in the here and now, generally with him as a guide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Kalama Sutta he denies the absolute validity of all speculation, no matter what this speculation is grounded in, rather asking each one of us to search out and find out the knowledge found in the Dhamma for ourselves!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-10T23:29:22.173" LastActivityDate="2017-01-10T23:29:22.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18906" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18918" CreationDate="2017-01-11T08:52:51.533" Score="3" ViewCount="206" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this life we experience love with family, friends, spouses and others. From my understanding of reading through this site and researching, love leads to suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the love we feel towards others in this life just temporary or does it pass on to the next life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I love my family. I want to live the longest possible time with them. I know that one day we will depart one another. I hope to see them again in the next life. Does this thinking led to suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5734" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T08:34:50.147" Title="Is love in this life 'artificial'?" Tags="|rebirth|love|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18907" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18910" CreationDate="2017-01-11T09:41:34.357" Score="2" ViewCount="574" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering its not much difficult to sit for one hour in meditation, but i want to know in Vipassana 10 days course, How long one will have to meditate, i mean do they do split meditation of 1 hour several times a day or 3-4 hours of continuous meditation ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T14:56:13.773" Title="How many hours of Meditation in single sitting during Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18906" CreationDate="2017-01-11T09:55:47.537" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Loard Buddha saw his previous lives, He observed that what ever he practices in previous lives was affecting his mind in positive way (because of his Good karma’s). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever if one is practicing Bad Karma’s would result in your mind becomes dirty, which will take more time to become pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  We are born with 3 things &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Age (How long you are going to live.) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jati (Born as Human or animal.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhog (Results of Bad Karma done.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For E.g. We often see some small children are interested in different activities, Which is a result of the impression of previous lives on their mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you are in deep sleep, mind doesn't get energy from soul, which means you are not aware of sleep.&#xA;But as soon as mind gets the light of soul, it will start working and you will see dreams (you will still love your family in dreams, because Buddha said &quot;You become, what you think&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Yes, Love is real but you don't take it to next life the way you perceive it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes attachment leads to Suffering&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="9846" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T10:05:16.427" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T10:05:16.427" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18906" CreationDate="2017-01-11T10:35:10.537" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains that &lt;em&gt;separation&lt;/em&gt; from the loved is suffering. If you truly believe you will see your family in a next life, the idea of separation will not occur. Therefore, suffering will not occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T10:35:10.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18907" CreationDate="2017-01-11T13:35:46.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each session is about 1 hour in courses organised in groups. E.g.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;4:00 am             Morning wake-up bell&#xA;4:30-6:30 am        Meditate in the hall or in your room&#xA;6:30-8:00 am        Breakfast break&#xA;8:00-9:00 am        Group meditation in the hall&#xA;9:00-11:00 am       Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions&#xA;11:00-12:00 noon    Lunch break&#xA;12noon-1:00 pm      Rest and interviews with the teacher&#xA;1:00-2:30 pm        Meditate in the hall or in your room&#xA;2:30-3:30 pm        Group meditation in the hall&#xA;3:30-5:00 pm        Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions&#xA;5:00-6:00 pm        Tea break&#xA;6:00-7:00 pm        Group meditation in the hall&#xA;7:00-8:15 pm        Teacher's Discourse in the hall&#xA;8:15-9:00 pm        Group meditation in the hall&#xA;9:00-9:30 pm        Question time in the hall&#xA;9:30 pm             Retire to your own room--Lights out&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/code&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/code&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;4:00 am          Wake up&#xA;4:30             Meditation in hall&#xA;5:30             Morning discourse&#xA;6:30 - 8:00      Breakfast and rest&#xA;8:00 - 9:00      Group meditation in hall (for all)&#xA;9:30             Individual instruction (for all)&#xA;11:00 - 1:00 pm  Lunch and rest&#xA;1:00 - 1:45      Meditation&#xA;2:00 - 3:00      Group meditation in hall (for all)&#xA;3:30 - 5:00      Meditation, and interviews for new students&#xA;5:00 - 6:00      Tea and rest&#xA;6:00             Evening discourse&#xA;7:30 - 8:30      Group meditation in hall (for all)&#xA;9:00             Retire&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/uk/guidelines.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/uk/guidelines.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;MORNING SESSION&#xA;&#xA;03.30 – 04.00 a.m.                 –         Wake-up / Dress-up&#xA;&#xA;04.00 – 05.00 a.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;05.00 – 06.30 a.m.                 –         Sitting Meditation&#xA;&#xA;06.30 – 08.15 a.m.                 –         Breakfast dana, cleaning common areas, toilets and dorms etc.&#xA;&#xA;08.15 – 09.15 a.m.                 –         Sitting Meditation&#xA;&#xA;09.15 – 10.15 a.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;10.15 – 11.15 a.m.                 –         Sitting Meditation&#xA;&#xA;11.15 – 12.00 p.m.                 –         Lunch Daana&#xA;&#xA;&#xA;&#xA;AFTERNOON SESSION&#xA;&#xA;12.00 – 01.00 p.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;01.00 – 02.00 p.m.                 –         Q&amp;amp;A / Dhamma Discussion (Every Day)&#xA;&#xA;02.00 – 03.00 p.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;03.00 – 04.00 p.m.                 –         Sitting Meditation (Except the Last Day)&#xA;&#xA;04.00 – 05.00 p.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;05.00 – 06.30 p.m.                 –         Dhamma Talk (Except the Last Day)&#xA;&#xA;06.30 – 07.00 p.m.                 –         Mindfullness Gilanpasa (Tea) Break&#xA;&#xA;07.00 – 08.00 p.m.                 –         Walking Meditation&#xA;&#xA;08.00 – 09.00 p.m.                 –         Sitting Meditation&#xA;&#xA;09.00 p.m.                         –         End of Day’s Program&#xA;&#xA;All the access doors to the meditation premises should be closed and the lights should be turned off by 10.00 p.m.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/meditate-with-us/retreat-timetable/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.nissarana.lk/meditate-with-us/retreat-timetable/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are tailoring a private course for yourself maybe you can have longer sessions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The time tables are set so both new and old students can meditate in reasonable comfort. There is nothing to worry about the time of the session lengths as many meditators do not find this an issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T14:56:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T14:56:13.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18906" CreationDate="2017-01-11T16:52:23.010" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every conditioned thing is temporary and subject to destruction and changes including feelings.  Wanting to meet again means that one has to have a new birth or self in next life and it comes with all the heap of drawbacks and unsatisfactory.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you still want to have new birth, then the following sutta might interest you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A loving couple asked Buddha this exact same question, and here was his reply:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom. Then they will see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is full sutta: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the same in living&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T16:52:23.010" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18913" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-11T16:53:29.423" Score="1" ViewCount="237" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that people mention long discourses (Diga Nikaya) are not authentic Buddha's discourses (not Buddha's words). The fact that makes me surprised much more is that they say &quot;in Diga Nikaya, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; was not discoursed by Buddha&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After I have studied Brahmajala Sutta; such bold words and complete coverage on Indian &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahman&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmin&lt;/a&gt; religious concepts as well as all modern religious concepts, I thought those kind of very complete specifications of 62 concepts/beliefs could only be named and discoursed origins of them by only Sammasambuddha or someone like Sammasambuddha (who has very complete Panna without any rival can claim or find loophole/falsehood or incompleteness in his discourses). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What could be the motive of such weak claims?   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it more appropriate to find any incorrectness or loophole of Brahmajala Sutta and other controversially claimable Suttas in Diga Nikaya first before saying authenticity of these Suttas?   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Could it be more easier to prove by saying specification and origins of 63 beliefs that was not covered by Brahmajala Sutta? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it correct way to say that Suttas from Diga Nikaya (start from Brahmajala Sutta) are ehipassiko? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At the time of Buddhahood of Gautama Buddha, all India regions are overwhelmed by Brahmanism and Brahmins. Buddha has only 60 monks which are from rich men of Yasa young guy and friends. It is not inappropriate to convert some Brahmins who had a sense that Atta of Brahmanism was in vain. It was obvious that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sariputta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sāriputta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maudgalyayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moggallāna&lt;/a&gt; are disciples of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjaya_Belatthaputta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta&lt;/a&gt; and they joined to Sanga society with 250 disciples of same teacher. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.12.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 12 Lohicca Sutta&lt;/a&gt; might be counter question to those scholars who questioned authenticity of Diga Nikaya but actually it makes infinite loop about disagreement. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Another possible reason about Bramhajala Sutta is Suppiya did blaming on Buddha, Dhamma and Sanga but the sutta did not mentioned what were details words of Suppiya and to what extent Suppiya did false-fully accusing we do not have chance to know. If a leader of such Sanga society did not properly repeal wrong accusation, what kind of leader Buddha would be. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sariputta claimed that Buddha's Sila was the best possible Sila a person can keep it clean, unbroken. In Brahmajala sutta, it is where we get a chance to understand/learn Buddha's Sila by grades and it is also role model to future Sanga nonetheless future Sanga has tendency not to keep as many as Buddha prefer to. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Propagation of Anatta views on Brahmanism overwhelmed Indian region is bold move of Gautama Buddha and many adversary effects should had been expected (need citations here). Scholars can logically do reasoning about it. Immediate decision about not to do any discourses to anyone just after enlightenment was nullified by request of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81_(Buddhism)#Brahm.C4.81_Sahampati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sahampati Bramha&lt;/a&gt;, so it is inappropriate or weak claim that Buddha would not do driving less dusty eyes Brahmins to become monks. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gautama Buddha did offensive (if improper reasoning on his) remarks to Maghandi's daughter in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.09.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maghandi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. But the explanation was Buddha had Karuna on Maghandi couples and only the daughter was completely out of picture. For this ages of valuation of women lives, this kind of remark will be viewed as very offensive to community and legal level but this was some kind of example that Gautama Buddha did speak if there was great benefit to save Brahmins from unfruitful believes of Atta view and/or Veda. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It seems like scholars cannot appreciate Buddha converting people who believed Brahmanism but they failed to notice that such big Sanga society cannot be done by overcoming adverse Atta view, worshipping Brahma and caste system.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="9992" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T20:22:38.723" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T20:22:38.723" Title="Getting rid of long discourses from Tipitaka, what could be true intention?" Tags="|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18913" CreationDate="2017-01-11T20:17:27.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To make a blanket statement that the &quot;&lt;em&gt;DN was not spoken by the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&quot; would not be wise. Obviously, there are certain suttas in the DN that reasonably conform with what the Buddha taught in other suttas as &lt;em&gt;verifiable&lt;/em&gt; truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It must be noted the core principle of the Buddha-Dhamma is that is it '&lt;em&gt;verifiable&lt;/em&gt;', namely: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/nowknow1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sanditthiko akaliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattam veditabbo vinnuhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Any sutta that departs from this core principle is open to question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It must always be kept in mind that pre-Buddhist Brahmanism was very different to Buddhism however, over time, both Buddhism &amp;amp; Hinduism changed so much that they became largely indistinguishable resulting in Buddhism becoming extinct in India. Many commentators have attributed this to Buddhist efforts to proselytize the religion &amp;amp; the DN has been deemed (for example, by Bhikkhu Sujato; by Bhikkhu Bodhi, page 31 of his SN) to be the major vehicle of proselytization. In other words, it was corrupted Buddhism designed to seduce Brahmans. It is widely acknowledged that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sutta.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Recent&#xA;  scholarship suggests that a distinguishing trait of the Digha Nikaya&#xA;  may be that it was &quot;intended for the purpose of propaganda, to attract&#xA;  converts to the new religion.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Comkp.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Comkp.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the DN was composed for the purpose of propaganda, to attract&#xA;converts to the new religion, then it is unlikely the Buddha spoke for this purpose, since the Buddha was only interested in converting those with little dust in their eyes (MN 26) and keeping his doctrine pure (AN 2.23, AN 2.25, MN 22, MN 38, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Brahmajala Sutta itself, it is not the specific sutta best chosen from the DN to make a claim the DN was not spoken by the Buddha because the principles in the Brahmajala Sutta appear sound. It is others suttas best chosen to make such claims, such as the &lt;em&gt;Maha Nidana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, which is obviously a corruption of the Buddha-Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This being said, the Brahmajala Sutta might possibly contain words or doctrines that are not found in any other sutta, such as saññīvādā, antānantikā, amarā­vikkhe­pikā, etc. I think only a competent scholar could make a reasonable hypothesis. If so, it is open to question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another peculiar feature of the Brahmajala Sutta is it is a response to a debate between the wanderer Suppiya together with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta. It is possible but it also seems strange the Buddha would give such a lengthy, pedantic &amp;amp; close to paranoid anal discourse due to the discussions between the wanderer Suppiya together with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paranoia or defensiveness gets even worse, with the morality sections referring to &quot;Gotama&quot; himself abstaining from attending unsuitable shows, games and recreation, etc, to the point of sounding very childish. At least I would expect the Buddha to refer to his Vinaya abstaining from these worldly behaviours rather than himself personally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, the Brahmajala Sutta sounds like a PhD dissertation rather than the words of a Buddha. That being said, as already posted, the principles in the Brahmajala Sutta are sound. Therefore, there is nothing explicit in the Brahmajala Sutta to deem it not Buddha-Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one wishes to critique the authenticity of the DN, others suttas are best chosen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude &amp;amp; to answer the question, the reason for dismissing DN suttas such as the Maha Nidana Sutta is because they promote wrong understanding of Dependent origination, which is the core dhamma of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-11T23:37:00.740" LastActivityDate="2017-01-11T23:37:00.740" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18915" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-11T22:05:47.460" Score="4" ViewCount="216" Body="&lt;p&gt;From wiki:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;Tathā means &quot;thus&quot; in Sanskrit and Pali, and Buddhist thought takes this to refer to what is called &quot;reality as-it-is&quot; (yathābhūta). This reality is also referred to as &quot;thusness&quot; or &quot;suchness&quot; (tathātā)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, are the two words synonymous?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;For example, could one say &quot;tathātāgata&quot; and would it mean the same as &quot;tathāgata&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, taking -gata to mean &quot;being&quot;, is it like the following?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;tathāgata = thus being / real being&lt;br&gt;&#xA;tathātāgata = thusness being / reality being&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if some kind soul could upload a pronunciation in sanskrit of the two words online, e.g to vocaroo, I'd be impermenantly grateful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10633" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T02:04:36.097" Title="Tathā synonymous with Tathātā?" Tags="|terminology|language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18915" CreationDate="2017-01-12T00:51:03.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;tathāgata is two words: tathā (thus) + gata (gone; go to; arrived at)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tathatā is two words: tatha (thus) + tā (state of)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali is pronounced here at 23:19 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/retreat_talks/148&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.suanmokkh.org/retreat_talks/148&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T00:51:03.463" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18915" CreationDate="2017-01-12T02:04:36.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You were right. TATHATA means thusness, suchness, just-like-that-ness: neither this nor that, the reality of non-duality. Things are just as they are (void and dependently originated) regardless of our perceptions, likes and dislikes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three words “tathata”,”avitathata” and “anannatatha” are very important. Also the word “Tathagata”. Tathagata  is a descriptive term used by the Supreme Buddha in referring to himself. As a name for a Buddha, it means the Being Par-excellence, the Great Being. Gautama Buddha frequently in the Suttas speaks of himself as the Tathagata. We can see many contexts where the term Tathagata has been mentioned in the first four Nikayas. Tathagata means the perfect one. Literary the one who has “thus gone” or “thus come”. It is an epithet of the Buddha used by him when speaking of himself. The term has derived from “tatha” or “tatha” in pali, which means “thus” and “truth” or “reality”. So when the term taken with the suffix “gata”(Tatha + gata) provides the meaning “thusgone” and when the term is made by the suffix “agata” (Tatha + agata) provides the meaning “thus come”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the term is related to truth “Tathata” yields the meaning thatness or suchness literary “reality”. Avitathata means that the truth that can not be changed and proved in its nagative aspect. Anannata is that one can not provide alternative of suchness or truth. So the three terms indicate some characteristics of reality. Therefore in term “Tathagata” “tatha” means reality or the truth .That is Nibbana. Accordingly those who have come or gone to the state of reality or Nibbana are “Tathagatas”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T02:04:36.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18906" CreationDate="2017-01-12T03:18:46.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the love we feel towards others in this life just temporary or does it pass on to the next life?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's temporary.It may pass on to the next life but it won't stay like that forever.Making it your goal to cultivate the necessary karma to pass &quot;things on&quot; to the next life is wearisome and not a guarantee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example, I love my family. I want to live the longest possible time with them. I know that one day we will depart one another. I hope to see them again in the next life. Does this thinking led to suffering?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All conditioned things are unreliable.Their unreliable because their impermanent.So if you put your hope in them you are setting yourself  up for suffering.There are different types of love that one can have.The type of love that suttas teach to cultivate are Loving kindness or The Brahmaviharas. Try cultivating this kind of love for your family and all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edited:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are a few helpful links to cultivate Love as taught in the suttas.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_4aRznxXkI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loving-Kindness Guided Meditation Video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/allmetta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loving-Kindness Meditation by Ven.Sujiva&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4sublime_states.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sublime States by Venerable Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/brahmavihara.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Dhamma by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/hello_with_love.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hello - with Love &amp;amp; Other Meditations Ven. Visuddhacara.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastEditorUserId="10411" LastEditDate="2017-01-12T08:34:50.147" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T08:34:50.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18913" CreationDate="2017-01-12T03:42:23.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, be a lamp unto yourselves, be a refuge unto yourselves, with no other refuge. Take the Dhamma as your lamp, take the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge.&quot; &#xA;  -Supreme Buddha, Digha Nikaya Sutta 26&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sutta Pitaka contains five collections, or Nikayas. The first of the five -  Digha Nikaya (long discourses) consists of 34 suttas in 3 books. These range in length from 5 to 47 pages. Many suttas are readily accessible to a newcomer and many are quite deep and detailed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the council Arahat Ananda Thera and his followers were entrusted with the responsibility for Digha Nikaya. The followers of Arahat Sariputta Thera were entrusted with Majjima Nikaya. Sanyutta Nikaya, was entrusted to Arahat Maha Kassapa Thera and, Arahat Anuruddha Thera and his followers were entrusted with Anguttara Nikaya. All the Theras were made responsible for the Kuddaka Nikaya which was completed at the third council. Vinaya Pitaka was entrusted to Arahat Upali Thera and his followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s a passage in the very first sutta in the Digha Nikaya, the Brahmajala Sutta, listing all the different kinds of wrong views that people can develop. Of the 62 grounds for wrong views, not every wrong view comes from people simply thinking things out without having practiced meditation. A lot of wrong views come from people who meditate and gain some insights or intuitive knowledge, but the knowledge isn’t as complete as they thought it was. So they jump to the wrong conclusions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Digha Nikaya, as much as the other four Nikayas, gives us the teaching of the Four Noble Truths which is the core of the Dhamma realized by the Tathagata. The Buddha, in the Maha Parinibbana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya, announced that it is because of the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths that we have had to continue so long, wandering on this weary path of Samsara. Sadly, in the present day, in translating from Pali to English, even Professors like Rhys Davids make mistakes. &lt;strong&gt;In translating from Pali to English one must be equally proficient in both, and should have attained the path. No one who has not attained the path, can assume to be right about the Dhamma.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Understanding is Panna - it is the third stage, after seeing (Dassana, yatha bhutha nana, seeing things as they actually are), and path entry. The characteristic of the Dhamma is that it is leading onwards (Opanayiko). Thus, full understanding (Parinna) is by the arahat. Unfortunately, that is beyond a householder, or a lay person, in this life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Samyutta Nikaya Sutta 38.16, it is said that even after persons renounce and become monks, it is difficult to find one who practises in accordance with the Dhamma. But Digha Nikaya Sutta 16 says that if monks were to live the holy life perfectly according to Dhamma-Vinaya, the world would not lack for Arahants. Now to practise the Dhamma perfectly, one has to be perfectly knowledgeable about the Supreme Buddha's instructions in the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Suttas of the Digha-Nikaya are a valuable source for life in ancient India in general. Several of its Suttas also provide information on the biography of the Buddha that is not found elsewhere in the canon. For example in Digha Nikáya Sutta 14 &amp;amp; DN 32, the Supreme Buddha stated that six Supreme Buddhas appeared over 91 world-cycles.  The seven Buddhas, including &quot;our&quot; Supreme Buddha, mentioned in DN 14 &amp;amp; DN 32: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa, and Gotama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in the Sakkapanha Sutta in Digha Nikaya we get to know that Sakra, the Lord of the Deva world of the Thirty Three had reached fruition of the Path. Such information is not found in the other suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a Digha Nikaya sutta called the Janavasabha [DN. II. 216 f.], Brahma Sanankumara addresses the devas of the Tavatimsa world and tell them of the seven contributory factors as ‘well proclaimed by the Buddha which lead to the establishment of samma-samadhi. They are referred to as satta samadhi-parikkhara. Professor Rhys Davids in his translation has misunderstood the word pahoti. He takes it to mean suffices to. He writes… Right intention suffices to maintain right views for Samma-ditthissa samma-samkappo pahoti. Maurice Walshe gets it correct as &quot;From right view arises right thought&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-12T03:57:26.203" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T03:57:26.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18920" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-12T05:49:37.907" Score="6" ViewCount="404" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I discuss in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7426/19&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy today is the Vedanta school, which is based on the philosophical portions of the Vedas.  But in the time when Buddhism was at its peak popularity in India, the most popular school of Hindu philosophy was the Purva Mimamsa school, which was based on the ritualistic portions of the Vedas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now one of the most famous Purva Mimasa philosophers was named Kumarila Bhatta, and in &lt;a href=&quot;http://gdurl.com/Is8P&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this excerpt&lt;/a&gt; from his work the Tantra Vartika, he argues that Hindus should not accept Buddhist texts as valid scripture, because Buddha was a violator of the Vedas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then again, we find that the Bauddha teachings were given by one who was a born Kshatriya; and as such, he transgressed the duties of his own class, in taking upon himself the work of taking and receiving presents (which are the monopoly of the Brahmanas); and hence how can we believe that true Dharma or Duty would be taught by one who has transgressed his own Dharma? It has been well said: &amp;quot;One who is found to be doing deeds opposed to a prosperous hereafter, should be shunned from a distance; because how can one who deceives himself offer any salutary advice to others?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such transgression of Dharma by Buddha is clearly mentioned in &lt;strong&gt;the Alankarabuddhi (a Bauddha work), where Buddha is represented as saying - &amp;quot;May all the pain proceeding from the sins due to the Iron Age, rest in me, and leave humanity at large absolutely free!&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  And in connection with this his followers eulogise his virtues in the following strains: &amp;quot;For the sake of the well-being of humanity, He transgressed his own duties as a Kshatriya, and having taken up the duties of the Brahmana, he taught, even to the people outside the pale of Vedic religion, such truths relating to Dharma, as were not taught by Brahmanas who were unable to transgress the prohibition (of such teachings being imparted by outsiders); and thus prompted by his mercy to others, he even went to the length of transgressing his own Dharma!&amp;quot; And we actually find His followers behaving in a manner entirely at variance with the teachings of the Veda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found the quote in bold interesting, because it seems reminiscent of the Christian notion that &amp;quot;Jesus died for our sins&amp;quot;.  So my question is, does the Buddhist text that Kumarila Bhatta is quoting from, the Alankarabuddhi, still exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, when the Alankarabiddhi quote says &amp;quot;Iron Age&amp;quot;, that's an English translation of the Sanskrit term &amp;quot;Kali Yuga&amp;quot;, which refers to the Hindu notion that we are currently living in an age of evil.  Now I think only some sects of Buddhism share this Hindu belief, so that may help in finding this text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="19" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2020-08-07T02:07:00.747" Title="Does the Buddhist text Alankarabuddhi still exist?" Tags="|the-buddha|philosophy|texts|hinduism|vedas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18822" CreationDate="2017-01-12T09:20:06.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is focusing on the breath more difficult than focusing on Mantras?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mantras are more interesting than the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The breath is much more stiller.Mantras have obvious movement.(Speech or mental verbalisation).The mind easily latches on to mantras.Which is why you can find yourself in a trance like state  (tranquilising state) much more faster.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How important is it (Focusing on the breath) before vippassana?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very important.If i can't focus on the breath which is gross and physical (at the start) i won't be able to focus on the subtle movements of the mind. Focusing on the breath trains you to develop concentration.You need concentration to practice vippassanna.To what extent you'd like to develop concentration is up to you but generally you need some form of concentration for vipassanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the difference between the results of breath vs vipassana?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Focusing on the breath develops concentration.Focusing on Vipassanna objects develop insight.You can still use the breath to practice both concentration and vipassanna.Your just focusing on two different aspects of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can hardly do 10 conscious breaths (feeling peace). Any suggestions for betterment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do 5 conscious breaths.If you can't.Do 3 conscious breaths.Master that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you can do 3.Then slowly add 1 conscious breath and then another. Until you reach 8 conscious breaths.don't do 10 conscious breaths that's too long.It's not about the numbers it's about the quality of your attention on each breath.Please feel free to find a number that suits you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In mantra meditation, it feels like something (kind of waves) is coming out of my body.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This could be piti (rapture).Piti is what makes the mind stay with the meditation object without feeling forced.Because it's pleasurable..Otherwise  you'll have to rely on good old effort (Vitakka).which is why it's easier to do mantra meditation.Piti is generated faster.With breath meditation there is also piti but that &quot;waves coming out of the body&quot; feeling.That is way too agitating if your using the breath.There is a lot more happiness in the stillness of the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10411" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T09:20:06.953" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2131" CreationDate="2017-01-12T10:38:58.907" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhimayana: Incidents in the Life of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is a graphic biography of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar published in 2011 by Navayana and was hailed by CNN as being among the top five political comic books. It was created by artists Durgabai Vyam, Subhash Vyam and writers Srividya Natarajan and S. Anand. It depicts the experiences of caste discrimination and resistance that Bhimrao Ambedkar recorded in his autobiographical illustrations, later compiled and edited in Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches by Vasant Moon under the title “Waiting for a Visa”. It is one of India’s top selling graphic books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhimayana has been lauded for its use of Pardhan Gond art to signify the experiences of social discrimination faced by Ambedkar. It uses digna (images originally painted on the walls and floors of Pardhan Gonds’ houses) patterns and nature imagery. According to Jeremy Stoll, affiliate faculty at Metropolitan State University of Denver, ‘It is most remarkable for demonstrating the strength of Indian comics culture and providing a strong example of where folk and popular culture overlap’.[1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has been published under the title Ambedkar: The Fight for Justice in the UK and the United States by Tate Publishing in 2013.[2] The book has been translated into several languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Korean and French.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10634" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T10:38:58.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18925" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-12T16:33:53.380" Score="1" ViewCount="62" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently tried meditating.I only did it for about 5 minutes. But had a sense of vibration on the center of my forehead. So is it good or bad? What should i do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10636" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T19:56:13.240" Title="Recently started mediation,on my own,had a weird sensation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18926" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-12T16:44:50.050" Score="6" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find it difficult to live in the moment or go with the flow as i am reminded of the sense doors and hence am guarded in the present to not to be totally involved in the moment and I miss the flow or to experience the moment as it is. I am trying to follow the zen and the middle path. How does one practice being in the present ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10637" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T12:33:40.137" Title="Living in the moment without indulging in it" Tags="|practice|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18925" CreationDate="2017-01-12T17:11:47.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All kinds of weird experiences arise in meditation. If you react with craving or aversion then you are regressing in your meditation. Be progressive by giving it not importance and experiencing the vibrating sensation and the impermanent or arsing and passing nature of the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T17:11:47.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18928" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-01-12T17:34:02.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On seeing a form with the eye,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis for &lt;strong&gt;mental joy&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of &lt;strong&gt;mental pain&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; similarly also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the &lt;em&gt;latent tendency&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by being &lt;strong&gt;attached&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;pleasant&lt;/strong&gt; feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the &lt;em&gt;latent tendency&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by &lt;strong&gt;rejecting&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;painful&lt;/strong&gt; feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the &lt;em&gt;latent tendency&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by &lt;strong&gt;ignoring&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;neutral&lt;/strong&gt; feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to experience the moment what ever sensation from the sense door be equanimous noting the impermanence / arising and passing of the sensation arising due to the sense door. This is the way to be in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The middle path in essence is to avoid extremes, which not tied with the goal, and cultivate your mind towards liberation. See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=middle+path+user%3A295&quot;&gt;Middle Path&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=middle%20way%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;Middle Way&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/middle-way&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;middle-way&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;middle-way&lt;/a&gt; for more elaborate details on the middle path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T17:47:03.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18925" CreationDate="2017-01-12T19:56:13.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you are concentrating too hard; with too much force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proper meditation 'lets go' rather than tries to attain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make the mind quiet, gentle &amp;amp; still rather than 'push' with force &amp;amp; ambition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always remember the Buddha taught his path is the abandoning/giving up of craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T19:56:13.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18930" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18933" CreationDate="2017-01-12T20:06:42.547" Score="2" ViewCount="69" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.079.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Buddha talks about the four requisites for trade. I couldn't find the four anywhere, does anybody know what he refers to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7830" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T21:47:59.083" Title="The four requisites for trade" Tags="|terminology|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18931" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18932" CreationDate="2017-01-12T20:13:44.290" Score="9" ViewCount="353" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yesterday one of my fiancé's friends had a heart attack at 25 due to alcoholism. She stayed with him all night. When he was discharged she was sleeping at his house because she was too tired to drive home and he made a very aggressive move on her. She ran away crying. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It really hurt her, because he was a close friend and now things have gotten complicated. But for me I can't shake feelings of anger and hatred at this guy. Two days  ago he was a funny, nice-enough guy who probably had a crush on my fiancé but I wasn't worried because I trust her. Now he's the guy who hit on her very forcefully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My fiancé partly wants to stay his friend. But I don't know how I can even look at this guy. I try to have compassion, remember he could've died and was in a scary place, but I think about what he did I'm filled with disgust. I don't know if he knows I know what happened. Should I talk to him? Or ask my fiancé to tell him and see if he apologises? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes they work together, late at night and by themselves. I don't know how I could stand that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please, I'll appreciate any advice you can give. I was once fairly rid of feelings of violence and anger. Now I'm not so sure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8486" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T02:40:13.087" Title="Hatred arising after a friend tried to make my fiancé cheat on me" Tags="|ethics|compassion|anger|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18931" CreationDate="2017-01-12T21:41:41.530" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for a Buddhist answer you will have to accept that the Buddhist approach largely involves changing how you view the situation rather than changing what the situation is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You haven't mentioned any techniques you tried for dealing with the situation so here are three&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Use metta meditation to develop compassion for your friend, your fiance, and yourself. Let go of anger to everybody (including yourself) by realising that all their actions are done due to their ignorance which is an unavoidable part of human existence&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maintain mindfulness through the day. When thoughts of anger arise there are many ways you can pause to see the anger, for example, observe without judgement [equanimity], observe them come and go [impermanence], ask who is experiencing these thoughts [not-self]. Pick an approach and stick with it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In your formal meditation practice you are most calm so you are in a good state of mind for experiencing and dealing with anger. You could take any of the approaches mentioned in the previous point but use one which matches your regular style of meditation. Presumably you have been developing a style of meditation for a few months or years, this is the time when you are strongest against greed, anger and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T21:41:41.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18930" CreationDate="2017-01-12T21:47:59.083" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The requisites for trade are not requirements for trading, they are four objects which are traded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-bhikkhus-rules/d/doc1739.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four items&lt;/a&gt; which are required for monastic living, namely clothing, food, medicine and shelter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-12T21:47:59.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18934" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18935" CreationDate="2017-01-12T22:37:59.103" Score="2" ViewCount="91" Body="&lt;p&gt;As in Title,&#xA;I'm searching for a sutta in which I recall that probably some person started to offend a Buddha, and he responded by giving some analogy, probably to offered food, that one doesn't have to take another persons words, offenses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10640" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T03:20:33.510" Title="Sutta in which Buddha says that he/anyone don't have to take another person words?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18934" CreationDate="2017-01-13T00:05:37.577" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akkosa Sutta SN 7.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This incident took place when the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. The angry young man was a brahman called Akkosaka Bharadvaja. He has heard that a brahman of the Bharadvaja clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One. That is why angered &amp;amp; displeased, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted &amp;amp; cursed him with rude, harsh words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “What do you think, brahman: Do friends &amp;amp; colleagues, relatives &amp;amp; kinsmen come to you as guests?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends &amp;amp; colleagues, relatives &amp;amp; kinsmen come to me as guests.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple &amp;amp; non-staple foods &amp;amp; delicacies?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple &amp;amp; non-staple foods &amp;amp; delicacies.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And if they don’t accept them, to whom do those foods belong?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If they don’t accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“In the same way, brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don’t accept from you. It’s all yours, brahman. It’s all yours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It’s all yours. It’s all yours.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T03:20:33.510" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T03:20:33.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18931" CreationDate="2017-01-13T00:53:35.307" Score="12" Body="&lt;p&gt;The issue is mostly between you &amp;amp; your fiancé (rather than the guy) since it is your fiancé that must establish appropriate boundaries with the guy. If he is to remain your friend, naturally he should apologise to both of you. If he remains your friend, you must communicate your personal concerns directly to him (rather than hold them within you). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddhism does not state you must remain his friend because Buddhism warns against 'false friends' &amp;amp; 'bad companionship', particularly those who are womanizers &amp;amp; alcoholics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;12. &quot;These are the six dangers inherent in bad companionship: any rogue, drunkard, addict, cheat, swindler, or thug becomes a friend and&#xA;  colleague.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;15. &quot;Young man, be aware of these four enemies disguised as friends: the taker, the talker, the flatterer, and the reckless companion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T01:02:19.093" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T01:02:19.093" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18931" CreationDate="2017-01-13T04:23:22.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 3 parties:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fiancé &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;3rd party&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you have is worry, hate and anger. This is normal for a worldling but this creates bad Karma and lower future for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your fiancé is compassionate but should strengthen her resolve not to overstep the boundaries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 3rd party has a problem with alcohol. Has weak moral resolve. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path 1st cultivate &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;morality&lt;/a&gt;. In order to increase your moral resolve you have to practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt;. To cement morality it you have to develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt;. This is the way out of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;satisfactoriness&lt;/a&gt; that prevails.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you apply this to the situation, your are suffering to to your friend and the situation fiancé is in. Your friend is suffering due to perhaps his crush, poor health, drinking. Your fiancé is suffering as due to conflict with loyalty to you and friendship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way out is the practice the Dhamma. The morality, if practiced, your friend will not make advances and drink. When working late your fiancé will not fall into the advances of your friend. Mastery over the mind will make the resolve stronger and wisdom will cement it. Also everything not permanent even relationships and feeling. You also have to come out of your suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to practice the above is to take up and organised &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; course. You can try:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or look for one in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking a course alone will not make a magical transformation. The transformation will be gradual and slow and only if you put in the effort to improve your self. Since your fiancé want to maintain the friendship perhaps this might be something 3 of you can work on and push and nudge the other if they fall back in putting the efforts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also want to check out some of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;experiences&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20testimonial&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;testimonials&lt;/a&gt; of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T06:55:49.723" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T06:55:49.723" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18938" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18939" CreationDate="2017-01-13T08:44:03.697" Score="3" ViewCount="332" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yesterday I was practicing Vipassana, In starting I observed everything as neutral, then everything was positive, then after 30 minutes, my left leg started hurting badly, i observed it as just negative for 5-7 minutes, then i was thinking am i observing this pain, or am i bearing it ?, whats the difference ? then i gave up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  I could not move my left toe every single time, after Vipassana, i sit in Sukhasan.  Kindly help and suggest me for betterment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T12:42:32.310" Title="Am I Bearing the pain or observing it, When my leg hurts during Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18938" CreationDate="2017-01-13T09:04:26.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;then i was thinking am i observing this pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking as such is creates verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt;. The objective is reduce fabrications. You should look as the sensations arising and passing without creating any craving and aversion. There can be no verbalisation, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intellectualisation&lt;/a&gt; (thinking and pondering), visualisation, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;or am i bearing it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should just passively observe and not suppress it by diverting your attention to more pleasant thoughts. If this is what you mean by bearing it then, yes, you are bearing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want you can try breathing meditation if the pain is unbearable in your body. This is fine. You should always limit are diverted to either &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānāpānasati&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; and between them. You should always be calm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also use the pain as a tool to reduce latent tendency (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan) of aversion by not rejecting or being averse for the painful feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This also does not mean you should stay with the painful sensations only as you will miss the more subtle sensation but they need to be also felt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I could not move my left toe every single time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This happens but perhaps as a beginner you could try using a small chair or cushion if this might help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T12:42:32.310" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18938" CreationDate="2017-01-13T10:31:02.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some modern schools of meditation observe physical pain however I have not read about this kind of practise in the Pali scriptures. The Pali scriptures recommend the practise of Anapanasati &amp;amp; jhana (pleasant abiding), where vipassana occurs as a natural result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impermanence &amp;amp; not-self happens with everything, including the in &amp;amp; out breathing. The more calm &amp;amp; clear the mind is, the more it can observe impermanence &amp;amp; not-self, which is &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;  ('clear seeing of reality').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I advise sitting posture should always be comfortable, with a naturally erect spine. If a person cannot sit crossed-legged on a floor with comfort then kneel or sit on a stool. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sPnkX.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/sPnkX.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T10:31:02.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-01-13T17:15:21.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As much as I am frequently impressed by Theravada Buddhists analytical and research skills, I can't help but be dismayed at how literal they seems to be taking the Pali Suttas in terms of accuracy in a manner similar to Christian biblical literalists. Resulting in often very fatalistic views when it comes to issues regarding prophesies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of evidence to show that the Abhidhamma was a later compilation and systematic synthesis of the Buddha's teachings. (In some early Buddhist schools, the Abhidhamma was not accepted as canon, and in fact the Mahayana and Theravada Abhidhamma differ markedly). And in fact many further schism were the result of disagreements on the doctrines presented by each schools. The fact that Abhidhamma was according to the narrative given by the Buddha to his mother in heaven should be an indication that the masters who compiled them meant them in a metaphorical manner. (In similar veins the Prajnaparamita Sutras are said to be stored in a realm of nagas, which are symbols of enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact even the historical narrative differs across tradition. The Theravada claims that the Mahāsāṃghika broke away from the teachings of the elders by changing the Vinaya, when historical evidence indicates the opposite, that an elderly group 'Sthavira' (elders) wanted to add more monastic rules to the Vinaya, (presumably due to some misbehavior by monks) but was rejected by the majority and hence split away. In fact scholarly research indicates that the Mahāsāṃghika vinaya is most likely the oldest. This isn't biased in favor of Mahayana either as the vinaya of Chinese Buddhism is Dharmaguptaka, which like the Theravada also descended from Sthavira. In fact Chinese pilgrims like Faxian went to India to find the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya which was recognized as the earliest in extant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, the varieties of similar but ultimately slightly different sutras of Early Buddhism found indicate that while most of the message of Buddhism is the same, the details isn't necessarily fixed and could have been represented differently to push a particular doctrinal view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the narrative that the Theravada is the purest Buddhist teaching is not supported by evidence. It is indeed the most conservative, but by no means is it 'pure'. And in fact purity is not helpful if the message is not in line with the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana arose exactly to counter many ontological and metaphysical claims by many early Buddhist schools, many of which are still presented in Theravada. For example, Theravada doctrine holds that Nibbana is eternal and unconditioned, the Ariyas are in special metaphysical states, such as the claims that the Arahants are perfect, Stream Enterers have no doubt. This is explicitly denied in Mahayana Prajnaparamitas Sutras teachings on Emptiness, that is because all things are dependently originated and hence all things including wisdom, enlightenment and Nirvana are ultimately as impermanent as the mental afflictions of doubt. This of course result in a very different outlook regarding the purpose of Buddhist practice, resulting in the Bodhisattva ideals rather than aiming for Final Nirvana. If anything this is far more in line with what the Buddha taught about impermanence and selflessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact if you look at Mahayana Mahapitaka (Great Basket of Scriptures), the Agamas are arranged separately early in the scriptural collection. Which indicates that Mahayana Buddhists were keenly aware that it represent an earlier set of teachings separated from say teachings on emptiness in the Prajnaparamitas Sutras and many other later Buddhist teachings such as Pure Land Buddhism. To me, this is more honest than Theravada claim of being pure Buddhism and much more reasonable than a position based on appeal to authority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T17:15:21.080" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18942" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18956" CreationDate="2017-01-13T18:26:23.053" Score="2" ViewCount="151" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha left the normal life due to frustration he got seeing those four instances of human life.&#xA;In today when people get the same frustration they call it as depression, and motivate further to enjoy the normal life with lots of bonds and relationships. I'm confused in this scenario, what is the relationship between ordaining and depression ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T16:57:57.240" Title="Ordaining vs normal life" Tags="|relationship|depression|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18942" CreationDate="2017-01-13T18:35:52.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depression is a form of Dukkha but Dukkha is not necessary depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take up robes due to frustration this does not generally last as you would end up more frustrated in robes due to austerities as a monk. When you are depressed you do not see things clearly, i.e., &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha to be left householder's life partly out of wisdom, though not the ultimate form, to search for liberation. If your renunciation is prompted by wisdom and realisation than depression or running away from hardship, then your life as a monk maybe successful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T19:06:26.870" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T19:06:26.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-01-13T18:43:32.343" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I imagine the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel017.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1st three suttas of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; (SN 56.11, SN 22.59 &amp;amp; SN 35.28) are universally held to be as such. These 1st three suttas are exclusively focused on individual practise for renunciates (those that had left the household life) &amp;amp; here-&amp;amp;-now realisation. As time passed, it appears likely the scope of the Buddha's audience increased and eventually the scope of the audience of the Buddhist religion increased. Thus the transition from very precise &amp;amp; supramundane suttas using very precise language to more broad &amp;amp; worldly suttas using less precise language would logically be indicative of earlier versus later discourses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Digha Nikaya would likely include many later suttas because DN 15 departs from the usual description of Dependent Origination and because the DN contains suttas about past lives, past Buddhas and the origin of the physical world, which are obviously alien to the subject matter of the 1st three suttas &amp;amp; alien to the core message. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the topic of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti99&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Knowledges&lt;/a&gt;, while probably spoken by the Buddha himself, indicates a description of enligthenment given at a later period for a broader audience (since the language contained within is multi-interpretable). That the Three Knowledges are often spoken to Brahmans &amp;amp; laypeople support this view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T18:49:18.390" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T18:49:18.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18945" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18946" CreationDate="2017-01-13T18:49:45.750" Score="2" ViewCount="904" Body="&lt;p&gt;So according to the 8 Garudhammas of Bhikkunis this is the first one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) A nun who has been ordained even for a hundred years must greet respectfully, rise up from her seat, salute with joined palms, do proper homage to a monk ordained but that day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me this sort of pushes the males to superiority. What is the reason for this? Is it accurate? Where can I find a reference to it in the Vinaya Pitakaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T12:35:17.347" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T12:35:17.347" Title="The first rule of 8 Garudhammas" Tags="|vinaya|bhikkhuni|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18945" CreationDate="2017-01-13T19:05:49.800" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reasons are many: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Males are superior. Males left their homes, lived in forests, attained enlightenment, started the religion, wandered &amp;amp; spread the religion, often at great danger to their lives. The women did not do this but came along later, demanding to join the men. If the women were equal, they would have started their own religion but they did not do this because women do not have the spiritual, moral &amp;amp;/or social authority to start their own religion that is respected by the world at large. The women joined the male Sangha and the men had to make many sacrifices in order for the women to be protected and live safely, so the Sangha would not fall into disrepute if women were harmed. In summary, the male monastic community is based on men that left the family life and women are always 'guests' or 'visitors' to this community. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/a&gt;) taught the ideal of women is to dominate &amp;amp; want to be mothers. If women are given the freedom they want in the Sangha, they would want to act like mothers, lecture the monks, particularly the young monks, fault-find and the other behaviours women have the natural tendency to do because of their natural instincts to be mothers, nest-builders &amp;amp; housewives. This is contrary to the Dhamma, since the Dhamma is not the household life but a life of independence. Even today, we can witness new Buddhist nuns complaining &amp;amp; making demands like Western feminists rather than devoting their time to meditation practise (example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/female-monastics-in-thailand-barred-from-paying-respects-to-late-king&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In summary, men do not need to push their superiority. Instead, they must uphold the monastic community so it does not degenerate from its essence. Even today, most nuns are teaching metta (love) &amp;amp; feminism (attachment) rather than emptiness (sunnata). The Vinaya states:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As the story makes clear, gender is not an issue in determining a person’s ability to practice the Dhamma and attain release. But from&#xA;  the Buddha’s point of view it was an issue in his design of the Sangha&#xA;  as an institution....His concerns were pragmatic and strategic, aimed at the long-term survival of two&#xA;  things: the true Dhamma and the holy life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The analogy of the clan predominantly female shows that, in the Buddha’s eyes, the survival of the holy life through wars, invasions, &#xA;  and the fall of civilizations required a Community predominantly male.&#xA;  Experience in Sri Lanka, India, and Burma has borne this point out:&#xA;  Bhikkhunı Communities were wiped out when these countries were&#xA;  invaded, whereas bhikkhus—if they could not survive in place—were able&#xA;  to flee and regroup elsewhere...Thus the Buddha formulated the eight rules of respect to help prolong the survival&#xA;  of the holy life by favoring the gender more likely to survive&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2.pdf&lt;/a&gt; page 367&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T20:15:14.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T20:15:14.877" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18942" CreationDate="2017-01-13T19:10:33.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=11701&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upanisa sutta&lt;/a&gt; answers your question.  Buddha didn't use words such as &quot;frustration&quot; or &quot;depression&quot; as you posted in your question but  he used &quot;suffering&quot;.  For someone to ordain, one has to have faith fist and one of the supporting conditions for faith is suffering &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Faith, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does not lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition for faith? 'Suffering' should be the reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;birth -&gt; suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering -&gt; faith&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;faith -&gt; joy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;joy -&gt; rapture&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;rapture -&gt; tranquility&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tranquility -&gt; happiness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;happiness -&gt; concentration&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;concentration -&gt; knowledge and vision of things as they really are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;knowledge and vision of things as they really are -&gt; disenchantment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;disenchantment -&gt; Dispassion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dispassion -&gt; emancipation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;emancipation -&gt; The knowledge of destruction cankers &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T19:10:33.730" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13527" CreationDate="2017-01-13T22:17:03.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monk Sarana has been so kind to let me know the existence of an &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/ShanChienPiPoShaSanghabhadrasChineseSamantapasadikatr.ByProf.P.V.BapatAndProf.A.Hirakawa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;English translation&lt;/a&gt; he is aware of (now out of print but digitalized by him):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Shan-Chien-P'i-P'o-Sha&#xA;A Chinese version by Sanghabhadra of Samantapasadika,&#xA;Commentary on Pali Vinaya translated into English for the first time&#xA;By Prof. P. V. Bapat, Poona&#xA;in collaboration with Prof. A. Hirakawa, Tokyo&#xA;Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1970&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a complete translation of the Chinese version of the Vinaya Commentary, so not exactly corresponding to the Burmese version that U Ba Khin could have used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Anapana section starts from page 358 to 381 of the PDF file. I was not able to find a passage similar to what U Ba Khin was mentioning. A possibile candidate may be the following, where after emergence from strong samadhi (fourth jhana) one contemplates its physical base:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;[20] [How does he stabilise it? This Bhikkhu emerges from the Fourth&#xA;trance. He- firmly grasps the factors of the trance. When he has grasped&#xA;this, [he sees that] these factors of trance are depending upon the heartbasis&#xA;which, in turn, is based upon the Four Great Elements; the contemplation&#xA;upon Four Great Elements is [also] based upon his physical&#xA;body. Out of these, the factors of a trance are called non-material and(heart-)&#xA;basis and the rest material. The non-material dhammas are to cover consciousness.&#xA;Out of these [dhammas ], the Four Great Elements and the like&#xA;are material and mind accompanying those material qualities, is nonmaterial.&#xA;Or, when he emerges from the samadhi, he notices that the body&#xA;and mind are the source ( ... ) of the out-going and in-coming breath.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally but interestingly, what should be the same passage as translated from the Visuddhimagga and reported in the other answer is here rendered differently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus -he has discriminated Name from Form and then he seeks their&#xA;  causal factors. In all the three worlds, &lt;strong&gt;the Name and Form are&#xA;  inseparably joined; they are never severed [from each other]&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  Regarding this inseparable connection, he begins to have some doubt.&#xA;  But he overcomes that and then notices three characteristic marks.&#xA;  Having noticed these three characteristic marks, he further reflects&#xA;  upon the coming into and passing out of existence. Because of this&#xA;  contemplation upon the coming into and passing out of existence, he&#xA;  first notices the [illusion of] light and gets rid of the ten minor&#xA;  taints of the penetrating insight (vipassana'). [22] When he has got&#xA;  rid of them, there appears the Knowledge of the Path (...). When this&#xA;  has appeared, he abandons thinking of the coming into existence and&#xA;  has his attention directed only to the passing out of existence. Then&#xA;  he again and again reflects upon that characteristic of the passing&#xA;  out of existence and when these two dhammas (coming into and passing&#xA;  out of existence) have now become clear to him, he begins to have a&#xA;  sense of aversion [for all things] in this threefold world. And then&#xA;  in due succession, he attains the Four Paths and reaches the Fruit of&#xA;  Arhatship. He attains the highest stage of the nineteen types of deep&#xA;  knowledge (...) and in this threefold existence consisting of Brahmas,&#xA;  Maras, and Samana-Brahmanas, he reaches the highest stage of being the&#xA;  field of merit (...). Thus is concluded the first tetrad of the&#xA;  detailed explanation of the mindfulness of Anapana [commencing with ]&#xA;  counting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as we can see (in bold) the word &quot;kalāpasammasanavasena&quot; (if even present in the Chinese version) is interpreted differently. Bhikkhu Ñánamoli rendered that as &quot;comprehension by groups&quot;, and it seems not related to the kalapas as groups of the four elements, that is to what U Ba Khin was intending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3631" LastEditorUserId="3631" LastEditDate="2017-01-13T22:22:36.037" LastActivityDate="2017-01-13T22:22:36.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18949" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18942" CreationDate="2017-01-14T02:47:56.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the relationship is that when ordaining one looks for an answer to these problems of death, sickness, old age and death. But when depressed one doesnt belive there is any solution and eventually considers suicide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T02:47:56.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18950" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-14T06:27:20.710" Score="4" ViewCount="498" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once I heard that Edgar Allan Poe is still being &quot;haunted&quot; by his creation, his &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/48860&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Raven&lt;/a&gt;, because countless readers all over the world keep feeding energy to it, like a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;tulpa&lt;/a&gt; that never dies.&#xA;Many terrible things might happen from works of art/fiction, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix_defense&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;they're quite unpredictable&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that the bad karma comes from how you react to the work of fiction, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10247/are-actions-in-computer-games-bad-for-karma&quot;&gt;just like how one reacts to videogames&lt;/a&gt;, but still, I'd like to know if there's some obscure karmic concept concerning expressing the &quot;evil parts of our soul / mindstream&quot; through art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000783/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dario Argento&lt;/a&gt; created some pretty horrible movies, but might be a nice person. Similarly, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0346640/?ref_=tt_ov_dr&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chih-Hung Kuei&lt;/a&gt; directed a pretty horrible &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085951/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;movie about Wu / chinese &quot;Black Magick&quot;&lt;/a&gt;, but had some touching / beautiful buddhist principles on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it ok to write / create horror fiction if it has a &quot;good ending&quot;? Does it generate bad karma for having no &quot;good ending&quot; whatsoever? Is it terrible only when the creator feels &quot;haunted&quot; by it? (This last one seems quite obvious, but anyway). Does the fact of giving life for a terrible concept / idea / tulpa by itself generates bad karma upon the creator and/or the viewers/readers? Does a sad song generates bad karma on the composer if the listener commits suicide listening to it? etc etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are your views concerning art creation and bad karma resulting from it? (Not considering profit out of the work of fiction, necessarily).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10645" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T11:08:25.587" Title="What are the karmic consequences of writing horror / fantasy fiction?" Tags="|karma|art|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18950" CreationDate="2017-01-14T10:06:32.940" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You reap what you sow. If your motivations was to frighten people Karmic consequence might be to be the author gets frightened also. If your motive is profit as expence of reader getting deluded, start craving, being lustful, being averse or frightened (aid the arising of the unwholesome roots) the expected karmic consequences may not be so good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your motivation is to send a constructive message then it might not be bad Karma after all. It might not be the ending that matters buy what motivates you to do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a book to teach Karmic consequence in the lower realms may not be a bad idea after all if you are thinking about writing. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/kn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khuddaka Nikāya's&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pv&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt; (and even perhaps &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/vv&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimānavatthu&lt;/a&gt;) section may be a motivator for such stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the working of Karma is complex so it is not possible to give a definitive answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-14T11:08:25.587" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T11:08:25.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18962" CreationDate="2017-01-14T18:37:39.037" Score="4" ViewCount="261" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness: the Vipassana Meditation is a great methodology to reduce suffering, avoid attachments and gain pure happiness. &lt;strong&gt;But&lt;/strong&gt; in present education, competition, living needs, relationships, responsibilities, duties etc too much are mandatorily attached to a single person. So is it really practical to practice this except bhikkhus? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2023-08-29T23:54:17.323" Title="In today's perspective is it possible to practice mindful meditation except bhikkhus?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|meditation|bhikkhuni|bhikkhu|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-14T20:14:55.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you want to understand yourself where you are or not? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The truth is the truth but I am not so sure about what your saying. Is it that today's society makes it impossible for meditators to see the truth? No, it is always us as individuals who stop ourselves from seeing the truth, not &lt;strong&gt;them&lt;/strong&gt;, not &lt;strong&gt;modern complexity&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each one of us is a living,  breathing monestary. A bad modern society can teach us a lot,  it can lead us to act with courage we didn't know we had.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We don't need monasteries. We need teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T20:14:55.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18955" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-14T20:43:20.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.&quot; Milton&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the environment you face can affect how easy your path to enlightenment is.. After all, otherwise the Buddhists hells and heavens would not, at all, be differentiated from the human realm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whether you skip the buddhist world views or not, the path remains individual - whatever external (or internal) obstacles you choose to define for your paths, those are your external and internal obstacles. If you wish not to face them, recognise them as such and overcome them! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-14T20:55:43.947" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T20:55:43.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18942" CreationDate="2017-01-14T20:53:32.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would not say that it is due to frustration that Supreme Buddha left for we call the ‘Great Renunciation’ when he left all the worldly comforts and riches to find the end of suffering. You are partly right @Irasha... taken on its own, samvega can be a very depressing realization. Which is why it has to be paired with pasada, or confidence: confidence that there is a way out.  For won't not for a better word, in Sinhala it is called    “අවබෝධයෙන් කලකිරීම”. A positive thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the famous story about young Prince Siddhartha seeing the old person, the sick person, and the dead person, he also saw a forest mendicant. That was his fourth vision. His realization after seeing the forest mendicant was, “This must be the way out. If there’s any way out, this is it.” And so he pursued that conviction with a strong sense of clarity and confidence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depression is different. In depression the mind harms itself. It keeps sapping its own strength, thinking in ways that get it depressed, thinking in ways that gets it fearful, that just drain its strength away. There are all kinds of wrong thinking that can do the mind a lot of harm. You may focus on thoughts that lead to anger, on thoughts that lead to depression, on thoughts that are self-destructive. That’s the most typical way most people focus their minds. Only way out is when you learn to give up those habits, you find resources of strength inside that you wouldn’t have anticipated. You can hold onto them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All states of mind have mind as their forerunner. mind is their' chief, and they are mind made. Everything occurs with the prominence of mind . Thus says the pali text: &quot;Manō pubbangamā dhamā - manō setthā manō mayā&quot;.  One’s unpleasant feelings that depress the mind are clung as suffering. &#xA;The more naturally prone to depression, anxiety, etc. the more likely and easily one could be adversely affected. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one feels a sense of depression, a sense of sadness, there’s a physical side to it and there’s the mental side. The mental side is made up of lots of little thoughts that are all glommed together. So the Buddha recommends that you take it apart in terms of the khandhas, in terms of the aggregates. Look for the feeling, and then look for the perception. An important perception is saying, “This is my suffering, this is happening to me,” which may be true but you don’t have to think it. It’s an optional thought. You could simply say, “This is suffering,” and leave it at that. That would adequately describe the situation and would also be more helpful. The thing is, you have to catch the mind in the act of applying that particular perception. It will do it repeatedly again and again and again. That’s what clinging is. It’s holding onto a particular thought and just repeating it over and over again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you can see that happening, you realize that you’ve got the choice to drop it. You don’t have to keep hitting yourself over the head. As the Buddha said, there are things that may be true but if they’re not useful, if this is not the right time for them, we don’t say them. Take that principle and apply it to the mind, to your inner conversation. There may be perceptions that in one way or other are true enough, but they’re not useful and this is not the right time for them. They’re actually causing you suffering, so why bring them in? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To see things clearly is called discernment, seeing distinctions, being able to tease things out. Learn to be equanimous, patient, accepting of everything. Suffering comes, and you tell yourself that that’s just the nature of experience, that’s the way it is. Craving comes, well, just accept the craving, that’s the way it is. It is the ability to admit what’s going on. Then there is also a duty or a task to do with each of these truths. It is being mindful – it is a kind of meditation (sati sampajanna).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation may be helpful with managing depression. Learn the right way to meditate, as there are a lot of nonsense out there and many blind alleys. Listen to “Budu Suwanda” on Youtube by Ven Kochchikade Seewali Thero or Ambanpola Gnanawijaya Thero. Start with a sense of pasada, that this is your way out. Stick with the practice with that sense of conviction, confidence, desire. If you approach the meditation in a desultory way, you’re going to get desultory results. You really have to be devoted to what you’re doing here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T20:53:32.130" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-14T22:05:26.047" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes - the answer is yes  with no doubt  -   you can practice vipassana meditation  and gain great success with it in this day and age in the lay life  - even with a demanding life  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it better to be in a monastery ? yes also    -  its more easy to practice at a monastery  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2017-01-14T22:05:26.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-14T23:58:04.463" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is both timeless and of great benefit for all beings, no matter what position they are in or what life they lead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma teaches purification of Mind and permanent freedom from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this life one might have many obligations. If one inclines greatly towards the Dhamma in this life, the next life might be different, i.e. more suitable for practicing the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think its important to view your question (and answer) in the light of not a single life but many lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that is said, there is always something one can do in this very life. Practicing even 5 minutes of meditation with correct technique is extremely valuable. When sharing the merits one just gained with all beings one is also practicing the 1st parami of generosity (dana). Having these &lt;em&gt;intentions of good-will&lt;/em&gt; also conforms with the &lt;em&gt;Right Intention&lt;/em&gt; (Samma Sankappa) from the wisdom group of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you have a pet? Did you feed it today? Did you lend an ear to a family member, sibling or friend? Giving your time and attention to somebody else, while having the right intention(s), is also to practice the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following the 5 precepts, working on balancing the 5 spiritual faculties, studying the Dhamma or explaining the Dhamma to other people are also great ways to get closer and more familiar with the Buddhas teaching, eventually culminating in one reaching the other shore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism intention is important. The Buddha said that intention is what he calls Kamma. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first verse&lt;/a&gt; in the Dhammapada states mind comes first, intention comes first. If one has wholesome intentions, i.e. &lt;em&gt;intentions of good-will, harmless and renunciation&lt;/em&gt;, happiness will follow and suffering will decrease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to follow the path by cultivating these 3 wholesome intentions which will completely change our outlook on the external conventional reality is something that can be practiced in this very life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be practiced right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T15:33:08.603" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T15:33:08.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18959" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18997" CreationDate="2017-01-15T11:44:57.473" Score="4" ViewCount="275" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am searching for a sutta which gives a general guideline which helps in making ethical decisions. There are many suttas which give a skillful action for a specific scenario but I am looking for a guideline which shows us how to choose one action instead of another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often in ethical decisions it is possible to see how any decision hurts others indirectly. For example: Should I read printed news or online news? Printed news involves cutting down trees and destroying habitats, online news requires burning fossil fuels and polluting which harms people. We can endlessly intellectualise about the results of actions but this is paralysing rather than empowering. I would hope that a sutta doesn't suggest to analyse all possible results of an action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what form the guideline will be in but I suspect that it will involve looking at one's own mind to see the motivations for an action or to see if any green/anger/delusion arises when taking the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The differences between an ethical action, skillful action, and meritous action are quite slim so the sutta could refer to any of these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T11:50:25.857" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T03:40:28.237" Title="Sutta/Sutra guideline for choosing actions in ethical dilemmas" Tags="|ethics|sutras|merit|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-15T12:23:41.873" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it is all that different than in past times. The distractions and duties might have been different, but there were surely many obstacles on the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The texts always mention householders and lay people for a reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The degree to which you practice or are able to practice may vary on your circumstances; many of those might not be that fixed as one may think, though. Too many possessions to look after? Too many duties that need your attention? If you need more time to practice, change the elements of your life. Downsize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most things that we think are necessary or &quot;needs&quot; are really useless if you think about them. With every excess you remove, life get's a whole lot easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, mindfulness can be practiced in many contexts. You could say: the harder the environment, the better the training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7928" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T12:23:41.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18959" CreationDate="2017-01-15T12:37:56.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having traversed all the quarters with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one surely finds none anywhere dearer than oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus for each of us love the self the most—&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;therefore, &lt;strong&gt;one who loves the self should not harm another&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/38.7-Piya-Mallika-S-s3.8-U-5.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Piyā) Mallikā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guarding oneself, bhikshus, one guards others; guarding others, one guards oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.19-Sedaka-S-s47.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This action I want to do with the ___ — will it harm me, or harm others, or harm both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it an unwholesome&#xA;  ___ action with painful outcome, painful result?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.10-Ambalatthika-Rahulovada-S-m061-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Amba,latthika Rahul’ovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whenever you have a dilema think would I like to be in a similar situation if you were the subject of the action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THREEFOLD PURITY OF ____. Having reflected thus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he himself abstains from ____,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he exhorts others to abstain from ____, and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he speaks in praise of abstaining from ____.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.5-Veludvareyya-S-s55.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Velu,dvāreyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is a dilemma about the precepts, abstain and encourage others as well, and praise abstinence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhante, as regards such ____ conduct, when resorted to, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decrease, such ____ conduct should not be resorted to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But, bhante, as regards such ____ conduct, when resorted to, unwholesome states decrease and wholesome states increase, such ____ conduct should be resorted to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When in a dilemma look inwardly to see increase or decrease in wholesome and unwholesome states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also look if the action is very proximate to the consequence. Growing a plant in a pot on a balcony can kill, if it falls on a by standard at the wrong moment. You are not motivated to kill hence there is nothing wrong with this. If something like this is a trap then it is unwholesome. Using paper is not an issue as long as you do not have a dilemma as the case is too remote. Killing and trading in meats and rearing animals to kill in Buddhism is discouraged but not eating meat. Former aims at curtailing the supply and distribution, but consumption is not forbidden as this is somewhat remote in the chain of events, but you should not see, hear or think the animal was killed specifically for me. If you have the dilemma the animal was killed for me or due to me being a non vegetarian then it is wise not to eat. After all it is mind and volition which decides the consequences, and undesirable consequences are unwholesome, may it be a worrisome mind or the karmic consequences. The dilemma may create the Karma itself. There is a story of a low birth due to dilema of breaking a leaf by a very pious and good monk. I cannot locate the story but hopefully it will apear here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18965&quot;&gt;A Monk Reborn in a Lower Realm for Breaking a Leaf&lt;/a&gt;. It is an example where even being overly worried about little things can snowball into a large Karmic result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To reiterate, sakes of cookery may lead to deaths if someone uses the knives to kill and rob. Also there can be gas accidents which might kill someone. But the sale of arms and weapons are used to kill. Developing a dilemma on selling items for cooking has a remote chance of killing while selling weapons increase a chance to kill and aids the process how it is done. So selling weapons may also give a dilemma if some weapons used to do a mass shooting. Selling weapons is more close to the event. In case of killing for meat you have 3 phases. The supply side which is butchers killing to produce meat. This is unwholesome. Then comes distribution. This should be avoided. Then comes the consumers. They do not have volition to kill if they are buying already dead carceses. Also the butcher is not killing say I am killing for a so and so or Mr. X or Mrs. Y. In such cases the killing is remote enough so you do not get a dilemma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To look inwardly look at sensation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pleasure,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your dilemma will give rise to sensation which are pleasant, unpleasant and neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;TWO KINDS OF ____ FEELINGS. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, when one feels a certain kind of ____ feeling, unwholesome&#xA;  states grow in him and wholesome states lessen; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Abandon such a kind of ____ feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but when one feels another kind of ____&#xA;  feeling, unwholesome states lessen in him and wholesome states grow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attain and dwell in such a kind of ____ feeling&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensation giving arise to wholesome and unwholesome states. Adopt if it give arise to wholesome states and abandoned it if it gives arise to unwholesome states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or look at sensation which arise with the dilemma with equanimity and knowing it is arising and passing / impermanent. Equanimity displaces the root of craving and aversion and knowing it is impermanent and dependently arisen displaces the root of ignorance. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;] Perhaps you could also identify the 121 mind states and 52 mental factors by sensation. [&lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skillful action are the actions executed with no bad roots but meritorious may have bad roots. E.g. You are giving expecting fame, which is meritorious but not skillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is only wise to have a dilemma is you have volition to act in an unwholesome way and your action orchestrates it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: In a repetitive quote where just one word changes I have left the word as ____ than quote the multiple instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be careful of no harm as this can be harmful if you get attached to it. Even on a non harmful decision see if this is by attachment to an ideal or not, if so it is harmful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T03:40:28.237" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-15T14:17:03.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thirty years ago when I was at your age I practiced Transcendental Meditation by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is a mantra meditation. In it you are given a ‘bija’ – a seed mantra - a kind of Kasina that helps to settle the mind of the meditation practitioner within a very short time. One can create an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the outside world in this Transcendental Meditation. It is over 25 years since I stopped doing TM. Any ordinary &quot;run-of-the-mill&quot;  lay person can do TM, but it is not so with Buddhist Vipassana Meditation. It calls for a whole lot more from you and will take a much longer time. It requires a whole lot of commitment and preparatory work, much like that of the Noble Eightfold Path. The first seven contributory factors (Samma-ditthi, Samma-samkappo etc.) lead to the establishment of Samma-Samadhi. They are referred to as satta samadhi-parikkhara. In TM what you get is ‘Micca Samadhi’, but following the Saddhamma you get to Samma-Samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To come to Samma-Samadhi, one must first and foremost become a true disciple of the Supreme Buddha. It is to have Saddha - the confidence towards the understanding of Supreme Buddha (Saddhahati Tathagatassa Bodhin). One cannot go the distance in this Dhamma Path without Saddha. One who has come to Saddha is one of Samma Ditthi (right understanding of the four noble truths). A worthy person. This is not an easy thing. Only a fortunate few would arrive at this. If we gradually but firmly establish Saddha in us and develop it, our Sakkaya Ditthi (the idea of self) leaves us. This will not happen if we are the type that questions the first five Nikayas. These Sutta &amp;amp; Vinaya are our teacher, and we do not question our ‘Asama-Sama’ Teacher. There are many avenues that can lead us astray. But for Nibbana there is only one road. Only one guide - That single road is thinking that “Supreme Buddha knows. I do not know” (Keetagiri Sutta).  The only safeguard for us, in keeping us safe from harm is our association with a Kalyana-Mitta (Noble Friend in Dhamma). That is why I gave you the names of Ven Kochchikade Seewali Thero and Ven. Ambanpola Gnanawijaya Thero. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to be in command – to be alone - amidst the hustle and bustle of the outside world, first work towards this afore mentioned goal – to be a Sotapanna, a Stream Entrant. Then you do not even have to become a Bhikku, or do Vipassana, and within only seven lifetimes at the most, you will achieve the sublime Nibbhana. You will inevitably get to be born in one of the seven havens of sensual pleasure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not asking you not to do Vipassana, as then you can go to even higher planes of existence. There are various planes of existence of beings that are present even though we cannot see most of them. The Supreme Buddha taught that there are nine such different planes of existence. These are known as ‘Sattāvāsa’. Those who do Vipassana and come to at least the first stage of dyana will get to be reborn in these higher planes. Some of these worlds belong to the type called ‘Ēkatta Kāyā’ ‘Ēkatta Sagnyā’, ‘Ēkatta Kāyā’‘Nānātta Sagnyā’ etc. etc.. The ‘Ēkatta’ denotes a meaning of ‘single’. This means, all the beings in this type of worlds are like each other with respect to their bodies / minds. On the other hand, the human world and the seven heavens of sensual pleasure are different. They belong to the type known as ‘Nānātta Kāyā’ ‘Nānātta Sagnyā’, which means different bodies and minds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting into the subject of Vipassana, to do this properly you must first work towards purifying your sila (Sila Visuddhi), you must work towards safeguarding your six sense faculties (citta-visuddhi) and you must practise the Buddhist way of consumption of food – be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is the sixth sense that which encompasses the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. A quiet mind is possible if you could restrain these sense faculties by reining in kama-cchanda. The Pali word kama means anything pertaining to the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Chanda means to delight in or agree with. Together the compound kama-cchanda means “delight, interest, involvement with the world of the five senses.” The wise who practice Dhamma in daily life very silently, are aware of their thoughts and spend a very simple but noble life in the world of hustle and bustle, amidst all outside distractions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only those who are wise enough to see things realistically in society would strive to lead a righteous life within our short duration of time. Even fewer are those with the ability to separate true Dhamma from contaminations through history and have the courage and wit to swim upstream. To do Vipassana, first one has to have a good understanding of the true dhamma – the Saddhamma – and be one who strives to practice the truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T14:17:03.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18963" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-15T14:22:01.267" Score="2" ViewCount="164" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SUMMARY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: I searched the group before posting and although there are several questions about habits, none are asking about this specific point. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7692/do-our-habits-prevent-us-from-seeing-things-as-they-really-are&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; is close, but it's not the same (and it's framed so as to allow personal opinions which I'm expressly not (here) interested in. So this is not, as far as I can see, a duplicate.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do the Buddhist texts say anything that could resolve the apparent tension between on the one hand the mindfulness involved in the paying attention to every passing moment that is part and parcel of a lot of meditation practice, especially Vipassana, and the useful mind&lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt;ness of even a good habit, whereby we train ourselves to do certain things &lt;em&gt;without&lt;/em&gt; having to consciously pay attention? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;DETAILS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a growing amount of modern writing on habits and habituation, covering both the scientific and theoretical aspects of the underlying brain correlates, and also the practical life-affecting aspects relevant to the challenge of how to form useful habits and break problematic ones (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/081298160X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Duhigg&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://zenhabits.net/my-story/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Babauta&lt;/a&gt;). And that's not just recent material. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.artofmanliness.com/2017/01/14/manvotional-3-maxims-habit-action/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here's a condensed section from William James&lt;/a&gt;, written in 1890, dealing with that practical side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general opinion of such writers is that (good) habits are a Good Thing, specifically because they lower the load on our limited brains by making certain decisions--Shall I floss my teeth? Shall I go out for a run? Shall I sit down to meditate? and so on--more or less automatic, and as a result let us focus our limited non-automatic &quot;will power&quot; where it is most needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the whole basis of habits seems to be the development of a kind of mind-less-ness, and that sounds fundamentally opposed to the mind-ful-ness needed for much of meditation. One possible way of resolving the apparent conflict would be to see habits as useful for establishing the boundaries that exist &lt;em&gt;between&lt;/em&gt; the various activities throughout our day, but not for use &lt;em&gt;within&lt;/em&gt; the activity itself. In other words, we make the act of sitting down to meditate as mindless/automatic as possible, but we then meditate mindfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then that too could be at odds with the view that over time what began as an occasional mindful state should eventually become just our constant state of being, so that we were effectively meditating all the time. Presumably at that advanced level there no longer are any habituated boundaries, and everything is under awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the answer is that habits are to be seen merely as a learner's &quot;prop&quot;; training wheels we use until such times as we have no need of them because by then &lt;a href=&quot;http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MA7ybXcFXo8/VAjOqO6FxyI/AAAAAAAABu4/5erJnfpo2dw/s1600/Nine%2BStages%2BOf%2BShamatha.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the elephant has become docile, the monkey and rabbit have departed&lt;/a&gt;, and we have finally reached our goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what, if anything, do the established writings say about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To stress: although I've no doubt there are lots of good opinions out there (and for sure there are indeed &lt;strong&gt;lots&lt;/strong&gt; of opinions!), I'm looking for answers with some backup from a source--old or current, either is fine--with at least a modicum of reliability. So the suttas and commentaries, obviously, but anything else of reasonable authorship including the modern.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T18:46:30.013" Title="What, if anything, do the texts say about habits versus mindulfness?" Tags="|reference-request|mindfulness|meditation|habits|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-15T15:04:01.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it is eminently practical. There are simply too many accounts of modern, everyday, busy people becoming (allegedly) highly attained on the Vipassana path (and others) to make the idea that it is practical only for bhikkhus credible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few examples, just off the top of my head, include: Daniel Ingram, Kenneth Folk, Shinzen Young, and a reasonable subset of the people interviewed at &lt;a href=&quot;https://batgap.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BatGap&lt;/a&gt; (if you're willing to broaden out beyond pure Vipassana and Buddhism and into Advaita Vedanta, for example, then look on BatGap specifically for Gary Weber). I think Young spent some quasi-monastic time, but I don't think he was ever a full-blown monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And of course for the &lt;em&gt;par excellence&lt;/em&gt; example of a very busy householder of Olympic-grade Vipassana capability, you can't do much better than &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0974240559&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dipa Ma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T15:04:01.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18965" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18967" CreationDate="2017-01-15T16:01:11.147" Score="3" ViewCount="438" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where does the story appear about a monk who was born in a lower realm for breaking a leaf of a tree? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are some related stories (use generally alongside the above) where small transgressions leading to disproportionately large karmic results. What are they and where can I find references?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T16:07:31.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T16:54:09.990" Title="A Monk Reborn in a Lower Realm for Breaking a Leaf" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18942" CreationDate="2017-01-15T16:24:55.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisatta wasn't really depressed, he had a sense of shock, anxiety and spiritual urgency to escape the suffering of samsara AKA &lt;strong&gt;samvega&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the question is, &quot;today when people get the same frustration they call it as depression, and motivate further to enjoy the normal life with lots of bonds and relationships&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the  &quot;normal&quot; worldly path to happiness that  is most likely what is causing the depression. This normal path causes us much suffering and we get habituated into it so it will then take years to undo it with Dhamma practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One usually ordains to transcend suffering in some way. One can also ordain due to great intrest in Buddhism or truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is seriously depressed then one would probably not be accepted as a monk, not that it would necessarily be bad for one's depression to ordain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The claim is that some mild depression and phobias can be cured by using a good method of mindfulness practice. Moment by moment, one puts more focus towards the depression or rather, the precise feeling of the depression that manifests as bodily or mental sensations. If one is practicing properly, one will eventually gain understanding, wisdom or insight(these three words mean pretty much the same thing) about the depression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T16:57:57.240" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T16:57:57.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18965" CreationDate="2017-01-15T16:54:09.990" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's in the commentary to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=182&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;verse 182 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On seeing the Buddha, Erakapatta related to the Buddha how he had been a bhikkhu during the time of Kassapa Buddha, how he had accidentally caused a grass blade to be broken off while travelling in a boat, and how he had worried over that little offence for having failed to do the act of exoneration as prescribed, and finally how he was reborn as a naga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T16:54:09.990" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7692" CreationDate="2017-01-15T17:12:04.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having self-view is a latent tendency, which lead to craving. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Craving fuels the cycle of Dependent Arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Latent tendency ignorance arise from self-view. So self-view hinders our ability to see things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) Where does the latent tendency of sensual lust lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of sensual lust lies latent here in the two feelings [pleasant and neutral] of&#xA;the sense-sphere.&#xA;(2) Where does the latent tendency of aversion lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of aversion lies latent in painful (bodily and mental) feeling.&#xA;(3) Where does the latent tendency of conceit lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of conceit lies latent here in the two feelings of the sense-sphere, and in&#xA;those of the form sphereand the formless sphere.&#xA;(4) Where does the latent tendency of views lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of views lies latent in all states related to identity (sakkāya).&#xA;(5) Where does the latent tendency of doubt lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of doubt lies latent in all states related to identity (sakkāya).&#xA;(6) Where does the latent tendency of lust for existence lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of lust for existence lies latent in the form sphere and the formless&#xA;sphere.&#xA;(7) Where does the latent tendency of ignorance lie latent?&#xA;The latent tendency of ignorance lies latent in all states related to identity (sakkāya)&#xA;&#xA;(Yam 268; cf Nyanatiloka 1971: 104) &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondary source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T17:12:04.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18963" CreationDate="2017-01-15T17:36:01.350" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some modern references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R459-160727-Conscious-preconscious-unconscious-subconscious-RB155.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conscious, preconscious, unconscious, subconscious&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8a-Khandha-5-Vinnana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viññāṇa (Consciousness)&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.9-Unconscious-views.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unconscious Views&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.6abc-Cetana-S-s12.38-40-piya-1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetanā Sutta 1-3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There many more Tipitaka references bibliography of the essays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T17:36:01.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18970" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="43774" CreationDate="2017-01-15T19:31:49.707" Score="4" ViewCount="810" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Vipassana as taught by Gautam Buddha in his Maha Sati Patthana Sutta talks about  four different feilds of meditation : Body, Sensations,mind and mental contents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Goenka focuses solely on sensations - Isthis not an incorrect application of Buddhas teaching. If focussing on only one frame of reference could liberate the bhikku, why then would he have specifically mentioned four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7055" LastActivityDate="2021-01-19T23:21:42.790" Title="U ba Khin / Goenka Vipassana putting stress only on vednanupassana" Tags="|vipassana|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18896" CreationDate="2017-01-15T20:32:07.963" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is important to say that their is no meaning to aim for developing Siddhi. Doing so demonstrate that you are on the wrong way and therefore it will take much more time to reach them. Siddhi are fruits on the path.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing things with Astral body is possible for anyone, since it is just a part of yourself. The point is to get a part big enough of your conscience to go with it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This as nothing to do with meditation or Buddhism. &#xA;To have a good mediation it is more important to be here and now, well centered, and therefore with your astral body inside. Nowadays, most of the person have their astral body somewhere else (high astral, low, or around). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10652" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T20:32:07.963" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18972" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18970" CreationDate="2017-01-15T21:08:44.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Sensations' of the body are generally not '&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;' (feelings). Instead, they are generally mental formations (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) of stress stored in the physical body, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The craving that makes for further becoming —&#xA;  accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now this &amp;amp; now that —&#xA;  grows within him. His bodily disturbances &amp;amp; mental disturbances grow.&#xA;  His bodily torments &amp;amp; mental torments grow. His bodily distresses &amp;amp;&#xA;  mental distresses grow. He is &lt;strong&gt;sensitive to bodily stress&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; mental&#xA;  stress. MN 149&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Feelings' ('vedana') refer to the pleasantness &amp;amp; unpleasantness that is associated with sense contact via the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body &amp;amp; mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these three kinds of feeling: a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling and neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. MN 74&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is feeling? These six are classes of feeling: feeling born from eye-contact, feeling born from ear-contact, feeling born from&#xA;  nose-contact, feeling born from tongue-contact, feeling born from&#xA;  body-contact, feeling born from mind-contact. This is called&#xA;  feeling. SN 12.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observing only genuine vedana (feeling) can liberate a bhikkhu, per the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, ruler of gods, a bhikkhu has heard that nothing is worth adhering to. When a bhikkhu has heard that nothing is worth adhering&#xA;  to, he directly knows everything; having directly known everything, he&#xA;  fully understands everything; having directly known everything, he&#xA;  fully understood everything, &lt;strong&gt;whatever feeling he feels&lt;/strong&gt;, whether&#xA;  pleasant or painful or neither pleasant or painful, he abides&#xA;  contemplating (observing) impermanence in those feelings,&#xA;  contemplating (observing) fading away, contemplating (observing)&#xA;  cessation, contemplating (observing) relinquishment (letting go).&#xA;  Contemplating (observing) thus, he does not cling to anything in the&#xA;  world. When he does not cling, he is not agitated, he personally&#xA;  attains Nibbana. He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life&#xA;  has been lived, there is no more coming to any state of being.’&#xA;  Briefly, it is in this way, ruler of gods, that a bhikkhu is liberated&#xA;  in the destruction of craving, one who has reached the ultimate end,&#xA;  the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the&#xA;  ultimate goal, one who is foremost among gods and humans. MN 37&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T21:20:32.320" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T21:20:32.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18963" CreationDate="2017-01-15T22:21:46.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question here epitomizes the corruptions found in contemporary Buddhism created by a misunderstanding of the noble path &amp;amp; using meditation for self-administered psychotherapy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas do not refer to mindfulness as &quot;&lt;em&gt;the paying attention to every passing moment&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, &lt;em&gt;regardless of the contents of those moments&lt;/em&gt;. 'Mindfulness' ('sati') is not the act of 'observing' ('&lt;em&gt;anupassi&lt;/em&gt;') or 'paying attention' ('&lt;em&gt;manasikara&lt;/em&gt;'). Instead, the Pali suttas refer to 'mindfulness' ('&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;') as the act of 'remembering'; of keeping/ maintaining (wholesome) path factors in the mind &amp;amp; excluding unwholesome things from the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, 'vipassana' is not the observing of impermanence in a way that has no calming effect on the mind. When genuine 'vipassana' ('insight') occurs, the habitual mental effluents are destroyed via 'disenchantment' ('&lt;em&gt;nibbidā&lt;/em&gt;') &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;virāga&lt;/em&gt;'), making the mind completely pacified ('&lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the mind reaches the 2nd jhana, mindfulness becomes automatic, i.e., the mind trains itself to do certain things without having to consciously (volitionally) pay attention, i.e. act. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is only a means to an end rather than an end in itself. Its purpose is the development of a kind of &quot;mind-less-ness&quot;; just the purpose of saving money via working is retirement. That being so, there is no apparent conflict that needs to be resolved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;remain in right view&lt;/strong&gt;: This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The monk... remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself... &lt;strong&gt;mindfully putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress&lt;/strong&gt; with reference to the world. MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-15T22:52:57.767" LastActivityDate="2017-01-15T22:52:57.767" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18840" CreationDate="2017-01-16T00:10:16.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This represents the practice of one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;, namely compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing any of these &quot;divine abodes&quot; is enough to enlighten a person if practiced deeply enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, Govinda, who had spent most of his life stuck in a state of &quot;wanting Nirvana&quot; (and thus being all the more distant from Nirvana) finally comes closer to it by kissing the forehead of someone who is Enlightened--symbolic of &lt;em&gt;accepting&lt;/em&gt; one's innate Nirvana rather than being stuck in wanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T00:10:16.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18963" CreationDate="2017-01-16T00:14:26.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; speaks about both of these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Habits = Right Effort&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stop bad habits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Continuing to stop bad habits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Creating good habits&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Continuing to cultivate good&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas Right Mindfulness involves more momentary concentration, momentary mindfulness to check up and make sure that the Right Efforts are happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are not mutually exclusive although theoretically speaking, either of these things cultivated to an extreme could obviate the need to do the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="2265" LastEditDate="2017-01-16T18:46:30.013" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T18:46:30.013" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18970" CreationDate="2017-01-16T04:10:30.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basic satipatthana formula is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly aware, mindful,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;observing the ____{body | feelings | mind | dhamma} in the ____{body | feelings | mind | dhamma},&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;removing &lt;strong&gt;covetousness&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;displeasure&lt;/strong&gt; in regard to the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever Satipatthana you take you have to avoid covetousness and displeasure. Covertness and displeasure arises due to sensations which are pleasant and unpleasant. At the apparent level you might think you are attached or displeased with an external object. But in reality this is not the case. It is the sensation created with the object comes in contact with your sense door is what you get attached or averse to. You seek more and more contact which give the same sensation. With each contact one of the 121 mind states arises, which are all accompanied by sensation. You cannot be are or know anything without the sensation as any stimulus creates sensation which are part of the process of sensing the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example say you are seated for a while. Body posture is part of the body contemplation. Being in a particular posture pain arises and you would want to move. When you move the new posure is pleasure. To introspect the body you need to feel around the body to know the posture. To do this you use your body sense door. It is contact on the body sense door and the sensations it create which allows you to know the body posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to the mind, all metal state arise with sensation. (Sabbe dhamma vedana samosarana) So mind contemplation is very much tied to sensations also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take the Dhamma contemplation, it is again the unsatisfactoriness of sensations due to their impermanence and dependently arisen nature link to the 1st Noble Truth. Sensations the fuel which makes the cycle to dependent origination go around. With regard to sense bases, contact give rise to sensations. So sensation is pivotal for this contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So whatever frame of reference you have to do it on what is felt, i.e., sensations / feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When practicing the 4 Satipatthana what you should scrutinise is how is leads to understanding of the 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Arising, Displacing the Unwholesome Roots (Craving, Aversion and Ignorance), displacing the 5 Hindrances, developing 7 Factors of Enlightenment, etc. How the dots connect between the concepts and in case of the 7 Enlightenment Factors how to progress from one to another. All this tie ups with feeling, being equanimous and knowing arising and passing / impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can look at it from the angle. When a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Liberated Person&lt;/a&gt; is in Nirodha Samapatti (saññā-vedayita-nirodha), sensations and perceptions cases and metal processors halt. Also at time period does not experience Dukkha since the above 2 factors have ceased. A Liberated Person will experience the worldly experiences due to past Karma but will not create new Karma as he does not react to these sensations with craving or aversion. For this explanation let me take posture of sitting which is part of the Body Contemplation. If a Liberated Person is seated in  Nirodha Samapatti no suffering nor unwholesomeness will arise from this though there is no awareness (no mental process). No suffering because there is no sensation and not unwholesomeness as there no reaction to sensations with craving or aversion. If a Liberated Person out of Nirodha Samapatti will still experience pain due to the posture after a while but there will be no unwholesomeness as you are not reacting to sensation with craving or aversion, hence no future result. A worldly person is also seated, fully are he is seated, but reacting with aversion to the pain due to the posture, which create fabrications and condition the future. So the key here is not reacting to sensations with wisdom (awareness of impermanence / arising and passing), even when doing any other Frame of Reference, which is the crux how &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S.N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt; teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also feelings (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral) is the one of the most recurring teaching or topic in the Tripitaka and in many contexts. E.g. antidote to sleepiness in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, letting go in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, 6 sense-bases in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Elements in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Karma in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc. This list goes on and on. Also the Buddha tailors the instructions based on the audience. For the perhaps the widest audience bases on the number of occurrence of where these instruction occur perhaps imply this is what works for the majority. Spread of the technique and the number of centres and number of people taking the courses also you can infer this also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also S. N. Goenka's teaching does not say focus solely on sensation. What is said is give importance to sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T14:57:06.790" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18977" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="18984" CreationDate="2017-01-16T08:08:57.150" Score="3" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;We've cling to nothing, no attachments and no bond to not to being suffered. But as a layman it's going through all and face sorrow and like mind is lost. It's same I loose my mind. I don't feel nothing for what things hurt me, feel barren. Don't feels normal. How can I become normal again and feel happy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-01-16T10:01:11.783" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T14:14:26.190" Title="How to cure pain(Heartache, Sorrow)?" Tags="|layman|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18840" CreationDate="2017-01-16T09:43:50.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having read five of his books I can tell you they are nearly all about spirituality,Knowledge and credibility. He believed in god and remarked that Christianity lived not preached made him most of what he was. He could be regarded as a pantheist (although I never read he stated that) as he saw god in nature and felt man was getting to far away from nature and therefore god. At least one of his wives was Jewish and he had various other religion exposures. Narcissus and Goldmund was the parallel Christian version to Siddhartha. Siddhartha is the Buddha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10654" LastEditorUserId="10655" LastEditDate="2017-01-16T15:07:37.517" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T15:07:37.517" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18977" CreationDate="2017-01-16T12:13:37.263" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Headache and sorrow leads to unpleasant sensation which in turn lead to aversion. You have to keep your mind equanimous noting impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is easy said than done. To practice how to do it properly take a retreat, if you have not done so already and at least once a year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T12:13:37.263" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18977" CreationDate="2017-01-16T13:07:46.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddhists, we take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma &amp;amp; Sangha. If you have strong suffering, the Sangha is important, where you can talk to &amp;amp; be with sincere &amp;amp; compassionate practitioners. You should find a good Buddhist group to visit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was dissatisfied with life, I left my family, country &amp;amp; home at 23 years old to search for something, unknown. Fortunately, 10 weeks later, I found Buddhism in a practise centre in Asia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have already found Buddhism but if there is no Buddhism near you, like many in history, you can consider a spiritual journey to a suitable place. Or talk to someone by phone or Skype who speaks your language. The Sangha (community of practitioners) is an equally important refuge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T13:07:46.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18983" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-16T14:04:06.730" Score="7" ViewCount="797" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people are more richer other others, some are more intelligent than others, some are more beautiful than others...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are all these predestined? I heard that one's karma in his/her past life affects his/her present life. So if one is not as intelligent/sucessful in the present life, can we attribute this to his/her bad karma in the past life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10657" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T10:30:26.047" Title="Is our success predestined by our past karma?" Tags="|karma|past-lives|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18977" CreationDate="2017-01-16T14:14:26.190" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a comment you wrote, &quot;I wander to find one in my nearest city but I return back with nothing. It's little bit hard.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking that you still have Dhamma when you don't have Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you don't &quot;cure&quot; pain, but Dhamma might teach you to recognize it when it arises: e.g. something triggers a feeling of sorrow, and you can note, &quot;this is sorrow&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually (if the experience is repeated) you learn to recognize what triggers sorrow, and perhaps you choose to not grasp (not hold to, attach to) the situation and/or sequence of thoughts which lead to sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition there are things you can do as a lay-person which may lead to non-sorrow. For example the practice of ethics (&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;), behaving ethically, should result in a &quot;lack of remorse&quot;. Or &quot;identity view&quot; results in sorrow, for which a converse might be &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;, and so on. And it's important to have or find good friends (who, you might find if you choose to join good communal activities).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are things you might do to look after yourself medically, which might help your mood. For example I read an article recently where someone was describing how their doctor treated them for clinical depression: their treatment required therapy and eventually drugs, but the first thing the doctor told her was that, even if she took sick leave from her job, she should keep up her physical exercise -- in her case, running up-hill in the morning. Being depressed she didn't feel like exercising as she used to, but she found someone else to do it with, which (scheduling an appointed time to do it with someone else) helped to motivate her to do it regularly. What I'm saying is that I'm pretty sure that medical doctors recommend physical exercise as a treatment for heartache.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you mention &quot;normal&quot; twice. I suppose you're thinking of some time in the past as &quot;normal&quot; but I'm not sure there's such a thing. Things are impermanent, people die for example, you can't afford to think of the past as normal and the present as abnormal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Changing your expectations might help too: if you expect to be happy and normal, and you're not, then you're surprised and unhappy. If you expect that desires and attachments cause sorrow then you're not so surprised and, having recognized &quot;this is sorrow&quot; and &quot;this is the cause of sorrow&quot; you may be better able to condition cessation of that sorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T14:14:26.190" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18983" CreationDate="2017-01-16T16:20:03.720" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In some sense yes. Everything is happening for a reason. So do your choices in another incarnation reflect your choices in this incarnation? Yes, because each time it is you that is doing the choosing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in a sense you could say. Yes you are affecting yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10624" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T16:20:03.720" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18983" CreationDate="2017-01-16T19:27:49.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These ideas are found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, however this sutta is questionable both in terms of its composition (see this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17792/how-can-evil-doers-be-reborn-as-human&quot;&gt;discussion&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; its actual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see in the actual reality of the world some of the most wealthy people do very evil things to acquire their wealth &amp;amp; some of the most beautiful people live emotionally afflicted lives. It is highly improbable that such people did something exceptionally good in a past life &amp;amp; then became so evil &amp;amp; neurotic in the next life. Further, we can know exactly the steps a person look in this life to become wealthy, as written in their biographies (eg. Bill Gates). This shows their wealth is unrelated to any actions performed in a past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-16T19:32:56.623" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18896" CreationDate="2017-01-17T00:49:46.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga covers the topic of paranormal powers quite extensively.  A prerequisite for any, however, is a mastery of the rupa and arupa jhanas. You've got a long road ahead of you with that!  ;-)  And figure that by the time you get there, you'll probably have lost interest in siddhis anyway.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T00:49:46.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18931" CreationDate="2017-01-17T02:40:13.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hatred is pointless as well as anger.  Addiction is the problem.  Addicts hurt their friends and loved ones. I suggest reading a Beautiful Boy by David Sheff for context.  The addict can only help himself.  You can counsel but they will still fall prey to the disease.  It is not a moral issue.  You should protect yourselves by retreating to a safe distance and tell addict to stay sway until sober and commited through AA program.  Relapse must not be tolerated.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10661" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T02:40:13.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9970" CreationDate="2017-01-17T06:19:32.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've tried having equanimity towards the sensations, and remaining with them. I've tried tightening the breath, focusing sensations more closely on a specific area close to the nostrils. Yet, I've not managed to rid myself of this dullness, and I wonder if I should keep meditating while it is within my mindstream. Any advice would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vipassana method, as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, based on sensations to fight sleepiness is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;    “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;    And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;    Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;    things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;[Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;    &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also try &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;initial&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sustained&lt;/a&gt; application of attention as per &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18254/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T06:19:32.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18991" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-17T08:29:19.033" Score="2" ViewCount="1866" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard one regarded by many a Buddhist teacher said, &quot;Buddha &lt;strong&gt;will go to&lt;/strong&gt; Naraka to save those suffering (tormented) beings, whilst those (monks, buddhists) will want to go to the Purelands. That (Buddha going to hell) is called Great Compassion.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this teaching correct, is it Buddha's teaching? I learnt that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One should bear one's own deeds and consequences (karma), neither a father could bear on behalf for the son, nor a daughter for the mother;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha could not &quot;give&quot; enlightenment to anyone because enlightenment is reached by oneself; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If one who hasn't cultivated enough merits, one would be born in one of the Eight Obscured Places (八無暇) that Dharma couldn't be heard; one of the Eight Obscured Places is Naraka.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this saying contradictory to 3)? Why is he saying this?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-17T13:44:57.263" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T03:17:44.890" Title="Does Buddha go to Naraka (hell) to save those tormented beings?" Tags="|ethics|karma|buddhas|compassion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18991" CreationDate="2017-01-17T10:53:41.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We say that when the Buddha was a bodhisattva, he vowed to go to Naraka to save beings suffering there. Compassion is the wish that others be free from suffering. Great compassion is the wish that all sentient beings be free from suffering. Superior intention is taking upon oneself to [do what it takes] free others from suffering and establish them in happiness. So, strictly speaking, here it is a case of 'superior intention'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan Gelug tradition, we recite the Lamrim prayer of the Lama Chöpa every two weeks. At some point, it reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even if I must remain for an ocean of eons in the fiery hells of Avici&#xA;  for the sake of even just one sentient being, I seek your blessings to&#xA;  complete the perfection of joyous effort to strive with compassion for&#xA;  supreme enlightenment and not be discouraged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, as you say &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One harvest what one has sown / None can take someone else's karma upon him&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha can not give enlightenment to others.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dharma is not heard in Avici. But there is a story of a hell being generating compassion for another hell being's suffering. According to that story, the other hell being was an emanation of a buddha, and he meant for the first to generate compassion so as to create a cause of happiness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not prevent us from aspiring to take upon ourselves the suffering of others, and to give away our happiness and its causes (merits). And this is the whole point: we cultivate an intention, because this intention will be a cause of achieving enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is just like the perfection of generosity: the virtuous intention to give. One (arya bodhisattva) can cultivate the perfection of generosity, that is the intention, even when there are still needy people in the world. Cultivating generosity does not mean eradicating poverty. Similarly, taking it upon oneself to establish sentient beings in enlightenment does not mean establishing them in enlightenment. The best a buddha can do is turning the wheel of Dharma, out of his omniscient mind, and that turning will be but a condition (not the substantial cause) of others' enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-17T11:35:03.813" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T11:35:03.813" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9970" CreationDate="2017-01-17T14:11:01.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wonder if what you are feeling is tiredness (or sloth/torpor as the sutta would call it) and not something else.  A lot of people, especially Westerns, very much prize the mental acuity and stimulation that you would have when, say, writing computer software, reading a riveting book, writing a SE response (heh), or watching an engaging movie.  While focus is an important part of meditation, the phenomenology of one-pointed samadhi is very different from these kinds of activities.  It doesn't have the same kind of sharpness.  In fact, when compared to activities that promote mental arousal, meditation can feel a little dull at first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds to me that you are actually just experiencing your mind relaxing.  I'm going to double down on that as you mentioned that agitation has been a problem for you in the past.  It's highly unlikely that the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction.  A much more likely cause is that your mind is starting to rebel and cling desperately to stimulation.  The very last thing you want to do is arouse it again.  Doing that will undo the work you've put in quelling your agitation.  Just sit and watch the breath.  It sounds like you are doing fine.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditative states are like putting on a new pair of underwear.  As Garth says in Wayne's World, at first they can feel uncomfortable and constrictive.  But after a while, they become a part of you!  :-)             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T14:11:01.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18991" CreationDate="2017-01-17T16:09:22.317" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as my study in sutta, Buddha did not go to hell to help beings in that world.  They are considered to be &quot;unfortunate&quot; beings; among animals, hungry ghosts, and gods in arupa world because they do not have the strength or what it takes to understand dharma.  However, in one instance, Buddha was so kind to a Naga (which considered to be a being in animal world) by telling him to observe 8 precepts on Upasatha days and he would become human faster.  In one sutta, Buddha compared beings in hell to be like a person drowning in a cesspool not even a strand of hair above it to grab pulling him out.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For question number 3) not always necessary.  In &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhistscript.blogspot.com/2012/12/migasala-sutta_11.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Migasala sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha divided people into 10 groups, which one of them is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, ânanda, a certain person is overwhelmed with hate and from time to time greed arises to him. He has heard something fruitful, has learnt something, has straightened his view and he personally has gained some release. After death he does not go to loss gains some distinction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T16:09:22.317" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18959" CreationDate="2017-01-17T18:29:21.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I still see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt; as the 'single' sutta: i.e. if you ask me to pick only single  sutta, it would be that one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider your problem for example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I read printed news or online news?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that sutta warns that in wanting to read news there might be craving, thirst (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#tanha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;taṇhā&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta might be an answer your question, in that it does involve &quot;looking at one's own mind to see the motivations for an action&quot;. And its recommending the &quot;noble eightfold path&quot;, too, might be taken as a reference to &quot;ethical action, skillful action, and meritous action&quot; which you were also asking after.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm suspicious of &quot;ethical dilemmas&quot;: if the question is, &quot;should I do this bad thing, or should I do that other bad thing?&quot;, then I'm inclined to look for a different answer or a way to reframe the question. This sutta (SN 56.11) also introduces the &quot;middle way&quot;, which, is one of the ways to avoid or answer a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;false dilemma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T18:29:21.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18959" CreationDate="2017-01-17T18:44:08.930" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't paralyze yourself with ethical intellectualism.  You're just going to drive yourself batty.  Eventually you do have to act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to give you two answers.  They're related to each other.  The first comes from the Majjhima Nikaya.  The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta (MN 61)&lt;/a&gt; (one of my personal favorites!) rightly places morality as an aid to enlightenment rather than making it an end in and of itself.  It also recounts just how destructive certain actions are to the contemplative life and, rather being prescriptive about morality, it instead places the locus of agency firmly within the volition of the practitioner.  Providing guidelines rather than dogmatic law, emphasizing reflection rather than strict obedience, and handing off moral decisions to each of us is uniquely Buddhist.  It's also why this sutta gets my vote.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer what I take to be the larger part of your questions - namely paralysis by analysis when it comes to morality - let's look at a Zen koan from the Mumonkan - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Case 38 A Buffalo Passes the Window                           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Goso said, &quot;A buffalo passes by the window. His head, horns, and four legs&#xA;  all go past. But why can't the tail pass too?&quot;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mumon's Comment &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you make a complete about-face, open your eye, and give a turning word&#xA;  on this point, you will be able to repay the four kinds of love that&#xA;  have favored you and help the sentient beings in the three realms who&#xA;  follow you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you are still unable to do this, return to this tail and reflect&#xA;  upon it, and then for the first time you will realize something.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mumon's Verse &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;         Passing by, it falls into a ditch;&#xA;         Coming back, all the worse, it is lost.&#xA;         This tiny little tail,&#xA;         What a strange thing it is!&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of thinking about buffaloes and windows, let's instead think about suitcases and clothes.  You've seen plenty of cartoons, I'm sure, where Daffy Duck is packing for a trip.  He crams everything into a suitcase except the sleeve of his shirt is hanging out the side.  All that effort in packing, everything in there all delicately placed, neat, and even the latches close snugly.  But still that damn piece of sleeve.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what do you do?  Do you leave it hanging out?  Well that's annoying!  But what are your alternatives?  You could cut it off, I suppose, but that would just damage your shirt.  Obviously, the thing to do is to just leave it.  I mean, how important is it really that everything fits into the suitcase perfectly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Morality is really the same thing.  We can devise all of these perfect systems, take special care in reflecting on our actions, but the more we pack into the suitcase - e.g. the further we expand our reflection - the more likely it's going to be that something doesn't fit perfectly.  There are always going to be loose ends.  We can't worry about it.  Unless we stop fretting, pick up our suitcase, and walk out of the door, we are going to miss our train.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-01-17T19:09:14.047" LastActivityDate="2017-01-17T19:09:14.047" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="18999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18983" CreationDate="2017-01-18T03:06:40.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma is volitional or intentional action as Buddha said, “It is volition, bikkhus, that I call kamma. For having willed, one acts by body, speech, or mind.” It’s results ripens or takes effect in three ways; to be experienced in this very life, the next rebirth or at some subsequent occasion. Thus, as long as we travel on in the cycle of rebirths, our stockpile of kamma will  yield its due results. We have no escape from kamma so long as we make no effort to make an end to kamma by becoming at least a Stream Winner. Until one gets into the path, as Buddha said, “beings are the owners of their kamma, the heirs of their kamma; they have kamma as their origin, kamma as their relative, kamma as their resort; whatever kamma they do, good or bad, they are its heirs.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this way, the effect of ones past kamma determine the nature of ones present situation in life. This is a universal principle, on which Buddhist morality is based. It does not assert that everything is due to Kamma. If everything were due to Kamma, a man must ever be bad, for it is his Kamma to be bad. One need not consult a physician to be cured of a disease, for if one's Kamma is such one will be cured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is only one of the five all-embracing five orders or processes which are laws in themselves. The other four ‘Niyamas’ which operate in the physical and mental realms other than the Kamma Niyama are… Utu Niyama, Bija Niyama, Citta Niyama, &amp;amp; Dhamma Niyama. Utu Niyama is that of the physical order such as seasonal phenomena of winds and rains. Bija Niyama is the order of germs or seeds. Citta Niyama is the order/power of the mind. Dhamma Niyama is that of those who tread the Path. Kamma is, therefore, only one of the five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this doctrine of Kamma that can explain all the inequality of mankind. But it does not mean fate as it is possible to change or reduce the effects of these past actions through present actions. That is why if a person who has much money, but no true, righteous friends should practice sila.  Such people who have no friends, very often single but keep on hoarding wealth have in their past lives given lavishly in generosity as dana but without any sila/morals in them. A person who is very generous but not virtuous (without the any personal virtue like the observance of the five precepts ) would inherit this kind of bad kamma. Even today many rich people are highly generous but the inevitable karmic law is that no degree of generosity can cover up the lack of virtue in personal life. This karmic law cannot be deceived. This is why it has been laid down that &quot;give dana with confidence and always be virtuous&quot; (daanam dadantu saddhaaya - seelam rakkhantu sabbadaa). The two aspects should be complementary to each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T03:06:40.240" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19000" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19001" CreationDate="2017-01-18T06:02:40.587" Score="2" ViewCount="714" Body="&lt;p&gt;why is it mentioned in the pali canon that Without the direct guidance of a teacher, this practice can be dangerous, as the canon of Buddhist literature includes a story of the Buddha teaching this mediation to pupils, a lot of whom commit suicide while the Buddha is in retreat.does this mean that I being a layperson, can't perform this?moreover, how can I not develop aversion while practising this but still reap it's benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorDisplayName="user10546" LastEditDate="2017-01-18T06:13:51.183" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T17:47:10.097" Title="asubha practice" Tags="|pali-canon|satipatthana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19000" CreationDate="2017-01-18T06:36:48.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;why is it mentioned in the pali canon that Without the direct guidance of a teacher, this practice can be dangerous,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if this is mentioned as dangerous in the canon. It is in the commentaries which say this is dangerous. It can be inferred as dangerous because of the above incident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;does this mean that I being a layperson, can't perform this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can do this. Only if done right it is not dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;moreover, how can I not develop aversion while practising this but still reap it's benefit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is recommended if you inclined to see beauty in the physical form. That is, when you see something you evaluate it is beautiful you get strong attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is involved here is perception of beauty and the sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Develope Opposite Perception and View&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see a certain form or shape as beautiful then develop the perception  and view that is is not. This way, as your practice mature, your mental reaction to something beautiful will lesen. The form can you your form (own beauty or looks), someone else or even imaginary form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;when a monk sees a form with the eye, (in him) the agreeable arises, the disagreeable&#xA;    arises, the agreeable-and-disagreeable [the neutral] arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;If he wishes thus, ‘May I dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ he dwells perceiving the repulsive therein&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;... mind-object .. mind ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Cemetery Contemplation&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also use external form to reduce attachment to ones own body, again at the level of correcting the perception and view as well as the reflexive response of the mind, i.e., to reduce reflexing arising of craving for sensation due to perceptions on form, and should not lead to reflexing arising of aversion for sensation due to perceptions on form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he compares this very body with that, thinking:&#xA;  &quot;Such is the nature of this body: it will become like that—this is unavoidable.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Changes Perception and View due to Internal Content&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also think if what is within the body is external and what was external was inside, you will be chasing animals away from pecking at you flesh! Also imagine what is below the skin. What comes out of the orifices. Imagine body parts piled up. This also a change in perception and view. The last view to break is that the stream of consciousness in internal or self.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19003&quot;&gt;In what Sutta(s) is there a References to Imagine the Body Inside Out and What is Below the Skin&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Whole vs. Parts and Effect on Perceptions and View&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The body is made of parts. Sum of the parts are beautiful but not individually. The parts on their own does not have beauty, but put together only the perception and view of beauty arise. This way you reduce the mental reaction and attachment, to the sensation due to the mental reaction, that follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Change in Form due To Decay Changes Perception and Views&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Developing the view that the body is impermanent, subjected sickness, decay, old age and death. When you see someone beautiful then when they are sick, oozing excretions or on a pile of excretions, old and dead. Again this a way to adjust your perception and view so you mental reaction and the craving that result from the sensations due to how you mind's reactions are diminished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5530&quot;&gt;Does any Theravada Suttas / sources refer to Oozing orifices? What are the Suttas?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Method on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you evaluate some form as beautiful, plain or ugly you get a pleasant, neutral and unpleasant sensation. Use this to eradicate you latent tendencies for craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;On seeing a form with the eye,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a form that gives rise to pleasure,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a form that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a form that gives rise to equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pleasure,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to pain [displeasure],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;one explores a mind-object that gives rise to equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal-āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the methods mentioned above, the 1st can be dangerous (from most dangerous to the lesser dangerous ones), if you develop aversion towards form, due to the pratice. This is what happened to the monks who committed suicide. They got repulsed by their own body. Meditation on repulsiveness is to bring balance to your mind (being equanimous know it is impermanent regardless of the mental reaction) than moving from one polarity to another (i.e., reflexively seeing beauty and develop craving to reflexively seeing repulsiveness and developing aversion). Developing Insight is the safest way to practice this form of meditation as you are not trying to adjust you reactive / reflexive response of the mind with the risk of overdoing it. A experienced teacher may help detect if you have overdone it and reduce the risk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T10:51:36.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19002" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-18T07:00:56.087" Score="2" ViewCount="1585" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Om Mani Padme Hum' (translation: 'Hail the jewel in the lotus') is a six syllable invocation (mantra) of Avlokitesvara, one who is invoked as the Protector from danger.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Does it mean protecting from danger as purifying &lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Om&lt;/strong&gt; (Pride / Ego)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ma&lt;/strong&gt; (Jealousy / Lust for entertainment) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ni&lt;/strong&gt; (Passion / desire), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pad&lt;/strong&gt; (Ignorance / prejudice) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Me&lt;/strong&gt; (Greed / possessiveness), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hum&lt;/strong&gt; (Aggression / hatred) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2019-01-16T10:01:26.967" LastActivityDate="2019-01-16T10:01:26.967" Title="How does 'Om Mani Padme Hum' protect us from danger?" Tags="|mantra|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19003" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19017" CreationDate="2017-01-18T07:13:04.107" Score="2" ViewCount="84" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a Sutta there is a reference to imagine the body inside out, in which case you will be chasing animals from pecking at you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also perhaps in the same Sutta or another you imagine what is beneath the skin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are these 2 references?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-18T07:48:18.823" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T00:49:46.477" Title="In what Sutta(s) is there a References to Imagine the Body Inside Out and What is Below the Skin" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19003" CreationDate="2017-01-18T07:50:26.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; has the latter element but not the former.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T07:50:26.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2017-01-18T10:27:49.690" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, it is useful to find your way by thinking all the way back from a certain point. Therefore: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at aging, sorrow and death one has to find out what causes this. This can be understood by pratītyasamutpāda&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then to understand suffering, in its proper form, would be realizing the four noble truths. To understand this, one travels in the Noble Path which has eight components (note that its not a sequential path of 8 steps)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading Sutras to understand this would do good. You might also benefit from reading Sutras on Pancha upadanakkanda &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T10:27:49.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18983" CreationDate="2017-01-18T10:30:26.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it is determined by many other qualities in a person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courage, awareness etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T10:30:26.047" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19000" CreationDate="2017-01-18T10:53:01.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a layperson, you can practise '&lt;em&gt;asubha&lt;/em&gt;' without a teacher however you must understand its purpose is to end lust rather than to end life. A stock phrase in the suttas is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asubhaṃ bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. Asubhaṃ hi te bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo rāgo so pahīyissati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Develop the meditation of the unattractive. For when you are developing the meditation of the unattractive, passion/lust will be&#xA;  abandoned.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 62; MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, the primary issue/problem with &lt;em&gt;asubha&lt;/em&gt; practice, as occured in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vesali Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, is not so much aversion but, instead, the loss of positive regard towards physical forms in such a way that results in perceiving life as having no purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Buddha teaches in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vesali Sutta&lt;/a&gt; that once '&lt;em&gt;asubha&lt;/em&gt;' practise has served its purposes in generating disgust towards the physical body &amp;amp; abolishing lust, the mind should then develop Anapanasati to make the mind peaceful &amp;amp; to direct the mind to develop final gnosis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-18T10:58:04.457" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T10:58:04.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13198" CreationDate="2017-01-18T11:01:20.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mainly it is concentrating on one's breath as &lt;strong&gt;&quot;l'm inhaling short, I'm exhaling short&quot; or otherwise &quot;I'm inhaling long, I'm exhaling short&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Lord Buddha asks us to do in the beginning. He also says this meditation isn't for everybody. This meditation isn't the only way to understand the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Official Website: &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation Section: &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/meditation/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find English sessions of Sound Cloud in that website and might find English guides on meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thero also published a book in sinhalese called &lt;strong&gt;É Ama Nivan Suwa Bohoo Dura Nowe&lt;/strong&gt; (ඒ අමා නිවන් සුව බොහෝ දුර නොවේ - The Nirvana is not that far away) which explains Maha Satipattana Sutta, which contains the above form of breathing. Buddha states also to note that the breath isn't me, mine or my soul (hence the book contains it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-26T23:08:02.103" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T23:08:02.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18991" CreationDate="2017-01-18T11:09:41.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha has often preached about the hells and from his teachings it isn't apparent that he traveled there. However it is apparent that such beings are not capable of understanding or practicing merits. Therefore, it is unlikely Lord Buddha frequented hell to help those beings as they might likely be unable to receive it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T11:09:41.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19010" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19013" CreationDate="2017-01-18T13:38:47.393" Score="3" ViewCount="359" Body="&lt;p&gt;Arthur Schopenhauer on his famed work titled “On the suffering of the world” relate as quoted below as to how he think Buddhism's doctrine describe how the world of suffering came into being.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any proper Buddhist reference to support his claims? Is in Samsara beginning-less cycle? And can there be any inexplicable disturbance in Nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the doctrines of Buddhism, the world came into being as&#xA;  the result of some inexplicable disturbance in the heavenly calm of&#xA;  Nirvana, that blessed state obtained by expiation, which had endured&#xA;  so long a time — the change taking place by a kind of fatality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Studies in Pessimism,On the Sufferings of the World&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T00:01:19.057" Title="Schopenhauer’s inexplicable disturbance in the heavenly calm of Nirvana?" Tags="|reference-request|philosophy|nirvana|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2017-01-18T14:45:56.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would stick to the Majjhima Nikaya.  The suttas are a bit shorter than the Diga and cover a very wide breadth of Buddhist concepts.  In the past (and maybe even nowadays) it was usually the first text studied by new monks upon their ordination.  Bhikkhu Bodhi did an incredible English translation that is amply footnoted (and yes, the notes are superstitious...but then again, the original texts were written 2,500 years ago.  People believed different things back then.).  Moreover, Bhikkhu Bodhi also did an indispensable introductory class series on the text which can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic-study-of-the-majjhima-nikaya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in the teaching of the elders, you'd be hard pressed to find a better entry point.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T14:45:56.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18646" CreationDate="2017-01-18T16:53:41.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am more interested in Theravada Buddhism and am not sure where to move forward from here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does have some theory but this is about how to practice. As you lean do more and more meditation. A retreat at some point maybe valuable to boost your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should I read and study the Digha Nikaya? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes of course. But for starters the Middle Length Discourse may be more bite sized than the Long Disclosure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I should probably find a sangha near me and go to it, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes why not. This is also a good idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For starters, though, should I purchase and read the Digha Nikaya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to. There are online resources also which might contain many of the Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T16:53:41.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19010" CreationDate="2017-01-18T21:29:33.027" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a similar question here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/39/what-is-the-starting-of-samsara&quot;&gt;What is the starting of Samsara?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be surprised if there was any Buddhist reference supporting Schopenhauer's claim that &quot;the world came into being as a result of some disturbance in the heavenly calm of Nirvana.&quot; To me, this statement even sounds &quot;plain weird.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samsara refers to two phenomena:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A place&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The contaminated aggregates&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the expression &quot;the world&quot; might refer to either, depending on the context -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/11744/what-does-the-word-world-mean-in-the-buddhist-context&quot;&gt;What does the word “world” mean in the Buddhist context?&lt;/a&gt; In either case, although it is said that the world is produced due to karma and afflictions, it is usually said to be without beginning. There are countless traditional texts and authoritative teachings establishing this statement. Here are a few:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Cutting the Root of Samsara, Lama Zopa Rinpoche says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[Suffering] comes from the past karma created by the self-cherishing&#xA;  thought and it is also dependent on our present-life attitude as well.&#xA;  From beginningless rebirth, it's been like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidharma Sutra says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is said: &quot;Though beginningless, it entails an end -  What is&#xA;  naturally pure and consists of permanent dharmas  Is not seen, since&#xA;  it is obscured by a beginningless cocoon[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third Karmapa's commentary to it reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consequently, though samsara is beginningless, once the reality[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There are four types of nirvana. Without going in details, nirvana is the final analytical cessation achieved in dependence upon a union of calm abiding (shamata) and special insight (actual vipassana) directly apprehending the nature of reality, emptiness. According to Mahayana, abiding nirvana is the complete and definitive abandonment of afflictive obscurations while non-abiding nirvana is the complete and definitive abandonment of afflictive and knowledge obscurations. There is no disturbance &quot;in&quot; nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is definitely not like we ever abided in nirvana and subsequently &quot;fell&quot; from it. There is no such &quot;genesis&quot; in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T21:38:30.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19010" CreationDate="2017-01-18T22:16:06.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Digha Nikaya 27 &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27&lt;/a&gt; is a 'Genesis' within classical Buddhist thought, and it gives a glimpse into how Samsara grows and prospers, so in a way giving people access away from it into a stable Nibbana. Bear in mind this account is one of the 62 discounted in the Brahmajala Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&lt;/a&gt; - and is therefore, in my opinion, not the core teaching of the Buddha, which is the understanding of stress, its origin, and cessation. &#xA;The Buddha never claimed a beginning for Samsara. It is not 'a circle', without a beginning, but simply not evident.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a father... the&#xA;  death of a brother... the death of a sister... the death of a son...&#xA;  the death of a daughter... loss with regard to relatives... loss with&#xA;  regard to wealth... loss with regard to disease. The tears you have&#xA;  shed over loss with regard to disease while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering&#xA;  this long, long time — crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is&#xA;  displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — are greater than&#xA;  the water in the four great oceans. &quot;Why is that? From an&#xA;  inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not&#xA;  evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving&#xA;  are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have you thus experienced&#xA;  stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries —&#xA;  enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to&#xA;  become dispassionate, enough to be released.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(dunno the reference)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'This whole mass of suffering' starts with ignorance in the 12 links  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is beyond coming and going, beyond conceptual construction, as Nagarjuna would say. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T22:16:06.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19010" CreationDate="2017-01-18T23:27:24.283" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There can not be an inexplicable disturbance in nibbana because there are no conditions with nibbana. Nibbana is an experiencial state of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-01-18T23:27:24.283" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19010" CreationDate="2017-01-18T23:49:42.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Brahmanistic folk-lore in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digha Nikaya 27&lt;/a&gt; is probably the closest to Arthur Schopenhauer's viewpoint. However, DN 27 does not support Schopenhauer's viewpoint because it states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hoti kho so, vāseṭṭha, samayo yaṃ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena ayaṃ loko vivaṭṭati. Vivaṭṭamānevivaṭṭa &lt;strong&gt;loke&lt;/strong&gt; yebhuyyena &lt;strong&gt;sattā&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;ābhassara&lt;/strong&gt;kāyā cavitvā itthattaṃ āgacchanti. Tedha honti manomayā&#xA;  pītibhakkhā sayaṃpabhā antalikkhacarā subhaṭṭhāyino ciraṃ&#xA;  dīghamaddhānaṃ tiṭṭhanti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There comes a time, Vāseṭṭha, when, sooner or later, after the lapse of a long, long period, this world passes away [devolves]. And when this happens,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;beings&lt;/strong&gt; have mostly been reborn &lt;strong&gt;in&lt;/strong&gt; [shifted to] &lt;strong&gt;the&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;World of&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Radiance&lt;/strong&gt;; and there&#xA;  they dwell, made of mind, feeding on rapture, self-luminous,&#xA;  traversing the air, continuing in glory; and thus they remain for a&#xA;  long, long period of time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'Abhassara World' seems to be the purest state found in DN 27, which equates to the 2nd meditative jhana (rather than is Nibbana), for example: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts &amp;amp; evaluations, enters &amp;amp; remains in the second jhana:&#xA;  rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free&#xA;  from directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation — internal assurance. He savors&#xA;  that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there —&#xA;  fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then&#xA;  when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the &lt;strong&gt;Abhassara&lt;/strong&gt; devas. The&#xA;  Abhassara devas, monks, have a life-span of two eons. AN 4.123&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Udayi, the bhikkhu... abides in the second jhana...this is the... world (lokassa) of only pleasant feelings (ekantasukhassa). MN&#xA;  79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in this Abhassara state/world, there is the idea or perception of &quot;beings&quot; (&quot;sattā&quot;), which can only occur in 'samsaric' becoming fueled by ignorance &amp;amp; craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;....beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are roaming around &amp;amp; wandering on.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.99&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being (sattā),' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception... fabrications...&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a&#xA;  being.'&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;SN 23.3&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, this purest state of Abhassara in DN 27 is not Nibbana nor it is Buddhist thought. It is Brahmanistic folk-lore, as stated in the sutta, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Surely, Vāseṭṭha, the brahmins have quite forgotten the past (the ancient lore) when they say so?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-19T00:01:19.057" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T00:01:19.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19003" CreationDate="2017-01-19T00:49:46.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could it be the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: A Son's Flesh SN 12.63&lt;/a&gt; that you are seeking?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta, Buddha speaks of four kinds of nutriment: edible food, sense-impressions, volitions, and consciousness. Under Sense-impression there is this simile of a skinned cow that points out that wherever she stands, will be ceaselessly attacked by the insects and other creatures living in the vicinity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And how, O monks, should the nutriment sense-impression be considered? Suppose, O monks, there is a skinned cow that stands close to a wall, then the creatures living in the wall will nibble at the cow; and if the skinned cow stands near a tree, then the creatures living in the tree will nibble at it; if it stands in the water, the creatures living in the water will nibble at it; if it stands in the open air, the creatures living in the air will nibble at it. Wherever that skinned cow stands, the creatures living there will nibble at it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that manner, I say, O monks, should the nutriment sense-impression be considered. If the nutriment sense-impression is comprehended, the three kinds of feeling are thereby comprehended. And if the three kinds of feeling are comprehended, there is, I say, no further work left to do for the noble disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a skinned cow, man is helplessly exposed to the constant excitation and irritation of the sense-impressions, crowding upon him from all sides, through all six senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T00:49:46.477" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19018" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19019" CreationDate="2017-01-19T07:44:43.497" Score="3" ViewCount="847" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any reason or any sutta tells why Buddha choose sacred fig for meditation and austerity? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2018-09-27T23:41:16.307" Title="Why did Buddha choose sacred fig for meditating and austerity?" Tags="|the-buddha|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19018" CreationDate="2017-01-19T13:47:35.780" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ‘Asathu / fig’ Bodhi Tree (Ficus Religiosa) ඇසතු  බෝ  (අස්සත්ත) - was born, it is believed, on the same day as the Buddha Himself, who sat under that tree in his quest for Enlightenment. Also others such as Princess Yasodhara, Kanthaka Horse, his elephant, his charioteer Channa, Ven. Ananda etc. were born on the same day and year. The term Bodhi is used by Buddhists to denote any tree under which a Buddha has attained Enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take the seven Buddha of the last 90 kalpa,....&#xA;Vipassi Buddha attained Enlightenment under a Palol tree (Stereospermum chelonoides) පලොල් (පාඨලී ); &#xA;Sikhi Buddha under a  Etamba tree or Sri Lankan Mango tree (Mangifera zeylanica) ඇටඹ  (පුන්ඩරික); &#xA;Vessabhu Buddha under a Maha-sala tree (Shorea Robusta) ඉන්දියානු සල් (සාල) ; &#xA;Kakusandha Buddha under a Mara tree / Gulmohar tree or the Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) මාර / මහරි / (සිරිස); &#xA;Konagamana Buddha under a Attikka (Dimbul) Ficus glomerata. අට්ටික්කා (උදුම්බර); &#xA;Kassapa Buddha under a Bayan tree (Nigrodha) නුග / මහනුග (නිග්‍රෝධ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All Buddhas attain Buddhahood under a tree. Asathu Bodhi Tree was meant to be for Gauthama Buddha. That is why it sprung up on the day Bodhisatwa was born. Please note that trees which serve as Bodhi for all the Buddhas had sprung up on the days when those Bodhisatwas were born for the last time. A Pipila Tree had shaded Deepankara Buddha කප්පිත්ත / පතන බෝ  of the past (whom many know of from the Suttas). It is said that Maithri Buddha’s Bo Tree will be a ‘Na’ or Iron Wood Tree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2018-09-27T23:41:16.307" LastActivityDate="2018-09-27T23:41:16.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18406" CreationDate="2017-01-19T15:44:32.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sila you abstain from unwholesome physical and vocal actions. This way you avoid more heavier of the bad Karma. When you abstain from all unwholesome vocal and physical action what remain is wholesome vocal and physical action. This is at a very high level of Sila perhaps that of a monk or nun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you start you start with Sila as a rule or practice. As you progress you can look at it as the good of oneself and other. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.19-Sedaka-S-s47.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] At a much later stage this at the level of sensation, where by you recognise which sensation make you react in unwholesome ways and abstain from following through with the actions. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] This is based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Insight&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wisdom&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The metal unwholesome action are unavoidable if you are not doing meditation. By meditating you can displace unwholesome mental actions with wholesome mental actions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more detail explanation from the Suttas see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18961/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T15:51:29.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19018" CreationDate="2017-01-19T16:12:18.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One guess I have is that, according to the first sutta referenced in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5748/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, he chose the place (a piece of countryside) for other reasons (i.e. he chose the place because it had a river, villages, etc.). Maybe he chose the Bodhi tree because it was there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quote is something I remember from this article:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/11/131125-buddha-birth-nepal-archaeology-science-lumbini-religion-history/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Oldest Buddhist Shrine Uncovered In Nepal May Push Back the Buddha's Birth Date&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;She was cautious about the oldest Buddhist shrine claim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The worship of trees, often at simple altars, was a ubiquitous feature of ancient Indian religions, and given the degree of overlap between Buddhist ritual and pre-existing traditions, it is also possible that what is being described represents an older tree shrine quite disconnected from the worship of the historical Buddha,&amp;quot; Shaw says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that it's now called &amp;quot;sacred&amp;quot; and &lt;em&gt;religiosa&lt;/em&gt; because the Buddha chose it, not vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can see from images &lt;a href=&quot;https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ficus_religiosa_01_by_Line1.JPG&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this one&lt;/a&gt; that when it's big its roots provide shelter for sitting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/n39Fl.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/n39Fl.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T16:12:18.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19002" CreationDate="2017-01-19T16:18:19.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try to answer your question by equating &quot;danger&quot; with Mara (devils).&#xA;Buddha used Mara both literally and figuratively, such as gods in heavens who hold wrong views, 5 skanda, attachment to sensual pleasures etc.  He said meditation from 1 first Jhanna is a safe place to hide from those dangers.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if danger in a sense of things happen to you like car accident, danger from natural disaster, sickness, aging, and causes of death, nothing can help for those are the way it is and from Karma.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T16:18:19.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19000" CreationDate="2017-01-19T17:18:39.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The direct danger comes from developing aversion to one's own body and other bodies. In short starting to view your own body and that of others as a &quot;sack of shit&quot; or just a general &quot;sour grapes attitude&quot; towards yourself and others. People have apparently commited suicide as a result of these views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid it, the contemplation needs to be structured with an element of compassion(Karuṇā) so that bodily vulnerabilities are contemplated and one developes a healthy caring attitute towards the concept of a body. Elements of Metta may be needed to balance out aversion hostility if such was to manifest in behavior. It seems that the aversion does have a natural tendency to manifest itself and a correction from a teacher is usually needed at some point if one is to do it on his own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one's mind is powerful enough there can rise alot of visions and signs, which can be used to enter Jhana, but if not done correctly these will be very frightening and uncontrollable and one will go crazy in most cases. IE: Vivid visions of rotting corpses, corpses dragged around, people attacking you etc, not during meditation but during daily life. These states are described as potential complications by Ven. Maha Bua in the book &quot;Wisdom creates Samadhi&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general it can get tricky, and the meditation is very powerful so there is no saying how a session will affect one. The views can change quickly, changing them back can prove to be difficult. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said i think its a wonderful technique if one does it under competent guidance. Preferably someone who has trained it himself and has trained many other people and can react adequately to complications.&#xA;I dont think this is something i would recommend to people, i think it has its place and probably is optimal way to train for some personality types if they wanted to train Samatha but in general its not the only option and runs a real, unnecessary risk. I think its worth noting that the bahavior is the last thing to change, views change much faster so by the time the problem behaviors manifest it may be hard to change it back and many teachers wouldnt even know how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2017-01-19T17:47:10.097" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T17:47:10.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-19T19:35:03.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The main objective of &lt;em&gt;Vipassana Meditation&lt;/em&gt; is to acquire.. &lt;em&gt;Universal Consciousness&lt;/em&gt; ,&lt;em&gt;Transcending Body Consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;em&gt;Too much Psychological Stress or Physical suffering ,create STRONG BODY CONSCIOUSNESS . Too much pleasure creates ATTACHMENT TO THE BODY . The Buddha , therefore suggested the MIDDLE PATH ,for OPTIMAL PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;However , in modern day situation ,working under &lt;em&gt;HIGH STRESS and PHYSICAL PAIN&lt;/em&gt; , is quite &lt;em&gt;COMMON&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; I believe , the spread of &lt;strong&gt;Christian Philosophy&lt;/strong&gt; , is partly responsible for this. Christianity was taught to people living in &lt;em&gt;Extreme Poverty&lt;/em&gt; .&lt;strong&gt;Live One Day at a time and leave the Future in the Hands of God&lt;/strong&gt; , is the central teaching of Christianity . &lt;br/&gt; Buddhism , on the other hand , was taught mainly to &lt;em&gt;The Rich and Princely&lt;/em&gt; classes (&lt;em&gt;NOBILITY&lt;/em&gt;), who did not have to worry about their day to day Existence. &lt;strong&gt;Buddhist teaching , therefore, is centered around Future Planning&lt;/strong&gt;. ..&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Christianity rejects or ignores Future Planning&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Christianity believes in a Human, Father like God , who takes care of your Future.... Buddhism , on the other hand believes in a set of Universal and Eternal Laws , that governs the Material and Psychological Universe --on the basis of which , you can make future planning&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Modern day Scientists&lt;/strong&gt; , have succeeded in combining , these two concepts and succeeded in &lt;strong&gt;Cosmological Studies&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;br/&gt; A simple way to start with , will be , &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;to study popular books on Cosmology&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;....  &lt;strong&gt;This will help you ,to acquire Universal Consciousness, in-spite-of the stresses and pains , you  are living with.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2017-01-19T19:35:03.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19025" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19029" CreationDate="2017-01-20T00:13:12.143" Score="2" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we come into this world, in a rebirth, how much of our situation is predetermined by our past Kamma? I think I have some understanding of the role of inherited Kamma in our personhood. But, are there teachings which indicate if our genetic makeup (good or poor) and our initial social/economic situation (born to rich or poor circumstances) are influenced by it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To ask in another way, does a person with negative Kamma have a likely-hood of being born with worse health and in poorer circumstances than one with positive? Or are these 'random' factors, uninfluenced by Kamma? Or is this an unanswerable question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sense these are unrelated but I have not found guidance yet in this issue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10505" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T07:05:18.170" Title="How much of our initial conditions come from past Kamma?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18959" CreationDate="2017-01-20T02:04:46.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like Milarepa's 'commandment' to his disciples at the end of his life: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Act so that you have no cause to be ashamed of yourselves.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; (It is from &lt;em&gt;Tibet's Great Yogi Milarepa&lt;/em&gt; by W. Y. Evans-Wentz, which I read about 10 years ago.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that covers all cases, and does involve a reflection on one's own mind, as you say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-01-20T02:10:07.543" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T02:10:07.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19025" CreationDate="2017-01-20T02:29:55.983" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These ideas arise from interpretations of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. However this sutta is questionable both in terms of its composition (see this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17792/how-can-evil-doers-be-reborn-as-human&quot;&gt;discussion&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; visible actual reality. Or otherwise, it is wrongly interpreted due to the complex '&lt;em&gt;dhamma language&lt;/em&gt;' contained in it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the visible actual reality of the world, some of the most wealthy people do very evil things to acquire their wealth &amp;amp; some of the most beautiful people live lives of emotional turmoil. It is highly improbable such people did something exceptionally good in a past life &amp;amp; then became so evil &amp;amp; neurotic in the next life. Further, we can know exactly the steps a person look in this life to become wealthy, as written in their biographies (eg. Bill Gates). This shows their wealth is unrelated to any actions performed in a past life but often related to greed &amp;amp; deceit in the present time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This visible reality is confirmed by suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn1.28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 1.28&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 3.7&lt;/a&gt;, which state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those of great wealth and property,&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Even khattiyas who rule the country,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Look at each other with greedy eyes,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Insatiable in sensual pleasures.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I saw that even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans &amp;amp; affluent householders — rich, with great wealth &amp;amp; property, with vast amounts&#xA;  of gold &amp;amp; silver, vast amounts of valuables &amp;amp; commodities, vast&#xA;  amounts of wealth &amp;amp; grain — tell deliberate lies with sensual&#xA;  pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the reason, simply for&#xA;  the sake of sensual pleasures.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That's the way it is, great king! That's the way it is! Even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans, &amp;amp; affluent householders... tell deliberate&#xA;  lies with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the&#xA;  reason, simply for the sake of sensual pleasures. That will lead to&#xA;  their long-term harm &amp;amp; pain.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Impassioned  with sensual possessions, greedy, dazed by sensual pleasures, they don't awaken to the fact     that they've gone too far —&#xA;        like fish into a trap set out.  Afterwards it's bitter for them:&#xA;    evil for them       the result.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or in the visible actual reality of the world, some individuals born into the world into very poor families eventually become very wealthy. It is illogical that a person with a disposition towards accruing wealth would choose to be reborn into a poor family. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or in the visible actual reality of the world, it is rare to find beautiful children born to ugly parents. It would seem quite obvious that physical beauty is related to cellular genetics rather than to past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt; states when a new child comes into the world, it has &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;underlying tendencies (&lt;em&gt;anusaya&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; that are common to all new born children. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt; does not support the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; state new born children are born with underlying tendencies to be short-lived &amp;amp; long-lived people are to be seen, sickly &amp;amp; healthy, ugly &amp;amp; beautiful, uninfluential &amp;amp; influential, poor &amp;amp; rich, low-born &amp;amp; high-born, stupid &amp;amp; discerning, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; states whatever happiness, suffering or neither-happiness-nor-suffering a person experiences is not caused by what was done in the past. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; states when one falls back on what was done in the past as being essential, there will be no desire &amp;amp; no effort to change one's life situation and one will abide bewildered &amp;amp; unprotected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/020-mahavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mallikadevi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is very similar to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; however it uses more straightforward &amp;amp; temporal language.  It does not use words such as '&lt;em&gt;kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā&lt;/em&gt;', which have specific real meanings but are capable of being interpreted in worldly ways. It seems obvious the &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/020-mahavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mallikadevi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is referring to spiritual wealth &amp;amp; spiritual beauty rather than physical wealth &amp;amp; physical beauty because it states a woman getting angry cause her to reappear (&lt;em&gt;paccājāyati&lt;/em&gt;) as ugly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many suttas that distinguish between physical &amp;amp; spiritual attributes, such as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these five kinds of wealth. What five? The wealth of faith, the wealth of virtuous behavior, the wealth of learning, the&#xA;  wealth of generosity &amp;amp; the wealth of wisdom. AN 5.47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Householder, a noble disciple who gives food gives the recipients four things. What four? He gives life, beauty, happiness and&#xA;  strength. (1) Having given life, he partakes of life, whether&#xA;  celestial or human. (2) Having given beauty, he partakes of beauty,&#xA;  whether celestial or human. (3) Having given happiness, he partakes of&#xA;  happiness, whether celestial or human. (4) Having given strength, he&#xA;  partakes of strength, whether celestial or human. AN 4.58&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada Verse 204: Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the&#xA;  greatest bliss.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As the stainless moon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;moving through the sphere of space&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;outshines with its radiance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;all the stars in the world,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;so one accomplished in virtuous behavior,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;a person endowed with faith,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;outshines by generosity&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;all the misers in the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the Perfectly Enlightened One’s disciple,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;surpasses the miserly person&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;in five specific respects:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;life span and glory,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;beauty and happiness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Possessed of wealth&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;he rejoices in heaven.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.31&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T05:23:45.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19025" CreationDate="2017-01-20T03:52:14.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha addressing the issue of Kamma in the Chula-Kammavibhanga Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya No. 135) has shown us why “No two people are alike and why human beings differ in their skills, beauty, longevity, health, personality, etc..”. It was in response to a question asked by Subha. Subha asked as to why no two human beings are alike? Why some people are short lived, and others long lived, some sickly and others healthy, some beautiful, and others ugly, some influential and others non-influential, some rich and others poor. In response Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;” beings are the owners of their own actions, born out of their actions, related through their actions, and have action as their arbitrator.  Action is what determines and differentiates beings in terms of their processions, character and the qualities they inherit.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this we can take that the effect of ones past kamma determine the nature of ones present situation in life. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18983/is-our-success-predestined-by-our-past-karma&quot;&gt;As I pointed out before&lt;/a&gt;, everything is NOT due to Kamma. Kamma is one's own doing reacting on oneself, and so one can divert the course of Kamma and the degree to which depends on oneself. Only the Buddha had the perfect knowledge about kamma. He is the only one who fully realised kamma. He is the ONLY one who could teach the nature of kamma, how it works, how it originates, how it is eliminated. For you and me, it is too complex an issue to try to understand. For example, ONLY when a person gets married that for him/her all hell would break loose and the marriage end in divorce. That person can never find contentment in marriage even in subsequent marriages to others. Then there are those who can never find success as a recluse/bhikku. That is their Kamma. Thus from a Buddhist standpoint, our present mental, intellectual, moral and temperamental differences are mainly due to our own actions and tendencies, both past the present. So in short yours is an unanswerable question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3:76 Bhava Sutta: Becoming&lt;/a&gt;, gives us an analogy to describe how becoming is produced:  “Kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture.” Kamma gives us a range of possibilities in which the seed of consciousness can be planted and on which it can feed. Craving is the moisture that keeps the seed alive and allows it to grow into a state of becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is this aspect too. Kamma can mean different things in different contexts. Once Buddha said that “Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.” — AN 6:63. In others, kamma means also the results of that action. The six sense media (Ayatana) are old kamma. Whatever kamma one does with the body, with speech, or with the intellect: This is called new kamma.” — SN 35:145. kamma is complex because the relationship between old kamma and new kamma is intertwined. It is so complex that that past kamma does not absolutely determine one’s experience of the present moment. There is a tendency for a certain type of kamma to lead to a certain type of result, but the intensity of that result is not a fixed thing. It is also influenced by a factor of present kamma: one’s state of mind now when a particular instance of past kamma ripens. Thus the kamma of one’s state of mind in the present moment plays a crucial role in influencing how the ripening of past kamma is experienced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T03:52:14.907" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19030" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19034" CreationDate="2017-01-20T04:13:17.817" Score="2" ViewCount="422" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Therevada's cosmology&lt;/a&gt; and the Mahanaya's sutras physically, rather than only psychologically, plasusible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read about the former in the abhidharmakosabhasyam, about all the hells and heavens that await us. And the Mahayana sutras often include reference to e.g. celestial bodhisattvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm skeptical that these things have physical, rather than psychological, truth, empirical (we've this heaven) or otherwise (we have evidence that these heavens exist). As with with classical georgraphy, and history. My specific question is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;do we have good reason to believe that physics will end up allowing a Buddhist timeline of events?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-01-22T01:17:00.743" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:07:43.420" Title="Are Therevada's cosmology and the Mahanaya's sutras physically impossible?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|psychology|buddhist-cosmology|buddhist-miracles|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19031" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-20T05:48:48.560" Score="2" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is the emptiness of persons an emptiness of their essence, which (I think) would be a defining characteristic, like how &quot;fire&quot; is always &quot;hot&quot;, or just substance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do any Buddhist texts say no?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T12:20:25.600" Title="Is the emptiness of persons an emptiness of essence or just substance?" Tags="|anatman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19031" CreationDate="2017-01-20T06:42:03.953" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sabbo pajjalito loko, &#xA;  sabbo loko pakampito, pakampito&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The entire world is burning, the entire world is vibrating, vibrating. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/thig8.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sīsūpa­cālā­therī­gāthā&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn5.7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upacālāsutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire physical structure and entire mental structure is is just wavelets of vibration and heat. There is not solidity are where, thus can be considered empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Closing-Talk-94-Seminar&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Closing Talk by S.N. Goenka (and Presentation of the First Volumes of Tipitaka in Devanagari script)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T06:42:03.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19025" CreationDate="2017-01-20T07:05:18.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A being's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhavanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;subconsciousness&lt;/a&gt; and most of the conditioning during a given alife is decided by the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/janaka-kamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;regenerative karma&lt;/a&gt;, which is past Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Natural order (Niyama) of all being are only partly affected by Karma. Complex interference of the other factors may negate or even enhance some effects of Karma which some experiences may have nothing to do with Karma and based solely on one or more of the other factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person with negative Karma has the possibility that this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/cuti-citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;last thought&lt;/a&gt; not being good hence a possibility of a lower life. Karma is complex and only fully comprehended by a Buddha alone hence it is difficult to answer question on Karma with definiteness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T07:05:18.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19030" CreationDate="2017-01-20T07:20:16.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a definite, and it is the same Dhamma preached by all Buddhas. Popular science is always changing with new theory replacing old ones. But having said this some similar theories have emerged:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Parallel universe - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Multiverse&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Multiple worlds - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_habitability&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Planetary habitability&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cyclical universe - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_model&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cyclic model&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theguardian.com/science/2006/may/05/spaceexploration.universe&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;One Big Bang, or were there many?&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/05/31/multiple-big-bang-theory-could-bring-copernican-revolution-says/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Multiple Big Bang theory could bring 'Copernican revolution' says Astronomer Royal&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also might be of interest:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://host.pariyatti.org/articles/Loka-The_Buddha&amp;#39;s_Formulation_of_the_Universe.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loka: The Buddha’s Formulation of the Universe&lt;/a&gt; by Richard R. Crutcher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R450-160524-Parallel-universes-RB150.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parallel universes&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:07:43.420" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19031" CreationDate="2017-01-20T09:33:07.773" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, 'emptiness' ('&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;') refers to emptiness of 'persons' or 'self' rather than emptiness of defining characteristics, which is why the Pali suttas state the five aggregates are empty, or the sense spheres are empty, or the elements (dhatu) are empty. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Consciousness' does lose its defining characteristic of 'cognition'; the earth element does not lose its defining characteristic of solidity; the fire element does not lose its defining characteristic of heat; the Nibbana element does not lose its defining characteristic of peacefulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty. And what is empty of&#xA;  a self or of anything pertaining to a self?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eye is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to a self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ear is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The nose is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The tongue is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The body is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Ideas... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty of a&#xA;  self or of anything pertaining to a self. Thus it is said that the&#xA;  world is empty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.85&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it form? ‘It is deformed,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called form. Deformed by what? Deformed by cold,&#xA;  deformed by heat, deformed by hunger, deformed by thirst, deformed by&#xA;  contact with flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and serpents. ‘It is&#xA;  deformed,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called form.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it feeling? ‘It feels,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called feeling. And what does it feel? It feels&#xA;  pleasure, it feels pain, it feels neither-pain-nor-pleasure. ‘It&#xA;  feels,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it perception? ‘It perceives,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called perception. And what does it&#xA;  perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it&#xA;  perceives white. ‘It perceives,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called&#xA;  perception.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call them formations? ‘They construct the conditioned,’ bhikkhus, therefore they are called formations. And what&#xA;  is the conditioned that they construct? They construct conditioned&#xA;  form as form; they construct conditioned feeling as feeling; they&#xA;  construct conditioned perception as perception; they construct&#xA;  conditioned formations as formations; they construct conditioned&#xA;  consciousness as consciousness. ‘They construct the conditioned,’&#xA;  bhikkhus, therefore they are called formations.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it consciousness? ‘It cognizes, ’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called consciousness. And what does it&#xA;  cognize? It cognizes sour, it cognizes bitter, it cognizes pungent, it&#xA;  cognizes sweet, it cognizes sharp, it cognizes mild, it cognizes&#xA;  salty, it cognizes bland. ‘It cognizes,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is&#xA;  called consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of form whatsoever … Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever … Any kind of&#xA;  formations whatsoever … Any kind of consciousness&#xA;  whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external,&#xA;  gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all &#xA;  should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not&#xA;  mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the earth property? The earth property can be either&#xA;  internal or external. What is the internal earth property? Anything&#xA;  internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid, &amp;amp; sustained [by&#xA;  nutriment]: head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,&#xA;  tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen,&#xA;  lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach,&#xA;  feces, or anything else internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid,&#xA;  and sustained: This is called the internal earth property. Now both&#xA;  the internal earth property &amp;amp; the external earth property are simply&#xA;  earth property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with&#xA;  right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my&#xA;  self.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 62&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-20T12:20:25.600" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T12:20:25.600" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19036" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19037" CreationDate="2017-01-20T14:48:06.007" Score="2" ViewCount="213" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even after referring to several books I simply cannot understand what this picture is depicting. I am not a Buddhist and am hence finding it difficult to decipher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/omHzg.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/omHzg.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found it on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/heruka-vajrasattva-by-carmen-mensink/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, whose title is, &quot;The Buddha of Purification with consort&quot;. The description on that page says it depicts a manifestation of &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;unity of the fully developed masculine and feminine energy: the complete purity and highest state of enlightenment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's an accurate description, could you provide the explanation of that phrase?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself didn't want to get entangled in samsara, let alone unite with the other sex; so isn't this contradictory?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-20T19:59:59.857" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T19:59:59.857" Title="What is this picture?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|art|tantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19036" CreationDate="2017-01-20T15:20:24.303" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That would be yab-yum.  I think the wikipedia entry will more than answer your question.  You can find that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yab-Yum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.  The one thing the entry only hints at, however, is that this is an actual practice in Tibetan Tantra.  In fact, it's generally what comes to mind, for a popular audience anyway, when the word &quot;tantra&quot; is used.  I think it's an exercise in futility to try and justify this practice according to Theravada or Mahayana ethics.  Within a tantric context, it just is what it is.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T15:20:24.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19038" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19039" CreationDate="2017-01-20T15:29:06.720" Score="3" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose that there is (are) differences between the &lt;em&gt;tilakkhana&lt;/em&gt; (anicca; dukkha and anatta) and the so-called &lt;em&gt;three dhamma-seals&lt;/em&gt; (anicca; anatta and nibbana). Can anyone help me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T17:25:48.347" Title="Differences between the tilakkhana and the Dhamma seal" Tags="|doctrine|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19038" CreationDate="2017-01-20T15:38:07.223" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Dharma Seals&lt;/a&gt;, says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As suffering is not an inherent aspect of existence sometimes the second seal is omitted to make Three Dharma Seals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that I get the impression that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;em&gt;tilakkhaṇa&lt;/em&gt; is the earliest doctrine (in the Pali canon)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Later someone added &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; to that list (making the four Dharma seals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then, someone decided that if &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; is in that list, then &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; isn't permanent/inevitable, and so they removed &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; from the list.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T15:38:07.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19038" CreationDate="2017-01-20T18:15:49.597" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Dharma Seals&lt;/a&gt; in an error of interpretation by Thích Nhất Hạnh based on an error of interpretation by the majority of Buddhist commentators and translators. It is an example of when an error is made based on accepting an existing error rather than refuting an existing error. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thích Nhất Hạnh has correctly stated that &quot;suffering&quot; is not an inherent aspect of reality however the word 'dukkha' as one of the &lt;em&gt;tilakkhaṇa&lt;/em&gt; does not mean 'suffering' but means '&lt;em&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is an error to translate the second &lt;em&gt;tilakkhaṇa&lt;/em&gt; as 'suffering' or 'stress' thus it is another error, as Thích Nhất Hạnh has done, to accept the wrong translation as valid and then dismiss it because this also dismisses what the Buddha taught and, more importantly, dismisses what is actually real. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, as properly translated from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 278&lt;/a&gt; by Acharya Buddharakkhita:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;277. &quot;All conditioned things are impermanent&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to&#xA;  purification.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;278. &quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to&#xA;  purification.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;279. &quot;All things [including Nibbana] are not-self&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Dharma Seals&lt;/a&gt; should be (according to reality) as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All compounded things are impermanent&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All compounded things are unsatisfactory (cannot bring lasting&#xA;happiness)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All phenomena [including Nibbana] are not-self/empty&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is uncompounded, the supreme &amp;amp; true lasting happiness (end of&#xA;suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-20T18:29:19.630" LastActivityDate="2017-01-20T18:29:19.630" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18953" CreationDate="2017-01-21T01:41:56.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not manditory but if we plan on living in a world with mandatory attatchments we certainly need to know how to practice in the world so we can learn how to let go of those mandatory attatchments. Attatchment certainly isn't mandatory but maybe I'm not getting what you mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silence isn't needed with vipassana(ok, ok, I mean with the kind of vipassana I practice). Silence is only very necessary for concentration practices. In The Mahasi Vipassana Method I was taught, we are not trying to get to any special state of mind but only whatever comes up in awareness. It's so simple I thought there had to be more to it but there wasn't and I wasted a lot of time trying to complicate the teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I had a problem, did I need to go to a monestary? No. I had to find a good teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we plan on living in a monestary we certainly need to know how to practice in a monestary. Monestaries are great because everyone is on the same page and there are usually good teachers but the same could be said about a meditation center down in the middle of the city, were there are probably some good lay teachers and good monastic teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-01-21T01:41:56.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2017-01-21T02:43:45.760" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eating meat is bad karma. So what if it's an intellectual or conceptual argument? When buying meat, you don't have &lt;strong&gt;volition to kill&lt;/strong&gt; but you have &lt;strong&gt;volition to eat the flesh of an animal killed for you the end consumer&lt;/strong&gt;. A monk would be breaking the monastic code if they were out there shopping for pork chops. Are the first five precepts not  conceptual, as well? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceptual reality is a reality too :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2020-05-30T16:59:54.723" LastActivityDate="2020-05-30T16:59:54.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19043" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19030" CreationDate="2017-01-21T15:02:00.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two ways in which physics could disallow a Buddhist form of cosmology:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A law of nature which creates measurable predictions in our universe (the human realm of existence) is discovered, and this law contradicts a prediction of Theravadin cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;We gain the ability to measure new phenomena such as interactions with another realm or measuring a beings' mindstream. With these new measurements we can test a prediction of Theravadin cosmology and find that the prediction is false.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the first point, Theravadin cosmology doesn't contradict any known laws (e.g. conservation of energy or non-decreasing entropy). Does Theravadin cosmology make any further predictions about things which we can measure but don't yet have a complete theory of? If so then there's a chance we could develop our theory and find Theravadin cosmology to be impossible. If not then we can't use this approach to question Theravadin cosmology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the second point, we really have to speculate about what we might or might not be able to measure in the future. Because this is based on speculation I don't think this counts as a good reason to believe that physics will end up allowing a Buddhist timeline of events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-21T15:02:00.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19030" CreationDate="2017-01-21T20:41:42.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Relational quantum mechanics is the mathematical description of co-dependent origination in my opinion, really neat too. It doesn't prove the cosmology but does seem to point to the accuracy or the main insights of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are talking about the cosmology word for word (like Digha Nikaya 27) then it would be a stretch - a lot of conceptual construction. The inflation/deflation Universe is cool though, and sounds like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bounce&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bounce&lt;/a&gt;.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Multiverse interpretation of QM (somewhat essentialist), gives for an interesting take on transmigration, in that the 'copies' can't be said to be either the same or different to each other.. Seems like a plausible image of transmigration to me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-01-21T20:41:42.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19030" CreationDate="2017-01-22T00:13:09.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Are Therevada's cosmology and the Mahanaya's sutras physically plasusible?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is impossible to answer &amp;amp; outside of the scope of Buddha-Dhamma, which is described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This Dhamma is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, immediate, inviting inspection, pertinent, to be realized/verified by the observant for themselves. MN&#xA;  38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 35.23 states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eye &amp;amp; forms, ear &amp;amp; sounds, nose &amp;amp; aromas, tongue &amp;amp; flavors, body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, mind &amp;amp; mind objects. This, monks, is called the&#xA;  All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe&#xA;  another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his&#xA;  statement, would be unable to explain and would be put&#xA;  to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The various realms in the Pali suttas include psychological examples therefore obviously this is all that can be known. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; intellect, that I declare that there is the world, the origination of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;the world&lt;/strong&gt;, the cessation of the world and the path of practice leading&#xA;  to the cessation of the world. AN 4.45&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the origination of the world? Dependent on the eye &amp;amp; forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is&#xA;  contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From&#xA;  feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a&#xA;  requisite condition comes clinging. From clinging as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes&#xA;  birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death,&#xA;  sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. This is&#xA;  the origination of the world. SN 12.44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Follow not the vulgar way; live not in heedlessness; hold not false views; linger not long in worldly existence. Blind is the world; here&#xA;  only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the&#xA;  net, go to realms of bliss. Lokavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect. And what is the cause by which kamma comes&#xA;  into play? &lt;strong&gt;Sense contact&lt;/strong&gt; is the cause by which kamma comes into play. And&#xA;  what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in&#xA;  hell (niraya), kamma to be experienced in the realm of animals (&#xA;  tiracchānayoni), kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry&#xA;  shades (pettivisaya), kamma to be experienced in the human world&#xA;  (manussaloka), kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas&#xA;  (devaloka). This is called the diversity in kamma. AN 6.63&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have seen, bhikkhus, the &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt; named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is undesirable, never desirable;&#xA;  unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable. Whatever sound&#xA;  one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose …&#xA;  Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object&#xA;  one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with&#xA;  the mind is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely;&#xA;  disagreeable, never agreeable. SN 35.135&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Udayi, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual desires and thoughts of demerit abides in the first jhana: Overcoming thoughts and thought&#xA;  processes and the mind in one point internally appeased, without&#xA;  thoughts and thought processes abides in the second jhana. Again with&#xA;  equanimity to joy and detachment, feeling pleasant with the body too,&#xA;  abides in the third jhana. To this the noble ones say abiding in&#xA;  pleasantness with equanimity. Udayi, this is the course of actions,&#xA;  for realising &lt;strong&gt;the world of only pleasant feelings&lt;/strong&gt; (ekantasukhassa&#xA;  lokassa).MN 79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, there are three kinds of persons found existing in the world. What three? (1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person generates&#xA;  afflictive bodily activities, afflictive verbal activities, and&#xA;  afflictive mental activities. In consequence, he reappears&#xA;  (upapajjati) in an afflictive world. When he reappears in an&#xA;  afflictive world, afflictive contacts touch him. Being touched by&#xA;  afflictive contacts, he feels afflictive feelings, exclusively&#xA;  painful, as in the case of &lt;strong&gt;hell-beings&lt;/strong&gt;. (2) “Someone else generates&#xA;  unafflictive bodily activities, unafflictive verbal activities, and&#xA;  unafflictive mental activities. In consequence, he reappears in an&#xA;  unafflictive world. When he reappears in an unafflictive world,&#xA;  unafflictive contacts touch him. Being touched by unafflictive&#xA;  contacts, he feels unafflictive feelings, exclusively pleasant, as in&#xA;  the case of the &lt;strong&gt;gods of refulgent glory&lt;/strong&gt;. (3) “Still another generates&#xA;  bodily activities that are both afflictive and unafflictive, verbal&#xA;  activities that are both afflictive and unafflictive, and mental&#xA;  activities that are both afflictive and unafflictive. In consequence,&#xA;  he reappears in a world that is both afflictive and unafflictive. When&#xA;  he reappears in a world that is both afflictive and unafflictive, both&#xA;  afflictive and unafflictive contacts touch him. Being touched by both&#xA;  afflictive and unafflictive contacts, he feels both afflictive and&#xA;  unafflictive feelings, mingled pleasure and pain, as in the case of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;human beings&lt;/strong&gt;, some &lt;strong&gt;devas&lt;/strong&gt;, and some beings in the lower worlds. These,&#xA;  bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons found existing in the world.&#xA;  AN 3.23&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sensual desire… ill-will (anger)… sloth &amp;amp; drowsiness… restlessness &amp;amp; anxiety… uncertainty is an obstacle, a hindrance that overwhelms the&#xA;  mind and weakens wisdom… when a monk has not abandoned these five&#xA;  obstacles… for him to understand what is for his own benefit, to&#xA;  understand what is for the benefit of others, to understand what is&#xA;  for the benefit of both, to realize a superior &lt;strong&gt;human&lt;/strong&gt; (manussa) state&#xA;  (dhammā), a truly noble distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision: that is&#xA;  impossible. AN 5.51&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sooner, I say, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole&#xA;  than the fool who has gone once to the nether world would regain the&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;human&lt;/strong&gt; state. For what reason? Because here, bhikkhus, there is no&#xA;  conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome&#xA;  activity, no meritorious activity. Here there prevails mutual&#xA;  devouring, the devouring of the weak. For what reason? Because,&#xA;  bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The&#xA;  noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the&#xA;  cessation of suffering. SN 56.47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, a &lt;strong&gt;god&lt;/strong&gt;, a &lt;strong&gt;human&lt;/strong&gt; or any other good state would not be evident from actions born of greed, hate and delusion. Yet, bhikkhus, from&#xA;  actions born of greed, hate and delusion a &lt;strong&gt;hellish&lt;/strong&gt; being, an &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  birth a &lt;strong&gt;ghostly&lt;/strong&gt; birth or some other bad state would be evident. AN&#xA;  6.39&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright&#xA;  principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned&#xA;  respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle’s wife or a&#xA;  teacher’s wife or the wives of other honored persons, and the world&#xA;  would have fallen into promiscuity, as with &lt;strong&gt;goats, sheep, chickens,&#xA;  pigs, dogs, and jackals&lt;/strong&gt;. But as these two bright principles protect&#xA;  the world, there is discerned respect for mother… and the wives of&#xA;  other honored persons. AN 2.9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now on that occasion the wanderers of other persuasions had come together in a gathering and were sitting, discussing many kinds of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;bestial (animal)&lt;/strong&gt; topics, making a great noise and racket. AN 10.93&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beings (sattā) are few who, when they pass away from the &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt; realm (tiracchā­na­yoniyā) are reborn (paccājāyanti) among &lt;strong&gt;humans&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  (manussesu)… those beings are more numerous are reborn in hell…. For&#xA;  what reason? They have not realised the Four Noble Truths. SN 56.102&#xA;  to 131&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these four kinds of generation. What are the four? Egg-born generation, womb-born generation, moisture-born generation and&#xA;  spontaneous generation. What is egg-born generation? There are these&#xA;  beings born by breaking out of the shell of an egg; this is called&#xA;  egg-born generation. What is womb-born generation? There are these&#xA;  beings born by breaking out from the caul; this is called womb-born&#xA;  generation. What is moisture-born generation? There are these beings&#xA;  born in a rotten fish, in a rotten corpse, in rotten dough, in a&#xA;  cesspit, or in a sewer; this is called moisture-born generation. What&#xA;  is spontaneous generation? There are gods (devā) and denizens of hell&#xA;  (nerayikā) and certain (ekacce ca) human beings (manussā) and some&#xA;  (ekacce ca) destined to suffer (vinipāta); this is called spontaneous&#xA;  generation. MN 12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-22T01:33:11.630" LastActivityDate="2017-01-22T01:33:11.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19047" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-22T12:12:25.900" Score="0" ViewCount="180" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha declare to venerable Sâriputra in the Lotus Sutra that he will become a Buddha one day as it read below, but Sariputta has achieved Parinibbana. Can there be becoming a fully-awakened Buddha one day after Parinibbana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Again, Sâriputra, at a future period, after innumerable,&#xA;  inconceivable, immeasurable Æons, when thou shalt have learnt the true&#xA;  law of hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Tathâgatas, showed&#xA;  devotion in various ways, and achieved the present Bodhisattva-course,&#xA;  thou shalt become in the world a Tathâgata, &amp;amp;c., named Padmaprabha,&#xA;  endowed with science and conduct, a Sugata, a knower of the world, an&#xA;  unsurpassed tamer of men, a master of gods and men, a Lord Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-01-22T15:27:34.027" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T06:54:00.197" Title="Can there be &quot;one day becoming a fully-awakened Buddha&quot; after Parinibbana?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19047" CreationDate="2017-01-22T14:55:58.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. Most Mahayana schools posit the one final vehicle (ekayana) and posit that everyone, in time, will become a fully enlightened buddha. As to the so-called Hinayana arhat, it is said that he has to enter the Mahayana path from the path of accumulation and go all the way to the path of no-more-learning, buddhahood. He has to go through the Mahayana path of accumulation, preparation, seeing, meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana tenets, by way of generating bodhicitta, one enters the Mahayana path, whether one is established in Parinibbana (because the continuum is not severed), or abiding in nirvana with remainder, or an ordinary being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen's commentary on Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In comparison to someone who enters the Mahayana path directly, a&#xA;  Hinayana arhat faces more problems. In order to achieve&#xA;  self-liberation he has been meditating for a long time. He has gained&#xA;  a level of bliss and great happiness. Because of this habit of bliss&#xA;  and happiness it is very difficult for him to think about the&#xA;  suffering of sentient beings. It is not a spontaneous tendency for him&#xA;  to think about others´ suffering. So bodhicitta is not coming easily&#xA;  for him. Therefore, it is advisable to enter the Mahayana directly,&#xA;  even though it is not that easy, instead of going through the complete&#xA;  liberation of a Hinayana arhat and then enter the Mahayana. To&#xA;  illustrate this, there is a story about a practitioner who met&#xA;  Shariputra. Shariputra wanted to tell him about the achievement of a&#xA;  Hinayana arhat. Later on the practitioner met Manjushri who told him&#xA;  about the views of the Mahayana. Based on that he developed wrong view&#xA;  and as a result was reborn in the hells. What happened next is that,&#xA;  even though he was reborn in the hells, he still had the karmic&#xA;  imprint that connected him to the Mahayana path. Therefore it is said&#xA;  that even though he spent some time in the hells, it was still quicker&#xA;  for him to achieve the state of a buddha, than if he had gone through&#xA;  the stages shown by Shariputra. Therefore, Buddha Shakyamuni praised&#xA;  Manjushri for being so skilful in seeing that the person would react&#xA;  in a very heavy way, propelling him to the lower realms, yet that in&#xA;  this way he would achieve buddhahood quicker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;You might further study texts on 'Grounds and Paths' (Tib. Salam) as well as Asanga's bodhisattvabhumi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-22T16:26:18.683" LastActivityDate="2017-01-22T16:26:18.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19049" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-23T02:18:05.213" Score="1" ViewCount="1356" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have noticed that a lot of Mahasi practitioners seem to reach sotopanna very quickly.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference from other methods of Buddhist Meditation and the Mahasi Method, relative to the apparent speed of attainment in the Mahasi Method?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe you think Mahasi style practice does not lead to these better results?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, who, what, where, when and why do you think this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is an appropriate question but if it's not, that's ok :) metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PLEASE NOTE&lt;/strong&gt;: I have,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;doubts&lt;/strong&gt; about such quick progress in the Mahasi Tradition, not &lt;strong&gt;pride&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears, many assumed something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My mistake, I should have been clearer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2021-03-01T17:10:02.323" LastActivityDate="2021-03-01T17:10:02.323" Title="Doubting the quick attainments of the Mahasi Tradition" Tags="|mahasi-sayadaw|wrongview|controversy|sotapanna|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19049" CreationDate="2017-01-23T03:15:13.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is unlikely the Mahasi method brings quicker wisdom because the method is based in verbal thought noting. Whatever degree of conceptual thought exists, to that degree the clarity of consciousness available for genuine insight is diminished. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-23T03:15:13.587" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19049" CreationDate="2017-01-23T05:14:09.990" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have noticed that a lot of Mahasi practicers seem to reach sotapanna very quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no solid evidence for this. Many of the early practitioners have also switched practice, for more on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13021/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. Also there are other practices like that taught by S.N.Goenka which has been more successful at a mass scale, for more information see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18976/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, the tradition claims being orthodox to Theravada but thought the theoretical aspects of the tradition and the taught the practice diverges from that is in the Pali Canon and Commentaries, which the tradition itself endorse, which lead to an ambiguity or inconsistency as to why not practice what is in the Pali Canon and Commentaries which is accepted and endorsed by the tradition. This effectively translates to &amp;quot;you have to do A&amp;quot; in dhamma talks and &amp;quot;you have to do B&amp;quot; when meditation is taught, which are tangential to the theory in the Talks. Even remote justifications from the Pali Canon, are from more obscure passages then commonly recurring passages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this technique is most effective the Buddha would have sensed this and would have trained accordingly. Having said this some practitioners may get results quickly due to perhaps past practice, but I doubt it would be the majority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference from other methods of Buddhist Meditation and the Mahasi Method, relative to the apparent speed of attainment in the Mahasi Method?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some meditation masters advise against mental noting and concentration on the abdomen. More on mental noting see below. On using the abdomen see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2518&quot;&gt;What is the Interpretation of Parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation?&lt;/a&gt;. The practice of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Breath Meditation&lt;/a&gt; is given in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the practice of this tradition is tangential to the technique in the Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you think Mahasi style practice does not lead to these better results?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, who, what, where, when and why do you think this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The benefit of mental noting is getting concentrated and reducing the chance of uncontrolled &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental proliferation&lt;/a&gt; (verbalisation and sub verbalisation in a way can be considered mental proliferation abide with some control), at the expense of creating verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt;, nutriment (ahara), concepts (pannatti), which are dealt with in more detail in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14475/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18090/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18218/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19779/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19921/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. When verbally noting in the spear of concepts and perceptions than the ultimate realities of deep insights. In the abdomen method you trade deeper concentration for ease of practice, where easy may not be as effective. Also for the ease of practice the method advocates staying with the more grosses sensation than reaching the important stration of feeling the whole body. For more information see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2521&quot;&gt;How is the Pali Phase &amp;quot;Sabbakayapatisamvedi Assasissami... passasissamiti sikkhati...&amp;quot; Interpreted as per Different Linage?&lt;/a&gt;. Also misconception about emphasising walking meditation as required, than being an aid to avoid sleepiness, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13147/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13258/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some masters to not make these compromises which can have a negative effect on progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T12:30:56.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19052" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19053" CreationDate="2017-01-23T13:19:24.230" Score="2" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking Thayodhamma Sutta but could not find it based on the following searchers: accesstoinsight.org &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Thayodhamma%20Sutta%20site%3Aaccesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;search on Google&lt;/a&gt;, suttacentral.net &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Thayodhamma+Sutta+site:suttacentral.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;search on Google&lt;/a&gt;. But references do turn up in a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Thayodhamma%20Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;general Google search&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to give the Alternative titles of the Sutta, Sutta reference number and link to the Sutta or subsections in which appear in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this Sutta maybe know by a different title on some of these sites which is why it is not found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-23T14:46:59.830" Title="What are the alternative titles of Thayodhamma Sutta, it's reference number, subsections where it appear in?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19052" CreationDate="2017-01-23T14:41:48.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thayodhamma sutta (Abandon three things at a time).  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.4-Abhabba-Tayodhamma-S-a10.76-piya_bk1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Three Things (Regarding Incapability)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon…  1. Birth;  2. Old age;  3. Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to abandon…   1. Greed (passion);  2. Hatred;  3. Delusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Personality view;   2. Doubt;   3. Rituals and observances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Drowsiness of the mind;   2. Following the wrong path;   3. Unwise attention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…   1. Unmindfulness (wrong mindfulness);   2. Unawareness;   3. Mental distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Dislike to see the noble ones;   2. Dislike to hear the noble teachings;   3. Fault-finding mind;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Conceit;  2. Unrestraint;   3. Immorality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon….  1. Lack of confidence;  2. Dislike to listen to others;   3. Laziness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Unfriendliness;  2. Disobedience;   3. Bad Friends (Asathpurisa Sevanaya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To abandon the above three you have to abandon…  1. Shamelessness;   2. Fearlessness;   3. Non-diligence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Sotāpanna (Pali) or &quot;He who entered(āpanna) the stream(sota).&quot; ‘stream” is a metaphor for the third of the Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path. A stream which rigidly flows will not stop until it enters the sea. A Sotapanna has completely entered in to the Eight fold Noble Dhamma Path(Has gained the first magga-phala). So he will surely achieve Arhathood within seven births that are born in human and heavenly happy realms and his spiritual development will not descend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attainment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sotapanna is a person who has eliminated the first three bondages (sanyojanas) from the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those are,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Strong ego or Personality view(sakkaya dhitti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Doubt(Wichikiccha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wrong rituals and observances/ Superstitions(Seelabbatha paramasa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thayodhamma sutta(Abandon three things at a time) explains the skills that should be developed to achieve this supreme task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-23T14:46:59.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19054" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19056" CreationDate="2017-01-23T16:11:01.527" Score="8" ViewCount="1383" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come across many stories in the Tipitaka where people attained arahanthood or became non-returners through meditation. However, I cannot recollect any instance where someone becomes a sotapanna through a meditation practice (including vipassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone provide me a reference for such an instance (or multiple instances) from suttas, commentaries or any other source in the Pali canon (ideally excluding Visuddhimagga)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why I'm asking this is that there's a claim by certain lineages that stream entry cannot be reached through meditation, at least based on Tipitaka evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-01-23T17:39:10.997" LastActivityDate="2021-08-13T16:10:27.777" Title="Where can I find a reference for someone becoming a sotapanna through meditation?" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19054" CreationDate="2017-01-23T16:50:34.233" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've come across many stories in the Tipitaka where people attained arahanthood or became non-returners through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different doors through with you can get liberation are given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/3.2-Refuge-2-Listening-beyond-the-ear-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;listens to the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teaches the Dharma in detail&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;recites the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;applies his mind to the Dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;properly grasps some concentration-sign&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which in turn leads to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gladness arises in him;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because of gladness, zest arises;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because of zest, the body becomes tranquil;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when the body is tranquil, he feels happy;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a happy mind becomes concentrated&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unfreed mind of a monk, dwelling heedful and exertive, finds freedom; or where the mental influxes, not wholly destroyed become wholly destroyed, where the unattained unsurpassed safety from the yoke is attained.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is only one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Mahanama, Sarakani the Sakya kept the training (in moral virtue, concentration, and&#xA;    wisdom) at the time of his death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.6-Sarakani-S-1-s55.24-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sarakani Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sarakani became a stream winner because keeping up the training though he was a drunken also. This might happen all at once where one becomes liberated or may achieve it in stages, entering through any of the doors above, where sotapanna is 1st of the stages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, I do not say that final knowledge is achieved all at once. On the contrary, final knowledge&#xA;    is achieved by gradual training, by gradual practice, by gradual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2018-03-30T19:16:06.330" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19058" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19060" CreationDate="2017-01-23T22:31:20.950" Score="5" ViewCount="416" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wish to be brief in the matter, a friend recommended this website after a certain meditation struggle.&#xA;I just did a vipassana retreat, focusing on one's breath, which was done perfectly the first two days. Whenever the mind was distracted I got it back on track.&#xA;However, I had an odd and pleasant experience during that period, as if a bundle of negativity exploded, and since then not only my meditation became shallow but it were as if my focus wasn't directly on the breath, but on the eyes, as when you see different colors when seeing through the lids.&#xA;And getting simply back on the breath seems impossible because the mind is entirely focused on my vision, allowing me to perceive the breath but faintly and as if it were in the background of the focus.&#xA;If anyone had such a hindrance or a way out of it, I'd be most grateful, spending 8days of vipassana not managing to focus properly is a bit of a nightmare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you so much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10691" LastEditorUserId="10691" LastEditDate="2020-06-22T20:17:54.220" LastActivityDate="2020-06-22T20:17:54.220" Title="Can't meditate?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19054" CreationDate="2017-01-23T22:36:05.903" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;As stated in SN 13.1, sotappana (stream-entry) requires acquiring/having the Dhamma-Eye (dhamma-&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;cakkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;-paṭilābho). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his 1st sermon (SN 56.11), the Buddha said the noble eightfold path (the middle way) gives rise to insight or the dhamma eye (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;cakkhu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;-karaṇī). Therefore, eight factors, including three meditation factors, are required for stream-entry, which is why SN 55.5 states the streamwinner is one who is endowed with this noble eightfold path itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the 1st sermon was given, the stainless dhamma-eye arose only in Koṇḍañña of “&lt;em&gt;whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation&lt;/em&gt;.”(koṇḍaññassa virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhamma &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;cakkhuṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; udapādi: “yaṃ kiñci samuda­ya­dhammaṃsamudaya sabbaṃ taṃ nirodhadhamman”ti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For Koṇḍañña to have this insight, particularly the insight of &lt;em&gt;cessation&lt;/em&gt; (of craving, self-becoming &amp;amp; suffering), his mind must have been free from the five hindrances, otherwise he could not have experienced cessation (nirodha) &amp;amp; tasted Nibbana. Whenever, the mind is free from the five hindrances, it will naturally have samadhi. Here, AN 5.51 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And when a monk has not abandoned these five obstacles, hindrances that overwhelm awareness and weaken discernment, when he is without&#xA;  strength and weak in discernment: for him to understand what is for&#xA;  his own benefit, to understand what is for the benefit of others, to&#xA;  understand what is for the benefit of both, to realize a superior&#xA;  human state, a truly noble distinction in knowledge &amp;amp; vision: that is&#xA;  impossible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It follows to attain stream-entry requires having some degree of noble concentration (but not necessarily jhana; '&lt;em&gt;neighbourhood concentration&lt;/em&gt;' is sufficient) or 'meditation'. MN 117 defines noble concentration as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...noble right concentration with its supports and its requisites, that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action,&#xA;  right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 56 describes the stream-entry of the householder Upali. MN 56 clearly states Upali's mind was free from the five hindrances (&lt;em&gt;nīvara­ṇa­&lt;/em&gt;), i.e., had &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;/meditation, prior to the stream-entry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the Blessed One discoursed to him a graduated sermon, that is to say, he spoke on the subjects of liberality, virtue, the heavens, on&#xA;  the evil consequences, the vanity and the depravity of sensual&#xA;  pleasures and on the advantages of renunciation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Blessed One perceived that the &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt; of Upāli, the householder, was &lt;strong&gt;prepared, pliant, free from hindrances (vi-nīvara­ṇa­-cittaṃ), elevated and&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;lucid&lt;/strong&gt;, then he revealed to him that exalted doctrine of the Buddhas,&#xA;  viz. Suffering, its Cause, its Ceasing and the Path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as a clean cloth, free from stain, would take the dye perfectly, even so, to Upāli, the householder, whilst seated in that place, there&#xA;  arose (in him) the spotless, stainless vision of Truth. He knew:&#xA;  Whatsoever has causally arisen must inevitably pass utterly away.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then Upāli, the householder, having thus, in the Dispensation of the Exalted One seen the Truth; attained to the Truth; comprehended the&#xA;  Truth, penetrated the Truth, overcome doubt; cast off uncertainty and&#xA;  gained full confidence without dependence on another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, intellectual or 'book' knowledge of Buddhism alone, even if it is Right View, cannot result in stream-entry because, as described in every example above, the mind of the stream-enterer must be free from the five hindrances and, more importantly, must have the experience of &lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt; (cessation) and taste Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For stream-entry to occur, as described in MN 117, Right View plus the meditation factors of Right Effort &amp;amp; Right Mindfulness must function together in unison: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong view &amp;amp; for entering into right view: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon&#xA;  wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right&#xA;  mindfulness. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort&#xA;  &amp;amp; right mindfulness — run &amp;amp; circle around right view. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-23T23:19:56.213" LastActivityDate="2017-01-23T23:19:56.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19058" CreationDate="2017-01-23T23:52:10.580" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Deliberately directing or focusing the mind onto the breath is not the actual practise of Buddhist meditation, despite this wrong 'yogic' technique from the Visuddhimagga being taught so extensively. Instead, the genuine practise of Buddhist meditation is maintaining vigilance (mindfulness) over the mind to ensure the mind (mindfully) remains in a state free from craving, i.e., free from covetousness &amp;amp; distress, as defined in the suttas, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The monk remains...mindful — &lt;strong&gt;putting aside&lt;/strong&gt; greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent&#xA;  on cessation, resulting in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt; (vossagga). Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to &lt;strong&gt;let&#xA;  go&lt;/strong&gt; (vossagga), attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When mindfulness continuously remembers to keep the mind free from craving, due to having a clear mind that is not pre-occupied with any sense object via eyes, ears, nose, tongue or mind, the in &amp;amp; out breathing will automatically arise as the object of meditation or 'sign' (nimitta) because the breathing by default becomes the most gross or dominant sense object of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your personal situation there are a number of matters to discuss: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Based on what I posted already, when a meditator deliberately focuses on the breathing (in the same way that is taught to sportspeople to control their breathing), that deliberate focusing is an act of intentional thought. That intentional thought will always remain in the mind. While that intentional thought is more subtle that an ordinary thought, it remains relatively coarse. This intentional focus on the breathing will cause the breath to calm. However, once the breath calms to a certain degree, because the coarseness of that intentional thought remains the same, the mind suddenly becomes too coarse to discern the breathing that has now become more subtle. Thus, the meditator can no longer discern the breathing clearly. An analogy is jogging vs meditating. The breathing is easy to discern when jogging because the breathing is coarse. But, generally, when meditating, the breathing is difficult to discern because the breathing is subtle when sitting. If the breathing is calmed by deliberate intentional focus on it, it will become even more subtle &amp;amp; difficult to discern. THEREFORE, the only way to continue to discern the breathing clearly is to make the mind more subtle. ULTIMATELY, the only way to progress fully on the path is to abandon the deliberate intention to watch the breathing, thus making the mind as subtle as possible. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the bundle of negativity exploded in your meditation, this was the result of your previous concentration upon the breathing &amp;amp; the resultant calming of your breathing, body &amp;amp; mind. The explosion of negativity is a typical purification that will be experienced many times on the meditative path. As a result of this explosion of negativity, there arose some '&lt;em&gt;momentary rapture&lt;/em&gt;', which was the pleasant feeling. IMPORTANTLY, related to what I described in detail above, this explosion of negativity made your mind more pure and therefore more subtle. Further, the mental energy moved up into your brain as a temporary part of this purification process. Here, the energy must be allowed to balance &amp;amp; dissipate. You must give the energy the space &amp;amp; freedom to dissolve. This is done by simply giving up craving; by giving up your positive &amp;amp; negative judgments about the experience. If you can maintain the mind in this state of non-craving, non-judging, non-coveting, non-distress, it will connect again with the breathing on its own accord (and will periodically disconnect on its own accord when there is other purification work for it to do).   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In summary, it sounds like your meditation retreat experience was very successful because your mind could concentrate and a strong purification (catharsis) occurred. This shows your mentality is pliant &amp;amp; can let go, which is a favourable quality for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I personally experienced these issues in my 1st five weeks of meditation (which was full-time retreat meditation). While my mind never had any hindrances or distracting thoughts and remained relatively calm due to my first two weeks of meditation, the ability to discern the breathing clearly kept disappearing. It was only after I changed my technique to giving up all positive &amp;amp; negative motivations &amp;amp; judgments, did the breathing become &amp;amp; continuously remain exceptionally clear to the mind. The Buddha's entire path can be summarised as the abandoning of craving. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-24T01:19:09.187" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T01:19:09.187" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19058" CreationDate="2017-01-24T03:01:26.470" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything is not self hence even meditation does not go the way you want. If you either like the experience and present or do not like the experience as in this case you are creating cravings and aversion which goes against the purpose of meditation. In early stages of meditations sometimes you get ambiently coloured visions. This are just illusions hence give not importance to them. When they come up notice they are sprung up then see if you have reacted positively or negatively to it hence getting pleasant or unpleasant sensation and developing craving or aversion and then bring back you mind to the meditation object. Also your mind will stay with a distracting object if you are involved with it, i.e., you get attached to averse to it, which leads to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thought Proliferation&lt;/a&gt; about the object and related concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-24T04:10:47.610" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T04:10:47.610" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19049" CreationDate="2017-01-24T04:22:55.350" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To help get an understanding  into who, what, where, when and why about Mahasi Sayadaw, I started to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/m_part1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises, by Mahasi Sayadaw: Part 1, Basic Practice&lt;/a&gt;. It was interesting to note that nowhere in that whole document any reference being made to the Scriptures (the Suttas). If there were any, @Uuu, even you would have found out for yourself what I came to know of him and his “meditation instructors”. Be it Mahasi, his ‘instructors, you or any one of us in this Group, we can only be 'DISCIPLES' of the Supreme Buddha. And nothing more. If we follow the scriptures (original Suttas &amp;amp; Vinaya) to the letter, we can be guides to others. In this document Mahasi never defined &lt;strong&gt;WHAT&lt;/strong&gt; a Sotapanna / Stream Entry is, and &lt;strong&gt;HOW&lt;/strong&gt; a Stream Entry occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his reply to the OP &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/216/how-does-stream-entry-occur/232#232&quot;&gt;How does stream entry occur?&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;@yuttadhammo (Ven.) answered this clearly, and precisely. He took the Rathavinita Sutta (The only sutta that fully explains the seven purifications) to explain the road to become a Sotapanna. This Sutta explains in full the seven purifications (SAPTHA VISUDDHI) taught by the Buddha. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ratha-vinita Sutta: Relay Chariots  (MN 24; M.I,145)&lt;/a&gt;  To fully explain each of these seven purifications would require a separate OP for each. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I took the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.4-Abhabba-Tayodhamma-S-a10.76-piya_bk1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thayodhamma sutta(Abandon three things at a time)&lt;/a&gt;......  to explain &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19052/what-are-the-alternative-titles-of-thayodhamma-sutta-its-reference-number-sub&quot;&gt;the skills that should be developed&lt;/a&gt; to achieve this supreme task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sotāpanna attains an intuitive grasp of Dhamma (right view) and has complete confidence in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) &lt;strong&gt;WHEN&lt;/strong&gt; the Sotapanna  have &quot;opened the eye of the Dhamma&quot; (dhamma chakkhu), because he has realized that whatever arises, will cease. (impermanence). His conviction in the true Dhamma is unshakable. Instead of these three supreme protections - The Three Jewels (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) – Mahasi talks about “Four Protections”. This is the first time that I came across such. I have read but a very few suttas. So if someone could refer me to where these “Four Protections” came from I’ll be thankful. The Three Jewels are mentioned in the Dhajagga Sutta. Taking  refuge in the 3 jewels of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha was recommended by the Buddha as providing protection from afflictions. It is specifically mentioned in the **Dhajagga-paritta (&quot;Banner Protection&quot;) - SN 11.3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@Uuu, please compare Mahasi’s explanation of the nine supreme qualities of the Buddha and my reply to the OP &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/15978/why-worship-buddha&quot;&gt;Why worship Buddha?&lt;/a&gt;. Mahasi describes Lokavidû as “World Knower”.  I have explained this fifth quality “Lokavidu” to mean ‘knower of the three worlds’ – the Human, the Deva, &amp;amp; the Brahma, and as It is one who understands the origin of all worlds, understands the cessation of all worlds, and understands how to escape from all the three worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can go on and on and on in comparing Mahasi Sayadaw’s article to the Scriptures, but I do not want to. It should be clear to you by now, that &lt;strong&gt;WHERE&lt;/strong&gt; those who fall into such trappings will go &lt;strong&gt;NO-WHERE&lt;/strong&gt;. Let us now analyze our lives. By not realizing the truth, we have travelled this long and sorrowful cycle of birth and death, with great suffering and pain. Due to ignorance and delusion we perceive self in what is not self. When we are caught up in this delusion, we view, perceive and think erroneously. These wrong views prevail in the world until a very few amongst us accept only the original suttas – the scriptures – and be true to it – be committed to it. The Supremely Enlightened One reveals the true nature ONLY if we commit to the Truth. The Blessed One proclaimed how one can achieve deliverance from ignorance and delusion,  but hardly anyone amongst us will ever get there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha explained this &lt;strong&gt;WHY&lt;/strong&gt; with a simile. The Blessed One placed a little soil on the tip of a fingernail, and compared that to all the soil on this great Earth. The soil on the tip of the fingernail is insignificant in comparison to the soil on this great Earth. Even so insignificant, are the beings who reach perfect sanctity, the final liberation from suffering. Here Buddha is referring to Sotapanna Disciples. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Sotāpanna (Pali) or &quot;He who entered(āpanna) the stream(sota).&quot; ‘stream” is a metaphor for the third of the Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path. A stream which rigidly flows will not stop until it enters the sea. A Sotapanna has completely entered in to the Eightfold Noble Dhamma Path (has gained the first magga-phala). So he will surely achieve Arhathood within seven births that are born in human and heavenly happy realms and his spiritual development will not descend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it is clear that this is not something that can be accomplished effortlessly. Each individual has to put forth the necessary effort, and work out his own deliverance with mindfulness. A noble disciple, who possesses unflinching energy with firm determination to realize the Four Noble Truths, will be able to work out his deliverance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let’s Live Close to the Perfect One, the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T04:22:55.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19054" CreationDate="2017-01-24T05:21:24.853" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhammapada Verse178 (Anathapindikaputtakala Vatthu) says:  “Higher than being a Monarch, greater than being born in the Deva Lokas, or heavenly planes, greater than being a ruler of the three worlds, higher than all of these is the attainment of Sovan  (Sotapanna  / The Way to Stream Entry)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;At this stage the practitioner / sothapanna, begins to understand that there is the deed but not the doer, and this knowing is complete in an Arahant. We have to understand that there is no individual who owns body, feeling, perception, thought and consciousness. That is the most difficult aspect of the Buddha’s teaching. Difficult to conceptualize and even more difficult to experience. Without meditation, it will remain an intellectual exercise. For this one’s meditation should be exactly as per Supreme Buddha’s instructions found in the many suttas like Girimananda Sutta, Ananda Sutta etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand a simpler person, who is a sotapanna, it is good to read the story of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-brothers.com/chapters/0908.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kukkuta Mltta the hunter and his family comprehend the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;.  The story is about a girl who had comprehended the Dhamma, marrying a hunter. In explaining the actions of this hunters wife, Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Bhikkhus, those who are sotapannas don't kill, they don't wish others to get killed. The wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for him. It never occurred to her to think she was helping her husband to commit evil deeds. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so since she has no intention to commit evil she has not created any bad kamma.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first of the three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates is strong self Identity view (Strong ego) /  Sakkaya Dhitti - The view that there is a permanent controllable self or soul which can be considered ME/MINE/MY SOUL / MY SELF, which survives after the death. In other words it is the speculative view that a so-called self / Soul (Atta/ Atman exists in the five aggregates of clinging  (physical forms, feelings/sensations, perception, mental formations and consciousness), is eradicated because the Sotāpanna gains insight into the selfless nature of the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sakkaya Dhitti is explained in detail in..  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chula vedalla Sutta: The Shorter Set of Questions-and-Answers&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skeptical Doubt is the second of the three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates. - Doubt about Supreme Buddha and his teaching is eradicated by a Sotapanna, because the Sotapanna personally experiences the true nature of reality through insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of Buddha’s teaching. There is no need for a Sotapanna to associate teachers to take advice to develop spiritually. Through intuition he knows what to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clinging to rites, rituals and superstitions is the third of the three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates. - Clinging to the view that one becomes pure simply through performing ritual or rigid moralism, such as relying in a god for non-causal deliverance, slaughtering animals for sacrifice, ablutions, following superstiotions, Astralogical auspicious ways..etc. is eradicated because the Sotāpanna realizes that the excessive rites, rituals and superstitions are nothing more than an obstructive tradition and deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fifty-fifth Samyutta of the Samyutta Nikaya is called the Sotāpatti-saṃyutta, and concerns Sotapannas and their attainment. In Sutta-numbers of chapter 1-4, 6-9, 11-14, 16-20, 22-36, 39-49, 51, 53, 54, Sotapannas are praised as a part of the Ariya Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Anguttara Nikaya (A.iv,392-95) records a fabulous alms-giving conducted by the Bodhisatta when he was born as a brahman named Velama. Lavish gifts of silver, gold, elephants, cows, carriages, etc., not to mention food, drink and clothing, were distributed among everybody who came forward to receive them. But this open-handed munificence was not very valuable as far as merit was concerned because there were no worthy recipients. It is said to be more meritorious to feed one person with right view, a stream-enterer (sotapanna), than to give great alms such as that given by Velama. It is more meritorious to feed one once-returner than a hundred stream-enterers. Next in order come non-returners, arahants, Paccekabuddhas and Sammasambuddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@dmsp.. your question was how to become a Soptapanna (Stream Entrant) through meditation. So I will give a short answer as I do not want the answer to be too lengthy. The meditative way to go about it is this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here one should be aware that there are two levels in this Noble Eightfold Path.  It is the laukika and the lokottrara levels. Almost all of us that identify ourselves as ‘Buddhists’ are at the ‘laukika’ level. It is the &quot;mundane&quot; (or &quot;worldly&quot;) level where we try to follow the Noble Eightfold Path with expectations of a better life now and in future lives, depending on our beliefs, or need, or level of knowledge. As a result we also gain ‘kleshas’ &amp;amp; ‘upakkleshas’ at this mundane level. Buit it is not so at the lokottrara level. This is the &quot;supramundane&quot;(or &quot;transmundane&quot;) level where no ‘kleshas’ &amp;amp; ‘upakkleshas’ develop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we want to work towards this higher level we have to be like the “kata kirilli”. The Buddha had referred to the kata kirilli, the common hedgebird, found in paddy fields, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakunagghi Sutta-The Hawk&lt;/a&gt;. The kata kirilla builds its nest under the mud raised by ploughing the fields, and as long as it stays there, that’s it’s safeguard. Likewise our safeguard is the Satara Satipatthāna (The four foundations of mindfulness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to free oneself from suffering is the Satara Satipatthāna (The four foundations of mindfulness), which means establishing one’s mind (on it). One should learn it with utmost respect and establish one’s mind according to it, if one wants to embark on this road less travelled. Then we will be able to free our minds from other external ‘mundane’ objectives and concentrate on the Satara Satipatthāna (The four foundations of mindfulness). If one could do it, then it is the Sapta Bojjañga (the Seven Factors of Enlightenment) that is going to get developed in him/her. That is, the items that aid in attaining realization of the Path, that will start to get developed. There are seven items that aid realization. They are: Sati (mindfulness); Dhammavicaya (investigating the Dhamma); Viriya (effort; energy); Pīti (happiness); Passaddi (tranquility); Samādhi (concentration) and pēkkā (equanimity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We will start to understand that cultivation little by little (Sati). When a mind concentrate on the Dhamma in this manner, one will develop the talent of investigating the Dhamma by his wisdom (Dhammavicaya). When the talent of investigating Dhamma by his mind is developed, his effort gets cultivated (Viriya). When effort is developed, happiness gets cultivated (Pīti). When happiness is formed, alleviation/tranquility with respect to his (physical) body and mind gets cultivated (Passaddi). When he feels that relaxation with respect to his body and mind, his mind gets concentrated (Samādhi). A concentrated mind will become temperate since it is cultivated by wisdom (Upēkkā). This mind we have can be cultivated to that level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through meditation, the seven factors are developed sequentially since mindfulness factor leads to investigative analysis and so on. Anapanasati sutta (Majjima Nikaya) explains development of the seven factors: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;How bhikkus do the four foundations of mindfulness developed and cultivated, fulfill the seven enlightenment factors? &#xA;  Bhikkhus, on whatever, occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world – on that occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in him.  On whatever occasion unremitting mindfulness is established in a bhuikkhu  - on that occasion the mindfulness enlightenment factor is aroused in him, and he develops it and by development it becomes to fulfillment in him. Abiding thus mindful he investigates and examines the state with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-25T04:24:18.917" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T04:24:18.917" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19066" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-24T11:08:14.067" Score="2" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a benefit to &quot;wishful thinking&quot; ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;not like in a very deluded way    -    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but like if i think about meditating a lot during the day -  or getting money to also give others and aid practice  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T01:50:35.823" Title="Is there a benifit to &quot;wishful thinking&quot;?" Tags="|wishful|thinking|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19067" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19070" CreationDate="2017-01-24T11:17:33.237" Score="2" ViewCount="1499" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read somewhere that Buddha said &quot;Those who fear death have not lived wisely&quot;. &lt;strong&gt;What did he meant by &quot;Living Wisely&quot; ?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sometimes interpret this to mean that I should take a chance, quit my job, and become an entrepreneur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I want to ask is about mind, should I become hard work in a field according to the interest of my mind or should it does not matter, and keep on doing my work like robot (consciously).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's my problem: Some say that in order to achieve true success I should do something that interests my mind (so I will not be distracted or bored). If we are talking about spirituality, shouldn't what is interesting to me be less important? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, should I do things that I find fulfilling so as to achieve my success, or should i just keep working hard at what I am doing now, but with more focus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddhist goal is Nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;, But I have a family and I want to give them a better life, Why earning money is seen as attachment ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="9846" LastEditDate="2017-01-28T01:54:39.280" LastActivityDate="2021-01-26T19:24:43.837" Title="How did the Buddha define success?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19068" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-24T12:16:23.003" Score="0" ViewCount="142" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Ichinen Sanzen include &quot;wishful thinking,&quot; or am i getting it wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, does Theravada buddhism include &quot;wishful thinking?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the text I read that made me have this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sokahumanism.com/nichiren-buddhism/Practical_Meaning_of_Ichinen_Sanzen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sokahumanism.com/nichiren-buddhism/Practical_Meaning_of_Ichinen_Sanzen.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="8080" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T22:08:47.823" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T22:08:47.823" Title="Does Ichinen Sanzen include &quot;wishful thinking&quot;?" Tags="|wishful|thinking|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19067" CreationDate="2017-01-24T16:44:23.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist goal is Nirvana and on jet to reach it is called a Sekkha. Success comes then you have reached the goal and free from all stress is accomplished (Asekkha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even you are are not fully accomplished, the practice may help you manage your day to day stress, until one day you do not get stressed any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do not procrastinate doing the tasks as this is the last day or moment. This would help in your worldly aspirations also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T16:44:23.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19067" CreationDate="2017-01-24T16:44:42.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It all depends on your goal. If though, you would like to follow the Buddha's teaching then he teaches only how to become free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to become free from suffering, then the right method/medicine would be to practice the Noble Eightfold Path. Not just elements of it but its entirety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is your suffering (3 roots defilements; &lt;em&gt;greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion&lt;/em&gt;) in life increasing then you are moving away from the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is your suffering in life diminishing then you are practicing correctly, thereby reducing distance to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Success on the Path would manifest itself in the reduction in &lt;em&gt;mental and physical suffering, an increase in wisdom, happiness and mindfulness and ultimately the winning of Nibbana&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is roughly speaking the &lt;em&gt;success&lt;/em&gt; one who is practicing correctly would experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T16:44:42.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19066" CreationDate="2017-01-24T17:21:26.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a benifit to “wishful thinking”?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not exactly call that wishful thinking but rather the results from practicing the path correctly (in this life or previous lives).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wanting to meditate or wanting to aid other beings&lt;/em&gt; spring from wholesome intentions, i.e. right intentions of &lt;em&gt;good-will&lt;/em&gt;. These are path factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right intentions-&gt; actions that are based in &lt;em&gt;non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion&lt;/em&gt;, are bound to create wholesome future resultants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the benefit would be the fact that wholesome actions lead to wholesome results. Experiencing and undertanding that through the practice of insight meditation is a huge benefit. When the mind experiences this over and over it begins to understand causality and how suffering comes to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you observe how craftsmen build a house you will see that they lay the bricks layer by layer. The first layer is the foundational layer. The layer everything else has to be based upon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the practice one of the foundational bricks is &lt;em&gt;right intentions&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-01-24T17:21:26.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19066" CreationDate="2017-01-25T01:50:35.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we stop adversities and yearnings by wishful thinking / wishful prayer, wherein one humbly or earnestly asks a higher power to provide something beyond oneself? – things such as Oh! Don’t let me go to decay and death - by such imploring can we stop it?  No. You cannot stop aging by reciting a thousand verses of blessings.  Can we prevent death? No.  Can you avoid sickness by offering a token offerings?  No.  Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma says “Understand, come and see the principle causing dukkha or pain”.  When this is, this will be.  Hence when this is born, this is born.  This is the noble principle; noble research method that will ennoble. Supreme Buddha says, a noble disciple makes inquiry wisely about dukkha or pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T01:50:35.823" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19047" CreationDate="2017-01-25T06:43:16.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have no idea why this question get so horribly down voted. I suspect it's due to angry Theravadins who see this as being against Theravada orthodoxy of final permanent Nibanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is the Lotus Sutra aims at deliberately over turning such conception about Arahatship,  Nirvana and Buddhahood. Mahayana Buddhism relies on Prajnaparamita sutras as to establish that there is no final permanent nirvana nor the fact that Arhats are merely to remain as Arhats, but should aspire to Buddhahood with the full capacity of a Buddha. The core doctrine used to explain this view is through the understanding of dependent generation, which consequentially result in the impermanence and hence emptiness and non dual nature of any phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Lotus Sutra, it is therefore posited that Sariputra (Sariputta) shall one day attain full and complete unsurpassed awakening as a completely realized Buddha. The sutra further establish that only with such view, would they be True Arhats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutra further explained that it is through skillful means that the Buddha teach sentient beings to give up their desires and attain Nirvana. Because most beings want to end their suffering but are afraid of taking on the challenge to become a Buddha. This is compared to the story of a rich man whose son have ran away from home, and now becomes a poor labourer. Now the poor man eventually reunite but no longer recognize his own father and is afraid of him thinking he's unworthy of being equal to the rich man. The rich man assigned the poor son various tasks until he gained his confidence and can truly inherit his father's legacy. The rich man is the Buddha who assigned the poor man that is sentient beings work, I.e. the way to end suffering Nibanna. But they should not be content with merely Nirvana but should aspire to be truly equal with the rich man e.g. the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2017-01-25T06:54:00.197" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T06:54:00.197" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19074" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19078" CreationDate="2017-01-25T09:16:41.487" Score="3" ViewCount="707" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have only started meditating for only 2-3 weeks. But now I cannot seem to meditate properly. Whenever I sit for meditation, there are several problems, like increased salivation, feeling of being pressed in the chest and like not getting breath after a few minutes, which to go away I have to take a deep breath. The same just process repeats itself for the whole 20 minutes I sit for meditation. I sit in the burmese position with pillow under my butt, on the bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be glad if someone please helped me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10700" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T20:04:46.680" Title="Discomfort during vipassana meditation" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19075" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19074" CreationDate="2017-01-25T10:23:58.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you sit, your back should be naturally straight, in the manner as when you are standing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your seat should be firm, i.e., not on a bed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pB4JJ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/pB4JJ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T10:23:58.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18186" CreationDate="2017-01-25T11:11:52.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Chinese name for &quot;Buddha&quot; is ”世尊&quot;, which means “The Respected One”。 “One” is with relation to the &quot;法界&quot;， or &quot;The Dharma Realm&quot; in English or scientifically speaking， “The Universe”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10701" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T11:11:52.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19074" CreationDate="2017-01-25T12:24:37.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have a teacher best is to consult him / her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, numerous issues like these do pop up at the beginning, which you have to deal with objectively. Some times through meditation you notice problems which were there but you did not notice beforehand, because your awareness was weak. Whatever happens this should not make you worried or anxious in which case you will be creating negativity. You should try to be equanimous noting its impermanence and dependently arisen or causality arisen nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If partly this is due to issues with your posture the picture in the other answer might be of help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T12:24:37.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19074" CreationDate="2017-01-25T12:39:55.203" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whenever I sit for meditation, there are several problems, like increased salivation, feeling of being pressed in the chest and like not getting breath after a few minutes...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a physiotherapist I would like to briefly explain the anatomy of poor posture related to meditation practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, you want to sit on a firm surface, not a soft surface like a bed. Thats due to the anatomical structure of the spine. The spine has an &quot;S&quot;-curved shape meaning that biomechanically it allows to act like a spring when loaded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When sitting on a soft surface your muscles need to work much harder in keeping your spine erect. Failing to do so results in slumping. Slumping here means that the posterior hip and spine muscles contract, thereby limiting the working space available for the diaphragm. You see the diaphragm needs to be able to move up and down in order for the lungs to expand. When one is slumped over one is actively putting restriction on the air passage by decreasing the thoracic cavity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why you are feeling like the chest is being compressed and air moves slower and restricted. An analogy would be having a water hose and then bending the hose so that the water flow gets restricted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When sitting in an upright posture with spine erect the diaphragm can move up and down unhindered thereby increasing ventilation and air passage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rvVUE.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/rvVUE.gif&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/L5rZr.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/L5rZr.gif&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My advice would be to change your sitting posture from a soft surface onto a firm surface. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When sitting you want to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep the spine erect to increase working conditions for the diaphragm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep pelvis in neutral position. Look at the nice and neutral position of the pelvis in the illustration with proper posture. Now look at the left illustration with the malalignment. See how the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sunrisemedical.ca/getattachment/Dealer-Clinician-Resources/Blog/blog/2011/March-2011/Practical-Seating-Considerations-Posterior-Pelvic/Mar302011Post-Pic1-1.png.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pelvis is posteriorly tilted&lt;/a&gt;. That is not a good posture since it causes many secondary problems to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding sitting options there are various options to try out. See illustration below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QlYGS.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/QlYGS.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The insight meditational way&lt;/strong&gt; to deal with e.g. increased salivation, uncomfortable sensations in the body would be to take them as an object, note them and let them go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If for example increased salivation is happening, take the feeling of the saliva touching the inner mouth parts and note that a couple of times and then let it go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If an intention to swallow arises, note that intention. That is the &quot;nama&quot; part of reality. The saliva arising is the &quot;rupa&quot; part. Rupa arises and nama knows it. Nama knows rupa. Rupa does not know nama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will come to see the physical and mental aspect of reality. The two streams.&#xA;You will come to see the characteristics of conventional reality, i.e. &lt;em&gt;impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt; of conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you need further help feel free to contact me. Email is on profile page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-01-25T20:04:46.680" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T20:04:46.680" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19079" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-25T17:03:21.547" Score="0" ViewCount="106" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which Buddhists say that there are no conventionally existent wholes, and what's the best reason for the claim?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My &quot;whole&quot; I mean something more than the sum of its parts, an object that does not reduce to its parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-02-01T12:53:00.310" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T12:54:42.410" Title="Which Buddhists say that there are no conventionally existent wholes, and for what reasons?" Tags="|nihilism|argumentation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19079" CreationDate="2017-01-25T19:02:43.443" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any sect of Buddhism which emphasises the emptiness of all things probably says that there are no existent wholes but some sects would say that there are conventionally existent wholes. In other words, we can only talk about their existence from a conventional perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a nice description which talks about a car's existence and its emptiness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;You're walking through town and you get to a street where you see a car. Is there a car? Sure thing! That's why we look left and right before crossing the street, and it would be dangerous to say that &quot;there is no car&quot; (without further explanation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But if we take one car aside and take a closer look, there's no such thing as a car. The windshield isn't it, the wheels aren't it, the chassis isn't it, neither is the engine. What we call a car is just a bundle, a construct not only physically but conceptually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a point which can be difficult to convey. Something is there which will hit you when you cross the street, we call this a car. On the other hand, if we take that car and dismantle it into its pieces we can not find any piece which is the essential car-like-nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the same as when we look at the self. We can investigate all five aggregates (body, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness) and there is no inerrant soul or &quot;me&quot; to be found. However, we can still talk about the &quot;me&quot; existing by convention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-01-25T19:46:17.523" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T19:46:17.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19079" CreationDate="2017-01-25T19:18:24.077" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are conventionally existent objects. Whether you call them wholes or parts does not make a difference, since a part is also a whole and a whole a part. For instance, the petals of a flower are a part of the flower, but a petal is &lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt; whole [as &lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt; petal].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever is an object found by a conventional valid cognizer (such as the eye-consciousness, the ear-consciousness, and so forth) exists conventionally. Since I can see you, you are conventionally existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, no object can withstands ultimate analysis. Another way of saying is that a cognizer analyzing the ultimate will find only emptiness of true existence. For instance, you will not be found by a cognizer validly analyzing &quot;are you your body? are you your anger? are you your feelings? etc.&quot; but you are found by an eye-consciousness (since I see you). In the same way that sound is not apprehended by an eye-consciousness, no conventional truth is found by a mind of ultimate analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the Madhyamika-Prasangika view. This being said, there is no Buddhist school that posits there is no conventionally existent objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-01-25T19:48:27.483" LastActivityDate="2017-01-25T19:48:27.483" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19082" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-25T19:21:15.177" Score="-1" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;I only have a passing knowledge of Buddhism. I keep coming across people (buddhaghoSha, shAntideva, nAgArjuna, vasubandhu, asanga, etc.) who wrote authoritative works on Buddhism. And yet, I don't see it mentioned that they themselves attained Buddhahood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence my question: who were some people who definitely attained Buddhahood after the historical Buddha, Gautama? Or would I be correct in my suspicion that no one did (but many came &quot;very close&quot;), and the next Buddha would be Maitreya?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10704" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T02:35:11.987" Title="Who were some people who attained Buddhahood after the historical Buddha?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19082" CreationDate="2017-01-25T20:05:23.957" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your presumption is more or less correct if we are talking about a Samyaksambuddha.  That's a Buddha who is completely enlightened without karmic remainder, a knower of worlds, an incomprapable tamer of persons to be tamed, and so on and so forth as the the suttas put it.  There is only one of those per world system per age.  Shakyamuni Buddha was the last and Maitreya will supposedly be the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been, however, plenty of people (and I'd include those you've listed) who have reached full enlightenment (e.g. arahat status or nth stage Bodhisattvas...depending on your flavor of Buddhism).  In fact, enlightenment itself isn't even all that rare.  Those who find it, however, just aren't endowed with the other attributes that are accumulated over an almost incalculable amount of meritorious lives and make a full Buddha an unsurpassed, well-gone, teacher of gods and men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T02:35:11.987" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T02:35:11.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19084" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19092" CreationDate="2017-01-25T20:58:37.307" Score="10" ViewCount="1819" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there specific practices, meditation instructions, intended to identify and realize/experience emptiness? Is this different than realizing non-self, or the emptiness of the self? or the emptiness of other/objects?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10705" LastActivityDate="2022-09-26T11:39:52.887" Title="How does one Realize emptiness?" Tags="|meditation|sunyata|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19082" CreationDate="2017-01-26T00:13:21.333" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhahood isn't the only source of authority in Buddhism. We have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;, the final stage is an Arahant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An arahant is like a Buddha in that both understand the nature of the mind and they no longer experience suffering of any kind. Because an arahant can experience dharma first-hand they are an authoritative source for Buddhism. Arahants aren't &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; uncommon or hard to find but we can't prove that someone is an arahant so we just get different lineages who claim that their teacher is an arahant and they treat their teacher as a source of authority. For example see &lt;a href=&quot;https://tisarana.ca/static/books/jayasaro_the_real_practice.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Jayasaro's book&lt;/a&gt; on page 6 where he claims that Ajahn chah (the teacher he trained under) was an aharant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a few differences between an arahant and a Buddha. A Buddha is a type of arahant who has discovered the dharma by themselves without the guidence of another arahant. Since they discovered it themselves they have a superior ability in teaching the dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm uncertain if the authors you mention are claimed to be arahants or even if they are at a lesser stage of enlightenment but we do have many sources of authority which appeared after the historical Buddha's death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T00:13:21.333" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-26T03:25:03.637" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suññatā&lt;/a&gt; means more or less &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;not / nonself&lt;/a&gt;, i.e., the aggregate and empty as they are not self (they are empty of self, there is no self in it), meditation attainments are empty as they are not self, sense bases are empty as it is not self, the world is empty since it is not self. Anything you call self cannot be absolutely controlled and does not last for ever and the experience always ends misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the world is made of vibrations and heat hence in this sense the world is empty, as in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19032/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To realise not self you have to do &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; to achieve the state of yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana. When progressing further in stages of sainthood you will experience Phala Samapatti where all perception and sensation stops. This is also know as empty. Even before this any attainments like Jhana is not self, hence empty. Also higher meditative attainments can be considered empty when there is no roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(1) Kāma,bhū Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(2) Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(3) Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.4-Maha-Sunnata-S-m122-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(4) Maha Sunnata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.3-Cula-Sunnata-S-m121-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(5) Cula Sunnata Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh087.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(6) The Greater Discourse on Voidness: The “Mahā-Suññatā Sutta” (Majjhima Nikāya No.122) And the Commentary from the Papañcasūdanī&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When a monk has emerged from the &lt;em&gt;attainment of cessation of perception&lt;/em&gt; and feeling, houselord,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3 kinds of contacts touch him, that is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the &lt;strong&gt;empty contact&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the signless contact, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the undirected contact.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is empty of self or what belongs to self&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This, avuso, is the way of explaining by which these states are different in meaning and different in&#xA;  name.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Same in meaning, differing only in name&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And in what way, avuso, are these states same in meaning, differing only in name?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) THE UNSHAKABLE FREEDOM OF MIND THAT IS FREE OF MEASURING&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Avuso,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;lust is a measure-maker; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;hate is a measure-maker; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;delusion is a measure-maker. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For a monk whose influxes are destroyed, &lt;strong&gt;they are cut off at the root,&lt;/strong&gt; made like a palm-tree stump,&#xA;  done away with so that they are not subject to further growth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Avuso, of all the immeasurable freedoms of mind, the unshakable freedom of mind is declared as&#xA;  the foremost. Now, that unshakable freedom of mind is &lt;strong&gt;empty of lust, empty of hate, empty of delusion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) THE UNSHAKABLE FREEDOM OF MIND THAT IS FREE OF “THINGS.” Avuso,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;lust is a something; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;hate is a something; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;delusion is a something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Voidness internally: in himself internally; the meaning is: produced in regard to&#xA;  his own five aggregates. [Commentary to MN 122]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And which, friend, is the mind-deliverance of voidness? Here, friend, a bhikkhu,&#xA;  gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place, considers thus: ’This is&#xA;  void of self or property of a self’. [MN 43]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of self&lt;/em&gt;: void of self, called personality, man, person, and so on. &lt;em&gt;Or property of a self&lt;/em&gt;:&#xA;  Void of anything belonging to self called requisite of robes and so forth … . The minddeliverance&#xA;  of voidness belongs to the sense-sphere as to plane, and its object is&#xA;  formations; for it is insight that is here meant by “voidness.” [Commentary to MN 43]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Possessed of full awareness&lt;/em&gt;: fully aware through successfully knowing the&#xA;  meditation subject. Externally: in regard to another’s five aggregates. Internally and&#xA;  externally: at one time internally, at another time externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;This follows Universal Teaching of the Buddhism as preserved in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T17:37:24.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19087" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-26T07:07:43.550" Score="1" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... does not have the appearance of origination and does not have the appearance of cessation, much less the cessation of origination and cessation. Thus, nirvana is right here. But although it is right here, there is no&#xA;  concept of it being right here, which is why it is called everlasting&#xA;  bliss. This bliss is not experienced by anyone, nor is it not&#xA;  experienced by anyone. So how could anyone say there is one body much&#xA;  less...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ordinary fools call it death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;other sects claim it's the end&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;those who follow the Hinayana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;think of it as non action....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Red Pine's translation page 283. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are ordinary fools right to call &quot;Maha Nirvana&quot; death: is that an aspect of it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T13:04:53.220" Title="Discussion with Chih-Tao in the Platform Sutra" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19087" CreationDate="2017-01-26T09:27:33.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the Platform Sutra in Classical Chinese: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;T48n2008_p0357a19(05)║.&lt;strong&gt;..剎那無有生相，剎那無有滅相，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a20(04)║&lt;strong&gt;更無生滅可滅，是則寂滅現前。當現前時，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a21(05)║&lt;strong&gt;亦無現前之量，乃謂常樂。此樂無有受者，亦無不受者，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a22(01)║豈有一體五用之名？何況更言涅槃禁伏諸法，&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a23(00)║令永不生。斯乃謗佛毀法。聽吾偈曰：&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a24(00)║&lt;strong&gt;「無上大涅槃，　　圓明常寂照，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a25(00)║&lt;strong&gt;凡愚謂之死，　　外道執為斷，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  T48n2008_p0357a26(00)║&lt;strong&gt;諸求二乘人，　　目以為無作，&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In 'a split second' (ksaṇa (क्षण)) there is no sign (相, logo, form, nama) of arising; in a split second there is no sign of ceasing; further, there is no arising-ceasing [impermanent activities] to be annihilated (extinguished, ceased, terminated, stopped); thus 'absolute annihilation' (寂滅 Nirvana) emerges. When this emerged, it does not have the quality of emerging {亦無現前之量}, thus this is called constant bliss. For this bliss that is not obtainable, nor that is not unobtainable...&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is equivalent to your quoted &lt;em&gt;&quot;... does not have.... not experienced by anyone&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. The bold Chinese quote are the words that's been translated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comes from the episode about Chih-Tao inquired the 6th Great Huineng his unable to understand the Mahanirvana Sutra (涅槃經), about the &quot;arising-ceasing (or birthing-dying) annihilated, absolute annihilation as the constant bliss&quot; (生滅滅已，寂滅為樂). It's too much too complex to explain in full. In short, in Nirvana, all signs (logos) created or conceived by the intellect and consciousness ceased (extinguished, annihilated). There, it is not even intellect or consciousness. In the whole one Ksana, it is constant bliss, this is Nirvana. Ksana has to be hinted for our intellect and consciousness created the space/time, Ksana is the minimal unit we could infer when using words to explain ideas. In the other way to say, in Nirvana there is no space/time; no space/time, thus no birth/death, for any change must have the element of either space or time, but space/time is an illusion, the absolute is Śūnyatā, Emptiness, it is beyond all the human intellect categories. Therefore &quot;Maha Nirvana&quot; has nothing to do with death. Death is only applicable to body, form, sign, existence, impermenance, and it's viability depended on the Birth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remark:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The newly bold are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;無上大涅槃，圓明常寂照，&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;凡愚謂之死，外道執為斷，&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;諸求二乘人，目以為無作，&lt;/strong&gt; ...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are part of the lines of Buddhist Hymn (偈) given by Great Huineng, to summerize what he taught Chih-Tao. The purpose of Hymns is to let students easily memorize, thus it's always concise, poetic and rhythmic in nature, for at that time people used to learn by heart instead of using CPU for data and search engine! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It goes as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The unsurpassed Maha Nirvana, Perfect and bright, in constant absolute splendor;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;unenlightened laity said that is death {凡愚謂之死}, heretical stuck that is cessation;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;those secondary practitioners, regarded it as non-Doing...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simplicity, Great Huineng commented those laity (your &quot;oridnary fools&quot;) said death is Nirvana, which is incorrect.     　   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T13:04:53.220" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T13:04:53.220" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19067" CreationDate="2017-01-26T10:45:11.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never defined success because nobody is a success. Sooner or later what originates in dust goes to dust with his or her accomplishments. Every effort which originates in desire implies rebirth and pain of going through sufferings of another life. Billionaires and millionaires suffer just like ordinary folks. Buddha talked about getting out of misery not to be comfortably miserable which successful people are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your goal is to be inside a golden prison with all the comforts then Buddha is not for you. Infact you should stop even thinking about being spiritual. But if you become successful because you tried to do your best without desiring it then you are spiritual. That way you will not need Buddha or any other guru or religion because you are just following your nature. That path is also termed as Karma yoga in Hinduism. But very few succeed because success brings in ego of accomplishment. You can be spiritual by just being you. All real artists are spiritual by nature. I have talked to many and figured out that they do not need much help in spirituality. Self actualization I think is a better alternative to taking path of self realization as of now for you.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T10:45:11.260" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19067" CreationDate="2017-01-26T10:59:23.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First thing, &lt;code&gt;&quot;Only those fears death, who have not lived wisely&quot;&lt;/code&gt;, not sure if Gautama Buddha said this. Anyway assuming that he did, what he means is, one day you are going to die, and at that moment you should not be surprised. This can also be rephrased as, &lt;code&gt;Do everything with focus and involvement, as if it is the last thing you would do.&lt;/code&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not about spirituality versus something else. It is a general life thing. Nowadays people are distracted with 200 things on their minds because they got too involved in thinking/creating ideas rather than doing/implementing. People are taking their life for granted so much that when it is over, they have lost the time to live life rather than think about life. That seems to be what you are busy with right now. Your mind is playing with you. And you are playing along unconsciously. If you were conscious, then you would know it and start living life rather than unnecessarily thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, Gautama Buddha's goal is enlightenment and the end of suffering. This is single mindedly looking inward to find out what is the nature of suffering and how to end it. If he accomplishes that, that is success. What is your goal? You need to define that for yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, know that you will die one day and thus live life consciously. And of course thinking/mind is required for planning and executing an activity. It is not of much use otherwise.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T11:04:44.757" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T11:04:44.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-26T11:30:30.000" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pali Buddhism offers the following instructions for realising emptiness (&lt;em&gt;suññatā&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or into&#xA;  an empty dwelling, considers thus: 'This is empty of self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to self.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The eye is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.  Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to a self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ear is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The nose is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The tongue is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The body is empty...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Mind objects... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.85&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is this (mental) dwelling discovered by the Tathagata where, not attending to any themes, he enters &amp;amp; remains in internal&#xA;  emptiness...If...dwelling by means of this dwelling...no covetousness&#xA;  or sadness...will take possession...In this way he is alert&#xA;  there...keeping track of arising &amp;amp; passing away (thus): 'Such is form,&#xA;  such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling... Such&#xA;  is perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such&#xA;  its origination, such its disappearance.' As he stays keeping track of&#xA;  arising &amp;amp; passing away with regard to these five aggregates, any&#xA;  conceit that 'I am' with regard to these five aggregates is&#xA;  abandoned...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 122&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A monk, not attending to the perception of village, not attending to the perception of human being — attends to the singleness based on the&#xA;  perception of wilderness...not attending to the perception of&#xA;  wilderness — attends to the singleness based on the perception of&#xA;  earth...not attending to the perception of earth — attends to the&#xA;  singleness based on the perception of the dimension of the infinitude&#xA;  of space...not attending to the perception of the dimension of the&#xA;  infinitude of space — attends to the singleness based on the&#xA;  perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness...not&#xA;  attending to the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  consciousness — attends to the singleness based on the perception of&#xA;  the dimension of nothingness...not attending to the perception of the&#xA;  dimension of nothingness — attends to the singleness based on the&#xA;  theme-less concentration of awareness...he&#xA;  discerns that 'Whatever is fabricated &amp;amp; mentally fashioned is&#xA;  inconstant &amp;amp; subject to cessation.' He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the effluent of sensuality... the effluent of becoming... the effluent of ignorance, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the effluent of sensuality, empty of the effluent of (self) becoming, empty of the effluent of ignorance....his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is&#xA;  undistorted in meaning, pure — superior &amp;amp; unsurpassed.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 121&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suññatā&lt;/a&gt; means more or less &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;not/non-self&lt;/a&gt;. Therefore, the instructions is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; may also be followed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, to realise emptiness, as described in MN 121 (above), the mind first be made empty or clear. Then the clear mind can observe everything it observes is empty/vacant/void of any self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if the mind observes a rock, cloud or tree, it can see clearly there is no 'self'/'ego' in a rock, cloud or tree. When the mind is clear, empty of thoughts &amp;amp; judgments, it can see the breathing &amp;amp; body are the same as a rock, cloud or tree, namely, empty of any self. Observing like this, the breathing will calm &amp;amp; feelings of rapture will arise, which are observed like a rock, cloud or tree, as empty of self. When rapture calms, the mind will be even clearer &amp;amp; all mental phenomena are observed the same as a rock, cloud or tree, as empty of self. This is how to realise emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To realise not-self &amp;amp; emptiness, the mind must do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Through vipassana, by observing carefully with a concentrated mind, we see the Truth of all things. We realize that everything is&#xA;  impermanent. Anything that we are experiencing now is impermanent.&#xA;  Even the things of which we are unaware are impermanent, that is,&#xA;  continually changing and transforming. The single exception is&#xA;  nibbana, the only thing that does not change. Thus, we know the&#xA;  aniccam (impermanence) of everything. Fur­thermore, the fact of impermanence&#xA;  oppresses and forces us to ex­perience dukkha (unsatisfactoriness)... This state of dukkha&#xA;  can not be endured by anyone; there is no self or soul that can stand&#xA;  up to it. This is anatta. And so we realize aniccam-dukkham-anatta.&#xA;  Together we call them sunnata, voidness of self. Then know tathata,&#xA;  suchness or &quot;just like that.&quot; This is the first step of the fourth&#xA;  tetrad. It is called &quot;aniccam-nupassi.&quot; Just this one word encompasses&#xA;  the realization of aniccam-dukkham-anatta-sunnata-tathata!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T12:01:59.550" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T12:01:59.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-26T14:21:47.027" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;So now we go for the Zen view.  Or I should say Rinzai view.  I want to first pat you on the back. You are absolutely right to say &quot;realize&quot; emptiness.  Please do not try to understand it.  That's a complete waste of time.  I'm not sure if you intended the question this way, but what you are asking for, specifically in your inquiry regarding the emptiness of other things/objects, is nothing less than a request for a full exploration of the path.  I will try to be brief as I can.  The short answer is that you need to sit and that you need to find a teacher.  The long answer follows.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you first walk into the zendo, your teacher will normally tell you to watch your breath much in the way taught in anapanasati.  Here, you begin to develop and collect your mind.  As your sitting deepens and your focus improves - and this may happen over the course of months or even years - you will begin to notice one of any number of phenomenon.  For some people, it feels like your body is expanding, for others your body may disappear, and for still others, your head may feel like it's twisting.  What you experience isn't necessarily as important as that the experiencing is happening.  This is your first glimpse of samadhi.  In the ten oxherding pictures, this is seeing the ox's tracks for the first time.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/An1Dl.png&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/An1Dl.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upon seeing the tracks, the next thing that your teacher will do is give you the Mu koan.  This practice uses the collected mind you developed with anapanasati and directs it toward an actual experience of emptiness.  On every out breath, you will say &quot;muuuuuuuu&quot;.  As the Pali suttas say, you will follow this for the whole body of the breath with the most important place being the very end of your exhalation right before you inhale.  As this practice deepens, you will begin to notice a blankness.  This is your first glimpse of emptiness and it usually happens completely by accident.  In the ox herding series, this is seeing the ox's butt sticking out from behind a bush.  Your next task is to make that experience habitual.  This is grabbing the ox's reins.  To hold the reins is to generally know where the ox is at all times and how to find him when you need him.  With the ox's reins firmly in hand, your next task is to gain mastery over the experience.  In essence, you are deepening your command of body, breath, and mind.  This is taming and leading the ox.  With the ox tame, you may now ride him.  This is becoming one with emptiness or one with Mu.  As Master Mumon says, here &quot;all the illusory ideas and delusive thoughts accumulated up to the present will be exterminated, and when the time comes, internal and external will be spontaneously united. You will know this, but for yourself only, like a dumb man who has had a dream.&quot;  At this point, you will be asked to call Mu by your teacher.  Your calling of mu will demonstrate how well internal and external are united...how well you, the ox, mu, the body, emptiness, the breath, and mind have all become one thing.  Getting to this point can take years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And with that, your Zen training wheels come off.  From here on out, emptiness is no longer a realization.  Instead, it becomes a tool that you will use for the remainder of your training.  After you answer the Mu koan, you will begin to work through any number of other koans.  Zen calls this climbing the mountain of swords that is riddled with the skulls of the fallen.  And it can be every bit as daunting as that description implies.  Each koan forces you to confront some aspect of yourself - some fear, attachment, belief, etc. - that is keeping you from true enlightenment.  But rather than working with these things intellectually as you might in therapy, you approach these karmic impediments from the experience of emptiness.  The deeper you go into mu [emptiness], the better the insight you gain, and the more likely you are to unshackle yourself from these obstacles.  The entirety of this practice is a dance between the world of form and the world of emptiness.  You delve into emptiness in your sitting and you bring it back to the world of form in your probing of the koan you are working with.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bit by bit, koan by koan, year after year, sesshin after sesshin, the wall between you and enlightenment breaks down.  Eventually, it will fall away completely.  At the moment of enlightenment, the very separation between the world of form and emptiness dissolves entirely.  You will know, just as intimately as the feeling of your butt against the cushion, what the Heart Sutra means when it says that &quot;form is emptiness and emptiness is form&quot;.  You will directly see the emptiness of all things - of yourself, objects, thought...the entire universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then you get to be the fat old Buddha who gets drunk with the butchers and generally causes a nuisance in the town below.  Happy sitting!                    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T19:18:48.867" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T19:18:48.867" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19093" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-26T14:34:14.310" Score="3" ViewCount="390" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not much more to elaborate than just the question. But the website is making me type more stuff. So here it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4961" LastActivityDate="2020-11-27T09:18:49.693" Title="what is zen's attitude / teaching on keeping a journal?" Tags="|zen|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19093" CreationDate="2017-01-26T15:18:43.193" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not necessary.  In fact, it might even be an impediment.  Thoughts about your experience/practice have a pesky way of being wildly wrong.  Any idea or theorizing generally just gets in the way.  I remember working with one koan in particular that I was damn sure I had nailed down.  I began ruminating over it and extrapolated that experience into all sorts of crazy theories.  Sure enough, in the dokusan room my teacher told me that I was barking up the wrong tree.  With that, my entire theory crumbled into dust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So no, a journal isn't necessary.  Not unless you want to laugh at yourself and your overwhelming stupidity somewhere down the road!  :) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T15:18:43.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19095" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19106" CreationDate="2017-01-26T15:39:06.397" Score="3" ViewCount="2352" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I faced such thing. Occasionally I faced an orthodox guy. We were talking about marriage, then he came on this thing &quot;My religion is xxx what is yours?&quot;&#xA;First I ignored him but he asked me again so I answered &quot;Buddhist.&quot; He didn't really understand me and was pretending like he did. So if someone asks me this question in the future what should I say?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-27T05:26:38.943" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T06:39:59.427" Title="What should we say when someone asks 'What is your religion?'" Tags="|religion|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19095" CreationDate="2017-01-26T17:04:06.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In your current social context maybe it is safe to shy away from religious talk considering people may be religious bigots. But you may also want to reel them in on their religion and attitude. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And as for such talk about other religions having more women or whatever, you can just dismiss it for yourself. Sometimes it may be wise to not try and penetrate the other person's ignorance. You may prick the ego instead. And that's dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And one more thing, Buddhism has certain practices and goals. And that must be all. Try not to identify too much with it or defend it. Know for yourself that you are going on the path you feel is right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-26T17:15:31.073" LastActivityDate="2017-01-26T17:15:31.073" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19098" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-26T17:56:56.350" Score="1" ViewCount="354" Body="&lt;p&gt;The world is going to a point of no return, with the thirst for materialistic grandeur and power to rule over nature; after the conquered of Oriental by the Occidental. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livescience.com/57632-elon-musk-neural-lace-artificial-intelligence.html?utm_source=notification&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt; talks about Cyborg. Cyborg, Bionic Man, Clone, Trans-human... these could be the future of you and me, friends and colleagues walking on the streets. Or programmed, or with specific &quot;functions&quot;, or one prototype of &quot;human resources&quot;, it could all be tailor-made. When human falls into such situation, are Buddhist self-cultivation practices such as meditation, mantra chanting, concentration of mind... etc still viable; can enlightenment still be reachable for these types of humans? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Explanation Added:&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Especially for certain schools of practices, it's about the Wind (氣), Nadi (脈), Bindu (明點) related to the human body, e.g., the Tibetan School. Certain other schools, included is the Hinayana, that the practice of the White Skeleton Visualization is depended upon working on the body to transform the consciousness - can a &quot;Re-made Human&quot; &lt;em&gt;(Cyborg, Trans-human who has his body parts enhanced, replaced by organic or inorganic components, partially human partially machine, with devices implanted to achieve certain supernatural abilities such as remote viewing, mind control with micro-wave... all could be imagined... in short, Iron Man or Wolverine type of human)&lt;/em&gt; do the Buddhist practices and achieve enlightenment?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remarks Added 14/02/2017&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.marketwatch.com/story/elon-musk-on-cyborgs-and-the-huge-disruption-thats-closer-than-people-think-2017-02-13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MarketWatch&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Musk also touched one of his favorite topics: artificial intelligence. Specifically, he spoke of humans eventually merging with machines, like something out of a &quot;Terminator&quot; movie. ...merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence ...the bandwidth, the speed of the connection between your brain and the digital version of yourself...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The future human destiny is approaching us with rapidity:&#xA;In a beautiful name called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-upgrading-humans-will-become-the-next-billion-dollar-industry-2017-04-03&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;upgrading&lt;/em&gt; human.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T10:36:59.990" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T12:00:13.050" Title="Can Cyborg/ Trans-human reach enlightenment? When enlightenment is depended on a Human Body" Tags="|philosophy|modern-world|enlightenment|human|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19098" CreationDate="2017-01-26T18:04:46.247" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is actually unanswerable. However a human being is vastly more complicated than a mere cyborg. The ability to achieve enlightenment. Whereas a cyborg would be created artificially, and is merely a mind and a body to accomplish some tasks. Therefore it doesn't seem plausible that a cyborg achieves enlightenment/Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&#xA;Understood the clarification. The changes you mention, like enhanced body parts or something, may enhance man's capacity in the outside world but the alterations to the body structure/parts will have lots of unintended consequences. We don't clearly understand the ramifications and chemical&#xA;imbalances in the system. In the same way that we are able to interact seamlessly with mobile phones in our age of technology, man's capability will increase but seemingly at a cost of his/her own natural technology called the mind and body. It is still an artificial way rather than a natural style. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take a simple example. Are you able to meditate well with all the interactions you are having with your computer and mobile phone and Facebook/Twitter etc.,? If you are able to think about this you will understand how spiritual goal is unrelated and artificially enhancing life spans or body parts will be detrimental to a person's spiritual growth. Understand that man's body is already a well engineered machine. Just because we are insensitive to that and don't treat it well, doesn't mean our body is not an awesome machine. Our bodies are a vehicle too. We must oil it well and consume well in order to keep it running. But it has its life span and capabilities and we must respect that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-01-27T04:32:10.687" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T04:32:10.687" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-27T00:21:44.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most concise answer I have found comes from Nagarjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That which arises dependently we explain as emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10714" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T00:21:44.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19093" CreationDate="2017-01-27T01:40:18.130" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Zen is indescribable. Where do you get these thoughts like zen has some rules or attitudes towards anything you do apart from maybe sitting meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look most of the things we do in this world has not much point apart from the ideas and concepts we are creating in our minds. I don't see why journal keeping is any different unless you unsuccessfully try to write Zen everyday in your journal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take for example tea-making. It is done with great attention and care and sipped with great attention and care. Such a simple thing is a ceremony. So, you could also sit there and write a journal with focus and attention if you would like to. Why are you bothered about Zen? Throw it and write your journal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T01:40:18.130" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19102" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19108" CreationDate="2017-01-27T04:17:01.000" Score="4" ViewCount="297" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A kōan (公案?) (/ˈkoʊ.ɑːn/; Chinese: 公案; pinyin: gōng'àn; Korean: 공안 (kong'an); Vietnamese: công án) is a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;story, dialogue, question, or statement,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (1) which is used in Zen practice to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;provoke the &quot;great doubt&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (2) and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;test a student's progress&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (3) in Zen practice. (4)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kōan Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are these stories, dialogues, questions, or statements? Where do they come from? How are they formulated?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is &quot;great doubt&quot;? What is the goal of provoking &quot;great doubt&quot;?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is being tested? What are the possible responses? How does the response quantify progress?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the overall goal of kōans? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps considering a few kōans it is possible to illustrate the process from choosing or formulating the story, question, statement, or dialog, inspiring &quot;great doubt&quot;, and how this measures progress and ultimately relates to the goal kōans / &quot;great doubt&quot; is supposed to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking for an explanation based on any tradition using kōans including but not limited to &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/zen&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;zen&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;zen&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/mahayana&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;mahayana&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;mahayana&lt;/a&gt;. Objective is to better understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=koan&quot;&gt;following content&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T10:52:38.810" Title="How do kōans work?" Tags="|mahayana|zen|koans|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14604" CreationDate="2017-01-27T04:47:18.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Threefold Truth The Tiantai school took up the principle of The&#xA;  Threefold Truth, derived from Nāgārjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phenomena are empty of self-nature, Phenomena exist provisionally from&#xA;  a worldly perspective, Phenomena are both empty of existence and exist&#xA;  provisionally at once.[5] The transient world of phenomena is thus&#xA;  seen as one with the unchanging, undifferentiated substratum of&#xA;  existence. This doctrine of interpenetration is reflected in the&#xA;  Tiantai teaching of three thousand realms in a single moment of&#xA;  thought.[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Threefold Truth has its basis in Nāgārjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All things arise through causes and conditions. That I declare as&#xA;  emptiness. It is also a provisional designation. It is also the&#xA;  meaning of the Middle Path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am far from qualified to answer this question. But conceptually I believe it's not too difficult to understand the Three Truths, essentially it boils down to the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, understanding that things are empty. Based on dependent origination, we realize that all phenomena that arises are subject to cessation. This is because that is, this is not because that is not. Hence, based on Nagarjuna designation, it is seen as empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, seeing everything as empty doesn't tell us what really goes on. So we at least need to know how to make use of this emptiness. We need to be able to turn our ignorance and delusion into wisdom. We need to perceive the effects of the Four Noble Truths, see the Dharma from Suffering to End of Suffering. We need to become enlightened. We also need to avoid the dangerous pitfall of thinking there is nothing at all and become annihilistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally when we have attained some wisdom, we also need to realized that whatever attainments we have made, is too impermanent and subject to change. This realization is the middle way. That things are neither merely empty nor truly existent. This is the Middle Way between annihilism and eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T04:47:18.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19102" CreationDate="2017-01-27T05:48:14.847" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The original connotation of the term in Chinese pertains to public records. Koans are often accounts of pupils interacting with masters, or their expression which was part of such interaction, and is contained in such classics as &quot;The Blue Cliff Record.&quot; By their character and what has been preserved within them, they are thought to catalyze a shift in consciousness toward waking up in those who contemplate them during meditation and labours. Formal ceremonies, whereby pupils assigned such koans discuss them with their teacher and within the brief exchange disclose glimmerings of insight, have become part of specialized Buddhist tradition, particularly amongst monks in Rinzai Zen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem of embarking on any great adventure of humility is that it takes an effort of ego to initiate. The great mystery of waking up is that at some point an effort must be made, and then, in its aftermath, a collapse. One of the essential qualities of Zen Buddhism is its emphasis on arationality, transconceptual process, or transcendent insight. These koans, acting as rocks for a nutcracker, become a catalyst around which awakening might emerge, and in part due to the arising of this collapse, a return to unknowing (great doubt).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of the interview with the master, nothing is being tested, though the ceremony may give the impression of this having occurred. There is no real limit to possible responses, though social constraints and protocols will have a bearing on the outcome. Since there is no clear, predetermined response requested or specified, it becomes the role of the teacher to act as an authoritative 'spotter', inasmuch as all are monks present but some have more experience at recognizing the qualities of realization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a trope that koans are riddles, puzzles, with particular solutions, and some of them are even presented in such a fashion, recursively inquiring as to the rationale of some simple, ambiguous, or confusing remark. Yet koans are only incidentally instructive or quizzing by character, and the response cannot, because of the very human and artistic form of that which they are part, quantify anything. Instead, progress is always qualified and conditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10712" LastEditorUserId="10712" LastEditDate="2017-01-28T10:52:38.810" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T10:52:38.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4112" CreationDate="2017-01-27T06:16:22.677" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to whether Dhammacakkappavattana is the first or most important, scholars have made it plain that our reconstruction of events does not allow us to conclude that the narration of the biography of the Buddha Gautama or a specified priority outside of traditional context will hold unchallenged by sound reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the most important of sutras otherwise which you might consider, or ask your teachers about, would be the Kalama Sutra, which is called the Buddha's &quot;Charter of Free Inquiry&quot;, as it allows a balanced approach to all other sutras going forward, both inside and outside of the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10712" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T06:16:22.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19095" CreationDate="2017-01-27T06:39:59.427" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Determine what you will say based on what you can learn from the other person with whom you are talking. Listen carefully to what they say and presume nothing about what they mean. Ask careful questions about what a religion is and see whether what you are part of is a religion by this meaning. You may discover that while Buddhism is a religion the Dharma is something greater and more heartening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The opportunity for sharing of the Dharma includes as much a listening attitude as it does an attempt to explain what we understand and know. Often meeting people on level ground is as much of an assist to others to find their way as comparing views or values may support our own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When someone asks a personal question, this is an invitation from them (for whatever reason) to get to know us better, to bring our mind to front and show them who we are. Unless they are already our spiritual guide or filial teacher then we owe them no compliance or explanation in any final sense. Our answer can be &quot;I do not know.&quot; and this may become an embrace of humility from which we will persistently benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These categories are not rooted and cemented for all time. What &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a religion? Is Buddhism one? Is that what it has always been called? By whom? Perhaps the orthodox guy was bold and yet helpful, and his secret instruction to those he was asking was to cause us to wonder whether religion is valuable and how it helps us to come to a wakeful mind. Are 'isms' generally good at doing this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10712" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T06:39:59.427" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19093" CreationDate="2017-01-27T09:28:24.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was a novice monk in a monastic retreat at my temple in Taiwan, which lineage wise is Linji Chan although they embrace all forms of Buddhist practice, as well as modern methods and technology to propagate the Dharma, one of the activity was to keep a daily diary of our experiences. And generally I tend to have a lot to say just about everything that occurred as well as my personal thoughts, this was handed over to our teachers for feedback. My teacher thought it was good that I have a lot to say, maybe even a bit too much to say that it has become a stream of consciousness. I distinctly recall an acquaintance new to the Dharma that struggled badly to write anything down and end up doodling on the page. It was through this comparison that I realized I really did mature as a person through my practice. Good diaries were further shared on the notice board to benefit other participants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally it can be wonderful to reflect on and share important special moments. It can cultivate a mind of gratitude, appreciation, good will and resolve. When you begin to cultivate yourself, your writing likewise show your personal refinement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can even find inspiration from seeing enlightened thoughts within your peers, their resolution to become better people and so forth. Our temple even publish diaries of young novice monks which are just wonderfully heart warming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T09:28:24.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19102" CreationDate="2017-01-27T15:16:39.690" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to try my best and not give too much away, but unless I use a specific example, I'm not sure how else to proceed.  Let's use:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mumonkan - Case 4: The Western Barbarian With No Beard&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Case:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wakuan said, &amp;quot;Why has the Western Barbarian no beard?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mumon's Comment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Study should be real study, enlightenment should be real&#xA;enlightenment. You should once meet this barbarian directly to be&#xA;really intimate with him. But saying you are really intimate with him&#xA;already divides you into two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mumon's Verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't discuss your dream&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Before a fool.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Barbarian with no beard&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;Obscures the clarity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, some preliminaries.  So what is a koan?  Koans are usually a secondhand account of an exchange between a master and a student or between two enlightened masters.  Read as literature, these exchanges were either teaching moments or a test of another's quality of experience and/or current state of mind.  Practically speaking, koans are teaching tools.  Every koan points to something.  Sometimes it's an aspect of the enlightened mind (like in Gutei Raises a Finger or The Buddha Holds Up a Flower), other times it can be some psychological hang up like in The Western Barbarian Has No Beard or in The Golden Carp Falls Out of the Net. There are also what are known as break through koans that are designed &lt;strike&gt;to mess your head up completely&lt;/strike&gt; to really advance your practice.  These would include things like Mu or Nansen Cuts the Cat in Two.  (I think Hakuin breaks koans into five classes, but this is the general gist.)  Like a legal precedent (koan literally means &amp;quot;legal case&amp;quot;), koans are records of past insights that can help a student form a basis of enlightened understanding (or supramundane knowledge as the Theravada would have it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each koan is broken into two basic parts.  First, you have the case (the quoted text above).  To go with it, there is what is known as the &amp;quot;turning phrase&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;hua tou&lt;/em&gt; in Chinese) that express the essence of the koan.  The &lt;em&gt;hua tou&lt;/em&gt; is given to you by your teacher when you begin to work with a particular case.  In meditation, you simple say that phrase on your out breath.  In the case above, on every exhalation you'd just say &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Koans are an insight practice.  In order to work with them effectively, you first have to develop some mastery over working with mushin or emptiness.  In Theravada, this would roughly equate to an extremely deep state of access concentration.  We Zen folk believe, much like you Elder folks, that unless the mind is quelled, there is no way for insight to occur.  It would be an exercise in futility to ruminate intellectually over a koan although this remains a problem that many students run into.  To avoid that and guide the student toward an experience of emptiness (e.g. deep access concentration), we use the mu koan to tame the mind (you can read more about that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19092/698&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once mu or emptiness is established, the student can then start working with other koans.  Working with a koan can be hell or heaven.  If you've practiced jhana meditation at all, you know how oppressive deep concentration can sometimes feel.  In the case of our example, saying &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot; to yourself, sincerely, on every out breath, with no intellectualizing over what &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot; means, gives rise to a very deep experience of emptiness.  The Mu koan equates this with &amp;quot;swallow[ing] a red-hot iron ball, which you cannot spit out even if you try.&amp;quot;  This is the Great Doubt.  It's important to distinguish this kind of Doubt from the small doubt you'd have of, say, the Falcons winning the Superbowl. The Great Doubt is visceral and is the product of a full suspension of intellectual examination and the concentration of the mind in a state of emptiness.  And it can suck.  (That being said, sometimes piti can arise and become so menacingly strong that it can sweep you right into the 1st jhana.  But still, you say &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;.  Sometimes you'll be able to relax into the 2nd jhana, other times you go right back to the suck.  But always - &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's the meditation side of things.  Now we come out of meditation with our minds made calm and apply it to our Barbarian.  First, some context.  The Western Barbarian is, of course, Bodhidharma.  He has a beard.  Everybody knows that.  To say he doesn't is like denying the 800 lbs. gorilla in the room who is throwing feces at you while ripping up your first edition copy of The Fellowship of the Ring.  This simian is an asshole and you really need to acknowledge him.  As a student works with &amp;quot;no beard&amp;quot; things are going to come up (we are yogacara peeps so we'd say that they arise from the alaya-vijnana or store house consciousness).  For this koan, what arises will probably be something about your psychological makeup or habitual patterning that you'd rather sweep under the rug.  This koan says no, no sir.  Tell me what's there.  You leverage emptiness to pry something out of your psyche.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would actually say it's unwise to try to use koans to quantify progress.  Some people can answer hundreds of koans and not reach enlightenment.  Other can get there with just a handful.  It's kind of like a game of psychological Jenga.  There are pieces that can be taken quite easily at no risk to our mundane selves.  You'll answer those very rapidly.  Other pieces - danger!  These can take longer to dislodge, but when you pull them out the entire structure can come toppling over.  Your teacher is basically like the foreman of a wrecking crew.  It falls on his or her experience to select those koans that will cause your little Jenga tower to come down in the least amount of moves.  Koans can also be used to prod or gauge a student's mind.  If you are having trouble with a particular koan, it can help point to those areas where your teacher might want to attack.  In post-enlightenment practice, they also help demonstrate where you are still blocked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Koans really aren't all that mystical.  They are actually very practical in their purpose and execution.  I hope that gave you at least some inkling into how they &amp;quot;work&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T18:55:19.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19109" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-27T18:48:51.500" Score="6" ViewCount="556" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to maintain certain skeptical doubts about literal reincarnation and continue to work towards stream-entry, assuming one's practice is sincere and vigilant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10716" LastEditorUserId="10716" LastEditDate="2017-01-27T21:18:31.800" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T12:04:54.273" Title="Buddhism, Reincarnation, and Doubt" Tags="|personal-practice|rebirth|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-01-27T21:03:00.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to maintain certain skeptical doubts about literal reincarnation and continue to work towards stream-entry, assuming one's practice is sincere and vigilant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, to sincerely &amp;amp; vigilantly work towards stream-entry, it is preferable to have the absolute conviction there is no 'reincarnation' (i.e., life after the termination of life) at all because the basic realisations of stream-entry are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) there is no real self (to continue when life ends); and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) all that is subject to arising is subject to cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About 'vigilance', the Buddha's final words were:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with vigilance!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-Parinibbana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fetter of doubt (&lt;em&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/em&gt;) in respect to the teachings (which must be broken for stream-entry) is not related to any perceived (interpreted) teachings about reincarnation. Instead, it is related to the noble or transcendent (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;) teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths &amp;amp; the Three Characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self (which are not about reincarnation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Teachings or True Dhamma is described as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Dhamma is visible in the here-&amp;amp;-now, timeless (immediately effective), inviting verification (inspection), pertinent, to be realized (verified) by the wise for themselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.047.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sanditthika Sutta: Visible Here-&amp;amp;-Now&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Pali scriptures are read, there will be no account of stream-entry found based on teachings about reincarnation. Accounts of stream-entry are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One discoursed to him a graduated sermon. He spoke on the subjects of generosity, virtue, the heavens (mental states of happiness), on the&#xA;evil consequences, the vanity and the depravity of sensual pleasures,&#xA;and on the advantages of renunciation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Blessed One perceived that the mind of Upāli, the householder, was prepared, pliant, free from hindrances, elevated and&#xA;lucid, then he revealed to him that exalted doctrine of the Buddhas,&#xA;viz. Suffering, its Arising, its Ceasing and the Path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as a clean cloth, free from stain, would take the dye perfectly, even so, to Upāli, the householder, whilst seated in that place, there&#xA;arose (in him) the spotless, stainless vision of Truth. He knew:&#xA;Whatsoever has causally arisen must inevitably pass utterly away.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then Upāli, the householder, having thus, in the Dispensation of the Exalted One seen the Truth; attained to the Truth; comprehended the&#xA;Truth, penetrated the Truth, overcome doubt; cast off uncertainty and&#xA;gained full confidence without dependence on another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upali Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures, particularly &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;, state any teaching that infers reincarnation is only a teaching that supports the practise of morality but not liberation; that such a teaching is polluted (by &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt;; defilements), is not 'noble' &amp;amp; results in attachment/acquisition (&lt;em&gt;upadhi&lt;/em&gt;), as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is right view? Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right view with effluents (asava), siding with merit,&#xA;resulting in acquisitions [of becoming; upadhi]; there is right view that is&#xA;noble, without effluents, transcendent (lokuttara), a factor of the&#xA;path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stream-entry is a 'noble' attainment therefore can only be attained by following the noble transcendent (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;) teachings, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning,&#xA;transcendent (lokuttara), connected with emptiness (sunnata) — are&#xA;being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them,&#xA;will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how&#xA;you should train yourselves.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A&lt;em&gt;ni Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-27T21:37:34.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5948" CreationDate="2017-01-28T02:16:17.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I practice mahasi sayadaw -  and from my personal understanding its best not to eat meat cause its wholesome  - its hard for me to explain all the ways it is wholesome but i think it helps in compassion and in self control like another extra precepts that can help  the practice even though its not a must &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i also found this text but not of theravada which talks about meat eating :  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the Bodhisattva precepts are about not harming, either oneself or others, or animals.  The first major precept is to ‘Refrain from taking life’.  It points out in great details that one should not kill oneself, nor cause someone else to do it, nor do it in a roundabout way, nor create the cause or conditions, nor the means to kill.  It is an exhaustive list that makes us reflect on the many ways by which we might cause harm.  We might not kill other people or any living creatures but do we cause them harm in any other way.  And if we cause them harm, how do we do it?  Do we do it in a round about way so we do not feel responsible for it?   Do we create the causes and conditions for causing harm needlessly?  These precepts show us that wisdom and compassion help us to reflect on our actions and intentions.  Then the precept explains why we should not kill and that is because the duty of a Bodhisattva is to be always compassionate and to lead others to liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several precepts that investigate what it means to be non-harming due to a compassionate attitude.  The third major precepts, which encourages proper sexual behaviour, states that the reason for doing so is that otherwise perverted, indecent, indiscriminate sexual behaviour would cause compassion to disappear.  When one is in the power of lustful thoughts or feelings, can one reflect on what would be the compassionate things to do for all involved in that moment?  This precept  reminds us: “It is the duty of a bodhisattva to always present a state of mind which conforms to the Buddha-nature and to lead others to liberation by teaching them the pure Dharma.”   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third secondary precept encourages vegetarianism on the ground that if someone were to eat the flesh of animals he would destroy great compassion and great kindness and the seed of the Buddha-nature.  To this day monasteries and nunneries in China and Korean are completely vegetarian.  Since it seemed more difficult for laypeople to be fully vegetarian then six specified fasting or vegetarian days a month were created as well as three special months of abstinence, i.e. times when one avoids animal food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;taken from : &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.stephenbatchelor.org/index.php/en/compassion-in-action&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.stephenbatchelor.org/index.php/en/compassion-in-action&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T02:16:17.230" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-01-28T03:51:33.630" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I am to use the very same words that you used, but to convey the opposite of what you said…. It is NOT possible to maintain certain skeptical doubts about literal reincarnation and continue to work towards stream-entry, even if assuming one's practice is sincere and vigilant. Re-birth is not a concept. It is the truth. So I hope that I will be able to shed some light on Re-birth as only in this acceptance will you be able to go forth towards Stream Entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without knowing about the Buddha’s world view (31 realms of existence and the suffering in the four lower realms) you will not comprehend the “sansaric suffering” as most suffering is incurred when one is born in any of the four lowest realms. To have faith in the Buddha’s world view, one needs to spend some time examining the evidence for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please check out the work of the late Professor Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia who conducted over 20 years of research on the authenticity of rebirth accounts.  Professor Jim Tucker continued on this and you will find several books on rebirth by these two professors. Ex.  “Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation” by Ian Stevenson. Also read “Rebirth as Doctrine and Experience” by Francis Story (2003); first edition 1975). &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w2MCpzE8u0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THIS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; video discusses their work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In “Soul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot”, Bruce and Andrea Leininger detail the story of their son’s recount of a past life. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk7biSOzr1k&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a ABC News report on the story. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHp9bGVDB8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; you will find another story of the rebirth of a Civil War General.  . &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGHDpgBc9Dk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a three-year old chanting Buddhist suttas . Can a three-year old memorize such complex suttas? Check out the lives of other  child prodigies. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_child_prodigies&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a list of child prodigies from Wikipedia. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many cases of people remembering past lives when hypnotized. Then there are Out-of-Body Experiences and Near-Death Experiences that you could read about on internet. A living being, upon exhausting the kammic energy for one existence, grabs hold of another strong kammic potential for the next existence. If the energy of that kammic potential is large, the being may be reborn many times in that existence until that kammic energy is exhausted. It is important to remember that in Paticca Samuppada, it is “upadana paccaya bhavo“, i.e., grasping or craving (upadana) that leads to existence (bhava). When the kammic energy for your “bhava” has run out by the time your death occurs, then a new “bhava” will be grasped at the death moment. &#xA;In accepting rebirth, and in contemplating on it, when one begins to clearly see why it is not fruitful to stay in “this world” of 31 realms, he/she has understood the true nature, the three characteristics anicca, dukkha, anatta, of “this world”. Almost all of us have mis-understood and mis-interpreted the meaning of these three words - anicca, dukkha, anatta. That is why the True Path is hidden to all of us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T03:42:08.980" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T03:42:08.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-28T04:12:04.550" Score="3" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;Isn't it possible that whatever they have realised is just a psychological effect? Doing continuously hard practices leads to affect their mind and they tend to believe that, yes, this is the truth. They started lying to themselves that they know the truth?&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;I truly respect their teachings which shows us the path to live a good life. I am just talking about the real truth (if there is any).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With love.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10718" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-01-28T22:17:59.703" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T12:24:36.837" Title="How can anyone who hasn't realised the truth, claim that Mahatma Buddha or any other person in history realised God or the Truth?" Tags="|enlightenment|meditation|tibetan-buddhism|hinduism|jainism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-01-28T04:39:36.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To start the practice of Vipassana you do to believe in the teaching of rebirth if you subscribe to another line of thought: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) Nigrodha, you may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to win disciples.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let whoever is your teacher remain as your teacher.&#xA;(2) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us fall from our rules.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let your rules remain as your rules.&#xA;(3) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us fall from our livelihood.’ This is not so.&#xA;       Let your livelihood remain as your livelihood.&#xA;(4) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us do unwholesome things and follow unwholesome teachings.’ This is not so.&#xA;       Let what you consider unwholesome continue to be so considered.&#xA;(5) You may think,&#xA;    The recluse Gotama says this to separate us from wholesome things and wholesome teachings.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let what you consider wholesome continue to be so considered.&#xA;—I do not speak for any of these reasons.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.4-Udumbarika-Sihanada-S-d25-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udumbarika Sihanada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your belief can be conditioned by contemporary thinking, other religions beliefs or maybe you logical deduction. Holding on to these beliefs generate caving and aversion hence misery so as you practice let go of them and let the right view develop in your mind based on understanding. Every moment rebirth is happening where mind and matter disintegrates and reforms, were taking a new body at death is only a special case or rebirth. Until you understand this these are also view so do not get too attached to it. The Dhamma is Universal hence you do not have even categorise this as Buddha Dhamma, X school dhamma, Y lineage dhamma, Z teacher's dhamma, this view of dhamma, that view of dhamma, this view of reality, that view of reality, this view of truth or that view of truth, this school of thought, that school of thought in which case the efficacy of the universal teaching is lost as it becomes sectarian.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; As the working of Dhamma is Universal regardless of whether you believe in it or not it happens. A person who believe in gravity or and on who does not will, be equally hurt when you fall and hit the ground. The same is true if you label yourself physicist, X_ist, Y_ist or what not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As iterated before, through you can start without the doubt about rebirth. To progress in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 Fold Noble Path&lt;/a&gt;, you will have to straighten you view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is wrong view?&#xA;  (It is the view) that ‘there is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or&#xA;  result of good or evil actions. &lt;strong&gt;There is no this world, no next world;&lt;/strong&gt; there is no mother, no father, there&#xA;  are no beings that are reborn, there are no brahmins and recluses who, living rightly and practising&#xA;  rightly, having directly known and realized for themselves this world and the hereafter, proclaim them.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.10-Maha-Cattarisaka-S-m117-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Cattarīsaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not imply that you cannot practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; if you hold this view but to progress you have to straighten you view. Also you cannot be completely skeptical about the teaching as then you will not practice in earnest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble 8 Fold Path being the path to walk to get to stream entry, if you hold on to this view then you cannot reach this goal, though at the start this is not necessary. Even this in stages where &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;faith&lt;/a&gt; will be inspired through leaned understanding or wisdom, logical understanding and experientially understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Words like Hindu-dharma, Buddhist-dharma or Jain-dharma, were never used in our ancient literature. Other sects came much later, but even when these three were there, nobody used these words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do these universal characteristics have to do with Hinduism? What have they to do with Buddhism, or Christianity, Islam, Jainism or Sikhism? Fire burns; ice cools. This is a universal law of nature. If fire does not burn itself and others, it cannot be fire. If it is fire, then its characteristic must be to burn itself and to burn others. The dharma of the sun is to give light and heat. If it does not give light and heat, it cannot be the sun. The dharma of the moon is to give a soft, cool light. This is the dharma, the nature of the moon. If it does not do that, it is not the moon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a wonderful technique of India. Unfortunately, our country lost it because we lost the real meaning of the word dharma. Now these crutches, these scaffoldings of Hindu-dharma, Buddhist-dharma, Jain-dharma and Muslim-dharma have become predominant for us. When we say Hindu-dharma, then Hindu is predominant for us. Poor Dharma recedes behind the curtain into the darkness. Dharma has no value, because Hindu is more important. When we say Muslim-dharma, Muslim is important. When we say Buddhist-dharma, Buddhist is important; Jain-dharma, Jain is important. It's as if Dharma is not an entity of its own. But what a great entity Dharma is! It is the law of nature, the eternal truth; and we are missing it when we give prominence to these false scaffoldings, crutches. We are forgetting the real essence of Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When someone starts giving importance to Hindu-dharma, he never gives importance to Dharma. Hindu-dharma and all the rites, rituals, ceremonies and appearances become more important for this person. He performs them and feels that he is a very Dharmic person. Similarly, if one gives importance to Muslim-dharma, Sikh-dharma, or Buddhist-dharma, one feels that he is a very Dharmic person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dharma is nothing but a pure science, a super-science of mind and matter: the interaction of mind and matter, the cross-currents and the under-currents happening deep inside every moment. Things are happening inside every moment, but we remain extroverted, giving importance to things outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Dharmaand-Sectarianism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma and Sectarianism&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Gracious-Flow-of-Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gracious Flow of Dharma&lt;/a&gt; by S.N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T06:13:13.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T04:49:45.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ability to be a little bit skeptical can keep you sane in the midst of all the insanity going on around us. But what you mentioned is of another nature. But I do not blame you. We live in very unfortunate times when Adhamma (falsehoods) comes in the form of Dhamma. Today we only limit Dhamma to only talk, or to write about or debate. So ours is only an intellectual knowledge, unlike that of ones on the Path. Then what we talk or write is inconsistent with the Sutta-Vinaya, and only misguide and mislead those unfortunate ones who would place their trust on what is written.  So please be heedful. It is better if you could start listening to dhamma sermons of a selected few like Bhikku Bodhi, than reading what is found online. Then you will begin to know firsthand many a truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you lived at the time of Ajahn Chah or Ajahn Mun, of the Thai Monastery would have never had this kind of thought. So the next best thing to do is... as long as you keep up the practice diligently while at home and try to be in touch (on line) with the right people for advice… to also start listening to sermons. I would like to introduce you to one such. He is Ven. Khemarathana Thero.  He is a western monk who helped Bhikku Bodhi in his latest book “THE BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS ON SOCIAL AND COMMUNAL HARMONY: AN ANTHOLOGY OF DISCOURSES FROM THE PALI…”&#xA;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;For now try to watch a few of his sermons in YouTube….&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhfUa4jA4RkZxg4ReKWMnVCx1nZzMC_o6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhfUa4jA4RkZxg4ReKWMnVCx1nZzMC_o6&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/watch&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-01-28T15:48:57.780" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T15:48:57.780" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T05:20:58.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The truth of the Buddha is the method to end suffering. When a person tests the method &amp;amp; it works, they know the truth of the method, similar to when medicine is effective in curing in a sickness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there is no truth apart from personal verification, as taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Teacher is our respected mentor. We speak thus out of respect for the Teacher'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you say, 'The Contemplative says this. We speak thus in line with the Contemplative's words'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you dedicate yourselves to another teacher?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing thus and seeing thus, would you return to the observances,&#xA;  grand ceremonies, &amp;amp; auspicious rites of common contemplatives &amp;amp;&#xA;  brahmans as having any essence?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Is it the case that you speak simply in line with what you have known, seen, &amp;amp; understood for yourselves?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Yes, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Good, monks. You have been guided by me in this Dhamma which is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be&#xA;  realized by the observant for themselves. For it has been said, 'This&#xA;  Dhamma is to be seen here &amp;amp; now, timeless, inviting verification,&#xA;  pertinent, to be by the observant for themselves,' and it was in&#xA;  reference to this that it was said.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T05:20:58.850" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19117" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T05:37:45.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wisdom and the faith inspired by it is 3 folds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is learned&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is logically deduced &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is experienced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until you have experienced you will not know for sure. The real truth is revealed to you through your Vipassana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta_(Theravada)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses instances where false ideas arose through misinterpreting experiences, some being meditative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally people who have realised the truth do not brag about it so you will never know. If they grab about it then it is most likely they have not. Also discussing about another's attainment does not help oneself hence best left aside. Also even if you are still not realised the truth, saying does not serve any practical purpose, and if the situation changes your response will have to change indirectly giving away you have at the time achieved something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-28T05:58:17.267" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T05:58:17.267" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T07:19:35.120" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only truth you can know is what is inside of us, you can really only know yourself.  Truth is truth in any language, &quot;the sun rises in the morning&quot;. Same in every language.  Now our thoughts can give us both right and wrong answers, and weather what we believe is true or false depends on weather it is true or not.  I used to believe in Santa etc. At the time it was true now it's not but it is still true for millions of children.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha &amp;amp; Jesus would suggest to know yourself 100% and to check the ego and self bias.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10720" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T07:19:35.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-28T07:44:46.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My teacher has a straight forward 4 steps method to learn and realize the Dharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Listen - Learning the Dharma is frequently described in the scripture to hearing. (&quot;Thus I have heard&quot;, &quot;Savaka - one who hears&quot;), essentially coming across teachings whether by paying attention to teachers, reading and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemplate - You reflect on the meanings of the Dharma, slowly making sense of it&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Application - You apply the Dharma in your practice and your daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Affirmation - You affirm the truth of the teachings through your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rinse and repeat as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to emptiness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can study sutras, listen to lectures. But the fundamental break through I had with understanding emptiness in the context of Mahayana came from Nagarjuna famous stanza.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All things arise through causes and conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That I declare as emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is also a provisional designation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is also the meaning of the Middle Path&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is essentially rephrasing dependent origination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is because that is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is not because that is not&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prior to this I could hardly make sense of the Heart Sutra or the Diamond Sutra. But now more often than not feel like very much self evident truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there you have it, this simple concept is all there really is into understanding emptiness. It's not some mystical transcendental experience. It is essentially a rehash of the truths of impermanence and selflessness that is staring at our face everyday. Yet the issue is actually what one do with this realization. It is not that the common person doesn't see impermanence, the common person simply refuse to accept and acknowledge these truths. As I have deepen my practice I start to observe how my friends and family including myself often act in ways that are unenlightened as if we are blind to the truths in front of our face. Our mindless cravings and anger when we don't get what we want. Our selfishness. Our attachments to very impermanent things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching of emptiness is there to break our attachments to personal views of the world which we construct, even doctrines which are held sacred such as the perfection or infallibility of the Ariyas (Stream Entry, Arahantship). We treat Stream Entry as a magical state where the Stream Entrant no longer have any feelings of doubt, in contrary to what the Buddha have stated from the beginning, that all phenomena are impermanent, and why should doubt and confidence be any different. We treat Arahants as someone who's infallible with no shred of ignorance and other afflictions, someone who attained Nirvana and will never suffer again. Even when the Buddha said that the five aggregates are impermanent, so how can the birth of sankaras be permanently ended? Wisdom is dependently originated, attainment is dependently originated, end of suffering is dependently generated, how can any of them actually be permanently attained or ended? The realizations essentially allow us to see things we ought to have seen before but couldn't due to our ignorance and delusive state of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately learning the Dharma is to benefit ourselves and others. And maybe just maybe next time we face a difficult situation, we can calmly keep in mind that the situation we are facing is too impermanent and dependently generated, so that we can plant good causes and conditions while being unattached to our troubles and handle them with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T07:44:46.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19120" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-28T09:19:44.400" Score="2" ViewCount="382" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the &quot;ease&quot; of the &quot;dharma gate of ease and joy&quot;? Can an unelightened person achieve it outside seated meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ought I &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;imagine&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; everything is difficult, or everything is easy? How can we be effortful in our everyday lay tasks?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T07:17:04.590" Title="What does &quot;ease&quot; mean in the phrase &quot;dharma gate of ease and joy&quot;?" Tags="|right-effort|laity|meditation-zazen|dogen|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T09:49:49.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can anyone who haven't realised the truth, claim that Mahatma&#xA;  Buddha or any other person in history realised the God or Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm going to answer the question in the title. Let's suppose we can claim that the Buddha has realised the Truth based on&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;directly realising it ourselves, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having genuine faith that a Buddha has.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To that can be added &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;right view.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do we have &quot;right view&quot; without faith or realisation? According to the scholar Paul Fuller, the Nikayas answer this question in two places, most clearly as follows, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahavedalla suuta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q2BXf.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q2BXf.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these three ways exhaustive? I do not know if a paccekabuddha / Pratyekabuddha claims that the Buddha has realised the truth before they themselves have realised it. Or what Mahayana schools say about belief without faith or realisation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems, though, that it depends on what you mean by &quot;realised the truth&quot;. Clearly, if this only is no &quot;psychological effect&quot;, then anyone who hasn't &quot;realised the truth&quot; is only making that claim based on a &quot;psychological effect&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T09:49:49.393" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3420" CreationDate="2017-01-28T12:00:23.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Persistence of experience, in a continuous event during the time we are alive gives the mistaken impression that, if we pay insufficient attention, we may reach the conclusion that we who experience do not change, and are something other than the changing physical animal we are. Insight into the error of supposing an essence which sustains experience and endures beyond it is the benefit of learning the truth of the principle of Anatman or Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The desire for such a continuity and endurance may lead us to affirm it and find reasons to promise and explain it, and this is what led to doctrines of essentialism and also to the teachings of rebirth in Buddhism. Taken as a metaphor, we are reborn each and every day upon waking in the sense that, using the raw materials of memory and the rudiments of our character, we reconstruct once more reflecting on the actions (karma) attributed to our cause the glamour of being a particular person with unchanging features, when in fact what is happening is the resumption of our attachment to this narrative and the particular character it preserves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same metaphor allows for an interpretation of the &lt;em&gt;quality&lt;/em&gt; of past, present, or future experiences as 'heaven(ly)' or 'hell(ish)', yet need not have anything to do with experience which occurs after we die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In consideration of dreams versus waking experience, the former are of a different character and conform to different principles. Dreams are less enduring and rational, are dependent solely on imagination for their content, whereas the waking world is far more consistent and has a physical basis of function and endurance. Knowledge of the latter is easy to acquire and just involves careful reflection and testing. Departure from this functional basis is one of the clearest indicators of being in a dreamstate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The expansive significance of refusing to comment on what is not currently operative (gods or demons being present or absent, death presenting a continuity or discontinuity of experience, for examples) allows us also to refuse to comment upon what The Buddha did or did not say or do in any particular event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside the confines of a sangha wherein doctrines are outlined as practical platforms from which one may benefit in supposing their veracity, believing or ceasing to believe things is inconsequential, save that it informs one's own motivation and response. This will have bearing on what steps will be taken to participate in or catalyze one's own realization, and so decisions of this type can become crucial in following the Path, abandoning it, or becoming lost in delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the foregoing it might be transparent that certain conventions are supposed effective or authentic, such as the existence of the Path or Marga, the efficacy at least in part of the sangha or congregation of aspirants in walking this Path, and most importantly, the possibility of realization and insight which might arise from walking it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only warnings i have repeatedly received relating to beliefs or doctrines have in fact pertained to essentiality, and were characterized as Essentialism and Nihilism, these being coupled as twin errors of extremity. Whether one's ideas adhere to main schools, if one's beliefs could be identified as core to Buddhism so-called, or even if the Four Noble Truths or Eight-Fold Path were defined differently, this seemed far less problematic than to suppose there exists a central substance from which all of reality arises which itself does not change, or to suppose that the constantly changing quality of the cosmos indicates that nothing exists at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10712" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T12:00:23.053" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19120" CreationDate="2017-01-28T12:30:47.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does “ease” mean in the phrase “dharma gate of ease and joy”?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means that ones &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Strengths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;five spiritual faculties&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; are balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation practice, e.g. Samatha meditation it means that if the mind strays from the primary meditation object, i.e. the breath, then one does not force attention back onto the breath. Instead it comes naturally and without striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Joy related to practice, arises when ones practice gains momentum meaning that one spends little but right effort into cultivating wholesome habits and purifying the mind. Joy arises easily in beings that are non-attached. There is a lightness of mind because they do not carry any bagage from one moment to the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ease and joy arises when one interacts with reality instead of reacting. One is seeing reality for what it is, thereby gaining freedom from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;mental proliferation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-01-28T12:30:47.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19113" CreationDate="2017-01-28T18:50:21.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As to your title question, MN27 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&lt;/a&gt; gives an account how every achievement before Nibbana, is no thing more than a clue as to the accuracy of the Buddha's insight. Prior to the attainment of arahantship, 'Truth' is not to be realised. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing the same thing over and over again does make the mind 'run in that context' even outside of intentionally concentrating on that subject - I used to dream about weiqi when I used to play 4 hours a day.. In this respect, some aspect of Buddhist literature may be interpreted as only psychological (monks meditating and reaching the Tusita heaven etc.. Though these states are only ever acknowledged as psychological within Buddhism). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difficulty with your point is that, if you skip annihalationism (nihilism), and embrace mundane 'right view', or:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit,&#xA;  resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered,&#xA;  what is sacrificed. There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions.&#xA;  There is this world &amp;amp; the next world. There is mother &amp;amp; father. There&#xA;  are spontaneously reborn beings; there are contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans&#xA;  who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the&#xA;  next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This&#xA;  is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in&#xA;  acquisitions.&quot; -  MN117&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'truth' becomes evident. And if there are 'good and bad actions', there is a path  that can skip the bad and keep to the good ones (assuming beings capable of discerning between the two). Would it then be reasonable to define 'Truth', having established 'truth', and a Path towards it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my reading of the Suttas, the Buddha did not pursue the concept of Truth. For one, in the Potthapada Sutta, the Buddha talks about 'exclusively happy states', which is how an Absolute state of Happiness (a Christian heaven?) would have to manifest (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a doctrine &amp;amp; view like&#xA;  this: 'After death, the self is exclusively happy and free from&#xA;  disease.' I approached them and asked them, 'Is it true that you have&#xA;  a doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: &quot;After death, the self is exclusively&#xA;  happy and free from disease&quot;?' When asked this, they replied, 'Yes.'&#xA;  So I asked them, 'But do you dwell having known or seen an exclusively&#xA;  happy world?' When asked this, they said, 'No.' So I asked them, 'But&#xA;  have you ever been aware of a self exclusively happy for a day or a&#xA;  night, or for half a day or half a night?' When asked this, they said,&#xA;  'No.' So I asked them, 'But do you know that &quot;This is the path, this&#xA;  is the practice for the realization of an exclusively happy world&quot;?'&#xA;  When asked this, they said, 'No.' So I asked them, 'But have you heard&#xA;  the voices of devas reborn in an exclusively happy world, saying,&#xA;  &quot;Practice well, my dears. Practice straightforwardly, my dears, for&#xA;  the realization of an exclusively happy world, because it was through&#xA;  such a practice that we ourselves have been reborn in an exclusively&#xA;  happy world&quot;?' When asked this, they said, 'No.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So what do you think, Potthapada — when this is the case, don't the&#xA;  words of those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord. When this is the case, the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Potthapada, it's as if a man were to say, 'I'm in love with the most&#xA;  beautiful woman in this country,' and other people were to say to him,&#xA;  'Well, my good man, this most beautiful woman in this country with&#xA;  whom you are in love: do you know if she's of the warrior caste, the&#xA;  priestly caste, the merchant caste, or the laborer caste?' and, when&#xA;  asked this, he would say, 'No.' Then they would say to him, 'Well&#xA;  then, do you know her name or clan name? Whether she's tall, short, or&#xA;  of medium height? Whether she's dark, fair, or ruddy-skinned? Do you&#xA;  know what village or town or city she's from?' When asked this, he&#xA;  would say, 'No.' Then they would say to him, 'So you've never known or&#xA;  seen the woman you're in love with?' When asked this, he would say,&#xA;  'Yes.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So what do you think, Potthapada — when this is the case, don't the&#xA;  words of that man turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: 'After death, the self is exclusively happy&#xA;  and free from disease.'... Don't the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Potthapada, it's as if a man at a crossroads were to build a&#xA;  staircase for ascending to a palace, and other people were to say to&#xA;  him, 'Well, my good man, this palace for which you are building a&#xA;  staircase: do you know whether it's east, west, north, or south of&#xA;  here? Whether it's high, low, or in between?' and, when asked this, he&#xA;  would say, 'No.' Then they would say to him, 'So you don't know or see&#xA;  the palace for which you are building a staircase?' When asked this,&#xA;  he would say, 'Yes.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So what do you think, Potthapada — when this is the case, don't the&#xA;  words of that man turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: 'After death, the self is exclusively happy&#xA;  and free from disease.'... Don't the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord. When this is the case, the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;, whilst Absolutes are not Absolutely denied by the Buddha, given the empirical evidence of impermanence (and the non-self that follows), the only place where such Absolutes could be found is beyond empirical evidence - beyond experience (or Metaphysics, 'after Physics' - as Aristotle stated, with regards to the investigation of 'things' beyond evidence). As such, this Essentialist Truth - whether theistic or nihilistic - is only ever an inferred Truth - never a directly perceived Truth.. Plato's Parmeneides says as much!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;.......... Then the one does not exist in such way as to be one; for if it were&#xA;  and partook of being, it would already be; but if the argument is to&#xA;  be trusted, the one neither is nor is one? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;True.  But that which is not admits of no attribute or relation?  Of&#xA;  course not. Then there is no name, nor expression, nor perception,&#xA;  nor opinion, nor knowledge of it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Clearly not.  Then it is neither named, nor expressed, nor opined, nor&#xA;  known, nor does anything that is perceive it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So we must infer.  But can all this be true about the one?  I think&#xA;  not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose, now, that we return once more to the original hypothesis.....&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Plato gets to the same understanding that Truth must be placed beyond all perception, if it Is. But he chooses to stick with the inferred argument, rather than follow perception)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's insight however, is to be fulfilled at its end, with perception alone, as demanded by the Kalama Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt.&#xA;  When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this&#xA;  case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by&#xA;  scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by&#xA;  agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought,&#xA;  'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves&#xA;  that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these&#xA;  qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering' —&#xA;  then you should abandon them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and as fulfilled by all that become Arahats, as did Sariputta, helpfully described by the Buddha in the Anupada Sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his first sermon (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&lt;/a&gt;) the Buddha stated the Four Noble Truths (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/&lt;/a&gt;). These Truths are no thing more than declarative statements as to how the world is perceived to be. In a world that has Absolute constructs, the 'Truth' that 'all conditioned experience is suffering', is simply false. But no such world is either perceived to manifests empirically, or can be created within though without creating contradictions (for this read Nagarjuna's 'Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does link stress/suffering to impermanence and non-self within the Truths, and at this juncture you can definitely argue that psychology will play a part, as stress and suffering are psychological experiences, but you would have to find a mind that prefers constant change (and this includes death and rebirth) to certainty to argue that the Truths fail within the empirical world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T12:24:36.837" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T12:24:36.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2017-01-29T04:06:35.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paticcasamuppada (the Law of Dependent Origination) is fundamental to the teaching of the Buddha. Emphasizing its importance, the Buddha said: “Yo paticcasamuppadam passati, so Dhammam passati.   Yo Dhammam passati, so paticcasamuppadam passati.”  One who sees paticcasamuppada  sees the Dhamma. One who sees the Dhamma sees paticcasamuppada.  Paticcasamuppada sets forth the arising of experiences as a succession of items each coming to an end before the next appears (Imassa nirodha idam uppajjati). The reason for the continuous birth – death cycle is delusion or ignorance (Avidya) which doesn’t allow one to comprehend the Four Noble Truths is this. It destroys one’s perception and blinds him; which leads him to see morality as sin and immorality as virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Delusion or ignorance (Avidya)  leads the being to collect merits &amp;amp; demerits (volitional fabrications /Sanskara) (bodily, verbal &amp;amp; mental fabrications). Merits &amp;amp; demerits lead to consciousness (Vinnana) (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body &amp;amp; intellect consciousness). Consciousness leads to mentality &amp;amp; materiality (Nama rupa).  Feeling, perception, intention, contact &amp;amp; attention are called ‘name/mentality’ or nama and the body dependant on the four great elements (Earth, fire, water &amp;amp; air - ‘Patavi’, ‘Apo’, ‘Thejo’, ‘Vayo’) is form/ materiality or rupa). ‘Name-form’ leads to the six sense media (Salayathana) (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body &amp;amp; mind). ‘Nama’ and ‘rupa’ are linked together like flowers and their scent. They are born together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara is a key word in the Dhamma. The Buddha chose to use it in his last words, to summarise 45 years of teaching: Vyadhamma sankhara, Appamadena Sampadetha: it is the nature of sankhara to disappear, strive unremittingly. Sankhara do not just disappear (Sankhara Nirodha). If it were the case, the Teaching would be pointless. Sankhara is translated as ‘formations'/ ‘fabrications’. For most of us sankhara is Kamma (action) - by reversing the statement: It is intention that I call Kamma. In some contexts, sankhara does mean 'intention' (Cetana). While all cetana are Sankhara, all Sankhara are not cetana, as for example Ayu-sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankharas are the kammically active volitions responsible for generating rebirth and thus for sustaining the onward movement of samsara, the round of birth and death. In this context sankhara is virtually synonymous with kamma.  Sankharas  in dependent origination is put into three types: bodily (inhalation and exhalation), verbal ( Vitakka-vicāra: 'thought-conception and discursive thinking'), and mental [feeling (vedanā) · perception (sañña) ]. Sankharas are divided into the meritorious and demeritorious. Sankharas, propped up by ignorance and fueled by craving drive the stream of consciousness onward to a new mode of rebirth, where consciousness becomes established determined by the kammic character of the sankharas. With good deeds the sankharas or volitional formations will propel consciousness toward a happy sphere of rebirth, and with demeritorious deeds, the sankharas will propel consciousness toward a miserable rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next domain where sankharas apply is among the five clinging aggregates (the aggregate of volitional formations). There are six classes of volition - volition regarding forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and ideas. Though these sankharas correspond closely to those in the formula of dependent origination, the two are not in all respects the same, for the sankhara-khandha has a wider range. The aggregate of volitional formations comprises all kinds of volition. The word sankhara also occurs as a designation for all conditioned things. Buddha said that all sankharas are suffering (sabbe sankhara dukkha) as they are transient. &amp;quot;Having arisen they then cease,&amp;quot; and because they all cease they cannot provide stable happiness and security.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a sharp ax. There he would see a large banana tree: straight, young, of enormous height. He would cut it at the root and, having cut it at the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he wouldn't even find sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a man with good eyesight would see it, observe it, &amp;amp; appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a banana tree? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &amp;amp; appropriately examines any fabrications that are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing them, observing them, &amp;amp; appropriately examining them — they would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in fabrications (Saṅkhāra) These three are fabrications: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, mental fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Consciousness' is a difficult one. Consciousness is mere presence; and since there cannot be presence without something being present, it is what distinguishes living from non-living, such as tables and chairs. Paticcasamuppada (dependent arising) 'boils down' to Vinnana paccaya (conditioned by consciousness). No one can be conscious of consciousness. It cannot be syringed out to look at it, without by consciousness. There are no states of un-consciousness. Consciousness is discontinuous - like a monkey swaying through trees, holding a branch here, letting it go, and grabbing another... Consciousness is nothing but a conjuring trick (Samyutta 22.95).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, &amp;amp; appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, &amp;amp; appropriately examines any consciousness that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. Through dispassion, he's released. With release there's the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chain of Dependent Origin Forward Order is…&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Sankhara paccaya Vinnana  -Dependent on ignorance, reaction (conditioning) arises;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Namarupa paccaya vinnana -Dependent on reaction (conditioning), consciousness arises;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Dependent on consciousness, mind-body arise;  etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reverse Order is…&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;With the complete eradication and cessation of ignorance, reaction (conditioning) ceases;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;with the cessation of reaction (conditioning), consciousness ceases;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;with the cessation of consciousness, mind-body cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara paccaya Vinnana would come to mean – to better understand the interlink - “Sankhara - Immoral/unfruitful actions and thoughts as root condition for ‘Vinnana’ - defiled consciousness”. So Vinnana can be taken as consciousness contaminated with immoral mental factors such as greed and hate. The more sankhara that one generates, the more that one will keep “feeding the ‘vinnana’. The stronger the vinnana gets, one is more likely to engage in same kind of acts, i.e., sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Namarupa paccaya vinnana“, happen, together with “vinnana paccaya namarupa”. This is referred to as an “annamanna paticca samuppada step”. Here “annamanna” means “inter-dependent”. Thus nama rupa is conditioned by vinnana and vice versa. Just as vinnana gives rise to nama rupa, so also nama rupa leads to vinnana. Although vinnana and nama rupa are interdependent, the former is the determining factor and, hence, it is described as the cause of nama rupa. In fact, when vinnana arises because of sankhara, its concomitant cetasikas as well as the rupas resulting from sankhara come into being at the same time. So vinnanas and nama rupas arise together from the moment of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Form... Feeling... Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is inconstant, changeable, alterable. - with the actual seeing does there come a dramatic shift during one's life and one's relationship to the Dhamma. One who has conviction &amp;amp; belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T04:06:35.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19067" CreationDate="2017-01-29T05:21:04.347" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta that you should live by, if you want to achieve success in your lay life - The layman’s welfare - is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu (Vyagghapajja) Sutta: Conditions of Welfare&lt;/a&gt;. In this sutta Buddha instructs rich householders how to preserve and increase their prosperity and avoid loss of wealth. This is The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four conditions conduce to a householder's wellbeing and happiness in this very life are the accomplishment of persistent effort (utthana-sampada), the accomplishment of watchfulness (arakkha-sampada), good friendship (kalyanamittata) and balanced livelihood (sama-jivikata). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, endeavour is that effort put forth in earning money and wealth for the advancement of your life. Whatever you do in earning your living, you have to be an expert in it. You have to be knowledgable of the field of business. You should not be lazy but be enthusiastic in doing your work. Deliberation and skillfulness are some of the necessary elements to attain success. When you organise businesses skillfully your economy will, no doubt, increase. It enables you and your family members to live at ease without difficulties, troubles and worries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you should know the importance of protecting wealth earned through enthusiasm and righteously working hard. Having known how hard earned wealth is protected and how it gets destroyed, you should know to protect it so that the collected wealth is not lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good friendship is to associate with good people, people who follow a spiritual path. Your life has to have a moral foundation to enjoy external achievements and success. Material success alone is not enough, there should be an association with good friends. Good friends will guide you in right and wrong. They recommend a spiritual path while practising it. If association with a particular person leads to our welfare then that person can be regarded as a Good Friend regardless of his or her age. If you find a person with many good qualities in his life, whether elder or young, either from your own village or suburb or township, it is then good to form an association with him or her.&#xA;Next is a balanced life. It is the life that you live in accordance to your means and station in life. You must know how to spend money and live an unburdened, debtless life per the state of your income. Especially expenditure should be balanced to your revenue. You should also know how to lead a life with nothing exceedingly luxurious nor extremely austere but should strive to live a peaceful harmonious life following the middle way. You must be especially mindful not to have a competitive attitude regarding lifestyles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the reasons for the welfare and happiness in the life after death are to be considered. There are four factors that bring happiness to the life after death. The accomplishment of faith (saddha-sampada), the accomplishment of virtue (sila-sampada), the accomplishment of charity (caga-sampada) and the accomplishment of wisdom (pañña-sampada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T05:21:04.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18477" CreationDate="2017-01-29T07:06:53.133" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving arises in conjunction with sensation. To let go of craving you have to be unanimous to what is pleasant and unpleasant sensation. In addition you have to remove ignorance by seeing the impermanence nature of neutral sensations. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see that you have used &quot;I&quot; couple of times. I conceiving lead to craving. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanha Jalini Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Also thoughts of past and future has &quot;I&quot; and the subject. For this see perception of self arising, the evaluation being favorable (watching a good movie), unfavorable (I do not have this latest movie) and neutral (I do not care about this movie) and how this proliferates to sensations and finally craving. Through Vipassana you should see this sensations arising and passing while being equanimous. This will help you realise there is no controlling, everlasting self. Whatever which is not entirely pleasant cannot be taken as self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When something pleasant changes it is unpleasant, the unpleasant is unpleasant on its own, the conditioned is unpleasant when unknown. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Understanding sensation lead to understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; and eradicating the unwholesome roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T08:59:20.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19098" CreationDate="2017-01-29T09:31:12.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a precedent that the Buddha set for letting in a 'different' set of humans, when he allowed women to join the Sangha, and his reasoning there we that the female mind had the capacity to reach the goal. Arguably, you can use this for any other 'different' life form. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is not whether AI (I assume cyborgs with human brains are human and ones with non-human brains are AI) will have access to the logical and reasoning aspects of the intellect that are necessary to recognise the Four Noble Truths. This is likely because the Truths are empirical and the human mind already has access to all empirical evidence within its frame of reference (subject to technology). So I don't think AI will be substantially different from 'Intelligence' to justify the 'Artificial`. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is whether all life, that has the capacity to comprehend the Noble Truths, can meditate and experience cessation (as the process of Jhanna may be dependent on the human intellect, I don't think it is initially necessary for distinct life forms in their exact form). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I think this will happen soon enough with some animal species like dogs, which are already getting to 3-5 year old intelligence through cohabitation with humans - so they are not far from having a right to access to the Dhamma imo (being carbon based, their minds shouldnt be too different from human's). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cyborgs and AI are too speculative at this point imo (although AI is heading down the neural network route, so same architecture as the human brain really), but I would find it difficult to believe that a conscious non-human intelligence would not be able to find a secluded place, sit down, and learn to have a peaceful abiding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(though specifically for Cyborgs - since post human upgrades will have individualistic motives and end up dependent on the purpose of those upgrades, some Cyborgs may find themselves more stuck in Samsara.. militarily enhanced human minds, if they appear, will likely find it useful to have cognitive empathy downgraded.. This will obviously not help along the path. On the other hand, a Cyborg who's mind has been specifically enhanced for medical practice (the Buddha described himself as the doctor (not that one! ;) ), is likely to benefit from his enhancements in the practice of Buddhism.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T13:29:36.433" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T13:29:36.433" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19002" CreationDate="2017-01-29T10:38:13.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;(imo) In that the phrase points to the Buddha and his message (convoluted though it may be for those not in the know!), whilst at the same time recognizing the terms for some of dangers present within experience, that the Buddha pointed to, there is both a 'carrot' and a 'stick' in this phrase, in regards to the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since 'danger' is effectively based on Kamma coming to fruition - Kamma being conditioned by an individual's thoughts, words and actions - this phrase  should incline the mind to avoid some negative kammic fruits, whilst influencing it to take up the Buddha and his message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I assume the 'jewel in the lotus' is the Buddha.. for this, the phrase deserves some caution, because the Buddha primarily wished his followers to follow his Dhamma - through personal insight, rather than substitute personal progress by placing him on a pedestal)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T10:38:13.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11145" CreationDate="2017-01-29T10:47:05.543" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Existence is universal only. There is no individual existence. Life originates in favourable conditions. We got our life from parents. This is similar to a candle lighting another candle.WHen the former candle dies out, the flame passed out by the former candle lives in the other candles. Life comes from life only. It is due to our clinging towards our mistaken individual existence and fear of annihilation, that we believe in rebirth. Actually we are something which do not exist at all. Rebirth is in a wider perspective, similar to the concept  of old leaves of a tree falling down and in its place new leaves appear. Here in the perspective of tree rebirths of leaves occur in a wider sense and not so in the case of individual leaves. The idea of rebirth is inducted to rely on the importance of karma and to prevent people from committing misdeeds. The individual existences die out but the world goes on. The World is like a plain paper in which different paintings appear and are removed one after the another.In the perspective of World we are nothing but negligible. So what more to say about our rebirth??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10725" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T10:47:05.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19133" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-29T11:49:52.387" Score="3" ViewCount="336" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a lot on this site (and elsewhere) on the validity of rebirth, whether it is necessary to understand the Buddha's message, or to reach enlightenment etc. My question is slightly different where within the two truths doctrine is rebirth placed by the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that 'the two truths' developed a little later on, but in that later developments within Buddhism were and still are heavily influenced by the Buddha's words (Dhamma and Vinaya), is it possible to come to an agreement on whether rebirth deserves to be considered an ultimate or conventional truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's my thought: rebirth is conditioned by death and the workings of Kamma, therefore it seems to fit into conventional truth pretty neatly. It also makes no sense from the ultimate point of view - no conditioned experience can either be affirmed or denied within the ultimate standpoint, so whilst rebirth does not make 'positive sense' from the ultimate stand point, it also can't be denied altogether (that is to say, ultimate truth is empty of rebirth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is rebirth a concept that cannot be affirmed when considering ultimate truth, but cannot be denied when considering conventional truth? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(edit: I assume rebirth occurs and is evident. The fact that 'every thing that has a beginning has an ending' demands rebirth if avoiding annihalationism) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-30T09:08:48.813" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T09:08:48.813" Title="Is rebirth a conventional truth within the Buddha's message?" Tags="|the-buddha|pali-canon|rebirth|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19133" CreationDate="2017-01-29T12:36:36.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In dependent origination, 'jati' ('birth') refers to the conception &amp;amp; production of the view of 'beings' ('satta') based in the &lt;em&gt;beguiling&lt;/em&gt; appearance &amp;amp; manifestations of various aggregates and the mind seized by &amp;amp; enslaved to sense objects (ayatana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Comprehending 're-birth' is therefore necessary to understand the Buddha's message &amp;amp; to reach enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach the two truths doctrine. The defiled/polluted mundane right view in MN 117 is not really 'the truth' because it is defiled with &lt;em&gt;upadhi&lt;/em&gt; (attachment;self-views). It is only a right view that accords with morality (rather than accords with Nibbana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'The two truths' were developed a little later on by Buddhaghosa. However, again the two truths of Buddhaghosa are not really both truth because one truth is how the truth really is and the other truth is the worldly interpretation by the unenlightened. Buddhaghosa said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers,  Spoke two kinds of truths:  The conventional and the ultimate.  A third truth does not obtain.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therein:  The speech wherewith the world converses is true  On account of its being agreed upon by the world.  The speech which&#xA;  describes what is ultimate is also true,  Through characterizing&#xA;  dhammas as they really are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage,  False speech does not arise in the Teacher,  Who is Lord of the World,  When he speaks&#xA;  according to conventions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Mn. i. 95)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the language of ultimate truth, since 'rebirth' simply means the re-arising of 'self-view', it is an ultimate truth because this is how suffering always occurs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Re-birth' or 'new-birth' is conditioned by new or re-becoming, as explained in dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This re-birth will inevitably result in 'death' ('marana'); that is, the painful sense the born 'self' or 'self-identity' has lost something; or otherwise the sense that other 'beings' ('satta') have also lost something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the lesson of marana &amp;amp; resultant dukkha is not learned, ego birth will occur again in the mind, which is re-rebirth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is a reality that can be affirmed when considering ultimate truth because it happens many times each day for the non-enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each time the mind believes &amp;amp; acts with craving in terms of an imagined &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot;, &quot;you&quot; etc, that is 're-birth'; the mental production of the view of 'beings' ('satta').  '&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;''Becoming'' (bhava) means ''the sphere of birth.'' Sensual desire is BORN at sights, sounds, tastes, smells, feelings and thoughts,&#xA;  IDENTIFYING with these things. The mind holds fast and is stuck to&#xA;  sensuality....Bhava is the preliminary condition for birth. Wherever&#xA;  birth takes place, that's bhava. For example, suppose we had an&#xA;  orchard of apple trees that we were particularly fond of. That's a&#xA;  bhava for us if we don't reflect with wisdom. How so? Suppose our&#xA;  orchard contained a hundred or a thousand apple trees... it doesn't&#xA;  really matter what kind of trees they are, just so long as we consider&#xA;  them to be ''our own'' trees... then we are going to be ''born'' as a&#xA;  ''worm'' in every single one of those trees. We bore into every one,&#xA;  even though our human body is still back there in the house, we send&#xA;  out ''tentacles'' into every one of those trees. Now, how do we know&#xA;  that it's a bhava? It's a bhava (sphere of existence) because of our&#xA;  clinging to the idea that those trees are our own, that that orchard&#xA;  is our own. If someone were to take an ax and cut one of the trees&#xA;  down, the owner over there in the house ''dies'' along with the tree.&#xA;  He gets furious, and has to go and set things right, to fight and&#xA;  maybe even kill over it. That quarreling is the ''birth.'' The&#xA;  ''sphere of birth'' is the orchard of trees that we cling to as our&#xA;  own. We are ''born'' right at the point where we consider them to be&#xA;  our own, born from that bhava. Even if we had a thousand apple trees,&#xA;  if someone were to cut down just one it'd be like cutting the owner&#xA;  down. Whatever we cling to we are born right there, we exist right&#xA;  there. We are born as soon as we ''know.'' This is knowing through&#xA;  not-knowing: we know that someone has cut down one of our trees. But&#xA;  we don't know that those trees are not really ours. This is called&#xA;  ''knowing through not-knowing.'' We are bound to be born into that&#xA;  bhava. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Flood_Sensuality1.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Flood_Sensuality1.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T12:51:09.900" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T12:51:09.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-29T17:02:29.280" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although this peculiar question seemed got a Mr./Ms. Right to claim the bride/groom, I, however, would like to offer a short answer, sometimes one's patience boiled when reading too much words. Here, my short little trick of how to realize emptiness: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's both easy and difficult. Easy part is, to understand that the world is mind constructed; the difficult part.... hmmm... is to then walk into a wall and through it, for it's &quot;made of&quot; emptiness :D ~!!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T17:02:29.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19068" CreationDate="2017-01-29T17:28:39.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ichinen Sanzen isn't really wishful thinking, because it's not just hoping for a situation to get better— it's actually working for a situation to become better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wishful thinking implies that the subject expects the &lt;em&gt;situation&lt;/em&gt; to change, whereas Ichinen Sanzen (3000 realms) implies that your own &lt;em&gt;outlook&lt;/em&gt;  needs to change. This means not viewing oneself as victim of one's environment and basically that the concept of goodness and badness only exist in out head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote that Nichiren (a buddhist monk who propagated the 3000 realms) wrote in one of his letters to a follower that I think gives the gist of the idea of Ichinen Sanzen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Vimalakīrti Sutra states that, when one seeks the Buddhas’ emancipation in the minds of ordinary beings, &lt;em&gt;one finds that ordinary beings are the entities of enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. It also states that, &lt;em&gt;if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the same with a Buddha and an ordinary being. When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished, it is sure to become like a clear mirror, reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin   vol. I&lt;/em&gt; 4).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You'll notice that he is referring to perception of events and not just wishing problems away. That's the difference between The 3000 Realms and wishful thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want a more technical definition of Ichinen Sanzen where I break down each part and say how it works, I'm happy to do so. Just add a comment to my answer asking me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow, I hope this helped!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I'm not really sure about the specifics of Theravada Buddhism, but I know that both wishful thinking and Ichinen Sanzen aren't part of Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wishful thinking isn't a real practice in Buddhism regardless of the sect, and The 3000 Realms was developed by T'ien-T'ai, a Chinese, Mahayana monk; so, it's not part of Theravada Buddhism either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T17:28:39.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19133" CreationDate="2017-01-29T17:34:26.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is very central to the whole doctrine. As long as this Kammic force exists there is re-birth, for beings are merely the visible manifestation of this invisible Kammic force. Any attempt is like excluding Samsara is like excluding this from the whole equation.  Birth precedes death, and death, on the other hand, precedes birth. The constant succession of birth and death in connection with each individual life flux constitutes what is technically known as Samsara -- recurrent wandering. Buddha said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Without cognizable end is this Samsara. A first beginning of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance and fettered by craving, wander and fare on, is not to be perceived.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause of this Kamma, continues the Buddha, is avijja or ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. Ignorance is, therefore, the cause of birth and death; and its transmutation into knowingness or vijja is consequently their cessation. The result of this analytical method is summed up in the Paticca Samuppada. Paticca Samuppada is the discourse on the process of birth and death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is often conceived of as stopping this cycle. By removing the causes for craving, craving ceases. So with the ceasing of birth, death ceases. With the ceasing of becoming, birth ceases... and so on until with the ceasing of ignorance no karma is produced, and the whole process of death and rebirth ceases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T17:34:26.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2017-01-29T18:00:16.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is asking this? :) Who is &quot;I&quot; and what is &quot;my&quot; in that sentence? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Why should I continue to do this? For money? Who cares when my heart really isn't in it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A monk said to Joshu, “I have entered this monastery. I beg you to teach me” Joshu asked. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Have you eaten your rice- gruel?” “I have,” replied the monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then”, said Joshu, “go and wash your bowl(s).” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monk was enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I grasp the pain of others and understand that most of their pain comes from their point of reference mostly, and all I can do about that is reason in my head how their ego creates it. How do I help them see that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can avoid the pain of attachment to health, to status, to such ideas as constants, but what good am I trying to help others understand that too? I have the understanding of it for myself, but I truly lack the depth of it to teach this, to help people out.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you avoid the pain of not being able to help people out? It is easy to fall into the trap of messiah illusion, that your enlightenment is somehow a beacon for others or that it can somehow be forced against the will of the people and relieve them of the pain to which we often cling so strongly. There is only pain and frustration there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember to wash your bowl. And I forgot it as I wrote it ^_^&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, it helps me to get drunk. It helps me remember how stupid I am, and how good it feels, it's far too easy to get trapped in self-importance of no-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many &quot;enlightened&quot; people I met get involved into a super-tricky subtle ego, squaking like a buddha, walking like a buddha, but not a buddha. Getting drunk and stupid sometimes relieves them of their self-importance and their pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess buddhism in the Balkans can take specific and funny culturally-relevant shapes ^_^&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Check out a book called &quot;Nirvana, The Last Nightmare&quot; by Osho, watch a 1987 cartoon called &quot;Man Who Planted Trees&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093488/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093488/&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7587" LastEditorUserId="7587" LastEditDate="2017-01-29T18:53:34.577" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T18:53:34.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19098" CreationDate="2017-01-29T18:10:29.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha has said, “Dear Bhikkhus, ones who would not realize this Dhamma is like this earth (in amount). Ones who realize this is like this small amount of soil on my finger nail.” If it is so for you and I, for us normal humans, what are the chances for a Human Cyborg to get to hear the True Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who are not familiar with the term Cyborg - Cyborgs walk among us, though we see them as ordinary people. People who have robotic prosthetics generally qualify as cyborgs. Even people with pacemakers qualify as their existence depends partly on the continuing function of the electronic device that keeps their heart’s rhythm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Cyborg then has to be one who has cultivated the five ‘Sēkha Bala Dhamma’ – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma). Also this has to be a Cyborg that has religiously gone through the stages of listening, remembering, constant reciting, mental observation and ideologically understanding the Dhamma (Sutha, dhata, vacasa paricita, manasanupekkhita, ditthiya suppatividdha). Still when trying to put into practice in daily life, what this Cyborg has learnt, s/he faces many obstacles, difficulties, emotional pain, and conflicts that throw one away from this Dhamma path. This is due to the “Evil eye, evil mouth and evil tongue” of ones own making. So what do you think are the chances of this happening in this short lifespan?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T18:10:29.893" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18691" CreationDate="2017-01-29T18:48:37.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a bit late in answering this, but not too late. IMHO.. to be in the timeless present is a good New Year’s Resolution that will open a whole new world anyone who would take this challenge. We are still at a threshold right now, as it is just one month into the dawn of 2017 after another year has come to an end.  Put into practice what you know of Dhamma right now. The one all important Pali word is ‘APPAMADA’.  You will not postpone any acts or decisions for a ‘tomorrow’. Life is in the today – life is here and now. For many,  this Dhamma Path has created new possibilities, that only in living in the present we can learn to live this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only if we develop two important attitudes that strengthen skillful desires: a sense of dismay (samvega) over the universality of suffering, and an attitude of heedfulness (appamada) to avoid being duped by types of desires that come our way, that we will have a sense of urgency towards the practice of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ‘Ehipassico’ &amp;amp; “Opanaiko’ qualities of the Dhamma invites you to come and see it for yourself.  But would you – I mean in the truest sense of the meaning?  If such thinking could help you to have less attachment to the senses – the eyes / seeing, the ears / hearing, the nose / smell, the tongue / taste, the touch and the thoughts – you will find a much more beautiful heavenly world out there that you have never explored. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the not too distant future, we are going to face old age, when only with difficulty that one could maintain the body – it is just as maintaining a dilapidated old cart. Your body can be at ease. Even if you will feel the pain, you will not suffer when you enter upon and dwell in the minds realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fact of life that almost every one of us deny, is that life is suffering. If you see this truth, understand it, accept it and go beyond it, you will find a peace of mind and happiness as you have never experienced before. If you truly understand this fact of life that is common to every living being, understand the core reason for it, and detach yourself from clinging to all such, then you will experience true peace.  I wish you a Happy New Year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T18:48:37.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18650" CreationDate="2017-01-29T22:41:49.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is obvious that Paticcasamuppada links in Maha Nidana Sutta are less in compare with ubiquitous Paticcasamuppada in Nidana SN.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the difference in between SN Suttas and DN Maha Nidana Sutta is target audience and initiative question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The questionnaire of Maha Nidana Sutta is Monk Ananda and it is very doubtful that first council answerer Ananda did manipulate or invente Maha Nidana Sutta by his own.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By the time of questioning about Paticcasamuppada by Ananda, the venerable Ananda was Sottapanna level.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The main question about Maha Nidana Sutta is&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It's amazing, lord, it's astounding, how deep this dependent co-arising is, and how deep its appearance, and yet to me it seems as clear as clear can be (it seems very easy to understand for me).&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;strong&gt;not asking&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lord, please teach me Paticcasamuppada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Sakkara Samjna (the idea of self) does not happen at all in one mind of Sottapanna level. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna#Three_fetters&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; said&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sotāpanna doesn't actually have a view about self (sakkāya-ditthi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead sotapanna person has Samma Ditthi which is deeply discoursed by Sariputta in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 9: Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. In this sutta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying, “Good, friend,” the bhikkhus delighted and rejoiced in the venerable Sāriputta’s words. Then they asked him a further question: “But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view…and has arrived at this true Dhamma?”—“There might be, friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When, friends, a noble disciple understands the sixfold base, the origin of the sixfold base, the cessation of the sixfold base, and the way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base, in that way he is one of right view…and has arrived at this true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what is the sixfold base, what is the origin of the sixfold base, what is the cessation of the sixfold base, what is the way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base? There are these six bases: the eye-base, the ear-base, the nose-base, the tongue-base, the body-base, the mind-base. With the arising of mentality-materiality there is the arising of the sixfold base. &lt;strong&gt;With the cessation of mentality-materiality there is the cessation of the sixfold base.&lt;/strong&gt; The way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view…right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When a noble disciple has thus understood the sixfold base, the origin of the sixfold base, the cessation of the sixfold base, and the way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base…he here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way too a noble disciple is one of right view…and has arrived at this true Dhamma.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha did not include Six bases in Maha Nidama Sutta because Venerable Ananda was already Sotapanna person and he had no self view on all six bases. And Gautama Buddha did not totally exclude six bases in this Sutta. When Gautama Buddha explained Phasa section, it said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.' Thus it has been said. And this is the way to understand how from contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. If there were no contact at all, in any way, of anything anywhere — i.e., contact at the eye, contact at the ear, contact at the nose, contact at the tongue, contact at the body, or contact at the intellect — in the utter absence of contact, from the cessation of contact, would feeling be discerned?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus this is a cause, this is a reason, this is an origination, this is a requisite condition for feeling, i.e., contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means six bases is a bridge between Contact(Phasa) and Nama-Rupa(Material-Mental). Five bases of Rupa (Material POCs) and one base for Nama (Metal POC) is indirectly discoursed in Maha Nidana Sutta.&#xA;The logical assumption about not discussing six bases in link was Ananda probably had well understanding on six bases by Samma Ditthi (without self-view, Sakkara Ditthi). On his question Paticcasamuppada was easy to understand we can deduce that Venerable Ananda had Vijja and got rid of Avijja since he first joined Sanga. So Gautama Buddha did discourse without discussing Avijja as well as Sankhara (which is closely related with Avijja).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, Maha Nidana Sutta is highly tailored to Venerable Ananda who was already sotapanna person so it is safe to exclude Avijja (Ignorance), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; (fabrication, formation, Constructing activities) and six bases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for the normal, ubiquitous and common causes and effects links should include six bases and mainly Avijja and Sankhara as well. I do not know how much extent Sotapanna person would understand the causes and effects of Avijja, Sankhara and six bases but here in Maha Nidana Sutta, Gautama Buddha discussed only 9 causes and effects probably because of Venerable Ananda understanding on 3 missing links and based on this understanding he thought Paticcasamuppada was so easy for him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-29T22:41:49.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18615" CreationDate="2017-01-30T01:50:49.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) Nigrodha, you may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to win disciples.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let whoever is your teacher remain as your teacher.&#xA;(2) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us fall from our rules.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let your rules remain as your rules.&#xA;(3) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us fall from our livelihood.’ This is not so.&#xA;       Let your livelihood remain as your livelihood.&#xA;(4) You may think,&#xA;    ‘The recluse Gotama says this to make us do unwholesome things and follow unwholesome teachings.’ This is not so.&#xA;       Let what you consider unwholesome continue to be so considered.&#xA;(5) You may think,&#xA;    The recluse Gotama says this to separate us from wholesome things and wholesome teachings.’ This is not so.&#xA;        Let what you consider wholesome continue to be so considered.&#xA;—I do not speak for any of these reasons.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.4-Udumbarika-Sihanada-S-d25-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udumbarika Sihanada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the above statement you do not have to change any of your practices and faiths. In addition to whatever practices you are doing now practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Morality&lt;/a&gt; - whatever faith system you subscribe to cannot have anything to do against morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt; - no faith system would advocate being compulsive slave your of mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wisdom&lt;/a&gt; - no faith system can have anything against wisdom to know things as they are than being deluded&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above system is also systemised as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. As you progress in this path your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;faith in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; will increase based on your experience of reality. The experienced reality does not change by what ever label you apply to your self. Call yourself a Hindu if you may but the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; will still work. But to start with you should have some basic level of faith also otherwise you will not practice in earnest or may mix and match the techniques which might lead to undesired results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this instance it is difficult to  say if there was a moral transgression as it is difficult to establish if there was intention. There is ongoing a debate about this type of activity. You might want to read:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8b-The-unconscious.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Unconscious&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R459-160727-Conscious-preconscious-unconscious-subconscious-RB155.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conscious, preconscious, unconscious, subconscious&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T01:50:49.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19133" CreationDate="2017-01-30T02:13:16.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is an ultimate truth as when on set of aggregates disintegrate a new set if formed while physical death and rebirth is a special case of this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each being is a dependently arisen process. This process is also not be taken as self, but as a natural cause karmic effects arise as well as rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the rebirth process involves Citta and optionally Nupa which are part of the ultimate realities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-30T02:54:17.500" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T02:54:17.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-01-30T03:46:51.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Listening, Studying, Reflection are vital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you practice sitting meditation with joyful investigation for ~30min a day, you can probably have a direct insight into emptiness from one of the excellent sutras such as the Diamond Cutter Sutra or the Heart Sutra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will take a lot of consistent practice but every step is closer, so in short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grow your bodhicitta.  Cultivate a deep compassion and weep for the sufferings of all countless sentient beings.  Rest in the absolute nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love your teachers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4722" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T03:46:51.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19133" CreationDate="2017-01-30T05:34:28.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Put it into simplicity, if you died, if there's no rebirth, where have you gone? Will you one day &quot;die&quot;? Of course. Thus the dependent notion (相待) &quot;rebirth&quot; can't be cancelled. It's just that simple, it's a fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-01-30T07:47:45.993" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T07:47:45.993" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5276" CreationDate="2017-01-30T20:22:02.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was a man. I have no idea why everyone is trying to dodge obvious conceptual truth. I don't need an argument for this just like I don't need an argument for the fact that the Earth is round. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-01-30T20:22:02.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1886" CreationDate="2017-01-30T20:36:07.493" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;miccha dhamma&quot; is never about homosexuality, as the comment of the Cakkavattisuttaṃ (DN 26) is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;miccha dhamma&quot; and other two words are also appear in the Palokasuttaṃ (AN.3.56), and no comment about homosexuality here (as far as I know).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, &quot;miccha dhamma&quot; just means any bad practices or something away from sammā (involving greed to others' belongings or possessions) which happening in natural and man-made disasters, not some specific action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three words (adhamma-rāga), (visama-lobha), (miccha dhamma) have the similar meaning. The meaning of rāga is similar to lobha, and the meaning of visama is similar to adhamma &amp;amp; miccha dhamma. So, it does not mean some specific action, and the three words are just some ancient pali collocations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That wrong comment just came from some medieval homophobic buddhists like any homophobic Buddhists in the Modern times, whether he is living in Sri Lanka or not, whether where he living colonized by Britain's CHRISTIAN CUSTOM or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-majority is not deviant practice, as left-handers are not. However discrimination against minority is deviant practice, so anyone does so is deviant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I must say if homosexuality involving any of this, then Buddha would say more in other suttas, not just appearing in the mouth of some medieval homophobic commentators and their homophobic followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, I can not comment, so I will post here. Vinaya does mention pandakas, but the meaning of pandaka is about impotence or eunuch.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The category of pandaka is limited to five, and every category has its specific meaning involving impotence or eunuch. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's just because some pandakas having sex with men, thus interpreted that it is connected to homosexuality by some people. (However, In the Chinese version of sarvāstivāda-vinaya, the pandaka also trying to have sex with women)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[十誦律(the Chinese version of sarvāstivāda-vinaya)：是時，跋難陀釋子，與不能男出家(this paragraph mentioned the pandaka)。是人，夜捫摸諸比丘，諸比丘驅出(this paragraph mentioned trying to have sex with bhikkhu, namely men)。到比丘尼邊式叉摩尼沙彌沙彌尼邊，皆捫摸諸比丘尼學戒尼，諸沙彌沙彌尼盡驅出(and this paragraph mentioned trying to have sex with bhikkhunī, namely women)。]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following articles introduce the five types of pandaka and its meaning :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://jocbs.org/index.php/jocbs/article/view/28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Semen, Viagra and Pandaka: Ancient Endocrinology and Modern Day Discrimination&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.academia.edu/2210944/The_Two_Meanings_of_the_Pali_Term_pandaka_written_in_2012_revised_November_2016_&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Two Meanings of the Pali Term &quot;pandaka&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vinaya does not say anything about homosexuality or heterosexuality affect the qualification of bhikkhu. (definition of homosexuality/heterosexuality: the sexual desire for the same gender or opposite gender.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;你應該懂中文？我直接用中文。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;黃門/不能男是同一個詞彙的翻譯，律典當中已經表明，黃門只限制在五個類別裡，每一個類別的定義，都不是同性戀的定義。 &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BB%83%E9%96%80_(%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BB%83%E9%96%80_(%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;《決定藏論》：不能男人有三種異。一者具足不能。二者有時非時。三者毀傷損害。出生以來本無男根。是名具足不能人。又半月能男。謂前十四日不能。唯第十五日能。又使他摩觸則能。不觸不能。又見他行慾則能不見不能。是名有時非時。又復刀杖傷損病壞墮落值毒觸火呪術所斷。先有男根後則失壞悉不能男。是名毀傷損害不能男人。一者本是黃門而不能男。二者本非黃門而不能男。三者本是黃門非不能男。使他觸身則能生樂。是名人根不具。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;決定藏論說見他人行淫才能勃起、半月才能勃起，使他摩觸(按照巴利語和印度醫書的解釋，指灌撒[精子]來治療不能勃起）才能勃起，這些都屬於「有時非時」。有時非時，不是指一種特定情況的陽痿類別，還能是其它的什麼嘛？&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;律典問「汝是丈夫不」。根據南山律學辭典的定義，丈夫與否，根本和其性欲對象無關。&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhaspace.org/dict/nvd/data/%25E6%25AF%2594%25E4%25B8%2598%25E5%258F%2597%25E6%2588%2592%25E6%25B3%2595.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhaspace.org/dict/nvd/data/%25E6%25AF%2594%25E4%25B8%2598%25E5%258F%2597%25E6%2588%2592%25E6%25B3%2595.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;律本云，年滿二十者，能耐寒、熱、風、雨、飢、渴、持戒、一食、忍惡言，及毒蟲十事，是丈夫相。僧祇云，二十已上，‌​七十已下，有所堪能，是丈夫位，得與受戒。‌​若過若減，縱有所堪，及是應法而無所堪者，‌​並不得與授戒。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;把丈夫翻成(husband-man) 來解釋，是只看中文的望文生義。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;《摩訶僧祇律》很清楚的把「向男比丘求歡的男子」以及「向男比丘求歡的黃門」區分開來。清楚顯示了，在律典中，一個對男人有性欲的男人，和一個對男人有性欲的黃門，根本不是同個概念。&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;次佛住舍衛城。廣說如上。有一比丘。時到著入聚落衣持鉢入城。次行乞食至一家。爾時家中有一男子謂比丘言可前大德共作如是事來。比丘答言。世尊制戒不得行婬。彼言。我知制戒。不得與女人行婬。而我是男子。是比丘便隨彼意。隨彼意已尋生疑悔。具白世尊。佛告比丘。汝不知佛制戒不得行婬耶。世尊我知制戒。自謂不得與女人行婬。不謂男子。佛言。比丘男子亦犯波羅夷&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;復次佛住舍衛城。廣說如上。有一比丘。時到著入聚落衣持鉢入城。次行乞食至一家。有一黃門謂比丘言。可前大德共作如是事來。比丘言。世尊制戒不得行婬。彼言我知制戒。不得與男女行婬。我非男非女。是比丘便隨彼意。隨彼意已即生疑悔。具白世尊。佛告比丘。汝不知佛制戒不得行婬耶。世尊我知制戒。自謂不得與男女行婬。今此黃門非男非女。佛言比丘婬黃門亦犯波羅夷。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;以上這些證據都很清楚指向黃門的定義，和同性戀的定義根本是兩回事。不過有些人總要拿自身的偏見，來進行無謂的指責和混淆。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;順便補充我找到的，關於(adhamma-rāga), (visama-lobha), (miccha dhamma)的解釋：&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;大薩遮尼乾子所說經:「大師。於何時中。諸小王等。行王論法。答言。大王。於末世時。轉輪聖王隱沒不現。正法不行邪法競興。眾生心惡起三種過。*一者樂於非法貪心。二者起於顛倒貪心。三者邪法羅網纏心。*彼諸小王。自無智慧退失明解。是故聖人說諸小王治國論法。為行正法護世眾生。王言。大師。云何名為樂於非法貪心。答言。大王。於十不善惡業道中生於樂心。是名樂於非法貪心。云何名為顛倒貪心。自己手力得諸資生。依時節得。依正法得。依如法得。不生足心。更求他財。如是名為顛倒貪心。王言。大師。云何名為邪法羅網之所纏心。答言。大王。於諸外道非義論中起義論想。於無益論生利益想。於非法中生是法想。於末世時。非是智者所作論中。以為正論。生於信心。熏修邪見。以為福德。是名邪法羅網纏心。」&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;「大王。於諸外道非義論中起義論想。於無益論生利益想。於非法中生是法想。於末世時。非是智者所作論中。以為正論。生於信心。熏修邪見。以為福德。是名邪法羅網纏心」，這個才應該是miccha dhamma的意思。正好說明我之前的推測是有依據的。那種把miccha dhamma縮小成特定行為的解釋，反而無法在「經典」和「構字」上找到根據。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10732" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-30T20:24:14.390" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T20:24:14.390" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19149" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-01-30T22:35:12.630" Score="5" ViewCount="423" Body="&lt;p&gt;We have seen many researches and references (like &quot;Reviewed Work: Self and Non-Self in Early Buddhism&quot; and many more supporting documents from PTS, Pali text society) that the idea Atta to some extent it exists and can be deduced that Buddha's teachings also consists of &quot;the idea of Atta&quot;. The popular references by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaline_Blew_Horner&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;I.B Horner&lt;/a&gt; (need citation here) and some scholars is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;atta hi attano natho&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddha's teachings and Tipitaka, I do not see a slight extent of existence of Atta or some ambiguities about Atta by Buddha or monks at the Buddha's ages. All Buddha teachings are ubiquitously about Anatta. And Gautama Buddha repealed the very concept ’Atta’ in many Suttas. Since his second discourse “&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Latkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, Buddha’s teachings are all about Anatta. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; is key concept in Buddha's teachings and Gautama Buddha was first and very first person opposite and challenged to popular Atta idealists at the age of his time. My question here is why some scholars and some publications from Pali text society are trying to coerce Atta concept in Buddhism or society of Buddhists?  What are the supporting facts that Gautama Buddha and his teachings are self denial to its own Anatta concept? What are the proofs that Buddhism accept/adopt Brahmanism's Atta idea since both are clearly opposed to each other? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please keep in mind that the words self and not-self are loosely translated, have ambiguous meanings about referring internal and external based on perspective of particular individual being and not applicable/intended words here. Atta and Anatta is what I am referring here.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The definition of Atta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atta&lt;/a&gt; is the word from Brahmanism, it is essence, from Brahma (or whatever creator make it exists), eternal or indefinite period of existence, it has capability of suffering pleasure and pain. It is in each and everyone bodies and pass from life to life. Some outside Buddha’s teachings define Atta as ’soul’ and/or self but precise definition of Atta is highly controversial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T03:16:45.420" Title="Bringing 'Atta' concept to Buddha's teachings" Tags="|theravada|atta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1886" CreationDate="2017-01-31T00:22:08.850" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In respect to the &lt;em&gt;cultural context&lt;/em&gt; of the Pali suttas, I have only read references to: (i) parents arranging the marriage of their (pubescent) children (DN 31) &amp;amp;; (ii) sex in marriage between husbands &amp;amp; wives (AN 4.53; AN 4.55; DN 31); as wholesome or Buddhist sexual conduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that cultural context, sexual misconduct (per AN 10.176) means to have sex in a way that harms existing family relationships between husbands &amp;amp; wives, parents &amp;amp; children, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, there is obviously nothing in Buddhism that supports the recent 'Sexual Revolution' &amp;amp; sexual liberalism that occurred due to the technology of universal birth-control. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because today's culture has significant numbers of 'consenting adults' with no strings attached does not necessarily mean sexual liberalism is considered wholesome in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 31 explicitly states 'sexual liberalism' is a road to ruin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With these cultural contexts in mind, the suttas are silent on homosexuality. Therefore, it can be assumed Buddhist principles hold that homosexual activity outside of committed (homosexual) relationships is unwholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Buddhist principles would support homosexual rights &amp;amp; homosexual marriage but would not support Gay Pride parades &amp;amp; Mardi Gras where gay people perform public sexual acts and promote a liberal/hedonistic gay culture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many worthy social crusades, such as 1st wave feminism (which sought equal rights for women) or the decriminalization of homsexuality, end up degenerating, such as into 2nd wave feminism, which campaigned against motherhood &amp;amp; family values and promoted sexual promiscuity for women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many good &amp;amp; proper causes get easily hijacked &amp;amp; perverted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, when it is said Buddhism is not against homosexuality, this does not mean Buddhism supports all actions homosexuals perform. If homosexuals transgress the five moral precepts, Buddhism does not support or endorse those transgressions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-29T06:06:14.310" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T06:06:14.310" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19152" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19153" CreationDate="2017-01-31T01:47:54.610" Score="3" ViewCount="560" Body="&lt;p&gt;How many types of meditation are there in Theravada Buddhism? Could you also provide a list of them as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10734" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T07:03:15.797" Title="Types of Meditation in Theravada Buddhism" Tags="|theravada|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19152" CreationDate="2017-01-31T03:22:09.297" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least forty: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Earth device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Water device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fire device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Air or wind device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Blue device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yellow device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Red device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;White device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Space device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness device&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is bloated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is livid (has patchy discoloration)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is festering (trickling with pus in broken places)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is cut up&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is gnawed&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is scattered&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is hacked and scattered&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is bleeding&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is worm-infested&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corpse that is a skeleton&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the Sangha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of Virtue&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of Charity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the Devas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of Death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of the Physical Body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness with Breathing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of Calmness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sympathy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sphere of Infinity of Space&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sphere of Infinite Consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sphere of No-thingness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the loathsomeness of food&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Analysis of the four physical elements&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=40_meditation_subjects&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=40_meditation_subjects&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T03:22:09.297" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13695" CreationDate="2017-01-31T06:32:56.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Master hsuan Hứa from the City of ten thousands buddhas said that smoking makes the bodhisatvas not protect you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.gbm-online.com/online/dharma/5_precepts3.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Precepts Talk by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The smell from smoking is terrible. Not only does it make a person smell bad outside, it also makes the inside of his body smells bad. Bodhisattvas and Dharma-protecting good spirits will not want to protect you when they find out you smell like smoke. No matter how much merit and virtue you may have, they will leave you alone and you will have many accidents happen to you. We don't have to talk about others, currently there is one person among us who smoked stealthily and caused a very dangerous incident to occur. It happened because he was smoking, but he still doesn't realize it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who smoke will fall into the hell of Flames after they die. The hell of Flames is especially prepared for smokers. Whoever likes to smoke has the chance to go down there. If you refrain from smoking, you will cut off the path that leads to the hell of Flames. If you don't, however, you will have a share of it in the future. People do not know the seriousness of such matters and do whatever they like. When you understand, you will not do it. Smoking is a more severe problem then drinking. Why didn't Shakyamuni Buddha prohibit smoking but disallowed drinking? It is because during that time when the Buddha was in the world no one knew how to smoke.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10737" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T11:28:12.560" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19149" CreationDate="2017-01-31T06:35:54.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Self conception leads to, pleasant sensation if it enhances the ego, unpleasant if it dents our ego, and neutral if otherwise, which in turn leads to craving which keep the wheel of Dependent Arising turning. To abandon craving and aversion you have be equanimous to pleasant and unpleasant sensations and note impermanence of the neutral sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More details are found &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19129/295&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T06:35:54.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19152" CreationDate="2017-01-31T06:51:44.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meditation subjects are called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;. There are 40 of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of these are collected in the following books:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimuttimagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimuttimagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you might want to read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; by Pa Auk Sayadaw which glosses over many of matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at the size of these manual it is difficult to give introduction to all in one answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in ascese all have the similar goal. That is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;scrub the latent tendencies (anusaya), &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kleshas&lt;/a&gt; or unwholesome roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;remove the corruptions of insight (vipallasa) and understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with ever way you understand better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In studying meditation from any of the above sources it is wise to treat them as secondary source and compair with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tripitaka&lt;/a&gt; which is the primary source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-01-31T07:03:15.797" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T07:03:15.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19149" CreationDate="2017-01-31T09:08:09.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is possible to bend the Buddha's message (if you so wish to do) because the Buddha never denied Atta in an Essential sense, he only pointed out that within empirical experience (all the way up to the perception of cessation) no 'thing' can be said to be constant and unchanging, as a self would be required to be.. hence the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulapariyaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whilst the Buddha was very clear with regards to the lack of evidence for Atta within the empirical world, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potthapada&lt;/a&gt; Suttas shows that with regards to the Transcendental Atta (which is the Atta that most darshanas went for - Brahman/Atta is usually seen as beyond experience, commonly stated as 'neti neti' - 'not this, not that'), he asked people to avoid speculation (because whatever that 'transcendental' is inferred to be, it cannot be perceived and therefore cannot be verified)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Anatta doctorine is very subtle, a not insignificant number of schools of Buddhism have gone towards either essentialism (brahmanism) or annihalationism (nihilism) at some point. Yogachara has the nature of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogachara#The_Three_Natures&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parinispanna&lt;/a&gt;, which is a transcendental Atta. Mahayana developed the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gatagarbha_s%C5%ABtras&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tathagatagharba&lt;/a&gt;, which makes the Buddha a kind of Atta for Existence. The Buddha would have likely not concurred with these though!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-01-31T09:43:26.630" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T09:43:26.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18688" CreationDate="2017-01-31T22:19:21.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;More or less the same for morality, just takes away Essence from the philosophy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-01-31T22:19:21.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19084" CreationDate="2017-02-01T02:30:02.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A non-Buddhist answer, perhaps:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My sense of Realization is that it is part of a process of development, or maturation. We simply grow in to it eventually. Glimpses might come earlier, and even be imparted, but then it takes time to stabilize and fully develop the realization, as other answers state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seen this way, many approaches will work, as will &quot;no approach&quot; eventually, if the person is so inclined to recognize and value realization. &quot;Seek and ye shall find.&quot; Perhaps this is why there can be so many different teachings and schools, all of which worked for &lt;em&gt;someone&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last stage, I think, is simply letting go. Or, &quot;be let go-ed&quot;. As the old Zen story puts it, you release your hold on the cliff edge, only to realize that you were standing on firm ground all along! Ego cannot do this letting go, it arises spontaneously. So maybe the answer to your question is: &quot;One doesn't.&quot; Or, &quot;Oneness does&quot; or something silly like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T02:30:02.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19149" CreationDate="2017-02-01T02:51:23.303" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Science can give no assurance herein Buddhism can meet the atomic challenge, because the supra mundane knowledge of Buddhism begins where science leaves off. And this is clear enough to anyone who has made a study of Buddhism. For, through Buddhist meditation, the atomic constituents make up matter have been seen and felt, and the sorrow, or un-satisfactoriness (or Dukkha), of their ‘arising and passing away’ (dependent on causes) has made itself with what we call a ‘soul’ or ‘Atma’ – the illusion of Sakkayaditthi, as it is called in the Buddha’s teaching”. - Egerton C. Baptist&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The illusion of Sakkayaditthi, that  Egerton C. Baptist noted is the &lt;strong&gt;gross state of manifest of Upadanas&lt;/strong&gt;. Sakkayaditthi  as understood by a Stream Entrant is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components [of clinging] ([upadana-]skandhas). When contemplating on the Dhamma thus, the Stream Entrant comes to realize the absence of a permanent and unchanging self (identity) or soul in any or all of the constituents of empirical existence, and beyond skandhas, there is no actual self. He she comes to the understanding that what is normally thought of as &quot;self&quot; is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components [of clinging] ([upadana-]skandhas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The illusion of ATTA, is the &lt;strong&gt;most Subtle state of manifest of Upadanas&lt;/strong&gt; that ONLY at the final stage of Arahanthood would one truly come to know of and transcend this clinging to personality belief (attavad-upadana). Atta means self, ego or personality in Buddhism. But it is a mere conventional expression. It is only in Hinduism, in Vedic philosophy that we come across this doctrine of Atman. Hindus refer to three types of Atman namely, Jivatman - Micro cosmic soul; Paramatman - Macro cosmic soul; Visvatman - Cosmic soul. For them, the attainment of Salvation means comprehending these three types of souls, and salvation is nothing but unification with Brahma or the Creator God. But the Buddha said that it is nothing but a noxious concept which prevents the realization of Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the three characteristics of existence are  impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-soul. Attachment to ego-belief is one of the four perversion (attasanna). Buddha has showed twenty kinds of ego-views with regards to the groups of existence that are called the clinging to the personality belief (sakkayaditthi).&#xA;So we should understand that Attavadupadana is the most subtle form of sakkayaditthi that ONLY at the time of Nibbana that one would fully comprehend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T02:51:23.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19161" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-01T02:53:41.320" Score="3" ViewCount="942" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's been discussed in all perspectives that the Buddha was teaching about not-Self (Anatta) in this forum. However, it taught that one should empty the Mind (Citta) to realize Anatta, or Sunyata, in Dhyana (Jhana). If this mind is already not-Self, why it needs to be emptied and what is to be emptied? If this mind is also not-Self, how does it have the autonomy/independence to realize/discern Emptiness? If this mind is Self, how can it realize not-Self? If this mind is not-Self, who controls/owns the Five Aggregations and intellect? Who/what is this mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-01T03:07:24.573" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T16:37:41.777" Title="Is the Mind (Citta) the Self? If not, what is it?" Tags="|meditation|anatman|mind|sunyata|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19161" CreationDate="2017-02-01T03:53:27.987" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. If this mind is already not-Self, why it needs to be emptied and what is to be emptied?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is only 'not-self' from the viewpoint of enlightenment &amp;amp; truth. But for the unenlightened mind, the mind is 'self' because of ignorance ('blindness'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is ideally 'emptied' so it can see clearly, similar to cleaning a window or mirror. It is emptied of the pollutants that obscure clear seeing, similar to a window or mirror cleaned from dust. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali scriptures describe this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangaravo Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine, Brahman, a bowl of water mixed with lac, turmeric, dark green or crimson dye. If a man with good eyesight were to look at the&#xA;  reflection of his own face in it, he would not know or see it as it&#xA;  really was. In the same way, Brahman, when a man dwells with his heart&#xA;  possessed and overwhelmed by sense-desires... then he cannot know or&#xA;  see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, to the profit of&#xA;  others, to the profit of both. Then even sacred words he has long&#xA;  studied are not clear to him, not to mention those he has not&#xA;  studied. Sangaravo Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. If this mind is also not-Self, how does it have the autonomy/independence to realize/discern Emptiness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind has a wisdom faculty to discern emptiness. It is not possible to explain how or why this can occur. The Pali suttas simply say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discernment (wisdom/panna) &amp;amp; consciousness are conjoined, not disjoined. It's not possible, having separated them one from the&#xA;  other, to delineate the difference between them. For what one&#xA;  discerns, that one cognizes. What one cognizes, that one discerns.&#xA;  Mahavedalla Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jesus Christ said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If the flesh came into being because of spirit (consciousness), that is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, that is the wonder of&#xA;  wonders. Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in&#xA;  this poverty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Gospel of Thomas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. If this mind is Self, how can it realize not-Self?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt; is not a self. It is impermanent. It is not-self. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;All things are not-self&quot;. Dhammapada 279.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the&#xA;  mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the four&#xA;  great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three, four,&#xA;  five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or more. But&#xA;  what's called 'mind (citta),' 'intellect (mano)' or 'consciousness' (vinanna) by day and by&#xA;  night arises as one thing and ceases as another. Assutavā Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. If this mind is not-Self, who controls/owns the Five Aggregations and intellect? Who/what is this mind?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing owns or ultimately controls the five aggregates, as was explained at the start of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha's 2nd sermon&lt;/a&gt;. However, the mind itself, via enlightenment, can control its mental formations (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) while the mind is alive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 12.12 states there is no &quot;who&quot; that is conscious. The idea of &quot;who&quot; arises later at clinging &amp;amp; &quot;becoming&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, has a sense-impression?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;I do not say that 'he has a sense-impression.'...the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of sense-impression?'&#xA;  And to that the correct reply is: 'The sixfold sense-base is a&#xA;  condition of sense-impression, and sense-impression is the condition&#xA;  of feeling.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, feels?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One....the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of feeling?'&#xA;  And to that the correct reply is: 'sense-impression is the condition&#xA;  of feeling; and feeling is the condition of craving.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, craves?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say that 'he craves.'...the correct way to ask the question will be 'What&#xA;  is the condition of craving?' And to that the correct reply is:&#xA;  'Feeling is the condition of craving, and craving is the condition of&#xA;  clinging.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, clings?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One, &quot;I do not say that 'he clings.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who clings?' would&#xA;  be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask&#xA;  the question will be 'What is the condition of clinging?' And to that&#xA;  the correct reply is: 'Craving is the condition of clinging; and&#xA;  clinging is the condition of the process of becoming.' Such is the&#xA;  origin of this entire mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As previously said, the mental faculties are named according to their functions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it feeling? ‘It feels,’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it perception? ‘It perceives,’ bhikkhus,therefore it is called perception.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it formation/construct? ‘They construct the constructions,’ bhikkhus, therefore they are called&#xA;  formations.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why, bhikkhus, do you call it consciousness? ‘It cognizes, ’ bhikkhus, therefore it is called consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-01T04:04:16.570" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T04:04:16.570" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19161" CreationDate="2017-02-01T07:16:20.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the &lt;strong&gt;unbroken&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;stream of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in this world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in the next&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;'s Translation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 28&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In intermediate stages of meditation is seems like consciousness is continuous and you will feel there is a permanent observer. If it is continuous then it can be considered self by some meditations. This maybe a mistake quite a few meditators would fall into hence the explicit mention. But as your meditation deepens this you realise that consciousness is also not unbroken, i.e., it is broken, hence it is not / non self&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the &lt;strong&gt;unbroken&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;stream of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;both&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;unestablished&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in this world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;unestablished&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in the next&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the above deals with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/a&gt; it is applicable to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt; also. That is, if Citta is discontinuous in this life than it is not self. It not self that if you mind is in a pleasant mental state you cannot prolong it. It comes to an end what when that happens it deals to unpleasantness. When pleasantness changes it is unpleasant. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Whatever, unsatisfactory is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind partly controls the body. This is not absolute. By thinking I will transform back you my x year body you cannot. By thinking I will not age any more you cannot stop it. There are a lot of areas the mind has no control on what it can do hence it is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following might be of interest for additional references: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165&quot;&gt;Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Out of the 5 aggregates Consciousness is the last of what you see as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Craving arises at any of the six viññāṇas of the sense doors. As a description of mind, the four aggregates of viññāṇa, saññā, vedanā, and saṅkhāra generally suffice. Deeper Vipassana separates them. Before that stage is reached however, philosophies start because, despite the experience of arising and passing, the observer—which is viññāṇa—seems to remain and it is not divided or dissected. It is viewed as eternal soul: je viññāya te āya ye āya te viññāya (Whatever is viññāṇa is soul and whatever is soul is viññāṇa). However at a deeper level it does become separated: eye viññāṇa cannot hear, ear viññāṇa cannot see, any or all of these viññāṇas can stop, and when mind viññāṇa also stops, nibbāna comes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;1) &quot;unbroken/broken consciousness&quot;, is the consciousness the mind, the observer, or both are minds? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you cannot see impermanence in consciousness you feel there is a soul as the observer. Until you see consciousness as impermanent you feel there is a soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The easiest part to see impermanence is the body as it is subjected to: pain disease, aging, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is harder to see arising and passing of the mind. Though as you progress you see parts of the 5 Aggregates making up the mind also as arising as passing. In my opinion the 1st would be sensation and the as the suttas last would be consciousness. Perception and Fabrication it will be difficult to say what order. As far as I know, sutta source only mention consciousness is last, it does not say about body is 1st, but this is something I inferred. But nevertheless when you see consciousness arising and passing you see there no part of the mind which is permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another way you might see selfhood in external (mine, god controlling soul), body and mind. As our understanding expands the sphere of selfhood contracts to body and mind (corporeal body), the mind only, parts of the mind final residue being consciousness, and finally there is no self conceiving at all. This is gradual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;2) &quot;The mind partly controls the body...&quot; then what is the other part also controlled the body, how do their co-ordinations be achieved? In experimental world we can't control age, not necessarily the mind is incapable, but the mind is partially in function? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind has some control: you can lift you hand and foot if you want (provided they are functional)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mind has no control: can you stop aging&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above statements together: The mind partly controls the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;3) &quot;eye viññāṇa cannot hear...&quot; Arahats or &quot;X-man&quot; can have their faculties switched, experiment by one Taiwan Uni. principal, children could be trained to &quot;read&quot; with ears!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be very well that this research miss infereded reading with the eye faculty as ear. Sometimes there is fake news on the net. It could be such a instance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt; is developed then is not the physical eye you see from by and extension of this faculty. You might be able to read something head to the side or back of your head perhaps. This does not mean you are reading from your ears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;modern medicine has developed devices to enable blind patients to see&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are not meant to fly but aeroplanes people do. Likewise you can use a device to achieve something which is not possible. If you use medical technique this is repairing the faculty. To see there should be contact (attention, external contact, working faculty, consciousness). Medical techniques repair the faculty. Even perhaps a blind person may have latent, the eye consciousness. what is missing is the faculty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T06:41:01.490" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10117" CreationDate="2017-02-01T07:34:27.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What do I do with my life upon the realization of no self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What stops is I-making, mine-making or self conceiving. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.8a-Anusaya-Ananda-S-a3.32a-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Anusaya) Ānanda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.8b-Anusaya-Sariputta-S-a3.32b-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Anusaya) Sāriputta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Also everything conceivable is not self, non self or not worthy of being identified as self. Saying there is no self is an extreme view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why should I continue to do this? For money? Who cares when my heart really isn't in it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong in earning a living as long as it is Right Livelihood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can avoid the pain of attachment to health, to status, to such ideas as constants, but what good am I trying to help others understand that too? I have the understanding of it for myself, but I truly lack the depth of it to teach this, to help people out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are attached you do not make the right decision. You might make a decision out of fear or without taking all into account. The best if to use &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; to reduce this attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What good does no self&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well as mentioned above it is not self. If I am to rephrase this as what good is realisting not self. I-making leads to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; and future misery due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditioning&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T07:34:27.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19165" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19170" CreationDate="2017-02-01T08:03:51.520" Score="3" ViewCount="556" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the Suttas which discuss self and nonself and under which contexts and angles? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To break it down:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss no self as an extreme view?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss what is not pleasent cannot be taken as not / non self? What Suttas discuss sensations and not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss external controller as not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss internal controller as not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Sutas discuss the doer as not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss action is not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss body as not / non self? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what Suttas discuss consciousness as the last aggregate to realise as not / non self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what Suttas discuss the aggregates as not self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what Suttas discuss the 6 sense bases as not self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss the world is non / not self?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What Suttas discuss the contemporary notion of Atta?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the angles the non / not self is discussed? What angles and contexts that might be missing above? If so what are the Suttas in these contexts?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above is just for guidance but it will be helpful if the Sutas can be grouped by context / angle, perhaps under a title or section. It is helpful if the relevant section can be quoted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will be accepting the answer with most of the mentioned / unmentioned categories covered followed by number of references. But if you have at least 1 reference not already in another answer this will be appreciated and upvoted.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-02-01T08:28:35.950" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T04:26:01.177" Title="Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19166" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19168" CreationDate="2017-02-01T10:23:52.037" Score="5" ViewCount="157" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some techniques that the Lord Buddha have stated to control anger? I can recall a few (listed below) but I not really sure if they are exactly correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;changing the object of your attention&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;thinking about the consequences of your anger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understanding what is the cause of your anger&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;metta loving kindness meditation towards yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;channelling your anger towards your own mind and trying to control your own mind &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could someone please verify if the Lord Buddha actually stated the above techniques and also could you please state any other techniques He stated. It would also be great if you could reference the suttra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10734" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T16:28:12.950" Title="Ways of Controlling Anger" Tags="|sutras|meditation|anger|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19079" CreationDate="2017-02-01T12:54:42.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The standard Buddhist picture is that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;only momentary particulars are caused, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so given that &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;only causal things have any existence, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it follows that wholes have no existence. You can find arguments for these two claims pretty easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T12:54:42.410" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19166" CreationDate="2017-02-01T13:30:31.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, no other single thing do I see, on account of which unarisen ill will does not arise, and&#xA;  arisen ill will is abandoned, as on account of this, bhikshus, namely, the liberation of mind through&#xA;  lovingkindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) And what, bhikshus, is food for the arising of unarisen ill will (vyapada) and for the growth&#xA;  and abundance of arisen ill will?&#xA;  There is, bhikshus, the sign of the repulsive (paigha,nimitta). Frequently giving unwise attention to it&#xA;  is food for the arising of unarisen ill will and for the growth and abundance of arisen ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.10-Avarana-Nivarana-S-s46.38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Āvaraṇa Nīvaraṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, brahmin, when one dwells with a mind seized by ill will (vyapada), overcome by ill&#xA;  will, then one understands not, as it really is, the escape (from it), one neither understands nor sees, as it&#xA;  really is, , one’s own benefit, …nor others’ benefit,…nor the benefit of both—so, too, the mantras that&#xA;  have been recited over a long time do not come to mind, let alone those that have not been recited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Brahmin, just as when a person with good sight, looking for the reflection of his own face in a&#xA;  bowl of water, heated up by a fire, keeps boiling over with hot water, would neither know nor see it, as it&#xA;  really is—even so, brahmin, when one dwells with a mind seized by ill will, overcome by ill will, then&#xA;  one understands not, as it really is, , the escape (from it), one neither understands nor sees, as it really is,&#xA;  one’s own benefit,…nor others’ benefit,…nor the benefit of both—so, too, the mantras that have been&#xA;  recited over a long time do not come to mind, let alone those that have not been recited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.12-Nivarana-Sangarava-s46.55-S-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvarana) Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, the four focusses of mindfulness are to be cultivated for the abandoning of these five&#xA;  mental hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.13-Satipatthana-Nivarana-S-a9.64-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Satipaṭṭhāna) Nīvaraṇa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In relation to general thoughts linked in thinking and pondering on unwholesome thoughts &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;turn his attention to a different sign connected with the wholesome&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;should examine the disadvantage [the danger] of those thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one should not mind them, he should disregard them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;should attend to the stilling of the thought-formation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.5-Vyapada-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vyāpāda&lt;/a&gt; an essay by Piya Tan might be also of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-01T16:28:12.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19169" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-01T17:15:44.890" Score="1" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seongcheol&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seongcheol&lt;/a&gt;'s parinirvana gatha reads:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Deceiving people all my life, my sins outweigh Mount Sumeru.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Falling into hell alive, my grief divides into ten thousand pieces.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Spouting forth a red wheel,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It hangs on the blue mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone written about what this means? I see that Seongcheol had this explanation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've lived my entire life as a practitioner, and people have always&#xA;  asked me for something. Everyone is already a Buddha, but they do not&#xA;  try to realize that fact and only look towards me. So, in a way, you&#xA;  could say I've deceived people all my life. I've failed to get this&#xA;  message across to everyone so I'm suffering in a kind of hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I wonder if it is definitive? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You read people who think it's an admission that he's wasted his &quot;entire life&quot;, whereas I thought it could be a statement about &quot;saving all sentient beings&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-02-05T14:09:06.007" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T20:42:19.003" Title="Seongcheol's parinirvana gatha" Tags="|zen|bodhisattva-vows|final-nirvana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19165" CreationDate="2017-02-02T03:22:09.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta: The Arrow&lt;/a&gt; gets you to see that &lt;strong&gt;the 6 sense bases as not self&lt;/strong&gt;  IMHO… There’s a simile where a man is suffering from pain. He gets tied up in anxiety and misery around the pain. And the Buddha says it’s like being shot with an arrow and then shooting yourself with a second arrow. The physical pain is the first arrow; the mental pain is the second one. And it’s the mental one that’s important. As the Buddha says, the enlightened person, the awakened person, may still get shot with those first arrows but doesn’t shoot him or herself with the second.  It is because an Arahant has gone beyond the last of the four kinds of clingings – the Attavada Upadana (attachment or upadana is “firmly grasping”.) Attavada is the last of the attachments which is in other words a hindrance to the realization of Nibbana. So this tells us how not to shoot ourselves with that second arrow. The question is: How do we learn not to do that?  If a person who has gained very exalted states in meditation and responds by saying, “I am at peace. I am released”, the “I am” in those statements is what’s causing the problem. It shows that this person still has some connection, still has some clinging. After all, craving combined with clinging is what causes the suffering. You impose that idea of who you are on all kinds of experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the discourse of the snake simile &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; points to &lt;strong&gt;the contemporary notion of Atta&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO… In this Buddha explained the doctrine of soullessness in another way, comparing Dhamma to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto.  Sabbe Dhamma anatta—all dhammas are not‐self—applies here, where you might see nibbana as a dhamma, as an object of the mind. As long as you perceive it in that way, there’s going to be attachment, there’s going to be a dhamma to hold on to. At Nibbana, these dhammas have done their work, so an Arahant put them aside. A person who uses the Dhamma to criticise, to find fault, or for other reasons than for its intended purpose is like a person who has got hold of a snake by the tail or the coil.  The wrongly held ‘pseudo’ doctrine will destroy him / her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.089.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khemaka Sutta: About Khemaka, SN 22.89&lt;/a&gt;  it discusses &lt;strong&gt;the doer as not / non self&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Friends, even though a noble disciple has abandoned the five lower fetters, still, in relation to the five aggregates subject to clinging, there lingers in him a residual conceit ‘I am,’ a desire ‘I am,’ an underlying tendency ‘I am’ that has not yet been uprooted. Sometime later he dwells contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging: ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling … such is perception … such are volitional formations … such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away.’ As he dwells thus contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging, the residual conceit ‘I am,’ the desire ‘I am,’ the underlying tendency ‘I am’ that had not yet been uprooted—this comes to be uprooted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/23.16-Dighavu-S-s55.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīghā¬vu ¬U¬pāsa¬ka¬ Sutta, SN55.5&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;internal controller as not / non self&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO… ie., perception of impermanence (anicca,saññā), the perception of suffering in what is impermanent (anicce dukkha,saññā), the perception of not-self in what is suffering (dukkhe anatta,saññā), the perception of abandonment [letting go of defilements] (pahāna,saññā), the perception of fading away [dispassion] (virāga,saññā), the perception of cessation (of suffering) (nirodha,saññā).:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, Dighavu, when you are established in these four factors of stream entry, you should further develop six qualities conducive to clear knowing. Remain focused on inconstancy in all fabrications, percipient of stress in what is inconstant, percipient of not-self in what is stressful, percipient of abandoning, percipient of dispassion, percipient of cessation. That's how you should train yourself.&quot; ….. Dīgh’āvu later passes away and arises spontaneously in the Suddh’āvāsa as a non-returner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.069.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upasena Sutta: Upasena, SN 35.69&lt;/a&gt; discuss &lt;strong&gt;the body as not / non self&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Records the incident of the death of Upasena Vangantaputta from a snake-bite. Summoned by him, Sāriputta looked at him and said that he noticed no change at all in Upasena, either in his body or in his faculties. Upasena answered that that was because he had long before quelled all lurking tendencies of &quot;I&quot; and &quot;mine.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Satipatthana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; - discuss &lt;strong&gt;the world is non / not self&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO…  We grasp the world as if it is our own. Seeing through eye, we grasp things as if they are our own. Hearing through the ear ,we grasp sounds, likewise by smelling, tasting and touching we grasp things as they are real and our own. Through all these, either we practice attachment or revulsion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said &quot;'This is the only way Bhikkhus, for the purification of beings (ekayano ayam bhikkhave maggo sattanam visuddhiya). Buddha has clearly pointed out that both attachment or revulsion should be avoided by the wise. In this Sutta, emphasizing the four contemplation, namely, contemplation on the body, feeling, consciousness and Dhamma, the Buddha instructed one to contemplate the body in the body, feeling in the feeling, consciousness in consciousness and mental objects (Dhamma) in mental objects. That is in ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome in this world, covetousness and grief (atapisampajano satima vineyyaloke abhijjhadomanassam). Here, in this context the term abhijjhadomanassa is very important because abhijja is covetousness or attachment, its counter part is domanassa or revulsion. So the Buddha's advice here is to overcome both, attachment and revulsion. That is the path prescribed by the Buddhas for emancipation. It is the only way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the very outset Buddha preached on soullessness in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anattalakkhana Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; for the five disciples. Here Buddha discuss &lt;strong&gt;consciousness as the last aggregate to realise as not / non self&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO…  In this sutta the Buddha takes up each of the five aggregates namely, form (rupa), feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), mental formations (sankhara) and consciousness (vinnana) shows that none of these should be viewed as ‘this is mine’, ‘this I am’ or ‘this is my soul’. The belief in the soul is a vain attempt to keep within one’s control things which are dependently arisen and therefore not capable of bringing within the range of one’s supervision and control.  The Buddha clearly demonstrates that one cannot demand any of the aggregates to behave in the way one wishes it to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone&lt;/a&gt; discuss &lt;strong&gt;no self as an extreme view&lt;/strong&gt; IMHO.. in seeing ‘self’ as view the four physical elements (dhatu) of nature: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind (pathavi, apo, tejo, and vayo) as Elements of solidity, fluidity, heat and motion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(1)        Earth element (pathavi-dhatu) has the property of hardness, strength, thickness, immobility, security and supporting.  - they represent the solidity property of forms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; (2)        Water element (apo-dhatu) has the property of oozing, humidity, fluidity, trickling, permeation and cohesion.  - they represent the fluidity or cohesiveness property of forms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; (3)        Fire element (tejo-dhatu) has the property of heating, warmth, consuming and grasping.  - they represent the heat or cold temperature property of forms.&lt;br&gt;&#xA; (4)        Air element (vayo-dhatu) has the property of motion, supporting, coldness, ingress and egress, easy movement and grasping.  - they represent the distended-ness property of forms.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahahatthipadopama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;discusses the aggregates and as not self&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The sutta shows that this so called man is nothing but “five aggregates affected by clinging” and are dependently arisen. The desire, indulgence, inclination, and holding based on these five aggregates affected by clinging is the origin of suffering (chando alayo anunayo ajjhosanam, so dukkha samudayo). Once the Buddha said in short, the five aggregates affected by clinging are suffering (sankhittena pancupadanakkhandha dukkha). If one does not grasp things as one’s own and eradicate “I” concept (upadana) completely one can achieve the Enlightenment (Anupadana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.136&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uppādāsutta - The Discourse on the Orderliness of the Dhamma AN 3.136&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;shows us that action is not / non self.&lt;/strong&gt; that is … &#xA; “Subbe dhamma anatta…  All compounds are devoid of self.”  Or as this sutta shows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;all conditioned phenomea are impermanent (sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā'ti)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  all conditioned phenomena are suffering (sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā'ti)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  all phenomena are non-self (sabbe dhammā anattā'ti.)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which means: All states are not self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body is neither yours, nor anybody else's...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These feelings are neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These perceptions are neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These mental constructions are neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These verbal constructions are neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  These bodily constructions are neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This consciousness is neither yours, nor anybody else's.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They are results of old kamma, prior actions, something to be seen as generated and shaped by accumulations of past intention, emerging as effects to be sensed now... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T22:26:50.030" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17431" CreationDate="2017-02-02T07:48:58.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are infinite beings in a universe. Event if a large number of beings become enlightened then still there will be infinite beings. The number of beings in all planes who get enlightened is approximately 24 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa%E1%B9%83khyeya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;asankya&lt;/a&gt;. The number of past Buddhas is infinite, the number of Arahants are infinite as there were infinite &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81sana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sasanas&lt;/a&gt;. But despite all who becomes arahants infinite being remain, of whom some maybe born in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-02-02T08:06:12.897" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T08:06:12.897" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19173" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19174" CreationDate="2017-02-02T11:45:04.603" Score="5" ViewCount="481" Body="&lt;p&gt;This related question already has an answer:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/7837&quot;&gt;Avoiding Lust in Hinduism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a bit strange to ask, but I'll proceed anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In specifically Buddhism (I'm a Hindu though) there are prescribed ways to cultivate metta/loving-kindness towards women. I know that lusting for the flesh is bad, and I also know all the ethics of preserving chastity for marriage, but during my abstinence period, I can't stop thinking about women. I have tried &quot;loathsome meditation&quot; or to meditate on the unpleasantness of the body, even satipathana, but it still doesn't work. I tried to give the pedestal of mother or sister, but still it's difficult to imagine them as kin members without actually being so. This is all because of this oversexualized stimuli that the modern consumer world is exposing us to. What should a brahmachari do to deal with this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10546" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:12.470" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T22:08:31.290" Title="metta towards women" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|sexuality|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19173" CreationDate="2017-02-02T12:13:48.563" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Implicit in sexual fantasies is the underlying wrong view that the actions in the sexual fantasy are not harmful &amp;amp; will bring happiness to both sides. The Dhamma states in many places that sexual liberalism or sexual promiscuity harms, defiles &amp;amp; degrades women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Unchastity/misconduct taints a woman.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.18.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 242&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 8.15&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a wretch? Here, the husband is one who destroys life, takes what is not given,&#xA;  engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor,&#xA;  wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of&#xA;  bad character; he dwells at home with a heart obsessed by the stain of&#xA;  miserliness; he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. And his&#xA;  wife is also one who destroys life, takes what is not given,&#xA;  engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor,&#xA;  wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of&#xA;  bad character; he dwells at home with a heart obsessed by the stain of&#xA;  miserliness; he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a&#xA;  wretch.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.53&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in associating with evil companions, namely: any gambler, &lt;strong&gt;any&#xA;  libertine&lt;/strong&gt;, any drunkard, any swindler, any cheat, any rowdy is his&#xA;  friend and companion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And as I remained thus heedful, ardent &amp;amp; resolute, thinking imbued with sensuality arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with&#xA;  sensuality has arisen in me; and that leads to my own affliction or to&#xA;  the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs&#xA;  discernment, promotes vexation, &amp;amp; does not lead to Nirvana...I foresaw&#xA;  in unskillful qualities drawbacks, degradation &amp;amp; defilement, and I&#xA;  foresaw in skillful qualities rewards related to renunciation &amp;amp;&#xA;  promoting cleansing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 19&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma also teaches the goal of a woman is to have a husband, to not share a husband with another woman, to dominate the relationship &amp;amp; that sons are her support in life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A man is a woman’s aim, her quest is for adornments, her mainstay is sons, her desire is to be without a co-wife and her ideal is&#xA;  domination.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why sexual fantasies are 'misogynistic' according to the Dhamma because they are based on the intention to harm women rather than the intention to have metta (loving-kindness) for women; and they are based in making a woman submissive to the desires of men rather than giving authority/dominance to the woman in a male/female relationship.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A wife is ministered to by a husband by handing over authority to her...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Misogyny&lt;/strong&gt; (/mɪˈsɒdʒɪni/) is the hatred of, contempt for or prejudice against women or girls. Misogyny can be manifested in numerous ways,&#xA;  including social exclusion, sex discrimination, hostility,&#xA;  androcentrism, patriarchy, male privilege, belittling of women,&#xA;  violence against women and &lt;strong&gt;sexual objectification&lt;/strong&gt;. Wikipedia&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For thousands of years, women have been forced to serve as concubines, mistresses, prostitutes &amp;amp; sex slaves for men. This has probably not occurred because men intrinsically want to oppress women. It probably occurs because men are generally so ignorant, so blind &amp;amp; so heartless that they cannot see the intrinsic harm of the sexual exploitation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual fantasies are similar. In sexual fantasies, the man views his actions towards the woman that is the object of the fantasy is intrinsically harmless, when it is not. Sexual fantasies are misogynistic sexual objectification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, much harm has come to women. For example, the 2nd wave feminism that arose concurrent to the sexual revolution promoted complete sexual liberalism for women. However, due to the consequences of this, the 3rd wave of feminism became divided over the sexual liberalism promoted by 2nd wave feminism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Unlike the determined position of second-wave feminists about women in pornography, sex work, and prostitution, third-wave feminists&#xA;  were rather ambiguous and divided about these themes (feminist sex&#xA;  wars). While some thought these sexual acts were degrading and&#xA;  oppressing women, others saw it as empowering that women were owning&#xA;  their sexuality.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third-wave_feminism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Third-wave feminism: Wikipedia&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following articles describe the 'dukkha' that impulsive heedless sex has brought to women, which are similar to the 'hungry ghost' &amp;amp; 'hell' worlds of sensuality described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.054x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potaliya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/women-and-prescription-drug-use_n_1098023&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Women And Prescription Drugs: One In Four Takes Mental Health Meds&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/26/11-reasons-sexual-revolution-complete-utter-deadly-failure-nothing-catholic-church/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Failure of sexual revolution&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or read about the lives of the world's most famous sex symbols, how many sexual relationships &amp;amp; sexual affairs they had and what it brought them: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monroe's troubled private life received much attention. She struggled with substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. She had two highly&#xA;  publicized marriages, to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and&#xA;  playwright Arthur Miller, both of which ended in divorce. She died at&#xA;  the age of 36 on August 5, 1962, from an overdose of barbiturates at&#xA;  her home in Los Angeles.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Marilyn Monroe&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In 1974, Bardot appeared in a nude photo shoot in Playboy magazine, which celebrated her 40th birthday. On 28 September 1983, her 49th&#xA;  birthday, Bardot took an overdose of sleeping pills or tranquilizers&#xA;  with red wine. She had to be rushed to hospital, where her life was&#xA;  saved after a stomach pump was used to evacuate the pills from her&#xA;  body.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigitte_Bardot&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brigitte Bardot&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, returning to the Dhamma method of viewing women as 'mothers, sisters &amp;amp; daughters', for a woman to be a good mother, it is best she has a good mind. Women engaging in heedless sex does not contribute to a good mind for motherhood. This is a reason why the Buddhist looks upon women like mothers. Mothers love their family &amp;amp; want a strong stable family. Women engaging in heedless sex does not contribute to good families and a woman's true happiness. The Buddha explained this respect for mothers in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lokapala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-03T22:08:31.290" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T22:08:31.290" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19173" CreationDate="2017-02-02T15:11:00.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would presume you are male. In which case it is not advisable to practice Metta to women as this itself may arouse lust. You are generally not supposed to practice Metta on someone of the opposite sex, especially a specific person. Do not imagine are shape of form if you generally spreading metta towards a women. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13151/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. If it does not arouse lust may be you can do Metta towards all women, but if it arouses lust better avoid it. When you spread metta to all being this includes women.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loathsome meditation may help the case in reducing lust towards women. For more in this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19001/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't get overly obsessed with thoughts of reducing lust because then you are still dealing with the subject matter of lust and also perhaps developing aversion to lust. When doing this lustful thoughts may pop up. Some techniques to get rid of these distracting thoughts found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though not limited to lust for opposite sex, methods to overcome kāmacchanda which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;one of the hindrance&lt;/a&gt; is useful. Whenever sensation arise which may trigger sensual lust, try to keep a equanimous mind knowing they the stimulation is impermanent. At an intellectual level you can also contemplate the gratification is also impermanent. Essentially keeping you mind free from unwholesome roots and vipallasa reduces lust and other hindrances. For more on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma-c,chanda&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera. In addition, see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you get aroused by seeing, hearing the voice, smell of scent, memories of someone. Then this form of lust can be avoided by guarding the sense door. What every experience you get avoid it leading to the unwholesome roots by being equanimous and seeing impermanence. For more on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.6-Chachakka-S-m148-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cha Chakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T02:39:03.867" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19176" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-02T18:21:56.273" Score="2" ViewCount="822" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many discussions about Anatta or Not-Self in Buddhist communities, but the definition of Atta or self is uncommon and not clear. People often misunderstand or superficially translate it, using the definition of the English word &quot;self&quot;, which means &quot;internal of individual being&quot;, or &quot;colloquial personal point of view of individual being&quot;, just differentiation of other individual being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question here is, other than just this colloquial definition of Self or Atta, is there any more insightful definition of Atta in human being, for example does it imply some &quot;essence&quot; (closer to Hindu or Brahmanist definition of 'Attaman'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If 'Atta' is physical body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What happen if a person died and leave physical body behind (in cemetery)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If 'Atta' is mind (Citta)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism definition of mind (Citta) bodies are transitional and conditional &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;factors&lt;/a&gt; (depending on or composed with contact, feeling, memorizing, judging etc). So it seems in a sense to process by just following Citta Laws (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niyamas&lt;/a&gt;) than being essence, core or Atta. (Process than essence). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If rebirth is a footprint of 'Atta'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rebirth seems continuity and information/karma/effects carried over but statistically we do not have enough proof (there should be many Einsteins if we have studied mathematics or physics many lives but instead we have only a handful of geniuses on particular study, information/karma/effects carried over is somehow lost or continuity is weak and/or broken). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If wholesome acts is 'Atta'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipasana wholesome acts are as well not 'Atta' because I heard that during meditation or Vipasana &quot;Only &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; dhammas are observing Sankhara dhammas (Sati, Samadhi, Panna are also encouraged by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetana&lt;/a&gt;, initiated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%C3%B1%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sanna&lt;/a&gt; and many more supporting factors). The observings are effects of efforts to happen at the same time the observants are not 'Atta'. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in conclusion, when we are saying self or 'Atta', which particular entity is defined to be called self or 'Atta'. If not a single entity, which collective entities are defined to be called self or 'Atta' and why can it be called self or 'Atta'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-02T19:13:22.720" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T04:32:24.013" Title="What is the Buddhist definition of &quot;Atta&quot;?" Tags="|self|atta|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19177" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-02T19:17:34.053" Score="1" ViewCount="456" Body="&lt;p&gt;In English translation, the four elements are translated as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Earth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Air&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Water&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, if they are translated as below&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;solidity - the state of being solid with hardness and softness. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heat - the state of getting heat with hot and cold both identified as heat. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Force - the state of pushing and pulling, or state of supporting and pushing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Liquidity - the state of coagulating and flow or dripping  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not a language expert but after studying four elements in Buddha's teachings and tipitaka the latter definitions seems more appropriate than Earth, Fire, Air and Water which have ambiguous meanings or are of less comprehensible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it possible that we can have better English translation for Four elements since Earth, Fire, Air and Water seems limited in sense? What could be the better translation to understand the nature, characteristics and two opposite edges of four elements? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T17:44:25.433" Title="A better translation of four elements" Tags="|translation|english|four-elements|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19177" CreationDate="2017-02-02T20:13:49.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think that's necessary.  At once, they're both metaphorical descriptions and literal representations.  E.g. earth implies solidity, but at the same time it can have the literal characteristics of the element as with the earth kasina being composed of clay.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T20:13:49.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19177" CreationDate="2017-02-02T20:18:29.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we're talking about &lt;strong&gt;translation&lt;/strong&gt;, then those are very much the actual exact translations of the words that the Buddha used. If we're revising the wording beyond dictionary meanings, then we're not really talking about translation any more, but entering into realms of commentary and interpretive rendition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The terms themselves are &lt;em&gt;pruṭhavī-dhātu&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;earth&quot;), &lt;em&gt;āpa-dhātu&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;water&quot;), &lt;em&gt;teja-dhātu&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;fire&quot;) and &lt;em&gt;vāyu-dhātu&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;wind&quot;). Of these, only fire or &quot;tejas&quot; (Skr.) has a broader semantic field reaching into &quot;energy&quot;, &quot;efficacy&quot;, &quot;heating faculty&quot; etc. The rest of the terms used are rather literally the natural phenomena. Even while (an abundance of) specific words for &lt;a href=&quot;http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?beginning=0%20&amp;amp;tinput=solid&amp;amp;trans=Translate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;solid&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?beginning=0%20&amp;amp;tinput=liquid&amp;amp;trans=Translate&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;liquid&lt;/a&gt; etc. would exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quad are abstract phenomena, represented with the four elements as their symbols/pointers, that each carry a large domain of connotations, typically also found in the characteristics of the physical elements. The elements' basic properties are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12464/what-are-the-four-great-elements&quot;&gt;outlined&lt;/a&gt; in any number of classical writings for the benefit of those keen on grasping their relevance and dynamics. (Further, their properties will in practice, if explored, emerge on spectrums broader than these basic vectors of examination, which have been traditionally deemed useful as meditation tools.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal view, it's not that hard to grasp that &quot;water&quot; implies more than literal h2o, etc. and simply get used to the olde &quot;table of symbols&quot;. There will always be more to these phenomena than we can hope to convey in a single word. Entering into them through natural phenomena is rather useful, as they provide a commonly and immediately accessible concrete field of reference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the choice of classic and concrete words/objects for pointers, even in the presence of more abstract alternative wordings, it's worth considering that such terms may have been chosen for reasons of sound strategy... factoring in both the nature's immediacy, and the Indic continuum of reference; of which only the latter's relevance is subject to contextual change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your choice of alternative words: While &quot;solid&quot; and &quot;liquid&quot; are in tune enough with &quot;earth&quot; and &quot;water&quot;, &quot;heat&quot; reduces the implications found in &quot;fire&quot;, and &quot;force&quot; is rather broad for &quot;air&quot;. Perhaps you were looking for something like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;momentum&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impulse_(physics)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impulse&lt;/a&gt;? There would also be a reduction there, given the implicit model of vital airs (&quot;prana&quot;) generating the motions in our body; and, there's an &quot;aerial&quot; quality and distinct agency to it, beyond simple &quot;push/pull/move&quot; dynamics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4969" LastEditorUserId="4969" LastEditDate="2017-02-02T22:27:46.077" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T22:27:46.077" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19176" CreationDate="2017-02-02T22:24:05.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the viewpoint of Buddhist practise, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/a&gt;, 'atta' ('self') refers to an ignorance created 'thought formation' (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) that ignorantly assumes self-identity &amp;amp; ownership in relation to any of the five aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This ignorant assumption of self-identity &amp;amp; ownership is central in the generation of suffering, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/a&gt; and as explained in Dependent Origination (SN 12.2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in Buddhism, the primary importance of 'atta' is it is a central cause of suffering that is ever-present in the mind of the unenlightened person ('uninstructed worldling'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling ... assumes form as self (attato). That assumption, bhikkhus, is a formation (saṅkhāro). That&#xA;  formation — what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born (jatiko)&#xA;  and produced? When the uninstructed worldling is contacted by a&#xA;  feeling born of ignorance-contact, craving arises: thence that&#xA;  formation (of 'self') is born. SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — assumes form (the body) to be the self or the self as possessing&#xA;  form or form as in the self or the self as in form. He is seized&#xA;  with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with&#xA;  these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls into sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed &amp;amp;&#xA;  disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for men of integrity, is&#xA;  well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their Dhamma — does not assume form to be&#xA;  the self or the self as possessing form or form as in the self or&#xA;  the self as in form. He is not seized with the idea that 'I am form'&#xA;  or 'Form is mine.' As he is not seized with these ideas, his form&#xA;  changes &amp;amp; alters, but he does not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress or despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is attachment? There are these four kinds of attachment: attachment of sensual pleasures, attachment of views,&#xA;  attachment of rules and vows, attachment of words of&#xA;  'self' (attavā­du­pādā­naṃ). This is called attachment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is birth? The birth of the various beings (sattānaṃ) into the various orders of beings (sattanikāye)...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: 'Satta' is a synonym for 'atta', in 'satta' is also a view about 'self'. Refer to SN 5.10 &amp;amp; SN 23.2. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of form whatsoever ... Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever … Any kind of&#xA;  volitional formations whatsoever … Any kind of consciousness&#xA;  whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external,&#xA;  gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness&#xA;  should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not&#xA;  mine (mama), this I am (asmi) not, this is not my self (atta).’ SN&#xA;  22.59&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty, lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty? Insofar as it is&#xA;  empty of a self (attena) or of anything pertaining to a self&#xA;  (attaniyena): Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty Suñña&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-02T22:38:34.493" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T22:38:34.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19177" CreationDate="2017-02-02T22:58:22.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sutta such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt; makes it clear the elements of earth, wind, fire &amp;amp; water refer to solidity, moisture, heat &amp;amp; movement/force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think 'elements' is a good translation for 'dhatu' because it fits with modern science. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-02T22:58:22.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19176" CreationDate="2017-02-03T03:19:01.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something that is permanent, continuous, controllable, malleable to one's expectation, something that results only in pleasantness, etc. can be considered self. Unfortunately there isn't. Even Nirvana cannot be and should not be identified with self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;If 'Atta' is physical body?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body is subjected to old age, decay and death hence not self. You leave your body when you die. At this stage you might think the mind is Atta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;If 'Atta' is mind (Citta)?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even consciousness of the mind, which gives the illusion of an observer, is not continuous. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19163/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;If rebirth is a footprint of 'Atta'?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will seem so when when you do not see in consistency in the mind or part of the mind which is consciousness. When you see that the mind and consciousness is inconsistent and broken (there are gaps, i.e, there is a gap, it arises, stays, passes away, followed by a gap again) you see there is no self transferred. Current state arises due to the previous state in inputs (Āhāra) to the current state. So rebirth is not entirely different or completely new person, but since there is nothing that is permanent or consistent, nothing identify as absolutely pleasurable it is not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;If wholesome acts is 'Atta'?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fabrications is not self as they are not entirely pleasant. In fact all that is conditioned things end in unpleasantness. Hence the motivation to find Nirvana where there is no arising, birth hence no unpleasantness. This also should not be taken as self. If you do you create craving and Nirvana will more further away from you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wholesome acts bring pleasantness but they also come to an end which is unpleasant. In this sense it cannot be taken as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T04:32:24.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19177" CreationDate="2017-02-03T03:33:20.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is hard to translate as they possibly map into following modern concepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Earth - solid, gravity, attractive magnetic force, attractive electrical charges&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fire - temperature, energy, kinetic energy, potential energy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Air - gas, motion, waves, repulsive magnetic force, repulsive electrical charges&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Water - liquidity, resistance, friction, viscosity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe these might have to be treated symbolistically, perhaps inline how science was taught in the time of Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt;, Patthana Dhamma by Htoo Naing - Ch 3: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/patthana-dhamma/d/doc1828.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rupa&lt;/a&gt;, The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis, &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; - Ch 6 by Bhikkhu Bodhi, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.2a-Khandha-1-Rupa-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rupa (Form)&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, Abhidhamma in daily life - Ch 18 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.info/nina-abhi-18.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Elements&lt;/a&gt; by Nina Van Gorkom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia give the following &quot;better translation&quot;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Earth - attractive forces, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Water - repulsive forces, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Heat - energy and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Air - relative motion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medis gives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Earth element (pa.thavi dhaatu) = solidity &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Water element (aapo dhaatu) = adhesion &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Fire element (tejo dhaatu) = heat &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Wind element (vaayo dhaatu) = motion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Htoo Naing: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pathavi or solidity, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tejo or temperature, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;apo or liquidity, and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vayo or movement or resistance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;earth - support or foundation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;water - fluidity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fire - heat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;air - mortion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Superficially reading Piya Tan's translation difficult to narrow it down to one word hence giving a more detail quotation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The earth element is essentially hardness, softness, roughness, smoothness, heaviness, lightness, and is so called because, like the earth, it serves as a support or foundation for physical phenomena. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The water element is essentially cohesion, stickiness (viscidity), thickness (viscosity) and&#xA;liquidity. Whatever karmically acquired liquidity or fluidity there is in our own body—bile, phlegm,&#xA;pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, urine and so on—this is&#xA;called one’s own water element. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fire element is essentially decay, heat, cold, oxidation, combustion, and digestion (metabolism). Whatever karmically acquired heat or warmth there is in our own body—such as that whereby one is heated, consumed, scorched, whereby that which has been eaten, drunk, chewed or tasted, is fully digested and so on—this is called one’s own heating element. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The wind element is essentially motion, vibration, distension, and pressure. There are 6&#xA;kinds of karmically acquired “wind” in one’s own body, that is,&#xA;upward-going wind (vomitting, hiccup, burping, etc);&#xA;downward-going wind (peristalsis when voiding and peeing);&#xA;the wind in the belly;&#xA;the wind outside the belly;&#xA;the wind in all the limbs; and&#xA;the in-breath and out-breath—&#xA;this (including peristalsis and muscular movements) is called one’s own wind element. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nina Van Gorkom: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;earth-element (solidity), appearing as hardness or softness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fire-element (temperature), appearing as heat or cold &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wind-element, appearing as motion or pressure&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;S.N.Goenka in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Routine-Duties-of-a-Meditator&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Routine Duties of a Meditator: Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The most important one here is the cart-driver. He is compared with the mind; the oxen are compared with the element of motion (vayo dhatu). The other three elements (tayo mahabhutas) are caused by the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Of these four elements, when walking, the &lt;strong&gt;element of kinetic energy (tejo)&lt;/strong&gt;, and the &lt;strong&gt;element of motion (vayo)&lt;/strong&gt; are the leading factors and the &lt;strong&gt;element of solidity (pathavi)&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;element of fluidity (apo)&lt;/strong&gt; are just followers. When lying or sitting or standing, pathavi and vayo are leading factors and the remaining two are just followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T17:44:25.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18417" CreationDate="2017-02-03T05:06:29.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many sites with Sinhala:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suttacentral - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/si/dn1&lt;/a&gt; (A P de Soyza)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha Jayanthi can be found in many sites - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sjp.ac.lk/news/download-theravada-tripitaka/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sjp.ac.lk/news/download-theravada-tripitaka/&lt;/a&gt; in PDF, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.thripitakaya.org/&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pitaka - &lt;a href=&quot;http://pitaka.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://pitaka.lk/&lt;/a&gt; (A P de Soyza)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tipitaka - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.aathaapi.org/Thripitaka.html&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atthakatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atthakatha&lt;/a&gt; in Pali but Singhala fonts. There are for sale translation of some of them at Buddhist Cultural Centre.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-02-03T06:11:36.757" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T06:11:36.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19185" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19206" CreationDate="2017-02-03T08:17:37.850" Score="1" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to read while being conscious about myself or breathe but it seems impossible: I can think about only one thing at a time, and even if I do it &quot;consciously&quot; then I have to go through that thing over again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how do I practice the iOS Development (coding takes your entire attention), Which seems impossible to do consciously?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, how do I focus while being aware of myself or breathing etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-03T15:57:06.293" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T05:23:22.767" Title="How to Focus consciously?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19161" CreationDate="2017-02-03T08:44:18.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind is a non living thing same as any object like a book or stone, it does not have its own existence, it is getting pran from soul.&#xA;For example these trees and plants does not have soul, but there is one mind in earth.&#xA;As Buddha says &quot;Experience it, don't believe anything&quot;.&#xA;So we are supposed to observe pran and chitta and then they are supposed to be mixed and become one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T08:44:18.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19185" CreationDate="2017-02-03T09:05:08.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to Focus consciously?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Right Mindfulness is being equanimous towards the pleasant and unpleasant, which prevents craving and aversion from arising, while free from corruption of insight (free from Vipallasa, i.e., seeing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;), which prevents ignorance arising, within the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Frames of Reference&lt;/a&gt;. If unwholesome roots arise, deluded (with Vipallasa), hence creating fabrications  or based on external objects or conceptual objects hence not within the 4 frames of reference it is not right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are not equanimous and there is a pleasant sensation this leads to attachment and if there is an unpleasant sensation this leads to aversion and if neutral sensation, without insight into the 3 Universal Characteristics, this leads to ignorance. Hence, unwise attention is attention corrupted by Vipallasa and the experienced sensation is leading to the unwholesome roots. See commentary of Yoniso &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;For, one who perceives impermanence, Meghiya, establishes the perception of non-self. One who perceives&#xA;    non-self eliminates the ‘I am’ conceit. He attains nirvana here and now.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/34.2-Meghiya-S-a9.3u4.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meghiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly of the other opposites of Vipallasa (3 universal characteristics) can be understood through, impermanence, or seeing arising and passing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So simply put it what needs to be done is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;stay with the sensation in the body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;be equanimous - displaces craving and aversion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know what ever experience is impermanent, i.e., arising and passing - displaces ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19201/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you mind wanders away and you lose attention get in touch with the sensation than are prevalent in the body and mind and establish your attention on the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you experience a gross (easy to penetrate) sensation try to experience its subtleness (had to penetrate) by strongly focussing on it and trying to divide and dissecting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(coding takes your entire attention), Which seems impossible to do consciously?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally when doing something like this your attention will be lost. Thinking creates sensation in the head and chest regions. If you cannot figure something you the frustration means you hear rate increases and breathing becomes heavy. Similarly when exited. Sometimes thinking too much gives a headache. If your figure something out, or your code works, you will feel happy, which gives a pleasant sensation. It is these sensation you should be looking at. This will require extra practice, but what is essential is you are mindful when you do you daily work. The training on the cushion or chair is just a booster or pre training for this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also additional information can be found in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-and-Sampajanna-its-importance&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Four-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Why-Vedana-and-What-is-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why Vedana and What is Vedana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T05:22:12.967" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19173" CreationDate="2017-02-03T10:52:59.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;At certain stages in our lives, such as adolescence and young adulthood, sexual energy levels are very high in the body, apparently due to some preconditioned need to mate and procreate. As we get older these sexual energies dissipate naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those on a spiritual path, the best thing to do with these sexual energies is to sublimate them by sending them up the channels from the sexual chakra to the higher energy centres. However, the problem with sublimation is that it does not necessarily cause these energy levels to dissipate, but can have the reverse effect and cause the energy to increase in intensity as a flowpath is opened up.&#xA;Once this energy becomes too difficult to control in this manner, we have no choice but to try to repress this energy; repression of energy in the body is necessarily a harmful thing, both to the body and the mind; this can lead to sickness caused by imbalance in the body, and a loss of mental equilibrium, and this can quickly lead to a spiritual blockage, preventing our ascension and weakening our bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who are trying to pursue the spiritual path while engaged in the modern world, this is a particular problem. When we go on retreat, we are expected to dress moderately, even conservatively, to avoid the mind falling into the trap of sexual desire; out in the world sexual desire is one of the primary distractions modern consumer society seeks to stir up, encouraging us to believe that it is normal and healthy for our lives to be dominated by lust and greed.&#xA;In my view, therefore, and I do stand to be corrected if this is an incorrect view, when we are faced with an unsurmountable barrier of sexual energy, be it because of our environment or our hormones, we need to be able to release the surplus energy if we are not able to sublimate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, great care must be taken in this act. We must release this energy mindfully, and not allow ourselves to be overtaken by sexual fantasy. We must do it, so to speak, in the moment, and be aware that what we are doing is a simple physical act, similar to urination and defecation, which we manage to do regularly without attaching any great importance to it. If we relive ourselves in this way, as a simple physical action devoid of significance or emotional attachment or feelings of lust or shame, then this excess energy will quickly lose its power over us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This action is then analogous to ‘cleaning the mirror’ and permits us to return to our path free from the encumbrance of excess physical desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10755" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T10:52:59.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19185" CreationDate="2017-02-03T14:17:48.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to do that.  When you code, really code.  When you chop vegetables, really chop vegetables.  When you walk, really walk.  I know that may sound easy, but pay attention to all the times your mind gets sidetracked when you try to give your full awareness to one activity.  I can almost guarantee you that your focus on say, coding, is not nearly as good as you think.  Even within your development process, I'll bet that your mind is venturing to other parts of a program rather than the function you are currently working on.  Don't let it wander.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important part of &quot;work&quot; meditation is to notice when your mind becomes unmoored; just the act of noticing is often enough to bring your attention back to the task you are working on.  To really work, you have to do it wholeheartedly.  When you try to hold two objects in your mind at the same time, all you are doing is fragmenting your attention.  Awareness is a limited resource.  You are absolutely right by saying that you cannot apply your mind to two things at the same time.  Almost by definition, attention cannot be parsed.  It has to be unified in its purpose.  If you find that your mind is becoming too scattered, remove yourself from the activity, calm your mind through a samatha practice (like breath awareness), then reapply yourself to the task at hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note: Zen answer, not Vipassana)        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T14:17:48.693" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19173" CreationDate="2017-02-03T17:31:36.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One who has read, seen and experienced suffering caused by STDs will know what lusting for sex does ultimately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10637" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T17:31:36.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13416" CreationDate="2017-02-03T17:42:09.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vedana is also a cetasikacetasika (mental concomitant). When the Buddha says, sabbe dhamma vedana samosaranasabbe dhamma vedana samosarana, it means that the experience of all mental concomitants includes and is inseparable from vedana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Why-Vedana-and-What-is-Vedana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why Vedana and What is Vedana?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever you are doing creative activity it creates sensation or mental stimulations which are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. In situations like this you have to keep equanimity and knowing the arising and passing nature of the sensations. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19187/295&quot;&gt;following answer&lt;/a&gt; has more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T17:42:09.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14840" CreationDate="2017-02-03T22:55:14.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're operating from a misunderstanding.  If you got this from Lobsang Rampa's books (written by an English plumber and fraud) please disregard it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10756" LastActivityDate="2017-02-03T22:55:14.520" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19195" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-05T02:20:19.273" Score="4" ViewCount="551" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please recommend good place for Vipassana meditation for in 2017. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Including&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Availability of visa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it does not matter short 7-14 days or long (in months) Vipassana meditation course&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it is remote place better&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It is not book fly and go vacation so manual work or queuing is ok&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If it is a place that we need to ordain to be a monk before starting Vipassana meditation, I prefer. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:20:10.403" Title="Which place is good for vipassana meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19196" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-05T02:30:45.897" Score="2" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please recommend a place or university to learn Tipitaka in academic level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Including&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Availability of visa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Qualifications required&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Internationally acclaimed in someways&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Using English as a second language to study Tripitaka &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Requirement of ordained monk or can learn as a layperson &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Further studies after graduated, mastered or honored &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9992" LastActivityDate="2017-02-05T03:38:32.003" Title="To learn Tripitaka to academic level" Tags="|tipitaka|learning|university|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19195" CreationDate="2017-02-05T03:29:53.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following have a wide outreach:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there might be a place near to where you live.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can try: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-05T03:29:53.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19196" CreationDate="2017-02-05T03:38:32.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following may be good academic institution to learn Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bpu.ac.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://atbu.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The International Association of Theravāda Buddhist Universities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iabu.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;International Association of Buddhist Universities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.4icu.org/religious/Buddhist.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Universities and Colleges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Buddhist_universities_and_colleges&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist universities and colleges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buddhist_universities_and_colleges&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;List of Buddhist universities and colleges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_universities_and_colleges_in_the_United_States&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist universities and colleges in the United States&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-05T03:38:32.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19195" CreationDate="2017-02-05T06:05:06.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Blue Mountains Insight Meditation centre - Medlow Bath Australia. 1hr45min drive from Sydney Airport. Train station is walking distance to centre. &#xA;Individual rooms with share bathroom. Separate accommodation for men and women. Books out fast as they only have accommodation for about 20 people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:20:10.403" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:20:10.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19200" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19203" CreationDate="2017-02-05T16:02:37.570" Score="2" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the discussion between Bhavaviveka and Buddhapalita, and there's a reference to &amp;quot;no cognition&amp;quot; (anupalabdhi) of emptiness, as liberative, though I forget which one of the two were supporting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;e.g. Garfield and Westerhoff in &lt;em&gt;Madhyamaka and Yogacara&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cognition of the ultimate nature of things—their all being empty&#xA;of intrinsic nature—is nonconceptual because, there being nothing to&#xA;cognize, no cognition arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or Eckel in &lt;em&gt;To See the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/isW46.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/isW46.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And obviously the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.kwanumeurope.org/dlfiles/chants/EN/EN_heart.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;heart sutra&lt;/a&gt; includes (emphasis mine):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No suffering, no origination,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;no stopping, no path, &lt;em&gt;no cognition&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also no attainment with nothing to attain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone say that there is &amp;quot;no cognition&amp;quot; of &lt;em&gt;the present&lt;/em&gt;, either at all times, or that only this &amp;quot;no cognition&amp;quot; has conventional validity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, can we have conventional knowledge of the present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2020-08-04T17:43:24.167" LastActivityDate="2020-08-04T17:43:24.167" Title="Do we have conventional knowledge of the present?" Tags="|sunyata|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8776" CreationDate="2017-02-05T17:04:45.653" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To stop craving you have to be equanimous to pleasant and unpleasant sensation and contemplate impermanence of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&#xA;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&#xA;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what is that one thing, venerable sir?” “Ignorance, monk, is the one thing through whose&#xA;  abandoning ignorance is abandoned by a monk, and true knowledge arises.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But, venerable sir, how should a monk know, how should he see, for ignorance to be abandoned&#xA;  by him, and for true knowledge to arise?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here, bhikshu, the monk has learned [heard] that nothing is worth clinging to. And a monk&#xA;  has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things. Having directly understood&#xA;  all things, he fully understands all things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood everything, he sees all signs differently:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He sees the eye differently; he sees forms differently; he sees eye-consciousness differently; he sees&#xA;  eye-contact differently. Whatever that is pleasant, or painful, or neutral, that arises on account of eye contact&#xA;  as condition, that, too, he sees differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Nothing worth clinging to&quot; means being equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood all things, he knows whatever feelings there are, whether pleasant, painful&#xA;  or neither painful nor pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As regards to those feelings,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating dispassion [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating ending (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; in them, contemplating dispassion in them, contemplating&#xA;  ending in them, contemplating letting go,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;he does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not clinging, he is not agitated; being not agitated, he himself surely attains nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands,&#xA;  &quot;Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, done what is to be done, there is no more for this state&#xA;  of being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting go is what is discussed in the Pahana Suttas above. What is discussed in this extract is knowing impermanence of arising and passing nature and being equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T15:56:13.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19202" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19205" CreationDate="2017-02-05T17:43:08.980" Score="2" ViewCount="584" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does anyone know of an API for Buddhist texts along the same lines as this one for the &lt;a href=&quot;https://bibles.org/pages/api&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bible&lt;/a&gt;. I do some spare time software projects and I would like to hook up to Buddhist text API just as part of playing around with some new technologies. Currently I'm using the &lt;a href=&quot;https://developers.google.com/books/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Google Books&lt;/a&gt; API for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I'm imaging is that one could make a web request to a URL such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhisttextapi/dhammapada/verse/12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://buddhisttextapi/dhammapada/verse/12&lt;/a&gt; and you would get back the 12th verse of the dhammapada in whatever translation. So for the technically minded I'm interested in some kind of REST API - preferably under active development or at least with some decent documentation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many Thanks &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2019-12-06T20:55:38.537" Title="Is there an API for Buddhist texts?" Tags="|modern-world|media|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19200" CreationDate="2017-02-05T19:12:18.287" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The quote you give:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The cognition of the ultimate nature of things—their all being empty&#xA;  of intrinsic nature—is nonconceptual because, there being nothing to&#xA;  cognize, no cognition arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Refers to wisdom directly realizing emptiness. Such a wisdom realizes emptiness in a non-dualistic manner. It is non-conceptual and explicit, since it realizes its object (emptiness) by way of emptiness appearing to it. Conceptual consciousnesses realize their object by way of a mental image appearing to them. Cognition arise (this wisdom is a cognition) but there is no acertainment of conventional truths (such as time, a table, persons, the basis of emptiness, and so forth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way, Garfield is not the safest source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chandrakirti (same view as Buddhapalita) also talked about &quot;non-seeing&quot; and &quot;non-cognition&quot; or &quot;non-perception.&quot; He does not mean that a buddha is free from cognition (that would contradict the typical Mahayana claim hat he is omniscient) but simply that non-existent do not appear to a buddha. A buddha is free from the appearance of true existence. It is not so much about &quot;no cognition&quot; as it is about &quot;no cognition of something in particular.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is explained in&#xA;Chandrakirti's Commentary on the &quot;Supplement to Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Middle'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When said that they perceive it in the manner of non-perception, it&#xA;  does not mean that a buddha does not see anything at all. It means&#xA;  that he is not seeing any phenomenon arisen due to ignorance, that is,&#xA;  together with a false appearance of the conventional - an appearance&#xA;  of true existence. It is the omniscience realizing the final reality&#xA;  that perceives the emptiness, the absence of true existence. Since a&#xA;  buddha does not perceive what does not exist and knows all existing&#xA;  phenomena, when a truly existent conventional phenomenon were to&#xA;  exist, it should appear to a buddha, but it does not. What is not&#xA;  perceived by him is a non-existent. If it were existent it would&#xA;  appear to the Buddha. True establishment does not exist and therefore&#xA;  does not appear to the wisdom of a Buddha realizing the final reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-02-07T10:59:15.493" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T10:59:15.493" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19195" CreationDate="2017-02-05T20:06:44.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, in Myanmar (Burma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://paaukforestmonastery.org/index.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://paaukforestmonastery.org/index.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, you will have to develop access concentration before you can begin Vipassana (Satipatthana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may remain there for a period of months or years, even lifetime if you are able to renew your visa each year. You also have the chance to ordain after a few weeks or months, once deemed trustworthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At first you will be able to get a visa of 3 months and extend the visa for a 1 year period each time. Yearly visa is about 100$ US.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you realize Nibbana and know true peace and freedom, friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-05T20:06:44.747" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19202" CreationDate="2017-02-06T02:35:45.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;SC has a API. E.g. : &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/data?suttas=dn1,dn2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/data?suttas=dn1,dn2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/suttacentral-api-apps/1927/8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/suttacentral-api-apps/1927/8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the data is in Github. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://github.com/suttacentral/suttacentral-data/blob/master/text/en/pi/su/an/an1/an1.21-40.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://github.com/suttacentral/suttacentral-data/blob/master/text/en/pi/su/an/an1/an1.21-40.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly you can download the whole Access to Insight website as files: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tech/download/bulk.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tech/download/bulk.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T02:35:45.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19185" CreationDate="2017-02-06T03:47:29.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Oh no, you are totally lost in your body as the &quot;I&quot;! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to Focus consciously?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is when you are doing that thing, you are totally lost yourself in the thing you're doing, the-thing-you-are-doing and you become one, that is Chan/Zen. This way, your Mind (Citta) is closer to 100% viable. Most of the time our Citta is few % here, few there, few in the past and few the future... If you could have your Citta unattached to anything you are doing but still &quot;alive&quot;, that you are Chan/Zen master-the-great! Therefore, breathe is not you, limbs skin not, sensation cold or hot is not you... However if you recognize these, that means your Citta is not 100% together but divided, hence less the your focus. When you are 100% focus, i.e., the Citta is 100% in one thing absorbed, your breathe will cease... but don't worry, you will still be alive, not die, for human doesn't really sustain on oxygen by the breathe passing only through the nostril... medical has more to learn from the wise ancient people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's almost impossible for the Citta to focus on one thing 100%, so is not possible to be unattached in anything. Can you stop the mind from thinking, or observing, or aware of the self?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, after the training of 100% in grasp of the Citta completed, in this time you are raised to the Bodhisattva in quality, not just by the vow, to a certain level (there are roughly 10 grades in the ladder of qualification), than you can focus in many things at the same time yet each focus get 100%; thus you are multi-tasks capable and could have many vijnana-created-bodies (意生身). By that time, you could have many Ritesh(s), one is doing the coding, one training the breathe, one observing the body... one making a refreshing lassi for the coding one... etc. ;))  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-06T05:23:22.767" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T05:23:22.767" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19207" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19208" CreationDate="2017-02-06T07:02:53.863" Score="2" ViewCount="1547" Body="&lt;p&gt;When Gautama left his palace to become an ascetic, it is said that he found some Gurus he learnt from, and left further dissatisfied. Is there any mention of that period of the Buddha's life in the texts? Or did Buddha speak about these experiences? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I got this link : &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/13lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/13lbud.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-02-06T07:47:29.813" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T13:08:21.330" Title="Previous gurus or teachers of the Buddha" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19207" CreationDate="2017-02-06T10:11:03.617" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.11-Ariya-Pariyesana-S-m26.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariya Pariyesanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.9-Deva-Sangarava-S-m100-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Deva) Saṅgarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.4-Maha-Saccaka-S-m36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T10:25:34.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19207" CreationDate="2017-02-06T13:08:21.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Main two teachers were &lt;strong&gt;Alara Kalama&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;uddaka rāmaputta&lt;/strong&gt;, Alara Kalama taught to focus on 'nothingness' and Uddaka Ramaputta taught to enter the 'dimension of neither perception nor non-perception', also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18795/9846&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T13:08:21.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19210" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19260" CreationDate="2017-02-06T13:35:09.187" Score="5" ViewCount="2657" Body="&lt;p&gt;This can be a stupid question to ask as Buddhism is much superior than astrology. But my problem is in today's society the Buddhists are too much concerned with these horoscopes than any other religion just like it is a part of Buddhist teachings. Why is that? Is there a truth behind it or any connectivity with Buddhism ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7658" LastActivityDate="2018-02-11T17:51:52.813" Title="Buddhism accepts horoscope?" Tags="|buddhist|society|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19210" CreationDate="2017-02-06T20:56:15.950" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Horescopes did exist at the time when the Buddha was born but they aren't mentioned often in the Buddha's teachings. One mention of horosopes is in the&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html#livelihood&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, this sutta lists many types of fortune telling as wrong-livelihood for monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Whereas some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such &quot;animal&quot; arts as: reading marks on the limbs [e.g., palmistry]; reading omens and signs; interpreting celestial events [falling stars, comets]; interpreting dreams; reading features of the body [e.g., phrenology]; reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice; offering fire oblations, oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil; offering oblations from the mouth; offering blood-sacrifices; making predictions based on the fingertips; geomancy; making predictions for state officials; laying demons in a cemetery; placing spells on spirits; earth-skills [divining water and gems?]; snake-skills, poison-skills, scorpion-skills, rat-skills, bird-skills, crow-skills; predicting life spans; giving protective charms; &lt;strong&gt;casting horoscopes&lt;/strong&gt; — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from &quot;animal&quot; arts such as these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Horoscopes existed in many cultures, the reason why it remained more prevalent in Buddhist countries is more down to speculation. It depends both on Buddhism and on other religions' attitude towards horoscopes. Some reasons might be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The idea of seeing peoples' future is very present in Buddhism which gives credibility to the idea of seeing others' fortunes based on astrology.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In other religions it may be offensive to predict peoples' fates because it is believed that only God has the ability to do so.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddha didn't say that predicting the future is wrong livelihood for lay people (probably because only holy men did such things in the Buddha's time)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-06T20:56:15.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19212" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19213" CreationDate="2017-02-07T11:08:04.017" Score="1" ViewCount="676" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to find my passion for last many years, to be honest I do not even know how should I try to find my passion.&#xA;Though I have been practicing meditation for last couple of years (not punctually though), but I think meditation doesn't help me find my passion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any one have read &quot;POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY - HAPPIER BY TAL BEN-SHAHAR&quot;&#xA;In short the book talks about 4 type of Burger:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 RATRACE: means those who eats a vegetarian normal burger and suffer for anticipated gain in future, which never happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 NIHILISM: This burger is both bad in taste and not even good for health, means worst living style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3 HEDONISM: This burger is only tasty but not good enough for health means i like watching videos on YouTube but it doesn't have any future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 HAPPINESS: This burger is both tasty and good for health means one loves doing something and also have a bright impact on future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So everyone want to eat the 4th burger, Can anyone help me find.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T18:18:13.060" Title="Can Buddhism help me find my passion?" Tags="|the-buddha|meditation-insight|lay-buddhism|meditation-recommendation|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19212" CreationDate="2017-02-07T13:12:40.323" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &quot;passion&quot; you talk about sounds like a craving for something which you haven't defined. Your question seems to be asking, &quot;I crave something (I crave something to feel passionate about), but I don't know how to find the object of my craving. Can Buddhism tell me how to find what I crave?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that basic Buddhism teaches one to recognize that &quot;craving&quot; as the source of dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your craving were for the sense-pleasure or the feeling-pleasure of an addictive drug (cocaine for example), I think that Buddhism would recommend that you seek &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; of it rather than seeking more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;happiness&quot; you mention at the end sounds to me like it might be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;. I think there are several sources of sukha (i.e. several conditions, several types of activity which condition sukha), for example such as listed in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha#Pali_literature&quot;&gt;Pali literature&lt;/a&gt; section of that Wikipedia article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone once lent me a book, titled &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings to Laypeople: Practical Advice for Prosperity and Lasting Happiness&lt;/em&gt;, which I recommend. It organizes, summarizes, and references suttas which contain practical advice for laypeople. There are a lot of them! It has various chapters: about earning, saving, and spending money; having good relationships with people; making good decisions; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T13:12:40.323" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19212" CreationDate="2017-02-07T13:48:25.310" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usual disclaimer - this is a Zen answer, not a Vipassana answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer is yes, but I think the reasons for me saying so may disappoint you.  It's basic Buddhism to say that our dissatisfaction in life comes from craving.  I agree with ChrisW in that I think the passion you are seeking is just another manifestation of that craving.  That is not a slight against you.  The Buddha was not stating the obvious when he first declared the noble truths.  After almost 2,500 years, it's pretty obvious that people still haven't caught on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhism offers - especially in the way of meditation practice - is another way of engaging the world.  We often see our lives as an unfolding narrative.  We imagine the characters who come into it and the events that transpire to be a meaningful, cohesive story.  We add further artifice when we throw our expectations into the mix and think things like &quot;I must find a passion in my life!&quot;, &quot;such and such must happen by the time I'm 40!&quot;, &quot;I want to be such and such kind of person!&quot;, etc. According to Buddhism (specifically Zen), these expectations are a source of immense unhappiness; our belief that life has a sense of narrative cohesiveness is also a complete illusion.  Rather than searching for something or expecting our life to play out in a predetermined way, our practice asks that we simply sit and watch it unfold without forcing it.  I think it's profoundly presumptuous to believe that we can forge a better life for ourselves than that which grows naturally simply from our wholehearted being in the world.  We miss so much happiness when we try to force the world to conform to our expectations.  We set ourselves up for misery when we try to &lt;em&gt;become&lt;/em&gt; the people we think we ought to be.  The way of Buddhism is to be what Christian author C.S. Lewis calls &quot;surprised by joy&quot;.  Don't look for it; it will find you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation practice develops that hands-off approach to living in microcosm.  It equips us with the tools to just be with the universe.  Rather than relying on desire and expectation to reveal a passion to you, sit down on the cushion and let it come all on its own.  If it never appears, who cares?  At the end of a life of sincere practice, the wisdom you find and the joy you discover unexpectedly will more than make up for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-02-07T18:18:13.060" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T18:18:13.060" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19215" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19216" CreationDate="2017-02-07T19:41:20.600" Score="4" ViewCount="403" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that there is no self; yet there seems to be a never changing deeply seated, unfindable awareness attached to a human body that observes the sensations that arise and pass away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This awareness continues to observe the body, life after life. It sits quietly as the body reacts and reacts until it discovers meditation and begins to stop the cycle. What is the nature of this awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't make sense of the apparent contradiction that there is no self, yet this 'awareness' has to follow a series of rebirths until this 'individual' is purified, at which time they are fully liberated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that there is no self. There is nothing definable about the self which makes perfect sense to me. But there is most definitely an awareness. What is this awareness? Is every living creature in the universe a unique awareness with identical properties? Are we all the same awareness? If so then why are we dealing with karma as discrete individuals?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T05:15:21.127" Title="What is awareness?" Tags="|karma|vipassana|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19215" CreationDate="2017-02-07T20:12:17.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;there is no self; yet there seems to be a never changing deeply seated, unfindable awareness attached to a human body&#xA;  that observes the sensations that arise and pass away.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This awareness continues to observe the body&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;life after life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Evidence for this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It sits quietly as the body reacts and reacts until it discovers meditation and begins to stop the cycle.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stops the cycle of ignorantly regarding life as 'self'? Yes, it can, as described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.99&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.99&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the nature of this awareness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It knows, it cognises (MN 43); it arises dependent upon sense organs, sense objects (MN 38) &amp;amp; the mind-&amp;amp;-body (SN 22.82) ; that is all that can be said about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I can't make sense of the apparent contradiction that there is no self&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mirror does not have a 'self' yet a mirror reflects. Awareness/consciousness is similar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, 1st the mind sees an object and, afterwards, the mind thinks: &quot;I like that object&quot;. The seeing or awareness of the object occurs prior to the idea of &quot;I&quot;. Awareness operates without a 'self'. The idea or thought construct of 'self' arises after awareness. There can be awareness without 'self' thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yet this 'awareness' has to follow a series of rebirths until this 'individual' is purified, at which time they are fully liberated.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The Pali suttas do not refer to a 're-birth' of awareness or consciousness. Instead, the Pali suttas refer to the 're-birth' of the ignorant 'self' concept. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — assumes form to be a 'self'. That assumption is a fabrication. Now&#xA;  what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is&#xA;  the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact&#xA;  with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication (of 'self') is born of that.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The craving that makes for re-becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasure, craving to be, craving not-to-be: This, friend&#xA;  Visakha, is the origination of self-identification described by the&#xA;  Blessed One. MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I understand that there is no self. There is nothing definable about the self which makes perfect sense to me.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But there is most definitely an awareness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is this awareness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing, cognition; like a mirror reflects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is every living creature in the universe a unique awareness with identical properties?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever there is some communication, there must be some awareness (however that awareness may not be fully reflective, like human awareness can know emotions but not act upon those emotions). For example, some plants know when an insect lands on them and they close up to eat the insect. These plants must have some awareness, however primitive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Are we all the same awareness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Now, my awareness is looking at a certain pink flowered tree outside my window. Since your awareness is not, the two awarenesses are obviously not the same awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If so then why are we dealing with karma as discrete individuals?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is unrelated to awareness. In Pali, awareness is called '&lt;em&gt;vinnana&lt;/em&gt;', which refers to 'knowing' or 'sensing'. Where as kamma is related to intention (&lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;) or thinking ('sankhara khandha').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mental impacts of kamma (actions) are stored in the citta (mind-heart). For example, if a man gets angry at his wife and then feels regret the next day, the feeling of regret is related to the faculty of mind called 'citta' ('mind-heart') rather than 'awareness/consciousness'. Awareness only knows; only reflects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why human life has a 'citta' or an 'intelligent conscience', again we cannot say. It is probably just a survival mechanism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-07T20:25:16.467" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T20:25:16.467" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19217" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-07T21:14:02.980" Score="5" ViewCount="3910" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that Advaita practitioners believe that we have an eternal self (consciousness) that is one with everything but that we are under an illusion that we are separate and through enlightenment we can realise the truth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Theravadin Buddhists on the other hand believe that there is no 'self' but that we are under the illusion that there is one because we are too distracted to see that what we call self is nothing more than a bunch of impermanent processes i.e. the 5 skandhas. &#xA;I have issues with both beliefs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Advaita it doesnt matter how many Rupert Spira videos I watch I just dont see any evidence of anything living on beyond the death of my brain. Unless some penny drops and I finally get it somehow, my view won't change any time soon. Sure there is the sense of an observer when we sit and watch the thoughts etc but there is no proof that this is an 'eternal self' and not just some process of the brain being able think about thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Buddhism I have begun to grasp the concept of Annatta because it kind of makes sense that all these different things are arising and passing however I have failed to hear any clear explanation about rebirth.  If there is no self then what is it that is reborn?  I know this question has been asked a zillion times but all I ever hear from Buddhists is that lame analogy about a candle flame going from one candle to the next which explains nothing.  If this illusion of self is not what gets reborn therefore I will not even remember my past life then why does it even matter at all? Also what do Buddhists believe about the observer of experience? They teach to sit and observe what is going on internally so what do they believe is observing? Nothing? Nothing is observing something?  The Advaita school of thought say that Buddhists are overlooking the truth. That the reason they think there is no self is because the self cannot look at itself just as eyes cannot look at themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2019-11-08T07:51:41.767" Title="Buddhism vs Advaita Vedanta" Tags="|self|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-07T23:09:36.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Re-birth' is merely the re-arising of the 'self-belief' or 'self-concept' (in this life). To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — assumes form, feeling, perception, thought fabrication &amp;amp;/or consciousness to be a '&lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;'. That assumption is a &lt;strong&gt;thought fabrication&lt;/strong&gt;. Now&#xA;  what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the &lt;strong&gt;birth&lt;/strong&gt;, what is&#xA;  the coming-into-existence of that thought fabrication? To an uninstructed,&#xA;  run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact&#xA;  with ignorance, craving arises. That thought fabrication (of 'self') is &lt;strong&gt;born&lt;/strong&gt; of that.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The craving that makes for &lt;strong&gt;re-becoming&lt;/strong&gt; — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasure, craving-to-be, craving not-to-be: This, friend&#xA;  Visakha, is the origination of &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; described by the&#xA;  Blessed One. MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This 'self-belief' or 'concept' is a thought that is known or observed by 'consciousness'. Just as consciousness is not the thought of a 'dog' or 'tree', consciousness (which observes) is not the thought of 'self', 'I' or 'me'. The thought is a separate thing to the consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no evidence of anything living on beyond the ending of the activity of 'the' brain (not 'my' brain). The totally &lt;em&gt;lame&lt;/em&gt; analogy about a candle flame going from one candle to the next which explains nothing was not an analogy spoken by the Buddha. Buddhism teaches the five aggregates are impermanent. When the activity of life (the aggregates) ends, that's it. If the mind can fully realise &amp;amp; accept all life ends, it will be at peace. That is all that needs to be done. Please read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maggavagga&lt;/a&gt; and be free from doubt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-07T23:23:36.670" LastActivityDate="2017-02-07T23:23:36.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-08T04:43:08.080" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a question that will live on in your mind unless you douse it yourself by some belief or another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why I say this is that, Buddhists are going to read the texts and say &quot;this is what Lord Buddha said&quot;, according to some translation by someone. Advaita people will say something else according to some interpretation. And you will sit here and kill yourself by thinking about this over and over without a proper answer. And this will be never ending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless you are doing this for a particular philosophy course or something where you need an answer to a question, I'd suggest you be okay with not knowing. Because the frame of reference from which you are asking this question about &quot;self&quot; or &quot;no-self&quot; is yourself, and this is a loop. Your mind cannot know what is beyond itself. The mind is a mere accumulation of thoughts and memories from the past. There is nothing original or new about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't jump to an answer yet because that will be a belief. It is not in your experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-02-08T05:14:54.940" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T05:14:54.940" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19215" CreationDate="2017-02-08T05:04:54.810" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The totality of awareness includes the following for 6 Sense Bases and the 5 Aggregates:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;“internal” (ajjhatta) = physical sense-organs, or our person;&#xA;“external” (bahiddhā) = physical sense-objects, or another person;&#xA;“gross” (olārika) = that which impinges (the physical internal and external senses,&#xA;with touch = earth, wind, fire);&#xA;“subtle” (sukhuma) = that which does not impinge (mind, mind-objects, mind-consciousness,&#xA;and water);&#xA;“inferior” (hīna) = undesirable physical sense-objects (form, sound, smell, taste,&#xA;and touch), or the sense-world;&#xA;“superior” (panīta) = desirable physical sense-objects (form etc), or the form and the&#xA;formless worlds;&#xA;“far” (dure) = subtle objects (“difficult to penetrate”), or distant objects, other&#xA;universes;&#xA;“near” (santike) = gross objects (“easy to penetrate,” or things close by, or anywhere&#xA;in this universe).&#xA;&#xA;...&#xA;&#xA;As regards the terms “internal” (ajjhatta) and “external” (bahiddhā), it should be noted that they&#xA;have two applications:&#xA;(1) the aggregates (khandhā) composing a particular “person” are “internal” to them, and anything&#xA;else is “external”;&#xA;(2) the sense-organs (ayatana) are “internal,” but their objects—which may include aspects of&#xA;the person’s own body or mind, which are “internal” in the first sense—are “external.”&#xA;&#xA;In the commentarial tradition (including the Abhidhamma), “gross” (olārika) refers to the&#xA;nature of the five physical senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body), while “subtle” (sukhuma) refers to&#xA;the nature of the mind. The physical senses are said to be “impinged on” while mind does not function&#xA;that way.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adapted from Piya Tan introduction on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.12-Annathatta-Ananda-S-2-s22.38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dutiya (Aññathatta) Ānanda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should clearly see the world, person, 5 Aggregates, 6 Sense Bases are  impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.10-Maha-Tanhasankhaya-S-m38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Taṇha,sankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] All experiences fall into 3 categories (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral) which are also impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to vanishing, subject to fading away, subject to ending. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.1-Dighanakha-S-m74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha,nakha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your awareness should be the right awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;And what, bhikshus, is right mindfulness?&#xA;Here, bhikshus, &#xA;a monk dwells  exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing the body in the body, &#xA;   removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing feelings in the feelings, &#xA;   removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing the mind in the mind, &#xA;   removing covetousness and displeasure in the world; &#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing dharmas in the dharmas, &#xA;   removing covetousness and displeasure in the world.&#xA;This, bhikshus, is called right mindfulness.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; similar passage in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.11-Sacca-Vibhanga-S-m141-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;removing covetousness and displeasure in the world&quot; means you are to be equanimous without getting attached to the pleasant or averse to the unpleasant. You have to see impermanence also to remove ignorance. For more on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19201/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition if awareness is there in the present moment like that of in a surgeon, ballet dancer, gymnast, acrobat, stuntman, racing drive this does not help. Any of these activities require awareness but this is not exactly the awareness in line with the Buddhist goal. This is because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;such a person does not see the 3 marks of existence in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditioned&lt;/a&gt;. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;such a person is not free from the unwholesome roots, i.e., reacting to pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19187/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This awareness continues to observe the body, life after life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question has been asked before in the past:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;it is this same consciousness, not another, that runs and flows through the rounds of births&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.10-Maha-Tanhasankhaya-S-m38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Taṇha,sankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other religions and philosophies which have this view but in Buddhism the observing consciousness is also not self and in consistent though it appears to to be consistent in early stages. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] For more information &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19163/295&quot;&gt;see this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T05:15:21.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19221" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-08T05:35:09.703" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the unbroken stream of consciousness as established in this world and established in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the unbroken stream of consciousness as both unestablished in this world and unestablished in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;'s Translation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 28&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may appear at early stages there is and observer. But later on it becomes apparent that even &amp;quot;the observer&amp;quot; is not unbroken stream or permanent hence not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving arises at any of the six viññāṇas of the sense doors. As a description of mind, the four aggregates of viññāṇa, saññā, vedanā, and saṅkhāra generally suffice. Deeper Vipassana separates them. Before that stage is reached however, philosophies start because, despite the experience of arising and passing, the observer—which is viññāṇa—seems to remain and it is not divided or dissected. It is viewed as eternal soul: je viññāya te āya ye āya te viññāya (Whatever is viññāṇa is soul and whatever is soul is viññāṇa). However at a deeper level it does become separated: eye viññāṇa cannot hear, ear viññāṇa cannot see, any or all of these viññāṇas can stop, and when mind viññāṇa also stops, nibbāna comes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19163/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which has further elaboration. Numerous philosophies about viññāṇa is the soul arises since the observers meditation is not developed enough to see the observations / observer is not continuous and impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism both extremities of there is a self and here is no self is rejected. Better rendering in English is not/non self. For more information see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18827/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19182/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T05:44:08.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19222" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19223" CreationDate="2017-02-08T08:58:43.703" Score="1" ViewCount="243" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw in Indian T.V. serial Buddha saying that if hatred rises then know that you are far from Nirvana, is it true?&#xA; Is there any other way Buddha described a way where one can see his current position in the journey to nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T11:42:06.927" Title="If hatred rises, How far I am to Nirvana?" Tags="|buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19222" CreationDate="2017-02-08T09:55:43.300" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I saw in Indian T.V. serial Buddha saying that if hatred rises then know that you are far from Nirvana, is it true? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you attain Nirvana both unwholesome or wholesome roots do not arise, you have also have eliminated the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. Therefore, if any roots or hindrances appear in your mind then you are not in Nirvana. If there is a increase of roots, particularly unwholesome roots and then this can be viewed as moving away from Nirvana, hence moving away from Nirvana may be the right way to put it. Hatred has the root of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvesha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dosa&lt;/a&gt; and also linked to Ill Will (vyāpāda). More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/roots_goodevil.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Roots of Good and Evil&lt;/a&gt;, by Nyanaponika &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thera and The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt; Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there any other way Buddha described a way where one can see his current position in the journey to nirvana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many measures of progress but the most reliable is equanimity as if this is present then unwholesome roots of aversion and craving does not arise. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13182/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3467/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T11:42:06.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19222" CreationDate="2017-02-08T10:13:22.303" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is hard to say what &quot;far from nirnava&quot; means since nirvana isn't easily compared to other states of mind. We could say that you are close to nirvana if you reach one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;. Freedom from hatred only occurs at the final stage when you become fully enlightened; however, an Anagami is free from ill-will so any hatred would not cause him to wish harm on any being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These stages of enlightenment are one measure of progress on the path, although they are very advanced levels of progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-08T10:13:22.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1625" CreationDate="2017-02-09T06:19:43.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This from Bodhidharma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Every suffering is a buddha-seed, because suffering impels mortals to&#xA;  seek wisdom. But you can only say that suffering gives rise to&#xA;  Buddhahood. You can’t say that suffering is Buddhahood.&lt;/strong&gt; Your body and&#xA;  mind are the field. Suffering is the seed, wisdom the sprout, and&#xA;  Buddhahood the grain. The Buddha in the mind is like a fragrance in a&#xA;  tree. The Buddha comes from a mind free of suffering, just as a&#xA;  fragrance comes from a tree free of decay. There’s no fragrance&#xA;  without the tree and no Buddha without the mind. If there’s a&#xA;  fragrance without a tree, it’s a different fragrance. If there’s a&#xA;  Buddha without your mind, it’s a different Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emphasis mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the conventional theory of karma (the actor is not different to who experiences the result) it seems like you're asking whether bad karma can ever be exhuasted. I would say &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;yes&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. There's definitely an imperative to avoid both extremes (austerities and indulgence), though, even if that only applies to those on the path, which it likely doesn't anyway&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T06:19:43.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19227" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-09T06:38:41.923" Score="1" ViewCount="148" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question may read a little philosophical, Buddhist, and personal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been a little obsessed with death for a very long time, and feel like I have zen answer. Less interested in &quot;the path&quot; (I would like to practice zazen) than whether my conclusion is sound, though to an &lt;em&gt;extent&lt;/em&gt;, if it is, I can go on my way. As well as whether it conflicts with any zazen practice. A Buddhist friend keeps telling me I'm afraid and trying to outsmart death, and they say nobody really knows, which I definitely sympathise with, but equally I believe I'm right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how can we know what will happen to us at death? Do we ask a teacher, ourselves, not ask about it, not worry about it, or something else entirely?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-02-09T08:33:12.607" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T01:20:30.647" Title="Can / how do we know what death is?" Tags="|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19228" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-09T09:00:16.673" Score="1" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;Language can be a confuser here so feel free to switch consciousness with knowing or awareness. I just ask because many of the texts I read speak early on the path to realization that knowing the Self means knowing what the Self is NOT.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;so i know I am not my name. my body, my memories etc...&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially they seem to say if can know a 'thing' then you are not that thing. Recently I wondered if I was consciousness since it seems to be the one thing I do not know.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2 basic truths that we can all accept seem to be:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;truth of being:   I am&lt;br&gt;&#xA;truth of knowing: I know I am&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So some may say 'I know I am conscious' or 'I know I am in a state of consciousness'. But I am not sure if statements like that are simply another statement of the basic truth of being.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;Or I suppose another might say &quot;I know that I know&quot; or &quot;I am aware that I am aware&quot; but to me this seems like semantics and at the base level is simply saying &quot;I know&quot; or &quot;I am aware&quot;......not the actual EXPERIENCE of &quot;knowing of knowing/conscsiousness/awareness&quot;. So I wonder if I could be my consiousness?&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are being and knowing of being inextricably bound together and dependent OR is it possible, in a non-referential void reality for example, to be and not know being? I will post that as a separate question if I must.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10780" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T08:00:25.073" Title="do you know consciousness?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17753" CreationDate="2017-02-09T09:23:24.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i thought i remember i read a sutra that say whoever come across this sutra is a sotapanna and now i can't remember where i read it from. but does it matter that much to find a sotapanna? wasn't it better if you concentrate on cultivating yourself because you may have already encounter some in your present life. Stream entrant are said to have unshakeable faith in buddhism , doesn't that mean if the stream entrant has already meet buddhism, you are most likely to meet them where the buddhists assembly will gather?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i am apologizing if what i wrote here is offending anyone. communication is not my strong point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Added note: &#xA;if anyone was thinking about reaching sotapanna earlier there is this samanthabadra text that if one listen recite by a qualify person, one can reach the stage of within three lifetimes. so it might be a good idea to listen to this once so that in future lifetimes it will be easier for one to attain the three lifetimes (unless you had a commitment with your guru, you may need to ask your teacher) &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W91pUTf2Jc&amp;amp;t=37s&amp;amp;list=PLjUJNKDN2ecAZtNHQElrb591QmSj_3z-9&amp;amp;index=41&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W91pUTf2Jc&amp;amp;t=37s&amp;amp;list=PLjUJNKDN2ecAZtNHQElrb591QmSj_3z-9&amp;amp;index=41&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;another two i believe that help me in my buddhist path is both om mani padme hum and tara mantra in which i think tara mantra really helped one in attain spiritual path faster. i was relying on tara mantra to help get out of my bleak circumstances and to see if it can set my wealth path right on the track, although not much changes in my worldly life (but i still think it has probably help me out numerous time in very difficult and challenging situation), my spiritual buddhism path seem to progressing so fast by leaps and bounds as if there is no tomorrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;added note 2:&#xA;found a sutra that help one to attain stream enterer stage known as sanghata sutra. anyone who can read this sutra is consider rare. and do be open minded when reading this sutra.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fpmt.org/education/teachings/sutras/sanghata-sutra-in-various-languages/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://fpmt.org/education/teachings/sutras/sanghata-sutra-in-various-languages/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10783" LastEditorUserId="10783" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T05:58:55.100" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T05:58:55.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5245" CreationDate="2017-02-09T09:42:07.303" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is also often given as gifts to volunteers or lay members of the temple who can/will use it. It is a gesture of kindness/compassion, as well as giving a blessing to that persons body in the form of food, at least that is how it seems when my Sifu gives fruit to myself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10784" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T09:42:07.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19227" CreationDate="2017-02-09T09:45:48.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Death' happens to a 'person', 'self-entity' or 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is free from thoughts of '&lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt;', it will know 'death' only happens to a '&lt;em&gt;self&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will also know when the mind is free from 'self', there is no 'death'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The '&lt;em&gt;termination of life&lt;/em&gt;' is not the same as '&lt;em&gt;death&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These things the mind can know when entering into '&lt;em&gt;emptiness&lt;/em&gt;' (&lt;em&gt;śūnyatā&lt;/em&gt; - 空). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-09T09:50:55.120" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T09:50:55.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19228" CreationDate="2017-02-09T09:58:39.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Being' ('selfing') and knowing ('consciousness') are not inextricably bound together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, consciousness is delineated into six types, such can be summarised as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) seeing; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) hearing; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) smelling; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) tasting; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) touching; &amp;amp; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vi) mental cognition (knowing the mind's thoughts, feeling, moods, etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine a mosquito suddenly bites. First, there is consciousness of the touch sensation then, a moment later, the mind thinks: &quot;A mosquito has bitten me&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The touch consciousness arises 1st, by surprise, without any willfulness. Later the mind creates the idea of &quot;me&quot; or &quot;I&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, 'knowing' &amp;amp; 'selfing' are not inextricably bound together because knowing occurs before &amp;amp; independent of the thought of &quot;me&quot; or &quot;I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why consciousness experiences many things the 'self' does not want to experience. If 'self' &amp;amp; 'consciousness' were bound together, the self could decide where to direct consciousness and thus avoid ugly sights, unpleasant sounds, bad smells, etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why you define or identify yourself as nothing apart from what the mind is consciousness of. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You were not born with pre-existing ideas of &quot;my mother&quot;, &quot;my father&quot;, &quot;my house&quot;, &quot;my body&quot;, etc. Instead, what happened is the mind first sees, hears, smells, tastes or touches its mother and eventually, later, the idea is formed: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;my&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; mother&quot;. Similarly, one first day, a small child looks into a mirror and develops for the first time, the idea of &quot;me&quot; or &quot;my body&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha taught a new born child has no idea of 'self', 'me' or 'I'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha described 'becoming', 'being' or 'selfing' only happens after consciousness, feeling, craving &amp;amp; attachment have occurred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-09T10:15:42.960" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T10:15:42.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19228" CreationDate="2017-02-09T12:20:37.767" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially confusion may arise that there is an observer and that observer is me. If you closely examine &quot;the observer&quot; you will see that &quot;the observer&quot; is not permanent and continuous. A good account on this can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.13-Khemaka-S-s22.89-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khemaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where a saint but not yet an Arahat could still have this residue. If you are then an Arahat then all I-making and mine-making notions and view are no longer there. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also mentions that some mistake consciousness as self through knowing the rest of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;aggregates&lt;/a&gt; are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;not self&lt;/a&gt; but considering &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt; as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;self&lt;/a&gt;. In deeper meditation this notions also vanishers. More on this can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19221/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19163/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19221/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is what know and gives arise to the notion of I and mine. If something was mine it should tray the way you want it. Say there is a glass which is my glass. My glass should no break. But when it falls it does break. You may have to nothing that this body is me, but if so can you cure disease on command: &quot;My fever should stop at once!&quot;. This par may seem logical but &quot;It is I who know&quot;, &quot;It is I who feel&quot;, &quot;It is I who experience&quot; is difficult to stake off. Now look at in this angle. If you know, feel or experience something which does not give pleasure, is it worth identifying it as &quot;mine&quot;. If the experience is mine and unpleasant you should be able to either get rid of it or make it pleasant or neutral on command. Similarly of pleasant experiences it is not possible to prevent change or such experience ending on command or will. So what you know or experience is not self. As it is consciousness which experiences it is also not worthy of identifying as self. Also if you have done any meditation you will not consciousness itself is not under control: &quot;I will be only conscious of sensation on my upper lip&quot;. You will notice that your mind wanders away to other objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also since it is consciousness which feels you cannot observe consciousness, i.e., observe the observer. This also leads to the notion of &quot;I am the observer&quot;. But as mentioned above, in deep meditation, you will notice consciousness is not continuous and there are 6 types of consciousness (there is no single unified core as the observer), therefore it is not worth identifying as self. Eye consciousness can only see and not anything else. If this was mine, you should be able to make you hear through your eyes. Consciousness is not continuous and not controllable, hence again not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.2a-Me-the-nature-of-conceit.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“Me”: The Nature of Conceit&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.13-Atammayata-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammayatā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; lists consciousness as one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/dh%C4%81tu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhatu (Elements)&lt;/a&gt;. It is because of this you know the arrangement of other &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 primary elements&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/%C4%81k%C4%81sa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;space&lt;/a&gt; (also an element). Also consciousness just knows, experiance or cognise only. It does not store anything. Sañña the recognising part of the mind is what contains memories and brings up past experiences and also give it an evaluation good, bad or neutral. Whatever experienced by consciousness is contribute to perception and view. This is brought up later, triggered by another experience, which gets cognised. In addition,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Using Vipassana he developed the lokuttara jhānas, leading to nibbāna, and introduced the &quot;ninth jhāna,&quot; which he called saññā-vedayita-nirodha: where saññā and vedanā stop. So long as saññā functions, however feebly, it will produce a reaction, a saṅkhāra. Saññā must be totally eradicated to experience the stage of viññāṇa as viññāṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T15:29:18.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18691" CreationDate="2017-02-09T16:29:40.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism Dhamma should be experienced here and now. In order to do that you have to practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;. Hence a fruitful resolution would be that you pratice 1 hour in the morning and evening and to do at least one retreat for the year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T16:29:40.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19237" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-09T20:30:38.763" Score="4" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing insight meditation daily now for over 6 years. I have learnt the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. I focus on my abdomen rising and falling and notice when my attention goes to something else which seems to be mostly thoughts and then I gently bring it back. When my attention goes to a sensation I watch the sensation for a while until it is no longer holding attention then I bring it back to the breath. After 6 years of doing this I can't say that I have had profound insight into the true nature of reality etc. Most of the time I just feel really bored and doubtful that sitting all this time is actually changing anything. My concentration is only marginally better.  I understand Dukha, Anicca and Anatta but its more from reading about it than sitting.  I sit for an hour in the morning and 45 mins at night.  Im not sure whats going on but just feels something is missing.  I read about and hear people talking about the profound changes they experience and how their lives are filled with peace and joy from practicing so I wonder where Im going wrong?   As far as Metta practice goes I am told that at first it may feel contrived but if you keep going it begins to work but I have to say that after all these years not much has changed on that front either.  It seems that the effort and energy I apply massively out weighs the benefits. So I'm confused about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:30:21.490" Title="questions about my practice" Tags="|practice|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-09T21:05:42.623" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Advaita Philosophy was popularized by Acharya Shankara , who succeeded in convincing Indian Buddhists , that Buddhism is a branch of Hinduism.You may refer to the book &quot; &lt;strong&gt;Shankara Digvijay&lt;/strong&gt;--traditional life of Shankaracharya&quot; ,written by Madhava-Vidyaranya ,published by the Ramakrishna Math , Chennai ( Madras) , India and available at &lt;strong&gt;Ramakrishna Mission Centres&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;Shankaracharya lived in the second half of Seventh Century AD (aroud 650 to 690 AD ).He succeeded in convincing Indian Buddhists , that Buddhism was a branch of Hinduism and succeeded in integrating Buddhism to Hinduism. &lt;strong&gt;Shankara also portrayed the Buddha as the Ninth Incarnation of Vishnu&lt;/strong&gt; . Those Buddhists , who did not integrate with Hinduism ,were later (around Tenth Century AD) , slaughtered or converted to Islam by force , by the Muslim Invaders. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Shankara's Philosophy is known as Advaita Vedanta Philosophy&lt;/strong&gt;. But over the years ,it has undergone many modifications , by different preachers ,trying to popularise the idea in their own ways.  &lt;strong&gt;Latest attempt at popularisation of Advaita Vedanta ,was by Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) ,who also founded the Ramakrishna Mission.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Hinduism has many Books of knowledge ---the Vedas  ,the Upanishads ans the Six Schools of Philsophies&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; The &lt;strong&gt;Vedas&lt;/strong&gt; popularise worshiping different &lt;strong&gt;powers of Nature&lt;/strong&gt; --like the Earth ,Sun ,Air ,Fire ,Lightening ,Sky etc. &lt;strong&gt;symbolised as Gods&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Upanishads&lt;/strong&gt; are philosophies of Individual Teachers -who tried to popularize the concept of &lt;strong&gt;One God --Creator ,Sustainer and Destroyer of the  Universe&lt;/strong&gt; .They also  tried to &lt;strong&gt;integrate Individual Consciousness to Universal Consciouness and to Space and Time--assuming the existence of a set of Universal Laws&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;The Six Philosophical  schools ,attempt to integrate the ideas of Upanishads , into a self consistent logical system&lt;/strong&gt;. They are --(1)Shaankhya (2) Yoga (3) Nyaya (4) Vaisheshika (5) Purva Mimansa (6) &lt;strong&gt;Uttara Mimansa (Vedanta)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;Advaita Vedanta has evolved out of Vedanta . Literally &lt;strong&gt;Advaita&lt;/strong&gt; means &lt;strong&gt;Not Two&lt;/strong&gt;-ordinarily accepted as &lt;strong&gt;One or Zero&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So the Universal God , can be One or Zero( Shunya or Space)&lt;/strong&gt;.In this philosophy , &lt;em&gt;Existence and Non-Existence , are treated as two sides of the same coin&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It assumes three sates of consciousness -waking , sleeping (dreaming) and deep sleep (unconsciousness ,coma or memory less)--all to be TRUE . And tries to INTEGRATE them to a SUPER_CONSCIOUS state--called the Ultimate Reality.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;strong&gt;For a beginner, trying to understand Advaita Vedanta and its links to Buddhist philosophies ( or Tantra) , I would suggest going through the works of Swami Vivekananda.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T21:05:42.623" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19237" CreationDate="2017-02-09T22:26:25.513" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditation brought profound changes to my life, this occurred when I was practising for around 8 hours per day continuously for 3 months in a meditation retreat monastery. The profound meditations that built '&lt;em&gt;momentum&lt;/em&gt;' were those where I sat for over 75 minutes, to 2.5 hours, during the after breakfast &amp;amp; after lunch sessions. The momentum would carry into the evening session but the early morning sessions were generally uneventful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I have never practised meditation only for one hour each morning &amp;amp; each evening therefore I have not experienced the results this may bring. However, I imagine it would not bring profound results because morning meditation is generally not the best and, while evening meditation is generally the clearest (when not eating after lunch), this is only after long afternoon meditation. In other words, when I have lived a normal life, working in an office during the day, the mind is tired at night, particularly once it develops some &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;-calmness, it has a tendency towards sloth/sleepiness at night. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I imagine practising only for one hour each morning &amp;amp; each evening would be good for a '&lt;em&gt;mental health checkup&lt;/em&gt;', to observe &amp;amp; manage what unwholesome states the mind has accumulated during the day. However, I doubt profound &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; could be developed in such a short time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-09T23:58:43.113" LastActivityDate="2017-02-09T23:58:43.113" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-09T22:48:00.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta is non-self, which is neither 'self' (brahmanism) nor 'not-self' (annihalationism). Nothing is annihalationist and whilst the 'sphere of nothingness' is one of the last states the mind experiences before cessation, it is not the goal and is 'wrong view'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha observed that empirical experience lacks these extremes like 'nothing' and 'everything`, 'always', 'never'. In my mind, I see it as whenever you draw a border or concrete dividing line between two concepts, you create a construct that does not appear in experience - every 'thing'  is correlated to every other 'thing',. There is no 'solid' base to stand on within experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No permanent soul or substance transmigrates within Buddhism. The Buddha simply saw the consequence that Anatta has fo 'the all' and all within it - regularity (for a modern scientist, on average). And even then this is still an essentialist definition. Because rebirth is a construct that concerns 'the all' (there is never a concrete barrier to block where a person, 'soul', goes within the Buddhist universe, so it can't be though of with regards to only a fraction of experience), it can't be based on relational constructs.. But these are the only constructs we can know conceptually, as they are the only ones we experience. If Existence is 'infinite' and effectively has all states present at all times, then somewhere or other, a being dying with X Kamma, will always be succeeded by a being born into conditions fitting X Kamma. Rebirth is to be understood or not understood fully by a mind that has had long and persistent training in Jhana imo..  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-02-10T10:22:05.213" LastActivityDate="2017-02-10T10:22:05.213" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19241" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-10T03:20:38.537" Score="1" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha and other 'rahath'  priests are prohibited to touch any jewels. So how could Lord Buddha stay inside the &lt;em&gt;ruwan ge&lt;/em&gt;, which is totally made with gems?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://panhinda.sirisaddharmaya.net/main-places-to-honor-and-pay-homage-in-deva-hela-janbudveepa/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Main places to honor and pay homage in Deva Hela (Janbudveepa)&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The stone chamber and the stone seat (length 6.5 feet width 3 feet) made and offered to Buddha by King &lt;em&gt;Muchalinda&lt;/em&gt; using the highest technology prevailed to that date are still exist there. Earlier it was called &lt;em&gt;Ruwan Geya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;code&gt;[29]&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The footnote translates this as&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;[29]&lt;/code&gt; The house or the chamber of gems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10790" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-02-11T10:13:58.113" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T10:13:58.113" Title="Could the Buddha have touched goal and gems in the 7 weeks after enlightenment" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19237" CreationDate="2017-02-10T03:29:14.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd say you are expecting something to happen. Chasing something outside, when really you need to stay calm and let things happen on the inside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether anything happens or not, you must meditate for however much time you can. It seems like you are doing it, but you are weighing yourself down by burden of expectations and reading or listening to too much anicca or whatever. I am doing this too much reading around thing. So I am talking out of what I experienced. I don't care about what the Buddha experienced. Honestly. You have to drop it. The mind is caught up with all that, plus worldly affairs and loses balance. And you feel bogged down. Stop pushing at it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll say it again, Drop your expectations. And simply meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-02-10T03:35:21.657" LastActivityDate="2017-02-10T03:35:21.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="172" CreationDate="2017-02-10T07:27:56.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked an enlightened monk that I had a strong feeling was an Arhat about this and he said he was enlightened when he was a layman. He just put on the robes to help him teach the message and he was completely unconcerned with such delusions. He was continually mindful of annica  and had reached a state of anatta. He still got angry and would often shout at his followers but with equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10793" LastActivityDate="2017-02-10T07:27:56.973" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19217" CreationDate="2017-02-10T11:16:21.793" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Advaita practitioners believe that we have an eternal self (consciousness) that is one... we can realise the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;one with everything&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, do you mean one eternal self for every one of us, i.e., we are all one eternal self; if everyone enlightened, i.e., there will only be one thing left, the eternal self? Since not familiar with Advaita concept thus ask for clarification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Theravadin Buddhists on the other hand believe that there is no 'self'...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Purely a personal opinion, the Theravada School is incomplete, from a Buddhist practitioner's point of view. To remark is, especially if one reading articles on the internet in English about the Theravada School's teaching based on many Pali translated English (modern) Sutras formed the view believed that's what Buddha taught, they could be inaccurate; upto this moment these views and the analogies behind them have a lot to be examined and verified, or even updated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I just dont see any evidence of anything living on beyond the death of my brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One do not die after dead&lt;/em&gt;, this the Buddha has used an analogy to make King Prasenajit and others realized the fact: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...佛言。大王。汝見變化遷改不停。悟知汝滅。亦於滅時。知汝身中有不滅耶。波斯匿王&#xA;  合掌白佛。我實不知。佛言。我今示汝不生滅性。大王。汝年幾時見恒河水。王言。我&#xA;  生三歲慈母携我。謁耆婆天經過此流。爾時即知是恒河水。佛言。大王。如汝所說。二&#xA;  十之時衰於十歲。乃至六十日月歲時念念遷變。則汝三歲見此河時。至年十三其水云&#xA;  何。王言如三歲時宛然無異。乃至于今年六十二亦無有異。佛言汝今自傷髮白面皺。其&#xA;  面必定皺於童年。則汝今時觀此恒河。與昔童時觀河之見有童耄不。王言不也世尊。佛&#xA;  言。大王。汝面雖皺而此見精性未曾皺。皺者為變不皺非變。變者受滅彼不變者元無生&#xA;  滅。云何於中受汝生死。而猶引彼末伽梨等。都言此身死後全滅。王聞是言信知身後捨&#xA;  生趣生。與諸大眾踊躍歡喜。得未曾有。──《楞嚴經》&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It reads as below in English:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;...Buddha said, &quot;Maharaja, you see that all are transforming and changing incessantly, thus realized that you would decease. Also during the decease, do you know that in your body there has the not obliterated?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;King Prasenajit holding his hands in prayer replied the Buddha, &quot;I indeed don't know.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha said, &quot;I now show you the no originated-obliterated quality. Maharaja, how old were you when seen the water of River Ganges?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The King said, &quot;When I was three years old my loving mother took me to visit Deva Jivaka passing by this flow, at that time I have known it was the water of River Ganges.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha said, &quot;Now you are lamenting your gray hair wrinkled face, the face must be more wrinkled than at childhood. That by now you observe this River Ganges, as in the past as a child observing the river this seeing has the difference of young or aged not?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The King said &quot;No, World-honoured One.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha said &quot;Maharaja, although your face wrinkled yet this essence of seeing has never wrinkled. The wrinkled is change, the not wrinkled not change; the change is to be obliterated, that the unchanged essentially is not originated and obliterated, how so in it do render to your living or dead? Whilst still quoted those such as Makkhali [Gosāla], and said the same that after this body died all annihilated?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The King heard this, truly knew that deceased yet living after the body. With the rest of all rejoicing in jubilation, obtained the never have had before.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is quoted from the Surangama Sutra translated into English, by me :]. Surangama Sutra has been disparaged by many, both in the Chinese language source and others. Here I will bypass to tangle in examining its authenticity. IMO it's the Buddha's Sutra as solid as the rest. It's said that this is the 1st Sutra to disappear at the ending of Dharma time; the last is the mantra &quot;Namo Amitabha&quot;. If you read this conversation between King Prasenajit and Buddha, you will get that there is the essence (of you) that will never die, as King Prasenajit. I got it when reading this part. Since I'd known the non-dying in me in other experience, I was not as exhilarated as the King and others, only slightly gladdened. Hopefully it works for you, and brings about the same effect ;). Else try to contemplate few more times to get it.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...the concept of Annatta... what is it that is reborn? ...Nothing is observing something?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wow, I'll leave this to later maybe, since my answer is so long now, and not sure if I could produce an accurate answer... I'm reading the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, hopefully I could come up with some more &quot;prajna&quot; to answer your question ;].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;========&#xA;*Below is my own exercise, for the convenient of writing, just disregard.*&#xA;========&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;...佛言。大王。汝見變化遷改不停。悟知汝滅。亦於滅時。知汝身中有不滅耶。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...Buddha said, Maharaja, you see that all are transforming and changing incessantly, thus realized that you would decease. Also during the decease, do you know that in your body there has the not obliterated?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;波斯匿王合掌白佛。我實不知。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;King Prasenajit holding his hands in prayer replied the Buddha, &quot;I indeed don't know.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;佛言。我今示汝不生滅性。大王。汝年幾時見恒河水。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said, &quot;I now show you the no originated-obliterated quality. Maharaja, how old were you when seen the water of River Ganges?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;王言。我生三歲慈母携我。謁耆婆天經過此流。爾時即知是恒河水。。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The King said, &quot;When I was three years old my loving mother took me to visit Deva Jivaka passing by this flow, at that time I have known it was the water of River Ganges.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;佛言。大王。如汝所說。二十之時衰於十歲。乃至六十日月歲時念念遷變。則汝三歲見此河時。至年十三其水云何。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said, &quot;Maharaja, as you said, during twenty was weaker than at ten years old, nonetheless at sixty; days, months, hours and moment by moment that's changing. That when you were three-year-old seeing this river, up unto at thirteen how so the water?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;王言如三歲時宛然無異。乃至于今年六十二亦無有異。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The King said, &quot;Clearly has no difference as at three years old. Even by now at sixty-two there has no difference.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;佛言汝今自傷髮白面皺。其面必定皺於童年。則汝今時觀此恒河。與昔童時觀河之見有童耄不。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said, &quot;Now you are lamenting your gray hair wrinkled face, the face  must be more wrinkled than at childhood. That by now you observe this River Ganges, as in the past as a child observing the river this seeing has the difference of young or aged not?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;王言不也世尊。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The King said &quot;No, World-honoured One.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;佛言。大王。汝面雖皺而此見精性未曾皺。皺者為變不皺非變。變者受滅彼不變者元無生滅。云何於中受汝生死。而猶引彼末伽梨等。都言此身死後全滅。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha said &quot;Maharaja, although your face wrinkled yet this essence of seeing has never wrinkled. The wrinkled is change, the not wrinkled not change; the change is to be obliterated, that the unchanged essentially is not originated and obliterated, how so in it do render to your living or dead? Whilst still quoted those such as Makkhali [Gosāla], and said the same that after this body died all annihilated?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;王聞是言信知身後捨生趣生。與諸大眾踊躍歡喜。得未曾有。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The King heard this, truly knew that deceased yet living after the body. With the rest of all rejoicing in jubilation, obtained the never have had before.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-02-10T11:16:21.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19237" CreationDate="2017-02-10T14:53:31.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though I have some exposure to the Mahasi the angle more based directly from the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have learnt the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. I focus on my abdomen rising and falling and notice when my attention goes to something else which seems to be mostly thoughts and then I gently bring it back. When my attention goes to a sensation I watch the sensation for a while until it is no longer holding attention then I bring it back to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your attention is lost your mind gets &quot;lost&quot; on a bodily feeling which in many cases is a pain or thoughts of the past and future mainly. In essence these feeling are 3 types: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. So when you mind wanders away depending on if you liked, disliked or was neutral to the new object (object which stole your attention) you will get pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you have to let go of the sensation. Pleasant sensations lead to the craving, unpleasant lead to aversion and neutral lead to ignorance. In this situation you have to maintain Wise Attention, i.e., you have to be equanimous can seeing impermanence. Your mind should be void of any form of craving or aversion to sensations (not generating unwholesome roots), the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt;, Vipallasa, created &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt; (visualisation, verbalisation, intellectualisation, etc.), mental volitions (4 kinds of nutriment - mano-sañcetanā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After 6 years of doing this I can't say that I have had profound insight into the true nature of reality etc. Most of the time I just feel really bored and doubtful that sitting all this time is actually changing anything. My concentration is only marginally better. I understand Dukha, Anicca and Anatta but its more from reading about it than sitting. I sit for an hour in the morning and 45 mins at night. Im not sure whats going on but just feels something is missing. I read about and hear people talking about the profound changes they experience and how their lives are filled with peace and joy from practicing so I wonder where Im going wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2 things can happen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You practice in the wrong way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;This practice is not right for you&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also perhaps it might be worth trying another technique. Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19051/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for pitfalls of the Mahasi technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As far as Metta practice goes I am told that at first it may feel contrived but if you keep going it begins to work but I have to say that after all these years not much has changed on that front either. It seems that the effort and energy I apply massively out weighs the benefits. So I'm confused about this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta achieve the following things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reduce aversion and develop benevolence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Break barriers &lt;sup&gt;1, 2&lt;/sup&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self, dear ones, neutral, foes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Direction: People from the North, people from this or that direction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Geographies: This or that country, region, town&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Race&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Species&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Main thing here is when you think about a being you might classify in 3 sections: favorable (friend, same race, same town, same part of the country, etc.), unfavorable (foe, citizen of an enemy country, etc.) and neutral. This results in sensations which are pleasant, unpleasant and neural.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; Before developing benevolence you have to get rid of the aversion. The way to do this is be equanimous to the unpleasant sensation noting its impermanence. If you are experiencing either &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pīti&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt; wish that this peace is shared with the person. Generally people try to save good things for themselves. The best to share is the best experience you have. Also think about sharing merits of the meditation with someone. Also when there is a chance try to do it though physical or vocal action also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3808/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; might be of help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Bhadraka Sutta, the Buddha explains the origin of suffering by giving illuminating examples. The village headman Bhadraka wants to know the cause of suffering that afflicts mankind. In reply, the Buddha asks him to think of his son and imagine that his son is meeting with unexpected misfortunes, or getting arrested by the king’s order or facing a severe punishment. Bhadraka imagines as he is told and finds that such thoughts give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, grief and despair in him. When he imagines a stranger to be placed in a similar situation, facing similar predicament, he finds that he is not troubled at all with any mental agony. He explains to the Buddha that the difference in his mental reaction to the two situations lies in the fact that he loves his son with a parent’s love and is very fond of his son, whereas he has no such feeling towards the stranger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Next the Buddha asks him if any love, passion or desire arises in him before he meets or sees or hears about the woman who has become his wife. Bhadraka replies that only when he meets, sees and hears about her that does he develop passion and attachment towards his wife. When the Buddha asks him further whether he will suffer from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, grief, despair, if anything untoward happens to his wife, he confesses that he will suffer more than these agonies; he might even lose his life through intense suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha points out then that the root cause of suffering in the world is craving, greed, passion and desire that engulf mankind. It has been so in the past, as it is now , and so it will be in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/eot&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Essence of Tipiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18224/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14570/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T03:24:25.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19246" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19241" CreationDate="2017-02-10T15:21:38.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Essentially what you are asking is can / will a Buddha do something in contradiction to the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the olden days the King is not under the law he imposes. Likewise, after forbidding miracles, the Buddha announced the he will perform the Twin Miracle. A King asked you just put a rule not to display miracles and you are just going to perform one. Then the Buddha pointed out like the King being exempt from his own rules the Buddha is exempt from the Vinaya rules, i.e., Vinaya rules are only for the disciples.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Assuming you are from Sri Lanka, this is there in the old syllabus Buddhism curriculum (which was in effect in the school leaving year of 1997). I forget what year, and the exact details, but likely year 10 text book.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this context, though a monk cannot be in a chamber of gems the Buddha can. Having said this, the chamber of gems is also not real, as it is mind made through psychic powers. In such a case I do not think there is an issue for a monk prior to the forbidding of psychic power display. As in this case there were not witnesses hence, if a does this, in private it will still not break the rule of touching gold (it is not real - it is just a mind projected image). This is just my opinion, there might be other vinaya rules in play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition this is not the traditional account:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The stone chamber and the stone seat (length 6.5 feet width 3 feet) made and offered to Buddha by King Muchalinda using the highest technology prevailed to that date are still exist there. Earlier it was called Ruwan Geya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More orthodox account of it is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Golden Bridge&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the third week, the Buddha saw through his mind’s eye that the devas in the heavens were not sure whether he had attained enlightenment or not. To prove his enlightenment the Buddha created a golden bridge in the air and walked up and down it for a whole week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Jewelled Chamber&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the fourth week, he created a beautiful jewelled chamber and sitting inside it meditated on what was later known as the &amp;quot;Detailed Teaching&amp;quot; (Abhidhamma). His mind and body were so purified that six coloured rays came out of his body — blue, yellow, red, white, orange and a mixture of these five. Today these six colours make up the Buddhist flag. Each colour represented one noble quality of the Buddha: yellow for holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence, red for wisdom and orange for desirelessness. The mixed colour represented all these noble qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Mucalinda Tree&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha then went and meditated at the foot of a mucalinda tree. It began to rain heavily and a huge king cobra came out and coiled his body seven times around the Buddha to keep him warm and placed his hood over the Buddha’s head to protect him from the rain. After seven days the rain stopped and the snake changed into a young man who paid his respects to the Buddha. The Buddha then said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Happy are they who are contented. Happiness is for those who hear and know the truth. Happy are they who have good will in this world towards all sentient beings. Happy are they who have no attachments and have passed beyond sense-desires. The disappearance of the word &amp;quot;I AM &amp;quot; is indeed the highest happiness.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life of the Buddha - Chapter 18: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/17lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seven Weeks After Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Jewelle Chamber is separate from the time under the Mucalinda Tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T03:19:02.567" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19200" CreationDate="2017-02-10T19:00:00.783" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Finally... let me try。。。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the use of discussing no-cognition as it defined as &quot;&lt;em&gt;the non-existence of a thing cannot be perceived by the senses for there is nothing with which the senses could come into contact in order to perceive the non-existence.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anupalabdhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wikipedia/Anupalabdhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It negates the negated, i.e., the &lt;em&gt;non-existence&lt;/em&gt;, the &lt;em&gt;cannot be perceived&lt;/em&gt;. This is from Kumārila Bhaṭṭa (700AD) the Hindu philosopher. This rendered the whole sytax just as a &lt;em&gt;don't-know&lt;/em&gt;. Now some scholars use it to fit into the Buddhist concept, or to explain the Buddhist concept, it is an error, IMO. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;The cognition of the ultimate nature of things—their all being empty of intrinsic nature—is nonconceptual because, there being nothing to cognize, no cognition arises. --Garfield and Westerhoff in Madhyamaka and Yogacara&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha/Nagarjuna doesn't phase Emptiness in this way. If there are things? Ultimate nature? Cognition or to cognize is a conditioned faculty, same as the 5 Aggregates conditioned by the human body and mind as in an Ordinary (凡夫). The quoted phrase is produced by an academic mind conditioned by education with those technical terms in prescribed syntax. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;Eckel in To See the Buddha...&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, &lt;em&gt;object&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;reality&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;knowledge&lt;/em&gt;, these terms in such way of a paragraph written doesn't relate anything to what the Buddha taught, although it claimed &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; here and &lt;em&gt;Buddha&lt;/em&gt; there in the sentences. It is an un-beneficial hard work to explain how it was not making sense, same as to explain why a &lt;em&gt;1&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;2&lt;/em&gt; or any number is not a &lt;em&gt;0&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;And obviously the heart sutra...&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your understanding the Heart Sutra is far from getting it. When in the Heart &#xA;Sutra it said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No Suffering Samudaya Extinguishing Path, no knowledge also no attainment. {無苦集滅道無智亦無得}&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not a negation to describe &quot;&lt;em&gt;Ultimate Reality&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, in your term. It is because &quot;In Emptiness it has no [such and such]... &quot;{是故空中無...}, for these are dharma(s){法}, i.e., the laws created by us. Not the laws in law books, but laws of nature, physics, E=MC&quot;, law of gravity... all are dharma(s) - 法[則] - laws, the products of the intellect/mind. Therefore the Buddha said all knowledge of this world are &quot;games theories&quot; {戲論}, i.e., we set the rules, then we play against these rules. The Heart Sutra, of import is the beginning, &quot;Observe the Self-present Bodhisattva, when professing in deep Prajnaparamita...&quot; {觀自在菩薩行深般若波羅蜜多時...}, this is the condition a Dhyana practitioner is able to enter, then it goes on to give more instructions and describe the experiences etc... This is a long explanation and belongs to another topic I believe. Of note is almost all translated the beginning as Avalokiteshvara, it maybe so or it could be not as so. There is another definite name for this Bodhisattva in Chinese yet here this could refer to Him, or refer to anyone as long as this person who is able to reach the Self-present{自在}, one who is free, totally at ease, free from any bondage or restrain, mindful and, present. (see, this is the perfect condition one should enter during meditation.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, I thought your formulating this question is not so beneficial in understanding the Buddhist Dharma, Emptiness, or the philosophy you intended. For it is like saying, &lt;em&gt;does the cow have horse face&lt;/em&gt;? {牛頭不對馬嘴}. With no offence, if it does irritate you, apologize for my commend of language, since English is not my mother tongue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-10T19:13:35.410" LastActivityDate="2017-02-10T19:13:35.410" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19161" CreationDate="2017-02-11T03:01:11.440" Score="4" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; Is the Mind the Self? If not, what is it?  &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a delusion of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;why it needs to be emptied &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because it's the cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;How does it(Mind) have the autonomy/independence to realize/discern Emptiness?  &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By developing a new faculty called wisdom to realize Anatta or Sunyata, but not emptying the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Who controls/owns the Five Aggregations and intellect? &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving ( delusion/moha/avijja) takes five aggregates as a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Who/what is this mind?&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not Me(or i), but it arises from six-sense faculty, when ignorance is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Story:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;While crossing the stream on a plank over it, a dog looks down into the &#xA;water. Seeing a dog there, it either wags its tail in a friendly way &#xA;or  growls  angrily.  Or  else  out  of  curiosity  it  keeps  on  looking &#xA;down  again  and  again.  Due  to  wrong  attention  it  doesn’t understand what really happens.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The dog thinks that it is looking because it sees. But the truth  of the matter  is that it sees because it looks. Every time it looks it sees a dog.   Consciousness has such a delusive magical quality about it. This is because consciousness has  the  property  of  reflecting  something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="106" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T16:37:41.777" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T16:37:41.777" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9119" CreationDate="2017-02-11T04:01:02.040" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravadan view of a savakabuddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savakabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savakabuddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10796" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T04:01:02.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18642" CreationDate="2017-02-11T05:59:03.703" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever conditioned or arisen is in a flux of change and impermanent. Nirvana which is unconditioned and unborn is not in a flux of change or impermanent. The key here is if it is conditioned, if it is born, if it arises then it is subjected to change and cessation when the conditions sustaining it disappears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T05:59:03.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18364" CreationDate="2017-02-11T06:11:16.583" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially you will need &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; to sustain your attention. 1st bring your mind to the object, periodically assess if it is with the object and re establish your attention regardless you mind has wandered away or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have established mindfulness of the object you can further analyse it. 1st a gross level and then at subtler levels. Initially you will feel just the contact and sensations. At a gross level you will see it starts and ends. Closer examination you will see it is made of smaller tingling sensations. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19220/295&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; give the totality of the ways to analyse the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T06:17:06.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17591" CreationDate="2017-02-11T06:51:34.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;THE 18 INVESTIGATIONS. 'Bhikshu, this person is made up of the eighteen mental investigations';&#xA;so it is said. And in what connection is this said?&#xA;i. On seeing a form with the eye,&#xA;   one investigates the form that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the form that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the form that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;ii. On hearing a sound with the ear,&#xA;   one investigates the sound that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the sound that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the sound that the basis of equanimity.&#xA;iii. On smelling a smell with the nose,&#xA;   one investigates the smell that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the smell that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the smell that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;iv. On tasting a taste with the tongue,&#xA;   one investigates the taste that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the taste that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the taste that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;v. On feeling a touch with the body,&#xA;   one investigates the touch that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the touch that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the touch that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;vi. On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&#xA;   one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&#xA;   one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;   one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&#xA;'Bhikshu, this person is made up of the eighteen mental investigations': so it is said in this connection.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; similarly in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially there are 3 sensation which arise due to metal activity: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral which gives arise to the unwholesome roots. It is by looking at these sensations with equanimity and rightly seeing their impermanence you can prevent them from arising. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful when thinking you should not have the unwholesome roots to arise. If it does this leads to unwholesome action, hence unpleasant results in the future. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/18.2-Mula-S-a3.69-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mula Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] If your thinking is without the unwholesome roots then there is no future unpleasant results. This is what you should aim for in being mindful while you are thinking, i.e., do not let the unwholesome roots arise, do not let the hindrances arise, do not let the Vipallasa arise. This can be achieved by being equanimous and watching the arising and passing of phenomena. Having Wise Attention all &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 Path Factors&lt;/a&gt; develop automatically. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:21:54.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2017-02-11T07:19:52.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Multitasking or engaging in activities like listening to audiobooks is not an issue for mindfulness. What is needed is Wise Attention, i.e., being free from unwholesome roots, hindrances and Vipallasa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;On hearing a sound with the ear,&#xA;one investigates the sound that is the basis for mental joy,&#xA;one investigates the sound that is the basis of mental pain,&#xA;one investigates the sound that the basis of equanimity.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; similarly in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be aware of your reaction to the content agreeable or likable, disagreeable or unlikable, indifferent. These are what leads to the sensations of joy, pain or equanimity above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what ever you hear know impermanence of the sensations what arise with it and be equanimous. Being equanimous displaces aversion and craving and seeing impedance displaces ignorance. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Having Wise Attention all &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 Path Factors&lt;/a&gt; develop automatically. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T03:26:35.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17538" CreationDate="2017-02-11T07:36:18.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 4 ways your meditation develops&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;(1) insight preceded by calm &#xA;(2) calm preceded by insight&#xA;(3) calm coupled with insight&#xA;(4) a mind seized by restlessness&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take (1) - (3) calm and insight are both present but only different in order in which they are developed. Hence both are needed, through the order they develop will differ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.1-Samatha-and-vipassana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha and Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.1b-Buddha-discovered-dhyana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha Discovered Dhyana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:36:18.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19256" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17186" CreationDate="2017-02-11T07:53:57.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The detail of the practice is outlined in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, but these instruction maybe difficult to follow for a beginner. Best is to take a course in it. 2 organisations with a reasonably wide outreach are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or alternatively look for a teacher in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T07:53:57.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16047" CreationDate="2017-02-11T08:14:20.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 4 frames of reference in Vipassana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;And what, bhikshus, is right mindfulness? Here, bhikshus, a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing the body in the body, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;     observing feelings in the feelings, &#xA;        removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing the mind in the mind, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world; &#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing dharmas in the dharmas, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world.&#xA;This, bhikshus, is called right mindfulness.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To simplify it a bit more, the key is &lt;code&gt;removing covetousness and displeasure in the world&lt;/code&gt; which appears in each instance. This is by being equanimous and knowing impedance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;E.g. If you take the body and sub section of posture. Some postures may be comfortable, neutral or painful. You just have to maintain equanimity and see the impermanence of the sensations.[&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.1-Dighanakha-S-m74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha,nakha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T08:14:20.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11280" CreationDate="2017-02-11T09:46:44.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation, as I believe, enhances your creativity as it makes you thinking more clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I think that following through an idea and turning it into a finished piece of work requires quite a lot of attachment and devotion to the project.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; describes the pursuing of worldly activities. In the light of this, what might be happening here is you have some attachment to the finished work a pleasant feeling arises which triggers the following steps:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;dependent upon feeling (vedanā), there is craving;&#xA;dependent upon craving (taṇhā), there is seeking;&#xA;dependent upon seeking (pariyesanā), there is gain;&#xA;dependent upon gain (lābha), there is decision-making;&#xA;dependent upon decision-making (vinicchaya), there is desire and lust;&#xA;dependent upon desire and lust (chanda,rāga), there is attachment;&#xA;dependent upon attachment (ajjhosāna), there is possessiveness;&#xA;dependent upon possessiveness (pariggaha), there is avarice; &#xA;dependent upon avarice (macchariya), there is safe-guarding;&#xA;dependent upon safe-guarding (ārakkha), there arise various evil unwholesome state — &#xA;   taking up of the rod, taking up of the sword, conflicts, quarrels, disputes [strife], back-biting, harsh speech, false speech.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My decrease in creativity does most likely not have anything to do with my feeble meditation attempts, because it is natural to have ups and downs, even when it comes to creativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems like you self defence mechanism kicking in creating negative states. You are trying to protect or guard your creativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition greed and craving may propel you to undertake more work as perhaps a source of income. You can still keep up your motivation without greed through proper &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intention&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without meditation you decision making maybe fueled by gains than creativity. Also craving and excessive desire (perhaps at the sub conscious level) to make a living may be having a detrimental effect on your creativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I suppose my real question is: is it possible to balance being a practicing Buddhist and a creative artist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes you can. If you are motivated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;proper intention&lt;/a&gt; than &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; hence avoiding the above path. Meditation also clears your mind and makes you more emotionally balanced so your creative juices can run wild.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T10:26:37.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2017-02-11T10:59:48.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a difference between love and attachment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you love someone, then you don't have an attachment/dependency towards them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if you have a dependency/attachment towards someone, then you don't love them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally marriages should last a long time, we have to be realistic - this is only feasible if the appropriate conditions are met and each partner is making the effort to keep the marriage going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddhārtha Gautama abandoned his wife and child in silence without warning them. However, his former wife and son were well provided for, living in a fully staffed Royal Palace with the rest of Buddha's family. Surely abandoning one's family in silence without warning might be cruel? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10799" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-18T11:37:03.400" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T11:37:03.400" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19210" CreationDate="2017-02-11T21:32:57.143" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a good question that you asked &amp;amp; not at all stupid @ Iresha Rubasinghe, but I was too busy last week to get to answer it. Today India has lost the Order of the Gautama Buddha. In the present-day Sri Lanka a great many who identify themselves as ‘Buddhist’ are really Hindus. It is because they have made the Triple Gem impure by worshiping Hindu “Demigods”, by believing in horoscopes, following auspicious times according to asterism, auspicious signs, horoscopes, malefic effects believed to come from planetary objects, and the twelve houses of astrology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of these abide with Buddha’s teachings. They even have a higher regard to being vegetarian than observing the Five Precepts to the letter. Then there are those who erroneously think “... even though we have a strong desire to put an end to rebirth, it depends on our parami ...” This is another distortion of the Saddhamma. I hope that you are one of the very few people who would stay in the finger tip, without getting caught to any of these trappings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People cling onto all these types of beliefs or are only get ready to realize the Dhamma when they attain Buddhahood are following ignorant ways without respecting the Buddha or His teachings. If they consider what the Buddha had taught us properly by learning the Dhamma, these types of ignorant and short-sighted views will never be spread throughout the society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's time there is an example on how a wise person recognized the teachings of the Buddha properly. There was a Brahmin called ‘Vangeesa’. He once went to the Gautama Buddha and told Him that he has the ability to tell about someone’s afterlife,  and that he needs a person’s skull to do that. The Buddha asked one of the Bhikkhus to bring a skull of a dead person. The Brahmin took the skull, chanted a charm (a Mantra) and tapped it few times. He then revealed where that dead person was reincarnated. The Buddha also confirmed that it was so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahmin then told the Buddha that he could reveal the rebirth of anyone just by tapping the skull of a dead person. The Buddha asked the Bhikkhu to bring one other skull and gave it to the Brahmin. Vangeesa Brahmin did his chanting again and tapped on that skull, but this time it was different. He could not find where that dead person was reborn. He tapped again, again, and again. But still, he could not get out of any information about the person that the skull was belonged to. He was anxious and told the Buddha, “Oh, Lord Buddha! This is so strange. My predictions were never gone wrong before, and I never came across any skull that I could not recognize the rebirth of the dead person. But, my talent became useless in front of you. I can’t guess the birth place of this person even if I tap on to this skull so many times.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Most Compassionate One, the Buddha, told him “dear Brahmin, this skull belongs to an Arahant.” The Brahmin was thrilled about the fact that the Gautama Buddha was teaching a way to overcome rebirth. He expressed his loyalty to the Buddha and his need to follow the Dhamma that the Buddha was teaching. Then, the Buddha told him to let go of what he was taking for granted and to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Accepting Buddha’s advice, Vangeesa Brahmin became a Bhikkhu. He became an Arahant after following the noble path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who take refuge of the Buddha with proper understanding know that there is nothing more important than the Dhamma of the Buddha. So please remember that a person who takes refuge of horoscopes cannot become Shraddhānusārī (one who has unflinching faith in the triple gem.). People who take refuge of asterism or auspicious signs, or the ones who live spending their time praying to other gods cannot be easily convinced otherwise of their wrongful attachments and devotions to the astrology, auspicious times, and the likes which consume their energy. Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi in his essay “A Buddhist Response to Contemporary Dilemmas of Human Existence” ahd this to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;” … Spiritual eclecticism — omnipresent in the West today — is governed by the opposite logic. It aims to amalgamate, to draw into a whole a sundry variety of quasi-religious disciplines: yoga, spiritualism, channeling, astrology, faith healing, meditation, I Ching, special diets, Cabbala, etc. These are all offered to the seeker on a pick-and-choose basis; everything is valid, anything goes. This eclecticism often reveals a longing for genuine spiritual experience, for a vision of reality more encompassing than pragmatic materialism. It fails because it tears profound disciplines out from their context in a living faith and blends them together into a shapeless mixture without spine or substance. Its psychological mood is that of a romantic, promiscuous yearning for easy gratification rather than that of serious commitment. Owing to its lack of discrimination it often shades off into the narcissistic and the occult, occasionally into the diabolical.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T21:32:57.143" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19228" CreationDate="2017-02-11T22:54:17.363" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only a well-developed mind in following the true teachings of the Supreme Buddha can truly understand the real existence of the so called self. In an &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165/sutta-references-which-discuss-self-and-not-self-under-different-contexts&quot;&gt;earlier post&lt;/a&gt; I have given sutta references to this. Reading this you will come to see that apart from our consciousness there is no “self” within us. This mind itself can not be perceived as the self because it is ever changing and for that matter is moving faster than matter. In its active/passive sense the mind can be taken as consciousness. Being mindful is the way to develop one's mind. That is the purpose of meditation. The purpose of meditation is to achieve uninterrupted mindfulness, and only mindfulness produces Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness (vinnana) is not a single item and cannot move by itself from place to place.There are other concomitant parts such as feeling (vedana) perception (sanna) and Volitions (sankhara). So what you call as ‘SELF” is only this “Panca-upadanak-khandha”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you start meditating exactly the way that is shown in the Scriptures (the first two parts of the Tipitaka) and as your mind gets more and more acquainted, it will be able to unravel its attachments to body, feelings, perceptions, thought-constructs, and consciousness. Its identity-views — seeing these things as the self — will fall away. This is the way to freedom. The moment this transcendent discernment arises, you'll be free. You'll be able to disentangle yourself from all the conventional truths of the world that say, 'person', 'self', 'man', 'woman', 'us', 'them', and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-11T22:54:17.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19227" CreationDate="2017-02-12T01:20:30.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being a Dhamma Skeptic, you may not believe in what is been said about what lies after death, but you cannot deny that — men, women, children, lay or ordained,&#xA;past, future, no matter what their level of being—are subject to aging, subject to&#xA;illness, subject to death, separation. Does it not give you a sense of samvega: a sense of dismay over the nature of the human condition because everybody is subject to these same problems, but no one has shown us how to deal with&#xA;aging, illness, and death, and we don’t have much training in that. The skills we have developed in life are not very helpful for dealing with aging, illness, and death when they come. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The death scares us the most because of the unknown factor. This fear is further aggravated because of our attachment to the body, our attachment to sensual pleasures, our memories and understandings that we’ve harmed others, and the fear that after death we’re going to be punished for it. And another fear is in not seen the true dhamma, and in having doubts about the true dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can learn to overcome these four fears of death, then you yourself will be able to find the answer that you seek. So you will have to sort through your attachments to the body,&#xA;sort through your attachments to sensual pleasures, and learn to focus on the&#xA;positive things you’ve done. It’s even better if you gain a dhamma­eye, a vision of the&#xA;true dhamma. That’s when you can overcome your fear of death. It is at that time that you will come to know the answer to this question, as only then would you will accept the given answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T01:20:30.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17529" CreationDate="2017-02-12T06:07:22.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What matters is how you want to do a particular activity and how important it is to you in the worldly context. You can take your Buddhist practice to an activity that you are doing and do it with as much focus as possible, like you and your mind don't exist. Only the activity is happening. That's how it is done. Choiceless awareness of the activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This &lt;code&gt;mindfulness&lt;/code&gt; word has been marketed or thrown around a lot. It doesn't mean anything apart from a latest marketing fad. It is not a proper translation of any Buddhist term like Jhana or Dhyana. This may be my opinion but I have shut off all this marketing terms or practices and listening to audiobooks (or whatever people like to dump their mind with garbage from society). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep things simple, do one thing and do it fully. Nothing matters but the awareness of the task at hand. That's the essence of activity in Buddhist terms. If you look at Zen, you'll understand what they are getting at. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now it depends on you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T06:07:22.673" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19264" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-12T07:05:05.207" Score="3" ViewCount="738" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does the following mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You should not try to find the point where the moving air strokes the nostrils, but keep your focus at the nose breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comes from the followingpage that was linked to from another person:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm really not sure what they mean by &quot;the nose breath&quot;. I generally have trouble with focusing anywhere near the nose. I can feel some coolness when breathing in, but I can feel nothing on the way out.  I have tried for years and it has never become easier.  That is why I focus on the abdomen as in the Mahasi style, but I still would like to know what this article means.  Can you please explain to me what &quot;nose breath&quot; means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastEditorUserId="13124" LastEditDate="2018-08-01T13:12:19.110" LastActivityDate="2018-08-01T13:12:19.110" Title="What does &quot;nose breath&quot; mean?" Tags="|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14868" CreationDate="2017-02-12T07:41:56.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know exactly how you feel.  I am 6 years+ and still feel the same confusion. So many contradicting opinions out there about what is correct and what is incorrect then others say there is no such thing as incorrect meditation.&#xA;We are told constantly to not just listen blindly to the Buddha or the teacher but try it for ourselves but then when we feel we aren't progressing and feel confused   and ask questions we're told that its because we're craving or expecting too much etc!!  Well no actually we are just trying to figure out where we are going wrong or right but not getting any clear answers.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T07:41:56.713" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19266" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-12T07:46:39.813" Score="2" ViewCount="175" Body="&lt;p&gt;This article which i have linked to at the bottom seems to contradict itself. It seems to be saying that the way vipassana is taught where you note what comes to your attention is incorrect.   Im finding it confusing as I am trying to get clear about my practice but different people seem to say different things. I am getting to a point with Buddhism where I dont know who to listen to anymore and wait before you say &quot;listen to yourself&quot; I have been trying that for years and not really progressing hence the reason I am looking for some more clarity and riding such articles.  My question is how do I figure out if I am practicing correctly?   Some people even say that there is no such thing as &quot;incorrect&quot; meditation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;if one continually tries but cannot establish mindfulness on breathing, then he can practise other kinds of meditation for the time being.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;but then goes on to say &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Most of the meditation practices that have become popular today are not in line with the Dhamma. Those practices are to note in your mind, “pain, pain”, when you feel pain in some part of your body during meditation, and this they say is vedananupassana – contemplation on feeling. If your mind goes somewhere, they say to note “going, going”, and this they say is cittanupassana – the contemplation of mind. If you feel sleepy, they say to note “sleepy, sleepy”. And, if a desire or agitation presents itself in the mind, they say to note “desire, desire”, or “agitation, agitation”, and this they say is dhammanupassana – the contemplation of mind objects. Those are the incorrect practices today that people are being taught as meditation.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mahamevnawa.lk/ananda-sutta-leading-to-awakening/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T13:32:10.987" Title="how to practice correctly" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19228" CreationDate="2017-02-12T08:00:25.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where is your &quot;consciousness&quot; when you are in a cinema watching the movie? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is your consciousness when you are having a dream while sleeping?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is your consciousness when you are on the road and driving?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Etc etc etc..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all cases, one note that the outside world is controlling one's consciousness and there is little control from inside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism says it is not true one has little control of one's consciousness. In fact by following the Path, one can realise that one can fully controlled ones consciousness and not let the outside world affect it. The path eventually leads to enlightenment which is helping others to reach enlightenment too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T08:00:25.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19266" CreationDate="2017-02-12T09:06:37.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suzuki stresses in Zen Mind Beginner's Mind the importance of not having any gaining idea when practising zazen. Remember: the goal of Buddhism is not to attain enlightenment but to end suffering. Of course you cannot end suffering in any absolute sense but you must try. I think you might be worrying too hard about achieving something. Where is this enlightenment I seek?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ending of suffering (of you, me, the world etc.) doesn't depend on you attaining enlightenment but on the ending of suffering. We meditate to see and to understand. Right understanding leads to right speech and action. But really you don't need to understand. This is why traditional lay practise is based on the five precepts relating to speech and action. This is why you have apparently unintelligent people who are good at their jobs and apparently intelligent people who don't even have jobs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But really you don't need to attain/obtain anything. Everything is temporal and comes into existence and goes out of existence in time. A thing has a beginning and an end. Depending then on any thing can only make you unhappy because by its nature it won't last.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A dog is made up of atoms. The word dog is made up of the three letters d-o-g, one sound from the larynx (vowel) and two sounds from restricting the sound via the mouth (consonants) at the beginning and the end. The word dog has entered the French language as &quot;dogue&quot; (mastiff). A physical dog will die. The idea of a dog will last longer but will still eventually die. Bears and dogs share a common ancestor. Once there were no dogs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything changes. You cannot depend on the temporal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And yet you have to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to eat food and breathe air to provide that collection of attached particles you call &quot;you&quot; with energy so it can continue to hold together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need some attachments. To live is to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What can you do then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, fewer constraints is better than more constraints. Freer is better than not free at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you find freedom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through choices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you get choices?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through being a source of something that others want/need. If you reduce their suffering they will be drawn to you. The more you are in demand, the more you will have choices. In such a scenario you are free to engage (bind/tie) or not to engage. They are happier because you have decreased their suffering. You are happier because you are freer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, it all ends in tears so I wouldn't worry too much. Give the world what it is happier for having and take care of yourself. Don't worry about attaining enlightenment. Don't worry about correct meditation, just keep going and focus on ending suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastEditorUserId="10802" LastEditDate="2017-02-12T09:13:48.737" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T09:13:48.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19269" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1335" CreationDate="2017-02-12T09:38:09.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Literature doesn't show the blue eyes but the beautiful brown eyes reflecting loving-kindness. We opine that he was belong to Tibeto-Burman lineage. In Pali words, his clan is Thet-kya သက်(Sanskrit- Sakya or Shakya). Thet-kya means capable man. They are also called Thar-ki-ya သာကီယ means who established city or society in teak (Tectona grands Linn) forest. When Theit-dhat-hta (Siddhartha) became Buddha, he spoke all his teaching in Pali (Magadha Language) instead of his own language as it only represent the minority in the region. Magadha language was widely used by people in Magadha (nowadays Patna in India) of Ganges valley. His clan was wiped out by Kaw-tha-la (Kosala) King 'Vidudabha Virudhaka' in BC500. The nearest lineage of his clan nowadays is Newar of Nepal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10803" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T09:38:09.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2307" CreationDate="2017-02-12T10:47:00.390" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 37.30 (no-link) supports a Buddhist case for divorce. It states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are five powers of a woman...beauty... wealth... relatives... sons... virtue... If a women possesses...or does not possess...the power of&#xA;  beauty... wealth... relatives... sons but not the power of virtue, they&#xA;  expel her; they do not accommodate her in the family.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it appears the only grounds for divorce in Buddhism is a lack of virtue (morality). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T10:47:00.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19264" CreationDate="2017-02-12T11:04:01.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;You should not try to find the point where the moving air strokes&#xA;  the nostrils, but keep your focus at the nose breath&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means to not try to feel, track or be aware of the breath sensations. Instead, it means to only keep the mind exclusively focused towards the nose. It means to never concern yourself with watching the breath, even if the breath comes into the mind as an object of awareness. Just keep the mind still &amp;amp; anchored in one place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T11:04:01.047" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19266" CreationDate="2017-02-12T11:27:27.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anyone that uses the term &quot;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;of&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&quot; is practising &amp;amp; teaching in the wrong way; totally against what the Buddha taught. Yes, this includes nearly every famous translator &amp;amp; monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word 'sati' or 'mindfulness' means '&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;'. The breathing that is active in the present moment is not something that can be &lt;em&gt;remembered&lt;/em&gt; because the present moment breathing is a physical sensation and only mental phenomena can be remembered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the term 'anapanasati' really means is '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;with&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;when&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means is the mind remembers to practise the '&lt;em&gt;teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;' while/when breathing in &amp;amp; when breathing out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The '&lt;em&gt;teachings of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;' are as described in the previous post from Suzuki's &lt;em&gt;Zen Mind Beginners Mind&lt;/em&gt;, namely, remembering to keep the mind free from craving &amp;amp; thus free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purist meditation practise has only one goal, which is to remember to keep the mind free from craving; or free from covetousness &amp;amp; distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Greed or desire to watch the breathing is covetousness. Worry about not being able to watch the breathing is distress. Both covetousness &amp;amp; distress are not the practise of mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when sitting, the only focus should be on sitting without any craving &amp;amp; attachments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;remain in&lt;/strong&gt; right view: This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The monk remains...ardent, alert &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside covetousness &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion (non-craving), dependent on&#xA;  cessation (of craving &amp;amp; suffering), resulting in relinquishment&#xA;  (giving up; letting go).&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go (of craving), attains concentration, attains&#xA;  singleness of mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Thai teacher Buddhadasa summed this up as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As for samadhi (concentration), an empty mind is the supreme samadhi, the supremely focused firmness of mind. The straining and striving sort of samadhi&#xA;  isn't the real thing and the samadhi which aims at anything other than&#xA;  non-clinging to the five khandas (aggregates) is micchasamadhi (wrong or perverted&#xA;  samadhi). You should be aware that there is both micchasamadhi and&#xA;  sammasamadhi (right or correct samadhi). Only the mind that is empty&#xA;  of grasping at and clinging to 'I' and 'mine' can have the true and&#xA;  perfect stability of sammasamadhi. One who has an empty mind has&#xA;  correct samadhi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Heartwood from the Bo Tree&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-12T11:42:51.707" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T11:42:51.707" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19237" CreationDate="2017-02-12T12:47:01.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt; I understand Dukha, Anicca and Anatta but its more from reading about it than sitting.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the place to be improve. practice 'sathipattana' for real understanding.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T12:47:01.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19266" CreationDate="2017-02-12T12:52:45.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My question is how do I figure out if I am practicing correctly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not have to do this too often but see if your are progressing. There many measures of progress but them in would be equanimity towards sensations such that unwholesome roots do not arise. For more details see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3467/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13182/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now having established what is progress, try to achieve it. Be equanimous in the towards sensations while noting their impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now comes the question some times or some parts off the body you do not feel any sensations. For this you have to sharpen your awareness. For this look at your body part by part looking to see if you feel any sensation. If you are doing breathing meditation through in the initial stages it might be just enough to know the length of the breath and which nostril (left, right both) the air flows from as you you go on try to be in touch with sensations in the triangular area above the upper lip and top of the nose. If you start feeling the sensation after a while leave this spot and more to another and see if you feel the breath there. Do this narrowing the area also until you are in a small area. The hardest place is the centre of your upper lip for many. Practice until you feel sensations there. When you come to a state you can feel the whole in and out breath, also look at your body to see if it is sensitive nought to see sensation and any chosen location. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now just keep looking at what is happening in the chosen spot. If the breath is there the breath also. Sometimes the sensation can be hot, itchy, pulsating, etc. Each of this sensation you will be itching and evaluation as desirable, undesirable and neutral resulting in the sensation being pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. For these sensations it is natural to be inclined to generate craving, aversion and ignorance. This reaction creates fabrication. Based on if the fabrication is born out of aversion, craving or ignorance they also will have some sensation associated with it. More effort you put into being equanimous and seeing impermanence the fabrication process also will become less. Keeping your attention at one point will reduce verbal fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To complement the above resource you might want to read: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING: Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T13:32:10.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19266" CreationDate="2017-02-12T12:56:58.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Anguttara Nikaya (Sutta 4.180), the Buddha taught that when any monk taught that such and such were the teachings of the Buddha, we should, without scorning or welcoming his words, compare the words of the monk with the Suttas and the Vinaya (the texts containing the code of monastic discipline). If they are not in accordance with the Sutta-Vinaya, we should reject them. It is only in this way that we will be able to distinguish between a teacher who teaches the true Dhamma and another who has wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Girimananda Sutta, you will learn about some other types of meditations. For example we get to contemplate on the foulness in this body, in the four elements thatare there in any form, including our body. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Girimananda Sutta (AN 10.60)&lt;/a&gt; The Buddha tells Ananda:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Herein, Ananda, a monk contemplates this body upward from the soles of the feet, downward from the top of the hair, enclosed in skin, as being full of many impurities. In this body there are hairs on the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucous, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), and urine. Thus he dwells contemplating foulness in this body. This, Ananda, is called contemplation of foulness.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have calmed your sense faculties, you can follow the instructions of this Girimananda Sutta to do breath meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[i] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [ii] Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [iii] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' [iv] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[v] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out sensitive to rapture. [vi] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure, and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [vii] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to mental processes, and to breathe out sensitive to mental processes. [viii] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental processes, and to breathe out calming mental processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[ix] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out sensitive to the mind. [x] He trains himself to breathe in satisfying the mind, and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [xi] He trains himself to breathe in steadying the mind, and to breathe out steadying the mind. [xii] He trains himself to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;[xiii] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to breathe out focusing on inconstancy. [xiv] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on dispassion,[1] and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [xv] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing on cessation. [xvi] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment, and to breathe out focusing on relinquishment.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&amp;quot;This, Ananda, is called mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T12:56:58.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19264" CreationDate="2017-02-12T13:01:38.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As already mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19274/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, you can start by looking if:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing in long, he knows that he is breathing in long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing out long, he knows that he is breathing out long.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing in short, he knows that he is breathing in short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breathing out short, he knows that he is breathing out short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful, he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you already have not taken a retreat perhaps you can try one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following book might be a additional references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ānâpāna,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T03:49:50.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19264" CreationDate="2017-02-12T13:38:34.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It looks like you have found the right article on how to practice the Breathing Meditation. Than rejecting this, instead try to concentrate on training the mind. All the Buddha’s teachings— on generosity, virtue, and meditation, or on virtue, concentration, and discernment—are aimed at training the mind because the mind is what shapes our experience of pleasure and pain, happiness and suffering. A well‐trained mind can deal with issues that you come across in meditation.  This require effort. They go against the grain. You have to learn not to let your resistance to the effort get in the way. You need a clear sense of cause and effect. That’s what discernment is all about: seeing what really works in terms of cause and effect, what doesn’t really work, and then adjusting your actions accordingly.  We’re here to train the mind to be its own best friend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way of doing this is to focus on your breath.  It is best if you’ll sense the breath as the feeling of the air moving in and out of the nose, but if it is difficult, then be aware (but not solely focus on) the rise and fall of the abdomen, the rise and fall of the chest. Sometimes can sense even in your arms or your legs whether you’re breathing in or breathing out. Allow breath to come in as long as is comfortable, and then allow yourself to breathe out as long as is comfortable. Try to sensitize yourself to what feels good right now in terms of the breathing.  Think of yourself as hovering around the breath. You’re not squeezing it out; you’re not forcing it in; you’re just staying very close to it, watching it, letting it adjust in whatever way feels good, giving it space to adjust. The more satisfying the breath is, the easier you will find it to stay with the breathing. If the mind wanders off, just bring it right back to the breath. If it wanders off again, bring it back again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind will want to wander around. That’s what the mind is used to doing. But if you’re firm with it, and if you can master just this one skill, you change the way you relate to your body, you change the way you relate to the present moment, you have a greater reserve of wellbeing to draw on in any situation. Do not be too grim about the meditation. Find pleasure in, and be happy even if it a short while that you were with the breath. It takes time, it takes training, it takes discipline. But you must remain happy to do it well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-02-12T14:12:13.807" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T14:12:13.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19278" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19279" CreationDate="2017-02-12T14:28:46.433" Score="5" ViewCount="248" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please help me, what to do. I've been meditating but not working for me anything. I get only tingling sensation on my forehead &amp;amp; constant buzzing sound. Besides, I have not gotten any slight improvements in my behavior. &#xA;Would be helpful if someone suggests me following things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How to meditate finally? That one method that can bring peace and calmness to me. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When to do ? Prerequisites. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How much to do?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:47:33.687" Title="I have been meditating by myself since 2015 but nothing worked for me" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19278" CreationDate="2017-02-12T15:52:43.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I get only tingling sensation on my forehead &amp;amp; constant buzzing sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not give too much importance to this for the moment, i.e., do not consider it as good and crave for it or do not consider it bad and be averse towards it. Just keep your equanimity knowing they arise and pass.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides, I have not gotten any slight improvements in my behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Behaviour doesn't change overnight. In the past, given 10 situations you react in an unwholesome way. If this changes to 9 out of 10 or 8 out of 10 situations, this is an improvement. So if there is a slight improvement also, this is immaterial, so just keep doing what you are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there could be no improvement because you are practicing wrong or the techniques you are practicing might not be suitable to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to meditate finally? That one method that can bring peace and calmness to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you meditate calmness and insight grows. So do both:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When to do ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever possible. But this might help:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5 - 10 minutes after waking up (awake but just not yet out of bed)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;until you fall asleep (in bed but not yet fallen asleep)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1 hour session in the morning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1 hour session in the evening / night&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Prerequisites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main thing is morality hence contemplate on morality and make a determination to be moral. In addition the following may would be helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop some faith in the practice so you would be earnest in the effort you put into it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop gratitude towards the Triple Gem, otherwise you will not have got the chance to practice&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop a sense of urgency to practice, think this might be the last chance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Develop Metta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally do 2 session of about 1 hour or more formally. Use this as a booster to continue the practice during daily activities. Ultimately it is being mindful during daily activities that gives the real results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In doing 2 sessions, if one session is not productive then the other might be more productive. At the start of the session, you might not be meditating much hence it should be long enough to settle down and put some solid practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T05:47:33.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19278" CreationDate="2017-02-12T20:00:48.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People experience all kinds of varied phenomena when trying to practice awareness / meditation. Getting itches or feeling other sensations like tingling or feeling of lightness or a floating sensation are some of the common ones. It is because, as relaxation sets in, the nervous system begins to pass sensory signals more efficiently. They are sensory data that were kept blocked before. When the body gets relaxed or more aware, it gives rise to these unique sensations. So try to see it as just sensation. Try not to get too excited about it. If you are practicing awareness, make it a part of the practice. Just observe as to how it come up and watch it pass away. The main thing is not to get involved. Keep your distance, and just observe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you don't feel at ease, or you can't relax, try to just observe it, without letting it rule you. Let those feelings arise and look at them mindfully. If you just sit still and observe your agitations, they will eventually pass. They come and they go. They have no real grip on you at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes a little tingling or a little stirring around that you feel could be that stirring of a thought beginning to occur. You must keep an eye on the mind to notice when it begins to show signs that it’s about to wander off. The mind could start looking for someplace else to go, something else to think about. If you’re really alert, you can catch it before a distracting thought is fully formed. The more quickly you can see that process, the better. The tingling that you feel could be either physical or mental. It could be either. There will come a point, though, when the mind decides that the stirring is a potential for a thought. It looks into it and turns it into a thought world. The more quickly you can see that happening, the more you’re able to catch it at the very beginning of the act. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T20:00:48.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19281" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-12T20:20:02.053" Score="3" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most discourses that I've read have been given to monks or nuns (and not laypeople), so I'm wondering &lt;strong&gt;what the practical application is of these many discourses for a layperson like myself&lt;/strong&gt;. Are the practices presented in these discourses something to strive for? Is it better (as laypeople) to focus our effort on deepening our understanding and practice of for example the five precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T10:25:21.450" Title="How can I as a layperson approach the discourses given to monks?" Tags="|sutras|lay-buddhism|layman|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19281" CreationDate="2017-02-12T22:54:24.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism for sure is very overwhelming for a beginner – a layperson. Even for me, just 12 years ago, it was too much information to process. “Starting out” in Buddhism is exciting for a lot of people, but learning the Dhamma is a painstakingly slow, gradual process. Sadly a great many want to jump right in and become enlightened the next day. The truth is, Buddhism is very difficult, and there are no shortcuts. It is an entire lifetime worth of study, and the practice must be incorporated into your daily life. But it must be taken at a very gradual, slow pace to really absorb and learn anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First study only the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. It may take you at least a full two years to make sense of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. If you delegently keep at it and acquire a good knowledge of dhamma while practicing the Five Precepts to the Letter, then you are ready for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are Suttas aimed at &lt;strong&gt;Life of a Layman&lt;/strong&gt;. Few of them are…. Chalabijathi Sutta, Devadaha Sutta MN 101, Gayha Sutta SN, Janussoni Sutta AN 10.177, Jara Sutta SN 48.41, Mahanama Sutta AN 11.13, Patama Nathakarana Sutta AN, Pattakamma Sutta AN 4.61, Sallekha Sutta MN 8, Sattabharya Sutta, Sigalovada sutta DN 31, Sihasenapati sutta AN 5, Vyaggapajja Sutta AN 8.54.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-12T22:54:24.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19281" CreationDate="2017-02-12T23:51:07.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths &amp;amp; dependent origination simply explain how suffering comes to be &amp;amp; how this suffering can be ended. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a layperson, it is inevitable you suffer (for example, when your motor car is damaged in car accident). Therefore, you  can use these teachings to understand &amp;amp; overcome your suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, your motor car is damaged in an accident. You reflect: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am suffering because I am attached to the car &amp;amp; do not want the car to be damaged. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, this wanting &amp;amp; suffering is ignorant because the Buddha taught all material &amp;amp; conditioned things are subject to damage &amp;amp; impermanence. Therefore it is ignorant of me to suffer over things that are inevitably prone to damage &amp;amp; impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also, the motor car is not-self. It is not really 'mine'. It is only something I use temporarily. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is an example of how to use the four noble truths &amp;amp; dependent origination to understand &amp;amp; end the everyday suffering of a lay person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not clearly understand the four noble truths, it is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All suffering is summarised as attachment to the five aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This suffering arises when there is craving that leads to new self-becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This suffering ends when craving ends. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The noble eightfold path is the way to end suffering, which is summarised as using mindfulness to bring wisdom (right view) to sense experience. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not clearly understand dependent origination, it is simply the same as the four noble truths but more detailed, in that it traces the arising of suffering back to ignorance. It states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance conditions ignorant mental formations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant mental formations condition an ignorant consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant consciousness conditions an ignorant mind &amp;amp; body.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An ignorant mind &amp;amp; body condition ignorant sense organs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant sense organs condition ignorant sense experience. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant sense experience conditions ignorant feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance feelings condition craving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Craving conditions attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attachment conditions self-ego-becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Becoming conditions the birth of self-identity. (eg. 'My motor car'). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Birth conditions aging-&amp;amp;-death (eg. 'My motor car is destroyed &amp;amp; dead). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aging-&amp;amp;-death conditions sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair &amp;amp; all sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if ignorance is ended by reflecting: &quot;&lt;em&gt;material &amp;amp; conditioned things are impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, the craving, attachment, becoming, birth &amp;amp; death that cause suffering will not arise. The mind will be free from suffering about motor cars. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-13T00:10:42.583" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T00:10:42.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19281" CreationDate="2017-02-13T00:41:15.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being a lay beginner myself, my experience is rather limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the texts I've read so far seem to be rather universal in their message. Developing the mind within a monastry might be a lot easier without all those distractions of a layperson's life. But always remember that practicing the dhamma is not limited to meditation. Good actions are beneficial as well - your life may offer many opportunities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I consider the five precepts as the fundamental practicing rules. Easy enough to follow most of the time in auto-pilot mode; and teaching occurs in the other occasions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So of you have a text that doesn't speak to you at all at the moment, I'd just skip it for now and grab another one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7928" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T00:41:15.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19281" CreationDate="2017-02-13T03:37:13.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Most discourses that I've read have been given to monks or nuns (and not laypeople)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever addressed to monks and applicable and relevant to laypeople also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you are in robes or not you get stressed and getting out of stress you get peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha addresses as Bhikkhu this includes lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are the practices presented in these discourses something to strive for?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These solve the problem of being stressed and also how to get out of it hence it is worth striving for unless you want to remain in misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it better (as laypeople) to focus our effort on deepening our understanding and practice of for example the five precepts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the foundation hence it is a necessity before Mastery Over the Mind and Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T03:37:13.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19281" CreationDate="2017-02-13T09:49:41.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate for Buddhist Dharma is to tame the Citta (Mind/Heart), once it's done, one is free from suffering. The 5 Precepts are not just for the lay people, but for any citizen to live an ethical life. It is the basic for any Buddhist, and the righteous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The discourses, many are addressing the monks (Bhikkus), yet the audiences, in many of the sermons, including all followers, from rulers, noblemen, citizens and different classes. (Usually it's set in certain open place, no lighting effect or stage setup necessary for the Buddha himself is illuminating, the Celestial Beings raining the flowers and jewels, filled the atmosphere with fragrance and radiance {sometimes this kind of phenomena could still be seen in some sacred mountains, the colour-tinted clouds in shape of lotus petals, rainbow-halo of the sun... etc.}, and of course no entrance fee charged ;). Apart from those human eyes can see, there are Bodhisattvas, the Nagas and their Eight Leagues of Might, the Non-human Beings... etc. &lt;strong&gt;And of course if you by any chance read the Sutra, the audience included you then, read as if you are in the sermon, or among the monks.&lt;/strong&gt; While the monks are with their particular customs - the Kāṣāya, but putting on the robe doesn't necessarily make one the true monk, nor a lay people without the robe deemed unable to understand the teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many discourses delivered to the monks in daily living together with the Buddha, most are recorded in the Agama Sutras. Those teachings about what so termed &quot;mindfulness meditation&quot; could be learnt as much as one is able to. However, to a certain stage, the White Skeleton Meditation is to be cautioned, not only this was recorded in the Sutra certain monks took their lives when so absorbed in getting disgusted with the body, also it would weaken the body; meditation on nourishing and right way of eating to replenish is required. Yet it would be a miracle if anyone get to the depth of the White Skeleton Meditation without the right teacher or his own right understanding, thus this is really like, it wouldn't happen or if it happened the solution is also produced. Thus the Buddha let all these be written down openly, anyone has the wisdom and merit(功德), anyone is deemed to have the Great Cause across eons of Kalpas to arrive at it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One the other hand one could read the intellectual part of the Dharma. This part is so rich and splendid, over thousands of years, books, treatises, theses are littering and piled up like Himalaya. One is easily got lost but emptied the whole life never really get to the skin of it. Thus one should read right Sutras. Reading the Sutra is the most guaranteed way to receive authentic teachings, and of course the Sutra must be well written, able to transmit the Buddha's teachings, likewise, authentically.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-13T10:25:21.450" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T10:25:21.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19278" CreationDate="2017-02-13T11:20:02.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This might be a good time for reflection: Like &quot;Why am I practicing? What did the Buddha teach and how am I able to apply it? Do I want to achieve something? But isn't the goal of meditation to let go and not to get?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you know that meditation didn't work? Only because it wasn't pleasant or peaceful enough or even physically and mentally painful? If the goal of meditation is to overcome suffering, should I expect it to be easy and pleasant all the time, just as I want it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch out to fall into generalizing things like &quot;it's all like this, nothing ever worked, ...&quot; and really look and you'll possibly remember occasions when meditation did had a positive effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good reference: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu3ajzTFGSg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu3ajzTFGSg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T11:20:02.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19210" CreationDate="2017-02-13T19:33:14.693" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is truth to all these quasi-sciences because they are based on principles in astronomy, science, and medicine. Many benefit from it in small ways which can be cumulative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it is divergent from the focused, intensive practice towards Buddhahood, it is quite complementary to handling one's issues--&lt;strong&gt;should one be a fast learner and not spend too much time with them.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The end result is one can make better decisions for one's life which will in turn allow one the better environment and life to Practice, free from qualm and issues. Everything will just fall in place and one can also challenge oneself and be prepared when an encounter with a particular person might be predicted to be dysfunctional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like how in Buddhism there are different meditation methods (variations really) for different temperaments, the various temperaments in astrology have distinct differences that can inform oneself on the best for people of a certain nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That being said astrology is very complicated and other personality typing, Myers-Briggs, palmistry, and other idiosyncrasies, can often play heavily into it and balance things with a person one would think as one's enemy... so maybe it is all pointless!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, astrology has nothing to do with Buddhism and spending that time that would be spent on regular Buddhist cultivation would be a mistake and depending too much on it is a mistake because karma is one of the things that Buddha said is too deep and pointless to muse upon--to instead just try one's best and cultivate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-02-13T19:33:14.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19289" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-14T00:10:42.580" Score="5" ViewCount="1193" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a 21 year old college student studying physics. When I walk around campus, I am in a meditative state; enjoying the surrounding nature and the mathematical fruit it bears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My thoughts become interrupted when an attractive woman will walk by me. With something as simple as an exchange of smiles, or simply their youthful beauty, I can be completely removed from my meditation. Commonly, I am left feeling like what I am pursuing is not as interesting as the passerby.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not want to be distracted from my meditation; more importantly, left feeling like my path is wrong and lesser. After I collect myself I can regain the motivation to pursue my maths and physics meditation, but this back and forth process feels burdening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I incorporate the beautiful youth around me into my meditation of math, physics and nature, instead of being a process like a type 1-a super nova, where the youth is the white dwarf consuming the star of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mCDj6.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mCDj6.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Type1A super nova, women are the white dwarf, and my meditation is the star.&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;edit - describing my meditation&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Periodically, I will focus on my breath doing a samatha meditation. When I look at nature I try to understand impermanence, but I do not believe all things are temporal. I believe symbols/ideas like the hexagon transcend time. My meditation also consists of trying to understand the objects that exists whether I am here or not (maths) and the transducer (physics) between these symbols/ideas and the temporal physical world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10808" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T20:14:35.033" Title="How do I focus from the distraction of people who look attractive?" Tags="|meditation-concentration|contemplation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19289" CreationDate="2017-02-14T00:45:44.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might get catch-all advice for dealing with distractions but different styles of meditation deserve different solutions to distractions. Usually we can find a solution which compliments the style of your meditation and helps in working towards the goal of that meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were doing samatha meditation and focusing on the breath the aim of this is to calm the mind. When you get distracted you could observe the distraction without judgement and then bring your awareness back to the breathing. This helps to teach you to remain calm when an opportunity for sense-indulgence occurs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your meditation was a type where you observe the changing nature of things the goal of this is to understand impermanence. When you are distracted you can observe that the distraction arose and then allow it to pass. This isn't just getting rid of the distraction, the distraction is just another opportunity to learn about impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise if your goal is to see mathematical beauty then the distraction can be an opportunity for progressing to your goal. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What mathematical beauty can you see in being distracted? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can you see a mathematical beauty in returning from the distraction back to being aware of your surroundings?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When you are distracted by a person perhaps you could look past the human beauty to see the mathematical beauty in their appearance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just came up with three approaches but you understand your meditation better than I do. I think you can come up with what's best for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T00:45:44.377" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19289" CreationDate="2017-02-14T02:18:26.737" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since you are philosophical, ponder: &quot;What is beauty? Why does it exist? What is its purpose?&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, five questions are always asked about a thing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) How does the thing arise (&lt;em&gt;samudaya&lt;/em&gt;)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) How does the thing pass (&lt;em&gt;atthaṅgama&lt;/em&gt;)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) What is the attraction (&lt;em&gt;assāda&lt;/em&gt;) of the thing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) What is the drawback or danger (&lt;em&gt;ādīnava&lt;/em&gt;) of the thing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) What is the method to escape (&lt;em&gt;nissaraṇa&lt;/em&gt;) the danger? (which may include, with some things, escaping the danger while utilizing the attractive quality.) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling does not understand as it really is the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger and&#xA;  the escape in the case of form, feeling, perception, volitional&#xA;  formations and consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple understands as it really is the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger and&#xA;  the escape in the case of form, feeling, perception, volitional&#xA;  formations and consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.74&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.74&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-14T02:38:39.113" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T02:38:39.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19120" CreationDate="2017-02-14T02:45:51.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer to what is &lt;strong&gt;ease&lt;/strong&gt; is &lt;strong&gt;sukha&lt;/strong&gt;. The more unattached you are, the more effluent-free, and unbinding you are, you get to experience this positive aspect sukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sukha can be translated as pleasure, happiness, bliss, or ease. It is a pleasurable experience to have. In  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 9: Potthapada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Buddha says how if one could outgrow ones gross self, and enter the mind-made – the sense of self that can be developed in meditation - your defiling mental qualities will be abandoned, bright mental qualities will grow, and you will enter into this state of ‘Ease’. Then there is there is joy, rapture, serenity, mindfulness, alertness, and a pleasant/happy abiding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even outside of meditation you can experience such a state if you are prepared to discipline yourself as per the scriptures. You can get an idea about what it takes to discipline self in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.107.horn.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ganhaka Moggallāna Sutta in Majjima Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First Buddha will advice one to come and be virtuous first – to discipline yourself from virtue, to make your life pattern good. Then he will get you to protect your six faculties (eyes, ear, etc.). For eq. when you see a figure from your eyes, low defilements such as craving and anger could be formed in you if your eyes were not disciplined. Protecting the last faculty, the mind, is to safeguard your mind without letting defilements to arise – to discipline your mind well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next level of discipline is when it comes to food. This is how you go about it: Now you have to eat mindfully (with the realization of true meaning of eating), inquiring wisely. That is, I am taking this food not for the strength, not for the satisfaction, not for the good looks, or not to play. I am taking this food only to continue this life, to get rid of tiredness, and as to a help to continue the solitary life away from lay life. I will free from old pains and stop making new pains by taking this food. I will continue this life and have a correct and painless life by taking this food.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this stage you are ready for mediation, and to experience true Ease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T02:45:51.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19293" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-14T03:04:43.077" Score="2" ViewCount="697" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following video got me thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTQlnmWCPgA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Machiavelli’s Advice For Nice Guys&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Machiavelli believes that being kind and compassionate is good, but one often needs to learn to be harsh and ruthless in order to survive so that good may triumph. The best example would be the Axis Powers during World War 2 - if the Allies had been nice, they'd have been no match for the Axis Powers for their sheer ruthlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a smaller scale in everyday life, it's the nicer, more helpful people who are constantly taken advantage of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this raises a dilemma. Continue being gentle and compassionate with loving kindness, and get eaten. Or react harshly when necessary and risk darkening ourselves. Or, is there a proper middle path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, Buddhism has survived 2500 years and even flourished at a time where war and cruelty were rampant. So there must be something there, and it bugs the heck out of me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10811" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-14T03:12:55.080" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T20:00:47.677" Title="How does a Buddhist survive in a harsh world?" Tags="|philosophy|daily-life|loving-kindness|life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19294" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19308" CreationDate="2017-02-14T03:10:33.757" Score="3" ViewCount="1077" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a book titled &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_in_the_Art_of_Archery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zen in the Art of Archery&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Zen in the Art of Archery is a short book by German philosophy professor Eugen Herrigel, published in 1948, about his experiences studying Kyūdō, a form of Japanese archery, when he lived in Japan in the 1920s. It is credited with introducing Zen to Western audiences in the late 1940s and 1950s.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not only archery, there are other lay activities too which I somehow think of as associated with Zen, for example: tea; gardening; poetry; sitting; sword-play; calligraphy and painting; maybe music; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bopsecrets.org/gateway/passages/basho-frog.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samadhi means “absorption,” but fundamentally it is unity with the whole universe. When you devote yourself to what you are doing, moment by moment — to your kōan when on your cushion in zazen, to your work, study, conversation, or whatever in daily life — that is samadhi. Do not suppose that samadhi is exclusively Zen Buddhist. Everything and everybody are in samadhi, even bugs, even people in mental hospitals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is this statement even true (or is it mistaken), according to Zen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If it's true, do other schools of Buddhism have a similar or comparable view of samadhi?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I get the impression (perhaps I'm wrong) that some traditions see samadhi as associated with meditation, and meditation as distinct from (even deliberately renouncing) any other activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When I answered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/19212/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; I wanted to say something from my 'personal' experience of becoming absorbed in or engaged with some &lt;em&gt;activity&lt;/em&gt;. I decided not to because this is a site about Buddhism and so an answer based on only my personal activity or experience might be off-topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know next to nothing about Mahayana (e.g. Zen or Tibetan) Buddhism. Can you reference some recommended text on the subject of &amp;quot;absorption&amp;quot;, absorption in lay activity? Maybe something that might help to answer Rishi's question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The only theory I have heard of about activities (apart from that it's virtuous to engage in activities which are helpful or beneficial) is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Flow (psychology)&lt;/a&gt;. But that is not (so far as I known) a Buddhist theory. Does Buddhism have anything to add to or to contradict that theory, analogous?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If absorption in activity is (kind of) legitimate, what's the important difference between sitting (meditating) on a cushion and e.g. sitting at a potter's wheel, or sweeping the floor, or whatever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T13:32:42.760" Title="Does Zen have an unusual view of samadhi?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|zen|samadhi|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19293" CreationDate="2017-02-14T04:22:54.473" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The historical assumptions in the examples are questionable, both WW2 &amp;amp; Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Buddhism: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) It became extinct in India, the land of its birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) It became extinct in Persia &amp;amp; Afghanistan, the first regions of its expansions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3)It became a ritualistic feudal dictatorship in Tibet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) It often encountered great conflict &amp;amp; opposition in China. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) It was a minor religion in Japan. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(6) It became virtually extinct in Indonesia, with some principles surviving in Hindu Bali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(7) It was in such decay in Ceylon, at the time of colonialism, the order of monks had to be restored by the Burmese. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(8) It flourished in Burmese, after wars over Buddhism by the Burmese&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(9) It flourished in Thailand, even though the monks, probably learning from their mistakes in India, did not act to change the other indigenous religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(10) In the USA &amp;amp; the West, Buddhism is often dominated by left-wing ideologies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(11) Overall, to expand, Buddhism has generally always sold-out (betrayed) its core principles to gain supporters. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief, unlike the doctrine of Machiavellianism (which is based on competing over the world), Buddhism survived when it did not compete for &amp;amp; interfere with the world.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-14T04:35:05.227" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T04:35:05.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19289" CreationDate="2017-02-14T04:25:07.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You thinking seems to be tainted by Vipallasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;what is impermanent is taken to be permanent;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;what is painful is taken to be pleasurable;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;what is not self is taken to be a (or the) self; and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;what is impure is taken to be pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;- abopted from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should try to keep your mind free from Vipallasa then the path factor develops automatically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Dawn, bhikshus, is the forerunner, the harbinger of sun-rise.&#xA;    Even so, bhikshus, for a monk this is the forerunner, the harbinger of the arising of the noble eightfold&#xA;    path, that is, accomplishment in wise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when a monk is accomplished in this wise attention, it is to be expected that he will&#xA;    cultivate the noble eightfold path, develop the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And how, bhikshus, does a monk who is accomplished in this wise attention cultivate the noble eightfold&#xA;    path, develop the noble eightfold path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I walk around campus, I am in a meditative state; enjoying the surrounding nature and the mathematical fruit it bears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;And what, bhikshus, is right mindfulness? Here, bhikshus, a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing the body in the body, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;     observing feelings in the feelings, &#xA;        removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing the mind in the mind, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world; &#xA;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, &#xA;   observing dharmas in the dharmas, &#xA;      removing covetousness and displeasure in the world.&#xA;This, bhikshus, is called right mindfulness.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key here is: &quot;removing covetousness and displeasure in the world.&quot; So do not get attached or averse to what you see, hear, touch, taste, smell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After I collect myself I can regain the motivation to pursue my maths and physics meditation, but this back and forth process feels burdening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can motivate yourself to study without attachment. This is developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;intention&lt;/a&gt; but not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;crave&lt;/a&gt; for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking pleasure also is based on craving and is not without it. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I look at nature I try to understand impermanence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a mundane level if you understand this is good. But this should be understood at the experiential level. For this you should do &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā Meditation&lt;/a&gt; to see things as they are and not as you think they are or as you might want them to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My meditation also consists of trying to understand the objects that exists whether I am here or not (maths) and the transducer (physics) between these symbols/ideas and the temporal physical world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to understand is an intellectual game. This creates move Vipallasa and clouds your view than come out of it. You should keep to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 frames of reference&lt;/a&gt; without craving or aversion to the feelings that may arise. You should be equanimous to all that is felt and knowing it is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do I focus from the distraction of beautiful people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing Beauty in something is a Vipallasa. Everything ultimately disintegrates and falls apart. Therefore, beauty is temporary. You have to realise your mind analyses something and gives it an judgement as beautiful or ugly and to this evaluation you feel good when you see someone beautiful and feel bad when you see someone who is ugly. You have to be equanimous and seeing impermanence of the feeling that arises. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19001/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FORM&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ideal girl&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is the gratification with regards to form?&#xA;    Now, bhikshus, suppose there were a kshatriya girl or a brahmin girl or a householder’s girl, fifteen or&#xA;    sixteen years old, not too tall, not too short, not too thin, not too fat, not too dark, not too pale. Is this the&#xA;    time, bhikshus, when her beauty and complexion would be at its height?”28&#xA;    “Yes, venerable sir.”&#xA;    “Now, bhikshus, the joy and pleasure that arise on account of that beauty and complexion is the&#xA;    gratification with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form?&#xA;    This same woman here, later on, at eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old, crooked as a rafter, doubled&#xA;    up, supported by a walking-stick, tottering, frail, youth long gone, teeth broken, grey-haired, having little&#xA;    hair, bald, wrinkled, limbs all blotchy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;What do you think, bhikshus? Have her previous beauty and complexion vanished, the disadvantage&#xA;    (now) evident?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“This, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Again, bhikshus, you might see this very same woman, afflicted, suffering and gravely ill, lying&#xA;    fouled in her own excrement and urine, lifted up by some and set down by others.&#xA;    What do you think, bhikshus? Have her previous beauty and complexion vanished, the disadvantage&#xA;    (now) evident?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“This, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Again, bhikshus, you might see this very same woman as a corpse, cast aside in a charnel ground,&#xA;    dead for a day, dead for two days, dead for three days, bloated up, livid, and oozing with impurities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;What do you think, bhikshus? Have her previous beauty and complexion vanished, the disadvantage&#xA;    (now) evident?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“This, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Again, bhikshus, you might see this very same woman as a corpse, cast aside in a charnel ground,&#xA;    eaten by crows, or being eaten by hawks, or being eaten by vultures, or being eaten by dogs, or being&#xA;    eaten by jackals, or being eaten by various worms and bugs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;…as a skeleton with flesh and blood, connected by sinews,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;…as a skeleton, fleshless, smeared with blood, connected by sinews.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;…as a skeleton, flesh and blood all gone, connected by sinews,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Again, bhikshus, you might see this very same woman as random disconnected bones, scattered&#xA;    in all directions, a hand-bone here, a foot-bone there, a shin-bone here, a rib there, a thigh-bone here, a&#xA;    pelvic bone there, a back-bone here, a shoulder-bone there, neck-bone here, a jaw-bone there, a tooth&#xA;    here, a skull there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;What do you think, bhikshus? Have her previous beauty and complexion vanished, the disadvantage&#xA;    (now) evident?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“Yes, venerable sir.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;“This, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Again, bhikshus, you might see this very same woman as a corpse, cast aside in a charnel ground,&#xA;    the bones bleached, looking like conch-shells,&#xA;    …the bones piled up over a year old,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;…the bones reduced to a powder;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;What do you think, bhikshus? Have her previous beauty and complexion vanished, the disadvantage&#xA;    (now) evident?”&#xA;    “Yes, venerable sir.”&#xA;    “This, bhikshus, is the disadvantage with regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is the escape with regard to form?&#xA;    It is the removal of lustful desire, the giving up of lustful desire for form. This is the escape with&#xA;    regards to form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is truly impossible for those ascetics and brahmins who do not understand according to reality&#xA;    gratification as gratification, disadvantage as disadvantage, escape as escape with regards to sense-desires&#xA;    either to fully understand sense-desires through their own practice or to instruct another so that one can&#xA;    fully understand sense-desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is indeed possible for those ascetics and brahmins who do understand them according to reality…&#xA;    either to fully understand sense-desires through their own practice or to instruct another so that one fully&#xA;    understands sense-desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.9-Maha-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m013-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T06:21:39.187" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19293" CreationDate="2017-02-14T04:44:58.737" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lankan history there were instances where the monks disrobed an participated in the wars to protect Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this kind of question there is no right answer. In face of invaders trying to destroy Buddhism, if you did not fight back then there would have been no Buddhism by now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha knew that both States did have strong armies and that they are needed for the protection of their people. Buddha did not advice minister Vassakara that the concept on 'Army' is against Buddhism and that he should advice the king not to declare war against Vajjis but to desolve the army. Buddha at this instance also brought up important lessons in 'state craft.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/soldier.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism &amp;amp; The Soldier&lt;/a&gt; by Major General Ananda Weerasekera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Continue being gentle and compassionate with loving kindness, and get eaten. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are instances where this also has succeeded. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahatma Gandhi&lt;/a&gt;'s fight for Indian freedom was done on total non violence and also won.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka there is a saying which says if someone is continuously attacking you when you are compassionate you are a fool. If you keep attacking someone who always compassionate you are a fool. In this light some middle road perhaps might be chosen, and depends on the situation, the opponent, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/udharma6/militarycanon.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and the Four-Limbed Army: The Military in the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; - Matthew Kosuta Ph.D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T04:44:58.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19294" CreationDate="2017-02-14T07:23:53.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;but fundamentally it is unity with the whole universe&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In light of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, this does not fit with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘&lt;strong&gt;The self is the world&lt;/strong&gt;; after death, I will be&#xA;  permanent, everlasting, eternal, unchanging&#xA;  in nature, eternally the same; I will endure as long&#xA;  as eternity’—this, too, he regards thus, ‘This is mine; this I am; this is my self.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3.13-Alagaddupama-S-m22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seated thus at one side, he said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;  “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘Right view, right view.’ In what way, venerable sir, is there right view?” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This world, Kaccāna, mostly&#xA;  depends upon a duality: upon (the notion of) existence and (the&#xA;  notion of) non-existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But for one who sees the arising of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no&#xA;  notion of non-existence regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And for one who sees the ending of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no notion of&#xA;  existence regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.13-Kaccanagotta-S-s12.15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccā(ya)na.gotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I shall be no part of all the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/19.13-Atammayata-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atammaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which &lt;strong&gt;might&lt;/strong&gt; lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassatavada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eternalist view&lt;/a&gt;. The above statement makes the link of &quot;thatness&quot; with the universe. Ultimate reality is neither that nor this. But causality gives the notion of &quot;this&quot; dependent on &quot;that&quot;, when &quot;this&quot; arises &quot;that&quot; arises, when &quot;this&quot; ceases &quot;that&quot; ceases. Not &quot;this&quot; in &quot;that&quot; or &quot;than&quot; in &quot;this&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When Māluṅkyā,putta, you are ‘not by that,’ then you will ‘not be therein’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, Māluṅkyā,putta, you are ‘not therein,’ then you will ‘be neither here nor beyond nor&#xA;  in between the two’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.9-Arahatta-Malunkyaputta-S-s35.95-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Arahatta) Maluṅkyā,putta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many levels of absorptions which are described in the Suttas numbered from the 1st to the 9th Jhana:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.11-Pathama-Jhana-Panha-S-s40.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paṭhama Jhāna Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.12a-Dutiya-Jhana-Panha-S-s40.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dutiya Jhāna Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.13-Tatiya-Jhana-Panha-S-s40.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tatiya Jhāna Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.14-Catuttha-Jhana-Panha-S-s40.4-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Catuttha Jhāna Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.15-Akasanancayatana-Panha-S-s40.5-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ākāsânañc’āyatana Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.16-Vinnanancayatana-Panha-S-s40.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viññāṇāñc’āyatana Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.17-Akincannayatana-Panha-S-s40.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ākiñcaññ’āyatana Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.18-Nevasannanasannayatana-Panha-S-s40.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;N’eva,saññā,nâsaññ’āyatana Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.19-Animitta-Cetosamadhi-Panha-S-s40.9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Animitta Ceto,samādhi Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 1st 4 &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt; you develop the following factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitakka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Movement of the mind onto the object (vitakka)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Retention of the mind&#xA;on the object (vicāra)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Joy (pīti)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Happiness (sukha)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upeksa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Equanimity&#xA;(upekkhā)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekaggata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;One-pointedness (ekaggatā)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you progress you have to drop the factors which you initially cultivated until only the last remain. This can be in order or out of order. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nature of the experience is also given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.10-Samannaphala-S-d2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sāmanna,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;He permeates and pervades, floods and fills this very body with the zest and joy born of solitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;meditation as distinct from (even deliberately renouncing) any other activities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is born out of solitude. More on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.4-Vivekanissita-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viveka,nissita&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to progress in the path is &quot;a mind seized by restlessness&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Kōan seems to be doing the same. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19102&quot;&gt;How do kōans work?&lt;/a&gt;) But thi is not the pured form of concentration as there might be Vipallasa, Verbal and Mental Fabrication, Mental Nutriments (Ahara) and unwholesome roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T04:38:54.447" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19299" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19300" CreationDate="2017-02-14T08:22:06.670" Score="2" ViewCount="17037" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if Buddha said it or not, I was flipping around some Buddha quotes pictures and found an image saying &quot;Its better to travel well than to arrive&quot;.&#xA;can anyone explain What does it mean ?&#xA;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T07:33:10.917" Title="Buddha said &quot;Its better to travel well than to arrive&quot;, what does it mean?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19299" CreationDate="2017-02-14T08:41:34.880" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/it-is-better-to-travel-well-than-to-arrive/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”&lt;/a&gt; is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fake Buddhist Quote&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Meaning&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope and anticipation are often better than reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Origin&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This phrase is a Robert Louis Stevenson quotation, from Virginibus Puerisque, 1881:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Little do ye know your own blessedness; for to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stevenson was expressing the same idea as the earlier Taoist saying - &amp;quot;The journey is the reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/387450.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The meaning and origin of the expression: To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tinybuddha.com/wisdom-quotes/the-journey-is-the-reward/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&amp;quot;The journey is the reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; seems to be a Chinese Proverb&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at this in the context of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt; it is better to arrive than how or how well you travel. It seems to me like the opposite of this statement is true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the eightfold path is conditioned [1.1.3.1], its goal, nirvana (nibbāna), is free&#xA;from conditions (visaṅkhāra,gata) (Dh 154):&#xA;nirvana is unconditioned (asaṅkhata).&#xA;Only nirvana is&#xA;free from all conditions: it is “the stilling of all formations” (sabba,saṅkhāra,samatha).&#xA;This stilling&#xA;of all conditions is true happiness (Dh 368, 381). In the Māluṅkya,putta Sutta (S 35.95), the&#xA;Buddha defines this stilling of all formations as “the ending of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Path-of-awakening-Piya-Tan-2016.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Path of Awakening The way, the life and the liberation of the noble eightfold path&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, ayya, is the noble eightfold path conditioned or is it unconditioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The noble eightfold path, avuso Visākha, is conditioned.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this entails is that traveling the path itself is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suffering / misery&lt;/a&gt; with a view to end suffering / misery. So ending of misery is better than the journey to end misery which is also miserable. Having said this as you progress if the path the misery in general will become less and less and states like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passaddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Passaddhi&lt;/a&gt; arise. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T10:57:44.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19301" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19307" CreationDate="2017-02-14T09:17:06.740" Score="8" ViewCount="2384" Body="&lt;p&gt;Similarly as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5472/9846&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; question When I started vipassana with my room mate and we both meditate peacefully, but now he left and I am alone, I have noticed lust in mind that it goes less me to wrong websites and in result in negative deeds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have tried to observe but just could not control self&lt;/strong&gt;, I have read many related answers from all time favourite “Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena“, but regarding this answer all answers sounds very theoretical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt; May I know something powerful, I know it will be difficult for me, living with another person will stop my mind, but i think that is not a solution as thoughts can again come when I am alone. &lt;strong&gt;The real victory over lust should come when i am alone&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;  Kindly help, I really want to get rid of this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2023-08-05T19:00:42.320" Title="Lust arises every time I am alone" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19301" CreationDate="2017-02-14T10:01:32.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;When I started vipassana with my room mate and we both meditate&#xA;peacefully, but now he left and I am alone,&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This looks like that parting with the a loved one has cases some stress. This manifests when meditation also and making your practice less peaceful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When thoughts arise about your roommate these thoughts can be about the past, present and future involving oneself and the other person. This leads to craving. In total there are 108 such motivation of craving. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.2-Vicarita-Tanha-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vicarita) Tanha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; In this case the thought pattern is becuase of my room mate I am happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving is dependent on sensation. So take a moment to scan the body from head to foot looking at the sensation that arise. If distractions arise see what sensations these bring. A happy memory pops up there is sensation in both body and mind. Look at the mental sensation and how this has a knock on effect on the bodily sensations. Sometimes it might be bodily pain arises. Have a close look at this sensation analysing dividing and dissecting it. (Totality of awareness see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19220/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.) Look at the mental reaction to it. Similarly if you see, hear, smell, touch, taste, think do the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Bhadraka Sutta, the Buddha explains the origin of suffering by giving illuminating examples. The village headman Bhadraka wants to know the cause of suffering that afflicts mankind. In reply, the Buddha asks him to think of his son and imagine that his son is meeting with unexpected misfortunes, or getting arrested by the king’s order or facing a severe punishment. Bhadraka imagines as he is told and finds that such thoughts give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, grief and despair in him. When he imagines a stranger to be placed in a similar situation, facing similar predicament, he finds that he is not troubled at all with any mental agony. He explains to the Buddha that the difference in his mental reaction to the two situations lies in the fact that he loves his son with a parent’s love and is very fond of his son, whereas he has no such feeling towards the stranger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Next the Buddha asks him if any love, passion or desire arises in him before he meets or sees or hears about the woman who has become his wife. Bhadraka replies that only when he meets, sees and hears about her that does he develop passion and attachment towards his wife. When the Buddha asks him further whether he will suffer from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, grief, despair, if anything untoward happens to his wife, he confesses that he will suffer more than these agonies; he might even lose his life through intense suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha points out then that the root cause of suffering in the world is craving, greed, passion and desire that engulf mankind. It has been so in the past, as it is now , and so it will be in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/eot&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Essence of Tipitaka&lt;/a&gt; by U Ko Lay&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The takeaway from this is if you are attached to someone suffering follows. So let go by being equanimous and looking at all experiences as impermanent. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;] Initially look at impermanence at a gross level. A sad through about companion ship as arisen. Not it is gone. This body pain has stated. No it is gone. As times goes try to look at them more closely. These through create both pleasure and pain, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19253/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19254/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;living with another person will stop my mind, but i think &#xA;that is not a solution as thoughts can again come when I am alone&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally you should try to develop solitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PHYSICAL SOLITUDE.&lt;/strong&gt; Possessing this aggregate of noble moral virtue, this aggregate of&#xA;  noble sense-restraint, this aggregate of noble mindfulness and full awareness, and this aggregate&#xA;  of noble contentment, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;he resorts to a secluded dwelling&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: a forest, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a&#xA;  gully [gorge], a hillside cave, a cemetery, a remote forest [jungle grove], the open air, a heap of&#xA;  straw.&#xA;  Returning from his almsround, after his meal, he sits down, crosses his legs, keeps his body&#xA;  erect, and establishes mindfulness before him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MENTAL SOLITUDE.&lt;/strong&gt; (1) Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells&#xA;  with a mind devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness.&#xA;  (2) Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with a mind devoid of ill will, sympathetic with&#xA;  the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger.&#xA;  (3) Abandoning sloth and torpor, he dwells with a mind devoid of sloth and torpor, mindful,&#xA;  alert, perceiving light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and torpor.&#xA;  (4) Abandoning restlessness and worry, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He&#xA;  cleanses his mind of restlessness and worry.&#xA;  (5) Abandoning spiritual doubt, he dwells having crossed over doubt, with no perplexity with&#xA;  regard to wholesome mental states. He cleanses his mind of doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.10-Samannaphala-S-d2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sāmanna,phala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.4-Vivekanissita-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viveka,nissita&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also try to understand the case of your thoughts about lonelyness and try to stop them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MIND-BASED PROLIFERATION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Avuso, dependent on the mind and mind-object, mind-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception&#xA;  assails a person regarding past, future and present mind-objects cognizable through the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main point there is once you cognise you know (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral sensation - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) followed by perceive something you give a evaluation as good, bad or neutral which is followed by sensation of pleasure, pint or neutral followed by a mental reaction of craving, aversion or ignorance. Train yourself to see the evaluation / judgement given and the sensations that arise so your mental reaction does not arise. When you cognise you feel some pain but bulk of the pain is when you perceive. Since the perceptual level evaluation is mental this can be also seen as being hit by two bullets in the spirit of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T10:28:16.100" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19294" CreationDate="2017-02-14T10:22:16.350" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Samadhi' generically means 'collectedness' or 'concentration'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali states there are two types of concentration, namely, 'right' &amp;amp; 'wrong': &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In one of right concentration, wrong concentration is abolished...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Right concentration' is defined as concentration that has seven supporting &amp;amp; requisite factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any singleness of mind equipped with these seven factors — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,&#xA;  right effort &amp;amp; right mindfulness — is called noble right concentration&#xA;  with its supports &amp;amp; requisite conditions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, an expert marksmen trained to assassinate people in war has 'samadhi' but it is 'wrong samadhi' because it is not supported by the above seven factors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, if a 'Zen samadhi' is not supported by the above seven factors, particularly 'right view', it is not 'right concentration' according to the Pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the word 'jhana' or 'absorption', this generally refers to a 'meditative' concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T10:22:16.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19301" CreationDate="2017-02-14T10:43:44.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The cause of lust is ignorance. The suttas state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;Monks, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities, followed by lack of conscience &amp;amp;&#xA;lack of concern. In an unknowledgeable person, immersed in ignorance,&#xA;wrong view arises. In one of wrong view, wrong resolve arises. In one&#xA;of wrong resolve, wrong speech... In one of wrong speech, wrong&#xA;action... In one of wrong action, wrong livelihood... In one of wrong&#xA;livelihood, wrong effort... In one of wrong effort, wrong&#xA;mindfulness... In one of wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration&#xA;arises.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avijja Sutta: Ignorance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was a boy, there was a very beautiful girl at our school. Later, she became a model &amp;amp; posed in pornographic magazines. A few years later, she committed suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I worked in a meditation centre in Asia, I met a beautiful European teenage girl who worked as a prostitute making lots of money. She had many problems in Asia and was brought to the meditation centre by a lady. She never stopped crying during the meditation retreat &amp;amp; when she returned home to Europe, she was put into a psychiatric hospital.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also met another young lady who worked in pornography. I was was very nice to her and she became obsessed with me &amp;amp; would not leave. The nuns in the monastery had to take her to the airport and send her home to Europe. It was as though no man has ever loved her in her life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can tell many other stories like  this from my life experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt; (loving-kindness, compassion &amp;amp; non-harming) is the best way to overcome lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is 'ignorance' that goes to wrong websites because ignorance has the wrong view that the people on those websites are doing pleasurable things that bring happiness. In reality, the prostitutes &amp;amp; performers on those wrong websites, particularly the women, are suffering. Many are addicted to drugs &amp;amp; alcohol. Many of these women &amp;amp; men have committed suicide or died of drug overdose &amp;amp; sexually transmitted diseases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The woeful states taught by the Buddha of animal realm (immorality; ignorance), hungry ghost (craving addiction) &amp;amp; hell (suffering &amp;amp; torment) do not necessarily exist after death. These woeful states exist in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The victory that can occur is over 'ignorance' ('not-knowing'; 'wrong view').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2023-08-03T05:07:52.123" LastActivityDate="2023-08-03T05:07:52.123" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19305" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19294" CreationDate="2017-02-14T10:46:26.343" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once many many years back I read Robert M. Pirsig's book,  “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (&lt;strong&gt;ZatAoMM&lt;/strong&gt;)” . It was a powerful book. Still to this day I recall that experience of reading it. It was Pirsig  who once said, “The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain.” Little incidents that I recall from this book are moments of “Samadhi”. So what is “Samadhi”? It is nothing but a mind established, a mind solid in its footing. Thoughts may come to mind and thoughts may go, but without destroying the concentration. When you are riding, surrounded by the passing scenery, and no obstacles in-between, you are in the midst of a spaciousness where thoughts can come to mind but without destroying the concentration. Thoughts would come and go, but you are in oneness with that moment of time in Samadhi. You are very much alive at such moments with the mind in the right center for itself in the body. Everything feels just right. It is a moment when the mind settles down in a healthy, sound, and wholesome way. Sadly in wearing a protective helmet you will not experience this oneness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such moments can happen even when you are in the middle of some activity, in this case when riding a motorcycle. It may not qualify as jhana, even though some people tend to equate Samadhi to Dhyna which is a meditative stage. But it’s a steady foundation. It’s a foundation of mindfulness. It’s an establishing of mindfulness.  In this book, ZatAoMM, the narrator brings about Rumi’s ‘Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm’ as a nimitta for the Samadhi state. He would recite the Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm, to himself as he rides along. Rumi happened to come to deep Samadhi states in his grief over the untimely death of his mistic friend Shams. In his grief Rumi would go round and round a pole in his backyard and reciting poetry off the top of his head – what came to be known as the Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm.- that were full of deep spiritual wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not entirely incorrect to define creative acts as those that are divinely inspired – inspired by the ‘God within you’.  Great works of art are created when the creator is in a state of Samadhi, when such qualitative works are done.  Setbacks at such times are gumption traps as the narrator describes it in ZatAoMM. This state of Samadhi (or the quality that the narrator seeks in ZatAoMM) is a state of sacredness can not be precisely defined because of its subjective nature.  It is an unseen force that nourishes and illuminates, but ultimately transcends the physical world. As the Tao te Ching says, the way of the sacred “is like a well: used but never used up.  It is like the eternal void: filled with infinite possibilities.  It is hidden but always present.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specially in Japanese space and spatial concepts, we can see this manifestation of the sacred. In the search for the manifestation of the sacredness we could look at the Japanese ‘tea ceremony’ as in this enclosed space we can find the true spirit of Japanese space. This is another of the many creations of an artist, creating a space of Samadhi according to Zen. In his book, “The Zen of Seeing,” (1973) Frederick Franck explained about this intuitive self that helps make such creations: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Who is man, the artist?  He is the unspoiled core of every man, before he is choked by schooling, training, and conditioning until the artist-within shrivels up and is forgotten.  Even in the artist who is professionally trained to be consciously ‘creative’ this unspoiled core shrivels up in the rush toward a ‘personal style,’ in the heat of competition to be ‘in’…. I believe that in seeing/drawing there is a way of awakening the ‘Third Eye,’ of focusing the attention until it turns into contemplation, and from there to the inexpressible fullness, where the split between the seer and what is seen is obliterated.  Eye, heart, hand become one with what is seen and drawn. Things are seen as they are – in their ‘isness.’  Seeing things thus, I know who I am.  [Franck. p.15]  ” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this book on learning the art of sketching, Franck tells us how to get in touch with this collective unconscious – our intuition – and how to be in oneness with ones subject in a state of Samadhi. The Tea Ceremony, and it’s environs, are an example of architecture that fosters this quality of Samadhi. I would say that such places are spiritual. These places help one to dwell in the eternal timeless present and live the truth that one understands, immediately. Truth is never in the past.  Truth is a living thing, and not within the field of time. Sacredness is not found in the past, in memory. For the Japanese, space is experiential and sensuous unlike that of the west, where space is more objectively conditioned by shape and measurement.  The Japanese tea ceremony, which has had a far-reaching influence on all forms of art, is a good example of this experiential approach to space.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was the Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu who further improved the tea ceremony, though it existed long before as a way of entertaining the visitors who come to a Zen Monastery.  He created a distinct space that was later accepted throughout Japan, called wabi-sukiya space – a designated space separated from the outside world, for the purpose of drinking tea.  Originally a pastime of the upper classes, this was widely adapted by the common people by the sixteenth century.  The tea ceremony (Cha-no-yu) brings together four spiritual elements: harmony, wa; reverence, kei; purity, sei; and tranquillity, jaku.  These four elements join in making this ceremony a success.  All participants of the tea ceremony must be in harmony with each other.  In the days of the samurai, to participate in the tea ceremony, the samurai had to remove the sword that symbolised his social rank.  Within the room all are considered the same irrespective of their cast, creed, race or religion.  The participants would talk with reverence to each other on subjects of mutual interest. The tea ceremony incorporated in it the aesthetic appreciation of poverty that emerged by the end of the medieval period.  Rikyu’s art of tea is called wabi sabi, meaning poverty of simplicity.  In Buddhism the word sabi is understood as a state of absolute nothingness, a state of void, that is every Buddhist’s ideal.  The simplicity of the teahouse, sukiya, is derived from the ceremony of purification where the participants strip themselves of all but the simplest and most basic characteristics.  Suki-ya, which literary means gap-space, was used for the teahouse as it is separated from the main dwelling.  This implies that suki-ya/teahouse has been derived by the concepts of void-space, that Lao-Tzu considered as dynamic.  Thus, Taoist emptiness and Buddhist impermanence dictated the distinct spatial idea of the teahouse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teahouse, both within it, and without, characterises the impermanence of all things, that life is an ever-changing phenomenon.  The teahouse consists of a tea-room that can accommodate a maximum of five persons, an anteroom or mizuya, where the tea utensils are washed and kept ready to be brought in, a waiting room or machiai, where one has to wait till the ceremony begins, and the garden, roji, which connects the tea-room and the waiting room.  The waiting room protects the visitor from the weather while reminding the person of the ever-changing nature.  Two other elements that imply impermanence are the primitive lavatory near the teahouse, and the gate.  The simple privy symbolises the incessant changes that process the human body.  The gate to the teahouse signifies the constant passing in and out of visitors.  The roji, garden, helps break the connection with the outside world, and is in itself the first stage of meditation.  Generally the garden is planned in the kaishyu or stroll style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T03:39:32.947" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T03:39:32.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19299" CreationDate="2017-02-14T12:24:49.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've never read the Buddha but ...sounds like it just means 'don't desire for gain' ('mushotoku'), i.e., don't have any goals for your actions, the view being that it's best simply to 'get into' undertaking them. (In psychological literature this is sometimes referred to as 'flow'.) This means that it's not about hope etc. either, including a hope for the end of the journey (as per Robert Louis Stevenson); it means you should have no goal, hence no hope for an end result. (Not that I suspect that Buddha, if he existed, wanted anyone to think in this way but - throwing ideas of goals away allows you to focus on the task itself thereby deriving genuine happiness. This said, the argument made is also against pursuing an action for the purposes of obtaining happiness too, since this would then also constitute a 'goal' of the action [in this case a desire for happiness]. He's basically arguing the Nike slogan - just do it. Don't have any desires - or goals, which reflect desires.) p.s., Although I've no idea if it's a real quotation or not, the underlying notion overlaps pretty nicely with the idea of shikantaza/just sitting - not sitting/meditating with a desire for an outcome e.g., enlightenment. Doing so seems to detract from/break meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10815" LastEditorUserId="10815" LastEditDate="2017-02-14T12:49:53.660" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T12:49:53.660" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19301" CreationDate="2017-02-14T12:44:59.073" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;lets me to wrong websites&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I quit smoking cigarettes, one of the techniques I used was to make it more difficult for me to have a cigarette.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if I owned a packet of cigarettes, and the craving occurred, then it was easy for me to have one and I did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One technique for making that more difficult was to not have a packet of cigarettes. So when the craving occurred, I didn't have one available, and to get one I would have had to walk to the shop etc. That walk (which would have lasted many minutes) gave me time to rethink my craving, or enough time for the craving to go away. It was more of an effort, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_motor_skill&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;gross motor&lt;/a&gt; rather than fine motor activity. Although I could not control whether the craving arose, however I could control whether I acted on it or gave into it: I could decide or remember that there was a reason (that I had had a reason) why I didn't own any cigarettes, and I was able to decide not to put my coat on and go outside and walk to the shop and buy more and smoke more and continue that cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were some times, while I first quit, when I literally couldn't think about anything else except for wanting to have a cigarette, and (having decided not to go to the shop and buy some) I just had to stand there and wait for that craving to pass and for a next thought about something/anything other than that to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you want to stop visiting some web sites, perhaps you can do the same, i.e. ensure that those web sites aren't easily available to you: for example install or enable &amp;quot;parental control&amp;quot; software on your computer, or edit the &lt;code&gt;etc\hosts&lt;/code&gt; file (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://superuser.com/questions/947466/unable-to-block-a-website-through-system32-drivers-etc-hosts&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/27350/beginner-geek-how-to-edit-your-hosts-file/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) to make the site unreachable from your computer. It's true that if you change your mind, if you decide that want to access the web site, then you can undo whatever you did to block the site ... but the fact that you need to undo/unblock it makes it a little bit harder, and acts to remind you that you had blocked it for a good reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that's true for most addictions: for example if you're a drug addict, it's easier to quit (and harder to continue) if you decide to move to a different environment where drugs and drug-using fellows don't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary you might find it helpful to create a safe/insulated environment (or web browser setup) for yourself where temptation is less available or completely out of reach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two other suggestions: one is you might find it useful to log how you use your computer (for example, look at your browser History some times) ... that's on the theory that &amp;quot;you can't manage what you don't measure&amp;quot; so you measure/monitor your use of the web in order to manage it better; the second is that it's not a bad idea to do things with good friends ... they're likely to inspire or lead you towards virtue (e.g. you might think, &amp;quot;he is good and behaves well, I too can do what he does&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are mechanical/physical suggestions, not just an idea to keep in mind, because you said you you want a practical solution for even when &amp;quot;thoughts come again&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you were hoping for an answer which didn't &amp;quot;sound very theoretical&amp;quot;; but you might wonder how this answer related to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, when I wrote the answer I was reminded of this topic: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/18014/254&quot;&gt;“Guard the sense doors”- What does this mean, and what is it's application?&lt;/a&gt;. That topic include, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Guarding the sense doors is a way of protecting ourselves from being overcome by passion for the sensed object (which leads to dukkha). In his video Yuttadhammo mentions three ways to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physically avoiding the object (in relation to your example, when on alms round monks may keep their eyes facing down to avoid lust from seeing a beautiful woman).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a mechanism which physically &amp;quot;hides your eyes&amp;quot;, puts a barrier in place, might be an effective solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, there's a Buddhist doctrine of the &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidanas&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;, which teaches that what you think and feel and become attached to is conditioned by your senses, and specifically by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;contact&lt;/a&gt; between the sense-organ (eye) and sense-object (web site on a computer screen). Again that suggested that if you can't control your thoughts and attachments (which are conditioned by or which arise as a result of contact), perhaps you can control whether there's contact (again, by putting more of a barrier or filter between the sense-organ and sense-object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, Buddhist often choose or recommend seclusion or &amp;quot;a retreat&amp;quot;: to avoid distraction etc. You might want to adopt a similar attitude -- especially on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uposatha days&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly I'm reminded of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.058.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which describes how to overcome torpor -- not the details of it, but the strategy, the structure: &amp;quot;Do this: maybe this will work. But if doing this doesn't work, then do that. And if doing that does work, then ... and if that doesn't work, then ...&amp;quot; and so on, 7 or 8 different methods. So, whatever you previously tried (e.g. contemplating the body as a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel271.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bag of Bones&lt;/a&gt;), if that was too theoretical, then try something else!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to my personal experience, my experience is that it might be easier to control your (my) behaviour than thoughts: thoughts happen (uncontrolled) but you may be able to control (or decide to not act on) your reaction subsequent to those thoughts. Similarly it may be easier to control large movements of body over a longer time period (e.g. do you or don't you go for a walk) than small (hand or face) movements which you might do without much thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're right though, it's kind of alarming to discover that you &amp;quot;can't control yourself&amp;quot;. Buddhism sort of warns you about that, saying for example, &amp;quot;don't call thoughts my 'self' because if they were my 'self' then I'd be able to control them&amp;quot;. Still it is possible to change, to learn to change, a habit (habitual behaviour).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T23:35:47.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19294" CreationDate="2017-02-14T14:23:43.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the Japanese Zen take on samadhi is inseparable from Japanese culture.  There is quite a bit of cross pollination between traditional Buddhist concepts and preexisting Japanese ideas.  What the quote you mention is describing is the experience of &lt;em&gt;kanshin&lt;/em&gt; - and it's a really beautiful idea.  In a martial or artistic context, it means something along the lines of the &quot;mind with no remainder&quot;.  The experience is one of such full engrossment that there is literally no mind left to attend to other things.  Kanshin is the pure, wholehearted engagement with the world that Zen values so highly.  It is a kind of samadhi in the sense that you are focused, but the important part is that you are engaged - i.e. when you chop wood, really chop wood; when you sit, really sit, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Words are a tricky thing.  Over time, they do take on tangential meanings that may or may not have anything to do with what they pointed to when they were originally spoken.  As our understanding grows, so do the possible definitions of the words we use.  Zen does use the word samadhi to describe one pointed attention as in meditation.  This usage is no different than the experience described by the Pali word &quot;ekagatta&quot; (e.g. single/one - concentration).  That said, the definition has grown much broader and can include &quot;engagement&quot;, &quot;wholeheartedness&quot;, &quot;kanshin&quot;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Derrrr.  This came to mind this morning.  If you want a Theravadan term that comes closer to how samadhi is being used in that passage, it would be something very close to sampajañña. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T13:32:42.760" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T13:32:42.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19289" CreationDate="2017-02-14T17:08:41.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try skeleton meditation, don't even see the their skin. Always have your X-ray eyes on, seeing the flesh, bones, and organs of everything and everyone around you and yourself at all times. Turn them off when you feel you have enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T17:08:41.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19293" CreationDate="2017-02-14T18:32:04.497" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN8&lt;/a&gt; it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But herein, Cunda, effacement should be practiced by you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Others will be harmful; we shall not be harmful here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Others will kill living beings; we shall abstain from killing living beings here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Others will take what is not given; we shall abstain from taking what is not given here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(44) Others will misapprehend according to their individual views, hold on to them tenaciously and not easily discard them;[18] we shall not misapprehend according to individual views nor hold on to them tenaciously, but shall discard them with ease — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;So this raises a dilemma. Continue being gentle and compassionate with loving kindness, and get eaten. Or react harshly when necessary and risk darkening ourselves. Or, is there a proper middle path?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was actually very clear on that subject. As in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Simile of the saw&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I don't think that these two qutoes say that you should behave passive and let others abuse you all the time. If you have compassion for others, you don't want them to make unskillful actions which you can prevent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-02-14T18:32:04.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19293" CreationDate="2017-02-14T19:43:55.260" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So this raises a dilemma. Continue being gentle and compassionate with loving kindness, and get eaten. Or react harshly when necessary and risk darkening ourselves. Or, is there a proper middle path?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is a false dilemma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the Buddhist principles that might help you to prosper (rather than &quot;to be eaten&quot;) include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right livelihood (work for a living, don't cheat people, have fair business dealings)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have good friends, but avoid bad friends&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be cautious, prudent, avoid being irrational or ignorant, when making decisions about business and family etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Save part of your earnings (which will help you to survive thieves and taxes and so on)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (be kind but don't be swayed too much, don't be swayed more than is proper, e.g. to help other people with their misfortunes -- remember that each inherits their own karma)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity (if you do benefit someone, don't feel that you suffer that as a loss)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The best example would be the Axis Powers during World War 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that's a good example. Buddhism includes &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;doctrine&lt;/a&gt; like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not a historian but, for example, perhaps if the &quot;allies&quot; had been more generous at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 at the end of WW1, if the French hadn't wanted to further weaken defeated Germany as much as possible, then the conditions wouldn't have arisen for Germany to want to go to war again 20 years later. Maybe ditto if the USSR hadn't made a secret non-aggression pact with Germany in 1939 (which it did maybe because of its own fear of Germany but also because of its own greed to invade Eastern Europe). Maybe they're all, you know, a bit guilty: could have done better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you react harshly, where does that ever stop? And what behaviour do other people learn from you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yet, Buddhism has survived 2500 years and even flourished at a time where war and cruelty were rampant. So there must be something there, and it bugs the heck out of me.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, social cooperation (rather than social aggression) is maybe a winning strategy. For example people respect (and try to help) Buddhist monks, partly because they are intentionally harmless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T20:00:47.677" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T20:00:47.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19301" CreationDate="2017-02-15T09:28:17.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Offer a direct and an answer based on economy/profit &amp;amp; loss: every time you let lust take over yourself, you lose your vital energy/ life force. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When humans are born in this world, they take with them the amount of life force in full, over the time, this life force burning up bits by bits, until it's depleted a human dies. The most activity that consumed the most of energy is related to lust. That's why the highest of the energy release could produce another life: offspring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a thought of lust arose, it triggers the pituitary, this comes along the path down through the spine, to the bottom of the body its reproduction system. When this life force is in it's original form, it doesn't take a form, the Ancient Chinese called &quot;Shen&quot; (神), when it takes the form of energy, its called &quot;Qi&quot; (氣/炁) (maybe call &quot;Prana&quot; by the Brahmanic/Vedic?), when it becomes the material our worldly method could measure, called &quot;Jing&quot; (精). That's why the semen is called &quot;Jing Ye&quot;, namely, the liquidized Jing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you know that every time there lust arises, you lose your energy. You don't want to waste your energy on something unproductive, something that actually is taking out to spend from your &quot;Life Bank&quot;, right? The media promoting sex and lust for health, for wealth, or for any god-knows-goodies are lying, stealing your life force so that they converted it into the money, i.e., they ripped off your life force so that they become more powerful. (Yeah, the cosmos when it's in form, it's about the consuming of the non-Me, so that the strong one will become the dominate. This is playing out in the galactic systems, star systems, black hole and supernova... etc.. The Act of Devouring is not just on the level of Eating.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why Buddha given the rules to the Bhukikus one is of celibacy, this not only for leading a pristine life, it helps to reserve the life force, in turn this life force will be all directed to enlightenment. Enlightenment also needs the fuel of life force/ energy, meditation in it's lotus prose (cross-legs) is the best way to preserve, re-direct, re-generate this life force.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T18:51:50.273" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T18:51:50.273" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19315" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-15T10:13:21.823" Score="3" ViewCount="623" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that the Noble Eight-fold Path is designed to reduce the suffering of the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But how do we use its guidance to reduce the suffering of others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha was walking down a road after enlightenment and saw&#xA;a strong man fighting a weaker man, or two equally strong men fighting, would he:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire to help one escape the other (and follow that desire)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Desire to help one defeat the other (and follow that desire)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or (having no desire at all), keep on walking down the road?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how should one who is still following The Path act in this situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10780" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T12:36:30.300" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T01:06:25.210" Title="The path and the desire to reduce the suffering of others?" Tags="|suffering|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19316" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-15T11:23:16.380" Score="0" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a stage in practice when the practitioner is drawn to read the sutras? My problem is that I'm at a point where I'm confused w.r.t. what should I do. Performing actions seems pointless, there is no access to &quot;higher&quot; feeling like delight, joy, love, etc. Everything is &quot;ok&quot;, which makes it dull.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10826" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T04:17:32.350" Title="Sutra reading stage" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19317" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-15T11:24:03.610" Score="1" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Christian Bible (especially in the Book of John), Jesus often talked about Himself as using phrases like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am the light of the world&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now Buddhism seems to point more on emptiness and nothingness etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why didn't Buddhists say such things about themselves, as Jesus did?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any Buddhists who also said things like, &quot;I am the bread, the light, etc&quot;, like Jesus said?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T15:43:36.453" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T03:32:03.523" Title="Question about the contrast between Buddhist statements and Christian doctrine" Tags="|philosophy|comparative-religion|sunyata|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19316" CreationDate="2017-02-15T14:13:51.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sit with the dullness of it. Get to know the dullness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the greatest challenges of Buddhism, is to learn to avoid aversion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dullness, is generally speaking, unexciting. When you feel unexcited, it makes you want to get away from that feeling. Don't try to get away from it. Sit with it. Discover what happens when you just let it be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First and foremost, ask yourself, &quot; what is going on with me, that I am having an emotional reaction to this experience?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not just when you are having unplesant emotional reactions, but also when you are feeling good about it. And not only your experience with your buddhist practice, but with everything, all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with the feelings you are having right now as you read my reply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10824" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T14:13:51.023" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-02-15T14:27:12.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't find Buddhism to be a faith based practice, so skepticism really diesn't figgure in. Quite the contrary, the greater part of the practice tends to deal with letting go of preconcieved ideas and opening your mind the the possibility of seeing things as they really are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Preconceptions, blind the mind to truley understanding anything that can not be likened to something that we already know (or think we know).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're skeptikal, that may well be the best case senerio. People who are NOT skeptical, are burdened by their preconceptions (not based on experience) of what it is exactly that they claim to believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To progress, you need to throw out every single idea about everything you ever thought you knew about anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10824" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T14:27:12.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19237" CreationDate="2017-02-15T14:50:07.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Boddhidharma sat for 9 years. &#xA;The last time I was in Japan, I had an oppertunity to sit Zazen in a very old temple. I remember one of the monks talking me through the process of what I should do/expect, etc... Before the sitting commenced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He gad no idea tgat I'd been sitting fir over a decade, but that's fine. I remember him attempting to discribe what it might be like if I have an &quot;experience&quot; (huge mistake, experience in Zazen can not be reduced to words). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, when he was done, I just smiled, nodded my head, and told him, I'm not anticipating having any experience. I just intend to sit... Just sit. And that's what I did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the fact is, I have had experiance from zazen before, not every time, but it has happened. You have to engage the practice wuth absolutly zero preconceptions, empty your mind, and stay fixed in the moment. Constantly, reducing that moment more and more until it is merely this instant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are in this instant, that means that nothing else exists to you. That moment, that just passed, dies not exist. That moment, which is approaching, does not exist. Nothing exists except this instant. And then... This instant becomes eternity for you. And you are no longer locked in time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no words that can exoress that experience. It dies not resemble any other experience that you can relate to. There is no point in trying to imagine what it might be. If you search for it, you can nit find it, because you have no idea wgat you are searching for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10824" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:30:21.490" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:30:21.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19317" CreationDate="2017-02-15T20:41:19.230" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word 'Buddha' means 'Enlightened'. It is the Buddha that is the light of the world. Buddhism states there can be only one Original Buddha in a world-system (MN 115). Jesus was a new light for Judah but not for the world. Jesus brought light to the violent tribal hypocritical religion of Judaism but Buddha (obviously; probably) brought light to Jesus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Jesus came to Judah and taught new teachings, which were different to Judaism, such as: (i) forgiveness, (ii) non-violence, (iii) showing the other cheek, (iv) non-hatred, (v) universal love &amp;amp; mercy, (vi) deeds before faith; (vii) God is love, (viii) celibacy, (ix) wandering like a monk, (x) not thirsting again (xi) liberation from the world, (xii) a kingdom not of this world, (xiii) eternal life (not experiencing death), etc, these new teachings obviously came from Buddhism because they have no source in the pre-Babylonian-exile Old Testament. All of these teachings have direct parallels in Buddhism, including the idea that '&lt;em&gt;God (Brahma) is love&lt;/em&gt;', which the Buddha taught to Brahmans in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tevijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha revolutionized the ancient spiritual world, such as the famous Hindu book called the Bhagavad Gita (300BC), which is about Krishna, who is very similar to Jesus, being a human incarnation of god. Although the Bhagavad Gita refers to god &amp;amp; its theistic, its more profound principles are very similar to Buddhism (such as giving up craving &amp;amp; attachment). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not '&lt;em&gt;give up his life&lt;/em&gt;' for '&lt;em&gt;sheep&lt;/em&gt;' because the Buddha taught: (i) to not sacrifice one's life for another (Dhp 166); and (ii) he was the teacher of gods &amp;amp; humans (rather than animals or 'sheep'). Unlike Jesus, the Buddha forbade the practise of miracles for the religious conversion of others (DN 11). Unlike Jesus, a Buddha must live the whole term of his natural life as a demonstration of his virtue, i.e., his social harmony. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike Jesus, the Buddha did not wander around picking fights with the religious establishment. The fact that Jesus (supposedly) violently died on the cross &amp;amp; was (supposedly) killed by Jews resulted in a religion that perpetuated violence and engaged in revenge killing against Jews for 2,000 years, which ultimately influenced the 'Holocaust'. This cycle of revenge was not one-sided, with (wealthy) Jews also plotting for hundreds of years to destroy Christianity. In short, the (supposed) sacrifice of Jesus has not really brought peace to the world but the opposite. Where as practitioners of the Buddha's noble path are peaceful &amp;amp; don't engage in conflict with other religions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha called himself the 'Spiritual Friend' or 'Noble Friend' because he showed people a path for individual freedom that was self-reliant. The Buddha said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable&#xA;  people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to&#xA;  develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path. It is in dependence on me&#xA;  as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained&#xA;  release from birth, that beings subject to aging have gained release&#xA;  from aging, that beings subject to death have gained release from&#xA;  death, that beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress &amp;amp;&#xA;  despair have gained release from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress,&#xA;  &amp;amp; despair.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his first sermon &amp;amp; many other places, the Buddha described his teachings as 'light': &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering': such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light that arose&#xA;  in me concerning things not heard before.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following phrase is found many times in the Buddhist scriptures about the 'lamp' of the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is, good Gotama, as if someone were to set up something that had been knocked down, or to reveal what had been hidden, or to point out&#xA;  the right path to a man who had got lost, or to bring an oil lamp into&#xA;  a dark place so that those with eyes could see what was there — just&#xA;  so has the good Gotama shown me the truth in various ways!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this, as Jesus taught (from Buddha):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Open are the doors to the Deathless to those with ears.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the term 'emptiness', it means 'empty of self', such as found in the term 'kenosis' in  Philippians 2:7:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to cling to, but &lt;strong&gt;emptied&lt;/strong&gt; Himself, taking the form of a&#xA;  servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance&#xA;  as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death&#xA;  on a cross.…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Luke 17:33: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, the Buddha is the true light of the world. The Buddha shows the path of the best wisdom &amp;amp; the best human ethics. Many, such as Jesus, obviously adapted the Buddha's teachings to try to make people free. However, the Buddha is the original &amp;amp; the best, as the Buddha said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things passionlessness is&#xA;  the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the best&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&#xA;  273&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-15T22:57:30.913" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T22:57:30.913" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19316" CreationDate="2017-02-15T20:59:05.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not an easy path &amp;amp; does not bring guaranteed happiness. Generally, meditation requires lots of time &amp;amp; intensive retreat practise to develop well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is reading the suttas without meditative realisation will result in many misunderstandings of the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are suttas for laypeople, which are about skilful ways to live ordinary life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to look at some suttas, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pacificbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/In-the-Buddhas-Words.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In The Buddha's Words&lt;/a&gt; may be good (however, the translator's commentary footnotes may not be accurate representations of some more complex teachings).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T20:59:05.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19323" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-15T21:18:40.707" Score="-1" ViewCount="853" Body="&lt;p&gt;What did Buddha mean when he told not to sacrifice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does &quot;sacrifice&quot; mean the same thing as in the Jewish or Christian traditions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Btw: don't feel offended when I compares some things, I'm just wondering the differences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7648" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2018-09-03T21:19:42.650" LastActivityDate="2018-09-03T21:19:42.650" Title="What does Buddha mean with '' to not sacrifice one's life for another' (Dhp 166)?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19317" CreationDate="2017-02-15T21:43:45.647" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that Jesus's most famous saying, along those lines, was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering whether the Buddha might make an analogous statement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think not because, as you said, the Buddha realized and taught emptiness or egolessness. Buddhist doctrine is that ego or views of &quot;self&quot; are a source of suffering (maybe some examples of egoistic views could include &quot;I live&quot;, &quot;I will die&quot;, &quot;I am wealthy&quot;, &quot;You have stolen from me&quot;, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches that forms, and feelings and ideas, must be regarded as &quot;This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing thus, gets wearied of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception, gets wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness. Being wearied he becomes passion-free. In his freedom from passion, he is emancipated. Being emancipated, there is the knowledge that he is emancipated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several suttas where the Buddha refuses to be identified as anything in particular, except perhaps as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1629/254&quot;&gt;Tathāgata&lt;/a&gt;, and a few other epiphets such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;trackless&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another difference is that Buddhist are expected to reach liberation by their own effort. There is a way towards that liberation: and what's special about the Buddha is that he discovered (or rediscovered) that path, and, he was able to teach it (some people discover it for themselves but don't teach it) ... that's not the same as saying though that the Buddha himself &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; the way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some identification of the teacher (the Buddha) with the teaching, for example the following which the Buddha said to his disciples as he was passing away:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: &quot;It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: 'Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.' But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I don't think you see in that the same kind of &quot;I am&quot; message that you quoted in the OP.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To go a bit further, &quot;I am&quot; is a statement that's attributed to God (&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_that_I_Am&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;I Am that I Am&lt;/a&gt;&quot;). I think there's some similar &quot;I Am&quot; messaging in the Hindu doctrines of Atman and Brahman ... which, I contrast with the Buddhist &quot;no-self&quot; doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T21:43:45.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19323" CreationDate="2017-02-15T22:05:04.563" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this reference&lt;/a&gt; to the Dhammapada, because it includes the &amp;quot;story&amp;quot; behind each verse (note that it's the verse itself that should be treated as &amp;quot;Gospel&amp;quot;, the story is commentary, sometimes allegorical).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So verse 166 can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=166&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 166&lt;/a&gt; ... from which I take the following to be the essential message:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha then said to the bhikkhus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, those who love and revere me should act like Attadattha. You are not paying me homage by just offering flowers, perfumes and incense and by coming to see me; you pay me homage only by practising the Dhamma I have taught you, i.e., the Lokuttara Dhamma.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the Buddha taught what he did to let each person to attain liberation. That's what the Buddha wants: for each person to attain liberation. So if you do something other than that, &amp;quot;for the sake of another's benefit&amp;quot;, then you're missing the point of the Buddha's message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &amp;quot;not sacrifice your life&amp;quot; is a paraphrase or extrapolation of the verse, not a quote; actually it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verse 166: For the sake of another's benefit, however great it may be, do not neglect one's own (moral) benefit. Clearly perceiving one's own benefit one should make every effort to attain it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are stories (fables) of the Buddha having sacrificed his own life, in past lives: for example, there's the story of the tigress (here's the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Sattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;short version&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Garland-of-Birth-Stories/01-The-Story-of-the-Tigress.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a longer version&lt;/a&gt;). Actually that story is told as admirable and perhaps even as a necessary step in the Bodhisattva's evolution towards birth as a Buddha. The Jataka tales are &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2698/254&quot;&gt;not entirely canonical&lt;/a&gt; though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhist are taught that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%81na#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;generosity&lt;/a&gt; is a virtue (perhaps the first virtue; or maybe the second virtue after &amp;quot;harmlessness&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that generosity is seen as &amp;quot;sacrifice&amp;quot; though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And literal &amp;quot;sacrifice&amp;quot; (perhaps using fire?) was a feature of the contemporary (pre- and post-Buddhist) religion: performed by priests of the &amp;quot;Brahmin&amp;quot; caste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.26.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;whole last chapter of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; is on that topic: saying that what makes a person &amp;quot;holy&amp;quot; isn't sacrifice and so on, but self-restraint and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some similar doctrine addressed to a Brahmin in the suttas also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-15T22:54:07.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19323" CreationDate="2017-02-15T23:44:27.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not believe in blood sacrifice, such as when Brahmans sacrificed animals to their gods or when the Hebrew patriarch Abraham was going to blood sacrifice his only son Issac. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no benefit in blood sacrifice. In Buddhism, to believe otherwise is superstition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, many Jewish rabbis criticised Zionists in World War 2, accusing Zionists of deliberately sacrificing Jewish people for the sake of establishing Israel (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.nkusa.org/pdf/Tragic_Irony.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ten questions&#xA;to the Zionists by Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandl.&lt;/a&gt;). Ben Gurion, a father of modern Israel, said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If I knew that it was possible to save all the children of Germany by transporting them to England, and only half by transferring them to the Land of Israel, I would choose the latter, for before us lies not only the numbers of these children but the historical reckoning of the people of Israel.&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Ben-Gurion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wiki-quote&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This shows what happens when blood sacrifice is considered to be a virtue. More &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169380&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above said, it is probably wrong to say Jesus was sacrificed in line with the Jewish tradition because there is actually no tradition of human blood sacrifice in Judaism (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beingjewish.com/unchanged/sacrifices.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;). When God asked Abraham to blood sacrifice Issac, this was only a test. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when Jesus blood sacrificed himself, calling himself: 'The Lamb of God', &amp;amp; exhorted his disciples to &quot;drink his blood&quot;, this sounds like the own idea of Jesus rather than a Jewish idea because Jews are forbidden from eating animal meat with blood in it, let alone human blood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To most religious Jews, the idea of 'drinking blood' is alien &amp;amp; repulsive, which is at least one reason the vast majority of Jews for 2,000 years have rejected &amp;amp; even despised Jesus.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha cherished &amp;amp; valued all life, including animals. In Buddhism, it is a sin to kill living beings, including animals (unless absolutely necessary). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To not sacrifice one's life for another means to not harm oneself when helping others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Having gone around in all directions with the mind,&#xA;  There is surely no one found who is loved more than oneself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“In the same way others each love themselves,&#xA;  Therefore one who cares for himself should not harm another.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud5.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ud 5.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T00:35:25.993" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T00:35:25.993" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="16117" CreationDate="2017-02-16T00:46:31.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Piyavagga &amp;amp; elsewhere refer to at least three kinds of love, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) &lt;em&gt;raga&lt;/em&gt; (lust); &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) &lt;em&gt;pema&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;piya&lt;/em&gt; (affection; endearment); &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) universal or divine love &amp;amp; compassion (&lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar to the three kinds of love in Greek-Christianity, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) &lt;em&gt;eros&lt;/em&gt; (lust);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) &lt;em&gt;phileo&lt;/em&gt; (affection); &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) &lt;em&gt;agape&lt;/em&gt; (self-sacrificing love).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People that realise the selfless ultimate reality love others with &lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T00:46:31.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19315" CreationDate="2017-02-16T01:06:25.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;By walking the path yourself you will be of great benefit to others. You are giving the gift of harmlessness.&#xA;A living example of the Dhamma, which is the path of complete peace and freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was a liberated one, a pure being, a great one. He no longer had any attachments whatsoever.&#xA;Helping others when asked or when a situation arises (proper, beneficial) is what pure beings do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having eradicated all mental defilements. Freed from avidity, anger, no longer having any kind of delusion, ignorance about the true nature of things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pure beings will never harm others, in any circumstances. Any possibilities to do so can no longer manifest themselves since they can no longer arise. Therefore they would never resort to violence, aggressive behavior and such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would the Blessed one do? I can only speculate for I am not such a great one...&#xA;It is said that the Buddha had supramundane powers. He knew exactly what was proper, as in the right course of action, what and when it was beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If reasonable and wise words could be beneficial in that particular instance, he would speak such words.&#xA;If not, he'd probably radiate metta ''goodwill'' and be on his way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T01:06:25.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19330" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-16T05:39:13.843" Score="2" ViewCount="686" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to meditation. If i understand correctly there are two types of meditations, Two forms of meditation eight jhanas and vipassana (insight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing that capture me and made me want to start meditating was the ability to focus my mind on anything i wish to deeply focus on. To have a understanding with my mind and work with it. I feel like eight jhanas is the best method but i dont understand how to begin. I looked it up but lost. Any ideas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T13:45:06.823" Title="What is The eighth jhana and how can i practice it?" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19331" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19348" CreationDate="2017-02-16T06:00:20.477" Score="0" ViewCount="1585" Body="&lt;p&gt;I take 'pantheism' to be the belief that all our talk about God can resolve into &quot;the world&quot;, while retaining the divine status of &quot;God&quot;, perhaps because our words about God retain their structure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would Buddhists say about the idea that the world or universe is God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T21:42:43.660" Title="What would Buddhists say about 'pantheism'" Tags="|philosophy|western-philosophy|reality|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19330" CreationDate="2017-02-16T06:21:31.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book may help with jhana: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhammaloka.org.au/files/pdf/Ajahn_Brahm-Mindfulness_Bliss_and_Beyond-Chapters1-4.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond&lt;/a&gt; by Ajahn Brahm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T06:21:31.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3368" CreationDate="2017-02-16T06:39:03.673" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Claiming to be enlightened by itself doesn't mean that it's not true. It's just that even during The Buddha's time when He was alive and teaching there weren't that many arahants in the world (maybe a few thousand or so). Let alone now in modern times, long after the pure dhamma has disappeared. An arahant is rare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had mentioned teachers and beings who falsely claimed to be all-knowing and enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is possible for someone to achieve higher states but not the ending of mental fermentations and mistakenly believe themselves to be enlightened. It is also possible for non-arahants to achieve iddhi powers and many feats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I were to encounter someone who claims to be an arahant or fully enlightened I would ask them this simple question &quot;How do you distinguish arahantship from achieving higher states without achieving arahantship?&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I myself can answer the question I wonder how the arahant claimant would respond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I believe The Buddha was who he claimed to be, not simply a paccekabuddha but a Sammāsambuddha, meaning both fully enlightened independently and a supreme teacher because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No other teacher in all of recorded history ever debated with so many people of different views and explained things in such a fearless, doubtless manner&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No other teacher in all of recorded history ever reasoned things in the ingenious way that The Buddha had&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No other teacher in all of recorded history ever explained things in the detail that The Buddha had&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My personal experiences matched in closely to what The Buddha had said&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read stuff from other spiritual teachers and those who claim to be enlightened but still they don't compare to Gautama Buddha's teachings. Some may be paccekabuddhas but their teachings are limited and aren't as well-reasoned and thought-out as Gautama Buddha's.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal experiences match in closely to what I read from The Buddha. When I concentrate I can accomplish certain things, like healing myself. I believe I've achieved at least something like the first jhana but am not sure if it's exactly what The Buddha described as the first jhana since he describes many different states (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pancakanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just know that when I concentrate on destroying painful feelings or fermentations that I feel this strange energy go from my forehead to the top of my head, and if I keep trying to eliminate more fermentations I go higher and higher. What I experience then is a happiness unlike any other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel doubtless, fearless, sorrowless, angerless, full of confidence, calm, unstoppable, full of enjoyment, such an extreme type of enjoyment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once I had experienced this type of enjoyment I thought this was the correct path and no other form of happiness, bliss, or enjoyment was worth pursuing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is entirely different from the other blissful states I had experienced (like deep relaxation, or the dream-like bliss) which are like blissful states but lacking energy and enjoyment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe some day I'll find out everything and the whole truth...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastEditorUserId="7611" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T09:22:31.637" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T09:22:31.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19334" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19347" CreationDate="2017-02-16T08:53:33.723" Score="2" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;First for all I know that the correct &lt;strong&gt;Sanskrit word is धर्म (pronounced as Dharma)&lt;/strong&gt; same goes with Nibbana (Nirvana, निर्वाण in Sanskrit) as Siddharth was born in India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So either Pali is just a local dialect as people in Nepal region are not able to pronounce R र.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same goes with native English speaker they roll R, I mean when we say car in India our tongue vibrates, which doesn’t happen with Native english speaker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do we use Dhamma instead of Dharma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T06:41:22.627" Title="Why Dharma(धर्म) is pronounced as Dhamma in Buddhism?" Tags="|buddha|pali|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19335" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19343" CreationDate="2017-02-16T09:06:10.587" Score="2" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;About 'life', I have heard people say: 'life is struggle', 'life is like a gold coin', 'life is statue of problem and sorrow'..... but i could not understand what is it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will some one explain clearly or does it depend on person perspective if life is like this and why and how? Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10822" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T20:44:08.120" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T21:00:25.787" Title="Is there any specific description of life according to Buddhism?" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19336" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19334" CreationDate="2017-02-16T09:16:05.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dhamma is the pali version of the word- In the time of Buddha , there was a conscious decision to record the teachings in Pali rather than Sanskrit. As sanskrit was not accessible to all and created a division between those who has access to it and who were interested in higher knowledge, but Pali was a common tongue in the region. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it is to be understood that Dharma(be it sanskrit or pali) in the context of Buddhism means much more than mere Duties as the common usage in Sanskrit means.&#xA;Dhamma is the very body of Buddhas teachings which is said to be universal in truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10833" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T09:16:05.563" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19335" CreationDate="2017-02-16T10:35:35.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suppose I gave an good answer or a bad answer in both cases you do not get close to the reality because you will just believe me or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches you not to believe any thing you heard just observe yourself, Focus on sensations because higher class intellect is the only thing which differs humans from animals, So be wise and see yourself through vipassana and learn Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We only ask this question when one is feeling negative sensation, Suppose you are ecstatic you would not ask this question, Why or what is life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said &quot;when you realize the truth(how perfect is everything) you will tilt your head to the sky and laugh at it&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T10:35:35.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19330" CreationDate="2017-02-16T14:23:24.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;By mastering access concentration, the 1st jhana, the 2nd, the third, and so forth.  You really can't just suddenly up and practice the eighth jhana (and that jhana specifically for some very technical reasons).  There have been a host of books written on the topic.  A lot of them (including the one mentioned in Dhammadhatu's answer) are pretty good.  However, there is no substitute to working with a teacher.  That's especially true as you first get started.  I would recommend that you seek out a jhana teacher in your area or go on a meditation retreat.  Simply googling &quot;jhana retreat&quot; will return quite a few places you could attend worldwide.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T14:23:24.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19335" CreationDate="2017-02-16T16:21:38.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A common description of life is as &quot;samsara&quot;: which means &quot;wandering from one world to another&quot;. There are many published descriptions of &quot;samsara&quot;: for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/samsara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, life (or &quot;existence&quot;, or &quot;things we've put together&quot;) is described as having &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three characteristics&lt;/a&gt;: i.e. impermanent, unsatisfying, and non-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T16:21:38.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19341" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19331" CreationDate="2017-02-16T16:32:43.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhists don't assume that there's a &quot;one God&quot;. So there's no need to explain the relationship between God and World.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheism#Pantheism_in_religion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pantheism in religion&lt;/a&gt; mentions many religions, but not Buddhism. Maybe the concept (of &quot;pantheism&quot;) is meaningless when there's no concept of (no meaning attributed to the word) &quot;God&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the nearest Buddhist analog might be the concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-nature&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T17:17:14.033" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T17:17:14.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19289" CreationDate="2017-02-16T19:40:23.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like it or not, you have been born into a male human body here on planet earth.  You are in prime breeding age for a human male.  The way I understand it, Buddha tried severe aestheticism regarding the senses and ruled that out.  He decided that the middle-way was better that trying to force the mind, because the mind was a continuous, natural thing and was not force-able. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would enjoy this experience, knowing it was transitory, an act by a human male, and being aware, resume the meditation as the feeling passed.  Remember all things are transitory and will fade to nothingness in the end. This way your meditation will not be disturbed by your wanting &quot;water to run uphill,&quot; which it will not do. Also remember, that you are presently fully enlightened, and it is only your &quot;thinking machine&quot; that blocks the realization of it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastEditorDisplayName="user10839" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T20:14:35.033" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T20:14:35.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19335" CreationDate="2017-02-16T20:39:28.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is the word &quot;dukkha&quot;, which has a number of meanings &amp;amp; uses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) &quot;Dukkha vedana&quot;, which means &quot;painful feelings&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) &quot;Dukkha lakkhana&quot;, which means conditioned things are unable to permanently satisfy; or &quot;unsatisfactoriness&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) &quot;Dukkha&quot; as &quot;suffering&quot;; i.e., &quot;difficult to bear&quot;; &quot;hard to endure&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every person born in the world must experience 'painful feelings' from hunger, cold, heat, sickness, brokenness of the body, old age, seeing violence &amp;amp; ignorance of humanity. If  a person does not have wisdom when feeling painful feelings, these painful feelings will create sorrow &amp;amp; torment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every person born in the world cannot find lasting happiness from conditioned or worldly things. Even rich people become unhappy &amp;amp; bored and must buy new things for pleasure because the old things do not make them happy any more. If  a person does not have wisdom when experiencing the unsatisfactoriness of worldly things, their cravings &amp;amp; dissatisfaction will increase, like the addictions of a drug addict increase, until they die from drug overdose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life itself can be &quot;dukkha&quot;, that is, difficult to bear, hard to endure, because every person must find food to eat, work &amp;amp; take care of a problematic physical body. This &quot;dukkha&quot; is because of attachment to life as &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot; or selfishness. If  a person has wisdom when experiencing the challenges of life, they will not view life in terms of &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;; therefore they will not suffer. Life is &quot;dukkha&quot; when there is attachment to life in terms of &quot;self&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, '&lt;em&gt;life is struggle&lt;/em&gt;' because the body gets hungry, hot, cold, sick &amp;amp; broken and ordinary pleasures do not bring lasting happiness. '&lt;em&gt;Life is like a gold coin&lt;/em&gt;' because there is nothing in the gold coin that can guarantee &amp;amp; secure happiness. '&lt;em&gt;Life is statue of problem and sorrow&lt;/em&gt;' because the ignorance of the mind will inevitably lead to problems &amp;amp; sorrow, which is why the world still has many wars, many social problems and why people still sorrow &amp;amp; grieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the 'Holy Life' of the Buddha is not a struggle, not a (deceptive) gold coin and not a problem with sorrow. The Buddha explained Nirvana is undeceptive true happiness (MN 140). Nirvana is experienced when the mind does not have attachment to anything as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;mine&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;His release, being founded on truth, does not fluctuate, for whatever is deceptive is false; Nirvana — the undeceptive — is true. Thus a&#xA;  monk so endowed is endowed with the highest determination for truth,&#xA;  for this — Nirvana, the undeceptive — is the highest noble truth.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is peace... the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the ending of craving, dispassion, cessation (of&#xA;  suffering), Nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-16T21:00:25.787" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T21:00:25.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19344" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19331" CreationDate="2017-02-16T20:41:31.377" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What would Buddhists say about the idea that the world or universe is God? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That it is purely speculation, a belief, contained in the &lt;em&gt;4th aggregate of mental formations&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is clearly visible through the practice of insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-02-16T20:41:31.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19334" CreationDate="2017-02-17T01:18:34.090" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dharma&lt;/strong&gt; (Sanskrit) or &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt; (Pāli) in Buddhism can be taken to mean the same, and as having two primary meanings: the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment, and the constituent factors of the experienced world. But to me &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt; (Pāli) is “Suddhamma” and refers only to the teachings of the Supreme Buddha. Whereas Dharma is regarded variably by different traditions, and generally regarded as an ultimate and transcendent truth which is utterly beyond worldly things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Importance of learning PALI Language, and using the Pali words is mainly because today Buddhism is many things to many people, mostly laden with rites, rituals, icon worship, so-called collection and transference of merit etc. - things the Buddha clearly rejected as non-Dhamma. To study SudDhamma, it is important that we learn Pali, at least to some degree as all translations are hazardous. The Dhamma (as opposed to Dharma) is found only in the Teaching that were taught by the Buddha himself - Suttas and connected texts such as the Sutta Nipâta, Dhammapada, Udâna, Itivuttaka, and Thérathéri Gâthâ. [I here refer only to Théravâda Buddhist Text]. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make my point clear may I mention here the statement “Vidya Dadati Vinayam” - this is written not in Pali, but in Sanskrit. Therefore, it has no connection with Buddhism, as we think. Secondly, it was not the Buddha who stated that learning gives discipline, but the brahmins who maintained their authority through the means of education. What Buddhism reiterates is exactly the opposite of this. What is repeatedly stated in the Pali Canon is that discipline should be achieved before learning. The motto of Buddhism is “first discipline, second learning”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But again if we take later text such as “Milinda Panha”, it was originally a Sanskrit Buddhist text. For those who do not know what I am coming to….  King Menander I (Milindu/ Milinda in Pali language) was a powerful Indo-Greek monarch who ruled “Sagalapura” in historical India (Now Sialkot in North-east of Panjab province in Pakistan at the foot of the Kashmir hills near the Chenab river), somewhere in the 150 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;King Milindu learnt dhamma from Arahanth Nagasena - with his famous questions and Arahanth  Nagasena successfully answering all of them which led the king to ordain under the Arahanth abdicating his throne and later, attained Nirvana (Nibbana). The questions of King Milindu and the answers given to them by Arahanth Nagasena are recorded in the “Milinda Panha”, probably written in Sanskrit at the beginning and later translated to Pali. Today, there are many translations of the book in different languages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T01:18:34.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19331" CreationDate="2017-02-17T03:24:51.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The people of the world can be categorized into two groups. The ones who believe in a single God, accept eternalism (sassata ditthi) after death. The other group are the ones who are in Communist countries, who do not believe in a single God, &amp;amp; accept nihilism. Nihilism (ucceda ditthi) is the direct opposite of eternalism. The Buddha, in many ways, has avoided these two extremes. The faith of the people who believe in a God is different those who have the confidence in the Triple Gem. Faith in the Buddhist perspective derives through proper understanding and realisation of truth and not through fear of the divine or a need to satisfy the emotions. Real faith appears in the mind when it reaches the unshakable state. Blind faith or religious beliefs have no place in the Buddha's Teaching. There is no such thing as ‘God’ in the Teachings of the Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T03:24:51.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19349" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19330" CreationDate="2017-02-17T04:02:33.717" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Theory&#xA;3 “‘The sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the sphere of neither-perception-nor-nonperception,’&#xA;it is said. What now is the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception?&#xA;&#xA;4 Then, avuso, this occurred to me:&#xA;‘Here, bhikshu, by completely transcending the sphere of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the&#xA;sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.’8&#xA;Practice&#xA;&#xA;5 Then, avuso, by completely transcending the sphere of nothingness, I entered and dwelled in the&#xA;sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.&#xA;While I dwelled therein, avuso, perception and attention accompanied by sphere of nothingness&#xA;assailed me.&#xA;&#xA;Realization&#xA;6 Then, avuso, the Blessed One approached me by means of psychic power and said this to me:&#xA;‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Do not be heedless, brahmin, regarding the sphere of neither-perceptionnor-non-perception:&#xA;steady your mind in the sphere of&#xA;neither-perception-nor-non-perception, nevasaññānāsaññ’āyatane cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi,&#xA;unify your mind in the sphere of&#xA;neither-perception-nor-non-perception, nevasaññānāsaññ’āyatane cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi,&#xA;concentrate your mind in the sphere of&#xA;neither-perception-nor-non-perception, nevasaññānāsaññ’āyatane cittaṁ samādaha.’&#xA;&#xA;7 Then, avuso, on another occasion, by completely transcending the sphere of nothingness, I entered&#xA;and dwelled in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.&#xA;Spiritual friendship&#xA;&#xA;8 Now, avuso, if one speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is a disciple who attained to greatness of&#xA;direct knowledge with the help of the Teacher,’&#xA;it is of me that one speaking rightly would say, ‘He is a disciple who attained to greatness of direct&#xA;knowledge with the help of the Teacher.’”&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.18-Nevasannanasannayatana-Panha-S-s40.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;N’eva,saññā,nâsaññ’āyatana Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before getting there you have to practice the 7 leading upto the 8th. For more reference on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19298/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I am not sure if you can reach this without a proper teacher. Many teachers do not teach this. Perhaps one teacher who might teach it is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pa-Auk Forest Monastery&lt;/a&gt;. Perhaps Ajahn Brahm also might be teaching this according to another answer. You can inquire if one of these teachers or their assistants are willing to teach you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also not everyone can achieve this level of deep &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T04:02:33.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19350" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19357" CreationDate="2017-02-17T04:40:32.517" Score="1" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to use meditation as a way to deeply concentrate, I always feel as if im in my head and it stops me from doing what I want to do and stops me from getting work done. I want to use meditation. I have been doing  meditation, and I understand it a bit. But how can I achieve one pointed focus to help me stop being in my head and focus?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T11:17:46.160" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T11:17:46.160" Title="How can i use meditation to concentrate!" Tags="|meditation-concentration|access-concentration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19351" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19354" CreationDate="2017-02-17T06:23:36.263" Score="2" ViewCount="9445" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course, after getting enlightened, One is free from worry: now the person is in higher dimension and is always happy, as he knows how perfect everything is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But still Buddha's family was there; I mean, wasn't his family his responsibility?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember when the Buddha came back to the palace and met his wife: she asked, &quot;just tell me, if it was possible to get enlightenment in the palace.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How necessary is it to leave our families to practice, and if it is not necessary why didn't Buddha just come back? I always feel sad when I think about Siddhārtha Gautama's wife Yashodhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is enlightened, he can not hurt anyone feelings: but Buddha hurt Yashodhara's feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know I am incorrect somewhere, because after all He was enlightened, so he can not take wrong decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-17T14:11:58.420" LastActivityDate="2017-10-25T14:50:28.020" Title="Why Buddha was not worried about his family after enlightenment?" Tags="|the-buddha|marriage|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19350" CreationDate="2017-02-17T11:35:27.063" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In normal english language the word &quot;concentration&quot; has connotations of trying hard to focus on one thing. In Buddhist meditation we often develop concentration by being aware of the breath but we don't try hard to focus only on the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are always surrounded by distractions, our minds like to pay attention to those unimportant distractions instead of what we want to focus on. One way to avoid distractions is the normal method of putting in a lot of effort to focus on the important things but this is based on clinging and it can't be maintained. Instead of that we calm the mind so that when distractions appear the mind doesn't worry about them. With a calm mind we can focus on what is important without effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are meditating you can train yourself like this. If you do breath meditation don't try hard to focus on your breathing, whenever you notice you are distracted don't judge yourself just return your awareness to the breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T11:35:27.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-02-17T13:14:30.607" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why Buddha was not worried about his family after enlightenment?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a section titled &amp;quot;Celibacy versus Responsibility&amp;quot; towards the end of this article, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammananda/marriage.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Happy Married Life&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some excerpts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His sacrifice is considered all the more noble because he set aside his personal needs and desires in order to serve all of mankind for all time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Had he remained in the royal palace, his service would have been confined to only his own family or his kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the Buddha's earliest tasks after gaining his Enlightenment was to return to his palace to enlighten the members of his family. In fact, when his young son, Rahula asked the Buddha for his inheritance, the Buddha said that Rahula was heir to the richest wealth, the treasure of the Dhamma. In this way, the Buddha served his family, and he paved the way for their salvation, peace and happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another important fact was that the Buddha knew that his wife and son would not starve in his absence. During the time of the Buddha it was considered quite normal and honorable for a young man to retire from the life of a householder. Other members of the family would willingly look after his dependents. When he gained his enlightenment, he was able to give them something no other father could give — the freedom from slavery to attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;He did it for everyone, not only his family&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The members of his family, too, were subject to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;illness, old age, and death&lt;/a&gt;. If he had continued his life as a prince or worldly ruler, he would not have found how to liberate them from that.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How necessary is it to leave our families to practice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it hard to generalize? It's a choice, isn't it? A choice which has consequences. It's not &amp;quot;necessary&amp;quot;, for example you don't have to be good and kind ... but intentional action has consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in some countries, I've read that most men do both, i.e. they leave their families temporarily (to live as monks) and (after disrobing) return to live with their families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't seem to me to be anti-marriage. If I remember correctly, some of the rules in the Vinaya are motivated towards not breaking up families.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at the introduction though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If a man can find a suitable and understanding wife and a woman can find a suitable and understanding husband, both are fortunate indeed.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be that practice is necessary in order to be suitable and understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also everyone must &amp;quot;leave their families&amp;quot; eventually (i.e. people die).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If one is enlightened, he can not hurt anyone feelings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is not enlightened, then I think that one may tend to be ruled by feelings: your own feelings, your wife's feelings, your mother's feelings, your children's and friends' and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T16:57:51.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-02-17T16:40:39.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But still Buddha's family was there; I mean, wasn't his family his responsibility?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I remember when the Buddha came back to the palace and met his wife: she asked, &quot;just tell me, if it was possible to get enlightenment in the palace.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You remember? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How necessary is it to leave our families to practice, and if it is not necessary why didn't Buddha just come back? I always feel sad when I think about Siddhārtha Gautama's wife Yashodhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gautama had this urge to find out the meaning of this life and suffering, and that was his ONLY goal. He wanted to leave so he could concentrate on that. I am going to quote Chuck Palahniuk here -&lt;code&gt;If you want to make an omelette, you have to break some eggs.&lt;/code&gt; This is the SAME with any other goal. You have to make some sacrifices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If one is enlightened, he can not hurt anyone feelings: but Buddha hurt Yashodhara's feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cannot hurt any feelings? That doesn't make any sense. Feelings are for the person who is at the receiving end. Not for the Buddha. Have you heard of the saying &quot;truth is bitter&quot;? Bitter is a feeling that we experience because of our subjective minds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I know I am incorrect somewhere, because after all He was enlightened, so he can not take wrong decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's your point? There is NO SUCH THING as right decision and wrong decision. It purely depends on the context of the situation. If Gautama wants the answer he is seeking, then he has to leave the family. Period. It is NOT WRONG. He did it because he was yearning for it. It cannot happen to you or me, because we don't have the guts to sacrifice and drop everything that doesn't matter and go towards our goal. If Gautama wanted to rule the world or a kingdom, he would have taken different actions. Actions are according to the goal and the situation. Don't think in terms of marriage/divorce law or morality here.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also want to add finally that, to go for Nirvana is &lt;strong&gt;definitely a selfish matter&lt;/strong&gt;. If I want to find out what it is, it is because it is MY DESIRE to find out. Without Desire, you cannot live, breathe, feel or do anything. It is a desire to find out about life that Gautama went forth with. And whether you like it or not, it is &lt;strong&gt;selfish&lt;/strong&gt;. And why not be selfish about this? Yes you will hurt some feelings, but like I said, you cannot have everything, you have to sacrifice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-02-18T04:21:38.447" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T04:21:38.447" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19355" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-02-17T19:39:37.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But still Buddha's family was there; I mean, wasn't his family his&#xA;  responsibility?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's time families lived in clans or extended families. The Buddha's family was very wealthy and Yashodhara was fully provided for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it is highly probable Gotama rarely (if ever) had sex with Yashodhara because the suttas seem to depict Gotama as childless &amp;amp; having lost interest in sensuality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.39&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 75&lt;/a&gt;) while he lived in his three palaces. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While rarely hypothesized in Buddhism, it is highly likely, after 12 years of childless marriage, Gotama had sex with Yashodhara to have a son at the request of his father. This is because as soon as Gotama had a son, he left home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the legends that say Gotama left home secretly, the suttas (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt;) state Gotama left home seeing the tears of his parents stream down their face. Therefore, it seems Gotama possibly made a deal with his family, if he bore an heir to the throne, he could leave home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I remember when the Buddha came back to the palace and met his wife: she asked, &quot;just tell me, if it was possible to get enlightenment in&#xA;  the palace.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That the Buddha returned home showed he cared about his family. The Buddha's son became an arahant and supposedly also Yashodhara, who is mentioned in the suttas with another name. Therefore, the Buddha gave them the greatest gift.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How necessary is it to leave our families to practice, and if it is not necessary why didn't Buddha just come back? I always feel sad when&#xA;  I think about Siddhārtha Gautama's wife Yashodhara.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not necessary to leave your family permanently but if you want to practise very deeply you might have to leave them for many months and give up sex for a time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If one is enlightened, he can not hurt anyone feelings: but Buddha hurt Yashodhara's feelings?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yashodhara's feelings were her own kamma. The Buddha did not hurt her. If she was hurt, she hurt herself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha's time, I imagine women busied themselves with children &amp;amp; performing activities with other women. I imagine is was not the same as today, where husbands &amp;amp; wives live in what is called a 'nuclear family'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I know I am incorrect somewhere, because after all He was enlightened, so he can not take wrong decision.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Gotama left home, he was not enlightened. However, fortunately, his leaving home ended being the right decision since he provided salvation to many people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-10-25T02:24:59.023" LastActivityDate="2017-10-25T02:24:59.023" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19331" CreationDate="2017-02-17T21:42:43.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Now I remember, that the Kyoto school of Buddhists / comparative philosophers claim that Buddhism is not &quot;pantheism&quot; but closer to &quot;panentheism&quot;: especially the term &quot;transcendental immanence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See e.g. The Nothingness Beyond God, which is a commentary on Nishida's philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T21:42:43.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19350" CreationDate="2017-02-17T23:12:40.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Deusllxll, You ask, &quot;I want to use meditation as a way to deeply concentrate.&quot; In the beginning, I used a &quot;mantra&quot; meditation to develop a rather laser-like concentration, although it was not associated with Buddhism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, have in mind what you are trying to accomplish. Is it a spiritual goal? Are you searching for the meaning of life, and to have a relative understanding about your existence here? Then you can begin with a mantra meditation. It will spill over beneficially to other areas of your life if you go this route, also. You will be able to concentrate the mind and hold it on one thing for extended periods, or concentrate the mind on nothing if you practice Buddhist meditation. All your meditation efforts will end up in the same place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I started my meditation with a &quot;devotional&quot; slant, related to Bhakti yoga, with a 17 syllable mantra that was in spoken in the Sanskrit language.  I was instructed to do at least one hour (2 1/2 hours preferably) of meditation everyday.  The meditation was with a focus on love for the Divine, which took a while to cultivate. The love is important because it will bind you to the meditation through thick and thin, through the good times and the despair. Whenever I found myself drifting off into thoughts, I was to start over with the mantra.  A person is to keep his mind focused on the &quot;third eye&quot; while meditating, which some believe is where the individual is located spiritually. I did this for five years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I eventually gravitated to Buddhism where the mantra is the incoming and out-going of the breath, and the feelings of love are compassion for all.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any type of meditation you do will be a precursor to something deeper and more meaningful.  Those who meditate are on the path of expansion, just like a plant grows from a little seed.  The sign that you have developed an interest in meditation, and are reaching out for instruction means your path will be fuller and richer for you from now on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-02-17T23:12:40.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-02-18T02:06:22.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Rishi… some of the individuals who were close to Buddha, had been also very closely related in numerous past lifetimes. Yasodhara has been his wife in many a past life times. Then they were all reborn at the time of Buddha for the very last time and they all became Arahants (Enlightened) putting an end to this unending samsara. So all of these events, and lievs of these people were extra-ordinary. That is why Samma Sambuddha is called ‘Asama Sama’, i.e. incomparable with any other being but can be compared only to other Samma Sambuddhas (six in the last 91 Kalpas). So we cannot compare those life events with any other. Do you know that on the day of birth, the Buddha-to-be, the child walked seven paces towards the north direction and he raised his right arm, pointing his index finger to the sky and recited a stanza:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Aggō hamasmi lōkassa (I am the foremost to this world)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Jeththō hamasmi lōkassa (I am the eldest to this world)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Setthō hamasmia lōkassa (I am the supreme to this world)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavō (This is my last birth; I do not have rebirth)”   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the prince reached the age of sixteen, King Suddhodana, his father, arranged for him to be married to his cousin, a charming princess Yasodhara, who was the daughter of Suprabuddha, Lord of Koliya castle and a brother of the late Queen Maya. At the age of 29, stirred by deep reflection on the hard realities of life in seeing the 4 signs, he wanted to understand the truth of suffering and find the way to end that suffering. He knew that it would be impossible to search for an abstract truth, living this worldly life of attachment to pleasures, and decided to renounce his princely life of luxury, pleasures, attachment to his dear Princess Yasodara and the new born son Rahula, and left the Palace to become an ascetic. He saw the birth of the child as a hinderance. Buddha named his son &quot;Rahula,&quot; meaning &quot;chain&quot; or &quot;hindrance.” Thus, while still in the prime of life, he cut off his hair and beard, put on the saffron robe, and entered upon the homeless life of renunciation, seeking a way to release from the round of repeated birth, old age, and death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The issues that you highlighted, @Rishi.., does not affect a Buddha / Buddha-to-be. He has this noble quality &lt;strong&gt;Akampita&lt;/strong&gt;. It means  unshaken; calm; resolute; Also the Buddha radiate metta equally towards his adversary Devadatta, Yasodhara his wife, and Patacara the demented woman, his royal father King Suddhodana and Sopaka the humble low-caste youth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Earlier I mentioned that the closest loved ones all became Arahants (Enlightened). But it was not so. King Suppabuddha and his son Devadatta went to Hell. King Suppabuddha was the father of Devadatta and father-in-law of Prince Siddhattha. The king was very antagonistic to the Buddha for two reasons: first, because Prince Siddhattha had left his daughter Yasodhara to renounce the world; and second, because his son Devadatta had come to regard him as his arch enemy. He once blocked the Buddha's path and was dead within seven days – a very interesting story (check it out) – as no one can escape the effects of such evil kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shortly after Buddhahood, his father the King invited the Buddha and the Sangha to his palace with due respect. Having accepted the invitation with compassion, the Buddha visited the palace on the following day with the Arahants and accepted the alms. The Buddha with so much compassion looked around and noticed that one person was not in the hall. It was not because she was proud that she did not come down to see the Buddha that day. It was because her grief was too much. Thus, the Buddha walked up to the place towhere she was. He moved the flimsy curtain aside while standing at the door and saw that she was asleep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yasodhara led a very pios life since the day that her husband left the house. From the day she heard that the Prince had become a recluse, Princess Yashodara gave up all her jewellery. She rejected all fine clothes. She took food only in the morning hours after hearing that the Prince does the same. She slept on the floor on a mat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha called her “Dear Yasodhara!” she heard the voice which she had not heard for seven long years. She woke up startled, raised her head and looked at the door. All this time, she remembered the Prince in royal attire. But whom she saw now was a serene, calm, monk in a saffron robe. Her sorrow overtook her. She could not believe that instead of her loving husband that she remembered, she is seeing Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha. She dashed towards the Buddha crying in great pain, dropped herself at the feet of the Buddha, embraced the feet, and started to cry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha watched all this with a very calm and serene mind. Princess Yasodhara wailed until her sorrow diminished. Finally, she came to her senses and remembered she was embracing the feet of the exalted Buddha. Then, she felt tremendous respect towards the Buddha and stepped back. It was at that time that the Buddha told a past incident that even in her previous lives Princess Yasodhara had followed Prince Siddhartha with as much love as in this life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-02-18T02:43:45.147" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T02:43:45.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19330" CreationDate="2017-02-18T02:54:17.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@ DeusIIXII,  what you are referring to is the last of the four formless meditations that exist. The eight attainments (atthasmapatti) in meditation (attaining Adhicitta) broadly has two parts - namely, the first four rupa jhanas and the four arupa jhanas. These last four are higher stages of mental concentration – the formless states - enable one to gain supernormal powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventhough we see the mind as normally inter-dependent with body, there are levels of existence where only mental phenomena exist, with nothing whatever of rupa.  The four 'formless' (arupa) meditative states are attainable from the fourth jhana onwards. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of infinite space (&lt;strong&gt;Akasanañcayatana&lt;/strong&gt;);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is attained by transcending any cognition of rupa, by abandoning the metal image that was previously the object of concentration, and seeing that space is infinite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of infinite consciousness (&lt;strong&gt;Viññaaañcayatana&lt;/strong&gt;);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In this second state, the focus is on the consciousness that had been aware of infinite space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of nothingness (&lt;strong&gt;Akiñcaññayatana&lt;/strong&gt;);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;In the third, this object (Viññaaañcayatana) is dropped, and the focus is on the apparent nothingness remaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sphere of neither-cognition-nor-non-cognition (&lt;strong&gt;Nevasaññanâsaññayatana&lt;/strong&gt;).&#xA;In the fourth, this object (Akiñcaññayatana) is dropped and the mind is in an attenuated state where it is hardly functioning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to know these stages in more detail please read the following Suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SD 24.11 _ Pathama Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Savitakka) Pathama Jhana Sutta. Progressing in the 1st dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD24.12a _ Dutiya Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Avitakka) Dutiya Jhana Sutta. Progressing in 2nd dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.13 _ Tatiya Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Sukhena) Tatiya Jhana Sutta. Progressing in the 3rd dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.14 _ Catuttha Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Upekkhaka) Catuttha Jhana Sutta. How to progress in the 4th dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.15 _ Akasanañcayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of infinite space.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.16 _ Viññaaañcayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of infinite consciousness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.17 _ Akiñcaññayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of nothingness.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD 24.18 _ Nevasaññanâsaññayatana Pañha Sutta. Progressing in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T02:54:17.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19316" CreationDate="2017-02-18T07:24:46.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is there a stage in practice when the practitioner is drawn to read the sutras?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My problem is that I'm at a point where I'm confused w.r.t. what should I do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you want to do? What are you trying to achieve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Performing actions seems pointless, there is no access to &quot;higher&quot; feeling like delight, joy, love, etc. Everything is &quot;ok&quot;, which makes it dull.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it is pointless, but if you want to, you can attach a point to it like everyone seems to do. But that would be moving away from the truth/fact of the matter. Do you want to do that? It depends on you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I want to say that today you will ask this question, and in a few days you will forget this question, and then you will ask the same question in a different form after sometime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not questions to be answered like Q&amp;amp;A. They are subjective experiences and feelings which only you know and which don't have an answer as such. Please accept this fact. And help yourself (or not if you don't want to). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T07:24:46.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19361" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19363" CreationDate="2017-02-18T09:12:09.207" Score="1" ViewCount="626" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the benefits of the 8 Jhana meditation? Can you list them? I have researched but maybe i haven't looked in the right place? What are some during meditation and after?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T10:38:08.827" Title="What is the meditation benefits of jhana?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19362" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-02-18T09:38:51.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was silent when his wife asked about need to move away from family for enlightenment. It was just Buddha's desire for enlightenment that he moved out. Remember he was not Buddha but Sidhartha Gautam. If you ask any enlightened soul whether it is required to move away from family the answer is 'no' except is some special cases. It is basic human nature to escape and be alone to solve a problem because it gives you a focus. But I think Buddha would have done it inside palace too. He was an inner scientist and would have found out ways living with his wife, parents and rest of the clan. There is not much to think about the incident of Buddha running away. It is of no consequence. Once the fire is lit it only spreads. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha knows that all relationships are illusions. He could see himself connected to the whole. Lets suppose you have an experience where every object whether dead or alive in the world is connected to a single source and derive its existence from that source will you differentiate between two persons or even objects. Everything and everyone will become sacred. Budha discovered that there is a law (Dhamma) which makes everything work in unison so why would he be worried?      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T09:38:51.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19361" CreationDate="2017-02-18T10:38:08.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhana is supernormal happiness &amp;amp; also perfect mental clarity in the 4th jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As supernormal happiness, those that reach jhana do not have to depend on anything sensual or worldly for happiness again, such as TV, movies, sex, drugs, music, alcohol, wife, husband, family, fame, money, etc. The mind becomes completely emotionally independent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mental clarity, it allows the mind to see more easily through the self-illusion. The self-illusion is the cause of all suffering, whether major or minor. Thus, jhana is the foundation for perfect insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T10:38:08.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19330" CreationDate="2017-02-18T13:45:06.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might find this book useful: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.shambhala.com/practicing-the-jhanas.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Practicing The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;,&#xA;by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They were both students of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/abbot.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pa Auk Sayadaw&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and undertook a Samatha Meditation Course under his guidance.&#xA;They write in the book how they achieved the 4 material jhanas and the 4 immaterial jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-02-18T13:45:06.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2810" CreationDate="2017-02-19T03:08:04.913" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana the objects of vipashyana are not the three characteristics as they are in Theravada, however, they are shunyata, or emptiness. In Theravada vipassana one investigates impermanence, selflessness, and unsatisfactoriness of all phenomena. In Mahayana one investigates emptiness of all phenomena, which is a development of the three characteristics. There are different views of emptiness which disagree on details, but essentially are the same enough. Madhyamaka Prasangika view is generally considered the definitive view of emptiness. Also, the mind itself is also the object of investigation, and Mahayana has developed a very useful model of consciousness and the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Heart Sutra reveals a very useful vipashyana meditation: Investigate each skandha and discover its emptiness of identity. &quot;Form is empty, emptiness is none other than form, Sensation is empty, emptiness is none other than sensation...&quot; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10849" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T03:08:04.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19366" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19367" CreationDate="2017-02-19T05:09:28.710" Score="2" ViewCount="828" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am doing Vipasana from one year and I  feel it is beneficial for me but in spite of these a lot of fear surrounded me,fear of feature,fear of past a lot of fear surrounded me,fear of seniors.How can I handle these fears with Vipasana meditation.Please guide me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10096" LastEditorUserId="10096" LastEditDate="2017-02-19T06:03:46.457" LastActivityDate="2020-02-05T14:38:14.173" Title="How vipassana is useful for removing fear from myself?" Tags="|karma|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19366" CreationDate="2017-02-19T05:26:00.480" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I understand, what we feel as &lt;code&gt;fear&lt;/code&gt; is a reaction when the &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; is in danger of losing something or itself. For example fear of losing reputation in social situations, fear of death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This thing we call &lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;self&lt;/code&gt; is because of wrong identifications. We are identified wrongly with our body, our mind, our car, our house, our job. If you really think about it, you will see these things are not &quot;I&quot;. You are not the job or the bank balance or the body. Please understand this clearly because that is what Vipassana meditation is trying to tell you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you observe your thoughts, which come up and go away, arising and passing away, your body is also the same. It is there for a brief period after which it is gone. Your car will get old and stop working. Your job may change or it may be gone tomorrow. Of course you must cherish it while it is there, but you must not get entangled with it or identify with it. Today it is there, but tomorrow it may not be there. Everything is &quot;mortal&quot;. You are not immortal, nothing is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fear is coming up because you are afraid of something that you think you will lose. If you realize that this body or thoughts or job or car is temporary and may go away anytime, you will find your fear reducing. Because there is truly nothing to lose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T05:26:00.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19368" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19372" CreationDate="2017-02-19T05:52:26.407" Score="1" ViewCount="464" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a college student and practice of Vipasana from last year but sometimes I feel laziness and during meditation I feel uncomfortable and I leave meditation at that time.I want to ask, what is way that can motivate me for doing meditation properly with complete dedication ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thanks !&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10096" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T18:31:10.640" Title="What is the way to motivate myself for Vipasana meditation Practice daily?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|meditation|self|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2902" CreationDate="2017-02-19T10:08:44.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something which is intrinsic to Buddhism applies to it regardless of its levels of practice or cultural variation. Insofar as the 8-Fold Path is definitive for Buddhism as a stipulated formula of practical application interpreted according to insight received in meditation, there is no part of it which clearly requires celibacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be far more helpful to talk about monasticism, the extremes to which it tends to aim, and whether celibacy is intrinsic to Buddhist monasticism, or indeed monasticism of every other kind. The justification for it being essential and important to monasticism is in part what also sets up the contextual Indian framework of the Four Stages of Life (Student, Householder, Forest-Dweller, and Renunciate): that the energetic focus and interest wanes from or turns aside from conventions, reproduction, and the drama of emotional co-dependence, and shifts toward cohabited placidness, the peace attractive to those with spiritual values, and the equipoise available to those set upon Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10712" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T10:08:44.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2902" CreationDate="2017-02-19T11:11:59.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Originally, in the 1st sermon, it was made quite clear the Noble Eightfold Path was a celibate path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Baraṇasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There the Blessed One&#xA;  addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five thus:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of sensual&#xA;  happiness in &lt;strong&gt;sensual pleasures&lt;/strong&gt;, which is low, vulgar, the way of&#xA;  worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of&#xA;  self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Without&#xA;  veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened&#xA;  to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to&#xA;  knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  enlightenment, to Nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is that middle way awakened to by the Tathagata,&#xA;  which gives rise to vision … which leads to Nibbāna? It is this Noble&#xA;  Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech,&#xA;  right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right&#xA;  concentration. This, bhikkhus, is that middle way awakened to by the&#xA;  Tathagata, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge,&#xA;  which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to&#xA;  Nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T11:11:59.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19371" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19373" CreationDate="2017-02-19T13:08:48.630" Score="3" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is copying a Dhamma book in hard copy and converting it into a pdf to read on my kindle a breach of the second precept? I am planning only to read it myself and not give it to anyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also thought that Dhamma material should be free. Why are people amongst them well known monks and nuns charging for dhamma material?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10772" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-19T14:21:01.830" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T02:35:24.733" Title="Breach of second precept" Tags="|ethics|five-precepts|copyright|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19368" CreationDate="2017-02-19T13:24:10.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An individual desirous of mediation very often asks “What shall we do? How do we do it?” In such instances, what have we got to explain to them? How can we motivate him? The proper answer to such questions, that is in keeping with the Dahamma, is that we should practise four activities: Listening to Dhamma, participation in Dhamma discussion, Samatha and Vipassana. Only the individual who practises these four activities together develops his/her  mind and develops the motivation to continue further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore one should direct one’s mind to all these four aspects. Listening to Dhamma and participating in Dhamma discussions help us gain a good knowledge of Dhamma. From Samatha and Vipassana we develop concentration. In short we need the knowledge of Dhamma and also simultaneously practice meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of us want to start meditating after studying the Dhamma. Some others think of studying the Dhamma after completing meditation. This is incorrect. We should select both. They should be done at the correct time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you have to be clear about your intentions, mature about admitting when you have some unskillful intentions in the mind, and honest about the results that come when you act on unskillful intentions. Only by observing that, again and again, can you finally overcome them. When you really see that there’s a connection between unskillful intentions and needless suffering, you become genuinely motivated to find the escape from that suffering. This is the only way you can do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to specially Samatha &amp;amp; Vipassana Meditation, it is not an easy thing to get into as this Mind has been defiled for a Long Time. The word meditation (bhavana) is used so often that we believe it is something very easy to do. In our normal life when we study a subject, all we have to do is to listen, write and then memorize it. But, meditation is not an easy subject, as such. Meditation has to be viewed in the right context. Our minds are obsessed with facts and thoughts. Indeed, it is very difficult for us to turn away from habitual ways of thought and conduct. The practice of mindfulness is a difficult task. Mind is the core of our existence and for a long time it has been defiled. So we should firstly understand that the mind is defiled by delusion and obsessed with all kinds of useless things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have constructed our world either by seeing a visible object with the eye, hearing a sound with the ear, smelling an odor with the nose, tasting a flavor with the tongue, touching a tangible object with the body, or cognizing a mind-object with the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Virtue (sila) is the stepping stone. It is the foundation for mental development. For this purpose, the sense organs must be controlled. This is very important. If after reflecting on an object, unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, hatred and delusion arise in our minds, we should be fully aware of this. Then, we should consider the disadvantages of the unwholesome thoughts in this way: ‘These thoughts of mind are unwholesome and bring painful consequences to me and others’.&#xA;With determination, those unwholesome thoughts should then be removed. By the removal of unwholesome thoughts, the mind stands firm and becomes calm. t is essential for us to discipline ourselves and make a strong foundation before we undertake the difficult task of training our mind through meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-02-19T18:31:10.640" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T18:31:10.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19371" CreationDate="2017-02-19T14:36:02.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The second of the Five Precepts (pañca-sila) is  “Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami”… meaning…. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given. Overall, the precepts offer a clear moral foundation which has benefits for how we interact with others and our own spiritual progress. When one develops a strong conviction that the sacrifices one might have to make in observing the precepts that are really worth making, that there are some things of greater value to be gained by letting go of those unskillful activities, such thought / doubts come up at times. But here in this instance I do not see anything wrong in what you did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is how can I explain this to you, to one who have decided that you’re not going to kill under any circumstances, that you’re not going to steal under any circumstances from anyone at all, no illicit sex, no lying, no intoxicants ever at all. When you give such limitless protection to all beings in following the precepts to the letter, then you gain a share in that limitless protection as well.  Taking what is not given [stealing] is breaking a precept. A disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking what is not given. But when it comes to the True Teachings of the Buddha there is no such thing as stealing.  Also there is no such thing as plagiarism, or plagiarizing when it comes to dhamma. No one can take ownership of the teachings of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a serious problem, and a grave danger to those who speak of and write about Dhamma. It is of the distortion of the Suddamma. Today many a writers make gross distortions and incorrect adaptation of the Teaching of the Buddha to 'explain' the Dhamma. Thus it is very difficult for you and I to learn the true Dhamma without any adulterations or distortions that are widespread in most of today’s preaching and in the written material found in book stores and libraries. So in going forward in this dhamma path you and I have to be a bit cautious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-19T14:36:02.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18576" CreationDate="2017-02-19T19:49:13.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ñānadassana-visuddhi - 'purification of knowledge and vision', is the last of the 7 purifications and a name for path-knowledge, maggañāna i.e. the penetrating realization of the path of Stream-winning, Once-returning, Non-returning or Arahatship.  The Knowledge of Adaptation (anuloma-ñana) comes under this seventh purification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only sutta that fully explains the seven purifications is Rathavinita Sutta. It explains in full the seven purifications (SAPTHA VISUDDHI) taught by the Buddha. The Ratha-vinita Sutta: Relay Chariots  (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 24; M.I,145&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only place in the Canon where these 7 kinds of purification are mentioned is M. 24,, The Simile of the Stage-coach; There it is said that the real and ultimate goal does not consist in purification of morality, or of mind, or of view, etc., but in total deliverance and ceasing. Now, just as one mounts the first coach and travels to the second coach, then mounts the second coach and travels with it to the third coach, etc.,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;in exactly the same way the goal of (I) the purification of morality (sila-visuddhi) is  (II) the purification of mind (citta-visuddhi)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;its goal: (III) the purification of view (ditthi-visuddhi)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;its goal: (IV) the purification by overcoming doubt kankhāvitarana-visuddhi&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;its goal: (V) the purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggāmagga-ñānadassana-visuddhi)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;its goal: (VI) the purification by knowledge and vision of the path-progress  (patipadā-ñānadassana-visuddhi);&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;its goal: (VII) the purification of knowledge and vision (ñānadassana-visuddhi)&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;but the goal of this purification is deliverance freed from all clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the purification of knowledge are here meant the following, which are freed from defilements, follow the right process, and are considered as insight, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;knowledge consisting in contemplation of rise and fall (udayabbayānupassanā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in contemplation of dissolution (bhangānupassanā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in awareness of terror (or the fearful) (bhayatūpatthānā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in contemplation of misery (ādīnavānupassanā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in contemplation of aversion (nibbidānupassanā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in the desire for deliverance (muccitu-kamyatā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in reflecting contemplation (patisankhānupassanā-ñāna),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in equanimity regarding all formations of existence (sankhārupekkhā-ñāna) - which is followed by&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in adaptation to truth (saccānulomika-ñāna) ie. &lt;strong&gt;anuloma-nana&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is a very long way for you and I to go in this Path before coming to this anuloma-nana. Wisdom derived from the preliminary nanas, the ones before it. This Anuloma nana has the characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta. In the anuloma nana, the Four Noble Truths appear clearly and distinctly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-07-03T05:27:59.447" LastActivityDate="2022-07-03T05:27:59.447" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19371" CreationDate="2017-02-19T23:42:20.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Copying a Dhamma book in hard copy that you bought &amp;amp; converting it into a pdf to read on your kindle &amp;amp; not give it to anyone else is not a breach of the second precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T00:52:59.273" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T00:52:59.273" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15555" CreationDate="2017-02-20T02:12:22.370" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;‘Past life’ would be translated in Pali as ‘pubbe-jīv(it)am’ and ’re-birth’ would be ‘punna-jāti’, but I have not found either of these terms in a digital search of the whole Pali Tipitaka. The Buddha could have easily used those terms, if that's the meaning he wanted to give. So, to me, translating words with those meanings, is only interpretation and I think one should be concerned with putting words into the Buddha's mouth that were not there - i.e. misrepresenting him will have vey negative consequence to both the interpreter and those who have faith in him. The passage about the first of the three vijjā includes the word 'birth', but not the word 'life'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me the important questions are: 1. ‘do we believe the Buddha’s teaching is FOR THIS VERY LIFE? If so, which of the two possibilities: past lives and past births, best help us live a truly happy life here and now? Even ‘past life/lives’ itself would seem to be against the idea of ‘this very life’. 2. I understand the qualities of the Dhamma: akāliko and ehipassiko as: timeless and verifiable. So, which of the two possibilities: past lives and past births, can be seen and tested immediately?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we could assume the Buddha used words such as 'birth' 'aging' and 'death' as the common person does, but I think that would be very dangerous. To me one of the main evidences that he did not, is that he often said &quot;in this Dhamma-Vinaya, this means x'. Or for example the well-known quote: 'I call intention action' (misquoted/translated as 'I tell you, intention is action' which implies word and deed are NOT action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That the Buddha did not use 'birth' the common way, or that he meant something quite different when he said it, seems evident to me from the story of a conversation between him and Monk Aṅgulimāla. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read the story, I do not assume that the Buddha did not know who he was talking to, as the Buddha had personally converted Aṅgulimāla. So he knew that the monk had killed many people before conversion. I do not assume the Buddha was testing the monk either, but rather that the Buddha used 'birth' with a psychological meaning and he only had to change it to 'noble birth' because Aṅgulimāla did not yet understand the Buddha's usage of such terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me it is only with understanding 'birth aging and death' in with psychological meanings (birth, aging and death of ego/the five CLINGING aggregates) that the two parts of the First Noble Truth can be understood together and that the whole of the Buddha's teaching (the Dhamma) is FOR THIS VERY LIFE, akāliko and ehipassiko: timeless and verifiable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the passage about the first of the three vijjā, I believe the Buddha spoke of recalling his past life and seeing numerous births (NOT lives) and these were births of ego (the five CLINGING aggregates). This happens each time we cling to one of the five aggregates, which then become the aggregates of CLINGING and suffering. The First Noble Truth summarises 'the five aggregates OF CLINING are suffering', NOT 'the five aggregates are suffering'. Most 'summaries' of the First Noble Truth are 'life is suffering' but that would be 'the five aggregates are suffering'. That leaves out the very important idea of CLINGING.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;re: suttas explaining jāti as birth into the womb: I remember reading in a sutta, the Buddha called 'mother' 'craving' and 'father' 'ignorance',; so ‘womb’ could also be understood in such a way, that is, figuratively, not physically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;best wishes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10851" LastEditorUserId="10851" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T02:21:07.353" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T02:21:07.353" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19316" CreationDate="2017-02-20T04:17:32.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally whenever you feel that your actions are pointless you can be assured you are in a nihilistic state of mind and not in the Middle Way of Buddhism. In Buddhism actions ALWAYS matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without critiquing the merits of various suttas and sutras, I would have to say many are not suitable for beginners because the average person lack the required experience and will as pointed out interpret it incorrectly, leading to a usually nihilistic outlook.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where many Mahayana sutras shine with emphasis in skilful means to teach the difficult to grasp concept to people at various levels. One of the most popular being the Pure Land Buddhist sutras such as the Amitabha Sutra. It is to be chanted and Practice until you reach the Pure Land through direct experience. And yes the Pure Land is glorious. Just what a person who is seeking higher emotions like you is looking for. You will need to have some faith for this. Don't let scholars and even other Buddhist doubt the meaning and authenticity of this teachings. You can be assured the generations of masters know what they are doing and talking about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T04:17:32.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19379" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19394" CreationDate="2017-02-20T22:42:24.023" Score="4" ViewCount="824" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am interested in knowing what the Buddha said about guilt. I think I know that it is an unwholesome mind state. Is there any specific teaching that can be gleaned from the suttas. Can anyone also recommend any meditation or contemplation practices to get over crippling guilt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10772" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-20T23:50:38.587" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T02:28:53.053" Title="How to overcome guilt" Tags="|ethics|teaching|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19379" CreationDate="2017-02-20T23:33:27.933" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One thing it says that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#kusala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kusala&lt;/a&gt; (wholesome) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#sila&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt; (morality) results in a lack of guilt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also mentions that &amp;quot;feeling remorse&amp;quot; doesn't undo an evil deed. What we must do instead is abandon evil deeds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 42.8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That was not right. That was not good. But if I become remorseful for that reason, that evil deed of mine will not be undone.' So, reflecting thus, he abandons right then the taking of life, and in the future refrains from taking life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one key, apparently, is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (&amp;quot;virtue&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;moral conduct&amp;quot;): that includes topics like the &amp;quot;five precepts&amp;quot;, harmlessness, good-will, admirable friends, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read in several places (several authors) that good &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; is necessary for (should be practiced before) meditation, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khin/wheel231.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get good Samadhi, Sila (morality) has to be perfect, since Samadhi is build upon Sila. For a good experience of Anicca, Samadhi must be good. If Samadhi is excellent awareness of Anicca will also become excellent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You asked, &amp;quot;recommend any meditation or contemplation practices to get over crippling guilt&amp;quot; -- the way to get over guilt is to abstain from, refrain from, abandon wrong-doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &amp;quot;remembering your own (past) virtuous acts&amp;quot; might help you to get over guilt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that viewing it as &amp;quot;your&amp;quot; guilt, accusing your self of being guilty, may be another example of dukkha associated with a sense of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-20T23:33:27.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2107" CreationDate="2017-02-21T02:27:17.680" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;i did watch a video that make a story about buddhism. apparently someone can be a stream entrant without being a monk if it was show by a qualify monk. however , to advance further stage , one need to be a monk. this is a story about a wife who went to become a nun and then the husband later on follow her course and be a monk. so i think both of them are probably very very near during the buddha is still alive as the story said the wife actually display some sort of spiritual attainment and convince her husband to the point her husband become a monk. And apparently this happened because both of them had pray to attain the arahat fruit in one their past life during another buddha time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10783" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T02:27:17.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19379" CreationDate="2017-02-21T07:53:48.367" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Vinaya, a transgression (one that causes guilt or not) is overcome by declaring it to at least one monk.. The length of time it takes to overcome the transgression was set at the length of time the transgression was kept secret (keep some wrongdoing secret for a year, it is easy to imagine you won't just be able to consciously brush it off in one day!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote on fools and wise people does this idea justice for me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, these two are fools. Which two? The one who doesn't see his&#xA;  transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn't rightfully&#xA;  pardon another who has confessed his transgression. These two are&#xA;  fools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These two are wise people. Which two? The one who sees his&#xA;  transgression as a transgression, and the one who rightfully pardons&#xA;  another who has confessed his transgression. These two are wise&#xA;  people.&quot; AN 2.21&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(also, has always worked for me on a personal level - admitting wrongdoing and guilt, preferably in a non-secretive, open setting to others is usually the best way of admitting this to your self, and therefore starting the process of changing yourself for the better)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T07:53:48.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19383" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-21T08:06:11.207" Score="2" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard &quot;&lt;code&gt;Nothing like anything&lt;/code&gt;&quot; from many people. I think a lot over it and finally i got it like &quot;&lt;code&gt;Tyag se he mukti milte h&lt;/code&gt;&quot; and i feel it with my self yes tyag se he mulki milte h but i could not get it remain with my self. Will you please give me a direction so that I could pertain it as remain and what is the the proper meaning of &quot;nothing like anything&quot; according to Buddism because I do not have much knowledge about Buddha teachings. Thanks in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10822" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:01:55.267" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:01:55.267" Title="What does &quot;Nothing like anything&quot; mean according to Buddism?" Tags="|self|knowledge|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19383" CreationDate="2017-02-21T10:01:45.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;So your question is &quot;&lt;code&gt;Tyag se he mukti milte h&lt;/code&gt;&quot; which means sacrifice, renowned and non attachment will bring Salvation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing like anything is never said by Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However coming back to question first of all Lord Buddha's view on salvation is a bit tricky if you are coming from a Hindu background, by that I mean you are not supposed to sacrifice anything just remain in the middle, as Lord Krishna also said &lt;strong&gt;remain in tranquility&lt;/strong&gt; or there should be equanimity in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the question has been asked on Buddhism, So lets stick with buddha's view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the aim to be always &lt;strong&gt;remain conscious&lt;/strong&gt;, which seems to be impossible but with practice you will start realizing that you are doing better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sit silently and start by focusing on breath, just &lt;strong&gt;observe your breath for 3 minutes&lt;/strong&gt; in starting and &lt;strong&gt;do this at least three to six times a day&lt;/strong&gt;, which should be easy you are android developer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now also try to use &lt;strong&gt;30 second rule&lt;/strong&gt; multiple times a day, which in short is to try to remain in the present moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now lets say you feel good in meditation and at some point bad, Buddhism approach is that you will not get flown by mind in either of the above said situation, &lt;strong&gt;do not get excited when feeling good&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;do not feel depressed on feeling bad&lt;/strong&gt;, just OBSERVE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OBSERVATION is very powerful  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T10:01:45.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19093" CreationDate="2017-02-21T11:49:08.120" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;Zen&quot; attitude about anything. That in itself is not Zen. If someone keeps a journal, then someone keeps a journal. That's all it means, and it is neither good nor bad. It is just keeping a journal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10856" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T11:49:08.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19388" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-21T17:23:39.233" Score="5" ViewCount="1307" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have recently participated in a 10 days S.N. Goenka Vipassna course, which had incredible positive results. I feel like I shed 20 tons off my heart, and most importantly I am able to practice daily and to be aware of Sankaras before they 'stick'. My life has improved significantly in each and every aspect, and I was even able to bring positive awareness to the lives of my beloved ones. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally I want &lt;em&gt;everyone&lt;/em&gt; to participate in a course immediately, especially people I am close to, and especially those who are in great suffering. But while trying to understand whether the course is safe for everyone or not, I've developed some doubt. Some experiences sound really unhealthy, like these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://morespiritualmatters.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/the-10-day-vipassana-retreat-a-warning/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 10 Day (Goenka) Vipassana Retreat – A Warning&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanaforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=672.0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;TERRIBLE and TRAUMATIC experience at Goenka retreat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://livingvipassana.blogspot.co.il/2010/02/bipolar-chronicles.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana : Diary of a Bipolar episode following meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassanaforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=3157.0;topicseen&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mental breakdown triggered by Goenka retreat meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(TL;DR - People are describing long periods of suffering, depression and even a bipolar episode).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be fair, it's not that easy to find many negative reports about the course, but seems like some people were significantly hurt, and the Vipassana course organizers / teachers weren't able to screen them beforehand or to guide them to the safe, healing zone of the technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another issue is the big amount of people leaving the course in the middle. This doesn't necessarily indicate they had an overall bad experience, but surely for many people leaving in the middle comes with some negative effects. I assume going on a course at a bad time, and leaving in the middle, might cause the participant to lose the chance of acquiring the technique for life (which is, IMHO, quite terrible).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have the option of remaining totally neutral towards whether a friend goes on a course or not, but I believe this is not necessarily the right, responsible approach. If I have the power to influence someone to acquire this amazing tool in a healthy manner, I think I also have the responsibility to do so. Similarly, if the course might be dangerous for someone, I must at least warn her / him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What approach should be taken while deciding whether to go on a course or not, or whether to encourage someone to go on a course?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5533" LastEditorUserId="5533" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T18:24:09.557" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T16:10:27.437" Title="How to determine whether a 10 days S.N. Goenka Vipassana course is safe for my friend or relative?" Tags="|ethics|vipassana|beginner|sn-goenka|mental-factors|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19389" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19390" CreationDate="2017-02-21T19:57:33.013" Score="4" ViewCount="212" Body="&lt;p&gt;Science is capable of helping living beings flourish, or of generating suffering for living beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either of these two capacities are the result of trial and error as well as research and technological development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if it is known that in the trial and error process of developing technologies to help life flourish that some degree of suffering could occur in the case of an error (such as a nuclear meltdown causing death or radiation sickness, or experimental medicine causing sickness or death,) would those scientists developing said technologies generate bad karma if suffering did, in fact, occur, even though their intention (life's flourishing) is pure? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does an active &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_and_development&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;R&amp;amp;D&lt;/a&gt; scientist who is also a Buddhist navigate the potential suffering that their R&amp;amp;D is capable of generating, so as to not accumulate any bad karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10506" LastEditorUserId="10506" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T04:43:30.020" LastActivityDate="2017-02-28T02:06:07.213" Title="Buddhism and Science" Tags="|ethics|karma|science|right-intention|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19389" CreationDate="2017-02-21T21:09:21.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The paper &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/4-publikationen/buddhismus-in-geschichte-und-gegenwart/bd7-k03keown.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism and Medical Ethics: Principles and Practice&lt;/a&gt; says (claims):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The study of Buddhist ethics is a recent development brought about by the arrival of Buddhism in the West, and largely in response to the demand of Westerners for clarification of where Buddhism stands on a range of contemporary moral issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although Buddhism is widely respected for its humane and benevolent moral values, there is an apparent absence in traditional Buddhist thought of a branch of learning devoted to reflection on ethical issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/budethics.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;See also&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the materialist is mainly interested in goods, the Buddhist is mainly interested in liberation. But Buddhism is the Middle Way and therefore in no way antagonistic to physical well being. The keynote of Buddhist economics is simplicity and non-violence. From an economist's point of view, the marvel of the Buddhist way of life is the utter rationality of its pattern - amazingly small means leading to extraordinarily satisfying results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be that there isn't a direct, traditional answer to your modern question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll try to list some of the traditional answers which may indirectly answer or touch on your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Traditional Buddhist monks (who you might look to for ethical advice) don't typically try to develop technology (except perhaps meditation as a type of technology).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The kind of &amp;quot;suffering&amp;quot; that Buddhism tries to address is mental, spiritual, or emotional suffering, rather than material or technological poverty&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's some doctrine (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;e.g. here&lt;/a&gt;) which says that &amp;quot;intention&amp;quot; matters -- if an enlightened person did harm without intending to, that's karmically neutral&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's some but only a little doctrine on the subject of &amp;quot;right livelihood&amp;quot;: it's traditionally defined for laypeople as no &amp;quot;trade in weapons, living beings, meat, alcoholic drink or poison&amp;quot;. Maybe the best (most harmless) form of livelihood is the monks': i.e. &amp;quot;living from begging, but not accepting everything and not possessing more than is strictly necessary&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally took those &amp;quot;right livelihood&amp;quot; guidelines as forbidding &amp;quot;trade in weapons&amp;quot; (e.g. any military R&amp;amp;D), but as permitting telecommunications R&amp;amp;D even though that might be used for good or ill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone else I know studied nuclear physics and eventually chose a career in nuclear medicine (rather than nuclear power or military applications).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You presumably know that there are modern (not specifically Buddhist) guidelines for the development of e.g. medical and nuclear technologies. If you're going to practice that type of development you might at least consider those (modern ethical and engineering) guidelines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some doctrine that's sometimes taken to be general advice, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... when you yourselves know: &amp;quot;These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,&amp;quot; abandon them.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware I might be quoting this out of context, but I'm pretty sure it's often (rightly or wrongly) interpreted as giving you permission to think (or know) something for yourself -- that includes considering whether it's censured or praised by &amp;quot;the wise&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-21T21:09:21.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-22T00:33:56.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have recently participated in a 10 days S.N. Goenka Vipassna course, which had incredible positive results... My life has improved&#xA;significantly in each and every aspect, and I was even able to bring&#xA;positive awareness to the lives of my beloved ones.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, the retreat &amp;amp; practise was suitable for your individual disposition but this does not apply to everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Naturally I want everyone to participate in a course immediately, especially people I am close to, and especially those who are in great&#xA;suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong understanding because meditation does not benefit everyone. The Buddhist scriptures refer to those that benefit from Buddhism as relatively &amp;quot;few&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;174&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.13.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I have the power to influence someone to acquire this amazing tool in a healthy manner&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal experience of Buddhism followed established Buddhist principles, namely, I myself was searching for something when I found Buddhism. Similarly, others are expected to take their own first steps when searching for solutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist principles do not support proselytization. The suttas state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma. And this is the best of friendly speech: to teach again and again Dhamma &lt;strong&gt;to those who wish&#xA;for it&lt;/strong&gt; and who listen attentively.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T00:43:37.687" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19392" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19463" CreationDate="2017-02-22T03:22:09.207" Score="1" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am wondering what Buddha would have said about late night talk shows that are now busy making fun of Donald Trump. Do they break the precept on gossiping and frivolous talk since they are making fun of people. Its also true that they make people laugh and remove their sorrows for a while. Would this count as good Karma  -- to make people laugh?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10772" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T22:26:17.967" Title="Buddha's opinion on late night talk shows" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19392" CreationDate="2017-02-22T04:26:54.887" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Engaging in slander, lies &amp;amp; cruelty is wrong speech in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today, is it very difficult to know what is true or false in politics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, making people laugh often distracts them from the real political issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why the USA is in upheaval at the moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a Republican government promises to help the lower classes from the economic problems created by the Democrat government, this shows how distracted the people have been. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T04:26:54.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19379" CreationDate="2017-02-22T04:54:30.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains the 'doer' of bad actions (kamma) is 'ignorance' ('not-knowing') rather than 'oneself'. When the mind realises an action is bad &amp;amp; hurtful, this is the arising of wisdom &amp;amp; a positive step according to Buddhism. The Dhammapada states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;172. He who having been heedless is heedless no more, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;173. He, who by good deeds covers the evil he has done, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T04:54:30.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19334" CreationDate="2017-02-22T06:41:22.627" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that the Buddha taught in Magadhi, a dialect of the eastern-UP region; however much later his teachings were written down in Pali. The Buddha specifically did not teach in Sanskrit because it was the language associated with the brahmins, the high-caste priests. And it is very important to note that a lot of the Buddha's teachings were a response to brahminical ideology, so he deliberately did not want to teach in Sanskrit. Also, Magadhi was more vernacular than Sanskrit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10862" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T06:41:22.627" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19396" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19398" CreationDate="2017-02-22T06:53:17.260" Score="2" ViewCount="788" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone has the necessary financial resources and is fully dedicated to the Dhamma, would it be possible for them to be ordained as a monk yet live outside of a temple, in a place of their choosing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, on the other hand, if they do not have the necessary financial resources, but rather they live either off of producing goods relating to the Dhamma, or off of the generosity of others, but are still fully dedicated to the Dhamma, could they be ordained and live where they please? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10506" LastEditorUserId="10506" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T07:08:45.517" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T02:26:21.357" Title="Can someone be a monastic in their own home?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|monasticism|dhammas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19396" CreationDate="2017-02-22T09:54:17.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana traditions, there are monastics on their own (in their house, hut, living with their parents and taking care of them, etc). It is not that monks have to give everything away (savings and all) before they take ordination. As a matter of fact, both the FPMT (Tibetan Gelug) and the Kwan Um School of Korean Zen encourage monks and nuns to keep what it takes to live at least 3 or 4 years, because they are not incline to sponsor newly ordained monks. A monk is not supposed to work for a living, but it happens that the teacher encourages someone to do just that. A monk is not supposed to have debts either, but some own a loft that they bought or inherited and did not completely pay yet. A fully ordained one is not supposed to sleep in the same house as laypeople for more that four days, but some live with their parents. These are minor breaches. The most important is to follow your teacher's advises. I know of teachers who encouraged &lt;strong&gt;specific&lt;/strong&gt; students to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, in the Tibetan Gelug tradition, H.H. the Dalaï-Lama encourages newly ordained renounciates (rabjung) and novices (getsül) to stay and study at a monastery for at least 4 years. He also encourages fully ordained monks (gelongs) to stay in a monastery for 5 years after ordination. This is because he does not want unlearned monks to roam free. It makes sense, since monks are representative. He wants monks to be able to answer Dharma questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer is: yes, it is possible, at least in most (if not all) Mahayana traditions, but I suggest you rely on a qualified teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T10:07:58.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T10:07:58.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19399" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-22T10:03:00.280" Score="6" ViewCount="2748" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appeared that most students learning Buddhism will automatically &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19388/how-to-determine-whether-a-10-days-s-n-goenka-vipassana-course-is-safe-for-my-f&quot;&gt;assume&lt;/a&gt; Vipassana Meditation taught by Mr. S. N. Goenka synonymous with Buddhist meditation, methods taught by the Buddha, is it so?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;=====&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remark Added 15/03/2017&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowledgeable Suminda (@Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena) pointed to an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/ancientroots.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; which attempted to establish the &lt;em&gt;&quot;U Ba Khin Vipassana method &lt;strong&gt;told by&lt;/strong&gt; Mr. Goenka&quot;&lt;/em&gt; its connection with Mahayana (of the Chinese Lineage), this should definitely be refuted. Mr. Goenka himself with his entire Insight Movement is completely unrelated to the Mahayanist teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the article Ven. Analayo wisely drew inspiration from the Mahayanist Sutra however, it's uncertain under what circumstance someone provided him an incorrectly translated work: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;念諸息遍身, 亦念息出入, 悉觀身中諸出息入息, 覺知遍至身中乃&#xA;  至足指遍諸毛孔, 如水入沙, 息出覺知從足至髮遍諸毛孔亦, 如水&#xA;  入沙.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Mindfulness [during] all breaths pervades the body, [while] being as&#xA;well mindful of the out- and in-breaths. Completely contemplating the&#xA;inside of the body [during] all out-breaths and in-breaths, awareness&#xA;pervades and reaches inside the body up to the toes and the fingers&#xA;and pervades every pore [on the surface of the body], just like water&#xA;entering sand, aware from the feet to the hair [while] breathing out&#xA;[and in], pervading every pore as well, just like water entering sand.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should read as (translation is mine): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Set the mind to all the breaths be aware of their permeating the whole&#xA;  body (念諸息遍身). Also be mindful of the breath going-out and going-in&#xA;  (亦念息出入). Thoroughly observe all the out-going and in-going breaths&#xA;  inside the body (悉觀身中諸出息入息), be conscious of their permeating from&#xA;  inside the body unto the toes and fingers even pervading all the&#xA;  pores, as if water entering sands (覺知遍至身中乃至足指遍諸毛孔, 如水入沙). [When]&#xA;  breath going-out, be conscious of it from feet unto the hairs&#xA;  pervading all the pores, also as if water entering sands&#xA;  (息出覺知從足至髮遍諸毛孔, 亦如水入沙).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It definitely has nothing to do with Mr. Goenka's &quot;body-scanning&quot; technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here &lt;em&gt;breath&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;息&lt;/em&gt; is not simply the air coming in-out the nose-mouth that we do in breathing. Ānāpānasmṛti (Pali: Ānāpānasati) meditation taught by most of the general media is incorrect. There are at least 3 stages: counting, following, stillness; progressed gradually.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2018-03-20T13:51:27.143" LastActivityDate="2018-03-20T13:51:27.143" Title="Is Mr. S. N. Goenka's Vipassana Meditation a Buddhist tradition?" Tags="|personal-practice|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|sn-goenka|retreat|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19400" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19401" CreationDate="2017-02-22T10:18:08.387" Score="0" ViewCount="684" Body="&lt;p&gt;As studies says 10,000 hours of practice usually makes an expert in your field, be it athletes, musician, doctors, engineers or any profession.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I was wondering &lt;strong&gt;if I start doing 10 days course every month and practice 10 hours of meditation daily, so it will take 8.33 years to complete 10000 hours of meditation&lt;/strong&gt;, which may not enlighten me but for sure it should make me an Expert.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How logical is that because I really want to know myself more, and I know that story of boy asked how much time will it take and master said 10 years and then he said what if i do more hard work he said then it will take 20 years, what is the essence here. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-22T16:21:03.583" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T05:56:13.353" Title="Will 10,000 hours of Vipasanna be enough for Enlightenment?" Tags="|the-buddha|vipassana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19400" CreationDate="2017-02-22T12:45:37.160" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Last part of the Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this&#xA;  way for seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either&#xA;  gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there be any remnant of&#xA;  clinging-sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four frames of&#xA;  reference in this way for six years... five... four... three... two&#xA;  years... one year... seven months... six months... five... four...&#xA;  three... two months... one month... half a month, one of two fruits&#xA;  can be expected for him: either gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there&#xA;  be any remnant of clinging-sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four frames of&#xA;  reference in this way for seven days, one of two fruits can be&#xA;  expected for him: either gnosis right here &amp;amp; now, or — if there be any&#xA;  remnant of clinging-sustenance — non-return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the&#xA;  overcoming of sorrow &amp;amp; lamentation, for the disappearance of pain &amp;amp;&#xA;  distress, for the attainment of the right method, &amp;amp; for the&#xA;  realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of&#xA;  reference.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in&#xA;  the Blessed One's words. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically, depends on the individual!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T12:45:37.160" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19400" CreationDate="2017-02-22T13:34:38.743" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are coming at this from the wrong place.  Enlightenment isn't something that we add to ourselves.  It's best not to approach meditation as another skill to master or the dharma as another field where we might gain expertise.  It really doesn't make sense to count your practice in hours, days, or years.  Buddhism isn't a transaction - it's an offering that can't be measured by any metric.  Ultimately, there is no upper limit to how much we can sacrifice ourselves.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T13:34:38.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19403" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19399" CreationDate="2017-02-22T19:37:02.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Goenka method seems to not be the same method as taught by the Buddha: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The method of the Buddha is based in 'letting go' (&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;), as stated at the end of the Anapanasati Sutta, which states mindfulness &amp;amp; other factors have a quality that results in 'letting go' (&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;). This 'letting go' is most clearly stated in SN 48.9 &amp;amp; SN 48.10, which state the noble disciple reaches jhana (meditative absorption) by making 'letting go' (&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;) the meditation object. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When 'letting go' is properly established, the breathing in &amp;amp; breathing out will become the primary meditation object and will accompany the arising of other primary objects, such as pleasant feelings (&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;), mental states (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; the ultimate truths of the three characteristics &amp;amp; cessation (&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Goenka's primary method is based on body scanning of mental sankharas or stress, which Goenka mistakenly calls 'vedana' or 'sensations'. These 'sensations' are mental formations of stress born from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion rather than 'vedana' ('feelings'). In reality, 'vedana' are pleasant &amp;amp; unpleasant 'feelings' rather than mental formations stored in the physical body. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's method is summarised as the development of samatha-vipassana (tranquility &amp;amp; insight) in tandem (MN 149). The Goenka method seems to not have enough scope for the development of tranquillity &amp;amp; the resultant rapture.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's method aims for the four jhanas, because they are pleasant abidings (with rapture). The Middle-Way of the Buddha is a way of happiness of pleasant feelings from meditation, avoiding sensual pleasures &amp;amp; self-torment. The Goenka method has elements of self-torment, where it focuses in unpleasant or painful feelings (rather than aims for pleasant feelings of jhana). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught meditation in all four postures, namely, sitting, walking, standing &amp;amp; lying down. The Goenka method seems to mostly or only focus on sitting meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-02-22T19:37:02.663" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19405" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19406" CreationDate="2017-02-22T21:15:19.503" Score="4" ViewCount="2140" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently saw &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1378/254&quot;&gt;a post on this website&lt;/a&gt; by Andrei Volkov that discussed the term Kāmesumicchācāra, breaking it down into it's constituent parts and discussing the full meaning of the word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It led to me creating an account here, as I'm interested in having a similar discussion about the 4 other precepts - specifically the words Pāṇātipātā, Adinnādānā, Musāvādā, and Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd be grateful for any insight.  Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10865" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T19:58:07.797" Title="I'm interested in precise piece-by-piece translations of the 5 precepts" Tags="|five-precepts|pali-language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19405" CreationDate="2017-02-23T00:17:15.883" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Five Precepts (pañca-sila)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These basic training rules are observed by all practicing Buddhist lay men and women. The precepts are often recited after reciting the formula for taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pānātipātā: ‘the killing of living beings' can be further broken down into destruction (atipata) of life (pana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  veramani: ‘to refrain from’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sikkhāpadam: ‘the Precept’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  samadiyami: ‘I undertake   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Adinnadana: ‘taking that which is not given’;  adinna+adana includes bribery, burglary, forceful acquisition of property, invasion of somebody else's territory, fraud, theft etc.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  veramani: ‘to refrain from’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sikkhāpadam: ‘the Precept’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  samadiyami: ‘I undertake   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kamesu: ‘sexual’;  micchacara: ‘misconduct’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  veramani: ‘to refrain from’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sikkhāpadam: ‘the Precept’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  samadiyami: ‘I undertake   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Musavada: ‘lying’ (One word); this is similar to....  slandering (pisunavaca), harsh speech (pharusavaca), and frivolous talk (Sampappalaapa)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  veramani: ‘to refrain from’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sikkhāpadam: ‘the Precept’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  samadiyami: ‘I undertake   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness. This is a compound made up from sura + meraya + majja + pamada + thana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suramerayamajja: ‘sura = fermented liquors made with powdery substances, merya = distilled liquors made with nectar / sweet liquid secreted from flowers or plants, majja = intoxicating liquors made by fermenting the above two types (ie. Sure &amp;amp; Meraya)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Pamadatthana: ‘causes heedlessness'; Pamada = delay;  thana = state / condition&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  veramani: ‘to refrain from’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sikkhāpadam: ‘the Precept’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  samadiyami: ‘I undertake   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most important bit of information regarding the five precepts that very few of the Buddhists are aware of is the meaning of these three words … &lt;strong&gt;aarati virati pativirati…  veramani&lt;/strong&gt;. The five precepts as we know and practice is the worldly right view and worldly right conception. The distinction made in the discourse between worldly right view and the right view that is above the world (supre-mundane) is that, in the case of the latter, this means &lt;strong&gt;Complete Abstinence&lt;/strong&gt;, expressed by the use of these three more terms - aarati virati and pativirati. Such abstinence applies to right action and right livelihood as well. An explanation of it is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/323-mahcattrsaka-sutta-the-great-forty.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117 Mahācattārīsaka Sutta - The Great Forty&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who takes the five precepts with an aim of walking the Noble Eightfold Path, towards attaining Path-Fruition aim for the aarati virati pativirati level of abstinence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-02-23T03:04:09.440" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T03:04:09.440" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19379" CreationDate="2017-02-23T02:28:53.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever you have done, what you are feeling guilty about, falls within the realm of human experience. Whatever you have done, has been done before, and will be done again by someone else.  In another culture or at another era of time, you likely would have been praised for doing the same thing. Guilt is always about an action that has occurred in the past, and when you really think about it, is relative, and you are judging yourself. It is a true waste of your present moment, not doing much good at all, if any.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The condition of the human experience, as pointed out by the dharma, there is never anything even close to perfection for anyone, ever. Life is only the way it is, perfect like that. The nature of the dharma can be seen as life is an ongoing learning experience.  Once on the path, you will be faced with wonderful feelings, emotions and experiences, and also with the dreadful ones. You will understand the dharma when you learn to repeat what feels good over time, and stop doing the things that make you feel bad (explore: the eight fold path). You will stop caring whether you get things, or whether you can avoid them, while living morally and lovingly. You will see life flowing to you. You will realize the futility of the self to control much of anything. You will see life as flowing along if you look, the dharma in action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It starts with the awareness that you do have a SELF and also a self. These highs and lows of existence are experienced by the self and observed by the SELF. The self has a job to do, which is to understand the dharma, and become aware of the SELF, which is indestructible and endures. Buddha spelled it all out for us.  It is quite simple really, but you have to have determination, faith, and learn to be still enough for the smoke to clear of human existence, and peacefully your SELF will become recognizable. This is the SELF of all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is slightly complicated by what the Buddha called dependent origination. These are things that still need to be worked out by the self to finally experience the SELF.  Some people call this karma. Your self may be pulled into one direction or another where you will have to live with &quot;guilt&quot; for a time.  But, as dependent origination can hold you back, it can further your recognizing the dharma, and these activities like guilt will seemingly evaporate.  effortlessly. I would slowly contemplate your true SELF and see what happens.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T02:28:53.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19408" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-23T10:07:24.830" Score="0" ViewCount="478" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1503/9846&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; I came to know that the Buddha has spoken about life on other planets; so did he ever explain any method, how to visit those places while doing meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Weirdly I have read this in Hinduism as well: that it's easy to visit another planet using your mind, instead of wasting more time and resources by physical means, but I never find a method to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T01:46:39.193" Title="Did the Buddha tell how to visit another part of universe via meditation?" Tags="|the-buddha|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18012" CreationDate="2017-02-23T10:10:08.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Praying to a Buddhist deity for healing of someone &lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My friend always ask me &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Praying&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; for him but I simply tell him I do not pray or will do ever.&#xA;In the book Buddha and His Dhamma of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. He describe what is praying.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;Praying is a bribe to god  that expecting from devotee and want praise through chants.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;And there is a quote about praying &lt;em&gt;Doing deed toward's someone for thier sake is always better than praying for them&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If someone in trouble or need help praying for them never help them really but If you'll go for them to raise your helping hand will definitely survive them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want healing someone physically or mentally go for them.&#xA;Look after them. There are techniques that Buddha taught us. Meditation is there. Benefits of Buddhism is not about praying but always beyond praying while practicing those techniques. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as you ask for mantra may it is about vajrayana. But never seen someone praying to Buddha or Buddhist deities here in India. Even most of people don't know about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe nursing someone who is sick is always helpful than praying. So I do not pray. &#xA;Hope may it helps you.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T10:10:08.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19408" CreationDate="2017-02-23T10:51:08.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha mentioned many supernatural powers called &lt;em&gt;siddhi&lt;/em&gt; but he did not teach them. He mentions that samadhi is required to developing siddhi but since siddi do not help to end dukkha the Buddha doesn't explain exactly how to develop siddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T10:51:08.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19405" CreationDate="2017-02-23T19:21:21.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1378/254&quot;&gt;Post on his&#xA;website&lt;/a&gt; by Andrei&#xA;Volkov that discussed the term Kāmesumicchācāra, breaking it down into&#xA;it's constituent parts and discussing the full meaning of the word.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read these kinds of discussions often however the Pali suttas seem to only describe '&lt;em&gt;kāmesumicchācāra&lt;/em&gt;' as 'sexual' misconduct, since the only definition of the precept is about sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He is given over to misconduct in sexual desires: he has intercourse with such (women) as are protected by the mother, father, (mother and father), brother, sister, relatives, as have a husband, as entail a penalty, and also with those that are garlanded in token of betrothal&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 41&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, there are suttas for laypeople, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.62&lt;/a&gt;, which discuss: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;the proper season, on the proper occasions, for a householder partaking of sensuality (kāmabhoginā)&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the other precepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st precept: '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/p%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pānā&lt;/a&gt; means 'breath', such as in the term 'Ānāpānasati'. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/atip%C4%81ta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atipāta&lt;/a&gt; = destruction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd precept: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/adinna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;adinn ādāna&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/%C4%81d%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ādāna&lt;/a&gt;' = seizing; grasping. '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/dinna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;adinna&lt;/a&gt;'= not given; not allowed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4th precept: '&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/mus%C4%81%0A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Musā'&lt;/a&gt; means 'falsehood; lie'. Therefore the 4th precept is only about lying or dishonest speech and is not about the harsh, divisive &amp;amp; frivolous speech that are included in the definition of Right Speech in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T19:58:07.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-23T20:08:55.277" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest that you trust yourself to make that decision for each individual you are contemplating the recommendation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have personally taken the course so you have firsthand knowledge of its contents and rigors. The people you are going to be talking with are 'close' by your description so you already know a lot about who they are and should understand (or be able to learn through discussion) approximately where each one is on their personal journey on the path toward Enlightenment - and what help they might need.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With those pieces of knowledge, and the additional understanding of the issues others have had with the course (references you provided in your question), you are in a good position to analyze the issues for each and make that decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those you decide to approach, I would make sure to spend the time informing them not only about the benefits you obtained but also some about the potential negatives that others have had. In this way, they will have all of the information they will need to look within themselves and decide if this is right for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, withholding knowledge of training which you feel could help another would be as bad as blithely recommending it without providing the understanding of the possible difficulties they might encounter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through using your judgement and taking the middle path, I believe you will have done your best to assist all of them on their journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10505" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T20:08:55.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19414" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9482" CreationDate="2017-02-23T21:38:47.787" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that it would be more accurate to say not a &quot;conservative backlash&quot; but rather a &quot;progressive backlash&quot; against watered down pop-buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The simple definition of &quot;hardcore dharma&quot; to my knowledge is that it is dharma that focuses on a sincere and effortful aspiration to develop the skills of generosity, compassion, ethical training, meditative absorption and transformative lasting insight into No-self, in the style originally advocated by the Buddha, but also incorporating whatever modern skilful means necessary, be they from science, psychology, etc. Hence why its not a conservative backlash (but incorporates many of the partial valid truths found in conservative forms of buddhism, when applicable). I think most of the people who oppose the term hardcore dharma would be the conservative buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the term refers refers to a particularly niche but world-wide philosophy of spiritual practice that is emerging, and is particularly linked to the world of neuroscience and the various dharma practitioners who are involved in that field, who are using their scientific training to inform their meditation practice, as well as the emerging-interfaith dialogue about how various practices across all the wisdom traditions share commonalities in their attitudes and techniques on how to transform human consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also worth pointing out that Daniel's claim to Arahatship isn't entirely &quot;self-proclaimed&quot; and he writes about some of his Path attainments being confirmed by some high-Asian teachers (whose names I forget). To be a self-proclaimed Arahat also isn't necessarily entirely a bad thing (The Buddha himself was self-proclaimed as have many other figures, to be self proclaimed is actually to be expected, I think few people become enlightened without realising it...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10872" LastActivityDate="2017-02-23T21:38:47.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9482" CreationDate="2017-02-24T00:06:27.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hardcore Dharma is an branch of American Buddhism, like the self-proclaimed hardcorers in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agAdX05xTHM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; starting at 5:52. Instead of wearing saffron robes, hardcorers dress in black leather.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mZkR7.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mZkR7.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2019-06-22T01:58:29.400" LastActivityDate="2019-06-22T01:58:29.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19416" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-24T00:31:17.120" Score="1" ViewCount="1089" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm just clinging to this notion that the small death (of prthagjanas) is never reversible, and never incomplete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Leaving aside the notion of &quot;karma&quot; and &quot;rebirth&quot; and &quot;continuity&quot;, what does the Pali canon say about &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;death&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T03:12:05.957" Title="What does the Pali canon say about &quot;death&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|karma|rebirth|anatman|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7441" CreationDate="2017-02-24T03:44:16.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am recently extremely interested in Buddhism, I've read the dhammapada, done  alot of thinking and reading about it. However I have not actually done much meditating. My most recent experience in trying or doing meditation was during a moment I was feeling suicidal. I get suicidal thoughts fairly often I think compared to most people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyways, a very short time into it, a part of my mind gave me an incredibly strong thought/order telling me to submit. I 'submitted' (idk how, it's all just mental) and immediately felt much better. Since this experience I have felt more at peace, and so I paradoxically am more empowered. In this case, submission is the cause of dominance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This experience was hardly dualistic in the usual sense. The concepts have now become merged into a whole, or at least, the opposite result followed the opposite action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10874" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T03:44:16.177" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7441" CreationDate="2017-02-24T05:22:53.703" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Letting go','giving up' or 'relinquishing' ('&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/vossagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;') is the core Buddhist practise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion and cessation&#xA;  and ripens in relinquishment (vossagga). &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is like submission to the Nirvana element, which can dissolve mental negativities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, among things conditioned and unconditioned, dispassion is reckoned to be the best of them all...Those who trust in the Dhamma of&#xA;  dispassion have trust in the best; and for those who have trust in the&#xA;  best, the best result will be theirs. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.34&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T05:28:35.640" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T05:28:35.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19400" CreationDate="2017-02-24T05:37:47.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Load Buddha (Maha Bodhisattva) practice 7 years, but failed. He realised that is not the path for purification. So he give up arnapana practice (pranayama meditation). Then he change his practice to Anapanasathi practice, describe as Ariyapariyesana suttha, sathipattana suttha and other suttas in Tripitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="5513" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T05:56:13.353" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T05:56:13.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19422" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-24T08:55:32.637" Score="3" ViewCount="1938" Body="&lt;p&gt;During meditation, how do you let go? I focus on my meditation object but thoughts come in and with them is an attachment to any particular thought. Is this okay, should i just keep my focus on the object and eventually it will float away?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you again my friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-03-02T09:43:32.983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T09:43:32.983" Title="How to let go during meditation?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19423" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19441" CreationDate="2017-02-24T11:15:47.417" Score="2" ViewCount="306" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the path leads to liberation then liberation should be conditioned and impermanent. But nirvana is beyond extremes so the path cannot lead to nirvana. How does it work then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10878" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T06:59:01.793" Title="How is liberation achieved?" Tags="|nirvana|path|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19422" CreationDate="2017-02-24T11:19:17.293" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way you deal with it depends on the type of meditation. But for beginners, whether you cultivate Samata or Vipassana does not make so much difference in that respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is usually advised to beginners to emphasize the application of alertness. Alertness is like a spy: it is a mind that check where you find yourself, how you are doing, whether you still focus on your object and in what way. The more alert you are, the less inattentive you are. When you are not alert at all, you wander without noticing that you are wandering. In other words, it is advised not to try to hold onto the object very tight, but to often check how you are doing. In the beginning, you will lose your object of concentration a great deal, so you will have to realize that you lost your object as often. This is bound to happen. You can not simply set out to stay with your object without loosing it in the beginning, for that would not be realistic. So, your goal as a beginner ought to be something like &quot;I will notice every time I lost my object&quot;, &quot;I will not wander for too long&quot;, &quot;I will not be inattentive and dive into objects mindlessly&quot; rather than &quot;I will hold onto my object so tight I will never ever loose it.&quot; It is a way of saying that on the outset, the cultivation of alertness is more important that that of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are exercises you can engage in, that will show you how &quot;funny&quot; your mind is. Hopefully they will help you find a way to cultivate concentration. For instance, sit for half an hour in a meditation posture, and tell yourself &quot;Whatever happens, wherever my mind goes, it's fine by me. I will not interfere, I will not judge, I will not try to change its course. I will simply step back and observe.&quot; When you do that, your mind behaves surprisingly well. But as soon as you stop observing it, it goes wild. There is an idiom that goes &quot;When the cat's away, the mice will play&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the opposite side, you can try to not think of an elephant for a couple of minutes. Set out to purposely not think of an elephant, for two minutes. Try very hard. The more you purposely try not to think of an elephant, the more you think of it. In fact, once, I received this instruction &quot;not to think of pizza for two minutes&quot;, and I managed quiet well when, instead of setting out to not think of a pizza, I told myself &quot;It's okay if you do. Just observe your mind.&quot; Why? It is because when you do that, you take a step back, you disengage from the external object, you do not dive into it. Whereas when you plan to not think of this or that, you will tend to dive into whatever you are not supposed to think of. It shows you that, if you lost your object of concentration because you were thinking of something else, it will not get better if you are forceful and beat yourself up, and regret loosing your object, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, you mind wanders because it lacks habituation. Actually, it's used to jump from one thing to the next. It's good news: there is nothing that doesn't get easier through training. Another thing is that your mind wanders because you do not see things the way they are. That is why, even if you want to cultivate Samata, it is good to sometimes engage in analytical meditation on death, impermanence, suffering, and so forth. Because this will support your non-attachment, non-anger, etc. Not attached, your mind will wander less. Not angry or frustrated, when you will loose your object, you will not want to be separated from your &quot;failure&quot; so badly that it will hinder your concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T11:19:17.293" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19422" CreationDate="2017-02-24T11:55:21.093" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me, letting go is practised by directly being vigilant of the mind itself (and thus having no intention of observing any other meditation object such as the breath).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path to letting go is practised by being vigilant of the mind itself to ensure it is not grasping at anything, not desiring anything or not judging anything in terms of 'positive' &amp;amp; 'negative'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is well-established in such letting go, stillness &amp;amp; quiet - the breathing by itself may automatically come into that quiet awareness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the breathing automatically comes into awareness, the mind should not grasp at the breathing but continue to maintain itself in the state of non-desiring &amp;amp; letting go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind should always keep itself detached towards the continued awareness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an advanced practise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once can start with soft open eyes &amp;amp; be vigilant of the quiet watchful clear mind at the eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T12:00:46.393" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T12:00:46.393" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-24T13:14:09.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Noble Truths are conditioned because they require the experienced world to be empty of Essence (the Truths would not hold in a world where an independent Self was perceived and directly knowable in the here and now). The path is conditioned as it is an Eightfold Path, requiring right view, right though etc. Nibbana is unconditioned, but when brought within the confines of thought or language it will be conceived as conditioned, because language and thought are conditioned experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A subject's direct knowledge of the cessation of the 'sphere of neither perception nor non-perception', and that there is no thing further beyond that, does not fit into language very well if you wish to use the verb 'to perceive' with regards to what the subject is experiencing! Because this is the point at which all mental fermentations cease (whether perception or non-perception), the mental state is beyond designation, if being reasonable. I would say it is fair to say that it is unconditioned in the here and now of that individual. The process of arrival to it however, must be conditioned on previous meditative states. And because the mind that experiences direct knowledge is still conditioned by the body, there will be an exit from the perception of cessation. So yes, the experience of Nibbana is impermanent (as any and all experiences must be), the knowledge of it however can carry through beyond the experience, and remain 'permanently' with the Arahant until their parinibbana. (That's my thought, but I am still thinking it through to be honest!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhima Nikaya 1&lt;/a&gt; it is stressed that conceiving any thing beyond the direct knowledge of that thing (going beyond impermanence, suffering and non-Self, or not 'treating this as this and that as that' in short) is effectively wrong view. The direct knowledge of Nibbana must therefore be unconditioned, because only conceptual construction brings it down into the forum of the conditioned, and otherwise its 'being' and its 'perception' would not equate, which would be delusion for the subject of the perception. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://aeon.co/essays/the-logic-of-buddhist-philosophy-goes-beyond-simple-truth&lt;/a&gt; is a very interesting article on the logic within the catuskoti that may provide some clearer information too!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T13:55:23.177" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T13:55:23.177" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-24T13:59:04.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta (SN 51.15)&lt;/a&gt; which uses &quot;going to a park&quot; to illustrate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally (and I don't think this is the main point of the sutta) I think that &quot;park&quot; was the same word as used for &quot;monastery&quot;, because in earliest times the monks were in parks rather than monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T13:59:04.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19428" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-24T14:14:51.480" Score="3" ViewCount="1912" Body="&lt;p&gt;What Internet-based Sangha groups are out there?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the Plum Village tradition there is a list on &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumline.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;plumline.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any other lists of online Sanghas you can share?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2019-06-22T15:16:42.770" Title="Online Sangha groups" Tags="|sangha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-24T14:29:16.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In much the same that water is wet regardless of whether you are swimming or standing on the beach, you still have to jump into the ocean to know for certain.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T14:29:16.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19430" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-24T15:09:34.727" Score="3" ViewCount="218" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is a life of begging and poverty well suited to the modern world (21st century capitalism)? Not just the will to give it up, but to not suffer for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aren't Buddhist monks traditionally mendicants?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-25T02:41:33.627" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T01:56:49.087" Title="Mendicants in the 21st century" Tags="|modern-world|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-24T15:20:50.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of nirvana being unconditioned is that nirvana does not arise due to causes and conditions. This is because nirvana is a negative phenomena, since it is the final true cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, we say that the achievement of nirvana is caused by path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the same way, the absence of John in the room is permanent and unconditioned. If John leaving the room caused the absence of John in the room, it would follow that John's absence would start a moment after John left, since a cause and its effect are not simultaneous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T15:20:50.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-24T15:28:29.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because we are in fact, in Nirvana, but we - don't know about it. Thus we are spending all our lives wandering around. The path is that finally one decided not to wander but taking a path one believed that's the right path to go home; going through this path from beginning to end we then be shown that in fact, we are actually all the time already in Nirvana. That's why the path should be abandoned at the end of the path; or sometimes the path is metaphorized as the boat ferrying one to the other side of the ocean. So... &lt;code&gt;How does it work then?&lt;/code&gt; hmmmm... it's working like, a minus minus 1 will be a 1 {-(-1)=1}.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, following Tenzin Dorje's, it's like, &quot;John is not home&quot;. However, to realize the fact for oneself, one must walk (The Path) from where he is back home, open the door, then, &quot;Ooops, John is really not home!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;=====&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;§。&lt;em&gt;Sequel&lt;/em&gt;。§&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By sheer chance, this someone has the Mahayanist mind, thus the story continues:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He looks up the wall the portrait of John The Great staring back at him like Da Vinci's Mona Lisa the enigmatic smile. With disbelief slowing he turns to the mirror on the table, examining his face, &quot;Goshhh... I'm John The Great!&quot; He then once again reaches into his pocket re-took the key out, fondling it in his hand, musing, &quot;Holy crap... all those years since I lost my mind I was wandering around in delusion, believing I'm John Lemon... &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;§§§ 。。。balloons 。popcorns 。sob 。applause 。tears-snots-saliva 。 ...The End 。。。§§§&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-02-25T15:46:39.460" LastActivityDate="2017-02-25T15:46:39.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19430" CreationDate="2017-02-24T16:03:12.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu is literally 'one who lives by alms'. However, it is not the same as a beggar because the laity that provide the alms get something in return - access to the wisdom and insight of the bhikkhu. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.011.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta&lt;/a&gt; gives the Buddha's words to a confrontational Brahmin who refuses to give alms to the Buddha because he does not believe the Buddha 'works for it'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The conditions for surviving on such alms depends on a laity that is interested in learning about the Dhamma (and hence supporting those that strive to gain direct knowledge of it). Really, the world is much more interconnected, there are far more people, and finding some who would be interested in your message would not be that tough imo! Finding a quiet and secluded spot would be more difficult imo! Here's a story I found: &lt;a href=&quot;https://bhikkhucintita.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/alms-round-in-america/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://bhikkhucintita.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/alms-round-in-america/&lt;/a&gt; I guess if the cultural knowledge is not there, it is a matter of educating your laity and getting them into the practice! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T16:12:31.757" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T16:12:31.757" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9482" CreationDate="2017-02-24T21:05:17.837" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having read his book, and with honesty having also reaped great benefits from it, I mainly associate &lt;em&gt;hardcore Dharma&lt;/em&gt; with the words of Daniel M. Ingram (here a link to &lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;his personal website&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His way of teaching may initially seem a bit blunt, but that's just it and if I can recall correctly, Daniel makes it clear he is aware of it and explains the reasons for it in MTCB. As I have probably read or heard somewhere (see for example the playlist &lt;a href=&quot;https://soundcloud.com/buddhistgeeks/sets/pragmaticdharma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pragmatic Dharma&lt;/a&gt; with Daniel Ingram at &lt;a href=&quot;https://soundcloud.com/buddhistgeeks&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Geeks&lt;/a&gt;) his is just an approach at dealing differently, and probably in a more modern way, with buddhist morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying at all to advocate or even criticize the approach of practitioners and authors such as Daniel Ingram, but rather than interpreting &lt;em&gt;hardcore Dharma&lt;/em&gt; teachings as conceited ways of spreading Buddhism, I would define them as teaching methods heavily focused on the &quot;technical&quot; parts, and always eager to spot and correct old Buddhism dogmas. To my own seeing, Daniel's style of following the teachings is more concerned with being critical and skeptical about what is taught than with establishing a mindless tranquility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beside Daniel Ingram's book &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://integrateddaniel.info/book/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, freely available on his website in different formats, you can read more about what he did also on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaoverground.org/home&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharma Overground&lt;/a&gt; (and perhaps even elsewhere, if you have any way of searching on the Web).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5275" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-02-24T21:47:34.503" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T21:47:34.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19428" CreationDate="2017-02-24T21:42:24.590" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Theravada group which is run by monastics at &lt;a href=&quot;http://bhavanasociety.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana Society&lt;/a&gt;. They run the group through Discord, they do group meditations, sutta readings and book study sessions. You can join their Discord server &lt;a href=&quot;https://discord.gg/utz8TkU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also an online meditation group who use google hangouts. They usually do meditations twice every weekday. They aren't affiliated with any Buddhist tradition although there is a monastic who hosts meditations regularly. This is their &lt;a href=&quot;https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RedditationOnline&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;google plus page&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T21:42:24.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19430" CreationDate="2017-02-24T21:48:47.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aren't Buddhist monks traditionally mendicants?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I think that's clear from stories told in the suttas, as well as in the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;what if any differences there are between his advice then, and the ideal now&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that tradition is still followed by Theravada monks (and laity), with results &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13158/254&quot;&gt;including like this&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or this: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.viet.net/anson/ebud/ebdha300.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Food of Kindness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My heart grew bright with compassion. I knew that I was standing there to let my bowl be filled again and again by those who love Truth. Hungry or not, I had every right to receive what they freely gave. I was not abusing that beauty because it was not for me that they filled the bowl.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A corollary is that these monastics can't abide where the lay community won't support them.&#xA;I think that a lay community will sometimes &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1395/254&quot;&gt;invite a monk&lt;/a&gt; to come and establish themselves in a place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, over the centuries some non-Theravada schools of Buddhism have, by necessity, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15343/254&quot;&gt;abandoned alms-going&lt;/a&gt; as a means of support. I suppose that's how stories like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhitales.org/no-work-no-food.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;No Work No Food&lt;/a&gt; come to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This answer might sound idyllic. Sometimes it's a difficult life, for example you might find &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lionsroar.com/laughter-through-the-tears-kosho-uchiyama-roshi-on-life-as-a-zen-beggar/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Laughter Through the Tears: Kosho Uchiyama Roshi on Life as a Zen Beggar&lt;/a&gt; is worth reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely there's also a monograph called &lt;em&gt;The Broken Buddha&lt;/em&gt; which suggests that, sometimes, monks and monasteries are given what could be seen as an over-abundance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Traditionally monks are allowed to receive the &amp;quot;four requisites&amp;quot;, for example food, but not money. That remains true in some schools; but not true in others (hence a story like, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetsugen_Doko&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tetsugen and the Sutras&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monastery might have &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5139/254&quot;&gt;lay people&lt;/a&gt;, who help administer  money associated with a modern monastery (to pay for electricity for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also recommend this paper (it's on-topic to your question): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha095.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Growth and Development of Buddhist Organizations: An Organic Process of Cooperation&lt;/a&gt;. It's written by a Theravada monk, from Sri Lanka, who established a society and monastery in the United States. It details ways in which customs/expectation of lay society were (in around 1985) different in the States than in Malaysia or Sri Lanka, and some experience with asking or not asking for money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may wonder how the Theravada monks can do all these things, because we believe in strictly following the Vinaya. We did these things only to get the temple started, and the rules we broke were only the rules that do not hurt anybody, such as not handling money and not to drive a car. Actually, there was never any rule against driving a car, of course; the Buddha told the monks not to ride animals or be pulled in a cart by animals, out of compassion, because they are living beings. With the modern car, you are the only animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the rules are just tools of etiquette. So among these minor rules, it may be acceptable. These must not be rules which concern our main principles of non-harm, non-greed, and non-hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-24T23:16:12.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5856" CreationDate="2017-02-25T05:04:19.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bare attention, without getting caught up in analyzing thoughts and images seems helpful. I think of it as if I were an auditor for a museum. I've been hired to simply audit the paintings there. I walk through the museum simply counting the paintings. I don't care if they are Rembrandts, Miros, Picassos or Aunt Sally down the street. All I'm interested in is &quot;the painting&quot;, not what it is OF.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The content doesn't interest me at all. Just the painting. Just the thought or image that arises. It could be a painting/image/thought of any thing at all. There is no good/bad in any painting/image/thought. I just move from one to another. Or, I could say, they just move in the mind as clouds move through the sky. I don't try to control them, comment on them, judge them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ah, then comes a thought/image that I react to. I hop on the train, get involved in the thought/image, engage it, ride on the thought train for awhile and then hop off! This almost always happens! When I've jumped off the thought train and am again simply doing bare attention, any judgment I have re &quot;I lost it, I shouldn't have jumped on the train&quot;...that then becomes the focus of awareness. I try to &quot;bare attention&quot; that judgement and....so on!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this is appropriate. If not, let me know. Thanks, Steve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10883" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-25T11:42:26.340" LastActivityDate="2017-02-25T11:42:26.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5856" CreationDate="2017-02-25T18:48:17.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;While vipassana &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.researchgate.net/publication/42975499_Mindfulness_meditation_improves_cognition_evidence_of_brief_mental_training_Consciousness_and_Cognition_An_International_Journal_19_597-605&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;can be beneficial&lt;/a&gt; on its own without any other instruction than how to achieve it and what to look for, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Sayalay_Susila/The-Threefold-Training.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;it is suggested&lt;/a&gt; that one should follow the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt;: (1) develop sila (virtue, morality) in order to effectively practice (2) samadhi (concentrated meditation), in order to effectively practice (3) vipassana (insight, panna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10506" LastEditorUserId="10506" LastEditDate="2017-02-25T20:42:46.063" LastActivityDate="2017-02-25T20:42:46.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-25T19:40:23.613" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can see that you are feeling a bit evangelical after the Goenka Retreat, and you have a great desire to tell others about it. What you are trying to give is a  “Dhamma Dana” is Pali for “The Gift of Dhamma.” It is the best gift you can give, this gift of Dhamma. So to your question:&lt;br&gt;&#xA; &lt;strong&gt;What approach should be taken to encourage someone to go on a course?&lt;/strong&gt;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The short answer is…  there is a right time and a place for it, and you will have ‘to let go’ of this desire to tell others about it. When we feel enthusiastic we begin to impose our enthusiasms on other people. But when it come to this Ten Day Goenka Meditation, you may have to let go of your desire to influence others UNTIL the right time comes. Then it happens naturally rather than as an aggressive action. There is a level of readiness that comes in stages. There is the Pre-contemplation stage, then the Contemplation stage. Then in the Preparation stage, one has to read about Goenka and the Program &amp;amp; get to know of it beforehand. Then only would come the Action – “The time is Now” moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-03T23:46:54.947" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T23:46:54.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-25T20:20:40.417" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The eightfold path is said to be conditioned, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To whatever extent there are phenomena that are conditioned, the noble eightfold path is declared the foremost among them&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.34&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as Nirvana is said to be unconditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is, bhikkhus, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. If, bhikkhus, there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-conditioned, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned. But since there is a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned, therefore an escape is discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.03.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ud 8.3&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is plainly obvious is the liberation of an arahant (from suffering) is permanent (until the ending of the life of the arahant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tassata sā vimutti sacce ṭhitā akuppā hoti.Tañhi, bhikkhu, musā yaṃ mosadhammaṃmosa taṃ saccaṃ yaṃ amosadhammaṃ nibbānaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;His release&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;(liberation)&lt;/strong&gt;, being founded on truth, &lt;strong&gt;does not fluctuate&lt;/strong&gt;, for whatever is deceptive is false; Nirvana — the undeceptive — is true.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, liberation (from suffering) must be unconditioned, just as Nirvana is unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the eightfold path does not create or condition Nirvana. Instead, the eightfold only removes the obscurations to Nirvana (which was always there but unknown due to obscurations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves &amp;amp; ponds, walled, delightful.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of... cessation...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nagara Sutta: The City&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-02-25T20:34:43.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19430" CreationDate="2017-02-26T01:56:49.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aren't Buddhist monks traditionally mendicants?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it was so in the past. It is so in the Theravada Tradition in the present, and it will be so in the future as long as the true dhamma is alive. The scriptures itself describe that way of life as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”A monk is content with his robes to protect his body and alms food to sustain his life; whenever he goes out he sets out taking only his requisites along with him. Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; in the same way a bhikkhu is content with robes to protect his body and alms food to satisfy his belly.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the recent past when Ajahn Sumedho asked Ajahn Chah’s permission and blessings to establish a ‘Vihara’ in London, England, UK., he emphasized that the bhikkhus should go out into the streets on a daily alms-round – to keep the bhikkhus tuned in to the principle of alms-mendicancy. (What no one expected was that this would result in the sangha being offered a sizeable tract of woodland in West Success – as a result of a chance encounter with a jogger crossing Hampstead Heath in 1978).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any difference in principle between then and now?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not so for the true disciples of the Supreme Buddha who walk this Noble Path. For them it is a form of giving for those fortunate few laypeople who will get this rare opportunity to give alms to the Sangha. The scriptures (The Dakkhinavibhanga Sutta) state that alms given to recluses who follow the Noble Eightfold Path yield great results just as seeds sown on fertile, well-prepared, well-watered fields produce abundant crops. The sutta gives a list of persons to whom alms can be offered and the merit accruing therefrom in ascending order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A thing given to an animal brings a reward a hundredfold. A gift given to an ordinary person of poor moral habit yields a reward a thousandfold; a gift given to a virtuous person yields a reward a hundred thousandfold. When a gift is given to a person outside the dispensation of Buddhism who is without attachment to sense pleasures, the yield is a hundred thousandfold of crores.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When alms food is given to one on the path to stream-entry the yield is incalculable and immeasurable. So what can be said of a gift given to a stream-enterer, a once-returner, or a non-returner? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T01:56:49.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19443" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-26T02:22:48.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This Path is a process where the practitioner goes from the Conditioned to the Unconditioned. Stream Entry represents the point at which the gravitational pull of the 'Unconditioned' exerts a greater force than that of the 'Conditioned'. A Stream Entrant's practice is likely to be less affected by the conditions around them; this would depend upon an individual's propensities so, for example, someone who had a tendency to over-indulgence in food may become less bound by that desire even when delicious food is around, or someone who always became angry when contradicted may find it easier to hold their temper in check under that condition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What follows after Stream Entry isn't merely the tidying up of a few loose ends, but rather undertaking the complete and radical overhaul of our ethical lives, of body, speech and mind, to the point of perfection. When viewed in this way, the attainment of Stream Entry begins to look like the beginning of the principal task of the spiritual life. The Once-Returner is no longer dominated by hatred or craving, that there are no longer any times in their lives when they are overwhelmed by such unskillful emotions. These emotions may arise occasionally in a weakened form, and only in the midst of awareness – they don't dominate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to the next level, in addition to having broken the first three fetters and possessing an unshakeable faith in the Three Jewels, the Non-Returner has attained complete ethical purity. It's not that they don't conceal their unskilfulness, they just don't have any, whether of body, speech or mind. They are almost flawlessly motivated by generosity, love and wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last five fetters remain of course, but these are exceptionally subtle in comparison to what has been broken in the fourth and fifth fetters. Also, because Non-Returners are not subject to any hindrances, the Eight Jhānas are readily accessible to them. There are examples of both monastic and lay Non-Returners in the Canon. There is the figure of Gatikāra the Potter, for example, who remains in the household life to care for his ageing parents, but he is an extraordinarily holy man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is the example in the householder Ugga of Vesālī (Anguttara Nikāya VIII,21) who had four young wives before he attained the state of Non-Returner, at which point he told them he could no longer remain their husband. So he asked them to choose between remaining in his house and “doing good deeds”, returning to their former families, or marrying another man of their choice. When his first wife said she wished to take another husband he gave her to the man she indicated, reporting that on doing so he felt no change of composure in his heart. This seems to imply that, although he had attained ethical perfection and equanimity on becoming a Non-Returner, prior to that, as a Once-Returner, he had still experienced craving and thus fell short of the highest ethical standards. This shows that going from the Conditioned to the Unconditioned is a process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T02:22:48.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19422" CreationDate="2017-02-26T03:49:19.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;DeusIIXII, I believe that as long as your intentions are honorable, based on serious desire and morality, you will be guided from within as to what to do next. There is no rush, you have all eternity to work this out. Time is not measured by revolutions by the earth around the sun, but time is a concept and doesn't really exist.  We have all eternity to realize we are more than a human, experiencing this dream-state-reality. Our limited mind cannot grasp that this experience is both a dream and reality.  But we can intuit it by using: trust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your internal response to the answers posted here, or anywhere are from your own internal guide. You will discriminate and decide, only limited by your sincerity as to what is right and wrong for you at your stage of development. Trust and love your internal guide.  It's the only way to &quot;let go&quot; as you are seeking.  Concepts and thoughts remain as only finer objects.  A brick in your hand or a thought in your mind are of the same substance; both objects. You are much greater than all of this.  Just let go into meditation with the trust that this is the true reality.  Anything else is an object and has no permanence, or importance, as it will all end in nothingness in the end. You will intuit through your heart the realization of the endurance of your true self. Eventually, you will see this dream-life, that is real, and is only the passing show. Have no fear is so important. Learn the meaning of Dharma. Trust.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T03:49:19.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19445" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19449" CreationDate="2017-02-26T03:55:46.367" Score="3" ViewCount="315" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said that generosity is essential for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O monks, if people knew, as I know, the results of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would they allow the stain of stinginess to obsess them and take root in their minds. Even if it were their last morsel, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared it, if there were someone to share it with. But, monks, as people do not know, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they eat without having given, and the stain of stinginess obsesses them and takes root in their minds.”&#xA;  – Itivuttaka 26: 18-19 (tr. Ven. Bodhi)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take an example . If there is a material object that I want to donate , and it will be used for a very good cause. However , I really like this material object and I feel I might want it ( definitely don't need it for my survival or anything like that) . The thought of giving this object does not make me happy. If I force myself and give up this object , will my giving (generosity) be unwholesome? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10772" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-26T04:53:42.660" LastActivityDate="2020-03-31T12:12:28.510" Title="Generosity in Buddhism - When does giving become unwholesome?" Tags="|sila|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19422" CreationDate="2017-02-26T04:02:34.400" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a simple answer to your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I do in order to let go of a thought is to recognize it as a thought and then simply think, &quot;Let it go,&quot; with all of my conscious effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this in an actual way, feel it, and then notice whatever my thoughts are going on about fall away as the result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I think something like, &quot;Become one with the breath,&quot; or, &quot;Become the breath,&quot; with all of my conscious effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am no expert, but this seems to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10506" LastEditorUserId="10506" LastEditDate="2017-02-26T05:12:38.713" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T05:12:38.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19445" CreationDate="2017-02-26T07:33:56.230" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The major definition of generosity I believe as Gawtama Buddha said was &quot;Willing to give&quot; ,not &quot;try to give&quot;.&#xA;It comes from combination of not stacking mind on objects as that you own them and sympathy on others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10886" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T07:33:56.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19445" CreationDate="2017-02-26T07:34:55.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When does giving become unwholesome?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When donation is helpful it wouldn't be unwholesome but, Buddha teaches true sacrifice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I really like this material object and I feel I might want it (definitely don't need it for my survival or anything like that).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was once asked: “Who is the richest man in the world?” Buddha replied: “He who has much satisfaction (with what he has) is the richest man.” To the question, “Who is the poorest man?” Buddha replied: “He who has many desires.”&#xA;A Maharaja, who was listening to Buddha’s sermons on contentment and renunciation, wished to earn the approbation of Buddha.&#xA;Buddha used to keep with him always a rattle-drum. His disciples once asked him: “Master! Why are you always keeping this rattle-drum by your side?” Buddha replied: “I shall play on this drum the day a person who has made the greatest sacrifice approaches me.” Everyone was eager to know who this person would be. Such persons are often the forgotten men of history.&#xA;Wishing to attain this distinction, &lt;strong&gt;a Maharaja loaded his elephants with considerable treasure and went to Buddha. He hoped to offer the treasure to Buddha and earn his praise.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;On the way, an old woman greeted the Maharaja and pleaded: “I am hungry. Will you give me some food?” The Maharaja took out a pomegranate fruit from his palanquin and gave it to the old woman. The old woman came to Buddha with the fruit.&#xA;By then, the Maharaja had also come to Buddha and was eagerly waiting to see when Buddha would sound the rattle-drum. For a long time Buddha did not use it. The Maharaja stayed on.&#xA;The old woman approached Buddha staggering on her legs, and offered him the pomegranate fruit. &lt;strong&gt;Buddha took it immediately and sounded the little drum.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The Maharaja asked Buddha: &lt;strong&gt;“I offered so much wealth to you. You did not sound the drum. But you rattled it after receiving a small fruit. Is this a great sacrifice?”&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha replied: “Maharaja! In sacrifice, it is not quantity that counts. It is the quality of sacrifice that matters. It is natural for a Maharaja to offer gold. But what great sacrifice is made when a hungry old women offers the pomegranate fruit to the Guru(teacher) despite her hunger. She did not care even for her life and gave the fruit. What greater sacrifice can there be? It is not sacrifice to offer what is superfluous for you. True sacrifice means giving up that which is most dear to you, that which you value most.”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you have to donate you must be give it either you need it or not,&#xA;just like an old lady who despite her hunger for one dearest. That's would be great sacrifice. When Maharaja offer just snippet of his treasure for Buddha. But old lady gave that half fruit without caring her hunger. Maharaja don't need his remaining treasure as you said &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I really like this material object and I feel I might want it (definitely don't need it for my survival or anything like that).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; at the end he became disciple and truly sacrifice his hunger.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T07:34:55.637" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19445" CreationDate="2017-02-26T10:33:34.313" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome actions are those which are based on the three poisons: greed, anger and delusion. When giving is wholesome it is an act of renunciation and it reduces the three poisons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Giving becomes unwholesome if it is based on the three poisons. Perhaps you want to be famous for giving money so you are willing to give all your cash to charity; in this case you would effectively be buying fame and it is fueled by greed. This kind of giving is like a trade, you still want money but you've decided that fame is worth more; this type of giving is not renunciation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can come up with similar examples where the act of giving increases anger or the delusion of self-view, they would all be unwholesome giving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T10:33:34.313" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19371" CreationDate="2017-02-26T18:44:20.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many sutras which claim that it is merit to copy them. So, even if you did not own the copy of the sutra I would think it was okay to copy it. The problem arises when deciding what to do with that copy. Copyright is a modern concept used to protect commerce. To avoid breaking the law you should own a copy. But, I think the original meritorious idea was to spread the teaching of the sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Spreading the dharma is not always without cost. The dharma is free, but the media may not be without cost. You also have the issue of the clergy&#xA;charging money in place of accepting donations. Donations is acceptable in the right place and time, but some societies are not accustomed to that practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8586" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T18:44:20.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19416" CreationDate="2017-02-26T19:32:37.513" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Death is about leaving a physical body, and continued to the another process of transformation according to your doings by the whole lives as you lived in after you existed in this repeating worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This phenomenon takes &lt;strong&gt;2 things&lt;/strong&gt; to another transformation &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1 - Your doings on good or bad (fate)&lt;br/&gt;&#xA;2 - sticky or holdings of your mind (such as hobby,habitat,interests,achievements)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) is cleared. &lt;br/&gt;&#xA;(2) to explain briefly, eg. everybody can speak native speaking without trying hard, this is a stack from your last lives. And you will have a skillful on something without trying hard or even not trying as the other are affording on it. Like feeling you auto understanding on it, you will see 2nd step of facts while learning on 1st step on something.&#xA;Why, because you already achieved and learned on those things. Much achievements can bring more powerful of mind success on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death brings 2 of those things to your new life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But according to Pali Pidagat, it cannot be assumed as bringing them to new life. There is no bringing in buddhism nature, all factors are appearing as new.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a flame on a candle, water from the stream , the flame now burning on you watching is not the same as 3 sec ago flame. and the water too, not the same as you touch on second time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like that, there will also be a change ,if how much you can take from the last lives. Eg, how much you are proficient at education on before this life, if you are not trying in this life, you will fail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha theories are very complicated and never get perfect on it.&#xA;There is numerous factors that can cause dynamic fate on death. But I think it should enough about death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. My answer will not contain details about death, dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10886" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T19:32:37.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19445" CreationDate="2017-02-26T19:37:22.900" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This question presents two issues that must be decoupled and the hidden (second) question must be addressed first.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;However , I really like this material object and I feel I might want it ( definitely don't need it for my survival or anything like that) . The thought of giving this object does not make me happy.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While veiled in introspection, the main (generosity) question is consumed in a cloud of questionable morality and, more importantly, indicates diminished  sammā-ditthi (right view).  More simply, this is a question about generosity that conceals a more desperate question about clinging and attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To the question surrounding the object:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path begins with &lt;em&gt;samma ditthi&lt;/em&gt; (right view). In the Noble Eightfold Path, &lt;em&gt;samma ditthi&lt;/em&gt; (right view) is defined as knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. The complete definition is the knowledge of suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkhe nanam&lt;/em&gt;), the cause of suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha samudaye nanam&lt;/em&gt;), the cessation of suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha nirodhe nanam&lt;/em&gt;) and knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha nirodha gamini patipadaya nanam&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your hidden question concerns craving to sensual pleasure(s) and is the tip of the (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) spear.  Clinging and craving are introduced to us in the Nidanasamyutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is clinging/sustenance? These four are clingings: sensuality&#xA;  clinging, view clinging, precept &amp;amp; practice clinging, and doctrine of&#xA;  self clinging. This is called clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is craving? These six are classes of craving: craving for&#xA;  forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes,&#xA;  craving for tactile sensations, craving for ideas. This is called&#xA;  craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Ref: &quot;Nidanasamyutta&quot; [&quot;Connected Discourses on Causation&quot;, SN 12] - see Bodhi, 2000b, p. 535 or online at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The metaphorical spear itself is dhukka. Samma ditthi (right view) is at the very core of the Buddha's philosophy.  Your hidden question obfuscates understanding of causation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Views are not without complexity. In &quot;The Philosophy of Desire in the Buddhist Pali Canon&quot;, David Webster suggests, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is so wrong with the holding of opinions? It may well relate to&#xA;  the consequences of their possession, in the context of the manner in&#xA;  which they are held.&quot; &quot;For example, in the Mahaparinibbana sutta, the&#xA;  Buddha tells the monks of views leading toward nibbana, that they&#xA;  should be: &lt;em&gt;yayam ditthi ariya niyyanika&lt;/em&gt; - 'continuing in the noble&#xA;  view that leads to liberation'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a distinction throughout Canonical texts (e.g. at M.III.73) between the status (rightness or wrongness) of views. The explorer is left to determine from context whether to uplift or condemn a view. However, it seems clear; if a view is connected with one of the four manifestations of Upadana (clinging or grasping), then such a view is worthy of condemnation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the thrust of this answer rests in the tainted shadow cast upon alms or generosity. Though, not entirely without potential for merit (see below), I believe greater iterative, honesty is suggested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In retaining possession of a sense object, are you liberated?  In relinquishing possession of a sense object are you liberated? Is it the sense object itself that is the source of the suffering; or is the suffering within you?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to confront and/or abandon the clinging to the sense object. The path of liberation is illuminated in the Culasihanada Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now these four kinds of clinging have what as their source, what as&#xA;  their origin, from what are they born and produced? These four kinds&#xA;  of clinging have craving as their source, craving as their origin,&#xA;  they are born and produced from craving.[&lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt;] Craving has what as its&#xA;  source...? Craving has feeling as its source... Feeling has what as&#xA;  its source...? Feeling has contact as its source... Contact has what&#xA;  as its source...? Contact has the sixfold base as its source... The&#xA;  sixfold base has what as its source...? The sixfold base has&#xA;  mentality-materiality as its source... Mentality-materiality has what&#xA;  as its source...? Mentality-materiality has consciousness as its&#xA;  source... Consciousness has what as its source...? Consciousness has&#xA;  formations as its source... Formations have what as their source...?&#xA;  Formations have ignorance as their source, ignorance as their origin;&#xA;  they are born and produced from ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, when ignorance is abandoned and true knowledge has arisen&#xA;  in a bhikkhu, then with the fading away of ignorance and the arising&#xA;  of true knowledge he no longer clings to sensual pleasures, no longer&#xA;  clings to views, no longer clings to rules and observances, no longer&#xA;  clings to a doctrine of self.[&lt;strong&gt;b&lt;/strong&gt;] When he does not cling, he is not&#xA;  agitated. When he is not agitated, he personally attains Nibbana.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Ref: &quot;Culasihanada Sutta&quot; [&quot;Shorter Discourse on the Lion's Roar&quot;, MN 11] - see Nanamoli &amp;amp; Bodhi, 2001, p. 161 or online at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.011.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.011.ntbb.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To the question of generosity:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahasi Sayadaw, the Bhara Sutta (The Burden of the Five Aggregates), of alms and generosity,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are four kinds of such purity, as follows: (a) When a person&#xA;  practicing morality gives alms to one not practicing it, the giver&#xA;  earns merit. The gift is pure. (b) When a person not practicing&#xA;  morality gives alms to one practices it, the gift remains pure from&#xA;  the point of view of the recipient. The giver, therefore, earns merit&#xA;  all the same; and the merit is all the more great. (c) When both the&#xA;  giver and the recipient of the gift are immoral, the gift is impure;&#xA;  and the act of giving is to no avail. Even when the giver shares his&#xA;  merits to the &lt;em&gt;petas&lt;/em&gt; [&lt;strong&gt;c&lt;/strong&gt;], the latter cannot receive them and will&#xA;  not be released from the world of &lt;em&gt;petas&lt;/em&gt;. (d) When both the giver and&#xA;  the recipient of gifts are pure in morality, the gifts will also be&#xA;  pure, and merits accruing from such giving will earn the highest&#xA;  merit.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Two closing thoughts:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity with an expectation/anticipation of merit is a&#xA;view worthy of challenge.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generosity bereft of willingness is an empty act for the giver and a potential source of suffering for the receiver.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Footnotes:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;a&lt;/strong&gt; This passage is explained in order to show how clinging is to be abandoned. Clinging is traced back, via the chain of dependent arising, to its root-cause in ignorance, and then the destruction of ignorance is shown to be the means to eradicate clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;b&lt;/strong&gt; The Pali idiom, &lt;em&gt;n'eva kamupadanam upadiyati&lt;/em&gt;, would have to be rendered literally as &quot;he does not cling to the clinging to sense pleasures,&quot; which may obscure the sense more than it illuminates it. The word upadana in Pali is the object of its own verb form, while &quot;clinging&quot; in English is not. The easiest solution is to translate directly in accordance with the sense rather than to try to reproduce the idiom in translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;c&lt;/strong&gt; peta [Skt. preta]:&#xA;A &quot;hungry shade&quot; or &quot;hungry ghost&quot; — one of a class of beings in the lower realms, sometimes capable of appearing to human beings. The petas are often depicted in Buddhist art as starving beings with pinhole-sized mouths through which they can never pass enough food to ease their hunger. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3693" LastEditorUserId="3693" LastEditDate="2017-02-26T19:45:05.640" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T19:45:05.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-26T21:55:46.657" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What approach should be taken while deciding whether to go on a course or not, or whether to encourage someone to go on a course?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the first question, to go or not to go is a personal decision. Some may find little investigation in advance is necessary while others may need or desire awareness sufficient to overcome fears, uncertainty, or doubt. Others still may simply need enough facts to weigh cost/benefit or risk/reward. These value judgments are ultimately the responsibility of the interested person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may share your experience, strength, and hope with those that welcome such. After which, your duty is exhausted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also share your fears, uncertainty, and doubt with others, &lt;em&gt;if such is welcomed&lt;/em&gt;. However, ultimately the choice to act or not to act is upon them. And subsequently, their experience is their experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To all those for whom you are not a teacher (that have not inquired or welcomed your guidance), you are imposing your values upon them. Such an act is proselytizing and the subject to an entirely different question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To the title question...&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to determine whether a 10 days S.N. Goenka Vipassana course is&#xA;  safe for my friend or relative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beyond sharing your own experience, strength, and hope... the duty is upon your friend or relative to determine safety. Without being pedantic, safety in this context is ill-defined. Appropriateness is probably a better word and still the burden is upon them -- not you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That the experiences of others is not aligned with your experience and your desire to confront those differences is a teaching moment for you.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the nature of the craving you feel to reconcile the differences in experience? Is such a craving rooted in the safety of your family or friends... or in yourself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your best service to others is to deeply internalize good practice, model good practice, be good practice. You can only live your life. Channel the passion and enthusiasm you have discovered into enhancing the integrity of your practice and step away from the desire, clinging, and attachment you have toward the practice of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3693" LastActivityDate="2017-02-26T21:55:46.657" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19392" CreationDate="2017-02-27T00:21:53.527" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. The answer to this question can be found in Talaputa Sutta: To Talaputa the Actor (SN 42.2).  The Blessed One said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying,&#xA;  'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply&#xA;  answer you. Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with,&#xA;  who are bound by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on&#xA;  things inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst&#xA;  of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin&#xA;  with, who are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more&#xA;  aversion on things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage&#xA;  in the midst of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of delusion&#xA;  to begin with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even&#xA;  more delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on&#xA;  stage in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated&#xA;  &amp;amp; heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp;amp; heedless — with the&#xA;  breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell&#xA;  of laughter. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When an actor on&#xA;  the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh &amp;amp; gives them&#xA;  delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the&#xA;  body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas,'&#xA;  that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person&#xA;  with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ref: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3693" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T00:21:53.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19392" CreationDate="2017-02-27T01:13:38.007" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess it may be classified as &quot;lowly talk&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Several suttas say &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;something like this&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these — talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past and future], the creation of the world and of the sea, and talk of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess that talk which is &quot;busy making fun of Donald Trump&quot; is the same as &quot;talking about kings&quot; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that would be considered &quot;lowly talk&quot;, for monks: and I don't see why it would be better, for lay-people. Well, being politically active might be part of a lay-person's social responsibility: but if that is your intention you might find better ways to do that than by watching or producing mockery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Would this count as good Karma -- to make people laugh?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A talk show &quot;making fun of&quot; is mockery, I suppose, or taunting, ridicule (and a war of words).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about karma but I suspect that, instead, exhorting people to virtue, telling them things that are to their long-term benefit, might be considered as good karma (or better karma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;compassion and dispassion&lt;/a&gt; tend to be praised. If the talk show's mockery is of a sort which incites &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hatred rather than loving-kindness&lt;/a&gt; then I suppose it's rather less praise-worthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not even sure it's usually good to watch television at all. I suppose it's a kind of activity that's often contrary to the seventh precept (see also Wermske's answer). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of &quot;talk of kings&quot; the suttas contain recommendation &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.009.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why should you not do this? Such talk, monks, is not related to the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, does not conduce to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment or to Nibbana. When you have discussions, monks, you should discuss Suffering, the Arising of Suffering, its Cessation, and the Path that leads to its Cessation. Why is that? Because such talk is related to the goal... it conduces to disenchantment... to Nibbana. This is the task you must accomplish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;like this&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, there are these ten grounds for praise. Which ten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk himself is modest and instigates talk&#xA;  on modesty among the monks. The fact that he is modest and instigates&#xA;  talk on modesty among the monks is grounds for praise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is contented and instigates talk on contentment among the&#xA;  monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is secluded and instigates talk on seclusion among the&#xA;  monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is non-entangled and instigates talk on non-entanglement&#xA;  among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself has his persistence aroused and instigates talk on&#xA;  arousing persistence among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is consummate in virtue and instigates talk on being&#xA;  consummate in virtue among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is consummate in concentration and instigates talk on&#xA;  being consummate in concentration among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is consummate in discernment and instigates talk on being&#xA;  consummate in discernment among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is consummate in release and instigates talk on being&#xA;  consummate in release among the monks...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He himself is consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release and&#xA;  instigates talk on being consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; vision of release&#xA;  among the monks. The fact that he is consummate in knowledge &amp;amp; vision&#xA;  of release and instigates talk on being consummate in knowledge &amp;amp;&#xA;  vision of release among the monks is grounds for praise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the ten grounds for praise.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-02-27T01:41:34.320" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T01:41:34.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19423" CreationDate="2017-02-27T06:42:04.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;If the path leads to liberation then liberation should be conditioned and impermanent. But nirvana is beyond extremes so the path cannot lead to nirvana. How does it work then?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the fundamental difference between Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As noted, that due to dependent origination, all changes are impermanent, hence there is no permanent cessation or attainments of any kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Heart Sutra stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, no way, and  no&#xA;  understanding and no attaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without it seeming like some kind of crazy wisdom what it is saying is:&#xA;Suffering is ultimately impermanent.&#xA;Accumulation is ultimately impermanent.&#xA;Cessation is ultimately impermanent.&#xA;The Noble Eightfold Path is ultimately impermanent.&#xA;Wisdom is ultimately impermanent.&#xA;Attainments are ultimately impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana as cessation is relative to existence of suffering. The end of suffering is itself Nirvana. Both of them are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the clarity of the Prajna Paramita which will cut through any metaphysical claims of Nibanna being a magical unconditioned deathless dimension, a birthless state of no further fabrications etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Nirvana is permanent, the Buddha and his Arahants would never have to meditate ever again. Yet in all the scriptures they are seen to practice constantly even after the attainment of Arahantships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why during the Early Buddhist Schisms, a big point of debate was made over whether Arahants could regress. Yes theoretically they could certainly regress if they stop all their Dharma practice. However, knowing this, a real Arahant with Superior Right view would never stop practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. And hence can end suffering indefinitely (but not permanently).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also why Mahayana move away from the four discrete stages of Enlightenments (Stream Entry, Once Returner, Non Returner, Arahantship) to one of continuous practice - a Bodhisattva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you pay attention to the description of the four stages of enlightenment, you will realize they describe the Threefold factor of the Eightfold Noble Path, namely Ethics, Concentration and Wisdom. Hence a stream enterer is one who has attained Right View and Right Intention to practice the Noble Eightfold Path. A once returner is one who has cultivated his ethics. A non returner is one who is accomplished in meditative concentration able to hold off lustful cravings indefinitely. And an Arahant is one who attained Superior Right View and Superior Right Intention with understanding of the causes and conditionality that gave rise to the afflictions in the first place and end them, attaining the end of suffering Nirvana. You can see similar descriptions of the Ten Oxherding pictures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And he passes far beyond all confused imagination and reaches Ultimate&#xA;  Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course the catch is that every step along the way is conditional and indeed reversible. There is no sabhava or permanent nature to any of these states. Hence no one could truly be said to have attained anything. This is why things are said to be Non-Dual in Mahayana, it is not that ignorance and wisdom are the same, but that they are both impermanent and cannot be permanently separated from each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;no  ignorance or ending of ignorance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if everything is impermanent why practice Buddhism at all. Because it is useful! A person who does not practice will suffer indefinitely because of the cause and contions for mental afflictions are there. The Dharma is still a very useful medicine to treat your mental afflictions! A table is very much impermanent and having no essential 'table nature', but it is still very useful to put your things on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2017-02-27T06:59:01.793" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T06:59:01.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-27T11:30:29.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all congratulations for having a good meditation experience, seeing the Dharma of ending suffering isn't easy to come by.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is one of the reason why Right Concentration is the very last on the Eightfold Noble Path. Without the other supporting factors, meditation isn't going be very effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had some experience with meditation retreats as well as monastic retreats as a novice monk, and generally the first thing we will come across during the meditation is sheer mental suffering from the withdrawal of all the pleasures we used to cope - burying our mental afflictions with them. Whether it's social media, gaming, drinking or sex. If your friends and family were expecting it to be peaceful and pleasant, they might be in for a nasty surprise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Worse still, if they have been violating the Precepts and not acting ethically through their words and deeds, it's likely to come up to haunt them. This might not necessarily be a bad thing from a self realization perspective. But they might have to get past some nasty experiences. I heard stories about butchers and murderers coming face to face with the realization of the harm they have done to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, due to the sensory deprivations, the mind can start to hallucinate by fabricating its own sensory experiences, if we had the wrong view and wrong intentions, we could start deluding ourselves, or start having some terrifying hallucination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of meditation is to calm the mind enough so that we could start letting go of the afflictions. If we aren't sure what we are doing, we could be just sitting there hating every minute of it and fabricating more afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is necessary in the Buddhist path to create sufficient merits, practice good ethics in our life, be mindful of our thoughts, words and actions, and work hard at it before meditation will be effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Successfully passing through the suffering do lead you to happy blissful, peaceful and clear meditative states known as the Jhanas though! Well done!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T11:30:29.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19461" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-27T21:29:42.743" Score="5" ViewCount="109" Body="&lt;p&gt;During meditation I focus on breath and when mind wanders I bring it gently back to breath. I have been doing this for 6 years. Most of the time there is this continuous noise. It's a mishmash of words, sounds, visuals going on. I do catch the thoughts quite early before too much proliferation most of the time but it's never ending and not long before its off again.  Sometimes I notice that I enter a more calm state where the mind doesn't seem to wander as much and it feels nice, kind of relieving. I'm not sure what I should do once I get there?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I sort of just watch and note things.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sometimes usually towards the end of the hour(I have a timer), I start to get this really awful feeling like a mixture of restlessness, impatience, boredom, and anticipation. I just want it to end so badly. I am very tempted to open my eyes when I feel this as its so uncomfortable. &#xA;I'd basically just like a little guidance. Does this all sound right what I'm doing? How do I move into insight practice?   I'm unsure &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T01:18:52.163" Title="Insight guidance" Tags="|insight|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-02-27T21:35:02.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think they are safe for anyone. It's a very ascetic style of retreat and in my opinion not healthy for body or mind. I know someone who was dragged from the room kicking and screaming. Its not good for the lay person to sit there for ten hours at a time. The body does not cope. Combine that with sleep deprivation because of crowded dorm style accommodation and also having to listen to the grating voice of goenka ad nauseam on the videos they use. It's enough to drive anyone over the edge. There are many more much gentler, less strict forms of meditation and retreats so I'm unsure why anyone would put themselves through that torture. Doesn't seem very kind or compassionate to me.   You could suggest to your friend to look into doing an insight retreat in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. The sitting is combined with walking. It's much better and they have actual teachers guiding and not just a video like at Goenka so you can communicate and ask questions about your practice. I love them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastEditorUserId="10762" LastEditDate="2017-02-27T21:42:10.077" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T21:42:10.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19392" CreationDate="2017-02-27T22:26:17.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;[AN 5.198] Right speech is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spoken at the right time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spoken in truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spoken affectionately&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spoken beneficially&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Spoken with a mind of good-will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be a bit subjective, but I don't think talk-show mockery is right speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4749" LastActivityDate="2017-02-27T22:26:17.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19464" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-27T22:34:54.280" Score="3" ViewCount="634" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a bit confused about when and how I am supposed to practice each of the four foundations?  Do I do it all at the same time or do I break it down into different activities etc? Can someone please clarify?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T07:28:04.540" Title="4 foundations of mindfulness" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19464" CreationDate="2017-02-28T00:04:25.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The four foundations of mindfulness are in the Satipatthana Sutta &amp;amp; Anapanasati Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Satipatthana Sutta is merely a list of disconnected teachings and it is highly unlikely the Buddha spoke the Satipatthana Sutta in its current form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the Anapanasati Sutta, it logically describes the fruition or unfolding of the four foundations of mindfulness one after eachother in terms of path fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when the breathing is calmed, rapture will arise. Rapture &amp;amp; happiness (feelings) become the predominant meditation object &amp;amp; replace the breathing as the primary meditation object (even though the breathing remains a secondary or anchor meditation object). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, contemplation of feelings (&lt;em&gt;vedanupassana&lt;/em&gt;) must occur after &lt;em&gt;kayanupassana&lt;/em&gt; (contemplation of bodies)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every stage of the Anapanasati Sutta is practised with awareness of breathing, including contemplation of the mind (&lt;em&gt;cittanupassana&lt;/em&gt;), as explicitly stated in the sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if the practitioner loses awareness of breathing or loses concentration, that is not the practise of anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What this means is being vaguely of aware of all kinds of distracting thoughts &amp;amp; emotions is not the practise of cittanupasana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cittanupasana&lt;/em&gt; is something deeply profound &amp;amp; occurs with concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-02-28T00:13:14.813" LastActivityDate="2017-02-28T00:13:14.813" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19389" CreationDate="2017-02-28T02:06:07.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe that meditation on the Middle Way along with relative vs absolute Bodhicitta. No matter how much science may claim to be the ultimate arbiter on the question of what is reality, it is nonetheless conventional reality. See Thomas Kuhn Structure Scientific revolutions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8395" LastActivityDate="2017-02-28T02:06:07.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19464" CreationDate="2017-02-28T06:36:55.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 4 foundations of mindfulness according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;- mindfulness of the body; &#xA;- mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā); &#xA;- mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta); and&#xA;- mindfulness of dhammās.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do I do it all at the same time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Mindfulness means being concentrated on one thing at one moment. If you are practising &quot;Mindfulness of Dharmas (法)&quot;, your meditation is solely rest on contemplating the Dharma. For example, you choose &quot;Anatta&quot; this Dharma to contemplate, any moment when your feeling (pain, comfort, cold and hot...) of the body arose, you contemplate &quot;Anatta&quot;, i.e., the feeling is not me, it's my body feels; the body is not me, it's composed of flesh and bone maintained by feeding on food... Anatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference of whether you are doing &quot;Mindfulness of Vedana&quot; or &quot;Mindfulness of Dharma&quot; here is, that in doing Mindfulness of Vedana, your contemplation is on the feelings. But the other practise is, the feeling lends you to move further working the way to reach &quot;Anatta&quot; (this is the real Vipassana taught by the Buddha, in it one acquired wisdom). When this is &lt;em&gt;mastered&lt;/em&gt;, one can immediately see through the veils of illusion and reach into the reality of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My speculation is that, these four foundations they must and also not necessary be going from start to end, for we don't know if someone was a Bhikiku or Yogi - so to speak - in the previous lives; whilst some may learning all these at the first time. However, following it from basic to higher level makes logical sense. For if one cannot calm their minds, one cannot do Vipassana. However, doing Vipassana, one, in contemplation, his mind is calm - note the difference of thinking (mind chatting) and contemplation. In normal condition, the easier way to calm the mind is to be mindful of the body; the even easier is to be mindful of breathing. Depends on the practitioner's personal disposition, if one is hard to calm his mind by aiming at calm the mind, contemplate the Dharma may apply to try working the other way round. Sometimes visualization or mantra chanting could be applied to achieve Samatha (止), calm the mind, in Buddhist practice other than Theravada School's. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when and how I am supposed to practice...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Always trust yourself, we tend to underestimate how capable we are able to decide what is right for us due to years molding by education and modern doctrines imposed on us. You may try all out first, get a feeling of each; or do one of it for ascribed period, or choose one to work to reach certain achievement then switch. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;do I break it down into different activities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha concluded that with the body confinement we could perform 4 activities and only: 1)walk 行; 2)stand 住; 3)sit 坐; 4)recline 卧. Each of these activities can be used to practice each of the foundations of mindfulness. However, I found that Mindfulness of Dharma could conveniently be applied when one is engaging in daily going-by, whilst mindful of breathing is harder. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-02-28T06:36:55.693" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19468" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-02-28T09:44:37.840" Score="2" ViewCount="419" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been practicing mindful breathing for about one or two sittings a day, and done a few retreats. I have a big problem with metta, even directed at myself. after trying to practice metta I often find myself in a very angered state of mind, even rage, especially at friends for various reasons regarding my life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The background to the anger seems to be that they do not really care for me and just want me to be synchronized with their hobbies or lifestyles which are usually high achievement based . the background is that my personal life is much more crisis oriented than theirs , and i am also about 10 years older than them . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a lot of regret for not leaving these relations and my thoughts are around those regrets , that in fact it is/was my interest to do so, and the 'tug of war' that they would have/will do with me would be based on their own interests ('tug of war' i mean things like 'you should stay in touch' or 'what going on with you?' etc...).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do other people experience such extreme counter reaction to metta? should i continue with it ? &#xA;a bit at a loss ... &#xA;thanks.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10902" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-02-28T16:55:25.337" LastActivityDate="2019-07-06T17:05:58.930" Title="metta, anxiety, and anger" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|meditation|anger|metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19468" CreationDate="2017-03-01T03:05:37.027" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is normal or expected for metta practise to bring up underlying mental states of &lt;em&gt;non-metta&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in Buddhism, to understand the quality of our 'friends' or 'associates' is also important (refer to &quot;&lt;em&gt;foes in the guise of friends&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;&lt;em&gt;warm-hearted friends&lt;/em&gt;&quot; in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people in the world may appear '&lt;em&gt;superficial&lt;/em&gt;' to us, particularly if we are '&lt;em&gt;crisis oriented&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these 'associates' pose no inherent danger to us, we can let go of our expectations towards them and show friendship in a less-personal &amp;amp; more detached manner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of your anger appears to be related to expectations you have towards these people that those people cannot fulfil. If so, your expectation towards them are unreasonable.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your lifestyle has changed &amp;amp; you wish to associate when them less, simply say so to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean you cannot be there for them if they need something important from you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T03:05:37.027" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19416" CreationDate="2017-03-01T03:12:05.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;“Paticca Samuppada” is a discourse on the process of birth and death. As per the scriptures, a being is a stream of Mind connected ‘ Nama-Rupa’. When a person dies, no soul departs. The stream of consciousness ( viññana) upon death, becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new set of five aggregates of clinging (Panca Upadana Khandas)  elsewhere.  In the Attakara sutta, you will find that you do exist. But there is no permanent self in you and the five clinging aggregates (panca upadanakkanda) which constitutes you is beyond your control, and therefore Anatta (non-self). (read  Anatta Lakkana Sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The understanding of death &amp;amp;  impermanence is an antidote to desire and ill-will, is an encouragement to our practice of Dhamma, and is a key to understanding the ultimate nature of things, the way things really are.&#xA;Remembering death especially is said to be like a friend and a teacher to one, as it acts as a discouragement to excessive desire and ill-will. While death itself is certain, the time of death is uncertain. We can die at any moment. Life is like a candle in the wind, or a bubble of water. At any moment it may be snuffed out. At any moment it may burst. Thus, we ought to practice the Dhamma quickly so that we may not waste this opportunity and this precious human life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha once gave a discourse on the impermanence of life at the village named ‘Alavi’. He admonished, 'Practice meditation on death. Reflect mindfully: Uncertain is my life, certain is my death, certainly one day I have to face death.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also exhorted his listeners to be always mindful and to strive to perceive the true nature of life. He also said, 'As one who is armed with a stick or spear is prepared to meet an enemy and some other poisonous and dangerous animals, so also, one who is ever mindful of death should face death mindfully. He will then leave this world for a good destination. – “Blind is this world. Few are those who clearly see. As few birds escape from a net, few go to a blissful state.” '&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many a suttas it is shown that beings in the un-ending Samsara (cycle of birth-and-death) are bound to eye as ‘me’ (considering eye as ‘me’). In a similar manner, beings are bound to ear as ‘me’, nose as ‘me’, tongue as ‘me’, body as ‘me’, and mind as ‘me’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as they are bound to all these faculties, they are actually bound to Māra. In order for one to free from this bond of Māra, one needs to investigate the notion of ‘me’ about each faculty (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) separately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should see that there is nothing permanent in rūpa (figure), vēdanā (feeling), saññā (perception), sanskāra (intention; volitional effort), and Viññāna (consciousness). But, we are bound to these five groups of clinging because of the thought of ‘me’. That binding results in a birth. That binding results in our death. That binding results in getting another life (birth) after our deaths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T03:12:05.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19464" CreationDate="2017-03-01T04:02:43.907" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In becoming a Bhikku with an idea of performing the practice of breathing towards samatha and vipassana (calm and insight) without first attempting kayagata-satipatthana (mindfulness as regards the body), resembles an owner who yokes the still untamed bullock (an adult bovine animal) to the cart or plough without the nose-rope. Such an owner would find oneself unable to drive the bullock at his desire. Because the bullock is wild, and because it has no nose-rope, it will either try to run off the road, or try to break loose by breaking the yoke. So first and foremost comes the practice of Mindfulness of Body – Kayanupassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice of mindfulness of body is to overcome the drudgery of binding concepts and views that we form about it.  To see the body as it is and to realize what it actually is.  So instead of looking at this body as a beautiful body, ugly body or eternal body a person learns to look at the body as it is and avoid the mental pains that are caused by looking at it otherwise. There are four major sections in the satipattana sutta. In Anapanasati – one gets to these steps in its correct order:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(1) mindfulness of body (kayanupassana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(2) mindfulness of feelings (vedananupassana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(3) mindfulness of mind (chittanupassana)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(4) mindfulness of mental behaviors (dhammanupassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the first major section on mindfulness of body there are five meditation methods.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(1) mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(2) mindfulness of postures (iriyapatha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(3) refelection on internal and external impurities and other vital parts (kunapa)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(4) analysis of four elements (dathu)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(5) reflection on nine stages of a dead body (nava seevaththika)    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Anapanasati, with the development of kayanupassana the meditator is in a position to bring vedananupassana to completion. Contemplation of feelings is nothing but becoming mindful of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Here he remains focused on feelings in and of themselves, ardent and mindful. By concentrating on anapanasati to a higher degree, he then brings the cittanupassana to its culmination.  Now he would start to develop dhammanupassana (contemplation of mind contents). To explain how to go about practicing each of these factors is not possible as it will take a lot more than a paragraph or two for each.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T04:02:43.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19468" CreationDate="2017-03-01T04:25:54.200" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is not the only guardian meditation. There’s a series of other meditations guardian meditations that you can check out, which are very helpful in using skillful perceptions to get the mind in the right mood, in the right attitude, with the right understanding, as you try to be in the present moment, and well grounded. The problems that you have listed are with the mental baggage you’re carrying with you. So, someday soon you will want to open up the bags and throw out all the unnecessary weight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s an image they have in Thailand of the old woman who carries around a huge bundle of straw on her back. She’s always bent over because she’s carrying so much straw. People ask her why she doesn’t put it down, and she says, “Well, someday this straw’s going to come in handy, so I’m carrying it for the day I’ll need it.” So she carries it wherever she goes. Of course there are many other things she could be carrying, but she can’t because the straw is such a huge bundle, and of course it’s pretty useless.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is time that you want to look into your baggage to see how much straw you’re carrying around, so that you can lighten your load. Then you can replace it with better things, things that really will be useful. And the guardian meditations are a good way of sorting things out in your baggage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T04:25:54.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19468" CreationDate="2017-03-01T19:42:42.400" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you practicing metta with a particular method? From what I know, most instructions don't recommend to start trying to develop metta to someone you have dislike towards, but to start with beings you can easily develop a sense of friendliness towards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For authentic instructions you can look into the Visuddhimagga or the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good series of videos and guided meditation from Bhikkhu Bodhi about metta bhavana: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiaHzvWoa1Q&amp;amp;index=7&amp;amp;list=PLgu0hJSLkqCXihm1Kbb1yW6Ql-4zriweO&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiaHzvWoa1Q&amp;amp;index=7&amp;amp;list=PLgu0hJSLkqCXihm1Kbb1yW6Ql-4zriweO&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The approach from Mahasi Sayadaw can be found in his booklet &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/brahmavihara.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also reflection can be useful, i.e.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Simile of the saw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the metta sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the 11 advantages of metta (sound sleep, being loved by others, easily becoming concentrated ....)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the many disadvantages of anger (being overwhelmed, suffering, unhappy, making bad kamma, all good qualities disappear in the moment of anger ...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T19:42:42.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19464" CreationDate="2017-03-01T20:11:38.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're feeling confused, then asking a question here might not be the best approach to solve your problem. All you get is more information and different suggestions. They'll probably just make you think more, and as a result you get more confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed that when I am confused what often helps is to find sources for instructions and clarification that I can trust in. For example the original teachings of the Buddha (online translations can be read at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttacentral.net&lt;/a&gt;), texts/audio/video from a well known Buddhist Theravada Monk (Bhikkhu Bodhi, Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu, Ajahn Sumedho, Ajan Jayasaro ...) or even better personal contact to one or some other experienced Buddhist practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-01T20:11:38.133" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19475" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-01T21:59:26.270" Score="3" ViewCount="237" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that meditation is not a linear path and that every time you sit is like the first time but that you get better at sitting for the first time.  If this is the case and you don't actually make gains in a linear way then can it also be said that if you stop doing it that you will not go backwards or lose what you have learnt because you didn't go anywhere to begin with? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-10-04T15:36:49.130" Title="Meditation not linear" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19422" CreationDate="2017-03-02T01:18:19.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question itself, &quot;how do I let go?&quot; is a sort of koan: if someone could tell you how, it would be a contradiction! The issue is the &quot;I&quot; that must let go, its perspective has to change. It is like me asking, &quot;how can I move &lt;em&gt;your&lt;/em&gt; arm?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you see that the &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; is not yours (or you just forget it) then it happens. Of course then the seeing won't be by you. Soon or late, it will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T01:18:19.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19475" CreationDate="2017-03-02T01:22:08.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not linear, as it involves the whole of ourselves. There is one part/side of us that is connected to our rationality, logic, linear thinking, and understanding. The other side of us is connected to feelings, nurturing, caring, compassion, love, and all the emotional qualities. This is how our right and left hemisphere in the brain is programed. The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner. It processes from part to whole. It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it draws conclusions. The right brain however, processes from whole to parts, holistically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intellectual understanding about meditation is never the same as the actual experience of it.  It is similar to that of having to bite into a mango to know its taste. We can read everything that there is about a mango – that it can be sweet, delicious, soft, etc. but we cannot imagine its taste unless we get the feeling of the mango on our tongue and have the personal experience. Then we can no longer debate whether the mango is sweet or not, because we have experienced the truth. This is the difference between just thinking or thinking coupled with the experience of feeling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the meditator goes beyond the second Jhana level, the internal thinking comes to a stop, and memory of past experiences never come up.  From there on there is no such thing as a linear process.  From there on it is total awareness in staying with the breath. This is being one with your meditation.   This is ekaggata, as in ekaggatarammana, oneness of preoccupation, or singleness of preoccupation; and ekaggatacitta, singleness of mind. This kind of oneness applies to all levels of jhana. It means being focused on one thing, like the breath. You stay steadily focused on it, at the same time making it the one thing filling your range of awareness.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T01:22:08.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19475" CreationDate="2017-03-02T04:21:00.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While your question appears rational, I will argue that it is not and conclude with an answer to the spirit of your question based on canonical sources.  Your question is presented in two clauses.  Therefore:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First&lt;/strong&gt;, I believe it is critical to suffer through a deconstruction of your reasoning.  &lt;strong&gt;Second&lt;/strong&gt;, as meditation is ill-defined here, this answer will presume the broadest non-technique specific definition inclusive of &lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;strong&gt;Third&lt;/strong&gt;, as I believe you have been exposed to a teaching out of context, I will attempt to rein in the exuberance of composition present in your question with some doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've heard it said that meditation is not a linear path and that every&#xA;  time you sit is like the first time but that you get better at sitting&#xA;  for the first time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What you have heard is not unreasonable.&lt;/strong&gt;  It is a teaching that desperately needs context.  Linearity is a rational property (relationship or function) that represents directional succession of measurable intervals.  Linearity is a concept present in math, art, science, logic, and music.  In the broadest sense, for linearity to be rational, there must exist one of two conditions: 1) an &lt;strong&gt;origin&lt;/strong&gt; and a destination or 2) an &lt;strong&gt;origin&lt;/strong&gt; and a directional vector.  In order for linearity to be captured or shared in any meaningful or actionable way, there must be rational measurement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Briefly, &lt;em&gt;as to origin&lt;/em&gt;, it is generally safe to presume for argumentation in this context that the origin is the you of now.  But this is not as trivial as it may appear.  Because the you of now is not the same you of the now just a moment ago when you began this paragraph.  &quot;Is this you of the now more or less informed than a hypothetical you at another now?&quot;  Put another way, &quot;How are the things unknown to you different now than at any other moment?&quot;  Or in the form of a koan, &quot;What do I not know?&quot;  You are not static and thus neither is you as an origin.  The now shatters the illusory origin and makes both destinations and vectors equally fantastic.  All we have is now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also the notion that linearity is singular; that is, it cannot represent multiple measurements or states simultaneously.  And briefly stipulating to quantum mechanics, it is certainly possible to argue the possibility of infinite, omni-directional linearity, but then if one has reached such a conclusion, such infinite linearity, when aggregated to now, is self-canceling; such that, linearity is again moot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If this is the case and you don't actually make gains in a linear way&#xA;  then can it also be said that if you stop doing it that you will not&#xA;  go backwards or lose what you have learnt because you didn't go&#xA;  anywhere to begin with?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to gains, your premise begins with a fallacy -- that, &quot;gains&quot; (or progress, development, cultivation) are dependent on linearity.  This premise does not withstand scrutiny because it presumes to the singular; that gains are not gains if they are do not fall within a specific succession of measurable intervals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, in this context forward and backward are value judgments.  If we suspend judgment then &quot;backwards&quot; simply indicates gain of a different sort, which is entirely possible.  However, it can not be substantiated that lack of effort results in regression (negative gains) simply because gains are correlated to effort.  It is far more reasonable to assert that effort results in gain and non-effort results in non-gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;While interesting for some, I respect this may be a bit mind-numbing for others. So what does this mean in a more doctrinal sense?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first time we sit, everything is new and we are confronted by the unknown.  As we sit, we cultivate.  What is cultivation?  Cultivation is at the heart of &quot;right effort&quot; (Samma Vayama) and &quot;right concentration&quot; (Samma Samadhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We begin not knowing what we do not know (the unrisen).  In our&#xA;  sitting, something unknown (unrisen) may become known to us (arise&#xA;  within).  This may be something as simple as a whisp in the wind of&#xA;  the passing monkey mind activity.  Or it may be as complex as the&#xA;  (re)introduction to sense experience.  Or it may be something entirely&#xA;  personal or unique to that particular place in time.  Once arisen, we&#xA;  gain awareness.  With awareness, we have less claim to the mental&#xA;  fermentation associated with ignorance and are charged to be heedful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2 Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Our right effort suggests four great endevours: 1) to prevent the&#xA;  arising of unarisen unwholesome states; 2) to abandon unwholesome&#xA;  states that have already arisen; 3) to arouse wholesome states that&#xA;  have not yet arisen; 4) to maintain and perfect wholesome states&#xA;  already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(DN33,AN4.13)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Buddha recommended the four supreme efforts as skillful means. &#xA;  They are called 'supreme' because they are supremely difficult and&#xA;  supremely beneficial.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Being Nobody, Going Nowhere: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought&quot;, Volume 3, By Geshe Tashi Tsering, Ayya Khema&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message &amp;amp; lives to&#xA;  penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'Gladly would I&#xA;  let the flesh &amp;amp; blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin,&#xA;  tendons, &amp;amp; bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached&#xA;  through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will&#xA;  be no relaxing my persistence.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 70 Kitagiri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Our right concentration suggests exertion activates five mental&#xA;  factors.  Stated in their usual order the five are: initial&#xA;  application of mind (vitakka), sustained application of mind (vicara),&#xA;  rapture (piti), happiness (sukha), and one-pointedness (ekaggata). &#xA;  When concentration is cultivated, these five factors arise and&#xA;  counteract the five hindrances.  Each mental factor factor opposes a&#xA;  particular hindrance.  1) Initial application of mind, through its&#xA;  work of lifting the mind up, counters dullness and drowsiness.  2)&#xA;  Sustained application, by anchoring the mind, drives away doubt.  3)&#xA;  Rapture denies ill will, 4) happiness excludes restlessness and worry,&#xA;  and 5) one-pointedness counters sensual desire, which may arguably be&#xA;  the most alluring inducement to distraction.  Thus, with the&#xA;  strengthening of the absorption factors, the hindrances fade out and&#xA;  subside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Path of Purification, Visuddhimagga 88-109&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in conclusion, speaking to the spirit of your question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cultivation and practice is both sufficient and necessary to (using your word) &quot;make gains&quot;.  Lack of effort may be a sufficient condition for unrisen unwholesomeness, but it is not a necessary condition.  Can one lose or forget what one has learned?  Certainly.  But one may just as easily forget to apply/practice what one has learned without losing the learning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is judging outcomes, meditate on the difference between not knowledge and practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3693" LastEditorUserId="3693" LastEditDate="2017-03-02T04:30:53.387" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T04:30:53.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19479" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-02T07:35:12.730" Score="1" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;I seem to remember that Mahayana Buddhism said somewhere something along the lines of, &quot;Our Buddha nature (or the Buddha) chooses not to be enlightened&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if I am remembering this correctly. Does anyone know the teaching to which I am referring, and would someone be so kind as to clear this up, perhaps with some sort of quote, for me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastEditorUserId="10046" LastEditDate="2017-03-03T01:44:39.450" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T04:02:58.450" Title="Reference request for &quot;our Buddha nature chooses not to be enlightened&quot;?" Tags="|reference-request|mahayana|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9090" CreationDate="2017-03-02T08:15:09.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not experienced enlightenment but I have had a psychotic experience of the dissolution of self. I realised that my self was, as Buddhism, and Dan Dennet(1991), teaches was merely a fiction, a will o the wisp, created in my case by my self-narrative or self-whispering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was by far the most terrifying experience I have ever had! This was less because of the realisation that I am a fiction, but due to my discovery of what was supporting the fiction. As the Zen philosopher Nishida says, for the environment to convince itself that there is self, there must be a devil inside perception. Or elsewhere in Koan 42 of the Gateless Gate there is mention of a &quot;devil mask&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I mention this because generally, and if one does it properly no doubt, enlightenment is framed as the realisation of non-self and as something very pleasant. I have no doubt that this is true if you do it properly. But at the same time, it seems to me that over and above the loss of self and all strivings (e.g. for wealth etc), there is a major horror show to be overcome as well, and I think that it is for this reason that I have been unable to go back and see it again, though, I think we all will one day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I wonder if this 42 is where Douglas Adam's got the number, and the nature of the girl in that cafe if Rickmansworth, later known as &quot;Fenchurch&quot;:-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bibliography:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Adams D. (1981) &quot;The  Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy&quot; preface&#xA;Dennet, D. (1991) &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic565657.files/9/Dennett%20self%20as%20center%20of%20gravity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Self as a Centre of Narrative Gravity&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nishida, K. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000182/files/1755.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;絶対矛盾的自己同&lt;/a&gt; 一（Absolutely Contradictory Self Identity)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hakuin. Koan 42. &quot;The Girl Comes Out from Meditation&quot;. &lt;em&gt;The Gateless Gate&lt;/em&gt;. Poor translation easily googled. &quot;One wears the mask of god, one a devil's mask.&quot; should be just, &quot;God's head,  Devil's mask&quot; afaik.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastEditorUserId="10046" LastEditDate="2017-03-03T01:52:40.780" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T01:52:40.780" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-03-02T08:28:26.747" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think yours is a good question. It seems to me that what I call &quot;brinkmanship Buddhism&quot; or Bodhisattva Buddhism and generally the lay paths see this question as being an issue since it is in part our non-enlightenment that encourages us to form human bonds and look after our &quot;dependants.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, it would all be very well if all sentient beings should become enlightened, then everyone would share their time and wealth with every one else who needs it, but if one married person say, should become enlightened what becomes of that persons dependants? What will happen if the enlightened one realises that all clinging is illusion and that the whole world are dependants? So, perhaps, it is partly for this reason that some more modern schools of Buddhism recommend Bodhisattvas who get close to enlightenment, to the brink of enlightenment, but do not quite because society is supported by our lack of it. In the case of Gautama, he could leave his wife in one of his palaces so it was not really an issue. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps for the time being it is okay to head for the brink, of for glimpses. Above all, however, this is my excuses for not doing more meditation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T08:28:26.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19479" CreationDate="2017-03-02T10:42:20.053" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Timtak Ignorance is the root of all suffering!&#xA;That being said.First let me ask you:Do you know what meditation is?&#xA;Answer from your personal experience not by googling it.Meditation is not calming down your,and reducing your stress levels.That is a camouflage!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10915" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T10:42:20.053" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19479" CreationDate="2017-03-02T20:01:22.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When a sight comes before the eyes, a sound to the ears or a smell to the nose, there is no choosing involved here in terms of seeing, hearing or smelling. The seeing, hearing &amp;amp; smelling occur automatically, without choosing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when the mind is actually getting enlightened by &lt;em&gt;experiencing the truth&lt;/em&gt;, it is not involved in choosing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind may choose to establish itself in the path, that is, choose to develop concentration. However, the path is only the path &amp;amp; not the destination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Developing &amp;amp; establishing concentration is similar to removing dust from the eyes, wax from the ears or mucus from the nose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the concentration is complete, i.e., when the mind is lucidly clear, the enlightenment occurs without any choosing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-02T20:01:22.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19485" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19351" CreationDate="2017-03-03T01:39:40.053" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think yours is an important question. It seems to me that what I call &quot;brinkmanship Buddhism&quot; or Bodhisattva Buddhism and generally the lay paths see this question as being a very real issue since it is in part our non-enlightenment that encourages us to form human bonds and look after our legal dependants. It would all be very well if all sentient beings should become enlightened, then everyone would share their time and wealth, but if one married person say should become enlightened what becomes of that person's dependants? What will happen if the enlightened person realises that all clinging is illusion, and that the whole world are 'dependants'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha had palaces so his wife was well looked after. But for the rest of us, enlightenment is just a little fraught! What if I should get there! What would become of my wife and children? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, then this is mainly for me just an excuse to do less meditation!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am reminded of Christ's last words on the cross. If you are going leave the world of illusion, as a messiah or mystic, it may be important to have 1) No family or 2) Palaces or 3) Disciples. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T01:39:40.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19487" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19491" CreationDate="2017-03-03T03:17:53.140" Score="2" ViewCount="479" Body="&lt;p&gt;If whatever we see and feel in the 3-D world is just an illusion created by our minds and every matter, even an atom, is related to each other (interrelated); what is the origin of it? Since consciousness or self or &quot;I&quot; is also just a thought, how is matter created by the consciousness? How does the mind create it? Whenever I think of these things, I remember the mythological god, Zeus, who can create anything he wishes just by thinking about it? It feels like this is actually possible. So what could be the possible logic behind this complex knowledge? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="5734" LastEditDate="2017-03-06T10:06:07.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T20:13:26.597" Title="If matter is just an illusion what is the source of it" Tags="|mind-and-matter|rupa|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19488" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19461" CreationDate="2017-03-03T03:17:54.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All of your problems - the issues that you have listed will go away, the day you begin to walk this Noble Eight-fold Path. I say this because if a person go about practising meditation in an orderly manner he/she can acquire the results that can be obtained from meditating. It is because Dhamma is alive - not sterile. Suddhamma has the quality of “Akalika” (not belonging to time). There are some things that can be done mechanically but not meditation. Meditation is something that has to arise within oneself. So firstly one has to have the confidence, and has to  come to the conviction that it has to be done in an orderly manner. The person who has a strong belief that the path to Nibbana exists in this Dhamma, meditates carefully. What is meant by carefully is that s/he will dedicate the entire life for it. It takes a long time to do something carefully and in an orderly manner, not just a few years. Then there is a sense of calmness that prevails in you.  The negative effects of hurrying will subside and a quiet calm and wakefulness arise in its place. Only a person who has unflinching belief in this Path and the Dhamma will develop this trait. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T03:17:54.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-03T04:16:11.293" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If matter is just illusion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think that is Buddhist doctrine. I think that Buddhist doctrine is that we tend to view matter inappropriately or with ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is the origin of it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it has an origin. That might be considered an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswered question&lt;/a&gt;. Several suttas (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn15/sn15.012.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;) mention &quot;inconstruable beginning&quot;, saying &quot;A beginning point is not evident&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how is the matter being created by the conciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that matter is created by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But &quot;perception&quot; (of matter) is created when consciousness, matter, and sense-organ come into contact (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Understanding_in_Theravada_Abhidhamma&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;see e.g. here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T04:16:11.293" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-03T05:47:27.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To explain it will take long long paragraph, but still not really explaining anything. To give some orientations relating to your question, first, you said &quot;matter&quot;, what is matter? A duck, we say there is a duck (matter), it's shaped a duck-shape, yellow or green in colour, it quacks, it smells, it has soft downs, roasted duck tastes different from chicken. These are all related to our sensory organs: eyes to see (shape &amp;amp; colour), ears to hear (quacks), nose to smell (duck-smell), body to feel (soft downs), tongue to taste (roasted duck); and our mind to recognize all these, without these attributes, does this duck exist? Not sure, we can't say. 'Ok, but there must be something exists for I response to this to form this idea &quot;duck&quot;'. Then, must be the duck if it does exist existing in an absolute form you perceived? Again, we can't be sure. For instance, a colour-blind will see differently from you, at least the duck is not a green duck; further, an animal such as bat who uses sound to see, he will see a different duck, not to mention that Mr. Bat probably doesn't like the taste of roasted duck :)... so on and so forth. Now who has ever seen the &quot;real&quot; duck? We can't determine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you say &quot;for matter what I mean is atom&quot;, when saying atom we are still using all these attributes to describe: electrons circulating the nucleus (implied it has a form, no matter however tiny); Ok you say &quot;I mean light&quot;, forget the scientist said light sometimes behaved like particle, it's wave, it has/hasn't substance. Well still there is space for this light to &quot;wave&quot;, right? In your mind you still have to assume space. Now, are you sure there is space out there? The space assumed existed because you perceived objects - the empty part is space, if you cannot be definite if object exists and existed in exact you perceived them, then the space you perceived is just the negative of the object you perceived, not an absolute. For instance, we can't see air, the space we perceived are in fact not empty, it's filled with air particles, so on and so forth. Einstein said the space is &quot;ether&quot; (Einstein was not definite about this claim), both space and ether, if we have to look at if it existed, we have to use the attributes of our sensory categories and intellect (mind)... thus in however dissecting the &quot;matter&quot;, we can't escape to perceive it within our the six categories or their extensions: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now not based on our six categories and extensions we can't describe any &quot;matter&quot;, further, if the colour-blind, bat and me could be seeing the same duck differently, the only possibility is that all of us are seeing and responding to the illusion of our own construct... that's how illusions can &quot;form&quot; a world. When we say &quot;the world&quot; we are only able to refer to the world in our mind, with thousands minds there are literally thousands &quot;worlds&quot;, all are illusions but real to the individual mind.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will be very complex impossible to at one step to explain all, but you asked a good question. As a student of the Dharma of Buddha with some Sutras I read, I come to realize a bit more. Currently reading Nagarjuna's 《中論》 - absolutely a sheer mind addict, I was laughing with myself like idiot, Nagarjuna has a very cool (cute :) character reflected in his employing of words and manner. I can only say, if you are interested to find the answer, you better study the Sutras. As far as I reckon, those Sutras that answer this kind of questions are mainly in Classic Chinese, not translated. If they do have translations, most of them are not satisfactory. For a translator to be able to produce accurate translation, one must first need to understand the content, not to mention if one is an adept of both languages to correctly communicate the content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you understand, and in realizing the truth how all these are actually working - scientists are going at the opposite direction, then you can also be like Zeus, create anything you wish. When one is truly enlightened, he can also master the illusion; for realizing Buddha-hood, he is able to create - the Pureland of Utmost Happiness is created purely by Amitabha's thinking. Unlike Zeus or Brahma, he began just like us, a normal human being. Further, he spent kalpas of eons to know about the most beautiful and &quot;acquire&quot; the beauty of beauty to create his pureland. Thus it's praised much by Buddha Shakyamuni, encouraging us to try getting a &quot;visa&quot; ;). Nagarjuna left planet Earth (Samsara) for there, it's not sure whether he is a citizen of Utmost Happiness just traveled here for assignment, or whether he has new assignment not staying at Utmost currently. : /    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To not be confused is that when I say '&quot;Amitabha's thinking&quot; created the pureland', it's not the same as those understanding Brahma or Zeus creates by thinking. In here Amitabha is more like a great artist who does a splendid painting, and the raw material (matter) is - if you insist there must be &quot;matter&quot; there, conventionally called Emptiness - for it's not a &quot;matter&quot; as our human mind can discern, but it has attributes that we can see in phenomenal world, such as the 4 Greats: earth, water, fire, wind. To make you even getting more at this &quot;creation and matter&quot; contemplation, that this world is created by us too - a collective thinking result, in brief. 'If so why can't I now create an ice-cream by thinking?' Because you don't know how these are in working we can't master the result; further, because of ignorance this ability can't be fully realized, thus we create it blindly, like an unskilled artist doing a very unsatisfactory painting. Now you may see a bit more into how illusion can exist as real, how we are treating like it really does matter there is &quot;matter&quot;, on Emptiness. Last, Emptiness is emptiness, so it doesn't need any/anyone-to-do-the creation. :D ~~           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-03-03T09:25:46.973" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T09:25:46.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-03T09:37:01.017" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The world itself was not an illusion to the Buddha. Rather, given the true nature of experience - Anatta and Anicca, the actions of 'I' making or 'Mine' making facilitate the illusion of a Self, hence the arising of Dukkha. The issue of origin for any thing that lacks a Self, like this existence, is that the beginning doesn't make sense. At best the beginning can't be determined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. When you see someone who has fallen on hard times, overwhelmed with hard times, you should conclude: 'We, too, have experienced just this sort of thing in the course of that long, long time.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- Duggatta Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Name and Form arise in dependence of Consciousness and Consciousness arises in dependence of Name and Form. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&lt;/a&gt;. No 'thing' such as matter is created to be independent. It's like the conservation laws within Physics - 'energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change forms'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All is possible within conditionality because there is no underlying, essential demarcation line that delineates 'the impossible' from 'the possible'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-03T17:33:08.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-04T11:26:48.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not state the external world of forms, such as the earth, is an illusion created by mind. For example: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the&#xA;  mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the four&#xA;  great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three, four,&#xA;  five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or more. But&#xA;  what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by&#xA;  night arises as one thing and ceases as another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, what is an illusion is the mind &amp;amp; particularly the perceptions &amp;amp; thought constructions of the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage were shimmering, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, &amp;amp;&#xA;  appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, &amp;amp;&#xA;  appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without&#xA;  substance: for what substance would there be in a mirage? In the same&#xA;  way, a monk sees, observes, &amp;amp; appropriately examines any perception&#xA;  that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or&#xA;  subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing&#xA;  it, &amp;amp; appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void,&#xA;  without substance: for what substance would there be in perception?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.95&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Matter is not created by consciousness. Instead, consciousness is created from matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mind-and-matter (nama-and-rupa) is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.82&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.82&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's good, monks, that you understand the Dhamma taught by me in this way, for in many ways I have said of dependently co-arisen&#xA;  consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no&#xA;  coming-into-play of consciousness.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Consciousness, monks, is classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which it arises. Consciousness that arises in&#xA;  dependence on the eye &amp;amp; forms is classified simply as&#xA;  eye-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the ear&#xA;  &amp;amp; sounds is classified simply as ear-consciousness. Consciousness that&#xA;  arises in dependence on the nose &amp;amp; aromas is classified simply as&#xA;  nose-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the&#xA;  tongue &amp;amp; flavors is classified simply as tongue-consciousness.&#xA;  Consciousness that arises in dependence on the body &amp;amp; tactile&#xA;  sensations is classified simply as body-consciousness. Consciousness&#xA;  that arises in dependence on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas is classified&#xA;  simply as intellect-consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-04T11:26:48.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-04T15:03:27.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If matter is just an illusion what is the source of it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The source cannot be found. One has to become a fully enlightened Buddha to be able to gain knowledge about its origin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Physical matter is not an illusion but rather &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; an illusion as it is empty of solidity, permanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It exists in context of our experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality what is percieved as matter is really just the sensitive quality of the eye connecting with its corresponding object, i.e. &lt;em&gt;light, visible forms&lt;/em&gt;, which allows &lt;em&gt;eye-consciousness&lt;/em&gt; to arise. It's just an impersonal process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This in turn gives rise to a mind-door process, a reflective process of what has been just been seen. The process can be stopped before the mind-door process begins, by guarding the sense doors, i.e. by noting the &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt;, thereby keeping the mind in the present moment, free from judgements, extrapolations, liking, disliking of the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The very idea that we live in a 3-dimensional world is just an &lt;em&gt;extrapolation, an interpretation, a mental formation&lt;/em&gt; belonging to the 4th aggregate of mental formations - these too are subject to the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability that defines all conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What exists is experience. Right now I can see the computer I'm using to write this post. There is definitely a seeing going on. But there is no &lt;em&gt;seer&lt;/em&gt;. The idea of a &lt;em&gt;&quot;seer&lt;/em&gt; or an &lt;em&gt;I&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is just a mental formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How do mind creates it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a complex process but it is visible and verifiable through the practice of insight meditation. By observing the mind with objectivity one can see how it works. When non-interference is present the mind will reveal its mechanics to the observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem arises when one is not mindful of a sense object impinching on the sense doors, e.g. the &lt;em&gt;&quot;idea of a 3-dimensional world&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one is not mindful of a sense object the mind will only for a brief moment apprehend the true nature of the object whereafter it begins a cognitive process of mental fabrication in order to try to grasp the object. The mind will take the &quot;raw material&quot; of the object and thereafter bring forth subjective concepts and ideas about the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind then weaves together all these different concepts into more complex structures. These are embellishments fabricated by the mind and does not belong to the object. They are added to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the mind superimposing qualities onto the object. This process of fabrication is fueled by the underlying latent defilements. The end result is an object which is now covered with a thick layer of mind-generated ideas and qualities. The original object is now hidden in a dense layer of subjective extrapolations that hides its true nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned earlier this subjective process can be avoided by guarding the sense-doors. The key is practice instead of intellectualization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was often asked questions such as whether or not the world was finite or infinite. When asked such questions he always brought the questioner back to &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-03-04T15:11:08.927" LastActivityDate="2017-03-04T15:11:08.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-04T18:59:23.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Certain subjects are declared to be imponderable by the Buddha:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) range of powers of a Buddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) range of powers obtained while absorbed in jhana &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) precise working out of the results of karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) speculation about the origin (the first moment, purpose, etc.) of the cosmos&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The -origin of matter- question seems like it probably is the fourth imponderable.*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WHY TEACHERS WON'T ANSWER QUESTIONS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beginning meditators start with simple concepts but too often we want to leap ahead and open the Christmas presents before Christmas, so to speak. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wrong view in the path is like when the meditator believes they already understand &quot;Sila&quot; and &quot;Dana&quot;  and what seems most useful , to this certain student, is to learn the juicy bits... the exotic stuff, like anatta and Dependant Origination. This is a wrong view festival.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why teachers don't explain certain advanced concepts is because most likely an intellectual understanding leaves too much room for interpretation so that there is too much danger that the student will develop  wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your mindful experience is what will teach you. If you are a practicioner, it's best to get a good teacher that can really give you the right information at the right time that you need it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;THE FOUR IMPONDERABLES:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhist-spirituality.com/suffering-end/the-eightfold-path/right-thought/four-imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://buddhist-spirituality.com/suffering-end/the-eightfold-path/right-thought/four-imponderables&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-03-04T18:59:23.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2017-03-05T00:31:52.540" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Delusion is our normal state so we are all familiar with what it feels like. Delusion is this niave realist, rational, or materialist complacency. The world is absolutely nothing like we think it is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T00:31:52.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11263" CreationDate="2017-03-05T05:38:21.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can a human being reside both in this world and Nirvana at the same time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering is a way of seeing things. In a sense we are all already in&#xA;Nirvana but not seeing it so we are still suffering, so very definitely yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;LUke 17:21 &#xA;You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We just need to see it. It is so &lt;em&gt;close&lt;/em&gt;! That said I have not met someone who could see Nirvanha for any appreciable length of time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T05:38:21.663" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19461" CreationDate="2017-03-05T06:08:53.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you said is all normal and nothing wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;During meditation I focus on breath and when mind wanders I bring it gently back to breath&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is exactly what you have to do, completely right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Sometimes I notice that I enter a more calm state where the mind doesn't seem to wander as much and it feels nice, kind of relieving&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the state your concentration improved up to a new nana stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;I'm not sure what I should do once I get there?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you get at that point, just before another sitting meditation, make strong wish to get to a higher nana stage you never been before especially dedicated to or in front of your esteemed meditation master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Sometimes usually towards the end of the hour(I have a timer), I start to get this really awful feeling like a mixture of restlessness, impatience, boredom, and anticipation. I just want it to end so badly&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also you achieving certain nana stage what you have to pass through&#xA;Dharma is impermanence, and you wish to control it, actually you cannot and must not. Another advice at this stage is you just increase your sitting meditation time not stopping at that point and paying more attention what is going on but with a mind of letting go. You will surely achieve a higher nana stage towards nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything we do, think and speak, if it is done with good will, it will have good result. Without strong and fervent wish, one cannot attain nirvana. Buddha exemplified just like making fire out of rubbing wood or stick, you think about it. Once you reduce your effort, you cannot make fire out of rubbing. Only with ardent and zealous wish, one will work hard putting constant effort and will get enlightened. Rounds of birth passed through without any nana, future life with uncertainty, even then less effort will not work. Like that encourage oneself and go on towards nirvana without any disappointment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-07T01:18:52.163" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T01:18:52.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7134" CreationDate="2017-03-05T06:09:11.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many gross emotions are included in the category of 'delusion', such as confusion, fear, jealousy, envy, possessiveness, selfishness, egoism, etc. We can know what these emotions of delusion feel like because they are gross/coarse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the subtle delusion of 'ignorance', where 'becoming' ('bhava') or 'self-existence' is created, we can only 'feel' this when becoming ceases. In knowing the absolutely clarity of non-becoming, the mind can sense or feel the pollution of becoming. But this is very subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2022-03-17T06:01:47.660" LastActivityDate="2022-03-17T06:01:47.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11263" CreationDate="2017-03-05T06:12:23.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The predominant description of Nirvana in the Pali scriptures is experienced in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;Nibbāna-element...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T06:12:23.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19501" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19502" CreationDate="2017-03-05T10:07:26.107" Score="6" ViewCount="1103" Body="&lt;p&gt;My background is that my father was/is an alcoholic and I had pretty rough childhood. I recently turned 33. I always was pretty self aware. I have a good job. I’m easy going open person, have a bunch of friends, but in spite of that there are often times when I feel really lonely. I always had this anxiety/fear shadow on my shoulder, usually visiting me while I was walking street alone, or commuting. I got divorced 3 years ago and after some “rebound/reset” period and couple of toxic relationships decided to get my head straight. Wanted to end the family script of going into toxic relationships and then getting divorced again. That’s why I decided to start meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My journey with meditation began a little more than a year ago. Since then I’ve been meditating almost every day for about 15-20 mins (usually in the morning). I’ve been using one of the more popular apps on the market to guide me through this process, and never had a real life teacher. It’s a standard practice of body scanning, and then observing the breath (+ sometimes some noting/visualisation techniques). I feel that I’m still a beginner in all of this and barely scratched the surface. I started reading “Mindfulness with breathing” by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu but after the first steps the rest is hard for me to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During that year of meditation I gradually got calmer, gained a bigger distance to myself, stopped drinking so much, my empathy and understanding towards others grew. I stopped partying so much (realized it’s meaningless). I pretty much resigned from part of my activities that I noticed had bad motivation underneath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems great, and I’m really greatful for all of this, but recently some dark thoughts began to cloud my mind (thoughts like ‘will I always be alone?’, ‘what if everyone turn their back on me?’). I’m not sure what’s the cause and I’m afraid that my meditation had something to do with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently during the weekend I had a big panic attack while in the pub with my friend. I quickly got home and realized that I can’t go to work on monday cause I’m too scared of walking the street… I wrote to my boss that I’m sick and I had to work remotely. I even thought about quitting my job on the spot, I couldn’t imagine walking to work again. I still continued my practice. When I finally went out to get to work (just couldn’t give up), the whole journey was a nightmare. I couldn’t stop thinking about the imminent danger. When I walk, the bad thoughts start to arise I try not to repress them, but see them, observe, accept, and get back to the breath. I have to do this almost every 30 sek, cause they keep coming back.&#xA;It helps when I occupy my mind with other thoughts.&#xA;But whenever I bring my mind to present moment the anxiety kicks in and I start having this panic attacks again.&#xA;I have a feeling that by practicing the meditation I dig up something buried very deep inside me and now it messes up my mind. I know I couldn’t handle it alone, so I went to psychiatrist and got some meds to help me during this period. I will begin the therapy shortly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, should I quit meditating? is that bad for me because of my childhood experiences? am I doing something wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best regards,&#xA;Robert&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10926" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T15:29:51.773" Title="My short story with anxiety problems - could meditation be the cause?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation|meditation-hindrances|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19501" CreationDate="2017-03-05T10:52:38.533" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pleased to meet you Robert. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very difficult to answer your question precisely however it is certainly likely/probable that practicing the meditation &amp;amp; the accompanying mental solitude is digging/bringing up something (i.e., a disposition or mental tendency) buried deep inside your mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt you are doing anything wrong. As said, the mental solitude &amp;amp; quietude of meditation will bring things up, including existential fear. This is generally related to the ego diminishing, which in the beginning will generally be somewhat traumatic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even when the mind becomes increasingly calm, such as from Anapanasati, a certain threshold of calmness may threaten the (conditioned) ego, resulting in fear arising. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such fear may not be explicitly related to your personal childhood experiences because such existential fear is a normal event when &quot;crossing-over&quot;. Some meditators use an old Christian mysticism phrase for this existential fear, namely, '&lt;em&gt;Dark Night of the Soul&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, that your mind projects this existential fear into ideas of being abandoned by people may possibly relate to your childhood experiences &amp;amp; underlying fear of aloneness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I offer the following suggestions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Quit meditating. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do the therapy, which is hopefully a kind of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) where you learn to rationally reflect/think that there is nothing to fear. This is similar to the Buddhist technique called 'wise reflection' ('&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you decide to meditate again, meditate at a good competent Dharma centre with a group of people. I always recommend meditating with others is the best way to start meditation. The group vibe is helpful to reduce or remove anxiety. Also, hopefully meeting trustworthy reliable friends provides a necessary social support. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not use recorded guided meditations when alone because these can take the mind deeper than the mind is prepared for. In general, avoid all guided meditations (including in Dharma centres) that go beyond the mere basics of letting go of thoughts &amp;amp; observing the breathing. Any guided meditation that seeks to diminish the ego or observe emptiness, space or clear light should be avoided.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-05T11:24:51.390" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T11:24:51.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19501" CreationDate="2017-03-05T14:56:02.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It helps when I occupy my mind with other thoughts. But whenever I bring my mind to present moment the anxiety kicks in and I start having this panic attacks again.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard that one of the types of therapy, which are taught to people to help manage panic attacks, &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; to come back to the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example someone might be alone having a shower, and have a PTSD flash-back or panic attack, where they're afraid of being attacked by someone (again). A &quot;mindfulness&quot; or meditation-like counter-measure is to be aware of the present (moments): for example the sensation (touch) of the water, and of the floor they're standing on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think these (present-moment) sensations might be the subject with which &quot;I occupy my mind with other thoughts&quot;; and which (being conscious of one thought at a time) replace the panicky thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other mental phenomena beyond (physical, tactile, visual) &lt;em&gt;sensations&lt;/em&gt;: for example the mind creates &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;how do I feel about this?&quot;), &lt;em&gt;theories&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;I am&quot;, &quot;I am this way because etc.&quot;), &lt;em&gt;cravings&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;I want&quot;), &lt;em&gt;attachments&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;I want something in particular&quot;), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the specific type of &quot;bring my mind to present moment&quot; that is less panic-inducing is to concentrate on sensations, instead of thinking about the theories, desires, attachments, and on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's what you do already when you &quot;get back to the breath&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question is, should I quit meditating? is that bad for me because of my childhood experiences? am I doing something wrong?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of &quot;doing something wrong (or right)&quot;, sometimes people say there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three parts to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;, of which meditation is one; and that it's important to get the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; (virtue)&lt;/a&gt; aspect of your life in order, and that if you don't then meditation may be more troubled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So examples of Sila might include, for example, avoiding alcohol, having good-will towards others, making good (or wise) friends and learning from them (or learning from their good example), being harmless, being kind, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My background is that my father was/is an alcoholic and I had pretty rough childhood.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You started by saying you're troubled by alcohol in the family. I personally found that visiting with Al Anon was surprisingly helpful to get some perspective on that: hearing other people's stories. I can't tell you what Buddhist-specific equivalents to Al Anon might exist where you are. Google might find something, for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistrecovery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhistrecovery.org/&lt;/a&gt; lists meetings and blogs and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also find some of the answers on this site helpful, for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11883/254&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11682/254&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T15:11:53.297" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19504" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-05T15:07:46.553" Score="0" ViewCount="299" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ekGfIFRRU0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; video, from Bhante Vimalaramsi. He says that one meditator experienced his past live and he had some pscotherapy before this. How is that possible?&#xA;Buddhist talk about mind stream which flows to another body when a body dies, well what is this mind stream? This is the conciousness right? Is that some kind of emf waves or similar to wave which science hasn't descovered yet? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorDisplayName="user10568" LastEditDate="2017-03-05T15:36:12.147" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T04:21:56.760" Title="what is logic behind rebirth" Tags="|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19504" CreationDate="2017-03-05T15:49:07.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding of Buddhism &amp;amp; Science all things that exist in the universe is made up of matter &amp;amp; energy. The energy that is found in any animal is generally referred to as the soul. The body we carry is made up of matter.&#xA;According to the teachings of lord Buddha which is what now discovered by scientists as quantum mechanics is, that every thought &amp;amp; action we do releases a positive or negative energy to the universe. It then creates a set of possible futures that can happen. This will be following us till we reach enlightment. &#xA;The process that happens to us at death is similar to what happens when we change clothes. The body we possess is similar to a cloth.  As soon as we (the soul) leaves this body, it'll get hold of another body. This body that we get hold of is determined by the possitive &amp;amp; negative forces that we have released to the universe in our previous life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T15:49:07.023" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19408" CreationDate="2017-03-05T18:03:42.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for what I have heard in Dhamma deshana, if a person keeps such an intention in mind while meditating that person won't be able to achieve that. You need to lower your expectations to achieve such peaceful levels in meditation. Or else those extreme desires will be hunting your mind without letting you meditate in the proper way.&#xA;So if you meditate with the pure intention of ending the sansara,  Such things will come to you automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastEditorUserId="9855" LastEditDate="2017-03-06T01:46:39.193" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T01:46:39.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19504" CreationDate="2017-03-05T20:39:49.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You won't find one single answer which covers all traditions. Different Buddhist traditions have different interpretations of the mechanism of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are looking for something material which facilitates a movement of something from one life to the next. However, Buddhism doesn't require that the world governed by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;materialism&lt;/a&gt;. We can consider a world which is entirely driven by mental ideas or &quot;the mind&quot; as we call it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists are not in agreement about how the world exists, some would say that the world doesn't exist. If you consider one of these traditions then you have to ask if it even makes sense for something to move from one body to the next life's body. Bodies can also be considered as being entirely constructed by the mind. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogachara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yogachara&lt;/a&gt; is an example of a Buddhist tradition which is &quot;mind-only&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-03-05T20:39:49.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19508" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-06T00:03:21.243" Score="6" ViewCount="795" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am learning the 8 jhanas. And in the book im reading it states the five factors of possession are opposed of the 5 hindrance. What are initial thought and discursive thought? I can't find a definiton.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T16:04:54.053" Title="What is initial thought and discursive thought" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19508" CreationDate="2017-03-06T02:59:42.380" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a very good question that you asked @DeusIIXII, regarding initial thought and discursive thought. In Pali it is Vitakka-Vicāra: It is good to know about 'thought-conception and discursive thinking', both within Jhana and outside of it. Within the context Jhana, only in the first Jhana it comes as one of the five factors. The five factors are…  Initial application (vitakka), sustained application/ discursive thought (vicara), joy (piti), happiness (sukha), and one-pointedness (ekaggata). The second Jhana has the three factors of piti, sukha, and ekaggata. The third Jhana has the two factors of sukha and ekaggata. If you want to refer to a Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SD 24.11 _ Pathama Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Savitakka) Pathama Jhana Sutta. Progressing in the 1st dhyana.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  SD24.12a _ Dutiya Jhana Pañha Sutta or (Avitakka) Dutiya Jhana Sutta. Progressing in 2nd dhyana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key-note of Buddhism is this right understanding. Clear vision of the four noble truths or right understanding leads to clear thinking, samma samkappa. Thoughts or samkappa always comes in the form of a seed conception, or first idea, or initial thought -is meant the vitakka mental state. A mind intent only on issues related to the breath, not pulling any other objects in to interfere, until the breath is refined, giving rise to fixed absorption and then liberating insight: This is Right Concentration. Also this act of thinking through of the initial idea of breath is Vicāra. So Here the breath is the vitakka, the initial thought. To adjust the breath and let it spread, is really thinking called vicara, evaluation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Outside of meditation try to understand it this way.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sankharas are the kammically active volitions responsible for generating rebirth and thus for sustaining the onward movement of samsara, the round of birth and death. In this context sankhara is virtually synonymous with kamma.  Sankharas  in dependent origination is put into three types: bodily (inhalation and exhalation), verbal ( Vitakka-vicāra: 'thought-conception and discursive thinking'), and mental [feeling (vedanā) · perception (sañña) ]. Sankharas are divided into the meritorious and demeritorious. Sankharas, propped up by ignorance and fueled by craving drive the stream of consciousness onward to a new mode of rebirth, where consciousness becomes established determined by the kammic character of the sankharas. With good deeds the sankharas or volitional formations will propel consciousness toward a happy sphere of rebirth, and with demeritorious deeds, the sankharas will propel consciousness toward a miserable rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are to take this  second of the three Sankharas …. verbal ( Vitakka-vicāra: 'thought-conception and discursive thinking'), Before one speaks aloud, there is a ‘speaking’ or contemplation that takes place internally.  The first or initial contemplation of a thought is ‘vitakka’, then we ‘think through’ or further the internal ‘speaking’. We call it consideration, or ‘vicāra’. Thus the contemplation is considered to be the vitakka/vicara. Another name for it is vaci‐sankhara or verbal fabrication.  So the two basic verbal sankharas are directed thought and evaluation  - vitakka &amp;amp; vicara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-06T03:11:30.143" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T03:11:30.143" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19504" CreationDate="2017-03-06T04:21:56.760" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is Kamma, rooted in ignorance and craving, that conditions rebirth. This life-stream flows ad infinitum, as long as it is fed by the muddy waters of ignorance and craving. When these two are completely cut off, then only, if one so wishes, does the stream cease to flow, rebirth ends as in the case of the Buddhas and Arahats. The most valuable evidence Buddhists cite in favor of rebirth is the Buddha, for He developed a knowledge which enabled Him to read past and future lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Right View on Rebirth is explained in the famous Buddhist book “Milindaparsna” which contains a long dialogue between the Greek king Minander I and Arhat Nagasena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Miln III.5.5: Transmigration and Rebirth (Miln 71)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The king asked: &quot;Venerable Nagasena, is it so that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Yes, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;How, venerable Nagasena, is it that one does not transmigrate and one is reborn? Give me an analogy.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Just as, your majesty, if someone kindled one lamp from another, is it indeed so, your majesty, that the lamp would transmigrate from the other lamp?&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Certainly not, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Indeed just so, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and one is reborn.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the scriptures, a being is a stream of Mind connected ‘ Nama-Rupa’. When a person dies, no soul departs. The stream of consciousness ( viññana) upon death, becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new set of five aggregates of clinging (Panca Upadana Khandas)  elsewhere.  In the Attakara sutta, you will find that you do exist. But there is no permanent self in you and the five clinging aggregates (panca upadanakkanda) which constitutes you is beyond your control, and therefore Anatta (non-self). (read  Anatta Lakkana Sutta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Stream Entrant is incapable of actions of craving and hatred that will definitively lead to rebirth in the four states of misery (Hell, Asura, Hungry Ghost and Animal realms), but the remaining gross craving and hatred is only eradicated when one becomes a Once-Returner; subtle craving and hatred are eliminated for the Non-Returner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T04:21:56.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19487" CreationDate="2017-03-06T04:43:32.450" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddha Dhamma, the human being is an impersonal combination of ever-changing mind and matter. In the flux is found no unchanging soul or eternal principle. The self or soul is then a piece of fiction invented by the human mind. To believe in such an absurdity is to create another source of unhappiness. One should therefore see oneself as one truly is — a conflux of mind and matter energized by tanha or craving, containing immense possibilities for both good and evil, neither overestimating nor underestimating one's capacities and capabilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aggregate of Matter or Form (Rupa) corresponds with material or physical factors. It includes not only our own bodies, but also the material objects that surround us – the earth, the oceans, the trees, the buildings, and so forth.&#xA;Specifically, the aggregate of form includes the five physical sense organs and the corresponding physical objects of the sense organs. These are the eyes and visible objects, the ears and sound, the nose and smell, the tongue and taste, and the skin and tangible objects. Mindfulness, which puts full attention on the movements and the characteristics of the body, can eventually see with clarity that the body is nothing but a conglomeration of parts. Mindfulness of this will help one to lose some of one’s attachment and ego illusion about the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get to know “Nama-Rupa”, and the ‘fiver skandhas”  the following dialogues between King Milinda and Arahant Nagasena is helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, what is ‘rupa’ and what is ‘nama’? Why do they generate together?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear king, ‘Namarupa’  means mentality &amp;amp; materiality.   Mentality (mind &amp;amp; thoughts) is ‘nama’. Materiality (the four great elements ‘Patavi’, ‘Apo’, ‘Thejo’, ‘Vayo’ which are transitory and the material form derived from them) is ‘Rupa’. ‘Nama’ and ‘rupa’ are linked together like flowers and their scent. They are born together. This phenomenon has been there for a long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, what does conceive as the birth?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear King, ‘Namarupa’  (psychological elements of the human person &amp;amp; physical body / Mentality &amp;amp; materiality) conceive as the birth. The body &amp;amp; mind we have at present would never be reborn. Because of the results of good and bad deeds (Karma Vipaka) which we have done using our mind and body, another ‘Namarupa’  (psychological elements of the human person &amp;amp; physical body) is conceived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, is it the materiality or form (Rupa) which is Nagasena? Is it the feeling or sense (Vedana) (pleasure, pain or the absence of the either) which is Nagasena? Is it cognitive perception (Sanna) ( awareness of colour, shape, sound, smell, taste &amp;amp; touch) which is Nagasena? Is it volition or mental formation (Sankhara) (habitual actions like greed, hatred, generosity, kindness…etc) which is Nagasena? Is it consciousness (Vinnana) (all the mental faculties pertaining to perception &amp;amp; experience) which is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None dear king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Venerable Sir, Then is it the five aggregates (Rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara,  vinnana) which is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No dear king.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then, who is Nagasena?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear King, you came here by a chariot. Do you call the compartment the chariot? Or, do you call the roof the chariot? Is the cart wheel or the beam the chariot ? Is the axle the chariot ? Is the bridle the chariot ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No Venerable Sir.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear king, when the compartment, the roof, cart wheels, the beam, the axle and the bridle is combined, it is called the chariot. If it is dismantled and heaped, nobody would call it a chariot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, when my hair, teeth, nail, skin, flesh &amp;amp; bones are together, it is called Nagasena. When the five aggregates are together, it is called Nagasena. But, in reality, there is no such person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our Great Buddha said thus to Bhikkuni Vajira : “In the manner, that a chariot is called a chariot when the cart wheels, compartment, axle, beam, etc. are combined; a being is called thus when the five aggregates (the Five Skandhas)are merged. ”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;King Milinda was very happy about the explanation and thanked Venerable Nagasena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T04:43:32.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19508" CreationDate="2017-03-06T06:23:29.560" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ordinarily, when unrelated to jhana, the words 'vitakka' &amp;amp; 'vicara' simply mean 'thought', 'thinking' &amp;amp; 'thinking about'. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt; is about 'two kinds of thinking'; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt; is about distracting thoughts &amp;amp;, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 44&lt;/a&gt;, 'vitakka' &amp;amp; 'vicara' are called the 'verbal conditioner' because they cause speech to occur, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Having first directed one's thoughts and made an evaluation, one then breaks out into speech. That's why directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation are&#xA;  verbal fabricators. MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of jhana, the words 'vitakka' &amp;amp; 'vicara' have a different &amp;amp; special meaning. Here, they do not refer to ordinary verbal thinking but to non-verbal &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;movements&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; of mind that finalise the attainment of &amp;amp; maintain the 1st jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In respect to the attainment of the 1st jhana, 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara' refer to 'applied &amp;amp; sustained thought', where the mind itself (rather than volitional intention) applies itself to bring to fruition the 1st first jhana. As said, these &lt;em&gt;movements&lt;/em&gt; of mind are beyond the scope of ordinary volition.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the 1st jhana comes to be, 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara' refer to '&lt;em&gt;directed thought &amp;amp; pondering / exploring / moving about&lt;/em&gt; ', where part of the mind itself remains active in examining &amp;amp; responding to its own response to the jhana factors (such as rapture), to ensure the jhana is maintained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As stated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;, jhana is born from 'letting go' ('&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;'). Thus, 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara' ('&lt;em&gt;directed thought &amp;amp; pondering&lt;/em&gt;') operate in the 1st jhana to ensure the letting go &amp;amp; thus the jhana factors are maintained. Refer to Ajahn Brahm's explanation, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Brahm_The_Jhanas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, about the &quot;wobble&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many subtle different explanations of vitakka &amp;amp; vicara in respect to the 1st jhana. For example, the monk Thanissaro has translated with the words 'directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation'; and Buddhadasa had translated (from Thai) with the words 'noting' &amp;amp; 'experiencing' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) and 'looking at' &amp;amp; 'knowing thoroughly' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu-Anapanasati.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I personally prefer Ajahn Brahm's explanation because the existence of &lt;em&gt;vitakka&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;vicara&lt;/em&gt; in the 1st jhana simply indicate the mind is not completely still, despite its attainment of 'one-pointedness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also like Jeffrey Brooks summation as &quot;&lt;em&gt;sustained application of a meditation technique&lt;/em&gt;&quot; (namely, the now automatic technique of 'letting go' ) but I do not agree with Jeffrey's translation of 'sustained attention' because the mind has 'attention' in every jhana:    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The correct translation of the Pali terms 'vitakka' and 'vicára,' with respect to the absorptions (jhanas), must be &quot;applied and&#xA;  sustained attention&quot; or &quot;sustained application&quot; of a meditation&#xA;  technique.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/transitionalabsorption.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jeffrey Brooks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'One-pointedness' refers to the mind becoming unmovingly glued to a mental image ('nimitta'), which has arisen to replace the totally tranquilised breath as the object of meditation. This 'one-pointedness' can be compared to an axle upon which a wheel becomes fixed to. Although the wheel is fixed to the axle and cannot move off the axle, the wheel can still spin around the axle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, although the mind is fixed or unmoving due to one-pointedness (which also results in ordinary volition ending), the mind itself can still actively move towards &amp;amp; away from the other factors of jhana. These movements of mind that sustain the meditation are 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, understanding what 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara' are as factors of jhana will not assist in the attainment of jhana because these factors of jhana occur beyond the sphere of ordinary volition, as Ajahn Brahm has explained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the preliminary development leading to jhana, a more primitive 'vitakka &amp;amp; vicara' refers to the volitional activity that keeps 'letting go'; that keeps wilfully non-attaching. But once jhana is reached, ordinary volition falls away and a new 'automatic volition' arises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T01:53:39.777" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T01:53:39.777" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19513" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-06T12:22:32.243" Score="3" ViewCount="2072" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between desire and compulsion? When do I know that something is a desire and when do I know that something is a compulsion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can there be compulsion in sexual thoughts even if I have a strong disliking about it? Can a compulsion include sexual emotions or not? And can a compulsion be created through anxiety/fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10390" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T05:02:47.203" Title="What is the Difference between Desire and Compulsion?" Tags="|mind|desire|society|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14346" CreationDate="2017-03-06T20:02:44.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thee are three schools of Japanese Zen, however many Chans in China, stretch that thought through 1300 years, and your picture of Zen becomes less singular. In that it seemingly emphasises anapanasati over vipassana meditation, it is closer to the original texts imo - which itself is  a reformatted memory of the Buddha's words. In any case, I think almost all buddhist monastic orders follow the Nikayas or Agamas, the Patimokkha and Vinaya, so there isn't much really to separate them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T20:02:44.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19513" CreationDate="2017-03-06T20:10:03.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are wholesome/skillful &amp;amp; unwholesome/unskillful desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome desires are called 'craving' or '&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;', which are the 'compulsion' referred to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to new becoming, accompanied by&#xA;delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for&#xA;sensual pleasures, craving to be, craving not-to-be.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Craving' or 'compulsion' (namely the '&lt;em&gt;lust&lt;/em&gt;', '&lt;em&gt;resistance&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;' quoted below) is shown by a lack of self-control, enslavement ('&lt;em&gt;fettered&lt;/em&gt;') &amp;amp; the final result of suffering when not getting or losing the object of compulsion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is similar with an untaught worldling: when touched by a painful (bodily) feeling, he worries and grieves, he laments, beats his breast, weeps and is distraught. So he experiences two kinds of feeling: a bodily and a mental feeling.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Having been touched by that painful feeling, he resists (and resents) it. Then in him who so resists (and resents) that painful&#xA;feeling, an underlying tendency of &lt;strong&gt;resistance&lt;/strong&gt; against that painful&#xA;feeling comes to underlie (his mind). Under the impact of that painful&#xA;feeling he then proceeds to enjoy sensual happiness. And why does he&#xA;do so? An untaught worldling, O monks, does not know of any other&#xA;escape from painful feelings except the enjoyment of sensual&#xA;happiness. Then in him who enjoys sensual happiness, an underlying&#xA;tendency to &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; for pleasant feelings comes to underlie (his mind).&#xA;He does not know, according to facts, the arising and ending of these&#xA;feelings, nor the gratification, the danger and the escape, connected&#xA;with these feelings. In him who lacks that knowledge, an underlying&#xA;tendency to &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; as to neutral feelings comes to underlie (his&#xA;mind). When he experiences a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling or a&#xA;neutral feeling, he feels it as one fettered by it. Such a one, O&#xA;monks, is called an untaught worldling who is fettered by birth, by&#xA;old age, by death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He&#xA;is fettered by suffering, this I declare.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T20:21:51.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9983" CreationDate="2017-03-06T20:22:18.490" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the world of Buddhism where nothing is clear, everything is totally vague and confusing and where everyone has conflicting and contradictory opinions about how it should be practiced. Some people will tell you there is no right way to meditate, others will tell you you must make sure you are adhering strictly to a technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastActivityDate="2017-03-06T20:22:18.490" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19513" CreationDate="2017-03-07T03:32:40.993" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All 84,000 sections of the Dhamma are simply strategies for getting people to turn and look at the mind. The Buddha's teachings are many because people's defilements are many, and compulsions are one of the hardest to get rid of, as they are so deeply ingrained in us. To get rid of compulsions, that are very much a part of us, in having entertained them throughout our endless samsara, we have to be fully committed to this path. The path to enlightenment is not so easy. It is a path that goes against the stream. Buddha called this &quot;Patisothagami &quot; or going against the stream. It is just like when almost all the fish in the water are swimming with the flow while only one fish is trying hard to swim against the flow. It's not swimming against the resistance of the flow of water but also the resistance of the other fish that may impede its path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compulsion is a kind of desire that you have very little control of. The English word desire is a translation for either of two Pali words: tanha or chanda. Tanha means “thirst”. Tanha is a reflex, an instinct - the urge to grab and consume. Chanda can be said as “motivation.” This motivation can be either positive or negative. Chanda can refer to sense-appetites. The interest in Dhamma too is Chanda. The clear difference between chanda and tanha is that chanda is not a reflex, not an instinct and not a compulsion; it is a choice. And the main theme of Dhamma practice is to make the choices that undercut the power of instinct and compulsion. So in practice we use this positive kind of desire to undercut and eradicate the negative type of desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a range of skills, techniques and strategies in Dhamma to get rid of the compulsions type of tanha (thirst). Once we break through its hold on our lives, our mind can finally come to rest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T03:32:40.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19513" CreationDate="2017-03-07T04:27:38.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both are same qualitatively but quantitatively different. Compulsion is a strong desire which cannot be mitigated easily. Your instincts (unconscious mind) are 9/10th of you and your conscious mind is 1/10th. If you do not have sex for few months then desire will take form of compulsion. Desires especially sex, food, and social if repressed for long ends up in compulsions of various sorts. Read Sigmund Freud to understand how mental disorders originates through subjugation of id by ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refrain from liking and disliking sex or any other animal activities which is part and parcel of being human. Just watch yourself. If you are becoming hyper about food, sex etc maybe it is the lifestyle, food etc which is at fault. Just watch yourself and it will be revealed to you.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T04:27:38.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12428" CreationDate="2017-03-07T05:02:15.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vinaya is consciousness. If you keep Buddhist doctrine aside then it is simple to describe consciousness. Kaya Vinaya is a description of that part of consciousness which is in touch with body. Consciousness can be thought of very fine grained body which becomes grosser and takes shape of various subtle bodies some of which are described by terms as Pranic, Astral etc. Consciousness in its subtlest forms governs life and death. If you are alive then it means Vinaya is there. But if you do not have control over a limb it means Vinaya has lost touch due to malfunction of grosser bodies inside. Kaya Vinaya is that part of consciousness which is in direct contact with body. Since Buddha did not want people to experiment with grosser bodies he never spoke about them. I am sure anybody who meditates and adopts a right lifestyle will start witnessing subtle bodies inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastEditorUserId="7751" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T05:55:00.713" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T05:55:00.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19501" CreationDate="2017-03-07T11:23:51.050" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I must say that I had a similar experience at one point of my meditation/mindfulness development. Personally, meditation opens my mind and makes me more aware of feelings and thoughts. The awareness is the first step toward resolution if those thoughts and emotions are negative. But there is a big step between realizing the presence of negative thoughts and resolving what is underlying and causing them. Between those two islands are the waters that must be navigated to not be engulfed by the immediate negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems that you do have some deep childhood experiences which can be motivating dark feelings. The mediation practice has brought the effect of these experiences to the surface. Perhaps this is your cue to finally address the experiences that have been troubling you for a long time, either consciously or sub-consciously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My father too was an alcoholic. This fact about your past does not need to become a part of your identity. For me meditation was very valuable in disconnecting myself from the ties I felt to this part of my past and how I felt they should affect me. However rather than simply observing my thoughts in meditation, I pointed them where I wanted them to go - compassion and love for others and myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not dare to give advice on how to continue with your meditation practice, just wanted to share my experience and hope that you can draw some parallels to your story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10934" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T11:23:51.050" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19523" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19524" CreationDate="2017-03-07T13:41:10.580" Score="6" ViewCount="1991" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before the Buddha introduced nirvana and enlightenment, was there any way to escape from the cycle of birth and death? What is written in Buddhist texts? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-07T14:46:51.540" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T12:04:53.500" Title="Before Buddhism, was there a way to escape from samsara?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19523" CreationDate="2017-03-07T14:24:54.710" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist texts say that there were previous Buddhas (and that there will be others in the distant future): that they too taught Buddhism; and that the current Buddha rediscovered Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the commentary to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=183&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada verse 183&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Ananda asked the Buddha whether the Fundamental Instructions to bhikkhus given by the preceding Buddhas were the same as those of the Buddha himself. To him the Buddha replied that the instructions given by all the Buddhas are as given in the following verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;ol start=&quot;183&quot;&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The best moral practice is patience and forbearance; &quot;Nibbana is Supreme&quot;, said the Buddhas. A bhikkhu does not harm others; one who harms others is not a bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not to revile, not to do any harm, to practise restraint according to the Fundamental Instructions for the bhikkhus, to be moderate in taking food, to dwell in a secluded place, to devote oneself to higher concentration - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are even some suttas, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.2-Nagara-S-s12.65-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.65&lt;/a&gt; which implies that Nirvana and the path the Nirvana was &quot;inhabited in ancient times&quot; and rediscovered by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Nagara Sutta, the delightful ancient fortress city [§20.2] clearly refers to nirvana, and the city is&#xA;  populated by saints (called “seers,” &lt;em&gt;rsi&lt;/em&gt;, in the Sanskrit Nagara Sutra, §5.28). Both the Pali and Sanskrit&#xA;  versions of the Sutta speak of ancient people using the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Texts also say that a few people (called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;private Buddhas&lt;/a&gt;&quot;) discover Nirvana for themselves, but (unlike a true Buddha) aren't able or aren't willing to teach other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T14:24:54.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19523" CreationDate="2017-03-07T14:28:39.977" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddha discovered reality as it actually is,  rather than coming up with a personalised conception of what it is, the Dhamma is open and discoverable to all, whether there is a Buddha to light the path or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically within Buddhism there is a concept of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratyekabuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pratyekabuddha-hood&lt;/a&gt;, which are beings who discover the Dhamma without a teacher -  without a living Buddha or his message being available. They do not teach though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was not the inventor of the Dhamma within Buddhism, he was 'only' an expounder of the Truths and the Eightfold Path. Before him there were past Buddhas within the Tripitaka, and a future one too (Maitreya). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Effectively the path is always discoverable and Nibbana achievable, to any individual willing to search. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-07T14:43:27.880" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T14:43:27.880" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19526" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-07T17:26:07.857" Score="6" ViewCount="789" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for more friends on the Buddhist path and would there for like to ask: &lt;strong&gt;Are there any social networking sites for Buddhists&lt;/strong&gt;? Some features that I'm looking for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Friends list&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Seeing online status of friends&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sending direct messages to a friend&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Chatting with a friend&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Open forums&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sharing images&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;News feed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2021-06-26T23:44:08.130" Title="Buddhist social networking site?" Tags="|sangha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19526" CreationDate="2017-03-07T21:18:57.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;My favorite is &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;NewBuddhist&lt;/a&gt;, but I don't know that it has all those features.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd be interested in developing this as a project, I have been thinking of the &quot;digital sangha&quot; social network and I'm relieved I'm not the only one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8032" LastActivityDate="2017-03-07T21:18:57.763" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19523" CreationDate="2017-03-08T01:04:36.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, there was no way to escape from &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt; (the cycle of ignorance, craving &amp;amp; ego-becoming) before the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is called 'Hinduism' arose after Buddhism. Before Buddhism, the main religion was called 'Brahmanism', which focused on 'Brahma' (god) &amp;amp; the Brahmin caste. There appears to be no evidence Brahmanism found a way to be free from 'samsara'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Brahmanism actually knew of a way to be free from samsara, the word 'Buddha' is a lie &amp;amp; false, since the Buddha declared his discovery was something completely brand new, i.e., &quot;never heard before&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before,&#xA;  there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and&#xA;  light.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.11 The First Sermon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T01:22:18.987" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T01:22:18.987" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19530" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19523" CreationDate="2017-03-08T01:21:01.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada tradition, Buddhas come and go over countless eons. Only in the times when their teaching is alive and true will we get a chance of escaping from this endless samsara. Every once in a great while, after a long period of spiritual darkness blankets the world, an individual is eventually born who, through his own efforts, rediscovers the long-forgotten path to Awakening and liberates himself once and for all from the long round of rebirth, thereby becoming an arahant (&quot;worthy one,&quot; one who has fully realized Awakening). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Digha Nikáya Sutta 14,  &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahapadana Sutta (The Great Discourse on the Lineage)&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; DN 32 The Ātaānātiiya Discourse, the Supreme Buddha stated that six Supreme Buddhas appeared over 91 world-cycles.  The seven Buddhas, including &quot;our&quot; Supreme Buddha, mentioned in DN 14 &amp;amp; DN 32: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa, and Gotama. They were all born in this earth, in the land of the Rose Apple (Jambudipa), in north-central India in the area known then as the Middle Land (Majjhima Desa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If such a being lacks the requisite development of a Supreme Buddha, he is unable to articulate his discovery to others and is known as a &quot;Silent&quot; or &quot;Private&quot; Buddha (paccekabuddha). These silent Buddhas come to pass a few hundred years prior to a birth of a Supreme Buddha. These Silent Buddhas too are born only in the land of the Rose Apple (Jambudipa), in north-central India in the area known then as the Middle Land (Majjhima Desa). This is a Dharmatha - a set of natural laws.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only at a time when the Dhamma of a Supreme Buddha is alive in the world will arahants walk this earth because they require a Buddha to show them the way to Awakening. (All Buddhas and paccekabuddhas are arahants) No matter how far and wide the sasana spreads, sooner or later it succumbs to the inexorable law of anicca (impermanence), and fades from memory. The world descends again into darkness, and the eons-long cycle repeats. The most recent Buddha was born Siddhattha Gotama in India in the sixth century BCE. He is the one we usually mean when we refer to &quot;The Buddha.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next Buddha due to appear is said to be Maitreya (Metteyya), a bodhisatta currently residing in the Tusita heavens. Legend has it that at some time in the far distant future, once the teachings of the current Buddha have long been forgotten, he will be reborn as a human being, rediscover the Four Noble Truths, and teach the Noble Eightfold Path once again. His name is mentioned only once in the entire Tipitaka, in the Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta (DN 26; The Lion's Roar on the Turning of the Wheel):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] And in that time of the people with an eighty-thousand-year life-span, there will arise in the world a Blessed Lord, an arahant fully enlightened Buddha named Metteyya, endowed with wisdom and conduct, a Well-farer, Knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, enlightened and blessed, just as I am now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T01:21:01.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19383" CreationDate="2017-03-08T04:09:29.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing like anything means incomparable; completely different from all other things. This is applied to Supreme Buddha Himself. It is because there can be only one Samma Sambuddha, in the entire universe, at any given period. During most aeons (Kalpa), there are no Samma Sambuddhas. Hence they are very rare. A Samma Sambuddha is called ‘Asama Sama’, i.e. incomparable with any other being but can be compared only to other Samma Sambuddhas who had lived in the distant past. Hence it is not feasible for all to aspire to be a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also a truism for the Dhamma. &quot;Dhamma&quot; nothing but The Teachings of the Supreme Buddha. The Dhamma is the second of the Three Jewels of Buddhism of which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge in (what one relies on for his/her lasting happiness). The truth and meaning of Dhamma becomes a private experience by the wise only when there is INSIGHT or vipassana. But insight (vipassana) depends on samadhi or CONCENTRATION. And concentration (samadhi) depends on Sammaditthi or RIGHT VIEW. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Arya Sangha – the Arahants – too are like no other. We know that “Arahant disciples” of the Buddha have no re-births. Because the cause for rebirth was overcome and the Patticca Samuppada (Law of Cause and Effect) was defeated, there is no birth due to Bhava or the formation of Kamma to result in a birth (“Bhava paccaya jāti” as noted in Patichcha Samuppada) for Arahants. This is why Arahants are completely free from being born again, and are the third of the ‘Nothing like Anything’ .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T04:09:29.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19532" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-08T07:15:17.300" Score="14" ViewCount="5739" Body="&lt;p&gt;For at least half of my life I've had an extremely strong desire to be in a relationship/have a girlfriend and though I've tried, I've been unsuccessful and this has brought me tremendous suffering to the point where I almost committed suicide 2 years ago. I see couples in a similar age group as me every single day and this further increases my suffering. I first encountered Buddhism 2 years ago and through its teachings I've detached myself from the past and have removed my strong desire for material wealth and this indeed has removed a lot of suffering from my life, however, I just can't seem to let go of immense desire to have a girlfriend even after realizing that external circumstances never bring lasting happiness and fulfillment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I let go of this destructive desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10942" LastEditorUserId="10942" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T07:25:21.393" LastActivityDate="2021-05-04T16:15:50.243" Title="How can I remove my desire for a relationship/girlfriend?" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|attachment|relationship|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19534" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-08T08:05:23.277" Score="6" ViewCount="844" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why there are only one Buddha per universe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And why there are not more or less at any time? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2377" LastActivityDate="2020-04-25T02:31:04.523" Title="Why are there are only one Buddha per universe?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19534" CreationDate="2017-03-08T12:20:29.887" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Theravada tradition, Buddhas come and go over countless eons. Only in the times when their teaching is alive and true will we get a chance of escaping from this endless samsara. Every once in a great while, after a long period of spiritual darkness blankets the world, an individual is eventually born who, through his own efforts, rediscovers the long-forgotten path to Awakening and liberates himself once and for all from the long round of rebirth, thereby becoming an arahant (&quot;worthy one,&quot; one who has fully realized Awakening). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Digha Nikáya Sutta 14,  &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahapadana Sutta (The Great Discourse on the Lineage)&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;amp; DN 32 The Ātaānātiiya Discourse, the Supreme Buddha stated that six Supreme Buddhas appeared over 91 world-cycles.  The seven Buddhas, including &quot;our&quot; Supreme Buddha, mentioned in DN 14 &amp;amp; DN 32: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa, and Gotama. They were all born in this earth, in the land of the Rose Apple (Jambudipa), in north-central India in the area known then as the Middle Land (Majjhima Desa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the scriptures the next Buddha to come will only come to pass when the life expectancy of mankind is 80,000 years. To come to the question proper... the very question that you asked was once asked by King Milinda, and Arahant Nagasena replied to it as posted in the earlier answer by Dhammadhatu.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you would want to read Bahudhātuka sutta (MN. 115), Mahāgovinda sutta (DN. 19), Sampasādanīya sutta (DN. 28), etc. Buddha has said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He [i.e., the bhikkhu who understands the possible and the impossible] understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Arahants who are Sammā-sambuddhas could arise contemporaneously in one world-system — there is no such possibility.’&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha fully understood the universe when He declared this, and this is what is said in the scriptures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Scriptures the universe is infinite in time and space. By infinite what is meant is the length, width or number of solar systems (lokadhātu) in the universe are infinite. Within that infinite space there are sections that consist of one billion solar systems are called “Thri Sahashri Loka Datu” (equivalent to a galaxy). Such unfathomable spaces are always explained by similes. One such is -  If someone takes mustard seeds amount equal to the volume of Thri Sahashri Loka Datu (equivalent to a galaxy) and travel in one direction placing one seed on one solar system, the seeds will come to an end but not the universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has not refereed to space as impermanent or not, but all things within it are. All the worlds of the devas, and the Brahma worlds are found within this time and space. For instance the scriptures talk about realms of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of space... realms of the gods of the base consisting of the infinity of consciousness... realms of the gods of the base consisting of nothingness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of us beings of all these diverse worlds, whatever we do in time and space is going to come to pass sooner or later, like a picture you draw with a stick in flowing water.  But there is one realm outside of time and space, Nibbhana, that Buddha wants us to reach, where we find the deathless. Once you’ve found the Deathless it’s always there as it is beyond time and space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A collection of 1000 solar systems are called “Sahashri Loka Dhatu” in the scriptures. A collection of 1,000,000 solar systems are called “Divi Sahashri Loka Dhatu”.  The universe may not be impermanent (as there is no mention of it).  Within it, the solar systems are born, gets destroyed and it will be made again. Such cycles are called “Maha Kalpa(great kalpa)”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maha Kalpa are further divided:  time of solar system formation ( Sanwatta Kalpa), time of existence (Sanwatta Sthayi Kalpa), time of destruction (Wiwatta kalpa) and time of emptiness (Wiwatta Sthayi Kalpa). The time intervals are termed “Asankya Kalpa”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-11T05:52:54.747" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T05:52:54.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-08T13:54:51.827" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lot of people use Buddhism and spirituality in general as means to escape their suffering.  They see the dharma as a panacea for their problems.  While the Buddha is quite clear that his path is one leading towards the end of anguish and dissatisfaction,  what a lot of people miss is that in order for us to arrive there, we are going to have to confront those issues that drove us to the Buddha-dharma in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than running towards the dharma, it sounds an awful lot like you are trying to runaway from your obstacles.  Diving headlong into your practice may provide you with some temporary relief, but when the samadhi ends and you come off your cushion, those issues will bounce back up like bamboo shaken free of snow.  At some point, you are going to have to confront these issues.  You are going to have to ask yourself a number of difficult questions about yourself, your relationship history, and even why you came to the dharma in a hope to resolve them.  Meditation will help you see these obstacles from a different perspective, but they will remain your obstacles.  And they are going to have to be confronted and addressed before your practice can evolve.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-03-08T14:06:37.680" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T14:06:37.680" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-08T21:03:50.240" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell. Buddhism is not about removing desires. It's about recognising what is present in any given moment and then responding skillfully or in a wholesome way so as not to cause suffering. You are human, you have and will continue to have desires. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T21:03:50.240" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-08T21:50:43.717" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;What helped me tremendously distance myself is this:&#xA;Contemplate the various advantages and disadvantages of having a girlfriend--particularly the one that you think you would get--not the dream-woman-that-you-have-to-be-on-a-certain-level-you-are-not-at-to-get. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, here is a personal list of benefits of celibacy:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jing retention for transmutation into spiritual energy (chi, shen)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Time saved for spiritual and personal goals.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Money saved for spiritual and personal goals and fun.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental energy saved from all the headache and back and forth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Social energy that can go into practical things like helping people or myself rather than feeding a woman's ego.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Less stress for managing a relationship... peace&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Less stress about her cheating on me every day... peace&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And disadvantages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lack of endorphins and excitement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tactile loneliness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Social ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sexual ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intellectual ignorance about X&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this point you should have an overall idea if there is more advantage or disadvantage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last step is to FIND activities which address the disadvantages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;exercise&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;joining a sangha and doing social activities together&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;learning more more about female evolutionary psychology via videos/books (see Red Queen, Sperm Wars)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;getting actual results of Buddha dharma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, I would say that it is best to pursue your path and not look for anything external because that external (i.e. girlfriend) when it comes to you &quot;naturally&quot; will be extremely well-matched for you (a great companion on your spiritual journey). Maybe it's because you started teaching or you were really successful and someone who values it took notice, etc.... let her find you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pursuing an un-ideal relationship would take you off the market and you might miss that girl of your dreams BECAUSE you were looking for her consciously and/or are with someone! Strange, isn't it? The best thing may be to be celibate until hotly pursued by someone well-matched. If it doesn't happen and you put all your 100% effort into the benefits list... then not much is lost!&#xA;But had you done the opposite... you will regret the sexual life for maybe eons or however long you think until you are a human and above with Buddhadharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-03-08T21:50:43.717" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5759" CreationDate="2017-03-09T01:10:39.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can see that there is a lot of us struggling too much in confusion when pracising mindfulness with regards to buddhism and also to relate our earning in accordance to buddhist practises ,Crab bucket has kindly pointed out 5 type of trades( for the latter) that a buddhist should not involved. As for mindfullness in works, fundamentally, that is to be aware that you are at the &quot;present&quot; while doing works rather than thinking of other family or friends stuff. I understand for artist, there is a lot of creativitiness and imagination during the works, but at least one have to be &quot;aware&quot; that he is in his imagine works at &quot;then&quot;. And that is that. In facts...artist or writer at work is at quite a focus mode. They are totally absorbed in their works to prevent error.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go back to the fundamental, with understanding that you are not a monk that had already give up worldy stuff, and therefore need to go almsround asking for food. Thus we have to make a living base on the five precepts and five don't trade. As long as it does not consists of the 5 trades, as long as it is not done cheating in all form, and there is no ill intention of cheating. All is good for a living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the ultimate goal is to end suffering and to stop ourselves to rebirth again in samsara, buddha understand that it is not possible for everyone to click a button and thus stopping being rebirth. Thus buddha lay down the 5 precepts for one to follow, to achieve prosperity in life with less suffering. Thus to follow by inner peace and able to practise well. With less suffering and more peace...it is easier to practise rather than having problematic human lives and frustration when one is living thru his karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do a lot of chanting and meditation to let wisdom arise instead of keep reading hungrily into sutra which made one more confuse(if you are). When the heart (mind ) is quiet, wisdom arise naturally. There are many monks in thailand that are illiterate that can't read books and yet they become arahant thru diligent chanting and meditation. Chanting and meditation train one mind muscle to be able to focus easily...when one go deeper...one will understand that we suffer because we are attached to our body and senses. And thru this 5 senses thoughts arises...when thoughts arises....judgement arised...when judgement arised...feeling arised...and the basic feeling are the greed, hatred and lust that is causing us to suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10951" LastEditorUserId="10951" LastEditDate="2017-03-09T01:24:16.543" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T01:24:16.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-09T02:19:00.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hope i will be able to help....or hopefully someone else can chip in to be able to unlock the tied knot in your heart....but hope you don't get devastated whatever it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First...as a buddhist....you should be able to accept the theory everything happened for a reason. Causes and effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Couple or people get together according to their own karma link. As of now....your partner may have not arrived. Maybe they will come a later stage....and perhap this is a blessing in disguise for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can minimise your desire for wealth( or did you just give up because it is not practical?, note that these are two different things)...you should be able to minimise your desire for a partner using the same method. Unless your way of minimising the desired is wrong but perceived that you had done it successfully...then you need to revisit the method again...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chanting and meditation is the only way to help you end all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First..&#xA;Chanting with great mindfulness allow your mind to be focus, pure and thus able to radiate loving kindness(good wishes) to all beings. This will bring more affinity with others. Perhap in your past lives you had been a monk or priest with no desired for love...thus it does not create a karma link with the opposite sex. There are more other reasons....but dwelling into that won't help...so lets move on below...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation train your brain to be less disturbed when you encounter all undesired situation(such as your case )....many says it don't works and it only works during that half to one hr of practise..and once you are off meditation and confronted with situation...it is still easy to get frustrated.......so my question is? How often do you meditate? How long do you meditate ea time? Since when you start meditate? If you only started few years back and meditated 10 -15 mins every day or sometime skipped...then how do you attain peace easily? So how much is enough? I won't and will not answer this question. Why? Cos everyone are borne with different stage of mindfulness(ability to focus ) during their birth and thus everyone progress will be different....even buddha in his last birth takes years to meditate, and go thru all the suffering before total wisdom arised and able to share his discourse. So you sure you have practise correctly and successfully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that desired come from inner heart and only self help will help with good advise from anyone ( your affinity). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the ear hear noise, thought arises and thus is good /bad feeling. So how? Stop the noise at the ear.(acknowledge sound, sound, sound...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the eye see form, thought arises and thus is good/bad feeling. Stop the sighting at the eye.(acknowledge seeing, seeing, seeing...).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the nose smell thing....etc etc&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the tongue taste thing....etc etc...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;When the body feel thing ....etc etc....&#xA;When it is too late and the sensation get into the heart (mind )...acknowledge whatever the feeling, sensation is...and let it go....it will take many practises before it become a habit and thus easy to end unnecessarily suffering arised.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10951" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T02:19:00.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19534" CreationDate="2017-03-09T02:52:51.433" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teaching attributed to the Buddha of '&lt;em&gt;there can only be one self-enlightened Buddha in a world-system (lokadhātuyā)&lt;/em&gt;' is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahudhātuka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; of the Majjhima Nikaya, which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones (arahanto), Fully Self-Enlightened Ones (sammāsambuddhā), could arise&#xA;  contemporaneously in one (ekissā) world-system (lokadhātuyā) ― there is no such possibility.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And he understands: ‘It is possible that one Accomplished One, a Fully&#xA;  Self-Enlightened One, might arise in one world-system ― there is such a&#xA;  possibility.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bahudhātuka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Panha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milindapañha&lt;/a&gt;, which is a later-day commentary (c. 100BC), provides a detailed explanation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This world system, O king, is a one-Buddha-supporting world; that is, it can bear the virtue of only a single Tathāgata. If a second&#xA;  Tathāgata were to arise the world could not bear him, it would shake&#xA;  and tremble, it would bend, this way and that, it would disperse,&#xA;  scatter into pieces, dissolve, be utterly destroyed. just as a boat, O&#xA;  king, might be able to carry one passenger across. Then, when one man&#xA;  had got on board, it would be well trimmed and able to bear his&#xA;  weight. But if a second man were to come like to the first in age and&#xA;  caste and strength and size and stoutness of body and build of frame,&#xA;  and he too should get on board the boat—would that boat be able, O&#xA;  king, to carry them both?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Or suppose, O king, that a man had eaten as much food as he wanted, even so that he had filled himself with nourishment up to the&#xA;  throat, and he—thus satiated, regaled, filled with good cheer, with no&#xA;  room left for more, drowsy and stiff as a stick one cannot bend—were&#xA;  again to eat as much food as he had eaten before—would such a man, O&#xA;  king, then be at ease?’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose, O king, there were two carts quite filled with precious things up to the top, and people were to take the things from the one&#xA;  cart and pile them up on the other, would that one be able to carry&#xA;  the weight of both?’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If, O king, two Buddhas were to arise together, then would disputes&#xA;  arise between their followers, and at the words: “Your Buddha, our&#xA;  Buddha,” they would divide off into two parties—just as would the&#xA;  followers of two rival powerful ministers of state. This is the other reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same&#xA;  time.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The passage (of Scripture) that the Buddha is the chief would become false, and the passage that the Buddha takes precedence of all would&#xA;  become false, and the passage that the Buddha is the best of all would&#xA;  become false. And so all those passages where the Buddha is said to be&#xA;  the most excellent, the most exalted, the highest of all, the peerless&#xA;  one, without an equal, the matchless one, who hath neither counterpart&#xA;  nor rival—all would be proved false. Accept this reason too as in&#xA;  truth a reason why two Buddhas cannot arise at once.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of other things also, whatever is mighty in the world is singular. The broad earth is great, O king, and it is only one. The ocean is&#xA;  mighty, and it is only one. Sineru, the king of the mountains, is&#xA;  great; and it is only one. Space is mighty, and it is only one. Sakka&#xA;  (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. Mara (the Evil&#xA;  One, Death) is great, and he is only one. Mahā-Brahmā is mighty, and&#xA;  he is only one. 51 A Tathāgata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, is great,&#xA;  and he is alone in the world. Wherever any one of these spring up,&#xA;  then there is no room for a second. And therefore, O king, is it that&#xA;  only one Tathāgata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, can appear at one time&#xA;  in the world.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mil6.1.1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mil 5.5 11; Mil 235&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-09T03:19:09.613" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T03:19:09.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19501" CreationDate="2017-03-09T03:29:33.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Allow me to share my part. Since i have a few panic attacks myself..and i also do meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, lets understand that anxiety or feeling anxiety is a mental illness at a different platform. (Not crazy or so). In scientific, the brain lack of some crucial vitamins or minerals..such as inositol or some other thing else. These can be replenish thru appropriate diet...but note that it can be leaked thru various reason...celiac....gluton....alcohol..excessive sweating....people may disagree because the question is why sometime one won't feel anxiety only at certain incident....so my question is...do you know what vitamins or mineral is missing from your body on a particular day? People with anxiety problem can't stop themselves from the excessive thinking or non stop thinking...is a medical condition but is not becos of &quot;think too much&quot;. I know it because i have it. There are times when my body condition is good and when i try to think some bad event in the past but the thoughts just stop and it just choose to ignore those bad things easily.&#xA;But there are times when the body condition is no good...some past bad events just pop up of&quot; no where&quot; and without mindfulness....we just keep dwelling non stop ( and this is where meditation practise came in handly which i will explain later on)....to the extend that we do silly thing that impact our life....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this is a medical condition that need medical help...and to exercise moderately without sweating too much...take good care of your guts and make sure u got what is missing from your guts...you must kick alcohol out of your life...not only it causes mineral leaked out of you...it is damaging your liver which regulate the mood.i would advise some vitamins instead of medical drug....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is a practise to train the brain to stabalise. And it may need a long term practise before one could understand how feeling arised and how to stop them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And without a good foundation in meditation, it is difficult to attain peace when you are having anxiety problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation correctly &quot;train&quot; you to be &quot;aware&quot; of &quot;present&quot;.  It should be able to tell you &quot; i am feeling nervous now...and this is due to xxx xxx. So you start acknowledging in your heart and mind...saying in your mind... ....anxiety...anxiety....anxiety....many many times until your brain feels numb and tired&quot;..(do not think about any event at this points. Focus on &quot;saying&quot; anxiety..anxiety..)...then it should go away for a while...but at this time normally i will pop in a mutli b complex vitamin  as i know that something is missing from my guts...causing me to spirl into anxiety easily..and in just 10 -15 mins every would be fine...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to meditate?.&#xA;The basic sitting comfortably....take few deep breathe until the body relaxed....then start to focus on your stomach area. Two inches above the navel.....chant this in your mind......when the stomach inflated...say &quot;rising&quot;...when the stomach deflated...says &quot;falling&quot;.&#xA;With the &quot;zing&quot; end at highest point....and &quot;ling&quot; end at lowest point.&#xA;When you feel itchy...focus the consciousness at the place...keep saying....itchy...itchy....a lot of time until it go away...it will if you are focus enough...likewise for numbness, pain  etc...it will keep coming back and you just need to attack this phenomenom..and sometime you basically spend half to one hr doing so and you find that you failed to attain peace....the truth is...you are training in your mind to be focus and in long term...it will be easy and helpful. Yet sometime your body is very cooperative and easily you will go into a calm state..a bit like sleepiness but not so, your breathing will automatically be very shallow...you will realise your mind is not thinking at all....a elementary peacefulness or calmness...and if you are lucky....you will go into a state call &quot;deep absorption&quot; when your senses is all closed....where you can't hear any noise at all...can't feel anything.. you will find that you are in a dark space without anything...no movement...no nothing....no sense of time....but you are aware that you are conscious....lets skip this for further discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about thoughts? When thoughts arised...shift your focusing to the centre of your rib..at the triangle meeting point....keep saying in your heart too...thinking..thinking...thinking....until it goes away...sometimes it is difficult....and sometimes it keep coming back..just keep doing it....it will become a habit and you will be able to tackle it quick and move on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take note of feeling too...in every session of meditation....our feeling and mental stage is different....thus we need to know we are frustrated, boring, exciting or anything else...and using the same method of reciting again and again until it goes away...as i say...sometime u end up sitting frustrating and no peace at all....don't worry....just know that your brain is practise focusing....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A quiet place is needed for beginner. So that you one less obstacle to attain to....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some dont understand the real feeling of calmness and peacefulness...choose one meal time at home with no people disturbing....choose a food easy to eat....just need a spoon...&#xA;Bring the foods into your mouth..close your eye...shift your focus to the side of your mouth where the teeth is biting...concentrate on the biting and the food...keep watch of the bite...keep notice the food become smaller and smaller...keep watching until you swallow the food...watch out your tongue move..after you do a few times...you will find your brain goes into a calm stage..your eye will become lazy....you will become slow and calm.......do it very very slowly...as if you are a small living thing in your mouth...this method rip faster result for calmness...but the calmness it short too....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom will arise through constant and diligent practice of correct meditation...i can't explain this wisdom....i am not intelligent....but a lot of answer will just pop to me whenever i have a question in my mind....in some occasion it allow me to see problem in as if it is slow motion and and i can point out the problem easily.....i know its happening.....its very different from know how to solve a math question easily...or maybe it is the same...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10951" LastEditorUserId="10951" LastEditDate="2017-03-09T03:40:18.987" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T03:40:18.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13750" CreationDate="2017-03-09T04:26:03.213" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As described in Theravada Buddhist texts of the Abhidhamma Pitaka in the Tipitaka, there is no indivisible part of the atom. Every atom is divisible. If anyone divides it infinitely, the ultimate outcome is energy = there is nothing that exists in reality, it's a mirage that we experience because of the four major qualities. And the atom is made out of four major qualities and due to those 4 major qualities, there are another four qualities are generated. The four major qualities can exist in different or equal proportions within the atom. When the proportions changes, the elements change to another element. The four major qualities are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;patavi&quot; - which gives the quality of roughness to the atom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;aapo&quot;- which gives the quality of flowing (fluidity)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;thejo&quot; - the quality which gives warmth or heat (and this accounts for the coldness too, when the heat decreases we humans feel coldness, so it is both heat and cold)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;waayo&quot; - the quality of expansion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then because of those four, another sub qualities being generated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;warna&quot; - the quality which gives colour to atoms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;ghanda&quot; - which gives smell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;rasa&quot; - which gives the quality of taste&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;oja&quot; - the energy that keeps those four main qualities intact (it's like food to the atom).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the proportions of the four major qualities in atoms are constantly changing, the change can take fraction of second in some materials, sometimes it might take uncountable years to change. And according to Buddhist texts the atom itself appears and disappears very fast and we humans can only see its existence if you don't have developed your mind to understand and see those happenings (just like our human eye see the tv screen or a video as a one motion, it actually contains many frames to make a full video, but we only see it as a one frame with people moving inside it), but Buddha have said this is a mirage we see and it is &quot;non-eternal&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: I have read Abhidhamma Pitaka. And I'm a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S: if you want to know the what's really happening, my advise is, you have to read it by yourself and understand, rather than reading some English translated text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10946" LastEditorUserId="10946" LastEditDate="2017-03-11T04:15:38.240" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T04:15:38.240" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14250" CreationDate="2017-03-09T07:59:56.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are having classic signs and symptoms of neurological problems--Lightheadedness, dizziness, head spinning, very high sensations, flying/spinning sensations, strong  forehead sensations, palm sensations, head oscillations&#xA;feeling dizzy 24 hours, inability to focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THESE ARE DANGEROUS NEUROLOGICAL SIGNS/SYMPTOMS DUE TO MEDITATION.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://kundalini-brahmajnani.blogspot.com/2016/05/dangers-in-meditation-meditation-or.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://kundalini-brahmajnani.blogspot.com/2016/05/dangers-in-meditation-meditation-or.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are going to end up in the hospital if you continue your meditation. If you want your well-being, give up all meditation/concentration/focusing practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shubhamsatu = Let Good Happen To You!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10952" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T07:59:56.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19551" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-09T11:31:02.140" Score="8" ViewCount="3018" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm trying to follow Buddhist teachings but I generally don't like people so I don't feel like practising metta towards them. They just irritate me and I don't care if they suffer or not. I usually just want them to F off and leave me alone.  How can I be Buddhist if I feel this way?  I cannot force a warm fuzzy feeling of metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10762" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2017-03-13T17:52:45.220" LastActivityDate="2022-09-16T11:42:25.840" Title="I don't like people" Tags="|buddhist|" AnswerCount="18" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19552" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-09T13:26:48.063" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to start with yourself. If you cannot generate metta towards yourself that is fine. It just means that there is work to be done. With consistent practice you will able to do it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you can generate metta towards yourself you have a pure and clean &lt;em&gt;source&lt;/em&gt; meaning you can then extend it to other beings. If you do not have a clean source then other beings who &lt;em&gt;drink&lt;/em&gt; from it risk being tainted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four types of persons one should learn to generate metta towards. These are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A respected, highly valued, person, e.g. ones teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A dearly beloved person such as a parent or a close friend.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A neutral person e.g. one who works in a store one often visits.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A hostile person, i.e. a person who one is struggling with.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One starts with oneself and then progress to the next person once one becomes familiar with the practice. If done correctly one will be able to progress through the stages ending up with the hostile person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not start with a hostile person since that would be too difficult. Its like trying to run before one can walk. It will only generate too much resistance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start with yourself. How to do it? There are several methods to use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Visualization: bring forth a mental picture of yourself smiling or a person (teacher, parent etc.) smiling at you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reflection: reflect upon the positive and wholesome qualities of yourself or a person, e.g. how you have helped someone or how someone did wholesome things for you. You could also reflect upon beings who possess wholesome qualities such as a Buddha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal with these methods is to generate metta, the feeling of loving-kindness. When practicing you might experience this feeling getting stronger or weaker. If it becomes weaker then return to the methods (reflection or visualization) until the feeling becomes strong again. You should only direct metta towards yourself or another person when the feeling is strong. You will know when that is through practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately metta-practice ends up with one directing metta towards ones entire building (neighbours), the city (like minded communities), the country, then all directions: north, south, east, west, then all beings in the Universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't worry about the last part yet. It will come when you are ready for it.&#xA;Start with yourself then the four types of persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-03-09T17:53:54.670" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T17:53:54.670" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19553" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-09T19:12:43.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Have you tried the 4th component of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upekkha might work better for you?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said he could not see any drawbacks from Upekkha other than it's subject to ending. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-03-09T19:18:57.300" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T19:18:57.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-09T21:57:00.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read this question at the beginning of my day and have been thinking about it for some time. I've been in a similar situation myself, having many negative thoughts about people, being angry etc. In my case things changed when:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The external situation changed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;My thoughts, expectations and perceptions of the actions of other people changed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now things are much better for me but I still have negative thoughts about people from time to time, and I &quot;get stuck&quot; in these thoughts. When this happens what I try to do is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Practice self-compassion (&lt;a href=&quot;http://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/#guided-meditations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Guided meditations&lt;/a&gt; by Kristin Neff)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think about people that are easily likable (for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dalailama.com/gallery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;), either visualizing them or looking at a photograph&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could say more but I wanted to share what has worked in my own experience. I hope this will help you in some way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2017-03-09T21:57:00.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-10T00:21:16.777" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Continuous mindfulness is the key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must learn to let go of that hatred. You must renounce hatred, anger, once and for all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever such a thought arise ''I don't like people, I hate people'', you must be aware and know it as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observe the related thoughts and feelings in an objective manner, without reacting, by simply turning, holding and sustaining your attention to what has just appeared, just at time of its duration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must ''decondition'' the habit pattern you have created. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, metta will arise naturally. Or at the very least it will be quite easy to cultivate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T00:21:16.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-10T00:29:57.397" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you ambivalent to all people, or just the vast majority? Are you a solitary person? Do you get enough time/freedom for yourself? What is your opinion of yourself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are generally reflections of oneself imo, act happy they will likely act happy, act scared and so will they, tempted, cautious etc.. In the end it's all a bit predictable, so why not just detach? Aversion is very much like attachment. People will float into your field of view now and then, just part of living on a small planet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T00:29:57.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19464" CreationDate="2017-03-10T07:28:04.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basic satipatthana formula is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly aware, mindful,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;observing the ____{body | feelings | mind | dhamma} in the ____{body | feelings | mind | dhamma},&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;removing &lt;strong&gt;covetousness&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;displeasure&lt;/strong&gt; in regard to the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key here is &lt;code&gt;removing covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world&lt;/code&gt;, that is you do not react to pleasant sensation with craving of unpleasant sensation with aversion, whatever the 4 frame of reference it originates from. More details see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18976/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=removing%20covetousness%20and%20displeasure%20in%20regard%20to%20the%20world%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;these answers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T07:28:04.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19560" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19561" CreationDate="2017-03-10T07:30:25.187" Score="1" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sir, when I talk to my wife over phone (maintaining equanimity) she suddenly recognize that either i am not in a mood to talk, and its obvious becuase even I know that its impossible to remain equanimous and get involved in the conversation whole heartedly, I am not sure I am making myself clear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is lets say I often make jokes on phone and laugh a lot when I talk to my friend, but I find these things stupid while trying to maintain Equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kindly explain is it possible to do both the things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T04:56:25.900" Title="How to get involved in feelings maintaining Equanimity?" Tags="|the-buddha|equanimity|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19560" CreationDate="2017-03-10T08:08:33.883" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perception&lt;/a&gt; which recognises and classifies it as funny or not. Tired with it arises the sensation which is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. You have to be equanimous towards it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if the chattering is senseless chattering this is not &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right speech&lt;/a&gt; also. Why idle chattering is not conducive is with whatever you say the other person likes it or dislikes it reacting with craving or aversion. Also it creates verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt;. And makes your mind distracted, than &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concentrated&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So limit conversation to what is important. Try to maintain equanimity towards sesations when talking also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T08:08:33.883" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19526" CreationDate="2017-03-10T16:06:02.817" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma Wheel&lt;/a&gt; and its sister site &lt;a href=&quot;https://dharmawheel.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&#xA;Dharma Wheel&lt;/a&gt; are forums where you can add friends, send direct messages, and chat with others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those two are probably the closest you will get to a Buddhist social networking site, but keep in mind that they are primarily discussion forums.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T16:06:02.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19563" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19574" CreationDate="2017-03-10T17:32:16.547" Score="3" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given that if a person is extremely busy &amp;amp; unable to give full time to meditation but wants to penetrate mind to eradicate past live impressions, how can he/she do so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:07:51.977" Title="How can we include meditation in our daily activities or day to day life?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-insight|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19563" CreationDate="2017-03-10T17:54:48.087" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personally, I commute one hour each way on a direct train to work every day.. It's surprising how silent rush hour is often (Friday evening is a slight exception!). It's not secluded in the traditional sense, but if you have some decent earphones to kill ambient sound it gets pretty comfy, and I can get on with concentrating on meditating. It's nice as well because otherwise I'd sit there wasting time mostly! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T17:54:48.087" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19565" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19567" CreationDate="2017-03-10T18:12:20.093" Score="1" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is to say, anicca and anatta obviously apply to all 5 skandhas, but 'stress/suffering' is a psychological phenomenon. Is it the 'name' within name-and-form that links it back to dukkha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:11:18.203" Title="Does dukkha apply to name-and-form?" Tags="|five-skandas|dukkha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19566" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="23087" CreationDate="2017-03-10T20:13:04.843" Score="1" ViewCount="423" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks and nuns take the vow of not wearing lay clothes. Zen monks sometimes wear a casual &quot;working clothing&quot; called a &lt;em&gt;samue&lt;/em&gt;. It looks like a regular kimono, without the belt. Since lay people also wear it, I understand that a samue is actually lay clothes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To distinguish the monks from lay people, the monks have to shave and to wear either the &lt;em&gt;kasaya&lt;/em&gt; or a small version of it (the &lt;em&gt;rakusu&lt;/em&gt;). Does a monk wearing a samue break a vow, even when he wears a kasaya or rakusu?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-10-06T06:06:10.457" Title="Does a monk wearing a samue break a prātimokṣa vow?" Tags="|ethics|zen|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19565" CreationDate="2017-03-10T23:03:28.147" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Dukkha' as one of the three characteristics is not a psychological phenomenon (unlike 'dukkha' in the four noble truths). As one of the three characteristics, 'dukkha' means '&lt;em&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/em&gt;', namely, the inherent inability of impermanent conditioned things to bring lasting happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, apples, motor cars &amp;amp; cocaine are '&lt;em&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/em&gt;' because there is no characteristic within those things that can bring lasting happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following correct translation makes the different usages of 'dukkkha' clear:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabbe baṅkhārā dukkhā'ti yadā paññāya passati Atha nibbindati dukkhe esa maggo visuddhiyā.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to&#xA;  purification.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 278 translated by Acharya Buddharakkhita&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'nama', for Buddhist purposes, it is defined in the suttas (SN 12.2; MN 9; etc) as the '&lt;strong&gt;mentality&lt;/strong&gt;' or 'mental faculties' of feeling, perception, intention, contact &amp;amp; attention and also mindfulness, zeal, energy, decision, etc (MN 111). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Nama' for the purpose of converting &amp;amp; teaching Brahmans (eg. DN 15, DN 11, SN 7.6), namely, '&lt;strong&gt;name&lt;/strong&gt;', is not for Buddhist purposes &amp;amp; should be ignored by those wanting to comprehend Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, in the context of Buddhist suttas such as SN 12.2, MN 9, etc, 'name-form' is an incorrect translation. The correct translation here should be 'mentality-materiality'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Name-form' is only a correct translation for Brahman suttas, such as DN 15, DN 11, SN 7.6, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, in terms of the three characteristics, nama-rupa is dukkha (unsatisfactory); just as SN 22.85 states the five aggregates of a Buddha are unsatisfactory (dukkha). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in terms of the four noble truths, nama-rupa is not dukkha because the 1st noble truth summarises all psychological dukkha as attachment (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) to the five aggregates.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-10T23:09:02.053" LastActivityDate="2017-03-10T23:09:02.053" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19566" CreationDate="2017-03-11T00:29:53.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What I read about &lt;em&gt;samue&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.samue-e.com/en/con_01.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example this&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Samu&quot; of samue means daily works of Zen monks such as cleaning and wood chopping.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The working costumes Zen monks wore were called samue, and it is said that the origin of &quot;samue&quot; is the working costume.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  It used to be worn only the longer length (to the knees) of the tops without the pants.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Pants are adopted in order to make it more comfortable and active style later on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samue is still worn as working clothes. You can see the Zen monks wearing samue when you visit Zen temples. Because samue is originally made as working clothes, it is very functional, easy to wear and it also allows freedom of movement. Now samue is popular among ordinary people as home wear and street clothes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps &lt;em&gt;samue&lt;/em&gt; was a traditional uniform of Zen monks; and so, perhaps it isn't that monks are wearing lay clothes, but some lay people have started to wear what were traditionally monks' clothes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/DogenStudies/History_Soto_Zen_School.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of the Soto Zen School&lt;/a&gt; writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Soto school did deviate in one significant way from the Vinaya tradition as it was preserved in the public monasteries of Sung China, for it did not make use of the ten novice precepts (shami jikkai) to ordain novices or the 250 &quot;complete precepts&quot; (gusokukai) to ordain full-fledged monks and nuns. Instead, it followed the precedent of the Japanese Tendai school in basing even its monkish ordinations on the bodhisattva precepts (bosatsukai). In China, the traditional two-stage Buddhist ordination was practiced in part because it was required by the government, which used it to restrict the size of the sangha. In Japan, there was no single Buddhist sangha controlled by the state, and each demonination was more or less free to decide its own criteria for ordination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the various prātimokṣa vows, which you may be familiar with, are not the letter of the law that's followed by the Soto Zen school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apparently you're right that there's a rule about clothing &amp;ndash; it's embedded in rule number 40 of the 48 minor/secondary precepts of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/BrahmaNetSutra.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahma Net Sutra vows&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;40&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Discrimination in Conferring the Precepts&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A disciple of the Buddha should not be selective and show preference in conferring the Bodhisattva precepts. Each and every person can receive the precepts -- kings, princes, high officials, Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, laymen, laywomen, libertines, prostitutes, the gods in the eighteen Brahma Heavens or the six Desire Heavens, asexual persons, bisexual persons, eunuchs, slaves, or demons and ghosts of all types. Buddhist disciples should be instructed to wear robes and sleep on cloth of a neutral color, formed by blending blue, yellow, red, black and purple dyes all together.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;The clothing of monks and nuns should, in all countries, be different from those worn by ordinary persons.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Before someone is allowed to receive the Bodhisattva precepts, he should be asked: &quot;have you committed any of the Cardinal Sins?&quot; The Precept Master should not allow those who have committed such sins to receive the precepts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Here are the Seven Cardinal Sins: shedding the Buddha's blood, murdering an Arhat, killing one's father, killing one's mother, murdering a Dharma Teacher, murdering a Precept Master or disrupting the harmony of the Sangha.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Except for those who have committed the Cardinal Sins, everyone can receive the Bodhisattva precepts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Dharma rules of the Buddhist Order prohibit monks and nuns from bowing down before rulers, parents, relatives, demons and ghosts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Anyone who understands the explanations of the Precept Master can receive the Bodhisattva precepts. Therefore, if a person were to come from thirty to three hundred miles away seeking the Dharma and the Precept Master, out of meanness and anger, does not promptly confer these precepts, he commits a secondary offense.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether Soto follows all these minor rules ... maybe it doesn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's article about the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhisattva Precepts&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Brahmajala Sutra translated by Kumārajīva (c. 400 CE) has a list of ten major and forty-eight minor Bodhisattva vows.[1] The Bodhisattva Precepts may be often called the &quot;Brahma Net Precepts&quot; (Chinese: 梵網戒; pinyin: Fànwǎng Jiè), particularly in Buddhist scholarship, although other sets of bodhisattva precepts may be found in other texts as well. &lt;strong&gt;Typically, in East Asian Mahayana traditions, only the 10 Major Precepts are considered the Bodhisattva Precepts.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And (this says 16 precepts in the Soto school, not 10 plus 48):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts in Sōtō Zen&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In the Sōtō school of Zen, the founder Dōgen established a somewhat expanded version of the Bodhisattva Precepts for use by both priests and lay followers, based on both Brahma Net Sutra and other sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Japanese traditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In Buddhism in Japan, the &quot;Four-Part Vinaya&quot; was deemphasized with the rise of Saichō and the Tendai sect[7] and a new monastic community was set up exclusively using the Brahmajala Sutra's Bodhisattva Precepts. All Vinaya ordinations at the time were given at Tōdai-ji in Nara and Saichō had wanted to both undermine the power of the Nara Buddhist community and to establish a &quot;purely Mahayana lineage&quot;,[8] and made a request to the Emperor to Later Buddhist sects, which was granted 7 days after his death in 822.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Later Buddhist sects in Japan, including the Sōtō school of Zen, Jōdo-shū and Shingon Buddhism, adopted a similar approach to their monastic communities and exclusive use of the Bodhisattva Precepts. By this time in Japan, the Vinaya lineage had all but died out and Japan's remote location made it difficult to reestablish though limited efforts by Jōkei and the Shingon Risshu revived it for a time. This was further enforced during the Meiji period, when the Nikujiku Saitai Law (肉食妻帯?) of 1872 decriminalized clerical marriage and meat-eating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-11T00:35:37.563" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T00:35:37.563" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19396" CreationDate="2017-03-11T02:26:21.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, monastics depend entirely on the laity for support. In exchange, monastics provide teachings to the community. These rules are in the Vinaya (the monastic code), presumably to ensure that monastics cannot cut off all ties from society. According to the Pāṭimokkha, monastics are not allowed to handle money or even &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#pc&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;damage living plants&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, monastics in forest traditions may observe one or more &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhutanga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhutanga&lt;/a&gt; (renunciation) practices. It is common for these monastics to wander without a permanent home and depend on others' generosity in order to obtain food and other requisites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To summarize, in the Theravada tradition one cannot be a monastic living wherever one wants to live. They would either have to live in a monastery/temple (even if it is just a regular house in which people come to hear teachings and practice meditation) or wander around and accept what shelter is given to them, which might be no shelter at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T02:26:21.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19566" CreationDate="2017-03-11T04:27:06.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Vinaya, wearing lay clothes is a minor offence for a monk / Bhikkhu. It is not so for a Bhikkhuni Sangha (nuns). The day that she wears a white dress or anything other than the robe, she is not considered a bhikkhuni anymore. But she will always be part of the Arya-Sangha, if she is one who has realized one of the 8 stages of Nobility. The type of clothes that you wear does not make you to not belong to the Noble Ones (ariya-sangha), if you have realized one of the 8 stages of Nobility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shaving off of head hair and beard, dressing rag-robes were common feature among sramanas of the time of the Buddha.  So at the early stages sramanas were addressed as bhikkhus.  Later on this became the specific designation used to denote Buddhist clergy.  Among disciples of the Buddha those who entered the order are designated as bhikkhus; and the female counter-parts are bhikkhunis.  The lay male and female devotees are called upasaka - male lay adherent, upasika - female layadherent respectively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today how many of us are aware that when we say Sangha, it is a fourfold phenomenon. Namely: 1. Bhikkhu Sangha (monks); 2. Bhikkhuni Sangha (nuns); 3. Upasaka Sangha (laymen); 4. Upasika Sangha (lay women). The Buddha's definition for Sangha is quite different and is deep in its meaning. Anybody who has  realized one of the 8 stages of Nobility belongs to this noble ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T04:27:06.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19565" CreationDate="2017-03-11T04:42:18.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Conditioned Genesis (Paticca- samuppada),  consciousness leads to mentality &amp;amp; materiality (Nama Rupa).  Feeling, perception, intention, contact &amp;amp; attention are called ‘name/mentality’ or nama and the body dependant on the four great elements (Earth, fire, water &amp;amp; air - ‘Patavi’, ‘Apo’, ‘Thejo’, ‘Vayo’) is form/ materiality or rupa). The Buddha taught that nominal and physical things (nama rupa dhamma) which are subjected to the three characteristics of existence impermanence, suffering and soullessness, are nothing but a state of Conditioned Genesis (Paticca- samuppada) which exists without a doer or causer.  Those causes and effects are subjected to cessation on the same spot and thus manifesting this state of cessation from within oneself, can attain the state of Extinction, the Nibbana. Thus all of these are Suffering (dukkham) and arising of Suffering (dukkha samudayam).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T04:42:18.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19560" CreationDate="2017-03-11T04:56:25.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can be on an even keel - regular and well-balanced and not likely to change suddenly when interacting with your loved ones and friends, then you are maintaining equanimity. It is important that you be the same person when you are talking to your friend or your wife. So that occasional sense of humor should be the same towards both of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We sorrow when we face of our everyday sufferings and troubles. And we joy when we face the moments of pleasure and happiness. When we behave indifferently in front of such pleasure/joy or sufferings/troubles it is equanimity that we are cultivating. One who practices equanimity will not mourn when sufferings, troubles find that person. He will not get excited when pleasure, happiness find him. He/she will feel all with an indifferent mentality.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can cultivate this quality by repeating to self (as a meditation)…  May I not be joyful because of gain… May I not be sorrowful because of loss… May I not be joyful because of praise… May I not be sorrowful because of dishonor… May I not be happy because of fame… May I not be sorrowful because of disgrace… May I not be happy by bodily pleasure… May I not be sorrowful by bodily suffering… May I not be happy by mental pleasure… May I not be sorrowful by mental suffering… May I be peaceful…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T04:56:25.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19563" CreationDate="2017-03-11T05:12:58.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It simply comes down to two words… &lt;strong&gt;sati sampajanna&lt;/strong&gt;.  Sati is mindfulness. &#xA;The Pali word for alertness is sampajañña. It doesn’t mean being choicelessly aware of the present, or comprehending the present. Sampajañña means being aware of what you’re doing in the movements of the body, the movements in the mind. This is why mindfulness and alertness should always be paired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our happiness, our lack of happiness, depends on our actions. So that’s where we focus our attention. That’s what we should keep in mind. This is called dhammanussati, keeping the Dhamma in mind. This is why the Buddha has us listen to the Dhamma, read the Dhamma. Whatever thinking that you do, it needs to be through the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you create a frame of reference here in the present moment, there are lots of things you can tune in to. You can choose the body in and of itself. You can choose feelings, mental states, mental qualities in and of themselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever your thoughts go to recollecting your past incarnations, try to get them out of your mind, as they are a-Dhamma. To be consciously forgetful in that way requires an act of mindfulness—in other words, deciding which level you’re going to tune in to while you let everything else go for the time being. Of all the sensory input that comes in at any one particular moment, you make a choice of what you’re going to pay attention to, what memories, what frame of reference you’re going to bring to that particular moment. And it’s an important mental skill to be able to shift your frame of reference as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful means being very deliberate and clear about what you bring to whatever you’re doing: what you’re going to remember, what you’re not going to remember, what you’re going to recollect, what you’re going to let go, which things are useful to recollect right now. If you wanted to, you could sit here and spend the whole hour thinking about facts that would make you totally miserable, but what does that accomplish? We’re sitting here to think about things that are useful for the mind, so remember the things that are useful for the mind, that will help it develop. As for the other voices coming in and out of the mind, listen to the ones that are helpful and ignore the ones that are not. You can be selective.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, mindfulness becomes a quality we can apply to everything we do. And instead of making us unable to function, it actually heightens our ability to function, because we understand the process that the mind goes through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T05:12:58.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19576" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19388" CreationDate="2017-03-11T12:19:46.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;All these episodes are you past Karma or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fabrications&lt;/a&gt; in many cases. Sometimes meditation might coincide with the time they were supposed to manifest themselves. With 100k+ or more people doing a retreat every year in 200+ centres there can be such cases. So there is always a chance some independent events happening and someone inferring a correlation between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some time it might be the meditation which triggers the past Karma or fabrication coming up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me change the argument for a little. Say you went to a beautiful park. You enjoyed it. You want a friend to enjoy the scene and tranquility. Now you learn that someone visiting the park was knocked down on the way. Should this stop you from recommending the part to someone else. Also investigating more you read someone playing with fireworks at the park was hurt. Should you be more worried. They are either coincidental, or negligence, in many cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do recommend the course of course you should warn the friend that this involved working at a deep level of the mind and you should be cautious. You should stick to the instructions meticulously. Think ong it as you are operating on yourself. If you are doing this you have to be careful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Key point to remember is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whatever experience, be equanimous knowing it's impermanence, if you are not, then you are creating unwholesome roots which can have undesirable results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whatever the experience, do not try to give more meaning to it that what is experienced, since your mind has Vipallasa (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), it will most likely give a wrong identification and / or wrong view&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when you go do not go with expectations, as this will result in disappointment and disturb the balance of your mind. Excessive craving for results. My headache is still not gone after meditation for x days.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you look at the instruction, something can go wrong if the instructions create unwholesome states. Being equanimous and seeing impermanence you abandon unwholesome states. (See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for further information.) Also you do not use any visualisation, verbalisation, imagination which abandones verbal fabrications which are not in touch with the ultimate reality hence unwholesome (there will be at least dilution present). Also abandoning verbal fabrications reinforces concentration as your mind becomes less scattered. Also you practice Samadhi which is mastery over the mind which is wholesome as well as morality which is wholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T16:10:27.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19399" CreationDate="2017-03-11T12:38:15.800" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Goenka tradition seems to be most close to meditation instruction sourced directly from the Suttas. A course is divided into  parts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anapana - cultivation of Samadhis (1/3 of the length of the course)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vipassana - cultivation of Panna (slightly less than 1/3 of the lenth of the course)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta - (1 or 2 days depending on the length of the course.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapana closely follows that of the [Maha] Satipatthana / Kayagatasati Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Vipassana part, the main instruction is whatever the sensation contemplate its impermanence and be equanimous towards it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood all things, he knows whatever &lt;strong&gt;feelings&lt;/strong&gt; there are, whether &lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful&#xA;  or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;regards to those feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating dispassion [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating ending (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he dwells contemplating &lt;strong&gt;impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; in them, contemplating dispassion in them, contemplating&#xA;  ending in them, contemplating letting go,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;he does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not clinging, he is not agitated; being not agitated, he himself surely attains nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He understands,&#xA;  &quot;Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, done what is to be done, there is no more for this state&#xA;  of being.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly there many more Suttas which similar instructions re occur throughout the whole cannon. E.g.: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.1-Dighanakha-S-m74-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīgha,nakha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, just as if a man were sitting covered from head to foot with a white cloth, so that there&#xA;  would be no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend; even so, the monk sits, permeating&#xA;  the body with a pure, bright mind. There is no part of his entire body that is not pervaded by pure, bright&#xA;  mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;so, too, a monk reviews this very body, wrapped in skin and full of various impurities, from the&#xA;  soles of the feet upwards and from the crown of the head downwards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.3-Satipatthana-S-m10-main-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati’patthāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As below, so above [upwards from the soles of the feet, and downwards from the tips of the hairs.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.14-Iddhipada-Vibhanga-S-s51.20-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iddhi,pāda Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is similar in tone to the head to foot scanning technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, common term is letting go. The Suttas on Letting Go sheds more light on how to do it. They are: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.9-Avijja-Pahana-S-2-s35.80-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Pahana Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;. This is the exact way that is being taught by S.N.Goenka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also an interesting read might be: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/ancientroots.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ancient Roots of the U Ba Khin&#xA;Vipassanā Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Analayo, which quotes some parallel in the Mahayana Tradition which you (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/10304/bhumishu-%E7%B1%B3%E6%AE%8A&quot;&gt;@Bhumishu 米殊&lt;/a&gt;) are from I believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of intellectually debating on whether the course is this or that why not take the course and clear you doubts. You can apply through: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt; and course are conducted in many centres around the world. You can choose a location convenient to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What matters if the techniques works for you or not than is it this or that. So best is just try it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T09:06:40.213" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19578" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19598" CreationDate="2017-03-11T13:35:48.770" Score="3" ViewCount="10038" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I encounter a situation where one of my close people and I went see a patient. While  we were about to leave the place, my close person said &lt;strong&gt;May God Bless you&lt;/strong&gt;. Me and my close person are both Buddhist. I asked why didn't you say May the triple gem bless you. And close person replied saying since they Christians I said God bless you. But I also observed that the patients people said &lt;strong&gt;May God bless you&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does saying &lt;strong&gt;May God bless you&lt;/strong&gt; comes under a wrong view or wrong speech or etc or is it okay to tell? I'm just curious to know since my close person is also a Buddhist&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:26:02.590" Title="Saying May God Bless you" Tags="|god|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19578" CreationDate="2017-03-11T14:07:24.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not as so far as some one saying &quot;May the minister help you&quot;, &quot;May X help you find a job&quot;, etc. This might not make it a wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you hold on to the view that God, controls everything, can give you salvation, is almighty, etc., then perhaps yes, it might be wrong views. But there are Deities who can help you perhaps like any other person. Getting the blessing of say  someone who can help you out is not wrong. Think of deities like entities who are well wishers due to past connection of they need to do good karma to keep their blissful existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-11T14:11:09.297" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T14:11:09.297" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2017-03-11T14:15:26.827" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha has said that an Enlightened person doesn't go and cling with the self. So they don't have any attachment to self. But a in&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.92&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An10.92&lt;/a&gt;`  the Buddha has clearly mentioned the following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Anathapindika the householder went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “When, for a disciple of the noble ones, five forms of fear &amp;amp; animosity are stilled; when he is endowed with the four factors of stream-entry; and when, through discernment, he has rightly seen &amp;amp; rightly ferreted out the noble method, then if he wants he may state about himself: ‘Hell is ended; animal wombs are ended; the state of the hungry shades is ended; states of deprivation, destitution, the bad bourns are ended! I am a stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So an Enlightened person, can say that I'm enlightenment to another person for the sake of showing that person the path of enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T14:15:26.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19578" CreationDate="2017-03-11T15:12:51.153" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the patient is a devout Christian and saying &quot;may god bless you&quot; helps him to recover, by all means say &quot;may god bless you&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the patient is a BUDDHIST, saying &quot;Namo Amitabha&quot; and remembering the three refuge can be helpful..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T15:12:51.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19534" CreationDate="2017-03-11T15:17:12.890" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because of focus. It is easier to rely on one buddha 24 hours a day 7 days a week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T15:17:12.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19563" CreationDate="2017-03-11T15:19:58.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is meditation if we can remember the 3 refuge every second, every minute, every hour, or at least every day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-03-11T15:19:58.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19586" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-12T04:50:21.767" Score="5" ViewCount="556" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does the doctrine of no soul is means that there is nothing permanent to continue? So is the teaching of reincarnation, rebirth misleading as there is a notion there is a continuity after death? Also death and birth is visible at the physical level, [but the rebirth process is not. What is the implication on this in the doctrine?]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-13T10:42:45.453" LastActivityDate="2021-10-25T14:39:31.677" Title="Does the Doctrine of No Soul mean there is nothing permanent to continue?" Tags="|the-buddha|soul|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19587" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-12T05:56:47.377" Score="2" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;Was just curious, can doing dana helps in accumulating good karma?&#xA;What about attending dhamma talk or those retreat?&#xA;Thanks and sadhu x 3!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T16:54:00.007" Title="Dana, Dhamma Talk or Retreat" Tags="|karma|dana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19534" CreationDate="2017-03-12T06:12:40.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;please don't consider Buddha as person or reincarnation of any sort of external power. every one has potential to become Buddha.become a Buddha is completely depend on commitment.its a states of mind any one can achieved by own human effort and commitment.&#xA; danuka form sri lanka  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T06:12:40.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19589" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-12T06:25:59.597" Score="1" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;as per &quot;mano puggmama dahma mano setta mano maya&quot; Buddha explain mind as illusionist create millions of imaginary questions and travel time to find answers to those imaginary questions like reincarnation,rebirth and existence.Buddha never answered those metaphysically created imaginary questions.Buddhism is about come and see through wisdom not come and believe.so my dear friends are you agree with me???&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T13:05:29.347" Title="mind is like illusionist" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19590" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19586" CreationDate="2017-03-12T07:51:07.983" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I agree with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas do not refer to a continuous consciousness at the termination of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the suttas explain 'birth' ('jati') &amp;amp; 'death' ('marana') refer to the birth &amp;amp; death of 'self-views'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, 're-birth' refers to the re-arisings of 'self-view'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you make $100,000. Re-birth is the happy view: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I made $100,000; I am rich&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. You lose $100. Death is the unhappiness of '&lt;em&gt;I lost $100; I am poor&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T07:51:07.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19589" CreationDate="2017-03-12T07:55:32.740" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I disagree with you about '&lt;em&gt;mano puggmama dahma mano setta mano maya&lt;/em&gt;' in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, which is about the mind creating intentional actions (rather than about the mind creating illusion). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness&#xA;  follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.095.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Phena Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which refers to the mind as an &quot;illusionist&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T07:55:32.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19593" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12032" CreationDate="2017-03-12T09:35:10.907" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;the original question is about &quot;jathaka Katha&quot;.My dear friends,there is huge discrepancy with doctrine of no soul(what the Buddha thought by Walpola Rahula thero) with Jathaka katha is mislead people towards continuous conciseness.so i think jathaka katha belongs to Buddhist literature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T09:35:10.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19587" CreationDate="2017-03-12T12:17:15.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Merits, through ‘Daana’, ‘Sila’ &amp;amp; ‘Bhavana’ bring you joy. But Bhavana (Meditation) is not so important at the start. So leave the retreats for a later date.   As the Buddha preached:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Don’t ignore even a small merit thinking that it will not come to you! It is in fact with each drop of water that a pot is filled. Therefore, a wise person will collect all merits even if it is by bit by bit. In this way, his life will full with merits at the end.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to know that no degree of generosity can cover up the lack of virtue in personal life. This karmic law cannot be deceived. This is why it has been laid down that &quot;give dana with confidence and always be virtuous&quot; (daanam dadantu saddhaaya - seelam rakkhantu sabbadaa). The two aspects should be complementary to each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So cultivate the five ‘Sēkha Bala Dhamma’ – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma). Also religiously go through the stages of listening, remembering, constant reciting, mental observation and ideologically understanding the Dhamma (Sutha, dhata, vacasa paricita, manasanupekkhita, ditthiya suppatividdha). An interesting fact that very few know of is, nowhere in the Doctrine (Sutta) it is mentioned that one becomes a stream entrant (Sotapanna) through meditation. So to your next question, listening to dhamma is more important than practicing meditation. Meditation comes only when one strives to go beyond the stage of Sotapanna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T12:17:15.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19589" CreationDate="2017-03-12T12:44:08.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;mano puggmama dahma mano setta mano maya&quot;  is a truism. Everything is mind created and is immoral until tamed. It is full of lobha (attachment or greed), dosa (anger) ,and moha  (bewilderment) that are obstacles to this Path. So the wise amongst us understands them as hindrances and strives to detach themselves from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The greed that is created in our minds prevents us from performing meritorious deeds, such as giving, because the main characteristic of greed is attachment (upadana). It compels us to grasp more and more. When we grasp more and more, unaware of it ourselves, we are attached to the world. It is because of ignorance of the fact of impermanence. We go after mirages and deceptions, and get caught up in illusions of attachment with perverted Views (vipallasa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest mistakes we can make is taking the mind for granted. The mind has the capacity to create good and also evil for us, and only when we are able to remain even-minded no matter what conditions arise, can we say that we have gained a little control. Until then we are out of control and our thoughts are our master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taming this monkey is not an easy thing. So you have to take baby steps in the beginning. Even if your attempt at meditation takes only a few seconds, or a couple of minutes, be happy about it. Left alone the mind behaves like a monkey in a forest. Meditation is a great way to calm the monkey mind.  But prior to that we have to learn how to go beyond - being resolved on sensual passion, being resolved on ill will, being resolved on harmfulness—because all these things stir up the mind and interfere with its settling down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The illusion of Sakkayaditthi, as understood by one who listens to Dhamma up until the stage of a Stream Entrant finds out that this is nothing but a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components [of clinging] ([upadana-]skandhas). When contemplating on the Dhamma thus, the Stream Entrant comes to realize the absence of a permanent and unchanging self (identity), and beyond the upadana-skandhas, there is no actual self. He she comes to the understanding that what is normally thought of as &quot;self&quot; is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components [of clinging] ([upadana-]skandhas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The illusion of ATTA, is the most subtle state of manifest of Upadanas, that ONLY at the final stage of Arahanthood would one truly come to know of and transcend this clinging to personality belief (attavadupadana). Atta means self, ego or personality in Buddhism. But it is a mere conventional expression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I am to touch on your earlier question that was put on hold.... it is not only Ehi-Passika... The Dhamma is preached very well (Swākkhātō Bhagavatā Dhammō) can be seen in this very life (Sanditthika). The Dhamma can be realized in any era/time (Akālika) and can be shown to others inviting them to come, see, and realize it (Ēhi passika). The Dhamma needs to be realized through oneself (Ōpanaika) and can be realized by wise people (Paccattan vēditabbō viññūhi). Some peoples’ decision on postponing realization of Dhamma into an unseen world and unseen time is unthinkably ignorant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-12T13:05:29.347" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T13:05:29.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19578" CreationDate="2017-03-12T13:25:38.570" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just think of the flip side of it @Akila… If the patient is a devout Buddhist.. still almost all  will say &quot;may god bless you&quot; at the time of leaving. Will they ever say &quot;Namo Buddhaya&quot; when arriving, or at the time of leaving? I doubt it. It is because very few know that we Buddhists say 'Namo Buddhaya' whenever we meet or depart. At the time when the Supreme Buddha was alive, it was the practice observed by His disciples to place both hands together in a gesture of worship and greet each other by saying ‘Namo Buddhaya’, whenever they met. Today, whenever Hindus meet one-another, they too bring their hands together and say ‘Namo Narayana’ or ‘Oh Namah Shivaya’. Some say ‘Namo Sairam’ when they enter the ashram of Sai Baba. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in a way it is OK to say “may god bless you&quot; as the point of the Buddhist teachings isn't to reinforce the identity of &quot;I am a Buddhist and this is what I believe.&quot; It's to cultivate compassion and loving kindness and purify anger and aversion from your life. Then your focus would be on &quot;How can I compassionately reply to these people in a way that feels authentic to me?&quot;  You need to be able to connect with the human being in front of you, and look past beliefs and value systems and connect with their humanity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So focus less on yourself and focus more on the other. What words can you say to bring this being happiness and reduce his/her suffering? Intention is the most important factor and can often supersede other factors. If you feel that by replying &quot;God bless you,&quot; (which is personally my own response), this person might experience a sense of comfort, ease, and happiness that would not be experienced otherwise, then there is nothing wrong in saying it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T13:25:38.570" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-12T14:52:23.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Life is suffering. Not getting what you wish is suffering. We do not wish to be associated with things or persons we dislike, nor do we wish to be separated from things or persons we love. We do not get our wishes and desires always. What we least expect or what we least desire is often put on us. At times, such unexpected unpleasant things become so intolerable and painful that weak ignorant folk are compelled to act on such impulses of aversion. I hope that you are not weak or ignorant to do any wrong doings. The nature of this mind is changed by accentuating the opposite – in this case by METTA. So do not trust the mind. Only place your trust in the Dhamma of Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that you will take this answer of mine in a positive light.  It is not my personal views but is in keeping with Supreme Buddha’s advice. Supreme Buddha’s teachings are filled with advice and we must learn to welcome advice. You say the practising of the Metta meditation is difficult because you do not feel that way towards others. If so, don't go to the meditation state at once as it sure is a difficult one for you. When thinking of doing something difficult what have we got to do to make it successful? The mind must like to do it because it is done with the mind. We must make the mind agree to do it. If there is no agreement it cannot be done. What have we got to make the mind like it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just focus on the good aspect of it. That is a strategy. Before commencing the practising of Metta Bhavana think &quot;I must practise meditating on Metta. It is something explained to us by Supreme Buddha. This meditation gives rise to a lot of merit. The merit is enormous. When I remain with a mind like this it is good for me. Good for others also. It is a good thing to remain with a mind of Metta towards all. If I live with a mind of spreading friendliness my mind gets one pointed. Concentration arises. That will exist for my benefit. It will help me to attain fruition in this Path. &#xA;Therefore, I must live with a mind of Metta - generating Metta - practicing Metta&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that slowly get on to focusing attention relevant to Metta Bhavana. Now we have generated mindfulness, we are remaining in that mindfulness, we have generated a liking for meditation and slowly commence practicing the relevant meditation. Then we get the opportunity to practice that meditation successfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having commenced in this manner we do not perform the entire meditation at one stretch. Practice little by little, by meditating for a short while. First spread metta to self.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I be free from hatred, may I be free from anger, may I be free from jealousy, May I be free from all ill-will, May peace engulf me…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When spreading metta to others, do not think of individual people, like your friends and loved ones. First spread metta to all beings, be it humans, animals, birds, insects, to all. Metta is a companionship that one feels within one’s heart. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One will always make sure that no harm is caused to oneself as one genuinely feel for ones own life. One will never cause any harm or pains to those beings (humans, animals, birds, insects etc.) around him, because he genuinely cares for others as much as he does for himself. There are two ways to spread loving kindness to oneself as well as to others as the Blessed One pointed out. As per Anuruddha Sutta in Majjhima Nikaya, they are boundless deliverance of mind &amp;amp; exalted deliverance of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Boundless deliverance of mind is the spreading of loving kindness is to all directions without limit. It is limitless release of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all being in north direction be free from hatred, be free from anger, be free from jealousy, be free from all ill-will, lead a comfort life, feel the soothe and ease of their lives…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all being in north east direction be free from hatred….&#xA;May all being in east direction….&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in south east direction…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in south direction….&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in south west direction….&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in west direction…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in north west direction…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being in upper direction…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all being under directions….   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Exalted deliverance of mind is the extending of the range. Firstly, one extends loving-kindness upon oneself, then to the community, country and the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I be free from hatred, may I be free from anger, may I be free from jealousy, May I be free from ill-will, May peace engulf me…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As well as I am, may all other beings in this village&#xA;May all other beings in this town…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all other beings in this district …&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all other beings in this country…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;May all other beings in this world…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As well as I am, may all beings be free from hatred, be free from anger, be free from jealousy, be free from all ill-will, May peace engulf them…. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T14:52:23.307" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19600" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19605" CreationDate="2017-03-12T18:00:28.707" Score="3" ViewCount="382" Body="&lt;p&gt;All words are creations of mind. How do we explain the mind with the words?&#xA; So that proves there is something beyond words. That is thoughts. Connected to mind. Are mind and thoughts two different things? Or the same thing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-03-13T14:03:16.357" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T00:23:08.980" Title="Mind as a creator" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19601" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19600" CreationDate="2017-03-12T18:58:59.640" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is mind and thoughts are two different things? or same thing?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism talks about &quot;six senses&quot; rather than five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is the All? Simply the&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;eye &amp;amp; forms,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;ear &amp;amp; sounds,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;nose &amp;amp; aromas,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;tongue &amp;amp; flavors,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;body &amp;amp; tactile sensations,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;intellect &amp;amp; ideas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This, monks, is called the All.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &quot;mind&quot; and &quot;thoughts&quot; are two different things, in the same way that &quot;ear&quot; and &quot;sounds&quot; are two different things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we are conscious of these things making &quot;contact&quot; (e.g. we're conscious of sounds contacting the ear, and conscious of ideas contacting the intellect). Or the theory of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba#Within_the_five_aggregates&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Five Aggregates&lt;/a&gt; suggests that mental factors arise as a result of contact between consciousness and form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali words here translated as &quot;intellect &amp;amp; ideas&quot; are &lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;mano&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; appear in the first line of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first verse of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;. The commentary suggests that &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; includes feelings, perceptions, and mental formations (indeed &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; is a word with many meaning, see for example this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#dhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;short definition&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:2654.pali&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;long definition&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentary also suggests that mind is a necessary precondition for mental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T18:58:59.640" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19602" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19600" CreationDate="2017-03-12T21:13:41.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer to your question lies in the ‘nama-kaya’ ‘rupa-kaya’ – The mind-body relationship in the scriptures.  It is too complex for me to write in English, so I will write a bit on it in my native Sinhala Language towards the end. Otherwise refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 15: The Great Discourse on Causation (Mahānidāna Sutta) - Dīgha Nikāya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the scriptures, the term samphassa is used in compounds. Then in D.15, a twofold division occurs: patigha samphassa contact by sensorial reaction, and adhivacana-samphassa verbal or conceptual, i.e. mental contact. Our simulations have two aspects to it. First is impact-stimulation (patigha samphassa) that depends on Rupa(Materiality). The other is designative-stimulation (adhivacana-samphassa) which depends on Nama( the faculty through which the external world is understood). This makes discernment or our ability grasp and understand and naming of sense objects possible. This conditions both the naming forms and named forms. Now I will try to explain this in simpler terms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nama is Mentality (mind &amp;amp; thoughts). Rupa are the material forms. ‘Nama’ and ‘rupa’ are linked together like flowers and their scent. They are born together. Our cognitive perception (Sanna) ( awareness of colour, shape, sound, smell, taste &amp;amp; touch) helps us to describe something or someone as short, tall, small, dark, fair, thin, stout etc. etc. Such descriptions are called ‘Nama-kaye adhivacana-samphassa.’ Such descriptions are possible because of the varied nature of Rupa. For example in our group there varied Rupa, named ‘Saptha Visuddhi’, ‘Dhammadhatu, ChrisW, Sominda, Lanka… etc. etc.  In other words this is Rupa-Kaye patigha samphassa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;සංඥාව කියන්නේ හදුනාගන්නවා හදුනාගන්නවා කියන අර්ථයෙනි.හදුනගන්නේ මොනවද? වර්ණයි හදුනා ගන්නේ[මහා වේදල්ල සුත්‍රය] එතකොට සංඥාවෙන් හදුනාගත්තදේ තමයි දැනගන්නේ.දැනගන්නේ නම් වශයෙන් හෝ උස මිටි,දිග කොට,කළු  සුදු හෝ විවිද වර්ණ, කෙට්ටු මහත........  ආදී විවිධ නාම ඔස්සේය. ඒක නිසා තමයි අපි  දැනගත්ත දෙයක් කියද්දී නම හෝ එහි මොනයම් හෝ ලක්ෂණයක්  භාවිතා කරන්නේ.විවිධ නම් හෙවත් නාම කායේ අධිවචන පවතින්නේ රූපයේ විවිධ ස්වරූප හෙවත් රූපකායේ පටිග සම්පසය නිසයි.ඒ කියන්නේ &quot;ගස මල නිමල් කමල් &quot;ආදී නම් තියෙන්නේ රූපයේ විවිධත්වය නිසයි.හිතන්න,ඉතා සමාන නිමුන්නෝ දෙන්නෙක් ඉන්නව. මෙයාලට නම් දෙකක් තිබුන කියල දැක්කහම එයාලව නමින් දැනගන්න බැහැ…… තෙරුවන් සරණයි!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-12T21:13:41.540" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19603" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19604" CreationDate="2017-03-12T23:47:04.370" Score="1" ViewCount="154" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can we earn money while we don't want to live for anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S.: I'm very wise and smart guy. I have high degrees in academical stuff. And I can say that I had satisfaction most of the emotions related with success. Now I don't have any feeling rather than having my money to survive in life. I don't choose death because of it's darkness. Also I hated humans. Because firstly to live you need to be selfish as an individual. And in fact every human being is selfish. But for having social satisfactions we act differently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10973" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T01:29:51.467" Title="Life With Death" Tags="|modern-world|death|psychology|life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19603" CreationDate="2017-03-13T00:30:02.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You’ve identified self correctly @bubblebobble, as you seem to live within a bubble IMHO. I guess it is time for you to come out of it and start living life with an attitude of gratitude to one and all. Now is the opportune time for making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis, for both the big and small things alike. Just look around you at the built environment, towards everything and anything that you make use of for your existence. They are all there for your convenience and existence because of someone else’s contribution to society.  Then you will understand the positive side of selfishness. This is what one of my beloved authors had to say on it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Objectivist ethics proudly advocates and upholds rational selfishness—which means: the values required for man’s survival qua man—which means: the values required for human survival—not the values produced by the desires, the emotions, the “aspirations,” the feelings, the whims or the needs of irrational brutes, who have never outgrown the primordial practice of human sacrifices, have never discovered an industrial society and can conceive of no self-interest but that of grabbing the loot of the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Objectivist ethics holds that human good does not require human sacrifices and cannot be achieved by the sacrifice of anyone to anyone. It holds that the rational interests of men do not clash—that there is no  conflict of interests among men who do not desire the unearned, who do not make sacrifices nor accept them, who deal with one another as traders, giving value for value.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have the time please read her three novels… Atlas Shrugged,  We the Living, and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Now I will try to stay within the limits of Dhamma of the Buddha in answering your question &lt;strong&gt;“How can we earn money while we don't want to live for anything?”&lt;/strong&gt; with the hope that it will help you to go further in this Noble Path.  Firstly let us rephrase the question: &lt;strong&gt;”How to live with the least money possible?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not knowing your temperament, I’m a bit hesitant in writing this. Anyway, here goes…. When Buddha instructed his own son Rahula on the practice of anapanasati meditation, the Blessed One recognized Venerable Rahula’s temperament and what would be most suitable for him.  As temperaments differ, so do the objects of meditation, and Rahula was advised to practice other forms of meditation before Anapanasati. So I am not sure whether you are ready for what I tell you or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see that at present you are not a person without any means of support. You are not a destitute person. But there will come a time to live meagrely, if you are serious about this Dhamma path. It will not be an issue if you become an ordained monk, as then you will be free. The question is if you wish to remain a lay disciple, as then you may not be free from all expenses. All what you can do is to just make it significantly lower.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before starting on the Dhamma path these are the thing that you may have to do. As you do not want to live for anything, start doing the following: a] stop eating out; b] cut out technology (Netflix, games etc.); c] cut down on processed foods, eat healthy, cook at home; d] Wear the clothes that you have for decades until they fail; e] Stop going out for movies and other shows, a walk in the park will do for an outing; f] do not indulge in any luxuries, get used to frugal living; g] save the little extra money that you have for a rainy day; h] go back 50+ years and compare how people lived then (and mind you they were happier then); j] make Gautama Buddha’s Dhamma your hobby &amp;amp; pastime. The liking to this PATH should far outweigh / exceed liking for all other things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a change in you is not possible if you do not limit yourself to reading only the first 57 books on Dhamma ever written, and while at it put into practice what you learn. This first 57 books on Dhamma is your Teacher. So never question the authenticity of these first 57. Then what is called as gift of principle (patipatti dana) will begin to occur from within own self. It is the gift that functions in the cessation from the attachment to the six sense faculties. This gift is nobler than material gifts of food and drinks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you will inevitably to make a commitment to genuine morality. One who practices the True Dhamma will form his mind into prudentially with moral rationality. The one who is being fixed in morality does untie all the tangles, being restrained from within own self. Such a person can walk into a jungle and live there for months without any harm coming to them from animals. Few westerners who come to SriLanka to practice Dhamma do this. The jungle will provide what is necessary for their survival.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can go on and on and on with many other pointers, but this is a very good start. Once you are well on the way on this new way of life, ask me what to do next. You will not fail, as I’ve tried it, and it had worked for me. Today I’m financially independent. I keep earning money while I don't want to live for anything. (I started with nothing. 30 years ago, at age 24, when I came to Canada with just $200 in hand). You too will live this truth, if you honestly strive for it. Good luck to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T01:29:51.467" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19600" CreationDate="2017-03-13T01:50:50.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have turned your question over and over trying to grasp what it is asking. I am not sure but I feel that it deserves an answer, perhaps different from but alongside the two good answers already here. I hope this is useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On one level the answer is simple: the mind is a container and creator of thought, like a pot for making food. So it is different - but linked, as Saptha Vissuddhi said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are different kinds of thoughts (and other mental phenomena), including verbal thought. Words are different from other thinking because they are not just the outflow of a thought process, they are also the input, and symbols with their own rules, and tools for creating, storing and shaping thought. With so much power and complexity, it is right to ask about how they relate to the mind. The full answer is probably beyond human knowledge at this time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My way of thinking about this lately is to distinguish between conscious - verbal - logical thought as produced by the neocortex, and emotional - impression thought as in the limbic system. There is an essential difference and a gap of understanding. Neither can explain the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, words cannot explain thoughts, and thoughts cannot explain the mind. But they are one thing. (Well, if you are nondual.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-03-13T01:50:50.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19603" CreationDate="2017-03-13T03:38:28.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, 'wisdom' refers to understanding suffering. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of discernment (wisdom)? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is discerning, endowed&#xA;  with discernment of arising &amp;amp; passing away — noble, penetrating,&#xA;  leading to the right ending of stress. He discerns, as it has come to&#xA;  be: 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is&#xA;  the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the&#xA;  cessation of stress.' This is called the faculty of discernment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Analysis of the Mental Faculties&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often, high degrees in academical stuff create suffering things, such as weapons of war. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If fact, some high degrees in academical stuff have mental illness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not one living being has survived in this world without the unselfishness of its parents. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This shows firstly, to live, you need to receive &amp;amp; reciprocate unselfishness as an individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus Buddhism explains about wrong or deluded view: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is wrong view? '&lt;strong&gt;There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed&lt;/strong&gt;. There is &lt;strong&gt;no fruit or result of good or bad&#xA;  actions&lt;/strong&gt;. There is no this world, no other world, &lt;strong&gt;no mother, no father&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  no spontaneously arisen beings; no contemplatives or brahmans who,&#xA;  faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the other after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is&#xA;  wrong view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-13T07:01:27.347" LastActivityDate="2017-03-13T07:01:27.347" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19607" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-13T08:54:55.710" Score="0" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;Desires are the seeds which have effects later or sooner. Can we destroy such seeds without experiencing their effect or Karmas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-03-14T19:51:43.373" Title="Can the seeds of desires bowed in the past lives can now be eradicated from the mind completely?" Tags="|karma|desire|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19608" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19607" CreationDate="2017-03-13T09:21:57.270" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, a seed of desire, or a seed of anger, etc. are not karmic seeds (or karmic imprints). They do not ripen in the same way at all. A seed of desire will give rise to a mind of desire. Second, desires are not seeds. The seeds are non-associated compositional factors while an instance of desire is a mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the seeds of the afflictions can be abandoned so that they never give rise to an afflicted mind, such as a mind of anger, lust, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two types of abandonment:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Partial abandonment, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Complete abandonment.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Partial abandonment is also called 'non-analytical cessation' since such an abandonment happens when you engage in Samata and the Jhanas. When you reach a concentration of the form realm (such as a mind of calm abiding, etc.) afflictions of the desire realm are abandoned, but the seeds are still there. This is a partial abandonment, since the seeds are not yet abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to abandon the afflictions together with their seeds is by generating wisdom directly realizing emptiness. When the wisdom directly realizing emptiness acts as an antidote, it abandons afflictions together with their seeds, this is called analytical cessation and it is complete abandonment. According to Prasangika, the first moment of a wisdom directly realizing emptiness does not abandon all afflictions altogether (and their seeds), but merely the intellectually acquired afflictions and their seeds. It is only later, when the wisdom is conjoined with an accumulation of merit (or with the six perfections) that this wisdom is strong enough to abandon innate afflictions and their seeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually, according to so-called Hinayana tenets, the seeds are abandoned by way of generating wisdom directly realizing the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, such a wisdom is a mind of special insight and is thus a union of calm abiding and special insight. Calm abiding must be attained first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-03-13T11:54:32.143" LastActivityDate="2017-03-13T11:54:32.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-13T13:52:38.713" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would suggest &lt;strong&gt;investigating&lt;/strong&gt; and understanding &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; you feel that way, what are the external and internal factors that cause you to feel that generalized hostility towards other people. After having understood that, it should be much clearer, and easier from there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to also advise you, based on my experience, to try and not fool yourself in the process. Don't make up reasons for it, the goal is to simply  understand the true reasons, which are already there. If you can and feel it is genuine, accept that you feel that way towards others and that that doesn't make you a bad person - you are as you are, and you are trying to improve, which is amazing to me. This acceptance will extinguish the need to make up excuses (or false reasons that don't make you feel bad) for the hostility, and allow you to see deeper and much more clearer the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nice voyage!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10977" LastActivityDate="2017-03-13T13:52:38.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19607" CreationDate="2017-03-13T20:39:40.183" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A seed is consciousness, not desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the&#xA;moisture. The consciousness of living beings hindered by ignorance &amp;amp;&#xA;fettered by craving is established in/tuned to a middling property.&#xA;Thus there is the production of renewed becoming in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma can only works with sense gates, no sense gates then Karma has no power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another straight up answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ariyo&lt;/strong&gt; (noble) &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (eight fold path)&#xA;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;kārma-nirodha&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (extinction of karma) -&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;gāminī&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (goal) &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;paṭipadā&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (mode of progress)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing noble eight fold path is a mode of progress to end karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/06/an06-063.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.63)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kammānaṃ nidāna-sambhavo? Phasso, bhikkhave, kammānaṃ nidāna-sambhavo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kamma-nirodho? Phassa-nirodho, bhikkhave, kamma-nirodho. Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo kamma-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṃ: sammā-diṭṭhi, sammā-saṅkappo, sammā-vācā, sammā-kammanto, sammā-ājīvo, sammā-vāyāmo, sammā-sati, sammā-samādhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So karma has &lt;em&gt;Phassa&lt;/em&gt; (&amp;quot;detection&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;contact&amp;quot;) as its &lt;em&gt;Nidhana Sambhava&lt;/em&gt; (which I translate as &amp;quot;stage where karma plays out&amp;quot;, or which buddha-vacana.org translates as &amp;quot;cause by which kamma comes into play&amp;quot;). Without stage to play, karma is powerless. Reference &amp;quot;dependent origination&amp;quot; to find out how &lt;em&gt;Phassa&lt;/em&gt; or detections end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-14T19:51:43.373" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19586" CreationDate="2017-03-14T14:59:16.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're asking, partly, about rebirth -- I asked &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3420/254&quot;&gt;a question similar to that here&lt;/a&gt;, you might find the answers to that question helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also also like to browse other topics on this site, which are tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/rebirth&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;rebirth&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;rebirth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatman&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatman&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatman&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, various people posted elsewhere that the suttas don't tend to talk about &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot;; they just talk about &amp;quot;birth&amp;quot; -- for example, in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10113/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never, afaik, used a term that could be translated as &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot;. In fact, the idea of anything being reborn goes against orthodox early Buddhist teachings. Throughout the Buddha's teachings, it is made clear that at the breakup of the body there is birth, not rebirth - as in birth of new things, not the return of anything old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But your current question is mostly asking about &amp;quot;the doctrine of no soul&amp;quot;, rather than asking about rebirth. If you're asking &amp;quot;what is the doctrine of no soul?&amp;quot; I think that the most famous sutta on that subject is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel268.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. I find that sutta difficult to understand though (possibly because it's refuting a &amp;quot;doctrine of soul&amp;quot; or Atman that I wasn't really familiar with in the first place).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead I found the clearest explanation of the doctrine was in the Alagaddupama Sutta, which I talked about a bit &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15904/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In brief I think that the &amp;quot;doctrine of no soul&amp;quot; might be summarized as, &amp;quot;there is no satisfactory doctrine of soul&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask, as well, &amp;quot;what is the implication of this doctrine?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the (mistaken) implications might be that if there's no rebirth then there's no heaven and no hell, and no reason to be ethical. Buddhism warns that this would be &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html#micchaditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wrong view&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no contemplatives or brahmans who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the doctrine may appear to contradict, or be related somehow, to e.g. doctrine about karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another implication of the doctrine is the concept of &amp;quot;self&amp;quot; (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel268.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; the title of the The Anatta-lakkhana Sutta is translated as &lt;em&gt;On the No-self Characteristic&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are various other doctrines related to &amp;quot;self&amp;quot;: for example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;identity view&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;conceit&lt;/a&gt; ... and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmavihāras&lt;/a&gt; ... not to mention &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; ... and so on into other, Mahayana doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, some (later) schools of Buddhism try to explain what you might have been asking about (i.e. explaining the workings of karma), for example Wikipedia on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;store-house consciousness&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The store-house consciousness accumulates all potential energy for the mental (mana) and physical (rupa) manifestation of one's existence (namarupa). It is the storehouse-consciousness which induces transmigration or rebirth, causing the origination of a new existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5514/254&quot;&gt;What is storehouse consciousness?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another sutta that you may find be relevant to this topic is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally the translator's (Thanissaro Bhikkhu's) introduction to that sutta says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha never used any word corresponding to &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot; in his teachings, he did describe birth as a process following on death again and again as long as the appropriate conditions are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which more-or-less agrees with Ven. Yuttadhammo's answer which I quoted above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, a being — in the Buddha's sense of the term — not only takes birth after the death of the body, it can also take birth, die, and be reborn many times in the course of a day — as attachment develops for one desire, ends, and then develops for another desire. This is why the processes leading to rebirth after death can be observed and redirected in the present moment during life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which more-or-less agrees with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19590/254&quot;&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer&lt;/a&gt; answer to the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, the Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta starts with one of the monks saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is just this consciousness that runs and wanders on [from birth to birth], not another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other monks see that as a pernicious view, and bring him to the Buddha, who corrects him, saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Haven't I, in many ways, said of dependently co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that maybe the theory of &amp;quot;dependent origination&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;dependent co-arising&amp;quot; may be related to anatta too: there's no such thing as an independent self (nor an eternal self), instead things like consciousness arise and end together with feelings, contact, sense-objects, etc.; and there are different types of consciousness associated with different senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.10-Maha-Tanhasankhaya-S-m38-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmafarer's introduction to this suttas&lt;/a&gt; starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The average ordinary person is very likely to view things as wholes and entities, even as being&#xA;fixed and eternal. For example, he may think that there is a permanent “self,” “soul,” “person” or “being”&#xA;when what he is really experiencing is only a series of mental events comprising a super-rapid series of&#xA;discrete thought-moments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later in the introduction it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhavanga (lit “existence-factor”) or “life-continuum” is a concept that evolved primarily in&#xA;the Abhidhamma commentarial tradition to explain the continuity of consciousness and personal identity&#xA;in the absence of a permanent self (which is denied by the anatta doctrine). The life-continuum flows on&#xA;like a stream (sota) from one existence to the next. It is sometimes called bhavanga,citta (existence-factor&#xA;consciousness) or “consciousness continuum” and is the foundation of all experience, both conscious and&#xA;unconscious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A simple answer might be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which warns that there are questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and views:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and warns that these kinds of thinking do not lead to freedom:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which maybe leads back to my original summary of anatta: that &amp;quot;there is no satisfactory doctrine of soul&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-14T22:21:06.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19587" CreationDate="2017-03-14T21:11:38.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dana, generosity, is considered the first of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Therav.C4.81da_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;10 perfections (paramitas)&lt;/a&gt;. A very comprehensive text about dana can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta underlining the potential of dana: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Short-Pieces/Dakkhinavibhangasuttam.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 142&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these fourteen offerings to an individual. What fourteen? [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here, Ānanda, having given a gift to an animal a hundred-fold offering is to be expected (in return),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;having given a gift to an unvirtuous ordinary person a thousand-fold offering is to be expected (in return),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;having given a gift to a virtuous ordinary person a hundred-thousand-fold offering is to be expected (in return),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;having given a gift to an outsider who is without passion for sensual desires a hundred-thousand times a hundred-thousand-fold offering is to be expected (in return),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;having given a gift to one who has entered upon the way to experiencing the fruit of Stream-Entry an immeasurable, unlimited offering is to be expected (in return).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about a Stream-Enterer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about one who has entered upon the way to experiencing the fruit of Once-Returning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about a Once-Returner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about one who has entered upon the way to experiencing the fruit of Non-Returning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about a Non-Returner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about one who has entered upon the way to experiencing the fruit of Worthiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about a Worthy One?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about an Independent Sambuddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What to say about a Realised One, a Worthy One, a Perfect Sambuddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While dana mostly seems to fall under the training of &lt;strong&gt;morality&lt;/strong&gt;, practicing the dhamma and listening to dhamma would be more on the side of &lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;. These three aspects, the cultivation of morality, concentration and wisdom sum up the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. So practicing as much as you can according to this path in any way is the best choice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-14T21:17:51.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19614" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19616" CreationDate="2017-03-14T22:09:55.693" Score="1" ViewCount="342" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading books on the subject. But don't fully understand the language as im new to meditation and Buddhism. I want to learn the jhanas one at a time to work my way up. But im lost when it comes to getting rid of the 5 hindrances. I dont quiet get how to do t. Any tips.. I wish i could find a teahcer but i have no money to travel and theres no one here in my location.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T14:58:41.950" Title="How to suppress the 5 hindrance to achieve the first jhana?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19587" CreationDate="2017-03-14T23:13:15.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dana has more power than many people think.  From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an7.52&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Giving Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then there is the case of a person who gives a gift not seeking his&#xA;  own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to&#xA;  store up for himself, nor [with the thought], ‘I’ll enjoy this after&#xA;  death....—but with the thought, ‘This is an &lt;strong&gt;ornament for the mind&lt;/strong&gt;,(cit­tā­laṅkā­ra­citta­parik­khā­raṃ)&#xA;  a support for the mind’—on the break-up of the body, after death, he&#xA;  reappears in the company of Brahma’s Retinue. Then, having exhausted&#xA;  that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a&#xA;  non-returner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to find where else Buddha used &quot;&lt;strong&gt;ornament of mind&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; to clearify the meaning but I couldn't find anything. So I searched what type of people who would be reborn in Brahma's world and after that, a non-returner.  I found out that  The noble disciple who are expert in entering any Jhanas or arupa sanna, like (take pleasure in, satisfy) in that state, and maintain such ability by time of death (not exactly as dying in that state) they would enter Brahma's world according to his meditation level reach final nirvana after that.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this is strictly my conclusion: one of the characteristics of Jhana is abandoning five hindrances, and maintaining perception in giving, (Danna sanna) can also do the same as medition.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So IMO, giving as ornament of mind = perception of charity or giving in such a way that it abandons 5 hindrances of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;noble disciples are stream enterers or higher.           &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T16:54:00.007" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T16:54:00.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19614" CreationDate="2017-03-14T23:21:42.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Suppressing' the five hindrances is not the method of the Pali suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, the five hindrances are 'abandoned', 'purified' or 'cleansed' using wisdom, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 13&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.55&lt;/a&gt;, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of&#xA;  covetousness. Abandoning ill will &amp;amp; anger, he dwells with an awareness&#xA;  devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings.&#xA;  He cleanses his mind of ill will &amp;amp; anger. Abandoning sloth &amp;amp;&#xA;  drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth &amp;amp; drowsiness,&#xA;  mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth &amp;amp;&#xA;  drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness &amp;amp; anxiety, he dwells undisturbed,&#xA;  his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness &amp;amp;&#xA;  anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over&#xA;  uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental&#xA;  qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Having abandoned these five hindrances — imperfections of awareness that weaken wisdom — then, quite secluded from sensuality,&#xA;  secluded from unskillful qualities, he enters and remains in the first&#xA;  jhāna: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed&#xA;  thought &amp;amp; evaluation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-14T23:43:57.177" LastActivityDate="2017-03-14T23:43:57.177" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19617" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19630" CreationDate="2017-03-14T23:54:18.833" Score="3" ViewCount="256" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have previously asked questions on this forum, and now I have gained some familiarity with meditation. I am primarily doing breath meditation. When I practice, my thoughts are barely distractions at all. I can easily stay focused, but I cannot narrow my attention to the sensations at the tip of the nose. What occurs in meditation feels like a clear, yet imprecise awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know from reading on the subject that the sharpness I am looking for comes with gladdening the mind, or applying effort. Yet, neither seem fruitful in my practice. I remain very weakly focused on an imprecise object, more or less the face and nose area. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, it often happens that while meditating my thoughts dissipate completely, or to a near absence. I keep hearing different types of advice, some people experienced in meditation advising me to not use the breath, some people advising sticking to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that I am very avoidant towards experience, I am doubtful towards centring my awareness on a single object. I would like to be more alert and aware, as well as awake, in general. Yet, I cannot visualize anything at all, am mostly emotionally barren, and feel unmotivated in general. I remember applying meditations on emptiness quite intensely in earlier years, and now I feel without much suffering, but also without much enthusiasm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T12:23:34.973" Title="Meditation Without References" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19618" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-15T02:57:57.077" Score="3" ViewCount="596" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism everything boils down to we as humans and animals crave. Craving is the root cause for suffering and rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question becomes why are we hard coded to crave. Is there any reference in Buddhist documents where the Buddha have answered this question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally i think every living being is hard wired to crave because of survival. I think at a primal level for every living being the main objective is to survive and to reproduce and i think that is why we have craving and all those akusala karma such as jealously anger etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;please tell me you opinions or any reference in Buddhist scriptures&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T17:40:38.577" Title="The question of why do we have craving" Tags="|theravada|buddha|dukkha|desire|craving|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19619" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19636" CreationDate="2017-03-15T03:56:49.427" Score="0" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;The title says it all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does all the recollections of past lifes of Buddha revolves around times of kings which were similar to the time the Buddha was living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why aren't there any mention of times that are similar to the times of what we are living right now ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;does this mean this is the 1st time in the sansara that we are living in a world like this ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if it is the 1st time, that we are living in a world like this with so many technological advances, that would mean we are living in sansara which is not repeating, which in turns mean that new things can happen in the sansara. then how can we be even sure about enlightenment. if sansara can change what is to say that some day all beings that achieved nibbana will not again be reborn? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:00:58.210" Title="why is all of Buddhas past lifes referes to times of kings" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|samsara|past-lives|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-15T05:30:08.327" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to take a different approach from the answers already given...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think this is a hindrance at all.  It only seems a hindrance because we live in a world that unfortunately has put a high price on feelings and elevated them to the status of truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta isn't a warm fuzzy feeling. It's not a feeling at all. To see what I mean, do this thought experiment...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You see a person in pain.  You can help the person, but your arm&#xA;  itches.  What do you do?  You disregard the itch (let it be) and help&#xA;  the person anyway.  Why should the itch affect anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feelings are like an itch.  They don't mean anything, and we can accept them for what they are and continue to act.  They only mean something if we make them mean something.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are on the cushion practicing metta, don't worry about feelings. Instead, try to cultivate this same well-wishing-despite-feelings that you would when you help someone you know is hurting. Adopt a mindset like you would in the thought experiment I presented earlier.  That well-wishing need not be a warm fuzzy feeling or any feeling at all.  Just send them your good wishes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and the desire for all beings to be happy can be a purely logical attitude that's devoid of feelings.  In fact, if you look at it, it's quite logical.  If you start with the axiom that pain is bad, then you logically arrive at the conclusion that pain should be alleviated.  Feelings don't enter into it anymore than feelings enter into an equation like 1+1 = 2.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta isn't feeling compassion for a hungry person; it's feeding the&#xA;hungry person. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta isn't feeling anger with a friend because s/he was injured;&#xA;it's trying to get the friend to get beyond the injury.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta isn't feeling compassion for a world gone bad; it's acting to&#xA;fix that world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, I wonder if the warm fuzzies are a hinderance to metta?  It seems all too easy for that to turn metta practice into a self-absorbed emotional masturbation session. But even more to the point, shouldn't we aim for non-attachment to feelings?  And isn't one consequence of this non-attachment that we don't let our feelings dictate our actions?  As long as our actions are subject to feelings, as long as we're trying to invoke certain feelings (especially to produce certain actions), then aren't we still attached to those feelings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in a way, doing metta despite disliking people, and not letting that dislike actually affect anything or be a big deal may be a better sign than someone who does metta because s/he &quot;loves&quot; people or can call upon the warm fuzzies on demand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, don't confuse metta with feelings, and don't take feelings so seriously and you may find that this problem was an illusion to begin with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastEditorUserId="2207" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T05:46:54.820" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T05:46:54.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19622" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-15T05:39:52.507" Score="3" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has anyone experienced moments like being in a state of restlessness during a dhamma talk?&#xA;A sense of relief, moment of temporary escape but yet the mind is actively running wild, almost gone into a state where one feels like tearing.&#xA;I wonder if it could be due to the stress and sorrow the person going through, therefore the person entered into such state of mind.&#xA;I always thought during dhamma talk, one's mind is supposed to be calm and steady or somewhat shielded from any harmful agent from the outside world.&#xA;Anyone mind to share?&#xA;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4813" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-12T11:27:46.947" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T11:27:46.947" Title="Different state of mind during dhamma talk" Tags="|mindfulness|dhammas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-03-15T07:46:18.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does one practice being in the present ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to identify current moment's(thought) attributes like feeling(good/bad/neutral),  sensation, naming(using previous identification) and how actions formed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to identify how feelings feels without permanent soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T07:46:18.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-15T09:18:45.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't worry too much. You feel the way you feel, and there is nothing wrong about it. Actually, I don't like many people myself and I prefer to stay alone the whole day so I know exactly what you mean. Except maybe, I always feel pity when people suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not conflict with being kind. If you are greeted, greet back. If you are smiled up on, you can make sure the other person knows you acknowledged. You can even wish everybody the best: everybody can find his own luck. It has nothing to do with you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you start being respectful, kind and benevolent, the &quot;warm fuzzy feeling&quot; might come, or maybe not. You should not try to enforce any feelings. It's not necessary to feel everything others feel. In example, I have 10 fingers, but I don't need to feel how it is to have only 5.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't even need to be part of social activities. You can stay alone, if you prefer. But I strongly recommend you to practice in a group. A meditation group (I prefer Zen, can just speak about this) helps you to practice harder and avoid pitfalls. Being with likeminded you might have a good start with practicing kindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good thing is: you have recognised what's inside you. Now you can work further. Next stop would be to accept what you are and to accept what others are. Then you can start to tell people in a friendly, kind way to leave you alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="98" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T09:18:45.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-15T11:46:13.020" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; lists four nutriments for the sustenance of beings (&lt;em&gt;sattānaṃ&lt;/em&gt;) who have come to be (&lt;em&gt;bhūtānaṃ&lt;/em&gt;) and for the support of beings seeking to be (&lt;em&gt;sambhavesīnaṃ&lt;/em&gt;), namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Edible food, coarse and fine; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sense-impression;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Volitional thought; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For &lt;em&gt;unenlightened&lt;/em&gt; beings, craving is included within the nutriment of volitional thought, as stated: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If the nutriment volitional thought is comprehended, the three kinds of craving are thereby comprehended.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, at a primal level, for every &lt;em&gt;unenlightened&lt;/em&gt; living being, craving serves the main objective (of nature) to survive and to reproduce.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the &lt;em&gt;enlightened&lt;/em&gt;, they survive more skilfully relying on wisdom rather than craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word '&lt;em&gt;dharma&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;that which supports&lt;/em&gt;' thus craving also supports life but it is an '&lt;em&gt;akusala dhamma&lt;/em&gt;', namely, an unskilful means of support. For example, the suttas state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus, Ānanda, in dependence upon feeling there is craving; in dependence upon craving there is pursuit; in dependence upon pursuit&#xA;  there is gain; in dependence upon gain there is decision-making; in&#xA;  dependence upon decision-making there is desire and lust; in&#xA;  dependence upon desire and lust there is attachment; in dependence&#xA;  upon attachment there is possessiveness; in dependence upon&#xA;  possessiveness there is stinginess; in dependence upon stinginess&#xA;  there is safeguarding; and because of safeguarding, various evil&#xA;  unwholesome phenomena originate—the taking up of clubs and weapons,&#xA;  conflicts, quarrels, and disputes, insulting speech, slander and&#xA;  falsehoods. Therefore, Ānanda, this craving is the cause, source, origin, and condition for those various evil unwholesome phenomena.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To add, &quot;we&quot; do not crave. To the contrary, it is craving that creates the idea of &quot;we&quot;. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Who, O Lord, craves?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The question is not correct,&quot; said the Exalted One. &quot;I do not say that 'he craves.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who craves?' would&#xA;  be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask&#xA;  the question will be 'What is the condition of craving?' And to that&#xA;  the correct reply is: 'Feeling is the condition of craving and craving&#xA;  is the condition of clinging.'&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;An uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person assumes form, feeling, perception, fabrication &amp;amp;/or conscious to be a self. That assumption&#xA;  is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what&#xA;  is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence of that fabrication?&#xA;  To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is&#xA;  felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication [of self]&#xA;  is born of that.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T12:31:49.137" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T12:31:49.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19622" CreationDate="2017-03-15T12:13:38.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Has anyone experienced moments like being in a state of restlessness during a dhamma talk? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Hindrances&lt;/a&gt; can surface any time. It is not necessarily in meditation. It can happen during Dhamma Talks, while working, etc. So Restlessness-worry being one of it can arise any time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A sense of relieved, moment of temporary escape but yet the mind is actively running wild, almost gone into a state where one feels like tearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the nature of the mind. Do not analyse and this is what I expect of my mind, this is what do not expect of the mind, this is I do not care where by generating pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations followed by craving, aversion and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I wonder could it be due to the stress and sorrow the person going through, therefore the person entered into such state of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stress and sorrow generally co exists with unwholesome mind state. This can lead to hindrances arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I always thought during dhamma talk, one's mind supposed to be calm and steady or somewhat shielded from any harmful agent from the outside world. Anyone mind to share?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have wise attention (equanimous and seeing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt;), then only then you get &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;shielded from any harmful agent from the outside world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T12:13:38.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19619" CreationDate="2017-03-15T12:14:43.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The bulk of the Pali suttas do not include recollection of 'past lives'. Here, the Pali words are 'pubbe nivasa', which mean recollection of 'past abodes', 'past dwellings' or 'past adherences'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, it means recollecting in the past when the mind ignorantly clung to one or more of the five aggregates as 'self'. This is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As stated in SN 22.79, since such recollection can include only one aggregate, it seems obvious it does not refer to past lives because a life cannot comprise of only one aggregate, unless it is claimed having a past life of a tree or plant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More crucially, SN 22.79 states to cling to past recollection as &quot;I&quot; or &quot;mine&quot; is wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, probably at a later time, a mere handful of questionable &amp;amp; contradictory suttas were created, such as AN 3.15, AN 9.20, MN 50, MN 81, MN 123 &amp;amp; MN 143.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As stated in the question, that these (later) suttas do not account for technological developments (such as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-age_system&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three-age system&lt;/a&gt;) supports the view these literal reincarnation suttas are dodgy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These later suttas have the same style as the Apadānas, Buddhāpadāna &amp;amp; Jataka Tales, which were composed hundreds of years after the passing away of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T12:36:28.743" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T12:36:28.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19617" CreationDate="2017-03-15T12:24:46.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems different forms of subtle craving are present in your question, which is the hindrance of restlessness &amp;amp; remorse. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate purpose of Buddhist meditation is to abandon craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abandoning craving can create more equipoise &amp;amp; also clarity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T12:24:46.410" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19619" CreationDate="2017-03-15T13:51:06.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;If it is the 1st time, that we are living in a world like this with so many technological advances, that would mean we are living in sansara which is not repeating, which in turns mean that new things can happen in the sansara. then how can we be even sure about enlightenment. if sansara can change what is to say that some day all beings that achieved nibbana will not again be reborn?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we were sure about enlightenment we would be enlightened. &#xA;One can't be sure of enlightenment at least until one has found stream entry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha's ultimate reality teaching, nothing is really repeating but empty formations. I would think that , just because technological formations have predictable functions doesn't make them anymore real. Technology is empty, sunyata, not-self or anatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and also...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, why is it always times of kings, the same exact culture and I guess there was Buddha's around 300,000 years ago? That teaching, that there were several other Buddha's before Gotama Buddha, that's got to be the most glaringly wrong teaching that I can think of(that and women can't be Buddhas). Doesn't it conflict with the theory of evolution? How could 28 Buddhas  who lived like 10,000 years apart each have lived before Gotama?&#xA;  I don't know if the Jatikas were meant to be taken so literally. I mean, maybe they are just  teachings that help students  understand rebirth. -metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T17:09:46.173" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T17:09:46.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19617" CreationDate="2017-03-15T14:11:08.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I can easily stay focused, but I cannot narrow my attention to the sensations at the tip of the nose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are craving when you manage to get the attention, or being averse when you cannot, you are not doing the meditation right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early on, the results are not due to the fact that you were (or weren't) able to keep your attention: they are due to whether you had sustained effort, to keep your attention, by bringing your mind back to the middle of the upper lip of the nose area. This is what &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitarka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt; are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet, neither seem fruitful in my practice. I remain very weakly focused on an imprecise object, more or less the face and nose area.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be craving to be able to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially say you mind stick to the chosen object, nevertheless you should continuously try to bring it back. At the start of the breath, see if the breath is on the chosen spot: if not, bring it back, if it is on the breath still redirect it back to the chosen spot as when you would bring it back when the attention had gone away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind goes away to another object, or just thinking and pondering, there are three sensations which come by: i.e. sensations are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Try to see the thing's sensation before bringing your mind back. For example if you get a leg pain, see the pain and some aspect of its impermanence. Then bring back your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T15:23:36.763" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T15:23:36.763" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19619" CreationDate="2017-03-15T14:21:12.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;then how can we be even sure about enlightenment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are schools of Buddhism which say that enlightenment becomes less possible, as the centuries go by and the Buddha's doctrine becomes distorted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also schools which say that enlightenment is already attained (by the Buddha), therefore enlightenment is certain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence#Description&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;all &lt;em&gt;saṅkhāras&lt;/em&gt; (conditioned things) are impermanent&lt;/a&gt;, but that some dhammas (especially nirvana) are unconditioned (and not-self), and &quot;timeless&quot; (or immediate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People also often say that it (the path to enlightenment) is something you should experience for yourself, i.e. have direct experience of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;if sansara can change&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that sansara &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; expected to change: that it's considered &quot;impermanent&quot; in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What seems more-or-less constant about it is a cycle of death and life (perhaps you you'll agree that death and life still exist), and suffering (oceans of tears), and causes of suffering, etc., as described in Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;what is to say that some day all beings that achieved nibbana will not again be reborn?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that some schools of Buddhism assert that some relatively-enlightened beings are reborn (see for example &quot;Bodhisatvas&quot; and &quot;tulkus&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But perhaps the statement &quot;beings that achieved nirvana may be reborn&quot; is a nonsense phrase, for example because it assumes that &quot;the same being&quot; may be &quot;reborn&quot; ... whereas, sansara and impermanence posit that anything &quot;reborn&quot; is necessarily a different being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, enlightenment and &quot;being&quot; might be mutually contradictory. It reminds me of this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl143.html#sutta10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajira Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mara, have you grasped a view?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is a heap of sheer constructions:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Here no being is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's connected with for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;this discussion of 'trackless'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware too that this is (or is nearly) a topic for which it's difficult to get sensible answers: the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt; include questions about whether the Tathagata exists after death, and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four imponderables&lt;/a&gt; includes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The warning is that speculation on these topics may be counter-productive -- not the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T14:31:24.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-15T14:36:03.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism everything boils down to we as humans and animals crave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in worldly affairs: &lt;code&gt;Craving -&amp;gt; searching -&amp;gt; gain -&amp;gt; decision-making -&amp;gt; desire and lust -&amp;gt; attachment -&amp;gt; possessiveness -&amp;gt; stinginess -&amp;gt; safe-guarding -&amp;gt; various evils, unwholesome phenomena&lt;/code&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the 12 link generic version of Dependent Arising: &lt;code&gt;... -&amp;gt; feeling -&amp;gt; Craving -&amp;gt; Clinging -&amp;gt; ...&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the question becomes why are we hard coded to crave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Particularly craving arises when you get attached to the pleasant feeling. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In context of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; both craving and aversion are 2 sides of the same coin. The case of unpleasant and neutral feeling leading to aversion and ignorance is coved in the above Sutta. In this context craving [, aversion, ignorance] arises due to due to feelings which are pleasant, unpleasant, neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Carving, aversion and ignorance are latent tendencies. They are reinforced due to our habitual reaction to sensation. That is why in meditation (as taught by some teachers at least), you are asked to be equanimous seeing the arising and passing of sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Personally i think every living being is hard wired to crave because of survival. I think at a primal level for every living being the main objective is to survive and to reproduce and i think that is why we have craving and all those akusala karma such as jealously anger etc...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also true as the the cycle: &lt;code&gt;Craving -&amp;gt; searching -&amp;gt; gain -&amp;gt; decision-making -&amp;gt; desire and lust -&amp;gt; attachment -&amp;gt; possessiveness -&amp;gt; stinginess -&amp;gt; safe-guarding -&amp;gt; various evils, unwholesome phenomena&lt;/code&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T15:29:06.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19614" CreationDate="2017-03-15T14:58:41.950" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhana and abandoning the 5 hindrances are interrelated, but abandoning the 5 hindrances alone will not get Jhana. The main things to get to the 1st Jhana is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt;. You have to establish your mind on an object and then apply sustainable effort to retain your mind on the object. It is though this effort that the 1st Jhana arises. For a slightly more detailed discussion see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19630/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T14:58:41.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-15T15:17:38.823" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Google for the &quot;12 dependent arisings&quot;. All dependent arisings lead to sufferings and craving is one of the dependent arisings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's teaching is able to cut one of the dependent arisings thus preventing subsequent arisings from taking place, leading to enlightenment..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T15:17:38.823" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-15T15:55:16.280" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=root+delusion&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;various suttas&lt;/a&gt; which say there are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three roots&lt;/a&gt;: delusion, craving, and aversion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ignorance&lt;/a&gt; is identified as the first of the 12 nidanas, and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;root cause&lt;/a&gt; of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;right view&quot; (or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt;) might be an antonym of &quot;ignorance&quot;: so seeing things properly, for example understanding the disadvantages of craving, is what eventually leads to dispassion, renunciation, the end of craving; and conversely, the opposite (i.e. ignorance, lack of right view, insufficient wisdom) could be called the root cause of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another theory is that craving is conditioned by feelings which are conditioned by sensations: so maybe these could be seen as the cause of craving (for which, I think the antidote is &quot;guarding the sense-doors&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T16:08:34.913" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T16:08:34.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19619" CreationDate="2017-03-15T16:19:12.157" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why Buddha's past lives refers to times of kings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Because when Buddha was teaching, the audiences were living at the time of the kings. It's pointless to talk to the audiences ruled by the kings that there were governments governed by universal suffrage president elected by public votes - how could they understand it? Moreover, it's painful to add unnecessary burdens to the audiences introducing a new concept whilst the Dharma such as Anatta and Emptiness was already beyond general mind. The Buddha had nothing to do with his own self - Anatta, all his doings were because of teaching others, so was when talking about his past lives.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) When Buddha was asked by the Bhikkus to tell them how the &quot;heaven and earth&quot; was formed and what was like in the beginning of time - cosmology, Buddha explaint in the way these Bhikkus could understand: aliens who's faces shaped as square, round, trapezoid (Jambudvīpa, earthlings) and half-moon from 4 corners of the &quot;heaven  and earth&quot; - the universe; galaxies in spiral or odd shapes - worlds like gyroscope, like plate or tilted. And when telling them there were numerous bacteria in the water, he could only name it &quot;worms&quot;. We shouldn't use the concept of modern day to wrap around the past. Sutras were recording what Buddha taught 3000 years ago, thus used the terminology understandable to people living at those times.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) Now Buddha has already enlightened, so he will not return to Samsara at this time for he is already freed from it. If Buddha returned his is doing it for teaching, not for himself, therefore these shouldn't be called his past lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4) Although in many circumstances many Sutras mentioned Buddha talked about his past lives, these not the complete record of his past lives. For there is no beginning and no ending of past lives we, Buddha before attaining Buddha-hood, lived, not mentioned doesn't mean not existed. The mentioned past lives were particularly related to certain teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And last&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samsara now has new things, not repeating itself... technology advances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nope. Even the Bible has a glimpse of the truth: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;So there is nothing new under the sun&quot;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;~Book of Ecclesiastes 1:9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-03-15T17:26:20.023" LastActivityDate="2017-03-15T17:26:20.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19617" CreationDate="2017-03-16T02:17:15.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a change, why not you practice a different kind of meditation?  The maithri bhavana (loving kindness meditation) is the most important. It is not easy for everyone to properly do Anapanasati because many other obstacles different to what you have experienced come up - if not now, then in the time to come. So why not make a change in practicing Asubha Bhavana (Meditation on Loathsomeness) and Dhathu/indriya Bhavana (Analysis of Four Elements). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please keep in mind that you should not mix one meditation with another. You should get out of one type of meditation to get into another. Always before starting to meditate, spend a minute in being aware of your surrounding. Then &lt;strong&gt;always&lt;/strong&gt; without fail start doing these two steps. First – before start of a meditation, say to self (Vitakka) that you are about to leave ‘normal’ self, and entering into a meditative state.  Next – after each type of meditation - say to self (Vitakka) that you are about to leave ‘the meditative state’ to that of the day to day. As you start going into Jhana/Dyana states this practice will safeguard you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anytime when there is wandering thought, the concentration is not there. The appearing of a nimitta is a sign of concentration. When you develop an anapanasati nimitta, and practice it further, then you need a good knowledge of teachings (suttas) for you to overcome obstacles that you face. That is why in an earlier post – last week – I said that there is many a untruth in English Text on Dhamma - On Meditation specially. Nowhere in the Doctrine (Sutta) it is mentioned that one becomes a stream entrant (Sotapanna) thru meditation. It is by listening to dhamma that a disciple of the Buddha gets rid of the first three samyojana. Only then will one come to the proper frame of mind to do Meditation the right way. If not, you fall into all the trappings that come in the way. These trappings are both of this world and that of the other. There are forces of the netherworld that are going to cross your path that only one who is firmly established in the Noble Eightfold Path can overcome. That is why I said that meditation comes only when one is ready to go beyond the stage of Sotapanna to help get rid of / cut through the other 7 samyojana. Also that is the very reason that I said that otherwise going 'nuts' is a possibility and not enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned earlier, the appearing of a nimitta is a sign of concentration. the ‘nimitta’ is your main object of focus. If hatred forms in a mind as a result of a cause, then that is Patigha nimitta (an objective to hate) which is your focus. When this focus is powerful, there is no room for a second different object of focus to get in the way.  One of the other many obstacles that you have not yet faced is that of distractions in the form of colours – bright or subdued- of white, red, yellow, orange, blue, etc. and get trapped in them.  One quality that’s always appropriate in establishing mindfulness is being watchful or alert, while maintaining a detached presence with what is experienced. Without a proper knowledge of dhamma this in not possible. The Pali word for alertness is sampajañña. It doesn’t mean being choicelessly aware of the present, or comprehending the present. Sampajañña means being aware of what you’re doing in the movements of the body, the movements in the mind. This is why mindfulness and alertness should always be paired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T02:17:15.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-16T02:41:42.733" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.076.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3:76 Bhava Sutta: Becoming&lt;/a&gt;, gives us an analogy to describe how becoming is produced:  “Kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture.” Kamma gives us a range of possibilities in which the seed of consciousness can be planted and on which it can feed. Craving is the moisture that keeps the seed alive and allows it to grow into a state of becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is Kamma, rooted in ignorance and craving (Tanhā, thirst), that conditions rebirth. This life-stream flows ad infinitum, as long as it is fed by the muddy waters of ignorance and craving. When these two are completely cut off, then only, if one so wishes, does the stream cease to flow, rebirth ends as in the case of the Buddhas and Arahats. The most valuable evidence Buddhists cite in favor of rebirth is the Buddha, for He developed a knowledge which enabled Him to read past and future lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the cause for the arising of suffering is craving. Craving results from delusion, which prevents man from seeing things as they really are. Therefore, cessation of suffering is achieved when craving is eradicated and extinguished. The path leading to the cessation of craving is the Noble Eightfold Path, expounded by the Enlightened One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T02:41:42.733" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19618" CreationDate="2017-03-16T06:49:18.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just an Opinion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving: is like, &quot;A Motion needs space&quot;&#xA;A stone or dead person can get rid of this.&#xA;e.g Your craving saying let's ask about craving :)&#xA;that means you are alive, you need this internally like body needs parts externally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10985" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T06:49:18.190" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19640" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19642" CreationDate="2017-03-16T10:26:37.890" Score="3" ViewCount="992" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the books of Bhante Vimalaramsi that is using the practice of &lt;strong&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/strong&gt; to reach a state that is called Tranquil Aware Jhana and then to generate insights from the fourth rupa Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anyone of you practiced using this method and reached the Jhanas?&#xA;Has anyone gotten any insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his site, Bhante Vimalaramsi says that this method is much better and faster than one pointed concentration to reach Jhanas. The Jhanas are less powerful and better manageable and getting attached to the joy of them is much more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you, metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10189" LastActivityDate="2020-10-04T13:26:28.203" Title="Does practicing Brahmavihara to get insights leads to Nibbana?" Tags="|nirvana|jhana|metta|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19617" CreationDate="2017-03-16T12:02:50.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First don't assume too quickly that you thoughts aren't a distraction, the mind is very tricky and the more you will practice the more you will be aware of your lack of awareness, which is a good thing because you will start being conscious of being distracted by deep thoughts processing underneath your immediate attention and driving you off the focus of your breath. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have no sensation around the nostrils don't be upset it is normal, just keep your attention there, remain equanimous and most of all don't crave or avoid any sensation you encounter in this area. The sensation can be anything don't look for a specific one and accept it as it comes. If you have unpleasant sensation on the nostrils, then focus on it without avoiding it, if you have pleasant sensation focus on it without being attached to it or craving for having it back when it goes away. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being conscious of the impermanence and remaining equanimous, meaning that you don't start craving our avoiding the phenomena you experience is absolutely fundamental in your practice. Once you develop this tendency your focus will increase naturally. This is called the Right Concentration : Samma Samadhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep applying yourself like that and your attention will become sharper and sharper. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="1005" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T12:23:34.973" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T12:23:34.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19640" CreationDate="2017-03-16T12:40:16.900" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems to be possible. Following elaborates on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “divine abodes” (brahma,vihāra) are so called because&#xA;  these are the qualities of the higher divine beings or brahmas. They are called “immeasurables”&#xA;  (appamāṇā, appamaññā) is another term for the divine abodes because the practice is only complete&#xA;  when we break down the barrier or duality of self and other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These qualities are lovingkindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity. When they are&#xA;  practised to dhyanic levels, they are known as “liberation of mind” (ceto,vimutti), or more fully, the&#xA;  liberation of mind by the immeasurable (or the immeasurable liberation of mind) (appamāṇā&#xA;  ceto,vimutti)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first three divine abodes—that is, the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, by compassion and&#xA;  by appreciative joy—can attain only up to the level of the third dhyana. Only the liberation of mind by&#xA;  equanimity can reach the fourth dhyana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the Metta,sahagata Sutta (S 46.54), a few interesting details are worth nothing. The liberation&#xA;  of mind by lovingkindness (mettā ceto,vimutti) has “beauty” (subha) as it highest limit. “Beauty”&#xA;  here refers to any of the form dhyana (rūpa jhāna), while the term “beauty element, or beautiful element”&#xA;  (subha,dhātu), refers to both the dhyana and its object, namely, a dhyana arisen on the basis of lovingkindness&#xA;  (Pm 2:39).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Attha,sālinī, the Commentary on the Dhamma,saṅgaṇī, however, takes “the beautiful” here as&#xA;  referring to dhyana attainment through a colour device (kasiṇa) that is fully purified (DhsA 191). As&#xA;  Analayo notes, this gloss goes against the teachings of the Paṭisambhidā,magga (2009: 146 f).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The liberation of mind by compassion (karuṇā ceto,vimutti) has the base of boundless space (ākāsâ-&#xA;  nañc’āyatana) is its highest limit. That is to say, dhyana attained by the liberation of mind through the cultivation of compassion can be used to attain to the first formless base or formless attainment (arūpa&#xA;  samāpatti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The liberation of mind by appreciative joy (muditā ceto,vimutti) has the base of boundless&#xA;  consciousness (viññāṇ’añc’āyatana) as its highest point, that is, it can be the springboard to attain the&#xA;  second formless attainment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The liberation of mind by equanimity (upekkhā ceto,vimutti) has the base of nothingness (akiñcaññâ-&#xA;  yatana) as it highest base, that is, it can be a basis for focus leading up to the third formless attainment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With such an attainment at its best, the practitioner will be able to attain non-return, but not arhathood,&#xA;  because he has yet to abandon all his remaining defilements. An important aspect of this practice&#xA;  is to remind ourselves that all such states are mind-made, and as such are impermanent and liable to ceasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.7-Metta-Bhavana-S-it1.3.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettā Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The practice of Loving-Kindness Meditation can lead you directly to the experience of Nibbāna if you follow all of the Brahma Viharas&lt;/strong&gt;: that is the practice of Loving- Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity. This is mentioned many times in the suttas (the original discourses of the Buddha). Many times other teachers will say that this practice alone doesn't directly lead the meditator to the experience of Nibbāna. And this is true. But, when Loving-Kindness Meditation is practiced as part of the Brahma Viharas then it will take the meditator to the fourth Jhāna or meditation level. This is where the Lord Buddha tried to have all of the students who practiced meditation get to. The fourth meditation level is where the meditator experiences deep states of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to the suttas, there are three different paths that can be taken once the meditator reaches this level. They can take one directly to the experience of Nibbāna. We will not go into more detail at this time, because it may cause some confusion. But if you are interested, in having more information please start reading suttas like sutta 62 The Maharchulovada Sutta in the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. Or you can read sutta 27 The Culahatthipadopama Sutta in the same book. I sincerely hope that these meditation instructions are helpful to you and that by practicing in this way you will benefit greatly and lead a truly happy and healthy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org/metta-barebones-booklet.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;A Practical Bare-Bones guide to Metta Meditation&quot;&lt;/a&gt; by Bhante Vimalaramsi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T15:10:41.373" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19640" CreationDate="2017-03-16T12:41:26.113" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's certainly possible.  The brahmaviharas are one of the methods one can use to achieve jhana.  Past the first jhana, however, jhana practice is more or less indistinguishable no matter which method you use to establish that initial base of concentration.  E.g. the fourth jhana is still the fourth jhana regardless of whether I'm practicing breath perception, kasina meditation, or contemplating karuna.  Some people find some methods easier than others.  That's why the Buddha gave us three dozen of them!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T12:41:26.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19644" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19578" CreationDate="2017-03-16T14:40:30.093" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, saying &quot;May God bless you&quot; is a very Buddhist thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, there are 11 benefits that would be experienced by one who practises loving kindness or metta, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;1. He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human&#xA;  beings. &lt;strong&gt;6. Devas (gods) protect him.&lt;/strong&gt; 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot&#xA;  touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is&#xA;  serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to&#xA;  attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be&#xA;  reborn in the brahma-world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that No. 6 states that the devas (which could be translated as gods) would protect one who practises metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, saying &quot;May God bless you&quot; is indeed Buddhist, because it is supported by the words of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the Buddhist should keep to himself the view that the God(s) are not permanent (anicca). If one has the view that God is permanent and eternal, then that would be a wrong view, from a Buddhist perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:22:04.590" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T16:22:04.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19645" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19646" CreationDate="2017-03-16T14:49:04.857" Score="1" ViewCount="21" Body="&lt;p&gt;For meditation purpose, and for appeasing suffering, I think I need a symbol associated with renouncement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a mudra that would particularly fit with this idea ?&#xA;Or a symbol that would come to your mind ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="191" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T14:57:24.367" Title="Is there a mudra associated with renouncement?" Tags="|mudra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19645" CreationDate="2017-03-16T14:57:24.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps there's one called the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=shramanamudr%C3%A2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;shramanamudrâ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Arama%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śramaṇa&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T14:57:24.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19647" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-16T15:18:48.047" Score="0" ViewCount="235" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for freely available resource on achievement of Jhana through Brahmavihara. What are such references?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I would like to dig deeper into what Bhanthe Vimalasiri has written on the subject. So references on his teachings are greatly appreciated, but so would be works by other teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:05:42.453" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T19:47:14.330" Title="References on Rupa and Arupa Jhana through Brahma Vihara" Tags="|reference-request|metta|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19648" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19501" CreationDate="2017-03-16T15:21:27.077" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good answer by Dhammadhatu. In addition, Robert, I suggest that you practise loving kindness or metta and also other the other Brahmaviharas like compassion and empathetic joy, instead of the mindfulness of breathing. Metta and the Brahmaviharas should invoke positive emotions within you that could replace the negative thoughts and bring about a positive feeling about yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find the expression of Metta in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which I will quote below. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettanisamsa Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states that among the benefits of practising Metta is that one sleeps in comfort, one wakes up in comfort, his mind can concentrate quickly and his countenance is serene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Happy, at rest, may all beings be happy at heart. &#xA;Whatever beings there may be, weak or strong,&#xA;without exception, long, large, middling, short,&#xA;subtle, blatant, seen &amp;amp; unseen, near &amp;amp; far,&#xA;born &amp;amp; seeking birth:&#xA;May all beings be happy at heart.&#xA;&#xA;Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere,&#xA;or through anger or irritation wish for another to suffer.&#xA;&#xA;As a mother would risk her life to protect her child,&#xA;her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart&#xA;with regard to all beings.&#xA;With good will for the entire cosmos,&#xA;cultivate a limitless heart:&#xA;&#xA;Above, below, &amp;amp; all around, unobstructed,&#xA;without enmity or hate. &#xA;Whether standing, walking, sitting, or lying down,&#xA;as long as one is alert,&#xA;one should be resolved on this mindfulness.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T15:29:51.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T15:29:51.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19649" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-16T15:29:52.600" Score="2" ViewCount="312" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are there any websites that have an English translation of the Chinese Buddhist canon, similar to what is available for the Pali canon at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;accesstoinsight.org&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttacentral.net&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T15:58:29.327" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T13:22:10.493" Title="Websites with the Chinese canon translated into English?" Tags="|sutras|texts|chinese-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ClosedDate="2017-09-03T21:53:17.190" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19649" CreationDate="2017-03-16T15:38:41.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following might be of some value:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/english/english_tripitaka/publication_project.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bdk.or.jp/english/english_tripitaka/publication_project.html&lt;/a&gt; and / or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdkamerica.org/blog/free-pdf-versions-many-volumes-bdk-english&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.bdkamerica.org/blog/free-pdf-versions-many-volumes-bdk-english&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://84000.co/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://84000.co/&lt;/a&gt; - this is from Tibetan sources&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://lapislazulitexts.com/&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://lapislazulitexts.com/tripitaka&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-16T16:06:46.050" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T16:06:46.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-03-16T16:07:51.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can try to first practise the mindfulness meditation taught by &lt;a href=&quot;http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/p/about.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;, including the sitting meditation and the walking meditation. There is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;text for this here&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;YouTube video playlist here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, you can slowly incorporate it into daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/chapter-six-daily-life/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chapter Six&lt;/a&gt;, he says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Further, one can apply the same technique to any small movement of the&#xA;  body – for instance when bending or stretching the limbs, one can note&#xA;  “bending” or “stretching”. When moving the limbs, “moving”. When&#xA;  turning, “turning”, and so on. Every activity can become a meditation&#xA;  practice in this way; when brushing one’s teeth, “brushing”; when&#xA;  chewing or swallowing food, “chewing, chewing”, “swallowing,&#xA;  swallowing” and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When cooking, cleaning, exercising, showering, changing clothes, even&#xA;  on the toilet, one can be mindful of the movements of the body&#xA;  involved, creating clear awareness of reality at all times. This is&#xA;  the first method by which one can and should incorporate the&#xA;  meditation practice directly into ordinary life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another teacher who has produced good material on this subject is &lt;a href=&quot;http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T16:07:51.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19653" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2816" CreationDate="2017-03-16T19:59:05.287" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Masters won't speak or initiate student directly. This kind of abilities come naturally along the way, as fruits. The Master will only help the dedicated student growing up, and once some vibratory path are achieved, the Master might on a subtile way guide his student with this kind of new abilities.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in the tradition, this happen naturally behind the scene and there probably no practice nor techniques that exist.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, focusing on this kind of goal might be a tricky path, since the only aim is to recognize the Absolute True Nature within yourself and everything around. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10652" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T19:59:05.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9631" CreationDate="2017-03-16T20:08:05.253" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can Buddhists see into the future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are some prophecies made by Padmasambhava :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Many people are familiar with the prophecies of Nostradamus made more than seven hundred years ago, but few people are aware of the&#xA;  prophecies made by Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), the&#xA;  founder of Tibetan Buddhism, more than one thousand years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When asked by his disciple when is the beginning of Dharma-ending age,&#xA;  Guru Rinpoche replied; “When the Iron Birds(1) are flying in the sky&#xA;  and the Iron Horses(1) are running on the roads, we know that&#xA;  dharma-ending age has arrived. At this time, Tibetan Buddhism shall&#xA;  flourish globally. When the iron bird flies and the horses run on&#xA;  wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the&#xA;  world, and the Dharma will come to the land of the red men (Western&#xA;  Countries).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this Dharma-ending age, “Rulers do not act like Rulers, Subjects do&#xA;  not act like Subjects, Fathers do no act like Fathers, Sons do not act&#xA;  like Sons” (2), the relationships between Fathers and Sons are more&#xA;  like Playmates. Women do not honor and uphold chastity; men indulge in&#xA;  lust and unrestrained sexual misconducts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: 1) Iron Birds and Iron Horses are known now as Airplanes, Cars&#xA;  and Trains. 2) This reminds me of Confucius’ Analects: “...ruler be a&#xA;  ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son”,&#xA;  with regards to maintaining a world of order. What this means is that&#xA;  ruler shall uphold the duty as a ruler by serving the interests of the&#xA;  citizens. The citizens shall behave like citizens, by being&#xA;  law-abiding, respect the authorities and maintain law and order.&#xA;  Parents should act as parents by being providers, teachers and&#xA;  guardians to their children. Children shall be obedient and respect&#xA;  their parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guru Rinpoche further prophesied that in that era (or rather now),&#xA;  carriages do not require horses to move, they self-propel (3).&#xA;  Youngsters in that era step on something that shaped like a bullhorn&#xA;  and there are wheels underneath that allow them to skate everywhere&#xA;  (4). It is even stranger that people in that era do not need to leave&#xA;  their houses to know things that happen around the world, just by&#xA;  sitting in front of a mirror (5）.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: 3, 4, 5) Car, Skateboard, Roller Blades, TV and LCD panels, i.e.&#xA;  computer with internet connections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Guru Rinpoche further said that in that era, many ordained monks are&#xA;  greedy and pursue wealth and fame. They travel everywhere to cheat on&#xA;  their followers. They plan and think of ways to get offerings and&#xA;  donations from followers and possess their own private wealth and&#xA;  properties, yet they do not engage in any Buddhist practices or&#xA;  chanting on their own. They indulge in music, dance and&#xA;  entertainments. They break precepts and vows without any remorse (6).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: 6) This is happening now.  Bogus monks are everywhere especially&#xA;  in the Eastern countries. This prophecy coincides with Buddha’s&#xA;  prediction that “There is no disappearing of the true Dhamma until a&#xA;  counterfeit Dhamma arises in the world. Once a counterfeit Dhamma&#xA;  arises then there is a disappearing of the true Dhamma.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When i read that The Buddha told his disciples the most important&#xA;  sutra of all, the Surangama Sutra, should be the first to be&#xA;  destroyed, i asked myself how could any teaching be destroyed at this&#xA;  digital age?  I could print a thousands copies and bury them&#xA;  underground and someday someone would dig it up and revives the&#xA;  teachings again.  Or i could upload copies of the sutra to all the&#xA;  available servers on the internet. How could it possibly be destroyed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then one day, while doing research and reading news regarding some&#xA;  Buddhist sect in Taiwan proclaiming that the Surangama Sutra is fake&#xA;  and that Buddha never taught that, do i realize what Buddha meant by&#xA;  &quot;Destroy&quot;.  This realization was brought to me by a renowned Buddhist&#xA;  master over a seminar that Sutras do not get destroyed physically,&#xA;  they are destroyed by being &quot;discredited&quot;.  In other words, by saying&#xA;  that Surangama Sutra is fake and that Buddha never taught that, nobody&#xA;  will ever read or bothered with that Sutra again and that is how it is&#xA;  &quot;destroyed&quot;.  This will eventually happen to the entire Buddhism as&#xA;  the predicted by The Buddha, as the Dharma ends when nobody has faith&#xA;  or believe in it anymore. I would also like to note that the&#xA;  credibility of Buddhism is in the hands of those who represent it,&#xA;  those who spread and teach in the name of Buddhism especially those in&#xA;  &quot;high authority&quot; and/or with many followers.  That puts Buddhism at&#xA;  stake because its credibility is tied to these people.  So The Buddha&#xA;  said, in the Dharma-ending age &quot;follow only the Buddha-Dharma, and not&#xA;  the person who teaches it. In other words, The Buddha warned us&#xA;  against &quot;Idolism&quot;. It is The Buddha's teaching and your own practices&#xA;  that liberate you, not any mundane person, not even any&#xA;  self-proclaimed or public-acknowledged certified born-again &quot;Buddha&quot;. &#xA;  The original teachings of The Enlightened Ones could also be corrupted&#xA;  or altered by self-profiteering persons or by intellectuals. This was&#xA;  also the reason Guru Rinpoche concealed countless Terma teachings to&#xA;  prevent the destruction of the secret mantrayana.  And for each of&#xA;  these terma treasure, the time, the identity of its revealer, the&#xA;  person who would receive and hold the teachings were also predicted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With regards to mundane lives, Guru Rinpoche commented that in that&#xA;  era, husband and wife relationship shall be ruined and damaged by&#xA;  so-called “double-tongues” women, who instigate, provoke and create&#xA;  disharmony within families(7). Unfilial sons and daughters will chase&#xA;  their parents out from home. Brothers and sisters shall fight among&#xA;  themselves for inheritance, and violate the five precepts without&#xA;  remorse. Buddha’s teaching gradually faded and eventually lost. There&#xA;  shall be incest among the closest kin. Many people shall be addicted&#xA;  to gambling, drugs and alcohol. Buddhas’ statues and paintings,&#xA;  Buddhist ritual instruments are sold in flea markets on the streets&#xA;  (8). Vintage valuables passed down from generations to generations&#xA;  shall be sold and auctioned in international markets. Deforestation&#xA;  and over exploitation of nature causes ecological imbalances thereby&#xA;  resulting in frequent natural disasters. Thieves and robberies shall&#xA;  infest the entire city and paupers and beggars are seen everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: Can anyone tell me what is not happening now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) The word “double-tongues” mentioned is what is known to us now as&#xA;  “double-headed”. He specified women that include friends, relatives&#xA;  and kin. This means gossipy friends and kins deliberately giving bad&#xA;  advises and information to create disharmony between husbands and&#xA;  wives and eventually breaking up families. 8) It was mentioned that&#xA;  the karma for such phenomenon is the widespread of infectious&#xA;  diseases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the year of metal dragon (9), demons entered the water (10). In the&#xA;  year of Metal Snake(11）, demons entered the wind and thunder frost&#xA;  hail, wreaking havoc and creating disasters for many (12). In the year&#xA;  of Water Goat (13), here shall be widespread of infectious diseases&#xA;  (14).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: 9) Year 2000 is the year of Metal Dragon based on the Tibetan&#xA;  Calendar. 10) On August 12, 2000, the Russian Oscar II class submarine&#xA;  Kursk sank in the Barents Sea and exploded. 11) Year 2001 is the year&#xA;  of Metal Snake based on the Tibetan Calendar. 12) i) Tropical Storm&#xA;  Allison that devastated southeast Texas happened in June&#xA;  2001. ii) The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred in India, killing 20,000 people and causing injuries to 166,000 others. 13) Year 2003 is&#xA;  the year of Water Goat based on the Tibetan Calendar. 14) The outbreak&#xA;  of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) happened in 2003.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These incidents might not &quot;appear&quot; to be catastrophic or on global&#xA;  scale. Similar to Chinese Calendar, the Tibetan Calender Year has a 60&#xA;  years cycle. For instance, in year 2000 it was year of Metal Dragon&#xA;  and in the year of 2060 it should be another year of Metal Dragon. &#xA;  Should He could be referred to any year with that specific&#xA;  Element-Animal.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Alcoholics shall die of cerebrovascular diseases; gamblers shall die&#xA;  of stomach disorder; slander shall die of throat-related diseases;&#xA;  heavy smokers shall die of lungs diseases; over consumption of eggs,&#xA;  garlic and onion causes frequent nightmares resulting in mental&#xA;  disturbances and eventually related death; hunters and slaughter of&#xA;  animals shall die of liver and intestines related diseases, sinners&#xA;  and those with heavy bad karma shall die of many types of diseases&#xA;  that are painful and sufferings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The year of Wood Rooster is when the strength of Buddhism is the&#xA;  weakest. Evil spirits and demons shall take opportunity at this time&#xA;  to wrench more havocs and creating more damages. In the year of Earth&#xA;  Ox15, there shall be wars among countries and many people shall&#xA;  perish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note: 15) 2009 is the Year of Earth Ox based on the Tibetan Calendar.&#xA;  However it might not necessary be this year. It could be another cycle&#xA;  of Earth Ox which is 60 years from now. But for sure in 2009 we have&#xA;  encountered frequent natural disasters of different scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The origin of this translated text is in Chinese. Any mistake in the&#xA;  translation is solely my responsibility. I am not sure if there is&#xA;  other more complete translation out there in English, if there is,&#xA;  please inform me. Anyone is free to use the content of this&#xA;  translation, responsibly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Homage to Guru Rinpoche, if not because of Him i weren’t be alive&#xA;  today doing this translation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://templemind.blogspot.fr/2012/03/shocking-prophecies-made-by.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10652" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T20:08:05.253" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19647" CreationDate="2017-03-16T20:35:54.950" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;this for first part of your question.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.125&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;metta 1 sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-03-16T20:35:54.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19656" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19675" CreationDate="2017-03-17T03:23:46.193" Score="5" ViewCount="418" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to learn to in a sense control my mind. By this i mean focus on the thoughts and mindsets that are beneficial. And not focus on the harmful, negative thoughts. I always believe that we are who we are base on are thought patterns and it will be very helpful to in to learn to focus on the thoughts and gain the traits you want and become the person you want. I am learninf jhana meditation. But is this a good fit for this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="10831" LastEditDate="2017-03-17T03:29:12.743" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T08:21:07.310" Title="What meditation is best to learn to &quot;control&quot; your mind?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-recommendation|meditation-concentration|meditation-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19399" CreationDate="2017-03-17T07:00:38.980" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very simple answer.&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Mayahana&lt;/strong&gt; is not Buddhism, it is a branch / sect of buddhism. Similarly Theravada is also a branch / sect of Buddhism. Buddithing is far from sectarianism. Buddhism teaches a universal law applicable to everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma transmitted by Goenka come from the &lt;strong&gt;Theravada&lt;/strong&gt; tradition. There is no connection with the school of Mahayana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Goenka never defined himself as a buddhist and considered the Buddha's teaching in a very practical way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T02:44:49.737" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T02:44:49.737" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19656" CreationDate="2017-03-17T07:37:11.327" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any thoughts, including negative thoughts, are triggered by some stimuli, and have a sensation associated with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best would be to deal with them as per in the Suttas. Suttas like: &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.4-Bahuvedaniya-S-m59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bahu,vedaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.1-Pancakanga-S-s-36.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pañcak’aṇga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&quot; mentions &quot;18 mental explorations / examinations&quot;. This says, essentially, look at the 3 types of sensations (which are, &quot;pleasant&quot;, &quot;unpleasant&quot;, and &quot;neutral&quot;) which comes through each sense door. This helps in prevent the arising of the unwholesome roots due to any stimulus from any sene door. You just have to be equanimous towards the sensation, knowing that they are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;conditioned, and therefore subject to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt; (or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/34.2-Meghiya-S-a9.3u4.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meghiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; imply that it's enough to see impermanence, because if you see impermanence you see the other characteristics)&lt;strong&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dependently arisen based on contact&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sustained by the nutriments, contact and mental activity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;conditioned by fabrications, of past and present (breath, volitional activity)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tainted by ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc. see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammaditthi_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sammaditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction,&#xA;  subject to passing away, subject to fading away, subject to ending ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  conditioned, gross, dependently arisen ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.1-Parileyya-S-s22.81-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parileyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not do any verbalisation, sub verbalisation, visualisation, etc. when doing the above as this will create verbal fabrications and hinder true and deep insight and cause undesirable results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Needless to say to examine the mind you need some level of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mastery over the mind&lt;/a&gt;, hence is a prerequisite before you practice the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt; technique above, since Panna is built on a strong foundation of Samadhi which in tern is build on Sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  Aniccasaññino hi, Meghiya, anattasaññā saṇṭhāti, anattasaññī asmimānasamugghātaṃ pāpuṇāti diṭṭheva dhamme nibbānaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In one, Meghiya, who perceives impermanence, the perception of selflessness is established. One who perceives what is selfless wins the uprooting of the pride of egotism in this very life, and thus realizes nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/stp-pali-eng-parallel&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā in the Practice of Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; by VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T17:21:38.677" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10926" CreationDate="2017-03-17T11:53:49.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's an explanation on page 36 (page 10 of the PDF file) of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pita Tan's introduction to SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;The context is explaining the various types of dukkha (&quot;birth is dukkha, death is dukkha, ...&quot; and so on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we understand this, we have a good idea why nirvana—the final state of the Buddha and the&#xA;  arhats—are also “described” (for the convenience of the understanding of the unawakened) as being the&#xA;  opposites of birth, decay, disease and death—nirvana is thus non-birth, non-decay, non-disease and nondeath,&#xA;  that is to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;ajāta or abhūta “birth-free” being unborn, being free of rebirth, hence, no redeath;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;avyādhi or ajarā “decay-free” not subject to change, bodily or mental, or disease and dis-ease;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;asoka or abhaya “fear-free” without craving, there is no fear, nor danger from the world;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;amara or amata “death-free” without rebirth, there is no redeath, the cycle is finally broken.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T11:53:49.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19399" CreationDate="2017-03-17T13:10:24.297" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the book of &lt;code&gt;The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation&lt;/code&gt; by S.N. Goenka something like 15 years ago. My memory may be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The man who advised me this book, told me that it was the teaching of a very special branch of Buddhism, completely deprived of religious mythology, which was a only found in some remote temples of Myanmar/Burma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The man also told me that it was the closest to the true teaching of Buddha, because it was not poluted by a deification of the man Siddharta Gautama as can be found elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry for the biais of my answer, since I cannot cite my sources, and I quote another man, from memory. And sorry if you think it's incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="191" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T13:10:24.297" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19656" CreationDate="2017-03-17T13:15:17.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I advise you to look at &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a very practical, down to earth, approach to meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reference book is in french, and I don't think it's been translated anywhere.&#xA;It's was written by the psychiatrist Dr. Yasmine Lienard, and the title translated would be &quot;For a Modern Wisdom, The Psychotherapies of 3rd Generation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In French, &quot;Pour une sagesse moderne, Les psychothérapies de 3e génération&quot; - Dr. Yasmine Lienard. Edition Odile Jacob.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a soft overview, you can check Eckhart's videos. But I have not viewed a lot of them. He is famous in the Mindfulness field. I often see/read some quotes of him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell, what I think about Mindfulness:&#xA;It is the philosophy and (above all) the techniques of Buddhism and Zen meditation, deprived of any religious insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is born from the desire to heal depression without medecine/drugs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="191" LastEditorUserId="191" LastEditDate="2017-04-26T08:21:07.310" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T08:21:07.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2017-03-17T13:48:00.293" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I think it's originally from the Visuddhimagga&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's used before that, e.g. in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it's in the definition of the third noble truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkha·nirodhaṃ ariya·saccaṃ: yo tassā·y·eva taṇhāya asesa·virāga·nirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, bhikkhus, this is the &lt;em&gt;dukkha·nirodha&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;ariya·sacca&lt;/em&gt;: the complete &lt;em&gt;virāga&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt;, abandoning, forsaking, emancipation and freedom from that very &lt;em&gt;taṇhā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#nirodha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Glossary says&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;nirodha: cessation. Used in many cases as a synonym of Nibānna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On pages 38-39 (pages 12-13 of the PDF) of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan's introduction to this sutta&lt;/a&gt;, he writes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The terms samudaya and nirodha are commonly&#xA;  tr respectively as “origin” and “ending, cessation.” However, from the teachings of this Sutta, which underlies&#xA;  the Buddha’s Teaching as a whole, they are better rendered as “arising” and “non-arising.” Payutto&#xA;  makes an important note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, the word ‘cease’ [or ‘end’] means to do away with something which has&#xA;    already arisen, or the stopping of something which has already begun. However, nirodha in the&#xA;    teaching of Dependent Origination (as also in dukkhanirodha, the third of the noble truths) means&#xA;    non-arising, or non-existence, of something because the cause of its arising is done away with.&#xA;    For example, the phrase ‘when avijjā is nirodha, sakhārā are also nirodha,’ which is usually&#xA;    taken to mean, “with the cessation of ignorance, volitional impulse ceases,” in fact means that&#xA;    ‘when there is no ignorance, or no arising of ignorance, or when there is no longer any problem&#xA;    with ignorance, there is no volitional impulses, volitional impulses do not arise, or there is no&#xA;    longer any problem from volitional impulses.’ It does not mean that ignorance already arisen&#xA;    must be done away with before the volitional impulses which have already arisen will also be&#xA;    done away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to understand what it might mean etymologically; all I can offer on that is &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&amp;amp;t=12113&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this discussion&lt;/a&gt;, perhaps especially &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&amp;amp;t=12113#p184004&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However Payutto (quoted by Piya Tan above) goes on to say,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Where nirodha should be rendered as cessation is when it is used in reference to the natural&#xA;  way of things, or the nature of compounded things. In this sense it is a synonym for the words&#xA;  bhaga (breaking up), anicca (transient), khaya (cessation) or vaya (decay). For example, in the&#xA;  Pali it is given: imaṁ kho bhikkhave tisso vedanā anicccā sakhatā paiccasamuppannā khayadhammā&#xA;  vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā—“Bhikshus, these three kinds of feelings&#xA;  are naturally impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen, transient, subject to decay, dissolution,&#xA;  fading and cessation” [S 4:214]. (All factors occurring in the Dependent Origination cycle&#xA;  have the same nature.) In this instance, the meaning is “all conditioned things (sakhāra), having&#xA;  arisen, must inevitably decay and fade according to supporting factors.” There is no need [here]&#xA;  to try to stop them, they cease of themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As for nirodha in the third noble truth (or the Dependent Origination cycle in cessation&#xA;  mode), although it also describes a natural process, its emphasis is on practical considerations. It&#xA;  is translated in two ways in the Visuddhimagga [Vism 16.18/495]. One way traces the etymology&#xA;  to ni (without) + rodha (prison, confine[s], obstacle, wall, impediment), thus rendering the meaning&#xA;  as “without impediment,” “free from confinement.” This is explained as “free of impediments,&#xA;  that is, the confinement of saṁsāra.” Another definition traces the origin to anuppāda,&#xA;  meaning “not arising,” [and goes on to say “nirodha here does not mean bhaga, breaking up&#xA;  and dissolution.”]72&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary it's understood to mean &quot;cessation&quot; ... and/or &quot;non-arising&quot;, when the cause of arising ceases or doesn't arise or fades away or is abandoned etc. ... and/or Payutto (or the etymology)introduces a third possible meaning, i.e. &quot;without obstacle&quot;, &quot;liberation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the etymology I find it difficult to see how it might mean &quot;cessation&quot; at all, rather than freedom; but the English translation of the Visuddhimagga explains that pretty well, saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;ni&lt;/em&gt; denotes absence, and the word rodha a prison. Now, the third truth is void of all destinies (by rebirth) and so there is no constraint (rodha) of suffering here reckoned as the prison of the rounds of rebirth; or when cessation has been arrived at then there is no more constraint of suffering reckoned as the prison of the rounds of rebirth. And being the opposite of that prison, it is called dukkha-nirodha (cessation of suffering). Or alternatively it is called &quot;cessation of suffering&quot; because it is a condition for the cessation of suffering consisting in non-arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T14:31:59.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19165" CreationDate="2017-03-17T14:38:02.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Parileyya Sutta&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The 4 self-identity views&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Parileyya Sutta relates how an untutored ordinary person tends to regard any of the 5 aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) in these ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as the self, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the self as possessing the aggregate, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the aggregate as in the self, or&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the self as in the aggregate.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition it mentions the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Eternalist view&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He might not consider form as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider feeling as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider perception as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider volitional formations as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider consciousness as the self.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      But he holds such a view as:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      ‘The self is the world. Having passed away, I shall be permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to&#xA;      change.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      That eternalist view, bhikshus, is a formation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.1-Parileyya-S-s22.81-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parileyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Annihilationist view&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He might not consider form as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider feeling as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider perception as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider volitional formations as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not consider consciousness as the self;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      he might not hold such a view, ‘The self is the world; having passed away, I shall be permanent,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      stable, eternal, not subject to change.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      But he holds such a view as this:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      ‘I might not be, and there might not mine; I will not be, and there will not be mine.’&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      That annihilationist view, bhikshus, is a formation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.1-Parileyya-S-s22.81-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parileyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Ananda Sutta (SN 44.10)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that death is the annihilation of consciousness]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the &lt;strong&gt;unbroken&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;stream of consciousness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; as &lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in this world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;established&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;in the next&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;'s Translation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 28&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T04:26:01.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-03-17T17:12:44.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it possible to maintain certain skeptical doubts about literal reincarnation and continue to work towards stream-entry, assuming one's practice is sincere and vigilant?*&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it's possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skeptical doubt about the (whole) Dharma, about Buddhism (in general), is a hindrance (I think it would hinder &quot;continuing to work&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that you do continue, sincerely, suggests  a certain absence of doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what you mean by &quot;maintaining&quot; a doubt. &quot;Reincarnation&quot; might be a topic where you'd find it more useful to be agnostic (i.e. &quot;I don't know, I'm not sure, I don't understand, let's put that topic aside for now&quot;) rather than either believing or disbelieving. It's apparently a topic on which different people disagree (though you'll often find people try to emphasize that the dharma is &quot;birth&quot; or &quot;rebirth&quot; and &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; &quot;reincarnation&quot;); leaving that aside, perhaps there are other (perhaps, even, more important) topics that it's good to ascertain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The topic (of rebirth) might become clearer as you understand other aspects of dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's even the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which suggests that &quot;doubt&quot;, at least initially, about doctrines you find doubtful, is proper:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest I fear that &quot;reincarnation&quot; is a topic which puts many Westerners off Buddhism. All they know about it is, &quot;Oh, Buddhism: that's something to do with reincarnation, isn't it? Well I don't believe in reincarnation, so I'm not interested in Buddhism.&quot; I think that's a mistake, though. Obviously a disbelief in reincarnation does prevent (some) people learning more/anything about Buddhism, but I think that isn't necessary so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To &quot;cross the stream&quot; I suggest it makes sense to concentrate not (or not only) on what you doubt (e.g. &quot;reincarnation&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T17:12:44.813" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2017-03-17T20:53:36.033" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Daniel Goleman was mistaken. An excellent internet &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhistbooksblog.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/the-meditative-mind-the-varieties-of-meditative-experience-by-daniel-goleman/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;review of his book&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Two notable mistakes are made in this section, one being the consistent misspelling of pañña as puñña (I get a little worried when&#xA;  an author misspells key terms), the second being the placement of&#xA;  nirodha-samapatti (“cessation of feeling and perception”) as above, or&#xA;  superior to, nibbana.  There is no justification for this given the&#xA;  evidence of the Pali Suttas, where nirodha-samapatti is described rather as a kind&#xA;  of “super jhana” attainable only by anagamis and arhats.  It is not,&#xA;  in itself, liberative.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the key or essential meaning of 'nirodha' is in the same context of the 3rd noble truth &amp;amp; dependent origination. Here, it refers to the 'cessation of suffering' &amp;amp; the cessation of mental defilements that cause suffering (rather than 'cessation' &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The etymology of the word can certainly be examined however this may not satify every use of the word in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is best to examine context in the suttas, such as the Upaya Sutta, Iti 44 or MN 38: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu has abandoned lust for the form element, with the abandoning of lust the basis is cut off: there is no support for&#xA;  the establishing of consciousness. If he has abandoned lust for the&#xA;  feeling element … for the perception element … for the volitional&#xA;  formations element … for the consciousness element, with the&#xA;  abandoning of lust the basis is cut off: there is no support for the&#xA;  establishing of consciousness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When that consciousness is unestablished, not coming to growth, nongenerative, it is liberated. By being liberated, it is steady; by&#xA;  being steady, it is content; by being content, he is not agitated.&#xA;  Being unagitated, he personally attains Nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhus, is the Nibbāna-element with residue left? Here a&#xA;  bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;  attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely released&#xA;  through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties remain&#xA;  unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate, and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbāna-element with residue left.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with&#xA;  mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he&#xA;  understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance&#xA;  by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without&#xA;  remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever&#xA;  feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or&#xA;  neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling,&#xA;  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in&#xA;  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes&#xA;  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of&#xA;  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the&#xA;  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above quotes show, in the context of Dependent Origination, the process of 'nirodha' is always about the extinguishing or cessation of the fires of the mental defilements (rather than the cessation or destruction of the aggregates, such as consciousness). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is suffering’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; I directly&#xA;  knew as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; I&#xA;  directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the&#xA;  cessation of suffering.’ I directly knew as it actually is: ‘These are&#xA;  the taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of&#xA;  the taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation&#xA;  of the taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the way&#xA;  leading to the cessation of the taints.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 4&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, 'nirodha', while sort of synonymous with 'Nibbana', always occurs before Nibbana thus is never above Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mental defilements (of greed, hatred &amp;amp; ignorance) nirodha/extinguish (like a fire extinguishes), what remains is the peace or coolness of Nibbana &amp;amp; liberation of mind (&lt;em&gt;ceto vimutti&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, nirodha is the process of cessation of mental defilements and Nibbana is what remains. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the term 'nirodha' is always used with the 'arising &amp;amp; ceasing' of defilements. In other words, 'nirodha' is the opposite of 'samudhaya' ('arising'). While the term 'Nibbana' is always used with the utter absence of defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is the extinction/destruction (khayo) of&#xA;  attachment, hate, and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbāna-element...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This, bhikkhu, is a designation for the element of Nibbāna: the removal (vinayo) of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion. The&#xA;  destruction of the taints is spoken of in that way.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The destruction (khayo) of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion: this is called the Deathless.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 45.7&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-17T21:45:24.373" LastActivityDate="2017-03-17T21:45:24.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19667" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-18T01:38:55.193" Score="1" ViewCount="1031" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the jhana meditation book I'm reading, &lt;em&gt;Critical Analysis Of The Jhanas&lt;/em&gt;, it is stated that to suppress the Hindrance, you first focus your mind on a jhana meditation object. Once you mature you will be able to see the object clearly, it will become a visual object in your mind. So is (uggahanimitta) a visual representation of my breath? Where I can see my breath flowing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also they stated that this stage will mature the 5 jhana factors. That once you reached uggahanimitta, the 5 jhana factors start to mature and become stronger? I thought that to supress the hindrances you must change your life and incorporate the 5 factors. Sorry I'm just so lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-18T01:57:00.143" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:34:08.663" Title="What is the learning sign &quot;uggahanimitta&quot;?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19622" CreationDate="2017-03-18T01:50:44.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would you like to see for yourself @Sunset_Limited, as to which category you fall into by reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.30&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;INVERTED  SUTTA – AN 3.30 &lt;/a&gt;. The following is an extract obtained from The Book of Threes – 30 -The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha – A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya – Bhikkhu Bodhi .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are three kinds of persons found existing in the world. The person with inverted wisdom, the person with lap-like wisdom, and the person with wide wisdom…. The first person often goes to listen to Dhamma from the bhikkhus. They reveal to him the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life – the Dhamma. But while sitting in his seat, this person would not pay attention to this advice. Just as, when a pot is turned upside down, the water that had been poured into it runs off and does not remain there, so too such people never take in the Dhamma. This is called the person with inverted wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what of the person with lap-like wisdom? This person too often goes to listen to Dhamma from the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reveal to him the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life – the Dhamma. While sitting in his seat, this person would attend to that talk, but after leaving the monastery he would not apple this teaching to his daily life - Just as, when a person has various food stuffs strewn over his lap, if he loses his mindfulness when rising from that seat, he would scatter them all over. This is called the person with lap-like wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is the person with wide wisdom. This person, just like the first two, often goes to listen to Dhamma from the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reveal to him the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life – the Dhamma. While sitting in his seat, this person would attend to that talk. After he has risen from his seat, again he attends to that talk. Just as, when a pot is kept upright, the water that had been poured into it stays there and does not run off, so too, some person would live in accordance with the Dhamma. This is called the person with wide wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom will not just unfold. You have to work towards it and then it will unfold by degrees. Firstly you have to be committed to this path, and the liking for Dhamma should far exceed your liking for all other things, if you want to develop a mind that is concentrated, cleared of disturbance and distraction. Concentration is achieved through the training in the higher consciousness, which brings the calm and collectedness needed to develop wisdom. Specially when it comes to Dhamma it is not easy to retain for long what you have heard, if you do not put this new found insights into practice right away. While at it, in order for the mind to be unified in concentration, a check must be placed on the unwholesome dispositions which ordinarily dominate its workings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome dispositions of body and speech disperse ones attention and scatter it among other unwanted concerns. They will rule by way of body and speech as bodily and verbal deeds, if they are not kept in check. So you will have to restrain your sense faculties, to prevent them from becoming tools of the defilements. For it you will have to train in moral discipline. Then the path evolves through its three stages, with moral discipline as the foundation for concentration, concentration the foundation for wisdom, and wisdom towards reaching liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T01:50:44.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19667" CreationDate="2017-03-18T02:37:56.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali term nimitta,  means a “sign,&quot; i.e., the idea or image conceived,  or an object perceived. The keeping in mind of a nimitta, and maining it is a sign of concentration. When you develop an anapanasati nimitta (i.e., that of the breath), and practice it further, then you need a good knowledge of teachings (suttas) for you to overcome obstacles that you face. The ‘nimitta’ is your main object of focus. When the hindrances are being overpowered by the jhana factors inwardly, on the side of the nimitta too certain changes are taking place. The original object of concentration, i.e., in the mindfulness of breathing the touch sensation of the breath, with the strengthening of concentration the breath gives rise to another object called the &quot;learning sign&quot; (uggaha-nimitta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the breath it will be a reflex image arisen from the touch sensation of the air currents moving around the nostrils. When the uggaha-nimitta appears, the meditator leaves the breath nimitta and fixes his attention on this new object. In due time still another object will emerge out of the uggaha-nimitta. This is called the &quot;counterpart sign&quot; (patibhaga-nimitta).  It is a purified mental image many times brighter and clearer than the uggaha-nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These nimittas can be either beneficial or harmful, true or false, so we shouldn't place trust in them. That is why before getting into meditation, one should be very clear of the purpose for the meditation. It should be solely for the aim of attaining Nibbhana. Then you will not give into these distractions.  When meditating alpha brainwave is produced in you when your body calms down and your mind is completely relaxed. Your brain's thinking is slower, your mind is clear and you may even feel slightly drowsy. If you are not firmly grounded on Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta you tend to cling in to these without contemplating the impermanency of these. If we're thoroughly mindful and alert, they can be beneficial, as you are firmly grounded on Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. But if our powers of reference are weak or if we lack strength of mind, we're likely to follow the drift of whatever images appear, sometimes losing our bearings to the point where we latch on to the images as being real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The uggaha-nimitta can be experienced in some peoples normal life too. The worldly knowledge is of two types – one that comes from studying books or ones that comes from thinking things through. This second kind of knowledge arises within the mind itself. People who are trained in the theoretical sciences work with their thinking. They think to the point where an idea appears as a picture in the mind, like an uggaha-nimitta (spontaneous image). When the picture appears in the mind, they may sketch it down on paper, and then experiment with physical objects to see if it works. If it doesn't work, they make adjustments, creating a new idea from their old idea — keeping at it until they find what works in line with their aims.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-18T14:49:58.900" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T14:49:58.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19670" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-18T03:16:18.563" Score="3" ViewCount="3379" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What did the Buddha say about wholesome types of motivation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference in the Pali language between &quot;intention&quot; (as in Right Intention) and &quot;motivation&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I understand Right Intention is renunciation, good-will and harmlessness. I can understand how good-will and maybe renunciation can be a sort of motivation, but harmlessness seems to be more passive and therefore maybe not a motivation in the same way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Basically what I'm looking for are the things that motivate us (as in &quot;drives us&quot;) to do things, which are considered wholesome in Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Maybe there is also a connection to Right Effort here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help with understanding this better!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2018-10-20T19:25:48.870" Title="What did the Buddha say about motivation?" Tags="|pali-language|right-effort|right-intention|language|motivation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19670" CreationDate="2017-03-18T03:41:49.880" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chanda&lt;/a&gt;' as an '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;iddhipada&lt;/a&gt;', translated as 'zeal', 'desire', 'will', 'love'. I prefer 'devotion'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some suttas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 51.15&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 51.20&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T03:41:49.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19670" CreationDate="2017-03-18T05:04:21.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right effort(sammā-vāyāma) in terms of mindfulness is not a forceful , grit your teeth kind of effort. It's a moment by moment, continuous, good cyclical habit kind of effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cetanā is Pali for&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1- intention&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2- volition&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3- directionality of mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4- attraction&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5- urge&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intention(cetanā) can be defined as a mental factor that moves or urges the mind in a particular direction, toward a specific object or goal. Intention(cetanā) is the most significant mental factor involved in the creation of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sammā-vāyāma and cetanā are two different concepts. In practice, one concept(or the actual experience the concept points towards) might happen right after the other though. Then there is right intention (samma sankappa) that isn't really like sammā-vāyāma. Imho at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samvega, the sense of shock and empty alienation that comes with realizing the futility and meaninglessness of living in the sleeping world, is what motivated the Buddha and others onto the wholesome eightfold path. Some are motivated by other things like faith(saddhā) in the  Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right effort and right view are the two most important factors for an insight meditator to understand, it seems to me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right effort can be something like, effort to continue striving to remember to focus awareness on whatever experience arises in awareness and to strive in a broader sense to transcend all assumptions even the ones we don't yet see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Four Supreme Efforts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(cattārimāni sammappadhānāni)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1-&lt;strong&gt;Restraint&lt;/strong&gt; Not to let an unwholesome thought arise which has not yet arisen(anuppādāya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2-&lt;strong&gt;Abandonment&lt;/strong&gt; Not to let an unwholesome thought continue which has already arisen.(pahānāya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3-&lt;strong&gt;Cultivation&lt;/strong&gt; To make a wholesome thought arise which has not yet arisen.(uppādāya)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4-&lt;strong&gt;Preservation&lt;/strong&gt; To make a wholesome thought continue which has already arisen.(ṭhitiyā)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Effort can come easier with interest but then the path is to eventually develop a certain disinterest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T01:16:11.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19667" CreationDate="2017-03-18T09:51:36.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a lived experience. Whatever is read, should be put into practise. If it works, you verify it &amp;amp; cultivate it. If it does not work, you discard it &amp;amp; find another method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ideas of a '&lt;em&gt;uggahanimitta&lt;/em&gt;' ('learning sign') &amp;amp; 'suppression' are found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;, which written in the 5th Century in Sri Lanka &amp;amp; contains lots of unusual ideas.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, even the Visuddhimagga states to develop the &lt;em&gt;uggahanimitta&lt;/em&gt; that: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...he should review the dangers in sense desires in the way&#xA;  beginning, “Sense desires give little enjoyment” (M I 91) and arouse&#xA;  longing for the escape from sense desires, for the renunciation that&#xA;  is the means to the surmounting of all suffering. He should next&#xA;  arouse joy of happiness by recollecting the special qualities of the&#xA;  Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; then awe by thinking, “Now, this&#xA;  is the way of renunciation entered upon by all Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas&#xA;  and noble disciples”; and then eagerness by thinking, “In this way I&#xA;  shall surely come to know the taste of the bliss of seclusion.” After&#xA;  that he should open his eyes moderately, apprehend the sign, and so&#xA;  proceed to develop it. (page 119 bottom).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rapture can certainly arise from suppressing hindrances but it will not be jhana (even though many practitioners mistake it to be jhana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T09:51:36.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19656" CreationDate="2017-03-18T14:33:22.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To say “to control the mind” sounds a bit too aggressive. Mind is a delicate thing, and not easy to tame. Taming it is like catching a fish with bare hands. Compare it to a Fish in a river are slippery and fast moving. They are extremely difficult to catch with your hands, so you need to concentrate on one of them and use both hands to try to grab it. That is hard enough to do! Trying to aggressively control the mind is like wanting to try to catch two, one in each hand, as you are watching one, the other will dart away. You are likely then to catch neither. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is one of the sense bases. So why not you try meditation on sense bases (Āyatana Bhāvanā)&#xA;. You can develop the ability of practicing this meditation without letting your mind scatter on other objectives, while you are going somewhere, until you fall asleep, or while you are doing some work. But IMHO what is most important is the following five meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Asavakkhaya Sutta, the Buddha explains, “Oh Bhikkhus. There are five activities which if practised, if practised extensively results in the wiping out of defilements”.&#xA;What are those five activities? These are the same as explained in the Nibbida Sutta. They are Asubha Sanna (perceiving the impurity of the body), Ahare Patikkula Sanna (perceiving the impurity of material food), Sabba Loke Anabhirata Sanna (not taking delight in worlds), Sabba Sankharesu Anicca Sanna (impermanence of all aggregates), of Marana Sati (to be mindful of death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Nibbida Sutta it was explained that if those five meditation activities were carried out dispassionateness invariably takes place. When one becomes dispassionate with understanding the next thing that happens is the loss of desire and the calming of the mind. With that calmed down mind it becomes possible to develop special wisdom. One who achieves these special wisdoms can develop the complete understanding of the Noble Truths. Such a person realises the Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According Asavakkhaya Sutta it is explained that the individual who practises these five activities wipes out the Asavas (defilements rooted in us). If these Dhammas are accepted, if they are identified with a good understanding and confidence it will generate a sense of mastery over the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Marana Sati is to be mindful of death&lt;/strong&gt;. When you remind yourself that you don’t know how much time you’ve got, it should stir you to action—so that when the time comes, when you really do have to go, you’re ready, prepared. You’ve got the concentration, you’ve got the power of discernment, you’ve got the strength of mind to deal with whatever comes your way.  For most people recollection of death  is pretty disturbing and depressing, but it’s meant to be used in a way that’s inspiring, that helps us to follow the path beyond death to the deathless. Remind yourself that we’ve got this practice that allows us to prepare for death and transcend it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who practises &lt;strong&gt;Ahare Patikkula Sanna reduces Rasa Tanha (craving for taste)&lt;/strong&gt;. The desire for taste gets diminished but the appetite for food does not diminish. Appetite remains. What gets diminished is Rasa Tanha. If a disgust for food is felt or if appetite gets reduced - if that happens it is due to practising the meditation in a wrong manner. The object is annihilation of Rasa Tanha. Reduction of craving for taste. It does not affect one’s appetite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Asubha Sanna (perceiving the impurity of the body)&lt;/strong&gt; too should be viewed like that of the above. Many people try to generate a disgust forcefully. That is wrong. Disgust is not a pleasure. It is a great sorrow. If one wants to develop disgust there is no need to practise Asubha. He can look at the toilet pit. To generate disgust in food there is no need to meditate. One can look at stale food. Disgust arises. That means the object of this meditation is not the generation of disgust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sabba Sankharesu Anicca Sanna (impermanence of all aggregates)&lt;/strong&gt; Seeing that all things are perishable, and change every moment, we also begin to see that things have no substantial existence of their own. That in our persons and in the things around us, there is nothing like a self. So in this sense, impermanence is directly related to the third of the three characteristics, the characteristic of not-self. Understanding impermanence is a key to understanding not-self. Whatever is impermanent is suffering, and whatever is impermanent and suffering is also not-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sabba Loke Anabhirata Sanna (not taking delight in worlds)&lt;/strong&gt; - This meditation is practiced in order to train our mind to progressively diminish the liking for the entire world. When this meditation is practiced the liking for all worlds such as of humans, abodes of deities, Brahma worlds, Peta worlds starts to get diminished. As one develops loathsomeness towards eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, visual objects, sounds, odors, tastes, touch and mind objects the liking for all worlds starts to cease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness meditation is the hardest of them all, and the one that almost all of them gets wrong. Many pages of explanation will be needed to answer this. The problem is that in the present day there is nobody (that is found on the internet) to fully explain it. There is no written material in English that fully covers all aspects of it. Those who write have only a theoretical understanding of it, and what they write is incorrect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-19T00:03:44.593" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T00:03:44.593" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19656" CreationDate="2017-03-18T15:49:51.020" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's a nice question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My first thought if I may mention it is that &quot;controlling the mind&quot; might be an odd question. I think that the mind is a sense-organ (for ideas and feelings and so on), like the eye is a sense-organ for sights and visions. So &quot;controlling the mind&quot; is like &quot;controlling the eye&quot; or even harder. But it is a good question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing it reminds me of is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta (Instructions to Rahula )&lt;/a&gt;. It recommends that you consider whether each (bodily, verbal, and mental) action is beneficial and not harmful. It's relevant to your question because it entails focus on whether a mindset is beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also find it interesting to read the answers to this question about the difference between &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13703/254&quot;&gt;Pāramitāyāna and Tantrayāna&lt;/a&gt; -- that's from Tibetan Buddhism. I think that may be relevant to your question, in that one is about progressing from imperfection to perfection, and the other appears to be quite squarely &quot;learn to focus on the thoughts and gain the traits you want and become the person you want&quot; as you wrote in the OP.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure about &quot;jhana meditation&quot;. It's a (or 'the') central and orthodox meditation mentioned in the Pali suttas (whether we're able to practice it properly is another matter), so it's difficult to say &quot;it's not suitable&quot;. But maybe it isn't &quot;a good fit for this&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A different, traditional meditation which might be a better fit is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=metta+bhavana&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta-Bhanava&lt;/a&gt; -- Metta and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_results.html?cx=015061908441090246348%3Adj4lxnh4dda&amp;amp;cof=FORID%3A9%3BNB%3A1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=brahmavihara&amp;amp;sa=Search&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;. I say that's a better fit (for your question) because it's overtly &quot;focus on the thoughts and mindsets that are beneficial&quot;, as you asked (&quot;bhavana&quot; meaning &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana#Etymology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;development or cultivation&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T16:08:49.773" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19670" CreationDate="2017-03-18T17:10:03.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Heedfulness motivates you. The Pali word is &lt;strong&gt;‘APPAMADA’&lt;/strong&gt;.  Supreme Buddha Himself has said that all of what he has taught, if all that can be put into ONE word, it is ‘APPAMADA’. Putting into practice what you know of Dhamma right now, motivates tou. You will not postpone any acts or decisions for a ‘tomorrow’. Life is in the today – life is here and now. For many,  this Dhamma Path has created new possibilities, that only in living in the present we can learn to live this truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another factor that would motivate you in this Dhamma Path is &lt;strong&gt;Generosity&lt;/strong&gt;. It helps you to be free from attachment. Giving motivates us to let go of our clinging. The more we practice giving the more we let go of our clinging. And one day, we can be free from all forms of clinging. Generosity also helps us collect merits. Merits, that come with us no matter where we go, like the shadow that never leaves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One other factor that would motivate you in this Dhamma Path is &lt;strong&gt;a sense of samvega&lt;/strong&gt;: a sense of dismay over the nature of the human condition because everybody is subject to these same problems, but no one has shown us how to deal with such. &#xA;When you really see that there’s a connection between unskillful intentions and needless suffering, you become genuinely motivated to find the escape from that suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Supreme Buddha’s advice for this is that of &lt;strong&gt;the practise of four activities&lt;/strong&gt;: Listening to Dhamma, participation in Dhamma discussion, Samatha and Vipassana. Only the individual who practises these four activities develops his mind up to Arahantship. This is not a short distance run, this is a marathon like no other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T17:10:03.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19670" CreationDate="2017-03-18T17:44:34.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a difference in the Pali language between &quot;intention&quot; (as in Right Intention) and &quot;motivation&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;right intention&quot; (or &quot;resolve&quot;) is connected with a sense of purpose -- with &quot;purpose&quot; meaning, for example, &quot;I do this, &lt;em&gt;in order to&lt;/em&gt; (for the purpose of, with the intention to) accomplish that&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;right intention&quot; is the second factor of the path and that it's closely related with &quot;right view&quot;. I think that &quot;right view&quot; would explain &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt; you want to do something, and could therefore be described as the &quot;motive&quot; for subsequent intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly &quot;wrong view&quot; conditions wrong intention and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;harmlessness seems to be more passive and therefore maybe not a motivation in the same way&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the doctrines of harmlessness is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/dp10.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chapter 10 of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;, the first verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To relate that to intention, I'd say that &quot;Putting oneself in the place of another&quot; is a &lt;em&gt;view&lt;/em&gt;, and that the consequence of that view is the &quot;intention&quot; to be harmless (and, consequently, harmless actions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara#The_Brahma-vihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;harmlessness&quot; and &quot;good-will&quot;&lt;/a&gt; are closely related, two sides of the same coin. I can barely tell them apart. Also you say it's &quot;not a motivation&quot; but I think that's a motive of all ethics (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[By abandoning the taking of life, abandoning stealing, abandoning lying, illicit sex, and the use of intoxicants] ... the disciple of the noble ones ... gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression ... [these are the five gifts] — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans. And [these are the rewards of merit], reward of skillfulness, nourishment of happiness, celestial, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven, leading to what is desirable, pleasurable, &amp;amp; appealing; to welfare &amp;amp; to happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might be asking for the &quot;sense of &lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt;&quot; though (which is mentioned in Saptha Visuddhi's answer, see also for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/affirming.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). I think that &lt;em&gt;samvega&lt;/em&gt; is understood to mean not only a sense of dismay, perhaps as a result of view again, but also a sense of (purposeful) &lt;em&gt;urgency&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I think that samvega is associated with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%ABrya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;virya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (translated as energy and, as you mentioned, effort).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-18T19:04:06.120" LastActivityDate="2017-03-18T19:04:06.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10387" CreationDate="2017-03-19T00:56:20.710" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan Dream Yoga is the original form of lucid dreaming documented for at least 1,000 years.&#xA;Just like our Westernized understanding of lucid dreams, the initial aim is to awaken the consciousness in the dream state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Basis of Dream Yoga&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their aim is to harness the power of the lucid dream state by &amp;quot;apprehending the dream&amp;quot;. Students are then required to complete set tasks to take them to the next level. These tasks include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice sadhana (a spiritual discipline)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Receive initiations, empowerments and transmissions&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visit different places, planes and lokas (worlds)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Communicate with yidam (an enlightened being)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meet with other sentient beings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fly and shape shift into other creatures&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate goal in Tibetan dream yoga is to apprehend the dream - and then dissolve the dream state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When deprived of physical and conceptual stimulus from the dreaming mind, you can observe the purest form of conscious awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/dream-yoga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dream Yoga: Lucid Dreaming in Tibetan Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dreaming Yourself Awake: Lucid Dreaming and Tibetan Dream Yoga for Insight and Transformation&lt;/em&gt;, by B. Alan Wallace&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tibetan-Yogas-Dream-Sleep/dp/1559391014&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Tibetan Yogas Of Dream And Sleep&lt;/a&gt;, by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dreams of Awakening&lt;/em&gt;, by Charlie Morley (Charlie Morley is a Buddhist but his books are not solely focused on Buddhism and dream yoga)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10995" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T01:09:35.580" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-19T04:31:25.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is very hard for me too. If any help, I noticed in my own experience that metta meditation is easier if practiced once you have developed calm in your mind with samatha or vipassana bhavana because you trigger a lot less feelings of aversion or anger. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know your experience in meditation but I would suggest in your case to start by doing samatha bhavana first, once your mind has become a little quieter start metta bhavana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T04:31:25.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-19T05:41:01.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has different practices according to one's ability. Such as Theravada practices does not require use of people as object of practice. Just liberating oneself is already a good practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T05:41:01.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-19T13:28:12.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you find that dislike (of people) and irritation are &amp;quot;painful&amp;quot; in some way  (which you might, since you're presenting it in a question, possibly as a problem to be solved), then maybe Metta would benefit &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Q: &amp;quot;I find that when I fight with people, I get hurt?&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A: &amp;quot;Then don't fight with them!&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; includes verses like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't that, I don't know what to call it, sensible and ... obvious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can I be Buddhist if I feel this way? I cannot force a warm fuzzy feeling of metta.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A warm fuzzy feeling isn't required. For example if people are living in a &amp;quot;burning house&amp;quot;, as the metaphor goes, a &amp;quot;warm fuzzy feeling&amp;quot; isn't the appropriate reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll mention, in case you didn't know, &amp;quot;Metta&amp;quot; is not one but one of a group of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four related attitudes&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what Buddhist teachings you're trying to follow, but &amp;quot;aversion&amp;quot; is one of the problems, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unwholesome roots&lt;/a&gt;, which Buddhism tries to solve or free you from. I think you can infer that from the first noble truth, which includes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to be with &amp;quot;the unpleasant&amp;quot; (also translated as &amp;quot;what one loves not&amp;quot;) is suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if you're worried that you're expected to force warm fuzzy feelings to be a Buddhist, I don't think that's true. Buddhism is kind of a Middle Way. Sometimes its doctrine is pretty absolute (e.g. &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; killing, &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; lying, etc.&amp;quot;), at other times I find that there are two sides: for example it teaches compassion but also dispassion, good-will but also non-attachment, non-aversion but also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83vega&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dismay&lt;/a&gt; and urgency, having &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;admirable friends&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; but also &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanananda/wheel188.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;solitude&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; and renunciation, release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-19T13:28:12.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19682" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19685" CreationDate="2017-03-19T14:54:06.217" Score="2" ViewCount="676" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha being one of the three jewels, how am I supposed to take refuge in him?&#xA;Is it through meditation? The only meditation I know is 'mindfulness', and I think that it isn't enough. That being so so, how do I reach out for him?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10346" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-19T14:58:32.883" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T12:21:59.887" Title="How does one get closer to Buddha?" Tags="|personal-practice|refuge|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19682" CreationDate="2017-03-19T15:09:27.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can do Buddhanusathi Bawana. You take each quality of the Buddha and recite the quality mentally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddho – Awakened&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self-awakened&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vijja-carana-sampano – Endowed with higher knowledge and ideal conduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sugato – Well-gone or Well-spoken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lokavidu – Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – Unexcelled trainer of untrained people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Satthadeva-Manussanam – Teacher of gods and humans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhagavathi – The Blessed one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Araham – Worthy of homage. An Arahant is &amp;quot;one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sourced from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Nine_virtues&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Nine_virtues&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is one of the 4 Protective Mentations, which are done before the main &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; you practice. Say if you main &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; is Anapana, you start by Loving Kindness, Recollection of the Buddha (sometimes the Noble Triple Gem), Meditation on Foulness, Meditation on Death in brief and then do your Anapana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like with Buddhist meditation activity it is necessary to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;take refuge&lt;/a&gt; in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and also take the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt; beforehand. If you are learning under a meditation master, depending on the tradition, you will have to make a formal request to the teacher / preceptor that you be given this particular meditation subject or any general mediation subject with a view to realise Nirvana. Some teachers do not give &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; without being asked formally, perhaps due to a Vinaya rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhanusathi Bawana as a meditation where recollect the qualities of the Buddha. In taking refuge, you take the Noble Triple Gem as your teacher, guide and protector.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddha has said, you see him when you see the Dhamma. Hence if you realise the Dhamma you see the Buddha. So for this matter mindfulness will suffice to see the Buddha or to reach out to him, by realising the true Dhamma. Or you can do Buddhanusathi Bawana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T03:06:38.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19684" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-19T21:52:13.997" Score="2" ViewCount="378" Body="&lt;p&gt;Could different people here recommend places I can do long retreats (in 2 months for example)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wanted to do a retreat in the style of meditation I do right now: Mahasi Sayadaw following Ven. Ajhan Tong sirimangalo technique -- where you do mindful prostrations, then walking and sitting while using labeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But they only agree for 10 days, and at the end of 10 days they tell you whether you can stay for another 10 days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm looking for a place to go do a long retreat, of say 2 months -- it can be in different technique even  (say even only metta for example) , that isn't close to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-03-19T22:54:25.190" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T21:28:41.633" Title="Where can I do a long retreat?" Tags="|retreat|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19682" CreationDate="2017-03-20T01:10:09.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha being one of the three jewels, how am I supposed to take refuge in him&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that refuge-going can be (initially) an expression of gratitude, when (after) you understand dharma and find it helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a formula at the &lt;em&gt;end&lt;/em&gt; of some of the suttas, for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if, venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life, from today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I interpret that as an expression of gratitude: gratitude for being saved or freed (liberated), &quot;point the way to one who is lost&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as an expression of agreement, and acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also an expression of respect, or reverence, for example as told in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Garava sutta&lt;/a&gt;: which says that the newly Self-awakened Buddha thought he would suffer if he couldn't respect a teacher (and, lacking a teacher, he decided to respect the teaching, the dharma). That sutta (e.g. &quot;It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of virtue that I would dwell in dependence on another brahman or contemplative, honoring and respecting him&quot;) also reminds me of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (e.g. &quot;When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path&quot; -- and, &quot;It is in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth&quot;, so &quot;admiration&quot; too). Perhaps analogous to a doctor and medicine, too: out of respect for the doctor you use the medicine as prescribed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my mind (in my 'personal practice'), the Buddha and the dharma have overlapped. If I remember dharma, my thought might be like, &quot;Oh yes, the Buddha told me (or, the Buddha said) such-and-such. He was right!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further to that (overlap) is the Buddha's statement in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: &quot;It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: 'Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.' But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya#Origins&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammakāya &lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the way the very next paragraph after that in the Maha-parinibbana Sutta is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;And, Ananda, whereas now the bhikkhus address one another as 'friend,' let it not be so when I am gone. The senior bhikkhus, Ananda, may address the junior ones by their name, their family name, or as 'friend'; but the junior bhikkhus should address the senior ones as 'venerable sir' or 'your reverence.'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which goes to the &quot;reverence&quot; mentioned earlier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, getting back to the Buddha, I find it helps to consider not only the abstract, impersonal Dharma but the fact that it was conceived, improved, experienced, spoken, practiced, and proven -- by the Buddha who was born human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of that humanity, human relationship, additional human factors happen, for example &quot;faith&quot;: when you're learning something, you might have faith in the teaching, because you have faith in the teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, for example, &quot;conceit&quot;: i.e. comparing yourself with the man, telling yourself that what was true for him could be true for you too if you apply yourself and learn to understand, experience, practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the Tathagata transcends various human limitations -- defilements, and knowledge-obscurations -- so there's attempting to follow the Buddha (not as a human but as one who has &quot;gone&quot; before or &quot;arrived&quot; before).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why the triple jewel is listed as &quot;Buddha, Dharma, Sangha&quot; in that order -- whether the order (Buddha first) is meant to be significant. Respect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.21&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uruvelā sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which is like the Garava sutta but with a different ending - the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, having acknowledged Brahmā’s request and what was proper for myself, I honored, respected, and dwelled in dependence only on the Dhamma to which I had become fully enlightened. And now that the Saṅgha has acquired greatness, I have respect for the Saṅgha, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you might respect the Buddha at least no less that respecting the &quot;arya Sangha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But actually there's part of the Maha-parinibbana Sutta which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;33&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how, Ananda, is a bhikkhu an island unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When he dwells contemplating [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally, apparently the word &lt;em&gt;Saraṇa&lt;/em&gt; means not only refuge and protection but also house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it through meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's through the whole practice: the &quot;noble eightfold way&quot; for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of the suttas contain what seem to be instructions for &quot;meditation&quot;, but that might be a partial or advanced doctrine for monks who already have a lot of other lessons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks have the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; (the Buddha is said to have taught &quot;the Dharma and the Discipline&quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For lay people that might start with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;precepts&lt;/a&gt;, which you might (formally) undertake soon after a (formal) refuge ceremony.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's quite a broad question, I suppose the whole of Buddhism is about taking refuge, reaching out (and there do seem to be many Buddhist practices, if you look at different traditions and countries; including meditation[s], but also for example dharma lessons, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5376/254&quot;&gt;prostrations&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13703/254&quot;&gt;tantra&lt;/a&gt;, mantra, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/192/254&quot;&gt;remembering&lt;/a&gt;, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T11:45:08.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19682" CreationDate="2017-03-20T02:53:58.470" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vakkali Sutta – SN 22.87&lt;/a&gt; Supreme Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He who sees Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is rightly described as a teacher par excellence. He attempts only two things: (a) make you think and (b) gradually train you in an orderly way to lead onwards to realize immediately this truth [sandittiko, opanaiyko]. The truth and meaning of Dhamma becomes a private experience by the wise only when there is INSIGHT or vipassana. But insight (vipassana) depends on samadhi or CONCENTRATION. And concentration (samadhi) depends on Sammaditthi or RIGHT VIEW. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make Dhamma easy is a travesty. Always learn to ask: Why is the Buddha saying this and not that? &#xA;Some statements that you do not understand right now, you must put aside, till you have understood thoroughly the fundaments. Later, when you detect the structural principle of the arising and cessation of dukkha, and the principles of paticcasamuppada, in the entirety of the teaching, then you would find the answers all your questions.  Let us first know the Noble Qualities of the Dhamma, as one who  truly seeing Dhamma, one sees Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Teaching of the Buddha also has six supreme qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Svâkkhato&lt;/strong&gt;  ~ Perfectly explained and taught with great compassion&#xA;Svākkhāto (Sanskrit: Svākhyāta &quot;well proclaimed&quot;). The Dhamma is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is preached precisely. Therefore it is excellent in the beginning (sīla – Sanskrit śīla – moral principles), excellent in the middle (samādhi – concentration) and excellent in the end (paññā - Sanskrit prajñā . . . Wisdom), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sanditthiko&lt;/strong&gt;  ~  The benefit of the Dhamma can be seen in this lifetime, Here and Now&#xA;Sandiṭṭhiko (Sanskrit: Sāṃdṛṣṭika &quot;able to be examined&quot;). The Dhamma can be tested by practice and therefore he who follows it will see the result by himself through his own experience in this very lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Akâliko&lt;/strong&gt;   ~ The timeless truth that is immediately effective&#xA;Akāliko (Sanskrit: Akālika &quot;immediate&quot;) The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ehi-passiko&lt;/strong&gt; ~  Inviting any wise person to come and see&#xA;Ehipassiko (Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika &quot;which you can come and see&quot; -- from the phrase ehi, paśya &quot;come, see!&quot;). The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test by applying it to their own lives and seeing its effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opanâyiko&lt;/strong&gt; ~  Each person must practice the teachings and realize their value within one's own experience&#xA;Opanayiko (Sanskrit: Avapraṇayika &quot;leading one close to&quot;). The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Paccattam veditabbo viññuhiti.&lt;/strong&gt; ~  To be realized by the wise, each for himself. &#xA;Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi (Sanskrit: Pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ &quot;To be personally known by the wise&quot;). The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Ariyas) who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get closer to Buddha, you will have to know His nine supreme qualities. You will find a detailed description of these nine supreme qualities &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/15978/why-worship-buddha&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HERE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In going for refuge, when we say, &quot;Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.; Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.; Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&quot; (i.e. &quot;I go for refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) it is important that we know of the Supreme Qualities of the Three Jewels: so we have to have a good knowledge of the Ariya Sangha too. You will find a detailed description of the supreme qualities of the Sangha &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17357/history-of-refuge-in-the-3-jewels/17358&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HERE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T12:20:19.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-03-20T03:23:29.667" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can try the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insight-meditation.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kanduboda Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt; which teachers Mahasi Meditation. You have to inquire before hand about the length of your stay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can try &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya&lt;/a&gt;. Again double check the particular days. This teachers both Mahasi and Pa Auk methods under &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/most-venerable-udaeriyagama-dhammajiva-maha-thero/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Most Venerable UdaEriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thero&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are centres in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thai Land and Malaysia which you can try.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/meditation_in_sri_lanka.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; by Andrew Quernmore&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you might try to use &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;World Buddhist Directory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Goenka Centres does have long retreats if you fulfill some conditions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;10-day Courses for Old Students have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day courses. These courses are open to serious old students who have completed at least three 10-day courses and one Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta course, have not been practising any other meditation techniques since last 10-day course, have been practising this technique of Vipassana for at least one year, are trying to maintain the five precepts in their daily lives, and trying to maintain daily practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Special 10-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;20-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses , one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;30-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of six 10-day courses (one since their first 20-day course), one 20-day course, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;45-day Courses are open only to persons involved in Dhamma Service and Assistant Teachers who have completed a minimum of seven 10-day courses (one since their first 30-day course), two 30-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least three years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;60-day Courses are open only to active Teachers and Assistant teachers who have completed two 45 Day courses and conduct at least 4 courses annually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satipatthana Sutta Courses have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day courses. The difference is that in the taped evening discourses the Satipatthana Sutta is carefully examined. This is the principal text in which the technique of Vipassana is systematically explained. These courses are open to serious old students who have sat (not including courses served) at least three 10-day courses, have not been practising any other meditation techniques since last 10-day course, have been practising this technique of Vipassana for at least one year, and who are trying to maintain their meditation practice and the five precepts in their daily lives, at the very minimum from the time of applying to the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Old Student Short Courses (1-3 days) are for any student who has completed the 10-day course with S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers. All old students are welcome to apply to attend these courses, including those where it has been some time since their last course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schtapovana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schtapovana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-20T04:58:16.927" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T04:58:16.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-03-20T08:11:23.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watmetta.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.watmetta.org/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Ajan Geoff is the teacher he. He is very knowledge about Buddhism in general, however is trained as a monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11002" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T08:11:23.263" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-03-20T08:48:18.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The list given by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena is quite exhaustive. &#xA;I will just add that if you never did a long retreat before, you should probably first start by a 10 days retreat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I already did small retreat of 3 days of zazen in Japan, but I found the 10 days retreat of Goenka to be really hard and just couldn't imagine doing it for 20 days while I was there, it's a big jump. I will certainly do a few more 10 days retreat and will look forward doing 20 days in a row when I will feel ready. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Short answer: It is up to you, but I really suggest you test yourself on 10 days (goenka or not) if you have no prior experience. Because if you were to fail during a longer retreat you will face the risk to be disgusted by meditation or blame yourself while you just gave yourself a too big of challenge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T08:48:18.910" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19691" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19693" CreationDate="2017-03-20T09:26:16.167" Score="2" ViewCount="761" Body="&lt;p&gt;Regarding the Buddhist ideal model for practitioners, is there any difference between Southern Buddhism and Northern Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="249" LastEditDate="2017-03-20T13:44:51.370" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T03:11:48.743" Title="Are Southern Buddhism and Northern Buddhism the same?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19692" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19694" CreationDate="2017-03-20T09:44:51.937" Score="2" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;p&gt;we all know Prince Siddartha, about 29 years old when he began his quest for enlightenment. His quest was accomplished about six years later, when he was in his mid-30s became Lord Buddha. so my question is, is their any Age limit to become a Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T10:19:26.150" Title="Is their any Age limit to become a Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19691" CreationDate="2017-03-20T10:12:13.680" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I could see some similarities in the Theravada  Mahayana Doctrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana and Theravada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both rejected the idea of a supreme being who created and governed this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Four Noble Truths are exactly the same in both schools. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both Mahayana and Theravada doctrines help us to not being influenced by the objects of the six senses. In Mahayana they call it the becoming of Buddha Nature – to be awakened. We call it being an “Arya Shrawaka” in being a part of the ideal community of Noble Ones (ariya-sangha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Eightfold Path is exactly the same in both schools. ‘Paramita’ in Mahayana is this ‘crossing over’ and ‘reaching the other shore’ in walking the eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Paticca-samuppada or the Dependent Origination is the same in both schools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both accept Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T10:12:13.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19694" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19692" CreationDate="2017-03-20T10:19:26.150" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no such age or age limit. For example,  Kassapa Buddha, the sixth of the Seven Buddhas of Antiquity, and the third of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa practiced austerities for only seven days. Kassapa Budda attained Parinibbhana at the age of forty thousand years. At that time children would get married at the age of 500 according to legend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T10:19:26.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19695" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-20T13:31:31.510" Score="9" ViewCount="1496" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, the cause of all suffering is desire and liberation from desire would lead to the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But isn’t curiosity a desire? Is Buddhism against scientific attitude? Is it against scientific research? (as all research is about the desire to find answers to questions.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10960" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T07:14:36.403" Title="Is Buddhism against scientific attitude?" Tags="|science|right-view|desire|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-20T13:49:45.233" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say that Buddhism is or can be pro (in favour of) a scientific attitude. The structure of the four noble truths, for example, are analogous to medical thinking: symptoms, cause, cure, and prescription (or, possibly, analogous to the &amp;quot;scientific method&amp;quot;: observations, hypothesis, prediction, and experiment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are different types of &amp;quot;desire&amp;quot;: &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;tanha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; is unwholesome craving, whereas &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanda_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chanda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; can be wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore Buddhism (more-or-less) encourages the proper functioning of lay society: including right livelihood and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a contemporary Buddhist leader (the Dalai Lama) says that Buddhism has a lot to offer or to add to science (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) -- or for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://scienceformonks.org/about/his-holiness-the-14th-dalai-lama-on-science/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, &amp;quot;The Science for Monks project is a direct result of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long-term personal interest in science&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's true though that Buddhism doesn't put faith in merely technological development, any more than it says that the mere accumulation of material wealth is the ultimate solution for all life's problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I think that &amp;quot;(idle) curiosity&amp;quot; may be endless: meaning, both &amp;quot;without limit&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;without (or with no good) purpose&amp;quot;. But Buddhist Dharma is overtly purposeful and, therefore, limited (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Simsapa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). I think it expects endeavour should be harmless, beneficial, benevolent: so I expect it opposes some types of &amp;quot;scientific&amp;quot; Research and Development (notably, probably, of &lt;em&gt;weapons&lt;/em&gt; for example). Conversely I think there are scientific fields that have more affinity with Buddhism (possibly medicine or ecology).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the sake of completeness I think that Buddhism (or some Buddhists) can also be dogmatic: the ancient descriptions of (for example) cosmology and pre-history don't co-exist easily with modern &amp;quot;scientific&amp;quot; theories of astronomy, geoscience, and evolution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some contemporary Buddhists might discount or excuse such dogma: for example as the unscientific product of its time; or as a corruption introduced into the (perfect) Dharma during subsequent history; or as having a metaphorical or pedagogical purpose which no longer needs to be taken literally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other Buddhists might hold that any doctrine that's canonical is therefore important (in spite of the Kalama sutta mentioned in Suminda's answer) and therefore (as you asked) be &amp;quot;against&amp;quot; modern science and &amp;quot;scientific attitude&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also some practices in Buddhist cultures and countries, which might be seen as &amp;quot;superstitious&amp;quot; rather than &amp;quot;scientific&amp;quot;. But there are also Buddhists who would view these practices as &amp;quot;superstition&amp;quot; and (therefore) not &amp;quot;true Buddhism&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many suttas in which the Buddha seems to use and to encourage the use of  &amp;quot;scientific attitude&amp;quot;, as opposed to the superstitions of his time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People sometimes contrast Buddhism with Religions, which say &amp;quot;This is true because the prophet (or 'the holy book' or 'our tradition') says so&amp;quot; -- whereas I think that Buddhism's attitude is more like &amp;quot;This is true because it stands to reason, is observable.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One more comment -- I see people try to reconcile, compare, and/or compete Buddhism with science: for example, sometimes, saying that the Buddha taught about Atomic Theory well before &amp;quot;atoms&amp;quot; were discovered by modern experiment; or conversely, saying that science's discovery, that seemingly-solid matter is mostly empty space, is comparable to Buddhist doctrines on emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see them (science and Buddhism) as separate (independent) fields of endeavour and doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within science, there's a conventional way to classify the fields of science into layers, e.g. illustrated &lt;a href=&quot;https://xkcd.com/435/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bT1qj.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bT1qj.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each less &amp;quot;pure&amp;quot; discipline is arguably more complex, less simple, and is based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;emergent&lt;/a&gt; properties of the field below (or to the right of) it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd place Buddhism well to the left of that scale: highly complex, describing properties of complex phenomena (e.g. human beings). It's a study of things like:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;subjective experience (suffering and non-suffering)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;afflictive and affective obstacles (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kilesa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;beneficial or practical qualities (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bodhipakkhiyā dhammā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ethics (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;social interaction (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brahmaviharas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mahayana ideals and aspirations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a bit ruthless about what it considers on-topic and not. For example people ask, &amp;quot;Is there a Self?&amp;quot; and I think that Buddha's answer is that it's better not to think about that, that there's no view or doctrine about Self which would lead to the goal (of non-suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's an expression &amp;quot;not even wrong&amp;quot; which is used to describe what seem to  be muddled statements about physics. I like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_even_wrong&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia's description&lt;/a&gt; of it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase &amp;quot;not even wrong&amp;quot; describes any argument that purports to be scientific but fails at some fundamental level, usually in that it contains a terminal logical fallacy or it cannot be falsified by experiment (i.e., tested with the possibility of being rejected), or cannot be used to make predictions about the natural world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase is generally attributed to theoretical physicist Wolfgang Pauli, who was known for his colorful objections to incorrect or sloppy thinking. Rudolf Peierls documents an instance in which &amp;quot;a friend showed Pauli the paper of a young physicist which he suspected was not of great value but on which he wanted Pauli's views. Pauli remarked sadly, 'It is not even wrong'.&amp;quot; This is also often quoted as &amp;quot;That is not only not right; it is not even wrong,&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;Das ist nicht nur nicht richtig; es ist nicht einmal falsch!&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; in Pauli's native German.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I especially like the phrase, &amp;quot;Pauli remarked &lt;em&gt;sadly&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, Buddhism might describe science in general as neither &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; not &amp;quot;wrong&amp;quot; but as &amp;quot;not even wrong&amp;quot; -- because science more-or-less fails to make useful statements about topics which Buddhism considers important, for example &amp;quot;ethics&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;liberation from suffering&amp;quot; or anything like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19710/254&quot;&gt;Saptha's answer&lt;/a&gt; and comments are that even when science has pleasant practical applications and consequences, these (and the pursuit of these) don't help to &amp;quot;unbind&amp;quot; people (i.e. to unbind from the &amp;quot;wheel of life&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T17:39:47.933" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-20T15:13:41.900" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is Buddhism against scientific attitude? Is it against scientific research? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; embodies scientific thinking where nothing should be accepted due to various non scientific reasoning. The non rational reasons are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing (anussava),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon tradition (paramparā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon rumor (itikirā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon what is in a scripture (piṭaka-sampadāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon surmise (takka-hetu),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon an axiom (naya-hetu),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon specious reasoning (ākāra-parivitakka),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over (diṭṭhi-nijjhān-akkh-antiyā),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon another's seeming ability (bhabba-rūpatāya),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nor upon the consideration, The monk is our teacher (samaṇo no garū)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and accept because them when you know for yourself at a verified or experiential level that things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;These things are good; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;these things are not blamable; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;these things are praised by the wise; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also not accept based on different sources as immediately truthful and free from fallacies which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Oral history&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Traditional&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;News sources&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Scriptures or other official texts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suppositional reasoning&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Philosophical dogmatism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Common sense&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One's own opinions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Authorities or one's own teacher&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The content should be verified at the experiential level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Sutta is also know as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.4a-Kesaputtiya-S-a3.65-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kesa,puttiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.6-Vimamsaka-S-m47-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimansaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; goes to the extend and states that even the Buddha should be examined. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is free inquiry and experience that &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Faith in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; is reinforced than dogmatic belief, which is very scientific.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But isn’t curiosity a desire?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be either or both Chanda and Tanha. In the latter cases it is not good. A scientist may crave for results. But a meditator merely observes. Objective observation is more scientific than many scientific results, were due to craving, aversion and ignorance one may have a bias towards the hypothesis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In science or otherwise craving not not considered a good thing as it keeps us in misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, buddhism is scientific that you have to rely in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;choiceless, impartial observation (not tainted by corruptions of insight - Vipallasa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;conclusions are made by personal experimentation and verification&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;out of what you observe and verify just take what is good for oneself and others leaving aside what is not beneficial&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in Buddhism the exploration is you come out of craving than fueled by craving. To give trial to the Buddhist path you would need some intellectual curiosity. Unlike scientific endeavours you should not crave for the end result as this will lead to misery and keep the cycle of dependent arising tuning creating more misery in the future.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following might be interesting / related: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/14474/&quot;&gt;Buddhist point of view in the research process&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T07:14:36.403" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-20T17:33:52.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer is neither. Buddhism is not against science nor for science. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scientific inquiry (relative measurement) and mathematics (quantity and patterns) are universal and independent of theology (beliefs &amp;amp; ethics) and philosophy (how to live). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basis of your question asks to ponder the meaning of desire as &quot;According to Buddhism, the cause of all suffering is desire.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Inquiring and desiring are quite different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desire as a wanting... for possession, personal use for self... a conscious self. Desire can be for tangible items as well as relationships. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Curiosity is to inquire, to learn or to know. Curiosity is innate and driven by the subconscious. On does not choose to inquire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A curious inquiry, a measurement or recognizing a pattern is independent of desire as Buddhism is independent of science and mathematics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the answer is neither. Buddhism (any theology or philosophy) is independent of science or math.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11006" LastEditorUserId="11006" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T21:32:33.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T21:32:33.270" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19691" CreationDate="2017-03-20T22:48:42.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha discourages reincarnation in any form stating he wouldn't, even for a moment, praise reincarnation. Yet, unlike in Theravada, in Mahayana one seeks strives to become a Buddha through reincarnation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming a Buddha, or bodhisatva isn't something Buddha has encouraged (according to Buddha Jayanthi translations of the original teachings of Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T22:48:42.023" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-20T22:55:53.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Science speaks of experimentation. Buddha speaks of &lt;em&gt;arya&lt;/em&gt; experimentation. This isn't something science can comprehend, and is more sophisticated and effective in understanding matter and energy (dark or otherwise). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example science would say, &quot;look, the moon could be having on its face the shadow of earth&quot;, and devise experimentation accordingly, thus understanding things like solar eclipses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist, ideally should say, &quot;look, things that rise, change and destroy. This, by its very nature, gives rise to sorrow.&quot;, and devise experimentation accordingly, thus understanding the four noble truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Experimenting things other than dhamma is considered &quot;anarya&quot; (not noble) and is discouraged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-20T23:47:18.983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T23:47:18.983" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17731" CreationDate="2017-03-20T23:34:36.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can contemplate it starting with 10-15 minutes or so and see how it goes, you might need inspirational material so you have a foundational structure to begin with, to keep you busy, preventing you from running out of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ie one could start out thinking along the lines &#xA;&quot;Death will certainly come to me!&quot;...Life is uncertain,Death is certain!... All that is Born must Die&quot; &#xA;So one can spend some 3-5 mins on this before moving on to next theme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking about how other people could not escape Death and its inevitability, ie The Buddha, The Great Arahants, one's own dead friends &amp;amp; relatives, music or movie stars,  or other human or non-human beings for 3-5 mins before moving on to final stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplating one's own death, along these lines &quot;In many ways can death come to me...&quot; and the drawbacks of going on to be reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of this should be done with Death potentially being close in mind, not 10 years or ten months from now, it can come before one finishes the meditation or this very day one can fall and die etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to divide it like this in stages but it will be helpful to develope the meditation and one can adjust it later as one wants. One can pick and choose which way one does it and overlap is natural between &quot;the stages&quot; and it will get repetitive if one finishes and starts from beginning for a &quot;second lap&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one should be picking the most appealing themes and dropping the stuff that doesnt do much for you after a while, elaborating, poundering and visualising, developing the meditation to last 30, 40, 60 minutes or longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think one should make an accent on thoughts of compassion in regards to one's own body when contemplating death, the body is vulnerable and is very fragile as it is so one should take care of it. One should contemplate in spirit of compassion and appreciation of the body as a vehicle to Awakening.&#xA;This is a part i would not dare to neglect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thats all you need to do, keep contemplating it over and over, it will eventually lead to incredible fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look up both Maranasati Suttas 1st and 2nd, as i understand according to Sutta one is adviced to do it in the morning and in the evening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T00:15:20.647" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:15:20.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-03-20T23:51:44.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are experiencing as such, is not your &quot;own&quot;. As you are well aware, you are unable to control it as your &quot;own&quot;. Just constantly ask yourself to detach with these anger and any attachment. Buddha himself praises being alone so spend time alone contemplating dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-20T23:51:44.457" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19619" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:00:58.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist stories stick to conventions. These days we use the words president and prime minister. A million years from now they might call the rulers lords. We had Pharaoh's if you study Egyptian history. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha uses conventions and avoids using words that will distract people from dhamma, as people might want to explore further. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:00:58.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19600" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:06:03.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mind is; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - the six senses, when combined with objects, gives rise to such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;chakkhu (eye) viññāṇa (consciousness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sotha (ear) viññāṇa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ghana (nose) viññāṇa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;jiwha (tongue) viññāṇa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kaya (body) viññāṇa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mana (brain) viññāṇa. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vingnana (or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;viññāṇa&lt;/a&gt;) is the ability to recognize things separately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cetasika&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mental factors&lt;/a&gt;) include: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vedana (feeling, physical and mental categorized as good bad and neutral)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sangna (recognition/signals)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sankhara (thinking, speaking and action)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going further, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha compares viññāṇa to an illusionist (because what you recognize as things separately don't show their true nature). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha compares sankhara to mirage (when you explore it, the original what you saw isn't there anymore). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mind is used in a broader sense because English and psychology don't do deep enough to reach the level Lord Buddha has broken things down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What people call &quot;world&quot; is the combination of these six receptors, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, brain. When an object, that is picture, sound, smell, taste, touch and thoughts connect with these receptors giving rice to the above six viññāṇa, we call it passa (contact / touch in a general sense). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So who's this creator? Viññāṇa, the illusionist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a side note, please note that one of the Cetasika, which is Sankhara is also called Cetana (Chetana) and that means kamma (karma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-22T00:23:08.980" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T00:23:08.980" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19563" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:07:51.977" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please read satipattana sutta. It speaks about four forms of mindfulness, which gives you the benefit of Nibbana as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:07:51.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19565" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:11:18.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nama is vedhana, sangna, sankhara, vingnana. Rupa is solid, liquid, gas and heat. This is pancha upadhanakkandha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pancha upadhakkandha is by definition dukkha, a noble truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:11:18.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:13:32.017" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try satipattana sutta (meditation) and apply it to yourself and others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:13:32.017" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19667" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:34:08.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Mental reflex-image', obtained in meditation. In full clarity, it will appear in the mind by successful practice of certain concentration-exercises and will then appear as vividly as if seen by the eye. The object perceived at the very beginning of concentration is called the preparatory image   parikamma-nimitta The still unsteady and unclear image, which arises when the mind has reached a weak degree of concentration, is called the acquired image  uggaha-nimitta An entirely clear and immovable image arising at a higher degree of concentration is the counter-image patibhāga-nimitta As soon as this image arises, the stage of neighbourhood or access concentration upacāra-samādhi is reached. For further details, see: kasina, samādhi.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_n.htm#nimitta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_n.htm#nimitta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:34:08.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:37:16.320" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;These courses are the best imo, held in Hamilton, ON Canada, on an individual, on-going basis, free of charge, including room and board for the duration of the course dependent on keeping the eight Buddhist precepts for meditators&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Foundation Course – 21 days (approx.)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Foundation Course in Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation as their first course.  Meditation techniques include mindful prostration, one- to six-step walking meditation, sitting meditation based on the rising and falling of the abdomen, the sitting posture, points of bodily contact, as well as contemplation of daily activities from morning to night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The emphasis in this course is on learning the basic technique of recognition (sati – a.k.a. mindfulness) of the body, feelings, mind, and dhammas (meditation objects) in the present moment.  &lt;strong&gt;The course follows, as its technical outline, the sixteen stages of insight knowledge found in primary Buddhist texts and commentaries;&lt;/strong&gt; no formal instruction in the stages of knowledge, however, is given in the foundation course and not all meditators will obtain the same results from the course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Course content includes daily interviews with a teacher and regular group lectures. No previous experience is required, but advanced meditators in other meditation techniques may request a streamlined course to suit their needs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They also offer advandanced courses to people who have completed the foundation course or the online course, so one could theoretically streamline several courses &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/courses/#med&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.sirimangalo.org/courses/#med&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T00:42:31.203" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:42:31.203" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:47:22.130" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word ‘vijja’—translated here as clear knowing—also means ‘science.’ And just as science implies a method, there is a method—a discipline—underlying the knowledge that leads to Unbinding. If Dhamma equates to ‘vijja’, then the prevailing scientific attitude is ‘a-vijja’, as it leads to more binding. Unlike the Dhamma, the method, the discipline, and ultimately all results of modern/ popular science leads to more binding – resulting in the very opposite of what Buddha taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The curiosity that drives the scientific taught is desire. That is why science will never be able to prove or disprove the truth of the Buddha’s claims. That proof can be found only within the awareness of the person who puts those claims to the test in the way the Buddha recommended: by developing the factors of the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism concerns with feelings, emotions, sensations, and cognition, pointing both to cognitive and emotional causes of suffering. The emotional cause is desire and its negative opposite, aversion. The cognitive cause is ignorance of the way things truly occur, or of three marks of existence: that all things are unsatisfactory, impermanent, and without essential self. This is the opposite of the Scientific attitudes that are rooted in desire as evident in Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s article &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/pushinglimits.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;‘Pushing the Limits - Desire &amp;amp; Imagination in the Buddhist Path&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”All phenomena, the Buddha once said, are rooted in desire. Everything we think, say, or do — every experience — comes from desire. Even we come from desire. We were reborn into this life because of our desire to be. Consciously or not, our desires keep redefining our sense of who we are. Desire is how we take our place in the causal matrix of space and time. The only thing not rooted in desire is nirvana, for it's the end of all phenomena and lies even beyond the Buddha's use of the word &quot;all.&quot;”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:47:22.130" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19532" CreationDate="2017-03-21T00:48:19.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's good to have friends and to be a friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some forms of Buddhism put more emphasis than others, on the benefits and virtues of companionship. The Dalai Lama for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dalailama.com/messages/compassion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;says things like&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend you read that whole article.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry if this only makes you more unhappy (about not &quot;having someone to love&quot;); I post it in case your &quot;destructive desire&quot; is mis-placed. Perhaps it could be a wholesome desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, you're presumably right that &quot;external circumstances never bring lasting happiness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even so, perhaps there are Buddhist recommendations about how to look for a marriage partner: see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say that because if you will continue to desire a girlfriend, it might help you to know what qualities to look for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T00:48:19.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-03-21T01:06:12.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would recommend the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tisarana.ca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tisarana Buddhist Monastery in Perth, Ontario&lt;/a&gt;, for you. It is near Ottawa – the Capital City of Canada. I was there just one month ago. You can &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/pg/TBBKK/photos/?tab=album&amp;amp;album_id=358216725068&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;take a look into their FB Page too,&lt;/a&gt; if you like - as it will give you a better idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monastery is a residence for Buddhist monks and those who wish to train as Buddhist monks. Presently there are 20 monks, and 4 'anagaarika's (trainee monks). It is also a retreat for those  interested who may visit for varying periods of time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T01:06:12.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19713" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19691" CreationDate="2017-03-21T03:01:03.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;By Northern Buddhism, if you mean Mahayana Buddhism and by Southern Buddhism, if you mean Theravada Buddhism, then yes there are some differences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhism talks about the Four Noble Truths etc. And while Mahayana also talks about them, Mahayana adherents are taught to transcend even those doctrines. I am unsure if this is only peculiar to the Chinese Mahayana Buddhism (where I came from). A popular Chinese Buddhist scripture, the Heart Sutra, emphasises on Sunyata or &quot;emptiness&quot; (空). For example, the Heart Sutra mentioned that the Four Noble Truths are &quot;empty&quot;. (无苦集灭道)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Theravada Buddhism is to be an Arahant, while the goal of Mahayana Buddhism is to be a Bodhisavtta. The difference between the two is that an Arahant focuses on his or her personal enlightenment while a Bodhisavatta focuses on the enlightenment of all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do note that I'm more familiar with Mahayana compared to Theravada. And I'm no expert. Feel free to criticise and comment my answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10472" LastEditorUserId="10472" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T03:11:48.743" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T03:11:48.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19714" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19715" CreationDate="2017-03-21T04:00:22.913" Score="3" ViewCount="118" Body="&lt;p&gt;Many accounts of the Buddha's life describe Śuddhodana preventing his son from leaving the palace to avoid a prophecy said by Asita. For example, this &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistacademy.com/index.aspx?pid=LifeoftheBuddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;site says&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suddhodana was determined to see his son become a king so he prevented him from leaving the palace grounds. But at age 29, despite his father's efforts, Siddhartha ventured beyond the palace several times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In what sutta (of any canon or tradition) the Asita prophecy and the above events are described? The only sutta I know about Asita is &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp3.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Snp 3.11&lt;/a&gt; but it does not mention the alternative prophecy for his future, and most suttas I know have the Buddha describing the palaces he lived in, but not his father's plans to prevent him from becoming a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it's commonly said that, after going outside the palace, he saw a sick, an old, and a dead person. Is this in the pali canon? &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 14&lt;/a&gt; says Vipassi was the one who encountered these people. I only know of suttas such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.39&lt;/a&gt; where it says that the Bodisatta reflected on sickness, old age and death. Do these stories got conflated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T21:04:29.967" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T21:04:29.967" Title="Early life of the Buddha's references" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19714" CreationDate="2017-03-21T05:02:36.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;In what sutta (of any canon or tradition) the Asita prophecy and the above events are described?  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Asita apparently see the child Bodhisattva either on the very day that he was born, or within&#xA;  three days thereafter. &lt;strong&gt;The Buddha,vaṁsa Commentary&lt;/strong&gt; mentions the 5th day as the “head lustration” and&#xA;  naming day, when 108 brahmins were invited. If these, 8 of them—beginning with Rāma&#xA;  (J 1:56, v270)&#xA;  —were versed in reading the 32 marks of the great man. Seven of them raised two fingers, predicting that&#xA;  the child would become a wheel-turner if he lived a household life, and become buddha if he renounced&#xA;  the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The youngest of them, Koṇḍañña, was certain of the child’s future, and raised one finger, proclaiming&#xA;  the he would surely become the Buddha.&lt;/strong&gt; Koṇḍañña later becomes the eldest of the group of 5 monks who&#xA;  attended to the Bodhisattva before his awakening. However, Asita is not mentioned amongst these brahmins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.18-Nalaka-S-sn3.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nālaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...  he saw a sick, an old, and a dead person. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to aging, not beyond aging, sees another who is aged, he is horrified, humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to aging, not beyond aging. If I — who am subject to aging, not beyond aging — were to be horrified, humiliated, &amp;amp; disgusted on seeing another person who is aged, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the [typical] young person's intoxication with youth entirely dropped away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukhamala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four sights&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four sights&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T05:18:09.107" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19656" CreationDate="2017-03-21T06:34:10.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I understand it is that the mind secretes thought in the same way your nose secretes mucus.  The function of the mind is to bring us to an understanding of the Dharma, at the same time to help us navigate this plane that we find ourselves in.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem happens when the mind becomes the focus, rather than the “witness” of the mind, whom we truly are.  This is why we are constantly trying to figure out what is wrong, and how to make it right.  We are searching to understand the Dharma, or the way thing are, but we keep getting side tracked by the mundane, by focusing too closely on the road map, or things that we think will make us happy.  We keep getting our priorities mixed up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We need to understand the mind is called the “self” with a small ‘s’ or the ego.  The mind is there, like an organic machine that we have been born with, belching out random thoughts.  The flavor of the thoughts is the result of past associations, most of which you can’t remember.  These thoughts are ways you have tried to go around the Dharma in the past rather than go through it.  The Buddhists call it dependent origination, or karma.  Every human being is seeking to understand the Dharma in their own way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have created time in this incarnation as the number of times the Earth revolves around the Sun.  This is sort of a fabricated view of time to be able to get from A to B.  In reality, time is immortal or eternal.  Our limited “mind” cannot comprehend it, but when you truly turn inward, you can “sense” it as being this way.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Comparing a dogs mind and a humans mind, you can offer a dog an algebra problem. He may sniff the paper, but his mind is limited, so that he can never understand algebra.  In the same way, our minds are limited also.  We think we understand the complexities of existence, but in reality it is only our human ego.  We only “think” of “things” using mechanical complexity.  Thinking, reasoning, figuring, will not take you to the Dharma.  Finding-understanding-realizing-becoming Dharma relies on trust and feeling, just being and experiencing.  It’s counter intuitive to what we have been taught by human society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This karma I spoke about earlier, being composed of past association, is where the thoughts come from.  That is why one thought comes out of your mind rather than another, according to your karma.  Place no importance on these thought-objects.   Thought belongs to this plane, and will live a while, then pass away into nothingness like all other objects.  Just observe the thought with your “real Self” and know it has no importance.  You may have to observe many “like” thoughts emerging from the mind, depending on the strength of your past associations, but knowing the Truth, the Dharma, will cause them to cease eventually in “time.”  In meditation it is an important practice to just see them, but not to act on them, which will create more of the same.  Try not to follow any of them, be they wonderful or horrible.  As far as thoughts go: they are all equal.  Just let them go.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The saying goes something like: “We must meditate by the door, and eventually it will be opened for us.”  Actually, we will let ourselves in, or have the realization that there really wasn’t a door!  Even so we must wait, without expectation, fearlessly as “time” passes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for hearing my words.  You may be about to have a “great” understanding.  Suddenly, the pieces will fit! You will hear all the rules, like the dog that will never understand algebra.  The rules will also turn into nothingness in the end, scribbling on a paper, but study them you must.  Study the road map, then when you believe you understand it, toss it out, or pass it on to someone who is seeking.  You will walk in your human form, taking refuge in the Dharma, and you will “trust-know” that the mundane will pass.  Eventually you will understand on a deep level that although bound in human form, you are already eternally all-things-good!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T06:34:10.253" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-21T08:47:00.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist take on the world and the scientific take on the world share many similarities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science deals with a negational 'truth' at its core - knowledge arises through disproving a negatively stated null hypothesis (that the phenomenon being measured has no effect). Scientific theory is accepted if the data rejects a null hypothesis to a certain statistical significance. This, in it self, does not provide for Absolute Truth and a theory derived from evidence gathered from the world cannot have 100% accuracy, if only because science extrapolates rules from measuring a sample of a population to which the rule is aimed at. The sample being measured must always be at most n-1 relative to a population of n, meaning absolute certainty about a population is not possible. The search for answers through negation works well in a world of non-self, and it strikes me as similar to the Buddhist approach to dealing with Nibbana. And because the Truths found are negational, there is less psychological incentive to stick to your guns against new evidence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science advances by discovering new phenomena and replacing theories about old ones that fit the data better - Aristotelian Mechanics to Newtonian Mechanics to General Relativity. GR is not a denial of NM, simply a superseding of it due to higher accuracy. (I think this is similar to what Karl Popper writes btw, his take on science is good). In this sense the scientific method can be seen as a method of sorting hypotheses according to accuracy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of the possibility to sort theories, and of unbiased methodology, the scientific method has lead humanity to a closer experimental understanding of 'things as they really are'. And by this I mean the scientific method is rediscovering dependent origination, in a mathematical context. Science has relativised concepts - velocity is a meaningless term unless stated with reference to another body. In special relativity, simultaneity of two distant events is meaningless without reference to an observer (doesn't have to be conscious). In general relativity, the spacetime position of an object is meaningless, unless referenced to a gravitational field. Theories seem to describe more the more we take away our own assumptions within them. Remove man-made constants and theories explain more and more. General relativity is background independent - it is derived from first principles, without a man made input, and it has yet to be proven inaccurate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most interesting one is quantum mechanics (a theory of motion at the smallest scales), because it delves the deepest into 'things as they are', and because it has been stuck in the essentialist Copenhagen interpretation. But even this view is becoming relativised atm. &lt;a href=&quot;https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9609002&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9609002&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-relational/#SomConRelPoiVie&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-relational/#SomConRelPoiVie&lt;/a&gt;, the first being the groundbreaking paper on it, the latter a simpler description. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;RQM states that the state of an unmeasured system is meaningless because meaning comes from the interaction between systems, rather than any intrinsic property of a system. In fact, it says that all properties arise from interactions between quantum systems, the quanta is found empty - Anatta by definition. Because of this, RQM does not allow for the state of 'All of everything' (where would the measuring party be to measure such a state?), sits ambiguous on determinism and whether we suffer a unique history just repeating on us (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics#Comparison_of_interpretations&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics#Comparison_of_interpretations&lt;/a&gt;). This is Anicca, but it naturally follows on from Anatta (can't built anything permanent and deterministic with empty building blocks). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because the Buddha's message was an expounding of actuality as it is, it should not disagree with the scientific method - the unbiased examination of actuality as it is. In this sense, they should (and do) work with each other to enlighten our world view.. In fact, the relativisation of experience with the help of the scientific method is humanity coming around to supramundane right view imo. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, with regards to desire, the question of whether the scientific method stands with Buddhism is probably more accurately answered if it is known whether the scientific method encourages the four right exertions. So long as the method limits unwanted qualities and raises wanted qualities within its practitioners or benefactors, then it's of benefit. In terms of the physical - bodily and mental health - it is a great asset. You can't escape dukkha by engineering it away, but you can make people's lives less miserable, which is compassionate and should give them a better chance to advance their psychology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science has yet to play out with regards to where it will lead human consciousness - it has never fairly stated a world view (beyond its methadology), because it never had one truth to neatly jump back to, like it is finding now with non-self across disciplines (RQM isn't really popular even though it's so parsimonious - appeared properly in 1996 and only around 5-10% of quantum physicists endorse it). As such science has less influenced how humans behave, rather more what they can do once they have chosen their behaviour patterns - both the peaceful and the violent have more tools at their disposal! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a world of Anatta though, it would be unfeasible that the 'internal examination of things as they are' (Buddha) and the 'external examination of things as they are' (science) would ever come to anything but the same answers if the methods used are unbiased. As such, they should work together very well! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T12:40:27.123" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T12:40:27.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19714" CreationDate="2017-03-21T12:19:27.533" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What about his father's desire of him becoming a wheel-turner and making arrangements for that? Do you know any references to that?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a version of the prophesy (which doesn't mention Asita by name, nor the king's reaction to it) on page 219 (page 265 of the PDF) of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this PDF&lt;/a&gt;, one of the Mahabuddhavamsa translations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king's attitude can be inferred from page 246 (page 292 of the PDF), the section titled &quot;Measures Taken to see the Prince from seeing the Four Omens&quot;; and on page 262/308 (chapter 3, &quot;Seeing the Four Great Omens&quot;) in the section titled, &quot;King Suddodhana increased the strength of the guards&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these details (also including the Lion's Roar and other miracles) are in the Mahabuddhavamsa (this edition is more than a 1000 pages long), not necessarily in a sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm puzzled though: I've examined the author's introduction and table of contents of this PDF and I don't wholly understand what's what. Why are there three chapter ones, for example? Why does page 246/292 have a section titled &quot;The Version of the Commentaries on the Buddhavamsa and the Jataka&quot;, what does that mean? How much is &quot;commentary&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the size of it, I suppose it what's described on the first page of text after the table of contents, titled &quot;The Author&quot;, page 45 of the PDF, which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... he assiduously compiled Maha Buddhavamsa, being the Maynmar exposition on the lives of the Buddhas as related mainly in the Buddhavamsa Pali Text of the Khudakka Nikaya. This compilation, resulting in six volumes in eight books, commenced in 1956 and ended in 1969. The work, being the author's &lt;em&gt;magnum opus&lt;/em&gt;, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T12:19:27.533" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-21T15:33:28.267" Score="1" ViewCount="445" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per Buddhist teaching there are six realms in universe. Buddha,gods,demi gods,humans,animals,hell beings.Did Buddha explains extraterrestrial life or these are states of mind? Why did Buddha kept humans and animals separate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T11:21:03.820" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T05:02:49.040" Title="States of mind or extraterrestrial life" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19720" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19728" CreationDate="2017-03-21T18:06:13.453" Score="0" ViewCount="62" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/mi/mi014.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Buddhavamsa The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas&lt;/a&gt; by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw, page 949 to 980, there is a series of question between the Buddha and Sakkra. This seems very relevant to the Buddhist meditation practice. Which Suttas does this conversation appear in?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T02:44:04.943" Title="Which Sutta does Sakkra asks 14 Questions from the Buddha?" Tags="|reference-request|meditation-insight|craving|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19719" CreationDate="2017-03-21T19:05:36.963" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are states of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The word 'human' ('manussa') means 'high minded' &amp;amp; refers to moral&#xA;reflective people.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A 'god' is an extraordinary state of love or power (both spiritual &amp;amp; worldly).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A 'demi-god' is one that wants to rule the world with fear (e.g.&#xA;Stalin; refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN&#xA;11.5&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Animal' is living without morals; based on instinctual desires &amp;amp;&#xA;reactions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Hungry ghost' is a state of addiction to craving.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Hell' is a state of suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As SN 56.47 states, the 'animal realm' is where: &quot;&lt;em&gt;there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity; there prevails mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, a &lt;strong&gt;god&lt;/strong&gt;, a &lt;strong&gt;human&lt;/strong&gt; or any other good state would not be evident from actions born of greed, hate and delusion. Yet, bhikkhus, from&#xA;  actions born of greed, hate and delusion a &lt;strong&gt;hellish&lt;/strong&gt; being, an &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  birth a &lt;strong&gt;ghostly&lt;/strong&gt; birth or some other bad state would be evident. AN&#xA;  6.39&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have seen, bhikkhus, the &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt; named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is undesirable, never desirable;&#xA;  unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable. Whatever sound&#xA;  one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose …&#xA;  Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object&#xA;  one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with&#xA;  the mind is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely;&#xA;  disagreeable, never agreeable.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have seen, bhikkhus, the &lt;strong&gt;heaven&lt;/strong&gt; named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is desirable, never&#xA;  undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.&#xA;  Whatever sound one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with&#xA;  the nose … Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever&#xA;  tactile object one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon&#xA;  one cognizes with the mind is desirable, never undesirable; lovely,&#xA;  never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.135&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.135&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu devappatto hoti?&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How has a monk attained/arrived at the state of a god?... A monk enters &amp;amp; dwells is the first...second...third...fourth jhana...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu brahmappatto hoti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How has a monk attained/arrived at the state of a &lt;strong&gt;brahma&lt;/strong&gt;?... A monk pervades the entire world with loving-kindness... compassion...&#xA;  appreciative joy... equinimity...&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.190&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Living with &lt;strong&gt;Brahma&lt;/strong&gt; are those families where, within the home, mother and father are respected by their children. Living with the early&#xA;  devas (&lt;strong&gt;gods&lt;/strong&gt;) are those families where, within the home, mother and&#xA;  father are respected by their children. For what reason? Because&#xA;  mother and father are very helpful to their children, they take care&#xA;  of them and bring them up and teach them about the world. Mother and&#xA;  father are called &quot;Brahma,&quot; &quot;early teachers&quot; And &quot;worthy of&#xA;  veneration,&quot; Being compassionate towards Their family of children. Iti&#xA;  109&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, suppose a man would throw a yoke with a single hole into the great ocean, and there was a &lt;strong&gt;blind turtle&lt;/strong&gt; which would come to the&#xA;  surface once every hundred years. What do you think, bhikkhus, would&#xA;  that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years,&#xA;  insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole? If it would ever do&#xA;  so, venerable sir, it would be only after a very long time. Sooner, I&#xA;  say, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred&#xA;  years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole than &lt;strong&gt;the fool&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  who has gone once to the nether world would regain the &lt;strong&gt;human state&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  For what reason? Because here, bhikkhus, there is no conduct guided by&#xA;  the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no&#xA;  meritorious activity. Here there prevails mutual devouring, the&#xA;  devouring of the weak. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, they have&#xA;  not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of&#xA;  suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.&#xA;  SN 56.47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now on that occasion the wanderers of other persuasions had come together in a gathering and were sitting, discussing many kinds of&#xA;  bestial (&lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;) topics, making a great noise and racket. AN 10.93&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright&#xA;  principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned&#xA;  respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle’s wife or a&#xA;  teacher’s wife or the wives of other honored persons and the world&#xA;  would have fallen into promiscuity, as with &lt;strong&gt;goats, sheep, chickens,&#xA;  pigs, dogs &amp;amp; jackals&lt;/strong&gt;. But as these two bright principles protect&#xA;  the world, there is discerned respect for mother… &amp;amp; the wives of&#xA;  other honored persons. AN 2.9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beings (sattā) are few who, when they pass away from the &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt; realm (tiracchānayoniyā) appear (paccājāyanti) among humans&#xA;  (manussesu)… those beings are more numerous that reappear in &lt;strong&gt;hell&lt;/strong&gt;…. For&#xA;  what reason? They have not realised the Four Noble Truths. SN 56.102&#xA;  to 131&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Householders, there are these four ways of living together. What four?  A wretch lives together with a wretch; a wretch lives together&#xA;  with a female deva (&lt;strong&gt;god&lt;/strong&gt;); a deva (&lt;strong&gt;god&lt;/strong&gt;) lives together with a wretch; a&#xA;  deva (god) lives together with a female deva (god). When both are&#xA;  immoral, miserly and abusive, husband and wife live together as&#xA;  wretches. The husband is immoral, miserly and abusive, but his wife is&#xA;  virtuous, charitable, generous. She is a female deva living with a&#xA;  wretched husband. The husband is virtuous, charitable, generous, but&#xA;  his wife is immoral, miserly and abusive. She is a wretch living with&#xA;  a deva husband. Both husband and wife are endowed with faith,&#xA;  charitable and self-controlled, living their lives righteously,&#xA;  addressing each other with pleasant words. Then many benefits accrue&#xA;  to them and they dwell at ease. Their enemies are saddened when both&#xA;  are the same in virtue. Having practiced the Dhamma here, the same in&#xA;  virtuous behavior and observances, delighting in a deva world, they&#xA;  rejoice, enjoying sensual pleasures. AN 4.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-21T19:22:45.803" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T19:22:45.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-21T21:09:25.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Curiosity is an ambiguous word. I would replace it by &quot;a wholesome desire to know&quot;. And this wholesome desire for understanding and expanding knowledge is a pillar of science and buddhism. Buddhism and science share something in common: objectivity, and seeing things for what they are. This is far more essential than curiosity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the difference between buddhism and science is that science is driven by the desire for a systemic and usable knowledge, it is not about  &lt;strong&gt;experiencing&lt;/strong&gt; the ultimate nature of things it is about grasping their structural design, we approach various aspect of nature with the intellectual part of our brain, which store knowledge, find patterns and can speculate about future phenomena that will occur and analyze the past ones. Buddhism on the other hand is not interested about speculations, the goal is to intuitively and directly experience an insight of the structures and patterns of nature at the experiential level by using other part of the brain related to consciousness and intuition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore science and buddhism doesn't contradict each other, but at the same time don't use the same tools and don't share the exact same goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="1005" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T21:09:25.737" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14673" CreationDate="2017-03-21T23:57:01.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm also interested in habits and found this text in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.078.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samana-Mundika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what are skillful habits? Skillful bodily actions, skillful verbal&#xA;  actions, purity of livelihood. These are called skillful habits. What&#xA;  is the cause of skillful habits? Their cause, too, has been stated,&#xA;  and they are said to be mind-caused. Which mind? — for the mind has&#xA;  many modes &amp;amp; permutations. Any mind without passion, without aversion,&#xA;  without delusion: That is the cause of skillful habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2017-03-21T23:57:01.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19725" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-22T00:35:15.680" Score="0" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am planning to do an intense home retreat, of 2-3 months -- just like a ven. Mahasi Sayadaw retreat: which means 1 hour walking, 1 hour sitting, all day long, short sleep, repeat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The thing is, to do a long intense retreat in this tradition (ven. Ajhan Tong Sirimangalo technique, to be specific), I think you need a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a way I can do a retreat alone at home, with some other technique maybe?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like as much advice from as much people here -- in case they know of ways to do a home-alone &lt;em&gt;intense&lt;/em&gt; retreat -- without a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-22T00:48:15.357" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T22:24:43.643" Title="How to do an intense home retreat?" Tags="|personal-practice|retreat|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2017-03-22T02:03:51.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One meaning of nirvana is &quot;snuffing out&quot; or extinguishing. Extinguishing what? Whether nirvana is permanent can partially be answered by an explanation given of sunyata, the greatest wisdom, as signifying the &quot;great void&quot;, and &lt;strong&gt;calmness&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;extinction&lt;/strong&gt;. It (sunyata) can be considered as the endpoints of the rising and falling of phenomena. &quot;All existences exhibit void-nature and nirvana-nature. These natures are the reality of all existence.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp2_f6.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sunyata (Emptiness) in the Mahayana Context&lt;/a&gt; It has been my experience that nirvana is not static and &quot;achieved&quot;, otherwise it would/could not dynamically respond to manifestations of phenomena by revealing itself as a transformative &quot;reality&quot;. I have found that nirvana is a state closely related to sunyata in that they both exist beyond time/space, but they are nonetheless inherent in its fabric. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the essential question being asked in the current exchange is &quot;How can Nirvana (Nibbana) be permanent?&quot; Perhaps discerning between static and non-abiding nirvana can partially answer the question. Here is an excerpt that speaks of non-abiding nirvana...&quot;An important concept of Mahayana Buddhism which is not there in Theravada is that of “non-abiding nirvana” or apraḍiṣṭhita nirvāṇa in Sanskrit. The word ‘apraḍiṣṭhita’ actually means ‘non-stationary’ or ‘not fixed in one place’ or something like that, so the translation as ‘non-abiding’ seems quite appropriate. Many Theravada followers, when they hear about non-abiding nirvana have a hard time understanding what it is really about.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article goes on to say...&quot;The main difference between static and non-abiding nirvana is that those who attain the latter actually speaking reside neither in samsara or nirvana. For them the distinction between samsara and nirvana breaks down completely. The arhats believe that there is such a distinction and they forever remain on the side of the static nirvana. The Buddhas and highly realized Bodhisattvas, on the other hand, do not remain in this static condition, for they are always motivated by their bodhicitta vows to help ferry sentient beings across to the other shore. So they cannot remain completely still and static.&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://soraj.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/non-abiding-nirvana/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Non-abiding Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11016" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T02:03:51.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19720" CreationDate="2017-03-22T02:28:48.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sakka-pañha Sutta: Sakka's Questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.21.2x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.21.2x.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T02:28:48.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19720" CreationDate="2017-03-22T02:44:04.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the Story of the Youth Magha... It is found in the Dhammapada Commentary – in Book II. Heedfulness, Appamāda Vagga. Under that chapter  II. 7. Is about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhist-Legends/02-07.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“How Magha Became Sakka”&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;You could also read about it &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhist-Legends/Buddhist-Legends-1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HERE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T02:44:04.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19719" CreationDate="2017-03-22T03:00:29.677" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can get to know about the states of mind or extraterrestrial life in the Kuddhaka Nikaya 2 - Vimana Pretha Vattu (or check out two recent publications on Stories of the Mansions &amp;amp; Stories of the Departed by the Mahamevnawa Monastery in Sri Lanka) In reading these stories you will learn about the gods that live in the highest heavens in the brahma realms. In other suttas too of states of mind or extraterrestrial life. For example, you will get to know of how arrogant gods became disciples of the Buddha. They are in the Brahma Samyutta found in the Samyutta Nikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We humans cannot see the results of our good and bad deeds. Because of this, we doubt the benefit of doing the skillful and the danger of doing unskillful deeds. In Vimana Vattu, you will learn about gods and goddesses who did wholesome actions in their previous human lives. You will be able to understand how powerful the results of doing good things can be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We get to see our fellow humans in the human realm and those born in the animal realm. But it is not so, when it comes to the ghost realm. Buddha saw these beings as well as the action that led to the suffering that they experience. In Pretha Vattu, Stories of Ghosts, we learn about many kinds of ghosts and their actions that led to be reborn in the ghost world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T03:00:29.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19731" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19732" CreationDate="2017-03-22T03:53:24.677" Score="3" ViewCount="184" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question asks whether, what, or how to tell other people about giving money to a beggar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Scenario&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was seated inside the bus today and I saw a man begging for while selling some incense sticks boxes and he was wearing a mask for an unknown reason. Firstly it occurred to me whether it's worthwhile to donate some amount to him. Them it occurred that drop by drop only the pot will be filled. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I decided to donate some and I was suppose to give the bus ticket money to the conductor. I had some hundred notes and a 20 rupee note. I was thinking whether to give a 100 rupee note to the beggar at first and then I thought of donating the 20 rupee to the beggar and pay the conductor with a 100 rupee so that I could have change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both the beggar and the conductor arrived near my seat and I was having both notes on my hand. (I was holding the phone from the other hand). I tried to give the 20 ripped to the beggar and the conductor unknowingly reached his hand to the 20 rupee note and asked where I was going to. I was about confused on what to do and then I settled my mind thinking &quot;It's fine. Let the beggar have the 100 and let him do something beneficial with it&quot;. After saying where I was going I donated the 100 rupee to the beggar. This incident happened very fast. And at the instance I let go of the typical craving for the small 100 rupee note so that I could fulfill the charity purely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And after that the conductor told me not to give that sort of large amount to them. I smiled and, unshaken in my intention, I continued on the journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is this: &#xA;I'm not sure whether the beggar was virtuous or not; but I know for a fact that only drop by drop a pot can be fulfilled. So the question is, if this sort of a situation were to arise another time, &lt;strong&gt;should I instruct the other person&lt;/strong&gt; (in this case the conductor) on what the intention and the situation was, or just shut up and mind my business?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the Triple Gem bless you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-22T13:59:58.940" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T05:00:02.220" Title="What should I tell other people about giving money to a Beggar?" Tags="|daily-life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19731" CreationDate="2017-03-22T04:32:17.000" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has mentioned that it is the givers qualities that matters most in giving. He says for example that if he were to receive something from Ven. Sariputta, that would not be as meritorious as if he gave the same thing to Ven. Sariputta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if you are a person with Arya qualities, as long as your giving is also Arya, the effects will be much greater than that dictated by the receivers qualities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arya giving is letting go at a distance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T04:32:17.000" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19733" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19736" CreationDate="2017-03-22T05:35:43.857" Score="5" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;In this society a lot of people say &quot;I'm a Buddhist&quot; but they're just saying that. So my question is, how can a person become a real Buddhist? And how do we know he's a real Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T01:56:53.383" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T17:58:36.693" Title="How can a person become a real Buddhist?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19735" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19737" CreationDate="2017-03-22T06:00:37.687" Score="1" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;If some person when he live's on earth His doing 50% good &amp;amp; 50% Bad things (theatrically). after he died what will Happen to him in next life. 1st will he effected with his good things he done in Past or bad things? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T02:39:51.727" Title="What will Most Effect in Next Life Done Good or Bad?" Tags="|rebirth|life|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-03-22T07:49:15.337" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You become a real Buddhist when you walk the path of Dhamma. The Buddhist teaching is to be experienced here and now and to be verified here and now. There are many ways this has been put forward:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila - Samadhi - Panna where later is realisation at the experiential level or at the level of wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pariyatti - Patipatti - Pativedha where the latter is the experience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sutta-maya-panna - cinta-maya-panna - bhavana-maya panna where the latter is experiential wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you have the 1st vision of the Dhamma your faith never changes. This is because nobody can convince you otherwise of what you have already seen for yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T07:49:15.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19735" CreationDate="2017-03-22T08:01:51.320" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In balance of probability his last though may be 50:50 good or bad. Therefore there is a 50:50 chance the next birth will be good or bad but more biased towards the bad as there always decency that more bad through arise as you minds have the unwholesome roots. Also the action you did near the end may have a significant influence over that happens. Also in this life you might have done 50:50 good and bad but who knows what proportion of Karma you have from previous lives. In absence of a proximate to death or powerful Karma from this life giving arise there might be a chance a Karma from a part life and deciding the final moment. Also if what was done was done low level of volition this might affect the results, e.g., some may give for publicity than benevolent intentions. So it is very difficult to say what the chances are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T08:01:51.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19735" CreationDate="2017-03-22T10:52:16.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are five subjects Buddha has stated that cannon be fully understood except by a Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Citta &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kamma &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loka &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;(...)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one might argue that it really cannot be told with certainty which kamma will take precedence or carry more weight in the next birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T10:52:16.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19739" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-03-22T10:56:49.473" Score="2" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have unwavering faith in Buddha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have unwavering faith in Dhamma &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have unwavering faith in Sangha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be relentless in eliminating Sakkaaya Ditti &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T10:56:49.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2017-03-22T11:00:33.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Permanence is something we use to describe something that is created but lasts for ever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha clearly states in many places that things that are created are perished. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the definition of permanence is not usable in this context. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, assuming Nirvana is me, or mine, or my souls, is also a false view according to Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T11:00:33.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-03-22T11:10:07.097" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can find it in Satipattana Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T11:10:07.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19649" CreationDate="2017-03-22T13:22:10.493" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is or was difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other people have tried what you are trying to do (i.e. compare sutras with the Pali versions). To find whatever work they have already done, you might search for papers about the specific named Sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his book &lt;em&gt;A History of Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt; in 2005, Bikkhu Sujato (who compares Nikayas with Agamas) wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The translations are from various&#xA;  sources. Research was carried out in many places​—​monasteries, libraries,&#xA;  Buddhist centres, internet​—​and I am not able to standardize or to check&#xA;  all the references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/chinese-agama-texts-are-now-on-suttacentral/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chinese Agama texts are now on SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt; posted in 2014.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T13:22:10.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19744" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19766" CreationDate="2017-03-22T14:14:01.767" Score="6" ViewCount="1534" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am interested in learning about Buddhism, and there are a lot of questions. I wonder (since it seems to me Buddhists are quite independent, and they don't attach that much to people or things) what about like if they did have families or friends or wives or husbands: do they live without affection etc.? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11023" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-22T14:21:35.947" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T11:52:47.587" Title="Do Buddhists need affection, physical touch or intimacy?" Tags="|ethics|attachment|love|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19744" CreationDate="2017-03-22T14:23:21.413" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist generally show kindness. Living in solitude is encouraged to practice detachment and other Buddhist teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A need is a personal preference. A Buddhist may choose to entertain affection at the risk of losing his &quot;sila&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T14:23:21.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19640" CreationDate="2017-03-22T14:32:58.423" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brahma viharana is something Buddha practiced even as a Bhodisatva and helped many reach higher realms. They are meritorious and definitely insufficient to reach Nirvana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one way to reach Nirvana, and that's the Arya Ashta Angika Magga (the Noble Eight fold Path). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T14:32:58.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9334" CreationDate="2017-03-22T19:39:14.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Zen, it's actually quite important.  The whole purpose of deep, abdominal breathing is to raise qi in the lower dan tien/hara.  This allows for deeper concentration and the ability to sit through discomfort.  At it's core, what a monk does on the cushion is really no different than what you see martial artists doing (the authentic ones, anyway).  All that differs is its application.  In martial arts, cultivated qi is used externally.  In meditation, it's directed internally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now all this isn't to say that there is some magical substance known as qi that allows people to perform superhuman feats.  Personally, I'm of the mind qi is just a convenient umbrella term for some of the phenomenology associated with meditative practice.  Be that as it may, it still plays a roll in some forms of Buddhism.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T19:39:14.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19750" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19752" CreationDate="2017-03-22T20:11:08.617" Score="1" ViewCount="1358" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a lot about this kind of things called demons, satan, evil spirits from other religion. But is their any mention in buddhism about existance of such creatures or spirits?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T03:42:15.500" Title="According to buddhism, do demons exists?" Tags="|soul|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-03-22T20:41:13.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Living in the moment&quot; isn't a practice, but a result. It's another word for the mindfulness or wakefulness &quot;muscle&quot; that develops as you do your practice. So if you don't feel it, don't worry about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Follow the instructions for your particular practice, and you will feel your &quot;muscle&quot; for living in the present moment gradually strengthening in your daily life. For example, as time goes by, you'll notice that it is easier to be concentrated in everyday situations, or that you are more and more resilient in recovering from strong emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It isn't really &quot;you&quot; living in the present moment, anyways. Your awareness is always living in the moment as it is. You don't need to correct your awareness. If you &lt;em&gt;try&lt;/em&gt; to live in the present moment, then you'll merely be constantly trying to do two things at once&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you watch the sense doors, it's your non-present &quot;self&quot; that practices turning itself toward a true present phenomenon, and it does it over and over again. It's the only tool you have, so it's normal if you feel that doing this is not in harmony with the &quot;true&quot; present moment. But it is the right way to develop the skill of returning to your awareness more and more often, so that it becomes more and more automatic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastActivityDate="2017-03-22T20:41:13.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19750" CreationDate="2017-03-23T00:31:20.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism Demons exist. The Four Great Kings in the Cāturmahārājika Heaven keep watch over us of harm from these demons. There are a handful of (few) good demons too who have seen the Dhamma.)  These four Devas are Virūpākṣa (he who sees all), Dhṛtarāṣṭra (he who upholds the realm), Virūḍhaka (he who causes to grow), and Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) (he who hears everything).  All four Devas serve Śakra, the lord of the devas. All demons have spontaneous birth (opapatika) like the Davas and the Petas (Hungry Ghosts). You may know by now that there are four kinds of birth - namely, egg-born (andaja), womb-born (julabuja), moisture-born (samsedaja), and spontaneous birth (opapatika).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four lower planes of existance = Niraya = devoid of happiness. There are four kinds of niraya - namely, woeful state (apaya / hell), the animal kingdom, the plane of Petas (hungry ghosts) and the plane of Asura-demons (Titans). None of these states is eternal. According to their unwholesome / unskillful kamma beings may be born in such woeful states. Departing from those states, they may be born in blissful states according to their past good kamma. In the sense-sphere (kamaloka) the human plane and the six celestial planes are regarded as blissful states. They too are not eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Devil is referred to as MARA, in the scriptures. Mara means killer. He is the personification of the force that kills virtue and also kills existence. His armies are poised to attack all persons; they even tried to overcome the Buddha on the night of his enlightenment. But Mara is a post that is been held by a person.  If you are attached to the six senses, you are in the Mara (Devil)s grasp (a firm hold or grip). He is a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making mundane things alluring, or the negative seem positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of Kakusandha Buddha – our Gautama Supreme Buddha’s chief disciple, Ven. Maha Moggallana was the Mara, chief of demons, lord of the lower worlds.  Kakusandha is the fourth of the Seven Buddhas of the last 91 Kalpa (Aeons), and the first of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa. The present day Mara is his sister’s son (nephew). When someone talks about “God’s grace” and “God’s mercy”,  it can more likely be that the blessings are of Mara and his hosts. This is possible. As the great jealous one, Mara has the power to bestow blessings on his hosts and subjects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting back to the subject of Demons, here is a question &amp;amp; answer session that once took place between a King (Milinda) and an Arahant ( Ven. Nâgasena):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'Venerable Nâgasena, are there such things as demons (Yakkhâ) in the world?'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'Yes, O king.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'Do they ever leave that condition' (fall out of that phase of existence)?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'Yes, they do.'&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'But, if so, why is it that the remains of those dead demons are never found, nor any odour of their corpses smelt? '&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Their remains are found, O king, and an odour does arise from their dead bodies. The remains of bad demons can be seen in the form of worms and beetles and ants and moths and snakes and scorpions and centipedes, and birds and wild beasts.'   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T16:06:17.873" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T16:06:17.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19744" CreationDate="2017-03-23T00:46:55.370" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very interesting question that you asked. The short answer to it is “yes!”.  Buddhists who are well grounded in Dhamma do have intimacy. They have friendship, companionship and intimacy with the good, because of their abstinence from excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures, abstinence from drunkenness, and non- indulgence in gambling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five precepts… specially the third... &lt;strong&gt;Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami&lt;/strong&gt; - “I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.” Is a safeguard for us from such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five precepts as we know and practice is the worldly right view and worldly right conception. The distinction made in the discourse between worldly right view and the right view that is above the world (supre-mundane) is that, in the case of the latter, this means **Complete Abstinence, expressed by the use of these three more terms - aarati virati and pativirati. Such abstinence applies to right action and right livelihood as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who takes the five precepts with an aim of walking the Noble Eightfold Path, towards attaining Path-Fruition aim for the aarati, virati, pativirati level of abstinence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T11:52:47.587" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T11:52:47.587" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19750" CreationDate="2017-03-23T01:19:15.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's apparently one 'modern' form of Buddhism which doesn't, which is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Secular Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secular Buddhists interpret the teachings of the Buddha and the Buddhist texts in a rationalist and often evidentialist manner, considering the historical and cultural contexts of the times in which the Buddha lived and the various suttas, sutras and tantras were written.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the framework of secular Buddhism, Buddhist doctrine may be stripped of any unspecified combination of various traditional beliefs that could be considered superstitious, or that can't be tested through empirical research, namely: supernatural beings (such as devas, bodhisattvas, nāgas, pretas, Buddhas, etc.), merit and its transference, rebirth, Buddhist cosmology (including the existence of pure lands and hells), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that all other, traditional forms of Buddhism &amp;quot;mention&amp;quot; demons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth I've also heard of &amp;quot;evil spirits&amp;quot; and so on, in folktales and children's stories (which are sometimes called &amp;quot;fairy tales&amp;quot;) -- I'm not sure whether they come &amp;quot;from other religion&amp;quot;, or whether it's better to recognize them as coming from all human cultures and literary traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people (and I don't mean to say that these people are &amp;quot;secular Buddhists&amp;quot;) explain demons as metaphors, personifications, etc. (see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/235/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;); or say that demons were imported from contemporary (Vedic) religion or culture, and that although they're &amp;quot;mentioned&amp;quot; in Buddhist literature they don't have a role in Buddhist doctrine and practice (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11120/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess this is hard to answer without down-playing or over-playing the importance of &amp;quot;demons&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T01:32:52.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-03-23T01:37:24.293" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;To become a true Buddhist one should have a pleasant mind towards, and confidence, in the Supreme Buddha. This confidence should be rooted (mulajata), and it should be well established (patitthita). To develop this kind of unshakeable confidence, it is important to know about the knowledge of The Buddha. A “Sotāpanna”/stream entry Buddist is a True Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon recognizes four levels of Awakening, the first of which is called “Sotāpanna”/stream entry. This gains its name from the fact that a person who has attained this level has entered the &quot;stream&quot; flowing inevitably to nibbana. He/she is guaranteed to achieve full awakening within seven lifetimes at most, and in the interim will not be reborn in any of the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practices leading to stream entry are encapsulated in four factors:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Association with people of integrity is a factor for stream entry.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Listening to the true Dhamma is a factor for stream entry.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Appropriate attention is a factor for stream entry.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream entry.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sotapanna is free from the following three fetters (samyojana):–   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The wrong view that the aggregates of physical and mental phenomena are ego or self. (sakkāya-ditthi or personality-belief).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any doubt about the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha and the discipline (vicikicchā or sceptical doubt).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Belief that methods other than that of cultivating the qualities of the eightfold noble path and developing insight into the four noble truths will bring eternal peace (silabbataparāmāsa or belief in mere rite and ritual).   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, his observation of the five precepts remains pure and absolute, as a matter of course. For these reasons a Sotāpanna is well secured from being reborn in the unhappy existences of the four lower worlds. He will lead the happy life in the world of human beings and devas for seven existences at the most and during this period he will attain Arahantship and nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/12oiQ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/12oiQ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T11:27:23.393" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T11:27:23.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19756" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9334" CreationDate="2017-03-23T03:00:21.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello here Ahmed seems to be saying that the Taoist goal and Buddhist goal are the same or at least the practice of either leads to the same goal which here Ahmed says in reference to the Taoist map as Tao. I am a little confused here. It would depend obviously on how to is defined and what practices are done but buddha clearly stated that vipassana is the only way. There are many variations of vjapshyana but do the Daoists have this practice at all? Their Tao is more like that of an eternalism view whereas when I was told by my teacher that when Buddhists talk about Tao that is free from these two extremes. Their lack of right view is also characterized by incorrect views in rebirth,  realms, role of deities and so on which obviously would not be the case if they were enlightened as per Buddhist way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11024" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T03:00:21.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-03-23T03:26:21.993" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know about &quot;Buddhism&quot; as a name.  There are those who honor the Buddha by practicing the eightfold path. There are those that honor the Buddha by giving garlands and incense but both are wholesome and real &quot;Buddhist&quot; practices alright. Even someone who has little idea what they are doing can technically be a &quot;real&quot; Buddhist. It's just a word. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is more real than any other Buddhism? What do I know? Maybe it's the Buddha's  actual core teaching and those enlightened enough to recognize the Buddha's actual core teaching in the Suttas that is &quot;Real Buddhism&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that, &quot;really&quot; The Buddha's teaching is always Buddhism but Buddhism isn't always The Buddha's actual core teaching ,  or in many instances, Buddhism isn't even anywhere near the Buddha's actual core teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We should&lt;/strong&gt; be able to &lt;strong&gt;talk about&lt;/strong&gt;  things like &lt;strong&gt;this...&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and how we feel about things with out fear of being misunderstood, persecuted, oppressed, corrected and censored by whoever has enough nerve to think they understand themselves enough to judge other forum members as &quot;wrong&quot;.  How can this be good karma? Can a &quot;real&quot; Buddhist just decide that we can be  judge , jury and executioner and that is congruent with the Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who in this forum really understands enough to transgress punitive measures against other fellow human beings and still at the same time be a &quot;real&quot; Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anyone who justifies they're transgressions against another person because the person violated the &quot;group's rules&quot; can never be sure they are being fair or appropriate when they punish unless they are enlightened.&lt;/strong&gt; Maybe I am missing something...I certainly know that I am no saint, this is just my little opinion. -Metta                                                      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T18:38:32.563" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T18:38:32.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2017-03-23T03:45:44.617" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;So to add to what Cameron to saying just so others might be cautious too, we'll in buddha dharma view is of utmost importance. The goal is to get beyond any view but it is very essential. What Cameron is echoing is in my view a fairly common modern misconception based on want to be politically correct and many other reasons perhaps. Say one believes killing animals in the name of God is fine which is true in many religions. From a buddha dharma perspective that will take you away from enlightenment. So clearly all beliefs,  all opinions,  all religions are not the same. To give nor  example say in a religion people believe that killing 100 men in one life will lead to liberation. Now would you Cameron say that that is also  a Buddhist view and that both will lead to the same goal? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope not. If that is true then you are immediately accepting all beliefs views are not the same and have different consequences. The question then is what views lead to what more importantly what view leads to Buddhist enlightenment. The word enlightenment is not important, what matters is if different views and practices lead to the same age that buddha talked about. And to be clear buddha himself again and again mentioned how his reaching is different from any other. For example he differentiated his teaching even from one of the practices which focused on jhanas merely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Coming back to zen Methexis had an amazing anwer there.  Wow.  Thanks. Yes there are many non Buddhists  who keep saying it's the same thing because they are ignorant of Buddha's teachings and they are I guess insecured about their own. If it was the same thing there would be some authentic Buddhist master say who recited Bhagavat Gita or Quran but nope. Only self declared unverified Buddhist teachers do that. And even they have not been many as once you start reading the idea of no Self it is different than any other spiritual system and against the most basic belief that we have.  That is why it is called spontaneous grasping of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11024" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T03:45:44.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19759" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19735" CreationDate="2017-03-23T04:26:51.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said a chance of devas, humans, hungry ghosts, animals to be reborn in heaven or human realms is slim.  He compared it to dust on the tip of his finger nails with respect to great earth. However, There are many ways to beat the odds.&#xA;And notice that Buddha did not say that about beings in hell.  It is possible (IMO) that beings in hell have no chance to come straight from there to heaven or earth.  They might have to work their way up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T04:26:51.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19744" CreationDate="2017-03-23T04:33:03.543" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists come under 4 groups: monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks and nuns are not allowed to engage in any romantic or sexual activity. They are not even allowed to touch a person of the opposite gender even as a friendly gesture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laymen and laywomen are only expected to refrain from sexual misconduct. ex: Becoming intimate with another's wife or husband. So as long as they keep to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five precepts&lt;/a&gt;, they can show affection to another in any socially acceptable method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T04:42:27.460" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T04:42:27.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19744" CreationDate="2017-03-23T06:00:03.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;ZEN Buddhist priests and nuns may marry, and laypeople of any tradition do have intimacy at any level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.realbuddhaquotes.com/just-as-a-mother-would-protect-her-only-child-with-her-life-even-so-let-one-cultivate-a-boundless-love-towards-all-beings/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Real Buddha Quotes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T11:34:13.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19725" CreationDate="2017-03-23T09:56:42.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, according to tradition, sat under the bodhi tree for 7 days without moving. Source:&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;He had practiced with other teachers before this though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T09:56:42.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19744" CreationDate="2017-03-23T11:02:52.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Marriage does not guarantee happiness (some married people are unhappy). &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; includes advice about how to choose a marriage partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And chapter 6 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammananda/marriage.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Happy Married Life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (which is titled &quot;&lt;em&gt;Security, Respect and Responsibilities&lt;/em&gt;&quot;) identifies what attitudes and behaviour are recommended by Buddhist doctrine/scripture, between husband and wife.&#xA;There may also be affection between e.g. a mother and her children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's &lt;em&gt;affection&lt;/em&gt; that's identified as the principal problem in Buddhism: the problems are &lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. for what you don't have), and &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt;. So for example if you craved more affection than you think you're getting, you will &quot;suffer&quot; (and, I think, cause suffering too). Also, a characteristic of sensual pleasure (and of other &quot;compounded&quot; or &quot;conditioned&quot; things) is that it's impermanent. So for example &quot;physical touch&quot; cannot be a permanent (even if continual it couldn't be &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/continual-continuous/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;continuous&lt;/a&gt;), and so people must learn (or must also learn) to live, to behave, to control or regulate themselves without it.&#xA;And I think that attachment is likely to cause the survivor problems when their partner dies, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For these kinds of reasons, the pursuit of sensory pleasures may be unwise or unsatisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;living without affection&quot; there are attitudes which I think &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; recommended by Buddhism and which are &lt;em&gt;like&lt;/em&gt; affection (perhaps these &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; affection, or perhaps they're a good substitute for or alternative to affection), for example kindness, benevolence, harmlessness, even equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the title (&quot;Do Buddhists need...?&quot;), I'm inclined to read that as &quot;Do &lt;em&gt;Humans&lt;/em&gt; need...?&quot;. I'm not sure whether to say that all humans are the same, and have the same needs. Perhaps they do, but have different capacities or abilities to deal with those needs. There's a field of Western psychology (which I'm &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; familiar with) called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attachment theory&lt;/a&gt;, which has theories such as how secure people feel depends on things like how they were treated and how they developed when they were infants: as well as how they developed (how they were developed, and how they developed themselves) as children and so on into adult life. Maybe people's needs, or how &quot;needy&quot; they are, varies according.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T11:30:37.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19767" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19786" CreationDate="2017-03-23T11:39:40.143" Score="1" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a mathematician, and I often find myself obsessing over the problems that I'm trying to solve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I have made incredible progress over the last 6 months with my practice. I find myself suffering, sometimes for a few days in a row, because of my obsessive thinking towards the problem. It's as if my entire consciousness became the problem and that I could not find any relief until it was fixed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I enjoy getting consumed by what I do, I also know that being consumed AND remaining grounded is much more powerful. Any tip? / similar experiences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11028" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T20:16:54.840" Title="Scientific Problem solving and Wu Wei" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19767" CreationDate="2017-03-23T14:36:21.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is something I face too. I work in the IT industry building automation systems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my own opinion on the matter. I think most people, including me bias toward a belief that being consumed or obsessed by something (some call it passion) gives great outcomes. This is correct. However; I believe far more intelligent people exist who are able to achieve much greater results while remaining detached. How this can be achieved is a tricky subject and might be out of scope of this forum. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Buddha himself knows all sciences that should be known. Ven. Sariputta was highly intelligent. All of them practiced detachment and still remained sharp and more intelligent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, maybe practicing dhamma might help us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T14:36:21.007" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19695" CreationDate="2017-03-23T14:39:53.877" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Strictly speaking, Buddhism doesn't say &quot;desire&quot; is the cause of suffering, but that &lt;strong&gt;craving rooted in attachment&lt;/strong&gt; is the cause of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes scientific curiosity is rooted in attachment, but other times it's rooted in wholesome motives such as compassion. Often the motives are a combination of the two. So I think Buddhism is silent on this question. It's up to each inquirer to evaluate their motives, moment to moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4900" LastEditorUserId="4900" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T16:57:54.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T16:57:54.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19770" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19735" CreationDate="2017-03-23T20:11:05.817" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this kind of question is very speculative. The Buddha always stressed that thinking/worrying about future and past should be avoided. Instead it would be wise to examine the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T20:11:05.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19771" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-23T20:23:16.270" Score="4" ViewCount="1653" Body="&lt;p&gt;The term anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit) refers to the doctrine of &quot;non-self&quot;, that there is no unchanging, permanent soul in living beings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is the case, then what exactly is being carried over from one life to the next in the cycle of reincarnation? And against which entity are Karma points being increased or decreased? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11032" LastActivityDate="2021-10-26T13:37:58.740" Title="How is the doctrine of no-self compatible with reincarnation?" Tags="|karma|anatman|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19771" CreationDate="2017-03-23T22:28:33.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you light a candle with another candle, nothing transferred from first candle to the second candle.&#xA;When you copy a CD nothing physical transferred  from first CD to the second CD.&#xA;In cell division nothing physically transferred from first cell to the new cell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same way when one life end another life is crated.&#xA;Depend on the first the second is crated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T22:28:33.760" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19771" CreationDate="2017-03-23T22:44:12.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha generally did not teach 'not-self' together with teachings about 'karmic inheritance'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings about karmic inheritance are based on the view of self. That is why both good &amp;amp; bad kamma remain outside the sphere of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Good kamma' always results in the mind believing: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;My&lt;/em&gt; actions have brought &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; happiness&amp;quot; &amp;amp; 'bad kamma' always results in the mind believing: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;My&lt;/em&gt; actions have brought &lt;em&gt;me&lt;/em&gt; unhappiness&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If self-view ends (i.e., 'not-self' is realised), then kammic inheritance also ends, which is why AN 6.63 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right&#xA;mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to&#xA;the cessation of kamma&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, ideas about reincarnation are completely incompatible with not-self. They are completely different teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Not-self' is for enlightenment &amp;amp; reincarnation is a teaching to keep ordinary people (&lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt;) moral. These two teachings &amp;amp; their purpose are clearly delineated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;, which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions [of becoming];&#xA;there is right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a&#xA;factor of the path.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To teach 'not-self' things are reincarnated destroys the personal incentive to do good karma. This is why the analogy about &amp;quot;nothing&amp;quot; is transferred from first candle to the second candle is heresy or &lt;em&gt;adhamma&lt;/em&gt; in Buddhism because the teachings in Buddhism that infer '&lt;em&gt;reincarnation&lt;/em&gt;' are always personal so to provide personal incentive for ordinary people to do good kamma. Here, MN 60, a teaching for &lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt; householders, states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The observant as a person of good habits &amp;amp; right view: one who holds to &lt;strong&gt;a doctrine of&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;existence&lt;/strong&gt;. If there really is an other world, then&#xA;this venerable person has made a good throw twice, in that he is&#xA;praised by the observant here-&amp;amp;-now; and in that — with the breakup of&#xA;the body, after death — he will reappear in a good destination, a&#xA;heavenly world. Thus this safe-bet teaching, when well grasped &amp;amp;&#xA;adopted by him, covers both sides and &lt;strong&gt;leaves behind the possibility of&#xA;the unskillful&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T23:10:41.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-03-23T23:13:18.110" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a real Buddhist at the very least follows the five precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T23:13:18.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9334" CreationDate="2017-03-23T23:37:43.100" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Qi Energy&lt;/a&gt; can be compared to mechanical &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pneumatic&lt;/a&gt; equipment that uses air to lift, move or destroy heavy &amp;amp; hard objects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as the Jhanas refine the breathing until the breathing completely disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism are not related to Qi Energy &amp;amp; are in fact the opposite of cultivating Qi Energy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In-&amp;amp;-out breaths are the body fabricator&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming body fabricator.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming body fabricator.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one has attained the fourth jhāna, in-and-out breathing has been stilled.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 36.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-23T23:49:56.983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-23T23:49:56.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19777" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20600" CreationDate="2017-03-24T00:55:19.667" Score="3" ViewCount="624" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've come here many times for meditation on the breath. I've come to understand this meditation better, but I encounter problems unrelated to meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've noticed that my memory is rather bad, and that my thought process relies mostly on verbal means. However, I remember being extremely visual at an early age, scoring quite well on visual aptitude tests, and these days I can sometimes visualize complex things. Yet, I fail to use visualization in every day life because I understand Buddhism discourages mental fabrication. I am thus very focused on exterior reality, either sensing reality or thinking abstractly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering if visualization meditation would help me with memory and conceptualizing. I must also mention that I have a mood disorder, and though I doubt visualizing could affect this, I am still worried of the possibility. Thus, my questions are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is intentionally visualizing something very different from fantasies discouraged in Buddhism?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is visualizing generally different from engaging in visualization in meditation?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there any risks involved in visualization practices, in visualization as a general trait of mind?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would visualizing improve memory, retention, or modelling?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Could visualizing in a free and unrestricted way liberate or affect emotions, undo repression?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am thankful for any replies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-02T18:10:23.710" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T12:50:47.870" Title="Visualization and visualized meditation" Tags="|meditation-visualisation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19778" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19784" CreationDate="2017-03-24T04:08:23.763" Score="2" ViewCount="260" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The problem:&lt;/strong&gt; I've encountered some confusion about the differences between samadhi and vipassana, as would seem to be a frequent problem amongst beginners. This confusion was only worsened by my having a Zen master tell me that my practice was vipassana, and that I should just continuously count my breaths up to ten and then back down instead. I don't think she realized that I was striving for samadhi, and I don't think she really knew what she was talking about. I find Theravada to be the path for me, and have stopped visiting that zen center, but am still confused nonetheless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in the absence of a formal teacher, I figured I could ask here to see if someone can provide me with some guidance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My meditation practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Concentrate on the sensation of the breath and nothing else, no numbers, thoughts, or words for as long as I can or unless I feel like they would help me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some thoughts I use, for example, are, &quot;Let go of it&quot;, &quot;Become one with the breath in the present moment&quot;, &quot;I am looking for my thoughts; I should be looking for my breath&quot;, and other thoughts of a similar nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically, does this kind of practice generate samadhi, or vipassana? I'm not looking for insight while meditating. Just looking for the breath and focusing on it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10506" LastEditorUserId="10506" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T05:30:19.490" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T15:45:16.853" Title="Am I approaching samadhi properly?" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation-practicalities|meditation|samadhi|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19777" CreationDate="2017-03-24T04:13:30.880" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet, I fail to use visualization in everyday life because I understand Buddhism discourages mental fabrication. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verbal fabrication are not limited to metal verbalisation or subvebalisation. It includes anything to do with thinking which includes visualisations. Thinking is not only verbal fabrication, also provides nutriment, give rise to volition for karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use of visualisation, verbalisations, sub verbalisations, imagination, conceptualization leads to fabrication, nutriments, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pannatti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pannatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; (more particularly nama pannatti when using labelling with verbalisation or sub verbalisation and nimitta pannatti&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha&lt;/a&gt;), etc. The meditation exercise is to understand the ultimate realities and the universal laws of nature (dhamma), penetrating beyond concepts. So this (self create verbalisation or sub verbalisation or metal image) cannot be used for Satipaṭṭhāna meditation, if a concept spontaneously arise let it be, and be aware of the sensations / feeling this bring about; this (Verbalisation, visualisation, conceptualisation, thinking and pondering, etc.) also leads to fabrications (more particularly verbal) and nutriment (Āhāra - more particularly Manosañcetanā Āhāro). &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammaditthi_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the end of fabrication and also nutriment is the right way. More on pannatti on this site see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Pannatti%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;this search&lt;/a&gt;. A related concept is nirutti, more this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=nirutti%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;this search&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e. this visualisation, results in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;verbal fabrication generally based on unwholesome root of ignorance, since concepts are not ultimate realities, which can lead to undesired future experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nutriment to keep existance which can lead to future unwholesome experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;use of concepts than ultimate realities which has the basis of the unwholesome root of ignorance, where as ignorance is displaced when you meditate with ultimate realities as the object of meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concept proliferation&lt;/a&gt;, though controlled, is not in touch with ultimate realities, but uses a stream of repetitive concepts objects (&quot;thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, ...&quot;, &quot;sounds, sounds, sounds, ...&quot;, ..., etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One justification of using the labeling is use of controlled vocabulary which relates or close to the ultimate realities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4 elements: earth, air, heat, water or equivalent names / labels like motion, highness, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;function of 6 sense organs: seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, tasting, thinking&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5 aggregates: conscious, perceiving, feeling, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as iterated before labeling is conceptual and not ultimate realities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha meditation like Kasina uses nimitta (nimitta pannatti&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;). This also be avoided and to prefer the framework of the body (4 sathipattana) as the object of meditation. Reason for this is many meditators get attached to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sukha&lt;/a&gt; this bring and it is not possible to see the impermanence of the Nimita, the unsatisfactoriness of the feeling the Nimita bring when it ends and the fact the Ninita is not fully in one's control and also it brings unsatisfactoriness hence should not be identified as me or mine. Generally, a Samantha practitioner will miss identify the Nimita as permanent, satisfactory and controllable (as controlling and manipulating the nimita part of the excecise) which leads to the unwholesome root of ignorance. This is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/adinava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adinava&lt;/a&gt; of the Samatha practice. Jhana should be developed using the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Foundations of mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some quotes by Meditation Master S.N.Goenka on this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Some meditators start with walking, even mentally repeating &quot;walking&quot;, &quot;itching&quot;, or whatever. &lt;strong&gt;There is no paññā&lt;/strong&gt;: but at least the practice concentrates the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But you are required to observe bare respiration, as it naturally is, without regulating it; no word or imagined form may be added.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Similarly visualization—mentally picturing a shape or form—can become a barrier to progress. The technique leads to the dissolving of apparent truth in order to reach ultimate truth. Apparent, integrated truth is always full of illusions, because at this level saññ± operates, perception, which is distorted by past reactions. This conditioned perception differentiates and discriminates, giving rise to preferences and prejudices, to fresh reactions. But by disintegrating apparent reality, one gradually comes to experience the ultimate reality of the mental-physical-structure: nothing but vibrations arising and passing away every moment. At this stage no differentiation is possible, and therefore no preferences or prejudices can arise, no reactions. The technique gradually weakens the conditioned saññ± and hence weakens reactions, leading to the stage in which perception and sensation cease, that is, the experience of nibb±na. But by deliberately giving attention to a shape, form, or vision, one remains at the level of apparent, composed reality and cannot advance beyond it. &lt;strong&gt;For this reason, there should be neither visualization nor verbalization.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) Is intentionally visualizing something very different from fantasies discouraged in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking, verbalisation, imagination are all verbal fabrications which intern is accompanied by initial and sustained application (Vitakka - Vicara)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) Is visualizing generally different from engaging in visualization in meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, say Kasina, you visualise a coloured disk. This is the same as any imagination unless you are aware of its impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any imagination if there is a perception that it is permanent, pleasurable and controlled by self then it becomes unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are not fully in control of your image. When practicing in meditation or otherwise, when you bring about a visualisation you get the notion I created this, I control this, this appeared as I wanted it to be. You might think abiding in these meditation states is Sukka or imagination of by liking or some beautiful object of imagination. Also the imagined object may seem real, solid and permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly you lose touch that it is dependently arisen, sustained by nutriment, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is Paramattha Dhammas (Citta, Chethesika, Rupa, Nirvana) and Pannatti (Kala, Nama, etc.) which represent totality dhamma according to the Abhidhamma. Visualisation is Nama Pannatti which is not an ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leads to future pleasant, unpleasant and neutral experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) Are there any risks involved in visualization practices, in visualization as a general trait of mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever that creates a future experience, the experiences fall into 3 categories (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral), but if the experiences were created with the unwholesome roots it will be unpleasant or neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When visualising you cannot be fully in touch with reality hence ignorance is present. Also verbal fabrications are created. In addition, there is thinking and pondering which gives nutriment for future existence. All this created with unwholesome base will result in future experiences. Even Jhanic attainments give result in certain planes of existence. When higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetters&lt;/a&gt; break then desire for such exitance also goes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) Would visualizing improve memory, retention, or modelling? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. I might. Any training now will have a future consequence. Some of the practices (perhaps not all) may lead to a future existence with improved memory and modelling capabilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also temporary and any future existence ends in unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) Could visualizing in a free and unrestricted way liberate or affect emotions, undo repression?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; has visualisation of imagination as a basis. Practicing them the &lt;strong&gt;right way&lt;/strong&gt; leads to existence in higher planes. These are part of the higher fetters (uddhambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni). Unless you realise this is conditioned, dependently arisen, sustained by nutriment, etc. cannot liberate you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is the best way to deal with emotions: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20meditation%20experience&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana meditation experience&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vipassana%20meditation%20testimonial&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana meditation testimonial&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Atthasalini uses different synonyms for nama pannatti (concepts that are names). It is an interpretation, an expression that renders the meaning of something in language (nirutti). A name is a distinctive sign that shows the meaning of something (vyancana). There are sounds which people utter, letters combined as words which express the meaning of something (abhilapa). These synonyms explain the meaning of nama pannatti, a name or term. A term makes the meaning of something known. The idea or notion that is made known can also be called a concept. Thus, there are, generally speaking, two kinds of pannatti: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That which is made known (pannapiyatta or atthapannatti). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That which makes known (pannapanato), the name or term (sadda pannatti or namapannatti) which makes known the meaning of things. If we remember these two classes of concepts it will be easier to understand what a concept is. There are many kinds of concepts and they can be classified in different ways. One way of classifying them is the following (see Abhidhammattha Sangaha Ch. VIII, section 4, on pannattis): &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i) concept of continuity: (santana pannatti), corresponding to the continuity of things, such as land, mountain or tree, which concept is based on the rapid succession of the elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii) collective concept: (samuha pannatti), corresponding to modes of construction of materials, to a collection of things, such as a vehicle or a chariot.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii) conventional concept: (sammutti pannatti), such as person or individual, which is derived from the five khandhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv) local concept: (disa pannatti), a notion or idea derived from the revolving of the moon, such as the directions of east or west. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;v) concept of time: (kala pannatti), such as morning, evening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vi) concept of season: (masa pannatti), notions corresponding to seasons and months. The months are designated by names, such as Vesakha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vii) concept of space: (akasa), such as a well or a cave. It is derived from space that is not contacted by the four Great Elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;viii) nimitta pannatti: the mental image which is acquired through the development of samatha, such as the nimitta of a kasina. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We read in the Abhidhammattha Sangaha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;All such different things, although they do not exist in the ultimate sense,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;become objects of thought in the form of shadows of ultimate things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;They are called pannatti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;because they are thought of, reckoned, understood, expressed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;and made known on account of, in consideration of,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;and with respect to, this or that mode.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;This 'pannatti' is so called because it is made known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;As it makes known, it is called 'pannatti'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is described as 'name', 'name-made', etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - Pannatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: When there is seeing through the eyes and we know that it is a pen, it shows that we know the word pen through the mind-door. Is that right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: Before we can think of the word pen, we already know a concept. A pannatti is not merely sadda pannatti (a concept of sound) a word or name. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: After seeing I remember what was seen. Is the object then already a concept? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The Pali term pannatti means: it makes something known (derived from pannapeti). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: Must each of the sense-door processes be followed by a mind-door process so that the meaning of things can be known? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The five sense objects which are visible object, sound, odour, flavour, and tangible object appear through two door-ways. Thus, visible object appears through the eye-door and then, after there have been bhavanga-cittas in between, it appears through the mind- door. In the same way, sound, odour, flavour, and tangible object appear through the corresponding sense-doors and then through the mind-door. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - It makes something known&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: You said that concepts could be known through the mind-door. Therefore, I am inclined to think that if there is awareness through the mind-door, concepts can be the object of satipatthana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: In order to have more understanding of satipatthana we should begin with this very moment. Is there a concept while you hear sound now? Sound is a paramattha dhamma. When citta knows the meaning of the sounds it knows a concept and it knows this through the mind-door. Citta thinks about different words. Sati can follow and be aware of that citta, so that it can be realised as just a type of citta that thinks of words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: Thus, satipatthana can know the reality that is thinking, but it cannot know concepts. As far as I understand, each of the sense-door processes has to be followed by a mind-door process, it cannot be otherwise. When there is seeing there is an eye- door process, and after there have been bhavanga-cittas in between, there is a mind-door process of cittas which experience visible object. Is that right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The víthi-cittas of the mind-door process, which follow víthi-cittas of a sense-door process, have to experience the same rupa. If the javana-cittas of the sense-door process are lobha-mula-cittas (cittas rooted in attachment), the javana-cittas of the first mind-door process after that sense-door process have to be the same types of lobha-mula-citta. The mind-door process follows extremely rapidly upon the sense-door process. With respect to this there is a simile of a bird perching on a branch. As soon as the bird perches on the branch its shadow appears on the ground. Even so, when the object has been experienced through the sense-door and there have been many bhavanga-cittas in between, arising and falling away very rapidly, it is immediately afterwards experienced through the mind-door. Since cittas succeed one another so rapidly one does not know that visible object which is experienced through the eyes is only a paramattha dhamma that can appear because it has impinged on the eyesense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - Can a concept be an object of satipatthana? II&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;nimitta pannatti: the mental image which is acquired through the development of samatha, such as the nimitta of a kasina.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T06:13:46.970" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19780" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19783" CreationDate="2017-03-24T04:24:50.983" Score="5" ViewCount="752" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question mainly came up to my mind as I thought about how interconnected some concepts and practices of Buddhism are with other spiritual practices, such as meditation, and the concept of letting go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was the Buddha ever questioned about something of this nature, and did he ever make this clear at any point in his teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T04:34:38.160" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T04:40:57.080" Title="Did the Buddha state that there is only one way, and state/imply that any other path (such as those practiced by yogis) was futile?" Tags="|theravada|nirvana|enlightenment|gautama-buddha|liberation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19731" CreationDate="2017-03-24T04:54:29.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, I think you should, because I for one feel like many people are conflicted on how to handle situations with beggars and other homeless people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tell them that giving depends on your intentions. Some people help out beggars with the intent of satisfying a desire, or tricking their ego into believing something (example: I'm a good person, because I help out beggars, I donate to charity...etc) when in actuality, they are doing it to satisfy a deep rooted desire they have. If I knew money I gave to a beggar would lead to drug abuse and self-destruction, I believe the Buddhist way would be not to help the beggar. On the other hand, if I had no idea about a beggar's drug problem, and I gave it to him with the full intention of only providing for his well being, then giving would be a good thing to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I think another important thing is the context. If you feel like you have to help the beggar because the situation calls for it (maybe they approached you and you feel pressured to comply?), then you shouldn't, especially when you need the money yourself, because that is not the same as giving to a beggar out of your own good intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T05:00:02.220" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T05:00:02.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19780" CreationDate="2017-03-24T06:26:05.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As the phrasing is stated, no, he avoided such a general remark. In fact, he criticized those who think that way through a common phrase found in the pali canon: &quot;Only this is true, anything else is wrong&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn95&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 95&lt;/a&gt;, we read him saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is not proper for a wise man who preserves truth to come to the definite conclusion: ‘Only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On specifics, however, he did criticize things like &lt;em&gt;methods&lt;/em&gt; against &lt;em&gt;goals&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt; against &lt;em&gt;effects&lt;/em&gt; and whether things are a certain way or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When he says thus: ‘It seems that one who kills living beings… has wrong view, will always, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in the states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell,’ I do not concede that to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now when a monk or brahman says thus: ‘It seems that there are no evil kammas, there is no result of misconduct,’ I do not concede that to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn136&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 126&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He's also known for having taught other people's doctrines. For example, in one of the suttas, he taught a brahmin the practice that leads to meeting the Brahma (I can't really find the reference right now, sorry).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That comes as someone who is evaluating whether what people are doing produces the results that they claim will happen, and not for someone who is criticizing others for not looking for what he looked for. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case, it appears that if all brahmins want is to join Brahma, and if the Buddha recognizes that what they are doing indeed would make that happen, it seems unlikely that he would be that critical. By what is shown in the suttas, I guess he would let the brahmins be or just point out to his own disciples that, as far as suffering goes, they are not free from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, this also means that if someone claims that something leads to cessation of suffering when it doesn't (by the Buddha's understanding), he could decide to say so (and I'm fairly certain he did so a few times).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, he does state that all paths that lead to cessation of suffering have the eightfold path within them (in maha parinibbana sutta if IIRC).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, there's some minor controversies of wording in some suttas, related to mindfulness, which is referred to as the &quot;the one-way path&quot;. Some people interpret it as the Buddha saying &quot;this is a way that only leads to / directly leads to nirvana&quot; while others might read as &quot;this is the only way that leads to nirvana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T07:52:16.367" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T07:52:16.367" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19780" CreationDate="2017-03-24T07:17:24.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn11&lt;/a&gt; for the Buddha's statement that there are no true recluses beyond the Sangha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, only here is there a recluse, only here a second recluse,&#xA;  only here a third recluse, only here a fourth recluse. The doctrines&#xA;  of others are devoid of recluses: that is how you should rightly roar&#xA;  your lion’s roar.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is careful not to deny the achievements of others, but framing achievement through the understanding of the four kinds of clinging, he implies that others may reach a very close goal, yet through having wrong view with regards to Self, through not penetrating anatta, are still clung to it, and hence have not cut off clinging (and therefore craving, which correlates directly with suffering) at the root, when declaring so. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of clinging. What four? Clinging&#xA;  to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rules and&#xA;  observances, and clinging to a doctrine of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Though certain recluses and brahmins claim to propound the full&#xA;  understanding of all kinds of clinging, they do not completely&#xA;  describe the full understanding of all kinds of clinging. They&#xA;  describe the full understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures&#xA;  without describing the full understanding of clinging to views,&#xA;  clinging to rules and observances, and clinging to a doctrine of self.&#xA;  Why is that? Those good recluses and brahmins do not understand these&#xA;  three instances of clinging as they actually are. Therefore, though&#xA;  they claim to propound the full understanding of all kinds of&#xA;  clinging, they describe only the full understanding of clinging to&#xA;  sensual pleasures without describing the full understanding of&#xA;  clinging to views, clinging to rules and observances, and clinging to&#xA;  a doctrine of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Though certain recluses and brahmins claim to propound the full&#xA;  understanding of all kinds of clinging…they describe the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures and clinging to views&#xA;  without describing the full understanding of clinging to rules and&#xA;  observances and clinging to a doctrine of self. Why is that? They do&#xA;  not understand two instances…therefore they describe only the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures and clinging to views&#xA;  without describing the full understanding of clinging to rules and&#xA;  observances and clinging to a doctrine of self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Though certain recluses and brahmins claim to propound the full&#xA;  understanding of all kinds of clinging…they describe the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, and&#xA;  clinging to rules and observances without describing the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self. They do not&#xA;  understand one instance…therefore they describe only the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, and&#xA;  clinging to rules and observances without describing the full&#xA;  understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regards to the way to the goal, since the purpose of recluseship at the time was to comprehend experience (stress/suffering) as it actually is, with direct insight, there will only be one correct answer. In a world of anicca, anatta follows naturally, unless one relies on a transcendental (beyond experience) notion of Self. Therefore, the above quote is a fair statement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn26&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn26&lt;/a&gt; The Buddha himself had two teachers to whom he went to before his enlightenment, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta, who came very close to cessation in meditation, but not having the insight into impermanence, could not arrive at the true cessation of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patanjali states that 'The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.', which is the cessation the Buddha practiced (the ceasing of mental fermentations). However, Patanjali then infers a transcendental notion of Self (I assume it is implied that once modifications to the mind cease, the True Self is said to be left), which, if it is to Be, is logically beyond conditioned experience as it is an independent entity, and hence not verifiable in the here and now. Such a position naturally creates doubt and does not lead to final release. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only path within Buddhism is the Noble Eightfold Path, which encompasses right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Yogis may be accomplished in many of these and that would be a great attainment for them and their students, but all other than the Buddha stumbled at right-view - the first step, because they conceived of their notions of Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T23:06:21.277" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T23:06:21.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19778" CreationDate="2017-03-24T08:54:07.753" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, concentrate on the sensation of the breath and nothing else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will develop samadhi &amp;amp; but also vipassana because the breath is impermanent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While samadhi is developed, seeing clearly the impermanence (appearance, disappearance, appearance, disappearance) of each breath is vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the primary goal is to develop samadhi but a side effect can be vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T08:54:07.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19785" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-24T08:55:31.597" Score="5" ViewCount="366" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why Salayatana is ommitted in this mode of Dependent Origination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If one is asked, 'Is there a demonstrable requisite condition for contact?' one should answer, 'There is.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If one is asked, 'From what requisite condition does contact come?' one should say, 'Contact comes from name-and-form as its requisite condition.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T13:52:29.623" Title="Why Salayatana is ommitted in this mode of Dependent Origination?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19767" CreationDate="2017-03-24T09:49:31.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe my job is easier than yours, i.e. a software developer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The traditional psychology of software development includes the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;psychology of &quot;flow&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the doctrines of that psychology is that flow can happen when a job is neither too easy (which isn't interesting or demanding, doesn't engage or satisfy), nor too difficult (if it's too difficult it promotes anxiety, regret, hopelessness, and desire to quit etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there's a happy medium: when it's neither too hard nor too easy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read once that they used functional MRI to measure of brains in &quot;flow&quot; state and discovered that brains in that state are &lt;em&gt;less&lt;/em&gt; active than &#xA;usual, or more specifically have fewer areas which are active. I suppose that (limited number of active areas) is associated with concentrating on one task, with a lack of afflictive emotions, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does this have to do with Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think one comment to make is that the flow state is pleasurable. For example you say &quot;I could not find any relief until it was fixed&quot; which implies that you &lt;em&gt;feel&lt;/em&gt; relief; and you said, &quot;I also know that being consumed is powerful&quot;, where I suppose that &quot;powerful&quot; is pleasurable in a Nietzschean sense. So maybe beware that it (what you're doing) is something of a pleasure-feedback loop, like any other (sugar, alcohol, you know, sex, social status, whatever your weaknesses are). Your &quot;obsessive thinking&quot; might be a result of subconscious desire or craving &quot;I want to carry on thinking like this, to feel relief and power again&quot;. The fact that Mathematics seems relatively harmless activity doesn't confer immunity: see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19695/is-buddhism-against-scientific-attitude/19769#comment32087_19710&quot;&gt;Saptha's comment here&lt;/a&gt;, about sukha giving rise to dukkha and the consequence of our indulgence in pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A phenomenon from Buddhist practice which might perhaps be analogous are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhāna&lt;/a&gt; concentration states. I think that doctrine says that practicitioners sometimes mistakenly take  these states as an end instead of a means. They should be a means (to improve insight) but might be taken as an end in themselves (because of their (temporary) relief from suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You wrote &quot;I have made incredible progress over the last 6 months with my practice&quot; though I don't know what your practice is. In any case you might try some explicitly Buddhist practice as well as (or, at least sometimes, instead of) Mathematical pursuit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, in my experience and I think in everyone's, often a problem is solved in routine concentration; and sometimes that routine fails and is  counterproductive, because you don't see the problem in a proper context, e.g. &quot;you don't see the forest for the trees&quot;. So even if your only motive were to solve the mathematical problem, you might find it beneficial to let &quot;obsessive&quot; thinking subside when it is failing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T20:16:54.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-24T10:59:07.293" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is omitted because it is obvious the Lord Only Bhante Buddha did not teach DN 15. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 15 contradicts the True Dhamma in many ways, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The sense spheres are omitted, which in AN 3.61 are included as a core teaching of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness is not the six types of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nama-rupa is the Brahmanistic nama-rupa of 'naming-forms' rather than the 'mentality-materiality' of 'feeling, perception, intention, contact, attention, earth, wind, fire &amp;amp; water'. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Birth is not the 'production' (&lt;em&gt;abhinibbatti&lt;/em&gt;) of the view of 'beings' ('satta') based on the appearance (pātubhāvo) of the aggregates &amp;amp; seizure (paṭilābho) by the sense spheres.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aging-&amp;amp;-death is not defined at all, let alone defined as the 'aging-&amp;amp;-death' of the self-identity of a 'being' ('satta').&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance &amp;amp; sankhara are omitted. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T11:17:00.117" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T11:17:00.117" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-24T10:59:49.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it is omitted: it's listed there as &quot;consciousness&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-and-form&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the ṣaḍāyatana are sometimes translated or understood as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#Sense-base_derivative&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;consciousness&lt;/a&gt; (which is listed in DN 15):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;More specifically, according to this analysis, the six types of consciousness are eye-consciousness (that is, consciousness based on the eye), ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness and mind-consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word used in DN 15 is viññāṇa (the following quote is also from Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vij%C3%B1%C4%81na#Sense-base_derivative&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vijñāna article&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hence, in this context, viññāṇa includes the following characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;viññāṇa arises as a result of the material sense bases (āyatana)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;there are six types of consciousness, each unique to one of the internal sense organs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;consciousness (viññāṇa) is separate (and arises) from mind (mano)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;here, consciousness cognizes or is aware of its specific sense base (including the mind and mind objects)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;viññāṇa is a prerequisite for the arising of craving (taṇhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;hence, for the vanquishing of suffering (dukkha), one should neither identify with nor attach to viññāṇa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that glossaries (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#vinnana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/vi%C3%B1%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/u_v/vinnaana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), and the so-called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Viññana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, say that although viññāṇa is a broad term it may include the six kinds of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2581/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which I think is saying that viññāṇa is used in two ways: technically as a specific aspect of mind, and colloquially to refer to several aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case you want to read more (I'm sorry to post links instead of answering the question here, but they're long), Piya Tan of dharmafarer.org (for example) has written about this at some length.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is his analysis and translation of DN 15. The introduction starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moreover, its series of conditions omits three factors of the standard version: ignorance,&#xA;  volitional activities [saṅkhāra], and the 6 sense-bases. These omissions have led some&#xA;  scholars to suggest that the twelvefold formulation may be later augmentation of a shorter original;&#xA;  but such suggestions remain purely conjectural, misleading, and objectionable on doctrinal&#xA;  and textual grounds. All in all, omissions of the Mahānidāna Sutta are more than compensated&#xA;  for by its detailed explanations, interesting digressions, and supplementary sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And on page 156 (page 12 of the PDF):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the next section of the sutta, instead of going on to the 6 senses&#xA;  and their respective contacts, as in the standard formula, the Buddha reverses his last statement and&#xA;  says: “With name-and-form, there is consciousness”. To prevent any misunderstanding, the&#xA;  Buddha then, introduces a remarkable passage unique to this Sutta: etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't seem to bother him that this sutta uses an other or a non-standard description. I don't know &quot;why&quot; it is slightly different but I find that unremarkable. It seems to me like asking, &quot;Why is the house described as 'brown' here, whereas there it's described as 'made of stone'? Are they two different houses?&quot; They're two descriptions of the same house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.8a-Khandha-5-Vinnana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; is Piya Tan's essay on the meaning and usage of vinnana (which I won't quote).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that it's necessary to put &quot;6 sense bases&quot; as a distinct layer between form and contact -- for example I think it makes as much sense to say that there are 6 types of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For what it's worth, the 6 sense-spheres are omitted from the description of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#Understanding_in_Theravada_Abhidhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five aggregates&lt;/a&gt; too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T15:23:26.380" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-24T11:26:27.263" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Salayatana' is probably omitted in this mode of Dependent Origination because this mode of Dependent Origination appears to be a later-day concoction for propagation to &amp;amp; conversion of Brahmans. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There have been a number of discussions on Sutta Central, which include Ajahn Sujato's agreement, that much of the DN, including DN 15, was probably composed for propagation to &amp;amp; conversion of Brahmans. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, nama-rupa in DN 15 appears to have the Brahmanistic meaning. In other words, the 'salayatana', most specifically sense objects, are possibly included within 'form' ('rupa'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Brahmanism, 'nama' was the naming of 'forms' (sense objects). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nāmarūpa-vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit: नामरुपव्याकरण ), in Hindu philosophy, refers to the process of evolution of differentiation into names and&#xA;  forms i.e. to the unfolding of the primal state into the manifest&#xA;  world prior to which unfolding there was nothing that existed... In the Upanishads this term is&#xA;  used to indicate the self-willed manifestation of Brahman under&#xA;  visible and nameable aspects, to the said manifestation into the&#xA;  fictitious plurality of the phenomenal world...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The sage of the Chandogya Upanishad regarded the creation of the universe as a huge chest/egg from a Primeval Being existing as the&#xA;  undifferentiated whole, who alone existed without a second prior to&#xA;  the commencement of the process of creation which was the beginning of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;the differentiation of the undifferentiated&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The Primeval Being&#xA;  reflected, let me be many, let me produce; having bethought, thus to&#xA;  itself, it produced fire which produced water and from water was&#xA;  produced the Earth (food or matter)&quot; (Chandogya Upanishad VI.ii.1-4).&#xA;  The doctrine of Trivritkarana, the prototype of the doctrine of&#xA;  Panchikarana that tells us how matter came unto existence originating&#xA;  from the primordial five subtle elements , belongs to this Upanishad.&#xA;  From the subtle elements were produced all gross elements, and all&#xA;  matter having names and forms that makes-up the entire universe.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namarupa-vyakarana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T12:11:30.370" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T12:11:30.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19780" CreationDate="2017-03-24T12:09:11.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada states the Buddha's path is the only path to complete &lt;em&gt;purification&lt;/em&gt;. This is obviously the truth since it is the only path that completely seeks to uproot all self-identity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;273. Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things&#xA;  passionlessness is the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the&#xA;  best.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;274. This is the only path; &lt;strong&gt;there is none other for the purification of insight&lt;/strong&gt;. Tread this path, and you will bewilder Mara.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Buddhism does not deny other spiritual paths may provide lesser positive benefits. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T12:09:11.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19778" CreationDate="2017-03-24T12:36:43.920" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's nothing wrong with what that Zen teacher told you.  She was starting you out small.  Just as you wouldn't walk into the gym and start squatting 500 lbs. immediately, likewise you have to grow into your practice gradually.  Counting the breath is effective for a number of reasons.  For one, it gives you an anchor - your breath - for your attention to focus on.  Second and less widely discussed is that your are using that voice inside your head for single, limited purpose.  Rather than watching your breath and saying things like &quot;let go&quot; or &quot;become one with the breath&quot;, your interior dialogue is limited to &quot;one&quot;, &quot;two&quot;, &quot;three&quot;.  That's it.  Any more than that is superfluous.  Over time, your concentration will strengthen.  Eventually, you will be able to drop the counting and just work with the breath itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And like Dhammadhatu suggested - samadhi practice is the basis for vipassana practice.  You can't have one without the other.  Moreover, Buddhism itself &lt;em&gt;IS&lt;/em&gt; an insight tradition.  It &lt;em&gt;IS&lt;/em&gt; vipassana.  Concentration is only a means.  Some traditions really push the envelope and develop that means - concentration - to the point of the immaterial attainments while others only touch on the border of jhana.  Different practices work for different people.  But it all begins with &quot;one&quot;, &quot;two&quot;, &quot;three&quot;...     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-03-24T12:42:02.540" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T12:42:02.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19792" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-24T17:28:04.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The most detail version of Dependent Origination (DO) contains 24 points and extremely complicated like a web, which is called  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations or Patthana&lt;/a&gt;. The 12 link version is a simplification. Also there other simplified versions of which can can read more in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you take DO the most important part is &lt;code&gt;ignorance -&amp;gt; ... contact -&amp;gt; sensations -&amp;gt; craving -&amp;gt; ...&lt;/code&gt; as this is the place you can break the cycle. If you look at Nutriment (ahara) this teachers this subset. If you look Suttas like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which essentially teachers a more simplified version of this: &lt;code&gt;ignorance -&amp;gt; ... -&amp;gt; sensations -&amp;gt; craving -&amp;gt; ...&lt;/code&gt; or more inline with how it i presented: &lt;code&gt;... -&amp;gt; sensations -&amp;gt; craving | aversion | ignorance -&amp;gt; ...&lt;/code&gt;. Also note when it says craving this includes aversion as aversion is a craving to part with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the audience and their inclination to understand, the Buddha is presenting accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T17:28:04.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19780" CreationDate="2017-03-24T17:38:43.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short, the Buddha said, there is one path for the purification of beings. Some meditation techniques the objective is blissful states. Buddhism does not say there is one path for this. Some of that the Yogis teach might very well work for this but if you are looking for the Buddhist goal of Nirvana there is only one path. What a Yogi teachers you may take you to some other goal like birth in Deve or Brahma realm but this is not the Buddhist goal. For the Buddhist goal of Nirvana there is only one and only path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path of the Yogis is futile in trying to achieve the Buddhist goal through they may achieve what the goal of the technique is supposed to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-24T17:38:43.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19778" CreationDate="2017-03-24T17:53:34.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st Jhana is achieved due to the efforts you put into keeping your breath on the object, essentially the effort on keeping the object in focus is Vitakka &amp;amp; Vicara (initial and sustained application).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are times your mind may stick to the object of focus. Even then periodically check and bring back re affirm your focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when it comes to what you focus keep it on one subject of either the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness of 4 Brahmavihara and also note everything is conditioned hence subjected to the 3 characteristics. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you let go of distraction, you have to do it properly. A distraction becomes a distraction because the sensation if gives if it is bodily. Even memories and through that pop up has a sensation associated with it. If there is a notable sensation have a look at it, and wait a little while with it - about 3 breaths maximum, and then come back to your meditation object. This may have a damping effect on subsequent distractions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you seem to be applying the effort hence you seem to be doing the right thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T04:38:13.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2017-03-24T23:24:34.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are there any benefits from practising celibacy or is it not useful? (I mean full time celibacy, not only on retreats or at Uposatha&#xA;  days)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Celibacy is freedom &amp;amp; also saves lots of money because when sexual desire ends, most other forms of sensual attraction &amp;amp; desire also end. No more buying expensive flowers &amp;amp; restaurant food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If the answer is that it's useful, then why is it not more recommended in Theravada Buddhism? Also monks do not recommend celibacy to lay people outside of Uposatha and retreats. Why not?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not recommended because monks do not want to impose heavy burdensome expectations upon lay people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a person becomes a Theravada monk, they are indoctrinated in a very dualistic manner that the lives of monks &amp;amp; laypeople are completely different. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am mainly interested in the view of Theravada Buddhism, but I appreciate all views on this subject also from other sects of Buddhism&#xA;  and other religions like Hinduism etc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very good answer is found in the Christian Bible: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Not everyone can accept this word,” Jesus answered, “but only those to whom it has been given&quot;.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Matthew 19:12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.... I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift&#xA;  from God; one has this gift, another has that... Now to the unmarried&#xA;  and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.&#xA;  But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is&#xA;  better to marry than to burn with passion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1 Corinthians 7&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T00:05:30.180" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T00:05:30.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-25T02:02:51.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of Paticcasamuppāda (Pāli) states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. What the Buddha awakened to (Bodhi = ‘to awaken’) was the truth of dependent origination. This is the understanding that any phenomenon ‘exists’ only because of the ‘existence’ of other phenomena in an incredibly complex web of cause and effect. Buddha’s explanation of this in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 15: The Great Discourse on Causation (Mahānidāna Sutta) - Dīgha Nikāya&lt;/a&gt; is exceptional compared to that of other suttas.  What we are generally made to understand is that.. with Nāma-rūpa as condition, Salāyatana arises…   with Salāyatana as condition, Sparśa/passa arises. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In DN15 Buddha says… With Nāma-rūpa as condition, Sparśa/passa arises. To understand this we have to read DN15 to the very end, and understand the explanation given in it about Nāma-rūpa. In DN15 we get to know two very special words:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Rupa Kaaye adhivacana-samphassa   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Nama” is the faculty through which the external world is understood. This makes discernment or our ability grasp and understand and naming of sense objects possible. For example we say that an Elephant is ‘Huge’; that an Ant is ‘Tiny’.  This is Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa” is possible only if there is a “Rupa Kaaya”. Only if there is a species called “Ants” that we can name it as “Ant” and say that it is ‘tiny’. Only if there is a species called “Elephants” that we can name it as “Elephant” and say that it is ‘Huge/large’. This is “Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Buddha explains as to what “Rupa Kaaye adhivacana-samphassa“ is. When we converse that an Elephant is ‘Huge’, it is a perception (samjna/sanna) that we come to. Once we get to see an Elephant for real, we equate that given name &amp;amp; explanation to this Rupa-Kaya (Elephant). This is Rupa Kaaye adhivacana-samphassa. So whenever someone speaks of an Elephant, what comes to mind is this huge creature, and not an Ant.  This is the ‘Passa’. For this to be, Vijñāna as condition, Nāmarūpa has to arise. But if Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa and Rupa Kaaye adhivacana-samphassa is not there, there cannot be any mode of communication, or any form of recognition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, there has to be some object in sight, for us to give it a name. If we have not developed a language to name things, there is no way that one can communicate what is in one’s mind, to another. In other words, this is With Nāma-rūpa as condition, Sparśa/passa arises. For this Sparśa/passa to arise, there were only two elements. One is the object in space (elephant/ant). The other is the perception (samjna/sanna) that came to mind. Remember that there was no ‘Salāyatana’ here. Only an agreed upon language of communication. Now in this present time and age we have added a whole heap of computer terms like ‘the mouse’, ‘ipad’, ‘facebook’ etc. These are Nama Kaaye patigha samphassa &amp;amp;  Rupa Kaaye adhivacana-samphassa. There was no ‘Salāyatana’ here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T13:52:29.623" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19785" CreationDate="2017-03-25T02:21:03.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It looks like I am the only one who has given a clear direct answer to the OP. So I guess that I have earned the right to post another 'a bit' off topic answer, as it may shed some light to another fellow traveler of this road less traveled.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://soft.diliupg.com/2016/05/16/why-is-there-no-ascension-among-buddhist-of-the-world/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why is there no ascension among Buddhist of the world? - Diliup Gabadamudalige / May 16, 2016&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is there no ascension among Buddhists, the people following Buddha Dhamma all over the world except (maybe) among a few? The reason is that the pali thripitaka has been wrongly translated to English and then to Sinhala. Maghadi is language of sound. It is meant only to be SPOKEN. To write Maghadi, pali was invented. The people who translated the Dhamma did a WORD to WORD translation which cause the path to nibbana to be closed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Simple example. Anichcha – has been wrongly translated to Anithya. Anithya is impermanence. Anichcha means a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING. It means that which cannot be maintained to ones liking. It is a THING OF THE MIND. Anithya on the other hand is a state of the Universe. Anithya does NOT always bring Dukkha or Duka or unhapiness or sadness ( or similar states).The death of someone in the next town does not make one unhappy. The death was cause by anithya but as one had no bond to that person no emotion,there is no sadness. BUT if one had a bond to that person in the next town, then that persons death will cause sadness becuase the bond is now broken. The bond – ichcha. You want that person to go on. Anichcha ALWAYS brings Dukha or Dukkha as one cannot control anything and keep them in the same state. Anichca is totally a state of the mind where as Anithya is a state of entropy. The way ichcha occurs are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ichcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  patichcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  abhichcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nichcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  athta&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  uddachca or kukuchcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  patichcha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  mahechca&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  laabichca&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  marichca&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  aththichch&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  vichikichca  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Maghadhi words of the Buddha, written correctly but wrongly translated, wrongly understood which led ALL except a few, astray. This itself is SANGHA BEDA.( This too is misunderstood as causing dissention or disharmony among two monks/priests etc.) But that is another discussion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T02:21:03.450" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19750" CreationDate="2017-03-25T03:42:15.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you find yourself inclined to reject it do not do this either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If something in the Dhamma does not agree with you do not reject or accept it until you know for sure at the experiential level or experienced great deal of Dhamma to infer the rest might be true also out of faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T03:42:15.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19771" CreationDate="2017-03-25T04:15:04.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha has taught is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is no permanent or continuous core (everything is impermanent)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is not absolute controler internally or externally (God)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;there is nothing worth identifying as self as nothing can bring absolute pleasure (there is nothing you can call satisfactory)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Essentially what this does is Buddhism rejects an entity view on a being but says a being is a creation of being through causality process / Dependent Arising (DA). This is not continuous but happen as one set of states arise and pass a way followed by other in quantum (Kalapa). When DA is broken there is no self. Otherwise both there is a self and there is no self is extreme view. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165&quot;&gt;Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is what drives, fuels or turns DA process. So there need not be an entity which is the self who own's the Karma of external (God) who is the law giver. Karma works independent of any entity / continuous core.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T04:15:04.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19802" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-25T05:27:50.563" Score="2" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;My question has to do with existence itself. We all know there is suffering in life and that it is due to the fact that fenomena is ever changing, so any state (good or bad) is conditionated and will therefore change. This is what I understand as the number one reason for the pursue of enlightment: reaching the natural, unconditionated and unborn state of (not) being and therefore be released from &lt;em&gt;it&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, is this search for the ultimate happiness truly hopeless? I mean, imagine if we were to live a life composed of 99% satisfactory states while just a small percentage of it being actual suffering. Wouldn't that life be truly worth striving for? What I see as a human being however is that people mostly suffer just as much as they feel well. We drink, have a great time and then feel empty and a headache; we might even live and overall very pleasant and fulfilling life but in the end suffer greatly from illnesses... Even from my own experience, I don't seem to be able to have any sort of &quot;breakthrough&quot; of overall life satisfactoriness; it always feels to fall back into the same neutral level and I can't scape this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I feel uncertain about enlightment. Something that has no comming back, nothing for ever after, no pleasure, no pain, just blank, not even color or feelings... I would say it is like being a zero. And if only I could live in a better overall way it would be better than zero. It seems to me that being able to live 1000 very good days every 1 bad day is a pretty good trade. Isn't it possible? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7784" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T13:43:11.263" Title="Why can't existence be mostly good?" Tags="|suffering|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19802" CreationDate="2017-03-25T07:46:05.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;nibbanam paramam sukham - Nibbana is the greatest bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=204&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verse 204 Pasenadikosala Vatthu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate happiness is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbana&lt;/a&gt;. This is beyond existence. If at all, the best analogy is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;infinity&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_(mathematics)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;singularity&lt;/a&gt; than being zero, where mundane experiences are comparable to finite numbers. Finite numbers, however big (even if you reach the Brahma Planes), whatever end of the pleasure meter, is always dwarfed by infinity. Pleasure of satisfactoriness at lower states do not stack against the satisfactoriness of Nibbana, abite all conventionality breaks down, hence what ever conventional is not present in Nibbana. Normally the pleasantness arise out of sensations or feeling, which are also conditioned, but in Nibhana this is not the case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T14:45:23.860" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T14:45:23.860" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-25T08:13:40.750" Score="7" ViewCount="2236" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the English translation I read, Anatta is translated as not-self and Anicca as impermanence.&#xA;However many Sri Lankan Buddhist monks do not agree with this translation.&#xA;They say it is a miss translation by Buddhagosha.&#xA;According to many Buddhist monks, it appears, Anicca means our inability to control the five aggregate. Anatta means the futile nature of the five aggregate. Is this true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T08:22:33.427" LastActivityDate="2019-12-03T18:13:16.293" Title="What is the meaning of Anicca and Anatta?" Tags="|theravada|anatman|impermanence|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19804" CreationDate="2017-03-25T08:26:03.330" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anatta - non / not self is right. No self is wrong as it is an extreme view. See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca - impermanence. In ability to control comes because of impermanence but this is more to do with Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta is also the in ability to control the 5 aggregates, 6 sense bases and their experience, not anicca.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165&quot;&gt;Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.270" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T12:00:55.323" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19802" CreationDate="2017-03-25T10:02:45.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment &amp;amp; the path to enlightenment (such as meditative jhana) is a higher &amp;amp; better pleasure than any pleasure that can be experienced in ordinary life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the simple, accurate &amp;amp; correct way to view enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/2-dukanipata/007-Sukhavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;65&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Household pleasantness and the pleasantness of one gone forth. Of these two, the&#xA;  pleasantness of one gone forth is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Sensual pleasantness and the pleasantness of giving up sensuality. Of these&#xA;  two, the pleasantness of giving up sensuality is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? The pleasantness with substratum and the pleasantness without substratum.&#xA;  Of these two, the pleasantness without substratum is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? The pleasantness with desires and the pleasantness without desires. Of&#xA;  these two, the pleasantness without desires is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Material pleasantness and immaterial pleasantness. Of these two, immaterial&#xA;  pleasantness is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? The noble pleasantness and the ignoble pleasantness. Of these two, the noble&#xA;  pleasantness is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Bodily pleasantness and mental pleasantness. Of these two, mental&#xA;  pleasantness is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness with joy and pleasantness without joy. Of these two,&#xA;  pleasantness without joy is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness on account of agreeability and pleasantness on account of&#xA;  equanimity. Of these two, pleasantness on account of equanimity is&#xA;  better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness on account of concentration and pleasantness on account&#xA;  of distraction. Of these two, pleasantness on account of concentration&#xA;  is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness with joy for an object and pleasantness without joy for&#xA;  an object. Of these two, pleasantness without joy for an object is&#xA;  better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;76&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness on account of an agreeāble object and pleasantness on&#xA;  accout of equanimity for an object . Of these two, pleasantness on&#xA;  account of equanimity for an object, is better.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, there are two kinds of pleasantness. What two? Pleasantness born on account of a material object and pleasantness&#xA;  born, on account of an immaterial object. Of these two, pleasantness&#xA;  born, on account of an immaterial object is better.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for your other concerns, they are unrelated to Buddhism. Buddhism is not for people who believe ordinary life can be pleasurable most of the time. Buddhism never ever states all people must follow the Buddhist way of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T10:08:45.597" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T10:08:45.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19804" CreationDate="2017-03-25T10:55:24.970" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is 'anatta' that means our inability to control the five aggregate, as found in the Pali as follows, where the word 'anicca' is not found at all:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rūpaṃ, bhikkhave, &lt;strong&gt;anattā&lt;/strong&gt;. Rūpañca hidaṃ, bhikkhave, attā abhavissa, nayidaṃ rūpaṃ ābādhāya saṃvatteyya, labbhetha ca rūpe: ‘evaṃ me rūpaṃ&#xA;  hotu, evaṃ me rūpaṃ mā ahosī’ti. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, rūpaṃ&#xA;  anattā, tasmā rūpaṃ ābādhāya saṃvattati, na ca labbhati rūpe: ‘evaṃ me&#xA;  rūpaṃ hotu, evaṃ me rūpaṃ mā ahosī’ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, form is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, form were self, this form would not lead to disease, and it would be possible to have it&#xA;  of form: ‘Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.’ But because&#xA;  form is nonself, form leads to disease, and it is not possible to&#xA;  have it of form: ‘Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is 'anicca' that means the futile nature ('dukkha') of the five aggregates, as also explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think of this, O monks? Is form permanent (niccaṃ) or&#xA;  impermanent (aniccaṃ)?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent (aniccaṃ), O Lord (O Bhante).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, is it unsatisfactory or&#xA;  satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is&#xA;  it proper to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my&#xA;  self (attā)'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta (not-self) is the recognition that conditioned things (such as the five aggregates) do not belong to you (i.e., are not &quot;mine&quot;) and cannot be an intrinsic permanent &quot;you&quot; (i.e., are not &quot;me&quot;) due to their impermanent (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;) nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-12-17T02:12:28.960" LastActivityDate="2017-12-17T02:12:28.960" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19808" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-25T11:08:34.117" Score="3" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some Buddhist practices which would make someone a better decision maker? Does Sila improve the right view thus enabling better decisions, thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T04:25:58.517" Title="How to become a better decision maker?" Tags="|pali-canon|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19808" CreationDate="2017-03-25T12:08:00.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;All 3:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samadhi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Panna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;helps towards better decision making. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sila&lt;/em&gt; bring moral angle into decisions. &lt;em&gt;Samadhi&lt;/em&gt; may help avoid spontaneous decisions as it is mastery over the mind. &lt;em&gt;Panna&lt;/em&gt; helps to ensure decisions are not tainted by greed, hatred and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view is part of Panna not Sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T12:08:00.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19802" CreationDate="2017-03-25T15:33:16.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you were certain about enlightenment you would either be wrong or enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your thoughts sounds like mine were in the beginning. I thought &quot;What's the big deal, I don't suffer.&quot;, but OMG do we ever suffer and we don't even realize it! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a subtle thing to realize and there is nothing good or bad about it. Good or bad are words made up by human beings. The Dhamma is about moving past words that we think actually exist in our hearts when they only exist in our intellectual and story making minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember the world. You can see how we all suffer rather clearly, if you look at the world as a whole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T15:33:16.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19812" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19778" CreationDate="2017-03-25T15:45:16.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should refer to the Satipattana sutta. While it contains advice on breath meditation, it also guides you about the objective of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Falling short, you may encounter but a momentary bliss, which, since is something that is arisen, will perish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do chose to comment on this answer, I'll dig out more material for you from the original sutta versions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T15:45:16.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19804" CreationDate="2017-03-25T15:50:55.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To understand anatta, you need to understand what is sasvata and what is uccheda very deeply. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, through samma ditti, one might be void of Sakkaaya Ditti, Vicikiccha, Silabbatha Paramasa, but unless you become an arhat, you won't understand Attawada (a consequence of not understanding anatta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T15:50:55.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19808" CreationDate="2017-03-25T19:29:08.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all experienced a situation where it is so easy to advise friends when they face difficulties. But when it comes to us, we become clueless, are left in the dark, we loose perspective.  This is a forgetfulness that accompanies all afflictions. Whenever we are subject to an affliction, be it anger, sadness, lust, etc. we are subject to this type of forgetfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, the three higher trainings (Sila, Samadhi, Panna) will help see things clearly so as to take proper decisions (decision that do not come from fear, frustration, and so forth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But sometimes, when our delusion is too strong, our mind becomes like a suction cup grasping at the object. Taking a step back is extremely difficult. In such circumstances, I find that training in patience is the most important. In fact, it is about abandoning the eight worldly concerns, especially attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are so afraid of pain that, as soon as our mind doesn't go where we want it to go, or doesn't dwell with what we want it to dwell, we try to change its course forcefully. We have the tendency to want to get rid of pain right away and that is not skilled. Ethical discipline and concentration do not come about as long as the mind is not flexible and willing, and this comes by practicing patience. So many times do we not see what is right under our nose just because we want to be some place safer. Practicing patience allows you to take a step back and it makes the mind more open and adaptable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mind that is too rigid and forgetful does not take the context into account and therefore is not proper for taking informed decisions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-03-25T23:23:46.767" LastActivityDate="2017-03-25T23:23:46.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19815" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-25T20:40:45.070" Score="1" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;Considering the development of embryo technology, who does Buddhist Dharma consider as your mother and father: is it the biological parents, or the legal parents?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I ask this question is that killing your mother and father is a heinous kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the monks said that heinous kamma is applicable only for biological mother and the father (i.e. donors of the sperm and the egg). Is this so, and why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-26T01:09:49.143" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T09:58:23.827" Title="Who are your mother and father?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19735" CreationDate="2017-03-26T02:39:51.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on three things.&#xA; If one has big enough karma either good or bad to carry through afterlife, it will surely be carried through.&#xA; If no such big or remarkable karma, the last moment recall what one regularly or frequently done karma which is passed over to immediate afterlife.&#xA;If no two above is in effect, the very last moment karma reflection will have its effect.&#xA;So it is not to question 50:50.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T02:39:51.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19815" CreationDate="2017-03-26T09:58:23.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose you can separate mother and father into those of nature and those of nurture. Whoever provides the genetic code becomes the natural parent, whoever raises the kid becomes the nurturing parent. I wouldn't place much value on the code though - the seriousness of the act of killing a parent is probably more tied to the fact that they have devoted a large fraction of their lives to the rasing of a child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T09:58:23.827" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19802" CreationDate="2017-03-26T11:56:51.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;imagine if we were to live a life composed of 99% satisfactory&#xA;  states&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then that would just be an imagination. Because 100% of life(moments of arising and ceasing of five aggregates) is composed of unsatisfactory states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the first noble truth is something that you should realise. The noble truth of suffering is not just about painful sensations. That is just one type of suffering called &lt;strong&gt;Dukkha-dukkha&lt;/strong&gt;. There's also &lt;strong&gt;Viparinama Dukkha&lt;/strong&gt; that is caused when you cling to pleasant experiences. Then there is &lt;strong&gt;Sankhara Dukkha&lt;/strong&gt; which means the unsatisfactory nature of all conditioned phenomena. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You think drinking, eating, partying or simply feeling pleasurable sensations is good because you haven't realised the first noble truth yet. You think Nibbana is zero because you haven't realised the 3rd noble truth yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-03-26T13:43:11.263" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T13:43:11.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8049" CreationDate="2017-03-26T22:11:45.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I agree with jathin's answer. There was a case in my country a few years ago, where someone on a bus cut off someone else's head. They did that, because they thought that they were sitting next to a devil. The criminal justice trial found them &quot;not guilty of murder by reason of diminished responsibility&quot;, they were remanded for psychiatric care, and later released (with anti-psychotic medication).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I know about kamma but I think that intention follows from view, and if your view is psychotic (e.g. if you think you're sitting next to a devil) then I'm not sure.&#xA;I slightly doubt whether Buddhism would recommend you kill even a &quot;devil&quot; if you meet one: but still.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Vinaya (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;page 74 through 86&lt;/a&gt;) identifies what constitutes murder:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Object: the victim must have been human&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Intention and perception: the assailant must have intended to cause death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Effort: the assailant must have done something to cause death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Result: the victim had to actually die as a result&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether the Vinaya rule is the same as &quot;kamma&quot;, but I'd argue that psychosis may prevent intention and/or perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my country, an adult who is psychotic may be given a court-appointed legal guardian -- that is, if they're unable to make informed decisions, if they cannot give informed consent, because they are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unable to understand the choices available to them&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unable to understand the likely consequences of each choice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first story of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; is about someone who couldn't see with their eyes. Maybe someone with psychosis cannot properly see with their mind (and cannot form criminal intent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T22:11:45.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2017-03-26T22:11:58.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not composed of name-&amp;amp;-form, feeling, seems to be associated with the cessation of feeling &amp;amp; perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is that dimension, monks, where there is neither earth, nor&#xA;  water, nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of&#xA;  space, nor dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension&#xA;  of nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor&#xA;  non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor&#xA;  moon. And there, I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor&#xA;  staying; neither passing away nor arising: unestablished,&#xA;  unevolving, without support.This, just this, is&#xA;  the end of stress.&quot; (Ud 8.1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is, monks, an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If&#xA;  there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there&#xA;  would not be the case that escape from the born — become — made —&#xA;  fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an&#xA;  unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, escape from the born —&#xA;  become — made — fabricated is discerned.&quot; (Ud 8.3)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is outside of the realm where concepts like &quot;permanent&quot; and &quot;impermanent&quot; exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Creator (Brahma) exists but is temporary (even if His existence is for an extremely extremely long time-period) and is subject to the laws of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2017-03-26T22:11:58.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19824" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-27T02:55:17.707" Score="1" ViewCount="3798" Body="&lt;p&gt;One hears of Buddhist monks and of priests. What is the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2019-07-16T07:15:41.633" Title="What's the difference between monks and priests?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="4068" CreationDate="2017-03-27T03:05:48.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those that follow the Buddha's teaching don't try to really believe anything, instead they try to see the exact truth of what is coming through the senses and mind in every moment, moment by moment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no Creator God in the Buddha's teaching because the concept never came up when the Buddha discovered the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is technically not permanent because there is nothing to be permanent. What is permanent in Nibbana is &quot;nothing&quot; so if  nothing arises in Nibbana, suffering is permanently ceased, see? Nibbana is the ultimate abode of those that become disenchanted by Samsara&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T03:05:48.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19826" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19808" CreationDate="2017-03-27T04:25:58.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even if a follower of the Way attempts to improve him/herself through Sila (true morality), it is not possible if the pragna (intellectual and intuitive faculties) are not developed in him/her. Only pragna gives the force or energy with which one can confront the enemies that are of loba (greed), dosa (hatred), moha (delusion). That is why when talking about the Noble Eightfold Path, it is very common to group the 8 points under three headings, 1) panna, 2) sila, 3) samadhi. It is a gradual training. To understand this read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anubuddha Sutta: Understanding – AN4.1&lt;/a&gt;, and Sakka Sutta: To the Sakyan – AN3.73, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Culavedalla Sutta: The Shorter Set of Questions-and-Answers _MN44&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The three aggregates of virtue, concentration, &amp;amp; discernment are not included under the noble eightfold path, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three aggregates. Right speech, right action, &amp;amp; right livelihood come under the aggregate of virtue. Right effort, right mindfulness, &amp;amp; right concentration come under the aggregate of concentration. Right view &amp;amp; right resolve come under the aggregate of discernment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also being mindful is important. Day in and day out, each of us is making a lot of decisions that nobody else will know. It is the internal dialogue that goes on with us. If you are aware of this, you will know which little decisions you make from moment to moment to moment. That’s what you want to learn how to observe. Developing your inner sensitivity as much as you can, you are able to make sure your decisions are going in the right direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T04:25:58.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19827" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-27T05:01:45.143" Score="2" ViewCount="252" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was trying to do Vipassana at home, I experienced vibrations in entire body. But there, in the Vipassana training centre, my face becomes so heavy that I could not focus on my body. &lt;strong&gt;Why was that happening?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever I closes my eyes my entire face starts with vibrations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was trying to focus on nose, automatically I felt something very strong between eye brows, but gradually I was able to neglect it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day my a certain part of my left arm was on fire (felt literally burning). &lt;strong&gt;Does that mean something?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For every question, teacher had the same answer: “These are previous birth mind’s Disorder which are healing now”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On 6th day again face was so heavy, so I gave up and started talking with other people who were not so serious, bunked classes, went to the mountain near by, then I felt a bit normal; on lowering my diet I felt more normal; on 9th day I felt vibration flow in entire body only on surface of body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In between, for 3 consecutive days (4th, 5th, and 6th days), I saw a Dog, Snake and Centipede before sleeping, as soon as I closed my eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attending this course I have more clear knowledge of how this technique works; but I want to know, &lt;strong&gt;is that all Buddha taught, or is there something else?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-27T08:27:14.217" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T14:32:55.367" Title="Questions from 10 Days Mr. Goenka Vipassana Course?" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19828" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19824" CreationDate="2017-03-27T08:14:15.260" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;So far as I know (I may be wrong), &quot;priest&quot; is only used of Japan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read three different theories for that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One is that the term is for Japanese monks who marry (or who may marry). Usually part of the definition of a Buddhist &quot;monk&quot; (in any country) is that they keep some version of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vinaya&lt;/a&gt; (which includes celibacy). I think that Japan is exceptional, for historical reasons. Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_monasticism#East_Asia&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist monasticism -- EastAsia&lt;/a&gt; currently says (see the original for hyperlinks and references),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In East Asia, monastics live in greater isolation from the lay population than is observed in most Theravada countries. Because of local conditions of geography and climate, as well as local attitudes towards begging, monks generally do not make begging rounds in China, Korea, Vietnam, and many parts of Japan. Instead, monasteries receive donations of bulk food (such as rice) and funds for the purchase of food that is then stored and prepared at the monastery. Many monks and nuns are vegetarians and, after Baizhang Huaihai, many monks farm food to eat; some work or sell. Most eat after noon. The management of the kitchen and monastery properties may be the purview of a specially designated layman or a monk who has been given a special role by the abbot of the monastery. Monks chant many mantras in regular living.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monastics in Japan are particularly exceptional in the Buddhist tradition because the monks and nuns can marry after receiving their higher ordination. This idea is said to be introduced by Saichō, the founder of the Tendai school, who preferred ordaining monks under the Bodhisattva vows rather than the traditional Vinaya. &lt;strong&gt;There had long been many instances of Jōdo Shinshū priests and priestesses marrying&lt;/strong&gt;, influenced by the sect's founder Shinran, but it was not predominant until a government Nikujiku Saitai Law (肉食妻帯) was passed during the Meiji Restoration that monks or priests of any Buddhist sect are free to seek wives. This practice influenced Korea and Taiwan. A nun in Taiwan gave birth. Some Korean monks live with wives in their monasteries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second is that &quot;priest&quot; is used for senior monks, who have graduated and are no longer students. Note the quote above, which says that &quot;monks and nuns can marry after receiving their higher ordination&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, some perform the role of priests in other religions (i.e. Shinto). Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai#Tendai_and_Shinto&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tendai and Shinto&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tendai doctrine allowed Japanese Buddhists to reconcile Buddhist teachings with the native religion of Japan, Shinto, and with traditional Japanese aesthetics. In the case of Shinto, the difficulty is the reconciliation of the pantheon of Japanese gods, as well as with the myriad spirits associated with places, shrines or objects, with the Buddhist doctrine that one should not concern oneself with any religious practice save the pursuit of enlightenment. However, priests of the Tendai sect argued that Kami are simply representations of the truth of universal buddhahood that descend into the world to help mankind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In English (Christianity) the difference between priest and monk is that a monk lives in a monastery or priory (with other monks); while a priest will, more likely, live alone (in parish) to serve the lay community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T08:14:15.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19827" CreationDate="2017-03-27T09:10:31.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Give not importance to any of these experiences. They are just conditioning. If you give importance of have prejudice towards any meditative experience, you might end up generating aversion and craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What these experiences could be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you are more sensitive to these vibration&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%ABti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piti&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sukha&lt;/a&gt; has surfaced&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vibrations are part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahābhūta&lt;/a&gt; and you mind is becoming sensitive enough to experience it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;other past &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhara&lt;/a&gt; manifesting itself as vibrations (above included)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get such an experience try to see the arising and passing nature of it! This experience, as with any other experience, in essential you your practice of equanimity. Whatever your experience be equanimous - this is the exercise and what you should be doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I saw a Dog, Snake and Centipede before sleeping, as soon as I closed my eyes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People have odd dreams / day dreams. I am not sure what this means. Buddhism does not deach how to interpret dreams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like anything else, do not give any importance. Be equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is a lot more of what the Buddha taught than what is taught in a 10 day course. The Tipitaka is very vast. This contains all which what Buddha taught.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-27T09:25:51.807" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T09:25:51.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19831" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19833" CreationDate="2017-03-27T09:55:25.090" Score="3" ViewCount="241" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr Goenka teaches that there are six senses including mind, and that when we observe them in vipassana we eradicate our sankaras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, nearly all my senses are on my face: like taste, smell, hearing, and seeing. Only &quot;touch&quot; and &quot;mind&quot; I am not sure of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why not just focus on the my facial sensations, and do it smartly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, what is the use of observing my legs' sensation, when I am fighting with anger, frustration, love, etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-27T10:16:37.503" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T12:59:07.590" Title="Why is it necessary to scan entire body in Vipassana?" Tags="|vipassana|lay-buddhism|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19832" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-27T10:59:09.467" Score="5" ViewCount="2213" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suffer from a psychic disease (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_personality_disorder&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;borderline disease of personality)&lt;/a&gt; which has turned my life into hell for at least half of the time, I spend several hours a day crying desperately and nothing helps, not the psychotherapy nor the medicines. I am obsessed with the idea that I'm suffering so much because in some way I &quot;deserve&quot; it according to the karma law, for having done something very bad in a past life. Is it true? It may seem weird, but this answer means a lot to me. Thank you for your answers in advance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11051" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-27T17:52:02.650" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T16:43:34.167" Title="Is psychic disease related to bad karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19831" CreationDate="2017-03-27T11:02:49.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, what is the use of observing my legs' sensation, when I am fighting with anger, frustration, love, etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are angry the distribution of the sensations through the body may take one form. When in love another. There will be places where sensations are more intense, but nevertheless there is sensations throughout.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why not just focus on ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it necessary to scan entire body in Vipassana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to understand the full sphere of experience. You have to understand all sensations in the body. If you move from more gross or intense sensations to another, you will never understand the more subtle sensations. You have to come to a state where you experience any sensation in the body, always, and though the body. This is how you will know the whole sphere of experiences is unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;touch&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Throughout your body - skin&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;head and around the heart&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind. When something happens in the mind also bodily sensations arise. When something happens in the body metal sensations arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T11:02:49.203" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-27T11:09:58.357" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The working of Karma is complex. This can be Karmic, genetic (Bija Niyama), random (Dhamma Niyama - other cosmic laws). Karma can very well play a part, but we could only just speculate. Roughly only 1/5th of all experiences are due to Karma, the rest constituting other Niyama Dhamma. Only a fully enlightened Buddha may know the answer for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if this helps in dealing with the situation perhaps it can be used to console your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Niyama&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T02:57:20.983" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T02:57:20.983" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-27T11:37:09.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is psychic disease related to bad karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything one experiences now is the result of previous Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can think of it as playing a card game, and being dealt a handful of cards. One has no control over which cards one has been given. It's now up to oneself to play that hand as best (wholesome, meritorious) as possible, in order to assure that future kamma will be wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Suminda mentions, &lt;em&gt;Kamma&lt;/em&gt; is a deeply complex phenomenon that only a fully enlightened Buddha can understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is also why the Buddha categorized Kamma as one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four Imponderables (Acinteyya)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four imponderables are identified in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.77&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta (AN 4.77)&lt;/a&gt;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The jhana-range of a person in jhana…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The [precise working out of the] results of kamma…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha advised not to ponder these 4 phenomena as it will lead to restlessness and agitation of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When thoughts about the working of Kamma arise, one should instead turn them into objects of observation: thereby using them as a means to cultivate insights into the true nature of reality. Insight meditation (Vipassana) is the tool/method the Buddha taught. Vipassana is designed to dispel &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; by letting the mind see clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One comes to see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Three Characteristics of Existence&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, ie. &lt;em&gt;Impermanence, unsatisfactory and uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one sees e.g. &lt;em&gt;impermanence of phenomena&lt;/em&gt; one understands that the Kamma that was made in previous lives was made by a &amp;quot;being&amp;quot;, that is not the same being as the one now experiencing the results of that Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T16:43:34.167" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19836" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-27T12:31:44.080" Score="2" ViewCount="327" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think most would say that anger and prejudice are the main obstacles to compassion, but I'm wondering on the topic of sympathetic joy. If everything is empty, and suffering, and impermanent, how can we be happy for the joys of others which are empty, and ultimately suffering? I feel like being happy for a joy which is in fact suffering is like being glad someone took poison. I would like to develop compassion for other's joys--the real joys that will further their lives--but I find most of the things people are satisfied by detrimental things. Any thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Also, I wonder how, since everything is intrinsically empty, one can truly be happy for events occurring to someone else since they have no absolute effects. This would imply one would have to be happy for the happy emotions others have in themselves rather than what occurs, but once again, but Buddha explained these as suffering, even the most blissful states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T02:36:56.097" Title="Barriers to Compassion" Tags="|compassion|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19836" CreationDate="2017-03-27T12:51:42.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is subjected to 3 characteristics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;what is conditioned - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=277&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada Verses 277, 278 and 279&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;each link of &lt;a href=&quot;http://Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/39.5-Paccaya-S-s12.20-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Jāti) Paccaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5 argerates - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.2-Anatta-Lakkhana-S-s22.59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/47.4-Khandha-Silavanta-S-s22.122-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Khandha) Sīla,vanta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;6 sense bases, their respective objects and experiences - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.9-Pubba-Sambodha-S-1-s35.13-ajjhatta-piya1.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pubba Sambodha Sutta 1 (Ajjhatta)&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.10-Pubba-Sambodha-S-2-s35.14-bahiddha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pubba Sambodha Sutta 2 (Bahiddha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally you should try to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Characteristics&lt;/a&gt; based on one of the above frameworks. Also the 3 Characteristics are not the end it self but means to an end, viz., because of impermanence, things are unsatisfactory, what is unsatisfactory should be lung to as me or mine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahmavihara also is conditioned. Therefore the result of such practice will be subjected to these characteristics, but this practice serves a different purpose. The purpose develop such qualities by breaking barriers on how you classify beings whatever the criteria. It severs a useful and benevolent purpose, hence is it not an empty practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Equanimity is one of the Brahmavihara. Even when you wish someone well and it does not materialise be equanimous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T10:44:38.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19831" CreationDate="2017-03-27T12:59:07.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, this is the ensure you are aware of craving occurring in any of the six senses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, your bed in which you sleep might give you &quot;comfort&quot; and you are likely to appreciate it as &quot;good&quot; and think &quot;this comfort is me&quot;, or &quot;this comfort is mine&quot;, or &quot;this comfort is experienced by my soul&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of vipassana is about identifying and removing such false view. To do this, one needs to be aware of what is going on in all six senses. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T12:59:07.590" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19840" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19901" CreationDate="2017-03-27T13:17:31.880" Score="5" ViewCount="478" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see two Pali words which are translated into English as &quot;intention&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cetanā&lt;/a&gt; used in the definition of karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp3.php&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankappa&lt;/a&gt; used in the definition of the Noble Eightfold Way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do these two words mean exactly the same thing? If not, what is the difference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2018-03-04T01:30:14.370" Title="What does &quot;intention&quot; mean?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19840" CreationDate="2017-03-27T13:26:27.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sankappa - thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samma Sankappa - benevolent thoughts, throughs of non violence&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cetanā - intention, volition, will (to act)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Latter is on thoughts which drive action and former is thoughts in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-27T13:47:18.283" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T13:47:18.283" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19836" CreationDate="2017-03-27T14:07:31.720" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With practice, you can be content by reflecting on the good karma of others rather than joy or happiness. It is very close, if not the same, to praise. For example, if someone you're showing compassion to is now able to feel happy, then you can think &quot;Now this person has the opportunity to practice dhamma since his problems are lesser. This is good&quot;. Maybe you can go further and help the person practice dhamma even for a second. This way, you don't cultivate thoughts that nurture attachment, nor do you appreciate any wrong joy or happiness in the other person you helped (such as thanha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T14:07:31.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19840" CreationDate="2017-03-27T14:15:11.237" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cetana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is executed by &lt;strong&gt;action&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;speech&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;thinking&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samma &lt;strong&gt;Sankappa&lt;/strong&gt; - Right Thinking &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samma &lt;strong&gt;Vaca&lt;/strong&gt; - Right Speech &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Samma &lt;strong&gt;Kammantha&lt;/strong&gt; - Right Action &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the difference is Cetana includes speech and action where as Sankappa by itself only includes thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that &quot;Right&quot; here is explained properly by Samma Ditti and doesn't mean right action in general sense (eg. Teaching, Nursing). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T14:15:11.237" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19827" CreationDate="2017-03-27T14:32:55.367" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha spoke mainly of discipline related to the &lt;strong&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;. He also says one must understand &lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no place I've seen Buddha speaking of meditation which doesn't speak of either &lt;strong&gt;The Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whichever form of meditation teaching you follow that doesn't emphasize on these facts actively, isn't Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Body is a very complex system. YouTube contains a lot of material on this such as what happens in the body when a virus enters or how many other things live inside us. So what you experience could be one of many million things, if not more. Please don't take this the wrong way. What I suggest is you follow the right meditation, as explained by Buddhas teacher - &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma, the teacher recommended by Buddha himself, is still available and easy to understand, which begs the question of why follow some other teacher? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T14:32:55.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-27T14:40:55.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I hope you get well soon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I suggest you start focusing on the times you feel well and better; use it to practice dhamma. Meanwhile, also gather material on Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha (such as their nobility). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are facing undesirable symptoms, repeat the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha material you gathered. Do it quietly or aloud. Be sure that you know why this is useful to you. If not, it will sound like some useless or crazy activity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Get well soon! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T14:40:55.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-27T15:03:59.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think (as part of my personal opinion or speculation, this may be not Buddhist doctrine) that &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma#Early_development&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt;&quot; was a religious concept which pre-dated Buddhism -- it was part of the Vedic religion. I'm not sure but it might have been used in a &quot;rites and rituals&quot; sense (e.g. &quot;if we perform this rite and ritual, that is good karma, which will have a good outcome in future&quot;); or, possibly, which was an explanation of (and justification for) rebirth (e.g. &quot;we are high-born and high-caste because we did good in a previous life, and you are low-born because you must have done something bad to deserve that&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha taught, some of his teaching should be understood in that context (i.e. his doctrine was addressed to and meant to correct some  contemporary views of people he met and their culture).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One example of that is his addressing Brahmins, who perhaps believed that they were good (or holy) because of how they were born and/or what ritual actions they performed. So the Buddha corrects that, saying that whether he calls someone &quot;holy&quot; depends e.g. on how they behave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I take his teaching on Karma to be intended to correct or to replace the contemporary Vedic view: and I think it's not what &quot;you&quot; may or may not have done in the past that matters so much, what really matters (or what's more important) is &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/19840/254&quot;&gt;your present &quot;intention&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:05.990" LastActivityDate="2017-03-27T15:03:59.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19849" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-27T19:58:22.073" Score="0" ViewCount="818" Body="&lt;p&gt;I need your kind suggestion regarding different terms in our Buddhism. I wanted to know:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the difference between Dhamma Diksha and Dhamma Parivarta?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If a person from Hindu religion is getting Buddha Dhamma Diksha then will he be Buddhist on documentary basis? Or is Dhamma Diksha a kind of vidhi that the person needs to go through?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11055" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T07:51:40.120" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T09:52:11.350" Title="What is the difference between Dhamma Diksha and Dhamma Parivarta" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19850" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-28T00:06:17.910" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the teachings about kamma are for the purpose of promoting good behaviour rather than for diagnosing the cause of psychiatric illness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Psychiatric illness is generally caused by a genetic neurological disorder of the brain or, otherwise, kamma (actions) in the present life, such as an accidental brain injury or intentional drug use. It is definitely not caused by actions in a past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his 2nd sermon about the ultimate truth or ultimately reality, the Buddha taught every component of the human life ('the five aggregates') can be subject to disease/damage (ābādhāya). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the five aggregates of a fully enlightened person can have disease/damage (ābādhāya), such as the famous Thai monk named Ajahn Chah, who had a brain disease in his old age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, about the cause of your illness, you should follow the advice of your doctor rather than listen to Buddhists who speculate superstitiously about unknowable past life karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T23:30:47.960" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T23:30:47.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19852" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19836" CreationDate="2017-03-28T00:41:46.893" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Three Characteristics are teachings or &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; objects for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four Brahma Vihara are social attitudes rather than teachings for enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is the wish for others to be free from suffering, including the wish that evil doers be free from the suffering that pushes them to do evil deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sympathetic joy is rejoicing in or appreciating the good actions of others, such as if a person saves the life of another person. Sympathetic joy is not something practised towards evil doers. Only three Brahma Vihara can be practised towards evil doers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The noble path has three trainings therefore Brahma Vihara is part of the training in Right Thought &amp;amp; Right Conduct towards others, which is based in conventional reality rather than the ultimate reality of Emptiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha is perfect in both enlightened understanding &amp;amp; conventional behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T00:41:46.893" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19853" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19911" CreationDate="2017-03-28T00:46:26.973" Score="1" ViewCount="943" Body="&lt;p&gt;i have heard that buddism also says that multiverse exists. So, i want to ask something. Before few weeks, i saw two dreams in which I was totally aware of myself and at that time at those places, i can clearly feel that whatever I was experiencing, they are Real. In other word, if somebody would have come at that time and told me, this is your dream, than i would have laughed to much. In other words, I can still remember all the detail of that place(dream) and time, the detail of my hands etc. How can this be possible? As I've heard that worlds are just state of mind, similarly dream also. So does that makes, the dream world also as a real world, if a person is always their? Can I again feel such experience? That was very cool, I can still remember that. Before sleeping that night, I was thinking about how multiverse is possible, which I think sometime a because these things are very cool, specially from spirtual path. Were those two of the universe(world) among infinite other universe?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T18:51:21.850" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T02:19:22.793" Title="Are multiverses real according to Buddhism" Tags="|mind-and-matter|mind-states|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19853" CreationDate="2017-03-28T01:11:11.223" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist teaching you can experience the following worlds by practicing meditation (Jhana) except States of Deprivation (apaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T09:59:12.637" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T09:59:12.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-28T04:04:19.697" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, revered Gotama, some ascetics and brahmans who have this doctrine and view: 'Whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is caused by previous action.' Now, what does the revered Gotama say about this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Produced by (disorders of the) bile, there arise, Sivaka, certain kinds of feelings. That this happens, can be known by oneself; also in the world it is accepted as true. Produced by (disorders of the) phlegm... of wind... of (the three) combined... by change of climate... by adverse behavior... by injuries... by the results of Kamma — (through all that), Sivaka, there arise certain kinds of feelings. That this happens can be known by oneself; also in the world it is accepted as true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.nypo.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T04:04:19.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19849" CreationDate="2017-03-28T07:47:23.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that Diksha and Pravartan both mean something like initiation or commencement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diksha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Diksha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; apparently means &quot;preparation&quot; and &quot;initiation&quot; (and may be used ceremonially).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pravartan&lt;/em&gt; is used in the Sanskrit name of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra&lt;/a&gt; which is translated as &quot;The &lt;em&gt;Setting in Motion&lt;/em&gt; of the Wheel of the Dharma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How the words are used might vary depending on the school.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the phrase is used in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement#Twenty-two_vows_of_Ambedkar&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalit Buddhist movement&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After receiving ordination, Ambedkar gave &lt;em&gt;dhamma diksha&lt;/em&gt; to his followers. The ceremony included 22 vows given to all new converts after Three Jewels and Five Precepts. On 14 October 1956 at Nagpur, Ambedkar performed another mass religious conversion ceremony at Chandrapur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He prescribed 22 vows to his followers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, nor shall I worship them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Three Jewels&quot; (also called &quot;Refuge&quot;) and the &quot;Five Precepts&quot;, which are mentioned in the quote above, are the traditional Buddhist initiation ceremonies -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-triple-refugee/215-how-to-take-the-triple-refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;taking refuge&lt;/a&gt; (and various numbers of precepts) are common to all schools of Buddhism, and are one of the definitions of &quot;being a Buddhist&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T09:17:15.230" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T09:17:15.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19858" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-28T08:25:09.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unlike what some other posters suggest, karma is an essential and fundamental part of Buddhism. Buddhism does not make any sense without karma. Karma acknowledge that things happen due to action, due to cause and conditions, this is fundamental understanding of dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the psychological level, acceptance of karma, can help prevent the mind from ending up in the state of nihilism, that things happen for no reason at all. Or that nothing meaningful occur through one's actions. Or that there is no consequences to one's actions because of bodily death. This state of Nihilism is considered very dangerous in Buddhism because it gives rise to deluded mental states and will negatively your ethical behavior as well as your personal happiness will suffer as a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact karma also offer hopes that your present actions will change your future outcome. Regardless of what is happening to you at present. Some level of faith is required and in fact faith itself is positive karma due to the positive effect on the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhist doctrines, each person have accrued countless bad karma from previous lives, indeed most people are accrueing negative karma at very present moment even as they &quot;do nothing&quot; because of the mental afflictions in their mind, eventually manifesting in evil speech and actions. To reverse that process will require you to overcome your negative habits and karma every step of the way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will hurt. From what I observed successful practitioners (monks among others) will have stories of experiencing horrible karmic fruition before they make break through. Such as suddenly breaking out in skin diseases, being seriously ill, even collapsing and breaking teeth before they could ordain. For me personally during taking the Five Precepts ceremony I nearly fainted while bleeding heavily through my nose. But I would have to say that since then the effect has been a profound change in my life, I was able to control much more of cravings and urges before. Ethics is a fundamental part of the Noble Eightfold Path, you can't expect to cultivate concentration or wisdom without it. I wish you the best and hope you can turn your life around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T08:25:09.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19853" CreationDate="2017-03-28T10:20:46.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;31 Planes of existence coming together is one universe. There are infinite similar universes according to the Abhidhamma. This may be similar to multiverse but unlike in Sci Fi there are no duplicates of beings and duplication of events as per my understanding. Generally rebirth is within the universe but there are times beings can be reborn in intergalactic space / hell which are the coldest places every. Such being may end up in other universes. The universe we live in is a lucky place since it is here a Buddha appears. So only the lucky beings inhabit this universe through there are infinite such being in the universe. There are infinite being in each universe. The cycles of creation and destruction in each universe may not be the same as in such universes may not be habitable. Generally I would believe even with psychic powers you may not know the bounds of the universe of see beyond this universe. Perhaps only The Buddha and a few of the great disciples may have managed to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-28T11:40:25.520" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T11:40:25.520" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19853" CreationDate="2017-03-28T11:33:20.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A multiverse isn't a finite concept (since the number of probabilities of splitting a universe is countless). Similarly, some theories state that all state exist but come to realization based on the observer. You can, at the risk of going against what Buddha advices, go ahead and think in ways such as such States come to existence based on the choices we make. Thus it's still Karma, and such States are just realization of choices we make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of thinking is clearly detrimental for realizing dhamma according to Buddha. Buddha States clearly that the &lt;strong&gt;world&lt;/strong&gt;, multi or single, starts with our six senses and ceases to exist once we are no longer born. Maybe that gives you a hint on how the six senses, accompanied with inputs, produces vingnana, which Buddha calls an illusion (thereby probably making a multiverse an illusion too) and tricks you into contemplating useless subject matter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T11:33:20.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19861" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19862" CreationDate="2017-03-28T12:00:00.900" Score="4" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know what the right age for a child to learn meditation, for example if I do anapana with a toddler, can it stop the development or it will help the child to stay into panya later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana courses starts from 8 year old, but that may be due to other reasons, but personally I think I can teach my daughter as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time she is less than 3 months old, and she had started making sounds, I know it doesn't make any sense, but this is the age when infants  start to learn and copy things right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think if I act like I am breathing my daughter will stop copying me in coming months, so could doing anapana  be good or bad for her?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T11:23:03.073" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T11:23:03.073" Title="Should I teach an infant practice Anapana?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|tibetan-buddhism|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="19862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19861" CreationDate="2017-03-28T13:03:49.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a 17 month old and personally I feel there needs to be an intention to meditate in an individual, rather than blind copying or operant conditioning.. An infant's mind effectively goes through a process of building a self in the first few years and Buddhist thought goes against such a process in a way that I don't think a really young infant will comprehend. Myself, I am waiting till the kid hits 2.5-3 years old, when he will have enough access to language to begin the process of meditation through a personal, conscious choice (if he doesn't want to, then I won't force and will wait!).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T13:03:49.450" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19863" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19836" CreationDate="2017-03-28T17:44:34.350" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think the main topic of the question is &quot;sympathetic joy&quot;, not &quot;compassion&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Muditā is translated &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt; as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;muditā&lt;/strong&gt;: altruistic or sympathetic joy, consisting of rejoicing at others' success and good fortune.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;defines it here&lt;/a&gt;  but without first-hand reference to scripture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-066.html#mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;suttas which describe the four Brahmavaharas&lt;/a&gt; it's defined as &quot;devoid of ill-will&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He dwells pervading one direction with a citta imbued with muditā, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, transversely, everywhere and in every respect, he dwells pervading the entire world with a citta imbued with muditā, abundant, extensive, boundless, devoid of hostility, devoid of ill-will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a long definition of the Brahmaviharas in Chapter IX of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Visuddhimagga&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Starting with loving-kindness, even towards a hostile person&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then (about 17 pages later) about developing compassion, even towards a robber about to be executed (but if you feel too hostile for compassion, try loving-kindness as previously described)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then try to develop gladness (mudita), for which the advice is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UTS8K.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UTS8K.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fourthly, equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that I take it that it's a sympathetic joy: if you &quot;feel&quot; compassionate when someone else is sad, sympathetic joy is what you feel when, because, taking your cue from someone else being happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another explanation is that the purpose of the practice is to make you devoid of hostility: devoid of jealousy, for example (e.g. &quot;I'm happy for his success&quot; rather than &quot;I'm envious of his success&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammadhatu's answer might be right as well. For example, some people might feel glad because of good or skillful actions. If you feel their gladness then you too are made glad as a result of good or skillful actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-28T17:44:34.350" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19864" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19867" CreationDate="2017-03-28T22:16:37.577" Score="3" ViewCount="1523" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, I'd like to say I'm a scientist. This means fact will always come before faith, even if it hurts. In general, one's opinion doesn't mean much if the question itself has no meaning, but when the question is well phrased and has a quantitative background, then experiment is the ultimate - and decisive - destination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, I'm afraid this will be a rather long question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Walpola Rahula in his book &lt;a href=&quot;https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0802130313&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt;, Buddhism denies the existence of a soul or spirit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism stands unique in the history of human thought in denying the existence of such a Soul, Self, or Atman. According to the teaching of the Buddha, the idea of self is an imaginary, false belief which has no corresponding reality, and it produces harmful thoughts of 'me' and 'mine', selfish desire, craving, attachment, hatred, ill-will, conceit, pride, egoism, and other defilements, impurities and problems. It is the source of all the troubles in the world from personal conflicts to wars between&#xA;  nations. In short, to this false view can be traced all the evil in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This pleases me very much. As a scientist, I cannot conceive the existence of something we cannot observe or measure that lives on after I die. Everything Buddhism talks about pleases me very much: everything is dukkha, there's a way out of dukkha, we are unhappy because we cling to everything, and the path outside this unhappiness is to understand nothing has intrinsic value or meaning. In resume: I think Buddhism, unlike the other religions I've been exposed to, is beautiful and makes sense. But then I have a problem - and it's a big one, because it's in the eye of the tornado. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Walpola Rahula (same book), &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will, volition, desire, thirst to exist, to continue, to become more and more, is a tremendous force that moves whole lives, whole existences, that even moves the whole world. This is the greatest force, the greatest energy in the world. According to Buddhism, this force does not stop with the non-functioning of the body, which is death; but it continues manifesting itself in another form, producing re-existence which is called rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now we have a problem. I've seen people discussing the differences between mind, brain, consciousness, etc. Well, science is pretty clear: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-graziano/the-spirit-dies-when-the-brain-dies_b_983852.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the evidence is now overwhelming that every aspect of the mind is produced by the brain.&lt;/a&gt; I'm pretty familiar with NMR scanning and did read some hundreds of articles about the subject, and we have a huge, massive consensus that nothing survives our death. Not a &lt;em&gt;force&lt;/em&gt;, not a &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt;... Nothing. We can't see nothing. It doesn't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, I have come to a more traditional (non-westernized) version of rebirth by reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pura-vida/201312/buddhist-reincarnation-and-the-silliness-about-souls&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this wonderful, majestically written article&lt;/a&gt; by an evolutionary biologist (and aspiring Buddhist): even though people like to talk about rebirth as a deterministic process, it is not. It appears Buddha himself (see article) has said that rebirth is like lighting a candle with another's fire: everything is lost and there cannot be a causal process that links you to &quot;former lives&quot;. Actually, the only part of rebirth that doesn't violate scientific laws is to say that my atoms will be reborn in other creatures and objects. And that pleases me very much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, a famous quote says that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If science proves some belief of Buddhism is wrong, then Buddhism will have to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is attributed to Dalai Lama (probably wrongly), and is found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/our-faith-in-science.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in this great article by Tenzin Gyatso&lt;/a&gt;, where many scientifically proved benefits of meditation are discussed. If this sentence makes sense to Buddhists, why do they keep insisting in the concept of rebirth? Science is clear: there's no support of any evidence in its favour, at least not in the way I see people treating the subject. Buddha's metaphor about &quot;lighting candles&quot; is much better to have as an example, since it doesn't contradict facts, even though it doesn't make a lot of sense either. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'd therefore like to know passages from suttas where Buddha affirms that knowledge of past lives is unattainable, or at least where He elucidates reincarnation is not something causal. If there aren't any, why do people still believing in this concept? Only because they feel safer?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edit:&lt;/strong&gt; This question is turning into a chimaera of weird unwanted lessons: people telling me I'm not ready for knowledge, or that articles that elucidate their misconceptions are not valid, or that I don't know the meaning of truth, or people trying to teach me concepts my PhD is about, and even people saying their own views are perfect. Until now, the most useful references where given by Dhammadhatu, and the best answers by ChrisW and Tenzin Dorje. Please refrain from counselling and preaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11063" LastEditorUserId="385" LastEditDate="2017-10-12T11:59:24.203" LastActivityDate="2017-10-12T15:51:01.177" Title="Consciousness, death and reincarnation" Tags="|rebirth|science|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="11" CommentCount="20" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-28T22:41:27.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Everything is dukkha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everything is dukkha. Otherwise, there would be no way out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nothing has intrinsic value or meaning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not so much that phenomena lack intrinsic value or meaning, it is that they lack intrinsic existence. The object of negation is a mode of existence, it is not just value or meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to your question, consciousness is &lt;em&gt;that which is clear and knowing&lt;/em&gt;. It is in the nature of clarity and has the function of knowing. Since a consciousness is always a consciousness of something, we usually speak in terms of instances. For instance, we speak of &quot;an eye consciousness apprehending a cup&quot;, &quot;an ear consciousness apprehending a birdsong&quot;, &quot;a memory consciousness remembering a person&quot; and so forth. There is no consciousness that does not depend on a basis that is its apprehended object. This is one of the various reasons we say there is no soul (if by soul we mean something immaterial that does not depend on an apprehended object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, we would probably agree with the scientific claim that &quot;Consciousness depends on the brain.&quot; The whole question is: In what way does consciousness depend on the brain? What is the nature of that dependence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A consciousness also depends on its apprehended object, since there is no independent consciousness. A consciousness also depends on its function, since there is no consciousness that does not accomplish a function. A consciousness also depends on the previous moment of consciousness, and so forth. Thus, a consciousness depends on various factors, but that does not mean that these factors are necessary conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt His Holiness (whom you quote) would be convinced that the brain and consciousness (that is, the mind stream) are one entity. I doubt he would be convinced one is a necessary condition of the other. In fact, there is no proof that the brain is a necessary condition, merely that consciousness depends on it. In short, we do not know the nature of this dependence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All in all, His Holiness's school posits that the substantial cause of consciousness is a preceding moment of consciousness. It means that a consciousness is like a seed to a tree. A seed causes the tree, it becomes the tree, it no longer exists at the time of the tree (unlike your parents who caused your birth and still exist after that), and is a necessary condition. It is the main reason why we say that, since a consciousness can not turn into anything but a next moment of consciousness, the continuum does not end. So-called Hinayana tenets might hold a different view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T14:52:39.793" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T14:52:39.793" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-29T00:32:02.087" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha says the world begins with the six senses. Where there is a formation of the fix senses, there is formation of the world. (&lt;strong&gt;Samyutta Nikaya -1 / 1.7.10 - Loka Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;). Where there is no formation of the six senses, the world ceases to exist (&lt;strong&gt;Samyutta Nikaya - 2 / 1.5.4 - Loka Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science looks at birth as something that occurs in the world, or universe. Buddhism on the otherhand stipulated that world (universe) as something that occurs with the formation of the six senses. A scientist, looking at this scientifically, will have to agree, or disprove that the world ceases to exist where there is no six senses. A sensible scientist will therefore explore further on the six senses. However, I haven't seen such sensibility so far. Probably due to lack of original Buddhist suttas being available to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reincarnation and consciousness is something even science has no clue on. For example, science has no idea how memory is stored(encoded) except that they know if parts of the brain damage, people lose certain skills (such as when reading they don't see vowels but can see other letters). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some hints science has on matters such as mind. For example it suspects that observers (mind, consciousness) defines the state of the observant (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger&amp;#39;s_cat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Schrödinger's cat&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha speaks of Arya Experimentation. That is, to experiment on understanding the Four Noble Truths. Falling short, you will be contemplating over endless scientific material (as all things that arise are subject to change) forever. A person with common sense therefore, might set that aside and continue on Arya Experimentation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T14:20:43.787" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T14:20:43.787" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-29T00:36:44.773" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why do people still believing in this concept? Only because they feel safer?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sounds like a question which ought to have been answered by this earlier question: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/51/254&quot;&gt;What's the value or harm of a literal belief in rebirth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most on-topic answer to that question seems to me to be Ven. Yuttadhammo's, and the second article of Bhikkhu Bodhi's which he quotes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I summarize these answers as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It's what the Buddha taught, according to the suttas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It encourages moral behaviour (even virtuous deaths)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It encourages us to be, not only heedful of the now, but to also wisely review our past&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It makes us examine cause-and-effect, and conditionality (as you are doing, in this topic)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It makes us consider what (and when) conciousness is (e.g. it's not the same thing as the body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'd therefore like to know passages from suttas where Buddha affirms that knowledge of past lives is unattainable, or at least where He elucidates reincarnation is not something causal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are passages in the suttas where, I think, the Buddha affirms that he has seen his own past lives. It's described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Saccaka Sutta MN 36&lt;/a&gt; in which he describes his becoming enlightened:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, &amp;amp; attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two...five, ten...fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many eons of cosmic contraction &amp;amp; expansion: 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure &amp;amp; pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus I remembered my manifold past lives in their modes &amp;amp; details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, &amp;amp; resolute. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other suttas the Buddha sometimes also described what someone's current (new) abode was, after they died.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But apart from that, to try to answer your question, there are other suttas too, where I think he does suggest that knowledge of past lives is unattainable or, at least, not a useful goal at this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt; warns that there are questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and views:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp; established, or the view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and warns that these kinds of thinking do not lead to freedom:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp; stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I take that as a warning that thinking about (having views about) a &amp;quot;self&amp;quot; will produce a &amp;quot;thicket of views&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another part of Buddhism Dharma is &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatta&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatta&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatta&lt;/a&gt; which you may need to integrate or reconcile with the theory-or-doctrine of rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some (many) people distinguish &amp;quot;reincarnation&amp;quot; from &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot;: in that &amp;quot;reincarnation&amp;quot; implies that something, the same thing (e.g. a &amp;quot;soul&amp;quot;), is being reincarnated (which is contrary to the Buddhist doctrine of Anatta); whereas &amp;quot;rebirth&amp;quot; just implies another birth (of a different &amp;quot;being&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/18103/254&quot;&gt;some people say&lt;/a&gt; that &amp;quot;past life&amp;quot; is a mistranslation of &amp;quot;past abode&amp;quot; ... and that successive lives should be understand as successive moments of being or of identity-view (i.e. of believing that the self exists), within this (body's) life ... I think this is as opposed to a so-called &amp;quot;literal belief in rebirth&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Actually, the only part of rebirth that doesn't violate scientific laws is to say that my atoms will be reborn in other creatures and objects.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If my mum and I look at some apple, do we see the same thing? Are we both conscious of seeing it? Do we both have apple-seeing-consciousness? Do we share apple-seeing-consciousness? And without &amp;quot;she&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;me&amp;quot; as personal identities, does apple-seeing-consciousness exist in two bodies?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be a mistake to see them as &amp;quot;my&amp;quot; atoms (or my apple-seeing-consciousness). The first sutta of the Anatta doctrine teaches, &amp;quot;this is not me, this is not mine, this is not my self&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the evidence is now overwhelming that every aspect of the mind is produced by the brain&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Taking Isaac Newton as a famous example, isn't it more obvious that (moment of) consciousness was produced by an apple, falling on his head?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I understand what you're saying, though, which is that &amp;quot;mind is conditioned by the brain&amp;quot;. I think that translations of Buddhism into English uses the verb &lt;em&gt;condition&lt;/em&gt;, to mean, &amp;quot;a brain is a necessary condition for a mind to exist, so if brain ceases then mind ceases (or, mind doesn't arise) too&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But rebirth: a new brain, the whole apparatus (ignoring, for the sake of argument, possibility of rebirth in one of the formless realms).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T00:36:44.773" CommentCount="22" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-29T00:45:20.587" Score="-2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First of all, I'd like to say I'm a scientist. This means fact will always come before faith, even if it hurts.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing hurts the Buddha. Unlike scientists, most of whom are so crazy that they create atomic weapons &amp;amp; other evil things, the Buddha was fully enlightened with perfect peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'd therefore like to know passages from suttas where Buddha affirms that knowledge of past lives is unattainable&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not aware of any such passages. The suttas refer to recollecting past abodes or adherences, which means recollecting in the past when the mind ignorantly regarded one or more of the five aggregates to be 'self'. If your mind is intelligent enough, it can read about it in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;or at least where He elucidates reincarnation is not something&#xA;  causal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas do not contain any systemic explanations of 'reincarnation' (despite the misinterpretations of most 'Buddhists' about dependent origination &amp;amp; other teachings). That is why later-day Buddhists invented their own ideas about reincarnation, such as 'r&lt;em&gt;elinking consciousness&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;mind-stream&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;storehouse consciousness&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;bardo&lt;/em&gt;', etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, there are some later-day suttas that refer to literal past lives, such as AN 3.15, MN 50, MN 81, MN 123 &amp;amp; MN 143, however they provide no explanation about how this literal reincarnation occurred. These suttas are similar to later-day 'Jataka' thus is seems unlikely, even impossible, the Lord Buddha spoke them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: These reincarnation suttas contradict other suttas, such as SN 22.79, MN 64, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If there aren't any, why do people still believing in this concept?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Only because they feel safer?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, Einstein. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T01:35:13.237" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T01:35:13.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19869" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-29T01:01:58.863" Score="5" ViewCount="152" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a fairly straightforward question. When I visualize without aim, or even sometimes with aim, disturbing or aggressive images sometimes arise in consciousness. Can I practice meditations on the brahma viharas without visualizing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:17:01.240" Title="Brahma Viharas Without Visualizing" Tags="|meditation|compassion|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-03-29T02:14:10.693" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To practice Brahma Viharas you should have at least one living being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is not possible to practice without an object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T06:34:57.503" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T06:34:57.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19853" CreationDate="2017-03-29T02:48:18.020" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;What is the All? Simply the eye &amp;amp; forms, ear &amp;amp; sounds, nose &amp;amp; aromas, tongue &amp;amp; flavors, body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, intellect &amp;amp; ideas. This, monks, is called the All. [1] Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T02:48:18.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-03-29T03:03:07.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read once (in a modern, non-Buddhist psychology book) that some people are more visual, some more auditory, some more tactile (or haptic):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Most people are visual so you show them something.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Most of the rest are auditory (by which I mean, prefer to learn by hearing) so you tell them something.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The minority are haptic so they learn by doing something.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess it's possible that most people practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt; by visual imagination, but that some people could do it via other forms of imagination. For example is it easier for you to identify people by sound instead of sight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're supposed to pervade kindness and so on in various directions -- maybe that means you can use your sense of proprioception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T03:03:07.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-03-29T03:04:46.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The subject of your meditation should be a subject which is a live being or some category or grouping of real living beings (loved ones, same part of the country, humans, some animals, northerners, neighbours,  etc.). You can use any visualization or verbalisations. But when you try to visualise X some other unrelated things happens. In this case do not react with despair and anger. When things are not in your control know that it is not / non self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also objective of Brahma Vihara is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;develop these qualities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;break the tendency to classify into favorable, unfavorable and neutral categories and  react to the sensations and feelings due to the perception creating unwholesome roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;break the tendency to classify into superior, inferior and neutral and and to react to them creating sensations and feelings due to the perception creating unwholesome roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T06:06:19.700" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T06:06:19.700" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19804" CreationDate="2017-03-29T03:19:43.343" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best argument for wrong translation of Anicca come from&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn12.20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.20, “Paccayasutta”&lt;/a&gt; which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Katame ca, bhikkhave, paṭic­ca­samup­pannā dhammā? &lt;strong&gt;Jarāmaraṇaṃ, bhikkhave, aniccaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; saṅkhataṃ paṭic­ca­samup­pannaṃ khayadhammaṃ vayadhammaṃ virāgadhammaṃ nirodhadhammaṃ. Jāti, bhikkhave, aniccā saṅkhatā paṭic­ca­samup­pannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā. Bhavo, bhikkhave, anicco saṅkhato paṭic­ca­samup­panno khayadhammo vayadhammo virāgadhammo nirodhadhammo. Upādānaṃ bhikkhave … pe … taṇhā, bhikkhave … vedanā, bhikkhave … phasso, bhikkhave … saḷāyatanaṃ, bhikkhave … nāmarūpaṃ, bhikkhave … viññāṇaṃ, bhikkhave … saṅkhārā, bhikkhave … avijjā, bhikkhave, aniccā saṅkhatā paṭic­ca­samup­pannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammāvirāga nirodhadhammā. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, paṭic­ca­samup­pannā dhammā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikkhus, are the dependently arisen phenomena? &lt;strong&gt;Aging-and-death, bhikkhus, is impermanent&lt;/strong&gt;, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, vanishing, fading away, and cessation. Birth is impermanent … Existence is impermanent … Clinging is impermanent … Craving is impermanent … Feeling is impermanent … Contact is impermanent … The six sense bases are impermanent … Name-and-form is impermanent … Consciousness is impermanent … Volitional formations are impermanent … Ignorance is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, vanishing, fading away, and cessation. These, bhikkhus, are called the dependently arisen phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears that it is incorrect to say death is impermanent ... and therefore, anicca doesn't mean impermanent!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the following video, the Nibbana is Atta.&#xA;This video is in the Sinhalese language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/ma81JD_LNeM?t=6084&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/ma81JD_LNeM?t=6084&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T00:05:27.100" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T00:05:27.100" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7625" CreationDate="2017-03-29T06:02:07.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This suggestion that Zen/Chan is Taoism tends to come from the Taoists/Chinese nationalists themselves rather than any real Chan teachings. I am from a Chinese Buddhist school of Chan lineage. Before becoming a practicing Buddhist I dabbled in self study of Taoist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since historical times, Chinese civilization due to it's great power with respect to it's surrounding neighbors has always carry a deep conceit in their cultural superiority. This naturally extends into the field of philosophy and religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The truth is Buddhism is much much deeper than Taoism. Taoism is fairly enlightened no doubt, especially compared to some very unenlightened behaviors from monotheistic religions. But Taoism does not reach the Four Noble Truths, and does not practice the Eightfold Noble Path. Hence the depth of their wisdom is comparable to other Indian religious spiritual traditions such as Hinduism. But it is not at the level of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, the Taoists out of conceit, tend to claim superiority over Buddhism without actually understanding it. They have even historically claimed that Buddha was Laozi, and even created scriptures to assert this narrative. Essentially they are appealing to Chinese nationalism to maintain support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The story unfolds in China as Buddhism appears on the scene and is&#xA;  accepted by the Chinese population as a “simplified version of Taoism”&#xA;  that the Western barbarians (subcontinent Indians and Central Asians,&#xA;  e.g. Tibetans, et al.) could understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not to say Taoism is bad. There are many good things about Taoism. Their contribution to Traditional Chinese Medicine is probably one of the most important contribution. But to claim that Chan Buddhism is a form of Taoism is to give Taoism far too much credit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T06:02:07.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19836" CreationDate="2017-03-29T10:57:44.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all you are veering dangerously to nihilism (annihilism). Seeing things as empty impermanent, not self and suffering is to allow us to detached ourselves to pleasures (including the pleasures of the bliss of Jhana). It doesn't mean that everything is meaningless or there are no consequences to our actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness in particularly used by Mahayana to mean that things are ultimately dependent originated. Things happen due to causes and conditions. It does not mean that it's all meaningless and does not matter. This is use to break your attachments to things you cling to as permanent. We should definitely not take this to mean that all actions are meaningless. If we do so we would quickly enter a deluded mindset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly Mutida or sympathetic joy is the antidote to jealousy and judgement. When we see someone who is better off than we are, we have a tendency to become jealous. Especially we have judged that person as being unworthy of happiness. On the other hand, if we feel they are worse off than we are, we might start to develop conceit, or even pity, and we become unable to rejoice in their good fortune. You can be happy for the limited happiness that they may have, whatever it maybe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to further add that there is one powerful use of sympathetic joy, the joy of rejoicing in the merits of others, that is in their goodness. When we see others doing good things or making progress in the path, it is worth rejoicing, and in fact further aid and reinforce your own cultivation. Commonly you will see Buddhists exclaim 'Sadhu!' - meaning good or well said after seeing good deeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T02:36:56.097" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T02:36:56.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-29T12:45:02.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the path outside this unhappiness is to understand nothing has&#xA;  intrinsic value or meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is intrinsic (objective) meaning to be found. It is the truths of anicca (impermanence) and anatta (non-self).. Relational QM (because it fixes the EPR paradox), the effectiveness of General Relativity, which is background independent (as well as it's global solution of 'nothing happens' which agrees with RQM), Noether's theorem, the observed flatness of (local) space time all point to these two, in one way or another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is the unalterable law that experience is conditioned, dependently originated, without an intrinsic, Essential Self - without the Form that Plato's Parmenides had so much faith in, even after he demonstrated logically that it made no sense!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within conditioned experience, there is no thing (I prefer 'no thing' to 'nothing' as the former describes a lack of conceptualization, whilst the latter is a concept about the lack of concepts) to fall back on as intrinsically true. However, that does not mean that experience does not operate on a rule that is omnipresent (not omniscient or omnipotent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The law of this world, empty of Essence, is one of regularity. Regularity in physical systems, chemical systems, biological systems. &lt;a href=&quot;https://phys.org/news/2017-03-physics-wealth-inequality.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://phys.org/news/2017-03-physics-wealth-inequality.html&lt;/a&gt; for a physics theory that seemingly explains wealth inequality in society. The Buddha simply pushed the boundary of this regularity into the field of ethics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I see rebirth (and this is a personal conception, one I believe is at best an inaccurate approximation of rebirth, because there are Essential elements to the thought process), is that in a boundless existence (as anicca and anatta imply), at each instant in time, beings arise, with an average Kammic load of 0 (no Essentials means it cannot be any number other than that at the limit of 'all experience', but then 0 is a pretty essential concept, so bear with me!). However, there will be a myriad of beings ceasing who would have led immoral lives, a myriad of beings ceasing who would have led moral lives, a myriad arising who will begin life with a disadvantage, a myriad who will begin life with an advantage. Net-net, you have two options - you can say that there is no connection, that beings arise in their circumstances by chance, or you can connect all the dots, linearly, as a one-to-one function, from death to rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;When each individual frame of reference is taken into account, the perception of experience will match experience, on average, as a one to one function&quot;. To deny that on average, the perception of violence would have manifested as 'violence', the perception of greed would have manifested as 'greed' (even if those are empty terms in themselves), is to deny the regularity that is so evident within our modern, scientific understanding of the world. External conditions can play a chancery role on the small scale, but there are no external conditions to the 5 skandhas (the mind-body experience as defined by the Buddha), and therefore for rebirth - which is a concept that requires a consideration of All of experience, chance simply has no place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science takes the general view (imo) that the physical world is objective, and it leads to, produces a subjective, conscious experience. The Dhamma however, is dependently originated, with neither 'body' nor 'mind' being the causal element for the other - they arise together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-03-29T12:50:17.643" LastActivityDate="2017-03-29T12:50:17.643" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-29T16:56:20.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As a scientist, I cannot conceive the existence of something we cannot observe or measure that lives on after I die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  Well, science is pretty clear: the evidence is now overwhelming that every aspect of the mind is produced by the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense impressions are tied to the mental body while conceptual impressions are tied to the physical body. Your mental body process surview death. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14583/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14954/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;deterministic process, it is not&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the unbroken stream of consciousness as established in this world and established in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;And going further, he reviews bones covered with skin, flesh and blood, and he knows the unbroken stream of consciousness as both unestablished in this world and unestablished in the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.14-Sampasadaniya-S-d28-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampasadanīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Quoted from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piya_Tan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan&lt;/a&gt;'s Translation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/dn28&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 28&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The process may initially seem continuous but in reality it is discontinuous. Given your field best is to see it as a discrete &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic_process&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stochastic process&lt;/a&gt;. Some of the basic causality arisen stream of states is described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rebirth is also probabilistic. So is Karma in general. Good Karma increases the possibility of good future states. These states arise and pass in much rapidity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If there aren't any, why do people still believing in this concept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abhidhamma studies by Nyanaponika Thera, page 45 describes, momentarily Dependent Arising. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get into deep meditation (many years of practice for some) you will see this process. This is not to be believed. It is to be verified at the experiential level. In the training follows this principle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;theory - to be learned and develop some faith just enough to explore further&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;practice - practice which leads to verification of the theory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;verification - observed and verified results&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now rebirth cannot be verified without the practice leading to it. You can verify past lives if you develop the ability to recollect. If not still you can verify it in this lifetime. In a split second the material in our body disintegrates and reforms as part of the dependent arising process. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;amp;rct=j&amp;amp;q=&amp;amp;esrc=s&amp;amp;source=web&amp;amp;cd=1&amp;amp;cad=rja&amp;amp;uact=8&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwjHiszSlvzSAhVKqo8KHQCUCOcQFggZMAA&amp;amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fhost.pariyatti.org%2Ftreasures%2FProcess_of_Consciousness_and_Matter.pdf&amp;amp;usg=AFQjCNEintk2sC05G-0qukxMF175MCab2w&amp;amp;sig2=rzQBzGDT6WwpkaY8buQq9Q&amp;amp;bvm=bv.151325232,d.c2I&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Process of Consciousness and Matter: The Philosophical Psychology of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;by Rewata Dhamma, page 39, states this is more than 58 billion times a second) This also is verifiable through meditation when you make your mind at least as sharp enough to see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt;. Physical death and conception is only a special case in this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T16:43:58.553" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-03-30T00:13:13.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gaia,  someone gave you the &quot;label&quot; of having a psychic disease called borderline personality disorder.  You are in conflict with yourself about who you are and how you fit into relationships, society, etc. You may be very sensitive and over-react to what life is bringing you.  You are not sure what it is that you really want. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first thing you should do is stop using all illicit drugs.  You will never be able to find your way out of this with drugs or intoxicants like alcohol. You will have to &quot;go through&quot; this rather than outrun it or escape it. It's not that bad when you know the methods.  Go to AA if you have to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;good karma&quot; I see from your question is that you are trying to solve this problem by using the principles of Buddhism.  The psychiatric crowd will see your condition of borderline personality disorder as incurable. However, I will debate that, and disagree.  You are trying to get some stability and peace in your life, and it is attainable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe some others will have a simple book you can read, that will cover Buddha's first teaching, which was about The Four Noble Truths.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said in his First Noble Truth that, FOR EVERYONE, life is unsatisfactory.  Everybody is suffering in one way or another.  This is the Dharma, or the way it is.  We must grasp this truth to go on to the second truth.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Second Noble Truth is The Cause of Suffering.  Basically, it's wanting things to be different than they are.  It is fighting the Dharma, or the way things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Third Nobel Truth is that there is a way to end suffering, and find the peace that we all are seeking.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the Forth Truth includes the 8 fold path to do this.  It is all very simple, really.  If you get into it, you may say to yourself that this is all so self evident, why didn't you think of it yourself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will have to apply yourself to the teachings.  The trick is to remember them as things come up, we all forget so easily. You will have to learn to meditate. First it may bring much pain and then being followed by some clarity to your mind.  Eventually, you will round the corner, and find peace waiting for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have worked in a maximum security prison and State psychiatric facilities where a sort of Buddhism and mindfullness training was offered to the &quot;inmates&quot; and had amazing results. Your Karma has led you here and is about to change from confusion to understanding.  Don't give up. There is a fork in the road approaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T00:13:13.580" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19861" CreationDate="2017-03-30T00:17:49.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;An infant should ideally not practice Anapana without knowing why it is practiced in Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T00:17:49.380" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19882" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-30T00:43:31.987" Score="4" ViewCount="2681" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know the basis of Lotus sutra and it's relationship with the original teachings of Buddha mentioned in the Tipitaka. I would like to also know where Lotus Sutra contradicts with things mentioned in the Tipitaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A detailed and referenced answer would be really appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-14T16:27:29.047" LastActivityDate="2019-08-20T04:56:26.347" Title="What is the basis of Lotus Sutta with respect to original Tipitaka?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19883" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-30T02:06:39.057" Score="3" ViewCount="685" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't find much information on Metta-Bhavana and I want to know:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;what it is. What is the purpose of this type of meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;details concerning its practice. How does one practice this meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-04-01T23:17:11.637" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T23:17:11.637" Title="What is Metta-Bhavana and how does one practice it?" Tags="|metta-bhavana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19883" CreationDate="2017-03-30T04:09:25.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Metta' is good-will &amp;amp; non-hatred. It is wanting other people to be happy. This does not mean to &quot;save&quot; or transform other people into inherently happy people but to abide with non-conflict with other people. The meditation method is below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever living beings there may be;  Whether they are weak or strong,&#xA;  omitting none, The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,   The&#xA;  seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away,  Those born and&#xA;  to-be-born. Wishing: In gladness and in safety — May all beings be at ease/be happy! (sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Let none deceive another,     Or despise any being in any state. Let none&#xA;  through anger or ill-will     Wish harm upon another. Even as a mother&#xA;  protects with her life    Her child, her only child, So with a boundless&#xA;  heart     Should one cherish all living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Radiating kindness over the entire world:     Spreading upwards to the&#xA;  skies, And downwards to the depths;   Outwards and unbounded, Freed&#xA;  from hatred and ill-will.     Whether standing or walking, seated or&#xA;  lying down Free from drowsiness,  One should sustain this&#xA;  recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding.     By not holding&#xA;  to fixed views, The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision, freed from all sense desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T08:57:24.587" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T08:57:24.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19885" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19888" CreationDate="2017-03-30T04:25:24.150" Score="1" ViewCount="115" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do we need to cheat the mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;A thought came: &quot;Why not get Drunk tonight?&quot; (I don't drink &amp;amp; smoke)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Next Thought: &quot;No I am not supposed to do it&quot; (is this 'mind' talking again?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Next Thought: &quot;Oh Come on, Don't be a child.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Next Thought: &quot;No my room mates are good people, I can not.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I think about it, I came to know that my friends are also a major fact in helping me in making good habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what if someday I am with some guys, who are always drinking, and there is no pressure of insult?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to control mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is observing the feeling of lust actually helping me to know more about it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it true that we can never control the mind, and that we just have to cheat it by either focusing on some other thing (which is just to avoid the feeling, but it will come back), or to observe it? What exactly happens when I observe a feeling or sensation in the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the best way to change a bad habit? Someone told me to know the reason why I want to change it, but would that be enough?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T10:25:44.087" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T00:11:21.100" Title="Do we need to cheat the mind to escape thoughts which would lead to bad habits?" Tags="|the-buddha|lay-buddhism|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19886" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-30T10:19:51.297" Score="1" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;SuttaCentral's&#xA;Pāli text of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn48.17&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 48.17, “Tatiya­vitthā­ra­sutta”&lt;/a&gt; is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṃ … pe … paññindriyaṃ—imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni. Imesaṃ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ samattā paripūrattā arahaṃ hoti, tato mudutarehi antarā­pari­nib­bāyī hoti, tato&#xA;  mudutarehi sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī hoti, tato mudutarehi uddhaṃsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi dhammānusārī hoti, tato mudutarehi saddhānusārī hoti. Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṃ paripūrakārī ārādheti, padesaṃ padesakārī ārādheti. ‘Avañjhāni tvevāhaṃ, bhikkhave, pañcindriyānī’ti vadāmī”ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī and sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the meaning of vadāmī?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do dhammānusārī and saddhānusārī mean Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is the maximum of seven lives applicable to Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T13:09:39.890" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T07:56:04.523" Title="Questions about the “Tatiya­vitthā­ra­sutta”" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19887" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19926" CreationDate="2017-03-30T11:23:42.890" Score="3" ViewCount="664" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was meditating. I was using classical music as my object of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know some don't approve of that but it's REALLY relaxing, especially while meditating. Anyway, as I was meditating the music became... so much more clear. I really can't explain it. It's like I had cheap headphones and all of sudden they switched to top brand headphones. That's how clear it became. Then my breath became very shallow almost as if it was disappearing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I have anxiety attacks, such as I had during my previous attempt at meditation. And that makes my breath feel shallow. But this was different I felt it slowly disappearing. And this very unusual feeling overcame me. My whole body was blissful. I never had that experience before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So was that a Jhana state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="11074" LastEditDate="2017-03-31T16:55:02.320" LastActivityDate="2017-12-09T18:29:11.527" Title="Did I get into a Jhana state?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19885" CreationDate="2017-03-30T11:57:47.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But what if someday I am with some guys, who are always drinking, and there is no pressure of insult?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that friends (the company you keep) are important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that doctrine is found in several suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And through this line of reasoning one may know how admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now. Then why not me?' Then he eventually abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. 'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;  (read the whole sutta, not only this quote):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Young man, be aware of these four enemies disguised as friends: the taker, the talker, the flatterer, and the reckless companion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=328&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;328&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If one finds a sagacious friend, who is a virtuous and steadfast companion, one should live with him joyfully and mindfully, overcoming all dangers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;If one cannot find a sagacious friend, who is a virtuous and steadfast companion, one should live alone like the king who gave up and left the country he had won, and like the elephant Matanga roaming alone in the forest.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;It is better to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. So one should live alone, do no evil, and be carefree like the elephant Matanga roaming alone in the forest.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is observing the feeling of lust actually helping me to know more about it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I tell you to jump off a tall building I think there are two things you could do:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jump off the building, because I told you to, without thinking about it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hear the sound of my words but without obeying them (without making them your intentional action)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;observation&quot; is a bit like the second scenario -- it helps you to detach from the impulse ... and/or to experience the sensation (the sound or thought) without that forming much impulse to act.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the best way to change a bad habit? Someone told me to know the reason why I want to change it, but would that be enough?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Various ways include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid the bad habit in the first place. For example if you've reason to believe that smoking is harmful and addictive, don't start smoking (never try smoking) -- if you do you might say, afterwards, &quot;Well once was OK (I survived it), it was new, interesting ... maybe try it again now!&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you acquire a bad habit, try to stop it as soon as possible. Allowing yourself to continue to practice the bad habit for longer doesn't make it easier to stop!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Change your situation (e.g. avoid living with harmful people)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Understand the harm and the unsatisfying nature of the bad habit -- sometimes it's a habit &lt;em&gt;because&lt;/em&gt; it's not satisfying (because &quot;doing it once isn't satisfying&quot; is the reason why you're tempted to do it again)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consider or search for wholesome alternatives (e.g. if a bad habit is a choice, an option, there may be other &lt;em&gt;other&lt;/em&gt; choices, better options)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beware the &quot;I am special&quot; temptation, i.e. conceit: for example, thinking &quot;drinking is harmful for other people ... but it's OK for me!&quot; -- or the opposite, e.g. &quot;may everyone else be happy ... but I just want to drink myself to death!&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consider the future: &quot;If I continue to do this, what is the likely consequence?&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Confess (admit) the fault.&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;For example, in the Vinaya (the monks' rules), many transgressions are labelled &quot;faults of confession&quot;. I don't know details but I think that if a monk transgresses they're supposed to confess that (to another monk), &quot;I did such-and-such&quot;, and that there are reasons why that's prescribed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Another example, from secular life, people who are habitual alcoholics might go to a meeting for alcoholics, to discuss and share experiences about what the various problems are, and maybe how and what it's like to overcome them. You can't really do that unless you're willing to say, &quot;Alcoholism is a problem (is one of my problems) and it would be appropriate for me to attend these meetings&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you don't want to admit you have a problem then avoid committing problematic actions -- that's one of the ways in which social pressure or peer pressure might help you to stay out of trouble. Conversely if you do have a problem then admit it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also FYI the thought &quot;Oh Come on, Don't be a child&quot; sounds to me like it has some implicit/unstated assumptions or views: for example that, &quot;Being a child is bad&quot;, and that, &quot;Adults drink alcohol&quot;. Beware these implicit assumptions or arguments (and others) are not necessarily true -- it may be quite a common line of &quot;reasoning&quot; (argument) among teenagers or young adults, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a difference between ego and conceit?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that English isn't the &quot;native language&quot; of Buddhist Dharma, and &quot;conceit&quot; is an English translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For longer explanations of what the word &quot;conceit&quot; means, see for example the answers to this question, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and does Bhikkhuni Sutta's Essence means to abandon conceit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that conceit includes comparing yourself to others, for example the following are both called forms of conceit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;I am better than he is&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;He is better than I am&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the essence of the Bhikkhuni Sutta is that although conceit is to be abandoned finally, it can be a useful tool, a useful stage on the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the following is conceit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;That monk was able to achieve a stage of enlightened. If he could do it then so can I: and if I do what he does then I too will reach that stage!&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's conceit because it's comparing yourself; but it's useful because it gives you confidence or faith, and gives you a good example (and doesn't give you a bad example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I also do not understand the impulse thing (Does impulse means the action one takes after sensation)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I do either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that two examples of that are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I see an apple. The thought occurs, &quot;Supposing I were to eat the apple?&quot; I decide (or accept the impulse) to eat it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I look over the edge of a tall building. The thought occurs, &quot;Supposing I were to jump off this building?&quot; I decide not to (or refuse or ignore the impulse) to jump.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the sutta says &quot;Contact is the cause&quot; perhaps that means for example &quot;Seeing the apple&quot; and &quot;Being aware of the thought&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;intentional action&quot; is when I eat the apple and do so intentionally (knowing that it's an apple, having decided to eat it for some good or bad reason).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Many people say by smoking they are not harming anyone, so they do not have reason to quit, (even spiritual people say that)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have observed there are people who say that, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What I need to understand of this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that these are people who are less likely to change that habit: because they say it isn't harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T12:43:06.893" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19883" CreationDate="2017-03-30T13:18:38.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do to Metta Bhavana you should wish everyone well from Bottom of your heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objective of this is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;develop loving kindness as a quality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;break you tendency to classify people into loved ones, neutral and unloved ones and react to the perception of them with clinging, hatred or neutral feeling creating the unwholesome roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you include the other Brahmavihara:&#xA; - break you tendency to classify people into better off, same level and worse off and react to the perception of them with clinging, hatred or neutral feeling creating the unwholesome roots&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T13:18:38.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19886" CreationDate="2017-03-30T13:25:17.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī and sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sasankh%C4%81ra-parinibb%C4%81y%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/a&gt; - 'one who reaches Nibbāna with exertion', is a name of one of the 5 kinds of Non-returners (anāgāmī).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/asankh%C4%81ra-parinibb%C4%81y%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/a&gt; - 'one who reaches Nibbāna with exertion', is a name of one of the 5 kinds of Non-returners (anāgāmī).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do dhammānusārī and saddhānusārī mean Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is the maximum of seven lives applicable to Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not think so. I think maximum of 7 lives is only applicable if you achieve Sotapanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-31T07:56:04.523" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T07:56:04.523" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-03-30T13:28:12.107" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now i have anxiety attacks and at first was i was having an anxiety attack during the meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not look like Jhana. Jhana is blissful. Sometimes you might experience Piti and Sukkha. These may be intense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T13:28:12.107" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19861" CreationDate="2017-03-30T14:42:16.320" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We never know exactly the past karma of the individual let alone other however close, even of ourselves. The best thing is watch closely the behavior and emotional changes and act yourselves as a role model.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T14:42:16.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-03-30T16:34:17.043" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to study Buddhism from a scientific perspective, you have to follow the evolutionary approach. Human thinking follows an evolutionary process. Religion and philosophy, like political and economic thoughts, have their origin in simpler thoughts of older societies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has evolved out of Hinduism, from the thoughts of Upanishads: Upanishads are philosophies of individual teachers .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These ideas of Upanishads were later systematized and classified, for teaching the basic principles of Hindu philosophy to students. There are six schools of Hindu philosophy, namely: Sankhya; Yoga; Nyaya; Vaisheshika; Purva Mmansa; and Uttara Mimansa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uttara Mimansa (also known as Advaita Vedanta) is the source of Buddhist Philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Advaita Vedanta developed as an attempt to combine the ideas of Sankhya, Yoga and Nyaya systems of philosophies:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nyaya system is pure logic, from which mathematics has evolved&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankhya system is natural science -- application of logic and mathematics to study nature, and discover laws of nature and laws of astronomy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Yoga system is study of human psychology.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is less difficult to use logic and mathematics to study the physical universe, and discover laws governing the material universe. It is much more difficult to combine laws of psychology to formulas of mathematics and laws of the material universe -- to create a comprehensive, long lasting, universally accepted philosophy. Buddhism is one such attempt: which tries to integrate logic, psychology, and laws of material universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Human needs are infinite, but human capacity is finite&quot; is one law of psychology. Human life is finite, but humans want infinite life, eternal life or immortality. It is not possible to find any mathematical formula or scientific law, which can make humans materialize this desire, but there is an incessant demand for it -- from kings and emperors to the Common man and beggars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Philosophers will have to make a &lt;em&gt;compromise&lt;/em&gt;, to satisfy this need: otherwise, people will go to frauds and fake prophets to satisfy this need. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4801" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-06T16:35:00.063" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T16:35:00.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19894" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-03-30T17:51:30.943" Score="3" ViewCount="1867" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does the one taste of the dharmadhatu really mean? I know no language beside this English, and would be interested in any philosophical, literary, or religious answer on what &quot;taste&quot; means there, so I can best grasp what is being said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11068" LastActivityDate="2021-02-07T04:06:47.163" Title="What does the one taste of the dharmadhatu really mean?" Tags="|dharmas|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19894" CreationDate="2017-03-30T18:18:08.700" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his commentary to Maitreya’s &lt;em&gt;Mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga&lt;/em&gt;, Gyaltsab Je says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because just as every drop of water is of one taste with the ocean, so every phenomenon is of one taste within natural emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen's explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The absence of inherent existence of the mind of an ordinary sentient being, an arya or buddha is the same [in nature].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The final reality, the tathagata essence, the emptiness of inherent existence of the mind, is inseparable in the sense that all conventional phenomena are of one taste in emptiness. They are all inseparable in emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not mean that all phenomena are one and the same thing, for this would not be a Buddhist tenet. It means that phenomena are identical in that they lack inherent existence. Their lack of inherent existence can not be a basis for distinguishing them. In the same way, we say that sentient beings are identical &lt;em&gt;in that they are subject to suffering while they want happiness&lt;/em&gt;. It is important to add “in this or that respect”, for we do not mean that they are one and the same objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A phenomenon and its final nature (its emptiness) are one entity. They are inseparable. Just like you can not separate heat from fire, you can not separate emptiness from its basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a commentary to Maitreya's Distinction, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All phenomena are of one taste in that they are without arising ultimately.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A second interpretation is that it means that, in the perspective of the wisdom directly realizing emptiness, no conventionality appear. A wisdom directly realizing emptiness does so in a non-dualistic manner. Since conventional phenomena are not experienced by that wisdom, we say that such a wisdom does not taste them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This second interpretation is clearer in the visualization at the end of the Confession Prayer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then reflect on emptiness. In emptiness there is no I, the creator of&#xA;  negative actions. In emptiness there is no creating of negative&#xA;  actions. In emptiness there are no negative actions created. Even&#xA;  though there are infinite phenomena, in emptiness nothing exists at&#xA;  all. There is no this and that, no me and you, nothing. In emptiness&#xA;  everything is one taste. From this emptiness, everything comes into&#xA;  existence. Whatever exists is the manifestation of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;By looking for &quot;phenomena are of one taste&quot;, and &quot;in emptiness, everything has one taste&quot;, you might find additional material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-03-30T22:56:42.970" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T22:56:42.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-03-30T19:33:19.503" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, it was not jhana. Feelings of bliss are not necessarily always 'jhana'. However, the bliss arose due to the cessation of anxiety. It was not jhana bliss however it was certainly a kind of bliss. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T19:33:19.503" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19886" CreationDate="2017-03-30T19:53:01.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī and sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.3&lt;/a&gt;, Bhikkhu Bodhi translates these terms as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Nibbāna without exertion&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Nibbāna with exertion&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This translation appears inaccurate to me, since 'sankhara' here probably means 'thinking' rather than 'exertion' (although the practical meaning is the same). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The terms '&lt;em&gt;asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;' &amp;amp; '&lt;em&gt;sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;' are described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/017-patipadavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.169&lt;/a&gt;, which states per the translation below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cattāromecattārome?, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṃvijjamānā lokasmiṃ.&#xA;  Katame cattāro?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;017.09. Bhikkhus, these four persons are evident in the world. What four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hoti. Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo&#xA;  kāyassa bhedā &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hoti. Idha pana, bhikkhave,&#xA;  ekacco puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hoti. Idha&#xA;  pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kāyassa bhedā&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; hoti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, a certain person extinguishes here and now with&#xA;  substratum. A certain person extinguishes with substratum at death, a&#xA;  certain person extinguishes here and now without substratum. A certain&#xA;  person extinguishes without substratum at death,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, which person extinguishes here and now with substratum?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme&#xA;  sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;asubhānupassī&lt;/strong&gt; kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke&#xA;  anabhi­rati­saññī, sabba­saṅ­khā­resu &lt;strong&gt;aniccānupassī&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Maraṇasaññā&lt;/strong&gt; kho&#xA;  panassa ajjhattaṃ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. So imāni pañca sekhabalāni&#xA;  upanissāya viharati— saddhābalaṃ, hiribalaṃ, ottappabalaṃ,&#xA;  vīriyabalaṃ, paññābalaṃ. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni&#xA;  pātubhavanti—saddhindriyaṃ, vīriyindriyaṃ, satindriyaṃ,&#xA;  samādhindriyaṃ, paññindriyaṃ. So imesaṃ pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ&#xA;  adhimattattā diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī hoti. Evaṃ&#xA;  kho, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&#xA;  hoti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides &lt;strong&gt;reflecting loathsomeness&lt;/strong&gt; in the&#xA;  body, loathsomeness in food, detachment from all the world, &lt;strong&gt;seeing&#xA;  impermanence&lt;/strong&gt; in all determinations and the &lt;strong&gt;perception of death&lt;/strong&gt; is&#xA;  thoroughly established in him. He abides relying on these five powers&#xA;  of a trainer- Such as the powers of faith, shame remorse, effort and&#xA;  wisdom. The five faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness,&#xA;  concentration and wisdom are sharp in him as a result he extinguishes&#xA;  here and now with substratum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, which person extinguishes with substratum after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides reflecting loathsomeness in the&#xA;  body, loathsomeness in food, detachment from all the world, seeing&#xA;  impermanence in all determinations and the perception of death is&#xA;  thoroughly established in him. He abides relying on these five powers&#xA;  of a trainer- Such as the powers of faith, shame remorse, effort and&#xA;  wisdom. The five faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness,&#xA;  concentration and wisdom are blunt in him as a result he extinguishes&#xA;  with substratum after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, which person extinguishes here and now without substratum?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual thoughts, angry&#xA;  thoughts, hurting thoughts and evil thoughts ... re ... and abides in&#xA;  the first higher state of mind. Overcoming thoughts and thought&#xA;  processes ... re ... abides in the second higher state of mind.&#xA;  Developing equanimity to joy and detachment ... re ... experiences&#xA;  pleasantness with the body too and abides in the third higher state of&#xA;  mind. To this the noble ones say abiding in pleasantness with&#xA;  equanimity. Dispelling pleasantness and unpleasantness and earlier&#xA;  having dispelled pleasure and displeasure, purifying mindfulness, so&#xA;  that unpleasantness or pleasantness does not enter the mind, he abides&#xA;  in the fourth higher state of mind. He abides relying on these five&#xA;  powers of a trainer- Such as the powers of faith, shame remorse,&#xA;  effort and wisdom. The five faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness,&#xA;  concentration and wisdom are sharp in him as a result he extinguishes&#xA;  without substratum here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, which person extinguishes without substratum after death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual thoughts, angry&#xA;  thoughts, hurting thoughts and evil thoughts ... re ... and abides in&#xA;  the first higher state of mind. Overcoming thoughts and thought&#xA;  processes ... re ... abides in the second higher state of mind.&#xA;  Developing equanimity to joy and detachment ... re ... experiences&#xA;  pleasantness with the body too and abides in the third higher state of&#xA;  mind. To this the noble ones say abiding in pleasantness with&#xA;  equanimity. Dispelling pleasantness and unpleasantness and earlier&#xA;  having dispelled pleasure and displeasure, purifying mindfulness, so&#xA;  that unpleasantness or pleasantness does not enter the mind, he abides&#xA;  in the fourth higher state of mind. He abides relying on these five&#xA;  powers of a trainer- Such as the powers of faith, shame remorse,&#xA;  effort and wisdom. The five faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness,&#xA;  concentration and wisdom are blunt in him as a result he extinguishes&#xA;  without substratum after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, these four persons are evident in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta is unambiguous. '&lt;em&gt;Asaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;' appears to mean '&lt;em&gt;extinguishing without using the sankhara aggregate&lt;/em&gt;', namely, the development of jhana, which is the stilling of thought. '&lt;em&gt;Sasaṅ­khā­ra­pari­nib­bāyī&lt;/em&gt;' appears to mean '&lt;em&gt;extinguishing with using the sankhara aggregate&lt;/em&gt;', namely, the development of wisdom or right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the meaning of vadāmī?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Vadami' simply means 'speak' or 'I say' (it seems). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do dhammānusārī and saddhānusārī mean Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhamma-follower &amp;amp; faith-follower appear to not be sotapanna (stream-enterer) but headed for sotappana (stream-entry). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear…free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is&#xA;  clear…free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who are Dhamma-followers or&#xA;  faith-followers are all headed for enlightenment. MN 22&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the maximum of seven lives applicable to Cula Sotapanna?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The suttas do not mention &quot;seven more lives&quot;. The suttas only mention: &quot;seven more&quot;, which obviously means &quot;seven more fetters to breakthrough&quot;, as indicted by SN 13.1:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the same way, monks, for a disciple of the noble ones who is consummate in view, an individual who has &lt;strong&gt;broken through&lt;/strong&gt; [to&#xA;  stream-entry], the suffering &amp;amp; stress that is totally ended &amp;amp;&#xA;  extinguished is far greater. That which remains in the state of having&#xA;  at most seven remaining [fetters] is next to nothing: it's not a&#xA;  hundredth, a thousandth, a one hundred-thousandth, when compared with&#xA;  the previous mass of suffering. That's how great the benefit is of&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;breaking through&lt;/strong&gt; to the Dhamma, monks. That's how great the benefit is&#xA;  of obtaining the Dhamma eye.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-03-31T01:34:07.407" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T01:34:07.407" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19894" CreationDate="2017-03-30T21:13:24.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;interested in any philosophical, literary, or religious answer on what &quot;taste&quot; means there&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote in Tenzin Dorje's answer reminds me of one of the Pali suttas, which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bikkhu Bodhi wrote an essay on that, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bl071.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Taste of Freedom&lt;/a&gt;, which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Just as in the great ocean there is but one taste — the taste of salt — so in this Doctrine and Discipline (dhammavinaya) there is but one taste — the taste of freedom&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With these words the Buddha vouches for the emancipating quality of His doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whether one samples water taken from the surface of the ocean, or from its middling region, or from its depths, the taste of the water is in every case the same — the taste of salt. And again, whether one drinks but a thimble-full of ocean water, or a glass-full, or a bucket-full, the same salty taste is present throughout. Analogously with the Buddha's Teaching, a single flavor — the flavor of freedom (vimuttirasa) — pervades the entire Doctrine and Discipline, from its beginning to its end, from its gentle surface to its unfathomable depths. Whether one samples the Dhamma at its more elementary level — in the practice of generosity and moral discipline, in acts of devotion and piety, in conduct governed by reverence, courtesy, and loving-kindness; or at its intermediate level — in the taintless supramundane knowledge and deliverance realized by the liberated saint, in every case the taste is the same — the taste of freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word for that (&quot;taste of freedom&quot;) is &lt;em&gt;vimuttirasa&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;rasa&lt;/em&gt; is literally the word used for flavour -- in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for example, the phrase translated &quot;tongue &amp;amp; flavors&quot; is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn35.23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;jivhā ca &lt;strong&gt;rasā&lt;/strong&gt; ca&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the word is also used metaphorically to mean &quot;function&quot;, for example (from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana#Understanding_sense_organs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Understanding sense organs&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In addition, the Visuddhimagga describes the sense organs in terms of the following four factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;characteristic or sign (lakkhaṇa)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;function or &quot;taste&quot; (rasa)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;manifestation (paccupaṭṭhāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;proximate cause (padaṭṭhāna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, for instance, it describes the eye as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Herein, the eye's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of visible data; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to see. &lt;strong&gt;Its function is to pick up [an object] among visible data&lt;/strong&gt;. It is manifested as the footing of eye-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the PTS dictionary it might, as well as &quot;function&quot;, also be translated &quot;property&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-03-30T21:13:24.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19885" CreationDate="2017-03-31T00:11:21.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha, in one sutta (I don't recall the name) suggests four ways to discard bad thoughts: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think of some other meritorious thought &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think of the repercussions of the bad thought &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Think of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stick your tongue up your upper mouth and clench your teeth with determination not to think of it &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll include the sutta when I recall it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T00:11:21.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19840" CreationDate="2017-03-31T03:34:17.357" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali  “Sankappa”  means conscious thoughts that involve “san” or things that contribute to the sansaric journey (rebirth process). Here “sankalpanä” comes from “san” + “kalpana“, where “kalpanä” means conscious thoughts. In my native Sinhala language when one keeps thinking about something, these thoughts are called “sankalpanä“. Samma sankappa means removing unskillful conscious and deliberate thoughts, and cultivating skillful, moral thoughts. If one is ever mindful  of the generation of either greedy or hateful conscious thoughts, and practice this over time, then one can eventually put a stop to them. This is the basis of both Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati)  and Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Sathara Satipattana) meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cetana can be translated as “intention” and as “volition”. Volition incorporates “more personal attributes”. Neither translation gives the full meaning of this Pali word, if you go into Abbidhamma. It says that many mental factors come into play for Cetana to arise.  Intention arises when a certain group of mental factors become dominant. Some mental factors are moha (ignorance), Ahirika (shamelessness),  Anottapa (fearlessness in wrong), uddhacca (restlessness or agitation), lobha, ditthi, vicikicca, etc. For instance, a person may lie to you due to greed (lobha); or it may be due to hate (dosa); the consequences are worse for the latter. Thus cetana is not “intention” per se; it depends on how that determination came about.  The Buddha said: “cetana ham Bhikkave kamman vadami“. Thus, what determines the type of kamma is the cetana. How that particular intention came about depends on the set of relevant unskillful mental factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-03-31T10:04:22.327" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T10:04:22.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-03-31T04:01:21.367" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you experience called the wrong concentration. It does not lead to liberation and it is short lived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T04:01:21.367" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19894" CreationDate="2017-03-31T07:34:15.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmadhatu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmadhatu&lt;/a&gt; means ultimate reality. A taste of this is a taste of ultimate truth,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;which achieving 1st dip or experience of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;getting magga-phala,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;becoming at least a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sot%C4%81panna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sotāpanna&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;achieving any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stage of sainthood&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-03-31T07:42:13.780" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T07:42:13.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19299" CreationDate="2017-03-31T07:55:47.870" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is better to travel well than to arrive.&#xA;Means Focus on your journey rather than drop point. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11070" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T07:55:47.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3770" CreationDate="2017-03-31T11:33:55.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Leigh Brasington&lt;/a&gt; has published a Sutta Number cross reference here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.leighb.com/suttanbrxref.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.leighb.com/suttanbrxref.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition SuttaCentral now seems to to be able to get the full referencing using the following URL format: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn/full&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/sn/full&lt;/a&gt; where sn means Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN). AccessToInsight also has similar index format e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the Piya Tan's translations there are multiple cross referencing schemes. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,cakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; has &lt;code&gt;S 56.11/5:420-424 = Mv 1.6.16-31 @ V 1:10-12 • Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta Mv 1.6.32-37 (V 1:12 f) • Pañcavaggiya Pabbajjā&lt;/code&gt; in the even pages. If you know the Sutta by same then you can use &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SD-11Y2-Index-2002-2013-130409a.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;LIST &amp;amp; INDEX of Suttas &amp;amp; Essays 2002-2013&lt;/a&gt;, Sutta Glossary Index early Buddhism and related terms &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SGI-1-0-L.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vol1&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SGI-2-M-ZZ.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vol2&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and if there is translation you can find the header. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SD-11Y2-Index-2002-2013-130409a.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The index&lt;/a&gt; also has simplified numbering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/issues-when-searching-for-texts-by-reference-number/4277&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Issues when searching for texts by reference number&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/how-to-navigate-the-digha-nikaya/4232&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to navigate the Digha Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/471/&quot;&gt;@ruben2020&lt;/a&gt;'s &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8565/295&quot;&gt;answer above&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Piya Tan / Dharmafarer's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/sutta-lists-and-indexes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sutta Lists and Indexes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T11:33:55.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2216" CreationDate="2017-03-31T12:19:37.473" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great answer related to shaved heads, long hair, beards, etc:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkTheoMwI7c&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkTheoMwI7c&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11072" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T12:19:37.473" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-03-31T18:01:42.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Achieving even śamatha by focusing on a sense object is impossible.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One has to concentrate on a mental image. For instance, it is said that when one achieves śamatha by focusing on the breath, he focuses on a mental image of the breath from the fourth abiding (far before śamatha itself). So, when you speak of meditating while listening to music, this is the first thing that comes to mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actual bliss (Skt. prīti) does not occur before one has achieved śamatha, a mind of the form realm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, you were not abiding in śamatha (much less the jhanas) you could not possibly experience actual bliss. You could very well have experienced a fact simile of bliss, a somewhat blissful experience. Geshe Gedun Lodro explains it well in &lt;em&gt;Calm Abiding and Special Insight: Achieving Spiritual Transformation Through Meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Once you achieved śamatha, achieving it again becomes easy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also something to consider. If you can not experience whatever you experienced again and easily, it is a sign that it is not a jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Leah Zahler wrote a comprehensive book on the topic: &lt;em&gt;Study And Practice Of Meditation: Tibetan Interpretations Of The Concentrations And Formless Absorptions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T18:01:42.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-03-31T21:02:41.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You did not experience jhana... you experienced pre-jhana a.k.a. ACCESS CONCENTRATION.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that until this (and the other factors) are stable and you do not drop out of meditation before your set period of time... you have not experienced 1st jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also suggest to take a more stable meditation object.&#xA;Music is very changeable and erratic and having that as a concentration object is not good beginner practice. It can harm your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just chill out and watch your breath as happily as you did the classical music. :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T21:02:41.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="200" CreationDate="2017-03-31T21:11:10.457" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is attachment to Buddha not a poison?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because Buddhism (attachment to Buddha, Sangha, Dharma) has meta-attachment:&#xA;it teaches to even let go of Buddhism itself--but only once one has mastered Buddhism's practices and not a moment sooner. To be detached from Buddhism a moment sooner would be like a HS student dropping out before he finished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In short: Buddhism teaches detachment from Buddhism itself.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;No other tradition does this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-03-31T21:11:10.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19883" CreationDate="2017-04-01T01:22:29.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metta-Bhanava - what is it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said that next to the contemplation of ‘Anicca’, the next most fruitful bhavana is that of metta. The benifits of the metta bhavana far exceed what one gains from all other forms of giving. The Buddha said one could attain the Anagami stage by correctly doing the metta bhavana. But that entails understanding anicca, dukkha, anatta. The impact of the metta bhavana increases gradually with increased understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta, because then one realizes the dangers and suffering that all living beings face in future lives. There are two ways of cultivating this Bhavana, and how it is done. But what matters is not the particular set of words used, but what is felt in one’s heart. To do that one needs to truly comprehend that there is REAL SUFFERING in this world, not only in the human or animal realms, but in all other realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the purpose of this meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You and I are still in this unending cycle of rebirths (sansara) that has no beginning due to our innumerable “unskilful kamma vipaka”. There is a very simple recipe to stop many such “past kamma vipaka” from coming to fruition.  Metta-Bhanava is one such that helps to “wear out” and ultimately remove many of the “kamma seeds” associated with past unskilful deeds. Doing metta bhavana and transferring merits gained is an effective way to do this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All intentions have kammic energy. You may remember that the Buddha said, “Cetana ham bhikkave kamman vadami”, or “Bhikkhus, I say intention is kamma”. And kamma is the fundamental potential energy for everything in this world. When one is “transferring merits” by sincerely saying that “May so and so receive merits from this good deed that I have done”, or doing metta bhavana by saying, “May all beings be free from the suffering in the samsara”, one is transmitting one’s intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does one practice this meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two ways of cultivating the loving-kindness meditation are mentioned in Anuruddha Sutta in Majjima Nikāya. Arahant Anuruddha Thero has explained those two ways of cultivating the loving-kindness meditation. These two methods are Appamānha Chētō Vimukkti and Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The way to cultivate Appamānha Chētō Vimukkti…&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings in north direction be free of enmity… May they be free of anger… May they be free of jealousy… May they be free of suffering, harm… May they live well and happy… May they become peaceful…  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings in northeast direction…      May all beings in east direction…May all beings in southeast direction…   May all beings in south direction…   May all beings in southwest direction…&#xA;May all beings in west direction…   May all beings in northwest direction…   May all beings in up direction…   May all beings in down direction…   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The way to cultivate Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti…&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti, loving-kindness meditation is cultivated by expanding the area of focus progressively. That is, one cultivates loving-kindness to oneself first. Then to beings in the immediate environment, village, in town, in province/state, in the country, and in this earth, to other worlds…. Ones who prefer  Mahaggata Chētō Vimukkti method can remember the following …  to practice the loving-kindness meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I be free of enmity… May I be free of anger… May I be free of jealousy… May I be free of suffering, harm… May I live well and happy… May I be peaceful…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I and all beings in this village…   I and all beings in this town…   I and all beings in this province/state…   I and all beings in this country…   I and all beings in this world…   I and all beings…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the benefits of this meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Benefits of practicing the loving-kindness meditation are clearly shown in the Mettānisansa Sutta in Anguttara Nikāya. Those benefits are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person who cultivates the loving-kindness meditation: Sleeps well; Wakes up well; Does not have nightmares; Becomes likable to humans; Becomes likable to ghost / ‘Pretha’ beings of the lower realms; Gets the protection of divine beings of higher realms; Does not come to any harm from poisons, weapons etc. Can attain concentration with ease; Gets a colorful/brighter complexion; at the time of death will have a clear mind; Will be born in the Deva / Brahma planes of existence upon death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T01:22:29.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19853" CreationDate="2017-04-01T02:19:22.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is possible that our “dream world” could be a window to our “mind plane”.   Our past memories of even past lives could live within us in the “näma thalaya” or the “mind plane”. It is not storage in a physical device like a tape. Mind plane is devoid of any material things, it is all “näma“. It can be thought of as in a “different dimension” - this mind plane that we ‘see’ through our “dream world”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we dream, we can “hear”, “see” and “do” things but it is all “näma“. When we “play back” memories, it is somewhat like seeing a dream. If we have a strong memory of some event, even from many years ago, we can recall it in our mind instantaneously. We just think about it and we can “see” it plays back with sounds and the background just like it happened. Our minds can connect to the “mind plane” and recall things without a delay. If our brain is the “transmitter” and “receiver” in communications with the mind plane, then as we get old, the “recall power” would get diminished. Meditation may help keep the brain healthy as we grow old.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per the Teachings the universe is infinite in time and space. Infinite in space means length of the universe, width of the universe or number of solar systems (lokadhātu) in the universe are infinite. In this sense if you use the term &lt;strong&gt;“multiverse”&lt;/strong&gt;, it may not be incorrect. The following is taken from ‘Attakata” Commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The portions which consist of one billion solar systems are called “Thri Sahashri Loka Datu” (trisāhasra-mahāsāhasra-lokadhātu or great trichiliocosm, roughly equals to the galaxy in science).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A collection of 1000 solar systems are called “Sahashri Loka Dhatu”(sāhasra-cūḍika-lokadhātu or small chiliocosm). A collection of 1000,000 solar systems are called “Divi Sahashri Loka Dhatu”( dvisāhasra-madhyama-lokadhātu, or medium dichiliocosm).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After solar system being made it will be stable for some time, after that it will be destroying and it will be made again. The time taken to one of this cycle is called “Maha Kalpa(great kalpa)”.&#xA;Maha Kalpa is divide in to four equal portions those are time of solar system formation ( Sanwatta Kalpa), time of existence( Sanwatta Sthayi Kalpa), time of destruction(Wiwatta kalpa) and time of emptiness(Wiwatta Sthayi Kalpa). Each one of these time interval is called as an “Asankya Kalpa”. So that one Maha Kalpa is equals to four Asankya Kalpa. One 64th of a Asankya Kalpa is called Antah Kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T02:19:22.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19832" CreationDate="2017-04-01T03:32:08.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I do hope that you will see that initial immoral thoughts (as the ones that you are entertaining right now) can be overcome by purposefully generating moral thoughts. This is the basis of the Satipattana and Anapanasati bhavana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are creating here is vaci sankhara, as whether one talks to oneself or actually get the words out loud, both are vaci sankhara. Kamma is ‘Action’. So it is not the past Kamma, but the kamma that you are creating in the present that are affecting you. You under-estimate the severity of mental suffering. It is unlike any physical suffering and is very distructive . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So without any delay get into an experience-based process of practicing Buddha Dhamma. That is the best medicine for this. So start learning about the three characteristics anicca, dukkha, anatta, of “this world”. Almost all of us have mis-understood and mis-interpreted the meaning of these three words - anicca, dukkha, anatta. That is why the True Path is hidden to all of us. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then getting into practising Loving Kindness meditation. I have shown how this in done in an &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19883/what-is-metta-bhanava-and-how-do-one-practice-it&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EARLIER POST.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on what-is-metta-bhanava-and-how-do-one-practice-it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I explained as to what “immoral” is in response to @Chris’ comment, it is better if an example is given. Our interpretation of “immoral” is limited IMHO. Harming self or others for whatever reason is immoral. It is a “Ditthi” or “wrong vision”.  It must be noted that the word “ditthi” is used in Buddha Dhamma to specifically denote micca ditthi or “wrong vision”. The opposite is samma ditthi or panna (wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are being obsessed with the idea that you are suffering so much because in some way you &quot;deserve&quot; it according to the ‘kamma law’ is a ‘Ditthi’. Many would not see it as a 'ditthi' as such activities as that of yours are incorrectly labelled by our medical community or those religious (referring to it as KAMMA) by their conditioning over time. This is also called “brain washing”. This is why ditthis are very difficult to break. Yet, with a determined mindset, one can break ditthis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The key problem is that human mind likes to “take the long-held-belief-way”. It is easier to try to justify one’s vision or position rather than trying to spend time looking deeper into the issue to make an informed decision. But one needs to think about the consequences that can last for unimaginably long times. This is why getting rid of “ditthi” and embracing samma ditthi is the first step in the mundane Eightfold Path first and then in lokottara Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having wrong kinds of vision (ditthi) can be very dangerous, since one may not even realize that one is doing immoral things because of that ditthi. Such ditthis can only be removed via learning Dhamma. One becomes a Sotapanna just by eliminating such wrong visions and perceptions. The three sanyojana (or samyojana) that are removed at the Sotapanna stage (sathkaya ditthi, vicikicca, silabbata paramasa) all arise due to micca ditthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T12:54:18.983" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19913" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19917" CreationDate="2017-04-01T14:43:17.493" Score="1" ViewCount="490" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all know our last Lord Buddha Was Gautama Buddha. My question is, before him who was the Buddha? And what was the time gap between that previous Buddha and Gautama Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-01T15:07:40.800" LastActivityDate="2020-01-14T15:41:11.393" Title="What was the time gap between the previous Buddha and Gautama Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19914" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19916" CreationDate="2017-04-01T14:48:30.997" Score="1" ViewCount="201" Body="&lt;p&gt;To become a Buddha must a person be born in a highest caste in their society? Or if someone is born in a low caste, is he unable become a Buddha? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-01T15:05:52.390" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T20:26:06.127" Title="To become a Buddha must a person be born in a highest caste in their society?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18208" CreationDate="2017-04-01T15:46:06.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not heard of a ‘Atapirikara’ from Maha Brahma, but the legend says: “When Maitreya Buddha appears in the world, he will come to Kukkuta-padagiri (the Cook's-foot Mountain) – presently known as ‘Gurpa’, awaken Maha Kassapa, receive the Buddha’s robes from him, and then begin to announce the new dispensation.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel345.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kassapa&lt;/a&gt; had been praised by the Buddha as being equal to him in many respects. He had been the only monk with whom the Buddha had exchanged robes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then both Master and disciple walked towards Rajagaha. On the way, the Buddha wanted to rest and went off the road to the root of a tree. Maha Kassapa then folded his double-robe fourfold and requested the Master to sit on it as this would bring him, Kassapa, much benefit for a long time. The Buddha sat down on Kassapa's robe and said: &amp;quot;Soft is your robe of patched cloth, Kassapa.&amp;quot; Hearing this, Kassapa replied: &amp;quot;May the Blessed One, O Lord, accept this robe of patched cloth out of compassion for me!&amp;quot; — &amp;quot;But, Kassapa, can you wear these hempen, worn-out rag-robes of mine?&amp;quot; Full of joy, Kassapa said: &amp;quot;Certainly, Lord, I can wear the Blessed One's rough and worn-out rag-robes.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This exchange of robes can be regarded as a great distinction bestowed on Kassapa, an honor which was not shared by any other disciple. By that exchange of robes the Buddha may have intended to motivate Kassapa to observe some other &amp;quot;austere practices&amp;quot; (dhutanga) as for instance, wearing only the triple set of robes, going for alms and not omitting any houses on the almsround. This would be a mode of conduct in conformity with wearing the Buddha's patched rag-robes. Thus the commentator says. However, the Buddha's offer may have been a quite spontaneous act in response to his being offered Kassapa's robe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this very same rough and worn-out rag-robe that the Blessed One first wore and then given to Maha Kassapa, and in turn he too wore till his Pari-Nibbhana, that Maitreya Buddha will come to accept. Some say that Maha Kassapa didn’t attain Pari-Nibbhana. Instead, he took Samadhi within the rock - that Maha Kassapa will offer the robes of the Gautama Buddha to the future Buddha when Maitryea Buddha descends to this realm in order to share the next basket of teachings with the world. Others say it is an “Adhisthana” (by the power of his will to make such an event happen) that he made at the time he attained Pari-Nibbhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T15:46:06.700" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19914" CreationDate="2017-04-01T16:22:52.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Digha Nikaya in Mahāpadāna sutta, the Discourse of the biography of the Buddha, and in Acchariya Abbhutadhamma sutta we get to read about the life stories of the seven Buddhas: Vipassi, Sikkhi, Vessabhu, Kakusanda, Konagamana, Kassapa and Gotama.  The full life story of Vipassi Buddha given in this sutta explains that the incidents discribed are a Rule (Dhammata) for every Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a Bodhisatta (Buddha-to-be) fulfils all the Paramitas in the last life of before his birth in human world he will be born in the Tusita Heaven. When the time approaches, various signs appear in the ten thousand world systems. The Devas of all worlds assemble in Tusita heaven and request the Bodhisatta to be born in the human world as a human being to become a Buddha. The Bodhisatta will not reply until he has made the five great investigations. (Panca maha vilokana – divine foresight) regarding time (Kala) continent (Dipa), place of birth (Desa) clan (Kula) and mother (Matha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kala- Time: It should be a proper time. It should not be more than one hundred thousand years of human life span and less than one hundred years of life span. If the life span is too short people will have excessive defilements. Because of excessive defilements people to not comply with the advice given by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dipa- contement: Only in Jambudipa / India the Buddhas &amp;amp; Pacceka Buddhas are borne.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desa- place: (Madhyadesa) – a region in Jambudipa / India&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kula- clan: Khattiya or Brahmana.  The Buddhas belonged to all the high castes, to the Kshatriyas and Brahmanas. It is another of the Rules (Dhammata). So the question of &quot;if someone is born in a low caste, is he unable become a Buddha?&quot; would not arrise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Matu- mother:  The Bodhisatta Mata in her last birth must not passionate. She should have to practise five precepts without violating them for her life. She should not have more than (7) days life after the birth of the Bodhisatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-01T16:31:06.983" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T16:31:06.983" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19913" CreationDate="2017-04-01T17:10:47.110" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to give the exact time gap between the previous Buddha and Gautama Buddha. Both Buddhas came to pass in this great aeon.  This is a Special Kalpa – a Maha-Bhadra-Kalpa - largest time unit in Buddhism - unlike the previous ones, where five Buddhas in all will come to pass. Buddha says it's not suitable to count the exact length of the maha-kalpa in number of years. In the Anamatagga-samyutta — The unimaginable beginnings of samsara. In Samyutta ii, Chapter XV, the Buddha used the parables of the hill and mustard-seed for comparison:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a solid mass, of rock or hill, one yojana (eight miles) wide, one yojana across and one yojana high and every hundred years, a man was to stroke it once with a piece of silk. That mass of rock would be worn away and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a city of iron walls, one yojana in length, one yojana (eight miles)  in width, one yojana high and filled with mustard-seeds to the brim. There-from a man was to take out every hundred years a mustard-seed. That great pile of mustard-seed would be emptied and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Digha Nikaya in &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāpadāna sutta, the Discourse of the biography of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; it is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the time of the Lord Buddha Vipassi the life-span was eighty-thousand years; in the time of the Lord Buddha Sikhi seventy thousand; in the time of the Lord Buddha Vessabhu sixty thousand; in the time of the Lord Buddha Kakusandha forty thousand; in the time of the Lord Buddha Konagamana thirty thousand; in the time of the Lord Buddha Kassapa it was twenty thousand. In my time the lifespan is short, limited, and quick to pass: it is seldom that anybody lives to be one hundred.”&#xA;At the time of the next Buddha, the average lifespan of a human is going to be eighty thousand years. (In the present day it is around 60 -80 years).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T23:10:55.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19914" CreationDate="2017-04-01T17:14:21.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn4&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27&lt;/a&gt; would not hold any system of differentiation, other than achievement through the Noble Eightfold Path, as a totally effective system for establishing nobility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T17:14:21.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19914" CreationDate="2017-04-01T18:38:28.137" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard everybody IS a buddha. We just need to practice the dharma/teachings to get closer to the buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11073" LastActivityDate="2017-04-01T18:38:28.137" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19920" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19940" CreationDate="2017-04-02T02:21:46.263" Score="4" ViewCount="486" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to meditation (anapana) as a daily practise: I've been to one retreat, some 4 years ago, noticed how meditation helped me, and then never mediated again. I always knew I should get back to meditating, and so I did: I've been meditating for about a week now, at least once a day (sometimes twice), each section lasting between 20 and 30 minutes. In the beginning I couldn't meditate for more than 10 minutes, but that changed after some sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have now a weird problem: I'm not sure about when should I exit my meditation. When I experience thoughts my reaction is to be aware of them and internalise the word &quot;thoughts&quot;, &quot;thoughts&quot;, until they pass. The thing is that sometimes the thought that comes up is &quot;man, damn, you've been meditating for 45 minutes... Time to stop&quot;. I try to put this though in the basket of &quot;thoughts&quot;, but at the same time I know I must stop meditating sometime. I then start to wonder if I should stop meditating or if this thought is a product of my anxiety. By that time my practise is already spoiled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I considered timing my meditation, then. Unfortunately, when I do that, sometimes the alarm rings too soon and I'd like to meditate more, and sometimes I'm already worrying about when is it going to ring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This might be a senseless question, but is there a way to decide it's time to stop meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11063" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T05:16:50.137" Title="How to exit meditation?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19920" CreationDate="2017-04-02T05:27:57.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am new to meditation (anapana) as a daily practise: I've been to one retreat, some 4 years ago, noticed how meditation helped me, and then never mediated again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Continuity is the secret of success in meditation. So be continuous in doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;each section lasting between 20 and 30 minutes. In the beginning I couldn't meditate for more than 10 minutes, but that changed after some sections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to target 2 session per day about 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening / night. More on this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=hour%20morning%20evening%20night%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;see these answers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I experience thoughts my reaction is to be aware of them and internalise the word &quot;thoughts&quot;, &quot;thoughts&quot;, until they pass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though some teachers may teach you differently using words like &quot;thinking, thinking, ...&quot; is also thinking and pondering using a conceptual object (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pannatti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;pannatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; - more particularly nama pannatti when using labelling with verbalisation or sub verbalisation). This should strictly not be done according to some teachers. Also meaning (nirutti) of the words, associated with a sound or label, you use are not universal, in all languages, whereas the meditation exercise is to understand the ultimate realities and the universal laws of nature (dhamma), penetrating beyond concepts. So this (self create verbalisation or sub verbalisation) cannot be used for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; meditation, if a concept spontaneously arise let it be, and be aware of the sensations / feeling this bring about; this (Verbalisation, visualisation, conceptualisation, thinking and pondering, etc.) also leads to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrications&lt;/a&gt; (more particularly verbal) and nutriment (Āhāra - more particularly Manosañcetanā Āhāro). &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the end of fabrication and also nutriment is the right way. More on pannatti on this site see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Pannatti%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;this search&lt;/a&gt;. A related concept is nirutti, more this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=nirutti%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;this search&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e. this verbalisation, results in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;verbal fabrication generally based on unwholesome root of ignorance, since concepts are not ultimate realities, which can lead to undesired future experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nutriment to keep existance which can lead to future unwholesome experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;use of concepts than ultimate realities which has the basis of the unwholesome root of ignorance, where as ignorance is displaced when you meditate with ultimate realities as the object of meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concept proliferation&lt;/a&gt;, though controlled, is not in touch with ultimate realities, but uses a stream of repetitive concepts objects (&quot;thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, ...&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One justification of using the labeling is use of controlled vocabulary which relates or close to the ultimate realities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4 elements: earth, air, heat, water or equivalent names / labels like motion, highness, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;function of 6 sense organs: seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, tasting, thinking&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;5 aggregates: conscious, perceiving, feeling, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as iterated before labeling is conceptual and not ultimate realities. If you insist on doing this stick to the controlled vocabulary at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Some meditators start with walking, even mentally repeating &quot;walking&quot;, &quot;itching&quot;, or whatever. &lt;strong&gt;There is no paññā&lt;/strong&gt;: but at least the practice concentrates the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Discourses-on-Satipatthana-Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourses on Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - S. N. Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;But you are required to observe bare respiration, as it naturally is, without regulating it; no word or imagined form may be added.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Similarly visualization—mentally picturing a shape or form—can become a barrier to progress. The technique leads to the dissolving of apparent truth in order to reach ultimate truth. Apparent, integrated truth is always full of illusions, because at this level saññ± operates, perception, which is distorted by past reactions. This conditioned perception differentiates and discriminates, giving rise to preferences and prejudices, to fresh reactions. But by disintegrating apparent reality, one gradually comes to experience the ultimate reality of the mental-physical-structure: nothing but vibrations arising and passing away every moment. At this stage no differentiation is possible, and therefore no preferences or prejudices can arise, no reactions. The technique gradually weakens the conditioned saññ± and hence weakens reactions, leading to the stage in which perception and sensation cease, that is, the experience of nibb±na. But by deliberately giving attention to a shape, form, or vision, one remains at the level of apparent, composed reality and cannot advance beyond it. &lt;strong&gt;For this reason, there should be neither visualization nor verbalization.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19051/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19779/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The thing is that sometimes the thought that comes up is &quot;man, damn, you've been meditating for 45 minutes... Time to stop&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it arises just be aware and bring your attention back to a focal point. This subdues the wondering mind. This is redirecting the mind continuously and periodically to your meditation object and being very vigilant that these thoughts do not come up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I considered timing my meditation, then. Unfortunately, when I do that, sometimes the alarm rings too soon and I'd like to meditate more, and sometimes I'm already worrying about when is it going to ring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not fret on time just do the task at hand. If any distraction like this arises just bring back you attention to the task at hand. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to meditate more in many consecutive days increase the timer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This might be a senseless question, but is there a way to decide it's time to stop meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Set a stopwatch for 1 hour initially. This is a good time for a beginner. As you get comfortable with this time period increase it. But keep the time what you are comfortable with but minimally 1 hour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also as you advance stop using a timer and try determination (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adhiṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;). Think I will stay only for 1 hour. See if the notion to come out happens exactly in 1 hour. More on adhiṭṭhāna see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;this search&lt;/a&gt;. Also related: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1698&quot;&gt;How to determine the end of a meditation session without a clock?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Atthasalini uses different synonyms for nama pannatti (concepts that are names). It is an interpretation, an expression that renders the meaning of something in language (nirutti). A name is a distinctive sign that shows the meaning of something (vyancana). There are sounds which people utter, letters combined as words which express the meaning of something (abhilapa). These synonyms explain the meaning of nama pannatti, a name or term. A term makes the meaning of something known. The idea or notion that is made known can also be called a concept. Thus, there are, generally speaking, two kinds of pannatti: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That which is made known (pannapiyatta or atthapannatti). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;That which makes known (pannapanato), the name or term (sadda pannatti or namapannatti) which makes known the meaning of things. If we remember these two classes of concepts it will be easier to understand what a concept is. There are many kinds of concepts and they can be classified in different ways. One way of classifying them is the following (see Abhidhammattha Sangaha Ch. VIII, section 4, on pannattis): &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i) concept of continuity: (santana pannatti), corresponding to the continuity of things, such as land, mountain or tree, which concept is based on the rapid succession of the elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii) collective concept: (samuha pannatti), corresponding to modes of construction of materials, to a collection of things, such as a vehicle or a chariot.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii) conventional concept: (sammutti pannatti), such as person or individual, which is derived from the five khandhas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv) local concept: (disa pannatti), a notion or idea derived from the revolving of the moon, such as the directions of east or west. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;v) concept of time: (kala pannatti), such as morning, evening. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vi) concept of season: (masa pannatti), notions corresponding to seasons and months. The months are designated by names, such as Vesakha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vii) concept of space: (akasa), such as a well or a cave. It is derived from space that is not contacted by the four Great Elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;viii) nimitta pannatti: the mental image which is acquired through the development of samatha, such as the nimitta of a kasina. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We read in the Abhidhammattha Sangaha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;All such different things, although they do not exist in the ultimate sense,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;become objects of thought in the form of shadows of ultimate things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;They are called pannatti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;because they are thought of, reckoned, understood, expressed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;and made known on account of, in consideration of,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;and with respect to, this or that mode.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;This 'pannatti' is so called because it is made known.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;As it makes known, it is called 'pannatti'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;It is described as 'name', 'name-made', etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - Pannatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: When there is seeing through the eyes and we know that it is a pen, it shows that we know the word pen through the mind-door. Is that right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: Before we can think of the word pen, we already know a concept. A pannatti is not merely sadda pannatti (a concept of sound) a word or name. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: After seeing I remember what was seen. Is the object then already a concept? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The Pali term pannatti means: it makes something known (derived from pannapeti). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: Must each of the sense-door processes be followed by a mind-door process so that the meaning of things can be known? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The five sense objects which are visible object, sound, odour, flavour, and tangible object appear through two door-ways. Thus, visible object appears through the eye-door and then, after there have been bhavanga-cittas in between, it appears through the mind- door. In the same way, sound, odour, flavour, and tangible object appear through the corresponding sense-doors and then through the mind-door. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - It makes something known&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: You said that concepts could be known through the mind-door. Therefore, I am inclined to think that if there is awareness through the mind-door, concepts can be the object of satipatthana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: In order to have more understanding of satipatthana we should begin with this very moment. Is there a concept while you hear sound now? Sound is a paramattha dhamma. When citta knows the meaning of the sounds it knows a concept and it knows this through the mind-door. Citta thinks about different words. Sati can follow and be aware of that citta, so that it can be realised as just a type of citta that thinks of words. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Question: Thus, satipatthana can know the reality that is thinking, but it cannot know concepts. As far as I understand, each of the sense-door processes has to be followed by a mind-door process, it cannot be otherwise. When there is seeing there is an eye- door process, and after there have been bhavanga-cittas in between, there is a mind-door process of cittas which experience visible object. Is that right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sujin: The víthi-cittas of the mind-door process, which follow víthi-cittas of a sense-door process, have to experience the same rupa. If the javana-cittas of the sense-door process are lobha-mula-cittas (cittas rooted in attachment), the javana-cittas of the first mind-door process after that sense-door process have to be the same types of lobha-mula-citta. The mind-door process follows extremely rapidly upon the sense-door process. With respect to this there is a simile of a bird perching on a branch. As soon as the bird perches on the branch its shadow appears on the ground. Even so, when the object has been experienced through the sense-door and there have been many bhavanga-cittas in between, arising and falling away very rapidly, it is immediately afterwards experienced through the mind-door. Since cittas succeed one another so rapidly one does not know that visible object which is experienced through the eyes is only a paramattha dhamma that can appear because it has impinged on the eyesense. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammahome.com/article_en/topic/289/6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Concepts II - Can a concept be an object of satipatthana? II&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh412-p.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Y. Karunadasa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This little plant of Dhamma requires service now. Protect it from the criticism of others by making a distinction between the theory, to which some might object, and the practice, which is acceptable to all. Don’t allow such criticism to stop your practice. &lt;strong&gt;Meditate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. &lt;em&gt;This regular, daily practice is essential.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When you go to bed at night, for five minutes be aware of sensations anywhere in the body before you fall asleep. Next morning, as soon as you wake up, again observe sensations within for five minutes. These few minutes of meditation immediately before falling asleep and after waking up will prove very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Daily meditation of two hours and yearly retreats of ten days are only the minimum necessary to maintain the practice. If you have more free time, you should use it for meditation.&lt;/strong&gt; You may do short courses of a week, or a few days, even one day. In such short courses, devote the first one third of your time to the practice of Anapana, and the rest to Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse Summaries&lt;/a&gt; by S.N.Goenka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T05:16:50.137" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19920" CreationDate="2017-04-02T11:03:50.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you'e doing it with a group other people, or schedule it as a regular part of your busy day, then it's timed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of &quot;the alarm rings&quot;, a usual sound is of a small bell, e.g. like this: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.freesound.org/people/fauxpress/sounds/42095/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bell Meditation.mp3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sound fades away, decays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In real life i.e. physically, such a sound is produced by two little disks/bells, each suspended, which the meditation leader tings together. The leader has a clock within their field of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or it's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=meditation+bell+application&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;simple application&lt;/a&gt; for an electronic device.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from &quot;timed&quot; meditation, like that, I guess another way might be to continue until you have reached a goal? But timing is the obvious method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of timing isn't what some people call &quot;spiritual materialism&quot; (e.g. being proud of how spiritual you are, based on how long you meditate), of course; instead I think it's to free you from having to worry about whether the session is supposed to have ended and whether it's time to stop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that Suminda's advice, i.e. &quot;one hour is a good time for a beginner&quot; and &quot;increase the timer&quot;, is feasible. A way to do that is to set the timer for 20 or 25 minutes; decide that you're still alright, and that a period like that isn't harmful ... and that if you could do that, then you can do a bit more; and reset the clock for slightly longer, 30 or 35 minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-02T11:54:03.917" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T11:54:03.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19920" CreationDate="2017-04-02T20:18:03.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your practice is never &quot;spoiled&quot;.  It is what it is and it doesn't ever get any better than that. It does not progress in a linear way. &#xA;It becomes easier to sit for longer but the meditation itself will be different every time. Some days it will feel hard, you will feel restless, anxious, bored etc then other days you will feel the opposite. That's just how it is. &#xA;Try not to see it as good meditation and bad meditation. It's just meditation and you are learning to be equanimous with whatever occurs.&#xA;You sound like you're over thinking it. Just sit with a timer and when the bell rings you can choose to get up or you can continue sitting.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The bell does not ruin anything. It's just 'hearing hearing'.  If you feel good and want to stay sitting, then stay and enjoy the pleasant feelings. Notice how you want more of them and want them to last longer. Are you craving? and notice how certain feelings your mind translates as &quot;spoiled&quot; and you want to get rid of them - aversion. If you can try to notice how the mind reacts rather than if you feel good or bad then you will be progressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-04-02T20:23:08.057" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T20:23:08.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19914" CreationDate="2017-04-02T20:26:06.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Castes are a discriminatory system created by humans to control others and empower themselves. The entire thing is built on greed, hatred and delusion.  It has absolutely nothing to do with &quot;becoming a Buddha&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T20:26:06.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19887" CreationDate="2017-04-02T20:35:49.247" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wouldn't worry about what it is or isn't and dont listen to what other people have to say about it either as everyone will have varying opinions and really they cannot know what you experience. You will end up feeling confused. The main thing to remember is that it was just a pleasant experience and like all experiences it arose and then passed. It's like a small reward for making progress. Try not to think about it or recreate it as it may hinder your progress. It does not need a label.&#xA;If you go into meditation expecting, hoping or craving to have the same experience again or for another pleasant experience you are missing the point so don't fall into that trap. However, when you do have a pleasant experience, enjoy it for what it is then let it go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-04-02T22:54:18.853" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T22:54:18.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19777" CreationDate="2017-04-02T22:49:32.407" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't answer but (in case you don't already know this, and in case it helps you to research further if you want to) there are some forms of Buddhist visualization meditation, from different schools, including &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kasiṇa&lt;/a&gt; and  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandala#Practice&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mandalas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of a harmless (perhaps even recommended) form of &quot;visualization&quot; might be the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wheel of life&lt;/a&gt;. Apparently the pictorial representation of it isn't used in Theravada (I don't know why). I think it's an example of a picture being worth a thousand words (i.e. learning the picture and its symbolism is a way to memorize those doctrines).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the suttas mention other forms of meditation too, which involve visualization or imagination. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/story/bl015.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Devices in Meditation&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In kammattana, it is permissible to use certain devices, such as the earth or color kasina, as focal points for the attention. A candle flame, a hole in the wall, or some metal object can also be used, and the method of using them is found in the Pali texts and the Visuddhi-magga. In the texts themselves it is to be noted that the Buddha gave objects of meditation to disciples in accordance with their individual characteristics, and his unerring knowledge of the right technique for each came from his insight into their previous births. Similarly with recursive meditation, a subject would be given which was easily comprehensible to the pupil, or which served to counteract some strong, unwholesome tendency in his nature. Thus, to one attracted by sensual indulgence, the Buddha would recommend meditation on the impurity of the body, or the &quot;cemetery meditation.&quot; Here the object is to counterbalance attraction by repulsion, but it is only a &quot;skillful means&quot; to reach the final state, in which attraction and repulsion both cease to exist. In the arahant there is neither liking nor disliking: he regards all things with perfect equanimity, as did Thera Maha Moggallana when he accepted a handful of rice from a leper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Visuddhimagga has about 300 pages on various &quot;objects of meditation&quot;: including kasinas. They're categorized as Samadhi (Concentration) meditations. Another example is Metta-Bhavana, which can involve your visualizing various types of person (e.g. people who are dear to you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-02T22:49:32.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19928" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-03T00:20:43.537" Score="3" ViewCount="721" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why is a lie for the purposes of self defence necessarily unwholesome? Why is using a lie as defence for another from attack considered  parajeeka for a monk when a monk can use physical self defence and it's not parajeeka? Why can't a monk misrepresent reality(lie) for self defense instead of resorting to physical violence? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you know what the truth is why give it to someone who would exploit it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking that our intentions aren't unwholesome because we lie but a lie is unwholesome because of our unwholesome intentions. -Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T11:53:07.310" Title="Lies as self defence vs. Physical self defence" Tags="|lie|intention|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-03T03:38:24.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The key is intent to deceive and the person understanding the deceptive communication. If the intention to deceive is not there then there is no unwholesome. If you mistakenly believe something and say this it is not breaking the precept of lying because there is no intention to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, people do not like being deceived, even for their own good. So if you are motivated to deceive for their own good, then this is still lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you make a promise you do not intent to keep this also is lying. If you make a promise which you know will never happen then this is not lying (e.g. I will give you an angle to marry if the sun rises in the North.) The latter type of tact was used on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_(Buddhist)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nanda&lt;/a&gt;, in which case the promise was if you meditate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I do not think a monk can resort to violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also need not always tell what you know. You can simply refuse to answer, but if you answer it should be the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T03:56:30.917" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T03:56:30.917" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19930" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19935" CreationDate="2017-04-03T06:05:07.533" Score="3" ViewCount="2205" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of  Buddhist thought Is this accurate? It doesn't seem to jive with cause and effect which is more often referenced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2019-12-20T15:42:18.443" Title="Is the term &quot;Everything happens for a reason&quot; appropriate?" Tags="|theravada|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19930" CreationDate="2017-04-03T06:24:24.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything (except Nirvana) has a cause hence &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;causality arisen&lt;/a&gt;. When the reason arises so does the effect / fruit. When the reason ceases, so does the effect / fruit. In this case what I mean by the reason is the 24 paccaya of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pattana&lt;/a&gt; or 12 in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T04:34:47.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-03T07:23:02.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apart from the intention to deceive, as Suminda states, there is also not 'treating this as this', but rather 'treating this as that and that as this', which is creating/forcing delusion onto the person you lie to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give an example - say your friend currently feels negatively about you for some reason (and you are not fully aware of their state of mind). If you proceed to ask another friend, who then tells you, using whatever reasoning, that that first friend in fact feels positively about you, whilst knowing that not to be the case, if you take that statement on board, you now have information that is not accurate. You believe your friend feels positively about you, whilst in fact, they feel negatively about you. The situation and your perception of the situation are in disagreement (a neat delusion), and the only condition for that disagreement is the lie you were told. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is hard to see an instance for which, given the availability of accurate information, inaccurate information will lead to a simpler resolution of an issue.. the issue can be avoided with a lie, brushed under the carpet, but that is ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T16:51:15.193" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T16:51:15.193" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-03T11:13:43.417" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If what you say is true (that &quot;physical self-defence&quot; is permitted), perhaps one  consideration might be that that is to do with the order's good reputation versus bringing the order into disrepute?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if you're a member of the lay community, which do you think is better: monks who defend themselves physically when attacked; or, monks who tell lies whenever they think that's necessary?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose self-defense might be seen as blameless, and lying as blame-worthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I realize that this answer begs the question, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Still, many of the Vinaya rules (e.g. forbidding alms-rounds at night) &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; motivated by considering how that behaviour will affect the Sangha's reputation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I also read that lying is something that a Bodhisattva will never do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is graphic about not telling a deliberate lie.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T16:35:22.233" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T16:35:22.233" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19930" CreationDate="2017-04-03T11:27:57.833" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing happens for a reason. There's no inherent meaning to any of it unless we superimpose one. But everything except Nibbana is born and born of causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T11:27:57.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19930" CreationDate="2017-04-03T11:44:13.827" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The issue concerns the way you understand the statement &quot;Everything happens for a reason&quot;, since 'reason' has various meanings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Reason' could mean motivation or intent. For instance, &quot;Someone has his reasons to behave the way he does.&quot; If you have that meaning in mind when you read &quot;Everything happens for a reason&quot;, you will think it means &quot;Everything that happens was intended by someone, like a creator God.&quot; Of course, this would not be Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Reason' could also refer to a cause, as in &quot;The reason for his absence is sickness.&quot; Then, &quot;Everything happens for a reason&quot; means &quot;Everything that happens has causes and conditions.&quot; This is a correct statement, from a Buddhist viewpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not be surprised if 'reason' could also mean 'purpose, aim, goal' but I can not find an example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We do not hear &quot;Everything happens for a reason&quot; often in Buddhism. I myself would never even think of saying it, because it is vague. In addition, I feel that most people would misunderstand and think that it means &quot;things were intended this way&quot; or &quot;things will eventually fit in a big meaningful picture.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more common way of stating things is: &quot;You created the causes of your suffering.&quot; This is more personal and it is aimed at taking one's responsibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-04T19:03:28.413" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T19:03:28.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19920" CreationDate="2017-04-03T14:38:27.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ideally, based on what Buddha states in Satipattana Sutta, your meditative state doesn't end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest acknowledgement of certain interruptions in a meditative manner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you suddenly have a thought within the time period of meditation, then you can note the characteristics of the thought (anicca, dukkha, anatta) and let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you suddenly have a thought while exceeding your meditation time (which maybe you can use an alarm to end), you should transition it into Kayanupassana meditation while you get up and move onto your daily activities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole purpose of meditation is to improve your basis of the Noble Eightfold Path and fully understand the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T14:38:27.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17349" CreationDate="2017-04-03T14:52:24.257" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The correct answer of course is: it depends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole point of doing meditation is to become more aware of yourself, your thoughts, your body, your emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So while meditating on a regular basis is a good idea I'd do it when you have the most time and are not in a rush. Also being aware is something you can do all the time by just watching and controlling your breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10624" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T14:52:24.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3545" CreationDate="2017-04-03T14:59:51.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not about whether there is or isn't a self, it's about whether or not there's suffering. If there's no suffering in your life, then Buddhism has nothing to offer you. If there is suffering in your life then Buddhism says it can help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason you should bother is if there's suffering in your life and you're willing to take a chance on Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T14:59:51.250" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17349" CreationDate="2017-04-03T15:12:02.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My experience is that if your day job is demanding morning meditation is better, you won't feel so tired and are less likely to fall asleep. I also used enjoy sitting in the midst of all the morning sounds, the birds singing, the bin men collecting the bins, people rushing off to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T15:12:02.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19920" CreationDate="2017-04-03T15:36:14.203" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I disagree with Sumida and ChrisW, an hour is too long for beginners and experts alike. In Zen monasteries we do zazen for between 30 - 45 minutes followed by about 10 minutes of kinhin (fast or slow walking meditation), then another period of zazen. For a beginner 20 minutes (or even less) is fine. In time you should aim to raise it to around 30 mins. If you want to do more you should break it up with kinhin (or possibly some yoga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with Chris that you should use a timer (a countdown timer on a digital watch is ideal). When the timer goes off, then get up (some people sway gently from side to side before getting up). You shouldn't be pondering during meditation whether to get up or not, a) you shouldn't be pondering things during meditation and b) if you practise like this you will turn meditation into an aesthetic experience (I'm enjoying this so I'll sit longer/I'm not enjoying this so I'll get up) which is not right meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T15:36:14.203" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19941" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-03T15:44:29.210" Score="2" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;My questions concern Monkey Year Teaching held by Kagyu lineage (Great Phowa of Chagtsugma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this type of Phowa similar for all Monkey Year Teachings held through the Kagyu lineage?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the destination land and deity of this Phowa?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there specific samayas and life-long obligations related to this teaching?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-02-21T09:11:00.917" LastActivityDate="2021-02-21T09:11:00.917" Title="Monkey Year Teaching (Drikung-Kagyu)" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19942" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-03T16:13:05.923" Score="1" ViewCount="661" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been working on creating a (digital) &lt;strong&gt;diary application for Buddhist laypeople&lt;/strong&gt; and would like to ask this community for &lt;strong&gt;ideas about what can be written about in a journal like this which would be valuable for improving well-being and spiritual growth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here some ideas that I've gathered so far (not written in stone, including here just to show the general idea that i have):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Meditation journal --- type of meditation (metta, anapanasati, etc), hindrances during meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Daily practice journal (mindful walking to and from the parking lot, etc)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gratitude journal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Successes --- maybe in the areas of faith, virtue (five precepts), generosity, wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've done some research by reading books about early Buddhism and practices for laypeople (for example &quot;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&quot; and &quot;The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony&quot;) but am having a hard time &quot;translating&quot; the information that I've gathered into something that would fit well inside a diary application&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help with this!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kind Regards, Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2017-04-03T17:32:54.077" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T04:42:20.940" Title="Journaling for Buddhist laypeople" Tags="|lay-buddhism|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-03T16:38:20.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would consider the fourth precept on musavada (lying) in Buddha Dhamma to include all abuses done by speech. That would also include harsh speech, slander, and gossip which will harm oneself and others.  When one truly understands Buddha Dhamma, i.e., the nature of this world as embodied in anicca, dukkha, anatta, one sees that these precepts come out naturally. At that stage, one’s mind automatically rejects all ten immoral actions (dasa akusala) and thus the five precepts are automatically obeyed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of these 10 immoral actions, the four vaci sankhara (immoral acts done with speech) include, musavada (Lying), pisunavaca (slandering), parusavaca (harsh speech), and sampappalapa (frivolous talk). When it come to a lay person these are not promises but one’s intention is to do the utmost (otherwise the act will itself be a musavada or a lie). There comes a time in one’s personal practice when one realizes that there is no other moral way to live. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Precepts are about purifying one’s mind. A pure mind gains wisdom, and will not allow any harmful action by speech or by deed. Such a mind is not burdened, but has “cooled down”. People could blindly follow precepts, but are of greed, hate, or ignorance. Then depending on the state of their minds, they may get reborn in a lesser world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If keeping the precepts alone will take one to a higher plane of existence, then a cow or a horse living in isolation will be certain to be born a Deva.. They do not kill, steal, lie, or get intoxicated, and if their owners do not have any other animal of that kind, then there is no chance of sexually misbehaving either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T16:38:20.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19942" CreationDate="2017-04-03T17:22:29.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Other ideas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mistakes made&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lessons learned (from practice and/or from study)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upcoming meetings (scheduled in the future)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Questions to be asked or topics to discuss (scheduled in the future)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I've read books about early Buddhism and practices for laypeople&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not certain that any &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Indian_epigraphy#First_appearance_of_writing_in_the_Indian_Subcontinent&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;writing existed in India&lt;/a&gt; at the time of early Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T17:22:29.413" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19278" CreationDate="2017-04-03T21:03:31.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very important factor for preparation for meditation is to practice Sila. (at least the five precepts)&#xA;I think the buzzing sound is the tinnitus in your ear and I have the worse case of ringing ear, which does not bother me at all. Do not pay attention to it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-03T21:03:31.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19942" CreationDate="2017-04-04T00:55:26.440" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good idea to start with.&#xA;Sati Patthana is the journal of all Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T00:55:26.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19942" CreationDate="2017-04-04T04:42:20.940" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;With the intention of increasing Sati some monks advise to recall daily events. Maintaining a Journal or Diary will help towards this. The number, clarity and detail of what you recall is not so perfect proxy to your Sathi practice. Also it increases memory to study and remember the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is a concept of Pin Potha, which is a journal of all good deeds done. This can include all the categories which you mention and more. Also maybe elements of study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T04:42:20.940" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19949" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-04T13:47:23.503" Score="0" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm looking for a place to train in samatha. I want to master jhana and time is not an issue. I can also do volunteer work in exchange for training. Any recommendations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10826" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T20:30:55.363" Title="Places offering samatha retreats / training" Tags="|meditation-concentration|samatha|retreat|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19949" CreationDate="2017-04-04T14:02:15.133" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pa-auk Forest Monastery&lt;/a&gt; in Myanmar (Burma). A good friend just spent a year there. He did a fair amount of research before settling for Myanmar and he also spent months in a temple in Thailand beforehand. According to him, various monks from Korea as well as Sri Lanka, etc. go to Myanmar thinking that qualified Dharma teachers are difficult to come by in their countries. It seems likes &quot;The place to be.&quot; He also said that &quot;Most practitioners require between three and eight years of dedicated effort to obtain the full set of jhanas.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not know much about Pa-Auk though. For instance, I do not know whether they train lay people as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-04T20:30:55.363" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T20:30:55.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2017-04-04T15:00:28.787" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as our sense organs have their definite natural functions (the eyes see, ears listen, nose smells, skin feels or the tongue tastes) the natural function of mind is to generate thoughts. It is doing for what it is made for. But we must not necessarily cling to all of its thoughts. We can watch or observe or witness them by standing apart, non-clinging to them. As our detachment grows the mind produces less and less and less thoughts. One day it is all silent. That is the Buddhahood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11097" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T15:00:28.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19952" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-04T15:16:36.570" Score="3" ViewCount="391" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what the Buddha said about &lt;strong&gt;spiritual friendship with the Buddha himself&lt;/strong&gt;. From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.2&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By the following method too, Ānanda, it may be understood how the&#xA;  entire holy life is good friendship, good companionship, good&#xA;  comradeship: by relying upon me as a good friend, Ānanda, beings&#xA;  subject to birth are freed from birth; beings subject to aging are&#xA;  freed from aging; beings subject to death are freed from death; beings&#xA;  subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are&#xA;  freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. By&#xA;  this method, Ānanda, it may be understood how the entire holy life is&#xA;  good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are there any other texts that bring up this subject? What have later Buddhist teachers said about this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;References (from Sutras or otherwise) are welcome!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;UPDATE to make the question more clear:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;The question is specifically about friendship with the Buddha himself (not general friendship on the path).&lt;/strong&gt; I have chosen to call this friendship &quot;spiritual&quot; but maybe &quot;virtual&quot; or another word would be better, or another word that describes that the friendship is different from a person alive in the typical sense&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastEditorUserId="4836" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T07:35:10.490" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T11:59:55.043" Title="Spiritual friendship with the Buddha" Tags="|the-buddha|sangha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19949" CreationDate="2017-04-04T16:10:58.290" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in coming to Ontario, Canada, this place - &lt;a href=&quot;https://tisarana.ca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tisarana Buddhist Monastery in Perth, Ontario&lt;/a&gt;, is the place for you. You can stay up to 3 months. You do not have to pay anything, but may have to do some volunteer work every other day. If you call them, it will be a person like you who will answer and give you all necessary details.  It is near Ottawa – the Capital City of Canada. I was there just two months ago. They have a very good library. Any bhikku will be of help to you while there. You can &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/pg/TBBKK/photos/?tab=album&amp;amp;album_id=358216725068&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;take a look into their FB Page too,&lt;/a&gt; if you like - as it will give you a better idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monastery is a residence for Buddhist monks and those who wish to train as Buddhist monks. Presently there are 20 monks, and 4 'anagaarika's (trainee monks). It is a retreat for those  interested who may visit for varying periods of time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T16:10:58.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19952" CreationDate="2017-04-04T16:39:58.483" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe &quot;spiritual friendship&quot; is a translation from Pali &quot;Kalyāṇa-mittatā&quot;.   Kalyāṇa could also mean beautiful, graceful.  ( Lady Visaka was said to possess pañca-kalyani (five physical beauties, beautiful hair, teeth , etc.).  Most obvious text I can think of is from number 1 and 2 from 38 blessings.  Good friends will have good influence on your way of life.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T16:39:58.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19955" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-04T16:53:38.410" Score="4" ViewCount="459" Body="&lt;p&gt;The standard description of &lt;strong&gt;Wrong Thought&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;em&gt;micchāsaṅkappo&lt;/em&gt;) in Pali is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Katamo ca, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo? &lt;strong&gt;Kāmasaṅkappo, ­byāpā­da­saṅkappo, vihiṃ­sāsaṅ­kappo&lt;/strong&gt;—ayaṃ, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo. (from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/mn117&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The translation says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is wrong intention? &lt;strong&gt;The intention of sensual desire, the intention of ill will, and the intention of cruelty&lt;/strong&gt;: this is wrong intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have problems understanding the difference between &lt;em&gt;byāpā­da­&lt;/em&gt; (~ ill will) and &lt;em&gt;vihiṃ­sā&lt;/em&gt; (~ cruelty). I know that &lt;em&gt;vihiṃ­sā&lt;/em&gt; means something like &quot;wishing someone harm&quot;. But I didn't find where the word &lt;em&gt;byāpā­da­&lt;/em&gt; comes from and in what quality the meaning of it is different from &lt;em&gt;vihiṃ­sā&lt;/em&gt;. Can someone please help me out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T08:35:56.097" Title="What is the etymology of &quot;byāpā­da­&quot;" Tags="|pali-language|pali|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19955" CreationDate="2017-04-04T17:15:43.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;my understanding of Pali is that byāpā­da­  means anger, where vihiṃ­sā means wishing for someone's destruction.  Such as, you feel angry (byāpā­da­) when you are insulted by a customer service person at a business you are visiting.  And wishing for that customer service person to be fired for it, is vihiṃ­sā.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This further beg some questions, can one have vihiṃ­sā without byāpā­da?  and why Buddha did not explicitly include vihiṃ­sā in the hindrances?  What about slaughtering animals for food, that might be a case of vihiṃ­sā without byāpā­da?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-04-04T17:24:24.667" LastActivityDate="2017-04-04T17:24:24.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19955" CreationDate="2017-04-04T21:31:27.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Byāpāda&lt;/em&gt;' might mean: '&lt;em&gt;to walk against&lt;/em&gt;'  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Byāpāda [fr. vy+ā+pad]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sanskritdictionary.com/?q=vy/anti&amp;amp;iencoding=&amp;amp;lang=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vy/anti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vy˚ is the semi -- vowel (i. e. half -- consonantic) form of vi˚ before following a &amp;amp; ā (vya˚, vyā), very rarely ū &amp;amp; o. The prefix vi˚ is very unstable, and a variety of forms are also attached to vy˚, which, after the manner of all consonant -- combns in Pāḷi, may apart from its regular form vy˚ appear either as contracted to vv˚ (written v˚), like vagga (for vyagga), vaya (for vyaya), vosita (=vyosita), *vvūha (=vyūha, appearing as ˚bhūha), or diaeretic as viy˚ (in poetry) or veyy˚ (popular), e. g. viyañjana, viyārambha, viyāyata; or veyvañjanika, veyyākaraṇa, veyyāyika. It further appears as by˚ (like byaggha, byañjana, byappatha, byamha, byāpanna, byābādha etc.). In a few cases vya˚ represents (a diaeretic) vi˚, as in vyamhita &amp;amp; vyasanna; and vyā˚=vi˚ in vyārosa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(c) vi˚ occurs also as distributive (repetitional) prefix in reduplication compounds (here closely resembling paṭi˚ and the negative a˚), like cuṇṇa -- vicuṇṇa piecemeal, chidda -- vicchidda holes upon holes, vaṭṭa -- vivaṭṭa, etc. -- Contracted forms are vy˚ (=viy˚ before vowels) and vo˚ (=vi+ ava); the guṇa &amp;amp; vriddhi form is ve˚.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;denoting the reverse of the simple verb, or loss, difference, opposite, reverse, as expressed by un -- or dis -- , e. g. ˚asana mis -- fortune, ˚kaṭika unclean, ˚kappa change round, ˚kāra per -- turbation, dis -- tortion, ˚kāla wrong time, ˚tatha un -- truth, ˚dhūma smoke -- less, ˚patti corruption, ˚parīta dubious, ˚ppaṭipanna on the wrong track, ˚bhava non -- existence (or as 4 &quot;more&quot; bhava, i. e. wealth), ˚mati doubt, ˚mānana dis -- respect, ˚yoga separation, ˚raja fault -- less, ˚rata abs -- taining, ˚rūpa un -- sightly, ˚vaṭa unveiled, ˚vaṇṇeti defame, ˚vāda dis -- pute, ˚sama uneven, ˚ssandati overflow, ˚ssarita for -- gotten, ˚siṭṭha distinguished, ˚sesa difference, distinction. --&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pada (nt.) [Ved. pad, pād (m.) foot, and also pāda; pada (nt.) step. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often, examining the dictionary meaning of words is not clear. Instead, it is most useful to examine how words are used in context. There is an excellent website called 'Sutta Central' where a word can be placed in the search function and all of the suttas appear where in which that word is used. Then click on 'languages' &amp;amp; find the english translation (but only when the english translation appears at the top of the list). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;vihiṃ­sā &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then at that time many young boys who were between Sāvatthī and Jeta’s&#xA;  Wood were attacking a snake with a stick. Then the Gracious One,&#xA;  having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and&#xA;  robe, was entering Sāvatthī for alms. The Gracious One saw those many&#xA;  young boys between Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Wood attacking a snake with a&#xA;  stick. Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of&#xA;  it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He who, while seeking happiness for himself, harms with a stick (yo&#xA;  daṇḍena vihiṃsati) Other beings who desire happiness, will not find&#xA;  happiness after passing away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He who, while seeking happiness for himself, does not harm with a&#xA;  stick Other beings who desire happiness, will find happiness after&#xA;  passing away.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, vihiṃ­sā appears to be about inflicting harm &amp;amp; injury upon another person while byāpā­da­ appears to refer to mental thoughts of ill-will (but not necessarily the additional step of inflicting harm upon the object of ill-will). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T00:50:26.883" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T00:50:26.883" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19955" CreationDate="2017-04-04T22:54:30.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, byāpā­da­ is one of the five hindrances while vihiṃsā is one of the twenty secondary afflictions exposed in the Abhidharma. Byāpā­da­ is also one of the three mental non-virtuous actions, along with covetousness (abhijjha), etc. Studying the Abhidharma gives you an idea of what vihiṃsā is but says nothing of byāpā­da­. To grasp at the meaning of byāpā­da­, one must study other texts such as those explaining samatha, the access levels, the actual jhanas, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#byapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;glossary of Pali terms&lt;/a&gt;, it says that byāpā­da­ is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One of the ten fetters. One of the five orambhāgiya. It is connected to what is lower, and it is totally abandoned by a non-returner (anāgāmī).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One of the three mental non-virtuous actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Synonymous with aversion (dosa), as stated in AN 3.67.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One of the five hindrances [to cultivating concentration]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tsongkhapa's Vision of Reality says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The achievement of quiesence also entails the subsiding of the five&#xA;  hindrances of (1) sensual desire, (2) malice (vyapada), etc. [And]&#xA;  malice entails hatred toward sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The factor of pleasure counters the hindrance of malice (vyapada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aversion is wanting things to not be the way they are and pushing them away. &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Vyapada (Tib. gnod sems) is an escalation of that into wishing harm to someone  or something&lt;/strong&gt; that is in the way of us getting what we want. It hinders concentration. Because ill-will is to be understood in this context of cultivating samatha, etc. one has to remember how to oppose it in this context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Regarding harmfulness (vihiṃsā, Tib. rnam par 'tshe ba), the Compendium of Knowledge says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;QUESTION: What is harmfulness?&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  RESPONSE: It is involved with anger. It&#xA;  is non-benevolence, non-compassion and non-mercy. It has the function&#xA;  of harming others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An unmerciful wish to harm other sentient beings. Involving anger, it is a lack of compassion as in wanting to harm or to cause others to harm, or in taking delight when seeing or hearing of harm to sentient beings. It has the function of harming others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Geshe Tenzin Tenphel says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Harmfulness is the opposite to the non-harmfulness (Tib. rnam par mi&#xA;  ‘tshe ba) that is included in the eleven virtuous mental factors. The&#xA;  Compendium of Knowledge says that it is “non-benevolence,”&#xA;  “noncompassion,” and “non-mercy.” This particular state of mind is the&#xA;  opposite to non-harmfulness which thinks “If I do such-and-such to him&#xA;  it will hurt him just as if it were done to me it would hurt me.&#xA;  Therefore, I will not do it.” &lt;strong&gt;Harmfulness, on the other hand,&#xA;  understands that something will harm the other person and deliberately&#xA;  wishes him harm.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T08:35:56.097" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T08:35:56.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19955" CreationDate="2017-04-04T23:15:33.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To help understand the differences between the two words, let’s try to understand the meaning of the words independently.  Vyäpäda is ill will. It is a stronger word than patigha. Because of kamachanda, “dosa” or long-lasting hateful situations arise. In the present day Sinhala language, we say ‘dvesa’ for the term ‘dosa’. This long-lasting hateful situation, at its extreme brings out the second of the five hindrances, ‘Vyäpäda’. We can break this word into “vaya”+”pada”. “Vaya” means decline even in native Sinhala. and “Pada” means walk towards.  Thus ‘Vyäpäda’ means one is on a path of (moral) decline. kamachanda and Vyäpäda are the main reasons that we suffer. By disciplining ourselves through speech and bodily actions we can remove any thoughts of extreme greed and hate as they come to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vihimsa can be said as cruelty and harmfulness. Its opposite is harmlessness (avihimsa). The following Pali phrase in short means MOLEST NONE…. It’s full meaning is… “He who seeks his own happiness by harming others who also desire to have happiness will not find happiness hereafter. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”Sukha kamani bhutani yo dandena VIHIMSATI&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Attano sukham esano pecca so na labhate sukham. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take ‘Sankappo’ to mean thoughts, then…     Nekkhamma-sankappo  is  ‘thoughts of renunciation’, i.e., thoughts to cultivate when being at ease in quiet, solitary places. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avyäpäda -sankappo  is ‘thoughts of non-anger, non-hatred’: We don’t have to keep &#xA;thinking about our own bad points or the bad points of others and let these thoughts of ill-will fester. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avihinsa-saakappo is ‘thoughts of not doing harm’, not creating trouble or doing harm to ourselves and others. i.e., This also entails not thinking about our own shortcomings, which would depress us; if we think about our own shortcomings, it’ll spread to that of others shortcomings too. For this reason, the wise would lift their thoughts to the level of goodness so that they project love and good will for themselves, and in turn feel love and good will for others too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T00:36:13.533" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T00:36:13.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19961" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8660" CreationDate="2017-04-05T00:38:53.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, in dependence on an element there arises a perception, there arises a view, there arises a thought.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;SN 14.13&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, sensual thoughts arise with a source, not without a source; thought of ill will arises with a source, not without a source;&#xA;  thought of harming arises with a source, not without a source. And how&#xA;  is this so?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the sensuality element there arises sensual perception; in dependence on the sensual perception there arises&#xA;  sensual intention; in dependence on the sensual intention there arises&#xA;  sensual desire; in dependence on the sensual desire there arises&#xA;  sensual passion; in dependence on the sensual passion there arises a&#xA;  sensual quest.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the ill will element there arises perception of ill will...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the cruelty element there arises perception of harming...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the renunciation element there arises perception of renunciation...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the non-ill will element there arises perception of non-ill will...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In dependence on the harmlessness element there arises perception of harmlessness. In dependence on the perception of harmlessness there&#xA;  arises intention of harmlessness; in dependence on intention of&#xA;  harmlessness there arises desire for harmlessness; in dependence on&#xA;  desire for harmlessness there arises passion for harmlessness; in&#xA;  dependence on passion for harmlessness there arises a quest for&#xA;  harmlessness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 14.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T00:38:53.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19952" CreationDate="2017-04-05T00:53:33.943" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kalyana-Mitta, ‘Noble or Good Friend’, is called a person who is fully established in this Dhamma Path, and who walks the Noble Eightfold Path, and who is the mentor and friend of his friend, or associate, or fellow traveler in this Path, ‘wishing for her/his welfare and concerned with her/his progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda, one of many principal disciples of the Buddha, once asked the Buddha if half of the reason for the spiritual life was friendship with others. The Buddha turned to Ananda, rebuking him mildly with the words, “Don’t say that, Ananda. The whole of the spiritual life is THIS.” From this, it shows that the association with a Kalyana Mitta is the WHOLE of the Holy Life. As for you and I, being a ‘Kalyana-mitta’  (noble friend) to others is the one way that we could show our gratitude for what we have gained.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is especially important as our minds are very deceptive. We are all hard-wired to never be able to get out of this never ending ‘samsara’. So for example if your mind says one thing and for instance a noble friend says another, you’ll have to do weigh very carefully what the noble friend advices you before going forth with what your own mind tells you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Majjhima Nikaya Suttas &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/339-mn-84-madhur-sutta-at-madhur.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;84  Madhurā Sutta - At Madhurā&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahindaramatemple.com/e-tipitaka/Majjhima-Nikaya/mn-94.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;94 Gotamukha Sutta -To the Brahmin Gotamukha&lt;/a&gt; show how a Kalyana Mitta would act. These two suttas describe how a person approached an arahant who was renowned for the strength and clarity of his teachings. This person requested that he be allowed to take refuge in the arahant, but the arahant replied that refuge could not be taken in him but only in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Noble One (Ariya) in this sutta(s) was an arahant. Still he made it clear that the Buddha-Dhamma must be our guide, and that the Sangha can only assist us to do this for ourselves. Such is the advice of a Kalyana Mitta.  In the Buddha’s words, as recorded in the Anguttara Nikaya Sutta 5.88, it is possible that even a world renowned monk, who has a large following of lay and monastic disciples and who is very learned in the scriptures, can have wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Anguttara Nikaya (Sutta 4.180), the Buddha told us that when any bhikku told us that such and such were the teachings of the Buddha, we should, without scorning or welcoming his words, compare the words of the monk with the Suttas and the Vinaya (the texts containing the code of monastic discipline). If they are not in accordance with the Sutta-Vinaya, we should reject them. It is only in this way that we will be able to distinguish between a teacher who teaches the true Dhamma and another who has wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T02:04:09.903" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T02:04:09.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19963" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19968" CreationDate="2017-04-05T01:17:28.003" Score="1" ViewCount="165" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that when a meditators do a very deep meditation and experiences supernatural phonomenon that experience can't be expressed with words and logic. What does that mean. I remember Albert Einstin said: if a person can't explain something he hasn't understood it, doesn't this thing also apply to the spirtual experience. If the yogi or person who has experience rebirth and multiverse can't explain it properly, and is saying just based on his vision acquired though deep meditation like seeing past lives, future, past, travelling to other infinite universe. Than although they are all actually happening and real wouldn't their be void or incompletness in his/her knowledge of such things? How can we consider them as perfect truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also, if past, future and present are just illusion than why do we feel it? And why can't people expalain scientifically all the supernatural experiece they gain from deep meditation. Are other multiverse made of possible past and possible future? What are similaritys between Schrodingers cat theory and multiverse accordig to spirtual path? Although i know little bit i want to understand more form here. I have heard that conciousness pops up like an electron i.e conciousness is not a continious phenomenon from a buddhist monk(i forgot his name and video), like a subatomic partical which dissaperas and appera in another place, what does this mean? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T14:57:09.827" Title="why can't the spirtual experience explained from logic" Tags="|mind|consciousness|university|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19955" CreationDate="2017-04-05T03:38:51.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vyāpāda: 'ill-will', is a synonym of  dosa see: mūla it is one of the 5 hindrances nīvarana and one of the 10 mental chains samyojana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_v.htm#vy%C4%81p%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_v.htm#vyāpāda&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T03:38:51.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19963" CreationDate="2017-04-05T04:19:47.193" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;(See &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19779/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19921/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for explanation some of the terminology of the non english terms below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vocabulary and language is conditioned by common experiences of people. When suddenly a new experience comes about there will be no words or terms (nama pannatti) to describe it or language or medium to explain it (nirutti). You cannot create a vocabulary to communicate this experience to someone who has not experienced it, i.e., it is hard to express its meaning (abhilapa). Hence meditative experiences cannot be put into words, or make know (pannapiyatta or atthapannatti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of the meditative states part of the mind's operations stop. Hence logic breaks down. In the 1st Jhana Thinking and Pondering (vitakka &amp;amp; vicara) stops. When you attain Nirvana so does Perception (sañña). At this stage all metal operations stop. This again is another reason it cannot be described. Since at these levels, conventional logic also breaks down you cannot use this to deduce of infer anything about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also logic and reasoning is concepts (pannatti) or metal models of what we think is out there. This does not represent reality. Since concept and reality do not mix you cannot use concepts to describe accurately what reality is. Since only a few has experienced reality as it is there no vocabulary or language that describes the concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally our current model of the universe is based on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concept of time: (kala pannatti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;spatial dimensions concept: (disa pannatti), sapce: (akasa pannatti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and generally a lot of theorising, maths and logic which are concepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not ultimate realities themselves, hence cannot not related to meditative experiences, which deal with ultimate realities. They generally do not mix well like oil and water. This does not mean concepts do not exist, but they are not ultimate realities which are free from delusion. Conceptual realities are always with delusion or tainted by ignorance of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. So a concept which is seam solid is not necessarily with no reality in it, but it does not reality well, which in turn leads to attachment or aversion which being about misery. Dealing with realities which are ultimate, misery does not arise as there is no disparity between reality and what is known or experienced hence will not develop false expectations, when you reach the level you can experience the relevant ultimate realities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism atomic units are explained as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalapas&lt;/a&gt; which can be experienced through meditation. The experience realities might differ from what modern science says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T08:44:19.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19963" CreationDate="2017-04-05T06:57:45.650" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're misunderstanding 'illusion' with respect to past and future. The only thing which really exists is the here and now (think about it). Past and future don't exist in this way, although it seems to us sometimes that they do, especially when the mind is telling itself stories. Past and future only exist intellectually, not really like the present does.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This doesn't mean that past and future are delusions, just that they're not real like the present. And it's important sometimes for us to be able to think about the past and future in order to live our lives. If you couldn't imagine the future you wouldn't think to put on coat when you left home on a rainy day :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhism stresses that they're not real in order to encourage us to live in and relate to what is, here and now, not what was or what might be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T06:57:45.650" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14085" CreationDate="2017-04-05T09:49:15.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I dont know what your reasons for study are or much about the BP but I would say to study Lam Rim extensively. This is because it is  the key to all sutra - this is why it is important. Tsongkapas is best because it is so extensive. It includes a really useful presentation of the Consequences school but not how to meditate on it. So for this turn to Meditation on Emptiness by Jeffrey Hopkins which includes the Gelug presentation of phenomena. This may (may) be useful to cut through a lot of the other schools messiness with regard to their presentation of phenomena and psychology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Im not being partisan. But there is a problem, as it seems to me, an outsider not concerned with legacy, that a lot of the schools other than Gelug evolved without Consequences school view and thus with hang ups regarding abhidharma and psychology and logic generally. Dont get me wrong, it is precisely for this reason the Gelugs themselves are very riven and withdrawn. Cut to Prasangika. This course of action does not contradict the Buddhas teaching, nor devotion to any teacher or practice of any lineage as there is only one root to cut! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The trick would be to use this clearer (quicker) knowledge of the Gelugs to engage with the method side at the highest level in the your practice, your creative method, how you choose to engage with the lineage you feel most attracted to, to practice guru yoga with a teacher (real or imagined) as the unity of the two truths. The Gelugs have this too (see Sonam Thakchoe on the two truths) but in practice its a whole other ball game (see His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the Gelug/Kagyu tradition of Mahamudra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11102" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T14:56:26.040" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T14:56:26.040" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19963" CreationDate="2017-04-05T10:00:22.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why can't the spirtual experience explained from logic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll try to guess three analogies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is that experience can be explained, but that hearing an explanation isn't the same as experiencing. For example if I go outside then I see (and thus I experience) a lot of things there. I could describe those to you but that's not the same as your seeing (experiencing) them yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, experience has a partly-emotional component or basis. For example, take a baby and separate it from its mother and father, and it starts to cry. You might &quot;explain&quot; to the baby that there's no need to cry and that the world is benevolent, but the baby cannot learn from your explanation, and can only learn from its own experience. Something similar (i.e. you'll find that your explanation is not effective) might happen if you try to explain something to a dumb animal, to somebody with a psychiatric disability, to somebody who is too busy or has too many preconceptions to listen to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly the mind is a sense-organ for perceiving ideas, in the same way that the eye is a sense-organ for perceiving sights. If the eye is cloudy or troubled then you cannot see properly (or cannot see as clearly as somebody else can). Similarly if the mind is cloudy or troubled then you cannot understand as clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And also, if past, future and present are just illusion than why do we feel it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that when non-Buddhists read about Buddhism they may get the impression that Buddhism teaches that &quot;the world is an illusion&quot; or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually I don't see the word &quot;illusion&quot; used much when I read about Buddhism. Instead I read the word &quot;delusion&quot;, which means something which I think is related to &quot;ignorance&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if it's true that &quot;past, future and present are just illusion&quot;, I'm tempted to assume that's an inaccurate translation of a statement such as &quot;we have ignorant, unwise, unskillful knowledge about and attitudes towards past, future and present&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of Buddhism's attempts to explain &quot;why do we feel&quot; is the theory of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Twelve Nidānas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are similaritys between Schrodingers cat theory and multiverse accordig to spirtual path?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my own mind I would categorize such thinking as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;papañca&lt;/a&gt; -- i.e. trying to think or talk about a &quot;multiverse&quot; reduces one's ability to see reality-as-it-is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically &quot;Schrodinger's cat&quot; may have some limited applicability as a theory when talking about quantum mechanics, but it's not appropriate when talking about macroscopic objects. Maybe it's like saying &quot;people are conscious, therefore stars and atoms are conscious too&quot;, i.e. untrue/useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My impression is that the theories of physics says nothing about morality (good and not-good), about subjective experience (suffering and not-suffering), about recommended behaviour (wise and unwise).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have heard that conciousness pops up like an electron&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that consciousness is conditioned by sense-impressions. For example if you see a bull charging at you then you're conscious of that; if you hear music then you're conscious of that; if you step on something sharp then you're conscious of that; but these are all moments of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T10:00:22.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19969" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19682" CreationDate="2017-04-05T12:21:59.887" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this is a good answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To take refuge in the Buddha means, not taking refuge in him as a person, but taking refuge in the fact of his Awakening: placing trust in the belief that he did awaken to the truth, that he did so by developing qualities that we too can develop, and that the truths to which he awoke provide the best perspective for the conduct of our life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full text here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T12:21:59.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19970" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19977" CreationDate="2017-04-05T12:27:42.730" Score="3" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found many quotes on internet but if we'd think we do not find any reference in any scripture so do we need to ignore them as they are possibly fake quotes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can see search generate result by this site &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/three-things-cannot-be-long-hidden-the-sun-the-moon-and-the-truth/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;'fakebuddhaquotes.com'&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So are we supposed to ignore if they are fake and if not, what is second quote's meaning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-04-06T15:05:58.310" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T15:25:53.170" Title="Can we rely on Buddha's quotes found on internet?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19971" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18926" CreationDate="2017-04-05T12:33:40.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;By not getting caught up in thoughts. If you notice that you're involved in thinking, unless it's necessary to the task at hand, let go of it. Come back to the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep repeating this practice every time time you notice you're lost in thought, ten, a hundred, a thousand times a day. Keep coming back to the here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T12:33:40.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19972" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19973" CreationDate="2017-04-05T13:13:07.453" Score="3" ViewCount="939" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been trying to tie mind with breathe lately and successful several times through the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But today I have fever, and I am finding it very difficult to observe, I just want to this feeling of weakness to be over, I know it is not permanent, But yes one more thing &lt;strong&gt;i realized today, the importance of healthy body&lt;/strong&gt;, My friend suggested me not to take medicine as it is also my Sankara (to me its very stupid.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also explained that human body raises it temperature to kill some bacteria and by taking medicine you will stop its process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should I not take medicine in fever and just observe what is happening inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to keep following the Shila's and not also get rid of fever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T14:26:16.527" Title="Observing fever and Not taking medicine?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-05T13:52:56.743" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv.08.26.01-08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kucchivikara-vatthu&lt;/a&gt; includes,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sick person endowed with five qualities is hard to tend to: he does what is not amenable to his cure; he does not know the proper amount in things amenable to his cure; he does not take his medicine; he does not tell his symptoms, as they actually are present, to the nurse desiring his welfare, saying that they are worse when they are worse, improving when they are improving, or remaining the same when they are remaining the same; and he is not the type who can endure bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. A sick person endowed with these five qualities is hard to tend to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sick person endowed with five qualities is easy to tend to: he does what is amenable to his cure; he knows the proper amount in things amenable to his cure; he takes his medicine; he tells his symptoms, as they actually are present, to the nurse desiring his welfare, saying that they are worse when they are worse, improving when they are improving, or remaining the same when they are remaining the same; and he is the type who can endure bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. A sick person endowed with these five qualities is easy to tend to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A nurse endowed with five qualities is not fit to tend to the sick: He is not competent at mixing medicine; he does not know what is amenable or unamenable to the patient's cure, bringing to the patient things that are unamenable and taking away things that are amenable; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T13:52:56.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19963" CreationDate="2017-04-05T14:47:34.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...can't be expressed with words and logic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because words and logic are the &quot;formats&quot; used by the mind, i.e., Name-Form conditioned. (Name-Form {名色} is the 4th in the 12-Nidāna), it cannot express the Ultimate Truth, that rid of Ignorance {無明} - the 1st of the 12-Nidana. Likewise a daughter cannot give birth to her father (in the same life-time).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Albert E is talking about &quot;understood&quot; in the scope of intellectual mind, but the Ultimate is beyond intellect.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...if past, future and present are just illusion than why do we feel it?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Illusion&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Why a sad novel will make you cry? Even though what you are in contact with merely paper and ink (if you are reading a book). Why you see the wave coming and going, even though the water particles are merely moving up and down, not forth and back; (number of persons holding hands get them up and down will create the same &quot;wave&quot; illusion). Illusion can have real effect, if the mind believes in it. We are seeing many illusions, e.g. our vision is not perfect constructed partly by illusion/imagination, we have blind spot in our vision scientist said that the brain &quot;filled in&quot; the blank, read this in the medical magazine.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You assumed but didn't directly ask if past future present are illusions&lt;/strong&gt; Yes, time is illusion, so is space. Past and Future definitely can't exist independently on their own, it depends on the Present - when the mind recalled or projected them; the Present doesn't exist as well (!!). I credit Rinpoche Khenpo Tsultrim (慈誠羅珠堪布), he explaint that how a smallest unit of time can never be found, therefore the moment of Present can never be established. What is the smallest unit of time the Present? A second, but it can be divided into half a second, a half second can further be divided half... so on and so forth - infinite. However, if a unit of time can be infinitely divided, then that moment can never be passed thus the next moment can never be born. Infinitely dividable is a mathematically dividable but it is not for our phenomenal world's time. We are tricked by the mind and logic. In our phenomenal world we experience the previous moment and the next moment continuum. However as it can continuously be dividing the smallest unit of the present moment, the present moment cannot be established. If the present moment cannot be established then all the phenomenal world &quot;matters&quot; cannot be established. But we do experience the phenomenal world - Ultimate Truth is beyond the dialect logic and also the Indian Classical four-truth logic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Albert E., no matter how high his IQ scored, can't work on this bit of anomaly :D. So does a yogi or meditator there able to tell you what's going on with him (provided he is authentic and genuine).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are similaritys between Schrodingers cat theory and multiverse accordig to spirtual path?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've not invested much on S.'s Cat and Multiverse and so on I left the rest for those wise-well-learnt.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(P. S. &lt;em&gt;self gibberish&lt;/em&gt;: I cannot understand why so many Buddhist students talking so happily about Anatta the so called not-Self/non-Self, as if Columbus discovering the new continent. It's really a horrible truth to learnt when one realizes that a present moment indeed doesn't exist at all so does a Self doesn't have an abode to take shelter... it simply can't be established! :&quot;'C)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-05T14:57:09.827" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T14:57:09.827" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-05T15:02:35.453" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consult a doctor regarding your sickness as soon as possible. As for Buddhism and sickness, you can follow a suitable meditation for that. This however had nothing to do with medicine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't seen any references in Buddhism saying not to have medicine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T15:02:35.453" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19970" CreationDate="2017-04-05T16:54:04.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On the same site -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/better-than-a-thousand-hollow-words-is-one-word-that-brings-peace/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/better-than-a-thousand-hollow-words-is-one-word-that-brings-peace/&lt;/a&gt; -- the author identifies the second quote as a slightly inaccurate or poetic translation of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;100th verse of the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sahassamapi ce vaca&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  anatthapadasamhita&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ekam atthapadam seyyo&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  yam sutva upasammati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;100&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Better than a thousand words that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is a single word of sense, if on hearing it one is calmed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That too is not a literal translation into English -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/index.php&lt;/a&gt; says they refer to the commentary if the literal meaning is vague or unintelligible or perplexing -- they added to the translation the phrase &quot;unconnected with the realization of Nibbana&quot; to clarify the difference between what they called senseless and sensible, i.e. between &lt;em&gt;anattha­pada­saṃhitā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;atthapadam&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.08.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here is&lt;/a&gt; maybe a more literal translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;100&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that's close to the version you quoted in the OP (it's so close that I don't see why what you quoted is listed as a &quot;fake&quot; quote, instead of being listed among the &quot;real&quot; quotes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you still don't understand it, I recommend the commentary/story which accompanies each verse (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;see here&lt;/a&gt;), and/or reading the whole chapter of the Dhammapada (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.08.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;see here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-06T15:25:53.170" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T15:25:53.170" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-05T19:20:04.730" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're sick. Give yourself a break. Rest, take meds if you need to and go to see a doctor. You shouldnt even meditate if you don't feel like it. Its not a competition. Be gentle to yourself. Would you withhold medicine from a sick child?  If not then you don't withhold it from yourself. There's nothing wise or spiritual about such thoughts or actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T19:20:04.730" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19930" CreationDate="2017-04-05T19:24:42.657" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't stand when people use that term. It's a new age cliche.  No everything does not happen for a reason at all. Everything is mostly random however we can find something positive in even the most difficult or adverse conditions.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T19:24:42.657" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-05T20:45:29.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have fever please consult a doctor and take medicine.&#xA;I do not take a pain killer when I have pain. But I keep pain as my meditation object. I have taken painkillers less than twice in last three years. My experience without painkillers is shared in the following link.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&amp;amp;t=16532&amp;amp;hilit=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&amp;amp;t=16532&amp;amp;hilit=&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T20:45:29.653" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12249" CreationDate="2017-04-05T20:45:56.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jukai doesn't create any commitments between you and the preceptor (unlike monastic ordination which initiates a master/disciple relationship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone's entitled to it, only an osho (I think) can perform the ceremony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main preparation is to sew a rakusu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T20:45:56.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19970" CreationDate="2017-04-05T22:05:00.777" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does it really even matter who wrote them? If it works for you great, if not then ignore it. As far as I know The Buddha never meant for his teachings to turn into a religion which people blindly follow. The same can be said about Jesus. Take what resonates as truth for you and avoid becoming a sheeple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-05T22:05:00.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19970" CreationDate="2017-04-06T00:49:54.337" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In addition to &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/&lt;/a&gt; there is also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.realbuddhaquotes.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.realbuddhaquotes.com/&lt;/a&gt; which claim the quotes are verified. You can get inspired by the real thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T00:49:54.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-06T01:09:21.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only one part in five (taking to account there 5 Niyama) is due to Karma / Sankhara. Even if its, there is nothing preventing medicine from working, i.e., sickness was brought upon by a previous karmic reaction and the medicine also reacts and cures. This is Kamma niyama and Dhamma niyama fully or partially cancelling out the net result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also our bodies are prone to sickness for other reasons like say genetic reasons. So not every ailment is not Sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sickness, what ever source, can be remedied by Payoga Sampatti&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, i.e., having sound knowledge, good reasoning and having good tactics, plans and methods to overcome the predicament. The final result may very well be decided by this than the source which triggered it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As any sickness, when you get it, it is unsatisfactory. Just observe the sensations this brings, while taking medicines and treatment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also make it a point to educate your friend in this also!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/abhidhamma-in-daily-life_2/d/doc3162.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Condition 4 - Payoga Sampatti And Payoga Vipatti&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Payoga Sampatti&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Payoga sampatti means the combined effect of sati (mindfulness) viriya (vigilance) and nana (knowledge). Here knowledge means harmless knowledge as well as vitakka (good reasoning). Vigilance, effort, alertness, insight, wisdom, intelligence and mindfulness - all amount to payoga sampatti. In the realm of Devas and Brahmas, payoga sampatti is not so prominent. But in this human world it is of paramount importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human beings have no akusala kamma so powerful as to bring immediate effect. The power of past deeds depend on whether there is payoga sampatti or not to produce results and on the degree of payoga sampatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a nutshell, people should not rely only on past kusala kamma for their well-being. They must also rely on the efforts exerted in this life. This payoga sampatti channels past kusala kamma to flow in the right direction. Of course some wholesome deeds done in the past produce good results at present, such as winning lottery or unearthing a pot of gold. But such events are very rare. In trade and commerce the effect of the past kusala kamma accounts for only one fourth of the prosperity achieved; the remaining three-fourth is due to payoga sampatti in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Payoga Sampatti Can Stop Akusala Kamma&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Akusala kamma can be divided into two grades: (a) Powerful or major kamma, (b) Feeble or minor kamma. Payoga sampatti cannot stop the bad effects of akusala kamma of the first grade. It can only soften the blow to some extent. For example King Ajatashatru killed his father. For this serious crime of patricide he was bound to suffer in Avici Hell. His payoga sampatti, however vigorous, cannot save his fate. Yet, due to his repentance and devotion to the Buddha, he was penalized in Udassa Niraya (a lesser hell) and suffered less than his due. This even Garu akusala (the greatest evil) can be mitigated by sufficient payoga sampatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore if your evil deeds are not so bad as Ajasattu, you can lessen or stop the coming bad results. If you have done evil deeds such as abusing your teachers, showing disrespect to parents and elders, slandering virtuous persons, you can stop the coming evil consequences by mindfulness and sincere repentance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can nullify the evil consequences by prostrating in apology before them or, if they are dead, by doing the same at their graves. If you repentance and apologies are sincere, your payoga sampatti will ward off the impending evil results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, feeble or minor bad kamma can be abrogated by greater good kamma here and now. Monks who have transgressed Vinaya rules of the lesser kind can rectify their misdeeds by following repentance procedures outlined by the Buddha. Thus even the effects of some moderately evil kamma can be stopped by the payoga sampatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Payoga Sampatti Brings Prosperity&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who have no faith in the Ti Ratana (Three Jewels) also have accumulated merits because they surely had done good in their past existences. This know-how, their perseverance and their diligence are praiseworthy. In addition to the welfare of the individual, they exert great effort to defend their country through science and high technology. (although some Buddhists severely criticize their endeavors as being akusala), no one can deny that these efforts bring about economic prosperity social development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such aliens who come to our country to seeks wealth and prosperity are found to be very vigilant, hard-working, skilful, intelligent and clever. Their know-how is far superior to ours. With foresight they select appropriate sites and places (pati rupa desa) for their enterprises because they have wide knowledge and experience. With so much payoga sampatti, their past kusala kamma has very good opportunity to produce effects and accordingly they become rich in leaps and bounds. If we, Buddhist citizens of Myanmar, should follow the path of diligence (sampatti) effort, we would also achieve prosperity and progress as they do. We all should seek knowledge and experience together with payoga sampatti for our national development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Health Through Payoga Sampatti&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Human beings born to this world are accompanied by kusala kamma which brings good health as well as by akusala kamma which brings ill-health. Conforming to health disciplines, personal hygiene, regular exercise and sufficient rest and sleep, adequate medical care, all amounts to payoga sampatti which leads to good health. For those with such payoga sampatti, their past kusala kamma will also take effect and enhance their physical well-being.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence payoga sampatti is the prime factor for kusala kamma to bear good fruits. Due to payoga sampatti one can gain knowledge, marry a worthy partner, get good friends and teachers and acquire wealth and status. It can also assist in the fulfilling of perfections which pave the way to Nibbána. In the constituents of payoga sampatti, knowledge is the first requirement. Second comes mindfulness and third vigilance, in whatever we do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Payoga Vipatti&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Torpor, laziness, lack of knowledge, forgetfulness, envy jealousy, anger, hatred and vain pride are all payoga vipatti. They stand in the way of success and prosperity; payoga vipatti opens the door for very powerful akusala kamma to take effect immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such powerful evils are present only in the mind-continuum of only a very few people. But smaller evils are always present in everyone, waiting to produce effects with the occurrence of payoga vipatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, children of good families lead good lives by seeking education, right livelihood, observing the Five Precepts; these wholesome acts, will prevent the evil results of the past to produce effects. If children are lazy, undisciplined, follow wrong livelihood, and breach Five Precepts; they are developing payoga vipatti. This in turn invites the past akusala kamma to take immediate effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum up, apart from very powerful kusala and akusala kamma, other ordinary kamma whatsoever may or may not produce results, good or bad depending on payoga sampatti or payoga vipatti. For people with payoga sampatti, only kusala kamma will prevail and akusala kamma will have no chance to produce effects. On the other hand, for those with payoga vipatti, good kamma results have no place; only the evil akusala kamma will take result. People whose lives are ruined by their akusala kamma due to the prevalence of payoga vipatti are not uncommon. They can be found in almost every community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: Abhidhamma In Daily Life by Ashin Janakabhivamsa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T14:26:16.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19985" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-06T04:43:29.427" Score="2" ViewCount="870" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the similarities between modern physics/quantum physics and Buddism?&#xA;Although i know little about this, like Budha said that conciousness creates everything, emptyness and dependent origination kind of things. What are other things that matches with what modern science is saying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-07T15:32:39.503" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T15:32:39.503" Title="What are the similarities between quantum physics and buddism?" Tags="|consciousness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19972" CreationDate="2017-04-06T04:44:06.067" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I just want this feeling of weakness to be over&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would focus my awareness of desires like &quot;wanting feelings to be over&quot;, when they happen as they happen, moment by moment. You could be aware of the weakness as it occurs in your experience too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But yes one more thing i realized today, the importance of healthy body&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's nowhere near as important as having a healthy mind. The only reason to have a healthy body is so one can have more time to cultivate the mind(at least this is the ideal aim in Buddhism)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Should I not take medicine in fever and just observe what is happening inside.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the medicine is only to stop the pain then you should not take it, if you can. If you can't that's ok too but if you can't accept it then remember to accept that you can't accept it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is a medicine that is an actual remedy for the disease instead of aversion to the truth of suffering then the medicine is more appropriate to take but you don't have to. We can learn a lot while we are sick but mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T04:44:06.067" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19987" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-06T10:20:31.473" Score="0" ViewCount="1443" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism it is said to be the place of Lord Shiva and his wife godess parvati, How is it related to Buddhist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha himself ever said the importance of Mount Kailash? and if it is just a culture Buddhist follows how did it start?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jain's are also worshipping this sacred mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Monk Milarepa have climbed Mount Kailash(is it true?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-06T10:35:19.843" LastActivityDate="2017-10-15T10:15:03.583" Title="Why Buddhist worship Mount Kailash?" Tags="|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19988" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19985" CreationDate="2017-04-06T11:05:51.133" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I know quantum physics does not teach four noble truths, dependent origination and consciousness. So there are no similarities.However quantum physics can be used as examples to explain Buddha's teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T11:05:51.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19987" CreationDate="2017-04-06T11:47:39.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is in the region around Mt. Kailash that Pacceka Buddhas will reside at a time just before a Supreme Buddha is born to this world.  That is when the eminent coming of a Supreme Buddha is talked about amongst the general population of that time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Mt. Kailash is a very storied mountain, the equally storied lake and the storied flower in it. Mt. Kailash is the mythical Mt. Meru. Read about it in the &quot;Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta&quot; The Sermon of the Seven Suns (Anguttara Nikaya VII. 62). In it the Buddha explains in detail about the events that would unfold, and in it, this monarch of mountains will get consumed and burnt, that neither ashes not soot will remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lake Anavatapta is said to be so sheltered and covered that the direct rays from the sun would not fall and the lake would not dry up until the day this world would come to an end, as per the Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta. In this &quot;Sermon of the Seven Suns&quot; the Supreme Buddha, tells us about the end of the earth due to the expansion of the dying sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To tell you a bit about the storied flower that is found in its forest…. It is the Kadupul flower - said to be the world’s most expensive flower. It survives around the Lake Anavatapta, because it is sheltered from the sun’s rays. The flower is said to be a midnight miracle, surviving during the night, and fading to nothing at dawn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-06T11:47:39.723" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19985" CreationDate="2017-04-06T11:50:31.400" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In quantum physics states &lt;strong&gt;every atom is impermanent&lt;/strong&gt;. Same is taught by Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that there is &lt;strong&gt;quantum entanglement&lt;/strong&gt; which means if two atom or particles are entangled than it doesn't matter how far they are if you make any changes to one another changes automatically, &lt;strong&gt;Buddhism teaches this in Mettā Meditation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha was able to see every atom of his body was continuously coming to existence and dying at the same time, giving you the illusion that we are alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He told (10 to the power 21) times an atom is coming to existence every second, which is very similar to quantum physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual question should be about the difference, Which we need to understand is Panya (Pragya in Hindi, Maybe experiential knowledge in English) &lt;strong&gt;When one find's the Quantum truth by Physics&lt;/strong&gt; one would still remain as same person, &lt;strong&gt;but if one reaches to same truth by Mind, one become Buddha&lt;/strong&gt;.(Buddha is a person who has his Bodhi(Realization), Which means you will become self realized).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastEditorUserId="9846" LastEditDate="2017-04-07T05:49:48.747" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T05:49:48.747" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19992" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19985" CreationDate="2017-04-06T22:12:15.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, in aiming to comprehend suffering, from a psychological point of view, sought to understand experience as it actually is. The scientific method, aims to limit itself to the understanding of experience as it actually is, whilst not focusing solely on the psychological. Whilst the Buddha approached experience (mostly) from a generally more internal frame of reference, the scientific method approaches experience through examining the external frame of reference. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the concept of 'Truth is one, the wise know it by different names' is accepted (one truth, rather than duality etc), then, subject to the validity of the Buddha's insight, the scientific method (an examination of experience, as it actually is), should agree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the issue becomes the question of - which of the two methods has the more accurate insight? The Buddha taught anicca and anatta. The scientific method, has shown itself susceptible to anatta (anicca follows naturally from anatta) through the relativisation of physical concepts, as theories that embrace relativism tend to explain perceived experience better (statistically, mathematically), than ones with essential, absolutely and externally fixed constants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Interpretations of quantum mechanics&lt;/a&gt;, gives many options for how to interpret experience as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_quantum_mechanics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Relational quantum mechanics&lt;/a&gt; agrees with the Buddha's insight into anatta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0604064.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Relational EPR&lt;/a&gt; is a scholarly discussion on how RQM deals with the EPR paradox (is quite insightful and not much maths in it at all for the most part!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-07T11:45:26.760" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T11:45:26.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19864" CreationDate="2017-04-07T07:11:02.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Rebirth in the traditional sense may or may not happen. Despite what you say about NMR (which I also studied), we don't have any scientific evidence either way. But in the momentary sense, in the sense of being a different person in a different world from one moment to the next, this certainly seems to me to be what happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And with respect to the traditional understanding of rebirth, Buddhism's view is that circumstances come and go (are born and die), but that there is something which isn't born and doesn't die. What of this thing that isn't born and doesn't die? What of it before your physical birth, what of it after your physical death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T07:11:02.327" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19985" CreationDate="2017-04-07T15:16:37.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Quantum physics&lt;/strong&gt; deals with things that are a subset of &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rupa &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vedanä&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saññä &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankhara &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Viññana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it tries to understand what happens to these in a subatomic level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; deals with the understanding of Four Noble Truths of which the First Noble Truth is, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rupa &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vedanä&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saññä &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sankhara &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Viññana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it tries to warn you that the assumption these things as &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; or &quot;my soul&quot; leads to suffering rebirth (hence Aging, Sickness, Death) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;While both seem to look at the same things, Quantum mechanics has a different objective from that of Buddhism. Thus, Quantum mechanics does not address the three questions clearly where as Buddhism does&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the pleasure of Pancha Upädänakkhanda ? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the danger of Pancha Upädänakkhanda? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the refuge from Pancha Upädänakkhanda?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T15:16:37.947" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19995" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="19997" CreationDate="2017-04-07T15:54:15.037" Score="1" ViewCount="143" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do we better determine when it is time to use logic and reason and when it is a time to just see things as they are?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: We don't have to disclose the specific kind of meditation that we practice but it might make our answers less ambiguous -metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T02:44:40.970" Title="How do we determine when to use logic and reason in Buddhism?" Tags="|meditation|teaching|buddhist|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19995" CreationDate="2017-04-07T16:02:36.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To &quot;see things as they &lt;strong&gt;are&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; in Buddhism, is to see things with the perspective of the &lt;strong&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until you &quot;see things as they &lt;strong&gt;are&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; through full understanding of the Four Noble truths, you have to use logic and reason to reach full understanding of things of the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T16:02:36.850" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19995" CreationDate="2017-04-07T19:55:00.083" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends on what you want to abandon or negate. In general, there are two ways of negating (or abandoning) an object of negation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We oppose an affliction by way of generating a mind that is its opposite. For instance, a mind of love opposes a mind of anger... the virtuous intention to give (generosity) opposes miserliness... the wisdom of emptiness opposes ignorance (that is the mistaken conception of inherent existence)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We negate a non-existent object of negation by way of logic. For instance, we refute inherent existence  by way of applying logic, such as the reasoning of the diamond sliver, that of dependent-arising, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things are &quot;organic&quot; however. You can very well analyze death and impermanence so as to generate a consciousness in the entity of non-attachment, or of non-desire, or of renunciation, etc. According to Pabongka Rinpoche, once the mind of non-attachment has arisen (for instance), because it has found its way there through reasoning (and through paying attentions to things we usually overlook), there is no more need to apply logic anymore. We apply logic to find our way there again, and that way becomes easier to find every time we take it. Reasoning is just a means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason we become angry without planning, &quot;In five minutes, I will get angry&quot; is that we are accustomed to it. We got there so many times in the past that our mind &quot;naturally&quot; takes the same course and find its way there again and again. When we are angry, even when we try to think &quot;It's ridiculous and I am just telling myself stories, I am projecting, etc.&quot; we tend to think &quot;Yes, but still... I have my reasons to be angry!&quot; And we find ourselves reasons to be unhappy, we just feed it. The way we look at things and what we look at when we are angry are determined by anger. So, there is a need to apply logic to oppose this story telling by telling ourselves a story that is concordant with reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have to do that until, one day, there will be no more need because loving kindness, compassion, generosity, etc. will manifest as naturally and effortlessly as our breathing goes. We will no longer get in our own way by thinking in a manner that lead us towards non-virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T19:55:00.083" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11852" CreationDate="2017-04-07T21:20:59.393" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma are the main three Theravada Countries.&#xA;In Sri Lanka: Venerable Katukurunde Nananada Thero's Monastery (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net&lt;/a&gt;), Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya (Burmese Panditarama tradition) are for serious practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11115" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T21:20:59.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="19999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10644" CreationDate="2017-04-07T22:06:24.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several free of charge places. You can find some below. These monasteries are emerged from Thai forest tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.watmetta.org/overnightVisitors.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.watmetta.org/overnightVisitors.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://forestsangha.org/about&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://forestsangha.org/about&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/contact/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.forestdhamma.org/contact/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11115" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-08T00:09:05.120" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T00:09:05.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19725" CreationDate="2017-04-07T22:24:43.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Live in the present moment as long as possible. That is the way. Don't bear the future burden. Like driving a vehicle. Cut down thinking. Study following links well before start.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/audio-and-publications/publications-english/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.nissarana.lk/audio-and-publications/publications-english/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/file_manager/browseCollections.php?CGroup=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.nissarana.lk/file_manager/browseCollections.php?CGroup=2&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=LEIUpGmmEGQ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11115" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T22:24:43.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20001" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18209" CreationDate="2017-04-07T22:29:48.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Live in the present moment. Don't think about the Past and the Future. Like driving a vehicle. Cut down thinking. Study following links well, before start.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/audio-and-publications/publications-english/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.nissarana.lk/audio-and-publications/publications-english/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nissarana.lk/file_manager/browseCollections.php?CGroup=2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.nissarana.lk/file_manager/browseCollections.php?CGroup=2&lt;/a&gt;  wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=LEIUpGmmEGQ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11115" LastActivityDate="2017-04-07T22:29:48.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20004" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-07T23:13:20.207" Score="3" ViewCount="4265" Body="&lt;p&gt;After the era of the well known Thai Bhikkhus like Ajahn Mun, Ajahn Tate, Ajahn Maha Boowa, Ajahn Waen and Ajahn Chah; Which Ajahns are considered as Arahants or Highly developed Meditators,in these days? (I'm asking this not to arouse curiosity of others, but to find good monks' Dhamma talks).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11115" LastActivityDate="2019-09-26T00:42:02.527" Title="Which Living Ajahns are considered to be Arahants today?" Tags="|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20004" CreationDate="2017-04-08T00:58:41.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only a Buddha can truly identify an Arhat, so beware of people who take up robes declaring they are stream winners and teach their own wisdom instead of the current teacher of Buddha and Buddhism: &lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now there are translations of the original Dhamma and they are easy to understand. Using these sources will help you clarify your doubts.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are priests who preach direct translations of the original Dhamma. Please find one of them for your guidance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2019-09-25T14:31:06.387" LastActivityDate="2019-09-25T14:31:06.387" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20004" CreationDate="2017-04-08T02:24:23.453" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search – MN 26&lt;/a&gt;  one come across the group of five monks (Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama and Assaji) who attended to Buddha when He was resolute in exertion, before Buddhahood. They were far more intelligent than any of us in the present day. Even they could not identify the Buddha as an Arahant. So what would make one think that a present day monk can identify an Arahant? Only after a monk leaves this existence can one identify that he is someone special (an Arahant ) in observing the dead body. Such an incident took place in Sri Lanka, a couple of months ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2019-09-25T03:16:27.767" LastActivityDate="2019-09-25T03:16:27.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19995" CreationDate="2017-04-08T02:44:40.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Almost all past publications have translated anicca, dukkha, anatta as impermanence, suffering, and no-self. So for your question… &lt;strong&gt;How do we determine when to use logic and reason in Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;..  This is one instance that &lt;strong&gt;we’ve got to use our logic and reason&lt;/strong&gt; as The Buddha has warned strongly against blind faith and encouraged the way of truthful inquiry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Samyutta Nikaya (Anicca Vagga), when one refers to AjjhattaniccaSutta, Bahiranicca Sutta, Yadanicca sutta etc. the Buddha stated that the three characteristics of “this world” (all six  senses) are related to each other - i.e., “if something is anicca, dukkha arises, therefore anatta”. Taking the long held interpretation of anicca to be impermanent and anatta to be “no-soul”, the above would read “if something is not permanent, suffering arises, and as a result one becomes “no-self””.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Permanence/Impermanence are properties of “things” (living beings and physical things) or “events”. On the other hand, nicca/anicca are perception’s in one’s mind about those “things” and “events” in this world of 31 realms. We cannot maintain anything to our satisfaction including “our” own body and that is anicca. Thus we become distraught and that is dukkha. Since we are helpless in preventing this, we are helpless, and nothing is with any real substance in the end; that is anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Impermanence” is something that is inevitable - a property that cannot be changed in this world. But “anicca” is a perception in someone’s mind and that perception can be changed. That is how one gets rid of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha has said,”Sabbe Dhamma anatta“. Could it then be “all dhamma are “no-self”? Dhamma includes everything including the inert. Does it mean to say, “a tree has “no-self”” or “a mountain has “no-self””? The correct interpretation is that nothing in this world is of any real substance in the end. They all come into being and are destroyed in the end, and that is anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T02:44:40.970" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20008" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-08T05:20:15.217" Score="4" ViewCount="382" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is of certain interest to me how does buddhism view the mechanics of karma accounting. By accounting I mean the weighing of intentions and outcomes and adjustment of the karmic ledger of the reincarnated unit - without a &quot;supercomputer&quot; to calculate all the expected probabilities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider this example from the book [&lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861713680&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.amazon.com/Three-Levels-Spiritual-Perception-Commentary/dp/0861713680]&lt;/a&gt; &quot;The three levels of spiritual perception&quot; by Kunga Tenpay Nyima:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... there is a story in the Jakata Tales of one of the earlier lives of the Buddha as a bodhisattva. In that rebirth he was a sailor. While crossing a river in a ferry, through his bodhisattva's prescience he realized that one of the passengers was planning to kill all five hundred people aboard the ship. Quick as a wink, he killed the person intending the evil act. By doing so, he saved not only the other passengers but also the person who was planning to kill them, preventing him from committing such a terrible sin. Even though he did this at the price of killing a living being himself, because his intention was so good, and was motivated by compassion, both for the other passengers and for the would-be killer, it was, on balance a meritorious action.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note the complexity of this scenario, and also extend it a bit in your imagination with other people suspecting that the killing could take place, and also the killer himself still debating in his mind as to whether to proceed and sink the ship. The bodhisattva could also not be 100% sure that the deed will eventually take place - as Buddhism rejects &lt;em&gt;complete determinism&lt;/em&gt; and fatalism. There were other passenger with their intentions and decisions to act or not to act, passengers whose karma was to be punished on this ship and by not dying on that day the balance could have been changed for the worse. Imagine there were future killers among the passengers, etc etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a web of intentions, partial knowledge, and unknown outcomes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does karma calculation proceed in this case without a supercomputer?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How can we, as individuals, choose the right course of action without knowing the outcome of this complicated karmic accounting?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11118" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T14:51:53.533" Title="Complexities of karma accounting" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20009" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-08T07:14:17.880" Score="7" ViewCount="847" Body="&lt;p&gt;...as per the title.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada literature, the Buddha is seen as someone who found an end to suffering and taught that for all his life, urging his disciples to apply themselves to it, to not waste the opportunity and regret later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there are many interpretations of what exactly is Nirvana in this tradition (and what is/is-not a tathagata after death etc), it's perhaps universally accepted by it's adherents that embarking on this doctrine culminates in the permanent cessation of suffering. Some may speculate or say more about Nirvana, but others might be silent and not add anything that the texts don't say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But what about Mahayana's Nirvana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is it the same same? Or is it more elaborated, like a realm where beings (Buddhas?) actually live?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does it have the same requirements as the Theravada nirvana (e.g. elimination of the ten fetters, realization of four noble truths &amp;amp; dependent origination)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2019-05-15T22:16:16.897" Title="What is Nirvana (mahayana)?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20010" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20012" CreationDate="2017-04-08T08:30:38.740" Score="2" ViewCount="3981" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, we can find a name called &quot;Maha Brahma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is he a GOD (as per Buddha, there are no such people called GOD), or some kind of different bean? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="5348" LastEditDate="2017-04-08T11:32:12.193" LastActivityDate="2019-09-13T17:14:22.140" Title="Is Maha Brahma a GOD?" Tags="|god|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20009" CreationDate="2017-04-08T09:22:45.247" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Warning:&lt;/strong&gt; To not make it too long, I avoided quotes. In addition, this is merely a summary. Just like with Theravada, there are interpretations. Since I present things in a traditional way, please do not take it personal when I seem to despise so-called Hinayana tenets or practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say that a Hinayana arhat still has limitations, obstacles that prevent him from achieving the welfare of others as well as his own. On the other hand, a [fully enlightened] buddha abandoned all obstacles and thus is able to achieve the welfare of others, and achieved his own. This is because there are two obscurations that a buddha has abandoned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Afflictive obscurations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knowledge obscurations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since a Hinayana arhat has uprooted ignorance - the root of samsara - he has abandoned afflictive obscurations. This is because ignorance, anger, desire, etc. are afflictive obscurations, and once the root has been abandoned, all the other afflictions  as well. However, a Hinayana arhat has not abandoned knowledge obscurations. Only a buddha has abandoned both obscurations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four divisions of nirvana but I will speak of two. A Hinayana arhat achieved &lt;strong&gt;abiding nirvana&lt;/strong&gt;. We also call it 'individual liberation' or 'solitary peace.' We say that this abiding nirvana is the extreme of peace. According to Asanga's &lt;em&gt;Bodhisattvabhumi&lt;/em&gt; and other texts, after some time, the buddhas wake them up from their blissful individual liberation and tell them that more is to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A buddha abides neither in the extreme of peace (abiding nirvana), nor the extreme of samsara. He achieved a non-abiding nirvana. He has abandoned the two obscurations and is, in this sense, beyond limitations. Therefore, he is able to benefit all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way to abandon afflictive obscurations is by generating the wisdom of emptiness. Different Mahayna tenets posit emptiness differently, but they all posit the two selflessness: emptiness of person and emptiness of phenomena. As the Heart Sutra puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Phenomena &lt;strong&gt;also&lt;/strong&gt; are empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The way to abandon knowledge obscuration is by having the wisdom of emptiness conjoined with Bodhicitta. By generating spontaneous bodhicitta, one enters the Mahayana path of accumulation. On the Mahayana path of seeing, the wisdom of emptiness is conjoined with bodhicitta. When wisdom is imbued with bodhicitta, the mind becomes powerful and vast enough to abandon knowledge obscuration. We often refer to the following analogy:&#xA;The wisdom of emptiness is like an axe cutting through the two obscurations, while bodhicitta is a strong arm. Without bodhicitta, one's arm is not strong enough and can not abandon the two obscurations, thus achieving buddhahood. A Hinayana arhat has abandoned afflictive obscurations, but since he did not generate bodhicitta, he has not abandoned knowledge obscuration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two divisions of knowledge obscurations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The imprints of ignorance, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The appearance of true existence that is caused by the imprints of ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only a buddha is free from the appearance of true existence. Therefore, when a conventionality appears to a buddha, it does not appear together with the appearance of true existence and he realizes both truths simultaneously and with the very same mind: the omniscient mind of a buddha. On the other hand, whenever a conventionality appears to a sentient being (i.e. a non-buddha), it appears together with the appearance of true existence. Consequently, a sentient being cannot realize the two truths directly and simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The omniscient mind of a buddha (the wisdom truth body dharmakaya):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Directly realizes the two truths, simultaneously&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is free from conceptualization, and unmistaken&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Knows all existent, past, present and future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, according to Mahayana, a buddha obtained the four bodies (kayas). There are ways of dividing the kayas into two, three, four, or five but we generally speak of four. A buddha has a mental body that is seen only by Mahayana aryas and that teaches them only the Mahayana Dharma. It is called Enjoyment body (Sambhogakāya). A buddha has body that is seen even by ordinary beings and this is the Emanation body (Nirmanakaya). We say that Shakyamuni Buddha was a supreme emanation body because he taught he possessed the 32 marks and the 80 signs. A buddha has an omniscient mind that we call &quot;wisdom truth body&quot;. It gives birth to the teachings that emanate from it, like the rays of the sun emanate from the sun. It is by emanating in this way that he benefits all sentient beings (even though not all sentient beings interact with his teachings, but that is another subject of debate.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-08T09:39:18.913" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T09:39:18.913" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20010" CreationDate="2017-04-08T09:46:02.750" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maha Brahma is a realm, and not “A GOD”. Any living being (including each of us) has been in all realms in this beginningless sansara. We have been at the highest (except the five pure abodes in rupa loka which can be accessed only by Anagamis or Non-Returners). One time the Buddha pointed to a bunch of ants on the ground and told bhikkhus that each of those ants had lived in a brahma loka. The sansara is that long; there is no discernible beginning. These &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  is described in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. It lays out the “blueprint” of Buddha Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the realm of Great Brahmas (Maha brahma) Buddha mentions about one Great Brahma, a deity whose delusion leads him to regard himself as the all-powerful, all-seeing creator of the universe. It is in &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta: To Kevatta (DN 11)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Kevaddha Sutta informs one of what even a “God” does not know. Maha Brahmas, like Baka, think they’ve gone beyond anything the Buddha knows, so the Buddha has to go up to their Brahma heavens and subdue their pride, to show &#xA;them that they still have more to let go of, that there is something the Buddha himself has gone beyond but they haven’t.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta lays out the “blueprint” of Buddha Dhamma, and in one part of it names the 6 deva realms and 15 out of 16 rupi Brahma  realms. The sutta is meant to convey the way to “see” the true nature of existence with wisdom, not with the physical eye. Only a Buddha can discover the true nature, but a human can comprehend it, once explained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the brahma realms, all brahmas are born fully formed without the help of a mother’s womb. Theirs is an “opapatika” birth. For example when a human dies, his body becomes inert like a log, and at the very instant a fully-formed brahma is formed in the appropriate brahma world. This brahma will have sense faculties appropriate for a brahma: only eyes, ears, and a mind. These are the indriya for the new existence. These indriya can become ayatana (a factory that produces sankharas of another birth)  at times depending on the activities of that brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Male/female distinction is there only in the kama loka. In the brahma realms (higher 20 realms), there is no such distinction. Brahmas do not have dense physical bodies or sexual organs. One is born in either the 16 rupa loka realms or the 4 arupa loka realms (brahma realms) because one has given up all desires for bodily pleasures, including sex, because one has seen the value of niramisa sukha (and jhanic pleasures) that can be achieved by giving up bodily pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All brahma realms are “unisex“. Brahmas do not have dense bodies to experience touch, taste of foods, or smells. They have very fine bodies. A brahma “body” has only the most minute of matter that is much much smaller than an atom in modern science. This is why it is thought (erroneously) that there is no matter in arupa lokas. There is matter, but it is insignificantly small. The Buddha said that vinnana cannot exist without a pancakkhandha, and the pancakkhandha in the arupa loka has a rupa component, even though negligibly small.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmas in rupa loka are removed from “coarse sense pleasures”; they do not have a desire for tastes, smells, or body touches. Seeing and hearing is enough for them. Brahmas in arupa loka do not even have a desire for sights and sounds. Mind pleasures are enough for them, and the presence of matter is minimal in the arupa loka. So, sense pleasures are absent in brahma loka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmas and devas can “see” humans engaging in activities (if they want to), but they do not have any liking (upadana) for such “coarse pleasures”. Their mental state is much higher, just like a human who has developed abhinna powers.  They could actually be repulsed by human bodies. Just like we do not “miss out” on the activities of worms, they are not interested in human activities. It all depends on the mindset associated with the particular bhava.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The brahmas (and also devas) can “see” without the aid of light and “hear” without the having air to transmit sound waves; their “physical bodies” do not have “eyes” and “ears” like ours. Thus they can “see” and “hear” over great distances. And they can be anywhere they wish within a short time. The closest analogy of how their “vision” works is how we “see” dreams; we don’t need eyes to see dreams. Likewise the brahmas just perceive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:  &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YrcpK.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-12-07T10:05:32.570" LastActivityDate="2017-12-07T10:05:32.570" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20008" CreationDate="2017-04-08T11:19:22.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does karma calculation proceed in this case without a supercomputer?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The weather is complicated too. People literally use supercomputers to run numerical models/simulations of the atmosphere, to predict the rain and wind. In other words, it requires a super-computer to predict the weather.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand the weather happened by itself, resolved itself, even before super-computers were invented.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly karma can proceed without a super-computer even though people cannot calculate it exactly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acintita Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) says that one should not conjecture &quot;the results of kamma&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can we, as individuals, choose the right course of action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma isn't quite like the weather: unlike karma, the planet's weather is more-or-less unaffected by what one person does, so there's no feedback loop between one person's actions and the fruits of the weather.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are many ways to choose the right course of action:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We get good advice (or teaching) from other people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Dhamma gives us rules of heuristics about right courses of action (e.g. the precepts and other &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/budethics.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist ethics&lt;/a&gt;, and, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eightfold path&lt;/a&gt;, and so on)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Dhamma gives us insight into which variables are important to monitor: for example greed and anger (craving and aversion) are important; lay (social) responsibilities and personal (family) responsibilities are important; mindfulness is important; good-will is important, and so is equanimity, generosity, and so on; renunciation is important, dispassion is important; etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We experience results of action.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism sometimes suggests some alternative to conventional thought (for example choosing a &quot;middle way&quot; instead of one extreme or the other; or for example non-action instead of action)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally I beware of taking the Jataka tales literally, or even as a good example of how to behave; for example it's difficult for me to accept that story as proof that it's sometimes right to kill somebody.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, one of the characteristics of an enlightened Buddha is that they are able to know more: including being able to see the workings of karma more clearly than other people can.&#xA;There are some Buddhist practices or paths which involve learning how to act is if we were enlightened -- see the answers which describe tantrayana in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13703/p%C4%81ramit%C4%81y%C4%81na-and-tantray%C4%81na&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt; -- but these may require a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To repeat, I think we should be reluctant to understand that Jataka story as meaning that it's sometimes alright and even benevolent or beneficial to kill people (which might be a doctrine e.g. of the Hindu &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhagavad Gita&lt;/a&gt;). On the other hand that story illustrates a point: that according to Buddhism, your &quot;intention&quot; matters -- karma is described as &quot;intentional action&quot;. I suspect that maybe pre-Buddhist doctrine taught that &quot;ritual action&quot; (e.g. Brahmins tending household fires) was important, and the Buddha countered that with a new (Buddhist) doctrine about intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T11:19:22.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20008" CreationDate="2017-04-08T11:58:47.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the problem with Absolute rules. Two more systems. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) Killing = 100% wrong. &#xA;2) No killing &gt; less killing &gt; more killing &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first rule is inefficient, because it imposes its own absolute onto conditioned reality. What if the person who has to kill one individual to save one hundred because he was intentionally put into that situation by another individual? The relational rule is always better. You just have to accept the consequences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T11:58:47.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20015" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20019" CreationDate="2017-04-08T12:25:59.500" Score="5" ViewCount="929" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Majjhima Nikaya, there are mentions of Bodhisattvas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, &lt;em&gt;Bhayabherava Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (4. Fear and Dread) says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Before my enlightenment, while I was still ony an unenlightened Bodhisatta...&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a sentence that is repeated throughout the MN.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;Acchariya-abbhuta Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (123. Wonderful and Marvellous) also says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Mindfull and fully aware, Ananda, the Bodhisatta appeared in the Tusita heaven.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I have two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Are there Bodhisattva practices in Theravada? (such as the cultivation of Bodhicitta and the six perfections presented in Mahayana traditions)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Since we find occurrences in the Pali Canon, why do we often hear that the notion of bodhisattva is a late notion?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-08T13:55:23.157" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T10:11:06.983" Title="Are there Bodhisatta practices within Theravada?" Tags="|theravada|bodhisattva|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20010" CreationDate="2017-04-08T14:30:18.507" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are beings who are born as Maha Brahamas in the highest realms of existence. Since their life span is extremely long and they see people are born and die, having forgotten their own prior birth (due to their long life) some of them fall into the illusion they are like the rulers, creators or supreme of the world. On a certain occasion, Buddha has spoken to such beings having noticed their thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T14:30:18.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20015" CreationDate="2017-04-08T14:35:23.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Every reference that is ever made to a “Bodhisatta” in the Theravada Suttas is in relation to the Present Supreme Buddha, or the six other Buddhas that appeared in the last 91 aeons. Thus the Bodhisatta ideal is the sphere or domain (vishaya) of the seven Buddha that has appeared  and the One yet  to come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Conze&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Edward Conze was a Mahayana scholar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, translated the Mahayana Prajnaparamita or Perfection of Wisdom sutras from original Sanskrit to English.  In the words of Edward Conze:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;” “……About 100 BCE (roughly 400 years after the Buddha’s  Parinibbana) a number of Buddhists in India felt that the existing statements of the doctrine had become stale and useless. In the conviction that Dhamma required ever new re-formulations so as to meet the needs of new ages, new populations and new social circumstances, they set out to produce new literature which ultimately came to known as Mahayana Buddhism. The creation of this literature is one of the most significant outbursts of creative energy known to human history and it was sustained for about four to five centuries. Repetition alone, they believed, cannot sustain a living religion. Unless counterbalanced by constant innovation, it will become fossilized and lose its life-giving qualities, they believed”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are five doctrinal “innovations” of the Mahayanists that have been listed by Edward Conze. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;•  As concerns the goal there is a shift from the Arahant-ideal to the Bodhisattva-ideal;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   A new way of salvation is worked out, in which compassion ranks equal with wisdom, and which is marked by the gradual advance through six “perfections” (paramita);&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   Faith is given a new range by being provided with a new pantheon of deities, or rather of persons more than divine;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   “Skill in means” (upayakausalya), an entirely new virtue, becomes essential to the saint, and is placed even above wisdom, the highest virtue so far;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   A coherent ontological doctrine is worked out, dealing with such items as “Emptiness”, “Suchness”, etc”.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The oath in most Mahayana traditions to, “not to seek Enlightenment until ALL BEINGS ARE READY for Enlightenment” is the most visible contradiction to that of Theravada. The first thing one is supposed to do in becoming a “Mahayana Buddhist” is to take the “Bodhisattva vow”:They say each being should endeavor to become a Buddha i.e., each person should become a Bodhisattva. The historical timeline of the rise of Mahayana is discussed in detail by Edward Conze in his book,  “A Short History of Buddhism” (1980). According to Conze, the history of Buddhism can be conveniently divided into four periods:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;•  The old Buddhism, which largely coincided with what later came to be known as Theravada&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   Rise of Mahayana,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   Rise of the Tantra (Vajryana) and Ch’an (Zen),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   No further divisions.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T14:35:23.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20018" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-08T15:44:46.623" Score="2" ViewCount="48" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading some of the writings of Nichiren Daishōnin, and I came across this part where he says that it states in the Vimalakīrti Sutra that, &quot;if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds&quot; (On Attaining Buddhahood in this Lifetime 4). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I assume that he was paraphrasing, but I couldn't find any footnotes about were he got this from. I've never read the Vimalakīrti Sutra, but if there is a passage where this message could have been taken from, I'd be happy to see it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8080" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T16:22:57.070" Title="Where in the Vimalakīrti Sutra is this stated?" Tags="|sutras|chinese-buddhism|nichiren|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20015" CreationDate="2017-04-08T15:52:07.410" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bodhisatta practices in Theravada are mentioned in &lt;em&gt;Buddhavamsa, Jataka&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Apadana atthakatha&lt;/em&gt;, especially in &lt;em&gt;Visuddhajanavilāsiniyā, Apadana Atthakatha&lt;/em&gt;, the commentary of Apadana, which is believed to be a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/index.html#ap&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;late&lt;/a&gt; addition to the Pali Canon, added after the Second and Third Buddhist Councils. This is probably why we hear that the notion of bodhisatta is a late addition. However, in Theravada countries like Sri Lanka where I come from, the bodhisattas are widely accepted. (See also the wikipedia section on Theravada bodhisattas. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;em&gt;Buddhavagga&lt;/em&gt; section in &lt;em&gt;Apadana Atthakathaa&lt;/em&gt;, Theravada Buddhism has ten perfections &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0510a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;dasapāramitā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Giving, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving kindness and equanimity)&#xA;and there are three types of bodhisattas, the ones aspiring to be &lt;em&gt;Sammāsambuddha&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Pacceka Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (a private Buddha) and &lt;em&gt;Savaka Buddha&lt;/em&gt; (arahant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the section &lt;em&gt;Buddhavagga&lt;/em&gt; in &lt;em&gt;Apadana Atthakathaa&lt;/em&gt;, to become a Sammāsambuddha, one requires either 4x10^140 (&lt;em&gt;cattāri asaṅkhyeyyāni&lt;/em&gt;), 8x10^140 (&lt;em&gt;aṭṭha asaṅkhyeyyāni&lt;/em&gt;) or 16x10^140 (&lt;em&gt;soḷasa asaṅkhyeyyāni&lt;/em&gt;) eons of &lt;em&gt;pāramitā&lt;/em&gt; perfection &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘‘buddhānaṃ, bhante, patthanā kīva ciraṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. Buddhānaṃ,&#xA;  ānanda, heṭṭhimaparicchedena cattāri asaṅkhyeyyāni&#xA;  kappasatasahassañca, majjhimaparicchedena aṭṭha asaṅkhyeyyāni&#xA;  kappasatasahassañca, uparimaparicchedena soḷasa asaṅkhyeyyāni&#xA;  kappasatasahassañca&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0510a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apadana Atthakathaa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;depending on whether he has high wisdom (&lt;em&gt;Paññādhika&lt;/em&gt;), faith (&lt;em&gt;Saddhādhika&lt;/em&gt;) or effort (&lt;em&gt;Vīriyādhika&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ete ca bhedā paññādhikasaddhādhikavīriyādhikānaṃ vasena ñātabbā.&#xA;  Paññādhikānañhi saddhā mandā hoti, paññā tikkhā. Saddhādhikānaṃ paññā&#xA;  majjhimā hoti, saddhā tikkhā. Vīriyādhikānaṃ saddhā paññā mandā hoti,&#xA;  vīriyaṃ tikkhanti.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0510a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apadana Atthakathaa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bodhisatta aspiring to be a pacceka buddha requires 2x10^140 (dve asaṅkhyeyyāni) eons of practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;paccekabuddho &lt;strong&gt;paccekabodhisattabhūmiṃ&lt;/strong&gt; ogāhanto dve asaṅkhyeyyāni&#xA;  kappasatasahassañca pāramiyo pūretvā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0510a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apadana Atthakathaa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For an arahant a time limit is not given for the bodhisatta period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-04-08T23:44:23.503" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T23:44:23.503" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20020" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20018" CreationDate="2017-04-08T16:22:57.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt;, the text quoted below exists about 10% of the way through the text, towards the end of the first chapter (&amp;quot;1. Purification of the Buddha-Field&amp;quot;), a few paragraphs before the start of the secod chapter (&amp;quot;2. Inconceivable Skill in Liberative Technique&amp;quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereupon, magically influenced by the Buddha, the venerable Sariputra had this thought: &amp;quot;If the buddha-field is pure only to the extent that the mind of the bodhisattva is pure, then, when Sakyamuni Buddha was engaged in the career of the bodhisattva, his mind must have been impure. Otherwise, how could this buddha-field appear to be so impure?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, knowing telepathically the thought of venerable Sariputra, said to him, &amp;quot;What do you think, Sariputra? Is it because the sun and moon are impure that those blind from birth do not see them?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sariputra replied, &amp;quot;No, Lord. It is not so. The fault lies with those blind from birth, and not with the sun and moon.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha declared, &amp;quot;In the same way, Sariputra, the fact that some living beings do not behold the splendid display of virtues of the buddha-field of the Tathagata is due to their own ignorance. It is not the fault of the Tathagata. Sariputra, the buddha-field of the Tathagata is pure, but you do not see it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Brahma Sikhin said to the venerable Sariputra, &amp;quot;Reverend Sariputra, do not say that the buddha-field of the Tathagata is impure. Reverend Sariputra, the buddha-field of the Tathagata is pure. I see the splendid expanse of the buddha-field of the Lord Sakyamuni as equal to the splendor of, for example, the abodes of the highest deities.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the venerable Sariputra said to the Brahma Sikhin, &amp;quot;As for me, O Brahma, I see this great earth, with its highs and lows, its thorns, its precipices, its peaks, and its abysses, as if it were entirely filled with ordure.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahma Sikhin replied, &amp;quot;The fact that you see such a buddha-field as this as if it were so impure, reverend Sariputra, is a sure sign that there are highs and lows in your mind and that your positive thought in regard to the buddha-gnosis is not pure either. Reverend Sariputra, those whose minds are impartial toward all living beings and whose positive thoughts toward the buddha-gnosis are pure see this buddha-field as perfectly pure.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope you'll get a better sense of it if you read that whole first chapter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T16:22:57.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20021" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20032" CreationDate="2017-04-08T18:07:04.893" Score="3" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read many Q&amp;amp;As here on ignorance but I am concerned with the recognition of my own ignorance on particular topics. I feel like recognizing my ignorance helps me to reduce my identification with my limited understanding and the opinions and emotions this brings up. I feel like it keeps me from feeling any need to argue about things I recognize I am not well informed about, and rather communicate how my limited understanding connects to things I believe in. For lack of a better word it seems to help me with equanimity, this posture of recognizing that I just don't know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe ignorance is the wrong word, but I am wondering if Buddhism addresses this idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10331" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T13:58:09.040" Title="Recognition of Ignorance on a Topic" Tags="|ignorance|equanimity|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20021" CreationDate="2017-04-08T22:24:04.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard a talk recently in which a Zen master said ignorance in Buddhism really meant a lack of awareness of the mind (i.e. letting it wander in stories and daydreams), rather than the normal meaning of ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know if this is orthodox Buddhism (or orthodox Zen for that matter), but it makes more sense to me than interpreting 'ignorance' as factual ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T22:24:04.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20015" CreationDate="2017-04-08T22:47:04.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Since we find occurrences in the Pali Canon, why do we often hear that the notion of bodhisattva is a late notion?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me, practices for bodhisattva are mostly (or fully?) absent, and don't find nearly as much encouragement in the Nikayas/Agamas from the Buddha (or no encouragement at all? I don't recall reading any sutta where he would inspire anyone to do it). So, even though these texts refer to bodhisattvas, I guess there isn't really an actual practical path there or fully developed motivation for it, to become an &lt;em&gt;ideal&lt;/em&gt;. But the idea that this is something one can do is there and I've read about ancient non-mahayanists taking that goal for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One related study on this is Bhikkhu Analayo's &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/genesis-bodhisattva.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Genesis of the Bodhisattva Ideal&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-04-08T22:47:04.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20024" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-09T00:02:44.280" Score="2" ViewCount="67" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel concern for others, but like my efforts in anything are wasted. Is there any practice I could engage in, to remedy the latter? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've been taught meditation in a handful of contexts. What about sort of focusing on or keeping that feeling of nothing mattering, during zazen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Caveat: I won't believe in other lives, only karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T15:29:38.387" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T15:29:38.387" Title="Feeling concern for others but like my efforts in anything are wasted" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|meditation-zazen|nihilism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20021" CreationDate="2017-04-09T00:23:10.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is a bad word, a bad translation. Avija means &quot;state of not knowing&quot;. Just like you said. We are all identifying unless we are enlightened or something. Do you mean that you are aware of what you don't know? Like seeing things as they are + the '&quot;not knowing&quot;? .. with practice, the &quot;not knowing&quot; will slowly leave. I hope I understood you correctly- Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T00:23:10.960" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20021" CreationDate="2017-04-09T05:46:53.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijjā&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moha_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moha&lt;/a&gt; in refers to not knowing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; at the experiential. It is not necessarily being ignorant about the subject matter may it being even a Buddhist theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one way the Buddhist practice can be viewed as is: pariyatti (theory), patipatti (practice), pativedha (experience / verification). Hence it is vital to learn the theories and it is this which will be validated and verified through the practice. More you need knowledge gaps try your best to learn and fill them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do not let you mind get disturbed due to any knowledge gaps. Be equanimous, than being jubilant, develop ego, when you know more and let down when you know less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T08:27:32.353" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T08:27:32.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20024" CreationDate="2017-04-09T06:04:40.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I feel concern for others, but like my efforts in anything are wasted. Is there any practice I could engage in, to remedy the latter?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Act of the betterment of other, but do not be attached to the outcome, as you have to practice equanimity, also as part of the Brahmavihara. Otherwise the practice will become a burden and a stress, than away to unburden yourself. I.e., be concerned but not stressed, when the outcome is not what is intended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Caveat: I won't believe in other lives, only karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment to beliefs is also attachment which can give arise to stress. Generally it is best to avoid believes in the line &quot;this exits or does not exists, that exists does not exits&quot;. But having said this you need a set of Right Beliefs but even to these do not get attached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T09:28:02.230" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T09:28:02.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20004" CreationDate="2017-04-09T06:22:28.380" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm asking this not to arouse curiosity of others, but to find good monks' Dhamma talks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An accomplished practitioner may not be a good teacher and a good teacher may not be an accomplished practitioner. In some cases teachers maybe both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So ideally you should look for teachers who teach well, both theory and mediation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the Buddhist should follow: pariyatti (theory), patipatti (practice), pativedha (experience). Whereas learning / listening to the Dhamma is just the 1st of these 3 parts. So a person should teach the theory he should teach the practice also well. Theory without practice is like an unused boat. You should row (patice) the boat (theory or tool) to get to see the other show (experience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also accomplished masters may not say so and also some who are not accomplished may claim to be so. Hence it is best not to look at this aspect in deciding who to listen to. Also see if the teaching sounds right, is logical and put it into practice and see if it is beneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As always go to the source. The Tipitaka a the primary source and commentaries and sub commentaries as secondary and tertiary sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T08:04:43.550" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T08:04:43.550" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20030" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-09T09:47:27.843" Score="8" ViewCount="1381" Body="&lt;p&gt;My teacher has been talking about how each person's reality (including the body) is in fact an illusion generated by the mind in each moment. As an extension of this, she teaches that there are no &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; people, things or circumstances - the way things appear and the qualities they have are all coming from my own mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I kind of understand this as a metaphor, but I don't understand how she can seem to literally believe this: for example, during the teaching session I was very hungry. I thought, &quot;I can meditate and come to ignore how hungry I am- but if I did that every time, one day I would die of starvation, whether I was aware of that in my mind or not. So surely hunger is actually &quot;real&quot; and not just in my mind - because it will lead to me dying unnecessarily unless I react to it?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example I thought of was murder. I can believe everyone is neither good nor bad, and via compassion, everyone will seem good. But surely it doesn't matter how I imagine a situation is going in my mind - if I meet someone who tries to murder me, for example, they will kill me, regardless of how loving I believe them to be. My death would occur regardless of my mind (but if I had listened to my mind, I might have been able to avoid the death that would result from interacting with that person).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand that death isn't &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; either - but how does the dharma explain the division between &quot;mind reality&quot; and actual physical reality that can kill me no matter what my mind does? Another quick example: medication for mental illness. I had a teacher once who endorsed mentally ill people stopping all medication, because it was only a placebo - but if that's true then why is it that an unmedicated schizophrenic (for example) would be physically unable to meditate (and cure themselves, as my teacher suggested) most of the time, as they would be too ill to concentrate? Isnt that an example of physical chemicals (drugs) being &quot;stronger&quot; than the mind (calming the mind so that it can begin to meditate)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologies if I'm being ignorant, or if I sound critical. I feel like I'm missing some vocabulary that would help me explain better. Thanks for reading :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Edit: I also have a very similar question/example: why does it result in good karma when you feed starving people, if the food, the pain of starvation, and even your good deed is just an illusion in the minds of you and the starving person? Obviously if I had a sandwich, and I saw a child who was hungry, I'd give them all of the sandwich. But then isnt the child receiving negative karma for causing ME to go hungry, even though it was my choice? And why bother at all if only karma is real - the child's hunger isn't &quot;real&quot;, so why end it?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11124" LastEditorUserId="11124" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T10:37:33.323" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T02:33:15.853" Title="If each person's mind creates &quot;reality&quot; then why do we need to eat?" Tags="|mind|reality|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-09T13:27:37.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;an illusion generated by the mind in each moment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hunger is a complex phenomenon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;Name&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;form&amp;quot; (an absence of so-called food in the so-called stomach, with associated changes to the metabolism and sensory nerves)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness of the sensations (probably a series of moments of consciousness, not a continuous consciousness)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling (how you feel about or perceive that sensation, for example, &amp;quot;this feels unpleasant&amp;quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving (&amp;quot;I want the feeling and sensation to be gone, I want my craving to be satisfied&amp;quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Attachment (deciding that &amp;quot;Food is the stuff which would satisfy this craving: I want food!&amp;quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of this is &amp;quot;mental&amp;quot;, including your naming the components (hunger, stomach, food, etc.).&#xA;An analogy might be, watching a movie: the movie might be 'based on a true story' and even have 'real' actors, but by the time it's been turned into a movie there's a large illusory or mind-made component.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it isn't only an illusion though. Before he became enlightened the Buddha tried not eating: it's said he found that interfered with meditation, and he therefore chose the doctrine of the &amp;quot;middle way&amp;quot; (neither the extreme of asceticism nor the extreme of hedonism).&#xA;Buddhism has a lot to say to people about food (e.g. right behaviours and right attitudes to have, about food), and especially to monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why do we need to eat?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One theory is that human life is a good opportunity to experience dharma e.g. that things aren't permanent nor permanently satisfactory. Allegedly there are other, formless being in higher planes of existence, who don't need to &amp;quot;eat&amp;quot; as such, on the other hand it's hard or impossible for them to learn dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So surely hunger is actually &amp;quot;real&amp;quot; and not just in my mind - because it will lead to me dying unnecessarily unless I react to it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider the opposite side of that story too, though: people over-eat because they think they're hungry. Or they crave for the repetition of any number of other experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &amp;quot;real&amp;quot; comes from the Latin word for &amp;quot;thing&amp;quot;. I think that hunger has a real component, but also many mental components.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;My death&amp;quot; (i.e. &amp;quot;me&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;dying&amp;quot;) are both concepts, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;it doesn't matter how I imagine a situation is going in my mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand it does matter: because most people &lt;em&gt;aren't&lt;/em&gt; trying to kill you; if you go around thinking &amp;quot;this person may want to kill me&amp;quot; that has consequences (for example in how you behave, how you see yourself, and how people react).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why is it that an unmedicated schizophrenic would be physically unable to meditate&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My experience is that an unmedicated schizophrenic may well be able to meditate; but they may have trouble communicating with other people, and/or other people have trouble communicating with them; and various social activities (wanting and keeping a job for example) may be difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the person, and the situation, who's with them and how they react; depends on the medication too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's complicated, and psychiatric medications are simplistic, sometimes effective, sometimes not, often with undesirable physical side-effects but sometimes (depending) better than nothing.&#xA;So I don't agree with the teacher if they said &amp;quot;mentally ill people stopping all medication, because it was only a placebo&amp;quot; -- some medications aren't &amp;quot;only a placebo&amp;quot; and some patients benefit from them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also don't agree with your statement: it may be true that some people can't or don't meditate, it just isn't always true, in my experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I feel like I'm missing some vocabulary that would help me explain better&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two useful bits of vocabulary are &amp;quot;middle way&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;two truths&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Middle way&amp;quot; has a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;specific historical meaning&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That historic meaning is especially relevant to food. I think &amp;quot;middle way&amp;quot; might also be used more generally, to mean avoiding other extremes: for example, &amp;quot;the world is just an illusion&amp;quot; is one extreme, and &amp;quot;thoughts are real&amp;quot; is maybe another extreme, and we're supposed to learn to avoid both these extremes, and to see each view in a proper context. There's a kind of nihilism that's explicitly defines as a &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html#s1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wrong view&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no contemplatives or brahmans who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a lot written about &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;two truths&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; and I think that different schools of Buddhism may have said different things about it. I think that an example of &amp;quot;two truths&amp;quot; might be that, &amp;quot;I exist and I am Chris&amp;quot; is a so-called conventional truth, whereas &amp;quot;there is no thing which can be called Chris, Chris is a name applied to an assemblage of parts&amp;quot; is a so-called ultimate truth ... and they are both true, they are both truths (but perhaps also both untruths if they're merely concepts).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;non-duality&lt;/a&gt; doctrine (perhaps from later schools of Buddhism) which says that these two truths (conventional and ultimate) are one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another concept that may be worth remembering is that of &amp;quot;attachment to a view&amp;quot;. A &amp;quot;view&amp;quot; is something fairly fixed or permanent (see e.g. the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;). And having a fixed view, being attached to a specific view, may be unwise. Again it's a balancing act, i.e. Buddhism does define a set of views as &amp;quot;right&amp;quot; (i.e. &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;), but also warns e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.05.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; or even &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; not to grasp at, not to argue about, not to be imprisoned by dogma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why does it result in good karma when you feed starving people&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A couple of reasons, one is that compassion and so on are meant to be &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the right way to behave socially&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind, and in that they are akin to Brahma, the divine but transient ruler of the higher heavens in the traditional Buddhist picture of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another reason is, I think, that we may tend to be selfish, to have thoughts like, &amp;quot;this is my hunger, this is my food, I am more important than they are&amp;quot; ... and that kind of egoism is a cause of suffering. See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within a lay context (i.e. if you're not a monk who has nothing) perhaps you're supposed to find some balance (i.e. non-extreme) in your giving too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But then isnt the child receiving negative karma for causing ME to go hungry, even though it was my choice?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No: the giving is your choice, your intention, your karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And why bother at all if only karma is real - the child's hunger isn't &amp;quot;real&amp;quot;, so why end it?)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/82nothingexists.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Zen story&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;82&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desiring to show his attainment, he said: &amp;quot;The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If nothing exists,&amp;quot; inquired Dokuon, &amp;quot;where did this anger come from?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the point of the doctrines of emptiness and non-self is to avoid unwise attachment (e.g. &amp;quot;this is me! this is mine!&amp;quot;), which would cause suffering (e.g. &amp;quot;this is changing, this is being lost, so woe is me!&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And anger (and probably hurt pride) and so on is a prime example of an afflictive emotion (see e.g. &amp;quot;unwholesome factors&amp;quot; listed &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on this page&lt;/a&gt;; or &amp;quot;poisons&amp;quot; listed &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)#Sanskrit_Sravaka_.26_Mahayana_literature&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on this page&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other examples of Zen stories which I think are intended to inform us how we ought to be behave -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/3isthatso.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this one&lt;/a&gt;, for example, is relevant to feeding a hungry child:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is That So?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbours as one living a&#xA;pure life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near&#xA;him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was&#xA;with child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This made her parents angry. She would not confess who the man was,&#xA;but after much harassment at last named Hakuin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In great anger the parent went to the master. &amp;quot;Is that so?&amp;quot; was all he&#xA;would say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had&#xA;lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good&#xA;care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbours and everything&#xA;else he needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her&#xA;parents the truth - the real father of the child was a young man who&#xA;worked in the fishmarket.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask&#xA;forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: &amp;quot;Is that&#xA;so?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T13:27:37.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20021" CreationDate="2017-04-09T14:01:58.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;These suttas might be relevant to what you're asking about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.05.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paramatthaka Sutta (SN 4.5)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccaayanagotto Sutta (SN 12.15)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that what the OP is describing is not &quot;ignorance&quot; -- it's describing not getting attached to views, not getting into arguments about views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second statement in the OP, i.e. &quot;communicate how my limited understanding connects to things I believe in&quot;, might be related to dharma being something you should &quot;see (or know) for yourself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also (in a different way from the suttas above) I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3495/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; is a description of living with ... let's call it &quot;uncertainty&quot; rather than &quot;ignorance&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.400" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T14:01:58.440" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-09T14:22:27.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We don't need to eat, we assume we need to eat.  All concepts words, ideas, reason, logic are all human assumptions. Real  experiential reality doesn't admit of any person's concepts. We don't have to ponder anything but naked reality. &lt;strong&gt;Just&lt;/strong&gt; witness what arises and falls through your eyes, ears, tongue, body sensation, partiality, emotions and thoughts(just the thought not it's conceptual contents) and insights will come subtly and grossly. Naked reality, naked truth, naked experience, empty experience and many more sayings mean reality without our categorization of everything. It's experiencing what is in our awareness on a moment to moment basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T14:22:27.867" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-09T14:47:36.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My teacher has been talking about how each person's reality ... the way things appear and the qualities they have are all coming from my own mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What decides wholesome and unwholesome is why and how we react when we experience the result. Generally you receive what you give. For this reason, give what you want to expect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... food ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sustain life you need 4 inputs&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Edible food, coarse and fine;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  secondly, sense-impression;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  thirdly, volitional thought;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  fourthly, consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were to &quot;fast&quot; or &quot;starve&quot; at all, you should starve yourself of new Karma producing activity (volitional thought) by being equanimous [and seeing impermanence], rather than reduce edible food to unhealthy levels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for edible food you should take timely and adequate amount of food to sustain life and you meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... I understand that death isn't &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; either ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Death is not good or bad. It is the intention. If you intend to harm this is unwholesome and then you experience the results you will not like it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say a surgeon does a operation to save a life but the patient dies the intention was good hence this is good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a mugger kills to snatch a purse, then the intention is bad so the karmic result will be unfavorable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally what you practice and believe in should lead to the benefit of oneself and that of others. Always see if it is this belief or practice is to my benefit and that of others and embrace it. If not, leave it aside. The benefits should be tangible which you experience here and now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T15:17:58.177" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T15:17:58.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20035" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20042" CreationDate="2017-04-09T16:43:46.340" Score="2" ViewCount="490" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between &lt;em&gt;abhava&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vibhava&lt;/em&gt;? Or are those words synonyms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When they are not synonyms, what is their exact meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T20:47:07.323" Title="Abhava versus Vibhava" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20035" CreationDate="2017-04-09T17:53:13.163" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vibhava means disbelief in rebirth. Vibhava is always gets referred to with “tanha”. Tanha is “getting attached to things in this world” via greed, hate, and ignorance. Vibhava tanha then can be taken as &quot;getting attached to non-existence&quot; or that nothing exists after death. This view arises from the wrong view of materialism. In Pali it is called ucceda ditthi. One believes that at death one ceases to exist, i.e., one believes that the mind is a by-product of the body (brain), and thus when the body dies, that is the end of story. Thus one believes that one needs to just enjoy the pleasures of this life before dying as nothing exists after death. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is easy to have ucceda ditthi and vibhava tanha, especially when one has not heard about the Buddha’s message about a wider and more complex world with 31 realms and a rebirth process. Since our normal human senses cannot access such “hidden” aspects of this world, one just believes what one sees. It takes a wider world view to explain such &amp;amp; in not seeing the truth, many immoral acts are done with ucceda ditthi (or materialism or nihilism) because one believes that everything in this world is for one’s enjoyment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abhava and Vibhava are two different words. Abhava means a death of a person or being. On the other hand Vibhava can have some relation to “antarabhava“ - “antara-bhava“ – an in-between zone from one bhava to another.  It is the Mahayanists who coined this term and started saying that there is an antarabhava. But at the Third Buddhist Council, this was proved wrong and that there is no antarabhava. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-09T19:29:59.407" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T19:29:59.407" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-09T18:08:19.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Illusion&quot; and &quot;reality&quot; mean specific things in Buddhism. &quot;Illusion&quot; means attaching to the mental baggage we add to our experience -- the cause of our suffering.  &quot;Reality&quot; is our experience devoid of this attachment. If you keep this in mind, you won't go astray. So either you misunderstood your teacher and her message was more subtle, or your teacher has missed the point and you should ignore her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you don't eat food, you will starve.  The illusion here is when you cling to the mental baggage that accompanies this experience.  For instance, with the hunger, you start to think things like the following...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I shouldn't be hungry&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I wish I was eating X &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why did I skip lunch?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now as long as you are mindful of these thoughts as simply thoughts arising, you're ok.  But when you cling to them, then you are under the spell of the illusion, and you suffer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, if you help those in need, you will make their lives better. The illusion happens when you cling to the mental baggage that arises in this situation.  For instance, you see people in need.  Fine.  But now you might start adding to this feeling thoughts like the following...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why must we live in a world where this happens?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why won't anyone help them?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;X is responsible for this!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, to the extent that you recognize these as simply thoughts arising, you are ok.  But when you cling to them, you are under the spell of illusion and you suffer.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even an apparently positive thought can be a problem.  For instance, when you help someone, you might experience this thought arising...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am a great person for helping&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may cling to it, and it may make you feel good.  But it can sow the seeds of suffering because now you might get attached to this image of yourself as a good person and when it's challenged down the road, you can suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the issue here isn't thought, it's attachment to thought.  Some thoughts are good guidelines for actions, while others simply cause you to suffer.  Some do a bit of both.  But in all cases, don't attach to them -- recognize them as thoughts and choose what to do about them -- if anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2207" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T18:08:19.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12639" CreationDate="2017-04-09T18:23:36.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way I know to learn Tibetan is attending the &lt;strong&gt;4 years&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lrztp.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme&lt;/a&gt;. Once you completed this training, you commit to translate any FPMT Study Program for at least 2 years, but if you are good at translating (interpreting, actually) you can make it a job for the rest of your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another school is &lt;a href=&quot;http://esukhia.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Esukhia&lt;/a&gt; but it is less Dharma oriented. Since it does not come with a commitment, you are free to roam when your studies are done. I know of people who went there (monks and lay people as well), and one of them (a monk) joined the greatest Gelug monastic university afterwards (Sera). Now, he learns Dharma by way of debating in Tibetan hours every day (this is the Gelug way of learning Dharma) and attending a few hours of class.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T18:23:36.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-09T18:51:16.447" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not that each person's ego is making the reality but that the Mind is creating the reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, the rules that have come out of that are in effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even without Enlightenment though there are ways to go beyond hunger e.g. eating chi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But once Enlightened, one can change those rules--not that one would really care to doctor reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T18:51:16.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20040" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20067" CreationDate="2017-04-09T20:44:07.517" Score="2" ViewCount="795" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard a lot about &amp;quot;Indra's Net&amp;quot;. A wiki says that it describes how emptiness and dependent origination are creating the universe. Can anyone provide me a link and book which I should read, to understand this more?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorDisplayName="user13375" LastEditDate="2021-05-06T15:35:16.940" LastActivityDate="2021-05-06T19:05:56.557" Title="What is Indra's Net, according to Mahayana Buddhism?" Tags="|reference-request|pratityasamutpada|sunyata|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20035" CreationDate="2017-04-09T23:18:00.687" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's assume that &lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;existence&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt; prefix means &quot;not&quot; (it appears in a lot of Buddhist words, like anatta and so on).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the &lt;em&gt;vi&lt;/em&gt; prefix might mean &quot;the reverse of&quot; (see e.g. the dictionary definition &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19958/254&quot;&gt;quoted here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my guess is that &lt;em&gt;abhava&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;non-existence&quot;, whereas &lt;em&gt;vibhava&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;destruction&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase &lt;em&gt;vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; is used in the definition of the second noble truth in SN 56.11, so you can read various translations of &lt;em&gt;vibhava&lt;/em&gt; in the various translations of that sutta, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;craving for extermination (of what is not liked)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;craving for non-being&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;craving for non-existence (self-annihilation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;craving for non-becoming&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;craving for non-existence [for extinction].&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first translation of SN 56.11 that I read translated &lt;em&gt;bhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; as &quot;the craving to live and even the craving to die&quot;, so that's the way I remember it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, maybe they mean the same thing (i.e. &quot;non-existence&quot;); but if they aren't synonyms, then one simply means &quot;non-existence&quot; and the other implies a &quot;transition from existence to non-existence&quot; for example &quot;annihilation, destruction, extinction, death&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T12:51:06.307" LastActivityDate="2017-04-09T23:18:00.687" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20035" CreationDate="2017-04-10T02:01:09.083" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;Vibhava&lt;/strong&gt;' is a form of 'becoming' or 'self-view', namely, the idea &quot;&lt;em&gt;I do not exist&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;I do not want to exist&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;I will cease to exist&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Since the idea of 'I' ('&lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;') or &quot;a being/person&quot; ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;') still remains, 'vibhava' is a type of becoming (bhava). This is described in the following suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tayidaṃ, bhikkhave, tathāgato abhijānāti. Ye kho te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā sato &lt;strong&gt;sattassa&lt;/strong&gt; ucchedaṃ vināsaṃ &lt;strong&gt;vibhavaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; paññapenti&#xA;  te &lt;strong&gt;sakkāya&lt;/strong&gt;bhayā sakkā­ya­pari­je­gucchā &lt;strong&gt;sakkāyaññeva&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  anupa­ri­dhāvanti anu­pari­vattanti. Seyyathāpi nāma sā gaddulabaddho&#xA;  daḷhe thambhe vā khile vā upanibaddho, tameva thambhaṃ vā khilaṃ vā&#xA;  anuparidhāvati anuparivattatianuparivattati evamevime bhonto&#xA;  samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkāyabhayā sakkā­ya­pari­je­gucchā sakkāyaññeva&#xA;  anupa­ri­dhāvanti anu­pari­vattanti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those recluses that describe the annihilation, destruction &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;extermination&lt;/strong&gt; (vibhavaṃ; non-existence) of an &lt;strong&gt;existing being&lt;/strong&gt; (sattassa);&#xA;  through fear &amp;amp; disgust with &lt;strong&gt;identity&lt;/strong&gt; (sakkāya), keep running &amp;amp;&#xA;  circling around that &lt;strong&gt;same identity&lt;/strong&gt;; just as a dog bound by a leash to&#xA;  a post keeps running &amp;amp; circling around that same post....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 102.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kathañca, bhikkhave, atidhāvanti eke? &lt;strong&gt;Bhaveneva&lt;/strong&gt; kho paneke aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā &lt;strong&gt;vibhavaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; abhinandanti—yato kira, bho, ayaṃ&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;attā&lt;/strong&gt; kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā ucchijjati vinassati na hoti paraṃ&#xA;  maraṇā; etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ etaṃ yāthāvanti. Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave,&#xA;  atidhāvanti eke.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How, bhikkhus, do some overreach? Now some are troubled, ashamed and disgusted by &lt;strong&gt;this very same&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt; and they rejoice in (the idea of)&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;non-being&lt;/strong&gt;, asserting: ‘In as much as this &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;, good sirs, when the&#xA;  body perishes at death, is annihilated and destroyed and does not&#xA;  exist after death—this is peaceful, this is excellent, this is&#xA;  reality!’ Thus, bhikkhus, do some overreach.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for '&lt;strong&gt;abhava&lt;/strong&gt;', I do not currently know what it means in Pali Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Abhava' appears to not have the same meaning as '&lt;strong&gt;abhavissā&lt;/strong&gt;', which seems to mean: 'if was' or 'would have been', as found in the 2nd sermon: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rūpañca hidaṃ, bhikkhave, attā &lt;strong&gt;abhavissa&lt;/strong&gt;, nayidaṃ rūpaṃ ābādhāya saṃvatteyya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For &lt;strong&gt;if&lt;/strong&gt;, bhikkhus, form &lt;strong&gt;were&lt;/strong&gt; self, this form would not lead to affliction...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;Vibhava&lt;/strong&gt;' is not a synonym for Nibbana or the Unconditioned. MN 140 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So nevaneva taṃ abhisaṅkharoti, na abhisañ­ceta­yati bhavāya vā &lt;strong&gt;vibhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā. So anabhi­saṅ­kha­ronto anabhi­sañ­ceta­yanto bhavāya vā&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;vibhavā&lt;/strong&gt;ya vā na kiñci loke upādiyati, anupādiyaṃ na paritassati,&#xA;  aparitassaṃ paccattaṃyeva parinibbāyati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He does not form any condition or generate any volition tending towards either being or non-being. Since he does not form any&#xA;  condition or generate any volition tending towards either being or&#xA;  non-being, he does not cling to anything in this world. When he does&#xA;  not cling, he is not agitated. When he is not agitated, he personally&#xA;  attains Nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism, '&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;abhava&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;' appears to refer to a primordial unconditioned state, namely, unmanifest level from where the concrete bhava arises or emerges.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Abhava' here, in Hinduism, is not a synonymous with 'vibhava' in Buddhism because, in Buddhism, 'bhava' ('becoming') must occur before 'vibhava' can occur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of 'I' is 'bhava'. The idea of &quot;I&quot; must exist before the idea of &quot;&lt;em&gt;I do not want to exist&lt;/em&gt;&quot; can occur. For example, the idea of &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot; or &quot;self&quot; must occur before the wish to commit suicide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-10T03:11:10.317" LastActivityDate="2017-04-10T03:11:10.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20043" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20048" CreationDate="2017-04-10T03:25:32.613" Score="2" ViewCount="762" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is often stated particularly by Theravada Buddhism that Nibbana/Nirvana is unconditioned. In fact extensive metaphysical speculations have even been written about by esteemed monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/resonance.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/resonance.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is this actually stated in the canonical scripture? This doctrine seems particularly important and should have extensive discourse by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, it would appears that this doctrine is in contradiction with the doctrine of dependent origination. And it would not be clear how the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path arrived at an &quot;Unconditioned Nibana&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is, that is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the arising of this comes the arising of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this isn't, that isn't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was said that Venerable Sariputta upon hearing the dependent generation stanzas out of his profound wisdom immediately became a stream winner, knowing the way to end suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe the reasoning is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Things that arise due to causes and conditions cease with the end of&#xA;those causes and conditions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering arise due to causes and conditions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering therefore can be extinguish with the right causes and&#xA;conditions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The right causes and conditions are the Practice of the Noble&#xA;Eightfold Path, which leads to Ethics, Concentration and Wisdom,&#xA;removing the causes for suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this mean that even the cessation of suffering Nibana itself is conditional!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did some research on Sutta Central and found the following&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn43.12&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn43.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the unconditioned and the path leading to&#xA;  the unconditioned. Listen to that….&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the unconditioned? The destruction of lust,&#xA;  the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion: this is called&#xA;  the unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the path leading to the unconditioned?&#xA;  Serenity: this is called the path leading to the unconditioned….&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Thus, bhikkhus, I have taught you the unconditioned and the path&#xA;  leading to the unconditioned…. This is our instruction to you.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Thus, bhikkhus, I have taught you the unconditioned and the path&#xA;  leading to the unconditioned. Whatever should be done, bhikkhus, by a&#xA;  compassionate teacher out of compassion for his disciples, desiring&#xA;  their welfare, that I have done for you. These are the feet of trees,&#xA;  bhikkhus, these are empty huts. Meditate, bhikkhus, do not be&#xA;  negligent, lest you regret it later. This is our instruction to you.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is no correspondent parallel text in the Chinese Agama, and the content is lacking substance having no message apart from Buddhist practice leading to Unconditionality, and hence can be suspected to be a Theravadin innovation and a latter doctrinal addition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise with&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud8.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/ud8.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,&#xA;  in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time the&#xA;  Gracious One was instructing, rousing, enthusing, and cheering the&#xA;  monks with a Dhamma talk connected with Emancipation. Those monks,&#xA;  after making it their goal, applying their minds, considering it with&#xA;  all their mind, were listening to Dhamma with an attentive ear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on&#xA;  that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There is, monks, an unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned. If,&#xA;  monks there were not that unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, you&#xA;  could not know an escape here from the born, become, made, and&#xA;  conditioned. But because there is an unborn, unbecome, unmade,&#xA;  unconditioned, therefore you do know an escape from the born, become,&#xA;  made, and conditioned.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sounds like an illogical tautology - circular reasoning supporting the unconditional Nibbana doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that this would be said by someone as enlightened as the Buddha is extremely slim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main reason I can imagine this being used is the use of Nirvana (Cessation/Blown Out) as a negation, i.e. Nothing is Unconditioned, therefore Nirvana is Unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would appreciate it if anyone can provide canonical sources that explain the importance of unconditionality with respect to Nibbana and Nirvana. Particularly why is it even important and consistent with the rest of Buddhist teachings? Please feel free to point out where you think my own views might be mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-10-06T09:46:08.930" LastActivityDate="2017-10-08T15:14:21.950" Title="Where is Nibbana/Nirvana being Unconditioned stated in the Canon?" Tags="|nirvana|unconditioned|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20045" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20065" CreationDate="2017-04-10T07:09:00.503" Score="2" ViewCount="596" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are happy, you will have to face sorrow right? So I am being told to just observe everything with equanimity or Anapana. TBH which is very boring So I observed that instead of thinking of everything leads to sorrow in this world, why not enjoy this moment. (Is is necessary to keep observing when you are happy.)   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all we want Nirvana because &lt;strong&gt;we are looking for a being in a state of something eternal&lt;/strong&gt;, Which is equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;According to me Equanimity is not happiness for sure.&lt;/strong&gt;                 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ted.com/talks/jim_holt_why_does_the_universe_exist&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; Video Philosopher and writer Jim Holt says  &lt;strong&gt;we can't live like dead humans as per Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; and think like a western.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have experienced intoxication occasionally and I was in to Anapana for nearly a week and I have kept myself safe from any kind of intoxication for a year, everything was going smooth breathing while walking, lying, sitting, talking not always but I was satisfied with my pace of being aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this weekend I had nothing to do and suddenly a teeny tiny thought arises which says to get drunk and at the same time one of my friend said the same thing and we get drunk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was still trying to figure out what is happening in mind, Why I am feeling different now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know I should not be drinking is there anyway I can punish myself. I was actually scared of getting attacked by mind when alone. It attacked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should i keep in doing Anapana as i believes that it cuts your Karmic chain for the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9846" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T04:23:50.267" Title="Why can't I be happy in the pursuit of Nirvana?" Tags="|personal-practice|tibetan-buddhism|buddha-nature|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-10T09:44:21.257" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I answer, since you tagged Tibetan Buddhism. However, personal practice is a serious matter and I believe you should ask a qualified teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After all we want Nirvana because we are looking for a being in a state of something eternal, Which is equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, in Mahayana, we want to achieve enlightenment in order to be able to  benefit all sentient beings uninterruptedly, without  limitations of ours (death being one of them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of focusing on equanimity, rather train in being patient, content, and have few desires. First, there is less risks of being confused about what patience, contentment and few desires are. Second, it is more at reach for a beginner. Third, aversion to pain causes much unhappiness while patience opposes this. We suffer a great deal just because we have the notion that we would be better off without this or that, or having this or that. Discontent and desires also create much unhappiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tibetan do not usually emphasize Anapana. The concentration factor is in general just a means for the mind to become stable and flexible, and then abide in virtue. Right now, it's difficult to study for a long period of time, or to meditate for a long period of time. Body and mind get sore and exhausted, there is pain and boredom. We cultivate the three factors of concentration, mindfulness and introspection by doing Anapana (or usually focusing on the mental image of the body of the buddha) simply to become able to abide in virtue for as long as we want. It is like opening your eyes to then get to see this and that. Unfortunately, there are people who engage in Anapana meditation and the like just to feel better, temporarily sheltered from their issues, away from their usual obsessive and discursive thoughts, etc. These are not wholesome motivations. Great teachers usually say: if you want to relax, take a nap. It's way easier than meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation should not replace the bottle. It should not be a means to bury your head in the sand or an anesthetic that makes your life more bearable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no better way to damage the karma you have accumulated than:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Purifying by way of the four opponent powers&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Restraining from non-virtue by upholding discipline (turning away from the 10 non-vritues, taking refuge and lay vows, etc.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abiding by wholesome habits such as not oversleeping, taking refuge six times a day, setting motivation before engaging in activities, dedicating after, offering food before you eat, offering drink (even water) before you drink&#xA;completing activities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Studying the teachings of the Buddha, because this will help you see things the way they are&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivating altruistic intention, opposing self-cherishing. This makes the mind vaster, open, and inclined in virtue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-10T10:04:13.393" LastActivityDate="2017-04-10T10:04:13.393" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20048" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-10T14:45:57.530" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where is this actually stated in the canonical scripture?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After only a quick search I don't find many references other than the two you already mentioned (assuming you're only looking for suttas and not for example the Visuddhimagga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's another here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Nibbāna-element&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also (the famous) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=153&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamapada verse 154&lt;/a&gt; (which says &lt;em&gt;visaṅ­khā­ra­&lt;/em&gt; rather than &lt;em&gt;asaṅkhata&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But this mean that even the cessation of suffering Nibanna itself is conditional!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I think that's so: that cessation (i.e. transition from suffering to non-suffering) is conditional ... it's conditional on the removal of the fuel of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the understanding is that, after the condition for suffering have been removed, then the non-suffering (i.e. the non-arising of further suffering) is unconditioned.&#xA;For example if you look at an empty fireplace (empty of fuel), then I think you can say &quot;that fire is &lt;em&gt;never&lt;/em&gt; going to light again there ... because there is no fuel.&quot;&#xA;You could bring more fuel, I suppose (so you could say it's conditional on the not-bringing of more fuel), but apparently an Arhat has learned better than to want to do that (and I think might even be unable to do that: unable to see the non-desirable as desirable, for example)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you say, though, maybe it's not an especially important assertion, and is metaphysical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that there other places where &quot;following the path&quot; is given as a condition for arriving; but that, having arrived, those conditions no longer applicable; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A raft, well-made,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  has been lashed together.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having crossed over,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  gone to the far shore,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I've subdued the flood.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  No need for a raft&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  is to be found:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      so if you want, rain-god,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      go ahead &amp;amp; rain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A raft is also mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or the Bhikkhuni Sutta, which says that,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through [food, craving, and conceit]. And yet it is by relying on [food, craving, and conceit] that [food, craving, and conceit] are to be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This sounds like an illogical tautology - circular reasoning supporting the unconditional Nibanna doctrine.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Logically, yes, that does seem to be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;begging the question&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's worth asking, not whether it's a good logical proof for the existence of &quot;the unconditioned&quot;, but whether it has an effective pedagogical result, e.g. whether it helps the students to understand emancipation from the conditioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reminds me of another fallacy, i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno%27s_paradoxes#Paradoxes_of_motion&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Zeno's paradoxes of motion&lt;/a&gt; which &quot;prove&quot; that you can never arrive somewhere.&#xA;Something like that paradox is addressed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (in that sutta I think that  &quot;park&quot; means &quot;monastery&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-10T14:45:57.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20049" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20050" CreationDate="2017-04-10T16:04:25.047" Score="3" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel the word enlightenment conveys the wrong meaning if used in context of nibbana. For example, Buddha says that nibbana is similar to a lighted lamp, having taken away the oil and the wick, will not light (&quot;as though a lamp was extinguished&quot; Rathana Sutta - Sutta Nipatha, Chulla Waggo, 2-1, 237). I'm interested in knowing how this word was associated with Theravada Buddhism if anyone knows early references of such usage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T14:26:19.023" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T14:26:19.023" Title="When was the word enlightenment introduced into Theravada Buddhism?" Tags="|theravada|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20049" CreationDate="2017-04-10T17:32:17.407" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One place where I know &amp;quot;enlightenment&amp;quot; is used is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg17.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this version&lt;/a&gt; (which was published in 1894):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A middle path, O bhikkhus avoiding the two extremes, has been discovered by the Tathagata-a path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West#19th_century&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism in the West&lt;/a&gt; suggests that's one of the early references (that there's nothing earlier than the 19th century).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's word with a history of meaning in the West (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Age of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Bodhi uses the word &amp;quot;enlightenment&amp;quot; a lot, e.g. in his book &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt;. He uses it to translate words like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#sambodhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sambodhi&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;sambodhi: [sam+bodhi] complete awakening, perfect knowledge, complete enlightenment. Designates the awakening of the Buddha and the arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some other translators choose variations on the word &amp;quot;awake&amp;quot; (e.g. &amp;quot;self-awakened&amp;quot;) instead of enlightened; which (awakened) is apparently a more literal translation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Wikipedia (&amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Enlightenment in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The English term enlightenment is the western translation of the term bodhi, &amp;quot;awakening&amp;quot;, which was popularised in the Western world through the 19th century translations of Max Müller. It has the western connotation of a sudden insight into a transcendental truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term is also being used to translate several other Buddhist terms and concepts used to denote insight (prajna, kensho and satori);[1] knowledge (vidhya); the &amp;quot;blowing out&amp;quot; (Nirvana) of disturbing emotions and desires and the subsequent freedom or release (vimutti); and the attainment of Buddhahood, as exemplified by Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very occasionally in Pali the Buddha is praised as &lt;em&gt;ukkādhāraṃ&lt;/em&gt; translated &amp;quot;torch-bearer&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-10T17:32:17.407" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-10T17:53:33.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In fact, it would appears that this doctrine is in contradiction with the doctrine of dependent origination. [...] I believe the reasoning is as follows ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems you are conflating causes and conditions as if they were the same? For example, it's not true that a certain thing ceases when it's cause ceases -- not in Buddhism and not in the real world. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Causality&lt;/a&gt;, strictly speaking, is a very subtle subject, and Buddhism approach it mostly through moral karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The subject in discussion, however, is not really causality, but &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditionality_(disambiguation)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditionality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. It's conditionality that dependent origination (D.O) deals with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this is, that is.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the arising of this comes the arising of that.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  When this isn't, that isn't.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider a person who lights a candle. What caused the fire to light up? This is a very difficult question. Was it the person? The lighter? His parents who gave him birth? Certainly not the candle wick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it's the candle wick (or generally, the fuel) in the Buddha's analogies, that stands for the &lt;em&gt;condition&lt;/em&gt; for the fire to keep burning. In other words, that which, when present, keeps the flame going, and when absent, have the fire to cease -- that's the Buddha strategy for closing up on the problem of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;. Not the events that led the flame to become (e.g. the person lighting it up), nor the events that led the fire to cease (e.g. water thrown at it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In D.O. terms, the sense of vision does not arise when there is not a healthy organ like an eye. Simply as that. But when eye is present, and eye-consciousness is present, and forms are present, contact is subject to arising. With the absence of any of the three, say, any present contact cease and there is no possibility for a new contact to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, provided that dukkha is &lt;em&gt;dependent&lt;/em&gt; (not &lt;em&gt;caused&lt;/em&gt; by) craving and D.O. holds, if one finds a way to cease craving without reminder, than dukkha won't ever find support again. The question then, is whether or not one believes it's possible to cease craving without reminder. But it should be clear that if the relations hold, there's no possibility for dukkha to rise again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether Nirvana is &quot;caused&quot; by the practitioner practicing or not, and what this says about Nirvana is irrelevant -- the &quot;unconditional&quot; quality that buddhists refer to and assign to Nirvana has no relation to this &quot;causality&quot;, after all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To further illustrate, if we apply the same reasoning of &quot;causes as conditions&quot; you gave to show that Nirvana is conditioned, we can reach even more absurd conclusions. For example, are our parents the cause we were born? Then, according to D.O., should we fall on the ground and die as soon as our parents die? Or is our birth caused by their intercourse? So, should we have ceased to be as soon as they stopped that intercourse as per D.O.? If what caused me to know arithmetic is studying, should I forget everything about it once I take a break? And so on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There is, monks, an unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned. If, monks there were not that unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, you could not know an escape here from the born, become, made, and conditioned. But because there is an unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, therefore you do know an escape from the born, become, made, and conditioned.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The circularity is just in appearance due to language habits. For instance, if we understand the Buddha was providing a justification for something, say, for the question &quot;how can we know there's an escape?&quot;. In this case,  then &lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; are trapped by the options he gave and &lt;em&gt;we&lt;/em&gt; might end up making the circular reasoning with what has been offered. However, he is just stating some simple propositions and relations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's X.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;With X being, we can do Y.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If there wasn't X, we could not do Y.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...which, by the way, has the same format of D.O. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-04-10T18:01:27.963" LastActivityDate="2017-04-10T18:01:27.963" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20052" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-10T22:35:32.047" Score="4" ViewCount="236" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading&#xA; &quot;A Critical Analysis Of The Jhanas&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it's talking about the way to reach the first jhana. This passage below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Block quote&#xA;  The Pa:isambhidāmagga explains them as follows: &#xA;  For one developing the first jhāna, the hindrances are abandoned by way of &#xA;  suppression. For one developing concentration partaking of penetration, &#xA;  wrong views are abandoned by way of substitution of opposites. For one &#xA;  developing the supramundane path that leads to their destruction, &#xA;  (defilements) are abandoned by way of cutting off. At the moment of fruition &#xA;  they are abandoned by way of tranquillization. And abandoning by deliverance &#xA;  is nibbāna, cessation.2&#xA;   (Wr. tr.).&#xA;  `&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question is, isn't the first jhanas all about concentration? So why did it say if you want to reach the first jhana you must partake in abandonment by suppression, and to reach concentration you must abandoned by way of substitution of opposites. Isn't it all dedicated to concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T20:50:05.190" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T22:42:09.310" Title="Need help understanding this about the jhanas" Tags="|meditation|jhana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-11T00:16:39.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a good thing to notice joyful and happy states and also to notice when states change. We know that everything is impermanent yet when we are in the throes of misery and suffering it can feel as though we will never be happy again. &#xA;But the more we practice being aware of positive states and the changing of states the more we will train our minds to realise when we are down that negative states do change and that we can choose more skillful ways of thinking to create more positive states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything does not lead to sorrow. I don't think this is the correct way to see it. Sorrow is just part of this life as happiness and joy are. We meet both with equanimity knowing that neither last. Don't cling or avoid either but practice noticing that they change. It's the clinging and aversion that lead to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far as your comment about wanting a &quot;punishment&quot; for alcohol use. I'm not sure why you are asking for such a thing. Buddhism does not subscribe to the idea of punishments for anything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see absolutely no problem with enjoying 1 or 2 glasses of wine every now and then but if you drink too much and you feel bad after then learn from that. Is it worth the few hours of fun for the self flagellation, nausea, headaches and general physical fatigue you experience after?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you drink too much again can you maybe try to notice how much you fall into a self loathing mindset after? Notice the feelings of guilt, shame etc and try to be compassionate and gentle with yourself. You are human, you can and will make mistakes. It's how we learn.  Having fun and connecting with people is healthy. Alcohol is a big part of that within our culture but you have the choice to control what and how much you ingest. If you feel like you have lost control and the peer pressure is too great I would suggest seeking some support eg counselling etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your friends show no sign of ever changing their heavy drinking habits then maybe it's time to make new friends.  I had to do this and as hard as it was it was better than staying stuck with people who were slowly destroying their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T00:21:44.477" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T00:21:44.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20049" CreationDate="2017-04-11T01:24:53.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two kinds of Nibbana, namely: (i) Nibbana that can be experienced &amp;amp; (ii) Nibbana that is the ending of sense experience which can only be inferred. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, there are these two Nibbāna-elements. What are the two? The Nibbāna-element with residue left and the Nibbāna-element with no&#xA;  residue left.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What, bhikkhus, is the Nibbāna-element with residue left? Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;  attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, &lt;strong&gt;completely released&#xA;  through final knowledge (enlightenment)&lt;/strong&gt;. However, his five sense faculties remain&#xA;  unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbāna-element with residue left.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now what, bhikkhus, is the Nibbāna-element with no residue left? Here a bhikkhu is an arahant … completely released through final&#xA;  knowledge. For him, here in this very life, &lt;strong&gt;all that is experienced,&#xA;  not being delighted in, will be extinguished&lt;/strong&gt;. That, bhikkhus, is&#xA;  called the Nibbāna-element with no residue left.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The inferred Nibbana cannot occur without experiencing the known enlightened Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Nibbana that can be known occurs after/with &lt;em&gt;enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Nibbana that occurs when a lighted lamp, having taken away the oil and the wick, will not light again, is only inferred &amp;amp; not the primary goal of Buddhism because it cannot occur without the Nibbana of enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as an oil lamp burns in dependence on oil &amp;amp; wick; and from the termination of the oil &amp;amp; wick — and from not being provided any other&#xA;  sustenance — it goes out unnourished; even so, when sensing a feeling&#xA;  limited to the body, one discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited&#xA;  to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one discerns&#xA;  that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns that 'With&#xA;  the break-up of the body, after the termination of life, &lt;strong&gt;all that is&#xA;  sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here&lt;/strong&gt;.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the question is inferring there is a destination (i.e. Nibbana) without a path (i.e. enlightenment). The question ignores the special teaching of the Buddha, namely, the Four Noble Truths: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ete kho, bhikkhave, ubho ante anupagamma majjhimā paṭipadā tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇakaraṇī upasamāya abhiññāya&#xA;  sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattati.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A middle path, O bhikkhus avoiding the two extremes, has been discovered by the Tathagata-a path which opens the eyes, and bestows&#xA;  understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to&#xA;  full enlightenment, to Nirvana!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That 'sambodhāya' is translated as 'enlightenment' or 'awakening' is irrelevant to the question because the question wrongly assumes 'Nibbana' is darkness, death &amp;amp; annihilation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T01:59:23.313" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T01:59:23.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-11T04:33:54.257" Score="2" ViewCount="338" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the common use (if any) for mala beads in Zen practice. Also, is there any special etiquette involved, or other considerations?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11137" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:36:08.473" Title="Mala in Zen Practice" Tags="|zen|practice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20055" CreationDate="2017-04-11T06:39:46.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I haven't seen beads used in any Zen sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T06:39:46.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20055" CreationDate="2017-04-11T06:45:23.340" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;They are essentially counting aid for concentration, you basically count them as you chant say &quot;Amitabha&quot;, the Heart Sutra or any mantra, for example 108 times. For the technologically minded, it can be even substitute with an electronic counter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T08:39:21.933" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T08:39:21.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20052" CreationDate="2017-04-11T11:10:18.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;isn't the first jhanas all about concentration? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt;. This also concentrates the mind by cutting out distractions as you continuously return to your anchor object. To put it in another way it is developing &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; which also results in concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;abandonment by suppression&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a kind of suppression. You periodically bring you mind to the object of concentration thereby not letting other thoughts that arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above description looks more like abandoning &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nivarana&lt;/a&gt;. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.3-Nivarana-Pahana-Vagga-a1.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana,pahana Vagga&lt;/a&gt;] To get into Jhana you have to abandon the hindrances but abandoning hindrances alone will not get you into Jhana. To get into the 1st Jhana what you need is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt; while abandoning the Hindrances also. Also Jhana is a means to abandon the hindrances. Being without hindrances in the absence of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt;, I think, does not always result in Jhana as this is one of the factors in the 1st Jhana. For more on this see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Put it in another way concentration and abandonment are side benefits of developing the Jhana through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vicāra&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T12:19:32.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20059" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20060" CreationDate="2017-04-11T12:31:16.927" Score="5" ViewCount="685" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any one know, which is the best posture to be assumed for practicing meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T15:25:49.373" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T00:13:34.613" Title="Which is the best posture to Practice meditation?" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20059" CreationDate="2017-04-11T12:44:47.710" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu following the practice of my Teaching, having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree or to an empty, solitary place, sits down cross-legged, keeping his body erect, and sets up mindfulness, orienting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then with entire mindfulness, he breathes in and with entire mindfulness he breathes out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.bpit.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is the standard posture for meditation (i.e.: sit down cross-legged). Even though I can't remain in this posture for a long time due to back pain, I personally believe this is the best posture for meditation. Having said that there are many other postures suitable, depend on your situation (walking, sitting, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T12:48:06.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20059" CreationDate="2017-04-11T13:03:45.423" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;There isn't a 'best posture' for meditation (although I have a yoga book which attributes all sorts of special mystical powers to the full lotus).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best posture is the one that's best for you, that gives you a stable base (knees and buttocks) and lets you maintain your spine in a good upright position. For some that will be full lotus, others half or quarter, others burmese (all on a cushion), and for others it will be seiza on a cushion or bench.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You definitely shouldn't be deciding how to sit based on answers from people on the internet, you should go to a temple or monastery where experienced meditators with a variety of cushions and benches can observe you and help you find the posture that's best for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T13:03:45.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20063" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20064" CreationDate="2017-04-11T13:35:37.907" Score="2" ViewCount="2109" Body="&lt;p&gt;I had read occasionally on internet that &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.co.in/?gfe_rd=cr&amp;amp;ei=v9bsWODMNKfT8geD94_QAw&amp;amp;gws_rd=ssl#q=tirupati+balaji+&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirupati Balaji&lt;/a&gt; was a Buddhist Shrine. So Was Tirupati Balaji a Buddhist Shrine ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T04:37:54.867" LastActivityDate="2017-09-18T03:00:32.787" Title="Was Tirupati Balaji a Buddhist Shrine?" Tags="|temples|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20063" CreationDate="2017-04-11T14:09:07.727" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a book by K. Jamanadas &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.satnami.com/Tirupati%20a%20buddhist%20srine.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirupati Balaji was a Buddhist Shrine&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, whose preface starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[This book] has potential credibility to create&#xA;  controversies unknown to historical writing and the Hindu common folks who flock to worship Tirupati Balaji&#xA;  as one of the supreme deities. It is also a new challenge to indologist at a time when politically imbued&#xA;  scholars are engaged to wash out their hands by proving and disproving claims of Hindus and the Muslims&#xA;  against each other as they did over the issue of Ayodhya Shrines.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its conclusion is that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The image of Lord Venkatesvara was not sculptured by the artist as an image of Vishnu, but that of&#xA;  Avalokitesvara, sometimes in the reign of Kalabhras, after the period of Mamulanur, and before the period of&#xA;  Silappadhikaran, around 3rd to 5th century A.D.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-09-18T03:00:32.787" LastActivityDate="2017-09-18T03:00:32.787" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-11T14:55:48.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are happy, you will have to face sorrow right? So I am being told to just observe everything with equanimity or Anapana. TBH which is very boring So I observed that instead of thinking of everything leads to sorrow in this world, why not enjoy this moment. (Is is necessary to keep observing when you are happy.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this section:&#xA;You are temporarily right to try to be happy this moment. A wise person would think &lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;How can I maintain this happiness forever without changing?&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. A sensible person, upon contemplating the matter for some time, realizes there is nothing created that he or she can retain forever. He or she furthermore realizes such possessions can't be guaranteed to be with oneself beyond death. Thus, a wise person decides the boring path provides freedom from such a mass, sorrow and disappointment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all we want Nirvana because we are looking for a being in a&#xA;state of something eternal, Which is equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to me Equanimity is not happiness for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this section:&#xA;Eternity is a word used to describe something that was &lt;strong&gt;created&lt;/strong&gt; and lasts for ever. Nirvana isn't such a thing that is created. Nirvana has not been described as equanimity in the Tipitaka to my knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have experienced intoxication occasionally and I was in to Anapana&#xA;for nearly a week and I have kept myself safe from any kind of&#xA;intoxication for a year, everything was going smooth breathing while&#xA;walking, lying, sitting, talking not always but I was satisfied with&#xA;my pace of being aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this weekend I had nothing to do and suddenly a teeny tiny thought&#xA;arises which says to get drunk and at the same time one of my friend&#xA;said the same thing and we get drunk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was still trying to figure out what is happening in mind, Why I am&#xA;feeling different now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this section:&#xA;Where is that thought now? Did it come to your mind out of your own will? Can you control it? If you can't control it, is it suitable to think the thought is me, mine, or my soul?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know I should not be drinking is there anyway I can punish myself. I&#xA;was actually scared of getting attacked by mind when alone. It&#xA;attacked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this section:&#xA;I suggest your reward yourself by contemplating the benefits of avoiding drinking rather than punishing yourself. I'm sure there's plenty online resources to explain these benefits apart from a Buddhist context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should i keep in doing Anapana as i believes that it cuts your Karmic&#xA;chain for the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this section:&#xA;False. If a person can cut the karmic chain for a moment as such and dies, he'll attain Nirvana. There is no moment a lay person is void of Karmic chain (sankhara). This is what binds us to bhava (world, so to speak).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suggest your practice Satipattana Meditating which includes Anapana Sathi and extends a more insightful consciousness to day to day activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has asked us (citation needed) to travel in the Noble Eightfold Path even if it means crying along the way. Why Buddha says so is because he knows, and intelligent people understand that if someone missed the opportunity to understand the Four Noble Truths, the resultant suffering can be extremely large.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has said&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbanam Paraman Sukhan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which translates to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate Luxury is Nibbana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T04:28:05.017" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2017-04-11T16:38:47.893" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha has stated to bhikku Ananda that Paticca Samuppada is not simple to understand and that it has great depth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, may I point out to you a paradox that &lt;em&gt;may&lt;/em&gt; exist in your question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's say I like apples and you ask me &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do you like apples&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can say &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I like apples because they are tasty to me &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you now ask me &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do you like apples because they are tasty&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is something I am not able to interpret as a question or answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I can't answer is, that it is close to an ultimate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It could be that Lord Buddha explained Paticca Samuppada to be understood as reasons for certain conditioning to happen. However, maybe we are supposed to understand the reasons rather than ask &quot;What is the reason for the reason?&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How does consciousness (Vinñana) arise? (What causes Vinñana) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to Sankhara &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is the Sankskara causes consciousness to arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the answer (likely an ultimate) re asked in a manner of question. &#xA;(Try this: Why is the boy crying? Because I hit the boy. Why is he crying because you hit him? Because it hurt the boy. Why is the boy crying because it hurt? Because the boy is weak.... So on and so forth but sooner or later you'll reach an ultimate). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The matter gets more complicated because in one place Buddha says Vinñana causes Nama Rupa, and Nama Rupa causes Vinñana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason Sankhara causes Name and Form is, I believe Karma. If Vinñana doesn't root itself through the help of Sankhara, I believe that is the state arhatans be. (&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T16:38:47.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20040" CreationDate="2017-04-11T17:40:34.133" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two sets of Mahayana sutras:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The seventeen Perfection of Wisdom sutras (Prajnaparamita Sutras), and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The other sutras, of the &lt;em&gt;Wheel of Perfect Differentiation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first set does not present Indra’s net while the second does. Tibetan traditions posit the first set as being “of definite meaning” and therefore study it and overlook the second. They do not study the sutras of the Wheel of Differentiation except through commentaries refuting their presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, most Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese traditions such as the Huayan school, Chan, Tientai, etc. posit the second set of sutras as being “of definite meaning” and therefore study it and overlook the Perfection of Wisdom sutras.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if you want to know more about Indra’s net, you have to look on the side of Zen, etc. because they are more likely to comment sutras that speak of Indra’s net. Among the various sutras of the Wheel of Perfect Differentiation, the most well known are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Lankavatara Sutra (remember that Chan masters were first called &quot;Lankavatara masters&quot; before the &quot;Chan&quot; designation came into being),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Avatamsaka Sutra (Garland of Flowers), that became popular after the Lankavatara was found too complicated for lay people &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Lotus sutra,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Tathagatagarbha Sutra, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Vimalakirti Sutra.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of them mention Indra (just as the Prajnaparamita Sutras do) but do not mention Indra’s net. For instance, the Vimalakirti Sutra merely mentions Indra. Even the translator's footnotes do not say more than:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;21&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Kausika, Sakra, and Indra all refer to the same god, who, in Buddhist cosmogony is regarded as the king of gods in the desire-realm.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This helps you understand that it is not that common a notion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Of these scriptures, only the Avatamsaka Sutra (a 1’500 pages sutra) does. It says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Far away, in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out indefinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel at the net’s every node, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude. A wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one the these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewels is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that the process of reflection is infinite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Vietnamese Zen master in the lineage of Huineng. The Caodong Chan school in China and the Soto Zen school in Japan also proceed from Huineng. In &lt;em&gt;Understanding Our Mind&lt;/em&gt; (Chapter 13, Indra’s Net), Thích Nhất Hạnh refers to the Avatamsaka Sutra:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Indra's net is a vast, cosmic lattice that contains precious jewels wherever the threads cross. There are millions of ewels strung together to make the net, and each jewel has many facets. When you look at any facet of any jewels, you can see all the other jewels reflected in it. In the world of the Avatamsaka, in Indra's net, the one is present in the all, and the all in the one. This wonderful image was used in Buddhism to illustrate the principle of interdepedence and interpenetration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And he explains the meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In our ordinary world, we see a teapot as a single, independent object. But if we look deeply enough into the teapot, we will see that it contains many phenomena – earth, water, fire, air, space, and time – and we will realize that in fact the entire universe come together to make this teapot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From this Vietnamese Zen perspective, this is analyzing dependent-origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-11T21:49:23.813" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T21:49:23.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20059" CreationDate="2017-04-11T19:25:11.730" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purists would say in full-lotus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most reasonable would say that, half-lotus or cross legged&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sitting on a chair or bed is fine in all honesty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not falling asleep but being comfortable are the 2 major concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10530" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T19:25:11.730" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17760" CreationDate="2017-04-11T20:08:01.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;How does Sankskara cause consciousness to arise?&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my personal understanding, not necessarily any traditional interpretation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara being the active tendency onward, the driving force to seek something or another state (as per our dissatisfaction), is the terrain that makes it possible for consciousness to arise, since consciousness is the basis for coming into contact with anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that force is calmed down, there's no interest in &amp;quot;reaching out&amp;quot; (or &amp;quot;reaching in&amp;quot;, or simply &amp;quot;reaching&amp;quot;), so consciousness does not get established.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;How does consciousness cause the name-form to arise?&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In DN 15, the Buddha explains the dependency of namarupa on consciousness  in the context of a person being born &amp;amp; growing:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when namarupa does not find consciousness persisting in the womb, namarupa does not develop.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when consciousness depart from namarupa in the womb, namarupa would not come to secure a birth.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;if consciousness of a young boy or girl were cut off, namarupa would not grow up and develop.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, consider &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.39&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, what one intends, and what one plans, and whatever one has a tendency towards: this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. &lt;strong&gt;When consciousness is established and has come to growth, there is a descent of name-and-form&lt;/strong&gt;. With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be; [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, bhikkhus, one does not intend, and one does not plan, but one still has a tendency towards something, this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. &lt;strong&gt;When consciousness is established and has come to growth, there is a descent of name-and-form&lt;/strong&gt;. With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“But, bhikkhus, when one does not intend, and one does not plan, and one does not have a tendency towards anything, no basis exists for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is no basis, there is no support for the establishing of consciousness. &lt;strong&gt;When consciousness is unestablished and does not come to growth, there is no descent of name-and-form&lt;/strong&gt;. With the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T20:08:01.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7676" CreationDate="2017-04-11T21:10:54.313" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you breathe out you can notice a subtle sensation of discomfort just before you breathe in again. You need to be quite concentrated to notice it. It's kind of like the body almost gasping for the next breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-11T21:10:54.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-11T21:41:41.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does what your teacher is telling you help you? Does it help you to live your life better? To let go? To experience more freedom and happiness?  To show up more for others with generosity and compassion? Is what they are teaching you useful? Or is it all just a bunch of meaningless mystical jargon that leads to confusion and has no real practical bearing on your reality?  This is what you might ask yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's true that everything that happens we experience through a filter of our own conditioning and history etc. for example when we see an animal such as a lion kill another animal we accept that it's just normal because this is what they must do to survive. However when we see a human take another human life we see it through a whole bunch of concepts that have been fed into our minds by our culture.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also we seem to have no problem with mass factory farming animals in the most abhorrent conditions so that we can have a nice piece of flesh to eat all packed cleanly and neatly on the supermarket shelf. When you think about what actually happens to those animals it's nothing short of a horrifying tragedy yet we can just compartmentalise and deny it all while we eat our meat in a detached way around the bbq with friends.  Surely killing millions of animals cruelly and unnecessarily, because after all we don't need to eat meat, is far worse than one person killing one other person? But we do not believe this so for us it is not true.  If a woman kills her abusive husband to save her own life and or her children's lives we would have no problem with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example is the way terrorism is viewed in Western cultures. As horrifying as it is, we are manipulated by our politicians who feed us a very biased narrative about it on one hand and on the other are waging war and killing millions of innocent people. &#xA;So in the end it's always about your beliefs and concepts that make something good or bad, right or wrong.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you think about your mentioned thoughts on hunger. Hunger itself does not exist. What exists is a naked sensation in the body. We add the idea or concept called &quot;hunger&quot; to it. We have been conditioned that when I feel this it means I must eat. When you were a baby it didn't mean the same thing, it was just discomfort and you reacted to it by crying then your mother fed you. So in this sense hunger does not exist. It's not that things don't exist, it's that they are not what you believe them to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T20:23:53.850" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T20:23:53.850" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19109" CreationDate="2017-04-11T23:02:20.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. The definition of a Sotapatti stream winner is about Lokotthara/Arya Samma Ditti. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read and explore further about this in &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samyutta Nikaya - Ditthi Samyutta - Sotapatti Waggo&lt;/strong&gt; (which are &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta3/23-Ditthi-Samyutta/01-Sotapattivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;translated here&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All the sutta here explain how people give rise all these doubts through and with the help of Pancha Upadhanakkandha;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Go on to explain their impermanance, hence sorrow, and thus not suitable to assume as me, mine our my soul;. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Followed by explaining who is a Sotapanna.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might also notice how simple it is to be sotapanna if you strictly adhere to right view (get rid of Sakkaaya Ditti as a first step). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-12T12:04:54.273" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T12:04:54.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-11T23:40:55.733" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;My teacher has been talking about how each person's reality (including the body) is in fact an illusion generated by the mind in each moment.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know much about New Kadampa, but other Buddhist traditions don't really mean that reality is a creation of the mind. But rather that, because of a lack of understanding, we come to regard things as being or having characteristics that are really not there. For instance, to regard anything that is part of our individuality, or experience as something permanent, or something we have absolute and complete control over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;for example, during the teaching session I was very hungry. I thought, &quot;I can meditate and come to ignore how hungry I am- but if I did that every time, one day I would die of starvation, whether I was aware of that in my mind or not. So surely hunger is actually &quot;real&quot; and not just in my mind - because it will lead to me dying unnecessarily unless I react to it?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This reflection is in accord with the words of the Buddha in the sutras. A similar analysis is used by Buddha to justify the conclusion that, say, &quot;hunger&quot; is not under one's complete and absolute control -- i.e., one cannot decide to not be hungry anymore, and have the wish granted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Form is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, form were self, this form would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of form: ‘Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.’ But because form is nonself, form leads to affliction, and it is not possible to have it of form: ‘Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Feeling is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, feeling were self, this feeling would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of feeling: ‘Let my feeling be thus; let my feeling not be thus.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Perception is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, perception were self, this perception would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of perception: ‘Let my perception be thus; let my perception not be thus.’ [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Volitional formations are nonself. For if, bhikkhus, volitional formations were self, these volitional formations would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of volitional formations: ‘Let my volitional formations be thus; let my volitional formations not be thus.’ [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Consciousness is nonself. For if, bhikkhus, consciousness were self, this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of consciousness: ‘Let my consciousness be thus; let my consciousness not be thus.’  [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above are taken from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.59&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Another example I thought of was murder. I can believe everyone is neither good nor bad, and via compassion, everyone will seem good. But surely it doesn't matter how I imagine a situation is going in my mind - if I meet someone who tries to murder me, for example, they will kill me, regardless of how loving I believe them to be. My death would occur regardless of my mind (but if I had listened to my mind, I might have been able to avoid the death that would result from interacting with that person).&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of impermanence, it's fair to say that no one is good nor bad -- someone who was a &quot;bad person&quot; in the past might now be &quot;a good person&quot;, and vice-versa. Or even, a person might have both inclinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same statement about no one being good nor bad might have a deeper meaning -- when it is a statement about &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (not self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But no amount of compassion is sufficient to guarantee safety from physical harm. At least, the buddhist traditions I'm familiar with are in accord with this. I don't know about New Kadampa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I understand that death isn't &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; either - but how does the dharma explain the division between &quot;mind reality&quot; and actual physical reality that can kill me no matter what my mind does?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma (action). Intending, one does kamma (action) by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, by means of intention that &quot;you&quot; or &quot;your mind&quot; starts an act to affect &quot;actual&quot; reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, in the words of the Buddha, how does actual reality affects &quot;you&quot; or &quot;your mind&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“[...] In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, [pleasant, painful, neither] feeling comes to be; [...]&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.43&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is only an example of a process of cognition of something or an event in the actual reality, but the same applies to all of the senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, because of the functioning of the sense organs (eye, ear, nose, etc) and the presence of what can be perceived by those (forms, sounds, tastes, temperature, pressure etc), it's possible to have cognition of an event in reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's how, say, the perception of being killed in the actual reality becomes present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I also have a very similar question/example: why does it result in good karma when you feed starving people, if the food, the pain of starvation, and even your good deed is just an illusion in the minds of you and the starving person? Obviously if I had a sandwich, and I saw a child who was hungry, I'd give them all of the sandwich. But then isnt the child receiving negative karma for causing ME to go hungry, even though it was my choice? And why bother at all if only karma is real - the child's hunger isn't &quot;real&quot;, so why end it?)&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, I don't where New Kadampa stands on this. Some buddhist traditions reject &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idealism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Idealism&lt;/a&gt; and some traditions accuse other traditions of the &quot;mind only&quot; view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In any case, I think these questions that you raise are very significant to be asked to anyone before you decide to take their teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that, I'll take the liberty to answer the above from other buddhist perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, a deed in many buddhist traditions is not completely evaluated by it's results (e.g. the food given satisfied someone's hunger, or money given was used to buy drugs). To a certain extent, it's evaluated by one's intention, motivation and attitude when performing it. To that extent, the deeds transforms one's inner habits, transforms one's minds (thoughts, reflexes, inclinations, tastes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, regardless of the actual results of the deeds, the performance of good deeds naturally turns one into a &quot;good person&quot;, one who is inclined to have good thoughts (thoughts associated with non-hatred and non-greed), to associate with good people, inclined to do good. And bad deeds turns one into a &quot;bad person&quot;, one inclined to do bad things, to take pleasure associating with bad people, to have bad thoughts associated with hatred and greed, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, an action, in this sense, is a way of transforming one's character, or one's mind. This is straightforward, and not really an understanding exclusive to Buddhism. Apparently, the following remarks &lt;a href=&quot;http://fakebuddhaquotes.com/the-thought-manifests-as-the-word-the-word-manifests-as-the-deed-the-deed-develops-into-habit-and-habit-hardens-into-character/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;come from&lt;/a&gt; Christians, but it's not at all far from what the Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The thought manifests as the word;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The word manifests as the deed;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The deed develops into habit;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And habit hardens into character.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the effect of the deed and also to whom it benefits (or hurts) also comes into play in the theories of buddhist karma. But I think it's the perspective of transforming one's mind that gains more emphasis on the buddhist training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The importance of doing good deeds in Buddhism is two-fold:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It affects the suffering one is subject to encounter in the future. In this current life, it makes one tolerate pain and unfortunate events easier. In future lives (if one takes it as true), it may lead one to more peaceful destinations, with less suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's transformative effect prepares the mind to take on deeper practices to understand the most subtle laws of reality. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-04-14T02:29:33.687" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T02:29:33.687" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-12T05:10:39.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My teacher has been talking about how each person's reality (including&#xA;  the body) is in fact an illusion generated by the mind in each moment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your 'teacher' is wrong, with ideas that are not Buddhist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As an extension of this, she teaches that there are no &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot;&#xA;  people&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are sets of aggregates with mental dispositions that predominantly perform harmless or violent actions, which are conventionally known as 'good &amp;amp; bad people'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ideas of 'good', 'bad' &amp;amp; 'person' are created by the mind however this does not change the nature of violence or harmlessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;things or circumstances - the way things appear and the qualities they have are all coming from my own mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, actions based in greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion are 'bad' or 'unwholesome' because they are destuctive. They do not come from your own mind but are universal realities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I think I kind of understand this as a metaphor, but I don't understand how she can seem to literally believe this: for example,&#xA;  during the teaching session I was very hungry. I thought, &quot;I can&#xA;  meditate and come to ignore how hungry I am- but if I did that every&#xA;  time, one day I would die of starvation, whether I was aware of that&#xA;  in my mind or not. So surely hunger is actually &quot;real&quot; and not just in&#xA;  my mind - because it will lead to me dying unnecessarily unless I&#xA;  react to it?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hunger is created by the biological mechanisms of the physical body, which creates hunger pain. If the mind chooses to starve to death, the hunger pain will exist until death. Thus, the hunger is not created by the mind. It is created by the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Another example I thought of was murder. I can believe everyone is neither good nor bad, and via compassion, everyone will seem good. But&#xA;  surely it doesn't matter how I imagine a situation is going in my mind&#xA;  - if I meet someone who tries to murder me, for example, they will kill me, regardless of how loving I believe them to be. My death would&#xA;  occur regardless of my mind (but if I had listened to my mind, I might&#xA;  have been able to avoid the death that would result from interacting&#xA;  with that person).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion are 'the unwholesome', i.e., 'destructive'. If the mind is enlightened, it will not have the view of &quot;I am dying&quot;. However, the murderous actions remain destructive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I understand that death isn't &quot;good&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; either - but how does the dharma explain the division between &quot;mind reality&quot; and actual&#xA;  physical reality that can kill me no matter what my mind does?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dharma states all conditioned things are impermanent &amp;amp; this impermanence is unrelated to mental cognition. This is why your teacher is wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Another quick example: medication for mental illness. I had a teacher once who endorsed mentally ill people stopping all medication, because&#xA;  it was only a placebo - but if that's true then why is it that an&#xA;  unmedicated schizophrenic (for example) would be physically unable to&#xA;  meditate (and cure themselves, as my teacher suggested) most of the&#xA;  time, as they would be too ill to concentrate? Isnt that an example of&#xA;  physical chemicals (drugs) being &quot;stronger&quot; than the mind (calming the&#xA;  mind so that it can begin to meditate)?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. What you wrote is correct. That chemicals have powerful effects upon the mind shows the mind does not create the entire reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Edit: I also have a very similar question/example: why does it result in good karma when you feed starving people, if the food, the&#xA;  pain of starvation, and even your good deed is just an illusion in the&#xA;  minds of you and the starving person?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good deed may be an illusion but doing good deeds develops virtue. The path is threefold, namely, virtue, meditation, wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Obviously if I had a sandwich, and I saw a child who was hungry, I'd give them all of the sandwich. But then isnt the child receiving&#xA;  negative karma for causing ME to go hungry, even though it was my&#xA;  choice?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Karma is intention. It was your intention to give your sandwich away therefore it was your intention that causes your own hunger. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And why bother at all if only karma is real - the child's hunger&#xA;  isn't &quot;real&quot;, so why end it?)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two-levels of dharma. Karma is the moral level &amp;amp; the foundation for the higher level. For example, doing bad karma creates hindrances to concentration, which will be a hindrance to realising the 'illusory' nature of the 'self' fabrication. To reach the higher level of enlightenment, bad karma must be avoided. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T02:33:15.853" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T02:33:15.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11944" CreationDate="2017-04-12T09:31:48.777" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because you're grinding through it rather than being relaxed and clear and enjoying it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simplest way to fix it is after you've done your stuff, take a small break, then focus on the meditation point and notice how it feels as you focus, then drop the focus and rest a second and focus again. Notice that how you focus affects how you feel when you link to it. Try lots of different ways and at some point you'll hit on one where it feels 'exciting' and 'clear', then stick with that onhe&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10530" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T09:31:48.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-12T13:54:50.697" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is (in Chinese) 常樂我凈, the English term &quot;Unconditional&quot; trying to convey this 常 meaning is insufficient and prone to lead to wrong understanding thus wrong view. There are too many incorrect terms with the similar problems, spreading via the English media, it would be horrible to see into the future how this trend has led to the decline finally destruction of Buddha's authentic teachings. The decline may be symptomized a short-lived sudden glistening for it caught the world's attention by conversing in English. The Pali Canon I tried hard to read some but it's so repetitive so painful to read. Those I read from the online sources and sometimes I read from this forum the quotes are so plank I can't extract any &quot;juice&quot; from the words, maybe they are in fact so sophisticated that's beyond my understanding, maybe, maybe, I don't know.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-16T08:20:38.650" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T08:20:38.650" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-12T14:57:16.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's dangerous and the beginning of suffering when our mind and our intellect goes in split, our prime evil in the 12 Nidanas begin with Ignorance. That's why when our intellect knew reality is mind created, but our mind can't see the real reality. Thus the rest of your analogies in your questions are the declarations of the intellect, but the mind doesn't agree to see the same. So they are fallacies, but correct in terms of clauses written on the human laws books. Your teacher taught a very dangerous teaching. The battle between Emptiness空 and Beingness有 was quite bloody in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. Some Bhikkhus committed gravely sins when caught up by the notion of Emptiness, with only their intellectual understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we need to eat &quot;food&quot; to survive or not for reality is mind created. In fact, what do you think that is &quot;food&quot;? When broken down into smaller and smaller units, food is just energy. A grain of rice is full of carbon, so is charcoal, diamond, but you can't eat diamond can you? The Buddha said all are combinations of the 4 Greats (attributions): fire water earth wind, plus 3 more totaled 7 Greats but they are not directly involved in forming &quot;matter&quot;. In real there are no such things as apple, potato, cabbage... etc. If your mind and intellect are &quot;coherent&quot;, yes, eating is no longer corresponding to human food only. In Chinese self-cultivation practice 辟谷, abstain of human food, is a very common practice. This is also likely known in traditional Indian yogis. Practicing meditation there are ways to intake energy directly from the surrounding. In fact, to a deeper level, this intake-release of energy is also an illusion. However, if your mind can't directly see the illusion, only your intellect is babbling, this won't have any effect on actual feeling the hunger, and eventual starve to death. :\             &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-12T15:02:35.950" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T15:02:35.950" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20015" CreationDate="2017-04-12T17:07:16.283" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From general knowledge I gleaned the &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt; Theravada appeared in the English world doesn't practice for Bodhisattva. They admit 7 Buddhas included the future Maitreya as the totality of all in eons of Kalpas plus endless spacetime/universes. The highest goal of &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt; Theravada is not a Buddha - there is no chance/ only 7 Buddhas existed the last one has already been claimed by Maitreya - but Arahat, who ended sufferings by realized Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why the &lt;em&gt;conventional&lt;/em&gt; Theravada said the Bodhisattva is a late notion, because the scholars said so. Like Saptha Visuddhi quoted Edward Conze in her/his whole post, Edward Conze's scholastic studies are equally as true as the Suttas, if not more scientifically correct with archaeological evidences!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't read Edward Conze, so I have no comment on Edward Conze's scholastic study however he laid hands on Mahayana didn't endorse him the authentic knowledge on the Mahayana teaching hence enabled him to conclude his conclusions. But by Saptha Visuddhi's interpretation of “Bodhisattva vow” if s/he derived her/his understanding from Edward Conze then it is wrong. &lt;strong&gt;Bodhisattva is already enlightened, but not entering Nirvana until all the beings are ferrying to the &quot;other shore&quot;/ free of suffering&lt;/strong&gt;. It will take too long paragraph to explain for the English sect has too many wrong terms and wrong understandings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 《解深密經》 the Buddha explaint when some Bodhisattvas seeing the horror of Naraka and other lower realms they were too horrified and could't endure Samsara anymore, they can choose to enter Nirvana, (I think these refer to the Hinayana sect's practice, need re-check the Sutra). But the higher level (esp. 8th level and above) will continuous to overcome those until reached perfect wisdom - Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi 等正覺, Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-12T17:21:40.790" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T17:21:40.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20035" CreationDate="2017-04-12T20:25:32.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently stumbled upon an interesting explanation of &lt;em&gt;vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; in the german translation of the Majjhima Nikāya by Mettiko Bhikkhu. I tried to translate this explanation as good as I could into english. The following is from page 25 (3rd edition, 2014):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; generally is craving for being, or in a more precise case the craving for being in the current, present situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; often is misunderstood as craving for non-existence. That is linguistcally wrong, because the prefix &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;vi-&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; does not mean &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;not&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, but it means &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;different than, dis-, apart-, parallel to&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;. (&lt;em&gt;A-bhava&lt;/em&gt;, not-becoming/non-existence only occurs very rarely in the texts and in different contexts.) Furthermore would &amp;quot;craving for non-existence&amp;quot; mean, that the Buddha teaches a fundamental category, which only applies to specific people at a specific times -- a contradiction in terms, which is not consistent with the spirit/tenor of the Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From an existential point of view it's also impossible to imagine &amp;quot;non-existence/being&amp;quot; or to wish it. Even a potential suicide does not wish for 'nothing', but rather for 'something else'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; is a potential/possible existence/state of being, which we use to isolate and define our present existence/state of being, regardless of whether these possibilities are going to become true or not. Just as it only makes sense to speak about the color red when there are things that are &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; red, our existence becomes established by the possibilities that we have within it (or around it). An example: How often do we speak while eating about different food or things we ate in the past or might eat in the future, even if the present meal is 100% satisfying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why I'll translate &lt;em&gt;Vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt; as &amp;quot;Craving for potential existence&amp;quot;, the craving for a background for the own existence. The philosophical fun question &amp;quot;Life is strange ... compared to what?&amp;quot; therefore is not far fetched.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This kind of craving is one of the three forms of the source of a relative, conditioned personality (sakkāya) as it is described in the teachings of the Buddha (for example in M44). Follower of other teachings that don't base on conditions, postulate the existence of an absolute, permanent, independent self. In their language, referring to an absolute self, the sense of &amp;quot;being-different-than&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;Vibhavataṇhā&lt;/em&gt;) can of course only mean annihilation and in these cases is also translated as such, as well as when the Buddha talks about the standpoint of those teachings (i.e. M102).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I might adjust/refine the translation, if there is some feedback. But for now, I hope a sloppy (sometimes word by word) translation is enough.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, what this section says is that &lt;em&gt;Vibha&lt;/em&gt; within the Buddha's teaching can mean two things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;non-existence, if a different philosophy or teaching is addressed, which states a permanent self.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving to be different, become somebody else (Which I think is what is meant by &amp;quot;craving for potential existence&amp;quot;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7548" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-12T20:47:07.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20082" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-13T01:34:07.897" Score="2" ViewCount="188" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a monk how would you handle a homeless person who wants to stay in your temple?&#xA;If you are not a monk just give the hypothetical answer based on your present knowledge assuming you are a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T13:06:32.933" Title="How do you handle a begar who want to stay in your temple?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20082" CreationDate="2017-04-13T02:01:30.050" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to manage certain affairs of a monastery. I once gave a homeless penniless man food &amp;amp; lodging and he has been a monk now for over 20 years &amp;amp; is a well-known dhamma teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The beggar must be able to live by the basic monastery rules for laypeople, which is not consuming drugs &amp;amp; alcohol; not disturbing other people; and doing his share of work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T02:01:30.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7082" CreationDate="2017-04-13T03:19:55.493" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You could attain stream entry at any moment for seemingly no reason. Perhaps &quot;self inquiry&quot; would be something you could get into?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who practice insight often have great and wonderful meditation experiences and this is a sign they could be on the wrong track so to speak. Another meditator, can't seem to get stablized and the practice causes great suffering. This is often a meditator on the right track. So, maybe you are practicing more correctly than you think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T03:25:03.280" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T03:25:03.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20086" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20109" CreationDate="2017-04-13T03:51:00.133" Score="1" ViewCount="250" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that when a meditator does a long meditation, he is able to enter into different world, see and hear that world. What are those? Are they just illusion, imagination or different universe? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T19:16:11.040" Title="Its been said that deep meditationl leads a meditator to another world, what is this another world actually?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20086" CreationDate="2017-04-13T05:35:17.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is called world in Buddhism is the six senses. When you meditate you experience finer senses which you can't experience via ear, nose etc. When you meditate you experience finer wholesome mental states.&#xA;The logic here is for example you can see only colours from your eye. Even if you become a Deva or Brahama with your eye you only see colours. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T05:35:17.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9381" CreationDate="2017-04-13T07:05:41.790" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe in Dasuttara Sutta in Dīghanikāya, while discussing Nines, Buddha lists 9 Visuddhis, not just 7, as are explained in Vusiddhimaggo. The nine are:&#xA;1. Sīlavisuddhi&#xA;2. Cittavisuddhi&#xA;3. Ditthīvisuddhi&#xA;4. Kankhavitarana Visuddhi&#xA;5. Maggāmagga Ñanadassana Visuddhi&#xA;6. Patipadā Ñanadassana Visuddhi&#xA;7. Ñanadassana Visuddhi&#xA;8. Pañña Visuddhi&#xA;9. Vimutti Visuddhi&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope that makes it clear that Visuddhis are not later additions then. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11149" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T07:05:41.790" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20089" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20097" CreationDate="2017-04-13T11:40:55.077" Score="6" ViewCount="70" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been practicing for about a half dozen years now, have been fortunate to go on several retreats and have a consistent practice. Where I'm currently living I really don't have access to a sitting group I don't have any delusions about being a teacher but several people who know I sit have expressed  interest in learning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was considering doing simple guided sits. Are there any cautions? Should I probably not pursue this without training?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T20:39:59.897" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T21:06:48.670" Title="Advice on leading sitting group" Tags="|theravada|meditation-recommendation|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20090" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-13T15:22:49.483" Score="0" ViewCount="17141" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/oZwYf.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/oZwYf.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone had once asked here &quot;Why is Kwan Yin riding a sea turtle?&quot;, but what I'm more curious about is why is she seen on a dragon? There are many images or the Bodhisattva riding a dragon, one I posted being but one example. But who/what is the dragon? Is there a story behind it? I've heard the dragon is a symbol of wisdom and purity, others have suggested the dragon represents a wrathful force subdued by Guan Yin underfoot, but really what's the case here? Is it merely symbolic or is the dragon a literal entity (sentient or otherwise)? Any information would be appreciated (not modern &quot;New Age&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11151" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-04-14T10:59:44.843" LastActivityDate="2018-07-28T10:23:56.257" Title="Why does Guan Yin ride a dragon?" Tags="|iconography|kwan-yin|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20090" CreationDate="2017-04-13T15:57:45.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; says that she is &quot;protector of fishermen, sailors, and generally people who are out at sea&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_dragon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chinese dragon&lt;/a&gt; is esteemed (a symbol of the emperor), and &quot;traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods&quot;, also prosperity and good luck and so on, rulers of weather and water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I assume that riding a dragon like that symbolizes control over the sea (part of being &quot;protector of fishermen and sailors&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T15:57:45.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20092" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-13T17:22:46.883" Score="1" ViewCount="1532" Body="&lt;p&gt;Subject sounds simple, but let me explain why I'm asking. So Gautama joined the ascetic lifestyle and lived it to the most extreme. Then it dawned on him that he would eventually die never finding out the cause/solution to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Accounts I've seen then vary: He then got up and went begging in a village, other accounts say a farm boy with cattle found him and offered him food, and then there's that story of Sujata with the rice milk which Siddhartha accepted. Going a little further on the last account, he divided the rice milk into 49 potions for the next 49 days, after which he got up and went to the Bodhi Tree where he attained enlightenment. Usually the different stories I read have one or a mix of these events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now here's where I'm confused. By this point, the Future Buddha had tried extreme mortification, realized that wasn't working, returned to eating to sustain his life, went under the Bodhi Tree, then makes the vow to not leave again until he finds the answer, EVEN til his body is dried and shriveled. How does the Middle Way operate in this part of the story? Isn't he just returning to that previous practice he renounced? What am I missing here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose my analysis of Buddha's life is probably disorganized, but there are certain events and the order in which I find them that I cannot reconcile and make sense in my mind. If anyone can better explain to me this, that would be most appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS&#xA;I've asked this elsewhere, and am getting some help, I'm just expanding the search.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11151" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T19:17:07.643" Title="Did Buddha Return to Extreme Asceticism?" Tags="|the-buddha|ascetic|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-13T17:55:24.457" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha advocates a life of mild, in the middle, asceticism but that doesn't mean a practitioner can't practice in an extreme way when it is deemed appropriate to do so when the practitioner knows well the middle way foundation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are core teachings of the Buddha's that he repeated many times in many different ways. Look to those core teachings to discern for yourself what is the real teaching when the teachings are seeming ambiguous and possibly corrupted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T20:38:39.113" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T20:38:39.113" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-13T20:00:52.370" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By this point, the Future Buddha had tried extreme mortification, realized that wasn't working, returned to eating to sustain his life, went under the Bodhi Tree, then makes the vow to not leave again until he finds the answer, EVEN til his body is dried and shriveled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ascetic practices he did were the methods he thought would lead to some spiritual attainment. He thought that not eating and making his body weak could have some benefit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going to the Bodhi tree and not leaving is not a method. He didn't think that the act of not leaving the shades of a certain tree was a particularly interesting practice on its own merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vow is interpreted not as asceticism, but as resolution or commitment. Whether he really meant that he would die under the tree we can't tell, but by the time he took food, it's clear that he was giving up the idea of trying to inflict pain in his body as a means to spiritual progress. Finally, it's clear that the practices he undertook under the tree were not ascetic in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T20:00:52.370" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-13T20:23:02.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The story you're recounting comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/14366/254&quot;&gt;Jataka tales&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think some of these tales may be exaggerated or fanciful -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2664/254&quot;&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?&lt;/a&gt; -- or metaphorical (e.g. as Thiago wrote the &quot;vow&quot; implies resolve, not ascetism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What may be a more reliable (and less supernatural) account is in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26), which for example I mention in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5748/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and based on which I concluded &quot;no asceticism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;No asceticism&quot; is consistent with SN 56.11, when the Buddha taught the doctrine of the &quot;middle way&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T20:34:17.040" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T20:34:17.040" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-13T20:35:42.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. The Buddha did not return to asceticism or ever recommend asceticism to his monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase you are citing is found in many suttas &amp;amp; refers to the arousal of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Āraddhavīriyo viharati: ‘kāmaṃ taco ca nhāru ca aṭṭhi ca avasissatu, sarīre upassussatu maṃsalohitaṃ; yaṃ taṃ purisathāmena purisavīriyena&#xA;purisa­pa­rakka­mena pattabbaṃ, na taṃ apāpuṇitvā vīriyassa saṇṭhānaṃ&#xA;bhavissatī’ ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, a bhikkhu.. has aroused energy thus: ‘Willingly, let only my skin, sinews and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in&#xA;my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained&#xA;what can be attained by manly strength, energy and exertion.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.13&lt;/a&gt;;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.22&lt;/a&gt;;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn21.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 21.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T21:03:31.507" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20089" CreationDate="2017-04-13T20:56:54.967" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is good to start a sitting group. My suggestions are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make the group as informal &amp;amp; self-reliant as possible. 'Self-reliant' means making it clear that meditation is an activity of self-practise &amp;amp; self-endeavour; that the group provides individual members the support &amp;amp; opportunity to develop their own practise. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make it clear/overt it is simply an informal sitting group rather than a    formal teaching facility.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Provide guided meditation only to newcomers or when introducing a new&#xA;practise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep guided meditation short (e.g. 10 - 15 minutes) &amp;amp; main meditation long&#xA;(e.g. 30 minutes).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If there is no guided meditation, do a text reading at the start, &#xA;contributed &amp;amp; read by yourself or by a member of the group.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If possible, end with tea &amp;amp; formal group discussion on a topic,  chosen&#xA;by yourself or by another member of the group.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be as 'democratic' as possible but without expanding into other&#xA;spiritual traditions that may cause confusion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-13T21:06:48.670" LastActivityDate="2017-04-13T21:06:48.670" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20030" CreationDate="2017-04-14T01:58:13.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nine other answers have directly addressed your question, so I will take a different route: explaining that the premise is incorrect, as you have already suspected. Perhaps this will be useful to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideas of the kind you say your teachers are putting forth amount to this core concept: &lt;strong&gt;There is something &lt;em&gt;beyond&lt;/em&gt; the material reality that we see.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is not a Buddhist idea, so these people are not teaching Buddhism, they are teaching something that they have added on to it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All such claims are subjective and completely unverifiable, so they are not knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether right or wrong, they are not teachable information. It is not reliably possible to &lt;em&gt;induce&lt;/em&gt; awareness or an experience in another person.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might be more that I could add, but it is sufficient to be able to dismiss such ideas as not necessary to the path (&lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; path). They can only be seen as one person's impression. If they are disseminated as teaching, they must be regarded as dogma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would hand them a copy of the Heart Sutra and move on. As Gary Zukav summarized: &lt;strong&gt;&quot;That which is, is that which is.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; We are all individually responsible for holding fast to this and to not accept teachings of alternative realities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T01:58:13.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20099" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-14T04:39:16.393" Score="7" ViewCount="4693" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between an arhat, a bodhisattva and a buddha? References to the scriptures would be most helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm open to both Theravada and Mahayana perspectives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10472" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T16:16:01.927" Title="What is the difference between an arhat, bodhisattva and a buddha?" Tags="|terminology|texts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-14T04:53:04.903" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I realized I have been far too harsh in judging Theravada Buddhism in the doctrine of unconditionality. I was asking my Mahayana teacher whether unconditionality is one of those deluded &quot;confused imagination&quot; described in the Heart Sutra. She replied: to not reach the unconditionality is to have &quot;confused imagination&quot;. I was stunned by the answer and decide to do some reflecting. What could be unconditional?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then I made a realization, the Dharma, that is the Law, the Truth of Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Impermanence, Emptiness are unconditional. Truth itself is unchanging. Change itself is unchanging. Impermanence is permanent. Certainly how we perceive and experience truth is changing and conditional, but it remain the Truth no matter whether anyone realize it or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With this in mind, we can surmised that Nirvana is unconditional as the Truth of Cessation of Suffering. If we have made the complete realization of Nirvana, we would be able to end any suffering that may arise. This would correspond well in line of the cultivation of wisdom factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. The subjective experience of this truth is conditional, but the Truth itself was always present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T04:53:04.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20099" CreationDate="2017-04-14T04:55:00.750" Score="4" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arhat&lt;/a&gt; - a person who has achieved Nirvana. The Buddha is a Arhat too, there are disciples who learn the Dhamma as Buddha has taught, who become Arhats too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha&lt;/a&gt; - on who achieves Nirvana without a teacher.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhisatta&lt;/a&gt; - One who aspires to be a Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-14T07:36:32.857" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T07:36:32.857" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-14T08:53:23.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path is conditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, among all things conditioned, the Noble Eightfold Path is reckoned to be the best of them all. Those who have faith in the&#xA;  Noble Eightfold Path have faith in the best; and for those who have&#xA;  faith in the best, the best result will be theirs. AN 4:34&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The destination is unconditioned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, among things conditioned and unconditioned, dispassion is reckoned to be the best of them all: the crushing of all infatuation,&#xA;  the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the cutting off of&#xA;  the round, the destruction of craving, dispassion,&#xA;  Nibbāna. Those who have faith in the Dhamma of dispassion have&#xA;  faith in the best; and for those who have faith in the best, the best&#xA;  result will be theirs. AN 4:34&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is, monks, an unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned. If, monks there were not that unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned, you&#xA;  could not know an escape here from the born, become, made, and&#xA;  conditioned. But because there is an unborn, unbecome, unmade,&#xA;  unconditioned, therefore you do know an escape from the born, become,&#xA;  made, and conditioned. Ud 8.3&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a fire burns &lt;em&gt;conditioned&lt;/em&gt; by wood. The same fire is extinguished, by using water. Using water to extinguish the fire is conditoned. But what remains, namely, the absence of fire, is not conditioned by the water because it is &lt;em&gt;not dependent&lt;/em&gt; upon the water. When the fire is extinguished, the subsequent evaporation or absence of the water is not the condition for the absence of fire. The fire had a cause (e.g. lightning striking a tree); the extinguishing of the fire had a cause (e.g. hosing with water) but the staying out of the fire is not conditioned by the water. It is the absence of fire that is Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The path removes what is hidden. But the path does not create or cause what is hidden. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, cutting down a tree is dependent upon (conditioned by) an axe. But once tree is cut down, what remains is not dependent upon the axe. Thus what remains is 'unconditioned' since what remains has always been there but the tree covered what was always already there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, this bhikkhu is called one whose cross-bar has been lifted, whose trench has been filled in, whose pillar has been uprooted, one&#xA;  who has no bolt, a noble one whose banner is lowered, whose burden is&#xA;  lowered, who is unfettered.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is the bhikkhu one whose cross-bar has been lifted? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned ignorance, has cut it off at the root, made it&#xA;  like a palm stump, done away with it, so that it is no longer subject&#xA;  to future arising. That is how the bhikkhu is one whose cross-bar has&#xA;  been lifted.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is the bhikkhu one whose trench has been filled in? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned the round of births that brings renewed being,&#xA;  has cut it off at the root…so that it is no longer subject to future&#xA;  arising. That is how the bhikkhu is one whose trench has been filled&#xA;  in.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is the bhikkhu one whose pillar has been uprooted? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned craving, has cut it off at the root…so that it&#xA;  is no longer subject to future arising. That is how the bhikkhu is one&#xA;  whose pillar has been uprooted.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is the bhikkhu one who has no bolt? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned the five lower fetters, has cut them off at the root…so that&#xA;  they are no longer subject to future arising. That is how the bhikkhu&#xA;  is one who has no bolt.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is the bhikkhu a noble one whose banner is lowered, whose burden is lowered, who is unfettered? Here a bhikkhu has abandoned the&#xA;  conceit ‘I am,’ has cut it off at the root so that it is no longer&#xA;  subject to future arising. That is how the bhikkhu is a noble one&#xA;  whose banner is lowered, whose burden is lowered, who is unfettered.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, when the gods with Indra, with Brahmā and with Pajāpati seek a bhikkhu who is thus liberated in mind, they do not find&#xA;  anything of which they could say: ‘The consciousness of one thus gone&#xA;  is supported by this.’ Why is that? One thus gone, I say, is&#xA;  untraceable here and now.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 22&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T08:53:23.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20099" CreationDate="2017-04-14T09:08:38.253" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Prasangika-Madhyamika Mahayana school of Tenets,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Hinayana arhat abandoned afflictive obscurations by way of realizing emptiness, but has not abandoned knowledge obscuration. He as achieved abiding nirvana. Therefore, although they are free from the conception of true existence, and from true suffering, they are not free from the imprints of ignorance (i.e. knowledge obscurations). We say that it is like removing garlic from a container: the smell will still be there. So, because they still have the imprints of ignorance, (1) they are not free from the appearance of true existence, and (2) they are reborn with a mental body, due to the imprints of ignorance (in our case, we are reborn to due karma and afflictions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In his commentary to Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum: The Essence of a One Gone Thus, Gyaltsab Je says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For the Hearer and Solitary Realizer arhat, because they do not meditate on the perfection of wisdom.&#xA;  It means that although Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha arhats cultivated the wisdom realizing emptiness, their wisdom is not conjoined with bodhicitta. Therefore, it is not a perfection of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commenting Gyaltsab Je, Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvas, hearers (shravakas) and solitary realizers (pratyeka buddhas) arhats do have realizations of reality, but they do not realize it in the same way as a buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Hinayana arhats and bodhisattvas on the three pure grounds, are reborn due to uncontaminated karma that propels them to take birth and their body is a called a mental body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A bodhisattva is a person who generated effortless bodhicitta (the wish to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings). Since effortless bodhicitta is the entry gate to the Mahayana path, he entered the Mahayana small path of accumulation. When he cultivates wisdom, it is conjoined with emptiness and that makes his mind vast (due to bodhicitta) and profound (due to realizing emptiness). He wishes not to abide in individual liberation (abiding nirvana) but to be free from the extreme of peace (abiding nirvana) as well as from samsara. Therefore, he wishes to achieve non-abiding nirvana, which is the attainment of a buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We say that in terms of wisdom, a Hinayana arhat is more powerful than a bodhisattva before the 8th bhumi, because he abandoned afflictive obscurations while the bodhisattva abandons them from the 8th ground.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having generated spontaneous bodhicitta the bodhisattva has entered the Mahayana path [the path of accumulation] and the cause is great compassion, the concern for all sentient beings. He blocks the two extremes in two ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lam Rim, Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi,  and Maitreya’s Ornament for Clear Realization  explain well what bodhicitta is, how it is the entry gate to the Mahayana, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A Buddha abandoned both afflictive and knowledge obscuration, having generated the path perfection of wisdom (the wisdom of emptiness conjoined with bodhicitta). In his continuum, wisdom and bodhicitta are the same mind: the omniscient mind of a buddha that realizes all objects of knowledge directly, past present and future, in an unmistaken way, etc. He achieved non-abiding nirvana, abiding neither in samsara nor in individual liberation. His enlightened activities are uninterrupted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum explains the two bodies of a buddha that can also be divided into three, four, or five.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-14T09:23:24.803" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T09:23:24.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20086" CreationDate="2017-04-14T15:01:23.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A meditator doing long meditation is able to enter into a different world. We call this the entering into a Manomaya Kaya or that of an Out-of-Body Experience. The Buddha compared the situation of a manomaya kaya separating from the physical body to a sword pulled out of its sheath, or a snake shedding its skin. Once the manomaya kaya comes out, the body is lifeless like a log. The life force or the vitality goes out the moment the manomaya kaya leaves the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the manomaya kaya and the physical body separate, “seeing” takes place without the need of light. The person acquires the ability look at things far away. Ones “hearing” then does not need air as a medium for the sound to propagate (one could hear things far away). “kirana” or “rays” similar to electromagnetic radiation helps in this ‘hearing’. One also gets to  “travel” very fast; it is not physical travel. The Buddha or Arahants with iddhi powers travelled to the worlds of the devas (deva-loka) within a time taken to “stretch a bent arm”. The internal eye and internal ear associated with the manomaya kaya helps in the actual “seeing” and “hearing”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T15:01:23.700" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20090" CreationDate="2017-04-14T15:12:54.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking Mahayana Buddhism employs skillful means to cleverly convey the message of Buddhism, and metaphors and symbolism are frequently used. The Avalokiteshvara represents the embodiment of the Dharma, and devotion to him is the central focus in the Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. In the Chapter he is described as having 33 transformations including that of Buddha, Pratyekabuddha etc. Whatever form as needed to teach sentient beings. The Dharma being present in all beings. This is also associated with 33 forms of Guanyin. I am uncertain of the origins of these forms but they are available in the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://big5.xuefo.net/nr/article3/34985.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://big5.xuefo.net/nr/article3/34985.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second form is the 龍頭觀音 the Dragon riding Guanyin described. This is also the form associated with the Pratyekabuddha transformation body. The Pratyekabuddha in Mahayana Buddhism is also associated with self realization.&#xA;So based on these facts we can probably guess at the meanings of the iconic picture. The Dragon is the Chinese translation of the serpentine Naga, which is a powerful often destructive beast that has the form that twists and turns symbolizing impermanence. So the image of Guanyin on the head of a Dragon represents transcending and utilization of the impermanence by the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T15:12:54.147" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20086" CreationDate="2017-04-14T15:31:03.967" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Okay. It has been scientifically proven that the brain cannot distinguish between you imagining a situation and you actually being in a situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you meditate with the aim of being detached from your experiences you'd also detach yourself (your soul) from the ego perspective of being in the situation imagined or real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the world you'd be a part of then is the soul world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the term out of body experience would say that you actually leave your body, which is not really the case. You just focus on other input that you can receive, mostly via the third eye and other sensations that directly touch your soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the soul is eternal, yet the body isn't you'd be able to experience everything that your soul has, is or will be experiencing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you follow that and say that the soul was there before the body that means the soul is on the inside and the body is on the &quot;outside&quot;. So you'd actually be venturing inside by not being attached to your bodies experiences anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However. As long as you(your body) is alive you will never completely detach, so there are always some signals coming through. You just focus on the other ones more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10624" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T15:31:03.967" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20082" CreationDate="2017-04-14T15:51:05.190" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a monk, I will have empathy towards this homeless person and welcome him to the temple, in understanding and sharing my experiences and emotions with him. The Buddha and his disciples – who left home to practice so that they could share the Dhamma with us – sacrificed everything to walk the PATH. They came to this from all walks of life. Some were ordinary people like us. Others came from the families of kings, financiers, and landowners, from very refined backgrounds. There were ones like Sopaka, who were born to very poor families. Suneeta was from an untouchable caste like the harijans and Dalits. Suneetha, Sopaka and Patacara would have died in grief had not they come to the dispensation of the Supreme Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We monks are no different to this homeless person.  When we went forth into the homeless life, we made ourselves into rags and footmats. Our path of practice is frugal and sparing, beset with poverty. We do not concern ourselves much with external plenty or wealth. Instead, we are concerned with the wealth and fullness of the Dhamma in our hearts. We didn’t leave room in our hearts for any of the values that pride places on things. We abandoned all values of that sort so as to become rags without any vanity or conceit. But as for our inner quality, these rags wrapped gold in our hearts. Our hearts contain riches; the treasures of concentration, wisdom, all the way to the greatest treasure – release in the heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who sympathise with each other, see that all human beings are of equal value. They find it easy to be forgiving and to live with one another in peace. They don’t despise one another for belonging to this or that class or for having only this or that much wealth. What we are, and who we are is simply a matter of each person’s kamma. If we can live with the thought that each living being has his or her own kamma, we can live together in peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T15:51:05.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20086" CreationDate="2017-04-14T19:16:11.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, the word 'world' ('loka') refers to different mental states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, MN 79 calls the meditative jhanas of pure bliss '&lt;em&gt;the world of only pleasant feelings&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;ekantasukhassa lokassa&lt;/em&gt;'). To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Venerable sir, what is that course of actions to realise the world of only pleasant feelings?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Udāyi, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual desires and thoughts of demerit abides in the first jhana: Overcoming thoughts and thought processs and the mind in one point internally appeased, without thoughts and thought processes abides in the second jhana. Again with equanimuity to joy and detachment, feeling pleasant with the body too, abides in the third jhana. To this the noble ones say abiding in pleasantness with equanimity. Udāyi, this is the course of actions, for realising the world of only pleasant feelings. `&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/079-culasakuludayi-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 79&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Nibbana' is not a 'world'. The attainment of Nibbana is the 'cessation of the world', which is experienced within the living body &amp;amp; mind. To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is, bhikkhus, that [sense] base where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no air; no base consisting of the infinity of space,&#xA;  no base consisting of the infinity of consciousness, no base&#xA;  consisting of nothingness, no base consisting of&#xA;  neither-perception-nor-non-perception; &lt;strong&gt;neither this world nor&#xA;  another world nor both&lt;/strong&gt;; neither sun nor moon. Here, bhikkhus, I say&#xA;  there is no coming, no going, no staying, no deceasing, no uprising.&#xA;  Not fixed, not movable, it has no support. Just this is the end of&#xA;  suffering. Ud 8.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; mind&lt;/strong&gt;, that I declare that &lt;strong&gt;there is&lt;/strong&gt; the world, the origination of the world, &lt;strong&gt;the&#xA;  cessation of the world&lt;/strong&gt; and the path of practice leading to the&#xA;  cessation of the world. AN 4.45&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when a meditator does a long meditation &amp;amp; is able to enter into different world, those worlds are not just illusion, not imagination or not a different universe. Those worlds are mental states. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Nibbana, this is also not illusion, not imagination &amp;amp; not a different universe. However, it is also not another world and not a mental state, even though Nibbana is experienced by the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-14T19:16:11.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20110" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-15T03:50:24.053" Score="2" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read a person without senses cannot attain arhatship or even go through the noble eight fold path. But the story of Chakkupala thero confuses me somewhat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3597" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T13:47:53.473" Title="Can a person without any of the five physical senses attain arhatship?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|arhats|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20110" CreationDate="2017-04-15T04:26:54.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's been said that beings in the formless realms cannot attain enlightenment because they cannot perceive (hear, read, or otherwise learn) the Buddha's Dharma ... perhaps too they also can't perceive the three characteristics of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The inhabitants of these realms are possessed entirely of mind. Having no physical body, they are unable to hear Dhamma teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also footnote 8 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on this page&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;An Abhidhamma text, the Vibhanga — drawing on a passage in DN 1 — mentions another level of devas of form not listed here: the Non-percipient beings, a level in which there is no perception at all. The commentary explains that they are not listed here because this attainment is open to hermits and seers outside the Buddha's teaching, and does not require virtue. This, however, ignores the fact that the four jhanas and four formless states are also open to people outside the Buddha's teaching; and although virtue helps with the attainment of jhana, it is nowhere stated in the Canon that the jhanas cannot be attained by a person whose virtue is not pure. A more likely reason for omitting the Non-percipient beings here is that this state, unlike the jhanas and four formless states, is not conducive to the arising of insight, and so would not be considered a desirable goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know how to reconcile the above two statements, i.e. whether formless is the same as non-percipient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who are blind or deaf, or who are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;blind and deaf&lt;/a&gt; can learn to communicate. So I suppose this is only applicable to non-percipient beings in the formless realms: not people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cakkhupala Thera was able to hear the dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-15T04:34:02.803" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T04:34:02.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20110" CreationDate="2017-04-15T06:09:16.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Avuso, how many conditions are there from which right view arises?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Avuso, right view arises from 2 conditions, that is: the &lt;strong&gt;voice of another&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;wise attention&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These, avuso, are the 2 conditions from which right view arises.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.2-Mahavedalla-S-m43-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to develop right view in the Noble 8 Fold Path you need to be in a realm where you can learn the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you achieve some stage of sainthood before being born in a formless realm though you do not have senses, you can progress to full enlightenment. I.e., when you have the 1st glimpse of Nirvana the path factors are established to progress unaided or further guidance, even in realms where you cannot find guidance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You empirical understanding should be that validating the teaching. Only a Full or Private Buddha can understand the experiential result of meditation without guidance. Any disciple will need some guidance to interpret the experience hence this process is: Pariyatti (theory), Patipatti (practice), Pativedha (empirical validation). It is the theory you learn that is getting validated at least at intermediate stages. This is why you need to learn it from another (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaly%C4%81%E1%B9%87a-mittat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kalyāṇa-mittatā&lt;/a&gt;), i.e., learn from a Buddha or a Disciple. You need your sense faculties to learn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In case of Chakkupala, blindness was not an impediment to learn, practice and empirically validate. &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/tale-of-chakkupala-thero/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the story&lt;/a&gt;, the Ven. Sir practiced hard, with proper guidance and finally realised the teaching. Also one essential aspect of the practice is wise attention would have been present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T06:33:26.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19120" CreationDate="2017-04-15T07:17:04.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dogen means that when you practise zazen you let go of troublesome thoughts. When you do this your state is one of ease (in the sense of 'being eased' rather than 'easy').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Dogen would have agreed with Hui Neng on the subject of enlightened and unenlightened people : One foolish notion is enough to shut off Prajna, while one wise thought will bring it forth again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When not doing zazen, we should still be practising awareness (some sanghas refer to work in the temple as 'working meditation'). Although sometimes we need to think about difficult stuff. Zazen is just a time when we don't have to and can let go of everything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T07:17:04.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20114" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20116" CreationDate="2017-04-15T07:56:44.900" Score="4" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me clarify,what I want to know is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(a) 'An established monastic order' - This the Goenka school is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(b) With principles and beleifs and aims as close to the Goenka school as possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7055" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T09:00:20.183" Title="Is there an established monastic order, with the beleifs and practices same as the Goenka school of meditation?" Tags="|vipassana|monasticism|sangha|sn-goenka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19882" CreationDate="2017-04-15T08:34:41.403" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been watching this question for sometime, because the original poster posted this question in response to a comment I made earlier. I have refrained from replying because I didn't feel I could do justice to the Lotus Sutra, especially without coming across as attacking Theravada Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, given that Saptha Visuddhi above have decided to attack the Lotus Sutra and Mahayana Buddhism, I feel I must correct these erroneous views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, I must state that, in contrary to common Theravada claims about being the 'Pure Tradition' handed down by the Elders, Theravada is not the same as the Buddhism taught during the time of the Sakyamuni Buddha. Indeed while it is the most conservative, but it is not 'pure'. A common narrative asserted by the Theravada was that they maintained all the teachings handed down since the Early Buddhist Council, and maintained that they are descended from the Sthavira sect, while Mahayana are Mahāsāṃghika. Theravada narrative assert that the Mahāsāṃghika split off from the elders because they want to modify the Vinaya. While historical evidence and the narrative of other schools indicate that it was in fact the Sthavira who wanted to add more rules to the Vinaya. Never the less, the current surviving Vinaya of the Mahayana traditions (East Asian and Tibetan) are in fact also descended from the Sthavira, and has more monastic rules than what is scholarly accepted to be the oldest the Mahāsāṃghika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, the Abhidhamma according to Theravada narrative asserts that it was taught by the Sakyamuni Buddha to his mother in heaven. This should have indicated that skillful means was being employed on the origins of this teaching.  Historical scholars indicate that the Abhidhamma as a synthesis of the Buddha's teachings, and has a checkered history and was not accepted by all Buddhist schools, and were actually one of the reason for the Early Buddhist schisms as each schools reject or accepted the metaphysical doctrines of other schools. Indeed some Buddhist sect did not consider Abhidhamma to be canonical at all as originally the teachings were called Dharmavinaya, containing only two 'baskets'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma made a lot of metaphysical assertions, as the teachings of the Buddha were analyzed and compiled. Prophetic predictions were made about the coming of the Future Buddha Maitreya, the disappearance of the Dharma and so forth. The differences between Buddhas and Arahants, and indeed the Four Stages of Enlightenment were analytically described. These four stages would have originally correspond to having attained Right View to practice the Noble Eightfold Path (stream entry), Ethics (Once Returner), Concentration (Non Returner), culminating in the Wisdom of a perfect Arahant. The differences between a Buddha, an Arahant, an a Pratyekabuddha were further described. In fact, many of these metaphysical doctrines made their way back into the Sutta Pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Scholars, however, generally date the Abhidhamma works to originating some time around the third century BCE, 100 to 200 years after the death of the Buddha. Therefore, the seven Abhidhamma works are generally claimed by scholars not to represent the words of the Buddha himself, but those of disciples and scholars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Anguttara Nikāya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;According to Keown, &quot;there is considerable disparity between the Pāli and the Sarvāstivādin versions, with more than two-thirds of the sūtras found in one but not the other compilation, which suggests that much of this portion of the Sūtra Piṭaka was not formed until a fairly late date.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Khuddaka Nikāya&#xA;  This is a heterogeneous mix of sermons, doctrines, and poetry attributed to the Buddha and his disciples. The contents vary somewhat between editions. The Thai edition includes 1-15 below, the Sinhalese edition 1-17 and the Burmese edition 1-18.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However we can begin to see some common controversies and problems that exist to this day. For example, the nature of Nirvana, the nature of the discrete states of enlightenment. And the nature of prophecies. The role of women. The role of Arahants. How many times have you seen Buddhists passively accept the decline of the Dharma because it was already foretold by the prophecies. I have even seen Theravada Buddhists stated that in this Degenerated Dharma age, no one can attain Arahantship and that the best bet is to hope for rebirth in the time of the Maitreya and become enlightened then. The passive fatalistic world view was threatening the survival of Buddhism itself. Indeed even Sri Lanka, the very heart of Thervada Buddhism has demonstrated, they have actually lost the Dharma transmission at least 3 times in their history and had to be revitalized from else where.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, certain schools such as the Madhyamaka led by Nagarjuna utilizing the doctrine of dependent origination, logically show that because all phenomena are dependently originated, they are ultimately empty, that is impermanent and selfless. Hence in Nirvana there is no actually leaving to go anywhere. As the Buddha would say the five aggregates are impermanent and not self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eight Negations Of Nagarjuna&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no elimination&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no production&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no destruction&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no eternity&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no unity&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no manifoldness&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no arriving&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;no departing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This probably imply in my own opinion to mean that there is no permanent cessation of birth and death. The cessation of suffering and sankhara are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, the ideal of the Bodhisattva was born, instead of desiring to be free from all worldly attachments as soon as possible, Buddhist monks and laymen alike were exhorted to remain engaged with the larger society. If escape from Samsara was in some sense impossible, what then is the goal of the Buddhist life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra is one of those text which laid out the purpose of Buddhism. It points out that ultimately there is only One Vehicle, not three distinct vehicles, The Savakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas are ultimately on the same path - the Noble Eightfold Path. While there are differences in relative abilities, they are not ultimately irreversibly separated from one another. The teachings are only different because the abilities of people to understand something is different. Skillful means was emphasized as the manifold ways which a Buddha can teach sentient beings the Dharma. This was demonstrated with the parable of a rich man with the burning house who attracted his children out of the house by promising the rewards of different carts, but when they ultimately leave the house, the real cart &quot;the one vehicle&quot; they received is even more beautiful than the promises. The Lotus Sutra overturn the metaphysics described in the Suttas and emphasized that they are only skillful means, that is metaphors for the holy life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, Nirvana is compared to a phantom city magically conjured in the desert, allowing weary travelers searching for treasures to rest. Because the spiritual life is so difficult and demanding, nirvana allowed them to rest, before being exhorted to go further to the true purpose of the practice, to attain enlightenment. That is the Lotus Sutra state the goal of Buddhist practice is not to merely attain the state of no suffering, but to attain the full wisdom of a Buddha. This was compared to another parable where a runaway son returned home but did not recognize his own father, and the father set him out to do simple tasks at first to instill confidence until he can fully take on the inheritance of his father himself. Hence all beings have the potential to become a fully enlightened Buddha, regardless whether they are women, non humans or even sinners like Devadatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further more, the Buddhas themselves are described as immortal because the True Dharma is immortal, unconditional and always present, the Noble Eightfold Path will always be the universal gate to experiencing Awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is reemphasized in the Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, said to be the very heart of the Lotus Sutra and a focus of many Mahayana Buddhist school. In it, it is stated that Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva can save beings who call upon him from the dangers fire, flood and storm, knives, demons, chains and demons. The dangers are of course the fire of anger, flood of cravings, storm of delusion, the knives of conceit, the demons of temptations, the chains of attachments and the robbers of afflictions, and we will indeed be saved as long as we apply the Dharma compassionately. The Avalokiteshvara is further stated to be able to transform to whatever beings as needed to teach the Dharma, reminding us that the Dharma is present everywhere if we knew how to look. The finger is not the moon, the raft is to ferry us across, not to be carried after we have arrived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are attached to the metaphysics of Theravada Buddhism, you will be unable to see the wisdom within the Lotus Sutra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend reading this as a good introduction:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/sites/default/files/preview/Lotus%20Sutra%20Book%20Preview.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wisdompubs.org/sites/default/files/preview/Lotus%20Sutra%20Book%20Preview.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastEditorUserId="8238" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T02:44:28.150" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T02:44:28.150" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20114" CreationDate="2017-04-15T09:00:20.183" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(a) 'An established monastic order' - This the Goenka school is not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no Goenka School. Generally this is referred as the linage of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Khin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saya Gyi U Ba Khin&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw U Ñanadhaja&lt;/a&gt;. Also it is influenced by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webu_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Webu Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw U Ñanadhaja&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webu_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Webu Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; are Buddhist monks. Also there many teachers who are Buddhist Monks who are particle according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(b) With principles and beliefs and aims as close to the Goenka school as possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the references in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;disclosure&lt;/a&gt; are meticulously referenced from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tipitaka&lt;/a&gt;. So any monastic order which practices which is close to the Tipitaka would share the same beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T09:00:20.183" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20117" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-15T10:14:46.437" Score="4" ViewCount="725" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a chapter under citta vithi in Abhidhammattha Sangaha. In which of the seven books in Abhidhamma this concept appear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11164" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-04-15T17:01:20.143" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T11:44:32.277" Title="Citta Vithi in Abhidhamma" Tags="|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20043" CreationDate="2017-04-15T14:05:00.593" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All conditioned things have an arising, ceasing, and turning otherwise characteristics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana does not have these marks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://seeingthroughthenet.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/The-Law-of-Dependent-Arising_LE_Rev_1.0.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://seeingthroughthenet.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/The-Law-of-Dependent-Arising_LE_Rev_1.0.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At page 348 this is said with copious quotes from Pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2017-04-15T14:05:00.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20117" CreationDate="2017-04-15T22:47:25.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is first found in the Visuddhimagga.&#xA;You should understand the difference between Sutta Abhidhamma vs Abhidhammatha Sanga ha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/sutta-abhidhamma-vs-abhidhammatha-sanga-ha/4725&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/sutta-abhidhamma-vs-abhidhammatha-sanga-ha/4725&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-16T01:18:43.750" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T01:18:43.750" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20120" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20129" CreationDate="2017-04-16T01:50:29.013" Score="5" ViewCount="1640" Body="&lt;p&gt;I see it everywhere in my book on jhana. but don't truly understand it's meaning or even find a definition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-16T03:23:35.300" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T12:42:50.123" Title="What is fruition in Buddhism?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20117" CreationDate="2017-04-16T03:21:31.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question came up in a Dhamma discussion which I was part of but I am not sure or have verified if this is valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citta Vithi and Javana are found in the Abhidhamma Commentaries but not in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. I.e., it does not appear in the any of the 7 books.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T03:21:31.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20120" CreationDate="2017-04-16T03:27:31.630" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fruition is more related to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 stages of sainthood&lt;/a&gt;. This is realising of the fruit (Pala) of practice. What his means is you realized the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T03:27:31.630" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20117" CreationDate="2017-04-16T08:07:09.053" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As you mentioned, Chapter IV of the Sangaha describes citta vithi. The Visuddhimagga includes many partial references (look under &quot;cognitive series&quot; in the index) but no complete analysis. Clearly, the material in the Sangaha is a later development of what is found in the Visuddhimagga (perhaps 500 years earlier). The material in the Visuddhimagga is a later development of sporadic references found in the Patthana (Conditional Relations). For example, on page 72 of PTS Conditional Relations Vol II, it says, &quot;advertance (avajjana) is related to five-fold consciousness through proximity condition&quot;. On page 74, it says, &quot;Life-continuum (bhavanga) without applied thought but with sustained thought is related to advertance by proximity condition.&quot; Proximity condition (and contiguity condition) imply a process. In summary, the fully-worked-out version found in the Sangaha was developed from fragments found in the Visuddhimagga (and commentaries) and these were developed from even earlier (and much more primitive) fragments found in the Patthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5779" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T08:07:09.053" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20125" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20140" CreationDate="2017-04-16T12:41:08.320" Score="8" ViewCount="991" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the similarities and contrasts between Buddhism and Christianity? To what extent do they make it possible (or not) to practice in and hold the beliefs of both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastEditorUserId="199" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T02:38:23.423" LastActivityDate="2023-08-17T21:01:19.313" Title="Is it possible to adhere to the practices and beliefs of both Buddhist and Christianity?" Tags="|comparative-religion|christianity|buddhist|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="18" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20126" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20110" CreationDate="2017-04-16T13:47:53.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person without the five physical senses is still having the Vijnanas (識) of the five senses. A human is attributed with the five senses, 吾 is a Chinese character of I/me/myself, it's formed with upper a 5 (五), lower a mouth/opening (口). The formation of the five senses are with 3 factors: sense-Consciousness (識), sense-Organ (根), sense-Object (塵). A human born blind, deaf, dumb... whether born with defect or later damages, the five sense-Consciousnesses are always intact. What damaged are the sense-Organs, not the Vijnanas. Vijnanas cannot be destroyed, not even death. Hence a deceased person is still able to see, hear, smell... even with more acute and powerful capacity. Apart from the five senses, there is another additional, the mind/thinking organ, the 6th sense, called 意根. Therefore, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can a person without any of the five physical senses attain arhatship?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the answer is yes.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T13:47:53.473" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20127" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20090" CreationDate="2017-04-16T14:42:04.840" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe there are many metaphors and intrinsic meanings in this Avalokiteshvara Riding Dragon image. I would provide one of the many aspects, that the dragon is symbolic of Rage/Anger/Jealousy (嗔), riding the dragon is symbolizing conquered of Anger. Greed (貪), anger (嗔) and delusion (癡) are the Three Afflictions  of the mind. Avalokiteshvara is respected as the Great Compassionate Bodhisattva (大悲菩薩). Compassion (大悲) termed 同體大悲, means &quot;all differences but are one&quot;. The Chinese Character of 悲 graphically depicted the meaning, the upper is 非, means &quot;not&quot;, &quot;difference&quot;, the left and right are the reflection as if looking into a mirror, means all appeared different but in fact are reflections of the other. The lower is 心, a heart. A great heart will uphold all differences together, that's the meaning of compassion 悲. Now, rage, anger and jealousy are the greatest enemy to compassion. The extreme of rage and anger is hatred then escalated to war, then killing... By subduing the Dragon of Rage - a Chinese phrase 嗔心如毒龍 - heart full of rage is like a poisonous dragon - great compassion is achieved. Dragon is also symbol for energy, rage is a kind of energy but in bad use, if one could conquer it, one is able to turn the energy to great use, i.e., the reflection of rage is compassion, like the opposite of love is hate. ;)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. Please be careful of modern rendering of the Buddha and Bodhisattva images, some of them are illegitimate. There are strict proportions and rules to abide when rendering these images, recorded in, such as 《佛說造像量度經》. These modern artists in this time of the world using their own habits and imaginations to freely draw these sacred images are full of blemishes. One should avoid but to find the good one if possible. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T14:42:04.840" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-16T14:46:17.237" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am both Buddhist and Christian. This is all just my opinion that follows. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The differences are mere interpretation. Jesus, seems to have been an acetic who spoke that he is God and the son of God and that just means he was one with God or enlightened in some way, I don't really know but it seems this way to me... based on my experience and what I know, bla,bla,bla and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason &quot;Faith&quot; is a big teaching is because a teacher often teaches a student about Faith so they can just know that the path they, the disciples are on, is true without having to intellectualise the teaching away with materialistic doubts. The parables were meant as ascetic teachings not worldly teachings for the family. Jesus was against family when it crushes spiritual progress. Family often is the source of a serious truth seekers encouragement to follow the herd and not be so serious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T02:32:44.997" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T02:32:44.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20120" CreationDate="2017-04-16T15:41:20.987" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fruition is more related to the stages of Attainment. These levels of attainment are described as including four or eight kinds of individuals. There are four [groups of noble disciples] when path and fruit are taken as pairs, and eight groups of individuals, when each path and fruit are taken separately:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;•  (1) the path to stream-entry; (2) the fruition of stream-entry;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   (3) the path to once-returning; (4) the fruition of once-returning;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   (5) the path to non-returning; (6) the fruition of non-returning;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  •   (7) the path to arahantship; (8) the fruition of arahantship.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Fruition simply means “Coming to Fruition”. It is the moment of the fruition of their path (magga-phala) – be it the stream-entry path, the once-returning path, the non-returning path, or the path to arahantship.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The moment of fruition is the understood experience and results in a turned-around vision of existence. The new understanding at the culmination of the stream-entry path recognises and go beyond the first three fetters (saŋyojana) that bind a being to rebirth, namely self-view (sakkāya-ditthi), clinging to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), and skeptical indecision (Vicikicca).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The new understanding at the coming to fruition of the Sakadāgāmi or &quot;once-returner,&quot; stage is first three fetters (saŋyojana) are fully cut off and that s/he has  significantly weakened the fourth and fifth saŋyojana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The new understanding at the coming to fruition of the anāgāmi or &quot;non-returning&quot; stage is that s/he is free from Kāma-rāga (Sensuous craving) and Vyāpāda (ill will).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A key principle in Buddha Dhamma is cause and effect; nothing happens without a cause or a reason. The word “FRUITION” can be used here in this way: Even if root causes are there, we can stop them from bringing their results by blocking the conditions for them to come to FRUITION (a seed has the potential to bring about a tree, but for that to happen the seed must be given a fertile soil, water, and sunlight). In the same way, kamma vipaka (result of a past kamma) can come to FRUITION only when right conditions for the corresponding kamma seed to germinate are realized.  This is why we can prevent many bad kamma vipaka from come to FRUITION by acting with yoniso manasikara or by “being mindful” in seeing life through the ‘Dhamma Eye”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T15:41:20.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-16T16:11:28.773" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To practice most of what is taught in Dhamma, one does not have to be a Christian or Buddhist.  For example, there is no need to be a Buddhist or Christian when purifying the mind of defilements, which is key to meditation. Then there is no such thing as Christian or Muslim or Buddhist morality. Morality is universal and comes out naturally on the basis of benevolence, compassion, and wisdom having precedence over greed, hate, and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion” (2014), Sam Harris has this to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Spirituality must be distinguished from religion – because of people of every faith, and of none, have had the same sorts of spiritual experiences….Nothing that a Christian, a Muslim, and a Hindu can experience – self-transcending love, ecstasy, bliss, inner light – constitutes evidence in support of their traditional beliefs, because their beliefs are logically incompatible with one another. A deeper principle must be at work”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this, I have to say that where Buddhism and Christianity start to differ is when it comes to the Supra-mundane level. This is the lokottara - beyond this world of 31 realms – or the transcendental level of Dhamma. One can explain it intellectually but the reader will not get it, as it is in the practice that one gets to the supra-mundane levels of realization of such higher truths. So I will bring up just a couple of simple examples to show this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The standard translation for sati—mindfulness—is probably derived from the passage in the Anglican Prayer Book that says, “Be&#xA;ever mindful of the needs of others.” In other words keep their needs in mind.&#xA;Even though the word “mindful” may come from Christianity, it’s the closest we&#xA;can get in English to what sati means in the Pali Canon. Sati in Dhamma is a “good” mental factor - “a good cetasika”.  “Sati” arises only in moral thoughts (kusala citta), and DOES NOT arise in akusala citta. “Good cetasika” do not arise in akusala citta (similarly, “bad cetasika” do not arise in kusala citta). Thus  “sati” is much more than “attention” or “mindfulness”. In a ‘Christian’ sense “sati” is the ability to remember or recall past events, but it is the “manasikara” cetasika that does that. When a person stops and contemplates whether an action one is about to take has moral or immoral consequences, and carries out only those actions that have moral consequences, then that person is acting with “sati” as per Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the person acting with “sati” of a moral/ kusala citta as per Dhamma does it on ones own accord. In Christianity, the moral and ethical codes were created by Christ himself. The punishment for sinners was meted out by God, as well as by his earthly authorities. However, for those who are prepared to confess and repent for their sins, there is forgiveness, thus placing the relationship between God and Man on a personal basis. One who accepts this dictum / formal pronouncement from an authoritative source, can never be a Buddhist at a true or lokottara level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is through total submission to the Will of God that a Christian could ever hope for salvation. For a Buddhist the moral purity is just the beginning to the transcendental, and it is internalized within the mind of each individual and does not require the intervention of a divine external agency or force.  Here I should mention that the mundane versions of the PATH are followed by those ‘Buddhists’ who do not comprehend the Tilakkhana (anicca, dukkha, anatta). The mundane versions can be grasped by a normal human who is unaware of the true Tilakkhana or the true nature this world. The transcendental or lokottara versions can be comprehended only with an understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta. Without an understanding of the anicca nature, we perceive that sense pleasures are good, and are worth striving for. But when one starts comprehending the anicca nature, one realizes that suffering is actually rooted in sense pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one realizes that suffering is actually rooted in sense pleasures, then one is no longer a Christian. That is when s/he embraces the Dhamma, and as a Buddhist cultivates the transcendental 37 Factors of Enlightenment with the goal of attaining Nibbana, as s/he realizes that this world of 31 realms has nothing but suffering to offer in the long run. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T00:41:18.937" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T00:41:18.937" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20099" CreationDate="2017-04-16T16:16:01.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;What is the difference between an arhat, bodhisattva and a buddha&lt;/code&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not easy to give an explicit answer, the rather thorough one is &lt;a href=&quot;http://big5.xuefo.net/nr/article6/62626.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. An Arhat must be a Bhikkhu living a monastic life but a Bodhisattva is not necessary. The goal for the Arhat path aspires to conquer the afflictions of mind thus sever the cord of Samsara and dwell in Nirvana, the Bodhisattva path is in dealing with the afflictions acquired the wisdom (Bodhi) thus returned again and again to Samsara cultivating merits and wisdom by ferrying others from the sea of suffering, the Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Bodhisattva path has detailed grades of advancement, main categorization is from the 1st grade to the 10th: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...佛告觀自&#xA;  在菩薩曰。善男子。成就大義得未曾得出世間心生大歡喜。是故最初名極喜地。遠離&#xA;  一切微細犯戒。是故第二名離垢地。由彼所得三摩地及聞持陀羅尼。能為無量智光依&#xA;  止。是故第三名發光地。由彼所得菩提分法。燒諸煩惱智如火焰。是故第四名焰慧地&#xA;  。由即於彼菩提分法方便修習。最極艱難方得自在。是故第五名極難勝地。現前觀察&#xA;  諸行流轉。又於無相多修作意方現在前。是故第六名現前地。能遠證入無缺無間無相&#xA;  作意。與清淨地共相隣接。是故第七名遠行地。由於無相得無功用。於諸相中不為現&#xA;  行煩惱所動是故第八名不動地。於一切種說法自在。獲得無罪廣大智慧。是故第九名&#xA;  善慧地。麁重之身廣如虛空。法身圓滿譬如大雲皆能遍覆。是故第十名法雲地。... 《解深密經》&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article in earlier link said the 7th grade is equivalent to an Arhat in terms of Liberation (解脫), from 8th grade onward a Bodhisattva has acquired wisdom and ability beyond an Arhat does. The article is said to be written by ven. 聖嚴法師 it should be a trusted source. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the 8th grade Bodhisattva is able to cite his own version of Dharani (Mantra) (which I believe is the Ultimate Knowledge of sound), and will never ever stumble from The Path until attained Buddha-hood for he has seen the Ultimate Reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha is the 11th grade - so to speak:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...永斷&#xA;  最極微細煩惱及所知障無著無礙。於一切種所知境界現正等覺。故第十一說名佛地... 《解深密經》&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the &quot;body&quot; for an Arhat, a Pratyeka-buddha and Tathagata the Buddha are also different: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...佛告曼殊室利菩薩曰。善男子。若於諸地波羅蜜多。善修出離轉依成滿。是名如&#xA;  來法身之相。當知此相二因緣故。不可思議無戲論故。無所為故。而諸眾生計著戲論&#xA;  有所為故。世尊。聲聞獨覺所得轉依。名法身不。善男子。不名法身。世尊。當名何身。善&#xA;  男子。名解脫身。由解脫身故說一切聲聞獨覺。與諸如來平等平等。由法身故說有差&#xA;  別。如來法身有差別故。無量功德最勝差別。算數譬喻所不能及... 《解深密經》&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namely, Tathagata the Buddha has the Dharma-body (法身), but Arhat and Pratyeka-buddha has Liberation-body (解脫身), not Dharma-body. I think it's like comparing a cloth with stain removed (Liberation-body) to a cloth that's spotless (法身).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there are detail explanations about how the &quot;body&quot; of the Tathagata-buddha is different from and capable of doing, in 《解深密經》. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T16:16:01.927" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-16T17:55:22.537" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a conflict with (Buddha's brother in Law(?) or cousin) Devadatta (see the Devadatta-suttas). Devadatta tried to become chief of the sangha instead of the aged Buddha; and to collect adherents/followers he claimed 5 (?) stronger ascetic rules. Because there was this conflict at all, thus the Buddha must have had &lt;em&gt;milder&lt;/em&gt; ascetic rules and according to the transmission in the suttas, he had &lt;em&gt;refuted&lt;/em&gt; that radicaler asceticism rules (but allowed them as individual training).  So I would put the answer to your question&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did Buddha Return to Extreme Asceticism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;saying &lt;em&gt;no&lt;/em&gt; .&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Which does not mean that he wouldn't have left the leading disciple Mahakassapa in peace when this old man went aside into the forests to stay alone and feasting as he wished (see the nice Gosinga-forest sutta). He allowed a spectrum of behaves - as long as that specific behave leaded to emancipation, liberation and ceasing of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T17:55:22.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20092" CreationDate="2017-04-16T18:59:22.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These different descriptions, depended on what level you are able to understand, are all correct, or valid. The abstaining from food to starve like only a pair of skeleton - the practice of White Skeleton visualization, they have intrinsic meanings. The consumption of rice-milk - the Great Ch'an Patriarch Huineng said it's in fact the Milk of Vairocana. The full practice of White Skeleton kept in one of the Chinese Sutras translated by Kumarjiva has similar analogy. Vowed to sit under the Bodhi tree until enlightened else never rose from the seat, indicates but his determination, not a self-torture. I don't see there is anything what you termed Extreme Asceticism before or after. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now in the Tibetan tradition, there is part of similar progress of Milarepa's practice. He dwelt in the mountain years (7 years?) without clothes and foods, eating only nettle leaves. On the verge of dying he opened his teacher's sealed bag, in it held the last words of his deceased teacher only can be read at emergency, it said &quot;good food is the key (to pass the final stage)&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abstain from food is not (aimed to do) a self-torture or to weaken the body, what's the use these to enlightenment by inflicting pain on oneself and with a weak body + bad health?? It's a practice, it's part of the whole enlightenment process. I don't think it's simple to explain here with so many terms and concepts not available in general understanding.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've never read anywhere about &lt;code&gt;49 potions for the next 49 days&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;He then got up and went begging in a village&lt;/code&gt;, are you sure this is correct and authentic? There are too many incorrect stories floating in the internet, I suggest you read the original Sutras if possible, not too rely on those articles written by some who-know-whom.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-16T19:17:07.643" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T19:17:07.643" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-16T21:15:54.830" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not possible to be both a Buddhist and a Christian because Buddhism teaches all things without exception are '&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;' ('not-self') &amp;amp; 'the elements' ('&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;') as its core &amp;amp; fundamental principle; where as Christianity includes 'self' in the form of Christ &amp;amp; The Father as a core principle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, Buddhism is strictly 'impersonal' where as Christianity is 'personal', where salvation is based on a personal relationship between the 'small-self' &amp;amp; a personal god (Christ &amp;amp; The Father). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Matthew 16:25 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whoever loses his life for &lt;strong&gt;My&lt;/strong&gt; sake will find it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Luke 23:42 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then he said, “Jesus, remember &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; when &lt;strong&gt;You&lt;/strong&gt; come into &lt;strong&gt;Your&lt;/strong&gt; kingdom!” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;, today &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; will be with &lt;strong&gt;Me&lt;/strong&gt; in&#xA;  Paradise.”…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains there are many types of liberation/salvation of mind (MN 43), which include liberation via loving-kindness &amp;amp; liberation via emptiness of self, the later being the foremost &amp;amp; unshakeable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He keeps pervading above, below &amp;amp; all around, everywhere &amp;amp; in every respect the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good&#xA;  will (loving-kindness): abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free&#xA;  from ill will... This is called the immeasurable mind-release.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or&#xA;  into an empty dwelling, considers this: 'This is empty of self or of&#xA;  anything pertaining to self.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, to the extent that there is immeasurable mind-release, the unprovoked mind-release is declared the foremost. And this&#xA;  unprovoked mind-release is empty of passion, empty of aversion,&#xA;  empty of delusion.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Christianity is merely liberation via loving-kindness where as Buddhism is liberation via emptiness of self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Christianity teaches salvation is 'Eternal Life' where as Buddhism teaches salvation is 'dispassion' that occurs via the realisation of impermanence &amp;amp; not-self. In other words, Christianity is a doctrine of 'Eternalism' (the belief a self exists after death), which is a wrong view in Buddhism; where as Buddhism is a doctrine of impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In its most esoteric interpretation (which is rejected by most Christians), Christianity is 'mysticism' where as Buddhism is 'straightforward'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jesus said he taught using parables to hide teachings &amp;amp; the New Testament is replete with the language of metaphor, which results in most Christians being unable to discern between the literal &amp;amp; metaphorical. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as the Buddha taught straightforwardly &amp;amp; plainly, with key terms explicitly defined. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Christianity is fatally connected to the Old Testament of Judaism, which allows killing in many circumstances, such as war &amp;amp; heresy. This is why Christianity has had many Inquisitions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, Buddhism states it is &quot;impossible&quot; for a person of right view to take refuge in another teacher, thus it is not possible to be both a Buddhist and a Christian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Buddhism states: &quot;‘&lt;em&gt;It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise contemporaneously in one world-system&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, the view of Buddhism is those teachings of Jesus that are similar to Buddhism have their source in Buddhism. Therefore, the Buddha is the teacher &amp;amp; Jesus is the student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could acknowledge another teacher ― there is no&#xA;  such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an&#xA;  ordinary person might acknowledge another teacher ― there is such a&#xA;  possibility.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise&#xA;  contemporaneously in one world-system ― there is no such possibility.’&#xA;  And he understands: ‘It is possible that one Accomplished One, a Fully&#xA;  Enlightened One, might arise in one world-system ― there is such a&#xA;  possibility.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-16T21:53:37.923" LastActivityDate="2017-04-16T21:53:37.923" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-17T00:51:49.617" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as I'm concerned you can be whatever you like. You can even create your own religion if you so desire. Orthodox Buddhists and Christians will of course disagree but frankly I don't really care. The Buddha was not Buddhist and Jesus was not Christian. They were just enlightened beings and we all have that potential. Neither of them would have planned on their teachings becoming a massive worldwide cult and I'm pretty sure that if either of them knew what abhorrent acts have been and still are being carried out in their name they would be heartbroken. So follow what works and what resonates as truth for you. If it causes you and others to suffer less and find more peace and happiness stick with it, if not then ditch it. I don't subscribe to any one religion. I believe they all have nuggets of truth within them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T02:19:41.100" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T02:19:41.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20137" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-17T00:58:30.837" Score="4" ViewCount="404" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often hear it being said that with meditation/mindfulness we observe the thoughts and feelings coming and going but I'm not sure if this is a clear explanation of what occurs because in my experience of practicing for over 6 years I don't think I have ever actually seen a thought arising. What happens with me is that I recognise that my mind is lost in a thought and once I do then the thought ends. This is different to noticing the arising. So I'm following breath, lost in thought, come back to breath, lost in thought etc. I can intentionally say to myself &quot;ok now I'm going to think about ....&quot; And in this way I can observe the process of thinking but unless I do this I don't see how its possible to see a random thought arising. Is this correct?   If this is not correct then why in 6 years can I still not do this?  The recognition of random thought is always in past tense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2018-11-14T16:51:22.673" Title="Thought arising" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20138" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-17T02:58:21.207" Score="7" ViewCount="1801" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard it taught by various secular teachers that through mindfulness one can uncover the &quot;true authentic self&quot; because we realise that we are not thought but that we are awareness of thought. Please correct me if I'm mistaken but in my understanding this is not in alignment with Buddhist teachings and a misunderstanding of mindfulness.  We can discover that there is an awareness of thought, emotion etc but are we this awareness? Wouldn't Buddha say that even awareness is not self?  If we are not thought, not awareness, who or what is the observer? Is the observer just more impermanent phenomena?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:47:46.733" Title="Who or what is observing" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-17T03:14:41.763" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer depends on exactly what one means by &lt;em&gt;Buddhism&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Christianity&lt;/em&gt; since whether we like it or not those things are not precisely defined by anything like a universal authority. Even within each concept, there are huge differences. One could equally well ask if one can follow both Theravada and Mahayana, or both Catholicism and Protestantism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, if we look at the most common uses of the two terms, the most simple, absolutely basic underlying definitions, applicable to lay-folk, might be something like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt;: someone who accepts the Four Noble Truths, and is attempting to follow the Noble Eightfold Path so as to attain freedom from suffering and Nirvana. We could maybe add something about taking the three refuges and adhering to the five precepts, but those muddy this discussion I think&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Christian&lt;/strong&gt;: someone who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, him being the only source of salvation and without whose intervention one will, after death, suffer eternal torment and separation from God. We could maybe add something about having been baptized, and being willing and able to say &quot;Jesus Christ is Lord&quot; (cf. 1 Cor 12:13), but again I think those just confuse things needlessly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given those really basic definitions, and assuming we take them more or less literally (very important; see later) there is simply &lt;em&gt;no way&lt;/em&gt; to pursue both approaches. Absolutely front and center of Christianity is the dude Jesus, his death and alleged resurrection, the fact that those constitute atonement for sin, and so on. You cannot be a Christian without regularly getting down on your hands and knees, literally or metaphorically, and worshipping Jesus. Accepting Him, being saved from sin, etc, and absolutely &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; meditation and resulting insight into the three marks of existence, etc, are what count.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that is in stark contrast with Buddhism where Jesus doesn't really come into it, and breaking delusion etc are vital. Of course I can't see a problem with a Buddhist believing, just as Muslims do, that Jesus was a spectacularly important and awesome guy. But even if so, that's &lt;em&gt;all&lt;/em&gt; he was, and as I said that's not remotely enough for a Christian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;HOWEVER... (there's &lt;em&gt;always&lt;/em&gt; a however...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of that -- and it's pretty mainline exposition; I didn't make it up -- is only clearly the case if one takes those definitions literally. In particular it's if one interprets the meanings of the various terms in the context of contemporary scientific naturalism (sometimes manifesting as scientism) and essentially discards metaphysics (by which I mean the formal, philosophical type, as opposed to New Age fluffy stuff) or even modern philosophical systems such as phenomenology. With the much more sophisticated conceptual structures that those systems of thought provide, then the question as to exactly what Christianity or Buddhism (or many others) &lt;em&gt;mean&lt;/em&gt; by any give concept needs more thought and so has more scope for compatibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I reckon that anyone with any degree of openness of mind, and willing to put in the work, cannot fail to see potential connections between what we got from the Buddha, Nagarjuna, Dogen, the neo-Platonists like Plotinus, scholastics like Aquinas, and so on, all the way to the present day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So given all of that, I'll balance my earlier answer of &quot;simply no way&quot; with an alternative which is, &quot;You're just going to have to try it out and see&quot; :-) And to back that up, I'll offer two quotes (my italic emphasis in both):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Christianity&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to &lt;em&gt;work out your salvation with fear and trembling&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, Phil 2:12&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. &lt;em&gt;Strive with earnestness&lt;/em&gt;!&quot; DN 16 PTS: D ii 72 chapters 1-6&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="199" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T03:14:41.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-17T05:31:54.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Similarities between Buddhism and Christianity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The word 'birth' has a psychological meaning (rather than a physical meaning), as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3 and the Buddha explained in SN 12.2; SN 23.2 &amp;amp; SN 5.10. Therefore, 're-birth' happens when living rather than at the termination of life. MN 86 states:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sister, since I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall intentionally killing a living being.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they&#xA;  are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time&#xA;  into their mother’s womb to be born!”  Jesus answered, “Very truly I&#xA;  tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of&#xA;  water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit&#xA;  gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You&#xA;  must be born again.’ (John 3)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The word 'death' has a psychological/spiritual meaning (rather than a physical meaning). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead&#xA;  already&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent origination is taught in both, namely, James 1:15: &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;&#xA;  and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While the Gospels mostly teach about 'Eternal Life', which is alien to Buddhism, at times Christianity teaches about the 'Deathless', which is the same as Buddhism, such as in the Gospel of Thomas verse 1 and John 21:23.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And he said, &quot;Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Craving ('&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;'; lit. '&lt;em&gt;thirst&lt;/em&gt;') as the cause of suffering is taught in both; as is the end of craving being 'Nibbana' or 'Eternal Life'.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? James 4:1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up&#xA;  to eternal life. John 4:14&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'The world' ('loka') is equated to suffering &amp;amp; the 'lokuttara' state of 'beyond the world' is the state of freedom. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;John 16:33 - The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;John 18:36 Jesus said, &quot;My kingdom is not of this world&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1 Corinthians 7:29-31 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they&#xA;  do not;  those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as&#xA;  if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to&#xA;  keep;  those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in&#xA;  them. For this world in its present form is passing away&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Insofar as it disintegrates, monk, it is called the 'world.' SN 35.82&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 167. Follow not the vulgar way; live not in heedlessness; hold not false views; linger not long in worldly existence.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Titus 2:12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this&#xA;  present age....&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;'Satan' is the ruler of the world: &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;John 12:31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;44. Who shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods? Who shall bring to perfection the well-taught path of&#xA;  wisdom as an expert garland-maker would his floral design?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;45. A striver-on-the path shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods. The striver-on-the-path shall&#xA;  bring to perfection the well-taught path of wisdom, as an expert&#xA;  garland-maker would his floral design.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;46. Realizing that this body is like froth, penetrating its mirage-like nature, and plucking out Mara's flower-tipped arrows of&#xA;  sensuality, go beyond sight of the King of Death!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both teach the destruction of kamma. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right&#xA;  view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,&#xA;  right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of&#xA;  practice leading to the cessation of kamma. AN 6.63&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Galatians 2:16 - Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have&#xA;  believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ,&#xA;  and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall&#xA;  no flesh be justified.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both have a Trinity or Triple Gem. Buddha reveals/makes known the Dhamma (Truth &amp;amp; Nibbana), the path to which is represented by the Sangha, who live the Holy Way of Life (Brahmacariyaṃ). Jesus reveals/makes known the Father, of which the Holy Spirit is the way. Both teach a disciple may attain the same realisation as the teacher. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So this holy life, bhikkhus... it is this unshakeable deliverance of mind that&#xA;  is the goal of this holy life, its heartwood, and its end.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 29&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of&#xA;  everything I have said to you.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hasten to be saved without being urged! Instead, be eager of your own accord, and, if possible, arrive even before me; for thus the Father&#xA;  will love you. The Apocryphon of James&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;10&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both teach the practise of mental purity &amp;amp; energetic watchfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Matthew 25 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five&#xA;  of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their&#xA;  lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took&#xA;  oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in&#xA;  coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.... Therefore keep&#xA;  watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both teach 'god is love'. The Brahmans, like the Jews, believed they were Brahma's (God's) chosen people. But Buddha in the &lt;em&gt;Tevijja Sutta&lt;/em&gt; taught the Brahmans god is love, i.e., the path to union with Brahma is to radiate boundless love towards all beings. Similarly, Christianity teaches god is love (1 John 4:8), which was contrary to Judaism, in which god was jealous, violent &amp;amp; tribal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And he lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of Love, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And&#xA;  thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, and everywhere, does&#xA;  he continue to pervade with heart of Love, far-reaching, grown great,&#xA;  and beyond measure. Just, Vāseṭṭha, as a mighty trumpeter makes&#xA;  himself heard—and that without difficulty—in all the four directions;&#xA;  even so of all things that have shape or life, there is not one that&#xA;  he passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free,&#xA;  and deep-felt love. Verily this, Vāseṭṭha, is the way to a state of&#xA;  union with Brahmā. Tevijja Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does&#xA;  not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;12&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In summary, based on many similar core concepts, which use very similar terms, Christianity appeared to be an attempt to transpose Buddhism onto a theist framework; which was fatally flawed because it is impossible to transpose transcendent Nibbanic Buddhism onto worldly creationist Kabbalah Judaism. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T11:43:52.337" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T11:43:52.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-17T05:59:50.830" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To what extent do they make it possible (or not) to practice in and hold the beliefs of both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practice revolves around the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 trainings&lt;/a&gt; which is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;be moral and ethical&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;control your mind, impulses and emotions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;understand and verify the reality of things at the experiential or empirical level&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As most religions also must be preaching to be established in morality and ethics. Also no to be impulsive and do bad due to this. Also no religion can be against gaining wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence I think a Christian can practice Buddhism. Anyone practicing any religion can practice buddhism as I do not see any incompatibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every religion worthy of the name calls on its followers to live a moral and ethical way of life, to attain mastery over the mind and to cultivate purity of heart. One tradition tells us, &amp;quot;Love thy neighbor&amp;quot;; another says, Salaam walekum - &amp;quot;May peace be with you&amp;quot;; still another says, Bhavatu sabbamangalam or Sarve bhavantu sukhinah - &amp;quot;May all beings be happy.&amp;quot; Whether it is the Bible, the Koran or the Gita, the scriptures call for peace and amity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org.au/goenka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S N Goenka addresses UN Peace Summit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T08:12:47.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2017-04-17T06:29:56.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' ('sati') means to 'remember' rather than to 'observe' ('anupassi').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of basic meditation, 'sati' &lt;em&gt;remembers&lt;/em&gt; to observe rather than &lt;em&gt;forgets&lt;/em&gt; to observe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' &amp;amp; 'observing' are two distinctly separate functions &amp;amp; activities of mind, even though they function together in mediation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of mindfulness? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous,&#xA;  remembering &amp;amp; able to call to mind even things that were done &amp;amp; said&#xA;  long ago. SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What is sammasati? Sati means to bear in mind or bring to mind. Sati is the state of recollecting, the state of remembering, the state of&#xA;  non-fading, the state of non-forgetting. Sati means the sati that is a&#xA;  Spiritual Faculty, the sati that is a Spiritual Power, Sammasati, the&#xA;  Sati that is an Enlightenment Factor, that which is a Path Factor and&#xA;  that which is related to the Path. This is what is called sammasati.&quot;&#xA;  [Vbh.105, 286]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;Suppose, monks, that a large crowd of people comes thronging together, saying, 'The beauty queen! The beauty&#xA;  queen!' And suppose that the beauty queen is highly accomplished at&#xA;  singing &amp;amp; dancing, so that an even greater crowd comes thronging,&#xA;  saying, 'The beauty queen is singing! The beauty queen is dancing!'&#xA;  Then a man comes along, desiring life &amp;amp; shrinking from death, desiring&#xA;  pleasure &amp;amp; abhorring pain. They say to him, 'Now look here, mister.&#xA;  You must take this bowl filled to the brim with oil and carry it on&#xA;  your head in between the great crowd &amp;amp; the beauty queen. A man with a&#xA;  raised sword will follow right behind you, and wherever you spill even&#xA;  a drop of oil, right there will he cut off your head.' Now what do you&#xA;  think, monks: Will that man, not paying attention to the bowl of oil,&#xA;  let himself get distracted outside?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 47.20&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T06:29:56.443" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-17T06:40:34.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind observes. Consciousness observes. Awareness observes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I've heard it taught by various secular teachers that through mindfulness one can uncover the &quot;true authentic self&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Buddhism does not teach there is a &quot;true authentic self&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;because we realise that we are not thought but that we are awareness&#xA;  of thought.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Ultimately, there is no &quot;we&quot;. Buddhism explains there are only five aggregates, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Physical body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling/sensation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thinking/emotions&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sense consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please correct me if I'm mistaken but in my understanding this is not in alignment with Buddhist teachings and a misunderstanding of&#xA;  mindfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. What various secular teachers are teaching is not in alignment with Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;We can discover that there is an awareness of thought, emotion etc&#xA;  but are we this awareness?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind discovers &amp;amp; the mind is aware. Consciousness knows thought, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on the intellect &amp;amp; ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The arising &amp;amp; falling away of the intellect are discerned.&#xA;  And when its arising &amp;amp; falling away are discerned, it would follow&#xA;  that 'My self arises &amp;amp; falls away.' That's why it wouldn't be tenable&#xA;  if anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self.' So the intellect&#xA;  is not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Ideas are the self,' that&#xA;  wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect is not-self and ideas are&#xA;  not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Consciousness at the intellect is&#xA;  the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect is not-self,&#xA;  ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self. If&#xA;  anyone were to say, 'Contact at the intellect is the self,' that&#xA;  wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect is not-self, ideas are&#xA;  not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self, contact at the&#xA;  intellect is not-self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 148&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Consciousness, consciousness': Thus is it said. To what extent, friend, is it said to be 'consciousness'?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'It cognizes, it cognizes': Thus, friend, it is said to be 'consciousness.' And what does it cognize? It cognizes 'pleasant.' It&#xA;  cognizes 'painful.' It cognizes 'neither painful nor pleasant.' 'It&#xA;  cognizes, it cognizes': Thus it is said to be 'consciousness.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discernment (wisdom) &amp;amp; consciousness, friend: Are these qualities conjoined or disjoined? Is it possible, having separated them one from&#xA;  the other, to delineate the difference between them?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discernment (wisdom) &amp;amp; consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It's not possible, having separated them one from the other, to&#xA;  delineate the difference between them. For what one discerns, that one&#xA;  cognizes. What one cognizes, that one discerns. Therefore these&#xA;  qualities are conjoined, not disjoined, and it is not possible, having&#xA;  separated them one from another, to delineate the difference between&#xA;  them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 43&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Wouldn't Buddha say that even awareness is not self?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;If we are not thought, not awareness, who or what is the observer?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is the observer; awareness is the observer; but &quot;we&quot; is not the observer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is the observer just more impermanent phenomena?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the&#xA;  mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the four&#xA;  great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three, four,&#xA;  five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or more. But&#xA;  what's called 'mind,' 'intellect' or 'consciousness' by day and by&#xA;  night arises as one thing and ceases as another. Just as a monkey,&#xA;  swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of&#xA;  it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one.&#xA;  Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's&#xA;  called 'mind,' 'intellect' or 'consciousness' by day and by night&#xA;  arises as one thing and ceases as another.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T06:48:15.593" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T06:48:15.593" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-17T06:43:45.180" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A being is made up of the 6 sense bases or the 5 aggregates and arise and an impersonal process governed by Dependent Origination. Notion of self is both a view and perception in beings who have not realised reality as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;which the the being has control over, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;which is forms a solid everlasting core,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;which is continuous and persists through existence,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;worth identifying as a self,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Awareness is also impersonal. It arises due to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sense-organ, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sense- object and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sense-consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have no control over awareness. Say you hear a unpleasant sound. You cannot command: &quot;Stop hearing!&quot;. If you hear something pleasant you cannot command: &quot;Do not stop!&quot;. Also when say watching something interesting. Memories and thoughts may arise which takes you attention from what you are watching. You cannot command: &quot;Stay with watching only!&quot;. This lack of control makes this partly unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the observer is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not / non self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165&quot;&gt;Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T07:45:58.083" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20145" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-17T07:13:40.307" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Please correct me if I'm mistaken but in my understanding this is not in alignment with Buddhist teachings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yeah, this is not in alignment with Buddhist teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We can discover that there is an awareness of thought, emotion etc but are we this awareness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of us are lead to believe that awareness is a continuous thing. According to Buddhism, there are two mistakes in that belief. The first is believing it's continuous. The second is believing it's a thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In general, an awareness is an awareness &lt;em&gt;of something&lt;/em&gt;. In Buddhism, this is called &lt;code&gt;consciousness&lt;/code&gt;, which is six-fold (one for each sense organ, including the mind as a sense organ). These consciousnesses are bindings between sense and object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, some people might believe there's an underlying continuous awareness that recognizes a thought. But in Buddhism, we are taught that the moment of recognition is called a &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; (between mind organ and thought, &quot;glued&quot; by the mind-consciousness), and before that, there was a very different awareness that was part of another contact with another object through another sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The consciousnesses that arise during these events are also called &lt;em&gt;established&lt;/em&gt; consciousnesses. It is through &lt;code&gt;contact&lt;/code&gt; that there is touching of samsara. When consciousness is not established (i.e. it does not arise), say, when there's no opportunity or interest in &quot;touching anything&quot; (outside, inside, anywhere), then...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“But, bhikkhus, when one does not intend, and one does not plan, and one does not have a tendency towards anything, no basis exists for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is no basis, there is no support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is unestablished and does not come to growth, there is no descent of name-and-form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.39&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When that consciousness is unestablished, not coming to growth, nongenerative, sn.iii.54 it is liberated. By being liberated, it is steady; by being steady, it is content; by being content, he is not agitated. Being unagitated, he personally attains Nibbāna. He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.53&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.53&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“If, bhikkhus, one does not intend, and one does not plan, but one still has a tendency towards something, this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.40&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.40&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Sujato also discusses this topic in &lt;a href=&quot;https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/vinna%E1%B9%87a-is-not-nibbana-really-it-just-isn%E2%80%99t/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;his blog&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T14:47:46.733" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:47:46.733" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20137" CreationDate="2017-04-17T07:31:20.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The presence of random thoughts make meditation impersonal, i.e., non / not self. You can realise you have no absolute control over thoughts. The nature of your flickering mind can also help you understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When thoughts or other distractions arise (like pain), observe the sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is &lt;strong&gt;contact&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one feels, one &lt;strong&gt;perceives&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one &lt;strong&gt;thinks about&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one &lt;strong&gt;mentally proliferates&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most proximate cause for thoughts to arise is perception. But what decides whether it is unwholesome or wholesome is feelings. So see thoughts arise be mindful of feeling and perception. Knowing these only will help you know what you are about to think about. Feelings will decide the wholesome / unwholesome root and perception will refine it with past experiences, memories, mental model to your intended action. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thinking about or thinking and pondering&lt;/a&gt; will lead to planning out the action in more detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by being &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;attached to&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;pleasant feelings&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to &lt;strong&gt;aversion&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;rejecting&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;painful feelings&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; reinforced by &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;ignoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;neutral feelings&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking lead to volitional activity and mental fool (Ahara). Also from feeling, Kamma arises:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... one generates that  formation, &lt;strong&gt;conditioned by which pleasure and pain arise internally&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.2-Kammavada-Bhumija-S-s12.25-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Kamma,vāda) Bhumija Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So once feeling arises you should try to stop this process leading to arising of the unwholesome roots, providing nutriment, arising of Kamma, leading to mental proliferation by being equanimous and noting impermanence. There are 2 paces which you can attack &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, that is at ignorance and feeling. Knowing impermanence displaces ignorance and being equanimous stops feeling proliferating to craving and clinging.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were unable to stop when the feeling due to contact arises, when the volitional tough arises the respective feeling also arise in the body. This is a place where you can contemplate about moral constraint (Sila). Taking a step further you can constrain your thinking also, by contemplating the sensation it created and being equanimous towards it while seeing its impermanence, and perhaps neutralising one's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perception&lt;/a&gt; by developing the opposite perception. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] This you can use as a tool to prevent bad kamma (in account of feelings you should lessen unwholesome states and increase wholesome states - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda, &lt;strong&gt;with &lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt; as condition&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when there is the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;body&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;bodily volition&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;pleasure and pain arise internally&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when there is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;speech&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;verbal volition&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;pleasure and pain arise internally&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when there is the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, because of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mental volition&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;pleasure and pain arise internally&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.2-Kammavada-Bhumija-S-s12.25-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Kamma,vāda) Bhumija Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Agitation and peace cannot co-exist. One way to achieve inner peace is Vipassana or insight meditation - a non-sectarian, scientific, results-oriented technique of self-observation and truth realization. Practice of this technique brings experiential understanding of how mind and body interact. &lt;strong&gt;Everytime &lt;em&gt;negativity&lt;/em&gt; arises in the mind, such as &lt;em&gt;hatred&lt;/em&gt;, it triggers &lt;em&gt;unpleasant sensations&lt;/em&gt; within the body. Every time the mind generates &lt;em&gt;selfless love&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;compassion&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;good will&lt;/em&gt;, the entire body is flooded with &lt;em&gt;pleasant sensations&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt; Practice of Vipassana also reveals that mental action precedes every physical and vocal action, determining whether that action will be wholesome or unwholesome. Mind matters most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhamma.org.au/goenka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S N Goenka addresses UN Peace Summit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when thoughts arise see that sensation is associated with it, knowing its impermanence thus ensuring it does not proliferate to unwholesome actions or further unwholesome thinking. Once you have realized the distracting thoughts, know the sensation associated with it and seeing its impermanence, finally return to the object of your meditation. In case it is breath meditation then return to the breaths. This is the most effective way to let go of distracting thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T15:07:19.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20147" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20137" CreationDate="2017-04-17T09:21:06.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I often hear it being said that with meditation/mindfulness we observe the thoughts and feelings coming and going but I'm not sure if&#xA;  this is a clear explanation of what occurs because in my experience of&#xA;  practicing for over 6 years I don't think I have ever actually seen a&#xA;  thought arising.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. To clearly see a thought arising is a very advanced practise because it can really only occur clearly when the mind is strongly established in an empty concentrated mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What happens with me is that I recognise that my mind is lost in a thought and once I do then the thought ends.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. This is a very honest &amp;amp; accurate appraisal of your practise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is this correct?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. What you posted (in detail) is correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Buddha listed dhammas in various teachings, he generally did so from less advanced to most advanced. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.41&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha listed '&lt;em&gt;knowing thoughts as they arise&lt;/em&gt;' after the practise of jhana. Whilst jhana is not necessarily a pre-requisite in all cases, to be &lt;em&gt;perfect&lt;/em&gt; at '&lt;em&gt;knowing all thoughts as they arise&lt;/em&gt;' would require the development of jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also important to understand that what is called '&lt;em&gt;cittanupassana&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;contemplation of mind&lt;/em&gt;' is not related to thoughts and occurs when the mind has concentration (such as described in the Anapanasati Sutta, where '&lt;em&gt;contemplation of mind&lt;/em&gt;' is practised together with knowing each in-breath &amp;amp; each out-breath). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, most Buddhists are fooling themselves when they believe they are successfully practising observing the mind. In your case, as I mentioned, your appraisal of your practise is not only honest but also accurate, in that you have the awareness to know you catch the thought after it has arisen rather than as it is arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T18:57:59.570" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T18:57:59.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13431" CreationDate="2017-04-17T12:38:05.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I thought that my experience was fairly commonplace, but after reading several answers from people in this community that I have great respect for, and no one seeming to understand at all, even after a year, I admit that I feel perplexed. It would be as if I wrote about having a pebble in my shoe and no one could relate or had ever heard of such a thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Observer is as if there is a whole other self inside my mind, just sitting there watching what happens. If you haven't had it, then there is no way it can be described. It is not like anything else, it is not a function or factor of anything else, it cannot be reduced to anything else or explained in any other terms. It simply is an experience, like feeling sad, or wanting to go outdoors. It just happens to be the experience of part of the mind observing the rest of the mind. It happens. It is not a thought that I am having, because it &lt;em&gt;has itself&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My sense of it is, that as one strives to be more aware, the mind develops an extra awareness track that helps one to do that. It is the persistent feeling that even if I get lost in phenomena, that Observer will not get lost, and so realizing that it is watching me, I tend to act with more awareness. Eventually, one outgrows it or something. I won't even get started on describing how it is to have an &lt;em&gt;Accompanying Voice&lt;/em&gt;, which is entirely different, and which I also thought was common, but is apparently known only to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T12:38:05.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3731" CreationDate="2017-04-17T14:02:17.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, I am not a Pali scholar. But in Myanmar, Rahula means eclipse in Pali. And he was named by his grandfather the king, not Siddhartha.He did not name his son as “Shackles or obstacle”. According to Theravada tradition, he was already planning in the garden to leave the palace.But Siddhartha's father, who was the king sent a messenger to tell the news of the birth to his son.&#xA;When Siddhartha heard the news, he was happy at first, then felt sad as he already made up his mind to leave. His face brightened like the moon then that moon being eclipsed . So the messenger told this change in his face to the king and the king named the child as “Eclipse”, which was according to the culture of that region (You will see many instances of that naming system in Pali scripture).&#xA;Actually, in Buddhist literature, it is much honored scene that the night of his silent departure from the palace, he went to see his sleeping wife and baby at the last minute and felt greatly sorry that he had to leave them for the greater love for the world. And as you suggest, Buddha never encouraged his disciples to leave worldly responsibilities and join him. He always encouraged that the worldly affairs must be taken care, debts must be paid, sentences must be served and leave must be granted before becoming a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11174" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T14:02:17.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-17T14:24:02.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Things that arise due to reasons cease once the reasons cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who or what is observing is panchaupadhänakkhandha&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Panchaupadhänakkhandha arise due to a reason and cease once the reason ceases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for panchaupadhänakkhandha to exist is the liking toward them (chanda). Once the liking toward them ceases to exist, so will panchaupadhänakkhandha cease to exist. This is nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The method of removing this liking is to understand that panchaupadhänakkhandha in terms of the Four Noble Truths, thereby practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T14:24:02.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-04-17T14:35:55.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Practice of Buddhism requires refuge through &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;proper understanding&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice of Christianity requires refuge through &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;proper faith&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Former brings forth understanding that, after death, there is neither eternity (sasvatha) nor nothingness (uccheda). In that context, Christianity is uccheda. Hence there is a contradiction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Latter beings forth a necessity for unwavering faith beyond reason in a supreme being. In that context, since practicing Buddhism requires a pragmatic view on self and what happens to one self, there is a problem following Buddhism while having a faith beyond reasoning in something or someone else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T14:35:55.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20137" CreationDate="2017-04-17T14:52:09.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is a thought? In a Buddhist context thoughts (Citta) and thinking(Cétasika) are not the same. &#xA;&lt;em&gt;(in context of thought as a noun, thought as in having thought and thinking thoughts)&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since it is important to proceed with knowing the difference, I will give an example I've learnt to clarify this. &lt;em&gt;When you get angry, you can decide not to be angry and calm yourself down. Once the thought of anger came to you(Citta), if there was no way to act, i.e think (Cétasika) you won't be able to stop your anger&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Next, citta and cétasika arise bound to one another, stay bound to one another and perish bound to one another. They occur only sequentially and in countless numbers per eye blink. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2018-11-14T16:51:22.673" LastActivityDate="2018-11-14T16:51:22.673" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20154" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20155" CreationDate="2017-04-17T17:02:00.573" Score="4" ViewCount="294" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I was chatting with some Christian friends and we were recollecting some of Jesus' teachings - I, particularly, specified a couple aspects of the New Testament that were downright absurd; one is resurrection: one group of Christians believe Christ had actually raised from the dead, and the other that it was a metaphor. The first view is obviously non-scientific, and one might actually argue it makes no sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been reading the nikayas myself and although I have found them to be beautiful, I cannot avoid detecting leftovers of Hinduism and absurdity in Buddha's sayings - if taken literally. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19864/consciousness-death-and-reincarnation&quot;&gt;I have already asked a question&lt;/a&gt; about the absurdity of interpreting rebirth literally, and was satisfied with Buddhadasa Bikkhu's view that it should be interpreted metaphorically - even though Buddha explicitly said that rebirth also happened after death (references can be found in the linked question). I now have read more suttas and am very dislocated with regards to many passages. I list some of them below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha affirms ugliness is a direct consequence of past lives (MN 135):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case, where a woman or man is ill-tempered &amp;amp; easily upset; even when lightly criticized, he/she grows offended, provoked, malicious, &amp;amp; resentful; shows annoyance, aversion, &amp;amp; bitterness. Through having adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation... If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is ugly wherever reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha affirms conception is only possible with the presence of a lesser metaphysical creature to be reborn in the foetus (MN 93):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Do you know how there is the descent of an embryo?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;'Yes, master, we know how there is the descent of an embryo. There is the case where the mother &amp;amp; father have come together, the mother is fertile, and a gandhabba [the being about to be reborn] is standing present. The coming together of these three is the descent of the embryo.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddha affirms that Dhamma practise will turn a person into, let's face it, some sort of superman (DN 2):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the modes of supranormal powers. He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If taken metaphorically, the last quote can make sense. The first and second are fruits of a mind that was born in the VI BCE, before the discovery of genetics and physiology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19733/how-can-a-person-become-a-real-buddhist/19739#19739&quot;&gt;A previous question&lt;/a&gt; has answers that say that to be a Buddhism a person has to have &amp;quot;unwavering faith in Buddha&amp;quot;. Does that mean that to become a Buddhist I must give hand of science and start believing nonsense like this? Is it part of being a Buddhist believing everything the Buddha said is true, or must I be discerning and throw away things that are now know to be false?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have already understood that the role of Buddha is taken to be showing mankind the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. These do make sense for me, completely... But I'm stuck with those esoteric aspects of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11063" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T09:54:43.707" Title="Discernment or blind belief?" Tags="|tipitaka|psychic-powers|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20154" CreationDate="2017-04-17T18:53:53.267" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, the Buddha puts in check any blind faith his listeners might have about himself or the dhamma itself. A notorious sutta here is the  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, where he explains that the reasons for Pilotika to believe the enlightenment of the Buddha are insufficient to have him to state it to surely. In this case, he uses the simile of the elephant's footprint:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Brahmin, suppose an elephant woodsman were to enter an elephant wood and were to see in the elephant wood a big elephant’s footprint, long in extent and broad across. A wise elephant woodsman would not yet come to the conclusion: ‘Indeed, this is a big bull elephant.’ Why is that? In an elephant wood there are small she-elephants that leave a big footprint, and this might be one of their footprints. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On other occasion, the Buddha approaches people who are not his followers and starts his speech telling them to be careful about the reasons one believes in something. Such is the famous Kesaputtiya sutta also known as the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/35.4a-Kesaputtiya-S-a3.65-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kālāma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Kesaputtiya Sutta is a classic discourse on Buddhist epistemology, that is, theory of knowledge, or an investigation into what constitutes valid knowledge and what does not. [...] A remarkable feature of the Kesaputtiya Sutta is the comprehensive manner in which it covers the range&#xA;  of human knowledge and experience, that is, the cognitive, the conative, the affective and the spiritual. The cognitive aspect of the Sutta is covered by the Buddha’s reassuring that the Kālāmas have the right to doubt what is doubtworthy and exhorting them on the 10 doubtworthy points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another sutta that deals with the acceptance of views and how this acceptance affects one's life is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Apaṇṇaka sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which Thanissaro Bhikkhu has translated as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;a safe bet&quot;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One of these means [the Buddha resorted to] was the pragmatic argument, which differs from empirical arguments as follows. An empirical argument presents facts that logically imply that A must be true or false. A pragmatic argument focuses not on the facts related to A, but on the behavior that can be expected from a person who believes or rejects A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha's main pragmatic argument is that if one accepted his teachings, one would be likely to pay careful attention to one's actions, so as to do no harm. This in and of itself is a worthy activity regardless of whether the rest of the path was true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When applying this argument to the issue of rebirth and karmic results, the Buddha sometimes coupled it with a second pragmatic argument that resembles Pascal's wager: If one practices the Dhamma, one leads a blameless life in the here-and-now. Even if the afterlife and karmic results do not exist, one has not lost the wager, for the blamelessness of one's life is a reward in and of itself. If there is an afterlife with karmic results, then one has won a double reward: the blamelessness of one's life here and now, and the good rewards of one's actions in the afterlife. These two pragmatic arguments form the central message of this sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Thanissaro Bhikkhu &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is an important discourse that exposes what the Buddha calls &lt;em&gt;wrong views&lt;/em&gt;. It is a great source to understand indirectly what the Buddha approves to be knowledge -- by understanding how he exposes faulty inquiries of many different kinds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I hope suttas like these clarify that Buddhism does not demand one's blind faith on any matter. Not only it doesn't demand blind faith, but assertions about the Dhamma that have not being actually made known by those who proclaim it are subject to criticism (if the simile of the elephant's footprint is at all relevant).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, all buddhists aiming at the goals of Buddhism have to have some faith in things beyond their current reach. That the goal (end of suffering) is reachable, and that the path presented truly moves one toward that goal  are two obvious instances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But this faith is the very same faith one has on math class, or say, rock climbing class: faith that the teacher knows his trade, that it's possible for you to learn it, and that by the end of the course, you will know it. There's then a gradual &quot;substitution&quot; of that faith by knowledge; as you learn, the more confident in the path and teacher you become. This is daily activity, we all do it, and in Buddhism is not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, consider the situation were the student really, really needs the class and ponders over the options carefully. Then, the &quot;unwavering faith in the Buddha&quot; is just this: without fully trusting the teacher, one comes to believe one won't learn the class as well as one expects, or worst, one may think they are not safe under the care of the teacher. So right there the motivation ends and one abandons that class. That is why this strong confidence is required for those truly dedicated to realize the attainments declared by the Buddha, otherwise they will doubt the very possibility of it and abandon the training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Strong as it may be, however, the faith is provisional. It's mere confidence. And if the suttas above are at all important, they point to the very same attitude that mature scientists show: that we should never assert things we don't know as true if we have not come to know them as true -- we can always say &quot;according to the suttas&quot;, but that's different than saying &quot;this is true&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, no one interested in finding truth should discard nonsense because it's perceived as nonsense. For one example, for centuries the idea that the earth moves around the sun, and that the earth is actually spinning was nonsense (to our senses, it still is: I don't feel I'm spinning at all, and I can clearly see the sun moving around).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one should also believe in science for so many reasons. One of them, is that science is supposed to be known, not believed in (that was the whole point of the scientific revolution centuries ago) -- this is quite aligned with Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the point is that rebirth has never been under sufficient scientific scrutiny, enough to yield any conclusive information. The same can be said about the brain. That doesn't make the brain &quot;non-scientific&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, throw away what is false, yes. But one better be cautious so one is not mistaken about it -- since we usually are not cautious and we usually &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; mistaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last but not least, there are other interpretations of the quotes you provided, and many people believe rebirth in the suttas to be either a mis-interpretation or that it's presence in the texts are due to other reasons. Secular Buddhism, for example, is one branch that takes the so-called supernatural elements with grain of salt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But many monks are actually agnostic about rebirth or put this subject aside. Ajahn Brahmali from the forest tradition thinks &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/ven-na-ananda-nibbana-and-phenomenological-existentialism/2990/9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;that this is appropriate middle way on this matter&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T21:28:33.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20154" CreationDate="2017-04-17T19:05:37.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not explicitly say that rebirth also happened after (physical) death. This idea only arises when the word 'marana' ('death') is misunderstood. The word 'marana' is defined as the 'death' of the idea of a 'being' ('satta'). Refer to SN 12.2. 'A being' ('satta') is defined in SN 23.2 and SN 5.10 as a 'view' or 'state of attachment'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you (i.e. the mind) believe you are a 'husband'. This is 'birth'. When your wife leaves you for another man or when your wife dies, your self-identity as a 'husband' dies. This is 'death' ('marana') and from this death comes sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair. What has died is a certain sense of self or self-identity. 'Death' does not mean the death of the physical body. This is why all questions in the suttas about what happens to a Buddha after 'death' ('marana') are deemed to be invalid. Since a Buddha has no sense of 'self', a Buddha does not experience &quot;death&quot;. What happens to a Buddha is the &quot;termination of life&quot; (rather than &quot;death&quot;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Buddhadasa has not taught these things are metaphors. The word 'marana' is not a 'metaphor' because it is literally defined as a 'self-view' &amp;amp; the sorrowful ending of that self-view.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does not affirm ugliness is a direct consequence of past lives in MN 135. Instead, MN 135 states ugliness is a result of past kamma (intentional action). Again, you have misunderstood the language in the sutta. The Buddha has taught literally a person is ugly due to anger. Also, there is no evidence the Buddha actually spoke this sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same girl. Pretty &amp;amp; ugly due to different kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YWdEp.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/YWdEp.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/saHOe.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/saHOe.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to understand MN 135 thoroughly, you can read similar suttas, such as AN 4.197, which use less complex language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly, you need to research in the suttas how the words 'beautiful', 'ugly', 'wealthy', 'poor', 'long-lived', 'short-lived', etc, are used in other contexts, where it will be found these words are used in both psychological &amp;amp; physical contexts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does not affirm conception is only possible with the presence of a lesser metaphysical creature to be reborn in the foetus in MN 93 &amp;amp; also MN 38. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 38, the Buddha explicitly states three things are required for the creation of an embryo: (1) sexual intercourse; (2) the mother is in season; (3) the &lt;strong&gt;gandhabba&lt;/strong&gt; is present. The word 'gandhabba' has its linguistic root in the word 'scent' or 'smell' and obviously means 'sperm'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, the word 'gandhabba' has many uses in the suttas, such as used as a type of 'god'. For example, the Buddha was asked by a man after his enlightenment was he a 'gandhabba'. Maybe, in his radiance, the Buddha looked like a gigolo. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The term 'gandhabba' is very obtuse but in MN 38 is is quite clear to mean 'sperm'. In MN 93, the Buddha is talking to Brahmans thus the word 'gandhabba' here means whatever Brahmans believed it to mean (rather than what the Buddha took it to mean, such as in MN 38). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. In DN 2, the Buddha affirms that Dhamma practise will turn a person into, let's face it, some sort of superman. These are merely psychic powers based on the use of thought &amp;amp; electricity. Just as a TV tower can transmit TV waves across the atmosphere, so possibly can the human mind or brain that has developed this ability. There is nothing superstitious about this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You claim to be a 'scientist' yet seem to deny the brain may possibly have an ability to utilise electricity to transmit thought messages &amp;amp; images. What did Tesla say about the electrical fields of the Earth? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before I practised meditation, I never ever used to literally fly in my dreams. But since I developed a certain level of mediation, I often literally fly in my dreams (which is an amazing feeling since it is literally flying; jumping off high cliffs and flying over cities &amp;amp; over beautiful green landscapes). While I do not have any psychic powers, at least I believe the mind can mentally manifest flight (rather than physically). The mind with physic powers possibly can do this volitionally (whilst I cannot. It only occurs non-volitionally during my sleep).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are stuck with those aspects of Buddhism because you have devoted your life to science rather than to meditation. If you meditated more &amp;amp; attained stream-entry, all doubts would vanish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Nd0Xx.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Nd0Xx.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eBhKY.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/eBhKY.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hbBzx.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hbBzx.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9L6g4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9L6g4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T20:22:17.227" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T20:22:17.227" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20154" CreationDate="2017-04-17T20:48:57.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Discernment or blind belief?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is definitely demanding discernment and against blind belief (or blind faith).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Buddha affirms ugliness is a direct consequence of past lives (MN 135)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How a person's visage apprehended is generated by the mind, so to speak. A mind, is not just the thinking faculty. Think of the human thinking faculty, those formats of thinking, where do they come from? Many of the basic surviving abilities are not learnt, but born with. A bird is born to fly, a fish to swim, these abilities are there already, they are there at birth. Can the mind affect the physical, i.e., the visage? If one keeps thinking having a stomachache, surely after a while one will feel bad with the stomach. The mind has it's part that you are aware what it's doing, like thinking of stomachache; but it has the part that you aren't aware what it's doing, e.g., blood circulation. There are even deeper mind activities not detectable. Thus the mind capable of affecting the visage is not a myth. The nature of your mind at this moment is the totality of the past, past lives. Death is the physical deterioration, the mind keeps it's continuum whether you are dead or alive.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Buddha affirms conception is only possible with the presence of a lesser metaphysical creature to be reborn in the foetus (MN 93)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think lesser or greater is the right saying, it needed the &quot;gandhabba&quot; is valid. Grandhabba is the mind without the physical body, a form in the interval between death and rebirth. Unfortunately &quot;mind&quot; is only loosely a substitute for &quot;gandhabba&quot; in English. Here the &quot;gandhabba&quot; can be previously a fish, a cow, or a human, any sort of life form.(!) The foetus can be a pig, a pigeon, or a human, too.(!!) In the future when scientists are creating &quot;cow-headed fish&quot; (I believed they do now) in the lab, the &quot;gandhabba&quot; has to be presented too. Think of it, why a creature must it develop from organic base, whether by cell-cloning or in vitro fertilization. Do you think by combining and mixing the finest inorganic material such as titanium in nano scale life can be generated from? (It's possible when some &quot;gandhabba&quot; - mind/entity can inhabit even an inorganic object but I don't think you are ready for this and too complex for now) What's going on when life comes about? Do you think at this moment science has all the answers booked?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Buddha affirms that Dhamma practise will turn a person into, let's face it, some sort of superman (DN 2)&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is. You probably don't know, in the philosophical sphere those such as Nietzsche and Schopenhauer were influenced by Buddhism esp. the &quot;superman&quot; notion. Niet. wrote &lt;em&gt;Thus Spoke Zarathustra&lt;/em&gt; and Scho. &lt;em&gt;The World as Will and Representation&lt;/em&gt;. They willed for this superman power indeed. In fact any master claimed to master the practice must be able to demonstrate some sort of Rddhi powers, at least able to heal some sort of illness. In the ancient monastic life an accomplished Bhikkhus always visited by patients he should be able to heal. The healing is simply by, say, laying hands on the head or any place with afflictions. I don't think you are accepting this saying neither it's my task to convince you :). An Arahat is required to demonstrate the 18 kinds of &quot;superman power&quot; if they achieved Arahat-hood, recorded in many places in the Sutras/Suttas. Take one example, seeing, the succeeded practitioner his eyes can do both microscopic and telescopic functions. When we are fumbling with the iPhone, those functions in the iPhone were used to be the abilities of the succeeded practitioner. Else what are those meditations and long pain sittings for? Going to a gym at least can build the body with stronger muscle. Buddhist practice is training/building the mind, so to speak. Although &quot;superman power&quot; should never be the goal else one fallen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&quot;unwavering faith in Buddha&quot;&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This phrase is a bit strange. Buddhism has many branches, the methods could be varied. It's true and false. loosely saying, I think when practicing for the Pureland at the verge of dying, yes; or Tibetan during the Guru-yoga, yes. Ch'an, probably, no. And there is record about Ananda not succeeded after years attending at the side of the Buddha, finally he realized that even the Buddha was his cousin/brother(?) the Buddha wouldn't be able to give his achievement to Ananda, he must learn by himself and arrive by himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, a skeptical mind and discerning align with the teaching. However, an open mind is the key to the gate for knowledge beyond what science proclaimed. Science keeps refuting itself and it's own discovery, that means science not the ultimate truth.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T20:48:57.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20158" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-17T21:06:41.757" Score="4" ViewCount="544" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I wake up in the morning I don't feel like meditating straight away. I usually feel heavy and drowsy. So I have some breakfast and coffee and then I will sit. This morning I tried to sit for an hour as soon as I woke up but it was really difficult. My mind was not clear at all. Not sure I was thinking about anything in particular but I felt cloudy and uncomfortable with strong cravings to go back to sleep. I was so uncomfortable that I decided to open my eyes at 45 minutes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My meditation feels like a struggle a lot lately. I feel like I've kind of lost touch with why I'm doing it. It feels like a bit of a chore. Sitting there day in and day out watching the breath for years and years but failing to become any more concentrated unless on retreat has become kind of pointless. Does anyone else feel like this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was hoping that after all this time that maybe something would change in my life and I might see more clearly about how I cause myself suffering, that I would have &quot;insights&quot; but it seems to just be this endless watching the breath, thinking, watching the breath, thinking.  I'm not sure if maybe I'm expecting too much but it doesn't feel like I'm gaining any benefit for the amount of time I put in to it so then I start thinking that I'm doing it wrong etc. I can't believe that after 6 years I'm still thinking/feeling this way. Feeling intense Dukkha today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:39:52.773" Title="Meditation is a struggle" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-17T21:33:02.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nothing is the observer but there is observing. One must practice just seeing what arises and falls naturally without words and concepts that we use to make a different reality. Conceptual reality is human made as opposed to Ultimately reality that just is what it is, moment by moment, in our experiential awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you program computers perhaps this will help: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conceptual reality is to Ultimate reality like&#xA;Ruby language is to machine language. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cannot find a self when we see things as they are. As a rule of thumb, everything we experience is empty of self. Everything. Even the apparent observer or watcher. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not self simply shows us that we are empty of self as the trees and ponds and lakes obviously are empty of self too. To see anatta is to see yourself as just a bunch of impersonal processes.-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-04-17T23:05:00.893" LastActivityDate="2017-04-17T23:05:00.893" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20160" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-17T21:42:49.163" Score="23" ViewCount="8698" Body="&lt;p&gt;Im nearly 50 years old and so far in my life I have never found a sense of belonging or any sense of purpose. I haven't found a way to work that offers any sense of contribution or meaning. I have worked in low skilled low paid jobs struggling to make ends meet for over 30 years and going nowhere.  Now I'm at a point where I feel I just cannot do what is required of me in this society any longer. It's soul destroying. I have no motivation or desire to get out of bed and go to some mindless crappy job just so that I can eat and pay my bills while other people make billions for doing nothing and live in the lap of luxury. There has to be more to life than this. I have tried to find other things to do that are more rewarding such as creative endeavours but failed to find the confidence and determination to go out and make it happen and so I just end up back in the same crappy jobs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how does this relate to Buddhism you might be wondering. Well I guess I turned to Buddhism in desperation. I felt so bored and disenchanted with life that I thought there must be another way to see things. Buddhism seemed to offer that. So I begun meditating and went on some retreats. I begun learning how to watch the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have had a lot of psychological insight into the how I am the way I am because of my family etc over the years but this is more from reading than from meditating. &#xA;I thought that Buddhism would give me some sense of freedom  and help me to push through and change my life in a positive way but after 6 years I haven't really changed much and now I feel disappointed and disenchanted with Buddhism because it seems to promise so much but deliver so little. The only thing I can say is that I have learnt to react a little less. To notice impatience, anger and other difficult feelings and not react to them. Isn't there more to it than this? &#xA;I guess right now I am experiencing a range of difficult feelings and Buddhism would say notice how they are impermanent, notice how averse to them you are, notice how they are not self etc. So I do this but it doesn't make it any easier. They still keep arising and they are still really difficult, uncomfortable and painful and I still want to not feel this way. So then what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T14:25:32.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T08:11:25.493" Title="Disenchanted with Buddhism" Tags="|meditation|five-hindrances|doubt|" AnswerCount="13" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T00:31:52.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Speaking from my personal experience &amp;amp; character, I would probably not value Buddhism at all if i did not obtain satisfying peace &amp;amp; happiness from it. Buddhism has brought me peace &amp;amp; happiness for many years however I meditated for many months full-time in a monastery to develop this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have gained the impression from your posts you are a very honest person &amp;amp; don't spend your time fondling or playing with religion. Therefore, I provide an honest answer for you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think your experience of Buddhism is similar to most laypeople that meditate one or two hours per day, who gain some insight into their personality &amp;amp; habitual emotions and that is about it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists are 'religious', i.e., their interest or faith in Buddhism is related to a strong belief in &amp;amp; craving for reincarnation ('rebirth') rather than related to happiness from meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for myself, I do not believe in reincarnation or any kind of life after death. If meditation did not bring me peace, happiness &amp;amp; understanding, I probably would have no interest in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Nirvana, it is 'disenchantment' ('&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Nibbida&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nibbidā&lt;/a&gt;').  If there is enough disenchantment, the mind will stop craving or wanting anything from this world. When this is mature, the mind is peaceful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I was 23 years old, I left home to travel on some kind of search because I was completely disenchanted with worldly life. Luckily, I found Buddhism on my travels, when I wandered into a monastery as a tourist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, even today, I am also 50 years old now &amp;amp; I am often disenchanted with life, not so much inwardly, but more &amp;amp; more outwardly, as the world becomes more &amp;amp; more crazy with wars, total lies &amp;amp; complete disregard for human life, civility, the rule of law &amp;amp; society. I left my job two years ago because, suddenly, it became crazy, with the work values turning upside-down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I empathize with your situation. Not much is happening in this world that is positive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha left his home at 29 years old due to disenchantment (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;). When Buddha attained enlightenment &amp;amp; Nibbana, it was also due to disenchantment (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing thus, gets wearied of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception,&#xA;  gets wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness.&#xA;  Being wearied (disenchanted) he becomes passion-free. In his freedom&#xA;  from passion, he is emancipated. Being emancipated, there is the&#xA;  knowledge that he is emancipated. He knows: '(ego) birth is exhausted,&#xA;  lived is the holy life, what had to be done is done, there is nothing&#xA;  more of this (ego) becoming.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T01:14:02.880" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T01:14:02.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-04-18T01:09:33.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I inferred in my other post, for me, meditation must bring happiness, which comes from intensive development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you posted here: &quot;&lt;em&gt;failing to become any more concentrated &lt;strong&gt;unless on retreat&lt;/strong&gt; has become kind of pointless&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. This shows why retreat is important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as the sun starts to rise in the morning, I leave my home &amp;amp; go for a long walk in nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It certainly sounds like your mind is feeling &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; today. The Buddhist path does not come easy, unless practised a lot. This is why people become monks &amp;amp; nuns &amp;amp; live in a natural environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T01:09:33.010" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T02:00:19.463" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the nature of life. Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta.&#xA;First you have to accept these factors.&#xA;Once you accept these,the only way you can go is up.&#xA;Not Down. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T02:00:19.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T02:03:24.893" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't force it! Learn to find and follow your inspiration, to cultivate your inspiration :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is meant to be inspiring, the example of Buddha is meant to be an example you can relate to - he too could not find his place in the world before he escaped from the palace. Then he got inspired!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Managing inspiration is the foremost practice in Buddhism. Obviously, being inspired by lust/greed or hatred/negativity is destructive, but being inspired by positive things is not just O-kay, it is actually helpful... and good! :) Being inspired by Dharma is best, but for starters, just work on being inspired by positive things, things you like, that are not harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not suppress all of your desires/impulses, do not inhibit all energy completely, that's an extreme of self-mortification, not Buddhism. Instead, learn to follow your heart - even if it creates trouble for you temporarily, as long as it's inspired by your spiritual quest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to follow your heart, to its (positive) desire, then have the guts and the will/intent to pursue that until the end, even if it seems far-fetched or unrealistic, then feed on that energy that comes from your confidence/commitment to your choice (even if you fail, result doesn't matter), then reinvest that energy into the new quest. As long as quest is spiritually motivated in the broad sense, it will get you a step closer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do what you truly want deep down. Be brutally honest with yourself and do what you really want. No need to find the one thing you really want. Start small. Do hundred small things that you really want, then you will find a bigger one hiding in plain sight and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will feel more alive as you do this, it will take time to build up through trial and error, but it should get you real results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I apologize for 100% practice-based answer, with no references. I hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T02:14:59.047" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T02:14:59.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T02:24:34.473" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am sorry to say this @Arturia, but you have so far taken the wrong approach to Dhamma. But it is not late, and you can correct yourself going forward. The problem is not in the teachings, but in you being misled to go the wrong way. It is not your fault though. In the present-day world wrong views have gained widespread currency. These wrong views promote wrong intentions, wrong modes of conduct, and leads us astray. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good thing is that you seem to have a sense of humility and honesty that will be of immense help to be able to understand the true nature of things. The more that one gets to see this reality the more one’s mind automatically gives up attachments to this world voluntarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who is striving to walk this PATH, should first learn the key fundamentals from one who has gone through at least the first stages of the Path. Finding this person is not easy. Once you do find this person, the first thing that he will tell you is that there is much to be done before you even start on meditation. Before meditating it is important that you learn the true nature of this world (anicca, dikkha, anatta). Not just intellectually but truly. Then you will gradually remove a bulk of defilements. Then you will start to comprehend that it is not possible to achieve and maintain anything to one’s satisfaction. Here it is important to note that you do not have to remove any attachments by force. When one comprehends Dhamma to the level to see not only the unfruitfulness but the dangers of our ‘normal way’ of going about things, you start becoming more and more detached from things. Then your attachment to sense pleasures lessen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This in turn lessens the tendency to do unfruitful and harmful things because of a “covered mind”. For this you need to increase the knowledge of Dhamma.  You are going to come across many a PALI TERMS. All these different terms could be confusing to those who are new to these terms. But one will get used to these terms with time, and it is important to understand what they mean (not just to memorize) in the long term. With usage, they will become familiar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By comprehending anicca, dukkha, anatta to a certain extent, removes ‘ditthi’ or wrong views. It may seem simple, but it requires lot of effort to discipline the mind to get to that stage, mostly via learning and contemplating Dhamma.  One has by now reduced the strength of attachment to “worldly things” to the extent that one will not do certain immoral actions no matter how much wealth or sense pleasure is at stake.  Only at this stage of practice will you be ready to start practicing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people start meditating without any idea of the goal. Having a road map is necessary to get to an unknown destination. Starting to meditate without having an idea of what to meditate on is like just getting in the car and start driving without having a map showing where the destination is. Finding the map is the hardest and most important part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We need to examine what is meant by “bhavana” (meditation). The Buddha said that even listening to a discourse is bhavana. When listening attentively, one’s mind gets focused on it, comes to samadhi, and can get to the PATH. This is contemplation on the key Dhamma concepts, in particular anicca, dukkha, anatta.  Also it is to try to get an understanding of the Buddha’s world view. This meditation (bhavana) involves mainly the contemplation and examination of dhamma concepts. Formal meditation techniques are needed mainly after this stage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T02:24:34.473" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-04-18T02:59:13.543" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I usually feel heavy and drowsy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Slot and Toper. You should overcome this and other &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;. Many of the techniques are found in: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.6-Thinamiddha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thīna,middha&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan [these might also be interesting: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.5-Vyapada-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vyāpāda&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.7-Uddhaccakukkucca-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uddhacca,kukkucca&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.8-Vicikiccha-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicikicchā&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.2-Kamacchanda-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kāma-c,chanda&lt;/a&gt; by the same author]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...  Feeling intense Dukkha today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do not achieve spiritual goals unsatisfactoriness may arise. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Best is try to keep you mind and practice steady. Also see if you are putting too much effect leading to restless worry. Also do not measure progress too often. Just do what needs to be done, i.e., just practice!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T06:52:21.467" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T03:33:03.670" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Im nearly 50 years old ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be realising the fact of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/a&gt; at the intellectual level (Cintā Maya Paññā). You have to try to re enforce this at the meditation level (Bhāvanā Maya Paññā). Once this is properly re enforced, you can come out of your the unsatisfactoriness which you are experiencing. For this you have to do a meditation techniques which is suitable to you and also ensure you are doing the techniques properly. Learning from books or experimenting on your own may not be the most effective way to get about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the path is also conditioned hence requires effort and can be also painful or unsatisfactory, but more steps you take on the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 fold part&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt; lesser the pain and burden. Also be mindful you are doing it the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One stage in meditation when it is going right is disenchantment towards the 5 aggregates (Nibbida), which is as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So how does this relate to Buddhism ... disenchanted ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disenchantment with the world of 5 argerates is a good sign and can be a inspiration for spiritual practice to get out of the unsatisfactory situation. You have to also reinforce the disenchantment you have realised intellectually through meditation, but in this case towards the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt;, not with the teaching as this can easily due to doing the wrong technique or not doing it properly. How to develop disenchantment towards the 5 aggregates through cultivation can be found in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbida&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekādasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have had a lot of psychological ... So then what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disenchantment with the practice may arise when your spiritual practice does not go the way you want because you have built up expectations, which also hinders progress. Related to this, the unpleasant feeling of renunciation, is also touched in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are doing this on your own perhaps you might have missed some aspect of the theory or practice. In addition if you are craving for results or doing meditation for the sake of result then the results become elusive. This may intern lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicikitsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;spiritual doubt&lt;/a&gt; which is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrance&lt;/a&gt;. You could also be trying too hard. Also may not be balancing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhipakkhiy%C4%81dhamm%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;seven sets / 37 factors of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; properly. Also the unpleasant feeling generated due to this have a multiplicative effect. Developing equanimity towards it lessens the burden and pain. Some essential key point about the practice, through in a different context, can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20146/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and my other answers. As long as you are doing a suitable practice and also doing it properly, do not worry about it results, as they will come in due time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it might be a good idea to do a retreat to learn the technique properly. You can try finding a place near you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.dhamma.org/en/index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.internationalmeditationcentre.org/global/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T17:13:08.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20154" CreationDate="2017-04-18T03:45:19.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do not have to believe in these things if you do not want to but do not reject then outright also. Though maybe not all aspects, you might realize some aspects of Buddhism which you might have rejected earlier as acceptable through empirical verification through meditation and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 fold path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the meditation to work and for you to practice in earnest without any psychological stumbling block you have to have faith in the techniques (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Threefold Training&lt;/a&gt;) and your teacher. The faith in your teacher is that you know he is teaching you the right techniques and he knows what he is teaching. To start with this is all the faith you need, but you can and have to refine it as you take more steps in the path. Also through wise attention, the path (3 fold training) path is realised. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] So meditation is to develop wise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T03:45:19.863" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2017-04-18T07:28:26.423" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Dhammasangini for different cittas the possible lists of chetasikas are given.  These lists contain much more than 52 chetasikas.  The 52 chetasikas have been obtained by removing chetasikas of similar meaning and including chetasikas from other sources. (like Anupada sutta) Some chetasikas as seen above give a 'color' to chittas (kusala, akusala).  Some are doing a definite action (phassa, sanna, chetana etc)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11172" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T07:28:26.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20154" CreationDate="2017-04-18T09:54:43.707" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are several &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=faith+is%3Aquestion&quot;&gt;topics about faith&lt;/a&gt; on this site.&#xA;I think that &quot;faith&quot; may be a preliminary state e.g. as described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/3681/254&quot;&gt;this topic&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you were drowning and someone throws you a rope, you need enough faith (or confidence, belief, understanding, lack of doubt) in the saviour and solution to take and use the rope.&#xA;The metaphor is applicable whether you're drowning in water, drowning in sensuality, drowning in despair, or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There may be parts of the dharma (for example you mention the doctrines of rebirth, or of psychic powers) that are useless to you: you don't know how, you're unable to make use of them.&#xA;Suminda's answer says, &quot;You do not have to believe but do not reject&quot;; and Thiago's, &quot;actually agnostic about rebirth or put this subject aside&quot;.&#xA;I guess my answer is that the parts which you are unable to use are simply irrelevant: they don't come up; they don't form part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soteriology#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the solution&lt;/a&gt; which is available to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T09:54:43.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T10:09:07.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm running short of time however, I can't help trying to offer what I thought that's useful for you after reading your OP. I totally agree with you the world is crazy and many doings are meaningless. I myself a very artistic person this world is too rough for me. I also felt the same I'm out of the place/ don't fit in, people seem can easily living like fish in water but I have to learn how to live a human life, including how to interact with other humans, literally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A) &lt;em&gt;Change happens and it happens beginning from the inside:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...low skilled low paid jobs...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Change your attitude of work, if you can't do without the job, treat it as a service to other humans. If one is more thorough with Buddhist teaching, sweeping the floor is the most noble job ;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B) &lt;em&gt;Compassion is magnetic:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to help others, this will nourish your heart. Compassion is a magnetic force, a heart full of compassion will attract blissful conditions to your life. &lt;em&gt;Compass&lt;/em&gt; is made of a magnet, right? So you know &lt;em&gt;compass&lt;/em&gt;ion is the greatest guide to where you want your life to be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;C) &lt;em&gt;Accept what happened, by accepting one finds the ground to lay foot to move forward:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure what your Buddhist learning and the tradition you are with. Mahayana Buddhist (my learning is based on Chinese Classical Sutras thus I'm more in this field but I'm not interested in labels) accepts the notion of Karma, the exact place where you are is the totality of your past doings, including those past(s) you forgot, i.e., past lives. Therefore if someone seems bad but enjoying luxurious life without effort, it's also the totality of what he done in the past upto now. He could have done great sacrifice/deeds in the past but you just don't know. We don't know how all those equations work out and how the sum calculated, for many past(s) are forgotten. Therefore, understanding this, the notion of Karma, it's easier for one to accept whatever condition you have at this moment, and take full responsibility of it. Then you can begin to transform your situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism would say notice how they are impermanent, notice how averse&#xA;  to them you are, notice how they are not self etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are learning Buddhism in the English community with strong Theravadist teaching. In fact it's not like a pair of shoes fit all sizes all the time, and more. It will be too complex to explain in short. Meditating on these notions wouldn't help you in this moment of unrest. If you are still able to find the peace to do meditation, I suggest, you may do just by observing the breath, calm the mind, when disturbing thoughts/worries come by you will notice it immediately then remember to return to the breath instead let it go on to create a movie/story in your mind. If you are able to enter more into the meditative state, then you will begin to see that there is an unconditional existing in you, that is blissful, and capable, life is just the same like a movie, except it's not projected on a screen in the cinema, but on the canvas of the world. With it then your mind maybe able to receive insight, which will guide you and help navigating in life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are more to add on meditation, and more on the different methods, however I'm not sure if my assumption is in accord with your situation. I will just leave it as is now.          &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T15:09:10.490" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T15:09:10.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2017-04-18T10:11:32.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cetasikas can be put into 3 main division: feeling, perception and fabrications. It is the mental proliferation and volitional activities which create the fabrications. This might be the key elements in trying to piece together how it related to Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is &lt;strong&gt;contact&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one &lt;strong&gt;perceives&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one &lt;strong&gt;thinks about&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one &lt;strong&gt;mentally proliferates&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving and clinging closely related to I and Mine conceiving (thinking about and mentally proliferating) as there is a subject who want or do not wants. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Me and mine conceiving is through &amp;quot;thinking about&amp;quot; (from above list). [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] So thinking about and mentally proliferation is related to craving and clinging also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with the six sense-bases as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;contact&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with contact as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;feeling&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with feeling as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;craving&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with craving as condition, there is &lt;strong&gt;clinging&lt;/strong&gt;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.15-Paticcasamuppada-Vibhanga-S-s12.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Paṭicca,samuppada) Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There other interesting relationships also. Here again thinking follows perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;perceptions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of perceptions, there arises the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;thoughts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of thoughts, there arises the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;desires&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of desires, there arises the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;passions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent on the diversity of passions, there arises the diversity of &lt;strong&gt;searching&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:29:39.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T10:31:34.237" Score="23" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not the answer. Buddhism is not the problem, either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You turned to Buddhism looking for a quick fix to your life, and now that you haven't found that quick fix after 6 years you are lashing out. I get the impression there is a lot of pent up anger in you. Anger at the world, anger at your job, anger at the so-called &quot;better off&quot; people who earn millions for doing nothing, and now anger at Buddhism for not fixing it for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not a quick fix. It is not the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is merely a toolkit which enables &lt;em&gt;you&lt;/em&gt; to fix &lt;em&gt;yourself&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not Buddhism. Going on retreats is not Buddhism. Reading the Pali Canon is no Buddhism. You can meditate all day every day for the rest of your life and not find happiness. You can read every Buddhist work ever written and not find happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Turning to any religion or philosophy and expecting it to put right everything that is wrong is not how to make things better. All you are doing is finding a new target to point the finger of blame at when it doesn't &quot;do it for you&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation doesn't create happiness. It merely calms and clears the mind washing away the unimportant cares of the world and allow you to focus it on what really matters. The mind is &quot;like a rampaging elephant&quot;. Only when it is calmed and tamed can you sit on its back and make it go where you want. Meditation calms and trains that elephant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read and learn every bit of musical theory you can get your hands on, but it won't make you a concert pianist. Only practice will do that for you. It's like that with Buddhism. You can know all about it, but if you do not &lt;em&gt;practice&lt;/em&gt; it (and by that I don't mean meditating every day), Buddhism will not do anything for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The majority of people's problems with the world - not finding their place in it, not being happy with their role in life, not liking what they are doing, etc - is not because the world is at fault. It is their view of the world that is wrong. &quot;With our thoughts we shape the world&quot; is one of the truest phrases ever uttered. You cannot change the world. You cannot even change other people. The only thing you can change is yourself, and that starts with changing how you view the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, it's not an easy task. But that's what meditation is for - to help you keep focused on that task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;You have been in a succession of low-paid menial jobs and don't earn enough to make ends meet.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two things wrong with that statement, and both highlight the problems of your world view - of your perception of life. You are not in a &quot;menial&quot; job. You have the good fortune to be in a job that is free of stress and responsibility. Do you really want to be paid lots of money for doing next to nothing? No one is paid lots of money for doing next to nothing. They are paid lots of money to take the fall when things go wrong. They are paid lots of money to make the business decisions that affect the lives of thousands of employees. I for one wouldn't want the stress and responsibility that rests on their shoulders, not for all the tea in China.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You don't have a menial job. You have an easy, care free, job.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you aren't happy with where you are it is through a desire to be something you are not. A desire to be someone else. You are who you are, not who the media says you ought to be. In the words of Crosby, Stills and Nash: &quot;If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with&quot;. Most misery in life comes from wanting what you can't have - and if/when you get it you then want something more. That wanting, that craving, is, as Buddha taught us, the cause of all suffering in the world. When you let go of that craving for something else and accept who and what you are, that is when peace and happiness begins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And you can't make ends meet? So move the ends. Some people get a longer piece of string, and you know what happens to long pieces of string: they always end up in a tangled mess. Some steal someone else's string and tie it to their own. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or you can try tying it around something smaller. Do you really need a new fancy mobile phone? Do you need that pair of earrings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist Monk has nothing except a razor and a spare robe. My favourite teacher, Ajahn Brahm, tells a story (one of many, he does love his stories. You should look him up on Youtube, his way of teaching will open your eyes). I forget if it was actually about himself or another monk, but it basically goes like this (I am no story teller, so forgive me):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk, it may have been Ajahn Brahm, or his teacher, Ajahn Chah, or someone else, I forget, had been giving a talk to the lay people. It was a good inspiring talk, and afterwards one of the lay people came up to the monk full of gratitude and wanting to do something in return. Monks aren't allowed to have money, so he said to the monk &quot;I have $100 here for you. I know you can't have it, but if you tell me what you'd like I'll go and buy it for you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the monk starts thinking: what would I like? The first thing that comes to mind is &quot;a piece of paper to write a list on&quot;. Then he thinks &quot;And a pen to write the list with&quot;. It starts to get dark, so he thinks &quot;a torch so I can see at night would be good too&quot;. Before long his list has grown and grown and grown, including such things as a cushion to sit on while meditating, a new bowl for the alms round, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next day the lay person comes back to see what the monk would like him to buy. The monk says to him:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Don't you ever do anything like that to me again! I was in torment all night, tossing and turning, making a list of things to get. It was hell!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... Or something to that effect anyway. The point is, when you start becoming attached to the world like that it only breeds more attachment. And that attachment breeds suffering. It leads to a desire to have more, a desire to change who/where you are through the accumulation of &quot;things&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is only when you start &lt;em&gt;being&lt;/em&gt; a Buddhist, instead of &lt;em&gt;learning about&lt;/em&gt; Buddhism, that your life will change - and that change will be instantaneous and surprising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I myself rarely &lt;em&gt;sit and meditate&lt;/em&gt;. However I am almost constantly meditating. Meditation isn't just about sitting in the lotus position going &quot;Om&quot;. It's about being still within yourself. I am meditating right now whilst writing this. My mind is calm, my thoughts are clear. I'm financially broke. Both Trump and Kim Jong-Un have silly hair. Life is great.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T10:31:34.237" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-04-18T10:54:36.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think an hour is too long. It's too long on your body, and it makes meditation a more daunting challenge. I also sit with my eyes open, which is standard in Zen. Having your eyes closed makes you more likely to fall asleep, and having them open brings you fully into the here and now (although you might find it difficult if you're not used to it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't sit immediately after getting out of bed. Have a wash, get into loose clothing, spend 5 - 10 minutes having a tea or coffee. You can also do some yoga, which will stretch your body and wake you up a bit more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a set time at which to sit so there isn't a debate or struggle going on in your mind. Then just sit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't have expectations about what meditation should be. If you're sleepy or distracted, then that's just what is. Sit with it, don't judge it, don't comment on it, don't reproach yourself. As long as you maintain awareness, and correct thinking and sleepiness when you notice them, you're doing it right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone who has an established practice has gone through and continues to go through periods like this, and very often it feels like a chore. Don't have expectations! Just knuckle down and get on with it :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also strongly advise you to make contact with a temple/monastery/meditation group - having the support of fellow meditators who are going through the same things as you is an invaluable aid to your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: Don't have breakfast before meditation, food in the belly interferes with your posture and promotes sleepiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastEditorDisplayName="user10515" LastEditDate="2017-04-21T15:40:44.247" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T15:40:44.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-18T11:31:17.640" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sathi means consciousness.  Pattänaya means wedge (something that we keep to prevent an object rolling down an inclined plane). Sathi Pattänaya can be used to wedge the consciousness in order to understand the Four Noble Truths (wedge here, is mentioned as an example).   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sathi Pattänaya is Four Fold - Käyänupassanä, Cittänupassanä, Védanänupassanä, Dhammänupassanä.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Käyänupassanä&lt;/strong&gt; is the observation of &lt;em&gt;body&lt;/em&gt; of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cittänupassanä&lt;/strong&gt; is the observation of &lt;em&gt;mind&lt;/em&gt; of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Védanänupassanä&lt;/strong&gt; is the observation of &lt;em&gt;experiences&lt;/em&gt; of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammänupassanä&lt;/strong&gt; is the observation of &lt;em&gt;phenomina&lt;/em&gt; of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While these can be practiced separately, a skillful apprentice will practice all four of these observations from the time he or she wakes to the time he or she sleeps. It is also important to note that anäpänä sathi meditation is practiced under Käyänupassanä with a clear understanding of Samma Ditti.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to note that throughout this meditation Buddha repeats that one should affirm these observants are not me, not mine, not my soul.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Added as a separate answer due to a requisition by the initial poster of the question. This can be moved into a separate question &quot;What is sathipattäna meditation?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T11:36:29.023" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T11:36:29.023" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T12:41:42.857" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally things happen due to cause and effect so use that to your advantage by creating the causes for happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to work on the grosser aspects  before you can work with the subtle.First cultivate happiness.Otherwise your going to be gritting your teeth through the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are a few practical suggestions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.Keep the sila (precepts)&lt;/strong&gt;. This just by itself can remove a huge chunk of misery.But it can take awhile to see any results,maybe think of giving yourself a year to work on just keeping the precepts.It's very good for the long run. Sila is like a protective shield.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.Make Dana (Giving)&lt;/strong&gt;.You mentioned that you've been working low paying jobs.Make LOTS OF DANA.I know it's hard to give but start slowly.Also bear in mind the most effective way of giving:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1).To get the most out of your giving.Choose a person worthy of gifts.For example a noble person,an arahant,a teacher,monastics.Even if their not Buddhists choose someone who is pure and noble.I would actively seek out teachers or monasteries to donate to if i strongly suspect they are very advanced in their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2).Give to a person who Needs it.This is more meaningful then giving to a person who doesn't need anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3).Make sure your state of mind when giving is pure or descent.Maybe meditate first or do chanting or contemplate the dhamma.Don't regret giving.This can affect your returns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4).Avoid stealing.Or taking anything that's not given.Practice sharing.The richer you want to be the more you should give.The effects vary for most people.i generally see the effects of giving much faster.But i can't speak for others.As this depends on our own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.Make Merits.&lt;/strong&gt; Do volunteer work,charity,Honour the Buddha,listen to the dhamma,help someone,be kind to someone etc.This will open doors of opportunity and bring happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.Finally &lt;strong&gt;Practice the BRAHMAVIHARAS.&lt;/strong&gt; I cannot stress this enough.It is like a painkiller or morphine,it will keep you high and on cloud nine in samsara.Its effects are much more immediate than other meditations which can take a while to see their results.the biggest problem for me when i practice brahmaviharas is that things life can seem soo smooth and happy that i forget to practice!so even when you experience the effects of brahmavihara practice don't slack off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically what i'm trying to say is you need to work on being happy first.And you do this by using your knowledge of karma,cultivating the necessary causes that will bring forth its effects.when the mind is happy,calm,stable,contented (Samadhi) THEN you can REALLY SEE these subtle insights of impermanence,greed,hate,delusions which will ultimately release you from all suffering.But don't try to jump there by skipping through an important step of making the mind happy first.Only a happy,calm,contented (samadhi) mind can see the truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T12:41:42.857" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-04-18T12:50:27.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you struggle with sitting and meditating then don't sit and meditate. That can come in time. There are more ways of meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Myself, I like to go for a walk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking meditation is an important practice, and is commonly interspersed between sitting meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In walking meditation I like to stroll slowly. It may just be around the room, or around the garden, or even a longer distance walk - it's up to you, whatever you feel comfortable with. Focus on every action you perform while walking. The feel of the floor under your feet as you set them down. The movement of the muscles as you move your arms and legs. The feel of the air against your skin. The sound of the birds singing. Oh, and your breathing of course. The feel of the air passing your lips...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's all calming the mind and bringing you thoughts back within yourself. You don't have to sit in the lotus position and go &quot;Om&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T12:50:27.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20082" CreationDate="2017-04-18T13:06:32.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the homeless person and the monk? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They both choose to be in the temple. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;They both have nothing to call their own.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess the biggest difference is imposed by those that aren't either a beggar or a monk: &quot;I see you as a monk, therefore you are allowed here. I see you as a dropout from society as therefore you aren't allowed here.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk may have more knowledge of the Dhamma, and may live his life according to it, but who's to say the homeless person doesn't? He may be a devout Buddhist, which is why he was drawn to stay in the temple. The label of &quot;homeless person&quot; comes associated with a whole host of negative connotations. A monk is a &quot;homeless person&quot;. He chooses to gather (as Buddha suggested) with others of the right mind (Right Association). By coming to the temple, is not this other &quot;homeless&quot; person merely enacting Right Association?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kudos to him/her, I say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T13:06:32.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20059" CreationDate="2017-04-18T13:08:04.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best posture? Simple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The posture that is most comfortable and affords the least distractions to your mind (aches, pains, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T13:08:04.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T13:17:43.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;With all due respect to your problem and situation, please take some time to read this: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sunita the outcast (Theragatha (-gāthā) - 12.1.2)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.12.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Further Reading&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important not to forget why you turned to Buddhism and be open to it's understanding of the problems you face. All your problems are due to pancha upädänakkhanda , which by definition is suffering / sad as expressed in the Four Noble Truths. Ideally you need to acknowledge this and detach (disenchant) yourself with them; and extend this perspective when looking at your own mind and body (pancha upädänakkhanda) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What has been missing in your pursuit of Buddhism is Sammä Ditti. Without the proper view &lt;strong&gt;as described clearly in Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; things that your do, almost ritualistic and samatha meditation, will undoubtedly make you feel unhappy upon lack of proper outcomes. The point is, Buddhism clearly states that such things (sankhatha) are sorrowful by nature in the long run. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you realize the Four Noble Truths through Samma Ditti, soon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-19T04:31:32.550" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T04:31:32.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20182" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-18T13:53:50.760" Score="9" ViewCount="488" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have two questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, I grew up roman catholic, but now in my mid twenties, I am beginning to notice that a lot of my beliefs and actions don't align with Christianity so I started reading other religious and way of life books and for some reason, Buddhism or the way of life of the Buddha was calling my name. First question, if I am beginning on this path, which books would you recommend I read? That is, a book which has all the teachings of the Buddha/ philosophies. Does Buddhism mean being aware of our conciousness, is life only present in our minds, is it a way for us to be truly happy by being one with the universe, or just be at peace with oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, I recently picked up a book called &quot;The Power of Now&quot; by Eckhart Tolle and I am getting  confused. By asking us to observe our thoughts or be ever present in order to achieve consciousness. Is that even possible? Can our minds ever be so still to the point where no thought will arise for blocks at a time in order to be fully present? I mean I am always thinking even when I try to meditate which makes it hard for me to see that happening. How do you watch your thoughts by not thinking? Also by saying the power of now, does it mean when I go out, I should marvel at all the trees, smell the leaves, I don't know maybe talk to people as opposed to what? What does it mean to be truly present? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11184" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T19:35:35.060" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T12:50:51.110" Title="Starting Buddhism" Tags="|meditation|beginner|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-18T14:23:49.863" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As for books for a beginer see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/12794&quot;&gt;Recommendation - Book for beginner&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to thoughts and meditation see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20146/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can our minds ever be so still to the point where no thought will arise for blocks at a time in order to be fully present?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also possible but not a recommended Buddhist practice. You have to increase wholesome thoughts and decrease unwholesome thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, the arising of thought,  is of two kinds,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say, to be resorted to or not to be resorted to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this arising of thought is either the one or the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.8-Sevitabbasevitabba-S-m114-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sevitabbâsevitabba Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also beyond the 1st Jhana thoughts do not arise. Jhanas are wholesome hence can be practiced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T15:42:30.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-18T14:29:37.200" Score="3" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First, you should stand a Buddhist by taking refuge in the Triple Gems Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.&lt;/strong&gt; If you find it hard to be-humble yourself without extensive exploration, I &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;invite&lt;/a&gt; you to do so. Following that, take refuge in Buddha Dhamma and Sangha. Any Buddhist practice short of this is basically useless.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next, maintain discipline in pancha seelaya.&lt;/strong&gt; That is, avoid killing, avoid stealing, avoid adultery, avoid lying, avoid intoxication. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next, find out what the Four Noble Truths are.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next, find out what the Noble Eightfold Path is.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to protect yourself from following wrong views and finding the truth; then becoming a Buddhist step by step&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 95: Canki Sutta — With Canki {M ii 164} A pompous brahman teenager questions the Buddha about safeguarding, awakening to, and attaining the truth. In the course of his answer, the Buddha describes the criteria for choosing a reliable teacher and how best to learn from such a person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do note that there are alot of false practices like ridding the mind of thoughts which have stemmed out wrong views (Miccä Ditti). It is easy to differentiate them if a person knows and even partially understands the above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will not reap any benefits of proper Buddhism if you don't follow the above. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T23:58:56.970" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T23:58:56.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20120" CreationDate="2017-04-18T14:35:14.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once one achieved stream-entry, one will know what is what. The same applied to once returner, non-returner etc. In layman term to make clear, if one go to a retreat home/dwelling, the entrance to the dwelling is the path(magga) and the dwelling where one(stream-enterer) stay is fruition(phala). But magga is very very short just like passing by the entrance while phala is the stage where one (stream-enterer or once returner or non-returner or arahant) can be in this stage for long enough depend on the concentration achieved just like dwelling in a retreat home. If pre-determined before meditation session, can stay in the specific fruition stage for a definite period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T14:35:14.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20120" CreationDate="2017-04-18T14:38:00.903" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eradicating all craving and realizing nibbäna &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T14:38:00.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-18T15:55:07.607" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First question, if I am beginning on this path, which books would you recommend I read? That is, a book which has all the teachings of the Buddha/ philosophies.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more than one school of Buddhism (see e.g. &quot;Theravada&quot; and &quot;Mahayana&quot;) so that's slightly difficult to answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend the answers to these topics (which are asking about the Pali suttas):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4109/254&quot;&gt;English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/4112/254&quot;&gt;Chronological or other sequence for beginners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12794/254&quot;&gt;Recommendation - Book for beginner&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8462/254&quot;&gt;How to Study the Suttas?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/60/254&quot;&gt;Introductory books to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/18085/254&quot;&gt;Getting Started&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/18214/254&quot;&gt;Advices on start practicing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/15890/254&quot;&gt;Which is the Buddhist holy book? Where can it be read?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, because you're interested in a book which explains a &quot;way of life&quot;, I recommend, &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World&lt;/em&gt; (which also introduces the suttas, but categorizes them and picks the ones which are especially intended for people in lay society).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help&quot;&gt;a list of &quot;Useful resources&quot;&lt;/a&gt; online, recommended by various users of this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Secondly, I recently picked up a book called &quot;The Power of Now&quot; by Eckhart Tolle and I am getting confused. What does it mean to be truly present?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not recommend Eckhart Tolle's book as Buddhist, nor as a lucid introduction to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T23:55:20.333" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T23:55:20.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17163" CreationDate="2017-04-18T15:58:38.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) Cétasika can be expressed in general as Vedanä, Sangna, Sankhara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vedana&lt;/strong&gt; - Experience &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sangna&lt;/strong&gt; - Recognition &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sankhara&lt;/strong&gt; - Constructing  Formations (pancha upädänakkhanda) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cétasika is considered an ultimatum in meaning. The other three ultimatum are Citta, Rupa and Nibbana. Cétasika are broken down in detail in Abhidhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Cétasika is very detailed and occur in each conscious moment. Hence their contribution to Paticcha Samuppada is involved in many stages. &lt;strong&gt;Avijja&lt;/strong&gt;, for example is backed by cétasika. &lt;strong&gt;Sankhara&lt;/strong&gt; is backed by cétasika. &lt;strong&gt;Vinñana&lt;/strong&gt; is essentially Citta and Citta don't arise without accompanying cétasika. &lt;strong&gt;Nama Rupa&lt;/strong&gt; is essentially pancha upädänakkhanda, which in turn is Rupa, Vedana, Sagna, Sankhara, Vinñana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all gets messy if, one tries to mix them up without fully understanding them individually (understanding pancha upädänakkhanda, understanding paticca samuppada). Once you understand them well, it's important to refer to Abhidhamma before trying to correlate them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-18T23:57:01.400" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T23:57:01.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-18T16:03:41.593" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I'm&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; nearly 50 years old.. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; have never found a sense of belonging... &#xA; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; haven't found a way to work that...  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I'm&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; at a point where &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; feel &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; just cannot...  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; have no motivation...  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; have tried to find other things..  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; just end up back in the same crappy jobs...  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; turned to Buddhism in desperation... &lt;strong&gt;&lt;code&gt;I&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; felt so bored and disenchanted...&quot; etc. etc. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The real issue is highlighted and marked in bold for your convenience. The whole question is full of it!  Buddhism is all about resolving that one and only problem that matters. You just need to find a proper teacher. Here's a booklet on how to resolve it: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T11:20:53.783" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T11:20:53.783" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-18T17:26:19.543" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should have at least a copy of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;amp;field-keywords=Dhammapada&amp;amp;rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ADhammapada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;. I would also recommend &quot;In the Buddha's Words&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;amp;field-keywords=978-0-86171-491-9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;978-0-86171-491-9&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd also recommend subscribing to BSWA (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Youtube&lt;/a&gt;. They broadcast all their dhamma talks and sutta classes, as well as guided meditations. A brilliant resource for the beginner and more advanced alike (as long as you don't mind Ajahn Brahm's corny jokes).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastActivityDate="2017-04-18T17:26:19.543" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-04-19T00:08:24.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're experiencing physical and mental problems, it could very well be lack of nutrients, exercise and sleep. I suggest you do a quick check on these. You might find this book very helpful: &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0316113514&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Spark&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watching breath without knowing why you're doing is likely to do more harm than good. Anäpänä sathi meditation is supposed to be done with Sammä Ditti. Sammä Ditti is not a simple topic and becomes best understood once you become an arhat. I suggest reading material on Arya / Lokotthara Sammä Ditti before doing any Buddhist practice related to meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope your problems are sorted out soon and may your realize the Four Noble Truths soon through the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T00:08:24.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20195" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-19T01:17:24.977" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my standard recommendation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism Course&lt;/a&gt; by Chan Khoon San (takes about 12 hours to read and give you a good idea about the teaching)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Print a copy of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=16785&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this Dhamma Chart&lt;/a&gt; and refer to it while studding Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddha-teachingsurw6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Teachings&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Narada Mahathera. Start from chapter 15.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;While you reading above texts please listen to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/talk/6162/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Joseph Goldstein's Dharma Talks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Start reading Suttas.&#xA;A good starting point would be to read Bikkhu Bodhi’s “In the Buddha’s Word”&#xA;Then read Sutta Central, starting from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/mn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are ready to (let) go!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-19T01:28:12.853" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T01:28:12.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-19T01:28:42.917" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps others feel the same way you do, but have less introspection and have put less effort in to self-development than you have. Look for ways to help. I ran a center for meditation and retreats for 10 years. This didn't fall in my lap, I made it happen, and it was &quot;&lt;em&gt;costing not less than everything&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which is why I had to leave eventually. Now I am looking for ways to teach self inquiry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes the sky is dark and the road uphill. Either it will get better, or you will have done your best. &quot;Many heroes are not yet born. Many have already died. To be alive to hear this song is a victory.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Qapla'!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T01:28:42.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5514" CreationDate="2017-04-19T10:25:04.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are made up of 5 aggregates : form ( body , matter ) , sensation ( feeling ) , mental activity , perception  , consciousness ,   According to Mind school Of Mahayana , consciousness has 8 levels , the 8 th consciousness is called alaya or storehouse consciousness . Every thought , action , words , repeated many time will be stored as karmic seeds . When we wake up every morning , we resume our thinking as it is never disrupted because our 7 th consciousness or Mana bring them out . Based on the time to our death we sow , there are 2 types : the farther karmic seeds and the close karmic seeds ( such as we die in calm states or in angry mood ). If based on the seriousness of our deed , there are 2 types : lighter karmic seeds &amp;amp; heavier karmic seeds . After death , 5 aggregates is disbanded , the heaviest karmic seeds or the close karmic seeds will meet a foetus in a female body and an being develops&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It similar to the situation like this : suppose the government give each tax payer an tax return of $ 100 . People will spend this money according to their habit , those who like drink will buy wine , those who love food will go to restaurant to enjoy food , those used to save will save it . So the same with karma , which parents , which situation we will be reincarnate in to depends on our karmic seeds . Seeds means Inclination , potential . Modern physics proves particles ( electrons , protons ... ) -are not particles , they are potential , inclination , always in constant flux . We can say the same with karmic seeds .  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11198" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T10:25:04.563" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20198" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-19T11:54:41.193" Score="2" ViewCount="355" Body="&lt;p&gt;In relation to the sutta SN 47.42 can you explain how you understand the following?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“With the origination of name-and-form there is the origination of&#xA;  mind. With the cessation of name-and-form there is the passing away of&#xA;  mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“With the origination of attention there is the origination of&#xA;  phenomena. With the cessation of attention, there is the passing away&#xA;  of phenomena.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.42&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also wish to know the difference between four nutriments and the condition (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) in dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-04-19T23:17:56.720" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T02:10:22.210" Title="Four Nutriments in the context of Satipatthana?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20198" CreationDate="2017-04-19T12:26:41.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Four Nutriments and Dependent Origination&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 Nutriments is what is required to sustain life. Dependent Origination (DO) describes the same from the origination point of view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DO does not mention Edible food which is one difference, Though it is needed to sustain the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving and clinging in DO relates to volitional thought as it is I or mine who subject of craving and clinging and these volitional thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sense impression / contact is common to both. So is consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though the 4 Nutriments do not cover feeling explicitly they are integral part of both:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In that manner, I say, O monks, should the nutriment sense-impression be considered. If the nutriment sense-impression is comprehended, the three kinds of feeling are thereby comprehended. And if the three kinds of feeling are comprehended, there is, I say, no further work left to do for the noble disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly craving which is not explicitly a part of the 4 Nutrimens but found in the explanation hence an integral part of both:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that manner, I say, O monks, should the nutriment volitional thought be considered. If the nutriment volitional thought is comprehended, the three kinds of craving are thereby comprehended. And if the three kinds of craving are comprehended, there is, I say, no further work left to do for the noble disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 12.63 - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.42&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samudaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; presents this slightly differently to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This perhaps can also be viewed as a condensation of DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Four Nutriments in the context of Satipathana&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How this relates to Satipatthana is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing [ body | feelings | mind | dhammas ] in the [ body | feelings | mind | dhammas ], &lt;strong&gt;removing covetousness and displeasure in the world&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Removing covetousness and displeasure in the world&amp;quot; means you have to be equanimous to the sensations either pleasant or unpleasant originating from: body, feelings, mind, dhammas. (This also is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.8-Titthayatana-S-a03.61-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Titth’ayatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; rendering of the Satipatthana which makes it more clearer.) In either cases (pleasant or unpleasant [or neutral]) they are due to contact. To make sure your attention is wise attention you should contemplate on impermanence also. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also mentions how you should deal with sensation, i.e., to be equanimous than reacting with craving aversion and ignorance. Wise attention, knowing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Characteristic&lt;/a&gt; (being free from Vipallasa - see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), displaces ignorance. Cover coming craving or ensuring than any experience (pleasant, unpleasant or neutral) does not lead to craving ensures liberation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And if the three kinds of craving are comprehended, there is, I say, no further work left to do for the noble disciple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cessation of Name-Form by starving yourself. It is by understanding&#xA;how consciousness arises due to fabrication. Karma / fabrication are formed from activities. This again can be overcome by not generating unwholesome roots, i.e., be equanimous to sensation seeing their impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Nutriments of Life An Anthology of Buddhist Texts translated from the Pali, with an Introductory Essay&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T15:36:23.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20120" CreationDate="2017-04-19T12:42:50.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As the venerable appearing as @Saptha Visuddhi has given a detailed answer, I will give a simple one. Fruition is a significant milestone in the practice of Dhamma. The final fruit is the Arhathhood which is the elimination of suffering. A dhamma practitioner practices all the components of the Eightfold noble path, which includes development of wisdom until he/she reaches each of the 4 fruitions and finally the Arhanthood (or Buddhahood).&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is said that at each fruition, a taste of nibbana can be experienced. And once that it's experienced, a normal person would no longer have doubt about the Buddha, Dhamma or Sangha. And that person is bound for nibbana. The practice of vipassana removes mental defilements step by step, increasing wisdom, until a person achieves each of these states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T12:42:50.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20203" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-19T16:49:11.733" Score="6" ViewCount="311" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been reflecting on suffering and it seems to me that, since everyone is suffering and yet most people around me seem happy and contented, there is a way to live &quot;happily&quot; despite suffering that is accessible to everyone, Buddhist and non buddhist alike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of these &quot;happy&quot; people I know are Buddhist - most have no spiritual beliefs. I'm mainly talking about the people at my work: I am the youngest and all the others are middle aged, I have a healthy body and most are overweight or have pain from age related problems, most have children which (from the sound of it) is a big source of suffering. I admit I have depression (I have had it since I was abused as a child by a parent and don't expect it will ever go away), and I only have one friend (probably due to depression too), but I feel that objectively I am suffering less than everyone I spend time with even though it doesn't seem that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is true then I must be missing something really big, if I'm here trying to learn the way to escaping suffering but my colleagues are already halfway there without thinking about it. It seems like every day takes all my effort just to get through, but my colleagues are doing the same work happily AND raising kids (for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher seems to teach only that you can ignore suffering if you focus on imagined, &quot;happy&quot; scenarios, and that thia can even heal my depression if I brainwash myself enough, but I am questioning this as Buddha clearly said that only enlightenment is the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does Buddha teach about how to live well while suffering? Do I need to suffer more to toughen myself up against suffering - am I too &quot;soft&quot; because I've lived a life relatively free of pain? Have my older colleagues already suffered so much that they are beginning to be free of it? Is it really just about ignoring the negative emotions and exhaustion I constantly feel, and lying to myself until it becomes true? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of that seems right but my teacher seems so sure. (She is New Kadampa - I don't know where that sits under the various Buddhist umbrellas.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11124" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T17:06:34.293" Title="Suffering more in order to feel less suffering? Living with suffering?" Tags="|personal-practice|suffering|buddhadharma|depression|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-19T17:09:15.747" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All your experiences has 2 components:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;feeling due to the experience &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mental pain of the experience&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sallatha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main thing is to cultivate stability of the mind so that what ever experience you get you do not feel mental pain. The pain due to contact though is unavoidable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fact of life is unsatisfactoriness from birth to death. When you grow old you feel pain. You get sick. You have to part with loved ones or be with unloved people. Whatever you cling as me or mine to is suffering, more technically the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt;. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,cakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.2-Anatta-Lakkhana-S-s22.59-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Putting food in the table requires you to work which might itself is not always easy. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Nutriments of Life&lt;/a&gt; by Nyanaponika Thera] When you have a family it is not your self you are looking after, which multiples the effect, also with other numerous responsibilities. At some point you can let go but until such time you can do all this as a duty in very mentally detached way. This will help with the metal agitation of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as there is contact with the external world there will be experiences which are un agreeable. You cannot avoid them. You have no control here. You cannot focus only on what is happy. If this was the case everyone will be happy. This is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Characteristic&lt;/a&gt; which is the non self nature. What you can do is not being mentally hurt by them through the practice of meditation. Your mental resilience should be build through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;. This help to be equanimous and in touch with reality no matter what happens in life. This can also being viewed as a form of toughening up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T01:02:56.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20205" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20212" CreationDate="2017-04-19T23:40:07.763" Score="5" ViewCount="624" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can i have a list &quot;If there is one&quot; of the different objects for building up the first jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T10:44:21.710" Title="What are the prescribed objects for the development of jhāna?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20205" CreationDate="2017-04-19T23:50:59.373" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Letting go' ('vossagga') or 'non-craving'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go (vossagga),&#xA;  attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn&#xA;  from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters&#xA;  &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-19T23:50:59.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20198" CreationDate="2017-04-20T01:12:51.737" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before getting into what “paccaya” (pronounced “pachchayä) means in  paticca samuppada (PS), &lt;strong&gt;let us understand why kamma is not deterministic.&lt;/strong&gt; Kamma is only one of the five main dhammata. These five main factors are, kamma niyama, citta niyama, utu niyama, beeja niyama, and dhamma niyama.  The effects of Kamma vipaka can be altered or stopped due to the influence of the other four. That is why all kamma vipaka can be made made ineffective on attaining Arahanthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When causes are there, corresponding effects (results) are likely if suitable conditions for the effects to take place.  If one plants that seed (cause) in a the ground and provides water, nutrients, and sun light (suitable conditions), then the seed could germinate and grow to a tree (effect or the result). In order for causes to bring about corresponding effects, suitable conditions must be present. &lt;strong&gt;It is ONLY when suitable conditions are present, causes will bring about corresponding effects. Thus when some effect is brought about, it is called “paccuppanna“, i.e., born (“uppanna“) via suitable conditions (“paccaya“).&lt;/strong&gt;  The root causes must be there for this to occur.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example for a seed to germinate and grow into a plant, there has to be moisture/water/rain. If the seed is there in the sahara desert with no rain, a tree is not going to appear. The seed will remain for hundreds of years until the suitable conditions appear. But if the seed gets burnt or crushed, it will not grow into a plant.  Thus we can say, &lt;strong&gt;if and when the causes bring forth the consequences, they will be of the corresponding nature.&lt;/strong&gt; - nothing happens without a root cause or a “hetu.”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are four kinds of nutriments that are essential for survival and the continuation of life in Samsara. One is material or physical, while the other three are mental nutriments.  We were born because we had these four nutriments and as long as we are nourished by these nutriments, life will continue in countless numbers of various existences. They are nutriment of physical food (kabalinkara ahara) gross or refined; nutriment of contact (phassa ahara) or sense impression; nutriment of intellectual intention (manosancetana ahara); and nutriment of consciousness (vinnana ahara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Existence is nourished by these four nutriments. Therefore to go forth in this PATH, we have to outgrow ouw desire for the four nutriments. If one does not derive passion, delight and craving for the four nutriments, the consciousness will not be established. Then the mentality-materiality does not light. When mentality-materiality does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications.  Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no renewed becoming. &lt;strong&gt;If we dwell in the four foundations of mindfulness (satara satipatthana) we would be able to realize that all component things are anicca, dukkha, anatta, in comprehending the Tilakkhana. (in it’s True Sense of the Meaning.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T01:26:11.993" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T01:26:11.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20205" CreationDate="2017-04-20T01:53:09.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are people who attain ‘anariya jhanas’  or ‘mundane jhanas by focusing the mind on any thought object (vitakka) that come their way. This could be the breath, a kasina object, or any other religious symbol of any religion, and then fixating the mind on this object. This is called ‘vicara’ or sustained application).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For one who contemplates the ‘Tilakkhana’ of anicca, dukkha, anatta at least to some extent, it is possible to attain Ariya jhanas. It is because this contemplation gives rise to ‘niramisa sukha’ or a ‘cooling down’ over time. When one has arrived at such a stage, one can use it in a ‘kammatthana’ to cultivate jhana.  These ‘kammatthana’  are PALI phrases such as “Ethan santhan ethan paneethan, …….” . The thing is one has to know the meaning of these Pali phrases. These phrases cannot be used just as a chanting object without understanding what is meant by it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T01:53:09.620" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20210" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-20T01:55:13.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your work colleagues live lives of distraction. For example, when a person has children, they are psychologically driven as a parent to think about them. This brings happiness because it is good kamma to think about unselfishly caring for others. However, this good kamma does not end suffering. But this is why having family is better for the majority of people than becoming a monk or nun. Most people will suffer more if they become a monk or nun because they are designed psycho-biologically to have children &amp;amp; busy their lives with the excitements, loves, joys &amp;amp; sorrows of parenting. Parenting gives life a 'purpose', even though parenting does not end suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for depression, the Dhamma way is to completely respect non-harming; to know thoroughly in the heart through repeated reflection the Dhamma does not harm, is completely safe &amp;amp; protects all beings. This will result in the mind losing attachment towards abuse. Adults, such as parents, can only abuse children because children, in their innocence, look upon adults as authority figures. When the heart can completely embrace, respect &amp;amp; honor non-harming &amp;amp; non-violence, abusers will be disempowered &amp;amp; lose their authority. They will be rejected &amp;amp; purged. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With abusive parents, this type of cleansing/healing can be difficult to do because there is an instinctual expectation that parents should be good to us, which enhances the depression. The depression is not only caused by the abuse or violence but also due to the expectation, hurt &amp;amp; sense of betrayal that parents have not cared for us, making us feel unworthy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Dhamma states no person, including parents, have the right to abuse or do violence to any person, including their own children. The Dhamma states abusers that abuse children end up in hell, according to the law of Dhamma. If we can imagine an abusive parent in hell, we may begin to feel sympathy for their ignorance &amp;amp; spiritual poverty/illness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Parents that abuse their children have a serious mental problem or illness. The more clearly this can be seen &amp;amp; realised, the more the illness can be removed from our heart/mind &amp;amp; returned to where it came from; the more we can feel sorry for the abuser rather than feel hurt from the abuser. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To focus on imagined &quot;happy&quot; scenarios may possibly help overcome depression by brainwashing oneself enough. This sounds like painting over rust. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha clearly said enlightenment is the cessation of suffering. However, enlightenment is comprised of three factors, one of which is having a clear vision of non-harming. When the heart is saturated with the love (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) of non-harming, this is like removing rust from shiny metal rather than painting over it. It is harder work &amp;amp; may be more painful in the short term. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, enlightenment sees the 'doer' of abuse is merely the element of 'ignorance' (rather than a 'person', such as a 'parent'). The Buddha explained life is comprised of only 'elements' ('dhatu'), which includes elements such as 'violence' &amp;amp; 'non-harming'.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abusers do not intentionally act to abuse. In reality, such minds have no control over such behaviour because an unwholesome suffering element is controlling the mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas say: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dependent on the violence element, perception of violence arises;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dependent on perception of violence, violent intention arises;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dependent on violent intention, violent desire arises;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dependent on violent desire, violent passion arises;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dependent on violent passion , violent quest arises;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;engaged in the quest of violence, the uninstructed worldling conducts himself wrongly in these three ways — with the body, with speech, and&#xA;  with the mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 14.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;137. Those who inflicts violence on those who are unarmed, and offends those who are inoffensive, will soon come upon one of these ten&#xA;  states:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;138-140 Sharp pain, or disaster, bodily injury, serious illness, or derangement of mind, trouble from the government, or grave charges,&#xA;  loss of relatives, or loss of wealth, or houses destroyed by ravaging&#xA;  fire; upon dissolution of the body that ignorant person is born in hell.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T02:33:49.277" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T02:33:49.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-20T02:28:54.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;She is New Kadampa - I don't know where that sits under the various Buddhist umbrellas.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you should know that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't know and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20030/if-each-persons-mind-creates-reality-then-why-do-we-need-to-eat#comment32654_20030&quot;&gt;I did some minimal research&lt;/a&gt; the last time you mentioned it. You could at least read the whole &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kadampa_Tradition&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt; carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My hasty opinion based on minimal research and no personal experience is that it has many branches in England, and that might be why you're studying with them: i.e. because they have school in your town.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia suggests to me that people &quot;teach&quot; before they've finished their own studies -- I imagine it may be possible that some of them don't understand theory, not practice, nor how to teach students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My teacher seems to teach only that you can ignore suffering if you focus on imagined, &quot;happy&quot; scenarios&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sounds quite new-age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, Wikipedia suggests to me that &quot;New Kadampa&quot; theoretically ought to be more-or-less, or to have come from, Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I posted an introductory question to Tibetan Buddhism here, the simplest question I could think of: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13703/254&quot;&gt;Pāramitāyāna and Tantrayāna&lt;/a&gt; -- &#xA;I recommend you read the answers to that topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Focussing on imagined scenarios&quot; sounds like it could be &quot;Tantrayana&quot; explained in those answers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since you're posting questions about it here I guess there's something missing: maybe, who knows, you don't trust the teacher, it isn't the right method for you, it's not taught well, or I don't know what.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;even heal my depression if I brainwash myself enough&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what to make of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newkadampatruths.org/is-it-murder-is-it-manslaughter-is-it-just-your-karma/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;. On the bad side it sounds like a one-size-fits-all approach, a &quot;cookie-cutter&quot; approach, perhaps even a &quot;cargo cult&quot; (or simply &quot;cult&quot;) approach. On the other hand perhaps you are supposed to be learning something new or abandoning some old self-protective reflexes. I'm not a teacher and not wise about this kind of thing so I can't tell you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to disparage your teacher but in theory (without knowing her nor NKT) it may be snake-oil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha clearly said that only enlightenment is the cessation of suffering&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where did the Buddha clearly say that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a minimum the fact that you said that suggests there's maybe some disconnect between the &quot;Buddhist&quot; theory you think you know already, compared to the theory based on which the NKT teacher may be trying to teach you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on the Pali suttas I'd tend to associate &quot;the cessation of suffering&quot; with the third noble truth, i.e. the cessation of craving; and with the cessation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;identity view&lt;/a&gt;; and with the ability to interrupt or cut short trains of thought; not to mention social harmony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What does Buddha teach about how to live well while suffering?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a book &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World&lt;/em&gt; -- which introduces the suttas, but categorizes them and picks the ones which are especially intended for people in lay society. The emphasis is more on living well than on suffering. The author is Theravada (as are the suttas that are referenced in the book), rather than Tibetan, though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want some more specifically Gelug teachings you might consider His Holiness the Dalai Lama's many books. Or ask another question about that on this site (i.e. to ask for book recommendations).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to address other parts of your OP, but it's too late to do that right now ... maybe later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T02:28:54.177" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20212" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20205" CreationDate="2017-04-20T02:58:19.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions the Jhana can be developed through:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.21-Kayagatasati-S-m119-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaya,gatā,sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentioned that Jhana contemplation of the body. Though not explicitly mentioned &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, breath meditation also can be used.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do develop Jhana you have to have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vicara&lt;/a&gt;. That is you 1st bring your attention an object and retain the object by reapplying you attention. E.g in the case of breath meditation you continuously try to feel the breath going in and out. In case of body contemplation you try to feel any sensation in the body continuously and try to keep you attention on the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is too short to be practical meditation instruction just a pointer.&lt;/em&gt; In the case of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kasina&lt;/a&gt; you look at the device. Say you are practicing on fire. Offer a lamp to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Look at the flame for a little while and shut you eyes. Try to recreate this image. When you think about it the image will pop up an linger for a while. When the image disappears rethink about it again. If you cannot remember the details look at the flame again. As you practice the image will linger for a little longer. Adjust the rhythm of thinking about the frame to roughly to the level that you mental image of the flame looks continuous. Similarly for any other Kasina device. Beyond this point best seek advice of a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think Jhana developed through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; in combination with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; would be the best approach. But having said this any of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;40 Kammatthana&lt;/a&gt; can be used. If you use anything other than &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; make use you contemplate the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana&lt;/a&gt; otherwise you will just develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt; but not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Panna&lt;/a&gt;, hence will not be wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, developing Jhana without proper guidance can be dangerous. Therefore, try finding a teacher who can guide you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Currently one of the famous Jhana teachers is Pa Auk Sayadaw with many students in the west. You can try making some inquiries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T15:48:09.673" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-20T03:46:51.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you would takes the time to read the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.165.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dukkhata Sutta in the Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; you will get to know what is meant by suffering as per Dhamma.  We suffer when we cannot maintain things to our satisfaction. Therefore, you yourself can find out the truth of it, by seeing whether there is anything in this world that can be maintained to your satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our world can be summed up by saying that it is what we experience through our internal six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind). As long as we can have good, pleasant experiences we are happy, otherwise, we get sad and suffer. We suffer because of ‘Anicca’.  Things are subjected to decay and destruction, and nothing in this world is exempt from that. This is &lt;strong&gt;viparinäma dukkha&lt;/strong&gt;, suffering that arises due to change and decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether we are wealthy or poor we all suffer as suffering is in our minds. A wealthy person may suffer due to a loss of something he had, and a poor person may suffer due to the inability get what he wants. Either person becomes distraught due to his/her mind activities - attachment to what one has or craving for what one desires. This mental suffering is called &lt;strong&gt;sankhära dukkha&lt;/strong&gt;. It arises through the struggles we engage in trying to maintain things to our satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third category of suffering arises due to immoral deeds, and may not become evident in this life. For example, a person who made money by killing another or by stealing from another may live well in this life (at least outwardly), but will be subjected to much suffering in the upcoming births. This is the suffering of &lt;strong&gt;dukkha dukkha&lt;/strong&gt;, which can lead to rebirth in the four lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-21T13:24:03.183" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T13:24:03.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-20T03:58:39.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can our minds ever be so still to the point where no thought will arise for blocks at a time in order to be fully present?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A great many of the “Buddhist meditation programs” that are being taught and practiced today are not compatible with Buddha Dhamma, the original teachings of the Buddha. For example, one of the dangerous techniques is to try remove all thoughts that comes to one’s mind. One could lose memory and perception if this is done for a long time. The Buddha said to stop immoral thoughts, not all thoughts. There is a big difference between the two. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the very beginning if you learn the Dhamma properly, and learn to meditate as per the Dhamma, you will come to experience “joy in the mind (from absorbing Dhamma). This will lead to lightness in the body.  Lightness in the body leads to happiness (niramisa sukha), and that leads to samädhi (enhanced concentration and a relaxed mind)”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T04:09:17.277" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T04:09:17.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-20T04:04:42.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should i keep in doing Anapana as i believes that it cuts your Karmic&#xA;  chain for the moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you are practicing Anapana, aware of what is happening, what happens is that your citta (mind) occurs close to state of pure mind. So what happens is you are dissipating your ability to produce Kamma (Karma) and purifying the mind. This is true for all forms of Sathipattana or Mindfulness. (Anapanasati is a Kayanupassana. You can find more details from the Maha Satipatthana Sutta and Anapanasati Sutta.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day, if you can preserve very good Moral conduct, including abstinence from alchohol, and you develop sufficient Samadhi (concentration), then you can cut the Karmic chain, experience Nibbana and become a Sotapanna. This is the true turning point in the practice.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although absolute Nibbana (Nirvana) is only achieved after death after experiencing enlightenment, there are experiences of cutting the karmic chain which can be achieved while you are alive. These are called fruitions. There are four fruitions (sotapanna, sakadagami, anagami, arhat) as well as &quot;Pala Samapatti&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastEditorUserId="7138" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T03:46:26.537" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T03:46:26.537" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18596" CreationDate="2017-04-20T04:47:40.647" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read a remark by Ajahn Sumedho on Krishnamurti. I don't recall much of the details. But I can tell you that Krishnamurti 's teachings are different from Buddhism, although he has practiced Vipassana himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: My answer relates to Jiddu Krishnamurthi, not U. G. Krishnamurthi. I am unfamiliar with U.G.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sometimes you hear monks or nuns or lay people here saying, 'Don't attach to anything.' So we attach to the view that we shouldn't be attached! 'I'm not going to attach to Ajahn Sumedho; I can learn from anybody. I'm going to leave, just to prove I'm not attached to Venerable Sumedho.' Then you're attaching to the idea that you shouldn't be attached to me, or that you've got to go away to prove that you're not attached – which isn't it at all. That's not being wise, is it? You're just attaching to something else. You may go to Brockwood Park and hear Krishnamurti' and then you think – 'I'm not going to attach to those religious conventions, all that bowing, Buddha images, monks and all that stuff. Krishnamurti says it is all poppycock: &amp;quot;Don't have anything to do with it, all that is useless.&amp;quot; ' So you attach to the view that religious conventions are all useless, and you shouldn't have anything to do with them. But that's also an attachment, isn't it? – attachment to views and opinions – and if you attach to what Krishnamurti says, or you attach to what I say, it's still an attachment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Ajahn_Sumedho_Cittaviveka.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Sumedho&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;You can be attached to the idea of not being attached. Krishnamurti, for example, would always emphasise not to be attached to anything. He would say, 'Monks, this is all wrong. Religion, monks, all this is wrong. It's not the way.' Then people listening to that would attach to his view, and they weren't aware of the attachment they had to Krishnamurti's view. So the problem is not the view, but the attachment. A view is a view. You can see if you're attached to a view, for or against it. Then the actual practice is to not being attached to any view, and you are very much investigating what's going on.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Ajahn_Sumedho_Question_Time.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Sumedho&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I added a separate answer on U. G. Krishnamurthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T04:02:57.663" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-20T05:12:59.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do not have to be a pauper to be a monk. A monk is one who is detached from his possessions. Your possessions exists only in your mind. Similar thing is with happiness. Happiness is a state of heart a positive state of heart. The trouble with happiness is that it does not last long. The moment its gone you will start yearning for it and unhappiness will set it. It is a yo-yo affair. Happiness is a good start. People who are serious seldom reach anywhere. Happiness will drop on its own when you progress further. You should not be bothered about something which is of not much value. Just be happy do not try to be happy and everything will be fine.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T05:12:59.570" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-20T07:18:56.163" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recommend the book, &quot;What the Buddha Taught&quot;, by venerable Walpola Rahula Thero. This is a great book. You can get very good approach to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11209" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-20T09:44:56.647" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T09:44:56.647" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-20T17:06:53.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your predicament is same as majority of meditators. They all benefit from the technique. I have not found a single useless meditation technique. But without understanding the psychological aspect of any teaching, techniques(s) will not take you far. First of all within few months (maximum a year) of practice there should be perceptible change in energy levels. Your body will start getting in sync with Nature. You will tend to sleep less, eat less, senses much more powerful. Your mind's ability to focus (concentration power) will increase exponentially. If you have not got to stage one you have not understood the teaching well or there is less action. From your post it is very clear you are suffering from inferiority complex. You should not be bothered about someone making billions because that is mostly a matter of chance or inclination (some people are good at making money). Every human is unique and I am sure you are much more talented than all the billionaires. It is just that energy is not there to actualize yourself. You are attempting self realization which I find quite absurd at this stage. Modern human being is a multi-dimensional phenomenon and path to self realization is through self actualization. If you pump all your energies into realizing your potential one day you will attain peace which monks will envy. Self realization will not be difficult then. I suggest you stop all practice, focus on health (do some light exercises, yoga etc), focus on diet (light diet, detox diet etc), focus on understanding of who you are. Try to get a life which fulfills you. Then attempt Buddha's teachings. They will make sense later because even after a fulfilled life some void will be felt. Buddha is meant to fill a gap which we all perceive but do not know how to bridge. May be some other master. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-04-20T17:06:53.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="116" CreationDate="2017-04-21T00:20:21.193" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A king who follows the ways of Buddhism, by role, perfectly, is called a Sakvithi King. He generally rules by consulting wise men on all of his decisions. Such a king, himself, is a very righteous person in a Buddhist context. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a king, is known to come to automatically possess a Sakvithi Gem which appears at his possession due to his worthiness (by character) to rule as a Sakvithi king. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T00:20:21.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20221" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20222" CreationDate="2017-04-21T00:33:56.287" Score="2" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;em&gt;popular belief&lt;/em&gt; of Karma, suffering is caused by oneself. I would like to know: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is one's own suffering caused by oneself? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is one's own suffering caused by others? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is one's own suffering caused by both oneself and others? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Is one's own suffering spontaneous? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T08:38:05.277" Title="Is suffering caused by oneself, others, by both, or spontaneous?" Tags="|karma|suffering|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20221" CreationDate="2017-04-21T01:49:08.493" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The teaching of 'good &amp;amp; bad kamma' is not Buddhist but is merely a conventional &amp;amp; universal understanding about '&lt;em&gt;personal&lt;/em&gt;' behavior found in most cultures &amp;amp; religions that is also part of Buddhism. The doctrine of kamma in Buddhism is called '&lt;em&gt;lokiya dhamma&lt;/em&gt;', which means a 'mundane' or 'worldly' understanding based on the view of 'self' or 'persons'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the contrary, the suttas state (eg. MN 56) that the unique or special teaching of the Buddhas is the Four Noble Truths, which includes the Noble Eightfold Path that ends kamma (refer to AN 6.63). The Noble Eightfold Path ends kamma because its fruition renders all kamma as 'not-self' ('anatta'). Such understanding in Buddhism is called '&lt;em&gt;lokuttara dhamma&lt;/em&gt;', meaning 'transcendent', 'supramundane' or 'beyond the world'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, according to '&lt;em&gt;lokuttara dhamma&lt;/em&gt;', suffering is impersonally caused by the element of ignorance according to the process of Dependent Origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; answers the question exactly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt; states the view that suffering is 'self-caused' is a form of 'Eternalism' and the view that suffering is 'other-caused' is a form of 'Annihilationism'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-21T01:51:26.083" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T01:51:26.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20198" CreationDate="2017-04-21T02:05:13.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In relation to the sutta SN 47.42 can you explain how you understand the following?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 47.42 is simply about standard causation (&lt;em&gt;iddapaccayata&lt;/em&gt;) rather than about the dependent origination of suffering (&lt;em&gt;paticcasamuppada&lt;/em&gt;). It simply states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The physical body originates from physical food &amp;amp; passes away when it has no food.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Feelings originate from sense contact &amp;amp; pass away when there is no sense contact.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The citta (heart) originates from mentality &amp;amp; materiality  &amp;amp; passes away when there is no mentality &amp;amp; materiality. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Understanding the Dhamma originates from attention &amp;amp; passes away when there is no attention.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: the translation &quot;passes away&quot; is from the Pali &quot;&lt;em&gt;atthaṅgama&lt;/em&gt;&quot; thus it has a different meaning to that of 'cessation' ('&lt;em&gt;nirodha&lt;/em&gt;'), which again shows why it is not related to dependent origination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth satipatthana, where '&lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt;' should properly be translated as 'Truth' rather than 'phenomena', is made clear in the following suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, this is the forerunner and precursor of the rising of the sun, that is, the dawn. So too, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu this is the&#xA;  forerunner and precursor of the arising of the seven factors of&#xA;  enlightenment, that is, careful &lt;strong&gt;attention&lt;/strong&gt;. When a bhikkhu is&#xA;  accomplished in careful attention, it is to be expected that he will&#xA;  develop and cultivate the seven factors of enlightenment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 46.13&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness and clear comprehension, too, I say, have a nutriment; they are not without nutriment. And what is the nutriment for&#xA;  mindfulness and clear comprehension? It should be said: careful&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;attention&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I also wish to know the difference between four nutriments and the condition (paccaya) in dependent origination.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two types of four nutriments:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Four nutriments that support for the maintenance of 'beings' ('sattānaṃ'). SN 23.2 &amp;amp; SN 5.10 describe a 'being' ('satta') as a 'view' &amp;amp; attachment. Therefore, these four nutriments that support 'beings' develop from craving via dependent origination, as described in MN 38.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Four nutriments that are neutral, such as described in SN 12.63. These four nutriments enlightened ones use in 'moderation', without craving or attachment, as described in SN 12.63.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the four nutriments appear to only relate to Dependent Origination when they support the maintenance of the self-view of 'beings' ('sattānaṃ').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the four nutriments are used by a Buddha, they do not relate to Dependent Origination because Dependent Origination is the 'wrong path' (per SN 12.3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, SN 47.42 is not about dependent origination &amp;amp; only 1/4 of it refers to nutriment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-21T02:10:22.210" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T02:10:22.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17167" CreationDate="2017-04-21T04:18:35.807" Score="0" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Son's flesh - eating itself is unsatisfactory (as the sensations produced by it is unsatisfactory - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). eating should be only to maintain life to fulfil holy life and not for the please of it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skinned cow - there is not place or way to avoid contact. With contact follows sensations [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, see Dependent Origination] which are unsatisfactory [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;], hence it nibbles.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pit of glowing embers - all volitions are accompanied by sensations throughout the body. [121 mental states] Whatever sensations end in misery, thus burns. Also this is the fuels which drives you and burns you until death&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Robber's struck with spears - it is thought consciousness that you know and experience. If not for consciousness you will not feel sensations. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Being alive is like having consciousness. All sensation are unsatisfactory [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;], hence the pain of been struck by spears.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T04:18:35.807" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20225" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14451" CreationDate="2017-04-21T05:02:40.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism speaks of Arya (noble) Experimentation. It's main purpose is to get rid of suffering. Therefore, through Arya &lt;strong&gt;Experimentation&lt;/strong&gt;, one &lt;strong&gt;observes&lt;/strong&gt; such suffering and &lt;strong&gt;concludes&lt;/strong&gt; (if done thoroughly) that all things created, change and perish, thereby is sorrowful and causes suffering by nature. This is called the Four Noble Truths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Science encourages such &lt;strong&gt;experimentation&lt;/strong&gt;. Science encourages to note the &lt;strong&gt;observation&lt;/strong&gt; and science notes the &lt;strong&gt;conclusions&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Science looks for a solution if the conclusions contains symptoms of a problem. Buddhism does the same. The path to finding the solution in Buddhism is the Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-22T01:19:28.093" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T01:19:28.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20226" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20221" CreationDate="2017-04-21T06:43:33.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Suffering' in Buddhism means the pain we create for ourselves, not pain which is outside our control. Buddhism won't stop others assaulting you, stop you having accidents or stop you getting sick.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering we create for ourselves, according to Buddhism is not spontaneous, in the sense of arising by itself, but has a cause, which is our ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person feels feelings of&#xA;  pleasure, feelings of pain, feelings of neither-pleasure-nor-pain. A&#xA;  well-instructed disciple of the noble ones also feels feelings of&#xA;  pleasure, feelings of pain, feelings of neither-pleasure-nor-pain. So&#xA;  what difference, what distinction, what distinguishing factor is there&#xA;  between the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones and the&#xA;  uninstructed run-of-the-mill person?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;For us, lord, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, their&#xA;  guide, &amp;amp; their arbitrator. It would be good if the Blessed One himself&#xA;  would explicate the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from&#xA;  the Blessed One, the monks will remember it.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In that case, monks, listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, lord,&quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &quot;When touched with a feeling of pain, the&#xA;  uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, &amp;amp; laments, beats&#xA;  his breast, becomes distraught. So he feels two pains, physical &amp;amp;&#xA;  mental. Just as if they were to shoot a man with an arrow and, right&#xA;  afterward, were to shoot him with another one, so that he would feel&#xA;  the pains of two arrows; in the same way, when touched with a feeling&#xA;  of pain, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, &amp;amp;&#xA;  laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. So he feels two pains,&#xA;  physical &amp;amp; mental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T06:43:33.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20228" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20182" CreationDate="2017-04-21T12:50:51.110" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;First, I grew up roman catholic&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find the topic of buddhism and Catholism interesting. An interesting source is at &lt;a href=&quot;http://urbandharma.org/buca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://urbandharma.org/buca/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-04-21T12:50:51.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20229" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20205" CreationDate="2017-04-22T00:23:44.730" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a Buddhist context, even as you obtain jhäna, you are supposed to observe (thereby your objective) that jhäna is a &quot;sankhathaya&quot;. A sankathaya has 3 characteristics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can see it arise (being created) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can see it transform within the thing it resides &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You can see it perish &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So a Buddhist, upon observing this, lets go if his desire for the jhäna too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the following sutta, Buddha explains this to a person who has just become a Buddhist, from the beginning all the way to an arhat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 140: Dhatu-vibhanga Sutta — An Analysis of the Properties {M iii 237}. A poignant story in which a wanderer, searching for the Buddha, meets the Buddha without realizing it. He recognizes his mistake only after the Buddha teaches him a profound discourse on four determinations and the six properties of experience. An excellent illustration of the Buddha's statement, &quot;Whoever sees the Dhamma sees me.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T00:23:44.730" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20230" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20231" CreationDate="2017-04-22T10:56:55.867" Score="3" ViewCount="3595" Body="&lt;p&gt;Stupa/Chorten, Pagoda, Vihara are places to achieve peace. But I never thought  that those places are graves. I found  this, &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/buddhist-art/stupas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Symbolism of the Stupa/Chrten&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/U8bYS.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/U8bYS.png&quot; alt=&quot;Buddhist Architecture&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The perfect proportions of the Buddha’s body corresponds to the design of religious monuments. Its architecture developed from the pre-Buddhist Indian grave-mound. Under these mounds the saintly ascetic were buried; their bodies were seated on the ground and covered with earth. These dome-shaped graves, or tumuli, of the saints were regarded as holy places. And were destinations for pilgrimage for the devotional and places of practice for meditators.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The right side of figure shows stages: &lt;strong&gt;Void, Wind, Fire, Earth.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that mean all those monuments are explaining life (body and soul)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said this about the body of &lt;i&gt;living being&lt;/i&gt; (quoting the 7th point at the bottom of page 131 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ambedkarintellectuals.in/attachment/4.buddha-and-his-dhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Dhamma by Dr B. R. Ambedkar&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The body of a living being consists of the &lt;strong&gt;combination of four great elements, viz., earth, water,&#xA;  fire and air,&lt;/strong&gt; and when this combination is resolved into the four component elements,&#xA;  dissolution ensues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-22T11:27:25.927" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T11:21:19.543" Title="Buddhist architecture - Stupa/Chorten" Tags="|art|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20230" CreationDate="2017-04-22T11:36:15.433" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is shown is &lt;strong&gt;A STUPA&lt;/strong&gt;, usually housing the cremated remains or possessions that are considered sacred. In Sri Lanka we call it “The dagaba” (from Sanskrit dhatu- element, component, or relic + garbha - storehouse or repository). Dagaba is of pre-buddhistic era in origin, and is a  deeply respected or admiration for symbol of the Buddhist creed.  In the Sri Lankan version (the first pic. In the OP) it is covered with pure white lime plaster (It is not the ‘white’ achieved by mixing Rickette’ blue). As Buddhism was introduced in different regions, the basic architectural features of stupas were transformed into a variety of shapes reflecting the artistic expressions of those cultures. &lt;a href=&quot;https://roar.lk/srilanka-life/five-main-shapes-sri-lankan-stupas/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In Sri Lanka there are five shapes that are most prominent&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of all the Stupa / Dagaba of this world, the most revered Dagaba is the Ruwanweli-Saya, found in the Historic City of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is also known as Mahathupa, Swarnamali Chaitya, Suvarnamali Mahaceti (in Pali) and Rathnamali Dagaba. After The Buddha's Parinibbāna, His relics were enshrined and worshipped in stupas.  This pinnacle for Buddhists all round the world, the Ruwanweli-Saya, contains the largest portion of relics from the pyre of the sacred body of the Buddha. According to the ancient chronicle Dhatuwamsa, one eighth of the whole-body-relics of the Buddha has been deposited in the Stupa making it one of the treasured places of worship for Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a great power generated from this Stupa and it is visible to this date. The energy radiating from within it is linked up with those meditating around the Maha-thupa. There is a legend that says that at the time when the Dhamma that He preached cease to be heard,  all relics of the world will come to the Maha-thupa and perform a coming together of the body-form. – a kind of ‘Yama Maha Pelahara’. BTW…  ‘Yama Maha Pelahara’ – is a twin miracle, a power said to have been possessed by the Buddha to cause a stream of fire to issue from one part of His body and a stream of water from another at the same time, which is a power to issue such streams together from eyes, ears and nostrils. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/riLFS.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/riLFS.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Ruwanweli Mahathupa is unique among all others because: a ‘dona’ (One of eights parts) of the Buddha’s relics is enshrined within; the site was dedicated especially and consecrated many generations before by Arahant Mahinda; the only stupa recorded to have a Bodhi tree embodied within; the particular use of many materials not found in other stupas, such as crystal, metals; the particular and deliberate design of the base layers, and of the relic chamber; and the function of the crystal on the pinnacle as a beacon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All dagaba / Stupa found in the world is meant to imitate a passage from the confusion of the world, through stage after stage of awakening, to a breakthrough into the ‘pure region’ of the transcendent. The dageba (Stupa) consists of six main parts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pinnacle  (Kotha)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes Enlightenment. This is usually a pinnacle made of metal on top of which is a precious crystal or gemstone (chudamanikya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parasol / Conical Spire (Kothkerella)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes the Nine levels of the Dhamma – the 8 stages of the Path plus the Nibbhana (Navalokottara Sri Dhammaskanda). This is built on the Devatha Kotuwa. A crystal (chudamanikya) on a pinnacle made of metal is placed at the top of the spire to adorn it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Gods Enclosure (Devatha Kotuva)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This is a Cylindrical neck built on the ‘Hatharas Kotuwa’. Figures of deities are usually carved on the surface. The word  means a place for the Gods to stay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Square Enclosure (Hatares kotuwa)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes the four noble truths. Relics are enshrined in this part too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hemispherical dome  (Gharbaya)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes the whole of the  Dhamma.   The hemispherical dome is constructed on the three berms. In the middle of the dagaba was built a relic chamber (Dhathu garbhaya). The Buddha's relics are enshrined there. In the centre of the Relic Chamber was placed a bo-tree made of precious metals, and an image of the Buddha round which were groups of figures representing various events in the life of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Octagonal foundation  (Atapattama)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes the 8 noble path. This form is found in some Stupas only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Three Berms or Terraces (Pesa valalu)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;This symbolizes the Seela, Samadhi, Pannna. A stupa consists of three such berms at its base. The three berms rising from the base gradually reduce in size.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Upper Terrace (Uda maluva) represents the bhikku, the Arahant&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Middle Terrace  (Deveni maluva)  represents  Lay Disciples (upasaka / Upasika)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Lower Terrace (Veli maluva) represents the Devotees who have not yet come to the Path.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cBugp.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cBugp.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist temple is not complete without the following:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Stupa /dageba;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;the actual vihara / image house;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;a bodhi maluva or platform, with or without alters;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;a ‘pansala’ or priests’ residence.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The ‘bana maduva’ or preaching hall is usually separate from the vihara itself.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T11:21:19.543" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T11:21:19.543" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15921" CreationDate="2017-04-22T13:25:24.410" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, I think they left out the middle part. Quote from &lt;a href=&quot;https://practiceofzen.com/tag/mountains-and-rivers/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Before I studied Zen,&quot; goes a famous Zen saying, &quot;I saw mountains as&#xA;  mountains and rivers as rivers. When I had studied Zen for thirty&#xA;  years I no longer saw mountains as mountains and rivers as rivers. But&#xA;  now that I have finally mastered Zen, I once again see mountains as&#xA;  mountains and rivers as rivers.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The author of that saying is the poet and Ch’an master Ch’ing Yuan,&#xA;  who lived in the eighth century CE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the point is to say that 1) the &lt;em&gt;experience&lt;/em&gt; of becoming enlightened is not the point, and need not be explained, 2) afterwards, you are outwardly the same, 3) inwardly, you are just as alone, inexplicable and inscrutable to everyone as ever, still responsible only for yourself. Seeing that everything changes and nothing changes is the point - there is in fact, no point. That's the point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T13:25:24.410" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20021" CreationDate="2017-04-22T13:58:09.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are concerned about the cup of water you are holding (ignorance on a particular topic, and your reaction to seeing your ignorance of that) when you are standing in the ocean up to your neck (ignorance - the basic condition for existence until enlightened).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Upanisa Sutta&lt;/strong&gt; lists the &lt;strong&gt;Supporting Conditions&lt;/strong&gt; for enlightenment, and at the very bottom - the fundamental condition - is Ignorance. This word comes from the word Gnosis: to know. So ignorance simply means, &lt;em&gt;to not know.&lt;/em&gt; There is nothing shameful or embarrassing about that, we are all born that way. So, it is not bad or blameworthy, it just means: get some knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can never know everything, so there will ever be &quot;ignorance on a particular topic&quot;, but you are not called to know everything, you must only know how to run your own life: how to have equanimity and balance, and to respond skillfully. (That wasn't so dreadful, now was it?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightenment is not so incredibly high a bar; stop thinking it is far off. Like awakeness when you are asleep. You will get there inevitably. Then the ocean will be drained and you can walk across.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T13:58:09.040" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-22T14:17:51.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have been reflecting on suffering and it seems to me that, since&#xA;  everyone is suffering and yet most people around me seem happy and&#xA;  contented, there is a way to live &quot;happily&quot; despite suffering that is&#xA;  accessible to everyone, Buddhist and non buddhist alike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Learn to assess happiness or suffering for very long spans of time. For example do these people look happy when people they love die? A wise man looks at things far ahead of time. Assessing suffering isn't about feeling like you yourself suffer. It's rather, to let go of one's own clinging to eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and brain. They in turn are part of pancha upädänakkhanda, which is by definition, suffering. The idea is to detach yourself from them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;None of these &quot;happy&quot; people I know are Buddhist - most have no&#xA;  spiritual beliefs. I'm mainly talking about the people at my work: I&#xA;  am the youngest and all the others are middle aged, I have a healthy&#xA;  body and most are overweight or have pain from age related problems,&#xA;  most have children which (from the sound of it) is a big source of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to observe these people, observe more intently. For example, you can observe how a person dresses and talks and conclude their insecurities. You can also see how much they cling on to something and would be unhappy if they lose it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I admit I have depression (I have had it since I was abused as a child&#xA;  by a parent and don't expect it will ever go away), and I only have&#xA;  one friend (probably due to depression too), but I feel that&#xA;  objectively I am suffering less than everyone I spend time with even&#xA;  though it doesn't seem that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're suffering from a problem like depression, equip yourself with a good lifestyle; good diet, exercise and sleep first. Read the book &lt;strong&gt;Spark&lt;/strong&gt; by Doctor John Ratey if you want to have more control over your situation besides medication and a doctor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If this is true then I must be missing something really big, if I'm&#xA;  here trying to learn the way to escaping suffering but my colleagues&#xA;  are already halfway there without thinking about it. It seems like&#xA;  every day takes all my effort just to get through, but my colleagues&#xA;  are doing the same work happily AND raising kids (for example).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering is caused by the desire to pancha upädänakkhanda. You need to define suffering. Sometimes it is best to identify the problem very well before pursuing an answer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My teacher seems to teach only that you can ignore suffering if you&#xA;  focus on imagined, &quot;happy&quot; scenarios, and that thia can even heal my&#xA;  depression if I brainwash myself enough, but I am questioning this as&#xA;  Buddha clearly said that only enlightenment is the cessation of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best follow your doctors advice at least for periods he recommends. For example if he asks to visualize an hour daily, do so. Buddhism can increase your depression if applied with Miccä Ditti. So it is best to find out what is Sammä Ditti before apply any Buddhist views while being in depression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does Buddha teach about how to live well while suffering? Do I&#xA;  need to suffer more to toughen myself up against suffering - am I too&#xA;  &quot;soft&quot; because I've lived a life relatively free of pain? Have my&#xA;  older colleagues already suffered so much that they are beginning to&#xA;  be free of it? Is it really just about ignoring the negative emotions&#xA;  and exhaustion I constantly feel, and lying to myself until it becomes&#xA;  true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practicing Buddhism is not a suffering and is very liberating. As to living while suffering, you need to understand than your current situation is likely your own fault, but, your future situations will be your own fault too unless you act wisely now. Best start doing good karma. Remember that karma is also partially applicable to the current birth so if you do enough good you'll see the results soon. Start by doing metta meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;None of that seems right but my teacher seems so sure. (She is New&#xA;  Kadampa - I don't know where that sits under the various Buddhist&#xA;  umbrellas.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You need to know how to find what is right. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is very open to public these days. There is original words of Buddha in Päli with translations on the web. So you can read them. It is for intelligent people to discover, understand, bear in mind individually and practice. It will give you benefit without delay. It is valid during any time period of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, getting out of depression can also be helped outside in. That is, start exercising, sleeping well, drinking adequate water and maintaining a healthy diet, consistently for three months. You will most likely see a dramatic improvement. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-22T14:31:53.160" LastActivityDate="2017-04-22T14:31:53.160" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20230" CreationDate="2017-04-23T03:12:45.897" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different types of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Stupas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Relic stupa&lt;/strong&gt;, in which the relics or remains of the Buddha, his disciples, and lay saints are interred.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Object stupa&lt;/strong&gt;, in which the items interred are objects belonged to the Buddha or his disciples, such as a begging bowl or robe, or important Buddhist scriptures.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Commemorative stupa&lt;/strong&gt;, built to commemorate events in the lives of Buddha or his disciples.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbolic stupa&lt;/strong&gt;, to symbolise aspects of Buddhist theology; for example, Borobudur is considered to be the symbol of &amp;quot;the Three Worlds (dhatu) and the spiritual stages (bhumi) in a Mahayana bodhisattva's character.&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Votive stupa&lt;/strong&gt;, constructed to commemorate visits or to gain spiritual benefits, usually at the site of prominent stupas which are regularly visited.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The relic stupa contain relics or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aar%C4%ABra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;remains of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, his disciples, and lay saints are interred as you have described. Other Stupas can contain other object which were used by the buddha (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_associated_with_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;relics associated with Buddha&lt;/a&gt;). Some may be purely symbolic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to symbolisms change from country to country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Five purified elements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although not described in any Tibetan text on stupa symbolism, the stupa may represent the five purified elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The square base represents earth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The hemispherical dome/vase represents water&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The conical spire represents fire&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The upper lotus parasol and the crescent moon represent air&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sun and the dissolving point represent the element of space&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T06:11:09.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3889" CreationDate="2017-04-23T03:22:47.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sri lankan stupas has the following symbolism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Pinnacle (Kotha) - Enlightenment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Parasol (Chatra- Kothkerella) - The Whole of the Dhamma (Navalokottara Sri Dhammaskanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Gods Enclosure (Devatha kotuva)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Square pile (Hatares kotuwa) - four noble truths.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Dome (Gharbaya) - The dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Three Terraces (Pesa valalu) - Seela, Samadhi, Praggna&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Octagonal foundation (Atapattama) - the 8 noble path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Upper Terrace (Uda maluva) - bikku, Arahant&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Middle Terrace (Deveni maluva) - Lay Disciples (upasaka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Lower Terrace (Veli maluva) - Devotees&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20230&quot;&gt;Buddhist architecture - Stupa/Chorten&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Burmese symbolism looks different as per this quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For example, in Myanmar there are many pagodas on plateaus, with four staircases, one each from the east, west, north and south. Similarly you might start with kāya, vedanā, citta, or dhammā, but as you enter the gallery they all intermingle in vedanā, and reaching the shrine room it is the same nibbāna. Whichever staircase you start climbing, you come to vedanā and sampajañña: and if you are with sampajañña you are progressing step by step towards the final goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is more information about this (Burmese or Thai or Other) symbolism please post and answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T11:18:12.040" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T11:18:12.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20205" CreationDate="2017-04-23T10:44:21.710" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes here it is. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifestyl/medi/themes.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;40 Traditional Meditations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Due to their complexity,some of these meditations can only lead to access concentration (upacara samadhi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eight recollections (excluding the recollection of the Body&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(kāyagatāsati) and of Breathing (ānāpānassati).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The perception of  disgust of food.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Four elements Meditation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T10:44:21.710" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20238" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-23T13:06:10.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this question 'who is observing' is a blind alley. If in one moment you have a sense that there is observation, or you reflect 'I am observing' or 'I was observing', so what? And if in the next moment there's no such sense or reflection, what then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These 'who am I' or 'what is observing' questions are common in some types of Zen, but they're not orthodox Soto Zen. Dogen criticised them, and Menzan Zuiho Osho in his Jijuyu-Zanmai says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Searching for the subject of seeing and hearing is also useless. The&#xA;  harder you look for the subject, the more you will become tired of&#xA;  wastefully struggling, since what is seeking and what is being sought&#xA;  cannot be separated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full text here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://terebess.hu/zen/menzan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://terebess.hu/zen/menzan.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not a Zen teacher so I'm reluctant to make categorical statements about Buddhism, but I'd say with a reasonable degree of confidence that you're correct that 'we are awareness of thought' is not what Buddhism teaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to meditation, I don't think it helps us to recognise our true nature per se, but it's probably harder to recognise with a head full of thoughts, and Zen meditation generally involves letting go of idle intellection (it's hard to say what is or isn't a misunderstanding of 'mindfulness' these days because the word has become mainstream and none of us can be sure now what it's being used to mean, so it's probably best avoided if you want to get technical).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T13:06:10.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20239" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20243" CreationDate="2017-04-23T14:29:14.043" Score="2" ViewCount="392" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard, therefore I am yet to discover in Tipitaka, that to achieve certain stream winner stages, one needs to fulfill paramithä. Could you please give me the names of some sutta which I can read further on this (or the Tipitaka vagga / section). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ten Paramithä&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 1. Däna&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 2. Sîla&lt;br&gt;&#xA; 3. Nekkhamma &#xA; 4. Pañña &#xA; 5. Viriya &#xA; 6. Khanthi &#xA; 6. Sacca &#xA; 8. Adhitthana &#xA; 9. Mettha &#xA;10. Upekka&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T11:21:13.833" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T17:30:32.697" Title="What are the Sutta stating Paramithä requirements to be a stream winner?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|sutras|paramitas|sotapanna|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20008" CreationDate="2017-04-23T14:51:53.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Calculations are done to arrive at a answer that can be supposedly prescribed. Such as, the total of a grocery bill was calculated by the Point of Sales Computer; hence believed to be accurate, can be prescribed as a requisition for payment. That does not mean the value wasn't there before. We just didn't know it until we calculated it. So karma is always there. We just can't calculate it. Only Buddha could.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T14:51:53.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20241" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20203" CreationDate="2017-04-23T16:26:11.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most of the &lt;code&gt;&quot;happy&quot; people&lt;/code&gt; you saw are not necessarily happy inside. With Facebook, Instragram, LinkedIn... social medias everyone is mandatory to have an account, &lt;em&gt;happy&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;successful&lt;/em&gt;...etc. are norms, else you will be looked down upon and despised, termed a loser; and lost the opportunities to be promoted, to advance socially. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said the Samsara is suffering, described happiness is when one temporary lifted/freed from the torment. Like one trapped in a burning house, when the fire is not so furious cooked by the heat, it's this interval we called &quot;happiness&quot;. The name of our world is Sahā-lokadhātu (忍世界), which the meaning is &lt;em&gt;endurance/put-up-with&lt;/em&gt;; i.e., this endurance developed from numbed in suffering making people be able to put on a smile on the face.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;my teacher... New Kadampa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've read something unfavourable on this school, from the internet, however I'm not sure since I don't plan to spend time on this. If any school placed too much on individual worshiping, too glorifying a particular personnel, it doesn't smell right, normally. I hope you willl find a pure tradition to pursuit Buddha's teaching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does Buddha teach about how to live well while suffering?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the big principle Buddha taught is &quot;you reap what you sow&quot;, which is big, but raw, right ;). Sow the good seeds then you will reap good fruits. That is Karma. Many people, esp. Western people when hearing this &quot;Karma&quot; at the 1st time will be disheartened reading it's a passivity, also this word is so corrupted by the New Age sect. Then is the Saḍ-pāramitā (六波羅蜜). In these 6, Dhyana is pursued by many modern-day Buddhists but I doubt if these teachings by those are really adequate. Suffering has it's use of cultivating wisdom... &lt;em&gt;how to live well while suffering?&lt;/em&gt; there are more to say but. Hopefully I could find time to return to if. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-23T17:06:34.293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T17:06:34.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20242" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20239" CreationDate="2017-04-23T16:28:00.667" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paramithä is a determination and not a wish nor a prior set of accomplishment that needs to be fulfilled. A real determination has a firm commitment attached to it. It could be a wish of a kind that is accompanied by a plan to make the wish come true. But this is NOT the kind of a Paramithä that of a Buddha, for which a ‘Buddha-to-be needs to have a firm commitment carried over billions of lives. I have not come across the mention of “Paramita” for disciples been mentioned in the original suttas, but in the commentaries, there may be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T16:28:00.667" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20239" CreationDate="2017-04-23T17:09:29.753" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Could you please give me the names of some sutta which I can read further on this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 55.2&lt;/a&gt; implies perfection of &lt;em&gt;Sila&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People say that &lt;em&gt;Dana parami&lt;/em&gt; is an essential beginning, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for example here&lt;/a&gt; ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giving (dana) is one of the essential preliminary steps of Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... but I don't know a sutta where it's named as a characteristic of a stream winner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I wonder where the talk about practicing paramithä came from. Have you encountered people or books that speak of requiring paramithä to become a stream winner?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of talks on Access to Insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/perfections.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Ten Perfections&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel409.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Treatise on the Paramis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I didn't find any (after only a brief search) on dharmafarer.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My theory is that &quot;perfection&quot; isn't a doctrine which is talked about in the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Ten Perfections&quot; for example starts by saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Each path was defined as consisting of perfections (paramī) of character, but there was a question as to what those perfections were and how the paths differed from one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess those doctrines (the doctrines about &quot;perfections&quot;) were developed after the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Treatise&quot; talks about the sequence in which they should be developed, and how to practice them and so on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here &quot;sequence&quot; means sequence of teaching. This sequence is rooted in the order in which the paaramiis are initially undertaken, which in turn is rooted in the order in which they are investigated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It finishes with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Their fruit is, in brief, the state of perfect Buddhahood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The introduction says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The &quot;requisites of enlightenment&quot; are the paaramiis themselves, the main topic of the treatise. The word paaramii derives from parama, &quot;supreme,&quot; and thus suggests the eminence of the qualities which must be fulfilled by a bodhisattva in the long course of his spiritual development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, when Theravada talks about the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; (starting with &quot;stream winner&quot;) it's more usual to talk about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment#The_four_stages_of_attainment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the &quot;fetters&quot; which are overcome&lt;/a&gt;, rather than about &quot;perfections&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T11:22:53.157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T11:22:53.157" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20244" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-23T22:35:19.810" Score="2" ViewCount="106" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would the imposition of Asimov's three laws of robotics make a robot act in a Buddhist manner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case I think we can associate &quot;human&quot; with &quot;higher power or morality&quot; - be that suttas, kamma, laws, or whatever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11179" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T07:12:03.017" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T07:12:03.017" Title="Do Asimov's three laws make a robot a Buddhist?" Tags="|modern-world|right-action|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20245" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20244" CreationDate="2017-04-23T22:52:06.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, because a Buddhist need not obey any order given to it by a human regardless of whether or not it harms another human. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2017-04-23T22:52:06.667" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20246" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-23T22:54:17.347" Score="7" ViewCount="340" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have noticed during formal meditation and also off the cushion that everything can be broken down into what seems like an infinite amount of moments. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example when swallowing I can notice so many things such as the saliva build up, the intention to swallow, the sucking motion drawing the saliva back, the swallowing motion etc. The same for walking. &#xA;I'm not sure if this is insight or if/how it's helpful to see things this way. At the very least it's interesting to notice how much is going on that we don't usually notice or even need to think about. It all just happens automatically. If anything it helps me to appreciate the amazing miracle of life that we can just either blindly go through or notice what is actually happening and how miraculous it is.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this what is meant by &quot;Insight&quot;?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T12:48:42.587" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T04:10:29.073" Title="Is this considered insight?" Tags="|insight|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20246" CreationDate="2017-04-24T02:12:31.787" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if this is insight&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight has many levels. This is very good for starters. As you progress you should be able to see this even to more finer granularity as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kalapa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anything it helps me to appreciate the amazing miracle of life that we can just either blindly go through or notice what is actually happening and how miraculous it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any experience should be taken neutrally. You should try to be equanimous. This excitement may prevent you seeing the finer things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you are experiencing is transition from gross (olārika) to subtle (sukhuma). More on totality of awareness see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19220/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T02:34:11.127" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T02:34:11.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20244" CreationDate="2017-04-24T02:42:54.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Animate being are created through Dependent Origination, Nutriment, etc. The Buddha's teaching is for such beings. The part is morality, concentration and wisdom. Even this laws may engrain morality I am not sure if concentration and wisdom can be developed by a robot. A robot may have memory of the teachings but cannot practice. So robot cannot become Buddhist by practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T02:42:54.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20045" CreationDate="2017-04-24T04:23:50.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Nirvana is beyond concepts&quot;&#xA;Happiness is a relative state opposed by sadness.&#xA;We only know happiness because we compare it with sadness. These are concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T04:23:50.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20250" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20246" CreationDate="2017-04-24T04:28:59.070" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight such as this will come and go.&#xA;The advice I am given over and over is: stick to the practice, and don't attach to experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight will refine and change with time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be a trap since eventually one might experience something which will be interpreted &#xA;as &quot;loss of insight&quot; and that can cause much unnecessary personal pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Detachment here is key.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T04:28:59.070" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2017-04-24T04:33:56.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Books by Pema Chodron are warmly well received and recommended by teachers of many Tibetan Buddhist branches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They adddress many practical aspects of life, yet are deeply rooted in traditional Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T04:33:56.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20252" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20246" CreationDate="2017-04-24T04:42:02.510" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is insight, but need to be polished with Sammä Ditti. That is, always maintain that what you observe as such is, anicca (impermanent), dukkha (sorrowful, suffering) and anatta (cannot thus be considered &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; or &quot;my soul&quot;). Then extend that wisdom to contemplating thus, that they are all reflect The Four Noble Truths (first three) and can be overcome using the fourth noble truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T04:42:02.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20253" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2017-04-24T05:17:26.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I first read 'The Way of Zen' by Alan Watts (maybe a bit technical for a beginner), then 'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones' by Paul Reps (a collection of anecdites). I'd also reccommend anything by Ajahn Chah, who talks about Buddhism in a very down-to-earth way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T05:17:26.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2017-04-24T06:30:16.007" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Also books by Thay (Thich Nhat Hanh), specifically the &quot;Miracle of Mindfulness&quot; are wonderful so many different ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T10:42:05.433" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T10:42:05.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7663" CreationDate="2017-04-24T07:14:10.043" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is aware person. He is careful about his actions and it's effects on others. Buddha understands that existence treats you according to what you are. You become what you do. Whether it is subtle action like thinking or gross action, you become what you do. You are what you do. Existence treats you according to what you are. Buddha did not just mean actors, he also meant those who arouse passions in others whether they are politicians, priests, actors or anyone. Hence Buddha said that blessed is the one word that brings peace...... According to Buddha, because actors arouse passions in people and push them deeper in to ignorance, Buddha understood what actors are and what existence will do with them. Hence he said that actors will go to hell of laughter not the heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11225" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T07:14:10.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20256" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20279" CreationDate="2017-04-24T14:16:01.820" Score="1" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that in the birth where Gautama Bodhisathva met Deepankara Buddha, he had many powers but he didn't use it to prepare the road the Buddha was supposed to walk across but used his own effort. Where can I find further details of this story? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T09:32:26.187" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T09:44:29.737" Title="Was ascetic Sumedha with iddhi powers?" Tags="|reference-request|jataka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20052" CreationDate="2017-04-24T15:07:26.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;why did it say if you want to reach the first jhana you must partake&#xA;  in abandonment by suppression?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because for the First Jhana to arise the Five hindrances must be abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You abandon it by &lt;strong&gt;focusing on one object.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing so you &lt;strong&gt;blot out&lt;/strong&gt; the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more you focus on &lt;strong&gt;one object&lt;/strong&gt; the more  the hindrances gets &lt;strong&gt;blotted out&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;suppressed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(So why did it say) to reach concentration you must abandoned by way of substitution of&#xA;  opposites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example if a smoker wants to abandon smoking he substitues it with nicotin patches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to abandon the hindrances you substitute it with the Opposites.(Jhana Factors).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So how do you substitute it with the Jhana factors.You don't have to go looking for the Jhana factors.Just by doing one simple action of &lt;strong&gt;focusing on one object.&lt;/strong&gt; The mind gathers/collects itself.And the Jhana factors (The opposites) arise naturally.On its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each Jhana factor is the opposite of each hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are five hindrances and they each have an opposite (Jhana Factor).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.Sensual pleasures X One pointedness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.Ill Will X Rapture.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.Restlesness X Happiness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.Sloth and torpor X Vitakka.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5.Doubt X Vicara.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The question is, isn't the first jhanas all about concentration? Isn't&#xA;  it all dedicated to concentration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes Jhana is about developing concentration.But you have to ask yourself &lt;strong&gt;What is Concentration?&lt;/strong&gt; Concentration has many levels,but generally it's the state of mind that isn't obstructed by the hindrances.By practicing the Jhanas you are systematically letting go/abandoning the hindrances by means of suppression and subtituting it with the opposites.We need concentration to see clearly.When you see thing clearly you realise the truth and attain liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T15:07:26.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20052" CreationDate="2017-04-24T15:18:09.423" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this passage is addressing something that's more explicitly stated elsewhere.  In the Jhana Sutta (AN 9.36), for example, we find:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, [he] enters &amp;amp;&#xA;  remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of seclusion,&#xA;  accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The operative word here, of course, is &quot;secluded&quot;.  Vitaka and vicara (i.e. concentration) only come into the equation once rapture and pleasure are born of that seclusion.  Piti and sukkha help to calm, gladden, and focus the mind allowing concentration to strengthen in to full jhana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So of course, this begs the question of how one finds that seclusion.  There are some who are lucky and can just shut the door on their negative and unwholesome states.  Other have to win their seclusion through other methods like suppression and substitution of opposites.  I think the latter group is who your quoted passage is addressing.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T18:22:49.000" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T18:22:49.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19508" CreationDate="2017-04-24T16:04:54.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initial thought and Sustained thought is NOT a THOUGHT.&#xA;The translation in my opinion is very misleading.I personally use the Pali Word Vitakka and Vicara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Jhana States arise there is no thinking.This is too gross of an activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way i can explain Vitakka-Vicara is Try lifting your arm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you know that intention/will/urge...before you lifted your arm.Before you thought of lifting your arm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Underneath thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a subtle movement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Layered below thoughts.Thats Vitakka-Vicara.its like a pulling and pushing movement  when your playing with a rope,without thoughts.Before thoughts.Just instinct.That's it Basic Instinct.This is present in first Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the second Jhana the will is removed so now its Really immovable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T16:04:54.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20246" CreationDate="2017-04-24T21:47:08.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If your target is nirvana, picking up everything on your way delay your journey. Just like passing through the path on fast going train, you will see the things left by easily while walking through , you will see the things more and more. What I suggest is focus more attentively on meditation without embracing anything just noting &quot;know it.&quot; Actually you are definitely on the right path. Keep going paying respect to Dhamma and your meditation master.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T21:47:08.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20052" CreationDate="2017-04-24T21:51:00.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think @xxxx got it right. Remember the sequence from Vitakkasanthana Sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a particular theme. He should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme, connected with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts: 'Truly, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, these thoughts of mine are blameworthy, these thoughts of mine result in stress.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is paying no mind and paying no attention to those thoughts, he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, then — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness. As — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth — he is beating down, constraining, and crushing his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now when a monk... [using one of these methods] steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it and concentrates it: He is then called a monk with mastery over the ways of thought sequences. He thinks whatever thought he wants to, and doesn't think whatever thought he doesn't. He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and — through the right penetration of conceit — has made an end of suffering and stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is part of the large scheme with abandoning negative mind states and developing positive ones:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;... abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;... arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;... maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the way the positive qualities are generated in the first Jhana is with intentional vitakka and vicāra, or deliberate thinking/generation/enjoyment, about how well you mastered the non-arising and abandonment of &quot;evil, unskillful qualities&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose a skilled bath attendant or his apprentice were to pour soap flakes into a metal basin, sprinkle them with water and knead them into a ball, so that the ball of soap flakes would be pervaded by moisture, encompassed by moisture, suffused by moisture inside and out and yet would not trickle. In the same way, one drenches, steeps, saturates, and suffuses one’s body with the rapture and happiness born of seclusion, so that there is no part of one’s body that is not suffused by rapture and happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Makes sense? It's nothing magical. First you learn to abandon negative mind states, either through suppression or through distraction, and eventually through direct control of the emotional center that colors the process of free association -- and then you learn to generate positive mind states, first through deliberate thinking, and then directly. That's Jhanas in a nutshell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-04-24T22:42:09.310" LastActivityDate="2017-04-24T22:42:09.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20239" CreationDate="2017-04-24T22:25:50.823" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please don't make any confusion. Only Buddha-to-be, pacceka Buddha and chief disciples of Buddha need parami to fulfill. No such need to be a stream winner. Having no huge negative karma i.e., killing the parents, causing the blood flow from Buddha, causing disunity in Sangha, and killing an arahat, and having intent desire to be a stream-winner, keeping faith in triple gems, having good meditation master(preferably at least a stream winner), and oneself also work hard through insight meditation with sila and Samadhi,  all these  surely lead to be a stream winner. No parami to be a stream winner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T17:30:32.697" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T17:30:32.697" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20239" CreationDate="2017-04-25T01:06:59.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The doctrine of '&lt;em&gt;paramithä&lt;/em&gt;' is not found in the suttas but found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81#Canonical_sources&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the basic requirement for giving (&lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; morality (&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;) to be excellent or 'higher' ('parama') than ordinary is found in the suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.49&lt;/a&gt; lists seven types of giving (&lt;em&gt;dana&lt;/em&gt;), where six types of giving are based in views &amp;amp; self-views that can lead to suffering. Where as the 7th kind of giving, namely, giving for the purpose of beautifying &amp;amp; supporting the mind (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) rather than giving to beautify &amp;amp; support the 'self' (&lt;em&gt;atta&lt;/em&gt;) is said to lead to non-returner. Therefore, such giving can obviously lead to stream-entry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, since the end of MN 118 states each of the seven factors of enlightenment has 'giving up' ('vossagga') as its primary quality, this shows the ability to give open-handedly or unselfishly is an important factor for stream-entry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for morality (&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;), many suttas (such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 55.1&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 6&lt;/a&gt;) make it clear that morality must be higher than ordinary for the attainment of stream-entry.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T01:06:59.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20265" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2071" CreationDate="2017-04-25T01:23:32.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Theravada Buddhist monk is forbidden to attack back, i.e., kill in self-defense. If a monk kills a human being for any reason, he is defeated &amp;amp; is no longer a monk. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Intentionally bringing about the untimely death of a human being, even if it is still a foetus, is [an offence of Defeat.] (Summary&#xA;Paar. 3; BMC p.78)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#killing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, a Buddhist layperson can kill in self-defence or to mercifully protect family &amp;amp; society since the training rule for laypeople is about killing with violence rather than killing in self-defence. About killing, the scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is one made impure... by bodily action? There is the case where a certain person takes life, is a hunter, bloody-handed, devoted to killing &amp;amp; slaying, showing no mercy to living beings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.176&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures teach: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;kamma is intention&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; therefore the result (&lt;em&gt;vipaka&lt;/em&gt;) of an action (&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;) will be determined by the intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech &amp;amp; intellect.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, most soldiers &amp;amp; people believe WW2 was &amp;quot;the good war&amp;quot; therefore Allied soldiers adversely affected psychologically by their participation in WW2 were probably less than soldiers adversely affected psychologically by WW1, the Vietnam War or the Iraq War because many soldiers eventually realised these 3 wars had little if any moral justification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why government &amp;amp; media propaganda is such an important weapon of war, such as with WW2 or the 9/11 propaganda, which makes many Buddhists, including monks, direct or indirect supporters of the post 9/11 wars, which are actually unrelated to 9/11, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Iran, etc. Anti-Islam propaganda makes most people uncaring towards &amp;amp; ignore these unjustified wars against Islamic societies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently, the media was saturated with stories about a chemical-attack in Syria, which resulted in many people supporting a war against Syria (even though there was no evidence supporting these unlikely &amp;amp; absurd allegations). Thus not only intention but also truth is aspect of kamma &amp;amp; result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T01:56:53.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20266" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20274" CreationDate="2017-04-25T03:31:07.377" Score="3" ViewCount="401" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Those who speak don't know, those who know don't speak.' (Zen aphorism)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lots of posts on SE Buddhism seem to hover around the question 'what is your original face', or 'what is Buddha' etc. It shouldn't be so difficult to answer these questions straightforwardly with a sentence or two, so why is it that teachers (who supposedly know) tend not to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T13:33:22.283" LastActivityDate="2017-11-29T14:47:02.497" Title="Why don't teachers just tell us the answers?" Tags="|zen|teachers|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18596" CreationDate="2017-04-25T03:58:23.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;After investigating the Wikipedia page and other sources on U. G. Krishnamurthi, it was possible to came up with some ideas about him. He seems to have had Uchchedavadi like ideas. For e.g. there is no enlightenment, there is no mind, no need for medicine etc. He also expresses the idea that there is no self, which sounds like a Buddhist view, but we must recall that in Brahmajala Sutta, the Buddha has mentioned that, the belief in the existence of a being and non-existence of a being are both extremes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are there beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Are there no beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Is it that there both are and are not beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Is it that there neither are nor are not beings spontaneously reborn?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is really found is a result of causes that appear and disappear in the form of Pancaskandha (Five aggregates). These aggregates do not belong to a mine, thus they are Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7138" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T03:58:23.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T04:45:14.650" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because it is so difficult to answer these questions in a straightforward manner with only a sentence or two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastEditorUserId="107" LastEditDate="2017-11-29T14:47:02.497" LastActivityDate="2017-11-29T14:47:02.497" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20269" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-25T05:34:06.750" Score="3" ViewCount="166" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I am practicing being mindful, for example when washing the dishes, there seems to be so many things going on at once that I kind of don't know what to focus on. There is the warmth of the water, the smell of the detergent, the sound of the water and sounds all around, sights out the window etc etc. I have this problem in general with mindfulness. Feels like many things pulling my attention in all different directions. Can someone please clarify for me how I should be doing this correctly because I feel confused about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T02:01:52.357" Title="Mindfulness issues" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T06:20:12.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answers are written in plain language in plain sight in books you can buy anywhere and may already own. Sometimes we miss the underlying sense of a sentence because the subtlety is hard to grasp. But no one is hiding anything from you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What began to make me personally understand a lot more was thinking about the five skandhas after reading D.T. Suzuki's Manual of Zen Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And funnily enough, the first time I experienced an 'aha!' moment was looking at a tree outside while listening to the Gospel of John. Notice how both Jesus and Buddha talk about seeds?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T06:20:12.433" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-04-25T07:10:41.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are washing dishes you may perceive the water is too cold and react with aversion. When you notice the water is too cold unpleasant feeling will arise before aversion. Concentrate on this feeling. Be equanimous noting it as impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you look out of the window you might see something you like which might lead to craving. Before craving arises a pleasant feeling arises. Concentrate on this feeling while being equanimous while noting the importance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you hear the sound of water you may not consider it likable or unlikable, i.e., you will find it to be neutral. Though it is neutral there is ignorance. When there is a neutral feeling contemplation on impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when you are doing kitchen work you will find that when you stay in one posture for a while it becomes unpleasant (standing near the sink) and when you sit down it becomes pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When looking you of the window you see a beautiful person it is pleasant, if the person is plain it is neutral feeling, if ugly it is unpleasant feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So from the body also generate sensations which lead to covetousness and displeasure. Likewise, feelings themselves, the mind and phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep the focus on one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; like the body. Whatever you do look at sensations which arise in the body. With this focus you will not feel your attention is dragged here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more detail and technical discussion is as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basis of mindfulness should be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is right mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, bhikshus, a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing the body in the body, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing feelings in the feelings, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing the mind in the mind, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a monk dwells exertive, clearly knowing, mindful, observing dharmas in the dharmas, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, bhikshus, is called right mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you should be mindful of body, feelings, mind and phenomena without attachment or aversion. Attachment and aversion arises due to sensation / feelings (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vedanā&lt;/a&gt;) so when any sensation arise just know impermanence and be equanimous to any feeling which arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you should guard you sense doors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On seeing a form with the eye,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On hearing a sound with the ear,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the sound that the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On smelling a smell with the nose,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On tasting a taste with the tongue,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On feeling a touch with the body,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you get a sense imput be equanimous towards these sensation without it leading to craving, aversion and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All sensations are unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;pleasant feeling is pleasant when it persists, painful when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;painful feeling is painful when it persists, pleasant when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;neutral feeling is pleasant when there is knowledge of it, painful when there is no knowledge of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use this as the basis to understand the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/a&gt; is the 1st Noble Truth and the link where &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; (DO) can be broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with the six sense-bases as condition, there is contact;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with contact as condition, there is feeling;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with feeling as condition, there is craving;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;with craving as condition, there is clinging;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.15-Paticcasamuppada-Vibhanga-S-s12.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Paṭicca,samuppada) Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also all worldly calamities, immorality and conflicts start with sensation / feeling:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, Ananda,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon feeling (vedanā), there is craving;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon craving (taṇhā), there is seeking;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon seeking (pariyesanā), there is gain;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon gain (lābha), there is decision-making;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon decision-making (vinicchaya), there is desire and lust;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon desire and lust (chanda,rāga), there is attachment;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon attachment (ajjhosāna), there is possessiveness;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon possessiveness (pariggaha), there is avarice;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon avarice (macchariya), there is safe-guarding;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;dependent upon safe-guarding (ārakkha), there arise various bad unwholesome&#xA;states—taking up of the rod, taking up of the sword, conflicts, quarrels, disputes [strife], back-biting, harsh speech, false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.17-Mahanidana-S-d15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā,nidāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basis of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;morality&lt;/a&gt; is also linked to feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what needs to be done when being mindful in day to day activities. You do not have to go through all this. Just see this is a pleasant feeling which is the basis of attachment to arise, this is a unpleasant feeling which is the basis of aversion to arise, this is a neutral feeling which is the basis for ignorance to arise. As soon as feeling arise stop the train of event so you do not &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mentally proliferate&lt;/a&gt;, does not result in clinging and craving, does not provide nutriment, does not lead to unwholesome roots, does not lead to immoral actions, does not lead to unwholesome karma, etc. So be equanimous thus not letting the aversion and craving to arise and contemplate &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impermanence&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 characteristics&lt;/a&gt; not letting ignorance to arise. Displacing ignorance also helps break the cycle of DO.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally being aware and mindful is good but is not Wise Attention (Yoniso Manasikara), Clear Comprehension (Sampajañña ) and Right Mindfulness. If you are a surgeon, acrobat, bellarian, gymnast, etc. you will need a lot of attention and mindfulness. This will wear you down. Perhaps this is what is happening in your practice. What you need is the right type, i.e.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from unwholesome roots&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from Vipallasa (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from Nutriment (Mental and Contact)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from Fabrications (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhāra&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from unwholesome volition leading to unwholesome action&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;free from producing new karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T02:01:52.357" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T07:17:07.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now a good report of Master Gotama has been spread to this effect:&#xA;  'That Blessed One is such since he is arahant and fully self enlightened,&#xA;  perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds,&#xA;  incomparable teacher of men to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans,&#xA;  enlightened, blessed. He describes this world with its gods, its&#xA;  Maras, and its (Brahma) Divinities, this generation with its monks and&#xA;  brahmans, with its kings and its people, which he has himself realized&#xA;  through direct knowledge. He teaches a Dhamma that is good in the&#xA;  beginning, good in the middle and good in the end with (the right)&#xA;  meaning and phrasing, he affirms a holy life that is utterly perfect&#xA;  and pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the stock description of 'the' Buddha. It has terms that likely need to be further defined - fully self enlightened, Dhamma - that will likely have even more terms that need to be defined, but overall the above should do the trick. 'What is Buddha' asks a question looking for something closer to Essence imo, and that's not really within the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What is your original face&quot; I am not sure about! Reading about it a little, if it hints towards dependent origination, then it's an insight into the fact that 'I hit you with a stick' is mirrored by 'You are hit with a stick, by me'. Subject depends on object and object depends on subject - there is no event that can be described within the world that is not subject to this. If it is to do with some notion of an eternal self when the mind is fully stilled, it is again not part of the Dhamma, as it is wrong view, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for 'eternal', &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulapariyaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; for 'Self'. The experience of Nibbana - the end of mental fabrications - is unconditioned, so 'original', 'eternal' or even 'self' would not be accurate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T07:22:21.550" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T07:22:21.550" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20273" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20277" CreationDate="2017-04-25T08:03:09.253" Score="1" ViewCount="7264" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, The nimitta are signs you should be looking for during your jhana meditation. Like once your focusing on your visual object you will notice a white light. Thats a sign your entering acess concentration. Or you may notice your breathing becoming very faint. Thats another sign.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this correct? Is there certain signs i should look for during my jhana meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T10:33:08.760" Title="Is this what is nimitta is?" Tags="|jhana|nimitta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T08:14:07.027" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because the question is supposed to &quot;point directly at your mind&quot; like the finger pointing at the moon. The answer could not do better. In fact, you learn more from trying to solve an apparent contradiction. If anything, you learn at least that you are frustrated over not getting it. What matters most is not the object (a koan, a hua tou) but how you hold it in mind, what it does to your mind, how you try to make sense of it, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The funny thing is that we are so habituated to run after external objects and dive into them that it is difficult to look inward. A proof is that we are more concerned with the object (the koan) than we are with our mind. We forget to pay attention to what our experience tells us, not of the object we experience, but our mind that experiences. Because of this, we know little of the mind, including our own. It is easy to recognize a tree when we see one; it is way more difficult to recognize attachment, anger, belligerence, spite, etc. when they arise in our continuum because we seldom look inward, we are not familiarized with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As far I understand, the point with Hua tou and Koan is rather to stay with it and learn from how you relate to it. For instance, why is it that contradictions make you unsettled? How do you relate to frustration? Does frustration even arise when you try to solve a case? What makes you think it has to be solved? How do you try to make sense of things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana, some do what they call &quot;meditation with an anchor&quot; (the anchor often being the breath). Here, it is quiet similar. You learn a great deal by trying to stay with an object such as a Hua Tou. You learn why it is difficult to stay with it, why you lose it over and over again, etc. So it is not the answer that matter much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kazuaki Tanahashi 's introduction to Dogen's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1590309359&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Shobogenzo&lt;/a&gt; is quiet informative and very enjoyable. But then, I am not that qualified when it comes to anything different from Tibetan Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T12:28:20.250" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T12:28:20.250" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-04-25T08:30:42.807" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhist meditation taught in the world is from an incorrect interpretation of suttas, which results in the mind being too busy, rigid &amp;amp; controlling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' means 'to remember'. It does not mean 'awareness', 'observation' or 'attention'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' remembers to keep the Dhamma in mind, which is the Four Noble Truths &amp;amp; the Noble Eightfold Path, or, in brief, mindfulness remembers to keep the mind free from craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the instruction posted in another post should practically read as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is right mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a monk dwells observing the body in the body by &lt;strong&gt;being exertive, clearly knowing &amp;amp;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;mindful to remove covetousness and displeasure&lt;/strong&gt; in relation the world&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when you are washing the dishes, the practise of mindfulness is to wash the dishes without craving, i.e., without greed (impatience), hatred (aversion) &amp;amp; delusion (self-views). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this right mindfulness (remembering) is practised, the observation will occur automatically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to recognise the mind is always aware or conscious of some object. So when dishes are washed with a silent craving-free mindful mind, awareness of what is going on (such as the warmth of the water, the smell of the detergent, the sound of the water and sounds all around) will still occur. There is no need to make a special effort to be aware of these things. The only effort that needs to be done with right mindfulness is keeping the mind free from greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One makes an effort for the abandoning of wrong view &amp;amp; for entering into right view: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon&#xA;  wrong view &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right&#xA;  mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort &amp;amp;&#xA;  right mindfulness — run &amp;amp; circle around right view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T09:19:54.873" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T09:19:54.873" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20273" CreationDate="2017-04-25T08:50:39.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its not correct. When the nimitta arises, it is like being hit with a sledge hammer. It can't be missed.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, the more looking &amp;amp; craving, the less progress that will be made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T08:50:39.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20273" CreationDate="2017-04-25T09:02:17.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not correct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena says in this post (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18045/does-contemplation-activity-before-hand-give-rise-to-the-mental-image&quot;&gt;Does contemplation activity, before hand, give rise to the mental image?&lt;/a&gt;) in this context, nimitta (that we usually translate as sign) refers to a mental image. In case of concentrating on the breath, it says it resembles white light.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the measure of achieving an access level is not just that, for the mental image of the breath is found way before, according to Abhidharma. Before the access level, there is samatha, and the measure of achieving samatha are physical and mental pliancy, and physical and mental bliss. As long as these pliancy and bliss are not present, you can be sure you have not obtained samatha, much less the access level. That pliancy is the direct antidote to laziness, which means that one can at last meditate for as long as he wishes without experiencing discomfort (no more backache, no more unwilling mind that you feel you can not bend, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not actively seek for these (pliancy, bliss, and even the finding of the mental image of  the breath) because it will make your mind tight and narrow. We do not meditate just to cultivate more attachment. Rather, you should count on ethical discipline, contentment, few desire, the lack of many discursive thoughts, regular and repetitive practice, and an understanding of the Dharma to lead you there eventually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T10:33:08.760" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T10:33:08.760" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20278" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20304" CreationDate="2017-04-25T09:11:55.907" Score="2" ViewCount="3680" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd watched show Tattoo Hunter of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Krutak&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dr. Lars Krutak&lt;/a&gt; on Discovery channel. And he had Buddhist tattoo by Thervada monks. There was an Elephant, Tiger and Crocodile tattoos. And who had those tattoos they have power of these animals. So I want to know more about meaning of that art and techniques and may I think those powers are because of techniques and meditation. Is this art and techniques discovered by Buddha?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VdF2X.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VdF2X.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Tiger&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yRZBh.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yRZBh.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Crocodile&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T23:24:44.563" Title="Buddhism Thervada Tattoos" Tags="|theravada|art|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20279" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20256" CreationDate="2017-04-25T09:30:06.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is in Thupavamsa. I doubt if there's any online version of the translation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali version of Thupavams in the following link says, at the time the people were building the road, Sumedha was supposed to be flying in the sky. When he asked if he could also help, as people already knew that he had iddhi powers they gave him to construct a difficult part of the road.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Te puna divase asadisa mahādānaṃ sajjetvā dasabalassa āgamana maggaṃ&#xA;  sodhenti. Tasmiṃ kāle sumedhatāpaso attano assama padato uggantvā&#xA;  rammanagaravāsīnaṃ tesaṃ manussānaṃ &lt;strong&gt;uparibhāgena ākāsena gacchantā&lt;/strong&gt; te&#xA;  haṭṭhapahaṭṭhe maggaṃ sodhente disvā kinnu kho kāraṇanti cintento&#xA;  sabbesaṃ passantānaṃyeva ākāsato oru ekamante ṭhatthāyaha te manusse&#xA;  pucchi.’Hambho kassa pana imaṃ maggaṃ sodhethā’ti te āhaṃsu bhante&#xA;  sumedha tumhe kiṃ naṃ jānātha, dīpaṅkaro nāma satthā&#xA;  paramābhisambodhiṃ patvā pavattavara dhammacakko janapada cārikaṃ&#xA;  caramāno anukkamena amhākaṃ nagaraṃ patvā sudassana mahāvihāre&#xA;  paṭivasati. Mayaṃ taṃ bhagavantaṃ nimantayimha tassa bhagavato&#xA;  āgamanamaggaṃ sodhemāti. Taṃ sutvā sumedhapaṇḍito cintesi. Buddhoti&#xA;  kho panesa ghosopi dullabho, pageva buddhuppādo tena hi mayāpi imehi&#xA;  manussehi saddhiṃ dasabalassa āgamanamaggaṃ sodhetuṃ vaṭṭatīti so te&#xA;  manusse āha, sace bho tumhe imaṃ magga buddhassa sodhetha - sayahampi&#xA;  ekaṃ okāsaṃ sampaṭicchatvā ayaṃ &lt;strong&gt;sumedhapaṇḍito mahiddhiko&#xA;  mahānubhāvoti jānantā&lt;/strong&gt; dubbisodhanaṃ udakasambhinnaṃ ativisamaṃ ekaṃ&#xA;  okāsaṃ sallakkhetvā imaṃ hakāsaṃ tumhe sodhetha. Alaṅkarothāti adaṃsu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/e1202n.nrf0.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/e1202n.nrf0.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T09:44:29.737" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T09:44:29.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20117" CreationDate="2017-04-25T10:00:05.143" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the same way what are the references to the concept of cuti patisandhi citta; ie. patisandhi citta conditioned by cuti citta in a minute fraction of a second.  Is it also mentioned in pattana?. This is so important that by describing the mechanism of cuti patisandhi in this way only, the main teaching of that 'there is no sole' can be justified.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11172" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T10:00:05.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20281" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20273" CreationDate="2017-04-25T10:31:46.353" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its not correct.You should not be looking for the nimitta when your practicing jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not be looking for anything or doing anything besides focusing on the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To practice Jhana means &lt;strong&gt;only focusing on one thing and one thing only&lt;/strong&gt; until Jhana states form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are basically doing ONE THING.For 1 hour,2 hours,5 hours,10 hours...etc---&lt;strong&gt;focusing on your meditation object&lt;/strong&gt;----&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you even for a milli second have time to do other things,such as look for a nimitta or think about nimitta Concentration Weakens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nimitta appearing directly correlates with how much attention you place on the meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so while meditating don't focus on the breath &lt;strong&gt;while&lt;/strong&gt; looking for nimitta,&lt;strong&gt;while&lt;/strong&gt; anticipating a light,&lt;strong&gt;while&lt;/strong&gt;...Drop these &lt;strong&gt;whiles.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;As long as these &lt;strong&gt;whiles&lt;/strong&gt; exist concentration weakens.Weak concentration cannot sustain a stable nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the time the nimitta arises you will be GLUED,i mean GLUED DEAD to your object of meditation.Its like being bolted.Its not a state where you can easily shift or move around.You don't have to go looking for the nimitta,it will come to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T10:31:46.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20282" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20298" CreationDate="2017-04-25T11:21:09.693" Score="4" ViewCount="559" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we classically have &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;four stages of enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stream-enterer (Sotapanna);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Once-returner (Sakadagami);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-returner (Anāgāmi);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Arahant.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question, as stated in the title, is: can a person attain to any one of the four stages mentioned above without clearly recognizing it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="5275" LastEditDate="2017-04-25T17:31:54.930" LastActivityDate="2018-11-20T15:28:01.757" Title="Can a person get into any stage of enlightenment without being aware of it?" Tags="|enlightenment|stages-of-the-path|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20283" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20286" CreationDate="2017-04-25T11:25:15.730" Score="7" ViewCount="2629" Body="&lt;p&gt;I just did a mistake while commuting. I told sorry to the person and wished him well in my mind. This brought me to think, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are there any suttas staring how to go about a mistake done which resulted in hurting another person? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T06:19:02.610" Title="What is the Buddhist approach of admitting a mistake?" Tags="|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20284" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T11:41:21.453" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because the mind is like the stream, the width of it dictated the water capacity. Normal mind runs on intellect, a PhD, or common genius mind like certain mathematician scoring IQ 200 is just that the current of the stream is swifer, not the capacity enhanced. With Koan the Huatou the mind is stuck for the questions are crazy, nonsensical. Working on it rigoriously but trapped, forced the mind evetually breaks through the intellect confinement thus really &quot;upgraded&quot;, realized the beyond the frontier veiled by the five senses and intellect-Mind. Like the water breaks up the bank and flooding. Hence when the great master of ancient enlightened, none of them wrote down a correct answer to any Huatou, instead, most wrote poems (and a true teacher was able to see if the student really arrived by reading the poem) which are none to do with the question. So don't be fooled by the questions ;) thinking they must be so sophisticated, no. But yes, also, they have the power to trap/engulf a brilliant mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These have a lot to do with the &quot;magic&quot; the Chinese this unique language. I really doubt the same favour could be preserved when working with other language. Japanese is kind of exceptional because in ancient time until Song Dynasty of China, Japan, Korea was adopting Chinese. Thus their tradition of Ch'an Koan was a Chinese language version. Language, an accomplished teacher who knew where the student reached, is the key. I doubt nowadays where these could be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T11:41:21.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-04-25T12:42:03.033" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You said &quot;so many things going on at once&quot;. Please don't confuse what to do. Only to note mindfully what is most distinct once at a time. Nature of mind can focus only one phenomenon at one moment. For example, if you feel cold with water, just note &quot;cold&quot;. It is enough. Without any frustration to note all other things like in wide and spread noting which you will get it automatically at higher nana stage with better concentration. Not to miss noting the single phenomenon is more important than noting nothing which will lead to delusion. But to achieve in every day chore mindfulness, you must have enough Samadhi through your sitting meditation sometimes it works better but depend on the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T12:42:03.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20283" CreationDate="2017-04-25T12:55:10.230" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Confessing and pardon are very importand matter, as for monks there are even &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch12_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;many formal ways&lt;/a&gt; to do, which can be appopted by good other communities patly as well.&#xA;Generally the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone&lt;/a&gt; might be useful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And in regard of the added related question by Chris, no, addmitting and apologize will not easen or even make deeds and their results undone but it straightens your view and thoughts and allows you to walk on, aside the fact that such is nessesary for any good relation or community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Something people seldom practice any more, caught in wrong views of having primaly rights and feeling independent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, it is needed to know what is a wrong deed. If somebody is hurt does not mean that you made something wrong. Such a desire for apologise is then merely founded in ones desire to be liked or in certain ways estimated by others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So admit should be not used for politics, since such causes confusion of what is right and wrong in communities and relations in long therms.&#xA;Feel free to ask more &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ravindranath Akila in addition:&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  I just read the sutta. It is useful to reflect ones own mistake. I'm looking at how I can apologize and make amends. Is there such a way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not always. And as told, sometimes its merely a desire in regard of relation to a person. Such desire is human, of coures, but not nessesary skillful. Sometimes beings are no more interested at all. There aversion is theirs. For you it good then to practice &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/metta_means_goodwill_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;good will&lt;/a&gt;, not love or desire. A good talk on: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/reconciliation_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Reconciliation, Right &amp;amp; Wrong&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While most believe that unity is the highers, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.071-080.uppa_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhas account&lt;/a&gt; was not so. Nothing is worthy to give up real benefical things and he told clearly its better to loses relations, wealth and even health for such things as &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2106.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view&lt;/a&gt; and withdraw from anything else. Why? With the break apart of the body, one would not fall into low existences. The lose of others will come anyway, sooner or later.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can say that there are three kinds of desire for reconciliation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Unskilfull&lt;/em&gt;: connected with (wrong) fear, desire (for wodlily gain), aversion (caused by desire), not-knowing (that a reconciliation is urgend, for example)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Skillful&lt;/em&gt;: connected with (right) fear of wrongdoing, desire (for skillfulness), aversion (of unclear situations and hindrences to walk on), knowing (of what is skilfull and unskilfull)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beyound&lt;/em&gt;: no more desire for any lose or gain and therefore no more seek for reconciiation actively, but accepting apologize.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The skillful can be divided into:&#xA;Wordly: to maintain one world an relations&#xA;Contuctive for the path to liberation: to maintain a good relation in regard of those worthy to associate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, in each case, one should always confess mistakes and accept the &quot;punishment&quot; accordingly, and of course one should always investigate ones own actions first and propably seek for advices from admirable friends for certain cases (See talk to Rahula) and &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.021.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bala-pandita Sutta: Fools &amp;amp; Wise People&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wothy to note! (Since often overseen) There is no need of confessing or reconciliation for mental deeds. Here being ashamed for yourself and lso determination to do not again is enought (is't not part of Sila/Vinaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Good for now, there is no reconciliation with the team here as well as no such as an invitation to share Dhamma, so its just an short fly by.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An extended and modified answer, builded up on this, can be found here: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,7991.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is the Buddhas approach of admitting a mistake?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing the necessarity: One may fight lifetimes, spend lifetimes to justify ones deeds, will win and lose for lifetimes again and again, as long there is no real admiting one will not realky progress and do it again and again. Think of how long Devatata and his fellow still turns around and will &quot;win&quot; for many lifetimes birth again and again, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,805.msg2491.html#msg2491&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Verdrängen ist nicht Verzeihen&lt;/a&gt; (German, you may translate it if you feel inspired)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#forgiveness&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Requesting Forgiveness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually chanted after having made merits:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kāyena vācāya va cetasā vā, Buddhe kukammaṃ pakataṃ mayā yaṃ,&#xA;  Buddho paṭiggaṇhatu accayantaṃ,&#xA;  Kālantare saṃvarituṃ va buddhe.&#xA;  Whatever bad kamma I have done to the Buddha&#xA;  by body, by speech, or by mind,&#xA;  may the Buddha accept my admission of it,&#xA;  so that in the future I may show restraint toward the Buddha. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#evening&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Same for Dhamma and Sangha&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T06:19:02.610" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T06:19:02.610" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20287" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-04-25T12:58:30.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way to answer the specific question would be to not answer it at all, but since this site is about instant information, I will go on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you get the information from someone or something outside of yourself, you only get the data, if you ponder it in your own mind, you gain insight and the answer is truly yours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Koans&lt;/a&gt; are specific instruments to help you learn, not just receive information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T12:58:30.630" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20288" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2017-04-25T13:05:21.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, nothing can delete results of actions. They will rippe anyway. But to know that and to straighten you mind will makes it not so painful.&#xA;The idea that apologize would make things undone is merely advertised in Almighty-god-believes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T13:05:21.987" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14683" CreationDate="2017-04-25T13:48:05.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything it depends. Buddhist know exactly what is karma and its result. It is not like in the court in front of the jury, plea guilty or not or what will be the punishment, or trying to dodge with excuses. Everything done with good or bad intention carry its karma. And if one did it towards which types of person who is laymen or Arya. Also it is important in which way you apologize to this person one insulted through which person. But good karma goes far beyond bad one and it depends how good and how bad. Some examples as stone sink under water but kept on the boat big enough to keep it cannot sink. So not to do the bad karma is the very first thing. If one did it, apologize directly to that person, if that person is no more, apologize through an Arya(Triple gems) and to get the big boat, practice insight meditation earnestly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T13:48:05.130" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-04-25T15:09:43.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perhaps it is enough just to be joyfully aware of washing the dishes. Not to wander to work, to the past, to the future. Just that is radically different than the way our minds usually work...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh on mindfulness and happiness &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iLHm7LixaM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iLHm7LixaM&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T15:09:43.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20291" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20283" CreationDate="2017-04-25T15:48:47.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You must understand the karma and its result. It depends on the intention one make to do the karma and on what person one did this karma. It is not like in front of the jury plea guilty or not giving excuses. If you would like to apologize, directly do it to that person explaining and admitting sincerely with all your heart. If that person is no more, you can do it through an Arya (and/or Triple gems). Only thing is not to do bad karma, if done it apologize sincerely, even then it is not enough so that to achieve more good karma, work hard at insight meditation because good karma will make bad one less and less as the dew disappear as the sun shine. The stone that sink under water could be carried in the boat big enough to carry it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T15:48:47.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20283" CreationDate="2017-04-25T17:21:22.450" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mistakes or misdeeds are so important that the Indian Buddhist monk and scholar Śāntideva (8th century CE) said in his śāstra (treatise) &lt;em&gt;Śikṣāsamuccaya&lt;/em&gt; (Compendium of Teachings): &quot;One law serves to summarize the whole of the Mahāyāna: The protection of all beings is accomplished through examination of one's own mistakes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan traditions, the proper response to mistakes has been summarized in four steps called the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_powers&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;four powers&lt;/a&gt; at least since the time of Tsongkhapa (14th century CE). The four powers are: (1) confessing or exposing one's misdeed before a witness or support, (2) feeling remorse for having committed the misdeed, (3) vowing not to repeat the misdeed in the future, and (4) taking action to remedy the effects of the misdeed. Exactly which actions should be taken to remedy the effects of the misdeed depends on the particular misdeed and the situation. There are many Tibetan commentaries that discuss these four steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the four powers are completely in accord with what Śākyamuni Buddha taught in the discourses. In the &lt;em&gt;Sāmaññaphala Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (DN 2), the Buddha says to King Ajātasattu:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yes, great king, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to kill your father—a righteous man, a righteous king—for the sake of sovereign rulership. But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a cause of growth in the Dhamma and Discipline of the noble ones when, seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta&lt;/em&gt; (MN 61), which another answer already cited, the Buddha says to Rāhula:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having done a bodily action, you should reflect on it: &quot;This bodily action I have done—did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?&quot; If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having confessed it, you should exercise restraint in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rāhula, all those brahmans and contemplatives in the course of the past who purified their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions, did it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a book titled &lt;em&gt;Being Upright&lt;/em&gt;, the North American Zen teacher Reb Anderson quoted Śāntideva (&quot;The protection of all beings is accomplished through examination of one's own mistakes&quot;) and commented:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Confession completely purifies our bodies and minds. Practicing it alone or together with others reawakens the heart of compassion and the appreciation of others' virtues. [...] To me, the word &lt;em&gt;confession&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;the admission of our actions.&quot; It is a literal and formal acknowledgment of our deliberate actions, or &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt;, in terms of body, speech, and thought. [...] Formal confession can be done alone, within your own heart, and that is certainly of great merit. However, in order to realize the complete and inconceivable function of formal confession, you must practice confession in the presence of another. When nonvirtue is brought forward out of the dark, you are more able to fully recognize and therefore confess it. Such confession before the face of another can be practiced in front of a statue of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, in front of a teacher, or in the presence of community members within a ritual context. There are an infinite number of possible ways of practicing formal confession. The essential point is that you honestly, sincerely, and thoroughly reveal your unwholesome actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The realization of the full, liberating function of formal confession must entail elements of regret and remorse. By &quot;regret&quot; I mean that you feel that you have made a mistake, wish that you had not committed the action, and sincerely intend to refrain from doing so again. Such regret and steadfast intention to refrain from nonvirtuous action is supported by feelings of remorse. Etymologically, &lt;em&gt;remorse&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;to bite again.&quot; The complete, purifying power of confession involves tasting again the bitterness of your nonvirtue. It may be useful to distinguish between remorse and disgust about your actions. &lt;em&gt;Disgust&lt;/em&gt; is a feeling of &quot;rejecting or loathing what you have done&quot; and may undermine a steadfast sense of responsibility for your actions, whereas remorse has more the feeling of revisiting the scene of the crime and deepening your sense of responsibility.&#xA;  [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bodhisattvas continuously confess their nonvirtue. Because delusion occurs moment after moment, confession must also be moment after moment. Bodhisattvas continuously see and admit their own delusions and nonvirtuous deeds. Less enlightened people confess less often. The most unenlightened and dangerous people are those who think that they never do any nonvirtuous deeds at all. The greatest darkness for the human mind is to believe that you never do anything wrong or hurtful or stupid. Conversely, continuous confession of nonvirtue opens the gate to great light. Confession of wrongdoing is an act of awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the excerpt from the book &lt;em&gt;Being Upright&lt;/em&gt; that I just quoted above, Reb Anderson is talking about formal confession. But a little later in the book he notes that the Sōtō Zen tradition distinguishes between &lt;em&gt;formal confession&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;formless confession&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The practice of formless or ultimate confession is based on formal confession but goes beyond it. In formal confession we fully recognize and acknowledge our karmic deeds. In formless confession, according to Dōgen, we &quot;quietly explore the furthest reaches of the causes and conditions&quot; of these actions. Formal confession refreshes and purifies us from the consequences of our self-centered actions of body, speech, and thought. Formless confession reaches to and removes the roots of these actions. Formal confession prepares us for meditation. Formless confession is the meditation process itself. It is being upright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Formal confession is very important. And after formal confession there is the deeper process of formless confession, the process of exploring the furthest reaches of causes and conditions and consequences of all our activity. This process is also called &lt;em&gt;vipassanā&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;vipaśyanā&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11237" LastEditorUserId="11237" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T21:00:37.300" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T21:00:37.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20282" CreationDate="2017-04-25T17:54:38.927" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Especially the stream-enterer in some cases if not fully guided by the meditation master will not be identify clearly which stage he/she achieve. Only with the help of the meditation master who can teach how magga and phala was achieved during practice will know exactly what is what. Once in Buddha time, one upathaka didn't know his afterlife whether might be in lower realm although he already entered sotapanna stage which I heard from one of my venerable sayadaw highlighting the importance of meditation master. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T17:54:38.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20294" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20296" CreationDate="2017-04-25T17:57:00.613" Score="2" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've decided to do I'm thinking if meditation would help me to concentrate my study(academic). Also would it help me to feel Buddha and Dhamma? Will my memory sharp? Currently I feel little bit depressed so would this be cured if I'll attend ten days of Vipassana meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T23:01:28.060" Title="Benefits of Vipassana Meditation" Tags="|vipassana|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20294" CreationDate="2017-04-25T22:29:09.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whatever Buddha taught was aimed at attaining nirvana. Vipassana meditation is to achieve nirvana. If you go through this journey, you can pick up something you want on the way. If you do so, there will be the delay and even you may lose bearing. What you mention are just like the stations you have to pass on the journey by train. If you are waiting one by one you will get it but slowly and not all at the same time. If you target at nirvana, you will get these all in a short time definitely.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T22:29:09.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20296" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20294" CreationDate="2017-04-25T23:01:28.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I've decided to do I'm thinking if meditation would help me to&#xA;  concentrate my study(academic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana meditation will help in studies. Since vipassana meditation focuses on removing craving, anger and illusion, you will notice your mind clear of when you study. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Also would it help me to feel Buddha and Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just before Buddha reached parinibbhäna, he stated, at his absence Dhamma would be our teacher. Dhamma was Buddhas teacher too. Buddha also has said, the person who sees dhamma sees him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will my memory sharp?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even with a clear mind, you have to follow memory basics to remember. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To improve short term memory: &lt;strong&gt;Repeat to remember&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;To improve long term memory: &lt;strong&gt;Remember to repeat&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is from the book Brain Rules&lt;/em&gt;. It's a well researched and accepted book so grab a copy if you can. By Melina. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Currently I feel little bit depressed so would this be cured if I'll&#xA;  attend ten days of Vipassana meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlikely. You need a slightly longer commitment. Start with a three month plan with an excellent diet, good sleep, ample exercise. Visit a doctor about this if you haven't. Use vipassana meditation for the purpose it was intended for, not depression. Read the book &quot;Spark&quot; by Ratey, if you feel you can do something additional to what a doctor asks you, to get over depression. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-25T23:01:28.060" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20297" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20299" CreationDate="2017-04-25T23:58:46.953" Score="1" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;I grew up in Sri Lanka where we often hear &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Gedara budun amma &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which translates to &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha of the house is mother &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also learned that this was to reinstate the lost value of a mother in the country back then due to discrimination of women. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm positive there are proper references for this but I would like to know where in Tipitaka or other historical books this is documented. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T06:29:58.857" Title="Where did Buddha state &quot;Mother is the Buddha of the home?&quot;" Tags="|reference-request|tipitaka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20298" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20282" CreationDate="2017-04-26T00:18:41.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samyutta Nikaya - Maha Vaggo (2) Sotapatti Samyuttaya &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here you can find sutta where Buddha explains who a Sotapatti stream winner is. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unwavering impression of Buddha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unwavering impression of Dhamma &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unwavering impression of Sangha &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maintains Aryakäntha sîla &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other places in Tipitaka where Buddha mentions the first three and the fourth one as &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;No doubt of The Four Noble Truths (Sammä Ditti) - &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A definitive answer may be found here: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samyutta Nikaya - Maha Vaggo (2) Sotapatti Samyuttaya - 11.1.5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you might notice, as long as there is doubt (Vicikiccä) you are not sothäpanna. By observing your own mind, you can confirm if you are sothäpanna or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To go a step further, it is wise to practice Buddhism with the thoughts &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As long as I make assumptions using &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot;, &quot;my soul&quot; I need to practice detachment. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;As long as I have craving, anger or delusion, I will practice detachment, metta and vipassana (Sammä Ditti) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, one won't waste time thinking am I this, am I that. Where there is craving, anger, delusion, there is harm for oneself and others. Therefore, you can practice this just by deciding to be harmless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NVE7J.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NVE7J.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Sinhala Version&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.5-Sotapatti-Sariputta-S-2-s55.5-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; English Version&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2018-11-20T15:28:01.757" LastActivityDate="2018-11-20T15:28:01.757" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20297" CreationDate="2017-04-26T03:36:27.507" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am only aware of the suttas stating: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mother and father are called&#xA;  &quot;Brahma,&quot; &quot;early teachers&quot;&#xA;  And &quot;worthy of veneration,&quot;&#xA;  Being compassionate towards&#xA;  Their family of children.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.106-112x.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 109&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A wife as the West be ministered to by a husband by...handing over authority to her...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 31 also states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(iv) she protects what he brings, (v) she is skilled and industrious in discharging her duties.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wife has authority in the home when she is financially prudent, like my mother. But many women of the current 'feminist sexual liberal era' lack financial prudence. Instead of saving money, they spend money. Only individuals with morality can be the authority of the home. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T03:36:27.507" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20138" CreationDate="2017-04-26T05:41:35.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Ch'an, the mind (Citta) is always described in a metaphor of a mirror. When you asked &lt;code&gt;Who or what is observing&lt;/code&gt;, by &lt;strong&gt;observing&lt;/strong&gt; you've negated the whole to parts: &lt;em&gt;the observer&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;the observed&lt;/em&gt;. With these split, added with negations on negations, the world comes to existence - Samsara, so to speak. Without the observed, the observer cannot come into existence. Now this observer is not the Self, because it depends on the observed to exist. Like we can't see our own face. We can only see ourselves by looking into the mirror, the reflection. It is in this context that the Buddha said, Anatta/not-Self. Because what we termed ourselves are the reflections on the mirror, we know that reflection is &quot;not me&quot;. With a dusted mirror, broken mirror, the reflection is bad, therefore we can't even see a proper face of us. Here comes in the meditation, quieting the mind (usually endless chattering, commentary, worry, wish that occupied the mind), you are much clearer in seeing your own face (I think here some incomplete understanding by inserting the term &lt;em&gt;true-Self&lt;/em&gt; [&lt;em&gt;your &quot;true authentic self&quot;&lt;/em&gt;] comes in).  Like a bucket with murky water, when it's stilled, the water is clear, that is in this condition that insight can come to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With above stated, I would say, putting Anatta/not-Self everywhere like some conventional Theravadist in English community did is incomplete/ incorrect. I think you are wise in your learning by saying &lt;code&gt;...Wouldn't Buddha say that even awareness is not self? If we are not thought, not awareness, who or what is the observer?...&lt;/code&gt; However, your this question &lt;code&gt;Who or what is observing&lt;/code&gt; is coming from an intellectual perspective, the question conditioned the answer, like by saying observing there is observer and observed. They are not an absolute existence but depended on each other. However, to make use of this to track on The Path, it is to be aware moments of moments, i.e., clearing more the observed(s) (chattering, commentary, worry, wish) thus removed the observer(s) becomes more and more single-minded, you will be able to see your true face. &#xA;Sometimes in the English Buddhism communities some schools used the term true-Self. In Chinese is 真我. (There are many words 我, 吾, 自己... used in different context, but there are I and Self only in English). I'm afraid since Buddhism was originated in ancient India and reaching prominence in ancient China the English term is rather scarce to convey the meaning in any particular term. Therefore I would avoid using terms such as these. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addition: Now what is (真)我, or, badly termed Self/true-Self? Like a knife cannot cut itself, an eye cannot see itself, so is this &quot;I&quot; can't see my own face without the mirror, it is here the path of meditation (if anyone is able to reach this stage, at least feeling the body-Self doesn't exist in meditation, which is in fact not yet quiet at it), the journey will be continued without the path.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-26T08:28:16.530" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T08:28:16.530" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20297" CreationDate="2017-04-26T06:29:58.857" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Mother is the Buddha of the home&quot;, might also refer to the Mother as the first source from which to learn selfless, compassionate love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dailymirror.lk/109260/Mother-the-Buddha-at-home-Gedara-Budun-&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dailymirror.lk/109260/Mother-the-Buddha-at-home-Gedara-Budun-&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T06:29:58.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20302" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20315" CreationDate="2017-04-26T12:08:43.613" Score="1" ViewCount="325" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any one know what is the exact Age Limit that Buddha can live? i heard that one of previous Buddha lives His Life for 40,000 year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T00:41:54.543" Title="What is the exact Age Limit that Buddha can live?" Tags="|the-buddha|life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20303" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20317" CreationDate="2017-04-26T12:39:35.563" Score="1" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;is it the EARTH only Place that can give birth to a Buddha? isn't their any other Universes or worlds  beside than Earth that Previously born Buddha or in the Future?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T01:31:42.863" Title="Is it the EARTH only Place that can give birth to a Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|science|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20278" CreationDate="2017-04-26T12:45:54.423" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It has nothing to do with Buddha and his teachings, although sometimes parts of Suttas (Pali) are used in the text. Mostly the texts recites Brahmanic-verses (Sanskrit), sometimes mixed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The script here is mostly - like here in your samples - Khmer (Cambodian), which was used also in Thailand till a Thai King invented own script. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This so called &quot;yoan&quot;s &quot;yantras&quot; are protective charms, also used for flags which are placed on the roof cross-beams of a house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually soldier hire &quot;monks&quot; to do these, especially those active in war. Many monks in SEA have been soldier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard to tattoos being &quot;done by monks&quot;: The Buddha called that a &quot;livelihood of animals&quot;. It is not allowed and is a second-heaviest violation of the Vinaya (rules of monks).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may understand that my person will not put effort into translating it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just a general notes, regarding tattoos: beautification of the body is not something conducive for one's real protection and practice. Not to speak of harming the body unnecessarily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today there are many monks making livelihood with such, even paint themselves. Most (not all) can be considered as outside of the Buddha's disciples. Today's monks doing such usually have also not even an idea of meditation, which one ever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It you wish to translate it, here a &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1912.msg8454.html#msg8454&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;list of the script's letters&lt;/a&gt;. You could in this way write Pali in Roman letters, and then either ask Pali/Sanskrit scholars or search dictionaries. Since the script is different to modern, my person attached a picture including the older script.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Since my person just came across again: Santidhammo Bhikkhu, eager in discovering Tantric Theravada, wrote some articles about yantras: &lt;a href=&quot;http://santidhammo.blogspot.com/2016/09/yantra-in-cambodian-buddhism-boran.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yantra in Cambodian Buddhism - Boran&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://santidhammo.blogspot.com/2016/09/yantra-tattoo-and-tantric-theravada.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yantra Tattoo and Tantric Theravada traditions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some details about the meanings can be found in links given by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freesangha.com/forums/beginner&amp;#39;s-buddhism/question-about-necklace/msg87084/#msg87084&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rahul at freesangha.com&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;a href=&quot;http://journal.samatha.org/issues/issue-3/na-yan-continued&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha Journal&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.soravij.com/showcase/yantra/yantra.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;soravij.com&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-12T23:24:44.563" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T23:24:44.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20305" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20311" CreationDate="2017-04-26T13:26:33.400" Score="3" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to pose a question to practitioners of the various diverse sects of Pure Land Buddhism and to those substantially knowledgable of the writings of Pure Land masters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There exists the notion that Pure Land style buddhānusmṛti, namely invoking the name of Amitābha in the interest of entrance into Sukhāvatī, absolves practitioners from moral obligations and removes morality from the Buddhadharma. I do not agree with this notion, but it does exist, and this in spite of the obvious and apparent reality that Pure Land practitioners are not any more immoral than any other group of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Pure Land masters are popularly quoted as saying that even the unrepentant and evil gain access to Sukhāvatī via niànfó in this very life in which they are criminals or evil men. Does anyone have any context to offer for this and how it impacts morality in the dispensation of these masters, who clearly did not advocate for immoral behaviour?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where does morality and virtue sit contextualized within the Dharma in niànfó-centric practices of Pure Land schools, wherein salvation is potentially available to all through niànfó alone?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you all for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11241" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T13:09:58.310" Title="Niànfó (念佛, nenbustu) &amp; Morality" Tags="|pure-land|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20306" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-26T14:11:43.747" Score="5" ViewCount="1216" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the Pali/Sanskrit term(s) for 'intelligence'? Is there another word(s) in Pali/Sanskrit for 'wisdom'? I hear 'intellect', 'intelligence' and 'wisdom' used interchangeably, is this correct? What is the relationship between intelligence and wisdom in Buddhism? Are they really the same thing or can they be the same thing or what? :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2020-01-04T07:21:08.643" Title="What is the difference between intelligence and wisdom in the Buddha's teaching?" Tags="|wisdom|knowledge|panna|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20303" CreationDate="2017-04-26T14:17:09.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All Buddhas are born in dhambadhiva. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T14:17:09.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20308" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20306" CreationDate="2017-04-26T14:30:42.050" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana, intelligence and wisdom are not used interchangeably. Wisdom has various meanings, depending on the context. The issue is that different Tibetan words are translated 'wisdom.' I assume these Tibetan words correspond to different Sanskrit words as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Abhidharma, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;QUESTION: What is wisdom (&lt;strong&gt;shes rab&lt;/strong&gt;)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;RESPONSE: It strongly&#xA;  differentiates the qualities of things that are to be examined. It has&#xA;  the function of overcoming doubt. Just as it has been said above,&#xA;  wisdom is a knower that individually differentiates the faults and&#xA;  good qualities of things that are to be examined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, wisdom (&lt;strong&gt;yeshe&lt;/strong&gt;) refers to the cognizer realizing emptiness. There are also three types of wisdoms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are three types of wisdom: the wisdom arisen from hearing, the&#xA;  wisdom arisen from thinking, and the wisdom arisen from meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wisdom arisen from analytical meditation on emptiness is &lt;strong&gt;yeshe&lt;/strong&gt;. It is the one we refer to when we speak of the higher training in wisdom. Or when we speak of cultivating the perfection of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Intelligence refers to a mental factor that a student must have. It resembles &lt;strong&gt;shes rab.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;In the Middle Length Lam Rim, Tsongkhapa says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Someone to whom good ways of explaining appear as faulty ones, due to&#xA;  not having the intelligence to distinguish them, is not a suitable&#xA;  vessel. Therefore one needs to have the intelligence that understands&#xA;  [what is to be abandoned, and what is to be adopted].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T14:30:42.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20309" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-26T15:06:44.383" Score="3" ViewCount="520" Body="&lt;p&gt;In what ways does the experience of &quot;realisation of Sunyata&quot; differ from the experience of &quot;realisation of Anatta&quot;, for the practitioner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two aims are apparently non confirming, as far as I know, at least that is what their respective schools believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in what ways does choosing one ideal over the other lead to a  difference in experience for the practitioner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7055" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-26T15:13:11.420" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T17:40:05.127" Title="How does the experience of &quot;realisation of Sunyata&quot; differ from &quot;realisation of Anatta&quot;?" Tags="|anatman|comparative-religion|sunyata|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20310" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20302" CreationDate="2017-04-26T15:18:43.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some sources claim fantastic ages that even the Dalai Lama questions in &lt;em&gt;Becoming Enlightened&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;The 16th chapter of the Lotus sutra readable at &lt;a href=&quot;https://nichiren.info/buddhism/lotussutra/text/chap16.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://nichiren.info/buddhism/lotussutra/text/chap16.html&lt;/a&gt; discusses the question more thoroughly than I care to here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T15:18:43.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20305" CreationDate="2017-04-26T16:09:10.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will provide a hint to your question grossly, since I'm running out of time. Provided chance, I shall attend to this question if needed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some Pure Land masters are popularly quoted as saying that even the unrepentant and evil gain access to Sukhāvatī via niànfó in this very life in which they are criminals or evil men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you understood the Pureland doctrines thoroughly, you should learn that there are 9 grades for entering Sukhāvatī, called 九品蓮花 (Nine Platforms of the Lotus [transportation vehicles?!]): best, better, good x 3 = 9). The lowest of these 9, i.e., the good of the good (下品下生), is that when a practitioner who's committed incl. the Five Grave Sins (五逆罪) such as killing the parent, by the time of dying is able to remember/ think of (憶念) Amitābha he will be born in Sukhāvatī. However, the Lotus Platform that carried him takes 12 Great Kalpas to open, i.e., he will arrive in Sukhāvatī after 1612800 million years(?) [161.28 亿年]. The Best of the Best takes a blink of eyes. The criteria must be met is that he should be able to remember/ think of Amitabha - top importance; he repents/laments his wrong deed (懺悔) though he couldn't mend it; he himself has the full confidence of being able to be born in Sukhāvatī. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If any teacher just stating that Niànfó is the one-fix-all, without explaining the above, he is misleading and that's why Pureland to outsiders, even insiders, are sometimes criticized rigorously. I knew there is one very popular and famous Pureland School's Bhikkhu living in Singapore migrated from Mainland China who's teaching an abridged version of the doctrine [his own doctrine?]. He is also called into question by Buddhists of if his meeting the qualification of being ordained as a Bhikkhu because in one occasion in defending himself he revealed that he was born incompetent (黃門), this video with his voice is circulating in the internet. I hope you are not the students following his teaching ;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to learn properly, I suggest you read the original Classical Chinese       《佛說無量壽經》 《佛說觀無量壽經》, 《佛說阿彌陀經》 is translated by Kumarajiva; or letters of 印光大師. They are not that hard to read, if you know Chinese. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jSLt3.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/jSLt3.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Also, for Pureland practice, Niànfó is just one of the many methods. Such as above Sutras, it is in fact in it recorded the visualization method, the 《佛說觀無量壽經》 there are in total 16 visualizations one of it is visualizing the setting sun as described in the Sutra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the sad thing is, practitioners just follow the teachers, and the methods reduced to one single Niànfó, it is not sure the teachers if they studied the Sutras, or just busy writing articles giving talks to invoke more audiences to recognize their names/fames. No one care to learn from the original Sutras, from directly the Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T13:09:58.310" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T13:09:58.310" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20309" CreationDate="2017-04-26T17:52:28.270" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I guess I'm in a position to answer this one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my perspective, the experience of realization of Anatta is simpler and less profound. At some point in meditation or in the middle of some other activity accompanied by contemplation of the Twelve Nidanas, or the conditioned nature of all dharmas (the truth of impermanence) etc., one may realize that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the thoughts follow a cyclic pattern of free association and do not come from an &quot;I&quot;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;identification with an individual living organism is pretty arbitrary and relies on a rather conventional delineation of boundaries,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the universe is fully deterministic,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an immortal soul cannot exist unless it exists in absolute isolation from all interactions with anything else, which is nonsense,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As these conceptual understandings all come together and connect with first-hand meditation experience, there comes a moment when the notion of &quot;I&quot; no longer applies as anything but a designation, a convenient label. That's Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then there is an intermediate stage, at least in my experience, when the notion of Anatta of sentient beings is generalized along the lines of the following realizations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all entities are mind-made abstractions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;as times goes by and things transform, in any object there is no identity that stays the same through all stages of transformation. Any such identity is a mind-made overlay.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the above realizations arrive at a point when all inanimate objects and not just sentient beings are perceived as lacking any substance, or empty of any identity, and are mere conceptual designations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then... and then... there is the actual experience of Shunyata, which goes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond anything like the above. The experience of Shunyata comes only from very consistent and thorough research into all topics of Dharma, diligent application of Dharma in real life, and very sincere and truthful meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The experience of Shunyata is the experience of loss of existential ground. It changes everything without really changing anything. It shatters one into a million pieces, then assembles back into a sentient being and abandons. From this moment on, the worst has happened and nothing can hurt you anymore. The world will never be the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, as I belong to a Mahayana school, I see Anatta as incomplete realization and Shunyata as fully matured. The two are really just phases of the same realization as it deepens through study and practice. From this standpoint, if you were to stop at Anatta and never go to Shunyata (never jump off the cliff) you would still have a ground under your feet, which would A) make you still be a jerk to people who disagree, since you'd still have an attachment, and B) due to the same attachment, make you vulnerable to conditions, hence no Nirvana for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-04-26T18:26:32.863" LastActivityDate="2017-04-26T18:26:32.863" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20309" CreationDate="2017-04-26T23:39:53.107" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;An analysis of experience using anatta is one of continuous denial - the denial of 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self', with regards to individually presented constructs, each and every one. Non-self is the end conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analysis of experience using shunyata is one of a quick-step positive affirmation of such a list of denials. Kinda like a sum to a series in maths. Emptiness of self is the end conclusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, shunyata still eludes me. Its seemingly somewhat positive description of actuality makes me weary, as I'm not comfortable with ultimate truth getting a definiton with any positive characteristic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is mostly a linguistic one though imo. Both lead to insight, but from different frames of reference.. In fact, i think its probably for the best if people examined experience using both concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T00:05:34.847" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T00:05:34.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20309" CreationDate="2017-04-26T23:54:14.947" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no difference between &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt; in terms of realisation. If there was a difference then the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; would be a lie &amp;amp; false because the five arahants in that sutta would not really be arahants (fully enlightened). They would only be partially enlightened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definitions of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt; in the Pali suttas are basically identical, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever form, past, future or present, internal or external, coarse or fine, low or lofty, far or near, all that form must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality, thus: '&lt;strong&gt;This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or into an empty dwelling, considers this: '&lt;strong&gt;This is empty of self or of anything pertaining to self&lt;/strong&gt;.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of the teachings, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt; are different because &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; was taught 1st, in the 2nd sermon of the Buddha, where a &lt;em&gt;gradual sermon&lt;/em&gt; was given that associated &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; with &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt; (impermanence). Here, it was reasoned because something is impermanent &amp;amp; subject to disease, it cannot be a 'self' or regard as 'mine' ('belonging to self'). When the minds of the listeners penetrated this reality, the self-views in the mind dissolved, which was enlightenment. (In addition, the teaching of '&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;' also helped extinguished the defilements, such as craving). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;, it does not rely on impermanence because it simply, correctly &amp;amp; directly asserts there is no self within the five aggregates. This is easily observed in meditation. For example, observing the breathing itself or a body part or observing sense consciousness itself, in can be seen easily there is no 'self' in the breathing or in a finger or in sense consciousness; just as it can be seen easily there is no 'self' in a rock, tree or cloud.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; was a gradual teaching for beginners that used impermanence (&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;) to assist in the realisation. However, when the realisation itself occurs, there is no difference from &lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T00:24:17.360" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T00:24:17.360" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20315" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20302" CreationDate="2017-04-27T00:41:54.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddha can live as long as he wants – even an aeon, as the Buddha potentially have the age or lifespan of an aeon.  – but this decision depends on the others. If an arahant that is closest to a Buddha makes a formal convincing request for a Buddha to live for many thousands of years, he will do so. But always the Mara gets in the way, and asks the Buddha to attain Parinibbhana, no sooner His Dispensation is fully established. In our Gautama Buddha’s time, this happened when he was 85 years of age. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha once said that anyone who had developed the Four Bases to Success (iddhi-pada), and is firmly rooted in these four bases, if he wishes, could live until ones full age - in our times until 100 - 120 years. Four bases to success (iddhi-pada) are Chanda Iddhipada (great desire to practice); Citta Iddhipada (Will); Viriya Iddhipada (effort or perseverance -repeatedly applying the mind); Vimansa Iddhipada (examination leading to insight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha asked one of his ten chief disciples, Ananda, about this, once He knew that He has achieved the goal of fully establishing his dispensation. He asked not once or twice, but sixteen times. But every time Mara got in the way. Mara had power over Ananda, as he had not yet fully purified himself. So Ananda never heard what Buddha said, as he was not himself. And it was Mara who asked the Buddha, not Ananda. If Mara had not intervened, Ananda would have asked the Buddha to live a prolonged life, out of compassion for the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mara appeared before the Buddha and reminded him of a promise the Buddha made to him forty-five years before, immediately after the enlightenment. At that time, Buddha said that he would not attain Parinibbhana until he had established and well taught the Doctrine. Now that had been accomplished, Mara said that it it was time to fulfill the promise. In reply The Buddha said that he would attain Parinibbhana in three months. A Buddha sees that this mortal body, with its six sense faculties, as belonging to Mara. This shows the detachment of an Arahant to the ways of this world. Buddha kept this body until the Dhamma was fully established, and as promised, and as invited by another, left this earth  than live a prolonged life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T00:41:54.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20306" CreationDate="2017-04-27T00:45:09.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, 'wisdom' is something that cuts through &amp;amp; eradicates mental defilements (of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion), leading to the ending of suffering. Where as other types of knowledge do not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of wisdom (paññā)? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is wise, endowed with wisdom of&#xA;  arising &amp;amp; passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right&#xA;  ending of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; may help here since it lists other kinds of knowledge that are not wisdom: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by&#xA;  analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by&#xA;  the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for&#xA;  yourselves that, 'Certain mental qualities are unskillful; these qualities are&#xA;  blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these&#xA;  qualities, when adopted &amp;amp; carried out, lead to harm &amp;amp; to suffering' —&#xA;  then you should abandon them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha taught them, and us, not to accept or believe anything immediately just because it fits with any of a number of criteria. He&#xA;  listed ten such criteria for them to be wary of, so they could avoid&#xA;  becoming anyone’s intellectual slave, even of the Buddha Himself. This&#xA;  principle enables us to choose for ourselves the teachings that are&#xA;  truly capable of quenching suffering (dukkha). The ten examples the&#xA;  Buddha gave in the Kalama Sutta follow.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Ma anussavena:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t accept and believe something to be true just because it has been passed along and retold for many years. Such credulity is a&#xA;  characteristic of brainless people, of &quot;sawdust brains,&quot; such as those&#xA;  in Bangkok who once believed that disasters would befall people born&#xA;  in the &quot;ma&quot; years. (The years of the small snake, big snake, horse,&#xA;  and goat — five through eight in the old twelve-year Thai cycle — all&#xA;  begin with &quot;ma.&quot;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Ma paramparaya:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe in something merely because it has become a traditional&#xA;  practice. People tend to imitate what others do and then pass the&#xA;  habit along, as in the story of the rabbit that was terrified by a&#xA;  fallen mango (like Chicken Little’s falling sky). When the other&#xA;  animals saw the rabbit running at top speed, they were frightened too&#xA;  and ran after it. Most of them ended up tripping and tumbling off a&#xA;  cliff to their deaths. Any vipassana (insight) practice that merely&#xA;  imitates others, that just follows traditions, will bring similar&#xA;  results&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Ma itikiraya:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t accept and believe something simply because of reports and news of it spreading far and wide, whether through one’s village or&#xA;  throughout the whole world. Only fools are susceptible to such rumors,&#xA;  for they refuse to exercise their own powers of intelligence and&#xA;  discrimination.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Ma Pitakasampadanena:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t accept and believe something just because it is cited in a pitaka (text). The word &quot;pitaka,&quot; although most commonly used for&#xA;  Buddhist scriptures, can mean anything written or inscribed on a&#xA;  suitable writing material. The teachings memorized and passed on&#xA;  orally should not be confused with pitaka. A pitaka is a certain kind&#xA;  of conditioned thing made and controlled by human beings, which can be&#xA;  improved or changed by human hands. Thus, we cannot trust every letter&#xA;  and word we read in them. We need to use our powers of discrimination&#xA;  to see how these words can be applied to the quenching of suffering.&#xA;  There are discrepancies among the pitaka of the various Buddhist&#xA;  schools, so care is called for.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;5. Ma takkahetu:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe something solely on the grounds of logical reasoning&#xA;  (takka). Logic is merely one branch of knowledge that people use to&#xA;  try to figure out the truth. Takka or Logic is not infallible. If its&#xA;  data or inferences are incorrect, it can go wrong.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;6. Ma nayahetu:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe or accept something merely because it appears correct on the grounds of Naya or what is now called &quot;philosophy.&quot; In&#xA;  Thailand, we translate the Western term philosophy as prajna. Our&#xA;  Indian friends cannot accept this because &quot;naya&quot; is just a point of&#xA;  view or opinion; it isn’t the supreme understanding properly referred&#xA;  to as panya or prajna. Naya or nayaya is merely a method of deductive&#xA;  reasoning based on hypotheses or assumptions. Such reasoning can err&#xA;  when the method or hypothesis is inappropriate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;7. Ma akaraparivitakkena:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe or accept something simply because of superficial thinking, that is, because it appeals to what we nowadays call &quot;common&#xA;  sense,&quot; which is merely snap judgments based on one’s tendencies of&#xA;  thought. We like to use this approach so much that it becomes&#xA;  habitual. Some careless and boastful philosophers rely on such common&#xA;  sense a great deal and consider themselves clever.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;8. Ma ditthinijjhanakkhantiya:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe accept something to be true merely because it agrees or fits with one’s preconceived opinions and theories. Personal views can be wrong and our methods of experiment and verification may be inadequate, neither of which lead us to the truth. This approach may seem similar to the scientific method, but can never actually be scientific, as its proofs and experiments are inadequate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;9. Ma bhabbarupataya:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe something just because the speaker appears believable, perhaps due to creditability or prestige. Outside appearances and the actual knowledge inside a person can never be identical. We often find that speakers who appear creditable outwardly turn out to say incorrect and foolish things. Nowadays, we must be wary of computers because the programmers who feed them data and manipulate them may put in the wrong information, make programming errors, or use them incorrectly. Don’t worship computers so much, for doing so goes against this principle of the Kalama Sutta.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;10. Ma samano no garu ti:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don’t believe something simply because the monk (more broadly, any speaker) is &quot;my teacher.&quot; The Buddha’s purpose regarding this important point is that nobody should be the intellectual slave of anybody else, not even the Buddha Himself. The Buddha emphasized this point often, and there were disciples, such as the Venerable Sariputta, who confirmed it in practice. They didn’t believe the Buddha’s words immediately upon hearing them; they only did so after reasoned reflection and the test of practice. See for yourselves whether there is any other religious teacher in the world who has given this highest freedom to his disciples and listeners! In Buddhism there is no dogmatic system that pressures us to believe without the right to examine and decide for ourselves. This is the greatest uniqueness of Buddhism that keeps its practitioners from being anybody’s intellectual slave. We Thais should never volunteer to follow the West as slavishly as we are doing now. Intellectual and spiritual freedom is best.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books5/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Help_The_Kalama_Sutta_Help.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Help! The Kalama Sutta, Help!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T00:56:10.263" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T00:56:10.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20303" CreationDate="2017-04-27T01:31:42.863" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The plane humans live on, is the lowest of the higher realms of existence where one has the ability to comprehend the Dhamma. The Ābhāsvara worlds form the upper limits of existence. The scriptures talk about four tiers of existence or planes of consciousness. At the lowest level are the realms of Hell, and the worlds of Animal, hungry ghosts, &amp;amp; Asura / Titans. Above our world of Humans, there are the seven worlds of desire (Kama-lokas / Kamavacara). Above them are sixteen worlds of forms known as Ripa-lokas / Rupavacara. Above them are the four formless worlds (Arupa-lokas / Arupavacara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even on Earth, Buddhas are ALWAYS born in the middle kingdom. The following is what Buddha said of this region:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Even if one escapes from the evil creations, it is one's rare fortune to be born as a human being. Even if one is born as a human, it is one's rare fortune to be born as a man and not a woman. Even if one is born as a man, it is one's rare fortune to be perfected in all the six senses. Even if he is perfected in all the six senses, it is his rare fortune to be born in the middle kingdom. Even if he is born in the middle kingdom, it is rare fortune to be born in the time of a Buddha. Even if he is born in the time of a Buddha, it is rare fortunate to see the Enlightened One. Even if he is able to see the Enlightened One, it is his rare fortune to have his heart awakened in faith. Even if he has faith, it is his rare fortune to awaken the heart of wisdom. Even if he awakens the heart of wisdom, it is his rare fortune to realise a spiritual state which is above discipline and attainment.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddha’s  birth, His Supreme Buddha-hood, His first Dhamma discourse, and His pass away (Parinibbāna) - all happen within this Middle Kingdom. We know of these details because of Buddha’s Ten Extra Ordinary Powers. One of the ten powers is that a Buddha is…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;capable of seeing how He spent His past lives in many ways. He has the capability to remember His past lives in terms of one life, two lives, three lives, four lives, five lives, ten lives, twenty lives, thirty lives, forty lives, fifty lives, hundred lives, thousand lives, or even hundred thousand lives. In fact, He can remember the past up to infinite time such as many Sanvatta Kalpa, Vivatta Kalpa, and Sanvatta Vivatta Kalpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He is capable of remembering all the past lives with all related information in a manner as follows: “I lived in that particular place, in that name, and in that family name. My skin color was this. I ate these kinds of foods and felt these and these happiness and sorrow. I died in these ways and got born in that other place. I got that particular name in that life. I had this family name. My skin color was this. I ate these kinds of foods and felt these and these happiness and sorrow. I died in these ways and got born in that other place.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T01:31:42.863" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20318" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-27T04:07:14.183" Score="2" ViewCount="952" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the karmic fruits/consequences of speaking harshly to others?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T02:40:24.100" Title="What is the Karmic Effect of Harsh Speech?" Tags="|karma|right-speech|sila|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20246" CreationDate="2017-04-27T04:10:29.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have gained insight into the fact that your body is swallowing and doing other things human, such as, experiencing positive and negative emotions and trying to study Buddhism.  For some reason you have arrived at this moment as a human.  I would advise you to contemplate just “who” it is that is gaining the insight? Or having the experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, Buddha was trying to explain the nearly-impossible-to-understand concept that all is transient. That nothing made of atoms will endure.  No thoughts remain, no concept will remain, in the end all we cling to will be nothingness.  Even the Buddha’s teaching will disintegrate over time as “the wave goes back into the sea.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The awaking that Buddha had was to another reality so unlike our own, that his first impression was that it was untranslatable and non-teachable.  But the source urged him on.  A few would be able to connect.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So he decided to teach, first the 4 Noble Truths, followed by a lifetime of teaching and instruction on how to grasp this awaking as he had.  It was like trying to teach a dog the concept of algebra.  Only humans are different, some will respond to the teachings, without getting caught up in their “humanness” and can have this “realization” that is already here.  All that is necessary is to live as if you are at your core, consciousness, rather that a human. To live as the “sea” coming up into this human world, “as a wave,” to have a look around, to live a life or two, and then going back. It's the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are here now, trying to find answers in the teaching and from others.  The reality is so complex that it is hidden in plain sight.  Few can realize that it is not a “you can’t get there from here,” or that it is “very difficult to attain,” because you are already “here.”  Trust and relax. Know you are now a human in a human world, swallowing, walking, interacting, but keep asking your self, as meaningfully as you can, “Who am I?”  Who is it that is receiving all these experiences as a human?  Hopefully, you will gather true insight into that essense the Buddha was talking about. Fear not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T04:10:29.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20318" CreationDate="2017-04-27T05:10:12.130" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mind &amp;amp; body is disturbed, with agitation &amp;amp; stress ('&lt;em&gt;hell&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Friends may be lost or social status (such as a job) may be lost, which results in deficiency &amp;amp; need ('&lt;em&gt;hungry ghost&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Shame &amp;amp; regret will eventually arise internally  (if the mind returns to a normal or '&lt;em&gt;human&lt;/em&gt;' state). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pharusā, bhikkhave, vācā āsevitā bhāvitā bahulīkatā niraya­saṃ­vatta­nikā tiracchā­na­yoni­saṃ­vatta­nikā&#xA;  petti­visa­ya­saṃ­vatta­nikā. Yo sabbalahuso pharusāya vācāya vipāko,&#xA;  ­manus­sa­bhūtassa amanā­pa­saddasaṃ­vatta­niko hoti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Harsh speech — when indulged in, developed &amp;amp; pursued — is something that leads to (saṃvattanika) hell (niraya), leads to the animal birth (tiracchā­na­yoni), leads to the&#xA;  realm (­visa­ya) of the hungry shades (petti­). The slightest of all the results coming&#xA;  from harsh speech is that, when one becomes human (manus­sa), it leads to&#xA;  unappealing (amanā­pa­) sounds.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.040.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 8.40 Vipaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T05:34:36.607" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T05:34:36.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20321" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20305" CreationDate="2017-04-27T05:33:10.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nianfo &quot;Mindfulness of the Buddha&quot;, is a skillful means utilizing the chanting of the name of Amitabha to reach the Pure Land of Supreme Bliss. The Pure Land is of course the blissful clarity of Jhana/ Chan/ Zen. Chanting is a powerful effective way to utilize Right Effort, to enter Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, while speaking Right Speech, especially when one focus one's mind on a sacred object of meditation such as the Buddha. There are criminals and even murderers who were able to experience blissful meditative states after being placed in intensive meditation programs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Some Pure Land masters are popularly quoted as saying that even the unrepentant and evil gain access to Sukhāvatī via niànfó in this very life in which they are criminals or evil men. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In essence, we can enter the Pure Land in this very life, provided we practice Buddhism with discipline, for example by single mindedly chanting the name of the Buddha and purifying one's mind in the process. Even Angulimala, the serial killer from the time of the Buddha, became an Arahant. Of course this does not absolve us of our personal moral responsibility, but we will enter the stream of the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T05:33:10.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20306" CreationDate="2017-04-27T07:02:14.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Knowledge  = bahussutha,&#xA;intelligence  = panna,&#xA;wisdom  = knanam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5513" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T07:02:14.017" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20323" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20160" CreationDate="2017-04-27T08:11:25.493" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did you think it would be that easy, to just get rid of those negative feelings and achieve arahantship, enlightenment (the ending of mental fermentations, nibbana the highest bliss)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even during The Buddha's time when The Buddha was alive and teaching there were not that many arahants in the world (a few thousand or so I can't find the exact number).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way.&quot; (Dhammapada, 276)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha predicted the pure dhamma lasting only for 500 years so in modern times achieving arahantship is nearly the same as becoming a paccekabuddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would encourage you to develop the seven factors that lead towards enlightenment, most likely you're lacking in one or more areas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These seven factors of enlightenment, Kassapa, are well expounded by&#xA;  me and are cultivated and fully developed by me. They conduce to&#xA;  perfect understanding, to full realization and to Nibbana.&quot; (SN 46.14)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, just as all the rafters of a peaked house slant, slope, and&#xA;  incline towards the roof peak, so too, when a bhikkhu develops and&#xA;  cultivates the seven factors of enlightenment, he slants, slopes, and&#xA;  inclines towards Nibbāna.&quot; (SN 46.7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Seven Factors:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keen investigation of the dhamma (dhammavicaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy (viriya) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rapture or happiness (piti) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calm (passaddhi)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samadhi) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More information on the seven factors - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7611" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T08:11:25.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20221" CreationDate="2017-04-27T08:38:05.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It would be not possible to give a better answer than the Buddha and his formost disciple in regard of teaching gave to this question, and further broad explainings to it would be not proper, so read carefully of who or what causes pleasure and pain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Friend Sariputta, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, teachers of kamma, who declare that pleasure &amp;amp; pain are self-made. There are other brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, teachers of kamma, who declare that pleasure &amp;amp; pain are other-made. Then there are other brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, teachers of kamma, who declare that pleasure &amp;amp; pain are self-made &amp;amp; other-made. And then there are still other brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, teachers of kamma, who declare that pleasure &amp;amp; pain are neither self-made nor other-made, but arise spontaneously. In this case, friend Sariputta, what is the Blessed One's doctrine? What does he teach? Answering in what way will I speak in line with what the Blessed One has said, not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is unfactual, and answer in line with the Dhamma so that no one whose thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticism?&quot;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.025.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhumija Sutta: To Bhumija&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Touch of &quot;not knowing&quot; (avija), is the cause, is the reason of pleasure and pain, what ever identity one forms around it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T08:38:05.277" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20325" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20328" CreationDate="2017-04-27T15:09:52.360" Score="1" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;For people who don't believe in literal rebirth as animals,(secular or non)  how would they describe the mental state associated  with rebirth in the animal realm?  E.g, if stress is associated with hell rebirth, what mental state is associated with animal rebirth .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="5250" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T19:42:59.797" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T06:15:41.477" Title="What would be a secular interpretation of animal rebirth" Tags="|rebirth|traditions|mind|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20309" CreationDate="2017-04-27T16:06:13.387" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The School chooses the practitioner. Some are 'born' Hinayana, others Mahayana. They are unable to make a different choice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully, both types grow to fully understand both perspectives, both realizations / experiences. It is said that when the Arhats who had realized Anatta heard the teaching of Sunyata (in the Heart Sutra) some of them had heart attacks and died on the spot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Clearly, the two realizations are different, yet they are two sides of one thing. Samsara is Nibbana, there is just emptiness of thing, and emptiness. That is a stretch for most people. (ironic understatement) The realization of Anatta probably feels to most people like &quot;completed understanding&quot; of something they have thought through. The realization of Sunyata feels more like a direct, unmediated experience, with no thoughts or concepts. It seems impossible to fully describe an experiential state, especially generalized to many people. Hopefully this hint answers your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T16:24:02.613" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T16:24:02.613" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20309" CreationDate="2017-04-27T17:40:05.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try for a short hint, your demand is high for you're asking the &quot;experience&quot;! If the practitioner experienced authentic, discretionary, either Anatta even Sunyata, we have likely an Arhat walking among us! Anatta is for the Self, I, the subject of experience, Sunyata is for the world, the phenomena, the object to be experienced. Realization of Sunyata can only happened after Anatta. Realization of Anatta, one is indestructible, physically and mentally; realization of Sunyata, one is able to change the phenomenal world; either realization of Anatta or Sunyata, one can be invisible if wished ;).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sunyata intrinsically implied Anatta, I wonder what your &lt;code&gt;The two aims are apparently non confirming, as far as I know, at least that is what their respective schools believe.&lt;/code&gt; referred regarding non-conforming? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not the practitioner chose the ideal, it has to follow the procedure, like one must 1st break down the wall, then to tackle for all-encompassing visual field.        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T17:40:05.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20328" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20325" CreationDate="2017-04-27T21:38:51.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Animal birth' is described in many places in the suttas. It refers to ignorance (stupidity), lacking reflective reasoning (&lt;em&gt;ayoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;), immorality &amp;amp; the merciless devouring of other beings, including mutual devouring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Animals merely blindly follow &amp;amp; act upon instinctual drives &amp;amp; desires without having the capacity to reflect upon the consequences. This is the meaning of 'animal birth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below are some quotes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, a god, a human or any other good state would not be evident from actions born of greed, hate and delusion. Yet, bhikkhus, from&#xA;  actions born of greed, hate and delusion a hellish being, an &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  birth a ghostly birth or some other bad state would be evident. AN&#xA;  6.39&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sooner, I say, would that &lt;strong&gt;blind turtle&lt;/strong&gt;, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole than the fool who has gone once to the nether world would regain the human state. For what reason? Because here, bhikkhus, there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity. Here there prevails mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. SN 56.47&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now on that occasion the wanderers of other persuasions had come together in a gathering and were sitting, discussing many kinds of&#xA;  bestial (&lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt;) topics, making a great noise and racket. AN 10.93&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two bright principles protect the world. What are the two? Shame and fear of wrongdoing. If, bhikkhus, these two bright&#xA;  principles did not protect the world, there would not be discerned&#xA;  respect for mother or maternal aunt or maternal uncle’s wife or a&#xA;  teacher’s wife or the wives of other honored persons, and the world&#xA;  would have fallen into promiscuity, as with &lt;strong&gt;goats, sheep, chickens,&#xA;  pigs, dogs and jackals&lt;/strong&gt;. But as these two bright principles protect&#xA;  the world, there is discerned respect for mother… and the wives of&#xA;  other honored persons. AN 2.9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The follow quote is important because it shows 'animals' can realise the Four Noble Truths, which also show this quote cannot refer to real animals but to people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Beings (sattā) are few who, when they pass away from the &lt;strong&gt;animal&lt;/strong&gt; realm (tiracchā&lt;/em&gt;na&lt;em&gt;yoniyā) are 'reborn' (paccājāyanti) among humans&#xA;  (manussesu)… those beings are more numerous are reborn in hell…. For&#xA;  what reason? They have not realised the Four Noble Truths. SN 56.102&#xA;  to 131&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video might help understand, which shows Angulimala, the mass-murderer, as a 'animal', being reformed or changed into a 'human' by the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNzrKAzxipY&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNzrKAzxipY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KcnNV.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/KcnNV.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;THE FIRST OF the Four Woeful States is hell. Hell is anxiety (in Thai, literally “a hot heart”). Whenever one experiences anxiety,&#xA;  burning, and scorching, one is simultaneously reborn as a creature of&#xA;  hell. It is a spontaneous rebirth, a mental rebirth. Although the body&#xA;  physically inhabits the human realm, as soon as anxiety arises the&#xA;  mind falls into hell. Anxiety about possible loss of prestige and&#xA;  fame, anxiety of any sort — that is hell.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now rebirth in the realm of &lt;strong&gt;beasts&lt;/strong&gt; is stupidity. Whenever one is inexcusably stupid about something: stupid in not knowing that Dhamma&#xA;  and nibbāna are desirable, stupid in not daring to come into contact&#xA;  with or get close to Buddhism, stupid in believing that if one became&#xA;  interested in Dhamma or Buddhism it would make one old-fashioned and&#xA;  odd. That is how children see it, and their parents too. They try to&#xA;  pull back and move far away from Dhamma and religion. This is&#xA;  stupidity. Regardless of what sort of stupidity it is, it amounts to&#xA;  rebirth as an animal. As soon as stupidity arises and overwhelms one,&#xA;  one becomes an animal. One is a beast by spontaneous rebirth, by&#xA;  mental rebirth. This is the second Woeful State.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The third Woeful State is the condition of a peta...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bd_students.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha-Dhamma For Students&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note: this is not a 'secular interpretation' but, instead, the true meaning of the suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-27T21:52:38.847" LastActivityDate="2017-04-27T21:52:38.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2017-04-27T23:42:17.407" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For most Buddhists, in sphere of their ideas: no (but whether they would say that in practice is another topic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of the teaching of the Buddha, phenomena have causes: see this answer about &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20324/11235&quot;&gt;the cause of pleasure and pain&lt;/a&gt; here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To illustrate that with a nice story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Su Dongpo Story&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Su Dongpo was an avid student of Buddhist teachings. He was quick-witted and humorous; as a Zen Buddhism follower he was very serious and self-disciplined. He often discussed buddhism with his good friend, Zen Master Foyin. The two lived across the river from one another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is an interesting and famous story about him and Zen Master Foyin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day, Su Dongpo felt inspired and wrote the following poem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;稽首天中天，&#xA;毫光照大千；&#xA;八风吹不动，&#xA;端坐紫金莲。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I bow my head to the heaven within heaven,&#xA;Hairline rays illuminating the universe,&#xA;The eight winds cannot move me,&#xA;Sitting still upon the purple golden lotus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The “eight winds (八风)” in the poem referred to praise (称), ridicule (讥), honor (誉), disgrace (毁), gain (得), loss (失), pleasure (乐) and misery (苦) – interpersonal forces of the material world that drive and influence the hearts of men. Su Dongpo was saying that he has attained a higher level of spirituality, where these forces no longer affect him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Impressed by himself, Su Dongpo sent a servant to hand-carry this poem to Fo Yin. He was sure that his friend would be equally impressed. When Fo Yin read the poem, he immediately saw that it was both a tribute to the Buddha and a declaration of spiritual refinement. Smiling, the Zen Master wrote “fart” on the manuscript and had it returned to Su Dongpo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Su Dongpo was expecting compliments and a seal of approval. When he saw “fart” written on the manuscript, he was shocked . He burst into anger: “How dare he insult me like this? Why that lousy old monk! He’s got a lot of explaining to do!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Full of indignation, he rushed out of his house and ordered a boat to ferry him to the other shore as quickly as possible. He wanted to find Fo Yin and demand an apology. However, Fo Yin’s door closed. On the door was a piece of paper, for Su Dongpo. The paper had following two lines:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;八风吹不动，&#xA;一屁弹过江。&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight winds cannot move me,&#xA;One fart blows me across the river.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This stopped Su Dongpo cold. Fo Yin had anticipated this hot-headed visit. Su Dongpo’s anger suddenly drained away as he understood his friend’s meaning. If he really was a man of spiritual refinement,  completely unaffected by the eight winds, then how could he be so easily provoked?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With a few strokes of the pen and minimal effort, Fo Yin showed that Su Dongpo was in fact not as spiritually advanced as he claimed to be. Ashamed but wiser, Su Dongpo departed quietly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This event proved to be a turning point in Su Dongpo’s spiritual development. From that point on, he became a man of humility, and not merely someone who boasted of possessing the virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T02:59:29.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11586" CreationDate="2017-04-28T01:08:06.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha said those who accuse another falsely with slanderous speech go to hell. Keeping this in mind, a Buddhist should not be offended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He goes to hell, the one who asserts what didn't take place, as does the one who, having done, says, 'I didn't.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;They stab with their words   — people unrestrained — as they do, with arrows, a tusker gone into battle. Hearing abusive words spoken, one&#xA;should endure them:   a monk with unbothered mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.08.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sundarī Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T01:08:06.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20331" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20340" CreationDate="2017-04-28T01:33:08.120" Score="0" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas often refer to feelings or '&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;', as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these three kinds of feeling: a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling and neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. MN 74&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these six classes of feeling: feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling&#xA;  born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of&#xA;  mind-contact. MN 9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are such feelings always caused by ignorance? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T01:41:09.573" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T22:10:41.750" Title="Are feelings (vedana) always caused by ignorance?" Tags="|pali-canon|vinaya|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20332" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20419" CreationDate="2017-04-28T01:38:30.233" Score="1" ViewCount="232" Body="&lt;p&gt;When the mind or person experiences 'suffering' ('dukkha'), which 'aggregate' ('khandha') is producing this suffering or which aggregate does this suffering fall into?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T01:43:51.970" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T17:47:13.257" Title="Which aggregate (khandha) is or generates 'suffering'?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20333" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17570" CreationDate="2017-04-28T02:42:13.627" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know of any book on the history and development of koans, but I'm sure one exists if you care to search. Many collections have some background information in the introduction, and the individual commentaries often include background information. Further discussion of koans is scattered throughout Zen texts in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A koan is a koan because it makes an important point about practice and has been used for teaching for a long time, so it's debateable whether or not it's possible to create new ones. There's over a thousand traditional koans in existence, so there's no shortage :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T02:42:13.627" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20334" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20332" CreationDate="2017-04-28T03:33:29.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 56.11 says &lt;em&gt;upādānakkhandha&lt;/em&gt; explained &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#upadanakkhandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here a being is viewed as the collection of five aggregates of phenomena, to which untrained beings are deeply attached out of ignorance, considering them - without discerning them - as constituents of their attā, which is described as the ultimate nature of dukkha by the formula 'saṃkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā': see for example SN 56.11.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are defined at SN 22.79. It is stated at MN 43 that vedanā, Saññā and Viññāṇa are deeply associated and that it is impossible to clearly separate one from another to show their difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bit of MN 43 which is quoted by the above is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Friend, as to Vedanā Saññā and Viññāṇa: are these dhammas conjoined or disjoined? And is it possible, having separated them one from another to point out the difference between them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Friend, as to Vedanā Saññā and Viññāṇa: these dhammas are conjoined, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another, to point out the difference between them. For whatever one feels, friend, that one perceives, and whatever one perceives, that one cognizes. Therefore these dhammas are conjoined, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another, to point out the difference between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T03:33:29.230" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20335" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11435" CreationDate="2017-04-28T05:20:35.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;It appears that Buddhism depends on a central premise -- that all worldly existence = suffering / dukkha.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a correct result of an investigation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Are there Buddhist teachers or traditions that teach a joyous approach to worldly life?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many if not most &quot;Buddhist Teacher&quot; and Traditions calling themselves after the Noble Ones. How ever, neither the Buddha, nor his good following desciples, not teacher of the Buddhas Dhamma do such. Why? Becaus they tell what is true and conductive for the path. Every time that one does not see the danger, does not put effort into the training, is wasted time. You can enjoy the reat when work is done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Are there any teachings that profess existence is a joyous, if sometimes painful experience, or at least a tolerably pleasant experience? An eternal roller-coaster ride of birth-and-death, joy and sorrow, that one need not seek to escape?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are, but not founded in Buddhas Dhamma. Mara constanty teaches such and so those overwhelmed of him as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who ever does not see him/herself the first noble truth, or reject faith, firm faith in it, is incapable to make any long therm conductive and wholesome use of Buddhas teachings, is still a wordling and regarded as outsider.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of the main Question: &lt;em&gt;&quot;Is it necessary for a Buddhist to believe that existence is suffering?&quot;&lt;/em&gt; A self called &quot;Buddhist&quot; may believe what ever he wants, and yes, there have always been follower not really knowing the deeper sense of Buddhas teaching and he did not much worry about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T05:28:55.663" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T05:28:55.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20336" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-28T05:45:12.647" Score="2" ViewCount="222" Body="&lt;p&gt;The other night at a group meditation meeting, I mentioned to another practitioner that sleep is a 'lazy form of Nirvana'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My memory tells me that Tara Brach or another teacher jokingly referred to sleep in that way, but after looking on Google, I can't find the reference :\ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would feel a little guilty if my reference was false, but I know that Nirvana is in a lot of ways the opposite of sleep and I'm sure she did too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask this as a joke, but has anyone heard of sleep referred as a 'lazy form of Nirvana?' If so, which teacher made that reference?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11252" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T17:30:35.527" LastActivityDate="2018-10-31T19:21:31.383" Title="Has a teacher referred to sleep as a form of 'lazy nirvana'?" Tags="|reference-request|nirvana|sleep|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20331" CreationDate="2017-04-28T05:54:44.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;By touch (phassa) of the certain sense-base, certain recognition (viññāṇa) is caused or vici versa. If there is ground, meaning that mind takes it a object (ārammaṇa), as a whole or in detail, it leads to feeling (vedanā). If there is no ground, surface, having release as Object, such as suffering does not appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of ground here, the touch of ignorance (avijjāsamphasso, SN 22.81), should be understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good, even it merely motivated to discuss about a certain teacher, Dhamma lesson can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://pathpress.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/phassa/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Phassa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People love philosophy since it does not require to let go of thought of &quot;me, myself and I&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mvu4k.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/mvu4k.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;How comes that Arahants have impressions on pleasure and pain? (See also link &amp;quot;phassa&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T08:09:42.593" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T08:09:42.593" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20336" CreationDate="2017-04-28T05:58:03.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sleep is not really Nibbana because Nibbana is defined as the &quot;uprooting&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;destruction&quot; of the mental defilments, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To whatever extent there are phenomena conditioned or unconditioned, dispassion is declared the foremost among them, that is, the crushing&#xA;  of pride, the removal of thirst, the &lt;strong&gt;uprooting&lt;/strong&gt; of attachment, the&#xA;  termination of the round, the &lt;strong&gt;destruction&lt;/strong&gt; of craving, dispassion,&#xA;  cessation, nibbāna.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4.34&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In sleep, the mental defilements of an non-fully-enlightened mind remain dormant as &quot;underlying tendencies&quot;. Therefore, sleep cannot be Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the teacher Bhikkhu Buddhadasa make some comments about how the 'Nibbana element' operates in everyday life, here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha013.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbana for Everyone&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. which includes 'sleep'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nibbāna is one of the dhātus (natural elements). It is the coolness that remains when the defilements – greed, anger, fear, delusion –&#xA;  have ended.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any reactive emotion that arises ceases when its causes and conditions cease. Although it may be a temporary quenching,&#xA;  merely a temporary coolness, it is still Nibbāna, even if only&#xA;  temporarily. Thus, there’s a temporary Nibbāna for those who can’t yet&#xA;  avoid some defilements. It is this temporary Nibbāna that sustains the&#xA;  lives of beings who continue hanging onto defilement. Anyone can see&#xA;  that if the egoistic emotions existed night and day without any pause&#xA;  or rest, no life could endure it. If such life didn’t die, it would go&#xA;  crazy and then die in the end. You ought to consider carefully the&#xA;  fact that life can survive only because there are periods when the&#xA;  defilements don’t roast it. These periods outnumber the times when the&#xA;  defilements blaze.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These periodic Nibbānas sustain life for all of us, without excepting even animals, which have their levels of Nibbāna, too. We are able to&#xA;  survive because this kind of Nibbāna nurtures us, until it becomes the&#xA;  most ordinary habit of life and of mind. Whenever there is freedom&#xA;  from defilement, then there is the value and meaning of Nibbāna. This&#xA;  must occur fairly often for living things to survive. That we have&#xA;  some time to relax both bodily and mentally provides us with the&#xA;  freshness and vitality needed to live.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T06:03:28.690" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T06:03:28.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20339" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20325" CreationDate="2017-04-28T06:15:41.477" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not keeping precepts, following the nose (mood), incapable of doing merits, lying around like a pig, eating like a dog, stngy like a mouse, dwelling in equanimity like an ox, such is called &lt;em&gt;manussa-tiracchano&lt;/em&gt;, a human body but a behavior like an animal. If the question was about how to recognize such, this would be the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Behaving like an animal leads to rebirth as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What leads to and rebirth as animal according the canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;·Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;· Lack of virtue, &lt;strong&gt;holding to wrong views&lt;/strong&gt;. If one is generous to monks and nuns, however, one may be reborn as an &amp;quot;ornamented&amp;quot; animal (i.e., a bird with bright plumage; a horse with attractive markings, etc.; AN 10.177).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;· Behaving like an animal (MN 57)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T06:15:41.477" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20331" CreationDate="2017-04-28T06:21:49.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feelings are not always caused by ignorance because the Pali suttas state arahants &amp;amp; Buddhas experience feelings: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the&#xA;  burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely&#xA;  released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties&#xA;  remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbāna-element... Iti 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, ruler of gods, a bhikkhu has heard that nothing is worth adhering to. When a bhikkhu has heard that nothing is worth adhering&#xA;  to, he directly knows everything; having directly known everything, he&#xA;  fully understands everything; having directly known everything, he&#xA;  fully understood everything, whatever feeling he feels, whether&#xA;  pleasant or painful or neither pleasant or painful, he abides&#xA;  contemplating (observing) impermanence in those feelings,&#xA;  contemplating (observing) fading away, contemplating (observing)&#xA;  cessation, contemplating (observing) relinquishment (letting go).&#xA;  Contemplating (observing) thus, he does not cling (think about) to&#xA;  anything in the world. When he does not cling (think about), he is not&#xA;  agitated, he personally attains Nibbana. He understands: ‘Birth is&#xA;  destroyed, the holy life has been lived, there is no more coming to&#xA;  any state of being.’ Briefly, it is in this way, ruler of gods, that a&#xA;  bhikkhu is liberated in the destruction of craving, one who has&#xA;  reached the ultimate end, the ultimate security from bondage, the&#xA;  ultimate holy life, the ultimate goal, one who is foremost among gods&#xA;  and humans. MN 37&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with&#xA;  mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind and he&#xA;  understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance&#xA;  by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without&#xA;  remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever&#xA;  feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or&#xA;  neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling,&#xA;  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in&#xA;  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes&#xA;  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of&#xA;  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the&#xA;  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  grief and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering. MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;28. But when the Blessed One had entered upon the rainy season, there arose in him a severe illness, and sharp and deadly pains came upon&#xA;  him. And the Blessed One endured them mindfully, clearly comprehending&#xA;  and unperturbed. DN 16&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T22:10:41.750" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T22:10:41.750" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20332" CreationDate="2017-04-28T07:19:49.123" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't have the complete meditative experience or knowledge of the Dhamma to be able to fully comprehend the intents behind the teachings of the Five Aggregates and Twelve Nidanas, but I think I have some insights. I suspect that they are observable abstracted analysis of the complex working of the mind rather than actual entities within the mind itself - just as the body is only labeled 'form', but can be further analyzed in it's components such as the organs, or states of solidity, liquidity, gas and heat (earth, water, wind, and fire in ancient terminology). In this sense I believe the mental aggregates overlap in functions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the mind and mental activities in normal daily linguistic usage can be divided into feelings/sensation, thoughts, emotions, memories. Psychologists can probably further divide them according to various theories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Vedanā - commonly translated as sensations, is the observable feeling of pleasant, unpleasant, neutral when our internal sense organs come into contact with external sense objects and the associated consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sañña - typically translated as &quot;perception&quot; or &quot;cognition.&quot; Interestingly in Chinese this is translated as 想 - &quot;thoughts&quot;. So this is our thinking mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saṅkhāra - 'volitional formations' mental formation etc. I think this generally the emotional response. The Chinese translation 行 has a meaning of 'action'/'execution'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally the Viññāṇa 'consciousness' seems to be the catch all bucket for the general 'state' of the mind. You can have a pure consciousness, defiled consciousness and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As we can see, some functions of this overlaps, but the division help us focus our attention of where to comprehend things from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Satipatthana.&#xA;The four domains are:&#xA;mindfulness of the body&#xA;mindfulness of feelings or sensations&#xA;mindfulness of mind or consciousness&#xA;mindfulness of dhammās.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Satipaṭṭhāna  Ānāpānasati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Breathing long (Knowing Breath)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Breathing short (Knowing Breath)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Experiencing the whole body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Tranquillising the bodily activities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Experiencing rapture&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Experiencing bliss&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Experiencing mental activities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Tranquillising mental activities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Experiencing the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Gladdening the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Centering the mind in samadhi&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Releasing the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of Dhammas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;13&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contemplating impermanence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contemplating fading of lust&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contemplating cessation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Contemplating relinquishment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last one contemplation of the Dhamma is essentially a contemplation of all phenomena and of Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The division of the mind into the four aggregates allow you to focus and observe the phenomena of impermanence, suffering and selflessness within them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is useful because we commonly suffer due to attachment to our feelings, thoughts, emotions, memories, consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha reminds us that all the aggregates are impermanent and hence subject to cessation, and hence attachment to all of them is suffering. They are not self because we don't have full control of them. But a positive way to look at it would also be that each of them is caused and conditioned, and we can try to create good causes to have good results. For example having good thoughts and enjoying the pleasant emotions and sensations resulting from that, without being attached to the loss of those sensations when the conditions ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T07:19:49.123" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20336" CreationDate="2017-04-28T11:19:52.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sleep is mentioned as an impotent state of life, by Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana requires the growth of &lt;strong&gt;Saptha Bojjang&lt;/strong&gt; which will not take place while asleep. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More details on Bojjanga is available here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn46&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bojjanga Samyuttaya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T11:19:52.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20331" CreationDate="2017-04-28T11:26:16.117" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Passa Pacchaya Vedana ~ &#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paticca Samuppada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling is caused by contact &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T11:26:16.117" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20349" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-28T16:49:05.273" Score="0" ViewCount="370" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha tells that everything originates from nothingness, emptyness, sunyata. but how can that be possible. how can something come from nothing. what is logical meaning of this? he says that space, time and matter/energy is just and illusion because everything originates from sunyata by our conciousness, what is that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2019-09-03T17:35:52.853" Title="If everyting comes from emptyness than what is energy" Tags="|sunyata|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20350" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20349" CreationDate="2017-04-28T17:10:59.307" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Emptiness doesn't mean 'vacuum' or 'nothingness' (this view is refered to as nihilism sometimes in Buddhism). It means empty of self, or 'self-existence'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words things are what they appear to be, and nothing else. The names you give to things, the thoughts, opinions you have about them, woven by your desires, fears, speculations etc. are transitory fabrications of your mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These fabrications are useful for remembering where you left your car keys, but become troublesome if you begin to believe in them as reality. So the Buddha reminds us that everything is in fact empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T17:10:59.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20349" CreationDate="2017-04-28T18:26:37.593" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not say that 'everything' comes from 'nothing'. Specifically, the Buddha stated that Essential concepts - like 'Everything' and 'Nothing' are mere conceptual constructions, that the notion of independent entities, embodied by the term Self within his argument, are not evident within experience. It's not that everything comes from nothing, it's that neither everything nor nothing are evident as constructs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This world, Kaccana, for the most part depends upon a duality—upon the&#xA;notion of existence and the notion of nonexistence. But for one who&#xA;sees the origin of the world as it really is with correct wisdom,&#xA;there is no notion of nonexistence in regard to the world. And for one&#xA;who sees the cessation of the world as it really is with correct&#xA;wisdom, there is no notion of existence in regard to the world. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above seems like a decent parallel to your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Madhyamaka tackles this issue in a more philosophical way though, look into Nagarjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither from itself,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Nor from another,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Nor from both, nor without a cause,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Does anything, anywhere, whatsoever, arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C5%ABlamadhyamakak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulamadhyamakakarika&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, for energy specifically, Noether's theorem shows that energy is conserved, or more famously that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Emptiness with impermanence!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T18:58:00.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20349" CreationDate="2017-04-28T20:38:19.077" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddha tells that everything originates from nothingness, emptiness,&#xA;  sunyata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, emptiness is not nothingness. Depending on the school of Tenets, emptiness refers to the absence of true existence, or to the absence of inherent existence, or to the absence of self-sufficient substantial existence, or to the absence of external establishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Second, emptiness cannot be a cause because a cause must preceed its effect, while emptiness and its basis (i.e. the object that is empty) arise, abide, cease simultaneously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Third, emptiness cannot be a cause because emptiness is permanent and permanent phenomena do not perform a function.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only context I know of where we find the expression, &quot;phenomena arise from emptiness&quot; is Tantra. In such a context, emptiness does not refer to emptiness itself, but to the mind realizing emptiness. This mind arises in this or that aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How can something come from nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not. Whatever is a product is produced by another [existent] phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Space, time and matter/energy is just and illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually, we say that phenomena are &quot;like an illusion&quot;, not that they are illusions. If you happen to read a traditional text that says that &quot;phenomena are illusions&quot;, it means that they are &quot;like an illusion.&quot; What we mean by this is that they do not exist the way they appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Energy' is a word I never came across in any traditional text. However, we speak of 'matter' or 'form'. All objects that are apprehended by sense consciousnesses are 'matter'. This include smell, sound, taste, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-04-28T21:08:08.053" LastActivityDate="2017-04-28T21:08:08.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20355" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-29T01:43:20.867" Score="2" ViewCount="916" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have come to learn the fact that the idea if maha meru is not only included in the buddhist canon but in many other beliefs and cultures which are not Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what Wikipedia says - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Meru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Meru&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I belong to the theravada tradition so i am very interested in knowing sources in the canon for further learning if you can mention some. Also if you can ease me into the topic with a small explanation it is also very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I know that this has nothing to do with nirvana but i am curious of this and i also read this&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://muslimanswersfiles.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/buddhism-modern-science/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://muslimanswersfiles.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/buddhism-modern-science/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess i want an answer to the question &quot;While all other things are logical and also even scientific, why this (Maha meru) makes no sense?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namo Buddhaya!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7141" LastActivityDate="2019-12-15T16:35:55.747" Title="Can you explain the &quot;Maha Meru&quot;?" Tags="|theravada|realms|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20318" CreationDate="2017-04-29T02:40:24.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case, where a woman or man is ill-tempered &amp;amp; easily upset; even when lightly criticized, he/she grows offended, provoked, malicious, &amp;amp; resentful; shows annoyance, aversion, &amp;amp; bitterness. Through having adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell. If, on the break-up of the body, after death — instead of reappearing in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell. If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is ugly wherever reborn. This is the way leading to ugliness: to be ill-tempered &amp;amp; easily upset; even when lightly criticized, to grow offended, provoked, malicious, &amp;amp; resentful; to show annoyance, aversion, &amp;amp; bitterness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But then there is the case where a woman or man is not ill-tempered or easily upset; even when heavily criticized, he/she doesn't grow offended, provoked, malicious, or resentful; doesn't show annoyance, aversion, or bitterness. Through having adopted &amp;amp; carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in a good destination... If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is beautiful wherever reborn. This is the way leading to beauty: not to be ill-tempered or easily upset; even when heavily criticized, not to be offended, provoked, malicious, or resentful; nor to show annoyance, aversion, &amp;amp; bitterness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Shorter Analysis of Action&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;(this is a gift of Dhamma, it's not given to be sold or for any wordly gains. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.than_en.html#F_termsOfUse&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;d-gift&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T02:40:24.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19719" CreationDate="2017-04-29T05:02:49.040" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The body we get as we leave one I based on the good deeds we have done &amp;amp; our state of mind. The gods etc. are other (extra terrestrial) life forms with a more developed mind than ours. The animals are considered seperate from humans because of the higher state of mind the humans posses in compared to animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T05:02:49.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20359" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-29T05:19:13.697" Score="1" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is Buddhism accepting homosexuality? It is a famous question now.I want to know &quot;Is lord Buddha accede homosexuality?&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lAERC.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lAERC.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T05:19:13.697" Title="Buddhism and homosexuality" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2017-04-29T05:36:47.070" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20355" CreationDate="2017-04-29T07:55:18.683" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding in listening to Dhamma the maha meru is the mount Himalya. The anawatapta lake is located in the maha meru as per the scripts &amp;amp; now it is found hat this lake exists in the Himalya range. &#xA;Hope you will be able to find the stories about Maha meru more logical of you read articles on Himalya region, earth's structure, universal physics etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastActivityDate="2017-04-29T07:55:18.683" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20332" CreationDate="2017-04-29T15:44:32.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A precise answer can be found in Samyutta Nikaya, Khandha Samyutta, Bhära vagga - Asamula Sutta &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The aggregates(panchakkandha) are: Rupa, Vedanä, Sangna, Sankhara, Vinñana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By definition, the liking (upadäna) toward these aggregates (panchakkandha) is suffering (panchaupädänakkhanda). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2Mwgf.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2Mwgf.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Excerpt of Abidhamma - Saccha Vinmbhangha&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This last sentence means, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Concisely, the grasping of aggregates, is suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grasping is more of being ensnared. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &lt;strong&gt;what causes suffering? Birth, i.e. The formation of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.&lt;/strong&gt; What causes birth? Conditioning of karma for fruition. What causes conditioning of karma for fruition? Craving. What causes craving? Feeling. What causes feeling? Contact. What causes contact? The six senses. What causes the six senses? &lt;strong&gt;Five Aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;. What causes the five aggregates? Vinñana. What causes Vinñana? Consecutive activities. What causes constructive activities? Incomprehension (Ignorance is barely a fit to describe avijja) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T17:47:13.257" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T17:47:13.257" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20362" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-29T16:38:09.213" Score="1" ViewCount="480" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per the scriptures, lower being such as pretha &amp;amp; higher beings such as deva &amp;amp; Brahma remembers their early life. But in case of humans, only rare incidents are reported in remembering the past life. What is the cause of this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T02:23:49.370" Title="Memory about the past life" Tags="|rebirth|samsara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20363" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-04-30T02:13:52.663" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When I am practicing being mindful, for example when washing the&#xA;  dishes, there seems to be so many things going on at once that I kind&#xA;  of don't know what to focus on. There is the warmth of the water, the&#xA;  smell of the detergent, the sound of the water and sounds all around,&#xA;  sights out the window etc etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is actually so many things going on. They are all categorized as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kaya&lt;/strong&gt; (body in its material form)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Védanã&lt;/strong&gt; (feeling though eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citta&lt;/strong&gt; (that occur in your mind - not to be mistake as thinking)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt; (Phenomena).* &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have this problem in general with mindfulness. Feels like many&#xA;  things pulling my attention in all different directions. Can someone&#xA;  please clarify for me how I should be doing this correctly because I&#xA;  feel confused about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful about these things are called &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satipattãna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (wedging consciousness) meditation. (Which you call &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kãyã&lt;/strong&gt;nupassanã - is the observation of body of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Védanã&lt;/strong&gt;nupassanã - is the observation of mind of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cittã&lt;/strong&gt;nupassanã - is the observation of experiences of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dhammã&lt;/strong&gt;nupassanã - is the observation of phenomina of oneself and others with Sammä Ditti explained in the Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While these can be practiced separately, a skillful apprentice will practice all four of these observations from the time he or she wakes to the time he or she sleeps. It is also important to note that anäpänä sathi meditation is practiced under Käyänupassanä.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these so called mindfulness practices are definitely to be done with a clear understanding of Sammã Ditti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also fundamentally important to note throughout this meditation that one should affirm these obeservables are not me, not mine, not my soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why go to such extend to be mindful? To realize The Four Noble Truths. So you should not forget this or it would be like going to get a university degree but forgetting why you are there and exploring things without an objective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T02:13:52.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20364" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20355" CreationDate="2017-04-30T02:40:47.070" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mt. Kailash as we refer to it in the present day is the Mount Meru of yesteryear. It is in the region around Mt. Kailash that Pacceka Buddhas will reside at a time just before a Supreme Buddha is born to this world.  That is when the eminent coming of a Supreme Buddha is talked about amongst the general population of that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Mt. Kailash is a very storied mountain, the equally storied lake and the storied flower in it. Mt. Kailash is the mythical Mt. Meru. Read about it in the &amp;quot;Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta&amp;quot; The Sermon of the Seven Suns (Anguttara Nikaya VII. 62). In it the Buddha explains in detail about the events that would unfold, and in it, this monarch of mountains will get consumed and burnt, that neither ashes not soot will remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lake Anavatapta is said to be so sheltered and covered that the direct rays from the sun would not fall and the lake would not dry up until the day this world would come to an end, as per the Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta. In this &amp;quot;Sermon of the Seven Suns&amp;quot; the Supreme Buddha, tells us about the end of the earth due to the expansion of the dying sun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/manualofbudhism00hard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhism by Spence Hardy&lt;/a&gt; he has this to say about Mt. Kailash &amp;amp; the Lake Anavatapta - in page 42:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The great forest  is in the northern  part of Jambudwipa, which, from the southern  extremity, gradually  increases  in height, until it attains an elevation  of 500 yojanas, in the mountains  of Gandhamadana, Kailasa, Chitrakuta, and  others, there being in all 84,000..  These mountains are inhabited by an infinite number of dewas and yakas, and are beautified  by 500 rivers, filled with the most delicious  water, and by the seven  great lakes, among  which  is the Anotatta-wila.  This lake is 800 miles long, and as many broad and deep; and there are  four  places  in it in  which  the  Budhas, Pase-Budhas, rahats, and rishis  are accustomed  to bathe;  and six  other places where the dewas from the six inferior  heavens  bathe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;..... On the four sides of Anotatta are four mouths or doors, whence proceed as many rivers;  they are, the lion-mouth, the elephant, the horse, and the bull.  The banks of these rivers abound with the animals from which they take their name.  The rivers that pass to the north-east  and west flow three times round the lake without touching each other, and after passing through  countries  not inhabited  by man, fall into the sea. The river  that runs to the south  also  passes  three  times round  the lake, then  rushes  from the midst  of a rock, and flows in a straight line 60 yojanas.. It then strikes against another rock, and rises into the sky, like a mount of gems 12 miles  in size, flows  through  the sky for  the space  of 60 jojanas, and strikes against the rock Tiyaggala. This rock it has broken by its immense force;  and after this it violently rushes on a further space of 60 yojanas, after which it flows on  an  inclined  plane, strikes  and  breaks  the  ponderous Pansu-parwata  or  Five  Mountains, and  again  passes  on 60&#xA;yojanas.  It then flows 60 yojanas  further, through  a cave, strikes the four-sided rock Wijja, and is lastly divided into five  streams, like  five  fingers, that  are the five  great livers  (Ganga, Yumuna, Acirawati, Sarabhu, and Mahi), which, after watering Jambudwipa, fall into the sea.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five great rivers of India: the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, and the Mahi, is said to have its beginning in Lake Anavatapta &amp;amp; around Mt. Meru.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T02:40:47.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20362" CreationDate="2017-04-30T03:40:04.260" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a limitation of we who inhabit a three-dimensional world IMHO. We are not aware of other dimensions, and do not have the ability to see past existences because of the limitations of our physical senses. We experience only a very small part of reality, the three-dimensional world of physical forms.  But also we could quite rightly say that we humans live in a four dimensional world; in other words, humans are aware of four dimensions -three dimensions of space plus time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why we see only two realms (human and animal) out of the other realms of existence like that of Pretha, Deva and Brahma. Of the newest scientific theories, the M-theory says that ours is a 11-dimensional universe, even though we can see only four dimensions (including time). So Prethas live amongst us, but they live in a differnet dimensional world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our consciousness (vinnana) is not like that of an Arahant. Ours is contaminated by defilements. This our awareness is not pure; it is like looking though a foggy window. But it is not so for some Arahant who got to open the divine eye in them. Twenty five hundred years ago, the Buddha achieved the ultimate state of the mind and became “all knowing” (or “perfectly conscious”). He came to know about the boundless universe, the endless cycle of rebirths, and about the complex process of cause and effect (paticca samuppada) which sustains everything in the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T03:40:04.260" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20366" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-04-30T04:34:00.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a Zen story that goes something like this, a Zen student ask the master if in the state of no thoughts, are there any sins left. The Master replied: &quot;Sumeru!&quot;. Sumeru being the mythical World Mountain at the center of the world, a metaphor for immense afflictions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is that we have a great deal of suffering buried deep within our mind. And it is during the calm state of meditation that many start to surface. I once watched a documentary &quot;Dhamma Brothers&quot; about these prisoners who underwent an intensive 10 days meditation retreat. One of the things that stood out was that some of these murderers interviewed said they start to relive and become aware their horrible crimes. For them it was like coming out of a haze, and making realizations that they have hurt their victims unjustly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why it is Ethics that is the foundation for a successful meditation practice, because we will be reliving a lot of our karma and negative mental habits. According to traditional Buddhist views, this buried afflictions are so deeply embedded all the way from our past lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question is what to do when these memories/thoughts/visual imaginations resurface? We should apply the antidote to these poisons in our mind. If we have deep anger and resentment for a person, we need apply compassion and forgiveness towards that person. The feelings of loving kindness and good will are the tool needed to overcome these negative mental states. (&quot;Love&quot; very much in the Christian sense). Repentance likewise is very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8238" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T04:34:00.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12794" CreationDate="2017-04-30T05:09:06.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Books by Tibetan Buddhist Master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse can help raise the right questions early on, and help avoid forming mistaken views:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What Makes You Not a Buddhist?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Not For Happiness&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T05:09:06.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-04-30T05:52:36.760" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The practice of the brahma vihara meditation is given in the suttas as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[One] dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with &lt;strong&gt;[brahma-vihara quality]&lt;/strong&gt;, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with &lt;strong&gt;[brahma-vihara quality]&lt;/strong&gt;, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where the quality in brackets stands for one of the four immeasurables: &lt;em&gt;mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhā&lt;/em&gt; (&quot;loving-kindness&quot;, &quot;compassion&quot;, &quot;empathetic joy&quot;, &quot;equanimity&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we regard this practice description as complete, we can follow it as is. In this case, it doesn't seem to emphasize specific visualizations. Instead, it seems to instruct us to do an active immersion of the mind in a certain quality, say, spreading it and filling every corner of one's mind with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using mettā as example, one immerses the mind in this quality gradually:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] one quarter with a mind imbued with mettā, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One makes it pervasive, ubiquitous:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus above, below, across, and everywhere [...] vast, exalted, measureless&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One directs it and applies it to every being, to the entire world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with mettā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When this practice is undertaken, unwholesome qualities diminish:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] without enmity, without ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They diminish because if these are effectively practiced, the mind becomes interested in these qualities; it grabs the interest of the mind once it finds them pleasurable. As result, the mind &lt;em&gt;incorporates&lt;/em&gt; them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They also diminish because of &quot;incompatibility&quot;. For example, it's not possible for a mind immersed in compassion to have cruelty taking hold of it. Cruel thoughts appear distant, tasteless, sterile and weak in a mind soaked in compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the brief practice contextualized, let's talk the specifics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said: &lt;code&gt;disturbing or aggressive images sometimes arise in consciousness.&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the aggressive images that arise (e.g. towards another or towards oneself) are born out of anger or are enticing, &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; and/or &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; can be ideal primary practices. If the aggressive images are born out of envy,  jealous or discontent sentiments, it might be interesting to focus more on &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.13&lt;/a&gt; and also &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn34&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 34&lt;/a&gt;). All these can be complemented and calibrated by &lt;em&gt;upekkhā&lt;/em&gt;, which is also one of the recommended practices for dealing with disgust and passion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if the disturbing thoughts have as origin remorse or, generally, non-virtuous past behaviors, it might be fruitful to focus more on reestablishing the precepts, making amends to past mistakes and strengthening virtuous behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, all the above are not mutually exclusive, meaning one benefits from doing them all, but certain difficulties might be approached better with a focused/dedicated effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-04-30T09:25:16.800" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T09:25:16.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20362" CreationDate="2017-04-30T08:20:27.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read that there are few reasons, when the child is in the mother's womb, it forgets the precious birth. One I recall clearly is shock. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Such as from a big jolt of loud noise)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T08:20:27.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-04-30T08:32:47.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those are perfect appearances, Eggman. Developing, for example metta means to hold on an attitude of goodwill (metta) &quot;like a mother holds on here only son&quot;, even so hold on a mindstate of metta. Special perfect, because those phenomenas cause you to fall into aversion. That's a perfect working place. So when such things arise, put more effort into keeping up goodwill and don't tend to aversion if it arises. Itks good when you also observe how mind reacts, phenomenas arising and decay. When you use metta as object for your concentration (thats actually the dhammic purpose of it), also obsere the comming and going of phenomenas. It's good to become aware of such, much better then to dwell dull in the Brahma Vihara realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T08:32:47.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19952" CreationDate="2017-04-30T10:52:22.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One would find the answer in the quoted sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.2&lt;/a&gt; it self, in the case it was not seen:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And through this line of reasoning one may know how admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life: &lt;strong&gt;It is in dependence on &lt;em&gt;me (the Buddha) as an admirable friend&lt;/em&gt; that beings&lt;/strong&gt; subject to birth have gained release from birth, that beings subject to aging have gained release from aging, that beings subject to death have gained release from death, that beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair have gained release from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair. It is through this line of reasoning that one may know how admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note: this is a gift of Dhamma and not thought for any commercial purpose or other worldy gains.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T10:52:22.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20372" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-30T11:21:57.700" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The equation seems to have a failure. Atma (my person) tries to focus mainly on the sample at first hand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one case, one hurts the truth (by lying) and in the other a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another misunderstandig might be that Vinaya reflects automatical wholesome and unwholesome. Self defense is always unwholesome, since it requires Delusion (believe that a Self could be damaged, touching form,  feeling, perception, formations, recognition).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And one more, a lie does not necessary hurt a listener directly, he could be pleased as well (even mostly)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally again, Vinaya does not go deep into Abhidhamma but stays for the most at bodily and verbal deeds. It works with very gross defilements. So it's not good to assume to much in regard of karmic effects. Vinaya is made for wordlings, yet not able to understand mind and intention fully and meant as protection in defiled states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T11:21:57.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19928" CreationDate="2017-04-30T11:53:07.310" Score="-2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is a lie for the purposes of self defence necessarily unwholesome?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not unwholesome. Kamma is intention. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'There is the case where a certain person engages in false speech. When he has been called to a town meeting, a group meeting, a&#xA;  gathering of his relatives, his guild, or of the royalty [i.e., a&#xA;  royal court proceeding], if he is asked as a witness, 'Come &amp;amp; tell,&#xA;  good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I know.' If he&#xA;  does know, he says, 'I don't know.' If he hasn't seen, he says, 'I&#xA;  have seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I haven't seen.' Thus he&#xA;  consciously tells lies for his own sake, for the sake of another or&#xA;  for the sake of a certain reward. AN 10.176&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is using a lie as defence for another from attack considered parajeeka for a monk&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not a parajika: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The four transgressions which incur a Parajika, the penalty of automatic disrobal, are as follows:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Engaging in sexual intercourse with another being of either sex.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Stealing something of value (which includes smuggling, cheating or deliberately avoiding payment of a tax).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Purposely killing a human being or encouraging him or her to commit suicide (this includes inciting another to murder somebody and it also&#xA;  includes convincing a woman to have an abortion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Boasting that one has realised a high spiritual attainment, knowing that one is lying. For example, claiming to be enlightened, to be&#xA;  Maitreya Buddha, to have entered Jhana (deep meditation-ecstasy) or&#xA;  that one can read minds when one knows that one hasn't reached any of&#xA;  these states.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why can't a monk misrepresent reality(lie) for self defense instead of resorting to physical violence?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would a monk be engaging in &quot;self-defence&quot;? This is very unlikely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I was thinking that our intentions aren't unwholesome because we lie but a lie is unwholesome because of our unwholesome intentions.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. A lie is unwholesome because of our unwholesome intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if a monk hides an innocent person from a would-be-murderer and the murderer asks the monk has the monk seen the innocent person, it is not unwholesome if the monk lies to the murderer. Why should a monk be honest to a murderer if the murderer will murderer as a result of the monk's honesty? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T11:53:07.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20374" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19952" CreationDate="2017-04-30T11:59:55.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The important sentence in SN 45.2 is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When a bhikkhu has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, it is to be &lt;strong&gt;expected that he will develop and cultivate the Noble&#xA;  Eightfold Path&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;rather than: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is in dependence on me (the Buddha) as an admirable friend that beings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which, without reference to the Noble Eightfold Path, sounds like Christianity, which believes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Never been a sinner I never sinned&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I got a friend in Jesus&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So you know that when I die&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He's gonna set me up with&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The spirit in the sky&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That's where I'm gonna go when I die&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When I die and they lay me to rest&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm gonna go to the place that's the best&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T11:59:55.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12093" CreationDate="2017-04-30T12:04:03.967" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If serious with the practice, if having real faith in the Buddha, or even insight, &lt;strong&gt;YES: never ever lie&lt;/strong&gt; and become more innovative in complicated seeming cases. There is no reason to ly. If starting reasoning all precepts have no use at all, but actually to simply cut of the danger of reasoning (opposition of the defilements) is the Sīlas purpose.&#xA;In regard of this merely polemic question, Breath had posted, here some general and specific answers to help those still having the need of reasoning in regard of strict precepts for a strict aim: release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;from a letter of Ven. Thanissaro in response of the undermining undertaking by Bhikkhu Bodhi in regard of justifying the break of precepts for &quot;higher&quot; seeming purposes:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) The Buddha never said that the intention underlying the precepts was something as vague as “reducing harm and suffering” or “the preservation of life.” Those principles can be used to justify all sorts of evil. The only general principle he expressed for ideal actions is one that he expressed both negatively—that such actions not afflict oneself or afflict others (see Majjhima 61)—and positively: that they benefit oneself and benefit others (Anguttara 4:99). As this latter sutta makes clear, you benefit yourself by abiding by the precepts. You benefit others by encouraging them to abide by the precepts. When you try to get others to believe that there are times when it’s morally laudable to kill (equal in regard of the other 4 precepts), you’re working for their affliction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Essays explaining the function of Sīlas:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Virtue without Attachment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/justicevsskill_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Justice vs. Skillfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks and lay teacher, seeking favor under their target followers and for a broad audience, jet still worldling, not full faith in the Three Gems come constantly up with ways to pull the Dhamma into their own tendency rather to let Dhamma form one fit for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that doubt into the absoluteness of the simple precepts is a clear sign for not having gained path or fruit on the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way to really find out the impact of practicing the precepts like they are, simple, is to put it by one self into action, based on convidence at first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T12:04:03.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20376" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-04-30T12:40:34.113" Score="0" ViewCount="615" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once I reach a nimitta during jhana meditation, do I then move focus to it or keep in the object? Do I ignore the nimitta, or is it one of those things that is very hard to ignore?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-04-30T12:45:14.003" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:23:49.293" Title="Focus on the object or nimitta?" Tags="|jhana|nimitta|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20377" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14154" CreationDate="2017-04-30T17:03:24.820" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can not comment, so I will post here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Miccha dhamma&quot; is never about homosexuality. The comment of the Cakkavattisuttaṃ (DN 26) is wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;miccha dhamma&quot; and other two words are also appear in the Palokasuttaṃ (AN.3.56), and no comment about homosexuality here (as far as I know).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, &quot;miccha dhamma&quot; just means any wrong doctrines or something away from sammā (involving greed to others' belongings or possessions) which happening in natural and man-made disasters, not some specific action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three words (adhamma-rāga), (visama-lobha), (miccha dhamma) have the similar meaning. The meaning of rāga is similar to lobha, and the meaning of visama is similar to adhamma &amp;amp; miccha dhamma. So, it does not mean some specific action, and the three words are just some ancient pali collocations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That wrong comment just came from some medieval homophobic buddhists like any homophobic Buddhists in the Modern times, whether he is living in Sri Lanka or not, whether where he living colonized by Britain's CHRISTIAN CUSTOM or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Non-majority is not deviant practice, as left-handers are not. However discrimination against minority is deviant practice, so anyone does so is deviant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I must say if homosexuality involving any of this, then Buddha would say more in other suttas, not just appearing in the mouth of some medieval homophobic commentators and their homophobic followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The comment of Palokasuttaṃ (AN.3.56) also mentioned (adhamma-rāga), (visama-lobha), (miccha dhamma), but it does not mention anything about homosexuality. You can see：&quot; Micchādhammaparetāti avatthupaṭisevanasaṅkhātena micchādhammena samannāgatā. Devo na sammā dhāraṃ anuppavecchatīti vassitabbayutte kāle vassaṃ na vassati. Dubbhikkhanti dullabhabhikkhaṃ. &quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another Buddhism scripture《大薩遮尼乾子所說經》（Bodhisattvagocaropāyaviṣayavikurvāṇanirdeśa) also mentioned  that the miccha dhamma is about learning Tirthika's doctrine.  (於諸外道非義論中起義論想。於無益論生利益想。於非法中生是法想。於末世時。非是智者所作論中。以為正論。生於信心。熏修邪見。以為福德。是名邪法羅網纏心)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This [Tirthika's doctrine] is the correct meaning of the DA 26 &quot;Miccha dhamma&quot;, not the ridiculous, discriminative explanation and its bigot speaker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Counterfeit of the True Dhamma（SN 16.13） said：「when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears.」.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those homophobic followers let a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises, as they wrongly explain DA 26.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10732" LastEditorUserId="10732" LastEditDate="2017-04-30T17:34:53.427" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T17:34:53.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20376" CreationDate="2017-04-30T17:30:26.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I presume that your object is the breath, crossing the anapana spot (under the nostrils, on the upper lip).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must be careful since wanting the Nimitta to appear will actually prevent it from appearing. As long as you desire such things, to experience Nimitta or Jhana, it will simply never happen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let go of such expectations, completely. Also, by wanting Nimitta to appear, there is a very high chance of it being the product of your imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must let it be, do not give it any attention. Nimitta will strengthen, stabilize, and merge with the object on its own. Always remain with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user9888" LastActivityDate="2017-04-30T17:30:26.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20382" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20376" CreationDate="2017-05-01T01:43:03.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nimitta cannot be ignored in jhana because the nimitta itself is &lt;em&gt;one-pointedness&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;ekaggatā&lt;/em&gt;), where the mind (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) itself becomes the nimitta &amp;amp; the mind is glued unmoving to the nimitta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An analogy is a wheel that is fixed to an axle and spins around the axle. Being fixed to the axle is the nimitta/ekaggatā. The mind being expansively conscious, luminous &amp;amp; blissful is the wheel. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, the Buddha did not mention the nimitta because he only mentioned ekaggatā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T01:59:23.407" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T01:59:23.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20383" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20376" CreationDate="2017-05-01T03:11:58.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is said that &lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.wikia.com/wiki/Nimitta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a &lt;strong&gt;nimitta&lt;/strong&gt; appears together with &lt;strong&gt;uppādo&lt;/strong&gt; (origin of existence), &lt;strong&gt;pavattaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; (continuity of it)'&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nimittas arise, and if your intent is not the continuity of this nimitta, another nimitta will arise in its place. In meditation we try to keep to one nimitta. “Uppādo” means arising. When anusaya (temptations) arise due to āsava (cravings), we need to stop that temptation and be at “pavattam” (continuity of it or go with it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we go along with the unbroken and consistent maintaining (“pavattaṃ”), then it becomes a nimitta (literally a “sign”). A nimitta is a characteristic that is associated with a particular act. For example, for an alcoholic a picture of an alcohol bottle or a bar (or where one normally drinks), or even seeing a friend with whom one drinks often, can be a nimitta; when any of such a “symbol” comes to the mind, it reminds of the drinking act and gets one in the “mood”. Now you will see that it is not so difficult to ignore a nimitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T03:11:58.753" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20384" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-01T04:56:47.680" Score="3" ViewCount="906" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can women get male anima? Women bear many sorrowful feelings all of their lives. So how can they escape those lives and be men?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T11:38:44.480" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T08:44:50.963" Title="According to Buddhism, how can a woman get a male soul?" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-01T05:43:44.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka (lay follower) Lal shared a nice approach on his website: &lt;a href=&quot;https://puredhamma.net/living-dhamma/living-dhamma-fundamentals/sexual-orientation-effects-of-kamma-and-gathi-sankhara/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sexual Orientation – Effects of Kamma and Gathi (Sankhara)&lt;/a&gt;, Olivia Glad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether one seeks direct liberation or best possible conditions also afterwards, there is only making merits which is conductive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A short quote from the article:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One is born male or female due to whether one cultivates “purisa sankhara” or “iththi sankhara” by thinking, speaking, and doing things accordingly. One does not do either punna abhisankhara or apunna abhisankhara here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A nice approach that might have some personal hints that are maybe not so tasty for moderns, but over all a very releasing work on this most hard opinioned topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a Verse of the Blessed One given in regard of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn37/sn37.034.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Growth &lt;/a&gt; of female lay disciples (SN 37.4):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;She grows in conviction &amp;amp; virtue,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  discernment, generosity, &amp;amp; learning:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  A virtuous female lay disciple&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      such as this&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  takes hold of the essence&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  right here within herself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Important for oneself&lt;/strong&gt;, one thinking &quot;I am a woman&quot;, &quot;I am a man&quot;, &quot;Neither woman nor man I am&quot;, conceit and suffering is not abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here a list of some inspirations, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/index-subject_en.html#women&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Women and Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, and may Olivia and other be careful not to fall into strong conceit and greed, hatred and delusion in regard of gender and situations which had causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or to use the content for other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T12:39:37.493" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T12:39:37.493" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-01T06:23:30.130" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta4/36-Matugama-Samyutta/01-Matugamavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 37.3&lt;/a&gt;), which were relevant to the Buddha's society, describe certain difficulties peculiar to women, namely: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A young woman must leave her family &amp;amp; live with her husband's family.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Menstruation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pregnancy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The physical pain &amp;amp; danger of child birth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Serving a man. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, apart from this, I do not recall reading anything in the Pali suttas that mention any causes or reasons for why a woman is physically born as a woman. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything I recall reading in the Pali scriptures treats men &amp;amp; women equally in respect to both the results of kamma/actions (refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta4/36-Matugama-Samyutta/01-Matugamavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mātugāma Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt;) and the potential for enlightenment (refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Therigatha&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, the different results of different kammas lead to the humane (compassionate), animal (immoral), ghost (addictive), heaven (blissful) &amp;amp; hell (suffering) states of mind rather than lead to birth as a man or woman. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned, accounts of women attaining freedom from suffering can be read in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thig/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Therigatha&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T07:44:09.133" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T07:44:09.133" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20387" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20390" CreationDate="2017-05-01T06:38:49.557" Score="2" ViewCount="377" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really know what does love means even my prior question was also &quot;What does love means?&quot; but as I'm going through. When I tried to let person know I'm loving then it gets angry at me so how love conquer anger/hate when I found person hates me. Neither has affection nor kindness towards me, no respect for my feelings towards that person. So is this love crime that I found someone who I Iove hates me after knowing I'm loving that person. I don't know what's their psychology or perspective of love. So I've question that is love crime?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-05-02T06:19:28.463" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T07:35:01.870" Title="Does love mean crime?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20388" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-01T09:25:23.493" Score="1" ViewCount="3231" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. members of the Sangha (coming across here),&#xA;Valued Upasaka, Upasika,&#xA;Valued Team here and for awakening seeking readers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;whether young or old, lay person or ordained, since child one would be trained in generosity after having made merits, may it be just a recitation, veneration, after a giving, after taking precepts, after a meditation session, after having listened to Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In traditional countries there are many deep and beautiful verses used an known. Here some may know a traditional recitation as sample: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting_en.html#merit&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dedication of Merit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you know or even practice a certain Verse and feel inspired sharing it?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do you know good and nice sources (not commercial but dedicated as Dana) of valuable Verses in various languages?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feel inspired to share you ways and possessions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If inspired to even share an audio of your recitation, feel invited to do such here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/board,5.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rejoice with others &amp;amp; sharing merits &lt;em&gt;pattanumodāna &amp;amp; pattidāna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. You can link it into here and no need to take uninvited space or contracts anywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This question is a gift of Dhamma, and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-20T13:19:59.687" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T13:19:59.687" Title="Verses and lines of dedication of merits: Does one like to share traditional and personal verbal ways?" Tags="|personal-practice|merit|dana|brahmavihara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20389" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-01T09:27:28.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;How does a woman stay as a woman? A woman does not escape her femininity as long as she clings to her feminine nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“A woman attends inwardly to her feminine&#xA;  faculties, her feminine gestures, her feminine manners, feminine&#xA;  poise, feminine desires, feminine voice, feminine charms. She is&#xA;  excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited &amp;amp; delighted by that,&#xA;  she attends outwardly to masculine faculties, masculine gestures,&#xA;  masculine manners, masculine poise, masculine desires, masculine&#xA;  voices, masculine charms. She is excited by that, delighted by that.&#xA;  Being excited &amp;amp; delighted by that, she wants to be bonded to what is&#xA;  outside her, wants whatever pleasure &amp;amp; happiness that arise based on&#xA;  that bond. Delighting, caught up in her femininity, a woman goes into&#xA;  bondage with reference to men. This is how a woman does not transcend&#xA;  her femininity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an7.51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.51&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How does a woman escape her femininity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A woman does not attend inwardly to&#xA;  her feminine faculties… feminine charms. She is not excited by that,&#xA;  not delighted by that… does not attend outwardly to masculine&#xA;  faculties… masculine charms. She is not excited by that, not delighted&#xA;  by that… does not want to be bonded to what is outside her, does not&#xA;  want whatever pleasure &amp;amp; happiness that arise based on that bond. Not&#xA;  delighting, not caught up in her femininity, a woman does not go into&#xA;  bondage with reference to men. This is how a woman transcends her&#xA;  femininity.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an7.51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.51&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastEditorUserId="701" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T09:50:26.283" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T09:50:26.283" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20387" CreationDate="2017-05-01T09:42:41.537" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Swapnil, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love does never conquere anger and hatred but is actually the reason of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look how angry you are, aren't you? And why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love is simply greed and it's not proper to blame another trader of not taking your deal, or?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it's not a crime perse, but actally the reason for all crimes in this world.&#xA;To deal unfair, in cases where others do not like to trade with this dangerous item, lead also often to direct &quot;love-crimes&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why the Buddha and wise people taught and teach, &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.087.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suffering comes from what is dear&lt;/a&gt;&quot; and to make &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;best nothing neither dear nor put anger into&lt;/a&gt; it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And since no being loves any thing more as him/herself, on should not harm others and derive them from their beloved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T09:42:41.537" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20388" CreationDate="2017-05-01T11:31:26.833" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are probably as many answers to this question as there are Buddhists, but as you ask the question to all, I thought maybe I can offer something about the rule, rather than the form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several textual sources regarding what is appropriate for dedication - in general one may dedicate ones' actions any way one may wish, but then the behaviour does not lead to liberation, and is therefore not Dharma activity, unless the dedication is in line with Dharma activity.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the four ways of dedication that are in accordance with Dharma activity, as I have been taught from within the Himalayan tradition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dedication towards one's own liberation and enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dedication towards the liberation and enlightenment of all beings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dedication towards the longevity of Buddha's words. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dedication towards the longevity of the Sangha and one's Dharma teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of these four, the best is the first because it involves taking personal responsibility for the Buddha Dharma through the greatest means possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11074" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T11:31:26.833" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20388" CreationDate="2017-05-01T12:23:36.630" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan monasteries, we recite part of Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara (Bodhisattva Deeds) Chapter 10. It has 58 verses. The whole chapter relates to dedication and the practice of the perfection of generosity. It is really inspiring. To quote 8 verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May no living creature suffer,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Commit evil or ever fall ill.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May no one be afraid or belittled,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With a mind weighed down by depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May the blind see forms&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And the deaf hear sounds.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May those whose bodies are worn with toil&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Be restored on finding repose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May the naked find clothing,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The hungry find food.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May the thirsty find water&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And delicious drinks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May the poor find wealth,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Those weak with sorrow find joy.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May the forlorn find hope,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Constant happiness and prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May there be timely rains&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And bountiful harvests.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May all medicines be effective&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And wholesome prayers bear fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May all who are sick and ill&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Quickly be freed from their ailments.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whatever diseases there are in the world,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May they never occur again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May the frightened cease to be afraid&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And those bound be freed.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May the powerless find power&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And may people think of benefiting each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long as space remains,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  For as long as sentient beings remain,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Until then, may I too remain,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  To dispel the misery of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main difference between dedication and aspirational prayers is that, when we dedicate, we offer a substance such as our merits. In the practice of &quot;exchanging oneself with others&quot;, we offer our happiness and its causes to sentient beings. When we dedicate, we intend for our merits to ripen in ways beneficial for others. It is slightly different. We usually say that dedicating one's merits (accumulated through cultivating compassion, love, etc) is like saving one's money. Merits saved will not go to waste. It is better that the merits ripen as pleasant feeling in dependence on studying the teachings of the Buddha than in dependence on eating ice creams.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another verse of Shantideva goes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May all beings everywhere&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Plagued with sufferings of body and mind&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of my merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-05-01T14:53:42.337" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T14:53:42.337" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20394" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2017-05-01T17:18:11.800" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say address them in the most respectful way in your culture and native language.   &quot;Sir&quot; might be sufficient in English.  To me, it is an attachment to rites and rituals (3rd fetter) if you use the most appropriate words expected by community but not sure why or even using them without true respect.  But again, you want to have organization and harmony in the community, so once you find out what words are used, then use it with respect.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T17:18:11.800" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-01T17:57:31.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, &quot;get male soul&quot; I assumed you mean to be reborn as man, Buddhism doesn't teach the notion of existing a soul. Reading the question it seemed the OP does have the conviction and Dharma insight of the disadvantage of being female, congratulations on such awakening. While the Buddha accepted the Bhikkhunis and praised the women the Mothers of lives, to attend Buddha-hood all Buddhas' last lives born as men. There is one rare case of the Dragon Daughter (龍女), aged 8-y-o, attended Buddha-hood once she offerred her Pearl of Three-Thousand-Worlds, the description was she &quot;then appeared at the South, changed to a male-body (男身) and became the Buddha&quot;. It was recorded in the Lotus Sutra. Feminism or sex-equal advocators, I am not interested in the debate. Please don't then label the Buddha in guilt of any so and so discrimination, its tiring to attend all the noises that catered only craving and self-love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to be reborn as man? Starts to work to get lighter/ light-hearted in the notion called love, love of relationship, attachment to a partner, sex... etc. It is the exceed of these attachments get one born as woman. Next, the practices related to Avalokitesvara and Medicine Buddha have the notion about being reborn as man if one invoke them correctly, following the practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said above, Buddha is transcended on gender, so its not about male, female which is better or both should be equal. Surangama Sutra has thorough description on the creation of the world, and different genders came to be. Else in some notes type instead of sermon type of Sutras like the Agama Sutra or its equivalent, it said male and female came to being because of desire, then sex, therefore male and female resulted to satisfy this activity; then death, therefore life created through sex. The beings came from the Realm of Brilliance (光音天) were genderless, later they due to indulging in the Taste of Earth (地味/地肥) some were caught up and forever left on earth, that's the origin of human beings. It will leave for the archaeologist to uncover the ruins, those monolithic structures who and how did they build.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Additional:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How did male and female come to be according to Agama Sutras (or Nikayas in Pali):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;**Dīrgha Āgama 《長阿含經》 || Dīgha Nikāya** &#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...「其後眾生便共取粳米食之，其身麤醜，有男女形，&#xA;  互相瞻視，遂生欲想，共在屏處為不淨行。&#xA;  餘眾生見言：『咄此為非！&#xA;  云何眾生共生有如此事？』彼行不淨男子者，見他呵責，&#xA;  即自悔過言：『我所為非。』即身投地。&#xA;  其彼女人見其男子以身投地，悔過不起，女人即便送食。&#xA;  餘眾生見，問女人言：『汝持此食，欲以與誰？』&#xA;  答曰：『彼悔過眾生墮不善行者，我送食與之。』&#xA;  因此言故，世間便有不善夫主之名；&#xA;  以送飯與夫，因名之為妻。... 《長阿含經_卷22世記經》&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Dīrgha Āgama it recorded that after some beings from the Realm of Brilliance conducted sexual activities and were discovered by the other beings, one fallen down onto the ground lamented, &quot;I did wrong!&quot;; the other then took the food to serve the one laid on the ground refused to raise up in self-punishment. The one lamented is called &quot;wrong-doing husband&quot; (不善夫主), the one serving food called wife (妻). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this short portrait I discerned that the two beings were equal, yet when one took the other as her object of care, she is the wife/female; whilst the other in reference to the whole of the other beings, realized his action was wrong, he is the husband/male. It's true in social structure, women are generally caring about her own family's welfare. The more limited one is able to care about - selfishness, the more one suffered. Just like depressed people are usually so concerned about their own selves. If one attached to any object as his/her affection and care, that object will be the very weapon to harm him/her. As women tend to look up to men (husbands) as their object of care, thus women are less free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore from serving food to her object of care/desire as portrayed in the Sutra, she then would wish to keep the man, then to have a place belonged to them, then assets, and then children... Therefore the bearing of children are the tasks of the women, and all the physical inconveniences. In the higher realm such as the Devas, those beings giving birth they don't come from the birth-channels. The new being (baby) could spring from the leg, shoulder, or from the head etc., from either male or female Deva. (It's recorded in Sutra but I yet have to find it). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one could dive deeper into how female come to be, an incomplete summary: 1) attached to the female features - to attract man (thinking that's beautiful, because these are attractive to man); 2) attached to/ depended on man/husband (because her focus is on husband, thus family, thus bearing children. without these, woman felt insecure); 3) emotional attachment 情執重生為女人. woman tended to live according to feelings, and enjoyed feelings (love of romance), and loved relationships. These are hindrances for one to develop a complete/independent character. Attachment is source of suffering.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T14:42:28.830" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T14:42:28.830" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20388" CreationDate="2017-05-01T19:33:50.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For sharing merits with the departed relatives we use,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pali verse:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;ldam me ñatinam hotu sukhita hontu natayo&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;[3 times]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Meaning&lt;/strong&gt;: &#xA;  Let this merit be received by my relatives, and may they be happy &lt;em&gt;[3 times]&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For sharing merits with the devas and nagas we use,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pali verse:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Akasattha ca bhummattha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Deva naga mahiddhika puññam tam  anumoditva&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ciram rakkhantu sambuddha-sasanam, ciram rakkhantu sambuddha desanam, ciram rakkhantu mam param&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Meaning:&lt;/strong&gt; May all the devas and the powerful nagas inhabiting space and earth, enjoy these accumulated merits and protect long the religion, the teaching and myself&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For sharing merits with all beings we use,  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pali verse:&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Ettavata ca amhehi sambhatam puññasampadam sabbe deva anumodantu, sabbe bhuta anumodantu, sabbe satta anumodantu&#xA;  sabba sampatti siddhiya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;Meaning:&lt;/strong&gt; May all the devas, the spirits and all beings share the merits we have accumulated and thus accomplish their happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="701" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T19:33:50.377" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2119" CreationDate="2017-05-01T22:24:15.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Patanjali's Yoga Sutras states in the beginning that Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of mind matter. This &quot;Yoga&quot; is when there is an absence of thoughts yet the person is not asleep. The awareness has gone beyond the intellect. This state cannot be attained directly by mental effort for the very effort of the intellect keeps one tied to the mind. However certain mental efforts such as koan contemplation or mindfulness on the body can through a kind of distracting fatigue eventually &quot;trick&quot; the mind into collapsing for a moment or a while and the cessation of the fluctuations of mind matter can occur. Transcendental Meditation is a japa type meditation where a meaningless mantra is repeated over and over again. When the meditator realizes that they have once again become engaged in a thought or chain of thoughts and have stopped repeating the mantra they then simply return to repeating the mantra again. The mantra having no ideological or emotional connections acts as a simple sound that the the ever busy mind follows like a charm to simpler and simpler levels of thinking until finally there is only the sound of the mantra reverberating in the mind leading to an effortless state where the mantra may die away and the mind settles upon nothing. No fluctuations of mind matter, no mind. The awareness has transcended the mind and abides in its own nature...awareness without thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This state may last for 5, 10, 15 minutes or maybe it is for just a mere moment and then the mind reengages and thoughts are once again the experience of awareness. Done on a regular basis this acts as an almost effortless culturing of the &quot;Self&quot; to see it's true nature as pure awareness beyond the level of the intellect and not identify as the thoughts and ideas we entertain in our minds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's consistently pleasant, easy and a wonderful release of stress that does not require starring at a wall for an hour. I do believe that vipassana, and many other approaches to meditation do lead ultimately to a transcendental state of awareness but in my opinion none get there as easily or consistently as TM. I also think it would be a perfect compliment to all the active inner work that one engages in during a serious Buddhist practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11275" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T22:24:15.313" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20387" CreationDate="2017-05-01T22:56:02.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Love is a hard word to interpret. For simplicity let's use the two generally used words &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Selfish love &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unconditional love &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Selfish love is generally unhealthy and in a Buddhist context means &quot;loba&quot; (craving) and may lead to &quot;dwesha&quot; (anger). This is harmful for you and the other person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unconditional love is generally healthy and in a Buddhist context means &quot;alobha&quot; (non craving) and usually is also &quot;adhosha&quot; (non angry). This is not harmful for you and the other person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In normal life, love is something which mixes these two from time to time; hence a mix of good and bad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-05-01T22:56:02.290" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20399" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-02T02:32:39.300" Score="4" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism, other than Amidism, describe or explain entities like Amida, or any other &amp;quot;other power,&amp;quot; or intra-psychic, in yer mind, other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did not mean to consider whether Buddhism is theistic or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastEditorUserId="10046" LastEditDate="2020-09-25T03:58:35.830" LastActivityDate="2020-09-25T16:40:00.760" Title="What reference to other powers are there in Buddhism?" Tags="|god|secular-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20400" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20399" CreationDate="2017-05-02T02:32:39.300" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The only time I can think of mention of an 'other power', is &lt;em&gt;perhaps&lt;/em&gt; in Zen's Gateless Gate book of Koan's where there is mention in #42 of a girl next to the Buddha. I think that this &quot;girl&quot; may be Amida (who is neutre) but it is only a guess.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is so the bull in Zen's ten pictures of the bull. It is a sort of pair to self and dissappears when enlightenment is achieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10046" LastEditorUserId="10046" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T00:57:30.393" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T00:57:30.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8285" CreationDate="2017-05-02T03:22:34.043" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk would not enter certain places with dirty feets. People who might get arware of such situation, and take such as a change of skilful deeds in generosity, service and also paying respect. Very Fruitful deeds, if having directed the mind to tge Sangha or meet even a worthy person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the relation teacher and studend, such is a service good to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also happens, that if people see you walking, might give a monks feets refreshing and cleaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of those meritiouse deeds fall eighter under generosity (giving water, time and towel), paying respect or doing a service (later two are already part of the virtue section of the path, and require right view as prerequisite).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of Seniour Monk: even if washing the feets of a lay person, worthy of gifts, worthy of respect (for everyone his father and mother), not to soeak about a young novice, having mind right set, or meeting even a already Noble Person, is of real high benefit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-02T04:42:22.383" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T04:42:22.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3143" CreationDate="2017-05-02T04:14:48.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The lesser knowing and understandig the teachings of the Buddha and the more people are into &quot;Buddhist&quot; and &quot;Buddhism&quot; they lesser they accept homeless ascetics, even if having taken refuge into the three gems.&#xA;The therm Anagarika seems to be a special Sinhalese rendering and is merely unknow in other Buddist countries.&#xA;A person still taking money, using money, can not really be called a homeless, recluse or Samana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the Sangha, other recluses should be no problem, and either they speak Dhamma or not, would lead them in regard of respect. There are serial rules dealing how Bikkhus have to handle with not ordained beggars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing one should be aware, one does neither have a/the community of monks as support or refuge nor sociaty, so one needs a lot of confiction and resolution to walk such a way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should be also aware, that if thinking in ways &quot;I don't like to work, I have no support, what if I wear the Robs of the Bhikkhus and mingle my self under the Bhikkhus, since they are well supported&quot;. In such case, out of such an intention, Bhikkhus would not be allowed to ordain someone having cheated being a full ordained Bhikkhu before while not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very practical it's of course good to have a community somehow behind, on the other hand such also has its limits of benefit an disadvantages.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its not easy today and was also not easy in times of the Buddha, incl. the Buddha him self, living as real homelessness without a communal support and big reputation and adverticing behind. So it's really not a &quot;let's see what comes along&quot; life for certain periode of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, there are less wise and knowledgeable people, whether members of the Sangha nor housholder, becoming aware of an recluse, who do not highly respect really homeless beggars on a/the path for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T04:14:48.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20403" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-02T07:20:33.943" Score="0" ViewCount="68" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am doing research on the Burmese Weikza traditions and wanted help as to the usage of the skull in their magical practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11277" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-05-02T09:37:49.047" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T09:37:49.047" Title="Anyone know about the use of the skull for magic in the Burmese traditions?" Tags="|traditions|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20404" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-05-02T07:20:49.957" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it is possible to be both anything, as long as you are open and prepared for your definitions of both Buddhist and Christian to change and evolve with time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are stuck in place, then that would not work, even for someone who is &quot;just&quot; Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience it is kind of a useless pursuit to find &quot;similarities&quot; between religions. Let's just try to find ways to be good people ... and let the teachings sink in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T07:20:49.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-02T07:27:55.760" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no gender in Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is how a man can escape being a man, or a woman being a woman. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I for one, I plan to keep being a woman, and the difficulties are not difficulties, but a fundamental training in selflessness and loving kindness. That way, if I am reborn where Dharma is not taught, then at least I can keep practicing until I meet the teachings again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11224" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T07:27:55.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20387" CreationDate="2017-05-02T07:35:01.870" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can see how anger causes more anger? Aversion causes more aversion? The ideal in Buddhism would be if you could cultivate wisdom or metta. Then you could better keep loving other people as friends regardless of hate or love. Acceptance of the anger, equanimity, impartiality and loving everyone even when you are loving just one. No one can hurt your feelings, we all hurt our own feelings by reacting to them. -metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T07:35:01.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20407" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20403" CreationDate="2017-05-02T07:38:07.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Peter&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever magical practice that might be, it has nothing to do with the Buddha, Dhamma an the Sangha and is called &quot;Animal Art&quot; by the Buddha and a grave misconduct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than_en.html#livelihood&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wrong livelihood for contemplatives&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe the question is better placed outside of &quot;Buddhism&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skulls an &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/buddhadasa/dhammawithpictures_en.html#22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bones are used as object of investigation and meditation&lt;/a&gt;, asuba-nimitta (object of unattractiveness), to gain high concentration if done right. Of coures such training in what is called Jhana, can lead to &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than_en.html#drawbacks&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;supranatural powers&lt;/a&gt; but such is not the aim just side effects of practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other worldly gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-02T07:53:51.160" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T07:53:51.160" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1551" CreationDate="2017-05-02T09:32:47.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Things to consider in regard of the OP's Question, since a proper Question would be: &quot;How do I address monastics, Brahmans and ascetics in a way that it is of most benefit for me?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand the merit an demerit of paying respect a little, my person wrote a &quot;wiki-like&quot; articel, supported by members &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13302/teachings-regarding-veneration-respect-as-one-of-the-traditional-10-meritorious&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;:  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.msg9334.html#msg9334&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Respect and Veneration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In bodily regard:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is you aspect being taught well by a Monk, you should consider that especial a Bhikkhu is not allowed to teach to someone:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;holding an umbrella (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;holding a stick (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;holding a cutting object (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;holding a weapon (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(for internet this means to people holding power while one would speak - moderators and others with tendency to delete or banning, willing to put Dhamma in that wsy under their power)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is wearing shoes (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is wearing sandals (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(appearings of not respecting the place of Dhamma talks and putting them selfs higher)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is inside a vehicle (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(One in hurry, just passing by)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is lying down (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is sitting with the knees raised and the arms around (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wearing a turban (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;whose head {and sholders} is covered (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(One with an improper Avatar, not showing his face.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sits on a seat while the teaching is sitting directly on the ground (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sitting at a higher level and the teaching on a lower (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who is sitting while one is standing (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;is walking ahead (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;who walks on a footpath while one is walking to the side of this footpath (unless he is ill).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(If situations and views are hold, monks are equal to others here)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this things are not conductive in regard of peoples respect in reagard of the Dhamma. For Monks themselves also a personal protection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of demand and compensation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks, keeping Vinaya, do not and never teach for rewards or let the taught be bound by any contacts or demands. Accepting gifts, rewards or other things as reward for teaching is not the way of the Noble Ones and there are rules to cut off possible corruption of the Dhamma in that way. So gifts as well as the gift of veneration is good placed in advanced to gain most benefit and make it acceptable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Speech:&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;What ever feel proper to one, thinking on someone who is not only high above one self but also could give one the highest gift possible to give.&#xA;Usual ways are to express his worthy be calling him Ven. Sir, Lord, Lord of Compassion, Ven. Teacher and if in Pali, as usual, &quot;Bante&quot;. For female likewise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In third person, whether he is at place or not, its also good to do such in that way. If there are more Monks, put the name behind. Its not usual and polite to use the &quot;Status/Profession&quot; like Bhikkhu, Samanera, monk, Samana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider always, that a ordained person has actualky no gains be receiving respect, and if he/she takes such not worthy of it, he/she just accumulte depts. Giving or not giving in this regard is the doers benefit or demerit, whether he/she knows or not. Not knowing does not eliminate causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its also good to have mistrust is monks and laypeople associate like friends and address each other very familar. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally again, this topic is very large and it is good if one maybe takes the linked article and asks further questions in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern people today must be aware that they are usuall taught and trained in a post-modern or &quot;communistic&quot; way, wrong view, empathizing all are equal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In such an enviroment, under such believes, its never possible to gain anything, how much Dhamma ever one would read, be taught... gains in ways not in line of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping precepts and being tended to virtue (of what veneration of what is worthy of verneration is on part) and to take Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha really as refuge, venerate by heart, are the signs of a faith follower, and stream-enter, both no more able to fall off the path of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a person with long meditation practice or of much knowledge in Dhamma, if you are a virtuose person for your self and consider your self as experianced and still have problems and aversions in regard of Veneration, it is a good sign that such a practice was not based on Right View and the refuge is not really taken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a really good working place to get ride of very raw defilements and at the same time also possible to drop down all clinging aggregats just by a poor cousin treaded single deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Asking Questions:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it is not wrong for a Monk to teach even not invited, one does good when raising a question, to address an venerate possible present persons proper. That is also generally. While usuall everywhere is very rude and a sign of low education and virtue, to put just ones question into the &quot;marked&quot; without kind greatings. Even if a person of good contact enters a shop, here a costumer, he would great friendly and show signs of politeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So generally people incl. the moderators have a lot of work if wishing to be frequented by Monks aside of just short visits and those with certain improper aims, using such places like most here, for certain other gains outside good or no trade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those follow the tradition of the Noble Ones will never addopt certain social and timely usuals but hold on that others, being willing, are able to addopt those, step by step, leaving both improper ways of live in the world or even the eorld behind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like every teaching, this words are originated by compassion, and not made to demand anything. What ever one gives is the givers reward. So is it with taking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Addition in regard of &quot;warm&quot; addressings :&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SEAsia is very common to use Ven. father, grandfather, oncle, great brother... Such is usual under uneducated people and not really proper, althought both might like it. One would address a lay priest of a village or his honored father or granduncle like wise. Such as brother or sister are merely usuals comming from commonist countries and, in setting even equal, totally improper. Its good to use respectful &quot;cool&quot;, with proper distance, addresses. Such is very common in &quot;Guru&quot; &lt;em&gt;paisa&lt;/em&gt;s and put single individuals high and warm. While of course no problem for uninstructed people with &lt;em&gt;raga&lt;/em&gt;- or &lt;em&gt;saddha-charita&lt;/em&gt;, a good instructed person does not use such warm addressings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordly gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-14T10:31:27.390" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:31:27.390" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18738" CreationDate="2017-05-02T12:22:51.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have hit upon a &lt;em&gt;Vexing Question&lt;/em&gt;. The solution is to change the focus of your attention to something non-vexing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was told about the idea of &lt;strong&gt;Character, Story, Texture&lt;/strong&gt; by Bart Marshall and Deborah Westmoreland. (Perhaps it came from Richard Rose originally.)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;- &lt;em&gt;Character&lt;/em&gt; means the person in the role of 'you'.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;- &lt;em&gt;Story&lt;/em&gt; means thoughts and ideas that you tell yourself and others.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;- &lt;em&gt;Texture&lt;/em&gt; is the experience you are having at the moment, &quot;how things are&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Story keeps us stuck, abandon it. I was told: &quot;decline to answer questions that bring up Story.&quot; This gets you unstuck. Character is simply the intersection of what and when, how you respond, choose, etc. Observe, but be unattached to it: &quot;Oh, look what he is doing this time!&quot; Texture is experience. &quot;Why would we want Texture to flatline?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With these three ideas / tools, your question will resolve itself eventually. It does not have a direct answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T12:22:51.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20411" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20429" CreationDate="2017-05-02T15:33:41.583" Score="1" ViewCount="866" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been looking into this lately and am curious how should we address crime and punishment? I know all about the story of Angulimala, but we can't expect all murders, rapist etc., to experience liberation in this fashion. If capital punishment  is out and so many seem opposed to excessively long  prison sentences what's the practical alternative? Yes programs and such to deal with the root cause of these issues are needed but in the here and now how can we best protect society and give these individuals an opportunity to reform.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also people don't like the idea of prison as retaliation or revenge &quot;justice&quot;, but shouldn't all social actions have social consequence other than just allowing for kamma? And maybe the social consequence of jail is your kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T04:27:11.203" Title="What is appropriate punishment for heinous crimes by Buddhist standards?" Tags="|karma|ethics|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20412" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-02T16:23:49.373" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only a puttujana has the desire, has faith in the desire, faith in the action on this desire and act on this desire to punish people who do not behave like the he wishes people would behave.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11279" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T16:23:49.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-02T21:05:05.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not establish norms for crime &amp;amp; punishment. There are numerous examples in the Pali suttas were the Buddha comments, in an accepting manner, on the punishment inflicted by the secular government for bad kamma, including execution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not the same as Judaism &amp;amp; Islam. It is not political. It does not proscribe punishment for sins. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-02T21:11:26.533" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T21:11:26.533" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-02T22:07:29.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The prison system doesn't reform anyone unfortunately. It just perpetuates the situation. Treating people like animals and placing them in a violent and dehumanising environment makes even worse criminals. Sadly our society seems to turn a blind eye to this situation but it is at our own peril as many of these people will be released back into the community at some point and most will commit more crimes. What needs reforming is the entire system.  I know that vipassana meditation is taught in some prisons and works very well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T22:07:29.173" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20417" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18557" CreationDate="2017-05-02T23:22:05.070" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The two ideas 'self' and 'soul' are not synonyms or different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, 'Come, Malunkyaputta, live the&#xA;  holy life under me, and I will declare to you that 'The cosmos is&#xA;  eternal,' or 'The cosmos is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,'&#xA;  or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or &lt;strong&gt;'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the same,'&lt;/strong&gt; or&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;'The soul is one thing and the body another,'&lt;/strong&gt; or 'After death a&#xA;  Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' or&#xA;  'After death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist,' or 'After&#xA;  death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And did you ever say to me, 'Lord, I will live the holy life under&#xA;  the Blessed One and [in return] he will declare to me that 'The cosmos&#xA;  is eternal,' or 'The cosmos is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is&#xA;  finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The soul &amp;amp; the body are the&#xA;  same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' or 'After&#xA;  death a Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not&#xA;  exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata both exists &amp;amp; does not exist,' or&#xA;  'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then that being the case, foolish man, who are you to be claiming&#xA;  grievances/making demands of anyone?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- MN 63.3-6 (tr. Thanissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is positionless:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vaccha, the position that &lt;strong&gt;'the soul &amp;amp; the body are the same'&lt;/strong&gt; [OR]&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;'the soul is one thing and the body another'&lt;/strong&gt; [ETC] is a thicket of&#xA;  views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of&#xA;  views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress,&#xA;  despair, &amp;amp; fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion,&#xA;  cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Does Master Gotama have any position at all?&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away&#xA;  with. What a Tathagata sees is this:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'Such is form, such its origin,&#xA;  such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its&#xA;  disappearance; such is perception... such are mental fabrications...&#xA;  such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.'&#xA;  Because of this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading out,&#xA;  cessation, renunciation, &amp;amp; relinquishment of all construings, all&#xA;  excogitations, all I-making &amp;amp; mine-making &amp;amp; obsession with conceit —&#xA;  is, through lack of clinging/sustenance, released.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -- MN 72.1-15 (tr. Thanissaro Bhikkhu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that this addresses the question sufficiently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-05-02T23:22:05.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-02T23:57:33.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not involve much in issues of worlds normal sociaty and ways and never suggested any either laws nor ways of punishment or even ways of reconciliation for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only touch points with the lay people are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;reconciliation (paṭisaraṇīya-kamma) and&#xA;&quot;overturning the bowl&quot; (patta-nikkujja-kamma)&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch20_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMCII - Relations with the laity&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He teaches &quot;from that, this comes, with arising of that, this arises&quot; and leaves the rest to the individual to concern and take his choice, generally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, in regard of his community of Monks (Nuns) he created the Vinaya (Discipline) as a measure for behaviour incl. also such things like punishments, ways of transactions of disciplinary issues and ways of rehabilitation. Althought there are people who like to call it early development of a legal system it differs from such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some writers have described these disciplinary measures as a Buddhist prototype for legal justice, either praising them for their insightful contribution to legal philosophy or criticizing them for their shortcomings as legal procedures. Both the praise and the criticism miss the point. Unlike most modern judicial procedures, these measures do not function as retributive justice. They are not retributive in that they are not ways of making the offender &quot;pay&quot; for his wrong doings (the principle of kamma will see to that); and, viewed in terms of retribution, they are unjust (or at least not necessarily fair) in that there is no concern that bhikkhus with equal offenses will undergo equal penalties. With the one exception of &quot;further punishment&quot; (see below), each allowance for imposing a disciplinary measure states that a Community if it wants to may impose the measure on a bhikkhu endowed with certain qualities. Only in the case of that exception do the texts say that it must do so. ― &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch20_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BMC2 - Disciplinary Transactions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For everybody who likes to know more about the system of function of Buddhas society, it's worthy to read more of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.intro_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Monastic Code II&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To understand Vinaya general, read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.intro_en.html#intro1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction in Ven. Thanissaro's BMC I&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Discipline is for the sake of restraint, restraint for the sake of freedom from remorse, freedom from remorse for the sake of joy, joy for the sake of rapture, rapture for the sake of tranquility, tranquility for the sake of pleasure, pleasure for the sake of concentration, concentration for the sake of knowledge and vision of things as they have come to be, knowledge and vision of things as they have come to be for the sake of disenchantment, disenchantment for the sake of dispassion, dispassion for the sake of release, release for the sake of knowledge and vision of release, knowledge and vision of release for the sake of total unbinding through non-clinging.&quot; — Pv.XII.2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's worthy to note that the part-taking on the community as well as to it's standards is voluntary and so most means, which are based on willingness to stick to them, see the welfare of the development of each individual as prior. The whole system would not really work for a strong corrupted heart and others as the usual of wordily systems it's very needed to approch the standards with the will to be without a mistake and joyful to fulfil the standards of the Noble One and bend one tendencies rather to study the standards to find possible ways to stick by ones desires without being touchable. For a strongly corrupted heart this tools would work for ones personal welfar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The transactions are always &quot;punished&quot; by the need of confession, and if the misdeeds are stronger penalties can (! Note, don't must, exept in some cases) layed down by the community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The heavierst punishments is the leave of the order without any possibility to join again and cover heavy offences in regard of taking life, taking what is not given, sexual intercourse and lying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are no kind of physical punishments aside of restrictions from certain use of community properties and benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also nothing like a physical prision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, in regard of prision one should understand the holly life or to ordain as monk or nun like a volunatary imprisoning to bend ones ways and who ever sees such as a gift and way to actually win over oneself and get right of any defilement, become a upright person, a Noble One, uses the support of the Noble Sangha and his tools right and for the benefit of him/her self and all others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's a very lage topic and it's not right to say that a society would function without any system of regulation and precrepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If many would take on the voluntary imprisoning within a community of admirable friends and elders and always seek for them, nothing than best posdible peace can be aspected. A peaceful and righteous life and community around on depends on ones own past and present efforts to give such to his/her community and its members first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In ways of demanding and call for rights problems will naturally increase for societies of people merely hold such views. Such communities break apart within a very short time and such appereances thought of positive, called revolutions, destroying all means hardly developed over long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Althought there are often undertakings from such as &quot;buddhist&quot; lawyer to develop systems of Vinaya also for normal sociaties, it's not really possible and always would lead to misunderstandings since the aims of the individualls are different, for the world is becoming and for the Sangha of Buddhas disciples going beyond becoming and possible keep such an alternative as long as possible alive in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T00:17:34.797" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T00:17:34.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20419" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20332" CreationDate="2017-05-03T00:55:11.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suffering is described in many suttas, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; MN 140, which state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body and afflicted in mind. There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person&#xA;  — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined&#xA;  in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form (the body)&#xA;  to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the&#xA;  self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that 'I am&#xA;  form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his form&#xA;  changes &amp;amp; alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress &amp;amp; despair over its change &amp;amp; alteration.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind? There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has&#xA;  regard for noble ones, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their Dhamma;&#xA;  who has regard for men of integrity, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in&#xA;  their Dhamma — does not assume form to be the self, or the self as&#xA;  possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is&#xA;  not seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is&#xA;  not seized with these ideas, his form changes &amp;amp; alters, but he does&#xA;  not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress or despair over its&#xA;  change &amp;amp; alteration. SN 22.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu, ‘I am’ is a conceiving; ‘I am this’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall not be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall&#xA;  be possessed of form’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be formless’ is a&#xA;  conceiving; ‘I shall be percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be&#xA;  non-percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be&#xA;  neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient’ is a conceiving. Conceiving is&#xA;  a disease, conceiving is a tumour, conceiving is a dart. By overcoming&#xA;  all conceivings, bhikkhu, one is called a sage at peace. And the sage&#xA;  at peace is not born, does not age, does not die; he is not shaken and&#xA;  does not yearn. For there is nothing present in him by which he might&#xA;  be born. Not being born, how could he age? Not ageing, how could he&#xA;  die? Not dying, how could he be shaken? Not being shaken, why should&#xA;  he yearn? MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This fabricating or conceiving 'self-view', which is suffering, is described in SN 22.81: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in&#xA;  their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not&#xA;  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form to be the&#xA;  self. That assumption is a &lt;strong&gt;fabrication (sankhara)&lt;/strong&gt;. Now what is the cause, what is&#xA;  the origination, what is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence&#xA;  of that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person,&#xA;  touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving&#xA;  arises. That fabrication is born of that.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the aggregate that fabricates suffering is the fabrication (&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) aggregate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T00:55:11.107" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19299" CreationDate="2017-05-03T01:59:44.030" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read it in the context of life and death. In his quote, &quot;It is better to travel well than to arrive.&quot;, Buddha is looking at life as a journey. Although death is, ultimately, the final destination, it more important for one to live than it is to reach the 'destination'. Therefore, it is more important for one to live life well than it is for one to die. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11282" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T01:59:44.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19299" CreationDate="2017-05-03T07:33:10.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is probably not an authentic quote, as Suminda points out, and you should always check with Fake Buddha Quotes when you see such statements attributed to the Buddha on memes etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the sentiment is an authentic Zen teaching in the sense that we believe there is no 'aha!' moment after which you are enlightened and there is no further need of training.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dogen (the Soto founder) said that practice and enlightenment were one (i.e. without conceptualising, no separation can be found between practice and enlightenment), wrote an essay on the subject of 'ascending Buddhas' (i.e. Buddhas are still and always training) and the final Bodhisattva vow can be translated as 'enlightenment is unattainable, I vow to attain it'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T07:33:10.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20423" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20428" CreationDate="2017-05-03T09:16:55.930" Score="9" ViewCount="346" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question came up when I really thought back on both my and many others' spiritual journey. In the New Age community, especially, the sense of viewing things as illusions and making progress in one's spiritual path can easily steer you to be more condescending or arrogant (i.e viewing others as somehow lesser or more immature than you) and in the process, feed the Ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often you see this in spiritual teachers as well, who seemed to have, in their journeys to eliminate the Ego, fueled their Ego.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the enlightened Buddha ever touch on this subject?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T09:29:46.247" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:20:42.523" Title="Did the Buddha ever delve on the dangers of one's own spirtual achievements feeding the ego?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|pali-canon|self|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20423" CreationDate="2017-05-03T10:21:09.957" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Certainly. The Buddha included 'conceit' as the 8th of 10 fetters to be broken for full enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some quotes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these ten fetters. Which ten? Five lower fetters &amp;amp; five higher fetters. And which are the five lower fetters? Self-identity&#xA;  views, uncertainty, grasping at precepts &amp;amp; practices, sensual desire&#xA;  &amp;amp; ill will. These are the five lower fetters. And which are the five&#xA;  higher fetters? Passion for form, passion for what is formless,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;conceit&lt;/strong&gt;, restlessness &amp;amp; ignorance. These are the five higher fetters.&#xA;  And these are the ten fetters.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.13&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(33) Others will be &lt;strong&gt;arrogant&lt;/strong&gt;; we shall not be arrogant here — thus effacement can be done.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;72. To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;73. The fool seeks undeserved reputation, precedence among monks, authority over monasteries, and honor among householders.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;74. &quot;Let both laymen and monks think that it was done by me. In every work, great and small, let them follow me&quot; — such is the ambition of&#xA;  the fool; thus his desire and &lt;strong&gt;pride&lt;/strong&gt; increase.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;75. One is the quest for worldly gain and quite another is the path to Nibbana. Clearly understanding this, let not the monk, the disciple&#xA;  of the Buddha, be carried away by worldly acclaim, but develop&#xA;  detachment instead.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;94. Even the gods hold dear the wise one, whose senses are subdued like horses well trained by a charioteer, whose &lt;strong&gt;pride&lt;/strong&gt; is destroyed and who is free from the cankers.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T10:28:11.887" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T10:28:11.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20423" CreationDate="2017-05-03T11:19:37.430" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Surely one of the best similes of the Buddha goes those:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha on Vulture Peak mountain, not long after Devadatta had left. Referring to Devadatta, the Blessed One addressed the monks:... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.029.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saropama Sutta: The Longer Heartwood-simile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T11:19:37.430" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20399" CreationDate="2017-05-03T11:24:18.240" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha speaks that the power of mära (mära bala) is something we should strive to win against though practice of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha has also said that he doesn't see anybody else who exercises power as the mära does.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However mära also dies. Even Arhat Moghalläna has been mära. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mära is also explained by Buddha as things that perish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, when specifically considered as &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; or &quot;my soul&quot;, is said by mära to be belonging to him when answering a question by Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T01:45:12.117" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T01:45:12.117" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20423" CreationDate="2017-05-03T11:47:45.157" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe this is the context of Sotapätti. A person who is a Sotäpatti stream winner doesn't have sakkäyaditti (illusion of a souls). Thus, having ego is like feeding your own meditation practice with harmful assumptions of a ego-full self. This will therefore be an impediment to becoming a stream winner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer the question, &quot;I believe&quot; Buddha's teachings are geared toward getting rid of ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T11:47:45.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20423" CreationDate="2017-05-03T13:15:15.530" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is one good example of the Buddha delving on the dangers of one's own spirtual achievements feeding the ego.  It is that of the erudite monk called Potila. Buddha dismissed him with just one word “THUCCA POTILA”  (meaning empty Potila), because he only taught others, but did not practice. It was his EGO that prevented him from achieving even the level of a stream entrant. The story is best described in &lt;a href=&quot;https://puredhamma.net/bhavana-meditation/are-you-not-getting-expected-results-from-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THIS BLOG&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;During the time of the Buddha there was a bhikkhu named Pötila, who was well-versed with deep Dhamma concepts and was a well known teacher; he had developed abhinna powers as well, but had not attained even the Sotapanna stage. His desanas (discourses) were deep and only those at the Anagami stage (at least Sotapanna stage) could follow them and get to Arahanthood. One day he went to see the Buddha, paid respects, and told the Buddha that he had been a Dhamma teacher during the times of several earlier Buddhas too, and helped many to attain Nibbana (Arahantship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha asked him whether he has attained any magga phala and Bhikkhu Potila admitted that he had not. The Buddha just commented: ”Thucca Potila” and turned his attention to other matters; thucca (pronounced “thuchcha”) in Pali means despicable or “lowly”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, bhikkhu Potila, who had expected praise from the Buddha for helping others, realized that he needs to work on his own salvation before helping others. He strived by himself and could not make any progress; he was trying very hard to “give up all attachments”, following the same instructions he was giving others. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he sought help from other bhikkhus, they were reluctant to become his teacher because everyone knew he was very knowledgeable in Dhamma. Eventually, he went to this very young Arahant, who was well-known for his teaching abilities, and sought help. The young Arahant agreed to help, only if bhikkhu Potila agreed to carry out everything as instructed, and Potila agreed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The young Arahant decided to use an unusual kammatthana (instructions). He took Potila to a large area covered by mud, and asked him to wade into the mud and keep going until told to stop. Potila started wading in mud and kept going until he was told to stop when the mud was all the way up to his chin; he was barely able to move at this point because mud was heavy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Arahant told him that, “if someone is stuck in mud like that any knowledge about cleaning oneself by taking a bath is not going to help. One needs to get out of the mud first”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then he asked Potila to come back. Potila had great difficulty in moving forward initially, since he was all the way up to the chin in thick and heavy mud. While dragging himself out of the mud with great difficulty, Potila realized what the young Arahant was talking about. It is not possible to get out of mud until one realizes that one is stuck there, and getting out of mud required sheer will power. Similarly, he had not realized that he was stuck at a much lower moral level; he needed to cleanse his mind first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The “giving up” part comes with a mind that has removed the wrong visions (micca ditthi); and that comes via comprehending anicca, dukkha, anatta. If someone at a level below at least the Sotapanna stage, “giving up worldly things” is not possible; that could easily lead to patigha or “friction” or “anger with oneself for giving up things”. One’s mind has not advanced to that stage yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The simile can be made even better by looking at what happens to ants who get stuck in honey. Here unlike mud, the sense pleasures are appealing and there is no incentive to get out either. Those ants who get stuck in honey, would not even try to get out because they are too busy enjoying the honey. Even when they are barely stuck, and can move out of honey, they would not because they like the taste of honey. Just like that, any living being, whether a human or even the lowly worm, likes to indulge in the sense pleasures, and thus gets stuck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And even when one realizes that one needs to get out of “the honey pot” it is hard, at least initially.&#xA;  For that one needs to see the perils of staying in this rebirth process, where birth in lower four realms will lead to unimaginable suffering. Even if one can strive to be born in higher realms, that will not last long. This is “anicca“: no matter how hard we try to find refuge in the 31 realms it is not possible to do so in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With much effort, Potila slowly made his way up to the waist level, and started feeling the lightness of being free of mud. He could now move faster too. He felt the relief when he was out the mud, and was asked to go and take a shower. Now, cleaning up with soap could be done; but while stuck in mud, there was no use of soap and water. Just like that the deep Dhamma that he had memorized was of no use to him while he was still stuck in mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eventually, when one comes out the mud that is like the Sotapanna level. One is still covered with mud, i.e., one still likes to enjoy sense pleasure. But now one KNOWS that one needs to take a shower, use soap and shampoo, and remove all that mud.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-03T13:26:45.063" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T13:26:45.063" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20429" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-03T13:46:52.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though Buddhism does not make a stance on punishments, they should be there as a deterrent. But there should be also a opportunity to reform one self through the practice of Vipassana. Meditation will lead to reform, as it is latent tendencies of aversion, craving and ignorance which lead to crime, and meditation helps alleviate them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do not think capital punishment should be acceptable this does not give an opportunity to correct oneself is depriving of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.prison.dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana Meditation Courses For Correction Facilities&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.karunafilms.com/doing-time-doing-vipassana-all-languag&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Doing Time Doing Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T04:27:11.203" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T04:27:11.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20430" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20411" CreationDate="2017-05-03T22:00:49.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Punishment is not appropriate in Buddhism. Probably, criminals would receive wise-education, patience and compassion  in place of punishment, in an ideal Buddhist society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are criminals, we are saints, we are average people, we are eccentric individuals, we are the disabled and we are the criminals. Societies are all the time wanting revenge and sometimes societies even want to kill somebody. That sounds something like someone  throwing their finger away because their fingernail got smashed in the car door. -metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-05-03T22:00:49.427" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20431" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-04T02:21:31.407" Score="2" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a specific sutta wherein the conditionality and insubstantiality of the existential process of a sentient being, or consciousness, is made plain by use of the simile of a resonating musical instrument being struck by the player's hand, the sound of which, resonating for awhile, then slowly fades away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any references, anyone ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11288" LastEditorUserId="11288" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T02:36:16.880" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T06:51:09.053" Title="Sutta Reference - Sound and musical instruments metaphors in the Suttas" Tags="|reference-request|consciousness|conditionality|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20431" CreationDate="2017-05-04T03:39:53.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is a partial index of the similes and metaphors that appear in the suttas available at Access to Insight (/ZzE). Only the imagery that illustrates points of Dhamma is included here; imagery that serves primarily a literary or narrative function is not included (e.g., Ambapali's description of her long-lost youthful beauty). The subject of each image is given in the braces {}. The tilde (~) stands for the head-word in a given entry... &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://accesstoinsight.eu/index-similes_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Index of Similes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tuning a stringed instrument:&#xA;{right effort} &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than_en.html#tuning&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meta-ontopic-Drum:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these teachings as worth grasping &amp;amp; mastering.' That's how you should train yourselves.&quot; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta: The Peg/Drum&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reagard of the meaning behind in proper context:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Painting of a woman or man:&#xA;{not-self} &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than_en.html#painter&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.100&lt;/a&gt;; {nutriment} &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than_en.html#picture&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.64&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May it be of the origins use for you, Fabien&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T03:58:27.823" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T03:58:27.823" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20433" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20431" CreationDate="2017-05-04T04:41:02.913" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.246&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.246&lt;/a&gt; is close but not quite. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a king or a royal minister who had never before heard the sound of a lute. He might hear the sound of a&#xA;  lute and say: ‘Good man, what is making this sound—so tantalizing, so&#xA;  lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling?’&#xA;  They would say to him: ‘Sire, it is a lute that is making this&#xA;  sound—so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so&#xA;  enthralling.’ He would reply: ‘Go, man, bring me that lute.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“They would bring him the lute and tell him: ‘Sire, this is that lute, the sound of which was so tantalizing, so lovely, so&#xA;  intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling.’ The king would say:&#xA;  ‘I’ve had enough with this lute, man. Bring me just that sound.’ The&#xA;  men would reply: ‘This lute, sire, consists of numerous components, of&#xA;  a great many components, and it gives off a sound when it is played&#xA;  upon with its numerous components; that is, in dependence on the&#xA;  parchment sounding board, the belly, the arm, the head, the strings,&#xA;  the plectrum, and the appropriate effort of the musician. So it is,&#xA;  sire, that this lute consisting of numerous components, of a great&#xA;  many components, gives off a sound when it is played upon with its&#xA;  numerous components.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“The king would split the lute into ten or a hundred pieces, then he would reduce these to splinters. Having reduced them to splinters, he&#xA;  would burn them in a fire and reduce them to ashes, and he would&#xA;  winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the&#xA;  swift current of a river. Then he would say: ‘A poor thing, indeed&#xA;  sir, is this so-called lute, as well as anything else called a lute.&#xA;  How the multitude are utterly heedless about it, utterly taken in by&#xA;  it!’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu investigates form to the extent that there is a range for form, he investigates feeling to the extent that&#xA;  there is a range for feeling, he investigates perception to the extent&#xA;  that there is a range for perception, he investigates volitional&#xA;  formations to the extent that there is a range for volitional&#xA;  formations, he investigates consciousness to the extent that there is&#xA;  a range for consciousness. As he investigates form to the&#xA;  extent that there is a range for form … consciousness to the extent&#xA;  that there is a range for consciousness, whatever notions of ‘I’ or&#xA;  ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ had occurred to him before no longer occur to him.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.46&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.46&lt;/a&gt; not close but interesting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those deities sang, one danced, and one snapped her fingers. Just as, when a musical quintet is well trained and its rhythm well&#xA;  coordinated, and it is composed of skilled musicians, its music is&#xA;  exquisite, tantalizing, lovely, captivating, and intoxicating,&#xA;  just so those deities’ performance was exquisite,&#xA;  tantalizing, lovely, captivating and intoxicating. Thereupon the&#xA;  Venerable Anuruddha drew in his sense faculties. Then those deities,&#xA;  thinking: “Master Anuruddha is not enjoying this,” disappeared right&#xA;  on the spot.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T05:28:25.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T05:28:25.877" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20434" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20438" CreationDate="2017-05-04T05:25:59.910" Score="5" ViewCount="526" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are you suppose to try and eliminate all the hindrances at once or slowly elimate them one by one? If this is the case are you suppose to eliminate them slowly in one meditation session or slowly rid them until they are all gone During multiple sessions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-11-29T00:11:25.600" Title="During jhana do you eliminate all hindrance at once?" Tags="|jhana|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20434" CreationDate="2017-05-04T05:41:03.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The hindrances can be &lt;em&gt;suppressed&lt;/em&gt; in one session but this will not result in jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dissolving the hindrances takes many sessions or some duration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T05:41:03.000" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20434" CreationDate="2017-05-04T08:36:17.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is progressive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;The meditative state                                      The factor needed to be resolved (let go of)&#xA;(1) The first dhyana                                      sensuality (kāma),&#xA;(2) The second dhyana                                     initial application &amp;amp; thinking (vitakka),&#xA;(3) The third dhyana                                      zest (pīti),&#xA;(4) The fourth dhyana                                     happiness (sukha),&#xA;(5) The sphere of infinite space                          form (rūpa),&#xA;(6) The sphere of infinite consciousness                  the sphere of infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatana),&#xA;(7) The sphere of nothingness                             the sphere of infinite consciousness (viññāṇañc’-&#xA;āyatana),&#xA;(8) The sphere of neither-perceptionnor-non-perception    the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññ’āyatana),&#xA;(9) The signless concentration of mind                    the signs (nimitta).&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/24.11-Pathama-Jhana-Panha-S-s40.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paṭhama Jhāna Pañha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Piya Tan's commentary, also see:&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.8-Asavakkhaya-Jhana-S-a9.36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Āsava-k,khaya) Jhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T08:36:17.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20434" CreationDate="2017-05-04T11:51:38.157" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhanas are attained by suppressing the five hindrances via concentrating on  objects like the breath, or a kasina object, etc. But if one contemplates on anicca, dukkha, anatta, one automatically starts reducing, not just suppressing the hindrances. In this latter type of jhana, it is attained via using Nibbana as the arammana (thought object). This is not “an object” per say but a contemplation on anicca, dukkha, anatta. In both these cases – the ‘Anariya’ or ‘Ariya’ Jhanas (or the mundane or the supra mundane), the hindrances are suppressed or reduced over time, and not all at once. For this one needs to focus the mind forcefully onto one thought object (nimitta), not letting those five hindrances come to surface.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This second kind of contemplation leads one to attain the Sotapanna (Stream Entrant) stage of the Noble Eightfold Path. Then these five hindrances are reduced to a level that is sufficient to attain the first jhana with the jhana factors of savitakka, savicara, piti, sukha, ekaggata fairly easily. When the five hindrances are kept at bay, and one feels the serenity of a mind unpolluted by the hindrances, this is called samatha meditation – that attains the ‘calming of the mind.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two hindrances of kamachanda and vyapada were reduced to kamaraga and patigha levels at the Sotapanna stage. Kamaraga and patigha are reduced further at the Sakadagami stage, are removed at the Anagami stage. Thus an Anagami is left with rupa raga and arupa raga, and thus one has only attachment for rupa loka and arupa loka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the hindrance of thina middha is easily overcome by savitakka, i.e., when the mind is focused on Nibbana (anicca, dukkha, anatta). Thus any sleepiness or lethargic feeling cannot survive and one feels energetic.  A Sotapanna is at the entry level of comprehending anicca, dukkha, anatta, and the understanding gets progressively better as one moves to higher stages. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The hindrance of Uddacca also decreases by stages. Here one should note that without cultivating jhanas, an Arahant automatically removes all five hindrances, but this also happen in stages and once it happens it is permanent. Ariya jhanas are permanent in nature compared to Anariya jhanas. Thus a Sotapanna will be able to easily get to the first Ariya jhana in any of the future lives, because some of the five hindrances have been permanently reduced, and vicikicca permanently removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is Vitakka that inhibits the hindrance of sloth and torpor (thina middha). Then at the time when mental happiness (Piti) arises in the mind, this jhanic factor of piti suppresses the hindrance of ill will (vyapada). Then the body becomes light due to physical happiness (sukha), and it is this jhanic factor that counters the hindrance of restlessness and worry (uddhacca kukkucca). The moment that one gets to one-pointed-ness (ekgaggata) in meditation, this one-pointed-ness temporarily inhibits sensual desire (kamachanda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T16:30:56.837" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T16:30:56.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12110" CreationDate="2017-05-04T13:15:19.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just would like to highlight the following things happened with respect to the ongoing discussions.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Quotation from Wiki&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1999, at the Maha Bodhi Society in Sarnath, Jagadguru Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi matha and Vipassana Acharya S. N. Goenka after having a mutual discussion, gave a joint communiqué agreeing on the following three points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Due to whatever reason some literature was written in India in the past in which the Buddha was declared to be a re-incarnation of Vishnu and other various false things about him, this was very unpleasant. In order to foster friendlier ties between Hindus and Buddhists we decide that whatever has happened in the past should be forgotten and such belief should not be propagated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A misconception has spread in the neighbouring countries that the Hindu society of India is organising such conferences to prove its dominance over the followers of the Buddha. To forever remove this misconception we declare that both Vedic and Samana are ancient traditions of India (Vishnu belongs to the vedic tradition and Buddha belongs to the Samana tradition). Any attempt by one tradition to show it higher than the other will only generate hatred and ill will between the two. Hence such a thing should not be done in future and both traditions should be accorded equal respect and esteem.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any body can attain high position in the society by doing good deeds. One becomes a low person in society if one does evil deeds. Hence anybody by doing good deeds and removing the defilement’s such as passion, anger, arrogance, ignorance, greed, jealousy and ego can attain a high position in society and enjoy peace and happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Courtesy quoted in an article in a blog &lt;a href=&quot;https://karutharangam.blogspot.jp/2013/06/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://karutharangam.blogspot.jp/2013/06/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11289" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-04T18:27:46.203" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T18:27:46.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20440" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20441" CreationDate="2017-05-04T15:01:38.587" Score="2" ViewCount="438" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of &quot;taking refuge&quot; is reciting a mantra.  However, is there a certain ceremony to become fully Buddhist?  Is it just repeating the mantra X number of times, or is there more to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7767" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T08:40:17.547" Title="Taking refuge in practice" Tags="|personal-practice|mahayana|terminology|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20441" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20440" CreationDate="2017-05-04T15:38:34.423" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking refuge can take many forms. You do not have to recite a mantra, although you may find it a helpful means. Taking refuge is as simple as placing your faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you are suffering, and you remember the Four Noble Truths, and you settle your concentration on the Noble Eightfold Path -- then you have taken refuge in the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a method of practice. If you follow the method, then you are already a Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11281" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T15:38:34.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20440" CreationDate="2017-05-04T19:25:13.643" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;That depends mainly on a lineage or on a specific Buddhist teaching you follow, so the definition of 'being a buddhist by practice' varies greatly among different schools, lineages and teachings. Because you have tagged your question as 'mahayana', it would be safer to ask your spiritual master about this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your question means 'does one become a buddhist by reciting a mantra' than the answer would be 'it depends greatly by your intention and state of mind when you recite it', and also 'what kind of a mantra is in question'. Yet, Buddhism is not Islam and my understanding is that you don't become a buddhist just pronouncing a mantra X times, because motivation and transmission of a mantra matters.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T19:25:13.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20443" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-04T19:29:11.230" Score="1" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was said in a book by my spiritual master that 'breaking unloyalty to one's spiritual master is worse than breaking a kapala', of which I deduce that breaking a kapala is a really bad sign.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any root text explaining what is particularly bad about breaking a kapala and what is the meaning of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2017-12-01T09:14:03.407" Title="Broken kapala as a sign of what?" Tags="|ethics|tantra|phenomenology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20444" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20434" CreationDate="2017-05-04T20:30:50.263" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The hindrances are gradually weaken and suppressed with the practice of the day to day life when one is dedicated to make them weak. Some meditation practices also help with suppressing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, trying to tackle them during meditation only, and specially when they are strong (and when one is not very skillful in working them), is a much, much harder task -- almost impossible, perhaps. Also, it's not possible to enter &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt; when they are present, so they must be absent when entering it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the method to weaken and abandon them is to practice the eightfold path and develop the seven factors of enlightenment (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.38&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In more detail:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Sloth/torpor (&lt;em&gt;thīna/middha&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right effort (sammā vāyāmosammā) of the Noble Eightfold Path is a foundation to put in check sloth/torpor:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right effort? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states…. He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states…. He generates desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their nondecay, increase, expansion, and fulfilment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. This is called right effort.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This hindrance pair is more specifically counteracted through the factor of &lt;em&gt;energy&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;viriya&lt;/em&gt;), which is one of the seven factors of enlightenment. What is energy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“one with energy aroused, one with energy aroused.” In what way, venerable sir, does one have energy aroused?’ The Blessed One then said to me: ‘Here, Moggallana, a bhikkhu with energy aroused dwells thus: “Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, by manly energy, by manly exertion.” It is in such a way, Moggallana, that one has aroused energy.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn21.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 21.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another discourse, the eight grounds for arousal of energy (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.80&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.80&lt;/a&gt;) are described as occasions where a sense of urgency for the striving on the practice is developed during the many circumstances of the daily life .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10528/how-to-attend-to-the-perception-of-light&quot;&gt;instructed Maha Moggallana to attend to perception of light&lt;/a&gt; as a way to shake off his drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Restlessness/remorse (uddhacca/kukkucca)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Sāratthappakāsini summarizes six ways of abandoning restlessness and remorse, among them: learning, investigation, association with mature people, good friendship and suitable talk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This pair denotes agitations of the mind, where the first is marked by anxiety and lack of steadiness and the second is the regret that occur after having done something wrong, a misconduct.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the higher virtue group developed (right speech, right action and right livelihood), one has a foundation to be freed from remorse. When this foundation is built one becomes virtuous. When one is virtuous it's harder to misbehave, so the opportunity for remorse to arise is rarer. But even then, when one does something wrong and remorse strikes, it likely won't be strong or excessive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in the cup, it would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River Ganges, it would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit to drink.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one individual ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.100&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be as little as just enough to direct one to make amends. Anything else is an excess of remorse. Thus, a hindrance and should be abandoned:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, the taints increase for two [kinds of persons]. What two? One who feels remorse about a matter over which one need not feel remorse and one who does not feel remorse about a matter over which one should feel remorse. The taints increase for these two.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 2.108&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the Buddha describes five types of persons (AN 5.142), and ascribe a practice for each of them [so they become as the fifth]:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who violates, becomes remorseful and does not understand as it really is the liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, where these arisen bad unwholesome states of his cease without reminder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Advice&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Taints born of violation are found in you, and taints born of remorse increase. Please abandon the taints born of violation, dispel the taints born of remorse and develop your mind and wisdom&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who violates and does not become remorseful and does not understand ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Advice&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Taints born of violation are found in you, but taints born of remorse do not increase. Please abandon the taints born of violation and develop your mind and wisdom&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who does not violate and yet becomes remorseful and does not understand ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Advice&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Taints born of violation are not found in you and yet taints born of remorse increase. Please dispel the taints born of remorse and develop your mind and wisdom&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who does not violate and does not become remorseful and does not understand ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Advice&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;Taints born of violation are not found in you and taints born of remorse do not increase. Please develop your mind and wisdom&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who does not violate, does not become remorseful, and understands as it really is the liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, where these arisen bad unwholesome states of his cease without reminder.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restlessness is most directly counteracted with the development of tranquility (passaddhi), another enlightenment factor. But again, one should take the eightfold path as foundation, particularly the higher virtue group, otherwise it's a fragile endeavor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the foundation set, tranquility requires contentment, so one would benefit from organizing one's life so as to be easily content. Moreover, tranquility develops alongside with joy and rapture (piti: another enlightenment factor):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When there is no joy, for one deficient in joy, (4) rapture lacks its proximate cause. When there is no rapture, for one deficient in rapture, (5) tranquility lacks its proximate cause. When there is no tranquility, for one deficient in tranquility, (6) pleasure lacks its proximate cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concurrently, one can use anapanasati practices to further develop tranquility:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Breathing in long, he understands: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, he understands: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he understands: ‘I breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he understands: ‘I breathe out short.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body of breath’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body of breath.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the bodily formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the bodily formation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing rapture’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing rapture.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation. ’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the mental formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the mental formation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Proper attention and careless attention are particularly important in how it makes us subject to restlessness and remorse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When one attends carelessly, unarisen restlessness and remorse arise and arisen restlessness and remorse increase and expand [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When one attends carefully, unarisen restlessness and remorse do not arise and arisen restlessness and remorse are abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.24&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One type of careless attention is simply giving frequent attention to things that makes them increase [e.g. like obsessing over those things]:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By frequently giving attention to things that are a basis for restlessness and remorse, unarisen restlessness and remorse arise and arisen restlessness and remorse increase and expand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.23&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.23&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Doubt (vicikicchā)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think this is more straightforward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While some doubt about the practice can be dispelled through actual practice, if one is practicing without knowing what is going on or what one should be doing, one needs to search for answers: studying, investigating, asking experienced teachers, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, naturally, questions like these are a product of doubt and asking for answers here is an attempt to eliminate this very hindrance -- which certainly does not involve meditating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Sensual desire (kāmacchanda)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, desire to see a pleasant form, desire to hear a pleasant sound, desire to feel a pleasant touch, desire to feel a pleasant taste, desire to feel a pleasant scent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen sensual desire and for the increase and expansion of arisen sensual desire? There is, bhikkhus, the sign of the beautiful [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One particular practice for diminishing sensual desires is attention/mindfulness on unattractiveness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the denourishment that prevents unarisen sensual desire from arising and arisen sensual desire from increasing and expanding? There is, bhikkhus, the sign of foulness: frequently giving careful attention to it is the denourishment that prevents unarisen sensual desire from arising and arisen sensual desire from increasing and expanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.51&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.51&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“For those who live contemplating foulness in the body, the tendency to lust with regard to the element of beauty is abandoned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti85&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 85&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little more detail on mindfulness on unattractiveness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Furthermore, a monastic examines their own body, up from the soles of the feet, down from the hairs of the head, and surrounded by skin, as full of various kinds of impurities: ‘In this body there are head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spit, snot, synovial fluid, and urine.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is as if there were a bag with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds of grains, such as hill rice, wheat, mung beans, peas, millet, and white rice. And someone with good eyesight were to open it and examine the contents: ‘This is hill rice, this is wheat, these are mung beans, these are peas, this is millet, and this is white rice.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the same way, a monastic examines their own body, up from the soles of the feet, down from the hairs of the head, and surrounded by skin, as full of various kinds of impurities: ‘In this body there is head-hair, body-hair … urine.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In this way they meditate by observing an aspect of the body inside … This too is how a monastic meditates by observing an aspect of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As result, one should end up with the senses restrained:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has not developed and cultivated mindfulness directed to the body, the eye pulls in the direction of agreeable forms and disagreeable forms are repulsive; the ear pulls in the direction of agreeable sounds and disagreeable sounds are repulsive; the nose pulls in the direction of agreeable odours and disagreeable odours are repulsive; the tongue pulls in the direction of agreeable tastes and disagreeable tastes are repulsive; the body pulls in the direction of agreeable tactile objects and disagreeable tactile objects are repulsive; the mind pulls in the direction of agreeable mental phenomena and disagreeable mental phenomena are repulsive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And how, bhikkhus, is there restraint? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not intent upon a pleasing form and not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and not repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It is in such a way that there is restraint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.247&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.257&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The role of mindfulness in this subject is shown in the following passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On having seen a form with the eye,&#xA;  if right mindfulness is lost,&#xA;  then in the form that is seen&#xA;  one grasps it's characteristics (nimitta) with thoughts of craving&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SĀ 312&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other practices are also described to overcome this hindrance: the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering due to impermanence, the perception of not-self (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.16&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.16&lt;/a&gt;) and the four brahma viharas (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 7&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Ill will (vyapada)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, the higher virtue group should be a foundation to make it easy to weaken ill will. Generally, one also benefits when organizing one's life (and how one approaches people around) in order to avoid circumstances that create anger and hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, one of the most effective practices to overcome ill will are the four brahma viharas. In particular, &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- DN 33&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More detailed teachings on anger from the pali canon can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21662/what-does-buddhism-teach-about-anger/21673#21673&quot;&gt;What does Buddhism teach about anger?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concurrently, all the above benefit from developing the enlightenment factor of equanimity (upekkha). Equanimity is one of the three pillars that should be trained together along with concentration and energy in balance, since focusing only in one of them creates room for unwholesome states to rise (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.102&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.102&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's good to keep in mind that, in general, the methods for overcoming taints/hinfrances fall in to the following groups:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;seeing&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;restraining&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;using&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;enduring&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;avoiding&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;removing&lt;/strong&gt;. There are taints that should be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;developing&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the Buddha's report on his own experience trying to tame the hindrances during meditation may also be helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. I understood thus: 'This thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna'. When I considered: 'This leads to my own affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to others affliction', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This leads to the affliction of both', it subsided in me; When I considered: 'This obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna', it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of [sensual desire, ill will, cruelty] arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu  frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/em&gt; [Bodhi trans.], &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain and crush mind with mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Vitakkasanthāna Sutta&lt;/em&gt;, [Bodhi Trans.] &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, when meditating, if one identifies the presence of a hindrance, then one should simply strive to abandon it by whatever wholesome means. It's not a matter of abandoning them all at once, or at what speed. As one identifies the presence of a hindrance, one should remove it. If it persists through all the meditation session, then one should reflect and plan on how one can make it weak by the next time one sits in meditation -- or how can it be abandoned by that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-09-19T12:45:07.593" LastActivityDate="2017-09-19T12:45:07.593" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19169" CreationDate="2017-05-04T20:42:19.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My understanding of this is as follows;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Illusion is impure, but a water wave is beyond purity and impurity;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;May I be reborn in a hell to purify it and save the living beings there.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T20:42:19.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20446" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-04T21:24:32.383" Score="-2" ViewCount="145" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana doctrine (at least within Nyingma linbeage), different incarnations of body, mind and/or speech of a same sentient being are possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By which I deduce that a sentient being of a lower realm could also be reborn into a human realm having, say, two bodies of opposite sexes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, given the conditions listed, my questions will be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a) Can a same sentient being be reborn in a human form in two or more body incarnations having opposite sexes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b) If yes, would a sexual union between, say, two such body incarnations of a same sentient being having opposite sexes in a human form count as a sexual misconduct, provided the other requirements for a proper sexual conduct are met?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any reference to a sutra and / or abhidharma text would be of a great help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7561" LastEditorUserId="7561" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T09:04:46.490" LastActivityDate="2018-03-29T10:41:19.303" Title="Does a sexual union with one's body incarnation of an opposite sex count as a misconduct?" Tags="|ethics|karma|mahayana|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20446" CreationDate="2017-05-04T21:45:41.570" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ultimately the notion of identity is an illusion. As explained extensively in the &quot;THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM IN 8,000 LINES&quot; sutra, there is no such thing as &quot;sentient being&quot;. So any talk of &quot;incarnation of same person&quot; or really even &quot;two different incarnations of two different people&quot; is necessarily false, just a figure of speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, regardless of whether our notions are known as relative truth, karma has real effect. So any transgression is still a transgression, whether you posit an individual or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual union in and of itself is not misconduct. It becomes misconduct when it's performed with the sole goal of satisfying one's craving for sensual pleasure. (The literal vows of lower yanas are redefined differently in the higher ones.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What one must seek is purity of the mind, and from that purity of the speech and body action naturally follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-05-04T21:45:41.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20440" CreationDate="2017-05-04T23:54:52.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Theravada tradition, a person can take refuge in the Buddha by paying homage to the Buddha (Namaskaraya), and reciting the Three Refuges (Tisarana, where “ti” is three and “sarana” means refuge or protection) and undertake to observe the five precepts (Panca Sila).&#xA;One can recite the following stanza three times by oneself.:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is meant by this Stanza is, “I pay homage to the Blessed One, the Exalted One, the fully Enlightened One” or “I pay homage to the fully Enlightened One who found the truth about the existence and became free of all defilements”. Both interpretations are important for someone starting out, without much knowledge of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the Buddha himself said that the best way to pay homage to him is to learn Dhamma and to follow the Path. That is the more deeper meaning of the Namaskaraya, “Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will not elaborate on the Three Refuges (Tisarana) and the five precepts (Panca Sila) as past Ops have already covered this. I would like to share this instead. Once The Buddha said, “Attä hi attano nätho, kö hi näthö paro siyä”, meaning, ”One indeed is one’s own refuge; how can others be a refuge to one?”. Each one has one’s own mind. And that is what is needed to be purified in order to attain a peaceful life now, a better life in the next, or even Nibbana. But it all starts with going for refuge in the Buddha Dhamma &amp;amp; the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is good to recite Namaskaraya, Tisarana, and the precepts, to attain citta pasada or calmness and joy of mind.  If one does it with understanding and resolve, it can bring benefits. The five precepts have deep meanings, and thus should not be taken lightly. Even if one does not live upto these 5 precepts, one needs to recite with the intention of doing one’s best to keep the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T00:10:11.927" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T00:10:11.927" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20449" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-05T02:52:19.237" Score="3" ViewCount="1265" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening to a talk on YouTube about vipassana practice as taught by Goenka. The woman doing the talk said that the Buddha taught that every time a stimulus enters the sense door there is a sensation in the body and it is these sensations that we react to not the stimulus itself. I have tried the body scan technique quite a few times but not very successfully and so have ended practicing Mahasi Sayadaws technique instead which is focusing on the abdomen rising and falling.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I have to say I'm not very aware of these sensations that are happening to every stimulus. Of course when I sit and meditate I notice some sensations such as itching, pulsing, pain etc but as far as the ones that are the result of every stimulus entering I'm not sure how I go about noticing those before I react. &#xA;Also my understanding is that Buddhism also sees thought as a sense door so therefore thought also causes these sensations. Is that correct?  In order to be a successful practitioner do I need to train myself to notice all these sensations? Is it good enough to just notice some like itching, trembling?  Do I need to understand what causes them? Or is noticing them enough?   Or do I need to notice the feeling tone associated?  Or both?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T01:06:14.157" Title="Noticing Sensations" Tags="|vipassana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20449" CreationDate="2017-05-05T03:20:55.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why not you try to contemplate &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/bahiya_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;on what the Buddha told Bahiya Daruchiriya&lt;/a&gt;: “Ditthe’ ditthamattam,” “Sute’ sutamattam,” “Mute’mutamattam,” “Vinnate’ vinnatamattam.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how your should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If this is not done, then…&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Forms seen causes loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sounds heard cause loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Aromas smelled cause loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Flavours tasted cause loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tangibles touched cause loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Mental objects cognized cause loss of mindfulness if one dwells on their after-thoughts.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I just thought that this may help you in your meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T03:20:55.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20449" CreationDate="2017-05-05T04:43:47.923" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I was listening to a talk on YouTube about vipassana practice as taught by Goenka. The woman doing the talk said that the Buddha taught&#xA;  that every time a stimulus enters the sense door there is a sensation&#xA;  in the body and it is these sensations that we react to not the&#xA;  stimulus itself.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught it is a 'vedana' ('pleasant or painful feeling') at the sense doors that the mind reacts to rather than a physical sensation in the body. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a pleasant feeling creates the reaction of love/lust/greed; an unpleasant feeling creates the reaction of hatred/anger/irritation; and mixed feeling creates the reaction of confusion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note: Sensations in the body are '&lt;em&gt;sankhara/thought/stress formations&lt;/em&gt;' rather than '&lt;em&gt;vedana&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To know every 'vedana' at the sense doors is an extremely advanced practice and not a practise for formal foundational meditation development but an auxiliary practise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more formal foundational practise such as Anapanasati is developed, the more mindfulness at the sense door feelings can be practised. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have tried the body scan technique quite a few times but not very successfully and so have ended practicing Mahasi Sayadaws technique&#xA;  instead which is focusing on the abdomen rising and falling.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught Anapanasati (Mindfulness With/When Breathing). Mahasi Sayadaw method is closer to Anapanasati than the Goenka method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be aware of bodily sensations is best done via awareness of breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also my understanding is that Buddhism also sees thought as a sense door so therefore thought also causes these sensations. Is that&#xA;  correct?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind is a sense door and thought is a sense object of this mind sense door. Yes. Thought is a sense object that can cause 'vedana' (pleasant &amp;amp; painful feelings). For example, you think of your job/work and a painful feeling arises, followed by emotions of hatred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, again, to practise on this level, that is, knowing the feeling exactly when it arises after the arising of the thought, is very advanced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In order to be a successful practitioner do I need to train myself&#xA;  to notice all these sensations?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be a Buddha, yes, the mind must notice all these feelings (vedana). But to successfully progress with practise, train in something more basic, such as Anapanasati. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do I need to understand what causes them? Or is noticing them&#xA;  enough? Or do I need to notice the feeling tone associated? Or both?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the above. However, this is very advanced as I suggested. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the Buddha did not teach the Goenka method &amp;amp; the Goenka method is an extreme interpretation of what the Buddha taught in Satipatthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start with noticing the breathing flowing in &amp;amp; out of &amp;amp; moving in the body. Instead of rigid focus on the rise &amp;amp; fall the abdomen, maintain a more open relaxed awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T05:15:58.130" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T05:15:58.130" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20452" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20440" CreationDate="2017-05-05T05:08:03.757" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Alan, while it is right that on the path, practicing (&lt;strong&gt;Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;) is the real refuge to reach the targed of refuge, awakening, which means Buddho, one need those who guide one (&lt;strong&gt;Sangha&lt;/strong&gt;) to be able to make one self an island with the Dhamma (practicing). That means one needs to cut of the greates obstacel fist, and that is wanting to become a &amp;quot;Buddhist&amp;quot;. To work against ones usuall desires one works in a way to train one self in what is called practice in veneration or paying respect. This practice goes against the raw defilement. Once a person has gained the throwing away of all what is normaly taken as real (five aggregates) having sacrified them for his refuge, one comes to see the Dhamma, the Buddha as well as the Sangha as it really is. From this time on, one by one self becomes member of the Sangha (in perfect context) and so also knows all the values of the three juweles as they really are. It is foolish and sadly a western or better modern approch to motivate people to see more value in the own person and in becoming &amp;quot;a real Buddhist&amp;quot; so that most never ever start even to work against raw defilement. Thats the maketing of industry to be able to sell a product for many.&#xA;Usually the training of Veneration as one of the ten meritious deeds, starts with bodily and verbal actions and step by step one also learns how to sacrify the mental factors in the same way. Just such a practice, even if not full comprehended, will be the foundation to be once able to maintain proper attention while hearing the true Dhamma, so able to gain right view and the doing the conductive rites and rites naturally. So one is good introduced to do not wslk the &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; way, jet still very hot and cut the fundamental practice off right at the beginning. One having become different already would never have a problem with veneration of the gems nor would he/she ever tell somebody that it does not make sense to practice Sila, since veneration of what is worthy to counts as virtue right on the path and staightens one views. A huge topic, leading direct to awakening. Just be taking really refuge in the Gems one becomes a person no more able to fall off the path. Hier a useful short essay:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, &amp;amp; Sangha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, *by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 74pp./222KB) *&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge_en.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This short book provides an excellent introduction to the most basic principles of Buddhism: the Buddha, Dhamma &amp;amp; Sangha, collectively known as the Triple Gem or Triple Refuge. The material is divided into three parts: (I) an introductory essay on the meaning of refuge and the act of going for refuge; (II) a series of readings drawn from the earliest Buddhist texts illustrating the essential qualities of the Triple Gem; and (III) a set of essays explaining aspects of the Triple Gem that often provoke questions in those who are new to the Buddha's teachings.&#xA;[book] To request a printed copy of this book, please write to: Metta Forest Monastery, P.O. Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082, USA.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware of those selling you identity and this or that consciousness like every trader does saying &amp;quot;you can&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;you are worthy&amp;quot; which you would buy, but to what would you seek refuge in in that way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more about the pratice (veneration is the ptactice!) see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2015.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Respect and veneration - Respekt und Ehrbietung: Apacāyana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's worthy to note, that this practice is a common in every linieage still folling the Buddha and is not maintained by linieages total outside the lane, those who actualky follow the Nigantas &amp;quot;there is no self, i am nobody and nothing...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial use or any other use for wordily gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T05:24:49.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20449" CreationDate="2017-05-05T06:44:45.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;The woman doing the talk said that the Buddha taught that every time a stimulus enters the sense door there is a sensation in the body and it is these sensations that we react to not the stimulus itself.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's take the stock description in the suttas as reference, using vision as example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be [pleasant, painful, neither]; with feeling as condition, craving ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another stock passage is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as [pleasant, painful, neither], the corresponding feeling that arose in dependence on that contact ceases and subsides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It should be clear that these are describing events going on through time:  First something happens, than another. The practice is about noticing them and how they relate to each other. That's why stimuli are the objects of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A common interpretation here is that it's not all stimulus that reach a sense door that we come to be aware of. For example, often there are many sounds happening around us and we are completely unaware of them (as I was when writing this paragraph), despite them reaching our ears. In this case, it's only when ear-consciousness arise (which is dependent on the sound and on the ear) that there's opportunity for &lt;em&gt;contact&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That contact is, grossly speaking, the moment of &quot;awareness&quot; or &quot;attention&quot; for the stimulus, it's when we notice it, when we know &quot;it happening&quot;. The absence of that contact means we are oblivious to that particular stimuli at that particular time, even if it reached the sense door.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example is some bodily discomfort that we only notice much later, even though it was already present for some time. Without contact, no &lt;em&gt;painful feeling&lt;/em&gt; came to be from that discomfort, until the moment of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that giving attention to the discomfort at two different moments means two different consciousness, two different contacts, and two different painful feelings. Finally, I called it simply &quot;discomfort&quot; but they are also not one and not the same as the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From contact as condition, a proliferation of things come to be. One of them is the feeling (vedana), which may be followed by our underlying tendencies of reactions to them. This feeling (vedana) is the most bare painful/pleasant response to what has been contacted. But then, for example, this chain may trigger a certain past memory of something painful, which creates another painful feeling. Then, this painful feeling is a response not to the first stimuli, but to the memory, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I have to say I'm not very aware of these sensations that are happening to every stimulus.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps picking the few that are more prominent might be helpful?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Of course when I sit and meditate I notice some sensations such as itching, pulsing, pain etc.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are perfect. Since you seem to be practicing mindfulness exercises, here's an excerpt of a sutta dealing with this practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells thus, mindful and clearly comprehending, diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a painful feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a painful feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on just this contact. But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the painful feeling has arisen in dependence on a contact that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in contact and in painful feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to aversion in regard to contact and in regard to painful feeling is abandoned by him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point of that practice is to create a strong understanding and conviction about all and any stimuli that we may come to contact through our senses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That they are impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That they are not self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;That they are unsatisfactory&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A deeper understanding would involve being able to follow up on the chain of events for a particular stimulus: from the arising of consciousness, to contact, to feeling and, then, to craving, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, this practice also should lead to a certain degree of equanimity, as per the last sentence:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to aversion in regard to contact and in regard to painful feeling is abandoned by him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...which is an actual behavioral change, and a very practical benefit. It means that craving is also weakened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Also my understanding is that Buddhism also sees thought as a sense door so therefore thought also causes these sensations. Is that correct?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, mind is a sense door, thought is a sense object. With the arising of mind-consciousness, the meeting of the three is contact. With that contact as condition, painful, pleasant, or nor-painful-or-pleasant feeling arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;In order to be a successful practitioner do I need to train myself to notice all these sensations?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you notice only one and make it your experiment of investigation as above, that's already a success, isn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, take the next one that comes up. As soon as you are comfortable with making the many incoming stimuli objects of analysis, go ahead. With samatha practices, it becomes easier and very natural to be able to direct the mind to a stream of stimuli, as we become more sensitive to our senses or...well, able to concentrate better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Is it good enough to just notice some like itching, trembling?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd say it's good, but just noticing it's presence without the actual exercises as above is not good enough -- that is, in regard to the practice you are trying to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Do I need to understand what causes them?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By the suttas above, it's important to understand the conditions that make them arise, and the how they cease. Thus, we are taught in terms of the sequence of conditions above: consciousness, sense door, sense object, contact, feeling, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is because this is the very foundation that, according to the tradition, makes suffering come to be and makes it cease. Thus, by understanding them, the whole castle of suffering can be made to cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T06:44:45.403" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20455" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-05T12:53:33.937" Score="0" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;Who can realize the nirvana easier?As male one or female one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorUserId="11258" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T14:28:27.993" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T13:31:15.150" Title="Who can realize the nirvana easier?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20455" CreationDate="2017-05-05T14:24:33.743" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path to nirvana does not depend on your gender but on what you follow as a human being.&#xA;Accessing nirvana is a complex thing and describing it may need pages.But,in conclusion the path to nirvana is giving up. Therefore you should understand that to &quot;give up&quot; things,it does not matter what your gender is.Only a person who understands the nature of human life(does not limit only to the human life, but for everything )and realize that the final result of desires and bonds only lead to the sorrow can enter into the path of nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T14:24:33.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2017-05-05T14:40:36.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No one can declare that one cannot say he/she has achieved nirvana. Didn't lord Buddha declare that he achieved nibbana? If some one has achieved nirvana don't he/she has to declare it to others in order to teach them about the correct path to nirvana? If you say 'no', then how can he/she guide others to the nirvana? &#xA;Thus it will depend on the person whether to declare it on public or not. No one can thoroughly say 'no'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T14:40:36.953" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-05T15:55:16.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why desiring to be a man? Just don't underestimate your womanhood like that. Just empower yourself and give a value to yourself. Society will say so many things.but who will give a damn? Just don't care what others say about women. Being a woman i thought in the same way now you are thinking.but it's some time ago and now I know the value and the importance of being a woman. Don't attribute such a value and an importance to men. No matter what your gender is if you are doing it right it will be the best. Those good notions of being a man have created  by this patriarchal society.And we women should subotage those stupid values that make the women unimportant and miserable creatures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T15:55:16.580" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20459" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20449" CreationDate="2017-05-05T16:12:41.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just know that you felt something or noticed something into your five senses.for an example if you feel amgry just know that your are feeling angry. And then automatically you will give up that feeling(anger). Like that we should have a good comprehension about what we feel and notice into senses. In short just be aware of five senses. You do not want to spare a special time  and do that,but just do your day to day activities with a good comprehension and awareness. In other words do them conciously.If you do so you do not want to waste your time on those meditations that are taught everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:12:41.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20460" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20423" CreationDate="2017-05-05T16:20:42.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes!what Lord Buddha taught is to give up your ego. Ego is the destroyer of ypur path to nirvana. Ego will ruin everything.but we cling to our ego and that vagues our path to understand what is life and nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:20:42.523" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-05T16:22:54.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no male/female &quot;soul&quot; in the way that you speak of...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher did say though that the attachment to sensation skandha is more for women and attachment to conception skandha is more for men. (Men destroy themselves by overthinking, women by feeling.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, feelings (sensation, vedana) are just one component of the human collection.&#xA;There is also form, conception, volition, and consciousness... all of which compose the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhism-guide.com/buddhism/skandhas.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 skandhas&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Men (can) experience more suffering than women. It depends on the person's cultivation/craving level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have to keep practicing meditation and learn to distance ourselves from our own thoughts and emotions, which are not our True Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:22:54.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20462" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-05-05T16:25:35.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't stress yourself trying to do those meditations uselessly. Just try out this:  you just focus on your day to day activities with a good comprehension and awareness. In short be concious when doing things. That inhaling -exhaling meditation is just a basic and elememtry meditation which was taught for beginners. Just try iut what i explained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:25:35.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20455" CreationDate="2017-05-05T16:40:21.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Five Strengths determine ability (pañcabalāni or pañca indriyāni) (or potentials) for beings to realize Nirvana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Faith/Conviction (saddhā bala) - controls doubt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy/Effort/Persistence (viriya bala) – controls laziness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati bala) - controls heedlessness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concentration (samādhi bala) - controls distraction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom/Discernment (paññā bala) – controls ignorance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only sammasambuddha can see strength in beings.&#xA;As far as I have read, Buddha didnt say, who has more strength; male or female. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. Buddha said those with ability to enter 4th Jhanna could reach Nirvana with ease.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-05-05T16:48:58.260" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T16:48:58.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10387" CreationDate="2017-05-05T19:15:03.640" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;lucid dreaming is like going to another world.you could be in a happy place. or facing your fears it all depends on you.this is my opinion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-05T19:15:03.640" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20449" CreationDate="2017-05-06T01:06:14.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please focus your attention nothing but on breathing in and out at the very first attempt. As you concentrate more and more, you will know everything detail what occurring at these sense doors. Only the most distinct sensation you better note, after that just return back to breathing in and out. If you notice equal intensity sensation at different places, just focus one. Mind used to be working once at a time. Sometimes if you cannot note detail as itching, trembling because maybe it is so fast, just note &quot;know it&quot;. Never think further what cause them or associated with which. Only then your concentration become sharpen in short time and you will know detail on whole body and then their changes.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T01:06:14.157" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20455" CreationDate="2017-05-06T01:06:20.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no &quot;easier&quot;, ultimately, especially because the heart of Buddhist practice could be said to be &quot;impartiality&quot;. There is just what each of us experience through the mind and body as individuals , moment by moment. There is nobody and there are no sexes ultimately, just moment by moment experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's teaching is for equality. The Buddha was against Hierarchy and the caste system. Anyone could become a monk under the Buddha but others believed that how one was born or who one was born to determined what a person had the right to do and so, they suffered.  Not, that most societies don't segregate themselves to some degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T01:11:27.533" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T01:11:27.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10387" CreationDate="2017-05-06T04:40:13.763" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;We have passed through the Samsara with no beginning, through these rounds of birth and rebirth we have come across many peoples, things with what we now in this life sometimes face again and again depending on our karma. In accordance with our morale, concentration and panna-wisdom, we see these reflections sometimes in the lucid dream. If one come across like that, one should note them with mindfulness, at the same time contemplate the effect of karma and dreadful knowledge of long long samsara passing through and try to cut off these attachment working hard for emancipation by means of nothing but insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T04:40:13.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20468" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-06T05:03:11.927" Score="0" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;... in letting her chose which kind she would like to be?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Valued Upasaka, Upasika,&#xA;Dear seekers for the way to Awakening and Readers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma (polite addressing of the own person toward householders, where Atma dwells) has started the transcribtion and translation of a very seldom teaching in modern and western world in regard of the Maha Manala Sutta by Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera, still not finished. Most stories are taken from the Jataka, some references already found. In redard of &amp;quot;To Look After Feed And Take Care Of The Wife And Children Is Most Blissful/highest protection&amp;quot; it contains a story that goes this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sujata, the sister of Visakha Maha Upasika, married the son of Anata Pindika. She was not only wealthy but was also charming. In the home of Anata Pindika she became disagreeable to almost every member of the family and to the servants as well. She was very quarrelsome and had her own say mostly because of her conceit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day Anata Pindika offered food to the Lord Buddha and his Bhikkhus and during the meal, she made a commotion in the household. The Lord Buddha,knowing the nature of the woman enquired about her dispute, which disrupted the peace of the home. The Lord Buddha then asked her, “There are seven classes of wives; have you any knowledge to which class you belong?” She replied that she did not know. The Lord Buddha said, “A wife not in any way agreeable but finding every chance to quarrel with her husband or members of his family, is a quarrelsome wife. A wife whose outlook in life is bent on squandering away the fortune of her husband in gambling or drinking, is a thievish wife, a wife who takes good advantage of the kindness of her husband, adopts a superior outlook in a manner so as to gain control over him in any matter concerning his family or his outside activities, is a&#xA;domineering wife; but when a wife looks after her husband’s interest with tender care and devotion like a mother over her child, this kind of wife is a motherly one; again a wife who by nature is obedient and shy like a sister to a brothers belongs to a sisterly type; and a wife who shares in like manner the happiness of misfortune of her husband is at once a friendly one; finally a wife who lives in tolerance of the whims and dislikes of her husband and serves him faithfully throughout, is a servantly type.&#xA;In the light of the truth Sujata gained the realization of the fruits of the First Path (Sotapatti).&#xA;Continuing the sermon, the Lord Buddha remarked that among the first three classes of wives, their existence after death would be in a hellish state, suffering untold pain in the unconsuming fire or&#xA;tortment. The remaining four classes of wives would enjoy even in their present lives, the store of&#xA;happiness and after death, their existence would be in a continued state of bliss in the realm of heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anybody know the reference in the Suttapitaka (thinking Atma came accross one time there)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Does anybody know which Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera wrote this book and some infos, biography and picture of him? Maybe even contact possibility, if still alive?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If inspired and knowing also the references of other stories in the book, willing to research them, feel invited to take on this possibility.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(If somebody feels inspired to help prove reading and/or translating further, one should feel welcome to take this possibility. Topic as well as sources can be found here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,309.msg649.html#msg649&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mangala Sutta Uannana - Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera(draft)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note, this question and content is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commerzial use or other purpose of wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:35:02.593" Title="Does anybody knows origin and reference Buddha teaches a bossy &amp; angry the seven kinds of wifes" Tags="|merit|sila|lay-practices|paramitas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18501" CreationDate="2017-05-06T05:40:30.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs Larn,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why not?&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Off (good) cause&quot; there are reasons why not and on (good) course reasons why.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's rather foolish to say that an awakened would not share past merits if conuctive or would anybody saw the Buddha him self lived a paradox?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since an Arahat (especially) would not &quot;claim&quot; such for certain low puposes, not to speak of evil, he might not violate even a precept or rule (how could he?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example a clear indication that such sharing of merits are not bad at first hand but has rather to do with generaly &lt;em&gt;issa&lt;/em&gt; in certain communities believing equanimity is the highes virtue:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then Anathapindika the householder, surrounded by about 500 lay followers, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. So the Blessed One said to Ven. Sariputta: &quot;Sariputta, when you know of a householder clothed in white, that he is restrained in terms of the five training rules and that he obtains at will, without difficulty, without hardship, four pleasant mental abidings in the here &amp;amp; now, then if he wants he may state about himself: 'Hell is ended; animal wombs are ended; the state of the hungry shades is ended; states of deprivation, destitution, the bad bourns are ended! I am a stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening!'1 ...&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.179.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gihi Sutta: The Householder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Feel personal always invited to share such merits here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,7974.msg11987.html#msg11987&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Ich bin ein Stromgewinner!&quot; - &quot;I am a stream-winner!&quot;&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A maybe extended answer and also further questions and discussion can be done and found here: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8012.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] If someone says publicly that he has achieved nirvana , can it be true ?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial use or other purposes for wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T05:58:51.883" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T05:58:51.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20468" CreationDate="2017-05-06T06:12:36.910" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Atta feels inspired to help translating further this sutta Atma is searching for. Below are seven translations of the seven wives sutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/si/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;සුජාතඝර සුණ්හා සූත්‍රය&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/zh/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;妻子經&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/ru/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Жёны&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/vn/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Các Người Vợ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;5.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/th/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ภริยาสูตร&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;6.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/hu/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Az erőd&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7.&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/id/an7.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Istri-Istri&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Householder # 3,454,845,812&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T06:21:51.843" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T06:21:51.843" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20471" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20472" CreationDate="2017-05-06T07:58:39.607" Score="2" ViewCount="3354" Body="&lt;p&gt;A monk in Sri Lanka publicly says that he has achieved nirvana.If that's true we can follow the (practical) path he teaches . But how can we make sure whether that is true or not ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T02:09:11.360" Title="How to know if someone has achieved nirvana?" Tags="|nirvana|monk|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-06T08:26:27.617" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mr/Mrs Lasan,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Difficult would it be for a monk, Lasan, even more difficult for a householder... and not easy possible jet not by one self a Noble one:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, &quot;Of those in the world who are arahants or on the path to arahantship, are these among them?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] &quot;Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures; living confined with children; using Kāsī fabrics &amp;amp; sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, &amp;amp; creams; handling gold &amp;amp; silver, it's hard for you to know whether these are arahants or on the path to arahantship. ... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paṭisalla Sutta: Seclusion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, Lasan, in regard of the reason why you asked: Who ever teaches &quot;this was said by the Buddha, I know.&quot;, one does good neither to take it nor to reject it, but simply prove it if it holds against Vinaya, if it stands with the Dhamma of the Blessed One. If, one should say: &quot;This is what the Buddha taught, by way and meaning.&quot; If not: &quot;This is not what the Buddha taught, by way and meaning. This Monk is not teaching Buddhas message.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One does not need an enlightened Person to simply hear the good Dhamma with proper attention, yet for sure it would be more secure to listen to an Arahat, but did the Buddha wanted you just to quickly believe or to investigate and look for your self to archive the own realisation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why would it be of great benefit knowing who's an Arahant or on the way to be? &quot;Simply&quot; because it is the great field of merits in this world, could be the personal interest. But if one, not really knowing, and having made his judgement upon wrong understanding of liberation, gives to a person an individual, it can be not only just low merit but also demerit, if investigated wrong and that is why the Elders always tell: Even to give to a Noble One would be of greater merit as to &quot;simply&quot; the Sangha, it is better to point one mind to the Savaka Sangha, before, while and after giving, those people following good and rightly the Buddha, and even dedicate it verbal as such. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The side effect is also this, that a Monk has much more responsibility and &quot;pressure&quot; receiving a gift for the Sangha, even if it is &quot;only&quot; food, which in the case of receiving a personal gift would not be such and could be &quot;legal&quot;-looking also easy be misused. Most monks don't like to receive gifts dedicated to the Sangha since they would not even be allowed to give a share to their family, if you understand the way it often works. Yet it is out of compassion to make it easier for certain monks, to give it personal (in cases of people who are well informed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the certain case, if Lasan shares links, Name and his teachings, maybe a more clear and straight forward answer in the certain case can be given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An maybe extended answer can be found here. Disussion an further gestions, als well a critic and rebukes are also welcome there without strings and conditional &quot;needed&quot; censure: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8013.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] How to know if someone has achieved nirvana?&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Addition: In regard of the question caused person, its not really that difficult even for people with much dust in the eyes...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashramaya.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ashramaya.org&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  - Facebook&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Siri Sadaham Ashramaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The saviour returns&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;කවියක් තුලින් මුණි සඳ දුටුවෙමි&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The-Saviours-Daughters&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Siri Samanthabhadra Arhat Maha Thero&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;MahaMuni News.com&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Practical Buddhism for Youth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Siri Sadaham Bodu Poth Madura&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is for sure not an Arahat, is even a stream-enter are persons:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;making bussiness with Dhamma, selling Dhamma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;teaching consciously via media not seeing/knowing who listens in detail&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having disadvantaged group, opposition, woman, gender, childen as main target&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;taking about love praising life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having less focus on fellows and monks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;do not really life in the Sanghas community&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;showing teeth, love and &lt;em&gt;smile&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;doing gestures with the hands while talking&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having no signs of modesty, usually over weighted and fine dressed&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sitting and walking, lifing like kings, no signs of renounciation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seeking for public&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wearing neon orange robes&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;leading show parades through settlements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;... in short not one proper outwardly sign of a Samana of the Buddha&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of the mentioned thing give not only just rightous suspicion of minor to heavy offenses but actually are such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, a Noble One even of the first person, is not a &quot;charismatic&quot; greed forcing actor or entertainer for mainsteam audience not even tended an able to sit straigh an restrained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma would be surprised if he even teaches the Buddha Dhamma but would say not even much to investigate and spending time worth for such a self declared &quot;Arahat&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nearly the same can be told when looking on the Mahamevnawa - industry like pages and Dhammakaya is there never very far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beware and read and learn about the Tipitaka, the best avaliable teacher first. Dukkha is not a Junge book story and a nice santa claus warm up trade fairs topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bW3lf.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/bW3lf.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can be sure that you soon get their advertisings here on this buy-able page.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T22:14:49.343" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T22:14:49.343" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20473" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-06T10:42:51.650" Score="1" ViewCount="100" Body="&lt;p&gt;Valued Upasaka, Upasika, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dear seeker for way to awakening and readers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vesak-Pūjā&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Birth, Awakening and Paranibbana-Remembering day of the Buddha, (Vesak= Name of the secound month of the luna calender/pi: Visaka; Pūjā = sacrify, veneration.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the near end of an auspicious period in which most Nikayas cellerbrated Uposatha in timely union. A season in which seldom, even last oppotunities and possibilities that place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only some view more days the bigges celebration, now undertaken nearly all over the world (!) - some say it's the fist time and actually so that it is cellebrated in the whole world - and the main and biggest Veneration of our times Buddha, takes place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where in the western world are such as a real Sangha established and traditional and benefical &lt;em&gt;Vesak-Pūjās&lt;/em&gt; undertaken by the Ven. Monks where people, young and old, rich or poor, could part-take also in their own county on 10. of May, today?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where in traditional countries are - usually much by serious &quot;western&quot; people from abroad frequented - traditional and benefical &lt;em&gt;Vesak-Pūjā&lt;/em&gt; taking place.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Please, if knowing, do not share often usual kermis and trade fairs)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you rejoice by sharing merits and invitations to such, as well those many able to take part on you futune. Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So where to got today evening to make sacrifies to the Buddha? May all take up this possibility today and gain liberating joy with it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This question is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpoes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-09T23:24:47.123" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T01:29:41.490" Title="Vesak 2561/2017 TODAY Where in western world can traditional &amp; benefical celebrations be aspected?" Tags="|veneration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20474" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20473" CreationDate="2017-05-06T12:04:04.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For this Vesak, I will be going to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/MahamevnawaToronto/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery &amp;amp; Buddha Meditation Centre of Greater Toronto&lt;/a&gt;. On this day I, together with 300+ others will be observing 24+ Uposatha Sil. Buddha recommended that the disciples follow additional precepts to the first 5 precepts whenever time permits. These are known as the Uposatha Precepts, or simply the Eight Precepts. They are traditionally observed on the full-moon days (uposatha). This give us the opportunity to practice some of the renunciation that those who follow the Buddha’s teaching to the highest goal of enlightenment give up completely. So when we spend time following these training rules, we can remember that we are imitating these great spiritual beings. It is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever wealth exists within this sphere— pearls, gems, and beryl, an excellent stone, singi gold or natural mountain gold, and the gold called hataka— those are not worth a sixteenth part of an uposatha complete in the eight factors, just as all the hosts of stars do not match the moon's radiance.  - Visakha Uposatha Sutta (Numerical Discourses, AN 8:43)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On this day I will participate in a special “Pirith Sajgayana” (recitation) that will last till dawn. We normally get together at least once every month to chant Pirith (from 7.00 pm to past midnight usually &amp;amp; covering all of the important suttas) to help turn away all sorrows, (sabba dukkha), ailments, (sabba roga), and all fears ( sabba bhaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Supreme Buddha said, “One who abides in the Dhamma, delights in the Dhamma, meditates on the Dhamma and bears the Dhamma well in mind, does never fall away from the Sublime Dhamma&quot;. By reciting Pirith we do all of the above and help invoke the blessings of the Triple Gem for protection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On this Vesak Day we celebrate three great events. These three great events in the life of the Buddha are - the birth of Prince Sidhartha, the Bodhisatva at the Royal Park of Lumbini, His attainment of the Perfect Enlightenment in his 35th year under the shade of Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya, His demise after a noble ministry that lasted 45 years at Kusinara in the Sala Grove, Upavartana that belonged to Royalty of Malla. These 3 events occured on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. It is renowned as the most sacred Poya Day in the Buddhist world over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an additional Vesak Poya called &quot;Adhi Vesak Full Moon Poya Day&quot; that occurs once in 3 years, due to the change of planetary movements. Whether it is Wesak or Adhi Wesak, or any other day, the need of the hour is to follow the Message of the Buddha Dhamma. The knowledge of Buddhism is the key to the higher Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahamevnawa was established by much venerated monk, Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda (VKG). He was not born Buddhist. Baptized as Jude Cabraal, born on 1st July 1961, he was the third child &amp;amp; the first son of the Roman Catholic family. When in University (age 17?) he became a monk. But his higher ordination, his disillusion of a namesake ordination made him opt out to become a Samanera again, since the Vinaya is not given a due prominence. He de-robed, misguided that his search for truth can be achieved as a lay “Upasaka”. Later he became a monk again, portraying his unwavering resolve to achieve his final goal. Today the &lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery&lt;/a&gt;, that he formed has several branches in the Western World. Given below is a list of most of them:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawa.ca/photo-gallery.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Toronto, Canada&lt;/a&gt;.  - 11175 Kennedy Road , Markham , Ontario , L6C 1P2 Canada   Tel: (905) 927 7117  E-mail: info@mahamevnawa.ca&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistnuns.ca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Nuns' Center and Meditation Center of Halton Hills&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhistnuns.ca/index.php/about-us1/photo-gallery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;9148 MAIN STREET SOUTH, ACTON, HALTON HILLS, ONTARIO&lt;/a&gt;, L7J 1X9. Canada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawaedmonton.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Edmonton, Canada&lt;/a&gt;. 13036 SHERBROOKE AVE NW, EDMONTON, AB T5L 4E8.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawasaskatoon.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Meditation Centre Saskatoon, Saskatoon, Canada.&lt;/a&gt; 602 Stonebridge Common, Saskatoon SK S7T 0M9. Telephone: (306) 374-2840, Email: info@mahamevnawasaskatoon.com &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawawinnipeg.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Meditation Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.&lt;/a&gt; 2610 St Mary’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2N 4A2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/worldwide-mahamevnawa-branches/mahamevnawa-buddhist-monastery-germany/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Meditation Monastery, Offenbach, Germany&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnaaus.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, Sydney, Australia&lt;/a&gt; 105, Wisemans Ferry Road,&#xA;Cattai NSW 2756 Australia. +61 245 728 872&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.org.au/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, Melbourne, Australia&lt;/a&gt; 71 Monbulk Road,&#xA;Mount Evelyn, VIC 3796  +61 03 9736 3937&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawaadel.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery, Adelaide, Australia&lt;/a&gt; 1105, Grand Junction Road,&#xA;Hope Valley, SA 5090. +61 08 8364 4879&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawaimc.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery,  UK&lt;/a&gt; Dhamma land, Hardings Elms Road&#xA;Crays Hill, BILLERICAY, Essex CM11 2UH.  01268 533870.. Web    mahamevnawaimc.org; &#xA;mahamevnawaimc.co.uk;  mahamevnawa.uk;  buddhameditation.uk;  Email  admin@mahamevnawaimc.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/mahamevnawa-buddhist-monasteries-abroad/mahamevnawa-buddhist-meditation-centre-new-jersey/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, New Jersey, United States&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawa.us/about-us/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, California, USA&lt;/a&gt; 9917, Mission Blvd, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509&#xA;Phone: 714 884 3894&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, Florida, USA. 2714 DOERUN CT, TAMPA, FL 33618&#xA;(813) 961-5296&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawadc.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, Washington D.C., USA&lt;/a&gt; 5004 Stone Rd, Rockville, MD 20853, USA&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.ie/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, Ireland&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mahamevnawa.fr/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahamevnawa Monastery, France&lt;/a&gt; 6 bis Rue Maurice Laisney, 92600 Asnières-sur-Seine.  +33 9 70 99 46 65&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-06T14:24:33.347" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T14:24:33.347" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-06T13:37:59.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am also a sri lankan and i know your topic. I am just suggesting you to follow what he preeches for sometime and then come into a conclusion by yourself. If you feel there's something in what he says you don't bother about the person just try to be free from sufferings in this human life.&#xA;For me what he said really worked. But i am imparcial here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11258" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T13:37:59.780" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20476" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:29:50.727" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;You'll only know other's achievement of nirvana if and only if you've achieved nirvana yourself. It is the same as real life, if you've not reached the same level as your opponent in the same field, you'll never tell if your opponent is of the same level as you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:29:50.727" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20125" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:35:26.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism's ultimate truth is emptiness. Christianity's ultimate truth is God. In Buddhism, God is still in cyclic existence - will die and suffer again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:35:26.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20478" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20158" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:39:52.773" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Renunciation! There must be renunciation from the bottom of your heart before you can be easy on your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:39:52.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:45:02.287" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Remember the Heart Suttra. In emptiness, there is ...no eye, no nose, no ear, no mouth, ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus in emptiness there is no soul. The concept of man and woman are created by human beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:45:02.287" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:45:49.727" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path and fruition (magga phala) could be achieved by anyone, be it male or female. It could be achieved by not only the fe/male clergy but also by lay folks. There is no difference of lay and clergy for the path leading to Nibbāna. If one has selected the right system of meditation and proceeded on cultivating them the results are to be obtained with no difference for lay and clergy, male and female. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the recent past in Sri Lanka there was &lt;strong&gt;news of a female who has attained Arahant Phala.&lt;/strong&gt; I got to listen to a Dhamma talk given by this Buddhist Nun. She gave it because she was asked to by her Teacher (Noble Friend). After that she went out of limelight, &amp;amp; the glare of media. Arahants are self evasive. If someone says that he is an Arahant (as in the case of a ‘known’ Buddhist Monk in SL) then it is a questionable thing. He may be well versed in the Dhamma, but that does not mean that he has achieved the ultimate goal of nibbhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Buddhist Nun who was forced to come out happened to be an educated person born to a Catholic family who was raised in a Christian environment who held senior positions at work and later embraced the Buddha's Teachings. Apparently, she had the ability to see past lives and this led to a desire to study the Buddhist Teachings making her give up her lay life and ordain.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssK2McH3oug&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;You could listen to the talk (in SINHALA)&lt;/a&gt; along with the other monks at the temple.  Start the video at the 36 minute point to avoid the introductory talk by a bhikku at the temple where the talk is being delivered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, to your question proper – &lt;strong&gt;&quot;How to know if someone has achieved nirvana?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - it is only by engaging that person to conversation, will you know whether that person’s claim is true or not. If anyone tells him that he is just a charlatan, he may get angry and defensive or he may not react in any way. &#xA;Only by confronting such a person through ways provocative of greed, of hate, and of delusion could you know this. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.095x.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Canki Sutta-MN 95&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, living together with such a person for an extra length of time, his virtue, purity, endurance, &amp;amp; discernment may be known. This is another way to find out, as pointed out in  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.192.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thana Sutta -AN 4.192&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or only after a monk leaves this existence can one identify that he is someone special (an Arahant ) in observing the dead body. Such an incident took place in Sri Lanka, a couple of months ago when&#xA;Waharaka Abhyaratanalankara Thero passed on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Pitiduwe Siridhamma Thera turned Siri Samantha Bhadra on the other hand had said so in public (Those who have awakened don't talk of what they've awakened to). When he was asked about his claim to have realised Nirvana, and as to what stage he has attained, he replied..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”I have realised the truth.  Anyone who does not accept it must come and meet me and decide.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When he was asked “How did you realise Nibbana; was it through meditation?”  His answer was, &#xA;“One can never realise Nibbana through meditation.” So, to your question proper – &lt;strong&gt;&quot;How to know if someone has achieved nirvana?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; - it is only by engaging that person to conversation, will you know this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T14:12:46.763" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T14:12:46.763" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20482" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20455" CreationDate="2017-05-06T15:54:03.613" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The path and fruition (magga phala) could be achieved by anyone, be it male or female. It could be achieved by not only the fe/male clergy but also by lay folks. There is no difference of lay and clergy for the path leading to Nibbāna. If one has selected the right system of meditation and proceeded on cultivating them the results are to be obtained with no difference for lay and clergy, male and female. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During the time of the Buddha, sixty monks realized and attained the fruition of holiness (arahant phala) having received the subjects of meditation or working ground (kammatthāna) from a &lt;strong&gt;FEMALE LAY ADHERANT&lt;/strong&gt;  by the name Matika Matha (mother of Mathika Gama) at the village called Matika in the kingdom of Kosala. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Visaka, Cullasubadda, Queen Mallika, Samawathi, Kujjuttaa, Matikamata, Uttara, Sujata, Suppawasa, Suppiya, katiyanan, Nakulamata, Kali were some of eminent female lay disciples who were placed as great upasikas and were well praised by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada Atuwa denotes that Samawati, Kujjuttara, Matika Mata and Uttara were some of the highly praised women for their wisdom by the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the recent past in Sri Lanka there was &lt;strong&gt;news of a female who has attained Arahant Phala.&lt;/strong&gt; I got to listen to a Dhamma talk given by this Buddhist Nun. She gave it because she was asked to by her Teacher (Noble Friend). After that she went out of limelight, &amp;amp; the glare of media. Arahants are self evasive. If someone says that he is an Arahant (as in the case of a ‘known’ Buddhist Monk in SL) then it is a questionable thing. This monk can preach the dhamma very well. Many have benefited from his sermons. But his conduct is not in keeping with that of a Arahant. What someone actually does means more than what he says, and I am not impressed by some of the things that he has done.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand this Buddhist Nun  was forced to come out. She happened to be an educated person born to a Catholic family who was raised in a Christian environment who held senior positions at work and later embraced the Buddha's Teachings. Apparently, she had the ability to see past lives and this led to a desire to study the Buddhist Teachings making her give up her lay life and ordain.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssK2McH3oug&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;You could listen to the talk (in SINHALA)&lt;/a&gt; along with the other monks at the temple.  Start the video at the 36 minute point to avoid the introductory talk by a bhikku at the temple where the talk is being delivered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T15:54:03.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-06T16:50:43.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Traditional Zen Buddhism in Japan has, over the centuries, routinized the practice of determining whether one has achieved enlightenment and determined various stages in this process. The best introductory book I know about on this topic is The Three Pillars of Zen by Philip Kapleau, which contains several very moving enlightenment stories. All of the cases of self-reported enlightenment that I have had some personal connection to appeared to be kundalini events, which are not the same thing, and are often accompanied by feelings of grandeur. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11301" LastActivityDate="2017-05-06T16:50:43.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19647" CreationDate="2017-05-06T23:49:08.037" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;May Atma be able to proper trust that Upasaka is well, healthy any heedfull?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially Notes here give further crosslinks, aside of the Sutta it self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.054.than_en.html#fn-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.054&lt;/a&gt; and a linked in another question &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.125.than_en.html#fn-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 04.125&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.063.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankhitta Sutta: In Brief&#xA;(Good Will, Mindfulness, &amp;amp; Concentration)&lt;/a&gt; might be of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here maybe useful Bhant Nyanadassanas teaching: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html#nibb&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;From mettā Jhāna to nibbāna&lt;/a&gt; and a Sutta and commentat that supports that: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN.09&lt;/a&gt; and at least &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Limits of the Unlimited Attitudes - &#xA;The Brahmaviharas on the Path to Awakening&lt;/a&gt; by Bhante Thanissaro with many links and crossreferences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All collected in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2034.msg9049.html#msg9049&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta-Boom just fills Heaven and Hell&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here some of &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2346.msg10217.html#msg10217&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven.Mahāsi Sayadaw comments&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of Bhanthe Vimalasiri, best to ask Upasaka &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/5466/mirco?tab=profile&quot;&gt;Micro&lt;/a&gt;, he is surely be found on any forum of other tapapals, charts or equal Buddhist communities and as disciple (till not so long mentioned as such) of Bhante, he always loved to share in this regard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma not meant for commercial purpose or use for other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T00:10:05.833" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T00:10:05.833" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20488" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-07T05:08:07.540" Score="7" ViewCount="4711" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am born Hindu and have been following Buddhism for more than a year. The change has been a life changing experience but now I find myself at the junction of two religions. I sometimes face contradictory situations where its ok in one religion but violates the other. Traveling in two boats at the same time is certainly not possible but its also difficult to choose one over the other. So my question is:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;1) Can one follow Hinduism and Buddhism at the same time?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;2) How to maintain a balance between the two?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;3) Or would I have to choose one over the other?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;4) Or is it possible to choose Buddhism as subset of Hinduism, just like Jains do i.e. the mainly follow their own religion first &amp;amp; then they following Hinduism. So even in contradictory situations, they choose Jain rule over Hindu rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastEditorUserId="6925" LastEditDate="2017-05-08T15:04:46.433" LastActivityDate="2017-11-15T00:11:45.997" Title="Can one follow Hinduism and Buddhism at the same time?" Tags="|theravada|lay-buddhism|comparative-religion|hinduism|jainism|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20489" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-07T08:42:55.397" Score="3" ViewCount="1390" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I practice meditation I focus on the rising and falling of my abdomen and if any thoughts or sensations arise I note them and continue focusing in the breath but I notice that I'm very sensitive to sound. I am acutely aware of all the sounds going on around which is a never ending cacaphony of nearby people, traffic, wildlife etc. I was using earplugs for a long time because I found it too distracting but I decided to stop using them and now I am finding the sounds very much in my awareness a lot of the time and I can't seem to focus on my breath. So I note &quot;hearing hearing&quot; but like how long am I suppose to keep noting hearing ?  If I sit for an hour and the sounds keep capturing my attention do I just keep noting hearing hearing every few seconds in the same way I do for thinking thinking?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T08:22:43.273" Title="Sounds during meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20455" CreationDate="2017-05-07T13:25:18.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many problems associated with a female body, and thus it is possible that nirvana can be reached faster with a female body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not suggesting that ordination is the only path to nirvana but since monks can disrobe 7 times and be forgiven, but nun can only disrobe once, somehow goes to show that male body is given more chances and therefore can be slower to reach nirvana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T13:31:15.150" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T13:31:15.150" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-07T15:33:36.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The continuous and recurring effort to bring back your attention to a chosen object increases your concentration. So when there is a distraction, know your mind wandered away, look at sensations due to contact with this distracting object, then bring your attention back. Just keep repeating this cycle. This is Vitakka and Vicara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T15:33:36.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20493" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-07T16:31:39.450" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to answer these questions, you need to understand the Dhamma Differences in Hinduism and Buddhism. In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN1/ Digha Nikaya 1&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha expounded the differences between the dhamma that he teached and the dhamma of the brahmins/hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is that, you need to find this yourself. but to tell you the truth, it's not possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T16:31:39.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20362" CreationDate="2017-05-07T16:44:46.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, I do know that Deva and Brahma could look into their past life but it doesn't mean that they remember everything just right they were born. Just like Deva and Brahma, we could look into our past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Peta, I'm not sure whether if Peta could look into their past life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T16:44:46.840" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19987" CreationDate="2017-05-07T17:05:13.607" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Sthraviravada's lineage, we don't worship any gods or brahmas or even a mountain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can't find anything about Mount Kailash in Pali Text. It might be in Mahasanghika's lineage as some of brahmins dhamma were mixed up with buddha's dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:05:13.607" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18271" CreationDate="2017-05-07T17:23:49.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, just like what you've read inside &quot;A Concise History of Buddhism&quot; The Theravadin Vinaya is based on Sthraviravadin Vinaya without changing or adding any rules to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Mahasanghika's Vinaya, i can only find some Dharmaguptaka's translation in suttacentral and Mahasanghika's Nuns Vinaya on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bhikkhuni_patimokkha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhanet&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I do have translation in other language but unfortunately not in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/eiyaku/digitaldl.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BDK&lt;/a&gt; has a project to translate every texts into English tho but it seems like they haven't translated the Vinaya's &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:23:49.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2950" CreationDate="2017-05-07T17:30:39.457" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main point is:&#xA;Soto school does Zazen.&#xA;Rinzai school works with Koans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11307" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:30:39.457" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18814" CreationDate="2017-05-07T17:33:55.977" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are free in this choice. I recommend periods from 5 minutes to 40 minutes. It is better to practice 5 minutes daily than 15 minutes only once a week.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice more and the sitting doesn't hurt to much you stretch your sitting time naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11307" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:33:55.977" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-07T17:43:21.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just like a security guard in front of the mall's door, he know that a visitor is coming in but he doesn't care about what the visitor is going to do inside the mall. He didn't take &quot;note&quot; he just &quot;know&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until you reached the Nirodha, You will always hear a voice because you can't close your ears. Just don't pay attention to the sound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like every object of meditation, you need to be relax while doing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a lot of acquaintance that used to have the same problem as you and now they don't have any problem with noise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammasukha.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammasukha Meditation Center&lt;/a&gt;. They have online retreat for free and they'll guide you in meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T17:43:21.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20505" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2533" CreationDate="2017-05-07T18:00:40.493" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;MN62 Maha-Rahulovada Sutta is one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or&#xA;  breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or&#xA;  breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or&#xA;  breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [3] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' [4]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'&#xA;  [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I&#xA;  will breathe out steadying the mind.' [12] He trains himself, 'I will&#xA;  breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out&#xA;  releasing the mind.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.'&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14]&#xA;  He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.'[5] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He&#xA;  trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on cessation.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.' [16] He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He trains&#xA;  himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Rahula, is how mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing is developed &amp;amp;&#xA;  pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When mindfulness of in-&amp;amp;-out breathing is developed &amp;amp; pursued in this&#xA;  way, even one's final in-breaths &amp;amp; out-breaths are known as they&#xA;  cease, not unknown.&quot;[6]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as the what was instructed by Buddha to Ven Rahula. This is the only way that i understand and experienced it myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastEditorUserId="11306" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T18:54:40.203" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T18:54:40.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20434" CreationDate="2017-05-07T18:25:30.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why would everybody try to suppress hindrances, that's like forcing hindrances to go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Tranquilizing&quot; is the best way to get into Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He trains thus: 'I will breathe in tranquilizing the bodily formation'; &#xA; he trains thus: 'I will breathe out tranquilizing the bodily formation.'&quot;&#xA;---Satipatthana (Bhiku Bodhi's translation)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how i describe jhana&#xA;you become happy with your meditation and can stay with the object .&#xA;you can stay with the object longer and you will feel that your body is very light.&#xA;you feel like as if you don't have arms and legs and peaceful.&#xA;you don't feel your body anymore and you don't feel your breath as if you don't have body.&#xA;then you will experience that you're in a very spacious place with no walls just like the space.&#xA;then you will experience some blinking or white bulb that keep rising and fall in your senses.&#xA;then you will feel very peaceful because there's nothing in there. you will feel like you don't want to stand up in feeling of attachment to happy feeling that will block your way to get deeper unless you let go of the feeling.&#xA;then you will start seeing craving and all those links of dependent origination.&#xA;then you will disenchanted with it dispassion and then finally everything ceased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then... i will leave this for you to experience &quot;it&quot; yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T18:53:11.260" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T18:53:11.260" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19640" CreationDate="2017-05-07T18:45:20.520" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very possible to attain Nibbana by practicing Brahmavihara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 97 Dhananjani Sutta, Brahmana Dhananjani was instructed to practice brahmavihara by Ven Sariputta and before he died he was reborn as a brahma in lower BrahmaLoka which is the realm of 1st Jhana. Meaning by doing this you can achieved Jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha-Vipassana is the best way to attain nibbana as what the buddha describe about PannaVimutti / wisdom according to buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person need to get into Jhana 1 2 3 4 and to the bases then you'll be able to see the links of dependent origination. When you attained nibbana, you'll realized that the way that leads to the end of suffering opened up for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm a Brahmavihara's Practitioner and one of Bhante's Student&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T18:52:02.607" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T18:52:02.607" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20508" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-07T19:13:06.973" Score="1" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering about Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. All i know is that when buddha turned the dhamma wheel for the first time, all of the residents of Devalokas and The Rupa-Brahmalokas came and claps their hands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's this 1 phrase which sounds:&#xA;&quot;Brahmakayika deva saddamanussavesum&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for Brahmakayika is the lowest of brahmaloka [1st Jhana Realm]. I don't think brahmakayika could represent all of the rupa-brahmalokas [Inculiding 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Jhana Realms]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Question is, why other rupa-brahmalokas name were not included or unwritten in the text, did they forget to write it or is there any missing text during that time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you,&#xA;LomX&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T01:56:55.867" Title="15 Un-written BrahmaLokas in Dhammacakkapavattana sutta" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5969" CreationDate="2017-05-07T19:21:54.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well, according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.44 PannaVimutta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &#xA;Doing Samatha-Vipassana at the same time is the best way to Obtain and realizing Wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without getting into Jhana, it would be hard to grab the true meaning of dhamma.&#xA;As you get deeper in Jhana, your level of understanding will help you to understand the true meaning of dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for AN 4.170 Yuganaddha Sutta, You need to read from AN 4.162-169 to understand more about the differences between each methods. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way for the human in this era is Samatha-Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T19:21:54.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20510" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5823" CreationDate="2017-05-07T19:34:27.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, You can switch the Jhana to turn on and off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sexual intercourse and Alcohol might reduce the concentration for a while tho.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you become a stream-enterer, it's not possible to lose your Ability to get into Jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Breaking the Precepts will help you lose your ability tho because a lot of hindrances will popup and hinder your concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastEditorUserId="11306" LastEditDate="2017-05-08T11:26:50.913" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T11:26:50.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20471" CreationDate="2017-05-07T19:38:42.783" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/318-chabbisodhana-sutta-the-sixfold-purity.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 112 Chabbisodanasuttaṃ&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha explained about how to make sure that someone has truly achieved nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some Q&amp;amp;S that need to be asked to the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-08T02:09:11.360" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T02:09:11.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15183" CreationDate="2017-05-07T19:59:57.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In order to be able to practice Brahmavihara, First you need to get your Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to get Metta? &#xA;First you need to be happy, if you're not happy, you won't be able to give your happy feeling to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think about Happy Feeling and send those feeling to a friend&#xA;[same gender / not family/ alive] .&#xA;Try to stay with object for at least 30 mins till an hour. Then you'll realized that you don't feel your body, can't stop smiling and there's something around your head. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you'll send to some friends then some families then some random peoples then all of your enemies. After this you'll get your metta and you can start radiating it to your surroundings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you got your metta, send it to every directions. 6 Directions as described in the suttas. Then you'll realized that you're in a very big space, with metta and an infinite space, you'll experienced karuna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then it changed into Mudita then Uppekha then bla bla bla until Everything Ceased.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmavihara is the easiest object that even an 8 years old kid could get into arupas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T19:59:57.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20514" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9473" CreationDate="2017-05-07T20:09:16.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Oh i wished i could stick my answer on my previous post so that i don't have to rewrite everything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to The practice of the other 3 Brahmaviharas Karuna Mudita and Uppekha,&#xA;you need to be able to stay with metta as your object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then through practice, your metta will change into karuna then change into mudita then change into uppekha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you understand them, you'll be able to radiate each object freely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's how it goes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:09:16.820" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19869" CreationDate="2017-05-07T20:17:01.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Visualizing is just one of the way to trigger happy feeling to arise, but not all of us could visualize thing. So, visualizing is not compulsory to practice brahmavihara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Verbalizing too is one of the way to trigger happy feeling but if you chant &quot;may you be happy&quot; all the time, you won't get deeper in your meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem with practicing brahmavihara is that there's only a few teachers who could teach this practice. &#xA;Bhante Vimalaramsi from Dhammasukha.org [My Teacher | Highly Recommended] [easy to practice without too much theory] [Free Online Retreat | Guidance]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pa-Auk Sayadaw from paaukforestmonastery.org [Someone that i Recommend too] [Burmese Tradition, Theorical and Too much Abhidhammic and Commentaries]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:17:01.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20376" CreationDate="2017-05-07T20:23:49.293" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Go back to your object of meditation. Don't pay attention to nimitta, just let go of it. if you hold nimitta, you'll become crazy in no time. Trust me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:23:49.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20282" CreationDate="2017-05-07T20:28:50.357" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's impossible to not realize nibbana when it occurs on each levels. When everything ceased and attained nibbana you will definitely understand that you really get there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T20:28:50.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20508" CreationDate="2017-05-07T21:02:12.243" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Footnote 200 on page 59 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piya Tan's translation&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is interesting and important to note that the list of exulting devas stops here with the Brahmās of the 1st dhyana.&#xA;  The reason for this is that, as there is still some level of mentation here—by way of initial and sustained applications&#xA;  (vitakka,vicāra)—these Brahmās are still in contact with the sense-world. In the realms beyond the 1st dhyana,&#xA;  thought-process as we know it ceases completely so that these beings enjoy the glory of their meditative state as&#xA;  pure light or profound peace for as long as their karma fuels it. See Bhava Ss 1-2 (A 3.76-77), SD 23.13 (3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T21:02:12.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20508" CreationDate="2017-05-07T22:21:15.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhists suttas describe thirty-one distinct &quot;planes&quot; or &quot;realms&quot; of existence into which beings can be reborn during this long wandering through samsara life cycle. Check &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Thirty-one Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;. Also  &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=31_planes_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THIS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Buddhist_universe_consists_of_thirty-one_planes_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THIS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.lawsofthenature.com/PlanesOfExistence.aspx&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THIS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They consist of four planes of the Immaterial (formless) Brahma Realm (arupa-loka); sixteen planes of the Fine Material Brahma Realm(rupa-loka); and eleven planes of the Sensuous Realm(kama-loka). A rough rule is that the bodies are dense in the lower realms and lighter and fine in the higher realms&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Rupa Brahma Realm they have only three sense faculties of eyes, ears, and the mind (only two physical senses of eyes and ears). The fine bodies of the “rupa brahmas have no hands. Their bodies are much less dense than even those of the devas. And even devas are unable to see the fine bodies of the “rupa brahmas“, i.e., those brahmas in the rupa lokas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The inhabitants of Immaterial (formless) Brahma realms are possessed entirely of mind. Having no physical body, they are unable to hear Dhamma teachings. Those of the arupa loka, the “arupa brahmas” who have only the mind do not even have a desire for sights and sounds. Mind pleasures are enough for them, and the presence of matter is minimal in the arupa loka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-07T22:47:54.997" LastActivityDate="2017-05-07T22:47:54.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20508" CreationDate="2017-05-08T01:56:55.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.123.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.123&lt;/a&gt; and MN 1 describe the &lt;em&gt;Abhassara&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Subhakinha&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Vehapphala&lt;/em&gt; devas as the state of &lt;em&gt;attachment&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;), &lt;em&gt;self-becoming&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;) or &lt;em&gt;sakkaya&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;self-identifying&lt;/em&gt;) in respect to the 2nd, 3rd &amp;amp; 4th jhanas, which, due to attachment, all have hell as the destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 49&lt;/a&gt; and DN 11, the Brahma gods generally do not rejoice in the Buddha-Dhamma of impermanence, not-self &amp;amp; the cessation of being (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;), which is why they are not free from &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; wind up in hell. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T01:56:55.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-08T02:14:22.090" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can one follow Hinduism and Buddhism at the same time?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravāda branch of Buddhism (in its truest sense) is in stark contrast with Hinduism, but it may not be so for the other branches of Buddhism. It is mainly because the view of sassata is not found in Theravāda. Hinduism teaches that one possesses a soul that lives eternally. This soul is considered to be one’s real self, a form of personality view. Hinduism teaches that the soul exists even after death. In the Bhagavad Gita, the God Krishna says that he created the world and that everybody possesses a soul. When one dies, the four physical elements (pathavi, apo, tejo and vayo – earth, water, fire and wind) vanish. But the soul is not harmed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other extreme is “non being”. That is the view of Uccheda. This world is divided between these two extremes: Existence and Non-Existence. The Dhamma that Buddha taught overcome both these two extremes. We are taught that there is only cause and effect. Because of a cause, there is an effect. When causes cease, then effects cease too. So then there is no reason to fall into either of the two standpoints of sassata ditti &amp;amp; Uccheda ditti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How to maintain a balance between the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both believe in Kamma, but unlike in Hinduism, Kamma is not deterministic in Theravāda. In Buddhism, even if root causes are there, we can stop kamma from bringing their results by blocking the conditions for them to come to fruition.  It is like a seed that has the potential to bring about a tree, but for that to happen the seed must be given a fertile soil, water, and sunlight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both practice Ānāpānasati. If by Ānāpānasati one takes it to mean  &quot;mindfulness of breathing” – then it is no different to that of Hinduism. In Hinduism what ‘Buddhists’ call the four Jhana is referred to  as “kundalini awakening”. These similarities are because of Buddhaghosa introducing Hindu Vedic meditation techniques to Buddha Dhamma in his Visuddhimagga. Buddhaghosa was always devoted student of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and because of his influence, Buddhism as it is seen and practiced today has become similar to Hinduism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or would I have to choose one over the other?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would choose Buddha Dhamma over Hinduism. If you follow the true Dhamma it will lead you to lead to the completion of the four satipattanas, the seven bojjangas, removal of avijja, and the attainment of Nibbana. The four satipattanas, when cultivated and pursued, bring the seven bojjangas to their completion. The seven bojjangas, when cultivated and pursued, bring vijja (opposite of avijja) and vimutti (or Nibbana) to their completion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Or is it possible to choose Buddhism as subset of Hinduism, just like Jains do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Jainism a subset of Hinduism? In Jainism, this view of eternalism is taught different to Hinduism. Jains explain that our previous karma has accumulated around our pristine soul like layers of bark around the core of a tree. To help remove these old karmas the Jains do not wear clothes, do not take baths, refrain from eating, or do not shave, do not wash their faces and so on. They believe that these kinds of severe practices remove the bark of the old karma thereby allowing them to reach a state of eternal purity. As I see it both Hindus &amp;amp; Jains have similar severe practices, but that does not mean it is a subset.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly as it is practised today, if you do wish to go this way, you are in good company. Few Buddhists understand urgency of coming to Nibbana and hence the distortion and dwarfing prelevant today. The rituals that are embedded in Hinduism are common in Buddhism today. Rituals have hidden the greatness of Hindu thoughts and concepts from most Hindus. Rituals have evolved into an attempt at bribing the God/ Gods in Hinduism today. The Buddhism practiced today is no different. Hinduism and Buddhism are thoughts and philosophies that stimulate and fire the intellect. Unfortunately, they have been reduced to the level of blind faiths and beliefs today. “Shraddha” has been erroneously brought to the forefront instead of “Panna”. Both religions have lost their dynamism and direction in practice. Both religions have been brought to the level of the masses.  As a result the sublime and profound in both is lost. The need to strive has been negated in both religions in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T02:14:22.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20523" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-08T03:22:12.997" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism the main teachings you have to have faith in is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; divided into &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 trainings&lt;/a&gt;, which is to develop higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;virtue&lt;/a&gt;, higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mind&lt;/a&gt; and higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No religion is incompatible with developing higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;virtue&lt;/a&gt;, higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;mind&lt;/a&gt; and higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt;, therefore you can start practicing considering you self a Hindu. As you find parts of Buddhism logical and verified at the experiential level then you can lowly accepting parts of Buddhism at your own pace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T03:22:12.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20525" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20282" CreationDate="2017-05-08T05:22:39.520" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ransara,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, in regard of the question, it's possible that one is not aware of certain paths and fruits. As for the Arahat, my person is not sure about it, but one could investigate some situations in the Suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many do not know their current wealth, but that is mostly good, since it caused suffering thinking &quot;I am this or that&quot;, not to speak of questioning &quot;Am I this or that.&#xA;So when asking your self or other, simple ask if this or that work has been already done. So if not &quot;the task is done, there is no more further for this world (or a next)&quot; arsises, is know simple: Work, and take on all possible given possibilities for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One having done&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not easy to do&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should not be scared &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To delight in it&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nor should one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reject done merits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For it is hard&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To gain such a life&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And its even harder&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To gain such again:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meeting either&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or upright leading man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever good&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has been done&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Achived, sacrified,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only those delighting,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In deeds hard to do,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having gratitude,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Form themselves and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of others&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Their sacrifies, their deeds,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are able to carry themseves&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Beyound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anumodan(e)a!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other worldily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-08T05:37:59.847" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T05:37:59.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20526" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2017-05-08T07:52:37.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I asked about this matter to my teacher before, a lot of thai monks have problems with their health because of eating once a day. Then i realised that a lot of them ate rice cakes and thai foods is not good for stomach if you don't eat rice. A lot of factors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for me, I've been taking the meals once a day before noon since 2015 and since then i feel fresh, lighter and i could meditate as long as i want because i don't have to think about having a lot of meals. I did medical checkup a few months ago and my health conditions are very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess you just need to balance your consumption and you'll stay healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also few years back, my japanese friend sent me a link about a doctor who'd been doing this once a day meal. His face from 20 years back and the current shows that he's getting younger and he did show up on television.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T07:52:37.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20527" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-08T07:58:05.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;One does not have to give attention to distractions like noise. One does not have to take a note. One needs to just observe. Response to external stimuli is built inside human mind for survival. When one watches breath mind starts dissolving and its ability to respond to external stimuli also goes down. Thoughts, emotions, and sensual responses of the body will start slowing down and that is a good sign of progress.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7751" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T07:58:05.370" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-08T08:17:49.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hearing is sound, meeting ears, giving rise to Vinñana (individually knowing  things); This is called contact (passa). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When this happens, you are supposed to think that these three things (ears, sound and vinñana) are impermanent (anicca), thus sorrowful (dukkha), thus not me, mine or my soul (anatta). Then, let go of your cetana/kamma (sankhara) toward it by &quot;gift&quot; (chaga).&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rising and falling of abdomen isn't a meditation technique Buddha has preached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="362" LastEditDate="2017-05-13T07:52:27.213" LastActivityDate="2017-05-13T07:52:27.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-08T09:24:19.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So I note &quot;hearing hearing&quot; but like how long am I suppose to keep&#xA;  noting hearing?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noting is probably not so relevant because, unlike a hindrance or thought, noting the sound will not make the sound go away. Unlike thoughts &amp;amp; hindrances, the arising &amp;amp; ceasing of the sound is beyond the mind's control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I sit for an hour and the sounds keep capturing my attention do I just keep noting hearing hearing every few seconds in the same way I&#xA;  do for thinking thinking?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Listening&lt;/em&gt; is an excellent way to develop samadhi. I personally would naturally listen to the sounds rather than &lt;em&gt;resist&lt;/em&gt; them. This may bring an expected favorable outcome when the mind &amp;amp; ears start to tune into the '&lt;em&gt;sound of silence&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-08T09:29:27.690" LastActivityDate="2017-05-08T09:29:27.690" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20530" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-08T09:59:57.837" Score="1" ViewCount="232" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ven. members of the Sangha coming across here,&#xA;Valued Upāsaka, Upāsikā,&#xA;Valued team here and for awakening searching readers,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since it is modern and somehow not only presentable but even seen as a sign of &amp;quot;independence&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; to be fearless about opposing and undermining of what still stands firm: it may be good for those who do not know but like to know, to answer properly about certain consequences for oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What can be expected for oneself, if one is opposing, fighting or even reviling the Noble Ones, Right View or those following this line, here or/and here after?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If somebody does not know, would that result in harder consequences, or equal, or even lessen such a fault?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are the personal consequences for others and for many, who approve, accept and even follow such?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get some ideas, here are some examples of wrong view, and of consequences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is wrong view. ― &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/kamma_en.html#causes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN117&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, having surveyed the silent community, he addressed them: &amp;quot;Could a person of no integrity know of a person of no integrity: 'This is a person of no integrity'?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Good. It's impossible, there's no way, that a person of no integrity would know of a person of no integrity: 'This is a person of no integrity.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Could a person of no integrity know of a person of integrity: 'This is a person of integrity'?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Good. It's impossible, there's no way, that a person of no integrity would know of a person of integrity: 'This is a person of integrity.' ― &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.110.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN110&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This question is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T21:03:16.843" Title="What are the personal consequences opposing, mobbing or even revile Noble Ones or right view?" Tags="|right-view|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20530" CreationDate="2017-05-08T11:22:23.793" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The mark of a Noble One is &lt;em&gt;sunatta&lt;/em&gt; (emptiness; voidness), as the Lord Buddha explained about the perfectly virtuous Sariputta in MN 151. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed One said to venerable Sāriputta. `Sāriputta, your mental faculties are bright, skin colour is pure, in which abiding, do you&#xA;  spend your time mostly?”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Venerable sir, I spend my time mostly in voidance.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“It's good Sāriputta, you abide mostly in the abiding of Great Beings. Sāriputta,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a monk exhibits greed, ambition, anger, conceit, domineeringness &amp;amp; delusion; always harassing laypeople; it is good karma to expel that monk from a community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in AN 6.54, the lay Buddhists expelled the bad monk Dhammika from their district.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The personal consequences are wisdom &amp;amp; liberation when opposing, mobbing or even reviling an Ignoble One of wrong view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha explained in the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;64. Though all his life a fool associates with a wise man, he no more comprehends the Truth than a spoon tastes the flavor of the soup.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;72. To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;73. The fool seeks undeserved reputation, precedence among monks, authority over monasteries and honor among householders.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;74. &quot;Let both laymen and monks think that it was done by me. In every work, great and small, let them follow me&quot; — such is the ambition of&#xA;  the fool; thus his desire and pride increase.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;75. One is the quest for worldly gain and quite another is the path to Nibbana. Clearly understanding this, let not the monk, the disciple&#xA;  of the Buddha, be carried away by worldly acclaim but develop&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;detachment&lt;/strong&gt; (viveka) instead.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T21:03:16.843" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T21:03:16.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-05-09T00:09:08.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually the teacher has already told us the answer, but due delusions and obscurations, we cannot see the answer. Just like if there are clouds, one can never see the sky.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-05-09T11:31:17.453" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T11:31:17.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20535" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-09T01:11:10.830" Score="3" ViewCount="107" Body="&lt;p&gt;I prefer the phrase &quot;Connected Causes&quot; to Dependent Origination or the alternatives such as Dependent Arising, Dependent Co-arising and so on, I feel that it is more direct and understandable. But I am not sure if it means exactly the same thing? I do not see this phrase on this site.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a quote from &lt;em&gt;The Biography of Milarepa&lt;/em&gt;, I do not have that book anymore, but found this online:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;The clear perception of the Mind Unmodified, and the noble impulse to serve others, appear to be alike, but beware, and confuse them not.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&quot;The spiritual boon which shineth on one as a resultant of &lt;em&gt;Connected Causes&lt;/em&gt;, and merit temporal, which bringeth much of worldly goods, appear alike, but beware, and confuse them not.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastEditorDisplayName="user2341" LastEditDate="2017-05-15T00:48:43.417" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:36:03.623" Title="Does &quot;Connected Causes&quot; mean the same thing as Dependent Origination?" Tags="|terminology|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20536" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-09T01:32:15.877" Score="2" ViewCount="147" Body="&lt;p&gt;The concept of &quot;Quality&quot; relates to the direct experience of the moment, as described in the book &lt;em&gt;Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance&lt;/em&gt;. I was wondering if this has a parallel in Buddhism? To me, the idea of Quality seems to be like Sunyata turned inside-out.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Here is a quote from the book:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Quality ... you know what it is, yet you don't know what it is. But&#xA;  that's self-contradictory. But some things are better than others,&#xA;  that is, they have more quality. But when you try to say what the&#xA;  quality is, apart from the things that have it, it all goes poof!&#xA;  There's nothing to talk about. But if you can't say what Quality is,&#xA;  how do you know what it is, or how do you know that it even exists? If&#xA;  no one knows what it is, then for all practical purposes it doesn't&#xA;  exist at all. But for all practical purposes it really does exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would we call this idea?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T10:08:55.153" Title="What does Robert M. Pirsig's &quot;Quality&quot; correspond to in Buddhism?" Tags="|terminology|sunyata|literature|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20538" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-09T06:13:51.153" Score="1" ViewCount="227" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kashmiri Shaivism is a sect of Hinduism that used to be popular in the Kashmir region of India.  Now &lt;a href=&quot;http://gdurl.com/J2jZ&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this excerpt&lt;/a&gt; from the Paramarthasara Vivriti, a work by the 11th century Kashmiri Shaivite philosopher Yogaraja, discusses the delusion that arises from confusing that which is Self from that which is not Self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yogins, not being able to grasp the real Selfs nature as pure consciousness, remain immersed, as it were, in the cave of dreamless sleep, regarding the Selfs nature to be the void. They thereby bind their Self, whose nature is pure consciousness, by a web of insensibility, deluded by the identification of the Self with something dumb. One would think such delusion should be the cause for surprise or distress, which no individual could possibly wish to cause to himself. Citing an example from everyday experience, the author says that just as a spider binds its omnipresent Self in the form of a body with the cobwebs made by itself out of its guts and subsequently perishes therein, so the individual being, regarding his body to be his Self, binds himself by imaginary concepts (vikalpa) in the form of &quot;I&quot; and &quot;mine.&quot;  &lt;strong&gt;This has been beautifully expressed by the Buddhists thus: &quot;When one looks upon himself as the Self, he regards himself as a unique being due to the distinction between the Self and another being [i.e. the not-self]; this causes bondage and hostility [between the Self and the not-self]. All evils ensue from the assumption of such bondage.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The part in bold caught my attention because I found it interesting that a Hindu philosopher would praise Buddhist thought in this way.  But my question is, what Buddhist text is this quote from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have Yogaraja's Paramarthasara Vivriti in Sanskrit, so I can't give the exact Sanskrit quote.  By the way, for the Hindus in the audience, I should mention that Yogaraja's work is a commentary on Abhinavagupta's Paramarthasara, which is in turn a reworking of Adisesha's Paramarthasara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="19" LastEditorUserId="19" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T13:33:15.797" LastActivityDate="2017-11-07T12:05:28.873" Title="What is the Buddhist text quoted by the Hindu philosopher Yogaraja?" Tags="|texts|anatman|self|hinduism|ignorance|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20538" CreationDate="2017-05-09T07:57:57.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The works of Yogarāja being very old clearly tells Anatta (not self) means not self of 'I' which is psycho-phyical. The term &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt; in the 'not self' doesn't mean lack of super consciousness but lack of psycho-phyical consciousness. E.g, When we say - I'm doing, I'm eating, I'm playing etc. Here 'I' is psycho-phyical not real 'I'. Real 'I' is unchanging &amp;amp; permanent which is not supposed to do something, eat something, or play etc. This &lt;strong&gt;psycho-physical I is called as not-self because it is not our real self.&lt;/strong&gt; That is what meant by Yogarāja, that I can say as I belong to the system you have mentioned Kashmiri Shaivism. So there is no conflict between Buddhists &amp;amp; Kashmiri Shaivism here. I've explained similar concept &lt;a href=&quot;https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/18157/8696&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. Also, read this &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatkam&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;one&lt;/a&gt; as well.&lt;BR&gt; &lt;BR&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is an excerpt from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;BR&gt;&#xA;There he addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five: &quot;Bhikkhus.&quot; — &quot;Venerable sir,&quot; they replied. The Blessed One said this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, form is not-self. Were form self, then this form would not&#xA;  lead to affliction, and one could have it of form: 'Let my form be&#xA;  thus, let my form be not thus.' And since form is not-self, so it&#xA;  leads to affliction, and none can have it of form: 'Let my form be&#xA;  thus, let my form be not thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, feeling is not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, perception is not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, determinations are not-self...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then&#xA;  this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could have it&#xA;  of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness&#xA;  be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to&#xA;  affliction, and none can have it of consciousness: 'Let my&#xA;  consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?&quot; — &quot;Impermanent, venerable Sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?&quot; — &quot;Painful, venerable Sir.&quot; — &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'&quot;? — &quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is feeling permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is perception permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Are determinations permanent or impermanent?...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?&quot; — &quot;Impermanent, venerable&#xA;  sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?&quot; — &quot;Painful,&#xA;  venerable sir.&quot; — &quot;Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since&#xA;  subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I,&#xA;  this is my self'&quot;? — &quot;No, venerable sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;So, bhikkhus any kind of form whatever, whether past, future or&#xA;  presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or&#xA;  external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near, must with&#xA;  right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine,&#xA;  this is not I, this is not myself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any kind of feeling whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any kind of perception whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any kind of determination whatever...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Any kind of consciousness whatever, whether past, future or presently&#xA;  arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external,&#xA;  whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right&#xA;  understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is&#xA;  not I, this is not my self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Bhikkhus, when a noble follower who has heard (the truth) sees thus,&#xA;  he finds estrangement in form, he finds estrangement in feeling, he&#xA;  finds estrangement in perception, he finds estrangement in&#xA;  determinations, he finds estrangement in consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When he finds estrangement, passion fades out. With the fading of&#xA;  passion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is knowledge that he&#xA;  is liberated. He understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has&#xA;  been lived out, what can be done is done, of this there is no more&#xA;  beyond.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were glad, and they approved his words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now during this utterance, the hearts of the bhikkhus of the group of five were liberated from taints through clinging no more.&#xA;&lt;BR&gt; &lt;BR&gt; &#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Note - Consciousness meant by Gautam Buddha is psycho-phyical self explained above, not real self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T07:57:57.827" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20540" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-09T08:00:03.007" Score="3" ViewCount="268" Body="&lt;p&gt;I listened to a short talk by  Mingyur Rinpoche and he said how thoughts and emotions etc are like clouds and Awareness is like space.  The clouds come and go but Awareness never changes. But I thought that everything is impermanent and therefore changes?  How can awareness never change? If I am not aware is awareness still there unchanging?  I would say no it is not. It arises and falls like everything else&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T00:44:41.310" Title="Unchanging Awareness" Tags="|awareness|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20540" CreationDate="2017-05-09T08:13:00.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no unchanging awareness. When he speaks of &quot;unchanging awareness&quot;, Mingyur Rinpoche does not mean that there is an awareness that does not change. He means that all consciousnesses have characteristics in common. The more we understand (Mahayana) Buddhism, the more we are able to understand this and not take things literally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, when Mingyur Rinpoche says that awareness does not change, he refers to the nature of consciousness. He means that consciousness is clear and knowing by nature. Whether we speak of anger, attachment, mindfulness, joy, an eye consciousness apprehending blue or an ear consciousness apprehending a birdsong, we speak of phenomena that (1) are not form (2) are clear and knowing. Even anger has the nature of clarity and the function of knowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mingyur Rinpoche is a Kagyu and mainly practices Mahamudra, concentrating and analyzing the conventional and the ultimate nature of the mind. Contemplating the analogy of the mind being like the sky is a way to get at the conventional nature of the mind (clear and knowing) that all instances of consciousness have in common. The idea is not to dive in the object of consciousness, but to find that which characterizes all instances of consciousness and to concentrate on that. It is an object that is always there, at reach, just like the breath, because we are always aware of something. If only we could find what is common to anger, desire, pride, an eye consciousness apprehending shape and color, etc. we would find the conventional nature of the mind. If we look for it and know how to find it, we will. On the other hand, if you were to focus only on, say, anger, then it would be different because there is not always manifest anger arising in your continuum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6994" LastEditorUserId="6994" LastEditDate="2017-05-09T13:35:28.623" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T13:35:28.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20543" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20536" CreationDate="2017-05-09T10:08:55.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure but I guess it's an expression of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81#Attributes&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;feeling&quot; or Vedanā&lt;/a&gt; -- e.g. the &lt;em&gt;feeling&lt;/em&gt; that, &quot;This is pleasant&quot; versus &quot;This is not pleasant&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I say that because the book starts with discussing whether you should maintain your motorcycle, based on whether your doing so leads to your having a good time when you're riding (I think there's a passage with an analogy about riding on a sunny day on a well-tuned machine versus riding in the rain on a machine that's breaking down). The word &quot;feeling&quot; shows up frequently in the first chapter,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another memorable passage, near the climax, is when he explains the Greek idea of &lt;em&gt;arete&lt;/em&gt; -- I think that the example which he gives, i.e. &quot;And&#xA;may they say, as he returns from war, ‘He is far better than his father.’&quot; appears to be an example of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;pride or conceit&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure whether all that is what Buddhists would call &quot;the direct experience of the moment&quot;. I couldn't tell you about Zen but the practice of &quot;guarding the sense door&quot; might (I'm not sure) involve being aware of what you &lt;em&gt;sense&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. aware of contact: contact between light plus eye plus consciousness-of-seeing, and so on for all six senses), without becoming over-involved in how you may feel about that, in the feelings which you develop as a consequence of that sensory contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand part of what I think is good about the book is when he decides that the question &quot;What is good?&quot; is a more important or fundamental question than &quot;What is true?&quot; (i.e. when he contrasts the Sophists with Aristotle). I think the question of &quot;What is good?&quot; (i.e. Quality) corresponds not only to &quot;feelings&quot; but also &quot;virtue&quot; (right behaviour, righteousness, morality) ... and not only &quot;virtue&quot; but also the question of whether things are &quot;beneficial&quot; or &quot;skillful&quot; instead of harmful. And I think &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; corresponds to Buddhist concepts -- one of which is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, which isn't just elemental but fundamental to Buddhism-as-it's-taught -- and another is the Buddhist term &quot;&lt;em&gt;ariya&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, which is translated &quot;noble&quot; or right, and is used when naming, &quot;the noble truths&quot;, &quot;the noble eight-fold path&quot;, &quot;the noble sangha&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T10:08:55.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20544" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20530" CreationDate="2017-05-09T10:54:37.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Given how important Right View is, I suppose that the consequence of ignoring or being averse to right view is remaining in samsara instead of becoming  liberated. The opening lines of the Dhammapada, for example, suggests that quarreling will only cause more quarreling, and that the only antidote to anger is non-anger (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8735/254&quot;&gt;What is the Antidote for a Hateful Temperament?&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the prescription in the Dhammapada isn't only about (isn't specific to) being polite to Noble Ones -- the back-story to verse 5 is about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a quarrel with an ogress&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You presumably know more than I do but I don't remember much on this topic in the suttas. I think the suttas (and the vinaya) tell more about &amp;quot;how to behave in a respectable way&amp;quot; rather than &amp;quot;what happens if you oppose or don't show respect&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the (translations of the) suttas do describe what might now seem to be elaborate shows of respect and polite discourse, and so I presume that's normal in that society and impoliteness is abnormal. See also for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5376/254&quot;&gt;Tradition and purpose of prostration practice&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only example I can think of off-hand, where the Buddha reproves someone, is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One, standing up to greet me, received my robe &amp;amp; bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata  by name and as &amp;quot;friend.&amp;quot; The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't explain why, or what the consequence are of not being respectful, so I'm not sure that answers your question. My guess is that the statement had two meanings: the first is that &amp;quot;friend&amp;quot; is untrue, i.e. the Tathagata is no longer the person they once knew; and the second is that the audience needed to put aside their preconceptions, of him as an unenlightened person, in order to hear properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T10:54:37.517" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5969" CreationDate="2017-05-09T14:08:46.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Without any previous concentration exercises or Samatha training, no Insight is possible. How can you register the different sensations which arise and pass away so fast without a sharpened concentration? Anapanasati as a concentration exercise is just one of many. Walking, being aware of the movements of the feet is concentration. The Mahasi method of labeling the stretching of an arm is concentration.If you enter for a while into a deep jhana, nothing wrong. Enjoy it.&#xA;Later it turns into a sober concentration and becomes normal. Very naturally one slips into Insight meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11315" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T14:08:46.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18814" CreationDate="2017-05-09T14:23:56.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of practices: the formal SITTING and WALKING, and the informal the activities in daily life.&#xA;Sit as long you feel comfortable than stand up walk up and down until you feel you can sit again. And so on. During the day find some moments where you do nothing just sitting still, slightly concentrating on the breathing so that the mind has an anchor. The most important meditation is during all your activities. If you cannot be meditative while you are driving a car or answering a phone call your meditation is not worth much. And how to do it? Whenever you can slow down.&#xA;Walk slowly, eat slowly, prepare your coffee slowly, even speak much slower than you are accustomed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11315" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T14:23:56.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20547" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2017-05-09T15:51:03.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello the Ah wovel is included in NAM (N-Ah-M) soundwise! &#xA;No other practice is needed besides the chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Do not try to fix what is not broken.&#xA;And any putting other practice besides chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is likely to become an obstruction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11317" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T15:51:03.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20548" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-09T19:22:33.743" Score="1" ViewCount="419" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; like to buy into the ideas of understanding and patience even for those who hurt us. However my concern is that sometimes failing to engage in the tit-for-tat teaches that there are no consequences. Two different examples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) If a diplomat is expelled, should the other side expel also?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) In a post divorce situation, if one side initiates legal action should the other side withhold previously allowed concessions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not clear to me how one can avoid engaging in retribution in some cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11318" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:59:42.677" Title="What does Buddhism say about pragmatic retribution?" Tags="|compassion|patience|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20266" CreationDate="2017-05-09T20:07:26.267" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because, human can only gain WISDOM by tackling problems, having experience and getting answers afterwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting answers is useless for many questions without having experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tell me a single teacher who is teaching without being a student.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11319" LastActivityDate="2017-05-09T20:07:26.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20548" CreationDate="2017-05-09T21:54:30.087" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are countless examples of non-retaliation being depicted as admirable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One that comes to mind is this one: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/3isthatso.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is That So?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that you'll necessarily find the mere fact that it's &quot;admirable&quot; is necessarily a good or sufficient reason -- instead a good reason includes to minimize suffering, allow the cessation of suffering, of those involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to answer the part of the question about diplomats (that seems to me a matter of politics rather than Buddhism).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Pragmatic retribution&quot; is what I'd call, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_for_tat&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tit for tat&lt;/a&gt;. It's a popular game (or model, strategy, game theory), but simplistic to the point of stupidity, and I think not Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the subject of divorce, I'd suggest (from experience) that maybe both parties in a divorce should have legal counsel, and perhaps avoid making agreements and concessions without legal counsel (or at least, I think that's the way it works in &quot;my country&quot;). That's not a matter of retribution though, it's a matter of being equitable and finding a division (a &quot;separation agreement&quot;) that's fair or as beneficial as possible to both parties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not sure that I agree with the premise of &quot;understanding those who hurt us&quot;. Apparently there's a proverb that &quot;to understand is to forgive&quot;, but maybe Buddhism has a different take on that subject. I'm thinking of the opening lines of the Dhammapada:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.&quot; Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first line is about intention: your intention matters (for example whether you intend to hurt someone, or don't intend to hurt someone).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third verse seems relevant though. Rather than &quot;understanding those who hurt us&quot; maybe it's better to understand (i.e. maybe &quot;Buddhism would recommend&quot; that you understand) yourself (or the things which you take to be yourself): how and why you're &quot;hurt&quot;, what the nature of that hurt is, maybe what &quot;views&quot; you might change (or &quot;abandon&quot;) to not be hurt in future. Maybe hurt can be caused by attachment (to something impermanent); considering something (or someone) as &quot;yours&quot;; hurt &quot;pride&quot;; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend the truth of the sixth verse to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's not clear to me how one can avoid engaging in retribution in some cases.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's one of the reasons to have a lawyer each, or a mediator in common (or even two lawyers and a mediator). They can be a bit more dispassionate, professional, in dealing with the other party (and you can be more professional when you're dealing with them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T00:58:33.057" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T00:58:33.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20551" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20548" CreationDate="2017-05-10T00:19:42.820" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word '&lt;em&gt;retribution&lt;/em&gt;' means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The examples provided are not retribution but are matters of equity &amp;amp; justice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, one should proceed in a manner that does not harm oneself or the other. Focus on protecting oneself &amp;amp; one's assets rather than hurting &amp;amp; punishing the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T00:26:18.180" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T00:26:18.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20554" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20556" CreationDate="2017-05-10T02:25:28.413" Score="4" ViewCount="1247" Body="&lt;p&gt;In SN 56.11 we find a famous passage:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, these &lt;strong&gt;two extremes&lt;/strong&gt; should not be followed by one who has gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of &lt;strong&gt;sensual happiness&lt;/strong&gt; in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of &lt;strong&gt;self-mortification&lt;/strong&gt;, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Laity frequently interprets the above as &lt;em&gt;moderation of sensual pleasures&lt;/em&gt;, even though the above passage seems to refer to monks (those &quot;gone forth into homelessness&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are there suttas where the Buddha or his disciples teach specifically laity on the subject of sensual pleasures (e.g. to be in anyway cautious about them)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, a minor curiosity: how the above passage is interpreted by the Theravada tradition, since the suttas clearly teach the abandonment of sensual pleasures for those who become monks/nuns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T02:34:34.473" LastActivityDate="2017-11-20T02:57:27.277" Title="Moderation of sensual pleasures?" Tags="|theravada|reference-request|laity|six-senses|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20554" CreationDate="2017-05-10T02:42:00.367" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Above does not say &lt;code&gt;moderation of sensual pleasures&lt;/code&gt; though it is implied since you should not see it. What it explicitly says is &lt;code&gt;The pursuit of ...&lt;/code&gt; which is you should not seek either extremes. The Middle Way, in this case, is to accept both, whatever that comes, without seeking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T02:42:00.367" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20554" CreationDate="2017-05-10T03:02:42.003" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there were such a sutta then maybe &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.54&lt;/a&gt; would have been a good place to put it. It begins,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;We are lay people enjoying sensuality; living crowded with spouses &amp;amp; children; using Kasi fabrics &amp;amp; sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, &amp;amp; creams; handling gold &amp;amp; silver. May the Blessed One teach the Dhamma for those like us, for our happiness &amp;amp; well-being in this life, for our happiness &amp;amp; well-being in lives to come.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that sutta only warns against debauchery in sex, drink, gambling, and evil companionship; and against improper or immoderate use of wealth; and not against sensual pleasures &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;/em&gt;. Also the warning is that these are &amp;quot;drains on one's store of wealth&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely it also doesn't &lt;em&gt;recommend&lt;/em&gt; sensual pursuits as being &amp;quot;qualities that lead to a lay person's happiness and well-being in this life&amp;quot; (instead it recommends good work, good friendship, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more famous &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt; is a little more wide-ranging -- it warns against frequenting &amp;quot;theatrical shows&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in frequenting theatrical shows. He is ever thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) where is there dancing?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(ii) where is there singing?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iii) where is there music?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(iv) where is there recitation?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(v) where is there playing with cymbals?&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;(vi) where is there pot-blowing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T03:02:42.003" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-10T08:58:28.167" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may get close, but so long you believe in the concept of an everlasting soul (i.e atman), you will &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; achieve what the Buddha called the ultimate cessation of suffering, because of the clinging to the Self which arises in conjunction with this belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember: the Buddha spoke of four types of clinging. Clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rules and observances, and &lt;strong&gt;clinging to a doctrine of self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T09:03:57.900" LastActivityDate="2017-05-10T09:03:57.900" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20558" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20560" CreationDate="2017-05-10T09:24:49.510" Score="6" ViewCount="371" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Asian countries has Buddhist law in their parliament/government?&#xA;Is there thing like this?&#xA;As we can see that Asian countries like Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Mongolia, South-Korea, North-Korea, Hongkong. In these counties mostly people are Buddhist so I've to know if there is Buddhist law for parliament or government for Buddhist country. And if there what is it or what it'd be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-05-10T17:02:42.340" LastActivityDate="2019-06-16T11:03:13.670" Title="What would a Buddhist country's law be?" Tags="|buddhist|laws|politics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20559" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20554" CreationDate="2017-05-10T09:30:20.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Deva – Laity of another kind – once asked a Bhikku, “O Monk, why don’t you enjoy sensual pleasures?”, and the Monk replied:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”I don't know my time. My time is hidden. It can't be seen. &#xA;  That's why, not having enjoyed, I go for alms: Don't let my time pass me by.&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samiddhi Sutta: About Samiddhi - SN 1.20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Sutta is a good example of pointing out the difficulties of teaching more advanced Dhamma to a normal being who is obsessed with sensual pleasures.  The noble ones have eradicated sensual desires, and are entirely free of sensual desires. That is why a disciple would recollect the qualities of the Noble Ones from time to time. Then the mind would not get afflicted with sensual desire, with hatred or with delusion. In recollecting such, the mind becomes unshaken towards the Triple Gem. With perfect confidence in the Blessed One, inspiration is gained from the truth of the Dhamma. Gladness arises in the noble disciple. With gladness towards the Dhamma, rapture and joy are born. With joy, the body becomes tranquil. With a tranquil body, the noble disciple feels pleasure. With pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once there was a dissatisfied young Bhikkhu. He was not yet part of the Sangha, as he has not yet attained Sotapatti Fruition. The Buddha uttered the following Dhammapada (186-187) to this young bhikkhu who was unhappy with his life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not by a shower of coins can sensual desires be satiated; sensual desires give little pleasure and are fraught with evil consequences (dukkha). Knowing this, the wise man, who is the disciple of the Buddha, does not find delight even in the pleasures of the devas, but rejoices in the cessation of craving (i.e., Nibbana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta was explained for the first time there were no Bhikkus, but Devas – Laity of another kind – who were present. In that Buddha explained to those present of the two extremes thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldliness, ignoble, unbeneficial, and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.013.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahadukkhakkhanda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, Buddha explain about our distorted perception of the world. Is it possible for a wise person to turn away from the lures of sensuality, once we are shown the flows of the worldly life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Dānupatti Sutta – AN.6,  Buddha shows how helpful it is to have deeds full of merits when one goes to a birth as a result of one’s own Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Dear Monks, let’s say someone donates things like foods, drinks, cloths, seats, flowers, scents, and houses to monks (ones who attempt to free from defilements). He likes to get things that he donates as a result of that good deed. He heard something like this: ‘Deities who live in the divine world called Chāthummahārājika have long lifespans. They have great pleasures.’ Then he feels this way: ‘I would also like to get a birth in Chāthummahārājika divine world after my death here.’ He then focuses his mind on to that expectation. He develops that mind. Because he focused his mind to this this crude sensual world again, his mind will take him to a birth in the Chāthummahārājika divine world after his death. Even this kind of birth is only for a virtuous person and not for an impure person. Dear Monks, the virtuous person’s hope will be fulfilled because of his pureness.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/TheragathaTherigatha160119.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In Theragatha - Verses of the Elder Monks 16.4&lt;/a&gt;, Ven. Ratthapala explains why he's not in the least bit tempted to return to the lay life. The verses here fall into three sections, with the first two relating to Raṭṭhapāla’s story as told in MN 82. In the first, Raṭṭhapāla is addressing his father after the latter had tried to use wealth and Raṭṭhapāla’s former wives to lure Ratthapala into disrobing. In the second section, Raṭṭhapāla is talking to King Koravya, who had asked him why he had ordained when he was still young and healthy, and had suffered no loss of relatives or wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Way to end all suffering is called the Majjima Patipada – Way to Relinquish Attachments to this World -&#xA; because it avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. Then only the mind has the clarity and strength to meditate deeply and discover the Truth. This Majjima Patipada consists of the diligent cultivation of Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom, which is explained in more detail as the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Chattarisaka Sutta (Discourse on the Great Forty)&lt;/a&gt; discusses two eightfold paths: A mundane path that leads to rebirth in the “good realms” (at or above the human realm) and the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to Nibbana. Thus majjima patipada is “middle path” in the conventional sense; and it is a good first step. But the lokottara meaning is much different, and this sutta lays out the basic structure of how to explain the deeper meanings. Throughout his 45 years of his ministry, Buddha  explained the details in various ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One lokottara meaning of majjima patipada is to “avoid being intoxicated by sense pleasures”.  It is a gradual process: High levels of intoxication is removed via removing micca ditthi when attaining the Sotapanna stage. After that, lower and lower intoxication levels removed as one gains more wisdom in steps. It means “voluntarily giving up” and not to give up attachments to this world by sheer will or force. The mind will not give up things that it considers pleasurable, unless there is a good reason. Those reasons are what Buddha Dhamma is all about. One becomes a Sotapanna by truly comprehending why it is not only unfruitful, but also dangerous to attach to things that one perceives to be pleasurable. But even a Sotapanna only has “seen” the truth of the “anicca nature” of this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The actual “giving up” comes next, when one slowly start “giving up” voluntarily and progress through the next two stages of Sakadagami and Anagami, and eventually gives up all attachments at the Arahant stage. Thus one does not need to worry about giving up anything until reaching the Sotapanna stage. Giving up happens automatically when one realizes the true nature of this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-11T03:47:29.797" LastActivityDate="2017-05-11T03:47:29.797" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20560" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20558" CreationDate="2017-05-10T10:04:03.387" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;The guiding principles of an ideal king it to follow is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavidha-r%C4%81jadhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dasavidha-rājadhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dāna (charity) — being prepared to sacrifice one's own pleasure for the well-being of the public, such as giving away one's belongings or other things to support or assist others, including giving knowledge and serving public interests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sīla (morality) — practicing physical and mental morals, and being a good example of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pariccāga (altruism), being generous and avoiding selfishness, practicing altruism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ājjava (honesty) — being honest and sincere towards others, performing one's duties with loyalty and sincerity to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maddava (gentleness) — having gentle temperament, avoiding arrogance and never defaming others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tapa (self controlling) — destroying passion and performing duties without indolence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Akkodha (non-anger) — being free from hatred and remaining calm in the midst of confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Avihimsa (non-violence) — exercising non-violence, not being vengeful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Khanti (forbearance) — practicing patience, and trembling to serve public interests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Avirodhana (uprightness) — respecting opinions of other persons, avoiding prejudice and promoting public peace and order.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;King &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asoka&lt;/a&gt; incorporated this into his rule and perhaps some other monarchs historically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sri Lankan constitution does gives the following provision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the&#xA;foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State&#xA;to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all&#xA;religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.parliament.lk/files/pdf/constitution.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA (As amended up to 15th May 2015) Revised Edition – 2015&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thai Monarchy seem to have it engrained:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thai concepts of monarchy have their origins in Sukhothai, founded in the early part of the 13th century and generally regarded as the first truly independent Thai kingdom. Here, particularly under the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great (1275-1317), was born the ideal of a paternalistic ruler alert to the needs of his people and aware of the fact that his duty was to guide them. &lt;strong&gt;Such forms part of Dasavidha-rājadhamma, or the ten precepts of kingship, which – rooted in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism – encompasses such virtues as willingness to give and sacrifice for a greater good, morality, honesty, open-mindedness, diligence, compassion, perseverance and righteousness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thailandtoday.in.th/monarchy/thai-monarchy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai Monarchy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But not sure the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavidha-r%C4%81jadhamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dasavidha-rājadhamma&lt;/a&gt; is directly found in the constitution or any legislature any of the modern day Buddhist countries. At least it is not the case in Sri Lanka. Mainly because the constitution and legislature is modeled what was inherited from the British rule and constitutions and legislation of other countries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-11T04:54:24.707" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20561" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-11T05:16:15.323" Score="2" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is very typical to live life with self realism behavior and aware every time with our daily routine. When i sit and think about my past life i just found, there was a time which has been gone and never will come back, things has been happening and passing from our eyes, we are just going, going and keep continuing. I am just feeling sad about passing time, where am i going and where will i reach. We just follow daily routines as per humanity following. I  want to know what should we our work, which could give us a full flicit and after following that way, there should not be any sadness and should be full of awareness.      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10822" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T09:13:32.723" Title="What is the consequence to living life with self realism behavior?" Tags="|self|liberation|awareness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20561" CreationDate="2017-05-11T07:49:13.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We should follow daily routines which will lead to a no daily routine. That is following the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-11T07:49:13.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20563" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20561" CreationDate="2017-05-11T13:05:14.610" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any seed's highest behaviour is to blossom into a full-fledged state which is fruit, flower etc similarly Humans can be full-fledged beings which are in the state of Blissfulness and other pleasant states if he/she gives proper attention to achieve this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I must tell you this when you are thinking about the past there is only one moment which the moment we are living now there is no other moment cause past and future are just a phrase one can never go to future (and yes we should prepare for future) or the past so it's just in our mind only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are aware enough then there should not be any thoughts come into your mind about sadness you just feel joyful about being alive. Most of the humans unconsciously think they are immortal but once you know or understand that you are mortal, you will do things only which are precious or important to you in life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8590" LastEditorUserId="8590" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T04:56:06.873" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T04:56:06.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20561" CreationDate="2017-05-12T03:41:35.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is a good question that you asked @singhindolia. You and I and every one and everything that exists within time and space go through five stages in life. This is inevitable. This is certain to happen and unavoidable. For example, a seed germinates and starts a bud; this is the arising stage. Then it grows to a healthy young tree; this is the growing stage where there are no flowers or fruits yet. Then comes the  optimum stage where the tree is flourishing and is full of flowers and fruits. But then with time, the tree will give less fruits and is on the way down; this is the  decaying stage where it can come down with various diseases too. This process continues until it dies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is no different for you and me. A human or animal will go through the same process. A human life starts not as a baby but a single cell in the womb; from there to a baby of couple of years is the arising stage. Then comes the growth stage until about 15 years or so. Life peaks from there to about 30-35 years, and that is the time one really enjoys life, the optimum stage. But then inevitably, the decay process starts and one starts feeling aches and pains, diseases, etc in the middle ages. This stage is continued in the final stage leading to death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the underlying nature of this anything in this world, and that is why it is anicca: no matter how much we try, we will not be able to maintain anything to our satisfaction over long times. Thus we can see how  suffering arises due to the transient nature of our lives, which in turn leads to the conclusion that one is truly helpless (anatta) in this samsaric journey. If one truly understands this fact, that itself leads to the Stream Entrant stage of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T09:13:32.723" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T09:13:32.723" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20548" CreationDate="2017-05-12T03:48:19.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we start thinking about a hateful person or a thing, it is ourselves that suffer. The mere mention of the name of someone that we despise will immediately make us think about those bad things that the person did, and get “worked up”. We cause this suffering to ourselves. If we retaliate, then things get even worse. So it is always better to think that things happen for a reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We need to keep in mind that someone may be doing something bad (getting in our way), because we may have done something bad to that person in the past. Things always happen for one or more reasons, and we may not be able to see the reason (or the cause) in many cases, because the rebirth process keeps things hidden from us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T03:48:19.003" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20566" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-12T04:58:02.923" Score="1" ViewCount="1006" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can someone explain the third precept? Because most are translating this as &quot;sexual misconduct&quot;; but that it so narrow, and distorts Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11209" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T08:59:21.537" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T08:59:21.537" Title="What is the real meaning of the third precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|dhammas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2017-05-12T09:01:29.433" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20567" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-12T06:03:30.173" Score="4" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;Among the &lt;em&gt;40 Kammattana&lt;/em&gt; how can I choose more suitable Kammattana for me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T11:41:05.883" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T13:04:43.980" Title="How can we choose more congenial Kammattana?" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-practicalities|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20568" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-12T06:17:01.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;emphasized text&lt;/em&gt;May be It's a fault of your Kammattana.It seems you had practiced anapanasathi.If you change your Kammattana may be you can get good result.If you want to know about more suitable kammattana you will definitely meet kammattanacharya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T06:17:01.097" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20569" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-12T07:24:19.763" Score="2" ViewCount="192" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was walking through a Taipei grocery/department store a few years ago and saw shelves with packs of &quot;paper money&quot; or joss paper to be used for burning. For the bank-note varieties were three choices; New Taiwan dollars, Chinese RMB, and US dollars. The way different people approach the subject here is quite varied, from very serious to quite light-hearted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is not really about the origin of the practice as much as it is about its &quot;paper trail&quot;. Are there historical buddhist writings that lay out the importance of burning paper money and its efficacy? Or is it more of an unwritten tradition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11327" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T11:08:29.770" LastActivityDate="2017-10-01T09:21:28.033" Title="Historical writings on the importance and efficacy of burning joss paper?" Tags="|history|money|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20566" CreationDate="2017-05-12T07:45:42.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is to have intimacy with someone under the protection of another. A wife or husband would be protective of each other in appropriate advances by another. A mother, father or family member would also do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are four conditions for wrong conduct in sexual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i) There must be a man or woman with whom it is improper to&#xA;  have sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii) There must be intention to have sexual intercourse with such a&#xA;  person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii) Action must be taken to have such an intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv) There must be enjoyment from contact of the sexual organs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With reference to the first condition, there are twenty kinds of&#xA;  women with whom men should have no sexual relations. They can&#xA;  be divided into three groups, namely: women under the&#xA;  guardianship of parents, family members, relatives and authorities&#xA;  charged with their care; married or betrothed women; bhikkhunis&#xA;  and religious women observing the Holy Life. For all women, a&#xA;  man forbidden by tradition or under religious rules is prohibited&#xA;  as a partner. For any unwilling partner who is drugged or forced to&#xA;  have sexual intercourse under threat of violence or coercion,&#xA;  conditions (ii) &amp;amp; (iv) exclude them from violation of the precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA) on urbandharma.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T07:45:42.230" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20567" CreationDate="2017-05-12T07:51:13.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will need trial and error but generally based on the personality types.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali commentaries further provide guidelines for suggesting meditation subjects based on one's general temperament:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Greedy: the ten foulness meditations; or, body contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hating: the four brahma-viharas; or, the four color kasinas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Deluded: mindfulness of breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Faithful: the first six recollections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Intelligent: recollection of marana or Nibbana; the perception of disgust of food; or, the analysis of the four elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Speculative: mindfulness of breath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The six non-color kasinas and the four formless states are suitable for all temperaments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The forty subjects are also differentiated according to their appropriateness for different character types. Six main character types are recognized — the greedy, the hating, the deluded, the faithful, the intelligent and the speculative — this oversimplified typology being taken only as a pragmatic guideline which in practice admits various shades and combinations. The ten kind of foulness and mindfulness of the body, clearly intended to attenuate sensual desire, are suitable for those of greedy temperament. Eight subjects — the four divine abidings and four color kasinas — are appropriate for the hating temperament. Mindfulness of breathing is suitable for those of the deluded and the speculative temperament. The first six recollections are appropriate for the faithful temperament. Four subjects — mindfulness of death, the recollection of peace, the defining of the four elements, and the perception of the repulsiveness in nutriment — are especially effective for those of intelligent temperament. The remaining six kasinas and the immaterial states are suitable for all kinds of temperaments. But the kasinas should be limited in size for one of speculative temperament and large in size for one of deluded temperament.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Immediately after giving this breakdown Buddhaghosa adds a proviso to prevent misunderstanding. He states that this division by way of temperament is made on the basis of direct opposition and complete suitability, but actually there is no wholesome form of meditation that does not suppress the defilements and strengthen the virtuous mental factors. Thus an individual meditator may be advised to meditate on foulness to abandon lust, on loving-kindness to abandon hatred, on breathing to cut off discursive thought, and on impermanence to eliminate the conceit &amp;quot;I am&amp;quot; (A.iv,358).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Henepola Gunaratana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati and 4 Satipatthana are generally safer type of meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T08:31:53.580" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20567" CreationDate="2017-05-12T09:09:16.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.94&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN4.94 Tatiya­samā­dhi­sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Monks, &lt;strong&gt;these four types of individuals&lt;/strong&gt; are to be found existing in&#xA;  the world. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There is the case of the individual who has attained internal&#xA;  tranquillity of awareness, but not insight into phenomena through&#xA;  heightened discernment. Then there is the case of the individual who&#xA;  has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment,&#xA;  but not internal tranquillity of awareness. Then there is the case of&#xA;  the individual who has attained neither internal tranquillity of&#xA;  awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.&#xA;  And then there is the case of the individual who has attained both&#xA;  internal tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through&#xA;  heightened discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“&lt;strong&gt;The individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness,&#xA;  but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;should&#xA;  approach an individual who has attained insight into phenomena&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;through&#xA;  heightened discernment and ask him&lt;/strong&gt;: ‘How should fabrications be&#xA;  regarded? How should they be investigated? How should they be seen&#xA;  with insight?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen &amp;amp;&#xA;  experienced: ‘Fabrications should be regarded in this way.&#xA;  Fabrications should be investigated in this way. Fabrications should&#xA;  be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually he [the first] will&#xA;  become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp;&#xA;  insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“As for &lt;strong&gt;the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through&#xA;  heightened discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness, he&#xA;  should approach an individual who has attained internal tranquillity&#xA;  of awareness… and ask him&lt;/strong&gt;, ‘How should the mind be steadied? How&#xA;  should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should&#xA;  it be concentrated?’ The other will answer in line with what he has&#xA;  seen &amp;amp; experienced: ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind&#xA;  should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified&#xA;  in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way.’ Then&#xA;  eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both&#xA;  internal tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through&#xA;  heightened discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“As for &lt;strong&gt;the individual who has attained neither internal tranquillity&#xA;  of awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened&#xA;  discernment, he should approach an individual who has attained both&#xA;  internal tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through&#xA;  heightened discernment… and ask him&lt;/strong&gt;, ‘How should the mind be steadied?&#xA;  How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How&#xA;  should it be concentrated? How should fabrications be regarded? How&#xA;  should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?’&#xA;  The other will answer in line with what he has seen &amp;amp; experienced:&#xA;  ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to&#xA;  settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The&#xA;  mind should be concentrated in this way. Fabrications should be&#xA;  regarded in this way. Fabrications should be investigated in this way.&#xA;  Fabrications should be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually&#xA;  he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal&#xA;  tranquillity of awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through heightened&#xA;  discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“As for the &lt;strong&gt;individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of&#xA;  awareness &amp;amp; insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, his&#xA;  duty is to make an effort in establishing (’tuning’) those very same&#xA;  skillful qualities to a higher degree for the ending of the (mental)&#xA;  fermentations.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the&#xA;  world.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;A Teacher is needed to find out which one is suitable for you.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;Feeling&quot; Type of meditation Object such as Brahmavihara is the most suitable for Female. I've met a lot of Extraordinary Female Yogis using &quot;Feeling&quot; type as their object of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T09:09:16.877" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20567" CreationDate="2017-05-12T10:49:20.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kammattana means recitations. Benefits of listening to such recitations as recorded chanting of sutta will increase if one understood the content. Pali words tend to condense a lot of meaning. Also Pali words have more than one meaning. One meaning would be of a mundane level, while another would be at a deeper level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said “bhavanaya bahuleekathaya…..”. Bhavana (or meditation) if used frequently, thinking about it and examine it in many different situations as much as possible, then the true meaning starts to “sink in”. Formal recitations are part of this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right now I am not in a position to tell you as to which Kammattana is the best one for you, but by end of July this year I will be able to give you an answer. It is because I will go for a continuous 14 day meditation retreat where the focus is Nibbhana. We will do Anapanasati of a different kind, and it is not about concentrating on the breath. By taking the breath as a ‘nimitta’ a Yogi can attain Jhana states, but it will not be of the type that will further you in the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But for now you can work on “Making the conditions right”. Associating with good friends and listening/reading Dhamma is the way to go.  Practice Buddhist recitations, and in the middle of recitations contemplate about relevant Dhamma concepts or your own daily experiences. By this you will be doing insight meditation in the middle of the recitation itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T10:49:20.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20575" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21578" CreationDate="2017-05-12T16:41:29.897" Score="2" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would anyone have any advice on where to find a good Russian translation of Nagarjuna's book? (I've tried myself, but Russian is no longer my first language!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T01:44:41.190" Title="Russian language Mulamadhyamakakarika?" Tags="|mahayana|nagarjuna|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20576" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20578" CreationDate="2017-05-12T17:02:51.350" Score="5" ViewCount="155" Body="&lt;p&gt;The classical canon gets good coverage with suttacentral and accesstoinsight, but I was wondering if there was such a website for Mahayana writings. (Post-canon writings diverge and become extensive, meaning different translators, copyrights etc, but if something relatively comprehensive-ish is around, would be great!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-05-12T17:20:05.537" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T14:06:38.563" Title="A good website for Mahayana texts?" Tags="|mahayana|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20576" CreationDate="2017-05-12T18:04:15.153" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can try to take a look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/bdk/digital/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai&lt;/a&gt;.&#xA;They are trying to translate most of the tripitakas into english but right now they only have a few text translated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Biography of Sakyamuni&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Lotus Sutra (Second Revised Edition)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Larger Sutra on Amitāyus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutra on Contemplation of Amitāyus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Smaller Sutra on Amitāyus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Bequeathed Teaching Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Vimalakīrti Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Ullambana Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutra of Forty-two Sections&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shōbōgenzō: The True Dharma-Eye Treasury vol.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shōbōgenzō: The True Dharma-Eye Treasury vol.2&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shōbōgenzō: The True Dharma-Eye Treasury vol.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shōbōgenzō: The True Dharma-Eye Treasury vol.4&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Tannishō: Passages Deploring Deviations of Faith&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rennyo Shōnin Ofumi: The Letters of Rennyo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutra on the Profundity of Filial Love&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T18:04:15.153" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20576" CreationDate="2017-05-12T19:48:10.793" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I use &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fodian.net/world/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fodian.net&lt;/a&gt; a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two categories of Mahayana texts, the ones that made it to China and the ones that made it to Tibet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within a specific sect or tradition, some sects have fantastic online documents, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/toc/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SGI's Nichiren&lt;/a&gt; library.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm less familiar with the &lt;a href=&quot;http://library.columbia.edu/locations/eastasian/tibetan/links1.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan ones&lt;/a&gt;, but I do know that some of the Mahayana texts also made it to Tibet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scholars like Jan Nattier sometimes has to do comparison of the Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan to reconstruct a text. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T19:48:10.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2017-05-12T21:42:38.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's called placebo effect. You believe good things will happen and you focus on it so much that it ends up happening. It's not magic, just the power of belief/faith. On the other hand you could just be noticing the good things and then putting it down to the chanting whereas the good things were going to occur anyway. If it works for you then keep doing it but it's like prayer, what happens when good things don't occur but instead bad things happen? Is it because you're not praying or chanting hard enough? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-12T21:42:38.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20489" CreationDate="2017-05-13T15:26:20.853" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Distraction one of the two main obstacles in meditation (the other is dozing off or even falling asleep). Many people get distracted by sound. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's normal and as long as you keep getting distracted you have two choices: &#xA;1) keep sitting there, and keep bringing your attention back to your meditation object&#xA;2) quit meditating. &#xA;3) change your meditation. (headphones, change in meditation object etc. see below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no expected time limit within which you are supposed to stop being distracted. Distraction happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the way you describe it - you don't just note the distraction and then get back to meditating. You are also getting annoyed at yourself. So note that too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patience. Patience. Patience. Remember that this is all part of the course &amp;amp; that as you are not living on a mountain somewhere, your conditions are not ideal. So be patient with yourself. I'll repeat myself again: be patient with yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One alternative is that when you don't meditate with plugs (which I do think an excellent idea, btw), is to meditate on sound instead. That way the distraction has become the object. This may change the meditation dynamic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck. And remember: the fact that you are still regularly sitting there is in itself an achievement. Don't be too hard on yourself. And perhaps read something by Pema Chodron? She's very good at reminding us of being kind to ourselves. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="11330" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T08:22:43.273" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T08:22:43.273" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-13T21:41:14.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question already implies differences in practice between your variation of Hinduism and what Buddhism you have practiced. On these issues you will have to choose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to doctrine too, you will have to be clear in your mind. The very word dharma means something very different in Brahmanical Hinduism vs. Buddhism. There are differences in the nuances of the word karma too - and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's certainly easier to stick with the faith and practices you grew up with, and merely add those practices and doctrines from Buddhism that you can without contradiction. It's easier not merely for you personally, but also within the context of your family and social sphere. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words: take those aspects of Buddhism that make you a better human being and a better Hindu. Leave the rest be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To do anything other than that should only be done after more time and study than you have at present devoted to it. Westerners often become Buddhists as converts from Christianity - but they only do so after they've already become disenchanted from Christianity. Even so - it's a difficult process that leads to culture-shock. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You do not sound like you are done with Hinduism because of anything within Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for seeing Buddhism as part of Hinduism... That's Hindu propaganda that doesn't respect Buddhism. It's a bit like Muslims claiming Christianity is part of Islam: it doesn't respect Buddhism as a separate religion. [Jainism: same thing.] &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[This is advice that fits in with H.H. the Dalai Lama's advice on mixing religions.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-13T21:41:14.457" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20582" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20535" CreationDate="2017-05-13T21:45:15.333" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In discussing things with people it helps to use the terminology they use. So even if 'connected causes' is a better way to explain 'dependent origination' - the latter has become a common phrase in English Buddhism. The former is rare. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without the precise quote it is impossible to determine whether the two are precisely the same thing. However, if the source is a biography, I would think that the meaning is likely close enough within that context. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;      &lt;p&gt;edited in response to elaborated question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this case I would understand the phrase 'Connected Causes' as very simply all the causes that  create good circumstances (aka 'worldly good'). The sentence merely states that while it is great to experience the result of good karma, that doesn't mean you should rest on your laurels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words: 'Connected Causes' is simply karma here, I think. And while the spiritual boon may seem the same thing as those great circumstances, it's not. For one thing: good circumstances are rarely used to good spiritual effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="11330" LastEditDate="2017-05-15T13:36:03.623" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:36:03.623" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20530" CreationDate="2017-05-14T02:57:18.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What can be expected for oneself, if one is opposing, fighting or even reviling the Noble Ones, Right View or those following this line, here or/and here after?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once when Ven. Sariputta told the Buddha of what Sunakkhatta, son of the Licchavis, said of Him – that Buddha preaches Dhamma (merely) hammering it out by reasoning, and not through superhuman states – He explained to Sariputta of the ten Tathagata powers. One such was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathagata sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions thus: 'These worthy beings who were ill-conducted in body, speech and mind, revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, even in hell;…”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An ānantarika-kamma is a heinous crime that through karmic process brings immediate disaster. They are called ‘anantarika’ because they are ‘an’ (without) ‘antara’ (interval), in other words the results immediately come to fruition in the next life. Of the five such crimes, the fifth crime is “Creating a schism within the Sangha, the community of Buddhist monks and nuns who try to attain enlightenment.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to what is this creating division among Bhikkhus, or “Sangha Bedha”, is described in Sangha Bedha Sutta (AN 10.1.4.7). Here Buddha’s instruction is to look into the matter and to side with the faction on the side of the Dhamma. The Buddha does not advocate superficial unity for its own sake at the expense of the Dhamma, but instead encourages that the Dhamma be clearly defended against non-Dhamma and that the distinction between the two be kept clear. According to the Vinaya, a speaker of non-Dhamma is to be recognized as such if he “explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the ability to take sides requires that one be well-informed about the Buddha’s teachings. A schism can be rightfully ended only if both sides are able to investigate the grounds (i.e., the point of dispute around which the schism crystallized), get to the root, and then resolve which side was right, based on the Dhamma and Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are cases where Bhikkhus have started or joined a schism rooted in corrupted intent, knowing or suspecting that their views and actions deviate from the Dhamma-Vinaya. Then those who joined the schismatic faction through ignorance should be won over to the Dhamma side by explaining the true Dhamma-Vinaya to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ven. Sāriputta: “How am I to behave with regard to these (schismatic) bhikkhus?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha: “In that case, Sāriputta, take your stance in line with the Dhamma.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Ven. Sāriputta: “And how should I know what is Dhamma and what is not-Dhamma?”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Buddha: “There are these eighteen grounds by which a speaker of not-Dhamma is to be known. He explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If somebody does not know, would that result in harder consequences, or equal, or even lessen such a fault?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha formulated two saṅghādisesa rules (Sg 10 &amp;amp; 11) to help intercept attempts at schism, and gave special allowances for bhikkhus to try to avoid, prevent, or end schisms, even if it means breaking their Rains-residence. So the Sangha cannot be ignorant of such fundamental basic fact of the doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again it is said that &quot;Chetahan Bhikkawe Kamman Vadami” - Volition is the prime factor for good or bad kamma. In the Parajika Paliya of Vinaya Pitaka it elaborate over 75 incidents of man slaughter during Bud dha's time, endorsing how only the volition is the root for all Kammas. A very prominent and well respected Monk has once said that intentionally or unintentionally if you have committed the crime it is punishable. But he has shown no sources from Tripitaka for cross reference. Once I remember a Bhikku stating that if it is un-intentional, the crime is greater and not less. Such views are based on what is discussed in the Kathavattuprakaranaya that says it will be an anantariya kamma. However, they are not direct words from Lord Buddha. On the other hand there are stories where you may do a good kamma not knowing the strength of it, but yet you will earn the good kammapala in full strength. Thus it should be the same when doing a bad kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the personal consequences for others and for many, who approve, accept and even follow such?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha categorically states that once a person attains sotapanna or become a stream winner (person of integrity), s/he will not indulge in any such actions. S/he will recognize a speaker of non-Dhamma as such if he “explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ … what was not spoken, not mentioned by the Tathāgata as ‘spoken, mentioned by the Tathāgata’ … what was spoken, mentioned by the Tathāgata as ‘not spoken, not mentioned by the Tathāgata’ … what was not regularly practiced by the Tathāgata as ‘regularly practiced by the Tathāgata’ … what was regularly practiced by the Tathāgata as ‘not regularly practiced by the Tathāgata’ … what was not formulated by the Tathāgata as ‘formulated by the Tathāgata’ … what was formulated by the Tathāgata as ‘not formulated by the Tathāgata’ … a non-offense as ‘an offense’ … an offense as ‘a non-offense’ … a light offense as ‘a heavy offense’ … a heavy offense as ‘a light offense’ … an incurable offense as ‘a curable offense’ … a curable offense as ‘an incurable offense’ … a serious offense as ‘a not-serious offense’ … a not-serious offense as ‘a serious offense.’” A speaker of Dhamma is to be recognized as such if he explains not-Dhamma as “not-Dhamma,” Dhamma as “Dhamma,” and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha explained in Sappurisa Sutta of Anguttara Nikaya a simple way to identify person of integrity, honorable person, person worthy to be associated with. We can use this Sutta to identify our flaws; to what extent do I have these qualities and am I a person of integrity? And if not we can learn how to become a person of integrity…how to become a person who noble ones considered to be honorable and worthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not easy. A great deal of self-discipline is needed to be such a person. Trying to live according to noble Dhamma is like swimming against the current, it is not easy, because our mind is disposed towards bad, towards unwholesomeness. That is why the Lord Buddha has stated that three things are essential in practicing Dhmma. What three? Wisdom to know good from bad, effort to defeat defilements and mindfulness. In Satara—satipatthana they are explained as “Atapi, Sampajana, Satima”. In Panca-indriya and Panca-bala they are explained as “Veeriya, Sati, Panna”. In Sapta-bojjanga it is, “Sati, Dhamma-vicaya, Veeriya”.  In the noble Eight-fold path they are explained as “Samma ditti, Samma vayama, Samma sati”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, let us be humble disciples of the Buddha and strive to be a person of integrity. Otherwise the personal consequences for those who approve, accept and even follow such Adhamma – non-dhamma- is that they will be barred from heavenly realms, and from the dhamma path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T02:57:18.617" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20584" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2017-05-14T05:32:57.357" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We all are combination of the body, the mind and the self.&#xA;Total liberation from the death and the rebirth is attained when the self manifests as supreme happiness, the mind manifests as light of knowlidge, and the body manifests as a positive namkarma. This is moksha.&#xA;Nirvana is attained when the body self destructs itself into pure matter after a predetermined life span. If transformation of the human mind into light of knowledge is called nirvana, then self destruction of the body or the sense mind would be called parinirvana. There is lot of similarity between jainism and buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11332" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T05:32:57.357" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20535" CreationDate="2017-05-14T09:48:40.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I suppose they're similar but not the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One difference is, the difference between &quot;cause&quot; and &quot;condition&quot;. For example, for a plant to grow, it needs a seed, rain, sun, soil, to be undisturbed, and so on. Is it true to say, for example, that &quot;the soil caused the plant to grow&quot;? I'd say maybe not: instead of the soil being the cause, maybe the seed was the cause ... or maybe the sun ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid that kind of [slight] misunderstanding, I think it might be more accurate to say that these are &quot;conditions&quot; rather than &quot;causes&quot;: that the plant grows &quot;on condition that&quot; it's sunny, that it rains, that the soil is good, that there's a seed, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I prefer &quot;condition&quot; instead of &quot;cause&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that people also sometimes use &quot;condition&quot; as a verb, even though that's slightly inelegant or uncommon in normal (non-Buddhist) English: they say for example, &quot;the rain &lt;em&gt;conditions&lt;/em&gt; the growth of the plant&quot; (instead of &quot;the rain &lt;em&gt;causes&lt;/em&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For I think a similar reason people say &quot;depends on&quot; rather than &quot;caused by&quot;: i.e. a plant's growth (and thus the plan't &lt;em&gt;origin&lt;/em&gt; or coming-into-being) &lt;em&gt;depends on&lt;/em&gt; sunshine, even if it isn't &lt;em&gt;caused by&lt;/em&gt; sunshine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second difference is, what is it that is being caused or conditioned? When people talk about &quot;dependent origination&quot; based on the Pali canon, I think they're often talking about the 12 Nidanas (the topics of which include Ignorance as a condition of Birth of Death), or maybe the 4 Noble Truths (including craving as a condition of, or origin of, suffering, ad the origin of cessation of suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely I suspect that in a biography of Milarepa, it might be that the term is used to describe the causes or cultivation of &lt;em&gt;boddhicitta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's so then perhaps the &quot;cause&quot; that's mentioned is closer in meaning to the Pali word &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-14T21:32:55.607" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T21:32:55.607" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20586" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20488" CreationDate="2017-05-14T13:20:59.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Where in which religion you feel peace, truth, non-violence.&#xA;These two religions are very very different.&#xA;In Hinduism all time speak about &lt;strong&gt;war&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;killing&lt;/strong&gt; violence at all.&#xA;Does Hinduism really help to live life peacefully, I never find myself as I observed and as I studied in society.&#xA;How you can use Buddhism techniques over Hinduism. &#xA;Because there so big different.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Hinduism = Hindu meaning &lt;strong&gt;Defeat&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Loss&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;*&lt;i&gt;I also born as Hindu but I'm comletely following Buddhism.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism drawing right hand side swastika  &lt;strong&gt;卍&lt;/strong&gt; (Good, positive, solar aspects, movement clockwise &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'with'&lt;/strong&gt; the currents of Nature&lt;/i&gt;) means non-violence, peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism drawing left hand side swastika  &lt;strong&gt;卐&lt;/strong&gt; (Evil, negative, lunar aspects, movement counter-clockwise &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'against'&lt;/strong&gt; the currents of Nature&lt;/i&gt;) means violence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dr B. R. Ambedkar had vowed that &quot;I born as Hindu but I'll not die as Hindu.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and so he gave treasure of Buddhism to all backward people of Indian society who wasn't Shudra but genuine Indians (Nag) who were worshiping Buddha in ancient time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest you to follow Buddhism because there's peace and happiness. &#xA;So all the best.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Buddhism has liberty to following or leaving so there's no compulsion to following, you knows that as you practicing since a year.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's completely depend upon what you feel more for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope you'll choose what you love.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;❁ Wish you Happy Vesak ❁&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T13:20:59.323" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20587" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-14T15:26:30.357" Score="1" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, the soul is absent but karma is there. How it's possible without Soul, Karma would present. After the death, due to the karma of a person, he will rebirth. If the soul is absent how he will take rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2nd doubt, In Buddhism there are 2 Sects. In Hinayana - Acceptance the teaching of Buddhism. In Mahayana - Acceptance of Idol of Buddha. My question is Buddha is a God or Preacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eh Ma Ho,&#xA;SURESH BABU&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11335" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T13:11:21.663" Title="Doubt in Soul and sects" Tags="|soul|sects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20587" CreationDate="2017-05-14T15:37:53.277" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A person is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependently Arisen&lt;/a&gt; process. Actions [Karma] will influence the direction which the process takes [positive and negative &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditioning&lt;/a&gt;], hence influence rebirth. There is no permanent core [soul] which is a store of Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is someone who found the truth of regarding existence and compassionately taught it so being can come out of their misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T15:37:53.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20589" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20587" CreationDate="2017-05-14T15:49:26.240" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not state that 'the Soul is non-existent'. To him this was just one of the two extremes, specifically the extreme of annihalationism (in contrast with the belief in Self, or eternalism). &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccanagotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C5%ABlamadhyamakak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nagarjuna&lt;/a&gt; put it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If intrinsic nature does not exist, &#xA;  of what will there be alteration?&#xA;  If intrinsic nature does exist, of &#xA;  what will there be alteration?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's message was one of the middle ground - neither 'Exists', nor 'does not Exist' are valid constructs for examining experience. In fact, they are inferred concepts that veil a directly perceivable, dependently originated experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T15:49:26.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20590" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-14T16:32:12.833" Score="0" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;Quoted below is from  Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I cry aloud, looking for protection.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And I worship the Lord of the Thunderbolt. When they have seen him, &#xA;  the messengers of death and the other evil beings are frightened and they flee to the four directions.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  I now go terrified to you for refuge—after having neglected your instruction, &#xA;  because of beholding fear. May you quickly extinguish fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the Buddhist explanation of this text?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering the list of excellence such as compassion, wisdom etc. mentioned prior to this text in the form of Bodhisattva, is it right to understand this as a personification of courage? or is it literally worship of the Lord of the Thunderbolt, be it Zeus or Indra, to extinguish fear?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-14T22:42:59.577" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:43:55.460" Title="What does &quot;I worship the Lord of the Thunderbolt&quot; mean, in a translation of Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara?" Tags="|mahayana|tibetan-buddhism|worship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20587" CreationDate="2017-05-14T17:03:00.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Answer to 1st Question:&#xA;Everything has condition. The only thing without condition is Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might want to look at these suttas regarding your questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/035-culasaccaka-sutta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN35 Cullasaccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN38 Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN35 is about a debate between Buddha and Saccaka disciple of Nigantha&#xA;  Nataputta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN38 is about the view of a monk name Sati about his wrong view that a&#xA;  soul is moving from one to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Answer to 2nd Question: Buddha is not a god, Buddha's a human being.&#xA;  Buddha's not a preacher, Buddha's a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened,  consummate in&#xA;  knowledge &amp;amp; conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world,&#xA;  unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,  the Teacher&#xA;  of divine &amp;amp; human beings, awakened, blessed.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding Sect, You might want to read &quot;A concise history of Buddhism by Andrew Skilton&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;hope this helps&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T17:03:00.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20590" CreationDate="2017-05-14T17:12:52.417" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd guess that &quot;thunderbolt&quot; is a translation of &lt;em&gt;vajra&lt;/em&gt;, which is found for example in the term &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajrayana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what the symbolism is, but there's a description of it &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra#In_Vajrayana_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra#Symbolism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; on Wikipedia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-14T17:12:52.417" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20593" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-15T08:41:16.513" Score="3" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the reason? It seems to be to train concentration while avoiding one pointedness?&#xA;Might the lack of one pointedness be counter productive at some point?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11255" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T01:43:23.053" Title="Why does Mahasi Method have the points on the Body to attend to?" Tags="|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20590" CreationDate="2017-05-15T13:43:55.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would think it refers to the author's main Vajrayana teacher. As ChrisW rightly notes: Thunderbolt is a translation of Vajra. the lord The student-teacher relationship is very important in Buddhist tantra and Santideva was an Indian practitioner of Buddhist tantra. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several reasons to think that it refers to his personal teacher:&#xA;1) in tantra one is supposed to see the teacher as one with the highest Buddha &#xA;2) in the text here it says that the author has neglected 'his instructions' - that is, the instructions of the Lord of the Thunderbolt. That makes most sense if it does refer to his personal teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:43:55.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20595" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20548" CreationDate="2017-05-15T13:59:42.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is one thing to be patient. It does NOT mean you have to always be a doormat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words: wisdom over compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't make the mistake of reading 'turn the other cheek' whenever you read the word 'compassion'. That is not how Buddhism works. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good parent knows that for their child to learn, they have to learn boundaries. Similarly, it is not always wise to give into someone else's demands. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can very compassionately tell someone they're wrong, for instance. Or one can give back a toy to child A after child B has taken it from child A. Child B may throw a tantrum, but that doesn't mean the compassionate action is to give the toy to child B. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both your divorce and your diplomacy case are not really about compassion. Compassion is about wisely managing your emotions and actions around injustice and suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A diplomat is in the business of managing the relationship between two countries. They have to wisely handle things in such a way that war is averted, concessions are not made without due policy and so on. Compassion can be a  tool in that case, but it has to be compassion with the citizens of both the countries involved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly in a divorce the main objective should be that both parties and any children end up with a livable situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are examples of extreme sacrifice in Buddhist literature - but they're mostly in the context of karma. As in: 'if you sacrifice greatly now, you will get great reward in a future life!' &#xA;BUT in the context of karma motivation is always key. If you sacrifice with the motivation that it will get you great reward in future, the great reward won't be there, because your motivation was in fact greed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the practical way of dealing with conflicts of interest is simply (not that it is often simple) to do what you think is best for all parties concerned, including yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or to put it different again: be true to yourself and your values. Those values probably include fairness. That way you will be able to live with the results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The opposite of 'turning the other cheek' is 'an eye for an eye' - that also doesn't work very well. Both are extremes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try and find a way of dealing with the other party in a way that is fair, but doesn't escalate things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T13:59:42.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20596" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7691" CreationDate="2017-05-15T14:06:16.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an ancient debate that will not get settled today. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem is that any self we can identify automatically takes on - in our mind's eye - qualities like permanence and continuity. These qualities are false. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand - saying there is no self at all is also clearly false. It was a rare kind of nihilism to fall into in Buddha's day, but in a community like this it's more likely. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyhow: you´ll have to study the various schools of Buddhist philosophy to get a handle on the many ways this question has been answered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may want to start here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://contemporarybuddhism.com/cyclic-existence-emptiness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://contemporarybuddhism.com/cyclic-existence-emptiness/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T14:06:16.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13987" CreationDate="2017-05-15T14:19:39.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference between the geshe degrees is comparable to the grade you get on an exam. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://web.archive.org/web/20161213145244/http://en.tibetculture.net/religion/knowledge/201107/t20110714_1105356.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;TibetCulture.net&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Geshe Lharampa is the highest degree of the Geshe system, equivalent to the doctorate degree in Buddhist studies. The other three lower-level degrees, namely Dorampa, Lingtse and Tsorampa, will also be conferred according to candidates' performance in the dialectical debate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Such a challenge as it is, it usually takes decades for a few distinguished lamas to succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T14:19:39.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20598" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13921" CreationDate="2017-05-15T14:30:05.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In your condition meditation should be taken only with the help of a teacher who knows about your problems. Also, you should stay in touch with your therapist also. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally I would not recommend meditation to someone with regular psychoses. I would recommend more physical practices instead - crafting, making furniture, working in a community garden etc. Perhaps Tai Chi, aikido, boxing...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While meditation can have tremendous positive effects, it can also mess with your system pretty badly. Making sure you stay 'grounded' is going to be harder for you than for the average practitioner. So if you are going to meditate - proceed with caution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Start VERY small. Say a minute a day for a month or so. Then two minutes for a month etc. Monitor the effects very carefully, with the help of a teacher. Feeling good is great, but it is not automatically a good sign. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T14:30:05.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20593" CreationDate="2017-05-15T14:35:06.463" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Any type of meditation that is worth the name will increase concentration in a beginner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The body is a good first object of vipassana meditation because it is inescapable and we identify with it so strongly, so automatically all kinds of thoughts also get faced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-16T01:43:23.053" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T01:43:23.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19777" CreationDate="2017-05-15T14:46:53.630" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm familiar with visualization meditation, in the context of Tibetan Buddhist meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those specific meditations were good for my mood as well as a training in concentration. For me it was a very useful start into meditation, though I have stopped doing it for now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's a mistake to avoid something you're good at, just because you heard that the Buddha is against mental fabrication. I have studied Buddhism quite extensively (though not exhaustively) and I have not heard that one before. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a Buddhist truth that thoughts can be misleading, but that should not stop you from thinking. It is merely a useful hint that not all your thoughts are true. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One difference between fantasy and visualization is that in visualization you take control of your mental processes and visualize what YOU want to visualize (or what the instruction is). &#xA;Fantasies are basically day-dreams: you let your mind go where it will. Observing those thoughts can also be meditation - but then it becomes mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes it meditation is that it is deliberate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you are doing visualization meditation - you focus on (in two steps)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;making the image clear &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;concentrating on that image.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're doing mindfulness meditation, you will simply note you are fantasizing when you are in fact fantasizing. The noting itself will take you out of the fantasy for a bit, by the way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also Buddhist analytical meditation: it means analyzing a Buddhist truth from all sides. It does go back all the way to the Buddha. And if that is a good thing, then surely ordinary analysis ought to be OK too. It falls under the heading of seeking wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More about Buddhist meditation: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/thought.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/thought.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="11330" LastEditDate="2017-05-15T17:36:20.270" LastActivityDate="2017-05-15T17:36:20.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20601" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-15T20:13:20.800" Score="2" ViewCount="536" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know why swastika is reverse in both the religion and what is the meaning of each sign?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Someone within this forum said below lines on which I want to know what you people have to say on it and I want to know what's right.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Buddhism drawing right hand side swastika 卍 (Good, positive, solar aspects, movement clockwise 'with' the currents of Nature) means non-violence, peace.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In Hinduism drawing left hand side swastika 卐 (Evil, negative, lunar aspects, movement counter-clockwise 'against' the currents of Nature) means violence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please enlighten me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T01:01:36.783" Title="Why is swastika in buddhism is in this 卍 format and not in this 卐 format? What is the difference between the two? What is the meaning of each sign?" Tags="|theravada|texts|tibetan-buddhism|hinduism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20602" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-15T21:32:52.053" Score="-1" ViewCount="204" Body="&lt;p&gt;When does an ideology become a religion rather than just philosophy (which is just a way of living)? Does each has any specific definition? or it depends upon person to person perception?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6925" LastEditorDisplayName="user24442" LastEditDate="2022-12-16T09:41:20.027" LastActivityDate="2022-12-16T09:41:20.027" Title="When is an ideology a religion and not just philosophy, or a way of living?" Tags="|theravada|tibetan-buddhism|hinduism|jainism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20602" CreationDate="2017-05-16T00:27:25.617" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not ideology, not religion, not philosophy and not even a way of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, Buddhism is a methodology that ends suffering &amp;amp; problems.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 29&lt;/a&gt;, while Buddhism is described as the '&lt;em&gt;holy way of life&lt;/em&gt;', it is made clear this way of life has one goal &amp;amp; purpose, namely, '&lt;em&gt;the unshakeable freedom of mind&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a methodology becomes ideology, religion &amp;amp;/or philosophy when it is not practised and therefore the results of its practise are not understood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, it becomes ideology, religion &amp;amp;/or philosophy when it starts to emphasise ideas such as reincarnation, which serve certain mutual worldly interests of monks &amp;amp; laypeople. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-16T00:33:21.847" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T00:33:21.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20606" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20601" CreationDate="2017-05-16T00:54:39.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains the &lt;em&gt;dependent origination&lt;/em&gt; of suffering, which is the 'wrong path' (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.3&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, 'dependent cessation' is called the 'right path' (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.3&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination is often pictorially depicted as spinning clockwise, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nHlWu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/nHlWu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/liztd.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/liztd.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The clockwise direction is the direction of 'origination' or 'creation'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theistic religions, such as Judaism, Islam &amp;amp; Hinduism worship creation, therefore it is expected they would worship a clockwise swastika. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as Buddhism honors cessation rather than creation, i.e., turning back creation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-16T01:01:36.783" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T01:01:36.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20607" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20593" CreationDate="2017-05-16T01:15:14.290" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The goal of the Mahasi method is '&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;', namely, seeing the arising &amp;amp; passing of phenomena. Therefore, beginners watch the rising &amp;amp; falling of the breath at the abdomen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often &lt;em&gt;unskilled&lt;/em&gt; meditators force or suppress the mind when trying to practise Anapanasati (awareness of breathing), which results in a 'wrong one-pointedness', which blinds the mind &amp;amp; makes the mind sleepy &amp;amp; foggy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Genuine or right one-pointedness occurs in jhana, which only meditators skilled in &lt;em&gt;letting-go&lt;/em&gt; can genuinely reach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhana cannot be reached by suppression or force, even though many Buddhists claim it can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such Buddhists are over-estimating their meditation because a suppressed/forced mind can generate calm &amp;amp; rapture but such momentary rapture is not the true rapture of true jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Mahasi method aims for beginners to keep the mind 'open &amp;amp; awake' rather than 'suppressed, sleepy &amp;amp; foggy', which more closely represents the path taught by the Buddha.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, it is forced/wrong 'one-pointedness' that is counter productive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-16T01:21:14.290" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T01:21:14.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20609" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-16T09:38:25.767" Score="4" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am curious about how to think about the &lt;em&gt;four immeasurable minds&lt;/em&gt; in a practical way, please help me make sense of them (see detailed question below)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the book &lt;em&gt;Teachings on Love&lt;/em&gt; by Thich Nhat Hanh he translates &lt;em&gt;Mudita&lt;/em&gt; as Joy rather than &lt;em&gt;Sympathetic Joy&lt;/em&gt; and explains that while other commentators have translated as &lt;em&gt;Sympathetic Joy&lt;/em&gt; he prefers &lt;em&gt;Joy&lt;/em&gt; because &quot;Joy is for everyone&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This got me thinking that it may be practical to see two sides of the immeasurables (another example would be self-compassion)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;My thinking so far&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is how i like to think of the four immeasurables&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self-love&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Loving kindness towards others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Self-compassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Compassion for others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudita:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sympathetic joy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upeksha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Peace/Equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-discrimination - between self and others, between good and bad&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way of thinking about them splits each of the first (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;) three into two parts, one for one-self and one for everyone else&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism we don't want to make a harsh distinction between self and others but from a practical point of view this can (for example) help us to remember to have self-compassion. One downside is that there is a larger risk of not seeing our suffering as the suffering of others and the suffering of others as our own&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last (upeksha) i have divided into two parts where the first is inner peace for oneself and the other is non-discrimination&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h3&gt;Question&lt;/h3&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this (above) a practical way to think about the four immeasurables? (Practical in the sense of getting closer to living in line with them). &lt;strong&gt;Are there other ways to think about them that you can recommend and that can help us achieve living with them on a daily basis?&lt;/strong&gt; (Please provide references to books or other materials if you can)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Grateful for help and with kind regards,&#xA;Tord&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4836" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T04:29:23.493" Title="How to think about the four immeasurable minds?" Tags="|compassion|loving-kindness|equanimity|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20611" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-16T18:38:03.047" Score="3" ViewCount="871" Body="&lt;p&gt;After finishing a mahasi retreat and asking a second teacher told me that everyone is going through the nanas always&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can people here explain on this issue please ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it mean everyone is advancing on the path.?  Or its just helpful in case you are aware of the nanas meaning you are mindful to them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance this issue just got me very confused .. So any clarification is helpful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-05-17T09:40:07.030" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T03:25:06.943" Title="cycling through the 16 nanas all day?" Tags="|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20612" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-16T19:59:39.270" Score="1" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;The knowledges(nanas) start at realizing mind and body. After the last knowledge, the practitioner goes back to realizing mind and body again?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that correct? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between the first time realizing mind and body and the second time realizing mind and body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-05-16T20:04:45.353" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T15:54:42.260" Title="How is it that we cycle through the nanas?" Tags="|practice|visuddhimagga|nana|mahasi|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20612" CreationDate="2017-05-16T21:34:39.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is called the right knowledge and the right release.&#xA;By following the Noble Eightfold Path the practitioner continually gains the knowledge and release on many levels. There are mainly four levels. (Sotapanna etc) But there are many intermediate levels hence it is called gradual training.&#xA;Arahant is the final fruit of right knowledge and right release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-16T21:34:39.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20609" CreationDate="2017-05-17T00:30:09.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe you find it helpful, but I'm not sure it's appropriate:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because you don't want to be, especially, thinking about yourself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Because you might tend to have more than enough self-love anyway, without trying to develop more&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider compassion, for example. Would you burn your hand? No, because it would hurt. Would you burn someone else's hand? No, because it would hurt. It's the same hurt and so the same compassion, the same reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I read that part of the point of the Brahmaviharas is in a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;social situation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they're for &quot;situations arising from social contact&quot; maybe they're not applicable when you're alone; and if they are applicable to you, then apply them in the same way that you'd apply them to anyone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The metta-bhavana practice (i.e. thinking of someone dear to you, then of someone who is less dear) is I think trying to develop metta (the same metta) towards all: so I see no benefit, see it as counter-productive, to create/view/distinguish two categories of metta, one for yourself and another for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't want to say that yours is a bad suggestion, I only don't see how to apply it. Maybe your suggestion is especially appropriate when you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; alone and not with other people, to &quot;help us to remember to have self-compassion&quot; as you said. But maybe it's more beneficial to not hold a view-of-self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T00:30:09.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20609" CreationDate="2017-05-17T00:59:32.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Say you are an American. (as I do not know your nationality)&#xA;Now imagine that there is only this earth without any boarders. (no countries but one world)&#xA;Now imagine we all help and look after each other as one human from earth. We do not have wars between countries. (because there is only one world)&#xA;Now you expand this concept to whole world without any discrimination and extend your love and compassion to all (animal,human, Deva or even the beings in lower worlds)&#xA;That is how I see the immeasurable mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T00:59:32.237" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20616" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-17T01:21:18.530" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Women bear many sorrowful feelings all of their lives. So how can they escape those lives and be men?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, men bear sorrowful feelings too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe they don't show their sorrow often. I think their sorrowful feelings are often related to their relationships with women and other men.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So men too may want to escape those lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I read the suttas, I see little difference between men and women: merely some difference in their roles in lay society (within marriage). I think the same message (of Buddhism) might be of use to men and women. Liberation may come from studying, understanding, practicing the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of Buddhist doctrine is that having and accepting views-of-self, any views-of-self, results in sorrow. I think that &quot;views-of-self&quot; includes views like &quot;I exist&quot;, &quot;I am a woman&quot;, &quot;I am a man&quot;, &quot;I am of such-and-such an age, or family&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also teaches that sorrows arise from cravings (I think that 'craving to be a man' might be a kind of craving).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the Buddhist path is open to all (though I realize that recently the existence or lineage of Theravada nuns has been controversial in some countries).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mention &quot;the woman soul&quot; frequently, but I'm not sure there is such a thing. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sabba sutta&lt;/a&gt; for example describes the six senses; I doubt that a sense (the 'eye' for example) is male or female.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T01:21:18.530" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9422" CreationDate="2017-05-17T01:54:44.853" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kalapas are sub atomic particles. Gautama the Buddha when sitting at the age of 35 under a bodi tree, sat in the ultimate adithaana meditation. He sharpened his awareness to the extent that he tore apart and experienced an atom and its particles. What he also experienced is the impermanence of these particles as in they were arriving and passing away. He also experienced these as vibrations or wavelets. This revealed the impermanence of matter or the universal law of the atomic universe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These can be reconciled with science as the disappearance of particles during a phenomenon called tunnelling where a particle disappears and appears somewhere else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;96% of the universe is non atomic. Also called dark energy or dark matter. 99.99% of the remaining 4% of the atomic universe contains interparticle space. The space between say elections and nucleus. And space between proton and neutrons as they move around. Thus the rest is particles and sub particles or quarks. These are also impermanent. They disappear when not observed or not interacting with other particles. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;THUS THE UNIVERSE IS MADE UP OF...,,NOTHING. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last bit is being considered as scientific fact apparently. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Watch here &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/WMhJgdpj1d0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/WMhJgdpj1d0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11350" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T01:54:44.853" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20609" CreationDate="2017-05-17T03:08:41.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It was interesting to note Thich Nhat Hanh’s take on the word &lt;strong&gt;MUDITA&lt;/strong&gt;. Now you have given further interpretation to the Satara Brahma Vihara: Metta (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Muditha (altruistic joy) and Upeksha (equanimity).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this reply I will give another third interpretation to the Satara Brahma Vihara, that will help you gain immeasurable results from these, yet making it practical and within reach to those who would put it to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An interesting point that we should be mindful about is the fact that those beings in the Brahma worlds have perfected the four Brahmavihara: metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha. They don’t have a trace of hateful thoughts, yet they never developed the ultimate wisdom, or panna. They have ignorance (moha), and thus will one day be reborn in the four lower realms, (unless they attain Sotapanna stage before that). Whereas we in the Dhamma Path have but one goal of walking in this Noble Eightfold Path. Only this Path will lead to Nibbana where one purifies the mind of all defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The loving kindness meditation (metta bhavana) that you and I have been practicing give a meaning like this: “May myself and all beings be free of suffering, healthy, happy, and be free of all suffering”. Contemplating this way helps make your own mind to calm down, and makes you think about the welfare of the other beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we could truly feel the possible suffering of the countless being out there [beings in the lowest four realms (apayas)], this very meditation gives a much more deeper meaning.  Even the beings in the higher realms can end up in the apayas (lowest four realms) unless the Sotapanna stage is reached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A disciple attains the Sotapanna (stream entrant) stage of Nibbana with the understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta. At the Sakadagami stage one becomes free of all physical ailments and diseases and will only be born in the heavens. At the Anagami stage, one removes more akusala citta becomes permanently free of any physical suffering. With this understanding when in metta meditation you say “be healthy”, it takes a added deeper meaning. By that what you would mean is to not be born ever with a body that is subject to diseases and old age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All four of the Brahma vihara (metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha) can be cultivated simultaneously if you contemplate on this deeper level. That is to reflect thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“May myself and all living beings attain the Stream Entrant stage and be free from suffering in the four lower realms forever”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Once Returner stage and be healthy forever”.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Non Returner stage and attain peaceful happiness forever”.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Arahant stage and be free from all suffering and attain the full Nibbanic bliss”.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important is not how you say it, but what you feel within your heart. To be in oneness with such thoughts you need to understand anicca, dukkha, anatta in its truest sense. A niramisa sukha starts to set in if you keep practicing this way.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T03:08:41.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20619" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20612" CreationDate="2017-05-17T03:40:03.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word “gnana” is the very opposite on “Vinnana”. “Gnana” is Wisdom. In cultivating “gnana”, one’s avijja is reduced. Then what  naturally accompanies or follows is the reduction of certain types of vinnana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A type of gnana that one develops through the understanding of Tilakkhana is “anulöma gnana”.  When one comprehends anicca, dukkha, anatta to the extent that one gets to ‘see’ this Tilakkhana, one is said to have the “anulöma nana”.  This gnana helps in the removal of craving for worldly things to some extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A special knowledge that one gains of the workings of Pali language is “patisambidha gnana”. This is the awareness of the Syntax in the Pali language. It is the understanding of the arrangement of words and phrases to create new words. Unlike the English language, the meaning of the Pali word changes, in the way it gets used. A Pali word can have more than one meaning. A Pali word can have a conventional meaning and a deeper meaning. One who gains “patisambidha gnana” sees the deeper meaning of key words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another gnana that one could gain is “udayabbaya gnana”. When one develops this gnana, one can see the causes that need to be eliminated to overcome otherwise inevitable future suffering. S/he then learns of the factors relating to all knowledge about the arising and destruction of anything in this world. S/he also gains the knowledge on how to stop anything from arising in this world. This is the ‘nirodha’ aspect of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T03:40:03.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20609" CreationDate="2017-05-17T04:29:23.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;All life is interdependent. Therefore the happiness of one individual depends upon that of others. The Buddha taught the Four Immeasurables -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;loving-kindness,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;compassion,&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;appreciative joy and equanimity - in order to remove ill will,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cruelty,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;jealousy,&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;clinging and aversion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, the Four Immeasurables are extended to all sentient beings. Through cultivating the Four Immeasurables, people can achieve happiness now and in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11351" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T04:29:23.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8337" CreationDate="2017-05-17T07:52:07.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will not repeat the very clear theoretical background that Lanka has put forward. It describes very well how human capability for compassion fits into buddhism. It doesn't say, I believe, that all human beings have this capacity, merely how such capacity works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not everybody is born with a similarly strong mind. And not everybody has had the opportunity to practice. Perhaps some will have such adverse circumstances, or such a weak mind that the chance that they will ever feel compassion is very small. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think could then consider that such a human being doesn't have the capacity for compassion, without disagreeing with buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seeing it this way might inspire compassion and understanding in yourself, perhaps more so than considering that someone has the capability, but is not using it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11352" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T07:52:07.127" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20623" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20612" CreationDate="2017-05-17T09:49:34.020" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;&amp;gt; One thing: you have to walk, and create the way by your walking; you&#xA;&amp;gt; will not find a ready-made path. It is not so cheap, to reach to the&#xA;&amp;gt; ultimate realization of truth. You will have to create the path by&#xA;&amp;gt; walking yourself; the path is not ready-made, lying there and waiting&#xA;&amp;gt; for you. It is just like the sky: the birds fly, but they don't leave&#xA;&amp;gt; any footprints. You cannot follow them; there are no footprints left&#xA;&amp;gt; behind.&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;**&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11351" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T09:49:34.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20587" CreationDate="2017-05-17T10:45:03.923" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism rejects the concept of soul (soul is viewed as an extension of the identity - oneself). Most people find it difficult to comprehend as people are used to think in terms of tangible, or countable items/concepts. This is why most people have trouble in understanding what karma is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is sometimes referred to as 'Kamma wega' which is a form of thinking that is much easier to understand. Simply put, your thoughts/actions translates to karma. If you take a Newton's Pendulum, provide energy to one end, the rest of the pendulums will transfer energy to the next. But there is no physical transformation apart from the energy. In a similar manner, what you do, will create karma which would determine your next life (and events in this as well). Your thoughts/actions translate into karma, which has the capability of affecting you in this life and many others to come.  This is how the world works, be it you belief or not. This is a universal law to all beings in all 31 planes of existence. This is an endless cycle. Which means that you cannot ever complete the process. That is why Buddhism urges to break the cycle rather than trying to complete it.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cbpdN.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cbpdN.gif&quot; alt=&quot;Newton&amp;#39;s Pendulum&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Budhdha is not a god. He is a man. A human being who has achieved the ultimate mental state anyone can achieve, without the help of any master. That is why he is known Samma Sambudhdha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11278" LastEditorUserId="11278" LastEditDate="2017-05-17T13:11:21.663" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T13:11:21.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20587" CreationDate="2017-05-17T13:01:15.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your doubting just Buddhism in the 2nd part of the question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism and The Buddha's teaching aren't necessarily the same thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It Isn't the Buddha's fault that there was a schism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I were you I would look to the Buddha's actual core teachings for verification. He repeated these core teachings over and over  again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These core teachings are solid and beautiful the way they are fashioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the concepts fit together in a simple, clear, graceful, wise, subtle and serious way imho. When one see's this grace of the Dhamma, it's hard to doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T13:01:15.330" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20626" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20611" CreationDate="2017-05-17T15:40:01.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please refer to www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html&#xA;If the meditation master is able to teach detail, one will be able to know which stage of nana is. If a person not yet attain enlightenment i.e. not yet got through all nana stages, he/she has to begin from the first nana stage and step by step going up to higher nana stage depending on individual sila and Samadhi. If one once got enlightened i.e., passed through all 16 nana stages, then next time meditation, begin from knowledge of arising and passing stage. If not trained and taught detail like that it cannot be easily distinguishable. But the most important thing is just to put much effort in meditation with sila and Samadhi, just like try to make fire by rubbing the two sticks or stone. Dhamma will show its characteristics in time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T15:40:01.910" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20612" CreationDate="2017-05-17T15:54:42.260" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once got the knowledge of review, there is reflection on realizing mind and body but this time is not the same as one underwent in the very beginning. Clearer and vivid as it is. Once attain enlightenment i.e, got through all 16 stages of nana thoroughly preferably fully guided by the well-learned meditation master how to recognize the changes of nana, next time meditation will begin with knowledge of arising and passing away and then going step by step upward. Please refer to insight meditation practice by mahasi sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T15:54:42.260" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20628" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20698" CreationDate="2017-05-17T17:44:50.350" Score="4" ViewCount="651" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are multiple question related to this already asked, but none of the response or question address as to why children are presented in Buddhist text as inessential, such as these:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;… That is not a strong fetter, the wise say, which is made of iron,&#xA;  wood or hemp. But the infatuation and longing for jewels and&#xA;  ornaments, children and wives — that, they say, is a far stronger&#xA;  fetter, which pulls one downward and, though seemingly loose, is hard&#xA;  to remove…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;again&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;… Ten children I bore from this physical heap. Then weak from that,&#xA;  aged, I went to a nun. She taught me the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and again  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…. Those with children    grieve because of their children. Those with&#xA;  cattle grieve because of their cows. A person's grief comes from&#xA;  acquisitions, since a person with no acquisitions doesn't grieve…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;again What the Buddha said to Visakha when she express her wish to have as many children &amp;amp; grandchildren. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“those who have a hundred dear ones have a hundred sufferings”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and many more can be listed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With such representation, how do lay Buddhists reconcile have children ask skillful? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorDisplayName="user10552" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T09:36:39.093" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T12:46:29.670" Title="Why are children represented as inessential in some Buddhist text?" Tags="|right-livelihood|right-intention|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20630" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-17T20:45:38.777" Score="8" ViewCount="987" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's the difference? I'm having difficulty thinking of any real neutral feelings I actually experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, there's eating a food that is perceived as pleasant, and eating a food that is perceived as unpleasant. If your senses were unguarded, you would then experience respectively a pleasant or unpleasant feeling. But, when I eat something that is bland or that could not be considered pleasant or unpleasant, then even thinking back to when I didn't remain mindful and guarded, I can't remember ever feeling neutral about it. I didn't feel &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt; about it. I just ate it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it simply a matter of how I'm using and understanding the word &quot;feeling&quot; itself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: It seems what I was getting hung up on was simply a translation/language/connotations issue.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; page explains that it's somewhat different from the common way the word feeling is often used in English. Thank you for your responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11356" LastEditorUserId="11356" LastEditDate="2017-05-18T06:58:14.973" LastActivityDate="2021-08-09T14:31:28.537" Title="Neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling vs not feeling" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20631" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20349" CreationDate="2017-05-17T21:09:18.293" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a lucid, readable commentary on emptiness, take a look at Guy Newland's Introduction to Emptiness.  Therein you will find a clarification of the difference between nothingness and dependent origination, which is another way of referring to emptiness. Jay Garfield's The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way is an exceptional work and most germane when the question of sunyata arises. Another comprehensive tome on the subject is Jeffrey Hopkins' Meditation on Emptiness.  Any one of these presentations will address your question as to the origin of illusion like everyday phenomena. On the topic of energy, it is humbling to recall Richard Feynman's remark, that &quot;it is important in physics today to realize that we have no knowledge of what energy is&quot;. - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Energy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Energy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11347" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T21:09:18.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20628" CreationDate="2017-05-17T22:47:07.930" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having children is the opposite of enlightenment, as quoted in the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, for those who cannot overcome sensuality &amp;amp; cannot find happiness in meditation, having children can be skilful because the lives of parents are (naturally &amp;amp; generally) devoted to family, unselfishness &amp;amp; virtues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both men &amp;amp; women, but particularly women, find purpose &amp;amp; completion in having children. This is the natural way of nature. The Pali suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/a&gt;) state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;em&gt;having children is the &lt;strong&gt;mainstay&lt;/strong&gt; (security) of women&lt;/em&gt;.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas enlightenment is not the way of nature but something that transcends nature, i.e., '&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;' ('beyond/above the world'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-17T22:58:05.940" LastActivityDate="2017-05-17T22:58:05.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20630" CreationDate="2017-05-17T23:07:39.167" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Feeling occurs with sense impression, which later generates craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A pleasant feeling generates a craving, such as love, lust &amp;amp; greed, which wants to 'pull in' or acquire a sense object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An unpleasant feeling generates a craving, such as irritation, hatred &amp;amp; anger, which wants to 'push away' or destroy a sense object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A '&lt;strong&gt;vague&lt;/strong&gt;' neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling can generate a craving, such as confusion, delusion &amp;amp; ignorance (not-knowing), which 'circles around' or does not understand a sense object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling, such as of &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;, can still give rise to ignorance when the true nature of the sense impression &amp;amp; sense object is not comprehended; such as when a person is '&lt;em&gt;spaced-out&lt;/em&gt;', like a zombie; or has '&lt;em&gt;oneness&lt;/em&gt;' in concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an explanation, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn148&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 148&lt;/a&gt; states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When one is touched by a &lt;strong&gt;neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling&lt;/strong&gt;, if one does not understand as it actually is the origination, the&#xA;  disappearance, the gratification, the danger and the escape in regard&#xA;  to that feeling, then the underlying &lt;strong&gt;tendency to ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; lies within&#xA;  one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering...&#xA;  without extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to&#xA;  neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, without abandoning ignorance and&#xA;  arousing true knowledge — this is impossible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the three types of feeling result in the respective three types of cravings of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pulling in&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pushing away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Circling around or spaced-out. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, imagine a sense impression where the mind feels impacted but in &lt;em&gt;strange&lt;/em&gt; way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you see a person walking upside-down on the ceiling of a house. The feeling here is very strong; the mind is strongly impacted by the sense experience; but the feeling here is not pleasant; not unpleasant; but &lt;em&gt;strange&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;uncertain&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;wonderment&lt;/em&gt;; &lt;em&gt;vague&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2JELc.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/2JELc.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/oopzc.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/oopzc.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-24T03:22:10.880" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T03:22:10.880" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2792" CreationDate="2017-05-18T02:58:55.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Usually the Bodhisattvas who vows to be born back to Earth to guild others will do so with the means appropriate to the culture, time and age.  In this age of Dharma descend, they would not display enlightenment or supernatural powers, but instead would display mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha and recitation of His name.  They would show signs that they obtain rebirth to Pureland.  And they will never reveal their true identity.  Master Chin King often said if the Buddha or Bodhisattva identity is revealed they would immediately depart from this world.&#xA;Namo Amita Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11358" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T02:58:55.640" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20635" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-18T03:35:45.283" Score="1" ViewCount="968" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do Buddhists pray to Buddhas in temples? I heard that Sakyamuni didn't approve of that and even criticized Bodhisattva for telling other people that he can help them with things that only God can help with. Sakyamuni considered himself and Bodhisattva as ordinary human beings without any divine abilities. Is that true? Is there any reference or source which confirms this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11359" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T15:27:58.393" Title="Why do people pray to Buddhas?" Tags="|bodhisattva|god|worship|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20636" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-18T03:52:43.400" Score="-1" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can it be proper for a meditator who does not yet see reality as it is...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...to judge other people so easily?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is so much potential for subtle misuse of power, I mean I know I would be corrupted if it were me. Not grossly corrupted(hopefully) but subtly corrupted because I am unaware of my subtle transgressions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though I do say this out of ego I would hope that I am also saying it out of compassion for our admins. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not trying to argue as I was hoping we might agree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the admins think this causes too much fuss or arguing then the admins can react and censor this inquiry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My point is that we need admins, but a practicing admin, that seems like a contradiction but that is just my opinion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is appropriate for a practitioner to behave like some kind of police officer then please enlighten me on the reasons it is appropriate...   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...or just take the easy way out and censor this  question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-05-18T03:58:20.983" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T00:32:13.133" Title="Meditators should judge other people?" Tags="|defilements|rules|justice|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20635" CreationDate="2017-05-18T04:36:33.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Something had to have created all? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What created all? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God is all? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who created God? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;God can't be created? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, nothing had to create all...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...and therefore God doesn't have to exist , right? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just sayin friend, really I have know idea what I'm talking about... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...but I say these things not as an answer but as words to be pondered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least that was my aim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhist praying?:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhists will kinda pray but it is more like a wish that beings have wellbeing and aren't suffering.&#xA;It's not at all praying to the Buddha(or it's not supposed to be). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's paying homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha or homage is payed to the Buddha by himself with a Buddharupa or Buddha Image.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should be mindful that the statue is not the Buddha and is merely an aid to recollection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-05-18T05:04:23.213" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T05:04:23.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20630" CreationDate="2017-05-18T06:58:50.767" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a classic dilemma for almost every new practitioner of Buddhism. The question goes into so much depth and even lead to Nibbana if studied in proper detail. Apologies for the long answer, but there is no shorter way of explaining this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First things first, everyone feels through their senses. &lt;em&gt;Even the Arahath feels.&lt;/em&gt; Otherwise, we would be able to attain Nibbana, by severing the nervous connections. What matters to the Buddhist is not what you feel through the senses; rather, what value you assign for that sensation. Unless you are aware of the process of your mind assigning values to sensations Moha (inability to see things as they are) tricks you to either hold onto that sensation (Lobha) and form attachments or to desist that sensation (Dwesha) and form hatred/dislike towards it. Simply put, we translate the actual sensations into a totally different set of values in our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wait a minute, those values help me survive. So how can they be bad?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Of cause, some of them will help your survival. As an example moving away from dangerous situation. So, obtaining sensory data is important. But forming attachments and pursuing them or forming hatred and dislike and trying to rid them is the path to generating both 'Sansara' habits (habits that could perpetuate from this life and next) as well as Karma. In Buddhism, all forms of likes and dislikes are attachments. You form attachment to some sensation by liking it, or disliking it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not all attachments are bad!&lt;/em&gt; If these attachments help you stop the cycle of birth and death, it will bring you positive results. In fact you need such attachments to obtain Nibbana. Be warned, there is a fine line here. At some point in the path to Nibbana you have to sever these attachments. Huh? Yes even the ones which help you attain Nibbana. This is why Budhdha taught us to take Dhamma as a vessel to cross the treacherous river of Sansara, and leave the vessel at the banks rather than carrying it along.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, how can I distinguish between good attachments and bad?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Simple, if that attachment help you to attain Nibbana, help you to understand Dhamma that is a good attachment. A productive attachment. If the attachment blocks your path to Nibbana, that is a bad attachment. Be warned, we can easily fool ourselves in to classifying even the most notorious actions under this category. Again, a fine line to walk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So everything is centered around Nibbana?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Yes it is, for a Buddhist. As Buddhists the ultimate freedom from all forms of suffering is Nibbana. Buddhism teaches us that Sansara is a treacherous cycle of endless birth and death, in different forms and planes. As long as there is YOU (one capable of suffering) there will be suffering. Suffering is the way of the world. No one can escape and no one can finish suffering, through the act of suffering. The only way to stop suffering is to remove the sufferer. That is Nibbana, which makes it the most important thing to achieve. It is the solution to ALL your problems!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is it bad to assign values to a feeling?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;The process of assigning value to feelings is the primary reason for all beings to be slaves of Moha. Moha means the inability to see things as they are.&#xA;Lets take an example: Say your partner brings you a piece of cake. And tell you 'I made this specially for you'. You eat the piece of cake and it tastes wonderful. Halfway through, you find lots of dead insects in the cake and get to know that it is from a bakery with some questionable hygiene. If you take the next bite from the cake would it taste as good as before? Would you eat it at all? what changed between learning about the piece of cake, before and after? did the cake change? or your mind?&#xA;This is how Moha plays tricks on you. The piece of cake has a taste, a smell and a form. But what you perceive is not the reality because Moha had tricked you. That's why the initial bites before learning more information about it tasted better. You were tricked by Moha into forming Lobha or likeness. Because of that, you feel the form, smell, taste much more than the reality.&#xA;Once you learn more information about the cake, Moha tricks you again, by forming Dwesha/dislike towards the cake. You feel betrayed and angry and the cake tastes terrible and you simply don't want to eat it anymore. If we plot the events on a crude graph:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/PXVy2.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/PXVy2.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything above and below the dotted line which depict the actual taste, smell, feel of the cake are the effect of Moha. When Moha is not operating (at Arahath state) you would be able to feel the true taste of the cake. Nothing more, nothing less. Just the actual. This is why Arhath state is known as 'the awakened state'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does this mean most of the time we are perceiving more than we actually feel?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Yes of cause. Until one is Arhath, they will be a slave to Moha, which means they don't see the world as it is. They see their own perception of the world as interpreted through assigned values. This is the main reason for the endless wandering in Sansara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So how can I guard myself against it?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Stop trying not to feel. That won't work. Try to see the reality of things through understanding of Dhamma. Being mindful and perceiving your thoughts is key. When you see the reality, as &lt;em&gt;an effect of your effort to see things without any bias (without the effects of Moha)&lt;/em&gt;, you will form less and less attachments, ultimately none - Arhath.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT:&#xA;As a person who did not study Buddhism in English, my terminology could be different. So, I have put down some explanations on how certain terms should be taken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Feeling - What is felt by your senses&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Value assignment - Based on our habits and biases, and based on what we uphold as 'good for us', we constantly assign values to what we feel. Our actions are governed by the values we assign. If we take for an example; you have tickets to a musical show and on the same day at the same time you can attend a Dhamma discussion. You have to choose one from the other. Your choice of selection depends on how much you value each experience. (A simile to this is popular among native Americans: &amp;quot;There are two wolves in each person in constant battle. One is good; one is bad. Which one would win the battle?&amp;quot; - The answer is 'the one you feed the most'). Similarly the feelings you pursue define your actions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11278" LastEditorUserId="11278" LastEditDate="2021-08-09T04:56:38.720" LastActivityDate="2021-08-09T04:56:38.720" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20641" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20567" CreationDate="2017-05-18T13:04:43.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only Budhdha who could realize your hurdles in attaining Nibbana could give you the precise Kamatthana at once. &#xA;The next best option is to meet a Bhikku who is skilled in &lt;strong&gt;helping you realize&lt;/strong&gt; the best Kammatthana for you. This is a trial and error process and you are known to the Bhikku (also known as Kammatthanachari - teacher of Kammatthana), (knows your way of thinking, values, and personal traits, character) it would definitely be helpful in narrowing down the best Kammatthana. The process usually involves:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Request for a Kammatthana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kammatthanachari Bhikku studies your traits and makes a guess of a suitable Kammatthana for you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you practice the Kammatthana for a while and reports back to your Kammatthanaachaari Bhikku on your progress/difficulties.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Alteration of the Kammatthana if required.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Repeat steps 3 to 5 until you have found the Kammatthana which is best for you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are skilled Kammatthanaachaari Bhikkus who can help you reduce the the repetition cycles, provided you are being honest in providing the initial information about you and your progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11278" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T13:04:43.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20635" CreationDate="2017-05-18T13:30:11.893" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists don't praying Buddha. Not reciting chants as devotee does for other gods. &#xA;We just ignite candle which is symbol of enlightenment and we just pay homage to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha those are Three Jewels.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Faith in Buddhism centres on belief in the Three Jewels.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I take refuge in the Buddha.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      I take refuge in the Dharma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      I take refuge in the Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist don't believe in god and Buddha never said anything about god.&#xA;So he criticized because of distracting people which Buddha never mentioned this in his techniques or what people supposed him as (that god is exist and can help someone with something) so he wasn't god just ordinary human being like us.&#xA;But he enlightened one and became Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There's Buddha delivered discourse Jewels  in Ratana Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ratana Sutta&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*&lt;i&gt;RATANA SUTTA&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The Buddha’s Discourse on&lt;br&gt;&#xA;The Three Superb Jewels&lt;br&gt;&#xA;And Their Intrinsic Power &lt;/i&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With an &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books11/Bhikkhu_Nyanadassana_Ratana-Sutta-The-Three-Superb-Jewels.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction, Translation,  and&lt;br&gt;&#xA; Explanations Based on Pali Sources by&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Bhikkhu Nanadassana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.Yànãdha bhåtàni samàgatàni,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Bhummàni và yàni va antalikkhe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sabbe'va bhåtà sumanà bhavantu,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Atho' pi sakkacca suõantu bhàsitaŋ.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1.Whatever beings are here assembled,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whether terrestrial or celestial,&#xA;  May all beings be glad.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Moreover,may they attentively&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Listen to what is said:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.Tasmà hi bhåtà nisàmetha sabbe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Metta ŋkarotha mànusiyà pajàya,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Divà ca ratto ca haranti ye baliŋ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tasmà hi ne rakkhatha appamattà.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2.Therefore, pay heed all you beings,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Show your friendliness to humankind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who day and night bring you offerings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Hence, protect them diligently.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.Yaŋ ki¤ci vittaŋ idha và huraŋ và&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Saggesu và yaŋ ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Na no samaŋ atthi Tathàgatena.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Buddhe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Suvatthi&lt;/strong&gt;(su-&quot;good, well&quot;+atthi&quot;to be, being&quot;) = &lt;strong&gt;well-being&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;:good  health  or  fortune.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Or  as  the  Commentary  ex-plains: arogatā (healthiness), &#xA;nirupaddavatā (no  danger, safety).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3.Whatever treasure there is here or beyond,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Or whatever superb jewel is in the heavens,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  None is equal to the Tathàgata (the Buddha).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Buddha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.Khayaŋ viràgaŋ amataŋ paõãtaŋ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Yadajjhagà Sakyamunã samàhito&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Na tena Dhammena samatthi ki¤ci.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Dhamme ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4.There is nothing equal to that Dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Of the superb Extinction (of defilements),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Dispassion, and Deathlessness (Nibbàna),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Which the concentrated Sakyan Sage (the Buddha) has realized.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Dhamma is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5.Yaŋ Buddhaseññho parivaõõayã suciŋ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Samàdhim'ànantarika¤'¤am'àhu.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Samàdhinà tena samo na vijjati.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Dhamme ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5.That Purity which the Supreme Buddha extolled&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Is called &quot;concentration with immediate effect&quot;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Nothing equal to that concentration is found.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Dhamma is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6.Ye puggalà aññha sataŋ pasatthà&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Cattàri etàni yugàni honti.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Te dakkhiõeyyà Sugatassa sàvakà,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etesu dinnàni mahapphalàni&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6.Those eight individuals&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  That are praised by the Virtuous Ones&#xA;  Constitute the four pairs (of persons).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They, the worthy of offerings, &#xA;  Are the disciples of the Well-farer (the Buddha),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And gifts given to them yield abundant fruit.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7.Ye suppayuttà manasà daëhena,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Nikkàmino Gotamasàsanamhi,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Te pattipattà amataŋ vigayha,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Laddhà mudhà nibbutiŋ bhu¤jamànà.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7.Those who with a steadfast mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Apply themselves well&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  In the Buddha Gotama's Teaching,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Being desireless, attain the highest gain.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They plunge into the Deathlessness (Nibbàna)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And enjoy the peace of emancipation,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Obtained for free.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8.Yathindakhãlo pañhaviŋ sito siyà&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Catubbhi vàtehi asampakampiyo,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tathåpamaŋ sappurisaŋ vadàmi,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Yo ariyasaccàni avecca passati.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;8.Just as a city-post fixed firmly in the ground&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Is unshake able by the four winds,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  So too, I declare, is the virtuous person&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who sees the Noble Truths unwaveringly.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9.Ye Ariyasaccàni vibhàvayanti,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Gambhãrapa¤¤ena sudesitàni,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Ki¤càpi te honti bhusappamattà&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Na te bhavaŋ aññhamaŋ àdiyanti.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;9.Those who clearly comprehend the Noble&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Truths, Well taught by him of profound wisdom&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Even if they are very negligent,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They do not take up an eighth rebirth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10.Sahàvassa dassanasampadàya&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tayassu dhammà jahità bhavanti:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sakkàyadiññhi, vicikicchita¤ca&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sãlabbataŋ và'pi yadatthi ki¤ci.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Catåhapàyehi ca vippamutto,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Cha càbhiñhànàni abhabbo kàtuŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;10.Just with his gaining of insight&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He abandons three states of mind:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Self-identity view, sceptical doubt,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And whatsoever [grasping to]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mere rules and observances.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He is also fully freed from (rebirth in)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The four woeful worlds (apàyas),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And is incapable of committing&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The six major misdeeds.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;11.Ki¤càpi so kammaŋ karoti pàpakaŋ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Kàyena vàcà uda cetasà và,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Abhabbo so tassa pañicchàdàya,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Abhabbatà diññhapadassa vuttà.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;11.Any evil action he may still commit&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By body, speech, or mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He is incapable of concealing it;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  For it is said that such incapability&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Is of one who has seen the Path (of Nibbàna).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;12.Vanappagumbe yathà phussitagge&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Gimhànamàse pañhamasmiŋ gimhe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tathåpamaŋ &#xA;Dhammavaraŋ ade sayã,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Nibbànagàmiŋ paramaŋ hitàya.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Buddhe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;12.As a woodland grove is crowned &#xA;  With blossoming flowers&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  During the heat of the first month of the summer,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Even so (crowned) is the sublime Dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Leading to Nibbàna which&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He (the Buddha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Expounded for the highest good.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Buddha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;13.Varo, vara¤¤å, varado, varàha ro,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Anuttaro Dhammavaraŋ adesayã.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Buddhe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;13.He, the Sublime one (the Buddha),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Knower of the Sublime (Nibbàna),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Giver of the Sublime (Dhamma),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Bringer of the Sublime (Noble Path),&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  The Peerless one (the Buddha)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Taught the Sublime Dhamma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Buddha is this &#xA;  superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;14.Khãõaŋ puràõaŋ, navaŋ natthi sambhavaŋ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Virattacittà àyatike bhavasmiŋ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Te khãõabãjà aviråëhicchandà,&#xA;Nibbanti dhãrà yathàyaŋ padãpo.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Idam'pi Saïghe ratanaŋ paõãtaŋ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;14.Their old (kamma) is destroyed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  No new (kamma) is produced,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And their mind is unattached to future rebirth.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Those wise ones,with the seed (of rebirth-consciousness) destroyed,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And with no more desire for further growth,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Go out as the flame of a lamp.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Verily, in the Saïgha is this superb jewel.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  By virtue of this truth may there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(Spoken by Sakka, Lord of the gods)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;15.Yànãdha bhåtàni samàgatàni,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Bhummàni và yàni và antalikkhe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tathàgataŋ devamanussapåjitaŋ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Buddhaŋ namassàma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;15.Whatever beings are here assembled,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whether terrestrial or celestial,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Let us revere the perfect Buddha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Honoured by gods and men.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;16.Yànãdha bhåtàni samàgatàni,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Bhummàni và yàni và antalikkhe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tathàgataŋ devamanussapåjitaŋ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Dhammaŋ namassàma.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;16.Whatever beings are here assembled,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whether terrestrial or celestial,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Let us revere the perfect Dhamma&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Honoured by gods and men.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;17.Yànãdha bhåtàni samàgatàni,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Bhummàni và yàni và antalikkhe,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Tathàgataŋ devamanussapåjitaŋ,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Saïghaŋ namassàma. Suvatthi hotu!&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;17.Whatever beings are here assembled,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whether terrestrial or celestial,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Let us revere the perfect Saïgha&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Honoured by gods and men.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May there be well-being!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-05-20T06:44:56.330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:44:56.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20643" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20635" CreationDate="2017-05-18T16:29:37.217" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The powers of those who think themselves as “God Almighty” pales in comparison to the Powers of Supreme Buddha. BAKA was one such Brahma in the Maha Brahma realm, He thought that he was the “GOD” having power over a vast area of the Universe. Any living being (including each of us) has been in all realms in this beginningless sansara. We have been at the highest (except the five pure abodes in rupa loka which can be accessed only by Anagamis or Non-Returners). One time the Buddha pointed to a bunch of ants on the ground and told bhikkhus that each of those ants had lived in a brahma loka. The sansara is that long; there is no discernible beginning. These &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  is described in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. It lays out the “blueprint” of Buddha Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the realm of Great Brahmas (Maha brahma) Buddha mentions about this Great Brahma, a deity whose delusion leads him to regard himself as the all-powerful, all-seeing creator of the universe. It is in &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta: To Kevatta (DN 11)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Kevaddha Sutta informs one of what even a “God” does not know. Maha Brahmas, like Baka, think they’ve gone beyond anything the Buddha knows, so the Buddha has to go up to their Brahma heavens and subdue their pride, to show &#xA;them that they still have more to let go of, that there is something the Buddha himself has gone beyond but they haven’t.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta lays out the “blueprint” of Buddha Dhamma, and in one part of it names the 6 deva realms and 15 out of 16 rupi Brahma  realms. The sutta is meant to convey the way to “see” the true nature of existence with wisdom, not with the physical eye. Only a Buddha can discover the true nature, but a human can comprehend it, once explained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the brahma realms, all brahmas are born fully formed without the help of a mother’s womb. Theirs is an “opapatika” birth. For example when a human dies, his body becomes inert like a log, and at the very instant a fully-formed brahma is formed in the appropriate brahma world. This brahma will have sense faculties appropriate for a brahma: only eyes, ears, and a mind. These are the indriya for the new existence. These indriya can become ayatana (a factory that produces sankharas of another birth)  at times depending on the activities of that brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Male/female distinction is there only in the kama loka. In the brahma realms (higher 20 realms), there is no such distinction. Brahmas do not have dense physical bodies or sexual organs. One is born in either the 16 rupa loka realms or the 4 arupa loka realms (brahma realms) because one has given up all desires for bodily pleasures, including sex, because one has seen the value of niramisa sukha (and jhanic pleasures) that can be achieved by giving up bodily pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All brahma realms are “unisex“. Brahmas do not have dense bodies to experience touch, taste of foods, or smells. They have very fine bodies. A brahma “body” has only the most minute of matter that is much much smaller than an atom in modern science. This is why it is thought (erroneously) that there is no matter in arupa lokas. There is matter, but it is insignificantly small. The Buddha said that vinnana cannot exist without a pancakkhandha, and the pancakkhandha in the arupa loka has a rupa component, even though negligibly small.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmas in rupa loka are removed from “coarse sense pleasures”; they do not have a desire for tastes, smells, or body touches. Seeing and hearing is enough for them. Brahmas in arupa loka do not even have a desire for sights and sounds. Mind pleasures are enough for them, and the presence of matter is minimal in the arupa loka. So, sense pleasures are absent in brahma loka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brahmas and devas can “see” humans engaging in activities (if they want to), but they do not have any liking (upadana) for such “coarse pleasures”. Their mental state is much higher, just like a human who has developed abhinna powers.  They could actually be repulsed by human bodies. Just like we do not “miss out” on the activities of worms, they are not interested in human activities. It all depends on the mindset associated with the particular bhava.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The brahmas (and also devas) can “see” without the aid of light and “hear” without the having air to transmit sound waves; their “physical bodies” do not have “eyes” and “ears” like ours. Thus they can “see” and “hear” over great distances. And they can be anywhere they wish within a short time. The closest analogy of how their “vision” works is how we “see” dreams; we don’t need eyes to see dreams. Likewise the brahmas just perceive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T16:29:37.217" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20644" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20906" CreationDate="2017-05-18T21:31:30.587" Score="4" ViewCount="503" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly I'd like to provide some context:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I first began getting into the Buddhist teachings, specifically that of the Theravada tradition, I'd often do things such as passively play the Dhammapada in my earphones while riding my bike, or keep it on low volume in the background while I did something else. My goal was to be able to gain a basic grasp of the dhamma through forced repeated listening, and to an extent it worked in the sense that I memorized a lot of verses and ideas found in the Dhammapada, and upon hearing a verse quoted, I have an &quot;aha&quot; moment in the sense that It feels familiar. Furthermore, my mind and speaking style had a subtle change as well, with my head being fixated on &quot;illusions&quot; found in everyday physical existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Overall, there was definitely a change in my physical being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, mindfulness is praised and shown as the key to making spiritual progress. While I did employ mindful practices such as watching my mind in everyday life and meditating every once in a while, the practice I used for the longest time was definitely not that of a mindful one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, it seemed to have occurred to me that reaching a certain point in Buddhist practice, even through mindful meditation, requires a certain degree of destroying the old and replacing with the new, in the sense that old beliefs such as those cultivated through childhood can prevent one from going forward in their spiritual practice, or in that sense any practice, be it learning a skill or whatever (i.e saying to yourself constantly that &quot;I'm this, I'm this kind of person/ I was made to do X&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether through the words of Buddha or through the teachings of other Buddhist practices such as those of a tantric origin, what is the Buddhist perspective on knowingly &quot;brainwashing&quot; or &quot;rewiring&quot; yourself via methods of repeated listening, binaural beats, and other various forms of hypnosis and subconcious alterations to make changes to your life and perspective on things?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T07:14:48.340" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T02:49:24.380" Title="What is the Buddhist perspective on passively altering your subconcious?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|mindfulness|vajrayana|five-skandas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20645" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20636" CreationDate="2017-05-18T22:25:04.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I see it is, anybody who judges another’s practice or meditation, is just advertising their ignorance.  The Way is not “one size fits all.” There is no concept in Buddhism that says “if you do it like this, then this will happen.” Or if there is, it comes from some man’s mind.  Buddhism is a set of guidelines, a road map for the purpose of awakening to the possibility of knowing the truth.  Actually “seeing the waterfall” is very different than continuing to study the map that will take you there.  I see so many people forgetting to first wake up. They seem hung up on the maps and methods.  I’m not saying that the maps are not valid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We are like fingers on the same hand, all plugged into the hand, but each operating independently.  On the surface, we have species commonality, but that’s about it.  Anyone who judges right and wrong, with regard to practice, no matter what they have personally experienced is acting from ego.  None of us really know what is true for someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our minds are limited, just as a dog will never be able to grasp the concept of Algebra, even with the eloquence and detail of the explanation.  We can’t know what is true for someone else.  We attribute our “puny” mind to be at the top of the chain.  Not so much, really.  But we rely on it so dearly, giving it the highest honors.  We give it divine properties to say what is true for somebody else.  The truth, as I experience it, is that we are not the mind, or even the body.  The actual truth is something so foreign to us that our mind cannot begin to comprehend it.  I have the “gut or heart” feeling that it is wonderful, but like everybody else, “I don’t know.” It can’t be explained in terms of atoms, which is the substance of this universe.  We can’t get there by thinking, practicing or study.  It seems to me, once you are established, it happens by letting go of those very things.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept and precepts laid out in Buddhism, are what worked for some people and because we are all connected species wide, like the finger on the hand, there is some probability they might work for another person to have this awakening, especially if they are drawn to it by their karma.  Again, to me, it is the giving up, letting go and “the ultimate sincerity “ of the practitioner that move him/her along.  It seems to me that at their core, all major religions teach the same concepts.  Don’t lie, cheat or steal, be kind to others, don’t kill, don’t attach, trust, etc.  It isn’t the hours they sit for meditation or whether they are vegetarian or not, but rather the underlying sincerity that they apply the concepts to the way they live their lives.  Seekers keep reminding themselves to “wake up” to what is. We are all connected (fingers) on the same hand (self).  We are all brothers/sisters under the Self.  Judging is foolish.  Only provide help where you can, with the depth of your sincerity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-05-18T22:25:04.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20636" CreationDate="2017-05-18T23:13:27.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Uuu, interested reader with respect in regard of the Tripple Gems,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once my person asked Bhikkhu Bodhi on the matter of critism and he gave an &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,977.msg3557.html#msg3557&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;answer according to the Dhamma of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;, at the same time confessed that (like most &amp;quot;Bodhisattas&amp;quot;) did not investigate much this matter. A good an nice illustation is the Khmer folktale &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,370.msg820.html#msg820&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Great Hermit Saves the Tiger&lt;/a&gt;, incl. a detail work about the matter of defilements in judging and whom better not to ask/believe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Disprais is not good and praise is good; or is even to praise also bad? Both is good and bad: the fail to do as well as to do it.&amp;quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.083.bodh_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.83: Avannaraha Sutta - Dispraise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Here the Buddha points out to an wandering ascetic that alienation and equanimity are not the higherst virtues in regard of praise and blame.&amp;quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.100.bodh_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.100: Potaliya Sutta: Potaliya&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the problem in general if Dhamma is traded, when ask people trading in Dhamma, they are not really convicted od the Buddhas way, but bound and so bind others as well. And costomers are so intensively trained by their providers to become just fool feeders and &amp;quot;enjoy&amp;quot; that it is hard to transport that the Buddha puts right judgement at the most upper point to have success in liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the detail matter in the question, it's good to pressure in a supportive and not ill-willed way as long one is part of a community. That's a duty. But don't forget, people become their leaders, leaders become their folk, according to their deeds, inclination, so change starts within one self and is possible as far as the enviroment and its general objectives gives possible ground and that's the main problem, since all of you are bound here because liking to feed and there is a provider seeking you deeds in return, the seek to increase this business limits &amp;quot;just&amp;quot; enormous and will be always corrupt. Admins and mods, them self consumer, are at fist had obligated to what secures them the food and in such to the provider at secound and maybe after this line obligated to Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and truthfulness. So plenty of metta and karuna for people bound as you is good placed in such matters, helping each other to trust the way out, again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Feel free to ask or discuss the matter further and in detail on the linked enviroment without strings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T00:32:13.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20644" CreationDate="2017-05-19T00:55:13.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorav,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesed, serious and the Tripple Gems respecting readers, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;listening to the teachings, if done right, straightens ones Right view. Doing it wrong increases wrong view and primaly respect. Althought even foolish and &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/sutta-reading-recordings-in-suttacentral/5266/4?u=samanajohann&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;respectless monks merely even force to make Dhamma simply food for consuming&lt;/a&gt; and throw it on the worlds market for &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,629.msg11370.html#msg11370&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;short and poor livelihood&lt;/a&gt;, one should not follow their way and use the medicine right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Listen unattentive Dhamma while doing even unwholesome deeds manifest on and on latent disrespect an closes up &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/respect5_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the door to Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some good advices in this regard are found in &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item134&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abidhamma in daily live&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (dhammadesana), by Ven. Ashin Janakabhivamsa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not mindful and not conductive to just consume Dhamma, since it requires giving at fist place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer short on &quot;What is the Buddhist perspective on passively altering your subconcious?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Buddhists&quot; perspective here is trade for gain and the world, while this of the Buddha and his following discipeles is letting go and Nibbana.&lt;/strong&gt; One way is that in the world, another to Nibbana. Knowing this clearly one is not a little after any gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Since detail discussion is not so welcome here, and the enviroment not so proper for Dhamma Desana, feel free to raise question, even audio &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is agift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T01:07:04.947" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T01:07:04.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20650" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20679" CreationDate="2017-05-19T04:27:45.990" Score="2" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do Buddhists argue that nirvana is nothing in addition to the skandhas? I found this, and I hope it suffices to demonstrate that's what the Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What do you think&lt;/a&gt;: Do you regard the Tathagata as being in&#xA;  form?... Elsewhere than form?... In feeling?... Elsewhere than&#xA;  feeling?... In perception?... Elsewhere than perception?... In&#xA;  fabrications?... Elsewhere than fabrications?... In consciousness?...&#xA;  Elsewhere than consciousness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, my friend.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think: Do you regard the Tathagata as&#xA;  form-feeling-perception-fabrications-consciousness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, my friend.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Do you regard the Tathagata as that which is without form, without&#xA;  feeling, without perception, without fabrications, without&#xA;  consciousness?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, my friend.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And so, my friend Yamaka — when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a&#xA;  truth or reality even in the present life — is it proper for you to&#xA;  declare, 'As I understand the Teaching explained by the Blessed One, a&#xA;  monk with no more effluents, on the break-up of the body, is&#xA;  annihilated, perishes, &amp;amp; does not exist after death'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote seems to say that the Tathagata is not without form feeling etc.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If nirvana were something in addition to the aggregates, then I'm thinking the Tathagata would be &lt;em&gt;without the aggregates&lt;/em&gt;. On the grounds that nirvana is all that the Tathagata is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T13:34:04.227" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T13:33:49.563" Title="Why do Buddhists argue that nirvana is nothing in addition to the skandhas?" Tags="|philosophy|nirvana|five-skandas|time|argumentation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20384" CreationDate="2017-05-19T08:44:50.963" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is no concept of Soul. So, we can leave out the discussion of the gender of the soul.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your question refer to the fact that you wanting to be re-incarnated as a man to attain Nibbana, here are some facts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can you be born as a woman? If you have the intention of experiencing the world in sensitive detail, you have to be born as a woman. Only a woman is capable of doing that, as women have much more heightened senses (modern biology agrees with this notion) which allow them to perceive the world in intimate detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can argue that this level of perseverance of detail is a hurdle to Nibbana. In fact, thinking that female senses would hinder their spirituality is one of the reasons most other ancient religions in India to consider women as lesser human beings. Buddhism rejects this concept. Simply because, with the proper mindset, the extra sensitivity/details perceived could be used as a positive catalyst in the process of realizing the true form of the world. (E.g.: All the females who attained Arhath state so far).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bottom line is you are a woman because you chose to experience the world in detail. Don't be ashamed of it. Its not a crime. You see, feel, hear, taste, smell more than a man would ever be able to. Just don't chase those feelings. Don't let them enslave your mind. Rather, see them as they are with the help of Dhamma. If you think less of who you are it is the biggest hurdle to realizing Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11278" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T08:44:50.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20655" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-19T12:25:47.093" Score="5" ViewCount="130" Body="&lt;p&gt;When someone needs my help, I try to answer their questions as best as I can. Sometimes, the questions make no sense (from my perspective) and from there I struggle. For some things, the person is just too far away to get it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I come up with great metaphors, simple explanations for complex situations, but unfortunately this doesn't always happen. What am I supposed to do when it does not happen, when I know what to reply, but that would be too much for the person to understand? Should I just ignore them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11028" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-09-14T13:39:27.950" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T13:39:27.950" Title="What's the &quot;wise&quot; answer when the epistemic distance is important?" Tags="|philosophy|skillful-means|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20656" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20655" CreationDate="2017-05-19T13:17:07.230" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If really knowing, Cosmicmath, the teaching about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.022.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three kinds of sick people&lt;/a&gt; might give good advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, you have neither a need or duty to answer, so good to think about, &quot;Why I am so desiring to answer&quot; :-) What &quot;trick&quot; keeps me caught in this kind of livelihood (entertaining the mind for some amount of pleasure feelings to survive).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: this answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T13:23:18.180" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T13:23:18.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20655" CreationDate="2017-05-19T13:30:27.067" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is for this reason that &lt;em&gt;upaya&lt;/em&gt;, skillful means, exists. Sometimes you have to trick people onto the right path by appealing to what makes sense in their subjective universe. Perception is subjective (~illusory), so creating the right perception can be very effective. This is the true meaning of the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_body&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rainbow body&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T13:58:49.447" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T13:58:49.447" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20659" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20602" CreationDate="2017-05-19T19:31:53.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;An &quot;&lt;strong&gt;ideology&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is a system of ideas (on any topic, but often used in the context of &quot;political ideology&quot;). Buddhism is an ideology, but it's more than just an ideology: e.g. Dhammadhatu said it's also a &quot;methodology&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think an essential characteristic of &quot;&lt;strong&gt;religion&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is &lt;em&gt;obligation&lt;/em&gt; (e.g. &quot;you are obliged to pray because God commands you to&quot;). Buddhism can seem like or be interpreted as a religion (e.g. &quot;you are obliged to believe and to accept, to have faith in, everything that's written in the suttas&quot;). But some people don't interpret it like that, and might instead say something like, &quot;I accept (only) what makes sense to me&quot;, or &quot;I choose to practice this or that for my benefit&quot;, instead of seeing it as obligation i.e. as a religion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know how to define &lt;strong&gt;philosophy&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;way of living&lt;/strong&gt; ... with my background I might also be inclined to call it a &lt;strong&gt;science&lt;/strong&gt;, which is a form of knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20602/when-does-an-ideology-becomes-a-religion-or-just-philosophy-or-a-way-of-living/20648#comment33916_20602&quot;&gt;This comment&lt;/a&gt; said, &quot;I wish it was made clearer to people that Buddhism is NOT a religion or philosophy, but actually the antidote to being enthralled by those&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T19:31:53.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20660" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20650" CreationDate="2017-05-19T23:17:25.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the topic of the sutta you referenced is &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example the discussion with Sariputta starts with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What do you think, my friend Yamaka: Is form constant or inconstant?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Inconstant, my friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Stressful, my friend.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And is it proper to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An important part of Buddhist doctrine is to not identify in this way with form (nor any other skandha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another way to phrase this is that we shouldn't become attached (nor try to become attached to) to any specific view of self (the answer to the questions which you quoted was &amp;quot;no&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;no&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;no&amp;quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas are full of this: they mention &amp;quot;clinging-aggregates&amp;quot; in the first noble truth of first sutta; &amp;quot;non-self&amp;quot; as the subject of the second sutta; questions involving views-of-self being described as &amp;quot;attending inappropriately&amp;quot; and leading to &amp;quot;a thicket of views&amp;quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;; &amp;quot;being&amp;quot; being identified with suffering in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that anatta is recommended for us, presumably the Buddha has perfected that practice. So in the same way that we should not have some fixed of self (and in particular shouldn't identify it with the skandhas, nor identify it with something other than the skandhas), a similar doctrine is appropriate for a view of the Tathagata (note that the &amp;quot;Tathagata&amp;quot; is a title or a description of the Buddha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think that's a summary, a brief explanation, of the sutta you referenced. People talk about it a lot (there are 60+ topics on this site tagged &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/anatman&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;anatman&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;anatman&lt;/a&gt;, and others on the topic of &amp;quot;self&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;identity-view&amp;quot; and so on), but it's kind of fundamental, with not-self being one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You also quoted, &amp;quot;when you can't pin down the Tathagata&amp;quot; ... for more on a similar topic I recommend &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;Why is the Buddha described as trackless?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last sentence of the question is, &amp;quot;On the grounds that nirvana is all that the Tathagata is&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it's right to identify the Tathagata with nirvana i.e. to say that the Tathagata &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; nirvana, nor than nirvana &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is commonly described by what it isn't, especially &amp;quot;not born&amp;quot;, i.e. it's unconditioned (also &amp;quot;deathless&amp;quot; and so on), or perhaps more positively as liberation or as the end of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are suttas and essays about what nirvana is (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/50.1-Nibbana-Patisamyutta-S-1-u8.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/nirvanaverb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca3/nibbana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T23:17:25.733" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20661" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20672" CreationDate="2017-05-19T23:45:20.107" Score="0" ViewCount="3338" Body="&lt;p&gt;i saw this video on facebook and youtube ,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDp1GbzE4o&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDp1GbzE4o&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and they're writing on it in arabic &#xA;&quot;الرقية الشرعية عند البوذيين &quot;&#xA;witch means &quot;the buddhism's Exorcism&quot; &#xA;i want to know if this is really a buddhism exorcism . if not , what is it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11365" LastEditorUserId="11365" LastEditDate="2017-05-19T23:51:33.207" LastActivityDate="2017-08-26T05:47:30.060" Title="Why do Buddhism monk hits people in the head?" Tags="|monk|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20662" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18386" CreationDate="2017-05-19T23:47:34.613" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ayya Khema was a dealer of Dhamma. Althought she stole Dhamma, was not shy to found printhouses and commercial retreat centers, was one of the main misleader and introduced Business of monastic in Europe, following other Sri Lanka originated Monks ans BPS, its not good to do the same, and take and use what is not given. Some had found how ever into Dhamma in line with Dhamma and you might find here, &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/khema/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayya Khema&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's neither legal not any wholesome or neuter deed to take or make, what is not given. And if associating with bad friend, who lead you and advice you to have no shame, you suffer a long time. (How can one not even stick to basics teach such as Vipassana...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You people are not aware of how less goodnessis left and of how less dhammadana accures in this world, used to steal and buy Dhamma. That's really foolish and crazy and great poorness is really already right. You can walk the way of demanding nd claiming this or that and do you &quot;social&quot;, &quot;communist&quot; revolution of those out of any merits. But there you are and from there it goes more and more down, having upanissaya and maintaining it to bad friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial use or other wordily gain.]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-19T23:47:34.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17952" CreationDate="2017-05-20T00:23:52.377" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Demanding is wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He takes, in the manner of a thief, things in a village or a wilderness [Internet] that belong to others and have not been given by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is the case where a certain person is covetous. He covets the belongings of others, thinking, '&lt;strong&gt;O, that what belongs to others would be mine!&lt;/strong&gt;' He bears ill will, corrupt in the resolves of his heart: 'May these beings be killed or cut apart or crushed or destroyed, or may they not exist at all!' He has wrong view, is warped in the way he sees things: '&lt;strong&gt;There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions.&lt;/strong&gt; There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than_en.html#mind&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question &amp;quot;should...&amp;quot; is already wrong. If asking &amp;quot;is it good to share and give of what is mine, I am given to give, not needing to take what is not given.&amp;quot;: Especially giving Dhamma is the highest gift.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing destroying Dhamma faster as dealing and selling Dhamma and taking part. But there is no way to help those greedy beings, not to speak of those even demanding and believing to have such as rights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being even in association not only with bad lay friends but also with monks of wrong view who encorage to revolution, demanding and are not shy to walk the thievery Robbin Hood way, who would be able to help aside of big suffering that naturally follows if aware of causes later or even already yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How much have you given till today, and how much do you demand? Most are not even able to make right anf fair trade and belive that paying the proper amount is already meritorious.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for those poor being, making a livelihood from selling Dhamma, teaching, or what ever with this precious heritage, what else as being slaves for a religion that has been disappeared can they aspect. And think about it, how it could come that you need to pay money to gain at least mostly even fake Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not possible to gain anything in regard of Path and Fruit having bought the teaching of the Buddha. Look of how much they read and pay for meditation. Their situation has causes, and so those today Dhammadealers will end afterwards, meet each other again and wander on in same ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And? What are you doing right here? Right now? In giving, what is not given to give here?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17954/11235&quot;&gt;Hugh gave a good and right answer here&lt;/a&gt;, Sadhu! Take care of such previous friends understanding the basics and teaching you a goid for long time benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those shares with their attitude and confirming that, are of great demerits opposing right view, the Buddha, Dhamma and specially the Savaka Sangha and nurishing on their heritage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gain]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2022-03-14T03:17:25.910" LastActivityDate="2022-03-14T03:17:25.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20661" CreationDate="2017-05-20T00:43:36.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, they are neither Disciples of the Buddha nor do they care about the conducts of the Noble ones (Althought not having looked the movie), if socializing in such ways and touch even lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Touching a living being in aversion, beating, is a violation of the precepts. Touching a living being out of lust, for socialising purpose is a violation of the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Touching the head of others is very respectless, it migh be out of this, that people show in this way there respect, a cultural costum.&#xA;For Tibetans for example very usual, but again, it's not the costum of the Noble Ones and has nothing to do with Brahmacaria (holly life)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And to do such as &quot;Exorcism&quot;, if that was the case, that is not only simply betray but called &quot;livelyhood like animals&quot; and not allowed to do for laypeople generally like a &quot;doctor&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T00:43:36.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2017-05-20T04:02:47.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Saptha Visuddhi,&#xA;interested and the Tripple Gems respecting readers,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;first of all this not a good article and statistic, think that it's properly build up on registered trade in charity which is far away from what is real giving in accordiance to Dhamma. For example, everybody knows that Swiss people are the most stingy peolpe in Europe and Chinese-people are for the most the most greedy people, yet they also have ways to give, or better trade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you &quot;tank&quot; is empty, than you might propably have already reached the Eightfold Path and it's good to focus now more on simply &quot;Sila, Samadhi, Panna&quot;. Being already there, don't forget that you might have beome a person which is already a worthy field of merits and it's good to be not greedy and let now others prepare their way to follow. Having given all outwardly one is on the stage of becoming a real homeless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ever taking what is not given, taking for sensual lust, again, one needs to give to keep one self-esteem on a level that allows further paths and fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its not praiseworthy to encourage taking for the sake of giving and enjoyment with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, on the other side, if still after sensuallity, it's best to turn also generosity into virture by giving service, best for those who are worthy to receive it, since help, assistance and service, &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2027.msg9031.html#msg9031&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Veyyāvacca&lt;/a&gt; (not translated into english yet) falls already like veneration, under the Sila part of the eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma can only encourage again and again, support, help and dedicate what ever possible and insired to the Savaka Sangha, don't waste your goodness into throwing gold into the mud or clear water into the salty ocean. No money and material needs required at all and when even keeping 8 precepts, all time worthy of living on gifts of the country dedicated to the worthy Ones and trainees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is also another point, shown in a nice story of a giving greedy Deva, Upasaka might know and remember:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/lee/goodness_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajaan Lee &quot;Goodness&quot;&lt;/a&gt;: There's another story, about an old woman who went to a monastery one day and saw that the walking meditation paths were dirty. She swept the paths clear of the dirt and rubbish, so that the monks could walk conveniently on the paths. She did it only this once, but she did it with an attitude of love, an attitude of conviction, an attitude of respect, and a pure state of mind. The dirt and rubbish had made her feel dispirited, so she swept it all away and set out water for washing the feet; as a result, her mind felt clean and refreshed. Soon after she returned home she had a heart attack. After she died she was reborn as a deva with a large following, a palace, divine food, and all kinds of abundant wealth. Living in her palace, she began to remember her previous life and thought to herself, &quot;If I had done lots of merit, I'd be even richer than I am now. It'd be good to go back and do good things for just a little bit longer, so that I could get even more abundant results than what I have now.... (story further, invited to follow link)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it might be that real good monks will not give in to your desire to make more merits not really conductive for the path but simply for this or that being and becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this is the point, Upasaka thought already about this the last days intensively, why you hang around here and waste you precious Gems, yet even possible to dedicate it there where it might bear real benefical fruits. No more demanding from a certain sociaty there is no more dept to pay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Atma has to thing on Upasaka Lals story about his teacher. Others then most western or todays &quot;teacher&quot;, who use the Sangha and the tripple Gems right from the beginning to accumulate depts and demerits, having learned on generosity, lived on it, then even lay down the robe and make bussiness in teaching Dhamma as a &quot;tradition destroying&quot; Layperson enjoying sensuality and even take alms as well, he was a lay teacher and seemingly with time his Dhamma eye really opened and then there is no other way if possible, to live the holly live, ordained and also his family followed. This is a great story and shows the way it works and worthy to follow this foodsteps, since the others, having been giving goodness and step by step making a livelihood out of that, what do they do aside of distroying their old goodness and damaging the possibility of many in doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Upasaka is actually well versed in Dhamma, but might only have lacked of straight forward advices, he might find enough food for thoughts and my person trusts that he do not only make the best choices for him and for the benefit of all his dears around him but also that he finds the way to real happiness with ease by him self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where else can someone arive having followed good deeds and the words by the wise, ones merits receive one here or their like old lost good friends where ever one goes. Theis neither fear nor lack of anything for such a person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let mt person now share the &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,804.msg2488.html#msg2488&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Analogy of the Fire-Worshipper&lt;/a&gt; at the end, since Danā alone at least just increases the corpses, death and suffering in this world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The acquisition of merit now aimed at prolonging existence in the future will lead to the same fate. The burdensome tasks that one undertakes to support one’s present existence are no different either. All these efforts merely serve as fuel for the fire of death. This is to impress upon you the futility of all human efforts, however meritorious, aimed at the continuation of existence. (Read more following the link and ariving in the wisdom division of the path)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;An possible extended answer, as well as possibility to ask further and discuss, can be found here, invited, given and welcome:&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8055.msg12219.html#msg12219&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] What happens when your tank is empty, and you’ve got nothing left to give?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-05-20T11:48:19.003" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:48:19.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20666" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15523" CreationDate="2017-05-20T04:44:32.077" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Giving offering to animal, human being, a person with sila, a person of four Arya (sotapanna etc), to Buddha, dedicated to whole Sangha, giving metta, having insight meditation all these are stepwise higher degree of dana, while noting matter(rupa) during insight meditation, 500 millions deeds just in a wink of time one got dana merit, while noting mind(nama) during insight meditation,  one billion deeds just in a wink of time one got dana merit, topmost dana, unsurpassable dana, dhamma dana, Buddha and arahant used to praise such dana. How can the tank ever be empty or nothing left to give?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T04:44:32.077" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15510" CreationDate="2017-05-20T06:17:02.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Touch, is the cause of suffering, if not-knowing is not touched, if one is not touched, how could suffering arise. Pleasure and pain are caused by touch, Nyom Saptha Visuddhi, and by no other, this, or that man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And who could solve the problem of still being touched if not one self by listening and putting into practic the path, for the sake of destroying not-knowingness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Attention!: This touch of Dhamma is a gift and not meant to get touched with not-knowingness but its destruction, not for using it for commercial purposes or other wordily gains and to keep alive the flames of death and suffering. It has the only purpose to let one come in touch with Dhamma, and it is harmful if using not for the sake of liberation but for the world.]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:17:02.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15649" CreationDate="2017-05-20T06:30:09.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Saptha Visuddhi,&#xA;interested reader,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person does not give you the desied target here, but maybe support for the problem:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Althought Jhana is a good alternative, still one can develope desire for it, so focus on Vipassana, here or there, or where ever one might be, removes the fetters actually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In one who keeps focusing on the drawbacks of clingable phenomena, craving ceases. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging, illness &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering &amp;amp; stress.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.052.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.52&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/adinava/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;More on Drawbacks, adinava, here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:30:09.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20669" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15519" CreationDate="2017-05-20T06:54:20.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once two old people approached the Buddha, Upasaka Saptha Visuddhi, and told that they missed to made merits, now fearing death. The Buddha, honest forward, for the sake of benefit for many listening to it, Simply said, that they fear righteously and then utterd:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's swept along:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;life, its next-to-nothing span.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For one swept on by aging&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;no shelters exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keeping sight of this danger in death,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;do meritorious deeds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that bring bliss.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whoever here is restrained&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;in body, speech, &amp;amp; awareness,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;who makes merit while he's alive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;that will be for his bliss after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.051.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.51&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often it's good that the Ox sees the down so that he moves faster, if one still does not hurry, one is no match even for on ox, as &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/insimpleterms_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah once told&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If having done merits, having &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/vangorkom/greatestblessing_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;arrived to all blessing&lt;/a&gt; (Upasika Nina van Gorkom, now over 90 already if still alive, once gave Atma one of here teachings on it, to be shared as gift of Dhamma further), what has one to fear? And no need to hurry any more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at all the youth, all those who are drunken in youth, health and live, yet they do not really fear, wasting this precious time that could be over even today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T06:54:20.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20670" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-20T07:24:02.027" Score="2" ViewCount="469" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's the Buddhist view of fostering a pet? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorUserId="11259" LastEditDate="2017-05-31T05:48:20.480" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T05:48:20.480" Title="What's the Buddhist view of fostering pets?" Tags="|personal-practice|life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20670" CreationDate="2017-05-20T09:23:51.220" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks often look after animals similar to having pets.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iZfa7.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/iZfa7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wiagQ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/wiagQ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/z36Kb.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/z36Kb.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ql4jE.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ql4jE.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T09:44:57.003" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T09:44:57.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20661" CreationDate="2017-05-20T09:57:55.713" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't think it's a usual practice. I found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2015/06/09/1433853163/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this explanation&lt;/a&gt; online:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk who was seen forcefully hitting temple-goers' heads with a bundle of dried grass has defended the unorthodox practice, calling it his unique way of blessing the faithful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phra Jirapan Analyo, the 53-year-old abbot of Pha Sadej monastery in Saraburi, admitted that the practice may look violent in a video that went viral this week, but insisted that it does not hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The knocking of heads is a way to cure diseases and illness for the faithful,&amp;quot; Phra Jirapan said. &amp;quot;And the knocking may look violent, but it didn't hurt anyone.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phra Benja Papassaro, a monk who oversees temples in Saraburi province, told reporters that he watched the video and believes &amp;quot;his action does not violate the holy doctrines, though it does look excessive.&amp;quot; He said he and other senior monks are discussing the issue to find a formal conclusion on the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A more usual form of Thai &amp;quot;blessing&amp;quot; would be &amp;quot;sprinkling&amp;quot; water (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9172/254&quot;&gt;see for example here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T09:57:55.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20670" CreationDate="2017-05-20T11:04:15.673" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is good karma to save a living being's life, which is what you do when you take care of one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fostering is better than buying one, because when you foster a pet, you don't encourage inbreeding and other abuses that happen in pet-breeding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="11330" LastEditDate="2017-05-20T12:00:47.240" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T12:00:47.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18386" CreationDate="2017-05-20T11:15:45.473" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you can afford to, by all means support the author and Wisdom Publications by buying the bundle a second time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As westerners we tend to look at money issues from the perspective of buying, but if you look at it from the perspective of 'offering' or 'donation' the topic changes considerably:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All through Buddhist history people have offered dharma-teachers donations - shelter, food etc. In our time money makes more sense. It's an unfortunate truth that life costs money - even if you're Sangha. So it makes sense that the donation is 'scripted' to a specific amount. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you would have asked the question in a different way if you could not afford to pay, I would say: by all means pay. It is a practice of generosity - both to the author / compiler / publisher AND to your friend. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:15:45.473" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20635" CreationDate="2017-05-20T11:24:31.140" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you're saying that Buddha said that you should pray to God instead of to Buddha - then you're mistaken. Ultimately, in Buddhism, good things can only happen because of our own good karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My Tibetan Buddhist teacher has explained it roughly as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A traditional Buddhist (f any type) would only pray to a Buddha after offering to that Buddha. It is hoped that the good karma of the offering may help the outcome of the personal request in that prayer come true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By modern protestant Buddhist standards this is highly controversial. Even my Tibetan teacher would add that - however common this practice is - the motivation of the offering is suspect if you give it in hopes of getting help for something practical and this-wordly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, praying for support staying on course in your dharma studies and practice is highly appropriate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As usual in Buddhism: motive is everything. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:24:31.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20676" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20628" CreationDate="2017-05-20T11:39:35.353" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such texts should be read in context: written for and by the Sangha - and mostly for and by male-sangha, though you found one quote that sounds like a tired grandmother. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is really a dual religion. The religion for lay-people is very practical: attend to your duties and avoid wrong-doing. That includes taking care of any partner and children. Traditionally things like meditation were limited to the Sangha, and a minority in there as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to become a monk or nun, obviously children are an obstacle as long as they're young. And women do - especially when there is no good medical help - suffer physically from childbirth. Without proper medical attention women die in childbirth in alarming numbers. Women who survived that and grew to an age where they were free to become nuns (very much a minority at any time in Buddhist history) would be encouraged to meditate on topics that helped them let go of their attachment to their children and focus also on the limitations of the body that bore them. No wonder one writes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;… Ten children I bore from this physical heap. Then weak from that, aged, I went to a nun. She taught me the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself walked away from his wife and son - which is hardly a good example to follow. The only mitigating circumstance was that his father was rich and quite capable of taking care of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As lay people we should read such texts within their context: written by monks, for monks. They're not written for lay people. Lay people did not have access to texts and most of the texts that survived don't portray even nuns very well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T11:39:35.353" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20677" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-20T12:52:48.917" Score="2" ViewCount="536" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read several reports of people remembering past lives. In many cases, in their current life they tend to have a very similar personality, repeat many of the same life patterns and often have many of the same interests they had in their previous life. This would suggest that we incarnate into lives which were similar to our past life, repeating similar karmic patterns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I have also read many sources which claim that we incarnate into life situations which are the complete reverse of our previous life in order to experience the karma 'from the other side' of the situation. For instance, if you were an abuser in a previous life, many claim that in this life you would be the victim of an abuser who was your victim in your past life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two paradigms seem rather mutually exclusive. I was wondering if Buddhism could help shed some light on to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11366" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T22:39:56.323" Title="Do we reincarnate into similar or polar-opposite lives" Tags="|reincarnation|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20678" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-20T13:04:37.153" Score="1" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please feel free to delete this question if not relevant.&#xA;I want to find peaceful Buddha statue wallpaper (Drawing or Statue). I wish to see lockscreen and my desktop with a spiritual wallpaper of lord Buddha. I feel peace in mind whenever I see lord Buddha. But across the google, etc. search engines point me to commercial sites. If any of you have good high resolution wallpaper, please share the location to download. much appreciated. Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10474" LastActivityDate="2018-01-26T10:34:53.443" Title="Does anyone have High resolution Buddha wallpapers for computer?" Tags="|meditation|buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20650" CreationDate="2017-05-20T13:33:49.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Yamaka Sutta, Ven. Sariputta, made Yamaka to understand that the five skandas are anicca. If one truly understands this reality the extinction of the process happens in the form of ‘Nibbana’.   If we willingly attach to these five skandas with the nicca sanna, then we suffer. Only in realizing that nothing can be maintained to one’s satisfaction in the long run, can we arrive at Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not sunnata or emptiness. The person who attained Nibbana is only empty of the five upadanaskandas. The five skandas remain. It is like this. if we take a water bottle and pour the water out, we say we have an empty bottle. But in reality there is air in the bottle, so the bottle is empty only with regard to water; it is not empty regard to air. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus what is meant was that “it is empty of”. There is no absolute “emptiness”. At Nibbana  one is empty of greed (raga), hate (dosa), and ignorance (moha). At Arahanthood, even the slightest bondage to anything material is discarded.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For one who has attained Nibbana, there is only &quot;ditthē dittha mattan bhavissati- sutē suta mattan bhavissati- mutē muta mattan bhavissati” – There is only seeing in the ‘seeing’; only hearing in the ‘hearing’ etc. It is only you and I, that take nimithi &amp;amp; anu nimithi  (impressions of objects) from what we hear or see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as there is greed, ill will &amp;amp; delusion we retain impressions of objects (nimithi anu nimithi) of self &amp;amp; pleasurable things. The impressions stimulate our senses and thus we see people &amp;amp; things around us. Only the minds that are polluted with greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion associate four elements. The one who sees arising ceasing nature of aggregates sees the emptiness of any inherent meaning &amp;amp; will not retain impressions thereby abandoning the defilements of greed hatred and delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T13:33:49.563" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20680" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20677" CreationDate="2017-05-20T13:51:29.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yo paticcasamuppadam passati, so Dhammam passati.&#xA;  Yo Dhammam passati, so paticcasamuppadam passati”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  -&lt;a href=&quot;https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/talk.religion.buddhism/ZLFOnQbg94A%5B1-25%5D&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Majjhima-nikaya I&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who sees paticcasamuppada sees the Dhamma. One who sees the Dhamma sees paticcasamuppada.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer to your question is found in the paticcasamuppada. It explains how causes lead to effects. Also the answer is found within the word itself. The word “Paticcasamuppada“ can be broken down into “Pati+ichcha”+”Sama+uppäda”. Here “pati” is bonding, and “icca”  is liking. Thus paticca is “bonding to something willingly”. In breaking down the second part of the phrase: “sama” (same or similar) + “uppäda” (generation), i.e.,  an existence (bhava) of similar quality or kind. Thus samuppada means leading to an existence or experience with similar defilements that used to drive the bondage in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take for example a person having mindset of an animal. With feelings of hatred this person can act like an animal, hitting and clawing at anotherif things really get out of hand. Thus in that moment this person would generate a “bhava” or existence similar to an animal in his mind, which in turn leads to a corresponding “bhava“, which in turn gives rise to a corresponding birth. Thus a person with animal tendencies will be reborm in the animal realm and likewise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T13:51:29.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20681" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20670" CreationDate="2017-05-20T14:34:15.103" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difficulty that a practicing Buddhist faces if s/he is a pet owner and a time comes when the pet falls ill and the person decides to “put to sleep” this pet. This is in conflict with the vow of abstaining from killing. After all, animal euthanasia means one is deliberately killing and therefore breaking one of the five precepts. This is creating the karmic cause for one to be born in the hell realm. Even though in the present day we have come to accept the belief that killing with a motivation that is “totally pure” becomes a virtue, it is not so. To take life — one's own or someone else's — is wrong no matter what, something outlined in the first precept which guides us to abstain from killing living beings. So this is the difficulty that a practicing Buddhist faces. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-20T14:34:15.103" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20635" CreationDate="2017-05-20T15:17:41.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pray&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Define pray&lt;/a&gt;: to speak to God especially in order to give thanks or to ask for something&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But bhikkhu just recite to meditate.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some bhikkhu want to leave the Buddhist monkhood, but when he recite about buddha's goodness. He will cancel to leave.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Reciting, about buddha's goodness, will let bhikkhu like to meditate their own goodness, too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T15:27:58.393" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T15:27:58.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20683" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-20T23:44:53.160" Score="9" ViewCount="943" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a lot of emphasis within the insight tradition on &quot;seeing things as they are&quot; , &quot;turning towards difficult emotions&quot; etc etc.   But in my experience it's not always the best advise. For example if I'm feeling sad,lonely, depressed etc,  I find  it's not helpful to sit there and look at it at all. I end up feeling worse. Going for a walk or swim and getting into my body seems to be far more helpful. I end up feeling happier.  Why is there so much focus on this kind of passive acceptance? Sure I can accept that right now I feel sad but ifs it's within my power to change that then why wouldn't I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T14:28:35.697" Title="Seeing things as they are" Tags="|insight|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20684" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T01:12:04.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of acceptance is change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But often, this is a question of degree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Negative emotions can be of a greater degree that accepting them can make things worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is also a lesser degree when accepting negative emotions will cause the negative emotion to dissolve. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the five hindrances are overcome by being aware of them in order to dissolve &amp;amp; thus change them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of this purification process is when drug addicts enter into cold turkey. Cold turkey forces the drug addict to accept the negative emotion of withdrawal but, eventually, with lots of &lt;em&gt;patient endurance&lt;/em&gt;, the body &amp;amp; mind purifies itself of the negative emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T01:12:04.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T01:12:45.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just because the almost all the books in the present day say to, you should not accept anything that is related to Dhamma as true. You should always verify that it is so by comparing the statement to the doctrine/scriptures. Even here lies a problem. It is because of Acariya Buddhaghosa’s strong influence on Theravada Buddhism for the past 1500 years. Almost all of present day translations in keeping with his intepritations of Dhamma as found in a thesis that he wrote, the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification). To come to the point, you should ask whoever that told you so, as to where it is said in the scriptures that your main focus should be on &quot;seeing things as they are&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to the insight tradition, what you should know first of all is that ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, nothing can be maintained to one’s satisfaction. Thus Dukkha arises. We cannot maintain anything to our satisfaction (including “our” own body) in the long run. Dukkha is becoming distraught because of that. And since we are truly helpless in preventing this sequence of events, we are truly helpless in the long run, and nothing is with any real substance in the end. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is this that you have to remember ALWAYS. Only in being aware of this truth will you comprehend the true nature of “this world”.  This is &quot;seeing things as they are&quot;.  This is all about the bad consequences that “mind-made pleasures” inevitably bring. If you could learn to willingly give up these, in comprehending their bad outcomes, this will lead to achieving a peace of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T01:12:45.070" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20686" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-21T01:51:48.267" Score="2" ViewCount="836" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 8.36: Ways of Meritorious Action&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha speaks about different ways of making merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He teaches that one can make merit by &lt;em&gt;Giving, by practicing Virtue (Morality) and by developing Meditation&lt;/em&gt;. He also mentions in what sphere of existence a being will be reborn according to which meritorious deeds are practiced and to what degree (small, high, very high).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta the Buddha only mentions &lt;em&gt;Giving&lt;/em&gt; in combination with &lt;em&gt;Virtue&lt;/em&gt;. Making merit by practicing &lt;em&gt;Meditation&lt;/em&gt; is not mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is that?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the merits made by practicing Meditation in combination with Giving and Virtue?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is the quoted sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;WAYS OF MERITORIOUS ACTION&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are, monks, three ways of making merit. What three?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are ways of making merit by giving, by (practicing) virtue and by meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is a person who, only to a small degree, has practiced the making of merit by giving; and, likewise to a small degree, he has practiced the making of merit by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken. This one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in an ill-favored condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Another person has practiced to a high degree the making of merit by giving as well as by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken. Such a one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in favorable conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or he will be reborn in the company of the deities of the Four Great Divine Kings. And there, the Four Great Divine Kings, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and by virtue, surpass the deities of their realm in ten things: in divine life span, divine beauty, divine happiness, divine power, divine sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Or he will be reborn in the company of the Thirty-three gods. And there, Sakka king of gods, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and virtue, surpasses...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The same statements are made for rebirth among the Yaama gods, Tusita gods, the gods of creative joy, the gods controlling others' creations, and for the respective rulers of these realms.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These, monks, are the three ways of making merit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— AN 8.36&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T12:38:27.517" Title="Sutta Question - Three Ways of Making Merit" Tags="|the-buddha|ethics|pali-canon|merit|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T01:57:36.680" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are saying, about seeing things as they are, is not very accurate. You're not supposed to passively accept your negative mind states, neuroses, pathological emotions, traditionally known as &quot;evil, unskillful qualities of the mind&quot;. Otherwise, why would it be called the path of liberation, if it did not lead to abandonment of the above bad qualities and cessation of suffering that they bring?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From Tri-Yana perspective, the method varies depending on the practitioner's style:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a Hinayana-style student, you're supposed to confront and overcome your negative emotions - through either direct willful effort, or as you say, through deliberate self-distraction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a Mahayana-style student, you're supposed to look inside until you see which egoistic attachment has given rise to the emotion, and by letting go of attachment, dismiss the emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are a Vajrayana-style student, you're supposed to get in direct contact with the psychosomatic energy of the emotion and by going through the emotion transmute it into pure energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you're referring to as &quot;seeing things as they are&quot; reminds me of one of the methods that Buddha taught back in the Pali Canon, that kinda spans all the three styles above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this method you look at your emotion analytically, objectively - so instead of replaying the thoughts/events that feed the emotion (which is bad), you philosophically/phenomenologically/scientifically analyze the emotion: see it's source in the attachment, see it's psychosomatic projection in the body - and this analysis itself (this will sound like a joke but it's not!) actually serves as a distraction that switches your mind away from the emotion to the skillful mind quality known as &quot;analysis of dharmas&quot;. Makes sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you don't just passively accept your negative mind states, you work with them, but this work does not always have to be as crude as suppression or distraction - there are more subtle methods, and this is one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T12:35:11.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T12:35:11.773" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20686" CreationDate="2017-05-21T02:31:01.513" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;AN8.36 is mainly dealing with giving as it comes under the category of Dana Vagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.36&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.36&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T02:31:01.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20686" CreationDate="2017-05-21T02:53:21.003" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;AN 8.36 is for &lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt; (ordinary people), who have cravings &amp;amp; lusts for worldly pleasures, power &amp;amp; status. It is bribing &lt;em&gt;puthujjana&lt;/em&gt; with promises of worldly rewards if they do good, as stated:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;surpass... in divine life span, divine beauty, divine happiness, divine power, &lt;strong&gt;divine&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;sights&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;sounds&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;smells&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;tastes&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;touches&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For those who doubt my explanation, MN 75 makes it clear what divine sensual pleasures are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Having conducted himself well in body, speech and mind, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he might reappear in a happy&#xA;  destination, in the heavenly world in the retinue of the gods of the&#xA;  Thirty-three; and there, surrounded by a group of &lt;strong&gt;nymphs&lt;/strong&gt; in the&#xA;  Nandana Grove, he would enjoy himself, provided and endowed with the&#xA;  five cords of divine sensual pleasure.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DjfPW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/DjfPW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/m7FBb.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/m7FBb.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is not for puthujjana, i.e., not for those unwilling &amp;amp; unable to abandon craving. This is why meditation is not mentioned in the sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta is unrelated to the core essence (heartwood) of Buddhism but is a peripheral subject. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta is similar to Islam, where a man doing good receives a reward of 72 virgins in heaven. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Has the news of the.. Resurrection...reached you?... Some faces on that Day shall be joyful, well-pleased with their endeavors, in a&#xA;  lofty Garden; there they shall hear no idle talk. In it there will be&#xA;  running springs; in it there will be raised couches, goblets set&#xA;  forth, cushions ranged in rows and fine carpets spread out.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Koran Surah 88&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T09:02:38.847" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T09:02:38.847" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20691" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2017-05-21T04:37:16.167" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just as the light and heat of the sunlight are inseparable, liberation or moksha and nirvana are inseparable. The delusion that I exist, and the ignorance that I am this bodily existence are inseparable. The NOBLE TRUTH that all beings are without independent self existence, and the NOBLE WISDOM that all things are without self nature are inseparable. Buddha talks about the ONE VEHICLE, which transcends both the small and big vehicles.&#xA;If viewed from the right perspective, both jainism and buddhism talk about NIRVANA while alive. Parinirvana is attained when the human body self disintegrates by itself when the last breath is exhausted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11332" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T04:37:16.167" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20692" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20695" CreationDate="2017-05-21T07:42:04.960" Score="1" ViewCount="881" Body="&lt;p&gt;In our world, (Earth) there were 28 Buddha born with Gautama Buddha. Some people say that Maitreya Buddha is the 29th &amp;amp; last Buddha. My question is, in the future how many Buddhas will born. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8305" LastEditorUserId="11380" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T12:39:55.593" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T12:39:55.593" Title="In the future how many Buddhas will be born?" Tags="|the-buddha|buddhas|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20693" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20670" CreationDate="2017-05-21T08:07:03.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard Lord Buddha didn't accede foster a pet.Buddha taught it's a way of clinging.At the present lot of monks(at Mahayana)practice fostering pet.But according to Theravada it's a  fault.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorUserId="11259" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T08:29:35.793" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T08:29:35.793" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20692" CreationDate="2017-05-21T09:50:53.900" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are infinite number into the past and infinite number to the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;28 are the immediate preceding our Buddha. Maitreya will be the next.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T09:50:53.900" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T09:59:27.137" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to confront the sensation / feeling while trying to be equanimous. When sad and you develop aversion towards the sad feeling you become sadder. If you become equanimous it will linger for a while and pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding a sensation you are not solving the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T09:59:27.137" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2017-05-21T09:59:44.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha attained Nirvana at the age of 35.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He lived 45 years more after which his Parinirvana occurred.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it not somewhat contradictory?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If Nirvana means the end of rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. However, the word &quot;birth&quot; here does not refer to physical birth but to the mental birth of the &quot;self-view&quot; or &quot;egoism&quot;. Nirvana is the end of self-view, egoism, conceit, I-making &amp;amp; my-making, as explained in many suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rebirth means the evolution of consciousness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Rebirth is unrelated to consciousness. Rebirth means the re-birth of self-view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did the Buddha possess no consciousness during the last 45 years of his life?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The Buddha had consciousness. This question is not relevant to the matter of rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read the suttas carefully about what rebirth is. It is the rebirth of &quot;a being&quot; (&quot;satta&quot;). &quot;A being&quot; is a &quot;self-view&quot; rather than an meta-physical organism. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception... fabrications...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a&#xA;  being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN&#xA;  23.2 Satta Sutta: A Being&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a &lt;strong&gt;view&lt;/strong&gt;? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So, when the aggregates are present, There's the [verbal] &lt;strong&gt;convention&lt;/strong&gt; 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T10:05:04.073" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T10:05:04.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20628" CreationDate="2017-05-21T10:19:25.053" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're asking whether &quot;children&quot; are unnecessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And I'm still not sure what that means. There are children in the world regardless of whether you're a parent yourself, so it's not as if children are an optional phenomenon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may be able to avoid the responsibilities of being a parent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some societies maybe you cannot (or could not, in the past) avoid becoming a parent: you were expected to marry who and when your parents tell you to marry, then you have children, etc. Choosing to become a monk or nun might once have been a socially-acceptable alternative to that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or I think it was a tradition in some countries (India) for people (or maybe it was only for men) to choose homelessness in later life, after completing your social responsibilities including parenthood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In various countries these days some people find that it is possible to resist having, to decide not to have, children. Your ability to make this choice may depend on availability of &quot;birth control&quot;, and/or whether you're able to earn a living without marrying, or finding a marriage partner who agrees with you on this subject (which I think historically hasn't always been feasible, for women especially).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think I agree with Katinka's answer, that a lot of what's in the suttas is meant by and for monks. I recommend a book &lt;em&gt;Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/em&gt;, which is an anthology of and commentary on the suttas which are intended for lay people (including for example the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta (DN 31)&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After reading it you may still think that you prefer to choose to live like a monk or nun. You may be right to say, as you said in a comment, that &quot;the truth cannot be two&quot;. Nevertheless I think that the advice or definition of &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt; given in suttas was sometimes different for laypeople than for bikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T10:19:25.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20628" CreationDate="2017-05-21T10:59:30.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More parental and social ties more the misery. Parents are more attached to their offspring than anything else in the world. This attachment is a source of misery. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean they are not necessary or you should avoid having children as implied by your question. If people do not have children of fend for them, society will break down. When you have children you should look after your children while trying to maintain composure and doing the best while parenting. I.e., if they get sick treat it but being equanimous, if they are not doing well in school do the best to make then study but be detached to the outcome, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;that, they say, &lt;strong&gt;is a far stronger fetter&lt;/strong&gt;, which pulls one downward and, though seemingly loose, &lt;strong&gt;is hard to remove&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This mentions attachment to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Those with children grieve because of their children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mentions they are a source of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T12:46:29.670" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T12:46:29.670" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11383" CreationDate="2017-05-21T14:05:27.203" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Husband and wife for hundreds of times of consecutive rebirth. How?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4:55 - The Same in Living&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha visits a married couple in their residence. Here he is given alms food whereafter he gives a teaching to the householders. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both householdes, &lt;em&gt;Nakulapitā and Nakulamātā&lt;/em&gt;, asks the Buddha how they can remain together in this life and meet and be together in future lives as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha teaches: &lt;em&gt;“Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom. Then they will see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Below is the quoted sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;55&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The Same in Living (1)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas in Suṃsumāragira in the deer park at Bhesakalā Grove. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and went to the residence of the householder Nakulapitā, where he sat down in the prepared seat. Then the householder Nakulapitā and the housewife Nakulamātā approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The householder Nakulapitā then said to the Blessed One:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhante, since I was young, when the young girl Nakulamātā was given to me in marriage, I do not recall ever transgressing against her even in thought, much less by deed. We wish, Bhante, to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The housewife Nakulamātā in turn said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, since I was a young girl given to the young householder Nakulapitā in marriage, I do not recall ever transgressing against him even in thought, much less by deed. We wish, Bhante, to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom. Then they will see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both husband and wife are endowed with faith,&#xA;  charitable and self-controlled,&#xA;  living their lives righteously,&#xA;  addressing each other with pleasant words,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then many benefits accrue to them&#xA;  and they dwell at ease.&#xA;  Their enemies are saddened&#xA;  when both are the same in virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having practiced the Dhamma here,&#xA;  the same in virtuous behavior and observances,&#xA;  delighting after death in a deva world,&#xA;  they rejoice, enjoying sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T14:05:27.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T14:47:43.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa  page 242&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Milarepa was tremendously involved with the process of transmutation of energies and emotions. In fact, when we read The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, the whole first part of the book is dealing with Milarepa's experience of this process. In &quot;The Tale of Red Rock Jewel Valley&quot; Milarepa had only recently left Marpa to go off and meditate alone. This might be called his &quot;adolescent stage,&quot; because he was still involved with reliance upon a personal guru. Marpa was still his &quot;daddy.&quot; Having opened and surrendered to Marpa, Milarepa still had to learn to transmute the emotions. He was still clinging to the notions of &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad,&quot; and so the world was still appearing to him in the guise of gods and demons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In &quot;The Tale of Red Rock Jewel Valley,&quot; when Milarepa went back into his cave after having a comforting vision of Marpa, he was confronted with a gang of demons. He tried every way he could think of to get rid of them, all kinds of tactics. He threatened them, cajoled them, he even preached the Dharma to them. But they would not leave until he ceased regarding them as &quot;bad&quot; and opened to them, saw them as they were. This was the beginning of Milarepa's period of learning how to subjugate the demons, which is the same thing as transmuting the emotions. It is with our emotions that we create demons and gods: those things which we don't want in our lives and world are the demons; those things which we would draw to us are the gods and goddesses. The rest is just scenery. By being willing to accept the demons and gods and goddesses as they are, Milarepa transmuted them. They became dakinis, or the energies of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The whole first part of The Hundred Thousand Songs deals with Milarepa's mastery of transmutation, his growing ability to open to the world as it is, until he finally conquered all the demons in the chapter &quot;The Goddess Tserinma's Attack.&quot; In this chapter thousands of demons assemble to terrify and attack Milarepa while he is meditating, but he preaches to them, is open and accepting, willing to offer them his whole being, and they are subjugated. At one point five demonesses, beginning to realize that they cannot frighten Milarepa, sing to him, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If the thought of demons&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Never rises in your mind,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  You need not fear the demon hosts around you.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  It is most important to tame your mind within ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the steep path of fear and hope&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They lie in ambush ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And later Milarepa himself says, &quot;Insofar as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither Buddhas nor demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear to be the Mahamudra itself ... &quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The rest of The Hundred Thousand Songs deals with Milarepa's development as a teacher and his relationships with his students. Toward the end of his life he had completely perfected the transmutation process to the point where he could be called the Vidyadhara or &quot;Holder of the Crazy Wisdom.&quot; No longer could he be swayed by the winds of hope and fear. The gods and goddesses and demons, his passions and their external projections, had been completely subjugated and transformed. Now his life was a continual dance with the dakinis. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally Milarepa reached the &quot;old dog&quot; stage, his highest attainment. People could tread on him, use him as a road, as earth; he would always be there. He transcended his own individual existence so that, as we read his last teachings, there is a sense of the universality of Milarepa, the example of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11372" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T14:52:42.693" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T14:52:42.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T17:48:46.313" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Seeing things as they are&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase &lt;em&gt;&quot;seeing things as they are&quot;&lt;/em&gt; is rather uninformative for the untrained mind or when expressed without at the same time giving proper meditational instructions on how to actually see the true nature of things. Seeing phenomena as they are means to see the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, i.e. the &lt;em&gt;Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness and Uncontrollability&lt;/em&gt; of all conditioned phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be seen by correctly practicing insight meditation. When &lt;em&gt;sadness&lt;/em&gt; is present it is watched with an objective and non-inferential approach meaning that one does not grasp at or cling to the sadness. Instead one just observes it until it ceases on its own accord.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing so one trains the mind to not react. The untrained mind reacts by liking or disliking phenomena. That is how it has been working for a long time. You could say that it is the habitual state for the untrained mind. In insight meditation we train the mind to &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; do that anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadness is just a phenomena. It arises on its own accord and ceases when its causes has been exhausted. But if aversion towards that sadness arises then we are dealing with an unwholesome state of mind. Aversion is one of the three unwholesome roots. Actions done by body, speech or mind, that are based in the unwholesome roots, can only lead to unwholesome future resultants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Said in another way - if one reacts with aversion towards the sadness one is setting oneself up for future suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is made very clear by the Buddha in &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/024-kammavaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 4:232 - Four Kinds of Kamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“... And what, monks, is dark kamma with dark results? Here, monks, someone generates an afflictive volitional formation of body, speech, or mind. Having done so, he is reborn in an afflictive world. When he is reborn in an afflictive world, afflictive contacts touch him. Being touched by afflictive contacts, he experiences an afflictive feeling, extremely painful, as for example the beings in hell experience. This is called dark kamma with dark results ...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This leads us to your next question regarding pacificity towards formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sure I can accept that right now I feel sad but ifs it's within my power to change that then why wouldn't I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As mentioned before aversion is one of the three unwholesome roots. They should be dealt with in order to purify the mind and to move closer to Nibbana. The Buddha teaches us to deal with &lt;em&gt;evil, unwholesome&lt;/em&gt; states of mind by practicing the factor of &lt;em&gt;Right Effort&lt;/em&gt; in the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha explains how to do that in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 45.8 - Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“... And what, bhikkhus, is right effort? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states…. He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states…. He generates desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their nondecay, increase, expansion, and fulfilment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. This is called right effort ...&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as the Buddha teaches one needs to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;a) abandon or dispel already arisen unwholesome states of mind and&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;b) to guard against or prevent unarisen unwholesome states of mind from arising.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latter is done by guarding the sense-doors. The former is done by administering the antidote for the 5 hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can deal with each of the 5 hindrances in 5 ways, i.e. the following 5 methods works for all of the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Methods are found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 63-66, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Replacing the hindrance with its opposite, e.g. replacing &lt;em&gt;hatred&lt;/em&gt; with thoughts of loving-kindness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating the arisen hindrance as vile and ignoble since it has entered the mind without permission or any control.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention away from the hindrance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention onto the hindrance and thoroughly contemplating it by investigating its causes and conditions for arising and its characteristics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Removing the hindrance with force, just as a strong man would pin a weaker man to the ground.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. 5 should only be used if method 1-4 does not work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this gave a more thorough approach to your question. If you have any questions to what I wrote feel free to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T17:48:46.313" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-21T22:24:01.230" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It’s because of ignorance, because you don’t see things as they really are, that you are sad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may as you suggest take a walk, swim or do some calming meditations to avoid your sadness and calm your mind, but this will not remove the core problem “Your ignorance”.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can only root out your ignorance by wisdom. So you have to meditate, contemplate, and investigate the root cause, but this can only be done when you have a calm mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should also remember that even with calm mind you may fail to root out you ignorance, only the Buddha can remove all ignorance without a guide, so you should seek a guide a monk / nun  to point you on right direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastEditorDisplayName="user10552" LastEditDate="2017-05-21T22:54:12.903" LastActivityDate="2017-05-21T22:54:12.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-22T04:12:22.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To me seeing things as they are means, practicing four Satipathana.&#xA;You should contemplate on four Satipatthana in terms of Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T04:12:22.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20692" CreationDate="2017-05-22T04:44:45.867" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahapadana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; of the Digha Nikaya, the Buddha explained some natural laws (dhammata) pertaining to the Bodhisatta Vipassi who arose in the world ninety one aeons ago. In the last 91 Kalpa (Aeons) only 7 Buddha’s have come. After Vipassi Buddha, the other six Buddhas who came were Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusanda, Konagamana, Kassapa and the Gautama Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Kalpa is like Eternity. So just imagine what 91 kalpa is like. In the Anamatagga-samyutta — The unimaginable beginnings of samsara. In Samyutta ii, Chapter XV, the Buddha used the parables of the hill and mustard-seed for comparison:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a solid mass, of rock or hill, one yojana (eight miles) wide, one yojana across and one yojana high and every hundred years, a man was to stroke it once with a piece of silk. That mass of rock would be worn away and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suppose there was a city of iron walls, one yojana in length, one yojana in width, one yojana high and filled with mustard-seeds to the brim. There-from a man was to take out every hundred years a mustard-seed. That great pile of mustard-seed would be emptied and ended sooner than would an aeon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of the next Buddha, the average lifespan of a human is going to be eighty thousand years. (In the present day it is around 60 -80 years). There will not be any more Buddhas for many a aeon, after the next, as per the scriptures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_named_Buddhas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;28 Buddhas&lt;/a&gt; described in the Buddhavamsa.  Our Gautama Buddha first obtained “niyata vivarana” that he will definitely become a Buddha in the future, from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C4%ABpankara_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddha Dipankara&lt;/a&gt;, who was the 24th Buddha preceding Buddha Gotama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T04:52:39.703" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20686" CreationDate="2017-05-22T12:38:27.517" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Whenever Buddha taught, nibbana is the aim, without nibbana, it is not Buddha teaching. For ordinary people, to achieve nibbana, attachment for worldly goods must be reduced, after that observing good virtue and only after that developing insight meditation, i.e, step by step approach for some but not all people. And also whoever prefer dana, talking about dana would lead to piti feeling based on this concentration and insight toward nibbana. The same applies to sila. It is not bribing the ordinary people. Some said ordinary people are bribed by celestial abodes and frightened by hell, it is totally wrong. All the dhamma talk aimed at some person to achieve nibbana. If somebody would achieve nibbana, in some instances, Buddha knowingly did give such dhamma   even some other people would turn against Him. Regarding insight meditation, noting rupa(matter),50 million merit occurring in a wink of time, while noting nama(mind), one billion merit in a wink of time, topmost dana, unsurpassable dana, dhamma dana, Buddha and arahant used to praise such dana because by insight meditation, one is just giving away, not taking for himself with delusion for all these mind and matter that come and go unnoticeably, it is the highest dana of all only with such dana one will definitely lead to  nibbana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T12:38:27.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20708" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-22T13:00:36.800" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Due to not knowing the true dhamma, those ordinary people are submerged in this rounds of birth and rebirth. To get to know the true Dhamma, one need to see things as they are, how these things come and go naturally. If you feel sad, you have to know it is so. All our deeds, bodily action, verbal or mental all should be clear of akusala but should be full of kusala. If once at a time if no kusala surely it is akusala. If you feel sad and you cannot get rid of this mental akusala as it is, then if you try to divert to other means which also lead to akusala will end in no good. So if you feel sad and you cannot concentrate on your meditation, then you can divert to the true nature of kamma result or focus on your attention on true characteristics of triple gems which will lead to your great relief and even more concentration leading to higher steps towards insight knowledge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T13:00:36.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20709" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20677" CreationDate="2017-05-22T13:20:02.250" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These are not the paradigm. All these are karmic results. Karmic results depend on the degree of intention while doing such good or bad deed. And those bhava after bhava (not reincarnation) depend on the suti mind(seven stages in detail) just before dying. If one know such dreadful samsara, one should better focus only at insight meditation to get liberated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T13:20:02.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20683" CreationDate="2017-05-22T14:28:35.697" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Looking at whatever sorrowful or joyful things in life and being stuck over those feelings is not seeing things as they are. That is Moha, which would lead to Lobha or Dwesha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember: &lt;em&gt;seeing things as they are&lt;/em&gt; is the &lt;strong&gt;effect&lt;/strong&gt; (not the cause) of learning and practicing Dhamma. Which means seeing things as they are is part of the end result you are striving to achieve. It is at the destination of your journey. To reach that destination you have to make the journey. For an example, you want to visit the Himalayan peak. You have to prepare yourself for the journey and actually make the journey before you can stand on the peak and admire the view.&#xA;Alternatively, you can stand anywhere and imagine that you are on the Himalayan Peak. But, no matter how much you imagine, you are not really there unless you take the trouble of actually making the journey yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can I get there?&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;Learning Buddhism is like learning physics. Yes, the physics of the mind. Buddhism teaches us how the minds works and how it behaves. What are the perils of Sankhara and Wigngnaana (the illusion), and how it enslaves us through either making us attach to things/feelings (Lobha) and/or how it makes us fight with those we deem as threats/not good for us.&#xA;Things happen in the world that we live in. Sometimes they are affected by our actions, and some of them affects us. We evaluate them based on our bias, practices, perceptions and rate them as Good-for-me (Lobha), or Bad-for-me (Dwesha), or it-does-not affect me. If it's deemed as good, then we chase it, with the hope of 'making-them-mine'. Striving to obtain/achieve it. If its deemed as bad, then we take the effort to desist from it, destroy it. Both of those are attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more we attach ourselves to, the burden is on ourselves. Sadly most of us do not see it. I would like to quote a beautiful simile from the movie 'Up In the Air'. The dialogue is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;How much does your life weigh?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Imagine for a second that you’re carrying a backpack... I want you to feel the straps on your shoulders... You feel them?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, I want you to pack it with all the stuff you have in your life. Start with the little things. The stuff in drawers and on shelves. The collectables and knick-knacks. Feel the weight as it adds up. Now, start adding the larger stuff. Your clothes, table top appliances, lamps, linens, your TV. That backpack should be getting pretty heavy at this point - Go Bigger. Your couch, your bed, your kitchen table. Stuff it all in... Your car, get it in there... Your home, whether you have a studio apartment or a two story house, I want you to stuff it into that backpack.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now try to walk.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Until we stop, look back and see what we have collected, what we have tried to make ours, and all the sadness, sorrow and disappointment it has brought us, we are blind to the fact that happiness has always eluded us. Why oh why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happiness has eluded us because we have failed to see the world as is. We cannot bend to world to our will. We cannot change it to suit our need. Even if we did, it will be for a limited time. When the world is not the way we want it (Anichcha) it brings us sadness, anger and disappointment. When the world works according to our will, it brings us happiness and joy. Both these ends are the effects of failing to see the world as is. To see the world as is, one needs to start seeing beyond the attachments (Lobha, Dwesha) the effects of Moha (not seeing the reality). Search for the reason why you are happy or sad. How did your mind give birth to that feeling? Before this feeling overwhelmed you, what did you feel? how did your mind translate from that state to this? You will find that a value you have given as good/bad to something. Take that value and look for the reason as to why did you value it as good or bad.&#xA;Haven't you tried to change to world? bend it to your will and failed/succeeded? (most of the time we forget to look at the moments we consider as 'happy' ones). Things happen in the world around us. We do not have absolute control over them. That is how the world works. So, why are you trying to change it and feel sad when it didn't or feel happy when it does for a little while?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11278" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T14:28:35.697" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20677" CreationDate="2017-05-22T17:27:55.003" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do we reincarnate into similar or polar-opposite lives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;MN 41 - Saleyyaka Sutta: The Brahmans of Sala&lt;/em&gt;, the Buddha is wandering in the Kosalan country with a large group of monks when he arrives at a village named Sala. Here a brahmin householder from the village hears about the Buddha being in Sala and want to ask him about why beings fare as they do after death. The brahmin householder asks the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why some beings here, on&#xA;  the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of misery, in&#xA;  a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell? And what is the cause&#xA;  and condition why some beings here, on the breakup of the body, after&#xA;  death, are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world? ...”.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha then answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“... Householders, it is by reason of unrighteous conduct, conduct&#xA;  not in accordance with the Dhamma, that some beings here, on the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of misery, in a&#xA;  bad destination, in the lower world, in hell. It is by reason of righteous&#xA;  conduct, conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, that some beings&#xA;  here, on the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination,&#xA;  in a heavenly world ...”&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The brahmin householders explain that they do not understand the phrase &lt;em&gt;&quot;unrighteous / righteous conduct and conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and ask the Buddha to further expound on his teaching.&#xA;The Buddha then explains in details what unrighteous and righteous conduct in accordance with the Dhamma is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... Householders, there are three kinds of unrighteous bodily conduct,&#xA;  conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma. &quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;There are four kinds of unrighteous verbal conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma. &quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;There are three kinds of unrighteous mental conduct,&#xA;  conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha continues to explain &lt;em&gt;unrighteous bodily conduct&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“... And how, householders, are there three kinds of unrighteous&#xA;  bodily conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma? Here&#xA;  someone kills living beings; he is murderous, bloody-handed, given&#xA;  to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. He takes what is not&#xA;  given; he takes by way of theft the wealth and property of others in&#xA;  the village or forest. He commits sexual misconduct; he has intercourse&#xA;  with women who are protected by their mother, father, mother and&#xA;  father, brother, sister, or relatives, who have a husband, who are protected&#xA;  by law, and even with those already engaged. That is how there&#xA;  are three kinds of unrighteous bodily conduct, conduct not in accordance&#xA;  with the Dhamma ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then &lt;em&gt;unrighteous verbal conduct&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And how, householders, are there four kinds of unrighteous verbal&#xA;  conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma? Here&#xA;  someone speaks falsehood; when summoned to a court, or to a meeting,&#xA;  or to his relatives’ presence, or to his guild, or to the royal family’s&#xA;  presence, and questioned as a witness thus: ‘So, good man, tell what&#xA;  you know,’ not knowing, he says, ‘I know,’ or knowing, he says, ‘I do&#xA;  not know’; not seeing, he says, ‘I see,’ or seeing, he says, ‘I do not see’;&#xA;  in full awareness he speaks falsehood for his own ends, or for&#xA;  another’s ends, or for some trifling worldly end. He speaks maliciously;&#xA;  he repeats elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide [those people] from these, or he repeats to these people what&#xA;  he has heard elsewhere in order to divide [these people] from those;&#xA;  thus he is one who divides those who are united, a creator of divisions,&#xA;  who enjoys discord, rejoices in discord, delights in discord, a speaker&#xA;  of words that create discord. He speaks harshly; he utters such words&#xA;  as are rough, hard, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on&#xA;  anger, not conducive to concentration. He engages in idle chatter; he&#xA;  speaks at the wrong time, speaks what is not fact, speaks what is useless,&#xA;  speaks contrary to the Dhamma and the Discipline; at the wrong&#xA;  time he speaks such words as are worthless, unreasonable, immoderate,&#xA;  and unbeneficial. That is how there are four kinds of unrighteous&#xA;  verbal conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then &lt;em&gt;unrighteous mental conduct&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“... And how, householders, are there three kinds of unrighteous&#xA;  mental conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma? Here&#xA;  someone is covetous; he covets the wealth and property of others thus:&#xA;  ‘Oh, may what belongs to another be mine!’ Or he has a mind of ill&#xA;  will and intentions of hate thus: ‘May these beings be slain and slaughtered,&#xA;  may they be cut off, perish, or be annihilated!’ Or he has wrong&#xA;  view, distorted vision, thus: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered,&#xA;  nothing sacrificed; no fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this&#xA;  world, no other world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn&#xA;  spontaneously; no good and virtuous ascetics and brahmins in the&#xA;  world who have themselves realized by direct knowledge and declare&#xA;  this world and the other world. That is how there are three kinds of&#xA;  unrighteous mental conduct, conduct not in accordance with the&#xA;  Dhamma ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha finishes expounding on these unrighteous types of conduct by saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... So, householders, it is by reason of such unrighteous conduct,&#xA;  such conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, that some&#xA;  beings here on the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a&#xA;  state of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha then continues to expound upon the three kinds of &lt;em&gt;righteous bodily conduct, conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma&lt;/em&gt;. I will not refer to them here as they are opposites of the above mentioned Dhamma and can be found in the sutta. The Buddha then ends these three types of righteous conduct by saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;... So, householders, it is by reason of such righteous conduct, such conduct in&#xA;  accordance with the Dhamma that some beings here, on the breakup&#xA;  of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, even in a&#xA;  heavenly world ...&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to sum up on your question, the Buddha teaches that it is our actions done by &lt;em&gt;body, speech or mind&lt;/em&gt; that play a part in the rebirth destination. The Buddha teaches what to do in order to be reborn both in the lower realms and in the heavenly realms. This is of course only one sutta there are other suttas as well. I chose this sutta as I think the Buddha here gives a very clear and detailed exposition on conduct in relation to the Dhamma and rebirth destination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to what I wrote feel free to ask. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T17:27:55.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20677" CreationDate="2017-05-22T22:39:56.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No matter how you slice it, Buddha said we have been in every situation many times over.  In one sutta said when seeing a wealthy man indulging in all fine things in life and in another sutta crippled man lying in the gutter, we have all been there.  For this reason, it is enough to be tired of samsara.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It is reasonably to assume we have been in every situation and every world many times (except for world of sutavassa-world for non-returners.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-05-22T22:39:56.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20713" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20714" CreationDate="2017-05-23T00:14:09.577" Score="3" ViewCount="1289" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a question about being a vegetarian. My question is since the Buddha didn't prohibit monks from eating meat, and since monks are supposed to be easy to maintain and take what is offered, how should/would a monk who has chosen to be a vegetarian handle being offered meat by a lay person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they chose to refuse the meal would that make them high maintenance, proud or unappreciative? If they ate it, how would they reconcile that with their personal practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm particularly interested in an answer from any monastic on how they have handled or would handle this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2021-06-30T11:38:27.353" LastActivityDate="2021-07-02T03:15:46.533" Title="What are the consequences of a monk eating meat?" Tags="|monasticism|vegetarianism|meat|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20713" CreationDate="2017-05-23T00:59:25.233" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As far as the theory of monastics eating meat is concerned, here are two enlightening videos/articles on the subject:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/zisXgVnv-cI&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ask A Monk: Mark Zuckerberg, Vegetarianism and Killing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#meat&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules&#xA;A Guide for Laypeople -- Meat Eating&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the problem with eating meat is in many ways as much about the craving that meat promotes as it is about the non-violence and killing aspect. For a monastic, the rules regarding eating and alms are very much about not giving in to either greed or hatred for a specific food; a monastic should be totally content with what little or lot he has. Thus, if a monastic were offered meat, to decline would represent preference and &quot;pickiness&quot;, which is in many ways much worse than simply being grateful for what one has. This is true even if you may oppose how your food was made/grown/processed/ etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anecdotally, I'll note that I've found food in particular to have a tremendous emotional resonance with people -- we've all seen people become literally angry when confronted with to little or too much or too different a food. Buddhism is all about overcoming this emotional attachment to something that should only matter insofar as it is absolutely necessary to survive.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3701" LastEditorUserId="3701" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T01:07:00.160" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T01:07:00.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20713" CreationDate="2017-05-23T01:58:37.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha didn't prohibit monks from eating meat&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;monks are supposed to be easy to maintain and take what is offered&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how should/would a monk who has chosen to be a vegetarian handle being offered meat by a lay person?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk shouldn't choose. The monk should accept the food (in his alms bowl) and can choose to not eat the non-vegetarian part later. If a monk always uses his bowl, including when invited to a meal in a home, then the offerers cannot see what he eats. The monk can pick &amp;amp; choose in his bowl, although there will be meat substances polluting his vegetarian choice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If they chose to refuse the meal would that make them high maintenance, proud or unappreciative?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They should not refuse. To refuse would be extremely evil &amp;amp; Satanic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If they ate it, how would they reconcile that with their personal practice?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the monks is practising Buddhism (rather than Hinduism), eating meat should not affect their practise since the practise of Buddhism is non-attachment, including towards food. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, eating meat is not a sin that needs to be reconciled. Instead, any idea of 'reconciliation' is a personal delusion. Attachment to vegetarianism is a grave &amp;amp; fatal fetter because it most likely prohibits reaching non-returner &amp;amp; arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm particularly interested in an answer from any monastic on how they have or would handle this.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have lived in a remote monastery before with forest monks. All of the alms food, including the fruit &amp;amp; curries, were emptied into a bowl, mixed up, and then spooned out individually. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A real monks does not pick &amp;amp; choose alms food. That is a disgrace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find an answer from a Theravada monk, &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&amp;amp;t=24351&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Despite a widespread belief to the contrary, the Vinaya doesn't actually oblige a bhikkhu to ever accept any offering from anybody.&#xA;  And so in theory a bhikkhu could walk on almsround ignoring all the&#xA;  requests to stop from donors who offer food that he doesn't like. In&#xA;  so doing he wouldn't be breaking any Vinaya rule. Socially, however,&#xA;  this would be quite a serious faux pas in Asian Buddhist countries. As&#xA;  a bhikkhu one is expected to be encouraging and facilitating dāna on&#xA;  the part of householders, not obstructing it, and so a bhikkhu's&#xA;  rejection of a householder's allowable offering would be viewed as&#xA;  perverse and mean-spirited.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If he's living alone and has a sensitive digestive system, he should accept whatever he's offered but eat only what agrees with him. If&#xA;  he's living in a monastery, then he can make arrangements with his&#xA;  fellow monks after notifying them of his condition. In either case, if&#xA;  he's seriously ill then the Vinaya allows him to request special&#xA;  foods.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T02:10:31.173" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T02:10:31.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20717" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20713" CreationDate="2017-05-23T03:58:13.227" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Monk can't be a strict Vegetarian&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a monk follows real Buddhism, he can't be a strict vegetarian and refuse what has given. Many vegans see a living animal when they see meat. One who follows the path of Buddha doesn't see a living animal when they see meat . So they don't know/see a difference between a vegetable and a meat . Just some food in the bowl to keep the life going. If they identify food in their bowl as , this is delicious, this is not delicious, this is expensive, this is cheap , this is meat , this is vegetable, that's not real practice. And if they see a living animal in a dead meat, that means they take &quot;Ruupa&quot; (what we see through eyes ) as a permanent thing . The impermanence of &quot;Ruupa&quot; is what we/monks should practice to see . Thus a monk can't be a strict vegetarian if they practice what the Buddha has taught . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorUserId="10479" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T04:03:16.360" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T04:03:16.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20718" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10092" CreationDate="2017-05-23T04:07:03.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nirvana&lt;/strong&gt; = &lt;em&gt;ending all rebirths by attaining enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parinirwana&lt;/strong&gt; = &lt;em&gt;physical death of a person who has achieved&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Nirvana&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T04:07:03.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20719" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20692" CreationDate="2017-05-23T04:16:58.510" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is just my personal idea , I believe if the time is infinite, and there  is no starting or ending to the universe, there can be infinite number of Buddhas . &#xA;For your information::,According to teravada they say its 28 buddhas , In mahayana , they say 1000 buddhas . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T04:16:58.510" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20720" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20713" CreationDate="2017-05-23T05:23:51.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer is based on the Chinese Classical Sutras I read, there are three situations: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A) A Bhikkhu should NOT eat meat because he is on the path of liberation cultivating the Caturapramāṇāḥ/四無量心 (Four All-encompassing Hearts), due to Maitr/Compassion he should not kill so eating meat is participating indirectly or encouraging killing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B) A Bhikkhu should practice equanimity he should accept whatever he offered. If in his meal there is meat, &lt;strong&gt;he should wash it with water until it has no taste, eat it as if eating the meat cut from his own son in the time of famine&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;em&gt;That is the Buddha's true teaching&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;C) If the offer is all meat or mainly meat. A Bhikkhu should choose not to accept. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main reason for obstaining from eating meat is it hindering cultivating Maitr/compassion, meat eating promotes craving of taste. To a subtle level, meat eating the smell of meat left after eating attracts Rākṣasa/羅刹 those blood-flesh thirsting Monsters; sending away the Celestial Beings those who are repellent to meat eating, Suangama Sutra. The Celestial Beings seeing human eating meat the repellent is the same as human seeing dogs eating feces (though modern day dogs eating beef or canned dog food different from the pre-modern time). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mentioning of Celestial Beings and Monsters for modern day Buddhism is like terms from sci-fictions, but even the Theravadist &lt;em&gt;modernized&lt;/em&gt; Pali Canon still maintains verses about the Bhikkhus encountering Beings of higher realms at this moment, I read from the quotes of this forum. A Bhikkhu with correct practice should be able to open his perceiving faculties to sense, if not seeing, realms different from the human and animal's. A Bhikkhu once on The Path he will be guarded by the Beings those vowed to the Buddha to uphold his Dharma these guarding Beings may leave him when repelt by the smell of his meat eating. However, those who have the robes on are not necessarily a Bhikkhu on The Path there were no guarding Beings around him either. It's like there are many discussions or even debate on Anatta, we write, speak, even graffiti-ing this word but we don't really know, not to say have a &lt;em&gt;taste&lt;/em&gt; of, Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last, there a situation a Bhikkhu is allowed by the Buddha to eat meat, when he is practicing Dhyana of a practicular type related to White Skeleton Visualization of the Mahayana (Chinese) method, else he will be going mad. In this particular situation he must eat meat but when he does, he has to do B), wash the meat to no taste, eat it as if eating meat from his own son. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are the teachings about meat eating addressed solely to the Bhikkhus, not laity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;since the Buddha didn't prohibit monks from eating meat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore this is of dispute, it should be only the modern Theravadist understanding, or maybe with some schools like the Tibetan Buddhism. By what I studied in the Chinese Classical Sutras the principle is Buddha taught Bhikkhus NOT to eat meat, but with flexibility to accommodate the different circumstances. Buddha himself didn't eat meat, even the Brahmins of modern day India don't - I personally has an acquaintance. For Tibetans, Buddha had once addressed certain Brahmins at that time due to their geological condition crops didn't grow there they were allowed but with certain conditioning to eat, that may apply, or do it as B).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how should/would a monk who has chosen to be a vegetarian handle being offered meat by a lay person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, a Bhikkhus &lt;em&gt;has chosen to be a vegetarian&lt;/em&gt; is, from the principle about meat eating taught by the Buddha, also an unwholesome or unnecessary practice. If this for whatever reason he has to keep to be a vegetarian he may do B) + C). Or, consider the Chinese Sangha. The Chinese Sangha, due to the historical cultural background, they evolve to a Farming-Ch'an/農禪 style practice they farmed their own food instead of going for alms everyday, farming labouring is a form of Dhyana. Sometimes in times of war or famine they may even offer shelters or food to the people, in accord with Mahayana's Bodhisattva vow. Recently there is also a monastery reviving the practice of alms going.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T14:25:07.263" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T14:25:07.263" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20721" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20725" CreationDate="2017-05-23T06:14:35.607" Score="6" ViewCount="3640" Body="&lt;p&gt;How is mental health dealt with by Bhuddists? Is it believed to be a tangible issue e.g. imbalances of chemicals in the brain? Or an issue of the spirit (not sure if spirit is the right word)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is treatment with western medicine (i.e. antidepressants/mood stabilizers, talk therapy) condemned or accepted? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thefreedictionary.com/stigma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;stigma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; surrounding these illnesses like in the western culture?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is depression thought of an extreme form of dukkha or similar?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are hypomania/major depressive episodes handled?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this makes sense, thanks :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11380" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T15:08:15.770" LastActivityDate="2018-01-05T23:35:16.223" Title="How do Buddhists handle mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder?" Tags="|dukkha|depression|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19098" CreationDate="2017-05-23T12:00:13.050" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A cyborg will not have volition and without volition it can’t reach enlightenment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think volition is grossly misunderstood, I wouldn’t say in Buddhism, but mostly in this platform. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volitional action as explained on some Buddhist texts or as understood by the Stoics (Prohairesis) can not happen in a cyborg.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T12:00:13.050" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20725" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20721" CreationDate="2017-05-23T17:17:07.207" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bipolar and depression are both very serious mental illnesses and should be treated accordingly. Too often dharma teachers who are unprepared try to resolve what are true clinical issues. As I was once told &quot;sometimes meditation is the answer sometimes medication is the answer.&quot; That of course does not mean that practice can not help with these problems but the appropriate tools should be used at the appropriate time and instance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-24T17:06:24.857" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T17:06:24.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2017-05-23T17:51:33.357" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a practitioner and a longtime meditator, I think the idea of karma can and has most certainly been used to justify abuses and injustice. In my limited understanding, truths communicated by the concept can coexist with misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and abuses of the idea to justify or explain away the oppression of women, minorities, etc. and to justify socially-constructed phenomena or societal mores as a kind of absolute, which they are not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For myself, I currently view the concept as a kind of &quot;skillful means&quot;--a conceptual &lt;em&gt;aid&lt;/em&gt; to meditators and practitioners that is open to interpretation--and not an &quot;absolute truth.&quot; My saying this has its roots in my own study, state of understanding, and practice of Buddhism. And &quot;skillful means&quot; means that the idea is ever-changing. I'm aware that in Buddhism it is said that karma is not absolute truth. I think that is a good thing to keep in mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stephen Batchelor, to my knowledge, has written about karma in an intelligent, open-minded, and critical way. You might want to check out some of his books. In addition, you might want to read Buddhist teachers like Chogyam Trungpa and Dzongsar Khyentse, among many others. In my experience, Buddhist teachers never make any simplistic statements about karma or judgments like &quot;because so-and-so was bad in a past life, he was born as a poor man.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is a way of understanding the world, and I think in some of its manifestations can and has been culturally conditioned. Seeing events in terms of karma could be compared to seeing events in terms of God's judgment in theistic traditions; both &lt;em&gt;can be&lt;/em&gt; speculative approaches to understanding why things happen the way they do, which ordinary people can never completely understand except that, as Buddha said, &quot;This is because that is.&quot; In other words, a skein of causes and conditions is behind everything that exists, and that skein of causes and conditions can be looked into and, to a greater or lesser extent, understood. What matters most is that the understanding, I think, be personal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for bad events happening to one, it is often said that practitioners will experience obstacles, sometimes even moreso than non-practitioners. In my experience, I often feel that fixating on trying to understand events in terms of karma &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; and often is a form of being absorbed in myself. (I say this in a non-critical way--everyone wants to know why bad things happen to people.) I would say please extend kindness to yourself and then to others. Thinking critically is important, but it's not necessary always to speculate on karma. I think trying to practice kindness, openness, and so on in negative situations can be far more important, depending on the situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, please know that my answers are simply efforts at understanding and in no way reflect a claim to absolute truth or authority. I apologize for any mistakes, and please know that I think it's always important to think for oneself, and Buddhist teachers as well as the Buddha himself emphasized this. I have responded here simply because I think of the same issues as you do. Perhaps it would be best to concentrate on being the best person you can be in every situation, for everyone's sake. That's what I try to do, anyway. I wish you all the best. May we all be held in compassion.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11383" LastEditorUserId="11383" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T18:49:01.977" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T18:49:01.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2017-05-23T18:07:25.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for 2 years. I do attend meetings (enjoy chanting in a group) for the social aspect. I was told to set a goal and then chant for that goal which I have been doing. To date I can honestly say I have not received benefits. When I reported this to the group initially I was told to keep chanting; so I did. I still have not obtained my goal. When I reported very recently to the group that I still had not obtained my goal, I was asked if I had taken action. Truth be known there is no action I personally can take to fulfill my goal. My thought is that if one can take action to fulfill a goal why in the world would you waste time chanting. Just go and do what you need to do to obtain your goal. I have concluded that it is most likely placebo effect and the benefits would have occurred without chanting. We can make ourselves believe anything!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11384" LastEditorUserId="11384" LastEditDate="2017-05-23T18:13:44.453" LastActivityDate="2017-05-23T18:13:44.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20728" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-23T20:59:20.920" Score="2" ViewCount="114" Body="&lt;p&gt;Are attachment, aversion, ignorance Kamma?&#xA;Are they leading to a bad destination?&#xA;If they are not Kamma how do they lead you to a bad destination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T03:43:30.870" Title="Are attachment, aversion, ignorance Kamma?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20729" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20728" CreationDate="2017-05-24T00:41:23.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well kamma is basically &quot;action&quot;, so your attachment, aversion and ignorance certainly can lead to actions. If the actions are bad they have the potential to lead you to bad destinations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T00:41:23.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20728" CreationDate="2017-05-24T03:26:59.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are three types of kamma, namely, bodily, verbal &amp;amp; mental (refer to AN 6.63). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as intention &amp;amp; attachment arise in the mind, this is mental kamma &amp;amp; such mental kamma will have a result or destination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, by mere thinking alone, a neurotic person may have a psychiatric hospital as their destination. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, as soon as ignorance &amp;amp; aversion result in intention &amp;amp; attachment, this is kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T03:26:59.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20728" CreationDate="2017-05-24T03:43:30.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance is the root cause for immoral/unfruitful actions and thoughts, forming fresh kamma in the process. The worst of its kind are immoral acts like killing, stealing, etc that are responsible for the worst outcomes, the worst kinds of future suffering; these are the worst forms of sankhara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment and its opposite, aversion, too generate akusala kamma, and one can see the results of such in this very life. For example, when we get attached to things or people via strong attachments or strong dislikes, that leads to mental suffering in this very life. One can even commit murder due to anger that is done with aversion. Thus these three are akusala kamma, and it is mainly caused by cravings for sense pleasures.  Such akusala kamma will only lead one to Apayas – birth in the lower realms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T03:43:30.870" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9321" CreationDate="2017-05-24T05:23:22.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you don't believe in karma, there is no point explaining what happened to you in karma theories in Buddhism. So below are some Logical reasons to believe karma and rebirth . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma&lt;/strong&gt; : If there is no karma , all the people will be same in every way. But when you look at the society you see a huge difference between people. Some are born extremely poor while some are born extremely rich . Some die inside the womb while some live over 100 years old. So there are billions of differences like this . There is no other thing to explain this other than karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rebirth&lt;/strong&gt;:  When hypnotizing some people tell about places they have never seen or never heard of and they actually exist. Also some kids talk in foreign languages even though they don't even have heard a word in that language. Also some people are born to do things , when the same amount of training given to few people, some people do exceptionally well . Again also when you hypnotize someone to tell about where they were before born in this life , most people can see where they lived in their past lives . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So above reasons are the logical reasons to believe in karma and rebirth. What we do comes along with us . If you plant rice seeds , you ll harvest rice . What you harvest is what you have planted. So in the same way what you/others do will affect you/them in the future in a good or bad way . &#xA;Ps: It is not necessarily happen in this life . May be 100 births after this the consequences can happen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T05:23:22.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20734" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20749" CreationDate="2017-05-24T13:14:57.817" Score="12" ViewCount="9046" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been wanting to ask this question for some time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically caught up in the social norms, i used to watch porn videos and masturbate and got a bit attached to it. Kept on doing it for a few years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And 2 years back I met a girlfriend and we were so in love and also did different sexual activity (Apart from sex). But our relationship broke one year back when i got to know that she had cheated with another person as a tool to solve certain problems and not for love. When i got to know about it (She herself revealed it) i asked about her whole life story and i got upset by it and sympathized her. Knowing that my mother would not approve her since she also know what happened, I taught her the path of dhamma. Created a path for her to move on through dhamma.To be a better person. And she is still engaging in that path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So after the break up I was mentally broken down and I somehow needed to satisfy my sexual desire. So i started watching more and more porn and satisfied myself. But it became very upsetting for me due to the breakup.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one day i decided to start meditating every day and i have been continuing since then. After 2 weeks of meditation i realized that i should stop masturbating and watching porn and i just stopped it then and there. But the following few weeks were very hard. My body was rebelling to watch porn or to at least to satisfy myself. But i fought and fought. There was a time where my body was literally shaking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And i continued that for six months. There were times where i saw some sexual dreams and i ejaculated. But i didn't do it intentionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I meditated different practices and I did a lot of Asuba bawana to control my sexual desire. And I was doing well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since recently I have been getting flashbacks of my sexual activities with my ex. And i get these strong urges to masturbate and get it over with. I spoke this with my ex (Since we actually understand each other a lot) and she told me to just do it and accept it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have no intention of being a monk at the moment or to live a celibacy life. Whereas i have expectations to find a girlfriend and marry and move on. But i don't feel like masturbating at the moment cause i feel it's just a waste of time and empty since it would make more meaning if i have a girlfriend. So i won't be continuing the anti-masturbating till i find a girlfriend (Why i mentioned this cause by choosing a normal life you will be engaging in these sort pf sexual activities.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know for a fact that I will not be watching porn again. Since Stopping it actually made my mind peaceful and to respect women more and to see the beauty in them than to see things perversely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question is this&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since I am doing Asuba Bawana if i get an urge to satisfy i would usually try to kill that thought. But there are times where it becomes a big problem in the mind and sometimes my head hurts trying to kill it. Literally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What should i do at such times? Should i just satisfy myself mindfully or just keep killing the thoughts?   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11393" LastActivityDate="2020-05-05T03:48:54.777" Title="Sexual Desire, Masturbating and Asuba Bawana" Tags="|meditation|sexuality|desire|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20735" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-24T14:44:26.433" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What should i do at such times? Should i just satisfy myself mindfully or just keep killing the thoughts? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would recommend watching the video; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Lg9P-VekA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Ask A Monk: Pornography and Masturbation (and Addiction in General)&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He gives an in-depth and detailed teaching on exactly this topic both from a theoretical perspective and a practical &lt;em&gt;insight meditational&lt;/em&gt; perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A step-by-step guide on how to deal with these defilements is provided in the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T11:26:33.880" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T11:26:33.880" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-24T14:50:31.010" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;there are hundreds of sutta about 5 sensual pleasures.  you will get many answers.  My recommendation is to have a literal understanding of sensual pleasures first.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;causal of it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;it's inability to remain or the uncertainty (impermanent) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;deliciousness of it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;drawbacks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and the right way of walking away (8 fold path)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;we stay in sensual pleasures because we only look at the deliciousness of them.  Focusing on drawbacks helps.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T14:50:31.010" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-24T15:49:54.307" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should i just satisfy myself mindfully or just keep killing the thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not the only two options.&#xA;You can &quot;satisfy&quot; yourself (feed the desire),  repel from the desire (kill the thought), or just let it be (practice vipassana/&lt;strong&gt;simple accepting awareness&lt;/strong&gt;).&#xA;I suggest the latter.&#xA;I also suggest some education material from meditationexpert.com to understand the nature of semen and your life force and in connection with higher transformations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T15:49:54.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11019" CreationDate="2017-05-24T17:10:54.970" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thich Nhat Hanh uses concepts and teachings from the yogacara school and has written about it. The Book is called &quot;Understanding Our Mind.&quot; There is also &quot;Living Yogacara&quot; by Shun'ei Tagawa from the Hosso School in Japan which is very insightful as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11396" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T17:10:54.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20740" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5514" CreationDate="2017-05-24T18:44:35.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The alaya-vijnana has two basic functions: First it answers the question how do the actions, or karma, that I enact in my life today effect me later. That later can be within moments, later in life, and later into our next life, rebirth. The alaya-vijnana maintains both the result of past actions and karmic potentials (vasana) or habit energies in which we will enact sometime in the future, that how karma works. These imprints of our actions in the alaya-vijnana are called bija, usually translated as seeds. For example, if I act out or say something out of anger it is due to some past karma that imprinted anger into my subconscious and that had effected my behavior. The other function of the alaya-vijnana is rebirth. For the yogacarins it is the alaya-vijnana which is a continuous subconscious mental stream that transmigrates at death and into the mother's womb at conception. Essentially, it is our karmic energy that is being transmitted not our person. The yogacarins did not pull this out of their hat. There understanding was based on earlier teachings and practice. In fact, the Pali Abhidharma of the Theravadan's postulate the Bhavanga which is also an subconscious mental stream of karma was probably what the yogacara based their alaya-vijnana on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11396" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T18:44:35.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20741" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-24T20:41:12.107" Score="3" ViewCount="286" Body="&lt;p&gt;If i realise anatta will it help me calm and focus my mind in meditation? If so how?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T10:11:53.987" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:41:42.147" Title="Is realizing anatta, will it help meditation?" Tags="|meditation|anatman|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20741" CreationDate="2017-05-24T21:27:11.700" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eliminating self-view (first realisation of Anatta) is the pre-requisite becoming a Sotapanna.&#xA;There is two type of meditation. (Samatha and Vipassana)&#xA;Realisation of Anatta is not required for Samatha meditation.&#xA;However, in Vipassana we contemplate on the Anatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal opinion is that realisation of Anatta will help both meditations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T21:27:11.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8056" CreationDate="2017-05-24T21:34:11.260" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha himself his speech was full of irony and sarcasm, its all over the pages I have read in the Chinese Classical Sutras. I can recall easily some from my memory:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When criticizing those who practiced the Dharma wrongly but wishing for attainment, he said they were wishing making rice by cooking the sands (煮沙成飯), Surangama Sutra. It was directed to those who didn't conquer sexual desire but wanting any fruition of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When criticizing another wrong practice, he said using human fece crafting an artwork of sandalwood hoping it gave out the fragrance of sandalwood (人糞刻旃檀形).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Criticizing the Brahmin's Self notion, he said it was like a worm by accident eating out a piece of wood forming pattern looked like a letter, they thought the worm knew language!《大般湼槃經》.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I very much agree with Ven. Thanissaro as quoted by above ChrisW. When someone is full of wisdom his speech is an art of speech of the highest form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T04:04:56.690" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T04:04:56.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20744" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20741" CreationDate="2017-05-24T23:42:45.510" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;“Anatta” can be interpreted in a different way, that is different to the long-held meaning of ‘No-self’.  Here I will give my take on it. Many will not agree with it, but what matters is that this view will greatly help you calm and focus your mind in meditation. Is it not what you want here? Or do you want to get hooked up in the ‘Anatta’ that almost every book refers to? Let me give you some food for thought. If what you realize is “no-self”, then tell me, who attains Nibbana?, if you are “no-self”, then who does moral or immoral acts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead take this to mean ‘Anatta’, and if you do, it will make an immediate transformation in the way you see things. Take “Anatta” to mean “one is really helpless in this rebirth process” or “one is not in control over the long run”. What got translated to Sanskrit as “anathma” is the Pali word “Anatta”.  For the Sanskrit word “anathma” the English gave the meaning “no-self”. Another question for you – what did the Buddha say about the two words “aathma” and “anaathma” in the Brahmajala sutta?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever you say and do, unless you are an Arahant, you will always have the inner perception (sanna) of a “me”. There is no way that you can force yourself to believe in a no ‘me’. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, when meditating, try contemplating that “there is nothing fruitful to be had in this world in the long run”, or “one is really helpless in this rebirth process”. In our native language, we say “anaatha” to mean that one is “utterly helpless”. When meditating, take real examples from your life. If you do this for some time, in time your cravings for things in this world will gradually wane.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-24T23:42:45.510" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20745" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20741" CreationDate="2017-05-25T01:51:52.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having some insight into anatta, even if it is intellectual, can help calm the mind because the anatta realisation subdues 'self-thinking', which is the cause of suffering &amp;amp; coarse discursive thoughts &amp;amp; emotions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a practise &lt;em&gt;preliminary&lt;/em&gt; to formal meditation, it was taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Develop the meditation that is the perception of impermanence. For from developing the meditation that is the perception of impermanence,&#xA;  whatever 'I am’ conceit there is will be given up.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 62; MN 118&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 62&lt;/a&gt; is an example of where &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; was taught prior to formal (&lt;em&gt;anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;) meditation. Here, the Buddha's son, Rahula, was instructed to reflect &amp;amp; discern how the physical body is composed of many natural &lt;em&gt;elements&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;) rather than is a 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.147.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 147&lt;/a&gt;, Rahula was taught the same teaching on anatta as given in the 2nd sermon (correct translation &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), from which Rahula reached full-enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, developing a penetrative initial understanding of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;, such as taught in MN 62, is a common Buddhist practise. However, it requires dedicated mental application &amp;amp; reflection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T01:57:18.463" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T01:57:18.463" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20721" CreationDate="2017-05-25T02:24:42.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Although the term '&lt;em&gt;mental illness&lt;/em&gt;' is generally used in the world, imbalances of chemicals or neural structures in the brain are really forms of physical illness. It has been said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the time of the Buddha, &amp;quot;mental disease&amp;quot; referred to an illness of view or desire. These days, however, it refers to ordinary mental&#xA;ailments that have their base in the body and are mixed up with&#xA;physical disease.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Heart_Wood_from_the_Bo_Tree.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu Buddhadasa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Buddhist approach would be to treat physical (brain) illness with physical medicine, which is why Buddhist meditation is generally not recommended for strong forms of these illnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, visiting, talking to &amp;amp; socialising with monks &amp;amp; nuns who are highly developed in loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) can help people with such illnesses feel more emotionally secure, loved &amp;amp; balanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, there is no stigma in Buddhism surrounding these illnesses. Buddhism teaches every component of the body &amp;amp; mind can be subjected to injury, disease &amp;amp;/or illness due to decay, natural imperfection &amp;amp; impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T02:30:39.250" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20749" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-25T03:05:04.337" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So basically caught up in the social norms, i used to watch porn videos and masturbate and got a bit attached to it. Kept on doing it&#xA;  for a few years.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not underestimate the harm &amp;amp; addictive character of pornography. Buddhism calls it a '&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;road to ruin&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;). To ask your questions, you have been learning this via personal experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And 2 years back I met a girlfriend and we were so in love and also did different sexual activity (Apart from sex). But our relationship&#xA;  broke one year back when i got to know that she had cheated with&#xA;  another person as a tool to solve certain problems and not for love.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains a successful relationship will occur when two people are both moral (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.55&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.53&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.53&lt;/a&gt;). Since both you &amp;amp; your girlfriend did not have strong foundations in morality, naturally problems were expected to occur. In other words, your girlfriend was probably not really &quot;in love&quot; but probably clinging to something. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When i got to know about it (She herself revealed it) i asked about her whole life story and i got upset by it and sympathized her.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Knowing that my mother would not approve her since she also know what happened, I taught her the path of dhamma. Created a path for her&#xA;  to move on through dhamma.To be a better person. And she is still&#xA;  engaging in that path.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very good. But also difficult. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So after the break up I was mentally broken down and I somehow needed to satisfy my sexual desire. So i started watching more and&#xA;  more porn and satisfied myself. But it became very upsetting for me&#xA;  due to the breakup.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bad strategy. Instead, try to understand that women with a history often have emotional issues which are difficult to resolve. Such women can try very hard to &quot;love&quot; you &amp;amp; make you attached to them because they are often desperate. Their capacity to truly love &amp;amp; bond does not function well. They need lots of love, trust &amp;amp; counselling. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So one day i decided to start meditating every day and i have been continuing since then. After 2 weeks of meditation i realized that i&#xA;  should stop masturbating and watching porn and i just stopped it then&#xA;  and there.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please stop the porn. It is poison that goes deep inside the neurology of the body &amp;amp; mind. This is why so many people have serious problems with it. Please look upon pornography as though it is heroin or cocaine because it is that dangerous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But the following few weeks were very hard. My body was rebelling to watch porn or to at least to satisfy myself. But i fought and fought.&#xA;  There was a time where my body was literally shaking.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your &lt;strong&gt;priority&lt;/strong&gt; should be to avoid the pornography because the pornography is a very strong sense stimulus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the masturbation, this is less serious. Just stop the porn. Put a internet blocker on your computer to stop the porn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And i continued that for six months. There were times where i saw some sexual dreams and i ejaculated. But i didn't do it&#xA;  intentionally.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong with sexual dreams &amp;amp; nocturnal emission. Just stop the porn.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I meditated different practices and I did a lot of Asuba bawana to control my sexual desire. And I was doing well.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But since recently I have been getting flashbacks of my sexual&#xA;  activities with my sex.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No problem. This is normal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And i get these strong urges to masturbate and get it over with. I spoke this with my ex (Since we actually understand each other a lot)&#xA;  and she told me to just do it and accept it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masturbation is not a sin or grave danger in Buddhism because it is your own mind creating the sense stimuli.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But pornography is the explicit vision of other people engaging in sex and this is a very strong stimuli designed by experts to addict people. Just avoid the porn at all costs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have no intention of being a monk at the moment or to live a celibacy life.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No problem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whereas i have expectations to find a girlfriend and marry and move on.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No problem. But to be successfully married requires firm moral values and particularly clear insight into the advantages &amp;amp; necessity of sexual fidelity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So i won't be continuing the anti-masturbating till i find a&#xA;  girlfriend (Why i mentioned this cause by choosing a normal life you&#xA;  will be engaging in these sort pf sexual activities.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No problem. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I know for a fact that I will not be watching porn again.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. Please do not. Please have clear wisdom about this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Since Stopping it actually made my mind peaceful and to respect women more and to see the beauty in them than to see things perversely.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most excellent. Beautifully spoken. Pornography misrepresents women. Natural women want to love &amp;amp; be loved and want fidelity (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh208-p.html#28.TheAimsofPeople&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 6.52&lt;/a&gt;). Pornography is a lie &amp;amp; deception. It does not represent reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My question is this Since I am doing Asuba Bawana if i get an urge to satisfy i would usually try to kill that thought. But there are&#xA;  times where it becomes a big problem in the mind and sometimes my head&#xA;  hurts trying to kill it. Literally. What should i do at such times? Should i just satisfy myself mindfully or just keep killing the thoughts?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness' means '&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;' the Dhamma path (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;). It does not mean to 'observe'. Therefore, if the asuba path is your goal, it is not possible to masturbate mindfully. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are really dedicated to this asuba path, when the sexual urges arise &amp;amp; is difficult to control, possibly consider doing some exercise, such as jogging. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, just scream out the urges into a pillow or, otherwise, let the thoughts run (but do not act upon them) until the thoughts lose their energy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, to have a successful relationship &amp;amp; marriage in Buddhism, what is required is a strong understanding of why sexual fidelity is important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally, masturbation occurs with sexual fantasies. Try investigating &amp;amp; analysing those sexual fantasies, to discern how their content is not really moral (harmless) since such fantasies are based on self-indulgent erotic behaviour rather than long term commitment to a woman. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You already had a girlfriend with many problems. Try to discern with wisdom how sexual objectification of women results in women accumulating emotional problems. If you think more about what loving a woman truly means, your sexual energy may become more pure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It sounds like you are doing very well, practising with courage &amp;amp; integrity. Best wishes. May you fulfil your aspirations for a truly happy, humane &amp;amp; purposeful life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T08:54:07.407" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T08:54:07.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20750" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20757" CreationDate="2017-05-25T05:40:09.680" Score="3" ViewCount="474" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brain is directory connected to mind. Examining the differences of wave patterns that emit from brain when someone is mad or meditating explains there is a direct connection. What if someone achieved nirvana or a lower state of the path to nirvana, and met in an accident and lost all his memories or had permanent brain damage due to a disease .  As an example in alzheimer’s disease brain shrinks and it losses its memories and abilities to think . So in a situation like this , can someone loose his state in the path to nirvana ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorUserId="10479" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T18:44:27.327" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T11:35:23.643" Title="Permanent brain damage can cause someone to loose their Arihathness?" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20750" CreationDate="2017-05-25T06:00:41.027" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brain damage might reduce mental capacity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An Arahat is free from the unwholesome roots, i.e., they have stopped reacting to sensual stimuli. Brain damage or not unwholesome roots do not arise again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they do not lose their attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T06:00:41.027" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20752" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20741" CreationDate="2017-05-25T06:22:01.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.15-Tanha-Jalini-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tanhā Jālinī Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.2-Vicarita-Tanha-S-a4.199-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Vicarita) Tanha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; shows most speculation about self and other lead to craving. The objective of meditation is to reduce craving, hence lack of craving helps you. Craving is linked to Sensual Pleasures which is also a Hindrance. Reducing hindrances also help calm your mind and meditate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T06:22:01.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20750" CreationDate="2017-05-25T07:59:49.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Arahathhood does not depend on the ability to remember. It depends on whether there are defilements in the mind or not. You can slice and dice and french fry the brain, but if there's something missing in the mind, it's never going to magically appear from nowhere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T09:35:02.800" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T09:35:02.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20754" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20721" CreationDate="2017-05-25T09:06:19.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If we have mental illness, we go see a psychiatrist and take medication. It is like when we have a flu, we see a doctor, take medication and rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T09:11:26.550" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T09:11:26.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20756" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-25T09:22:01.723" Score="2" ViewCount="374" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why Alaya Vinnana and Manas is not supported in Theravada?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objective of this question is not to criticise Mahayana teaching, but to compare and contrast the idea so we will have a better understanding of Theravada.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-12-25T18:53:49.190" Title="Why Alaya Vinnana and Manas is not supported in Theravada?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20750" CreationDate="2017-05-25T14:37:47.980" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Will permanent brain damage can cause someone to loose their Arihathness ?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So in a situation like this , can someone loose his state in the path to nirvana ?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Theravada Buddhism the attainment of Nibbana is enumerated into 4 stages, also known as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four stages of Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a total of 10 &lt;em&gt;fetters&lt;/em&gt; (roots) that has to be broken in order to attain Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The destruction of those roots comes in stages;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stream-enterer&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once-returner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Non-returner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arahant&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As seen in the illustration below, the Arahant is free from the &lt;em&gt;5 lower fetters and the 5 higher fetters&lt;/em&gt;. When a fetter has been broken it does &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; come back. It is done away with for good. It is permanently destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer your question: No, an arahant cannot loose his attainment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZdUVf.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZdUVf.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T14:37:47.980" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20750" CreationDate="2017-05-25T15:21:12.307" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;At our place there was discourse by Geshela Navang Samatenji and he had told there are neurologists studying Buddhist monk's brain for understanding science behind tranquility.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;They find changes in their brains.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Brain controls body by nervous system that neurons send signals from one cell to others, or from one part of the body to others. And that's why we get if mosquito bite us.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;We get sense. We weren't get sense of it if there's problem in our nervous system. And that wouldn't affect mind.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Mind also handle body but we can see two different people minds &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;i.e.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Consider there are two people one who is criminal and another is monk whose brain damaged. What we could say both of their mind. That criminal's mind is already malicious and monk is Arahat so even if they'll be cure, criminal not going to be monk and monk to be criminal that brain can't change state of mind.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Mind can control body by desire.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Just take a look &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-12661646&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brains of Buddhist monks scanned in meditation study&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;They explained good, so you can see that mind (meditation) changed their brains and not brain did changed mind.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Research saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scanner tracks blood flow within the monks' heads as they meditate inside its clunky walls, which echoes a musical rhythm when the machine is operating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dr Josipovic, who also moonlights as a Buddhist monk, says he is hoping to find how some meditators achieve a state of &amp;quot;nonduality&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;oneness&amp;quot; with the world, a unifying consciousness between a person and their environment.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;When one relaxes into a state of oneness, the neural networks in experienced practitioners change as they lower the psychological wall between themselves and their environments, Dr Josipovic says.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this reorganisation in the brain may lead to what some meditators claim to be a deep harmony between themselves and their surroundings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further they explained &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shifting attention&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt; that brain appears to be organised into two networks: the extrinsic network and the intrinsic, or default, network.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T11:35:23.643" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20759" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20763" CreationDate="2017-05-25T15:42:42.767" Score="6" ViewCount="1723" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 4 stages in the path to nirvana. &lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VKnEf.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/VKnEf.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;4 stages&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; one of them is called &quot;Once-returner&quot; and they will be born only once as a human. So my question is , If Someone was an once-returner in last life , how can he know it in this life ? And if he does nothing in this life to attain nirvana, will he automatically be arahath and no rebirths? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T13:55:34.080" Title="If someone was an Once-returner in last life how can he know that ?" Tags="|theravada|nirvana|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-25T16:33:02.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And if he does nothing in this life to attain nirvana, will he automatically be arahath and no rebirths?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He may becomes a non returner and be born in the pure abodes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T16:33:02.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20761" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-25T16:52:47.227" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sometimes when you are doing Asubha meditation you might get averse to the thoughts about Suba. There was a situation when some monks committed suicide because they got averse to their bodies as dirty. Here the mind's tendency to be attached to one's body turned drastically and became averse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objective of Asuba is to develop a balance of the mind. When you encounter an object and get the sensation pleasantness and you perceive it as Suba your should contemplate it as Asuba. When you encounter and object and perceive it as Asuba you should contemplate it as Suba. This is like dampen the swinging pendulum, where you bring your mind to the neutral position quickly. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately the objective of doing Asubha is not replacing one extremity with another but bring your mind to equanimity sooner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also may be helpful in removing distracting thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T16:52:47.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20762" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-25T16:58:57.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once-returner, Sakadagami, has to remove first 3 fetters and reduce binding strength in 4 and 5 fetters.  It's up for debate which world they would reappear after death.  Buddha said Loka which could mean heaven or human realm.  However, a case example of a sakadagami death during Buddha's time, a sakadagami appeared in heaven Dusita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;IMO, sakadagami would reappear once in heaven. In contrast with Ekpechi Stream-enterer (stream enterer who would be reborn in human world one more time). For Ekpechi, Buddha used reborn into a clan , kula, which exclusively human.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;non-returners only reappear in Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa) which divided into 5 catagories; Āviha, Ātappa, Sudassa, Sudassī, Akanittha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am studying anagami according to Buddha's words and found something interesting that others may have noticed too.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is traditionally known that anagami has to remove 5 lower fetters to be one but I found a few sutta that might not be the case.  Buddha only explicitly mentioned that those in Akanittha have eliminated lower 5 fetters but not for the other 4 categories; Āviha, Ātappa, Sudassa, Sudassī. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;example is from Metta Sutta ii, where Buddha said noble disciples who practice Kindness medition and see 5 sense gates as impermanent etc., upon breaking up of body, he would reappear in Suddhavasa as non-returner.  There is no mentioning of 5 lower fetters here (but Noble disciples are automatically known that they have broken first 3 fetters).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Akanittha is reserved for those without 5 lower fetters, but I am not certain yet exclusively for the other 4;  Āviha, Ātappa, Sudassa, Sudassī.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T21:10:09.493" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T21:10:09.493" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20763" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-25T17:02:49.777" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;So my question is , If Someone was an once-returner in last life , how can he know it in this life ?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one has attained to stream entry and the higher stages such as &lt;em&gt;Once-returner&lt;/em&gt; etc. both ones morality and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;spiritual faculties (indriyas&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/a&gt; are well developed and firmly established. &#xA;When they are mature and well developed we call them the Five Powers. They work in unison each balancing and strengthening each other further.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This creates a powerful momentum and that momentum might mean that a Once-returner does not have the possible to &quot;stop&quot; on his/her path. That being would be so inclined towards Nibbana that anything else is not possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Once-returner has done away with 3 of the lower 5 fetters and have weakened fetter no. 4 and 5. Especially the removal of fetter no. 2 (doubt in the Buddha) is important. A Once-returner will have full confidence in the Buddha and his teaching as he/she has already destroyed fetters and entered into the noble path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And if he does nothing in this life to attain nirvana, will he automatically be arahath and no rebirths?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure its possible to do nothing once one has entered into the stream.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way the Once-returner still needs to practice in order to remove the 5 higher fetters thereby attaining to Arahantship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Once-returner will be reborn one more time into the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/senseSphere.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sense-sphere Realm&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which contains; &lt;em&gt;the Hell realm, Pretas, Animal Kingdom, Asuras, Human Realm and Deva Realm (heavenly realm)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the 3 lower fetters has been destroyed a Once-returner can only be reborn in either the Human or Heavenly Realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T07:01:23.327" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T07:01:23.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20764" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-25T19:39:41.260" Score="4" ViewCount="271" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/384312.The_Art_of_Living&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;book&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I am reading it says &quot;This is what the Buddha realized by examining himself. With his strongly concentrated mind, he penetrated deeply into his own nature and found that the entire material structure is composed of minute subatomic particles which are continuously arising and vanishing. In the snapping of a finger or the blinking of an eye, he said, each one of these particles arises and passes away many trillions of times.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't understand how he saw this? What exactly did he see? When I meditate I dont see this. I just see thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-25T21:02:09.370" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T01:03:12.373" Title="What the Buddha saw" Tags="|insight|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20765" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-25T20:13:05.673" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Superstition&lt;/em&gt; (unknowable unverified belief) takes many forms, including: &quot;&lt;em&gt;each one of these particles arises and passes away many trillions of times&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What the Buddha primarily saw in the enlightenment was how the mental generation of '&lt;em&gt;self-views&lt;/em&gt;' causes suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T20:13:05.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-25T21:01:06.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;I don't understand how he saw this? What exactly did he see?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question might fall under the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya#Four_imponderables&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four Imponderables&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, namely the first acinteyya, i.e. the range of powers a Buddha develops:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The four imponderables are identified in the Acintita Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya 4.77, as follows:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha];&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The jhana-range of one absorbed in jhana [i.e., the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhana];&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Speculation about [the origin, etc., of] the cosmos is an imponderable that is not to be speculated about.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These imponderables the Buddha advices not to contemplate since they will only serve to agitate and destabilize the mind making it less suitable for practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-25T21:01:06.823" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-26T00:28:10.977" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not read in the Pali suttas of any examples of when a non-arahant noble-one was reincarnated back to earth as a human being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the idea that a stream-enterer has seven more lives has no basis in the suttas because the sutta (SN 13.1) that has the phrase &quot;&lt;em&gt;seven more times at most&lt;/em&gt;&quot; does not mention &quot;lives&quot; but refers to seven more fetters to breakthrough. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have not read anywhere a logical explanation of what the term &quot;once-returner&quot; means, apart from the fetters broken through or reduced. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since all arahants at one time were stream-enterers, these terms obviously do not refer to lifetimes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T00:47:38.157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T00:47:38.157" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-26T00:55:14.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think this ideas are initially coming from Visuddhimaga and then from Abhidhamma Sangahata. Some commentators do not attribute this to Buddha as these are late additions. My personal opinion is that it is not that hard for a advanced practitioner to experience these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T00:55:14.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-26T01:20:40.493" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhanuggaha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, in referring to an individual lifetime, the Buddha said “faster than the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun and moon, the force of one’s life span comes to an end”. In the Abidhamma, it is said that the most fundamental unit, the smallest ever that is found survives only 17 mind moments (citta kshana). One mind/thought-moment (cittakshana) is so short that it has been estimated that there are approximately 8,125 moments in a second. Distinguishing these cittakshana is harder than identifying cetasika. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Milindapañha it is said that, &quot;If a man were to take a handful of water from the ocean and tasting it could say, ‘This water is from the Ganges, this from the Jumna, this from the Gandak, this from the Sarabhu, and this from the Mahi.’ More difficult than this is the distinguishing of those mental states that accompany any one of the senses.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it is said in Abidhamma, the smallest particle lives only 17 mind moments, but it still consists of the 8 dhatu: Apo (Liquidity), Thejo (Heat), Wayo (Air), Patavi (Solidness), Warna (Color), Gandha (Smell), Rasa (Taste) and Ojasa (juice). Only a Buddha could see to such a level of detail, and see through the minute subatomic particles which are continuously arising and vanishing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T01:20:40.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20770" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-26T01:29:30.933" Score="5" ViewCount="1594" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the concept of &quot;Ego&quot; or &quot;self &quot;?&#xA;In buddhism there's concept called no self.Does is mean there's no &quot;me&quot; at all or does it mean that &quot;me&quot; cannot understood with out &quot; you &quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11402" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T13:39:14.247" Title="What is the concept of &quot;Ego&quot; or &quot;self &quot;?" Tags="|theravada|beginner|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-26T01:44:19.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udakupama Sutta: The Water Simile&lt;/a&gt; is is said that there are seven types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Of the seven, the once-returner:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is like the case where an individual comes to the surface, [seeing,] 'Conviction in skillful qualities is good, conscience is good, concern is good, persistence is good, discernment with regard to skillful qualities is good.' With the total ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion, he becomes a once-returner, who — on returning only one more time to this world — will make an ending to stress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In coming into the world, a once-returner knows who or what s/he is because of a special ability. The ability to figure this out is called the “namarupa paricceda nana“. This basically means “rupa” are according “nama” - one’s body is according to one’s thinking. It is because he/she is likely to display qualities or “gathi” of of the previous birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T01:44:19.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20770" CreationDate="2017-05-26T03:17:10.040" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The human being is nothing but a collection of five aggregates, a process of complex and rapidly changing (impermanent) psycho-physical organism (&lt;em&gt;nama-rupa&lt;/em&gt;), sustained by nutriments, driven by craving in the background of ignorance. But there is a connotation of a “self” in perceiving, feeling, thinking and cognizing that there is a real person, permanent soul or a being in control of it. This false sense of &quot;I&quot; is the Ego. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ego, in the sense of egotism or selfishness, is a dreadful thing. But the ego in the sense of learning how to function in a way that figures out what is really in your true best interest, and used in a way you’re going to be able to stay on the path, then it is a good thing.  In reading &lt;a href=&quot;https://mettarefuge.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/the-problem-of-egolessness.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Problem of Egolessness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; you will see the error in our thinking about the ego and understand its harmful effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T12:10:59.983" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T12:10:59.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20773" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-26T03:55:52.550" Score="-3" ViewCount="477" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here is the Pali from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn13.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nakhasikhā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which is about the &quot;breakthrough&quot; of three fetters, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;for a disciple of the noble ones who is consummate in view, an individual who has broken through [to stream-entry]&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​   ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane&#xA;  anātha­piṇḍi­kassa ārāme. Atha kho bhagavā parittaṃ nakhasikhāyaṃ&#xA;  paṃsuṃ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave,&#xA;  katamaṃ nu kho bahutaraṃ, yo vāyaṃ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu&#xA;  āropito, ayaṃ vā mahāpathavī”ti?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṃ, yadidaṃ mahāpathavī. Appamattako&#xA;  bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu āropito. Neva satimaṃ kalaṃ&#xA;  upeti na sahassimaṃ kalaṃ upeti na satasahassimaṃ kalaṃ upeti&#xA;  mahāpathaviṃ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu&#xA;  āropito”ti. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa&#xA;  diṭṭhi­sam­pannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṃ&#xA;  dukkhaṃ yadidaṃ parikkhīṇaṃ pariyādiṇṇaṃ; appamattakaṃ avasiṭṭhaṃ.&#xA;  Neva satimaṃ kalaṃ upeti na sahassimaṃ kalaṃ upeti na satasahassimaṃ&#xA;  kalaṃ upeti purimaṃ duk­khak­khan­dhaṃ parikkhīṇaṃ pariyādiṇṇaṃ&#xA;  upanidhāya yadidaṃ &lt;strong&gt;sattak­khat­tuṃ­paramatā&lt;/strong&gt;. Evaṃ mahatthiyomaha kho,&#xA;  bhikkhave, dhammā­bhisa­mayo; evaṃ mahatthiyo&#xA;  dhamma­cak­khu­paṭi­lābho” ti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sattakkhattuṃ: seven times. + paramatā: (in cpds.) the highest&#xA;  quality; at the most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is the word &quot;lives&quot; or &quot;lifetimes&quot; found here? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T14:05:42.557" Title="Pali question: &quot;seven more life times at most&quot;" Tags="|pali|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20774" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20770" CreationDate="2017-05-26T04:23:37.217" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Me&quot; is a survival instinct, say like the emotion of lust, anger or fear are a survival instinct. Just as anger is a fleeting &amp;amp; passing mood, so is the instinct of 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the 'self' or 'me' the mind may sense &amp;amp; believe it is today is probably different to the sense &amp;amp; idea of 'self' or 'me' the mind had when it was 3 years old. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightened Buddhists have experienced the dissolution of the 'self' instinct, similar to you may have often experienced the dissolution of an angry mood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, to enlightened Buddhists, the 'self' is not a real or permanent 'self'. It is just a mood that arises when the mind is suffering from possessiveness due to lust, anger or fear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read more here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books7/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu_Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta &amp;amp; Rebirth: Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T04:33:25.663" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T04:33:25.663" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20775" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:04:03.737" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way to convey Buddhism is by setting a good example.&#xA;These days many people are learning Buddhism online at Buddhism.link or whywelive.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more compassion we exercise, the more we see how we are all connected.&#xA;We are one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11403" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:04:03.737" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20776" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20759" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:06:00.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_18.story.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_18.story.htm&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Once returner, Sumanadevi, youngest daughter of Anathapindika, she knew what is what and even remind her father, a sottappti at her death-bed. Their Dhamma is never destroyed after-life and when it is time just by reviewing the nana already attained, they will get nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:06:00.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20750" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:18:44.410" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Brain is just matter(rupa) not nama. Brain is just like the something recording what is happening. Not to mention Arahantship, once Sotappana, this attainment of Noble truth never get destroyed not only in this life, it will be beyond life. So all Arya never lost their dhamma, even brain(mere rupa) is destroyed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:18:44.410" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:20:12.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The buddha teachers what he has realised for himself. Regarding matter most information is found the Abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Life-Time of Matter-Rūpa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The life-time of matter or Rūpa is 17 times longer than that of&#xA;citta. So, we can say that the life-time of rūpa is equal to 17&#xA;cittakkhaṇas, or 17 conscious moments, or 51 short instants (17X3 =&#xA;51); as there are 3 short instants in a moment of consciousness.&#xA;Thus, rūpa also arises and dissolves at a tremendous rate of more&#xA;than 58 billion times per second. The difference between citta and&#xA;rūpa is as follows: citta arise one after another, whereas rūpa arise by&#xA;manifesting as thousands of units in a small instant and it goes on&#xA;constantly arising at every small instant in time. Therefore, rūpa may&#xA;accumulate to become large masses that are visible to the naked eye,&#xA;whereas the fleeting stream of consciousnesses is invisible to the&#xA;naked eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://host.pariyatti.org/treasures/Process_of_Consciousness_and_Matter.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Process of Consiousness and Matter&lt;/a&gt; by Bhaddanta Dr. Rewata Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the Buddha did not preach everything he realised. What is important is found in the Teachings. Though you might not see them for your self out of faith perhaps you can accept. Through meditation parts of it may get revealed, but not to the extend the Buddha comprehended. If the parts you see is true perhaps you can assume the rest is true too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any meditator who reaches the stage of Udayabbaya ñana and beyond can see the arising and passing of matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:35:53.283" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:24:57.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha sasana is Sila, Samadhi and panna. Depend on this one will see through the dhamma to certain extent accordingly. If to compare Buddha knowledge to the deep deep ocean, sotappana has one length of bamboo plant, sakadagami, twice, anagami, thrice, and arahant, four time of that bamboo length to measure the depth of deep deep ocean. So rupa and nama how come and go, you can see through depend on your level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:24:57.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20770" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:29:46.260" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist concept is not &lt;code&gt;no self&lt;/code&gt; but &lt;code&gt;non self&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;not self&lt;/code&gt;. What this means is there nothing that can be taken as self. There is no permanent unchanging core or soul, there is nothing which you command and control absolutely, there is nothing that an external agency (e.g. God) commands and controls.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Identity view is considering your 5 Aggregates as self, i.e., you consider your body and / or mind as self. In which case if you consider after cutting your hair that this hair is me or a part of me on the floor. The toilet pit is full of me because it was in me at some point. Likewise you should not consider past memories, experiences, thoughts or even your own body as me or mine, because there is no me or mine in the constituting parts, there is no control in any of the parts, each constituent is governed by its own universal law and process which you cannot control.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="11380" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T13:39:14.247" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T13:39:14.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20781" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20741" CreationDate="2017-05-26T05:41:42.147" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Not only anatta, all three characteristics: anicca , dukkha and anatta if one realize will definitely help. Depend on the personality and past deeds, one will come to know through insight meditation, the true nature of these three characteristics and get enlightened. If one have much more dukkha, he/she will suffer great difficulty to get through the severe  pain during meditation. Enlightenment through truly realizing Anicca is smooth and just to know what is what. In case of anatta, it is more and more subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T05:41:42.147" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20773" CreationDate="2017-05-26T06:29:34.697" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Clear and short as needed Buddha said, not to take verbatim. Just to praise the benefit of sotapanna. Sometimes one universe metaphorically said like one palm tree, just like that, suffering in long samsara(long, long duration) just compared to seven lifetime(just  like a wink of eye) at the most of sotapanna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T06:29:34.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20773" CreationDate="2017-05-26T06:54:47.557" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Focusing on pali might not clarify the meaning since it is semantics.  Perhaps other sutta to support and confirm the 7 rebirths (at most) might help you find the answer you are looking for.  From saupadisesa sutta, Buddha classified stream enterer into three categories ,their destinations ,and number of lifetimes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ekbiji .  single sprout.  Ekamyeva manusakam bhava nibbattetva (born into human one time and reach nirvana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;kolankolo. Two or three times birth.  dve vā tīṇi vā kulāni sandhāvitvā.  Born in clans (human) and/or heaven 2 or 3 times.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sattak­khat­tu­paramo. sattak­khat­tu­paramaṃ deve ca manusse ca sandhāvitvā saṃsaritvā.  Born in heaven or human world 7 times at the most.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did you notice Buddha used sattakkhattu in both sutta? Tho he didn't explicitly explain 7 lives in Nakhasikhā Sutta, he did so in saupadisesa sutta.  This leaves very little room about the answer to your question for interpretation. &#xA;Buddha had names for three types of stream enterer,  explained their destinations and number of times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;sattakkhattuṃ most likely means seven lifetimes not seven fetters. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope my answer helps.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/an9.12&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saupadisesa sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T07:00:00.563" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T07:00:00.563" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20770" CreationDate="2017-05-26T11:20:44.737" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It means that there are various things you might view as yourself (e.g. &quot;I am my body&quot; or &quot;I am my thoughts&quot; or &quot;I am my feelings&quot; etc.), however any and all these views lead to suffering; and that the way to end suffering includes abandoning these views of self (all views of self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most famous sutta on the subject is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/khandha/sn22-059.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which says that the body leads to disease, and we can't say &quot;Let my body be this was or not be that way&quot;. It says that if the body were self then we'd be able to control it, and that it's because it's not-self that we cannot (and so on for the other aggregates). It's therefore not proper (Pali &lt;em&gt;kalla&lt;/em&gt;, also translated skillful, healthy, sound) to consider it self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My favourite (because I think it's the clearest) sutta on the subject is paragraph 23 of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel048.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Discourse on the Snake Simile -- Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt; (read the paragraphs before and after this one to get the context):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;23&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;You may well accept, monks, the assumption of a self-theory[&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;] from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. (But) do you see, monks, any such assumption of a self-theory?&quot; — &quot;No, Lord.&quot; — &quot;Well, monks, I, too, do not see any such assumption of a self-theory from the acceptance of which there would not arise sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's more for example in MN 2, where it talks about &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a thicket of wrong views&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T11:20:44.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20785" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20808" CreationDate="2017-05-26T18:19:45.050" Score="6" ViewCount="5798" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to know if you have bad or good karma? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of things have happened to me in life that is very negative. I believe partially it is my own fault because the way I am and how others perceive me, but a lot of it I don't think I deserve. I often contemplate what did I do to be on the receiving end of all my negative karma. As a result, I think negative and become very introverted and isolated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: Are all the bad things that happen to me are negative karma or is it &quot;just me&quot;? How can I change my thoughts to be more positive despite a tremendous amount of negativity in my life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5734" LastEditorUserId="10376" LastEditDate="2020-01-14T15:52:52.960" LastActivityDate="2020-01-15T03:18:56.853" Title="How do you know if you have bad/good karma?" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|meditation|insight|justice|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-26T18:43:26.953" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very good question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of it is your parents' karma, some is tribal/group karma, some is previous lives karma and then from that, like a branch off of another branch off of trunk, grows your personal karma in this life. So old karma sets the overall direction for new karma, but you can still turn your &quot;twig&quot; in a different direction if you decide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do you know which karma is yours from this life and which you inherited from before? You can see in meditation, but more importantly it's all yours in some very important sense: the previous life karma expresses itself through your present karma. However it happened in the past, you are the heir, you are the owner of all that stuff now. Only you can fix it now. So if you get enough inspiration and will power, and enough guidance and insight, you can change your situation and your behavior completely, and start creating completely different karma. Through a combination of suffering (from the fruits of bad karma), luck (encountering true dharma), inspiration (faith), and will or intent (determination to change) - you can change your life completely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically, to change the thoughts from positive to negative: first you have to set the Right Goal. Then you need to start reviewing all your actions (physical, verbal, and mental - i.e. thoughts!) in light of the goal, and planning your actions -- at least one step in advance -- to make sure they get you closer to the goal, not away from it. And once you keep trying and get better at this, you should look at your actions and congratulate yourself: &quot;look, I am getting better at this&quot;. The more you do this, the more it will turn your thoughts from negative to positive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-05-26T18:57:57.423" LastActivityDate="2017-05-26T18:57:57.423" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-27T01:25:42.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The intention (volition or &quot;cetana&quot; in Pali) becomes your kamma as Buddha said in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, &amp;amp; intellect.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can apply this to your own life – your past, present &amp;amp; future. For instance you will see inequality in comparing yourself with with your friends and loved ones. In seeing this through Dhamma, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Shorter Exposition of Kamma&lt;/a&gt; will come to mind. Buddha said in this sutta:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Human beings are owners of kammas, heirs of kammas, they have kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin, kammas as their homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings according to inferiority and superiority.&quot;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta suggest that habitual tendencies of the mind (gathi) play an important role in what you are in your past, present &amp;amp; future.  when one thinks, speaks, and bodily acts, a trace of those thoughts, speech, and actions are recorded (like a tape) in the mind plane. On the other hand, the kammic energies associated with a person’s activities are also recorded in the mind plane as kamma seeds having kammic energies associated with them. The real danger in building up bad habits (gathi) is that one could progressively get into worse habits. A teenager who starts drinking could then start using drugs; then it could lead to hanging out with even worse friends and get into drug dealing or even killings. To break away from bad gathi, one needs to make a determination not only to stop such bad activities but also to build up the opposite good gathi, and start heading in the right direction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If ever you live long, it is due to wholesome kammas before his previous birth unlike that of a person who has engaged in a lot of killing in a past life. However it is important to note that these are guidelines (not rules) and no one can predict the exact destiny of birth of someone. Kamma Vipaka (results) therefore is a very complex subject with many mechanisms in action. Now we can see why Buddha categorized this as a one of the &quot;Acinitita&quot; subjects in Pali.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you ask &lt;strong&gt;How do you know if you have bad/good karma&lt;/strong&gt;, what you really want to know is, as to &lt;strong&gt;&quot;why do bad things happen to good people?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  Being a part of this community, you are sure to do wholesome kamma, and rightfully you expect good results in return. If you are a &quot;good person&quot;, then you should not get &quot;bad results&quot;. However it will not be so. Bad things are sure to come your way. How could this be explained? Again in referring to the scriptures, you will find three types of kamma with regard to the time of their results: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;kamma resulting in this life-time (ditthadhamma-vedaniya-kamma), &#xA;  kamma resulting in the next life (upapajja-vedaniya-kamma), &#xA;  kamma resulting in later lives (aparapariya-vedaniya-kamma). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for bad things to happen to good people is not only due to Kamma. It is not the sole determining factor. Buddha's teachings explain that there are five orders or processes (Niyama Dhamma)  They are enumerated and defined in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī-aṭṭhakathā:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Utu Niyama(Physical-Seasonal changes and climate) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Bija Niyama(Biological/Genetic inheritance)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Kamma Niyama (Ethical /Consequences of one's actions)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Citta Niyama (Psychological/Will of mind) &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Dhamma Niyama (Laws of nature).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What we can learn from this is that what we experience in life, day in and day out, is the result of a complex interactions of physical, biological, psychological, ethical, or laws of nature. Kamma may play a predominant role, but what  ripens is a result of the other four conditions coming together. Therefore kamma is only one of the five factors that come into play when something happens to us, either good or bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T01:25:42.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20788" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-27T01:36:33.337" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it possible to know if you have bad or good karma?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A lot of things have happened to me in life that is very negative.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is normal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I believe partially it is my own fault because the way I am&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It will be your fault when you perform certain actions rather than because of how you are. The phrase &quot;&lt;em&gt;the way I am&lt;/em&gt;&quot; has no relevance in Buddhism. What is relevant is the manner &amp;amp; quality of your actions towards others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and how others preserve of me&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people are subject to greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion therefore not all people will view you with friendliness &amp;amp; loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;but a lot of it I don't think I deserve.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often the hatred of others has nothing to do with you therefore it is not related to anything you &quot;deserve&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I often contemplate what did I do to be on the receiving end of all my negative karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your statement here is too general. For example, if your society has social pressures, this can make people, including your parents, inwardly angry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should examine or investigate: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your personal actions. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The social, political &amp;amp; economic environment of others, which influences their actions. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a result, I think negative and become very introverted and isolated.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should learn about what 'skilful karma' is and then examine your own behaviour &amp;amp; the behaviour of others according to what is skilful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question: Are all the bad things that happen to me are negative karma or is it &quot;just me&quot;?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;karma&quot; means &quot;intentional action&quot;. There is no such thing as &quot;past life kamma&quot; affecting your present life. Such ideas are useless superstition &amp;amp; speculations because since you cannot know what you did a past life how can you change what you did in a past life? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught people act with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;greed, hatred, delusion &amp;amp; cruelty.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;friendliness, compassion, equanimity &amp;amp; non-cruelty.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should learn to examine your own actions and the actions of others based on these criteria to learn if the 'negativity' is caused by you provoking others or caused by the hatred &amp;amp; anger of others or a combination of both. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today, our world has so many angry &amp;amp; selfish people who are unable to be truly friendly with others. This is related to social, political &amp;amp; economic factors rather than due to intangible speculative ideas about &quot;past life kamma'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can I change my thoughts to be more positive despite a tremendous amount of negativity in my life?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As above. You need to start learning about the true Buddhist teachings and find some spiritual friends to help you learn. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T02:38:17.933" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T02:38:17.933" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-27T02:42:26.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It you experience something unpleasant this could partly be due to bad karma. If you experience something positive this can be good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Deciding on your experiences you can see what type of Karma is effective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of you being in a positive or negative situation, you have make sure your future is bright, i.e., moving from dark to bright or from bright to brights. You cannot do anything about your current situation but you can do something about the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) One in darkness faring into darkness, or, from darkness to darkness (karmic stagnation);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) One in darkness faring into light, or, from darkness to light (karmic progress);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) One in light faring into darkness, or, from light to darkness (karmic descent); and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) One in light faring into light, or, from light to light (karmic ascent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/18.6-Tamojoti-Puggala-S-s3.21-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Tamo,joti) Puggala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To make your future bright you should stop creating the unwholesome roots, i.e., reacting pleasurable experience with craving or unpleasurable experience with aversion. You should stop this pattern and practice equanimity knowing impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, when you experience negativities do not react with negativities or aversion, but be equanimous knowing this experience is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T02:42:26.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2017-05-27T02:54:46.793" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If someone enters the stream and becomes a sotapanna (stream winner), then he would have at most, seven lifetimes left&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, this is a very questionable interpretation of the teachings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas such as SN 13.1 say a stream-enterer has around 1/100,000th of the ordinary suffering of an ordinary person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems ridiculous that a stream-enterer could extinguished 99,999/100,000 of suffering in one lifetime but required six more lifetimes (at most) to extinguish the other 1/100,000th of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the reborn stream-winner's Dhamma eye open immediately at birth, or only after he or she encounters the Dhamma and returns back to the&#xA;  Noble Eightfold Path? How is it guaranteed that the reborn&#xA;  stream-winner would not choose another path or another teacher, and&#xA;  drop out of the stream, considering that we do not remember previous&#xA;  lifetimes?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very logical &amp;amp; intelligent questions here, which support the case the 'seven-life-times' idea is a misinterpretation of what the Buddha taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In many sutta, such as SN 56.47 &amp;amp; AN 4.123, the 'human state' is equated with understanding the four noble truths &amp;amp; the deva realms equated with reaching the meditative jhanas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the suttas state the stream-enterer has more time as a 'human' &amp;amp; 'god' ('deva'), it may refer to what is stated in SN 56.47 &amp;amp; AN 4.123. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems ridiculous that a 'noble person', that is considered enlightened, would wander around for another 560 years (7 x 80 year life) to attain full-enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T03:20:34.593" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T03:20:34.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20791" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-27T05:11:23.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not only you. Everybody have to reap what they sow.&#xA;Beginningless long samsara that we passed through, all the deeds good or bad just follow you like your own shadow. Even Buddha had these consequences of the long passed samsara. As a Buddhist, true value of triple gem and effect and consequence of karmic result, should be accepted but not blindly. All karma result kaya, versi and manaw done in the past, present and future all have effects. &#xA;One thing is (huge)good things always have the upper hand over bad ones just like Buddha Dhamma enlighten the darkness of delusion. These present days, if you wish to do/have huge good things, mindfulness in present kaya,versi and manaw act, insight meditation under strong belief in triple gem and karmic effect will only help you. Even large stone that will sink under water can float with the help of large enough boat.&#xA;Every cloud has a silver lining. To make the most of your misfortune, this is the best time to get enlightened through more concentrated insight meditation reverting all misfortune as your own lesson. As Ledi sayadaw once remind us, just try to loose from the noose when it is time if not you will lost all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T05:11:23.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20792" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20809" CreationDate="2017-05-27T06:11:35.060" Score="7" ViewCount="335" Body="&lt;p&gt;On Tevijjavacchagotta Sutta the Buddha said that in the last ninety-one aeons, no fatalist who denies the power of volitional acts, has ever gone to heaven, except one, who happened to follow the doctrine of kamma and of morally effective deeds. How does this power of volitional act or volitional act happen with in the frame work of Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My intension is not to discuss about non-self rather about the volitional act done by the self-doer as explained in Attakārī Sutta. Also not so much about the change or motion, the being stepping forward or backward, but the volition or intention that brought about the change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda states that everything except Nirvana are conditioned, and from ignorance (Avijjā) comes mental formations (Saṅkhāra) which includes volition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if every mental formation is conditioned by ignorance including human volition (choice), how come a being by choice, which is volition, which has ignorance at its base root out ignorance?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if volition (choice) is not conditioned by ignorance, then the beings choice is out side Pratītyasamutpāda which has ignorance at its starting point? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if the answer is yes and no, this still implies that volition (choice) can be out side Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10552" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T13:17:23.193" Title="How does human will fit with Pratītyasamutpāda?" Tags="|karma|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20793" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20792" CreationDate="2017-05-27T07:52:10.373" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the link of sensation you react due to ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sensations are 3 types which are pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Pleasant sensations lead to craving, unpleasant lead to aversive and neutral there is still ignorance. In craving and aversion also here is ignorance. When ignorance is absent you maintain equanimity towards the sensations seeing their impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unwholesome / wholesome roots lead to volition followed by action. Removing the roots both wholesome and unwholesome removes condition for future existence and experience.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The choice you have is when there is sensation you can react with craving, aversion and ignorance or be equanimous knowing impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition always arise due to a stimuli. This is the contact - feeling part of Dependent Arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T07:52:10.373" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20794" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20797" CreationDate="2017-05-27T09:01:14.510" Score="14" ViewCount="2756" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my teachers has said that practicing Buddhism isn't about having a good time. That's always struck me as a bit harsh. If I practice Buddhism to feel a bit better about myself and to be happy is that a wrong view. If it is, then why would anyone start to practice at all unless they had been brought up in that tradition and it was a cultural thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="157" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T11:22:37.667" Title="Is practicing Buddhism to be happy a wrong view?" Tags="|wrongview|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20792" CreationDate="2017-05-27T09:56:46.837" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is this topic a variant of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Brahamana sutta asks, &quot;How can you desire to end desire?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to be asking, &quot;How can you have the volition to end ignorance when you're ignorant?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Presumably the &quot;opposite&quot; of ignorance (and of volition based on ignorance) are right view (and right intention etc. based on right view).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T09:56:46.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T11:00:21.903" Score="11" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ethan santhan ethan paneethan, sabba sankhara samatho, Sabbhupathi patinissaggo, tanhkkhayo, virago, nirodho, Nibbanan ti“&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“It is the only peace, the only happiness: prevent sankhara from arising by eliminating tanha and excess greed, and thus stopping the arising of defilements, which is Nibbana“. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This above mentioned contemplation is the most effective  kammatthana when cultivating Ariya Jhana. But we can never achieve such jhanic states that is helpful in furthering the Noble Eightfold Path if there isn’t a sense of happiness within us. The sati sampajanna that one dwells in should be one of inner happiness and peace of mind. Sati is mindfulness. The Pali word for alertness is sampajañña. It doesn’t mean being choicelessly aware of the present, or comprehending the present. Sampajañña means being aware of what you’re doing in the movements of the body, the movements in the mind. This is why mindfulness and alertness should always be paired.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our happiness, our lack of happiness, depends on our actions. So that’s where we focus our attention. When you create a frame of reference here in the present moment, there are lots of things you can tune in to. You can choose the body in and of itself. You can choose feelings, mental states, mental qualities in and of themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of all the sensory input that comes in at any one particular moment, you make a choice of what you’re going to pay attention to, what memories, what frame of reference you’re going to bring to that particular moment. And it’s an important mental skill to be able to shift your frame of reference as necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mindful means being very deliberate and clear about what you bring to whatever you’re doing: what you’re going to remember, what you’re not going to remember, what you’re going to recollect, what you’re going to let go, which things are useful to recollect right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you wanted to, you could sit and spend the whole hour thinking about facts that would make you totally miserable, but what does that accomplish? In walking the Path we are to think about things that are useful for the mind, so remember the things that are useful for the mind, that will help it develop. As for the other voices coming in and out of the mind, listen to the ones that are helpful and ignore the ones that are not. You can be selective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way, mindfulness becomes a quality we can apply to everything we do. And instead of making us unable to function, it heightens our ability to function, because we understand the process that the mind goes through, and we are in a state of happiness within.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because your teacher and almost all the books in the present day say as to how could one be happy when everything is suffering, you should not accept such a statement as true. For one to advice another on Dhamma, one has have at least come to the ‘Stream Entrant’ stage of the Path. This is like someone trying to teach another to ride a cycle, when he himself doesn’t know how to ride one. Sadly that is the state of affairs in the present day and age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can sing, dance, and have an enjoyable time while being grounded in reality, in knowing the underlying nature of anything in this world. It is fully engaging in life with an understanding that we will not be able to maintain anything to our satisfaction over long times. Thus we can see suffering - there not being anything of true inherent value in mundane life activities – but still participate in the activities in a rather detached way. If one truly understands this fact, that itself leads to the Stream Entrant stage of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T11:00:21.903" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20798" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T11:02:21.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught about unsatisfactoriness and the way out of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The biss of Nirvana surpases all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you practice Buddhism to come out of misery. Initially you will find sensation based bliss like Piti and Sukha and finally Nirvana which does not depend on sensations. So in a way this is right.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T11:02:21.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T11:15:41.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following the dhamma begins when their is a ''will'' to stop being ''unhappy'', miserable, disappointed, no matter what the pleasures (and their costs) is experienced so far.&#xA;The ''harmless fun'', physical or not, that people crave is nice and if you get it without much work, then lucky you; but once the dhamma is seen, the person is not driven, towards the dhamma or anything, by the boredom, the pleasures nor pains, in daily life, nor even the ones of the jhanas, but the person is driven only towards the end of the path, and driven only by knowing that the path is the only thing relevant to do (for as long as the guy is living).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course any puttujana is driven, towards anything, by the current tastes,  (which change sooner or later), by what is liked and what is disliked, by pleasures and avoiding pains and hardships (directly, or by constructing some story that being in pain, disappointments, hardships, predicaments are worth it or have some merit or are deserved).&#xA;This holds for the puttujanas who follow the dhamma  and for non-bodily drives, there can be faith-doubt(choose the word you see as negative), boredom in their life,  tradition, curiosity, realizing their fantasy of becoming righteous, their fantasy of the knowledge of the ''true nature of reality''.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It turns out that, for puttujanas, having a non-physical pleasures makes the mind plastic, concentrated, still, nonagitated. Even if there remain some faiths in some god, in some boasting about the success of the jhanas, some faith in something else than the dhamma, This mind is the ideal mind to meditate on the ''four noble truths''.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The students will have the healthy mind, since they are told to stop worrying (and are made so by being secluded and far away from all this hustle and bustle) about, being still towards ''social'' matters (typically some contests, hierarchies, like a career), which is the basis for contemplating, the continuation of being still with respect to bodily pains/pleasures and boredom, before meditating on their misery ---- which really means ''there is the knowledge that there is still misery, no matter what has been done before'', then all there is the radical stop of being sad, whatever the consequences this would bring to this existence and there is their acceptation , there is only caring about no longer being unhappy; then there is the insight that ''there is misery, because there are not the objects desired (such as cars, heaters, foods, travels, being judged innocent in some trial, paying less taxes, joy or pride of giving some pleasures to a few women, feeling relevant to some humans, expressing some opinions about something, believing to be righteous, believing to behave in agreement to some rules), but this misery happens only because there is a taking up of consciousness, feelings and all that stuff always impermanent, uncontrollable, not I-me-mine, what people call ''ego'' casually, which did not give what was wanted before (for very long) no matter how much effort is put to keep the good states; there is no longer a misery, once and for all, once there is no taking up of, taking as basis those stuff always impermanent and uncontrollable, not I-me-mine''; then the dispassion towards all those stuff happens which brings the knowledge of ''right view''; then the natural and only relevant step to do is to contemplate-meditate to settle this right view once and for all and be done with the path.&#xA;Before this meditation, The only ''sadness'' that there is is the knowledge that there is no contemplation carried out,  yet needed to finish the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11279" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T11:15:41.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20792" CreationDate="2017-05-27T12:33:03.637" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On Tevijjavacchagotta Sutta the Buddha said that in the last ninety-one aeons, no fatalist who denies the power of volitional acts,&#xA;  has ever gone to heaven, except one, who happened to follow the&#xA;  doctrine of kamma and of morally effective deeds.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, if that is the case. I have not read this sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does this power of volitional act or volitional act happen with in the frame work of Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It happens at the 4th condition. It will also arise with craving. Why don't you read the Pali suttas?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Feeling, perception, &lt;strong&gt;volition&lt;/strong&gt;, contact and attention — these are called mentality (nama).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.2; MN 9&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the nutriment of volition is comprehended, the three forms of craving [for sensuality, for becoming, and for&#xA;  non-becoming] are comprehended.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.63&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My intention is not to discuss about non-self rather about the volitional act done by the self-doer as explained in Attakārī Sutta.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;O.K. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also not so much about the change or motion, the being stepping forward or backward, but the volition or intention that brought about&#xA;  the change.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pratītyasamutpāda states that everything except Nirvana are conditioned,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It does not. Paticcasamuppada described the 12 conditions for the arising of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief &amp;amp; despair. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;and from ignorance (Avijjā) comes mental formations (Saṅkhāra)&#xA;  which includes volition.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Sankhara' does not include 'volition' because the 'sankhara' are non-volitional since they arise from ignorance. 'Sankhara' are defined as the 'body, verbal &amp;amp; mind conditioner', which are defined in MN 44 as the breathing in &amp;amp; out; initial &amp;amp; discursive thought; and perception &amp;amp; feeling. This does not include volition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when you try to meditate &amp;amp; all of those discursive thoughts are spinning out of control in your head (which also make your breathing agitated), this is 'sankhara' in Paticcasamuppada. This obviously is not 'volition' since you are not 'choosing' to have these out-of-control thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Volition occurs at the 4th condition, nama-rupa (and also at the 8th condition, craving). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if every mental formation is conditioned by ignorance including human volition (choice)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not true. Paticcasamuppada only describes when volition is tainted by ignorance. It does not describe when volition is guided by wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;how come a being by choice, which is&#xA;  volition, which has ignorance at its base root out ignorance?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;???&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand, if volition (choice) is not conditioned by ignorance, then the beings choice is out side Pratītyasamutpāda which&#xA;  has ignorance at its starting point?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. Paticcasamuppada is called &quot;the wrong path&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.3&lt;/a&gt;). Paticcasamuppada does not describe wise or right intention/volition, which is the right path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Similarly, if the answer is yes and no, this still implies that volition (choice) can be out side Pratītyasamutpāda?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Correct. Very good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two types of volition: ignorant volition &amp;amp; wise volition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T12:51:35.843" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T12:51:35.843" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T12:36:18.750" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is practicing Buddhism to be happy a wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on what kind of &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; is motivating the search for happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the intention originates from the 3 unwholesome roots, then yes it is considered wrong view as actions based in these roots cause further suffering to arise by enforcing craving and thereby the bondage to Samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the intention originates from the path factor of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/rightIntention.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right Intention&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in the Noble Eightfold Path, i.e. the &lt;em&gt;intention of Renunciation, good-will and harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;, then it is considered right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To attain deliverance requires the complete eradication of craving - not by force but by &lt;em&gt;understanding&lt;/em&gt;. True renunciation is about changing our perspective on conditioned phenomena through the practice of (insight) meditation. This leads to understanding the nature of craving and with keen attention and investigation the mind is able to let go of craving. This leads to true happiness, i.e. a happiness that is &lt;em&gt;pure, unconditioned and permanent&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is practicing Buddhism, motivated by right intention, in order to attain that kind of happiness, then it is &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One of my teachers has said that practicing Buddhism isn't about having a good time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree with that teacher. At least regarding the practice of insight meditation. It is not undertaken in order for the practitioner to feel good. It is done in order to learn about, investigate and to understand reality. It is meant to bring about a deep, profound and permanent internal change of the practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-28T10:53:13.077" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T10:53:13.077" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20803" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T16:13:22.367" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I practice Buddhism to feel a bit better about myself and to be happy is that a wrong view.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the goal of Buddhism, as I understood it from the Pali suttas, is usually phrased as an absence of a negative/affliction: for example, as &amp;quot;cessation of suffering&amp;quot; rather than as &amp;quot;happiness&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also a sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.1&lt;/a&gt;) which begins with,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What is the purpose of skillful virtues? What is their reward?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Skillful virtues have freedom from remorse as their purpose, Ananda, and freedom from remorse as their reward.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sutta then goes on, to talk about &amp;quot;joy&amp;quot;, and so on. But when you mentioned &amp;quot;feel better about myself&amp;quot; I interpreted  that phrase as meaning &amp;quot;freedom from remorse&amp;quot; (because conversely any practice that you may feel &lt;em&gt;worse&lt;/em&gt; about is, I presume, somehow associated with remorse).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the &lt;em&gt;tripitaka&lt;/em&gt; mentions happiness too (see the Pali word &lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If it is, then why would anyone start to practice at all unless they had been brought up in that tradition and it was a cultural thing.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well for me I suppose the reason &amp;quot;why&amp;quot; I started to practice at all was because I found the first noble truth was evident: including for example friends and family dying, with Buddhism being the more plausible-seeming method to try to cope/live with that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's to its credit that Buddhism can find anything at all to be happy about in these circumstances, yet I think it does: for example &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 7.49&lt;/a&gt; mentions gratification and joy as maybe the second-best reason (not quite the best) reason for doing something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different people (or different forms of Buddhism) have different reasons though, see e.g. the answers to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;How to explain what Buddhism is?&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T17:24:52.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20804" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-27T21:09:21.540" Score="4" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it (in a strict view) possible to go to inside a temple/pagoda sanctum with a wheelchair or should it be placed outside? and/or orthotics? Ihave spina bifida and sit mostly in a wheelchair. I can walk a few steps with help but need orthotics to support my ankles (without them its werry difficult to walk because i will stand on my toes.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I ask cause my friend is buddhist (i write from his account)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11416" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T01:58:33.867" Title="prayer ettiquette in a wheelchair" Tags="|rules|prayer|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20804" CreationDate="2017-05-27T21:33:00.877" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is it (in a strict view) possible to go to inside a temple/pagoda sanctum with a wheelchair or should it be placed outside?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where do you live or where is the temple you want to go to?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good idea is to either visit, write or call (if possible) the Temple and ask about their options. Some remote temples might not be accessible via wheelchair due to infrastructure or lack there of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A list with a couple of places to visit temples:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisttemple.ca/temple/faq/wheelchair-access&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;temple&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in Canada that is wheelchair-accessible from the backside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is also a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accessiblethailand.com/city/wat-pho-temple-of-the-reclining-buddha/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;temple&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in Thailand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wheelchair-accessible &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wheeladventure.com/destinations/asia/bali/attractions/tanah-lot-temple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tanah Lot Temple&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in Bali.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wheelchair-accessible &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accessible-japan.com/asakusa-sensoji-temple/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sensoji Buddhist Temple&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in Asakusa, Tokyo.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Recommended &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.visitkansai.com/sightseeing/wheelchair-travel-kyoto/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Temples&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to visit in Tokyo with wheelchair-access.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here is a link to &lt;a href=&quot;http://kadampafestivals.org/spring/translation-special-needs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;New Kadampa Festival&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for wheelchair-users.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A great &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i12336-k2428369-How_to_visit_Cambodia_Thailand_with_a_disability_I_did_it-Traveling_With_Disabilities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;post&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; about a wheelchair-user who visited temples in both Cambodia and Thailand. She mentions that she was able to visit even temples in the remote countryside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;and/or orthotics?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the use of orthotics inside Temples is difficult to answer. Many temples require one to remove shoes when entering as a sign of respect. Other temples might give out cloth to wrap over e.g. a shoe or orthotic. There are many ways to show respect. It would be a good idea to also ask about this topic when contacting a temple. Some temples are very strict while others are more relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T22:17:25.093" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T22:17:25.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20806" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-27T22:41:43.333" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find the  best way to go about it is to ignore dogma and instead follow your heart. Find what is true and works for you. Forget what the dogma says is right and wrong.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, using meditation to try and feel  happier is probs not a great idea because you might start to try and use it as a fix or a spiritual bypass. This can be a trap. Then when you don't feel happy you may start to think &quot;this isn't working&quot; etc  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation is more like a process of disillusionment. You begin to look at yourself, the way your mind works, your thought processes and difficult emotions etc. We begin to realise how these phenomena block our innate joy from arising.  Instead of trying to be happy we just allow the joy to bubble up naturally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be a very painful process breaking through and facing this stuff. The first time I went on silent retreat I was overwhelmed with grief. So many layers of sadnes and grief kept arising. I cried for days and thought I'd never stop. Eventually I did and I felt the most exquisite joy and stillness. It was a very enlightening experience.  So don't try too hard. Just look and allow things to happen and unfold. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-05-27T22:57:03.567" LastActivityDate="2017-05-27T22:57:03.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20734" CreationDate="2017-05-27T23:27:55.497" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It always makes me cringe a bit when any religion preaches about sex and or masturbation. Firstly there is absolutely nothing wrong with either.  Second , the religions that preach against it have all sorts of problems with sexual abuse among the clergy, priests etc. so there is a lot of blatant hypocrisy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're human and you have an inbuilt biological urge to procreate. Along with that urge comes a lot of pleasant sensations.  However like any pleasant sensation we can begin to crave for more and use it to distract ourselves from painful feelings. This can become habitual and for some an addiction. Once this happens it can be difficult to break the habit and  external help may be needed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have mixed feelings about porn. As a teen nobody explained anything to me or my friends about sex. The only information we received about procreation was from school and it was a very sterile and scientific version. Then came the 80s and AIDS and a whole lot of hysterical fear and hatred came along with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Porn showed me that the feelings I was having were perfectly normal and that people are actually very animalistic and take pleasure from sexual activities etc. Without porn I would not have had a clue. I guess I would have figured it out like people have for Millenia but it was definitely a very useful tool that made me feel ok about certain thoughts and feelings that I may otherwise have been been made to feel guilty and dirty about by uptight conservative sections of the community. It also gave me confidence. I didn't feel like such a clueless virgin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These days with the onslaught of the Internet, porn has become so prolific and way too easy for children to access. A lot of it has also become very degrading and more of a shocking spectacle than about people pleasuring each other. Young boys now grow up expecting that girls want to do the degrading acts that are shown in porn. In this sense porn has kind of crossed the line into a very unhealthy place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;End of the day if I'm horny and no one is around I will masturbate and I feel no sense of guilt or remorse about it. Im a human, I have human needs and I like to watch other humans pleasuring themselves.  It has zero effect on enlightenment or nirvana and anyone who tries to make you believe it does is full of shit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T15:21:52.577" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T15:21:52.577" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-05-28T01:12:31.743" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to add a pragmatic answer, because while I think many of the other answers touched on this problem correctly, I don't find some of the explanations completely clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the most basic terms 'karma' is the idea that every action you make has a reaction. If you do something, something else will happen in response. There is nothing supernatural about it, there is nothing about past lives involved, it's just a matter of what happens in response to your behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And so some of the fundamental tenets of buddhism are aimed at controlling your behaviour. This is important because it helps to control the responses to your behaviour. In other words, if you live a good life and do good things, take responsibility for yourself, treat people well, good things will tend to, but not always, happen to you. Conversely, if you do bad things and don't take responsibility for yourself, then bad things will happen to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as far as karma is concerned this is pretty much all you need to know: that what I put out to the world, I get back in return.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10071" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T01:12:31.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20809" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20792" CreationDate="2017-05-28T02:53:57.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;User10552, the answer to your question is not found in the Sutta Pitaka – the first basket. You will have to look into the third basket - the Abhidhamma Pitaka – for the answer. To get a proper understanding of the different type of Saṅkhāras, and of other kinds of paticca samuppada (PS), you will have to study the third basket of the Tipitaka. In the Abhidhamma Pitaka, there is a special ‘vibhanga’ for PS, where it is explained in detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reading the Attakārī Sutta, you are now aware of the fact that we all make choices all the time and act on intentions all the time. In this sense, the word ‘Sankhara’ would mean everything that we do to live in this world. That would include breathing, walking, eating, that even an Arahant has to engage in until Parinibbana. Some sankhara arise from alobha, adosa, or amoha as a root cause. The other set of sankhara arise from lobha, dosa, or moha as a root cause.  This is where it is important to know the difference between sankhara and abhisankhara.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Sutta Pitaka – the first basket – the PS that ordinary people are subjected to is explained, but not the PS that an enlightened being would experience. Akusala-mula PS describes the PS process for normal humans (Anariyas), who are trapped in the sansaric journey.  When one becomes an Arahant, since there is no more rebirth, all kamma seeds that do not get to come to fruition before the death of an Arahant become ineffective in producing a rebirth: Because an Arahant has removed avijja, the “akusala-mula paticca samuppada cycle” becomes ineffective and thus “bhava paccaya jati” does not get to initiate a new birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vibhanga describes the Kusala-mula version of PS for Ariyas. An Ariya would not commit the worst kinds of akusala. His avijja is less potent, because it is well below the moha stage for an Anariya (normal human). The sankhara done with this type of less potent avijja does not become a cause for extending sansara; it is just sankhara. In kusala-mula PS, tanha does not arise because of vedana. With kusala-mula as condition, one accumulates punnabhi sankhara. With punnabhi sankhara as condition, a punnabhi vinnana arises. This punnabhi vinnana is accumulated as kamma bhava and could lead to corresponding “good” namarupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At death, the kusala-mula vinnana prevents a birth in the lower four realms for a Sotapanna, and a birth in the kamaloka is avoided for an Anagami. The sansaric process or the rebirth process is fueled by abhisankhara for normal humans, as they are with lobha (greed), dosa (hate), moha (delusion). What they acquire is apunnabhi sankhara, as opposed to punnabhi sankhara. Thus Sankhara = san + kära = actions done while in existence, and they can be either good or immoral. Abhi sankhara = “Abhi” + sankära = strong/repeated actions for prolonging rebirth process, the kind that normal human beings do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-28T18:07:11.900" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T18:07:11.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-28T05:54:47.183" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;One of my teachers has said that practicing Buddhism isn't about having a good time.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he hasn't explained why, and he is teaching for the laity, I suppose he could be referring to (at least) the difficulty of abandonment prescribed by the five precepts and the virtue group of the noble eightfold path. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abandonment of false speech, angry speech, slander, sexual misconduct, consuming intoxicants, theft, killing etc (&lt;em&gt;right speech, right action / precepts&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These can be difficult and painful to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one becomes more dedicated, the practice also becomes more difficult. One is taught to restraint faculties hard to restraint, to endure things hard to endure, to avoid things hard to avoid and to develop things hard to develop (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just the following, from MN 2, can be quite painful to practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he endures ill-spoken, unwelcome words and arisen bodily feelings that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, distressing, and menacing to life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With a deep dedication, one learns that sensual pleasures are a major hindrance in the path to Nirvana. So here, delight in sensual pleasures are likely the best fit for &amp;quot;having a good time&amp;quot;. As it so happens, sensual pleasures have some gratification, but hide greater danger (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 13&lt;/a&gt;). Also, ultimately they are impermanent and unsatisfactory. But still, hard to understand and abandon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person who’s to their body-cave&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Clouded by many moods, and in delusion sunk,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Hard it is for that one, far from detachment,&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;To abandon sensual pleasures in the world.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/snp4.2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Snp 4.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the severance of the bond of sensuality? Here, someone understands as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to sensual pleasures. When one understands these things as they really are, then sensual lust, sensual delight, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual passion, sensual attachment, and sensual craving do not lie within one in regard to sensual pleasures. This is called the severance of the bond of sensuality.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, apparently, abandoning sensual pleasures is something the Buddha rarely taught laity (he certainly did not preach celibacy to laity, for example), so this is usually considered a part of the practice that is targeted at a specific, dedicated audience (the monks).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may ask oneself why something that is advertised as a path to happiness can be painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, this is not entirely the case. Much of the practice has it's own short term rewards. To reiterate @ChrisW's example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of wholesome virtuous behavior?”&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;“Ānanda, the purpose and benefit of wholesome virtuous behavior is non-regret.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All branches of the Noble Eightfold Path, however difficult, have fruits and rewards as the result of practice. These rewards, naturally, are always congruent with happiness (wholesome), or are themselves increasingly superior kinds of happiness (which culminates in the ultimate happiness, Nirvana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, similar questions can be brought up about practicing healthy exercises, healthy diet, certain medical prescriptions for diseases, or even study: these can be very painful to follow, but they have bigger rewards in the long term.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;If I practice Buddhism to feel a bit better about myself and to be happy is that a wrong view.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose everyone who is sincerely practicing Buddhism is looking for a way to handle suffering and live happy, as well as help others in the same way. The Buddhist path is itself, in all it's aspects, the cultivation of happiness and the study of the origins of suffering. So how could this be wrong view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To conclude, from the pali canon, Nirvana is said to be the greatest happiness. While gratification of sensual pleasures are recognized, their danger is frequently emphasized along with the possibility of greater happiness apart from sensual pleasures:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Ānanda, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. Sounds cognizable by the ear … Odours cognizable by the nose … Tastes cognizable by the tongue … Tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on these five cords of sensual pleasure: this is called sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Though some may say, ‘This is the supreme pleasure and joy that beings experience,’ I would not concede this to them. Why is that? Because there is another kind of happiness more excellent and sublime than that happiness. [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see other beings who are not free from lust for sensual pleasures being devoured by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with fever for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures, and I do not envy them, nor do I delight therein. Why is that? Because there is, Māgandiya, a delight apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states,  which surpasses even divine bliss. Since I take delight in that, I do not envy what is inferior, nor do I delight therein.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn75&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 75&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T06:44:11.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-28T12:59:42.613" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It depends why you are going in any direction at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, as worldly people (not monks), we go to anything to derive self-benefit out of it. We want to feel satisfied/better. For example, I have this lingering feeling that if I answer this question in this way, I might be appreciated/taken notice of and that makes me feel better or lets say you want to watch a football game, you obviously want to feel happy and entertained by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's try to see what &lt;code&gt;Buddhism&lt;/code&gt; is. In essence, we don't want to capture &lt;code&gt;Buddhism&lt;/code&gt; as a concept. In the most primary form, it is a set of guidelines/attitudes (mostly) for monks who wish to be enlightened and have given up the worldly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the lay people can practice meditation too. There is nothing wrong with that. But what happens is, it really just clears our cache/mind (sort of, I don't know if you got it). Once we clear our mind, we feel better. You observe that if you are feeling restless/uncomfortable, it mostly has to do with the mind. (Sometimes it could be body too.) You see there is a difference in the goals of the monks and the goals of the worldly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We only go back the next day to work/to some entertainment to fill it up some more and then we do meditation and it clears up a bit again. Now with constant practice, of meditation in everyday life, we learn to deal with things. But for monks it is more a technique for stream entry and more and more going towards enlightenment. So you see why it means something else for monks and something else for other people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I would say, detach a bit from the concept of &lt;code&gt;Buddhism&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;being a Buddhist&lt;/code&gt;. Allow other people to have their idea of it. But to you, it must not mean anything quite literally or &lt;code&gt;as an identity&lt;/code&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T12:59:42.613" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20794" CreationDate="2017-05-28T22:52:48.187" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught many kinds of happiness.&#xA;Nibbana is the highest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-05-28T22:52:48.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13274" CreationDate="2017-05-29T00:50:57.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One path to resolution is thought itself and where it leads to.  That is pure Buddhism along with the awakenings and suddenness of the mind.  How to say, you could also see the process of exploring your thoughts in the kantian way while letting ideas collide. Anyways, good luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11427" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T00:50:57.557" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20816" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20817" CreationDate="2017-05-29T03:25:22.137" Score="4" ViewCount="996" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did Buddha ever weep while in his days of Enlightenment? What does Buddha say about weeping? Did he ever weep, for instance, a death of a relative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11390" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T04:10:40.847" Title="Did the Buddha ever weep in his days of Enlightenment?" Tags="|the-buddha|suffering|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20816" CreationDate="2017-05-29T04:01:45.990" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;A Buddha would never ever weep while in his days of Enlightenment. It is because of the quality &lt;strong&gt;Akampita&lt;/strong&gt;. It means unshaken; calm; resolute; that which does not tremble; not to be shaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The opposite of it is &lt;strong&gt;Kampita&lt;/strong&gt; meaning shaken; agitated; quivering; caused to tremble. All these the Buddha was not. A Buddha is always impartial, treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just. Other words that describe this quality are unbiased, unprejudiced, neutral, nonpartisan, nondiscriminatory, disinterested, detached, dispassionate, objective, open-minded, equitable. For example the Buddha radiates metta equally towards his adversary Devadatta, Yasodhara his wife, and Patacara the demented woman, his royal father King Suddhodana and Sopaka the humble low-caste youth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All feelings that arise are due to tanha, or some form of attachment. All such are due to mano sankhara. The feelings, (or the perceptions that give rise to feelings,reside inside oneself. It does not come from outside. We use external things to cause happiness or suffering by our own volition. There is no inherent suffering or happiness in anything external. A Buddha, or for that matter any Arahant, who has removed all asavas, will be free of such emotional responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-05-29T04:10:40.847" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T04:10:40.847" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20818" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-29T10:21:34.857" Score="0" ViewCount="815" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a long time I was told that when the Buddha touched the ground and became enlightened that his hair went up and formed a ball on his head and that that is what we see on the statues. But recently I heard a different story, that they are &lt;strong&gt;snails&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is something that really made my day, but is it true? Are there only snails or did his hair also stand up?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4967" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T10:21:34.857" Title="Did the Buddha really have snails on his head?" Tags="|the-buddha|history|enlightenment|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="4" ClosedDate="2017-05-29T10:28:45.927" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20792" CreationDate="2017-05-29T13:00:16.617" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have asked a very good question, I remembered if correctly it's in the &lt;em&gt;Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment&lt;/em&gt; Maitreya Bodhisattva asked similar question: 以幻修幻 - how can if phenomenal world is illusory construct and the &quot;I&quot; is also illusory that a practitioner realize the Ultimate Truth? I remember the Buddha answered 以幻修真 - using the illusory to rid the illusion, as if using a wedge to get out another wedge stuck in the hole. Therefore, I think to give some help of your inquiry is to think of: your volition is to get over ignorance by choosing actions of not ignorant... You find that the action that is not ignorant is still an ignorant action... so on and so forth. Until you finally know the action that is not ignorant, that you are enlightened. It could be a long practice, or it could be a sudden realization. A bit like someone doing a difficult math equation, volition discerns the answers are not correct, over and over, that the working out incorrect answers are the footings to finally have the correct answer. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Volition the ability to discern doesn't get hindered by ignorance, although ignorance prevented it from knowing the correct answer immediately.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; The Sutra has very good analogy full of wisdom far better than I presented here, I just recalled to make an answer in convenience. I hope I didn't misunderstand your question, and I'm not quite familiar with the terms and the Suttas mentioned in the OP. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-05-29T13:17:23.193" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T13:17:23.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19049" CreationDate="2017-05-29T13:01:54.387" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have not known all that many practitioners of The Mahasi method, but I know it is very popular.  The criteria for &lt;em&gt;sotopanna&lt;/em&gt; are self-evaluated.  The only criteria which the Buddha always includes in his definition is &quot;unwavering confidence (or faith)&quot;.  Sometimes he also includes the Five Precepts, sometimes he also includes the other three parts of Right Speech, and sometimes in addition includes contemplating the chain of causation.  So if people state that they have achieved unwavering confidence in the Triple Gem, who could say otherwise?  The only check on this would be to ask the same person many years later if they still believe they have unwavering confidence.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11428" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T13:01:54.387" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20821" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-29T15:03:00.253" Score="3" ViewCount="296" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard about some ascetics who were incapable of concentrating their minds. After changing their environment, the Jhanas were realized easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-29T15:57:37.993" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T00:33:59.110" Title="Is our surroundings affecting our ability to concentrate the mind?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20821" CreationDate="2017-05-29T17:20:04.913" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because of the long samsara one had passed through, some places if one had frequently got through(for many rebirths) with unsurpassable worldly feeling/Tanha, it might be difficult for concentration. But only the Buddha know exactly all the being samsara and their attached Tahna. But it is not for every body. So generally it is not applicable for everybody (only in exceptional case). The same applied to past work habit, food fondness etc. The most important thing is to relentlessly work hard toward nibbana following the Buddha teaching.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T17:20:04.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20823" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20821" CreationDate="2017-05-29T17:39:07.927" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Natural surroundings such as forests or jungles or the like might be more conducieve to meditation practice due to their natural tranquility. In Asia a lot of temples are purposely build in such places due to e.g. the calming effect they have on the mind.&#xA;Natural surroundings also limit external reality and sense-inputs which is conducieve to introspection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be more difficult (depending on the skill-level of the meditator) to cultivate Jhanas in a busy and hectic city environment or in a place that is torn apart by war and conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-30T16:59:56.463" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T16:59:56.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2017-05-29T17:47:52.693" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirodha is the cessation of feeling and perceptions.&#xA;The first Nirodha people will experience is when they first realized the way, in a split second everything stops and they will see the links of dependent origination. This will happen again every Magga and Phala.&#xA;Once they realized and saw the way, they'll be able to get into Nirodha through Nirodha Samāpatti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation through SamathaVipassana will help you get into that.&#xA;Jhana 1 - 4 all the way to base of neither perception nor non perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then cut all of the Tanhas, until you feel Disenchanted and Dispassionate with the task and keep on cutting the Tanhas on the background until everything Ceased[Nirodha].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only the Anagami that is able to get into NirodhaSamapatti anytime they want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this helps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-05-29T17:47:52.693" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20821" CreationDate="2017-05-30T01:22:42.403" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our surroundings do affect our ability to concentrate the mind. It is a fact that we are influenced by the environment. To get to the right mindset you can keep a Buddha statue in the meditation room. Or you could burn incense to give a pleasant odour conducive to meditation. These aromatic biotic materials which releases fragrant smoke when burned should be different to the ones that you use when going to a party. Perfumes that you use on an outing are a distraction, as they will arouse sense pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bright colors, eye catching pictures, sensual fragrances, loud music, etc. create an environment for partying. A setting that is calm and peaceful, and conducive for contemplation is what you should try and create. Something in-between these two ends would be a large enough fireplace nook, with a built-in seat.  Some dwellings have special niches, bay windows, breakfast nooks, seats built into the walls, walk-in-shelves, closets, sunken parts of the floor, or raised parts that can be turned into a special place for meditation purpose only. I’d do this than going out looking for an ideal place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There’s an incident in Buddha’s time, where a monk was greatly attracted to a very serene and charming place in the forest and wanted very badly to meditate only there.  Influenced by the environment he did not heed Buddha’s advice not to do so.  When he went there and tried his utmost to focus his mind, he could not do so for any period of time. When he asked Buddha as to why it was so, Buddha said that in a previous birth he had many a sense pleasures at that very place. That was why unknowingly he was so attracted to this very place in this life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question about adverse influences… it is good to be aware that this world is more complex that we think, and that we perceive only a tiny part of it. There is an unseen world that can influence us if ever we cross paths. “Seth Speaks” by Jane Roberts (1994) is a series of books based on “Seth”, a being who could “possess” her body with her permission.  “Ramtha -The White Book” by J. Z. Knight (2005) is another book about a very benevolent being helping people to live a better life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a good thing if the spirit world could help us on our Path, but if there are beings that are malevolent, how could we protect ourselves from such? Believe it or not… the best protection that you could have from such unseen forces is developing loving kindness to self and others. Spreading loving kindness to one and all whenever possible has many benefits. But what is most important is that it is like a double-sided sword that protects you from harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only among beings in the lower five realms that you would find those who could be malevolent towards you. Those include one in this human world too. That is why it is good to keep your plans and intentions in this Dhamma Path very close to your heart, and share with only those that you look up to. Beings in the lowest four realms undergo unimaginable suffering, both physical and mental. If they could ever be able to influence you, they would rather hinder your progress than be of help to you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you spread metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha to such beings, what matters is not the particular set of words used, but what is felt in one’s heart. To do that one needs to truly comprehend that there is real suffering in this world, specially in the lower realms. While at it, be aware of what is “taken in” and what is “discarded”. Where there are thoughts of love, there cannot be any room for thoughts of fear.  The most potent kusala citta that one could have is the “thought that arises with joy and wisdom automatically”. This thought gets stronger with increasing wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-01T00:33:59.110" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T00:33:59.110" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20821" CreationDate="2017-05-30T10:31:52.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;To get into Jhana you have to pass through vitakka and vicara which is sustained and applied though on an object. Even if you have higher Jhana many (except for very accomplished meditators) have to pass through each applied and sustained thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there is disturbances in the environment it is very hard to have sustained thought, hence in ability to get into Jhana. More the time you have to spend getting in the Jhana more environment will have a bearing as then you are developing applied and sustained thought you might get disturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the environment is more tranquil, then applied and sustained thought becomes possible and easier (no distractions) where by you can enter the Jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-05-30T10:37:54.153" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T10:37:54.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20821" CreationDate="2017-05-30T15:48:12.890" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara6/10-dasakanipata/010-upalivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.99 Upali Sutta&lt;/a&gt; might be related to your question.  Buddha told Ven Upila when he was not yet an Arahat that secluded forest is not a place for those who have not had a concentrated mind.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Upali, life in forest dwellings and jungle paths is difficult to bear. It is difficult to be attached to seclusion. The mind of the bhikkhu who is not concentrated is carried away by solitude. Upali, if someone says: I will abide in jungle forests to gain concentration. He could expect a sinking down or an elation..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven Upali was one of the top Buddha's principle disciples master of vinaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-05-30T15:48:12.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20832" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-05-30T17:07:55.113" Score="5" ViewCount="385" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, I've been practicing Vipassana (Sometimes anaapan) with open eyes since I instantly start feeling sensations almost everywhere in my body including flesh &amp;amp; organs when I draw my attention there. Actually, I haven't fixed proper time for Sādhna in my routine rather I try to practice it 24hrs by being aware constantly like during eating, walking, listening, sitting (During activity I try to witness activity with detachment) with &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;. &#xA;&lt;BR&gt; &lt;BR&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But whenever I give time to meditation with &lt;strong&gt;closed eyes&lt;/strong&gt;, I feel my surrounding very dynamic, beautiful &amp;amp; loving once I open my eyes after meditation.  So far, I have been taking this as &lt;strong&gt;my hallucinations along with ego&lt;/strong&gt; is the reason I haven't cared to give dedicated time for meditation practice with closed eyes. &lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But now, I want to ask whether I'm missing something? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Should I allot dedicated time for meditation with closed eyes? Are there some benefits?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is feeling surrounding dynamic &amp;amp; beautiful after meditation a hallucination? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T12:37:51.610" Title="Has Sādhna ( Meditation practice) with closed eyes more benefits than with open?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20804" CreationDate="2017-05-31T01:58:33.867" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the present day, many countries in the world, specially the governments of the western countries are committed to giving equal access to all people for all public buildings. It is specially so for Assembly buildings such as churches and temples. They have developed accessibility standards under Accessibility for People with Disabilities Acts, and no changes can be made to existing places of worship, or when building new ones, without providing universal accessibility. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;New amendments have updated requirements for accessible seating spaces provided in public assembly buildings like churches and temples, enabling people with disabilities to equitably and independently access such and have equal rights to all worship opportunities.  In addition, new requirements address adaptable seating spaces suitable for a side transfer from a wheelchair, as well as storage spaces for wheelchairs and other mobility assistive devices.  Accessible and adaptable seating spaces are also required to be distributed throughout viewing areas.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if such facilities are not provided older temples, there is no way that a Buddhist Temple would knowingly mistreat a handicapped person. It is because of our understanding that one is born handicapped due to a strong kammā seed that was generated in a previous birth, and that they are not to be looked down upon, as we too have been this way in this samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No one can avoid such vipāka, and when one is born handicapped, one will have to live the whole life that way. It is the kamma vipāka, why some people are born handicapped; some have healthy bodies, beautiful bodies, ugly bodies, and a healthy person may die suddenly too; the varieties are endless. These include those having low IQ, those who are blind or deaf at birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T01:58:33.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20832" CreationDate="2017-05-31T02:51:06.187" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To your question, &lt;strong&gt;”Should I allot dedicated time for meditation with closed eyes? Are there some benefits?”&lt;/strong&gt; I would advice you to do otherwise. Each person is different. In your case it is when you keep your eyes wide open that you are most effective. So put more emphasis on the things that work for you, and that you consider favorable. Now I will give you some pointers to help develop this type of ‘meditation’ to another level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In interacting with the world, we see visuals (rupa) with eyes, hear sounds with ears, smell odors with nose, taste with the tongue, touch (pottabba) with body, and think about concepts (dhamma) with the mind. Be mindful when you experience these while you are in any of the four main postures of sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. Then you will observe that kamachanda and vyapada are the main culprits for making a mind stressful, and for causing “inside fires”. Try to forcibly remove any thoughts of extreme greed and hate as they come to the mind. Make a habit of it. Then with time you will begin of “cooling down” or experiencing niramisa sukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in time you will abstain from committing an immoral act at any time. In any posture – be it sitting, standing, walking, and laying flat, you will be vigilant on what you are about to do or speak. This is being “morally mindful” at all times. get into the habit of contemplating their consequences. When thoughts come to mind to say something or to do something while sitting, standing, walking, or lying down, you will to get into the habit of contemplating their consequences. Then with time you will see a change in yourself, a sense of tranquility, a “peace of mind”. When you are at this stage, it will be easier to get into samadhi, even if you are just doing the “breath meditation”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T02:51:06.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20837" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20832" CreationDate="2017-05-31T04:07:51.527" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When meditating some past impressions can surface either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Their are like they are like dreams and should be treated so. You should not identify it with ego which always lead to suffering now (any egoistic throught has some sensation associated with it, and whatever the sensation it has suffering as an element of it) and craving which creates future existence hence suffering in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keeping eyes closed will be helpful to reduce distractions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-05-31T06:22:55.400" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T06:22:55.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20644" CreationDate="2017-05-31T12:18:32.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It will depend on the individual attentiveness on Dhamma. And what Buddha taught is volition depend on this one will have kusala or akusala. And mind(either kusala or akusala) is occurring once at a specific moment. If it is akusala, it can be called kusala. So in your action of every day activity interspersed every fine moment with dhamma, you will be getting kusala but not uninterrupted ones(sometimes it is better while there is absolutely not). Even animals listening attentively (though not knowingly the meaning), get kusala leading to higher abode. It is not brain washing. With these knowledge, contemplate the arising piti on what has done, will surely lead to higher nana stage. Mind matter most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T12:18:32.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20839" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20832" CreationDate="2017-05-31T12:37:51.610" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please refer to the instruction given to Potthila by seven year old Arahant,&quot;six openings in a mound where an iguana make it home, to catch this iguana, close up the five exits, wait for to come out from last exit.&quot; So you will see the benefit of meditation with closed eyes. At the same time, during every day activities, you can do mindfulness practice in every moment.&#xA;Our mind is constantly disturbed by lobha, dosa and moha, once coming out of sitting meditation practice, your mind is so calm and undisturbed with Samadhi that clear the delusion previously covered. It is not hallucination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T12:37:51.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20840" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20842" CreationDate="2017-05-31T15:08:39.570" Score="3" ViewCount="324" Body="&lt;p&gt;I &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pamc.org.sg/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;view=article&amp;amp;id=29%3Ahow-to-interact-respectfully-with-bhikkhus-basic-etiquette-in-theravda-buddhism&amp;amp;catid=16%3Aarticle-sharing&amp;amp;Itemid=47&amp;amp;lang=en#top&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;read&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that we must not listen or teach Dhamma if we've wear hat or cap. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So why we must not wear hat or cap while listen or teach Dhamma even at anniversaries?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-05-31T21:27:34.910" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T23:49:18.563" Title="Why must we not wear a hat or cap when listen or teach Dhamma?" Tags="|teaching|dhammas|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20644" CreationDate="2017-05-31T15:25:56.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, when something agreeable, disagreeable and neither agreeable or disagreeable arises you should note their impermanence with equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, you should see in which direction your mind swings when encountered something agreeable, disagreeable and neither agreeable or disagreeable and develop the opposite perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, when something agreeable, disagreeable and neither agreeable or disagreeable arises you should develop a sense of revulsion and try to be fully equanimous and aware.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above will perhaps alter your subconscious so you do not negatively react (create negative roots or craving, aversion and ignorance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there might be different techniques of &quot;altering the subconscious&quot; but not all of them may be wholesome or be tied with the Buddhist goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T15:25:56.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20840" CreationDate="2017-05-31T23:49:18.563" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;This rule has very archaic origins. When listening to a monk explaining the dhamma we normally put the monk in a more respected position (e.g. sitting in a chair while we sit on the floor); when we do this we tend to treat the monk's words as more important so being humble is helping us to learn the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time of the Buddha sunshades and umbrellas were a sign of luxury. At that time if someone used a sunshade while the monk didn't have one then it is as if they see themselves as more important than the monk and they are less inclined to care about the monk's words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanissaro Bhikkhu's book &lt;em&gt;The Buddhist Monastic Code I&lt;/em&gt; has some explaination about this rule&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;SN 6.2 records that the Buddha himself had the highest respect for the Dhamma&#xA;  he had discovered; that, as others might live under the guidance of a teacher,&#xA;  honoring and revering him, the Buddha lived under, honored, and revered the&#xA;  Dhamma. He enjoined his followers to show the same respect for the Dhamma&#xA;  not only when listening to it but also when teaching it, by refusing to teach it to a&#xA;  person who shows disrespect.&#xA;  The following set of rules deals with situations in which a listener, in terms of&#xA;  the etiquette at that time, would be regarded as showing disrespect for a teacher&#xA;  or his teaching. As the Vinaya-mukha notes, a few of these cases—such as those&#xA;  concerning footwear—are not considered disrespectful under certain&#xA;  circumstances at present, although here the exceptions given for listeners who&#xA;  are ill might be stretched to cover any situation where the listener would feel&#xA;  inconvenienced or awkward if asked to comply with the etiquette of the&#xA;  Buddha’s time. On the other hand, there are many ways of showing disrespect at&#xA;  present that are not covered by these rules, and an argument could be made,&#xA;  reasoning from the Great Standards, that a bhikkhu should not teach Dhamma&#xA;  to a person who showed disrespect in any way.&#xA;  Dhamma here is defined as any statement spoken by the Buddha, his disciples,&#xA;  seers, or devat›s, connected with the teaching or with its goal. See Pc 7 for a&#xA;  more detailed discussion of this point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastActivityDate="2017-05-31T23:49:18.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20843" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-01T00:14:52.300" Score="3" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;Early in my practice (Mahasi noting), I had plenty of thoughts come up to note, as taught, but lately there is only the meditation object. Is this normal or just another impermanent​ thing that will change with​ changing experience? I have meditated 5-6 months, and the last two I've had this (disappearance of outside thought) so to speak. Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11449" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T03:24:51.273" Title="Non appearance of dhammas to note during meditation" Tags="|mindfulness|satipatthana|mahasi|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20843" CreationDate="2017-06-01T01:41:55.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The goal of the trainee level of Buddhist meditation is for the mind to be free from thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mahasi noting method is like training wheels on a child's bicycle (to be eventually discarded). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T01:41:55.797" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20843" CreationDate="2017-06-01T02:09:24.273" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This sounds like the &lt;em&gt;jhanas&lt;/em&gt; (beyond the first).  Also, when asked about emptiness, the Buddha defined it as the mind being empty of thought other than the meditation object.  However, all things short of &lt;em&gt;nibbana&lt;/em&gt;  are impermanent, even the jhanas.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadhu, sadhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11428" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T02:09:24.273" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20843" CreationDate="2017-06-01T02:43:08.707" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what you have said, it seems that you have developed meditation to a degree that you can come to Ekaggata with ease. You seem to have the ability to keep the mind on one object. By going beyond the first jhana you will get to experience piti (joy), sukha (body lightness), and ekaggata (one-pointedness). In the second jhana, both vitakka and vicara are absent. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you should exercise caution if you’re trying to go beyond the fourth jhana. I do hope that you are fully grounded in Dhamma if you are to on this route. If you are not established on a good firm foundation in Dhamma, you are asking for trouble, as you will then come to the “Asanna realm”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sanna is, at the very fundamental level, the recognition of an external stimulus. Without sanna we cannot identify things around us, and also cannot communicate with each other meaningfully. But beings have no sanna or perception in the “Asanna realm”. Those beings are without any awareness. Nothing registers in the mind. If someone gets to the “Nevasanna Na’sanna“ realm without being fully established in the path, then that person will have difficulty in coming out of this Asanna realm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T02:43:08.707" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20847" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-01T03:49:46.303" Score="5" ViewCount="1074" Body="&lt;p&gt;How many types of sects like Mahayans, Hinayans,Vajrayana are there in Buddhism? How did they come into Buddhism? To my knowledge Buddha never talked about any sort of 'yans'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who created these 'Yans'? What was the necessity of creating these 'Yans'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11437" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T05:13:40.197" Title="How did Mahayan, Hinayan,Vajrayana come into Buddhism?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|sects|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20848" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-01T04:30:28.293" Score="5" ViewCount="378" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism was originated from India.It spread all accross the world, many countries are called as Buddhist countries. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha was the most scientific, serene, logical and kind person of the world, anyone becoming his enemy seems to be impossible. There was a time when almost whole of the India was Buddhist. Then, what caused the decline of Buddhism in India?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11437" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-01T09:19:56.943" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T12:45:58.477" Title="What was the reason behind the fall of Buddhism in India?" Tags="|history|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2018-03-07T16:02:02.710" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20848" CreationDate="2017-06-01T09:05:42.543" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, there's a lot of factors regarding this. &#xA;The Monks started to liberate the buddha's teaching.&#xA;The Buddhism started to decline after the 4th buddhist council of India. Unlike King Asoka, King Kanishka of Kushan Empire, not keeping the precepts and still going on wars with other empires. He chose the most Sangha in the community back then the Sarvastivadin-Mahayana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last was because of the invasion of Turkic-muslim-Mamluk Dynasty which ended the Most Enormous Buddhist University, Nalanda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As what Buddha said in DN16 Mahaparinibbana Sutta, there are 7 things x 7, which prevent decline in the community.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now at that time venerable Ānanda was stood behind the Gracious One&#xA;  fanning the Gracious One. Then the Gracious One addressed venerable&#xA;  Ānanda, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians assemble regularly and&#xA;  assemble frequently?’” “I have heard this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians&#xA;  assemble regularly and assemble frequently.’” “For as long, Ānanda, as&#xA;  the Vajjians will assemble regularly and assemble frequently surely&#xA;  growth, Ānanda, is to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians assemble unanimously, rise&#xA;  unanimously, and carry out their Vajjian duties unanimously?’” “I have&#xA;  heard this, reverend Sir, that the Vajjians assemble unanimously, rise&#xA;  unanimously, and carry out their Vajjian duties unanimously.” “For as&#xA;  long, Ānanda, as the Vajjians will assemble unanimously, rise&#xA;  unanimously, and carry out their Vajjian duties unanimously, surely&#xA;  growth, Ānanda, is to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians do not establish new laws&#xA;  that were not established, or cut off old laws that were established,&#xA;  and carry on with such laws as were accepted in the Ancient Vajjian&#xA;  Constitution?’” “I have heard this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians do not&#xA;  establish new laws that were not established, or cut off old laws that&#xA;  were established, and they carry on with such laws as were accepted in&#xA;  the Ancient Vajjian Constitution.’” “For as long, Ānanda, as the&#xA;  Vajjians do not establish new laws that were not established, or cut&#xA;  off old laws that were established, and they carry on with such laws&#xA;  as were accepted in the Ancient Vajjian Constitution surely growth,&#xA;  Ānanda, is to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians honour the elders of the&#xA;  Vajjians, respect, revere, worship and think them worth listening&#xA;  to?’” “I have heard this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians honour the&#xA;  elders of the Vajjians, respect, revere, worship and think them worth&#xA;  listening to.’” “For as long, Ānanda, as the Vajjians will honour the&#xA;  elders of the Vajjians, respect, revere, worship and think them worth&#xA;  listening to, surely growth, Ānanda, is to be expected for the&#xA;  Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians do not coerce and force their&#xA;  women and girls to dwell with them against their will?’” “I have heard&#xA;  this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians do not coerce and force their women&#xA;  and girls to dwell with them against their will.’” “For as long,&#xA;  Ānanda, as the Vajjians will not coerce and force their women and&#xA;  girls to dwell with them against their will, surely growth, Ānanda, is&#xA;  to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians honour the Vajjian shrines&#xA;  amongst the Vajjians, both within and without the city, respect,&#xA;  revere, and worship them, and do not allow the righteous sacrifices&#xA;  that were formerly given, formerly made, to be neglected?’” “I have&#xA;  heard this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians honour the Vajjian shrines&#xA;  amongst the Vajjians, both within and without the city, respect,&#xA;  revere, and worship them, and do not allow the righteous sacrifices&#xA;  that were formerly given, formerly made, to be neglected.” “For as&#xA;  long, Ānanda, as the Vajjians will honour the Vajjian shrines amongst&#xA;  the Vajjians, both within and without the city, respect, revere, and&#xA;  worship them, and do not allow the righteous sacrifices that were&#xA;  formerly given, formerly made, to be neglected surely growth, Ānanda,&#xA;  is to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) Have you heard, Ānanda: ‘The Vajjians have made good arrangements&#xA;  in regard to the lawful protection, safety, and guarding of the Worthy&#xA;  Ones, so that Worthy Ones in the future can enter the realm, and&#xA;  having entered the Worthy Ones can live comfortably in the realm?” “I&#xA;  have heard this, reverend Sir: ‘The Vajjians have made good&#xA;  arrangements in regard to the lawful protection, safety, and guarding&#xA;  of the Worthy Ones, and that the Worthy Ones in the future can enter&#xA;  the realm, and having entered the Worthy Ones can live comfortably in&#xA;  the realm.” “For as long, Ānanda, as the Vajjians will make good&#xA;  arrangements in regard to the lawful protection, safety, and guarding&#xA;  of the Worthy Ones, and that the Worthy Ones in the future can enter&#xA;  the realm, and having entered, the Worthy Ones can live comfortably in&#xA;  the realm, surely growth, Ānanda, is to be expected for the Vajjians&#xA;  not decline.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One addressed the Magadhan chief minister the&#xA;  brahmin Vassakāra, saying: “At one time, brahmin, I was living near&#xA;  Vesālī near to the Sārandada Shrine and there I taught the Vajjians&#xA;  these seven things which prevent decline. For as long, brahmin, as the&#xA;  Vajjians maintain these seven things which prevent decline, and the&#xA;  Vajjians agree with these seven things which prevent decline, surely&#xA;  growth, brahmin, is to be expected for the Vajjians not decline.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After this was said, the Magadhan chief minister the brahmin Vassakāra&#xA;  addressed the Gracious One, saying: “If the Vajjians, dear Gotama,&#xA;  were endowed with even one or the other of these seven things which&#xA;  prevent decline, surely growth is to be expected not decline, what to&#xA;  say about having seven things which prevent decline? The Vajjians&#xA;  cannot be overcome, dear Gotama, by the Magadhan King Ajātasattu, the&#xA;  son of Lady Wisdom, by war, but only through diplomacy, or through the&#xA;  breaking of an alliance. And now, dear Gotama, we shall go, as we have&#xA;  many duties, and there is much which ought to be done.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now is the time, brahmin, for whatever you are thinking.” Then the&#xA;  Magadhan chief minister the brahmin Vassakāra, after greatly rejoicing&#xA;  and gladly receiving this word of the Gracious One, rose from his seat&#xA;  and departed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3: Seven Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (1–7)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One, not long after the Magadhan chief minister, the&#xA;  brahmin Vassakāra, had gone, addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “Go,&#xA;  Ānanda, and whatever monks there are living in dependence on Rājagaha,&#xA;  assemble them in the Attendance Hall.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” said venerable Ānanda, and after replying&#xA;  to the Gracious One, and assembling whatever monks there were living&#xA;  in dependence on Rājagaha in the Attendance Hall, he approached the&#xA;  Gracious One, and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One,&#xA;  he stood on one side.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While standing on one side venerable Ānanda said this to the Gracious&#xA;  One: “The Community of monks have assembled, reverend Sir, now is the&#xA;  time, Gracious One, for whatever you are thinking.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Gracious One after rising from his seat approached the&#xA;  Attendance Hall, and after approaching he sat down on the prepared&#xA;  seat. While sitting the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I will teach you seven things which prevent decline, listen to it,&#xA;  apply your minds well, and I will speak.” “Very well, reverend Sir,”&#xA;  those monks replied to the Gracious One, and the Gracious One said&#xA;  this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks will assemble regularly and&#xA;  assemble frequently, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the&#xA;  monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks will assemble unanimously, rise&#xA;  unanimously, and carry out their Community duties unanimously, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks do not establish new laws that&#xA;  were not established, or cut off old laws that were established, and&#xA;  they carry on with such training-rules as have been accepted, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks will honour the elder monks, those&#xA;  of long-standing, a long time gone-forth, the Fathers of the&#xA;  Community, the Leaders of the Community, respect, revere, worship and&#xA;  think them worth listening to, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks will not come under the influence&#xA;  of craving which has arisen for continued existence, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks will have desire for forest&#xA;  dwellings, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) For as long, monks, as the monks individually will attend to the&#xA;  ways of mindfulness, so that their fellow celibates, who are&#xA;  well-behaved, in the future can come, and having come to their fellow&#xA;  celibates, who are well-behaved, can live comfortably, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these seven things&#xA;  which prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these seven&#xA;  things which prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4: Seven Further Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (8–14)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will teach you a further seven things which prevent decline, listen&#xA;  to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One,&#xA;  and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks are not devoted to the pleasure&#xA;  in work, the delight in work, and are not attached to work, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks are not devoted to the pleasure in&#xA;  speech, the delight in speech, and are not attached to speech, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks are not devoted to the pleasure in&#xA;  sleep, the delight in sleep, and are not attached to sleep, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks are not devoted to the pleasure of&#xA;  company, the delight in company, and are not attached to company,&#xA;  surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks do not have evil wishes, do not go&#xA;  under the influence of evil wishes, surely growth, monks, is to be&#xA;  expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks do not have wicked friends, do not&#xA;  have wicked companions, do not have wicked comrades, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) For as long, monks, as the monks do not achieve only mundane or&#xA;  incomplete attainment, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the&#xA;  monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these seven things&#xA;  which prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these seven&#xA;  things which prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5: Seven Further Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (15–21)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will teach you a further seven things which prevent decline, listen&#xA;  to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One,&#xA;  and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks will have faith, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks will have a conscientious mind,&#xA;  surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks will have a sense of shame, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks will be learned, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks will be strenuous, surely growth,&#xA;  monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks will attend to mindfulness, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) For as long, monks, as the monks will possess wisdom, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these seven things&#xA;  which prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these seven&#xA;  things which prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6: Seven Further Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (22–28)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will teach you a further seven things which prevent decline, listen&#xA;  to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One,&#xA;  and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of&#xA;  Perfect Awakening that is Mindfulness, surely growth, monks, is to be&#xA;  expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Investigation of the nature of things, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Energy, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for&#xA;  the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Rapture, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for&#xA;  the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Calm, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for&#xA;  the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Concentration, surely growth, monks, is to be&#xA;  expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the factor of Perfect&#xA;  Awakening that is Equanimity, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these seven things&#xA;  which prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these seven&#xA;  things which prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7: Seven Further Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (29–35)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will teach you a further seven things which prevent decline, listen&#xA;  to it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One,&#xA;  and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  impermanence, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks,&#xA;  not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  non-self, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of the&#xA;  unattractive, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks,&#xA;  not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  danger, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  giving up, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  dispassion, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;7) For as long, monks, as the monks will develop the perception of&#xA;  cessation, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these seven things&#xA;  which prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these seven&#xA;  things which prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected&#xA;  for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;8: Six Things which Prevent Decline in the Community (36–41)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I will teach you a further six things which prevent decline, listen to&#xA;  it, apply your minds well, and I will speak.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Very well, reverend Sir,” those monks replied to the Gracious One,&#xA;  and the Gracious One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;1) “For as long, monks, as the monks with friendly actions by way of&#xA;  the body will serve their fellow celibates, both in public and in&#xA;  private, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;2) For as long, monks, as the monks with friendly actions by way of&#xA;  speech will serve their fellow celibates, both in public and in&#xA;  private, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;3) For as long, monks, as the monks with friendly actions by way of&#xA;  the mind will serve their fellow celibates, both in public and in&#xA;  private, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not&#xA;  decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;4) For as long, monks, as the monks in regard to those righteous&#xA;  gains, received in accordance with the Teaching—whatever amount has&#xA;  been received in the bowl—will divide and share such gains with those&#xA;  who are virtuous, fellow celibates, and share them in common, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;5) For as long, monks, as the monks are endowed with those virtues&#xA;  which are unbroken, faultless, unspotted, unblemished, productive of&#xA;  freedom, praised by the wise, not clung to, leading to concentration,&#xA;  and will live endowed with virtue amongst their fellow celibates who&#xA;  themselves possess such virtue, both in public and in private, surely&#xA;  growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;6) For as long, monks, as the monks are endowed with that which is&#xA;  Ariyan View, which leads out, which leads to the complete destruction&#xA;  of suffering for one who acts thus, and will live endowed with Right&#xA;  View amongst those who themselves possess such Right View, both in&#xA;  public and in private, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the&#xA;  monks, not decline.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For as long, monks, as the monks will maintain these six things which&#xA;  prevent decline, and the monks will agree with these six things which&#xA;  prevent decline, surely growth, monks, is to be expected for the&#xA;  monks, not decline.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There also the Gracious One, while living near Rājagaha on the&#xA;  Vultures’ Peak Mountain, spoke frequently to the monks about the&#xA;  Teaching, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Such is virtue, such is concentration, such is wisdom, when virtue is&#xA;  well-developed it yields great fruit and brings great advantages in&#xA;  regard to concentration, when concentration is well-developed it&#xA;  yields great fruit and brings great advantages in regard to wisdom,&#xA;  when wisdom is well-developed the mind is completely liberated from&#xA;  the pollutants, that is to say: the pollutant of sensuality, the&#xA;  pollutant of craving for continued existence, the pollutant of&#xA;  ignorance.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The declination of buddhism was because of breaking these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this helps. If you want to know more about this, you can try to read this book called &quot;The concise history of buddhism&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T09:05:42.543" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20852" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-01T09:13:34.983" Score="2" ViewCount="71" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been looking for an e-book on &quot;Jataka Tales&quot;, I got one in Marathi by Ven.Dharmanand Kosambi which I feel is good and the another one I got is in English by Todd Anderson which is totally different from the Marathi version. The stories here are different from the Marathi one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can somebody please tell me somethig about the Jataka tales and the place / site where I can get the genuine e-book on the same in English?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11437" LastEditorUserId="11437" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T08:57:59.320" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T08:57:59.320" Title="Where to get the genuine e-book on &quot;Jataka Tales&quot; in English?" Tags="|books|early-buddhism|jataka|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20853" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20847" CreationDate="2017-06-01T10:15:11.560" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a Wikipedia article, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yana (Buddhism)&lt;/a&gt;, which introduces the term &lt;em&gt;Yana&lt;/em&gt; and various historical origins/usages of this word.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think of &quot;Mahayana&quot; as identifying schools of Buddhism which passed through China (so, Japan as well). Or if &quot;China&quot; isn't a fair way to summarize it in one word (it's more related to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern,_Eastern_and_Northern_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Geography&lt;/a&gt; and/or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;History of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; than the practice or the teaching of Buddhism), maybe think of it as &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bodhisattvayāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Vajrayana&quot; is I think Tibetan: historically Tibetan were able to adopt (or be influenced by) Buddhism from India or China, see for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moheyan&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Moheyan&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some people (rightly or wrongly) consider &quot;Hinayana&quot; to be rude or belittling, and use the term &quot;Theravada&quot; instead (other people, who use the term &quot;Hinayana&quot;, say that it isn't used to refer to Theravada at all). But anyway, Theravada rather than Hinayana is the name of one of the two (or three) biggest classifications/sects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many ways to classify schools, see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Schools of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know &quot;what was the necessity of creating these 'Yanas'&quot;. Actually someone on this site wrote that the term &quot;Buddhism&quot; is questionable, that -ism is a Western or English-language construct; I suppose they mean it's better to use words like Dhamma or Dharma and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-01T11:24:52.900" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T11:24:52.900" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20852" CreationDate="2017-06-01T12:04:38.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;See: The Jataka by Robert Chalmers ed. E.B. Cowell in www.sacred-texts.com. The index is found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm#jataka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-01T12:14:40.073" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T12:14:40.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20855" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20860" CreationDate="2017-06-01T16:52:59.307" Score="1" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;What if one thought it wiser to tell a lie, because the truth could potentially endanger one's own life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For instance, someone might lie that they believe in a supreme being, in reply to a question being asked by their parents who have strong faith. This is a very sensitive topic in some cultures or countries, to the point that parents might kick their son or daughter out of the house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is an example where the intention is to maintain personal security.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this violate the precept of not-lying? Or, instead of being a lie, might this be considered like the &quot;noble silence&quot; that Buddha once exhibited when the listener was incapable of understanding the Dhamma?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11390" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T01:12:56.003" LastActivityDate="2019-08-25T05:17:11.980" Title="Does any/every form of lying violate the precept of &quot;not-lying&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|five-precepts|teaching|right-intention|lie|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20856" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20855" CreationDate="2017-06-01T22:05:21.807" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The simple answer is &quot;Yes&quot;&#xA;However, there are different weight in each Kamma.&#xA;A person who tells a lie to protect his life has the least weight.&#xA;It also depends on the person.&#xA;Monks are expected to follow the precepts more vigorously than a lay person. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See the current discussion on a similar subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/on-the-five-precepts/5486&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/on-the-five-precepts/5486&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-01T22:05:21.807" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20858" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20859" CreationDate="2017-06-02T07:34:28.923" Score="1" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;Recently I meet a monk, I noticed that he has perspective to politicians that what they doing wrong, they are wrong, but I seem he speak a lot about politics, OK. But he also being little rude even when he was telling an incident he used some 'rude' about politician. So when I tell this to my uncle he said 'When he's monk he should not be rude to someone or harm even by &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&quot;Kaya (Body/Physically)&quot;, &quot;Vacha (Talking)&quot;, &quot;Man&quot; (Mind/Thinking)&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;'. So does it break first precept? If you caught me doing wrong(Killing, Stealing, Inhumanity) and if you make specific perspective to me for lifetime does it break first precept? Thinking wrong about someone else for what it is (Thief, Terrorist, Murderer).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T07:42:02.097" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T21:11:22.973" Title="Does perspective to someone else break first precept?" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20858" CreationDate="2017-06-02T08:58:06.277" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It certainly doesn't break the Vinaya rule against killing (which says it doesn't count as &amp;quot;killing&amp;quot; unless somebody dies, plus other conditions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect your uncle is right to say that he should avoid being rude; and even talking about politics at all could be considered questionable behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't seen any hint, though, that the first precept isn't meant to be taken iterally; for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;pāṇātipātā veramaṇī&lt;/strong&gt;：'abstaining from the killing of living beings'，is the first of the 5 moral rules binding upon all Buddhists&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://dictionary.sutta.org/browse/p/p%C4%81%E1%B9%87%C4%81tip%C4%81t%C4%81%20verama%E1%B9%87%C4%AB&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Buddhist Dictionary&lt;/em&gt; by Nyanatiloka Mahathera&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the behaviour is wrong I don't think it's because it breaks the first precept -- instead I think it would be because it's not Right Speech, or something like that (e.g. not friendly).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T15:42:05.133" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20855" CreationDate="2017-06-02T14:58:08.317" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The motivation DOES make a difference to the karma of an action. The classic discussion about karma stresses motivation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karma as action denotes an act of mental volition (cetanā), and the bodily and verbal actions that stem from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0051.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Classical Indian Buddhist Philosophy&lt;/em&gt;, by John Powers&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is almost literally from  Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kośa (4th century CE).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the mental volition (that is - motivation) is the whole point. That makes sense: everything in Buddhism is about consciousness first. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you lie to protect jews from the Nazis, to use a modern example - that is not necessarily negative karma. If you had taken lay vows, as a Tibetan Buddhist you would probably do some purification ritual to be sure, but since the motivation is to help someone &amp;amp; you are also preventing people from harming (the nazis) - on balance it is better to lie in such circumstances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your example is a bit less clear. I do think it is better to stay silent than to actively lie about your faith. If you have taken lay vows, you have at the very least taken on the attempt not to lie. Staying silent does not break your vow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The vow to not-lie is also sometimes explained as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do not distort fact&#xA;  ... Sometimes the use of words can make something seem acceptable, when it could have been said very differently and be totally unacceptable. This is not a lie, but a distortion of fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;http://katinkahesselink.nl/essays-on-karma-by-katinka-hesselink/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Essays on Karma&lt;/em&gt;, by Katinka Hesselink&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T15:38:34.890" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T15:38:34.890" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20847" CreationDate="2017-06-02T15:13:27.457" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha lived 2500 or more years ago. That is relevant: humanity has had 2500 years to think about his teachings and disagree about them. Or more kindly put: in trying to live by his teachings, people have thought about them and come at different interpretations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main schools are - as you note:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theravada - the only living 'hinayana' school. It preserved the Pali canon and as the only living representation of early Buddhism, many people consider it the most 'pure' school. However - it is still only one out of about two dozen schools that existed around the time of Christ. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mahayana is usually translated as'great vehicle', in opposition to Hinayana 'small vehicle'. This translation is obviously derogatory and offensive to the only early Buddhist school still in existence: Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana can actually also be translated as 'great path', that is: a path for every being. Hinayana would then mean: small path, or path only for monks actively striving to become arhats. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/mahayana.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana - everything else, including Vajrayana. Mahayana started in India around the time of Christ - not in China as one answer here suggests. It is true though that Chinese and Japanese Buddhism are dominated by the Mahayana approach.&#xA;It could be said that the Mahayana approach came about through the need for a more explicit compassion in Buddhist teaching and practice. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/bodhisatva.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Bodhisattva ideal&lt;/a&gt; filled that hole. &#xA;The Bodhisattva ideal: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana Buddhism includes Zen as well as Tibetan Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana is a form of Mahayana Buddhism, but it takes individual Buddhas as their main object of meditation. One theory about why it became popular is that it is a practice that helps a lot in times of uncertainty. It became the main form of Indian Buddhism in the centuries before Islam came to India - it was a time when Hinduism became prominent again and Buddhists were on the defensive. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do note that it is difficult to be sure about the history of Vajrayana, because its practitioners are traditionally vowed to secrecy about their practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana is prominent in Tibetan Buddhism, but it also survives in Japanese Buddhist ritual.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastEditorUserId="11330" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T15:23:49.447" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T15:23:49.447" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20862" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-02T15:15:51.280" Score="3" ViewCount="2735" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can one person's karma be affected by the karma of another person or other persons?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorUserId="10376" LastEditDate="2020-01-14T15:52:16.337" LastActivityDate="2020-01-15T12:27:13.097" Title="Can one's karma be affected by the karma of another?" Tags="|karma|life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="20863" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20866" CreationDate="2017-06-02T16:15:11.293" Score="4" ViewCount="465" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks are bald because as I read somewhere that when person is bald he looks unattractive and so no one else attract towards it. So what are other benefits to being bald either for monks or layman? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-09-11T12:19:33.173" Title="What are benefits of being bald?" Tags="|culture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20864" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20862" CreationDate="2017-06-02T16:23:29.320" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One person's karma can have effects to another person. It is like living in/near war zone where a lot of killing (people are doing bad karma) are happening. The chances are very high to get killed/injuries. On the other hand, if someone don't have enough bad karma to get killed, he/she will escape no matter what. It just needs the right condition to be affected by (present and past) karma . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="503" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T16:23:29.320" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20865" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20863" CreationDate="2017-06-02T16:29:32.213" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's pretty much it right there. How hair is styled, its fullness, color, length, and anything else about it, can cause vanity, envy, and attachment. It's the reason that the haircare industry is estimated to exceed 85 billion this year: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.statista.com/statistics/254608/global-hair-care-market-size/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.statista.com/statistics/254608/global-hair-care-market-size/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a personal note, it's also very easy to take care of. Just make sure you put sunscreen up there if you spend any time outdoors. ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11460" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T16:29:32.213" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20866" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20863" CreationDate="2017-06-02T16:48:15.173" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;It helps to identify you socially as a monk (as does the uniform clothing), so that people know when they see you, &quot;that person can be identified as a monk&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time it helps to alter, remove or hide your personal identity, e.g. as a person with an individual appearance such as hair color and hair style.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose another practical benefit is that it's also clean and cool (an opposite extreme, for some non-Buddhist sramanas, was to not touch or cut their hair at all, so that it became long and matted).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know the practice pre-dates Buddhism: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26 says&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, at a later time, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — and while my parents, unwilling, were crying with tears streaming down their faces — I shaved off my hair &amp;amp; beard, put on the ochre robe and went forth from the home life into homelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T16:48:15.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20847" CreationDate="2017-06-02T19:58:57.300" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My 3rd attempt to answer this question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once attended talks by a Tibetan lama about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaisajyaguru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Medicine Buddha&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambhala&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yellow Jambala&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tibetan lama himself said these Vajrayana deities were adaptations of existing Hindu deities and were adapted to a Buddhism as a Mahayana doctrine because it was suitable to certain audiences of people &amp;amp; because Buddhism was declining in society due to increasing unpopularity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In Hindu mythology, Jambhala is known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubera&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kubera&lt;/a&gt;. Jambhala is also believed to be an emanation of Avalokitesvara or Chenrezig, the&#xA;  Bodhisattva of Compassion. There are five different wealth Jambhala,&#xA;  each has their own practice and mantra to help eliminate poverty and&#xA;  create financial stability.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/J6yNB.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/J6yNB.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vajrayana itself (as taught to me by a Tibetan geshe) is a 'relationship or (Hindu) &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;tantric&lt;/a&gt; practise' where the devotee establishes a personal relationship with a deity or a guru that manifests the qualities of a deity (such as &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other adapted Hindu deities include &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tara&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avalokiteśvara&lt;/a&gt; (who lectures Sariputra in the Mahayana Heart Sutra).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whether the Tārā figure originated as a Buddhist or Hindu goddess is unclear and remains a source of inquiry among scholars. Mallar Ghosh&#xA;  believes her to have originated as a form of the goddess &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Durga&lt;/a&gt; in the&#xA;  Hindu Puranas. Today, she is worshipped both in Buddhism and in&#xA;  Shaktism as one of the ten Mahavidyas. It may be true that goddesses&#xA;  entered Buddhism from Shaktism (i.e. the worship of local or folk&#xA;  goddesses prior to the more institutionalized Hinduism which had&#xA;  developed by the early medieval period (i.e. Middle kingdoms of&#xA;  India). Possibly the oldest text to mention a Buddhist goddess is the&#xA;  Prajnaparamita Sutra (translated into Chinese from the original&#xA;  Sanskrit c. 2nd century CE), around the time that Mahayana was&#xA;  becoming the dominant school of thought in Indian and Chinese&#xA;  Buddhism. Thus, it would seem that the feminine&#xA;  principle makes its first appearance in Buddhism as the goddess who&#xA;  personified prajnaparamita.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The name Avalokiteśvara combines the verbal prefix ava &quot;down&quot;, lokita, a past participle of the verb lok &quot;to notice, behold,&#xA;  observe&quot;, here used in an active sense; and finally &lt;strong&gt;īśvara&lt;/strong&gt;, &quot;lord&quot;,&#xA;  &quot;ruler&quot;, &quot;sovereign&quot; or &quot;master&quot;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;According to the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra, the sun and moon are said to be born from Avalokiteśvara's eyes, Shiva from his brow, Brahma from his&#xA;  shoulders, Narayana from his heart, Sarasvati from his teeth, the&#xA;  winds from his mouth, the earth from his feet and the sky from his&#xA;  stomach.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the term '&lt;em&gt;īśvara&lt;/em&gt;' is found in the Pali &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;, where it is stated: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;yaṃ kiñcāyaṃ purisapuggalo paṭisaṃvedeti sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā aduk­kha­ma­su­khaṃ vā sabbaṃ taṃ &lt;strong&gt;issara&lt;/strong&gt;­nim­mā­na­hetū&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are other ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and&#xA;  view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure,&#xA;  pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by &lt;strong&gt;God’s&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  creative activity.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we examine Vajrayana writings, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://padmasambhavagururinpoche.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/tsongkhapa-dalailama-hopkins_yoga-tantra.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tantra in Tibet&lt;/a&gt; (by Dalai Lama), we will find many Hindu concepts used such a 'tantra', 'yoga' &amp;amp; 'mantra' which are not characteristic of older Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in his 1st sermon, the Buddha used the word '&lt;em&gt;yoga&lt;/em&gt;' in a negative sense, where he said to not be '&lt;em&gt;devoted to&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;bound to&lt;/em&gt;' sensuality or self-mortification. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, Mahayana arose to create a broader variety of teachings to appeal to a broader audience &amp;amp; often adapted Hindu methods &amp;amp; ideas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why Mahayana is the 'Great Vehicle'. 'Maha' does not mean 'better' but means 'broader'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/RMzDi.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/RMzDi.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Hc1vt.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Hc1vt.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/F1Waf.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/F1Waf.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qPbnk.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/qPbnk.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4rrta.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4rrta.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q33yR.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Q33yR.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-02T20:47:47.163" LastActivityDate="2017-06-02T20:47:47.163" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20868" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-03T00:23:09.470" Score="2" ViewCount="321" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can we gain wisdom(&lt;strong&gt;panna or prajna&lt;/strong&gt;) with only one pointed concentration on a concept? I've heard it said that it takes mindfulness on &quot;what actually is&quot; instead of a concept that doesn't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha, at least temporarily,  lessons the defilements so why wouldn't concentration meditation be able to show one panna? Can one gain panna without seeing the three characteristics? Can one see the three characteristics with Samatha by itself? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can we reach Nirvana with just Samatha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T10:38:26.967" Title="Samatha Only Wisdom" Tags="|samatha|practice|sotapanna|panna|three-characteristics|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20869" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-03T00:45:39.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can we gain wisdom(panna or prajna) with only one pointed concentration on a concept?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concept??? One-pointedness of mind (&lt;em&gt;citta ekaggata&lt;/em&gt;) is not related to a concept or concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I've heard it said that it takes mindfulness on &quot;what actually is&quot; instead of a concept that doesn't exist.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness does not mean &quot;&lt;em&gt;to see&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;to observe&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &quot;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;&quot; means &quot;&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;keep in mind&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samatha, at least temporarily, lessons the defilements&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;so why wouldn't concentration meditation be able to show one panna?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. It can. The wisdom (panna) that can arise directly from concentration &amp;amp; samatha is that it is peaceful to be without defilements; that defilements are unwholesome &amp;amp; suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can one gain panna without seeing the three characteristics?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. But this panna (wisdom) will not be complete &amp;amp; will not '&lt;em&gt;uproot&lt;/em&gt;' the defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can one see the three characteristics with Samatha by itself?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. However, one can experience '&lt;em&gt;selflessness&lt;/em&gt;' (a mind without self) but this is not the same as seeing the &lt;em&gt;not-self&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;em&gt;characteristic&lt;/em&gt; of each of the five aggregates. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can we reach Nirvana with just Samatha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. But we can have a 'taste' of Nirvana, i.e., develop the conviction that complete Nirvana exists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-03T00:56:12.880" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T00:56:12.880" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20870" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2017-06-03T00:55:23.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You have to complete the dasa paramita (Ten Perfections), and prior to that you should have done enough good karma to be an arahat, and when you reached that much you can decide either to be a buddha/pase buddha or an arhat. If you decided to be a buddha, then you have to take &quot;niyatha vivarana&quot; (something like guidance or prediction) from another buddha, then since that life you start doing Ten Perfections until the life you become the buddha. It takes many life times. You can't expect to be a buddha in this lifetime with some meditation, if it's that much easy then there would be a ton of buddhas out there. Being a buddha is a hard work according to the theravada buddhism, it's easier to be an arhat. besides the whole purpose of the buddhism is free from the suffering, which is achievable through being an arhat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ten Perfections:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dana - Charity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sila - Morality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nekkhamma - Renunciation &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Panna - Wisdom&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Viriya - Perseverance &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khanti - Patience &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sacca - Truthfulness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Adhitthana - Determination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Metta - Loving-kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Upekkha - Equanimity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11461" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-03T10:25:51.953" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T10:25:51.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20871" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20764" CreationDate="2017-06-03T01:03:12.373" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha isn't a regular human being, that's why you are unable to see something like that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11461" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T01:03:12.373" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-03T02:39:01.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Can one gain panna without seeing the three characteristics?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, as far as Buddhist teaching concern.&#xA;Here Panna means the wisdom of complete liberation.&#xA;The wisdom you get from Samath is only a partial liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T02:39:01.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20873" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-03T05:07:19.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samatha just results in the suppression of 5 Hindrances using a conceptual object as the focus. Vipassana Bhavana is the focus on the ultimate realities free from concepts, which are rupa, citta, cetasika and nirvana and the universal characteristics of them to free your mind from the corruptions of insight so you can understand causality. E.g. contemplation of the body is to understand the nature of rupa and also eliminate the corruption of insight of beauty. Understanding causality helps understand the arising of defilements. You can choose the object of concentration be tied with ultimate realities which a proxy is the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness (body - rupa, rest relates to citta &amp;amp; cetasika). More on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abhidhamma.com/Samatha_and_Vipassana_ebook.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha and Vipassanā: Concentration and insight meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Ashin Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For wisdom you need to abandon ignorance of the 4 Noble Truths and Dependent Origination, i.e., understand causality. For this would should 1st you should free your mind of corruption of insight by knowing the 3 marks of existence, which is, wise attention or seeing thing as they are. This with equanimity help you understand causality at the experiential level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha can help by removing the hindrances which mean you have more clarity but this alone will not help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-05T12:58:47.693" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T12:58:47.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20847" CreationDate="2017-06-03T05:44:01.433" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't answer you by its history, for a large part is lost, and I fear that many of the scholastic articles are false information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tend to take a &quot;conspiracy theory&quot; perspective. I think there is some underlying motive to move the world to one direction, and religion/spirituality is one of their targets - to create a world religion that fits their goal. The rise of popularity or sudden trending of certain religious sect is a sign of caution. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Theosophy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theosophical Society&lt;/a&gt; had and still has influence in Southeast Asia, particularly countries which once fell under colonial rule. A respectable &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai scholar turned monk&lt;/a&gt; advocating Thai Buddhist reform was under &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=qd5yzP5hdiEC&amp;amp;pg=PA638&amp;amp;lpg=PA638&amp;amp;dq=was+buddhadasa+influenced+by+theosophy&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=xx9GdKCPZX&amp;amp;sig=twbhDVlEtT1TAN-Lt7MwmVz_49c&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwi25qGoiKLUAhUEHpQKHSSKBFsQ6AEIOTAF#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=was%20buddhadasa%20influenced%20by%20theosophy&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Theosophic&lt;/a&gt; influence; so was the Japanese Buddhist scholar &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._T._Suzuki&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;D. T. Suzuki&lt;/a&gt; (his wife was a Theosophist). Sri Lanka was a lucrative English colony: a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jathika_Hela_Urumaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;famous monk&lt;/a&gt; is also a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.arrowriver.ca/torStar/srilank.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;politician&lt;/a&gt;, elite locals who were able to receive higher education or even migrated to Western countries, and thus had good English, were often the lineages the left-behind byproducts groomed by the colonial rulers to establish their rules. In China the popular monk &lt;a href=&quot;http://bbs.tianya.cn/m/post-647-21239-1.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jing-kong&lt;/a&gt;, who teaches Namo-Amitabha as the one and only fix-all method to be reborn in Sukhavati: some evidence indicated he was once a spy, and was used by NSA to promote the 2012-GIG. Many are learning the interpretation of Sutta/Sutra from them, instead of learning directly from the Sutta/Sutra: this is worrying. Anyone with independent mind reads history, searches for the truth buried under history (or Hi[s]-Story) knew what Theosophical Society is, and how it participated in the World Wars. Those popular monks should be read with caution, are they searching for enlightenment, or, carrying a hidden agenda? (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.rense.com/general81/faeeof.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Note 1&lt;/a&gt; and more notes if needed)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now laying clear of above, what are these schools? You are right, Buddha didn't create schools. Since no one is as completely enlightened as the Buddha those students had different understandings of his teachings, all are incomplete, especially one schooled by the schools. To summarize these schools, I would instead differentiate on what their paths lead to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A) &lt;strong&gt;Hinayana&lt;/strong&gt;: for self-liberation, the highest goal is Nirvana/Nibbana, Arahat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;B) &lt;strong&gt;Mahayana&lt;/strong&gt;: for Buddha-hood. To realize Buddha-hood a practitioner adopts the Bodhisattva Path to cultivate wisdom and merits, to reach perfection of Prajna and untainted conducts. This could take for many Kalpas. After realizing self-liberation a Bodhisattva arose from Nirvana reborn in the Samsara to further wisdom quest and helping others to realize The Path. The apex is attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;C) &lt;strong&gt;Vajrayana&lt;/strong&gt;: nowadays represented by Tibetan Buddhism, for immediately realizing Buddha-hood by mastering the subtleties of the human body or, energy (an not exact term). These [must at the final stage] involve Tantric practice (the learnt should know what is Tantra Yoga), and the mouth-to-ear transmission of secret teachings from Guru to disciple. I have to declare my understanding maybe partial. There may be some other teachings but what I stated is valid too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Theravada vs Hinayana, The Pali Suttas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although the &lt;em&gt;modern&lt;/em&gt; Theravadist &lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 1&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt; tries to decline the relation to Hinayana it seems their final goals are the same: i.e. Self-liberation &amp;amp; Nibbana. Because the Theravadist has only the Pali Canon, in which the Suttas are the four Nikayas, and the rest are Abidhammas (treatises written by Bhikkhus not directly Buddha's teachings) their canon don't include teachings about how to reach Buddha-hood, nor what is Buddha-hood. Instead of asking whether there may be missing teachings in their Suttas, some conventional Theravadists disparage the Sutras of other schools, saying that they not from the Buddha but composed by some later monks. I think it's worth investigating how the Pali Canon originated: obviously Buddha didn't visit the island of Sri Lanka. I read in this &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10679/did-the-buddha-speak-pali-are-the-suttas-his-word-verbatim&quot;&gt;forum&lt;/a&gt; Soumen quoted a claim that it was bought there by some monks sent by &lt;a href=&quot;https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=YoAwor58utYC&amp;amp;pg=PA318&amp;amp;lpg=PA318&amp;amp;dq=mahendra+and+pali+canon&amp;amp;source=bl&amp;amp;ots=MOLJMzzQti&amp;amp;sig=3k7SJLNsVGkFNPEBluE2YYCQ_Fs&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwi3jo_-3KHUAhXGfrwKHT_tAHcQ6AEIMTAC#v=onepage&amp;amp;q=mahendra%20and%20pali%20canon&amp;amp;f=false&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahendra&lt;/a&gt;: these monks took what they only could have at that time. However, even the Mahinda/Mahendra legend is suspected a pure Sri Lankan invention due to the obvious fact of lacking any historical artifacts left behind of such supposed important event. &lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 2&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The latest discovered fragments of a Mahayana Sutra dated 75CE are almost identical with the Chinese version. In contrast, the Chinese Classical Sutras have as background that Bhikkhus went to India (i.e. &quot;The West&quot;) to obtain them, or that Bhikkhus of India went to China (The Middle Kingdom or Middle Earth, 中土) taking with Sutras with them. The Chinese Sutras kept complete teachings related to almost all the schools; the Vinayas are a collection of different schools kept separately in their original formats, not combined to produce any defined monastery rules. Many of the modern Sanskrit Sutras are back-translated from Chinese, since these Sutras were lost in India. However conventional Theravadists, allied with some modern Western scholars (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Conze&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Edward Conze&lt;/a&gt; was an old Theosophist), and some Western Theras (monks), claim (unjustly, in my opinion) that the Pali Canon is the &quot;only&quot; Buddhavacana, the oldest and purest, and discredit the rest of the Buddha's teachings recorded in other Sutras. Some Theravadists adopt Western scholars' interpretations of the Suttas, instead of understanding in original Pali by tradition: a lot of the English translations of Pali Canon are of doubtful accuracy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this sense the &lt;em&gt;conventional Theravadist&lt;/em&gt; is indeed not the same as Hinayana. &quot;Hinayana&quot; means someone taking an immediate mean to liberate himself, reaching Arahat-hood. Hinayana doesn't label Sutras other than Agamas fake, but just that they don't see the Bodhisattva Path is feasible. Agama Sutras, which are equivalent to and cover the entirety of the Pali's Nikayas (Suttas), are among the many to be studied. Agama Sutras recorded only fragments of the teachings and very repetitive, instead those most centred in meditation techniques and how to transform the Vijnanas to free from the grip of the Four Greats - the body are studied &lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 3&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt;. The Sutras for the path of Hinayana are also collected in the Chinese Tripitaka; whilst the &lt;em&gt;traditional&lt;/em&gt; (old) Theravadist may have to rely heavily on the Abidhammas such as the Visuddhimagga written by Buddhaghosa &lt;em&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 4&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/em&gt; to practice meditation for self-liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect that some may disagree with my answer, but I thank you for letting me voice it here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 1&lt;/code&gt; &#xA;      ^The reason to give emphasis on &lt;em&gt;modern&lt;/em&gt; is, according to historical records and scholastic studies &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;some sub-divisions of original Theravada practiced Mahayana Doctrines&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 2&lt;/code&gt; &#xA;      ^In the accounts of Ashoka, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahinda_(Buddhist_monk)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahendra&lt;/a&gt; his son a Bhikkhu never mentioned, it was missing in all the Ashoka edicts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 3&lt;/code&gt; &#xA;      ^For Hinayana practitioners: 《正法念處經》(highly recommended for those have the taste of the Nikaya/Agama style),《成实论》,《俱舍论》... etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;code&gt;footnote 4&lt;/code&gt; &#xA;      ^&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhagho%E1%B9%A3a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhaghosa&lt;/a&gt; originally was a Brahmin scholar, his commentries shown he was influenced by Mahayana and Yogacara. He might have visited China at his time when China was the capital of Buddhism, but due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E8%A6%BA%E9%9F%B3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;his old age he didn't set foot Canton instead returned on the same boat&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T05:13:40.197" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T05:13:40.197" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1674" CreationDate="2017-06-03T05:57:50.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Thailand you can take to the Abbot in a temple. They will do a blessing and open the eye. I have one Buddha I took to the temple In Koh Phangan and the Abbot actually drew on the Buddhas eyes and also applied powder to the base. Other temples have simply blessed and made chants.&#xA;Most importantly is they way you feel about your Buddha and how you respect it. It is different for everyone but my Buddhas are special.&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7hj18.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7hj18.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;This is my wooden house in Thailand.&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11463" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T05:57:50.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-03T11:34:32.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is not even a single reference in the Tipitaka, where the Buddha has said that “samatha bhavana” alone can lead to Panna/wisdom. But when one comprehends Dhamma, one’s mind get calm and through that samatha state, and one can get to magga phala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After attaining the Sotapanna / Stream Entrant stage, one can get to Ariya jhanas by focusing on that “state of cooling down”. One really needs  insight meditation (vipassana) to attain higher magga phala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suppression of all five hindrances is what is commonly called “samatha“. One does not need to do a special “samatha bhavana” (like the breath meditation) to calm the mind. If one pays enough attention and gets absorbed in the subject matter while listening to or reading Dhamma, one could suppress all five hindrances / come to “samatha“. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In hearing the true message of the Buddha of anicca, dukkha, anatta, one can experience “Niramisa sukha“ as one starts seeing a glimpse of the “true nature of this world”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In “Samatha bhavana” one forces the mind to one thought object, and the five hindrances are kept at bay. When developing this, one feels the serenity of a mind unpolluted by the hindrances. This is called samatha meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There a four ways to come to ‘Panna’.  if you read AN 4.170 Yuganaddha Sutta, there are four types. Calmness (samatha) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana) are developed simultaneously is the third of the four types, called ‘Yuganaddha’. The first of the four is 'samatha purvangama vipassana' where one develops tranquility preceded by insight. In ' vipassana purvangama samatha ' one develops insight first and it is preceded by tranquility. How it gets developed depends on the personality type. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T11:34:32.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20862" CreationDate="2017-06-03T12:10:53.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is “Yes”… Olivia Glad,… because the others provide the grounds, the right conditions for a kamma to bear fruit. How this comes to pass needs some explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The laws of kamma are not just based on causes and effects, they depend on conditions. This is what prevents laws of kamma being deterministic. Understanding this would make it clear that one’s future is not determined by one’s past actions or kamma alone. Thus past kamma do not necessarily lead to kamma vipāka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What first gets created is a kammā beeja, or a kammā seed. For that kamma beeja to bring about its result (kamma vipāka), suitable conditions must exist. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can avoid many possible bad kamma vipāka by being mindful and not providing conditions for them to appear.  We can also make conditions for good kamma vipāka to bring about good results. If one goes into a bad neighborhood at night, that is providing conditions for any suitable bad kamma seeds waiting to bring about their bad vipāka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once a bad vipāka materializes, we can certainly manage it to minimize its effects, and in some cases even get rid of it by working to making conditions for a good kamma seed to overcome it. Kamma will not bring about any kamma vipāka, if and  when one attains the Sotapanna / Stream Entrant stage.  One can then erase all kamma vipāka that would lead to the four lower world realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T12:10:53.893" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20848" CreationDate="2017-06-03T12:45:58.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;After the Pari-nibbhana of The Buddha, there was a decline of Theravada Buddhism ( those who follow the teaching preserved in the Pāli), and a rise of the Mahayana Buddhism. The third council got underway to make the monastic order of those who follow the teaching preserved in the Pāli.  With time Mahayana Buddhism rose up again. It was a death blow to those who wanted to keep the teaching preserved in the Pāli.  Mahayanists translated the Dhamma into Sanskrit and rejected attaining of the Marga- phala of the Theravada School. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the time only the Brahmins’ Veda was written in Veda and Sanskrit languages. Brahmins never felt that other religions will be a threat to their own since Veda as it was the only religious script written in Sanskrit. However, after the translation of the Mahayana scriptures into Sanskrit by the Mahayanists, the Brahmins started reading these translated texts and to argue pointing out its content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In trying to defeat these Brahmins, the Mahayanists built large universities like Nalanda with the aim of learning the Veda. The language used in these universities was Sanskrit. They tried to outdo the Brahmins. They tried to argue with the Brahmins. Thus what came to pass was exactly as mentioned in the Alagaddūpama Sutta, which states that “if anyone tries to learn my teachings to argue with others, then he will be destroyed like the man who tried to catch a snake by its tail.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the monks won an argument the monks got the king to make the Brahmins their servants in the Nalanda University. The monks were beheaded when Brahmins won their arguments. The Brahmins went for the kill, because of the change that these monks have made to the Brahmin society. A Sothern Indian Brahmin called Sankarāchārya rose up to destroy the power of these monks. The Musālman invaded India at this time. The Brahmins got them to first destroy Buddhism, or at least what was left of it. This was how the Buddhism got wiped out from India. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was the moguls that did most of the killing of Buddhist Monks, and the process of decline continued until Buddhism got fully wiped out in India by the end of the 12th century, when Somapura Mahavihara (in the present day Bangladesh) was set ablaze. In 1199 CE Odantapuri Mahavihara close to Nalanda was burnt down after killing all the monks. Buddha’s place of Enlightenment, Bodhgaya too was attacked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-03T12:45:58.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20862" CreationDate="2017-06-04T00:23:37.150" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kamma does not operate on it's own. It operates within other five Niyamas.&#xA;(Bija, Dhamma, kamma,Citta and Uthu)&#xA;Perhaps other kamma may come under Bija (as Chris W suggest) and Dhamma Niyamas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T00:23:37.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20880" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-04T07:52:24.123" Score="7" ViewCount="2044" Body="&lt;p&gt;They seem to be both elements that promote a healthy perception about things in life. I have a hard time differentiating between one and the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11469" LastActivityDate="2019-01-22T10:58:06.703" Title="What is the difference between right thinking and right view?" Tags="|zen|right-view|eightfold-path|thinking|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T08:04:11.510" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Samma Sankappa (right thinking) is the result of right view (Samma Ditthi).&#xA;If you have the wrong view your thinking will be wrong thinking. (Mittcha Sankappa)&#xA;Generally, right view is the forerunner for the rest of the Noble Eightfold Path.&#xA;For example seeing things as impermanent is the right view and seeing things as permanent is the wrong view. With the first, you have the thoughts of renunciation and with the second you have the thought of accumulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner? &lt;strong&gt;In one of right view, right thinking comes into being&lt;/strong&gt;. In one of right thinking, right speech comes into being. In one of right speech, right action... In one of right action, right livelihood... In one of right livelihood, right effort... In one of right effort, right mindfulness... In one of right mindfulness, right concentration... In one of right concentration, right knowledge... In one of right knowledge, right liberation comes into being.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T09:57:32.067" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T10:04:03.963" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samma sankappa&lt;/em&gt; (right thinking) is the result of right view (&lt;em&gt;samma ditthi&lt;/em&gt;). If you have the wrong view, your thinking will be wrong thinking (&lt;em&gt;miccha sankappa&lt;/em&gt;). Generally, right view is the forerunner for the rest of the Noble Eightfold Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, seeing craving (&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;) as a cause of suffering &amp;amp; something to be abandoned is the right view and seeing craving as beneficial is the wrong view. With the first, you have the thoughts of renunciation of craving (including when practising &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt; - &lt;em&gt;mindfulness with/when breathing&lt;/em&gt; - meditation) and with the second you have the thought of accumulation of jhanas (which hinders meditation progress).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent&#xA;  on cessation, resulting in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;vossagga&lt;/strong&gt;). Anapanasati&#xA;  Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making &lt;strong&gt;letting go&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;vossagga&lt;/strong&gt;) the meditation object,&#xA;  attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Indriya-vibhanga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-04T10:10:03.190" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T10:10:03.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T12:05:40.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's illustrated by the answers to &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &quot;view&quot; is a belief, I think it's relatively long-lasting, it's taking something to be true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas &quot;thinking&quot; is more like the arising of a thought, maybe relatively short-lasting, perhaps more like an experience (experiencing an emotion or experiencing a thought) than a semi-permanent belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not even sure what you mean by &quot;right thinking&quot; ... it's obviously an English-language translation but I'm not sure what it's a translation of!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both other answers say it's a translation of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samma sankappo&lt;/a&gt;, which I understand to mean &quot;right intention&quot; or &quot;right resolve&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the doctrine makes sense with that translation: intention follows from (or follows after) view or belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, &quot;I &lt;strong&gt;view&lt;/strong&gt; chocolate as good (or I believe that chocolate is good), therefore I &lt;strong&gt;intend&lt;/strong&gt; to eat as much chocolate as possible&quot;. Or, &quot;I view identity-view as a source of suffering, therefore I intend to not cling to (or to abandon) views of self.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Wrong intention follows from wrong view, and right intention follows from right view).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another (less likely) possibility is that &quot;thinking&quot; might be a translation of the whole &quot;mind&quot; branch of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;threefold training&lt;/a&gt;, so perhaps including right mindfulness and right concentration. &quot;Thinking&quot; isn't a very precise term in English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So anyway, the distinction might be clearer if you stopped relying on the term &quot;right thinking&quot; as the correct translation of whatever it is you're thinking of (or referring to), and instead use the original term (e.g. &lt;em&gt;samma sankappo&lt;/em&gt;) or a different translation (e.g. &quot;right intention&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disclaimer: by the way you added the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/zen&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;zen&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;zen&lt;/a&gt; tag to the question, however I tried to answer this based on my understanding of the Pali canon, not based on Zen doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T12:05:40.270" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T13:04:47.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;To get to know the difference between right thinking (Samma Sankappa) and right view (Samma Ditti), it is important to first understand what these two terms mean. Therein, in this very understanding lies relationship between these two words, and the difference. There’s a  two-fold meaning to both: there is a mundane (lokiya) level and a supra-mundane (lokottara) level meaning to both. I will describe the higher states of both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One attains the higher (Ariya) Samma Ditthi when one gets to know to a certain extent the meaning of anicca, dukkha, anatta. When one arrives at this ‘right view’, one has come to reject all immoral acts because one’s mind sees the futility as well as the danger of such acts. At this point one’s mind will be changed so that one will not  act even impulsively, let alone capable of pre-planning an act that could yield rebirth in the lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To better understand the key words in the Sutta Pitaka – the first basket, one has to look into the third basket - the Abhidhamma Pitaka of the Tipitaka, the Pali Canon.  It lists 19 universal moral cetasika that can arise in anyone  with true comprehension of anicca, dukkha, anatta (Samma Ditti).  Of that, there are seven universal cetasika (mental factors) that arise with each and every citta (thought). The more ‘panna’ (Samma Ditti) one has, the more one would generate amoha thoughts and come to Samma Sankappa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said “dhammo ha vé rakkati dhammacari” or “dhamma will guide one in the direction of dhamma that one follows”. Vitakka (focused application of thoughts), when cultivated in the Dhamma Path become samma sankappa. Thus Samma Ditthi leads to the next step in the Noble Eightfold Path: Samma Sankappa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Samma” means “san” (adding things to perpetuate the suffering/rebirth process) + “ma” (remove or get rid of). Thus Samma Ditthi is the vision (anicca, dukkha, anatta) that helps removing “san“; Samma Sankappa are the thoughts that help remove ‘san“; Samma Vaca is the kind of speech that helps remove ‘san“, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T13:04:47.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20885" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17267" CreationDate="2017-06-04T13:29:23.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no difference as they are both inexact translations of &quot;Dukkha&quot; in English. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the best definition of dukkha is &quot;believing &quot;what is&quot; should be some other way&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, if one smashes their finger with a hammer the result would be a sensation that is not good or bad in the ultimate sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one reacts by crying and trying to distract oneself from the pain sensation then that is dukkha, that is believing very deep down that reality is no good as it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-06-04T13:38:20.590" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T13:38:20.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20886" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-04T14:06:50.170" Score="4" ViewCount="326" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does wise practice of compassion ever lead to suffering or bliss for the practitioner?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a difference between compassion cultivated through the Brammaviharas and compassion cultivated through Vipassana insight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one is enlightened does that mean one is   compassionate or fully compassionate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does wisdom lead to compassion or compassion lead to wisdom?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-11-18T06:56:39.650" LastActivityDate="2017-11-18T06:56:39.650" Title="Compassion and Wisdom" Tags="|nirvana|enlightenment|compassion|insight|karuna|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15023" CreationDate="2017-06-04T14:13:00.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question still remains. if Nirvana can only be achieve in state of mind than that means we don't have much time then. Because there is no guarantee that the person in this present life will get the same understanding (having the given answers) in the next birth.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;yet the mind of a buddha still exist in writings and not exist coz the body had return to universe or perhaps mixed with other beings. This is confusing because of &quot;I&quot; or self ??? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems like Nirvana is like a blank screen in the mind or an illusory escape, a prescription on how not to be controlled by suffering which is life each self . A prescription for one lifetime at a time consider if we know &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or to get to know our past life through practicing jhanas is just a mitos&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or Perhaps all religions are the same, spreading indoctrination with each own platform just to bring order in the community ....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11471" LastEditorUserId="11471" LastEditDate="2017-06-06T15:10:37.650" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T15:10:37.650" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20886" CreationDate="2017-06-04T14:30:00.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To answer your 4th question, &lt;em&gt;wisdom&lt;/em&gt; is knowledge of truth, and &lt;em&gt;compassion&lt;/em&gt; is acting in accordance with that knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can search for this in the suttas, but not sure that it will be explained as such. It is just what the words mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2341" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T14:30:00.813" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20889" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T14:31:09.767" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sankappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankappo&lt;/a&gt; is thought, intention, purpose, plan. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-sankappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Sankappa&lt;/a&gt; is right thinking. This is by abandoning negative thoughts. The forerunner of this is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-ditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right view or belief&lt;/a&gt;. You should cultivate a conducive belief system which leads to positive thoughts. They are very much related but not the same. E.g. If you believe in hunting or fishing as a sport or for food has no karmic consequences, then you develop harmful thoughts towards these creatures which you can to kill or eat. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sankappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sankappa, aka: Saṅkappa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Saṅkappa, (saṃ+kḷp, cp. kappeti fig. meaning) thought, intention, purpose, plan D. III, 215; S. II, 143 sq.; A. I, 281; II, 36; Dh. 74; Sn. 154, 1144; Nd1 616 (=vitakka ñāṇa paññā buddhi); Dhs. 21; DhA. II, 78. As equivalent of vitakka also at D. III, 215; A. IV, 385; Dhs. 7.—kāma° a lustful thought A. III, 259; V, 31. paripuṇṇa° having one’s intentions fulfilled M. I, 192; III, 276; D. III, 42; A. V, 92, 97 sq.; sara° memories &amp;amp; hopes M. I, 453; S. IV, 76; vyāpāda°, vihiṃsa°, malicious, cruel purposes, M. II, 27 sq.; sammā° right thoughts or intentions, one of the aṅgas of the 8—fold Path (ariya-magga) Vin. I, 10; D. II, 312; A. III, 140; VbhA. 117. Saṅkappa is defd at DhsA. 124 as (cetaso) abhiniropanā, i.e. application of the mind. See on term also Cpd. 238. (Page 662)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;saṅkappa : (m.) intention; purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right: sammā-sankappa (“thought”); .s. sacca, magga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&#xA;  'thought', is a synonym of vitakka. For sammā-s., or right thought, s. magga (2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-sankappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Sankappa, aka: Right Thought, Right Intention, Right Intent&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right Thought is associated with seeing how our thoughts and emotions are closely linked, and how indulging in negative forms of thought leads to the development of negative emotions such as hatred and jealousy. Conversely, thinking in a positive way has an effect on our emotions, whereby we start to become more loving, more caring, and more sensitive to others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shambala Publications: General&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;right thinking;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Samma sankappa has to arise together with samma ditthi, right understanding, in order to be a factor of the eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhamma Study: Cetasikas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right thought and intent; avoiding desire and ill will; the second of the Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist Door: Glossary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ditthi, aka: Diṭṭhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Diṭṭhi, (f.) (Sk. dṛṣṭi; cp. dassana) view, belief, dogma, theory, speculation, esp. false theory, groundless or unfounded opinion.—(a) The latter is rejected by the Buddha as pāpa° (A.IV, 172) and pāpikā d. (opp. bhaddikā: A.V, 212 sq.; It.26): Vin.I, 98, 323; Dh.164; Pv IV.354; whereas the right, the true, the best doctrine is as sammā d. the first condition to be complied with by anyone entering the Path. As such the sammā d. is opposed to micchā d. wrong views or heresy (see b). Equivalent with micchā d. is kudiṭṭhi (late) Dāvs II.58.—(b) Characterized more especially as: (a) sammā diṭṭhi right doctrine, right philosophy Vin.I, 10; S.II, 17; V, 11, 14, 30 sq., 458 sq., M.I, 315; II, 12, 29, 87; III, 72; Nd2 485; Vbh.104 sq. See magga.—ujukā d. S.V, 143, 165; ujugatā d. M.I, 46 sq.—(b) micchā d. wrong theory, false doctrine S.I, 145; II, 153 (caused by avijjā); M.III, 71; Dh.167, 316; Nd2 271IIIb; Vbh.361, 389.—The foll. theories are to be considered as varieties of micchā d., viz. (in limited enumn) akiriyavāda S.III, 208; IV, 349; aññaṃ aññena S.III, 211; antaggāhikā A.I, 154; II, 240; III, 130; antânantikā D.I, 22 sq. S.III, 214, 258 sq.; assāda° A.III, 447; ahetukavādā S.III, 210; ucchedavādā D.I, 34; S.II, 20; III, 99; 110 sq.; bhava° S.III, 93; M.I, 65; A.I, 83; sakkāya° A.III, 438; V, 144; Sn.231 (cp. KhA 188); Nd2 271IIIb (20 fold, as diṭṭhilepa); sassatavādā D.I, 13; S.II, 20; III, 98, 213 sq., 258 sq.—(c) Various theories &amp;amp; doctrines are mentioned &amp;amp; discussed at: Vin.I, 115; S.I, 133; II, 61 sq., 75 sq., 222; III, 215 sq., 258 sq.; IV, 286; V, 448 (=D.I, 31); D.III, 13 sq., 45, 246, 267; M.I, 40; A.I, 32; II, 252 sq.; III, 132, 289, 349; Th.2, 184; Ps.I, 135 sq.; Pug.22; Dhs.392, 1003 (cp. Dhs. trsl. pp. 257 sq., 293, 325); Vbh.145, 245, 341, 393 sq.; Sdhp.13, 333.—(d) Miscellaneous: 4 diṭṭhiyo at Vbh.376; also at Vism.511 (sakkāya°, uccheda°, sassata°, akiriya°); 5 Vbh.378; 6 at M.I, 8; Vbh.382; 7 at Vbh.383; 20 see under sakkāya°; 62 under diṭṭhigata.—In series diṭṭhi khanti ruci laddhi characterizing “diṭṭhadhamma” at Nd2 299 &amp;amp; passim. Diṭṭhiyā sutiyā ñāṇena in def. of a theory of cognition at Nd2 300 as complementing taṇhā: see taṇhā B 3. Coupled with vācā &amp;amp; citta in formula (taṃ) vācaṃ appahāya cittaṃ appahāya diṭṭhiṃ appaṭinissajjitvā ... (nikkhitto evaṃ niraye) at S.IV, 319= D.III, 13, 15; combd with (&amp;amp; opposed to) sīla (as pāpaka &amp;amp; bhaddaka) at It.26, 27.—diṭṭhiṃ āsevati to hold a view M.I, 323; °ṃ bhindati to give up a view J.I, 273; Dāvs II.58.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—ânugati a sign of speculation Vin.II, 108; S.II, 203; Pug.33.—ânusaya inclination to speculation D.III, 254, 282; S.V, 60; A.IV, 9;—āsava the intoxicant of speculation, the 3rd of four āsavā, viz. kāma°, bhava°, d.°, avijjā° Vin.III, 5; Nd2 134; Dhs.1099, 1448; Vbh.373; cp. °ogha;—upadānā taking up or adhering to false doctrines, the 2nd of the four upādānāni or attachments, viz. kāma°, d.°, sīlabbata°, attavāda° D.III, 230; Dhs.1215, 1536;—ogha the flood of false doctrine, in set of four ogha’s as under °āsava D.III, 230, 276; Nd2 178;—kantāra the wilderness of groundless speculation Dhs.381, 1003, 1099, etc.; see °gata;—gaṇṭhi the web or tangle of sophisticism VvA.297; cp. °saṅghāṭa;—gata (nt.) “resorting to views, ” theory, groundless opinion, false doctrine, often followed by series of characterizing epithets: d.—gahana, °kantāra, °visūka, °vipphandita, °saññojana, e.g. M.I, 8; Nd2 271IIIb. Of these sophistical speculations 2 are mentioned at It.43, Ps.I, 129; 6 at Ps.I, 130; 62 (the usual number, expressing “great and small” sets, cp. dvi A.II, ) at D.I, 12—39 (in detail); S.IV, 286; Ps.I, 130; Nd2 271IIIb; Nett 96, 112, 160. ‹-› Vin.I, 49; D.I, 162, 224, 226; S.I, 135, 142; II, 230; III, 109, 258 sq. (anekavihitāni); IV, 286 (id.); M.I, 8, 176, 256 sq. (pāpaka), 326 (id.), 426 sq.; A.IV, 68; V, 72 sq., 194 (pāpaka); Sn.649, 834, 913; Pug.15; Dhs.277, 339, 392, 505; Vism.454.—adj. °gatika adhering to (false) doctrine Dpvs VI, 25;—gahana the thicket of speculation Dhs.381, 1003; see °gata;—jāla the net of sophistry D.I, 46; DA.I, 129;—ṭṭhāna a tenet of speculative philosophy D.I, 16; M.I, 136; A.V, 198; Ps.I, 138 (eight); Miln.332; DA.I, 107;—nijjhānakkhanti forbearance with wrong views S.II, 115; IV, 139; A.I, 189 sq.; II, 191; Nd2 151;—nipāta a glance VvA.279;—nissaya the foundation of speculation M.I, 137; D.II, 137 sq.;—pakkha the side or party of sophists Nett 53, 88, 160;—paṭilābha the attainment of speculation M.III, 46;—paṭivedha=prec. D.III, 253;—patta one who has formed (a right or wrong) view D.III, 105, 254; M.I, 439; A.I, 74; 118, IV.10; V, 23;—parāmasa perversion by false doctrine Dhs.1498;—maṇḍala the circle of speculative dogmatics DhsA.109;—vipatti failure in theory, the 3rd of the four vipattiyo viz. sīla°, ācāra°, d.°, ājīva°; opp. °sampadā Vin.V, 98; D.III, 213; A.I, 95, 268; Pug.21; Dhs.1362; Vbh.361;—vipallāsa contortion of views A.II, 52;—visaṃyoga disconnection with false doctrine D.III, 230, 276;—visuddhi beauty of right theory A.I, 95; M.I, 147 sq.; D.III, 214, 288;—visūka (nt.) the discord or disunion (lit. the going into parties) of theories, the (?) puppet-show of opinion M.I, 8, 486; Sn.55 (=dvāsaṭṭhi diṭṭhigatāni), K S.II, 44; Vv 8426; Pv IV.137; Nd2 301 (=vīsati-vattukā sakkāyadiṭṭhi); cp. Nd2 25 (attānudiṭṭhi); Dhs.381 (cp. Dhs. trsl. p. 101), 1003, 1099. See also °gata;—vyasana failing or misfortune in theory (+sīla°, in character) D.III, 235; Nd2 304;—saṃyojana the fetter or bond of empty speculation (cp. °anusaya) D.III, 254; A.IV, 7 sq.;—saṅghāta the weft or tangle of wrong views (cp. °gaṇṭhi) Nd1 343; Nd2 503;—samudaya the origin of wrong views A.IV, 68;—sampadā success in theory, blessing of right views, attainment of truth D.III, 213; 235 (opp. °vipatti), S.V, 30 sq.; A.I, 95, 269; III, 438; IV, 238; Pug.25; Dhs.1364; VvA.297;—sampanna endowed with right views S.II, 43, 58, 80; V, 11; A.III, 438 sq.; IV, 394; Vbh.366; Dialogues iii.206, n. 10;—sārin (adj.) following wrong views Sn.911. (Page 321)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;diṭṭhi : (f.) dogma; theory; belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ditthi means 'wrong view'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is Myanmar: The Doctrine of Paticcasammupada&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(lit. 'sight'; Ö dis, to see): view, belief, speculative opinion, insight.&#xA;  If not qualified by sammā, 'right', it mostly refers to wrong and evil view or opinion, and only in a few instances to right view, understanding or insight (e.g. ditthi-ppatta, q.v.; ditthi-visuddhi, purification of insight; ditthi-sampanna, possessed of insight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wrong or evil views (ditthi or micchā-ditthi) are declared as utterly rejectable for being a source of wrong and evil aspirations and conduct, and liable at times to lead man to the deepest abysses of depravity, as it is said in A. I, 22:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No other thing than evil views do I know, o monks, whereby to such an extent the unwholesome things not yet arisen arise, and the unwholesome things already arisen are brought to growth and fullness. No other thing than evil views do I know, whereby to such an extent the wholesome things not yet arisen are hindered in their arising, and the wholesome things already arisen disappear. No other thing than evil views do I know, whereby to such an extent human beings at the dissolution of the body, at death, are passing to a way of suffering, into a world of woe, into hell.&quot; Further in A. I, 23: &quot;Whatever a man filled with evil views performs or undertakes, or whatever he possesses of will, aspiration, longing and tendencies, all these things lead him to an undesirable, unpleasant and disagreeable state, to woe and suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the Abhidhamma (Dhs) it may be inferred that evil views, whenever they arise, are associated with greed (s. Tab. I. 22, 23, 26, 27).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Numerous speculative opinions and theories, which at all times have influenced and still are influencing mankind, are quoted in the sutta-texts. Amongst them, however, the wrong view which everywhere, and at all times, has most misled and deluded mankind is the personality-belief, the ego-illusion. This personality-belief (sakkāya-ditthi), or ego-illusion (atta-ditthi), is of 2 kinds: eternity-belief and annihilation-belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Eternity-belief (sassata-ditthi) is the belief in the existence of a persisting ego-entity, soul or personality, existing independently of those physical and mental processes that constitute life and continuing even after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Annihilation-belief (uccheda-ditthi), on the other hand, is the belief in the existence of an ego-entity or personality as being more or less identical with those physical and mental processes, and which therefore, at the dissolution at death, will come to be annihilated. - For the 20 kinds of personality-belief, see sakkāya-ditthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, the Buddha neither teaches a personality which will continue after death, nor does he teach a personality which will be annihilated at death, but he shows us that 'personality', 'ego', 'individual', 'man', etc., are nothing but mere conventional designations (vohāra-vacana) and that in the ultimate sense (s. paramattha-sacca) there is only this self-consuming process of physical and mental phenomena which continually arise and again disappear immediately.&#xA;  For further details, s. anattā, khandha, paticcasamuppāda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Perfect One is free from any theory (ditthigata), for the Perfect One has seen what corporeality is, and how it arises and passes away. He has seen what feeling ... perception ... mental formations ... consciousness are, and how they arise and pass away. Therefore I say that the Perfect One has won complete deliverance through the extinction, fading away, disappearance, rejection and casting out of all imaginings and conjectures, of all inclination to the 'vain-glory of 'I' and 'mine.&quot; (M. 72).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The rejection of speculative views and theories is a prominent feature in a chapter of the Sutta-Nipāta, the Atthaka-Vagga.&#xA;  The so-called 'evil views with fixed destiny' (niyata-micchāditthi) constituting the last of the 10 unwholesome courses of action (kammapatha), are the following three:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the fatalistic 'view of the uncaused ness' of existence (ahetukaditthi),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the view of the inefficacy of action' (akiriyaditthi),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) nihilism (natthikaditthi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) was taught by Makkhali-Gosāla, a contemporary of the Buddha who denied every cause for the corruptness and purity of beings, and asserted that everything is minutely predestined by fate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) was taught by Pūrana-Kassapa, another contemporary of the Buddha who denied every karmical effect of good and bad actions: &quot;To him who kills, steals, robs, etc., nothing bad will happen. For generosity, self-restraint and truthfulness, etc. no reward is to be expected.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) was taught by Ajita-Kesakambali, a third contemporary of the Buddha who asserted that any belief in good action and its reward is a mere delusion, that after death no further life would follow, that man at death would become dissolved into the elements, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For further details about these 3 views, s. D.2, M.60; commentarial exposition in WHEEL 98/99, P. 23.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Frequently mentioned are also the 10 antinomies (antagāhikā micchā-ditthi): 'Finite is the world' or 'infinite is the world' ... 'body and soul are identical' or 'body and soul are different' (e.g. M. 63).&#xA;  In the Brahmājala Sutta .(D.1), 62 false views are classified and described, comprising all conceivable wrong views and speculations about man and world.&#xA;  See The All-Embracing Net of Views (Brahmājala Sutta), tr. with Com. by Bhikkhu Bodhi (BPS).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Further s. D.15, D.23, M.24, D.28; M.11, M.12, M.25, M.60, M.63, M.72, M.76, M.101, M.102, M.110; A.II.16; A.X.93; S.XXI, S.XXIV; Pts.M. Ditthikathā, etc.&#xA;  Wrong views (ditthi) are one of the proclivities (s. anusaya), cankers (s. āsava), clingings (s. upādāna), one of the three modes of perversions (s. vipallāsa). Unwholesome consciousness (akusala citta), rooted in greed, may be either with or without wrong views (ditthigata-sampayutta or vippayutta); s. Dhs.; Tab I.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On right view (sammā-ditthi), s. magga and M.9 (Trans. with Com. in 'R. Und.').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Part of the Lobha Team.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Wrong View;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ditthi is wrong view. It advises citta to see objects differently instead of seeing as realities. As ditthi cannot see realities, it see dhamma as men, woman, animals etc etc. This wrong view leads to more and more lobha and may switch to other akusala cittas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Journey to Nibbana: Patthana Dhama&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;F (Sight, vision of things, belief).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhamma Dana: Pali English Glossary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samma-ditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi, aka: Sammâdiṭṭhi, Sammādiṭṭhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sammādiṭṭhi : (f.) right belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Right Understanding means understanding the Buddhist view, which, as we saw, is the middle view between eternalism and nihil­ism. As the Buddha said, knowing how the world arises due to causes and conditions enables us not to fall into the extreme of nihilism. The other aspect of the middle view is knowing how everything ceases when causes and conditions cease. Therefore, we do not fall into the extreme of the substantialist, essentialist, or eternalist view, because we realize that, even though things come into being through causes and conditions, nothing that exists on the physical or mental plane endures when those causes and conditions are no longer present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Shambala Publications: General&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(or r. view), r. thought, etc.: s. magga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- or --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-sankappa, -vaca, etc: see magga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- or --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;sammā-ditthi; s. ditthi, magga 1, sacca IV.1. - For wrong view, s. ditthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;right understanding;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhamma Study: Cetasikas&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Understanding the Four Noble Truths; the first of the Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist Door: Glossary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-04T14:37:20.293" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T14:37:20.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20886" CreationDate="2017-06-04T15:25:29.817" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, there is. There is a difference between compassion cultivated through the Brammaviharas and compassion cultivated through Vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the Brammaviharas, one can be as compassionate to the maximum, but that does not mean one has gotten rid of ignorance. Those beings in the Brahma worlds do not generate any hateful thoughts. They have perfected the four Brahmavihara of metta, karuna, mudita, &amp;amp; upekkha. Yet they have ignorance (moha), even though they don’t have a trace of hateful thoughts, and thus can be reborn in the four lower realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if one gets rid of greed and hate, will still have ignorance, and will end up getting back greed and hate due to ignorance. But when compassion is cultivated through Vipassana, wisdom, or panna arises. The Buddhist mental factor ‘Adosa’ is not mere absence of ‘dosa’, but embodies compassion. The more panna one has, it is more likely that one would be generating ‘adosha’ and ‘amoha’ thoughts of compassion more often.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T15:25:29.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20891" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20886" CreationDate="2017-06-04T15:38:37.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can practice Brahmaviharas where the unwholesome roots remain dormant. This is by means of suppression or certain thoughts and replacing them with positive thoughts which might be through verbalisation. When you suppress it may bounce back with a vengeance when your concentration breaks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you practice Vipassana you are removing the defilements from the root. This way Brahmaviharas can be developed with more depth and stability. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Neither way is suffering through the effort you apply may not always be viewed as pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion and wisdom goes hand in hand as mentioned before. One contributes to the other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T15:38:37.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20886" CreationDate="2017-06-04T17:14:47.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does wise practice of compassion ever lead to suffering or bliss for the practitioner?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps indirectly: compassion with attachment (or with &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254&quot;&gt;conceit&lt;/a&gt;) could lead to suffering; conversely though, a skillful act of compassion might be occasion for lack of remorse, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a difference between compassion cultivated through the Brammaviharas and compassion cultivated through Vipassana insight?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think of Vipassana as a &quot;cultivation&quot; (a &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhavana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps Vipassana leads to compassion by taking away obstacles (e.g. seeing without selfishness or without clinging), whereas cultivation (&lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt; resulting from &lt;em&gt;metta-bhavana&lt;/em&gt;) is by adding incentives or motivation (e.g. viewing other beings as if they were your own friends and family).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If one is enlightened does that mean one is compassionate or fully compassionate?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's a difference between different traditional categories of enlightenment: e.g. arhats and private-Buddhas are less well-known for their compassion; conversely the compassion of a Boddhisatva or Buddha is more famous (or more effective, more evident).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-04T18:16:30.437" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T18:16:30.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20863" CreationDate="2017-06-04T18:41:36.773" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;-For monks, having to be bald helps weed out those who are too committed to sensual desire and are not ready to be a monastic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Having no hair is one less thing to cling to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Being bald means less parasites and less potential harm to the parasites.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-No hair is easier to handle and clean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Being bald can help one identity with Buddhism and other Buddhists or truth seekers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T18:41:36.773" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20880" CreationDate="2017-06-04T21:06:51.247" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;...using the pāli suttas as references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Right View (sammā diṭṭhi)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many formulations of Right View in the suttas. Here's one, described as &amp;quot;the doctrine of affirmation&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 60&lt;/a&gt;), sometimes known as &amp;quot;mundane right view&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions? ‘There is what is given and what is offered and what is sacrificed; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions; there is this world and the other world; there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously; there are in the world good and virtuous recluses and brahmins who have realised for themselves by direct knowledge and declare this world and the other world.’ This is right view affected by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn117&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From my understanding, this formulation is basically saying that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gifts are morally relevant (not just social convention)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;karma is factual&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How one treats their mother and father has different moral significance then treatment to ordinary persons.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There's life after death or other spheres of life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and there are people who have directly seen these spheres&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another formulation defines Right View in terms of wisdom (pañña):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path? The wisdom, the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor, the path factor of right view in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is taintless, who possesses the noble path and is developing the noble path: this is right view that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another formulation is given as the understanding of the four noble truths. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome and the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome and the root of the wholesome,in that way he is one of right view, whose view is straight, who has unwavering confidence in the Dhamma and has arrived at this true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When, friends, a noble disciple understands suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way leading to the cessation of suffering, in that way he is one of right view…and has arrived at this true Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the sutta above, the four noble truths are also applied to each element in dependent origination as an alternative exposition of Right View.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another method of exposition is by their opposite. Here, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajāla Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is the most important sutta, which discusses 62 kinds of wrong views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right View, as has been stated, is the foremost on the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Right Thinking (sammā sankappa)&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The PTS Pāli dictionary gives the following &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/sa%E1%B9%85kappa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;translation for sankappa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;thought, intention, purpose, plan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the suttas, we find the following definition for sammā sankappa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is wrong intention? The intention of sensual desire, the intention of ill will, and the intention of cruelty: this is wrong intention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right intention? Right intention, I say, is twofold: there is right intention that is affected by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions, and there is right intention that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right intention that is affected by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions? The intention of renunciation, the intention of non-ill will, and the intention of non-cruelty: this is right intention that is affected by taints…ripening in the acquisitions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is right intention that is noble, taintless, supramundane, a factor of the path? The thinking, thought, intention, mental absorption, mental fixity, directing of mind, verbal formation in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is taintless, who possesses the noble path and is developing the noble path: this is right intention that is noble…a factor of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Right Thinking is the practice concerned with our inclinations, dispositions and intentions, aimed at enabling the eightfold path and realizing it's purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-04T21:06:51.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20858" CreationDate="2017-06-05T09:27:12.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does perspective to someone else break first precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(for example in a way of words or signs: &quot;It would be good if he is death&quot;, &quot;Better they would not exist&quot;...)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because nobody seems to answer use- and helpful, and only in short: &lt;strong&gt;Yes, if certain factors are fullfiled.&lt;/strong&gt; As for a monk doing such and certain factors are fullfilled, it a Pārājika, meaning he is no more afflicted with the community and has lost his possibilities to live and practice within the community. (Think on certain monks spreading hate speech and certain people act on that, or others, telling &quot;its no problem to kill an embryo&quot;, people act on it... just to give samples to think.)&#xA;In reagard of kamma, thoughts are plenty enough to have effects. So take care in all, body, speech (incl. signs, gestures, writen words, drawings... and all other kinds of communication, even mental if one is able to) and you thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One might know where to ask if serious more interested.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-05T09:48:33.973" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T09:48:33.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20896" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-05T17:37:06.597" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nope.  No matter how deep your samatha practice, the mind still has to be brought back to the world of form.  I think we've all heard the quote from Einstein - &quot;We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.&quot;  Buddhism more or less follows the same approach.  You change your place of thinking/perceiving by quieting the mind and suppressing the hindrances.  You are still, however, charged with the task of solving the problem at hand.  For that, you need an object of mindfulness.  That can be a koan, one of the many mindfulness practice available in the elder tradition, hearing a sutra, or even hearing the sound of a rock hitting bamboo.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T17:37:06.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20868" CreationDate="2017-06-05T19:37:12.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, Samatha alone can't reach Nirvana; even Vipassana can't; neither Nirvana necessarily produced by any Dhyana. Although recorded in the Vinaya Uppalavanna was entering the 9th Dhyana when staying in the Dark Forest where 500 robbers happened also tracked there, she was not entering Nirvana, she arose from the Dhyana the next morning. The 9th Dhyana called the &quot;extinguishing&quot; meditation (滅盡定) was the Buddha's unique discovery, he had learnt the 8 Dhyanas from his teachers that were known and practiced by the heretics at his time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read from my sources Samatha (止) and Vipassana (觀) are always going together in Dhyana, they can't happen on its own, like a hand with the palm and back. Samatha is taking a passive approach, when thoughts arise, abandon that thoughts, closely observes any thought arose abandoned immediately - present of mind (not absent of mind, think of what is absent-minded, the opposite); Vipassana is taking the active approach, focus and work on the chosen meditation object, alert and patiently waiting for revelation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've not heard that the three characteristics are to be considered as the rule to be obeyed in all meditation practices. They are the truth Buddha obtained in his own Prajna quest, he just told you that are the correct answers. But to learn, you have to work out the same answer. As a student working out the equation by doing computing, using calculator to output an answer or copying from your classmate doesn't mean you know the answer, you must be able to do the calculation on your own, then you obtain the answer - the Dharma, else they are just terms, vocabularies. So, you may choose one of the characteristics as your object to work your Vipassana on it. Personally I found that a visual object is easier to work Vipassana on, rather than concept. Maybe I'm just a beginner not knowing the sophistication of meditation yet. Samatha can't derive Prajna, it is just a background building for Vipassana to set on working, Prajna obtained by Vipassana. Even the Anapana meditation included Samatha and Vipassana, Samatha as setting mind to the breathe, the &lt;strong&gt;breath&lt;/strong&gt; is also the object in Vipassana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="10304" LastEditDate="2017-06-06T10:38:26.967" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T10:38:26.967" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20898" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-05T20:21:46.517" Score="0" ViewCount="360" Body="&lt;p&gt;I desperately need quotes from either scripture or from scholars.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11482" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T01:18:58.243" Title="Does Anyone know quotes relating to Once-Returners / sakadagami" Tags="|sakadagami|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20898" CreationDate="2017-06-05T21:31:56.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Summoning up fresh courage, as a result of this glimpse of Nibbana, the Pilgrim makes rapid progress and cultivating deeper Insight becomes a Sakadagami (onnce-returner) by weakening two more Fetters — namely Sense-desire (Kamaraga) and ill-will (Patigha). He is called a Sakadagami because he is reborn on earth only once in case he does not attain Arhatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/nutshell.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/nutshell.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-05T22:51:07.177" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T22:51:07.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20898" CreationDate="2017-06-05T21:41:46.797" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sakadagami is mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.024.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 55:24 - Sarakaani Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Take the case of another man. He is endowed with unwavering devotion to the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha. But he is not joyous in wisdom and has not gained release. Yet by destroying three fetters and weakening lust, hatred and delusion, he is a Once-returner, who will return once more to this world and put an end to suffering. That man is entirely freed from... states of woe.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T21:41:46.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20898" CreationDate="2017-06-05T22:57:20.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This might be the definition (it is, at least, one of the places where it's defined):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the Dhamma thus well-proclaimed by me — clear, open, evident, stripped of rags — those monks who have abandoned the three fetters, with the attenuation of passion, aversion, &amp;amp; delusion, are all once-returners who, on returning only one more time to this world, will make an ending to stress. This is how the Dhamma well-proclaimed by me is clear, open, evident, stripped of rags.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/nutshell.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile (MN 22)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is summarized (and clarified) in this Wikipedia article: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment#The_four_stages_of_attainment&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The four stages of attainment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This search returns about another 50 results from the suttas: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=%22once-returner%22&amp;amp;lang=en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=%22once-returner%22&amp;amp;lang=en&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-05T22:57:20.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20902" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-05T23:00:56.387" Score="4" ViewCount="454" Body="&lt;p&gt;There seem to be a lot of disagreements about the very basic term &quot;mindfulness&quot;. Here is one of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yesterday I listened to a talk, where it was it was said that if one achieve total concentration on an object, there is no mindfulness. This makes sense to me, as ALL attention is on the subject and none is left to be mindful of what is going on (it was also mentioned that there is no wisdom gained from this, as it is from the moving, momentary concentration in mindfulness that one makes realizations about the four noble truths).  This is all in accordance with my understanding of the difference between concentration and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then later at the evening I read an article by Ajahn Brahmavamso (&quot;The quality of mindfulness&quot;) where he says that &quot;with development, you can experience immovable mindfulness. The mindfulness that is on one thing entirely...The Buddha said this reaches its peak in the fourth Jhanas&quot;. I have read and heard a thousand other places that this is what he said about samadhi (concentration). And that one of Buddhas main contributions was the introduction of sati/mindfulness which among other things makes one aware of impermanence.  How should &quot;immovable mindfulness&quot; ever give any realization of impermanence...immovable means permanent.  He also says that &quot;Once you know that type of mindfulness, then you know how ridiculous it is to think you can become Enlightened without Jhanas. Without such powerful mindfulness you can't get the powerful insights&quot;. To my knowledge Jhanas and one-pointedness (which I would call concentration) is not about insight. To my knowledge Buddha, before he found the path to (his) enlightenment,  was taught meditation techniques which aimed towards being completely absorbed, but that he found that this did not bring him what he searched for. Isnt this one of the major points in buddhist teaching?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11483" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T05:11:28.220" Title="How can mindfulness be about immovable attention?" Tags="|mindfulness|jhana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20903" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20898" CreationDate="2017-06-06T01:18:58.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahamevnawa.lk/path-ultimate-consolation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This article&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; was written taking into account an esteemed discourse that is included in the 9th Nipata of Anguttara Nikaya - called the Sōpādisēsa Sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…….They are the Sakadāgāmi (the second state of realization of the Dhamma) disciples who have eliminated three Sanyōjana Dharma and lessened the Raga (lust), Dvesha (hatred), and Moha (ignorance). These disciples also have defilements that need to be eliminated. However, these Sakadāgāmi disciples have the ability to end all the sufferings by being born just one more time in this world, the Kāma World (Sakidēva Imanlōkan Aagantwa Dukkansantan Karōti). They are also in a state of which they are free from being born in the four low-level worlds.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T01:18:58.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20902" CreationDate="2017-06-06T02:06:34.203" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one gets absorbed, focused, or mindful in anything, no matter what the object is, the mental factor called “ekagghatha” takes over and make the mind latched on to it. Being mindful depends on the situation. The kind of mindfulness one has when driving a car is different from the mindfulness when reading a book, and the mindfulness needed to attain a jhana is different from those two.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The jhana that one comes to by using the breath only would not help in walking this Path. As you correctly pointed out Buddha figured this out, and managed to break through and achieve Nibbhana. Just by focusing the mind on the breath, one can achieve only a mundane type of jhana. Also trying to be mindful by doing “walking meditation” by saying “lifting the foot”, “putting it down” would only get you to this lower level mundane jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The higher levels of Jhana that furthers the Noble Eightfold Path are achieved by supermundane “ekagghatha”  that one comes to by coming to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/mettac3.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;upacara samadhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.  When listening to a Dhamma discourse or reading about a Dhamma concept one can get to this type of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When contemplating on bad consequences of mind-made pleasures, willingly giving up by comprehending their bad outcomes one is able to come to the higher levels of Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one’s intention is to walk this Path, the focus should be something related to Nibbana. It could be a Dhamma concept or Nibbana itself. Focusing on the peacefulness of discarding sense pleasures can be done only when one comprehends the true meaning of anicca, dukkha, anatta. By being mindful the correct way, one can come to samma sati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-06T04:59:36.603" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T04:59:36.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20905" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20902" CreationDate="2017-06-06T02:35:27.490" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your concentration can be on a concept in which case it is concentration without insight. Also you can concentrate on the ultimate realities in which case it is concentration with insight. Using the later you can reach Jhana also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To have wise attention your mind should be in touch with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt; or free from the corruptions of insight (Vipallasa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-06T04:56:36.273" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T04:56:36.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20644" CreationDate="2017-06-06T02:49:24.380" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Kammattana helps to passively alter your subconcious. During the time of the Buddha, sixty monks realized and attained the fruition of holiness (arahant phala) having received the subjects of meditation or working ground (kammatthāna) from a female lay adherent by the name Matika Matha (mother of Mathika Gama) at the village called Matika in the kingdom of Kosala. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said “bhavanaya bahuleekathaya…..”. Bhavana (or meditation) if used frequently, thinking about it and examine it in many different situations as much as possible, then the true meaning starts to “sink in”. Formal recitations are part of this process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reciting a phrase repeatedly while contemplating on it is called &lt;strong&gt;kammattana&lt;/strong&gt; in Buddhist Meditation. It is an excellent way to retain and comprehend a given a concept. For this it is good to at least vaguely understand the concept. Pali words tend to condense a lot of meaning. Also Pali words have more than one meaning. One meaning would be of a mundane level, while another would be at a deeper level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such recitations help subside the five hindrances that makes the mind agitated and not receptive. This helps at least temporarily subside greedy, hateful, and irrelevant thoughts.  The mind will not be lethargic or agitated as kammattanas help make the mind calm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A meditation session can be made more effective by calming the mind by listening to or doing some well-planned recitations. The following is one such recitations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ethan santhan ethan paneethan, sabba sankhara samatho, Sabbhupathi patinissaggo, tanhkkhayo, virago, nirodho, Nibbanan ti“&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Etan santan etan paneetan, yadidan sabba sankhara samato, sabbupati patinissaggo, tanhakkhayo virago, nirodho Nibbananti&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Etan santan etan paneetan, yadidan sabba sankhara samato, sabbupati patinissaggo, tanhakkhayo virago, nirodho Nibbananti       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[“It is the only peace, the only happiness: prevent sankhara from arising by eliminating tanha and excess greed, and thus stopping the arising of defilements, which is Nibbana“.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aniccä vatha sankhärä;    Uppäda vaya dhamminö&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Uuppajjitvä nirujjhanti;   Te san vüpa samö sukhö   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This verse tells about the “fleeting nature” of life. It explains why we face sorrow inevitably (because death is inevitable), and how it can be permanently removed to attain the Nibbanic bliss. This verse was uttered by Sakka, the King of the Devas, just after the Parinibbana of the Buddha. A common translation is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All things are impermanent;   They arise and pass away;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Having arisen they come to an end;   .   Their coming to peace is bliss&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a very good kammattana (meditation subject) for cultivating the “anicca sanna“. One could recite the verse and contemplate on its meaning. Think about all those loved ones who passed away and led to much suffering. And one’s own death is also inevitable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few other kammattana  examples are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Itipi so Bhagavâ Arahan Sammâsambuddho Vijjacarana sampanno Sugato Lokavidu Anuttarro purisadammasarathi Sattha devamanussanan Buddho Bhagavati &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Svakkhato Bhagavata Dhammo Sanditthiko Akaliko Ehipassiko Opanayiko Paccattam veditabbo Vinnuhiti. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Supatipanno Bhagavato savaka sangho, ujupatipanno Bhagavato savaka sangho. nayapatipanno Bhagavato savaka sangho. Samicipatipanno Bhagavato savaka sangho Yadidam cattari purisa yugani atthapurisapuggala esa Bhagavato savaka sangho. Ahuneyyo, pahuneyyo, dakkhineyyo,anjalikaraniyo, anuttaram punnakkhetan lokassati&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Bhante bhuripanna Tathagata&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Dhamma sandittika akalika&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Sangha supatipanna anuttara   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ldam me nati nan hotu Sukhita hontu natayo&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ldam vo nati nan hotu Sukhita hontu natayo   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;May all living beings forgive me for any misdeeds that I have done to them in this long sansara and accept these merits. May I be free of all debts to all living beings.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  May all living beings be free from any debts that they have for me, due to any misdeeds that they have done to me.    May all living beings, including myself, be free of all debts to each other. May all attain Nibbana.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T02:49:24.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20907" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20902" CreationDate="2017-06-06T03:04:05.627" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There seem to be a lot of disagreements about the very basic term &quot;mindfulness&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yesterday I listened to a talk, where it was it was said that if one achieve total concentration on an object, there is no mindfulness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong. 'Mindfulness' means 'to remember'; 'to keep in mind', 'to not be forgetful or negligent'.  Mindfulness is a factor or prerequisite of concentration. The goal of Buddhist meditation is to achieve total concentration on an appropriate object. Therefore, when there is total concentration on an object, there is also total mindfulness because the meditator does not forget their task, which is to concentrate on/be attentive of the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This makes sense to me, as ALL attention is on the subject and none&#xA;  is left to be mindful of what is going on&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all attention is not on the object, how can you know what is going on? For example, if you must babysit children but instead pay attention to the TV, how can you know what is going on with the children? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(it was also mentioned that there is no wisdom gained from this as it is from the moving, momentary concentration in mindfulness that one makes realizations about the four noble truths).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong. When then the mind remains unmoving on the breathing, the breathing calms &amp;amp; the mind feels peaceful. The wisdom that arises from this is the mind knows when it is free from craving &amp;amp; attachment (by being unmoving), the mind becomes peaceful. Therefore, the mind realises the four noble truths, namely, the giving up of craving &amp;amp; attachment by making the mind unmoving or empty leads to peace &amp;amp; the end of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, when the mind remains unmoving on the breathing, it discerns the breathing is coming, going &amp;amp; changing; the mind discerns the body breathes rather than the 'self' breathes. Therefore, by remaining unmoving on the breathing, the mind gains the wisdom that the breathing is impermanent &amp;amp; not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This is all in accordance with my understanding of the difference&#xA;  between concentration and mindfulness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These views are not &quot;understanding&quot;. In Buddhism, the word &quot;understanding&quot; means to know according to verified observed reality. These views are in accordance to your &quot;ideas&quot;or &quot;views&quot; rather than according to &quot;understanding&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then later at the evening I read an article by Ajahn Brahmavamso&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In respect to meditation, AB should generally explains things correctly. If someone disagrees with AB about meditation, this should raise a red-flag of caution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(&quot;The quality of mindfulness&quot;) where he says that &quot;with development, you can experience immovable mindfulness.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. The mind is always abiding in accordance with the Dhamma when it is mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The mindfulness that is on one thing entirely...The Buddha said this reaches its peak in the fourth Jhanas&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt mindfulness reaches its &quot;peak&quot; in the 4th jhana because the mindfulness of a 100% enlightened mind (Arahant) would be superior to the mindfulness of the 4th jhana of a 75% enlightened Non-Returner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would assume what occurs in the 4th jhana is mindfulness is the most &quot;&lt;em&gt;settled&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;&lt;em&gt;unchallenged&lt;/em&gt;&quot; it has been since the start of meditation because the pre-jhana hindrances &amp;amp; the 1st &amp;amp; 2nd jhana rapture that &lt;em&gt;challenge&lt;/em&gt; the mind to lose mindfulness have been overcome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 1st jhana, rapture &quot;&lt;em&gt;tempts&lt;/em&gt;&quot; to mind to attach to &amp;amp; become infatuated with it and mindfulness must work in a very subtle manner to ensure the mind does not attach to &amp;amp; become infatuated with the rapture of the 1st jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in the 4th jhana, the mindfulness is pure &amp;amp; untroubled. It can completely rest, knowing its work has been perfectly done. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would suggest this is what is meant by the statement &quot;&lt;em&gt;mindfulness reaches its peak in the 4th jhana&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. In the 4th jhana, mindfulness stands on the dais &amp;amp; has won the gold medal due to defeating all of its competitors &amp;amp; foes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have read and heard a thousand other places that this is what he&#xA;  said about samadhi (concentration).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 4th jhana is described in the suttas: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, I entered upon and abided in the&#xA;  fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of&#xA;  mindfulness due to equanimity. MN 4&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And then, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain—as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress—the monk enters &amp;amp;&#xA;  remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain. His earlier perception of a refined truth&#xA;  of equanimity ceases, and on that occasion there is a perception of a&#xA;  refined truth of neither pleasure nor pain. On that occasion he is one&#xA;  who is percipient of a refined truth of neither pleasure nor pain. And&#xA;  thus it is that with training one perception arises and with training&#xA;  another perception ceases. DN 4&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;~~~&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And that one of Buddhas main contributions was the introduction of sati/mindfulness which among other things makes one aware of impermanence.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not completely correct. Mindfulness is not awareness or observation. Mindfulness means '&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;'. Mindfulness remembers to meditate without craving &amp;amp; attachment. When the mind is free from craving &amp;amp; attachment, it can naturally observe impermanence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before the Buddha, meditators had craving for &amp;amp; attachment to &lt;em&gt;wrong concentration&lt;/em&gt;. They would keep suppressing down their mind to destroy whatever object was in the mind. Therefore, they were unable to observe impermanence clearly because they were attached to the goal of keeping the mind &lt;em&gt;suppressed&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How should &quot;immovable mindfulness&quot; ever give any realization of impermanence...immovable means permanent.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind is permanently mindful, it is permanently without unwholesome states &amp;amp; hindrance, i.e. permanently pure. By being permanently pure, it can observe the impermanence phenomena, such as the impermanence breathing, impermanent body, impermanent feelings, impermanent peceptions &amp;amp; impermanent sense consciousness. Whenever there are (wholesome) thoughts, it can also observe the impermanent thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I have explained, 'right concentration' in Buddhism is to use mindfulness to keep the mind free from craving. Therefore, while the mind will be 'unmoving', it will be open,  flexible (sensitive) &amp;amp; clear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as when there is 'wrong concentration', while the mind is also unmoving, it is rigid, forced &amp;amp; suppressed because it meditating with craving rather than letting go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In SN 48.10, the Buddha clearly states jhana is attained by making &quot;letting go&quot; the meditation object. Please read this quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As for samadhi, an empty mind is the supreme samadhi, the supremely focused firmness of mind. The straining and striving sort of samadhi&#xA;  isn't the real thing and the samadhi which aims at anything other than&#xA;  non-clinging to the five khandas is micchasamadhi (wrong or perverted&#xA;  samadhi). You should be aware that there is both micchasamadhi and&#xA;  sammasamadhi (right or correct samadhi). Only the mind that is empty&#xA;  of grasping at and clinging to 'I' and 'mine' can have the true and&#xA;  perfect stability of sammasamadhi. One who has an empty mind has&#xA;  correct samadhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;He also says that &quot;Once you know that type of mindfulness, then you&#xA;  know how ridiculous it is to think you can become Enlightened without&#xA;  Jhanas.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not completely correct. While jhanas are certainly necessary for 100% enlightenment, believing you must attain jhana before any enlightenment can occur is wrong understanding &amp;amp; a hindrance. A Stream-Enterer is 25% enlightened but has not yet reached jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Without such powerful mindfulness you can't get the powerful&#xA;  insights&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True. But without less yet powerful insights, you can't get jhana. Therefore, the Dhammapada states, somewhere: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is no jhana without wisdom &amp;amp; no wisdom without jhana.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To my knowledge Jhanas and one-pointedness (which I would call concentration) is not about insight.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, &quot;knowledge&quot; (&quot;nanna&quot;) is again synonymous with insight. You are again expressing an idea or view here rather than &quot;knowledge&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jhanas &amp;amp; one-pointedness are about insight, as written in many suttas, such as AN 9.36 &amp;amp; MN 111:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana.’ Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?&#xA;  There is the case where a monk, secluded from sensuality, secluded&#xA;  from unskillful qualities, enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana:&#xA;  rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought&#xA;  &amp;amp; evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected&#xA;  with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, &amp;amp; consciousness, as&#xA;  inconstant, unsatisfactory, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an&#xA;  affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. He turns&#xA;  his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his&#xA;  mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peace, this is&#xA;  exquisite—the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of&#xA;  all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation;&#xA;  Nibbana.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While in the jhanas, there is not the 100% insight of seeing manic impermanence in every moment, there is lots of insight in the jhanas, particularly into the unsatisfactoriness of rapture (which is very liberating) and into the entire not-self process of jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To my knowledge Buddha, before he found the path to (his)&#xA;  enlightenment, was taught meditation techniques which aimed towards&#xA;  being completely absorbed, but that he found that this did not bring&#xA;  him what he searched for.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These techniques were '&lt;em&gt;wrong concentration&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;wrong absorption&lt;/em&gt;', as I explained, because they were based in craving for &amp;amp; attachment to a certain state of non-thinking or quiet. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Isnt this one of the major points in buddhist teaching?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures state after his failure, Gotama remembered back to when he was a child under the rose-apple tree, where he spontaneously entered into the 1st jhana. He remembered this occurred spontaneously, i.e., due to non-attachment &amp;amp; non-craving. Therefore, Gotama realised this non-attachment was the way to enlightenment (rather than attaching to the suppressed annihilated mind of wrong concentration/wrong absorption). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I considered: ‘I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite&#xA;  secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I&#xA;  entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by&#xA;  applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of&#xA;  seclusion. Could that be the path to enlightenment?’ Then, following&#xA;  on that memory, came the realisation: ‘That is indeed the path to&#xA;  enlightenment.’ MN 36&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, the teachers that teach against concentration do so because they have either never reached concentration or, otherwise, have achieved wrong concentration rather than right concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt; explains these right &amp;amp; wrong factors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-06T04:48:23.997" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T04:48:23.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20908" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20847" CreationDate="2017-06-06T03:17:50.537" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good question!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never talked about &quot;yanas,&quot; but was the Buddha even a Buddhist!? Was Jesus a Christian!??!  Was Marx a Marxist, Freud a Freudian ... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So who declares &quot;Buddhism&quot; when there's no central authority, no Vatican, to Buddhism. Answer: It's for each to see for her or himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, on a larger level of scale and organization, it varies according to cultures of geographic regions. Original Buddhism (aka Theravada and Vipassana) is found in SouthAsia and SouthEastAsia. (Hinayana by the way is not really an apt word, because it can be perjorative, but that's another story).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the big boat of Buddhism travelled East and was received and adopted and adapted in China, Korea, Japan, there emerged schools under a semantic umbrella called Mahayana: Zen, Pureland, Lotus Sutra, etc.  As it travelled north, (Ladakh, Mongolia, Tibet, etc), the Vajarayana traditions evolved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, for instance, when China first heard about the teachings of the Buddha, they said, &quot;Hey, this sounds like our guy, Lao-tse! He went East and was never heard from again. Sounds like he attained Enlightenment.&quot; So the first translations were done in terms of Taoism.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibet, the teachings mixed with native Bon traditions. This included transforming wrathful deities into protectors of the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, in 21st globalized societies, the segregation of Buddhism into national schools and traditions is becoming more permeable to cross-fertilization.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;One Dharma.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a longer answer, I've published &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Various-Paths-One-Dharma?null&amp;amp;showAll=1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Various Paths, One Dharma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. And even longer is &lt;a href=&quot;http://garygach.com/books/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-buddhism/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;my humble guide book&lt;/a&gt;, whose first part goes into greater detail about four major schools, so you can glimpse the big forest by looking deeply at diverse trees.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said — the ultimate answer to this question might be ... &lt;em&gt;Rajiv-yana&lt;/em&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namasté.  &lt;em&gt;(())&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11484" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T03:17:50.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5213" CreationDate="2017-06-06T18:46:37.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anybody has the ability to become enlightened however different parts of Buddhism have different beliefs on how this happens. Everybody already has the seed of Buddha hood/ Nivada inside them which is hidden in till revealed in sincere practice. As long as the person is committed to becoming enlightened they have the ability to do so. Animals are the only exception to this rule as they need to  create good Kama to enter the human realm before haveing the ability of enlightenment. People of higher realmes have to exercise restraint to avoid becoming attached to impermanent objects which cause Dukka (dissatisfaction) to exit the cycle of death and rebirth known as samsara. While this is the case in Zen Buddhism pure land Buddhism believes that you must have a relationship with Amitabha Buddha whereby one must call their name or chant homage. Pure land believers then hope to be reborn in samsara in the pure land were it is easier to stain enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is my understanding which is have understood from my GCSE course however it may not all be correct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11487" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T18:46:37.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2017-06-06T22:33:19.680" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said follow at least 5 precepts.  I have heard Visaka who attained Sothapanna at age of 7, dancing, singing on the street one day when one of the temples festival.  she dresses well enjoyed her family life, had 30+ kids as a sottapanna.  My understanding is siging, dancing, listening music is enjoyable as much as if you are not too attached.(Dependent Origination)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11488" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T22:33:19.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20912" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20902" CreationDate="2017-06-06T23:25:00.073" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness is attention of wholesome and unwholesome activities in day to day activities with your wisdom (Panna).  Mindfulness is movable from attention of one activity to another depending on the cause of the activity and its effect. When the cause of the activity ceases its effect ceases too.  This would clearly explain in Dependent Origination of Buddha’s teaching&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11488" LastActivityDate="2017-06-06T23:25:00.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20913" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="39251" CreationDate="2017-06-07T00:55:07.600" Score="6" ViewCount="693" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fifth and six steps in Ananpansati, talk about training ones' self to be sensitive to these feelings,  how can a mediator do this and avoid the dangers of getting caught up in them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2020-05-22T21:05:41.020" Title="Skillful ways to induce Rapture and Pleasure in meditation" Tags="|meditation|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20914" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20611" CreationDate="2017-06-07T02:39:07.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1 - Namarupa Pariccheda Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we are to take “nama-rupa-pariccheda-ñana” to mean, “rupa” are according “nama” - one’s body is according to one’s thinking, then it means that our habits help form the kind of existence in life. An adulterer’s acts can be equal to that of animals. Such activities would generate kamma beeja in the animal bhava in the next life.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nama-rupa paricheda-nana can be also taken as one being able to see oneself as five grasping groups (Pancaupadanakkhandha). Those five are namely:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Rupupadanakkhandha - Grasping group of corporeality&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Vedanupadanakkhandha -Grasping group of feeling&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sannupadanakkhandha - Grasping group of perception&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Sankharupadanakkhandha -Grasping group of mental formation&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Vinnanupadanakkhanda-Grasping group of consciousness&lt;br&gt;&#xA;These are the five aspects through which the Buddha has summed up all the physical and mental phenomena of existence, and which appears to the ignorant man as his Ego or personality. It is also called Ditthi-Visuddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2 - Paccaya Pariggaha Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The cause of all the physical and mental phenomena of existence (Nama-rupa) is no other than Avidya (non-awareness of truth), Thrusna (desire or craving born of false views and attachment), Kamma, and Ahara (nutriments). It was true in the past, it is true in the present and it will be true in the future. Nana or insight which realizes this fact is called Paccaya-pariggaha-nana. It is also called the purification by overcoming doubt kankhāvitarana-visuddhi. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By purification by overcoming doubt (kankhā-vitarana-visuddhi) is meant the understanding which, by grasping the conditions of this mind and corporeality, has escaped from all doubt with regard to the 3 times (past, present, future). Ahara (nutriments) are of four types: The foods for the physical body are called kabalinka ahara. Sense impression (phassa ahara) is Contact, Volitional thought (Cetana) is Intellectual Intention, nutriment of Consciousness, and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3 - Sammasana Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge by Comprehension. Here the knowledge that one gained in the above two Namarupa Pariccheda Gnāna &amp;amp; Paccaya Pariggaha Gnāna  are seen in relation to Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta nature.This Nana or insight is called Sammasananana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On proceeding with the contemplation, oneobserves that all rupa cannot be kept to one’s satisfaction. This is &quot;Anicca-sammasana-nana&quot; (Insight that nothing can be kept to one’s satisfaction, that leads to suffering,  and is a viparinama dhamma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus one understands that no “rupa” can be kept to our satisfaction, therefore that (i.e., forming attachment to such rupa) will lead to suffering, and therefore there is no reason to consider of them having any substance. Anicca leads to dukkha and to anatta, because we have nicca sanna about such (anicca) rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4 - Udayabbaya Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Contemplation of Arising and passing Away. “Udayabbaya gnana” when one develops, one can see the causes that need to be eliminated to overcome otherwise inevitable future suffering. One then learns of the factors relating to all knowledge about the arising and destruction of anything in this world. It is also called Maggamagga-nana-dassana-visuddhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggāmagga-ñānadassana-visuddhi) is meant that understanding which knows the right path from the wrong path: 'This is the right path, that the wrong path.'  This knowledge is the mature form of Udayabbhayanana&quot;, flawlessly free from 'Upakkilesa' (impurities). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One practising Vipassana meditation, at this stage, generally beholds a supernormal light (obhasa), feels a thrill of zest (piti), calmness (passaddhi), determination (adhimokkha), great energy (paggaha), happiness (sukha), deep insight (nana), intensity of mindfulness (upatthana), equanimity (upekkha), and a mild desire for this state (nikanti). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These states arising in one at the stage of Udayabbaya Nana in ten phases are termed 'Vipassanupakkilesa’, defilements of kilesa. These are imperfections of Insight and are ten in number, as follows: (1) Illumination, (2) knowledge, (3) rapturous happiness, (4) tranquility, (5) bliss (pleasure), (6) resolution, (7) exertion, (8) assurance, (9) equanimity and (10) attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One, arriving at this stage, is liable to these defilements and his mind may be seized by 'spiritual excitement' or 'agitation about higher states' (dhamma-uddhacca). 'For example, he may, on having an illumination, feel that this constitutes Path-experience and so inhibits his further progress through deceiving himself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5 - Bhanga Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Contemplation of Dissolution. This is the first of a series of nanas known as the dukkha-nanas. At this stage one has already attained the purification of overcoming doubt and the purification of knowing and seeing what is and what is not the path. The essentials of the practice have already been revealed, and in the process the one has experienced confidence, rapture and bliss,  and had seen the arising and passing away of experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the awareness and concentration continues to develop one now sees only the passing away of phenomena. It is as if one’s awareness is faster than the experiences he is examining, As soon as he places his attention on some aspect of his experience, it disappears. This is the knowledge of dissolution (bhanga-nana). This can take the form of one apparently losing one’s concentration, like one can no longer focus on anything; one’s attention keeps sliding off whatever one tries to look at. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be a shocking experience, because one is used to be able to focus on anything. Now, it seems, one can focus on nothing at all. One can even experience the disappearance of the form of the body. The sense of the body disappears; all that is left is a series of apparently disconnected individual sensations. There is no &quot;body&quot; as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6 - Bhaya Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhanga-nana gives way to the knowledge of fear, (bhaya-nana). In the disappearance of everything examined, the mind at some level begins to realise: there is nothing beneath. There is no foundation.There is nothing at all. This can manifest as panic. The realisation that &quot;I am not in control of ‘my’ life&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7 - Ädeenava Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contemplation of Ädeenava as bad consequences is another aspect of the awareness of a sense of fear:  Temporary enjoyment (asvada) is bound to bring about bad consequences (adeenava). There arises the realization of the fact that these psycho-physical phenomena so rapidly dissolving are undesirable, faulty and defective in nature. This is &quot;Adinava-nana&quot; (Insight into unsatisfactory condition)’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One realises there is no rest, no security, in anything. The power of this insight-knowledge is such that one knows there is no escape. One knows that this danger, this disadvantage, remains because one knows this is the nature of experience as such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8 - Nibbida Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Contemplation of disenchantment. If we could stay away from valuing sense pleasures and live accordingly, then we could arrive at this gnana. Thus, one would contemplate on the endeavor to break all bonds to this world, and stop making new bhava. It is a conviction that it is unfruitful to stay in this world as there is nothing in this world that worth craving for (upadana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9 - Muncitukamayata Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance.  Knowledge consisting in the desire for deliverance means: the desire for freedom and escape from all mental formations of existence. For feeling aversion for all mental formations, becoming weary of them, finding no more delight in them, the mind does not cling to a single one of all these mental formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simply put this is the &quot;get-me-outa-here-nana&quot;. And of course, this knowledge includes the understanding that, whatever situation one could escape to, that too will be unsatisfactory, and the urge to escape will still be there in that new situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10 - Patisankha Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Contemplation of Reflection. In reflecting, one  instills a decision to practice further. At this stage as contemplation is carried on with reflection, carefully, with proper care or intention, a clear perception of 'anicca', 'dukkha' and 'anatta' would arise. In particular, the nature of dukkha, sufferings, may be perceived very convincingly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is 'Patisankha nana&quot; (Insight arising out of further contemplation; Nana or insight that regains the awareness of Anicca or Dukkha or Anatta nature of all things. That none of those can be maintained to our satisfaction, i.e., they all are anicca. Thus we eventually suffer, and thus all struggles to keep them to our satisfaction are in vain and therefore, we are helpless in this rebirth process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;11 - Sankharupekha Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is recollection once more of the afore knowledge, in fully comprehending that nothing can be maintained to our satisfaction, i.e., they all are anicca, thus we eventually suffer, and thus all struggles to keep them to our satisfaction are in vain and therefore, we are helpless in this rebirth process. The realization of the true nature of the objects of contemplation without exertion and without pursuing good or bad sensations in the course of the contemplation which lasts for a long time is &quot;Sankha-rupekkha-nana&quot; (Knowledge or insight arising from viewing things with equanimity; Nana or insight, that is indifferent to Arammana [thought objects]).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;12 - Anuloma Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge in Conformity with Truth-conformity knowledge. When one comprehends anicca, dukkha, anatta to the extent that one gets to ‘see’ this Tilakkhana, one is said to have the “anulöma nana”.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That special knowledge appears with the realization that physical and mental phenomena which occur at the six sense-doors momentarily cannot be maintained to one’s satisfaction, will eventually lead to suffering, and everything in this world is without substance (anatta). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The knowledge that arises at the last moment is &quot;Anuloma-nana&quot; (Knowledge of adaptation) which consists of three 'javanas', impulse moments, called 'Parikamma' (preparation), 'Upacara' (approach) and 'Anuloma' (adaptation). Anulomanana transforms mind to become qualified to enter the threshold of Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;13 - Gotrabhu Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After 'Anulomanana' there arises &quot;Gotrabhu-nana&quot; (Knowledge of Change-of -lineage (&quot;götra&quot;) when getting close to a jhana) which grasps the sensation towards Nibbana where the miseries and sufferings connected with rupa and nama entirely cease. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gotrobhunana pushes mind across the threshold. As soon as mind crosses the threshold, it becomes aware of Nibbana. This is the knowledge which severs the lineage of 'Putthujjanas' (worldlings) and enters the lineage of the 'Ariyas' (Noble Ones)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;14 - Magga Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of Path. Knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path means that understanding which knows the right path from the wrong path: 'This is the right path, that the wrong path.' In order to attain this gnana, one at first should develop methodical insight. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;15 - Phala Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is Knowledge of fruit. No sooner the &quot;sotapatti Magga Nana” arises one comes to Phala Nana&quot; (Insight wisdom arising from the Noble Path of Stream-winning and its Fruition) which realises Nibbana. The 'Magganana' is called &quot;Nana-dassana-visuddhi&quot; (Purity of insight)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;16 - Paccavekkhana Gnāna&lt;/strong&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the 'magga and Phala Nana' arises, then retrospective reflection of the peculiar experiences of the &quot;Magga, Phala and Nibbana&quot; takes place. This is 'Paccavakkhana-nana&quot; (Insight of retrospection). This is Knowledge of Reviewing. 'retrospective knowledge', refers to the recollected mental image obtained in concentration, or to any inner experience just passed,&#xA;Knowledge which reviews the defilements still remaining.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-07T03:25:06.943" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T03:25:06.943" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20913" CreationDate="2017-06-07T03:13:46.390" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the meditator is trying to &quot;&lt;em&gt;induce&lt;/em&gt;&quot; rapture &amp;amp; pleasure, as taught by some meditation teachers, the meditator is already caught up in them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not the same as the consumer culture, where pleasure is easily obtained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;True rapture &amp;amp; pleasure are a reward for right morality &amp;amp; noble selflessness (non-attachment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quality of mind &amp;amp; mindfulness described in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the&#xA;  case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening&#xA;  dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on&#xA;  cessation, resulting in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt;. He develops analysis of&#xA;  qualities as a factor for awakening... persistence as a factor for&#xA;  awakening... &lt;strong&gt;rapture&lt;/strong&gt; as a factor for awakening &lt;strong&gt;dependent on seclusion&lt;/strong&gt;, dependent on &lt;strong&gt;dispassion&lt;/strong&gt;, dependent on&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;cessation&lt;/strong&gt;, resulting in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt;... serenity as a factor&#xA;  for awakening... concentration as a factor for awakening... equanimity&#xA;  as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on&#xA;  dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-07T04:06:46.920" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T04:06:46.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20913" CreationDate="2017-06-07T03:39:21.793" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You simply have to know the presence of the sensation, know it is arising and passing and be equanimous without getting attached to it. Attachment to pleasant sensation gives arise to the unwholesome root of craving. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T03:39:21.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20917" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-07T10:48:38.960" Score="3" ViewCount="954" Body="&lt;p&gt;Were there 27 more Buddhas before Siddhartha Gautam Buddha? If so, are there any evidences of it. How about the finding of Buddhist &lt;em&gt;Stupas&lt;/em&gt; and Idols in Harappa civilization?Is it linked with this fact?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11437" LastActivityDate="2018-02-08T19:39:34.290" Title="Were there 27 more Buddhas before Siddhartha Gautam Buddha?" Tags="|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20918" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20917" CreationDate="2017-06-07T12:34:25.110" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Personally, I do not believe there were any Buddhas before Gotama. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why there is probably no evidence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The idea of past Buddhas is found only a few suttas among thousands, where, in those suttas, the technology mentioned, such as chariot-making or potting, was the same as in the Buddha's time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T12:34:25.110" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20919" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-07T14:16:46.777" Score="2" ViewCount="309" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada Buddhism holds that achieving nirvana is impossible for a lay person, hence my question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta asked the Blessed One: “Master Gotama, is there any householder who, without abandoning the fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made an end of suffering?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Vaccha, there is no householder who, without abandoning the fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made an end of suffering&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;MN 71  (Tevijjavaccha-suttaṃ)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11493" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T03:59:38.013" Title="What would happen if everyone became a monk or nun?" Tags="|theravada|monastery|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20917" CreationDate="2017-06-07T15:20:16.673" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Were there 27 more Buddhas before Siddhartha Gautam Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, the Buddha speaks of them in his suttas, many of them from different times/planets throughout the universe(s).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If so, are there any evidences of it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than the suttas themselves, yes in various other religious traditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How about the finding of Buddhist Stupas and Idols in Harappa civilization? Is it linked with this fact?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes it could be but rather than spending our lifetime endlessly trying to settle historical matters and learn other histories, let us be grateful for what the Gautama Buddha has provided us: a complete, methodical practice towards Enlightenment. We will need to devote whatever spare time aside from job and other duties to achieve what he achieved and the Buddhas after him (Padmasambhava). The other Buddhisms that stemmed from Hinayana Buddhism suggest there is a greater journey towards Complete Enlightenment and complete power, even after initial srotipanna and escaping the force of rebirth.&#xA;No need to excavate skeletons--it was hard enough for the Buddha to leave behind what he has and those after him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-09T01:10:53.800" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T01:10:53.800" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20921" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20919" CreationDate="2017-06-07T20:44:25.143" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A layperson does not necessarily have to be a householder. A layperson is not necessarily  clinging to a house if they live in a house. One can hold something but still not cling to it. When I use the word &quot;hold&quot; here, I mean to &quot;have something&quot; or &quot;feel something&quot; or &quot;use something&quot; without clinging to it, like for instance, &quot;one can have love for a parent without clinging to the parent&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-06-07T21:05:27.583" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T21:05:27.583" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20922" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20858" CreationDate="2017-06-07T21:11:22.973" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your uncle is right 'When he's monk he should not be rude to someone or harm anyone by &quot;Kaya (Body/Physically)&quot;, &quot;Vachi (Talking)&quot;, &quot;Mano&quot; (Mind/Thinking)'.  That monk does not follow Nobel Eight Fold path to &quot;Nibbana&quot;(Enlightenment). Does he break first precept? No.  But he breaks the Nobel Eight Fold Path to &quot;Nibbana&quot;.  Theravada monks are promised to  &quot;Sabbadukkha,Nissarana,Nibbana,Sacchiaranatthaya&quot; (For the realization of Nibbana, the deliverance from all sorrow) in the ordination procedure which is directly related to follow Nobel Eight Fold path.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11488" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T21:11:22.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20919" CreationDate="2017-06-07T21:15:05.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The distinguishing principle in the quote from MN 71 is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'without abandoning &lt;strong&gt;the fetter&lt;/strong&gt; of householdership&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would assume (I will research later) 'the fetter' of householdship refers to concerns about &amp;amp; bondage to family, etc, as written in many suttas with the stock phrase:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...dwelling in a home crowded with children, enjoying Kasian sandalwood, wearing garments, scents and unguents, receiving good &amp;amp;&#xA;  silver... &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.54&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud 6.2&lt;/a&gt;; SN 55.7; SN 55.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A layperson can abandon 'the fetter' of householdership, as explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.003.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Haliddakani Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which describes the 'household life' is a state of mind rather than a state of physical habitation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The property of form, householder, is the home of consciousness. When consciousness is in bondage through passion to the property of form,&#xA;  it is said to be living at home. The property of feeling...&#xA;  perception... fabrication is the home of consciousness. When&#xA;  consciousness is in bondage through passion to the property of&#xA;  fabrication, it is said to be dwelling at home.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And how does one not live at home? Any desire, passion, delight, craving, any attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases,&#xA;  or obsessions with regard to the property of form: these the Tathagata&#xA;  has abandoned, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump,&#xA;  deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future&#xA;  arising. Therefore the Tathagata is said to be not dwelling at home.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Any desire, passion, delight, craving, any attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases or obsessions with regard to the&#xA;  property of feeling... perception... fabrication...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Any desire, passion, delight, craving, any attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases or obsessions with regard to the&#xA;  property of consciousness: these the Tathagata has abandoned, their&#xA;  root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions&#xA;  of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore the&#xA;  Tathagata is said to be not dwelling at home.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And how does one live with society? One who is in bondage to the distraction of the society of form-impressions is said to be living in&#xA;  society. One who is in bondage to the distraction of the society of&#xA;  sound-impressions... aroma-impressions... flavor-impressions...&#xA;  tactile-sensation-impressions... idea-impressions is said to be living&#xA;  in society. This is how one lives with society.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And how does one live free from society? The Tathagata has abandoned bondage to the distraction of the society of form-impressions, its&#xA;  root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions&#xA;  of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore the&#xA;  Tathagata is said to be living free from society.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Tathagata has abandoned bondage to the distraction of the society of sound-impressions... aroma-impressions...&#xA;  flavor-impressions... tactile-sensation-impressions...&#xA;  idea-impressions, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump,&#xA;  deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future&#xA;  arising. Therefore the Tathagata is said to be living free from&#xA;  society.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And how is one intimate in villages? There is the case where a certain person lives entangled with householders. Delighting together&#xA;  with them, sorrowing together with them, happy when they are happy,&#xA;  pained when they are pained, he takes on any of their arisen business&#xA;  affairs as his own duty. This is how one is intimate in villages.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;And how is one not intimate in villages? There is the case where a monk lives unentangled with householders. Not delighting together with&#xA;  them, not sorrowing together with them, not happy when they are happy,&#xA;  not pained when they are pained, he does not take on any of their&#xA;  arisen business affairs as his own duty. This is how one is not&#xA;  intimate in villages.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, a layperson can end suffering (generally regarded to the degree of a Non-Returner). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-07T21:28:57.550" LastActivityDate="2017-06-07T21:28:57.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20924" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-07T23:23:14.247" Score="2" ViewCount="852" Body="&lt;p&gt;A lay person who becomes an Arahant must become a monk or they will die?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone explain what this teaching means?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do they have to become a &lt;strong&gt;Buddhist&lt;/strong&gt; Monk?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can they just leave the world and become a hermit?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Could it be appropriate to just die and enter parinibbana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-06-07T23:29:41.983" LastActivityDate="2018-01-16T03:30:29.280" Title="Must Lay Arahants become Buddhist Monks?" Tags="|monk|death|arahant|comparison|lay-person|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20919" CreationDate="2017-06-08T03:59:38.013" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is not possible every person to become a monk or nun.&#xA;It is same as not every person become a doctor or nurse.&#xA;Only few people have the faith and energy to become a monk or nun.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T03:59:38.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20926" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20924" CreationDate="2017-06-08T04:00:16.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A lay person who becomes an Arahant must become a monk or they will die?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not by the Buddha but by Bhikkhu Nagasena in the Milindapanha (refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Lay_arahant&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Nagasena was the monk who gave the illogical &amp;amp; false analogy of the candle flame to explain reincarnation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can anyone explain what this teaching means?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose it means when all craving ends, life becomes totally meaningless thus you decide to die (like the silent Buddhas who entered into a mountain &amp;amp; were never seen again in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.116.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 116&lt;/a&gt;) or you decide to join the Sangha to help other monks &amp;amp; people attain enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do they have to become a Buddhist Monk?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can they just leave the world and become a hermit?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Probably, yes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Could it be appropriate to just die and enter parinibbana?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, particularly if there is no students capable of entering the noble path to teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, a lay arahant could probably choose to live for many reasons, such out of compassion for his mother if his mother is alive, so to not cause his mother distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-08T04:27:05.643" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T04:27:05.643" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20924" CreationDate="2017-06-08T04:03:38.660" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If and when a lay-follower attains arahant-ship, he or she has to either enter the Order that very day or else must attain parinibbàna. This is a Dhammata. This is conformity to the Dhammaniyāma – a general rule in Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is discussed in the Milindapanha, which is a set of three Buddhist books that records the dialogues between the Indian monk Nagasena and the Indo-Greek king Milinda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Milinda: &amp;quot;You say that if a layman attains arahantship he must either enter the Order that very day or die and attain parinibbàna. Yet if he is unable to find a robe and bowl and preceptor then that exalted condition of arahantship is a waste, for destruction of life is involved in it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena: &amp;quot;The fault does not lie with arahantship but with the state of a layman, because it is too weak to support arahantship. Just as, O king, although food protects the life of beings it will take away the life of one whose digestion is weak; so too, if a layman attains arahantship he must, because of the weakness of that condition, enter the Order that very day or die.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T04:20:04.333" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20928" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-08T07:59:13.587" Score="4" ViewCount="2497" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's the Buddhist view of evolution of mankind? Why can't we accede to the theory of evolution? Can we get same path of an evolution theory and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;aggajha sutta&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorDisplayName="user10243" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T20:06:43.707" LastActivityDate="2017-12-08T05:31:17.750" Title="Why can't we accord the theory of evolution?" Tags="|evolution|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20930" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20928" CreationDate="2017-06-08T09:03:01.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Aggañña Sutta is superstition, not spoken by the Buddha or, otherwise, merely a parable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since suttas such as AN 4.77 &amp;amp; MN 122 criticise talk about 'creation', why would the Buddha contradict these teachings and speak the Aggañña Sutta? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Conjecture about [the origin of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring&#xA;  madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about it. AN 4.77&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If, while he is dwelling by means of this dwelling, his mind inclines to speaking, he resolves that 'I will not engage in talk that is base,&#xA;  vulgar, common, ignoble, unbeneficial, that does not lead to&#xA;  disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calm, direct knowledge,&#xA;  self-awakening or Nibbana — i.e., talk about kings, robbers, &amp;amp;&#xA;  ministers of state; armies, alarms, &amp;amp; battles; food &amp;amp; drink; clothing,&#xA;  furniture, garlands, &amp;amp; scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns,&#xA;  cities, the countryside; women &amp;amp; heroes; the gossip of the street &amp;amp;&#xA;  the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, &lt;strong&gt;the creation of the&#xA;  world &amp;amp; of the sea&lt;/strong&gt;; talk of whether things exist or not.' In this way&#xA;  he is alert there. MN 122&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-08T09:08:44.030" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T09:08:44.030" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20931" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20928" CreationDate="2017-06-08T10:51:25.690" Score="9" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why we can't accord theory of evolution??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's Teaching is a not a theoretical teaching but a &lt;em&gt;practical&lt;/em&gt; teaching. The Buddha invites one to &lt;a href=&quot;http://ehipassiko.tumblr.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;come and see&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ehipassiko.tumblr.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt; for oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.020.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 1:20 - Samiddhi Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, its taught that; &lt;em&gt;&quot;This Dhamma is here-present, out of time, inviting inspection, leading onward, to be realized by the wise each for himself&quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Human beings, mankind and evolution&lt;/em&gt; are all concepts that do not have any real reference point, ie. a reference to Ultimate reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question becomes meaningless when observed from a practical/meditational point of view. The question belongs to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinteyya&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four Imponderables&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, namely the &lt;em&gt;origin-element&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/nobleeight.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;teaches&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; only about suffering and how to become free from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What's the Buddhist view of evolution of the mankind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation will show that &quot;the evolution of mankind&quot; is merely a &lt;em&gt;concept&lt;/em&gt; belonging to the 4th aggregate of mental formations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://ehipassiko.tumblr.com/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Ehipassiko&quot; is a Pali &#xA; word used to describe the investigative nature of Buddhism. Discouraging blind faith alone, the Buddha encouraged his disciples to &quot;come and see&quot; his teachings for themselves, to witness the fruits of this practice through direct experience.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-08T20:35:41.537" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T20:35:41.537" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20932" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20934" CreationDate="2017-06-08T12:56:40.590" Score="2" ViewCount="348" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking of taking the upostha sila for 7 days targeting for a Pooja. And I am employed in a software engineering company so I'll be working for 5 days out of 7. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can you give me any advices on how to take the 8 preceps and how to protect them avoiding obstacles that could harm them during these working days? Some Sutta references are appreciated as well (if any)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Metta &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T14:56:24.880" Title="Upostha Sila in normal daily life" Tags="|sila|eight-precepts|lay-practices|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20928" CreationDate="2017-06-08T13:01:19.783" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt; covers the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_evolution&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist perspective on evolution&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Darwinian theory&lt;/a&gt; covers the evolution from the perspective of the evolution of physical creatures with corporeal bodies. Aggañña Sutta takes this further and discusses this how the world system forms and how being with finer material bodies from higher places come to take corporeal form. More on this see the discussion of Piya Tan's commentary on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.19-Agganna-S-d27-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggañña Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related Suttas include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/47.8-Satta-Suriya-S-a7.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satta Suriya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.15-Kosala-S-1-a10.29-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kosala Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/36.10-Cakkavatti-Sihanada-S-d26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakka,vatti Siha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T13:01:19.783" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20932" CreationDate="2017-06-08T13:13:30.913" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might not be able to do this the traditional way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Sila is a promise to abstain. The promise can be to the Triple Gem of another person. Best is to make the promise to the Triple Gem.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Throughout the day recall the promise and see if you have broken it. If so take it again. If not make a determination to keep the posimie recollecting which precepts you have taken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The skillful karma from the Sila is in the initial taking, recollection and retaking as well as the determination. So do the recollection retaking often with strong determination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Sila has many level. Initially this can be like a rite or ritual. At an intermediate level it is based on Brahmavihara as breaking the precepts will harm or make other or oneself unhappy can cause negative karma for oneself, and at a higher level it is at level of sensation. The sensation is what gives arise to the unwholesome roots. So abstain from action which are unwholesome triggered by the respective sensation. More on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T13:13:30.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20928" CreationDate="2017-06-08T13:51:37.460" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ordinary people with ignorance will not know the nature Dhamma and will make a dispute over matter wasting valuable time in vain. Buddha teaching is simple and timeless. By practicing(not by just reading, thinking or discussing) insight meditation, one will surely come to know what is rupa/nama, how it come and go incessantly and how it will end suffering. Science will need more time to prove this but not yet. With spear piercing in the chest, one cannot get chance to trace back the source. All the being passing through the beginningless/endless samsara not only as human but also as other being in different abodes(including animal life) in countless number will have an answer. Some being nearer to human will have more closer to human in general. If one like the habit of an animal(eg. a cow/monkey/dog) surely with ignorance will lead to that life in after-birth and vice versa. Kamma is simple if one know the absolute truth, if not it is probably thought as miraculous. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T13:51:37.460" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20937" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20932" CreationDate="2017-06-08T19:24:13.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Purpose of 8 precepts is to stay away from 5 sensual pleasures.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;if eating one meal a day is too much for you on work days (tho if you are a software engineer and are not required physical work), mango juice might help elevate some hunger pain at night, and also Buddha allowed phala (fruit) drinks for monks in the evening.  I believe milk isn't. I believe milk is considered food.  From personal experience, sensual pleasure through tasting is one of the toughest enemies.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Also, dancing and musics etc..  use your judgement of what is considered entertainments.  Example, video games, Buddha did not mention it but you get the idea.  To me, following some code of conducts without intellectual understanding of their meanings is a 3rd fetters.  Not much good will come out of doing it.  (I'm certain not trying to be rude here) but my golden retriever has near perfect 5 precepts but i doubt he would get anything out of it. He would not steal my food even if i leave my plate on the floor because he was trained not to take food not given. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My advise would be, to have a complete understanding why you are doing&#xA;  it and what good it will benefit you.&#xA;  Anumodana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-06-08T19:29:50.357" LastActivityDate="2017-06-08T19:29:50.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20938" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="33492" CreationDate="2017-06-09T00:57:32.587" Score="6" ViewCount="5826" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists, from children to monks, chant the following homage to the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does the term '&lt;em&gt;sammasambuddhasa&lt;/em&gt;' mean?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-06-02T07:03:10.333" Title="What does the term 'Sammasambuddha' mean?" Tags="|pali|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20938" CreationDate="2017-06-09T01:59:02.273" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;We pay homage to the Buddha by saying &lt;strong&gt;”Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa”&lt;/strong&gt; three times. The widely practiced translations of it take the following forms:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy (Exalted) One, the supremely (fully) Enlightened One!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Homage to the fully Enlightened One who found the truth about the existence and became free of all defilements!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Veneration to Him, the Most Exalted, the Purified, the Supremely Enlightened Buddha (the Rightly Self-awakened One.)”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the term Sammâ-sambuddho means  that Buddha understood the Four Noble Truths without anyone’s help. Buddha is really the one and only Teacher who first taught the Four Noble Truths. These Truths explain the realities of life. Buddha understood the realities of life, without anyone’s help. By knowing this, we can establish an unshakeable confidence based on this quality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There can be only one Samma Sambuddha, in the entire universe, at any given period. During most aeons (Kalpa), there are no Samma Sambuddhas. Hence they are very rare. A Samma Sambuddha is called ‘Asama Sama’, i.e. incomparable with any other being but can be compared only to other Samma Sambuddhas who had lived in the distant past. Hence it is not feasible for all to aspire to be a Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself said that the best way to pay homage to him is to learn Dhamma and to follow the Path. This is the more deeper meaning of the Namaskaraya, “Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once Buddha said, “Attä hi attano nätho, kö hi näthö paro siyä”, meaning, ”One indeed is one’s own refuge; how can others be a refuge to one?”. Each one has one’s own mind. And that is what is needed to be purified in order to attain a peaceful life now, a better life in the next, or even Nibbana. But it all starts with going for refuge in the Buddha Dhamma &amp;amp; the Sangha. When we say the &lt;strong&gt;Namaskaraya&lt;/strong&gt; with understanding and resolve, we develop citta pasada or calmness and joy of mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T01:59:02.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20773" CreationDate="2017-06-09T03:39:48.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Nakhasikha Sutta in the Samyutta Nikaya, describes the unimaginably large amount of defilements (and thus future suffering and stress) a Sotapanna has removed compared to a normal human being. The Sutta has this to say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the Buddha picked up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, and asked the bhikkhus, “What do you think, bhikkhus? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the soil in this great Earth?”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha told the bhikkhus that the amount of defilements that a Sotapanna has removed can be compared to the soil in the whole Earth, while the amount that he/she has left to remove can be compared to the bit of dust on his fingernail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This tells that the amount of suffering a Sotapanna has left to be endured within seven future bhava is insignificantly small. This is to say that a Sotapanna will never get to the four lowest realms, and s/he will have only seven future bhava left, and those in the human realm or the realms above it. This is so, if we take &lt;strong&gt;Sattakkhattuṃparamatā&lt;/strong&gt;  means - කෙත් වතු 7 ක් පමණයි පසු කර ගත යුත්තේ. This word has a rhetorical, metaphorical and symbolic meaning -  to mean… “One has to cross only seven more fields of (fenced or unfenced) cultivated land. This is what is meant by &lt;strong&gt;Sattakkhattuṃparamatā&lt;/strong&gt;  means - කෙත් වතු 7 ක් පමණයි පසු කර ගත යුත්තේ. This word has a rhetorical, metaphorical and symbolic meaning -  to mean… “One has to cross only seven more fields of (fenced or unfenced) cultivated land. This is what is meant by &lt;strong&gt;Sattakkhattuṃparamatā&lt;/strong&gt; to mean seven bhava the most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the correct meaning of &lt;strong&gt;Sattakkhattuṃparamatā&lt;/strong&gt;. Give me a couple of months the most, and I will give you the deeper meaning of this term. For now let us understand what Sotapanna means, and how could one come to this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Out of dasa akusala, only micca ditthi is completely removed at the Sotapanna stage. A Sotapanna would have reduced the “apayagami strength” of most of the other dasa akusala. This is the key to understand this level of attainment. In particular, to get to know that  abhijja or lobha  is reduced to raga level and vyapada or dosa is reduced to patigha level at this stage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Sotapanna is said to have achieved “dassanena pahatabba” or removal of defilements via correct vision, with the removal of micca ditthi, or attaining the first stage of Samma Ditthi. Now what is &lt;strong&gt;micca ditthi&lt;/strong&gt;?. My belief as of now is that, if one firmly believes that there is no rebirth or there are no other living beings other than humans and animals, that firm belief is Niyata Micca Ditthi . In finding out the correct meaning of &lt;strong&gt;Sattakkhattuṃparamatā&lt;/strong&gt;, may help in getting to know whether not believing in future bhava is Niyata Micca Ditthi (established wrong views) or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one has a vessel that is leaking water, there is no point in trying to plug the smaller holes first. One should plug the biggest hole first, which in this case is getting rid of micca ditthi or false views (about this world).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One cannot pretend to believe in things that one truly does not believe in. To just say that “I do believe in rebirth” is one such.  This is a sanna ( “perception”) that one has to be true to. Otherwise it will not work. We “acquire” most sanna through our families first, then through friends, schools, workplaces, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus most of our “world views” or ditthis are acquired through our families. Those sannas are hard to change, depending on how forcefully and frequently they have been used. However, human mind is unique. When given enough solid evidence, one’s sanna about something or some concept can permanently change. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That kind of a “vision change” does not happen quickly, unless one has “sanna” about that from previous lives; that is why it is easier for some people to grasp these concepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-10T14:05:42.557" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T14:05:42.557" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20932" CreationDate="2017-06-09T14:49:10.933" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sadhu, Upasaka Akila Hettiarachchi! On this full-mond Uposatha today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everybody is able to walk the path upwards and this is the way. Those are the precepts of lay people, possible to be undertaken in &quot;normal&quot; life and hoods and guiding one on the eightfold path torward liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The 8 Precepts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These training rules are observed by laypeople during periods of intensive meditation practice and during uposatha (lunar observance) days. The Eight Precepts are based on the Five Precepts, with the third precept extended to prohibit all sexual activity and an additional three precepts that are especially supportive to meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should one come accross people discouraging one, remember:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's no gain for you, Sakyans. It's ill-gotten, that in this life so endangered by grief, in this life so endangered by death, you sometimes observe the eight-factored uposatha and sometimes don't.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.046.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakka Sutta: To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should you (one) have any questions, &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/board,38.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;feel free to ask further here&lt;/a&gt;, in regard of refuge, and Silas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-09T14:56:24.880" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T14:56:24.880" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20942" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-09T15:16:57.543" Score="10" ViewCount="2100" Body="&lt;p&gt;Non Abrahmic religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism &amp;amp; Sikhism believe in Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth. &#xA;&lt;BR&gt; &lt;BR&gt;&#xA;I'm interested in knowing the proofs of Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth presented by Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T15:43:13.463" Title="Is there any proof of Karma theory &amp; rebirth?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-09T15:49:03.127" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Non Abrahmic religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism &amp;amp; Sikhism believe in Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See my &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20928/why-we-cant-accord-theory-of-evolution/20931#20931&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;answer here&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. It explains how Buddhism is a practical religion and not based on blind belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I'm interested in knowing the proofs of Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth presented by Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only proof obtainable is by practicing insight meditation thereby seeing with your own eyes how phenomena arise and cease and how they can cause new phenomena to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T15:49:03.127" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-09T16:04:17.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism differs from others in that rebirth is not a transmigration of a Soul, nor of any specific entity. It is more of a statement that perceived experience being subject to conditions - finding itself empty of any and all self referential properties - cannot logically be seen to either have a concrete beginning nor a concrete ending, whilst the conditions for the arising of said experience are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the notion of an Essential, Independent and Unchanging Atman/Soul is taken at its word, then at birth and death, that Soul must either appear from somewhere, or disappear somewhere, respectively, as Essentialist religions infer. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's aim was to show that what is directly perceived - impermanence and non-self - does not allow for termination of the conditioned (as that would be a process with a permanent conclusion), nor does it allow for some unconditioned and unexperiancable entity flirting off to invade somewhere else, as that is not directly perceivable by entities that depend on conditions for their perception.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is that there is no duality of 'cessation of the conditional'+'non-cessation of the non-conditional'. There is simply the continuation of conditionality. Ending the process of rebirth is the act of removing whatever conditions make up the necessary support for some conditionally-defined object: there is no 'rebirth' for my desire to drink, because I have removed the necessary conditions for this conditioned entity called 'me' to lunge for booze - the condition removed is craving for beer. This craving is removed volitionaly - volition being the arbiter of Kamma and its fruit: empty of volition? Empty of Kamma and hence empty of rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(I will be the first to say that this logic works a lot easier for 'beer' than for the entity labeled 'me'. But there is no concrete dividing line between the two concepts - as for any two concepts - given that true Independence is not possible within conditionality, so the beer example should be a decent starting point!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-06-09T17:07:50.650" LastActivityDate="2017-06-09T17:07:50.650" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-09T18:19:33.133" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non Abrahmic religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism &amp;amp; Sikhism believe in Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth is not the same as reincarnation. Reincarnation refers to the belief that a soul at the termination of life enters a new physical body. Jainism, Hinduism &amp;amp; Sikhism may believe in reincarnation where as original Buddhism (before the later day variations) believes in rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm interested in knowing the proofs of Karma theory &amp;amp; rebirth presented by Buddhism.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, kamma &amp;amp; rebirth is a doctrine of &lt;strong&gt;moral efficiency&lt;/strong&gt;. The teachings state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are fruits &amp;amp; results of good &amp;amp; bad actions (kamma). There is this world &amp;amp; the other worlds. There are spontaneously reborn beings [due to actions/kamma]...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a free man robs a bank, is caught &amp;amp; is reborn as a prisoner is a prison. This is the proof of kamma &amp;amp; rebirth, where the free man later takes spontaneous (immediate) rebirth as a prisoner &amp;amp; treated like an animal in a zoo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or a normal person takes drugs &amp;amp; becomes a drug addict &amp;amp; then a thief or prostitute. Here, the humane being is reborn in a ghost &amp;amp; animal birth. They are reborn as a ghost because they always must search for drugs, never content, &amp;amp; they are reborn as an animal because they must always perform bestial depraved acts to obtain money for drugs. This is the proof of kamma &amp;amp; rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches at least five destinations of rebirth due to kamma (motive &amp;amp; action), namely, humane (sane), godly (exalted), ghost (addiction), animal (lack of self-control) and hell (suffering), as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech &amp;amp; mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sense contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma&#xA;to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be&#xA;experienced in the humane world, kamma to be experienced in the world&#xA;of the gods. This is called the diversity in kamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 6.63&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Budddhism, the word 'birth' ('jati') refers to 'production' ('abhinibbatti') of the idea or view of a 'person' ('puriso'), 'self' ('atta') or 'being' ('satta'). 'Re-birth' is the continued production of these ideas or views of 'self', 'persons' or 'beings', which generally occurs due to 'kamma' ('motive &amp;amp; action').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, kamma is made to successfully make money. Here, the mind is 'reborn' as a 'god', thinking: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;I am rich; I am successful; I am special; I am upper class&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then later, there is a collapse in the stock market &amp;amp; loss of wealth. The same person in reborn in hell (suffering), thinking: &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;I am poor; I am a failure; why didn't I do this; why didn't I do that!&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each thought of &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; is a &amp;quot;birth' (&amp;quot;jati&amp;quot;), created by the craving &amp;amp; motive that drives kamma (intentional actions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is kamma &amp;amp; rebirth. People are reborn into different mental states of self-identification due to their kamma (motives &amp;amp; actions). They are reborn as rich, poor, husband, wife, divorcee, widow, etc, due to their kamma that leads to self-identifying. The teachings say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;pleasure, craving to be, craving not-to-be: This, friend Visakha, is&#xA;the origination of &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; described by the Blessed One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 44&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each act of 'self-identification' is a 'birth' or 'rebirth' &amp;amp; each 'birth' will bring suffering. In his first words, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;153. Through many a birth in samsara have I wandered in vain, seeking the builder of this house. Repeated birth is indeed&#xA;suffering!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;154. O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My&#xA;mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of&#xA;craving&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T09:17:28.843" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-10T00:21:25.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many, especially in the western world, who’d rather have Buddhism without rebirth because they do not believe in rebirth. They are turned off by the concept of rebirth because most major religions are based on three levels of existence: This life, and one of two eternal stages of life thereafter.  It is either heaven or hell for eternity based on what one does in this life. Also they just cannot fathom the possibility of being reborn as an animal&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept of rebirth is a paradigm-changing concept, and one needs to put aside all preconceived notions to understand this core message.  The reason rebirth is a core message is that this life is only but an insignificant time in the cycle of rebirths that we have been on from eternity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sense of urgency to follow diligently in this Dhamma Path comes when one realizes suffering in many of the lower realms of existence is much worse than that in the human or even the animal realm. When one gets more and more into Dhamma, one realizes that rebirth is an inseparable part of being a Buddhist in the truest sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali word for Buddhist means “a person trying the stop the rebirth process” (“Bhava+uddha” = Bhauddha). One meaning of Buddha Dhamma is “path or method of removing bhava and thus stopping the rebirth process”. Buddha means, “one who has removed bhava (and attained Nibbana)”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For evidence of Rebirth one can refer to the research done by the late Professor Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia. He has done over 20 years of research on the authenticity of rebirth accounts. Also refer to Professor Jim Tucker’s books about rebirth. A good book is “Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation” by Ian Stevenson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are hundreds of youtube videos on rebirth stories and also many on child prodigies and hypnosis-based curing of certain ailments.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMfsjXiZGis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMfsjXiZGis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGHDpgBc9Dk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGHDpgBc9Dk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHp9bGVDB8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHp9bGVDB8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk7biSOzr1k&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk7biSOzr1k&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w2MCpzE8u0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w2MCpzE8u0&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can see various levels of human happiness/suffering around us. We see some people live with relatively higher levels of health, wealth, and happiness, while others live in poverty, ill-health, and misery. This in itself is proof of Kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A child may die prematurely, or someone may get brutally murdered. What could be the underlying causes for such misfortune. Nothing happens in this world without a reason or without a cause. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it just happens that X is born healthy and wealthy, Y is born healthy but poor, and Z is born handicapped and poor? There must be REASONS why X, Y, and Z are born that way. Many times a person born rich can become poor, and vice versa. Or a person in good health can die suddenly in an accident or by a heart attack. The laws of kammā can explain all the above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T00:21:25.557" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20947" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2017-06-10T02:06:38.460" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very interesting conversation and thanks for the contributions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know old thread but needed to mention this....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing clearly that needs to be brought out is the laughable suggestion that the Upanishadic concepts are contemporary or later to Lord Buddha's time. The Vedanta as such predates by many centuries if not millenia prior to the Buddhist tradition. Also the fact that the Mahabharata of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part of refers to events about 3100 B.C. - the reference here is to the long held knowledge of the date by ancient Hindu monastic orders as well as recent correlation to that date by mapping the astronimical events in it with the Planetarium Software. At most the 3-5 century B.C references to the Gita only attribute to when they were put down in written form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11510" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T02:06:38.460" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20948" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7315" CreationDate="2017-06-10T04:12:54.723" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fat, bald, laughing&quot;buddha&quot; is a chinese monk named Ho Tai (or Mi Lo Fa) .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11512" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T04:12:54.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20949" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20952" CreationDate="2017-06-10T15:25:23.563" Score="1" ViewCount="668" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the scriptures of Vajrāyana Buddhism? Or texts related? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Where can I get scriptures or texts on Vajrāyana Buddhism? &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T10:23:26.533" Title="What are the texts of Vajrāyana Buddhism? And where can I get?" Tags="|vajrayana|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17774" CreationDate="2017-06-10T19:27:08.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today the widely accepted definition of the term &lt;strong&gt;“Sangha Bedha”&lt;/strong&gt; is division among bhikkhus. All Buddhist sects would rather hold on to this erroneous interpretation of the term &lt;strong&gt;“Sangha Bedha”&lt;/strong&gt;, as the true meaning of it is not in the best interests, or even worse – it is anathema to them. What is meant by &lt;strong&gt;“Sangha Bedha”&lt;/strong&gt; is described in at least six suttas in the Pali Canon. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Patama Ananda Sutta and Sangha Bedha Sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya describes what this Anantariya Kamma – the last of the five heinous acts (Kammas) – mean. If you read through the Suttas, this is what is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha condemned schism in strong terms, saying that a person who starts or joins a schism in a Community knowing or suspecting that he is not on the side of the Dhamma and Vinaya, is destined to be boiled for an aeon in hell (AN V.129; Cv.VII.5.3-4). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha’s instruction is to look into the matter and to side with the faction on the side of the Dhamma. The Buddha does not advocate superficial unity for its own sake at the expense of the Dhamma, but instead encourages that the Dhamma be clearly defended against non-Dhamma and that the distinction between the two be kept clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a bhikkhu has learned that a dispute has led to a schism and he wants to get involved, he is to side with whichever faction sides with the Dhamma. According to Mv.X.5.4, a speaker of non-Dhamma is to be recognized as such if he “explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the ability to take sides requires that one be well-informed about the Buddha’s teachings. A schism can be rightfully ended only if both sides are able to investigate the grounds (i.e., the point of dispute around which the schism crystallized), get to the root (the mind-states motivating the schism — see Cv.IV.14.3-4), and then resolve which side was right, based on the Dhamma and Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are cases where bhikkhus have started or joined a schism rooted in corrupted intent, knowing or suspecting that their views and actions deviate from the Dhamma-Vinaya. Those who joined the schismatic faction through ignorance should be won over to the Dhamma side by explaining the true Dhamma-Vinaya to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Sāriputta: “How am I to behave with regard to these (schismatic) bhikkhus?”&#xA;The Buddha: “In that case, Sāriputta, take your stance in line with the Dhamma.”&#xA;Ven. Sāriputta: “And how should I know what is Dhamma and what is not-Dhamma?” — Mv.X.5.3&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha: “There are these eighteen grounds by which a speaker of not-Dhamma is to be known. He explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T19:27:08.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20785" CreationDate="2017-06-10T22:51:15.477" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Acintita Sutta, the Buddha recommends not to conjecture about kamma due to its complexity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness &amp;amp; vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a tree might fall on your house. That could be a result of past kamma, but it might also have nothing to do with your kamma. The weather was bad and the winds were blowing strong, causing the tree to fall over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to determine if you have good or bad kamma will indeed lead to madness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can I change my thoughts to be more positive despite a tremendous amount of negativity in my life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Know that the negativity is conditioned. Those negative states will cease, as do all conditioned states. Actively practice goodwill, generosity, meditation, and renunciation. It will not take long to see the benefit to your mind as you practice the Buddha's teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-10T22:51:15.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20952" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20949" CreationDate="2017-06-11T10:06:40.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This person – &lt;strong&gt;Andrea Pema&lt;/strong&gt; will be able to help you on this. If asked just say that Saptha Visuddhi referred you to him.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/andrea.pema.1/notes?lst=100007798020285%3A100001666351698%3A1497175009&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Andrea Pema&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has translated many of  Vajrāyana Buddhism text to English. The follow are few of his notes:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/the-progressive-stages-of-meditation-from-shamata-to-the-beginning-of-the-mahasa/1281621138525860/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Progressive Stages of Meditation. From Shamata to the Beginning of the Mahasandhi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/an-excerpt-from-my-book-buddha-dharma-introduction-to-the-vajrayana-for-advanced/1344880485533258/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Excerpt from my Book “Buddha Dharma”: Introduction to the Vajrayana (for Advanced Yogis and Yoginis as well as for Beginners)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/on-the-three-buddha-bodies-the-buddhist-sutra-and-tantra-on-the-qualities-of-enl/1008028932551750/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On the three Buddha Bodies - the Buddhist Sutra and Tantra on the Qualities of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/the-guru-yoga-practice-of-padmasambhava-for-beginners-and-advanced-practitioners/1340957535925553/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Guru Yoga Practice of Padmasambhava, for Beginners and Advanced Practitioners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/a-short-advice-on-how-to-do-deity-yoga-in-buddhist-tantra/1314592428562064/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A short advice on how to do Deity Yoga in Buddhist Tantra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/what-is-bodhicitta-in-the-tantra-/1275616569126317/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is “Bodhicitta” in the Tantra ?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/a-gem-of-compassion-from-the-mahayana-the-practice-of-tonglen-a-must-for-those-t/1267394463281861/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Gem of Compassion from the Mahayana; The Practice of Tonglen, a “must” for those that follow the Bodhisattva Path&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/the-dharani-of-lapis-light-that-generates-the-power-of-the-tathagatas-meditative/1170829602938348/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dharani of Lapis Light that generates the Power of the Tathagatas Meditative Absorption&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/on-shunyata-emptiness/1119328868088422/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Shunyata ( Emptiness)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/on-meditation-and-sacred-outlook/1010887288932581/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On meditation and sacred outlook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/notes/andrea-pema/the-path-of-bliss-in-buddhist-tantra/207639719257346/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Path of Bliss in Buddhist Tantra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-11T10:23:26.533" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T10:23:26.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20953" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20962" CreationDate="2017-06-11T11:12:59.617" Score="4" ViewCount="602" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was watching a video about the oral tradition in relation to how the suttas was first communicated and conveyed to monastics and lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was wondering what techniques buddhist monastics and lay people used/are using to memorize suttas. I know of chanting as an effective method. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there other methods used within Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-11T11:28:05.510" LastActivityDate="2018-01-20T08:06:56.667" Title="How to memorize suttas?" Tags="|personal-practice|history|monk|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20953" CreationDate="2017-06-11T11:52:06.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The best way to &quot;memorize&quot; suttas is to get the key idea or sanna of the given sutta. It is the “learning” of true dhamma and not “memorization” that will help in the retention of key phrases. For that one needs to get the key idea or sanna of a given concept. When one gets the sanna of a concept, one will never lose it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the best way to memorize is to grasp the concepts of dhamma. Then it becomes easier to analyze a given concept as one progresses. The more one grasps about a concept and the meanings and how to use them in other situations, things start to come flowing through. This is unlike memorizing the wording, but another will think that you’ve memorized a given thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The basic difference between “real learning” and memorization is that in the first case you have acquired the ability to grasp concepts, whereas the latter makes you just blindly follow rules/instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a concept that is hard to grasp for many these days, because we are so much used to “book learning”. There are many people who can repeat certain tasks mechanically without even bothering to think through. And then when the situation changes somewhat they do not know how to handle the “new situation”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T11:52:06.963" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20955" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20956" CreationDate="2017-06-11T13:42:21.920" Score="9" ViewCount="542" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's say if a lay person sees fault of a monk (something against the monastic code, or against the Dhamma). Should the lay person just stay silent (thinking it would create bad karma), or should they do something about it (showing the monk what he has done, or letting others know about it)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any Sutta references on what the Buddha said about this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have seen a lot of monks doing things against the monastic code and the Dhamma, and it breaks me up to see that people who know about it are silent; and that, day by day, the Dhamma is fading away because of this. What has the Buddha instructed to a lay person, on situations like this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since Buddha Sasana is not only monks and nuns, but also lay man and lay woman as well, what are the lay person's responsibilities towards the Sasana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Sutta references are appreciated if any)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently me and my Meditation teacher encountered a monk who stated in one of his statement saying that the Buddha has advised lay people not to comprehend the 4 truths but to get rid the 4 states of misery. For me and my teacher, it was shocking since all of Buddhism is based on the 4 truths. Therefore we created a video on the monk's statement and give a detailed explanation on how wrong the statement is and how it should be corrected and we uploaded it on youtube knowing that the messaged would spread to that monk. And within 3 days of time it did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At first, they didn't accept it but at the end they did accept their statement as wrong. And we took the video down since our mission accomplished. Our intention was for us to show that monk's fault and for him to recognize it and correct it. But now someone people are saying that it's a sin to do that and that we should not intervene with monks' things. But we were to stay silent when Monk themselves are spreading wrong statements, will the sasana survive? Isn't it selfish to stay silent where as we cans how what is right or wrong despite one is a monk or a lay person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T05:41:56.990" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T14:39:27.957" Title="How should a lay person respond if they see a monk teaching something contrary to Dhamma?" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|lay-buddhism|monk|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20956" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20955" CreationDate="2017-06-11T14:31:24.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;strong&gt;sangha&lt;/strong&gt; is used nowadays to refer to the &lt;strong&gt;bhikkhus&lt;/strong&gt;. This may or may not be true. One does not have to be a bhikkhu to belong to the sangha. An Upāsaka (male) or Upāsikā (female) - lay followers – could also be part of Arya Sangha. Upāsaka and Upāsikā are part of Ariya Sangha, once in the Path. The Ariya Sangha is described as all those who have attained at least the stage of Stream Entrant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A bhikkhu is someone who has renounced the life of a layman to dedicate himself exclusively to practice, realization, study and teaching of the dhamma. But in the present day and age, there are a great number of bhikkus who have not come to the stage of Stream Entrant. Thus they are not part of Arya Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There were times when &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.8-Hatthaka-Alavaka-S-a3.34-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hattha Āḷavaka Ugga gahapati (householder)&lt;/a&gt; preached dhamma to the Bhikkus at the time of Buddha, when no one else came forward to speak on Dhamma.. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha does not advocate superficial unity for its own sake between bhikkhus or amongst bhikkhus and lay followers at the expense of the Dhamma. Buddha instead encourages that the Dhamma be clearly defended against non-Dhamma and that the distinction between the two be kept clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha has described in no less than six suttas about what one should do at such an instant. In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.37&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangha Bedha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (AN 10.1.4.7), Buddha’s instruction is to not advocate superficial unity for its own sake at the expense of the Dhamma, but instead encourages that the Dhamma be clearly defended against non-Dhamma and that the distinction between the two be kept clear. According to the Vinaya, a speaker of non-Dhamma is to be recognized as such if he “explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the ability to take a stand requires that one be well-informed about the Buddha’s teachings. A difference of opinion can be rightfully ended only if both sides are able to investigate the grounds and get to the root, and then resolve which side was right, based on the Dhamma and Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more about the Sangha Bedha Sutta, see the Suttas on pages 1389 through 1391 which are titled &lt;em&gt;Schism(1)&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Schism(2)&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Ananda(1)&lt;/em&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya – by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt;; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://info-buddhism.com/sangha_schism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Schism in the Sangha by Thanissaro Bhikkhu &amp;amp; Geshe Rabten&#xA;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T05:31:16.583" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20957" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20958" CreationDate="2017-06-11T14:32:03.700" Score="3" ViewCount="185" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a writer, and I tend to write parts of factual information, such as insights or impressions, mixed with other fictional aspects. Therefore, I am worried about what constitutes a lie, and what isn't. My intention is never to deceive, but I feel others may gather things in my writings that I didn't mean, or that are untrue. They could easily conclude stuff which isn't factual through them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are your thoughts? Thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I make many claims in my writings, grandiose or vast claims, which I cannot be truly certain of. Yet, I don't mean them to be taken literally. I'm unsure what is considering lying, or pride, or boasting: is fiction really a realm wherein these things are considered, or is fiction free of judgment? Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T17:29:07.397" Title="The Conditions of Lying in Fiction" Tags="|truth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20958" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20957" CreationDate="2017-06-11T14:42:20.163" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as you do not make claim of function being non fiction then you are OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For something to be a lie the following conditions must be fulfilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The statement must be untrue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Souce: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA)&lt;/a&gt; at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.urbandharma.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In writing non fiction, you would not be having the second condition as you would know and also making know this is fiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T14:42:20.163" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20957" CreationDate="2017-06-11T14:54:29.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The fourth precept on musavada (lying) in Buddha Dhamma includes all abuses done my speech, including harsh speech, slandering, and gossip which will harm oneself and others.&#xA;Thus the fourth precept encompasses all four akusala kamma done with speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said, “cetana ham Bhikkave kamman vadami“. Thus, what determines the type of kamma is the cetana. Cetana is translated sometimes as “intention” and other times as “volition”. “Intention” is one of the dasa akusala in the case of an akusala kamma. Intentions vary. For example, one may lie about something because of greed (lobha); another person may tell the same lie because of hate (dosa); the consequences are worse for the latter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The greatest negative consequences that one will reap when writing on Dhamma is when one “explains not-Dhamma as ‘Dhamma’ … Dhamma as ‘not-Dhamma’ … not-Vinaya as ‘Vinaya’ … Vinaya as ‘not-Vinaya’ … Buddha has described in Sangha Bedha Sutta (AN 10.1.4.7 – in the sixth book) that this is what is meant by Sangha Bedha – an Anantariya kamma that is one of the five heinous deeds which certainly bear results after death (as one is misleading another in this dhamma path).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T14:54:29.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20960" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20957" CreationDate="2017-06-11T17:29:07.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's good that Eggman feels that such might be not good for one self and for others and it's always good to follow ones conscious and rejoice in ones sacrify less would do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Precepts are simple and straight and not telling the truth rather suggesting lies, how could one feel comfortable a long time. To speak very straight forward: especially when written in words and people might fall into the pitfall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think when years later one might come to the insight &quot;it's not good, it could cause others harm, it was not good that I used such to just earn this or that&quot;, how difficult to cover them all so that nobody would fall into.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, and that is the reason why not often talked about, certain truth in regard of livelihood can make one troubled but also released if having found certain doubts by oneself. In this regard this Sutta about an actor in doubt might be useful, since it is not so far away in kind and way of livelihood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Talaputa Sutta: To Talaputa the Actor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastActivityDate="2017-06-11T17:29:07.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20961" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20963" CreationDate="2017-06-12T03:19:16.150" Score="1" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that the Buddha has told that in the future the monks will have a wife and kids, will wear no cloths except for a puuna nula and he would be engaging in hunting and etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where can I find the Sutta of this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T08:27:18.657" Title="Sutta References on Future Monks" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|monk|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20962" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20953" CreationDate="2017-06-12T13:58:53.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Upasaka Lanka, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;usually the teacher would give a stanza of a sutta be reciting it. The student would then try to rebeat it and the teacher would correct him. When it has been grasped, the disciple would seek for a proper place for him, but not to far from his teacher, or elders, so that they would correct him in cases of wrong, and rebeat the stanza. Once gotten, he would go out for the next and after a while he would be able to cite the whole sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today books and writting down as support or mostly even replacement, would be normal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My self not really eager and interested in memorizing words and also because the usual way of transfere is very seldom (a proper given) and also not very gifted in that, coul master a &quot;Blessing-Sutta&quot; in two days. (Its quite disturbing when used to meditation, since it appears disturbing like if still carring music lyrics if not abound already)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, the training it self is a really good concentration training and young monks would not do and train it on silent remute places, but in the middle of the &quot;noice&quot; of even hundred other chanting monks. An enviroment which would cause western or modern really problems but their concentration and mindfulness is very good trained to be able to turn off evertthing else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's also not seldom that jhanic states are reached and some also become somehow addicted, whould chante the whole night loadly, if their teacher would not restrikt it for a good.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally the learn method is total different to modern ways in still traditional countries. Children would learn also in school in a citing way first. Mastered words and remembering, then would be the time rippe to learn the language and other that the meaning while train in precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The benefit is that concentration is trained by an certain object and the mind does not become so full of ideas and speculations, tousands of thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern learning does not really put much into basic mind training good for an easy life but more in making people effective in thinking how to still there desires and be productive outwardly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course in just reciting memorizing texts, mostly without understanding even the language, does not bear much in regard of the path at first glimbs but given that most will not gain fruits or paths, one might leave this world with more ease and not so disturbed and confused like others having developed much ideas. Saññā (Rememberance) is gone anyway with the break up of the body but habits, such as being skilled in remembering, mindfulness and concentration will follow in some ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if one searches for a good practice and finds some tendency to it, it's recommented if lighter objects of concentrations are not so graspable for now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The more the five hindrences are dominant and people are used to contact and following them, the more difficult will bethis training. Especially when coming in contact with modern live and emense sensuallity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Used to speak load, one trains also speech, in form of sound, metrics and words, which is also very benefical. Reading loud is also very recommended in regard of reading learning Dhamma and just in modern, wewtern wirld unusual. That is also the reason why most people (since many had ordained as kids) are very skilled in speech that is charming and pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's out of urgency in any case good (if avaliable) to get and understand the meaning, which Upasaka Saptha Visuddhi explained well in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20954/11479&quot;&gt;his answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We should not forget that in folk-buddhism, eg generally, monks are training chanting to have a means for their livelihood and &quot;income&quot;, so its at lage, even traditional, a &quot;acter&quot;-traing without which most would not survive, like today modern learning much Dhamma, study it, and then teach people and &quot;entertain&quot; the layity with a other service for livelyhood. Both, how ever, is actually not really good and wrong livelyhood for monks but counts also for lay people, chanter or scholars: this Dhamma is not given to make a livelihood out of it and good right from the beginning, never to speculate to gain material thing, honore... or a punch of reputations on Bu-SE in citing the same, again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,1426.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here a gift blessing &quot;Mangala Sutta&quot;&lt;/a&gt; (pali with khmer translation after each stanza) of some young former fellow monks as a amr-file attached. (Note that the Khmer Mahanikaya, or long time folk pronanciation is different to all other countries and in Cambodia it was till short a &quot;pure&quot; oral tradition, maybe even the longest &quot;unbroken&quot; lineage till Khmer-rouge time) The Ven. left, , &quot;youngest and smallest, leading the chant, for example, is one, even young, one does good to pay respect like to rare Elders.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;4&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&quot;Vast learning, skill in handicrafts*, well grounded in discipline, and pleasant speech — this is the highest blessing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.piya_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-mangala Sutta: Blessings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;of layman and or monks&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-12T14:04:51.040" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T14:04:51.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20961" CreationDate="2017-06-12T14:08:13.323" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the future, Ananda, there will be clan-members [(religious) lineage members] who are &lt;strong&gt;“yellow-necks,”&lt;/strong&gt; immoral, of bad nature. People will give them gifts for the sake of the sangha. Even then, Ānanda, I say, an offering made to the sangha is immeasurable. And, Ānanda, I say that in no way is an individual gift ever more fruitful than an offering made to the sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.9-Dakkhina-Vibhanga-S-m142.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dakkhiṇa Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T08:27:18.657" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5881" CreationDate="2017-06-12T17:42:24.363" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a very interesting question. I put a lot of stock in the actual 'seeking of refuge' in the 3 jewels when this subject arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I lost everything in a 13-15 month period. My marriage, my family, my career, my father passed away, my mother was committed to a home and was beyond communication, and I had 2 heart attacks. And died twice. It was from the bottom of this pit that I sought my answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now I consider myself fortunate. The job of stripping my life bare and relinquishing attachments had been done. It really gave me an advantage in being able to build myself back up. I likened it to the period where Siddartha experimented with asceticism. I went thru all that torture and found my bare essence. And I sought the wisdom of the Buddha from that point as I had discarded my old religious beliefs years before and was living as an atheist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sought the dharma by following my own intellectual curiosity. I tried to follow what I felt to be the most true and accurate representations of Buddha Sakyamuni's original thoughts. This led me to the dhammapadda, then the upanishads. Then I took to reading the entire tipitaka. I read some texts and brochures for the lay Buddhist and that seemed like drivel compared to actually developing my own views based on what was said by Buddha, Ananda, Maha or anyone in the Sutta Pitaka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course I have so much more to learn but every once in awhile I will compare my understanding by looking to various koans and I feel right on track with both modern answers as well as those from 3,500 years ago. Following my inner self as a guide and using my curiosity has served me well. But I had the advantage of starting from scratch. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus I consider myself a sort of boddhisattva. And my special path will add to those others have cleared/traversed finding their way here on their own. Then as I draw refuge in their company, my sangha, we can share our experiences and gain from them all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I consider it a balance like all things. But I prefer the breadcrumb option and let people gather strength of will from their journey as well as new experiences to add to the future sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jeff Messer&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T17:42:24.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20965" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19733" CreationDate="2017-06-12T17:58:36.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One &quot;becomes a Buddhist&quot; by seeking refuge in the 3 jewels: the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. By seeking refuge we mean actively learning and using that knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After the point of inquiry into &quot;Buddhism?&quot; then you start to learn about it thru literature or asking people or videos. All part of the dharma. Then as you learn and envelope yourself with the Buddhist community ... the sangha. But it all starts with the initial seeking of refuge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That initial step is all that is &quot;required&quot; to be a real Buddhist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T17:58:36.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-12T19:40:24.590" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel as if there are some huge misconceptions regarding &quot;karma&quot; as described in the west. So many consider it like a kind of moral retribution and never recognize its true essence. Karma is momentum. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All things are interrelated ... like a massive wall of gears and pinions. Some turning one way, others another way, some shafts protruding at 45 degree angles, and some vanishing into space or even time. Once one turns one direction then it is affected and affects others (all others to some extent). Some things it will affect in a negative manner, some sideways, some additive, and some barely at all. Positive actions tend to do positive things on down the line and help in many areas while negative things tend to wreak more havoc or be more isolated. That is karma. Not some moralistic determiner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for rebirth. ugh. OK. The dualism we find specified between mind and body is also a bit of a misnomer. It's consciousness and body. Only the body is that identity that &quot;rebirths&quot;. The consciousness, or chariot driver from the aisha upanishad, is itself limitless despite being housed by the vessel of the body. Limitless in space and time. When unconstrained it may merely reoccupy the same body it came from, or another, or something completely different. The why behind that ascension is debatable. We DO come back like we are now and we DON'T come back like we are now and we ARE back like we are now and this will continue until the damage is fixed to the universe and it goes back to unity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-12T19:40:24.590" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20967" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21015" CreationDate="2017-06-12T19:41:16.303" Score="2" ViewCount="1431" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha tell us anything about reaching the end of the cosmos or time-travel through the means of experiencing all the Jhanas in meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T12:25:04.437" LastActivityDate="2019-08-10T15:58:00.140" Title="Did Buddha told anything about if we can travel to the end of the cosmos?" Tags="|meditation-insight|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20968" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21575" CreationDate="2017-06-12T19:58:29.050" Score="6" ViewCount="353" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading a comment on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20815/4928&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and it mentioned the word &lt;code&gt;mind&lt;/code&gt; being used in nine different ways. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;pre&gt;&lt;code&gt;Comment below :&#xA;&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If you learn to apply episteme, the way Foucault, Derrida, and Kant had&#xA;  used, in deconstructing the key Buddhist Pali words, you may find&#xA;  other deeper meaning to them that are of a supramundane nature. For&#xA;  example, you will find nine different ways the word ‘Mind’ is used&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specifically in what 9 ways is the word &lt;code&gt;mind&lt;/code&gt; used? In only nine ways? Not more not less?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T17:08:13.957" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T16:35:27.953" Title="Nine different ways the word ‘Mind’ is used?" Tags="|terminology|mind|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20970" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20968" CreationDate="2017-06-13T00:50:57.787" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;To better understand the key words in the Sutta Pitaka – the first basket, one must look into the third basket - the Abhidhamma Pitaka of the Tipitaka, the Pali Canon. The sutta pitaka gives a synopsis - a summary of key terms. For each of the key concept, there is a Vibhanga – a detailed description, in the third basket. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The different levels what we generally refer to as the MIND is explained in the Vibhanga Prakaranaya. At one end is the radiant mind. Then the mind goes through the nine stages of contamination, and the other end is the defiled mind. These stages are:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;Citta,   Mano,   Manasan (Manasa),   Hadayan,   Pandarung,   Manayathan,   Maneendriyan,   Vinnana,   Vinnanakkhanda.&lt;/strong&gt;  This classification is given in the Patisambhida-magga-prakarana section of the  Vibhanga Prakaranaya.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason for the Pali Tripitaka has been wrongly translated to English and then to Sinhala, has very much to do with Buddhaghosa and Visuddhimagga.  The Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification) written by Buddhaghosa has been a curse, that had misled almost every single one of us in the wrong path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only now we are beginning to see the true meaning of the words of the Magadhi language. Maghadi is language of sound. It is meant only to be spoken. To write down the lengthy discourses that were in Maghadi that Buddha took hours to preach, PALI was invented. Pali is a form of Precis writing. With Pali, the Arahants of yesteryear managed to describe as accurately and briefly as possible the substance or main ideas contained in the discourses that Buddha gave. As a result an hours long discourse was condenced into a couple of paragraphs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The distortion of the True Dhamma happened when it was translated to Sanskrit. The people who translated the Dhamma did a word to word translation which caused the path to Nibbana be closed to all of us. Now the incorrect meanings have got so entrenched in our collective psyche, that it is a question whether the true meanings would ever come to light. If I am to briefly explain a couple of the forms that this ‘Mind’ of ours would take:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CITTA&lt;/strong&gt; is the Mind in its most radiant, pure &amp;amp; pristine form. Its most contaminated form is called &lt;strong&gt;VINNANA&lt;/strong&gt;. Our consciousness (vinnana) is not like that of an Arahant. Ours is contaminated by defilements. This awareness of ours is like looking though a foggy window. It is like a glass of water clouded from impurities. A pristine clear glass of water is on the other had the Citta - the “radiant mind”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vinnana is “Vi + Gnana”. The prefix “Vi” gives the meaning of distorted, biased, prejudiced, coloured, form of sanna. Sanna (perception) identifies the object according to one’s gathi. Thus vinnana changes from moment to moment from feelings of  Sukha, Dukha, Somanassa, Domanassa, elation, fear, etc. etc.. Vinnana is forever adding things through the senses, further lengthening the samsara process. The Buddha has taught “uno loko atitto tanha daso” - The world is empty, insatiable a slave of craving” - That nothing can be maintained to ones liking. The more that one sees this the more that one comes toward the radiant mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-14T01:29:37.947" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T01:29:37.947" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20955" CreationDate="2017-06-13T07:43:46.523" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas state in places (I can't quote all of them off-hand) that laypeople should strongly critique the behaviour of monks before establishing faith in those monks. Example, MN 95:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Bhāradvāja, a bhikkhu may be living in dependence on some village or town. Then a householder or a householder’s son goes to him&#xA;  and investigates him in regard to three kinds of states in regard to&#xA;  states based on greed, in regard to states based on hate, and in&#xA;  regard to states based on delusion. MN 95&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Misbehaviour of monks can be reported to other monks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note that it was often lay people's criticism that brought the monk's wrong doings to the attention of the Buddha.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html#committing&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Bhikkhus' Rules A Guide for Laypeople&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas rarely report the Buddha taught lay people the 4 truths but, instead, the Buddha mostly teaches laypeople to develop morality for a heavenly rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in his 1st sermon (SN 56.11), the Buddha states the 4 truths are for those who have left the household life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of sensual&#xA;  happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of&#xA;  worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of&#xA;  self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Without&#xA;  veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened&#xA;  to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to&#xA;  knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  enlightenment, to Nibbāna. SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;DN 31 states the duty of a monk is to teach the path to heaven (and not Nibbana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ascetics and brahmans thus ministered to as the Zenith by a householder show their compassion towards him in six ways:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(i) they restrain him from evil,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(ii) they persuade him to do good,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(iii) they love him with a kind heart,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(iv) they make him hear what he has not heard,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(v) they clarify what he has already heard,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(vi) they point out the path to a heavenly state.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 143 describes how the teaching of non-attachment was rarely taught to Buddhist lay people but to only those gone forth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This sort of talk on the Dhamma, householder, is not given to lay people clad in white. This sort of talk on the Dhamma is given to&#xA;  those gone forth. MN 143&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T07:58:14.157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T07:58:14.157" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20974" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="20978" CreationDate="2017-06-13T13:08:23.900" Score="7" ViewCount="1070" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am new to buddhism and meditation (I have been practising it for one month now), and despite finishing my fourth book on the matter, I am still very unclear about what a meditation session should look like when practicing either concentration or mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I understood, each of these practices are clearly differents and even have different pali names (Samatha and Vipassana if I am right ?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can already tell that I can't differenciate concentration and mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I focus on my breath, I am naturally distracted by all kind of things which I have to be mindfull of (the way my body feels, the sounds I ear, what I smell from the kitchen, my thoughts and emotions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when I try to practice mindfulness, I can't help but focusing on my breath, because it is often the first thing that I can notice in that state, and it is always present. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I start my meditation I focus on my breath, then if something happens I try to be mindfull of it, and then I focus on my breath again until something else happens, switching maybe every 2 to 10 seconds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am wondering why concentration and mindfulness are referred to as disctinct practices in the books I read, as it doesn't make much sense to me. At this point I am afraid that I may be missing something important. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11524" LastActivityDate="2023-05-02T10:24:10.157" Title="What is the difference between concentration and mindfulness practice ?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20975" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T13:49:42.143" Score="4" ViewCount="220" Body="&lt;p&gt;Today morning, while browsing certain virtual Dhamma-places, the thought came into my persons mind: &amp;quot;Indeed, there are seldom people who give without out expecting anything, food (for good thoughts), clothes (accounts), shelter (space), and medicin (assistanes to exist further) for long life and comfortable existence, shelter and help for the Dhamma and long time welfare for many. What if I ask about the secound kind of seldom people in this world, to bring this also into attention?&amp;quot; Now having taken time for following that thought, my person likes to ask:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What would be the proper way to pay back goodness done to one?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What kind of ways are there, to do so?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the stages of being grateful, in accordiance to right view and ones personal circumstances?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...when we make use of facilities, time, sacrifies... of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0402m2.mul2_en_uppa.html#an03.24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Has done much&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These three persons have done much to a person. Which three? The person gone to whom this person takes refuge in the Enlightenment, in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The person gone to whom this person knows as it really is, this is unpleasant, this is the arising of unpleasantness, this is the cessation of unpleasantness and this is the path leading to the cessation of unpleasantness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again, the person gone to whom, this person destroys desires, releases the mind and released through wisdom, here and now abides having realized. These three persons have done much to this person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It is not possible that these three persons could be thoroughly repaid with gratitude, by this person revering him, attending on him, clasping hands towards him and honouring him with robes, morsel food, dwellings and medicinal requisites.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you like to let remembering words of Dhamma but also you most inner heart try to give an good answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This question is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2018-01-14T17:00:35.583" Title="How to propery pay back goodness and develop gratitude?" Tags="|personal-practice|right-view|dana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20975" CreationDate="2017-06-13T14:09:27.460" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that a typically Buddhist recommendation is that you try to be &amp;quot;easy to support&amp;quot;. For example if someone tries to do you a kindness (for example, by offering you food), then you're &amp;quot;easy to support&amp;quot; if you accept what's offered without making further, difficult demands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example of being &amp;quot;easy to support&amp;quot; might mean being inoffensive and harmless (although arguably everyone should try to be so anyway, not only when repaying a kindness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, I'm not sure that I agree with the premise of the question (that you should &amp;quot;pay back&amp;quot; goodness). I thought that kindness isn't necessarily supposed to be &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=define:transactional&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;transactional&lt;/a&gt;: for example, monks don't sell Dharma. So when lay people support monks, and monks support lay people, I'm not sure this ought to be viewed as &amp;quot;paying back&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A fairly widespread (not necessarily only Buddhist) alternative to &amp;quot;paying back&amp;quot; is called &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;paying forward&lt;/a&gt;. That means, if someone is kind to you, then you &amp;quot;return&amp;quot; that favour by being kind to someone else!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Paying forward&amp;quot; is a famous concept, at least on the internet: it's mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help/how-to-answer&quot;&gt;one of this site's help topics&lt;/a&gt;, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pay it forward&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Saying “thanks” is appreciated, but it doesn’t answer the question. Instead, vote up the answers that helped you the most! If these answers were helpful to you, please consider saying thank you in a more constructive way – by contributing your own answers to questions your peers have asked here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As an idea it's perhaps not incompatible with Buddhist ideals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T14:09:27.460" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20977" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T14:29:40.357" Score="2" ViewCount="263" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha teach some measure of &quot;Engaged Buddhism&quot;, to maybe more of a lay person audience? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever teach &quot;Engaged Buddhism&quot; to the Bhikkhus? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddhist scriptures support Engaged Buddhist teachings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it proper for a Bhikkhu  to be political in anyway in the world or in the monastery?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NOTE: &lt;strong&gt;Engaged Buddhism&lt;/strong&gt; generally refers to people who actively &lt;strong&gt;engage&lt;/strong&gt; in the world in order to transform it with positive Buddhist ideas &amp;amp;  practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-19T10:45:59.787" LastActivityDate="2018-07-19T10:45:59.787" Title="Did the Buddha teach Engaged Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20974" CreationDate="2017-06-13T15:21:27.397" Score="2" Body="&lt;h1&gt;From what I understood, each of these practices are clearly different&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calm meditation deals with developing the Jhana factors which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Movement of the mind onto the object (vitakka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Retention of the mind on the object (vicāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Joy (pīti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Happiness (sukha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One-pointedness (ekaggatā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The object of calm can be conceptual object or one relating to ultimate realities (rupa, citta, cetasika and nirvana). If it is relating to ultimate realities then insight also develops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight is based on meditation on the ultimate realities. The practice to understand the nature of the realities is through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of the body (kāya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mindfulness of dhammās&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here you bring your mind in tune with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt; which results in wise attention. This helps you understand causality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As such, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple closely and wisely attends to dependent arising itself,&#xA;  thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ sati, idaṁ hoti; „When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imass’uppādā, idam uppajjati. with the arising of this, that arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti; When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati. with the ending of this, that ends.‟&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on pleasant contact, a pleasant feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the pleasant contact, the pleasant feeling that arose in dependent on that pleasant&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on painful contact, a painful feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the painful contact, the painful feeling that arose in dependent on that painful&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on neutral contact, a neutral feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the neutral contact, the neutral feeling that arose in dependent on that neutral&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.3-Assutava-S-2-s12.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assutava Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also wise attention is forerunner of cultivating the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; which leads to insight. Also it is one of the most essential ingredient in developing insight and insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dawn, bhikshus, is the forerunner, the harbinger of sun-rise.&#xA;  Even so, bhikshus, for a monk this is the forerunner, the harbinger of the arising of the noble eightfold&#xA;  path, that is, accomplishment in wise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when a monk is accomplished in this wise attention, it is to be expected that he will&#xA;  cultivate the noble eightfold path, develop the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight  practice can be combined with calmness practice as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, bhikshu, this samadhi has been cultivated, well cultivated by you, then you should&#xA;  train yourself thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;I will dwell exertive, clearly aware, mindful,&#xA;  observing [contemplating] ________ the in the _________ [body | feeling | mind | dhamma],&#xA;  removing covetousness and displeasure [discontent] in regard to the world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, bhikshu, you should train yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, bhikshu, this samadhi has been cultivated, well cultivated by you, then, you, bhikshu,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 1ST DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi with initial application, with sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi without initial application, with only sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 2ND DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi without initial application, without sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi with zest;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 3RD DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi zest-free;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi attended by comfort;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 4TH DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi attended by equanimity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both are needed for liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is the path leading to the unconditioned?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Calm and insight [Samatha and vipassana]—this is called the path leading to the unconditioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.1-Samatha-and-vipassana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Mūla) Samatha Vipassanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both calm and insight is needed to get to the final goal. They may not develop at the same space or level at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “insight preceded by calm” samatha,pubb’angama vipassanā&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) “calm preceded by insight” vipassana,pubb’angama samatha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) “calm coupled with insight” samatha,vipassana,yuga.naddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) “a mind seized by dharma-restlessness” dhamm’uddhacca,viggahita manasa &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.5-Yuganaddha-Patipada-S-a4.170-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Yuga,naddha) Paṭipadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the development of &lt;strong&gt;both&lt;/strong&gt; gives arise to psychic powers as in &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In that case, Vaccha, cultivate two higher teachings: calm and insight. Vaccha, when these two&#xA;  teachings—calm and insight—are cultivated further, they bring about a penetration of the many elements&#xA;  (dhātu).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/27.4-Maha-Vacchagotta-S-m73-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Vaccha,gotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one develops without the other then the following advice is given in finding a suitable teacher / technique:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) A meditator who is able to attain only calm should consult an insight-attainer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) A meditator who is able to attain only insight should consult a calm-attainer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) A meditator who is unable to attain both should consult one skilled in both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) A meditator who is able to attain both should work for awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.3-Samatha-Vipassana-Samadhi-Sutta-3-a4.94-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Samatha Vipassanā) Samādhi Sutta 3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;When I focus on my breath, I am naturally distracted by all kind of things&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get over distraction you have to practice&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Movement of the mind onto the object (vitakka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Retention of the mind on the object (vicāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More effort and energy you put into it lesser distraction you will get from external distraction going forward.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being mightful about the breath should be inline with the techniques in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; to get the benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if your mind gets distracted then you have to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know where you mind wanders away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;each new object or through has a sensation of pleasantness, unpleasantness or neutral sensation associated with it. Get to know this sensation and wait for it to subside otherwise this itself and memories it trigger means the distractions will continue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bring back to the object of meditation &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;And when I try to practice mindfulness, I can't help but focusing on my breath&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness of the breath is also insight and Satipatthana meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First Tetrad: Contemplation of the Body (kāya)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discerning the in and out breathing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discerning long or short breaths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiencing the whole body (sabbakāaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming bodily formations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Second Tetrad: Contemplation of the Feeling (vedanā)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being sensitive to rapture (pīti)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being sensitive to pleasure (sukha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being sensitive to mental fabrication (citta-saṃskāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming mental fabrication&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Third Tetrad: Contemplation of the Mind (citta)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Being sensitive to the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satisfying the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Steadying the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Releasing the mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Fourth Tetrad: Contemplation of the Mental Objects (dhammā)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwelling on impermanence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwelling on dispassion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwelling on cessation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dwelling on relinquishment&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But having said this ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Movement of the mind onto the object (vitakka)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Retention of the mind on the object (vicāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... will help you keep your focus on a chosen object, may it be the breath or one of the Satipatthana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;I am wondering why concentration and mindfulness are referred to as distinct practices&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The techniques are different but should be practiced together as highlighted above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.1-Samatha-and-vipassana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samatha and Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T10:54:21.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20979" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20975" CreationDate="2017-06-13T15:31:48.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will start with talking about giving and then address your question about receiving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Tibetan tradition, they have &lt;code&gt;Jinpa&lt;/code&gt; or &lt;code&gt;giving&lt;/code&gt; of which there are considered to be four kinds: &lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;DAK KI DUN CHIR&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Giving for your own benefit.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giving to inanimate objects,&#xA;  temple, etc. No recipient benefits. It is of benefit only to get&#xA;  results in the desire realm (samsara). Two types of people do&#xA;  this: those who aren't free from desire for the desire realm or&#xA;  those in deep meditation free of the desire realm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SHEN DUN CHIR&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Giving for the benefit of others.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No benefit to the giver;  other for benefit doing it only to help&#xA;  others and not themselves. Aryas do this, when those who have seen&#xA;  selflessness give to ordinary people. Don't wish for a result in the&#xA;  desire realm&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NYI KAY DUN CHIR&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Benefit both self and other by giving.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Giver wants result of desire realm and the recipient&#xA;  receives desire realm giving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NYIKAY MIN CHIR&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Neither benefit by giving.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A Buddha giving to another&#xA;  Buddha to honor them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These four are ordered (generally there are exceptions) from &quot;worst&quot; to &quot;best&quot; where 4 is the most powerful kind of giving. At first glance, this seems paradoxical. How can neither benefiting from giving be the best? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's use this site as an example to clarify point 4 : We can imagine a world where two Buddhas are on this site pretending to be mortals and spreading the Dharma, one asks a question knowing the answer and the other answers. While doing this giving (In this case they would also be giving to the readers of this site) they are aware of the emptiness of the gift, the emptiness of the giver, and the emptiness of the receiver. In the lecture, it is described as kind of like a game for them. They give such wondrous gifts to each other even though neither really needs the gifts. They give without attachment or expectation of reward. So no matter the result, downvotes, upvotes, being a featured question on the site, having the question deleted by moderators, they would not be swayed in one way or another. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for receiving the lecture speaks about expressing gratitude and accepting the giving. It also speaks that if accepting the gift with the idea of emptiness of the gift in mind it helps both you and the giver. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are several bodhisattva vows that go along with receiving gifts; &#xA;for example: &lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;selfishly not accepting invitations due to pride, the wish to hurt other’s feelings or anger or laziness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not accepting others’ gift out of jealousy, anger etc or simply to hurt others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is also #39 which speaks of repaying kindnesses done to one. Like taking care of your parents in old age. In fact, someone who has taken this vow would break it if they did not help someone who had helped them if it was in their power to do so... there are certain exceptions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those who have not taken such a vow might be fine with just accepting a gift and being grateful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another quick point to hit on is that &lt;strong&gt;it is possible to be grateful and resentful at the same time.&lt;/strong&gt; like for instance if someone gives you a book you want, but they did not give you the special edition with the bonus commentary. You might be grateful for the book but ask yourself &quot;Why did they not get me the special edition it was only 50 cents more&quot; This type of thought when receiving, comparing your gift with others, wanting a better gift, etc. is a hinderance at least, and greatly harmful at most. It stems from a root of desire and not a root of gratitude. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Footnotes (sources):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ACI course 5 class 10 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/text/course5/C5Notes.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;NOTES&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.acidharma.org/aci/online/_media/audio/course7/Course_07_10_32k.mp3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AUDIO LECTURE&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bodhicitta.net/BODHISATTVAVOWS.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE BODHISATTVA VOWS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T18:29:18.600" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T18:29:18.600" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20942" CreationDate="2017-06-13T15:43:13.463" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;While this answer might be controversial on this site I myself have struggled with this question for a long time. This is my perspective, nothing more. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answer is no, currently, there is not a proof of karma or reincarnation that I have found to be convincing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the inverse is also true... there is not a proof that eliminates the possibility of karma or reincarnation that I have found to be convincing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The conclusion I came to was that the timetables involved of lifetimes of rebirth made it impossible to set up an experiment that proved the issue one way or another. Believe me, I tried, for ~3 years I made myself the experiment. It was an existential adventure I do not regret. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now it is said that some people after a certain point in the path remember all their past lives, and to them, that would be a personal proof. But to me it is anecdotal, and I could not accept it as proof unless I myself experienced it. Even if I experienced it myself, I would not consider it a proof for other people for the same reasons. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T15:43:13.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20977" CreationDate="2017-06-13T16:01:58.690" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;UUU (btw. good to use simply given and more comfortable to use such names, it gives the questioner and answerer more seriousity, who would sacrify normaly to a UUU and have not certain discomfort with it?) and who ever also seriously interested, here in short but selfexpanding if going deeper, answers to the single questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did the Buddha teach some measure of &quot;Engaged Buddhism&quot;, to maybe more of a lay person audience?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of being a perfect disciple, he praised people who teach and also act according the Dhamma most. But one is also fine in just carrying about himself, since the Buddha knew that circumstances and possibilities of being are different and had no illusion of creating a &quot;good&quot; and peaceful Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sikkha Sutta: Trainings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This sutta is one of a series explaining AN 4.95, which rates individuals of four types. The lowest is the one who doesn't practice for his own benefit or for the benefit of others. Higher than this is the person who doesn't practice for his own benefit, but does practice for the benefit of others. Higher still is the person who practices for his own benefit, but not for the benefit of others. Highest of all is the person who practices both for his own benefit and for the benefit of others. Thus, as explained in this sutta, it is best if you not only follow the precepts but can also get others to follow them as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard to a layman's relations he gave advice to be secure in all directions: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigala- sutta, The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of community duties and engagements, he set out rules only for the Sangha of Monks and mostly very voluntary to take on. Most is a matter of duties in relation between teacher and disciples: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/vin/cv/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cv 8: Vatta Khandaka — Collection of Duties&lt;/a&gt; but even in teaching Dhamma by monks the prefix &quot;I a monk wishes...&quot; is always present, so it was of most interest for him, that people strive for their own liberation also for monks. Yet not to speak of his non-encouragement in getting additional burdened for laypeople how have already enought duties out of their dependency and dealing in society by themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did the Buddha ever teach &quot;Engaged Buddhism&quot; to the Bhikkhus?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No at all, not in the way it is generally understood.  A Bhikkhu is not asked to help in any way with outwardly things but more over, out of good reason, limited and &quot;discouraged&quot; to help in usually wordily ways, since it would make the path for liberation invisible for many in that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Making a living provide a favor for supporter in giving wordily help and assistance like sadly many popular monks do, the Buddha called &quot;animal art&quot; and such is a heavy offence and corruption. How ever, in some cases Bhikkhus are allowed to give also help in frame of food, cloth, shelter and medicine if having or ask for such, but that is restricted to people like father and mother or people near the Sangha and training. (See also under politic and taking side below.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in regard of being engaged in helping by teaching the Dhamma, there are cases where the Buddha called those who have not gained something lasting for themselves, called Bikkhus &quot;worthless monk&quot; to provoke to do the real desk fist: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.bpit_en.html#s-dhp-282&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of Thera Potthila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He encouraged sometimes disciples of him, who have reached at minimum Streamwinning, e.g. Noble Ones, to teach the Dhamma for release of engagement, liberation, if willing and able. A encouragement given to his disciples who have all already gained path and fruits or even liberation, which is often &quot;misused&quot; by so called &quot;Dammaduta&quot;-monks, monks who teach or even missionaries engaged in improper ways putting often Vinaya on the second place for doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also mentioned that it is good to approach and rebuke sectarians from time to time, like the householder &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.093.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anathapindika once did&lt;/a&gt; and of course always praised the gift of Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not and nowhere it will ever accrue as a duty to &quot;rescue&quot; others, at least because it's not possible. Those with less dust in the eyes how ever, have all possibilities to follow and receive support.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Buddhist scriptures support Engaged Buddhist teachings?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some, or better most, take certain rebirth stories as indirect encouragement, but the Buddha did not teach to follow his non-perfect history but provided the best way for one self and all others with the engagement in the Noble Eightfold path.&#xA;All scripts supporting such are later and defiled developments of those not seeing benefit of ending engagement in a wheel of causing suffering for one self and all others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it proper for a Bhikkhu to be political in anyway in the world or in the monastery?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not at all. It's either corruption, meaning that one maintains his livelihood and supporters with such and taking side, a heavy offence: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1/bmc1.ch05_en.html#Sg13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅghādisesa 13&lt;/a&gt;, or it is simlpy strong wrong view of a Bhikkhu, not understanding the aim and purpose of the holly life. Everybody is goid advised a avoid political involved monks and those monks taking on side, which ever side it might be. Such a person, a person with wrong view, is no admirable friend or teacher for a good and also not a place for having much benefit of ones gifts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Did the Buddha teach Engaged Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, he likes you to be full engaged in the best you can do for you self and all other being, in accessing and walking the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightful Path&lt;/a&gt; with your actions in mind, speech and bodily deeds and he does not like you to just talk about it and think how it would be but to put it into action as your whole life's purpose if ever possible and willing to do something beneficial for your self and all others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having abounded engagement but fully being engaged in his path, you become a real hero and not another fool not seeing &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the arrow placed in the own heart&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If having additional question, feel being given to ask also &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, since it allows more independence of engagement in the world and its aims.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since this a good lesson for those with eyes and the strong impermanence of comments, Atma likes to add a short discussion from another &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20991/11479&quot;&gt;good and proper answer&lt;/a&gt; in words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maybe worthy to add the &quot;duties&quot; of engagement of them: The ascetics and brahmans thus ministered to as the Zenith by a householder show their compassion towards him in six ways: (i) they restrain him from evil, (ii) they persuade him to do good, (iii) they love him with a kind heart, (iv) they make him hear what he has not heard, (v) they clarify what he has already heard, (vi) they point out the path to a heavenly state. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara_en.html&lt;/a&gt; if liking to add&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  – Samana Johann 2 hours ago    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;You have read this teaching incorrectly. The teachings states: &quot;thus ministered to as the Zenith by a householder &quot;. In other words, the householder first shows faith in the monk. I have no faith in you, for example, therefore it is sinful &amp;amp; a transgression of you to try to teach me. Regards&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  – Dhammadhatu 2 hours ago&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not sinful &amp;amp; transgressing Dhammaduta and good that you understood the teaching rightly, but called dukkhata and so not encouraged by the Buddha for his disciples to engage and of course it bears the danger of making disrespect in regard of the three juwels usual. So it seems two worlds, that of right and wrong view do not easy come together if not making sacrify at first place in faith. And as told, it's for the sake of those able to be healed that those who are lost also receive Dhamma. May it be an emergency hint.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  – Samana Johann 14 mins ago    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's all a good sample for many think about &quot;engaged Buddhism&quot; here, so Atma hopes you can provide enough generosity to do not delete the more subtil teachings for low wordily sake as Dhammadhatu usually does, calling it &quot;emptiness. Mudita in advanced.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  – Samana Johann 9 mins ago    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, even a monk who has long penetrated the Dhamma in this Doctrine and Discipline would do well to refute the wanderers of other persuasions with the Dhamma periodically in just the way Anathapindika the householder has done.&quot; Ditthi Sutta: Views Some sad &quot;good that the teacher(s) are gone, now we can do as we like&quot;, some others simply knew that they had receiced a lot of goodness and walked without correcting the lost on in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20975/how-to-propery-pay-back-goodness-and-develop-gratitude&quot;&gt;foodsteps of gratitude&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  – Samana Johann 4 mins ago   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end, as a person who actually gave up all wealth, pleasure and gain to sacrifice all gifts to engage for the welfare of the &quot;poor&quot;, meaning not only talk around, likes to share a usual proof of the Buddha before he gave leave to monks desiring getting dhammically engaged, usually not expected to live further for a long: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Punna Sutta: An Punna&lt;/a&gt; (Puñña, one having merits)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you are really already in the position of Punna, and really able to bear all this and able to live exclusively on the goodness of others without calling for rights and demanding this or that: Go on and sacrifice that what you have righteously made to your own and share the accumulations you have gained being really your on and gifts. Be a great field of merits in this world so empty of possibilities for many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find a maybe extended version as well as given space for discussion and further question, dedicated for the Sangha and their follower her. Fell given with strings only pulling torward Nibbana: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8111.msg12347.html#msg12347&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] Did the Buddha teach Engaged Buddhism?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.&#xA;There might be parts that have been edited by others. The fact of not reconstructing it does not mean to approve such by the author if not mentioned in a visible way. Sadhu for editing spellings and layout, Nyom Chris.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-14T05:20:26.890" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T05:20:26.890" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20983" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T16:21:12.927" Score="5" ViewCount="294" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was following &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/17341/254&quot;&gt;an older thread&lt;/a&gt;, however I would love if someone could respond with an answer as to how I can handle the following situation.  This happens almost every time I do mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I sit in mindfulness I almost always get a tickling or tingling sensation from my clothing, whether its the bra or underwear etc. As I sit there I try to continue breathing in and out focusing on my anchor, but inevitably the sensation gets the best of me, I feel exasperated and do what I ned to do to relieve the sensation. I feel like I could burst from the agitation sometimes, and I have never been able to sit through the agitation long enough for it to go away, the agitation can persist for 10 plus minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11525" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T21:42:41.457" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T12:15:59.887" Title="Agitation during mindfulness tickling" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20983" CreationDate="2017-06-13T17:01:50.107" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This could be the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrance&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uddhacca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Restlessness&lt;/a&gt;-&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukkucca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;worry&lt;/a&gt; which accompanies irritable tingling tingling sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is increased by not giving wise attention to it. That is to look at the sensation with equanimity noting that it arises and passes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is, bhikshus, the lack of mental calm (cetaso avupasamo). Frequently giving unwise attention&#xA;  to them is food for the arising of unarisen restless and worry, and for the growth and abundance of arisen&#xA;  restless and worry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is, bhikshus, mental calm (cetaso vūpasama). Frequently giving wise attention to them is not&#xA;  food for the arising of unarisen restless and worry, nor for the growth and abundance of arisen restless&#xA;  and worry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.15-Nivarana-Bojjhanga-Ahara-S-s46.51-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Nīvaraṇa Bojjhaṅga) Ahara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The enlightenment facts to cultivate and not to cultivate are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And should cultivate:When the mind is restless it is not the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: investigation of the doctrine, energy and rapture, because an agitated mind can hardly be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the mind is restless, it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: tranquillity, concentration and equanimity, because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#rest&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aggi Sutta | The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T17:07:04.880" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17341" CreationDate="2017-06-13T17:04:03.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The tingling sensation may be used to restless worry. You can just look at the sensation knowing its impermanence. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20984/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T17:04:03.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20955" CreationDate="2017-06-13T18:38:18.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You must first look to things within your own control that could contribute to or even cause the behavior you observed. A minor change on OUR part can often lead to the results you desire and not bring embarrassment to a colleague.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A person is only in our world of awareness because we choose them to be so we must always examine the weakness we observed from our own perspective first. WE control our world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;damyata datta dayadhvam&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T18:53:39.150" LastActivityDate="2017-06-13T18:53:39.150" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20988" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T21:08:12.283" Score="4" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why is the desire/attachment in the middle of the&#xA;Wheel of Life considered negative and the desire of bodhicitta considered positive?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11521" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-13T21:42:27.157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T03:08:34.627" Title="Wheel of life and bodhicitta" Tags="|desire|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20989" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T22:17:32.213" Score="3" ViewCount="75" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm wondering what the best ways to increase mental and physical energy are. I'm often fatigued, and feel slightly lethargic quite often. I have a lot of energy for intellectual tasks, but seemingly, I am fatigued by mundane chores or such things. I also lack willpower for resisting certain tasks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that a good way to deal with this would be to simply commit to exercising more, but I wonder if there are other ways that Buddhism recommends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit: I think my previous post on lying might be relevant. Could it be that integrity--something encompassing effort, willpower, honesty and consistency--be something that I am currently lacking? Something akin to, perhaps, virya? I'm not sure. Any thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T04:28:52.423" Title="Energy and diligence" Tags="|energy|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20988" CreationDate="2017-06-14T00:33:03.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The wheel of life is about the causes that create suffering, which is unrelated to &lt;em&gt;bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bodhicitta&lt;/em&gt; (the wish to attain enlightenment motivated by compassion for all sentient beings) requires a &lt;em&gt;pure altruistic&lt;/em&gt; intention. Where as the wheel of life includes both unwholesome &amp;amp; wholesome desires that result in attachment &amp;amp; suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the difference between them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-14T23:41:24.427" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T23:41:24.427" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20992" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-14T02:15:16.650" Score="6" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for a very specific sutta in the Pali Canon wherein it is explained how the uninstructed worldling, upon feeling dejected, will turn to sensual pleasures to assuage his craving for satisfaction, which is contrary to the way of the wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your kind attention, and your very much appreciated help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11288" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T09:09:53.403" Title="Dejection and Sensuality" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20988" CreationDate="2017-06-14T03:52:51.783" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Within the Pali suttas I recommend the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhuni Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though something (such as desire, for example, or conceit) is to be abandoned in the end it may be, if used rightly (if it has a right goal, or intention), a means (&quot;by relying on it&quot;) for arriving there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-14T11:04:48.140" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T11:04:48.140" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20994" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20992" CreationDate="2017-06-14T04:25:16.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Following Suttas have which might fit what you are looking for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/42.3-Lokadhamma-S-2-a8.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Loka,dhamma Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when _____ comes to an uninstructed worldling,&#xA;  he does not reflect thus:&#xA;  „Now, this loss has arisen to me, but it is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change.‟&#xA;  He does not understand it as it really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when _____ comes to a wise noble disciple,&#xA;  he reflects thus:&#xA;  „Now, this gain has arisen to me, but it is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change.‟&#xA;  He understands it as it really is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/28.7a-Gaddula-S-1-s22.99-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gaddula,baddha Sutta 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;bhikshus, the uninstructed worldling [ignorant ordinary] person, who has no regard for the&#xA;  noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in the Dharma of the noble ones, who has no regard for the&#xA;  true individuals and is unskilled and undisciplined in the Dharma of the true individuals,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;regards form as the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in&#xA;  form;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;an instructed noble disciple, who has regard for the noble ones and is skilled and&#xA;  well disciplined in their Dharma of the noble ones, who has regard for the true individuals and is skilled&#xA;  and well disciplined in their Dharma of the true individuals,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;does not regard form as the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self&#xA;  as in form;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.10-Maha-Malunkyaputta-S-m64-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Mālunkyā,putta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;an uninstructed worldling [ignorant ordinary]&#xA;  person, who has no regard for the noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dharma, who&#xA;  has no regard for the true individuals and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dharma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) dwells with a mind obsessed and overcome by self-identity view, and he does not understand,&#xA;  according to reality, the escape from the arisen self-identity view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;an instructed noble disciple, who has regard for the noble ones and is skilled and&#xA;  well disciplined in their Dharma, who has regard for the true individuals and is skilled and well disciplined&#xA;  in their Dharma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) does not dwell with a mind obsessed or overcome by self-identity view, and he does understand,&#xA;  according to reality, the escape from the arisen self-identity view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.3-Assutava-S-2-s12.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assutava Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But, bhikshus, as regards to what is called „mentation [thought],‟&#xA;  or „mind,‟&#xA;  or „consciousness,‟—the&#xA;  uninstructed worldling is unable to be revulsed towards it, unable to be dispassionate towards&#xA;  it, unable to be freed from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As such, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple closely and wisely attends to dependent arising itself,&#xA;  thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ sati, idaṁ hoti; „When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imass’uppādā, idam uppajjati. with the arising of this, that arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti; When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati. with the ending of this, that ends.‟&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on pleasant contact, a pleasant feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the pleasant contact, the pleasant feeling that arose in dependent on that pleasant&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on painful contact, a painful feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the painful contact, the painful feeling that arose in dependent on that painful&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on neutral contact, a neutral feeling arises.&#xA;  With the ending of the neutral contact, the neutral feeling that arose in dependent on that neutral&#xA;  contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.5-Sallatthena-S-s36.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sall’atthena Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when the uninstructed ordinary person is touched by a painful feeling, he&#xA;  sorrows, grieves, laments, beats his breast, becomes confused. So he feels two feelings: the bodily&#xA;  and the mental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when the instructed noble disciple is touched by a painful feeling, he does not&#xA;  sorrow, or grieve, or lament, or beat his breast, or become confused. So he feels (only) one feeling:&#xA;  the bodily, not the mental.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When touched by a painful feeling, he delights in sensual pleasure.&#xA;  Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because, bhikshus, the uninstructed ordinary person knows no other escape than through sensual&#xA;  pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When touched by a painful feeling, he delights not in sensual pleasure.&#xA;  Why is that so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple knows escape other than through sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T09:09:53.403" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20995" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20989" CreationDate="2017-06-14T04:28:52.423" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;For mental lethargy you can try the techniques to abandon sloth and torpor.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To overcome physical lethargy you can do walking meditation with a quicker pace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T04:28:52.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20902" CreationDate="2017-06-14T05:11:28.220" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;By definition, something which is immovable cannot change. Therefore there is no such thing, as there is no thing which is not subject to change.&#xA;Were you to truly have immovable mindfulness, your mind would cease to be able to be unmindful. But since there is no such thing as a mind which is not subject to change, this is not possible.&#xA;Technically, when we talk about enlightenment, the texts describe it as permanent, which implies permanent mindfulness, but this is not that stage - this is still the stage of the Jhanas, which is not permanent.&#xA;By looking at the context, you can see that the Ajahn merely means &quot;strong, not interruptable by insubstantial means&quot;. I believe it is merely a use of language which appears objective but is actually subjective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7542" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T05:11:28.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20977" CreationDate="2017-06-14T05:37:03.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I doubt Engaged Buddhism (i.e., political &amp;amp; social activism) falls within the sphere of the Buddha's teachings because the Buddha taught his Dhamma is only taught to those with faith who have requested to be taught, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma. And this is the best of friendly speech: to teach again and again Dhamma to those who wish for it and who listen attentively.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, this principle is found in DN 31, which states the monk teaches the lay person only after the lay person has shown faith:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In five ways, young householder, should a householder minister to ascetics and brahmans as the Zenith: (i) by lovable deeds, (ii) by lovable words, (iii) by lovable thoughts, (iv) by keeping open house to them, (v) by supplying their&#xA;material needs.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ascetics and brahmans &lt;strong&gt;thus ministered&lt;/strong&gt; to as the Zenith &lt;strong&gt;by a householder&lt;/strong&gt; show (return) their compassion towards him in six ways: (i) they restrain him from evil, (ii) they persuade him to do good,&#xA;(iii) they love him with a kind heart, (iv) they make him hear what he&#xA;has not heard, (v) they clarify what he has already heard, (vi) they&#xA;point out the path to a heavenly state.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 31&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if a person or group of people ask a monk or dhamma teacher about a political or social issue, it is appropriate for the monk or dhamma teacher to provide a Buddhist perspective because the monk or dhamma teacher has been asked.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, to attempt to promote &amp;amp; impose Buddhism principles socially or politically, against the will of some people, appears to be against the Buddha-Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T05:37:03.487" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20983" CreationDate="2017-06-14T05:41:57.803" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When formally meditating, it is ideal to wear comfortable loose clothing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks &amp;amp; nuns generally do not wear bras &amp;amp; underwear therefore you can follow their example when meditating. Refer to this &lt;a href=&quot;http://meetthemonk.blogspot.com.au/2009/06/10-qs-for-monk.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks in tropical countries are still retaining this ancient set of&#xA;  clothing with the addition of an inner shirt covering the left&#xA;  shoulder but revealing the right and a waist belt to tighten up the&#xA;  under robe (underwear is not allowable, rather not prescribed for&#xA;  monks, though wearing underwear is a common practice for modern&#xA;  monks).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-14T06:11:37.423" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T06:11:37.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="20999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20992" CreationDate="2017-06-14T08:32:25.957" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Being contacted by painful feeling, he seeks delight in sensual&#xA;  pleasure. For what reason? Because the uninstructed worldling does not&#xA;  know of any escape from painful feeling other than sensual pleasure.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.6&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T08:32:25.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21000" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20977" CreationDate="2017-06-14T10:53:12.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never refused to teach, in the Pali Canon, if asked. But he didn't see issues and run to people offering his advice, of himself. I think engaged Buddhism is engaged to a sensible level. 'I have all the solutions' is something easy to think and one can debate away with someone else thinking the same for as long as one likes, but this method doesn't bring unity. &quot;What works for the individual works for the state&quot; as Confucius and others say, working on our own selves is also a valid approach to imroving society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T10:53:12.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21001" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-13T06:02:42.583" Score="0" ViewCount="523" Body="&lt;p&gt;What prompted the great BodhiDharma to go to China to spread his teachings- why not at home in the first place. Was he the founder of &lt;code&gt;kalari payattu&lt;/code&gt; which has become somewhat unknown to us? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="vijain" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T20:21:54.397" LastActivityDate="2019-01-18T14:59:33.387" Title="Bodhidharma leaving for china" Tags="|chinese-buddhism|koans|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21001" CreationDate="2017-06-14T13:40:44.897" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a long-standing mystery, described in many Zen Koans.  Here are two Koans from the Gateless Gate that mentions it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kyogen said: &amp;quot;Zen is like a man hanging in a tree by his teeth over a precipice. His hands grasp no branch, his feet rest on no limb, and under the three another person asks him: `Why does Bodhidharma come to China from India?' If the man in tree does not answer, he fails; and if he does answer, he falls and loses his life. Now what shall he do?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk asked Joshu, &amp;quot;With what intention did Bodhidharma come to China?&amp;quot; Joshu answered, &amp;quot;The oak tree in the front garden.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And here are three Koans from the Blue Cliff Record that mention it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk asked Kyorin, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?” Kyorin said, “I am tired from sitting for a long time.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ryuge asked Suibi, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the west?” Suibi said, “Bring me a chin rest.” Ryuge brought one and gave it to him. Suibi took it and hit him. Ryuge said, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch’s coming from the west.” Ryuge also asked Rinzai, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the west?” Rinzai said, “Bring me a sitting cushion.” Ryuge got one and gave it to Rinzai. Rinzai took it and hit him. Ryuge said, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch’s coming from the west.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A monk asked Great Master Ba, “Apart from the Four Phrases, beyond one hundred Negations, please tell me directly, Master, the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the West.” Master Ba said, “I am tired today, I can’t explain it to you. Go and ask Chizo.” The monk asked Chizo about it. Chizo said, “Why don’t you ask our master?” The monk said, “He told me to ask you.” Chizo said, “I have a headache today, I can’t explain it to you. Go and ask Brother Kai.” The monk asked Brother Kai about it. Kai said, “I don’t understand nothing about that question.” The monk told Great Master Ba about it. Great Master said, “Chizo’s head is white, Kai’s head is black.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="19" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-14T13:40:44.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21004" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-14T21:51:19.447" Score="4" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does everyone need to sit, even zen masters, especially according to Soto zen? Or are certain highly accomplished meditators incapable of experiencing scattered thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T10:05:41.120" Title="Does everyone need to sit, even zen masters, especially according to Soto zen?" Tags="|meditation|zen|soto|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21005" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21004" CreationDate="2017-06-15T00:33:20.183" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you don't have &quot;scattered thoughts&quot; whenever you are doing something, you're doing it fully immersed. Everybody has had periods of absolute involvement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously everybody has thoughts, it's just a matter of Distance from them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a matter of tradition and to set an example to everyone, everybody sits. I think even the founder Dōgen Zenji, sat till the very end. I'd even go so far as to say, if some people sit and some don't need to, then there's something wrong with the tradition and has some biases. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also some accomplished masters just sit peacefully/blissfully. Let's say you have mastered a good amount of distance between yourself and thoughts, you will be able to sit peacefully. And that would be a pleasure (not the material pleasure, just bliss). Hence you would just sit naturally. I hope I made myself clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="738" LastEditorUserId="738" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T09:05:38.120" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T09:05:38.120" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20974" CreationDate="2017-06-15T07:48:04.350" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;@Suminda's answer is quite thorough, so I'll just give some few extra pointers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am new to buddhism and meditation (I have been practising it for one month now), and despite finishing my fourth book on the matter, I am still very unclear about what a meditation session should look like when practicing either concentration or mindfulness.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One popular way to start your meditation practice is to follow the instructions found in the Ānāpānasati sutta. One thing one can do is dedicate meditation sessions to the first practices described, just to start. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Breathing in long, he understands: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, he understands: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he understands: ‘I breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he understands: ‘I breathe out short.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body of breath’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body of breath.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the bodily formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the bodily formation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, one can dedicate meditation sessions to, say, the observation of body and feeling as described in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These practices, as it turns out, help with the weakening of the &lt;em&gt;five hindrances&lt;/em&gt; (restlessness, sloth/torpor, sensual desire, aversion and doubt). These hindrances are critical obstacles to overcome. So weakening them should probably be the focus of the practice until one is able to be free from them for some reasonable period of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, at this point, all the effort should go into understanding and suppressing the five hindrances. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/20434/during-jhana-do-you-eliminate-all-hindrance-at-once/20444#20444&quot;&gt;Part of this practice is done in the day to day&lt;/a&gt;, part by the practices above, and part by developing concentration (which is also helped by the mindfulness meditation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much of the practice of meditation at this stage is popularly taught as simply calming and &quot;letting go&quot;, but they benefit significantly from the &quot;mindfulness&quot; practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;From what I understood, each of these practices are clearly differents and even have different pali names (Samatha and Vipassana if I am right ?).&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some traditions and teachers draw a clear distinction between them. Some ignore &quot;concentration&quot; altogether (likely as a shortcut, but sacrificing one branch of the eightfold path; this is a polemical subject), and others teach concentration in a very deep and &quot;absorbed&quot; way and do &quot;vipassana&quot; once they emerge from absorption.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot of these interpretations come from the exegetical texts, in particular, from the classic book Visuddhimagga -- &quot;Path of Purification&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas, however, allow for other readings. For example, in many discourses, right mindfulness is said to precede right concentration:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...] In a person of right mindfulness, right concentration [comes into being].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.103&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.103&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, there are some interesting parallels between the jhanas (meditation states that correspond to the &quot;right concentration&quot; of the eightfold path) and the Satipaṭṭhāna (&quot;mindfulness&quot;). So, it's possible to read the suttas and understand these practices going hand in hand and deeper, together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, we know that being free from the five hindrances are pre-requisite to the entering the first &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;. Moreover, being secluded from the hindrances creates conditions for some special experiences of happiness and rapture, which are jhana factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, if we look at the second part of Ānāpānasati, we see that the meditation objects are these experiences of &lt;em&gt;rapture&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;happiness&lt;/em&gt; and it's about further tranquilizing certain activities (possibly vicara/vitaka, to attain second jhana):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing rapture’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing rapture.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure.’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation. ’ He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in tranquillising the mental formation’; he trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out tranquillising the mental formation.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, likely this part of the practice is better performed once the meditator is free from hindrances and can get to a certain tender and gentle state where these factors are present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, these factors themselves contribute to the unification (&quot;concentration&quot;) of mind. They also &quot;retroactively&quot; make the five hindrances weaker in our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I am wondering why concentration and mindfulness are referred to as disctinct practices in the books I read, as it doesn't make much sense to me. At this point I am afraid that I may be missing something important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand it, this stems from how certain traditions came to understand and do these practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T07:56:15.643" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T07:56:15.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21007" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-15T08:33:18.383" Score="2" ViewCount="1401" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that Metta Meditation is the fastest way to a samadhi mind. How effectively fast is it? How is Metta properly cultivated as a meditation? As in how to develop the Vitakka Vicara on metta in meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T18:19:22.210" Title="Fastest way to Samadhi" Tags="|meditation|meditation-metta|metta|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21008" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-15T08:43:07.537" Score="5" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am trying to see whether the presence of certain characters and stories in the Jataka tales can be taken as a proof for them (stories and characters) being known in that form in the time of the Buddha. So, the question is different from the other thread on this forum &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/2664/does-theravada-buddhism-accept-jataka-stories&quot;&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?&lt;/a&gt; though related. I would assume that even the commentary portion of the Jatakas are based on some authentic source. Yet, is there a way to know by when these stories (the prose portion of the Jatakas) were added to Kuddaka Nikaya? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Was it by the first council, or later?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does the author of the prose portion affirm that his commentary is based on an oral linage of the narration coming all the way from the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since some of the characters in the Jataka tales (such as Dasaratha Jataka and Ghatapadita Jataka) are seen in non-Buddhist literature in India, and often developed into dramatic stories later, the scholars in India are divided in three ways:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;a) Independent folklore of the time inspired such stories in both the Buddhist and non-Buddhist sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b) Buddhist sources, just like the Jain sources are re-interpreting stories from the epics that were already fully developed and existent, and using it to support their respective philosophies. (I would not like to take this position because the Buddhist versions of the stories are much less dramatic and have not taken an epic-like narration. I don't see any motivation for the Buddhists to make the story less attractive if a more dramatic version was already available.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;c) The Buddhist Jataka tales and other unrelated stories would have inspired some others to later connect them together, modify the characters and develop grand epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. And, some characters were glorified later through they were ordinary characters in the Jataka tales. (Most people do not think in this line. However, I find this more justified. However, to prove this, it is important to know what is the general consensus within Buddhism and particularly Theravada regarding the date of origination the Jataka commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11531" LastEditorUserId="4928" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T15:06:20.580" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:59:37.303" Title="In what timeframe was Jataka tales added to Kuddaka Nikaya?" Tags="|pali-canon|history|jataka|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-15T09:30:17.317" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;My friends[more than 1] who've been doing a lot of retreats once said &quot;It's like 20 years of anapanasati retreat in 7 days&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feel the happiness and keep on staying with the object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually as long as you know how to do it, any object will do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T09:30:17.317" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-15T09:56:53.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way to develop Jhana using Metta is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To start with you have to do the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Move the mind onto the object (vitakka) - think of a person and spread love&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Retain the mind on the object (vicāra) - make sure you thinking is on loving kindness and bring up the thought again and again while keeping out other distraction&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta lead to concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One’s mind easily concentrates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.15-Ekadasa-Mettanisamsa-S-a11.16-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekā,dasa) Mettânisaṁsā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not mean it is the fastest way. This depends on your temperament and past life practice. If you have been practicing another form of meditation this might give quicker results. The Buddha is only person who can tell the easiest way one can achieve Samadhi or whether one can achieve it. (E.g. Cullapanthaka's story) But nevertheless, this is one effective way to achieve concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation has 2 objectives:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;develop the quality of loving kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;break barriers where one classifies being into categories (friend or foe, same clan or unfavorable clan, etc.) which one evaluates favorably, neutral or unfavorably and reacting to it with sensations which are pleasant, neutral and unpleasant where by developing craving, ignorance or aversion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get into Samadhi you need to develop the Jhana factors. Suppressing the 5 Hindrances does provide conducive ground for Jhanas factors also to develop. Jhana is result of developing the Jhana factor and suppression of the respective hindrance. So the fastest way for this is the most suitable &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt; to develop the Jhana factors. Since the Buddha is not there finding this is a trial and error process. Also there are some subjects which are more suitable for certain type of people. Jhana factors displace the Hindrances also, but displacing Hindrances alone does not lead to Jhana unless Jhana factor arises. As iterated before suppressing the hindrances give fertile ground for the Jhana factors to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also might be of interest: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.7-Metta-Bhavana-S-it1.3.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mettā Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/30.6-Attha-Mettanisamsa-S-a8.1-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Aṭṭha) Mettânisansa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T18:19:22.210" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21011" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21004" CreationDate="2017-06-15T10:05:41.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Soto Zen we don't sit to accomplish any end or fulfill any need, we sit (and do the rest of our practice) because it's the realisation (i.e. making real) of our Budda Nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T10:05:41.120" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20967" CreationDate="2017-06-15T10:48:01.803" Score="-1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes&#xA;  many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He&#xA;  goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, &amp;amp; mountains as if through&#xA;  space. He dives in &amp;amp; out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on&#xA;  water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he&#xA;  flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches &amp;amp;&#xA;  strokes even the sun &amp;amp; moon, so mighty &amp;amp; powerful. He exercises&#xA;  influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 119&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T10:48:01.803" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-15T10:48:41.247" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that Metta Meditation is the fastest way to a samadhi mind. How effectively fast is it? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the practitioner. All beings have different Kamma. Some have sharp and balanced &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya#5_spiritual_faculties&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;faculties&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and others must work more diligently on theirs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The initial effort/goal of any (Samatha)meditator must be to quiet down the &lt;em&gt;five hindrances&lt;/em&gt;. They are an obstruction to Samatha meditation. As long as the hindrances are present strong concentration (Jhana) cannot arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The two most influential hindrances are 1) sense-desire and 2) ill-will. The Buddha often talked about how ones faculties cannot remain sharp if one is prone to indulge in sense-desires, e.g. in &lt;em&gt;MN 75 - Magandiya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;So too, Magandiya, in the past sensual pleasures were painful to&#xA;  touch, hot, and scorching; in the future sensual pleasures will be painful&#xA;  to touch, hot, and scorching; and now at present sensual pleasures are&#xA;  painful to touch, hot, and scorching. But these people who are not free&#xA;  from lust for sensual pleasures, who are devoured by craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasures, who burn with the fever of sensual pleasures, have faculties&#xA;  that are impaired; thus, though sensual pleasures are actually painful&#xA;  to touch, they acquire a mistaken perception of them as pleasant.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the fastest way in any form of Samatha meditation is to ensure that the hindrances are kept in check. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be done in a number of ways; most importantly is to guard/restrain the sense-doors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That can be done either by practicing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Morality (precepts)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness (guarding the sense-doors, Right Mindfulness)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Attaining Wisdom (into the 3 sign of existence)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Patience and Forbearance (Khanti)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Effort (Right Effort from the Noble 8-fold Path). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If just one of these methods arises then one has fulfilled the goal of restraint. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is Metta properly cultivated as a meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19551/i-dont-like-people/19552#19552&quot;&gt;See my in-depth and detailed answer on how to pratice Metta Meditation correctly.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As in how to develop the Vitakka Vicara on metta in meditation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vitakka and Vicara is practiced in the same way as in all other forms of Samatha meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vitakka&lt;/em&gt; means to apply the Mind to the object and &lt;em&gt;Vicara&lt;/em&gt; means to continually keep the Mind on the object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vitakka is like striking a bell once.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vicara is like striking a bell continually with a little pause between strikes so that the bell sounds will have a balanced and continuous flow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. If you have any questions to the post feel free to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T11:02:12.597" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T11:02:12.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-15T13:03:36.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I were you, I'd try the slowest way to samadhi.  Generally, the more results-oriented your meditation is, the worse it's going to go.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T13:03:36.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20967" CreationDate="2017-06-15T14:25:10.483" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;We know of no sutra directly bearing on the subject of time travel, although space travel to the akasha deva loka (&quot;space world of shining ones&quot;) is frequently met with in both directions, Sakka to Earth and the Buddha and monastics to many &quot;celestial&quot; worlds [like the Buddha, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Moggallana&lt;/a&gt;, and other disciples going into near Earth orbit and battling a reptilian or naga named &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/n/nandopananda.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nandopananda&lt;/a&gt;). But there is one oddity we never stop pointing out: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During WW II the Germans developed a time travel &quot;bell&quot; (Die Glocke), which just happens to look exactly like the strange hollow stupas, reliquary mounds or &quot;bells&quot; housing Buddha figures at the largest Buddhist site in the world -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/592&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Borobudur&lt;/a&gt;, Central Java, Indonesia -- with its massive, pyramid-like platforms. The structure is the size of a mountain in what is now an Islamic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Kxpgj.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Kxpgj.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So marvelous and inexplicable to the Muslims was this site that they tried to destroy it but could not. Nor could they build anything to rival it; they simply did not have the technology. Instead, they buried it in a massive pile of mud. More than a century later, when the British archeologists were surveying the site, one realized that there was no way there could be a &quot;mountain&quot; there. He had his workers dig, and he is credited with rediscovering a Buddhist temple complex larger than the massive pieces in Bamiyan, Afghanistan (although the unexcavated Mes Aynak site may rival Borobudur, but if Chinese mining interests have their way, it will be destroyed first) and Angkor Wat, Cambodia.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Germans were given off-planet instructions on how to construct a transporter, which they dubbed &quot;The Bell&quot; (Die Glocke), and tested it. They sent it into the future and retrieved, weather beaten a short time later. What else they did is kept top secret by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_glocke&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;OSI&lt;/a&gt;, CIA, NASA, and other American organizations which inherited and protected German scientists after the war, such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Robert_Oppenheimer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Robert Oppenheimer&lt;/a&gt; and Nazi &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_von_Braun&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wernher von Braun&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Edited].&lt;/strong&gt; In Buddhism philosophy there is also Kalachakra Mandala which also look like Borobudur Temple.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meaning of Kalachakra Mandala :&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;The word kalachakra means cycles of time, and the Kalachakra system presents three such cycles – external, internal and alternative. The external and internal cycles deal with time as we normally know it, while the alternative cycles are practices for gaining liberation from these two.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.thekalachakra.com/what-is-the-kalachakra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is the Kalachakra?&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many articles are there explained about &lt;em&gt;Kalachakra Manadala.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;There also explained about cosmos and about five strings of attachments.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[Edited].&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One [the Buddha, who was known as the Teacher of Devas and Humans] was staying near Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, at Anathapindika's monastery. Then the male deva Rohitassa, late at night, with his splendid radiance lighting up the entire grove, went to the Blessed One, bowed, respectfully stood to one side, and asked:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Venerable sir, is it possible by traveling to know or see or reach the far end of the universe where one does not undergo rebirth, aging, dying, passing away, or reappearing?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling to know or see or reach the far end of the universe where one does not undergo rebirth, aging, dying, passing away, or reappearing.&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is amazing, venerable sir, it is awe-inspiring, how well this has been said by the Blessed One! ...Once I was a seer (Indian rishi, yogi) named Rohitassa, a disciple of [the Guru] Bhoja, a powerful sky-walker. My speed was as fast as that of a strong archer -- well-trained, a practiced hand, a practiced sharp-shooter -- shooting a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree. [This is a common idiom to illustrate extreme speed in ancient India, the time it would take a shot arrow to pass the shadow of a tree.] My stride stretched as far as the East Sea is from the West [the width of India]. To me, endowed with such speed, such a stride, there arose the desire: 'I will go traveling to the end of the universe.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;I with a 100 year life, a 100 year span spent 100 years traveling. And apart from the time spent eating, drinking, savoring, urinating, defecating, and sleeping to ward off weariness. But without reaching the end of the universe, I died along the way. So it is amazing, venerable sir, it is awesome, how well this has been said by the Blessed One!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha replied:]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&quot;I tell you, friend, that it is not possible by traveling to know or see or reach the far end of the universe... But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of disappointment and suffering without reaching the end of the universe (world).&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;    It is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception and intellect, that I declare that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;There is the universe (world), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;The origination of the universe,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;The cessation of the universe, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;li&gt;The path of practice leading to the cessation of the universe.&quot; [This is another wording of the ennobling Four Noble Truths.]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;    &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;It is not to be reached by traveling [in space]. AND it is not without reaching the end of the universe that there is release from disappointment and suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;&quot;So truly the wise one, an expert with regard to the cosmos, a knower of the end of the cosmos, having fulfilled the holy life, calmed, knowing the cosmos' end, doesn't long for this cosmos or for any other.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.38&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even if they found that Die Glocke were look like Borobudur temple.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Buddha said all about it is cosmos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&quot;These five strings of sensuality are, in the discipline of the noble ones, called the cosmos.&lt;/i&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Which five? Forms cognizable via the &lt;strong&gt;eye&lt;/strong&gt; — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds cognizable via the &lt;strong&gt;ear&lt;/strong&gt;... aromas cognizable via the &lt;strong&gt;nose&lt;/strong&gt;... flavors cognizable via the &lt;strong&gt;tongue&lt;/strong&gt;... tactile sensations cognizable via the &lt;strong&gt;body&lt;/strong&gt; — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. These are the five strings of sensuality that, in the discipline of the noble ones, are called the cosmos. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 9.38&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2019-08-10T15:17:39.700" LastActivityDate="2019-08-10T15:17:39.700" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21016" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-15T16:11:52.387" Score="1" ViewCount="119" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do you need to be taught the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nembutsu&lt;/a&gt;? Are some personalities better suited to it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nianfo (Chinese: 念佛; pinyin: niànfó 念仏 (ねんぶつ? nenbutsu) Hangul: 염불;&#xA;  RR: yeombul Vietnamese: niệm Phật) is a term commonly seen in Pure&#xA;  Land Buddhism. In the context of Pure Land practice, it generally&#xA;  refers to the repetition of the name of Amitābha. It is a translation&#xA;  of Sanskrit buddhānusmṛti (or, &quot;recollection of the Buddha&quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It appears in all the Chinese influenced Buddhist &quot;schools&quot; I have encountered, in various forms, even if just exhorted against.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not sure if it's originally Indian.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-06-15T20:23:57.723" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T17:14:29.637" Title="Do you need to be taught the nembutsu? Are some personalities better suited to it?" Tags="|mantra|nembutsu|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21008" CreationDate="2017-06-15T19:59:54.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;While I have not studied these matters greatly, the Jataka appear of a similar genre to the belated Buddhāpadāna &amp;amp; Apadānas, each found in the Kuddaka Nikaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based in those suttas where the Buddha is shown to be extremely strict about the purity &amp;amp; accuracy of his teachings (eg, MN 22, MN 38, MN 62, etc), it seems probable after the Buddha passed away, the Brahmanistic elements were entered into Buddhism (such as depicting jhanas as Brahma gods and the gods of the 33) for the primary purpose of spreading the religion, particularly under the zealousness of King Ashoka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is important to keep in mind Buddhism became extinct in India due to the Hinduisation of the doctrine; that these ideas about past lives ultimately destroyed Buddhism in the land of its birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt; is the only sutta that explains precisely &amp;amp; clearly what is meant by the term '&lt;em&gt;recollecting pubbe nivasa&lt;/em&gt;', which is erroneously translated as 'past lives'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt; unambiguously states recollecting '&lt;em&gt;past abodes&lt;/em&gt;' means recollecting when in the past the mind mistakenly &amp;amp; ignorantly regarded one or more of the five aggregates to be 'self'. This is perfectly consistent with the essential Buddhist doctrine of '&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;' ('not-self'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given the Jataka are totally contrary to the instruction taught in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; SN 22.59 and given the Jataka were so destructive to Buddhism, it would appear probable they have no relationship to anything taught by the Lord Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T19:59:54.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-15T22:58:51.203" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I have heard that Metta Meditation is the fastest way to a samadhi mind. How effectively fast is it?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like @Lanka said, I think the fastest way to samadhi is the fastest way you can overcome the five hindrances, and there's a large repertoire of trainings for doing that (e.g.&#xA; &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20444/382&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), including metta meditation, mindfulness of the body, meditation on unattractive, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;metta is particularly effective as a practice to overcome the presence of anger / ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How is Metta properly cultivated as a meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the standard description of metta training in the suttas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In more detail, one may use specific beings as target of the practice and increase it's range progressively until it's boundless, towards everyone. Or, alternatively, one may use some phrases such as &quot;may all beings be free of enmity, free from affliction, at ease&quot; (I think these are in the Paṭisambhidāmagga).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, alternatively, one can arouse a metta attitude and progressively expand it, as per the passage above, irradiating it in one direction after another, making the mind completely immersed in it, all pervading and  boundless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I let many images come to my mind and imagine myself always trying to ease the burden of others, with the desire for them to be well. At this point, I don't usually focus on anyone in particular, as I find this much harder. So these images may be memories or my own imagination -- but I just imagine to the extent that it increases metta, without getting lost on imaginations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, there's a distinct pleasant feeling, both physical and mental, that arises from that. At that point, it's self enforcing, as it seems the mind inclines naturally towards that pleasant feeling. Then I try to expand that metta attitude until I'm completely immersed on it, as per the sutta, progressively to all directions. When I feel completely immersed on it, I abide on that all around irradiating, without focusing on any particular direction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, effectively, I expand it until I &lt;em&gt;become&lt;/em&gt; a loving person towards all. In other words, until I feel it becomes my reflex to help others without hesitation, whoever it may be -- so only at this point, when metta is strong, that I try to think of particular persons who I would otherwise find myself having difficulties being good towards them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-06-15T22:58:51.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21007" CreationDate="2017-06-16T02:22:14.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/em&gt;' meditation is called '&lt;em&gt;the direct path&lt;/em&gt;' therefore is the fastest path to jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow &amp;amp; lamentation, for the disappearance of pain &amp;amp;&#xA;  distress, for the attainment of the right method &amp;amp; for the realization&#xA;  of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference.... There is the case where a monk remains... ardent, clearly comprehending &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. MN 10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, SN 54.8 states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk should wish: 'May I — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — enter &amp;amp; remain in the first&#xA;  jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born from seclusion, accompanied by directed&#xA;  thought &amp;amp; evaluation,' then he should attend carefully to this same&#xA;  concentration through mindfulness with in-&amp;amp;-out breathing. SN 54.8&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This fastest way to jhana, namely, giving up craving, is also explained in SN 48.10, which states jhana is reached by making '&lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;vossagga&lt;/em&gt;') the meditation object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of&#xA;  mind. SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta is not the fastest way to jhana because it is based in thinking. MN 19 states wholesome thinking is an obstacle to jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of non-ill will arose in me…a thought of non-cruelty arose in me. I&#xA;  understood thus: ‘This thought of non-cruelty has arisen in me. This&#xA;  does not lead to my own affliction, or to others’ affliction, or to&#xA;  the affliction of both; it aids wisdom, does not cause difficulties&#xA;  and leads to Nibbāna. If I think and ponder upon this thought even for&#xA;  a night, even for a day, even for a night and day, I see nothing to&#xA;  fear from it. But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire&#xA;  my body and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained and,&#xA;  when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration.’ So I&#xA;  steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness and&#xA;  concentrated it. Why is that? So that my mind should not be strained.&#xA;  MN 19&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T02:44:59.730" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T02:44:59.730" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21026" CreationDate="2017-06-16T04:23:38.680" Score="2" ViewCount="440" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Rahulovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; monk Rahula asks the Buddha for instructions on developing Anapanasati. The Buddha didn't directly give instructions to him of Anapanasaati but instead, gives instructions on developing Anatta on the earth property, the water property, the fire property, the wind property, &amp;amp; the space property.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Rahula, {any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.' There are these five properties, Rahula. Which five? The earth property, the water property, the fire property, the wind property, &amp;amp; the space property.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also states developing the &lt;strong&gt;four Brahma Viharas, the perception of Unattractiveness and Impermanence.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that only the Buddha gives instructions on &lt;strong&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also have heard that for the people who are untrained in Anapanasati, they may meditate on the elements and then go to Anapanasati. (Some say it is better to do this way since not doing Anapanasati properly can lead to difficulties in the mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS - I tried the above approach and it was somewhat smoother than directly going into Anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q1.&lt;/strong&gt; Is doing Dhatu manasikara first and doing Anapanasati afterward a smoother and an effective way of doing Anapanasati?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q2.&lt;/strong&gt; Also, can I know the simple explanation of what these actually mean&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in satisfying the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in steadying the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in releasing the mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in focusing on cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do these mean and how to achieve this is Anapanasati?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T22:40:44.263" Title="Anapanasati with Dhatu Manasikara" Tags="|anapanasati|brahmavihara|four-elements|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21021" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20983" CreationDate="2017-06-16T05:08:56.810" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As @Dhammadhatu mentioned it is best to wear comfortable clothes. I have felt ticklings and sometimes etchings while meditating. I wouldn't say it's a mindly hindrance but rather an external hindrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At home, I would wear a silk/nylon t-shirt (It feels comfortable and light) and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarong&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sarong&lt;/a&gt; (It doesn't restrict/tighten your legs like it would do with Jeans and it provides a good air ventilation to your lower body leading to a comfortable sit. Also, It's more comforting when not using an underwear) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is what I have experienced and what I do to prevent the ticklings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T05:08:56.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21020" CreationDate="2017-06-16T06:01:23.387" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q2. Also, can I know the simple explanation of what these actually mean&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a mistranslation. It should be 'body fabricator'. The body fabricator is defined in MN 44 as the in &amp;amp; out breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The breathing is the body fabricator because when the breathing is calm, the body is calm; if the breathing is agitated, the body is stressed.; if the breathing is unhealthy, the body is unhealthy. If the breathing ends, the body dies. If the breathing starts, the body lives. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This calming the breathing is achieved by having a quiet non-attached mind, which unifies itself with the breathing.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the breathing &amp;amp; body calm sufficiently, rapture will arise to be the predominant object of meditation. It generally takes at least 60 to 75 minutes of calming the breathing constantly for rapture to arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember, the mind must be non-attached &amp;amp; in the present moment rather than craving for results &amp;amp; thinking about the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind remains non-attached &amp;amp; concentrated, the rapture will calm and pleasure or happiness will appear, which is a more refined pleasant feeling than rapture. Rapture (&lt;em&gt;piti&lt;/em&gt;) is very vibrant, bubbly, agitating &amp;amp; seductive where as happiness (&lt;em&gt;sukha&lt;/em&gt;) is more subtle, calm &amp;amp; soothing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This again is a mistranslation. It should be 'mind fabricator'. Rapture &amp;amp; happiness are the mind fabricator (&lt;em&gt;citta sankhara&lt;/em&gt;) because they seduce the mind and, if the mind is not mindful, rapture &amp;amp; happiness will fabricate craving, greed, love, attachment in the mind. This is why they are called the mind fabricator because they fabricate or condition defilment in the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like when the breathing is calmed, by remaining non-attached &amp;amp; equanimous towards rapture &amp;amp; happiness, they will calm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When rapture &amp;amp; happiness cease, the mind-heart (citta) itself becomes the object of meditation. Here, the mind has concentration. The mind is not thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there will be some residual defilements in the mind such as greed, anger &amp;amp; confusion that subtly arose in response to the rapture. For example, sometimes the mind does not like rapture because the rapture disturbed the mind when it was peacefully watching breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At stage 9, any residual defilements (kilesa) of the mind are observed &amp;amp; calmed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in satisfying the mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the defilements are calmed, the mind feels joy due to the cleansing of the defilements. This joy are more refined &amp;amp; subtle than rapture &amp;amp; happiness because the mind is now much more pure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in steadying the mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the joy calms, the mind concentrates deeply, in a one-pointed manner because it is pure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in releasing the mind&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind (automatically) purifies itself of the one-pointedness of concentration &amp;amp; becomes open, bright &amp;amp; perfectly non-attached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the previous stage the mind became liberated, open &amp;amp; non-attached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, the impermanence of whatever subtle sense objects come to the mind is seen very clearly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the impermanence is so predominant that the mind sees mostly impermanence (rather than specific objects of impermanence). It is like watching a movie at very fast speed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In seeing the crazy impermanence, craving is destroyed more because the impermanence makes sense objects look ugly, unattractive &amp;amp; undesirable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in focusing on cessation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As craving is crushed or suspended, a taste of nirodha/Nibbana/no suffering/perfect peace occurs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind now fully knows all the experiences &amp;amp; things are not-self. It gives up holding anything as self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above is the fulfillment of &lt;em&gt;stream-entry&lt;/em&gt; on the level of &lt;em&gt;neighbourhood concentration&lt;/em&gt;. It is not jhana. It might take a few continuous meditation retreats to achieve this if the mind has no hindrances because reaching stage 9 in a very clear way can be difficult. However, one meditation retreat should be enough to reach stage 8 (if there are no hindrances). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reading here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhadasa: Mindfulness With Breathing Secrets of Life&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T09:02:13.100" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T09:02:13.100" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21024" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21008" CreationDate="2017-06-16T06:52:59.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;At one occation the &amp;quot;Bu-SE yogis&amp;quot; have assembled in the forum and talked about &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are the Jataka tales of the Pali Canon authentic words of the Buddha?&lt;/strong&gt;/ In what timeframe was Jataka tales added to Kuddaka Nikaya?&amp;quot;, histrory, bad and good guys a around it and soon engaged in loud disputes. Then Johann entered and looked after what the matter was and thought &amp;quot;it would be better to talk on Dhamma or dwell in silence (2. Jhana), what would be good here to give or to avoid?&amp;quot; And the wrote: (&lt;em&gt;Note, the stile here is to make it more alive and a teaching it self, no need to assume Johann as Buddha or anything special at all. But you can use such idea to lift yourself and your awarness if you like and find it useful&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relating a little to the answer of Dhammadhuta &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21017/11479&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and itk possible problems: both, to be and not to be, are no really useful question for the path. Why, because if pondering whether &amp;quot;is it&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;is it not&amp;quot; &amp;quot;was it&amp;quot; &amp;quot;was it not&amp;quot; &amp;quot;what will it be if it was&amp;quot; &amp;quot;if it was not, where...&amp;quot;, all this &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;questions that cause dukkha&lt;/a&gt; are not contuctive for getti g beyound it and one can continue them endless and each stand will cause another to fight it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So maybe its better to ask maybe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;How have the stories be used, for a good, such a long time?&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;What do I not see for now, or overlook currently,that I see there conratictions? Whish part did I not understand so that it causes me doubt?&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To regard the first. Whenreading the stories and look also torward the situation they are told, the actors their structure and the possible purpose (see also &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/befriending_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Befriending the Suttas - Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; In this manner, when starting with the stories situations when told by themselfes, they mostly have been stories been told when the community of monks was assambled and allone with the Buddha, mostly involved in idle talk or when issues of Vinaya or special things happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the minds awarness is currently in a very low stage, eager ofter &lt;em&gt;papanca&lt;/em&gt;, its not possible to pull it into a sphere of &lt;em&gt;Jhana&lt;/em&gt; and teach then things beyound the world. So the anchor here was always also very wordily to use the situation to give a lesson on moral, Vinaya but mostly to increase faith, that the audiance will be urged on one hand: &amp;quot;if you do like them, you will face this&amp;quot; (samvega) and on the other hand faith in this regard, that &amp;quot;even not really practising on the path, my merits have been of that sort, that I am now able to teach you as a Buddha&amp;quot;, aside of the many sacrifies done to gain such perfections. So they are mostly not really purposed and in situations when supramudane teaching would have been possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of urging the monks, for certain purpose of stilling desire after wordily stories (like you mostly have, TV, relatives... socialicings), or the way my person here presents an answer, similar, not with to high teaching to keep the mind entertaint and lift it to the most possible state, teaching there faith and precepts, the basics for the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such teaching in stories, if either intended for idle purpose, to simply socialize for gains, or when meeting an audience that is only capable to use the food for entertaining the mind wrong, is of course fast and easy to use for currupt ways and for a bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here again, the stories most have been told under the monks and in certain situations. Since a longer it was usual, especially because the audience is, if after gain, naturally a greedy one and after low etertainment, to use them as simple medium for improper purposes, but that circumstances does not make them bad, useless, unreal or not conductive perse. Every good teacher will from time to time sit down with his disciples and tell &amp;quot;very human&amp;quot; stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person, for example, likes to tell such a &amp;quot;Jataka&amp;quot; in relation of &amp;quot;when I was stil a Bodhisatta, not walking direct on the path&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Devas&amp;quot; and fatherday, to give a moral lesson and chances to increase faith (Saddha, Sila and certain Samvega) like in the cinema (action, horror and love) for a good entertainment and purpose to increase the good qualities of mind, not to wn a lokk of audience for gains, even &amp;quot;risking&amp;quot; that most will say &amp;quot;look at this crazy&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The secound question is this of encountering seemingly conflicts, more and lesser, which mostly is because we again have this &amp;quot;this is real, only this&amp;quot; desire, forgetting that the teaching is a step by step way and has not equanimity and or Nibbana at the beginn, in the middle as in the end as means, but that are results of seeing &amp;quot;now this is the front and that is the behind&amp;quot; and vici versa and to know where our mind currently dwells, is attached with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we make all a matter of &amp;quot;not-self&amp;quot; not understanding that there are places where we need to multiplicate and places where we need to divide to get the task of de-velopement done, we/they are not only simply celebrate the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Uposatha of the Jains&lt;/a&gt;, being just thieves and just cut us simply of for long time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if we use the Jatakas like those celerbrating the Uposatha of the cowherds, we/they might not shine radiant, but do at least not cut them of from the path entirely, even if simply after gain and at least keep the cart, even without goods inside, alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we use them like the elders and wise did since they exist, for laypeople especilly and all those still need to increase moral and faith to gain path, than we simply use them for the Ariya-Uposatha purpose, take the moral, practice the eight Silas minimum while listening and rejoice in the dwelling caused by the reflections, Buddhannusati... Devannusati, turn our mind to where ever it is nice to dwell or even use the teachings of a higher when having reached this concentrations and go beyound rebirth and their stories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, without the steps and their means, the higher can not be reached and if they have been ture, the steps and means, you will know only for sure, if you could have reached the heavenly realms or even awakening, as for the last it might be that you even again, do not really grasp after this question any more but maybe just give them as means for others to be able to clime up ond beyound where you have gone, beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So having actually not been anywhere, it would be maybe not wise to cut away and destroy by starving it, what you can not understand for not or not clear enought to understand the purpose before having done the task.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give at the end a simily of Ajhan Chah:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/insimpleterms_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rubbing Fire Sticks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice is like a man rubbing fire sticks together. He's heard people say, &amp;quot;Take two pieces of bamboo and rub them together, and you'll get fire.&amp;quot; So he takes two pieces of bamboo and rubs them together. But his heart is impatient. After rubbing them together a bit he wants there to be fire. His heart keeps pushing for the fire to come quickly, but the fire just won't come. He starts getting lazy, so he stops to rest. Then he tries rubbing the sticks together again for a little bit, and then stops to rest. Whatever warmth there was disappears, because the warmth isn't connected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If he keeps acting like this, stopping whenever he gets tired — although just being tired isn't so bad: His laziness gets mixed in too, so the whole thing goes to pieces. He decides that there is no fire, he doesn't want fire after all, so he gives up. He stops. He won't rub the sticks anymore. Then he goes about announcing, &amp;quot;There is no fire. You can't get it this way. There is no fire. I've already tried.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With other words, even you might know how to make fire, being taught with stones, don't run around and say &amp;quot;Its not possible with stones&amp;quot; either because you have not tried or could not manage, or because you did not know that the master teached other ways to come to the path that consumes the fires and releases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Release is the aim, while how to make fire and the consume of it are just needed and good means. Don't waste time with &amp;quot;it is real - it is not real&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;be or not be&amp;quot; for phenomenas have causes, also the phenomena to see as is really is and then the unbound remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And my person does not tell you - either because he does not know, or to provoke skillful speculations - who had been Gunavijaya, Hellyell, Dhamnadhatu and I at the Buddhas time. Tendencies and Upanissaya are not easy to chance since such reqires not only &lt;em&gt;nissayapaccaya&lt;/em&gt; but &lt;em&gt;upanissayapaccayena&lt;/em&gt;, people, places, weather and prefered food, that being a teaching that the Jatakas also transport, while the Suttas are for those who have more freedom to chance already accumulated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And on that occation Johann said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Right decitions to chance ones foolish ways can be made every time, but the fool, attached to the food he is used since a child, does not taste what is not known to him and paised by the wise. Thinking having gone beyound, they continue to take live, take what is not given, abuse and tell what isn't fact, oppose the wise and nourish on the poison of desire after gain.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that teaching 30 readers gained Streamentry and Gunavijaya rejoiced in the word and left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find a maybe extended answered based on the original question, not modified by third, here, where also always welcome to discuss and comment it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8119.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] Are the Jataka stories authentic or later additions? Are they missleading?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-10-14T10:59:37.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21020" CreationDate="2017-06-16T07:55:00.770" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;There is relation between Anapanasati and four Satipathanas.&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ānāpānasati &amp;amp; the first satipaṭṭhāna&#xA;&quot;[1] Now, on whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns that he is breathing out long; or breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, discerns that he is breathing out short; trains himself to breathe in... &amp;amp;... out sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe in... &amp;amp;... out calming the bodily processes:&#xA;On that occasion the monk remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world. I tell you that this — the in-&amp;amp;-out breath — is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert, &amp;amp; mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/what-is-the-difference-between-satipa-hana-and-anapanasati/4796/2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/what-is-the-difference-between-satipa-hana-and-anapanasati/4796/2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T22:40:44.263" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T22:40:44.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21020" CreationDate="2017-06-16T09:03:00.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q1. Is doing Dhatu manasikara first and doing Anapanasati afterward a smoother and an effective way of doing Anapanasati?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Certainly. MN 62 is a very powerful sutta for establishing an ideal attitude towards meditation. I used to use MN 62 for guided meditation when I was working on meditation retreats, years ago. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, the meditation on the five elements:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Generates a grounded balanced open awareness of the physical body. We should follow the sutta exactly by viewing/picturing each bodily part that relates to each of the five elements, as written. Let the mind naturally feel the breathing while it scans &amp;amp; views all of those body parts. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reduces thoughts of self, craving &amp;amp; hindrances. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Allows the sixth element of consciousness to become clear, bright &amp;amp; distinguished from the other five elements, as stated in MN 140:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There remains only consciousness: pure &amp;amp; bright. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then MN 62 gives a very powerful analogy, which helps the mind: (i) remain grounded in the physical elements of the body (including the breathing) and; (ii) remain non-attached, non-craving &amp;amp; non-judgmental. It states for each of the five elements:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rahula, develop the meditation in tune with earth. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable&#xA;  sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your&#xA;  mind. Just as when people throw what is clean or unclean on the earth&#xA;  — feces, urine, saliva, pus or blood — the earth is not horrified,&#xA;  humiliated or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are&#xA;  developing the meditation in tune with earth, &lt;strong&gt;agreeable &amp;amp; disagreeable&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  sensory impressions that have arisen &lt;strong&gt;will not stay in charge&lt;/strong&gt; of your&#xA;  mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very important because the primary instruction in Anapanasati &amp;amp; Satipatthana is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The monk on that occasion remains... ardent, alert &amp;amp; mindful — &lt;strong&gt;putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress&lt;/strong&gt; with reference to the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-16T09:22:31.147" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T09:22:31.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20967" CreationDate="2017-06-16T10:55:05.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let my person take the best from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21012/11479&quot;&gt;Dhammadhatus&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21015/11479&quot;&gt;Swapnils&lt;/a&gt; answer and try to form maybe good picture of the whole:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As pointed out, by means of concentrations, we can reach what ever &amp;quot;end&amp;quot; of the cosmos, ones own limits, &amp;quot;ends&amp;quot; which are actually not independent and lasting but always need such as begin, perceptions of space and time:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By &lt;em&gt;abhiñña&lt;/em&gt;, powers gained by the training of &lt;em&gt;samādhi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, &amp;amp; mountains as if through space. He dives in &amp;amp; out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches &amp;amp; strokes even the sun &amp;amp; moon, so mighty &amp;amp; powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 119&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the ten benefits (in the case of this abhiñña, a sideeffect of the training in the higher knowledge), which are good to increase faith when performed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In an dispute with a Brahman, whether the teaching of Lord Buddha is a selfish one or not, and by being asked if he thinks that certain powers are &amp;quot;real&amp;quot; the Brahman answered, given in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.060.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sangarava Sutta: To Sangarava&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, brahman, of these three miracles, which one appeals to you as the highest &amp;amp; most sublime?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Master Gotama, of these three miracles, the miracle of psychic power where a certain person wields manifold psychic powers... (and) exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds: that is a miracle experienced only by him who does it; it belongs only to him who does it. It seems to me to be of the nature of an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As for the miracle where a certain person gives instruction in this way: 'Direct your thought in this way, don't direct it in that. Attend to things in this way, don't attend to them in that. Let go of this, enter and remain in that': this is the miracle that, of the three, appeals to me as the highest &amp;amp; most sublime.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one sees in the first quote, it does not directly says that the End of the Cosmos can be reached and given the last answer here by the Brahman, we are leaded to what is the more importand question, the main teachings of the Buddha with possible lasting End of Cosmos and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we look now on the secound answer her, by Swapnil, there is a quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta: To Rohitassa&lt;/a&gt;, which matches more the topic and does not lead to astray grasping for Unity with Brahma, taught to Rohitassa, the son of a deva:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As he was standing there he said to the Blessed One: &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Is it possible, lord, by traveling&lt;/strong&gt;, to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away or reappear?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I tell you, friend, that &lt;strong&gt;it is not possible by traveling&lt;/strong&gt; to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The the Deva amazed, told a story of own experiances. After that, the Buddha seeing the right time, he added:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I tell you, friend, that &lt;strong&gt;it is not possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one does not take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;But at the same time&lt;/strong&gt;, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress without reaching the end of the cosmos. Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception &amp;amp; intellect, that &lt;strong&gt;I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.038.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Two Brahmans&lt;/a&gt;, he elaborates on the deeper meaning of first, the Cosmos, what it actually is, and secound gives the &amp;quot;End of Cosmos&amp;quot; another and graspworthy meaning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tell you, it &lt;strong&gt;isn't through that sort of traveling that the end of the cosmos is known, seen, or reached&lt;/strong&gt;. But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering &amp;amp; stress without reaching the end of the cosmos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;These five strings of sensuality are, in the discipline of the noble ones, called the cosmos. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds cognizable via the ear... aromas cognizable via the nose... flavors cognizable via the tongue... tactile sensations cognizable via the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. These are the five strings of sensuality that, in the discipline of the noble ones, are called the cosmos.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And this part explains my intoducing here, that it is possible to reach this or that end:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where a monk — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhāna: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation. &lt;strong&gt;This is called a monk who, coming to the end of the cosmos, remains at the end of the cosmos. Others say of him, 'He is encompassed in the cosmos; he has not escaped from the cosmos.' And I too say of him, 'He is encompassed in the cosmos; he has not escaped from the cosmos.&lt;/strong&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why? Because all this ends, this Cosmoses are fabricated. And so it goes on in the Sensual world and fine material world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Similarly with the second, third, &amp;amp; fourth jhānas, and with the attainment of the dimensions of the infinitude of space, the infinitude of consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this stage one with discernment, could have transcendent form (rūpa), but to complete - the first needed - task finaly, it goes on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Furthermore, &lt;strong&gt;with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters &amp;amp; remains in the cessation of perception &amp;amp; feeling.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;[eg. nāma, mind]&lt;/em&gt; And, having seen [that] with discernment, his fermentations are completely ended. &lt;strong&gt;This is called a monk who, coming to the end of the cosmos, remains at the end of the cosmos, having crossed over attachment in the cosmos.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to do not only dwell at this or that end of ones world/cosmos, just to find out that this end is not lasting at &amp;quot;the end&amp;quot;, one needs to understand &amp;quot;The All&amp;quot; incl. the sixth sense-door, mind, and this &amp;quot;All&amp;quot; has a limit of whichs beyound, Nibbana, can not be declared or explained, the end of all suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabba Sutta: The All&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, I will teach you the All. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As you say, lord,&amp;quot; the monks responded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said, &amp;quot;What is the All? Simply the eye &amp;amp; forms, ear &amp;amp; sounds, nose &amp;amp; aromas, tongue &amp;amp; flavors, body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, intellect &amp;amp; ideas. This, monks, is called the All. &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.023.than_en.html#fn-1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[1]&lt;/a&gt; Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let my person now end here, and may this words and explaining be a foundation for many to find the entrence to the path of the circle of beginnings and ends, suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings rejoice with the merits here done by the support of many with their previous contributions, given possibilities and sacrifies and may the Devas tell those, who have not seen, have not heard, about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A maybe modified and extended version of the answer you may find here where you are also welcome to discuss and place comments:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8118.msg12362.html#msg12362&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] The Cosmos, traveling the Cosmos, and its limits and reaching its End.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T14:29:51.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21020" CreationDate="2017-06-16T14:16:44.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;After the 1st triad in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First Tetrad: Contemplation of the Body (kāya)&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discerning the in and out breathing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discerning long or short breaths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Experiencing the whole body (sabbakāaya)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calming bodily formations&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.2-Mahasatipatthana-S-d22-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; other forms a Body Contemplations are mentioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are in this body&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the earth-element,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the water-element,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the fire-element,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) the air-element.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So build up until the 1st triad of breath meditation and switch to the 4 elements meditation. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; mentions 6 elements.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Elaborating all the stages of breath meditation in this format is difficult. Best is to read: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING: Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners&lt;/a&gt; by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Awareness of the breath&lt;/a&gt; is also to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;establish mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; and there is a lot of overlap hence you want to read on this subject also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/13.1-Satipatthana-S-d22-m10-intro-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Satipaṭṭhāna Suttas: An introduction&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and also Satipaṭṭhāna, the Direct Path to Realization by Bhikkhu Analayo. Again is is very long to give it as an answer here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw teaches mindfulness of breath followed by 4 elements meditation. More on this see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/fourelements.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mindfulness of Breathing and Four Elements Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Knowing and Seeing&lt;/a&gt; by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-16T14:29:35.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21029" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-16T18:36:46.687" Score="3" ViewCount="270" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've engaged for a while in breathing meditation, yet I've had concerns that since I'm a person with a tendency for avoidance, that meditation for me involves repressing emotions or experience.&#xA;I'm not consciously attempting to deny my experience, or push things away; however, I sometimes feel that's the outcome of my breathing meditation.&#xA;I wonder: is there anything else than the breath I could focus on? Will breathing meditation help or hinder with emotional regulation? Is it normal that I experience less thoughts and emotions while focusing on the breath, and should I just keep going?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideally, I'd like a technique that generates more contact with emotion, more ability to feel and let go emotions, but especially feel them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Would it be beneficial to sit for a certain amount of time no matter what meditative technique is used? E.g. sit--regardless of meditation type--40 min a day?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T15:00:26.500" Title="Breathing Meditation and Repression" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21030" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-16T18:56:11.327" Score="5" ViewCount="213" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've practiced metta, or attempted to, with mixed results. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes I'm wondering even &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt; to practice metta, and in my mind it feels like I'm just repeating &quot;How can I develop compassion? How can I develop compassion?&quot; It's almost a lack of contact with the feeling of compassion, or just tedious repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, sometimes, at other times, I feel extreme feeling of compassion, to the point where I clench my jaw to avoid the feeling (since seemingly I am very repressed). It's a mixture of being moved, and compassion, since it arises when I react to either moving events, or when I see someone suffering. But, admittedly, it's really being moved that generates the most feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have sometimes managed to generate such a feeling in meditation by visualizing people doing acts of kindness, myself included. However, whenever this happens, I feel that the feeling isn't enough, that compassion &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; require effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this the case? Does a feeling of being moved, or a compassionate intention and feeling, generate something positive? Or, am I right in thinking that without effort and discipline, these feelings are merely oceanic and vast but not linked with true mental development?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, I suspect I might lack self-compassion or something because I don't allow myself to feel these feelings, and I often--used to--feel being undeserving of all these things. Any thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS: I recall a Buddhist teacher reacting to my yearning to develop compassion with enthusiasm, but advising against body meditation because it could be detrimental. How could I know if metta meditation is best for me? Any signs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T23:47:33.300" Title="Two Extremes of Metta" Tags="|compassion|meditation-metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21031" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21029" CreationDate="2017-06-16T20:15:09.903" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can use mindfulness of the actual sensations of the breath as your &quot;anchor&quot; meditation object but when there is a distraction then the distraction itself, as it is, becomes the meditation object until it falls or it is appropriate to go back to the anchor object that is usually the breath (although it could be any aspect of experience depending on who is teaching or what the technique is). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The distractions are not judged (if they are then that very  judging or &lt;strong&gt;partiality&lt;/strong&gt; is a distraction that can be the next object focused on, as it is,  in the present moment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have all kinds of emotional feelings like anger, impartiality, sadness, disgust, disliking, liking, euphoria, delight, happiness, partiality and so on&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We also have perceptions, thoughts and more or less solid opinions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have physical sensations that can often give us a clue to how we're feeling. Like tension in the neck and shoulders or a wonderful warm fuzzy feeling in the heart or it can just be an itch, pain, warmth, cold, shock, ache and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have all kinds of emotional feelings like anger, impartiality, sadness, disgust, disliking, liking, euphoria, delight, happiness and partiality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are examples of the kinds of experiences that arise through the senses and the mind all the time, if wee notice them or if we don't notice them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we really get into this kind of meditation, we will see how one thing leads to another and we start seeing more and more subtly in our own experience. We will often see how subtly partial we are with every experience we focus on. The idea is to have equanimity or full impartiality at even the most  subtle level. This kind of meditation with morality and concentration* will slowly show us how to let go and accept reality as it is so we can...&lt;br&gt;&#xA; ...understand how to live&lt;br&gt;&#xA; ...be ready when we get sick&lt;br&gt;&#xA; ...be ready and in harmony with death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*Some techniques have the concentration part built into the meditation such as the Mahasi Technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many techniques but all I know how to tell people about adequately is the one I do myself -- two links to the full on step by step Mahasi technique (insight meditation):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sayadaw U Pandita: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How to Practice Vipassana Insight Meditation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhante Yuttadhammo: &lt;a href=&quot;https://static.sirimangalo.org/howto/HTMl.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-22T15:00:26.500" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T15:00:26.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21032" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-16T22:28:42.647" Score="4" ViewCount="1749" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhupindika Sutta: The Ball of Honey (MN 18)&lt;/a&gt;, what is the difference between Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T00:47:12.770" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T06:00:57.577" Title="What is the difference between Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca?" Tags="|theravada|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20988" CreationDate="2017-06-17T00:29:52.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Cary Jin,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;let Atma give an explaining, and may it be of good use for Cary Jin and all those able to take and rejoice with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; is understood as aspiration to reach &amp;quot;Bodhi&amp;quot;, Awakening, the end of suffering, e.g. the wandering on in samsara, such is a Noble aspiration in the context of the path and a very needed desire to reach Nibbana, called usually positively &amp;quot;chanda&amp;quot; and not &amp;quot;raga&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;lobha&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without this kind of &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; it's not possible to complete the path and go beyound suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such a &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; arises undestructable for the rest of the path with reaching the Stream, hence a person of such &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; can be understood as Noble One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case understanding &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; as a motivation behind the aspiration, to reach the end of suffering, e.g. a higher wordily reason or wordily purpose, to reach &amp;quot;Bodhi&amp;quot;, such is a defiled aspiration and the &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; of a wordling, merely seeking for becoming, not having heared and being familar of the good Dhamma. While it can be a helpful aspiration to set out in search for a path, here mostly still with a wordily aim, it is in most cases the greatest obstacel, even if standing right in front of the door to stream-enter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Liking to become a Buddha is based on wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very useful essay to get ride of the defilement of self-view, &lt;em&gt;sakkāyadiṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;, of this kind is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/freedomfrombuddhanature_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Freedom From Buddha Nature&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, starting with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;What is the mind [citta]? The mind isn't 'is' anything.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;— Ajaan Chah&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;The mind is neither good nor evil, but it's what knows good and knows evil. It's what does good and does evil. And it's what lets go of good and lets go of evil.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;— Ajaan Lee&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and it is useful to give it a read, for all those who like to do the task fist, given by the &lt;em&gt;Bhagavato, Arahato, Sammāsambuddho&lt;/em&gt; of our times, who knew the path of &amp;quot;being simple a pathfinder&amp;quot; better then anyone, find the path to an end of suffering finally, and left the path, out of inmeasureable goodness - for the worlds beings with less dust in the eyes - behind. So to take it, the sacrify, rightly, is a matter of gratitude, which goes hand in hand with a beings possibility to gain a Noble kind of &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; and the reason why liberation always starts with &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;Namo&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot;. To understand &amp;quot;Namo&amp;quot; rightly , here also a &amp;quot;tantric&amp;quot; approach by Ajahn Mun&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/mun/released_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Heart Released&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - Muttodaya&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Practice is what keeps the true Dhamma pure.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Lord Buddha taught that his Dhamma, when placed in the heart of an ordinary run-of-the-mill person, is bound to be thoroughly corrupted (saddhamma-patirupa); but if placed in the heart of a Noble One, it is bound to be genuinely pure and authentic, something that at the same time can be neither effaced nor obscured.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as long as we are devoting ourselves merely to the theoretical study of the Dhamma, it can't serve us well. Only when we have trained our hearts to eliminate their 'chameleons' (see § 10) — their corruptions (upakkilesa) — will it benefit us in full measure. And only then will the true Dhamma be kept pure, free from distortions and deviations from its original principles...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And a &amp;quot;nice&amp;quot;, maybe insiring &amp;quot;lovestory&amp;quot; around the change for a corrupt &amp;quot;Bodhicitta&amp;quot; to a &amp;quot;Noble Bodhicitta&amp;quot;: &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/mun/munbio_en.html#a3_partner&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;THE SPIRITUAL PARTNER&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, came into being by goodness received and gratitude and so given by goodness and gratitude, and not meant for commercial purpose and trade in the world, or any wordily gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T12:13:26.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21032" CreationDate="2017-06-17T03:19:54.843" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vitakka/Vicara are the factors which gives rise to thoughts. When Vitakka/Vicara subsides the through ability is lost. Papanca is the stream of thoughts in succession resulting from an initial thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Say I get the desire to have burger. This is the 1st thought. This arises partly due to Vitakka/Vicara. If Vitakka/Vicara is missing the you cannot get this thought. Now you start planning the way to get this. This is your next thought, followed by a lot more thoughts on the subject. You will think shall I go to this restaurant or that. The road you take. Etc. This is Papanca. (The additional throughs arise due to the fact that Vitakka/Vicara is present.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vitakka/Vicara is present in all Papanca. Papanca is the snowballing of thoughts starting from initial thought. In all proliferated thought Vitakka/Vicara is present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the train of thoughts are represented like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;initial thought - unprompted by other thoughts - Vitakka/Vicara only - e.g. a smell&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 1 - Vitakka/Vicara (without Vitakka/Vicara no thoughts will arise) and Papanca - e.g. some one who wore the perfume - this is a related thought&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 2 - Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca - e.g. party that person was in - fills in details&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 3 - Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca - e.g. something that happened in the party - fills in details&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 4 - Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca - e.g. something about another person involved with the incident - relate thought&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 5 - Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca - e.g. if this has happened like this it would have been better - imagination about the past&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;next thought - as reaction to thought 6 - Vitakka/Vicara and Papanca - e.g. if I was in a similar situation I would do this - imagination about the future&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note: Unwholesome Vitakka/Vicara is generally Papanca but this leads to be scatterbrain than concentrated. Also leading to Restless Worry. This does not result in any Jhana. Also Papanca is obsessed with a thought. If a memory or thought comes and you do not keep thinking along the initial thought it is not Papanca. If you continue thinking from the initial though then it is Papanca. When you say Papanca aimless string of thoughts. If you maintain wise attention then thinking and planning will not be unwholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lionsroar.com/what-is-papanca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What is Papañca? BY ANDREW OLENDZKI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T06:00:57.577" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T06:00:57.577" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2017-06-17T03:22:55.777" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suttas seem quiet regarding questions 1 and 2, other than to say that a sotapanna will have no more than seven rebirths in the human and deva realms. Also, I have never heard or read of any teacher who contradicted the suttas in this regard. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to what I've read, beings in the lowest deva realm have lifespans lasting millions of years. (Google: 31 planes of existence dhammawiki)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the dhamma eye is open, it never closes. This prevents falling away. The power of a sotapanna's citta, or one could say, the power of the sotapanna's realization, overcomes all obstacles that would lead to leaving the Eightfold Path. A sotapanna arises when the kilesas of the first three fetters are uprooted and destroyed. They will never arise again. The sotapanna's mind and the Dhamma become inseparable, or one could say, the same, tho in a limited sense at this stage. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro cover this in detail and with plentiful canonical citations in their free book available online: The Island. Available here:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-books/the-island/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-books/the-island/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, you can hear a lecture on the issue here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGz34CJQCfk&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGz34CJQCfk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your questions are reasonable, but don't spend too much time in speculation. It disturbs samatha and sati. And keep in mind the Kalama Sutta when you read replies. People tend to provide their own favorite ideas-- who among them have their Dhamma Eye open?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;forgive any typos&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10469" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T03:22:55.777" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21037" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21030" CreationDate="2017-06-17T03:30:41.310" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Repeating the words many times over might help you remember to do Metta when it is needed in a difficult situation. As a form of Metta it is very shallow, but nevertheless maybe beneficial. If you develop aversion when doing this best not do it at such times. When you get fed up just stop. Also the repetition may serve the basis for a change in attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The most deeped way to do it is do Vipassana or Samatha Meditation. At some point you might get a pleasant feeling. When this happens bring ups the wish that others also experience this peace. This is more deeper form of Metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Objective of Metta is to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;develop and increase qualities Metta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;break barriers thereby you consider some people of class of people more favorably than the others&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T03:30:41.310" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21038" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-17T03:38:35.017" Score="5" ViewCount="367" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know that Nirvana is not like heaven the one they have in Christianity and Islam, but rather just a state of mind in the present world. Then what happens to someone who dies after becoming the enlightened one or becoming a Buddha? Where does he/she go?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11359" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T20:31:34.393" Title="Is there a concept of after life in Buddhism?" Tags="|nirvana|buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21029" CreationDate="2017-06-17T03:49:55.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist meditation is about taking the bull by the horn, not suppressing or avoiding. Suppression and avoidance lead to unwholesome roots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many disturbance during mediation originates due to a physical sensation of mental sensations. Say past memories come up, this also is due to the sensation a stimuli has brought about. Also when fabrications arise due to distraction your breath will lose its smoothness. How to handle this is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know your might has gone to a distracting object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;know what sensation this has brought about mentally and physically and look at it dividing and dissecting it until you see the arising and passing nature&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bring bad your attention to the breath and look at if you breath is beep, shallow, long or short&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;periodically, perhaps at the start, middle and end look if reaffirm or review (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/paccavekkhana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paccavekkhana&lt;/a&gt;) if your attention (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/manasik%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manasikāra&lt;/a&gt;) is with the breath. (No verbal thinking should be involved just see it is with the breath)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T03:49:55.970" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21038" CreationDate="2017-06-17T04:00:37.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 types of Nibbana which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sopadhishesa-nirvana (nibbana with a remainder) - while alive &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;parinirvana or anupadhishesa-nirvana (nibbana without remainder, or final nirvana) - after death &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is being blown out. So once you die for a person who has attained Nibbana does not go any where. The person is extinguished. This is like when you blow out the candle the flame does not go any where. The conditions for combustion are not there hence it extinguishers. This is similar to Nirvana. Conditions for future rebirths are no longer present hence you get extinguished.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T16:16:52.100" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T16:16:52.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21038" CreationDate="2017-06-17T04:36:29.827" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I start answering these things and I want to pull out a bunch of references and quote books etc.... Then I think &quot;thats just ego if I dont need it to answer&quot;. So let's try it this way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, most definitely an after-life exists in Buddhism. We are not really this body. We are the drivers inside it. NOT the brain though, thats physical. That preserves memories and identifies patterns. We are the actual feeling part of the emotions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we have this shell of a body that dies. It doesn't come back. Inside we have the driver, our consciousness, and it doesn't die. Truthfully it was never an individual. Our consciousness is part of the consciousness whole ... which is subject to all of the feelings of the universe and not just our crappy little 5 senses. Our awareness is limited to this vessel right now. A limitation that goes away as we return to the whole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once our bodies die we just keep doing this same cycle of crap until we ascend dimensionally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T04:36:29.827" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2017-06-17T04:53:06.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gods? Hardly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many years ago I was attending a football game in California. My team (the home team) was getting hammered. They had played poorly all game and the crowd was near silent. Out of nowhere one of our players made a really good tackle. His family was in attendance and despite the overall sullen crowd they stood up and cheered for their boy. And they cheered relentlessly ... well beyond what his play warranted. Then more stood up. Then his teammates took notice of the fervor and they congratulated him too. All of the sudden the entire team is standing and cheering as is 3/4 of the crowd. And the team starts playing better as a result.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Niners still lost, but they actually made a game of it. The way that the community consciousness of that crowd affected things was miraculous. Stirs emotions, stirs adrenaline, builds energy, builds comraderie and on and on. This is a small example of the ideology of interconnectedness. Everything we do effects everything else down the line in ways we know and ways we dont. Some maybe even not linearly in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the point is that positive mental energy can be &quot;contagious&quot; so to speak and it has to do with that interconnectedness and not necessarily the work of gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T04:53:06.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11748" CreationDate="2017-06-17T06:49:13.697" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ruben2020, and who ever might be interested in answers of you question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Begin a time where the matter of &amp;quot;what makes one a stream-winner&amp;quot; seems to interest many and maybe because many &amp;quot;Noble-Born&amp;quot; are currently remind, meting they reminder, on their old path they have already gone, it's maybe worthy to recollect the teachings informations about this matter in a good manner and everybody should be encouraged here to point out possible mistakes and missing points.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;❋ &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -&lt;/a&gt; ❋&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;➨ 1. How does a reborn stream-winner know that he or she is one?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acutally in the frame set of the questions it would be unlikely the first, since why would one raise such a question if maybe not even aware of such as &amp;quot;steam-winner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, lets look what are the atributes that a Streamwinner &amp;quot;possesses&amp;quot;. Of what [i]we[/i] know about what the Buddha said, being answered the question, &amp;quot;How does one know if having won the Stream or not?&amp;quot;, the properly most similar question and most direct answer is found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, in an conversation mit Ven. Ananda Thera, the Bhikkhus have been used to ask for the attainments of others the Lord Buddha an he giving them a mirror to use to look for oneself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Mirror of the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ananda, I will give you the teaching called the Mirror of the Dhamma, possessing which &lt;strong&gt;the noble disciple, should he so desire, can declare of himself&lt;/strong&gt;: 'There is no more rebirth for me in hell, nor as an animal or ghost, nor in any realm of woe. A stream-enterer am I, safe from falling into the states of misery, assured am I and bound for Enlightenment.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what, Ananda, is that teaching called the Mirror of Dhamma, possessing which the noble disciple may thus declare of himself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In this case, Ananda, &lt;strong&gt;the noble disciple possesses unwavering faith in the Buddha&lt;/strong&gt; thus: 'The Blessed One is an Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, perfect in knowledge and conduct, the Happy One, the knower of the world, the paramount trainer of beings, the teacher of gods and men, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He &lt;strong&gt;possesses unwavering faith in the Dhamma&lt;/strong&gt; thus: 'Well propounded by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, evident, timeless, [18] inviting investigation, leading to emancipation, to be comprehended by the wise, each for himself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;He &lt;strong&gt;possesses unwavering faith in the Blessed One's Order of Disciples&lt;/strong&gt; thus: 'Well faring is the Blessed One's Order of Disciples, righteously, wisely, and dutifully: that is to say, the four pairs of men, the eight classes of persons. The Blessed One's Order of Disciples is worthy of honor, of hospitality, of offerings, of veneration — the supreme field for meritorious deeds in the world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And he &lt;strong&gt;possesses virtues that are dear to the Noble Ones, complete and perfect, spotless and pure, which are liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by worldly concerns), and favorable to concentration of mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, Ananda, is the teaching called the Mirror of the Dhamma, whereby the noble disciple may thus know of himself: 'There is no more rebirth for me in hell, nor as an animal or ghost, nor in any realm of woe. A stream-enterer am I, safe from falling into the states of misery, assured am I and bound for Enlightenment.'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other Suttas as well, which describe the attributs of a Streamwinner like in the Samyutta Nikaya, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.109.wlsh_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.109: Sotaapanno Sutta — The Sotaapanna (' Stream-winner')&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/index_en.html#sn25&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Okkanta-samyutta — Entering&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this samyutta the Buddha explains the kinds of conviction and understanding that are required for the attainment of stream-entry. These short suttas share an identical structure, with each one focusing on a different aspect of experience (including the six senses, the six elements (dhatu), and the five aggregates). See also the &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/index_en.html#into_the_stream&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Study Guides on stream-entry&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.001.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cakkhu Sutta: The Eye&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At Savatthi. &amp;quot;Monks, the eye is inconstant, changeable, alterable. The ear... The nose... The tongue... The body... The mind is inconstant, changeable, alterable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;One who has conviction &amp;amp; belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;One who, after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-enterer&lt;/strong&gt;, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Itks maybe worthy to keep in mind that one needs to be very honest and proof very in detail all corners and dismantel any kind of quickly made judgement in its seriousity. That, how ever, requires to know, heaving heard the good teachings and understand clearly their meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of the fetters, a stream-winner has abounded the first three lower fetters of &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.013.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the ten fetters&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Self-identity views (&lt;em&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;), identifying either the clinging-aggragats, or some, or one, or the sense-groups and their objects, some, or one, as being an lasting personality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Uncertainty or doubt (&lt;em&gt;vicikiccha&lt;/em&gt;), meaning that one does no more seek for other teachers and teaching than the Buddha and his Dhamma, transported by the Savaka-Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Grasping at (wrong) precepts &amp;amp; practices (&lt;em&gt;sīlabbata-parāmāsa&lt;/em&gt;), which are not conductive for the path and naturally follow conductive ones, relaying merely on the judgement of the own mind in regard of what is skillful and unskilful and no more need of authority be given precepts &amp;amp; practices in the judgements sphere of speech (verbalication) and bodily acts. With other words, deeds (in mind, speech and body) are now &amp;quot;controlled&amp;quot; in an inwardly manner and no more just and outwardly evaluation, in a ways of outwardly comparing appearances but by relaying on mindstates, e.g intention (&lt;em&gt;cetana&lt;/em&gt;), not to mix with purpose) for it. While the wordling act merely fixed on the gain of certain fruit (&lt;em&gt;vipāka&lt;/em&gt;), the Noble Ones view has turned to the quality of the action (&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;) when deciding what and how to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of the virue of a streamwinner there are many views and disputes of which, how and if a streamwinner can break the basic four precepts and missconuct in consuming means which cause heedlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the virtue of a Noble person of first degree is based on gained right view, he/she is not able to act strong unskillful deliberated. It might be that faulty acts happen in &amp;quot;affect&amp;quot;, but even done he/she does not hidde such a fault and has a natural desire to confess it immediately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, he/she is in any case incapable to performing acts out of &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,2118.msg9372.html#msg9372&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;niyata micca ditthi&lt;/em&gt;, evil wrong view&lt;/a&gt;, and therefore incapable:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quote from: Commentar to &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya_en.html#fn-s3-7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sn 2.1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;matricide,&#xA;2 patricide,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the murder of arahants (the Consummate Ones),&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the shedding of the Buddha's blood,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;causing schism in the Sangha, and&#xA;6.pernicious false beliefs (niyata micca ditthi).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reagard of more detail of the virtue, my person gave recently some words on it in a discussion: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,7938.msg12342.html#msg12342&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Can there be Non-Attachment without Virtue?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of recognition by others (and in the case one seeks for prove by others), is needed to know, that only a &amp;quot;person on integrity (e.g. a Noble One)&amp;quot; can know of anothers persons integrity (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.110.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 110&lt;/a&gt;). The Sutta &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Paṭisalla Sutta: Seclusion&lt;/a&gt; contains also explainings here that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's through living together that a person's virtue... It's through trading with a person that his purity... It's through adversity that a person's endurance... It's through discussion that a person's discernment may be known, and then &lt;em&gt;only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person will end here in regard of the first question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;➨&lt;strong&gt;2. Does being a stream-winner in a previous lifetime, mean that one would be reborn into a devout Buddhist family in this lifetime or would definitely be led to the Dhamma eventually?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No, there are certain kinds mentioned and about the &amp;quot;leding&amp;quot;, he she would definitly. On how: see answer question 3.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A steam-winner will be born&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;mostly 7 more times in the realm of the Devas (sensual world is no hight path is gained) or human world, here:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reborn in a good family&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one-seeder&#xA;See AN 9.12 (Bhikkhu Bodhi):&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... With the utter destruction of three fetters, this person is a one-seed attainer who, after being reborn once more as a human being, makes an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... With the utter destruction of three fetters, this person is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among good families two or three times, makes an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...With the utter destruction of three fetters, this person is a seven times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among devas and humans seven times at most, makes an end of suffering. ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;➨3. Is the reborn stream-winner's Dhamma eye open immediately at birth, or only after he or she encounters the Dhamma and returns back to the Noble Eightfold Path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He/She maybe not conscious about having the &amp;quot; Dhamma-eye but like answered to question 4. is not in a strong danger to follow wrong teacher, in an amout that is not in the frame of the conduct and way of thinking of a Noble One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Becoming aware about the Dhamma is also answered under question 4, which can have four general typs of reminder:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;➨&lt;strong&gt;4. How is it guaranteed that the reborn stream-winner would not choose another path or another teacher, and drop out of the stream, considering that we do not remember previous lifetimes?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;AN &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/page,s0402m3.mul19_en_uppa.html#an04.191&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4.191&lt;/a&gt; indicates that one (here a previous monk appearing under Devas), if not reminding him-/herselves (&amp;quot;dies with a muddled mind&amp;quot;) either is remembered by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;comming in contact by him-/herself&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a monk with special power&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a Deva&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a &amp;quot;familary&amp;quot; spirit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is incapable to &amp;quot;fall out&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;follow other Paths&amp;quot;, since - like in the 1. question answered - the fetter &amp;quot;doubt&amp;quot; is abounded. Now it might be possible that he/she trains within another religion als long and in so far, the views and practices contain the factors of the noble eightfold path. It's so possible, that if one maintains a &amp;quot;mystic&amp;quot; approach in regard of &amp;quot;God&amp;quot;, it could be that one practices as Christian, or better under Christians, till one meets the good Dhamma, for example, or in certain other sects, but will maybe oppose certain things there naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is guaranteed by or through his/her previous deeds, the fullfilement of bringing together all pathfactors and the hearing of the good Dhamma with proper attention in advanced.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;➨&lt;strong&gt;5. Please provide any info from the canon regarding this.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The answers should already countain the sources. One of the best collection of Suttas might be the Studyguiden &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/study/into_the_stream_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Into the Stream - A Study Guide on the First Stage of Awakening&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, by Bhante Thanissaro, which will provide many additional informations and teachings, not only for gifted &amp;quot;Noble-Born's&amp;quot; but also for Dhamma-, Faith- and most suggested for those &amp;quot;with little faith&amp;quot; for now, to not only gain more of it, but also put all means into practice and finish a task so less are capable, bringing behind the most of all burdens to be for ever behind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Association with people of integrity is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Listening to the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appropriate attention is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 55.5&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May all beings have share of the merits here done with the support and sacrifies of many and may the Devas inform those not having seen or heard yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may find a possible extended or modified answer here, being also invited to comment, discuss or what ever insired: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8120.msg12365.html#msg12365&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Being of Noble birth - Stream winner reborn as human&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, came into being by goodness received and gratitude and so given by goodness and gratitude, and not meant for commercial purpose and trade in the world, or any wordily gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T10:06:16.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21045" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-17T06:56:46.310" Score="0" ViewCount="104" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the differences between faith/devotion and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fides_(deity)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;fides&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (deities)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11259" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T11:00:30.313" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T20:47:52.960" Title="What are the differences between faith and fides?" Tags="|life|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21032" CreationDate="2017-06-17T07:10:57.657" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vitakka-vicāra is  'thought-conception and discursive thinking'.  Before we speak on something, always conscious, deliberate thoughts on what we are going to say (out loud) takes place within us. In Dhamma, this is called ‘vaci sankhara’.  Or as “vitakka vicara vaci sankhara“, which means “vaci sankhara are ‘vitakka  &amp;amp;  vicara“ - our conscious, deliberate thoughts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Vitakka’ points the mind to a given thought object – the initial ‘thought’. ‘Vicara’ keeps the mind engaged on that thought object, i.e., generating new thoughts about it – thinking through/further on this initial ‘thought’. This has been compared to a bee flying to a certain flower (Vitakka) and then buzzing around that flower (Vicara) while drinking nectar.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha said “dhammo ha vé rakkati dhammacari” or “dhamma will guide one in the direction of dhamma that one follows”. This happens once a person becomes a Sotapanna (stream entrant). Once you attain this initial state in the PATH, your internal dialogue ( any conversation that takes place that is 'inner' and 'unspoken') is in keeping with dhamma. This inner conversation always guide you in the direction of dhamma that you follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vitakka (focused application of thoughts), when cultivated in the Dhamma Path become samma sankappa. Thus Samma Ditthi leads to the next step in the Noble Eightfold Path: Samma Sankappa. “Samma” means “san” (adding things to perpetuate the suffering/rebirth process) + “ma” (remove or get rid of). Thus Samma Ditthi is the vision (anicca, dukkha, anatta) that helps removing “san“; Samma Sankappa are the thoughts that help remove ‘san“.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are people who attain ‘anariya jhanas’  or ‘mundane jhanas’ by focusing the mind on any thought object (vitakka) that come their way. This could be the breath, a kasina object, or any other religious symbol of any religion, and then fixating the mind on this object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For one who contemplates the ‘Tilakkhana’ of anicca, dukkha, anatta at least to some extent, such thought objects (vitakka) are in keeping with Dhamma, and it is possible to attain Ariya jhanas. It is because this contemplation gives rise to ‘niramisa sukha’ or a ‘cooling down’ over time. This is what we call ‘kammatthana’ to cultivate jhana.  These ‘kammatthana’. The thing is one has to know the meaning of these Pali phrases, for one to think through. These phrases cannot be used just as a chanting object without understanding what is meant by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditating, in the first absorption, it reads in Pali &quot;vivicceva kamehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkam savicaram vivikajam pitisukham pathamajjhanam upasappajjha viharati.&quot; It is when Vitakka-vicāra comes to an end, and Savitakka-Savicāra remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Papañca can be said as an unhealthy direction that vitakka-vicāra would lead us to if we do not guard against this very Papañca. Papañca always lead to conflict. The Buddha once described this in the Attadanda Sutta (Arming Oneself– SN 4:15):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I will tell of how I experienced samvega. Seeing people floundering like fish in small puddles, competing with one another– as I saw this, fear came into me. The world was entirely without substance. All the directions were knocked out of line. Wanting a haven for myself, I saw nothing that wasn’t laid claim to. Seeing nothing in the end but competition, I felt discontent.  And then I saw an arrow here, so very hard to see, embedded in the heart. Overcome by this arrow you run in all directions. But simply on pulling it out you don’t run, you don’t sink.”&#xA;  Buddha wanted to see why rather than trying to solve the problem by looking for a larger puddle for oneself or ones fellow fish, as to why people would want to be fish in the first place. That is when he found an arrow embedded in his own heart. This arrow is papañca. Papañca is a type of thinking that causes conflict within those who think it, and leads them into conflict with people outside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take Papañca  to mean “objectification”,  then it’s from treating yourself and the world around you as objects–rather than, say, as events or processes–that the perceptions causing inner and outer conflict derive. , It’s because you have passion, desire, delight, or craving for something that you identify with a given thing. In identifying with it, you become tied there. Then you see your sources of food within that puddle as dear, and anyone who blocks those sources as not-dear. From this distinction come envy and stinginess, hostility, violence, rivalry, and ill will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we take Papañca to mean falsification and distortion, then the three types of thought: craving, conceit, and views, functions to slow the mind down in its escape from saṁsāra. It is the previous memory of mental events play in influencing mental proliferations. These previous memories are equivalent to what are known as āsava in Pali - an important element responsible for defiling the mind. It is the Papañca that makes us think that people are such and such, when the truth be is the opposite of what we thought of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T11:47:07.237" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T11:47:07.237" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21047" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2017-06-17T08:13:09.930" Score="0" Body="" OwnerUserId="-1" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T08:13:09.930" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T08:13:09.930" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21048" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2017-06-17T08:13:09.930" Score="0" Body="For questions about the Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) or any past, future Buddha as a person - his life, sayings, actions, etc. " OwnerUserId="25614" LastEditorUserId="25614" LastEditDate="2024-04-04T06:12:56.097" LastActivityDate="2024-04-04T06:12:56.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21049" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21053" CreationDate="2017-06-17T09:00:25.187" Score="1" ViewCount="424" Body="&lt;p&gt;In respect to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, the Pali suttas state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, &lt;strong&gt;manasikāro&lt;/strong&gt; - idaṃ vuccatāvuso nāmaṃ. Cattāri ca mahābhūtāni catunnañca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāya rūpaṃ. Idaṃ&#xA;  vuccatāvuso rūpaṃ. Iti idañca nāmaṃ idañca rūpaṃ - idaṃ vuccatāvuso&#xA;  nāmarūpaṃ.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Feeling, perception, volition, contact and &lt;strong&gt;attention&lt;/strong&gt; — these are called mentality. The four great elements and the material form&#xA;  derived from the four great elements — these are called materiality.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alternate translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Feeling, perception, intention, contact &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;attention&lt;/strong&gt;: This is called name. The four great elements and the form dependent on the four great&#xA;  elements: This is called form. This name &amp;amp; this form are called&#xA;  name-&amp;amp;-form.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why do we think 'attention' ('manasikara') is included within 'nama-rupa'? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Note: I personally do not have a definite answer to this question, apart from personal speculation therefore I have asked the question for people to think about &amp;amp; answer.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T09:14:42.267" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T07:58:31.777" Title="Why is 'attention' ('manasikara') included within 'nama-rupa'?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21049" CreationDate="2017-06-17T11:29:06.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why do we think 'attention' ('manasikara') is included within 'nama-rupa'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Attention&lt;/em&gt; is a mental factor (cetasika) that arises based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)#Seven_universal_mental_factors&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;several other factors&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, one of those being &lt;em&gt;intention&lt;/em&gt; (cetana). It performs one of several cognitive functions that allows for consciousness of an object to arise. This can be experienced through the practice of insight meditation. As this is purely a mental function it is included in &lt;em&gt;Nama-rupa, i.e. the Nama-aspect&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In walking meditation the meditator can experience the four great elements as actual processes (ultimate realities), e.g. the feeling of lightness that occurs in the lifting-phase of the foot. That right there is the experience of the fire element. The &lt;em&gt;awareness&lt;/em&gt; of that feeling of lightness belongs to Nama and that feeling can only be experienced if &lt;em&gt;attention&lt;/em&gt; is present and performing its mental function. Again, we see why &lt;em&gt;attention&lt;/em&gt; can be included in the Nama-aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer the question: &lt;em&gt;Attention&lt;/em&gt;&#xA; is a mental factor. Mental factors belong to Mentality. Mentality is the Nama-aspect of Nama-rupa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T11:53:56.737" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T11:53:56.737" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21051" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21061" CreationDate="2017-06-17T11:32:34.163" Score="2" ViewCount="221" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm seeking a meditation/dharma teacher to help strengthen my practice, once I find one and establish some relationship what is the proper way to request becoming their student. I'm interested in The etiquette for lay or monastic. Also where I am there is not a strong community of practice what suggestions if any does anyone have about online teachers/instruction? (Hazards/cautions) if the relationship has to be long distance what steps can I take to make it more beneficial?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T10:17:16.597" Title="Proper way to ask a teacher to become their student" Tags="|theravada|meditation|meditation-teachers|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13565" CreationDate="2017-06-17T11:44:37.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gokul NC&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;➨&lt;em&gt;Do the gods help us if we pray to them according to Buddhism?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, if one honores and respects them, one can espect rewards. Like if one interacts with other beings, here being with guṇā, having performed and developed goid qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like with other beings the help is of course limited to merely &amp;quot;outwardly&amp;quot;. But they are also used to lift ones mind and come to skilful concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha praised and encouraged to sacrifies and respect in regard of the Devas and Gods and told that a person doing so where ever he goes, will always gain the respect of the Devas and be best possible protected. (Maybe my person can add a key sutta here, which came to mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's usuall to give wishes like &amp;quot;may the Devas protect you&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was always good protected and supported by the Devas and enjoyed their help and company even in his quest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not believing in &amp;quot;spontaneously born beings&amp;quot;, Deva, Gods and rejecting their existence is a factor of wrong view and one not respecting the goodness and merits of Devas and in many cases their inferior might also still have problems not knowing what is higher and foremost, which is also an indicator of the first path factor missing, yet it is even a wordily matter of right estimate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course Devas, aside of maybe teach or tell one Dhamma, can not help one in the task to master the path for liberation from suffering, like nobody can: Something one needs to do by oneself, and of course Devas can also not chance effects caused by ones iwn deeds and erease them to arise. But all that ciunts for other people, even the Lord Buddha likewise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is maybe good to remark that Devas do not like the company of humans that much because of their virtue, so to enjoy best help and have Devas arround, one needs to have virtue and attributes similar to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So torward all here coming accross:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rakkhantu sabba-devatā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the devas protect you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sabba-buddhā/dhammā/saṅghānubhāvena&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the power of all the Buddhas/Dhamma/Sangha,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sotthī hontu nirantaraṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you forever be well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hotu sabbaṃ sumaṅgalaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May there be every good blessing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, came into being by goodness received and gratitude and so given by goodness and gratitude, and not meant for commercial purpose and trade in the world, or any wordily gain.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T11:44:37.027" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21053" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21049" CreationDate="2017-06-17T13:48:16.073" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is this hierarchy in the teaching. One such is in the Nama…..  of the  rupa (material phenomena) &amp;amp; nama (mental phenomena).  Nama is broken down into Vedana (feeling) , Sañña (perception),  cetanā (mental activities),  Passa (contact) , and manasikāra (mental advertence). Buddha placed Passa &amp;amp; Manasikaara to the end for a reason. For the three things: feeling, perception and volition (vedana, sañña, and cetana) to be born contact must be there. Dependent on contact only manasikāra (mental advertence) happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vedanā, saññā, cetanā multiple series of mental events are rapidly arising and passing away from moment to moment. Only if contact happens -  Passa paccaya vedanā, saññā, cetanā….  with vedanā as condition, Tanhā arises.  Passa (Pāli) is a Buddhist term meaning &quot;contact&quot; or &quot;touching”.  Dependent on contact only manasikāra (mental advertence) happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the case of an arahant the manasikāra is in accordance with the Dhamma. They live in the timeless present. For an Arahant in reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. For him it is only “Passa”, whereas for you and me, it is ‘sampassa’ (san+passa). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“San’ is basically the term for “good and bad things we acquire”. When we are thinking about an experience in the past or worrying about a future event, it all happens in the present moment. They are all activity of nāma-rūpa happening only in the present. From this ‘sampassa’ (san+passa) comes Ayonisomanasikāra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus Manasikāra simply means ‘attention’. This in essence is the ability to be aware of the activity of the senses and the origin of mental phenomena, as it happens. The activity of the six senses. (1) Eye and forms (objects), (2) ear and sounds, (3) nose and odours, (4) tongue and tastes, (5) body and tactile objects, (6) mind and mental phenomena (mind objects). This happens both in you and me, as well as in Arahants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Arahants there is cetanā. In you and me it is san+ cetanā.  There is a distinction between sankhara and abhisankhara. Sankhara involves everything that we do to live in “this world”; these include breathing, walking, eating, etc. Even an Arahant has to be engaged in sankhara until Parinibbana or death. The prefix “abhi” means “stronger” or “coarse”. Sankhara become abhisankhara by engaging in the “wheeling process”. The sansaric process or the rebirth process is fueled by abhisankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T13:48:16.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20955" CreationDate="2017-06-17T14:31:13.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorant monk must avoid ignorant monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant monk must avoid ignorant layman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant layman must avoid ignorant monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorant layman must avoid ignorant layman.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Graduated monks/laymans must know who is possible to enlighten after listen their teaching. They also must know who will never understand their teaching to avoid them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must know ṭhana and aṭhana before decide to do something. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oocities.org/upasakha/dhammannusutta.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dhammaññūsutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What mahavihara theravada buddhist monks must memorized and learn? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/2017/04/guide-to-done-ganthadhura-and.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Beginer Buddhist Course Syllabus By Ancient Pali Canon (Ganthadhura And Vipassanādhura)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11542" LastEditorUserId="11542" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T14:39:27.957" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T14:39:27.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21055" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-17T15:25:52.163" Score="0" ViewCount="419" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to learn dhamma as Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhists learn kammaṭhāna and dhamma for over 2600 years?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T00:48:09.133" LastActivityDate="2021-05-13T22:05:55.527" Title="Beginner's Buddhist Course Syllabus By Ancient Pali Canon (Ganthadhura And Vipassanādhura)" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|meditation-practicalities|learning-materials|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21055" CreationDate="2017-06-17T15:25:52.163" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;I concluded this subject from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0502a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cakkhupālatheravatthu&lt;/a&gt; in dhammapadaṭṭhakathā and vinayapitaka and commentary. My every topics base on Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhism. You can see pali source in Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhism cannon.&lt;/i&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;Cakkhupāla&lt;/b&gt; lived with upajjhā, who must graduated in bhikkhuparisūpaṭṭhāpaka course, to practice himself to be graduate in nissayamuccaka course, by memorization method (mukkhapatha).&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;What is nissayamuccaka course, that every monk, like cakkhupāla, must be done, before choose his way in ganthadhura or vipassanādhura?&lt;/b&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&#xA;There are 2 course of beginner, layman/novice course and nissayamuccaka course.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&#xA;1. layman/novice course&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the introduction of khuddakapātha-commentary said about that 'At 1st saṅgāyanā, 500 bikkhu had concluded some little texts, that popular to teach the newbie in buddhism. It was called kuddhakapātha. It content&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;9 texts:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;saraṇa, sikkhāpada, dvattiṃsākāra, kumārapañha, maṅgalasutta, ratanasutta, tirokuṭṭa, nidhikaṇḍa, mettasutta&lt;/b&gt;'.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Note: this is the reason the why all theravāda country always teach to memorize these 9 sutta first. They teach follow to 1st saṅgāyanā commentary's syllabus.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt; 2. nissayamuccaka course &lt;/h2&gt; &#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(for person who has done the first course)&#xA;In ovādakasikkhāpada-commentary wrote about 7 titles course syllabus:&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must skillfully memorized bhikkhu and bhikkhuni pāṭimokkha, fluently, be firmly fixed in the mind, understand clearly, word by word, meaning by meaning, and the whole story.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must skillfully memorized 4 bhāṇavāra (about 4 multiple of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta), fluently, be firmly fixed in the mind, understand clearly, word by word, meaning by meaning, and the whole story.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must understand every saṇghakamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must learn kathāmagga (abbrev of bikkhu advising such as cūḷalāhulovādasutta).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must learn 3 sutta for 3 biṇḍapāta jobs: vivāha, maṅgala, and avamaṅgala.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must understand clearly through samathayānika way or vipassanāyanika way.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bhikkhu must live with upajjhā at least 5 years.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;These 7 titles must be done, to be nissayamuccaka. Nissayamuccaka can go everywhere without upajjhā.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;When cakkhupāla had done nissayamuccaka course in 5 years, &lt;b&gt;then he made the decision between ganthadhura, or vipassanādhura.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;&#xA;Ganthadhura and Vipassanādhura&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In cakkhupālatheravatthu declared Ganthadhura and Vipassanādhura as:&#xA; &lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;Ganthadhura&lt;/b&gt; is job of &amp;nbsp;nissayamuccaka or higher, who memorized tipitaka and learn commentary such as 1 nikāya, 2 nikāya, or whole tipitaka.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;Vipassanādhura&lt;/b&gt; is job of &amp;nbsp;nissayamuccaka or higher, who has not enlighten, then trow every stuff, go to live without 5 kāmaguṇa, then do udayabbayañāṇa and higher, with a purposeful mind (can trow away their life to enlighten) to go to enlighten.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Both need to memorize tipitaka more than nissayamuccaka, too. Ganthadhura memorize books, but Vipassanādhura memorize their sutta and commentary, that they use to meditate.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/2016/09/tipitaka-memorization-is-rule-of-monks.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/2016/09/tipitaka-memorization-is-rule-of-monks.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0502a.att1.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cakkhupālatheravatthu&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pabbajissāmevāhaṃ, tātāti tassa viravantasseva satthu santikaṃ gantvā pabbajjaṃ yācitvā laddhapabbajjūpasampado ācariyupajjhāyānaṃ santike pañca vassāni vasitvā vuṭṭhavasso pavāretvā satthāramupasaṅkamitvā vanditvā pucchi – ‘‘bhante, imasmiṃ sāsane kati dhurānī’’ti? ‘‘ganthadhuraṃ, vipassanādhuranti dveyeva dhurāni bhikkhū’’tiฯ ‘‘katamaṃ pana, bhante, ganthadhuraṃ, katamaṃ vipassanādhura’’nti? ‘‘attano paññānurūpena ekaṃ vā dve vā nikāye sakalaṃ vā pana tepiṭakaṃ buddhavacanaṃ uggaṇhitvā tassa dhāraṇaṃ, kathanaṃ, vācananti idaṃ ganthadhuraṃ nāma, sallahukavuttino pana pantasenāsanābhiratassa attabhāve khayavayaṃ paṭṭhapetvā sātaccakiriyavasena vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhetvā arahattaggahaṇanti idaṃ vipassanādhuraṃ nāmā’’tiฯ ‘‘bhante, ahaṃ mahallakakāle pabbajito ganthadhuraṃ pūretuṃ na sakkhissāmi, vipassanādhuraṃ pana pūressāmi, kammaṭṭhānaṃ me kathethā’’tiฯ athassa satthā yāva arahattaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathesiฯ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;so satthāraṃ vanditvā attanā sahagāmino bhikkhū pariyesanto saṭṭhi bhikkhū labhitvā tehi saddhiṃ nikkhamitvā vīsayojanasatamaggaṃ gantvā ekaṃ mahantaṃ paccantagāmaṃ patvā tattha saparivāro piṇḍāya pāvisiฯ manussā vattasampanne bhikkhū disvāva pasannacittā āsanāni paññāpetvā nisīdāpetvā paṇītenāhārena parivisitvā, ‘‘bhante, kuhiṃ ayyā gacchantī’’ti pucchitvā ‘‘yathāphāsukaṭṭhānaṃ upāsakā’’ti vutte paṇḍitā manussā ‘‘vassāvāsaṃ senāsanaṃ pariyesanti bhadantā’’ti ñatvā, ‘‘bhante, sace ayyā imaṃ temāsaṃ idha vaseyyuṃ, mayaṃ saraṇesu patiṭṭhāya sīlāni gaṇheyyāmā’’ti āhaṃsuฯ tepi ‘‘mayaṃ imāni kulāni nissāya bhavanissaraṇaṃ karissāmā’’ti adhivāsesuṃฯ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T00:47:41.220" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T00:47:41.220" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21058" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-17T19:26:41.610" Score="3" ViewCount="269" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am writing a romance book. In it one of my character's recites a portion of the Dhammapada. If I publish my book, will I be violating any copyright laws? How would I go about getting permission to put the quote in my book?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11544" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T21:41:20.177" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T21:31:52.490" Title="Is it allowed to quote a Buddhist teaching in a fiction book?" Tags="|dhammapada|copyright|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21059" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21049" CreationDate="2017-06-17T21:03:09.930" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very good &amp;amp; helpful answers, including @Saptha Visuddhi's reference to &lt;em&gt;ayonisomanasikāra&lt;/em&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;They are all activity of nāma-rūpa happening only in the present. From this ‘sampassa’ (san+passa) comes Ayonisomanasikāra.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was giving attention to this in meditation this morning and I decided upon this similar answer: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination arises from ignorance &amp;amp;, of particularly relevance is, the absence of mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom at sense contact. About this, MN 38 states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he lusts after it if it is pleasing; he dislikes it if it is unpleasing. He abides with mindfulness of the&#xA;  body unestablished, with a limited mind and he does not understand as&#xA;  it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom&#xA;  wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In respect to this lack of mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom, AN 10.61 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lack of mindfulness and clear comprehension, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of the lack&#xA;  of mindfulness and clear comprehension? 'Unwise attention,' should be&#xA;  the answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When unwise attention (ayoni­so­ma­nasikāro) prevails, it will make prevail lack of&#xA;  mindfulness and clear comprehension.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, I think attention is included within nama-rupa because ignorance conditions/prepares nama-rupa for unwise/ignorant attention, which in turn will make sense contact unwise/ignorant. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T21:08:21.677" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T21:08:21.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21058" CreationDate="2017-06-17T21:30:30.687" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a contentious issue in Buddhism because the Buddha taught the Dhamma is to be given freely &amp;amp; because the translators are only translating rather than creating anything original. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel238.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;AN 9.5&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An example of 'Buddhist' copyright clauses are here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/copyright.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhanet Copyright Details&lt;/a&gt; and here (bottom of page): &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Piyavagga: Affection&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A discussion is here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=12705&amp;amp;sid=4b315c062f82a9c845c513e02dc70135&amp;amp;start=20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Copyright on the Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; and here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/17952/dharma-should-be-free&quot;&gt;Dharma should be free?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The easy solution is to simply change of few words and claim it as your own translation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha was alive, he would say: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hcUiV.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/hcUiV.png&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uVQES.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/uVQES.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-17T21:37:14.027" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T21:37:14.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21051" CreationDate="2017-06-17T21:34:12.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Once you find the right teacher, your search for one is over, and there is no need of thinking about how you should approach him or her, as this will happen like that of a reflex action. The big question is how to find this right teacher. &#xA;This is because a person needs to be fully established in this path in coming to one of the path factors above that of a stream entrant but this person can present a completely different image to others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it is very difficult to know another person. It is difficult to know whether a person is in the correct path or not, or whether you can place your trust or not, whether you will get into trouble by sharing your experiences with that person or not. It is a great relief if we knew how to understand a person whether that person is a person of integrity or a person of no integrity. It is far greater relief if we have such a person in our life to share our experiences with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you take the trouble to learn the Dhamma contained in the original scriptures to some extent, whether it is from books or online, you will be in a better position to know how to identify ‘a person of integrity’ and ‘a person of no integrity’. In Sappurisa sutta of Anguttara nikaya the Lord Buddha explains how to identify ‘a person of integrity’ and ‘a person of no integrity’.  Here, the Buddha explains ‘a person of integrity’ and ‘a person of no integrity’ can be identified by their qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This, however, is where the tricky part is: You can't be a fair judge of another person's integrity until you've developed some of your own. This is probably the most uncomfortable truth of all, for it requires that you accept responsibility for your judgments. If you want to test other people's potential for good guidance, you must pass a few tests yourself. Again, it's like listening to a pianist. The better you are as a pianist, the better your ability to judge the other person's playing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T21:34:12.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20988" CreationDate="2017-06-17T22:36:13.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can think of this in terms of addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the most common example, let's take addiction to alcohol. The more you desire alcohol and the more you let your desire drive your action, the more you sustain your addiction, which makes you helpless and creates all kinds of trouble for you and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhicitta is like desire to stop drinking. You desire to be free from the addiction. Which means you desire to be your own master. You develop the will power to abstain from drinking. You learn to resist the temptation. Moreover, you learn to generate the same type of relaxation and joy that you used to get from alcohol - through other, more healthy means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same idea is at play in Buddhism - except in Buddhism the context is much broader, we are not talking about any specific addiction - we are willing to be free from them all, any dependency on anything whatsoever. This is why it's called Liberation, being not bound, not dependent, not addicted, not controlled, free. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The state of mind when you are determined, intent on, convinced, motivated - to be free - which means being actively determined to make every action in context of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the four right efforts&lt;/a&gt; - is called relative bodhicitta, while the state of having attained Liberation, or rather, mastered it, which basically means having completely mastered the four right efforts - is called absolute bodhicitta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, somewhat counterintuitively, attaining liberation is not always done through passive means like letting go and acceptance. It also requires mastery of will power - particularly mastery over ones thoughts, emotions, mood, motivation, and energy. Not just mastery in the sense of being able to stop them and suppress them or accept - but in the sense of being your own power generator, your own mood maker, your own sustenance. It's the four right efforts, not the two right efforts - this is a very important point!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So these are two very different desires - one is the desire of weakness and addiction, to get your satisfaction from the outside - the other is the desire to be strong and not dependent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T03:08:34.627" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T03:08:34.627" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21063" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21045" CreationDate="2017-06-17T22:47:08.667" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two levels of faith. If by &lt;strong&gt;fides&lt;/strong&gt;, what you meant was ‘good faith’ or ‘trust’, then it is the “unbreakable” faith (saddha) in Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, that is the other level of faith. The two types of faith that is described in Buddhist teaching are:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Blind, irrational, baseless or rootless faith – amulika saddha; and&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Confidence based on reason and experience – akarawathi saddha.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha asked his disciples to not blindly follow him or his teachings but encouraged them to question, explore and investigate them in order to develop confidence in the teachings through experiential verification. Faith or devotion associated with strong emotions (amulika saddha) will not last long, and can become an obstacle to the disciple’s spiritual development (such as in the case of the Vakkali Thera, who was enamored by the Buddha's appearance). The Buddha admonished Vakkali, stating that “The sight of my foul body is useless; he who sees Dhamma sees me, yo dhammam passati so mam passati; yo mam passati so dhammam passati.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unlike faith-based religions where faith is a significant factor for salvation, in Buddhism devotion alone will not help one to attain Nibbana. In the Vimansaka Sutta of the Majjima Nikaya, the Buddha encouraged monks to critically inquire, investigate and clarify what is said as that would lead to the development of confidence based on investigation and conviction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A disciple with strong faith but weak wisdom (panna) may remain in blind devotion with poor progress while a disciple with strong wisdom but weak faith may become too rational and cunning which would also hinder spiritual progress. The five spiritual faculties of Confidence (saddha), effort (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna) become spiritual strengths or powers—bala—when they have become unshakable and strong enough to control any opposing factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There exists a Conventional Truth and an Absolute Truth in Theravada Buddhism. Most of the time it is the conventional truth that is present in what we perceive. The disciples who are endowed with akarawathi saddha, have the developed wisdom to doubt, question and investigate the commonly translated Buddhist doctrine, to see this higher truth that is consistent with understanding of meaning (Artha), understanding of doctrine (Dharma), understanding of grammar (Nirukti) and understanding of eloquence (Pratibhaana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T22:47:08.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21030" CreationDate="2017-06-17T23:48:51.503" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you are doing is good – keep up with the practice of Metta.  The practice of Metta can be great when your character buildup is based on all four of these:  däna (giving), seela (moral conduct), bhavana (mostly loving kindness towards others), and culminating in panna (wisdom). While these ones are being cultivated, viriya (effort), khanti (patience), adhittana (determination), metta (loving kindness), nekkhamma (renunciation), and upekkha (equanimity) too gets cultivated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the giving (däna) is not only giving to the needy, to animals, to elders and yogis, etc. It also includes the abhaya däna. Here one knows that all sentient beings value one’s life the most, and thus does everything possible to save lives. Abhaya means remove “bhaya” or fright. Thus in doing this, Metta grows simultaneously too. Most categories are inter-related, and grow together. The highest giving is dhamma däna. It starts with teaching morals to others, and living an exemplary life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta Bhavana is best for you. It is just that you do not know what a powerful tool this is. Also you seem to not know that there is a higher level to even the Metta Bhavana. Why this is a powerful tool is that it is possible to remove many of one’s bad kamma seeds through Metta Bhavana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When a kamma (abhisankhara) is committed, the kammic potential of that kamma is deposited as a kamma seed. A kamma seed has the potential to germinate or come to fruition if suitable conditions appear. By “transferring merits” when one does good deeds, and also by doing the metta bhavana, specially the Ariya metta bhavana, one can get rid of that kamma seed by paying off that debt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We have become indebted to innumerable beings in previous rebirths. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;“Metta Sutta”&lt;/a&gt; the Buddha has explained how much of this debt can be paid off by doing the metta bhavana and also by transferring merits to “all beings” when we do a good deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The metta that you do takes a higher significance if you feel for the beings in the lowest four realms (apayas) who undergo unimaginable suffering, both physical and mental. You mentioned about the suffering of this human world in your OP. The human world is included in the lowest five realms where beings have physical bodies that are subject to sicknesses, body aches, and getting old before dying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the sixth through eleventh realms are that of the devas, they could be subjected to repulsive touch, distasteful/unpleasant tastes, smells, and sounds, and visuals. No living being is free of future suffering. Unless the Sotapanna (stream entrant) stage of Nibbana is attained, even beings in the highest realm can end up in the  lowest four realms in future rebirths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus it should be your wish that they attain at least the Sotapanna (stream entrant) stage of Nibbana  by comprehending the Three Characteristics of  anicca, dukkha, anatta. Then one becomes free from the four lower realms forever. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the next stage of Nibbana (Sakadagami stage) is attained, one becomes free of births in the lower five realms where suffering due to physical ailments and diseases are possible. At the Anagami stage, one removes more akusala citta and will never be born again in kama loka including the deva realm. So in this higher metta bhavana, the words have deeper meanings. When you say “be healthy” now it is meant to be healthy forever. Unlike the one that you used to do, in this one all four Brahma vihara (metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha) are cultivated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“May myself and all living beings attain the Sotapanna stage and be free from suffering in the lower four realms forever”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Sakadagami stage and be healthy forever”.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Anagami stage and be content (attain peaceful happiness)  forever”.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;“May myself and all living beings attain the Arahant stage and be free from all suffering and attain the full Nibbanic bliss”.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-17T23:48:51.503" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21065" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-18T00:15:27.763" Score="-3" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Venerables,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upasaka, Upasika&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Valued readers and engaged Buddhabodhisattas here,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In how far might it count as a break of the precept, abstaining from telling what is not true, if one changes the circumstances?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;There might be a question, receiving answers. Afterwards are changes of the questions, sometime seemingly slight, does a change counts as a break?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If not having the intention to missinterpret the answerer, does such anyhow possible give ground that they accure missinterpreted?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To include Abhidhamma aspects: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are ones reasons willing to change answers, questions, delete parts, modify... afterwards if it is unskillful? Why and how could one modify, delete, change in a skilfulway that would harm in this or that way?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How to go beyound such problems, what whould be a secure solution?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are the consequences of missinterpreting and changing the true or circumstances to display a differnt picture for ones benefit, harm of others or out of not-knowing and fear (e.g. the four roots of akusala, greed, aversion, delution, fear)?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How do you practice that, or exerianced the matter in you practice in forums and blogs?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that it is a general question, but also a very urged matter of all editors and edits here, yet so importand and on topic of practicing Dhamma, that it should not be taken as meta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(This question is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Side note in regard of Bu-meta&lt;/em&gt;: it might be good if the moderators engage on this maater in regard of: 1. Make use of &quot;on hold&quot; and possible protection of question and or notification of answerers in cases of question changes. My person can not engage there, just with hints in comments, not sure if the old question there still exists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-10-04T00:17:47.843" LastActivityDate="2019-07-06T13:50:28.773" Title="Changing of questions and the precept of not speaking what is not true" Tags="|vipassana|five-precepts|practice|lie|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21066" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-18T00:58:24.043" Score="-1" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;In how far might it count as a break of the precept, abstaining from telling what is not true, if one changes the circumstances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example here: There might be a question, receiving answers. Afterwards are changes of the questions by telling about the circumstances differently, sometime seemingly slight, does a change counts as a break?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not having the intention to missinterpret the answerer, does such anyhow possible give ground that they accure missinterpreted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To include Abhidhamma in the question: What are ones reasons willing to change answers, questions, delete parts, modify... in retelling afterwards if it is unskillful? Why and how could one render change in a skilfulway that would harm in this or that way or make aware of it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to go beyound such problems, what whould be a secure solution?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the consequences of missinterpreting and changing the true or circumstances to display a differnt picture for ones benefit, harm of others or out of not-knowing and fear (e.g. the four roots of akusala, greed, aversion, delution, fear)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T02:15:51.133" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:21:00.160" Title="Changing parts of circumstances and the precept of not speaking what is not true" Tags="|vipassana|five-precepts|practice|lie|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21030" CreationDate="2017-06-18T01:54:05.057" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Consider hate. Sometimes we find thoughts of hate displeasing and that turns us away from it or we find them harmful and we repress them. But having frequent thoughts of hate (say, as an escape for some pain), our mind develops into hatred. When we feel &lt;strong&gt;pleasure&lt;/strong&gt; with it, we obsess and our thoughts and imaginations are colored by hate -- we imagine situation where we act on hate and we find pleasure in them. This further &lt;strong&gt;inspires&lt;/strong&gt; us to act on hate. Later on, some event may happen and we act instinctively and naturally on hate because of the mind being developed on it. As this is now ingrained in ourselves, part of our thoughts and act, we essentially &lt;strong&gt;became&lt;/strong&gt; a hateful person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, this is the way that there is development in hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same with metta or compassion. The feeling of being moved, even when the circumstances are sad as in the case of compassion, is a sublime feeling (probably, hence the name of brahma-vihara), and also &lt;strong&gt;pleasant&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As it turns out, the mind naturally inclines towards that pleasant feeling -- even though some of us are a bit scared by it and instinctively repress it. When that feeling is nurtured, our thoughts and imaginations are colored by it. So we might see or imagine a person being very compassionate or kind and think &quot;I wish I was like that person&quot;. In this way, we become &lt;strong&gt;inspired&lt;/strong&gt;. Then, our thoughts and imaginations further makes us adapt and feel comfortable with acting in the same way, as these thoughts and imaginations are pleasing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later on, some event may happen and, because of that development, we act instinctively and naturally on compassion or kindness. As this is now ingrained in ourselves, part of our thoughts and act, we essentially &lt;strong&gt;became&lt;/strong&gt; a compassionate or kind person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, this is the way that there is development in kindness or compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. [...] If he frequently thinks and ponders upon thoughts of non-ill will ... non-cruelty and he has abandoned the thought of ill will ... cruelty to cultivate the thought of non-ill will ... non-cruelty, then his mind inclines to thoughts of non-ill will ... non-cruelty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, there are ways of developing these factors deeper through specific types of meditations, much of which have been discussed here previously. There seems to be (at the moment of writing this) &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=+is%3Aquestion+title%3Ametta&quot;&gt;28 questions with metta in their title&lt;/a&gt; and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=+is%3Aquestion+title%3Akindness&quot;&gt;few more with &quot;kindness&quot; in the title&lt;/a&gt;. They might give some pointers to learn more about this practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-06-22T23:47:33.300" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T23:47:33.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21066" CreationDate="2017-06-18T02:18:13.670" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For example here: There might be a question, receiving answers. Afterwards are changes of the questions by telling about the&#xA;  circumstances differently, sometime seemingly slight, does a change&#xA;  counts as a break?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course this is not false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often it is difficult to write an accurate question. After an answer is given, the questioner may become more clear in their mind about what they really intend to ask. Therefore, the questioner modifies the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precept about honest speech is for not creating confusion, harm &amp;amp; deception in important relationships, such as a husband lying to his wife; or politicians in the world lying about fake terrorist acts so they can start a fake war; or fake monks lying about being a real monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the example given here about changing questions &amp;amp; answers, after reflection or reconsideration, is not false speech because it is not harming any one. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T02:23:50.277" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T02:23:50.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21070" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21049" CreationDate="2017-06-18T03:19:58.833" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it true?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The uninformed run-a-mill-person, touched by form (sound, smell, tast, bodily sensation, idea - here of seeing a fault) on the eye (ear, nose, tongue, body, intelect), pays it wrong attention. Having payed wrong attantion, not having considered it wisely, taking attention as real, lasting, statisfaction, it as &quot;mine&quot;, grasps after it, take hold on it, and make it to a matter. So after becoming, mind and matter come to birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a little wisely, one would see, what ever comes to birth, what ever one takes on attention in the mind-matter sphere, all this is subject to decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the uninformed run-a-mill-person, caught in pride and conceit, is incapable for proper attention, incapable to understand mind eg. feeling, perception, intention, contact &amp;amp; attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person tells you, it would be better if he would take form as lasting, satisfacting, for his own, self. Why? Because he could see it's decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how does a disciple of the Noble One considers, acts and pay attention?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Touched by form... touched by attention on the intellect, he gives not unwise (&quot;selfinvolved&quot;) attention, considering &quot;this is suffering, this is the cause the origin of suffering, this is the cessation suffering, this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering&quot;, giving proper attention in &quot;this has come into being&quot;, gives proper attention, does not take grasphold of it. Not taking on it, it does not become matter for mind, nama-rupa does not come into be and stress and suffering is end, released.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T03:19:58.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21071" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21058" CreationDate="2017-06-18T04:31:27.327" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist scriptures are so old they are not under copyright. Translations maybe. Some are made freely available. Best is just ask the author or do your own translation. Also quoting a small portion may be acceptable as fair use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T04:31:27.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21051" CreationDate="2017-06-18T04:38:52.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before teaching the Dhamma, the Buddha would expect certain thing from one: Respect, generosity, patient and the willingness to virtue, before then teaching about the Devas and good dwellings in the world, the disadvantage and if possible followed till here, the Four Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Knowing that many of you might have access to his teachings, my person tries to give a practical teacher for each step. If you do not have the right people next to you, living the talk, although you might have access to the words, you might not succeed: but sometimes, better than searching for the perfect teacher, is to look for one that helps you right where you are stuck for now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if, after wise reflecting, you find out that you have authority problems, seek for somebody able to tame you, friends who practice paying respect with body and speech and learn that, till you are able to give gratitude rise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here are some bits of advice for the foundations, to gain enough right view, to be able to be considered worthy for sacrifies, and if having the feeling that you are not worthy at all out of wrong self-estimate, just go on and serve and help around and for a person you believe that he represents good attributes and has wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't search for people who you estimate as lower or equal in regard of good virtues, as you would like to when you look for a friend; but look for someone you really can develop &amp;quot;love&amp;quot;, a certain kind of fear and respect, people who are able to dominate you and tame you; while at the same time, be sure that they do not depend on you even a little, whether materially nor immaterially. A paid teacher is no teacher at all; a honor-needing teacher is never a high teacher. A teacher accepting you as his disciple for not just giving you as as possible leave, is not free of defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,60.msg1304.html#msg1304&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Some practical general advices of behaviour in regard of giving, receiving and approching.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,449.0.html#post_engl&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In regard of bodily appearence, name also on internet-Avatar and User placements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bettertogive_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In regard of generosity - Better to Give than to Consume&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/respect5_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In regard of respect- Opening the Door to the Dhamma: Respect in Buddhist Thought &amp;amp; Practice&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/power_of_judgment_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In regard of search for teacher general - The Power of Judgment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In regard of fear: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/seedsofbecoming_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seeds of Becoming&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/fearofothers_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fear of others&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wherever you are able for now, start to give: for your consumer attitude will never bring you to the Dhamma, how ever much merits you might have, how ever much access to information you have, you might stay as poor as you are and live a live of a hungry ghost again and again, when not turning to give at first place and practice that on and on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All you estimate as not grasp-worthy, painful, annoying for now and not praising generosity, service for inferior and going forth, all this are you many teacher you should work with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only if one wisely prepares one step by step to be possible be tamed and cuts of all his ways out of this prison of practice, can estimate good teachers (inwardly and outwardly) and success in liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one seeks for liberation before taking on this prison or other ways around, there is no way to success, even all possible control in this world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upasika Nina van Gorkum wrote some words on &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/vangorkom/greatestblessing_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Greatest Blessings&lt;/a&gt;, the Mangala Sutta, which also explains well the Steps to be fulfilled to get the highest gift of teaching and being able to take and penetrate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end a short list of duties in regard of teacher, be they lay people or ascetics:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(i) by rising from the seat in salutation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(ii) by attending on him,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(iii) by eagerness to learn,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(iv) by personal service,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(v) by respectful attention while receiving instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(i) by lovable deeds,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(ii) by lovable words,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(iii) by lovable thoughts,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(iv) by keeping open house to them,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;(v) by supplying their material needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An extended version of the answer you find here: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8135.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] Proper way to ask a teacher to become their student&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (Sadhu for spelling, grammer layout edits)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T16:07:10.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21073" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12237" CreationDate="2017-06-18T04:42:14.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 1st thing ins Buddhism is to look after one's well being. To protect to protect one's well being is to protect others. But in this problem you are protecting people at the expense of the other. Hence you will be breaking Sila, for which he conditions are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The being must be alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be knowledge that it is a living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) There must be intention to cause its death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) Action must be taken to cause its death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;v) Death must result from such action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If all these conditions are fulfilled, then the precept has been&#xA;broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T04:42:14.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21074" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21066" CreationDate="2017-06-18T04:57:17.497" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ones who are fully established in this Dhamma Path are not an arrogant lot. We all make mistakes in life. For any significant change to take place in our lives we must first develop a sense of humility to admit to our mistakes. It is this knowledge that we all are prone to make mistakes that we say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Bhante bhuripanna Tathagata&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Dhamma sandittika akalika&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Sangha supatipanna anuttara &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Asking for Forgiveness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, due to negligence, I have done some wrong, by body, speech or mind, Forgive me of that offence, O Bhante, Perfect one of vast wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, due to negligence, I have done some wrong, by body, speech or mind, Forgive me of that offence, O Dhamma, Visible and unaffected by time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If, due to negligence, I have done some wrong, by body, speech or mind, &#xA;Forgive me of that offence, O Sangha, Practising well and supreme. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is due to this very reason that we contemplate on the following:   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;”May all living beings forgive me for any misdeeds that I have done to them in this long sansara and accept these merits. May I be free of all debts to all living beings. May all living beings be free from any debts that they have for me, due to any misdeeds that they have done to me. May all living beings, including myself, be free of all debts to each other. May all attain Nibbana.”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many avenues that can lead us astray. But for Nibbana there is only one road. Only one guide. That single road is thinking that “Buddha knows. I do not know” (Keetagiri Sutta).  If we regard ourselves as knowing the Dhamma well, we will be of the “I am the one who knows” mindset. Without allowing that to happen we should try to come to the view “I do not know. Only Buddha knows. I will accept it that way”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“I am the one who knows” can be equated to a Thorn Bush. It is like this. There is a bush of thorns at the bottom of a hill. When it rains fertile soil settles down round the thorn bush after getting washed down from the hill. The soil is fertile but what gets nurtured is the thorn bush.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it rains fertile soil comes down to the bush of thorns and it grows in a couple of days. Ultimately it becomes too big to be pulled out. Sin is also like that. So we must pull out this thorny bush and plant a good tree on that fertile soil. The biggest thorn bush we have is the notion “I know”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a danger that we have to safeguard against. Therefore, we must always think “Whatever Buddha taught I will do it in that way”. Think that you are the listener. What we want is to get released from Sansaric Sorrow. When you think that way, the idea “I know” will wear off. One will always cherish the company of noble friends. One will get the opportunity to listen to Dhamma well. Yonisomanasikara (thinking wisely as mentioned in Dhamma) will arise. This person will develop the Noble Eight Fold path. This happens solely due to association with sincere friends.  We must be humble enough to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The person with defilements is wrapped up in the idea of Self, is egoistic. Also that he is wrapped up in the concept “I know”.  Some people struggle to understand this simple truth in depth. That is why it is important to think and retain in your memory the following “I will obey Buddha and conduct myself in the way he wanted us to conduct ourselves. I will not do anything else”.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this Dhamma Path, we have to still unlearn things that we taught were true. It is mainly because of Acariya Buddhaghosa who has had a strong influence on Theravada Buddhism for the past 1800 years. So we do not know whether the interpretation of the Tipitaka today is the correct version, because of the influence that Buddhaghosa has had on the present day translators.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a tendency to translate Tipitaka suttas word-by-word, and because of the inclusion of Sanskrit words, this has led to significant confusion and many contradictions. So we do not know whether we are following Vedic concepts, thinking that they are Dhamma.  That is why it is good to have this notion of “I do not know”. It is this knowledge that we all are prone to make mistakes that we say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Bhante bhuripanna Tathagata&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Dhamma sandittika akalika&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   Kayena vaca cittena pamadena maya katan, accayam khama me Sangha supatipanna anuttara&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-23T11:21:00.160" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:21:00.160" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21075" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-18T04:57:33.053" Score="1" ViewCount="160" Body="&lt;p&gt;How and why would a &quot;modern&quot; or &quot;western&quot; follower of the Buddhas teaching celebrate this day, and use it to pay gratitude to his father as one of his/here first God and the other three Gods?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you like to share also how you fullfill this duty personaly to give others inspirations and ideas, meaning: Be not greedy in sharing possible merits you do or have done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This question is given as a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T16:52:52.390" Title="Fathersday - how would a western disciple of the Buddha make use of this fest?" Tags="|parents|sila|right-view|veneration|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21032" CreationDate="2017-06-18T05:31:18.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thanks all.&#xA;Based on your answers I came to the following conclusion.&#xA;Papanca is the unwholsome Vicara just before the first Jhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=29748&amp;amp;p=428110#p428110&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=29748&amp;amp;p=428110#p428110&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/wh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/wh&lt;/a&gt; ... ca/5706/10&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T05:31:18.027" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21077" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10449" CreationDate="2017-06-18T05:39:05.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sherly,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;giving up ones carrier (that what is carry one on in the wheel of love and suffering) is already a beginn for a good &amp;quot;Buddhist&amp;quot; carrier and to start this Dhamma-carrier with Generosity and giving ones wealth is the normal right fist step, but be careful to do not use Bussiness with Generosity as a means for exact the same way as before just by changing the company to this modern one which has stolen the original trademarks of the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least, why would you like to help the poor if not out of love again?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If willing to wander on in the world pleasant, chose a rightious lifelihood and don't be a trader in generosity and Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should not make an effort everywhere,&#xA;should not be another's hireling,&#xA;should not live dependent on another,&#xA;should not go about&#xA;as a trader in the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.02.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Seclusion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;maintain a right livelihood, do as much as possible Dana, observe Silas, best 8 and do Bhavana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&amp;gt; &amp;quot;Purification through Wandering-on&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the real and final carrier, that excels all others, here introduced in a talk between a King, the Buddha about a carrier of even a tidays slave:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Suppose there were a man of yours: your slave, your workman, rising in the morning before you, going to bed in the evening only after you, doing whatever you order, always acting to please you, speaking politely to you, always watching for the look on your face. The thought would occur to him: 'Isn't it amazing? Isn't it astounding? — the destination, the results, of meritorious deeds. For this King Ajatasattu is a human being, and I, too, am a human being, yet King Ajatasattu enjoys himself supplied and replete with the five strings of sensuality — like a deva, as it were — while I am his slave, his workman... always watching for the look on his face. I, too, should do meritorious deeds. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So after some time he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. Having thus gone forth he lives restrained in body, speech, and mind, content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude. Then suppose one of your men were to inform you: 'You should know, your majesty, that that man of yours — your slave, your workman... always watching for the look on your face... has gone forth from the household life into homelessness... content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude.' Would you, thus informed, say, 'Bring that man back to me. Make him again be my slave, my workman... always watching for the look on my face!'?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Not at all, lord. Rather, I am the one who should bow down to him, rise up out of respect for him, invite him to a seat, invite him to accept gifts of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. And I would provide him with righteous safety, defense, and protection.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;So what do you think, great king. With that being the case, is there a visible fruit of the contemplative life, or is there not?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord. With that being the case, there certainly is a visible fruit of the contemplative life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This, great king, is the first fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now, that I point out to you.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T05:39:05.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21078" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-18T06:10:27.643" Score="2" ViewCount="226" Body="&lt;p&gt;Genetically speaking producing your own children perpetuates your own genes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha spoke at length about the 31 Planes of Existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Buddhism's (not just Theravada) position on having children? Namely the benefits of producing and caring for children?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does Buddhism mostly see them as a constraint (i.e. Rahula &quot;chain&quot;) and there is no connection between between your own progeny and the afterlife?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T21:43:50.983" Title="Benefits of Producing and Caring for Children" Tags="|marriage|children|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21078" CreationDate="2017-06-18T07:45:06.057" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ahmed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From &amp;quot;Living in the World&amp;quot; in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/fuang/itself_en.html#top&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Awareness Itself&lt;/a&gt; by Ajaan Fuang Jotiko:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;§ Once, when one of Ajaan Fuang's students was being pressured by her parents to look for a husband so that she could settle down and have children, she asked him, &amp;quot;Is it true what they say, that a woman gains a lot of merit in having a child, in that she gives someone else the chance to be born?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If that were true,&amp;quot; he answered her, &amp;quot;then dogs would get gobs of merit, because they give birth to whole litters at a time.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, once you have organiced your &amp;quot;Rahulas&amp;quot; production, you have certain duty out of you &amp;quot;linga&amp;quot;-worshiping (bhava-tanha) or craving after sensuality (kama-tanha) to care for it and get rightously ride of it (tanha). That starts with not harming it right from the moment of conception. &amp;quot;This has come into beeing.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So seeing such, the burdens and sacrifies other need to bear, one does no more desire for birth and a womb but tries to pay ones last dept of gratitude, giving all back and maybe even share the highest gift, once then made his own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you would not have been father, mother, son, daughter once, if not having Upanissaya to the Dhammas father, how could this seed possible cause a conception of light, here and now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its good to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21075/fathersday-how-would-a-western-disciple-of-the-buddha-make-use-of-this-fest&quot;&gt;celerbrate the fathersday&lt;/a&gt;, and getting &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/lessonsofgratitude_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the lessons of gratitude&lt;/a&gt; understood rightly by performing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nobody called you to come.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a seed of Dhamma and not meant for commercial puposes or other wordily gains.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T07:58:43.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21081" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21049" CreationDate="2017-06-18T07:52:26.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Citta and cetasica can not work their job without attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can not know/memorize/feel anything, if you don't have attention on it. No one memorize stuff, that they never mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Full translation is:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro — these (example of 53 lokiya-nāma) are called (53) nāma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The 4  mahābhūtā rupū  and (24) rūpā, that depend on mahābhūtā rupū,  — these are called (28) rūpa. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These both, nāmā and rūpā, are called nāmarūpa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Source:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro - idaṃ vuccatāvuso nāmaṃ. Cattāri ca mahābhūtāni catunnañca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāya rūpaṃ. Idaṃ vuccatāvuso rūpaṃ. Iti idañca nāmaṃ idañca rūpaṃ - idaṃ vuccatāvuso nāmarūpaṃ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, nothing to doubt. Pali is clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T07:58:31.777" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T07:58:31.777" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21058" CreationDate="2017-06-18T08:28:21.297" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one uses Dhamma for commercial purposes, on does nothing good for one self and for others. If one uses Dhamma to even increase unskilfull ideas, not only to make benefit from others greed (after love here) and spreads wrong view, using it, its even more worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And there is nobody who could ever give you the permission to make commercial use of the Buddhas Dhamma. Everybody doing so, is involved in a thief (in measures of Dhamma). So knowing such one might maybe seek for a dealer and fence or, after wise considerations change either this or that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here a such a live-story of same case in fencing: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,7976.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Human Right, Kamma and trade with Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;. They are not of much shame and if not public the trades in Dhamma, do it discrete and most would do on even if telling, even deliberatly knowing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is the way in the world and on Nibbana, its not possible to take the other with it and that is what is the place of gaining path: by letting go of what gives just short pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can ask at the worlds biggest and most succesfull public &lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fencing place of Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; but there are also other around, sometimes more near.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T08:55:54.010" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T08:55:54.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21083" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21125" CreationDate="2017-06-18T08:40:37.940" Score="3" ViewCount="724" Body="&lt;p&gt;As asked in the question, what are the characteristics by which a thing is classified as 'living being' or 'non-living' ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is a lifeform defined in Buddhism, I mean, like how humans consider themselves as living beings due to various facts such as: their  experience in this world due to consciousness, their actions (kamma), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If lifeform is defined as something that has consciousness and capable of producing kamma, what things are concious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is a plant a living being/conscious? Is a &lt;strong&gt;stone&lt;/strong&gt; living being/conscious? Is the universe conscious? Is everything a lifeform in some way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is rebirth possible only as a lifeform? (I mean, by rebirth, just a transfer of consciousness/experience subject to different conditions. Please correct me if I'm wrong)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can our next rebirth be as a stone/whatever, other than the 5 predefined possibilities (human, god, ghost, animal, hell) in Buddhism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd be glad if all the questions are addressed :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7149" LastEditorUserId="7149" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T08:47:06.103" LastActivityDate="2020-12-30T10:22:06.543" Title="How is a living being/lifeform defined in Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|life|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21084" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21083" CreationDate="2017-06-18T09:18:22.267" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being can be classified as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;has 5 aggregates or at least the mental subset&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;has has Nama-Rupa if in the material realm or Nama in the non material realms&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;has at least mind in the 6 sense faculties&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;arisen through Dependent Origination (DO)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;subjected to the the 4 Noble Truths (4NT)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;out of the 6 elements at least has consciousness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;has Citta and Cetasika and in the material realms rupa&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nourished and sustained by the 4 nutriments&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A plant also lives but is not a being as it does not meet the above. It does not have a mind (henceforth Citta and Cetasika doe not arise) or consciousness, not subjected DO or 4NT. Plants also need nutrients but not the 4 nutrients which sustain a being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A being is born another being in one of the 31 planes of existence or becomes extinguished if you attain Nibbana. An animate being cannot become an inanimate object like a stone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a way to access if a something is alive is through birth, aging and death along with the above factors. Something that is born ages and dies. Plants also does the same so they are alive but not beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T14:47:35.533" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T14:47:35.533" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21083" CreationDate="2017-06-18T09:21:47.867" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As asked in the question, what are the characteristics by which a thing is classified as 'living being' or 'non-living' ? How is a lifeform defined in Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A living being 'breathes'. The Pali word is 'pāṇa'. The Pali states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Idha, cunda, ekacco &lt;strong&gt;pāṇā&lt;/strong&gt;tipātī hoti luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno sab­ba &lt;strong&gt;pāṇa&lt;/strong&gt;­bhū­tesu.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a certain person takes life, is a hunter, bloody-handed, devoted to killing &amp;amp; slaying, showing no mercy to&#xA;living beings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how a 'living being' is defined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I mean, like how humans consider themselves as living beings due to&#xA;various facts such as: their experience in this world due to&#xA;consciousness, their actions (kamma), etc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;living being&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;pāṇa­bhū­tesu&lt;/em&gt;) is not the same as &amp;quot;a being&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot;). A &amp;quot;satta&amp;quot; is merely an idea or view. Please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt; for an explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if a living being (&lt;em&gt;pāṇa­bhū­tesu&lt;/em&gt;) perform kamma (actions), they develop ideas or view of 'self', which is the meaning of 'a being' ('satta').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Not all living beings perform kamma. Only homo sapiens &amp;amp; possibly higher life forms perform kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If lifeform is defined as something that has consciousness and capable of producing kamma, what things are conscious?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most living beings have consciousness, even if it is very primitive. For example, a worm will wriggle &amp;amp; try to escape if you touch it. That a worm senses sense stimuli would classify it as a conscious living being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as a tree may breathe (carbon dioxide) however a tree is probably not conscious because it cannot sense &amp;amp; react to sense stimuli.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is a plant a living being/conscious?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I answered this question before I read it. A plant is probably not a living being in the sense of the word &amp;quot;&lt;em&gt;pāṇa­bhū­tesu&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; because killing plants does not fall under the precept about killing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, plants are obviously considered to be life forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is a stone living being/conscious?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course not because as stone does not breath or have consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is the universe conscious? Is everything a lifeform in some way?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That question is too deep &amp;amp; outside the scope of Buddhism. There are forces in the universe such as homeostasis &amp;amp; gravity; which infer some degree of communication but this is outside of the scope of Buddhism because Buddhism is only about ending suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism states life (&lt;em&gt;vitality&lt;/em&gt;) is dependent on heat &amp;amp; heat is dependent on vitality (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;). So what exactly is &amp;quot;life&amp;quot;? How long or short is a piece of string?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is rebirth possible only as a lifeform? (I mean, by rebirth, just a transfer of consciousness/experience subject to different conditions.&#xA;Please correct me if I'm wrong)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, the word 'birth' ('jati') refers to the arising of 'self-view' or egoism. Please refer &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/a&gt;, for example, or SN 12.2, which defines 'birth' as the production of the view of 'a being' ('satta'). 'Re-birth' is psychological rather than physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where an uninstructed...person — assumes form to be a self. That assumption is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the &lt;strong&gt;birth&lt;/strong&gt;, what is the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is &lt;strong&gt;born&lt;/strong&gt; of that.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can our next rebirth be as a stone/whatever, other than the 5 predefined possibilities (human, god, ghost, animal, hell) in Buddhism?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are humane, moral &amp;amp; non-violent, this is a human rebirth. If you are extraordinarily loving, wealthy or powerful, this is a godly rebirth. If you are addicted to craving, this is a ghost rebirth. If you are immoral, violent &amp;amp; unthinking, this is an animal rebirth. If you are suffering or angry, this is a hell rebirth. In one single hour, you can reborn many times, whenever the mind grasps or mistakes different emotions as 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next time the mind thinks the thought &amp;quot;I&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;me&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;mine&amp;quot;, 'self&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;him&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;her&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;them&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;us&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;your&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;you&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;our&amp;quot;, this is the next rebirth. The Buddha taught each new birth brings suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T09:43:25.207" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21086" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21089" CreationDate="2017-06-18T09:37:57.943" Score="9" ViewCount="2079" Body="&lt;p&gt;If there are no past and future lives and everything ends at the moment of death. Why should we bother with anything at all?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would the Buddha teach for 45 years if all our problems are definitely solved at the moment of death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11545" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T16:01:18.673" Title="If there are no past and future lives, why should we practice Buddhism?" Tags="|rebirth|lay-buddhism|dhammas|dharmas|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-18T09:53:01.413" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you are sick or feeling unwell, why see a doctor? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you live in a cave, why live in a clean modern house? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can walk, why drive a car or fly in an airplane? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are hungry, why eat? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are thirsty, why drink? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are no past and future lives, why should we practice Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For happiness, ease &amp;amp; well-being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is called the 'Spiritual Doctor' and taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;In the past &amp;amp; now, I teach about suffering &amp;amp; the cessation of suffering&quot;.(MN 22)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught his Dhamma &amp;amp; goal are visible &amp;amp; experience in the here-&amp;amp;-now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is practised for Nibbana, which is called the &quot;&lt;em&gt;highest happiness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there are no past and future lives, we practice Buddhism for true happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is ideal to practise Buddhism in this life rather than wait for a future life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T10:10:11.153" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T10:10:11.153" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21088" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21083" CreationDate="2017-06-18T10:02:00.310" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being conscious, having consciousness, feeling, certain intellect... is not what makes a being a living being, thought on Unconscious beings (asaññasatta), still considered as satta (beings) althought nāma (mind is very subtile), Like a empty glass would be considered as empty of liquid, yet still wet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sects have developed their certain views and for the most plant like is not considered as living being, but if we take a look at the suttas, Buddha did not spoke of a para-Samsara in the wheel of birth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Vaseññha, I will tell you step by step how it happens,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The classification of living things in this and other births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at the grass and trees, although they are not aware,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This and the other have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So also insects, like grasshoppers and ants&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at the animals small and large&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at the serpents with long backs going on their bellies,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at the fish too, who find food in the water.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Look at the birds flying through the air.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They have attributes peculiar to their births.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although these have various attributes, at birth,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In humans various attributes are not evident at birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They are not in the hair, head, ears or eyes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Not in the mouth, nose, lips or eye-lashes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.098.uppa_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vāseṭṭha Sutta: To the Brahmin Vasettha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In judging at least, there are indications that the Buddha left it to ones possibility to recognice it as such, which is on one hand seen in the fact that in certain rules dealing with live not only the factor &quot;it must be a living being&quot; but also &quot;one needs to recognize it as living being&quot; are needed to be present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In regard of how careful one needs to observe the pointing on: &quot;even if as small as an bedbug&quot; shows not only matters of size but also the knowing &quot;this could have life&quot; when thinking on egg as criteria.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Metta-sutta, the Lord Buddha is said to have meantioned: sata (creatures), pāṇā (what has life/breath), bhūtā (being born) and also &quot;seeking for birth&quot;, aside of size and visibility as objects of metta (goodwill)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So generally, rather to seek for food that does not cause suffering or to speculate that in this or that birth one becomes not just food at the end, is to use the fact that life needs food, and life always ends up as being just food, wiser to let all appearances of life one recognises be a force od saṃvega (&quot;fear&quot;) and to go on an gain and use life best and proper to make suffering an end while being as harmless as possible: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: A Son's Flesh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And seeing that to much answering might derive others here from certain food from it, its maybe also a good time to make a leave here for now and let others take birth as they like by do not derive them from possible taking even a birth followed by Saddha (refuge in the Gems and Sila) and end up in the Unbound, the deathlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By practicing the four Jhanas (improper) one can become a Unconscious beings (asaññasatta) which is generally not so desired by the most.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana, and don't forget your duties in regard of your Gods and father and ancestors not today!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Specially dedicated for: &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8120.0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;On Being of Noble birth - Stream winner reborn as human&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11479" LastEditorUserId="11479" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T10:07:43.430" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T10:07:43.430" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-18T10:21:39.820" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Life does not end with the moment of death. A new birth is taken based on the last thought that came at the time of death. If you it is suicide, the thoughts towards the end of your life are not positive. Therefore your future existence will not be a good one. It will be one of misery and pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught the realism of how misery arises and the way out of it. By practicing Buddhism you can get out of the pain in this lifetime and the next and also perhaps totally eradicate it. Total eradication happens when you are extinguished, which does not happen through suicide, but through the releasing causality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All your problem are not solved at death. Death does not solve any problems but creates more, in terms misery to those you leave behind. The real solution is to understand causality thereby understand how your problems originate and do the needful so that the problems do not arise. You will find the unpleasantness of most of your problems are psychological and can be addressed change of your perspective and outlook of the world. One such change of paradigm is understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Universal Characteristic&lt;/a&gt; which will intern let you understand causality. Armed with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt; of causality your perspective and outlook of the world will change. This means you can keep your mind free from worry and problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting this understanding of causality is not dogmatic or esoteric. the objective of the Buddhist practice is to understand causality so you can overcome your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;problems, misery or general unsafateryness of life&lt;/a&gt;. Anyone who practices Buddhism walks the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt;, is the how you find the way out of misery.  The method to get the understanding of causality, the method to come out of all your misery or walking the Noble 8 Fold Path is also organised as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T10:29:11.427" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T10:29:11.427" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-18T11:19:29.543" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure where you get the idea that there are no past or future lives. Sakyamuni wasn't concerned about past or future lives generally although he even mentioned past lives. He wanted to focus on this very moment. Just this one right here. Let's see if we can master our insecurities and infirmities for one second and find a perfect moment. That doesnt mean the other moments dont exist or matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why? Thats a good question and it alludes to the broader thought - what is our purpose? We enter this world with basic needs and a basic way to resolve them. We're uncomfortable so we cry. We are self-serving creatures from the start. &quot;Me&quot; thinking. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Me&quot; thinking is fine for an isolated creature in a state of nature at the top of the food chain able to deal with its' environment. But we are a frail species that flourishes through COOPERATIVE efforts. Operationally as a species we arent loners but social creatures - which requires more thoughts about one another lest the freedom to swing my fist interferes with my neighbors nose. As a species we thrive on &quot;WE&quot; thinking more than &quot;ME&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a behaviorist by profession and I find the biological evidence intriguing in this discussion. Our own brains are structured the same as other social creatures who we revere for their collaberative lifestyles and close-knit family ties. The corvids (crows, ravens), the orca, dolphins, elephants, primates - all species that have complicated frontal cortex centers for social communication and show remarkably human-like tendencies in empathy such as mourning their dead and placing their own safety at risk to help their family. Our very own brains are designed to emphasize &quot;we&quot; thinking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is our physical purpose on the planet Earth. First to achieve &quot;we&quot; thinking in ourselves and then assist others in reaching it as well. Buddhism serves this well. This doesnt explain the consciousness aspect though.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If our body's purpose is to interact collaberatively with others to further our species - then what is the purpose of our consciousness? It exists aside and independent of our form. It is a 4th dimensional being trapped in a 3-dimensional body that only perceives in 2 dimensions with cues for the third. Getting past these limits is the driving purpose of consciousness. Growth before bodily death and even the cessation of death itself. Ending the cycle so to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Buddhism serves us as well. Or at least we hope it does. We have no empirical way of knowing if guiding one another to a specific manner of thought will achieve the lofty goal of dimensional ascension. Either ONE single person breaks through and all of us follow once time is meaningless or ALL must break through together. Theoretically. If it exists at all it is probably somewhere short of either extreme. I view it as a sort of human murmuration (see the Starlings). We communicate with one another because we seek the other's awareness to add to our own. BUT being of similar minds and with homogenization making our needs and somesuch common we should have similar thoughts. To be back to the consciousness whole where our awareness is that of all instead of just our little spot. We seek to be aware as one. Doing that we can abandon other uniform rules that actually hinder us like causation - which makes us think linearly and give time its' power. I know it seems convoluted and complex but it's really simple. We think as one to pierce the veil of of our dimensional bonds. Thats the purpose of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why we live. To assist and elevate one another to a higher plane both physically and consciously. To improve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T11:19:29.543" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21075" CreationDate="2017-06-18T16:01:39.217" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My father is dead but I try to go the extra mile and help--really help my eldest uncle and those closest to my father in ways that I can whether it is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;psychologically and emotionally supportive by giving happy thoughts and emotions and not supporting negativity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;virtually supportive (I work in IT so I know most things that are useful) by setting up phone, accounts, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;reminisce about my father's good qualities and actions frequently with family, ignoring the bad&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T16:01:39.217" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21075" CreationDate="2017-06-18T16:44:36.560" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's reason celebrate &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Father's&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Mother's day&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  but it's been doing recently as you said by &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;modern&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;western&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; followers celebrate honoring fathers and celebrating parenthood, paternal bonds, and the influence of parents in society.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;But I found there is &lt;strong&gt;&quot;Sutra of Filial Piety&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;The Sutra of Filial Piety&lt;/i&gt; (or Sutra on the Profundity of Filial Love, Sutra on Parental Benevolence) is an apocryphal sutra composed in China and apparently an exercise in Buddhist apologetics. It is claimed to have been translated by the monk Kumārajīva.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text attempts to synthesise native Confucian ideals with Buddhist teachings and was probably produced by Chinese Buddhist monks in imitation of the Confucian Classic of Filial Piety. The sutra seeks to refute Confucian criticism that Buddhism's traditionally monastic focus undermines the virtue of ﬁlial piety.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutra is still highly popular in China and Japan and in the latter is sometimes used as a focus in Naikan-type introspection practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;The Filial Piety Sutra&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha Speaks about the Deep Kindness&lt;br&gt;&#xA;of Parents and the Difficulty in Repaying it.&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus I have heard, at one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravasti, in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary, together with a gathering of great Bhikshus, twelve hundred fifty in all and with all of the Bodhisattvas, thirty-eight thousand in all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;At that time, the World Honoured One led the great assembly on a walk toward the south. Suddenly they came upon a pile of bones beside the road. The World Honoured One turned to face them, placed his five limbs on the ground, and bowed respectfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda put his palms together and asked the World Honoured One, &quot;The Tathagata is the GreatTeacher of the Triple Realm and the compassionate father of beings of the four kinds of births. He has the respect and reverence of the entire assembly.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  What is the reason that he now bows to a pile of dried bones?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha told Ananda, &quot;Although all of you are my foremost disciples and have been members of the Sangha for a long time, you still have not achieved far-reaching understanding. This pile of bones could have belonged to my ancestors from former lives. They could have been my parents in many past lives. That is the reason I now bow to them.&quot; The Buddha continued speaking to Ananda, &quot;These bones we are looking at can be divided into two groups. One group is composed of the bones of men, which are heavy and white in color. The other group is composed of the bones of women, which are light and black in color.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda said to the Buddha, &quot;World Honoured One, when men are alive in the world, they adorn their bodies with robes, belts, shoes, hats and other fine attire, so that they clearly assume a male appearance. When women are alive, they put on cosmetics, perfumes, powders, and elegant fragrances to adorn their bodies, so that they clearly assume a female appearance. Yet, once man and women die, all that is left are their bones. How does one tell them apart? Please teach us how you are able to distinguish them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha answered Ananda, &quot;If when men are in the world, they enter temples, listen to explanations of Sutras and Vinaya texts, make obeisance to the Triple Gem, and recite the Buddha's names, then when they die, their bones will be heavy and white in colour. Most women in the world have little wisdom and are saturated with emotion. They give birth to and raise children, feeling that this is their duty. Each child relies on its mother's milk for life and nourishment, and that milk is a transformation of the mother's blood. Each child can drink up to one thousand two hundred gallons of its mother's milk. Because of this drain on the mother's body whereby the child takes milk for its nourishment, the mother becomes worn and haggard and so her bones turn black in colour and are light in weight.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When Ananda heard these words, he felt a pain in his heart as if he had been stabbled and wept silently. He said to the World Honoured One,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&quot;How can one repay one's mother's kindness and virtue?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha told Ananda, &quot;Listen well, and I will explain it for you in detail. The fetus grows in its mother's womb for ten lunar months. What bitterness she goes though while it dwells there! In the first month of pregnancy, the life of the fetus is as precarious as a dewdrop on grass: how likely that it will not last from morning to evening but will evaporate by midday!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;During the second lunar month, the embryo congeals like curds. In the third month it is like coagulated blood. During the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to assume a slightly human form. During the fifth month in the womb, the child's five limbs- two legs, two arms, and a head- start to take shape. In the sixth lunar month of pregnancy, the child begins to develop the essences of the six sense faculties: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. During the seventh month, the three hundred sixty bones and joints are formed, and the eighty-four thousand hair pores are also complete. In the eight lunar month of the pregnancy, the intellect and the nine apertures are formed. By the ninth month the fetus has learned to assimilate the different nutrients of the foods it eats. For example, it can assimilate the essence of peaches, pears, certain plant roots and the five kinds of grains.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Inside the mother's body, the solid internal organs used for storing hang downward, while the hollow internal organs used for processing, spiral upward. These can be likened to three mountains, which arise from the face of the earth. We can call these mountains Mount Sumeru, Karma Mountain, and Blood Mountain. These analogous mountains come together and form a single range in a pattern of upward peaks and downward valleys. So too, the coagulation of the mother's blood from her internal organs forms a single substance, which becomes the child's food.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;During the tenth month of pregnancy, the body of the fetus is completed and ready to be born. If the child is extremely filial, it will emerge with palms joined together in respect and the birth will be peaceful and auspicious. The mother will remain uninjured by the birth and will not suffer pain.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  However, if the child is extremely rebellious in nature, to the extent that it is capable of committing the five rebellious acts*, then it will injure its mother's womb, rip apart its mother's heart and liver, or get entangled in its mother's bones. The birth will feel like the slices of a thousand knives or like ten thousand sharp swords stabbing her heart. Those are the agonies involved in the birth of a defiant and rebellious child.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;To explain more clearly, there are ten types of kindnesses bestowed by the mother on the child:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The first is the kindness of providing protection and care while the child is in the womb.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second is the kindness of bearing suffering during the birth.&#xA;  The third is the kindness of forgetting all the pain once the child has been born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fourth is the kindness of eating the bitter herself and saving the sweet for the child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fifth is the kindness of moving the child to a dry place and lying in the wet herself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The sixth is the kindness of suckling the child at her breast, nourishing and bringing up the child.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The seventh is the kindness of washing away the unclean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The eight is the kindness of always thinking of the child when it has traveled far.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The ninth is the kindness of deep care and devotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The tenth is the kindness of ultimate pity and sympathy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. THE KINDNESS OF PROVIDING PROTECTION AND CARE WHILE THE CHILD IS IN THE WOMB&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The causes and conditions from accumulated kalpas grows heavy,&#xA;  Until in this life the child ends up in its Mother's womb.&#xA;  As the months pass, the five vital organs develop;&#xA;  Within seven weeks the six sense organs start to grow.&#xA;  The mother's body becomes as heavy as a mountain;&#xA;  The stillness and movements of the fetus are like a kalpic wind disaster.&#xA;  The mother's fine clothes no longer hang properly,&#xA;  And so her mirror gathers dust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. THE KINDNESS OF BEARING SUFFERING DURING BIRTH&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The pregnancy lasts for ten lunar months&#xA;  And culminates in difficult labour at the approach of the birth.&#xA;  Meanwhile, each morning the mother is seriously ill&#xA;  And during each day drowsy and sluggish.&#xA;  Her fear and agitation are difficult to describe;&#xA;  Grieving and tears fill her breast.&#xA;  She painfully tells her family&#xA;  That she is only afraid that death will overtake her.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. THE KINDNESS OF FORGETTING ALL THE PAIN ONCE THE CHILD HAS BEEN BORN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On the day the compassionate mothers bears the child,&#xA;  Her five organs all open wide,&#xA;  Leaving her totally exhausted in body and mind.&#xA;  The blood flows as from a slaughtered lamb;&#xA;  Yet, upon hearing that the child is healthy,&#xA;  She is overcome with redoubling joy,&#xA;  But after the joy, the grief returns,&#xA;  And the agony wrenches her very insides.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. THE KINDNESS OF EATING THE BITTER HERSELF AND SAVING THE SWEET FOR THE CHILD&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The kindness of both parents is profound and deep,&#xA;  Their care and devotion never cease.&#xA;  Never resting, the mother saves the sweet for the child,&#xA;  And without complain she swallows the bitter herself.&#xA;  Her love is weighty and her emotion difficult to bear;&#xA;  Her kindness is deep and so is her compassion.&#xA;  Only wanting the child to get its fill,&#xA;  The compassionate mother doesn't speak of her own hunger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. THE KINDNESS OF MOVING THE CHILD TO A DRY PLACE AND LYING IN THE WET HERSELF&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The mother is willing to be wet&#xA;  So that the child can be dry.&#xA;  With her two breasts she satisfies its hunger and thirst;&#xA;  Covering it with her sleeve, she protects it from the wind and cold.&#xA;  In kindness, her head rarely rests on the pillow,&#xA;  And yet she does this happily,&#xA;  So long as the child is comfortable,&#xA;  The kind mother seeks no solace for herself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. THE KINDNESS OF SUCKLING THE CHILD AT HER BREAST, NOURISHING AND BRINGING UP THE CHILD&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The kind mother is like the great earth.&#xA;  The stern father is like the encompassing heaven:&#xA;  One covers from above; the other supports from below.&#xA;  The kindness of parents is such that&#xA;  They know no hatred or anger toward their offspring,&#xA;  And are not displeased, even if the child is born crippled.&#xA;  After the mother carries the child in her womb and gives birth to it,&#xA;  The parents care for and protect it together until the end of their days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. THE KINDNESS OF WASHING AWAY THE UNCLEAN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Originally, she had a pretty face and a beautiful body,&#xA;  Her spirit was strong and vibrant.&#xA;  Her eyebrows were like fresh green willows,&#xA;  And her complexion would have put a red rose to shame.&#xA;  But her kindness is so deep she will forgo a beautiful face.&#xA;  Although washing away the filth injures her constitution,&#xA;  The kind mother acts solely for the sake of her sons and daughters,&#xA;  And willingly allows her beauty to fade.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. THE KINDNESS OF ALWAYS THINKING OF THE CHILD WHEN IT HAS TRAVELED FAR&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The death of loved ones is difficult to endure.&#xA;  But separation is also painful.&#xA;  When the child travels afar,&#xA;  The mother worries in her village.&#xA;  From morning until night, her heart is with her child,&#xA;  And a thousand tears fall from her eyes.&#xA;  Like the monkey weeping silently in love for her child,&#xA;  Bit by bit her heart is broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9. THE KINDNESS OF DEEP CARE AND DEVOTION&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How heavy is parental kindness and emotional concern!&#xA;  Their kindness is deep and difficult to repay.&#xA;  Willingly they undergo suffering on their child's behalf.&#xA;  If the child toils, the parents are uncomfortable.&#xA;  If they hear that he has traveled far,&#xA;  They worry that at night he will have to lie in the cold.&#xA;  Even a moment's pain suffered by their sons and daughters.&#xA;  Will cause the parents sustained distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10. THE KINDNESS OF ULTIMATE COMPASSION AND SYMPATHY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The kindness of parents is profound and important.&#xA;  Their tender concern never cease.&#xA;  From the moment they awake each day, their thoughts are with their children.&#xA;  Whether the children are near or far away, the parents think of them often.&#xA;  Even if a mother lives for a hundred years,&#xA;  She will constantly worry about her eighty year old child.&#xA;  Do you wish to know when such kindness and love ends?&#xA;  It doesn't even begin to dissipate until her life is over! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/filialpiety_201407&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Filial Piety Sutra&lt;br&gt;&#xA;by Translated by Upasika Terri Nicholson&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;There are other suttas speak about &quot;Mother&quot; and &quot;Father&quot;&lt;/i&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen &amp;amp; pay close attention. I will speak.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As you say, lord,&quot; the monks responded.........&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;And here is answer your question exactly:&lt;/i&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;Living with Brahma are those families where, in the home, mother &amp;amp; father are revered by the children. Living with the first devas are those families where, in the home, mother &amp;amp; father are revered by the children. Living with the first teachers are those families where, in the home, mother &amp;amp; father are revered by the children. Living with those worthy of gifts are those families where, in the home, mother &amp;amp; father are revered by the children.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'Brahma' is a designation for mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'The first devas' is a designation for mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'The first teachers' is a designation for mother &amp;amp; father.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  'Those worthy of gifts' is a designation for mother &amp;amp; father. Why is that? Mother &amp;amp; father do much for their children. They care for them, nourish them, introduce them to this world.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mother &amp;amp; father,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   compassionate to their family,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;   are called&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Brahma,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  first teachers,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  those worthy of gifts&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  from their children.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  So the wise should pay them&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  homage,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  honor&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  with food &amp;amp; drink&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  clothing &amp;amp; bedding&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  anointing &amp;amp; bathing&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;amp; washing their feet.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Performing these services to their parents,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the wise&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  are praised right here&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  and after death&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  rejoice in heaven.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than.html#iti-106&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka: The Group of Fours&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking while wishing my friend a father's day if it is in Buddhism but with your question I got that a lot beyond it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Thanks a lot.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So even if &lt;i&gt;Modern&lt;/i&gt; or &lt;i&gt;western&lt;/i&gt; disciples and followers celebrates these fest on an occasion of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Days&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Buddha said it is responsibility for children to look after their parents.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;All he said enchanted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="567" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T16:52:52.390" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T16:52:52.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21078" CreationDate="2017-06-18T19:09:28.217" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism holds a favorable view on having children because only a human can become a fully enlightened Buddha, and being born as a human is a rare occurrence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know you asked for a general Buddhist perspective, not just Theravada, but the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chiggala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; does a great job of illustrating how rare a human birth is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine &amp;amp; discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine &amp;amp; discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Wikipedia page &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Human beings in Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; states the same thing from a general Buddhist standpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T19:09:28.217" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-18T20:22:07.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Real Buddhism is only concerned with the living right now and minimising pain&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Real Buddhism isn't about past and future or multiple-lives&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10530" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T20:22:07.500" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21095" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-18T20:32:46.047" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is no real difference between:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this current moment in life with future moments afterwards with Nirvana as the climax&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;this current life with a string of lives afterwards with Nirvana as the climax.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The practitioner of the Buddha's teaching, done without ego, needs no future incentive.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We &quot;should&quot; practice to become enlightened and help others achieve enlightenment in this very life.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-06-18T20:39:21.463" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T20:39:21.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2017-06-18T23:02:54.700" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can you tame the mind? Yes. Completely? Probably.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All you need to do is stay away from the 'hindrances' (stuff that makes it hard to focus), notice something, notice you noticing the thing, stay with the feeling of you noticing the thing (not the thing tself) and when distractions come up, make them disappear and go back to the thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10530" LastActivityDate="2017-06-18T23:02:54.700" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21097" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-18T23:49:02.547" Score="4" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel that when I sit down to meditate, when I am completely still and just sitting, my mind tends to be not very pliable. It's like I cannot do anything, just be conscious without the ability to direct my attention. However, when I am on a bus, or walking, my attention is easily directed; it is only when I am in sitting posture that something seems to freeze my mind and attention, or make it less pliable. In sum, it feels, sitting, that I cannot do &lt;em&gt;anything&lt;/em&gt;. Could this be something with the energetic body? Something with the inner channels? I dunno.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, this tendency towards lack of pliancy makes my static meditations very difficult. Should I just sit consistently in this non-pliant state and just wait it out?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any feedback.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user7302" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T15:51:43.830" Title="Odd Experience in Meditation" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21097" CreationDate="2017-06-19T04:45:39.630" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Look where you mind goes. If it jumps to a pain know you attention is on the pain. If it is a thought know that it is with the thought. If your attention is on a ___ just know that your attention is with ____.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With each object your mind jumps to there is a sensation attached. If it a pain it is unpleasant. If it is sweet memory it is pleasant. If it is a birds chirping it can be neutral. What ever that grabs your attention just know the sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all these cases for each sound you experience though through your physical senses there is a metal reaction also which is also either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. You should maintain equanimity so you do not get the mental reaction. In addition try to see in impermanence of each experience. All experience has a start, middle and and end. Also if you diver the sensation into smaller areas and examine them, large sensation is made up of smaller sensations clusters which shorter lived than the affected area. You can continue this division seeing more subtler and subtler clusters until you come to a level it is indivisible and changes seem unimaginably rapid. In addition you will see because of stimuli at the sense faculty only the some sensation started and when that simply subsides the stimuli the sensation disappears. You are not in control of the stimuli nor the pleasant experiences which you might want to prolong or unpleasant which you might want to shorten or get rid of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also developing the Jhana factors of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;bringing the mind to the object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sustaining the mind on the object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;may help you develop more focus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your meditation is not entirely in your control, i.e. it is non self, hence having expectation will be counter productive. Also getting attached to these expectation can be more counterproductive and it will cause unsatisfactoriness with the meditation. So practice the meditation techniques to the best of your ability without expectation or attachment to the expectation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-19T15:51:43.830" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T15:51:43.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2017-06-19T09:26:05.200" Score="0" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Is it impossible to tame the mind completely?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Nibbana is when the mind is completely tamed. Then,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all unwholesome roots, defilements are uprooted,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;all fetters are broken&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;you do not provide nutrients for future existence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Is that an utopia? Because if one could tame his mind completely, there would be no need to abandon things as the way he relates to them would be completely free and detached.&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind gets generates 3 unwholesome roots, fetters, etc. based on materiality. E.g. you have a beautiful new car. You get attached to this. This creates negativity which means getting totally tamed is moving a bit further away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;If material things have the potential to create problems, does it mean a full tamed mind is impossible?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you have attachment to materiality a fully tamed mind is not possible. Once you mentally get detached is only taming your mind is possible. Being meing attached to something translates to physically possessing what your are attached to. Physically letting go also helps being some what, but not totally, mentally detached. Practicing meditation and understanding now &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependently arises&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;feelings&lt;/a&gt; and how feeling arises due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;contact&lt;/a&gt; and how &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ignorance&lt;/a&gt; of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;. This is what tames your mind fully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T09:26:05.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2017-06-19T09:30:51.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe the placement of the 3 scopes is not arbitrary. Graded steps to enlightenment. Wisdom and proper practice are key to personal growth so that one may then attend to the other wing - compassion for others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe it is our nature to assist one another. The most efficient way to do that is to cut our own needs and desires completely (to the bare bones at least).  In my former version of this life I was devastated to lose my family, my career, and my health all at once. As a Buddhist it was an actual advantage. Attachments were gone. But that's not how everyone could or should do it and it's not what the Buddha was implying. It is merely the absolute we could achieve. And as the acorn should be viewed as the oak ... we should be viewed as our most efficient selves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T09:30:51.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21066" CreationDate="2017-06-19T10:13:11.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The condition for lying are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The statement must be untrue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless at the time of writing there is intention to deceive, then there is no breaking Sila due to later changes / editing in the question in a forum this like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People make edits in question to make it clearer if they think the context of the question is misunderstood. This may invalidate answers. But this is not lying as there is not intention to deceive. Perhaps the reader will understand that the answer does not correspond to the newer question. Also if edit history is preserved, sites like this, you can cross check what and answer relates to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there might edits due to other reasons by other parties. As long as there is not intention to deceive or misrepresent there will be no lying or unskillfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when one is creating, editing content, one should be reasonably confident and thorough with what is being said. Otherwise invariantly you might misrepresenting the Buddha's teaching which also would be unskillful. Also when editing other people's content you should try to understand their intention so the editing makes it more clear than change meaning or what is said.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also it would be wholesome if the edits are to make the content clear and more organised. Also correcting possible and obvious errors and omissions, spelling and grammar issues, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T06:05:06.440" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21102" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-19T12:21:51.270" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the pali canon, the Kesaputtiya sutta have the Buddha explaining the benefits of practicing high virtue by those who may believe in the after life, who may not believe it, who may believe there's no karma law, and who may not believe there's karma law.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He states that a virtuous person who practices virtue and the brahma-viharas have four assurances in his life here and now:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“This noble disciple, Kālāmas, whose mind is in this way without enmity, without ill will, undefiled, and pure, has won four assurances in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The first assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is another world, and if there is the fruit and result of good and bad deeds, it is possible that with the breakup of the body, after death, I will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The second assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is no other world, and there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds, still right here, in this very life, I maintain myself in happiness, without enmity and ill will, free of trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The third assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil comes to one who does evil. Then, when I have no evil intentions toward anyone, how can suffering afflict me, since I do no evil deed?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The fourth assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil does not come to one who does evil. Then right here I see myself purified in both respects.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 3.65&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, in another sutta, the Buddha explains how a wise man considers the teachers that advocated nihilism. By understanding that after death there is no consequences for their actions, these teachers apparently felt themselves free to do whatever they wanted, including evil things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“About this a wise man considers thus: ‘If there is no other world, then on the dissolution of the body this good person will have made himself safe enough. But if there is another world, then on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. Now whether or not the word of those good recluses and brahmins is true, let me assume that there is no other world: still this good person is here and now censured by the wise as an immoral person, one of wrong view who holds the doctrine of nihilism. But on the other hand, if there is another world, then this good person has made an unlucky throw on both counts: since he is censured by the wise here and now, and since on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. He has wrongly accepted and undertaken this incontrovertible teaching in such a way that it extends only to one side and excludes the wholesome alternative.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 60&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T12:21:51.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21097" CreationDate="2017-06-19T12:30:51.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good!  Sounds like things are going well.  When people begin meditating, they generally come at it with a bunch of preconceptions.  I think one of the most common is that the meditating mind will be as lucid and as clear as the one that takes a science exam, writes an essay, or does higher mathematics.  Clarity in meditation does eventually come, but it is of a very different character than the one that often arises with hardcore intellectual endeavors.  Before you get there, however, you have to pass through a number of states that can feel thick, muddy, and muddled.  It's all a part of the process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My best advice is to just let things settle for now.  Don't beat yourself up if you can't keep your attention pinned to your breath.  Just keep at it.  Eventually the mind will become pliable.  It only feels like you are more engaged when on a bus or walking around town because the object of your attention is so course. The breath is subtle. To really follow it, you have to develop an equally subtle sort of concentration.  That involves not just an application of mind, but also a letting go.                &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-06-19T12:49:24.747" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T12:49:24.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21105" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21086" CreationDate="2017-06-19T15:55:43.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Just to live happily&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even though there are past and future lives , Buddhism is really important to live happily. We all do various things to find happiness . We run after stuff in our entire lives thinking that the end result will make us happy and we get tired all the time. Buddhism teaches us to live in this moment, right now , and how to make this moment happy. Buddhism helps us to make the speed of our thoughts slower . And to get rid of the bad thoughts and make more good thoughts. Ultimately the happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can develop your mind to a level of stream enterer , you will feel really happy, most of the time , and you will loose strong attachments , and loose the concept of ‘I ‘ and ‘Me’ to some extent. You will no longer have reasons to cry . You will understand how your mind works and how it changes every moment. And you will be truly free like a bird and be happy all the time . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that’s just the beginning of the peace . If you achieve nirvana in this life can you imagine how great it will be ? But if you really needed to achieve nirvana , you wont be able to achieve it , because you have to get rid of every need you have , ultimately you have to give up the need to achieve nirvana. Then only you can achieve it . &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically true(practical ) Buddhism = true happiness. Don’t even have to think about past or future lives . :-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10479" LastEditorUserId="10479" LastEditDate="2017-06-19T16:01:18.673" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T16:01:18.673" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21106" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-19T19:04:54.737" Score="1" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently, almost all of us living on Earth are the results of specific Bardo Thodol events, that led us here. We all failed to get to the higher realms. Except of course those who voluntarily chosen this place to serve and educate. And those for whom this realm is actually a promotion. We were all reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Considering the countless number of realms, wouldn't it make more sense for people to be much similar in nature being born in one place? Does it mean that all the differences (smart/dumb, greedy/generous, kind/evil, materialistic/non-materialistic, spiritual/ignorant, educated/illiterate...etc) are less important, than something fundamental that unifies us? what is it then? Lust? desires? Outside world is the result of one's development and ultimate true nature of the beings here, so we all deserve what we have? Why such gigantic variety and number of variables? to increase the choice selection for the next life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11564" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-19T19:25:00.690" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:20:13.533" Title="Why people in our realm are so fundamentally different?" Tags="|rebirth|tibetan-buddhism|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21106" CreationDate="2017-06-19T21:08:40.173" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The short answer is Kamma and ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-19T21:08:40.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21108" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21142" CreationDate="2017-06-20T01:34:13.907" Score="5" ViewCount="365" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is from the Bhikkhuni Sutta AN 4.159&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Taṇhā sambhuto ayaṃ bhagini kāyo, taṇhaṃ nissāya taṇhā pahātabbā&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'This body, Sister, comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Translation from Access To Insight)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now this tanha, is it a kaama tanha, bhava tanha, vibhava tanha, any of them, or something other than them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is more of an academic question so, please answer when time permits. Thank you in advance. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T20:32:08.713" Title="What type of tanha, is the tanha to end tanha?" Tags="|tanha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3047" CreationDate="2017-06-20T01:49:32.580" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Complete taming of mind is possible. Buddhism teaches to detach one's mind from earthly desires so as to become free. In most literature and teachings, it shows that there were many instances where people living ordinary lives with families tamed their minds completely and opened doors to nibbhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called 'Sovahan'. It is one of the early stages of the path to nirvana (also, nibbhana). It is not easy for someone living a 'gihi' (an ordinary civil life;not a monk) to completely detach themselves from the world because of responsibilities they hold in regards to their families and the society. If your kid falls ill, a completely detached person would not worry or panic. I don't see how that would work in the context of a social being. Either it becomes hard to tame the mind in such a case or the person will leave behind that ordinary life to live an ordained life (doesn't necessarily have to be a monk). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most people who were able to tame their minds even when living a normal life were special people during Lord Buddha's time who understood the teachings really easily once taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the contemporary world, it would be hard for a person to understand and detach themselves completely due to all the stimuli from the surrounding environment. Too many distractions. This is why monks live away from their families after renouncing all their belongings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a first step that forces them to live a detached life because now they do not have to care for any loved ones or worry about possessions. Now they are free to focus on meditation and taming their mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is simply a fast track to detachment by reconditioning the environment to remove distractions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11566" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T01:49:32.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21110" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21108" CreationDate="2017-06-20T03:16:48.270" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming. Sn56.11&#xA;  Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Tanha that causes suffering are of 3 types. Kama Tanha, Bhava Tanha, Vibhava Tanha (sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming). &#xA;And as mentioned above the Buddha specifically says that the origination of stress is the Tanha that makes for further becoming. To continue this samsara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tanha for destruction of Tanha (Niravana) isn't technically the Tanha that we know. You could use the word Chanda(1 of the 4 Iddhipada) which means the strong likeliness to attain nibbana (Intention or purpose or desire or zeal to attain nirvana) . So it's a matter of the wordings in which you are confused with. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tanha to end Tanha isn't the Tanha that makes us continue samsara. It's Chanda. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T03:16:48.270" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21106" CreationDate="2017-06-20T03:20:56.720" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The truth is, we don't all live in the same world. The world you perceive is a projection of your mind, so what you see largely depends on your energy which in its turn depends on your karma. Phenomenal reality is not an aquarium full of fish, it's more complicated than that. To the extent that our energy is similar, which means we have made many similar choices in the past, our realities will be overlapping and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Someone who came here to teach, may not at all live in the same reality that you live in, but they can project an image into your reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My teacher said, a murderer lives in a very different reality than his victim, but they overlap around a few attachments they have in common.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's complicated, but for practical purposes it's enough to know that it all depends on karma (long term) and on your energy/state of mind (in the immediate timeframe). Karma is what we can control by being careful. Energy can be tuned in meditation and also by controlling your attention. Also, Karma affects your future energy, and energy affects your choices, therefore your karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T03:20:56.720" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21112" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-20T04:01:29.900" Score="1" ViewCount="447" Body="&lt;p&gt;in Week 3 Mindfulness of Emotions an online course at:&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/introduction-to-meditation-transcripts/all/1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/introduction-to-meditation-transcripts/all/1/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gil Fronsdal says &quot;... the Buddha had a bad back. You wouldn’t believe it with his good posture, but he had a bad back and sometimes he couldn’t give his Dharma talk, so he’d lie down instead and have one of his senior disciples give a talk.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone know where he might have got this information from?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T11:04:07.827" Title="Did Siddartha have a back problem?" Tags="|the-buddha|pain|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21113" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21112" CreationDate="2017-06-20T04:26:01.333" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the Blessed One, putting on his robe and taking up his bowl &amp;amp; outer&#xA;  robe, went together with a community of monks to the reception hall.&#xA;  On arrival he washed his feet, entered the hall, and sat with his back&#xA;  to the central post, facing east. The community of monks washed their&#xA;  feet, entered the hall, and sat with their backs to the western wall,&#xA;  facing east, ranged around the Blessed One. The Kapilavatthu Sakyans&#xA;  washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat with their backs to the&#xA;  eastern wall, facing west, ranged around the Blessed One. Then the&#xA;  Blessed One — having spent most of the night instructing, urging,&#xA;  rousing, &amp;amp; encouraging the Kapilavatthu Sakyans with a Dhamma talk —&#xA;  said to Ven. Ananda, &quot;Ananda, speak to the Kapilavatthu Sakyans about&#xA;  the person who follows the practice for one in training. [2] My back&#xA;  aches. I will rest it.&quot; - &lt;strong&gt;Sekha-patipada Sutta : MN 53&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="10105" LastEditDate="2017-06-20T11:04:07.827" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T11:04:07.827" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21108" CreationDate="2017-06-20T04:38:02.420" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Craving for Nibbana as an alternative to craving for sense sphere experiences is craving to abandon craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T04:38:02.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21106" CreationDate="2017-06-20T06:58:31.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt; are those fundamental properties that are universal throughout Samsara, no one is born in a truly different state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not ask 'why' with regards to variety, but one could say that variety within Samsara is perceived to be infinite because without Atman finality cannot be drawn in a concrete fashion (no concrete or Essential delineation of 'that which exists and is (can be) perceived' and 'that which exists but is never (can never be) perceived' is possible)..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Contacted, bhikkhus, one feels, contacted one intends, contacted one&#xA;  perceives.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn35.93&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.93&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contact is what unifies experience, empty of contact, there isn't much to talk about. Intention, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-sankappo/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;right intention&lt;/a&gt;, is what determines our lives, whether this one or the next. Intention is what determines what Kamma one acquires, and hence the fruit one reaps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-06-20T07:20:15.540" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T07:20:15.540" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21108" CreationDate="2017-06-20T09:59:24.207" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the Brahman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at Ghosita's Park. Then the Brahman Unnabha went to where Ven. Ananda was staying and on arrival greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Ananda: &quot;Master Ananda, what is the aim of this holy life lived under Gotama the contemplative?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of abandoning desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CHANDA is a different kind of Tanha. One needs to have an liking (more like an obsessed liking) for the PATH; this is called chanda which we can translate as liking. It is not greed, but pure in quality and grows to become a life goal. Chanda is NOT greed, it is the determination to attain a goal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-06-20T10:23:53.090" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T10:23:53.090" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21117" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21118" CreationDate="2017-06-20T14:31:38.620" Score="3" ViewCount="530" Body="&lt;p&gt;In many suttas the Buddha stated different reasons for the decline of the Dhamma. Why and how it happens. The different causes. Can I have the references of those suttas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T03:34:00.450" Title="Different Reasons of Dhamma's Decline" Tags="|pali-canon|sutras|buddhadharma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21117" CreationDate="2017-06-20T15:16:23.607" Score="5" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.13-Ani-S-s20.7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - have desire to learn the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha and not anyone else&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anagata bhaya Sutta - teaching not practiced in earnest and procrastination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.10-Dharma-ending-age-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sugata Vinaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - monks become unapproachable and have wrong understanding&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ovada Suttas - boastful about preaching ability, lack of faith, moral shame and fear, elders not setting a good example&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Kimbila Suttas - lack of mutual respect towards the teacher, Dhamma, Sangha, practice, each other, heedfulness and hospitality&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saddhamma Patirupaka Sutta - counterfeit Dhamma emerging and unspiritual people lead to decline&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Appamada Sutta - heedlessness,  indolence, excessive desires, unwise attention, lack of full awareness, evil friends, neglect of the wholesome lead to decline. Opposite preserves the Dhamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thiti Sutta / Parihana Sutta - Satipatthana not being practiced. Practicing preserves the Dhamma.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mahā,parinibbāna Sutta - being anxious to learn and practice Dhamma will result in the highest attainments [and preserve it]&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vinaya Cullavagga - admission of women&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on this see the references of: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.10-Dharma-ending-age-piya-proto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dharma-ending Age&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the commentarial literature has the 5 antaradhāna which is mentioned in another answer. They are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;adhigama-antaradhāna - attainments disappear, because the practice is polluted with miss conception.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;paṭipatti-antaradhāna - because attainments are disappear, the practice is neglected, hence it disappear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pariyatti-antaradhāna - because practice are disappear, the learning is neglected, hence it disappear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;liṅga-antaradhāna - because learning are disappear, the monasticism (Sangha) is neglected, hence it disappear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dhātu-antaradhāna - because reverence to wards the Dhātu disappear, the Dhātu is neglected, hence it disappear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;So ends the Sasana and beings the dark ages&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T03:34:00.450" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21119" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21117" CreationDate="2017-06-20T21:17:04.073" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;5  antaradhāna, in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0401a.att10.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this commentary&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0401m.mul9.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sutta&lt;/a&gt;, is completely conclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-06-20T21:17:04.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15140" CreationDate="2017-06-21T00:29:51.527" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to make sure I follow one curiosity a day regarding the dharma. Then I make sure 3 times a day I sit outside and take it all in. I close my eyes and try to hear the furthest sounds that I can all the way back to the closest and identify them. Then the smells followed by the sensations on my skin. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I offer this because so often we sacrifice the enjoyment around us for more order. For this reason I often purposefully shun order and focus on enjoying the world around me as it comes. It could be cold, or raining, or noisy, or smelly. Yet I enjoy the sensations. The simplicity and innocence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Order and discipline certainly have their place, but dont forget to schedule or not even schedule some disorder and simple pleasures. balance. damyata datta dayadhvam. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T00:29:51.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21117" CreationDate="2017-06-21T00:52:06.740" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Formerly, bhikkhus, the Dasaarahas had a summoning-drum. As the drum began to split the Dasaarahas inserted one peg and then another peg until in time the summoning-drum's old drumhead had disappeared and only a framework of pegs remained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Even so, bhikkhus, will the bhikkhus become in the future. And those discourses spoken by the Tathaagata, profound in meaning, transcendental, dealing with voidness, to these they will not listen when they are recited, they will not lend an ear, they will not set the heart upon final knowledge[48] and will not consider that those things should be learned and mastered. But those discourses made by poets, poetry, mere beautiful words and phrases, spoken by outsiders and disciples, to these they will listen... they will consider that these things should be learned and mastered.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, bhikkhus, I say, you should train yourselves thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Those discourses spoken by the Tathaagata profound in meaning, transcendental, dealing with voidness, to these we will listen when they are recited, we will lend an ear, we will set the heart upon final knowledge and we will consider that these things should be learned and mastered.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 20.7&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T00:52:06.740" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21122" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2310" CreationDate="2017-06-21T01:14:09.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest problems I have found from self-study is the differing terminologies. I was reaching the same conclusions in study and reflection that were reached 3,500 years ago I just had different words for many of the concepts.I believe there is some of that effect here as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My simplistic view was/is dukkha identifies the dissatisfaction with impermanent conditions. Sukkha was/is eternal satisfaction. Happiness varies with conditions and is cyclical. Eternal satisfaction, however, is a constant. But thats just my understanding and the terms I use. Explanations vary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T01:14:09.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21083" CreationDate="2017-06-21T01:43:22.890" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.piya.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca-vibhanga Sutta: Discourse on The Analysis of the Truths&lt;/a&gt; to the question, &quot;What is death? This was the answer given:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is death? It is the passing away of beings in the various classes of beings; the falling away, the breaking up, the disappearance, the death, making end of life, the breaking up of the aggregates, the laying down of the body. This is called death.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are concerned about what happens when a person dies. Of what I’ve read, this is what takes place. We have three types (some say four) of bodies. One is the physical body that we leave at the time of death. The other two are the two parts of the mental (astral) body. This never dies, and gets transformed into an energy form (that is beyond time and space) at the time of Parinibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vinnana is always out looking for nourishment for the continuation of life from existence to existence. The food that Vinnana gathers get stored as a cittaja force, or as kamma seeds. These in turn become food for the sustenance of the vinnana. I’d call this the astral body of ours.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This astral body of ours (you may call it the vinnana) is always conditioned by the sansaric habits that we acquire from one bhava to another bhava. Also mainly three types of Cravings (Asava) and temptations (Anusaya) that lie dormant in us until the conditions are right and ripe. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The three Asava (that are steeped in Avijja) are: Ditti-asava, Kamasava, and Bhava-asava. These are deep rooted attachments that we have for certain views, for sense pleasures, and for existance. As long as these factors are there we will forever go in this sansaric journey.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you get into the Path, from the Stream Entrant Stage onwards, and as you go upstream from one stage to another, the ‘asava’ will start to lessen their hold on this astral body, and eventually get reduced to nothing. The way to go about this is the Noble Eighfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sansära (or samsara) = san + sära (meaning fruitful) = perception that “san” are good, fruitful. Thus one continues in the long rebirth process with the wrong perception that it is fruitful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sammä = san + mä (meaning eliminate) = eliminate or route out “san”. Thus Samma Ditthi is routing out the wrong views that keeps one bound to sansara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tthe significance of “san” is illustrated in the verse that Ven. Assaji delivered to Upatissa (Ven. Sariputta before ordaining):   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ye dhamma hetu pabbava, te  san hetun Thathagatho aha, Te san ca yo nirodho, evan vadi maha Samano”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Te = three,   hetu = cause,  nirodha = nir+uda = stop from arising&lt;br&gt;&#xA; “All dhamma (in this world) arise due to causes arising from the three “san”s: raga, dosa, moha. The Buddha has shown how to eliminate those “san”s and thus stop dhamma from arising”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T01:43:22.890" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2017-06-21T05:47:47.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;[Basing this answer in part on a comment by the OP on one of the answers]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not just about forgiveness: this is about dealing with suicide. Which is huge. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are being too hard on yourself. You want to move to forgiveness before going through all the mourning necessary given the gravity of what happened. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may be able to forgive this person in time, but (in Buddhist terms) you have to accept the suffering of the situation first. It is part of life - and it does not go away with a simple meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said: you could try &lt;strong&gt;meditation on the inevitability of dukha&lt;/strong&gt; (sorrow, stress, suffering, pain). Your own and theirs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once you have really realized that, forgiveness will likely come easier too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That you have repetitive thoughts tells me that there are underlying emotions that you are not allowing yourself to feel. These are likely anger, sorrow, disappointment etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are pushing away. Take the time to cry, to be angry. It will pass. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the meantime: look up the stages of grief. While they are often not followed in the order listed, they may give you an idea of what to expect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11330" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T05:47:47.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21125" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21083" CreationDate="2017-06-21T06:37:36.437" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;My (Mahayana based, but not orthodox) answer: Nonduality. Mind and form are two aspects of the same ground reality. In modern language, information cannot exist apart from some type of media, and media always caries some information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Under certain conditions (12 nidanas)  information emerges as awareness or experience (vijnana) of the world and then a notion of inner self emerges as a logical complement of the outer world, identifying with whatever media that happens to be an invariant part of experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tibetan folklore, they speak about bad rebirths when a wave of awareness identifies with an inanimate object like a door, and suffers greatly every time the door opens and closes. This is just a metaphorical example to show that self-identification is rather arbitrary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this ultimate sense, there's no sentient beings as such, there's just a sea of information, carried on the various media, with currents moving and mixing all the time, without beginning and end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the extent to which we can speak of sentience, as emergent property of information, as it models and reflects the other forms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the definition of living beings (whether sentient or not), we call it a living being if it is born and lives (and invariably dies). But if you really think about it, you will see that these notions are not well defined - that's because they are not really inherent in the world, they are projected by us, the observers, however approximately and arbitrarily. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, there are no boundaries between things, in space nor in time. Strictly speaking, there's no moment when something is born, everything is a continuum. Not just living beings, but all objects, all entities are mindmade constructs - models or abstractions. In reality there are no entities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This should get you a half inch closer to understanding Emptiness. You are on the right track with this questions, without a doubt. Keep thinking about things like that and it will get clear in time. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T06:37:36.437" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21126" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-21T08:51:37.453" Score="6" ViewCount="694" Body="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a href=&quot;http://nirvanasutra.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; site, I found the following saying of Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;You, monks, should not thus cultivate the  notion (samjna) of impermanence, suffering and non-Self, the notion of impurity and so forth, deeming them to be the true meaning [of the Dharma], as those people [searching in a pool for a radiant gem but foolishly grabbing hold of useless pebbles, mistaken for priceless treasure] did, each thinking that bits of brick, stones, grass and gravel were the jewel. You should train yourselves well in efficacious means. &lt;strong&gt;In every situation, constantly meditate upon [bhavana] the idea [samjna] of the Self, the idea of the Eternal, Bliss, and the Pure&lt;/strong&gt; ... Those who, desirous of attaining Reality [tattva], meditatatively cultivate these ideas, namely, the ideas of &lt;strong&gt;the Self [atman], the Eternal, Bliss, and the Pure&lt;/strong&gt;, will skilfully bring forth the jewel, just like that wise person [who obtained the genuine, priceless gem, rather than worthless detritus misperceived as the real thing.]&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  - The Buddha, Chapter Three, &quot;Grief&quot;,The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, as I know this saying is exactly monistic &amp;amp; found in some hindu philosophies like Advait Vedanta &amp;amp; Kashmiri Shaivism. This practice in Advait Vedanta is called &lt;em&gt;manana&lt;/em&gt;; and in KS, &lt;em&gt;Shuddha Bhāvna/Vikalpa&lt;/em&gt; under Sāktopāye - Herein you practice not to identify yourself with something (body, mind etc) &lt;strong&gt;which you are not&lt;/strong&gt;.  In other words I think it seems to teach the same as,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is not with the body identification that you should sit for meditation. It is the knowledge &quot;I am&quot; that is meditating on itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Nisargadatta Maharaj&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is why Gautam Buddha talked about &quot;self&quot; (that it is eternal, blissful, etc.)? I may not be getting context, so what's the context and explanation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorDisplayName="user10804" LastEditDate="2017-06-24T14:18:24.697" LastActivityDate="2018-11-21T21:16:18.157" Title="What Gautam Buddha said about &quot;self&quot;, in Chapter Three of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra?" Tags="|mahayana|nirvana|buddha|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-21T09:35:41.227" Score="4" ViewCount="270" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the 10 wrong views is the view that there are no spontaneously reborn beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The preceding 2 wrong views in the sequence of 10 are &quot;there is no mother&quot; and &quot;there is no father&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Now beings born on earth mostly see beings coming to existence due&#xA;to a mother and father. Most will never see a &quot;spontaneously reborn&#xA;being&quot;. So how does one form the view that there ARE spontaneously&#xA;reborn beings when one has never seen such beings? Or is it adequate to simply not reject the&#xA;possibility of the existence of such beings, but not form the view&#xA;that there are such beings?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Also, if one has the view that there is a mother and father, how&#xA;does one reconcile these 2 views with the view that there are&#xA;spontaneously reborn beings, which we are also told are born without&#xA;a mother and father? Further, say if all the beings we encounter&#xA;were born spontaneously, how can we form the view that there is a&#xA;mother and father? Or do the words mother and father mean something other than the biological parents or the first pair of primary carers, e.g. DP verse 294?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is this view included in the 10 wrong views? The other 9 views&#xA;does provide a framework for beings to avoid evil and do good.&#xA;Rejecting this wrong view and accepting its opposing view that there&#xA;indeed ARE spontaneously reborn beings requires a stretch of the&#xA;imagination for many. What is the moral purpose?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once again these questions are asked only for academic interest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:13:14.430" Title="&quot;No spontaneously reborn beings&quot;" Tags="|wrongview|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21126" CreationDate="2017-06-21T10:31:24.347" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha would have spoken about self as reference point. This is using conventional language and terms to explain something. Without using conventional language as medium you cannot communicate and when using conventional languages you end up using conventional terms. It is very had to have a vocabulary in terms of ultimate realities since  only few have experienced it any terms coined will not have bearing on people who has not experienced it. Since the Dhamma is taught for people who has not experienced the ultimate realities it should be in conventional terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said that any conception that there is a self or there is not self is an extreme view and also conceptual construction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The second mistaken inference is that, given the thoroughness with which the Buddha teaches not-self, one should draw the inference that there is no self. This inference is treated less explicitly in this discourse, although it is touched upon briefly in terms of what the Buddha teaches here and how he teaches.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - Translator's Introduction by Thanissaro Bhikkhu&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19165&quot;&gt;Sutta references which Discuss Self and Not Self under Different Contexts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T10:31:24.347" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21127" CreationDate="2017-06-21T10:54:46.783" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A view is when you affirm a certain thinking to be true. Simply having a thought of doubt doesn't qualify as having a view, even though it's still unwholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A human taking the view that there are no spontaneous beings solely based on his inability to see them points to a flaw in his thinking. I.e. thinking that anything that cannot be seen does not exit. If a born blind person has the same thinking, he might even deny the existence of the sun and the moon. This is similar to taking the view that the earth is the only place with sentient beings in the whole universe because we haven't seen any aliens yet. The same line of thinking can make a person take the view that Nibbana does not exist, because he hasn't seen it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not believing in father and mother is more about thinking that there's no use in caring for them, which is wrong and detrimental. It's about biological parents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T10:54:46.783" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21130" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-21T13:32:19.123" Score="3" ViewCount="3602" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EXPLANATION :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In many TV shows,sites I came to know that Buddha gave Different answers about God to Two Persons.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha To a Ram Bhakta :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Devotee of Lord Ram(Hindu God) was confused that God is there or Not, so he came to Buddha and asked him that &quot;God is there or Not&quot; .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha answered &lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;There Is No God&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;AFTER SOME TIME&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha to Atheist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;An atheist was confused that God is there or Not,so he came to Buddha and asked him that &quot;God is there or Not&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha answered &lt;strong&gt;:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;There Is A God&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;BR/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;QUESTION :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What was the Reason for Buddha to Give different answers to same question ?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10543" LastActivityDate="2024-03-28T04:05:47.170" Title="Why Buddha said &quot;There is No God&quot; and Later &quot;There is God&quot;?" Tags="|the-buddha|god|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21131" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21130" CreationDate="2017-06-21T14:08:46.507" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha took a different approach to God than 'is' or 'is not':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This world, Kaccana, for the most part depends upon a duality—upon&#xA;  the notion of existence and the notion of nonexistence. But for one&#xA;  who sees the origin of the world as it really is with correct wisdom,&#xA;  there is no notion of nonexistence in regard to the world. And for one&#xA;  who sees the cessation of the world as it really is with correct&#xA;  wisdom, there is no notion of existence in regard to the world. &quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In only accepting truth that is directly perceivable and verifiable,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhante, there are some ascetics and brahmins who come to Kesaputta.&#xA;  They explain and elucidate their own doctrines, but disparage,&#xA;  denigrate, deride, and denounce the doctrines of others. But then some&#xA;  other ascetics and brahmins come to Kesaputta, and they too explain&#xA;  and elucidate their own doctrines, but disparage, denigrate, deride,&#xA;  and denounce the doctrines of others. We are perplexed and in doubt,&#xA;  Bhante, as to which of these good ascetics speak truth and which speak&#xA;  falsehood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is fitting for you to be perplexed, Kālāmas, fitting for you to be&#xA;  in doubt. Doubt has arisen in you about a perplexing matter. Come,&#xA;  Kālāmas, do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by&#xA;  hearsay, by a collection of scriptures, by logical reasoning, by&#xA;  inferential reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a&#xA;  view after pondering it, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or&#xA;  because you think: ‘The ascetic is our guru.’ But when, Kālāmas, you&#xA;  know for yourselves: ‘These things are unwholesome; these things are&#xA;  blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; these things, if&#xA;  accepted and undertaken, lead to harm and suffering,’ then you should&#xA;  abandon them.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.65&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;, as well as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 27&lt;/a&gt;, one is naturally lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn9&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 9&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“There are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a doctrine &amp;amp; view like&#xA;  this: ‘After death, the self is exclusively happy and free from&#xA;  disease.’ I approached them and asked them, ‘Is it true that you have&#xA;  a doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: “After death, the self is exclusively&#xA;  happy and free from disease&quot;?’ When asked this, they replied, ‘Yes.’&#xA;  So I asked them, ‘But do you dwell having known or seen an exclusively&#xA;  happy world?’ When asked this, they said, ‘No.’ So I asked them, ‘But&#xA;  have you ever been aware of a self exclusively happy for a day or a&#xA;  night, or for half a day or half a night?’ When asked this, they said,&#xA;  ‘No.’ So I asked them, ‘But do you know that “This is the path, this&#xA;  is the practice for the realization of an exclusively happy world&quot;?’&#xA;  When asked this, they said, ‘No.’ So I asked them, ‘But have you heard&#xA;  the voices of devas reborn in an exclusively happy world, saying,&#xA;  “Practice well, my dears. Practice straightforwardly, my dears, for&#xA;  the realization of an exclusively happy world, because it was through&#xA;  such a practice that we ourselves have been reborn in an exclusively&#xA;  happy world&quot;?’ When asked this, they said, ‘No.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So what do you think, Potthapada—when this is the case, don’t the&#xA;  words of those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord. When this is the case, the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Potthapada, it’s as if a man were to say, ‘I’m in love with the most&#xA;  beautiful woman in this country,’ and other people were to say to him,&#xA;  ‘Well, my good man, this most beautiful woman in this country with&#xA;  whom you are in love: do you know if she’s of the warrior caste, the&#xA;  priestly caste, the merchant caste, or the laborer caste?’ and, when&#xA;  asked this, he would say, ‘No.’ Then they would say to him, ‘Well&#xA;  then, do you know her name or clan name? Whether she’s tall, short, or&#xA;  of medium height? Whether she’s dark, fair, or ruddy-skinned? Do you&#xA;  know what village or town or city she’s from?’ When asked this, he&#xA;  would say, ‘No.’ Then they would say to him, ‘So you’ve never known or&#xA;  seen the woman you’re in love with?’ When asked this, he would say,&#xA;  ‘Yes.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So what do you think, Potthapada—when this is the case, don’t the&#xA;  words of that man turn out to be unconvincing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord … ”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“In the same way, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: ‘After death, the self is exclusively happy&#xA;  and free from disease.’ … Don’t the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord … ”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“ Potthapada , it’s as if a man at a crossroads were to build a&#xA;  staircase for ascending to a palace, and other people were to say to&#xA;  him, ‘Well, my good man, this palace for which you are building a&#xA;  staircase: do you know whether it’s east, west, north, or south of&#xA;  here? Whether it’s high, low, or in between?’ and, when asked this, he&#xA;  would say, ‘No.’ Then they would say to him, ‘So you don’t know or see&#xA;  the palace for which you are building a staircase?’ When asked this,&#xA;  he would say, ‘Yes.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“So what do you think, Potthapada—when this is the case, don’t the&#xA;  words of that man turn out to be unconvincing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord … ”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“In the same way, there are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives with a&#xA;  doctrine &amp;amp; view like this: ‘After death, the self is exclusively happy&#xA;  and free from disease.’ … Don’t the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, lord. When this is the case, the words of those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives turn out to be unconvincing.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Buddha stated in his first sermon,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has&#xA;  gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of sensual&#xA;  happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of&#xA;  worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of&#xA;  self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Without&#xA;  veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened&#xA;  to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to&#xA;  knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to&#xA;  enlightenment, to Nibbāna.&quot; SN 56.11&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All speculative views are abandoned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.074.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 74&lt;/a&gt; gives one analysis of why Nihilism, the strong atheist's statement 'there is no God', is flawed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 15&lt;/a&gt; is likely approximately what he taught, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn118&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 118&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 10&lt;/a&gt; is likely what he would have practiced..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Hindu societies accepted Buddha as an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha_in_Hinduism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;avatar of Vishnu&lt;/a&gt;, which may mix his statements quite a lot.. in fact, a lot of his supposed quotes on the net, are not his quotes. Best to stick to the Pali canon and some later writings for what he says imo! :)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-06-21T14:18:03.377" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T14:18:03.377" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21130" CreationDate="2017-06-21T14:11:22.967" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha never said such a thing! This is simply Indian folklore. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T14:11:22.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21133" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21130" CreationDate="2017-06-21T14:19:03.760" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there are deities and Brahma living in the 31 planes of existence. But unlike many other religions they are not almighty and of infinite life. They are also in the cycle of Samsana and are being transitioning from life to life and they existance in these planes are temporary. In this sense there is no God in a sense accepted in other religions but also there are higher beings who have temporal existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure what the TV program mentioned is accurate at least from a Theravada perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T14:19:03.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21134" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-21T14:29:48.527" Score="0" ViewCount="81" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is she difference between the Pali Suttas and folklore or the Indian folklore at the time? Is it possible some suttas include folklore as well as authentic words of the Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T15:25:26.790" Title="Pali Scriptures &amp; Folklore" Tags="|pali-canon|mythology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21135" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21134" CreationDate="2017-06-21T15:04:42.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pali scriptures were brought down by the Sangha who actively practice the teachings of the Buddha. The oral tradition and later the scriptures were verified by many Buddhist councils which were headed by enlightened monks. These councils were held specifically to eliminate alien elements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Folklore is just stories told by ordinary householders who might not even be Buddhist. ex: Hindus believe that Buddha is an avatar of one of their Gods&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-06-21T15:11:07.407" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T15:11:07.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21134" CreationDate="2017-06-21T15:25:26.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha said when told a sutta, do not reject or accept it right away but remember the details so later to compare to other sutta and vinaya if it doesnt fit well with other sources then it is time to reject it.  One sample i can think of is about holy water.  in at least 12+ sutta, Buddha rejected and prohibited monks to make holy water but in a sutta where vesali was afflicted by a famine, Buddha gave Ven. Ananda his alms bowl to make holy water to sprinkle around the city to get rid of the illness.   IMO, I reject this sutta.  There are many sutta especially from Lanna/shan tipitaka that don't really fit well.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T15:25:26.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21130" CreationDate="2017-06-21T16:36:38.027" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the article in the link you provided above. I am unable to verify the authenticity of the story. Usually in Theravada Buddhism the Sutta's have a reference. I have not come across this story in my readings, but that's limited. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps &quot;an&quot; answer you seek can be found at the end of the link you provided. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Moral of the story: Belief that there is God or belief that there is no God are both equally useless, one has to realize the truth in himself with diligent self-effort. Enlightened one had told each of them what they had to know in order for them to get stronger on their spiritual quest&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you well on the Path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T16:36:38.027" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2017-06-21T16:57:29.060" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's important that lay Buddhists keep the Uposatha practice, or at least once a week avoid all sexual activity, including masturbation. &#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.046.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sakka Sutta: To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha) AN 10.46 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T16:57:29.060" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2017-06-21T17:47:24.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a bodily function. Let's remove the stigma and modernize our thoughts. You lose most of that motivation when you get older anyway. As a young man, or woman, just don't let it control you. When it's necessary then do it. To pay it such heed is to give the desire more power.  Don't consider it some moral victory if you dont or some moral dilemma if you do. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to minimize the impact they intended with their selfless action - but I liken this to the approach taken by the Dalai Lama recently when asked about self-immolation incidents. He wisely acknowledged that any position he took would seem either intolerable or heartless. So he chose silence. Sakyamuni would not turn down meat when offered as alms, but he did not seek animals to be killed for him. Sometimes it's important to know when to say or do nothing. I'd say wu wei.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T17:47:24.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21141" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13861" CreationDate="2017-06-21T18:21:46.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-ss1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;first sanghadisesa rule&lt;/a&gt; explains it for monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T18:21:46.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21108" CreationDate="2017-06-21T20:32:08.713" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is bhava-tanha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you read the same Bhikkhuni Sutta you quoted in the question, it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered &amp;amp; remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for himself in the here &amp;amp; now.' The thought occurs to him, &lt;strong&gt;'I hope that I, too, will — through the ending of the fermentations — enter &amp;amp; remain in the fermentation-free awareness-release &amp;amp; discernment-release, having known &amp;amp; realized them for myself in the here &amp;amp; now.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhava-tanha is a craving to be a certain way. It's a wish or a dream of having oneself occupy a certain position in the future. This is exactly what this is, a desire to be enlightened, achieve Nirvana, become Buddha etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T20:32:08.713" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2801" CreationDate="2017-06-21T22:29:14.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Well there was the Indo-Greek kingdom and many of the Greeks living there were Buddhist. This kingdom existed before stoic philosophy came about, so there is a possibility.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11582" LastActivityDate="2017-06-21T22:29:14.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21144" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21148" CreationDate="2017-06-22T03:24:57.790" Score="2" ViewCount="282" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Bhaya Bherava Sutta MN 4 translated by Bhikkhu Tannissaro this is stated as said by the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;There are some brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, brahman, who have the perception of 'day' when it is night, and of 'night' when it is day. This, I tell you, is their being in a dwelling of delusion. As for me, I have the perception of 'day' when it is day, and of 'night' when it is night...&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However in the Capala Sutta A 7.58 and several other suttas the Buddha encourages meditators to develop the perception of light so that one &quot;dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How are we to reconcile these two statements?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T15:07:51.967" Title="Perception of light - a twist in the Bhaya Bherava sutta?" Tags="|perception|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21144" CreationDate="2017-06-22T04:27:53.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/44.3-Bhaya-Bherava-S-m4-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhaya Bherava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;some recluses and brahmins who perceive night to be day, and day to be&#xA;  night&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perceiving the unskillful and skillful and skillful as unskillful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But I, brahmin, perceive night as night, and day as day&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Skilful as skillful and unskillful as unskillful&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The context of the Sutta is what you should have fear and terror which is unskilful means. Buddha says he has the opposite quality hence there is no fear and terror.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta /  Capala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is discussed here is developing the Perception of a Light like in the āloka kasiṇa to drive away drowsiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The principle here is if you are in a well lit place or imagine your are drowsiness goes away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Comy to Iddhi,pāda Vibhaṅga S (S 51.20,10/5:278), SD 28.14 on the perception of light (āloka,saññā), gives&#xA;  the following instructions: “A monk [meditator] sits in an open space [aṅgaṇa] attending to the perception of light, now&#xA;  shutting his eyes, now opening his eyes. When, having opened his eyes, he closes them and, it appears just as if he&#xA;  sees (olokentassa viya), then the perception of light has arisen. It is also called &quot;the perception of day&quot; (divā,saññā),&#xA;  and with its arising in the night, it is said to be well mastered.” (SA 3:260).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Footnote 44, translation of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta /  Capala Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T06:29:15.420" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21147" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21154" CreationDate="2017-06-22T11:27:37.833" Score="6" ViewCount="177" Body="&lt;p&gt;I remember reading a sutta (possibly in Majjhima or Samyutta) where a passage has the Buddha talking about his teaching attitude towards certain people when talking to them. Then, he says something to the effect of &quot;... but when a person is a fool, the Tathagata changes his mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What sutta is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm positive it's not AN 4.111, where there's an analogy with horse trainning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“[...] But if a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild &amp;amp; harsh training, then the Tathagata doesn’t regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T00:18:23.683" Title="When the Buddha changes his mind to teach" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21144" CreationDate="2017-06-22T14:50:11.457" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a famous quote in the ancient Hindu tradition, &quot;what's day for the worldly is night for the sage&quot; - meaning, the worldly and the spiritual people have the diametrically opposite sets of values, what's considered good by one is considered bad by the other:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What everyone considers night is wakefulness for the renunciate, and that in which all are wakefull is seen as night by the wise sage (BG 2.69).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote in Bhaya Bherava Sutta is a sarcastic joke on Buddha's part:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There are some brahmanas-shramanas, oh brahman, who see the day in night, and night in day. This, I tell you, is their delusion. As for me, I see the day in day, and night in night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddha says here is that his teaching, the True Dharma, actually reconciles the two value systems and demonstrates how ethical and skillful action, sensual restraint, concentration, emotional intelligence, and wisdom - are the path to positive outcome for both the worldly as well as spiritually motivated people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote in Capala Sutta A 7.58 is simply a casual reference to the serious meditator's preference to spend the nights in restful vigil, while spending days in meditation (SN 51.20):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk dwell by night as by day, and by day as by night? There is the case where a monk at night develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes &amp;amp; signs &amp;amp; themes that he uses by day, and by day he develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire &amp;amp; the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes &amp;amp; signs &amp;amp; themes that he uses by night. This is how a monk dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-06-22T15:07:51.967" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T15:07:51.967" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21038" CreationDate="2017-06-22T20:31:34.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding of the Pali canon, that (i.e. &quot;Where does he/she go?&quot;) might be a tricky question to ask of the Buddha even when he's alive (or have an unexpected answer): see for example the topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;Why is the Buddha described as trackless?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also a classic understanding is that birth is equated with suffering, and enlightenment is equated with no further birth (see for example the comment about the &quot;house builder&quot; on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bud_lt09.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;): so maybe there is a concept of an after-life in Buddhism (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samsara&lt;/a&gt;) ... but not for the enlightened Buddha!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Nirvana itself is described as &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10926/what-does-deathless-mean&quot;&gt;Deathless&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Canonically there are several &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_unanswered_questions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unanswered questions&lt;/a&gt;, of which the one you asked is one: see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kheme Sutta (SN44.1)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T20:31:34.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21045" CreationDate="2017-06-22T20:47:52.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There was a discussion of &quot;faith&quot; in Buddhism in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/faith&quot;&gt;these topics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My summary of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3694/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; is that &quot;faith&quot; in early Buddhism is similar to the faith you have in a doctor: you take medicine because you believe it will work, because you hear it will work, because the doctor recommends it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;fides&lt;/em&gt; you mention isn't a Buddhist term, is it, nor a translation of the Buddhist term? I think that the Latin word &lt;em&gt;fides&lt;/em&gt; implies the kind of faith you find in faithfulness: if you're a &quot;faithful husband&quot; or wife, for example, then I think that means you make yourself reliable, predictable, trustworthy, constant ... keeping promises ... you see that in the English word &quot;fidelity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T20:47:52.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21058" CreationDate="2017-06-22T21:31:52.490" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you mean &quot;legally allowed&quot;, which isn't really a question about Buddhism (for example maybe it would be more on-topic at &lt;a href=&quot;https://writers.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;writers.se&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway my understanding is that copyright laws vary from country to country. Ancient works might not be copyright, but modern translations of those works might be copyright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might find &quot;copyleft&quot; or &quot;public domain&quot; translations, for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2017/2017-h/2017-h.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might assume (correctly or incorrectly) that quoting a small portion counts as &quot;fair use&quot; and use it (possibly with attribution and without prior permission).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or, getting copyright permission might be a job for your publisher (unless you self-publish).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise I think you get copyright by contacting the copyright-holder (who is usually identified, in a publication) and asking for permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T21:31:52.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21153" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21078" CreationDate="2017-06-22T21:43:50.983" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a Zen story that may be topical, here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/3isthatso.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is That So?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not producing, but at least caring for children.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose the children benefit (from your care), and you get to do the right (caring, virtuous) thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose there may be down-side to it too: if that circumstance prompts you to be selfish, aversive, grasping, cruel, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-22T21:43:50.983" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21154" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21147" CreationDate="2017-06-22T23:57:00.893" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.9-Asibandhakaputta-S-s42.6-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asibandhakaputta Sutta- SN 4.8.6&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;It was Asibandhakaputta , the disciple of Nighanta-Natha-Putta, who raised the question for which Buddha gave the&#xA;parable of the three fields, the good , the middling, and the poor.   In this parable Buddhist laity rank as the moderate field, between the Bhikkus (excellent) and the men of other creeds (poor).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within this Sutta look for the Khettûpama Sutta - SN 4.8.7. where Buddha took this parable of the three fields: the greatly fertile field, the fertile field, and, the unfertile field.   This Sutta explains as to why the Buddha does not teach all people with the same level of effort. The greatly fertile field is prioritized over the fertile field and the fertile field is prioritized over the unfertile field.  The greatly fertile field as monks and nuns; the fertile field as laymen and laywomen; and, the unfertile field being adherents of other doctrine and methods. It also includes the parable of the three pots; the parable of righting the upside down thing; the parable of the uncovering; the parable of the right road; the parable of the lighted lamp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Venerable Sir, doesn’t the Blessed One dwell compassionate towards all living beings?”  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Yes, headman, the Tathagata dwells compassionate towads all living beings.” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then why is it, venerable Sir, that the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma thoroughly to some, yet not so thoroughly to others?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Well then headman, I will question you about this. Answer as you see fit. What do you think headman? Suppose a farmer here had three fields: one excellent, one of middling quality, and one inferior – rough, salty, with bad ground. What do you think, headman? If that farmer wishes to sow seed, where would he sow it first… in the excellent field, in the field of middling quality, or in the field that was inferior – rough, salty, with bad ground?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could read further on this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/Connected_Discourses_of_the_Buddha(Samyutta_Nikaya).Vol.I.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Connected Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt; pages 1338, 1339, 1340.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T00:18:23.683" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21155" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-23T00:15:49.950" Score="0" ViewCount="42" Body="&lt;p&gt;How Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhists learn kammaṭhāna and dhamma for over 2600 years?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-23T02:22:27.787" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T08:27:10.640" Title="How Māhāvihāra Theravāda Buddhists learning method for over 2600 years?" Tags="|pali-canon|meditation|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" FavoriteCount="0" ClosedDate="2017-06-23T08:28:30.087" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21156" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21055" CreationDate="2017-06-23T02:35:22.597" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is through teacher and student &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lineage_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;lineages&lt;/a&gt; through though the years some changes have occurred. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Early on the Dhamma was also preserved this way through oral tradition handed down from teacher to pupil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the best preserved lineages is that handed down from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledi_Sayadaw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/a&gt; which has teachers like: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Khin&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saya Gyi U Ba Khin&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;S. N. Goenka&lt;/a&gt;. It is believed that this is the exact teaching transmitted to Burma through Sona and Uttara. This probably would have the best resemblance to that was taught at Māhāvihāra early on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-23T08:27:10.640" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T08:27:10.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2847" CreationDate="2017-06-23T03:19:02.237" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;For stealing to happen the following conditions should be fulfilled:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) An article belonging to another legally and blamelessly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) Knowledge that the article belongs to another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) There must be the intention to steal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) Action must be taken to steal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;v) By the action, the article must be taken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In copying something the article is not taken but copied. Therefore the conditions for stealing is not fulfilled. But though breaking the law is not encouraged even it does not break the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T03:19:02.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21158" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21106" CreationDate="2017-06-23T10:54:58.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that people in our realm are so fundamentally different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/DalaiLama/posts/10150955727222616&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dalai Lama is quoted&lt;/a&gt; as saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As human beings we are all the same. We have this marvelous intelligence, which sometimes creates problems for us, but when influenced by warm-heartedness can be very constructive. In this context we need to appreciate the value of having moral principles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dalailama.com/the-dalai-lama/biography-and-daily-life/three-main-commitments&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;And&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Firstly, as a human being, His Holiness is committed to the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He says that as human beings we are all the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. Even people who do not believe in religion can benefit if they incorporate these human values into their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T10:54:58.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21106" CreationDate="2017-06-23T11:20:13.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;diversity in Karma lead to diversity of life expectancy, attractiveness, health, experiences, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;diversity in genetics leads to changes in appearances and health also.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;diversity of habitual tendencies which have build up over time different habits of which some may be generosity, kindness, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;diversity of of past Sankhara also may lead to ignorance, situation which lead on to attachment, aversion, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:20:13.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2017-06-23T11:58:45.937" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might try compassion for the person who hurt you: understand that they were trapped themselves, by their own circumstances (and, maybe, ignorance). I guess that's part of the message in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/9themooncannotbestolen.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Moon Cannot Be Stolen&lt;/a&gt; (where I think that the moon is a symbol representing enlightenment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another possibility might be reconsider your theory that they hurt you. Verses 3 through 6 of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; say that &quot;those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred&quot; ... so, taking that to be true, maybe you need to let go of those thoughts. For example if the person hurt you by not doing what you wanted, or not doing what you expected, it might help to see &quot;what you want&quot; and &quot;what you expect&quot; as impermanent, non-self, and non-satisfactory, and maybe to disassociate &quot;me&quot; from them, or abandon them -- maybe in favour of another less harmful theory, a theory that doesn't involve &quot;me&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also the answers to questions about &quot;identity view&quot; (for example &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;answers to this question&lt;/a&gt;) ... this (suffering as the result of not having forgiven a hurt) might be one of the myriad ways in which identity view leads to suffering: so &quot;purging&quot; that view might be a way to &quot;purge the thoughts from my mind and the negative connotations that come with them&quot; -- not just purging a symptom but a root cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T11:58:45.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2017-06-23T12:15:21.863" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hey if you want to know why they do meditation So read these full.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Okay, now i will tell you why they meditate &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;For making themselves internally strong&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also too control there emotions like anger,happiness,etc&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It already existed in the Hindu tradition, and the Buddha himself used meditation as a means to enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Over the centuries Buddhism has evolved many different techniques: for example, mindfulness; loving-kindness and visualisation. But what Buddhists get from meditation is more than just calm.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/TSBqj.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11595" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T11:16:04.857" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:16:04.857" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-06-23T13:24:11.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atthakavagga_and_Parayanavagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atthakavagga and Parayanavagga&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dating&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some scholars regard the Aṭṭhakavagga and the Pārāyanavagga as being considerably earlier in composition than the bulk of the canon, and as revealing an earlier form of Buddhism.[1] They are regarded as earlier because of elements of language and composition, their inclusion in very early commentaries, and also because some have seen them as expressing versions of certain Buddhist beliefs that are different from, and perhaps prior to, their later codified versions.[2] In this thinking, the Pārāyanavagga is somewhat closer to the later tradition than the Aṭṭhakavagga.[3] The Khaggavisānasutta (Rhinoceros Sutra), also in the Sutta Nipāta, similarly seems to reveal an earlier mode of Buddhist monasticism, which emphasized individual wandering monastics, more in keeping with the Indian sannyāsin tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In 1994, a group of texts which are the earliest Indian manuscripts discovered were found in Gandhara.[note 2] These texts include a relatively complete version of the Rhinoceros Sutra and textual material from the Aṭṭhakavagga and Pārāyanavagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translations of these suttas are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;listed here&lt;/a&gt; on Access to insight (Chapters 4 and 5 of the Sutta Nipata within the Khuddaka Nikaya).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each chapter has an introduction by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/atthakavagga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/parayanavagga.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). The former says that evidence for its being earlier than the rest of the canon is weak; the latter says (without explanation),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is evidence that these sixteen dialogues were highly regarded right from the very early centuries of the Buddhist tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia also says of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rhinoceros Sutra&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Rhinoceros Sutra has long been identified, along with the Aṭṭhakavagga and Pārāyanavagga, as one of the earliest texts found in the Pāli Canon.[1] This identification has been reinforced by the discovery of a version in the Gandhāran Buddhist texts, the oldest Buddhist (and, indeed, Indian) manuscripts extant. It also exists in a Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit version. The early date for the text along with its rather unusual (within community-oriented Buddhism) approach to monastic life have led some scholars to suggest that it represents a holdover from a very early stage of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Rhinoceros Sutra is in the first chapter of the Sutta Nipata within the Khuddaka Nikaya, i.e. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here on Access to insight&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T15:05:41.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21163" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-23T14:16:19.957" Score="2" ViewCount="3038" Body="&lt;p&gt;The existence of Ghosts is taught in many religions. And Buddhist sites (mainly Tibetan Buddhists) claim the existence of &quot;Hungry Ghosts&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However I didn't see sites saying that the Buddha claimed that ghosts exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did Lord Buddha teach about Ghosts, or is it only Buddhist sects which teach that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do ghosts exist here on this earth, do they affect or possess people, are they visible? Or are they only in some other real of existence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10543" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T12:46:33.363" LastActivityDate="2019-12-17T05:42:16.293" Title="Did Lord Buddha teach, or do Buddhist sects teach, about Ghosts?" Tags="|the-buddha|tibetan-buddhism|teaching|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-06-23T15:04:54.640" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many such stories in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Petavatthu&lt;/a&gt;, which appear in canonical texts. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cosmology_of_the_Theravada_school&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Cosmology&lt;/a&gt; mentions &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;31 Planes of Existence&lt;/a&gt;. The realm of Hungry Ghosts is one of these realms. Average people cannot see any of these realms other than the parts of the human realm and animal kingdom. This does not mean, what we see do not exit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R401-150617-From-preta-to-hungry-ghost-RB124-rev.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;From preta to hungry ghost&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/RB3-Hungry-ghosts-090826.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Who are the hungry ghosts?&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T15:04:54.640" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21165" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14217" CreationDate="2017-06-23T18:24:04.800" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Take the blame. I understand they hurt you, nevertheless, you can take responsibility for it. In many cases, that punctures the ball of negative energy and helps it dissipate. Try it, take it on and live with it for a day, see how it feels. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T18:24:04.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21166" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-06-23T20:08:38.183" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I can't translate the whole of question, however I tried to answer as I can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Layers of pali literature already being in buddha-living-period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many pali literature in buddha's time, such as buddha's literature, sāriputta's literature, mahākaccāna's literature, upāli's literature, etc. Because every mahāsāvaka have there own students.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the most influential literature are buddha's literature and sāriputta's literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 nikaya are buddha's literature, most of the others cannon are sāriputta's literature, because he is the one who buddha said &quot;sāriputta is the best teacher who can teach like me&quot;. So everyone always go to meet sāriputta to listen his teaching, in his literature. But if someone need buddha's literature, they will go to meet buddha or ānanda, who is the best in sutta memorizing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, abhidhamma is difference from sutta, because commentary said &quot;abhidhamma is memorized by sāriputta&quot;. And the other buddha's sāvaka book also have literature look like sāriputta's literature because everyone in buddha-living-period often go to learn dhamma with sāriputta (see:mahāgosiṅgasālasuttaṃ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;7 Vinaya-pitaka, is  memorized by  Upāli and his students. He also author some path of parivāra because buddha said in tipitaka (a.n.) &quot;Upāli is the best vinaya-memorizer&quot; (vinayadharānaṃ yadidaṃ upāliฯ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttanta-pitaka is memorized by Ānanda. But in 1st saṅgayanā, 500 arahanta decide to separate whole sutta to 4 nikya.Then they gave each nikya to a group of 4 etadagga and his student to especially memorize it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who are the members, of group of 4 etadagga?  Ānanda and his students (tn), Sāriputta's students (mn), Kassapa and his students (sn), Anuruddha and his students (an). (The others have learned and memorized dhamma, too, but buddha said &quot;ānanda is the best&quot;, so everyone need him in 1st saṅgayanā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Abhidhamma-pitaka, paṭisambhidāmagga, niddesa, buddhavaṃsa, cariyā-pitaka, except kathāvatthu of moggalliputta, is learned by Sāriputta, But then they are memorized by every arahanta, because everyone in buddha-living-period often go to listen Sāriputta (see:mahāgosiṅgasālasuttaṃ).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Origin: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0101a.att0.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0101a.att0.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T15:32:22.753" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T15:32:22.753" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21168" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-23T22:56:20.687" Score="4" ViewCount="353" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure why but insight practice isnt feeling very insightful to me. I've been practicing for over half a decade every day and I'm not having any profound insight into reality as I have read about many times. Goenkas method they talk a lot about dissolution of the mind and body and seeing the ultimate reality of the subatomic particles etc and Sayadaws method they talk a lot about anicca and the rising and falling always being different etc. maybe I'm missing something but after all this time I still have not really had any profound insight into anything.  When I was on retreat I had some pretty freaky and blissful experiences but I had no clue what occurred. All I knew was that it felt good and I wanted more of it. When I spoke to the teachers they also seemed clueless about what occurred. For all I know it could have just been a combination of sleep deprivation and sensory deprivation causing me to go slightly insane. Sometimes I just get really bored of being told to keep watching the rising and falling. So the breath is impermanent, big deal.  How long am I meant to keep doing this before I have so called &quot;insight&quot;. It seems a bit like Christianity the way they tell people you aren't getting results because you just need to pray more. I also feel like I cannot be really honest about how I feel without others kind of wagging their finger at me in a condescending way and saying its my fault for not doing this or that properly.  I feel like I need to have insight into the so called true nature of reality pretty soon or I'm not going to continue. I can't just keep on doing this based in blind faith that what I'm being told is true..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-06-23T23:11:58.123" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T22:25:20.327" Title="No insight happening" Tags="|meditation-insight|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-23T23:09:17.180" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation cannot occur as a stand alone practice, it needs &lt;em&gt;Morality&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Wisdom&lt;/em&gt; too, the entire &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/nobleEight.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; must be practiced together. &#xA;All Path factors strengthen and support each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are a different reasons as to why &lt;em&gt;insight&lt;/em&gt; might not arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/retreat/retreat09.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (and how to work with them)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lack off or weak &lt;em&gt;Concentration&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not practicing the &lt;em&gt;technique&lt;/em&gt; correctly&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not enough &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/code&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Morality&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-balanced (the Five) &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indriya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Faculties&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-restraint of the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18014/guard-the-sense-doors-what-does-this-mean-and-what-is-its-application&quot;&gt;Sense-doors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0PycBPl9DI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wrong Mindfulness&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Non-appliance of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/rightEffort.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right Effort&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, thereby giving rise to the 5 hindrances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Falling into the &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch4.4&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ten Corruptions of Insight&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not having a Teacher to guide one of the Path (optional but might help if one is unsure of the path)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be due to one of those reasons or several of them in conglomeration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good Teacher can often guide and support one on the Path, e.g. to help one identify the impediment(s) to progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-24T05:28:25.083" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T05:28:25.083" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-23T23:13:59.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wellcome to the club.&#xA;This a common problem for many of us.&#xA;I suggest you start reading Sutta directly.&#xA;Also, remember it is gradual training.&#xA;You have some insight already, otherwise, you won't be here posting this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-23T23:13:59.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21171" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-06-24T00:01:36.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-problems/demonic-possession/ghost-spirit-symptoms/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Spiritual Science Research Foundation that is there to bridge the known and unknown worlds&lt;/a&gt; says that around 30% of the world’s population is possessed by ghosts. You will find their web page a very interesting read. It will tell you as to how do people get possessed by ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ghosts are real, as real as there exists life after this life. When people talk about ghosts this subject is avoided because of the uncertainty related to this topic. Questions are many, with only a few answers. Are these people good or bad, why they are here, what they want... are few such that are in the mind of us all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can someone be born in the realm of the hungry ghosts can be explained through “paticca samuppada”. Paticca = pati + icca, can be interpreted as getting attached to something through a liking for it or something related to it”.  Then Samuppada, =  “sama” (same or similar) + “uppäda” (generation), i.e.,  an existence (bhava) of similar quality or kind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus “when one gets attached, it sets up likelihood of a new birth of similar characteristics”. For example, when someone acts with greed out of habit, and act that way during the lifetime, then it could lead to a future birth as a hungry ghost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus when one cultivates such greedy (abhi)sankhara, it leads to a corresponding “bhava” in the realm of hungry ghosts. Jane Roberts once wrote a series of books based on “Seth”, a being who could “possess” her body with her permission, and spoke to her husband about various things about the world; see, for example, “Seth Speaks” by Jane Roberts (1994). Seth commented on various issues and made many predictions too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Sri Lanka we often come to see or hear bizzaire instances of hungry ghosts possessing some one's body. Possession is when a spirit or entity breeches your active free will in some way to get inside and take control of your body. When a desire is there whether it’s good or bad, desire is desire. At the time of death if unfulfilled desires are there, the vinnana of the said dead persons travel on pretha loka only, possess those of the living in order to fulfill these unmet desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T00:01:36.583" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T00:25:50.837" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMHO, you should stop this nonsense. Sitting and waiting for insight is not going to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Insight meditation is not meant to be waiting. Instead, it is meant to be examination of the elements of your immediate experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at your thoughts. Where do they come, how do they switch. Who is watching? How do you get distracted and how do you recover focus? Examine these for a long time, until you really see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Look at your emotions. Where are they located? What triggers them? How do they subside?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, think about this insight you are looking for. Assume at some point you'll get it. Now what? Why do you need it? What's wrong now? What do you want?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, think about dukkha, suffering. They say, &quot;suffering comes from craving&quot;. What does this really mean? Try remember something that you really really want (or really really don't want). What happens? Now, force yourself to think about something else. What happens now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, think about causes and results. Take objects and events and trace all causal forces that bring them together and then take them apart. Think how this works on the global scale.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, think about yourself in terms of causal chains. How many different things come together to make up you and your immediate experience? Were you made once or are you being made daily? What causal elements contribute to that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This&lt;/em&gt; is insight meditation, in my opinion. Sitting and watching how your experience comes together - for hours and hours, until you clearly see how it works. Not sitting and waiting like a log.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T00:25:50.837" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20269" CreationDate="2017-06-24T00:31:17.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone please clarify for me how I should be doing this correctly because I feel confused about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Seems like you are asking for specific instructions, so I will post Mahasi Sayadaws instructions for &amp;quot;moving&amp;quot; insight meditation based in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Four Foundations (Satipatthanas) of Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These instructions are given with regard to taking a drink of water but can be applied to &lt;em&gt;dish washing&lt;/em&gt; as well:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are thirsty while contemplating, notice the feeling, thirsty. When you intend to stand, intending. Keep the mind intently on the act of standing up, and mentally note standing. When you look forward after standing up straight, note looking, seeing. Should you intend to walk forward, intending. When you begin to step forward, mentally note each step as walking, walking, or left, right. It is important for you to be aware of every moment in each step from the beginning to the end when you walk. Adhere to the same procedure when strolling or when taking walking exercise. Try to make a mental note of each step in two sections as follows: lifting, putting, lifting, putting. When you have obtained sufficient practice in this manner of walking, then try to make a mental note of each step in three sections; lifting, pushing, putting; or up, forward, down.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you look at the tap or water-pot on arriving at the place where you are to take a drink, be sure to make a mental note, looking, seeing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you stop walking, stopping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you stretch out the hand, stretching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you touch the cup, touching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you take the cup, taking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When dipping the cup into the water, dipping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When bringing the cup to the lips, bringing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the cup touches the lips, touching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you swallow, swallowing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When returning the cup, returning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When withdrawing the hand, withdrawing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you bring down the hand, bringing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the hand touches the side of the body, touching.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you intend to turn round, intending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you turn round, turning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you walk forward, walking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On arriving at the place where you intend to stop, intending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you stop, stopping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Remember that this is a gradual training, meaning that if a meditator is unfamiliar with the noting method, (s)he should gradually increase the number of objects as mindfulness develops.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Noting too many objects will lead to restlestness and agitation of mind, while noting too few objects will lead to dullness and drowsiness. It's about balance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T00:37:16.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21174" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21176" CreationDate="2017-06-24T01:35:25.573" Score="3" ViewCount="122" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am still a novice and searching for specific canon support for Shakyamuni's view on &quot;walking the median path&quot; between dualities. My goal is to dispel this pervasive view that Buddhism is a rigid, cold existence. I think this is my best starting point but haven't read these portions of the dhammapada yet or my memory is just getting bad in my old age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-06-24T04:44:01.190" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T16:54:11.603" Title="Pali Canon support for living on the edge between all dualities?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T03:02:24.933" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally if you are not progressing, you are not practicing insight as you are supposed to. If you listen to and follow the instruction properly then you will make progress. If not you are not practicing the wrong technique because you have misunderstood it, or perhaps mixing other techniques, or intentionally or unintentionally missing out parts of the instruction.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st you have to understand how insight is developed with all subtleties. Insight should cover all the following bases:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;internal (ajjhatta) = physical sense-organs, or in oneself;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;external (bahiddhā) = physical sense-objects, or another person;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gross (olārika) = that which impinges (the physical internal and external senses, with touch = earth, wind, fire);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;subtle (sukhuma) = that which does not impinge (mind, mind-objects, mind-consciousness, and water);&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;inferior (hīna) = undesirable physical sense-objects (form, sound, smell, taste, and touch), or the sense-world or sense world experiences;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;superior (panīta) = desirable physical sense-objects (form etc), or the form and the formless worlds or experience of Jhana;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;far (dure) = subtle objects (“difficult to penetrate”), or distant objects, other universes;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;near (santike) = gross objects (“easy to penetrate”), or things close by, or anywhere in this universe.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As regards the terms “internal” (ajjhatta) and “external” (bahiddhā), it should be noted that they have two applications:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the aggregates (khandhā) composing a particular “person” are “internal” to them, and anything else is “external”;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;the sense-organs (ayatana) are “internal,” but their objects—which may include aspects of the person’s own body or mind, which are “internal” in the first sense—are “external.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the commentarial tradition (including the Abhidhamma), “gross” (olārika) refers to the nature of the five physical senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body), while “subtle” (sukhuma) refers to the nature of the mind. The physical senses are said to be “impinged on” while mind does not function that way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19220/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and its references.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you listen to the instructions care fully it mentions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;piercingly and penetratingly which is see through gross (dure, olārika) experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;external and internal experience at the surface of the body and within&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dividing and directing which is to see through gross experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;be equanimous what ever experience (hīna, panīta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in breath meditation narrow down the concentrate on the centre of the upper lip. This is to more from gross to subtle. It might be easy to feel the breath around the districts or tip of the nose as the touch of the breath is more gross and on the centre of the upper lip it is very subtle.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These cover the totality of how you should practice insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you should see if you are most of the time just sitting that meditating. Many people daydream while doing meditation. For this reason when say scanning the body bring you attention to it. Re affirm your attention is on it and has not wandered away. When you move to a new area ensure you mind is focused in feeling this areas. Re affirms that it is and not distracted. If your concentration is not strong Insight does not arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see you are leading a moral life. If not there will to too much distraction and your mind may get scattered. Because you do not get concentration you do not get insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also keep in mind you should not evaluate any experience as favorable or unfavorable. From what I gather in your mind you are searching for a fabulous experience which you want to call &quot;insight&quot;. This is not insight meditation. Also teachers do not give importance to these experiences because it is not related to progress. If you feel sweaty then this also is insight because you do not pay attention to it. The humidity may be unpleasant and you mindd reacts to it. This also is insight. If you want to go to the toilet and you feel unpleasantness until it and the relief afterwards. That also is insight. Insight is knowing what is happening and how your can keep your mind from not reacting negatively to these esperces. Insight is not a pleasant experience or some experience you seek to get. Insight is knowing what spontaneously happens around you and adjusting your mind not to create negativity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also do not mix techniques. If you look at one of the reasons for the decline of Dhamma it is people practice techniques not fully based on the teaching of the Buddha. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21118/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;. This is when you do you do not get results and people lose faith. If you mix other technique this might not give intended results. So practice the pure dhamma as proclaimed by the Buddha! Then results would sure to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-24T03:34:30.217" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T03:34:30.217" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21174" CreationDate="2017-06-24T08:59:25.067" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist':&#xA;  That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata&#xA;  teaches the Dhamma via the middle: From ignorance as a requisite&#xA;  condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition&#xA;  come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes&#xA;  feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From&#xA;  craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From&#xA;  clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From&#xA;  becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a&#xA;  requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this&#xA;  entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-06-24T15:09:41.300" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T15:09:41.300" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1287" CreationDate="2017-06-24T09:03:44.767" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I really think I have an insight to share here from a physical/science perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a degree in behavioral psychology and have engaged in behavioral studies for decades. I offer this not as an ego thing because I am genuinely not that bright, but there are some interesting scientific additions or views towards meditation for the lay practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The human mind is a sensory interpreter that is constantly receiving information. When it's not receiving its' normal stimuli then it might change modes (to sleep) or it might fill in the loss of input with it's own randomly generated spontaneous manifestations as we have found in numerous sensory deprivation studies. It is accustomed to receiving information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditative practice the idea of a still mind allows one to insert a sort of &quot;control signal&quot; as the sensory input for the mind. To that end we make it something very familiar and comforting that makes us secure yet not question it with surprise stimuli. Like, for instance, a well known mantra of a constant or reverberating tone. Or a singing bowl tone. This puts our mind at ease with its' mandatory input but as a sort of background noise (same concept btw) and leaving our minds free to explore other things more intently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many academic and other institutions have found this type of meditation useful for students and professionals alike. So for the layman it may be helpful to see meditation from a practical side as well. And that side advocates a steady rhythmic or tonal stimuli to assist with the still mind effect and then letting the mind wander or be guided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T09:03:44.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21178" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T09:44:45.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Obviously you are doing it wrong. To gain proper insight, you have to practice all 4 Satipattanas: bodily actions, feelings, metal activity and phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel bored, note it as bored... bored... bored...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are expecting progress, note it as expecting... expecting... expecting...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are annoyed, note it as annoyed... annoyed... annoyed...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel blissful, note it as blissful... blissful... blissful...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;simple guide book&lt;/a&gt; to get you started on the correct technique.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T09:44:45.333" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21179" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T10:34:18.960" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please let me offer a few suggestions from the lay person's perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, a little theoretical/scientific background. Academic and other institutions in the west have began to utilize meditation for students and professionals alike. They do this because they have found numerous physical and mental advantages that may be achieved by taking advantage of the &quot;still mind effect&quot; of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our brains are nothing more than sensory interpreters, albeit complex ones. They take sensory input from our frail, limited form and compare it to past sensory inputs to recognize patterns. It's like a computer that is on all the time but it will change modes if the input given to it is slowed down (sleep) or completely comes to a halt (sensory deprivation). In both of those cases the mind will eventually fill the lack of input in with dreams in the case of sleep or random manifestations in the mind in the case of sensory deprivation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But before the mind gets to those extremes it encounters a resting state where it can focus intently if the stimuli is controlled with a secure, familiar, non-threatening or even non-changing input. Something that requires no thought and is no threat. Like a mantra hummed in a constant tone at a medium pitch or a singing bowl even. kind of like background noise helping someone study. Same principle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the back of the mind is occupied with the low-resource using background &quot;noise&quot; its' other resources are free to wander or focus or be easily guided. A state of high susceptibility and deep reflective thought if so guided. This is what powers meditative practice and it is scientifically and empirically supported. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the first step is reaching that state. It requires relaxation and effort to focus on a simple familiar stimulus. It doesn't require perfect focus. Every little step you take achieves a benefit to your mind. Each step taken opens you a little more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you still need prior sensory input for your mind to compare and contrast (as is its' nature) as your mind wanders or is gently guided. This is where your past experiences or the dharma become important. Your mind will be able to explore sides of thoughts that you dont normally get access to. This is where the insights come from. Once the chaff is blown away we receive the benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So trust the physical side of it if you think the other is failing you. This certainly helped me get past my hesitations and reservations like you seem to be encountering. I hope this could help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T10:34:18.960" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-06-24T12:02:20.860" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the Buddha did. Here is one place: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.7-Tirokudda-S-khp7-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tirokudda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another such incident (told in the Petavatthu) is when Arhat Sariputta encountered his mother five births before who was now in one of the ghost worlds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T12:53:10.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21181" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T12:07:59.510" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Before looking for your next teacher read Käläma sutta, the original translation, from the beginning to the end. In it Buddha takes a practical approach of explaining how one can pick a proper religion / approach to follow. Especially note how Buddha shows, before certainty, the five ways one uses to chose a practice / religion (Faith, Liking, Schools of Though, Contemplating, Views) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="362" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T12:07:59.510" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21174" CreationDate="2017-06-24T14:05:03.637" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 56.11:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T14:05:03.637" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21174" CreationDate="2017-06-24T15:33:41.523" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Majjhima Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, the Buddha gives his monks a discourse on the &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Exposition of Non-Conflict&quot;&lt;/em&gt;. In here he mentions the &lt;em&gt;Middle Way&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, bhikkhus, the Middle Way discovered by the Tathagata avoids both these extremes; giving vision, giving knowledge, it leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. It is a state without suffering...and it is the right way. Therefore this is a state without conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;MN 139: Araṇavibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Samyutta Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, The Buddha also mentions the &lt;em&gt;Middle Way&lt;/em&gt;. Here in the &lt;em&gt;&quot;The Book of the Six Sense Bases&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, headman, these two extremes which should not be cultivated by one who has gone forth into homelessness: the pur­suit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vul­gar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. And what is that mid­dle way awakened to by the Tathagata, which gives rise to vision . . . leads to Nibbana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view . . . right concentration. This is that middle way awakened to by the Tathagata, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Samyutta Nikaya: IV. The Book of the Six Sense Bases (Saḷāyatanavagga)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Anguttara Nikaya&lt;/em&gt;, The Buddha mentions the &lt;em&gt;Middle Way&lt;/em&gt; in relation to the practice of meditation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these three ways of practice. What three? The coarse way of practice, the blistering way of practice, and the middle way of practice&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“And what is the middle way of practice? Here, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings . . . mind in mind . . . phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. This is called the middle way of practice.&#xA;  “These, bhikkhus, are the three ways of practice.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;em&gt;Anguttara Nikaya 156: Ways of Practice: Establishments of Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T15:33:41.523" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21174" CreationDate="2017-06-24T15:52:24.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Middle path in refered are based on:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoiding Extreme View&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoiding Extreme Practices&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoiding Unwholesome Roots or Metal States&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In each case what is chosen as the Middle is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jhana is Also the Middle Way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Avoiding Extreme View&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.13-Kaccanagotta-S-s12.15-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kaccā(ya)na.gotta Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - extreme regarding everything exists and do not exist is not right, this also leads to the notion of self and the middle teaching is dependent origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This world, Kaccāna, mostly&#xA;  depends upon a duality: upon (the notion of) existence and (the&#xA;  notion of) non-existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But for one who sees the arising of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no&#xA;  notion of non-existence regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And for one who sees the ending of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no notion of&#xA;  existence regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This world, Kaccāna, is mostly bound by fixation [attachment], clinging and inclination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But this person (with right view) does not engage in, cling to, incline towards that fixation and&#xA;  clinging, the latent tendency of mindset and inclination—he does not take a stand (that anything is) ‘my&#xA;  self’.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Everything is [all exists] (sabbam atthi),’ Kaccāna, this is one extreme. ‘Everything is not [all&#xA;  does not exist] (sabbam n’atthi),’ this is the second extreme.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without resorting to either of these extremes, the Tathāgata teaches the Teaching by the middle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With ignorance as condition, there are volitional formations;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.15-Lokayatika-S-s12.48-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lok’āyatika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - extreme regarding everything exists and do not exist is not the right view and the middle teaching is dependent origination&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) “What now, master Gotama, do all [do everything] exist (sabbam atthi)?”&#xA;  “‘All exist,’ this, brahmin, is the oldest world-view [cosmology].” &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) “What now, then, master Gotama, do all not exist (sabbam n’atthi)?”&#xA;  “‘All do not exist,’ this, brahmin, is the second world-view.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) “What now, then, master Gotama, is all one [is everything a unity] (sabbam ekattam)?”&#xA;  “‘All is one,’ this, brahmin, is the third world-view.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) “What now, then, master Gotama, is all many [is everything a plurality] (sabbam puthuttam)?”&#xA;  “‘All is many,’ this, brahmin, is the fourth world-view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without tending towards any of these extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dharma by the middle:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;with ignorance as condition, there are volitional formations&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Avoiding Extreme Practices&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.1-Dhammacakka-Pavattana-S-s56.11-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,cakka Pavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - avoid extreme practices and the middle way is the noble 8 fold path - similarly &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.11-Ariya-Pariyesana-S-m26.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariya Pariyesanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikshus, there are these two extremes to be avoided by one who has gone forth. What are the two?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) The devotion to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures—it is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, not&#xA;  connected with the goal [unprofitable], and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the devotion to self-mortification—it is painful, ignoble, not connected with the goal&#xA;  [unprofitable].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, without turning to either of these extremes, there is the middle way&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.9-Deva-Sangarava-S-m100-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Deva) Saṅgnrava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, etc. - no need to avoid pleasure which does not give arise to unwholesome states&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘I do not fear the pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome&#xA;  states!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Avoid Unwholesome Roots&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.18-Dhammadayada-S-m3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhamma,dayada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, avuso, greed (lobha) is bad, and hate (dosa) s bad.&#xA;  There is the middle&#xA;  way for the abandonment of greed and hate, that gives rise to vision, to knowledge, to peace, to direct&#xA;  knowledge, to awakening, to nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, avuso, is this middle way?&#xA;  It is this very noble eightfold path,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, Aggi,vessana, I thought thus, ‘I recall that when my father the Sakya was occupied while&#xA;  I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from&#xA;  unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first dhyana that is accompanied by initial application&#xA;  and sustained application, zest and joy born of seclusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Could that be the path to awakening?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then following on that memory, Aggi,vessana, I realized, ‘That is the path to awakening!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I thought thus, ‘Why do I fear the pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and&#xA;  unwholesome states?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.9-Deva-Sangarava-S-m100-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Deva) Saṅgnrava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, Bhāra,dvāja, it occurred to me, ‘I recall that [during the ploughing festival]132 when my&#xA;  father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded&#xA;  from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and dwelled in the first dhyana&#xA;  that is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, zest and joy born of seclusion. Could&#xA;  that be the path to awakening?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, Bhāra,dvāja, following on that memory, I realized, ‘That is the path to awakening!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/8.4-Dhyana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhyana&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan, section on Middle Way&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T16:54:11.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21185" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-24T16:00:03.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The moment we talk about awareness, we must know we need to transit from being enjoyer (Object) to being knower (Subject). Insight won't help unless we are knower. Meditating being enjoyer won't work. From my own experiences, I will suggest these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;While eating, just know who is eating &amp;amp; witness the act of eating rather than enjoying. E.g, you are not the one who is eating, teeth &amp;amp; mouth are eating &amp;amp; senses are tasting. So become knower only rather than enjoyer. You're indeed something different from the eater. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do the same for every act like breathing, walking, bathing etc. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that the journey is always like this. &lt;BR&gt;&#xA;Enjoyer (Object) { Worldly people } -&gt; Knower (Subject) { Meditators } -&gt; Neither Enjoyer nor Knower ( neither subject nor object) { Enlightened being}.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-06-24T16:00:03.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21186" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-24T16:53:48.450" Score="1" ViewCount="131" Body="&lt;p&gt;Would like to ask if my method of meditation(Mahasi method rising-falling) is correct. When some feeling arise in me, most of the time, i can noting the feeling was somewhere in the body( example: scare feeling near my abdomen/ back of my body).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When i concentrate on that feeling, i will either yawn/ tears coming out or even deep sign. Then i will feel better after every 'reaction'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to know when i noting the feeling part inside/outside the body, is this the right way? i did not do it purposely but i can just feel it when i concentrate'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking for a meditation teacher for years(answer my question from time to time- prefer online). Been practicing meditation for years on and off as i could not really get a teacher. I practice and learning teacher S.N.Goenka method before but i feel Mahasi method suit me. Unfortunately cannot get one to help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appreciate if anyone out there know any online tutor/ bante who can online help in meditation. Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11602" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T08:29:46.147" Title="my meditation practice question" Tags="|teaching|teachers|meditation-teachers|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21186" CreationDate="2017-06-24T17:17:24.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Would like to ask if my method of meditation(Mahasi method rising-falling) is correct.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you try to validate this against the teaching of the Buddha as per the Pali Canon, this is not a valid or correct technique. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19051/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and other referenced material.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suttas which cover insight meditation are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They do not have any reference to either noting nor the rising and falling of the abdomen. It is later innovation like this which lead to the decline of the Dhamma, where by you give more importance to later developments than the words and teachings of the Buddha. These later developments will not give the same results as when you practice the original, it may also give arise to more difficulties, hence people will lose faith in the practice. For more information see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21118/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any correct method should be based on the Tripitaka. More particularly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;which covers most part of what is the right way to practice. You can complement this with other Sutta readings. In the Satipatthana Suttas it is mentioned that Satipatthana is the one and only way (ekāyana maggo) for purification of the beings. Also at the end he Buddha gives a guarantee that if it is practiced the right way (as per the instructions given) you can get the fruit or Non Returner or Fully Liberated within 7 days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When i concentrate on that feeling, i will either yawn/ tears coming out or even deep sign. Then i will feel better after every 'reaction'.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This can be due to past Sankhara. Past conditioning causes unpleasant experiences when they surface and manifest themselves. E.g. you have past Karma to break a leg. But you are in meditation. This may surface as a severe pain in the leg but since there is not other conditions for an accident this will pass away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When some feeling arise in me, most of the time, i can noting the feeling was somewhere in the body( example: scare feeling near my abdomen/ back of my body).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting sensitive to sensations is a good thing. You have to see how this lead to unwholesome states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also how it relates to causality&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As such, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple closely and wisely attends to dependent arising itself, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ sati, idaṁ hoti; „When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;imass’uppādā, idam uppajjati. with the arising of this, that arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti; When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati. with the ending of this, that ends.‟&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on pleasant contact, a pleasant feeling arises. With the ending of the pleasant contact, the pleasant feeling that arose in dependent on that pleasant contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on painful contact, a painful feeling arises. With the ending of the painful contact, the painful feeling that arose in dependent on that painful contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on neutral contact, a neutral feeling arises. With the ending of the neutral contact, the neutral feeling that arose in dependent on that neutral contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole scene shere is unsatisfactory. The impermanence and non self nature contributes to this also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;regarding pleasant feeling, what is pleasant, what is painful,?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;regarding painful feeling, what is painful, what is pleasant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;regarding neutral feeling, what is pleasant, what is painful,?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I would like to know when i noting the feeling part inside/outside the body, is this the right way? i did not do it purposely but i can just feel it when i concentrate'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also a good sign. Totality of insight include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;internal (ajjhatta)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;external (bahiddhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you are experiencing this. For more on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21175/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T08:29:46.147" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21188" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-24T21:14:31.200" Score="3" ViewCount="335" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading a book on the jhanas and it stated, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All hindrances arise from unwise consideration. To overcome them one must apply wise consideration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now i think what unwise and wise consideration is the things you focus on. Unwise Consideration maybe focusing on your past or your future asking question that have no really meaning pondering them. While wise is focusing on suffering and overcoming it. Is thia correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:46:55.427" Title="What is Unwise Consideration?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21189" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21188" CreationDate="2017-06-24T21:38:42.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, it's what you attend to, you are correct. Sometimes thinking about the future is useful though, as in forecasting results of your action before you do it. But generally speaking yes, one can make oneself miserable by focusing on the wrong things, or once can make oneself strong. The effort is the same, it's what you focus on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you let your attention go to things that cause craving, your mind can get infected by desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you focus on the negative side of things, you will maintain yourself in wounded and miserable condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you focus on good things, you can learn to enter and stay in first jhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T11:46:55.427" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:46:55.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21190" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21188" CreationDate="2017-06-24T23:13:42.900" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I have heard that on one occasion a certain monk was dwelling among the Kosalans in a forest thicket. Now at that time, he spent the day's abiding thinking evil, unskillful thoughts: i.e., thoughts of sensuality, thoughts of ill will, thoughts of doing harm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the devata inhabiting the forest thicket, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From inappropriate attention&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  you're being chewed by your thoughts.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Relinquishing what's inappropriate,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      contemplate&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      appropriately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Keeping your mind on the Teacher,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the Dhamma, the Sangha, your virtues,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      you will arrive at&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      joy,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      rapture,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      pleasure&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      without doubt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, saturated&lt;br&gt;&#xA;      with joy,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  you will put an end&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  to suffering &amp;amp; stress.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The monk, chastened by the devata, came to his senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn09/sn09.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayoniso-manasikara Sutta: Inappropriate Attention (SN 9.11)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And below this lack of mindfulness and complete awareness lies unsystematic reflection (ayoniso manasikara). The books say unsystematic reflection is reflection that is off the right course; that is, taking the impermanent as permanent, the painful as pleasure, the soulless as a soul, the bad as good. The constant rolling-on that is samsara, is rooted in unsystematic thinking. When unsystematic thinking increases it fulfils two things: nescience and lust for becoming. Ignorance being present, the origination of the entire mass of suffering comes to be. Thus a person who is a shallow thinker, like a ship drifting at the wind's will, like a herd of cattle swept into the whirl pools of a river, like an ox yoked to a wheel-contraption, goes on revolving in the cycle of existence, samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/a&gt; by Piyadassi Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T07:24:20.253" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T07:24:20.253" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21191" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21188" CreationDate="2017-06-25T02:38:40.830" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having Vipallasa (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;), &#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I.e., not seeing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having the unwholesome roots&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having craving and clinging due to the unwholesome roots arising&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having defilements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having the 5 mental hindrances&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;having ignorance&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;not aware of causality (4 Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Conditional Relations) due to ignorance (not knowing the 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Conditional Relations)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;because ignorance also displaces the rights view no knowledge of the right view (not knowing or wrong understanding items mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) or having know the wrong view. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Piya Tan has done a good detail explanation which I have quoted below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ayoniso manasikāra, as such, means “not directing the attention to the roots of things” or “directing&#xA;  the attention away from the roots of things,” that is, not observing phenomena as they truly are, not noticing&#xA;  that they are impermanent, unsatisfactory and not-self. As a result, wrong view arises, and when this&#xA;  become a habit, wrong view is reinforced so that it remains as a latent tendency (anusaya). Let us examine&#xA;  a little more as to how this happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Unwise attention,” according to the Vibhaṅga, is the regarding of what is impermanent as being&#xA;  permanent, what is painful as being pleasurable, what is not self as self, what is foul as beautiful. 6 The&#xA;  Majjhima Commentary says these are the four “perversions” (vipallāsa). It explains unwise attention&#xA;  (ayoniso manasikāra) as attention that is unskillful in means (anupāya,manasikāra), attention shown the&#xA;  wrong way (uppatha,manasikāra), that is, by way of the four perversions, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is impermanent is taken to be permanent (anicce niccan ti);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is painful is taken to be pleasurable (dukkhe sukhan ti);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is not self is taken to be self (anattāni attan ti); and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;what is impure is taken to be pure (asubhe subhan ti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The (Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta (A 3.68) says that the three unwholesome roots (akusala&#xA;  mūla) of lust, hate and delusion arise through unwise attention. Lust arises and grows through unwisely&#xA;  attending to a “beautiful sign,” that is, being captivated by what we perceive as attractive in a thing. Hate&#xA;  arises and grows through unwisely attending to a “repulsive sign,” that is, what we take to be unattractive.&#xA;  And delusion arises and grows through unwise attention itself. In other words, delusion is present when&#xA;  there is lust or hate. Delusion arises and grows because of the four perversions mentioned above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On a deeper mental level, as explained in the (Āhāra) Kāya Sutta (S 46.2), unwise attention gives&#xA;  rise to the five mental hindrances—sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, and&#xA;  doubt—which prevent us from attaining samadhi, that is, meditative mental focus, or any kind of wholesome&#xA;  attention.&#xA;  In short, we are hindered from our mental development.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unwise attention, in other words, is based on ignorance, which starts off the dependent arising of&#xA;  mental formations (saṅkhāra), which are karmic activities, and these lead on to a whole mass of suffering,10&#xA;  and the prolonging of the samsaric cycle (vaṭṭa) (MA 1:64 f). In short, unwise attention is the root&#xA;  of samsaric existence. Unwise attention is food for a lack of mindfulness and full awareness, which in&#xA;  turn increase ignorance and craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Introduction to Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan. The next section discusses what is wise attention.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see my other explanation in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=wise%20attention%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;these answers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T04:12:54.920" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21192" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21188" CreationDate="2017-06-25T03:18:22.287" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta5/44-Magga-Samyutta/06-Suriyapeyyalo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 44.55&lt;/a&gt; states yoniso manasikara is a condition for Right View.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sūriyassa, bhikkhave, udayato etaṃ pubbaṅgamaṃ etaṃ pubbanimittaṃ, yadidaṃ — aruṇuggaṃ; evameva kho bhikkhuno ariyassa&#xA;  aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa uppādāyauppāda etaṃ pubbaṅgamaṃ etaṃ&#xA;  pubbanimittaṃ, yadidaṃ — yoniso­ma­nasikā­ra­sam­padā.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, before the sun rises, there is the forerunner &amp;amp; precedence of dawn; in the same manner for the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path&#xA;  to the monk, the forerunner &amp;amp; precedence is wise thinking.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T11:22:31.307" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:22:31.307" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21127" CreationDate="2017-06-25T10:59:19.880" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali is '&lt;em&gt;sattā opapātikā&lt;/em&gt;'. '&lt;em&gt;Sattā&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;beings&lt;/em&gt;' (plural). The singular is '&lt;em&gt;satto&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;a being&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 23.2&lt;/a&gt; defines what '&lt;em&gt;a being&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;satto&lt;/em&gt;') is, which is, importantly, a state of suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satto, satto’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sattoti vuccatī?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception... fabrications...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a&#xA;  being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles: as long as they are not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, &amp;amp;&#xA;  craving for those little sand castles, that's how long they have fun&#xA;  with those sand castles, enjoy them, treasure them, feel possessive of&#xA;  them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is confirmed by SN 5.10, which states the arising of the view of &quot;a being&quot; is the arising of suffering:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts, The word 'chariot' is used, So, when the aggregates are present, There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's only suffering that comes to be, Suffering that stands and falls away. Nothing but suffering comes to be, Nothing but suffering&#xA;  ceases.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;em&gt;Sattā opapātikā&lt;/em&gt;' is also explained in MN 12. Importantly, MN 12 differentiates physical birth from the mental birth of '&lt;em&gt;a being&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;beings&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sariputta, there are these four kinds of generation. What are the four? Egg-born generation, womb-born generation, moisture-born&#xA;  generation and spontaneous generation (opapātikā yoni).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is egg-born generation? There are these beings born by breaking out of the shell of an egg; this is called egg-born generation. What&#xA;  is womb-born generation? There are these beings born by breaking out&#xA;  from the caul; this is called womb-born generation. What is&#xA;  moisture-born generation? There are these beings born in a rotten&#xA;  fish, in a rotten corpse, in rotten dough, in a cesspit, or in a&#xA;  sewer; this is called moisture-born generation. What is spontaneous&#xA;  generation? There are gods and denizens of hell and certain human&#xA;  beings and some beings in the lower worlds; this is called spontaneous&#xA;  generation. These are the four kinds of generation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, a '&lt;em&gt;sattā opapātikā&lt;/em&gt;' is merely a state of attachment or self-view that immediately arises as immediate results of acts of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, as soon as a person performs an ethical action, they spontaneously arise as a 'human'; as soon as a person performs a compassionate action, they spontaneously arise as a 'god'; as soon as a person has strong craving or addiction, they spontaneously arise as a 'hungry ghost'; as soon as a person performs an unethical or unreflective action, they are spontaneously born as a 'animal'; as soon as a person is angry or sufffering, they are spontaneously born as a 'hell being'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'mother &amp;amp; father', this teaching is not about physical birth but about recognising you have &lt;strong&gt;benefactors&lt;/strong&gt;. In other words, the right view of '&lt;em&gt;there is mother &amp;amp; father&lt;/em&gt;' creates gratitude &amp;amp; the right view that reciprocal or obligatory actions (kamma) must be performed in return towards mother &amp;amp; father and towards any other benefactors, such as teacher, student, employer, employee, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T11:13:14.430" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:13:14.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21195" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-25T11:21:08.540" Score="2" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have known about the other translation's versions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, I need to know the possibility of translation project especially from Pa Auk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also want to know, if it is possible to know, the reason that they do not start the pali to english translation project.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T13:30:30.390" Title="Does Pa Auk Has A Plan To Translate Tipitaka Pali To English?" Tags="|pali-canon|meditation|pali-language|translation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21188" CreationDate="2017-06-25T11:28:36.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt; lists examples of unwise attention: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What are the things unfit for attention that he attends to? They are things such that when he attends to them, the unarisen taint of&#xA;  sensual desire arises in him and the arisen taint of sensual desire&#xA;  increases, the unarisen taint of being arises in him and the arisen&#xA;  taint of being increases, the unarisen taint of ignorance arises in&#xA;  him and the arisen taint of ignorance increases. These are the things&#xA;  unfit for attention that he attends to. MN 2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt; provides a clear example about how wise reflection/attention is used to develop the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent and resolute, a thought of sensual desire arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of sensual desire&#xA;  has arisen in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others’&#xA;  affliction and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes&#xA;  difficulties and leads away from Nibbāna.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When I considered: ‘This leads to my own affliction,’ it subsided in me; when I considered: ‘This leads to others’ affliction,’ it subsided&#xA;  in me; when I considered: ‘This leads to the affliction of both,’ it&#xA;  subsided in me; when I considered: ‘This obstructs wisdom, causes&#xA;  difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna,’ it subsided in me.&#xA;  Whenever a thought of sensual desire arose in me, I abandoned it,&#xA;  removed it, did away with it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T11:35:45.747" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T11:35:45.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21195" CreationDate="2017-06-25T12:54:34.143" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if there is any Tipitaka translation project at the Pa Auk monastery when the Ven. Sayadaws book Nibbānagāminipaṭipadā remains still to be translated into English.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T12:54:34.143" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21195" CreationDate="2017-06-25T13:30:30.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is difficult to answer. &#xA;I think your best option is to try and contact &lt;em&gt;Pa Auk Forest Monastery&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/contact.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Their contact information can be found here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T13:30:30.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3130" CreationDate="2017-06-25T14:37:05.573" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;People often report this koan with out explaining the surface meaning. Chinese at the time considered dogs nasty dirty animals, that hold the same position as pigs in the western mind. Pigs or cockroaches or those parasites that burrow into your eyes. So the surface question is can the most contemptible being become enlightened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The surface meaning of the most common answer, Mu is Buddhist jargon, meaning emptiness, sunyata. In the Mahayana system, you are enlightened when you realize the truth of sunyata, i.e. that you have no self (no atman), everything changes over time and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81#Understanding_in_various_Buddhist_traditions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;various other things that I don't have space for here&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, koan practice is a practice. You think about a question and always are told that your answer is wrong. During this process, many people report flashes of insight where they subjectively feel that they have grasped the answer, i.e. satori or sudden enlightenment. Reasoning takes time, so sudden enlightenment can't be done in step by step reasoning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In China, there was a huge multiyear (multi decade?) discussion on if enlightenment was a matter of following steps or if it was something that happened to you in a flash. In China and Japan, the sudden enlightenment proponents won.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some modern critics say that especially in Japan with a new funerary and post mortem outlook, have moved onto a form of Zen where sunyata is a sudden realization that you do have an immortal self, which contradicts early Buddhist thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="289" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T14:37:05.573" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21200" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-25T14:47:42.737" Score="2" ViewCount="53" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have two times experience where first time i am doing my sitting meditation. I was so calm i feel like i was 'trap inside the body(don't know how to explain)' i can feel that i was deep 'inside there'. by that time i cannot feel my breathing or heard any sounds from outside. I can 'feel/see' my body from inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;second experience- when i was walking home from work. i guess i was too concentrating while walking. Again i can feel i was again 'inside'(different from the first experience) and i can see(not using my eye) it clearly that my 'leg' is moving 'by itself'. My eyes was open when i walk but i feel like i am not seeing 'my leg' using my eyes.It's a bit freak me out but i was very calm at that time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone out there please kindly help me what should i do when i face this problem again?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11602" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T15:38:24.770" Title="feel 'me' inside what should i do for the next step" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-effects|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21200" CreationDate="2017-06-25T15:23:36.853" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;As your meditation progresses you will feel sensations both inside and outside, which was covered more in detail in an earlier &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21187/295&quot;&gt;answer&lt;/a&gt;. These sensations depend on Fabrications which manifest itself as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. As you meditate you might get blissful feeling. Do not get attached to them or dwell too much on the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the breath is bodily fabrication. When you meditate you bodily fabrication will calm down. Your breath will become so subtle that you might not feel it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mostly when you see inside your body or this can be just imagination, through if you develop supernormal powers you will be able to do this. In the case you feel inside and outside it is a different case. When this happens you should keep looking until you see arising and passing throughout your body, i.e., you see your whole material body is in a flux of change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally do not dwell too much on meditative experiences because you can get carried away and get attached or perhaps averse to them. You have to keep and unattached and clear mind to see things as they are. I.e., you have to keep your mind equanimity at all times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T15:38:24.770" LastActivityDate="2017-06-25T15:38:24.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21051" CreationDate="2017-06-25T20:07:47.657" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammatthanagahananiddesa&lt;/a&gt;   (chapter 3 of visuddhimagga page 81) and mahakhandhaka in vinaya mahavagga pali, are the best concluded answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't have the best translated link of them in my hand. I'm sorry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T10:17:16.597" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T10:17:16.597" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21203" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-25T21:57:52.380" Score="0" ViewCount="136" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was reading about the noble eightfold path and Right effort, thought and concentration, they seem to be very similar. What are the differences?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-06-25T22:39:47.253" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T04:36:18.450" Title="Right effort and concentration" Tags="|right-effort|eightfold-path|right-intention|right-concentration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21204" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-06-26T02:30:26.343" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, he did. The example, it is one big problem of bhikkhu, who live in forests, so buddha taught to manage ghost in vinaya, many time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the most of western people hate ghost theory, so the tipitaka translators often avoid to translate sutta about ghost into english.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything such as ghost, human, deva, etc., are just causes and effects (paticcasamuppada), so ghost also is causes and effects. Ghost is not a special stuff in theravada buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T02:56:24.170" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T02:56:24.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-06-26T02:37:26.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hungry ghosts are addicts afflicted with craving. The world is full of visible hungry ghosts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T02:37:26.183" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21203" CreationDate="2017-06-26T03:32:33.263" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right Efforts is about removing unwholesome states and cultivating wholesome states. Right Concentration deals with developing the Jhana as a means to displace certain subset of unwholesome states. Jhana is a wholesome state hence arousing Jhana can be viewed as applying efforts to abandon the 5 hindrances. This done through developing the Jhana factors. A mind with the Jhana factors aroused is wholesome. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abandoning hindrances and developing the Jhanas, Right Concentration, is a subset of Right Efforts hence the similarity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Right Effort deals with abandoning all unwholesome states and developing wholesome states, while Right Concentration deals with developing the Jahan, hence the difference&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Right Effort&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) And what, bhikshus, is right effort?&#xA;  Here, bhikshus, a monk&#xA;  brings forth the desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort,&#xA;  rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he brings forth the desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort,&#xA;  rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he brings forth the desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he makes an effort, rouses&#xA;  energy, applies his mind, and strives;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he brings forth the desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their non-decay,&#xA;  increase, growth and fulfillment by cultivation; he makes an effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and&#xA;  strives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This, bhikshus, is called right effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Right Concentration&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is right samadhi [concentration]?&#xA;  Here, bhikshus,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) a monk, detached from sensual pleasures, detached from unwholesome mental states,&#xA;  enters and remains in the first dhyana,&#xA;  accompanied by initial application and sustained application,&#xA;  accompanied by zest and happiness, born of detachment [ie born of samadhi].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) With the stilling of initial application and sustained application,&#xA;  by gaining inner tranquillity and oneness of mind,&#xA;  he enters and remains in the second dhyana,&#xA;  free from initial application and sustained application,&#xA;  accompanied by zest and happiness born of samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) With the fading away of zest, he remains equanimous,&#xA;  mindful and clearly knowing,&#xA;  and experiences happiness with the body,&#xA;  he enters and remains in the third dhyana,&#xA;  of which the noble ones declare,&#xA;  ‘Happily he dwells in equanimity and mindfulness.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) With the abandoning of pleasure and pain—&#xA;  and with the earlier disappearance of joy and grief—&#xA;  he enters and abides in the fourth dhyana, &#xA;  that is neither pleasant nor painful,&#xA;  with a mindfulness fully purified by equanimity.&#xA;  This, bhikshus, is called right samadhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.11-Sacca-Vibhanga-S-m141-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T04:36:18.450" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8522" CreationDate="2017-06-26T07:12:08.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I get this too, don't fight it ! Let your eyes go out of control and relax. My eyes tend to go wild right before the calm. This typically tastes a lot of energy out of me and I sometimes end with a temporary headache. But sometimes if you relax enough and just let your mind take you,  you will discover pretty intense emotional things. Many times I have gotten almost visions or strong connections with something much greater and I cry istantly before I even know what hits me. It's honestly so incredible and beautiful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11612" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T07:12:08.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21126" CreationDate="2017-06-26T08:10:27.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, the blessed one Gautam Buddha talked about &lt;strong&gt;permanent self&lt;/strong&gt; repeatedly as per the story goes like this in the Chapter 3 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Mahayana_Mahaparinirvana_Sutra:_Chapter_3:_On_Grief&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. ( I recommend to read the complete chapter. ). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha said to all the bhiksus: &quot;Do not say this. I now leave all the unsurpassed Dharma in the hands of Mahakasyapa. This Kasyapa will henceforth be the one upon whom you may rely. This is as in the case where the Tathagata becomes the one to whom all beings can turn. The same is the case with Mahakasyapa. He will now become your refuge. This is as in the case of a king who has many territories and who goes on a tour of inspection, leaving all affairs of state in the hands of his minister. The same with the Tathagata. All right teachings are left in the hands of Mahakasyapa. &lt;strong&gt;Know that all that you have learned up to now about the non-eternal and suffering is not true&lt;/strong&gt;. In spring, for example, people go bathing in a big pond. They are enjoying themselves, sailing in a boat, when they drop a gem of beryl into the depths of the water, after which it can no longer be seen. Then they all get into the water and search for this gem. They competitively scoop up all such rubbish as tiles, stones, bits of wood, and gravel, and say that they have the beryl. They are glad and take the things out, and see that what they hold in their hands is not true. The gem is still in the water. By the power of the gem itself, the water becomes clear and transparent. As a result, the people see that the gemis still in the water, as clearly as when they look up and see the form of the moon in the sky. At that time, there is a wise man there who, working out a power, slowly gets into the water and gains the gem. &lt;strong&gt;O you Bhiksus! Do not abide in the thought of the non-Eternal, Suffering, non-Self, and the not-Pure and be in the situation of those people who take stones, bits of wood, and gravel to be the true gem. You must study well the Way, how to act, wherever you go, and “meditate on the Self, the Eternal, Bliss, and thePure”.&lt;/strong&gt; Know that the outer forms of the four items which you have learnt up to now are inversions and that anyone who desires to practise the Way should act like the wise man who deftly gets hold of thegem. This refers to the so-called thought of Self, and that of the Eternal, Bliss, and Pure.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, Gautam Buddha talked about the permanent, blissful self. But with this sayings Bhikkus became astonished as earlier they were taught the doctrine of &lt;strong&gt;non self.&lt;/strong&gt; It goes like this. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then all the bhiksus said to the Buddha: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;O World-Honoured One! You, the Buddha, said before that all things have no Self,&lt;/strong&gt; that we should practise this and that, when practised, the thought of Self goes away, and that once the thought of Self is done away with, one does away with arrogance and that, arrogance once done away with, one gains Nirvana. Thus did you say &quot;How might we understand this?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Gautam Buddha started explaining using an analogy of King, doctor &amp;amp; milk to explain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha said to all the bhiksus: &quot;Well said, well said! You ask this question and intend to dispel your doubt. Imagine: there is a king, who is dull-witted. He has little wisdom. And there is a doctor, who is obstinate. But the King does not know this and pays him a salary. This doctor uses the products of milk to cure all illnesses. Also, he does not know where the illnesses come from. He may be versed in the medicine of milk, but for him there exists no difference between a cold and a fever. He prescribes milk for all illnesses. This King was unaware that this doctor was ignorant of the pleasing and non-pleasing, the good and bad aspects of milk. But there was a Doctor who knew eight different treatments for illnesses and who was able to cure all diseases. This Doctor was versed in prescription and medicines and had come from a far-off place. And the King's doctor did not know how to ask and learn. He was rash and haughty. So the learned Doctor cordially invited the King's doctor and looked up to him [as an expedient] as his master and asked of him the secret of treatment. He said to the King's doctor: &quot;I now invite you and make you my teacher. Please be good enough to teach me.&quot; The King's doctor said: &quot;If you serve me for 48 years, I will teach you the art of medicine. &quot;Then, at these words, the learned Doctor said: &quot;I shall do as you tell me. I shall do my best and run errands.&quot; Then the King's doctor, taking the learned Doctor along with him, went to see the King. At this, the visiting Doctor explained to the King the various ways of treatment and even other things. He said: &quot;Please know, O great King! Know well! This Dharma is like this and you will well cure illnesses.&quot; On hearing this, the King recognised the ignorance and lack of knowledge of his own doctor. He at once drove him out of the country. And he respected the new Doctor all the more. Then the new Doctor said to himself: &quot;It is now time to teach the King.&quot; He said to the King: &quot;O great King! If you truly love me, please make me a promise!&quot; The King replied: &quot;I shall give you, should you desire it, even my right hand or any part of my body.&quot; The new Doctor said: &quot;You may give me all statuses, but I myself do not wish to have much. What I desire you to do for me is to proclaim to the people of every corner of your land that henceforth they are not to use the milk medicine, which the former doctor told them to use. Why not? Because much harm and poisonous results arise [from it]. Any person who still takes this medicine should be beheaded. If the milk medicine is not used, there will be no untimely deaths; all will go in peace. That is why I ask this of you.&quot; Then the King said: &quot;What you ask me to do is a trifle. I shall at once issue an order and see to it that anyone who is ill does no take milk as a medicine. Any person who does will be beheaded.&quot; At this, the learned Doctor made several kinds of medicine, which tasted pungent, butter, salty, sweet, and sour. With these, treatment was given, and there was no case in which illness could not be cured. &lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;&#xA;  &quot;After some time, the King himself became ill, and the Doctor was called in. The King said: &quot;I am now ill. How am I to be cured?&quot; The Doctor thought about the illness of the King and saw that the milk medicine was good [here]. So he said to the King: &quot;What you are now suffering from can very well be cured by milk. What I said before about the milk medicine was not true. If you take it now, you will be cured. You are now suffering from a fever. It is right that you should take milk.&quot; Then the King said to the Doctor: &quot;Are you mad? Is it a fever? And you say that if I take milk, it will cure me? Before, you said it was poison. Now you tell me to take it. How is this? Do you mean to cheat me? What the former doctor said was good, [yet] you despised it and said that it was poison, and you made me drive him away. Now you say that it well cures illness. From you you say, the former doctor ought to excel you.&quot; &lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;&#xA;  &quot;Then the learned Doctor said to the King: &quot;O King! Do not say this, please. A worm eats on [a piece of] wood and [the shape of] a letter comes out. This worm does not know anything of letters. A wise person sees this. But he does not say that this worm understands letters. And he is not overcome by surprise. O great King! Please know: so was it also with the former doctor. To all illnesses he gave medicine made from milk. This is as in the case of the worm that eats on wood, as a result of which a form like a letter emerges. The former doctor did not know how to distinguish between the pleasing and non-pleasing aspects, the good and the bad.&quot; Then the King wanted to know: &quot;What do you mean he did not know?&quot; The guest Doctor answered the King: &quot;This milk medicine is harmful, but it is also a manna.&quot; &quot;How can you say that this milk is manna?&quot; &quot;If you milking cow has not taken the lees, the slippery grass and the wheat refuse, and if the calf fares well, and if the cow was not grazed too high up on the land or in a low and wet place, if the cow is given pure water and not made to run or made to live among the bulls, and if feeding is done regularly, and if the place it lives in is fit, the milk gained from such a cow well does away with all illnesses. This can well be called the manna of medicine. Any other milk is poison.&quot; &lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;&#xA;  &quot;On hearing this, the King praised the great Doctor: &quot;Well said, well said, O great Doctor! Today, for the first time in my life, I know of the pleasing and non-pleasing, that which is good and not good in the milk medicine. Taking this, I am now well. I shall at once proclaim to the people that they may well take the milk medicine.&quot; On hearing this, the people of the country, angry and resentful, said: &quot;The great King is now caught by a devil. Is he mad? He cheats us and makes us take milk.&quot; All the people, angry and resentful, came to the King. The King said to them: &quot;Be not angry, and have no resentment. To take milk or not to take it all comes from the science of medicine. I am not to blame.&quot; At this, the great King and the people all jumped for joy. They all the more respected and honoured the Doctor, and made offerings to him. That is how all the people took the milk medicine and regained their health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Gautam Buddha concludes finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Know, O you Bhiksus! The same is the case with the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened-One, the Unsurpassed Best Trainer, the Teacher-of-Heaven-and-Earth, the Buddha-World-Honoured One. He comes as a great Doctor and subdues all tirthikas and bad doctors. In the presence of kings and all people, he says: &quot;I shall become the King of doctors and subdue tirthikas.&quot; Thus we say: &quot;There is no self, no man, no being, no life, no nurturing, no knowing, none that does, and none that receives.&quot; &lt;strong&gt;O Bhiksus! Know that what the tirthikas say is like the case of a worm that eats upon [a piece of] wood, from which, by chance, there appears what looks like a letter. Because of this, the Tathagata teaches and says no-self.&lt;/strong&gt; This is to adjust beings and because he is aware of the occasion. Such non-self is, as occasion arises, spoken of, and it is [also] said that there is the Self. This is as in the case of the learned Doctor, who knows well the medicinal and non-medicinal qualities of milk. &lt;strong&gt;It is not as with common mortals, who might measure the size of their own self. Common mortals and the ignorant may measure the size of their ownself and say, 'It is like the size of a thumb, like a mustard seed, or like the size of a mote.' When the Tathagata speaks of Self, in no case are things thus. That is why he says: 'All things have no Self.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly, at last he explains what is Self. -&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Even though he has said that all phenomena (dharmas) are devoid of the Self, it is not that they are completely/ truly devoid of the Self.&lt;/strong&gt; What is this Self? &lt;strong&gt;Any phenomenon (dharma) that is true (satya), real (tattva), eternal (nitya), sovereign/ autonomous/ self-governing [aisvarya], and whose ground/ foundation is unchanging [asraya-aviparinama], is termed 'the Self' (atman)&lt;/strong&gt;. This is as in the case of the great Doctor who well understands the milkmedicine. The same is the case with the Tathagata. For the sake of beings, he says &quot;there is the Self in all things&quot; O you the four classes! Learn Dharma thus!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Gautam Buddha criticised who believed in invidual Ātma (thumb like etc) like explained by Dualists. But he talked about self as common substrata, permanent etc as what Non Dualists say. - at least what we get from this narration. &#xA;&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Translator information: Translated into English by Kosho Yamamoto, 1973 from Dharmakshema's Chinese version. (Taisho Tripitaka Vol. 12, No. 374)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorDisplayName="user10804" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T04:39:41.470" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T04:39:41.470" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-26T08:34:35.013" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The 'insight' you seem to be searching for doesn't exist. Reality is just what you see in front of you. Accepting it is difficult, so it's easier for many people to cling to dreams - for some worldly dreams, for others spiritual dreams of special states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T08:34:35.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21211" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-26T11:38:15.223" Score="1" ViewCount="313" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are certain people on this website and one in particular who claim to know the only &quot;true&quot; teachings of Buddha and they are saying that following Mahasi Sayadaws and other masters teachings where you focus on the movement of the breath at the abdomen is not what Buddha taught so therefore it's incorrect practice and &quot;counterfeit dhamma&quot; and will therefore not lead to enlightenment. I absolutely do not agree with this. It reminds me of fundamentalist/evangelist Christians who take the bible literally and follow the Old Testament etc and tell everyone they are going to hell for not conforming. It's actually disappointing to see people behaving like this around Buddhism but I suppose at the end of the day it is just another religion so it's to be expected that dogma and zealotry will be part of it.    What do others think?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T21:31:11.663" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T21:31:11.663" Title="Is Mahasi Sayadaw's &quot;counterfeit dhamma&quot;?" Tags="|dhammas|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="5" ClosedDate="2017-06-27T01:14:56.600" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21211" CreationDate="2017-06-26T12:06:48.827" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The true teaching attributed to the Buddha is found in the Tripitaka. So it is best to sticking with this orthodoxy than innovate with other practices. This way your practice is closest that the Buddha taught. The Buddha being more accomplished than anybody else and also having the quality &quot;Leader of persons to be tamed&quot; would have preached the best mode of practice to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is always good to be orthodox as dhamma disappears when counterfeit Dhamma emerges:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Kassapa, the true Dhamma does not disappear so long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world. But when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears. - &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn16.13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sn16.13&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also discussed in more detail in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21118/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like there are Christian, Muslim and Hindu are Buddhist countries. There are Buddhist countries also how has a history, culture and tradition of trying to preserve the Dhamma. This will make people of a Buddhist cultural upbringing be protective of the doctrine (pariyatti), practice (patipatti) and the fruit (pativedha) for future generation. Culturally some may feel this as a duty when brought up in a Buddhist environment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, regardless of the label you add as X tradition or Y tradition or A religion or B religion the Dhamma is universal and works the same way as long as you practice the right way. There is only one right way (ekayana magga) which is what is given in the Maha Satipatthana / Satipatthana Suttas. The Buddha gives a guarantee that you will get results of the practice this the right way. The key here is you should practice it in the way prescribed in the Sutta to get the results. To get the result you have to reconcile you practice with the Sutta and do accordingly. Applying a label as this is the technique of X tradition or Y tradition or this teacher or that teacher does not decide the results. It is the correct practice which gives result. If you are not getting results you should recheck what you are doing to see if it confirms to the steps given in the prescribed method to which the guarantee by the Buddha is attached to. This is more analogous to going through the instruction manual properly before assembling something. If you do not follow the instruction what you assemble will not work. If you follow it then it will work. Also if you do not follow the instruction manual properly the warranty also maybe void. Having said this one is one's own master, hence anybody is free to follow what they wish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The question had the following also which since seems to be edited away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why are Mahasi Sayadaw's teachings controversial? Can you outline the arguments which people present, in favour of &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; against these teachings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For this please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/19051/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and linked content. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T13:14:17.660" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T13:14:17.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21214" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21211" CreationDate="2017-06-26T12:44:01.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Or he might say: 'Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living&#xA;  on the food offered by the faithful, engage in wrangling&#xA;  argumentation, (saying to one another): &quot;You don't understand this&#xA;  doctrine and discipline. I am the one who understands this doctrine&#xA;  and discipline.&quot; — &quot;How can you understand this doctrine and&#xA;  discipline?&quot; — &quot;You're practising the wrong way. I'm practising the&#xA;  right way.&quot; — &quot;I'm being consistent. You're inconsistent.&quot; — &quot;What&#xA;  should have been said first you said last, what should have been said&#xA;  last you said first.&quot; — &quot;What you took so long to think out has been&#xA;  confuted.&quot; — &quot;Your doctrine has been refuted. You're defeated. Go, try&#xA;  to save your doctrine, or disentangle yourself now if you can&quot; — the&#xA;  recluse Gotama abstains from such wrangling argumentation.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmajala Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is generally my fallback option for argumentative encounters within Buddhism.. There was a sutta in the MN where the Buddha asked a few of his top disciples about how they perceive the Dhamma, and they all gave somewhat different answers, but the Buddha was happy with all of them (if anyone knows the one, thanks in advance!). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess in the end this is to do with where one draws the line between concepts and practices deemed to be of absolute necessity for progress within the path, and concepts and practices that are deemed useful, but may be adjusted based on personal experience. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-kd5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khandhaka 5&lt;/a&gt; for the Buddha allowing monks variance with regards to rules and practice in Avanti, a place closer to modern day Mumbai than Nepal)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Concentrating on the diaphragm rather than the nostrils is detail and arguably not worth discord.. Buddhism, more than any other practical philosophy, is an individual path and people come to it from different angles. It is well defined overall, but concentrating on the differences between one's own practice and another's is avoiding the fact that to progress one needs to concentrate on one's own practice. There is room for analysis and advice, and any point should be analysed according to merit (beginning of DN1 again). I would however say that if a statement doesn't sit within right speech, it becomes harder to take it as coming from an authority within the Buddhist sphere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T12:44:01.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21215" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21218" CreationDate="2017-06-26T14:44:16.637" Score="16" ViewCount="4028" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've been studying Buddhism for the past few months and part of it entails reading about Siddartha's life story, including his path to enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's been confusing to me is whether or not one is to believe all of the &quot;magic&quot; that is described in his past - things like his birth and walking, leaving behind him roses in his path (a newborn baby walking?); or later when he doesn't eat for incredibly long periods; when he creates a golden bridge in the sky and walks it to prove his enlightenment (week 3 after enlightenment);when a king cobra wraps itself around him to keep him warm (6th week after enlightenment)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All of these things seem very unrealistic, akin to stories about Jesus in the christian bible. My struggle is that, as far as I'm understanding and what has truly drawn to Buddhism, this religion is supposed to be based on logic.... these events do not strike me as &quot;logical&quot;, i.e., they defy our understanding of science and the material world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these stories, therefore, meant to be understood as metaphors, or are they believed as fact?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for any thoughts on this!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kevin &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11615" LastActivityDate="2017-10-14T02:00:59.230" Title="Life of Buddha, to be taken seriously?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T15:00:36.947" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;the Buddha taught that there is unsatisfactoriness in this world and the way out of it which is more systemised as the 4 Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If these stories help you understand unsatisfactoriness and help you come out of it or inspire you in any way to practice and strengthen your faith, by all means use them. If not leave them aside without outright rejection and concentrate on what appeals to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is most important is you follow the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; divided into the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt; which results in understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T15:10:22.600" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T15:10:22.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T15:18:28.800" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Three months after Shakyamuni's death the first Buddhist Council was convened. There was no written method to record his teaching so a group of monks, many with eidetic memories, were chosen to commit the Buddha's lessons to memory. This was the system used to pass down his teachings for hundreds of years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, that said. it remains rather unsurprising that certain liberties were taken with the &quot;facts&quot; in order to facilitate a good story. The type of story that would survive hundreds of years of interpretations. When I see what appear to be outlandish statements I try to focus instead on the idea or feeling they are trying to emphasize with the casual approach to reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially in various koans this approach becomes very useful. I see the exercise as a further lesson taught to us by the dharma. Not as some attempt to mislead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope this helps you. I encountered the same concerns years ago as I sought refuge in the dharma. In fact, to me this is part of seeking refuge ... how willing and successful are you at parsing the kernel of knowledge gleaned amidst the so-called chaff? Namaste my friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T15:18:28.800" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21218" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T18:57:10.550" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;All of these things seem very unrealistic [...]&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notice that a doctrine is not the same as a biography.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The buddhist literature is vast and the biographical accounts are small in comparison and really not the main point. So, for a practitioner, the Buddha's biography (though profoundly inspiring and worth of learning) is not the place to focus the most on and it's not the best place to find the &quot;logic&quot; that seduced you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To better illustrate this point, if we consider only the four main collections of the Pāli canon, the biographical accounts of the Buddha not only are rare but are pretty down to earth -- I recall only one or two suttas mentioning the Buddha as a baby talking and walking and so forth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider now that there are over twelve thousand discourses in these collections alone. So if these extraordinary events are hard to conciliate, it's easy to dismiss one or two passage and focus on the actual bulk of the teachings. Furthermore, one will eventually notice that these teachings are, in a sense, telling one to not waste energy dwelling with these conflicts anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there are more texts describing &quot;supernatural&quot; powers, and a few more with spiritual beings participating. These increase in size if we also consider the Mahayana texts. So, these elements are really intrinsic to Buddhism, though there are buddhists who prefer to dismiss them, like secular buddhists. In some way, this is also a testament to the strength of the nucleus of the doctrine which, even when these elements are removed, remain valuable to people who dislike them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Are these stories, therefore, meant to be understood as metaphors, or are they believed as fact?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing here is how buddhist should perceive this stories. Whereas commonly we understand religions in the west as &quot;believing is seen&quot;, perhaps Buddhism is more aligned with &quot;seen is believing&quot;. In the orthodoxy, I know of no part of Buddhism that states something like &quot;you have to believe this, or else go away&quot;. Other sects, however, may put some extra value on faith about something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, some buddhists believe the stories, some believe them partially, and others don't. But, as per the Buddha's discourses, these stories are meant to inspire disciples to practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the factuality of these stories, however, there's really not much evidence available to judge their veracity. Plus, there are different biographical stories -- so you better check your sources. Also, apart from his tours across the country, some events of his life have been argued more substantially that they are likely to have happened, like the period where the Buddha studied under the other two ascetic teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But other biographies show some signs of creativity. For example, a popular story (I'm not entirely sure from which texts it's from) says that the Buddha-to-be saw a sick, an old, and a dead after leaving his palace for the first time and that these marked him deeply. However, it's known from an unrelated discourse of the Buddha that he referred to these three things as metaphors or signs that &quot;wakes&quot; a person to the tragedy of existence and inspires them to look for an escape from suffering. So it's not far fetched to imagine that the author of this particular biography decided to put these signs quite explicitly in the Buddha's own story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T18:57:10.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T18:58:28.680" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali canon was put down in writing hundreds of years after the parinibbana of the Buddha, having been transmitted orally for that time. If not the message, then at least the presentation of the message was altered to suit rote memorization (one reason why some perceive the canon to be a 'dry' read). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is good to be aware of the fact that the Digha Nikaya was likely an introduction to Buddhism for the wider brahminical/Hindu society of the time, hence the mix of very 'clean' suttas with ones that discuss gods etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, though a later creation (likely 100BC), the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Milinda Panha&lt;/a&gt; offers an explanation that all these jumps that the Buddha and his disciples make to Sakka's realm etc are only mental episodes -  a reasonable explanation imo, given the prevalence of that imagery at that time, as well as the power of the mind to see that which it has been concentrating on for long periods of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even in the canon, there are suttas where the Buddha addresses monks who have come from different schools, wherein he discourages them from staying engaged with beliefs they had from their times before joining the Sangha (with Samkhya philosophy in MN1 for example), so it would be no surprise if later, after his parinibbana, new devotees brought a level of their own baggage to the texts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Personally, I don't mind that a 2500 year old expounding of a world view has a little embellishment and degradation in it - expecting otherwise would be misunderstanding how humans tend to act, and a disservice to the understanding of anicca! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma the Buddha declared was stated as verifiable in the here and now, and for the most part the canon is very repetitive and consistent for the main message. If you come across ideas that cannot be verified, or seem to be one off entries in the canon, it is fair to question them, especially if they break with our now basic knowledge of science (newborns walking etc). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a part of a text does not directly discuss the Dhamma, see if it points to aspects of the message indirectly. If you can't see anything, enjoy the story!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(though I wouldn't be too critical of the austerities part, the Samana movement seems to have had some pretty determined people in it at the time, and in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt; (the first sermon), the discourse is specifically about staying away from the extremes of sensory indulgence and self mortification, meaning austerities likely played a big part in the Buddha's path to enlightenment)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T18:58:28.680" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T19:36:40.767" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the story of the new-born baby walking and talking might possibly come from (or is most commonly found in) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits004.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Jataka tales&lt;/a&gt; (and/or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavamsa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavamsa&lt;/a&gt;), and not the suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely I think the &lt;em&gt;suttas&lt;/em&gt; tend to be more &quot;realistic&quot;, as you put it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's only one sutta that I know (but there may be others) that mentions a supernatural birth, which is MN 123 ... but, and I don't know why, MN 123 isn't translated on Access to Insight, nor on Dharmafarer. Perhaps neither translator found that sutta among the most important to translate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway you might prefer to read, might find more benefit in reading, the suttas than the Jataka tales.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the anthologies of suttas, which people on this site recommended, is &lt;em&gt;In the Buddha's Words&lt;/em&gt;  (&quot;An Anthology of Discourses&#xA;from the Pali Canon,&#xA;Edited and introduced by&#xA;Bhikkhu Bodhi&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are these stories, therefore, meant to be understood as metaphors, or are they believed as fact?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; talking about Jataka tales, then see for example the answers to the topic, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2664/254&quot;&gt;Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some popular anthologies/stories of the Buddha's life start with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sights&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Four Sights&lt;/a&gt; and the Prince's decision to leave home, rather than at birth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T19:36:40.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21222" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T21:22:00.030" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/123-acchariyabbhutta-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 123&lt;/a&gt; describes the Buddha's physical birth; standing, walking &amp;amp; prophesying about himself. This contradicts &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 64&lt;/a&gt;, which states a new born child has no mental conceptions of self or identity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since there is a contradiction here &amp;amp; since we know from reality that new born children cannot mentally construct words about themselves, we can be confident the birth story of the Buddha is false &amp;amp; a form of religious mythology. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/123-acchariyabbhutta-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 123&lt;/a&gt; is of a tiny genre/style of suttas similar to the later-day Jataka, Apadana &amp;amp; Buddhavamsa stories. Therefore, it is highly probable the Buddha did not speak &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/123-acchariyabbhutta-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 123&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; that &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/123-acchariyabbhutta-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 123&lt;/a&gt; was a later-day composition. These Hinduistic ideas eventually contributed to the extinction of Buddhism in India because they reinforced/supported Hinduism &amp;amp; diminished the uniqueness of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other stories, such as seeing the four signs of an old, sick &amp;amp; dead man and seeing a monk and then sneaking out of the palace, also appear to contradict what is written in the suttas, which report Gotama was well aware of aging, sickness &amp;amp; death in the palace and that he left the palace with full knowledge of his parents, who had tears streaming down their faces. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-26T21:32:38.550" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T21:32:38.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21223" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21215" CreationDate="2017-06-26T22:57:59.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's like the bible. Some more moderate believers see it as metaphorical whereas the more hard core believers take the whole thing literally. Personally I think the whole thing needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Nobody can prove any of it is real just like they cannot prove the bible. The dangers of taking such writings literally leads to fanaticism and violence which can be seen all throughout history.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-06-26T22:57:59.843" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21224" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3130" CreationDate="2017-06-27T00:56:47.083" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have always found koans to be useful tools for thought. Through study of the dharma, interaction with the sangha and a variety of other means we reach new insights that are much like dull tools. Through their use applied against the situations in various koan we find their true worth. There is no right answer to a grinding wheel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T00:56:47.083" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21226" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-27T05:13:27.947" Score="3" ViewCount="313" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;My conclusion from tipitaka and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0101a.att0.xml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;commentaries&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most of Tipitaka canons and commentaries, except Kathāvatthu the forth of abhidhamma, began before 1st saṅgāyanā, but catagorize at 1st saṅgāyanā (see: DN.Commentary.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But some tipitaka canons had done at 1st saṅgāyanā, some at 2nd, some at 3rd, and just vinaya-history in parivāra had done after 3rd saṅgāyanā (because vinaya have serious rule about the qualification of vinaya-successor, so list of vinaya-memorized successor's names were required, in parivāra, that began in upāli-thera school).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What canons were done at 1st?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because of unanimous decision of 500 saṅgha at 1st saṇgayanā, that saṅgha must not add/cut/change any buddha's words off teaching. So this canons must done in 1st saṇgayanā:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha's literal canons, that was learn &amp;amp; memorized by ānanda, upāli:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;7 vinaya-pitaka (except sattasatikakhandhaka in cullavagga), parivāra-content (except vinaya-history), 4 nikāya, buddha's literal canons in kuddaka-nikaya.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta's literal canons, that was learn &amp;amp; author by sāriputta-mahāsāvaka and memorized by his students, who were in 1st saṇgayanā instead of sāriputta, who died before 1st saṇgāyanā. Buddha chose to support sāriputta as the best teacher (etadagga) like himself. So no one can change his speech, too. So his canons should had done in 1st saṇgayanā, too:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāriputta's literal sutta in 4 nikāya, sutanipāta, sāriputta-theragāthā, niddesa, paṭisambhidāmagga, sāriputta-apadāna, cariyāpitaka, 6 abhidhamma-pitaka, Mahāaṭṭhakathā (The great commentary).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In my opinion I think buddha-apadāna and many jātaka are memorized by sāriputta, too. Because of buddhavaṃsa's and cariyāpitaka's characters. And in nidāna of DN.Commentary. also have an conversation between ānanda (dīghabhāṇaka) and sāriputta's students (macchimabhāṇaka) at first saṇgāyana about the categorization of KN. &amp;amp; buddhavaṃsa &amp;amp; cariyapitaka that should include in suttanta or in abhidhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The other sāvaka's &amp;amp; sāvikā's speech, that were memorized by some saṇgha in 1st saṇgāyanā:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāvaka's &amp;amp; sāvikā's speech that were memorized by ānanda: Itivuttaka, The remaining speech in 4 nikāya.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāvaka's &amp;amp; sāvikā's speech that were told by the owners: Some thera/therīgatha, Some thera/theri-apadāna.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sāvaka's &amp;amp; sāvikā's speech that were told by their students: Sāriputta-theragātha/therāpadāna, Moggallāna-theragātha/therāpadāna, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What canons were done at 2nd?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some thera/therīgatha, Some thera/theri-apadāna (some thera died after 1st saṇgāyanā such as ānanda, kassapa, anuruddha, upāli, etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sattasatikakhandhaka in cullavagga and just sattasatikakhandhaka's commentary. (In my opinion arahanta, in 3rd saṇgāyanā, did not author 3rd saṇgayana history anymore because they realized that it will be over responsibility of future-generations-vinaya-memorizers).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What canons were done at 3rd?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kathāvatthu and just kathāvatthu's commentary.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Commentary about 3rd saṇgāyanā history.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What canons were done after 3rd?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vinaya-history in parivāra.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;None-Pali commentaries' translation and extension (andhaka-aṭṭhakathā, kauanadī-aṭṭhakathā, pañcarī-aṭṭhakathā).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visuddhimagga and Abhinava-aṭṭhakathā (the combination of commentaries. It is just old commentaries in new package. Buddhaghosa wrote that he never add/edit anything. He just remix fussy/duplicate texts and translate siṇhala commentaries to pali language).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Abhidhammatthasaṇgaha, abhidhammāvatara, and many conclusion-commentaries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Related Answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beginner's Buddhist Course Syllabus By Ancient Pali Canon (Ganthadhura And Vipassanādhura)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Layers of pali literality already being in buddha-living-period.&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21166/10100&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21166/10100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2019-02-21T16:49:05.293" LastActivityDate="2019-02-25T09:34:16.383" Title="What are timeframe were pali canons, included commentaries, done, especially Mahavihara-Theravada?" Tags="|pali-canon|history|tipitaka|commentary|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21228" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21230" CreationDate="2017-06-27T06:11:41.340" Score="0" ViewCount="655" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the proper Pali word for Buddha's power of seeing other beings mind? I think it starts with &lt;strong&gt;Paricitta&lt;/strong&gt; or something. I want the proper Pali term. Also, can I have any sutta references to it as well?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T10:04:57.690" Title="Buddha's Power of Seeing Other Beings Mind" Tags="|pali-canon|terminology|buddha|psychic-powers|pali|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21229" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21232" CreationDate="2017-06-27T06:31:37.830" Score="0" ViewCount="73" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was listening and watching the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1MZwriqVvw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audiobook)&lt;/a&gt; and i got one question in my mind. When soul/conciousness leaves physical body how can it see all the physical things without a physical eyes? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T07:32:08.713" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T10:32:58.443" Title="how can spirts/sould see physical things without eyes" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21230" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21228" CreationDate="2017-06-27T07:27:06.167" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Katamañca, kevaṭṭa, &lt;strong&gt;ādesa­nā&lt;/strong&gt;­pā­ṭihā­ri­yaṃ? Idha, kevaṭṭa, bhikkhu parasattānaṃ parapuggalānaṃ cittampi ādisati, cetasikampi ādisati,&#xA;vitakkitampi ādisati, vicāritampi ādisati: ‘evampi te mano, itthampi&#xA;te mano, itipi te cittan’ti.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the miracle of &lt;strong&gt;telepathy&lt;/strong&gt;? There is the case where a monk reads the minds, the mental events, the thoughts, the ponderings of&#xA;other beings, other individuals, [saying,] 'Such is your thinking,&#xA;here is where your thinking is, thus is your mind.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ādesanā = pointing out, guessing, prophesy; only in phrase -pāṭihāriya trick or marvellous ability of mind-reading or guessing other peoples character&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Parasattānaṃ parapuggalānaṃ cetasā ceto &lt;strong&gt;paricca&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;pajānāti&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He &lt;strong&gt;knows&lt;/strong&gt; the mind of other beings, other individuals, having &lt;strong&gt;encompassed&lt;/strong&gt; it with his own mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kayagata-Sati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;paricca = distinguished or understood&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;pajānāti = knows clearly&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;para = other&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sattānaṃ = beings&lt;/em&gt;'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;puggalānaṃ = persons&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;cetasā = minds&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ceto = mind&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hinduism&lt;/a&gt;: para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T10:04:57.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21231" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21228" CreationDate="2017-06-27T07:42:53.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word you are looking for is &lt;code&gt;para citta vijana nana&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/para&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Para&lt;/a&gt; - another&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/citta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Citta&lt;/a&gt; - mind&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/vij%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vijana&lt;/a&gt; - understand&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nana&lt;/a&gt; - knowledge&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e., knowledge of another's mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/cetopariya%C3%B1%C4%81%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ceto pariya ñāṇa&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T09:13:42.203" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T09:13:42.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21232" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21229" CreationDate="2017-06-27T07:46:01.023" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You need the eye faculty to see. In Humans and animals you have a physical eye made of gross material. In finer material spheres you will have eyes with finer material. Only in immaterial realms you will be without sense faculties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In finer material realm your sense faculties are finer / shapere than being gross faculties. This is why in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;super normal powers&lt;/a&gt; this one of the power is know are &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/dibba&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;divine [godly/heavenly]&lt;/a&gt; eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In all realms you have the 6 faculties in some for or the other except in the immaterial realms where you do not have the physical faculties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being in some finer material realm (heavens and hells) can see people in our realm and perhaps other realms also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps in other realms also there might be being without an eye faculty like the blind in our realm. I don't this there being would be able to see.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T10:32:58.443" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T10:32:58.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21233" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18894" CreationDate="2017-06-27T07:54:09.463" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Sujato &amp;amp; Bhikkhu Brahmali are of the following opinion (in &lt;a href=&quot;http://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Early Buddhist Texts [EBTs]&lt;/strong&gt;: Texts spoken by the historical Buddha and his contemporary disciples. These are the bulk of the Suttas in the main four Pali Nikāyas and parallel Āgama literature in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit, and other Indian dialects; the pātimokkhas and some Vinaya material from the khandhakas; a small portion of the Khuddaka Nikāya, consisting of significant parts of the Sutta Nipāta, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Dhammapada, and Thera- and Therī Gāthā. The “Suttas” in a narrow sense are those passages that are directly attributed to the Buddha himself (and to a lesser extent his direct disciples).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-EBTs&lt;/strong&gt;: Abhidhamma, Mahāyāna Sūtras, Buddha biographies, historical chronicles, as well as the majority of the Khuddaka Nikāya and&#xA;  the Vinaya Piṭaka. The Jātakas are non-EBT, but derive from stories that in some cases may even be earlier than the Buddha. Commentaries and other late texts may contain some genuine historical information alongside much later invention.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I recall correctly, Bhikkhu Analayo has a similar view as well, though he considers only the verses of the suttas in the Khuddaka EBT set to be EBT, and not the contextual text that precede them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Back to Sujato &amp;amp; Brahmali, they also write (references elided):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even in the stylistically oldest part of the Khuddaka Nikāya, such&#xA;  as the Sutta Nipāta, the Udāna, and the Dhammapada, there is substantial divergence between the schools. This is despite the fact that these texts do have a common core, which is found across the different traditions. With texts such as the Abhidhamma, despite a small common core, the divergence is even greater. But the vast majority of Buddhist texts are exclusive to the individual schools and do not have any parallels at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Finally, it has also been proposed that the first three of the 9 aṅgas&#xA;  [of the Saṁyutta nikaya] should be identified with the proto-Saṁyutta, based on a statement by Asanga and on the pattern of distribution of texts within these collections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;should I infer that the current state-of-the-art is that some scholars try to decide what's early and late by comparing different versions&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The comparative studies are also used to shed light on the age of discourses. But the texts themselves may give some clues as to their age by analysis of style, metre of verses or vocabulary. For example, a text may use terms that are reminiscent of a certain period, or use terms that are not found in a larger body of text that is presumed to be old. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I think quotes found in commentaries are too used to estimate how old is a passage. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;errors, which are usually copied along the chain might be used to place a text in a timeframe.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;geopolitical descriptions contained in the text may be used, together with archeology, to position it in time, as well as inscriptions found in ancient artifacts.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, this book is probably the best starting point to explore these questions. It's full of references, and also presents the view of researchers who disagree with the authors (thus, the reader gets to know the &quot;who is who&quot; list in the [western?] scholastic community).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;How does this (notion of some progressive history of earlier and of later suttas) fit with the Buddhist councils? Were different suttas adopted at different councils?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, the traditional position is that the nikayas were fixed at the 1st council. Scholars, however, often talk about a later moment where a canon is &quot;closed to addition&quot;. Certainly the existing parallel nikayas do not agree verbatim, so the historical question of the original nikayas spoken at the 1st council remains.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;&lt;em&gt;Do differences arise from when the suttas were transcribed as translated rather than from when they were accepted into the remembered/oral canon?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think there are differences of script in manuscripts, but I don't know much more than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the presentation &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxxEdlQc5VM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The ur-text of the Pali Tipiṭaka&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Alex Wynne, might be of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T07:54:09.463" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21234" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1766" CreationDate="2017-06-27T11:20:00.517" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the purpose of touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth when meditating&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, hold back,&#xA;  and crush the mind with mind.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, held back,&#xA;  crushed the mind with mind. While I did so, sweat ran from my armpits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was just as if a strong man, holding a weaker man by the head or shoulders, were to restrain,&#xA;  subdue, and attack him;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;even so, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, held&#xA;  back, and crushed the mind with mind, and sweat ran down my armpits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But although I exerted tireless energy, and unremitting mindfulness was established in me, my&#xA;  body was overstrained and lacking calm, because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But, Aggivessana, such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.4-Maha-Saccaka-S-m36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If, bhikshus, while the monk is attending to the stilling of the thought-formation, there still arises&#xA;  in him bad unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, or with delusion,&#xA;  then with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he should subdue, restrain, attack&#xA;  the (bad) mind with the (good) mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate, those bad unwholesome thoughts are eliminated&#xA;  and disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By their elimination, the mind thus stands firm internally, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against the&#xA;palate used to gain unremitting mindfulness in the 1st case during the Bodhisattva's self mortification.  He finds himself only being exhausted by this, but in the latter case it is recommended as the last resort action drive out unwholesome thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T11:20:00.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21235" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10712" CreationDate="2017-06-27T11:44:18.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Suppose, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, hold back,&#xA;  and crush the mind with mind.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, held back,&#xA;  crushed the mind with mind. While I did so, sweat ran from my armpits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It was just as if a strong man, holding a weaker man by the head or shoulders, were to restrain,&#xA;  subdue, and attack him;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;even so, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down, held&#xA;  back, and crushed the mind with mind, and sweat ran down my armpits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But although I exerted tireless energy, and unremitting mindfulness was established in me, my&#xA;  body was overstrained and lacking calm, because I was exhausted by the painful striving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But, Aggivessana, such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.4-Maha-Saccaka-S-m36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above description mentions this as practice to gain unremitting mindfulness but did not achieve its goral. Also this is associated the period of self mortification of the Bodhisattva. When it is generally mentioned in the context of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; it is recommended as a last resort where all else fail and with a word of caution citing that it was what was used during the harsh ascetic practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to answer you questions. Yes. It is recommended with a strong word of caution. It is not recommended for prolonged practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It speculated that since in Anapanasati meditation around the mouth is used and in this case upper pallet is used since there is some significance in this region perhaps due to nerve centers or other reasons. But the Suttas are silent on the exact reason.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T12:57:53.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21236" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1766" CreationDate="2017-06-27T12:18:11.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The technique is not peculiar to Tibetian Buddhism, it's also used in Zen practice -- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zen-buddhism.net/practice/zen-meditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How To Practice Zen Meditation?&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Head And Neck&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Whatever the position you choose to adopt, make sure that your back and neck stay as straight as possible. Pull your chin in a little to erect the neck and try to “push the sky” with the top of your head. Do not be too tensed or too relaxed while you do this; try to find balance in your posture. Keep your mouth closed during zazen; your teeth should be together, and your tongue should be against the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The above is just an extract, see the link for other detail).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T12:25:38.973" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T12:25:38.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21237" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21126" CreationDate="2017-06-27T13:17:00.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Very superficially (from a high level, non-detailed, view) you may be asking whether a Buddhist negative (e.g. &lt;em&gt;anatman&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;sunyata&lt;/em&gt;), or dichotomy, is related to an Advaita Vedanta negative (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neti_neti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;neti neti&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose that even if the practice were similar, according to Wikipedia it's also similar to the Western &quot;via negativa&quot;, or to the everyday practice of removing whatever is superfluous to expose what may be essential -- maybe the similarity is superficial, who knows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you intended this as a &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/comparative-religion&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;comparative-religion&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;comparative-religion&lt;/a&gt; question, perhaps you won't find people on this site who can give an objective description of the differences between the two.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that comparative religion questions are often confusing or a symptom of one's own confusion: that it's better to understand a statement in its own context/framework/history (as Bhumishu's answer seems to me to have attempted), instead of or without trying to compare it with other beliefs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry if this &quot;answer&quot; seems like a criticism: it's too long for a comment ... it's difficult to ask good questions and I wanted to say that &quot;comparative religion&quot; questions are more-or-less permitted but I think our experience on this site is that you should maybe try to avoid them because they don't get the best answers ... you're unlikely to find people (on this site) who are expert in both topics and able to answer well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-27T13:23:49.793" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T13:23:49.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21238" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21304" CreationDate="2017-06-27T13:47:30.407" Score="1" ViewCount="1384" Body="&lt;p&gt;I posted yesterday here for my first time and received many very helpful answers. I'm so grateful for having found this site because I always have questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In continuing with yesterday's question regarding the Buddha's path to enlightenment, during his 6 years of searching he practiced extreme fasting, which I've heard of. But there's one mention that I've come across that states the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Another way of torturing his body was to hold his breath for a long time until he felt violent pains in his ears, head and whole body. He would then fall senseless to the ground.&quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/14lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/14lbud.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone have any thoughts on the holding of the breath practice? Not that I'm interested in trying it myself or anything, that is, I'm aware that the Buddha eventually found these extremes to be unskillful, thus the middle way became his goal. I'm just curious as to its roots and the thought behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kevin&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11615" LastActivityDate="2019-03-24T01:54:16.453" Title="Gautama self torture, holding his breath" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21239" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21238" CreationDate="2017-06-27T14:26:48.073" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm just curious as to its roots and the thought behind it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self mortification is done with the intention that it will end the past store of bad Kamma through experiencing all negative karmic results through mortification. When all the past Karma is exhausted, it is expected that you reach enlightenment, i.e., you do not experience any more pain. This is the reasoning behind the Bodhisattva's mortification practice including breathless mediation, which was also based on widely held contemporary beliefs and practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nirgranthas, you have done bad deeds before. Exhaust them through sharp painful austerities. And&#xA;  restraining your body, speech and mind right here and now, you would not be committing further karma.&#xA;  Thus, by the destruction of old karma through asceticism and by doing no fresh karma, there will be no&#xA;  more flow of karma through its being destroyed. With the destruction of karma, there is the destruction&#xA;  of suffering; with the destruction of suffering there is the destruction of feeling; with the destruction of&#xA;  feeling, all suffering will be exhausted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.7-Cula-Dukkhakkhandha-S-m14-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Dukkha-k,khandha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Whatever this person feels—whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—all that is caused by&#xA;  past action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, by eliminating past action by asceticism, and by doing no new action, there&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;will be no further flood of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Without further flood of karma, there is the destruction of karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the destruction of karma, there is the destruction of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the destruction of suffering, there is the destruction of feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the destruction of feeling, all suffering will be exhausted.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/18.4-Devadaha-S-m101-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Deva,daha Sutta&lt;/a&gt; - it is best you read the whole sutta as it is about self-mortification and too long to quote in full&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;during his 6 years of searching he practiced extreme ...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to other references about Buddha's path to enlightenment and also self mortification see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/R411-150826-How-the-Buddha-awakened-RB132.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;How the Buddha awakened&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.11-Ariya-Pariyesana-S-m26.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariya Pariyesanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.12-Mahasaccaka-S-m36.17-44.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.13-Mahasihanada-S-m12.44-63.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahā Sīha,nāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T14:47:58.927" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21240" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21238" CreationDate="2017-06-27T16:11:18.997" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the ancient Hindu tradition, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapas_(Sanskrit)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tapasya&lt;/a&gt; or severe asceticism was the practice that was thought to give one special spiritual superhuman powers. There is some truth to that, if you think about it - it all boils down to developing will power.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What Buddha has realized, is that self-mortification and infliction of physical and psychological pain is counterproductive to the goal - however, development of will power - especially as it comes to one's ability to control one's thoughts, emotions, and the state of mind - is confirmed to be as valid as ever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Holding one's breath is not especially more useful than any other physical exercise involving application of will power, otherwise Buddha would have taught it post-bodhi, but I'm sure there are other physical and mental exercises that can help one develop will power and control over one's attention, emotions, associations, mood, and energy - without risking health issues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-06-27T16:11:18.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21242" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21262" CreationDate="2017-06-28T08:39:23.800" Score="3" ViewCount="355" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand that the Buddha used different teachings styles, depending on the audience/people that were listening. Also, I understand that there seems to be a ,superficial', easier accessible Buddhism and a more advanced, transcendental one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the light of this, I am wondering if it is seen as ethically correct, that the Buddha taught some people differently than others, especially by using, I would say, manipulative techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two examples I'd like to bring up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is the parable of the burning house, in which the Buddha promises playthings to get the children out of the burning house.&#xA;...&quot;Then straightaway, &lt;strong&gt;intentionally devising a lie&lt;/strong&gt;, he announced to the children, &quot;I have various precious playthings, one for each of you, here outside the door.  For one, a goat-drawn cart.  For one, a deer-drawn cart.  For one, an ox-drawn cart.  Come out, all of you!  For your sakes I have made these carts, following the desire of your own thoughts.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thereafter, he is offering them even more valuable carts than promised (the Dhamma I assume). But he used the first promise to lure them out of the house. Of course, as it is a parable, it can be interpreted in varying ways. However, in this case he intentionally lied to the children in order to get them to the right path. Isn't that manipulative?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second example is about Karma and re-birth. After reading about the topic from different sources and books, it seems to me that the mechanism of Karma and re-birth primarily serves as to bring the common people to act ethically (good karma, bad karma, different realm of re-birth). However, in my understanding there is actually no self that can be re-born, as the 5 aggregates dissolve at the moment of death (where there is actually no death also). When there is no self, nothing can die nor be reborn, nor can there be a ,bookkeeping' of good and bad karma. Therefore, it seems that the teachings here bring the karma and re-birth theory up only to attract the common people and have them behave in line with Buddhist ethics. However, in fact after realising that there is no self, this whole construct becomes redundant (Simpler vs. more advanced Buddhism?).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would be very happy to read your view on this, as this issue has kept bugging me for a while. I am convinced that there is a justification in this method, which makes it ethically acceptable (does the end ever justify the means?). Also, please point out if my line of thought is flawed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you so much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11627" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T15:38:43.900" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T03:11:03.403" Title="Was Buddha deceiving others to get them on the path?" Tags="|karma|teaching|stages-of-the-path|lotus-sutra|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21243" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10172" CreationDate="2017-06-28T08:46:28.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I studied on and off with a Tibetan lineage years ago. Like many are saying, attachment to anything generates karma. There are 3 kinds of karma: Good, Bad and Neutral.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Good sounds right but: it generates craving down the road.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bad is: well bad.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neutral: is the one we want, for it does not generate karmic seeds which is what perpetuates our suffering in this existence and the next.  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, ANYTHING we think or do generates karma or not... depending upon how we perceive it.  Ultimately, we need to see everything as &quot;empty&quot; including our own persona.  (The concept of &quot;emptiness&quot; needs to be studied as it goes very deep and there isn't enough space here.) However, it is by cultivating emptiness that we create neutral karma.  But at the same time, we are still human and can &quot;enjoy&quot; anything as long as we understand it is inherently empty.  (Obviously, this doesn't mean enjoying sinister things.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said: music can be enjoyed but one shouldn't be attached to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now... there is also &quot;music&quot; and there is also what monks use, and that is more of a &quot;focused and mindful&quot; approach to sound when used for chanting.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a different way of using our listening ability.  Remember, &quot;hearing&quot; is not the same as &quot;listening.&quot;  Active listening is more like using your ear as a telephoto lens for detail.  (A skill we seem to be losing thanks to TV, films and internet which are visual mediums.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you develop your listening deep enough, what you'll hear is that the monks are playing with tones in a &quot;pure&quot; fashion.  To anyone with musical training, they immediately recognize that the monks are involving themselves with what is called &quot;The Overtone Series.&quot;  It seems technical but it's not really.  It's something that was known about by ancient Greece particularly the philosopher Pythagoras.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Using the overtone series, it is the closest we get to using sound as vibration for vibrations sake.  With this in mind, it is believed that certain vibrations create specific conditions in the mind and our energy body.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(And if thought about further, even in the west, in Genesis we see, &quot;God SAID...&quot;  The pure power of the spoken word (sound) was there to create light.  And hence... &quot;In the beginning was the word.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether one subscribes to the literal notion of Genesis is not my point.  But rather, the power of sound is not relegated to Buddhism but found across the globe.)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All that said: YES... you can listen to music.  But be MINDFUL what it is you are taking in.  If you want to listen to pop.  Go ahead but know that in the big picture, the music isn't really going to alter your consciousness in a profound way.  See it as &quot;empty.&quot;  In the end, you are better off, listening to music or chanting that somehow alters or lifts you.  But again.  All is EMPTY.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11633" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T08:46:28.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21244" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21242" CreationDate="2017-06-28T08:59:00.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha uses parables to illustrate points of the Dhamma. These are not intend to deceive, not untrue statement but example. The conditions for lying are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i) The statement must be untrue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ii) There must be an intention to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iii) An effort must be made to deceive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;iv) The other person must know the meaning of what is expressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;FIVE PRECEPTS (PACASILA)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha used many techniques to teach the Dhamma but lying and deception was not one of them. See:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Teaching-Methods-of-the-Buddha.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Teaching Methods of the Buddha: A dynamic vision of Buddhist hermeneutics&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.11-Language-and-discourse.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Language and Discourse&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.6-Dh-97-Religious-language-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 97: The two levels of religious language&lt;/a&gt; Translated &amp;amp; annotated by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/skillInQuestions_v140109.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Skill in Questions: How the Buddha Taught&lt;/a&gt; by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With regard to teaching of Karma, the Buddha spoke of the dangers and pitfalls of Karma. One intention of doing this is to encourage the cultivation of morality. But this does not make it untrue, but making the truth to be know so people will know the dangers which might befall them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also your of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81ramit%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pāramitā&lt;/a&gt; one Pāramitā is Sacca Pāramī which is truthfulness, honesty. Also one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt; that the Bodhisattva never broke after definite prophecy is false speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T11:54:59.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21246" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-28T09:45:35.097" Score="9" ViewCount="1190" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm feeling very overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different things to remember and practice. Firstly the four foundations of mindfulness Im not sure when one is meant to practice each one. Do you do them all together or at different times of the day etc?  Not sure where to begin. Then there is all the other stuff like the eightfold path and the five aggregates as well as metta practice. And this is only for starters! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm starting to stress out about it all.  Its kind of too much to take in and so I can't focus on anything really. I feel the same way in life. Too much going on and my attention is pulled in all different directions so that I never get anything done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I meditate I focus my attention on the rising and falling of the abdomen as instructed. I don't notice much at all except that my mind has become lost in thought. Sometimes I suppose I notice a pain in the knee etc and then I might notice that its unpleasant in which case I am being mindful of vedana but I'm wondering am I supposed to do specific meditations for the various different things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11634" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T19:58:42.490" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T19:58:42.490" Title="How do I deal with Buddhist teaching's complexity?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="8" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21247" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1348" CreationDate="2017-06-28T10:02:37.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Keeping Silas and train in virtue requires being honest to oneself at first place so that it is of use for path and fruits. If approaching Vinaya and and virtue like a lawyer it's of nobodies use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thought that my person will better refrain from contributing something here he changed his mind, trusting that it is of use for some and something he is currently able to do. Comming accross similar question this days, my person tried to give a graspable answer for those willing to increase faith in the Dhamma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is changing your mind same as lying? Breaking promises&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;asked by Digity  on DW:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Suppose someone asks you to do something that you're on the fence about doing, but you agree to it anyway. Now suppose time passes and you regret the initial agreement and decide not to follow through on it, but give some sort of explanation for why you aren't. Do you consider that a form of lying, since you told the person something that you didn't follow through on?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, breaking promis is unskilfull and a misconduct in regard of virtue.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If done deliberatly it's a classic ly, what ever reson it was.&#xA;If changing one mind later, it's false dealing similar to break a contract.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a promise can not be fullfilled, out of reasons they are not in the sphere of the promis-maker and the promis-maker did also not possible had a chance to foresee this, than it is not a fault.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When one looks carefully and honest, one might see that most of the promises he/she did and did not fullfill have been faults.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A very serious matter is the matter of vows. Think how many take precepts, knowing that they will break them. Doing such is breaking the precepts while asking after them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Changing ones mind from unskillful to skillful is not wrong, nevertheless one will face consequences of the breaking of promises, since mostly not understandable for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That preasure is mostly the hindrence for changing ones mind to a better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets see, maybe my person is able to record a short talk on it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Talk on it: &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=8136.0;attach=3575&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Record of words on it&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (amr-file)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe useful in addition:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Success/fail in trade.&lt;/strong&gt; (Link see origin)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Depts, but to whom?&lt;/strong&gt; (Link see origin)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may look also at the source of it and use its possibility to discuss and ask further (links could not be given):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8136.msg12397.html#msg12397&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;[Q&amp;amp;A] Is changing your mind same as lying? Breaking promises&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordly gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11635" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T10:02:37.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21248" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8556" CreationDate="2017-06-28T10:27:22.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Avijja is uneducation about causes and effects, that arise and banish, or ariseless (NIBBANA).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T10:27:22.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21249" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T10:29:02.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you are looking for simplification one thing that can be done is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;look for recurring patterns in concepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;look for factors and common concepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;look for relationships between each concept or how the dots connect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you look for where to start look for:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;factor which is common to many concepts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;factor which if a forerunner of other factors within the concept or ties the concept together or is a pivotal factor&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following is an analysis on finding the simple common factors which is also a forerunner of within many concepts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Firstly the four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the shorted rendering of them is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, a monk dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating body in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating feeling in the feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating mind in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating phenomena [dharmas] in the phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.11-Sacca-Vibhanga-S-m141-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and also similar passage is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the recurring elements here is putting away covetousness and displeasure in the world which is the task at hand. In addition you have to put effort to that task and also you should not have a lapse of mindfulness when doing this task, otherwise you will not attend to it and perhaps do something else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Covetousness and displeasure are result of mental reaction to sensations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To prevent your mental reaction to sensation becoming unwholesome you can try:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:&#xA;  “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to.&#xA;  And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all].&#xA;  Having &lt;strong&gt;directly known the nature of all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;fully understands all&#xA;  things&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having &lt;strong&gt;fully understood all things&lt;/strong&gt;, he knows &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;whatever feelings there are&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whether &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As regards to those &lt;em&gt;feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;[Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;When he dwells&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; contemplating &lt;em&gt;impermanence&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;dispassion&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;ending&lt;/em&gt; in them, contemplating &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt;, he &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;does not cling to anything in the world&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Not clinging&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, he is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not agitated&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;; being not agitated, he himself &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;surely attains nirvana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;my attention is pulled in all different directions so that I never get anything done&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now when distractions arise. How to deal with them and keep your focus on your meditation is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;1st you should realise you mind has wandered away&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whatever of the 6 sense faculties your mind has wandered to, there will be a sensation. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Stay with this sensation without further aversion or craving knowing the sensation, looking at its changing nature and impermanence. Non reactively waiting with the sensation will make the intensity of the die down faster and will not be a distraction again. It will be the irritation or pleasantness of the experience that keeps your mind to jump to these sensations, again, if it is intense and you prematurely bring your attention to the object of focus`, you may get distracted again.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then bring back you mind to object of mediation&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Actively try to retain your mind with the object&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;further up the above 2 activities when you mind tend to stick to the meditation object you are calming the Verbal &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fabrication&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which describes the latter steps. This is also described the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jhana factors&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; deals with a more broader spectrum of distracting thoughts which are unwholesome which you can apply in daily situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being contemplation of impermanence while being equanimous, as given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; quote above, gives rise to wise attention this is fore runner of the Noble 8 Fold Path as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. If the number of steps overwhelm you you can look at in terms of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt; which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;virtue&lt;/a&gt; (adhisīla-sikkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mind&lt;/a&gt; (adhicitta-sikkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;higher &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdom&lt;/a&gt; (adhipaññā-sikkhā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5 Aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you develop the path you get &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revolutions (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; towards the 5 aggregates. A normal worldling would get attached to the 5 aggregates. When you develop revolutions towards it the 5 Aggregates which you cling to as would become indifferent in your mind and you would not cling to them as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Metta meditation is to develop friendly feeling towards all living beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is achieved by breaking down the mental classification you have towards individual beings or classes of them into groups which you deem favorable, unfavorable or neutral and reacting to them with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling associated with each classification. One such classification systems would be me, beings I like, neutral or unknown beings and being you do not like. When you break down the classification you will like everyone like yourself. Another classification could be same country, neutral country and enemy country. When you break down the mental classification system you will love everyone as your fellow country men. Another classification could be higher life forms, lower life forms and same level life forms. When you break down this classification you will love all living beings equally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you classify if a being is from a favorable category you react with pleasant sensation, unfavorable category with unpleasant sensation and neutral category with unpleasant sensations. These sensation lead to the unwholesome roots of craving for the favorable and pleasant, aversion towards the unfavorable and unpleasant and ignorance towards the neutral, as discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. When such reaction stops you stop creating negative mental states and come out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to develop Metta you should wish every one in every category you can imagine to be well and happy. Also know how the classifications are woulding in the back of your mind and know mental reaction and sensation. Try to be equanimous knowing the changes and and arising and passing nature of the sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the favorable and unfavorable categorisations are broken you do not despair if you meet with non loved one and with equanimity you do not attached to others. Others cannot cause you stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sometimes I suppose I notice a pain in the knee&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you notice sensation notice how it's spread out, any variations and how it ends. There might be times where new sensations of experiences start. Look at the start, evolution and change and the end of the experience. Doing this you see impermanence and arising and passing nature of the experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As such, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple closely and wisely attends to dependent arising itself, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ sati, idaṁ hoti; &quot;When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imass’uppādā, idam uppajjati. with the arising of this, that arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti; When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati. with the ending of this, that ends.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on pleasant contact, a pleasant feeling arises. With the ending of the pleasant contact, the pleasant feeling that arose in dependent on that pleasant contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on painful contact, a painful feeling arises. With the ending of the painful contact, the painful feeling that arose in dependent on that painful contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on neutral contact, a neutral feeling arises. With the ending of the neutral contact, the neutral feeling that arose in dependent on that neutral contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.3-Assutava-S-2-s12.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assutava Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where to start without worrying about different things&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main thing is to establish wise attention. The easiest way to do this is to note impermanence (arising and passing) and be equanimous. If you examine all the other concepts above, this is one of the most recurring concept and thread. When wise attention is established rest of the path with will slowly start falling into place, as this is a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gradual_training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;gradual training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also know what is unwise attention which is covered in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21191/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get right of the distracting thoughts you can practice some of the methods given in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt; or try to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;focus your mind on an object&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;also work actively to retaining it as the focus by bringing you mind to it periodically&lt;/a&gt;. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Sathipattana&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which is also a summary of the Dhamma in short.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T06:08:12.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21251" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T10:50:43.790" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;four foundations of mindfulness I'm not sure when one is meant to practice each one.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is a collection of different practises compiled together (rather than a direct teaching of the Buddha). The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is useful for beginners to familiarise themselves with different aspects of meditation &amp;amp; mental experience. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is also useful for lay people who practise meditation one or two to three hours per day in everyday life. Therefore, if you follow the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, you can choose to practise any of the different practises contained within at any time of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this does not represent the Buddha's Noble Path, such as expressed in the Noble Eightfold Path, where the 1st factor is practised 1st &amp;amp; the 2nd factor 2nd, etc, as explained below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view the forerunner? In one of right view, right resolve comes into being. In&#xA;one of right resolve, right speech comes into being. In one of right&#xA;speech, right action... In one of right action, right livelihood... In&#xA;one of right livelihood, right effort... In one of right effort, right&#xA;mindfulness... In one of right mindfulness, right concentration ... In&#xA;one of right concentration, right knowledge... In one of right&#xA;knowledge, right release comes into being. Thus the learner is endowed&#xA;with eight factors, and the arahant with ten&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-cattarisaka Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if the four foundations of mindfulness are practised following the noble meditation teaching of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the first satipatthana (mindfulness towards the body) is practised first and practised continuously, until the second satipatthana (mindfulness towards pleasant feelings) arises by itself, naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In dedicated practise of the four foundations of mindfulness, which generally requires retreat conditions of full-time meditation, only mindfulness towards the body is practised until the other satipatthana arise naturally (by themselves) after the preceding satipatthana is calmed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then there is all the other stuff like the 8fold path&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to learn about the 8 fold path because it is the whole path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 8 fold path is comprised of three trainings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;wisdom (which guides the path)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;morality (which is the foundation of the path &amp;amp; avoids gross forms of suffering)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;meditation/concentration (which is the application of the path)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Four foundations of mindfulness is the meditation aspect or 3rd training of the 8 fold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Metta practice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta practise is part of the 2nd and 6th factors of the eightfold path, namely, the practise to develop loving thoughts &amp;amp; give up hateful &amp;amp; angry thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the mind has hateful &amp;amp; angry thoughts, it cannot meditate or concentrate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, metta is a foundation or preliminary practise for the four foundations of mindfulness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5 aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 aggregates are the components of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 5 aggregates are essentially the same as the 4 foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when you meditate, you are observing the 5 aggregates, which is essentially the same as observing the 4 foundations of mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The important aspect of the 5 aggregates in meditation is to see the five aggregates are only the aggregates (rather than 'self'). The 4 foundations of mindfulness are about seeing the body as 'body', the feelings as 'feelings', mind as 'mind, mental states as 'mental states' and reality as 'reality' (rather than seeing these things as 'self').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can't focus on anything really.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to keep it really simple, you only focus on watching your breathing and learning to recognise &amp;amp; drop negative mental states (such as hatred &amp;amp; anger) and develop positive mental states (such as metta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, simple practise is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acknowledge &amp;amp; give up negative mental states, such as anger &amp;amp; hatred.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Develop positive mental states, such as metta &amp;amp; non-harming (morality)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, observe the breathing to make the mind calm &amp;amp; continue to develop this&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When I meditate I focus my attention on the rising &amp;amp; falling of the abdomen as instructed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Make this your primary goal. This will reduce confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I don't notice much at all&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then place your hands on your abdomen &amp;amp; chest until the movement of the breathing &amp;amp; abdomen become clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do this again, whenever necessary; whenever the movement becomes vague.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;except that my mind has become lost in thought.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is normal. When you catch your mind lost in thought; don't get angry. Just return to watching your breathing or abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sometimes I suppose I notice a pain in the knee etc a&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Forget this. This has very limited benefit. Just observe your breathing or abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your knee hurts a lot, just change your posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your posture should always have a straight back &amp;amp; be relaxed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you sit cross-legged but your spine is not straight, use another posture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T12:14:37.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21254" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T11:37:07.220" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Im feeling very overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different things to remember and practice&quot;&#xA;&quot;*****&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need to, that is why it is called gradual training. You take only one step at a time. In regard to four foundations of mindfulness you just practice the in and out breath until you master it.Then make an attempt to observe the five precepts. Then everything else will put in to place automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T11:37:07.220" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21255" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21242" CreationDate="2017-06-28T11:42:32.043" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please point out if my line of thought is flawed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is an established principle since the time of the Buddha there are two types of teachings: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;mundane, worldly or moral teachings (&lt;em&gt;lokiya dhamma&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;supramundane, transcendent or noble teachings connected to emptiness (l&lt;em&gt;okuttara dhamma&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The moral teachings bring moral (non-harming) benefits but do not remove attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These teaching exist because the majority of people are unable to remove attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, your line of thought is certainly flawed because how can it be expected of  most people to give up attachment towards sexuality, reproductive drives, partners, children &amp;amp; family? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you expect all people to give up attachment &amp;amp; realise not-self, when they are actually incapable of doing so, it is you rather than the Buddha that is deceiving people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt; (linked).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions [of becoming];&#xA;  there is right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a&#xA;  factor of the path. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please also refer to MN 12 &amp;amp; MN 26 (below): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata understands as it actually is the world with its many and different elements. That too is a Tathagata's power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata understands as it actually is how beings have different inclinations. That too is a Tathagata's power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata understands as it actually is the disposition of the faculties of other beings, other persons. That too is a&#xA;  Tathagata's power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, I surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did&#xA;  so, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much,&#xA;  those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good&#xA;  attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard,&#xA;  some of them seeing disgrace &amp;amp; danger in the other world. MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'rebirth', the Buddha did not deceive or lie. Again, this is a long established principle.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha used certain well-defined words &amp;amp; it is not the Buddha deceiving people but people &lt;strong&gt;interpreting&lt;/strong&gt; the Buddha's words in different ways that generate various ideas about 'rebirth'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The commentaries state: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers,  Spoke two kinds of truths:  The conventional and the ultimate.  A third truth does not obtain.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therein:  The speech wherewith the world converses is true.  On account of its being agreed upon by the world.  The speech which&#xA;  describes what is ultimate is also true,  Through characterizing&#xA;  dhammas as they really are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage,  &lt;strong&gt;False speech does not arise in the Teacher&lt;/strong&gt;,  Who is Lord of the World,  When he speaks&#xA;  according to conventions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Mn. i. 95)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T12:15:56.137" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T12:15:56.137" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21257" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T12:57:41.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I couldnt agree with you more. It IS rather overwhelming from the start. This is the first reason why a good teacher is such a benefit. Absent that at first you at least need a sort of plan of attack.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a laymen's perspective I found seeking refuge in the 3 jewels to be a good framework. Starting with seeking refuge in the Buddha I focused on the story and history of Shakyamuni from his beginnings as Siddartha Gautma to his death. I paid particular attention to his specific historical biography and the influences that would have surrounded him at the time and later as he set about teaching. I also followed his lessons through the first thru third Buddhist councils - up until the point they were committed to writing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In seeking further refuge in the dharma I worked on those lessons as they were subsequently applied against Koans as well as the works of other bhodisattva. The differing ideologies within Buddhism and supporting literature. This process grew organically from the first really. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you break down the basic lessons from the Buddha Shakyamuni ... the 9 factors of &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; and 32 steps of &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; ... all of those things make more sense than just random items for memorization. It's the same for meditation techniques. When you know what it is you are doing that action for then it makes knowing how or in what manner to do it easier to comprehend and remember.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am a few years in headfirst now and a few decades in by dabbling. But to date the so-called metaphysical topics to me have found the same theoretical support all the way back to the days before and of Buddha. Thats not necessarily an indictment on how poor our knowledge is today (as some want to use it). It is likewise high praise for the scholarly approach used on topics then purely heuristic and only now seeing support in quantum mechanics and other advanced issues in physics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The physical aspects supporting Buddhism have been well documented for years. Advantages of rested mind meditation have been acknowledged and utilized worldwide both professionally and personally. While the psychology and neurology still need substantial work, the support so far is promising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is making a plan with approaches from many different avenues. If you plan to devour a cow you do so 1 meal at a time. I started with seeking refuge in the 3 Jewels, then studied history and comparative ideology, then committed myself to further study in the precepts, then answering the 10 questions to a child. Then I followed as my curiosity suited me and it all grew organically. Find your path. Namaste my friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T12:57:41.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21258" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T12:59:57.790" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I first came into contact with Buddhist thought, I had the same issues as you - factors, bases, faculties, powers etc, is a lot to take in, and finding 'first gear' was a challenge. I personally found right effort, the four right exertions, to be particularly helpful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, monks, is right effort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors,&#xA;  activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the&#xA;  non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful&#xA;  qualities that have arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds&#xA;  &amp;amp; exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities&#xA;  that have not yet arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds &amp;amp;&#xA;  exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase,&#xA;  plenitude, development, &amp;amp; culmination of skillful qualities that have&#xA;  arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For meditation, practice makes perfect - the stilling of mental fermentations logically requires the initial presence of mental fermentations.. try not to fight your mind if it brings up thoughts and begins analysis. Rather become aware that you have slipped away from concentrating on your breathing and allow yourself to go back to concentrating on your breathing, without fighting your mind when it strays (don't try and block your mind from thinking by building walls (as I say to myself), that's just another form of thinking!)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The training is a gradual one and it takes time both to understand and to put into practice. If you are practicing by yourself, without a teacher, maybe seek one out so that you can get guidance. If you prefer to go it alone, take your time - negative mental states such as stress only slow you down anyways!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T15:30:49.467" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T15:30:49.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21259" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21242" CreationDate="2017-06-28T14:04:35.280" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_T0262_LotusSutra_2007.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this translation&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The text says &quot;skillful means&quot;, not &quot;lie&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sariputa is asked twice whether that's deception:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first time he replies &quot;no&quot; because the children get carts instead&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Even if they weren't given carts, it wouldn't be deception because the man's thought was to help the children escape&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am convinced that there is a justification in this method, which makes it ethically acceptable (does the end ever justify the means?). Also, please point out if my line of thought is flawed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12094/254&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; for example suggests that the end can be justification for the means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Andrei's comment was that's a &quot;Mahayana-style&quot; answer, which of course the Lotus Sutra is too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm inclined to think of it as a 'simplification' rather than a lie (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lie-to-children&lt;/a&gt; for example). Most of the Physics that I was taught at school, for example, wasn't a 'lie' but rather a 'simplification' of the 'truth'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-28T14:23:25.727" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T14:23:25.727" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21260" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2017-06-28T18:17:59.727" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are well over hundred Upanishads in existence but only a dozen or less of these are considered as Pre-buddhist. These are the Upanishads commented on by the Medieval Hindu commentator Sankara  who flourished in the eighth century CE. They are also the ones that were considered as the “principal Upanishads” by early Western commentators like Paul Deussen. The earliest of the extant Upanishads are the Bṛihadāraṇyaka and the Chāndogya Upanishads all in prose. Not only are they the earliest but also the longest accounting for over three-quarters of the principal Upanishads. They are considered as being composed about the sixth century BCE. Three other prose Upanishads are also considered pre-Buddhist. These are the Taittiriya, Aitreya and Kausitaki Upanishads. The other “principal” Upanishads were the Kena, the Kaṭha, the Iśā, the Muṇḍaka, the Praśna, the Māṇḍūkya, and the Śvetāśvatara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha did not reject vedas or vedic philosophy, he rejected the evil practices and rituals in Vedas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Sutta Nipat 192, Mahatma Buddha says that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vidwa Cha Vedehi Samechcha Dhammam Na Uchchavacham Gachhati&#xA;  Bhooripanjo.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People allow sense-organs to dominate and keep shuffling between high&#xA;  and low positions. But the scholar who understands Vedas understands&#xA;  Dharma and does not waver.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 503:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yo Vedagu Gyanarato Sateema …….&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One should support a person who is master of Vedas, contemplative,&#xA;  intelligent, helpful if you desire to inculcate similar traits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 1059:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yam Brahmanam Vedagum Abhijanjya Akinchanam Kamabhave Asattam……&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One gets free from worldly pains if he is able to understand a Vedic&#xA;  Scholar who has no wealth and free from attraction towards worldly&#xA;  things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 1060:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vidwa Cha So Vedagu Naro Idha Bhavabhave Sangam Imam Visajja…..&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I state that one who understands the Vedas rejects attraction towards&#xA;  the world and becomes free from sins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 846:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Na Vedagu Diththia Na Mutiya Sa Manameti Nahi Tanmayoso….&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who knows Vedas does not acquire false ego. He is not affected by&#xA;  hearsay and delusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 458:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yadantagu Vedagu Yanjakaale Yassahuti Labhe Taras Ijjeti Broomi&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I state that one who acquires Ahuti in Havan of a Vedic scholar gets&#xA;  success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now people who post these on internet say that Gautam Buddha didn't&#xA;  opposed Vedas he opposed the evil practices done in name of Vedas like&#xA;  animal sacrifice, caste system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when Mahatma Buddha questioned birth-based casteism, animal sacrifice and other nonsense practices, he was answered that Vedas sanction so. Thus, like any sane morally upright person would do, Mahatma Buddha stated that: “If Vedas sanction these evil practices, then I reject Vedas.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11639" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T21:59:26.197" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T21:59:26.197" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21261" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-28T18:27:39.947" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just focus on your meditation practice and following the precepts, everything else is secondary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T18:27:39.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21262" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21242" CreationDate="2017-06-28T18:51:42.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The parable of the burning house is not universally accepted by all buddhists. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First because it comes from a text that is not universally accepted. As it was pointed out, the sutra it appears in is regarded as Mahayana, and some buddhist traditions don't accept them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And second, because many regard that parable as a stretch that is incompatible and inconsistent with the attitude of the Buddha shown in other texts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe in all buddhist tradition this topic is known as &quot;skillful means&quot;. In the pali corpus, this skillful means encompasses similes and recasting of terms to new meanings. For example, karma was part of the vocabulary of people in the buddha's time with established meanings, but he rebranded it: &quot;intention, i tell you, is karma&quot;. In another occasion, a person told the Buddha he learned he should worship the six directions (north, south, west, east, up and down). In reply, the Buddha recast that practice completely as a buddhist practice, but using the same idea and terms (i.e. the directions). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, in essence, he appears as a skillful teacher in that he takes the context and language of his audience and use it to show truth, always focusing on meaning and never on terminology (so he never seem to fall into traps of, for example, debating semantics).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where in the early sutras it seems the Buddha never sacrifices truth (he himself said arahants don't lie), In the Lotus Sutra, many interpret, like you did, that the Buddha lied. So it seems Mahayana take &quot;skillful means&quot; to a greater extent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But mahayanists may interpret the burning house parable in many ways, not necessarily approving  &quot;white lies&quot; or approving of &quot;end justify the means&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in Zen, the words themselves are secondary, sometimes irrelevant. Sometimes, The only thing that matters is whether it's utterance summons truth or not in the mind of those who hear it. But yet, deceiving is still considered unskillful, though usually zen practitioners avoid evaluating hypothetical cases and generalizations, sticking to real and case by case evaluation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for karma and rebirth (as in life after death) the traditional stand is that these are actual laws and facts. They are not lies, but factual. So they are not artificial expedients to attract people to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way of seeing it is that the path to happiness here and now is in the same direction of the path to a happy destination after death, which is in the same direction of the path to Nirvana -- the ultimate goal. Just like if you are in Argentina, the path to Mexico is in the same  path to US which is in the same path to Canada. That's how the teaching goes from &quot;mundane&quot; to &quot;supramundane&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T03:11:03.403" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T03:11:03.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21263" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2017-06-28T21:31:06.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Check out the link : &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Lord-Buddha-reject-the-Vedas/answer/Shivanshu-Rautela?srid=u8nx6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Why did Lord Buddha reject the Vedas?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Excerpt from the above answer :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In Sutta Nipat 192, Mahatma Buddha says that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vidwa Cha Vedehi Samechcha Dhammam Na Uchchavacham Gachhati&#xA;  Bhooripanjo.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People allow sense-organs to dominate and keep shuffling between high&#xA;  and low positions. But the scholar who understands &lt;strong&gt;Vedas&lt;/strong&gt; understands&#xA;  Dharma and does not waver.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 503:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yo Vedagu Gyanarato Sateema …….&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One should support a person who is master of Vedas, contemplative,&#xA;  intelligent, helpful if you desire to inculcate similar traits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 1059:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yam Brahmanam Vedagum Abhijanjya Akinchanam Kamabhave Asattam……&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One gets free from worldly pains if he is able to understand a Vedic&#xA;  Scholar who has no wealth and free from attraction towards worldly&#xA;  things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 1060:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vidwa Cha So Vedagu Naro Idha Bhavabhave Sangam Imam Visajja…..&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I state that one who understands the Vedas rejects attraction towards&#xA;  the world and becomes free from sins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 846:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Na Vedagu Diththia Na Mutiya Sa Manameti Nahi Tanmayoso….&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who knows Vedas does not acquire false ego. He is not affected by&#xA;  hearsay and delusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sutta Nipat 458:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yadantagu Vedagu Yanjakaale Yassahuti Labhe Taras Ijjeti Broomi&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I state that one who acquires Ahuti in Havan of a Vedic scholar gets&#xA;  success.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11641" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T16:49:04.733" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T16:49:04.733" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21264" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21242" CreationDate="2017-06-28T21:54:13.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the action is beneficial for either party or not unbeneficial for both parties it may be ok to pursue irrespective of the term you use to describe that act. (tactic etc.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-28T21:54:13.467" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21265" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-28T22:31:33.463" Score="8" ViewCount="3248" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please correct me if I'm misguided about this but I was doing some reading which seemed to be saying that life on this earth is nothing but suffering. That while we are ignorant we wander around in samsara experiencing the pain of birth, ageing, illness and death etc The goal is to be free of this cycle by reaching nibanna and not be reborn anymore.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't see the point. Because if I am no longer reborn then where am I? If I don't exist anymore then I cannot be in nibanna. And if I no  longer exist then what is the point of getting to nibanna anyway as I won't be able to experience it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I feel that this view is somewhat depressing. It makes me think what is the point of anything.  Why bother even trying to accomplish or achieve anything if it's all suffering and the goal is to not exist anymore?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11634" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T10:13:33.180" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:49:41.513" Title="Buddhism is kind of depressing" Tags="|nirvana|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21266" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T01:30:19.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is neither unrealistically specimitics nor unrealistically optimistic but realistic and also realistically optimistic. It is reality that we come across stressful situation. But there is a method and path which is the way out of it though understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; which is organise as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt;. This is being both realistic and realistically optimistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism there is not concept as I do not exist. This is rejected concept and also a largely misunderstood concept and also a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=extreme%20view%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;extreme view&lt;/a&gt;. Everything is not / non self as they are not fully in your control. What this means is by snapping your finger you cannot change you hair colour, you cannot grow older of younger, taller or shorter, fairer or darker, etc. Also it means there is not unchanging solit part of you any where.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting to Nibbana is the optimistic part which is finding a permanent solution to the problems of life. Finding a permanent and total solution than a temporary or partial solution is always better off, and many would welcome it great joy, happiness and optimism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also in the world what people pursue it sensory happiness, like being with beautiful girl, having a well shaped body, nice house and car. These are not permanent hence cannot give permanent happiness. All these objects have a start and a life and finally decays away. Parting with what is pleasant is also unpleasant. In Nirvana everythings is unborn and not decaying and not dying. This alone is a unworldly happiness which is permanent where as in the world you meet unpleasant situation and pleasant situation and all good thing come to an end, which is unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T02:44:31.633" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T02:44:31.633" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21267" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2017-06-29T01:46:29.130" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not oppose any relations like psychiatry or psychology does not have anything to do with other organised religions. Buddhism in a way is a treatment for stress and misery like psychiatry or psychology. Applying Buddhism you realize the root cause and cure yourself of misery. Unlike psychiatry or psychology the final solution your get is stable and permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T11:48:08.257" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T11:48:08.257" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21268" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T02:05:31.157" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;One way to understand Buddhism, is to understand how the Buddha frames happiness and suffering and what he was trying to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Wordly Happiness &amp;amp; Suffering&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First, the Buddha did not denied that we experience pleasure:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Ānanda, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. Sounds cognizable by the ear … Odours cognizable by the nose … Tastes cognizable by the tongue … Tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on these five cords of sensual pleasure: this is called sensual pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Though some may say, ‘This is the supreme pleasure and joy that beings experience,’ I would not concede this to them. Why is that? Because there is another kind of happiness more excellent and sublime than that happiness.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.19&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One problem with the pleasure/happiness that we experience normally, (through our senses, thoughts, emotions) is that they are &lt;em&gt;impermanent&lt;/em&gt;. In this sense, they are only temporary shelters in our lives. A second problem is that they seem unable to absolutely satisfy us, in the greatest sense. For example, eating may satisfy hunger at a certain moment, but does not satisfy every single necessity or desire at that same moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the pāli scriptures, the term that describes the characteristic of being impermanent is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. And the term to describe the unsatisfactoriness of things is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. With that said, the Buddha declared:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;All &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; are &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;All &lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; are &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt; -- AN 3.136&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sankhara&lt;/em&gt; is usually translated as &quot;phenomena&quot;, &quot;formations&quot;, &quot;fabrications&quot; or &quot;preparations&quot;. It refer to the &quot;things&quot;, all these &quot;fluxes&quot; that are experienced, touched, heard, smelled, seen, felt, thought, etc. Everything that comes to be with conditions as basis.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this moment, it's relevant to point out that &lt;em&gt;dhukkha&lt;/em&gt; can also mean &lt;em&gt;pain&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt; as well. So, that explains why some people came to conclude that the Buddha said that everything (or life) is suffering, which is problematic, as it should be clear now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What he said, then, is that all these worldly experiences we go through are unsatisfactory in it's ultimate sense. And even if they may be temporarily pleasing at the present, they always carry the danger of suffering in the future. The Buddha also said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on form: this is the gratification in form. That form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in form. [repeats for all aggregates of our individuality]&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 22.26 &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is, by evaluating all experienced based on our sensory faculties, he established the pleasure that arise with them as condition (the gratification). And due to it's characteristics of being impermanent, he observed it carries a danger for suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That sums up the &lt;strong&gt;first noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;this is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, there are these five situations that are unobtainable by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. What five? (1) ‘May what is subject to old age not grow old!’ ... ‘May what is subject to illness not fall ill!’ [...] (3) ‘May what is subject to death not die!’ [...] (4) ‘May what is subject to destruction not be destroyed!’ [...] (5) ‘May what is subject to loss not be lost!’.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 5.48&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Nirvana&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While most people are fine with all that situation of living with pleasures and sufferings, others feel enslaved by this existential situation they find themselves in. These people came to conclude that no matter what happiness they may find in the world, they know deep inside that such happiness has an expiration date -- and suffering is around the corner. The Buddha was in this later category.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem the Buddha set out to solve was: is there the ultimate happiness? and how to achieve it? By ultimate happiness, it's meant something that has no trace of unsatisfactoriness. And also, something that is not impermanent. Because it doesn't change, and because there's nothing else to desire, this is then the ultimate peace, where there's no danger whatsoever of suffering. It's impossible, then, to conceive any happiness greater than that, for this would denounce it's unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, this is called &lt;em&gt;Nirvana&lt;/em&gt;, the end of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; without reminder. And the &lt;strong&gt;third noble truth&lt;/strong&gt; is a declaration by the Buddha that Nirvana can be attained: &quot;This is the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because all the &quot;worldly experiences&quot; are conditioned, impermanent, subject to change and to vanish, the Buddha halted any of his attempt to find the ultimate happiness on these things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, it is impossible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be suffering will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching]. [...] [But] it is possible that a bhikkhu who considers nibbāna to be hapiness will possess a conviction in conformity [with the teaching].&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- AN 6.101&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Samsara&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes our situation more dramatic is the idea of the cycle of births. While some people don't believe in life after death, the tradition understands the Buddha declaring that after the death of this life there's another (and on it goes), seemingly with no external force that will make it stop. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some may see this as an endless opportunity for entertainment and living all sorts of interesting things. But others see it as a burden. Here, we go around experiencing things that come to an end, and then experiencing other things, with no pause. Sometimes they please us, sometimes they cause suffering. Things that were something become otherwise, continually. Everything we hold with our hands vanish -- and soon, our hands also vanish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha concluded that this &quot;never ending wandering&quot; has a cause: our thirst (tanha), our desires, specially the desires based on the sense faculties. By desiring, we keep experimenting, and these experiences have the nature of changing, the nature of being unable to satisfy us, and the nature of cause suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This thirst, then, is a root of our suffering, the &lt;strong&gt;second noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;this is the origin of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a father… the death of a brother… the death of a sister… the death of a son… the death of a daughter… loss with regard to relatives… loss with regard to wealth… loss with regard to disease. The tears you have shed over loss with regard to disease while transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering this long, long time—crying &amp;amp; weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — are greater than the water in the four great oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating &amp;amp; wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 15.13&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;The Path&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Buddha taught a progressive training where gross and worldly pleasures are gradually abandoned in favor of more sublime and beneficial pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp 290&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This training is the noble eightfold path, the &lt;strong&gt;fourth noble truth&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;This is the path that leads to the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha said this path is &quot;good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end&quot;. It promotes happiness in this very life, happiness in the after-life, and if taken to it's last consequences, to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Final Notes&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not known exactly what happens to someone who attained Nirvana after death. When questioned about it, the Buddha did not answer. He denied that after death, an Arahant or Buddha is annihilated. He also denied that he reborns. Finally, he asked that those things that he left undeclared to be remembered as undeclared by him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, from what we know he has said, Nirvana is the cessation of &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt; and the end of suffering. We also know that it is said to be, indeed, happiness. So Buddhism is not depressive. It is, in fact, positive. It promotes knowledge about the nature of suffering and happiness and how to cultivate the latter. And to those &quot;tired of the rollercoaster&quot;, it affirms there's indeed a secure shelter out of it and shows the path that leads to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T01:49:41.513" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:49:41.513" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21269" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-29T03:13:25.400" Score="1" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are the Buddhist references which deal with:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;space and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;time&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Primary sources from the Tripitaka or secondary and tertiary sources with proper citations are also welcome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T03:19:19.477" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T03:50:08.413" Title="Buddhist References about Space and Time" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21270" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21269" CreationDate="2017-06-29T03:50:08.413" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Sutta that I referred to in my earlier comment was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(S.22.46.) Dutiya-aniccasuttam&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;46&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Savatthinidanam.  “Rupam, bhikkhave, aniccam.  Yadaniccam tam dukkham; yam dukkham tadanatta; yadanatta tam ‘netam mama, nesohamasmi, na meso atta’ti evametam yathabhutam sammappabbaya datthabbam.  Vedana anicca…sabba anicca…savkhara anicca…vibbanam aniccam.  Yadaniccam tam dukkham; yam dukkham tadanatta; yadanatta tam ‘netam mama, nesohamasmi, na meso atta’ti evametam yathabhutam sammappabbaya datthabbam’.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Evametam (CS:pg.2.38) yathabhutam sammappabbaya passato pubbantanuditthiyo na honti.  Pubbantanuditthinam asati, (S.22.46./III,46.) aparantanuditthiyo na honti.  Aparantanuditthinam asati, thamaso § paramaso na hoti.  Thamase § paramase asati rupasmim…vedanaya sabbaya…savkharesu…vibbanasmim cittam virajjati vimuccati anupadaya asavehi.  Vimuttatta thitam.  Thitatta santusitam.  Santusitatta na paritassati.  Aparitassam paccattabbeva parinibbayati.  ‘Khina jati, vusitam brahmacariyam&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus seeing it as it is with correct wisdom, the views&#xA;about the prior limit do not become, the views about the&#xA;prior limit not being, the views about the posterior limit do&#xA;not become, the views about the posterior limit not being,&#xA;obstinate misconstruing does not become, obstinate&#xA;misconstruing not being, his mind turns away from form,&#xA;feeling, notion, volitional compositions, consciousness, and&#xA;is liberated from the cankers by not grasping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Evam etam yathabhutam sammappaññaya passato pubbantanuditthiyo na honti,&#xA;pubbantanuditthinam asati aparantanuditthiyo na honti,&#xA;aparantanuditthinam asati thamaso paramaso na hoti, thamase&#xA;paramase asati rupasmim vedanaya saññaya sankharesu&#xA;viññanasmim cittam virajjati vimuccati anupadaya asavehi).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But, Kaccana, let the past be, let the future be (titthatu&#xA;pubbanto titthatu aparanto, literally: let the prior limit be,&#xA;let the posterior limit be). Let there come an intelligent&#xA;man, guileless, honest, straight, and I instruct him, if he&#xA;follows my instruction, he will before long know by himself,&#xA;see by himself.&amp;quot; MN, II, 44 (80), MA, 209, 787b-c.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above Pali &amp;quot;titthatu pubbanto titthatu aparanto&amp;quot;&#xA;(literally: let the prior limit be, let the posterior limit&#xA;be) can also be understood as: put down the past, put down&#xA;the future, drop the past, drop the future, leave them alone,&#xA;don't touch them. The Buddhist path is unloading, whereas&#xA;all concerns about the past and future are loading. So to&#xA;put down all those extraneous concerns and to concentrate&#xA;on meditation is how views, frameworks or whatever else can&#xA;be set aside temporarily, until they can be set aside&#xA;definitively, with no remainder, at arhatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist ideal is to leave the past and the future to&#xA;themselves and live strictly in the present instead. The&#xA;Buddha is told of the monk Sthaviraka who dwells alone&#xA;(eka-vihari), has him called up and tells him: When the&#xA;past is cut, the future is let go of, and lust and&#xA;passion (chanda-raga) for present existential states&#xA;(atta-bhava-patilabha) are well controlled, then the&#xA;dwelling alone is perfect in details. SN, II, 283 (21,&#xA;10), SA, 1071, 278.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether rebirth is factually true or not, it is not a&#xA;matter of concern to the Buddhist cultivator, who would&#xA;rather shed past and future and pay attention to what&#xA;happens in the present.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T03:50:08.413" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21271" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T04:56:14.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It sounds depressing if it is believed &amp;amp; further misinterpreted the misinterpretations of Buddhism that are read. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T04:56:14.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21272" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T05:10:32.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you come at the void from the frame of reference of Essence, yes - you will see Buddhism as Annihalationism to your Essentialism. And why not be depressed imagining it this way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you come at it from the frame of reference of emptiness, with the understanding that things are inherently impermanent and empty of Self, it is peaceful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Existence' and 'Non-Existence' are two extremes the Buddha stayed away from:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“This world, Kaccana, for the most part depends upon a duality—upon&#xA;  the notion of existence and the notion of nonexistence. But for one&#xA;  who sees the origin of the world as it really is with correct wisdom,&#xA;  there is no notion of nonexistence in regard to the world. And for one&#xA;  who sees the cessation of the world as it really is with correct&#xA;  wisdom, there is no notion of existence in regard to the world.&quot;&#xA;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T05:10:32.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21273" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T05:14:46.183" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because others have already mentioned, let me tell you in different way.&quot;Because if I am no longer reborn then where am I?&quot; This &quot;I&quot; in the sense of worldly being we accept it as it is. In the case of noble truth, actually there is no &quot;I&quot; just because of ignorance we never recognize it as it is. Naturally it is just five aggregates(nama and rupa). Out of ignorance we have been passing through the rounds of birth and rebirth. In terms of suffering we have been facing through the samsara, it is just like climate change we have. If we have a favorable climate, we love it. If it is not, then we don't. &quot;Why bother even trying to accomplish or achieve anything&quot; you said. If you achieve anything in worldly life, you will have a favorable climate through which you will get in a more comfortable  condition. Because of this, Buddha taught about kusala and akusala, and kamma results. All this natural truth, one will come to know by insight meditation. Just by achieving the namarupa pariccheda nana through insight meditation, one will accept, there is no &quot;I&quot;. One will have a glimpse of nibbana, if one achieve the Bhanga nana. Buddha teaching is timeless and ready to take on all comers to test it not  in afterlife but in this very life at the very moment of insight meditation. Sometimes if one is brought up in a state of most affluent worldly life, suffering is difficult to understand. Only when we know dukkha and dreadful vicious cycle of samsara, we will look for the liberation i.e. nibbana the bliss of which one will surely get to perceive just by achieving sotapanna phala nana through insight meditation in this very life. Then you will know by insight not by reasoning, that Buddhism is NOT kind of depressing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10293" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T05:14:46.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21274" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T06:03:25.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is not &quot;annihilation&quot;, it is &quot;BEING&quot; (stillness). In other words: the ending of becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You &quot;are not&quot; (even right now). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You &quot;exist&quot; in your mind (you are a play of energy). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;exist&quot; is derived from Latin, it actually means &quot;to exit the stance&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says anatta (not-my-self), because to exit-stillness in an eternal recurrence is suffering, it is a constant searching, but ultimately there is nothing there. And nibbana is the dissolution of sankharas which make you search for a meaning outside, which in turn constitute your empirical self that is constantly becoming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it depressing? I won't say no. But even Nietzsche was awakened to the eternal recurrence inside your mind...      &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T06:03:25.927" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21275" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-06-29T09:56:55.527" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you do them all together or at different times of the day etc?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think my capacity isn't that great (too small to do all of them at once), and that I'm lucky to do even one at any given moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/10716/254&quot;&gt;to some extent&lt;/a&gt; I think I'm aware of one thing at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;So, to simplify, one Buddha's statement repeated in the Pali suttas is,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly and now, monks, I declare only stress and the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The context is the Buddha's not talking about other topics (for example the existence or non-existence of the Tathagata after death); but I think it's a good summary: &quot;stress, and the cessation of stress&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if and when I become aware of &lt;em&gt;stress&lt;/em&gt;, then &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; is a thing to remember; or that is a &lt;em&gt;time&lt;/em&gt; to remember Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stress and cessation. The next increment of Dharma, the next atom to remember or be aware of, for me at least (albeit &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7258/254&quot;&gt;not for everyone&lt;/a&gt;) are the four noble truths: which add &quot;craving&quot; to the equation, craving as a condition of stress. So if I become of aware of stress, then the consequent question is, &quot;ah, stress; so what's the &lt;em&gt;craving&lt;/em&gt; this time?&quot; Having thought to ask that question, it may be obvious on introspection that there's some kind of craving happening, and that the craving co-arises with the suffering, and so on. And so I might ask myself, &quot;Should I really want to pursue this craving if it's going to involve suffering?&quot; and of course the rational answer may be &quot;no&quot; (like the joke, &quot;doctor, it hurts when I do this!&quot;, and the doctor's reply is, &quot;Well don't &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; that then!&quot;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So craving (especially unskillful craving) is associated with stress.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next little increment of Dharma might be anatta: for example &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; am craving something&quot; or &quot;I am suffering&quot;. Cessation of craving involves views like &quot;I am not that craving&quot;, &quot;this craving is not me&quot;, &quot;that is not my craving&quot; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;More generally (and I think that people learn to generalize from having had several experiences ... once you've been hit on the head with an apple several times you begin to realize that gravity is involved) you begin to see that &quot;wrong view&quot; is associated with the three characteristics: i.e. not seeing impermanence (e.g. seeing impermanent things as permanent, or wanting impermanent things to be permanent); and views of self versus non-self (where &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/15904/254&quot;&gt;any view of self&lt;/a&gt; is associated with suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths introduce one more thing, i.e. the noble eightfold way. But I find that (eight) is too much to keep in mind, so I remember it as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three-fold training&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that's the essential: how I structure or remember it. I don't remember them all at once, but more-or-less in that sequence (stated above). If I'm stressed I may be lucky to remember anything at all (e.g. craving and cessation). Other topics are more theoretical (I think they're someone's analysis, the Buddha's analysis, of factors involved).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know whether this analogy works: living is like driving a car. It's supposed to be not too complicated. You have your steering wheel, your brake, your fuel, your indicators ... it's not trivial, it takes weeks to learn, but when it (the car) is working well and well-maintained, when the driving conditions aren't too extreme, most adults can learn to drive safely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cars are complicated though and if they do go wrong then there's a lot to know. A mechanic needs to know about ignition timing, about computer diagnostic codes, parts catalogs and who knows what. Maybe lists, like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the five &lt;em&gt;indriya&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, can be viewed as part of the detailed body-of-knowledge that a specialist (e.g. a teacher) needs to diagnose and correct problems when things aren't working properly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas your job as a driver (not a mechanic) is relatively simple: just operate the controls, stay out of trouble, don't hurt people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm wondering am I supposed to do specific meditations for the various different things?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes I think so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An essay like &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sublime States&lt;/a&gt; for example says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I infer that metta bhavana for example (which is a specific meditation) is for one of the &quot;various different things&quot;, i.e. it's specifically for &quot;situations arising from social contact&quot; including &quot;tension, social conflict, wounds, social barriers, building harmonious communities&quot; etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't tell you what each/every type of meditation is for, but I do think different types are described as having different goals (or methods): for example, &quot;calm&quot;; &quot;insight&quot;; &quot;realizing Buddha-nature&quot;; etc... though you can also see them as steps towards one goal (e.g. towards freedom, unbinding, etc.).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mentioned the &quot;five aggregates&quot; too. I don't think it's necessary to try to remember all five simultaneously (nor even possible, if I can only remember one thing at a time). I think they're intended as a list, a detail associated with the &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; doctrine: i.e. it's wrong to think of myself as me, as if I'm one thing only ... instead an analysis of what one might normally think of as &quot;me&quot; or &quot;mine&quot; suggests that there are actually five aggregates, and not just one &quot;me&quot; (i.e. there's &quot;form&quot;, &quot;sensation&quot;, etc.). But it's also better to not identify with any one those five aggregates (nor to see them as permanent). I don't suppose you have to try to remember them all the time, just know (if or when it becomes relevant) that each should be seen as included in (not an exception to) the list of things to be regarded as not-self and impermanent (and that &quot;clinging aggregates&quot; are associated with suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary I think it has a simple summary: stress, and the cessation of stress. Maybe that's all you need to remember.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are other simple summaries too: non-attachment; unselfishness; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T09:56:55.527" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21276" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T10:54:43.123" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buddhism is kind of depressing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or Buddhism is a lot of things (there are different forms of Buddhism) and intended for a lot of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are sometimes subject to depression, suffering; and Buddhism will &amp;quot;speak to their condition&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;That while we are ignorant we wander around in samsara experiencing the pain of birth, ageing, illness and death etc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps not all the time, would you say? Maybe we're not permanently/perpetually aware of that kind of pain. But maybe we're subject to it, vulnerable, fearful at times.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The goal is to be free of this cycle by reaching nibanna and not be reborn anymore.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think nibanna is seen as a &lt;em&gt;permanent&lt;/em&gt; (immediate, timeless) escape from suffering; and that the realization of nibanna is kind of transformation (perhaps a &amp;quot;purification&amp;quot;) which renders you immune, free from suffering and from the fuels which perpetuate suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Because if I am no longer reborn then where am I? If I don't exist anymore then I cannot be in nibanna. And if I no longer exist then what is the point of getting to nibanna anyway as I won't be able to experience it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think the argument is that views-of-self are part of the problem; for example that it's views including:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I must die&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am poor (and can't buy what I want)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am rich (and can't buy what I want)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I am healthy now (but must sicken)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I can't do enough for other people&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I exist and/or I don't exist&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... which result in suffering. And that learning to become immune to suffering implies learning (or includes learning) to avoid the tendency to become attached to views like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why bother even trying to accomplish or achieve anything if it's all suffering and the goal is to not exist anymore?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Well the Pali suttas say that there are two extremes, &lt;em&gt;eternalism&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;nihilism&lt;/em&gt;, and that Buddhism teaches a middle way between extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be worth considering &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the hindrances&lt;/a&gt; for example. Maybe Buddhism teaches how to overcome (or at least, teaches that you should overcome) the hindrances: and that as long as you haven't it's worth bothering with Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little story which I think is a good summary is the Zen story titled &lt;em&gt;Nothing Exists&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Desiring to show his attainment, he said: &amp;quot;The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If nothing exists,&amp;quot; inquired Dokuon, &amp;quot;where did this anger come from?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the goal isn't to &amp;quot;not exist&amp;quot;: it's to not be susceptible to anger, and to conceit, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also perhaps I should mention that although Buddhism's description of the problem (&amp;quot;suffering&amp;quot;) might be seen as depressing, it's description of the solution, the cure, the antidote, might be more attractive. For example the &amp;quot;seven factors of enlightenment&amp;quot; include joy and tranquility; or the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kimattha Sutta: What is the Purpose?&lt;/a&gt; lists freedom from remorse, joy, serenity, knowledge, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T17:03:06.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21277" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3101" CreationDate="2017-06-29T11:07:17.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught a different doctrine to the Vedas but did not &amp;quot;oppose&amp;quot; the Vedas. MN 95 says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sirs, the recluse Gotama holds the doctrine of the moral efficacy of action, the doctrine of the moral efficacy of deeds; &lt;strong&gt;he does not seek any harm for the line of brahmins&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn95&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 95&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2024-03-20T02:21:01.327" LastActivityDate="2024-03-20T02:21:01.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21278" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T18:07:38.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yeah, I can understand where someone would get that impression. Maybe some of it depends on where you're coming from to start. I was raised a Southern Baptist in the southwest plains of the US. That meant twice a week as a child (starting at 5) I was told how even my most subtle thoughts were sins and would send me to the worst place in the universe. I was so afraid that I would lay in my bed at night crying in fear. This is why I sought something different. I knew this wasn't right and man wasn't expected to live in that manner. Or even if he was I wasn't doing it. So I searched.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could not put faith in a deity that supposedly loved me but wanted to make me suffer. I sincerely questioned whether that whole system was nothing more than a tool for control. Then I was exposed to the story of Siddartha Gautma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddartha convinced me that suffering was part of the very nature of man. We seek the opposite of each type of suffering as relief from suffering and all that relief is impermanent. So if we don't change our focus we are doomed to always suffer. And it's OUR fault really. As babies our needs are very simple and they're met rather easily. But as we take on relationships and material items and individual identities we create attachments that actually contribute to our suffering greatly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Siddartha also showed me that one could relinquish those ties and that individuality and by simplifying ones' life we can great diminish if not conquer suffering in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you study the dharma you find that the individuality so spoken of is a facade. We are actually driver of this chariot. The consciousness. The rest, our body, is just a shell that limits our awareness. Even if we make our physical life the simplest and most responsive possible we will still suffer. This is because that suffering is part and parcel of the enjoyment on its' flip side. We try to walk that narrow path between both extremes as we work to extinguish our suffering. And that just THIS life. As soon as this body dies we'll go thru it all over again. And we'll KEEP going thru it until man learns to pierce the veil between consciousness and the physical world - at which time we evolve to pure consciousness without having to go through the cycle of rebirth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;purpose&quot; of this body and existence is to graduate from the &quot;me&quot; thinking of a human infant to &quot;we&quot; thinking of a mature human (right mindedness). That is what our brains are designed to do. That is how our bodies operate most efficiently - by assisting one another. Our consciousness in this body is just a piece of dough pinched off from the consciousness whole. As soon as this host passes we return to the whole. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see nothing depressing about this. It gives me purpose and hope. It makes me smile during bad times knowing they are temporary and will be followed by good. I live by the words damyata (self-control), datta (giving of yourself), and dayadhvam (compassion). This simple map or pattern brings me a smile. Not a sign of depression.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T18:07:38.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21279" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-29T19:11:28.010" Score="3" ViewCount="980" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if ego death and stream entry is the same?&#xA;During what i call 'ego death' or 'experience of pure consciousness', i emptied out  and saw the internal galaxy images. Insights came  although it felt too much to comprehend. I was speechless. Basically it was inconceivable. It lasted 6 hours and more I couldn't sleep after. After that my life changed significantly. I still have issues with self esteem  but much less.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11648" LastEditorUserId="11650" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T00:11:59.510" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T00:11:59.510" Title="Ego death and stream entry is it the same thing?" Tags="|personal-practice|stream-entry|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21280" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21279" CreationDate="2017-06-29T19:54:06.367" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;I wish it were so complete.  Stream entry, while a major event in one's practice, is by no means the death of the ego.  In fact, it only releases one from the lower three fetters (e.g. belief in a self, doubt, and attachment to rites and rituals).  There's much more to go.  I'd go so far to say that it's not until one becomes an arhant that the &quot;ego&quot;, as we understand in the Western sense, is finally put to rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand, however, that &quot;stream entry&quot; is category term for a collection of insights.  While these insights can happen as the result of a single event, that event and the experiences surrounding it like feelings of oneness, visions, and the like are really inconsequential.  What is important is the shift in perspective that follows.  This is fundamentally what distinguishes Buddhism from other mystical traditions.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T19:54:06.367" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21282" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21279" CreationDate="2017-06-29T21:11:30.453" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Temporary ego death &amp;amp; stream entry are not necessarily the same thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Temporary 'ego death' can occur in different ways that are not 'stream entry'. For example, temporary ego death can occur from taking drugs. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist stream-entry includes two major characteristics: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Clearly seeing (with 'insight') the illusory, insubstantial &amp;amp; false nature of 'self'. This '&lt;em&gt;ego-death&lt;/em&gt;' eradicates belief or view of self (&lt;em&gt;sakkāya-diṭṭhi&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Clearly seeing (with 'insight') the absence of self is also the absence of suffering. This eradicates doubt (&lt;em&gt;vicikicchā&lt;/em&gt;) about the teachings and also eradicates the belief that morals (&lt;em&gt;sīlabbata&lt;/em&gt;) alone can end suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what distinguishes mere &lt;em&gt;ego-death&lt;/em&gt; from &lt;em&gt;stream-entry&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;ego-death&lt;/em&gt; alone often leads to fear &amp;amp; confusion where as &lt;em&gt;stream-entry&lt;/em&gt; leads to peace &amp;amp; liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist scriptures say about stream-entry:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A noble disciple who is consummate in view, an individual who has broken through [to stream-entry], the suffering &amp;amp; stress that&#xA;  is totally ended &amp;amp; extinguished is far greater. That which remains...is next to nothing: it's not a hundredth, a thousandth, a one&#xA;  hundred-thousandth, when compared with the previous mass of suffering.&#xA;  That's how great the benefit is of breaking through to the Dhamma,&#xA;  monks. That's how great the benefit is of obtaining the Dhamma eye.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nakhasikha Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-29T21:16:59.923" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T21:16:59.923" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21283" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2017-06-29T21:36:10.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found the Upanishads to be an amazing resource within the dharma. A wonderful collection of philosophical debate and discourse over the nature of the Universe. Couldn't recommend them (a reasonable collection of like the first 10 and some selected others) more highly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Vedas are another flavor. The hymns, rituals, routines of the Arya/Indus valley &quot;clan&quot;. From an academic standpoint I find them fascinating as they give us an insight into the minds of the day. You even get a Tao Te Ching feel from them on a physical side. But their applications to Buddhism are topical at best.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Upanishads good immediately, Vedas good for deep deep backstory as your interest guides you there. I preferred Easwaran Eknath's translations as they were free on .pdf and the narrative was interesting. The Brihadaranyaka is my favorite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T21:36:10.743" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21284" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-29T21:47:52.177" Score="1" ViewCount="32" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists avoid 'reincarnation' instead of 'rebirth'. Especially if we don't mean rebirth into an intermediate state, the term 'reincarnation', to me, seems OK. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does 'rebirth' imply there is no soul? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it an etymological thing? Or something about putting the emphasis on 'birth' rather than the body?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T00:51:07.387" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T00:51:07.387" Title="Why deos 'rebirth' imply there is no soul?" Tags="|rebirth|terminology|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="2" ClosedDate="2017-06-30T00:08:54.763" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21285" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21168" CreationDate="2017-06-29T22:25:20.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like the question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Right view is the first step in Theravada Buddhism, so it &lt;em&gt;makes sense&lt;/em&gt; that you're not getting anywhere, supposing you lack it. If you don't have &quot;right view&quot; you have a few obvious alternatives to choose, not necessarily mutually exclusive:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Read the literature, talk with Buddhists, try to work out for yourself what is reasonable to believe.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Give up your insight practice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Find a tradition which doesn't ask you to hold a view you don't have.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc. I gather that the merit from reaching dhyana means that &quot;you&quot; will be reborn in a heaven (for a while) anyway, so even if you give up you may have gotten something out of your 1st retreat, at the very least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T22:25:20.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21286" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21265" CreationDate="2017-06-29T22:54:19.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I don't see the point. Because if I am no longer reborn then where am&#xA;  I? If I don't exist anymore then I cannot be in nibanna. And if I no&#xA;  longer exist then what is the point of getting to nibanna anyway as I&#xA;  won't be able to experience it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Going out on a limb here, but I think even &lt;em&gt;if&lt;/em&gt; you're right and the Buddha does not experience nirvana, and we assume that there can be no rebirth into painful realms, your inference, that only what we experience can be of any value &lt;em&gt;may be mistaken&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I can quite easily imagine an awful scenario occurring and it still being awful even if I don't know about it. Likewise all my wishes coming true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I agree that maybe there is something galling and depressing about the claim that pleasure isn't really valuable. But who says that the meaning of life is obvious?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I probably disagree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;em&gt;personally&lt;/em&gt; believe that after final nirvana the Buddha still has knowledge of emptiness, just not conceptually. I wouldn't call it an experience, let alone pleasure, but &lt;em&gt;likely&lt;/em&gt; think this says more about the limitations of our categories and thinking, than it being a tangible goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And anyway, death is no bed of roses in atheism either.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-06-29T22:54:19.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21287" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21289" CreationDate="2017-06-29T23:00:45.813" Score="1" ViewCount="289" Body="&lt;p&gt;How can we know what is mundane? Mundane life contains many components that superficially overlap with the Buddhist path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;religious belief&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;unusual experiences&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;changes to character&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;epiphanies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aside from taking a poll of monks or devout Buddhists, is there &lt;strong&gt;a means to test&lt;/strong&gt; whether we have made any progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:33:59.267" Title="How can we know what is mundane?" Tags="|path|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21288" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-29T23:57:01.093" Score="1" ViewCount="51" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read the book &lt;em&gt;Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism&lt;/em&gt;, and it was really interesting to read about the recent history of Buddhism, in Korea. And there's quite a few books on how Buddhism came to America etc.. And I have a few biographies of important monks. And I've read a bit about Bodhidharma, ch'an history in China, Tibetan dissemination, and the like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But is there any other scholarship, like the book on Korea above, I can read about recent Buddhist history, rather than personalities, today?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T00:18:04.240" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:51:34.557" Title="Is there anything I can read about the Buddhist tradition today?" Tags="|reference-request|modern-world|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21289" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21287" CreationDate="2017-06-30T00:17:57.023" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Unless you are, at least, a Sotapanna, &lt;strong&gt;everything&lt;/strong&gt; you experience is mundane.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T00:33:50.470" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T00:33:50.470" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21290" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="73" CreationDate="2017-06-30T00:55:42.613" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist Pali word '&lt;em&gt;birth&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;jati&lt;/em&gt;') refers to the arising of the self-view of '&lt;em&gt;a being&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;satta&lt;/em&gt;').&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is birth? The birth of the various beings into the various orders of beings... &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'A being,' lord. 'A being'. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'? Any desire, passion, delight or craving for form... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 23.3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Have you grasped a view? Just as with an assemblage of parts, the word 'chariot' is used, when the aggregates are present, there is the verbal convention of 'a being.' &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The many different Pali words translated as 're-birth' essentially refer to the re-arising or re-formation of the self-view of 'a being' due to kamma (action).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, under the influence of self-view, a person undertakes a financial scam &amp;amp; celebrates when they become or are '&lt;em&gt;re-born&lt;/em&gt;' financially wealthy. Then, when they are imprisoned for fraud, the same person is re-born as a prisoner in a jail &amp;amp; are unhappy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, despite the different interpretations, '&lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt;' is always a doctrine of '&lt;em&gt;moral efficacy&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as '&lt;em&gt;reincarnation&lt;/em&gt;' is always a &lt;em&gt;metaphysical&lt;/em&gt; doctrine of the soul or some other mental substance entering a new physical body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Buddhist can believe in moral '&lt;em&gt;rebirth&lt;/em&gt;' but not believe in '&lt;em&gt;reincarnation&lt;/em&gt;' (life after death).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:06:46.020" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21291" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-30T01:13:14.313" Score="2" ViewCount="429" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do Buddhas have precognition? Do they know what events are going to happen before they do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, the Buddha knows that he will not be reborn, and he knows what will generate a good rebirth, and what a bad. Are any of these destinies both assured and knowable?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;em&gt;Early Buddhism and the Bhagavadgita&lt;/em&gt;, By Kashi Nath Upadhyaya, p84, the Buddha &quot;seems&quot; to have claimed that he does not have &quot;unlimited&quot; knowledge of the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I wondered if Buddhas had &lt;em&gt;any certain&lt;/em&gt; knowledge of the future, aside from their not being reborn. Or perhaps, though the future is not fully predetermined (ibid), they can have certain knowledge of events aside from not being reborn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apologies for stating this, because &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7381/does-yesterday-have-buddha-nature&quot;&gt;users of the&lt;/a&gt; site may have &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7382/do-beings-without-conscious-experiences-have-buddha-nature&quot;&gt;noticed&lt;/a&gt; that I ask &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19227/can-how-do-we-know-what-death-is&quot;&gt;many&lt;/a&gt; similar &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/7184/what-is-the-term-for-not-believing-in-cause-and-effect-after-death&quot;&gt;questions&lt;/a&gt;, but, from wikipedia...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Think not of the past but of the future. Constantly maintain the&#xA;  future thoughts to be good. This is what we call the Sambhogakāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just one single evil thought could destroy the good karma that has&#xA;  continued for one thousand years; and just one single good thought in&#xA;  turn could destroy the evil karma that has lived for one thousand&#xA;  years. If the future thoughts are always good, you may call this the&#xA;  Sambhogakāya. The discriminative thinking arising from the Dharmakāya&#xA;  (法身↔fashen &quot;Truth body&quot;) is called the Nirmanakāya (化身↔huashen&#xA;  &quot;transformation body&quot;). The successive thoughts that forever involve&#xA;  good are thus the Sambhogakāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if they don't, and the Buddha-nature is identical to the body, then maye it could be said (likely not) that rebirth has no &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;phenomena&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; whatsoever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorUserId="10823" LastEditDate="2018-07-28T17:37:06.057" LastActivityDate="2018-07-28T17:37:06.057" Title="Do Buddhas have precognition?" Tags="|future|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21292" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21288" CreationDate="2017-06-30T01:25:54.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found this helpful. Not sure if this is the direction you were seeking or if it's too general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sangharakshita.org/pdfs/a_buddhist_manifesto.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.sangharakshita.org/pdfs/a_buddhist_manifesto.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:25:54.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21293" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21287" CreationDate="2017-06-30T01:28:14.087" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali Buddhism, what is not mundane is defined by the word '&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;', which means '&lt;em&gt;beyond the world&lt;/em&gt;', '&lt;em&gt;supramundane&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;transcendent&lt;/em&gt;&amp;quot; &amp;amp;, most importantly, equates with the realisation of '&lt;em&gt;emptiness&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;'), '&lt;em&gt;not-self&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;') or selflessness. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīratthā &lt;strong&gt;lokuttarā&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;suññata&lt;/strong&gt;paṭisaṃyuttā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, &lt;strong&gt;transcendent&lt;/strong&gt;, connected with &lt;strong&gt;emptiness&lt;/strong&gt;...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 20.7&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, unless the mind is, at least, Sotapanna, everything experienced is 'mundane'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Contrary to the above, what is '&lt;em&gt;mundane&lt;/em&gt;' in Pali Buddhism is described as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is right view affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is what is given and what is offered and what is sacrificed; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions (kamma); there is this world and the other world (paraloka); there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously (sattā opapātikā); there are in the world good and virtuous recluses and brahmins (samaṇabrāhmaṇāsamaṇa) who have realised for themselves by direct knowledge and declare this world &amp;amp; the other world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn117&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, included with the ordinary world of common conventions, the following Buddhist topics are also 'mundane':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma &amp;amp; rebirth&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Other worlds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Blind faith in words of teachers &amp;amp; gurus&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:33:59.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21295" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21288" CreationDate="2017-06-30T01:51:34.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Broken Buddha&lt;/em&gt; isn't exactly a history -- more of a snapshot, a description, an account of the author's personal experiences -- his description of people he met and their attitudes and behaviours which he saw ... not about &quot;personalities&quot;, in that the people he describes are unnamed or not famous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Seven Years in Tibet&lt;/em&gt; is history (ending in 1950) -- but by a non-Buddhist, and more about the culture, society, geography and politics of Tibet at the time, than about Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T01:51:34.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21296" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21300" CreationDate="2017-06-30T02:22:03.357" Score="3" ViewCount="1177" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to read about the history of Buddhism. Which book or books would you recommend?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8433" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T06:03:02.087" Title="Which is a good book to read about history of Buddhism?" Tags="|history|books|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21297" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21291" CreationDate="2017-06-30T02:47:44.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Do Buddhas have precognition?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some Buddhist may have precognition if they develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt;. Precognition is not limited to Buddhism. Hindus also have meditation techniques which develop these kind of powers. Though not frequent there are cases outside Buddhism also which such phenomena has been seen. See studies in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;parapsychology&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having said this only a handful of people even among Buddhist have precognition as an ability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T02:47:44.847" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21298" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-30T04:34:26.140" Score="5" ViewCount="587" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know how &lt;em&gt;suicide&lt;/em&gt; is viewed in Buddhism. I know that it is not viewed positively, but I want to know why. Is it because it brings grief to others? Is that the only reason? Or there is something else..? &#xA;I think that if you die happily in a calm state because you wish to, there is no negative energy within you.. so I don't understand why suicide is such a bad thing. &lt;em&gt;(the reasons I think are the grief that will bring to the family and that one's negative energy will linger)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also varies among countries and cultures (I'm from the East Asia), but I believe it all began with the core teachings of Buddha and I just want to learn his teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11651" LastEditorUserId="11651" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T04:40:11.743" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T13:10:42.807" Title="Buddhism on suicide" Tags="|life|suicide|buddhist|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21299" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21298" CreationDate="2017-06-30T05:14:57.017" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, a calm &amp;amp; happy person is not inclined to commit suicide. Generally, a person thinks about committing suicide because they are unhappy &amp;amp; suffering from &lt;em&gt;emotional&lt;/em&gt; pain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, only enlightened beings are reported to have ended life. This occurred in at least two situations: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Terminal illness with totally disabling pain (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/286-channovda-sutta-advice-to-channa.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 144&lt;/a&gt;), which was unblameworthy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Revulsion towards the meaningless of phenomena (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 54.9&lt;/a&gt;), which was both unpraiseworthy &amp;amp; unnecessary. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person commits suicide because of &lt;em&gt;emotional suffering&lt;/em&gt;, in Buddhism, this is considered to be unpraiseworthy for at least three reasons: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;craving exists for a certain state of being;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;faith has not been placed in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha &amp;amp; Noble Eightfold Path to overcome the emotional pain &amp;amp; suffering, which can be overcome with right practise; and&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;it can result in suffering arising in other people, such as mother, father, family &amp;amp; friends.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T13:10:42.807" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T13:10:42.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21300" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21296" CreationDate="2017-06-30T05:30:07.963" Score="3" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism: Its History and Literature, by T.W. Rhys Davids&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhist India, by T.W. Rhys Davids&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Early Buddhist Monachism (600 B.C. - 100 B.C.), by Sukumar Dutt&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;History of Buddhism in Ceylon: The Anurādhapura Period, 3rd Century BC – 10th Century AC, by Walpola Rahula&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;History of Indian Buddhism: From the Origins to the Śaka Era, by Étienne Lamotte&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction, by Richard H. Robinson&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The History of Buddhist Thought, by Edward J. Thomas&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo: (Second Edition), by Richard F. Gombrich&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Indian Buddhism (A.K Warder), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;History of Indian Buddhism (Hirakawa Akira), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How Buddhism Began (Gombrich). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Birth of Insight (Erik Braun). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The Origin of Buddhist Meditation (Alexander Wynne), &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha and Buddhist Synods in India and Abroad (Amarnath Thakur). &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks: Collected Papers on the Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Texts of Monastic Buddhism in India (Gregory Schopen).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a more of such books at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T06:03:02.087" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T06:03:02.087" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21301" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21298" CreationDate="2017-06-30T05:37:51.553" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Suicide is the result of hatred towards yourself, perhaps others or a thing (sickness). Hatred is an unwholesome mental state which will result in a birth in a lower realm. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a disputed subject in Buddhism. There is an extended discussion at this link: &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=27879&amp;amp;hilit=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=27879&amp;amp;hilit=&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T05:52:18.913" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T05:52:18.913" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21302" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21298" CreationDate="2017-06-30T05:54:17.843" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Possible list of reasons for not condoning suicide:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;You are intentionally taking a life which is breaking Sila and Vinaya&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It bring social problems like misery to loved ones and oftens dependents&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The act is done with negative mental state hence does not lead to beneficial rebirth in the next life.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Based on the view of extinction or nihilism which is unskillful&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More on this see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.12-Channovada-S-m144-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chann’ovāda Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.2-Death-An-early-Buddhist-perspective.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Death: An early Buddhist perspective&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T05:54:17.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21303" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17570" CreationDate="2017-06-30T09:52:06.780" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This book might be useful: The Koan. Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. By Steven Heine e.a. With contributions from several specialists in the field&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11614" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T09:52:06.780" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21304" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21238" CreationDate="2017-06-30T14:31:05.853" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Like most ascetic practices, there actually is some value to this kind of breath practice.  The problem is that the concept behind it is often misunderstood and the mechanization that make it work get turned into something unskillful or even dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Katsuki Sekida's book Zen Training, the relationship between blankness, mu (e.g. shunyata) and the breath is explored at length.  If you are interested in this sort of thing (especially in relation to Zen practice) I'd strongly encourage you to check out the book in full.  For now, we can do a little experiment.  Watch your breathing for a minute.  Once you've calmed your mind some - we'll say five minutes of anapansati practice - focus on fully exhaling all of the breath from your lungs.  As you do that, watch your mind.  You will notice that as your lungs empty, mental chatter subsides and is replaced by a sense of space or blankness.  This is mu, albeit a very conditioned, superficial       version of it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation practice, at least from a Zen perspective seeks to deepen this experience of voidness.  The means for arriving there is to lightly watch the breath through one's inhalation, exhalations, and, most significantly, the space between the two.  Eventually, this blankness will disconnect from the breath and become an object of meditation all on its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect that the kind of breath practice undertaken by the striving Buddha was aimed at accessing this sort of blankness.  Obviously, there are gentler and more effective ways of accomplishing this; that's why he left it behind!    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T14:31:05.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21305" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-30T21:28:31.513" Score="6" ViewCount="5032" Body="&lt;p&gt;I used to meditate daily, about 2 or 3 years ago I stopped. &#xA;A week ago I decided to start meditating again. I sat down closed my eyes... and suddenly I am halfway through cleaning my dishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I try again sit down close my eyes, and I am doing laundry. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't consciously see myself stopping and starting these chores. I completely space out on what is going on and &quot;come to&quot; doing a chore or task. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is going on? I have never had this problem before, and normally consider myself to be pretty mindful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T17:18:50.490" Title="Can't meditate anymore" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|meditation|meditation-hindrances|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21306" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21305" CreationDate="2017-06-30T21:35:16.507" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's not a problem. It's the human mind. Meditation is not meant to stop thought. It's meant to help you notice &quot;what is&quot;. You have noticed how busy and restless your mind is. That is good. As you get more into your practice again you will notice more moments of stillness also. Just accept where you are at and let go of any expectations for things to be any differently or the way they used to be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T21:35:16.507" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21307" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21305" CreationDate="2017-06-30T21:49:28.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you are assailed with Vitakka and Vicara.&#xA;This is a common activity of our mind. Be aware of these thoughts. If they are wholesome (Samma Sankhappa) then they are OK.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-06-30T21:49:28.663" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21308" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-06-30T21:49:50.460" Score="4" ViewCount="405" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was thinking about going to a retreat in thailand called suanmok and then I saw the picture of the bed. A straw mat and a tiny wooden pillow!!! why would they make people sleep like that?  It seems like torture to me and so I decided not to go. If the Buddha didn't believe in asceticism why do some monasteries and retreat centres?   At the very least I need to sleep comfortably when on retreat. I would just end up sleep deprived and grumpy and not be able to meditate properly anyway. I can't even sleep properly in my luxurious queen size bed with pillow top mattress most nights. Does anyone know of a more comfortable retreat?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-06-30T22:15:46.633" LastActivityDate="2019-11-16T00:57:58.980" Title="Uncomfortable sleeping conditions on retreat" Tags="|retreat|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21309" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21308" CreationDate="2017-06-30T23:56:31.480" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Google earth of meditation centre &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ip0sL.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ip0sL.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fW9yW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/fW9yW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They also provide a piece of 'masonite' wood over the concrete bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/i9SLu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/i9SLu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can take your own camping mattress &amp;amp; pillow. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the retreat is catering mostly for backpackers, people turn up with their backpacks &amp;amp; whatever they are carrying in them, which they take into their room.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They don't have '&lt;em&gt;dhamma police&lt;/em&gt;' checking for camping mattresses the rooms. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for taking a bath, it is outdoor, communal, cold water, using a dish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Cp3iZ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Cp3iZ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for toilets, generally squat (unless you can find a sit down, somewhere). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UYa8W.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/UYa8W.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6J8ii.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/6J8ii.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the good old days, we all piled into these old wooden dorms, sleep on the floor &amp;amp; use this old toilet in the forest. At least recently there is an individual wooden bed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9Yi32.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/9Yi32.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FfeGW.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FfeGW.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This old toilet location is circled in red, below. One of the most beautiful toilet in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/x608A.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/x608A.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dXwV8.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/dXwV8.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditate with the white Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cdFqR.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/cdFqR.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/txRb2.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/txRb2.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T11:08:28.640" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T11:08:28.640" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21310" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-01T04:51:29.350" Score="3" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for that very specific sutta in the Pâli Canons wherein it is made plain that such a one not having himself attained to liberation, is not qualified to liberate other. The simile, I think, is about being mired in quicksands...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your kind attention, your help is very much appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11288" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T11:16:10.547" Title="Quicksands Simile?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|sutras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21311" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21305" CreationDate="2017-07-01T09:38:40.213" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Distraction could be due to Restless Worry which is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is due to unwise attention:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is unrest of mind; frequently giving unwise attention to it — that is the nourishment for the arising of restlessness and remorse that have not yet arisen, and for the increase and strengthening of restlessness and remorse that have already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 46:51, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&#xA;Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;compiled and translated by&#xA;Nyanaponika Thera&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21191/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wise attention can help with your wondering mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is quietude of mind; frequently giving wise attention to it — that is the denourishing of the arising of restlessness and remorse that have not yet arisen, and of the increase and strengthening of restlessness and remorse that have already arisen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 46:51&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These things should be avoided:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is restless it is not the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: &lt;strong&gt;investigation of the doctrine&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;energy&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;rapture&lt;/strong&gt;, because an agitated mind can hardly be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following should be cultivated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the mind is restless, it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: &lt;strong&gt;tranquillity&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;concentration&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;equanimity&lt;/strong&gt;, because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;— SN 46:53&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T09:38:40.213" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21312" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21310" CreationDate="2017-07-01T10:14:10.347" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Quicksand similes / references&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following are the only &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/search?query=Quicksand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;2 Quicksand&lt;/a&gt; references as per SC.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Attaining true liberation /&#xA;  ​is just like this:&#xA;  once rid of afflictions, /&#xA;  ​the quicksand of desires,&#xA;  no one knows /&#xA;  ​whither he went.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sa-2.15&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dabba enters Nirvāṇa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Like as a strong man lends a helping hand&#xA;  To weaker, sunk in mire or in quicksand:&#xA;  So, Queen Pancati, thou hast saved me here,&#xA;  With verses sung so sweetly in mine ear.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/ja509&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hatthi-Pala Jātaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T11:14:30.583" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T11:14:30.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21313" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21310" CreationDate="2017-07-01T11:06:55.023" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta you are looking for can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn8#table-of-contents&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 8 - Sallekha Sutta: Effacement&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here the Buddha gives the following teaching to Ven. Cunda:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(The way of extinguishing)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;16&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;“Cunda, that one who is himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is impossible; that one who is not himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is possible. That one who is himself untamed, undisciplined, [with defilements] unextinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is impossible; that one who is himself tamed, disciplined, [with defilements] extinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is possible&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T11:16:10.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21314" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21305" CreationDate="2017-07-01T11:46:47.750" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't worry. Its just a natural lack of mindfulness due to the time not engaging in (mindfulness) meditation practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stay consistent with your method of practice and don't let too much time pass between formal sittings. Do short sessions of 15-30 minutes and gradually increase sitting time, as your faculties strengthen. With correct and consistent practice, mindfulness and insights will arise again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its just like heating water. Your pot has been standing on a cold stove for a while. Turn on the heat again and the water will eventually boil.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you practice &lt;em&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt; then you might want to limit yourself to 1 or 2 of the Four Sattipathanas and gradually increase the amount of objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do &lt;em&gt;Samatha meditation&lt;/em&gt; then reaffirm your &lt;em&gt;intentions&lt;/em&gt; (whether they are wholesome or not)  for doing the practice, practice skillful efforts and start out with short sessions. Its even more important here to do short sessions in the beginning, due to the concentrated nature of this practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, investigate the five spiritual faculties and find out where they are unbalanced and then work on balancing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if any help is needed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T11:46:47.750" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21315" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-01T11:48:11.973" Score="2" ViewCount="983" Body="&lt;p&gt;If people i care about get sick a lot and die a lot  -  is it part of my karma to experience this ?  is there a name for this type of karma ?  anything that can be added on this subject will be appreciated  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now my grandfather is in the hospital  - so its his bad karma to be there -  but is it also part of my karma cause i suffer from him being there   (and yes i dont have to suffer from it and can use it as even a good thing but its not my question) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T00:22:55.067" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T10:07:00.267" Title="People get sick and die next to me - my karma?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21316" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21315" CreationDate="2017-07-01T12:27:13.637" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your grandfather in the hospital is not because of bad karma. It is because of the aging &amp;amp; decaying of the physical body. The Blessed One declared:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;All that is dear &amp;amp; beloved there must be change, separation &amp;amp; severance. Of that which is born, come into being, compounded &amp;amp; subject to decay, how can one say: 'May it not come to dissolution!'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindful and clearly comprehending, reflect in this way: 'Impermanent are all compounded things. How could this be otherwise?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism states, even when there is death, the good karma a person has done will bring good results &amp;amp; the bad karma person has done will bring bad results. Therefore, when your grandfather is in hospital, you should think about the good karma your grandfather did in his life. To quote:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions&#xA;under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,&#xA;after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad&#xA;destination, the lower realms, in hell.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech &amp;amp; mind, who did not revile noble ones, who held right views and&#xA;undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the&#xA;break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good&#xA;destinations, in the heavenly world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhaya-bherava Sutta: Fear &amp;amp; Terror&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your grandfather dies, you must think about his good karma and you must make merits &amp;amp; dedications for him. The scriptures state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In five ways, a child should minister to his parents:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(i) Having supported me I shall support them,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(ii) I shall do their duties,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(iii) I shall keep the family tradition,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(iv) I shall make myself worthy of my inheritance,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(v) furthermore &lt;strong&gt;I shall make offerings in honor of my departed relatives&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sigalovada Sutta: The Layperson's Code of Discipline&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, the only bad karma that is occurring is your not having right view in the mind about the Dhamma. Even if your grandfather in hospital causes you grief &amp;amp; sadness, as a Buddhist, you must also have Dhamma in your mind, as the Buddha taught, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. 'All are subject to aging. Have I gone beyond [am I peace with] aging?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. 'All are subject to illness. Have I gone beyond illness?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. 'All are subject to death. Have I gone beyond death?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. I will eventually be separated from all that is dear and appealing to me.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;5. 'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for ill, to that I will be the heir.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upajjhatthana Sutta: Subjects for Contemplation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Click here for &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Alternate translation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T10:07:00.267" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21317" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21315" CreationDate="2017-07-01T12:29:45.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is only understood by the Buddha fully since it is a very complex topic. But having said this the Karma you do generally affects oneself, but there are instances when this is not the case (E.g. Tsunami during period of King Kelanitissa affected the whole country though it was the King who committed the karma). But again for Karma to take effect the environment needs to fall in place. Say you have a Karma to part with loved ones. Then it might affect people around you but cannot be definite on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there might be other Niyama Dhamma which might have effects. It could be pure randomness or coincidence. Not everything happen with Karma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also following might be helpful to understand Karma more:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/18.1-Karma-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karma&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/39.1-Group-karma-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Group Karma?&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.16-Maha-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m136-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Kamma,vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.15-Cula-Kamma-Vibhanga-S-m135-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Kamma Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books8/Pa_Auk_Workings_of_Kamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Workings of Kamma&lt;/a&gt; by Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pañcavidha niyama - &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/niyama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;wisdomlib&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;THE NIYAMA-DIPANI: The Manual of Cosmic Order by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T14:39:56.517" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21318" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21308" CreationDate="2017-07-01T12:33:26.363" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Calling it &quot;torture&quot; and a &quot;concentration camp&quot; is obviously an exaggeration; and I read the Buddha's &quot;not believing in &lt;em&gt;asceticism&lt;/em&gt;&quot; as meaning that people need enough &lt;em&gt;food&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There might be something to say about the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;eighth precept&lt;/a&gt; (but I don't know what):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps your apparent astonishment is a matter of what you've been accustomed to. Dhammadattu's photographs remind me of a boarding school, army barrack, boy scout camp, youth hostel, and/or camping ground. The dormitory he showed looks to me more &quot;luxurious&quot; than camping (sleeping) in a tent is, which lots of people do (or did) just for a holiday; and a flush toilet is preferable to a &quot;pit latrine&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're not used to it (from your past experiences) perhaps that's why it's surprising to you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe an analogy is sitting in the &quot;lotus&quot; position: that it's not a problem for people who are used to it. I don't think I can reach the &quot;lotus&quot; position, but sleep on a wood (or straw) surface is feasible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for &quot;why would they make people sleep like that&quot;, apart from any Dharma-related (or health-related) reasons I expect it's practical: cheap, sufficient, no bed-bugs or mice, no linen to launder.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;https://diaryofapilgrim.com/2013/04/08/wat-suan-mok/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, as Dhammadattu said, someone commented that they brought their own bedding, including a foamy mattress which they bought at a local market.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T12:33:26.363" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21319" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21315" CreationDate="2017-07-01T12:46:17.660" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry to hear that... I hope you've got pass of it now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems you may be under temporary emotional stress that prompt you at this immediate moment think in this way. Experience is experience, Karma is Karma, when you equate and sum up as &quot;my Karma to experience&quot; it doesn't help to see things in the objective perspective. Care and lost of the cared is the element for Samsaric journey when the 12 Nidana(s) fementated and play out the drama we called world &amp;amp; life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, people associated the closer meant they shared stronger the Karmic deposits, they likely were interacting more vigorously with each other in the past so stronger hate/love forces were accumulated, comparatively. The way for the drama to play out the Karmic force could be very unexpected. On the other hand, kinships share DNA that is the expression of Karma (my insight, genome is the expression of Karma). In this sense, members within the kinship could share similar heath coditions. Last, people do have &quot;energy&quot; vibrations that may be good or bad to the recipients, fortune telling is not completely superstitions just because these fortune-tellers don't earn the PhD of Chemistry or Biology they don't use the accredited jargons the scientists used. So some people may affect others. In the Sutras there were many accounts describing how people were gladden and rejoicing merely hearing few words or simple blessing from the Buddha - his &quot;energy&quot; field can be seen by nake eyes as the glow emitting from him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T12:46:17.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21320" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21315" CreationDate="2017-07-01T14:27:14.017" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having loved ones or pleasurable company is Vipaka(results) of good Karma. The departing of loved ones or withering away of pleasant experiences come under the first noble truth. You getting sad about it is the Vipaka(result) of bad mental Karma of clinging to loved ones or pleasant experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T14:51:31.480" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T14:51:31.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21321" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-01T14:37:08.513" Score="1" ViewCount="117" Body="&lt;p&gt;I started meditating regularly four years ago, about an hour daily. Then, three years ago, my son was born, and since then it's been really difficult for me to be constant with my practice. It's hard for me to make time to meditate. Only during the night I find some time to be alone, but I'm so tired... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you have any advice on how to rebuild my practice amidst family life?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8433" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T20:22:07.100" Title="Meditation and family life" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21322" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21321" CreationDate="2017-07-01T14:50:59.987" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to mediate 2 session of 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening / night. Also you can try shorter session but perhaps adding up to about 2+ hours a day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the session is too short you will not get result. It is like rubbing 2 fire wood sticks. To get fire you have to rub them enough to ignite. If you practice too short sessions and not seeing the benefit of meditation soon enough might perhaps may lead you to give up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they are too long it might interfere with your day to day activities and you might give up meditation as it becomes a burden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also if the session are too far apart then the results from the previous session may wear off and you might be starting the session from a lower progress point. Again you might not see much benefit as progress might seam slow if the sessions are far apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You just have to balance these concerns and make a decision.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T16:52:26.043" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T16:52:26.043" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21323" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21325" CreationDate="2017-07-01T15:00:17.733" Score="2" ViewCount="183" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have seen lot of paranormal activities videos about scientists who have done lot of research in spirit communication and are successful in doing so. Can this be done or possible? What are the ways this can be achieved according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T15:54:45.240" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T17:23:14.933" Title="Buddhist perspective how humans can communicate with spirits?" Tags="|untagged|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21324" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21321" CreationDate="2017-07-01T15:10:19.910" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Be mindful of everything you do. That is meditation. Distractions are meditation objects. Not showstoppers. Showstoppers are mostly your strong wrong views like God, soul or nihilism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T15:10:19.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21325" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21323" CreationDate="2017-07-01T15:42:01.707" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes this can be done if you develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;abhiññā&lt;/a&gt;. It will be through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepathy&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ceto-pariya-ñāṇa&lt;/a&gt;. In order to do this you have to develop at least the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4th Jhana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are more recent documented instances where this has been done in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/ebooks/english/pdf/Acariya_Mun__A_Spiritual_Biography.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Venerable Ãcariya Mun Bhuridatta Thera&lt;/a&gt;'s biography. The general training that was followed recorded in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.forestdhamma.org/ebooks/english/pdf/Patipada.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patipadā Venerable Ãcariya Mun’s Path of Practice&lt;/a&gt;. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mun_Bhuridatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Thera&lt;/a&gt; was a teacher of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ajahn Chah&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also refer: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;p369, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;CH. XII THE SUPERNORMAL POWERS, The Path of Purification&lt;/a&gt;, 4td Ed., Bhikkhu Nanamoli (trans.)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;p206, &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/download/ArahantUpatossa-Vimuttimagga-PathOfFreedom.pdf/ArahantUpatissaEharaN.r.tr-PathOfFreedomvimuttimagga.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Path Of Freedom (Vimuttimagga)&lt;/a&gt; of Arahant Upatissa Translated from the Chinese by Rev. N. R. M. Ehara, Soma Thera, Kheminda Thera&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.5b-Ways-of-Attaining-Dhyana-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ways of Attaining Dhyana&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/27.5a-Miracles-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Miracles&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also be warned that only a few a successful in developing supernormal powers and this can become a hindrance, hence you are better of working towards liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T17:23:14.933" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21326" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21308" CreationDate="2017-07-01T20:06:38.773" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You will be discouraged from indulging in sleep on most meditation retreats. If you stay with the schedule (waking up as early as 4:00 in the morning), you will find that the most sleep you can get is around 6 hours. Simple bedding motivates you to make the most of your sleeping hours and devote the rest of the time to practicing meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T20:06:38.773" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21327" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21321" CreationDate="2017-07-01T20:22:07.100" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You said that you meditated for about an hour daily. Now that you are busy, why not ten minutes per day of formal meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is no time for formal meditation, you can still be mindful all the time:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other people say they don't have the chance to meditate because they're too busy. Sometimes schoolteachers come to see me. They say they have many responsibilities so there's no time to meditate. I ask them, 'When you're teaching do you have time to breathe?’ They answer, 'Yes.' 'So how can you have time to breathe if the work is so hectic and confusing? Here you are far from Dhamma.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually this practice is just about the mind and its feelings. It's not something that you have to run after or struggle for. Breathing continues while working. Nature takes care of the natural processes – all we have to do is try to be aware. Just to keep trying, going inwards to see clearly. Meditation is like this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we have that presence of mind then whatever work we do will be the very tool which enables us to know right and wrong continually. There's plenty of time to meditate; we just don't fully understand the practice, that's all. While sleeping we breathe, while eating we breathe, don't we? Why don't we have time to meditate? Wherever we are we breathe. If we think like this then our life has as much value as our breath; wherever we are we have time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;—Ajahn Chah, &amp;quot;The Peace Beyond&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T20:22:07.100" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21328" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-01T21:27:22.233" Score="1" ViewCount="133" Body="&lt;p&gt;Should I do reflection before eating if I don't plan to keep it?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is an issue I'm aware of that you shouldn't say stuff you won't be able to do  - I mean sometimes you can but that its better not to promise stuff you probably will fail doing (I don't want to give examples but it is a thing in Buddhism I hope some will know what I'm talking about) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my question is should one say a reflection on food (&quot;I use this almsfood not for beautification but for supporting the holy life etc etc...&quot;)   when he knows he probably isn't going to keep it? What about when he thinks there's a tiny chance he will?  What about most likely will keep it?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2019-01-29T21:53:59.637" LastActivityDate="2019-01-29T21:53:59.637" Title="Should I do reflection before eating if I don't plan to keep it" Tags="|food|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21329" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21328" CreationDate="2017-07-01T22:56:35.780" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So my question is should one say a reflection on food (&quot;i use this almsfood not for beautification but for supporting the holy life etc etc ...&quot;) when he knows he probably isnt going to keep it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a lay person: Probably not..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a monastic: Definitely not!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on Alms food belongs to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-bhikkhus-rules/d/doc1739.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Four Requisites&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Properly considering almsfood, I use it: not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on weight, nor for beautification; but simply for the survival and continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the chaste life, (thinking) I will destroy old feelings (of hunger) and not create new feelings (from overeating). Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless, and live in comfort.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As explained in the footnotes/commentary - &lt;em&gt;then a monk should make use of offerings properly and not do anything with them which will make the donors faith decline.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about when he thinks theres a tiny chance he will ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If his &lt;em&gt;intentions&lt;/em&gt; are wholesome, then yes of course.&#xA;Even a small amount of wholesome intention, serves to strengthen the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhi%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Adhiṭṭhāna (resolution) pāramī&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about most likley will keep it ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes of course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actions that reduce distance to Nibbana should be undertaken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-01T23:16:57.867" LastActivityDate="2017-07-01T23:16:57.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21330" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21328" CreationDate="2017-07-02T00:57:31.263" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When one tries not to break ones promise, and to live life according to the well-being of others, this is a high concept of moral. Those concepts are not part of Buddhism directly, but they are derived from the inner Philosophy of mind and world. While they are certainly part of the discourses of Buddhist traditions, it should be important to notice that in Buddhism there is no doctrine -- this is if one looks at Buddhism as philosophy (close to the Pali Canon or the Theravada tradition). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is Buddhist moral according to Buddhist philosophy then?&#xA;In Buddhist philosophy, the whole worldly phenomenon as it is experienced in any moment is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;, 'pain' or 'suffering', or &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;, 'thirst', 'volition', 'craving'. Overcoming this whole phenomenon is the 'extinction of thirst', or &lt;em&gt;tanhakkhaya&lt;/em&gt;, it means one is able to see 'truth', &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt;. &#xA;'Mental activity' means 'conditioning', or &lt;em&gt;samkhara&lt;/em&gt;, and reproduces dukkha. 'Volitional action' according to Buddhist philosophy is called &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt; (not to be with the Western term or the karma in the Vedas). All things that are either &lt;em&gt;kusala&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;akusala&lt;/em&gt;, 'wholesome' and 'unwholesome' are reproducing, they are leading to 'rebirth', &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;, meaning they will lead the mind to more conditioned states.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To come back to your question: Doing something willingly wrong, like lying, can usually be considered more strongly unwholesome. But this is not to say that doing the opposite will save one from suffering. Wanting to do good is just another mental formation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loosely speaking, the margin between good and bad is thin, like with most things in the world. Our organisms need salt, but eating several spoons will damage the body severely. &#xA;The closer you get to see truth, the more precise you come to describe the world as it is experienced. But for all the different states that we are in, there is a solution to come to a less conditioned state. The Fourth Noble Truth is the Noble Eightfold Path, consisting of a variety of trainings. Mainly those trainings aim at producing 'ethical conduct', 'mental discipline', and 'wisdom', &lt;em&gt;sila&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;panna&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Buddhist path deals with the Right Speech, &lt;em&gt;samma vaca&lt;/em&gt;, it is the 3rd category of the Noble Eightfold Path. (The 4th is Right Action, &lt;em&gt;samma kammanta&lt;/em&gt; and might be related to this question also.) Speech should be useful, one can also remain silent rather than engaging in wrong speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I see it, the declaration or phrase used to receive food is more of a gesture. It is a nice act, it can help to implement good habits, it acts as a little reminder. This reminder is karma in the sense of the Vedas or Hindu sense: It is a mere action. The point is that according to Buddhism the mere speech is not &lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;, it is just sound. What matters more is mental volition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mismatch of the words and the (assumed) behavior of the person receiving the food is neither morally right nor wrong. If the mismatch helps the receiver be actually more careful in his ethical conduct one day, but it also might not do this -- the receiver also doesn't know what will come. But what is considered morally right, is the individual's effort towards a solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11659" LastEditorDisplayName="user11659" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T01:03:50.187" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T01:03:50.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21331" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21308" CreationDate="2017-07-02T01:09:45.943" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;I can't even sleep properly in my luxurious queen size bed with pillow top mattress most nights.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;*****&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is the answer to your question. Sleep is nothing to with the luxury.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T01:24:29.973" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T01:24:29.973" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21332" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21328" CreationDate="2017-07-02T03:06:50.893" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The reflection before eating is not a promise or saying something you will do. This is to gradually bend your mind and build strong resolve so you do not eat for enjoyment or other reason but to fulfil your meditation and practice and to maintain life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you willing do not intend to keep it it might be counterproductive in building this intention. But if you reflect and it does not go as reflected it is OK. You should strengthen you resolve next time. This might take some practice to do this to start with. A point will come when you can keep your resolve. If you're not resolve it at just recite it then this is self deception and should be avoided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also monks do give a morsel of food to animals before partaking meals. Perhaps you can add this to your practice also even if you are a layperson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if you are layperson it is good to make a strong resolution about food and if it breaks make a stronger resolution. If you are a Novice make use of this period so you can fulfil the Vinaya after higher ordination. If you are a Monk with higher ordination make amends as prescribed in the Vinaya. Also not if you willfully break Vinaya as a higher ordinated monk this is bad Karma. You should not have self deception and you should try your best to keep it as a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T04:08:07.180" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T04:08:07.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21333" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="28976" CreationDate="2017-07-02T09:45:24.843" Score="1" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it correct to say that &lt;em&gt;dhammakaya&lt;/em&gt; (the sum of all Buddha's teachings) is a synonym of 'the real nature of reality'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2495" LastActivityDate="2018-08-27T18:17:35.340" Title="Is dhammakaya a synonym of 'real nature of things'?" Tags="|terminology|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21334" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-02T11:19:16.450" Score="6" ViewCount="897" Body="&lt;p&gt;I heard a Buddhist story about trust some time ago and am trying to locate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The story goes, there are some men travelling (I think) to a temple or monastery and on the way they get swindled and lose all their belongings to a con (or something, somehow are tricked)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When they get to the temple or monastery they are asked what they have learned.  The first man says 'not to trust anyone' and is not admitted.  The 2nd (or 3rd) man says that he has learned to be &lt;strong&gt;careful&lt;/strong&gt; who he trusts and so is allowed entry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does this sound familiar?  Does anyone know of a Buddhist tale that is similar to this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11311" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T12:04:06.223" LastActivityDate="2019-07-21T21:02:00.247" Title="Looking for a Buddhist story about trust" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21335" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21353" CreationDate="2017-07-02T16:29:20.493" Score="1" ViewCount="244" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of my key problems studying Buddhism has been definitions. My definition often doesn't have the same span as that of the typical Buddhist - but I am usually successful in coming to similar conclusions. I try to focus on some generalities of the word in question and get an emotional feel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Which brings me to the problem with dukkah. I am not sure what word(s) properly conveys (in english) the emotion sought to be elicited by the concept of dukkah. And the terms we HAVE come to use in its' description to date are rather, uh, dukkah.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see it as frustration. You keep trying to satisfy a permanent hunger with an impermanent response. But I am told that is also not a complete comparison. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example ... seething in anger borne from frustration is a different type of anger than that coming from a reaction to an insult. Or is it? Was it a generalized word they flippantly threw around? Or did it intend to evoke a specific type of emotional response?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T18:24:59.203" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T08:15:03.080" Title="What specific emotion would best describe dukkah?" Tags="|lay-buddhism|texts|pali-language|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21336" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21338" CreationDate="2017-07-02T17:41:27.710" Score="7" ViewCount="981" Body="&lt;p&gt;since I started my buddhist practice some five years ago, I have made great advancements. I think I've become much more accepting and loving towards others. I used to be cynical and arrogant and I suppose I've since reached a point where I can claim to be free of both. All in all I am quite happy with my life nowadays. I feel no hatred anymore and have become tolerant towards more or less everybody and every aspect of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one exception however that is really nagging on me: I am an avid follower of politics and can get stirred up by political events, decisions or politicians themselves that are opposed to my own political convictions. Sometimes it is enough for me to see a certain politician to become filled with - I don't know if you might call it hatred - but at least a feeling of great antipathy, even disgust. I know that the person behind the political façade might very well be likable and live a normal life with her or his own needs and worries, personal shortcomings and qualities, just like anybody else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not even talking about today's great &quot;evildoers&quot; like Kim Jong-un  or even less contested politicians like Donald Trump or Viktor Orbán. It's mostly politicians on a national or even regional level that are able to cause those bad feelings in me.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My wish is on the one hand to see and accept those people as being regular living beings like you and me that need to be loved and understood just like everybody else. Something that I nowadays don't find hard to see in virtually everybody else, even (bad) criminals. In some ways I even find it easier to feel compassion for somebody like Kim Jong-un than for some of Germany's or France's politicians, i.e. the countries that I feel most closely connected to. To be quite frank, I don't have the slightest idea why I find this so hard to achieve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand I would like to be less affected by political issues in general. I know that it might not be the wisest stance to take, but I sometimes think I wouldn't mind losing interest in the local and international political scene altogether because I have the impression that I can't distance myself from it and that it is in some way poisoning my thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has anybody else on here made similar experiences or has got some advice on how I can &quot;fix&quot; this strange condition? I already practise metta meditation and it does have a very positive effect on me, like I described above. It just does not seem to achieve much in this regard.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8308" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T15:13:16.243" Title="How can I become less affected by politics?" Tags="|compassion|metta|politics|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21337" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10465" CreationDate="2017-07-02T20:31:08.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am constantly at the mercy of field mice. They invade my cave and eat my potatoes and bread. Normally I can catch them by the tail and take them out to the trash can where the city hauls them off to the public dump where they live in peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, that said, I have one mouse I cant catch. One mouse who has eluded my grasp for 2 seasons. He evades all my little puzzles and traps designed to snag him. I have even had him in my hands twice and he got away. I have named him Prof. Moriarty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We coexist. I leave him some crumbs and he doesnt disturb me as much. namaste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T20:31:08.593" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21338" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21336" CreationDate="2017-07-02T21:20:02.227" Score="11" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is an easy one. Stop looking at the media so much. The media is not reality. It's a small negatively skewed snippet of it. There is so much more to life than the perpetual negativity we see in the media. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's only in recent times that the media has become way more invasive. &#xA;We now have 24/7 news cycles and people walk around addicted to and staring at devises all day. All that negativity is going into your mind and colouring your world view. It pretty much works the same way as porn. People are addicted to the dopamine/adrenaline hit they get when something in the media fires them up. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The politicians thrive on dividing people. Refuse to play into their game. Stop watcing it just for a few days and notice how much calmer you feel.   It's good to stay informed about important world issues but that but does not mean habitually checking the media every 5 minutes or even everyday. If Kim Jung is about to launch another missile what can I do about it?? Nothing!! So why do I need to know about it? So I can go on Facebook and rant? I don't need to know. It's pointless. Far better to use your energy in effecting real change where you can. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You will need to break the habit. It's the only way. If you continue to look at that stuff on a daily basis it will continue to colour your mind in that divisive angry way that only politics can do.  Let go of it. You don't need it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-07-02T21:55:51.400" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T21:55:51.400" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21340" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21335" CreationDate="2017-07-02T21:43:08.473" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Dukkha' means 'difficult to bear'; 'hard to endure'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is any emotion that is '&lt;em&gt;difficult to bear&lt;/em&gt;', such as sorrow, grief, pain, fear, frustration, confusion, terror, jealously, anger, lust, unhappiness, worry, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T21:43:08.473" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21342" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2017-07-02T22:15:52.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;so many make it seem like some moral judgment ... and it's not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;karma is NOT some cosmic sense of moral retribution. it is merely the effects of cosmic momentum amidst the gazillions of intertwined cogs and wheels and gears. you do something with negative consequences then gear 2 goes CW driving shaft 4 parallel to cog 3 which turns CCW which affects 1,204,302,750 other cogs to turn CW and 2,340,369 gears to turn CW at 45 degrees et al. THAT is karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3EuS1.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/3EuS1.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;karma wall&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T22:15:52.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21343" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2017-07-02T22:35:59.477" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The central tenet I have found from most belief sets has been &quot;what must be done to make you think of others before yourself&quot;. I see that Buddhism is no different here. To that extent faith would be very helpful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But as others have noted faith is not necessary. From a laymen's perspective there are many logical reasons to select the Buddhist path. The actual, mechanical concept of karma (vice retributional) being a prime example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our goal as humans is to interact with trust. As Buddhists it is to assist others in finding enlightenment (Shinshu pledge) and our eventual goal as 3rd dimensional creatures is to break these bonds of rebirth and pierce the veil to the next dimension so we wont be bound by time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-02T22:35:59.477" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21345" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5288" CreationDate="2017-07-03T00:46:50.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach what the questioner is inferring. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha kept &lt;em&gt;mundane&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;dhamma&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;em&gt;supramundane dhamma&lt;/em&gt; distinctly separate, as explained in MN 117 about the two sorts of right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ideas in the question are ideas created by others at later time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, what is 'reborn' is a 'self' rather than something 'not-self' ('&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Rebirth' means the re-arising of self-view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what is re-born is always the idea of 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please read the suttas, accurately. The suttas always state 'a being' ('satta') or person ('puriso') is subject to rebirth due to their own kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This noble disciple reflects thus: ‘I am (ahaṃ) not the only one who is the owner of one’s kamma, the heir of one’s kamma; who has kamma as one’s&#xA;  origin, kamma as one’s relative, kamma as one’s resort; who will be&#xA;  the heir of whatever kamma, good or bad, that one does. All beings (sattā)&#xA;  that come and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, are owners of&#xA;  their kamma, heirs of their kamma; all have kamma as their origin,&#xA;  kamma as their relative, kamma as their resort; all will be heirs of&#xA;  whatever kamma, good or bad, that they do.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upajjhatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-03T01:13:19.557" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T01:13:19.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21346" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21335" CreationDate="2017-07-03T02:53:05.667" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The meaning of Dukkha is  difficult to understand.&#xA;It has a gross meaning and a more subtle meaning.&#xA;Any pain and suffering is considered Dukkha in a gross level.&#xA;Any six sense contact is considered Dukkha in a subtle level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T02:53:05.667" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21347" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21335" CreationDate="2017-07-03T03:20:30.250" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukkha as the 1st Noble Truth:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, avuso, is the noble truth that is suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Birth is suffering,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) decay is suffering,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[*] disease is suffering,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) death is suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) to be associated with the unpleasant is suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(5) to be separated from the pleasant is suffering;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) not getting what one wants is suffering,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(7) sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain, and despair are suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(8) - in short, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) And what, avuso, is birth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Being born, becoming, descending [into a womb], [arising,] generating, manifesting of the&#xA;  aggregates, obtaining the sense-bases of various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) And what, avuso, is decay?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ageing, decaying, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, the dwindling away of one’s years, the&#xA;  weakness of the sense-faculties, in various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called decay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) And what, avuso, is death?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Falling away, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, death, dying, one’s time being up&#xA;  [completion of one’s time], breaking up of the aggregates, discarding of the body, [uprooting of the&#xA;  life-faculty,]30 in various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4a) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;sorrow&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One’s being touched [affected] by one thing or other of a painful nature, by any kind of misfortune,&#xA;  sorrow, grief, distress, inner grief, inner woe, here and there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;sorrow&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4b) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;lamentation&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One’s being affected by one thing or other of a painful nature, by any kind of misfortune, crying,&#xA;  weeping, wailing, lamenting, bewailing, lamentation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;lamentation&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4c) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;physical pain&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever painful bodily feeling, unpleasant bodily feeling, painful or unpleasant feeling arising&#xA;  from bodily contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;physical pain&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4d) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;mental pain [displeasure]&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whatever painful mental feeling, unpleasant mental feeling, painful or unpleasant feeling arising&#xA;  from mental contact.35&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;mental pain [displeasure]&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4e) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;despair&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One’s being affected by one thing or other of a painful nature, stress, distress, despair, desperation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;despair&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(5) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;association with the unpleasant&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, whoever has undesired, disliked, unpleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch or mindobjects,&#xA;  or encountering, meeting, associating with, mixing with those who wish one ill, harm, discomfort,&#xA;  insecurity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;association with the unpleasant&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;separation from the pleasant&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Here, whoever has desirable, likeable, pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch or mindobjects,&#xA;  or encountering, meeting, associating with, mixing with those who wish one well, good,&#xA;  comfort, security: mother or father or brother or sister or friends or colleagues or blood-relations, and&#xA;  is then deprived of such concourse, intercourse, connection, union.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;—This, avuso, is called &lt;strong&gt;separation from the pleasant&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(7) And what, avuso, is &lt;strong&gt;not getting what one wants&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(i) In beings subject to birth, avuso, this wish arises:&#xA;  ‘O that we were not subject to birth, that we might not come to be born!’&#xA;  But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(ii) In beings subject to decay [ageing], avuso, this wish arises:&#xA;  ‘O that we were not subject to decay, that we might not come to decay!’&#xA;  But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iii) In beings subject to disease, avuso, this wish arises:&#xA;  ‘O that we were not subject to disease, that we might not come to fall sick!’&#xA;  But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(iv) In beings subject to death, avuso, this wish arises:&#xA;  ‘O that we were not subject to death, that we might not come to die!’&#xA;  But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(v) In beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, anguish and despair, this wish arises:&#xA;  ‘O that we were not subject to sorrow, despair, lamentation, pain, anguish, despair!’&#xA;  But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(8) And what, avuso, are, the five aggregates of clinging in brief?&#xA;  They are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the aggregate of clinging that is form,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the aggregate of clinging that is feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the aggregate of clinging that is perception,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the aggregate of clinging that is formations,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the aggregate of clinging that is consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are, in short, the five aggregates of clinging that are suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This, avuso, is called the noble truth that is suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.11-Sacca-Vibhanga-S-m141-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the whole sphere of what is cognised, know or felt is suffering since when present changes it is suffering, painful is suffering on its own and neutral feeling is suffering also as ignorance is present and one is in a continual state of existence with opens up to possibility of unpleasant experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does one know [cognize]&#xA;  with that consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One knows, &quot;It is pleasant.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One knows. &quot;It is painful.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One knows, &quot;It is neutral.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On account of any experiance from the 6 sense door it results in metal element of pleasure, pain or neutral feeling or emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On seeing a ____ with the ****,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the _____ that is the basis for &lt;strong&gt;mental&lt;/strong&gt; joy,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the _____ that is the basis of &lt;strong&gt;mental&lt;/strong&gt; pain,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one investigates the _____ that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Now, ayya,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;regarding pleasant feeling, what is pleasant, what is painful,?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;regarding painful feeling, what is painful, what is pleasant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;regarding neutral feeling, what is pleasant, what is painful,?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;―Avuso Visākha,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;pleasant feeling is pleasant when it persists, painful when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;painful feeling is painful when it persists, pleasant when it changes;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;neutral feeling is pleasant when there is&#xA;  knowledge of it, painful when there is no knowledge of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;NB: Highlighted emotional or mental elements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T03:56:14.793" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21348" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21336" CreationDate="2017-07-03T03:34:09.673" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As long as you keep analysing a situation as good, bad or neutral and react to them, suffering will arise. So stop reacting and being emotionally attached to these categorizations. Ultimately, one's sphere of control is limited. If you can do something, do it, or else just leave it alone. Getting emotionally attached and creating suffering for oneself does not help you or even put things right. If things are not right, at least make sure you are not hurt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="220" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T14:46:58.360" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T14:46:58.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21350" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-03T05:47:58.940" Score="2" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there any dependence between these? My understanding is that ignorance is the main cause for samsara (the first of the 12 links of dependent origination). Ignorance meaning not recognizing our true condition. But is attachment a necessary condition for anger? For greed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10878" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T06:47:10.420" Title="Attachment and the three poisons" Tags="|attachment|three-poisons|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21351" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21350" CreationDate="2017-07-03T06:45:50.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ignorance meaning not recognizing our true condition.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More particularly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, bhikshus, is ignorance (avijjā)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Not knowing suffering, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not knowing the arising of suffering, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not knowing the ending of suffering, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;not&#xA;  knowing the path leading to the ending of suffering. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is called ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.15-Paticcasamuppada-Vibhanga-S-s12.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Paṭicca,samuppada) Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My understanding is that ignorance is the main cause for samsara&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance sets the ball rolling. Ignorance is one prace you can break Dependent Origination by understanding the 4 Noble Truths at the experiential level. Hence it is one condition for the samsaric existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other place DO can be broken is but not letting craving arise which results from your reaction to sensations due to contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there any dependence between these?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But is attachment a necessary condition for anger? For greed?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment or it's flavours are necessary conditions for greed. Anger is a form of grief hence you can include anger also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;212&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. For one who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From lust springs grief, from lust springs fear. For one who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. For one who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.16.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada - Piyavagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T06:45:50.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21352" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21350" CreationDate="2017-07-03T06:47:10.420" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Difficult question to answer about greed &amp;amp; anger, which probably require attachment &amp;amp; thinking because they are more complex defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is probably easier to consider more subtle &amp;amp; primal defilements, such as lust &amp;amp; aversion/irritation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is easy to discern how quickly lust, for example, arises when seeing a sexy object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lust &amp;amp; irritation (dislike) definitely arise prior to attachment, according to the Pali suttas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he &lt;strong&gt;lusts&lt;/strong&gt; after it if it is pleasing; he &lt;strong&gt;dislikes&lt;/strong&gt; it if it is unpleasing. He abides with mindfulness of the&#xA;  body unestablished, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as&#xA;  it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom&#xA;  wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Engaged&#xA;  as he is in &lt;strong&gt;favouring&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;opposing&lt;/strong&gt;, whatever feeling he feels—whether&#xA;  pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—he delights in&#xA;  that feeling, welcomes it and remains holding to it. As he does so,&#xA;  delight arises in him. Now delight in feelings is clinging. With his&#xA;  clinging as condition, being comes to be; with being as condition,&#xA;  birth; with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation,&#xA;  pain, grief, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole&#xA;  mass of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T06:47:10.420" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21353" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21335" CreationDate="2017-07-03T07:09:53.097" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1/dukkha.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a statement here&lt;/a&gt; (I'm guessing by Bhikkhu Bodhi) that it has no single best translation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;No single English word adequately captures the full depth, range, and subtlety of the crucial Pali term dukkha. Over the years, many translations of the word have been used (&quot;stress,&quot; &quot;unsatisfactoriness,&quot; &quot;suffering,&quot; etc.). Each has its own merits in a given context. There is value in not letting oneself get too comfortable with any one particular translation of the word, since the entire thrust of Buddhist practice is the broadening and deepening of one's understanding of dukkha until its roots are finally exposed and eradicated once and for all. One helpful rule of thumb: as soon as you think you've found the single best translation for the word, think again: for no matter how you describe dukkha, it's always deeper, subtler, and more unsatisfactory than that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its saying &quot;in a given context&quot; implies to me that the word is applicable to multiple contexts, in which multiple different emotions are manifest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of these emotions include grief (when loved ones dies), fear (of losing what you value), anger, denial, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you're asking about emotion, perhaps consider the so-called &quot;afflictive emotions&quot;: a.k.a. the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kleshas&lt;/a&gt;. Different schools have slightly different ways to enumerate the Kleshas. I note that the &quot;grief&quot; and &quot;fear&quot; that I mentioned aren't listed but &quot;attachment&quot; is. I think that shows your question is difficult to answer i.e. what one person sees as grief another person sees as (or names it to be) attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quote above says that dukkha is &quot;deeper and subtler&quot; than any definition you can think of. For what it's worth the shallowest definition I can think of (the highest-level, most single-meaninged definition) is that it's the opposite of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sukha&lt;/a&gt;. I think that's inaccurate though, to the extent that a lay person would see sukha as a or the worthwhile goal, whereas nirvana is the ideal for a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths associated it with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;tanha&lt;/a&gt;, so perhaps the single-emotion you're looking for is &quot;unsatisfied desire&quot; or even &quot;unsatisfiable desire&quot;, or just &quot;dissatisfaction&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &quot;multiple contexts&quot;, or perhaps even all contexts: it's canonically associated with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence#Description&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;all &lt;em&gt;saṅkhārās&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-03T08:15:03.080" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T08:15:03.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21354" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21336" CreationDate="2017-07-03T10:12:16.577" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking the precept of not &quot;speaking of what is not true&quot; coupled with &quot;abstainging from entertainmaint shows&quot; serious, next to the basic precept.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once one does not give attention to not benefical things every kind of hindrence dies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By abstaining from TV, radio, News papers, useless books, and from talks about it, its fast done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like all it starts with good association.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some month one knows and normaly has no more desire in idly talk. Stay especially away from &quot;Buddhists&quot; either lay or monks, who are only a little involved in such, not to speak of active in such. Totally not aware, how much ever they talk and teach. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If asking, my person would not even know who is president or was the last maybe 12 years in the country he was born, not to speak of others politicans near and far. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If liking to know more and in detail, feel free in an &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;non-political area&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: this is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or any other worldly gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T10:12:16.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21355" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21358" CreationDate="2017-07-03T10:34:17.617" Score="4" ViewCount="2306" Body="&lt;p&gt;My question is mainly to monks and nuns in this group, but I welcome answers from others as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one were to give up eating solid food after the midday, as instructed by the Buddha to his Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuni, what practical advice would you give such a person in order to avoid getting gastritis and stomach ulcers?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastEditorUserId="4742" LastEditDate="2017-07-06T04:22:58.467" LastActivityDate="2020-02-16T05:47:55.043" Title="Practical advice on not eating after noon" Tags="|vinaya|fasting|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21356" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21355" CreationDate="2017-07-03T10:50:34.373" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I think, stomach juices from if you keep thing about food or feel hungry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whenever hunger arises if you are equanimous then and do not have this lead to thoughts about food and food craving then your stomach will become inactive and also hunger will subside. You can use the sensation of hunger as an object of insight meditation. This is how I whether it you when I am in retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you are occupied there is tendency you feel hunger less. In such situation if thoughts about food does not arise I guess your body will not react by producing stomach juices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one purpose of not eating after noon is to make time and also make practicing meditation easier. So if you are in mediation for most of the day you do not tend to get these issues. You do not burn much calories to get hungry. You would not be thinking about food. You would also had a lite diet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hunger is a flavor of aversion which you should try to avoid arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-03T12:48:14.553" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T12:48:14.553" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21357" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21355" CreationDate="2017-07-03T10:51:54.970" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One needs to chance his/her life and simply tries. To give certain advice that makes general sense for many in facing problems is not possible, and if wished to talk in personal, one may free to ask in way of talk, public or in areas where only practicing exchange personal things if wished, &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=forum&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; given. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's how ever not a problem to keep parts or all eight precepts permanent for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also that there have been not given any advices or rules in detail to lay person by the Buddha, since such a practice actually can only be explained who do and there have been many, not so today.&#xA;So any commentaries are prepared from certain monk rules and do not really match the precept but are counteracts of problem in regard of tendencies in the Sangha at this time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also talk to Upasaka Akila about feedback, who did such merits for a week successful some weeks ago, in way of respectul talk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[Next time, you do good to generally approach Monks and Nuns proper]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a Gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other worldly gain.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-07-03T11:00:33.183" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T11:00:33.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21358" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21355" CreationDate="2017-07-03T10:59:45.517" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;This advice seems relevant (by a gastroenterologist and published in Canada's largest newspaper):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/health/nutrition/2013/07/10/fasting-tips-for-those-with-gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease-during-ramadan/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fasting tips for those with gastritis and peptic ulcer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T10:59:45.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21359" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20983" CreationDate="2017-07-03T12:15:59.887" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are bound to get those sensation as you sit mindfully, your mind gets concentrated. There are always sensations on our body. As you become concentrated and mindful, you start to notice those sensations. This is very normal to get irritated because this is our normal habit pattern of reacting. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should try not to agitate and observe those sensations equanimously. And if you need to do anything to get rid of it, do it mindfully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="3667" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T12:15:59.887" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21360" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21355" CreationDate="2017-07-03T14:19:28.653" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think you're worrying too much.  Not eating for 16 hours is really not that big a deal.  During times of scarcity, our forebears would go days between meals!  If you are looking for some practical advice, my inclination is to steer you towards the intermittent fasting community.  There are tons of people practicing this kind of diet albeit for health rather than spiritual concerns.  You are much more likely to find practical advice through that avenue than via the Buddhist community.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T14:19:28.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21361" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21355" CreationDate="2017-07-03T15:00:04.190" Score="0" Body="&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Eat alkaline foods during your period of eating.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Drink aloe vera and cooling things to cool your ulcers.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Take anti-acid formation tablets (if you must).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Keep yourself busy or in calm-abiding / loving-kindness meditation. Don't worry or think about your base desires for food and sex.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try fasting for days at a time instead. This may condition you.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-07-03T15:00:04.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21363" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-03T16:08:50.463" Score="0" ViewCount="1394" Body="&lt;p&gt;Right now sometime if i try to concentrate i can feel the calmness in mind. Before 2 years i used to feel inner joy after doing meditation. If i do meditation everyday for 2 -3 hours, how much time will it take for me to leave the rupa jhana? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or simply, is their any time intervals in which meditator experiences all the jhanas one by one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2022-10-02T21:34:53.230" Title="How much time it takes to experience 4th jhana?" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21365" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21363" CreationDate="2017-07-03T16:26:55.197" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If i do meditation everyday for 2 -3 hours, how much time will it take for me to leave the rupa jhana?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It depends on the person. But this this amount of practice I would presume you might not be able to get Jhana. You might perhaps get the 1st Jhana, since based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitakka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;initial&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sustained application&lt;/a&gt; to which there is metal activity (active action), but beyond this is will be difficult, as there is not metal activity or there is nothing you are doing (passive / inaction). Even 1st Jhana would be very difficult. Once a monk told me that reaching the 1st Jhana is possible if you practice about 10 to 12 hours a day for about 15 days. And perhaps going beyond this you might have to endure similar practice for years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T04:46:39.600" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T04:46:39.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21366" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-03T21:58:56.857" Score="6" ViewCount="384" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has made me realise that everything is impermanent and undergoing the process of destruction including intimate relationships however if I know this then why is it still so painful when it happens? And what is the point of trying to build a life together with another person when it's inevitably going to end? Sometimes it all feels like such a cruel joke. I was in a relationship for 15 years and never thought it would end but it did and 6 months later I still feel so sad. I don't want to ever get involved intimately with another person ever again because I don't ever want to go through that pain again. Yes this may be aversion to pain but why put yourself through that if you can avoid it? Sure there will be more pain from other things but the pain of separation from a loved one feels worse than a death. It actually feels like I could die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T23:28:12.800" Title="How do you have a relationship" Tags="|relationship|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21367" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-03T23:43:28.030" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhism has made me realise that everything is impermanent and undergoing the process of destruction including intimate relationships however if I know this then why is it still so painful when it happens?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well done, you have realised intellectually that things are impermanent but you are still attached. Intellectual knowledge doesn't end attachment (but it can help). To end attachment we need real knowledge, with real knowledge you will instinctively know that things are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you have switched from attachment to having a relationship to attachment to not having a relationship. Whether you have or don't have a relationship is not the point, the point is how we think when do/don't have a relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While you are in a relationship there is some pleasure from love. You can experience this pleasure with wisdom and work towards your relationship with wisdom. Doing it with wisdom means that you know that it is impermanent so you can do it without attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't forget that you can be attached to single life too and that also causes dukkha. You think that if you're single you can control your relationship status and make yourself constantly single, but this is also impermanent and can't be controlled so it is a source of dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Real knowledge is quite like an instinct, it is effortless. With intellectual knowledge we have to remember what we learned and then use thinking apply that to the situation, it's slow and takes a lot of effort. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you know intellectually that things are impermanent then if you drop a glass and it breaks your initial reaction will be &quot;Damn I liked that glass, now I've lost it&quot;, you are suffering at this point but then you remember &quot;Everything changes, the glass had to break so I never could control it&quot;. This thinking might reassure you and calm you down. If you have real knowledge of impermanence like an enlightened person then before the glass breaks you are not viewing the glass as something which inherently exists, it's a temporary phenomena. When the glass breaks it has no effect on you because you never thought of the glass as being not-broken.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T21:58:30.937" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T21:58:30.937" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21368" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-04T01:35:05.393" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;the Buddha actually called this painful feeling &quot;death&quot; ('marana') although most Buddhists believe the Buddha was referring to physical death&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now delight in feelings is clinging. With his clinging as condition, becoming comes to be; with becoming as condition, birth; with birth as&#xA;  condition, ageing and &lt;strong&gt;death&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief&#xA;  and despair&lt;/strong&gt; come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering. MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;15 years is a long time, in which the other person became part of your psyche. This becoming is called &quot;becoming&quot; ('bhava'). The dual psyche is called &quot;birth&quot; ('jati'). Now that dual birth psyche has died &amp;amp; it takes time for the psyche to restore itself to singularness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for relationships, Buddhism provides guidance however, in the conditioned realm, nothing is certain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.53&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.53&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T03:46:30.117" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T03:46:30.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21369" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-04T02:38:34.243" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everything that has a start will eventually have an end. Even in relationships. Even relationships that last a lifetime come to and end with death. If one is attached to such relationship this also is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/a&gt; when it ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;not entirely in control&lt;/a&gt; of a relationship. Hence what one is not in control leads to unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for lay people it the lay code of morality is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Precepts&lt;/a&gt;. Though any relationships is not entirely satisfactory as long as this is not sexual misconduct it is OK, keeping in mind this also will not be entirely satisfactory and more the attachment more it will hurt when it ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you can build temporary understanding &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; hence lessen the unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To get over unsatisfactoriness completely you have to look beyond relationships and aim for Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T13:18:34.077" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T13:18:34.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21370" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21363" CreationDate="2017-07-04T03:26:31.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn't cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T03:26:31.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21371" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21336" CreationDate="2017-07-04T04:21:22.897" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist, to be engaged in mainstream politics is very difficult because we cannot know the &lt;strong&gt;real truth&lt;/strong&gt; of politics, unless we are absolutely certain. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I have heard some of the most famous Western Theravada monks &amp;amp; the Dalai Lamai speak about 9/11 as though Islam really did it &amp;amp; provide ideas that justify war. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since there was no real evidence Islam did 9/11 &amp;amp; since the American wars after 9/11 were unrelated to the alleged (Saudi Arabian Wahhabi) terrorists, how can a Buddhist speak truthfully in any way that supports war &amp;amp; killing with a unknown &amp;amp; unproven view? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, these same Western Theravada monks recently were supporting presidential candidates who were engaged in wars &amp;amp; murder because they believed some other policies of these candidates were better than the other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, we have Buddhist monks &amp;amp; nuns encouraging their supporters to vote for political parties that engage in unjustified wars &amp;amp; killings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It follows, unless you are truly certain who you support politically will not engage in any harm, how can you, as a Buddhist, support mainstream politics? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can you get &lt;strong&gt;passionate&lt;/strong&gt; about opposing Donald Trump or Viktor Orbán when the alternative is really no better, from a &lt;em&gt;Dhammic&lt;/em&gt; point of view. Basically all of the major politicians, when examined closely, are violating the Buddhist moral precepts. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the only Australian politician I listen to (occasionally) was originally an intelligence officer 'whistle blower' about the weapons of mass destruction before the Iraq War. Naturally, he was proven to be right. I recently phoned his office about the Syrian gas attack &amp;amp;, as a result, he was the only Australian politician to make an honest &amp;amp; moral statement about it, namely, there was no evidence that is was a deliberate chemical attack. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I am saying here is if you get involved in truly &lt;strong&gt;moral&lt;/strong&gt; politics, you will have very little support &amp;amp; feel quite powerless. When you realize how powerless you are to affect real change, the '&lt;strong&gt;passion&lt;/strong&gt;' diminishes greatly. Although you may occasionally try to do something, you realise there is little you can do to affect real change when the majority of people are still supporting the major political parties. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains six realms of existence: (i) human; (ii) benevolent godly (deva); (iii) violent godly (asura); (iv) animal; (v) ghost; &amp;amp; (vi) hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most politicians &amp;amp; rulers throughout history have been violent gods (asuras), which is why they resort to military violence to achieve their ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, in my opinion, they are not regular human beings like you and me. Their disposition is inherently evil, psychopathic &amp;amp; animalistic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha described this non-human animalistic behaviour as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, bhikkhus, there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity. Here there prevails mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.47&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In this respect, the Buddha taught to view evil as evil, for what it really is, in a way that leads to disenchantment &amp;amp; dispassion towards the world:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'See evil as evil.' This is the first Dhamma discourse.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Having seen evil as evil, become &lt;strong&gt;disenchanted&lt;/strong&gt; there, &lt;strong&gt;dispassionate&lt;/strong&gt; there, released.' This is the second Dhamma discourse.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — has given in sequence.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iti 2.12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those who imagine evil where there is none, and do not see evil where it is — upholding false views, they go to states of woe.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those who discern the wrong as wrong and the right as right — upholding right views, they go to realms of bliss.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nirayavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While we can try, the Buddha did not really place great hope in the world. Instead, he taught the world is evolving following Dependent Origination, i.e., evolving with ignorance &amp;amp; craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we examine the history of the world, for thousands of years, it is just war after war. When there is a particularly vicious &amp;amp; destructive war, such as WW2, the people take a rest from war. But then soon enough, they start again. Has there really been any change? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The USA has spent $5 trillion on a war on terror. However, there is more terrorism today than there was when this war began. Yet how many people question this war &amp;amp; what it is really about? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the scriptures, the Buddha taught the majority of the people in the world are spiritually blind. If you have this right view, you will give up politics because you will realise you cannot really change anything politically (apart from yourself). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;174. Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;171. Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;170. One who looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;58. Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;59. Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.13.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T04:40:15.267" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T04:40:15.267" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21372" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-04T05:24:07.817" Score="3" ViewCount="1314" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm thinking house-warming for our new house so Is there any ritual or ceremony for house-warming in Buddhism and how do they perform? In which sutta it is discoursed? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T08:05:23.663" Title="Is there any ritual or ceremony for House-Warming?" Tags="|rituals|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21373" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-04T06:34:59.373" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyom Arturia,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Chah once explained well &lt;strong&gt;how to have a relation&lt;/strong&gt;, here in a simile of a glass:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/chah/insimpleterms_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Broken Glass&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You may say, &quot;Don't break my glass!&quot; But you can't prevent something breakable from breaking. If it doesn't break now, it'll break later on. If you don't break it, someone else will. If someone else doesn't break it, one of the chickens will! The Buddha says to accept this. He penetrated all the way to seeing that this glass is already broken. This glass that isn't broken, he has us know as already broken. Whenever you pick up the glass, put water in it, drink from it, and put it down, he tells you to see that it's already broken. Understand? The Buddha's understanding was like this. He saw the broken glass in the unbroken one. Whenever its conditions run out, it'll break. Develop this attitude. Use the glass; look after it. Then one day it slips out of your hand: &quot;Smash!&quot; No problem. Why no problem? Because you saw it as broken before it broke. See?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;But usually people say, &quot;I've taken such good care of this glass. Don't ever let it break.&quot; Later on the dog breaks it, and you hate the dog. If your child breaks it, you hate him, too. You hate whoever breaks it — because you've dammed yourself up so that the water can't flow. You've made a dam without a spillway. The only thing the dam can do is burst, right? When you make a dam, you have to make a spillway, too. When the water rises up to a certain level, it can flow off safely to the side. When it's full to the brim, it can flow out the spillway. You need to have a spillway like this. Seeing inconstancy is the Buddha's spillway. When you see things this way, you can be at peace. That's the practice of the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the case how to possible think if having or losing a relation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other case is the sub-question: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And what is the point of trying to build a life together with another person when it's inevitably going to end?&lt;/strong&gt; Sometimes it all feels like such a cruel joke.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Realization that becoming is actually a &quot;curel joke&quot; is a very high realization and if seen in all compound things the reason for earnest seeking a path out, blessed if having come to the Buddhas good teachings. This is meeting up with the reality of Dukkha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in regard of search, what will be for a long time benefit?&#xA;That search it self is bound to much suffering as well, is clear, but if not having a search is needed and there are three kinds:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 54&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &quot;There are these three searches. Which three? The search for sensuality, the search for becoming, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Centered,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;mindful,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;alert,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;the Awakened One's&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;disciple&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;discerns searches,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;how searches come into play,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;where they cease,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;amp; the path to their ending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With the ending of searches, a monk&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;free of want&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is totally unbound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Search for a partner is nothing but about searching after sensuallity, maybe becoming, isn't it? Of course after a career even more... so just give it a deeper thought and maybe use you luck of independency you currently have for a more holly life to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the End it's maybe worthy to say, that also searching for a relation to be able to live the holly life is actually nessesary, so admirable friend(s) are always worthy to seach for and also to invest much in such a relationship, even of course it will outardly break, but once being part of the other kind, no and never alone and without support till standing firm alone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mudita&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commerzial purpose or other worldily gains)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user11235" LastEditorDisplayName="user11235" LastEditDate="2017-07-04T06:43:36.247" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T06:43:36.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21375" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21372" CreationDate="2017-07-04T08:05:23.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally, we invite Sangha for a meal.&#xA;After the meal, they chant some blessings.&#xA;In Sri Lanka, we have overnight Pirith chanting in the new house.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T08:05:23.663" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21376" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7117" CreationDate="2017-07-04T11:50:46.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my understanding &quot;Ekayano Maggo&quot; means &quot;sure path&quot; or  in Sinhala &quot;Ekanthayenma ya haki Margayak&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11673" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T11:50:46.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21377" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-04T12:07:41.990" Score="1" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;As i've seen in hindhism their are lot of written things in hindu scriptures that a person or gods used to travel in different universes and time. But is their any mention of such powers in buddhism also? Where it is mentioned that a meditator has traveled time and to different worlds?&#xA;Is this possible to do this two things physically or its just mentally possible?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T13:21:40.373" Title="Is their any reference in buddhism about time travell and parallel universe travell?" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21378" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21377" CreationDate="2017-07-04T13:06:50.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;One Sutta which such reference occur is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.2-Rohitassa-S-s2.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rohitassa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rohitassa’s astral journey&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once in the past, venerable sir, I was a seer named Rohitassa Bhoja,putta [son of Bhoja], possessed&#xA;  of spiritual power, able to travel through the sky [space].  My speed was such, venerable sir, that I&#xA;  could move just as fast as an archer with a strong bow,&#xA;  trained, skillful, well-practised, experienced,&#xA;  could easily shoot past the shadow of a palmyra tree with a light arrow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My stride was such, venerable sir, that it spanned the eastern ocean and the western ocean.&#xA;  Then, venerable sir, the wish arose in me, ‘I will reach the end of the world by going.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Possessing such speed and such a stride, and having a lifespan of a hundred years, without pausing&#xA;  except to eat, drink, take meals and snacks, to void and pee, to sleep and dispel tiredness. Yet I died&#xA;  along the way without reaching the end of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How well this was stated by the&#xA;  Blessed One: ‘As to that end of the world, friend, where one is not born, does not age, does not die, does&#xA;  not pass away, does not arise—it cannot be known, seen or reached by going, I say.’”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moral story of this is that space travel is not a way to find a way out of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/a&gt; and you would be dead before you real such goal through space exploration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also such references are found in the Abhidhamma. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13087/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=parallel%20universe%20user%3A295&quot;&gt;others&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T13:21:40.373" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21379" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-04T13:07:06.973" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For a start or for context, this topic says something about how to choose a partner: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7488/254&quot;&gt;Any authentic sutta from any tradition that gives guidance on what kind of partner to choose?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're asking two questions: why have a relationship, and how?&#xA;I'm not sure that &quot;why&quot; is the best question. It seems to me that there are people around, you have relationships (historical, geographic, social, economic) with them, and the question is &lt;em&gt;what&lt;/em&gt; relationship to have and &lt;em&gt;how&lt;/em&gt;, rather than &lt;em&gt;why&lt;/em&gt;. Maybe it's worth considering &quot;why&quot; (i.e. your intent) but only in the context of also considering &quot;what&quot;. There are also bits in the Pali canon which say that it's better to have no relationship than a bad one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has things to say about (it seems to recommend) &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kalyanamittata.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;admirable friendship&lt;/a&gt;, though that may not fit your question. It's worth mentioning that lay people may be expected to have several &quot;relationships&quot; of different types, e.g. explained in the sutta about the six directions: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta (DN 31)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly you mentioned that you &quot;never thought it would end&quot;. For a start my experience is that there's both less time and more time than you expect: &quot;less time&quot; in that it's already finished when you think it's continuing, and &quot;more time&quot; in that something remains present after you expected it would be over.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly though, &quot;thinking it would end&quot; might actually be a helpful or a beneficial thought, and &quot;not thinking it would end&quot; detrimental to a relationship. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=006&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;from the Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 6: People, other than the wise, do not realize, &quot;We in this world must all die,&quot; (and, not realizing it, continue their quarrels). The wise realize it and thereby their quarrels cease.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;another translation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that when you know you're dying, for example, or when you know your partner is dying, you may become better: more generous, for example, better at making peace perhaps. So although &quot;never thinking it would end&quot; does sound romantic, sometimes it can be more unwise than it is admirable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T13:07:06.973" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21380" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21246" CreationDate="2017-07-04T21:22:32.947" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is the reason why buddha taught &quot;Meditate samadhi first, practicer! Practicer, who achieved samadhi, is contemplating the truth.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pa-auk tradition (Burma) and Thai forest tradition, have teaching jhana at first to prepare the practicer for higher level meditation such as  the four foundations of mindfulness, the 5 aggregates, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So memorizing and learning about 5 folds and anapanassati, are the answer of your question. Because suta and sila are the foundations of samadhi. Then suta and jhana are the foundations of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T21:22:32.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21381" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21366" CreationDate="2017-07-04T23:28:12.800" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhist Impermanence is best understood in the context of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/a&gt;: Annica (impermanence), Dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), Anatta (non-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to understand it on its own will lead to more suffering like you are going through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta is close to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Śūnyatā&lt;/a&gt; (emptiness) - though context can give it slightly different meanings if we are pedantic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By empty or non-self we mean anything you can name (have a sign for) is made up of things that are not it. A flower is made up entirely of non-flower elements such as sun and soil and seed. When the elements of the universe are arranged in a certain way we say a flower has manifested but if we look deeply it is difficult to say when it truly started and when it stopped. The conditions were always present. The flower continues as our joy at having held it and as the compost nourishing other flowers. There is no little flower soul that is snuffed out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Looking at impermanence from the perspective of non-self the flower is impermanent in that it never had a separate self and never really ceased to exist. We just had a sign for it for a while.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when you say things are &quot;undergoing the process of destruction&quot; that may be a wrong view. Things are in constant transformation. No separate thing is ever created or can be destroyed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A little girl said to my teacher (Thich Nhat Hanh) that she liked impermanence because without it she could never grow up. But impermanence means she will grow old and die. Looking deeply we can have joy for her whole life even when we know it will end in death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the same for your relationship. You are part of its continuation. You are walking, sitting and breathing as its continuation. By taking care of your current suffering you can transform it into something beautiful. You do this by seeing that your suffering is impermanent and empty (entirely made up of non-suffering elements i.e. made of the joy of your relationship). It may take time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The way I look at the three marks is that embracing non-self &amp;amp; impermanence leads to nirvana whilst any desire to deny them leads to suffering. It is not impermanence that causes suffering but our denial of it. (see The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we can really see impermanence and non-self then every moment is not only precious but includes the entire cosmos - which is pretty special.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11675" LastActivityDate="2017-07-04T23:28:12.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21382" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-05T04:57:20.707" Score="2" ViewCount="113" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading &lt;strong&gt;A Critical Analysis Of The Jhanas&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;In the book we were going over wise considration and how it will help you eliminate the hindrances. But i am having trouble understand what this is referring to. Any help would be appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the commentaries the Buddha’s miscellaneous suggestions on the elimination of the &#xA;  hindrances are organized into a systematic exposition of six measures conducive to the &#xA;  vanquishing of each hindrance. Sensual desire is to be abandoned by: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Taking up the sensuously inauspicious subject of meditation; application for &#xA;  the development of the jhāna on the sensuously inauspicious subject of &#xA;  meditation; the guarded state of the controlling faculties of sense; moderation &#xA;  in food; the sympathy and support of good men in the endeavour; stimulating &#xA;  talk that helps the accomplishment of the object in view &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are they referring to i don't understand the wording?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T06:03:04.313" Title="Need help understanding the meaning of this" Tags="|meditation-hindrances|jhana|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21383" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-05T05:20:53.163" Score="1" ViewCount="117" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'd like to question something from &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21381/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; without disputing it, i.e.  there was a phrase it in which I found novel:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;You do this by seeing that your suffering is impermanent and empty (entirely made up of non-suffering elements i.e. made of the joy of your relationship).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it generally true that the &quot;elements&quot; of something are non-suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a well-known, implicit part of (or a reason for) the doctrine of emptiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this part of the meaning of &quot;&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, i.e. it's that &lt;em&gt;combinations&lt;/em&gt; of elements, or &lt;em&gt;compounded&lt;/em&gt; things, are &lt;em&gt;dukkhā&lt;/em&gt; ... but that &lt;em&gt;elements&lt;/em&gt; are not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it difficult to identify what's meant by an &quot;element&quot;? The quoted phrase (the &quot;non-suffering elements of a relationship&quot;) seems to me to have colloquial meaning, which might be neither an Abhidhamma-like single-moment-in-time or thought-element, nor the &quot;earth, fire, wind, etc.&quot; type of classification of element. Can you summarize how to recognize what's an &quot;element&quot;? Do you aim to perceive elements rather than saṅkhārās, and how do you know when/whether you're succeeding? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I added the &lt;a href=&quot;/questions/tagged/mahayana&quot; class=&quot;post-tag&quot; title=&quot;show questions tagged &amp;#39;mahayana&amp;#39;&quot; rel=&quot;tag&quot;&gt;mahayana&lt;/a&gt; tag because I think the quote is from a Mahayana tradition, but other perspectives would be welcome too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T16:44:28.283" Title="Are 'elements' defined as non-suffering?" Tags="|mahayana|sunyata|dukkha|sankhara|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21384" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21382" CreationDate="2017-07-05T06:03:04.313" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Refer to: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#des&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Six things are conducive to the abandonment of sensual desire:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Learning how to meditate on impure objects;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Devoting oneself to the meditation on the impure;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Guarding the sense doors;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Moderation in eating;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;5. Noble friendship;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;6. Suitable conversation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;— Commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T06:03:04.313" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21385" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21383" CreationDate="2017-07-05T06:32:43.770" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Absolute realities fall into citta, cetasika, rupa, nibbana out of which the Rupa is elements or materiality. [See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis] Nibbana is also sometimes considered an element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everything which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;conditioned&lt;/a&gt; is constructed by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%ABpa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;materiality or elements&lt;/a&gt; which are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;earth or solidity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;fire or heat&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;water or cohesion&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;air or movement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;other secondary elements&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever made of elements is unsatisfactory and suffering as it is not in one's control or not permanent (hence you will have to part with pleasant forms causing unsatisfactoriness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The element or part that causes suffering in this is the mental reaction to your experience. When you do not react to it with craving, aversion of ignorance then there is no suffering. You will be at peace or Nirvana if you do not react with craving. As Nirvana is sometimes also referred as an element (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nibb%C4%81nadh%C4%81tu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbānadhātu&lt;/a&gt;) it could be this which can be considered as an non suffering element.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Citta, cetasika are also conditioned by they come into being as part of the Nama-Rupa process, hence they cannot exist without materiality except for  in the immaterial realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nibb%C4%81nadh%C4%81tu&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbānadhātu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbānadhātu:—“the state of Nibbāna”. S.V, 8; A.II, 120; IV, 202; J.I, 55; It.38 (dve: see under Nibbāna); Miln.312. Also in the foll. connections: amata° It.62; bhū° the verbal root bhū DA.I, 229; ṭhapitāya dhātuyā “while the bodily element, i.e. vitality lasts” Miln.125; vaṇṇa° form, beauty S.I, 131; Pv.I, 31. In these cases it is so far weakened in meaning, that it simply corresponds to E. abstr. suffix —hood or —ity (cp. °hood=origin. “form”: see ketu), so perhaps in Nibbāna°=Nibbāna-dom. Cp. dhātuka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary&#xA;  nibbānadhātu : (f.) the sphere of nibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Ultimate Realities&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma deals with realities existing in an ultimate sense, called in Pali paramattha dhammaa. There are four such realities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta, mind or consciousness, defined as that which knows or experiences an object. Citta occurs as distinct momentary states of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cetasikas, the mental factors that arise and occur along with the cittas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ruupa, physical phenomena, or material form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nibbaana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta, the cetasikas, and ruupa are conditioned realities. They arise because of conditions and disappear when their conditions cease to sustain them. Therefore they are impermanent. Nibbaana is an unconditioned reality. It does not arise and therefore does not fall away. These four realities can be experienced regardless of what name we give them. Any other thing — be it within ourselves or without, past, present, or future, coarse or subtle, low or lofty, far or near — is a concept and not an ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citta, cetasikas, and nibbaana are also called naama. The two conditioned naamas, citta and cetasikas, together with ruupa make up naama-ruupa, the psycho-physical organism. Each of us, in the ultimate sense, is a naama-ruupa, a compound of mental and material phenomena, and nothing more. Apart from these three realities that go to form the naama-ruupa compound there is no ego, self, or soul. The naama part of the compound is what experiences an object. The ruupa part does not experience anything. When the body is injured it is not the body, which is ruupa, that feels the pain, but naama, the mental side. When we are hungry it is not the stomach that feels the hunger but again the naama. However, naama cannot eat the food to ease the hunger. The naama, the mind and its factors, makes the ruupa, the body, ingest the food. Thus neither the naama nor the ruupa has any efficient power of its own. One is dependent on the other; one supports the other. Both naama and ruupa arise because of conditions and perish immediately, and this is happening every moment of our lives. By studying and experiencing these realities we will get insight into: (1) what we truly are; (2) what we find around us; (3) how and why we react to what is within and around us; and (4) what we should aspire to reach as a spiritual goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ruupa&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The third reality or paramattha dhamma is ruupa, matter or material form. In its analysis of matter the Abhidhamma recognizes twenty-eight kinds of material phenomena. Four of these are called primary, twenty-four secondary. The secondary kinds are dependant on the primary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The four primary elements (cattaari mahaa bhuutaani)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are metaphorically referred to under their ancient names but signify distinct properties of matter:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Earth element (pa.thavi dhaatu) = solidity&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Water element (aapo dhaatu) = adhesion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Fire element (tejo dhaatu) = heat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Wind element (vaayo dhaatu) = motion&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There is no unit of matter that does not contain these four elements in varying proportions. The preponderance of one element over the other three gives the material object its main characteristic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Abhidhamma in Practice&lt;/a&gt; by N.K.G. Mendis&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T11:17:34.073" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T11:17:34.073" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21386" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21001" CreationDate="2017-07-05T06:33:45.113" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is known for sure about Bodhidharma is rather limited. New slices were added throughout time as the school and its self-image further evolved / developed. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why he went to the Middle Kingdom to spread a new style or creed, is a classical question with high symbolic value. Answering it, or trying to, implies being part of the tradition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the phenomenon of going 'across the mountains and over the seas' to spread the gospel, is a universal phenomenon. Sacred mission, missionary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11614" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T06:33:45.113" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21387" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2" CreationDate="2017-07-05T06:55:14.153" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A beginner should believe (have faith) that the practice (Path) is functional, that is all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T06:55:14.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21388" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21383" CreationDate="2017-07-05T08:28:31.437" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt; is a comprehensive discourse on elements (&lt;em&gt;dhatu&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, none of the many elements described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt; are intrinsically 'suffering' because they, as &lt;em&gt;mere&lt;/em&gt; elements, are not yet mixed with attachment (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, MN 115 states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is skilled in the elements... in that way he can be called a wise man and an inquirer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st noble truth summarises all suffering as 'attachment' (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) and the 2nd noble truth explains the various cravings (&lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;) do not give rise (&lt;em&gt;samudhaya&lt;/em&gt;) to suffering (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;) unless craving creates new becoming (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;), which is simply more solidified attachment (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quote the 2nd noble truth from SN 56.11: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the &lt;strong&gt;craving that makes for further becoming&lt;/strong&gt; — accompanied by passion &amp;amp; delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for&#xA;  sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teaching of the 'elements' ('dhatu') is the same as 'sunnata' ('emptiness') therefore any clear discernment of 'elements' quenches suffering because 'elements' are discerned rather than 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, to quote, this time from MN 62: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rahula... there are these five elements, Rahula. Which five? The earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element&#xA;  &amp;amp; the space element... Now both the internal elements &amp;amp; the external&#xA;  elements are simply elements. And that should be seen as it actually&#xA;  is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me,&#xA;  this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present&#xA;  with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the elements &#xA;  and makes craving for the elements fade from the mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase: &quot;&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is unrelated to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21381/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; posted in the question because the word 'dukkhā' in this phrase does not mean '&lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;'. Instead, it means '&lt;em&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/em&gt;', i.e., the incapacity of saṅkhārā (impermanent conditioned things) to bring lasting true happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is clearly explained, also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt;, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could treat any formation&#xA;  as permanent ― there is no such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It&#xA;  is possible that an ordinary person might treat some formation as&#xA;  permanent ― there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘&lt;strong&gt;It is&#xA;  impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could&#xA;  treat any formation as pleasurable ― there is no such possibility&lt;/strong&gt;.’&#xA;  And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might&#xA;  treat some formation as pleasurable ― there is such a possibility.’ He&#xA;  understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person&#xA;  possessing right view could treat anything as self ― there is no such&#xA;  possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary&#xA;  person might treat something as self ― there is such a possibility.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore for example, inanimate objects, such as rocks, trees or stars in the sky, are '&lt;em&gt;unsatisfactory&lt;/em&gt;'; they cannot bring or be relied on for true pleasure; but they are not 'suffering'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To avoid doubt, Dhammapada 278 explains the experience of &quot;&lt;em&gt;sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; results in &lt;strong&gt;liberation&lt;/strong&gt; rather than suffering: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;All conditioned things are unsatisfactory&quot; — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to&#xA;  purification.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 278&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T09:12:59.197" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T09:12:59.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21389" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-05T10:04:31.980" Score="1" ViewCount="266" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hello folks I have some questions on mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How do I maintain mindfulness in stressed or high stimulus environments? It's easy at home and when I do my things alone but once I'm at work (delivering food on a bike), at school or being with someone it's very hard to stay mindful. Any suggestions? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I couldn't really see any good explanation of buddhist mindfulness. If someone has an easy explanation please send me a link, however it combines alertness or concentration with a clear knowing what is going on (a label), isn't it so? But after an experience has been labeled it's not done yet. The practitioner needs then to do something to change from a unwholesome state/behaviour to a wholesome state/behaviour, right?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;This question is related to the first one. If I am at work my mind is jumping from thought to thought and I feel in my body that I want to do things really fast. So in essence, my mind and body feels hasty and like a turmoil. Is there any practical advice how I can settle down the mind and body in in a fast way (especially when it's getting difficult or rather where distraction is available, e.g. at work, school, etc).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T10:37:34.780" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T21:09:50.550" Title="Sati-Sampajañña (Mindfulness)" Tags="|personal-practice|meditation-concentration|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21390" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21389" CreationDate="2017-07-05T10:32:33.003" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is through maintaining Sati, Samadhi and Sampajanna it self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1st one should keep your mindfulness in the 4 Frames of Reference. You should have Sampajanna in the following way:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;purpose (sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;domain (gocara): maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_characteristics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three characteristics&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajañña&lt;/a&gt; also see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Four-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt; by VRI, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt; by VRI, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna-the-Thorough-Understanding&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajanna-the Constant Thorough Understanding of Impermanence&lt;/a&gt; by VRI,&#xA; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/en1993-03-04&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajañña: The Fullness of Understanding&lt;/a&gt; - by S. N. Goenka, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Importance-of-Vedana-and-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt; by VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though arise due to sensory input. Perhaps you can try to restrict distraction by non reaction to the sensory input, which is to maintain the &lt;strong&gt;domain&lt;/strong&gt;, and also be &lt;strong&gt;non deluded&lt;/strong&gt; by at least seeing arising and passing nature of the experience. Also if the thought that district you are &lt;strong&gt;not related to the path&lt;/strong&gt; you can abandon them. More on this see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. Also be &lt;strong&gt;careful&lt;/strong&gt; there is no lapse of mindfulness which might lead to unwholesome &#xA; or unsuitable thought to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To quiet your active mind perhaps you can try out developing the Jhana factors. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. If &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitarka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;initial&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sustained application&lt;/a&gt; is developed within the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Frames of Reference&lt;/a&gt; this also you are keeping to the domain, purpose, doing what is suitable and non deluded, while also getting and handle on the distracting thoughts through concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To apply this to daily activities always see it your mind is with the 4 Frames of Reference periodically, with initial and sustained application, contemplating the at least impermanence of the of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_characteristics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;three characteristics&lt;/a&gt;, as you go through your daily activities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T11:30:14.017" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21391" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21383" CreationDate="2017-07-05T11:05:21.840" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are mistaking Saṅkhārā for concepts. Concepts are perceived as stable and satisfying.&#xA;Saṅkhārā means conditioned phenomena. That refers to physical elements and the rest of the five aggregates.&#xA;All saṅkhārās come under the first noble truth for being deficient, impermanent, unpredictable &amp;amp; conditioned. But there will be no mental suffering if you do not cling to them. Think of it as a fire. You don't get burnt as long as you stay away from it. But that doesn't mean the fire isn't hot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's no non-suffering element except for Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-05T16:44:28.283" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T16:44:28.283" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21392" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21336" CreationDate="2017-07-05T15:13:16.243" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try watching a documentary about the Illuminati, &quot;The American Dream&quot; cartoon on Youtube for instance.&#xA;It will disillusion you from the left-right paradigm which is designed to make us combat &lt;em&gt;each other&lt;/em&gt; rather than the establishment itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Politics literally means the study of the people.&#xA;As such, doing something truly good through politics is what a bodhisattva would do.&#xA;On the other hand, most of our minds are too clouded to make a change &lt;strong&gt;in the right place and time&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It would be good to go to a protest, help fund an &lt;em&gt;actually anti-establishment&lt;/em&gt; politician (like Ron Paul)... but it gets tricky. Trump claimed to be anti-establishment but here he is completely bought out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After you learn more about the system at its core, including fractional reserve banking... you will see how it is doomed for failure and maybe make preparations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be forcibly un-involved from politics is to hide under a rock--but definitely do not get mired in the details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T15:13:16.243" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21393" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18536" CreationDate="2017-07-05T15:18:29.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is basically a call to keep on focusing on the real thing and a warning not to get stuck in any concept, even or especially high order concepts from within the doctrine. Even those are to be transcended. If not, it is just another form of clinging and discerning. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No intricate speculation about emptiness is needed to explain this one. From a doctrinal point of view one would rather think of the Prajnaparamita tradition where a concept (e.g. Buddha) is first confirmed only to be negated the next moment (not-buddha). What comes out of this, is the 'real meaning'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11614" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T15:18:29.073" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21394" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-05T17:18:50.040" Score="1" ViewCount="96" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read your message but didnt't really understand much. What do you recommend for a beginner at buddhism? I read a bit about right effort and view. Where to start? I've been meditating for about 3 years or so. What is really meant by sensual restraint? Dont get me wrong but I don't want to give up my desires and passions and preferences that I like... .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a nice one ;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-07-06T05:54:28.783" Title="Mindfulness, Eightfold path," Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21395" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21308" CreationDate="2017-07-05T20:50:37.600" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wat Doi Suthep has 'normal' beds, hot showers as well. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;fivethousandyears.org&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two years ago I stayed at the monk side of Wat Chomtong. The bed was a high one. The shower was private but cold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;northernvipassana.org/en/&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lEl3O.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lEl3O.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Last year I stayed at the tourist side of Wat Chomtong; the matras was thinner, the shower shared but hot. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ls9DZ.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ls9DZ.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11680" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T20:50:37.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21396" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21394" CreationDate="2017-07-05T21:03:54.157" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Eightfold path is practice in many different levels. The eightfold path practice by five preceptors is not the same as an Arahant.&#xA;To answer your question as a lay person you are expected only to follow the Eightfold path in line with the five precepts. So there is no need to give up all your passions and desires. As a layperson, you can practice eight precepts on Uposatta days. This is optional.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-07-06T03:00:17.603" LastActivityDate="2017-07-06T03:00:17.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21397" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21389" CreationDate="2017-07-05T21:09:50.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;sampajañña: 'clarity of consciousness', clear comprehension. This term is frequently met with in combination with mindfulness (sati). In D. 22, M. 10 it is said: &quot;Clearly conscious is he in going and coming, clearly conscious in looking forward and backward, clearly conscious in bending and stretching his body; clearly conscious in eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, clearly conscious in discharging excrement and urine; clearly conscious in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep and awakening; clearly conscious in speaking and keeping silent.&quot; - For a definition of the term sati-sampajañña, s. Pug. 86.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_s.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_s.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T21:09:50.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21398" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19684" CreationDate="2017-07-05T21:28:41.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo lives at Wat Chomtong. The foundation course is 21 days. That could be a nice start. There are more monasteries with similar style that do 21 day foundation courses like Wat Doi Suthep and Wat Rampoeng. &#xA;It's possible to stay much longer at Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha Meditation Centre Yangon. I can't find the folder they gave me though, so I don't know the exact conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11680" LastActivityDate="2017-07-05T21:28:41.633" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21399" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21394" CreationDate="2017-07-06T03:09:40.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Wise attention is the forerunner of the Noble 8 Fold Path so cultivate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dawn, bhikshus, is the forerunner, the harbinger of sun-rise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even so, bhikshus, for a monk this is the forerunner, the harbinger of the arising of the noble eightfold&#xA;  path, that is, accomplishment in &lt;strong&gt;wise attention&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, when a monk is accomplished in this &lt;strong&gt;wise attention&lt;/strong&gt;, it is to be expected that he will&#xA;  cultivate the noble eightfold path, develop the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.12-Yoniso-Manasikara-Sampada-S-s45.55-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yoniso Manasikāra Sampadā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can develop wise attention by being equanimous to every sensation which is felt and noting its impermanence. For what unwise attention is see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21191/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding sense restraint on each sense door results in sensations which are either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i. On seeing a form with the eye,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii. On hearing a sound with the ear,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii. On smelling a smell with the nose,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv. On tasting a taste with the tongue,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;v. On feeling a touch with the body,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vi. On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each of these sensation should be treated as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a pleasant feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a painful feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a neutral feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a painful feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a neutral feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be careful that you do not react to the sensation with unwholesome thoughts which are craving, aversion or ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-06T05:54:28.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21400" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21402" CreationDate="2017-07-06T09:57:00.513" Score="3" ViewCount="161" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha meant to be attentive all the time or is that just an ideal to strive for?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If we are attentive and feel sensations do we always see the impermanence in them? So first to recognize what is going on in- or outside and then seeing the impermanence and potentially the unsatisfactoriness in them, right? But wouldn't that decrease pleasures in certain activities/objects?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T05:18:02.400" Title="Impermanence (Anicca) and Mindfulness in general" Tags="|mindfulness|impermanence|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21401" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21400" CreationDate="2017-07-06T11:57:19.827" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes. One should be in constant awareness seeing impermanence as you mentioned.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yato ca bhikkhu atapi, sampajannam na rincatiatapi, sampajannam na rincati; &#xA;  tato so vedana sabba, parijanati pandito.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When a meditator, striving ardently, does not lose sampajanna, the thorough understanding of impermanence, even for a moment, such a wise person fully comprehends and experiences all sensations by exploring the entire field.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By constantly observing the sensations in the body, one experiences the arising and passing away. This constant observation of the body sensations based on the realisation of impermanence is sampajanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Vedana-Sampajanna-in-Vipassana-Meditation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Importance of Vedana and Sampajanna in Vipassana Meditation&lt;/a&gt; by VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The pleasure or gratification one gets from sense objects are temporary and end in unsatisfactoriness when it changes. By not seeking pleasure in temporary things you are trading lesser pleasure for a more lasting and higher pleasure of Nirvana. Until you get there at least you are not in emotional rollercoaster if you see impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not seeking pleasure is that you do not react to sensations mentally noting their impermanence. For house holders the the restain one should practice is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 precepts&lt;/a&gt;. You can seek pleasurable things within this confine. But while doing that if you practice insight a time will come where you will start giving up on things you might consider thrill seeking. But this should be a gradual process. This should not be an ideological or philosophical belief that you should give up on such activities, in which case it is attachment to a concept or ideal, which on itself in not ideal as it will result in misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T05:18:02.400" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T05:18:02.400" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21402" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21400" CreationDate="2017-07-06T12:00:12.537" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;That is two questions. I'll answer the second.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things are not unsatisfactory in themselves because they don't have selves. Anicca is the flip side of Anatta (non-self). Because things are made entirely of other things and aren't independent self-entities if any one 'thing' in the universe changes then everything changes because it all interpenetrates. This is the middle way between existence and non-existence - a big debate in Buddha's time and ever since!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dukkha (third of the three marks of existence) is what arises when we deny Anicca-Anatta. If we truly see/embrace/understand/know Anicca-Anatta then we are in Nirvana - which is nice not nasty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in practice we look deeply and see Anicca-Anatta which feels good. Nothing changes. Ice-cream still tastes yummy but we can see that it, along with our tongue, is impermanent and is also a product of the whole universe. Without impermanence the ice-cream would never have frozen and wouldn't melt. Without non-self the ice-cream couldn't become part of us. i.e. Wholesome pleasures increase in breadth and depth as we see them deeply. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11675" LastActivityDate="2017-07-06T12:00:12.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21405" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2533" CreationDate="2017-07-07T02:03:45.957" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Anapanasati Sutta is the only sutta that provides proper instruction in accordance to the Buddha-Dhamma, as follows.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion and cessation&#xA;  and ripens in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment (vossagga)&lt;/strong&gt;. He develops the investigation-of-states&#xA;  enlightenment factor…the energy enlightenment factor…the rapture&#xA;  enlightenment factor…the tranquillity enlightenment factor…the&#xA;  concentration enlightenment factor…the equanimity enlightenment&#xA;  factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion and cessation&#xA;  and ripens in &lt;strong&gt;relinquishment (vossagga)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T02:03:45.957" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21406" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2459" CreationDate="2017-07-07T04:08:49.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think there is no conflict between law of attraction and buddhism. But as per my understanding what buddha says is as long as you need something you will be born (and in the process you may get it). So there you go law of attraction. But in the process you will get lot more happenings (bad and good things) just being in the sansara. Therefor buddhism says get away from the sansara and to stop that the way is go in the opposite direction of law of attraction. Don't desire or reject anything and then there is no need for another birth and you are done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11687" LastEditorUserId="11687" LastEditDate="2017-07-07T06:38:02.633" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T06:38:02.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21407" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21409" CreationDate="2017-07-07T07:34:31.037" Score="3" ViewCount="608" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Sampajanna is clear comprehension and Vipassana is clearly seeing how or are they distinguishable?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T06:55:48.047" Title="Difference between Sampajanna and Vipassana" Tags="|theravada|vipassana|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21408" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21407" CreationDate="2017-07-07T09:25:50.697" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In short &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati&lt;/a&gt; with &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt; is Samma Sati which is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From this it becomes evident that according to the Buddha, whenever there is sammasati or satipatthana, it is always with sampajanna. That means it is with panna (wisdom). Otherwise it is mere sati, which is mere remembrance or awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/Sampajanna-the-Thorough-Understanding&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sampajanna-the Constant Thorough Understanding of Impermanence&lt;/a&gt; by VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T06:55:48.047" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T06:55:48.047" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21409" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21407" CreationDate="2017-07-07T10:31:13.440" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; is a prerequisite for right concentration. &lt;em&gt;Vipassana&lt;/em&gt; is a result of right concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness &amp;gt; &lt;em&gt;sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; &amp;gt; concentration &amp;gt; &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; &amp;gt; liberation &amp;gt; nibbana&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; is a product of active volition &amp;amp; mindfulness; what is called '&lt;em&gt;wise or careful attention' (yoni­so­ma­nasikāro)&lt;/em&gt;; as described in AN 10.61:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness and clear comprehension, too, I say, have a nutriment; they are not without nutriment. And what is the nutriment for mindfulness and clear comprehension? It should be said: careful attention (yoni­so­ma­nasikāro). &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassana is the &lt;em&gt;automatic&lt;/em&gt; seeing of ultimate truth that occurs when the mind is clear &amp;amp; concentrated, as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.2&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For a person whose mind is concentrated, there is no need for an act of will, 'May I know &amp;amp; see things as they actually are.' It is in the nature of things that a person whose mind is concentrated knows &amp;amp; sees things as they actually are. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 11.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;applied wisdom&lt;/em&gt;) is the preliminary wisdom that mindfulness (remembering; recollection) brings to mind to establish meditation. Again, to quote AN 10.61:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The four establishments of mindfulness, too, I say, have a nutriment; they are not without nutriment. And what is the nutriment for the four establishments of mindfulness? It should be said: ... mindfulness and clear comprehension. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when meditation is established, &lt;em&gt;sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; applies the types of wisdoms listed below, when required:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;observing breathing brings peace therefore it is beneficial to observe the breathing&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;craving &amp;amp; attachment cause suffering &amp;amp; disturbances therefore I should meditate without craving &amp;amp; attachment&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;this hindrance harms myself &amp;amp; harms another therefore it should be abandoned&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhu Buddhadasa has explained 'sampajanna' &amp;amp; 'vipassana' below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sampajanna, wisdom-in-action, ready comprehension, clear comprehension: the specific application of  panna as required in a&#xA;given situation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;vipassana, insight: literally, &amp;quot;clear seeing,&amp;quot; to see clearly, distinctly, directly into the true nature of  things, into&#xA;aniccam-dukkham-anatta. Vipassana is popularly used for mental&#xA;development practiced for the sake of true insight. In such cases, the&#xA;physical posture, theory, and method of such practices must not be&#xA;confused with true realization of impermanence, unsatisfactori­ness,&#xA;and not-self. Vipassana cannot be taught.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SAMPAJAÑÑA&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sampajanna&lt;/strong&gt; is wisdom as it meets up with and immediately confronts a problem, as it deals with and wipes&#xA;out that problem -- this is wisdom-in-action. It is only that wisdom&#xA;specifically related and applied to a particular situation or event.&#xA;The word &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; (&lt;strong&gt;paññä&lt;/strong&gt;) encompasses many&#xA;meanings and understandings, we can't even begin to estimate its&#xA;content. However, the word &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;sampajanna&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; is far more limited in its&#xA;meaning. It is exactly that wisdom directly needed for the problem&#xA;that confronts us. Active wisdom isn't general, it is a matter of&#xA;particulars.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We can compare &lt;strong&gt;wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;paññä&lt;/strong&gt;) with the medicine chest in our house. In it we store a wide variety of drugs, pills, capsules, ointments, powders,&#xA;and syrups for possible use. When we're actually sick, we must choose&#xA;from among the many the one drug which will be effective in treating&#xA;our ailment. We can't take them all; we take just what is needed to&#xA;cure our illness here and now. The same is true for wisdom. Understand&#xA;that there's an incredible amount of what we call paññä,&#xA;but that we only apply a little bit at a time. We apply just that&#xA;portion which can take care of the immediate situation. Know how to&#xA;use the Dhamma, the paññä, which is exactly relevant to our situation&#xA;and problem. The Dhamma or wisdom which controls that situation and&#xA;problem is what we call &amp;quot;sampajanna.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Natural_Cure_for_Spiritual_Disease2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Scientific Cure of Spiritual Disease&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T10:36:36.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21410" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21407" CreationDate="2017-07-07T10:45:04.697" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In sampajaññaṃ 4 --asammohasampajañña is vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;sampajaññaṃ 4 = clear comprehension; clarity of consciousness; awareness&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sātthakasampajaññaṃ - clear comprehension of purpose.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sappāyasampajaññaṃ - clear comprehension of suitability.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;gocarasampajaññaṃ - clear comprehension of the domain in physical&#xA;and mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;asammohasampajañña - clear comprehension of non-delusion, or of reality.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://84000.org/tipitaka/dic/d_item.php?i=189&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://84000.org/tipitaka/dic/d_item.php?i=189&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-07T15:22:46.883" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T15:22:46.883" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21411" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8323" CreationDate="2017-07-07T11:53:26.687" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;there were only 3 parst of the vedas during and before buddha, they were samhita,brahmanas and aryankas. upanishads were later added by interpolating buddhist philosophy to save vedic religion from dying.. Gita too existed before buddha but it was of only 84 verses, the rest of the 616 verses related to spiritual knowledge and philosophy like karma and moksha were added at a much later date after buddha, mostly by shankracharya by interpolating buddhist philosophies into it. other than the 84 versed gita and vedas there was hindu or vedic literature that dates buddha. even yoga was invented somewhere around 1st century ad. some claim that yoga existed before buddha on the basis of an image carved on a 4000 year old coin, which i think u will understand is totally nonsensical after seeing the image of the coin. rather the image looks like it depicts some animistic religion.i have uploaded the picture of the coin below. the original vedic religion was far from spiritual philosophy that we see today, it was more of a warrior and shaministic religion.it had no concept of rebirth but only of heaven and earth. common do u think kirshna when he died 100s of his consorts were burnt alive with his pyre according to sati ritual. do u think this guy krishna sat 4 hours on the battleground and taught the whole 700 verses of gita to arjuna.&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZK9Ay.gif&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZK9Ay.gif&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11690" LastActivityDate="2017-07-07T11:53:26.687" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21413" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21415" CreationDate="2017-07-07T22:02:38.953" Score="4" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Similarly, wise consideration of the mental liberation of loving kindness (mettā-&#xA;  cetovimutti) counteracts ill will; wise consideration of the elements of effort &#xA;  (ārambhadhātu), exertion (nikkamadhātu), and striving (parakkamadhātu) counteracts &#xA;  sloth and torpor; wise consideration of tranquility (cetaso vūpasama) counteracts &#xA;  restlessness and worry; and wise consideration of wholesome and unwholesome states &#xA;  (kusalākusaladhammā) counteracts doubt.6&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So lets say i am having ill will thoughts. Do i just replace those thoughts with loving kindness instead? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or if I am experiencing sloth and torpor, do i just replace and abandon those thoughts with exertion and striving? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is that how you apply this passage in the real world, by abandoning those thoughts and having one pointed focus on their antidotes?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10831" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T02:34:38.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T02:34:38.877" Title="Replacing the hindrances with it's opposite?" Tags="|mindfulness|jhana|mind-and-matter|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21414" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-07T23:51:30.673" Score="0" ViewCount="522" Body="&lt;p&gt;If Buddhists don't believe that we have a soul then why do some believe in ghosts or spirits? this seems contradictory.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2023-09-08T06:57:02.590" Title="Belief in Ghost and spirits" Tags="|soul|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21415" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21413" CreationDate="2017-07-08T00:00:18.803" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So lets say i am having ill will thoughts do i just replace those thoughts with loving kindness instead? Or if im experiencing sloth and torpor, do i just replace and abandon those thoughts with exertion and striving?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, that would be one way of dealing with the hindrances. This is the first method. If that does not work, one moves on to the second method and so forth. Methods are described below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One can deal with each of the 5 hindrances in 5 ways, i.e. the following 5 methods works for all of the hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Methods are found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, p. 63-66, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Replacing the hindrance with its opposite, e.g. replacing &lt;em&gt;hatred/ill-will&lt;/em&gt; with thoughts of loving-kindness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating the arisen hindrance as vile and ignoble, since it has entered the mind without permission or any control.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention away from the hindrance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention onto the hindrance and thoroughly contemplating it by investigating its causes and conditions for arising together with its characteristics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Removing the hindrance with force, just as a strong man would pin a weaker man to the ground.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. 5 should only be used if method 1-4 does not work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions to what I wrote feel free to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T12:52:41.523" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T12:52:41.523" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21416" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21363" CreationDate="2017-07-08T00:26:59.843" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How much time it takes to experience 4th jhana?v&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Right now sometime if i try to concentrate i can feel the calmness in mind. Before 2 years i used to feel inner joy after doing meditation. If i do meditation everyday for 2 -3 hours, how much time will it take for me to leave the rupa jhana?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One cannot put a time perspective on such practices.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just practice &lt;em&gt;diligently, systematically and with great effort&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Undertake the (samatha) meditation practice for the sake of the practice itself - not for gaining anything. The minute one is thinking about achieving and gaining something, one has fallen into the hindrances.. As a result of that, one has moved away from the primary object of meditation and thus are not cultivating concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a good idea to regularly clarify and affirm ones intentions for practicing - especially with Jhana meditation, that is very important. Its easy to become attached to the pleasant sensations this type of meditation practice can result in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should ask oneself why one takes on this practice. A wholesome intention is essential. Wholesome intentions for engaging in Samatha meditation could be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Collecting the scattered mind (e.g. to be used later for Vipassana meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deepening serenity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Purification of the mind stream&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivating a high level of concentration (e.g. to be used later for Vipassana meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T00:26:59.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21417" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21418" CreationDate="2017-07-08T02:33:48.063" Score="1" ViewCount="1032" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering if helping others who are suffering prevents them from receiving their karmic dues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if Person X caused great suffering to others, then according Buddhism, his Karma will come back to haunt him in the same life or a next life. Now suppose, he does suffer in another future life but a Good Samaritan rescues him before all his karmic debts are paid. The Good Samaritan improves his karma account with the good deed but he has still rescued someone who still has a debt to pay to society. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can one justify helping others in this case? I'm not trying to find fault with Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="220" LastActivityDate="2018-08-23T00:54:06.423" Title="Helping Others Who Still Need to Suffer due to karma" Tags="|karma|suffering|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21418" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21417" CreationDate="2017-07-08T04:32:00.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma is not meant as a punishment or retribution or debt to be paid which you are not to interfere with. It is complicated with many interactions. The environment has to fall into place for its results to be seen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the environment can influence the effects of Karma, it can be eradicated or changed in some cases. Since Karma is complex you you cannot say for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By helping others your can help lighten the burden of their Karma and in some cases counteract the bad Karma altogether. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this is the good Karma for the person doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T09:12:11.693" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T09:12:11.693" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21419" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-08T04:52:05.893" Score="1" ViewCount="50" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Islamic quran, we Muslims are asked to know people from other nations and following other religions, we are recommended to learn their languages. Allah said: &quot;O Mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes that you may know one another.&quot; Is there any recommendations in the Buddhism that tells the same? especially for languages learning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11692" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T05:40:14.550" Title="Is it recommended in Buddhism to know people from other nations and learn their languages" Tags="|language|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21420" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21414" CreationDate="2017-07-08T04:58:41.230" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Soul in the context of Buddhism is that was contemporary considers atman, which is permanent, pleasant and controllable. What is established in Buddhism is that there is nothing as such and everything constituting a being is subjected to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Universal Characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is not entity as a being. What is there is a causality arising process, which also is presented as the 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;. The continuity of the causality process can be taken as a trip in a vehicle. Each point of the journey is different from the other but still point of the same journey, hence there is a continuity but not also the entirely the same. Death is like changing vehicles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism Ghosts and Spirits are not tormented souls of past being. They themselves are life forms which inhabit the 31 planes of existence. When one dies and is reborn as a Ghost or Spirit this is like any other rebirth. This is a new existence. It is not the same being in the previous birth or nor a different being, but the continuation of the causality process.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T04:58:41.230" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21421" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21419" CreationDate="2017-07-08T05:40:14.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should not cling to a regional language; you should not reject common usage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a summary of the analysis of non-conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.8-Arana-Vibhanga-S-m139-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Arana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A lot more discussions in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/26.11-Language-and-discourse.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Language and Discourse&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T05:40:14.550" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21422" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21414" CreationDate="2017-07-08T05:51:02.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In buddhism, nothing is permanent. One can be reborn as an animal, reborn as a ghost, reborn in hell, reborn as a god thus cycling through all 6 realms of birth. Therefore, there can't be one soul, otherwise there'll be  animal soul when animal dies,  human dies there will be human soul, a ghost dies there will be ghost soul, a god dies there will be god soul and thus 6 different souls - and not one soul. Thus there is no soul, just cycle through the 6 realms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T05:51:02.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21423" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21425" CreationDate="2017-07-08T06:09:39.870" Score="-1" ViewCount="172" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I let relationships and other things go as a way of embracing detachment then will there be karmic &quot;retribution&quot;  or will it leave some hole that will force me into rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T08:10:39.097" Title="Is allowing or seeking detachment a bad karmic influence vis a vis rebirth?" Tags="|rebirth|lay-buddhism|relationship|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21424" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21417" CreationDate="2017-07-08T06:44:36.767" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the present moment we may have the opportunity to understand, support or help another fellow human in the spirit of compassion. To behave compassionately towards another in the present moment can only improve life for ourselves and those around us. If all our actions cause a reaction we should endeavour to live our lives more skillfully and with compassion.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I was very touched recently by a reading on Gratitude.&#xA;&quot;Any goodness that we encounter in the world is a gift from people now and in the past - a handful of people we know by name, and millions of others who's names we will never know. For their countless acts of generosity, we owe them our deepest gratitude. Our job is to take the lantern from their hands and carry it a little farther down the road.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11694" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T06:44:36.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21425" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21423" CreationDate="2017-07-08T06:45:59.557" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you let go mentally then there will be more positive karmic efforts in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you let go by being attached to an ideal or view or practice or embracing this as a view, ideal or practice then this might cause negative karma for the future depending on how much you get attached to the ideal, view or practice. E.g. if you see many charities which seem to do good but many of the volunteers seem overly attached to the cause. This will have an element of unwholesomeness in it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you have to get detached by training your mind than through other means. Also without going overboard with being detached if you practice this to some extent then this also might help towards letting go through your mind but keeping in mind this is a double edge sword. If this is leading to some form of craving or attachment then this is not the right way it should be done, and also will have some negative karmic effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For rebirth not to happen you should not get attached at the dying moment. If there is any effective (not dormant or not &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/ahosikamma&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ahosi&lt;/a&gt;) kamma rebirth will happen. Attachment to view, ideals and practices, even to that of detachment, also may have potent for a next birth. If you have mentally let go then there will be not potent karma and there will be no rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More technically according to dependent arising, rebirth is generated in two sequences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) ignorance (avijjā) + karma -&amp;gt; the stream of consciousness beginning at rebirth (vinnāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) craving (tanhā) + clinging/fuel (upādāna) -&amp;gt; existence (bhava) + rebirth into that existence (jāti).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Arising&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T03:58:52.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21426" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21417" CreationDate="2017-07-08T08:25:12.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ideas in your question are your own. They are not related to what the Buddha taught. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught if suffering was caused by actions performed in the past, we would be helpless. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Those who fall back on past deeds as the essential truth have no desire to do what should be done and to avoid doing what should not be done, nor do they make an effort in this respect. Since they do not apprehend as true and valid anything that should be done or should not be done, they are muddle-minded, they do not guard themselves, and even the personal designation ‘ascetic’ could not be legitimately applied to them. This was my first legitimate refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T08:25:12.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21427" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21423" CreationDate="2017-07-08T11:39:45.703" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not teach 'kammic-retribution' &amp;amp; 'non-attachment' together. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Kammic-retribution' is a moral yet defiled &amp;amp; mundane teaching; based in the ordinary view of 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Non-attachment' is a supramundane/transcendent (&lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt;) teaching; based in not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;, which distinguishes these matters. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This being said, any important &amp;amp; essential relationship in life must be looked after, for example, the relationship an enlightened monk must have with laypeople. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught 'non-attachment' rather than 'detachment'. The advanced Buddhist practitioner learns to have &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; without attachment. Having &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; will look after/safeguard any relationship. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T11:45:21.830" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T11:45:21.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21428" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21423" CreationDate="2017-07-08T15:10:46.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I let relationships and other things go as a way of embracing detachment then will there be karmic &quot;retribution&quot; or will it leave some hole that will force me into rebirth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as &lt;em&gt;Ignorance (avijja)&lt;/em&gt; is present, there will be rebirth, with reference to the doctrine of Dependent Origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The only way to &quot;let things go&quot; is by way of understanding. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism one overcomes Samsaric phenomena by understanding them through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, namely the insight portion of the Buddha's path to liberation. Only insight meditation can shed away the veil of delusion permanently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T15:10:46.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21429" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-08T20:31:28.077" Score="2" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;Im doing mahasi style meditaiton with labeling  - is it possible to do thai-chi and this type of noting ?    should it be just  &quot;moving moving moving&quot;  non stop ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;also to save me some time  - when people usually do thai chi what are they thinking about exactly (if they are good practitioners of thai chi)  ?  cause i tried to find out online and couldnt &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;why i practice thai chi ?   manly as a positive way to pass the time and  but also i really want to get some cool out of the norm experiences to help strength my believe in not &quot;normal&quot; scientific stuff &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;i wanted to gain cool out of the ordinary experiences in meditation to increase my faith and by that my will to meditate more  -   but i hope maybe thai chi  can  do it more easily - cause  my vipassana practice is just boring no cool nimmitias  just good old worries doubts and expectations etc &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T22:11:03.847" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T06:43:12.500" Title="Can you do labeling and tai chi?" Tags="|vipassana|thai|labeling|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21430" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-08T21:02:14.307" Score="0" ViewCount="187" Body="&lt;p&gt;The more I study and meditate upon karma the more I am convinced that it is a physical thing and not a moral one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The universe is a massive interweaving assemblage of gears and wheels and shafts and cogs. By doing this simple action (we'll call it &quot;X&quot;) you create a rippling of reactions as a direct result. These are the primary reactions then secondary then tertiary and so on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the momentum imparted from the original action resulted in countless other effects. And the momentum or propensity of the actions to continue in that general direction is in my opinion the true nature of karma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not some altruistic ideology that frowns upon immoral actions and exacts a eventual penalty just for that reason. Now, granted, the ill effects on others from those type of negative actions may create its own karmic momentum. But so many see karma as some sort of cosmic police force and that just isnt the case. At least not as I see it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would someone agree or set me straight?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T03:20:57.807" Title="What is the true nature of karma?" Tags="|personal-practice|karma|ethics|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21431" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-08T21:22:15.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is true that its not a good bad thing .....  BUT  it actually almost sits on definitions of good and bad one on one &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What you said is said in almost all places that talk about karma in buddhism and its always in this funny way &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;they start very bold in stating on how karma is not about good and bad but just the law of karma the way things are  .... but than if you continue to read you see that good is almost one by one the same as wholesome and same with bad and unwholesome &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;***  no one is punishing you (also said almost everywhere that they talk on karma)  but you will be &quot;punished&quot; not on purpose when you will receive the effects of your action &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it has differences like for instance meditation is considered wholesome karma  - and can be considered even better karma than donating money for example &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;giving money for example is good cause its letting go of attachment - also it developes metta  --- which are things which will benefit you &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;edit :   but karma can be unfair (like real life police actually)   some stuff you do can be very little and have  great effect and huge stuff you do have a tiny effect &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;what is said for sure is that  an unwholesome (akosala)  action has bad results and good action good results    .... when the time is right (i belive you heard about comparing karma to seeds  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the unfair part of karama  can be different than good and bad  which is  if you give  40  you might get 20  or get 4000000  its not tit for tat&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T21:46:44.757" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T21:46:44.757" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21432" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21429" CreationDate="2017-07-08T21:22:22.043" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Im doing mahasi style meditaiton with labeling - is it possible to do thai-chi and this type of noting ? should it be just &quot;moving moving moving&quot; non stop ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course. Noting can (and should) be applied to all mental and bodily activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But do not use &quot;moving, moving&quot; for all movements. As in walking meditation we use both &lt;em&gt;lifting, moving, placing, touching&lt;/em&gt;. You can use similar noting in Tai Chi, e.g. &lt;em&gt;moving, turning, lifting, pushing, pulling&lt;/em&gt; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Keep it simple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Btw - Tai Chi is great. I teach it to my coworkers 2 times a week followed by sitting meditation. I too note movements when doing it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-08T23:05:47.403" LastActivityDate="2017-07-08T23:05:47.403" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21433" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-09T00:02:04.727" Score="3" ViewCount="80" Body="&lt;p&gt;I believe I've heard that the earth, after periodical destruction, comes into being because because beings with unexpiated karma exist - some of them will need to be born as humans, some as animals. The earth therefore is necessary, and appears.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does anyone recognize this description? References will be greatly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please note that my question is not about any absolute beginning of being or the universe (that issue firmly remaining unanswered I believe?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11697" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T02:11:59.570" Title="Karma and the creation of the earth" Tags="|theravada|karma|rebirth|sutras|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21434" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21433" CreationDate="2017-07-09T02:11:59.570" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;i know of one sources on this which is the Agganna Sutta   from the digha nikaya 27&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;‘At that period, Vāseṭṭha, there was just one mass of water, and all was darkness, blinding darkness. Neither moon nor sun appeared, no constellations or stars appeared, night and day were not distinguished, nor months and fortnights, no years or seasons, and no male and female, beings being reckoned just as beings.827 And sooner or later, after a very long period of time, savoury earth828 spread itself over the waters where those beings were. It looked just like the skin that forms itself over hot milk as it cools. It was endowed with colour, smell and taste. It was the colour of fine ghee or butter, and it was very sweet, like pure wild honey.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;‘Then some being of a greedy nature said: “I say, what can this be?” and tasted the savoury earth on its finger. In so doing, it became taken with the flavour, and craving arose in it.829 Then other beings, taking their cue from that one, also tasted the stuff with their fingers. They too were taken with the flavour, and craving arose in them. So they set to with their hands, breaking off pieces of the stuff in order to eat it. And [86] the result of this was that their self-luminance disappeared. And as a result of the disappearance of their self-luminance, the moon and the sun appeared, night and day were distinguished, months and fortnights appeared, and the year and its seasons. To that extent the world re-evolved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palicanon.org/en/sutta-pitaka/transcribed-suttas/majjhima-nikaya/142-mn-88-bhitika-sutta-the-cloak.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palicanon.org/en/sutta-pitaka/transcribed-suttas/majjhima-nikaya/142-mn-88-bhitika-sutta-the-cloak.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T02:11:59.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21435" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-09T03:24:49.383" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;physical thing and not a moral one&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is created as part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; Process due to craving and clinging. In the  Since it is part of this process it is neither physical nor moral. In this context &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;becoming&lt;/a&gt; is the karmic component. in the context of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Aggregates&lt;/a&gt; the Karmic component is included in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Formations&lt;/a&gt; which is not physical but mental. But morality is positive karma (gives results which is felt as being pleasant when experienced) an immorality is negative karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;universe is a massive interweaving assemblage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The interactions are complex which only a Buddha shall know for sure. Having said this the universe is a complex interaction of many factors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;immoral actions and exacts a eventual penalty just for that reason&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Immoral action does have penalties but there is no law giver. The next moment is conditioned from this moment with the input of fabrications created through volitional actions. Each moment has so much state built in, it is like a granary with abundance of seeds which can germinate at any moment to give results. Much of the this state is transferred from moment to moment. By staving each moment of input you can stop the accumulation of karmic seed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T03:20:57.807" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T03:20:57.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21436" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21429" CreationDate="2017-07-09T06:43:12.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;is it possible to do tai-chi and this type of noting?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would not have thought so, but maybe that's because I'm not good enough at labeling and/or at tai chi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Labeling is not what I was taught to do, when I was taught tai chi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I find that tai chi is so complicated, or so immersive, that it seems to shut off the verbal part of my mind. When I'm 'doing nothing' (when I'm not practicing tai chi) I tend to visualize and verbalize. Ditto when I'm doing something simple, e.g. bicycling: less visualization when bicycling (I have real-world things to look at), but still verbalizing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But doing Tai Chi there are many things to think about:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathing, in or out&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How breathing affects the current movement&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Posture (spine) and balance (on the weighted foot and knee)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Movement (push or pull, and twist/rotate) of four limbs&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The sequence within the form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I try to experience (to get feedback from) the form and the feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen-style_t%27ai_chi_ch%27uan#Chen_forms&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this list of 'fundamental principles'&lt;/a&gt; which you're supposed to obey no matter which form or movement of the form you're doing ... on top of which, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen-style_t%27ai_chi_ch%27uan#Historical_forms_from_Chen_Village&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;there are forms&lt;/a&gt; to learn and practice (I'm linking to Chen-style but I suppose &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_chi#History_and_styles&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;other styles&lt;/a&gt; are similar).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;when people usually do thai chi what are they thinking about exactly&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it depends on how adept you are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you're learning to speak (a non-tonal language), one of the things you concentrate on the sound of syllables. What does &quot;oo&quot; sound like? What does &quot;b&quot; sounds like? What about &quot;boo&quot;? Similarly a tai chi beginner learns many syllables (fragments of movement), like, what's it like to &quot;push your hand forward while rotating the wrist but keeping your shoulder down and back&quot;: what does it feel like and how do you do it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also you might practice just one move from a form, as a drill, for example, &quot;wave hands like clouds&quot;; or a drill, like, &quot;peng lu ji an&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then you learn a 'form' which is a sequence of moves (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_(Old_Frame,_First_Routine,_Lao_Jia_Yi_Lu)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this sequence&lt;/a&gt;). You have to learn and practice each move in sequence: how to do it (what the components of the move are), how it starts, what's in the middle, how it ends, what the next move will be, what it's called, and what the 'practical' purpose of the move is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You &lt;em&gt;may (optionally) be&lt;/em&gt; naming each move (e.g. &quot;Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar&quot;) as you do it; and/or the teacher may be naming each move (to try to remind students which is the current move).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless you're a learner or a teacher though, I don't think to try to label in this way, though of course you're more-or-less aware of what you're doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I first learned the form I was told to just &quot;breathe naturally&quot;. After I had learned the (external) form (sequence of moves) well enough to be able to practice it, I started to learn how/when to breathe when practicing it, i.e. exhaling during a push and breathing in when contracting, i.e. to integrate breathing. So now when I practice the form, I think of it as a sequence of balanced breaths:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathing in (and contracting)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathing out (and stepping or expanding)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathing in again, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While keeping my balance&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;While moving through the steps of the form&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We're also told to think about your &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantian#Importance_of_the_lower_dantian&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dantian&lt;/a&gt; i.e. to keep your energy there, close to the ground or rooted (according to the teacher, usually people's energy is up in their head, which is why they're so unbalanced or easy to unbalance).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two more things to think abut when doing a solo form:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Skeleton (you're supported on your skeleton, so the skeleton should be upright and balanced, while the flesh is relaxed ... or &quot;bone rises, flesh sinks&quot; as the teacher put it)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Apparently, there's &quot;spiralling energy&quot; associated with your bone marrow (this is an example of the type of thing, which the teacher described and which I'm not sure I ever cottoned on to)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, a teacher might need to be able to label it, i.e. to explain what they're doing (everything they're doing, or anything their students are doing) in any amount of detail.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;i really want to get some cool out of the norm experiences to help strength my believe in not &quot;normal&quot; scientific stuff&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I haven't experienced any too-miraculous chi phenomena, so maybe I only experienced &quot;normal scientific stuff&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand I do remember being pleased, after an early lesson: that I'd been to school for so many years but that nobody had ever really taught me how to &lt;em&gt;walk&lt;/em&gt; before! So it's quite practical: good for posture and balance and flexibility and coordination and so on; and hopefully you'll enjoy the company of the people you do it with.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;just good old worries doubts and expectations etc&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I said, for me it shuts down verbalizing and so on; so part of what's pleasant about it is that it's a break from &quot;old worries&quot; and so on. Instead my &quot;worry&quot; is whether I'm keeping my balance while I'm moving three limbs while standing on one foot! And breathing! And I've practiced enough now to be successful at that, so no worries!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Incidentally I read once that there are different ways of learning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By seeing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By hearing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;By doing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different people may have different preferences about how they're taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't just tell me, show me!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't just show it, explain it!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let me try it for myself!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although I answered &quot;no&quot; to your question, I see Lanka answered &quot;yes, of course&quot;. Other people might be more verbal, skilled at verbalizing or labelling, than I am. And if he's currently teaching it, maybe that helps to require him to label it (for his students' benefit).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the things I'm concentrating on when practicing a form is a physical awareness than something is mis-aligned and needs to be moved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Given that there's constant motion over the whole body there's always something (multiple things) that need to be moved. So I might have a thought like,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;My &lt;em&gt;kua&lt;/em&gt; (pelvis) feels like it's pointing towards the right and needs to be more centered.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having formed the thought (that the kua is out of alignment) I correct that. The practice is to get better integrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can read text faster than people talk. Similarly it seems to me that when practicing Tai Chi I'm aware of sensations faster than I can label them. It also seems to me that labelling sensations isn't the point of the exercise, that the point is to correct sensations associated with doing it wrong (also to keep the body comfortable, nourished with breath and lubricated by exercising the joints, and to keep the mind as clear as possible).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T06:43:12.500" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21437" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-09T08:40:14.100" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word &lt;em&gt;karma&lt;/em&gt; literally means &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;action&lt;/em&gt; is &lt;em&gt;motion&lt;/em&gt;, so it is of physical nature, it is the play of energy. Things (forms) exist as long as they act (inner-motion), and the process is either conscious, or unconscious. Therefore, human birth is of extreme importance.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6973" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T08:40:14.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21438" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19038" CreationDate="2017-07-09T08:41:28.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Four Dharma seals are wrong, because Dukkha is a part of the Four Noble Truths. Dukkha cannot be a Dharma seal because suffering can be transcended with enlightenment. But the Three Dharma Seals are the actual Truth that will always be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All Samskara are impermanent&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;All dharma are without a substantial self&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nirvana is perfect peace&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All three are inherent truth, not something that can be changed with enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11698" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T17:25:48.347" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T17:25:48.347" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21439" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-09T09:25:15.577" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are right in using physical things to explain karma. But reasoning can only get us this far. Reasoning does little to eliminate sufferings. The main wish of the buddha is to have everyone be free from sufferings and be enlightened. Since buddha has seen karma being responsible for sufferings he teaches us not to create karma. And since there many types of karma, there are many different teachings - 84,000 of them. Thus besides besides explaining karma, we must know that we should not create them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T09:25:15.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21440" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-09T14:06:28.567" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma can be simply explained using the Newton's 3rd law : &quot;Every action has a reaction which is equal in magnitude &amp;amp; opposite in direction.&quot; These actions include, thoughts, words &amp;amp; physical actions. Through the way we do these actions, we alter the momentum of the force that we emit in doing them. The return is always even equal to the depth of our intention in doing it. That's why Lord Buddha has asked us to remind the good thing we do in our life over &amp;amp; over again. It will increase the depth of our intention in doing it &amp;amp; increase the momentum of the return we get.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T14:06:28.567" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21441" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21451" CreationDate="2017-07-09T14:21:11.430" Score="3" ViewCount="241" Body="&lt;p&gt;If somebody goes beyond fourth jhanas and has received super knowledge and also powers, than why don't he shows it to world and shares his knowledge and experience to world or say scientist and science community so that the general humans will believe in dharma and religion? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2018-01-12T08:35:46.407" Title="If someone have experienced supernatural abilities through meditation, than why don't he shows it to world?" Tags="|mind|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21442" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21423" CreationDate="2017-07-09T14:28:23.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The exact answer for your question was in the Dhamma deshana I listened to yesterday. It is true that Lord Buddha has asked you to detatch from materialised substances, but in case of living as a lay person practicing this 100% is not practical. To practice in this detaching, you should go &amp;amp; live a life as a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example taken to explain this was:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a person who lived a normal family life &amp;amp; after coming into contact with dhamma this person started to practice extreme detachment while living in his house with his family (He was not in a position to leave the family). Now having to live with the family members was also a distraction in his detachment practicing. This led him to be angry with his family. As well as Lord Buddha has asked us to detach from materialised components, we are told that anger is bad. So, now this person has come into contact with anger as well as he is not able to detach 100%. This is worsening of the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also if a person tries to refrain from performing the duties towards the society by practicing detachment &amp;amp; by seeing them as a collection of elements, that will lead to some unpleasant situations as that person throwing a stone at another person &amp;amp; thinking of it as a set of elements stucking another set of elements. These kinds of situations arise by not understanding what the dhamma is truly about. If a person tries to practice the extremes of these while not having a clear vision &amp;amp; a stable mind, that will lead to unpleasant situations which is not what Buddhism is about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not trying to tell that you can't practice detachment while living as a lay person, we need to have the correct vision about dhamma as well as we have to have the right conditions from the surrounding to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T08:10:39.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21444" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21445" CreationDate="2017-07-09T14:51:13.653" Score="3" ViewCount="589" Body="&lt;p&gt;If a person has enemies and wants to take revenge, then can he meditate? Will those thoughts stop the person from meditating even if he doesn't think those things while meditating? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2017-07-09T17:16:26.713" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T05:03:19.683" Title="Can a person with harmful thoughts still meditate?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21445" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21444" CreationDate="2017-07-09T15:05:14.723" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If a person has enemy's and wants to take vengance, than can he do meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course he can. Insight meditation is the only way to permanently uproot the causes for those thoughts, i.e. &lt;em&gt;the root defilement of hatred and namely Ignorance (avijja&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Will such thoughts never let the person do meditation even if he don't thinks such things while meditating?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All formations are impermanent so its not possible for something to &lt;em&gt;&quot;never let&quot;&lt;/em&gt; anyone do something. That's an extreme view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be more challenging to do meditation while the hindrances are present. But it is necessary. One can only purify the mind by dealing with the hindrances. It just means that there is work to be done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Loving-kindness meditation is a great way of over coming thoughts of hatred, vengeance and the like. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/19551/i-dont-like-people/19552#19552&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;See my answer here for a detailed description on how to practice Metta meditation.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T15:05:14.723" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21446" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21441" CreationDate="2017-07-09T15:13:19.300" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The objective of Dhamma is the work yourself out of stress and misery which is to follow the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt;. These kinds of practices diverts from this focus. If someone start practicing being attached by such display then most likely their goal will not be tied with the Buddhist goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps for this reason monks are not supposed to display such abilities. Even for lay, through there is not rule, it is not advisable as you are diverting the attention and focus from the true purpose of the practice. Also then meditation practitioners will be no different from magicians and illusionist, like &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copperfield_(illusionist)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;David Copperfield&lt;/a&gt;. People will go to them to learn magic tricks and not to learn the dhamma with a view to Nirvana. People go to see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copperfield_(illusionist)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;David Copperfield&lt;/a&gt; for entertainment and not spiritual guidance! Also when displaying these abilities one might develop &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;pride&lt;/a&gt; which would lead to one's downfall.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Displaying these abilities may attract a following and belief, but for the wrong reason. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T02:40:32.663" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T02:40:32.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21447" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21430" CreationDate="2017-07-09T15:24:33.923" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;O! Bhikkhus, it is volition - cetana that I call Kamma, -cetanaham&#xA;  bhikkhave kammam vadami&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Karma is always mental&lt;/strong&gt;. But the consequences(&lt;strong&gt;Vipaaka&lt;/strong&gt;) are both mental and physical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T15:24:33.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21448" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21444" CreationDate="2017-07-09T15:43:59.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you have harmful thoughts Metta meditation is the antidote for such thoughts. It might be difficult to do but this will help in alleviating such thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If negative thoughts arise they also can be displaced using the following method:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Thought displacement - turn his attention to a different sign connected with the wholesome.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Aversion therapy - should examine the disadvantage [the danger] of those thoughts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) Non-attention - he should not mind them, he should disregard them&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(4) Thought reduction - should attend to the stilling of the thought-formation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(5) The last resort: Sustained effort - with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate, he should subdue, restrain, attack the (bad) mind with the (good) mind&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Adopted from: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.6-Vitakka-Santhana-S-m20.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakka Saṇṭhāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One objective of Metta is breaking down the mental classification you have towards individual beings or classes of them into groups which you deem favorable, unfavorable or neutral and reacting to them with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling associated with each classification. One such classification systems would be me, beings I like, neutral or unknown beings and being you do not like. When you break down the classification you will like everyone like yourself. Another classification could be same country, neutral country and enemy country. When you break down the mental classification system you will love everyone as your fellow country men. Another classification could be higher life forms, lower life forms and same level life forms. When you break down this classification you will love all living beings equally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you classify if a being is from a favorable category you react with pleasant sensation, unfavorable category with unpleasant sensation and neutral category with unpleasant sensations. These sensation lead to the unwholesome roots of craving for the favorable and pleasant, aversion towards the unfavorable and unpleasant and ignorance towards the neutral, as discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. When such reaction stops you stop creating negative mental states and come out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to develop Metta you should wish every one in every category you can imagine to be well and happy. Also know how the classifications are woulding in the back of your mind and know mental reaction and sensation. Say you remember and foe look at the mental reaction and sensations that follow. If you remember a loved one see the mental reaction and the sensations that follows. Try to be equanimous knowing the changes and and arising and passing nature of the sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the favorable and unfavorable categorisations are broken you do not despair if you meet with non loved one and with equanimity you do not get attached to others. Beings cannot cause you stress. You are free from negative thoughts about other and also this itself can take you to the final goal of Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T03:31:02.210" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21449" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-07-09T15:52:36.523" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta meditation will enable you not to suffer on the account of other. Each time you generate dislike you generate misery for yourself. Though Metta mediation if you manage to stop your metal reaction of other with negativity this will help you also to be happy without irritation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Following answer has more &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21448/295&quot;&gt;detail of the practice&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T15:52:36.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21450" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7932" CreationDate="2017-07-09T17:51:25.960" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It seems like you are on the right path. You just need to keep practising . Well I heard that enlightment/ nibanna is not in the body. You pracically loose all the 6 senses..I cannot claim it to be truth  but that's a common experience. So it 's even beyound conciousness and it's a collapse of witness. What you were describing sound like Awareness. You were present and aware at  peace, but I guess that is not the final state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11700" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T17:51:25.960" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21451" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21441" CreationDate="2017-07-09T18:52:27.800" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the story of Jesus is believed to be true, Jesus did what is suggested in the question and look how Christianity turned out; thousands of years of killing over a (narcissistic) personal saviour. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Acts of magic or witchcraft will not change the majority of people for the better. This is why &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 11&lt;/a&gt; teaches with proper wisdom the '&lt;em&gt;miracle of instruction&lt;/em&gt;' is superior to the '&lt;em&gt;miracle of psychic power&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-09T20:57:45.550" LastActivityDate="2017-07-09T20:57:45.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21452" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21453" CreationDate="2017-07-10T02:34:35.373" Score="5" ViewCount="9233" Body="&lt;p&gt;A commenter on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18661/what-does-namaste-mean-well&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;NewBuddhist blog&lt;/a&gt; claimed that one should not say Namaste in a Tibetan Buddhist event (in this context).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I remember one time saying &amp;quot;Namaste&amp;quot; while at a Tibetan Buddhist event, and someone quickly pulled me aside and said, &amp;quot;Oh, no-- do not say 'Namaste!' Say, 'Tashi Delek!'&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not entirely sure why I brought that up... perhaps because I'm still confused as to why it was wrong to say Namaste.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- SillyPutty&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'd like to make a disclaimer that I am not from a Buddhist country so I'm confused. I never even read from anywhere that The Buddha even says this, or is the phrase really Buddhist -- you can imagine my confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this a modern phrase? What is its connection to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11390" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T15:35:45.707" Title="What does &quot;Namaste&quot; mean in Buddhism context and why is it even associated with Buddhism?" Tags="|the-buddha|culture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21453" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21452" CreationDate="2017-07-10T02:38:51.093" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Namaste&lt;/a&gt; is a greeting in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindu&lt;/a&gt; custom and does not have a context in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namaste (/ˈnɑːməsteɪ/, Hindi: [nəməsteː] (About this sound listen))), sometimes spoken as Namaskar, Namaskaram is a respectful form of greeting in Hindu custom, found on the Indian subcontinent mainly in India and Nepal and among the Indian diaspora. It is used both for salutation and valediction. Namaste is usually spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called Añjali Mudrā or Pranamasana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Hinduism it means &amp;quot;I bow to the divine in you&amp;quot;.The greeting may also be spoken without the gesture or the gesture performed wordlessly, carrying the same meaning&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T02:43:40.917" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21454" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21452" CreationDate="2017-07-10T02:41:16.160" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;My impression from travelling in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand &amp;amp; Nepal is 'namaste' is Indian &amp;amp; Nepalese &amp;amp; not related to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Namaste, sometimes spoken as Namaskar, Namaskaram is a respectful form of&#xA;  greeting in &lt;strong&gt;Hindu&lt;/strong&gt; custom, found on the Indian subcontinent mainly in&#xA;  India and Nepal and among the Indian diaspora. It is used both for&#xA;  salutation and valediction. Namaste is usually spoken with a&#xA;  slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers&#xA;  pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called&#xA;  Añjali Mudrā or Pranamasana. In &lt;strong&gt;Hinduism&lt;/strong&gt; it means &quot;I bow to the divine&#xA;  in you&quot;. The greeting may also be spoken without the gesture or the&#xA;  gesture performed wordlessly, carrying the same meaning.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T02:41:16.160" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21455" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21452" CreationDate="2017-07-10T04:24:48.430" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Namaste means that the good in me recognizes the good in you. It is generally an Indian greeting and I agree with the sentiment. In fact, I agree with many things expressed by various hindu doctrine. Probably because I spend a lot of time with the Upanishads.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that some may find the term's use distasteful in some other context merely reiterates its' beauty. The GOOD in me ... the part of me that exists beyond all the political smatterings and social claptrap ... recognizes and appreciates the GOOD in you ... whether I disagree with your opinions or life et al. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is truly a remarkable sentiment and impervious to such trivial attacks. You have found some common ground or commonality between the two of you despite all other things. You have connected.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T15:35:45.707" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T15:35:45.707" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21456" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21444" CreationDate="2017-07-10T05:03:19.683" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;If a person has enemies and wants to take revenge, then can he meditate? &quot;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;---------&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;Yes you can.&#xA;It is called Mitya Samadhi. (wrong concentration)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T05:03:19.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21457" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21441" CreationDate="2017-07-10T06:25:39.097" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of Leonardo da Vinci it is known that he invented the principle of submarine boats - but also it is transmitted that he explains &quot;why I do not give this to the open: because they would use it for even more warfare on the sea&quot; (paraphrased from memory). Similar caveats have been sometimes explicated in science (for instance with atombomb by Einstein and others - documented in a biography I've read).&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Anyway... the best answer on this has surely been given by @Suminda and the idea with it should be a frequent topic in self-observation and meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="106" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T06:25:39.097" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21458" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-07-10T07:30:42.280" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am usually pretty adept at finding a kernel of compassion, but that's not to say I have always been so well equipped. This is an on-going struggle for many like me. Maybe you find yourself in the same position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I had a long, drawn-out answer and it just sounds all blah blah blah. I know reaching that point when you just can't muster an iota of sympathy for someone. When there's just nothing there for anyone outside of my little world. It usually comes when I have developed some kind of initial contempt.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I convert that contempt to kittens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK, fine. a puppy. Who can resist a puppy? Or even just whoever is the object of my scorn as a small child ... and what must have happened to them to make them feel this way. What were they scared of and who didn't come to their side? Because it all comes down to trust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, that usually helps me hack up some compassion. Or it at least makes me think so I don't just immediately dismiss them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11017" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T12:44:19.793" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T12:44:19.793" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21460" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-10T11:32:56.213" Score="-3" ViewCount="276" Body="&lt;p&gt;I once read, I don't recall where, that Buddha stated that spiritual enlightenment is not suffering. That he put it in a negation on purpose. Ok, I get that, not suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With NLP I learned there are 2 types of motivation. 1). Moving away from. 2). Moving towards to. The second is more valuable in my experience, because it brings me want I want, instead of something that differs from what I do not want, but isn't necessarily something I would want instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to be able to move towards experiencing spiritual enlightenment I need to know what is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to known, in simple words, what spiritual enlightenment is. So the question is, what is the essence of spiritual enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T12:03:09.050" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T12:53:50.153" Title="What is the essence of spiritual enlightenment" Tags="|enlightenment|truth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21461" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21460" CreationDate="2017-07-10T11:32:56.213" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I've found the most simple and truthful description out there. Which is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Knowing and understanding, without reasoning, how information, obtained directly through the senses, relates to the true nature of the force that gives the time for something to exist and function&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I've come to this sentence by simply looking up words in a dictionary and combining their definitions. To me this is so true.&#xA;To short cut to how this reduces suffering: Emotion is a sense (almost no one uses it consciously like that where I live). It is a sense that lets you know how you feel. You can sense when you are creating suffering. Then when you sense that you are suffering you can concentrate on that feeling. When you combine that with knowing that you only experience a subjective reality by which meaning is created by you when you observe it, and meaning doesn't exist on its own in an objective reality. You have the tools to find out what meaning you are attaching to something that makes you suffer. When you dive into that you will find that what you are observing, and attaching meaning to, is an illusion. It always comes down to mistake subjective for objective that makes you a victim and makes you suffer. Seeing that you are making the mistake is the antidote for suffering and therefore you can let go of the illusion. So getting closer to reality starts with sensing. So the essence of spirituality is sensing how to stay close to that which works/ is life/ is truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing that you observe includes how you need to feel about it. Feeling is only known to you by sensing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The unraveling of the words &quot;spiritual enlightenment&quot; to the description stated in bold above is shown here in this ~5 min. video: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNQiWyX1IIU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNQiWyX1IIU&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T12:53:50.153" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T12:53:50.153" CommentCount="15" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21462" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-10T12:02:13.943" Score="2" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have read from abhidhamma book saying that our thoughts generate inside heart and heart is invisible to naked eye and untouchable. this statement in abhidhamma can't be accepted with modern day science. my certain question is when heart transplant took place what happen to person's thoughts? will the thought of heart owner transfer to the patient? Can someone give proper explanation on this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10967" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T03:07:38.713" Title="thoughts in heart" Tags="|abhidhamma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21463" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21460" CreationDate="2017-07-10T12:03:24.663" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the question is, what is the essence of spiritual enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The essence of Enlightenment, in short, is to be &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stress&lt;/a&gt; free.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is by understanding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; and attaining &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;, which is realised through the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; organised into the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;3 Fold Training&lt;/a&gt;, which essentially is the path out of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;stress and misery&lt;/a&gt;, or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Path_to_Nirvana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;path to Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T13:06:26.073" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T13:06:26.073" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21464" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21462" CreationDate="2017-07-10T12:25:43.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Abhidhamma says heart base. This is physically in the areas where the heart is but not necessary the physical organ. This is where mind resides in a pint point area where the heart is, through the body functions are controlled by the brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/SR041.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhidharmartha Pradeepika&lt;/a&gt; By Amaradasa Rathnapala, vol 1, p23 - p25; &lt;a href=&quot;https://store.pariyatti.org/Comprehensive-Manual-of-Abhidhamma-A--PDF-eBook_p_4362.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p144&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a heart transplant takes place it is the physical organ which is changed. It is not the mind which is changed which depends on the materiality of the heart's location. Therefore heart base does not change with heart transplant. Also the mind is not physical though it depends on materiality of the location. When the new heart is put in would operate based on the materiality of the new heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T13:36:29.863" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T13:36:29.863" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21465" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-07-10T15:33:15.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that all humans and non-humans are Buddhists as in subject to laws of mental and physical realities expounded by the Buddha. Whether a person identifies as a Buddhist or not, does not essentially matter, they are still part of the same system. To me &quot;a being&quot; is synonymous with &quot;a Buddhist&quot; in that sense, although &quot;a Buddhist&quot; is a far more innacurate term in the sense that identifying as a Buddhist does not guarantee right view which is seemingly expected of a Buddhist but not of a Being. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If OP does not like people then that is Aversion. Disliking is suffering. It is of little use to identify oneself with it as in saying i am such and such person, when likes and dislikes are very much conditioned and are subject to change, it is not appropriate to regard it as self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is disliking, it will change, it is what it is. Do not make more out of it than it is, for when you extrapolate and worry about it you do it by means of attaching to it extra characteristics, this is attachment to likes and dislikes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T15:42:02.680" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T15:42:02.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21466" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21460" CreationDate="2017-07-10T15:53:29.300" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The essence of enlightenment is awakening to the truth and getting rid of delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T15:53:29.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21467" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21441" CreationDate="2017-07-10T16:01:12.080" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta: To Kevatta &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This Sutta talks about the drawbacks of displaying magical powers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;tl;dr it mostly just does not prove anything other that you do have the powers, people will still try to argue that it is not what you say it is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user8527" LastEditorDisplayName="user8527" LastEditDate="2018-01-12T08:35:46.407" LastActivityDate="2018-01-12T08:35:46.407" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21468" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21472" CreationDate="2017-07-10T17:04:42.243" Score="4" ViewCount="186" Body="&lt;p&gt;Other chanting answers tend to explain tradition, but this question only concerns practicality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are the benefits of chanting exclusive, or can your practice easily be full and productive using other techniques?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I don't sit lotus for any special reason. Simply to maximize stability and lessen distraction while meditating. Could someone develop a great practice sitting in a chair instead?  I would guess they could, without necessarily missing something important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the contrary, if someone wanted to understand and fully benefit from Buddhism by becoming a master scholar, yet without putting in serious time meditating, I can't see how they'd even really achieve understanding let alone full benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So which is it in this case? Is chanting just one of many paths of practice that is good, but not the only way?  Or is it something fundamental such that omitting it is necessarily a detriment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(if it matters, I most often study metta meditation personally, but often sit with diverse groups where chanting is done)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11701" LastEditorUserId="11701" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T17:10:07.700" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T03:13:09.677" Title="Does chanting have a practical and exclusive benefit?" Tags="|meditation-metta|secular-buddhism|chanting|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21469" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2017-07-10T18:31:02.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The are few borderlines between mystical (enlightenment) and psychotic experiences. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read 'Psychotic and Mystical States of Being: Connections and Distinctions', the scholarly paper by Caroline Brett, PhD, in the journal of Philosophy, Psychiatry, &amp;amp; Psychology.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The paper is available free on this website &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yogapsychology.org/art_psychoticandmystical.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.yogapsychology.org/art_psychoticandmystical.html&lt;/a&gt;. Or, if you have access to journals through your library you can download a PDF of Brett's article.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brett argues and provides significant evidence that psychotic and mystical experiences (enlightenment states of mind) are fundamentally indistinguishable. She gives some critical distinctions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;...the psychotic invests the conceptualization of the experience with great emotional significance, because it serves the purpose of contextualizing and reifying the sense of identity, which is under threat.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water; after enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. (Zen proverb)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11713" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T18:31:02.837" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21470" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21460" CreationDate="2017-07-10T19:52:02.580" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I once read, I don't recall where, that Buddha stated that spiritual&#xA;  enlightenment is not suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is wrong. Enlightenment is wisdom. The result of wisdom is no suffering. Therefore, wisdom itself &amp;amp; no suffering are not exactly the same thing (although the former leads to the later).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That he put it in a negation on purpose. Ok, I get that, not&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is also wrong. The Buddha said the sole purpose of his spiritual path was complete freedom of mind. (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 29&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;With NLP&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wikipedia states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;NLP has since been overwhelmingly discredited scientifically but continues to be marketed by some hypnotherapists and by some companies&#xA;  that organize seminars and workshops on management training for&#xA;  businesses. There is no scientific evidence supporting the claims&#xA;  made by NLP advocates and it has been discredited as a pseudoscience&#xA;  by experts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I learned there are 2 types of motivation. 1). Moving away from. 2).&#xA;  Moving towards to. The second is more valuable in my experience,&#xA;  because it brings me want I want, instead of something that differs&#xA;  from what I do not want, but isn't necessarily something I would want&#xA;  instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path uses 'moving away' ('abandoning'; 'giving up') to achieve the goal. It is the opposite of what you have written.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enlightened Buddhist have said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;To be happy, the mind must give up the desire to be happy&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So to be able to move towards experiencing spiritual enlightenment I&#xA;  need to know what is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The result of enlightenment is an absence of greed, hatred &amp;amp; delusion. To move towards experiencing enlightenment requires abandoning these very three mental impurities. By moving away from selfish desiring, the mind moves towards what is desired. As Jesus said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;To save one's life, one must lose one's life&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I would like to known, in simple words, what spiritual enlightenment&#xA;  is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, most simply, enlightenment is seeing how attachment &amp;amp; self-view is suffering; in such a way that attachment &amp;amp; self-view are given up or dropped by the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So the question is, what is the essence of spiritual enlightenment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 37&lt;/a&gt; most briefly summarises the entire teachings as: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Nothing ought to be attached to (as I, me or mine)&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. This is the essence of Buddhist enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T19:57:50.990" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T19:57:50.990" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21471" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2017-07-10T21:13:25.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Hakuin describes it himself in 'Yasenkanna' - the problem seems to have been that his focus was too cerebral, and the remedy given by the sennin was to direct his energy to his lower body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://terebess.hu/zen/Yasenkanna2.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://terebess.hu/zen/Yasenkanna2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T21:13:25.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21472" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21468" CreationDate="2017-07-10T22:37:50.623" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Chanting is not essential.  I can't think of a single instance where the Buddha advised it in the Pali canon.  That being said, it is a lovely practice for so many reasons. Chanting provides a nice break during long periods of sitting (as on a retreat).  It's a great way to wake yourself up in the morning; going right to the cushion is generally a one way ticket back to sleep!  Chanting also develops concentration.  Try chanting the Lotus Sutra in a phonetic transliteration of Japanese...it takes a ton of brain power!  Most importantly, however, chanting helps strengthen the bonds of community.  All voices find unity in Buddhist chants.  You keep pace with your neighbor.  Your breathing starts to synchronize.  The whole room permeates with a shared spirit.  It's a really beautiful practice.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-07-10T23:20:14.423" LastActivityDate="2017-07-10T23:20:14.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21473" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21468" CreationDate="2017-07-11T03:13:09.677" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is an antidote for the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Hindrance&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C4%ABna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sloth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Torpor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) RECITATION. If, Moggallāna, that drowsiness still would not go away, then, Moggallāna, you&#xA;  should recite in detail a teaching that you have learned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is possible that when you do so, that drowsiness&#xA;  would go away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It starting point to builds concentration also take you to the final goal of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he himself recites the Dharma in detail to others, just as he has heard it, just as he has mastered&#xA;  it in theory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, just as the monk recites the Dharma to others, he knows the goal and he knows the&#xA;  Dharma,&#xA;  he knows the goal and he knows the Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Knowing the goal and knowing the Dharma,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;gladness arises in him;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;because of gladness, zest arises;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;because of zest, the body becomes tranquil;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;when the body is tranquil, he feels happy;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a happy mind becomes concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This, bhikshus, is the third ground for liberation where the unliberated mind of a monk, dwelling&#xA;  heedful and exertive, finds liberation;&#xA;  or where the mental influxes, not wholly destroyed, become wholly destroyed, where the unattained&#xA;  unsurpassed safety from the yoke is attained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/21.5-Vimuttayatana-S-a5.26-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vimutt’āyatana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T03:13:09.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21474" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21484" CreationDate="2017-07-11T04:02:45.300" Score="3" ViewCount="254" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found a dhamma riddle below. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do we think it means? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NHWKu.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/NHWKu.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T21:33:31.110" Title="Dhamma riddle? What does it mean?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21475" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21474" CreationDate="2017-07-11T09:28:10.390" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The foot print of the elephant is able to contain the foot print of all other animals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.028.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 28 - Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta: The Great Elephant Footprint Simile.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta said: &amp;quot;Friends, just as the footprints of all legged animals are encompassed by the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant's footprint is reckoned the foremost among them in terms of size; in the same way, all skillful qualities are gathered under the four noble truths. Under which four? Under the noble truth of stress, under the noble truth of the origination of stress, under the noble truth of the cessation of stress, and under the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent Co-arising&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the eye is intact but externally forms do not come into range, nor is there a corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness. If internally the eye is intact and externally forms come into range, but there is no corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness. But when internally the eye is intact and externally forms come into range, and there is a corresponding engagement, then there is the appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The form of what has thus come into being is gathered under the form clinging-aggregate. The feeling of what has thus come into being is gathered under the feeling clinging-aggregate. The perception of what has thus come into being is gathered under the perception clinging-aggregate. The fabrications of what has thus come into being are gathered under the fabrication clinging-aggregate. The consciousness of what has thus come into being is gathered under the consciousness clinging-aggregate. One discerns, 'This, it seems, is how there is the gathering, meeting, &amp;amp; convergence of these five clinging-aggregates. Now, the Blessed One has said, &amp;quot;Whoever sees dependent co-arising sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees dependent co-arising. And these things — the five clinging-aggregates — are dependently co-arisen. Any desire, embracing, grasping, &amp;amp; holding-on to these five clinging-aggregates is the origination of stress. Any subduing of desire &amp;amp; passion, any abandoning of desire &amp;amp; passion for these five clinging-aggregates is the cessation of stress. And even to this extent, friends, the monk has accomplished a great deal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the ear is intact...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the nose is intact...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the tongue is intact...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the body is intact...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now if internally the intellect is intact but externally ideas do not come into range, nor is there a corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness. If internally the intellect is intact and externally ideas come into range, but there is no corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness. But when internally the intellect is intact and externally ideas come into range, and there is a corresponding engagement, then there is the appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The form of what has thus come into being is gathered under the form clinging-aggregate. The feeling of what has thus come into being is gathered under the feeling clinging-aggregate. The perception of what has thus come into being is gathered under the perception clinging-aggregate. The fabrications of what has thus come into being are gathered under the fabrication clinging-aggregate. The consciousness of what has thus come into being is gathered under the consciousness clinging-aggregate. One discerns, 'This, it seems, is how there is the gathering, meeting, &amp;amp; convergence of these five clinging-aggregates. Now, the Blessed One has said, &amp;quot;Whoever sees dependent co-arising sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees dependent co-arising.&amp;quot; And these things — the five clinging-aggregates — are dependently co-arisen. Any desire, embracing, grasping, &amp;amp; holding-on to these five clinging-aggregates is the origination of stress. Any subduing of desire &amp;amp; passion, any abandoning of desire &amp;amp; passion for these five clinging-aggregates is the cessation of stress.' And even to this extent, friends, the monk has accomplished a great deal.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is what Ven. Sariputta said. Gratified, the monks delighted in Ven. Sariputta's words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T11:21:58.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21476" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-11T09:48:58.857" Score="3" ViewCount="979" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to start observing Uposatha, but I'm a little unclear on what days it is. I'm finding calendars that it is the days of full moons in Sri Lanka or other countries. Should it just be celebrated on full moons then? For example, I'm in the Midwest of the USA, the full moon in September is September 6 but I'm seeing Uposatha to be August 5 on calendars. Which dates should I observe on? Also, am I correct that the eight precepts to be practiced on Uposatha are: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not take life&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Celibacy&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not speak false, no lies&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not steal&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not use any intoxicants&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Only eat one meal between dawn and noon (does this need to be vegetarian to fit in with the first precept?)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not use a luxurious bed that night, so sleep on a sleeping mat on the ground&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10551" LastActivityDate="2019-10-15T06:58:20.473" Title="Is Uposatha on full moons or specific days?" Tags="|theravada|traditions|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21477" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="19551" CreationDate="2017-07-11T11:28:22.410" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are making a few mistakes, which causes you to have illusions, rather than truth. You want to get rid of those illusions and see truth, that is why you asked this question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no such thing as annoying people. That 'annoying' only 'lives' in YOUR mind because of what you focus upon. You are confusing something in subject reality to be objective, which I conclude from the sentence &quot;They just irritate me&quot;. They can't, nobody can decide for you when you need to feel irritated. So there you have an illusion, that is, an erroneous perception of reality. So you are simply not seeing the things for what they are, apparently. You construct this irritation, why continue doing so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, your emotion (feeling irritated) is a sense. It bluntly states &quot;this hurts, do not do it again, whatever it was.&quot; Like putting your hand in a flame, it hurts, because it destroys. You feelings of irritation destroy instead of creates, that is what your emotion is telling. Your focus is destructive instead of constructive. So your feelings of irritation say a 100% something about the value of your mental activity, and nothing about other people. You see, the value of your mental activity towards other people is negative, that is why you feel it as such. Couldn't it be more simple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would you want to continue doing that? Do you like feeling irritated? First get rid of the illusion by investigating what is real and metta follows naturally. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also loving other people has nothing to do with them. What you 'think' them to be isn't objective reality. So when you love or hate someone, that shows a quality (or not) of you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it is not the question of practicing metta towards other people. It is a question of whether you want to improve the quality of your very own state of being. Quality mental activity can only arise from truth, not from illusion. You can't build a house of lego if you can't truthfully see the plans for what they are (the illusion). Life can't manifest on all that is based upon illusion. Have you ever seen an illogical vehicle being constructed upon things that aren't real? There is no such vehicle as it can't exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you are limiting your own existence by holding on to your current perspective. Don't practice metta before you feel doing so. Investigate what it is that you are doing when feeling irritated. Because it is your own doing, it always has and always will be. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Go ahead and think of yourself to be a buddhist if you like, who is there to stop you, but you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-11T11:35:18.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T11:35:18.877" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21478" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21480" CreationDate="2017-07-11T11:42:27.800" Score="3" ViewCount="163" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm convinced that I give meaning to whatever I perceive. Which either can make me suffer or happy. So I have seen that I create my own suffering. That state is reflected in my body (or bodies?). Objective reality holds no meaning it itself. The meaning arises the moment I interpret information. This insight came to me after meditation where I saw things arising from nothing. I could choose to stay in the nothingness by not interpreting, or observe, interpret and meaning arose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What buddhist topics are related to this phenomenon? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T12:37:02.233" Title="What buddhist topics cover the arise of meaning?" Tags="|literature|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21479" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21476" CreationDate="2017-07-11T12:04:18.240" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I want to start observing Uposatha, but I'm a little unclear on what days it is. I'm finding calendars that it is the days of full moons in Sri Lanka or other countries. Should it just be celebrated on full moons then?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use the calendars from e.g. Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More importantly is the practice itself, ie. the deepening of ones practice on special days of the months. Its really that which is essential from a practical Dhamma perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Wikipedia&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; describes it as;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for &amp;quot;the cleansing of the defiled mind,&amp;quot; resulting in inner calm and joy. On this day, both lay and ordained members of the sangha intensify their practice, deepen their knowledge and express communal commitment through millennia-old acts of lay-monastic reciprocity. On these days, the lay followers make a conscious effort to keep the Five Precepts or (as the tradition suggests) the Eight Precepts. It is a day for practicing the Buddha's teachings and meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use full moon days in your country or you can use the &lt;a href=&quot;http://dharma-records.buddhasasana.net/texts/uposatha-calendars-2017&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;traditional calculated calendar&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, am I correct that the eight precepts to be practiced on Uposatha are. Are these correct?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Eight Precepts&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., after noon).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Uccasayana-mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyamiI undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the comments you asked about the 1st precept;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And should the meal before noon be vegetarian to coincide with the first precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Several factors&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; must be fulfilled in order to break the 1st precept.&#xA;The five factors of the first precept are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pano -- presence of a living being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;panasannita -- one knows that it is a living being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;vadhacittam -- the intention to kill.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;upakkamo -- the effort to kill.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tena maranam -- the resulting death of that being.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one of these factors are not fulfilled, the precept is still intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more information, please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zisXgVnv-cI&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Ask A Monk: Mark Zuckerberg, Vegetarianism and Killing&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Ven. Yuttadhammo.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T15:28:21.433" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21480" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21478" CreationDate="2017-07-11T12:30:37.870" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;You might want to look at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The 5 Aggregates&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, namely the aggregate(s) of &lt;em&gt;Perception, Mental Formations and Consciousness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially the forth aggregate of mental formations relates to what you are describing, since it contains &lt;em&gt;volition (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;cetana&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;. See also &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 12.38: Cetana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Abhidhamma goes into further detail on the topic of &lt;em&gt;Citta &amp;amp; Cetasikas&lt;/em&gt;.&#xA;Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has written an execellent summary called &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/meditation/Bhikkhu_Bodhi-Comprehensive_Manual_of_Abhidhamma.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Abhidhammattha Sangaha - A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-11T12:37:02.233" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T12:37:02.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21481" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21478" CreationDate="2017-07-11T12:31:26.060" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you try to give meaning to what you experience lead to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conceptual proliferation&lt;/a&gt; this can lead to latent tendencies which creates suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikshu, as regards the source from which proliferation of conception and perception assails a person: if one were to find nothing there to delight in, nothing there to welcome, nothing to cling to—this is the end of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of lust,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of aversion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of doubt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of conceit,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of desire for existence, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the ending of the taking up of the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, mayhem [strife], slandering and lying —here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avuso, dependent on the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind] and [form | sound | smell | taste | touch | mind-object], [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind]-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception assails a person regarding past, future and present [forms | sounds | smells | tastes | touch | mind-objects] cognizable through the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T12:31:26.060" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21482" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22500" CreationDate="2017-07-11T13:15:12.760" Score="4" ViewCount="397" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a person I know who, as far as I can say, has been intermittently long interested in Buddhism, but never made a big leap in her practice to achieve and cultivate bigger achievements. She is sufficiently versed in basic buddhist teachings but, as this person told me more than once, is afraid of reaching a &quot;point of no-return&quot; - that is, to not be able to enjoy and do all the things she was used to once she crosses a certain stage of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I tried to dispense some advices by offering details about my own experience and telling that, in reality, now I'm even &lt;em&gt;more&lt;/em&gt; able to appreciate the same things I had before. This and a few other attempts never convinced that person (I never tried to &lt;em&gt;persuade&lt;/em&gt; her, since I prefer that any person makes the choice that they most prefer) and my being aware that, to a certain extent, the progress in the path can be highly subjective, can only make things more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not being able to offer a more satisfactory answer to &lt;em&gt;Will I be able to enjoy life as much as I did before?&lt;/em&gt;, what convincing reply would you offer based on your personal experience and, if relevant, buddhist scriptures?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please finally note that I do not demand that this, like many other persons, should follow the path to the fullest and most hardcore level. She may acquire a taste of what it is like practicing meditation, mindfulness and insight practices for a while and then settle at a level that she finds comfortable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5275" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T14:54:10.347" LastActivityDate="2017-09-05T14:12:54.840" Title="What does a normal person lose by following the path?" Tags="|personal-practice|modern-world|beginner|laity|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21483" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21482" CreationDate="2017-07-11T13:22:32.823" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you gradually lose by practicing the path is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Taṇhā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvarana&lt;/a&gt; see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/32.1-Nivarana.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nīvaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akusala,mūla&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anusaya see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṁyojana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kilesa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Asava&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;None of which are pleasant to have or worthwhile to have or keep around. What you gain is unshakable peace and happiness (free from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dukkha&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nirvana&lt;/a&gt;). In addition you end &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar%C4%81mara%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Jarāmaraṇa&lt;/a&gt; and the cycle of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per what you said in your text you are able to enjoy more which perhaps is due to reduction of the above undesirables. Once the are completely gone only happiness remain. This happiness is stable and not dependent on anything else and does not end. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy life like never before through not they type of enjoyment you have experienced before (ämisa sukha). This is a more higher type of enjoyment (niramisa sukha).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T15:03:46.437" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21484" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21474" CreationDate="2017-07-11T13:53:52.043" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first one represents desire, grasping something whose roots are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next ones look like Tathagatagarbha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T13:53:52.043" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21485" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21498" CreationDate="2017-07-11T14:07:23.510" Score="3" ViewCount="9069" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've heard there's a rumor saying that lord Buddha was born in Sri Lanka and ancient &quot;Dambadiwa&quot; is not India but Sri Lanka. There's a &quot;sal&quot; tree in Sri Lanka which matches to the exact tree that we believe which was there in the birth of baby prince  &quot;siddhartha&quot; . I dunno whether they're true or not I just wanna know whether there's a truth behind it, whether what we believe so far is just a lie?! (Ps not Buddhism but the life story of Lord Buddha)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11717" LastActivityDate="2017-10-26T11:03:49.550" Title="Is it true that Lord Buddha was born in Sri Lanka?" Tags="|the-buddha|ethics|history|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="3" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21486" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21474" CreationDate="2017-07-11T14:19:23.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some of these pictures are found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sangham.at/Div_uploads/Teaching_Dhamma_with_pictures.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Teaching Dhamma by Pictures&lt;/a&gt; By Ven. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu with the meaning. Following are the relevant pages:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4IJXc.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/4IJXc.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Dependent Origination&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vAY1P.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/vAY1P.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Dependent Origination&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T14:19:23.430" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21487" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-11T14:26:36.063" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally believe that Buddha was born in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lumbini&lt;/a&gt; in Nepal through in recent times there are a few small groups in Sri Lanka saying otherwise. I personally would be careful about these movements and groups.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T14:26:36.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21489" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-11T15:21:16.020" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no truth in it. But people usually like to hear new things. So any new idea presented with some make-belief evidence can get a following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-11T16:54:28.913" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T16:54:28.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21490" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21476" CreationDate="2017-07-11T15:39:02.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists practice eight precepts to learn buddha's teaching and practice samatha-vipassana at forest monastery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, most of upasaka can not  go to forest monastery at uposatha-days, such as me, so I think &quot;day-off&quot; is the best day to done eight precepts. On day-off, we can learn and practice samatha-vipassana, without any other jobs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uposatha-day is the day that people make an appointment together to do  eight precepts, learn, and practice samatha-vipassana. So the date  is up to your appointment with your teachers and practicer-friends group.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is look like sunday, that is day off of christian to go to church to learn with pastors.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is thai moon calendar &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.myhora.com/%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%8F%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.myhora.com/%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%8F%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99/&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-12T00:20:44.067" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T00:20:44.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21491" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-11T16:43:13.340" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I echo what Suminda and Sankha has already mentioned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be cautious about what you hear or read.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I doubt that the Buddha was born in Sri Lanka. Personally, I don't believe it to be true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Sankha mentioned - it might be a tactic to gain followers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T16:43:13.340" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21492" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21476" CreationDate="2017-07-11T17:21:06.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you want to find out the traditional days you can use a moon phase website. E.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.timeanddate.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.timeanddate.com&lt;/a&gt; has moon phases. For Waterloo following are the moon phases: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/waterloo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/waterloo&lt;/a&gt;. For other US cities you can browse USA: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the purpose of Uposatha the day is counted from sunrise to sunrise so start at sunrise and keep it up until the following day's sunrise if possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The general days are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the new moon, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the full moon, and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the two quarter moons in between&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or in Burma:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;waxing moon, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;full moon, &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;waning moon, and &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;new moon&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since generally you are free on weekends or other holidays you can use these to practice. You do not have to be strict on the days.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly the time you can have food is between sunrise and solar noon. You can find the sun rise and and the solar noon: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/waterloo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/waterloo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding eating it is advisable to be strict to keep to the precepts. General rule of thumb of breakfast at 6:30 and lunch at 11 will keep within the normal sunrise and solar noon times, unless there are daylight saving adjustments or in time zones where there is disparity the solar position.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-11T17:49:50.923" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T17:49:50.923" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21494" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-11T21:23:50.080" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lumbini, Nepal has been recognized as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama since a stone pillar was placed at the site by the emperor Ashoka circa 245 BCE.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10672" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T21:23:50.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21495" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21474" CreationDate="2017-07-11T21:33:31.110" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Āvuso Suminda found a published answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While it may sound strange of me to disagree with the author, I prefer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The elephant is the ignorant mind with three &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; (taints), per MN 9.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The frog (croaking) is vedana or feelings.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The snake is craving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bird is self-becoming (&lt;em&gt;bhava&lt;/em&gt;) attached to (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) five branches (&lt;em&gt;khandha&lt;/em&gt;) being chewed up by birth, aging, illness &amp;amp; death (impermanence).  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I find particularly profound or explanatory by the pictures is how dependent origination is not depicted as 'linear' but as something 'growing', 'building' or 'compounding' from within, with all conditions 'co-dependently-arising-together'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-11T21:33:31.110" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21496" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2017-07-12T01:21:22.137" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My guess would be that you are making it harder than it might otherwise be. I don't mean to imply you are &quot;doing it wrong&quot;. Persisting and seeking feedback as you are doing here is already such an important milestone.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May I ask how you are guiding yourself?  Are you are working with a teacher (so many times we don't have that luxury)?  Are you learning from dharma talks, or if reading, what material are you studying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It'a such a personal journey. It's hard to say why it seems so difficult to you, yet seems life changingly blissful and beautiful to me (with some rough spots of course!). How can this night and day difference between us in experience be explained?&#xA; Especially if I confide to you that by nature I'm not a spiritual person, fairly cynical, and not a people person to the point I would prefer not to receive an invitation to a great party?  The point is, although we can't know for sure why you are struggling, it seems intuitive that if I could find a path, you have it in yourself to find one as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some points that may or may not be relevant to you:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;I believe having a motivating life situation, combined with a teacher (or learning material) you connect well with is critical.  I had no teacher available, and started by reading the &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/157062903X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Salzburg book&lt;/a&gt;.  It instantly resonated, made perfect sense to me, and was highly motivating. Some authors are equally well reviewed, yet I finish their book and think, meh.  How confident are you that you've found your best ways to learn and train that fit your brain in particular?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Have you modified the recitations to be something other than the verbatim, defaults that everyone tends to talks about when explaining things? I spent a fair amount of time trying different variations and refining them, trying to make each iteration closer to something that I could feel strongly inside myself, and that reflected the direction I knew I most needed to move toward.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The idea of having any connection with an enemy, hated person, or worse, someone innately evil, kind of scared me as far as worrying I'd never even be able to come close to achieving it.  Consequently I dwelled on the easy levels for a long time, for months, just trying to improve as much as I could on the basics.  Is it possible this (dumb luck) strategy somehow allowed a lot of positive reinforcement before getting to the hard stuff?  I'm not sure.  How long did you study and practice before you tried the some of the difficult stuff?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know it's not easy to give more time to something that doesn't seem to be working.  And maybe you shouldn't.  Who's to say taking some time off and trying again later won't allow a refreshed perspective and more productive practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever the case, I sincerely hope you'll be able to find an approach that's a good match, because I'm somehow sure you're capable of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11701" LastEditorUserId="11701" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T14:47:48.187" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T14:47:48.187" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21497" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2017-07-12T01:43:20.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is something for monks so they have good social relationships with the few people they meet in their uncomplicated social relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For lay people living in the complicated world, in my opinion, it is best to primarily develop equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once equanimity is well developed, it can be spiced up with some convenient metta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T01:43:20.590" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21498" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-12T03:57:27.673" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Prince Siddhartha was raised, according to Buddhist texts, in &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kapilawastu&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; (I will not present sources for this as I think this would be undisputed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The modern name for Kapilawastu is unknown: I will quote a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#cite_note-birthplace-3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;note&lt;/a&gt; from Wikipedia page for &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gautama Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The exact location of ancient Kapilavastu is unknown. It may have been either Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, or Tilaurakot, present-day Nepal. The two cities are located only fifteen miles from each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's birthplace is said to be Lumbini, and it should not be any farther from Kapilawasthu than few days of travel by horse-carriage. So the birthplace must still be in the India or Nepal, even if one discounts the pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka at &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Lumbini&lt;/a&gt;. (The place previously known as &lt;em&gt;Rummindei&lt;/em&gt; was &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#Rediscovery&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;renamed&lt;/a&gt; to Lumbini when the Ashokan pillar was found in 1896.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The note quoted above is well cited, and it is evident that although the exact birthplace is unknown, it has been at least reduced to a very small area, thousands of Kilometers from Sri Lanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The disputes for birthplaces of religious figures are not uncommon in present day. For example, even though there is overwhelming evidence suggesting that Jesus was born somewhere in Middle East, there are Christian groups who believe that he was born in some place in United States, for example, Alabama.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="840" LastEditorUserId="840" LastEditDate="2017-10-26T11:03:49.550" LastActivityDate="2017-10-26T11:03:49.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21499" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2017-07-12T07:42:16.397" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel not eating after noon is a very good way to be healthy. The health problems happen when, even though one doesn't eat after noon, one has tea and other things, which by themselves are fine, but when taken with sugar, are bound to cause problems, given the fact that insulin sensitivity decreases as the day progresses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also doesn't go with the general advice that eating thus would help us be equanimous when struck with hunger. I prefer only water after noon, and even when I eat a huge meal during the day, it's all slow carb. Eating thus also helps to balance our body processes, as our body is catabolic during the day (hence eating mostly then to balance out, as digestion and assimilation is anabolic).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I also feel that the Budhha, who was so in tune with his feelings, could feel this last point, that eating this way leads to a balanced body at all times.&#xA;Of course, no one way is the best, it's all about being on the middle path, right? But these, in my opinion, are some ways in which this diet, when done properly, could be helpful to us, as validated by the science of today.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11726" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-12T07:57:31.470" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T07:57:31.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21500" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21485" CreationDate="2017-07-12T08:26:01.167" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha was born at Lumbini, Nepal.That is also close on india border . So nowadays , india also claim birthplace of buddha was India.But , there is no chance that buddha birthplace is Srilanka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11727" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T08:26:01.167" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21501" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2299" CreationDate="2017-07-12T08:30:24.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, There is no truth of it .Buddha's fathe was king Suddhodana, leader of the Shakya clan and his mother was queen Maya Devi.So why there will raise a question of virgin birth of buddha ? He was born as all normal human born.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11727" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T08:30:24.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21502" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1696" CreationDate="2017-07-12T09:50:56.680" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The suffering his family experienced at his departure was only because of their attachments.  They were in the royal family; he knew they would be taken care of materially.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's son became a monk under the Buddha and his ex-wife became the first nun.  His father convinced the Buddha to make a rule for monks that a person couldn't become a monk or a nun without the permission of their parents (if living) and their spouse (if married.)  Indeed, it was the rule that required the permission of both parents that prevented me from becoming a monk, though I cannot guarantee that it would have happened even with their permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On a related note, according to the Commentaries (?), the entire Sakya clan was massacred during the Buddha's lifetime.  (See, for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/sakya.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/sakya.htm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11428" LastEditorUserId="11428" LastEditDate="2018-05-31T16:15:38.330" LastActivityDate="2018-05-31T16:15:38.330" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21503" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21482" CreationDate="2017-07-12T10:29:06.180" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your craving towards sensations don't make the sensations any better or make them last longer. &#xA;ex: if you eat an ice-cream, your craving towards the taste will neither make it sweeter nor make the taste last longer. The craving will just set you up for disappointment as the taste disappears. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a classic example of Kama-chanda(sensual desire) - one of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;five hindrances&lt;/a&gt;, hindering one's spiritual progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T10:29:06.180" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21504" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3737" CreationDate="2017-07-12T10:37:40.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Avoid too much food is sila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Less food=Good health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good health=sukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sukha is base of samatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha is base of vipassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are sila samadhi panna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T10:37:40.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21505" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-12T18:18:04.013" Score="2" ViewCount="11211" Body="&lt;p&gt;This other day I was meditating and I got a feeling as if I spinned around on an axis, counterclockwise wise and really fast. Later on it became more of a left&gt;right feeling alternating feeling in short bursts, and eventually it subsided.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is this? Is it a sign of progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastActivityDate="2019-11-13T10:22:18.763" Title="Spinning sensation during meditation?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21506" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21505" CreationDate="2017-07-12T18:51:07.347" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What is this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's merely a feeling. Just note it, observe its characteristics and return to the primary object. If you get attached or interested in it, then note that and take it as an object. Then move back to the primary object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Vipassana meditation one treats every object equally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is it a sign of progress?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, ie. if you were &lt;em&gt;mindful&lt;/em&gt; during the processes of the object, not after or later, but while they were happening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You noticed it proceeded in bursts, meaning its not permanent but ever-changing. You noticed that it eventually subsided meaning you saw (if you were mindful of it) that it was subject to cessation and uncontrollability.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whether you saw these things, I cannot know, only you can know. But if you saw these characteristics, you have seen the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Three Marks of Existence&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, which all compounded phenomena are subject to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-12T18:56:37.783" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T18:56:37.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21507" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8236" CreationDate="2017-07-12T22:04:16.403" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Last time I went on retreat we did some metta practice everyday and I found it very difficult in the same way you are describing. I didn't feel any genuine friendliness, I just felt irritated. One particular day I was feeling especially averse to it. The teacher gave a talk on metta and it made made me feel nothing but anger. After the session I begun doing some walking meditation and I started to cry. Waves of grief came over me and I sobbed for a good hour. Once the anger and grief had passed I felt the most exquisite peace and pure joy and a friendliness to all beings. What I learnt is that the metta is there but I couldn't connect with it because it was covered over by anger, pain and sadness etc. It was being blocked. I think it's easier for some people but for those of us who have maybe been hurt more or suffer from a lot of difficult afflictive emotions it's much harder but all the more reason to try.  You don't start out trying to send metta to someone who you feel no fondness for at all. Start by sending it to someone you like, a friend or loved one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-12T22:04:16.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21508" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21505" CreationDate="2017-07-13T03:58:52.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These types of experiences happen due to karmic or just due to the nature of conditioned existence. With this experience of any other just know that there is such feeling without any additions or subtractions to the experience like thinking or pondering, conceptualisation (trying to give it meaning), verbalization, visualization, ignoring, suppressing, etc. By adding or subtracting additional elements the above you will be clouding real nature of the experience, than putting you full effort to understand the underlying process, which also is changing much faster than you can apply any though / thinking based component to it like labeling, logical or intellectual analysis, any form of visualisation, etc. Trying to suppress it also will not work, permanently or as you would want it to, since it might bounce back with a vengeance sometime later. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best cause of action is to put all you effort to examine it more closely, while keeping your mind clear without other additions and subtraction to see things clearly as they are, at the experiential level, and try to understand what is happening and bring you mind to a state that these experiences cannot cause emotional disturbances. If you think this is progress and sometime it stops you would be disappointed. There are the emotional databases which you should try to avoid. As you analyze you will see each cluster of sensation are made up of smaller sensation. Also when you keep examining it you will start seeing the nature of it is to arise and pass. This can be considered progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these situation the progress is how much equanimity you can have, not the experience itself. If you are mentally reacting you are not making progress. If you are equanimous and analyzing it as arising and passing then you are making progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the process of analysing the experience you will see that you calcifying some experiences as favorable, some as unfavorable and other as you do not care. These reaction happen due to the nature of the this experience. Also you will be one of the following sensations associated with it which can be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These sensations are Dependently Arisen or Causality Arisen of which you do not have control over the process. When the cause disappears so does the sensation. When a new cause appears and associated sensation arises. If the sensation is pleasant and you have to part with it it is misery. Some sensations are unpleasant and miserable on their own. Neutral sensation are also in a way miserable as you cannot depend on them, i.e., they also do not last. Form this you should understand delighting on this particular experience or any other experience, or being averse will end in some form of unsatisfactoriness. This understanding also can be considered progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, you will start seeing the experience and the cause are not in one's control, also they are subjected to change which one cannot influence. This experience starts and ends, and you cannot say I want more of this or less of this experience and it will happen as you wish. This also is progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Futher exramination you will see this experance leads to craving or the unwholesome roots of ignorance that you cannot depend on the experience when it is neutral, longing for more when it is pleasant and wanting less of it when unpleasant. These also cause unsatisfactoriness and understanding this is progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So progress in this case would be developing the right understanding of the experience than the experience itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T04:46:46.847" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T04:46:46.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21509" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1642" CreationDate="2017-07-13T08:42:36.817" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Originally, in the first years or so of the &lt;em&gt;sangha&lt;/em&gt;, monks would make their own robes from scraps of cloth they found in the trash or in cemeteries, etc.  They would color them by rubbing them with dirt or clay.  After that, any earthy color, found in dying leaves of trees, such as red, yellow, brown, orange or maroon, was acceptable.  Within the Theravada, there's no hard significance between the different colors and shades of colors in this spectrum.  However, you will often find that all of the monks in one temple tend to have the same color and shade.  This is often not 100%, because they accept their robes from &lt;em&gt;dayakas&lt;/em&gt; (donors) and they would not reject a robe because it was a different shade.  Similarly, a monk might have brought his robe with him from another temple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I did see one temple, however, where the head monk had yellow robes, and all of the others had orange robes.  But this was just their practice, and is not from instruction of the Buddha.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11428" LastEditorUserId="11428" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T22:21:24.143" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T22:21:24.143" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21510" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-13T12:42:57.037" Score="2" ViewCount="66" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is meant by body mind and the world is born simultaneously ...Buddha nature will never break apart. Do we die or is life eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11733" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T21:36:48.963" Title="Dogen writings on reality and death" Tags="|karma|death|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21511" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21510" CreationDate="2017-07-13T12:56:03.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you take the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;12 Links&lt;/a&gt; of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; the mind and body is created due to consciousness. Mind and body is also known as the world because what we know about the world is the mental model that we have in our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever is born eventually dies. What ever that starts come to an end. So we have to die and life is not eternal. Everything that is conditioned or causality arisen is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;impermanent&lt;/a&gt;. Death is an eventual part of the process governed by causality or &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination (DO)&lt;/a&gt;. As long as the wheel of DO spins there is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C4%81ti_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;birth&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar%C4%81mara%E1%B9%87a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eventual old age and death&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T13:03:04.173" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T13:03:04.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21512" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21505" CreationDate="2017-07-13T13:39:52.767" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is completely normal.  Other things that might happen are feelings of your body twisting, your face, hands, or head disappearing, your body swelling, your body contracting, etc. etc. etc.  Any of the above phenomenon are nothing to be alarmed about nor do they hold much significance beyond serving as an indicator that you are just beginning to touch the edge of your bigger mind.     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T13:39:52.767" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21513" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1365" CreationDate="2017-07-13T14:45:37.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Important to have a good heart. Buddhists can be vegetarian, provided the heart is also  &quot;vegetarian&quot;. One can be a vegetarian but if the heart is not &quot;vegetarian&quot;,  then being vegetarian is useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T14:50:52.787" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T14:50:52.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21514" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21517" CreationDate="2017-07-13T16:57:27.440" Score="12" ViewCount="3341" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being believer or &lt;strong&gt;dependent on God&lt;/strong&gt; so far in my life, I'm clueless how exactly can I become independent without turning morally Bankrupt? Being devotee I'm automatically moral &amp;amp; lovingly but When I start believing in experience I become somewhat immoral, without any good feelings. &lt;strong&gt;How &amp;amp; Why&lt;/strong&gt; to be moral without believing in supernatural entity like God? What are the ways to become independent because I want to be moral without being devotee or dependency on the God?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorDisplayName="user10804" LastEditDate="2017-07-14T03:53:07.020" LastActivityDate="2019-11-14T01:13:41.803" Title="How/Why to be moral without believing God or any supernatural entity?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21515" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-13T17:43:43.097" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Putting faith on an external entity lightens the burden on the mind. You would believe that an external source would work things out for you than doing it yourself. This give a sense of comfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when you are mentally burdened discussing these problems with other lighten the burden. Similarly mentioning this in prayer also lightens the burden.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though this is mentally conferring, what you might need to asses is does everything you pray for materialise as your wish. Also see if this leads to procatination where you do not do what need to be done when it needs to be done. If it does not have you ever had a feeling of being let down. Buddhism gives a solution for this through the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; which is on account of how things playout keeping you mental state and emortions in check.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to morality, it is completely in your control. Since you have free will the choice is yours. In this case there is not God who makes you moral. One has to make the effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Faith is based on ideas and there is a human tendency to get attached to ideas. E.g. many wars have been fought for ideals, politics and religion. In some cases the attachment to and ideal or idea far exceeds that of the value of one's own life. These ideas are very hard to stake off but there is a techniques called Vipassana which might help. Vipassana meditation has its roots in Buddhism but is practiced by Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Atheists, etc. alike. You can try it out. Following are some pointers where you can locate a course:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://dhamma.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://dhamma.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://internationalmeditationcentre.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.info/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.info/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T17:43:43.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21516" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-13T19:15:18.360" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, morality is evaluated by the fruits of our actions. Grossly speaking, actions that are observed to promote or mature into suffering or added burden are regarded as immoral, while actions that promote or mature into happiness and ease are regarded as virtuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But actions themselves are not just judged by their outcome, but also by the intention that manifested it and who they harm or benefit. Buddhism emphasizes the study of our actions in order to become skillful in creating happiness -- that is, in order to become virtuous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question also has an echo in the Pali literature. In one sutta, the Buddha tells his audience to consider a person who exercises and fulfills four virtuous characteristics: equanimity, compassion, benevolence and sympathetic joy (happiness from other people's successes):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“This noble disciple, Kālāmas, whose mind is in this way without enmity, without ill will, undefiled, and pure, has won four assurances in this very life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The first assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is another world, and if there is the fruit and result of good and bad deeds, it is possible that with the breakup of the body, after death, I will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The second assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is no other world, and there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds, still right here, in this very life, I maintain myself in happiness, without enmity and ill will, free of trouble.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The third assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil comes to one who does evil. Then, when I have no evil intentions toward anyone, how can suffering afflict me, since I do no evil deed?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“The fourth assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil does not come to one who does evil. Then right here I see myself purified in both respects.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 3.65&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, no matter what a person may believe about the after life or about the laws of karma, this person who has such virtuous behavior has, at the minimum, created for herself a less burdening, happier and blameless life here and now as a direct result of her conduct -- without having to wait for death to realize the benefits of it, if any. Moreover, if the laws of karma are true or if there's an after life where the results of our actions affect us, then such a person will also enjoy happiness after death, as a result of her conduct in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T19:15:18.360" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21517" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-13T21:01:54.317" Score="8" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, fire is used to describe the destructive &amp;amp; harmful mental defilements of greed/lust, hatred/anger &amp;amp; delusion/ignorance, such as in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Fire Sermon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Being believer or dependent on God so far in my life, I'm clueless how exactly can I become independent without turning morally&#xA;Bankrupt?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Buddhism explains immoral (harmful) mental tendencies occur due to ignorance, not-knowing or cluelessness, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, &lt;strong&gt;ignorance&lt;/strong&gt; is the leader in the attainment of unskillful qualities, followed by lack of conscience &amp;amp; lack of concern. In an&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;unknowledgeable&lt;/strong&gt; person, immersed in ignorance, wrong view arises. In&#xA;one of wrong view, wrong resolve arises. In one of wrong resolve,&#xA;wrong speech... In one of wrong speech, wrong action... In one of&#xA;wrong action, wrong livelihood... In one of wrong livelihood, wrong&#xA;effort... In one of wrong effort, wrong mindfulness... In one of wrong&#xA;mindfulness, wrong concentration arises.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rationale here about needing God is similar to a violent dog that needs to be kept behind a fence or in a cage; or a evil person that must be isolated from society in a prison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, it is taught people have an evil disposition due to nature. We can observe the tendency to merciless violence in animals. People have obviously evolved from animals (rather than were created by &amp;amp; in the image of a god).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches the minds of people can dwell in different mental states called:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) human (moral);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) godly (powerful);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) animal (immoral);&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) hungry ghost (addicted); and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) hell (suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who are immoral in nature &amp;amp; behaviour dwell within a mind in the animal world &amp;amp; eventually end up in hell (suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When I start believing in experience I become somewhat immoral, without any good feelings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Genesis 6.5 of the Bible states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the Lord saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time, he was sorry that &lt;strong&gt;he had ever made them&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This seems to show following the Abrahamic god creates an evil nature. In other words, the immoral feelings are due to how your religion created you, as explained in Genesis 6 of the Bible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The history of the world seems to show people who believe in a supernatural entity like God are more evil than those that don't. For example, Christians have been at war among themselves &amp;amp; with others for hundreds of years &amp;amp; have destroyed many indigenous cultures with their imperialism. Even today, the American prison system contains more theists than atheists. I would suggest this is because God-believers want to exercise violent power over others; following the example of God as depicted in various scriptures that show God excising violent absolute power. Even the evil of atheist dictatorial Communism was created by Jews, with a violent dictatorial yet classless ideology similar to Judaism. Thus theistic religions have a tendency to attract evil people who lust for power and who want to act on this earth towards the humans as though they are gods.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the good human people of this earth have to endure these wanna-be gods, like we must do, such as endure the evil politicians who today run the USA and are God-believers, both Christian &amp;amp; Zionist; who finance &amp;amp; arm Saudi terrorists that murder people while screaming: &amp;quot;Allah U Akbar&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;God is Great&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How &amp;amp; Why to be moral without believing in supernatural entity like God?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, morality equates with &lt;em&gt;harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;. Morality is not a commandment or doctrine but, instead, &lt;em&gt;harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;. To understand morality, one must comprehend &lt;em&gt;harmlessness&lt;/em&gt;. If &lt;em&gt;harmlessness&lt;/em&gt; is not comprehended, it is difficult to maintain morality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains when you are moral, you no longer harm yourself. Being moral is a method to love yourself &amp;amp; benefit yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you examine with reason &amp;amp; intelligence the behaviours Buddhism considers to be immoral, such as killing, stealing, promiscuous sex, lying, drug taking, gambling, etc, you will find people who engage in these actions bring suffering &amp;amp; problems to their own lives (and, of course, suffering to the lives of others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, men go to war, return with PTSD &amp;amp; even commit suicide. People who steal, end up in prison or lose their jobs. People addicted to promiscuous sex end up with broken relationships &amp;amp; mental disorders. People who lie are not trusted (even though they make money as evil politicians or business leaders). People who take drugs destroy their lives with bad health. People who gamble &amp;amp; borrow money greedily end up ruined.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in Buddhism, we reflect or think deeply about the harmful consequences of immoral behaviour.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, in Buddhism, another method to become moral is to develop '&lt;strong&gt;empathy&lt;/strong&gt;', namely, '&lt;strong&gt;putting oneself in the place of another&lt;/strong&gt;'. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;129&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness&#xA;hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;One who, while himself seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness&#xA;hereafter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If, like a broken gong, you silence yourself, you have approached Nibbana, for vindictiveness is no longer in you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the fool commits evil deeds, he does not realize (their evil nature). The witless man is tormented by his own deeds, like one burnt&#xA;by fire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.10.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dandavagga: Violence&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the ways to become independent?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To become independent, the Buddhist scriptures (SN 56.120) explain an 'animal' mind must realise the Four Noble Truths &amp;amp; practise the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt; to become 'human'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The full development of moral empathy is explained in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/showthread.php?213-The-Buddha-s-Unshakable-Ethics-the-Discourse-to-the-People-of-Bamboo-Gate&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Veludvareyya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I will teach you, householders, a Dhamma exposition applicable to&#xA;oneself. Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, sir,&amp;quot; those brahmin householders of Bamboo Gate replied. The&#xA;Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;What, householders, is the Dhamma exposition applicable to oneself?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, householders, a noble disciple reflects thus: 'I am one who&#xA;wishes to live, who does not wish to die; I desire happiness and am&#xA;averse to suffering. Since I am one who wishes to live, who does not&#xA;wish to die; who desires happiness and is averse to suffering; if&#xA;someone were to take my life, that would not be pleasing and agreeable&#xA;to me. Now if I were to take the life of another -- of one who wishes&#xA;to live, who does not wish to die, who desires happiness and is averse&#xA;to suffering--that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other&#xA;either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and&#xA;disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict upon another what is&#xA;displeasing and disagreeable to me?' Having reflected thus, he himself&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;abstains from the destruction of life&lt;/strong&gt;, exhorts others to abstain from&#xA;the destruction of life, and speaks in praise of abstinence from the&#xA;destruction of life. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified in&#xA;three respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to take from me what I have not given, that is, to&#xA;commit theft, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I&#xA;were to take from another what he has not given, that is, to commit&#xA;theft, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either.&#xA;What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and&#xA;disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict upon another what is&#xA;displeasing and disagreeable to me?' Having reflected thus, he himself&#xA;abstains from taking what is not given, exhorts others to &lt;strong&gt;abstain from&#xA;taking what is not given&lt;/strong&gt;, and speaks in praise of abstinence from&#xA;taking what is not given. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified&#xA;in three respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to commit adultery with my wives, that would not be&#xA;pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to commit adultery with&#xA;the wives of another, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the&#xA;other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is&#xA;displeasing and disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict upon&#xA;another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?' Having reflected&#xA;thus, he himself &lt;strong&gt;abstains from sexual misconduct&lt;/strong&gt;, exhorts others to&#xA;abstain from sexual misconduct, and speaks in praise of abstinence&#xA;from sexual misconduct. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified in&#xA;three respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to damage my welfare with false speech, that would&#xA;not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to damage the&#xA;welfare of another with false speech, that would not be pleasing and&#xA;agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to&#xA;me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict&#xA;upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?' Having&#xA;reflected thus, he himself &lt;strong&gt;abstains from false speech&lt;/strong&gt;, exhorts others&#xA;to abstain from false speech, and speaks in praise of abstinence from&#xA;false speech. Thus this verbal conduct of his is purified in three&#xA;respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to divide me from my friends by divisive speech, that&#xA;would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to divide&#xA;another from his friends by divisive speech, that would not be&#xA;pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and&#xA;disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.&#xA;How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to&#xA;me?' Having reflected thus, he himself &lt;strong&gt;abstains from divisive speech&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;exhorts others to abstain from divisive speech, and speaks in praise&#xA;of abstinence from divisive speech. ' Thus this verbal conduct of his&#xA;is purified in three respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to address me with harsh speech, that would not be&#xA;pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to address another with&#xA;harsh speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other&#xA;either What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and&#xA;disagreeable to the other too. How can I inflict upon another what is&#xA;displeasing and disagreeable to me?' Having reflected thus, he himself&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;abstains from harsh speech&lt;/strong&gt;, exhorts others to abstain from harsh&#xA;speech, and speaks in praise of abstinence from harsh speech. ' Thus&#xA;this verbal conduct of his is purified in three respects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Again [Furthermore], householders, a noble disciple reflects thus:&#xA;'If someone were to address me with frivolous speech and idle chatter,&#xA;that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to&#xA;address another with frivolous speech and idle chatter, that would not&#xA;be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and&#xA;disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.&#xA;How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to&#xA;me?' Having reflected thus, he himself &lt;strong&gt;abstains from idle chatter&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;exhorts others to abstain from idle chatter, and speaks in praise of&#xA;abstinence from idle chatter. Thus this verbal conduct of his is&#xA;purified in three respects.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T02:32:08.610" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21518" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21510" CreationDate="2017-07-13T21:26:24.487" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha-Nature refers to the mind free from suffering or free from 'self-views'. Buddha-Nature is the pristine purity of clear-light-radiant mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Death' does not occur to Buddha-Nature because Buddha-Nature does not have any ideas, thoughts or views of 'self'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try to realise the worries, fears &amp;amp; traumas about 'death' are all related to beliefs in 'self'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When there is no belief in 'self', both internally &amp;amp; externally, there is no 'death'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called 'The Deathless'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to &lt;strong&gt;forget the self&lt;/strong&gt;. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad&#xA;  things. When actualized by myriad things, &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;r body and mind as well&#xA;  as the bodies and minds of &lt;strong&gt;others&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;drop away&lt;/strong&gt;. No trace of enlightenment&#xA;  remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dogen&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'body &amp;amp; mind', these are just elements of nature that form the natural world. Dogen, above, emphasises dropping way the false idea that various bodies &amp;amp; minds are 'myself' &amp;amp; 'other selves'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T21:36:48.963" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T21:36:48.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21519" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-13T21:28:27.700" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to become independent of any external moral authority? The Southern Baptists ask me this one a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What makes people think they will turn to a life of crime and debauchery absent the moral compass provided by religion? You know ... we DID have villages and even some social order prior to &quot;established&quot; religion. So how did that happen without us killing one another?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human beings have an internal sense of morality. In its absolute BAREST form it is revealed in toddlers as they comprehend the golden rule and, thus, develop empathy. You'll see them behead toys and kill a bug - that's how they learn it. It's actually hard wired into our brains in the frontal cortex for communication purposes. That formulation they make (or more precisely don't) is actually a leading psychological suspect for sociopathic behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you start off with a hard wired golden rule ... then you begin adding in the &quot;social&quot; moral codes. Ones made so that we respect boundaries. These change with culture so the line between them and the biological one is blurry and shaded. This is followed by changes as a matter of belief. This changes not only by culture, but then by specific beliefs within that culture. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So of those 3 stages of moral construction one is completely independent of religion . . and it takes a biological defect to stop it. Thus there's no total breakdown of morals in society as so many theists seem to fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like some proof? Turn to youtube and research actual mourning done by the animals on this planet who have a frontal cortex brain structure such as our own. Elephants, orcas, primates, corvids, dolphins - all of the animals on this planet with a highly develop communication structure such as ours exhibit empathy in this fashion. It's biology and it's a fact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for further examining how morality is advanced within Buddhism - not necessary to answer your question. Plus the guys above me are much more familiar with that side of it. This, however, is my specialty. Comparative animal behavior. And it says you have innate morals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-13T23:39:26.103" LastActivityDate="2017-07-13T23:39:26.103" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21520" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-13T23:08:35.180" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;IMHO (an oversimplified idea to think of it in another way)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You could do a simple logic game (maybe oversimplified but will give you an idea).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) you need other people. You are submerged in a social system, is built on trust and rules, the more you cheat the harder it is to get your goals, because you'll be wasting a lot of resources into avoiding being cheated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) People work better when they feel happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3) People is not happy when you break their trust, or do harm to them (very oversimplified), because it will mean they'll have to waste or have wasted resources as in 1)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, In order to achieve your goals efficiently, you need other people to be efficient. For that you need trust, and basic satisfaction. So basically is in your best, egotistical interest that other people is happy. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's basically what capitalisms does, sells you happiness so you conform to a system and keep doing your work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way you can build a parallel to the other awesome and extensive answer about Buddhism, that states that harmfulness is a way of ignorance. When you frame it as the logic I've stated, if you harm someone, you are being ignorant of the ways it will come back to you and make your life harder (i'm not referring as karma per-se, but the physics of the energy of interactions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Recently i've read this book &quot;Ethics for Amador&quot; which basically explains my idea but properly and with good basis (among several other things). &#xA;I recommend a read to it. I wish i had read that book before.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://fp.reverso.net/tustareasdesociales-over-blog/6225/en/pages/etica-para-amador-4867607.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://fp.reverso.net/tustareasdesociales-over-blog/6225/en/pages/etica-para-amador-4867607.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11738" LastEditorUserId="11738" LastEditDate="2019-03-06T22:11:42.083" LastActivityDate="2019-03-06T22:11:42.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21521" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-14T01:31:43.310" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Undertaking actions simply because they are decreed by a super-natural rule maker is hardly being moral at all. It is simply doing what you're told for fear of punishment - equivalent to &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development#Stages&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kohlberg's pre-conventional stage of moral reasoning&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11740" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T01:31:43.310" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21522" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-14T03:30:15.100" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate aim of Buddhism is to discard both moral and immoral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T03:30:15.100" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21523" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21524" CreationDate="2017-07-14T03:30:20.510" Score="2" ViewCount="492" Body="&lt;p&gt;In a chance I had read 'Mindfulness in Plain English' by the Buddhist monk Venerable H.Gunaratana Mahathera.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It says &quot;After joining inhaling with exhaling,fix your mind on the point where you feel your inhaling and exhaling breath touching.Inhale and exhale as one single breath moving in and out touching or rubbing the rims of your nostrills.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;I have heard about different meditation practices and I doubt that there is no such a point is drawn in Chakra Meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose of concentrating on the rims of the nostrils  ?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where I have to concentrate during meditation as a beginner?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And could you explain the point , &quot;rims of nostrills&quot; ?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11741" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T10:23:06.177" Title="Where to concentrate exactly during meditation?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-concentration|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21524" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21523" CreationDate="2017-07-14T06:17:28.690" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The instruction is to feel the touch or strike of the breath/wind/air against the flesh of the inner nostril, where it is most sensitive. If this touch in the nostril is not clear to your mind, then place your finger gently against your upper lip below your nostril and feel the touch of the wind/breath against your finger. Keep your finger there until you can feel the breath against the nostril &amp;amp; finger so the in-breaths &amp;amp; out-breaths are discerned/recognized clearly &amp;amp; unconfused. It is important that the mind here is unconfused about when the breath is coming in and when the breath is going out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practise narrows the awareness &amp;amp; thinking of the mind. By doing so, it also makes the breathing very fine &amp;amp; calm , which makes the mind calm. This is the purpose of the practise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, for the beginner, this deliberate narrowing of mental focus &amp;amp; refining of the breath can eventually make the mind sleepy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A beginner can experiment with &amp;amp; practise this method of observing the touch of the in &amp;amp; out breaths at the nostrils. It can bring good results of calmness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if the mind becomes sleepy or 'sinking', the beginner should open their awareness and return to observing the breath within the body, particularly the flow of the breathing &amp;amp; its movement in the throat, chest &amp;amp;/or abdomen. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, if the flow &amp;amp; movement is lost here, place a hand on the abdomen &amp;amp; another hand on the chest to clearly feel &amp;amp; know in-breathes &amp;amp; out-breathes in an unconfused manner. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-14T10:23:06.177" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T10:23:06.177" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21525" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-14T06:29:13.603" Score="2" ViewCount="262" Body="&lt;p&gt;What texts would you recommend for sutta discussion sessions, where a majority of the participants will be new to discussing suttas? &#xA;with metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T00:09:24.623" Title="Resources for Sutta study/discussion for beginners" Tags="|sutras|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-07-14T11:06:10.833" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21526" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-14T08:16:45.307" Score="2" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught that everything is ephemeral and everything is grief. What a seeker should do in the above circumstances?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11744" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T10:42:54.770" Title="What Buddha taught by his knowledge about human life?" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21527" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-14T08:30:15.927" Score="5" ViewCount="339" Body="&lt;p&gt;So if I am mindful of let's say a sensation or I am just mindful of a specific body part should I label that &quot;event&quot;, e.g.: thinking, thinking, touching, touching, seeing, seeing?&#xA;I am asking because the buddha also said that one should use sati in tandem with comprehension and therefore one should constantly remind oneself of the three characteristics. So first the labeling and then a short contemplation of the 3 characteristics? How are you guys doing mindfulness in buddhist terms?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T02:09:44.030" Title="On Sati-Sampajanna" Tags="|mindfulness|impermanence|three-characteristics|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21528" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21525" CreationDate="2017-07-14T09:40:43.787" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is my standard recommendation for beginners:&#xA;a)Read BuddhismCourse. (Take about 12 hours to read and give you a good idea about the teaching)&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;b)Print a copy of this Dhamma Chart and refer to it while studding Buddhism.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=16785&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=16785&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;c) Read Buddha’s Teaching by Narada. Start from chapter 15.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddh&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddh&lt;/a&gt; ... gsurw6.pdf&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;d) While you reading above texts please listen to the following Dhamma Talk by Joseph Goldstein.&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/talk/6162/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/talk/6162/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;e) Start reading Sutta.&#xA;Good starting point would be to read Bikkhu Bodhi’s “In the Buddha’s Word”&#xA;Then read Sutta Central. Start from Majjhima Nikaya. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/m&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/m&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T09:40:43.787" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-07-14T11:06:10.833" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21529" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21526" CreationDate="2017-07-14T09:44:00.027" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Eliminate (let go of) attachment, aversion, and ignorance towards all Sankhara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T09:44:00.027" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21531" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21525" CreationDate="2017-07-14T10:23:57.653" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;If you would listen to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nirapekshathwayemaga.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;nirapekshathwayemaga&lt;/a&gt; Season 8 - (there are 30 video clips in all), you will get to learn the Dhamma with all the relevant sutta references. These 30 sermons are of such importance, that I am going to translate the contents into English in the near future. I will launch a brand new website &quot;A MEDITATIVE LIFE&quot;, for the benefit of all within one year.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T10:23:57.653" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-07-14T11:06:10.833" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21532" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21526" CreationDate="2017-07-14T10:42:54.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught all worldly things are ephemeral but did not teach everything is &quot;grief&quot;. &quot;Grief&quot; is an emotion created by the mind rather than a characteristic of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seeker keeps reflecting &amp;amp; examining how all worldly things are ephemeral until the mind realises completely that ephemeral things cannot be any other way or '&lt;em&gt;suchness&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81t%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;tathātā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This will result in the mind giving up desires &amp;amp; expectations towards ephemeral things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is described at the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;O monks, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing thus, gets wearied of form, gets wearied of feeling, gets wearied of perception,&#xA;  gets wearied of mental formations, gets wearied of consciousness.&#xA;  Being wearied he becomes passion-free. In his freedom from passion, he&#xA;  is emancipated.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T10:42:54.770" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21533" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-14T11:12:59.840" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Morality is independent of religion, but yet inherent to it. The concept of a particular deity, with its likes and dislikes encourages certain behaviour, and much of this behaviour can be called social law. In buddhism, you adhere to the teachings of several buddhas, and from these teachings are also derived morality. But any morality can be invented ad-hoc  (mormons are a good example, as are scientologists), and most often - to make this morality more authoritative, a deity is invented/reused in the process. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I consider buddhism to be a philosophy, and while I do not practice it (as I am a jew, and such heresy is strictly forbidden!), I understand that it does not require any concept of a divine patriarch, or pantheon, for its followers to behave in a manner that isn't harmful to other members of the same society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The concept that such and such benevolent acts yield benevolence from&#xA;one's surroundings is not misguided. It is usually a direct cause-effect relationship, but it is not a guarantee. Nor are malevolent acts similarly punished. It is a reference for people to subscribe to the philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11747" LastEditorUserId="11747" LastEditDate="2017-07-14T16:56:01.873" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T16:56:01.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21534" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21514" CreationDate="2017-07-14T11:22:16.487" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Morality is human not divine&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human morality basically derives from human experience. Our shared experience includes an instinct of self-preservation, aversion to pain and harm, empathy and the value of community. Because humans are communal animals, any actions we take which harm the community are harmful to ourselves as well, not just when we feel empathy for the suffering of others, but also because we cannot be happy in a broken and violent community, at risk of harm from others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human morals don't therefore come from some deity, but are a natural response to the human condition. If you are feeling a lack of empathy or outright indifference for the suffering of others when not devoted to a god, the problem is most likely an in-group/out-group feeling. Humans are naturally protective of their in-group, while can be aggressive/indifferent to people outside the group. To be moral outside of the commands of/dovotion to a deity, requires you to identify as a member of another group of humans (or humanity in general). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just realizing all humans are related and part of one large family and that moral behaviour towards others will be more likely to create a society where others behave morally towards you should be sufficient. On the other hand if you dehumanise others or dismiss and other them as part of some &quot;out-group&quot;, you will be less likely to include them in your moral considerations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11748" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T11:22:16.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21535" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21536" CreationDate="2017-07-14T14:12:16.533" Score="0" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;How do I know if I enjoy answering questions because I feel helpful or because it strokes my ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does this program demand that I add more words to my question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T06:04:51.377" Title="Helpful or ego-stroking?" Tags="|personal-practice|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21536" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21535" CreationDate="2017-07-14T14:18:00.617" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ego is identification. Some thought experiment, that consider the option to have action without identification, may point it out:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would you invest the same amount of time if it was completely anonymous?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If someone would downvote your answer, how would you feel?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Would it make a difference whether your answer is downvoted with your name in in the answer, or completely anonymous.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you could choose to add your name or signature to it, would you care?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;If you had to choose up front, with your name/signature, or without, not knowing whether your answer will be up or down voted. Would you wish you have added your name/signature if everybody is upvoting your answer like crazy. And would you be happy that you didn't add your name when everybody was downvoting it like crazy.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some extremes to create clear contrast: Someone asks a question why to continue with life because he/she is horrible depressed for years and seriously considers suicide. You provide an answer and he/she completely turns around and started living life to the fullest, the moment he/she read your answer. Would you tell this story to your friends/family including that it was you that provided the helpful answer. Or would you just tell how someone was helped by some answer and don't care at all to mention that you gave the answer.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-18T06:04:51.377" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T06:04:51.377" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21537" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21535" CreationDate="2017-07-14T15:29:27.633" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do I know if I enjoy answering questions because I feel helpful or because it strokes my ego?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By undertaking the practice of insight meditation, one will actually &lt;em&gt;weaken&lt;/em&gt; the sense of Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One will come to realize that the idea/sense of self is merely a mental formation belonging to the 4th aggregate of mental formations.&#xA;By diligent and repeated practice, one will come to see the 3 signs of existence, i.e. the mental formation is both &lt;em&gt;impermanent, unsatisfactory and uncontrollable/ungovernabl&lt;/em&gt;e, meaning it cannot be a Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Self could exist it would be something that one is in control of, something that is amenable to ones will. Through insight meditation, we find that nothing in the conditioned realm, is really like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/8/talk/19282/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhamma talk on Anatta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ajahn Punnadhammo. In here he talks about how the Buddha explained the 4 four ways in which we create a Self and the 3 levels on which we create a Self. The talk is highly recommendable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.saraniya.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/pdf/mahasi_sayadaw-1963_discourse_on_anattalakkhana_sutta.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Discourse on the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, he explains as well, the 3 leves on which one can create a Self:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clinging to Things as Mine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of the above three forms of grasping, “This is mine” is clinging with craving; “I am this” is clinging with conceit; “This is my self” is clinging with wrong-view. When one has taken delight in an object with craving, even if the object does not belong to oneself, it is grasped with craving as if it were one’s own. On seeing delightful objects in the shops, one takes delight in them as if one already owned them. One imagines putting on jackets and longyis that one likes. One also imagines trying on shoes, as if they were already one’s own. One grasps everything, animate or inanimate, as if it were one’s own if one likes them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Blessed One asked, whether it was wise to grasp and take delight as, “This is mine,” regarding things that are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and subject to change, whether it is ﬁtting to delight in terrible suffering. The matter in one’s own body is constantly originating and dissolving. If one sees this arising and dissolution as it really is, one would be fearful just like having to live in a dilapidated building. Even though one might feel well and happy at the present moment, a change for the worse may occur depending on circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once it is realised that it is not enduring even for a moment, always changing, and therefore terrible suﬀering, how could one take delight in it? Would anyone choose with great pleasure as one’s life partner, someone who is going to become an invalid within hours or days or who is going to die soon. No one would take delight in such a course of action if they really know what is about to happen. Likewise the meditator who sees the unceasing process of origination and dissolution of the aggregates ﬁnds only terrible suﬀering in them. Finding them as such, the meditator has no desire to grasp materiality as “This is mine.” The group of ﬁve monks therefore answered that it is not ﬁtting to regard materialiy as mine. This is an account of the questions and answers on how, having seen the characteristics of suﬀering, it is unﬁtting to take delight in it as happiness, as something that is satisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clinging With Conceit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To consider materiality as “I am this,” is to cling to it with conceit. When one has good sense-faculties and can see or hear well, one takes pride in them: “I have good eyes and ears,” “I look beautiful,” “I have a pleasing voice,” “I am healthy,” “I am strong.” Is it ﬁtting to cling to materiality in this way with conceit? Conceit is developed regarding one’s possessions when there is a misconception that they are permanent. The material qualities of eyes, ears, visible forms, etc., are wrongly regarded as permanent, and consequently, vanity develops about them. Take for instance the case of a person who has a cache of gold or silver hidden in a certain place. The owner is full of pride over this wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, if he or she learns that the cache has been robbed and he or she no longer owns any treasure, the bubble of conceit is burst. Likewise, clinging to the material qualities of eyes, etc., which become manifest at the moment of seeing, hearing,etc., and thinking they are still in existence, conceit is developed about them. The meditator who notes constantly knows that they all vanish after they have arisen and ﬁnds no reason to be proud as “I have good eyes,” or “I am beautiful.” Therefore when the monks were asked, “Is it ﬁting, to regard materialiy as “I am this,” their reply was, “It is not ﬁting, Venerable sir.” The Blessed One let it be known by means of this dialogue that there is conceit when things are conceived as permanent; there is no conceit when they are known to be impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Clinging With Wrong View&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Holding on to the belief “This is my self” is clinging with wrong-view. This wrong view is held fast when there is belief that the materiality in one’s person is everlasting, and amenable to one’s control. When knowledge arises that it is unstable, constantly arising and vanishing, and unsatisfactory because it is unstable and subject to dissolution, there is no more reason to cling to materiality as a self, as a living entity. When the meditator knows that materiality cannot be controlled by wishing, “Let everything be pleasant and wholesome, let nothing unpleasant or bad happen, let all pleasant materiality remain permanently,” there is nothing to cling to as a self. Thus to the question, “Is it ﬁtting to regard materiality as ‘This is my self,’ the ﬁve monks replied. “No, Venerable sir.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T15:29:27.633" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21538" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21535" CreationDate="2017-07-14T22:59:42.920" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I  have bias this answer to pali-canons because  pali-canons' contents comprehend the reasons, for all profits, more than people today, who cut some possible reasons off and kepp only their attached profits. I also have to use too much pali words, because my english is terrible and dhamma is very hard. I have to use 2 hours to write this little answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Board-ego = māna &amp;amp; taṇhā &amp;amp; micchādiṭṭhi &amp;amp; avijjā &amp;amp; ahiri &amp;amp; anotappa &amp;amp; uddhacca.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best way to see your board-ego are &lt;strong&gt;&quot;checking and proving&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;  your&amp;amp;the others' answers in every ways such as &lt;strong&gt;pali&lt;/strong&gt; of tipitaka, commentary, sub-commentary, and &lt;strong&gt;the other teachers' comments.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why checking&amp;amp;proving are the best way? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Micchādiṭṭhi and taṇhā, that always arise with kusala,&#xA;viewing&amp;amp;attaching wrong causes&amp;amp;effects. Sammādiṭṭhi viewing right&#xA;causes&amp;amp;effects. While checking&amp;amp;proving about causes&amp;amp;effects of the&#xA;whole contents of topic's page, the good practicer  can see&#xA;his/her/the others' wrongs&amp;amp;rights, but the bad practicer can not&#xA;(avijjā). Because they have not checking&amp;amp;proving enough to notice&#xA;(vijjā) his/her/the others' wrongs&amp;amp;rights. They have not enough&#xA;respect in the others' right causes&amp;amp;effects that having &lt;strong&gt;many&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;pali-references. So enough checking&amp;amp;proving can let you notice&#xA;wrongs&amp;amp;rights of causes&amp;amp;effects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Māna can not change their status, that attached by taṇhā. Māna, that&#xA;arising after micchādiṭṭhi, can not change their wrong viewing and&#xA;attaching. So  enough checking&amp;amp;proving can let you notice māna.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ahiri and anotappa can not respect in the others' right&#xA;causes&amp;amp;effects that having &lt;strong&gt;many&lt;/strong&gt; pali-references. So enough&#xA;checking&amp;amp;proving can let you notice asaddhā (distrust), that always&#xA;arise with kusala (wholesome), in the others' right causes&amp;amp;effects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Uddhacca can not catch any causes&amp;amp;effects. While good practicer read&#xA;topic, they will try to understand the others' references. But bad&#xA;practicer will not try, because bad practicer  can not catch any&#xA;causes&amp;amp;effects.  So enough checking&amp;amp;proving can let you notice your&#xA;uddhacca.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can also notice board-ego by the other cetasika, such as dosa, issā, alobha,passaddhi, etc., too.This method is called &quot;cittānupassanā-satipaṭṭhāna&quot;. I just write the most important cetasika for this topic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sadly, people today are so hastily and judge someone according to the appearance. So checking and proving are not important now. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Almost  everyone in every forum often told me to practice myself, such as &quot;you are stroker. you are close-minded.&quot; I checking&amp;amp;proving then answer them, that sometime I accepted to develop myself, sometime I asked for the reference, and sometime I explained. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But on the contrary, almost everyone didn't call me for reference, accept me to develop themselves, or explained their view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is very big difference that always show to me from every forum discussion. It is called &lt;strong&gt;&quot;open-mined&quot; and &quot;close-mined&quot;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-14T23:48:07.870" LastActivityDate="2017-07-14T23:48:07.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21539" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21525" CreationDate="2017-07-15T00:09:24.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mukhapatha is the best. So easiest way is listen directly from pa-auk teachers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The tipitaka memorizers can teach &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21056/10100&quot;&gt;Beginner's Buddhist Course Syllabus By Ancient Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt; easier more than try to done it yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have many other ways more than mukhapatha, but if they will been the best way to teach, the buddha will used them. &lt;strong&gt;But he never.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T00:09:24.623" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-07-15T00:09:24.623" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21540" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21527" CreationDate="2017-07-15T00:39:55.193" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So if I am mindful of let's say a sensation or I am just mindful of a specific body part&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This statement is wrong understanding. Mindfulness does not mean to be aware, conscious or observant &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; a sense object. Instead, '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;to remember&lt;/em&gt;' to have right view &lt;strong&gt;towards&lt;/strong&gt; a sense object. Please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;should I label that &quot;event&quot;, e.g.: thinking, thinking, touching, touching, seeing, seeing?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No; unless you are a complete beginner who must develop conviction in the truth of the teachings or unless you are dealing with a difficult to manage hindrance or distracting thought. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you label every experience, your meditation will become very busy &amp;amp; convoluted. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please refer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;, where the Buddha-To-Be labelled things for the purpose of preliminary understanding but later made the mind quiet for the purpose of developing concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am asking because the buddha also said that one should use sati in tandem with comprehension&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. 'Clear-comprehension' (sampajanna) simply means 'active-situational-wisdom'. However, 'sampajanna' is not merely labelling things in situations where labelling is helpful. 'Sampajanna' also knows when to keep the mind quiet when the mind needs to be quiet, such as when developing &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;concentration&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for 'sati' ('mindfulness'), its role is to remember or to bring/deliver 'sampajanna' (situational wisdom) to specific situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;therefore one should constantly remind oneself of the three characteristics.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very good. This statement is correct understanding. '&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' means to '&lt;em&gt;constantly remind onself&lt;/em&gt;' and the '&lt;em&gt;three characteristics&lt;/em&gt;' is one type of wisdom that often needs to be applied in the development of concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (&lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, there are many types of wisdom &amp;amp; understanding that &lt;em&gt;sati-sampajanna&lt;/em&gt; must use.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So first the labeling and then a short contemplation of the 3 characteristics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. This is preliminary understanding (Right View, 1st factor of eightfold path) that must be reflected upon &amp;amp; used so the mind can develop the path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, once the path &amp;amp; concentration is developed. the three characteristics will be directly seen &amp;amp; known (which is vipassana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the three-characteristics as 'sampajanna' is required to help you develop the path of concentration. Where as the three-characteristics as 'vipassana' is an automatic result/fruit of developing the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How are you guys doing mindfulness in buddhist terms?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As described. 'Mindfulness' means to 'remember' or 'constantly remind onself'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my practise of mindfulness, the primary thing I remember to do is keep the mind free from craving &amp;amp; attachment because sampajanna knows freedom from craving &amp;amp; attachment is the cessation of suffering (according to the Four Noble Truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If craving &amp;amp; attachment arise, then I remember (&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;) to apply different wisdoms (&lt;em&gt;sampajanna&lt;/em&gt;) to eradicate that arisen craving &amp;amp; attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-15T00:52:28.883" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T00:52:28.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21541" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2017-07-15T02:06:16.017" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would be worried. Happened to me and many other intensive meditators. &quot;Meditation sickness&quot; occurs to those meditators embedded in an ideology or worldview that values silence and stilling thought as superior or as more valuable than thinking or acting. This devalues thought, thinking, and acting in the world. And, these value/devalues are what is associated with &quot;meditation sickness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Celebrated Zen master Guiding Zongmi, warned that excessive focus on meditation and achieving &quot;inner stillness, and non-critical/non-analytical study of the scriptures led to meditation sickness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Robert H. Sharf, Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, as well as Chair of the Center for Buddhist Studies, at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote of meditation sickness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Meditation sickness&quot; excessive focus in meditation on achieving&#xA;  “inner stillness” (ningji), especially when unbalanced by an&#xA;  engagement with the scriptures, leads to a state described as “falling&#xA;  into emptiness” (duokong), which is, in turn, associated with&#xA;  “meditation sickness” (changing). The term meditation sickness was&#xA;  used by various Buddhist masters as a critique of practices they&#xA;  deemed detrimental to the path, notably techniques that emphasized&#xA;  inner stillness—they seem to have been targeting practices that&#xA;  cultivated a sort of non-critical or non-analytical presentness.&quot; --&#xA;  from p476 &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/sharf/documents/Sharf%20Is%20Mindfulness%20Buddhist.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Is mindfulness Buddhist? (and why it matters), Robert H.&#xA;  Sharf, University of California, Berkeley, Transcultural Psychiatry 2015, Vol. 52(4) 470–484&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11753" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T02:06:16.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21542" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21527" CreationDate="2017-07-15T02:09:44.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When vipassanā-cittāni&amp;amp;cetasikāni arising:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Saññā mark vipassanā-object to remind again after.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vitakka let's them go to vipassanā-object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Vicāra let's them hang around vipassanā-object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sati&lt;/strong&gt; let's sobhana-citta&amp;amp;cetasikā unforget to do their work to&#xA;vipassanā-object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Balavavipassanā-sampajañña&lt;/strong&gt; uses 3 marks (3 characteristics) to&#xA;comprehend vipassanā-object.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T02:09:44.030" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21543" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T02:39:57.157" Score="3" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why does self-generation as a deity (yidam) require annutarayogatantra empowerment (wang, abhiṣeka), while visualizing it as a separate image doesn't?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11755" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T07:33:57.337" Title="Tantric self generation as a deity" Tags="|tantra|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21544" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T04:07:25.593" Score="6" ViewCount="448" Body="&lt;p&gt;So I have been doing different meditation techniques to control/reduce different poisons(Klesha) of mind. Such as I do&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asuaba(Perception of Unattractiveness) for Lust&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perception of Loving Kindness (Metta) for Hatred&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati for overflowing of thoughts &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perception of Compassion (Karuna) for thoughts of harming &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perception of Sympathetic-Joy (Muditha) for jealous and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when ever I encounter thoughts or memories of sorrow and pain, loss, I  get confused on what meditation technique I should use to overcome it. All the dark memories haunt me, and i tend to fight them. But most of the time I fail to overcome them. And in that process my mind and body energy is already consumed and i become tired and sometimes i get a migraine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there any specific technique to overcome sorrow and pain? I know that Satipattanaya is there only way of overcoming sorrow, pain and loss, But i want to know the specific technique that I could practice on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A sutta reference is appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2020-01-30T15:14:32.797" Title="Meditation technique to reduce/control pain/sorrow/loss" Tags="|sutras|meditation-recommendation|pain|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21545" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21544" CreationDate="2017-07-15T04:36:47.050" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each technique a type of character or mental biase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Greedy: the ten foulness meditations; or, body contemplation.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Hating: the four brahma-viharas; or, the four color kasinas.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Deluded: mindfulness of breath.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Faithful: the first six recollections.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Intelligent: recollection of marana or Nibbana; the perception of disgust of food; or, the analysis of the four elements.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Speculative: mindfulness of breath.&#xA;  The six non-color kasinas and the four formless states are suitable for all temperaments.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kammaṭṭhāna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main techniques to overcome sorrow are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt; and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These address the root cause.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samantha&lt;/a&gt; techniques temporarily suppresses the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;hindrances&lt;/a&gt; which being clarity to continue into &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/a&gt;. So some of the techniques you mention are not the most suitable through if you practice the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; and loathsome mediation in such a way that it develops Insight this also can be helpful. The more sure way is always &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Satipatthana&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt; practised as Vipassana than to develop Samatha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for specific techniques, they are described below. In short, what you have to do is concentrate on the feeling of sorrow and other experiences until you understand it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the shortest renderings of Insight meditation is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, a monk dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating body in the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating feeling in the feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating mind in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) Having put away covetousness and displeasure in the world, he dwells exertive, fully aware, mindful, contemplating phenomena [dharmas] in the phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.11-Sacca-Vibhanga-S-m141-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacca Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and also similar passage is found in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/14.5-Magga-Vibhanga-S-s45.8-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Magga) Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the recurring elements here is putting away covetousness and displeasure in the world which is the task at hand. In addition you have to put effort to that task and also you should not have a lapse of mindfulness when doing this task, otherwise you will not attend to it and perhaps do something else. In short the key elements are &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;awareness&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampaja%C3%B1%C3%B1a&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;clear comprehension&lt;/a&gt; and abandoning &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%E1%B9%87h%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;craving&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Covetousness and displeasure are result of mental reaction to sensations:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition the 6 sense bases can be the source of these sensations which result in unwholesome roots:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;i. On seeing a form with the eye,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the form that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ii. On hearing a sound with the ear,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the sound that the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iii. On smelling a smell with the nose,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the smell that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;iv. On tasting a taste with the tongue,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the taste that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;v. On feeling a touch with the body,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis for mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the touch that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;vi. On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To prevent your mental reaction to sensation becoming unwholesome you can try:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Nothing is worth clinging to”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One: “In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to. And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all]. Having directly known the nature of all things, he fully understands all things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Having fully understood all things, he knows whatever feelings there are, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As regards to those feelings, [Section on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.1-Nibbida-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Disillusionment and Revulsion (Nibbida)&lt;/a&gt; follows]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating impermanence in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating dispassion [fading away of lust] in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating ending (of suffering) in them;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;he dwells contemplating letting go (of defilements).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he dwells contemplating impermanence in them, contemplating dispassion in them, contemplating ending in them, contemplating letting go, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated; being not agitated, he himself surely attains nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.11-Pacala-S-a7.58-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pacalā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another rendering of the same is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a pleasant feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a painful feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a neutral feeling,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is impermanent;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that it is not to be clung to;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;he understands that there is no delight in it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a painful feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If he feels a neutral feeling, he feels it in a detached manner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should be careful that you do not react to the sensation with unwholesome thoughts which are craving, aversion or ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now to reduce mental chatter you can use initial and sustained application:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, bhikshu, this samadhi has been cultivated, well cultivated by you, then you should train yourself thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I will dwell exertive, clearly aware, mindful,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;observing [contemplating] [body | feeling | mind | dhamma] the in the [body | feeling | mind | dhamma],&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;removing covetousness and displeasure [discontent] in regard to the world.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, bhikshu, you should train yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When, bhikshu, this samadhi has been cultivated, well cultivated by you, then, you, bhikshu,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 1 ST DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi with initial application, with sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi without initial application, with only sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 2 ND DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi without initial application, without sustained application;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi with zest;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 3RD DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi zest-free;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi attended by comfort;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;THE 4 TH DHYANA:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;should cultivate this samadhi attended by equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also one should abandon fabrications. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] One such fabrications is thinking and pondering. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;] Beyond the 1st Jhana you can cut this out. Also thinking and pondering leads to latent tendencies (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.3-Anusaya.-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anusaya&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan). Suppressing it thinking and pondering suppresses &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;concept proliferation&lt;/a&gt; which in turn suppresses the latent tendencies. The Jhana also suppress the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;5 Hindrances&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“Bhikshu, as regards the source from which proliferation of conception and perception assails a person: if one were to find nothing there to delight in, nothing there to welcome, nothing to cling to—this is the end of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of lust,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of aversion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of doubt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of conceit,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of desire for existence, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is the ending of the taking up of the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, mayhem [strife], slandering and lying —here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Avuso, dependent on the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind] and [form | sound | smell | taste | touch | mind-object], [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind]-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception assails a person regarding past, future and present [forms | sounds | smells | tastes | touch | mind-objects] cognizable through the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Above clarity from the suppression of hindrances and latent dependencies can be used to further develop Insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should also contemplate causality:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;As such, bhikshus, the instructed noble disciple closely and wisely attends to dependent arising itself, thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“When this is, that is;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;with the arising of this, that arises.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When this is not, that is not;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;with the ending of this, that ends.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on pleasant contact, a pleasant feeling arises. With the ending of the pleasant contact, the pleasant feeling that arose in dependent on that pleasant contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on painful contact, a painful feeling arises. With the ending of the painful contact, the painful feeling that arose in dependent on that painful contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Bhikshus, dependent on neutral contact, a neutral feeling arises. With the ending of the neutral contact, the neutral feeling that arose in dependent on that neutral contact, ceases, is stilled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20.3-Assutava-S-2-s12.62-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Assutava Sutta 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The arising and passing nature of the sensations result in unsatisfactoriness. Uncontrollable nature results in unsatisfactoriness. What cases sensations are also arising and passing which case the sensations to arise and pass. The cause of sensations are not controllable. Therefore, the whole sphere of experience is unsatisfactory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;pleasant feeling is pleasant when it persists, painful when it changes;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;painful feeling is painful when it persists, pleasant when it changes;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;neutral feeling is pleasant when there is knowledge of it, painful when there is no knowledge of it.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cūla Vedalla Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole sphere of what can be experienced can be categorized into 3 sensations and their variant. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt; different shades of these sensations.) As noted above the whole sphere of sensations is unsatisfactory. Since what can be experienced and know fall into the 3 sessions the whole sphere of experience is also unsatisfactory. The aggregates of consciousness is unsatisfactory as what it cognises is unsatisfactory. The aggregates of sensations is unsatisfactory. The aggregate of which classifies as favorable, unfavorable and neutral is unsatisfactory as the mental reaction to such and the sensations that follow are unsatisfactory. The experience thought the body is unsatisfactory and the perceptions about form is unsatisfactory. This lead to the 1st Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What does one know [cognize]&#xA;  with that consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One knows, &quot;It is pleasant.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One knows. &quot;It is painful.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;One knows, &quot;It is neutral.&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Samma-Ditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samma Ditthi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally the way to develop the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Brahmavihara&lt;/a&gt; along with insight is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Metta meditation is to develop friendly feeling towards all living beings though Sila, Samadhi and Panna (in combination with equanimity) can be developed with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is achieved by breaking down the mental classification you have towards individual beings or classes of them into groups which you deem favorable, unfavorable or neutral and reacting to them with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling associated with each classification. One such classification systems would be me, beings I like, neutral or unknown beings and being you do not like. When you break down the classification you will like everyone like yourself. Another classification could be same country, neutral country and enemy country. When you break down the mental classification system you will love everyone as your fellow country men. Another classification could be higher life forms, lower life forms and same level life forms. When you break down this classification you will love all living beings equally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you classify if a being is from a favorable category you react with pleasant sensation, unfavorable category with unpleasant sensation and neutral category with unpleasant sensations. These sensation lead to the unwholesome roots of craving for the favorable and pleasant, aversion towards the unfavorable and unpleasant and ignorance towards the neutral, as discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. When such reaction stops you stop creating negative mental states and come out of misery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to develop Metta you should wish every one in every category you can imagine to be well and happy. Also know how the classifications are woulding in the back of your mind and know mental reaction and sensation. Say you remember and foe look at the mental reaction and sensations that follow. If you remember a loved one see the mental reaction and the sensations that follows. Try to be equanimous knowing the changes and and arising and passing nature of the sensations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once the favorable and unfavorable categorisations are broken you do not despair if you meet with non loved one and with equanimity you do not get attached to others. Others cannot cause you stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Metta pratice encompases the the 3 Fold Training and Noble 8 Fold Path:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sila&lt;/a&gt; - because you with metta you act for one’s well being and that of other&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samadhi&lt;/a&gt; - Metta build some level of concentration by repeated thoughts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Panna&lt;/a&gt; - if you look at how you categorise and perceive how beings are favorable or unfavorable and how sensation arise, your mental reaction due to craving and clinging, (impact on the current and future 5 aggregates) then this can develop insight&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Muditā&lt;/a&gt; meditation, apart from developing the qualities, can in understanding the process behind &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83j%C3%B1%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;perceptions&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;view&lt;/a&gt;, thoughts and mental state due to other beings which you calcify and in and inferior situation and superior situation. E.g. is some one is better or the natural dependency is for jealousy to arise, and through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Muditā&lt;/a&gt; you counteract this. Also if someone is worse off the tendency is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Māna&lt;/a&gt; to arise, and through &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karu%E1%B9%87%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Karuṇā&lt;/a&gt; you counteract these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At initial stages conducive thoughts about Brahmavihara will bring about morality. Also continuous focus on the subject of will bring about concentration. The key to Insight is to know how throats, view, perceptions about a being influence your mental state, what current sensation associated with these unwholesome mental states and volitions in the present lead to unpleasant sensations in the future, how perceptions and view about beings proliferate to latent tendencies, how these sensation leads to craving and how these sensations are entirely unsatisfactory. Sensation associated with mental states can be used as the basis for moral restraint, developing a conducive environment for concentration and also wisdom, which can be achieved through Brahmavihara. Also see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12.19-Sedaka-S-s47.19-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sedaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Sila), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/46.6-Sankhitta-Dhamma-S-a8.63-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Samadhi), &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.1-Kitagiri-S-m70-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kīta,giri Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (Sila, Panna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Foulness meditation does my not counteract sorrow if practiced for the purpose of reducing polarity or the mind or temperament, but can also lead to In sight which leads to liberation from sorrow. It also is it dangerous if over done, or improperly done, as you might develop aversion towards one's own body. This has lead to suicides. But it does have its usefulness if practiced correctly. This is to be practiced if one is lustful, that is you have the perversion (see: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.11-Vipallasa-S-a4.49-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vipallasa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;) of seeing beauty is &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/k%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;form&lt;/a&gt;. By contemplating on foules you are cultivating the opposite perception, view and thoughts. When this neutralises the lustful tendencies you do not react to beauty with lust. If you overdo it you might start loathing your own body in which case you have to try to see beauty in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/k%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;form&lt;/a&gt; until your mind and tendencies are no longer polarised. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/17.13-Indriya-Bhavana-S-m152-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Indriya Bhāvanā Sutta&lt;/a&gt; discusses developing the opposite of perceptions that arise. In addition to developing the opposite of a lustful temperament you can also build insight of how perception works, what sensations arise due to &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/k%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;form&lt;/a&gt; and what the mental reactions are. E.g. you see a beautiful body see the sensations, perception of beauty arsing and the metal reactions. Now you should try to understand the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;On seeing beauty what sensations arises (vedanā), how recognise (saññā) it or how you judge (saññā) it or how you evaluate (saññā) it followed by your mental reaction (saṅkhāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;now imagining that a person was skinned and is a pile of body part see what sensations arises (vedanā), how recognise (saññā) it or how you judge (saññā) it or how you evaluate (saññā) it followed by your mental reaction (saṅkhāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;now imagining what the body ages and is old see what sensations arises (vedanā), how recognise (saññā) it or how you judge (saññā) it or how you evaluate (saññā) it followed by your mental reaction (saṅkhāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;now imagining a decaying corpse what sensations arises (vedanā), how recognise (saññā) it or how you judge (saññā) it or how you evaluate (saññā) it followed by your mental reaction (saṅkhāra)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Repeat the above imagining the body was yours, especially in the case you are beautiful or smart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thought his try to understand how craving and clinging works and how the 5 aggregates works and how 5 aggregates come into being. Current mental reactions fueled by craving and clinging to unpleasant / neutral sensations creates &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fabrication&lt;/a&gt; which in turn creates the future consciousness and 5 aggregates to experience unpleasant sensations and opposite in the case of pleasant &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vip%C4%81ka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipaka&lt;/a&gt;. Through this you can use foulness meditation to liberate yourself from misery also. But tread with care!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2020-01-30T06:47:52.973" LastActivityDate="2020-01-30T06:47:52.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21546" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21543" CreationDate="2017-07-15T06:50:50.550" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lighting a lamp, you need another lamp. Because during self generation you are the Buddha, and in order to have 100% conviction that you are the Buddha, you must be told(initiated) by the Buddha himself. That is why it is said that seeing/recognising the guru as the Buddha himself is important in Tantra. Further the guru himself must have an unbroken lineage starting from the Buddha himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastEditorUserId="7090" LastEditDate="2017-07-15T07:01:39.663" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T07:01:39.663" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21547" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21599" CreationDate="2017-07-15T06:57:00.347" Score="3" ViewCount="610" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference betweenchappiness which we can get from this world and the spirtual joy or happiness which buddha taught us? &#xA;Is the spirtual joy more greater than sensual pleasure like drinking, eating, having sex, riding bikes, cars etc? If yes why and how so? Why should someone ignore everything in this world just to achieve that joy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As i know the spirtual joy is continious, without any disturbance unlike material joy which comes and goes like wind. But in scientific way is spritual joy which person gets after doing right concentration as buddha told is more stronger and pleasures than the sensual joy? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T21:59:28.413" Title="difference between material pleasure and spirtual happiness" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21548" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21547" CreationDate="2017-07-15T07:20:08.763" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Material pleasures are based on sensations. Ultimate spiritual pleasures of Nirvana independent of sensation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding material pleasure, or pleasure of a householder, there are 6 types which is elaborated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At an intermediate state or spirituality (still working towards Nirvana) there are 6 kinds of pleasures associated with renunciation which is elaborated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/29.5-Salayatana-Vibhanga-S-m137-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sal,āyatana Vibhanga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In simple terms the difference is the householder pleasure is through acquiring and getting pleasant experiences while spiritual pleases is thought renunciation and understanding / wisdom / seeing things as they are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the ultimate spiritual pressure does not end or pass away and independent of any external factor or cause it is far superior than any pleasure based on sensations which are temporary and not in one's control and cause by or dependent on any other factors and causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The intermediate pleasures or pleasures of renunciation,  are still based on understanding and wisdom, hence they are also superior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T07:58:01.807" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21549" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21547" CreationDate="2017-07-15T10:54:50.743" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, there is rapture of the flesh, rapture not of the flesh, and rapture more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh. There is pleasure of the flesh, pleasure not of the flesh, and pleasure more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh. There is equanimity of the flesh, equanimity not of the flesh, and equanimity more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh. There is liberation of the flesh, liberation not of the flesh, and liberation more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.031.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T10:54:50.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21550" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21544" CreationDate="2017-07-15T10:57:52.693" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think sorrow and pain come from at four three experiences:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;loss due to natural impermanence, such as the death of a loved one&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;hurt in relation to relationships, which have not worked out or which we were mistreated&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;failure to achieve personal ambitions&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;injury or dysfunction of body &amp;amp;/or mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For loss due to natural impermanence, we can reflect on the inevitability of impermanence, how it cannot be any other way, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 16&lt;/a&gt;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ananda, have I not taught from the very beginning that with all that is dear and beloved there must be change, separation, and severance?&#xA;  Of that which is born, come into being, is compounded and subject to&#xA;  decay, how can one say: 'May it not come to dissolution!' There can be&#xA;  no such state of things.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For hurt in relation to relationships, I think reflecting about morality is helpful, specifically, how failure or mistreatment comes from a deficiency in morality. If we can reflect upon what is truly morally correct, we can start to see where we failed or where others failed. By knowing what is morally right, we can develop perspective on why the relationship did not work out &amp;amp; make us better prepared for the future. There are many suttas about relationship, such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.55&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.53&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.53&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 13&lt;/a&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for not meeting personal desires or expectations, we can only reflect upon the noble truths &amp;amp; dependent origination, how craving/expectation causes suffering and how human life is often controlled by ignorance. Often, we make mistakes, miss opportunities or simply do not achieve what is wanted because ignorance is a common thing affecting all beings (except Buddhas). Here, we practise reflection upon the imperfection (&lt;em&gt;dukkhata&lt;/em&gt;) of life. Here we practise metta &amp;amp; compassion towards ourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for injury or dysfunction of body &amp;amp;/or mind, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt; explains each of the five aggregates can be subject to affliction, dysfunction or disease (ābādhāya). Again, the meditative reflection is this cannot be any other way; that it is the universal conditional for birth, aging, sickness &amp;amp; death to occur to all conditioned things; which cannot be escaped (except by acceptance, non-attachment &amp;amp; wisdom).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-15T11:03:38.913" LastActivityDate="2017-07-15T11:03:38.913" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21551" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T16:46:53.620" Score="0" ViewCount="112" Body="&lt;p&gt;I dreamed that I spoke to the Buddha, seems like it waa Gautama. He told me I should extend my meditation practice to an hour two times a day instead of half an hour as I do now, to reap greater fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think I really spoke to the Buddha. Did the historical Buddha ever speak of such events? Thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T04:52:37.270" Title="Spoke to the Buddha in my dream-discard?" Tags="|meditation|dreams|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21552" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T18:31:28.917" Score="5" ViewCount="116" Body="&lt;p&gt;My dog has run away and I am sad. To be honest I was probably not taking care of him the best as one possibly could. We both excelled or declined based on my success, but I tried to allow him his own freedom and now he is gone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do I grieve? I mean I know that I am but should I?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this precisely the type of attachment I should and must choose to sever? This dog has been my friend and cohort for almost 10 years. He helped me recover from heart attacks and multiple surgeries. How could one not grow attached?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So should I feel relieved or guilty and sad?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I made sure to ask this while he was missing. Now he has since been found and returned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T00:13:55.557" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T06:01:42.207" Title="How far is attachment allowed?" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|attachment|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21553" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T19:37:42.010" Score="1" ViewCount="327" Body="&lt;p&gt;Got interested after seeing benefits of intermediate fasting in retreats from noon (more energy more time)  - but started to read about benefits of longer fasts now   (24 hours - 28 days) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is the whole middle way thing to consider - did buddha talk  against fasting ? or just against fasting to suffer on purpose thinking that would liberate you ?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If i do it for health benefits it might be ok - right ?     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;maybe it does have benifits that can help the practice (more energy more time etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T11:20:50.650" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T15:55:24.313" Title="Is fasting good or bad?" Tags="|buddha|fasting|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21554" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-15T22:42:45.660" Score="2" ViewCount="297" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the difference between satipatthana, samatha and anapanasati?  When I read about them they all seem to be saying the same thing so how are they different? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T08:03:44.403" Title="What's the difference between these 3?" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21555" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21554" CreationDate="2017-07-15T23:05:14.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Those three terms do have a lot of similarities when we apply them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anapanasati is a broad term translated as &quot;mindfulness of breathing&quot;, it can refer to any type of breath-meditation where we apply mindfulness. In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anapanasati sutta&lt;/a&gt; it mentions being mindful of the body while you are breathing, therefore you don't have to be mindful of the breath directly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha means a calm state so samatha meditation is a type of meditation where we try to create calm. Often being aware of the breath is a way to create calm so this can appear similar to anapanasati.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word satipathana means a foundation for mindfulness. This is a type of meditation where to aim to practice mindfulness of anything we choose. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;satipathana sutta&lt;/a&gt; uses the body and feelings as examples of things we can be mindful of. If you don't have much calm then it can be good to be mindful of the breath because it is quite stable. This can be a type of anapanasati meditation; also notice how it is linked to creating calm (samatha meditation). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those three types of meditation overlap a lot and sometimes we could use more than one of those words to describe what we are doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4888" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T08:03:44.403" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T08:03:44.403" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21556" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21554" CreationDate="2017-07-16T00:03:04.713" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sati-Paṭṭhāna&lt;/strong&gt; = object-cause (ārammaṇa-paccaya) of sati-bhāvanā = &lt;strong&gt;object of sati development&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2 type of sati development's objects&lt;/strong&gt;: samatha-paṭṭhāna &amp;amp; vipassanā-paṭṭhāna (samatha-kammaṭṭhāna&amp;amp;vipassanā-kammaṭṭhāna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samatha-paṭṭhāna&lt;/strong&gt; = ānāpāna(ssati), paṭikūla(manasikāra), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipassanā-paṭṭhāna&lt;/strong&gt; = catudhātu(vavaṭṭhāna), vedanā(-kammaṭṭhāna), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is samatha?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Samatha is consciousness pause kilesa by thinking about samatha-paṭṭhāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is vipassanā?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vipassanā is consciousness destroy kilesa by thinking about vipassanā-paṭṭhāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipassanā must arise after samatha for regular people (neyya)&lt;/strong&gt;, who live with daily kilesa almost every time. Unless the perfect people (ugghaṭitaññū&amp;amp;vipacitaññū), who live with kusala more than kilesa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T02:25:21.780" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T02:25:21.780" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21557" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21553" CreationDate="2017-07-16T00:59:44.117" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The object of Buddhist fasting is to eliminate the old habits. (ie:hunger)&#xA;This should be practiced in a middle way. That is why monks are required to not to eat after midday.&#xA;If you extend the fasting more than that it becomes the self-mortification. which was rejected by Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T01:36:00.833" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T01:36:00.833" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21558" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21554" CreationDate="2017-07-16T01:44:19.877" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samatha&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' means' &lt;em&gt;tranquility&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;calmness&lt;/em&gt;'. It is one of two primary fruits of '&lt;em&gt;satipathana&lt;/em&gt;' (the 7th factor) &amp;amp; concentration/samadhi (the 8th factor of the noble eightfold path), the other fruit being &lt;em&gt;vipassana&lt;/em&gt; (insight). MN 149 explains:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions, speech &amp;amp; livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference (satipatthana) go to the culmination of their development... the seven factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity (&lt;strong&gt;samatha&lt;/strong&gt;) &amp;amp; insight (vipassana).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satipatthana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;establishment of mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' and refers to establishing '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;recollection&lt;/em&gt;' of the dhamma) in relation to sense experience. Thus the satipatthana suttas explain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the meditator... is mindful — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four noble truths tells us craving (greed &amp;amp; distress) create suffering and should be abandoned therefore the role of mindfulness is to remember to abandon greed &amp;amp; distress and meditate without greed &amp;amp; distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is noticeable on Buddhist chatsites how many people are writing questions &amp;amp; posts that result from greed or distress in relation to meditation. It follows none of these people are practising Buddhist meditation correctly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, observing breathing with greed or meditating with greed is not satipatthana; it is not mindfulness. Instead, it is the opposite of mindfulness, namely, the neglect or forgetting of the most basic dhamma principles that craving is to be abandoned. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;with/when&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;'. It refers to the breathing becoming the 'sign' or 'mark' of right concentration, namely, the natural automatic arising of awareness (&lt;em&gt;anupassi&lt;/em&gt;) of breathing when the mind is without craving &amp;amp; is quiet &amp;amp; silent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Anapanasati' does not mean '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;' because it is impossible to be mindful &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; breathing since the word 'sati' ('mindfulness') means 'to remember'. Breathing is not something that can be remembered. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the suttas state the meditator 'observes' or 'contemplates' ('&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;anupassi&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;) the breathing rather than is 'mindful' ('sati') of the breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As already quoted, the meditator is mindful to abandon greed &amp;amp; distress, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to enter &amp;amp; remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 16 stages in the Anapanasati Sutta refer to the natural automatic fruition of meditation when right concentration has been established. Where as all of the various &amp;amp; disconnected practises in the Satipatthana Sutta is a later-day compilation of teachings for Buddhists who are beginners or who are practising meditation irregularly (rather than practising for many hours per day).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, there is no difference between satipatthana &amp;amp; anapanasati, as stated in the Anapanasati Sutta, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mindfulness with in-&amp;amp;-out breathing (anapansati) developed &amp;amp; pursued... bring the four frames of reference (satipatthana) to their culmination...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T01:49:27.240" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T01:49:27.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21559" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-16T02:50:33.140" Score="2" ViewCount="80" Body="&lt;p&gt;What are some specific cultural aspects of different countries in SE Asia that are integrated into Buddhism, but that might not actually be consider purely Buddhism?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, comparatively, why is Buddhism in Thailand different than Buddhism in Cambodia.  And what would the main differences be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11759" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T17:07:12.580" Title="Buddhism in context, differences through SE Asia?" Tags="|east-asian-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="8" ClosedDate="2017-07-16T08:03:52.317" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21561" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21559" CreationDate="2017-07-16T05:02:30.540" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Burma is the only one in the world that still have buddhist ancient learning system (mukkhapāṭha). The strongest buddhism country is Burma. The tipitaka-strictest nikāya is Shwegyin Nikaya of Burma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About a hundred year ago, in colonization war, thailand began to lost our tipitaka memorizing system. We need to get western's learning culture to protect our land from colonial possession. The central region of Siam reform memorizing learning system to academic learning system. Mun's students (Phun acaro, etc) were the last tipitaka memorizers of thailand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mun was the north-eastern region of thailand, that got reform order from the central region. And Lao was the north-eastern colony of thailand at that time. So Lao tipitaka memorizing learning system had began to lost since that time, too. &lt;strong&gt;Kambodia, also.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, Lao and Kambodia monks equal to thai mahanikaya tradition. They are not forest tradition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thailand and srilanka have lost tipitaka learning system in colonization war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thailand began to lost our tipitaka learning system about 1855 and after that years (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowring_Treaty&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bowring Treaty&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The king trying to protect thailand by changing every rules of us. They also changed learning system of monk, too. They cancle memorized learning system, then took a writing learning system instead. We also started to lose abhidhamma learning system  at this time, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Writing learning system is for kamaguna 5. They save memorizing times to consume kamaguna 5.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Arahanta haven't writen. They keep tipitaka in their mind.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before that time we still having tipitakathara, such as mun bhuritutto (he not memorized enough to be bhikkhu-parisūpaṭṭhāpaka). But after the changing, we never have tipitakathara anymore. The elder tipitakathara died. Never have any newer to be instead of them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, thailand loose our tipitaka learning system so long time ago in colonization war.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhadasa was a monk after we lost tipitaka learning system. He is tipitaka cutter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T17:07:12.580" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T17:07:12.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21562" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21559" CreationDate="2017-07-16T05:11:26.090" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question is very broad. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism came to SE Asia after Hinduism therefore I think a better question is how did Buddhism integrate into SE Asian cultures rather than how did SE Asian cultures integrate into Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in Thailand, although there are thousands of Buddhist monks, the Buddhist monks do not aggressively teach Buddhism to the common people therefore common people still have many traditional beliefs based in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pattayaunlimited.com/thailands-animist-practices-and-beliefs/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;animism, ancestor worship&lt;/a&gt; and Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Before Hinduism and Buddhism were introduced into Thailand there was only one religious belief, that belief was that a spirit world&#xA;  existed, not only did the spirits exist but they were mightily&#xA;  powerful and controlling, this belief is called Animism and it&#xA;  manifests itself in the form of spirit worship. It might not be&#xA;  strictly correct to call Animism a religion, maybe it is better&#xA;  categorized as a spiritual belief (spirit worship), but it is without&#xA;  doubt the oldest form of worship known to mankind, ‘Spirit Worship’ in&#xA;  one form or another was practiced long before all the popular world&#xA;  religions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The majority religion in Thailand is Buddhism, 95 percent of the population are Buddhist but the percentage of Thais who have animist&#xA;  beliefs is probably slightly higher. Animism is practiced on a daily&#xA;  basis by most Thai people, although their religion is Buddhism they&#xA;  actually devote more of their time to Animist beliefs than they do&#xA;  practicing Buddhism.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not the official or national &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Thailand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;religion of Thailand&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_(Kings_of_Thailand)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;kings of Thailand&lt;/a&gt; are considered to be the reincarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu and many &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emblem_of_Thailand&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thai national emblems&lt;/a&gt; are Hindu. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Bangkok is the well-known &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erawan_Shrine&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Erawan Shrine&lt;/a&gt; of Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience in Thailand, monks mostly teach the common person to be generous, to not be angry &amp;amp; to have metta (loving-kindness &amp;amp; tolerance). Monks generally do not even teach morality, let alone higher Buddhist teachings, unless these are requested by the people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of all SE Asian countries, in my experience, the most authentic Buddhism is found in Thailand, possibly because the Thai have always been a very independent people; they can act objectively. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, one major influence of Thailand on Buddhism is Thai teachers, most notably &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.suanmokkh.org/buddhadasa&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhadasa Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; also Ajahn Chah (in terms of doctrine) and Ajahn Mun (in terms of monastic asceticism), was returning to the original essence of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch of Thailand once said the common interpretations of heaven &amp;amp; hell are cultural rather than Buddhist, below: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On this very subject, His Holiness&#xA;  critically analyses that the very concept and belief of heaven and hell in Buddhism is a cultural&#xA;  influence of indigenous culture and belief. He states: (I quote) ‘the subject of cosmology appeared in&#xA;  Buddhism is clearly can be seen that it is not ‘Buddhist teaching’ at all but an ancient geography. The&#xA;  concept and belief about it was included in Buddhist Canon merely because of strong influence of&#xA;  popular belief of the time. Later Commentaries further explain about heaven and hell in a greater&#xA;  detail distant itself from the original teaching of the Buddha. If Buddhism teaches such belief on&#xA;  heaven and hell it would not be Buddhism at all but an ancient geography. Buddha wouldn’t be the&#xA;  Buddha who delivered the Noble Truth and ‘timeless’ message for mankind.’ (p. 1) (end of the&#xA;  quote) He then shows in his teaching that the concept of heaven and hell in Buddhism are in fact&#xA;  symbolic, representing the quality of mind and spirituality instead. One can be in heaven and hell in&#xA;  this very earth and life. No need to wait until one dies. &lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20111203195803/http://www.sangharaja.org/Article/Sunday_Dhamma_Talk_28_Sep_2008_Somdet_Birthday.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;28 September 2008&#xA;  By Ven. Phra Anil Dhammasakiyo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T05:11:26.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21563" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-16T07:36:14.227" Score="8" ViewCount="796" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is &quot;insight&quot; the &quot;knowing that I know&quot; in Buddhism?&#xA;I understand the concept of consciousness a bit better but what about having Insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11760" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T15:59:12.013" Title="Insight in Buddhism" Tags="|philosophy|consciousness|insight|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21564" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21563" CreationDate="2017-07-16T08:01:05.590" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Insight is causality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;) at the experiential level. Another insight what comes before this is that of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When your mind is not tainted by perversions (Vipallasa), i.e., your mind is in touch with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt;. Then you see clearly, i.e., see things as they are (Yathā Bhūta ñāna Dassana) which leads to the insight of causality. Just before this you understand the practice that brought you to the point which is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble 8 Fold Path&lt;/a&gt; which also is part of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt; which is comprehended in full with insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At a more mundane level seeing that everything arises and passes can also be considered an insight. This is one station to realise causality and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you means Insight Meditation by Insight this is a practice which aims at trying to understand&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;causality (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;4 Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dependent Origination&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patthana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Conditional Relations&lt;/a&gt;) at the experiential level (Pativedha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;universal characteristics&lt;/a&gt; at the experiential level (Pativedha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there by verifying the theory (Pariyatti) and practice (Patipatti) through experience (Pativedha). The Insight you see that the theoretical aspects (e.g. Nirvana, causality) to be right the path which is supposed to take you to the realisation has taken you there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T08:45:12.620" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T08:45:12.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21565" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21563" CreationDate="2017-07-16T09:56:54.027" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are many types of happiness and suffering around the universe. So, there are many wisdom to  gain insight about causes and effects of them (hap&amp;amp;suf) &lt;strong&gt;to avoid suffering and to take happiness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sīla wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; (sammādiṭṭhi that arising with sammāvācā-magga, sammākammanta-magga, sammāācīva-magga) gain insight of physical immoral  acts by bad consciousnesses, that are causes of the worst kāma-suffering (4 apāya realms).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samādhi wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; (sammādiṭṭhi that arising with sammāvāyama-magga, sammāsati-magga, sammāsamādhi-magga) gain insight of kāma-consciousnesses, that are causes of the whole kāma. Because whole 11 kāma (4 apāya realms, 1 human realm, 6 kāma-heaven realms) still having physical suffering. Sīla can not protects people from abdominal pain, physical senility, angry-consciousnesses, etc. But samādhi can do. While people gain jhāna, they never feel pain, sore, or hurt. And Next life of them, bhramma-puggala, will never have any physical suffering, too. Until their jhāna's effects will be out of stock.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipassanā wisdom&lt;/strong&gt; (sammādiṭṭhi that arising with sammāsaṅkappa) gain insight (3 pariññā) causes of saṅkhāra(pariññeyya)'s arising&amp;amp;vanishing (consciousnesses, mental factors, and matters), that are causes of life in the whole 31 realms. Samādhi can not protects people from arising and vanishing. When samādhi vanished, people can hurt again. And when jhāna's effects vanished, bhramma-puggala will die to born in the other realms such as 4 apāya, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sīla&lt;/strong&gt; give this physical happiness to sīla-observers, people around them, and the society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samādhi&lt;/strong&gt; give mental-happiness to jhāna-meditator.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vipassanā&lt;/strong&gt; give nibbāna (nirodha-ariyasacca), forever happiness, to arahanta. Nibbāna is no attaching (taṇhā-samudaya-ariyasacca), so nibbāna must no arising, no people, no time, no realm, no suffering (dukkha-ariyasacca).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T15:59:12.013" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T15:59:12.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21566" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21462" CreationDate="2017-07-16T11:33:58.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both, brain and heart, are not important in buddhism, because arūpabhramma has not both.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in buddhism, brain and heart are not important.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Brain and heart are just mechanism, that are arised by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T11:33:58.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21567" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20117" CreationDate="2017-07-16T11:44:32.277" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Vīthi is paṭṭhāna of abihdhamma-pitaka and the whole commentary, that were learned from buddha by sāriputta-mahāsāvaka then he author them in his phrase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must memorize paṭṭhāna in pali and learn it with the tipitaka memorizer, to prove that it is Vīthi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you doubt about  abhidhamma's and commentary's history, please read this question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21226/what-are-timeframe-were-pali-canons-included-commentaries-done-especially-mah&quot;&gt;What are timeframe were pali canons, included commentaries, done, especially Mahavihara-Theravada?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T11:44:32.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21568" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21570" CreationDate="2017-07-16T12:08:39.367" Score="2" ViewCount="646" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently accidentally injured a bee, I did all I could to help it, but its wing was broken and so was its leg, it could not walk nor fly, it was clearly in a great amount of pain and distress. I tried to heal it with some energy work, but it was no good, I am just not experienced enough and for some reason on that day couldn't find focus with my energy work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I took the decision to do what was necessary to stop what I took to be unnecessary suffering, I killed the bee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another occasion where I was not responsible for the initial injury, I found a bee in great distress on the ground, I am not sure what happened to it, I think maybe it stung somebody because it appeared very hollow inside. There was nothing that could be done for it, and though it gave me great sadness, I also killed this bee to end its suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I love all life, it greatly saddens me when I accidentally kill something, and even more so when I have to do it knowingly. But it would sadden me even more if I had to leave a being in suffering and not doing anything when I could and there wasn't a reason not to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I breaking the first precept or can an exception be made to end the great and unnecessary suffering of a being who cannot be saved from their fate?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I heard a story about one of Buddha's previous lives where he sad that he found out about a murderer on a ship who was planning to kill everyone, and out of only compassion for the man the Buddha killed him with no hatred and only love so that he wouldn't have to go through all the terrible rebirths fore his actions of killing everyone on the ship (this is from a memory of someone telling me this story, I believe that they had read it somewhere, but I may be getting some the details wrong). And that by doing so he in fact cleared a huge amount of previous karma, rather than gaining any for this act. That is not to say though that I am doing this with the intent to clear karma, I merely want to help the bee.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now although that is a different situation, could that be related at all to this?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4967" LastEditorDisplayName="user4967" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T16:17:24.537" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T16:17:24.537" Title="Are there any exceptions to the first precept?" Tags="|the-buddha|karma|five-precepts|killing|life|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21569" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21568" CreationDate="2017-07-16T12:44:07.747" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Don't beat yourself up over it.  Precepts are an interesting thing.  Most people come at them with the idea that they are iron clad laws governing our behavior.  Don't get me wrong, in some ways they certainly are.  When you take this kind of legalistic perspective, however, I really think you are missing out on their greater purpose.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The precepts are decidedly simple.  Abstain from killing.  Abstain from stealing.  And so on and so forth.  But what does it mean to kill?  Did the Buddha really say steal?  The Pāli reads more like &quot;do not take that which is not given&quot;.  What does that mean!?  Likewise, anyone with an opinion will give you their interpretation on what the &quot;sensual pleasure&quot; precept refers to.  Reading the precepts this way isn't to split legal hairs or an attempt to loosen restriction.  These are all valid and important questions - questions I think the Buddha intended us to ask by making his training rules so brief in content.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than view the precepts as moral law, it might be helpful to see them as a kind of spiritual Rorschach test.  What you see is very much dependent on where you are in your spiritual development.  Please don't take that to mean that the more ironclad you are in your interpretation, the more advanced you are in your training.  The precepts are factories of insight.  They are meant to teach and enlighten not just govern behavior.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T12:44:07.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21570" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21568" CreationDate="2017-07-16T13:56:31.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wanting to help the bee is good Karma as it is caused by compassion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Having great sadness is bad Karma as it is caused by aversion.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Thinking that killing is ok is bad Karma as it is a wrong view caused by ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Completing the kill is bad Karma as it breaks the 1st precept. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the same case with the example of the Bodhisatta. Make it a point to use the term 'Bodhisatta'. Not 'Buddha'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You either practice compassion and try to heal the bee or practice equanimity and let nature take its course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T14:18:26.507" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T14:18:26.507" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21571" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20576" CreationDate="2017-07-16T14:06:38.563" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I love &lt;a href=&quot;http://chancenter.org/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://chancenter.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has an extensive collection of free e-books, &lt;em&gt;Chan Magazine&lt;/em&gt; &amp;amp; Dharma talks (in texts, audio, video) by highly qualified Zen Master Sheng Yen and other ancient and modern teachers, such as Hanshan Deqing, Xu Yun etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharma talks and the books cover full specter of Mahayana teachings, from basic topics like &lt;em&gt;Three Refuges&lt;/em&gt; to the practice of &lt;em&gt;Six Paramitas&lt;/em&gt;, to intricacies of &lt;em&gt;Shurangama sutra&lt;/em&gt; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All the instructions are very practical, clear and inspiring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More than 1000 of brief videos by Master Sheng Yen on various questions about Dharma:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/DDMTV05&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.youtube.com/user/DDMTV05&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;(English subs. You can find also versions with Spanish subs and maybe some others).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T14:06:38.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21572" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21568" CreationDate="2017-07-16T14:18:15.593" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;5 elements of 1st precept:&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Living satta.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be aware satta's living.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing consciousness arising &quot;I will kill it&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Try to kill by that consciousness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Satta die by that effort.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Must complete 5 elements to break 1st precept. No one can break 1st precept by just the fifth element.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: tatiyapārājikā-sikkhāpada in vinaya-pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T14:18:15.593" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21573" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21563" CreationDate="2017-07-16T14:20:34.170" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the most common way in which the word &quot;insight&quot; is used in Buddhism is to contrast two types of meditation: one is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;samadhi&lt;/a&gt; (concentration) and another is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vipassana&lt;/a&gt; (insight).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;insight&quot; in this context is insight into the nature of things, especially the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Three marks of existence&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, &quot;knowing that I know&quot; (which you mentioned in the question) is maybe not what's meant by insight. &quot;Knowing that I know&quot; reminds me a bit of Descartes' motto, i.e. &quot;I think, therefore I am&quot;, which I think is actually to some extent opposed to a Buddhist ideal of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (non-self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Knowing that I know&quot; might be classified as a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5862/254&quot;&gt;view-of-self or identity-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)&lt;/a&gt;, or perhaps it's a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;conceit&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know, maybe it's possible for me to understand how an automobile works without being especially self-conscious about that. I'd call that understanding &quot;insight&quot;, i.e. it's &quot;insight into how a car works&quot;. Similarly insight in Buddhism is insight into the nature of the world, the nature of things ... I don't think it's especially/necessarily being self-conscious about that (in fact, preferably not).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T14:20:34.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21574" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21553" CreationDate="2017-07-16T15:55:24.313" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;From Nyanaponika Thera's introductory essay to &lt;em&gt;The Four Nutriments of Life&lt;/em&gt;, it is clear that the Buddha did not go into the specifics of fasting, as there was no research on the topic at that time. He only taught his disciples to eat between sunrise and noon.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Others, again, have tried to solve the problem of the body's dependence on food by reducing nourishment below sustenance level and by long periods of fasting. This harsh and futile method of self-mortification the Buddha, too, had tried out and rejected before his Enlightenment, and had vividly described his experience in the Discourse on the Noble Quest (Ariya-pariyesana Sutta). Also later on, the Buddha never recommended periods of fasting beyond the abstention from solid food after noon enjoined upon bhikkhus, and in the periodic observance of the Eight or Ten Precepts. What the Buddha, as a teacher of the Middle Way, advised was moderation in eating, non-attachment to the taste of food, and wise reflection on nutriment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as your fasting is not considered to be &quot;self-mortification&quot;, then you can do as you please.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T15:55:24.313" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21575" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20968" CreationDate="2017-07-16T16:30:18.440" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to my experience, there are two main meanings of the term &quot;mind&quot; in Buddhist context. It's important to understand those meanings, in order to avoid confusion and misconceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First meaning is &quot;mind in general&quot;, which means limitless space where all the reality manifests.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's related to notions of Buddha-mind, Dharmakaya, Universal Mind, Consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many kinds of consciousnesses. In the philosophical Buddhist tradition of Chittamatra (or Cittamatra), which means &quot;Consciousness Only&quot;, there are eight consciousnesses. (Some schools count few more or less).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These eight consciousnesses are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five primary - the consciousnesses of:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;eye&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;ear&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;body&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nose&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;tongue.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sixth is the mental consciousness, which processes the data from the previous five. Our practice deals with this, the sixth consciousness. Sometimes it might be referred as &quot;mind&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seventh is &lt;em&gt;manas&lt;/em&gt;. As I understand, it's like consciousness in post-freudian psychology: a part of the space centered on our personal perceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The eight is &lt;em&gt;alaya-vijnana&lt;/em&gt;, or Store Consciousness. I understand it as limitless ocean where our seventh consciousnesses floats like a crystal ball.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Alaya-vijnana stores our karmic seeds - imprints of past actions - kinetic energies of our intentions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is related to the notion of vijnana as the fifth group of phenomena (dharmas). (The fifth &lt;em&gt;skandha&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please don't feel overwhelmed with all these concepts. They are just pretty simple ways to describe our experiences. If you study them in practice, it all becomes not so complex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that for the most part I spoke of &lt;em&gt;consciousness&lt;/em&gt; rather than &lt;em&gt;mind&lt;/em&gt;; I distinguish these terms.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So basically the first major meaning of &quot;mind&quot; is &lt;strong&gt;limitless space where dharmas appear&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the most important and praised philosophical school of Buddhism, Madhyamaka (&quot;Middle Way&quot;), emphasizes emptiness of all phenomena, conditional nature of all notions and objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the mind - as that limitless space, or in any other meaning - is not &lt;em&gt;really existent&lt;/em&gt;. (Though also not &lt;em&gt;really non-existent&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense, Buddhists speak of awakening as realization of No-Mind. As long as we cling to ideas of mind or self or whatever else, we rely on &lt;em&gt;the level of ideas&lt;/em&gt;, production of the sixth consciousness, rather than the original reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, what is actual Buddha-mind? Nothing real. Not even that limitless space I mentioned before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In awakening, we see all such things as mental generalizations, nothing more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now what is the second major meaning of &quot;mind&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When Zen teacher asks you, &quot;What's your mind?&quot; - what would you answer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you would describe your experience you are living through, right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense, &quot;mind&quot; is the experience now. It can be clouded, with vexations, or very clear and bright...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This meaning of &quot;mind&quot; relates somehow to the notion of consciousness from Twelve nidanas (links of dependent origination).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness from Twelve nidanas is depicted as monkey jumping among fruits on a tree. From one fruit to another. It's consciousness engaged in activities formed by samskaras (mental constructing).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being limited by our mental creations, consciousness becomes entangled in samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So liberation can be explained as dropping the limits of mental constructions, opening the mind to being unlimited, dropping even the notions of &quot;mind&quot; and &quot;unlimited&quot; and &quot;awakening&quot; and &quot;liberation&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I answered the question completely - as you see, I have no idea what they meant by &quot;nine meanings of the term &lt;em&gt;mind&lt;/em&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Theories are endless. I hope I pointed at some key ideas which can help you in the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Use the mind well, and through practice of exploration you will always find some useful understanding, eventually helping all beings in liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-16T16:35:27.953" LastActivityDate="2017-07-16T16:35:27.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21577" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21305" CreationDate="2017-07-17T00:39:11.210" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Such deep lapses of the awareness happen because of tension. If you try to keep awareness moment to moment, the longer you do it and the harder you try, the more dramatic lapse will happen. I recall when I tried to keep stable tight grip of awareness, eventually I discovered myself floating among dream-like images.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps the same mechanism worked in your case: your mind eventually got tired, and its attention started to wander - that's a way to give the brain some rest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Apart from that, I don't know, are there any pathological processes involved in your case or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another point: with meditative practice people develop such strong concentration that the perception of time and place might disappear. For example, you meditate or do some other calm, meditative things, and suddenly you discover that much time has passed. I recall once when I painted my self-portrait and finally got more or less satisfied, I stretched my back, looked around and wondered, why the light was on. It was not dark yet. So why did I turn on the light? I went to the kitchen to look at the clock. It was almost half past ten. So it was late, then why it was not dark outside? I looked out of the window. Was there a nuclear war, a comet falling or something? Why the sky was bright? But people walked down the street quite calmly, as if nothing unusual was happening. So gradually I realized that it was morning already.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such experience might be called &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt; - deep meditative absorption. A practitioner is so immersed in his activity - sitting meditation or something else - that doing it he might not notice that several days passed. There is a story of some practitioner who lived secluded in mountains. He boiled himself some porridge, but before eating he decided to meditate a bit. Soon shepherds came and asked why he didn't visit their village for some time. He didn't realize that several days had passed, but when he opened his pot of porridge, he saw there long strands of mold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the control over our actions is lost, it's probably not samadhi, but mental wandering. However that wandering had deep concentration, that's why the awareness was lost so completely. The moment of losing control likely happened because the brain got tired of tension.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's a basic explanation which I can think of. Not sure, is your brain in good health or not, such tension can be not a very healthy sign, though not necessarily. In any case, take a good care. Investigate: which habits create the excessive tension in your body-and-mind? What are the causes? Change those causes in your life and abandon those unhealthy habits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Direct your practice at developing more openness and relaxation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Don't grasp meditation so tightly. Rather, let it be relaxed. It' like putting an object down, rather than squeezing it in your hands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it lies on the ground, it won't run anywhere, so relax and let it stay. Let yourself stay, relaxed and unconstrained.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if your mind starts to wander, it's better to follow that wandering and remain aware, rather than struggling with it and eventually losing the awareness at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate mastery in meditation is effortless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good health to you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-17T17:18:50.490" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T17:18:50.490" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21578" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="20575" CreationDate="2017-07-17T01:44:41.190" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Androsov has translated and commented it. I'm not sure if his translation is very good - he might have some strange terminology sometimes - but he is one of the leading Russian scholars in that field. See &quot;&lt;em&gt;Nagarjuna's teaching on Middle Way&lt;/em&gt;&quot; - Андросов В.П. Учение Нагарджуны о Срединности... М., 2006&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lL9yK.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/lL9yK.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Androsov, page 2&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another interesting text on the topic might be &lt;em&gt;Chandrakirti's &quot;Introduction to Madhyamaka&quot;&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Чандракирти. Введение в Мадхьямику. Перевод с тибетского, предисловие, комментарии, глоссарий, и указатели Донца А. М. под общей редакцией Монтлевича В, М, – СПб.: Евразия, 2004. – 464 с. ISBN 5-8071-0165-0&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ББК 86.39 УДК 2 418 Научное издание Утверждено к печати ученым советом Института монголоведения, буддологии и тибетологии СО РАН Ответственный редактор канд. филос. наук С. П. Нестеркин Рецензенты доктор филос. наук С. Ю. Лепехов доктор филос. наук, профессор В. Б. Цыбикжапов&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T01:44:41.190" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21579" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21016" CreationDate="2017-07-17T02:30:32.717" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nembutsu - repeating a name of a Buddha - is a practice which might help us to&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;let go of worries,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;abandon self-centeredness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;develop exalted qualities,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and develop concentration.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you understand and do this practice sincerely, it might bring you benefits even if nobody particularly taught you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first effect, helping to drop worries, comes from the fact that people usually live in a lot of insecurity. Practising nembutsu, they don't need to rely on their weak skills anymore, they rely on Buddha. So they find a ground to feel well and secure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second effect, abandoning self-centeredness, results from the same change of perspective. Rather than relying to ourselves, worrying about ourselves etc., we might wish to become selfless. Nembutsu practice can constantly remind us about that, so we change our mental habits from being self-centered to a selfless view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The third effect, developing exalted qualities, comes from concentration on qualities of Buddha, such as the wisdom of clear seeing, calmness, compassion etc. Concentration on such qualities helps them to grow in our mind and around us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fourth effect, developing concentration, actually reinforces our mastery of the mind, feelings of strength and security. I didn't practice nembutsu very much, just a couple of months, but I noticed that through that practice my personality became more direct and self-confident. That was an effect of chanting &quot;námó dìzàng wáng púsà&quot; or reciting &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshitigarbha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kshitigarbha&lt;/a&gt;&quot; (I tried both approaches) 1000 times a day. When you are walking down the street or riding a bus, regardless of other people looking at you etc., you naturally develop perseverance, confidence, and drop imaginary barriers between yourself and others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus this practice can work well, and might help you to come closer to awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Different people have different situations and affinities, so it's hardly possible to say in advance, how well the practice will work for you. To see the effects of practices, we should try them and directly observe our experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chinese Chan (Zen) teachers might say that they use mantras and nembutsu in a different way, not like in Pure Land school. Not for reliance on Buddhas but just for developing concentration. As Buddhas are projections of the mind, why not work with the mind directly? So in Zen it's rather a supplementary practice than the main one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nembutsu practitioners might be criticized, because in place of attachment to self they might develop attachment to nembutsu, or to their fantasies about Buddhas, to images of Buddhas, to pleasant feelings of deep concentration etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it might be recommended to keep wide awareness of your experience as a whole, rather than just immersing in chanting and forgetting everything around. The purpose of Buddhist practice is not to escape from this world but to transform our experience remaining in the midst of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we overdo developing concentration-tranquility, and neglect awareness, that might develop dullness, &quot;lazy mind&quot;, not conductive to good practice. And the opposite, developing awareness without tranquility might lead to exhaustion, because as our concentration grows, vexation also might become stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you explore the practice of nembutsu, it's best if you keep the balance of tranquility and inquisitiveness, and keep wide awareness in order to avoid developing attachments. To let go of attachments, it's advisable to practise active helping others, Six paramitas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-17T17:14:29.637" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T17:14:29.637" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21580" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1676" CreationDate="2017-07-17T04:23:02.327" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Theravada couldn't have all the possible teachings, so it has only some of them. The teaching about the Buddha nature probably didn't seem necessary at the time of Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was rather obvious that practitioners could follow the eightfold path and come to awakening (Arahantship &amp;amp; Buddhahood). It was mentioned in Pali suttas, e.g. in &lt;em&gt;Maha-parinibbana sutta&lt;/em&gt; (see the last talk of Buddha, with Subhadda the Hermit).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the need to introduce &quot;Buddha nature&quot; developed later. As dialog develops, it often happens that more ideas need to be articulated to help people understand well. That's why Mahayana teachings developed, and they continue to develop nowadays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when I explain Dharma, I often use language, ideas and pictures which didn't exist in Buddha's times. I speak about objects compared to their photographs, and it makes easier to understand, for example, &lt;em&gt;Diamond sutra&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Two truths&lt;/em&gt; and the like.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the concept of &lt;em&gt;Buddha nature&lt;/em&gt; developed with time, maybe as a pinnacle of explanation of &lt;strong&gt;why everything&lt;/strong&gt;. Indeed, limited people have limited views and goals. We do something because we want something, we are attached or repulsed, and so on. But why would Buddha act? If he isn't limited, free from wishes, from attachments and repulsions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you say Buddha acts for the sake of other beings, then please recall that beings are illusory, and suffering is illusory...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not easy to understand: why do anything, what could be the goal, if there is no attachment, no limits...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So as understanding of illusory nature of delusions developed - helping people to practise efficiently - the need to understand &lt;em&gt;what is natural&lt;/em&gt; developed too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested to understand &lt;em&gt;Buddha nature&lt;/em&gt; in the context of the three main philosophical schools of Mahayana, and their application to Zen practice, see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Master Chi Chern. &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://masterchichern.org/2015/08/17/immaculate-self-nature/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Immaculate Self-Nature&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T04:23:02.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21581" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21551" CreationDate="2017-07-17T04:52:37.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I met many interesting people in dreams or in visions awake: Jesus, my old Zen teacher, some other Buddhist and Hindu teachers and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some of them have told me very powerful mantras, some have encouraged me in practice or pointed at my mistakes. And of course I practised with them in my dreams, with joy and benefit. In none of those dreams or visions they deceived me in anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My old Zen teacher said (when another practitioner asked him) that he doesn't visit his students in dreams. But, he said, it's possible that some local spirit might took his appearance and give helpful advice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, in your case it's possible that a local spirit took an image of the Buddha and gave you good advice. And it's possible it was real Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are known stories of advanced practitioners who saw awakened teachers in dreams or visions and learned from them a lot. For example, if I recall correctly, Je Tsongkhapa meditated in a temple with a statue of Atisha, and Atisha started to talk to him and elucidated many topics of Dharma, and that allowed Tsongkhapa to write his fundamental &lt;em&gt;Lamrim&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it happens that our mind plays tricks with us, so it's possible to receive ill advice in dreams as well. Bodhisattvas can see Buddhas of Sambhogakaya realm (invisible to regular people), until then we have to decide for ourselves, was the advice good or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...Anyway, some people found excuses to not follow advice of real Buddha, when he was in human body...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T04:52:37.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21583" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18463" CreationDate="2017-07-17T07:11:11.837" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some person got wet in the rain, and so he feels wet. Some other person didn't walk in the rain, and so he feels dry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus feelings of people standing side by side in the same room can be very different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, their thoughts can be very different. Likewise, their actions can be very different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To explain that, it's enough to have understanding of causes and effects. Thus the explanation doesn't need notions like &quot;subjectivity&quot; or &quot;self&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Investigating our experiences from the point of view of causality, we can discover illusoriness of &quot;self&quot; and &quot;subjectivity&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine such ideas - &quot;self&quot; and &quot;subjectivity&quot; - as opaque spots which taint our field of vision. When we realize that such ideas are illusory, it's like the spots became transparent. If we focus on them, we still might see them, but they don't hinder our sight anymore. We just look through.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we don't need to rely on such ideas anymore. Thus they will not lead to attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's what Mahayana (and Buddhism in general) teaches. &quot;Self&quot; and &quot;subjectivity&quot; are opaque spots where actually everything is transparent. Likewise, all the other ideas are like opaque spots, if we don't see through them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T07:11:11.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21584" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21587" CreationDate="2017-07-17T09:22:49.010" Score="2" ViewCount="178" Body="&lt;p&gt;From my experience, one can influence outcomes of whatever by using intent. This is investigated much currently by Thomas Campbell, which you can read about in this My big TOE book and see in his videos on YouTube. What I read from a Buddhist perspective (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/tib_heal.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhanet.net/tib_heal.htm&lt;/a&gt;) the mind certainly plays a role in your own physical health. What about influencing that health of others? For example, when one of my kids has the flu, I wish them good health using meditation. I have no objective proof but it seems to speed up the recovery.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, what does Buddhism teach in using the mind to heal physical problems of others? And what about healing their mental problems through focused intent?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish to have tagged this with 'mental', 'physical' and 'health' but those tags aren't available.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:15:59.437" Title="What does Buddhism teach about healing others through the mind" Tags="|meditation|mental-factors|intention|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21585" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1812" CreationDate="2017-07-17T10:09:40.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha accepted supernatural powers, and supernatural realms. But he never believed that they are the best because supernatural powers and realms still arise and vanish. So they still are suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-07-17T11:25:15.693" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T11:25:15.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21586" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21588" CreationDate="2017-07-17T12:23:06.827" Score="0" ViewCount="2544" Body="&lt;p&gt;What has buddha told about dreams? Do dreams have any link with truths or realities? If a person understands something from his dream which he is asking in this world, than should such things considered as real? How is this world also one of the dream worlds among other infinite dream worlds/parallel universe? Is dream a type of meditation state?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastActivityDate="2018-09-12T20:53:03.540" Title="What do buddha taught about dreams?" Tags="|meditation|dreams|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21587" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21584" CreationDate="2017-07-17T15:08:06.153" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What happens when we aren't attentively listening, and then we see someone who attentively tries to listen to something?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's natural if we would begin to listen attentively too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So our behavior and states of mind influence others, and are influenced by others. Therefore, having clear and calm mind can benefit others around us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It happened that entering a room or a Dharma center where a Buddhist teacher experienced in meditation was present, I felt thick atmosphere of awareness. Like a field of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, sometimes I felt similar &quot;field of energy&quot; entering a church, or entering my room when I practiced there a lot.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many stories how a state of mind influenced others or even influenced weather, e.g. stopped a drought. Famous &lt;em&gt;Heart Sutra&lt;/em&gt; (except in the brief version) says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, together with a great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas.  At that time the Blessed One entered the samadhi that expresses the dharma called “profound illumination,” and at the same time noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, while practicing the profound prajñaparamita, saw in this way: he saw the five skandhas to be empty of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means the Buddha was in deep meditative absorption, and that helped Avalokiteshvara to immerse in deep clarity and gain insight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I noticed such things in my own life. For example, when I sat down with a silent mind near people whose mind was scattered and troubled, often they realized something, e.g. solutions to their problems, or they recalled something they wanted to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we can say that harmony, clarity, calmness and concentration of our mind might help others too be in harmony, clarity, calmness and concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When turbulence of mind ceases, our bodies naturally tend to optimize their self-regulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there are Buddhist practices, especially in Mahayana, such as Bhaishajya Guru (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaisajyaguru&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaisajyaguru&lt;/a&gt;) sadhanas, which are used for healing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Among the mental factors conductive to awakening, there are &lt;em&gt;Four bases of spiritual power&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;riddhipada&lt;/em&gt;. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iddhipada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iddhipada (Wikipedia)&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lionsroar.com/four-steps-to-magical-powers/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Steps to Magical Powers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; by Master Sheng Yen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Improving our states of mind as means of practice is the basis of the concept of &lt;strong&gt;Six paramitas&lt;/strong&gt;. It might be considered the central concept of Mahayana Buddhism, with the role similar to the role of the Eightfold path for Buddhism in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Six paramitas (six perfections) can be explained as developing &lt;em&gt;puṇya&lt;/em&gt; (Pali &lt;em&gt;puñña&lt;/em&gt;, English &lt;em&gt;merit&lt;/em&gt;) - the energy of good karma. As we practice the first paramita, selfless giving, and so on, we move the burden of egoism away from our shoulders. It can be felt as natural &quot;unconditional happiness&quot;. Like feeling warm sun on the skin, warm smile inside, clarity and calmness pervading everything, as unlimited as space.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That process of abandoning egoism therefore is explained as developing the energy of good karma. Our actions become more powerful and clean, our mind more stable and perceptive, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we try to study Dharma intellectually, we can find it's hard to understand complex ideas like emptiness etc., but when we practice Six perfections, we develop punya, and understanding becomes easier. Therefore Mahayana teachers say: &quot;The path of giving is the supreme path&quot;. (See e.g. &quot;Ratna avali&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some students misunderstand that, theoretically thinking that such words were addressed to laymen and so weren't ultimately true. They think that it's clear that the supreme path is studying emptiness. But in real practice we develop punya, and &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt; enables us to realize emptiness, so it's the same path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we shouldn't think that developing good karmic energy is somehow a lower path; it is indeed the supreme path, inseparable from the realization of emptiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why Mahayana practitioners, especially after a session of formal practice, pronounce &quot;dedication of merit&quot;. In order to keep our giving selfless, and to keep our energy from dissipation, we give it away, to benefit everybody. We dedicate the developed punya to the awakening of all beings, or to other goals in that direction. For example, after a session of meditation etc., we can transfer merit dedicating it to healing a sick person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also note that causes created mentally become more powerful when they are expressed in actions of body and speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T15:08:06.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21588" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21586" CreationDate="2017-07-17T15:34:39.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Monks are not supposed to interpret dreams&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whereas some recluses and brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain&#xA;  themselves by wrong livelihood through the low arts such as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;interpreting dreams&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/1.8-Tevijja-S-d13-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Te,vijja Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1080.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāsupina Jātaka&lt;/a&gt; does mention the Buddha interpreting 16 dreams King Pasenadi Kosala. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But with regarding dreams, there might be no accurate way to interpret them, by anyone other than the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dreams are not meditative states. In meditation you should be focusing on a particular object or having awareness. In both cases it is unlikely you might have a dream unless you dose off.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T03:13:47.450" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21590" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-17T18:40:00.430" Score="3" ViewCount="1363" Body="&lt;p&gt;Over my life I've realized that my behavior has always been set to the point of wanting attention and validation. A lot of times it's subtle, like the way I move or speak. But other times I find myself shouting out inappropriate jokes and sometimes making a fool of myself, kind of a comedian thing. And sure people laugh, but a lot of the time, I feel as though I'm not being honest to myself when I act in this way. And sometimes think back that &quot;damn, that kind of was stupid.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, when I try to control myself (like being mindful) I become completely quiet and introverted. Almost like I got 2 extremes- silent and outlandish. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Buddha ever speak of anything regarding this? Thoughts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2019-10-13T20:23:29.797" LastActivityDate="2019-10-13T20:23:29.797" Title="Seeking attention and validation?" Tags="|mindfulness|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21591" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10429" CreationDate="2017-07-17T18:49:37.513" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the question is not yet properly answered, and confusion remains. So let's try some exploration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;First of all, we can approach understanding of &quot;Tathagatagarbha&quot; with two very different ideas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tathagatagarbha is Buddha mind &quot;inside of us&quot;, i.e. underlying our impure reality. Let's call it &quot;Buddha-fetus in the womb&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tathagatagarbha is our impure reality which has Buddha mind as its foundation. Let's call it &quot;the womb with Buddha-fetus&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally these two views lead to different understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we try to connect the concepts together, not realizing that they show the opposite viewpoints, we naturally get confused.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in some texts we read (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10470/11762&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10470/11762&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Just as the treasure already exists and thus requires no further fashioning, so the matrix-of-one-gone-thus [i.e. the tathāgatagarbha], endowed with ultimate buddha qualities, already dwells within each sentient being and needs only to be freed from defilements.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here Tathāgatagarbha is obviously &quot;Buddha-fetus in the [earthly] womb&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Gyaltsab-Je says (&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11757/11762&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11757/11762&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suchness with defilement is the basic element not liberated from the obscurations of mental afflictions, and is known as tathagata essence. By nature it is pure and is the ultimate truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is &lt;em&gt;the essence&lt;/em&gt;, then how it can be &lt;em&gt;with defilement&lt;/em&gt;? Does Buddha contain defilements in his &lt;em&gt;essence&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds very strange. If it is &lt;em&gt;pure by nature&lt;/em&gt; and is &lt;em&gt;the ultimate truth&lt;/em&gt;, then how can it have defilements?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if we take Tathagatagarbha in the first sense, &quot;Buddha-fetus which is in the earthly womb&quot;, then how can we understand Gyaltsab-Je?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if we take it in the second sense, &quot;the womb with Buddha-fetus&quot;, then it becomes reasonable. The womb is &quot;suchness with defilement&quot; - &quot;our impure reality&quot;. It is the womb where the Buddha-fetus resides. Though it might seem strange to call it &quot;essence&quot;, that might point to a deep meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impure reality&quot; is the essence of Buddha. How wonderful!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then, how can we understand that &quot;ultimate truth&quot; is &quot;with defilement&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand the ultimate truth as &quot;a place&quot; where there is no duality of defilement or purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There it can't be said it's with defilement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I understand the ultimate truth is the same as Buddha nature and the same as Dharmakaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm planning to explain &quot;Dharmakaya&quot; in another answer, and then to add a link here; so now I just want to say the following:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Tathagatagarbha&quot; and &quot;Dharmakaya&quot; are slightly different concepts, in the sense that they point at the same place - ultimate reality - from slightly different angles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that regard, they are different. But the ultimate reality at which they both point at - is the same. In that regard they are not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's not possible to say just &quot;Tathagatagarbha and Dharmakaya are different&quot; or &quot;not different&quot;. They are both different and not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T18:49:37.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21592" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21590" CreationDate="2017-07-17T20:10:52.027" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Great question. Sure, Buddhism speaks about seeking praise and fame. The reason we seek praise and fame (to which seeking attention and validation is very similar) is because they give us a sort of energy, they pump us up. In modern terms, they trigger the reward mechanism in our brain, which produces dopamine, the happy hormone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, according to Buddhism, this is not the right way to get energy. This way of getting energy makes us dependent on our (projected) image in the eyes of others. This image, also known as &quot;ego&quot; then gets its own life of sorts and makes us do crazy things, like being a comedian you mention, in order to get its &quot;fix&quot;. Needless to say, having a big ego makes one very vulnerable to the opinions of others, very emotionally unstable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, Buddha said (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.043.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.43&lt;/a&gt;): &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, be islands (alt. trans. &lt;em&gt;lamps&lt;/em&gt;) unto yourselves, be your own refuge, having no other; let the Dhamma be an island(/lamp) and a refuge to you, having no other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Initially, this means crosschecking our choices and actions against the Dharma and the opinions &quot;of the wise&quot; - instead of trying to get attention and validation from everyone around. This process of crosschecking everything against the reference point of Dharma/guru/elders is called &quot;mindfulness&quot;. Taking Buddha (as the role model), Dharma (as the conceptual framework), and Sangha (of elder practitioners, as confirmation/validation) as your reference point for all decision making is called &quot;taking the refuge&quot;. For as long as you are on the path, the Triple Gem becomes your source of praise and validation, your source of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, we should develop our own wisdom to see what's right and our own mental/emotional stability to the point where we can be independent of others as far as our energy. Basically we become egoless - meaning, we can now stop worrying about our image in the eyes of others, because we have completely internalized Dharma, we become the proverbial &quot;wise&quot; and &quot;worthy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When that happens, attaining the second Jhana occurs spontaneously, since you have now rid yourself of the perpetual conflict between differing opinions and can truly become your own source of clarity, praise and energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-07-17T20:37:09.270" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T20:37:09.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21594" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2017-07-17T21:51:52.390" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha was quite clear that people should think for themselves and not follow blindly.  There are many problems with meat-eating, not only the fact that animals are sentient beings.  There are strongly compelling environmental and health reasons as well as the fact that any truly kind, thoughtful and loving human being must be able to see the brutal cruelty and suffering inflicted on animals used for food.  It is why slaughterhouses are hidden away so that we can pretend they do not exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Human beings can live perfectly without slaughtering and eating animals therefore to continue to do it simply out of greed, ignorance and habit (addiction/grasping) is a serious barrier to following the Dharma.  The Buddah's rules about not eating meat only if specifically killed for you etc were aimed at monks who had to eat what they were given, and needed to spread the teachings, therefore had to refrain from offending people by refusing their food.  None of those reasons for permitting the eating of meat apply to the average person today, yet I am constantly meeting people who grasp at them as ways to excuse their indulgence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11769" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T21:51:52.390" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21597" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21590" CreationDate="2017-07-17T21:57:17.697" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a facet of manifestation of all unwholesome factors. &#xA;&lt;em&gt;----------&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;here are fourteen unwholesome mental factors. The first four listed below are present in all&#xA;unwholesome states of consciousness. The others are variable.&#xA;1) Delusion (moha) is synonymous with ignorance regarding the Four Noble Truths.&#xA;2) Shamelessness of evil (ahirika) is lack of conscience, not as a mysterious inner voice,&#xA;but as an abhorrence towards evil.&#xA;3) Fearlessness of evil (anottappa) is moral recklessness resulting from ignorance about&#xA;the moral law.&#xA;4) Restlessness (uddhacca) is a state of excitement that characterises all unwholesome&#xA;acts, contrasting with the peace that accompanies wholesome acts&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T21:57:17.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21598" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-17T21:58:13.303" Score="1" ViewCount="102" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have often read that you shouldn't meditate to try and have a pleasant experience because meditation is about &quot;letting go&quot; and cultivating equanimity etc and not about trying to feel something else.  But then what is samatha?  It's tranquility ie a calm pleasant experience so therefore if you do that kind of meditation then aren't you trying to have an experience?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T09:05:37.743" Title="Meditating to feel calm" Tags="|samatha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21599" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21547" CreationDate="2017-07-17T21:59:28.413" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The ultimate happiness which Buddha taught is not like strong pleasure:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Brahmin, I was firmly energetic and had clarity of mindfulness; my body was tranquil and my mind unified.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fully secluded from the five senses, secluded from unwholesome mental qualities, I entered and remained in the first jhāna, which consists of rapture and happiness born of seclusion, accompanied by movement of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the stilling of the movement of the mind, I entered and remained in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind and consists of rapture and happiness born of samādhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the fading away of rapture, I remained even-minded, mindful and clearly comprehending, experiencing happiness directly, and I entered and remained in the third jhāna of which the noble one declare, ʻhe is even-minded, mindful, and abides in happiness.ʼ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the abandoning of happiness and suffering and the earlier ending of joy and displeasure, I entered and remained in the fourth jhāna, which has neither suffering nor happiness and consists of purity of mindfulness and even-mindedness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;- The Book of the Discipline (Vinayapiṭaka), ch.1: &amp;quot;The origin of the Vinaya&amp;quot; (Bu-Pj.1.1.5 MS.14)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if this ultimate happiness is not as strong as sensual pleasures, then why it is so good? Maybe it is not so good? If it is &lt;em&gt;neither suffering nor happiness&lt;/em&gt;, then isn't it just too bland?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it worth the efforts? Maybe it's better to enjoy strong sensual pleasures, even if they alternate with suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many people say so when they hear about Buddhism. Maybe they are right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through the practice of meditation and investigation of our feelings, we can spot something interesting: our heart in its depth does not actually like so much those strong pleasures. Because they are virtually always mixed with a grain of suffering. We don't feel totally easy when we experience them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So Buddhism says that the worldly pleasures we chase are actually not happiness, but a form of &amp;quot;the suffering of impermanence&amp;quot;. On the surface it seems pleasant, but there's always some uneasiness deeply inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We chase such experiences only because we try to escape our usual condition of dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So even when we enjoy worldly pleasures, uneasiness remain. We might see it particularly clearly watching those who lead a dissolute life. If a person drinks a lot, has a lot of sex here and there, gambles in casinos, tries drugs, rides fast etc., does that person look happy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can feel pretty easily that despite the lifestyle full of sensory pleasures, so devoted to chasing them, such person must be very unhappy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy people just wouldn't need such way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, imagine a person who lives in very simple conditions, satisfied with minimal things like little food and shelter, very calm, would such person seem unhappy?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We might feel intuitively who is happier, even though our restless mind associates pleasure with throwing money, big cars, nightclubs, expensive wines, random sex etc. rather than with simple life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the happiness pointed by Buddha is said &amp;quot;being beyond happiness and unhappiness, and that's why it is called real happiness&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's beyond that worldly image of happiness - with incessant chasing, inner constraints, tensions, vexations, never completely satisfying.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ultimate happiness is being satisfied. The chase is dropped. Vexations ceased. Tensions relaxed. The uneasiness is completely relieved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's feeling free, very natural, unencumbered, alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In harmony of all things, with fresh, clean senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassionate and responsive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wise and not limited.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why real happiness is superior not only because of being constant and free from impermanent conditions, but it's superior also because deeply in our heart we like it more.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we experience it, we realize that we like being free, natural and easy more than we would like strong pleasures combined with those inner tensions of samsaric encumbrance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T21:59:28.413" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21600" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21590" CreationDate="2017-07-17T22:13:25.160" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Were you part of a big family?  Did you need to compete for attention by being loud and a comedian when you were growing up?  A lot of this stuff is conditioned at a very early age.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think it has anything to do with being honest. It's conditioning. 90% of it is subconscious. We act out roles that were programmed into us. As much as we fight against things and swear we will never do such and such again, we continue to do it. As much as we might despise our parents, we end up becoming like them in many ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not to say that we cannot escape the chains of our conditioning but it takes a lot of consistent work. We can't think our way out of it. Awareness is good but it's not enough to change anything.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's best to be gentle on yourself. Don't beat yourself up by calling yourself &quot;stupid&quot; etc because chances are you will continue acting in ways that you don't want to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just know that it's not self and keep cultivating that other quiet side. Eventually you will become mindful enough to see the impulse before you act and then you will make the choice not to and start to create a new habit. The more you do that the less your conditioning will have a hold over you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:13:25.160" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21604" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="5262" CreationDate="2017-07-17T22:36:02.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;He is saying that you can only eat meat if someone happens to just put it in your alms bowl randomly from their own food and you have no reason to suspect that the animal was killed specifically for you or monks in general.  Remember that these rules were for mendicant monks.  They should not be used to justify modern day lay person behaviours.  He did not want the monks to encourage or condone the killing of sentient beings but he also did not want to jeopardise the opportunities for giving the teachings by alienating donors by rejecting their food outright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To bring it up to date and current - if you buy meat or fish in a shop as a customer you can be sure that those animals were killed in order to be sold to customers, therefore you should not buy and eat the meat as this encourages more killing of animals.  Nobody cares about alienating butchers and fishmongers by refusing to buy their wares - if anything, say enough people refused to buy their wares then that would be a good teaching for them and they might find a more &quot;right livelihood&quot; and improve their karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11769" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:36:02.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21605" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21598" CreationDate="2017-07-17T22:38:38.937" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Undertaking the practice of Samatha meditation, should be done for the sake of the practice itself - not for seeking out pleasant experiences. The minute one is thinking about achieving and gaining pleasant experiences, one has fallen into the hindrances. As a result of that, one has moved away from the primary object of meditation and thus are not cultivating concentration any longer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It comes down to ones &lt;em&gt;intentions&lt;/em&gt; for doing the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its a good idea to regularly clarify and affirm ones intentions for practicing - especially with Samatha meditation, that is very important. Its easy to become attached to the pleasant sensations this type of meditation practice can result in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One should ask oneself why one takes on this practice. A wholesome intention is essential. Wholesome intentions for engaging in Samatha meditation could be:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Collecting the scattered mind (e.g. to be used later for Vipassana meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deepening serenity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Purification of the mind stream&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Cultivating a high level of concentration (e.g. to be used later for Vipassana meditation)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T22:38:38.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21609" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21598" CreationDate="2017-07-17T23:43:06.377" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Meditation based in &quot;letting go&quot; &amp;amp; equanimity leads to calm (&lt;em&gt;samatha&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-17T23:43:06.377" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21610" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8580" CreationDate="2017-07-17T23:46:01.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Jhāna-samāpatti = comprehending samatha-object, no pain.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phala-samāpatti = comprehending nibbāna, no pain.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirodha-samāpatti = no conscious, no comprehension, no object, no pain.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbna = No conscious, no body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;How long to meditate for Phala-samāpatti?&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta and nettipakaraṇa said that &lt;strong&gt;if the practitioner have gotten appanā-jhāna&lt;/strong&gt;, then the meditation to enlighten Phala-samāpatti is not going on more than 7 years. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the reason why &lt;strong&gt;mahāsatipatthānasutta, most of burma-forest-tradition, and most of  thai-forest-tradition, always give ānāpanassati to the newbie practitioner.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-18T00:04:49.470" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T00:04:49.470" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21611" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1646" CreationDate="2017-07-18T01:15:43.940" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Of course enlightened people experience pain!  Even the Buddha did.  For example, in the Maha-parinibbbana Sutta, it is said of the Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he had eaten Cunda's food, I heard, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  With fortitude the deadly pains he bore.&lt;br&gt; &#xA;  From the sukara-maddava a sore &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And dreadful sickness came upon the Lord. &lt;br&gt; &#xA;  But nature's pangs he endured. &quot;Come, let us go &lt;br&gt; &#xA;  To Kusinara,&quot; was his dauntless word. &lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some evidence (and the exact source is escaping me now) that he was only free of physical discomfort when he entered into the base of cessation (i.e. nirodhasamāpatti).  The Buddha even had to deal with a bad back on occasion (as in MN 53).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the experience of physical pain in not equal to the suffering of physical pain.  While techniques do exist to deal with physical discomfort, only enlightenment liberates you from the anguish it causes.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T01:15:43.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21612" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21598" CreationDate="2017-07-18T03:11:29.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutta states that when we are morally virtuous, the other spiritual&#xA;  states arise naturally, without even the need for cultivating them volitionally (cetanā’karaṇīya), thus:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) For the morally virtuous (sīla,vata), there arises freedom from guilt, appaṭisāra.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) For the guilt-free, there arises &lt;strong&gt;joy&lt;/strong&gt;, pamudita.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) For the joyful, there arises a &lt;strong&gt;zestful mind&lt;/strong&gt;, pīta,mana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) For the zestful minded, there arises a &lt;strong&gt;calm body&lt;/strong&gt;, passaddha,kāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(5) For the calm-bodied, there arises &lt;strong&gt;happiness&lt;/strong&gt;, sukha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(6) For the happy, there arises concentration, samādhi.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(7) For the concentrated, there arises the vision of true reality, yathā,bhūta,ñāṇa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(8) For one who sees true reality, there arises revulsion, nibbidā.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(9) For the revulsed, there is letting go [dispassiom], virāga,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(10) For the dispassionare, there is &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(10) the knowledge, and&#xA;  vision of freedom. vimutti,ñāṇa.dassana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This passage, in other words, elaborates on the 3 trainings (ti,sikkhā) into their various progressive&#xA;  stages, centred around meditation, that is, based on moral virtue (sīla) (1-2), we have good mental concentration&#xA;  (samādhi) (3-7), which in turn bring us liberating wisdom (paññā) (8-9)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/33.3b-Ekadasaka-Cetanakaraniya-a11.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Ekādasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piya Tan and similarly in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you progress in the path you get pleasant feelings. Also this process is without intention. This includes that you should not try to get any of it or progress. You should not try but let it unfold.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term cetanā’karaṇīya (= cetanā akaraṇiya) refers to our meditative&#xA;  progress beginning with the cultivation of moral virtue, stressing its importance. If we are well&#xA;  grounded in moral virtue, then our meditation will naturally progress. This is because moral virtue is&#xA;  about the cultivation of the body and speech.&#xA;  It is not about wishing, belief, prayer, vows, rituals, or even&#xA;  religion: it is that moral virtue is the basis for mental cultivation and inner peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Sutta commentary says that the phrase cetanā,karaṇīya means “to be done without having&#xA;  thought, considered, mentated” (na cetetvā kappetvā pakappetvā kātabbaṁ, AA 5:1). Proper meditation,&#xA;  in other words, is a thought-free process, in the sense that distractions have to do with thoughts, and our&#xA;  efforts should be to let go of all thoughts in due course. At least, all our thoughts, in a positive sense,&#xA;  should be directed to our meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In other words, we need to suspend all deliberating, which is, after all, thinking. Letting go of all&#xA;  thinking, our mind begins to settle ever more fully and deeply so that it can directly feel or experience true&#xA;  reality. Initially, we simply give our full attention to a suitable mental object, such the breath. As we&#xA;  watch the breath, it becomes calmer and still, so does our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This means that if we are morally virtuous, our efforts in meditation would work out naturally by way&#xA;  of conditionality (one wholesome state leading to another), without any need for thinking. Indeed, in meditation,&#xA;  any kind of thinking would prevent us from attaining samadhi, although its proper use (ie, by directing&#xA;  the mind) is necessary in the cultivation of wisdom (paññā) and spiritual powers (abhiññā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Introduction to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/41.6-Dasaka-Cetanakaraniya-S-a10.2-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;(Dasaka) Cetanā’karaṇīya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; by Piay Tan&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T03:11:29.023" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21613" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2152" CreationDate="2017-07-18T04:02:08.480" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;More crops are grown to feed livestock than grown to feed humans &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(And yes livestock do eat non-edible parts of plants and other stuff like fish-flour and dead bodies of other livestock animals and animal feces but that is on top of crops grown specifically for them)  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;** also grass fed meat which is sold at stores and is a tiny amount of all meat sold - comes from animals that were fed crops at some point and animals eat a lot of crops so even one way to give it to them is a lot of crops as well  ( fattening a few months before slaughter - when animals are indors during winter - piles from crops lied in the field for bonus feed etc ) so even that isnt a real exception &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so if poeple would go vegan then there would be less crops grown and eatn &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;so even if plants are sentient  a vegan diet is best in that regard  - so its best for the plants as well you go vegan  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And no you dont have to be vegan to follow thervada buddhism (what i follow) or reach enlightenment but i do think its a kosala (wholesome)  thing to do that can aid in the practice if done right (not hating those who eat animal products - &quot;carnists&quot;  - and not hating animal abusers etc)    -  its a way to control cravings better to feel more metta to more beings more easily etc &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2018-01-15T20:16:29.817" LastActivityDate="2018-01-15T20:16:29.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21614" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21586" CreationDate="2017-07-18T06:21:12.030" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure what Buddha taught about it. Here is something from my experience which might be of help.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From time to time I have a lucid dream, that is a dream in which I am conscious that I am dreaming. The more conscious I am, the more freedom of choice I have. Especially when I am motivated to ask a question to another being in the dream, I tend to 'wake up' in the dream. I've asked a couple of questions, spread over a couple of dreams. The answers provided were sometimes riddles to me for days. And suddenly a realization/epiphany struck me. Sometimes an answer was as clear as it could be right away. What these answers showed me were things nobody in waking life reality showed me, and what really helped me grow personally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To give a concrete example. I once asked someone in the dream world what she was doing for ME. That is, I ignorantly assumed that this was MY dream world, and everything and everybody in it, was part of MY mind and so must had a purpose for ME. You can understand that that ME is ego and therefore based on illusion instead of reality. What the first dream person replied was: &quot;I am not letting myself lead by YOU&quot;. I didn't directly understood that answer, I was more interesting in what I was looking for. So I ran of to another person. I came up from behind, took the person by the shoulders and turned her around and asked the same question. She replied with: &quot;If you would work WITH US, than you would know.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The moment I experienced the dream it was reality, as in the pure definition of what &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thefreedictionary.com/reality&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;reality&lt;/a&gt; is: &quot;The quality or state of being actual or true&quot;. The experience in that moment was actual and true.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that respect, no matter what the source is, information is always real, and therefore reality. Understand that the dichotomy of subjective and objective reality nuances it in the following aspect: When you take some subjectively created reality to be objective reality, you have an erroneous perception of reality, which is by definition an illusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whatever monks supposed to do with interpreting dreams or not. I think it is always good to interpret any information from whatever source. If I would have limited myself back then to &quot;Oh, I am not supposed to interpret my dream&quot; I wouldn't have grown by it. Now I did and I am glad I spent time interpreting it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So yes I do think that dreams have a link to reality. So yes, if you gain understanding from something by an experience you had in a dream, go for it I would say! Apply your newly gained knowledge, see if it works. If it does consistently, it must be very real and you should keep using that knowledge. Because only real things work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm sorry that I could provide any information with respect to what Buddha taught. What I do know is that Buddha taught that when you have used a boat to cross the river, and it is no longer of use to you, you should leave it, how important that boat was to cross the river, or how much energy you spend in creating it, it is no longer of the same value once you have crossed the river (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.thoughtco.com/the-buddhas-raft-parable-450054&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;source&lt;/a&gt;). So don't hold on to the need to find a Dhamma about a certain subject. If you own experience is a guide to you, then go for that! Where do you think Buddha obtained his teachings from? First hand experience. So, I would say that if it works, the knowledge you gained through your own experience, it is more worth trusting that then needing to find a teaching to validate it. I am assuming here that you are looking for validation, my assumption might be wrong.Maybe you don't feel like you need it for validation, but you are just looking for supplementary information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-18T06:33:41.250" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T06:33:41.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21615" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21598" CreationDate="2017-07-18T07:00:47.933" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The pleasant experience is there to let you know that what you are doing is efficient. In contrast to an unpleasant experience, like mental suffering, which indicates that what you are doing is inefficient. In what respect is it efficient or inefficient? With respect to creating or sustaining life that builds on , and works with, reality, rather than destroying constructs and working against it. Much like a fractal algorithm (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGaio87u3A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;youtube video&lt;/a&gt;). With the right formula, the pattern becomes more and more detailed and never runs into a dead end. When you don't apply the same working formula over and over, it runs into a dead end and it no longer becomes more and more detailed. The same with life, apply the correct formula and it keeps growing. That is what your senses reflect. That what you define as pleasant while meditating is a sense that indicates that your mental activity is adding to life, instead of the opposite.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That said, just as the other answers already mentioned. If you are seeking out the pleasant experience, you 'forget' the function of experience. Then it is just like taking drugs to feel happy. What would it add to life if you would only feel pleasant and it wouldn't reflect that what you are doing is good or bad with respect to life? That experience wouldn't have more purpose than only make you feel pleasant. With respect to the greater good, it is useless. Real happiness comes from adding to the greater good. I've created &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNQiWyX1IIU&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a 5 min video that explains what spiritual enlightenment is&lt;/a&gt;. It might help to understand the purpose of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You certainly should pay attention and enjoy pleasant experiences, and investigate at the same time, if you don't already know, what it is that you are doing, so you can cultivate that doing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in that respect it is perfectly valid to seek out this pleasant experience. As long it is not your end goal. Your end goal should include adding to the greater good and not being isolated to your mind only, in my opinion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is all based on my own experience, though I might stated somethings as fact, of course this is all just my perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-18T09:05:37.743" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T09:05:37.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21616" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21618" CreationDate="2017-07-18T14:14:06.173" Score="3" ViewCount="153" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am usually a calm person but lately my anxiety is off the roof. A little bit of background. I am a 28 year old female about to end my enlistment in the army and have put my resume out there. But I haven't heard anything back from the government. I am getting really stressed because it feels like i am diving into the unknown and the date of end of contract is really close. Worse case scenario, I will use my GI bill to pay for my rent but that hasn't stopped me from being anxious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: Is there something I can do to stop worrying and keep my mind at peace? Do you guys have any advice you can give me which made it easier for you to go through a difficult uncertain time in your life. Also, are there any mantras, or book or anything in the teachings of the Buddha which might help me. Thanks again&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11184" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-18T14:27:55.457" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T18:10:32.173" Title="Calming the mind" Tags="|ethics|texts|meditation-recommendation|right-mindfulness|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21617" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21586" CreationDate="2017-07-18T17:21:15.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that believes that the dream world is just as real as the waking world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some reflection I remembered...&#xA;It's the &quot;Mind only school&quot; &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogachara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yogachara&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;And Here - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/philosophy/maha/004-mind.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mind Only School&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11771" LastEditorUserId="11771" LastEditDate="2017-08-01T01:55:28.850" LastActivityDate="2017-08-01T01:55:28.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21618" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21616" CreationDate="2017-07-18T18:31:12.227" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are countless methods and approaches to calming the mind. Processes like anxious thinking repeat themselves over and over. So the question is how to stop that repetition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the simplest, widespread approaches is mindfulness of breathing. When we are overwhelmed by emotions, our breathing becomes fast and coarse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we watch that, this awareness helps to calm down. First of all, we become aware of the tension in our breathing. If we have even minimal skills in relaxation (everybody has!), then we can calm down the tensions in our body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Often it's contracted diaphragm and the like).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So with love and attention we &quot;send love&quot; to the tense parts of our body. Wishing them to relax and to enjoy relaxation and calmness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a result, excessive tensions of body relax, and emotional tensions calm down too - at least to a degree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, placing attention on breathing, we divert it from painful thoughts. It helps to let those thoughts extinguish.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That principle of withdrawing our attention from vexations is common for very many methods of calming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My favorite is what I call Turtle Meditation. Did you see how turtles draw their paws and head under the shell?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, to develop tranquility, we withdraw from the object our emotions, our thoughts and our wishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be summarized in a brief phrase: &quot;Don't feel, don't think, don't wish&quot;. Apply these three principles to the object that bothers you. Don't try to feel it, don't try to think about it, don't try to wish anything about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that it doesn't mean we should escape the real world and build ourselves a cocoon. The method is just to cut off the process of re-generation of vexations. When a problem needs to be solved, do it, don't escape; but when unnecessary vexation repeats over and over, then you will know how to stop it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe the only problem is that this method might seem counter-intuitive. We are used to think that concentration on our wish helps to fulfill it. Do you think so, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed, often concentration is exactly what we need to achieve our goals. But when all the necessary actions are performed, what next?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Too often we remain concentrated on a problem - losing our time inefficiently, remaining tense, exhausting our body and especially our poor, self-torturing brain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did you notice that sometimes our strong wishing actually blocks us from receiving what we want?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Often it happens that we need to let the situation go - and then miraculously the fruit falls in our hands.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Master Sheng Yen said, memorize the Four Steps of solving problems:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Face it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Accept it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Deal with it&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let it go&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We need to apply strength of our muscles if we want to throw a ball, but in order to actually throw it we also need to release our grip, and it's better to do that just in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memorize another advice from Master, which he admonished to apply both on retreats and in daily life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Abiding nowhere, give rise to the mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Let all affairs come to rest.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I love to observe the world, to investigate what happens in the mind. Do you love that too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every child loves to learn. Only with time we lose that love for learning - some people to greater degree, some to lesser.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So another method for calming the mind is to supplement that calming with investigation. For example, if you can't reliably &quot;turn off&quot; your anxiety, can't let it go, then you can watch:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is that mental whirlpool helpful?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or: &quot;Does this anxious concentration on the object of passion help?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observe. Then one moment a realization might strike, like a lightning in the dark. You would realize that this process of repetitive anxious thinking doesn't help anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that realization will make turning your attention away easy. Moreover, this realization will affect your motivation. You will understand your mental processes better, and you will be less prone to developing unhealthy processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More likely your thinking will be healthy, your personality will become more joyful and unconstrained, people will feel your kind, free attitude to life, and so you will help others even by your presence - with calm, relaxed, easy-going mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that all Buddhist practice boils down to the Three Highest Trainings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;wisdom,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;calmness,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;discipline.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find these three trainings in all the methods I described above. For example,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;persistently watching your breathing when you feel vexation is discipline;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;then sending loving care to tense parts of your body is calmness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;seeing that your worries don't help and should be let go is wisdom.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhist practice, you can find many more methods and approaches. For example, Pema Chodron wrote several books on fear and anxiety, and how we can apply Buddha Dharma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding mantras: yes, we can use any mantra we like. All Buddhas are of the same nature, so Tara the Swift Savior helps as well as Compassionate Avalokiteshvara, as well as Mirror of Wisdom Manjushri, and so on. Some details see in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21016/do-you-need-to-be-taught-the-nembutsu-are-some-personalities-better-suited-to-i/21579#21579&quot;&gt;my answer about chanting Buddha's name&lt;/a&gt; (&quot;nembutsu&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Especially I love to practise Mahayana, e.g. the method of the Six paramitas (Six perfections). It turns our attention away from our worries and concerns about self, directing our life to helping others. As a result, our worries diminish. We realize that the world is big, and our problems look like a grain of sand in comparison. Our dramas look like puppets in a sandbox.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A brief explanation why Six paramitas help see in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21584/what-does-buddhism-teach-about-healing-others-through-the-mind/21587#21587&quot;&gt;my answer about Buddhist healing&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of Six paramitas is explained in details here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://chancenter.org/cmc/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/TheSixParamitas.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;TheSixParamitas.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good health to all beings!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-18T18:31:12.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21619" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-19T00:02:54.203" Score="3" ViewCount="171" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did anyone ask the Buddha what their rebirth will be?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm just asking 'cos that's what I would ask, if I knew of any 'Buddha'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T12:25:39.973" Title="Did anyone ask the Buddha what their rebirth will be?" Tags="|the-buddha|rebirth|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21620" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21619" CreationDate="2017-07-19T00:53:55.907" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Ananda had the habit of asking Buddha the future destinations of people who passed away. So Buddha gave him the mirror of Dhamma so now you can decide this yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Mirror of the Dhamma&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;8&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;But truly, Ananda, it is nothing strange that human beings should die. But if each time it happens you should come to the Tathagata and ask about them in this manner, indeed it would be troublesome to him. Therefore, Ananda, I will give you the teaching called the Mirror of the Dhamma, possessing which the noble disciple, should he so desire, can declare of himself: 'There is no more rebirth for me in hell, nor as an animal or ghost, nor in any realm of woe. A stream-enterer am I, safe from falling into the states of misery, assured am I and bound for Enlightenment.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And what, Ananda, is that teaching called the Mirror of Dhamma, possessing which the noble disciple may thus declare of himself?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;In this case, Ananda, the noble disciple possesses unwavering faith in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is an Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, perfect in knowledge and conduct, the Happy One, the knower of the world, the paramount trainer of beings, the teacher of gods and men, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He possesses unwavering faith in the Dhamma thus: 'Well propounded by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, evident, timeless, [18] inviting investigation, leading to emancipation, to be comprehended by the wise, each for himself.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He possesses unwavering faith in the Blessed One's Order of Disciples thus: 'Well faring is the Blessed One's Order of Disciples, righteously, wisely, and dutifully: that is to say, the four pairs of men, the eight classes of persons. The Blessed One's Order of Disciples is worthy of honor, of hospitality, of offerings, of veneration — the supreme field for meritorious deeds in the world.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;And he possesses virtues that are dear to the Noble Ones, complete and perfect, spotless and pure, which are liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by worldly concerns), and favorable to concentration of mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;10&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;This, Ananda, is the teaching called the Mirror of the Dhamma, whereby the noble disciple may thus know of himself: 'There is no more rebirth for me in hell, nor as an animal or ghost, nor in any realm of woe. A stream-enterer am I, safe from falling into the states of misery, assured am I and bound for Enlightenment.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And also in Nadika, in the Brick House, the Blessed One often gave counsel to the bhikkhus thus: &quot;Such and such is virtue; such and such is concentration; and such and such is wisdom. Great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of concentration when it is fully developed by virtuous conduct; great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of wisdom when it is fully developed by concentration; utterly freed from the taints of lust, becoming, and ignorance is the mind that is fully developed in wisdom.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the Blessed One had stayed in Nadika as long as he pleased, he spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: &quot;Come, Ananda, let us go to Vesali.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;So be it, O Lord.&quot; And the Blessed One took up his abode in Vesali together with a large community of bhikkhus, and stayed in Ambapali's grove.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T01:06:31.277" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T01:06:31.277" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21621" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21462" CreationDate="2017-07-19T02:54:34.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Heart (Sanskrit hridaya) also means &lt;strong&gt;mind&lt;/strong&gt;. The same is true for Chinese &lt;em&gt;Xin&lt;/em&gt;, Japanese &lt;em&gt;Kokoro&lt;/em&gt; and the like. The etymology might be: hrid - center, ayam - this. In Tantric Buddhism it is said that heart, or more precisely &quot;Heart center&quot; is located in the center of the chest, on the central channel. It is considered to be &lt;strong&gt;the seat of mind&lt;/strong&gt;, or &quot;the seat of Pure Consciousness&quot;. Similar views can be found in Hindu yoga, Taoism and other ancient teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that the central point of mind can move up and down along the central channel, and when unwholesome emotions arise, such as greed or anger, it shifts to the left or to the right from the central channel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More details can be found in Tibetan Buddhist literature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I guess that the text you mentioned speaks not about the physical heart. And I think that modern knowledge of anatomy or physiology does not invalidate these views, because they are the result of contemplation of energies by means of our feelings. Even if modern science &quot;doesn't know those kinds of energies&quot;, it's clear that our feelings &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; be interpreted as movements of energy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, we might say: &quot;I felt all my energy drained&quot;, or &quot;Seeing that smile I felt that new fresh energy fills me&quot;, and the like. If you think about it, these feelings are not less real perceptions than what we see with our eyes. So they don't need to be kinds of physical energy, it's enough that they are real as our perceptions, and their knowledge can be used in training our mind and improving our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. Some interesting references:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhism-dict.net/cgi-bin/xpr-ddb.pl?q=%E5%BF%83&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.buddhism-dict.net/cgi-bin/xpr-ddb.pl?q=心&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Heart&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Heart&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://mahajana.net/texts/kopia_lokalna/soothill-hodous.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://mahajana.net/texts/kopia_lokalna/soothill-hodous.html&lt;/a&gt; (search for &quot;心&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T03:07:38.713" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T03:07:38.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21622" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-19T05:15:10.610" Score="0" ViewCount="121" Body="&lt;p&gt;I feel pulled to the belief i was a monk before. My first life. And other things are happening to me. Is there anyone who will listen rather than attack? Try to understand rather than condemn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, could such view make sense (or be accepted) in the Buddhist context?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11772" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T00:12:48.723" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T03:03:20.320" Title="Nothing i seem to have flipped the switch by getting rid of everything" Tags="|rebirth|self|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21623" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-19T08:47:24.207" Score="2" ViewCount="411" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the Buddha said that ultimate reality is really non-self (anatman), or empty of inherent existence (sunya), then why did he bother to talk about human beings and other “provisional” things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11776" LastEditorUserId="289" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T13:45:53.460" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T20:01:44.343" Title="What is Buddhist reality?" Tags="|the-buddha|knowledge|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21624" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21623" CreationDate="2017-07-19T09:24:50.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist context non self has a special meaning which is not worthy of identifying as self because it is not always pleasant, there is not permanent core, there is not internal or external (God) controller.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there is conventional and realities. As social conventions you will refer to someone as an entity. This is for the sake of communication.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T09:24:50.563" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21625" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21623" CreationDate="2017-07-19T13:26:37.253" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A seeker came to Buddha and started to talk about his studies. He tried to seem knowledgeable, worthy a discussion with Buddha. He wanted to get appreciation. He wanted his attainments to be acknowledged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha listened to him, gently smiling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually the seeker had finished talking. He thought Buddha would answer then, but Buddha kept silence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would you do in place of that seeker?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thoughts jammed in his head. He didn't know what else to say, every attempt to continue the talk he could imagine seemed stupid.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What happened next?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After some time the seeker respectfully bowed and silently left. What did he understand?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did he understand what Buddha meant by his silence? Maybe he just pretended to have understood, to avoid looking stupid?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer this, we need to be able to see beyond words, beyond formal ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That ability to see beyond words was the aim of Buddha's teaching about the ultimate reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was not just to change the vocabulary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Would that be important, whether that seeker talked about shunya or about human beings?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you understand?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Talking about shunya and about human beings for Buddha was not different.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His words were always relative truths. The ultimate truth was never in the words, and never could be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why Buddha spoke about human beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Subsequently, many Buddhists misunderstood what is absolute truth and what is conditional truth. Nagarjuna explained that, but even today many practitioners, even many Buddhist teachers have distorted views on that. Be very careful. It's so easy to get incorrect understanding and cling to it thinking that you &quot;know&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T13:26:37.253" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21626" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21630" CreationDate="2017-07-19T14:07:45.237" Score="2" ViewCount="537" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ok, so i am kind of an outsider on this topic, so i assume i got something basic wrong. But even if thats not the case, please try to explain this to me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As i understand it at this point, Karma works somewhat like this: Person A has bad/negative karma so Person B does something bad to them. Through this, Person As negative karma is quasi removed and Person B aquires negative karma for their bad deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reaching nirvana requires one to reach karmic neutrality, having neither positive nor negative karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This setup leads me to one conclusion: Once basically everyone has reached nirvana, in the end there has to be one individual being that holds all the combined karma, and this one being has thus no chance of ever reaching neutrality and thus nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now, i am pretty sure something in my setup is false, so can someone please explain it to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9915" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T22:19:41.197" Title="Problem with the logic of karma" Tags="|karma|nirvana|" AnswerCount="9" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21627" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-19T14:40:04.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question itself is irrelevant to Buddhism and Buddhist practice.  See The Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta (MN 63) e.g. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with&#xA;  poison. His friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives would provide&#xA;  him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow&#xA;  removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble&#xA;  warrior, a brahman, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't&#xA;  have this arrow removed until I know the given name &amp;amp; clan name of the&#xA;  man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or&#xA;  short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or&#xA;  golden-colored... until I know his home village, town, or city...&#xA;  until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow&#xA;  or a crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was&#xA;  wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I&#xA;  know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or&#xA;  cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with&#xA;  which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a&#xA;  peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which&#xA;  I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a&#xA;  langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed&#xA;  until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a&#xA;  common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander&#xA;  arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown&#xA;  to him.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life&#xA;  under the Blessed One as long as he does not declare to me that 'The&#xA;  cosmos is eternal,'... or that 'After death a Tathagata neither exists&#xA;  nor does not exist,' the man would die and those things would still&#xA;  remain undeclared by the Tathagata.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summation, there's just some shit that no one is ever going to know; there's no point worrying about it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T14:40:04.933" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21628" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-19T14:58:40.327" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Person A has unwholesome kamma, so unwholesome kamma make him get immorality resultant. Person A's kamma never force person B  to do unwholesome kamma to person A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;person A can get immorality resultant from anyway such as back pain himself, no one pain him. So although if person B pain person A: there is just person A's kamma give immorality resultant to person A, not to person B. And there is just person B's kamma give immorality resultant to person B, not to person A.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma give immorality/morality resultant to it's person. Kamma will not give immorality/morality resultant to the others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are the other causes by person A (except kamm-cause) that let's person B do kamma to person A. But person B get those other causes because of person B's kamma. There is still not person A' kamma give resultant to person B to let him meet person A and get those other causes work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See kamma-paccaya and vipākapaccaya in paṭṭhāna. Learn abhidhamma to get the easiest way to understand tipitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-20T01:56:26.837" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T01:56:26.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21629" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-19T15:06:09.570" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think a basic premise or setup is that, via bad karma people are reborn in a lower state (e.g. as an animal, as a hungry ghost, or in hell); and via good karma (which you didn't mention) they may be reborn in a higher state (e.g. as a semi-divinity or in some kind of heaven).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Whereas nirvana is neither of the above, e.g. it's &quot;deathless&quot;, &quot;immediate&quot;, &quot;experienced in the here and how&quot;, and not associated with rebirth (quite the opposite: being liberated from samsara).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I'm not sure about your premise that Person A's karma is removed by Person B's deed, and transferred to person B. I think that we (e.g. if we are &quot;Person A&quot;) are supposed to think of ourselves as being responsbible for our own karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T15:06:09.570" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21630" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-19T15:59:51.710" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Karma originally means &quot;work&quot; - intended actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's imagine we travel outdoors and find a good fruit. We eat it, it's tasty, then we go on. With regard to that experience, we can do different things, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We can develop clinging and desire to find more such fruits. So we put a lot of our energy in searching.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;We can let it go and just travel further, not bothering about more fruits. Realizing that we can find them, we remain attentive, but we do not invest our energy in searching. We continue to enjoy the travel as a whole, not losing the sight of the sky and everything else.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then if we find more fruits, the result would depend on the attitude we developed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we have developed desire and clinging, we might feel fear that someone else might come here too, and take a part of &quot;our&quot; fruits. We develop greed and eventually regret that we don't see even more fruits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since that, finding fruits, we will feel vexation: excitement with a bit of fear, greed, jealousy and regret.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when not finding enough fruits, we feel regret and anger (and greed, and jealousy to those who also found some).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if we didn't develop desire and clinging, we didn't invest our emotional energy into the search, then we will remain calm and easy. New fruits wouldn't lead to vexations, and when we meet others, instead of jealousy and fear, instead of wishing to hide our fruits from them, we would like to share, to give them the fruits we found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's how karma works.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ignorance (Avidyā) - encloses our limited perception. It creates limited models -&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Mental creations (Saṃskāras) - such as &quot;it's good to find such fruits&quot;, leading to -&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Consciousness (Vijñāna) - limited view of the world, such as becoming busy with chasing fruits, and neglecting other things in our travel -&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and so on (see Twelve Nidānas).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Briefly speaking, &lt;em&gt;intentional work&lt;/em&gt;, accompanied with &lt;em&gt;limited consciousness&lt;/em&gt;, develops desire, and then both good and bad events would cause vexations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is the power of karma: we put our energy in something limited, it's like putting there a part of ourselves. Then that energy works separated from us. Thus we have lost our wholeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We feel that &quot;external forces&quot; influence us, pushing us to feel vexations, and pushing us to do this or that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is called karmic impulses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact what really hooks us is not external forces, but our own energy which we invested earlier, separated from our wholeness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine this as particles of various colors, which we have thrown in some mental space. They got kinetic energy, so they remain flying in the space. That is called karmic seeds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we meet again with such particles, that kinetic energy pushes us to act and to perceive the world according to their direction, speed, color, etc. It is called manifestation of our karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in order to remove our karma we have to withdraw our energy from the desires we developed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's just like habits: bad karma is bad habits, good karma is good habits - such as sharing with others, being friendly, kind and attentive, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point is to change our habits, just in Buddhism we analyze them really deeply, so we are able to find their weak spots and change them very efficiently.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. With this explanation you can understand why with bad karma we meet enemies where with good karma we meet friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T16:33:02.760" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T16:33:02.760" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21631" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-19T17:59:12.543" Score="1" ViewCount="146" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are consciousness housed inside a physical form. We started off as the nothingness of the universe ... all potential. Then we were bound to this form just as someone capturing air in a bag. Although we are normally formless and all one big lump of consciousness instead of a bunch of individuals -&#xA; this circumstance changes that. We are now identified as that bag.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That bag, our body, interacts with the universe and sets wheels and gears in motion every which way. Those movements ripple repercussions both onward and back as cause/effect. There is no &quot;time lag&quot; so a consciousness is just immediately changed and as long as that change deviates it from the whole then it is bound to be constantly reborn until it can balance out that equation. It can't just blend back into the whole again until it is neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This make sense to me without being bound in mysticism. Where is it incorrect? Or is it? I really think I have something here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-19T18:13:00.803" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T05:07:30.927" Title="What is wrong with my vision of karma?" Tags="|karma|rebirth|lay-buddhism|daily-life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21632" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21623" CreationDate="2017-07-19T18:48:00.843" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;One reason given in the suttas is that he did it by request, and out of compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta (SN 6.1)&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Brahma Sahampati [etc...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's not viewing the world as 'self' wouldn't stop him from having compassion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compassion is one of the four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;recommended attitudes&lt;/a&gt; to have towards others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html#s1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;views such as&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no contemplatives or brahmans who, faring rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... are defined as &amp;quot;wrong view&amp;quot;; I guess that would be some kind of &amp;quot;nihilism&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T18:48:00.843" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21633" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21631" CreationDate="2017-07-19T19:26:34.067" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada Buddhist perspective, this theory suffers from the error of an enduring self.  It is dependent on their being a persistent consciousness or, at minimum, some sort of enduring higher self.  From a Mahayana perspective, this theory establishes an erroneous dichotomy between form and emptiness.  There is ultimately no distinction between the bag (i.e. the body), consciousness, and the universe.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T19:26:34.067" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21634" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-19T21:47:51.513" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Person A has bad/negative karma so Person B does something bad to them. Through this, Person As negative karma is quasi removed and Person B aquires negative karma for their bad deed.&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not Buddhist doctrine of Karma. According to buddhist texts, bad and good karma fruits from past deeds come to be when conditions for them arise. The way out of experiencing karma fruits is Nirvana. While in samsara, karma fruits are experienced differently according to the development of the person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma, that is how it is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life, there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. But for anyone who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in such &amp;amp; such a way, that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in the cup, it would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River Ganges, it would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit to drink.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one individual [the first] takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort of trifling deed done by the other individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue, developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with the immeasurable. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the here &amp;amp; now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An 3.99&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the person who suffers bad deed from someone else does not have their own karma &quot;removed&quot;. There's the possibility, however, of the suffering experienced to create conditions to develop good karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Reaching nirvana requires one to reach karmic neutrality, having neither positive nor negative karma&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reaching Nirvanas requires the cessation of the fetters, the abandonment of karma (through &quot;karma to end all karma&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-07-19T21:47:51.513" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21635" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21622" CreationDate="2017-07-20T01:18:02.197" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, you were a monk, but not in one previous life, but in very many previous lives. Through good deeds you did in those and other your previous lives, now you have a good fortune and met Buddha's Teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now you can practise those teachings and find the true will of your heart this moment. Finding true will of your heart this moment is the highest realization, on which you have worked during many lifetimes, but still you have not mastered it completely in your previous lives. However, there are good chances that you could do that in this present life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, your first life was not as a monk. Before becoming a monk, you lived many lives, doing many deeds, both good and evil. However, when you became a monk, you changed, and an immense amount of your previous bad karma was destroyed through your practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every life you changed, and every moment you continue to change. Don't bother with previous lives: they passed and exist no more. Think of this moment: what is the wish of your heart now?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There was a time I dedicated my life to that cleaning: like a nugget of gold, covered with dirt, was my mind and my behavior. Every moment I tried to be in accordance with the original longing of my heart, keeping efforts to act as gold, not as dirt. With the help of other beings, including you in your previous lives, I was able to realize what the heart wants, and I try to not lose that realization since.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When I remain in that presence of the will of the heart, it gives rise to feelings of easiness and freedom, kindness and purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wish you the same!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T01:18:02.197" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21636" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21552" CreationDate="2017-07-20T01:42:59.997" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Having any confusion about what is proper and what is not, we can approach the question by investigation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even if we don't find the answer for a long time, our skills of investigation would probably grow; so this would help not only in solving that question, but also for all the future questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feelings are the primary data for our mind. Therefore, in order to reach clean perception, it might be natural to accept feelings exactly as they come, not trying to change them in forceful ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, whatever feelings come, we can practice by&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;accepting them as they are,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;observing whatever phenomena accompany them,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and investigating causes and results.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can we investigate causes and results? For example, we observe how feelings are being created, and what phenomena they lead to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This way we learn how various mental factors interact and develop. In that sense, we understand their meanings. This understanding of meanings constitutes the knowledge of what is proper and why exactly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice will not only solve the problem, but also will give some insight in mechanisms working in our mind. Knowing those mechanisms, we could improve our practice, as well as help others better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let it be helpful!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-20T02:00:01.347" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T02:00:01.347" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21637" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21631" CreationDate="2017-07-20T02:48:43.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The matter raised by XXXX is discussed in the following Sutta.&#xA;&lt;em&gt;-------------------&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think of this, O monks? Is form permanent or impermanent?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, is it unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it proper to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think of this, O monks? Is feeling permanent or impermanent?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, is it unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it proper to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think of this, O monks? Is perception permanent or impermanent?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is impermanent, is it unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, that which is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it proper to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think of this, O monks? Are mental formations permanent or impermanent?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, those that are impermanent, are they unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, those that are impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it proper to regard them as: 'They are mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now what do you think of this, O monks? Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Impermanent, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is impermanent, is that unsatisfactory or satisfactory?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Unsatisfactory, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what is impermanent, unsatisfactory, subject to change, is it proper to regard it as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Indeed, not that, O Lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, surely, O monks, whatever form, past, future or present, internal or external, coarse or fine, low or lofty, far or near, all that form must be regarded with proper wisdom, according to reality, thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel268.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel268.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T02:48:43.010" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21638" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21631" CreationDate="2017-07-20T04:54:10.273" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Causality in Hindi/Buddhism is not understood as in the Western cause-and-effect -  as if - 'I hit something and it gets kinetic energy'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is co-arising: a seed and a moist soil may give rise to a sprout. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Karma is an effect of co-arising causality, not of I/O of cause and effect, and it is an extremely complex phenomena; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be in the &quot;web of illusions&quot; is essentially entangling the mind in these co-arising factors and being suffocated or attached to them, to be liberated from Samsara is ultimately to be unbound from these illusions, thus performing techniques that are extensively used to cut through the chain of delusions, attachment, ignorance, envy etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It is bound to be constantly reborn until it can balance out that equation. It can't just blend back into the whole again until it is neutral.&quot; - I agree with your view (not from a &quot;Buddhist&quot; perspective, but personal) - 'nothing is lost in nature' - it is not easy to &quot;disappear&quot; once born into a pre-existent set of relations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet, that is neither misfortune, not a trap, most Buddhists cherished the body as a &quot;treasure to acquire&quot; in the chain of being - on Earth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11781" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T04:54:10.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21639" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21631" CreationDate="2017-07-20T05:00:21.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Adding to xxxx's answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The division between the body and the universe is illusory: consciousness doesn't end where flesh ends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The net of causes works regardless &quot;inside body&quot; or &quot;outside&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Causes acting &quot;inside body&quot; and those acting &quot;outside body&quot; aren't marked as having different owners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like a multitude of ants can gather on a spot, creating a crowd of certain form, and then can leave the spot, likewise causes can create body and its activities, not being and not becoming one thing even for a moment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, body as one thing is illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, consciousness as one thing is illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Multitude of causes can form in space thicker spots and thinner spots, being interpreted as working of consciousness, but that does not divide more crowded places from less crowded, just like a crowd of people on a holiday usually doesn't have definite border.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, there is no definite border between &quot;causes creating me&quot;  (or &quot;acting as me&quot;) and &quot;causes which are not me&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feelings can be seen as caused by conditions, thoughts can be seen as caused by conditions, actions can be seen as caused by conditions. Where is &quot;me&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tracking causes which create &quot;my&quot; feelings, thoughts, actions, we can see endless chains or bundles of causality. Where in those chains could be borders set between &quot;already me&quot; and &quot;not me yet&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conditions, &quot;created by different people&quot;, intertwine, fusing and creating new conditions. So can makings by different people be physically separated? As causes intertwine, can karma of different people be truly separated?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How karma works, in accumulation and cessation, see:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21626/problem-with-the-logic-of-karma/21630#21630&quot;&gt;Problem with the logic of karma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;it is bound to be constantly reborn until it can balance out that equation. It can't just blend back into the whole again until it is neutral.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing to release and nothing to balance, because everything is already balanced every moment, and everything is already released.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-20T05:07:30.927" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T05:07:30.927" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21640" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21552" CreationDate="2017-07-20T06:01:42.207" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not a direct answer per se, but I hope that you can find an answer within it. Acknowledging the absence of a dear one and remembering their good qualities are different things from dukka. It would be a good meditation to see at which point this acknowledgment &amp;amp; remembrance turns to dukka, and investigate the causes - you may find that this dukka is due to remorse, broken expectations, etc. Yet for one who has nothing to feel remorseful, has no expectations, the absence is felt, but there arises no dukka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ukkacela Sutta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once the Blessed One was dwelling in the Vajji country, at Ukkacela on&#xA;  the bank of the river Ganges, not long after Sariputta and Maha&#xA;  Moggallana had passed away. And at that time the Blessed One was&#xA;  seated in the open, surrounded by company of monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Blessed One surveyed the silent gathering of monks, and then spoke&#xA;  to them, saying:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;This assembly, O bhikkhus, appears empty to me, now that Sariputta&#xA;  and Maha Moggallana have passed away. Not empty, for me, is an&#xA;  assembly, nor need I have concern for a place where Sariputta and Maha&#xA;  Moggallana dwell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Those who in the past have been Holy Ones. Fully enlightened Ones,&#xA;  those Blessed Ones, too, had such excellent pairs of disciples as I&#xA;  had in Sariputta and Maha Moggallana. Those who in the future will be&#xA;  Holy Ones, fully Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones too will have&#xA;  such excellent pairs of disciples as I had in Sariputta and Maha&#xA;  Moggallana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Marvelous it is, most wonderful it is, bhikkhus, concerning those&#xA;  disciples, that they will act in accordance with the Master's&#xA;  Dispensation, will act in according to his advice; that they will be&#xA;  dear to the four Assemblies, will be loved, respected and honored by&#xA;  them. Marvelous it is, most wonderful it is, bhikkhus, concerning the&#xA;  Perfect Ones, that when such a pair of disciples has passed away there&#xA;  is no grief, no lamentation on the part of the Perfect One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For of that which is born, come to being, put together, and so is&#xA;  subject to dissolution, how should it be said that it should not&#xA;  depart? That indeed, is not possible.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, bhikkhus, be ye an island unto yourselves, a refuge unto&#xA;  yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Teaching as your&#xA;  island, the Teaching your refuge, seeking no other refuge.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4742" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T06:01:42.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21641" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21642" CreationDate="2017-07-20T06:13:42.327" Score="3" ViewCount="1170" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My experience of letting go and detaching&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I know that meditating on letting go and detachment is a fruitful activity. I experience physical discharge when I see I am holding on to something, that isn't true, and I let it go. In other words, I detach from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a variant to this meditation practice I also attach again. That is, I try to get myself back into that feeling that I had when I was attached. The moment that I notice the slightest mental activity of getting carried away again, I reevaluate that it isn't true and keep my focus there until I feel I am detaching again. I do this a couple of times until I know longer feel any interest arise anymore when I focus on attaching, and thus, the attachment doesn't happen anymore. To me it is like getting bored with the subject. There is nothing in it for me anymore that I want to grasp. It seems that all energy that caused any attachment dissipated. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stop creating mental constructs instead of letting go of them&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now on the the purpose of this question. Today I realized that what I attach to is always a mental construct. And that mental construct is always created by myself. Then I came to think about the words 'letting go' and 'detaching'. These words seem to imply there is something there, that exist on their own, of which you 'need' to 'let go' and 'detach'. There is something, but not there in objective reality, but here in subjective mental constructs. What if, the moment I observe a mental construct, I realize I don't want to create that mental construct in the first place. Then there is nothing to let go, there is nothing to detach from, as it simply doesn't exist anymore. It isn't being created in the first place. That puts me in the chair of being the 'creator' of all my experience. So then I do not practice the 'letting go' and 'detachment' from anything anymore, I practice the 'stop creating' of unfruitful mental constructs, which leaves energy for creating mental activity that is fruitful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then I came to wonder, did Buddha really ment 'letting go' and 'detach'?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are the actual sanskrit and pali terms for 'letting go' and 'detach'? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;And do they really mean the same, or is it more like 'Dukkha' which is best translated to 'suffering', while it is not exactly the same. But suffering is the closest matching description.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-07-20T12:49:36.550" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T04:36:53.910" Title="What is 'letting go' and 'detachment' actually?" Tags="|pali-canon|meditation|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21642" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21641" CreationDate="2017-07-20T11:21:01.280" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the actual sanskrit and pali terms for 'letting go' and 'detach'?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quoting from &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=16201&amp;amp;start=20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Re: What is the last thing to let go?&lt;/a&gt;&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the Suttas paṭinissagga and its synonym vossagga are the words that usually get translated ‘relinquishment’, ‘letting go’ and suchlike. What is relinquished is appropriation (ādāna) which is a term for taṇhā and upādāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Paṭinissagga (letting go) is the broad term and then nekkhamma (letting go) is a more specialised one. Nekkhamma is paṭinissagga with respect to desire for sense-pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T04:36:53.910" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T04:36:53.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21646" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-20T21:23:36.033" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not a scholar nor enlightened so my answer needs to be understood in that context. Based on my studies, however, I have learned that the issue of Karma (Kamma) is so complex that only the Buddha and other Enlightened Ones truly understood/understand how it works. So not fully understanding it would not be unusual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For me, to simplify to something I can understand, I have come to think of our Karma as ‘energy balance’, either positive or negative, attached to our non-selves, individually. By ‘balance’ I am speaking in the concept similar to a bank account balance in which our current Karma is the sum total of our deposits (gaining positive Karma) and withdrawals (gaining negative Karma).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our current state of Karma is attained in us one of two ways. 1) the inherited Karma we get in our current life from our previous existences (this can either be positive or negative). 2) the Karma we have created ourselves by the intentional actions we have committed in our present life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is my understanding that others cannot ‘give’ us Karma - with the exception of that which we inherit coming into our current existence. We are solely responsible for the Karma we carry/create after that initial instant of beginning our current lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I believe that what the Buddha taught is that we must understand this individual responsibility. If we come into this life with negative Karma because of past existences, we must strive to create positive Karma to offset this. Even if we inherit a positive Karmic balance, we must strive to create more positive Karma to assist us in our quest for Enlightenment. If we do not achieve it in this life, the net positive Karma we pass on with the end of our life will assist the existence which inherits it in the future - making it easier for it to attain Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The net of it is that: 1) No - others cannot give or take Karma from us; though others’ actions can cause us to react in a way that has us adding or subtracting from our Karmic balance ourselves. 2) Striving for Karmic ‘neutrality’ is misunderstanding of the concept that the Enlightened Person has moved beyond the effects of Karma. Instead, we should continually strive to always do intentional actions which build more positive Karma to assist us (or our inheritors) in finding this Enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would appreciate those who are further in their understandings of the Buddha’s teachings to correct me in any misunderstandings I have presented here.&#xA;Regards&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10505" LastActivityDate="2017-07-20T21:23:36.033" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21647" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21641" CreationDate="2017-07-20T23:14:55.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anything comes naturally and goes naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Awareness remains uncaught, not starting to cling to a pleasant feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As when we focus on it, singling it out - and losing the wholeness of the unlimited space. I think, &lt;em&gt;singling out and losing the whole&lt;/em&gt; is the mechanism of attachment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that's how it leads to ignorance. Enclosing a feeling, we create limited view. Is it creating a mental construction around that sensory pleasure?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Awareness remains uncaught, not trailing a deluded thought with more deluded thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) Awareness remains uncaught, not creating unnecessary constructions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Which would enchain the mind, making it busy, rigid and limited).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A Tibetan Teacher described different levels of mastery in letting go of thoughts as snow falling on earth, water and fire. Snowflakes falling on earth lie for some time, creating a layer of snow, even if it gradually melts. Snowflakes falling in water melt instantly. Snowflakes falling over fire melt even before they touch anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With mastery we can notice unnecessary thoughts when they only start to condense. It can be likened to a tablecloth and wrinkles. We don't need to deal with each wrinkle, as if it was real separate object. We can just pull a bit the cloth, and it's flat again. Perhaps it's a way to observe emptiness of mental creations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not creation of constructions, not re-creation of trains of thoughts and vexations... It can be called &lt;em&gt;letting go&lt;/em&gt; - of the circular processes of samsaric thinking. In the sense: we don't keep these processes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About letting go in Zen practice:&#xA;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/channews/09-1982.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/channews/09-1982.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T04:08:34.287" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T04:08:34.287" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21648" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-20T23:35:27.907" Score="3" ViewCount="1722" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the real meaning of Bhagava? Or are there any multiple meanings? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta references are appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T08:15:08.993" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T08:17:34.537" Title="The proper meaning of Bhagava" Tags="|terminology|buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21649" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21590" CreationDate="2017-07-21T00:32:28.353" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I understand such behavior as manifestation of explorative model. I recall similar things in my life. I was a child, and due to some favorable events I realized that many human habits are strange, so I didn't take them automatically as natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus when I saw people behaving stupid, I often mocked, mimicing their behavior. Sometimes it worked: they realized they look stupid, and became sober and natural.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But gradually I got a bad habit myself: seeing strange stupid behavior, I started to repeat it. Often it helped to understand something better: I realized both how it appears to onlookers, and how it feels from inside.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To a degree, I learned what it leads to and where it comes from.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But sometimes I wore such mask (or we can call it a role) for a long time. I just had not enough understanding to get rid of it. But eventually, due to external help and my own investigation, the causes and effects of such role revealed, and I liberated from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe that's your case too: you got a habit and though you realize it's stupid, your realization is not enough to let it go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then probably you need to explore meanings of such behavior - its causes and effects. Then you will know the mechanism, the lesson will be learned, and the explorative model will be dropped.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From then on, you will be able to help people with the knowledge gained in that exploration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some advice right now: don't judge too much. You see, &quot;it's stupid&quot;, but there are causes for such behavior. You can use it for learning, to gain some important insights which will advance you in the practice of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So realize that even if something looks stupid, there can be good reasons. If you explore and absorb such knowledge, you could be free from judgments, you could look beyond the surface, seeing not just appearances but deep causes in human behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To me, the ability to see causes, the experience in their observation, helped in the practice of insight immensely. Now when others ask for advice, I usually can see very well how to help them. Isn't it worth having done those slightly stupid things in the past?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Besides, it's not necessary to continue such behavior. As long as we understand its reasonable role in our life, we can concentrate on exploration of causes and results, e.g. observing movements in our mind but not manifesting them automatically. And even if we would manifest stupid behavior sometimes, then it might happen that, from the point of view of unlimited mind, doing this stupid thing was actually wise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Happy exploration!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T00:32:28.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21650" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21648" CreationDate="2017-07-21T01:27:49.640" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Comments from the following link:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhagava: also rendered &quot;the Auspicious One&quot; or &quot;the Exalted One&quot;; the most frequent appellation of the Buddha, though not restricted to Buddhist usage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word &quot;Bhagava,&quot; can be translated as &quot;the Blessed One&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T01:27:49.640" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21651" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21648" CreationDate="2017-07-21T01:38:04.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is many meaning for the buddhanussati practitioner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: Recollection of the Enlightened One (buddhanussati) in Visuddhimagga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T01:38:04.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21652" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21641" CreationDate="2017-07-21T02:19:21.840" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are different words here, such as: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Nekkham­ma', which generally refers to 'renunciation' of sensual pleasures (eg. 2nd path factor). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Pahānā' (SN 45.8 right effort) &amp;amp; 'pahāya' (MN 38 hindrances) &amp;amp; 'pajahati' (AN 3.40; SN 35.101), which generally refers to abandoning hindrances &amp;amp; unwholesome qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Anupādā': not taking as one’s own, not holding on to. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Vossagga', which means 'giving up', 'relaxation', 'handing over' or 'surrender', and is generally found in meditation instruction about the (preliminary) development of the path, such as in SN 48.10 &amp;amp; end of MN 118; &amp;amp; found in DN 31 in respect to a husband giving (surrendering) authority to the wife in the home or an employer giving employees a share in profits .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;a monk, a noble disciple, making letting go (vossagga) the meditation object, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.... SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Paṭi­nissag­gā', which means means 'relinquishment' or 'giving back', possibly 'returning back', and is generally found in the fruition of the path, such as in 3rd noble truth (below), last (16th) stage of Anapanasati or in definitions of Nibbana (below).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and &lt;strong&gt;relinquishing&lt;/strong&gt; of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;dukkhanirodhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ — yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesa­virāga­nirodho cāgo &lt;strong&gt;paṭinissaggo&lt;/strong&gt; muttimutti anālayo.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;sabba­saṅ­khā­ra­sama­tho sabbū­padhi&lt;strong&gt;pa­ṭi­nissaggo&lt;/strong&gt; taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṃ&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Calming of all formations, the &lt;strong&gt;relinquishing&lt;/strong&gt; of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, 'letting go' means to not take something as '&lt;em&gt;being onself&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;belonging to oneself&lt;/em&gt;', as summed up in SN 35.101:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose a person were to gather or burn or do as he likes with the grass, twigs, branches, &amp;amp; leaves here in Jeta's Grove. Would the&#xA;  thought occur to you, 'It's us that this person is gathering, burning,&#xA;  or doing with as he likes'?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No, lord. Why is that? Because those things are not our self nor do they pertain to our self.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the same way, monks, the eye is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit... The&#xA;  ear... The nose... The tongue... The body... The intellect is not&#xA;  yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term&#xA;  happiness &amp;amp; benefit... Whatever arises in dependence on&#xA;  intellect-contact, experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours (na tumhākaṃ): let go of it (taṃ pajahatha). Your&#xA;  letting go (pahīnaṃ) of it will be for your long-term happiness &amp;amp; benefit.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 35.101&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T04:03:47.717" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T04:03:47.717" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21654" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21648" CreationDate="2017-07-21T04:39:50.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bhagava comes from &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/bhagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhagga&lt;/a&gt; + &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/r%C4%81ga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;rāga&lt;/a&gt;. That is one how has destroyed lust.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;bhagga -rāga, ˚dosa etc. (in def. of Bhagavā) at Mnd.142 = Cnd.466&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/bhagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;bhagga&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T08:17:34.537" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T08:17:34.537" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21655" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21648" CreationDate="2017-07-21T06:13:48.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One (Bhagava) &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is endowed with the six things: &#xA; (1) Lordship [Issariya], &#xA; (2) Doctrine [Dhamma], &#xA; (3) Fame [Yasa], &#xA; (4) Glory [Siri], &#xA; (5) Wish [Kama], and &#xA; (6) Endeavor [Payatta], &#xA; thus He is called the Blessed One. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1). He has the supreme lordship over His own mind as follows: &#xA; i. Anima – power to make the body minute (e.g. making the size of an atom), &#xA; ii. Laghima – power to make the body light (e.g. walking on air), &#xA; iii. Mahima – power to make the body huge, &#xA; iv. Patti – power to arrive where He wants to go, &#xA; v. Pakamma – power to produce what He wants by resolving, etc., &#xA; vi. Isita – power to make anyone or anything follow His wishes, &#xA; vii. Vasita – power to create at will water, fire, etc., and &#xA; viii. Yatthakamavasayita – power to attain the perfection in all ways in Him who wants to go through the air or do anything else of the sort. &#xA; 2). He has the supramundane Dhamma. &#xA; 3). He has the greatly pure fame, spread through the three worlds, attained through the quality of veracity. &#xA; 4). He has the glory of all limbs, perfect in every appearance, which is capable of comforting the eyes of people eager to see His material body. &#xA; 5). He has the wish i.e., accomplishment of whatever is wanted by Him whether it be for His own benefit or for another’s (others’). &#xA;6). And He has the endeavor, the right effort, which is the reason why the whole world reveres Him. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tbsa.org/articles/BuddhaQualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.tbsa.org/articles/BuddhaQualities.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T06:13:48.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21656" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21657" CreationDate="2017-07-21T12:19:14.900" Score="0" ViewCount="285" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the phonetic of the word &quot;Buddh&quot; spoken in time 21:47 to 21:48 minutes of &lt;a href=&quot;https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=avEmbY83RO0&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt;. I am a novice in phonetics. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phonetic of the word Buddha is wriiten as &#xA;[bud̪ːʱə] in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, to my taste, the english prononciation of the B and U in the word Buddh does not matches exactly with that of the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let me know how to phonetically write the word &quot;Buddh&quot; spoken in time 21:47 to 21:48 minutes of the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11787" LastEditorUserId="11787" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T13:03:19.710" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T14:12:14.933" Title="Pronounce the word &quot;Buddh&quot; - phonetics" Tags="|the-buddha|terminology|pali-language|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21657" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21656" CreationDate="2017-07-21T12:48:06.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is tagged with &quot;&lt;strong&gt;Pali&lt;/strong&gt; language&quot;. Pronunciation in Wikipedia is written probably for &lt;strong&gt;Sanskrit&lt;/strong&gt;. The movie is in &lt;strong&gt;Hindi&lt;/strong&gt;. And &lt;strong&gt;English&lt;/strong&gt; is another language. Pronunciation in different languages is different. For example, in &lt;strong&gt;Russian&lt;/strong&gt; we pronounce Bood-dah.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we study phonetics, we need to understand, phonetics of which language or dialect we study.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I meant phonetics in english. I need the phonetics in english of the word pronounced in hindi.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;@MathStudent, the phonetics in English is of English words. The word pronounced in Hindi is Hindi word. Do you want phonetics of English word &quot;Buddha&quot; or of Hindi word &quot;Buddha&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Pronunciation:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(UK) enPR: bo͝odə, IPA(key): /bʊdə/&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;(US) enPR: bo͞odə, IPA(key): /buːdə/&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;IPA(key): /bʊdːʰə/ (only in technical contexts) – approximation of Hindustani [ˈbʊdːʱə], which features a geminate ‘d’ and breathy voice on the second ‘d’, neither of which is idiomatic to English&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That reference gives three different English pronounciations: one English; one American; and a &quot;technical&quot; one that's meant to sound a bit like Hindustani.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T14:08:44.123" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T14:08:44.123" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21658" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21656" CreationDate="2017-07-21T14:11:01.163" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;B-month&amp;amp;month&amp;amp;stronger touch+soft breathe out+voice louder.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;U-put,push,fruit.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;D-teeth&amp;amp;tongue tip&amp;amp;stronger touch+soft breathe out+voice louder.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;DH-teeth&amp;amp;tongue tip&amp;amp;stronger touch+soft breathe out+voice louder.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;A-cut,watt,shut,but.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See:padarupasiddhi for more information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-21T14:12:14.933" LastActivityDate="2017-07-21T14:12:14.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21660" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-22T06:45:18.140" Score="3" ViewCount="351" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was wondering what Buddhism teaches or says about the concept of Tolerance and the acceptance of differences more generally speaking.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7875" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T07:39:50.597" Title="What does Buddhism teach or say about Tolerance and accepting differences in general?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21661" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21660" CreationDate="2017-07-22T07:27:03.603" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches nature creates differences or diversity. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata (Buddha) understands as it actually is the world with its many &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;different elements&lt;/strong&gt;. That too is a Tathagata's&#xA;  power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata understands as it actually is how beings have &lt;strong&gt;different inclinations&lt;/strong&gt;. That too is a Tathagata's&#xA;  power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Again, the Tathagata understands as it actually is the &lt;strong&gt;disposition&lt;/strong&gt; of the faculties of other beings, other persons. That too&#xA;  is a Tathagata's power...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 12&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Buddhism accepts there are differences or diversity in nature and, as a result, extends tolerance, non-hatred &amp;amp; non-violence towards diversity. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Whatever living beings there may be;&#xA;      Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,&#xA;  The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,&#xA;      The seen and the unseen,&#xA;  Those living near and far away,&#xA;      Those born and to-be-born —&#xA;  May all beings be at ease!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Let none deceive another,&#xA;      Or despise any being in any state.&#xA;  Let none through anger or ill-will&#xA;      Wish harm upon another.&#xA;  Even as a mother protects with her life&#xA;      Her child, her only child,&#xA;  So with a boundless heart&#xA;      Should one cherish all living beings;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Karaniya Metta Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, just because Buddhism extends tolerance, non-hatred &amp;amp; non-violence towards difference &amp;amp; diversity, this does not mean Buddhism endorses, promotes or recommends all things because Buddhism only endorses, promotes or recommends a moral or non-harming way of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, Buddhism tolerates murder, theft, rape, sexual promiscuity, dishonesty, drug addiction, usury, gambling, businesses that trade in weapons, slavery, prostitution, intoxicants, etc, however Buddhism does not endorse, promote or recommend these things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This distinction is shown in the following text about 'tolerating', 'avoiding' &amp;amp; 'destroying' and in Buddhist teachings about 'right' &amp;amp; 'wrong': &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[4] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;tolerating&lt;/strong&gt;? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He&#xA;  tolerates cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of flies,&#xA;  mosquitoes, wind, sun, &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words &amp;amp;&#xA;  bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp,&#xA;  piercing, disagreeable, displeasing &amp;amp; menacing to life.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;[5] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;avoiding&lt;/strong&gt;? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, avoids a wild&#xA;  elephant, a wild horse, a wild bull, a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a&#xA;  bramble patch, a chasm, a cliff, a cesspool, an open sewer. Reflecting&#xA;  appropriately, he avoids sitting in the sorts of unsuitable seats,&#xA;  wandering to the sorts of unsuitable habitats, and associating with&#xA;  the sorts of bad friends that would make his knowledgeable friends in&#xA;  the holy life suspect him of evil conduct.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by &lt;strong&gt;destroying&lt;/strong&gt;? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, dispels it &amp;amp; wipes it out of existence....Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty...Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate arisen evil, unskillful mental qualities. He abandons them, dispels them, &amp;amp; wipes them out of existence.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In one of &lt;strong&gt;right&lt;/strong&gt; view, &lt;strong&gt;wrong&lt;/strong&gt; view is abolished. The many evil, unskillful qualities that come into play with wrong view as their condition are also abolished, while the many skillful qualities that have right view as their condition go to the culmination of their development. In one of right resolve, wrong resolve is abolished... In one of right speech, wrong speech is abolished... In one of right action, wrong action is abolished... In one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is abolished... In one of right effort, wrong effort is abolished... In one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is abolished... In one of right concentration, wrong concentration is abolished... In one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is abolished... In one of right release, wrong release is abolished. The many evil, unskillful qualities that come into play with wrong release as their condition are also abolished, while the many skillful qualities that have right release as their condition go to the culmination of their development. Thus, monks, there are twenty factors siding with skillfulness, and twenty with unskillfulness.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering&#xA;  follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-22T07:39:50.597" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T07:39:50.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21662" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-22T08:07:40.420" Score="3" ViewCount="249" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to know what Buddhism says about both our own anger and other people's anger. Especially how to cope with other people's anger, how to handle it, how to avoid suffering from it? Also what are the origins and consequences of anger?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7875" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T15:50:26.750" Title="What does Buddhism teach about anger?" Tags="|teaching|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21663" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21662" CreationDate="2017-07-22T10:15:19.847" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ayonisomanasikara (in appropriate attention) is the cause of anger.&#xA;Practicing Brahama vihara is the antidote for anger.&#xA;Contemplation on the Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta relate to anger is the way to avoid suffering from anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T10:15:19.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21664" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-22T10:26:32.883" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Another living being is not necessary for your Karma to come into fruition. A coconut can fall from a tree and kill you as a result of your past Karma. You see because of Vipaaka(result of Karma), you hear because of Vipaaka, you smell, taste, feel because of Vipaaka. You are born ugly, pretty, disabled, dumb, smart because of Vipaaka. You get sick because of Vipaaka and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bad Karma cannot make others think to harm you. Bad Karma can place you in a convenient position for another who may have the intention to harm you or it can simply put you in harm's way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also there are infinite number of beings in the universe. So your logic does not come into play.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-22T10:36:23.523" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T10:36:23.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21665" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7175" CreationDate="2017-07-22T12:42:25.127" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm going to posit two possibilities here.  The first is simple and fairly obvious - the posture you adopt on the bed is better for you as it appears to allow for better relaxation and seems removed of the danger of you falling asleep.  Your attention also seems more established.  As R. Barzell indicates, meditation is a tightrope walk between discomfort and pain on the one side and dullness and drowsiness on  the other.  You want to adopt a position where your body aids in concentration rather than detracts from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that said, I personally think sitting that on the floor is actually doing you more good from a developmental standpoint.  Meditation is not about blissing out, taking tea with the gods, while the lot of you float around on white poofy clouds.  My own tradition (Rinzai Zen) likens meditation practice to ascending a mountain of swords; the bare skulls of those that have gone before litter the ground along the way.  This is not to say that practice should be painful, ascetic, or in any way masochistic.  The &quot;goal&quot; is still relaxed attention.  What that metaphor does mean, however, is that as your wrestle with your body and mind, you will come face to face with situations that may be difficult and uncomfortable both physically and psychically.  While the overwhelming temptation is to run, the only way to surmount these obstacles is to persist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we sit down on the cushion, establish our attention, and watch the breath, we are throwing open the door to our unconscious.  Memories both good and bad, agitation that seems to have no discernible source, ill will and anger, sleepiness, doubt, and even deeper unconscious forms will arise unbidden.  It's all part of the process.  In fact, when these things do come about, while the content of experience is generally not important (and you really should do your best to put these experiences aside), their appearance is usually an indication that your meditation is going well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know what your goals are.  If you are meditating for stress relief and relaxation - and there is nothing wrong with that! - I think your position on the bed is ideal.  But if you are looking to climb the mountain of swords and add your own skull to the bone heap, get on the floor!        &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T12:42:25.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21666" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-22T13:28:53.073" Score="1" ViewCount="214" Body="&lt;p&gt;If enlightened beings aren't bothered by pain, why did occasions happen where Buddha was unable to give a lecture because the pain was so severe or when he had to meditate to lessen the pain he was feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Surely if the pain truly didn't bother him, he could have just continued as normal without needing to do anything special. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11792" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T23:43:09.533" Title="Buddha dealing with pain" Tags="|pain|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21667" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21666" CreationDate="2017-07-22T14:11:13.737" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Enlightened beings are not bothered by pain. But if you try to sit through severe back pain, it could lead to further complications. The body requires lying down to recover from back problems. So it's the sensible thing to do. When the Buddha is resting, he usually resides in the Jhanas. Even when the Buddha is not resting, it is said that he enters the Jhanas between every sentence he speaks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-23T00:59:29.193" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T00:59:29.193" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21668" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-22T14:43:58.803" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, something is wrong with your logic. In Buddhism we don't talk about Person A harming Person B harming Person C etc. We talk about karma applying on oneself and whether Person B is harming oneself. Also in Buddhism Person B is a projection of oneself. Person B is harming oneself is the bad Karma of oneself projecting Person B harming oneself. We don't actually know for sure if the real Person B is harming oneself. In fact  Person B can just be doing something normal - doing his own day to day work. However, because of our bad karma we see Person B harming oneself. This explains why oneself can be the last person to reach nirvana. - with Person B, Person C Person D etc having all reached Nirvana first.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T14:43:58.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21669" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21671" CreationDate="2017-07-22T14:58:18.350" Score="1" ViewCount="535" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is the disciple of Lord-Buddha Mahakashyap still Alive?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Venerable Mahakashyapa is still present in the world. When he left home under the Buddha, he was already one hundred sixty years old. At the time Shakyamuni Buddha had spoken Dharma for forty-nine years in over three hundred Dharma assemblies, Kashyapa was already over two hundred years old. After Shakyamuni Buddha entered Nirvana, Kashyapa went to Southwestern China, to Chicken Foot Mountain in Yunnan Province. It has been over three thousand years since the Buddha's nirvana, but Mahakashyapa is still sitting in samadhi in Chicken Foot Mountain waiting for Maitreya Buddha to appear in the world. At that time he will give Maitreya the bowl which the Four Heavenly Kings gave Shakyamuni Buddha and which Shakyamuni Buddha gave him, and his work in the world will be finished.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Is that all true that he still's exists?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11778" LastEditorUserId="11778" LastEditDate="2017-07-22T15:38:27.063" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T15:43:28.097" Title="Is Venerable Mahakashyapa still Alive?" Tags="|theravada|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="5" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21670" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-22T15:01:55.330" Score="-1" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a point sending metta to fictional characters like in a movie or a computer game ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-22T15:07:34.857" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T04:34:29.127" Title="Sending metta to fictional charcters ?" Tags="|metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21671" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21669" CreationDate="2017-07-22T15:43:28.097" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have no definite answer, but maybe this info will be useful:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Mahayana views, the material world we ordinarily perceive is only a part of reality. Another part of reality can be viewed as some kind of &quot;spiritual realm&quot;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambhogak%C4%81ya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sambhogakāya&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In a sense, both that spiritual realm and this material world are projections from true reality. It's not like there are other dimensions somewhere out there; rather, limits of our ordinary perception let us see only a part of &lt;em&gt;what is here&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On some levels of advanced practice, we are able to perceive Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from Sambhogakaya realm,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;may gain access to the Sambhogakaya and receive direct transmission of doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(All the quotations are from the link above).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch&lt;/em&gt;, Chan Master Huineng describes the Samboghakaya as a state in which the practitioner continually and naturally produces good thoughts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Think not of the past but of the future. Constantly maintain the future thoughts to be good. This is what we call the Sambhogakāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Just one single evil thought could destroy the good karma that has continued for one thousand years; and just one single good thought in turn could destroy the evil karma that has lived for one thousand years.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;    &#xA;    &lt;p&gt;If the future thoughts are always good, you may call this the Sambhogakāya. The discriminative thinking arising from the Dharmakāya (法身↔fashen &quot;Truth body&quot;) is called the Nirmanakāya (化身↔huashen &quot;transformation body&quot;). The successive thoughts that forever involve good are thus the Sambhogakāya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that light, it seems quite possible that Venerable Mahakashyapa abides in Sambhogakaya to these days, and it's not impossible to meet him and receive teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T15:43:28.097" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21672" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21670" CreationDate="2017-07-22T15:47:48.300" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;It could actually be unskillful as you are strengthening your ignorance to think that such characters are real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T15:47:48.300" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21673" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21662" CreationDate="2017-07-22T15:50:26.750" Score="5" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Anger&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger is a manifestation of one of the five hindrances, the hindrance of aversion/ill-will (&lt;em&gt;byāpāda&lt;/em&gt;). According to the Buddha, the path to happiness and Nirvana is the path of understanding and abandoning these hindrances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, if one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the unwholesome,’ it is about the five hindrances that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the unwholesome, that is, the five hindrances.&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.5&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.5&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five hindrances, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”  (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn45.177&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 45.177&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I say, bhikkhus, that ignorance has a nutriment; it is not without nutriment. And what is the nutriment for ignorance? It should be said: the five hindrances.&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, these five hindrances are makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, tending to vexation, leading away from Nibbāna.&amp;quot;  (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.40&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.40&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger, like any hindrance, obstructs the development of the other limbs of the Eightfold Path. One example is the concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;) limb, where it's not possible to enter the first &lt;em&gt;jhana&lt;/em&gt;, a deeper state of meditation, without being secluded from the five hindrances:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When meditation is obstructed, wisdom is obstructed and so on... like a house of cards falling apart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Nutriment for Anger&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anger manifests itself when we give careless attention to that which bugs us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what, bhikkhus, is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen ill will and for the increase and expansion of arisen ill will? There is, bhikkhus, the sign of the repulsive (&lt;em&gt;paṭigha&lt;/em&gt;): frequently giving careless attention to it is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen ill will and for the increase and expansion of arisen ill will.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn46.2&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Mitigating One's Own Anger&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Part of the training to dispel anger is the practice of the virtue group of the Noble Eightfold Path, in particular, Right Speech and Right Action. These are restraints on bodily and verbal action. Thus, one abandons the act of killing living beings. Also, one abandon harsh words, words that are &amp;quot;rough, hard, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger, unconducive to concentration&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.211&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.211&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, one also must restrain mental actions, which are the forerunners of verbal and bodily actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is the case where a monk does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, &amp;amp; wipes it out of existence. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, &amp;amp; wipes it out of existence. He does not tolerate arisen evil, unskillful mental qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, &amp;amp; wipes them out of existence.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.140&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.140&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This threefold teaching related to anger is nicely put together in the following dhammapada verses:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let a man guard himself against irritability in bodily action; let him be controlled in deed. Abandoning bodily misconduct, let him practice good conduct in deed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let a man guard himself against irritability in speech; let him be controlled in speech. Abandoning verbal misconduct, let him practice good conduct in speech.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let a man guard himself against irritability in thought; let him be controlled in mind. Abandoning mental misconduct, let him practice good conduct in thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Restraining anger in the mind can be very challenging. A progressive teaching on how to restrain unwholesome thoughts was given by the Buddha in the Vitakkasanthana sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn20&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;When a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts [...] connected with hate then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with hate are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated [...]&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If, while he is giving attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts [...] connected with hate then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, they are reprehensible, they result in suffering.’ [...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts [...] connected with hate then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them [...]&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts [...] connected with hate then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside [...]&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts [...] connected with hate then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also narrated how he trained to dispel his own unwholesome thoughts in the Dvedhavitakka sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 19&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of ill will arose in me ... a thought of cruelty arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of cruelty has arisen in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others’ affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna.‘ When I considered thus it subsided in me. Whenever a thought of cruelty arose in me, I abandoned it, removed it, did away with it.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, two mental factors, when fully developed, make it impossible for anger and cruelty to take over one's mind:  loving kindness (&lt;em&gt;mettā&lt;/em&gt;) and compassion (&lt;em&gt;karunā&lt;/em&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It’s impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by loving-kindness, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet ill will could still obsess one's mind.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It’s impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by compassion, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet the thought of harming could still obsess one's mind.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- AN 6.13&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The deeper practices of loving kindness and compassion are described in suttas such as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn52&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atthakanagara Sutta&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Dealing with People's Anger&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In one episode, the Buddha instructed Phagguna to train as follows when he is facing dispraise and violence (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn21&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;‘Neither will my mind become perverted, nor will I utter an evil speech, but kindly and compassionate will I dwell with a mind of friendliness and void of hatred.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught his disciples to endure the anger from others:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And how is a monk an endurer? There is the case where a monk is resilient to cold, heat, hunger, &amp;amp; thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &amp;amp; reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words &amp;amp; bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, &amp;amp; menacing to life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;--&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.140&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 5.14&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He taught his disciples to be tolerant towards angry people:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intolerant practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, doesn’t return the insult; when abused, doesn’t return the abuse; when bickered with, doesn’t bicker in return. This is called tolerant practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.164&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.164&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He also emphasized the development of equanimity when dealing with angry people, and instructed the monks to remain in healthy distance so as to not obstruct their own practice:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And what kind of person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served? Here, some person is prone to anger  and easily exasperated. Even if he is criticized slightly he loses his temper and becomes irritated, hostile, and stubborn; he displays irritation, hatred, and bitterness. [...] Such a person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served. For what reason? With the thought: ‘He might insult me, revile me, and do me harm.’ Therefore such a person is to be looked upon with equanimity, not to be associated with, followed, and served.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.27&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.27&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha pointed out that harmlessness is a protection we give not only to others, but to ourselves:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, lovingkindness, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.19&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He taught the disciples consistently in this path even if the Dhamma, Sangha and the Buddha are insulted:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should not give way to resentment, displeasure, or animosity against them in your heart. For if you were to become angry or upset in such a situation, you would only be creating an obstacle for yourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, he also vividly illustrated how anger has no part in his teachings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bhikkhus, even if bandits were to sever you savagely limb by limb with a two-handled saw, he who gave rise to a mind of hate towards them would not be carrying out my teaching.&amp;quot;  (MN 21)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T15:50:26.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21674" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21670" CreationDate="2017-07-22T22:51:35.910" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;If anger arises while you watching a movie or playing a computer game, it is a good idea that you are aware of your mental state. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-22T22:51:35.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21675" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21670" CreationDate="2017-07-23T04:34:29.127" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is practitioner's consciousness that thinking to &lt;strong&gt;make happy consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; arise in &lt;strong&gt;the other lives&lt;/strong&gt;. (sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fictional charcters never have happy &lt;strong&gt;consciousness arising&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T04:34:29.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21676" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-23T05:01:28.950" Score="8" ViewCount="2406" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to Buddhism, Maitreya Buddha is a Buddha who will come some time in the future.  Some sources say he will come hundreds of thousands of years from now, but the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manimekalai&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manimekalai&lt;/a&gt;, a 6th century Buddhist epic poem written in the language Tamil, seems to suggest an earlier timeframe.  &lt;a href=&quot;https://ia801406.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/20/items/manimekhalaiinit031176mbp/manimekhalaiinit031176mbp_tif.zip&amp;amp;file=manimekhalaiinit031176mbp_tif/manimekhalaiinit031176mbp_0184.tif&amp;amp;scale=8&amp;amp;rotate=0&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is what chapter 12 of the Manimekalai says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;That dharma, people in this world do not know.  But within the circuit of this universe, the devas understand it and at their request &lt;strong&gt;the Deva will come down again to this world from the Tushita Heaven in the year 1616&lt;/strong&gt;. Then everyone in this world will feel impelled to practice the doctrine or mercy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is, what is this year &quot;1616&quot; that the Manimekalai identifies as the year when Maitreya Buddha will come?  What calendar is it using?  It's clearly not the Gregorian calendar, since that wasn't in vogue in 6th century India.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="19" LastActivityDate="2017-09-09T07:35:00.137" Title="When will Maitreya Buddha come according to the Manimekalai?" Tags="|literature|maitreya-buddha|mythology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21677" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21623" CreationDate="2017-07-23T14:19:08.290" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question mean nothing in present, in the past, and in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But buddha mean present thing is nothing in the past, and present thing is nothing in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate realities of human being are causes and effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana ultimate reality is perfect finished of causes and effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta is uncontrollable to being or nothing. There are just causes arising to make effects. And effects vanishing because of causes vanishing. No self, no atta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ultimate realities all is anatta. Ultimate realities of human being is present, past (present of it's past) and future (present of it's future). They are present because of their causes arising. They are past because of their causes vanishing. They are future because of their causes still possible to arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana ultimate reality is no time because it has not any cause, so no any effect, too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-23T14:29:15.240" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T14:29:15.240" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21678" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21616" CreationDate="2017-07-23T18:10:32.173" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a type of meditation called samatha, which is &quot;the Buddhist practice (bhāvanā) of the calming of the mind (citta) and its 'formations' (saṅkhāra).&quot; [1]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since you are asking how to calm your mind in a time of stress, practicing this type of meditation will help to alleviate your worries.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice is simple. You focus on a single object, such as the breath, and whenever your mind wanders, you bring it back to the breathing. If you have never meditated before, I would recommend reading this &lt;a href=&quot;http://budsas.org/ebud/ebmed081.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;brief description of the technique&lt;/a&gt;. Feel free to read the whole thing (it is not terribly long), but the practical part starts at &lt;strong&gt;Meditation Instructions&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[1] &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T18:10:32.173" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21679" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21623" CreationDate="2017-07-23T19:33:42.393" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha's reality is relational - non-Self is the inferred (observational evidence at enlightenment &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn27&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN27&lt;/a&gt;) understanding that if 'things' are only ever observed as impermanent, they cannot be said to be observed to have a permanent core (or shell, or any other observed aspect). Things are not provisional, simply subject to conditions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'You' and 'I' are not provisional in the Buddha's words, rather the concepts are subject to a mother and father for the conditions of birth, food and water for the conditions of life, and some other conditions for death (say a spear in the eye, or lack of food). This is not saying anything more than we already see - things are not observed to exist independently in and of themselves, independent of others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not a nihilistic existence, but experience and values are derived from relations, not things in and of themselves.. all experience being observed as impermanent and lacking any and all notions of Self, universal values (Dhamma) are therefore rationally derivable (subject to the continued validity of the observation of impermanence).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_quantum_mechanics&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_quantum_mechanics&lt;/a&gt; for modern evidence as to the effectiveness of the world view).. from a relational QM point of view, properties arise only with observation and interaction (not without observation as that would be unverifiable - both unscientific and un-Buddhist), with individual quanta empty of independent properties. In other words - empty jenga blocks don't build concrete, well delineated Selves - 'I' is a useful everyday notion, but no thing certain or permanently delineated within the structure of experience. The notion of Self is frame dependent - dependent on observation, subjective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The objective truths of the world are those of impermanence, non-Self and unsatisfactoriness with such a 'build' for psychological systems (the last point being the first step to building the Buddha's world view - 'limited resources, unlimited wants', but with evidence beforehand)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="7309" LastEditDate="2017-07-23T20:01:44.343" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T20:01:44.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21680" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-23T19:36:54.307" Score="1" ViewCount="1531" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pardon my English .I was lucky enough to meet this man . This man is living Buddha . He is not a monk. Lives simple life. He is such a mystery.  I'm in love with enlightened man.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not recent ... it's been years and years... He never claimed that but it's absolutely obvious to me.  He is extremely handsome intelligent and more , so much more. I can feel when he enters the room, there is so much heat or fire. He is shining and he makes everyone around him smile. He has big beautiful eyes they are so sharp it's like he can see through appearances . He is absolutely perfect.  I think about him day and night all the time I cannot forget him. It's my attachment to pleasure or is this real love??? When i think of him i just melt. On the other hand i know he is not interested in me as a woman and will never be. And it drives me nuts. I feel stupid. What to do?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was planning to tell him that, but am so scared that i'll feel stupid. I suppose it's obvious on my face anyway. But it's been so long and the feeling gets stronger. I should move on i know it, but he is such a perfection... I have no word to describe this man . Just ''ahh''.  How to let go?? or should i keep?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11799" LastEditorUserId="8780" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T23:31:16.697" LastActivityDate="2020-07-18T08:48:39.260" Title="Help! I'm in love with enlightened man" Tags="|nirvana|relationship|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21681" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-23T21:47:39.223" Score="2" ViewCount="228" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I make a very good Buddhist. The thing is I really don't like people. They constantly disappoint me. I find most people to be so stupid. Take for example half of America and the idiotic orange leader they have elected. What kind of idiots would elect a bigoted narcissistic fool such as this?? I don't care if it's &quot;wrong speech&quot;, I'm not going to be polite about it, the man is a delusional scumbag and such a negative force on the planet.   I cannot feel any compassion or kindness for him or his ignorant redneck believers. If someone killed him I would honestly feel glad. Yet a short distance away in Canada there is one of the most compassionate amazing leaders ever to grace the earth.  Go figure.  America seems like hell on earth to me. &#xA;Most of the world seems to currently be controlled by dangerous mentally ill people. A lot of the time I dont even want to be here anymore. The amount of money it costs just to scrape by and survive this life now is another reason that I don't want to be here. A life that is sustained by money feels so meaningless. Sure life is more than about money but let's face it without it you die and nobody cares less. It's all so screwed up.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="10950" LastEditDate="2017-07-23T22:35:10.390" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T15:34:56.000" Title="How to be kind when you don't like people or the world?" Tags="|daily-life|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21682" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-23T22:35:14.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that real love is more like unity, like being the same.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment is more like artificial excitement, desire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense, love and attachment are different things. Love is like calm warm extending, open and limitless. In that, you discover limitless unity with all beings, all universe. That is immersing deeper in true reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Attachment is stimulating your feelings, which is like taking stimulants - it will pass, bringing hangover.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Love does not create problems, attachment does. Love makes wiser, attachment makes vexed and blind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a person you love is indeed excellent in wisdom and compassion, ask his advice just like you wrote here. It might be not necessary to say that you ask his advice for yourself. Just ask what would he think and advise people in such situations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T22:35:14.540" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21683" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21681" CreationDate="2017-07-23T23:05:13.120" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have answered before on &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; threads (where I usually get downvoted) but it is best to start with &lt;em&gt;equanimity&lt;/em&gt; towards the world &amp;amp; then move up to &lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt; (when appropriate). Dhammapada states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;171. Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;58. Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;59. Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are enlightened, kindness is merely a natural emotion that eminates from your own freedom of heart &amp;amp; kindness towards yourself in your cultivation of liberation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T23:05:13.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21684" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-23T23:07:21.397" Score="1" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a question with how to properly meditate, and a quick glance at other questions at this site seem to indicate I believe this exchange can provide answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have two questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1) When I meditate, I often find myself daydreaming more than having thoughts bother me, although I can very occasionally find myself daydreaming of something in my past that was unpleasant (doesn't seem to happen much though). To simply observe this thought, do I let it play out or try and&#xA;focus on my breathing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) I have some symptoms of OCD, such as the whim of my internal voice at times playing out an uncomfortable experience in my head or a statement that bothers me (which is why my mind states it), and I worry if I don't address I might subconsciously believe it. (Such as, if the compulsive thought that bothered me was &quot;I'm a bad person&quot; and if I just let that sit with me instead of addressing it, merely observe it, I might subconsciously believe it. This is just an example but it illustrates what I'm getting at). Can I rest assured just observing such a thought won't cause such subconscious beliefs?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11801" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T14:48:31.997" Title="Meditation help - Am i observing a thought like I should or entertaining it?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21685" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-23T23:23:00.203" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;If he is really enlightened, he will not be interested in you (romantically). If he is interested in you (romantically), he is not enlightened. The Pali suttas state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is impossible for... whose mental fermentations are ended to engage in sexual intercourse.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sutava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, he could show friendship (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) towards you. True spiritual friends (&lt;em&gt;kalyanamitta&lt;/em&gt;) are difficult to find in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-23T23:23:00.203" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21686" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21684" CreationDate="2017-07-24T00:14:05.340" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;What you have described is not really &quot;observing&quot;. It is &quot;thinking&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking &amp;amp; observing are basically two different &amp;amp; antagonist activities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While there is a place for thinking, pondering or 'reflection' (&lt;em&gt;yoniso manasikara&lt;/em&gt;) in Buddhist meditation, it is not observing (&lt;em&gt;anupassi&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if you just let thinking continue instead of addressing it, you certainly might subconsciously believe it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the thought arises: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am a bad person&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, you should investigate or examine the truth or falseness of this thought; but in terms of emotions &amp;amp; actions rather than '&lt;em&gt;persons&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are five precepts which are about: (i) killing; (ii) stealing; (iii) unwholesome sex; (iv) dishonesty; &amp;amp; (v) drugs &amp;amp; alcohol. These five are bad or harmful actions. In addition, thoughts &amp;amp; emotions of greed, anger/hatred &amp;amp; selfishness are also considered bad or harmful. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, a meditator does not think: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am a bad person&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Instead, a meditator acknowledges or refects: &quot;&lt;em&gt;This is a harmful emotion&lt;/em&gt;&quot; or &quot;&lt;em&gt;This a harmful action&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. The focus here is upon the emotion or the action rather than the person. The meditator then reflects (thinks about) why the emotion or action is bad or harmful, which, in itself, will change the emotion &amp;amp; action towards a good emotion &amp;amp; good action. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-24T00:22:39.540" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T00:22:39.540" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21687" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21684" CreationDate="2017-07-24T02:23:42.010" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;1) The answer to the first question. Focus on the object, and skillfully reject all your own thoughts. Needs months to years of practice though depending one's ability. Will get it eventually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) OCD....&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T02:23:42.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21688" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21619" CreationDate="2017-07-24T02:42:56.780" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/patika_sutta.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patika Sutta&lt;/a&gt; tells about the rebirth of naked ascetic Korakkhattiya to Sunakhatta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I do not begrudge others their Arahantship, you foolish man! It is only in you that this evil view has arisen. Cast it aside lest it should be to your harms and sorrow for a long time! &lt;strong&gt;This naked ascetic Korakkhattiya, whom you regard as a true Arahant, will die in seven days from indigestion, and when he is dead he will reappear among the Kalakanja asuras, who are the very lowest grade of asuras.&lt;/strong&gt; And when he is dead he will be cast aside on a heap of Birana-grass in the charnel ground. If you want to,&#xA;  Sunakkhatta, you can go to him and ask him if he knows his fate. And it may be that he will tell you: ‘Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras, the very lowest grade of asuras.’&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Sunakhatta goes to that naked ascetic Korakhattiya and tells all the things told by Buddha:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;‘Then Sunakkhatta went to Korakkhattiya and told him what I had prophesied,&lt;/strong&gt; adding: &amp;quot;Therefore, friend Korakkhattiya, &lt;strong&gt;be very careful what you eat and drink, so that the ascetic Gotama’s words may be proved wrong!&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;quot; And Sunakkhatta was so sure that the Tathágata’s words would be proved wrong that he counted up the seven days one by one. &lt;strong&gt;But on the seventh day Korakkhattiya died of indigestion, and when he was dead he reappeared among the Kalakanja asuras,&lt;/strong&gt; and his body was cast aside on a heap of Birana-grass in the charnel ground. ‘And Sunakkhatta heard of this, so he went to the heap of birana-grass in the charnel ground where Korakkhattiya was lying, struck the body three times with his hand, and said: &amp;quot;Friend Korakkhattiya, do you know your fate?&amp;quot; And Korakkhattiya sat up and rubbed his back with his hand, &lt;strong&gt;and said: &amp;quot;Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras, the very lowest grade of asuras.&amp;quot; And with that he fell back again.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8561" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T02:42:56.780" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21689" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-24T03:28:54.960" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's no &quot;living Buddha&quot;. The Buddha existed more than 2500 years ago. &#xA;Looks like you are overcome by lust/passion. Usually &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Patikulamanasikara&lt;/a&gt; meditation is recommended to such individuals&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T03:28:54.960" CommentCount="12" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21690" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21681" CreationDate="2017-07-24T03:38:51.137" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If the whole world is covered in broken glass, you could either try to wrap the world in leather or you could start wearing sandals. Trying to wrap the world in leather is like trying to change people in  the world. Wearing sandals is like fixing your own mind so the outside factors cannot bother you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are overwhelmed by hate, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metta meditation&lt;/a&gt; is the one recommended. Once you have your hate subdued to a degree you could move on to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Satipattana meditation&lt;/a&gt; which will eventually eliminate anger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T03:38:51.137" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21691" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-24T03:40:45.350" Score="1" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I, for example, was meditating, and the thought came in my mind, say, obsessive-compulsively (meaning it keeps resurfacing due to the fact that the thought bothers me): &quot;I'm a bad person&quot;, if I ignored it and returned to my breathing, would my &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; addressing the thought and thinking &quot;No, I'm not, and here's why..&quot; cause me to subconsciously believe I'm a bad person? It's holding me back from meditating because I feel uneasy about dropping the thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11801" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T18:20:01.550" Title="Not addressing a thought when meditating" Tags="|meditation|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21692" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-24T05:18:35.793" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dukha - not getting we want, getting what we don't want, getting what we want then losing it.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact is you don't really know this man is enlightened and it doesn't even really matter whether he is or not. Sounds to me more like he exudes confidence and charisma which is always attractive. Confident people attract people like flies to shit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have two choices -&#xA;1)forget it and get on with your life. &#xA;2)try to hook up with him.    Number two obviously involves some risk, risk of rejection, risk of falling in love then being heart broken etc but you never know unless you try. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T05:18:35.793" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21694" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21707" CreationDate="2017-07-24T07:27:10.333" Score="0" ViewCount="126" Body="&lt;p&gt;When some living being like dog or any mini bacteria are killed, since they are not self aware or concious do they feel the same type of pain as we do? what is the difference between their suffering and our suffering? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorDisplayName="user10568" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T06:12:18.180" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T08:40:27.393" Title="If a living being is not self aware than can he experience suffering or pleasure?" Tags="|awareness|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21695" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-24T07:55:07.513" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is hard to say unless you are an animal or bacteria.&#xA;In general observation, it appears animals such as dogs enjoy the sex and they feel the pain.&#xA;According to Buddhist teaching animals possess five aggregate same as the human.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Interesting video to watch. In this video, it is explained in plain English that any living and breathing organism has consciousness and how we interpret pain and pleasure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/lyu7v7nWzfo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Your brain hallucinates your conscious reality | Anil Seth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-07-24T20:36:47.303" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T20:36:47.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21696" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-07-24T08:02:17.493" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The answer depends on whether you are practicing Samatha or Vipassana meditation.  Vipassana meditation has two aspects of knowing and developing. That is Samma Sati (right mindfulness) and Samma Vayama (right effort).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T08:02:17.493" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21697" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21681" CreationDate="2017-07-24T08:05:32.533" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What really matters is whether you follow the noble eightfold path and you understand the four noble truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T08:05:32.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21698" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-24T08:16:01.953" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is quite normal.Be aware of your feelings and use your commonsense.&#xA;There is a story where a woman (female monk) had fallen love with Ven Ananda and a beautiful woman was proposed to Buddha.&#xA;Here is another story.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;------------&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as they were leaving the city the Venerable Maha Kaccana was standing at the city gate, putting on his outer robe before entering to walk on alms round. When the youth Soreyya beheld the golden-hued body of the elder, he thought to himself: &quot;Oh, that this elder might become my wife! Or may the hue of my wife's body become like the hue of his body!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the very moment this thought passed through his mind, Soreyya was instantly transformed from a man into a woman. Startled by this inexplicable change of sex, he jumped out of the carriage and fled before the others could notice what had occurred. Gradually he made his way to the city of Takkasila. His companions searched for him in vain and reported his strange disappearance to his parents. When all attempts to trace him proved futile, his parents concluded that he had died and they had the funeral rites performed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel405.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel405.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T08:16:01.953" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21699" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-24T10:36:45.037" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;More primitive life forms, such as worms or fish, have a nervous system, therefore their nervous system experiences physical pain. Dogs are probably more complex and have emotions such as lust, love, &lt;em&gt;emotional&lt;/em&gt; attachment; that makes them experience &lt;em&gt;emotional&lt;/em&gt; sorrow &amp;amp; unhappiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However. as we can directly experience, homo sapiens (people) have the &lt;em&gt;egoistic&lt;/em&gt; attachment (&lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt;) of self-identity (&lt;em&gt;sakkaya ditthi&lt;/em&gt;), which is born from thought conception. This &lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;em&gt;sakkaya ditthi&lt;/em&gt; is the '&lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;' ('&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;') Buddhism seeks to eliminate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it is a fair assumption worms &amp;amp; fish cannot create the &lt;em&gt;upadana&lt;/em&gt; of &lt;em&gt;sakkaya ditthi&lt;/em&gt;; and probably also dogs.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu, ‘&lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt;’ &lt;strong&gt;is a conceiving&lt;/strong&gt;; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt; this’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall be’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall not be’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall&#xA;  be possessed of form’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall be formless’ is a&#xA;  conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall be percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall be&#xA;  non-percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; shall be&#xA;  neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient’ is a conceiving. &lt;strong&gt;Conceiving is&#xA;  a disease, conceiving is a tumour, conceiving is a dart&lt;/strong&gt;. By overcoming&#xA;  all conceivings, bhikkhu, one is called a sage at peace. MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T10:36:45.037" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21700" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-24T11:00:36.387" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that (according to Buddhism) humans, animals, ghosts, and residents of hell all belong to the same kind of category: all &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentient_beings_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;sentient&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, all composed of the five skandhas, and all subject to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since all belong to the same continuum (i.e. samsara), I expect that they all &quot;lose memory&quot; and that their &quot;suffering finishes&quot; in much the same way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't consider a dog as like a bacterium, by the way: IMO a bacterium is more like a plant than an animal. I think different schools of Buddhism differ on whether plants are &quot;sentient&quot; and have any &quot;consciousness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;don't they just forget or loose the momory of their suffering after it is finished?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't that more-or-less true (or untrue) of people too?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T11:00:36.387" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21701" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13954" CreationDate="2017-07-24T11:06:20.067" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The international and Nepali media, as well as direct witnesses and victims had described Bomjon as too far from even from a normal ethically firm human beings, far from a law-abiding person and too far from compassion. He had attacked seriously dozens of people, luring his victims to himself through promises of secret initiations. They come to his jungle, for a few days or weeks are loved and cared by his resident &quot;Sangha&quot;, and at one point, out of the blue, attacked at Bomjon's order by maroon-robed monks, chained or locked up in his secret houses, beaten with sticks and hands to black and blue, and many of them kept for weeks and even as long as 3 months in his captivity, telling to the outside world that they are in &quot;secluded meditation&quot;! During that, further tortures are inflicted on these victims, if they are women, often even raped and tortured so extremely that two of his victims did not survive. Yet, unfortunately, he has a political backing in his country, and huge money resources, especially from foreign devotees, who are securely kept away from learning the truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have a look at these sights, among many others you can easily Google out:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhaboymedia.wordpress.com/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://buddhaboymedia.wordpress.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://irregulartimes.com/?s=bomjon&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://irregulartimes.com/?s=bomjon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11805" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T11:06:20.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21702" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21619" CreationDate="2017-07-24T12:25:39.973" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is one of my favorites - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.057.nymo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kukkuravatika Sutta: The Dog-duty Ascetic (MN 57)&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The good part - &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Venerable sir, this naked dog-duty ascetic Seniya does what is hard&#xA;  to do: he eats his food when it is thrown on the ground. That dog duty&#xA;  has long been taken up and practiced by him. What will be his&#xA;  destination? What will be his future course?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Here, Punna, someone develops the dog duty fully and unstintingly, he develops the dog-habit fully and unstintingly, he develops the dog&#xA;  mind fully and unstintingly, he develops dog behavior fully and&#xA;  unstintingly. Having done that, on the dissolution of the body, after&#xA;  death, he reappears in the company of dogs. But if his view is such as&#xA;  this: 'By this virtue or duty or asceticism or religious life I shall&#xA;  become a (great) god or some (lesser) god,' that is wrong view in his&#xA;  case. Now there are two destinations for one with wrong view, I say:&#xA;  hell or the animal womb. So, Punna, if his dog duty is perfected, it&#xA;  will lead him to the company of dogs; if it is not, it will lead him&#xA;  to hell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T12:25:39.973" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21703" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-07-24T13:34:51.277" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Continuous thinking&lt;/a&gt; leads to latent tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikshu, as regards the source from which proliferation of conception and perception assails a person: if one were to find nothing there to delight in, nothing there to welcome, nothing to cling to—this is the end of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of lust,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of aversion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of doubt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of conceit,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of desire for existence, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the ending of the taking up of the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, mayhem [strife], slandering and lying —here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avuso, dependent on the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind] and [form | sound | smell | taste | touch | mind-object], [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind]-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception assails a person regarding past, future and present [forms | sounds | smells | tastes | touch | mind-objects] cognizable through the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Best option is to drop it and get back to meditation. Also thinking gives and intellectual stimulation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;vi. On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of that they are stimulating and pleasant or depressing you should not get averse or attached to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get distracting thoughts, look at what sensations they have produced, i.e., they were pleasant thoughts or unpleasant thoughts. Stay with the sensation equanimously for a while until it subsides and then return to your object of mediation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T13:34:51.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21704" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-24T13:47:55.600" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In all &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;31 planes of existence&lt;/a&gt; there is attachment to life except for the plane for &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/asa%C3%B1%C3%B1asatt%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Unconscious Beings (asaññasatta)&lt;/a&gt;. So a dog feels pain thus like us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also any being in any plane are self aware except for enlightened beings who do not have self conceiving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also we all lose some notion of suffering otherwise hence why 1st Noble Truth is not readily comprehensible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T13:47:55.600" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21705" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21684" CreationDate="2017-07-24T14:07:25.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikshu, as regards the source from which proliferation of conception and perception assails a person: if one were to find nothing there to delight in, nothing there to welcome, nothing to cling to—this is the end of&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of lust,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of aversion,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of doubt,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of conceit,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of desire for existence, and&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of ignorance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the ending of the taking up of the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, mayhem [strife], slandering and lying —here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;…&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avuso, dependent on the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind] and [form | sound | smell | taste | touch | mind-object], [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind]-consciousness arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The meeting of the three is contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;With contact as condition, there is feeling.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one feels, one perceives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one perceives, one thinks about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From that as source, proliferation of conception and perception assails a person regarding &lt;strong&gt;past, future and present&lt;/strong&gt; [forms | sounds | smells | tastes | touch | mind-objects] cognizable through the [eye | ear | nose | tongue | body | mind].&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_proliferation&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Continuous thinking&lt;/a&gt; leads to an avalanche of thoughts about the past, present and future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;proliferation of conception and perception assails a person regarding &lt;strong&gt;past, future and present&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As you have recognised the thoughts can be pleasant or painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;vi. On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/4.17-Dhatu-Vibhanga-S-m140-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of that they are stimulating and pleasant or depressing you should not get averse or attached to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pahāna Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you get distracting thoughts, look at what sensations they have produced, i.e., they were pleasant thoughts or unpleasant thoughts. Stay with the sensation equanimously for a while until it subsides and then return to your object of mediation. When the sensations subside there will be lesser through proliferation, hence lesser distractions due to thoughts. Prematurely bringing your attention meditation object, while strong sensations persist, may result in further distracting thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You should break the chain of thoughts. Repeated thinking can lead to view which is a latent tendency. These can be self centered view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;the latent tendency of views,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The view can lead to superiority or inferiority complex. E.g. I am good, I am bad, I am better than X, I am worse than Y, etc. This is &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81na&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mana&lt;/a&gt; which is also a &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetters_(Buddhism)&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fetter&lt;/a&gt; and also an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_factors_(Buddhism)#Fourteen_unwholesome_mental_factors&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unwholesome mental state&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When these thoughts arise you should look at them in a detached way as a passive observer while being equanimous. Observing in such a way these view slowly dissolve. Getting involved with the thoughts by rejecting, ignoring them or getting attached to them reinforces these beliefs. So you subconscious beliefs will not be affected if you are not equanimously observing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing so the thoughts will also subside quickly with less thoughts proliferation, in which case you can bring back attention to your meditation object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T14:48:31.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21706" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21681" CreationDate="2017-07-24T15:34:56.000" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;These opinions you have, what is the source of them? What is the source of any opinion? Have you met either man or did you read an article, hear a report or hear someone talking about them in a bar? If you haven't met them, consider how you have relied on intermediaries to form an opinion of two people you don't actually know. Do you trust these intermediaries (tv companies, newspapers, members of the general public)? Why? Meditate on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All the world's a stage,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And all the men and women merely players;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  They have their exits and their entrances,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider the double meaning of &lt;em&gt;entrances&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;exits&lt;/em&gt;. What are the entrances and exits of a human being? What goes into the body and via what channels? What is light? What is sound? What is food and water for? What about air? How long can you go without these things? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T15:34:56.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21707" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-24T21:49:19.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dogs don't forget pain. You only have to look at a dog that has been continuously beaten and then cringes or tries to bite anyone who tries to pet it.  Yes it has become an automatic reaction but there must be some kind of memory there about humans not being trustworthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-24T21:49:19.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21709" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21711" CreationDate="2017-07-25T07:54:07.033" Score="6" ViewCount="1778" Body="&lt;p&gt;If somebody does sin or bad karma, harms other living beings, but that person doesn't believe in karma and believes that karma is just an illusion. then how does his bad actions will harm him? For example, if I kill a mouse but I totally believe that nothing will happen, karma or religion is just people's belief, then will I ever be punished for that karma and such believe? Because there is also one saying that everything is just our belief? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And also if I later ask for forgiveness to god for my bad karmas then will my bad karmas be forgiven? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="14931" LastEditDate="2019-03-20T12:29:14.050" LastActivityDate="2019-03-26T21:14:20.917" Title="Can somebody remove their bad karma by believing that it doesn't exist?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21710" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T08:13:03.247" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;After you killed mosquito, these cases will happen without believing: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most of mosquito's family hate you. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most of anti-killing-people hate  you, too.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your memory will memorized that killing consciousness, then everytime you listen about the bad result of that killing conscioueness, you will feel bad.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No need believing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T08:13:03.247" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21711" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T09:01:27.673" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you follow through with an actions the motivation can be either wholesome or unwholesome . If it is wholesome then the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/m%C5%ABla&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;roots&lt;/a&gt; are greedlessness, hatelessness, undeludedness (alobha, adosa, amoha) and if they are unwholesome the roots are greed, hate, delusion (lobha, dosa, moha). These also are known as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/hetu&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;cause&lt;/a&gt; as unwholesome volition results in unwholesome actions, if followed through, and vise versa. The wholesome and unwholesome states are like seeds. They grow and bear fruit. So when you have generate and wholesome/unwholesome state of mind this matures into pleasant/unpleasant experience in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mechanism is not belief base. Say you believe some corn seed is actually wheat but when you plant it the result is that you get corn plants and not wheat. Also if the ground is fertile and the necessary conditions are there for the seed to germinate and grow they will grown and also giving corn, regardless of belief. Same way wholesome/unwholesome state mature into pleasant/unpleasant experience, regardless of belife system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="295" LastEditDate="2017-07-25T09:10:46.067" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T09:10:46.067" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21712" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T09:53:06.113" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are expressing the stock definition of 'wrong view':&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how is right view the forerunner? One discerns wrong view as wrong&#xA;view, and right view as right view. This is one's right view. And what&#xA;is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing&#xA;sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There&#xA;is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no&#xA;spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring&#xA;rightly &amp;amp; practicing rightly, proclaim this world &amp;amp; the next after&#xA;having directly known &amp;amp; realized it for themselves.' This is wrong&#xA;view... &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html#s1&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN117&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More graphically, it is described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are some contemplatives &amp;amp; brahmans who hold this doctrine, hold&#xA;this view: 'In acting or getting others to act, in mutilating or&#xA;getting others to mutilate, in torturing or getting others to torture,&#xA;in inflicting sorrow or in getting others to inflict sorrow, in&#xA;tormenting or getting others to torment, in intimidating or getting&#xA;others to intimidate, in taking life, taking what is not given,&#xA;breaking into houses, plundering wealth, committing burglary,&#xA;ambushing highways, committing adultery, speaking falsehood — one does&#xA;no evil. If with a razor-edged disk one were to turn all the living&#xA;beings on this earth to a single heap of flesh, a single pile of&#xA;flesh, there would be no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even&#xA;if one were to go along the right bank of the Ganges, killing and&#xA;getting others to kill, mutilating and getting others to mutilate,&#xA;torturing and getting others to torture, there would be no evil from&#xA;that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go along the left&#xA;bank of the Ganges, giving and getting others to give, making&#xA;sacrifices and getting others to make sacrifices, there would be no&#xA;merit from that cause, no coming of merit. Through generosity,&#xA;self-control, restraint, and truthful speech there is no merit from&#xA;that cause, no coming of merit. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.060.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN60&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may choose not to believe in cosmic Karma, as in Hinduism, but kamma in Buddhism is only accrued due to intentional actions. Denying intention is denying agency, in one way or another. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; deals with that issue, and with respect to God and kamma's place if God is to be believed in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did say:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Monks, these two are fools. Which two? The one who doesn't see his&#xA;transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn't rightfully&#xA;pardon another who has confessed his transgression. These two are&#xA;fools.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These two are wise people. Which two? The one who sees his&#xA;transgression as a transgression, and the one who rightfully pardons&#xA;another who has confessed his transgression. These two are wise&#xA;people. AN 2.21&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So confession is understood as wise, and acceptance of such is also, but this confession is to a human being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T10:02:26.993" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21713" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-25T10:36:28.767" Score="2" ViewCount="58" Body="&lt;p&gt;The life current is extremely strong, if I consciously bring my attention to a single breath, a single movement of my abdomen, a single moment of my weight or sensation of my sitting bones during daily life, would it still be beneficial to my inner transformation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or is it long hours of (15min plus) sitting meditation, body scanning is only counted?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5069" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T13:09:08.383" Title="Conscious Attention for Inner transformation during daily activities" Tags="|mindfulness|meditation-body|mahasi-sayadaw|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21714" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T10:56:58.777" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is a variation of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/akiriya-ditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akiriya-ditthi&lt;/a&gt; which is basically having the view that there's no merit or demerit to your actions. This is one of the views with a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/niyata-micch%C4%81ditthi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;fixed destination&lt;/a&gt;. Whether you harm someone or not, if you die with this view, you will have no other destination but hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Asking forgiveness from a 'God' will only compound one's ignorance as there is no God.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reply to OP's comments:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It has a fixed destination as in if you die with that view in the mind, you end up in hell. But if a good Karma comes to the mind at the time of the death, you will go to a good place.  The three roots of evil are not always present. Ignorance is present in unenlightened beings when they do bad or good karma. But the term 'ignorance' is an umbrella term. The Pali word Avijja simply points to the lack of the understanding of the four noble truths. It does not necessarily mean having a wrong view like the one you talk about in the question. On the other hand, Micca Ditthi or having a false view is at a whole new level. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ex: Not knowing the cure for diabetes is one thing, but thinking that smoking is the cure for diabetes goes way beyond simply not knowing the cure. Not only it does not cure diabetes, it will make the situation worse. In the same way, simple ignorance just extends your Samsara, but wrong views put you in hells.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2019-03-24T11:58:25.873" LastActivityDate="2019-03-24T11:58:25.873" CommentCount="10" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21715" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21713" CreationDate="2017-07-25T12:30:03.243" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;When this was said, the Blessed One addressed the monks. &quot;Whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, 'O, that I might live for a day &amp;amp; night... for a day... for the interval that it takes to eat a meal... for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up four morsels of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal' — they are said to be dwelling heedlessly. They develop mindfulness of death slowly for the sake of ending the fermentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;But whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one morsel of food... for the interval that it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal&quot; — they are said to be dwelling heedfully. They develop mindfulness of death acutely for the sake of ending the fermentations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/beyondcoping/heedfulness.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/beyondcoping/heedfulness.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T12:30:03.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21716" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21713" CreationDate="2017-07-25T13:09:08.383" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness should be from awakening to falling asleep, i.e., throughout the day. Formal practice time is just a booster and practice to keep your mindfulness thought out the day.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T13:09:08.383" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21717" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-25T17:17:55.023" Score="3" ViewCount="134" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am currently reading &lt;em&gt;The Art of Communication&lt;/em&gt; by Thich Nhat Hanh and going through some rough spots in a relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Buddhist perspective, what is the most loving way to communicate, in a relationship when both people are suffering and have opposite needs? One believes they need space to heal and find themselves, and the other needs understanding that comes through meaningful communication before that time apart will seem restorative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11677" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T21:03:36.340" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T21:03:36.340" Title="Loving Communication" Tags="|ethics|lay-buddhism|loving-kindness|layman|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21718" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21737" CreationDate="2017-07-25T17:58:10.990" Score="1" ViewCount="103" Body="&lt;p&gt;So many times I've read and watched in news that people are taking video in their phone while crime is happening and someone burning in fire, one badly bleeding and facing to the death. So does those people are mostly reasonable cause of victims death?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do they need to pay more than actual criminal when they could save them?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;I thought they are real criminals. I'm really afraid what's happening in this &quot;Modern weird world&quot;. If I were there I could save those people. I'm really feel very very bad cause I couldn't help them out.People just taking video to viral on social medias. I really don't understand this kind of nature.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is waiting for them?    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T09:17:17.940" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T14:03:04.650" Title="Weird people and their Karma" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21719" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-25T18:08:32.087" Score="4" ViewCount="378" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it fine if you are mindful while doing it? Or did the Buddha denounce such practices as revelling or exaggerating emotions to provide temporary relief? I find that simply being mindful while repressing emotions has a tendency towards leading to passive aggressiveness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be specific, I mean actions like systematically screaming to release anger, systematically feeling to release sorrow... etc. Purposely releasing these mindstates and going over the top instead of repressing them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about other traditions aside from Therevada? Do they share a similar view towards catharsis, or is that not the case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11033" LastEditorUserId="11033" LastEditDate="2017-07-25T18:25:23.757" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T11:45:27.547" Title="What is the general Buddhist consensus on catharsis?" Tags="|theravada|mahayana|psychology|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21721" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-07-25T18:50:12.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Obsessive-compulsive tendency means attachment to thoughts, giving them too much importance. Instead of addressing thoughts, we can observe our mind. It's like reflections and mirror. If you are captivated by reflections, or struggle against reflections, you manipulate with reflections - and they remain in power. Instead, you can shift your attention to space where reflections happen. Mirror is not touched by reflections.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if you just observe the thoughts, not trailing them with more thoughts, not being captured by thoughts, then you can remain in stable mind, untouched by thoughts. Your mind will gradually realize their illusory nature. Thoughts have causes and effects, so they have no power by themselves. All their power is brought by causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditating, you can gradually develop awareness of thoughts and their causes, and develop non-attachment to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you could realize that &quot;I am a bad person&quot; is just a stupid idea, an illusory construction that has nothing to do in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. In case of &quot;constant thinking&quot;, the thought repeats again and again. Why does it repeat? Because there is some &lt;strong&gt;intention&lt;/strong&gt; beyond repeating thoughts. Then we can use several methods:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Keep the observation and try to let go of thoughts. Eventually the mind may get bored with that thought and stop repeat it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/channews/09-1982.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Letting go (Ch'an Newsletter - No. 24, September 1982)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Investigate the intention. &quot;Why does this thought return, again and again? What for?&quot; Investigating intentions, you could change your mental processes and get rid of obsessions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the thought &quot;I'm a bad person&quot; can come due to the intention to understand that marking people as &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; is not an efficient way to deal with problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T13:34:08.537" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T13:34:08.537" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21722" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21717" CreationDate="2017-07-25T19:04:17.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism always recommends truthful (&lt;em&gt;sacca&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; gentle (&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/soracca&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;soracca&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;) speech in relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three other qualities emphasised are: (i) training (&lt;em&gt;dama&lt;/em&gt;) in self-improvement; (ii) patience (&lt;em&gt;khanti&lt;/em&gt;); &amp;amp; (iii) sacrifice (&lt;em&gt;caga&lt;/em&gt;). See &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At this time, the above qualities are obviously crucial in your 'rough spot'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the most important quality of relationship in Buddhism is '&lt;em&gt;mutual or same needs&lt;/em&gt;'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present time but also in the future, they should have the&#xA;same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity and the&#xA;same wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Both husband and wife are endowed with faith, charitable and self-controlled, living their lives righteously, addressing each other&#xA;with pleasant words,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then many benefits accrue to them and they dwell at ease. When both are the same in virtue.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Samajivina Sutta: The Same in Living&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A commentary on this teaching by Thailand's foremost scholar monk is below:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The compatible couple: there are principles for partners in life to ensure their compatibility, providing a firm foundation for a long married life, called the four qualities for a good match (samajivi-dhamma):&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Sama-saddha: having compatible faith; they uphold the same religion, revere the same objects of worship, concepts, beliefs or principles,&#xA;and &lt;strong&gt;share the same lines of interest&lt;/strong&gt; - they are equally firm in all&#xA;these or can reach agreement on them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Sama-sila: having compatible morality; they have conduct, morality, ethics, manners and upbringing which are harmonious or compatible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Sama-caga: having compatible generosity; they are in accord, not conflict, with each other in their generosity, hospitality,&#xA;munificence, sacrifice, and readiness to help others.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Sama-panna: having compatible intelligence; they are sensible and can understand each other; they can at least reason with each other.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_3.htm#13&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;A Constitution for Living: Buddhist Principles for a Fruitful and Harmonious Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without same needs or goals, Buddhism would say a relationship is difficult to maintain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T19:41:39.080" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21723" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21719" CreationDate="2017-07-25T19:22:32.307" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In my opinion, catharsis is a hindrance (non-meditaion) therefore not really related to Buddhism. Catharsis is a product of a deficiency in morality &amp;amp; self-control (as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;). In other words, catharsis is a secular matter rather than a Buddhist matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is the nutriment for the five hindrances? It should be said: the three kinds of misconduct.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn20&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 20&lt;/a&gt;, it is taught as one of five methods that sometimes a person must let a hindrance arise to overcome it. Often emotions are so strong, they must be endured and allowed to arise &amp;amp; run their course.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might consider: ‘Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?’ and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: ‘Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?’ and he would stand; then he might consider: ‘Why am I standing? What if I sit?’ and he would sit; then he might consider: ‘Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?’ and he would lie down. By doing so he would &lt;strong&gt;substitute for each grosser posture (thought) one that was subtler&lt;/strong&gt;. So too…when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts…his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T20:29:47.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21724" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21717" CreationDate="2017-07-25T21:22:07.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;Love&quot; seems to me to be quite an ambiguous word in English ... for example, depending on who's saying it, &quot;I love you&quot; might mean &quot;You give me what I need&quot;, or, &quot;I give you what you need.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brahmaviharas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the recommendations about &quot;being loving&quot; is the doctrine of the &lt;em&gt;Brahma-viharas&lt;/em&gt; ... for example, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this essay&lt;/a&gt; introduces them by saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be &lt;em&gt;excellent&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;sublime&lt;/em&gt; because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (&lt;em&gt;sattesu samma patipatti&lt;/em&gt;). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Brahma-viharas are incompatible with a hating state of mind ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think they're all worth considering. If your partner becomes more enlightened then that would be occasion for &lt;em&gt;mudita&lt;/em&gt;, for example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The recommendation that these are right attitudes isn't specific to people who are &quot;in a relationship&quot; but, given they're for &quot;all situations&quot;, that includes someone with whom you have a relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Traditional responsibilities&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suttas include advice for married couples, including &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammananda/marriage.html#ch6&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a definition of responsibilities&lt;/a&gt; ... the duties of the husband and the duties of a wife.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure it's sensible (I doubt it's sensible) to have these expectations of your partner if they're unwilling (i.e. if you don't see things from the same perspective).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the extent that people do have needs, expectations, and duties, I think they're supposed to have different kinds of needs: e.g. what children need (and what your duties towards them are), is different from what your wife needs, your employees need, your parents need, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it's easy in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_family&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;modern society&lt;/a&gt; for a couple to try (and fail) to be all things to each other.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Not&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Notwithstanding the Brahmaviharas, it seems to me that many Buddhist qualities or ideals are defined as a &quot;not&quot;: for example, being &quot;harmless&quot; (&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/avihims%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Avihimsā&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, also translated as &quot;friendliness or &quot;absence of cruelty&quot;); or, &quot;attachment&quot; (desire, clinging) is seen as a cause of suffering, so conversely non-attachment is a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly I think that being selfish (which I think includes having views such as &quot;I need this&quot; and &quot;I need that&quot;, and &quot;I need you&quot; and &quot;I need you to do this and that for me&quot;) is going to be counter-productive to the aim of reducing suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Expectations&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a bit of advice &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254&quot;&gt;in this answer&lt;/a&gt; about what to look for in a marriage partner.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I may say so I think I might interpret the subject of &quot;needs&quot; a little differently than Dhammadhatu does. One of the foundational virtues is &quot;generosity&quot; (i.e. giving), which might be seen as almost the opposite of being &quot;needy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I expect young children (infants) to be &quot;needy&quot;, I kind of expect adults to be the opposite of needy, i.e. generous and independent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Specifically&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You said that the two of you have &quot;opposite needs&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My theory is that you would do better if you were less needy, or at least more independent at satisfying your own needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I actually see each of those needs in isolation (rather than being in opposition to each other).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One believes they need space to heal and find themselves&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure there is a &quot;self&quot; to find (so this &quot;need&quot; might be either doomed to failure, or at least badly expressed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What more likely I think is that this one has a current view-of-self which they don't like (a view that's self-imposed and/or which their partner is trying to impose on them).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suspect they might not &quot;find themselves&quot; but do want to escape from a view-of-self which they find constraining. For example if they're being told &quot;You don't meet my needs&quot;, that's disparaging (their partner might do better to, instead, encourage what they're good at).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;the other needs understanding that comes through meaningful communication&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three theoretical problems I foresee with this include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asking for &quot;understanding&quot; is asking for an overcoming of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;confusion&lt;/a&gt;, which is difficult ... not impossible but maybe a central problem or &quot;root&quot; of all other problems&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Any communication might be seen as unsatisfactory (&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;unsatisfactoriness&lt;/a&gt; might be a characteristic of almost anything), so saying &quot;I need communication&quot; as implying that &quot;My need could be satisfied by communication&quot; might not be true&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It puts of burden (a demand) on the partner: &quot;You must communicate with me, otherwise my need will not be satisfied.&quot; I think that (perhaps paradoxically) a &quot;loving&quot; relationship might be better when the partners are more independent and less demanding.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T21:22:07.117" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21726" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T22:06:52.853" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Just be kind to yourself, and don't do any action that you don't have to do , or don't enjoy. This statement can benefit you, if you see and become aware of ,all the energies and sensations, gross and subtle , within your body, feelings, mind , and contents of mind. In other words, your whole being. Good Luck&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11723" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T22:06:52.853" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21727" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21626" CreationDate="2017-07-25T22:19:41.197" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let's see . What if you substitute the word Dharma in your logical analysis in the place of Karma. What could you conclude then? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11723" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T22:19:41.197" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21728" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21709" CreationDate="2017-07-25T23:24:00.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And also if i latter ask for forgiveness to god for my bad karmas than will my bad karmas be forgiven?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. The kamma will be forgiven because there is the recognition the kamma was wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as there is really no god, there is also no magical cosmic kamma. All that exists is: (i) the feeling of internal pain &amp;amp; stress due to performing bad kamma; and (ii) the feeling of relief &amp;amp; pleasantness when the bad kamma is purified. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, if you ask god for forgiveness, ask buddha for forgiveness, ask yourself for forgiveness or ask a mouse for forgiveness, as long as you see your former bad kamma was wrong &amp;amp; realise you should not do that kamma (action) again, there will be forgiveness &amp;amp; relief. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-25T23:24:00.907" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21729" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21732" CreationDate="2017-07-26T00:40:03.800" Score="4" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've read in Buddhist texts that being born into the human world is a rare and privileged event.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If that's the case, then why are killers and &quot;bad&quot; people &lt;em&gt;allowed&lt;/em&gt; to be born into the human world?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure if Buddhists teaching elaborate on the ability to predict a person's future actions but it is my belief and understanding that a person's past karma can foreshadow such a thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5734" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T17:39:07.663" Title="Rarity of the Human World" Tags="|karma|rebirth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21730" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21729" CreationDate="2017-07-26T01:23:07.117" Score="0" Body="&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is not resultant, so while old wholesome kamma making it's resultant arising, the killer can make new unwholesome kamma, together, in the same vithicitta.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kamma fight kamma to take a occasion to make their resultant arise. &lt;strong&gt;In a second we have done millions kamma&lt;/strong&gt;. And each kamma have their resultant. See 4 kamma in chapter 5th of abhidhammatthasangaha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Killer maybe born in niraya 500 times, then in peta 500 times, then in tiracchana 500 times, then in cripple 500 times before being as killers, again, in the present life. See dhammapathattakatha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kamma is uprightly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T01:23:07.117" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21731" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21729" CreationDate="2017-07-26T02:19:58.107" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;People do good and bad both.&#xA;People who have done some good kamma is be born as a human. &#xA;Due to various factors they become killers and bad people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T02:19:58.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21732" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21729" CreationDate="2017-07-26T02:40:47.597" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word translated as 'human' namely, '&lt;em&gt;manussa&lt;/em&gt;' means '&lt;em&gt;high minded&lt;/em&gt;'. It does not mean a 'homo sapien'. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.47&lt;/a&gt; describes the meaning of what is not the human state, as follows:  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sooner, I say, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole&#xA;  than the fool who has gone once to the nether world would regain the&#xA;  human state. For what reason? Because here, bhikkhus...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;...there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity. Here there prevails&#xA;  mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak. For what reason? Because,&#xA;  bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The&#xA;  noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the&#xA;  cessation of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, it can be discerned quite plainly, without any dispute or contraversy, the human state refers to living a harmless righteous enlightened life, which is indeed extremely rare in this world of people devouring, exploiting, abusing, raping &amp;amp; harming themselves &amp;amp; each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T02:52:10.817" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T02:52:10.817" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21733" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21622" CreationDate="2017-07-26T02:58:09.047" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In other words, could such view make sense (or be accepted) in the Buddhist context?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In early Buddhism, which taught all things are not-self (&lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;), this view is unacceptablea, as explained in &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.79&lt;/a&gt;, which states it is wrong view to regard memories of the past as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; &amp;amp; &quot;myself&quot;, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who recollect their manifold past abodes all recollect the five aggregates subject&#xA;  to clinging or a certain one among them. What five?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When recollecting thus, bhikkhus: ‘I had such form in the past,’ it is &lt;strong&gt;just form&lt;/strong&gt; that one recollects. When recollecting: ‘I had such a&#xA;  feeling in the past,’ it is &lt;strong&gt;just feeling&lt;/strong&gt; that one recollects. When&#xA;  recollecting: ‘I had such a perception in the past,’ it is &lt;strong&gt;just&#xA;  perception&lt;/strong&gt; that one recollects. When recollecting: ‘I had such&#xA;  formations in the past,’ it is &lt;strong&gt;just formations&lt;/strong&gt; that one recollects.&#xA;  When recollecting: ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ it is &lt;strong&gt;just&#xA;  consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; that one recollects.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of form whatsoever … Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever … Any kind of&#xA;  formations whatsoever … Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether&#xA;  past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle,&#xA;  inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness should be seen as&#xA;  it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘T&lt;strong&gt;his is not mine, this I am&#xA;  not, this is not my self&lt;/strong&gt;.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is called, bhikkhus, a noble disciple who dismantles and does not build up; who abandons and does not cling; who scatters and does&#xA;  not amass; who extinguishes and does not kindle.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, in later Buddhism, contrary ridiculous ideas were entered in the scriptures, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now, monks, the thought may occur to you that the chariot maker on that occasion was someone else, but it shouldn't be seen in that way.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;I myself was&lt;/strong&gt; the chariot maker on that occasion. I was skilled in&#xA;  dealing with the crookedness, the faults, the flaws of wood. Now I am&#xA;  a worthy one, rightly self-awakened, skilled in dealing with the&#xA;  crookedness, faults &amp;amp; flaws of bodily action; skilled in dealing with&#xA;  the crookedness, faults &amp;amp; flaws of verbal action; skilled in dealing&#xA;  with the crookedness, faults, &amp;amp; flaws of mental action.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.15&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T03:03:20.320" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T03:03:20.320" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21734" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21694" CreationDate="2017-07-26T08:35:07.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Its very clear that dogs are conscious  and feel the same pain as humans do and the suffering is the same suffering   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If by self aware you mean mindful- than most people arent mindful 99.9999% of the time     ---  many many monks if good ones are not mindful most of the time&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;About bacteria i cant say much &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T08:40:27.393" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T08:40:27.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21735" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21738" CreationDate="2017-07-26T09:29:57.050" Score="6" ViewCount="1234" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like some rules in the form of dos &amp;amp; don'ts to ensure happiness &amp;amp; eradication of miseries for making life calm &amp;amp; serene.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorUserId="4888" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T18:44:08.710" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T01:15:10.577" Title="What are do's &amp; dont's which should be followed for serene &amp; calm life?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21736" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21735" CreationDate="2017-07-26T09:49:46.270" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Observing the &quot;five precepts&quot; is the starting point.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five precepts are the &quot;don't do&quot; things (the things to avoid). Then you have to practice things to do -- I ask people in my meditation group not only to observe the five precepts but also practice the opposite. That is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Killing vs loving kindness&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Stealing vs generosity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Inappropriate sex vs refrain&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lying vs telling the truth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Alcohol vs practicing mindfulness &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T15:09:23.833" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T15:09:23.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21737" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21718" CreationDate="2017-07-26T11:32:45.043" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The uncaring kamma will probably affect their life in ways such as problems with their relationships, etc, &amp;amp; also contribute to a bad world, which, if not corrected, will bring a worse world in the future. This is what is waiting for them, namely, &lt;em&gt;hell on earth&lt;/em&gt;, either for them; for their family; for their friends; or for their children. As for the hell you seem to be imagining, this is only of the &lt;em&gt;imagination&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you realise the results of kamma are felt within the heart &amp;amp; also manifest in the quality of relationships &amp;amp; the world, then you will understand a lack of care inwardly brings a lack of care outwardly. This present &quot;weird world&quot; you see is itself the result of the kamma of not caring. There is no requirement to &quot;wait&quot; because the results of uncaring kamma have already come to fruition. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T14:03:04.650" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T14:03:04.650" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21738" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21735" CreationDate="2017-07-26T11:52:20.270" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;The don'ts: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches ten kinds of unskilful action the serious lay Buddhist to refrain from, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Killing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stealing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unwholesome (uncaring) sex&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dishonest speech&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Harsh speech &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Divisive speech&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Frivolous speech&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Greed&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Selfishness &amp;amp; ungratefulness (delusion). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To this add avoiding the roads to ruin (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;), namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Addiction to drugs &amp;amp; alcohol &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gambling &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nightlife/nightclubbing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Addiction to sensual entertainment &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bad friends&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chronically laziness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Add to this: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Avoid borrowing money leading to living beyond your means (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.62&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dos: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The opposite of the above.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Safeguard your social relationships in the 'six directions' (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 31&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Practise friendliness, compassion, appreciation for goodness &amp;amp; equanimity. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Engage in wholesome pleasures, such as exercise, sports, outdoors nature, arts, contemplative music, charity work, generosity, meditation. etc. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The entire list is here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Contents.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T12:02:36.003" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T12:02:36.003" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21739" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-26T14:11:09.467" Score="3" ViewCount="52" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Monks, there is the case where some worthless men study the Dhamma:&#xA;  dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses,&#xA;  spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events,&#xA;  question &amp;amp; answer sessions [the earliest classifications of the Buddha's teachings]. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN22&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's probably a hazy endeavour, but has anyone attempted to reconstruct such a classification from either the suttas or agamas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T14:25:37.067" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T21:52:52.140" Title="Any reconstructions of earliest mentioned classification of canon?" Tags="|history|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21740" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21741" CreationDate="2017-07-26T14:24:54.033" Score="2" ViewCount="205" Body="&lt;p&gt;If someone has done some big bad thing bad to me, which can't be forgotten easily, then is it ok to take revenge on them, if that person is guilty in this matter?  Will it generate any negative karmic impression in me? should it? Which is important: peace or justice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T17:40:05.710" LastActivityDate="2017-07-27T12:57:09.637" Title="If someone steals my goods/harms me then is it ok to take revenge on him/her?" Tags="|karma|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21741" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21740" CreationDate="2017-07-26T14:47:39.630" Score="9" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that the opening verses of the Dhammapada, for example, make it clear that &quot;revenge&quot; is not a way to appease emnity; and that &quot;the wise&quot; would &quot;cease their quarrels&quot; instead.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;&quot;... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;&quot;... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;People, other than the wise, do not realize, &quot;We in this world must all die,&quot; (and, not realizing it, continue their quarrels). The wise realize it and thereby their quarrels cease.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The problem seems to arise with the initial thought, &quot;someone has done some big bad thing to me&quot;. I think that's the kind of problem which the doctrines of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/8735/254&quot;&gt;averena&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; are meant to help solve.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T16:57:56.990" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T16:57:56.990" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21742" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21735" CreationDate="2017-07-26T15:02:38.023" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shamelessly stolen from Dhammadhatu's great answer:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Practise friendliness, compassion, appreciation for goodness &amp;amp; equanimity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my personal experience, this is really the make-or-break-factor. It is the one thing which you can positively, actively influence daily, nay, in each moment. It needs no study of any text or &quot;rules&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can often be very easy, but sometimes very hard, which means you can often practise it, and sometimes learn very much from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This includes being nice to your enemies, loving people who would be hated by others, appreciating things other people do which would otherwise seem unappreciable to you, and so on. All of these things are not obvious if you really think them through, but they &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; possible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is very important that what you do to achieve this goal is &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; running around with a constant insincere smile, but the feelings expressed above need to be &lt;em&gt;real&lt;/em&gt;. You need to &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; see what is good about someone who seemingly is &quot;out to get you&quot;, or someone who is &quot;stupid&quot;, and so on. This is the hard part, which will lead to your personal development. But it is noticeable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is some quote about Marilyn Monroe, visiting some GIs in Vietnam, where some guys said that she had such an &lt;em&gt;overwhelming&lt;/em&gt; presence not because she was beautiful, a goddess even, but because she sincerly made everyone feel liked and &quot;on the same level&quot;. That's the kind of quality you're looking for.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another example would be if you were to be attacked - your goal would be to be able to defend from attacks, but in a way that &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; is good for the attacker. You would not want to &quot;break&quot; or kill your attacker. But you would also try, while &quot;winning&quot; decisively, to leave him with his honor intact, or, better yet, find ways so that you both can win and there is no loser at all. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Equanimity obviously entails that you keep your calm in difficult situations, and &lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt; only by suppressing your anger, but by &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; letting the stressfull things &quot;pass through&quot; without letting them harm you. There is a &lt;em&gt;lot&lt;/em&gt; of mind work you can do to achieve that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10242" LastEditorUserId="10242" LastEditDate="2017-07-27T14:57:52.153" LastActivityDate="2017-07-27T14:57:52.153" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21743" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21729" CreationDate="2017-07-26T17:39:07.663" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;bad&quot; people allowed to be born into the human world&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This statement does not make sense. Are you assuming there's some kind of God who is allowing beings to be born as humans?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just because it is hard to get a human birth, it doesn't mean they are going to act virtuous after being born human.&#xA;To give a simile, think of it as becoming the president of a country. How hard it is to achieve that? But does it mean all of them are going to act virtuous after coming to power? Becoming a god is even more rare. But look at how the Mara behaves despite being from the highest heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T17:39:07.663" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21744" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-26T18:35:53.720" Score="2" ViewCount="229" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has anyone read Nagarjuna as claiming only that an effect can never be conceived of as its cause?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking because it would neatly fit my own views on how to understand science, as well as I think rendering annihilation a conceptual impossibilty (for reasons other than that thesis assuming a person).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-11-06T13:54:43.793" Title="Has anyone read Nagarjuna as claiming only that an effect is never its cause?" Tags="|philosophy|self|nagarjuna|causes|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21746" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21744" CreationDate="2017-07-26T21:29:08.310" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;An effect is a cause because it is an effect that is the cause of a cause being defined as a 'cause'. In other words, since a cause is dependent upon an effect to be defined as a 'cause', an effect is the cause of a cause &amp;amp; an effect and is therefore a cause. A cause is similar. Since a cause is also an effect and since an effect is also a cause, there are not really any true causes &amp;amp; true effects. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is merely intellectual gymnastics &amp;amp; not the experience of meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, the mind &lt;em&gt;sees&lt;/em&gt; causes creating effects, such as feelings causing craving or feeling &amp;amp; craving stimulating attachment or refined smooth long breathing causing calmness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These ideas of Nagarjuna are from thinking rather than from observation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In meditation, the mind does not really see 'causes' &amp;amp; 'effects'. Instead, the mind sees one 'phenomena' stimulating another 'phenomena'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think in the manner of Nagarjuna is alien to contemplation (observation) meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there was not the belief X causes the effect Y the path would never be practised because it would not be believed practising the path causes liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, the only reason Nagarjuna must have formulated his idiosyncratic philosophies was for those philosophies to cause a positive effect. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Nagarjuna was actually not seeking to cause a positive effect from his idiosyncratic philosophies then that philosophizing was in vain &amp;amp; for no purpose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagarjuna was often very illogical why Nagarjuna is so easy to refute. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The refutations of Nagarjuna could be as lengthy as his idiosyncratic philosophies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T21:41:03.730" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T21:41:03.730" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21747" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21740" CreationDate="2017-07-26T21:42:30.523" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Justice can be performed peacefully; without anger &amp;amp; violence. Simply use the police. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T21:42:30.523" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21748" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21739" CreationDate="2017-07-26T21:47:34.833" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is this a dodgy quote (despite coming from the exalted MN 22) because birth stories appear to be later additions? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, I did try to compile 'birth stories' and only found around a dozen in the Buddhavaca suttas, such as AN 3.15; MN 50; MN 81; MN 123; MN 143; etc; which seem to be in the style of later works, such as the Jataka Tales, Buddhavamsa &amp;amp; Apadana.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;em&gt;lokuttara&lt;/em&gt; dhamma in SN 22.79 says all memories of the past are mere aggregates &amp;amp; not-self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-26T21:52:52.140" LastActivityDate="2017-07-26T21:52:52.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21749" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21750" CreationDate="2017-07-27T02:44:39.657" Score="4" ViewCount="128" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would like to make a little temple in my home. Something that has my little singing bowl and its' pillow and a container for incense and maybe a little Buddha in a pagoda. Like a desktop thing. I'd use it for meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this frowned upon or allowed or even addressed? I see little temples at businesses and I didnt know how that all worked. Honestly I dont really care about a reputation or anything like that. I just need a tenable, defendable position about it if asked and you people are smarter than I.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-27T04:42:59.237" Title="Buddhism view on idol worship?" Tags="|personal-practice|worship|general-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21750" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21749" CreationDate="2017-07-27T04:42:59.237" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Pali suttas, the Buddha seemed to praise honoring him &amp;amp; his virtues, i.e., for the right purpose (such as did not occur in the case of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vakkali&lt;/a&gt;, who was rebuked). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a Buddha pagoda helps you practise better, be more mindful, virtuous &amp;amp; wise, it is generally held to be praiseworthy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-27T04:42:59.237" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21751" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21740" CreationDate="2017-07-27T12:57:09.637" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;No. &#xA;Consider the phrase &quot;revenge is like a boomarang, it just keeps coming back&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact from a karmic view point revenge is just ensuring you will experience like in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4928" LastActivityDate="2017-07-27T12:57:09.637" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21753" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21744" CreationDate="2017-07-28T01:40:02.713" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You're right. An effect is never its cause. However, the action that one does due to the effect will create a new cause, and to an untrained mind, it always happens. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7090" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T01:40:02.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21754" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21758" CreationDate="2017-07-28T09:09:15.523" Score="2" ViewCount="1850" Body="&lt;p&gt;During conventional Buddhist sitting meditation I have a problem whereby because I am thinking about my breathing my breath is quite short (I can't seem to change that) and just a few minutes in, just as I am starting to get into a deeper state and see something, I find that I start feeling quite light headed and almost hyperventilating because I am thinking about the breath and thus not breathing as I usually (which may still not be the perfect way for meditation, but at least normally when I'm not thinking about my breath I don't hyperventilate).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have been told by teachers that I should try to breathe into my stomach as this is good energetically and will make the breath to the degree and the length it needs to be.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, no matter what I try, I don't seem to be managing to achieve this stomach breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I was wondering if there is a particular knack to it or any advice? Am I actually trying to breathe into my stomach or just to expand my lungs down there (different teachers have said contradictory things on this matter)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4967" LastEditorDisplayName="user4967" LastEditDate="2017-07-28T11:42:23.820" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T14:16:11.480" Title="How to breathe into your stomach and not get light headed during meditation?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-practicalities|meditation-recommendation|meditation-breath|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21755" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21754" CreationDate="2017-07-28T09:34:40.130" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should not think about the breath but just passively observe natural process of respiration. Also you should not try to influence it. If it is becoming short just observe it is short. If it is long just observe it is long. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The perfection of meditation is when you can observe things as they are without any influence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-28T14:16:11.480" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T14:16:11.480" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21756" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-28T09:38:46.290" Score="2" ViewCount="385" Body="&lt;p&gt;Note : Sorry for my bad English. If anyone can please edit the question for better meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a dog. But dog is spending very painful life after huge burning(just before 10-20 minutes ago). It is very painful. I repeat it it is very very painful.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So if I kill Dog, is it consider as a bad thing for me according to buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I do it, I will do it just only stop painful of dog.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So is it consider as a bad thing for me  according to buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11825" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T07:02:11.433" Title="Killing a Animal to prevent painful of that Animal.Is it consider as a bad thing for me according to buddhism?" Tags="|killing|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21757" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21756" CreationDate="2017-07-28T10:03:44.447" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Even mercy killing is considered bad and also breaks the precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The dog is going through its pain due to karma. Say you kill it and goes to a worst hellish state by killing it you are putting to a far worse experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you treat the dog's wounds and try to heal it you are creating good karma for yourself and also easing the pain for the dog. This is be best avenue to consider.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T10:03:44.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21758" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21754" CreationDate="2017-07-28T10:40:11.723" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to breath into your stomach and not get light headed during meditation?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you breathe with your diaphragm (instead of just with your rib cage) you breathe more deeply.&#xA;To avoid hyperventilating then, you presumably need to breathe more slowly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Longer pause between breaths&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Longer duration during breaths (during each inhale or exhale)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try both:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Breathe slowly (because deeply; the only time I deliberately breathe deeply and rapidly would be during vigorous exercise)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Don't be in a hurry to deliberately take/start the next breath after exhaling (instead, taking a next breath is a reaction to needing more air)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have a problem whereby because I am thinking about my breathing my breath is quite short&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Where&quot; are you think about your breathing: is your focus somewhere around your nose?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An alternative might be to focus somewhere lower: e.g. on your diaphragm; or lower (e.g., according to the Chinese, &quot;The Lower Dantian (Jing), located two inches below the navel, is the source of energy which builds the physical body&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or even lower: my Tai Chi teacher once said to imagine breathing through your heels!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati -- Unveiling the Secrets of Life&lt;/em&gt; by Bikkhu Buddhadasa, it recommends you shift your point of awareness (in Appendix D in the section titled &quot;Getting Started: Establishing Sati&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Note the three primary segments of each breath: beginning, middle, and end. For the inhalation these&#xA;  correspond to the nose, the middle of the chest, and the abdomen. For the exhalation the reverse is true, beginning at the&#xA;  belly and ending at the nose. Watch and wait at the nose until the incoming breath is felt there. Then skip to the middle&#xA;  of the chest and watch there until the breath is felt. Then skip to the abdomen and watch there until the breath is felt.&#xA;  Continue watching as the inhalation ends and wait for the exhalation to begin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's just a preliminary practice though:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This hopping from point to&#xA;  point is a relatively easy way to establish sati on the breath. It is a good way to get started. It becomes, however,&#xA;  somewhat crude and agitating after a while. Once we are skilled at it, we will want a more refined and peaceful way to&#xA;  be mindful of the breath&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After that, it says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Next, we connect the three points into a continuous sweep or flow. This more closely approximates the breath&#xA;  itself. We call this &quot;following, chasing, hunting, stalking.&quot; While breathing naturally, without any forcing or&#xA;  manipulating of the breath, sati follows the breath in and out, between the tip of the nose and the navel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Once &quot;following&quot; becomes easy and constant, it will begin to feel unnecessarily busy and disruptive. Now we&#xA;  are ready for &quot;guarding,&quot; a more peaceful way to practice sati with the breathing. By this time, a certain point in the&#xA;  nose will stand out.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If at first our breaths are short and shallow, with movement in the chest only and not in the abdomen, then simply&#xA;  follow the breath down however far it goes. After sati is established we will relax and the breathing will become deeper.&#xA;  Before long we will feel movement in the abdomen. If we see that the breath is passing by many places at the same&#xA;  time, do not use this fact as an opportunity to complicate things. Keep it simple. A simple flow from the tip of the nose&#xA;  to the navel and from the navel to the tip of the nose is sufficient for our purpose. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These quotes are extracts; I'd recommend you read the book for a further or more complete description.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Am I actually trying to breath into my stomach&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Air should go into the lungs as usual, not literally into your stomach!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think it means to drop your diaphragm (so that the lungs expand downwards). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you do that there's less room (less volume remaining) for your stomach, intestines, etc.: so you need to relax your abdominal muscles (which might normally keep the belly from protruding) and let your belly appear to push forward when you breathe in.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Imagine you had a metal band, tied around your ribs, so that you couldn't inhale by expanding your rib-cage: you'd still be able to breathe by using your &quot;stomach&quot; (i.e. diaphragm and belly) ... that's what &quot;breathing into the stomach&quot; means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To be honest what I just described seems to be contradicted by something in the &lt;em&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/em&gt; book I referenced above (in Lecture Two, in the section titled &quot;Step One: The Long Breath&quot;):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When there is a deepest&#xA;  possible long breath, does the chest expand or contract? Does the abdomen expand or contract? These are things to&#xA;  examine. In doing so, you may learn that it works differently than you thought. Most people have the overly simple idea&#xA;  that when we breathe in the chest expands and when we breathe old: the chest contracts. In studying the breath&#xA;  carefully, however, we find that in taking the longest inhalation, the abdomen will contract and the chest will expand.&#xA;  With the very long exhalation, then, the abdomen will expand and the chest will contract or deflate. We find the reverse&#xA;  of what common sense teaches. You ought to investigate this business of the very long breath, the longest possible&#xA;  breath, to see what changes happen. Do not take anything for granted. You ought to understand even these most basic&#xA;  natural facts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is explained later (in Appendix D, in the section titled &quot;Long &amp;amp; Short Breaths),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;After sati is established (techniques two or three) we begin to notice the long and short breathing. The mind still may&#xA;  wander some but stays with the breath enough to learn what it is like. The first and easiest quality to note is length, in&#xA;  terms of both time and extent of physical movement. For our purposes, an exact dividing line between short and long is&#xA;  not important. Become familiar with your own breathing and learn what your longest breaths and shortest breaths are&#xA;  like relative to each other. There is no need to compare your breaths with someone else's. (D. 29)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Generally, you will find that abdominal breathing is longer than chest breathing, that is, if abdominal breathing comes&#xA;  naturally. This is something we observe, however, it is not something we desire or seek. We are not &quot;supposed&quot; to&#xA;  breath in a certain way and we do not use Anapanasati to develop this or that way of breathing. So do not try to force&#xA;  abdominal breathing, the results would not be very relaxing. But should it occur naturally, you will see that it is longer,&#xA;  more relaxed, and healthier. (D. 30)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Should your breaths become very long, you will discover an interesting point. You may have thought it strange when&#xA;  Ajahn Buddhadasa said that the chest expands and the abdomen contracts with the long in-breath (Marker 58). Common&#xA;  sense says that the abdomen expands on the in-breath and contracts on the out-breath. The two seem to contradict each&#xA;  other. Which is right? First, we observe the normal breathing. As we inhale, the diaphragm drops and pushes the tummy&#xA;  outward. When we exhale the tummy falls in again. This is the ordinary abdominal breathing before it becomes very&#xA;  long. It is a simple movement of the abdomen expanding (or rising) with the in-breath and contracting (or falling) with&#xA;  the out-breath. Some people will consider this short and others will feel it is relatively long. (D. 31)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now, there is a limit to how far the abdomen can expand. As we relax and breathe more deeply this limit will be&#xA;  reached. At that point there is, however, room left in the chest (lungs) for more air. If we continue to breathe in, the&#xA;  chest will then expand. This in turn pulls up and flattens the tummy. This is what Ajahn Buddhadasa meant. A very&#xA;  long inhalation begins just like a normal breath. The abdomen expands but the chest barely moves at all. After the&#xA;  abdomen's limit is reached the chest expands and the abdomen contracts. When the breath is really long you will&#xA;  discover this for yourself. The opposite movements (roughly) occur with the very long exhalations. So the very long&#xA;  breath is an ordinary breath plus more. Many of us will seldom experience this very long breathing until the body &#xA;  becomes very relaxed through Anapanasati. Eventually, it will happen more and more regularly - even outside the&#xA;  formal sittings. (D. 32)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, a very long breath starts by depressing the diaphragm (abdominal breathing), and when that's full then the in-breath continues by expanding the rib-cage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T10:40:11.723" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21760" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21756" CreationDate="2017-07-28T11:07:41.677" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some verses from the Dhammapada;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;129&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though a dog might fear pain, is it possible they'd fear death (or a person's violence resulting in their death) even more?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism doesn't recommend &amp;quot;mercy killing&amp;quot;. It's considered very wrong (unforgivable) for a monk to even recommend the alleged &amp;quot;advantages&amp;quot; of suicide, to someone who's in pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-28T11:07:41.677" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21761" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21772" CreationDate="2017-07-28T23:34:05.743" Score="3" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;I find this troubling. My poor relationship with my adult children causes me distress. Logic and the dharma would suggest that severing ties with them would be a positive for both sides. But I cannot get over the feelings for neglect and guilt. Plus I may be causing them some current discomfort. They neglect me because they don't understand me seeking the jewel so I try to respect that BUT how do I get past this guilt and sadness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastEditorUserId="11518" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T02:33:25.057" LastActivityDate="2019-03-11T09:34:37.297" Title="Is my guilt natural?" Tags="|personal-practice|philosophy|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21763" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-29T00:01:47.173" Score="3" ViewCount="127" Body="&lt;p&gt;If I have no expectation, I can't feel fear. I can't be afraid of dying. Yet, when I fall off a bike, isn't it fear that protects me from dying? Mothers also often worry about their kids. Are they weak for doing so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11832" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T12:06:07.017" Title="We need to remove fear. But mothers fear for their kids?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21764" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21763" CreationDate="2017-07-29T01:42:07.830" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there are different kinds of fear or 'good fear' &amp;amp; 'bad fear'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bad fear is fearing what should not be feared (e.g. afraid of dying when you are old or terminally ill or fearing what other people think about you).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good fear called '&lt;em&gt;ottappa&lt;/em&gt;' is fearing what should be feared; such as fearing doing bad actions that will bring a bad results (for example, fearing addiction to drugs). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.22.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;317. Those who see something to fear where there is nothing to fear and see nothing to fear where there is something to fear — upholding&#xA;  false views, they go to states of woe.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T01:42:07.830" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21766" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21763" CreationDate="2017-07-29T06:01:02.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I have no expectation, I can't feel fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. You are right.&#xA;Fear comes from expectation.&#xA;Fear of death and eagerness of life is the two sides of the same coin.&#xA;No expectation, no fear.&#xA;That is the gist of Buddhism.&#xA;An arhat does not have exception (&quot;What could have be done have be done.&quot;),&#xA;so an arhat does not fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Yet, when I fall off a bike, isn't it fear that protects me from dying?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. It is not the fear protects you.&#xA;It is your reaction protects you.&#xA;And your reaction may have come from fear,&#xA;but it does not have to.&#xA;Do you breathe because you fear death?&#xA;Will a person who want to die be able to hold their breath to kill themselves?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And not fearing dead does not mean&#xA;&quot;when there are some choices of reactions,&#xA;I choose the one that will kill myself&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I will given an counterexample.&#xA;Suppose you see a hole in the road,&#xA;you should stop the bike.&#xA;But your fear of not stopping the bike in time&#xA;may drive you to turn a sudden round.&#xA;Then you get hit by a car&#xA;(the driver cannot predicate your sudden round and cannot stop their car in time).&#xA;Here the fear push you into death.&#xA;On the other side,&#xA;a person who do not fear death that much may be more clam,&#xA;and take a more suitable reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you die from fallen a bike, it is called a transformation from life to death&#xA;If an arhat &quot;die&quot; from fallen a bike, it is called a transformation from sa-upādisesa-nibbānadhātu to anupādisesa-nibbānadhātu.&#xA;(Sorry for using Pali, I do not know the English words).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What causes the death?&#xA;Not falling from a bike, otherwise why arhat does not die from this?&#xA;So the cause is fear.&#xA;It is the fear that drives you to death,&#xA;in the view of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may not agree this view.&#xA;You may think an arhat also die from a falling from a bike.&#xA;But at least consider&#xA;there is something different between your death and arhat's &quot;death&quot;.&#xA;From a shallow perspective, at least the arhat &quot;dies&quot; peacefully.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Mothers also often worry about their kids.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is mother's caring protect their kids,&#xA;not their fear.&#xA;Suppose a mother is kept in prison,&#xA;and she worries about their kid everyday.&#xA;Is this fear helpful to their kid?&#xA;Is this fear helpful to the mother herself? No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And suppose a mother ask a Bhikkhu to do her a favor to take care of her kid for a while,&#xA;and the Bhikkhu accepts.&#xA;Do you think since a Bhikkhu pursues fearlessness,&#xA;so they may treat the kid badly unlike normal people?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not mistake fear for caring.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Caring may also cause problems in the view of &#xA;Buddhism, but this is another topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are they weak for doing so?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. They are weak.&#xA;But it is not their fault.&#xA;It is their ignorance (avijjā).&#xA;And a ruthless child murder is also ignorant,&#xA;thus not stronger.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other side, fear is also a weapon, or a mean.&#xA;The fear that fear drives you to death and pain&#xA;may motivate you to search for a way to a relief from fear.&#xA;So fear also drives you to fearlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same applies to expectation.&#xA;Expectation, or eagerness drives you to death and pain.&#xA;The expectation to get rid of death and pain&#xA;may motivate you to search for a way to a relief from eagerness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a way Buddha developed to free oneself from fear, eagerness and death (since fear and eagerness causes death).&#xA;And it has been verified by a lot of arhats in history.&#xA;Thus it is highly recommended instead of developing your own way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you decide to develop your own way,&#xA;I  recommend the biography of Buddha.&#xA;You can ignore the details like when or where did Buddha bore,&#xA;but pay a lot of attention to the process and method Buddha use to develop Buddhism.&#xA;I would recommend &lt;em&gt;Buddha: A Very Short Introduction&lt;/em&gt; by Michael Carrithers,&#xA;a thin book that is very comprehensible.&#xA;You should be careful since it is very difficult to develop a proper way.&#xA;And a wrong way may be harmful.&#xA;Otherwise people would have found out Buddhism before Buddha was born.&#xA;However, even if you do not get any result,&#xA;trying to develop your own way may let you understand Buddhism better.&#xA;You just need to be careful, like Buddha did.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11833" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T06:01:02.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21767" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21756" CreationDate="2017-07-29T07:02:11.433" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;is it a bad thing for me&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you believe the karma system?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you do not believe it, then it is neither good/right nor bad/wrong&#xA;according to Buddhism.&#xA;This is not a topic that Buddhism can address,&#xA;just like Buddhism cannot address how to heal burning.&#xA;In fact, this may be the answer.&#xA;You do not need to go to Buddhism for an answer.&#xA;Just go back to common sense.&#xA;In real life, a lot of problems can be solved by common sense.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you believe the karma system,&#xA;it is not a good thing to the dog.&#xA;The dog is suffering because of the fire,&#xA;but what drives it to the fire and the suffering is its karma.&#xA;The dog will have a new life if you killed it,&#xA;and continues suffering.&#xA;Unfortunately you can rescue it from the suffering of burning,&#xA;but not rescue it from the suffering.&#xA;Even Buddha can not rescue the dog from suffering.&#xA;However, in many lives later, the dog may bore as a human,&#xA;and may learn about Buddhism.&#xA;And since it is not a good thing to the dog,&#xA;it is not a good thing to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not sure if it is a bad thing.&#xA;I guess it may not be a bad thing&#xA;as long as you kill the dog solely for free it from suffering,&#xA;not as an excuse to fulfill your desire for killing,&#xA;or an excuse to stop yourself feel uncomfortable&#xA;or an excuse to stop your helplessness (the eager that &quot;I have to do something&quot;).&#xA;You may need to examine your mind carefully via, say, mediation,&#xA;since desires sometimes hide deeply.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it is dangerous if you are not a butcher already.&#xA;You need to find a proper way to kill the dog.&#xA;Some people get used to killing or even get excited after they actually kill an animal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, do not think too much about whether it is good or bad for you.&#xA;The bad thing is dog has been burned.&#xA;And it is bad for the dog.&#xA;And it already happens.&#xA;If you can heal it, then go ahead.&#xA;If you cannot, then you may ask someone else's help.&#xA;If neither of the above applies, then it is a difficult choice,&#xA;because the situation is difficult.&#xA;And Buddhism cannot let you choose among difficult choices blindly.&#xA;It is difficult for the dog, and it is difficult for you.&#xA;The Buddhism cannot help much here,&#xA;since the very assumption of Buddhism is life is suffering, and life is difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not karma economics&#xA;trying to maximizing good karma and minimizing bad karma. &#xA;Otherwise you may get illogical conclusion like killing the dog violently may speed up its process to become human again.&#xA;Buddha gave some examples of karma, which are just illustrations to help you understand the system.&#xA;Buddha is teaching relief, not karma calculation.&#xA;Good karma is good because it drives you towards relief.&#xA;You should not try to pursuit good karma.&#xA;It is not the goal of Buddhism.&#xA;In fact the ultimate goal of Buddhism is not be ignorant about karma&#xA;to avoid producing new karma,&#xA;and eventually get rid of the karma system after paying off all existing karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11833" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T07:02:11.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21768" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21666" CreationDate="2017-07-29T07:33:39.297" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You may not bother raining.&#xA;But you are still wet walking in a rain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All people can see is you are wet,&#xA;but they cannot conclude that you are bothered by rain&#xA;solely from the fact that you are wet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Buddhism is a way to let you not bother raining,&#xA;not a magic to let you walking in a rain and keeping yourself dry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11833" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T07:33:39.297" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21769" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21763" CreationDate="2017-07-29T07:53:00.477" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear is caused when you cling to something or endear something. It is not fear that will help you, it is caution or carefulness. We wear a seat belt not because of fear, but because of carefulness. We don't touch fire or heated objects not because of our fear, but because of our carefulness. Unlike fear, carefulness is a form of wisdom. It is wisdom that sees potential danger.  Fear can arise as a result of one's clinging towards something when one notices the danger. But it is your wisdom that bails you out of trouble, not fear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A mother worrying  about a child is unskillful. A mother being cautious about potential dangers is skillful. It's the same case when falling from a bicycle. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T12:06:07.017" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T12:06:07.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21770" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21771" CreationDate="2017-07-29T08:11:04.720" Score="6" ViewCount="1904" Body="&lt;p&gt;The core of the Buddhist teachings are the four noble truths which talks about the existence of suffering. Other religions criticize Buddhism telling that this focusing on suffering makes the followers to be aware of the existence suffering and to feel more suffering instead of trying to enjoy the good things life can give us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One answer Buddhism gives to this review is that, yes suffering exists and we are in a suffering situation but the four noble truths continues and tells us that it's possible to stop suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, suffering is stopped when enlightenment is achieved and yes, it is possible to stop suffering but also very unlikely even for monks and for an average person that would be even more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it means Buddhism will make the average follower to feel more suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11824" LastActivityDate="2019-06-12T03:26:37.190" Title="Does Buddhism focus on suffering too much?" Tags="|suffering|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21771" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21770" CreationDate="2017-07-29T09:39:58.187" Score="10" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism focus on suffering too much?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhsim doesn't focus on suffering, it only tells that suffering is essential part of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Other religions criticize Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because they haven't understood Buddhism. They may think that Buddhism makes person to think life is full of suffering and lets person feel bad by making them think this things. But what Buddha told is only that suffering is essential part of life but it also can be removed, that's all. And he started to search for a way from which this remaining of suffering can also be removed. As a result he understood the four noble truths i.e:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Gs5VY.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Gs5VY.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suffering is always coming in your life not life is suffering. All the suffering has some reason. all the upcoming suffering and unhappiness and negative experience can be stopped/decreased. and finally the 8 methods which if any human being follows he will feel no suffering in future. That's all. simple. Its just a simple psychology of human mind. Because Buddha himself was just a master scientist/psychologist who have carefully observed and examined everything related to mind. Surprisingly he also discovered that everything what we call universe is just part of mind and other unbelievable things related to parapsychology which truth seekers may find interested. But he also found that involving in other fruits of meditation ignoring the main goal is only stupid thing. So it can be see that what other religious people say about Buddhism is total 100% ignorance and lack of understanding of Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... but also very unlikely even for monks and for an average person that would be even more difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it means Buddhism will make the average follower to feel more suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It only means that those who are practicing the 8 noble paths: i.e&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FxsyK.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/FxsyK.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;will start to feel less suffering than other normal people. Because those people who are practicing Buddhism will realize that what they were thinking as suffering, loss and unhappiness were only their thoughts created by their own mind and nothing else.  It should be noted that anyone who knowingly or unknowingly follow this natural laws, not Buddhas teaching he will live more happier life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the meaning of following this path is to just increase the level of awareness, realization, happiness and joyfullness. So it doesn't means that average follower will feel more suffering. You can watch the videos made by the 10 day course meditators, they'll explain the difference in before and after experience of following this 8 fold paths. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10568" LastEditorUserId="13525" LastEditorDisplayName="user10568" LastEditDate="2019-06-09T13:36:21.080" LastActivityDate="2019-06-09T13:36:21.080" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21772" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21761" CreationDate="2017-07-29T10:04:12.093" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha-Dhamma &amp;amp; Western families are often a problematic combination. Even in Asia, some families object to their members pursing the Dhamma. Even when a person's life is transformed so much for the better by Buddhist practise, often family members struggle to attribute appreciation towards Buddhism due to their own prejudices, misunderstandings &amp;amp;/or lack of spiritual values. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ways to overcome sadness &amp;amp; guilt in respect to his situation is: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflect on the correctness of the Buddhist path. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Properly attribute causes or 'blame' to the other rather than to yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep being nice &amp;amp; hopefully they will change via appreciation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T10:04:12.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21773" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21770" CreationDate="2017-07-29T10:20:21.257" Score="6" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does it means Buddhism will make the average follower to feel more suffering?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. Like every religion there are Buddhists that take the teachings of kamma too seriously or miscomprehend the 1st noble truth, just as some Christians take sin &amp;amp; hell too seriously. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, most Buddhist love Buddhism &amp;amp; are very happy to have it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The core of the Buddhist teachings are the four noble truths which&#xA;  talks about the existence of suffering. Other religions criticize&#xA;  Buddhism telling that this focusing on suffering makes the followers&#xA;  to be aware of the existence suffering and to feel more suffering&#xA;  instead of trying to enjoy the good things life can give us.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This statement is false &amp;amp; mostly pertains to the recent modern political, economic &amp;amp; imperialist phenomena called Protestant-Judaeo-Christianity, whose followers are spiritually blind due to their lust for worldly things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the real Christian teachings in the Bible &amp;amp; also historically talked much about the suffering of the world &amp;amp; the giving up of 'worldliness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People who believe there are &quot;good things&quot; to enjoy in life are called &quot;worldlings&quot;, in both Buddhism &amp;amp; Christianity, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The love of the world is for Judaics &amp;amp; the Crypto-Judaics who call themselves 'Protestant Christians'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Real Buddhists &amp;amp; Christians seek the bliss of heaven. Jesus said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;My kingdom is not of this world&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One answer Buddhism gives to this review is that, yes suffering exists and we are in a suffering situation but the four noble truths&#xA;  continues and tells us that it's possible to stop suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is not a Buddhist answer but a view influenced by fundamentalist religion that tries to present a total view of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism does not state &quot;&lt;em&gt;we are in a suffering situation&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Instead, like a doctor waiting for sick people to visit, Buddhism waits for people who are themselves aware of suffering in their life and look for a solution. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the other hand, suffering is stopped when enlightenment is achieved and yes, it is possible to stop suffering but also very&#xA;  unlikely even for monks and for an average person that would be even&#xA;  more difficult.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is true the majority of people cannot stop all suffering. Buddhism has no illusions about this. When the Buddha reached enlightenment, he said his core teachings, such as the four noble truths, were for the few rather than for the many. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Bible, it is reported Jesus said the same, when he said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;The road to life is narrow &amp;amp; only few will enter through the narrow gate&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, the Buddha &amp;amp; Buddhism rarely taught the four noble truths to ordinary lay people. Most Asian Buddhist lay people cannot even tell you what the four noble truths are. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Again, it is only a Western academic phenomena that believes the four nobles truths are the be all &amp;amp; end all of Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism has teachings for lay people who, like the Christian Protestants, love the world. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T10:43:43.647" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T10:43:43.647" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21774" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21820" CreationDate="2017-07-29T19:14:06.593" Score="2" ViewCount="977" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've found this phrase-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Buddhist logic school of Dignāga and Dharmakīrti, which flourished in medieval Kashmir. According to this school, the foundation of knowledge is a series of momentary and discrete perceptual data (svalakshana). There are no grounds in those data for the recognitions of any enduring entities through ostensible cognitions utilizing linguistic or conceptual interpretation (savikalpaka jnāna). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But I'm unable to intuitively understand the meaning of Svalakshanam &amp;amp; savikalpaka jnana clearly. Can anyone help?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorDisplayName="user10804" LastEditDate="2017-08-01T10:31:04.753" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T00:07:58.143" Title="Help me to understand the concept of Svalakshan &amp; Savikalpaka jnana intuitively" Tags="|philosophy|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21775" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-29T19:29:01.490" Score="2" ViewCount="150" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am looking for the proper Suttra/Dhammapada in which the Buddha states the following.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;My teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct&#xA;  experience...  My teaching is a means of practice, not something to&#xA;  hold onto or worship.  My teaching is like a raft used to cross the&#xA;  river.  Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already&#xA;  reached the other shore of liberation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T21:30:25.183" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T21:30:25.183" Title="Sutta Reference of Buddhism Not being a Philosophy" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21776" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21779" CreationDate="2017-07-29T20:13:05.290" Score="2" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have heard that the Buddha once stated that he only teaches the cause of suffering and the end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Can I have a Sutta reference for this?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What happened to the other two of the four noble truths? Doesn't he teach them? Why did he only specify two?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T20:29:55.653" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T23:46:57.280" Title="Cause and End of Suffering vs the Four Noble truths" Tags="|reference-request|sutras|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21777" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21775" CreationDate="2017-07-29T20:24:01.983" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The raft is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I shall show you, monks, the Teaching's similitude to a raft: as having the purpose of crossing over, not the purpose of being clung&#xA;  to.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T20:24:01.983" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21778" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21776" CreationDate="2017-07-29T20:27:32.333" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 22&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What I teach now as before, O monks, is suffering and the cessation of suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, the teachings are summarised in a two-fold manner; other times four-fold, such as four noble truths; other times twenty-four-fold, such as dependent origination &amp;amp; dependent cessation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T20:27:32.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21779" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21776" CreationDate="2017-07-29T20:29:34.007" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can I have a Sutta reference for this?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes; it's in more than one sutta, e.g. at the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.086.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anuradha Sutta (SN 22.86)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Both formerly &amp;amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's this commentary &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html#fn-14&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;in footnote 14&lt;/a&gt; of MN 22 &#xA;(because it's also mentioned in MN 22):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some have suggested, citing SN 12.15, that this passage means that there are only two things happening in reality: stress and the cessation of stress. However, in the context of SN 22.86, where this statement also occurs, it clearly means simply that the Buddha is selective in the topics he chooses to address. In that discourse, he is refusing to take a stand on questions regarding the ontological status of the Tathagata after death. Here he is refusing to take a stand on the related question of the status of the &quot;existing being&quot; (see note 13). In every case, the Buddha chooses to take a stand only on questions where the process of answering would be conducive to Awakening. On this point, see MN 63 and SN 56.31.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words &quot;stress and the cessation of stress&quot; is the only topic that the Buddha intends to &quot;take a stand on&quot; (conversely, at other times the Buddha is described as &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1992/254&quot;&gt;trackless&lt;/a&gt;&quot;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why did he only specify two?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that &quot;stress and the cessation of stress&quot; is a summary: the &lt;em&gt;four&lt;/em&gt; noble truths are detailed in a different sutta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn56-011.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also this sutta (SN 22.86) says something slightly &lt;em&gt;different&lt;/em&gt; about stress and cessation: e.g. it says that &quot;that which is inconstant is stressful&quot;, that the five skandhas are stressful... and that it's good not to regard these as &quot;self&quot; (i.e. the &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; doctrine); good not to regard the skandhas as the Tathagata; and improper to &quot;pin down&quot; (make declarations about) the Tathagata existing, not existing, both, or neither.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So this sutta does talk about stress and cessation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whole suttas starts with, is the Tathagata described as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Existing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Not-existing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Both (existing and not-existing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Neither (existing nor not-existing)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Other (none of the above)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anuradha doesn't give a good answer, and wants to learn how to answer the question:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I am questioned again by those wandering sectarians, how will I answer in such a way that will I speak in line with what the Blessed One has said, will not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is unfactual, will answer in line with the Dhamma, so that no one whose thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And &quot;describing stress and the cessation of stress&quot; is the answer or conclusion to that question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-07-29T23:46:57.280" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T23:46:57.280" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21780" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21666" CreationDate="2017-07-29T23:43:09.533" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Because focusing on dismissing the physical pain would distract him from providing his best lesson.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-29T23:43:09.533" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21781" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-30T00:55:24.607" Score="5" ViewCount="2292" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been doing meditation of various forms (Goenka body-scanning, anapanasati, just sitting, kaya, citta, and vedana nupassana, etc.) but am trying to figure out something about anapanasati in particular.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is partly about Buddhist history, partly practical.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I understand the story of Buddha's enlightenment process, he began by practicing anapanasati and attained to the various mystic absorptive states, including the eight jhanas. Yet, he failed to attain insight into dukkha, annica, and annata in any meaningful way, and remained in samsara. Eventually, after relaxing self-mortifying ascetic practices, he resolved to become enlightened, and accordingly practice anapanasati--again. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What changed in the end? Wasn't Siddhartha practicing anapanasati all along? Why did it suddenly lead to nirvana after years of mere dead-end concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practically speaking, does anapanasati in its purest form--that is, simply focusing on the breath to the exclusion of any and all other thoughts, sensations, etc.--actually lead to the deep and abiding understanding of annata, annica, and dukkha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11838" LastActivityDate="2018-06-10T04:03:16.407" Title="Is Anapanasati a complete path? Does it, by itself, lead to nirvana?" Tags="|vipassana|mindfulness|nirvana|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21782" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2017-07-30T01:18:29.850" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Absolute truth (pure truth) is free of its opposite which is falsehood. Whereas relative truth is always attached to falsehood like the two sides of a coin. Relative truth is the always a result (an effect) of a cause; where as, absolute truth is never a result (effect) of anything and this is the reason why there is no path to Nirvana! Because defining a path means absolute truth (Nirvana) suddenly becomes the result (effect) of taking that particular path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11839" LastEditorUserId="11839" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T01:23:41.680" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T01:23:41.680" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21783" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21781" CreationDate="2017-07-30T01:33:40.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;My first impulse is to tell you that the meditation prepares you to be open to receive and explore those ideas. A relaxed, objective state wherein the mind is more apt to examine the contours of ideology and teachings learned elsewhere in the dharma. Not that it brings those specific thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it may. My &quot;canonical&quot; knowledge is rather limited and my views come from the laymen's perspective. I will add that the anapanasati sutta seems to agree with my view here when it mentions being OPEN TO this and OPEN TO that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, from the laymen's view I'd say yes if someone had mastered the techniques in anapanasati and made use of the other aspects of the dharma then as those concepts are encountered in the mind during meditation I believe you'd be susceptible to insight regarding all 3 marks of existence. In my view those initial concepts are borne from activities other than pure meditation and then fleshed out by the mind during the meditative state. But I dont have 16 factors of this or 9 steps to do that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T01:33:40.660" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21784" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="14996" CreationDate="2017-07-30T01:44:14.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your breathing is normally an autonomic function. Controlled by your brain and generally involuntary. That way we can sleep at night and not die.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when we actually focus on it we take over that function. So what was a rate previously controlled by the brain automatically now becomes a rate we have more control over. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course what's being controlled is the amount of oxygen getting to the blood and the brain. It doesn't take much of a variance in that percentage of oxygen in the body to change how we feel - be it sluggish or excited. Our body automatically keeps us a little &quot;hopped up&quot; on oxygen so we have a little reserve to flee in case a sabretooth tiger approaches. When WE take over the breathing we tend to be more relaxed about it and lower that oxygen percentage a bit which increases the CO2 level and further relaxes our body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why anapanasati meditation is so simple and so effective. It works right along with our body in relaxing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T01:44:14.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21785" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21781" CreationDate="2017-07-30T03:21:16.583" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially the Bodhisattva was practicing a form of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Pranayama&lt;/a&gt; in the form of holding or controlling one's breath. [&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10.9-Deva-Sangarava-S-m100-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Deva Sangarava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/49.4-Maha-Saccaka-S-m36-piya.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha Saccaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Breath meditation practiced later was was observation of phenomena. Each 4 Sathipattana is covered in sets of 4 Tetrad with a total of 16 steps. Also it is the complete path. The 16 steps can be found in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2018-08-14T22:06:13.773" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T03:21:16.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21786" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1259" CreationDate="2017-07-30T04:47:13.043" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The separator, between them, are causes (to arising), and imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ultimate truths&lt;/strong&gt; are &lt;em&gt;not imagination&lt;/em&gt;, because &lt;strong&gt;they are effects that arise by their own causes&lt;/strong&gt;. Except nibbana, ultimate truth, is  the opposite of the other causes and effects, because nibbana is the cause of finshing of all causes and effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conventional truths&lt;/strong&gt; are &lt;em&gt;imagination&lt;/em&gt;. They &lt;strong&gt;never arise and vanish&lt;/strong&gt;. They just become to be the objects of consciousness, never arise. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness imagine conventional truth objects by some ultimate truths and some conventional truths, that it had known before. &lt;strong&gt;So the conventional truths never arise in real situation&lt;/strong&gt;. But ultimate truths arise  in real situation by their own causes, because they are effects, not just imagination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The example already available in the ancient canon:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The 1st-7th and first half of 8th&lt;/strong&gt; chapters of abhidhammatthasangaha describe Ultimate truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The  last half of 8th chapter&lt;/strong&gt; of abhidhammatthasangaha describe Consciousness truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/sangaha/sangaha.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/sangaha/sangaha.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T06:27:38.140" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T06:27:38.140" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21787" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21781" CreationDate="2017-07-30T07:50:34.380" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have been doing meditation of various forms (Goenka body-scanning, anapanasati, just sitting, kaya, citta, and vedana nupassana, etc.)&#xA;  but am trying to figure out something about anapanasati in&#xA;  particular.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You obviously have not been doing anapanasati but instead doing an incorrect explanation of it by Goenka or someone else. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I understand the story of Buddha's enlightenment process, he began by practicing anapanasati and attained to the various mystic&#xA;  absorptive states, including the eight jhanas.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This did not occur. He was taught meditations on 'nothingness' &amp;amp; 'non-perception'. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 26&lt;/a&gt;. Obviously, these were some crude form of these meditations rather than the 7th &amp;amp; 8th jhanas developed from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd &amp;amp; 4th jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yet, he failed to attain insight into dukkha, anicca, and annata in&#xA;  any meaningful way, and remained in samsara.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This view gives the impression his goal was to realise anicca, dukkha &amp;amp; anatta. In reality, he was groping in the dark; searching. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Eventually, after relaxing self-mortifying ascetic practices, he resolved to become enlightened, and accordingly practice &gt; anapanasati--again.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He remembered back to when he was a child &amp;amp; spontaneously entered into the 1st jhana. Refer to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 36&lt;/a&gt;. However, what is not clear here is exactly what is meant here. My view is the Buddha as a child attained jhana via non-attachment &amp;amp; he realised the path of non-attachment is the path to end suffering. This accords with SN 48.10 &amp;amp; the end of the Anapanasati Sutta, which states jhana is achieved by making 'non-attachment' (rather than the breathing) the meditation object. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the correct practise of Anapanasati, the meditation object is non-attachment. The resultant awareness of breathing is merely a sign (&lt;em&gt;nimitta&lt;/em&gt;) that the mind is correctly non-attached.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The proper translation of Anapanasati is '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;with&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;' rather than '&lt;em&gt;mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; breathing&lt;/em&gt;'. This distinction is crucial. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What changed in the end? Wasn't Siddhartha practicing anapanasati all along? Why did it suddenly lead to nirvana after years of mere dead-end concentration.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What changed was the realisation of &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; (not-self). The scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.010.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.10&lt;/a&gt;) state before his enlightenment he began to discover dependent origination; namely, how the 'birth' of 'self-view' arises from attachment, creates all suffering &amp;amp; is not intrinsically real. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when non-attachment is the primary meditation object, the mind becomes more open, fluid &amp;amp; clear to be able to see anicca, dukkha &amp;amp; anatta clearly. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is too much effort &amp;amp; intention to focus on breathing, this makes the mind unclear &amp;amp; too narrow. This is called wrong concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practically speaking, does anapanasati in its purest form--that is, simply focusing on the breath to the exclusion of any and all other&#xA;  thoughts, sensations, etc.-&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course not. Read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; the answer to this question will be quite obvious. Before this, empty the mind of the wrong views of Goenka. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T08:02:58.103" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T08:02:58.103" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21788" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21789" CreationDate="2017-07-30T08:14:52.173" Score="2" ViewCount="318" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't like human beings because of their ego centric nature. They have destroyed nature- plants, species, morality, love, harmony etc. I just wish whole human species vanish or come to end. They have messed up the perfect nature. How can I develop love or Metta towards human beings? What are the ways by which I can develop love towards who are not doing such works to be loved?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T11:26:38.053" Title="I hate human beings how can I develop metta?" Tags="|metta|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2017-07-30T12:29:32.283" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21789" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21788" CreationDate="2017-07-30T08:42:22.047" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have posted a few times recently, to focus on developing equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt;). Unlike Abrahamic religions, Buddhism teaches what &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;creates the (social) world&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;ignorance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. In Buddhism, that people are ignorant is just the way things naturally are. It is the true nature of the world (refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.13.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lokavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;). Buddhism teaches people who are truly humane or human are &amp;quot;rare&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.47&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 56.47&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Buddhism instructs to practise equanimity (&lt;em&gt;upekkha&lt;/em&gt;) to free the mind of irritation &amp;amp; aversion. Once this is done, more positive mental states can be practised, such as forgiveness, to remove hatred &amp;amp; cruelty. When hatred &amp;amp; cruelty are removed, metta &amp;amp; compassion will arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Metta' ('friendliness') is a social value, which can be difficult to practise in today's world, which has become extremely immoral &amp;amp; corrupt over the last 30 years or so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: &amp;quot;The Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — has two Dhamma discourses given in sequence. Which two?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'See evil as evil.' This is the first Dhamma discourse. 'Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there, released.' This is the second Dhamma discourse.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy &amp;amp; rightly self-awakened — has given in sequence.&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti39&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 39&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T10:59:06.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21790" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21788" CreationDate="2017-07-30T09:17:42.210" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You sholud know the difference characterizes  between wisdom with metta and hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Metta is practitioner's consciousness that thinking to &lt;strong&gt;make happy consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; arise in &lt;strong&gt;the other lives&lt;/strong&gt;. (sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are the same and the difference characterizes  between wisdom with metta and hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom clearly comprehensions about cons (unwholesome consciousness) &amp;amp; pros (wholesome consciousness).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hate see only cons, cons of pros, and pros of hate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom never love anything.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hate love it's beloved such as you love the world, hate it's enemy such as you hate human being.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wisdom with metta clearly comprehensions about the cons of hate, &lt;strong&gt;but never hate people who having cons.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hate see  the cons of people, and hate both people and cons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever see the pros of your enemy such as  &quot;they still not kill you&quot;? That is the pros but you never thinking of it, because you hate your enemy's pros, too. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T09:17:42.210" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21792" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-30T11:12:49.570" Score="1" ViewCount="319" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there text (e.g. suttas, and/or articles by modern authors) which describes &amp;quot;non-attachment&amp;quot; as an object of meditation? Specifically, how is &amp;quot;non-attachment&amp;quot; an &amp;quot;object&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking partly because of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21787/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the correct practise of Anapanasati, the meditation object is non-attachment. The resultant awareness of breathing is merely a sign (nimitta) that the mind is correctly non-attached.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I previously found texts reference more palpable meditation &amp;quot;objects&amp;quot;, e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasina&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kasinas&lt;/a&gt; or breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I once found something which seemed like it might be a meditation on non-attachment, towards the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Atthi Raga Sutta (SN 12.64)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;On the western wall, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And if there is no western wall, where does it land?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;On the ground, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And if there is no ground, where does it land?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;On the water, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And if there is no water, where does it land?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It does not land, lord.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food... contact... intellectual intention... consciousness, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or increase.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, literally, that's presented more as if it's a simile than as an object or type of meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the context of &amp;quot;meditation on non-attachment&amp;quot;, is awareness of breathing a symptom of attachment to (i.e. contact with) form and perception (or if not, why not)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have I misunderstood what's meant by &amp;quot;the meditation &lt;em&gt;object&lt;/em&gt; is non-attachment&amp;quot; -- perhaps it means the &amp;quot;the meditation &lt;em&gt;goal, ambition, or purpose&lt;/em&gt; is non-attachment&amp;quot;, but not &amp;quot;the meditation &lt;em&gt;focus or contact&lt;/em&gt; is non-attachment&amp;quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T23:51:47.050" Title="Non-attachment as object of meditation" Tags="|meditation-practicalities|meditation-breath|attachment|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21794" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21781" CreationDate="2017-07-30T11:31:13.443" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;abhidhamma's commentary&lt;/strong&gt;  said &quot;samatha people already saw some part of anicca and dukkha, except anatta&quot; (so they try to get out off samsaravatta, too). But they didn't choose to develop vipassana.  They didn't chosen to always clearly comprehend anicca and dukkha. They try to just pause unwholesome consciousness by samatha instead. Samatha people just divert attention from unwholesome consciousness's object to wholesome consciousness's object.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So bodhisatta, who already have jhana, just meditate the method that samatha people haven't chosen, develop clearly comprehend in anicca and dukkha to access insight anatta, the most part that just buddha can done.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anapanassati in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;anapanassati sutta&lt;/a&gt; have 16 steps:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;4 first steps of anapanassati are samatha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;12 last steps of anapanassati are vipassana.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In the enlightened day of bodhisatta, he meditate samatha  and vipassana. Based jhana of pubbenivasanussati and cutupapata is samatha. Asavakkhaya is vipassana.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Each jhana step of bodhisatta have 4 first steps, and after get out of  each jhana have  12 last steps.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These method are called &lt;strong&gt;yuggalanaddha&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;samathapubba&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reference from &lt;em&gt;vinaya mahavibhanga veranjakanda, mahavagga bodhikatha, patisambhidamagga, anapanassati sutta's commentary, ayatanavibhanga's commentary, and visuddhimagga.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T12:28:10.977" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T12:28:10.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21795" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21680" CreationDate="2017-07-30T11:43:36.983" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to sit and close your eyes and imagine these:&#xA;What if he only has 1 eye&#xA;What if he doesn't have any nose&#xA;What if he's deaf&#xA;Cut every part of his body and organs and try to look into it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And ask to yourself whether if you still like him if he doesn't have any of those beautiful part.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hopefully this works for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11306" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T11:43:36.983" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21796" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21792" CreationDate="2017-07-30T12:57:31.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focusing on non-attachment for practitioner is daydreaming&lt;/strong&gt;. It is like people daydream about money but never work to get any money. No one can get the effect before they will make the clause of that effect, similarly, no one can take non-attachment before they completely developed their meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Non-attachment&lt;/strong&gt; = wholesome consciousness &amp;amp; resultant consciousness &amp;amp; arahanta consciousness &amp;amp; nibbāna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ārammaṇa = &lt;strong&gt;object&lt;/strong&gt; = stuff is sensed or imagined by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ekāyano maggo = various paths that lead to just the &lt;strong&gt;same one destination&lt;/strong&gt; (one destination of vipassanā = &lt;strong&gt;nibbāna&lt;/strong&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Destination of samatha-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; =  5 hindrances avoiding, not destroy. Samatha-meditation develop consciousness to focus on single object of samādhi consciousness, instead of various objects of uddaccha-hindrances consciousness. However, 5 hindrances still can arise after stop samatha-meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Process of samatha-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; =  just focus on samatha-object (and the way to develop that focusing), but overlook other objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Object of samatha-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; =  breathe for ānāpānassati, 32 organs for kāyagatāsati, happiness living being for mettā, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Destination of vipassana-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; = destroy roots (avijjā&amp;amp;taṇhā) of causes and effects (paṭiccasamuppāda).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Process of vipassana-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; =  After practitioners have gotten jhāna, then they leave jhāna, and focus on whole suffering to clearly comprehend suffering in the past, present, and future, as alike as it is. What suffering is? Suffering is anicca, dukkha, and anatta, that arising and vanishing by roots, so they are anicca, dukkha, and anattā. This clear comprehension about suffering will destroy roots (samudaya,avijjā&amp;amp;taṇhā), that ignores suffering, attaches suffering, and being clause of kamma that make the suffering, the whole khandha. (This is paṭiccasamuppāda and ariyasacca)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Object of vipassanā-meditation&lt;/strong&gt; =  5 khandha, that are clauses and effects so they have 3 characterizes, that make we know 5 khandha is &quot;suffering&quot;. And the roots/main clauses  of 5 khandha's arising and vanishing (avijjā taṇhā kamma āhāra phassa nāmarūpa).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every wholesome consciousness are  non-attachments (kusalamūla is not akusalamūla).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So practitioner who getting anapanassati nimitta, has not attaching in nimitta. Because they just focus on breathe to pause their nivarana, 5 hindrances in 5  kāmaguṇa, the objects of the five physical senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the practitioner attach nimitta, he having kāmachānda-hindrances. So his anapanassati nimitta, that appear because of wholesome consciousness, will lost. Then the meditation will not develop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T18:31:06.343" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T18:31:06.343" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21797" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21792" CreationDate="2017-07-30T13:28:57.200" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;We can meditate on the &lt;strong&gt;awareness that doesn't develop attachments&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Phenomena come and go - freely, &quot;not landing anywhere&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It can be described as the practice of &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/channews/09-1982.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Letting Go&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With practice, we realize:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... When only concentration remains and there is no environment and no body, at that point there is still one thought left. The final step is to let go of even that one thought. And that would be letting go of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything that appears - consciously appears as empty.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The fourth of Bodhidharma's practices, &quot;union with the Dharma,&quot; is a basic tenet of Buddhism that all phenomena are impermanent and do not have an intrinsic self. In the practice of union with the Dharma, we try to personally experience this impermanence and selflessness through direct contemplation of emptiness. This is the highest practice of Ch'an, and it leads to the highest attainment. It is the practice that allows us to reach the point of &quot;entry through principle&quot; that we talked about earlier. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/talks/spiritchan.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://chancenter.org/chanctr/ddp/talks/spiritchan.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Compare this with &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://chancenter.org/cmc/1996/03/26/avalokitesvara-bodhisattvas-method-of-complete-penetration-through-the-sense-organ-of-hearing-part-1/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Method of Complete Penetration Through the Sense Organ of Hearing&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, described in &lt;em&gt;Shurangama sutra&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more details, see &lt;em&gt;Charles Luk. The Secrets of Chinese meditation&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my practice I used this method:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;First you contemplate the sounds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;At some point, you shift the awareness to the sensory field where sounds appear. So you contemplate &quot;the canvas of sound&quot;, rather than individual sounds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then at some point you move to the contemplation of feeling of hearing.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then senses work very clearly, but without specific focusing on phenomena, no attachment arises.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus from the contemplation not attaching to phenomena we explore and develop non-attached awareness. And then we can let go even the contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Naturally not abiding, without loss of awareness, without generation of attachments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T13:28:57.200" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21798" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-30T14:03:55.930" Score="8" ViewCount="4602" Body="&lt;p&gt;Me and my brother visited this pizzeria recently and he ordered two apple juices. Ryder's Wild Apple to be exact. I drank a sip of it and it tasted and smelled a bit like alcohol and obviously had the apple taste. But it had that beer smell. And then only I saw the label 8.8%. And I stopped drinking after it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did I break my 5th precept? I'm a person who doesn't take my precept very lightly. But I want to know whether I broke my 5th precept or not. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11393" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T23:28:35.000" Title="Unknowingly Drinking Alcohol" Tags="|five-precepts|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21799" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21798" CreationDate="2017-07-30T14:24:23.097" Score="18" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Did I break my 5th precept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to break the 5th precept, the following &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/practice/the-five-precepts/216-what-are-the-five-precepts-and-how-to-take-it.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;four factors&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; need to be present and fulfilled:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ul&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mada-niyam -- intoxicants. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Patu-kamyata-cittam -- the desire to drink. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Tajjo vayamo -- the effort is made. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Pitappa-vesanam -- the intoxicants being drunk passing the throat.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very importantly is the second factor, i.e. the desire to drink. This is also known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetan%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;intention/volition (Cetanā)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If just one of these factors are not fulfilled, the precept is still intact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T14:30:26.113" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T14:30:26.113" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21800" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21798" CreationDate="2017-07-30T16:17:43.260" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your 5th precept has not broken because the alcohol has not enough to make your unwholesome consciousness arise after drink.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This precept have 4 elements to done. You already done the last 3 elements, except the first &quot;Mada-niyam -- intoxicants&quot;. (Patu-kamyata-cittam -- chanda to drink, chanda is not desire, and you have chanda to drink anything in that glass).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My reply is very difference from the others because I decided this from these all conditions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;pali included amajjasaññī (innocent of that beverage), too.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;commentary said &quot;must broken by unwholesome consciousness&quot;, but the&#xA;elements of sikkhapada have not Madanīyasaññī .&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This sikkhapada also not included in 10 akusalakammapatha, too. But it is in 5 sikkhapada, that can let people go to niraya.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the way to broke this precept should be unwholesome consciousness, that arise after drink, because of that drinking. And that unwholesome consciousness must can be done someone in 10 akusalakammapatha, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-07-30T23:43:28.270" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T23:43:28.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21801" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21792" CreationDate="2017-07-30T16:37:27.893" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think all these descriptions -  meditation on non-attachment, meditation with no goal, &quot;just sitting&quot;, Diamond Samadhi etc. all refer to the type of meditation where your goal is to learn to be at peace with whatever happens in your phenomenal field - without either suppressing it or getting carried away by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One metaphor I heard to describe this, is the touch-and-go practice of the airplane pilots. You let the free-floating thoughts/emotions emerge and take shape just enough to get a flavor of each, but not to take over your awareness completely. You don't get attached to either the thoughtless state, or to any individual thought (or emotion) hence meditation on non-attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastActivityDate="2017-07-30T16:37:27.893" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21802" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-30T21:17:07.020" Score="-1" ViewCount="63" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which body of the Buddha belongs to the Buddha nature?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose all three, but I would be interested to hear otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-01T03:14:28.473" Title="Which body of the Buddha belongs to the Buddha nature?" Tags="|mahayana|buddha-nature|trikaya|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21803" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="28770" CreationDate="2017-07-30T21:44:07.450" Score="2" ViewCount="78" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does all Tibetan Buddhism classify the sutras and sastras in the same way, or do specific schools elevate different Indian etc. texts?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I read about Chinese discussion about panjiao (doctrinal classification), and found it really interesting, especially the systems developed by Tsungmi and Zhyiyi, even if may seem quite dogmatic compared to someone like Wonhyo, who practiced hwajaeng, doctrincal harmony, so that &quot;in his works we do not see the application of the practice of doctrinal classification&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there an equivalent in Tibetan Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2018-08-18T18:01:05.493" Title="Does all Tibetan Buddhism classify the sutras in the same way?" Tags="|sutras|tibetan-buddhism|sastras|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21805" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17728" CreationDate="2017-07-31T06:58:15.783" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Awakening of Faith &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachings/Translations/Awakening_of_faith.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;says&lt;/a&gt; that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;that which is fully endowed with them [numberless excellent qualities] is called the&#xA;  Dharmakaya when manifested and the Tathagata-garbha when latent... Suchness or the Dharmakaya is not empty, but is endowed with numberless excellent qualities&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they're different names for suchness, the essence of mind, dependent on if we mean that the excellent qualities are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;latent or manifest&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suchness in its nature is fully provided with all excellent qualities;&#xA;  namely, it is endowed with the light of great wisdom, the qualities of&#xA;  illuminating the entire universe, of true cognition and mind pure in&#xA;  its self-nature; of eternity, bliss, Self, and purity; of refreshing&#xA;  coolness, immutability, and freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T06:58:15.783" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21806" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-31T08:17:41.573" Score="9" ViewCount="1559" Body="&lt;p&gt;(I know there have been some questions about this same topic but each one is a particular issue)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have started taking the buddhist path not long ago, less than three years. Life felt too heavy and it felt like it was pushing me towards not wanting to &lt;em&gt;play the game&lt;/em&gt; anymore. So buddhism seemed like the way to go.  I was pretty excited about it for quite some time, hearing about the mystic expeciences, the idea of feeling the float from releasing from ego and the satori experience itself - but only as long as it was a distant, remote possibility. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As soon as I started digging deeper into this reality, investigating it for what it &lt;strong&gt;really&lt;/strong&gt; is, things changed. I started feeling afraid of it and then terribly afraid. I can't forget the first time I faced the idea of vanishing from this existence forever, the true death; never being able to come back once I 'saw it'. Nevertheless I kept investigating. Then I contemplated the idea of being trapped in this. Existence has no way out, anywhere you go there is still existence. In other words 'What if it has been like this for millions, billions of years, maybe even for eternity? What if I am stuck in this illusion, completaly alone, unable to get anything out of it, for the eternity, and this is what the whole, me, ultimately is?'. Having seen this brought me to an unforgettable state of total dispair. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Some months have passed and now the whole thing feels weird. The more I look at reality, the more weird it gets and if I look hard enough it becomes dreadful. How strange is this thing we call death, or enlightenment, or time or self. I can't put in words how weird life feels for me. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning there is a strong sense of feeling weird to have hands and to move and to be in a body. Indeed, the &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; does not make sense, nothing makes sense. And I am afraid of being stuck in this forever. But if enlightenment is the only scape, I am afraid of never being able to come back. I am afraid everything is just an illusion, that there aren't others, just images and I'm alone. Sometimes I fear there isn't even enlightenment to save me. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is:  Am I going crazy? Am I getting it all wrong? I just wanted some light. Also, I am asking here because I know other people won't understand what I am talking about. Sorry for the long question. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7784" LastEditorUserId="19354" LastEditDate="2020-07-21T20:10:21.650" LastActivityDate="2020-07-21T20:10:21.650" Title="Fear of enlightenment" Tags="|enlightenment|fear|" AnswerCount="12" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21807" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21798" CreationDate="2017-07-31T08:39:04.280" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that if you stop drinking something the moment you realize it contains alcohol then you &lt;em&gt;are&lt;/em&gt; following the fifth precept, as the point of the precept is to keep you out of the troubles which come from intoxication and addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a strict rules lawyering perspective it's a little ambiguous around intention. Some commentaries would argue that &lt;em&gt;intending to drink&lt;/em&gt; something that &lt;em&gt;happens to contain alcohol&lt;/em&gt; is enough. Others would argue that you must be &lt;em&gt;intending to drink alcohol&lt;/em&gt;. Both interpretations have the potential to be problematic: if you drink something not knowing it contains alcohol and get drunk you can go do stupid things so not knowing clearly doesn't make it okay. But taking this logic too far can cause fear and paranoia and increases problems in your life instead of reducing problems. And the contrary argument brings up problems with wilful ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In such cases of ambiguity it is good to fall back on common sense: it is reasonable to taste something to see if it safe to eat/drink; it's better to check in advance but no-one is expected to have perfect foresight nor be paranoid. Even the idea of &quot;breaking&quot; the precepts is a little misguided, the precepts are not magically purifying, they are helpful prescription on how you should live if you want to avoid some serious problems in your future and create a stable foundation for practise. Even if you do feel you broke it a little bit, it's enough that you are resolved to do better in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6907" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T08:39:04.280" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21808" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-07-31T09:34:52.273" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Am I going crazy?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The scriptures (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 4.77&lt;/a&gt;) say &lt;em&gt;thinking&lt;/em&gt; about Buddhism &amp;amp; life in the wrong way can bring madness &amp;amp; vexation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Am I getting it all wrong?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, yes, you are getting it wrong. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist practise begins with calming the mind with meditation, such as breathing meditation. When the mind is calm, it will not have fear in relation to the &lt;em&gt;strangeness&lt;/em&gt; of life. In Buddhism, we try to stop the thinking &amp;amp; feel peace. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-07-31T09:40:00.760" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T09:40:00.760" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21809" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21810" CreationDate="2017-07-31T12:01:29.770" Score="7" ViewCount="505" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can software development benefit from mindfulness?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;As I'm software developer and as I want to register for Vipassana meditation so far I couldn't because of time but still thinking if I could go for it.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Today I found that meditation and eventually mindfulness can be beneficial for my profession or others. Even I was thinking that my focus will improved and I could study hard and well.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Though it's titled software I think it's beneficial for other fields too.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;So let me share if software development benefit from mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T17:18:47.963" LastActivityDate="2020-08-21T11:31:13.560" Title="Can software development benefit from mindfulness?" Tags="|vipassana|meditation|mindfulness|meditation-daily-activities|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21810" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21809" CreationDate="2017-07-31T12:01:29.770" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;SD Times explains that in &lt;a href=&quot;http://sdtimes.com/converging-software-development-mindfulness/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Converging software development and mindfulness&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;emphasis&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is mine):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Software development requires &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;concentration and focus&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;, an understanding of designing, coding, languages, and programming and how they all work together. It can also require comprehension of technology, science, engineering, and math. Clearly, a lot of brainpower goes into being a software developer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;In order to keep that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;brainpower in a positive flow, it’s important to train mental clarity&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, the science and techniques behind the mind to avoid stress; &lt;i&gt;this can all be done through&lt;/i&gt; &lt;strong&gt;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/i&gt; promotes your &lt;strong&gt;emotional intelligence (EI)&lt;/strong&gt; – &lt;i&gt;strengthening mental resiliency, building a clearer mind, and embracing a happier inner self – all helping to create a brighter outlook.&lt;/i&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Enhancing all of these emotional traits&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;raising your self-happiness&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; translates to better confidence, improved communication skills, and greater interpersonal relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However practicing mindfulness is not the goal itself, but rather a means to reach your goals.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Numerous studies have shown that changing one’s inner landscape (values, emotions, thoughts) through brain fitness can free the mind of anxiety, pressure, and negativity. Remove this mental clutter and replace it with greater EI and you’re left with enhanced creativity, greater aptitude for thinking, and a better ability to stay within the present and task at hand.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; For a software developer, having a clear, balanced and focused mind can be a tremendous asset while striving to produce high-quality software and aiming to balance work with life.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Hopefully you see how &lt;strong&gt;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, if it becomes part of your life routine, can help you become a more efficient software developer. But where do you begin? [etc.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So my personal opinion is that I'd say it not even beneficial for only software development but also all of professions and when people seeking how to deal in their business or which field they want to choose(with aware of precepts) for example a question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/10449/a-good-career-for-a-buddhist&quot;&gt;A Good Career for a Buddhist&lt;/a&gt;?&#xA;So with only awareness of precepts one can choose any job and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Mindfulness&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; can be more beneficial to achieve one's goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T12:48:19.077" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T12:48:19.077" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21811" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21798" CreationDate="2017-07-31T12:48:47.013" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Let me take a different approach to this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I sometimes shudder at the meticulous, deliberate approach I see from many in Buddhism. Much more exacting than I could ever justify purely from a canon that was passed down by word of mouth for 500 years. This is NOT to say that any of the interpretations (like Nanavara Thera) are wrong - - just that their approach may be a little more exacting than is necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Everyone appears to address this question from a perspective that in the west we call &quot;criminal law&quot;. As a criminal defense attorney myself I have been dealing with these incidents for decades and the criminal justice system has hundreds of years and millions of cases further defining this concept we call intent (Cetana). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example - the description of 4 factors necessary to violate the 5th precept written by Nanavera Thera. In the west this is what we call criminal intent and it is taught to attorneys attending post-graduate Law School. My point here is that we are unnecessarily exacting by going this deep. It's not nearly so complicated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are you an alcohol drinker? As a result of this incident would you now call yourself a consumer of alcohol? Remember the acorn. We are not defined by our condition at any given moment in our life. That is much too linear. If we ARE going to so label then at least do it by a predominant trait and not a singular incident. Thats the philosophical approach called &quot;utility&quot; and it's also the most rational. It's what we think of when we consider fundamental fairness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You cannot live life being so exacting. It's all about balance. The lines defining either side are NOT clearly drawn - it's all gray instead of black or white. That's where we normally live. In the gray. So in the gray where the lines are vague we examine the entire context and not just one incident. Again I ask - are you a consumer of alcohol?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. An accident does not make you a drinker of alcohol. Your guilt shows that immediately. If I wanted to control you I would say &quot;but you should strive for perfection&quot;. Thats not my intent though. My intent is to relieve your concerns and remove the trouble from your mind. See how I almost took that another direction? Intent matters and we get it from context. Keep striving. The path is a hard one.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T12:48:47.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21812" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-07-31T14:56:52.163" Score="5" ViewCount="1921" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm a Hindu and don't know much about Buddhism. Many people say that Buddhism is the art of cultivating the mind, which I feel includes methods to control and discipline the mind. I have poor control of my mind; I cannot concentrate on any work for a good amount of time as my mind keeps wandering away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm addicted to pornography, I watch porn everyday and masturbate. This causes my penis to hurt. I want to stop this habit but can't. I try not to watch porn but my mind keeps driving me to watch porn.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not the only problems, I'm facing lot of problems in my life caused due to lack of control of my mind. I know Buddhism suggests meditation for the control of mind. Is that enough, or what are the other ways and methods to master the mind, according to Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11853" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2021-05-31T14:37:45.560" LastActivityDate="2021-05-31T14:37:45.560" Title="How do you master (control) your mind with Buddhism?" Tags="|meditation|mind|right-concentration|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21813" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-07-31T14:59:33.217" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;As Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as faeces always have bad smell, even a tiny bit of, so does the [illusory] existence. I do not recommend even a tiny bit of [illusory] existence, not even for so long as a fingersnap.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This phenomenal world is a horrendous, weird, strange, awesome place. The good news is, the experience of the world is our own projection and is therefore in our control. The power of the enlightenment is in being able to stop projecting the experience that makes one miserable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thinking these thoughts of yours is exactly the act of projection that makes you feel weird and scared. Do not feed them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2020-07-21T13:42:47.250" LastActivityDate="2020-07-21T13:42:47.250" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21814" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21812" CreationDate="2017-07-31T18:12:00.527" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;One can master the Mind by gaining experiental knowledge about &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Five Hindrances&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and when to apply the corresponding five remedies to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The five remedies, can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;em&gt;p. 63-66&lt;/em&gt;, by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, and are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Replacing the hindrance with its opposite, e.g. replacing &lt;em&gt;hatred/ill-will&lt;/em&gt; with thoughts of loving-kindness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Contemplating the arisen hindrance as vile and ignoble, since it has entered the mind without permission or any control.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention away from the hindrance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Shifting attention onto the hindrance and thoroughly contemplating it by investigating its causes and conditions for arising together with its characteristics.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Removing the hindrance with force, just as a strong man would pin a weaker man to the ground.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha says in the quoted sutta below, that if one learns how to use and apply these five remedies then one will no longer be the subject of the mind. One will become it's master;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;... This bhikkhu is then called a master of the courses of thought. He will think what- ever thought he wishes to think and he will not think any thought that he does not wish to think ...&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Blessed One said this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is pursuing the higher mind, from time to time he should give attention to five signs. What are the five?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(i)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then arty evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the aban- doning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a skilled carpen- ter or his apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(ii)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is giving attention to some other sign con- nected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: 'These thoughts are unwholesome, they are rep- rehensible, they result in suffering. When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are aban- doned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man or a woman, young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, would be horrified, humiliated, and dis- gusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung around his or her neck, so too...when a bhikkhu examines the danger in those thoughts.. .his mind becomes stead- ied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(iii)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give atten- tion to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concen- trated. Just as a man with good eyes who did not want to see forms that had come within range of sight would either shut his eyes or look away, so too...when a bhikkhu tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(iv)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to sin- gleness, and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might con- sider: 'Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?' and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: 'Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?' and he would stand; then he might consider: 'Why am I standing? What if I sit?' and he would sit; then he might consider: 'Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?' and he would lie down. By doing so he would substitute for each grosser posture one that was subtler. So too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(v)&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;quot;If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind. When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. }ust as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too...when, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a bhikkhu beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind.. .his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwhole- some thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delu- sion, then when he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him and subside, and with the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. When he examines the danger in those thoughts...When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him...and his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. &lt;strong&gt;This bhikkhu is then called a master of the courses of thought. He will think what- ever thought he wishes to think and he will not think any thought that he does not wish to think.&lt;/strong&gt; He has severed craving, flung off the fetters, and with the complete penetration of con- ceit he has made an end of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;-- The Middle Length Discourses in the Majjhima Nikaya, MN: 20, Bodhi Translation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T18:17:55.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21815" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-07-31T18:52:44.940" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;fear of liberation from 5 skandhas is normal for those who haven't studied Dhamma.  Buddha mentioned it in (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.055.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is the case where an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person ... falls into fear over what is not grounds for fear. There is fear for an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person [who thinks], 'It should not be, it should not occur to me; it will not be, it will not occur to me.' But an instructed disciple of the noble ones does not fall into fear over what is not grounds for fear. There is no fear for an instructed disciple of the noble ones [who thinks], 'It should not be, it should not occur to me; it will not be, it will not occur to me.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Quite long sutta but it answers your question.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T18:52:44.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21816" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-07-31T22:49:12.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;You are afraid not of enlightenment but of your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All those emotions and conditions you develop - they are because of thinking and imagination. Those thoughts do not really correspond with reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the most basic answer is: stop generating all those scary thoughts and unusual conditions. They look more like a sign of hypochondria rather than spiritual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually &lt;em&gt;nirvana&lt;/em&gt; means &quot;to cease shaking&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or &quot;to extinguish vexations&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you stop shaking your mind, it stops to appear as existing. Imagine that you shake a bowl of water, and so you see moving plashes of reflected sunlight on the ceiling. When you stop shaking the bowl, and the water stands still, plashes disappear. There is some light in the room, but it doesn't appear as the result of the activity of the bowl.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, nirvana means natural abiding, which is also non-abiding.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No plashes, so no &quot;existence&quot;, because &quot;existence&quot; is a concept that appears as the result of activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In nirvana, there's no more of your activity. The body functions naturally, dissatisfaction disappeared.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The body doesn't appear existing as some highlighted entity, it's just a part of natural life of the intertwined causes. It was actually the same when you &quot;existed&quot;. You just had an illusion of some &quot;existing self&quot;. It was always just a play of intertwined causes. So the point is: not that you lose existence in nirvana, but it becomes clear that this existence was illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your births and deaths are ended, but there is neither existence nor non-existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you form new concepts from this explanations and start to play with them intellectually, that's probably not a correct practice. Better come to the natural state. Buddha explained nirvana not to feed people for mental games, but to explain how to cease mental stirring. What is there? Explore by your experience, not by developing more stirring!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. See more about being &quot;afraid of no-self&quot; in the Dharma talk by Chan Master Simon Child, &lt;em&gt;&quot;Constructing a Sense of Self&quot;&lt;/em&gt; (Chan Magazine, 2016 Winter). Free download: &lt;a href=&quot;http://chancenter.org/cmc/publications/chan-magazines/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://chancenter.org/cmc/publications/chan-magazines/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-07-31T23:04:37.937" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T23:04:37.937" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21817" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21798" CreationDate="2017-07-31T23:28:35.000" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What's with the fear of breaking it anyway? It's not like committing a sin in Christianity.    The precepts are just behaviours suggested to help you along the path. Maybe you need to stop worrying about it and look at how attached you are to the whole idea of keeping them. &#xA;Personally I love a good glass of wine every know and then. I believe it to be healthy in moderation. I'm not a monk and I'm not going to live a life of asceticism. Life is to be enjoyed and in my opinion good wine is part of that. Relax. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-07-31T23:28:35.000" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21818" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21812" CreationDate="2017-08-01T01:37:20.637" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches to see the causes of problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we can see what can be done to change those causes. Changing causes, we will change the results. Thus problems will be solved.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha Gautama explored the problem of suffering (dissatisfaction, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;), found the causes, and found that the causes can be changed, and how to do that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically our problems look like a vicious circle. Feeling dissatisfaction, we try to battle it with developing more positive feelings. But we do that with self-pressure, and as a result we get dissatisfied again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Think for example of chasing pleasures. We overuse sex, and then the penis hurts. We drink too much alcohol, trying to battle dissatisfaction, but we end up feeling hangover, weak and sick. We gamble, to get excitement, but that leads also to more losses and pains of heart.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So what is the solution?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of fighting the fire of vexations by adding more vexations, we can rather stop and let them pacify.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our mind gets uncontrolled when it's tense. Because it's tense, it feels uncomfortable. Feeling uncomfortable, the mind wants to switch to something else, more pleasant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's why habits of chasing desires get their rule over the mind. If we try to apply more force to control the mind, we probably add even more tension. The mind is already tense, so when we add even more tension, the problem might become even worse.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the vicious circle, &lt;em&gt;samsara&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In order to stop it, we should drop chasing desires. We should accept what we feel, and let the tension dissipate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we do not really want to control the mind, rather we try to help the mind to relax, and thus to regulate itself more naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We practice the Three Highest trainings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wisdom (prajna) - seeing how things happen, mainly by watching causes and effects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Calmness (shamatha) - letting the mind to relax, to calm down and come to natural contentment, like in childhood, when we felt no dissatisfaction and didn't need chasing desires.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Discipline (shila) - trying to act from the wholeness of the heart, rather than from impulses of bad habits and delusions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gradually the mind becomes less and less involved in the circle of samsara. More and more time it remains calm and satisfied, and that is felt as a great relief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually we might think that desires such as sex etc. are pleasant, but in fact those desires are typically mixed with dissatisfaction. There's always some tension, uneasiness - even in pleasant experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, when you release those tensions and uneasiness, it feels so liberated and satisfied that we don't need those desires anymore. Simple easiness of liberated mind is more pleasant than worldly pleasures, because they were mixed with tension, &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that is the way for us, laid out by Buddha. We drop tensions and attempts to force ourselves, to coerce ourselves, to artificially blow desires. Then we realize that our dissatisfaction came exactly from our own forcing and coercing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We let it go away. So forcing and coercing cease, chasing desires ceases, and finally dissatisfaction ceases. We discover unlimited easiness of life without oppositions. It's so wonderful that we don't need anything for ourselves anymore. Everything is already so perfect!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we just start to share our happiness and wisdom, like Buddha Gautama did. We don't just dwell in pleasurable &lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;, as some Hindu teachers think. In Buddhism it would be called dwelling in &lt;em&gt;solitary peace&lt;/em&gt; - a condition of highly developed concentration, but not the true liberation yet. Solitary peace is still attachment, still a result of the division between self and others. In true awakening, there's no division, and that is called compassion (karuna). Then we feel no tension, no dukkha - in complete easiness and non-attachment, we just have nothing to do, but what is natural to do - gets naturally done. Our body does that - helping others to find the same cessation of samsara, coming to &lt;em&gt;sukkha&lt;/em&gt; of liberation, nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T19:35:41.963" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T19:35:41.963" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21819" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21802" CreationDate="2017-08-01T03:14:28.473" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;What do you mean by &quot;Buddha nature&quot;? I think it means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyone is Buddha, as soon as he stops to generate vexations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That fact can be described as: &quot;We all are Buddha by nature, we only differ from Buddha in maintaining some mental processes&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the term &quot;Buddha nature&quot; is applicable to sentient beings, not to metaphysical concepts of reality like Trikaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-01T03:14:28.473" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21820" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21774" CreationDate="2017-08-01T04:23:47.360" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Shcherbatskoy wrote in &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;Buddhist Logic&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; (translating Dharmakirti's &lt;em&gt;Logic Manual&lt;/em&gt;) something like this:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Senses can directly perceive only one 'moment', but there is a 'chain of moments' that enters our consciousness, thanks to the activity of mentation (which unites them in regard to that moment) on the basis of sensual perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only a chain of moments can enter the consciousness on the basis of perception, because one moment cannot be apprehended by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As I understand, it means we build our knowledge not on the basis of those momentary discrete appearances, but on the basis of something like their superpositions, somehow prolonged in time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that leads me to another question: are these &lt;em&gt;momentary and discrete&lt;/em&gt; things actually real?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems possible that &amp;quot;momentary&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;discrete&amp;quot; are just our ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe there's nothing really &amp;quot;momentary and discrete&amp;quot; at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PS to explain more:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) More on Svalakshana, read Shcherbatskoy: &lt;em&gt;The Buddhist Logic&lt;/em&gt;. It's a well known book, where he translates and comments Dharmakirti. I have only Russian edition, so I myself translated the quotation above to English, which might introduce some inaccuracies, as I'm not a native speaker.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I found an interesting article by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iias.asia/profile/victoria-lysenko&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Victoria Lysenko&lt;/a&gt;, who explored exactly those problems - sense perception (pratyaksha), conceptualizations, etc. In an article &amp;quot;Svalakshana&amp;quot; in Russian &lt;em&gt;Encyclopedia &amp;quot;Philosophy of Buddhism&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; she says that Svalakshana is somehow a controversial term, understood differently in Sautrantika and Yogachara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fshq.ru/ENCYCLOPEDIA_OF_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY/ENCYCLOPEDIA_OF_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY_Svalakshana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.fshq.ru/ENCYCLOPEDIA_OF_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY/ENCYCLOPEDIA_OF_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY_Svalakshana.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't know is there this text anywhere in English, so here is the Google-translation with several my corrections:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Svalakshana&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[The opposition] &lt;strong&gt;Svalakshana - samanya-lakshana&lt;/strong&gt; (Sanskrit svalakshana: literally &amp;quot;characterizing / defining itself&amp;quot;. Sämänya-lakshana: &amp;quot;defining through the common [with others]&amp;quot;) - the terms of the epistemology of the Dignaga and Dharmakirti schools, denoting individual, concrete, singular, unique - &amp;quot;particularity&amp;quot;, in contrast to the general characteristic - &amp;quot;universalia&amp;quot;. Svalakshana is something that is perceived in itself, as a reality, independent of any other things, whereas samanya-lakshana is the result of comparison, comparison of the given perception with something else, or their perception in some capacity, in some role, in otherness. Between them there is an impassable abyss: the svalakshanas are changeable, or rather, instantaneous (see Kshanikavada), and the general characteristics, on the contrary, are stable. Since reality, from the POV of Buddhists, is a discrete flow of dynamical point events - dharmas, then svalakshanas are real, while Samanya-lakshanas are mentally constructed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The opposition &lt;strong&gt;Svalakshana - Samanya-lakshana&lt;/strong&gt; goes back to the abhidharmic opposition of the truly existing (dravyasat) and nominal (prajnaptisat) dharmas, where the former are endowed with their own nature (svabhava), and the latter are declared unreal. In abhidharma schools, svalakshana is the self-nature of the phenomenon, distinguishing it from other phenomena, or a specifying characteristic (eg, svalakshana of Earth - resistance, of Fire - burning, etc.). Ontologically, S. - S.-l. become these units of analysis in the philosophy of Dignaga-Dharmakirti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmakirti puts forward a number of criteria that distinguish svalakshana from samanya-lakshana: the ability to produce effects in the form of expedient actions (artha-kriya-shakti), dissimilarity [with nothing else] (asadrishta), nonspecificity by word, perceptibility regardless of any other factors (such as agreements on the use of words, etc.) (Pramana-Varttika III, 1-2).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to Dharmakirti, actual existing svalakshanas are perceived in two ways: in their own form (svarupa) and in the form of something else (pararupa), i.e. in the form of generalization. Hence two tools of reliable knowledge (pramana): direct perception (nirvikalpaka-pratyaksha) - for svalakshanas, and logical cognition (anumana) - for samanya-lakshanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is almost no disagreement in the interpretation of Samanya-lakshana, since this term is unambiguously associated with mental construction (kalpana, vikalpa), which is in Buddhist Epistemological School of Dignaga-Dharmakirti belongs to the category of non-genuine, conditionally-true being (parikalpita; see Trisva-bhava), then there are different, often mutually exclusive opinions about the much more complex and ambiguous concept of svalakshana, sometimes even from the same author. For example, Shcherbatskoy, on the one hand, saw in this term an analogue of the Kantian noumena and &amp;quot;things in themselves&amp;quot;; on the other hand, he likened the svalakshanas to &amp;quot;sensory data&amp;quot;, sense data, sensibilia (Stcherbatsky 1930, vol. 1, p. 68, 79, 87 ). The difficulty of interpreting Svalakshana is that in the teachings of Dignaga and Dharmakirti, the position of the epistemological idealism of Yogachara is combined with realistic position of Sautrantika. Amar Singh, criticizing Shcherbatskoy's attempt to bring the concept of Svalakshanas closer to Yogachara idealism, notes that the real opposition of the Svalakshana as the ultimately particular object of perception to Samanya-laksana as an object of logical cognition is possible only within the realistic theory of knowledge of Sautrantika (Singh 1984). From the point of view of Sautrantikas, cognition does not deal with external objects, but only with their representations in consciousness - sensory data, which, however, are caused by objectively existing external stimuli. It is these stimuli that are called in Sautrantika Svalakshanas. From the position of Yogacharas, once cognition is independent of external objects, svalakshanas can only be sensory data. In the works of Dharmakirti, the term svalakshana is used, as a rule, in the context of the realism of Sautrantika. However, here arises the problem of the relationship between the Svalakshanas and their sensory reflections in cognition, images (abhasa, akara): are these images similar or different to their svalakshans?! Are svalakshanas noumenas or are they knowable?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dharmakirti did not give direct, unambiguous and consistent answers to these questions. First, he adhered to the Sautrantikan concept of similarity (sarupya) between the cognitive image and his real prototype, i.e. external object (see Sakaravada - Nirakaravada), and secondly, he acknowledged that the svalakshanas are &amp;quot;grasped&amp;quot; (grahya) by pratyaksha (sensory perception, sensation), which implies that they can not be noumenal. But then in what sense can we speak about their inaccessibility to verbal expression? In Buddhist epistemology this is explained, first, due to the instantaneousness of the Svalakshanas (see Kshanikavada), because of which they can not be objects of empirical experience, which is a mixture of instantaneous sensations with their conceptualization - kalpana (only buddhas and other enlightened beings are able to recognize kshanas), and secondly, by Buddhist nominalism - the conviction that the meaning of words is only mentally designed universalia. Therefore, the verbal ineffability of Svalakshanas does not imply their transcendence in relation to perception. Against the noumenality of the Svalakshanas is also the fact that Dharmakirti speaks of Svalakshanas as atoms (paramanu - meaning Buddhist &amp;quot;phenomenal&amp;quot; atoms of colors, tastes, etc. qualities). Though, he does not develop this idea; so researchers argue about whether he understands by Svalakshanas individual atoms or their clusters (samchita) and, accordingly, whether the atoms generate one sensation (sensum, eg, a color spot) or a set of atomic sensations, which are then synthesized into color spots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Analysis of new sources, inaccessible in the times of Scherbatskoy, especially Skt. and Tib. commentaries of the followers of Dharmakirti, allow to better understand the dilemma faced by the Buddhist philosopher. If he recognizes that the svalakshanas are single atoms, then this will contradict the Buddhist postulate of the non-perceivability of individual atoms (from the POV of Buddhists, atoms are perceived only in mass, like hair); but if he would assert that these are aggregations of atoms, he will face the objection that the accumulation of atoms, as representing &amp;quot;single in many&amp;quot;, is actually a universal (samanya-lakshana), and, cognizing it, sensory perception turns to be conceptual (Pramana Varttika III. 194). In response to this objection, Dharmakirti denies the possibility for one object to be both single and multiple at the same time, citing the example of a multicolor on the wings of a butterfly, which is perceived as a single color (the reference to the well-known concept of the &amp;quot;motley&amp;quot; color &amp;quot;chitra&amp;quot; in the Vaiśeṣika and Nyāya schools, which is not a collection of different colors, but an independent color). According to the commentators, Dharmakirti interpreted the cluster (samchita) of atoms not as a whole (avaya-vin), different from the sum of its parts (avaya), but as an impulse acquired by each individual atom as a result of the impulses of other individual atoms entering the causal complex (hetu-samagri), which generates the sensible given. Since in Dharmakirti's teachings it is the Svalakshanas that are causally effective (artha-kriya-karitva) stimuli of perception, and therefore the only real entities, they should be identified not as a collective impulse of all atoms, but rather as a complex of interdependent impulses of individual atoms (Dunne 2004, p.103-109). This interpretation ultimately proves to be close to one of Shcherbatskoy's interpretations, who often compared svalakshana to energy point-moment. (&amp;quot;External object is not matter, but energy ... reality is instantaneous and consists of moment-points, which are centers of energy&amp;quot; - Shcherbatsky 1930, vol. I, p. 510).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the question remains open: what is the content of this sensory given - a mere reflection of the Svalakshanas, which by definition are non-spatial, - or it is an image, for example, of a color (a color spot) having a spatial extent? Dharmakirti does not give an answer, but it is obvious that the lack of spatiality of the Svalakshanas jeopardizes the principle of congruity (sarupya) of the cognitive image and its external referent, to which he was committed. Critical analysis of the concept of S. - s.-l. of Dignaga and Dharmakirti was performed by the Madhyamik-Prasangik Chandrakirti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;REFERENCES: Stcherbatsky Th. The Buddhist Logic. Vol. 1-2. Leningrad, 1930-1932; Singh A. The Heart of Buddhist Philosophy - Dinnâga and Dharmakïrti. D., 1984. P. 117-137; Dunne JD Foundations of Dharmakïrti's Philosophy. Bost., 2004. P. 91-113; Arnold D. Buddhists, Brahmins, and Belief: Epistemology in South Asian Philosophy of Religion. NY, 2005.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;V.G. Lysenko. Source - Encyclopedia Philosophy of Buddhism - Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Philosophy&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's an interesting text, and there are more interesting articles by Lysenko - on Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Vasubandhu, Vachaspati Mishra etc., e.g. &amp;quot;What is immediate perception? The Buddhist answer&amp;quot;. Download PDF here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iias.asia/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL44_2021.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.iias.asia/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL44_2021.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or from Academia.edu: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.academia.edu/8135589/What_is_immediate_perception_The_Buddhist_answer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.academia.edu/8135589/What_is_immediate_perception_The_Buddhist_answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) So if you asked what I think, I approach it from Madhyamaka (as I understand it). Or, in modern logic, from what they call &amp;quot;constructivism&amp;quot;. How did ideas of &amp;quot;momentary&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;discrete&amp;quot; appear in our thinking?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They might look self-evident, from the point of view of our experience:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;a book moved by my hand seems to be a discrete object;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and an idea of &amp;quot;zero-length moment&amp;quot; comes from imagining a frozen cut of the world...&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But does &amp;quot;zero-length moment&amp;quot; have any reality except being our imagined concept?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then are we sure that separate moments exist at all - even of non-zero length?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What if the world and the time are not discrete at all, in any sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then how can we speak of elementary constituents of our perception as discrete momentary things?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did you ever perceive really discrete momentary perceptions? Even a flash of lightning is not a discrete perception, because it has a &amp;quot;tail&amp;quot; of subsiding blindness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So isn't &amp;quot;discreteness of moments&amp;quot; just a mental construction which we use to cut the world in our imagination?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I.e., &amp;quot;discreteness&amp;quot; might belong only to our mental constructing, but not to primary sensory data or their sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do these questions make sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, speaking about discrete things, are they really discrete, or that discreteness exists only in our modeling of the world?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the book in my hand really discrete thing, or that is just an illusion, developed in my mind?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T00:07:58.143" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21821" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21774" CreationDate="2017-08-01T16:12:50.550" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Did you see the first Jurassic Park movie? Remember how the T-Rex couldn't see them if they didn't move? Because while his senses could detect the persons (sight, smell, sound), he didnt recognize that as being his target unless it moved. He didnt actually recognize them (it) as his target or prey until they moved or made a difference from frame to frame so to speak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Same type of conception here. It isn't the quality or whatever itself but the difference from one moment to the next that consciousness recognizes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is actually a rather mind-boggling concept when combined with big bang theory. It means that consciousness only existed once time existed so it really does, literally, make us the fabric of the universe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-08-01T16:12:50.550" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21822" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-01T16:42:35.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;At least from a Theravadin perspective of the Buddha's teachings, the world and everything in it are not an illusion. However, they are not constant, not permanent and subject to change. This is &lt;em&gt;anicca&lt;/em&gt;. Therefore you should not feel that the world and the people around you are illusions and that you are, in some sense, alone, and make yourself depressed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The self is also existent and is not an illusion. However, the self is not an independently existing entity or agent, but rather, it is a mental idea that arises out of the inter-working of the five aggregates. A working wristwatch is composed of various parts such as the battery, strap, housing, glass cover, needles, gears etc. but doesn't exist as a standalone entity apart from these. It appears as a working wristwatch only when all these things work together. It is the same with the self. This is &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt;. Therefore, you should not feel that you yourself are some kind of illusion and make yourself crazy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these exist, but are not constant or permanent or absolute.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, there is also suffering, because of pain, disease and death. Suffering due to the inconstancy of everything that makes us happy, including the people that we love. Suffering because we cannot always avoid things that make us unhappy. This is &lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You wrote that &amp;quot;I am afraid of never being able to come back&amp;quot;, therefore displaying that you have the craving to be (&lt;em&gt;bhava tanha&lt;/em&gt;) - you want to exist. Therefore, you should not feel trapped in this existence. After all, you are here, because you want to be here. And as long as you have this craving, you will definitely continue to be here. This is one of the causes of suffering. One type of craving. But there are also other types of craving like sensual pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yamaka Sutta (SN22.85)&lt;/a&gt; is very suited to the next part of your question on the fear of enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monk Yamaka once had this wrong view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;As I understand the Teaching explained by the Blessed One, a monk&#xA;with no more effluents, on the break-up of the body, is annihilated,&#xA;perishes, &amp;amp; does not exist after death.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your fear is based on his wrong view that on achieving nirvana, you would cease to exist, or as you wrote, &amp;quot;I am afraid of never being able to come back.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ven. Sariputta corrected Yamaka and Yamaka now understood:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A&#xA;monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;break-up of the body, after death?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Thus asked, I would answer, 'Form is inconstant... Feeling...&#xA;Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is inconstant. That which&#xA;is inconstant is stressful. That which is stressful has ceased and&#xA;gone to its end.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Stress here is the same as suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, Ven. Sariputta taught him that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Now, the well-instructed, disciple of the noble ones — who has regard&#xA;for noble ones, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their Dhamma; who has&#xA;regard for men of integrity, is well-versed &amp;amp; disciplined in their&#xA;Dhamma — does not assume form to be the self, or the self as&#xA;possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(and the same applies to the other four aggregates of sensation, perception, fabrications and consciousness)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, you should not feel trapped to be here now and you should not feel the fear of not existing after enlightenment. Rather, you should understand and acknowledge that there is suffering, and find means to become free of that suffering. This then leads to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2020-07-21T13:57:00.233" LastActivityDate="2020-07-21T13:57:00.233" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21823" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-01T16:45:42.290" Score="1" ViewCount="207" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism denies existence of any Self.But I think I can prove the existence of Self as fundamental by the logic of continuity of memories.&#xA;I define Self as someone who remembers the past essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Examples to demonstrate the applicability of the definition above:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha. Buddha is the essence of Gautama. Buddha's knowledge is&#xA;immortal. Who remembers this essence? My answer will be that Self&#xA;remembers Buddha. And moreover because Buddha's knowledge is&#xA;immortal, that self becomes immortal and therefore fundamental.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;MySelf. I exist. I can remember my past essence that Truth is&#xA;Supreme. Who remembers this essence of me ? My answer will be that&#xA;my Self remembers my essence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we see that self can be found as someone who remembers past essence.This self is imperishable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorUserId="11541" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T01:17:31.300" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T01:50:38.107" Title="Continuity of memories as a proof of the existence of self" Tags="|anatman|self|soul|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="6" ClosedDate="2017-08-01T23:22:46.250" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21824" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21823" CreationDate="2017-08-01T20:03:02.033" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Which 'you'? The you that at 69 will likely become more conservative and less social? Or the you that at 5 had no concrete notion of Self, or the question the 'you' of about now poses? The me of 5 minutes ago had no knowledge nor memory of your question. There is a self - a self that is dependent on conditions - dependent on mother and father for birth, food for existence, conditions for death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a conventional 'you' and such a notion is fine - convenient and useful within conditionality. The Buddha argued agaisnt an independent, permanent, unconditioned You - the soul or Atman, however envisaged.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Self is 'obliterated' through one link: of only those things which are observed directly by the senses (mind is included as a sense in the canon), all things are observed as subject to conditions for arising, subsisting and ceasing - subject to change.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Things that are subject to conditions, impermanent - as all that is observed is - cannot be the basis of a permanent and independent Self. (it's a tough switch to thinking.. for me for example, I kept 'summing up' all experience into one exact thing - but that is the process of making a permanent Self from an objective experience that only provides impermanent objects as building blocks!!). As such, if you think it, it's not Self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Bodhidharma asked, “Can each of you say something to demonstrate your&#xA;understanding?”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dao Fu stepped forward and said, “It is not bound by words and&#xA;phrases, nor is it separate from words and phrases. This is the&#xA;function of the Tao.” Bodhidharma: “You have attained my skin.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The nun Zong Chi stepped up and said, “It is like a glorious glimpse of&#xA;the realm of Akshobhya Buddha . Seen once, it need not be seen again.”&#xA;Bodhidharma; “You have attained my flesh.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dao Yu said, “The four&#xA;elements are all empty. The five skandhas are without actual&#xA;existence. Not a single dharma can be grasped.” Bodhidharma: “You have&#xA;attained my bones.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Huike came forth, bowed deeply in silence&#xA;and stood up straight. Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my&#xA;marrow.” (wiki)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Silence is as close to Self as you will get, as language is instantly limited by Gödel (and/or also being conditioned). Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism have sticking points, and whether the ultimate is seen as having a capital U gets a lot of chat, but at the very least, for the things that are the seen, the heard and the sensed, Self is at best an approximation of things as they are - subject to a frame of reference, relational, and dependently originated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-01T21:04:35.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21825" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21823" CreationDate="2017-08-01T20:52:38.430" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You existed a moment before and the moment before that and the&#xA;  moment before that moment and so on.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The experience of life the moment before has vanished, forever. It did not &quot;exist&quot;. It was only a &quot;temporary existence&quot;. Therefore, it cannot be construed as &quot;existence&quot; or &quot;non-existence&quot;. It is something that arises &amp;amp; ceases. Its an impermanent phenomena. Importantly, it was only an experience of life, that is, an experience of one to &lt;strong&gt;five aggregates&lt;/strong&gt;. It was not a &quot;Self&quot;. &quot;Self&quot; was only an idea imputed on that experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can be sure that you were present before this moment because you remember your past.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memory arises in the present. Most experiences cannot be remembered however. Also, what is remembered is not the same sense of 'self'. For example, the mind can think back to the past and think: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Was that really me in the past? How could I have been like that &amp;amp; how could I have done those things?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. For example, since &quot;I&quot; become a Buddhist &amp;amp; experienced some mental transformations, I struggle to identity with things from the past. Today, I am a completely different person, to the point that the old 'self' has completely died. In other words, there are actions I did in the past which would be impossible for me to do today. This shows the idea of 'self' is a changing thing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: This is unrelated to how the idea of 'self' can completely vanish in the mind; leaving only the experience of life. Life without self (which is peaceful).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remembrance of past is the continuity, which is YOU.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. It is not YOU. It is only the remembrance of life; the remembrance of the five aggregates. Please refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.79&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Khajjaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who recollect their manifold past abodes all recollect the five aggregates subject&#xA;  to clinging or a certain one among them. What five?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“When recollecting thus, bhikkhus: ‘I had such form in the past,’ it is just form that one recollects. When recollecting: ‘I had such a&#xA;  feeling in the past,’ it is just feeling that one recollects. When&#xA;  recollecting: ‘I had such a perception in the past,’ it is just&#xA;  perception that one recollects. When recollecting: ‘I had such&#xA;  volitional formations in the past,’ it is just volitional formations&#xA;  that one recollects. When recollecting: ‘I had such consciousness in&#xA;  the past,’ it is just consciousness that one recollects.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of form whatsoever … Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever … Any kind of&#xA;  volitional formations whatsoever … Any kind of consciousness&#xA;  whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external,&#xA;  gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness&#xA;  should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not&#xA;  mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is called, bhikkhus, a noble disciple who dismantles and does not build up; who abandons and does not cling; who scatters and does&#xA;  not amass; who extinguishes and does not kindle.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You took birth , you loved your parents , events happened in your life&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. There is no idea or thought of &quot;self&quot; when a baby is born from its mother. The idea of &quot;self&quot; only arises when the mind matures &amp;amp; is able to start identifying with things. Modern psychology studies this. A mentally retarded or brain damaged child may struggle to develop a coherent idea of &quot;self&quot;. &quot;Self&quot; is a thought. Please refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn64&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahāmāluṅkya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, which states a new born child has no thoughts of self-identity: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For a young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion ‘identity,’ so how could identity view arise in him?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;all that contributed to your evolution as a Self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This has some correctness. There is no inherent self but self is something that evolves. This shows self is not anything permanent or real but something that evolves &amp;amp; changes. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being such, self can also devolve &amp;amp; disappear, such as in very old people who have dementia or in enlightened minds. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rising of Self can be considered suffering&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very good. The Buddha taught the arising &amp;amp; conceiving of self is suffering (SN 12.15; SN 5.10) &amp;amp; a disease (Ud 3.10; MN 140). This is why it is not a self but is only suffering &amp;amp; only a disease. The Budddha said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;The world calls a disease 'self'&lt;/em&gt; &quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.3.10.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ud 3.10&lt;/a&gt;). Self is not a real thing but only a name, like calling a child 'John' or 'Mary'. There is nothing inherently real in the name John or Mary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;but one can not deny that you exist&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. 'Self' can be denied because it can be experienced to not exist. But life or the five aggregates cannot be denied. The original question is confusing 'self' with 'life'; confusing the 'name' with the 'thing'. Life is the thing. Self is the name. The name is not the thing. The name is only a name. Self is only a name given to a suffering disease. When the body of a child is hungry for food, the body cries. Later, when the child is older &amp;amp; can think, the mind develops the idea: &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I am&lt;/strong&gt; hungry&quot;. This shows self is the arising of suffering; is the arising of disease. 'Self' only arises when there is hunger &amp;amp; craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The rest of the question is just more non-sense &amp;amp; is produced by lust &amp;amp; fear. The question is a disease born from suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T01:50:38.107" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T01:50:38.107" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21826" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-01T20:54:06.837" Score="3" ViewCount="72" Body="&lt;p&gt;In an answer to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21801/11762&quot;&gt;Non-attachment as object of meditation&lt;/a&gt;, there was an interesting idea that the essence of many advanced practices is&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;to be at peace with whatever happens in your phenomenal field - without either suppressing it or getting carried away by it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... You don't get attached to either the thoughtless state, or to any individual thought (or emotion)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If so, then what should you do when a delusion, e.g. an attachment, comes to your phenomenal field and starts to develop?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should you be at peace with it and let the attachment develop?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to be a question worth some exploration, because we could use various approaches, each might have some merit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Just watch, in a non-attached way, how the delusion develops. Eventually it could help to realize, through direct experience, how the mental processes work. Perhaps that realization could lead to liberation from such delusions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Or we might wish to dissolve somehow that development of the delusion which came to our phenomenal field. Perhaps that might help to reform our mental habits directly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Maybe it could be reasonable to combine those two methods, in accordance with particular circumstances? Then when should we use this or that approach?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T19:53:29.763" Title="Being at peace with mental phenomena" Tags="|attachment|contemplation|delusion|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21827" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-01T23:48:14.650" Score="-7" ViewCount="140" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha is eternal. His knowledge is eternal. His experience is eternal. His fruits of actions are eternal. And we know that past Knowledge , past experience ,past actions are remembered by Self.&#xA;So my question is who remembers the past existences of Buddha ? Is it the Self?&#xA;If it is the Self then that Self must also be immortal because Buddha is immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: This was naive attempt to ask a genuinely logical question &quot;Who remembers the Buddha?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess I have found an answer in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/manualofbudhism00hard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Spence Hardy.&#xA;It is the Brahma who remembers the Buddha. I quote from p.88:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The beings who will in due course become Budhas are called Bodhisat.&#xA;  They are numberless ; but the name, in common usage, is almost&#xA;  exclusively confined to those who have become avowed candidates for&#xA;  the high office. When many ages have elapsed without the appearance of&#xA;  a Budha, there arc no beings to supply the continued diminution of the&#xA;  numbers in the brahma-lokas. &lt;strong&gt;This excites the attention of some&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;compassionate brahma, who, when he has discovered the cause and the&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;remedy, looks, out to see in what world the Bodhisat exists who will&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;next become an aspirant for the Budhaship&lt;/strong&gt; ; and when he has discovered&#xA;  the Bodhisat in question, he inspires him with the resolution that&#xA;  enables him to form the wish to become the teacher of the three&#xA;  worlds, that he may release sentient beings from the evils of&#xA;  existence. The ages that succeed this period are divided into three&#xA;  eras; in each of which we have legends of Gotama.&#xA;  1. The era of resolution (1). 2. The era of expres-, sion (2). 3. The era of nomination (3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorUserId="11541" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T17:32:00.940" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T17:32:00.940" Title="Who remembers the Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|anatman|self|buddhas|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21828" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-02T01:01:30.623" Score="2" ViewCount="74" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have been using the Pali Digital Reader to learn Pali (it is a wonderful resource!). Does anyone know of any similar resources for sanskrit? An online software/plugin/reader which makes translating from Sanskrit to English easy and quick? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am studying Sanskrit a lot and spend hours copy pasting words from the sanskrit into the online sanskrit dictionary. I was hoping there is something similar to the Pali Digital Reader out there which would make this process easier?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any help or advice at all is very much appreciated. Thank you so much in advance for your help!!! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11863" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T11:13:08.850" Title="Sanskrit Resources" Tags="|pali-language|pali|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-08-02T08:59:16.437" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21829" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21735" CreationDate="2017-08-02T01:15:10.577" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your deeply thought out question.&#xA;I have been looking at the Buddhist Stack site for a little while, and I notice some real similarities in the way many of the questions are formed.&#xA;  So, first , it is good to study, by which I mean get a perspective of the landscape, in this case the Buddha's Dharma. Think for yourself. If someone tells you to jump of a cliff, you probably will not, Thank God, for that.So , when this hypothetical person told you to jump , what happened? you had an insight that there would probably be a bad result. So, the Buddha was quoted as saying do not believe any think he tells you , until you have tested the truth of that saying and the possible benefit of that idea for you to apply. So, much for that , for now. So you study, then you get the big picture and you actually start to see how using your mind in a certain way is much more beneficial that using your mind in another way. This is the beginning of good judgement. So, Here's the biggie. Cease to do Evil, Learn to do Good, remove all defilements , follow this way to Compete, total, supreme Enlightenment. So, How do I stop doing evil, well , let's start on the simplest level. What if you determine that to get really frustrated and angry and nervous about what just happened to you is not good. So , then , you go to a quiet place or find some friends and calm down. This is ceasing to do evil and learning to do good.So now, you might have gotten a little , &quot;good idea&quot; . If you keep doing this , with all your experiences, you will learn to relax, and better still , you will say. &quot;Oh, I am relaxed now, that is better that going crazy.&quot; What if I start to develop some real concentration. I bet I could do this even better, and maybe, just maybe, I could help someone else learn to become happier, too. &#xA;And so on. Of course there is much more. Good Luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11723" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T01:15:10.577" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21830" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="13721" CreationDate="2017-08-02T01:44:03.353" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's quite possible to have serious mental problems even at high levels of spiritual practice. Do you remember, for example, Christian literature, where Christ and Saints were tempted by demons, had horrifying demonic visions etc. I myself was hospitalized in a mental facility just half a year before a major breakthrough in my spiritual practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the problem exists, but I don't think that a solution is about confronting such practitioner. I guess his problem relates to a state of conflict, an opposition, both inner and outer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Inner opposition&lt;/strong&gt; results in much tension, which causes fatigue, feeling of being in a deadlock, and &quot;laziness&quot;. &quot;Laziness&quot; is actually a sign of inner disharmony, such as disalignment between logic and feelings, or between different intentions, which clash in an inner conflict.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Outer opposition&lt;/strong&gt; is a mutual problem, because you - and virtually everyone else - aren't free from oppositions too. You want to help, but you try to move in a direction of opposing his ideas and behavior, rather than finding there deep meanings and trying to help to realize them in better ways.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want more help from me, please message / comment, I will try to help if I could. For now, I'll just say very briefly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your friend have focused on a very hard problem - of illusory oppositions, and illusions in general.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to help, try to remove oppositions - any time, as well as you could.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would advise you to get a book by Nossrat Peseschkian, &lt;em&gt;The Merchant and the Parrot&lt;/em&gt;, and donate it to your friend. And get such book for yourself and read it. It describes how we can find useful meanings even in problematic behavior. This way we move from opposing to cooperating.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good health to all sentient beings!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T01:44:03.353" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21831" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21827" CreationDate="2017-08-02T03:35:16.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You state some ideas which aren't proven. You just postulate them as axioms. On such basis it's possible to prove anything you want.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;White is a color that is not colored. White can be of different luminosity (brightness). When its luminosity is low enough, people call that color black. Therefore, what people call &quot;black&quot; is actually white.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we can prove with reasoning that white is black, or that black is white. I did that in various ways in childhood. Likewise, we can prove anything else.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It all depends on how we choose meanings of terms, their borders, and which axioms we postulate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your model, yes, there is Self, and it must be immortal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;OK. Congratulations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the question is, how practical that system is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is just like: should we really call white &quot;black&quot;?.. or call black &quot;white&quot;?..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains a system quite different from yours. It says that &quot;existence&quot; and &quot;non-existence&quot; are mental constructions, and both are somehow illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, does the shape of a waterfall exist?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we say it exists, then the next moment streams of water slightly changed, drops of water moved, and that previous shape doesn't exist now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we say that the shape of a waterfall doesn't exist, then what would we see on a photograph?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in reality it does not absolutely exist, but it is not absolutely non-existent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, everything else both &quot;exists&quot; and &quot;doesn't exist&quot; at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains that existence is illusory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Memories are impermanent. So if &quot;self&quot; is based on memories, it is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains such things very thoroughly, not for the desire to claim or to prove something, but in order to uproot the habits of attachment to illusory self. Those habits cause suffering. To cease creating suffering, we study &quot;self&quot;, and we find there is no permanent tangible self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can postulate some imaginary idea of constant self, OK, but why does it matter? There are ideas like Truth or Justice, which must be &quot;constant&quot;, otherwise we couldn't refer to such ideas repeatedly (in the same way). But having constant imaginary ideas of Truth or Justice, it doesn't mean we actually experience constant perfect Truth or Justice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is about experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If there is some imaginary constant idea, but the self you experience is impermanent, then what's the sense?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Isn't it better to study Buddhism and discover the illusoriness of ideas of existence and non-existence, which enslaved us in dissatisfaction?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of Buddhist teachings is liberation from dissatisfaction. These teachings work, by guiding us to &lt;strong&gt;seeing the reality beyond mental constructions&lt;/strong&gt;. In order to do that, it's useful to put our obsession with constructions aside, and practice meditation - to develop direct experience of the reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T03:45:00.847" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T03:45:00.847" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21832" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-02T05:29:13.160" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind.&amp;quot; (MN 19)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I see some parallels of what you have described with a discourse in the pali canon, MN 2. In it, the Buddha called this a &amp;quot;thicket of views&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“This is how he attends unwisely: ‘Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what did I become in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what shall I become in the future?’ Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the present thus: ‘Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where will it go?’&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“When he attends unwisely in this way, one of six views arises in him. The view ‘self exists for me’ arises in him as true and established; or the view ‘no self exists for me’ arises in him as true and established; or the view ‘I perceive self with self’ arises in him as true and established; or the view ‘I perceive not-self with self’ arises in him as true and established; or the view ‘I perceive self with not-self’ arises in him as true and established; or else he has some such view as this: ‘It is this self of mine that speaks and feels and experiences here and there the result of good and bad actions; but this self of mine is permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and it will endure as long as eternity.’ This speculative view, bhikkhus, is called the thicket of views, the wilderness of views, the contortion of views, the vacillation of views, the fetter of views. Fettered by the fetter of views, the untaught ordinary person is not freed from birth, ageing, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; he is not freed from suffering, I say.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same goes for speculations about the world, universe, existence, in the past or future. These speculative views can be challenging when our imaginations are given wings to fly wild, and when we are sensitive to the places it takes us. But they are just that: imaginations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a buddhist, one thing that might be useful here is to revisit the teachings on Right View (and on Wrong View, such as above). These may help prevent the mind from wandering on thoughts that are unhelpful and only disturb it (again, that's an important point here: the &lt;em&gt;thoughts&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;imaginations&lt;/em&gt; are the cause of disturbance and fear, not the reality itself. For example, your body and mind are likely fine and possibly comfortable while imagination trips away and disturbs everything).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When imagination is getting in the way, the one &amp;quot;place&amp;quot; one should go is to the experiences of here and now: that which is felt and perceived with the senses as they occur. It might be useful also to look for comfortable and pleasing places, since irritable or painful situations can only increase the anxiety caused by these imaginations and fears, feeding them once more. When the mind is pleased, it feels no need to look out there for answers to fill voids. Then, one can direct the mind inwards, and inwards it will go.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In other words, with Right View in place and a mind that is not distracted, it can be more easily brought to unity:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;But with excessive thinking and pondering I might tire my body, and when the body is tired, the mind becomes strained, and when the mind is strained, it is far from concentration. So I steadied my mind internally, quieted it, brought it to singleness, and concentrated it. Why is that? So my mind should not be strained.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 19&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, subsequently (or alternatively, if reviewing Right View doesn't help), one can direct him/herself to the sublime (non-sensual) pleasures of the path that lead to Nirvana: the footprints of the Tathāgata (MN 27), the tastes of nirvana itself, the Jhānas. Abiding there, there's no anxiety or fear, but confidence that this is indeed the path to solving the problem of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Having thus abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. This, brahmin, is called a footprint of the Tathāgata, something scraped by the Tathāgata, something marked by the Tathāgata [...]’&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;-- MN 27&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T16:14:58.240" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21833" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21827" CreationDate="2017-08-02T05:47:12.263" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And we know that past Knowledge , past experience ,past actions are remembered by Self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is false because the mind only can remember via memory a small proportion of past actions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Self must also be immortal because Buddha is immortal.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is false because the ancient scriptures show the Buddha heavily rebuked &amp;amp; admonished deluded monks of wrong view that regarded the Buddha to be a self (e.g. SN 22.81; SN 22.87).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is actually the Dhamma (truth of nature; truth of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness &amp;amp; not-self). Buddha is emptiness (&lt;em&gt;sunnata&lt;/em&gt;). The Buddha is reported to have said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vakkali Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T05:47:12.263" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21834" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21827" CreationDate="2017-08-02T07:51:01.203" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not, in the canon (eg &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN63&lt;/a&gt;), place any weight on knowledge with regards to whether the world is eternal or not, whether the Buddha 'exists' or 'does not exist', 'both' or 'neither' after parinibbana - there are 14 questions to which the Buddha provides no answers on purpose (his objective is only the cessation of stress/suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I prostrate to the Perfect Buddha, the best of teachers,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Who taught that whatever is dependently arisen is&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Unceasing, unborn,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Unannihilated, not permanent,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Not coming, not going,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Without distinction, without identity,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And free from conceptual construction. - Nagarjuna&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In discussing dependent-origination as a whole, is as close to a description of Self as you will get. But local realism (to use the modern Physics term for Self, or any theory of things which have self-referential properties - properties independent of observation), is unlikely.. here's a recent experiment! &lt;a href=&quot;https://phys.org/news/2017-07-probability-quantum-world-local-realism.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;local-realism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in understanding a philosophical, logically consistent argument against the validity of Self or Essential existence, as formulated within the Buddhist sphere, &lt;a href=&quot;https://ia800400.us.archive.org/4/items/NagarjunaTheFundamentalWisdomOfTheMiddleWay/Nagarjuna%20-%20The%20Fundamental%20Wisdom%20Of%20The%20Middle%20Way.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mulamadhyamakakarika&lt;/a&gt; from part 2, with the commentary, is very educational! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Plato's &lt;a href=&quot;https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-parmenides/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parmenides&lt;/a&gt; is the exact mirror of the above linked text, as it argues for One or Self from within logic, so is a useful counterbalance. It is interesting Plato himself dismembers his argument so effectively that it is hard to see why he dos not abandon it at the end of his writing the text - it all ends up being so contradictory!!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T07:51:01.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21835" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-02T09:00:04.290" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is gradual training. Take one step at a time.&#xA;Do not try to eat the whole elephant in one bite.&#xA;-)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T09:00:04.290" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21836" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21828" CreationDate="2017-08-02T11:13:08.850" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There’s plenty of great software for Sanskrit (&lt;a href=&quot;http://indology.info/links/soft/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;, for example) but I read there is yet anything corresponding to the Pali Digital Reader.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You may also find useful &lt;a href=&quot;http://kjc-sv013.kjc.uni-heidelberg.de/dcs/index.php&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Digital Corpus of Sanskrit&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T11:13:08.850" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-08-02T11:13:08.850" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21837" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21841" CreationDate="2017-08-02T11:36:53.967" Score="8" ViewCount="1482" Body="&lt;p&gt;Good day to all! Total beginner here hoping not to bother. I was wondering if there are any suggested reads, talks, podcasts or videos one in my starter level should dive into to understand a bit more about buddhist philosophy.&#xA; I've only watched a few video modules on buddhism and have become quite interested in establishing it as a way of life. Unfortunately there are no buddhist temples or centers in close proximity, so getting information through those means is improbable. &#xA;Thank you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11865" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T06:50:53.517" Title="Buddhism 101? Any first steps one should take to begin their journey as a buddhist?" Tags="|beginner|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21838" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-02T12:30:44.100" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the Buddhism topics on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikipedia&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.thoughtco.com/buddhism-4133165&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;thoughtco&lt;/a&gt;are a good starting point. There is a nice Zen Buddhist sangha at Treeleaf.org that has a very good fund of information.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With the web, we're not restricted in our search for enlightenment. However, remember, reading is only an intellectual exercise, one needs meditation to go deeper into the spiritual aspect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T12:30:44.100" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21839" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-02T12:34:32.883" Score="3" ViewCount="101" Body="&lt;p&gt;I know he did some teaching with his mother in the heaven realms but what other incidents are mentioned in the cannon?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11017" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T16:08:09.980" Title="What interaction did the Buddha have with his family after leaving?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21840" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21839" CreationDate="2017-08-02T13:41:22.497" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;He taught his son Rahula non-harming at 7 years old &amp;amp; when older meditation &amp;amp; full enlightenment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teachings to his son are here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh033_Nyanaponika_Adivce-To-Rahula--Four-Discourses.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Advice to Rāhula: Four Discourses of the Buddha&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These teachings basically make up the entirely of the Dhamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T13:41:22.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21841" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-02T14:26:02.057" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Finding your path to enlightenment is a personal experience. Everyone's journey is different. But they all start with the first step of seeking refuge in the jewel.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &quot;jewel&quot; of Buddhism consists first of the seeking refuge in the Buddha. Learn about Siddartha Guatama (Shakyamuni Buddha)- his life and his general philosophy. These days that can be quite a task in and of itself as there is so much available for study. Aside from his life I'd look at his spot in actual history. Read about the ancient history of eastern religion and Buddhism's place in the mix.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're sufficiently enticed then learn more about the discipline by seeking the second point in the jewel: the dharma. Here we examine all the teachings and texts and techniques of Buddhism itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last of the 3 aspects of the jewel is the sangha. You seek refuge in the others within the Buddhist community. In short - taking refuge in the &quot;triple gem&quot; means taking refuge in Buddha as founder, dharma as truth, and sangha as mentor. This is essentially how one &quot;declares&quot; himself a Buddhist. Then the real work starts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After seeking refuge you become a student. Ideally you would seek a teacher within that sangha. At this point everyone's path diverges. Many take oaths as students and commit their lives to following first the 5 precepts. Some will do this within a monastic community and others within their everyday lives. It's all very flexible and the Buddha himself even warned against becoming mired in tradition and technique. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you're not fortunate enough to have a nice Buddhist influence within your community in which to turn then I'd recommend acquiring a copy of the Upanishads and the Dhammapada. The first contains some of the most ancient religious writings on our planet coming from the Vedas and the second is the actual teachings of the Buddha. One can build a sturdy foundation of knowledge in the dharma by merely digesting the isha, katha, and brihadaranyaka upanishads. I prefer the translations of Eknath Easwaran as my sanskrit is bad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;good fortune and namaste! damyata datta dayadhvam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T14:26:02.057" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21842" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-02T15:29:16.337" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism: A Layman's Guide to Life (All is english, except introduction is thai)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/buddhism_a_layman_s_guide_to_life.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/buddhism_a_layman_s_guide_to_life.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali Canon: What a Buddhist Must Know&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/the_pali_canon_what_a_buddhist_must_know.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/the_pali_canon_what_a_buddhist_must_know.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;CONSTITUTION FOR LIVING (English+Thai)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhist principles for a fruitful and harmonious life &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/a_constitution_for_living_thai-eng.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.watnyanaves.net/uploads/File/books/pdf/a_constitution_for_living_thai-eng.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if you would like something very deep: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Teaching &amp;amp; Training (2012 Edition)&#xA;(a concise introduction to the Pa-Auk Sayadaw’s teachings compiled by his foreign disciple)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/MNY%2001%20Teaching%20and%20Training%20-%20042015.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books/MNY%2001%20Teaching%20and%20Training%20-%20042015.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://122.155.190.19/revata/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;view=category&amp;amp;id=8&amp;amp;Itemid=111&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://122.155.190.19/revata/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;view=category&amp;amp;id=8&amp;amp;Itemid=111&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T15:29:16.337" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21843" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21839" CreationDate="2017-08-02T15:50:06.837" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apart from Dhammadhatu's answer regarding the Buddha's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/24lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;son Rahula becoming a monk&lt;/a&gt;, there are also other interactions with his family, like the founding of the order of nuns due to the insistence of his aunt and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_23lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;foster mother, Maha Pajapati Gotami, who became the first nun&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, &lt;a href=&quot;http://buddhajourney.net/siddharta-gautama-and-yasodhara/&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;his wife, Yasodhara later became a nun&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_(Buddhist_nun)&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;his half-sister Sundari Nanda also became a nun&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, not to forget one of the Buddha's most well known disciples and personal attendant, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/disciples09.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ven. Ananda who is also his cousin&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While his father, King Suddhodana did not become a monk, he too had some interaction with the Buddha, when his grandson Rahula became a monk, leading to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/24lbud.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;new rule being created&lt;/a&gt;, that nobody would be ordained without their parents' permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When King Suddhodana heard that his beloved grandson had become a monk&#xA;  he was deeply grieved. The king said, &quot;When you left home it made me&#xA;  sad. When Nanda left home my heart ached. I concentrated my love on my&#xA;  grandson and again the one I love has left me. Please do not ordain&#xA;  anyone without their parent's permission.&quot; To this the Buddha agreed&#xA;  and never ordained anybody after that without their parents'&#xA;  permission.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T16:08:09.980" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T16:08:09.980" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21844" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-02T16:52:37.573" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;A classic book for a beginner to read is &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B008YE8B1E&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;What the Buddha Taught&quot; by Walpola Rahula&lt;/a&gt;, which can be downloaded &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/What%20the%20Buddha%20Taught_Rahula.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://bswa.org/practices/basics-buddhism-podcast-series/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Basics of Buddhism podcast series&lt;/a&gt; by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA) seems to be good. Ajahn Brahm, who features in some of these podcasts, is also a famous speaker on Youtube.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two good beginner articles to read are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel433.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha and His Dhamma&lt;/a&gt; by Bhikkhu Bodhi and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, &amp;amp; Sangha&lt;/a&gt; by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tricycle's &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/topic/buddhism-for-beginners/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhism for Beginners&lt;/a&gt; has some nice articles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to feel close to a Buddhist community, watch the live and recorded videos of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BSWA on their Youtube Channel&lt;/a&gt;. During the live sessions, you can submit questions. Sometimes they have live events like the five precepts initiation ceremony on Wesak Day and the occasional monk ordination ceremony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can learn the basics of Buddhist meditation as taught by Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu either using &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the booklet&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Youtube videos&lt;/a&gt;. You can join the &lt;a href=&quot;https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/schedule&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;online meditation courses&lt;/a&gt; also, where you could have interaction with other course participants. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/18/yuttadhammo&quot;&gt;Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu&lt;/a&gt; has also written many great &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/18/yuttadhammo?tab=answers&quot;&gt;answers&lt;/a&gt; on this website, which would be helpful to a beginner. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo/videos&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;His YouTube channel&lt;/a&gt; also has many good videos for beginners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you want to deep-dive into the teachings of the Buddha, use the accesstoinsight.org website's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings&lt;/a&gt;. The book &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8463/471&quot;&gt;&quot;In the Buddha's Words&quot; by Bhikkhu Bodhi&lt;/a&gt; is also highly recommended.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T06:50:53.517" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T06:50:53.517" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21845" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-02T17:07:08.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I was wondering if there are any suggested reads, talks, podcasts or videos one in my starter level should dive into to understand a bit more about buddhist philosophy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Books&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's a good amount of great books in english about Buddhism. There's also a great amount of bad books, so I suggest starting with introductory books written by monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These books may vary in content according to the school they belong to. However, a book introducing the Noble Eightfold Path would probably be good, since this it is shared by all buddhist schools, being the core doctrine of Buddhism. One option here is Bhikkhu Bodhi's &lt;a href=&quot;http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/192870607X&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other suggestions of introductory books can be found in the question &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/60/introductory-books-to-buddhism&quot;&gt;Introductory books to Buddhism&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Discussion&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Three noteworthy places to discuss Buddhism on the internet, where monks also participate, are the wheels forums and SuttaCentral:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammawheel.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammawheel&lt;/a&gt;: A Buddhist discussion forum focused on Theravada Buddhism&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dharmawheel.net&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dharmawheel&lt;/a&gt;: Companion site to the above. A Buddhist discussion forum focused on Mahayana Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://discourse.suttacentral.net/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SuttaCentral&lt;/a&gt;: a portal of translations of buddhist texts, featuring a section with discussions and Q&amp;amp;A. Focused on Early Buddhism / Theravada.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Videos&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The youtube channel we here are more familiar with is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;yuttadhammo's channel&lt;/a&gt;, since he is a former moderator of this very site. He is a Theravadin monk. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Authors&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be interesting to get a sense of english authors with some notoriety in various traditions and look for their books, interviews, dharma talks, etc. For example, Thích Nhất Hạnh and Shunryu Suzuki on Zen Buddhism, the Dalai Lama on Tibetan Biddhism and Bhikkhu Boddhi on Theravada Buddhism. These are all well known in western buddhist circles (I'm assuming you are located in the west). You may also be interested in materials by authors with titles such as &quot;roshi&quot; (japanese zen), &quot;rinpoche&quot; or &quot;tulku&quot; (tibetan) and &quot;sayadaw&quot;, &quot;thera&quot;, &quot;ajhan&quot; or &quot;bhikkhu&quot; (theravada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's also plenty of non-monastic/lay authors who publish excellent material, but I suggest being careful here, as there's a lot of dirt with jewels and it can be hard to distinguish between them when one is beginning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T17:07:08.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21846" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-02T19:00:30.443" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You should know how lucky you are to be on this path. In my opinion if there is any fear it's not the real you it's the mind that is afraid .So it's your ego justifying it's existence. Ego doesn't want to let go. And that glimpse you had is not all. Trust me .&#xA; Have you heard about this Buddhist monk/teacher Bhante Vimalaramsi? He describes nibanna and many other things and methods as well. Please, i want you to know that things will get better indeed. This ''depressive state'' will pass and it can pass really fast if you practice mindfullness ,watch your thoughts and understand that your feelings usually are thoughts in motion . Once you stop the thought and replace it with positive  your experience changes immediately. You can go crazy only if you believe in your thoughts...Relax&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11799" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T19:00:30.443" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21847" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21826" CreationDate="2017-08-02T19:53:29.763" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;From personal experience: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we don't counteract we might become a hopeless victim of the developing delusion, creating an object-subject tension. But counteraction should not create opposition or more tension, but a middle way in solving the slight or major disturbance. How it is done varies from mind to mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I never understood the 'letting go' part - repeated as a mantra everywhere - one can let everything through, but if one does not chase the thieves of delusion, anger, wrath, ignorance away that arise during life and rarely ever during meditation, he or she will eventually succumb to them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why  often meditation was advised as a remedy to counter the pollutants in life, by conscious mental effort to tame the incessant monkey of the jumping mind. Difference  between rigour and mindless drill is often confused.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It was - I think - always a question of discipline supported by inner truth.  In worst cases we may start recognizing the pollutants as regular in our mental continuum, thus not even recognizing them as something opposed to development and realization. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would argue that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ad. 1: If we simply observe the arising delusion we might be swept in, with poisons developing, if we counteract we create opposite tension, making psychological space for it to fill it later; Perhaps the method is to find higher grounds in mental state (as if climbing a mountain), and then neutralizing the poisons with light effort by analysis of causes and conditions and supporting the analysis with scriptural thought and &quot;good speech, good thought, good action&quot;; If the thoughts are polluted, the speech is polluted, is the speech is polluted so is action, it works the other way around: good action improves thought and speech by synchronizing them.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ad. 2 Dissolving mental habits is difficult if they are long-lasting, clusters of these are difficult to immediadately cut through (although it happens sometimes) one has to find not the opposition and be stranded in duality but something akin to trancendent Third, that neutralizes both; Between love an hatred, for example, one finds a paternal and a maternal mind towards beings that feel both releasing oneself from the duality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11781" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T19:53:29.763" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21848" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21812" CreationDate="2017-08-02T20:37:17.743" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is a path of self-realisation &amp;amp; self-help. Buddhism teaches the basis of faith in the Buddhist path is the personal experience of suffering &amp;amp; the resultant aspiration or wish to be free from suffering. Buddhism teaches pornography &amp;amp; other extreme sensual pleasures (such as gambling, drugs, alcohol, etc) cause addiction, anxiety &amp;amp; suffering, not only to oneself but to others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, pornography is an entertainment industry manufactured to give the impression the people engaging in pornography are happy &amp;amp; that pornography brings happiness. But, in reality, many pornography actors have drug problems &amp;amp; have even committed suicide due to their work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In your situation, you are already coming to the self-realisation your life has problems &amp;amp; suffering because of pornography. This self-realisation itself is the way to control your mind; by constantly thinking how pornography is harming &amp;amp; ruining your life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the powerful urge to watch pornography arises, you can clench your fists, bow your head, consciously breathe &amp;amp; say to yourself, over &amp;amp; over again: &quot;&lt;em&gt;No, no, this is harmful; this is poison; this is ruining my life&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. You must endure &amp;amp; endure and wait for the urge to intensify &amp;amp; pass. You must constantly think to yourself: &quot;&lt;em&gt;This urge is impermanent; this urge will pass away; this urge is not me; I am not this urge; I must wait for it to pass away otherwise I will reinforce the urge&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is how the Buddha himself practised, as described in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dvedhāvitakka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-02T20:45:59.170" LastActivityDate="2017-08-02T20:45:59.170" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21851" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="10706" CreationDate="2017-08-03T17:19:43.997" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Apparently, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkichi_Takahashi&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;foremost&lt;/a&gt; Dada poet in Japan was possessed by mara, and ended up in an ayslum.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very intriuging, I think.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-03T17:19:43.997" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21854" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21812" CreationDate="2017-08-04T12:00:44.047" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In terms of harmless meditation you can do on your own, &lt;strong&gt;metta bhavana&lt;/strong&gt; (cultivating kindness) might help. Here &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html&lt;/a&gt; is one good guide (specifically section 11) but you’ll find many other sources on the net.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It’s more about developing maitri/metta than concentration as such but considering what is at the root of masturbation, especially excessive masturbation, it will help you by developing good will towards others and away from yourself. It will also help you concentrate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a concept in Buddhism called the &lt;strong&gt;Three Unwholesome Roots&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;Three Poisons&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_poisons&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Three Poisons are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;moha - delusion/confusion   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;raga - greed/sensual attachment   &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dvesha - aversion, ill will&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These each have their opposites, positive roots that counter them  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;prajna - wisdom/insight  &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dana - generosity&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;maitri (metta in Pali) - kindness, friendliness, good will i.e. what you cultivate in metta bhavana&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Read up on these and consider how the negative roots are divisive and involve perceiving a separate self, pulling things from the world into that separate self, and seeing others as threats/competitors in the context of this pulling into the self.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then consider how the positive roots concern unifying and working towards the good of all, focusing on adding to the pot rather than drawing from it, sharing with others and taking care of others’ needs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ask yourself if you had to describe yourself to a woman you fancied, would you prefer to describe yourself as a consumer or a producer, a taker or a giver? Do you want to feed the world or do you want the world to feed you?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of &lt;strong&gt;pure concentration&lt;/strong&gt;, mindfulness of breathing is very effective. Maybe it’s better learned from a teacher but there will also be guides on the internet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Good luck. When I gave up smoking, I decided to not punish myself if I started again but simply to stop again, no matter how many times it took. And it worked. I haven’t had a single cigarette in 13 years. So don’t beat yourself up if you fail at first. Just keep working on your practise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T12:00:44.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21855" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2712" CreationDate="2017-08-04T12:33:53.720" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mahayana Teachers speak of awakening or enlightenment in two meanings:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Awakening as liberation from delusions.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Complete awakening.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first one is the experience of &quot;seeing the true nature&quot;. I think it can be called &quot;liberation&quot; because the illusory nature of delusions is revealed. They still can appear in the mental continuum, but they do not enslave in that absolute way as it was before.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That experience of &lt;em&gt;seeing&lt;/em&gt; may be impermanent, because of our deeply rooted habits. It depends. Therefore some people think it's a permanent change (sometimes it happens so), some people think it's a transitory experience that comes and goes. (Usually it is so).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is the first of Ten Bhumis of Bodhisattva. Probably it's the same as the Stream Entry. Mahayana Teachers say that though it's liberation from delusions, imprints of delusions remain (obstacles to omniscience). They are eliminated in the course of Ten Bhumis, and then there is the complete enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. So in general &quot;satori&quot; and &quot;kensho&quot; is awakening (in the first sense). However among Buddhist teachers, Zen in particular, there are many people without real understanding of awakening. They read some books or listen to low quality teachers and form various misconceptions. That's why in fact they use terms &quot;satori&quot; and &quot;kensho&quot; where there's no awakening at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T12:33:53.720" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21857" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-04T15:55:01.750" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Fear not included in sobhana-cetasika (wholesome mental factor group). Fear is dosa-akusala-cetasika (unwholesome mental factor group).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T15:55:01.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21858" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-04T16:08:21.143" Score="-1" ViewCount="99" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is reiki practice (energy practice) harmful? Is it harmful to advancing in the path?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm asking, not about getting a treatment, but about doing a course in it: and getting into this whole reiki thing and maybe treating others with it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T15:06:36.447" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T15:06:36.447" Title="Is reiki harmful or not (is it harmful to advancing in the path)?" Tags="|untagged|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21859" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21858" CreationDate="2017-08-04T17:33:19.623" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's definitely a distraction.  There's something be said for the whole-hearted practice of a single path.  The more we pursue, the more scattered our attention, and inevitably the less directed our efforts.  I would also have to ask after your motivations.  Are they to heal or are they to simply to become someone who can heal?  Is what's driving you down that road curiosity, compassion, or perhaps something more sinister and insidious?  Lastly, just something is true for reiki practice doesn't necessarily mean it would transfer well into Buddhist practice.  Generally, the more ideas we have in our heads about what practice is, what it should look like, and how it should feel the more likely we are to run into dead-ends and obstacles.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T17:33:19.623" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21860" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21858" CreationDate="2017-08-04T17:48:29.323" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Basically, Reiki is healing by means of feeling energy and letting it to harmonize. It might help to be healthier, to develop inner and outer harmony, and therefore to advance in Buddhist practice more easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, it can happen that if our feelings are coarse, we remain tense, and our practice of calming does not go well. But if our feelings are subtler, the harmony is deeper and calming practice progresses better.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Tantric Buddhism, energy practices are a part of the training. In Zen they are used for good health and swift progress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore I think that Reiki is not harmful in itself. It might become a distraction, but also it might become somehow helpful on Buddhist path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T17:48:29.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21861" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21858" CreationDate="2017-08-04T17:58:20.863" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reiki harmeful or not ? is it harmeful to advancing in the path?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the famous &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, there is a passage where the Buddha explains to the wandering ascetic Subhadda, that &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;in any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;, that does not contain the &lt;em&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/em&gt;, enlightened beings cannot be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is very important since it shows that only teachings that contain the noble eightfold path can lead to freedom from suffering, to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The quoted passage can be found below.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Subhadda went to the Blessed One and exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, &amp;quot;Venerable sir, these brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives, each with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his group, an honored leader, well-regarded by people at large — i.e., Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthaputta, &amp;amp; the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they all have direct knowledge as they themselves claim, or do they all not have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and some of them not?&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the Dhamma. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Yes, lord,&amp;quot; Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, &amp;quot;In any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But in any doctrine &amp;amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine &amp;amp; discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T17:58:20.863" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21862" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8631" CreationDate="2017-08-04T18:29:23.580" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The difference in teachings is that Zen is based more on Mahayana ideas, such as &lt;em&gt;Two Truths&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Six Paramitas&lt;/em&gt;. (Theravada's interpretation of two truths and paramitas is very different from Nagarjuna's interpretation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In my experience, understanding of Two Truths (according to Mahayana) helps to abandon rigid ideas and develop insight; and the system of Six Paramitas helps to use daily deeds as practice. I'm not a specialist in Theravada, but I don't know there any similarly effective system.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, Zen emphasizes the reliance on direct prajna rather than on the scriptures. Perhaps that leads to wider use of various skillful means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As people are different, I prefer to not make generalizations comparing practitioners of Theravada and Zen. Though maybe dogmatic people are attracted more to Theravada, and nihilistic people are attracted more to Zen. Sometimes it seems so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-04T18:29:23.580" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21863" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-04T21:06:40.180" Score="2" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is there a Buddhist tradition or practice, which involves developing or showing metta towards a non-sentient entity ... for example, towards a jar of rice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If not, why not?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it theoretically possible (according to Buddhist theory) that such a practice might have an effect, an effect not only on the mind of the practitioner but also on the object ... for example, might speaking kindly to a sealed jar of cooked rice cause it to rot more slowly (as suggested by Masuro Emoto's rice experiment)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masuro Emoto's rice experiment was to put cooked rice in three sealed jars: then say hateful words to one jar, loving words to another, and ignore the third. Allegedly the rice jar to which were said loving words does well (rots more slowly), and the ones you ignore and say bad words to will do less well (they rot or grow mouldy more quickly than the other one).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit :  the experiment didn't work  - i also added two slices of the same apple next to the rice  -  and even the &quot;good&quot; rice and apple got rotten a bit faster &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="6921" LastEditorUserId="6921" LastEditDate="2017-09-14T22:23:38.590" LastActivityDate="2017-09-14T22:23:38.590" Title="Metta towards a non-sentient entity or substance (e.g. rice)?" Tags="|metta|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21864" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-04T23:21:19.450" Score="2" ViewCount="362" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 47.8&lt;/a&gt; (Pali &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn47.8&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;) is translated as such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhus, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries:&#xA;  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master,&#xA;  or he reached for this one, or he took a lot of this one, or he spoke&#xA;  in praise of this one; or the sour curry pleased my master today, or&#xA;  he reached for the sour one, or he took a lot of the sour one, or he&#xA;  spoke in praise of the sour one; or the bitter curry … or the pungent&#xA;  curry … or the sweet curry … or the sharp curry … or the mild curry …&#xA;  or the salty curry … or the bland curry pleased my master … or he&#xA;  spoke in praise of the bland one.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not gain gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that foolish,&#xA;  incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own&#xA;  master’s preference.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So too, bhikkhus, here some foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly&#xA;  comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in&#xA;  regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the&#xA;  body, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not&#xA;  abandoned, he does not pick up that sign. He dwells contemplating&#xA;  feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent,&#xA;  clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and&#xA;  displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating&#xA;  phenomena in phenomena, his mind does not become concentrated, his&#xA;  corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain mindfulness and&#xA;  clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that foolish,&#xA;  incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not pick up the sign of his own&#xA;  mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suppose, bhikkhus, a wise, competent, skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter,&#xA;  pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke&#xA;  in praise of the bland one.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That wise, competent, skilful cook gains gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that wise, competent, skilful&#xA;  cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So too, bhikkhus, here some wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending,&#xA;  mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the&#xA;  world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind&#xA;  becomes concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that&#xA;  sign. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind …&#xA;  phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having&#xA;  removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he&#xA;  dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind becomes&#xA;  concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that sign.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;That wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu gains pleasant dwellings in this very life, and he gains mindfulness and clear comprehension. For&#xA;  what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu&#xA;  picks up the sign of his own mind.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What specific thing does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to above in SN 47.8?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T20:27:32.797" Title="What does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to in SN 47.8?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21865" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-05T00:32:25.040" Score="-4" ViewCount="225" Body="&lt;p&gt;I try to sit back and look at things more objectively. This is how I see things right now:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;we are awareness made flesh. with all the senses and limitations associated with being a human flesh creature.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;our bodies are on a 75 year camping trip. We're roughing it with these senses and subject to the ravages of time which normally doesnt affect us.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;in our normal forms, as awareness, we only sense vibrations and &quot;warm&quot; events give us resonant vibrations and harmonies. events other than that cause discordant vibrations and we are repulsed by them.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;when our bodies die we go back to being awareness. That is our only rebirth or afterlife.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;man has the capacity to move beyond rebirth, but it will never happen until the human race is homogenized physically and mentally. this just happens with time.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I have a definite dispute with the Buddha over the feasibility of working towards an end-goal of Nirvana. Has anyone ascended to date? I believe the true definition is nirvana after death and better lives while alive.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is this not a more feasible end result? What is wrong with my reasoning?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11518" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T19:39:25.047" Title="What's the end game for Buddhism?" Tags="|personal-practice|nirvana|lay-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21866" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-05T01:21:12.697" Score="0" ViewCount="87" Body="&lt;p&gt;We are different. Our upbringing is different.Our sanskaras are different. We are made up of sanskaras therefore every self must be different. Yet Buddha says &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg54.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Practice the truth that thy brother is the same as thou&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &#xA;It would be great if someone can explain what is meant by the above statement of Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-05T09:54:11.757" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T16:36:40.233" Title="What is meant by &quot;Practice the truth thy brother is same as thou&quot;?" Tags="|self|buddha|practice|love|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21867" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21865" CreationDate="2017-08-05T01:25:51.500" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question comes from the belief of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassatavada&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eternalism&lt;/a&gt;. Buddhism rejects the view of an eternal soul or awareness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rebirth occurs until one uproots craving. Elimination of craving is the end game.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T01:25:51.500" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21868" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21866" CreationDate="2017-08-05T05:18:35.320" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;He is simply affirming as a truth/truism that your brother is the same as you. It's reminiscent of Jesus' &quot;love your neighbour as yourself&quot; -- possibly because of the (originally) Christian background of the writer Paul Carus (who wrote the 1894 &lt;em&gt;The Gospel of Buddha&lt;/em&gt; which you're quoting).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T19:47:30.063" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T19:47:30.063" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21869" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21880" CreationDate="2017-08-05T07:13:54.240" Score="1" ViewCount="193" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here in India we bath after funeral, But my prior question was &quot;What is funeral law of Buddhism?&quot; and  answerer said that when he lived in a forest monastery in Thailand, dead monks &amp;amp; residents were cremated on a pile of wood in the forest &amp;amp; they would practice meditation on the burning corpse. Therefor I think no need to bath but let me know should we bath after funeral?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="567" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T00:21:20.947" Title="Should we bath after funeral?" Tags="|rituals|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21872" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2017-08-05T11:24:55.850" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;If anyone interacting with the ideas of Alan Watts doesn't understand that what he says is the stream of consciousness of a kind of genius mind that is at the same time playful and often tongue in cheek should not waste their time trying to understand the ideas of Alan Watts. There is other wisdom better suited for you. I recommend to go enjoy the wisdom that suits you and leave Alan to those who Alan suits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Peace&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11879" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T11:24:55.850" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21873" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21874" CreationDate="2017-08-05T14:17:45.667" Score="3" ViewCount="393" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism propose the possibility of any state of consciousness which feels better than neutral?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many buddhist teachings I have heard so far (mostly by Alan Watts) seem to point to an &quot;ideal&quot; state of consciousness which feels neutral or maybe even not at all, as there is no conscious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism claim to have some path to &quot;eternal happiness&quot; and more than &quot;non-suffering&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10419" LastEditorUserId="10419" LastEditDate="2017-08-05T23:58:13.037" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T23:58:13.037" Title="Can Buddhism lead to eternal happiness?" Tags="|zen|suffering|alan-watts|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21874" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21873" CreationDate="2017-08-05T14:57:02.817" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;That's a very common misunderstanding of what Buddhism is after.  Western authors (especially some of the early dabblers in Buddhism like Watts) had a very difficult time expressing Buddhist ideas in the parlance with which they and their audience would be familiar.  Consistently, concepts like &quot;voidness&quot; (e.g. shunyata) get mistaken for ideas like nihilism, inertness, or Stoicism.  You'd half expect the Buddhist ideal to more resemble Mr. Spock than Shakyamuni!   I think this is even further compounded by the Pali and Sanskrit languages which often use prefixed negations to express positive qualities (e.g. ahimsa or non-harming).  Based on that linguistic trope, it's very easy to think that Buddhism is only interested in a state in which negative qualities are absent.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not to get caught in the weeds over what Buddhism is after (and you might want to stay away from words like &quot;eternal&quot; on a Buddhism Q&amp;amp;A site!), but let me assure your that liberation is anything but neutral.  There are positive states like the seven factors of enlightenment (of which &quot;joy&quot; is one!), the compassion, equanimity, etc. of the Brahmaviharas, the sweetness of meditative absorption, among many, many others that are of paramount importance and have to be cultivated with just as much zeal as one uses to overcome their negative views and behaviors.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T14:57:02.817" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21875" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21864" CreationDate="2017-08-05T15:39:58.540" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the same sutta, buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;tathā hi so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu sakassa&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;cittassa nimittaṃ&lt;/strong&gt; na uggaṇhātiฯ.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then said about &lt;strong&gt;satipaṭṭhāna&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu &#xA;  kāye &lt;strong&gt;(=base, object)&lt;/strong&gt; kāyā-nupassī &lt;strong&gt;(=sati-cetasika)&lt;/strong&gt; viharati ātāpī &#xA;  sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃฯ&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cittassa nimittaṃ (base[=object] of consciousness) = satiya paṭṭhānaṃ (base [=object]  of sati).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The other name is kammaṭṭhāna (base[=object] of cetanā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. Sati must arise with consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm sorry for my first mistake answer.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T00:13:20.747" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T00:13:20.747" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21876" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21873" CreationDate="2017-08-05T17:05:37.440" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught everything, included better feeling consciousness, is suffering (dukkha).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those teaching disclaim  &quot;consciousness which feels better&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the the path (magga), to abandon that whole suffering, has arise with better feeling, in every step.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So someone think wrong that &quot;Buddhism lead to eternal happiness&quot;. Because if buddha taught about &quot;consciousness which feels better&quot;, so he shouldn't taught that &quot;better feeling consciousness, is suffering&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. In commentary said that magga happy feeling and phala happy feeling  are suffering, too. But tanha can't desire them, so the practitioners have not to vipassana in magga and phala.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-05T23:58:09.277" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T23:58:09.277" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21877" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21869" CreationDate="2017-08-05T17:25:39.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Bath after funeral is proper, if bath make &lt;strong&gt;wholesome&lt;/strong&gt; consciousness arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But bath after funeral is not proper, if bath make &lt;strong&gt;unwholesome&lt;/strong&gt; consciousness arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T17:25:39.323" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21878" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21873" CreationDate="2017-08-05T21:05:50.317" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches &quot;non-suffering&quot;. The whole path is about abandoning suffering &amp;amp; its causes therefore to have any other motivation (such as to find 'happiness') will not actually work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This said, to not discourage people, the Dhammapada does explicitly provide the assurance that: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Nirvana is the highest happiness&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The result of &quot;non-suffering&quot; is a bliss the ordinary person who has had only ordinary experiences cannot imagine. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, to imagine what Nirvana might be like, imagine the feeling of relief that occurs when you urgently need to &amp;amp; do urinate. This is a very blissful feeling from the release from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even the idea of &quot;neutral&quot; is better than ordinary happiness. However, when the ordinary person thinks about &quot;neutral&quot;, they think about depression rather than lucid sparkling clear purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-05T23:50:47.423" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T23:50:47.423" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21879" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21873" CreationDate="2017-08-05T22:12:19.600" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Dhamma is &quot;Akaliko&quot;: without time. It points to that outside Time and Space. Time and Space are ways the mind works, just as 'turning' is the way a wheel works.&#xA;So the Dhamma points to that which is indescribable by the mind. It is not-mind. There is no 'eternal' there. There is no 'infinite' there.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="4773" LastActivityDate="2017-08-05T22:12:19.600" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21880" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21869" CreationDate="2017-08-06T00:21:20.947" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists usually cremate the bodies. But there's no Buddhist funeral law. You may or may not bath before, after or during the funeral if you see any health benefit to it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T00:21:20.947" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21881" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21866" CreationDate="2017-08-06T01:12:42.487" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;All sentient beings naturally want to be satisfied, yet we typically feel dissatisfaction in our lives. (It is explained in the Four Noble Truths).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Despite our different backgrounds and conditions, we all are equally sentient beings, our minds work by similar principles: we meet problems, we want to solve them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The root problem comes from illusory oppositions. For example, we divide situations into &quot;me&quot; - &quot;them&quot;. Trying to solve problems, we try to make a solution &quot;good for me&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That view - &quot;good for me&quot; - creates attachments. Losing what is &quot;good for me&quot;, we feel not just small pain, but &lt;em&gt;suffering&lt;/em&gt;, exaggerated by our clinging to &quot;good for me&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And when something hinders our &quot;good for me&quot;, we start to hate it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus the oppositions in our view lead to ignorance, attachment and hatred. Also they lead to pridefulness, envy and laziness. And all the other vexations and delusions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, in order to liberate from vexations-delusions, we should drop illusory divisions. We should drop our dependence on the view &quot;what's good for me&quot;, and instead discover the natural way, beyond oppositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That absence of oppositions between all beings is called karuna (compassion), and it is another side of prajna (wisdom). With prajna-karuna we don't separate anyone; we act naturally, for the benefit of all. Without mental blinkers, we are free from ignorance, unhealthy attachment, hatred and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For training in that, it's useful to practice the truth that our oppositions are illusory, deluding and enslaving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T01:12:42.487" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21882" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21865" CreationDate="2017-08-06T01:52:02.927" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;When we create some arbitrary models of reality (ideas), it might be good enough for writing fiction books. But if we want to discuss real situations, we should rely on proper knowledge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharma of Buddha was derived from experiential observations, it was not just arbitrary construction of ideas. Therefore it is suitable for discussing our human situation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Arbitrary ideas are not useful, because they are not based on real phenomena. For example: &quot;man has the capacity to move beyond rebirth, but it will never happen until the human race is homogenized physically and mentally&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Unless you prove such ideas, starting from observable phenomena, I see no reason to waste time discussing them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T01:52:02.927" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21883" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21864" CreationDate="2017-08-06T02:22:48.003" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think Buddha speaks about &lt;strong&gt;sincere attention to the process&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without sensitivity (sincere attention), you pretend to spend time in the practice, but do not concentrate the mind, do not abandon corruptions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Zen it's explained as losing the balance between calmness and alertness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Calmness not balanced by alertness leads to states of dullness, &quot;like a stone that uselessly soaks in water&quot;, &quot;like dry piece of wood devoid of life&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct meditation should have attentive, sincere attitude.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, a skillful cook pays sincere attention to doing everything so that the food will be prepared well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T02:22:48.003" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21884" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21770" CreationDate="2017-08-06T04:23:39.720" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does medicine focus on disease too much?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;but also very unlikely even for monks and for an average person that would be even more difficult&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that very unlikely.&#xA;In Ancient India, an average person does not have access to internet, books, mediation centers, etc. to learn about Buddhism. In fact, an average Ancient Indian person is illiterate.&#xA;However, there are still a lot of people achieved enlightenment as recorded.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the WHO definition of health is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to this definition, few people are healthy.&#xA;But medicine is still useful even if most people can only achieve incomplete health via medicine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does it means Buddhism will make the average follower to feel more suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Medicine tells average followers that their body is full of bacteria.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11833" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T04:23:39.720" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21885" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-06T05:05:02.440" Score="1" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sorry, I'm a beginner to Buddhism but at least from whatever I have heard buddhism seems atheistic. But I've also heard claims like the Buddha is higher than the 'devas' and all that. Does buddhism believe in god? are there any suttas which can prove otherwise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11880" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T09:43:00.750" Title="Is buddhism athiestic?" Tags="|god|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2017-08-06T11:08:28.030" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21886" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21885" CreationDate="2017-08-06T05:34:16.937" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches about higher consciousness such as Deva or gods.&#xA;However, Buddhism does not teache a one creator God or one and only god overpowering you.Gods can help you like any other human can help you but not with eliminate your suffering, unfortunately.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;==================&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Scattered throughout the suttas are references to as many as thirty-one distinct &quot;planes&quot; or &quot;realms&quot; of existence into which beings can be reborn during their long wandering through samsara. These range from the extraordinarily grim and painful hell realms all the way up to the most exquisitely refined and blissful heaven realms. Existence in every realm is temporary; in Buddhist cosmology there is no eternal heaven or hell. Beings are born into a particular realm according to their past kamma. When they pass away, they take rebirth once again elsewhere according to the quality of their kamma: wholesome actions bring about a favorable rebirth, while unwholesome actions lead to an unfavorable one. And so the wearisome cycle continues.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The realms of existence are customarily divided into three distinct &quot;worlds&quot; (loka), listed here in descending order of refinement:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Immaterial World (arupa-loka). Consists of four realms that are accessible to those who pass away while meditating in the formless jhanas.&#xA;The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka). Consists of sixteen realms whose inhabitants (the devas) experience extremely refined degrees of mental pleasure. These realms are accessible to those who have attained at least some level of jhana and who have thereby managed to (temporarily) suppress hatred and ill-will. They are said to possess extremely refined bodies of pure light. The highest of these realms, the Pure Abodes, are accessible only to those who have attained to &quot;non-returning,&quot; the third stage of Awakening. The Fine-Material World and the Immaterial World together constitute the &quot;heavens&quot; (sagga).&#xA;The Sensuous World (kama-loka). Consists of eleven realms in which experience — both pleasurable and not — is dominated by the five senses. Seven of these realms are favorable destinations, and include our own human realm as well as several realms occupied by devas. The lowest realms are the four &quot;bad&quot; destinations, which include the animal and hell realms.&#xA;The information on this page was assembled from a variety of sources. In the interests of economizing space I have not attributed each fact to its respective source.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T05:41:19.317" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T05:41:19.317" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21887" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21744" CreationDate="2017-08-06T05:47:19.547" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;See &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C5%ABlamadhyamakak%C4%81rik%C4%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mula-madhyamaka-karika&lt;/a&gt;&quot; by Nagarjuna:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Neither from itself nor from another,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor from both,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Nor without a cause,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Later &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrakirti&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Chandrakirti&lt;/a&gt; wrote detailed explanations of these ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose was to demonstrate the middle way between extremes of eternalism and nihilism regarding causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise causes could be viewed as &quot;substance of self&quot; of phenomena.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For practical purposes, we can meditate thusly:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Realize that all things depend on causes&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and therefore they lack independent existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, my feelings depend on causes. All my thoughts depend on causes. Also my wishes and my actions all depend on causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, is there anything in &quot;me&quot; this moment, not dependent on something else?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Then realize also that &lt;strong&gt;causality itself is illusory&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, we can contemplate that causality is rather our &lt;em&gt;assumption&lt;/em&gt; than reliably known truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We guess that &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; is the cause of &lt;em&gt;that&lt;/em&gt;. But it's just our guess, &lt;em&gt;conventional truth&lt;/em&gt;. In the absolute sense, we can not ultimately know it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Absolute truth&quot; is understood here as something that appears directly (phenomena, &lt;em&gt;dharmas&lt;/em&gt;). Any judgments - e.g. views about causality - are just guesses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For practical purposes, we take such guesses to be &quot;true&quot;, but we should realize that's just a &lt;em&gt;convention&lt;/em&gt; in our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This understanding helps to see the selflessness of phenomena, and thus to liberate from samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T05:47:19.547" CommentCount="14" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21888" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21885" CreationDate="2017-08-06T05:54:05.833" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is faith in the Dhamma, the Buddha and the Sangha. Faith is based upon observational proof as described in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN27&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kalama&lt;/a&gt;. 'devas', heavens, hells - are subject to the same Dhamma as people, just living under different conditions (longer time span, material/immaterial). They are scattered around the Pali canon, but &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn1&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN1&lt;/a&gt; gives a nice list, and sums up Buddhist opinion on them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="7309" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T05:54:05.833" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21889" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21894" CreationDate="2017-08-06T06:20:02.387" Score="1" ViewCount="2227" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know how promiscuity affects us? How it binds? What are the after affects of making many sexual partners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10804" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T16:04:30.810" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T15:55:20.017" Title="How sexual relations with multiple partners affect us? What are after effects of promiscuity?" Tags="|ethics|sexuality|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21890" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21889" CreationDate="2017-08-06T09:06:22.207" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Only the people in a marriage or in a relationship is covered by the third precept.&#xA;If you use your common sense it appears multiple partners could create a lot of health problems and psychological problems perhaps monetary problems.My personal opinion is it is not a good idea.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T04:47:39.760" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T04:47:39.760" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21892" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21889" CreationDate="2017-08-06T09:08:24.690" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generalisations can be made for men &amp;amp; women.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For men:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) difficulty remaining faithful in relationship due to habit of wanting other women on sight&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) loss of trust &amp;amp; being shunned in an ordinary community if becoming a habitual predator&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) always searching for a sex partner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) unhappiness &amp;amp; loneliness when without a sex partner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) lack of virtuous development in how to care for people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vi) lack of morals to impart to any children&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vii) similar results to any addiction, as described in the Pali suttas, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) increase of quarrels,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) susceptibility to disease,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) earning an evil reputation,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) shameless exposure of body,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vi) weakening of intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vii) he is ever thinking:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(a) where is there girls?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(b) where is there women?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(c) where is there porn?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(d) where is there sex?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(e) where is there young women?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(f) where is there mature women?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada&#xA;Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: points (vii)(a) to (f) are an adaptation&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For women:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(i) loss of natural bonding instinct&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(ii) however, often, no loss of reproductive instinct but loss of genuine love towards eventual marriage partner due to instinctual attachment to a former often first partner&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iii) loss of tolerance &amp;amp; strength needed to maintain a family&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(iv) loss of ability to control a man (important in Matugama-samyutta)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(v) difficulty in maintaining marriage&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vi) major loss of instinctual wisdom &amp;amp; morality needed to bringing up children&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(vii) become sexual needy &amp;amp; servile (rather than having natural self-control)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(viii) highly probably of needing anti-depressants when older&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pali Buddhism particularly focuses upon sexual impurity of women for such reasons. For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.18.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada  242. Unchastity is the taint in a woman. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/sn37&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mātugāma Saṃyutta&lt;/a&gt; highlights the importance of morality in women.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In nature, the basic instincts towards moral expectations are mostly found in women. When women lose their moral compass, the world, including its men, become lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why Buddhists such as the Dalai Lama make many discrete statements about the importance of the role of women in creating a good world but few explain the truth about these matters. Most Buddhists are concerned with 'political correctness' &amp;amp; recruiting 'leftists' to Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-needs-more-women-leaders-dalai-lama-4485345/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Since&#xA;women are more inclined to be compassionate, their role is more&#xA;important in creating a more peaceful society that the world aspires&#xA;to achieve,&amp;quot; said Dalai Lama&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T09:13:38.283" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21893" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21885" CreationDate="2017-08-06T09:37:40.820" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I have heard buddhism seems atheistic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Correct. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; states happiness &amp;amp; suffering are not caused by a creator god, such as Ishvara, Yahweh or Allah. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But I've also heard claims like the Buddha is higher than the 'devas' and all that.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The gods are the kings, queens, politicians, billionaires, etc, or very special spiritual people who have extraordinary love or psychic powers. In short, the 'gods' are merely people. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, the story in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn11/sn11.005.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 11.5&lt;/a&gt; about the &lt;em&gt;deva&lt;/em&gt; (benevolent) &amp;amp; violent (&lt;em&gt;asura&lt;/em&gt;) gods debating how to rule people is obviously powerful people debating political methods (such as democracy vs communism). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is found in Judaism (a punishing violent god) &amp;amp; Christianity (a forgiving loving god). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does buddhism believe in god?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the ordinary sense, no, Buddhism does not believe in god. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;are there any suttas which can prove otherwise?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.61&lt;/a&gt; says happiness &amp;amp; suffering are not due to a creator god such as Ishvara, Yahweh or Allah. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.044.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.44&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.045.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.45 &lt;/a&gt; (at the very end) say the world is created by ignorance &amp;amp; the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T09:43:00.750" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T09:43:00.750" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21894" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21889" CreationDate="2017-08-06T10:19:11.050" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In his &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1st sermon&lt;/a&gt;, the Lord Buddha taught: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by&#xA;  delight and &lt;strong&gt;lust&lt;/strong&gt;, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving&#xA;  for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for&#xA;  extermination.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the more sexual partners, which is interactions based on lust, the more suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches to relate to people with non-harming (&lt;em&gt;ahimsa&lt;/em&gt;), loving-kindness (&lt;em&gt;metta&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; compassion (&lt;em&gt;karuna&lt;/em&gt;). Therefore, there is absolutely no place in Buddhism for the recommendation or endorsement of sexual promiscuity, because sexual promiscuity is a behaviour (&lt;em&gt;kamma&lt;/em&gt;) rooted in lust. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;MN 9, which is about Right View, states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the root of the unwholesome? Greed (lust) is a root of the unwholesome; hate is a root of the unwholesome; delusion is a root&#xA;  of the unwholesome. This is called the root of the unwholesome.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dhammapada states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Verse 202: There is no fire like lust.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, if a person needs to have sex due to strong natural urges, a person should establish a relationship based on loving-kindness &amp;amp; compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, there are no teachings about how to engage in sex because all of the teachings are about how husbands &amp;amp; wives should behave in the more important compassionate &amp;amp; loving ways. For example, in AN 4.55, it is taught when a husband &amp;amp; wife are complete with virtue &amp;amp; love towards each other, they will naturally enjoy whatever sexual pleasures they desire. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In conclusion, Buddhism describes the world of promiscuity as the 'animal world', as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;... the world would have fallen into promiscuity, as with goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, dogs, and jackals. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 2.9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, Buddhists that tell other people that sexual promiscuity is &quot;OK&quot; are teaching the path (&lt;em&gt;magga&lt;/em&gt;) leading to animal birth (&lt;em&gt;tiracchā­na­-yoni-­gamanīyā&lt;/em&gt;), as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the cause of defilements? Ignorance is the cause of defilements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the diversity in defilements? There are defilements that lead to hell, those that lead to the animal womb (tiracchā­na­yoni­gamanīyā), those that lead to&#xA;  the realm of the hungry shades, those that lead to the human world,&#xA;  those that lead to the world of the devas. This is called the&#xA;  diversity in defilements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the cause of kamma? Contact is the cause of kamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals (tiracchā­na­yoni­ve­danīyaṃ), kamma&#xA;  to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be&#xA;  experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world&#xA;  of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.63&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.63&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T11:13:00.287" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T11:13:00.287" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21895" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21889" CreationDate="2017-08-06T12:56:32.013" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I personally don't care a hoot what religion says about sex. It has no place in my love life.  You only need to look to the rampant hypocrisy within Christianity/Catholicism to realise that the ones moralising about sex don't practice what they preach.   My view is enjoy it while you can but be cautious and stay as safe as possible. I've had countless casual encounters over my life and I don't regret any of them. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T12:56:32.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21896" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-06T13:08:01.403" Score="6" ViewCount="2665" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to be Buddhist and a misanthropist?  I've realised I actually despise humanity and sometimes I fantasise about the sun exploding  and wiping us all out. I believe that the majority of humans are undeserving of this life. So much stupidity and ignorance that I just cannot bear people most of the time. The other night my neighbours just decided to have a loud party on their balcony at 2:45 am. What kind of self centred stupid people would do that? The people in my apartment block are so lazy and dumb that they just dump their garbage in the recycling bins.  It's things like this that I see on a daily basis that lead me to despise people. I've tried and tried metta practice but I just don't feel like people deserve kindness. They're idiots, selfish iPhone addicted idiots. Especially people like Trump. He deserves nothing but suffering in my view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for the answers but still not sure what I'm supposed to do. I just don't like most people and I can't tolerate them. I don't have friends because of this and I don't see my family because I can't stand them either. People are just insufferable. I can sit there till I'm blue in the face repeating rote metta phrases but it makes not a shred of difference. I don't feel any empathy or sympathy for a species of creatures who behave the way humans do. The Earth would be a much better place without us. Leave the animals to live in harmony instead of raping and pillaging the place for money. I'm sick of it. I don't feel any love for anyone. The USA has a narcissistic bigoted moron as its leader. What does that say about the people? It's says that half the USA are delusional idiots.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditorDisplayName="user11901" LastEditDate="2020-09-25T06:20:24.127" LastActivityDate="2020-09-25T06:20:24.127" Title="Buddhism and misanthropy" Tags="|suffering|ignorance|" AnswerCount="18" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21897" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-06T14:05:14.787" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's possible to be a Buddhist who is striving not to be overcome by misanthropic thoughts. Misanthropy is a product of aversion. Thinking to destroy human kind or wishing harm to even one person is simply hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Metta meditation fails, try to see the world in terms of momentary experiences, not in terms of entities or individuals. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T14:12:39.697" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T14:12:39.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21898" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-06T14:36:36.810" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;One of the primary purposes of Buddhism is to avoid misanthropic thoughts. While you can call yourself Buddhist and not follow some or many of its teachings, you should remember that you have thoughts and feelings that is in conflict with your belief system. It's akin to saying I am a Christian but I want to kill innocent people. While you're still technically considered a Christian, you are advocating for something that directly opposes one of the ten commandments of Christianity. But if you're talking about trying to be a true Buddhist, then misanthropy is a big no.  I hope I answered your question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11882" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T14:36:36.810" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21899" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18271" CreationDate="2017-08-06T14:42:06.400" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Visuddhimagga silaniddesa wrote that bhikkhu's rules in vinaya pitaka appear 91,805,036,000  rules. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you have ever been monk you will understand that it is not just the similitude counting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The number in your question are just uddesa that bhikkhu must recite in fortnightly meeting day (uposatha). Those are just little example rules, in 91,805,036,000 rules that appear in vinaya pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T14:54:13.800" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T14:54:13.800" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21900" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-06T15:41:26.853" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/OG4Xr.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/OG4Xr.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Final plate of Zen ox herding plate series&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The picture above is the final plate in the series of Zen ox herding pictures.  The entire series is a visual depiction of the Buddhist path.  It charts the progress from a neophyte just trying to calm his his mind all the way to the highest, Bodhisattva ideal.  It is of paramount importance and distinctly Buddhist that the series does not end with deep meditative absorption, mystical experiences of oneness, or even the bliss of nirvana.  The highest purpose of undertaking Buddhist training is to eventually return to the marketplace - the world of red dust - with bliss bestowing hands.  Everyone is deserving of the Bodhisattva's compassion and wisdom. - the people blasting music at 3AM, those who can't bother recycling, Donald Trump...everybody.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have a hard time believing that you weren't already aware of this.  What you may not have experienced before is just how hard Buddhist practice can be.  We all eventually reach a point in our practice when the full scope of the dharma becomes evident.  In that moment, the sheer immensity of it leaves us paralyzed.  Fulfulling what we started seems nothing short of impossible.  And maybe it is. Let me assure you, however, that it does get easier.  While you may never reach a point where your compassion is perfect, bit by bit, it will become much easier to manage and understand the ignorant behaviors of others.  But you have try.              &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-08-07T14:08:03.810" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T14:08:03.810" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21901" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21889" CreationDate="2017-08-06T16:54:28.990" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to know how promiscuity affects us?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It can be a good effect if one is honest with everyone involved (and they agree) and not doing it from greed. If you are breaking a contract (marriage or a monogamous relationship) then of course this will have a bad effect because you are lying and doing it through greed not natural love inclination.&#xA;Also, even if you are honest and everyone is OK and you are doing it from greed, from a strictly Buddhist point of view it is bad.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How it binds?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It does not bind... nothing has a binding effect except you yourself.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What are the after affects of making many sexual partners?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Possible STDs, complicated life, and also self-exhaustion and no transmutation of jing to chi of energies... lots of effects.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="2265" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T16:54:28.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21902" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-06T19:00:48.857" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha also thought most people are idiots, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The thought occurred to me: 'When brahmans or contemplatives who are drooling idiots resort to... their drooling idiocy. But it's not the&#xA;  case that I am a drooling idiot...'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 4&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, this does not mean he dwelt in hatred, aversion &amp;amp; cruelty (lack of compassion). Instead, he used this reality of ignorance for enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;58. Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;59. Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism explains the entire social world (&lt;em&gt;loka&lt;/em&gt;) is a product of 'ignorance' (via dependent origination). There is nothing controversial about this reality. It is generally those who believe in a Creator God (that created man in his image) who expect more from the natural idiocy &amp;amp; ignorance of the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-06T19:08:07.983" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T19:08:07.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21904" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-06T21:56:23.987" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try to forget the Metta practice for a minute and instead think about all the good people in this world. All people on earth can't be bad, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What about the monks giving teachings to lay people? What about all the meditators in the world, trying to free themselves from suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are people who are trying free themselves from this Samsara. These are the lights in this world. Practicing the Dhamma with wholesome intentions is the highest practice anyone can do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you could give that recollection a try and see if it helps you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-08-06T21:56:23.987" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21906" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-07T01:41:09.123" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhists meet all the same problems as other beings. If not these problems, there would be no need in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the question is: what do you have to do to solve them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If our view on the world leans to aversion, it means our thoughts were focused mainly on unpleasant things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To explain that Buddha used to speak about six realms of samsara:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Gods&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Asuras (titans)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Humans&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Animals&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hungry ghosts&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hell beings&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paying attention to faults, we gradually find so much hateful things around that they make our world to be hell.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's because our mental processes involve &quot;selective amplification&quot;, exaggeration of some details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, if we develop greed and insatiable wish to have some things, our world becomes the world of hungry spirits, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same river is seen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;by gods as healing nectar of pleasure,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;by humans as water,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;by hungry ghosts as pus and blood,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;by hell beings as torturing flames.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in order to heal our world ultimately, we have to drop amplifications and discover the world in its original form. There's always something to cry about, and there's always something to laugh about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you imagine how many possible thoughts and attitudes are there, imagine yourself as one with all that space,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;then you might find that all the possible mass of thoughts and attitudes have silenced, and your attention is free for this here-and-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be free right here, not captured by attachments to particular ideas and views.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also to balance our perception we can pay more attention to positive qualities of people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Pay attention when they do kind, virtuous things,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;dedicate merit&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and rejoice.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of joy for good qualities of others is one of the most powerful spiritual practices, especially helpful in your case. We can practice it even in dreams!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-07T01:52:12.457" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T01:52:12.457" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21907" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21925" CreationDate="2017-08-07T03:27:27.617" Score="0" ViewCount="1243" Body="&lt;p&gt;DN 2 states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When this was said, Ajita Kesakambalin said to me, 'Great king, there is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no&#xA;  fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no&#xA;  other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no&#xA;  brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly,&#xA;  proclaim this world and the other after having directly known and&#xA;  realized it for themselves. A person is a composite of four primary&#xA;  elements. At death, the earth (in the body) returns to and merges with&#xA;  the (external) earth-substance. The fire returns to and merges with&#xA;  the external fire-substance. The liquid returns to and merges with the&#xA;  external liquid-substance. The wind returns to and merges with the&#xA;  external wind-substance. The sense-faculties scatter into space. Four&#xA;  men, with the bier as the fifth, carry the corpse. Its eulogies are&#xA;  sounded only as far as the charnel ground. The bones turn&#xA;  pigeon-colored. The offerings end in ashes. Generosity is taught by&#xA;  idiots. The words of those who speak of existence after death are&#xA;  false, empty chatter. With the break-up of the body, the wise and the&#xA;  foolish alike are annihilated, destroyed. They do not exist after&#xA;  death.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ajita Kesakambali is similar to another wrong view, found in DN 1, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine and view: ‘The self, good sir, has material form;&#xA;  it is composed of the four primary elements and originates from father&#xA;  and mother. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed&#xA;  with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this&#xA;  point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim&#xA;  the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent&#xA;  being&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now the Buddha taught extensively about the elements, such as in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 140&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 43&lt;/a&gt;, Sariputta mentions how the sense faculties are scattered at the termination of life, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Yvāyaṃ, āvuso, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, vacīsaṅkhārā niruddhāniruddha paṭippassaddhā, cittasaṅkhārā niruddhā&#xA;  paṭippassaddhā, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni&#xA;  paribhinnāni.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the case of the one who is dead, who has completed his time, his bodily fabrications have ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his verbal fabrications&#xA;  ... his mental fabrications have ceased &amp;amp; subsided, his vitality is&#xA;  exhausted, his heat subsided, &amp;amp; his faculties are scattered.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How do the teachings of Ajita Kesakambali &amp;amp; other annihilationists compare to those of the Buddha? What makes them different? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2019-02-27T06:04:22.277" LastActivityDate="2019-03-03T07:13:29.790" Title="How does Ajita Kesakambali compare to the Buddha?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21909" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21907" CreationDate="2017-08-07T07:27:05.393" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;That quote from Ajita Kesakambalin is very similar to what Buddha taught, especially if we view his &quot;no this, no that&quot; as pointing that those things are selfless, devoid of substance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is that Buddha looked in wider context, not limited by the scope of the ordinary observation. For example, if something has ended as material thing, it doesn't mean its influence ended; likewise, personal human life doesn't end in borders of the living body neither spatially nor temporally. Life of the Buddha and its influence until today all over the world is an example of that. Therefore, limits of seeing &quot;one life&quot; are illusory, and so Buddha spoke of other lives etc. - beyond the illusory limits of ordinary consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T07:27:05.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21910" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21907" CreationDate="2017-08-07T07:30:35.993" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Perfect right view of buddha is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are fruits, and effects of good or bad actions, causes (paṭiccasamuppada and paṭiccasamuppanna). Elements such as 89 consciousnesses, 52 mind factors, and 28 matters, are causes and effects of each others. And one effect is arised by causes, so if when causes will change to be impossible to make that effect arise, that effect follow vanish or impossible to be, to arise, too (anicca dukkha anatta).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the other teachers have not perfect right view like the buddha. Such as ajitakesakambala's view that his elements, causes,  have not their effects, fruits and results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am sorry. I write this answer on mobile phone. So it maybe not too perfect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T18:09:31.750" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T18:09:31.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21911" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21907" CreationDate="2017-08-07T08:50:47.090" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;his mental fabrications have ceased &amp;amp; subsided&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This refers to the mental activity in this body. It doesn't mean that there's no next life after death, unless we are talking about an Arahanth. This is why having a good teacher is important. If someone with materialistic views try to interpret this sutta by himself, he might conclude that it all ends after death.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T08:50:47.090" CommentCount="9" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21912" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-07T15:29:57.190" Score="3" ViewCount="210" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have pondered about the buddhist teaching a little bit and I came to a point where doubt arose in me. It is probably because of my skeptical nature (which the Buddha endorsed).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here are certain points that needs to be elaborated upon. There are probably more, but maybe experienced practitioners can help to shed some lights on my criticism, but I doubt they can, unless with good arguments (as always)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Critique Buddhism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Suffering is highly exaggerated portrayed. As if nothing positive or good can happen from a bad event/feeling. Suppose one had a good experience and then the person get's back to his ordinary things, a buddhist would exaggerately call this state dukkha and suffering (because the good event was fleeting and now he is back to shithood) Or simple frustration is seen as suffering or dukkha when in fact it's totally natural to feel both positive and negative emotions. Why? So long they are not extreme (i.e.: anger, depression, unhealthy jelousy, self/other depreciation) emotions like concern, frustration, sorry, disappointment, regret, give one feedback. These emotions are less intense and consequently  give one more room to act and think rational.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;People don't learn to act assertively both in speech and deeds&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Unrealistic goals:  &quot;purifying the mind&quot; -&gt; Being always good. No bad tendencies.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddha is seen as all perfect&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Was the Buddha really enlightened? Evidence? l&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Ethics are &quot;too rigid&quot;. They might be optional, but trying to be kind all the time will not happed, since humans tend to be fallible&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Sensual desire. Dropping of sensual desires? No sex? Quite inhumane. See pt. 3&#xA;8.While anicca is/might be true, impermanence shouldn't be used as an excuse to avoid wealth or pleasure. Everything is transient but to have the experience is still better, for one has a life to experience it (imo)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Denegration of sex and the body (see: meditation of the parts of the body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Buddhism isn't wholly tolerant. Look up all the rules bhikkus and especiall bhikkunis have to undertake. Btw, bhikkunis have much more rules to follow. That's sexist and completely contrary to his loving-kindness doctrine(s).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Anger or frustration is seen as all bad when they can, perhaps rarely, have benefits, especially the latter emotion. It drives one to act differently to change certain situations and it displays that certain conditions are contrary to our liking which is human. Why? Because we all have preferences (like/dislike)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Black and white thinking in the satipatthanna sutta: If one is mindful one is  &quot;alive&quot; if one is not &quot;one is like a corpse&quot;. No gray zone there. &quot;This path is the only path to liberation&quot; (all or nothing thinking).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Absolute thinking: Nirvana. Endless, permanent and absolute absence of dukkha. But all or never conditions are rarely true.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The end goal (in this case: Nirvana/Enlightenment) that makes every religion worth striving .Similar to heaven (and avoiding hell). But where really is the evidence?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Economic effects of not killing animals or not working in butchery etc. (Right livelyhood, Precepts..)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not killing pesky insects?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the Buddha the superior live is to be a monk. How will society run if no one is working and rather wants to go for alms?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meditation and/or mindfulness is seen as a panacea. While it has benefits this won't change underlying faulty cognitions (i.e. beliefs, schemas, thoughts) and it can easily be used as a &quot;run away tool&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monks and nuns are not allowed to have sex, dance, sing, the have to look down at certain points in a conversation... that's inhumane and life denying and against our nature!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It doesnt teach you how to deal with negative thoughts. It just says observe it or replace it with an opposite. But this rarely works long term! One needs to question the old, to see its irrationalities, that it's illogical and not helpful, and then to replace it with a positive but realistic (that is balanced) new belief which is -again- conform with empirical evidence which helps the practitioner in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Doesnt teach you with other life obstacles that cause the &quot;holy suffering&quot; like divorcing, social problems, money problems etc.. The buddha taught the cessation of dukkha and if these basics arent met, how is buddhism going to work then?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;How can delusion be a &quot;poison&quot; ? We humans have cognitive distortions on a daily basis. It's a constant in human experience. It's literally wired in our brain to think both rational and irrational and both can be trained individually, in society and is also to an extent biologically determined.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T06:51:00.753" Title="Doubt and Criticism" Tags="|doubt|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21913" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21912" CreationDate="2017-08-07T17:12:12.550" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'll try to give some quick pointers for each of the items. Like I suggested in a comment, you might be able to get more in depth answers (and more answers) if you post questions on their own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Suffering is highly exaggerated portrayed. As if nothing positive or good can happen from a bad event/feeling. Suppose one had a good experience and then the person get's back to his ordinary things, a buddhist would exaggerately call this state dukkha and suffering (because the good event was fleeting and now he is back to shithood) Or simple frustration is seen as suffering or dukkha when in fact it's totally natural to feel both positive and negative emotions. Why? So long they are not extreme (i.e.: anger, depression, unhealthy jelousy, self/other depreciation) emotions like concern, frustration, sorry, disappointment, regret, give one feedback. These emotions are less intense and consequently  give one more room to act and think rational.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dukkha&lt;/em&gt; is highly misinterpreted, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/21265/buddhism-is-kind-of-depressing/21268#21268&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for a summary of this subject from the pali canon. It's also not true that the Buddha taught exclusively to all people that they should abandon worldly pleasures (e.g. there are texts describing him teaching people how to be good husband and wives, instead of telling them to divorce, abandon sex and become monk/nun). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;5&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Was the Buddha really enlightened? Evidence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Dharma is the evidence for buddhists, the texts are the evidence for historians (note, evidence ≠ proof). If historians find it almost impossible to prove past events, proving something like the attainment of Nirvana by a person who lived 2500 years ago is certainly not easier -- so there's no proof for the skeptics.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His attainment is taken by buddhists as an act of faith. Such faith is understood to be, with training, gradually substituted by knowledge, exactly as it happens in any teacher/student relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Ethics are &quot;too rigid&quot;. They might be optional, but trying to be kind all the time will not happed, since humans tend to be fallible&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being fallible is not forbidden. Buddhist ethics are not commandments.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;7&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Sensual desire. Dropping of sensual desires? No sex? Quite inhumane. &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See 1 for what Nirvana is and why sensual desires can never lead to Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;8.While anicca is/might be true, impermanence shouldn't be used as an excuse to avoid wealth or pleasure. Everything is transient but to have the experience is still better, for one has a life to experience it (imo)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See 1 for what Nirvana is and why it can't be found in worldly pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;9&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Denegration of sex and the body (see: meditation of the parts of the body)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See 1 for what Nirvana is and why it can't be found in the body or in sex.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;10&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Buddhism isn't wholly tolerant. Look up all the rules bhikkus and especiall bhikkunis have to undertake. Btw, bhikkunis have much more rules to follow. That's sexist and completely contrary to his loving-kindness doctrine(s).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Tolerance ≠ absence of rules or guidelines. The buddhist doctrine instructs to be tolerant against other people's transgressions. The meaning of tolerance does not extend to do whatever one pleases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, the rules the monastics undertake are a choice. Also, the role of such rules is of enabling the buddhist practice and make progress easier. Just like athletes choose to undertake a strict diet, to enable their practice and make their progress easier -- that does not make them intolerant people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not super familiar with the distinctions of vinaya for male and female monastics, but still, the rules are not mechanisms of oppressing people. Part is to enable people subject to mistakes who have a shared goal in mind to live together for a long time without killing each other, and part is to make their practice easier.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;11&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Anger or frustration is seen as all bad when they can, perhaps rarely, have benefits, especially the latter emotion. It drives one to act differently to change certain situations and it displays that certain conditions are contrary to our liking which is human. Why? Because we all have preferences (like/dislike)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anything, even something terrible as the holocaust, can be seen as having &quot;positive benefits&quot; by someone with imagination. However, benefits interpreted a posteriori are not the point. The point is that the characteristic of anger is that of disturbing, obstructing and weakening the very faculty of discernment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One may argue that that is not always the case. In analogy, a frequent unhealthy diet may also not be an obstruction to someone who needs to lift some boxes every other day. But it will be a severe obstruction if one is a weight lifting athlete.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;12&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Black and white thinking in the satipatthanna sutta: If one is mindful one is  &quot;alive&quot; if one is not &quot;one is like a corpse&quot;. No gray zone there. &quot;This path is the only path to liberation&quot; (all or nothing thinking).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure how you came to this interpretation of that sutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;13&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Absolute thinking: Nirvana. Endless, permanent and absolute absence of dukkha. But all or never conditions are rarely true.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's quite common, actually. I'm absolutely not physically at your side right now. And I'm absolutely not angry, thirsty or sad right now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rarity is not proof, nor is unlikeliness. For centuries, it was absurd to think that we are in motion, much worse, spinning at the speed of 1600 km/hr, and yet that seems to be the case for us in this planet. It was also absurd that invisible living things exist -- until microscopes were invented. And so on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;14&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;The end goal (in this case: Nirvana/Enlightenment) that makes every religion worth striving .Similar to heaven (and avoiding hell). But where really is the evidence?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just like one believes, in first day of class, that the calculus teacher knows calculus and is not drawing random graphics in the blackboard and at the end, come to the conclusion he/she learned some mathematics, so a buddhist practitioner trains and, upon observing the changes undertaken, concludes the dharma is visible and subject to investigation and scrutiny when put into experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;15&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Economic effects of not killing animals or not working in butchery etc. (Right livelyhood, Precepts..)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no buddhist project or agenda to have every living being becoming buddhist. Buddhism is for those who, looking for long lasting happiness, come to the understand that those things do not lead to their own happiness, and they come to decide by their own that they, personally, won't engage in those things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;17&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;According to the Buddha the superior live is to be a monk. How will society run if no one is working and rather wants to go for alms?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See 15.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;18&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Meditation and/or mindfulness is seen as a panacea. While it has benefits this won't change underlying faulty cognitions (i.e. beliefs, schemas, thoughts) and it can easily be used as a &quot;run away tool&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The noble eightfold path is not 8 limbs constituted of &quot;meditation&quot;. Only one limb, strictly speaking, is focused on meditation. Meditation just happens to be a trendy topic that attracts the attention of a lot of people nowadays.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;19&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Monks and nuns are not allowed to have sex, dance, sing, the have to look down at certain points in a conversation... that's inhumane and life denying and against our nature!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not that they are not allowed. These are vows, so the meaning is that they chose not to. Furthermore, the community should not be disturbed just because one of them wants to have sex -- they are free to do so, just leave the monastic community. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally, the monastic community functions as a republic: vinaya rules can be changed upon consensus. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;20&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;It doesnt teach you how to deal with negative thoughts. It just says observe it or replace it with an opposite. But this rarely works long term! One needs to question the old, to see its irrationalities, that it's illogical and not helpful, and then to replace it with a positive but realistic (that is balanced) new belief which is -again- conform with empirical evidence which helps the practitioner in the long run.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not appropriate to say the buddhist doctrine lacks something without having scrutinized it. There are many practices for dealing with these things (e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20444/382&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21673/382&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; for excerpts from the pali canon -- there's a lot more written about all of it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;21&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Doesnt teach you with other life obstacles that cause the &quot;holy suffering&quot; like divorcing, social problems, money problems etc.. The buddha taught the cessation of dukkha and if these basics arent met, how is buddhism going to work then?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If the root causes are resolved, the derivative symptoms do not manifest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;22&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;How can delusion be a &quot;poison&quot; ? We humans have cognitive distortions on a daily basis. It's a constant in human experience. It's literally wired in our brain to think both rational and irrational and both can be trained individually, in society and is also to an extent biologically determined.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it's a poison in the sense that a deluded act (that is, an act that is ignorant of how suffering and happiness works and come to be) is prone to create suffering and misery for us, just like randomly typing keys in the keyboard, ignorant of how words and grammar works, is prone to not create a meaningful message.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-08-07T17:17:49.107" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T17:17:49.107" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21914" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21917" CreationDate="2017-08-07T17:28:33.387" Score="3" ViewCount="168" Body="&lt;p&gt;I saw a comment in another post suggesting that these are two different things. Can anyone explain or refute?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5250" LastActivityDate="2018-03-21T08:24:47.927" Title="Mindfulness of Breathing, Mindfulness with Breathing" Tags="|meditation|anapanasati|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21915" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21864" CreationDate="2017-08-07T17:46:27.117" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;this is how i understand the sutta,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) A chef may know how to cook according to a cook book, but a great chef would continuously monitor and evaluate his clients according to pallets and mood of the day and adjusts his ingredients accordingly.  (where a unskilled chef would just do the same over and over without adjusting his skills)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Similarly to monks (or those who practices mindfulness), a skillful practitioner would constantly monitor and evaluate results. Something that unskilled people are lacked.  Unskilled people would practice mindfulness and  (if) does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain mindfulness and clear comprehension he would not pick up on that sign that he is not gaining results. &#xA;so sign in this context as i understand it is lack of self monitor of result and progress (there for, he would not adjust his practice accordingly.   )&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-08-07T20:27:32.797" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T20:27:32.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21916" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-07T20:29:04.500" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I understand, you have some strong, negative emotions. Your mind, trying to be your friend, points outside when looking for the sources of your problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But think about it – if you were to go live in the forest by yourself, wouldn’t you find, at some point, the chirping of some bird a little bit too loud, or too often or just too annoying? Or think about the time when you were soooo in love with somebody that you found all her/his annoying habits so endearing, only to wake up to reality when love subsided a little… Were you happy and at peace with humankind  when you had a different president/different and more considerate neighbours?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that you are looking for a solution to your problems means that you want some peace for yourself = you care about one human being. And that’s pretty much what it takes to not be a misanthrope.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Try not to put a label on all the other people – look for individuals and particular problems, it might seem easier to deal with. You don’t have to care so much about other people. Start with yourself. Care about yourself enough to pass by life’s difficulties having your wellness and peace in mind. Buddhism and meditation might help you. Just care about yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May you find peace and happiness! Be well!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="5850" LastActivityDate="2017-08-07T20:29:04.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21917" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21914" CreationDate="2017-08-07T21:00:19.743" Score="7" Body="&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness ('sati') means 'to remember'. The breathing as a meditation object cannot be 'remembered'. Instead the breathing is observed, which is called 'anupassi'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of 'mindfulness' in Buddhism is 'to remember' to keep the mind in a state of right view &amp;amp; right intention (refer to MN 117) or 'to remember' to keep the mind free from covetousness &amp;amp; distress (refer to MN 118; MN 10; etc).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, to practise 'mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;of&lt;/strong&gt; breathing' is an impossibility because mindfulness (sati) means to remember rather than to observe (anupassi).  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the practise is 'mindfulness &lt;strong&gt;with&lt;/strong&gt; breathing', which means to remember to keep the mind free in right view free from craving, as instructed in the four noble truths. When this is properly done, awareness/observation of breathing will naturally arise due to the quiet &amp;amp; silence of the mind. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, mindfulness with breathing is remembering to keep the mind free from craving with awareness of breathing arising automatically/non-volitionally as the 'sign' of this right mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those that try to practice mindfulness of breathing rarely progress because the mind must let go of craving to progress; which includes letting go of the craving or intention to watch the breathing. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ideas about 'mindfulness of breathing' are yogic or Hindu meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Mindfulness with breathing' is Buddhist meditation.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2018-03-18T20:43:31.557" LastActivityDate="2018-03-18T20:43:31.557" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21918" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-07T22:11:54.187" Score="2" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;Does any buddhist school, extant or otherwise, say that there is no &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svabhava&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;svabhava&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; what-so-ever?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I was thinking maybe an early school without the abhidahrma (mahasanghika) or perhaps prasangika-yogaraca in which non duality and convention / absolute emptiness is all there is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, do these schools say that there is no essence?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-07T22:46:53.043" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T22:59:18.903" Title="Does any buddhist school, extant or otherwise, say that there is no svabhava what-so-ever?" Tags="|mahayana|sunyata|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21919" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21918" CreationDate="2017-08-08T01:57:23.040" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught dependent origination without going to two extremes existence and non existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T01:57:23.040" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21920" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21912" CreationDate="2017-08-08T02:50:13.633" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;You don't nessasarily have to have much intellectual faith in the teachings but you do need a little bit. Just enough for you to realise or believe the truth that you need to practice the teaching of the Buddha so that you can witness the teaching of the Buddha. The practice of the Buddha is generally &quot;The Eightfold Path&quot;.&#xA;  Yeah,  too much intellectual thinking can blind a practitioner making them think they have true wisdom when they are really just thinking too much. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T02:57:02.743" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T02:57:02.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21923" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21912" CreationDate="2017-08-08T04:23:56.270" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Suffering.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why did Buddha speak about suffering, or dissatisfaction, in the First Noble Truth? Was it the main thing to discuss?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason of putting dissatisfaction on the first place was to explain:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where and why should we start our practice?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People are dissatisfied in their lives, it's the prevalent condition. It becomes especially clear when you develop awareness. Advancing on the spiritual path, we find new way of life - in the atmosphere of real easiness, calmness and natural satisfaction. Then we see much better, how far people are from our natural state.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary people try to escape and to turn their heads away from the fact of dissatisfaction. That's why in Buddhism we thoroughly explain this topic. It's not because Buddhism exaggerates; it's because first of all you have to face the problem; otherwise it will unlikely disappear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;that's why the First Truth is about dukkha,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and that's why we explain thoroughly: dissatisfaction is a real factor that poisons human lives.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is that so?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, this is so. For example, if you are young and healthy, and your life is pretty smooth, you can feel: &quot;My life is well!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But it might be not so well for your parents or friends, or for other beings around; and there are ups and downs, so it's better to be prepared when things will change, and you will get sick, old or down on your luck.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, when you are accustomed to living in shit, you don't realize how shitty it is. You need to experience really pure conditions to compare and to understand that. So what seems to be rather well, for awakened view might be miserable. That's why you were told: there's a lot of suffering, get out of there!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I hope it must be clear now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's normal to feel unpleasant sensations sometimes, so indeed there's no need to become obsessed with the idea that we suffer; however, it's normal also to remove discomfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, please, don't fixate on suffering, but also don't remain in it as mindlessly as people usually do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice the Noble Eightfold Path and find the liberation and the wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also an important detail: if instead of the intention to cease suffering we would call people to chasing happiness, then that would likely lead to developing desire and attachment - i.e., to recreation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Chasing something is not the way to satisfaction. Therefore the path is not through chasing happiness, but through removing dissatisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That indeed leads to profound easiness, openness of wisdom and harmony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. The cause of suffering and the way out.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Basically, we are dissatisfied because we left our natural condition of satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We left it for the chase of desires.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you understand? Do you accept this idea?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's easy to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might seem even too easy, too primitive. So we don't even try to apply this idea to our life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if we don't apply the advice, then it doesn't work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We may think that dropping the chase we will lose something. That nirvana is bland or something. But why don't you try?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just try and compare.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you really abandon chasing desires, you might discover something miraculous.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having stopped to chase few things...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...you suddenly realize that all the things are already here.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's because while you wander apart from the natural condition, you have an attitude of chasing, all in struggles and oppositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The whirlpool of mental energy generates vexations, questions, disagreements...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you let it calm down, the dirt subsides, and everything becomes clear. Instead of problems everywhere, natural field of causes and effects appears - in its silent unconcerned perfection.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, practice the path to awakening by going deeper than mental oppositions and struggles.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Explore the mind, rather than stirring it again and again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T04:23:56.270" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21924" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21912" CreationDate="2017-08-08T04:52:05.930" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Monks and nuns are not allowed to have sex, dance, sing, the have to look down at certain points in a conversation... that's inhumane and life denying and against our nature!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How is it inhumane? It's a voluntary practice. It's the practice of trying to stop clinging to sensual desire. Sensual desire is the main distraction from focusing on present moment experience where reality actually is. The more we see this kind of reality as it's arising in the present moment, the more we understand what the Buddha was saying and the more we understand the less we suffer or react to what we like and dislike.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have some serious wrong view going. Don't worry, almost everybody does. All you, me or most anyone have ever known is our human being worldly ways. The Teaching of the Buddha is an entirely different approach to handling oneself and a different approach to relating to reality. It's a useful way to see reality and it doesn't mean we throw the other way of looking at reality out the window. &#xA;   The teaching of mindfulness is about focusing on your own mind and body moment by moment with an open heart balanced with just the right amount of intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unrealistic goals: &quot;purifying the mind&quot; -&gt; Being always good. No bad tendencies&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No practitioner has no bad tendencies unless they are enlightened. You don't have to believe in enlightenment, (many have trouble with that one), you just have to be going in that direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Denegration of sex and the body (see: meditation of the parts of the body)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sex is merely a distraction for serious practitioners, usually monks are always free to leave the monk order(well, in Sri Lanka they say you must ordain for life but a monk in Sri Lanka can still leave). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is nothing inherently wrong with sex. Sex is very distracting for the Buddha's practice, that's all. Homosexuality is no different than heterosexual sex to the Buddha. Just destractions from the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you never tasted a shiitake mushrooms how would a practitioner of eating shiitake mushrooms tell you with words what the actual experience of eating shiitake mushrooms is like? You have to practice eating the mushrooms yourself to have that kind of understanding. Practice the Eightfold Path yourself and you will know the taste of the Dharma and understand the Buddha's teaching gradually.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You seem to act like Buddhism is being forced on you or something. Is it? You certainly don't have to have anything to do with Buddhism if you want. It's your suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="151" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T15:14:35.910" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T15:14:35.910" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21925" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21907" CreationDate="2017-08-08T05:34:44.223" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In SN 22.85, it is taught the five aggregates of an Arahant cease &amp;amp; are destroyed at the ending of life. This is right view in SN 22.85.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But, SN 22.85 also says it is wrong view to believe an Arahant is annihilated at death. This is as wrong view because 'annihilation' and 'death' ('marana') only happen to a 'self' or to 'a being'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, SN 12.2 does not define 'death' ('marana') as the ending of life. SN 12.2 defines 'death' ('marana') as the ending of the life of &amp;quot;a being&amp;quot; (&amp;quot;satta&amp;quot;). SN 5.10 and SN 23.2 define &amp;quot;a being&amp;quot; is merely &amp;quot;a view&amp;quot; of &amp;quot;attachment&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the word &amp;quot;marana&amp;quot;, which has the same root as Satan or Mara, is a &amp;quot;self-view&amp;quot;. It is the belief a &amp;quot;self dies&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine and view: ‘The &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;, good sir, has material form;&#xA;it is composed of the four primary elements and originates from father&#xA;and mother. Since this &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt;, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed&#xA;with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this&#xA;point the &lt;strong&gt;self&lt;/strong&gt; is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim&#xA;the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent&#xA;&lt;strong&gt;being&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above view of annihilationism is different to the Buddha because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It believes as &amp;quot;self&amp;quot; ('atta') or &amp;quot;a being&amp;quot; ('satta') will be annihilated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It believes in a 'self' that is impermanent where as the Buddha taught there is no real self and the aggregates are impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the above view, the same as the Buddha, believes in impermanence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, it differs from the Buddha because it believes a 'self' is impermanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught the aggregates are impermanent and there is no self in the aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When this was said, Ajita Kesakambalin said to me, 'Great king, there is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no&#xA;fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no&#xA;other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no&#xA;brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly,&#xA;proclaim this world and the other after having directly known and&#xA;realized it for themselves. A person is a composite of four primary&#xA;elements. At death, the earth (in the body) returns to and merges with&#xA;the (external) earth-substance. The fire returns to and merges with&#xA;the external fire-substance. The liquid returns to and merges with the&#xA;external liquid-substance. The wind returns to and merges with the&#xA;external wind-substance. The sense-faculties scatter into space. Four&#xA;men, with the bier as the fifth, carry the corpse. Its eulogies are&#xA;sounded only as far as the charnel ground. The bones turn&#xA;pigeon-colored. The offerings end in ashes. Generosity is taught by&#xA;idiots. The words of those who speak of existence after death are&#xA;false, empty chatter. With the break-up of the body, the wise and the&#xA;foolish alike are annihilated, destroyed. They do not exist after&#xA;death.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;DN 2&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above view (which was reported by King Ajatasattu) is different from the Buddha because:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;It does not have a fruit or Nibbana visible here-&amp;amp;-now, as literally stated in DN 2:&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here&#xA;and now, Ajita Kesakambalin answered with annihilation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the view of Ajita Kesakambalin:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does not differ from the Buddha because it does not believe in 'eternalism' or 'reincarnation'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;It differs from the Buddha because Ajita Kesakambalin did not realise a spiritual fruit, such as Nibbana, in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, the answers on this thread that have not mentioned The Fruits of the Contemplative Life in the &lt;strong&gt;here-&amp;amp;-now&lt;/strong&gt; have a similar view as Ajita Kesakambalin.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ajita Kesakambalin was an annihilationist. Ajita Kesakambalin believed a 'self' ends at 'death'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most of the other answers on this question are eternalist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both eternalism &amp;amp; annihilationism are reprehensible &amp;amp; wrong views in Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any negative scores to this answers must be by those without sufficient faith to realise Nibbana in the here-&amp;amp;-now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;...............&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2019-02-27T06:13:21.163" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21926" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21945" CreationDate="2017-08-08T05:56:52.927" Score="-2" ViewCount="167" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the Lord Buddha taught nihilism is better than eternalism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In which Pali suttas is this teaching found? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Please provide quote the relevant suttas. Please do not give personal opinions. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T18:17:35.037" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T07:01:05.900" Title="In which suttas did Lord Buddha teach nihilism is better than eternalism?" Tags="|reference-request|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21927" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:01:28.570" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading a book called &lt;em&gt;What the Buddha Taught&lt;/em&gt; by Dr. Walpola Sri  Rahula.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Fourth Noble Truth is 'The Path' (Magga) leading to the cessation of Dukkha (defined in the First Noble Truth as basically anything conditioned or in other words part of dualism; things that are not everlasting)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See other answers that already list the eight divisions/categories.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Five Hinderances&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ponder these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;lustful desires (kāmacchanda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;ill-will, hatred, or anger (vyāpāda)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;torpor and languor (thīna-middha)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;restlessness and worry (uddhacca-kukkucca)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;sceptical doubts (vicikicchā)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Seven Factors of Enlightenment&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditate on these.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Mindfulness (sati) i.e. to be aware and mindful in all activities and movements both physical and mental.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Investigation and research into the various problems of doctrine (dhamma-vicaya). Included here are all our religious, ethical, and&#xA;  philosophical studies, reading, researches, discussions,&#xA;  conversations, even attending lectures relating to such doctrinal&#xA;  subjects.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Energy (viriya), to work with determination till the end.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Joy (pīti), the quality quite contrary to the pessimistic, gloomy, or melancholic attitude of mind.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Relaxation (passaddhi) of both body and mind. One should not be stiff physically or mentally.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Concentration (samādhi).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Equanimity (upekkhā) i.e. to be able to face life in all its vicissitudes with calm of mind, tranquillity, without disturbance.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;To cultivate these qualities the most essential thing is a genuine&#xA;  wish, will, or inclination. [...] One may also meditate on such&#xA;  subjects as the Five Aggregates investigating the question &quot;What is&#xA;  being?&quot; or &quot;What is it that is called I?&quot;, or on the Four Noble&#xA;  Truths. Study and investigation of those subjects constitute this&#xA;  fourth form of meditation, which leads to the realization of Ultimate&#xA;  Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h1&gt;Excerpt about the feeling 'I AM'&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;It is the vague feeling 'I AM' that creates the idea of self which has&#xA;  no corresponding reality, and to see this truth is to realize Nirvāna,&#xA;  which is not very easy. In the Samyutta-nikāya there is an&#xA;  enlightening conversation on this point between a bhikkhu named&#xA;  Khemaka and a group of bhikkhus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These bhikkhus ask Khemaka whether he sees in the Five Aggregates any&#xA;  self or anything pertaining to a self. Khemaka relies 'No'. Then the&#xA;  bhikkhus say that, if so, he should be an Arahant free from all&#xA;  impurities. But Khemaka confesses that though he does not find in the&#xA;  Five Aggregates a self, or anything pertaining to self, 'I am not an&#xA;  Arahant free from all impurities.' O friends, with regard to the Five&#xA;  Aggregates of Attachment, I have a feeling &quot;I AM&quot;, but I do not&#xA;  clearly see &quot;This is I AM&quot;.' Then Khemaka explains that what he calls&#xA;  'I AM' is neither matter, sensation, perception, mental formations,&#xA;  nor consciousness, nor anything without them. But he has the feeling&#xA;  'I AM' with regard to the Five Aggregates, though he could not see&#xA;  clearly 'This is I AM'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He says it is like the smell of a flower: it is neither the smell of&#xA;  the petals, nor the color, not of the pollen, but the smell of the&#xA;  flower. Khemata further explains that even a person who has attained&#xA;  the early stages of realization still retains this feeling 'I AM'. But&#xA;  later on, when he progresses further, this feeling of 'I AM'&#xA;  altogether disappears, just as the chemical smell of a freshly washed&#xA;  cloth disappears after a time when it is kept in a box.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This discussion was so useful and enlightening to them that at the end&#xA;  of it, the text says, all of them, including Khemata himself, became&#xA;  Arahants free from all impurities, thus finally getting rid of 'I AM'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11897" LastEditorUserId="11897" LastEditDate="2017-08-22T19:46:44.017" LastActivityDate="2017-08-22T19:46:44.017" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21928" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21998" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:01:36.550" Score="0" ViewCount="836" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read a comment on this forum, which said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;why do you even need to work hard attain Nibbana? Why not just commit suicide when things get tough?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This comment gives me the impression the writer believes there are some similarities between suicide &amp;amp; Nibbana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;What are the reasons why people equate suicide with Nibbana? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why is Nibbana totally different to suicide? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T10:15:19.427" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T11:42:16.803" Title="Is suicide similar to Nibbana?" Tags="|nirvana|suicide|" AnswerCount="10" CommentCount="11" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21929" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:07:47.433" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Puthujjana (ordinary people) believe Nibbana is like heaven or the ending of reincarnations; they believe it is the ending of life that occurs when craving is eventually extinguished. This is why they think there are similarities between suicide &amp;amp; Nirvana because both are views about the ending of life. The suicidal person imagines the ending of life will be peaceful &amp;amp; the puthujjana believes the ending of reincarnations will be peaceful. Therefore, both share a similar belief, despite the subtle differences between their respective beliefs.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the (religious) puthujjana believe suicide is unwholesome and will just create more reincarnations, including possibly in hell, because they believe Nibbana is the ending of life they believe suicide &amp;amp; Nibbana have some similarities. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where as, in reality, Nibbana is the &lt;strong&gt;here-&amp;amp;-now&lt;/strong&gt; end of suffering &amp;amp; perfect peace of mind that occurs to the living mind. Therefore, in reality, suicide &amp;amp; Nibbana are totally different. Suicide is unhappiness &amp;amp; the wish to end life. Nirvana is happiness &amp;amp; the fulfilment of life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In MN 29 &amp;amp; 30, the Lord Buddha said Nibbana is the fulfilment of the Holy Life. The Lord Buddha taught in Nibbana there is no &quot;death&quot; ('marana') because there is no idea of a 'self' that 'dies'. To the Lord Buddha, 'death' ('marana') is a 'self-view'. Freedom from self-view is called Nibbana &amp;amp; the Deathless. Being the 'Deathless', it is totally different to suicide and totally different to the Hindu idea of Nirvana after billions of life-times. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus, the Lord Buddha said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dhammapada 21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead&#xA;  already.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bhikkhu, ‘I am’ is a conceiving; ‘I am this’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall not be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall&#xA;  be possessed of form’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be formless’ is a&#xA;  conceiving; ‘I shall be percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be&#xA;  non-percipient’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be&#xA;  neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient’ is a conceiving. Conceiving is&#xA;  a disease, conceiving is a tumour, conceiving is a dart. By overcoming&#xA;  all conceivings, bhikkhu, one is called a sage at peace. And the sage&#xA;  at peace is not born, does not age, does not die; he is not shaken and&#xA;  does not yearn. For there is nothing present in him by which he might&#xA;  be born. Not being born, how could he age? Not ageing, how could he&#xA;  die? Not dying, how could he be shaken? Not being shaken, why should&#xA;  he yearn? MN 140&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T06:20:58.293" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T06:20:58.293" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21930" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:12:44.883" Score="2" ViewCount="95" Body="&lt;p&gt;DN 1 states the view of nihilist wanderers, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine and view: ‘The self, good sir, has material form;&#xA;  it is composed of the four primary elements and originates from father&#xA;  and mother. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed&#xA;  with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this&#xA;  point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim&#xA;  the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent&#xA;  being.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is the word 'self' used here in conventional language? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or does the word 'self' here actually represent a belief in self by those nihilist wanderers? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If those nihilist wanderers did not believe in 'self' ( and thus used 'conventional language'), why were they not considered to be enlightened? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T06:34:59.117" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T22:28:25.427" Title="Is the following quote in conventional lanaguge?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21931" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:47:02.143" Score="-4" ViewCount="200" Body="&lt;p&gt;On Buddhist forums, I read reincarnationists accuse or demonize truthers as being &quot;materialists&quot;, similar to Zionists accusing truthers of being &quot;antisemitic&quot; or Americans accusing traitors as being &quot;communist&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, I have heard the word 'rupa' means 'material' or 'physical'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the Lord Buddha ever refer to a doctrine literally called 'materialism' or accuse those of wrong views as being &quot;materialists&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T22:53:05.163" LastActivityDate="2021-07-25T21:00:47.063" Title="Did the Lord Buddha ever use the word 'materialism'?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21932" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21912" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:47:14.333" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Here are some thoughts on your first three questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suffering is highly exaggerated portrayed. As if nothing positive or&#xA;  good can happen from a bad event/feeling. Suppose one had a good&#xA;  experience and then the person get's back to his ordinary things, a&#xA;  buddhist would exaggerately call this state dukkha and suffering&#xA;  (because the good event was fleeting and now he is back to shithood)&#xA;  Or simple frustration is seen as suffering or dukkha when in fact it's&#xA;  totally natural to feel both positive and negative emotions. Why? So&#xA;  long they are not extreme (i.e.: anger, depression, unhealthy jelousy,&#xA;  self/other depreciation) emotions like concern, frustration, sorry,&#xA;  disappointment, regret, give one feedback. These emotions are less&#xA;  intense and consequently give one more room to act and think rational.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My understanding is that the teaching is not to suppress emotions but to observe them. Are you sad your girlfriend left you? Why? Do you miss certain aspects of her character? Do you miss the sex? Are you scared you won’t find another one? Was she unique? In what way? Why? etc. It’s not to say that any of these are right or wrong but rather to get to the heart of the matter. The point is that getting attached leads to suffering (it hurts if you don’t get what you want and if you get what you don’t want). Seeking lasting happiness in what doesn’t last isn’t a long term strategy. By all means, have a relationship. Enjoy the relationship. When it ends, learn from it and move on. Or fight to revive it but at least know why. Flowers are nice to look but fruit is good for you to eat. And flowers fade and die. So does fruit but at least you can harness its goodness through eating it. Attachment is not engagement or interaction. Attachment is dependency, a bond, a fetter. The master can. The slave must. I must have those shoes. I learned a lot through learning about triangles, waves, wheels and how they all link and by meditating on what a carriage is and what work the different parts do. The fewer things you are attached to the less you are going to get dragged around by desire. Think of the prison guard who gets distracted through some ruse appealing to his stomach or his loins.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;People don't learn to act assertively both in speech and deeds&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Like Gevurah tempers Chesed in Kabbalah, I think something similar is going on with the Buddhist paramitas Dana and Sila. Dana is generative: put out, bring forth, produce, make or even the first step on a journey of a thousand miles; Sila imposes justice i.e. it draws a line: give but not ALL things at ALL times and to ALL people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Unrealistic goals: &quot;purifying the mind&quot; -&gt; Being always good. No bad&#xA;  tendencies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pure mind is difficult to explain. I will try, bearing in mind that it will probably fail and may even be wrong. Pure comes from Latin purus and really just means clear/clean. Think of finding a hair in a pizza. It’s disgusting because it’s not the right place for hair. But hair on your head is ok. Finding pizza in your hair is also wrong. It’s not morally wrong. It’s just not the right place for it. At the start of life, a human is open to experience and learning etc. As they grow older, they become more set and stiffer, until one day they no longer move at all. Pretty much everything rigid in this world is dead. Trees move very slowly but the wooden chair made from them is dead. Most of your body is non-Newtonian fluids e.g. like ketchup. If you get a hair on your eye it hurts. If you get a hair on the dark part of the eye, you are compelled to remove the hair immediately? Meditate on why that is. What are your eyes for? What is the relationship between the looker and the looked at and even looking itself? Purifying the mind doesn’t mean sterilising your mind. It means getting to the heart of the matter and clearing out the junk. A book you haven’t read in ten years could be better put to use in someone else’s hands. What good does it do on your bookshelf? You want to get mega-rich and have dominion over thousands? Why? Know why. For me, good and bad relate to karma and waves. Does the action lead to that which is beneficial or does it just set the wheel in spin and make waves leading to people being unhappy. Try what works for you. The teaching is primarily about dukkha and karma rather than moralising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T06:47:14.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21933" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21931" CreationDate="2017-08-08T06:50:48.907" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ajahn Buddhadasa said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;People language is used by the ordinary people who don't understand Dhamma very well and by those worldly people who are so dense that&#xA;  they are blind to everything but &lt;strong&gt;material&lt;/strong&gt; things.  Then, there is the&#xA;  language which is spoken by those who understand reality (Dhamma),&#xA;  especially those who know and understand reality in the ultimate&#xA;  sense.  This is another kind of language.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/B%20-%20Theravada/Teachers/Buddhadasa/No%20Religion/NORELIG.HTM&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;No Religion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On this &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=29992&amp;amp;hilit=materialism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;chatsite&lt;/a&gt;, no one could answer the same question, where it was answered:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm no pali scholar but I would bet there is no direct translation&#xA;  for the English word &quot;materialism&quot; in Pali.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T23:01:17.790" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T23:01:17.790" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21934" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21930" CreationDate="2017-08-08T07:26:04.730" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It appears to me those Brahmins believed in none existence.&#xA;It appears they did not believe in kamma and rebirth.&#xA;What Buddha taught was the dependent origination.&#xA;It is not enough to understand the not self. That has to be realised through dependent origination.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T07:26:04.730" CommentCount="7" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21935" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-08T07:32:06.893" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What are the reasons why people equate suicide with Nibba&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because they do not understand what Nibbana means.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why is Nibbana totally different to suicide?&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Nibbana there is no re birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T07:32:06.893" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21936" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21926" CreationDate="2017-08-08T07:38:42.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never said that nihilism is better than eternalism.&#xA;What he said was that people who take Rupa as self is more sensible than the people who take Nama as self because the mind is changing faster than the matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T07:38:42.560" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21937" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-08T09:06:12.987" Score="1" ViewCount="82" Body="&lt;p&gt;Has pure Buddhism now been lost from the present sociological environment (lost from today's world, lost from present society), until the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maitreya Buddha&lt;/a&gt; will be born?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11144" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T11:45:40.960" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T16:32:00.273" Title="Is Buddhism now lost until the birth of Matreiya Buddha?" Tags="|time|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21938" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21937" CreationDate="2017-08-08T11:36:18.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is predicted that Buddhism will vanish in another 2500- years, regardless of the present situation. Maithree Buddha will take much longer to appear in the world. Roughly half of an &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(aeon)#Buddhism&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Antah-Kalpa&lt;/a&gt; and some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T11:36:18.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21939" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-08T12:30:17.983" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is interesting to note that etymologically &lt;em&gt;extinction&lt;/em&gt; means more or less the same thing as nibbana i.e. blowing out. Which is presumably why the dinosaurs haven't come back yet.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10802" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T12:30:17.983" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21940" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21926" CreationDate="2017-08-08T14:28:52.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.074.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dīghanakasutta&lt;/a&gt;, that is memorized by sariputta's students at 1st saṅgāyanā. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;However, buddha neither taught to develop nihilism nor eternalism at all.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T14:28:52.233" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21941" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21930" CreationDate="2017-08-08T14:42:59.330" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This hypothetical person regards the 'self' as the individuality physically distinguishable -- the physical body composed of the elements, born from mother/father.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, arguably such 'self' as used by this person might be the same 'self' as used in conventional language by the Buddha and the Arahats. The word, then, could have the same function for both groups, in this context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While such person likely denies the existence of an enduring self  -- which would be in agreement with the Buddha -- the quote suggests the view that death marks the end of experiencing, that death is the end of experience. And this, according to the Buddha, is wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The best argument I know of in the suttas for this stance is that, if such was the case, then karma (and, consequently, morality) would be fiction: there would be no results of actions according to their moral nature (and consequently, morality would be an unnecessary obstacle to gains and benefits, to happiness). Or, more precisely, such results could only occur during this very life -- so one better do all evil things as fast and careful as possible and enjoy the benefits of it while avoiding any bad external outcomes (outcomes that are not really governed by karma law, but exclusively by social conventions of a given time and given culture, e.g. criminal laws and law enforcement).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another argument against this view can be inferred from the suttas around Nirvana. That is, under this view, Nirvana would have a doubtful value. Why would anyone spend a lifetime avoiding worldly pleasures, enduring hardship, for the promise of an hypothetical &quot;best pleasure&quot; that would only last for a few years? That is, until the person dies. And yet, such person would still suffer physical pain, just like anyone else. Under this view then, once he/she dies, it doesn't matter who attained Nirvana and who didn't, since the same thing happens to everyone equally: the end happens.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T00:39:22.710" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T00:39:22.710" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21942" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21930" CreationDate="2017-08-08T15:01:14.660" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;No where in that quote show  nihilist wanderers not see 5 khandha as self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That context mean &quot; nihilist wanderers think about 5 khandha  (with avijjā and taṇhā that nihilist wanderers never known) as self. And they think that when self  die, self will never born again&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But the truth is &quot;where is taṇhā, there is born (paṭiccasamuppāda)&quot;. However they can't think like that because they never enlighten paṭiccasamuppāda.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every question of yours look like my view at 12 years ago, when I was an &lt;strong&gt;innocent&lt;/strong&gt; buddhist and before I have learn pali and try to recite tipitaka-pali. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I never support study system of western's buddhism, because I never want to take anyone jump to conclusions as alike as I never want to take anyone just believe in tipitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T15:22:56.500" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T15:22:56.500" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21943" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="3116" CreationDate="2017-08-08T15:29:27.323" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Extract from -&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;&lt;em&gt;The Teaching of No Person: Only Dhātus&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;by Ajahn Buddhadāsa&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;Interpreted into English by Santikaro Bhikkhu&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;A Dhamma talk given at Suan Mokkh on 4 August 1991&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we can say that there is this body or form which is a dhātu (sankhara) – rūpa-dhātu (the form element). The mind then, is just another dhātu, the dhātu which experiences, feels, and thinks. This we can call the citta-dhātu (the mind element). Then there are the things which the mind thinks, feels, experiences – all these things connected with and associated with the mind are called the cetasika-dhātu. So in this life there are these three dhātus – the form dhātu, the mind dhātu, and the mental factors dhātu. This way of speaking has not been done before, we haven't come across others saying this, but to say that life is made up of these three dhātus is totally in line with nature and so we are free to say it. It is completely true that life is made of these three dhātus.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one more very special dhātu called the asaṅkhata-dhātu or the &lt;strong&gt;nibbāna-dhātu&lt;/strong&gt;. This is the dhātu which is the quenching point when all other dhātus cease. All the saṅkhata-dhātus just mentioned are quenched in the nibbāna-dhātu. This kind of dhātu is much different than the ordinary dhātus because it's here where all other elements are quenched or extinguished.&lt;br /&gt;&#xA;When one dhātu gives way to another dhātu, there's one dhātu and then there's another dhātu, for this to happen depends on the element of cessation, for there's one dhātu which must cease for the next dhātu to appear. This dhātu which is the cessation of the ordinary dhātus is called &lt;strong&gt;nirodha-dhātu&lt;/strong&gt; (the element of cessation). This isn't the same as the nibbāna-dhātu where the saṅkhata-dhātus are quenched thoroughly, but rather this is a temporary quenching or cessation, and so we call it nirodha-dhātu. So all the saṅkhatadhātus – mental, physical, and what have you – are quenched or ceased in this nirodha-dhātu. It's only because of this cessation element, that there is any possibility for change or evolution. If there wasn't this cessation element nothing could change, but this dhātu must cease for another dhātu to arise. The transformation from this dhātu into that dhātu only happens because of the nirodha-dhātu (the element of cessation). So all the saṅkhata-dhātus, or all changes, all worldly life depends on not only the saṅkhata-dhātus but this asaṅkhata-dhātu (the element of cessation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11902" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T15:32:48.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21944" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21937" CreationDate="2017-08-08T16:26:58.193" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pure Dharma&lt;/strong&gt; can be defined as clear, unmistaken explanation of the path all the way to complete awakening, endowed with Buddha's blessings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Buddha's blessings&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; here mean that a teacher doesn't only say words and explain theories, he also does it with proper atmosphere.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, some lecturers might explain &quot;correct words&quot; but with disrespectful attitude or with restless mind, and so these &quot;correct words&quot; are not well perceived by listeners, so they will not practise them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unmistaken explanation&lt;/strong&gt; means, in particular, that words correspond well to the situation - it's not like explaining a teaching poorly suitable for the present case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus a good teacher should have clear understanding of what he teaches and how that relates to our situations;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he should have clear mind - with proper attitude and &quot;atmosphere&quot;;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;he should speak what he knows and refrain from speaking what he doesn't truly know.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Expounded with clear mind, explanations are clear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With correct &quot;blessings&quot;, they are accepted by people and inspire them to practise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are such teachers nowadays: they practice thoroughly, they awaken, and they teach clearly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus pure Dharma exists now, it is not lost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T16:32:00.273" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T16:32:00.273" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21945" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21926" CreationDate="2017-08-08T18:09:51.827" Score="-4" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.29&lt;/a&gt;, it said: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(8) “Bhikkhus, of the speculative views held by outsiders, this is the foremost, namely: ‘I might not be and it might not be mine; I&#xA;  shall not be, and it will not be mine.’ For it can be expected that&#xA;  one who holds such a view will not be unrepelled by existence and will not be repelled by the cessation of existence. There are&#xA;  beings who hold such a view&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti49&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 49&lt;/a&gt;, it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And how, bhikkhus, do some hold back? Devas and humans enjoy being, delight in being, are satisfied with being. When Dhamma is taught to&#xA;  them for the cessation of being, their minds do not enter into it or&#xA;  acquire confidence in it or settle upon it or become resolved upon it.&#xA;  Thus, bhikkhus, do some hold back.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;How, bhikkhus, do some overreach? Now some are troubled, ashamed, and disgusted by this very same being and they rejoice in (the idea&#xA;  of) non-being, asserting: 'In as much as this self, good sirs, when&#xA;  the body perishes at death, is annihilated and destroyed and does not&#xA;  exist after death — this is peaceful, this is excellent, this is&#xA;  reality!' Thus, bhikkhus, do some overreach.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In these suttas, the Lord Buddha teach nihilism is better than eternalism because eternalism is based in lust, bondage, delighting &amp;amp; clinging, which are dirty defilements (&lt;em&gt;kilesa&lt;/em&gt;/กิเลส). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T06:29:32.117" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T06:29:32.117" CommentCount="13" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21946" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21918" CreationDate="2017-08-08T18:30:41.687" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;'Svabhava' is not found in the Pali suttas but might possibly be similar to the term 'sā dhātu' found in the Pali suttas, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Uppādā vā, bhikkhave, tathāgatānaṃ anuppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ, ṭhitāva sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Monks, whether or not there is the arising of Tathagatas, this property stands—this steadfastness of the Dhamma, this orderliness of&#xA;the Dhamma.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.136&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 3.136&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus 'svabhava' does not refer to being a 'self' but to the unique nature of something, such as an 'eye', which has the unique nature 'to see' (rather than to hear or smell); the element of earth, which has the unique nature of solidity (rather moisture); or the law of dhamma, which has the unique nature of 'anatta' &amp;amp; 'sunnata' (emptiness of self).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T18:36:50.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21947" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-08T18:31:06.730" Score="3" ViewCount="120" Body="&lt;p&gt;From what I understand, the Panchen Lama is supposed to choose the next Dalai Lama. If he has been captured, is there any hope for another Dalai Lama to be chosen?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11905" LastActivityDate="2017-11-27T17:02:57.750" Title="Can there be another Dalai Lama?" Tags="|modern-world|traditions|dalai-lama|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21948" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-08T18:40:19.600" Score="3" ViewCount="688" Body="&lt;p&gt;In one Sutta the Buddha said that one should constantly be mindful of the fact of anicca. In the Satipatthana Sutta he said that when one is dressing, eating, speaking etc. one should be aware that he is doing exactly that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now my two questions (and yes I know that Sati is more than just present moment awareness in that it can also mean remembering something or calling somethibg helpful to mind)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The aspect of knowing what one is doing is connected with mental noting, right? Because the Buddha never (correct me if Im wrong) mentioned to note something as seeing, seeing, touching, touching.. etc.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If I am not mistaken the Buddha said one should constantly dwell/remind oneself of the fact of anicca but at the same time one should know what one is doing. This is confusing. When does one know when to use &quot;what one is doing-mindfulness&quot; and when to dwell on &quot;impermanence-mindfulness&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is continous present moment awareness actually endorsed by the Buddha? Kind of confusing because first of one cannot be mindful all the time and secondly, how is one able to be present aware if one uses sati in the &quot;remembering&quot; sense when for example a hindrance is present?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that the word &quot;constant&quot; or &quot;continous&quot; is just a word that puts strong emphasize on a specific activity, but I might be wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-08T18:51:19.157" LastActivityDate="2017-11-14T07:27:46.367" Title="Unclarity on Sati-Sampajañña" Tags="|impermanence|satipatthana|sati|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21949" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22006" CreationDate="2017-08-08T18:50:35.600" Score="0" ViewCount="512" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017x.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.17&lt;/a&gt;, it is said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well now, good Gotama, is suffering caused by oneself?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No indeed, Kassapa,&quot; said the Blessed One.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well then, good Gotama, is one's suffering caused by another?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No indeed, Kassapa.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well then, good Gotama, is suffering caused by both oneself and another?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No indeed, Kassapa.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'He who performs the act also experiences [the result]' — what you, Kassapa, first called 'suffering caused by oneself' — this amounts to&#xA;  the Eternalist theory.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'One person performs the act, another experiences,' — which to the person affected seems like &quot;suffering caused by another&quot; — this&#xA;  amounts to the Annihilationist theory.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.17&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alternate translation&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kassapa, if one thinks, ‘The one who acts is the same as the one who&#xA;  experiences the result,’ then one asserts with reference to one&#xA;  existing from the beginning: ‘Suffering is created by oneself.’ When&#xA;  one asserts thus, this amounts to eternalism. But, Kassapa, if one&#xA;  thinks, ‘The one who acts is one, the one who experiences the result&#xA;  is another,’ then one asserts with reference to one stricken by&#xA;  feeling: ‘Suffering is created by another.’ When one asserts thus,&#xA;  this amounts to annihilationism. Without veering towards either of&#xA;  these extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma by the middle: ‘With&#xA;  ignorance as condition, formations come to be; with&#xA;  volitional formations as condition, consciousness…. Such is the origin&#xA;  of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless&#xA;  fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional&#xA;  formations; with the cessation of formations, cessation of&#xA;  consciousness…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering.&lt;/em&gt;’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why are 'eternalism' &amp;amp; 'annihilationism' mentioned in SN 12.17 when SN 12.17 does not appear to be directly about reincarnation or about the denial of reincarnation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="14468" LastEditDate="2019-02-17T07:02:30.433" LastActivityDate="2019-02-17T07:02:30.433" Title="Why are 'eternalism' &amp; 'annihilationism' mentioned in SN 12.17?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21950" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21949" CreationDate="2017-08-08T19:12:10.787" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;They're two wrong views which the Buddha wishes to quash. Sometimes they're referred to as 'extremes', but I think the problem is simply that they're concepts which jump into our minds from time to time and usurp the reality lying before us.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T19:12:10.787" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21951" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21948" CreationDate="2017-08-08T19:20:06.680" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In one Sutta the Buddha said that one should constantly be mindful of the fact of anicca.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure. But you need to understand what the terms really mean.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness (&lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt;) means to remember. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anicca is a wisdom (&lt;em&gt;panna&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sampajanna means 'situational wisdom', which is applying wisdom to a situation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness must remember to apply wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom always operate together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There cannot be mindfulness without wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why the term 'sati-sampajanna' is often used, as a compound. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video might help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpCy9Tb73gw&amp;amp;t=7s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation (4) Sati Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book might help: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Natural_Cure_for_Spiritual_Disease2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Natural Cure for Spiritual Disease by Bhikkhu Buddhadasa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In the Satipatthana Sutta he said that when one is dressing, eating, speaking etc. one should be aware that he is doing exactly that.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not really. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 1st part, about &quot;I am walking, &quot;I am standing&quot;, etc, the word is &quot;pajānāti&quot;, which means to know. Here, knowing with wisdom is not emphasised. This is more about knowing with concentration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the 2nd part, about &quot;going forward, looking ahead&quot;, etc, the word is &quot;sampajānakārī&quot;. This not only means awareness but having wisdom with awareness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the video states, 'sampajanna' is of the wisdom faculty &amp;amp; not of the concentration faculty. Awareness without ready wisdom is not sampajanna. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now my two questions (and yes I know that Sati is more than just present moment awareness in that it can also mean remembering&#xA;  something or calling somethibg helpful to mind)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sati is never present moment awareness. Sati is only remembering or calling something to mind. &#xA;Present moment awareness may be a result or outcome of using mindfulness but mindfulness itself is not present moment awareness -- see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/22093/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for a more detailed explanation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Present moment awareness is simply a clear consciousness (vinnana), called 'anupassi' ('seeing') in the Satipatthana Sutta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The aspect of knowing what one is doing is connected with mental noting, right?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not really but sort of. Noting is a very subtle thing. Noting does not have to be strong thinking, as the Burmese Mahasi teach. The mind can note very silently, such as knowing it is typing on this website. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because the Buddha never (correct me if Im wrong) mentioned to note&#xA;  something as seeing, seeing, touching, touching.. etc.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course he did, in the Satipatthana Sutta, that you mentioned, where it states: &quot;I am walking&quot;, etc. However, this is only beginner's practise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If I am not mistaken the Buddha said one should constantly dwell/remind oneself of the fact of anicca but at the same time one&#xA;  should know what one is doing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are many wisdoms apart from anicca. All sati-sampajanna includes some type of wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not actually teach to constantly remind oneself of anicca because this would mean the mind is always thinking. Instead, one only reminds oneself of anicca when necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To goal of meditation is to stop thinking so the mind has concentration so it can develop calm and then see anicca directly (rather than reminding oneself about anicca). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is confusing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is confusing is your views about it. Yes, you are making it confusing for yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When does one know when to use &quot;what one is doing-mindfulness&quot; and when to dwell on &quot;impermanence-mindfulness&quot;?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When required. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is continous present moment awareness actually endorsed by the Buddha? Kind of confusing because first of one cannot be mindful all&#xA;  the time and secondly, how is one able to be present aware if one uses&#xA;  sati in the &quot;remembering&quot; sense when for example a hindrance is&#xA;  present?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Your questions are like: &quot;&lt;em&gt;How &amp;amp; when &amp;amp; why do I do this turn when surfing and surf inside the wave when surfing?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; before you have even learned to paddle a surfboard &amp;amp; catch a wave. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I think that the word &quot;constant&quot; or &quot;continous&quot; is just a word that puts strong emphasize on a specific activity, but I might be wrong.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think you are thinking too much. When the mind has developed some calmness, it will begin to understand the teachings and what to do. Developing some calmness does not require too many questions &amp;amp; answers. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T00:07:59.673" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T00:07:59.673" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21952" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="24166" CreationDate="2017-08-08T19:44:49.230" Score="1" ViewCount="204" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn117&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 117&lt;/a&gt; states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions? ‘There is what is&#xA;  given and what is offered and what is sacrificed; there is fruit and&#xA;  result of good and bad actions; there is this world and the other&#xA;  world; there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn&#xA;  spontaneously; there are in the world good and virtuous recluses and&#xA;  brahmins who have realised for themselves by direct knowledge and&#xA;  declare this world and the other world.’ This is right view affected&#xA;  by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why does MN 117 refer to a dirty defiled (กิเลส) right view? How can this be so? How can a right view be polluted with &lt;em&gt;asava&lt;/em&gt; (effluents, outflows, taints, corruptions, discharge, secretions, กิเลส)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-12-10T12:48:06.817" LastActivityDate="2017-12-10T15:53:59.413" Title="Why does MN 117 refer to a dirty defiled (กิเลส) right view of bondage?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21953" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21952" CreationDate="2017-08-08T21:48:25.010" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;In Pali text, it  says  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, not  asāvā.  Because there are no direct translation of both words to English that would capture meanings and differentiate them at the same time.  The translator tried his best to preserve original Pali text.  A new word in English may have to be invented.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe &quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;still a taint&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is another option for &lt;strong&gt;sāsavā&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...And what, bhikkhus, is right view is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;still&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; affected by the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;taints&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA;  ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi? Sammā­diṭṭhim­pahaṃ&#xA;  , bhikkhave, dvāyaṃ&#xA;   vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā;..... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;there is no direct translation to english for sāsavā . But I understand this word as &quot;positive attachments to mind, things of good merits&quot;, quite opposite of asava, negative attachements to mind).  However, any attachment; positive or negative is still a taint (asava)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where further in this sutta &quot;anāsavā lokuttarā&quot;, i understand it as positive attachments to mind that noble disciples know they need to let go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;They are 3 different key words in this sutta: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;sāsavā&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;asava&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;anāsavā &lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastEditorDisplayName="user5056" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T22:38:11.817" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T22:38:11.817" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21954" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21931" CreationDate="2017-08-08T23:41:47.330" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;5 kāma = Color, sound, smell, flavor, and touch stimuli.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Materialists are people who attaching 5 kāma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they are called &lt;strong&gt;kāmāvacaro, kāmapuggalo, kāmayogi, kāmo&lt;/strong&gt;, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-08T23:41:47.330" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21957" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21952" CreationDate="2017-08-09T00:11:50.557" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sāsavā&lt;/em&gt; right view is a basic right view that available every time, though without buddhism. This sāsava right view is an important base of vipassanā-meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the &lt;em&gt;sāsava&lt;/em&gt; right view can't destruct āsava. Because sāsava right view &lt;strong&gt;arises in control of āsavā&lt;/strong&gt;, especially avijjā-āsava and bhava-āsava, that ignore and attach the resultant (upadhi) of sāsava right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the example of &lt;em&gt;sāsava&lt;/em&gt; right view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;We stop to attach everything in kāma-loka for birth in brahma-loka (that is attached by bhavā-āsava).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt; right view arises before or after &lt;em&gt;āsava&lt;/em&gt;. Only a &lt;em&gt;khīn&lt;strong&gt;āsava&lt;/strong&gt;-puggala&lt;/em&gt; (a taintless person, i.e. an arahant) has &lt;em&gt;anāsava&lt;/em&gt; right view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Even a &lt;em&gt;anāgāmi-puggala&lt;/em&gt; (a non-returner) also has &lt;em&gt;āsava&lt;/em&gt; arising, before he will change to be &lt;em&gt;khīnāsava-puggala&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For translation of &lt;strong&gt;sāsavā&lt;/strong&gt; see: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/23970/10100&quot;&gt;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/23970/10100&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-12-10T13:05:47.453" LastActivityDate="2017-12-10T13:05:47.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21959" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21948" CreationDate="2017-08-09T02:53:33.743" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question you are asking is well explained in: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Four-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;, VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Maintaining the continuity of the thorough understanding of impermanence based on vedana (sensation)1 is called sampajanna. The Atthakathakara (the commentators) have further explained this term in various ways to clarify its meaning.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;A few of these explanations follow-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Samma pakarehi aniccadini janati ti sampajannam.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who knows in a right way impermanence as well as suffering and egolessness has wisdom, has sampajanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Samantato pakarehi pakattham va savisesam janati ti sampajano.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who understands the totality clearly with wisdom from all angles (of whatever is manifesting) or who knows distinctly has sampajanna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Samma samantato samanca pajananto sampajano.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who knows in a right way, in totality through one's own wisdom is sampajana.&#xA;  These definitions convey the same sense as found in the canonical texts of anicca (impermanence), and its continuity. In the commentaries and the subcommentaries, sampajanna is also elaborated in a fourfold way-&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;satthaka-sampajanna (purposeful sampajanna),&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;sappaya- sampajanna (beneficial sampajanna),&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;gocara-sampajanna (domain sampajanna),&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;asammoha-sampajanna (non-delusion sampajanna).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(1) Satthaka-sampajanna (purposeful sampajanna)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Pali term satthaka (sa + attha = with meaning) means useful or purposeful. The sense here is in distinguishing between what is useful and what is not. For a meditator who is treading on the path of Dhamma (satthaka), the most useful, purposeful thing is something that can help in the realisation of paramattha sacca (ultimate truth), the cessation of suffering. To attain it, one has to totally eradicate the sankhara, which are the source of all suffering. For this, one has to realize anicca (impermanence), the arising and passing away at the level of sensations. Thus, the usefulness and purposefulness of sampajanna lies only in leading meditators to realize impermanence, which alone is beneficial in the attainment of their life's mission, nibbana. This is the true sense of satthaka sampajanna. The continuity of practice should be maintained in all activities, such as moving forward or backward, going for begging alms, or going to visit a cetiya (shrine) etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(2) Sappaya-sampajannam (beneficial sampajanna)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term sappaya means beneficial. Knowing in totality for one's own benefit with wisdom is sappaya sampajannam.5 The most beneficial thing for a meditator is to move on the path which leads to the attainment of nibbana. The experience of anicca based on body sensation is the most beneficial tool, since by mere observation of its arising and passing away, with objectivity and continuity, one goes beyond the sphere of sensations to a state beyond mind and matter.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(3) Gocara-sampajannam (domain sampajanna)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The literal term gocara (go + cara) means the field where the cow moves, but here the term refers to domain. Technically, when the term is used in meditation, it has two meanings- (i) while a meditator dwells internally, it means the body is the domain of his meditation; (ii) it also means the external movements of the meditator, eg., going for begging alms etc., (gocara).6&#xA;  Thus the significance of gocara sampajanna lies in maintaining constant thorough understanding of impermanence, both while meditating and while performing worldly activities.7&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;(4) Asammoha-sampajanna (non-delusion sampajanna)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The term asammoha means non-delusion or without ignorance. It refers to the non-ignorance of having thorough understanding of what is happening both inside and outside the body. The realisation of impermanence is asammoha (non-delusion). Therefore with the experience of anicca, a meditator will be able to understand through direct experience, three of the four paramattha dhamma-citta (consciousness), cetasika (psychic factors), and rupa (material qualities). All these are samkhata dhamma (conditioned). By observing these dhamma objectively as anicca, one reaches the state where there is no arising and passing away, which is the fourth paramattha dhamma-nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Although the Buddha did not mention these four sampajanna in the Canon they are found in the Atthakatha. If we analyse each of them, we find that they are not separate from one another but have the same goal, the realisation of anicca (anicca-bodha). Anicca-bodha is our real purpose (satthaka). It is beneficial (sappaya) for us and is the domain (gocara) of our meditation, leading to right understanding (asammoha), that ultimately results in the final emancipation- nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Source: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Four-Sampajanna&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Four Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;, VRI&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T02:53:33.743" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21960" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22093" CreationDate="2017-08-09T03:14:28.827" Score="2" ViewCount="765" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the following on the internet:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;About this unusual understanding of sati (&quot;Sati is never present moment awareness&quot;) I hope the reader of this answer put some time&#xA;  reading the suttas to come to his/her own conclusion about what sati&#xA;  can refer to.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Where is the Palis suttas is 'sati' defined as 'present moment awareness'?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T06:39:05.730" LastActivityDate="2023-06-19T12:40:19.960" Title="Where is the suttas is 'sati' defined as present moment awareness?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21961" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22004" CreationDate="2017-08-09T03:57:37.273" Score="-4" ViewCount="85" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read on the internet the following opinion:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;... the view that death marks the end of experiencing, that death is the end of experience... this, according to the Buddha, is wrong&#xA;  view.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Dhammapada 41 states: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vata  Alas! Ayam kåyo  This body, Aciram  Cannot endure. Apetaviñ&#xA;  Apetaviññåno  When consciousness is gone, Chuddho  They throw it away,&#xA;  Adhisessati Adhisessati  To lie,   Pathavi Pathavim  Upon the earth&#xA;  Kalimgaram iva  Like a fallen log, Nirattham Useless,&#xA;  meaningless ...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the last words of the Buddha from DN 16 are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If experience did not end at the termination of life, why would Dhp 41 use the word &quot;Alas!&quot;? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If experience did not vanish at the termination of life, why should a Buddhist practitioner strive with earnestness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T19:20:02.247" Title="Is belief in the end of experience wrong view according to the Buddha?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21962" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21968" CreationDate="2017-08-09T04:03:55.753" Score="0" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yamaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, this was wrong view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I understand the Teaching explained by the Blessed One, a monk with no more (mental) effluents, on the break-up of the body, is&#xA;  annihilated, perishes &amp;amp; does not exist after death.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Yamaka Sutta, this was right view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then, friend Yamaka, how would you answer if you are thus asked: A monk, a worthy one, with no more mental effluents: what is he on the&#xA;  break-up of the body, after death?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Form is inconstant... Feeling... Perception... Fabrications... Consciousness is inconstant. That which is inconstant is&#xA;  unsatisfactory (dukkha). That which is unsatisfactory has ceased and&#xA;  gone to its end.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Most Buddhists believe an arahant has ended the cycle of reincarnations. If so, what made the view of Yamaka wrong view? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, what makes the right view here right view?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T16:18:20.620" Title="Why did Yamaka have wrong view in SN 22.85?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21963" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21960" CreationDate="2017-08-09T04:25:24.530" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sutta does not define that 'sati' as present moment awareness.&#xA;Mindfulness in Buddhist teaching is much more than the english meaning of mindfulness and the the general mindfulness taught in the west.&#xA;To understand the meaning of 'Sati' we should have a good understanding of the following two Suttas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="11009" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T02:04:17.090" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T02:04:17.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21964" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21960" CreationDate="2017-08-09T05:15:32.600" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Putting aside the fact that pāli-&gt;english translators have chosen the word &quot;mindful&quot; (mindfulness, mindfully, etc) to translate &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; in many occasions, and that this word is associated with awareness...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Suppose a man would enter a thorny forest. There would be thorns in front of him, thorns behind him, thorns to his left, thorns to his right, thorns below him, thorns above him. He would go forward mindfully (&lt;em&gt;satova&lt;/em&gt;), he would go back mindfully (&lt;em&gt;satova&lt;/em&gt;), thinking, ‘May no thorn prick me!’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- SN 35.244&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The above passage explains how a person is attentive to the surrounding dangers while moving around. &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; is used to characterize his attitude. I suppose one can choose to read this passage as meaning strictly that the words 'May no thorn prick me!' is in that man's mind. However, such a reading doesn't seem very appealing: how having these words in mind would help this person in this dangerous situation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On another vein, SN 48.11 defines the &lt;em&gt;satindriya&lt;/em&gt;  as the result of the satipatthana practice. And we all know that satipatthana is not a mere memory exercise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While I never believed &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; to mean what is usually called &quot;bare awareness&quot;, I'd be very cautious about completely divorcing the meaning of &lt;em&gt;sati&lt;/em&gt; from awareness (e.g. of what is going on, of what one is doing or of something present in the present moment).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the reader looking for further information, I suggest looking for translators comments and books dealing with this subject (e.g. &quot;Mindfulness in early buddhism&quot; by Tse-fu Kuan).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T05:15:32.600" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21965" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-09T05:34:50.273" Score="2" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I was searching for the translated name from Chinese 阿那律 to Sanskrit while attempting a &lt;em&gt;comment&lt;/em&gt; on &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21951/10304&quot;&gt;one post&lt;/a&gt;, I entered 阿那律 or Anuruddha to Google it came up with the list and the usual short brief at the right corner of the screen, to my amusement the brief said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anuruddha&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Born: Sri Lanka&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zt95f.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zt95f.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though I open the brief the Wikipedia full page is &lt;code&gt;Born: Kapilavastu, India&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/21485/10304&quot;&gt;movement to relocate Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; (not just relocate, but part of the grand scheme to &lt;strong&gt;invent&lt;/strong&gt; in the sense of &lt;em&gt;re-invent&lt;/em&gt; Buddha's teachings) to be originated from Sri Lanka since the Sri Lankan Pali Canon is splendidly adored as the only authentic plus the most early Buddhism's teaching? - As the first step. Now here comes the next step to relocate Buddha gradually first by &lt;em&gt;migrating&lt;/em&gt; &lt;code&gt;:D !!&lt;/code&gt; one of his ten major disciples? I'm diligently waiting to be enlightened in this context.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10304" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T15:42:57.297" Title="Was Anuruddha, one of the ten Great Disciples of the Buddha, born in Sri Lanka?" Tags="|pali-canon|early-buddhism|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21966" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21965" CreationDate="2017-08-09T06:56:48.830" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've no previous experience with how Google creates this kind of summary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure I understand where Google got that data from, to put in its summary -- &quot;Sri Lanka&quot; isn't given in any version of &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anuruddha&amp;amp;action=history&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the history of the Wikipedia article&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=Anuruddha+born+Sri+Lanka&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;modern Anuruddhas born in Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; (e.g. a cricketer) but that (mixing different people with the same name) seems like an unlikely or silly mistake for Google to make.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The image (of a statue) in the Google summary does comes from a different web site (not Wikipedia) though, so maybe Google does aggregate data from different sites somehow.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Based on &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Persondata&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt; I wonder if it's possible that Google prefers to scrape its data from Wikidata instead of from Wikipedia -- the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3306373&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Wikidata entry for Anuruddha&lt;/a&gt; doesn't include a birth place (it was in the Wikipedia article but not in the Persondata template when &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anuruddha&amp;amp;type=revision&amp;amp;diff=710782271&amp;amp;oldid=708599211&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the Persondata template was migrated to Wikidata&lt;/a&gt;) so perhaps Google is aggregating from several sites, getting its information mixed up, or confusing it with a modern Anaruddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to report a correction to Google's summary, perhaps you could try editing the Wikidata entry, and/or pressing the Feedback link on the Google summary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T07:02:08.093" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T07:02:08.093" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21967" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21926" CreationDate="2017-08-09T07:01:05.900" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Lord Buddha never said nihilism is better than eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's actually the reverse as Nihilism comes under Niyata-micca ditti&lt;/strong&gt;. It both blocks the path to heavens and blocks the path to Nibbana. &lt;strong&gt;That is why it is called &lt;a href=&quot;http://theeyeofdhamma.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-moral-conduct-that-is-free-from-any.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Saggavarana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, whereas eternalism is only called Maggavarana(blocks the path to Nibbana)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T07:01:05.900" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21968" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21962" CreationDate="2017-08-09T08:23:25.393" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first view is wrong because ven. Yamaka thought that there is a self that ends at Nibbana. In other words, he thought that the five aggregates is a self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The seconds view is right because it doesn't  take the five aggregates as a self. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also the second view is talking about an Arahath. Not an ordinary being. So this has nothing to do with Annihilationism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T08:23:25.393" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21969" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-09T09:09:44.803" Score="0" ViewCount="187" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas, particularly in teachings about kamma, has the phrase: &quot;&lt;em&gt;at the break-up of the body after death&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there contexts other than kamma where this phrase is used? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does &quot;&lt;em&gt;break-up of the body after death&lt;/em&gt;&quot; actually mean in the suttas? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are these words in the language of materialism? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do they have a non-materialistic meaning? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T11:03:14.797" Title="What does &quot;break-up of the body after death&quot; mean in the suttas?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21972" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-09T09:25:44.407" Score="0" ViewCount="162" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Manorathapūraṇī (a later-day commentary), it is written:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;duve saccāni akkhāsi sambuddho vadataṃ varo sammutiṃ paramatthañca tatiyaṃ nupalabbhati&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Awakened One, best of speakers, Spoke two kinds of truths: The conventional and the ultimate. A third truth does not obtain.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tattha: saṅketavacanaṃ saccaṃ lokasammutikāraṇaṃ paramatthavacanaṃ saccaṃ dhammānaṃ tathalakkhaṇan ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therein: The speech wherewith the world converses is true On account of its being agreed upon by the world. The speech which describes what&#xA;  is ultimate is also true, Through characterizing dhammas as they&#xA;  really are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;tasmā vohārakusalassa lokanāthassa satthuno sammutiṃ voharantassa musāvādo na jāyatī ti&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Therefore, being skilled in common usage, False speech does not arise in the Teacher, Who is Lord of the World, When he speaks according to&#xA;  conventions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Mn. i. 95)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is this saying worldly people understand dhamma different to enlightened people &amp;amp; that worldly people do not understand dhammas as they really are but only how they imagine them to be? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T12:58:17.870" Title="What is the meaning of 'two truths' in the Manorathapūraṇī?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" FavoriteCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21973" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21969" CreationDate="2017-08-09T09:35:01.343" Score="-5" Body="&lt;p&gt;My answer: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'kaya' means 'group' or 'collection'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word 'death' or 'marana' means the death of 'a being' ('satta'), which is a 'self-view', as stated in SN 23.2, SN 5.10 and SN 12.2. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, if a person gets drunk on alcohol, the body (&lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;) &amp;amp; mind (&lt;em&gt;nama&lt;/em&gt;) are made up of a certain &amp;amp; specific collection of aggregates &amp;amp; elements, such as alcohol in the blood &amp;amp; happy feelings &amp;amp; uninhibited thoughts. The drunk person or aggregates identifies with being drunk &amp;amp; dances &amp;amp; sings: &quot;I am so happy. I love alcohol&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when the alcohol wears off; this is the ending of the 'kaya' ('body'). This is 'death' of that state of 'being' or 'identity'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next day, the person or aggregates have a very bad headache from drinking alcohol and regret they drank alcohol. Here, a new 'being' ('satta' - illusion of self) takes birth in hell (suffering) because of the kamma of drinking alcohol. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, &quot;break-up of the body after death&quot; means the break-up of one collection of aggregates &amp;amp; the arising of another collection of aggregates, which also results in the death of a self-identity and birth of a new self-identity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The is why the suttas say: &quot;&lt;em&gt;In laying down one body &amp;amp; taking up another body is blameworthy&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a knowable visible here &amp;amp; now and non-materialistic discernment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T09:40:36.333" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T09:40:36.333" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21974" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21969" CreationDate="2017-08-09T09:41:16.147" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;break-up of the body&quot; refers to conventional death. It doesn't refer to instant death of experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T09:41:16.147" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21975" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21770" CreationDate="2017-08-09T14:54:50.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does Buddhism focus on suffering too much?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches the law of nature.That everything is subject to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;change.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Suffering&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;  =&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;clinging to change.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;..instead of trying to enjoy the good things life can give us.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Even&lt;/strong&gt; the good things in life is &lt;strong&gt;suffering&lt;/strong&gt;.Because it will end  and give way to something else.You can see this for yourself.There is no happiness that you will meet that will last forever.We are always continuously trying to store it somewhere.Hold on to it.Fight for it.Cherish it...But it is &lt;strong&gt;nature&lt;/strong&gt; to &lt;strong&gt;change.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As the practice matures you realise everything is subject to change.Everything is so unreliable.So you hold on less and less.And then you realise even the self is subject to change.What you always considered your self starts to gradually fade away.And then it dawns on you..if everything changes..consciousness changes..who exactly is suffering happening to..who exactly is life happening to..who is life revolving around..every time i try to pin point it i can never seem to find it..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If Buddhism is portrayed as teaching that Life is suffering.Then the good news is there's &lt;strong&gt;no one&lt;/strong&gt; suffering to begin with.No one &lt;strong&gt;that&lt;/strong&gt; suffering is happening to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism shows a path where you realise for yourself through direct experience that there is &lt;strong&gt;no-one&lt;/strong&gt; suffering.All there is is ever changing experiences.All there ever was was constantly changing experiences.Then you get a sense of relief.Release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10641" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T14:54:50.127" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21976" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2017-08-09T15:36:58.333" Score="-2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would believe not even one answer unless one makes the experience for oneself. Be even skeptical that Nirvana exists, for there is no real evidence unless one is experiencing it. Just because the Buddha said it &quot;exists&quot; doesn't make it so. All people answer as if they are enlightened or made the experience .. hell as if they are expert on this field but they are not. If nirvana really exists it must be possible to see it under a fmri. Why? If one really abandoned greed, hatred and delusion one can expose the &quot;enlightened&quot; person with evocative material to see whether any greed, hatred or delusion appears in the brain. I'm positive that there will.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T15:36:58.333" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21977" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21962" CreationDate="2017-08-09T15:46:55.560" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;A very good answer comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ananda Sutta (SN44.10)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a&#xA;  self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming&#xA;  with those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism&#xA;  [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being&#xA;  asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer&#xA;  that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans &amp;amp;&#xA;  contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that&#xA;  death is the annihilation of consciousness]. If I — being asked by&#xA;  Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that&#xA;  there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of&#xA;  knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, lord.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no&#xA;  self — were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered&#xA;  Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: '&lt;strong&gt;Does the self I used&#xA;  to have now not exist?&lt;/strong&gt;'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did the self that the monk used to have before Nibbana suddenly not exist any more after Parinibbana? That's the wrong view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of looking at it from this way, the Buddha prefers to look at it from the perspective of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is another good exposition of this in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta (SN12.17)&lt;/a&gt;. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8162/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for a discussion on this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are also the six wrong views of the self in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta (MN2)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view&#xA;  arises in him: &lt;strong&gt;The view I have a self arises in him as true &amp;amp;&#xA;  established, or the view I have no self&lt;/strong&gt;... or the view It is precisely&#xA;  by means of self that I perceive self... or the view It is precisely&#xA;  by means of self that I perceive not-self... or the view It is&#xA;  precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in him as&#xA;  true &amp;amp; established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of&#xA;  mine — the knower that is sensitive here &amp;amp; there to the ripening of&#xA;  good &amp;amp; bad actions — is the self of mine that is constant,&#xA;  everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it&#xA;  is for eternity. This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of&#xA;  views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views.&#xA;  Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is&#xA;  not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp; death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from suffering &amp;amp;&#xA;  stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My analogy here is concerning different application windows running on a PC like the browser, a wordprocessor, a spreadsheet etc. Do they truly exist? Not quite - they are simply overlaid images on the screen by software (essentially 1s and 0s - electrical signals moving through electronic circuits), that goes off when the PC is switched off. Then do they truly not exist? That's not true either because they exist in the way that you can use them to do productive work. So, instead of discussing whether those application windows truly exist or truly not exist, we should view them from the perspective of how they arise and disappear, and arise again and disappear again, from a technical perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Yamaka Sutta discusses later on, that such wrong views come about due to associating the five aggregates with the self. This is also discussed in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.047.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Samanupassana Sutta (SN22.47)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no&#xA;  regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their&#xA;  Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or&#xA;  disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form (the body) to be the self,&#xA;  or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as&#xA;  in form.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the same applies to the other four aggregates.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T16:18:20.620" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T16:18:20.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21978" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="56" CreationDate="2017-08-09T17:26:17.917" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is not a one-time switch... You're in Samsara - BOOM! - you're in Nirvana and for good! It's not like that. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana is a momentary experience of freedom and peace. It can ONLY be such as there is nothing else existent but this moment. To realize such peace and freedom, it's helpful to loosen up one's attachment to desirable conditions and rejection of undesirable conditions. In other words, to loosen up your dependence on conditions overall when it comes to happiness and peace.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Through meditation practice and discipline in everyday life, it will become easier and easier to let go of our expectations, assumptions and demands that life go our way. That's not to say we don't make an effort to have favorable conditions in our lives... Not at all. That would be very anti-life and against our basic nature. We all enjoy good things and rightfully so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But when our desire for good things becomes constant craving and strong attachment to those things, we're screwed because all good things come to an end (and are replaced by &quot;bad things&quot; like loss, old age, sickness and - gulp! - death). There is no peace or happiness in such craving and attachment. And there's no lack of peace or unhappiness in &quot;bad&quot; conditions either. But our normal approach is to loop endlessly through these cycles of craving, clinging and disappointment. It's very tiring and painful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Nirvana&quot; is the momentary experience of being free of this endless cycle. It's that simple. And the more you experience this freedom, the less you will care about the changing conditions of your life and be able to flow with all of it. Yet, you are never finished with developing this capacity as it goes very deep.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11911" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T17:26:17.917" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21979" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="21981" CreationDate="2017-08-09T19:33:01.717" Score="3" ViewCount="426" Body="&lt;p&gt;In day to day interaction, people treat me as if I exist. They say &quot;'Dheeraj' would you like to see a movie?&quot; They say &quot;'Dheeraj' you are&#xA;    married.&quot; They say, &quot;Would you like to eat spicy food or non spicy food?&quot;&#xA;    Socially I am acceptable as an individual called 'Dheeraj'. If society is&#xA;    not collectively wrong in their view, then I exist. If society is&#xA;    collectively wrong about me, then myself is an error, illusion or&#xA;    dream, not just for me but for the entire society... Therefore if there is an escape for 'Dheeraj' from Self then it necessarily means that 'Dheeraj' has to escape from the society which believes that 'Dheeraj' exists. From Buddha's point of view if Self is Mara then Society is the follower of Mara as it encourages the growth of self. &#xA;So my question is: is society the follower of Mara , the evil one?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T13:16:32.553" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T13:37:27.427" Title="Is society the follower of Mara?" Tags="|self|mara|society|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21980" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-09T19:57:19.973" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;From this perspective, society reinforces the view of selfhood and calls it individuality, although it is a mere repetition of the movements of the social conditioning; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It also reinforces self-grasping creating an illusory cocoon and reifying it as something real.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern societies follow Mara, from the perspective of the golden ages, principle, insights and laws of ancient thought-systems. It seems like Kali Yuga. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One way to deal with that is to develop authenticity, and retaining a selfhood that you can use as a puppet on the scene, otherwise you would have to refrain from all social interaction. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as you command the puppet of selfhood, and are well-aware of its illusory nature, not grasping at it, you can play the theatre and further practice. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are pushed into the attachment to the selfhood by everyone else, you might at first feel encircled, but then it let's go. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These are not good times for people opposing Mara, soon there are newer and newer distractions, whims etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, the other part is the danger of developing an elitist view, or air of superiority and inflation. When you separate yourself from the rest, who cherish selfhood and grasping at self at a societal level. Or even worse - doing so blindly and not knowing otherwise, you may risk self-attachment through aggrandizement and separate yourself into an even worse condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have similar thoughts, and balancing between the mask and puppets of selfhoods (or selfhood) and attempt to be liberated from them is a rather difficult game, but it is doable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no need to escape society, it is a question of developing a strong selfhood that deals with society, but detaching it as if non-existent when necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Meditation most definitely helps, not only in regular practice, but also mindfulness in the streets, at work, whenever you go. Apart from (honestly admitting - scant) Samadhi meditation, Invocations, Prayers on Void-Level, I use my spare time on public transport too meditate and detach both from myself and society, yet attempting to embrace it, not separating myself as a &quot;lonely island&quot;. I combine it with Neoplatonic Theurgy, as Occidental and Oriental minds differ, and sometimes it is necessary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To answer your question, yes - globalized societies are by and large polluted by Mara. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Homage to Boddhisatvas, the heroes and conquerors. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11781" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T19:57:19.973" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21981" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-09T21:04:18.047" Score="7" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If society is collectively wrong about me then ,myself is an error , illusion or dream, not just for me but for the entire society...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Correct. The Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;174. Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.13.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Lokavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Buddha's point of view if Self is Mara then Society is the follower of Mara as it encourages the growth of self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. Correct. This is the Buddhist view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;44. Who shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods? Who shall bring to perfection the well-taught path of&#xA;wisdom as an expert garland-maker would his floral design?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;45. A striver-on-the path shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods. The striver-on-the-path shall&#xA;bring to perfection the well-taught path of wisdom, as an expert&#xA;garland-maker would his floral design.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;46. Realizing that this body is like froth, penetrating its mirage-like nature, and plucking out Mara's flower-tipped arrows of&#xA;sensuality, go beyond sight of the King of Death!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;47. As a mighty flood sweeps away the sleeping village, so death carries away the person of distracted mind who only plucks the flowers&#xA;(of pleasure).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;48. The Destroyer brings under his sway the person of distracted mind who, insatiate in sense desires, only plucks the flowers (of&#xA;pleasure).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.04.budd.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pupphavagga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught individual people have different dispositions &amp;amp; inclinations (MN 12). This means people should find a religion that suits their disposition and to not harass other religions. For example, the Buddha did not harass other religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So my question is : Is society the follower of Mara , the evil one?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course society is the follower of Mara. In India, for 100s of years, there has been the evil caste system, with millions of people living in condemned institutionalized poverty. For thousands of years, there is war after war. Only 70 years ago, 50 million people were slaughtered in a world war, including fire &amp;amp; nuclear bombings of civilian cities. The current world has technology to be able to feed &amp;amp; house every person, but there remains war, poverty, greed, abuse. Nations &amp;amp; peoples lives are destroyed in unprovoked wars, such as in Iraq, Libya &amp;amp; Syria. The public internet has evil pornography on it, which governments allow &amp;amp; the people do not object to. The word is full of broken families. Slavery and slave labour has returned. A mafia of billionaires has just become the USA govt; which replaced a murderous war mongering government. Yet most of the American people agree with one of those governments. Of course society is the follower of Mara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: Christianity appears to have the same view:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Question: &amp;quot;How is Satan god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)?&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Answer: The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions,&#xA;goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also&#xA;encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The&#xA;thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are&#xA;under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Satan is also called the &amp;quot;prince of the power of the air&amp;quot; in Ephesians 2:2. He is the &amp;quot;ruler of this world&amp;quot; in John 12:31. These&#xA;titles and many more signify Satan’s capabilities. To say, for&#xA;example, that Satan is the &amp;quot;prince of the power of the air&amp;quot; is to&#xA;signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in&#xA;it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gotquestions.org/Satan-god-world.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.gotquestions.org/Satan-god-world.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T21:29:36.577" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21982" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21949" CreationDate="2017-08-09T21:26:29.507" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The eternalist view affirms self; believing the self (rather than the element of ignorance) causes suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The annihilationist view both affirms &amp;amp; denies self, blaming another self (rather than the element of ignorance) for causing to suffering to oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both are self-views. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Eternalism &amp;amp; annihilationism are both self-views (rather than views about continuity of life). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2019-02-17T02:25:00.320" LastActivityDate="2019-02-17T02:25:00.320" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="21983" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-09T21:47:33.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question first describes the things you are adverse to, the way people act.  Then it is followed by the way you craving it “should” be.  The result of all of this is driving you crazy with suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you want to use Buddhist practice to get out of your present predicament you will have to go back to the basics.  The universe has presented you with a preponderance of instructors in the form of things you are adverse to and also things you are clinging to or craving.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, we first learn about things that will cause you to suffer.  These are feelings of craving and also aversion, in this impermanent world in which we find ourselves.  We want things to go our way, line up with our beliefs, in a permanent way, and to stop being the way they are in reality.  We will go on suffering until we understand what reality or the Dharma is.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We cling to our opinions and beliefs, refusing to let go.   It is “clinging and aversion” which are the same thing, that cause you to suffer.  We are trying to alter the Dharma or reality in a way that can’t be done.  This is the first great teaching of the Buddha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The people dumping trash into the recycling bin are teaching you reality.  Also, the idiotic person acting the fool. is also teaching you about the Dharma.  Look to yourself to see how you are clinging to the belief that they shouldn’t be doing that.  That “belief” is causing you to suffer.  Every time you find yourself suffering, look inside and find the belief that is causing it.  See how you are swimming upstream into the logs that are flowing down.  The natural state of a human is peace. It is attained by surrendering to the Dharma or the way things are.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When it finally comes your day to die, you will take you suffering with you.  And to the degree that you have disentangled yourself from clinging to your beliefs, knowing that is the Dharma, you will  take that peace and happiness with you in the same way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This isn’t to say that you don’t act out your beliefs.  You might instruct those about your beliefs, but you don’t put any weight on whether it is accepted or rejected.  Remember that those people are YOUR teachers, not the other way around.  Be grateful that they are giving you insight into the way that you are fighting with reality.  Remember, it is meaningless if it is done you way or not.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it makes so much difference, you might surrender and sort through the trash from the recycling yourself to set an example.  This would also be a way for you to understand your ego more fully, and the way it gets in the way of seeing things as they are.  It’s up to you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, remember this is your life time to throw off all the things that are preventing you from seeing the Dharma.  It doesn’t involve anyone else.  It’s your job to take the cues from the universe that will speed you along, including this letter.  This is your personal struggle.  It will become more clear with daily breath meditation.   You’re in the right place.  Go back and review the Four Noble Truths.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10839" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T21:47:33.090" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21984" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2017-08-09T21:48:16.943" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Two points, 1) Alan Watts was a charismatic speaker given to wild generalisations, and&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2) Buddhist practice has very little to do with 'Buddhism' as it appears to people who confine themselves to intellectual study, let alone to 'Hinduism'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Edit:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The point I was making (not very clearly, apparently) was that Buddhism regarded as a philosophy, mythology or system of ethics is one thing, and Buddhism as it's actually practiced is another.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My life at the moment consists of large amounts of work, not very much sleep, lots of back pain and my practice is mostly accepting all this and trying to remain cheerful. It's not the same as reading books and mulling over meanings because it brings the Buddha's teachings into reality and challenges the egotistical mind directly, and you don't get this from reading books. I would add that the former is how Buddhism is meant to be practiced and the latter isn't (imho, obviously).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I'm pointing out that comparing two philosophies (which is what I assume we're doing) is just mental masturbation and doesn't shed much light on the differences between the two religions (not that I see a lot of point in comparing them anyway).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sorry to sound like a religious snob btw :D&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastEditorDisplayName="user10515" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T19:06:14.817" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T19:06:14.817" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21985" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21948" CreationDate="2017-08-09T22:39:47.330" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 2 important type of experts: consciousness expert (addhayasaya) and wisdom expert (sampajañña).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When you thinking about your mother, you have not to  know the story about her that &quot;she is my father's wife. She is my mother. Her name is Sissy.&quot; because you already being an expert in her detail. But you realize that all story automatically while you thinking about your mother. That is called &quot;&lt;strong&gt;consciousness expert (addhayasaya)&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wisdom expert (sampajañña)&lt;/strong&gt; has the same characterize of consciousness expert, but sampajañña auto clearly comprehends in &lt;strong&gt;clauses&lt;/strong&gt; (pros&amp;amp;cons) and &lt;strong&gt;effects&lt;/strong&gt; (6 benefits &amp;amp; 6 detriment; ānisaṅsa &amp;amp; ādīnava for [1] this life, [2] next lift payojana, [3] nibbāna, [4] self, [5] the others, [6] social).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So you can see many clauses and effects such as paṭiccasamuppāda, kammassakatā, etc.  in almost all of tipitaka, commentary, and sub-commentary. Because every things, include supernatural, is clauses and effects. And every effects must will be vanish when their clauses vanish, too (aincca, dukkha, anattā).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Furthermore, sampajañña must arise same time with consciousness, but consciousness can arises without sampajañña. So  there are some geniuses, who have autometic unwholesome consciousness to do new bad kamma (cons) to take old good kamma's benefits, these some geniuses have not sampajañña.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For reference:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ñātaṭṭhena ñāṇaṃ &lt;em&gt;(paṭisambhidāmagga, the end of every niddesa, by sāriputta)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ye ye dhammā abhiññātā honti, te te dhammā ñātā honti &lt;em&gt;(paṭisambhidāmagga, abhiññāta niddesa, by sāriputta)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ye ye dhammā abhiññātā honti, te te dhammā ñātā hontiฯsā hi &lt;strong&gt;sobhanaṭṭhena&lt;/strong&gt; abhisaddena ‘‘tesaṃ tesaṃ dhammānaṃ sabhāvajānanavasena &lt;strong&gt;sobhanaṃ jānana&lt;/strong&gt;’’nti katvā abhiññāti vuccatiฯ &lt;em&gt;(paṭisambhidāmagga commentary)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;describtion of &lt;strong&gt;suttamayapaññā, cintāmayapaññā, bhāvanāmayapaññā&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;(abhidhammapitaka vibhaṅga, taught by buddha to sāriputta, and re-taught in sāriputta's literal by sāriputta)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T22:47:46.590" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T22:47:46.590" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21986" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11947" CreationDate="2017-08-09T23:31:41.870" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;This question makes no sense. The four elements are material &amp;amp; not related to pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Pain is vedana kdhanda rather than rupa khandha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Venerable sir, might there be another way in which a bhikkhu can be called skilled in the elements?”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There might be, Ānanda. There are, Ānanda, these six elements: the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element,&#xA;  the space element, and the consciousness element. When he knows and&#xA;  sees these six elements, a bhikkhu can be called skilled in the&#xA;  elements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;But, venerable sir, might there be another way in which a bhikkhu can be called skilled in the elements?”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There might be, Ānanda. There are, Ānanda, these six elements: the pleasure element, the pain element, the joy element, the grief&#xA;  element, the equanimity element, and the ignorance element. When he&#xA;  knows and sees these six elements, a bhikkhu can be called skilled in&#xA;  the elements.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:31:41.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21987" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8777" CreationDate="2017-08-09T23:39:31.157" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The idea of &quot;&lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; is becoming. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questions &quot;&lt;em&gt;How can &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; understand becoming?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; and  &quot;&lt;em&gt;Can &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; give &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; a simile by which &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; can understand it?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; are becoming because they are born of attachment &amp;amp; craving, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &amp;amp;&#xA;  delight, relishing now here &amp;amp; now there — i.e., craving for sensual&#xA;  pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming: This, friend&#xA;  Visakha, is the origination of &lt;strong&gt;self-identification&lt;/strong&gt; described by the&#xA;  Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;MN 44&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:39:31.157" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21989" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17617" CreationDate="2017-08-09T23:45:35.073" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha taught not all beings could realise his Dhamma because attachment to self is a very strong instinct. Possibly you can ask yourself is Buddhism actually suitable for you? If you realise Buddhism may not be suitable for you, this might help end pride &amp;amp; vanity. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in Christianity, they say the words: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the words so I can be healed&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. This is said to end pride &amp;amp; vanity, which are one of the seven deadly sins. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the&#xA;  scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.  But this&#xA;  generation delights in attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys&#xA;  attachment. For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by&#xA;  attachment, enjoying attachment, this/that conditionality &amp;amp; dependent&#xA;  co-arising are hard to see. This state, too, is hard to see: the&#xA;  resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all&#xA;  acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.&#xA;  And if I were to teach the Dhamma and others would not understand me,&#xA;  that would be tiresome for me, troublesome for me.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just then these verses, unspoken in the past, unheard before, occurred to me:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Enough now with teaching     what    only with difficulty    I reached. This&#xA;  Dhamma is not easily realized by those overcome with aversion &amp;amp;&#xA;  passion&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What is abstruse, subtle,    deep,   hard to see, going against the flow — those delighting in passion, cloaked in the mass of darkness,     won't&#xA;  see.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 26&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-09T23:50:40.303" LastActivityDate="2017-08-09T23:50:40.303" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21990" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-10T00:39:24.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;A letter from Mara.&#xA;An interesting reading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/maracontent.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/maracontent.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;========&#xA;Mara in Buddhism symbolizes the passions that overwhelm human beings as well as everything that hinders the arising of the wholesome roots and progress on the path of enlightenment. &#xA;Mara is the lord of the sixth heaven of the desire realm and is often depicted with a hundred arms, riding on an elephant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to legend, the Buddha Shakyamuni was attacked by Mara as he was striving for enlightenment, because Mara wanted to prevent him from showing men the way that liberates from suffering. Mara first called up a horde of demons, but Shakyamuni did not fear them. Then he sent his most beautiful daughter to seduce Shakyamuni, but before Shakyamuni's eyes she turned into an ugly hag, where upon Mara admitted conclusive defeat.*&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;*The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T00:39:24.883" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21991" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8777" CreationDate="2017-08-10T01:20:11.917" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Paticcasamuppāda is loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(past:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;having kilesa&lt;/em&gt; (especially avijja&amp;amp;taṇha) &gt; &lt;em&gt;do kamma&lt;/em&gt; (saṅkhāra/kamma-bhava) &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(present:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;becoming/born&lt;/em&gt; (suffering/uppatti-bhava/jāti) &gt; &lt;em&gt;having kilesa&lt;/em&gt;  &gt; &lt;em&gt;do kamma&lt;/em&gt; &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(future:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;becoming/born&lt;/em&gt; &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(&lt;em&gt;infinity loop&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why buddha splits paticcasamuppāda to 3 periods?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Because  &lt;strong&gt;periods  make the practitioner notice 3 characterizes&lt;/strong&gt; (anicca-characterize, dukkha-characterize, and anattā-characterize) through every time, so nowhere secure, every where is suffered by 3 characterizes. And the suffering can arise because of kilesa (especially avijjā&amp;amp;taṇhā). So stop the loop by destroy avijjā&amp;amp;taṇhā is one-way path to vanish the whole suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;See more information in tipitaka-pali S.N. nidānavagga, M.N. rathavinītasutta, &#xA; paṭisambhidāmagga dhmmaṭṭhitiñāṇaniddesa, visuddhimagga kaṅkhāvitaraṇavisuddhi, saṅgaha chapter 8 and 9.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T01:38:13.250" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T01:38:13.250" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21993" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-10T07:25:30.147" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;No, because in tipitaka, buddha and the other ariya never try to suicide. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In contrast, ariya still accept chances to keep their life by eating, healing. For the example  in vinaya, Buddha still ate, and Buddha ever gave chance to Jīvakakomārabhacca for healing Buddha's body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. Channa-bhikkhu suicide before enlighten.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T09:36:41.057" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T09:36:41.057" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21996" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21969" CreationDate="2017-08-10T11:03:14.797" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are 3 things that defines your lifespan. Body heat, Life span (Ayusha) and Consiousness. All 3 things needs to come to an end to have your body break apart as mentioned in your question. The heat of the body should fade away, the life span should come to an end and the consiousness leaves the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That is why when Arahants are in Nirodha Samapatti which means they are not breathing, literally, they don't die. Because those 3 factors are still there. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's what you mean by &quot;at the break of the body&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T11:03:14.797" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21997" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21719" CreationDate="2017-08-10T11:45:27.547" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I mostly agree with Dhammadhatu's answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And, so far as I know, modern Western psychology too doesn't necessarily agree with &quot;catharthis&quot; (popularized by &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis#Therapeutic_uses&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Freud&lt;/a&gt; as a treatment for &quot;hysteria&quot;) -- it may be that activity like screaming doesn't especially release anger, but may instead accustom/train/reward you for screaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You ask about &quot;other traditions aside from Theravada&quot;, and I don't know, but the only thing I can think of that seems to me even vaguely related to catharsis are statements or attitudes associated with overcoming taboos: statements like, &quot;If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him&quot;; or warnings against &quot;the stink of Zen&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9595/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; as an example; though according to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/9594/what-does-nonduality-correspond-to-in-buddhism/9595#comment36654_9595&quot;&gt;this comment&lt;/a&gt; I guess that's more to do with abandoning than embracing. Or &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11510/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; on &quot;attachments as obstacles to enlightenment&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T11:45:27.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21998" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-10T12:33:54.953" Score="1" Body="&lt;h1&gt;Nibbana?&lt;/h1&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To think,means to divide.You must stop dividing reality only then you will experience the truth! Let me quote the great Tilopa:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Don’t recall. Don’t imagine. Don’t think. Don’t examine. Don’t&#xA;control. Rest&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Simple as that.If this life is like a dream what good is it to hold grasp of it?If you can recognize the light you can do it by just sneezing.The great Krishna has said if you recognize your awares while you sneeze you will become enlightenment in a second.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So instead of killing yourself just sneeze!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11913" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T12:33:54.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="21999" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-08-10T13:28:32.823" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't know if this helps to answer, but I take it as axiomatic that there are bad actions, bad intentions, bad habits, bad environments ... but not &quot;bad people&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If a child bites one of their class-mates, for example, the teacher shouldn't say &quot;you're a bad boy&quot;: they should say &quot;don't bite people&quot;, or, &quot;use your words instead of biting&quot;, or something like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism might tend to discourage adults from thinking you're &quot;a person&quot; at all of any kind, good or bad. And I think that a question to ask is not, &quot;Am I a bad person?&quot;, it is, &quot;Is this good behaviour? Good intent?&quot;, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T13:28:32.823" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22000" PostTypeId="5" CreationDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This tag's name and reason is discussed: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/2072/254&quot;&gt;Want a new tag, e.g. for office work and academic work?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22001" PostTypeId="4" CreationDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" Score="0" Body="Questions about the effect of meditation or mindfulness, on daily activities such as academic or office work -- are they (mindfulness and work) compatible, do they hinder or do they help each other." OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T17:24:03.860" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22002" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-08-10T17:32:09.693" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I, for example, was meditating, and the thought came in my mind, say, obsessive-compulsively (meaning it keeps resurfacing due to the fact that the thought bothers me): &quot;I'm a bad person&quot;, if I ignored it and returned to my breathing, would my not addressing the thought and thinking &quot;No, I'm not, and here's why..&quot; cause me to subconsciously believe I'm a bad person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You are over-thinking/analyzing this which tends to result in further thinking. This is known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lionsroar.com/what-is-papanca/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;mental proliferation (papanca).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tathagata.org/DhammaTalks/Instructions/Mahasi_Instruction.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Vipassana meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, then simply note these mental formations as &lt;em&gt;&quot;thinking, thinking&quot;&lt;/em&gt; and return attention the rising and falling of the abdomen.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you are practicing Samatha Meditation, then simply acknowledge the thoughts and return to your primary object (nostrils, upper lip or abdomen).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do not dwell in in those thoughts. Do not attach to them. They are merely impersonal phenomena, arising and ceasing on their own accord, due to causes and conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T17:32:09.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22003" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-10T18:28:32.610" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is no death in Samsara. If one commits suicide they go on to a new existence because that's what they want. It's not that one wants not to exist when one kills themself, it's that one wants not to exist in reality as it is, they want a better existence so one isn't becoming annihilated or becoming  enlightened..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="151" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T03:51:51.690" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T03:51:51.690" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22004" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21961" CreationDate="2017-08-10T19:20:02.247" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't remember now the sutta name, maybe colleagues can help me with the quote, this is inexact :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To one who see the arising aspect of the world with wisdom there is no anihilationist view and to one who see the passing away aspect of the world there is no eternalist view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2017-08-10T19:20:02.247" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22005" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-11T01:49:12.143" Score="3" ViewCount="2001" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Syncretism&lt;/strong&gt; is a union or attempted fusion of different religions,&#xA;  cultures, or philosophies — like Halloween, which has both Christian&#xA;  and pagan roots, or the combination of Aristotelian philosophy with&#xA;  the belief system of the early punk rock practitioners.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I suppose some of my family are Christian, and though I wasn't really raised that way, I'm wondering, if Buddhism is syncretic, as with the Tao in China, how it has or will combine with the Abrahamaic religions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Has there been any serious scholarship charting this, or even, though the idea seems off, predicting it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastEditorDisplayName="user2512" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T02:33:38.300" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T19:57:16.103" Title="Is Buddhism a syncretic religion, and then what would they say on the Abrahamaic religions?" Tags="|comparative-religion|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22006" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21949" CreationDate="2017-08-11T01:54:20.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;suffering caused by oneself=single relationship=easy to control=lord god=eternalism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;one's suffering caused by another=non relationship=hard to control=no avijjā&amp;amp;taṇhā to becoming/born=nihilism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Those above all are impossible, so buddha taught paṭiccasamuppāda after denied acelaka kassapa's self view.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T02:02:17.843" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T02:02:17.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22007" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-11T01:55:16.990" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question has historical precedents, and early Christian writers were baffled by the idea of Nirvana, on the grounds that they could not see the difference with a, presumably beatified, suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The analogy isn't quite as bad as you make out (I upvoted the question despite the potential antagonism to it), for a few reasons, including the suicide of some solitary Buddhas, and the supposed (?) loss of several hundred arhats, after the Buddha died. Obviously, Buddhas, as they need to preach the dharma, don't face any dilemma like that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To sum, it depends on what you think suicide, and by extension death, is.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T01:55:16.990" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22008" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="2017" CreationDate="2017-08-11T02:31:51.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Actually, Hinduism probably came from Buddhism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Before Buddhism, it was called 'Brahmanism', which primarily was concerned with one God, namely, Brahma, who created the Brahman caste as the superior caste. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, Brahmanism did not have an inherent systemic doctrine of reincarnation in its Vedas (although some vague ideas appear in later texts, such as the Upanishads). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then Buddha came &amp;amp; said to the Brahmans that the path to Brahma is via love. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also had a teaching about kamma, kammic results, impermanence, Nibbana, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After this, the diversity of Indian grew, which became known as Hinduism. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism has systematic ideas about reincarnation &amp;amp; liberation, similar to the later-day subsequent teachings in Buddhism (eg. Jataka) of rebirth over lifetimes &amp;amp; Nibbana (which are actually corruptions of what the Buddha taught, for the purpose of growing the religion among the masses). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hinduism has its owns ideas of the Buddhist arising, existing &amp;amp; passing, which was deified as Brahma, Vishnu &amp;amp; Shiva, namely, the Tri-Murti. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hindu texts such as Bhagavad Gita, have central teaching of giving up craving &amp;amp; attachment. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is called 'Hinduism' I speculate obviously was influenced by 'Buddhism'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, before Buddhism, the diverse religion called 'Hinduism' did not even exist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T02:31:51.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22009" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22005" CreationDate="2017-08-11T02:46:26.040" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Original Buddhism is not syncretic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The core Buddhism teachings (namely, the four noble truths, three characteristics, dependent origination, emptiness, six elements, here-&amp;amp;-now Nibbana with feeling, etc) are 100% original. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is said to have said: &quot;&lt;em&gt;These were realities he had never heard about before&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.11&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 56.11&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If they were not 100% original, the whole idea of a 'Buddha' would be a falsehood since a Buddha is self-fully-enlightened  without the help of a teacher (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 6.2&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/321-bahudhtuka-sutta-the-many-kinds-of-elements.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 115&lt;/a&gt;) states there can only be one Buddha in a world-system. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise&#xA;  contemporaneously in one world-system ― there is no such possibility.’&#xA;  And he understands: ‘It is possible that one Accomplished One, a Fully&#xA;  Enlightened One, might arise in one world-system ― there is such a&#xA;  possibility.’&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, lots of modern Buddhism is syncretic. Theravada is 'Maha Vihara', which refers to a Hinduistic style Buddhism from Sri Lanka (which most of the posters on this chatsite believe in). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The less profound Mahayana Buddhist teachings are very syncretic, incorporating Hindu deities and esoteric Hindu &amp;amp; Chinese teachings about 'non-duality' and 'non-naming'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Judaism is also very unique in its doctrine &amp;amp; does not appear syncretic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, Christianity certainty seems Syncretic, maybe the most syncretic. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet the Xtian fundamentalists believe it is the most original. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T02:52:11.417" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T02:52:11.417" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22010" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-11T03:28:25.733" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ordinary people confuse similar words, not thinking what these words actually mean. Ordinary people think with labels and imagination. That's why instead of correct cognition people have wild fantasies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nirvana means stopping to stir the mind. It means&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;instead of ignorance we use prajna;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;instead of entanglement in mental creations (samskaras) we act from the wholeness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;instead of jumping from fruit to fruit we live in completeness;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;instead of believing in illusory objects (forms and concepts) we remain in reality;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;and so on. It means, not developing thirst (tanha), we are satisfied and unconstrained, not squeezed between oppositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is one thing in common: troubles of this life end, both by suicide or by nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Buddhism points out that tendencies from this life have continuation. So there is the difference - for example, for people around,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;suicide usually continues suffering;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;nirvana alleviates suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T03:28:25.733" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22011" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-11T04:03:51.177" Score="4" ViewCount="607" Body="&lt;p&gt;Was reading the article linked to below about how happiness is merely the absence of dukkha in much the same way that darkness is the absence of light.  That happiness is alway there. All we need to do is change our mind. We confuse gratification with happiness. We think that accomplishing, achieving, attaining will make us happier but we are misguided. I understand this, it makes perfect sense however say for example I feel lonely because I have no friends. I can sit there and experience what it feels like to be lonely and make peace with that or I can take action to make new friends so that I feel more connected and thus less lonely. If I do the latter then aren't I accomplishing, gratifying etc? Surely it's a good thing to make efforts to connect. Buddhism seems to be saying it's all in your own head but then if this is so why try to change anything?  Why go out and try to make new friends when I feel lonely?  Why go out and try to make money when I don't have enough? Etc etc. doing these things creates a better life, one of less struggle. Surely that is a good thing and leads to more happiness?   &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.raptitude.com/2010/07/good-news-happiness-doesn&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.raptitude.com/2010/07/good-news-happiness-doesn&lt;/a&gt;'t-exist/ &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T15:11:10.227" Title="Dukkha and happiness" Tags="|dukkha|" AnswerCount="6" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22012" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-11T04:24:16.597" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why go out and try to make money when I don't have enough?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This matter is physical. I think it is not a relevant example.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I can sit there and experience what it feels like to be lonely and make peace with that&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Although it might get scary initially, there is a 3rd option, namely, sit there and experience what it feels like not to be lonely. In Buddhism, this is called 'solitude', 'seclusion' or 'aloneness' ('&lt;em&gt;viveka&lt;/em&gt;'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While not explicitly Buddhist, Chapter 23 of the following link distinguishes between 'loneliness' &amp;amp; 'aloneness': &lt;a href=&quot;https://selfdefinition.org/krishnamurti/Jiddu_Krishnamurt_Think_on_these_Things.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Think on these Things by J.Krishnamurti &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T04:24:16.597" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22013" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-11T05:26:28.233" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both happiness and sadness are feelings. Both of them fall under the first noble truth or the noble truth of suffering. Sad feelings come under suffering for obvious reasons and happy feelings come under suffering for being impermanent, deficient, incompetent, unreliable etc.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is something better than happy feelings. Something permanent and peaceful. That is what the Buddha experienced first hand while he lived. Guiding us to find that while we live is what Buddhism is all about. It's not about trying to experience happy feelings or going to a heaven after death and experiencing some more happy feelings for a while. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Feeling lonely is a form of suffering. That suffering cannot be eliminated by looking for company. Being with friends is just a temporary consolation. That does not mean you will not get bored in the future. Buddhism doesn't tell you not to make friends or not to experience the comforts of life, especially if you &#xA; are a layman. Buddhism offers a permanent solution to your problems. Instead of simply relying on friends every time you feel lonely, what if you are able to uproot the cause of being lonely? Then you will never feel lonely in the first place. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T08:09:28.300" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T08:09:28.300" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22014" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21827" CreationDate="2017-08-11T07:20:50.630" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So my question is who remembers the past existences of Buddha ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You're assuming there is a &quot;who&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People do that with &quot;God&quot;, e.g. &quot;Who made the world? That &quot;who&quot; must have been God! The world exists, therefore God exists!&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism teaches that [almost] everything is impermanent, e.g. it comes into being and ceases. This (list of impermanent phenomena) includes all contacts with sense-objects -- sights, sounds, and ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism also teaches that you should avoid seeing these impermanent things as &quot;self&quot; because that view (view-of-self or identity-view) leads to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T07:20:50.630" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22015" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21972" CreationDate="2017-08-11T08:31:20.950" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am not sure for this quote's quality because my english is terrible. However, this is the easiest way to answer on mobile phone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Realities&lt;/strong&gt; - There are two realities - apparent and ultimate. Apparent reality is ordinary conventional truth (&lt;em&gt;sammuti-sacca&lt;/em&gt;). Ultimate reality is abstract truth (&lt;em&gt;paramattha-sacca&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For instance, the smooth surface of the table we see is apparent reality. In an ultimate sense the apparent surface consists of forces and qualities or in other words, vibrations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For ordinary purposes a scientist would use the term water, but in the laboratory he would say H2O. In the same way the Buddha in the Sutta Pitaka resorts to conventional usage such as man, woman, being, self, etc., but in the Abhidhamma Pitaka He adopts a different mode of expression. Here He employs the analytical method and uses abstract terms such as aggregates (&lt;em&gt;khandha&lt;/em&gt;), elements (&lt;em&gt;dhātu&lt;/em&gt;), bases (&lt;em&gt;āyatana&lt;/em&gt;), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/sangaha/chapter_1.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.palikanon.com/english/sangaha/chapter_1.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T12:58:17.870" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T12:58:17.870" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22016" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-11T09:27:55.753" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;What are the reasons why people equate suicide with Nibbana?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main reason is misunderstanding of the Dhamma due to having &lt;em&gt;wrong view&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Two other important reasons are;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lack of insight into the true nature of reality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imbalance of the Five Spiritual Faculties, preventing one from seeing clearly. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;Why is Nibbana totally different to suicide?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suicide is a concept. It belongs to conceptual reality. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana is one of the four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/twotruth.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ultimate Realities (Paramattha Sacca)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T10:37:43.090" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T10:37:43.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22017" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="1435" CreationDate="2017-08-11T10:00:13.530" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;ever seen a buddhist prayer wheel? that's the citta,the little ball at the end of the string. the object itself is the metaphor. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;when you still the mind using concentration, and at the same time observe the mind using mindfulness, then you will observe the spinning citta. as you focus on the citta more, you will bring it to rest. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;it has no mass, and so it has no inertia. it can spin up to mhz in a fraction of a second, the moment thought arises and is let through by the observer. in this way the spin of the citta can be controlled.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11916" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T10:00:13.530" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22018" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21965" CreationDate="2017-08-11T14:30:56.220" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Anuruddha-mahāsāmi (thai:anuruddhācāriya) was one of ancient saṅgarāja in sri lanka. He author abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, that is popular summary of  abhidhamma-pitaka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T15:42:57.297" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T15:42:57.297" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22019" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-11T16:29:25.850" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;I can sit there and experience what it feels like to be lonely and make peace with that or I can take action to make new friends so that I feel more connected and thus less lonely. If I do the latter then aren't I accomplishing, gratifying etc?&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, it does seem so.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Surely it's a good thing to make efforts to connect.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yeah, if you put effort into connecting, and you end up having company, surely this  is the gratification of that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead of framing the conclusion here as &quot;Buddhism seems to be saying it's all in your own head&quot;, I would only say at this point that this gratification is temporary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, from the buddhist perspective, I agree with you when you say that &quot;&lt;em&gt;We think that accomplishing, achieving, attaining will make us happier but we are misguided.&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, but only if the happiness you refer to is one not subject to vanishing -- Nirvana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, that's not quite true: accomplishing, achieving and attaining can  makes us happy, it's just that it's a happiness that has an expiration date, a happiness that is subject to disappear -- often too soon -- and a happiness that is not really that satisfying in it's essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;but then if this is so why try to change anything? Why go out and try to make new friends when I feel lonely? Why go out and try to make money when I don't have enough? Etc etc. doing these things creates a better life, one of less struggle.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Indeed,  these are efforts for creating a better life with less struggle. We may be able to lessen the struggle like this, but one might wonder if one can eliminate it, like Gotama wondered:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;“I too, being myself subject to birth, sought what was also subject to birth; being myself subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement, I sought what was also subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement. Then I considered thus: ‘Why, being myself subject to birth, do I seek what is also subject to birth? Why, being myself subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement, do I seek what is also subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement? Suppose that, being myself subject to birth, having understood the danger in what is subject to birth, I seek the unborn supreme security from bondage, Nibbāna. Suppose that, being myself subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement, having understood the danger in what is subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, and defilement, I seek the unageing, unailing, deathless, sorrowless, and undefiled supreme security from bondage, Nibbāna.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- MN 26&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;His reflection was simply this: something permanent can't be found in things transient (additionally, things that also pose a danger for more suffering).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So here, we end up facing the reality that trying to permanently eliminate suffering, to attain a permanent shelter from suffering by obtaining temporary things (company, loneliness, marriage, money, etc), things subject to birth, to aging, to death, sorrow, lamentation and pain...isn't going to work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence the gradual path of Buddhism, to substitute gross gratifications by other gratifications that, while still temporary, pose substantially less risk of creating misery and promote the encounter with that everlasting happiness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;-- Dhp 290&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the second point I'd like to bring up: method. For example, mindlessly abandoning friends and, say, food, simply because they are impermanent is probably not a good strategy for people looking for that greater happiness. It's important to point out that the Buddha supported his disciples in eating, wearing clothes and so on -- for he sake of sustaining their lives, and protecting them from diseases, etc. which is necessary for them to keep studying and practicing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More generally, we are taught to scrutinize and reflect over each of these things in terms of their dangers and benefits. For example, would look for friendship (or certain friends) be an obstacle to well being, to ease, to Nirvana? Or would it support those involved in making their lives easier and their understandings of suffering deeper? And so on...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user382" LastEditorDisplayName="user382" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T16:55:56.287" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T16:55:56.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22020" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22026" CreationDate="2017-08-11T18:26:02.647" Score="2" ViewCount="2391" Body="&lt;p&gt;I was watching this YouTube Video about the &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/VOh6xUIIs3w&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Buddha And The Beggar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question as mentioned in the comment of that video is &lt;code&gt;why is that the beggar can have only 8 items in the possessions and what are those 8 items?&lt;/code&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One of the commentator mentioned that &lt;code&gt;the story in thai its  8/100 (eight-one-hundred). It,s not 8 items&lt;/code&gt; and ﻿the other mentioned that it has something to do with the &lt;code&gt;The Eightfold Path&lt;/code&gt;. I have a fair understanding of &lt;code&gt;The Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/code&gt; but I do not understand it's relation to my original question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can anyone shed more light here? What am I missing here? If there is no relation then what is the answer to my original question?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11917" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T02:32:00.097" Title="The Buddha And The Beggar Story" Tags="|eightfold-path|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22021" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22023" CreationDate="2017-08-11T19:30:41.027" Score="7" ViewCount="663" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it more important to develop one's own meditation skills or follow a prescribed method of a teacher? After all I think the Buddha worked it out for himself. And I have noticed in my own practice that following someone else's method can be confusing, if I don't understand properly what they teach. Is discovering it for yourself, such as meditation, the best way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;N.B. I don't have any technique, I just sit there and try not to hang onto my thoughts. I think if we make out meditation to be difficult we set up obstacles to it in our minds. When I think its easy I find easy to do.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11918" LastEditorUserId="11918" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T19:43:57.103" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T19:43:57.103" Title="Meditation - how to practice it?" Tags="|meditation|meditation-teachers|learning|technique|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22022" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22021" CreationDate="2017-08-11T19:46:03.483" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Both.  While it's pretty much impossible to make real progress in meditation on your own, under the guidance of any good teacher, you are still expected to figure things out for yourself.  I know this seems contradictory, but a meditation master can only guide your progress.  It's absolutely impossible for them to get into your head and show you how to practice.  Think of sitting as a skill like wood working.  While the master carpenter can give you instructions on how to cut a board, only through your own efforts and experience will you understand how much pressure to use on different wood types, how to work the grain to your advantage, etc.  Likewise, on the cushion, while your teacher will tell you to watch your breath, it's up to you to figure out how firmly to apply your attention, where the best anchor point is for your mind, how much to relax, and how to use your posture to your advantage.  Like any skill, mastery only comes through countless hours, many questions, ample feedback, and innumerable breaths.            &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T19:46:03.483" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22023" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22021" CreationDate="2017-08-11T20:00:22.357" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;First, the Buddha learned much from his teachers. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search&lt;/a&gt;. Eventually he noticed that their approach didn't really reach the goal, so he discovered another approach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So we can say it's more important to develop our own meditation skills than &lt;em&gt;mindlessly&lt;/em&gt; follow a prescribed method.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, proper methods are based on knowledge and experience. Experimenting by ourselves, without knowledge and experience, we can make very stupid mistakes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, not all teachers are very good, so they can use not the best methods for you or they might explain them not so well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice &lt;em&gt;can be confusing, if I don't understand properly what they teach&lt;/em&gt;. That's very true. It's dangerous to practise what you don't really understand, so don't do that. First try to understand well, then practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without good guidance and correct attitude, some meditators harmed themselves very much.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus my answer is: definitely be attentive and &lt;strong&gt;let your practice be your own exploration&lt;/strong&gt;. Only under that condition people really develop talent. On the other hand, study from others. Otherwise you hardly would go far. It's like tree and grass: exploring totally on our own, we grow at the height of grass. Exploring with the help of previous explorers, we grow at the height of tree.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T20:00:22.357" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22025" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21918" CreationDate="2017-08-11T22:46:21.210" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I will explain some views in accordance with Madhyamaka-Prasangika:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Essence&quot; is something assigned by mental elaboration.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore we can say that &lt;strong&gt;apart from mental elaborations there is no essence&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another view is that&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;whatever appears&lt;/strong&gt; (as an individual phenomenon) &lt;strong&gt;is its own essence&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's because the phenomenon is what can be directly perceived; anything else would be mental additions (conceptualizations, associations). Therefore only the phenomenon itself can be its essence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense we can say that &lt;strong&gt;appearance and essence&lt;/strong&gt; (or &quot;essence and function&quot;) &lt;strong&gt;are the same thing&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21820/11762&quot;&gt;discussions on svalakshana&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that, in order to understand &quot;what is&quot;, we can't rely on flat view of &quot;is&quot; or &quot;isn't&quot;. We should see how does appearance relate to mental processes; only there we can see real answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So &quot;existence&quot; can be seen as a construction, a way we construct our world - elaborating over directly perceived appearances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the deeper we go there, the more we understand that ultimately everything is &quot;Don't Know&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PS:&lt;/strong&gt; Note that from other points of view other concepts will be true. It would be wrong to think that a Buddhist school claims its concept as the only possible truth. For example, in Zen we can use views both of Yogachara and Madhyamaka, though they seem to contradict. &quot;Everything is Consciousness&quot; and &quot;Consciousness doesn't exist&quot;. Logically these two sentences seem to contradict, but in fact they can be seen as both true; only as constructions built from different starting points; describing different levels of analysis. Likewise, we can discuss the duality of essence and function - in order to understand something - and then we can say that essence and function are the same thing, and understand something even deeper.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-11T22:59:18.903" LastActivityDate="2017-08-11T22:59:18.903" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22026" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22020" CreationDate="2017-08-12T02:32:00.097" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Presumably the &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=340&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;8 requisites&lt;/a&gt;&quot; of a monk, i.e. the 8 items that a monk is allowed and needs: 3 robes, an alms bowl, a waistband, a razor, a sewing kit and a water strainer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T02:32:00.097" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22027" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22021" CreationDate="2017-08-12T02:42:08.467" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;or follow a prescribed method of a teacher?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, when we are beginners, we generally follow methods of a teacher because generally the method of a teacher has a goal, has structure and can bring some preliminary results that give a taste of the goal. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;After all I think the Buddha worked it out for himself.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did work it out for himself; which is why he is so esteemed because working it out for yourself is very difficult, close to impossible, which is why it took the Buddha six years to work it out. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But you seem to have overlooked the fact that the Buddha did not actually know what he was trying to work out; apart from looking for real peace. He was searching or groping in the dark. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And I have noticed in my own practise&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What practice? What exactly is your own practise? This has not been made clear. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;that following someone else's method can be confusing, if I don't understand properly what they teach.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An effort is made to work out what they teach; such as asking questions about what they teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is discovering it for yourself, such as meditation, the best way?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Discovering what for yourself? Respectfully, you haven't mentioned what you are trying to discover. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T04:06:01.337" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T04:06:01.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22028" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22021" CreationDate="2017-08-12T05:38:44.233" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; Is it more important to develop one's own meditation skills or follow&#xA;  a prescribed method of a teacher?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Both. You should follow a teacher, who teaches not just meditation, but also the rest of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;. The teachings of the Buddha are called the dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The teacher of the dhamma should have the following qualifications according to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.159.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udayi Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak&#xA;  step-by-step.' &quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will&#xA;  speak explaining the sequence [of cause &amp;amp; effect].' &quot;The Dhamma should&#xA;  be taught with the thought, 'I will speak out of compassion.' &quot;The&#xA;  Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak not for the&#xA;  purpose of material reward.' &quot;The Dhamma should be taught with the&#xA;  thought, 'I will speak without hurting myself or others. &quot;It's not&#xA;  easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ananda. The Dhamma should be&#xA;  taught to others only when these five qualities are established within&#xA;  the person teaching.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While a good living teacher nearby is preferable, it is also OK to use the Buddha's teachings (the dhamma) as a guide through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/befriending.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;scriptures&lt;/a&gt; and other books and commentaries, or Youtube videos of teachers far away.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-parinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, &quot;Now, if it occurs to any of&#xA;  you — 'The teaching has lost its authority; we are without a Teacher'&#xA;  — do not view it in that way. Whatever Dhamma &amp;amp; Vinaya I have pointed&#xA;  out &amp;amp; formulated for you, that will be your Teacher when I am gone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This means that even the dhamma by itself is good enough to be a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; After all I think the Buddha worked it out for himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's not true. As mentioned by chang zhao, the Buddha did learn from other teachers, as stated in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ariyapariyesana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, but it wasn't good enough. But luckily for us, the dhamma can be our teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; And I have noticed in my own practise that following someone else's&#xA;  method can be confusing, if I don't understand properly what they&#xA;  teach.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is where having a good living teacher nearby is helpful and you must ask them questions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Alagaddupama Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, monks, when you understand the meaning of any statement of&#xA;  mine, that is how you should remember it. But when you don't&#xA;  understand the meaning of any statement of mine, then right there you&#xA;  should cross-question me or the experienced monks.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, although the dhamma is our teacher, but a living teacher (who is experienced) would be able to answer questions. The earlier part of the sutta explains why it is good to gain a correct understanding and grasp of the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; Is discovering it for yourself, such as meditation, the best way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can use the dhamma or the teachings, as a guide, and then you can discover for yourself. If you explore on your own without leveraging on the teachings, you might not make much progress. But using the teachings as a guide, you can deepen your knowledge, enhance your practice and make more progress. If possible, get a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.043.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Attadiipaa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, be islands unto yourselves, be your own refuge, having no&#xA;  other; let the Dhamma be an island and a refuge to you, having no&#xA;  other. Those who are islands unto themselves... should investigate to&#xA;  the very heart of things: 'What is the source of sorrow,&#xA;  lamentation, pain, grief and despair? How do they arise?' [What is&#xA;  their origin?]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T05:55:44.453" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T05:55:44.453" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22029" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2017-08-12T08:12:16.083" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;'you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;no - I meditated to satori 40 years ago - I forget exactly how long it took but maybe about two and a half months - which I only recently read was apparently about the same time as Gautama took.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I live in a house full of junk - have retired with enough money and regularly enjoy overseas travel - but with an empty no-mind free to see with crystal clarity the beauty of the world, I tend to live simply - my partner just told me our carpet has changed colour after 25 years - our 35yo kitchen has not been renovated - it works fine - I drive a 26yo small car - it works perfectly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I don't live in the forest under a tree - I live in the centre of city and today enjoyed some wonderful Japanese ice cream treats - but without desire or attachment to things, I could lose the stuff - or my life tomorrow without any worry.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without Fear - &lt;a href=&quot;http://users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/nofear.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/nofear.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11920" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T08:12:16.083" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22030" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17467" CreationDate="2017-08-12T09:49:13.763" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is a good discussion of the Middle Way in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Middle Way is not a moderation between the goal of ending suffering and the goal of enjoying material pleasures.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is only one goal in Buddhism, which is attaining permanent happiness through ending suffering. There is no other goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To achieve this goal, the Middle Way of practice is prescribed by the Buddha, in between extreme ascetism and extreme indulgence, and is shown in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The monastic order (which requires renouncing worldly possessions) is just a more intensive training program to achieve the goal of ending suffering. It is designed for faster progress in achieving the goal. However, it is not mandatory. Both lay people and monks can progress in their path, following the Noble Eightfold Path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not shun the worldly or lay life. For example, you can see how Buddha provided advice on financial management and economics in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12588/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8518/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8815/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By dividing wealth into four parts, True friendships are bound; One&#xA;  part should be enjoyed; Two parts invested in business; And the fourth&#xA;  set aside Against future misfortunes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The same sutta has plenty more advice for the lay life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/073-maha-vacchagotta-e1.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-vacchagottasutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha tells that there have indeed been lay male and female followers of his who had become enlightened. So, that's not impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9401/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T08:08:13.327" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T08:08:13.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22031" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22033" CreationDate="2017-08-12T10:14:12.307" Score="2" ViewCount="882" Body="&lt;p&gt;Imagine someone buys money in foreign currency, then sells it at a profit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does Buddhism consider such operations ethical?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note: One possible reason why it may be unethical is the purpose of money -- to&#xA;facilitate the exchange of products and services. When money becomes subject of&#xA;trade, it cannot fulfill it main function and this hurts other people. Money to&#xA;the economy is like blood to human body -- the more blood you remove from the&#xA;body, the worse it will function.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="949" LastEditorUserId="949" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T09:19:08.570" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T13:51:32.703" Title="Is financial speculation ethical according to Buddhism?" Tags="|ethics|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22032" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22031" CreationDate="2017-08-12T10:49:38.133" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vanijja Sutta (AN5.177)&lt;/a&gt;, there is defined what kind of businesses a lay person must not indulge in:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business.&#xA;  Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in&#xA;  meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This does not include currency trading or other kinds of speculative trading.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, gambling is criticized by the Buddha and he states many negative consequences of it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These are the six dangers inherent in compulsive gambling: winning&#xA;  breeds resentment; the loser mourns lost property; savings are lost;&#xA;  one's word carries no weight in a public forum; friends and colleagues&#xA;  display their contempt; and one is not sought after for marriage,&#xA;  since a gambler cannot adequately support a family.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt; also seems to be fine with trading:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Four conditions, Vyagghapajja, conduce to a householder's weal and&#xA;  happiness in this very life. Which four?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The accomplishment of persistent effort (utthana-sampada), the&#xA;  accomplishment of watchfulness (arakkha-sampada), good friendship&#xA;  (kalyanamittata) and balanced livelihood (sama-jivikata).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What is the accomplishment of persistent effort?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Herein, Vyagghapajja, by whatsoever activity a householder earns his&#xA;  living, whether by farming, by &lt;strong&gt;trading&lt;/strong&gt;, by rearing cattle, by archery,&#xA;  by service under the king, or by any other kind of craft — at that he&#xA;  becomes skillful and is not lazy. He is endowed with the power of&#xA;  discernment as to the proper ways and means; he is able to carry out&#xA;  and allocate (duties). This is called the accomplishment of persistent&#xA;  effort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; is also fine with investment in business:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By dividing wealth into four parts, True friendships are bound; One&#xA;  part should be enjoyed; &lt;strong&gt;Two parts invested in business&lt;/strong&gt;; And the fourth&#xA;  set aside Against future misfortunes.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, the question is, would currency trading and other types of speculative trading be considered a form of gambling or a form of trading or a form of investment?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If it is gambling, then it is not good. If it is trading (like trading of goods e.g. retail sales) or a kind of investment, then it is alright.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, which is it? This is open to interpretation, and is probably best analyzed by the experts at the &lt;a href=&quot;https://economics.stackexchange.com/&quot;&gt;Economics Stack Exchange&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding the point that currency trading may be harmful to the economy - this is similar to the topic of meat-eating. Business in meat is wrong livelihood, but eating meat, that was bought dead and frozen from the supermarket, is not wrong for lay people according to the Theravada tradition. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5948/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if an individual does not have any direct intention to harm others, but the action indirectly affects others, this is not wrong but may not be preferable.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also related, is the story of the hunter's wife from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=124&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 124&lt;/a&gt;. Please read &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1421/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T18:04:33.653" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T18:04:33.653" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22033" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22031" CreationDate="2017-08-12T12:32:09.383" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Right livelihood&lt;/a&gt; in the old scripture is merely guidance from 2,600 years ago. Today, the world is far more complex. Many businesses not mentioned by the Buddha are obviously wrong livelihood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In summary, the Buddhist standard for any behaviour is non-harming. For example, when &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.businessinsider.com/how-george-soros-broke-the-bank-of-thailand-2016-9?IR=T&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;George Soros&lt;/a&gt; shorted the Asian currencies in &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisis&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;1997&lt;/a&gt;, if this harmed those economies (causing financial &amp;amp; job losses) then this trading in currencies was certainly unethical from a Buddhist point of view. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the average small person, carrying on a genuine educated skilled business of trading in foreign currencies (forex) is not unethical because it is not harming anyone. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While such trading is not an &quot;investment&quot; in productive assets (such as investing in the stock market) and thus the other side of a winning forex transaction loses, both parties are playing the same game &amp;amp; taking the same risks therefore it is not unethical; even when it is only a business that benefits oneself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for how large scale FX trading can harm an economy, read here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-forex-trading-3306253&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Forex Trading: Impact on the Dollar and the Economy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Even without outright price fixing, traders can create asset bubbles in foreign exchange rates. It may have happened with the U.S. dollar&#xA;  in 2014 and also in the last quarter of 2008. A strong dollar makes&#xA;  U.S. exports less competitive. It slows GDP growth. If traders bid the&#xA;  dollar down, then oil-producing countries will raise the price of oil&#xA;  as oil is sold in dollars. The impact of expanding forex trading needs&#xA;  to be better regulated in order to avoid potential bubbles and busts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T12:51:20.487" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T12:51:20.487" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22034" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-12T12:45:40.617" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;You do exist. You exist as a collection of processes. Buddha never said you don't exist. My understanding is that what he said is that what we think of as the self is not lasting or permanent. That the sense of continuity is an illusion. You clearly have a body and a mind and for people to function in this world we find ourselves in we need to label things hence your name is deeraj. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T12:45:40.617" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22035" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22031" CreationDate="2017-08-12T13:55:39.517" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The purpose of money is to reward for provided value. When someone extracts money - not creating value for anyone - that's not healthy. People who did something useful don't get all the proper reward, when part of money was extracted by speculators. Thus speculation is a form of stealing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. Some people misunderstand that I'm speaking not about trading in general, but only about speculation - as &quot;not creating value&quot;. If traders transport goods, store them, provide comfortable access to them - that service probably has value for customers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there are cases where some people just remove cheaper merchandise from the market and replace it with the same merchandise at higher prices. For example, &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Berezovsky_(businessman)#Accumulation_of_wealth&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;mafia boss Berezovsky&lt;/a&gt; forced factories' management to sell him cheap cars, and then resold them for many times more. So there's a difference between trading that creates value for customers and speculation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PPS. So please re-evaluate your downvotes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T13:51:32.703" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T13:51:32.703" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22036" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12190" CreationDate="2017-08-12T15:50:53.623" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.7.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udana 7.2&lt;/a&gt;, Ven. Sariputta (the Arahant) tried to teach Ven. Bhaddiya without realizing that he too was an Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha saw this and exclaimed the verse, describing Ven. Bhaddiya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He has cut the cycle, has gone away to freedom from longing. The&#xA;  dried-up stream no longer flows. The cycle, cut, no longer turns.&#xA;  This, just this, is the end of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This shows that the Buddha could recognize who is an Arahant, but not another Arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T21:24:27.013" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T21:24:27.013" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22037" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22039" CreationDate="2017-08-12T17:31:42.747" Score="4" ViewCount="306" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha put high emphasize on Anicca and thus it shouldn't be dismissed. Now my question: When should one remind oneself of the transience of all phenomena? I doubt in every occassion. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I for example walk or do my daily chores, according to the Buddha I apply Sati on the sense that I remember to not to forget walking. So this then is a rather concentration excercise without pañña (wisdom), right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T12:18:58.997" Title="Anicca (when and how?)" Tags="|meditation-concentration|impermanence|panna|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22038" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22037" CreationDate="2017-08-12T17:59:59.533" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When should one remind oneself of the transience of all phenomena?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;24 hours a day. Ideally. Until that becomes possible, practice as frequent as possible, while working on balancing the five spiritual faculties. Reminding is not enough - it should be insight meditation (vipassana) which is practiced. Intellectually reminding oneself, will lead not to insights.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If I for example walk or do my daily chores, according to the Buddha I apply Sati on the sense that I remember to not to forget walking. So this then is a rather concentration excercise without pañña (wisdom), right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depends on what kind of meditation practice you are doing. To gain insights into the impermanent nature of phenomena, one should practice insight meditation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Walking meditation is very beneficial and its a great vehicle to carry over your sitting practice into daily life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;By doing a &quot;moving&quot; meditation it will also become easier for you to remain mindful throughout your day, while doing daily activities, such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, doing the dishes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here are 2 videos on walking meditation by Ven. Yuttadhammo:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IFvablc6EI&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;How To Meditate III - Walking Meditation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aucEZdM9DKE&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ask A Monk: Why Walking Meditation Comes First&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also here is an article on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/silananda/bl137.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;The Benefits of Walking Meditation&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Sayadaw U Silananda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T18:11:10.337" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T18:11:10.337" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22039" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22037" CreationDate="2017-08-12T18:01:33.973" Score="3" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Buddha put high emphasize on Anicca and thus it shouldn't be dismissed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha put an emphasis on many dhammas. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha did not actually teach to constantly remind oneself of anicca because this would mean the mind is always thinking. Instead, one only reminds oneself of anicca when necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of meditation is to stop thinking so the mind has concentration so it can develop calm and then see anicca directly (rather than reminding oneself about anicca).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reminding oneself about 'anicca' is called 'anicca sanna'. Where as seeing anicca directly is called 'vipassana'. Reminding oneself about 'anicca' is not 'vipassana' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now my question: When should one remind oneself of the transience of all phenomena? I doubt in every occasion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Reminding oneself' is called 'mindfulness'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The wisdom (panna) used with reminding oneself is called 'sampajanna' ('situational wisdom'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Reminding onself about impermanence' is called '&lt;em&gt;anicca sanna&lt;/em&gt;'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'Anicca sanna' is a preliminary practice (mentioned in MN 62 &amp;amp; MN 118) &amp;amp; particularly useful when there is a very strong hindrance that one cannot control and thus must endured; patiently waiting for the energy of the hindrance to dissipate &amp;amp; dissolve. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is also done whenever necessary when something must be endured or when something is lost. Such as when you dislike a poster on the internet or lose a debate on the internet. You can think: &quot;&lt;em&gt;This internet is impermanent; this debate is impermanence&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, you have a good meditation, which then ceases, due to hindrances. If the mind clings to the good meditation wishing to have it all the time, one can reflect on impermanence to get rid of the craving. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or if your mother nags you to do your chores, you reflect: &quot;&lt;em&gt;This nagging is impermanent; the sound is impermanent; doing the chores is impermanent&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I for example walk or do my daily chores, according to the Buddha I apply Sati on the sense that I remember to not to forget walking.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. The purpose of sati is not to remember you are walking. The purpose of sati is to remember to walk with wisdom or to do chores with wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, in a monastery, everyone must do chores. The chores are done with the wisdom that defilements lead to suffering therefore to do chores without defilements. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So this then is a rather concentration excercise without pañña (wisdom), right?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sati is never without wisdom. Sati always has sampajanna. Sati is only remembering or calling something to mind. Mindfulness must remember to apply wisdom. Therefore, mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom always operate together. There cannot be mindfulness without wisdom. This is why the term 'sati-sampajanna' is often used, as a compound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why would we walk or do chores without wisdom? If we do not have any wisdom about the purpose of walking meditation or doing chores &amp;amp; how to do it, why would we do it? For what purpose? With what method? For what benefit? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This video might help: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpCy9Tb73gw&amp;amp;t=7s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhist Meditation Sati Sampajanna&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This book might help: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Natural_Cure_for_Spiritual_Disease2.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Part II. The Use of Dhamma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T18:42:02.113" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T18:42:02.113" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22040" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21691" CreationDate="2017-08-12T18:20:01.550" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If I, for example, was meditating, and the thought came in my mind, say, obsessive-compulsively (meaning it keeps resurfacing due to the&#xA;  fact that the thought bothers me): &quot;I'm a bad person&quot;, if I ignored it&#xA;  and returned to my breathing&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you return to your breathing, your mind can feel calm. If your mind feels calm, it will not have the habitual (compulsive) thought.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;would my not addressing the thought and thinking &quot;No, I'm not, and here's why..&quot; cause me to subconsciously believe I'm a bad person?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No. If your mind can feel calm by focusing on your breathing, your subconscious will start to believe: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I can be a calm person&lt;/em&gt;&quot; instead of &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am a bad person&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It's holding me back from meditating because I feel uneasy about dropping the  thought.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You &amp;amp; nobody else can benefit from meditation if it is believed: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am a bad person&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Therefore, I recommend two options:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) Ignore the thought &amp;amp; focus on your breathing, until you start to believe: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I can be a calm person&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) Address the thought &amp;amp; change it to: &quot;&lt;em&gt;I am not a bad person. I am just an ordinary person. I am a person who wants to improve my life &amp;amp; be a better person.&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist path has more components than only focusing on breathing. The other components include to stop doing harmful (negative) actions &amp;amp; to develop love &amp;amp; compassion towards yourself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T18:20:01.550" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22041" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-12T20:59:11.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There is nothing wrong in using personal pronouns like I, you, me, he, she etc. or addressing oneself or others. After all, the Buddha used personal pronouns and addressed others too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Akkosa Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In the same way, &lt;strong&gt;brahman&lt;/strong&gt;, that with which &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; have insulted&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt;, who is not insulting; that with which &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; have taunted &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt;, who is not taunting; that with which &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; have berated &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt;, who is not berating: that &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt; don't accept from &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;. It's all &lt;strong&gt;yours&lt;/strong&gt;, brahman. It's all &lt;strong&gt;yours&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In another example from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And to whom, &lt;strong&gt;worthless man&lt;/strong&gt;, do &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; understand &lt;strong&gt;me&lt;/strong&gt; to have&#xA;  taught the Dhamma like that? Haven't &lt;strong&gt;I&lt;/strong&gt;, in many ways, said of&#xA;  dependently co-arisen consciousness, 'Apart from a requisite&#xA;  condition, there is no coming-into-play of consciousness'? But&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt;, through &lt;strong&gt;your&lt;/strong&gt; own poor grasp, not only slander &lt;strong&gt;us&lt;/strong&gt; but also dig &lt;strong&gt;yourself&lt;/strong&gt; up [by the root] and produce much demerit for&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;yourself&lt;/strong&gt;. That will lead to &lt;strong&gt;your&lt;/strong&gt; long-term harm &amp;amp; suffering.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is not that the self does not exist. The self does exist, but it is not permanent, and it arises out of the inter-working of the five aggregates. The self does not exist standalone as an agent or entity by itself. The self is also not eternal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sabbasava Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, it is stated that both the views that &quot;I have a self&quot; and &quot;I have no self&quot; are wrong:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view&#xA;  arises in him: The view &lt;strong&gt;I have a self&lt;/strong&gt; arises in him as true &amp;amp;&#xA;  established, or the view &lt;strong&gt;I have no self&lt;/strong&gt; ....&lt;em&gt;(cut)&lt;/em&gt;... This is called a&#xA;  thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a&#xA;  writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the&#xA;  uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, &amp;amp;&#xA;  death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Instead, the Buddha taught that the correct way to see this is through &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Acela Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). He also taught that these false views arise due to the association of the self with the five aggregates (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yamaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;). Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21977/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8162/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for more details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hence, in my opinion, it is wrong to blame society or Mara or anybody else if anyone possesses wrong views regarding the self.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As stated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#island&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto&#xA;  yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your&#xA;  island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Should you then blame yourself instead? Of course not. Instead, we should strive to seek a correct understanding based on the teachings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T21:07:46.453" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T21:07:46.453" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22042" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12190" CreationDate="2017-08-12T22:51:42.627" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Depending on our freedom from delusions, we can recognize conditions of equal or lesser purity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like looking through glass: if other's glass is dirtier, you can see that, but if it's cleaner, your own dirt doesn't allow to recognize that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, it's not possible to get consensus among practitioners, because many of them have delusions and misrepresent their qualities and qualities of others. Some teachers disagree with each other, some claim awakening out of ignorance, some have large following despite poor qualities etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In some Buddhist traditions people try to establish systems of quality control based on opinions of authorities, but it doesn't really work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha didn't set such system. He said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-12T22:56:04.447" LastActivityDate="2017-08-12T22:56:04.447" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22044" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2017-08-13T01:29:01.317" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For you, the path to enlightenment begins right here.  Because that's where you put your consciousness, in a Q/A site called &quot;stackexchange&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Is this the right path&quot; is irrelevant, because you already started by offering a piece of your own lifeforce (time, chi, whatever) into the arena.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So now the universe answers back.  The only question is &quot;do you hear it&quot; (awreness)?  Aim for the highest point.  It could be GOD, it could be Nature or mysticism, or it could be some virtue (Truth, Justice, etc.).  When you aim for the highest point, you will either fail quickly and learn within your lifetime or achieve greatness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have to understand what enlightenment is.  On the one hand it means &quot;to be aware&quot; or PRESENT, on the other hand it means your burden is lighter -- because you working your karma -- paying back to those who were wronged before you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, there are always two trajectories until you are enlightened:  going upward (seeking enlightenment) or going downward (addressing your karma) so you can go further upwards.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be careful that your goal of enlightenment isn't burdened with subconscious quasi-goals such as being better than someone else (ego-driven).  That is a common pitfall among Western Buddhists.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As one Buddhist master remarked &quot;after enlightenment, the mountains are mountains&quot; -- don't get wrapped up in the goal, the journey along the way is part of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11836" LastEditorUserId="11836" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T14:56:12.133" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T14:56:12.133" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22045" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22005" CreationDate="2017-08-13T01:42:17.233" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not a religion, it is a practice.  Likewise, Taoism is a philosophy.  ANd I would answer, no, it is not syncretic -- it stands on its own.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As to whether it's a religion, neither have any gods, so they can't properly be called a religion.  Because even though they may be said to have scripture, these are not given by god, but by humans and so properly speaking could be said to be a perpetually-curated set of guidelines towards the perfection of the practice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To the Asians, I believe they see it like a religion, in that they abide with a devotion by which only religion compares, yet that similarity doesn't make it a religion, in any Western sense, or even probably Near Eastern. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11836" LastEditorUserId="11836" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T19:57:16.103" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T19:57:16.103" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22046" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2017-08-13T01:44:31.590" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would only offer two suggestions - find yourself a teacher and empty yourself of expectation.  The first will guide you and the second will lessen the likelihood that you will be misled.  The Buddhist path calls for trust.  It is a forfeiture of belief and preconception done for the realization of true faith.  Close your eyes, fall back, and let the hands of the patriarchs catch you.         &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T01:44:31.590" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22047" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21163" CreationDate="2017-08-13T03:55:38.583" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Buddha had to say about Ghosts (Preta)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Bhikkhus, those who depart from the human realm, those will be reborn as humans or devas can be compared to the few grains of sand that I pickup on my fingernail. Those who are reborn in the lower four realms are exceedingly many, compared to the sand on this great Earth”. – &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-vipassana-dipani/d/doc2927.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nakhasikha Sutta- The Tip of the Fingernail – SN20-2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Samyutta Nikaya (Saṃyutta Nikāya SN, &amp;quot;Connected Discourses&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Kindred Sayings&amp;quot;) is a Buddhist scripture, the third of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the &amp;quot;three baskets&amp;quot; that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism.  Descriptions of Pretas and pretis (female ghosts) in this Samyutta Nikaya and Petavatthu show that they come in various shapes and sizes depending on their past unwholesome kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Petavatthu is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya: The &amp;quot;Division of Short Books&amp;quot; (Pali khudda = &amp;quot;smaller,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;lesser&amp;quot;), consisting of fifteen books (eighteen in the Burmese edition): Petavatthu — Stories of the Hungry Ghosts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Petavatthu it is said that Pretas are ghostly beings devoid of happiness. They live a life of misery, being subjected to incessant pain and suffering, lack of food and clothing. The vivid descriptions found in Petavatthu highlight the extreme suffering experienced by Pretas as a result of their unwholesome kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Milinda Pañha (&amp;quot;Questions of Milinda&amp;quot;) is a Buddhist text which dates from approximately 100 BCE. Milinda Pañha records a dialogue between the Buddhist sage Nāgasena, and the Indo-Greek king Milinda. According to Milinda-Pañhā, there are 4 classes of Pretas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vantasikas who feed on what have been vomited by others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Khuppipasinos who suffer from being continually tormented by extreme hunger and thirst for very long periods of time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nijjhamatanhikas who are consumed by thirst, being tormented by a continual burning feeling within their bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paradattupa-jivi who depend on what others offer for them:   They remember their living relatives and see what they do. Only this class of Pretas can receive and share in the merits when offerings are made on their behalf.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though we believe that if we live a “good, moral life”, a rebirth in the human or even higher deva worlds is guaranteed, this is a misconception.  It is because we do not know what kinds of bad kamma we have accumulated in past lives. This is why Buddha has mentioned over and over in many Suttas that it is very hard to even get a human existence (bhava) let alone a deva or a brahma rebirth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the “Saccasamyutta” under “Passing Away from the Animal Realm” It is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... “So too, bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell ... in the animal realm ... in the domain of ghosts....&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;under “Passing Away from the Domain of Ghosts” it is said that: ... “So too, bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn in hell ... in the animal realm ... in the domain of ghosts....&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Book of Causation ( Nidanavagga ) it is said that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;… produced among the ghosts, etc., having as its object the residue of that kamma or the sign of the kamma. Therefore, because that rebirth comes about through correspondence of kamma or correspondence of, it is called &amp;quot;a residual result of that same kamma.&amp;quot; It is said that at the time he passed away from hell, a heap of flesh-&#xA;less cows' bones became the sign (i.e., the object of the last conscious process, which then becomes the object of the rebirth-consciousness). Thus he became a ghost (in the form of) a skeleton, as if making manifest to the wise the hidden kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is this story in the scriptures, about an old woman who was very careful about not breaking the five precepts. But she was extremely greedy; she was quite stingy, did not give much to charity, and kept all her money under her pillow. Because of that greed, she was born a peta (a hungry ghost).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet in the Great Book (Mahavagga) - Friends and Colleagues -  Buddha says:&#xA;&amp;quot;Bhikkhus, there may be alteration in the four great elements — in the earth element, the water element, the heat element, the air element — but there cannot be alteration in the noble disciple who possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha. Therein this is alteration: that the noble disciple who possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha might be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the domain of ghosts. This is impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paticca samuppada (PS) or “cause and effect” can describe various stages of life. The Buddha said that the PS is deep as a deep ocean and it can be applied to any situation, because everything “in this world” obeys the basic principle of cause and effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As per to PS, whenever we willingly grasp something, whatever results from that action has a corresponding nature. Because one got attached willingly, a similar bhava will result: i.e., pati+ichcha leading to sama+uppada.  From this, a “greedy state of mind” will result when we get attach with greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;An excessively greedy person is like to get a “peta bhava” and be born as a peta (hungry ghost); a person who is often engaged in hateful actions towards other beings is likely develop a “hateful bhava” and is likely to be born in the niraya (hell) where there is lot of hate due to extreme suffering; an animal bhava is developed with both greed and hate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A built-up vinnana can form a habit; as the habit gets stronger, it can be carried over to the next life, possibly in two ways: a really strong habit could lead to a “patisandhi vinnana” at the dying moment and can lead to a corresponding “bhava”, and thus one could be born in the corresponding “jati”. For example, an extremely greedy person, may acquire a “peta bhava” at the dying moment and be born as a “peta” or a hungry ghost.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T03:55:38.583" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22048" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-13T05:32:16.903" Score="3" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c4/bf/36/c4bf36e2bb6a081e103afe183836cd95--the-hierophant-le-tarot.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Faith Card&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, apparently, this won't let me post unless I have thirty characters, so I'm going to ask the same question in the comments. In the above image, a Tibetan Buddhist is praying (or speaking, what have you) in the top left corner. Can you translate this prayer?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11926" LastActivityDate="2018-08-18T10:50:26.140" Title="In the top left corner there is a Tibetan Buddhist praying. Can you translate this prayer?" Tags="|translation|tibetan|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22049" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22005" CreationDate="2017-08-13T06:45:19.093" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It might appear that Buddhism is a syncretic religion because it apparently has some similar features to Hinduism and/or Jainism:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rebirth&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Concept of Karma&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/11842/471&quot;&gt;Samsara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Monks with orange robes and shaven heads&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beings like Brahma, Sakka / Indra, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.130.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Yama&lt;/a&gt;, devas, gandhabba&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tendency to non-violence similar to Jainism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Some Mahayana deities resemble Hindu deities&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The use of beads or rosaries in Mahayana Buddhism similar to Hindu&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Tendency to non-violence similar to Jainism&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Similar ritual elements like cremation and use of incense&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In terms of philosophy, the oldest teachings of the Buddha are found in the Pali Canon, especially the Sutta and the Vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From there, we can see that some of the core and non-core Buddhist teachings, from the Pali Canon, are a stark departure from Hinduism and Jainism, and some are quite original:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The middle way between eternalism and annihilationism (both Hinduism and Jainism subscribe to eternalism of the self) - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The middle way between asceticism and indulgence (Jainism tends towards asceticism) - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The self is not eternal, not standalone and not independent - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/9655/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; and contrast with Hindu &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2/verse/24&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BG2.24&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The self or soul does not pervade the body (unlike the Hindu &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2/verse/17&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BG2.17&lt;/a&gt;) - see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN35.85&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In terms of karma, not everything we experience is a result of past karma (compared to Jainism) - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8935/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN36.21&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN101&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;There is no Supreme Creator God (unlike Hinduism and the Abrahamic religions) - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11653/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The self or soul does not transmigrate (unlike Hindu &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2/verse/22&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;BG2.22&lt;/a&gt;) - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8070/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Lay people eating meat that was bought dead and frozen from the supermarket is not sinful - see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/5948/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, as also discussed in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12117/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, later on, Buddhist and Hindu philosophy influenced each other to produce Advaita Vedanta and Indian Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Also, Tibetan Buddhism have adopted some Hindu deities. On the other hand, there has also been debates in later times between Hindu and Buddhist scholars (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/7426/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1894/471&quot;&gt;Anatta&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11653/471&quot;&gt;lack of a Supreme Creator God&lt;/a&gt;, still keeps Buddhism very far apart from the other religions, and due to this, it is very unlikely that Buddhism will form a doctrinally syncretic relationship with Hinduism, Jainism or the Abrahamic religions. The syncretism is likely to remain at the cultural level, if it exists at all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T13:24:38.457" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T13:24:38.457" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22050" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-13T08:18:27.900" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; Buddhism seems to be saying it's all in your own head but then if this is so why try to change anything? Why go out and try to make&#xA;  new friends when I feel lonely? Why go out and try to make money when&#xA;  I don't have enough? Etc etc. doing these things creates a better&#xA;  life, one of less struggle. Surely that is a good thing and leads to&#xA;  more happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You have misunderstood this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The purpose of Buddhism is really the pursuit of happiness&lt;/strong&gt;. We can find plenty of advice from the Buddha on this, in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, for lay people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do you feel lonely and want to make friends? Choose the right friends and be a right friend yourself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and&#xA;  the compassionate friend.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when&#xA;  you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is&#xA;  requested.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in&#xA;  misfortune, and even dying for you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what&#xA;  you ought to know, and showing you the path to heaven.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune,&#xA;  preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who&#xA;  praise your good qualities.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can spend up to a quarter of your income for good enjoyments, including with your good friends. Manage your wealth the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;By dividing wealth into four parts, True friendships are bound; &lt;strong&gt;One&#xA;  part should be enjoyed&lt;/strong&gt;; Two parts invested in business; And the fourth&#xA;  set aside Against future misfortunes&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can also get married to the right spouse and be a right spouse yourself:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways should a wife as the western direction be respected by a&#xA;  husband: by honoring, not disrespecting, being faithful, sharing&#xA;  authority, and by giving gifts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, the wife so respected reciprocates with compassion in five ways:&#xA;  by being well-organized, being kindly disposed to the in-laws and&#xA;  household workers, being faithful, looking after the household goods,&#xA;  and being skillful and diligent in all duties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, have the right kind of relationship with your parents and children:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;In five ways should a mother and father as the eastern direction be&#xA;  respected by a child: 'I will support them who supported me; I will do&#xA;  my duty to them; I will maintain the family lineage and tradition; I&#xA;  will be worthy of my inheritance; and I will make donations on behalf&#xA;  of dead ancestors.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And, the mother and father so respected reciprocate with compassion&#xA;  in five ways: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards&#xA;  good actions, training you in a profession, supporting the choice of a&#xA;  suitable spouse, and in due time, handing over the inheritance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sure, you can make money and enjoy from it and make yourself happy. There's more financial advice from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.054.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dighajanu Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what does it mean to maintain one's livelihood in tune? There is&#xA;  the case where a lay person, knowing the income and outflow of his&#xA;  wealth, maintains a livelihood in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a&#xA;  penny-pincher, [thinking], '&lt;strong&gt;Thus will my income exceed my outflow, and&#xA;  my outflow will not exceed my income&lt;/strong&gt;.' &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These are the four inlets to one's store of wealth: no debauchery in&#xA;  sex; no debauchery in drink; no debauchery in gambling; and &lt;strong&gt;admirable&#xA;  friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.041.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adiya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; speaks of five benefits that can be obtained from wealth. the first two relates to family and friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He provides his mother &amp;amp; father with pleasure &amp;amp; satisfaction, and&#xA;  maintains that pleasure rightly. He provides his children, his wife,&#xA;  his slaves, servants, &amp;amp; assistants with pleasure &amp;amp; satisfaction, and&#xA;  maintains that pleasure rightly. This is the first benefit that can be&#xA;  obtained from wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... provides his friends &amp;amp; associates with pleasure &amp;amp; satisfaction,&#xA;  and maintains that pleasure rightly. This is the second benefit that&#xA;  can be obtained from wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Doesn't all of this make you happy? Sure it does. But it will not last forever.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If due to that, you want to be an ascetic completely withdrawn from the world, that would fall into extreme asceticism. If you want to enjoy the worldly happiness like it will last forever, that's extreme indulgence. Both ways will not end suffering. Hence, the Buddha introduced &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8164/471&quot;&gt;the middle way&lt;/a&gt; between the two, through the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a lay person, you should enjoy the happiness of this world, like wealth, family and companionship, but at the same time undergo the Noble Eightfold Path training process towards permanent happiness (which is the end of suffering).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel fit and inclined, you can also choose the monastic order, which is a more intensive training program. But that's not for everyone. On that note, even monks and nuns can have friends but they must choose the type of friends found in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Upaddha Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie&#xA;  is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable&#xA;  people as friends, companions, &amp;amp; comrades, he can be expected to&#xA;  develop &amp;amp; pursue the noble eightfold path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11771/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; the four levels of &quot;training programs&quot; - lay Dhamma follower, anagarika, novice monk (or nun) and fully ordained monk (or nun).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Do read the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhaniya Sutta&lt;/a&gt; which provides an interesting insight into this topic, based on the life of the cattleman and family-man Dhaniya:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhaniya said: &quot;How great our gain that we've gazed on the Blessed One!&#xA;  We go to him, the One with vision, for refuge. May you be our teacher,&#xA;  Great Sage. My wife &amp;amp; I are compliant. Let's follow the holy life&#xA;  under the One Well-gone. Gone to the far shore of aging &amp;amp; death, let's&#xA;  put an end to suffering &amp;amp; stress.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T08:43:28.120" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T08:43:28.120" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22051" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21928" CreationDate="2017-08-13T11:42:16.803" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would rather say that suicide and Nibbana are polar opposites, than “Suicide is similar to Nibbana”. North and South Poles are at opposite ends of the planet, and both are equally glacial, or very cold. I am NOT saying “Polar Opposites” in this sense.  Nibbana is the rightful escape from depression, and suicide is a momentary escape. I say this because you end up being in the same state in your next birth. One’s character “(gathi)” determines one’s future births. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.allaboutdepression.com/gen_04.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Suicide statistics tell us that up to 15% of those who are clinically depressed die by suicide.&lt;/a&gt;. This brings home the message that we underestimate the severity of mental suffering compared to our physical suffering. If you would go more into Buddha’s Dhamma, you will get to see how our minds control our physical bodies. Then you will begin to understand how the “gathi” from the past life is conditioning your present thought.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Changing to a “gathi” of a Sotapanna is called a change in lineage where one becomes an Ariya or a Noble person and never turning back to the conventional way of life. That is the road to Nibbana – the Answer. By listening to, and reading &amp;amp; understanding the deeper meanings that lie within the first 58 books ever written on Buddha Dhamma, one becomes a Sotapanna (a Stream Entrant). Then by furthering the understanding through proper Guided Meditation, one goes up the ladder towards Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Suicide would only make things worse in the “long term” in the rebirth process. Thus it is never too late to start at any stage in your life, this Path to Nibbana. Human life is rare and should not be wasted at any stage. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lodro-rinzler/meditation-isnt-enough-a-_b_5672580.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;But if you are one who entertain suicidal thoughts, as in to the point that you can’t imagine getting out of bed in the morning tough, you need help. And there should be no shame in seeking it&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A significant part of our suffering comes from the mind. &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicides&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Even some famous and rich people that we know could not bear this mental pain to such an extent that they committed suicide&lt;/a&gt;. One could be living in a mansion with a burdened mind and could even commit suicide, while a poor person who has learned the deeper Dhamma that lies hidden beneath the conventional, could be living in a hut with a peace of mind content with what he/she has and knowing that any hardship is just for a brief time (in this life).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is Nibbana totally different to suicide is because ONLY a person who truly understand the true meaning of ANICCA attains Nibbana, whereas a person who is all wrapped up in the notion of ‘self’ / ‘Atta’ may go the suicidal way. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word “atta” can have many meanings depending on the context. In the conventional sense, “attā” means “a person”. The deeper meaning of “atta” is “in full control” or “the essence” or “the truth that is timeless”. Just like the word “anicca“, it is not possible to translate to English. One must get the idea by learning how it is used in various situations. The opposite of “atta” is anatta (“helpless” in case of a living being or “useless” in case of an inert thing) as in the Tilakkhana. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What I give above is a deeper meaning to two key words that are found in this Dhamma Path. If you look at suttas, there is no clear grammatical structure. It is the sound that gives the meaning and most verses have “double meanings”.  There is an apparently simple meaning, but deeper meanings are hidden most times. A Sotapanna begins to see this higher truth – the “Paramatta Dhamma” - that lies beyond the conventional truth that most of us are accustomed to.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paramatta comes from “parama” + “atta“, where “parama” means “at the highest level” and “atta” means “the truth that is timeless”, the deeper meaning. This is a deeper ñāna that a person who is well into this Noble Eightfold Path sees. It is fourfold, and is called Patisambidha Ñana  whch in other words can be said as “atta, dhamma, nirutthi, patibhāna“. One who gets to see this two levels of Dhamma will not take “atta” as “a person” or “a self”, and will see Nibbana, and will eventually achieve Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for the ones who are fixed on the conventional meaning to the word “atta“, as well as for anatta, nicca, anicca and many other words, they have a likelihood of equating Nibbana with Suicide. This is one of the main reasons for people to equate suicide with Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T11:42:16.803" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22052" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22037" CreationDate="2017-08-13T12:18:58.997" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The transient nature of all experiences (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral) is the forerunner of unsatisfactoriness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when doing your daily chores look what sensations associated with it. A certain posure may be comfortable, uncomfortable or neutral. When you are walking also there are many little sensations throughout the body. If you are walking barefoot on gravel it might be painful. If you have been seated and you legs are numb then walking may be plesent. Likes whise see how the sensations change. This is this is also the link to the 1st Noble Truth, Causality and Dependent Origination. This is further elaborated in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/21545/295&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T12:18:58.997" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22053" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22058" CreationDate="2017-08-13T13:11:50.533" Score="1" ViewCount="149" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta (Sn1.4 and SN7.11)&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha went to get alms from the brahman Kasi Bharadvaja, who hinted that monks like the Buddha, should also work hard by plowing and sowing, in order to earn their meals.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To this, the Buddha responded with details on how he plowed and sowed, and reaped the fruit which is deathless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Kasi Bharadvaja then heaped up milk rice from a large bronze serving bowl, and offered it to the Buddha, who said:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What's been chanted over with verses shouldn't be eaten by me. That's not the nature, brahman, of one who's seen rightly. What's been&#xA;  chanted over with verses Awakened Ones reject.&lt;/strong&gt; That being their&#xA;  nature, brahman, this is their way of life. Serve with other food &amp;amp;&#xA;  drink a fully-perfected great seer, his fermentations ended, his&#xA;  anxiety stilled, for that is the field for one looking for merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What does this mean? Is food chanted over with verses not good for consumption?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does that apply to the chanting of all religions?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The next part of the sutta baffles me:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Then to whom, Master Gotama, should I give this milk-rice?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Brahman, I don't see that person in this world — with its devas,&#xA;  Maras, &amp;amp; Brahmas, in this generation with its royalty &amp;amp; common people&#xA;  — by whom this milk-rice, having been eaten, would be rightly&#xA;  digested, aside from a Tathagata or a Tathagata's disciple&lt;/strong&gt;. In that&#xA;  case, brahman, throw the milk-rice away in a place without vegetation,&#xA;  or dump it in water with no living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So Kasi Bharadvaja dumped the milk-rice in water with no living beings. And the milk-rice, when dropped in the water, hissed &amp;amp;&#xA;  sizzled, seethed &amp;amp; steamed.&lt;/strong&gt; Just as an iron ball heated all day,&#xA;  when tossed in the water, hisses &amp;amp; sizzles, seethes &amp;amp; steams, in the&#xA;  same way the milk-rice, when dropped in the water, hissed &amp;amp; sizzled,&#xA;  seethed &amp;amp; steamed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Then Kasi Bharadvaja — in awe, his hair standing on end&lt;/strong&gt; — went to the Blessed One&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why is it that this milk rice can be consumed only by a Tathagatha or a Tathagatha's disciple?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But then, in the earlier part, the Buddha said that the Awakened Ones would never eat it. Why is this the case?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why did the milk rice hiss, sizzle, seeth and steam when dumped into the water?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Why was Kasi Bharadvaja in awe, on seeing that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T13:19:43.370" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T16:05:54.947" Title="Food that is chanted over with verses" Tags="|the-buddha|food|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22054" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-13T13:25:05.903" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Our original condition is unconstrained easiness and contentment. Imagine how a little baby feels in comfort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;No worries and concerns. Everything is simple.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Gradually children lose that state of satisfaction, because we attach to &quot;good&quot; and run away from &quot;bad&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot; create worries and concerns.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We develop &lt;em&gt;thirst&lt;/em&gt; to &quot;feel better&quot; and start to chase something &lt;em&gt;out there&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We lose our original unconstrained natural condition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oppositions start to rule our life: chasing and escaping.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirst and suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Having lost the original paradise, we wander in search of satisfaction, we feel lacking something. We feel lonely and insecure, in oppositions with this and that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rather than perceiving the reality as non-divided wholeness, we perceive &quot;myself&quot;. We think how to make &quot;myself&quot; happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the original happiness has no &quot;myself&quot;. There is non-divided unity and harmony.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's not possible to cut out a piece - &quot;myself&quot; - and make it feel to be whole.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That separated piece will always remain lonely. To regain wholeness, &quot;myself&quot; and all the oppositions should be realized as illusory. All identifications should be realized as illusory, and we should drop reliance on them. Then there will be nothing to attach to, nothing to be concerned and worried about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism that is called awakening, liberation from suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In practice, how would we act?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not being lonely, not separated from others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Mahayana Buddhism we say that there are basically two approaches of awakened beings: Arhat approach and Bodhisattva approach. Arhat can just sit in contentment. The world is so perfect that Arhat doesn't need anything. Bodhisattva feels the same, but because other beings wander in illusions, then why not help them? So Bodhisattva stands from his sitting meditation and goes to work for others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;all in your own head but then if this is so why try to change anything?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Wholeness is a question of harmony. If you just keep idly sitting, when someone needs help near you, then is that harmony?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when we live in awakening, there's satisfaction &quot;in our mind&quot; - but also we aren't passive - we act, as that is the way to remain in harmony: naturally being with fluid current of events.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why go out and try to make new friends when I feel lonely? Why go out and try to make money when I don't have enough? Etc etc. doing these things creates a better life, one of less struggle. Surely that is a good thing and leads to more happiness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Doing something not from oppositions, not for &quot;myself&quot;, but out of natural harmony is the way of real happiness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That's the Buddhist practice, especially in Mahayana. Not only through meditation, but also through non-egoistic work we dissolve habits of being dependent on illusory oppositions. Thus we come to awakening.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So when we make friends, earn money etc., how is Buddhist way different from ordinary life of suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Observe, what is the difference:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;between pain and the suffering we add on top of pain?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;between joy and the thirst we add on top of joy?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;between living this moment completely and rushing somewhere else, not satisfied, not being in the moment, half-here half-there?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;between caring about &lt;em&gt;me, mine&lt;/em&gt; - and having dropped uneasy oppositions with &lt;em&gt;them, theirs&lt;/em&gt;?..&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In awakening, we can feel pain and joy, but we don't entangle ourselves in suffering and unhealthy desire. We may have intentions and aspirations, but we don't attach to goals and objects. We don't escape from balance and completeness of here and now. Not concerned about illusions like &quot;me&quot;, things live freely in their nature.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T13:36:37.587" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T13:36:37.587" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22055" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22056" CreationDate="2017-08-13T15:39:41.397" Score="3" ViewCount="223" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read stories about the monk called Cakkhupālattheravatthu, but still don't know how this name is pronounced? Can anyone please tell me the exact pronunciation of this name or word?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11359" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T17:17:57.430" Title="How is Cakkhupālattheravatthu pronounced exactly?" Tags="|pali-language|early-buddhism|pali|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22056" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22055" CreationDate="2017-08-13T16:09:06.023" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;How is Cakkhupālattheravatthu pronounced exactly?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the video &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/lZZiE-EofAE?t=5m19s&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;Dhammapada Verse One: Mind Precedes All Things&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, by Ven. Yuttadhammo, the pronunciation can be heard at 5:21 min. into the video.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T17:17:57.430" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T17:17:57.430" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22057" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22055" CreationDate="2017-08-13T16:14:58.573" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I often use google translate. You can &lt;a href=&quot;https://translate.google.co.th/?hl=th&amp;amp;tab=wT&amp;amp;authuser=0#hi/th/%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%96%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A5%81&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;listen here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T16:14:58.573" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22058" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22053" CreationDate="2017-08-13T16:15:29.193" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Initially food was not offered but only offered after the person was impressed by the teaching. Therefore this offering is like remuneration, i.e., what an actor might get for an act. The Buddha's intention in preaching is not for worldly gains, so in this case it is not suitable for the Buddha to accept it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also when there is a living Buddha, it is said what is offered to the Buddha is not suitable for consumption by other beings. The Buddha with his power of determination destroyed the food so that another being may not consume it as it would have been detrimental to the consumer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Generally when you put milk rise into a stream it does not fizzle and destroy itself, so anyone seeing such phenomena would be in awe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="295" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T16:05:54.947" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T16:05:54.947" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22059" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-13T17:27:51.980" Score="3" ViewCount="139" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.09.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Potthapada Sutta&lt;/a&gt; Buddha asks Citta similar question.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Suppose they were to ask you: 'Did you exist in the past? Did you not&#xA;  not exist? Will you exist in the future? Will you not not exist? Do&#xA;  you exist now? Do you not not exist?' Thus asked, how would you&#xA;  answer?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;... Thus asked, lord, I would answer: 'I existed in the past. I did&#xA;  not not exist. I will exist in the future. I will not not exist. I&#xA;  exist now. I do not not exist.'... That's how I would answer.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If I interpret it correctly Citta essentially says that he existed in the past , will exist in the future and that he is existing now.&#xA;This conclusion contradicts the position that self is an error, illusion or is like a dream because when an error is corrected it vanishes(self is annihilated). &#xA;Self has both origin and an end then how can Citta say that he is existing now, he existed in the past and that he will exist in the future?&#xA;I am simply repeating the question Buddha asked to Citta because the answer looked contradictory to me.&#xA;The questions are :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did I exist ? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I existing? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will I exist ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T10:26:01.993" Title="Did I exist ? Am I existing or Will I exist?" Tags="|self|buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22060" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17152" CreationDate="2017-08-13T18:35:25.450" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;For me, the path to enlightenment begins and ends with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Right_Exertions&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Right Efforts&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;[i] non-arising of bad, harmful, unhealthy mindstates that have not yet arisen.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;[ii] abandonment of bad, harmful, unhealthy mindstates that have arisen.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;[iii] arising of healthy mindstates that have not yet arisen.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &quot;[iv] maintenance, increase, and development of healthy mindstates that have arisen.&quot;  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This practice involves classifying all your mindstates in two types: healthy and unhealthy (harmful). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why don't I divide my thinking into two sorts? Thinking imbued with desire for pleasure, thinking imbued with negativity, [and all other kinds of] harmful thinking - into one sort, -- and thinking imbued with renunciation, thinking imbued with non-negativity, [and all other kinds of] healthy thinking -  into another sort.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mindstates are harmful when they&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...lead to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. They obstruct discernment, promote vexation, ...  degradation, and defilement.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While the healthy mindstates are the ones that:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;... lead neither to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both...If I were to think &amp;amp; ponder in line with that even for a night... even for a day... even for a day &amp;amp; night, I do not envision any danger that would come from it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And now the practice is very simple:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Whenever harmful thinking had arisen, I simply abandoned it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, you should practice this during the day, and when you meditate you practice the same. Rid your mind of harmful thoughts and mindstates, gladden the mind, and make it stable. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T20:35:07.197" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T20:35:07.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22061" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22059" CreationDate="2017-08-13T19:02:49.820" Score="5" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The questions are :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Did I exist ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Am I existing?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Will I exist ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Conventionally speaking, yes to all three questions. The self is a concept, an idea, a mental formation, belong to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/fiveAggregates.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;4th aggregate of mental formations&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately speaking, no to all three questions. Concepts are not part of ultimate reality. Experience is. When writing this post, looking at the computer screen, there is definitely a &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;seeing&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; going on, but ultimately, no &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;seer&amp;quot;&lt;/em&gt; can be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are Four &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddhanet.net/twotruth.htm&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ultimate Realities&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; Rupa, Citta, Cetasika and Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2424" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T19:02:49.820" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22062" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22059" CreationDate="2017-08-13T20:25:24.943" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If I interpret it correctly Citta essentially says&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You did not interpret it correctly because Citta here is not expressing a Buddhist view. Read the sutta more carefully. Citta was not a Buddhist when he said what you quoted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This conclusion contradicts the position that self is an error, illusion or is like a dream because when an error is corrected it&#xA;vanishes(self is annihilated).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The sutta discusses the matter of &amp;quot;acquisition of self&amp;quot; (&lt;em&gt;atta paṭilābhā&lt;/em&gt;), which is essentially &amp;quot;becoming&amp;quot; (bhava) &amp;amp; &amp;quot;birth&amp;quot; (jati), which is the &amp;quot;wrong path&amp;quot; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn12.3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.3&lt;/a&gt;) .&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, when you were a child, you identified yourself as being a &amp;quot;child&amp;quot;. But one day, you met a woman &amp;amp; had a child and thus acquired a self or identity as a &amp;quot;husband&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;father&amp;quot;. These subjective &amp;amp; conventional self-identities or labels are &amp;quot;acquisitions of self&amp;quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the past, you were not a husband &amp;amp; not a father. Today, you are a husband &amp;amp; a father. In the future, your current wife may divorce you and you will cease to be a husband. These are the acquisitions of self the Buddha appeared to be discussing with the wanderers (non-Buddhists).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These acquisitions of self are wrong views in Buddhism, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is how he attends inappropriately: 'Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having&#xA;been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I&#xA;not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in&#xA;the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else&#xA;he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not?&#xA;What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it&#xA;bound?'MN 2; MN 38; etc&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;hr /&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mara the Evil One... approached her and addressed her in verse:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;By whom has this being been created? Where is the maker of the being? Where has the being arisen? Where does the being cease?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Then the bhikkhuni Vajira, having understood, &amp;quot;This is Mara the Evil One,&amp;quot; replied to him in verses:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'? Mara, have you grasped a view? This is a heap of sheer constructions: Here no being is found.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Just as, with an assemblage of parts,&#xA;The word 'chariot' is used,&#xA;So, when the aggregates are present,&#xA;There's the convention 'a being.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;SN 5.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T20:44:19.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22063" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-13T22:28:17.123" Score="1" ViewCount="77" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have a tendency to take up many job opportunities for the sake of earning money beyond what is necessary. Can working too much for monetary gain be considered a form of indulgence that leads to the development of greed?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sutta or other textual references are appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10959" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T00:44:55.123" Title="Is working too much (for money) a form of indulgence?" Tags="|right-intention|money|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22064" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22063" CreationDate="2017-08-13T23:03:18.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.019.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 3.19&lt;/a&gt; criticises earning money for the sake of it &amp;amp; miserly hoarding money.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta4/41-Gamini-Samyutta/01-Gamanivaggo-e.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Rāsiyo Sutta (12)&lt;/a&gt; praise people who can make lots of money when they are not attached to the money and, in particular, spend the money for the benefit of themselves &amp;amp; particularly others. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other suttas that mention the beneficial necessity of money are &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anana Sutta&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sigalovada Sutta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the Pali suttas praise the having &amp;amp; using of money for beneficial purposes &amp;amp; criticise making of money motivated by greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T00:28:59.773" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T00:28:59.773" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22065" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21792" CreationDate="2017-08-13T23:30:18.590" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;At the end of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.062.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-Rahulovada Sutta (MN 62)&lt;/a&gt; and in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118)&lt;/a&gt; there's a description of several types (or objects) of mindfulness, which lists &quot;sixteen steps&quot; (grouped into four tetrads) to be mindful of (or, it says that &quot;he trains himself&quot;) during in-and-out breathing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Chapter 8 (&quot;Other Recollections as Meditation Subjects&quot;) of the Visuddhimagga are two dozen pages of commentary which explain the above in more detail. This commentary says, in summary:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first four (&quot;tetrad&quot;) are to calm the body. There's also restraint (of senses), with an analogy of a wild ox tethered (to the breathing) until the ox lies down and stops trying to roam wildly.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second four are associated with &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;the first two jhanas&lt;/a&gt; (which are associated with rapture). The reasons for happiness are the object, and non-delusion.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To explain what it means by &quot;the object&quot;, it gives a simile which says that if a man is looking for a snake, and finds the snake's home, then the snake itself is easy to find (similarly, I suppose, this is the abode in which happiness can be found).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The last steps of this tetrad (bliss and mental fabrication) are associated with the third and fourth jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's understood that happiness is conditioned (associated with the jhana), therefore temporary; so there's non-confusion about that characteristic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The third tetrad seems similar to the second; except that it's about &quot;consciousness&quot; rather than &quot;feeling&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The four jhanas deliver or liberate the mind: the first jhana liberates the mind from hindrances; the second liberates from applied and sustained thought; the third liberates from happiness; and the fourth from pleasure and pain.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;The fourth tetrad is focus on (contemplation of) impermanence, dispassion, cessation, relinquishment (with details that I won't try to summarize here).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Getting back to the phrase question in the OP, &quot;the meditation object is non-attachment&quot;, and comparing that phrase with the commentary n the Visuddhimagga, it seems that phrase is a good summary of &quot;correct practise of Anapanasati&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Beginning: it starts with going to a secluded place, and awareness of breathing ... instead of awareness of other things (so that's a detachment from mundane pursuits)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Middle: there's awareness of impermanence in the first three tetrads, and replacing earlier jhanas with later ones&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;End: contemplation of impermanence and cessation (nibanna)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-13T23:51:47.050" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T23:51:47.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22066" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="9428" CreationDate="2017-08-13T23:51:34.603" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think it's basically impossible to know. According to &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhismnow.com/2015/09/12/zen-sickness-by-zen-master-hakuin/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, Hakuin, described it as such:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;my heart fire began to rise up­ward against the natural course, parching my lungs of their essen­tial fluids. My feet and legs were always ice-cold: they felt as though they were immersed in tubs of snow. There was a constant buzzing in my ears, as if I were walking beside a raging mountain torrent. I became abnormally weak and timid, shrinking and fear­ful in whatever I did. I felt totally drained, physically and mentally exhausted. Strange visions appeared to me during waking and sleeping hours alike. My armpits were always wet with perspira­tion. My eyes watered constantly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The article includes a footnote explaining some of the context of such claims about &amp;quot;heart fire&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was a basic notion in Chinese medical lore. Cf. the statement in the encyclopaedic compilation &lt;em&gt;Wu tsa tsu&lt;/em&gt; (Five Assorted Offerings, the section on “Man”), by the Ming scholar Hsieh Chao-che: “When a person is engaged in too much intellection, the heart fire burns excessively and mounts upward.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Torei’s Biography (1710, Age 25) lists twelve morbid symptoms that appeared: firelike burning in the head; loins and legs ice-cold; eyes constantly watering; ringing in the ears; instinctive shrinking from sunlight; irrepressible sadness in darkness or shade; thinking an intolerable burden; recurrent bad dreams sapping his strength; emission of semen during sleep; restlessness and nervousness during waking hours; difficulty digesting food; cold chills unrelieved by heavy clothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He lists very specific ailments that are difficult to tie to particular problems connected with meditation practice, and without further accounts from others claiming to have the same thing, how can we know?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Willoughby Britton at Brown University is investigating problems that are arising in people following Mindfulness at the moment, and it's possible that Hakuin's overzealous nature led him to experience what he did (as her research seems to indicate a connection with overly intense practice).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can read about it here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-dark-knight-of-the-souls/372766/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Dark Night of the Soul&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11661" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-13T23:51:34.603" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22067" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22059" CreationDate="2017-08-14T00:25:05.447" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle: From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&amp;amp;-form. From name-&amp;amp;-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.015.than.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T00:25:05.447" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22068" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22063" CreationDate="2017-08-14T00:44:55.123" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha admire wealthy people who earn their wealth by right lively hood.&#xA;However he encourage people to use their wealth wisely for their benefit and the benefit of others.&#xA;Link to two major Suttas are:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.06.nara.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.06.nara.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T00:44:55.123" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22069" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21837" CreationDate="2017-08-14T04:13:39.743" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&quot;establishing it as a way of life&quot;.  OK, you're seeking faith, sweet!  Step number 1.  Every steps comes out from this step, make your faith stronger.  Break it and make it again.  Temper it like because it is literally your strongest weapon. This is what the analysis is for, what the experiences are for. All practice and fruit come from this ground.   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 1. Read about the buddha's life.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;- Google it, read about it, rejoice in the all the awesome stories.  There are a bunch of YouTube cartoons.  I really like a whacky cult movie called laws of the sun, take it with a grain of salt.  Anyway...&#xA;Afterwards, here's a link for concrete conceptualization...&lt;a href=&quot;http://chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Six_Supernatural_Powers_of_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Six_Supernatural_Powers_of_Buddha&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 2. Read about the Buddha Dharma(laws of nature he discovered and gave to the world for our ULTIMATE PROSPERITY)&#xA;- Do your googling and what not.  Once you see what most people are saying, I recommend this article and website &lt;a href=&quot;https://puredhamma.net/dhamma/buddha-dhamma-non-perceivability-and-self-consistency/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://puredhamma.net/dhamma/buddha-dhamma-non-perceivability-and-self-consistency/&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;Also lawsofthenature.com&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Step 3. Attract/Find your Sangha&#xA;My honesty recommendation is to apply steps 1 &amp;amp; 2 as a life-integrating practice, and your subconscious will attract to your sangha in time.  Might already be happening and you don't even know it.  Anyway, you can of course stick with forums.  Bring up Buddha in conversation and see where the buddha's take you. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Be curious, be humble, be vigilant, be empowered.  The whole world, including myself roots for your success.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Warmly,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lobsang Donyo&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11929" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T04:13:39.743" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22072" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21947" CreationDate="2017-08-14T08:30:02.947" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dedi,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Panchen Lama is supposed to facilitate the recognition of the Dalai&#xA;Lama. However, depending on his devotion and his powers, the Dalai Lama himself can state the place and time of his reincarnation. If not, he would give to adversaries a way to hack the process (by capturing and controlling the Panchen Lama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's sad, but every monk has to be aware of the danger and to practice his way to enlightenment!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Overall 'Dalai Lama' means an 'Ocean of Compassion.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope it helps!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11913" LastEditorUserId="10712" LastEditDate="2017-11-21T00:00:55.400" LastActivityDate="2017-11-21T00:00:55.400" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22073" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-14T10:25:32.440" Score="2" ViewCount="258" Body="&lt;p&gt;What role if any do &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/javana.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;javana&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; play in learning and entering the jhanas? I'm reading a book on jhana and javana was brought up but i couldn't really understand the role it play in the jhanas.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11937" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-10-23T20:51:28.667" LastActivityDate="2017-10-23T20:51:28.667" Title="How important is javana to the jhanas?" Tags="|jhana|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22075" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-14T11:54:03.603" Score="1" ViewCount="53" Body="&lt;p&gt;Though to the extent of my admittedly scarce knowledge, decapitation as a simile for some level of attainment is not to be found in the Pali Canon, but I bet the Zen tradition offers countless koans and stories wherein, figuratively, the incumbent experiencer of realization is beheaded, very much to his surprise I would say.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you happen to know a few of these stories, your kind attention in helping me digging out these similes is greatly appreciated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My gratitude for having taken the time to read this.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11288" LastEditorUserId="11288" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T15:28:17.663" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T14:38:39.183" Title="Similes of Attainment" Tags="|reference-request|zen|simile|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22076" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22075" CreationDate="2017-08-14T12:32:05.110" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two that come to mind from the Shoyoroku.  The first is Case 98 and it's entitled Tonzan's Heed.  In that instance, it more refers to reticence on the part of the teacher in not wanting to lead the student into intellectualism.  I'm not sure if that is the image you were after. The second is at Case 41:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When he was about to die, Rakuho addressed his assembly and said, “I&#xA;  have one matter to ask you about. If you say ‘yes’ to this, you are&#xA;  putting another head on your own. If you say ‘no,’ you are looking for&#xA;  life by cutting off your head.”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think this is what you are looking for exactly, either.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I can't think of a single koan in the Mumonkan or Hekiganroku that has an image like that, however.  But kicked into mud?  Cat cut in two?  Finger cut off?  Nose pinched?  Now that's a different story!  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Note: the Shaseki-shu has something about &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/60thetunnel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;heads being cut off&lt;/a&gt;.  Unfortunately, that collection does not contain any actual koans.  Those are parables.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastEditorDisplayName="user698" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T12:38:24.837" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T12:38:24.837" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22078" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21806" CreationDate="2017-08-14T14:43:00.863" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhism categorizes things (including thoughts, views, intentions, habits) into categories of &quot;good&quot; and &quot;bad&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example something is good if it's &quot;moral/ethical&quot;, &quot;kind&quot;, &quot;harmless&quot;, &quot;skillful&quot;, &quot;helpful&quot;, &quot;benevolent&quot;, &quot;conducive to ease&quot;, &quot;conducive to non-delusion&quot; and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely something is bad if it's immoral, unkind, harmful, unskillful, unhelpful, malevolent, conducive to disease, conducive to delusion, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Enlightenment&quot; is meant to be a &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt; thing ... so if you're not seeing it that way, perhaps it's your view of enlightenment that's wrong, not enlightenment itself that's wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;More specifically I think of enlightenment as being intended to counter-act (it acts as an antidote to) a pre-existing unenlightened fear of death. It's meant to be an escape from death (and rebirth).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am afraid everything is just an illusion, that there aren't others, just images and I'm alone.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I think the fact that other &quot;people&quot; exist is axiomatic, a feature of Buddhist belief. Buddhism is meant to be a Middle Way between extremes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;One extreme (to avoid) is to over-value sense-impressions ... if you put too much value on a ruby, for example, you might use the distaste for (detachment from) sense-impressions to tell yourself &quot;Of that's just a red stone and some light, I won't become attached to it&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;An opposite extreme (to avoid) is to assume that nothing is real ... for example to assume that there are no other people, that other people don't suffer, that actions don't have consequence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But if enlightenment is the only scape, I am afraid of never being able to come back.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I guess this too is one of the problems which enlightenment is intended to solve. I think it looks like the problem you're describing happens because of view that there's an &quot;I&quot; which might come and go (or an &quot;I&quot; which might &quot;go&quot; and not &quot;come back&quot;) -- at least according to the Pali canon this sounds like an &quot;identity view&quot;, which is an unenlightened view and part of the problem (it's a view that leads to suffering, as you say).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T14:43:00.863" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22079" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21858" CreationDate="2017-08-14T15:04:38.567" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I'm not sure that it's effective (see e.g. &lt;a href=&quot;https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/q/31967/2703&quot;&gt;Is Reiki scientifically valid/proven?&lt;/a&gt;).&#xA;So although it may be harmless (e.g. having no effect) it may be a distraction from any other treatment or activity (or non-activity) that &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; effective ... and it that sense (i.e. as a distraction from what's effective) I'd guess it may be harmful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T15:04:38.567" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22080" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21865" CreationDate="2017-08-14T15:31:44.817" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The first four premises (e.g. &quot;we are awareness&quot;, and &quot;our bodies&quot;, etc.) seem to me to be examples of identity-view and eternalism, and incompatible with Buddhism's &lt;em&gt;anatta&lt;/em&gt; doctrine.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't recognize where the fifth premise (&quot;homogenized physically and mentally&quot;) comes from; and don't understand why it's a premise.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far as I know, the &quot;end-game&quot; is:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;End of delusion and of suffering (dukkha) and rebirth (samsara) for &quot;oneself&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Developing the mind of a Buddha or Bodhisattva (i.e. enlightened &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; able to liberate others)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think these (two) end-games correspond to abandoning &quot;afflictive obscurations&quot; and &quot;knowledge obscurations&quot;, e.g. as introduced in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/20011/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; to the question &quot;What is Nirvana (mahayana)?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T19:39:25.047" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T19:39:25.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22081" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-14T16:23:34.703" Score="2" ViewCount="202" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;dependent origin co-arising&lt;/a&gt;, ignorance came before consciousness and self.In fact we begin with ignorance. This ignorance is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/avijja.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ignorance about the 4 noble truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My questions are :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is ignorant about the 4 noble Truths in the beginning of dependent origin co-arising when there was no self or consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How can ignorance exist without consciousness ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-12-07T17:55:51.237" Title="Who was ignorant about the Truth in the beginning?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|four-noble-truths|ignorance|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22082" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21907" CreationDate="2017-08-14T16:50:38.237" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reading the first quote in the OP, it seems to me that Ajita Kesakambalin is teaching that there's no continuation into the hereafter ... no after-life, no heaven (and therefore no reason for generosity, if e.g. the reason for generosity is to earn as reward an after-life in heaven). It's difficult for me to see/understand how a belief in &quot;annihilation&quot; (at death) could cause him to also say there is no &quot;this life&quot; (as well as &quot;there is no next life&quot;). Perhaps it's an (imperfect) attempt to teach the great king about emptiness, and about not attaching to results.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely the Buddhist Dhamma is meant to be akaliko e.g. pertaining to the here-and-now ... intentions and actions are consequential in this life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T16:50:38.237" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22083" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22073" CreationDate="2017-08-14T18:31:16.247" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is picture that show consciousness's arising one by one (consciousness can  arise just one per time per person.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Javana is Pr to Jh in the below picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When bhavaṅga vanish, then manodvāra arise. When manodvāra vanish, then parikamma javana arise. When Pr javana vanish, then Up javana arise. When Up javana vanish, then An javana arise. When An javana vanish, then Go javana arise. &lt;strong&gt;When Go javana vanish, then Jh javana arise. When Jh javana vanish, Next Jh javana arise. Infinite Jhāna javana arise until jhāna will stop.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parikamma&lt;/strong&gt; is practicing consciousness. &lt;strong&gt;Upacāra&lt;/strong&gt; is up level of parikamma. If Upacāra can up level enough to change to be appanā-jhāna, then gotrabhū will arise to prepare for jhāna. The arising step of consciousness will be as alike as the below picture.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But if Upacāra can not upgrade to jhāna level&lt;/strong&gt;,  1 parikamma javana arise then 6 Upacāra javana arise, step by step. Then bhavaṅga arise, infinity. Then loop again. In pali canon, teachers just called them the same as &quot;javana&quot;, because no arising of jhāna-consciousness, equal to nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This loop will be Upacāra-samadhi when the practitioner has not any unwholesome loops arise between  the wholesome loops.&lt;/strong&gt; If just one unwholesome loop arise, the practitioner still being at khanika-samādhi level.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yIYsT.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/yIYsT.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;enter image description here&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Cr. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.houstonmeditationc.com/?q=node/65#_Toc471645999&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.houstonmeditationc.com/?q=node/65#_Toc471645999&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T18:51:09.157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T18:51:09.157" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22084" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22101" CreationDate="2017-08-14T18:35:47.127" Score="8" ViewCount="125" Body="&lt;p&gt;Since studying and attempting to adhere to the buddhist path as a lay follower, lately I've been finding it very difficult to connect with friends who are not on the same path. I note that much of the time spent together centers on gossip, politics, and myriad of other self-centered topics. I try not to engage, and/or even change the subject, but I am the only one, so I usually resort to sitting there silently. Any words of compassion or love I attempt to offer to the conversations are generally ignored, or even mocked. I find myself asking &quot;do I need to abandon these friendships?&quot; If so, I would essentially be friendless. Do I seek out other likeminded folk? Where do I find them? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11615" LastEditorDisplayName="user2424" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T11:31:34.167" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T13:13:36.337" Title="Personal Relationships while on the path?" Tags="|personal-practice|ethics|relationship|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22085" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21931" CreationDate="2017-08-14T20:36:16.467" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I searched briefly on Access to Insight -- and the closest thing I found was &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this article&lt;/a&gt; which says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;All theistic religions teach that the ego survives after death in some way or other, and is not annihilated. &lt;strong&gt;The materialist's concept is that the ego is annihilated at death&lt;/strong&gt;. The Buddhist view is that there is no ego, or anything substantial, or lasting, but all things conditioned are subject to change, and they change not remaining the same for two consecutive moments, and that there is a continuity but no identity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... and:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Because of its acceptance of this law of universal impermanence, Buddhism stands in direct opposition to sassatavaada or eternalism, which usually goes hand in hand with aatmavaada, i.e., belief in some kind of immortal soul. The Brahmajaala Sutta of the Diighanikaaya alone refers to more than ten varieties of eternalism, only to refute them as misconceptions of the true nature of the empirical world. But this refutation of eternalism does not lead to the acceptance, on the part of Buddhism, of the other extreme, namely &lt;strong&gt;ucchedavaada or annihilationism&lt;/strong&gt;, which &lt;strong&gt;usually goes hand in hand with materialism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So perhaps &quot;materialism&quot; is used as a synonym of annihilationism, perhaps because it's understood as a doctrine that something is &quot;annihilated&quot; with/by the death of the &quot;material&quot; body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T20:36:16.467" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22086" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22081" CreationDate="2017-08-14T21:55:29.037" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In the dependent origin co-arising, ignorance came before consciousness and self.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Very good. You are starting to learn. Soon, &quot;you&quot; might be a Buddha &amp;amp; become our teacher! &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Who is ignorant about the 4 noble Truths in the beginning of dependent origin co-arising.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The mind (&lt;em&gt;citta&lt;/em&gt;) is ignorant (rather than a &quot;who&quot; or &quot;self'). Please read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt;, which answers the question of &quot;who&quot;. &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.61&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 10.61&lt;/a&gt; (about ignorance as the 1st cause) is also helpful here but complex. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ignorant... when there was no self or consciousness?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ignorance does not cause consciousness. In your studies of Buddhism, please avoid this materialistic error that most Buddhists have. As a beginning student, it is important to learn the right way, from the beginning. The suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.82&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.82&lt;/a&gt;) say consciousness is caused (hetu) by the mind-body (nama-rupa). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, dependent origination is describing how ignorance pollutes consciousness, similar to how dirt pollutes pure water or how dust covers a mirror. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.55&lt;/a&gt; provides some good analogies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why there are many suttas that describe how a Buddha has no ignorance but remains conscious, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.53&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 44&lt;/a&gt; and the end of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can ignorance exist without consciousness ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This misunderstanding I have already answered above. However, this being said, ignorance can exist without consciousness however only as an 'underlying tendency' ('anusaya'). For example, when the mind is in deep sleep at night, it is not conscious. But whatever ignorance remains in the mind still remains dormant; similar to how memories remain dormant in the mind while the mind is sleeping unconscious. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-14T22:17:48.707" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T22:17:48.707" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22087" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21930" CreationDate="2017-08-14T22:28:25.427" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the translation of DN 1 that I'm reading, after the description of the 7 types of annihilation-belief, the Tathagata says (I paraphrase),&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Tathagata understands these views, and knows the result of these views (i.e. the next existence in which those who hold these views will be reborn). He knows the dhamma that's better than these views, doesn't have false view, therefore rids himself of the three poisons, because he understands cessation of sensation and liberation from attachment to sensation (i.e. realizes nibanna).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You asked, &quot;If those nihilist wanderers did not believe in 'self' ( and thus used 'conventional language'), why were they not considered to be enlightened?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It seems to me that no matter how they talk about &quot;self&quot;, and no matter what kind of &quot;self&quot; or body is annihilated at death, the Buddha's definition of &quot;right view&quot; is something else: e.g. it includes knowledge of cessation of sensation (from the jhanas, I suppose) and liberation from attachment to sensation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T22:28:25.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22088" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-14T23:13:31.273" Score="1" ViewCount="191" Body="&lt;p&gt;When I wake in the morning I have noticed that in that first moment when I realise I am conscious I feel this kind of yuckiness or sinking feeling. I'm not sure quite how to describe it. I guess it's dukkha? It's a daily realisation about where I am and the effort and discomfort that entails.  I don't want to face the daily struggle to survive life.  When I'm on retreat I wake up fresh and light with a sense of joyous wonder about what is ahead. I am completely different person. The person I want to be. I suppose retreat isn't really reality. It's like a bubble frozen in time, buffered from external stress.   But I want to feel like this in my daily life. I want to wake up and feel like I'm glad to be alive but I don't. I feel more like a slave or a pawn trapped in a shitty capitalist system, being used to prop up the greedy and powerful. I don't feel free in any way. I feel weighed down.  what advice can you give me about this? Do I need to try and change how I'm seeing things and if so how?  How do I have more of the energised joyous wonder??&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10950" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T14:01:48.777" Title="Daily life is dukkha" Tags="|dukkha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22089" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21960" CreationDate="2017-08-14T23:16:13.287" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sati&lt;/em&gt; is defined in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn47-035.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sati Sutta (SN 47.35)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Relevant words from that definition seem to me to be &lt;em&gt;viharati&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;...passī&lt;/em&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;viharati&lt;/em&gt; -- stay, abide, dwell, sojourn&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;...passī&lt;/em&gt; -- observing&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, &quot;to dwell observing&quot;: that is more-or-less &quot;present moment awareness&quot;, isn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also maybe Thiago meant &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Short-Pieces/Indriyavibhangasuttam.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt; rather than SN 48.11. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The definition there is the same as in SN 47.35, i.e.,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Katamañ-ca, bhikkhave, Satindriyaṁ?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And what, monks, is the Faculty of Mindfulness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako satimā hoti,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Here, monks, a noble disciple is mindful,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;paramena satinepakkena samannāgato,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  endowed with superior mindfulness and carefulness,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cirakatam-pi cirabhāsitam-pi saritā anussaritā.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  remembering and recalling what was done a long time ago and what was said a long time ago.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So kāye kāyānupassī viharati,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Citte cittānupassī viharati,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He dwells contemplating (the nature of) the mind in the mind,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  He dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, satindriyaṁ.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This, monks, is called the Faculty of Mindfulness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... except that it also introduces two other concepts at the beginning, i.e. &quot;carefulness&quot; and &quot;remembering and recalling&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inquiringmind.com/Articles/Translator.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bikkhu Bodhi said&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Even the word sati, rendered mindfulness, isn’t unproblematic. The word derives from a verb, sarati, meaning “to remember,” and occasionally in Pali sati is still explained in a way that connects it with the idea of memory. But when it is used in relation to meditation practice, we have no word in English that precisely captures what it refers to. An early translator cleverly drew upon the word mindfulness, which is not even in my dictionary. This has served its role admirably, but it does not preserve the connection with memory, sometimes needed to make sense of a passage.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;... so it implies &quot;remembering&quot; too&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-14T23:16:13.287" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22090" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="8257" CreationDate="2017-08-15T00:02:18.663" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;I recently made a non-commercial VR app to help perform Color Kasina Meditation: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/6ly19h/color_kasina_meditation_app_free_download/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/6ly19h/color_kasina_meditation_app_free_download/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/gjd3H.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Color Kasina Meditation app&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11636" LastEditorUserId="11636" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T01:27:34.623" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T01:27:34.623" CommentCount="0" CommunityOwnedDate="2017-08-15T00:02:18.663" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22091" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22088" CreationDate="2017-08-15T00:08:10.853" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;You can leave the shitty capitalist system; which is often an inhumane daily struggle to survive life. Permanent retreat is an alternate reality, such as here: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wbd.org.au/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;http://www.wbd.org.au/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Otherwise, try to find a job you enjoy, which can be difficult. It is important to enjoy our work. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While reflecting positively &amp;amp; gratefully towards work is the right method; in the modern world often work is contrary to our personal ethics, which is what makes it hard, difficult to enjoy &amp;amp; appreciate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T01:49:22.177" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T01:49:22.177" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22092" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22088" CreationDate="2017-08-15T00:11:19.563" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;The main principle of happiness and freedom, especially emphasized in Mahayana Buddhism, is unselfishness:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(1) We feel &lt;strong&gt;concerns&lt;/strong&gt; about ourselves, and about various conditions which also focus into ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;These concerns are created by fixations on good and bad - as they exist from our &lt;strong&gt;point of view&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, I see the modern human world as cruel, unjust, full of stupidity, destroying the life on Earth, doomed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But that view comes from my particular perspective. If I take into account that in the past millions of people in Europe died from plague and famine, and many were burned alive for their views, I could understand that some progress actually happened.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can conduct an experiment: think about the same ugly things when we are in a good mood. Then probably negative thoughts would not stay for so long, they would not occupy our mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That experiment shows that habitual thoughts accompany our emotional state. In an easy state we would have more optimistic view on the same problems.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(2) We can &lt;strong&gt;drop&lt;/strong&gt; our self-centered concerns, and shift our attention to caring about others.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You might say it looks like too simple idea to really work well, but then let me ask: have you tried?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mahayana has thoroughly developed system, called the way of perfections (paramitas). Most often we speak about Six paramitas (they are the main core of the path).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Giving&lt;/strong&gt; selflessly drops our egoistic burden. Every time we give without egoistic concerns, we return a step back to our original unconstrained and natural feeling.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discipline&lt;/strong&gt; means to keep our wholeness despite habits and distractions which try to carry us away from our natural heart.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Patience&lt;/strong&gt; is an art of remaining relaxed. We have habits to be dissatisfied, to rush somewhere else rather than to be just here. Patience means we want to live every moment in complete wholesome manner. Not wasting our life in chasing feverish desires, not escaping this moment to self-compressed heat of constraint.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enthusiasm&lt;/strong&gt; comes from understanding that if we remain passive then our energy dissipates, and we live in dull, gray world.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Concentration&lt;/strong&gt; is all the previous perfections together:&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Selflessness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Wholeness.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Relaxed presence.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Energy of joyful deeds.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, concentration means gathering of all our abilities, experience and knowledge, all our skills and open vision in the focus of being completely &lt;em&gt;now&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means we are able to control our mind, because it's not scattered; distractions can't catch it so easily.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Finally,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;6&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wisdom&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means prajna - the ability to see everything as it is. It guides our practice of all the other five paramitas. And these five paramitas in turn create open, clean mind, which means the mind of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That way we actually drop oppositions and concerns. We have no burden anymore. We naturally are doing something to make the world more beautifil, but we definitely understand that doing that we don't need to make ourselves suffer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;PS. Several practical tips&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Take the responsibility&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary attitude is: &quot;The world is so bad that my life is in misery, and I can't do anything about it&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better attitude is: &quot;Whatever be the world, I wish to use my life for the benefit of all beings&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reasoning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Letting conditions make me waste my life has no sense. So regardless of conditions I decide to use my life wisely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that in mind, make a resolution to be responsible for your life and death by yourself, not letting adverse conditions make you useless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Drop inner oppositions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Ordinary attitude is: &quot;I should force myself to be a decent, effective person&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Better attitude is: &quot;Whatever qualities I manifest, it's a resource and a field of exploration&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Reasoning:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Trying to force themselves, people divide in themselves, try to manipulate with themselves and act against themselves. That leads to wasting efforts in struggles and creating inner resistance to our own endeavors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With that in mind, you decide to accept whatever manifests in your mental continuum as a resource and a field of exploration - not struggling with that, but dissolving oppositions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;These two decisions can transfer you from a position of a victim to a function of explorer and scientist who studies how to improve human life for the benefit of all sentient beings.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T11:12:07.830" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T11:12:07.830" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22093" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21960" CreationDate="2017-08-15T00:56:42.980" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The word 'sati' means to 'remember', 'bring to mind' or 'keep in mind' as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is the faculty of mindfulness? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;remembering &amp;amp; able to call to mind&lt;/strong&gt; even things that were done &amp;amp; said&#xA;  long ago. SN 48.10&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;One is mindful to abandon wrong view &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong&#xA;  resolve &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right resolve: This is one's right&#xA;  mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong speech &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp;&#xA;  remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness. One is&#xA;  mindful to abandon wrong action &amp;amp; to &lt;strong&gt;enter &amp;amp; remain&lt;/strong&gt; in right action:&#xA;  This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the suttas used phrases, such as &quot;remains focused on the body&quot;, this is a pre-occupation of mindfulness rather than mindfulness itself: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;He remains focused on the body in &amp;amp; of itself — ardent, alert &amp;amp; &lt;strong&gt;mindful&lt;/strong&gt; — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&#xA;  He remains focused on feelings in &amp;amp; of themselves... the mind in &amp;amp; of&#xA;  itself... mental qualities in &amp;amp; of themselves — ardent, alert, &amp;amp;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;mindful&lt;/strong&gt; — putting aside greed &amp;amp; distress with reference to the world.&#xA;  This is called the faculty of mindfulness&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus mindfulness above does more than to just remember to 'focus' (poor translation). It also remembers to put away greed &amp;amp; distress &amp;amp; to abide without greed &amp;amp; distress. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness means remembering or keeping in mind what you must remember to do. For example, if my current duty or purpose is to work (rather than post on a chatsite), I should be mindful of my work (instead of getting distracted on a chatsite).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Similarly, if my duty is to focus on the body in &amp;amp; of itself, that is the pre-occupation of mindfulness rather than mindfulness itself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, present moment awareness can be a result, product, object or pre-occupation of mindfulness but is not mindfulness itself. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the mind to have present moment awareness, it must stop thinking. The role of mindfulness here is to remember to not think. The awareness (consciousness, observantness) arises automatically. It is not mindfulness but only a product of the mindfulness that remembers to stop thinking (about the past or future). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T01:03:35.780" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T01:03:35.780" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22094" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21863" CreationDate="2017-08-15T01:38:51.120" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there a Buddhist tradition or practice, which involves developing or showing metta towards a non-sentient entity ... for example, towards a jar of rice?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not that I know of.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If not, why not?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;This essay&lt;/a&gt; says,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rice isn't a &quot;living being&quot;, and one does not have &quot;social contact&quot; with rice.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also I don't think that rice is capable of &quot;suffering&quot; (because it isn't sentient; it's inanimate), and so it's not a suitable object for &quot;metta&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it theoretically possible (according to Buddhist theory) that such a practice might have an effect, an effect not only on the mind of the practitioner but also on the object&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't think so. I think you're asking that the rice last longer before spoiling, that it be less impermanent; and I don't remember seeing doctrine which I could construe as saying that &quot;wishing that something were less impermanent is enough make it so&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Conversely there's doctrine about doing rather than wishing: saying e.g. if you want a long life then you should &lt;em&gt;do&lt;/em&gt; things which are conducive to long life (not just wish for it).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps being careful about preparing the rice you care for, and doing something such as cleaning the jar more carefully or sealing the jar more tightly, might show an experimental effect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T01:38:51.120" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22095" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-15T02:03:02.340" Score="1" ViewCount="217" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding the only effort I have to make for the cessation of suffering is to realize the Truth as it removes the ignorance. Once I have removed the ignorance rest of the things happen automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;With cessation of ignorance comes the automatic cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of fabrications comes the automatic cessation of consciousness. From the cessation of consciousness comes the automatic cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form. From the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form comes the automatic cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the automatic cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the automatic cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the automatic cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the automatic cessation of clinging/ sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the automatic cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the automatic cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging-&amp;amp;-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease automatically. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Are there any other choices(other than realizing the Truth) I will have to make for the cessation of suffering?&#xA;Because as per my understanding cessations are happening automatically once I have realized the Truth. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If anyone is conscious then does it mean he has not realized the Truth? Because realizing the Truth would mean automatic cessation of Consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Have you met anyone who has realized the Truth but has no intellect consciousness ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Here&lt;/a&gt; is the definition of consciousness :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is consciousness? These six are classes of consciousness:&#xA;  eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness,&#xA;  tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, intellect-consciousness.&#xA;  This is called consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T22:32:02.727" Title="Once ignorance is removed ,is the cessation of suffering automatic?" Tags="|pratityasamutpada|consciousness|truth|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22096" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22095" CreationDate="2017-08-15T02:05:49.827" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ignorance does not cause consciousness. In your studies of Buddhism, please avoid this materialistic error many Buddhists have. As a beginning student, it is important to learn the right way, from the beginning. The suttas (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.82&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.82&lt;/a&gt;) say consciousness is caused (hetu) by the mind-body (nama-rupa). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In reality, dependent origination is describing how ignorance pollutes consciousness, similar to how dirt pollutes pure water or how dust covers a mirror. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.055.wlsh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 46.55&lt;/a&gt; provides some good analogies. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is why there are many suttas that describe how a Buddha has no ignorance but remains conscious, such as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.053.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.53&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/iti44&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Iti 44&lt;/a&gt; and the end of &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn38&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 38&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When ignorance ceases, what occurs to consciousness is it become pure. In other words, what ceases is 'ignorant-consciousness' or ignorant-sense-contact (called &lt;em&gt;avijjā­samphas­sa­jena&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off, and there&#xA;  is no landing of consciousness. Consciousness, thus not having landed,&#xA;  not increasing, not concocting, is released. Owing to its release, it&#xA;  is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its&#xA;  contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is&#xA;  totally unbound right within. SN 22.53&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T02:05:49.827" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22097" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22095" CreationDate="2017-08-15T03:20:36.757" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I would say that it is not automatic, only the illusions cease.  Once the illusions cease, you know how to alleviate the suffering.  It is assumed that one is compassionate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11836" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T03:20:36.757" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22098" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22088" CreationDate="2017-08-15T05:27:00.440" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;I feel this kind of yuckiness or sinking feeling.&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is a different facet of anger.&#xA;That is what Dukkha mean.&#xA;Once you eliminate Dukkha (anger), you will not have this kind of feeling. You will face the world with equanimity and enthusiasm.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T05:27:00.440" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22099" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21960" CreationDate="2017-08-15T06:25:28.170" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are variant &quot;present&quot; words'  meanings in tipitaka and commentaries because of variant sutta contexts such as ability of listener, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Commentaries collected  &quot;present&quot; words in tipitaka as 3 periods: present by rebirth period, present by doing period, and present by citta&amp;amp;rūpa arising period. Another  &quot;present&quot; word that focus on arising khandha, now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;present by birth period (addhāna-paccupanna)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kammaṭṭhāna teacher, such as buddha, will teach this meaning to the beginner practitioner who has gotten jhāna or uggatitaññū/diṭṭhicarita-vipacitaññū. So this meaning always use in suttanta-pitaka especially paṭiccasamuppāda. So in abhidhamma-pitaka, vibhaṅga that was memorized by sariputta-mahāsāvaka then retaught in his  literal,  wrote that paṭiccasamuppāda by rebirth, is suttanta-method. And in paṭisambhidāmagga, that author by sāriputta-mahāsāvaka, wrote that viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda is rebirth (paṭisaṇdhi). Also &lt;strong&gt;bhaddekarattasutta&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;present by doing period (santati-paccupanna)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kammaṭṭhāna teacher, such as buddha, will teach this meaning to a fool who can not  get high level vipassanā (udayabbayañāṇa) or neyya/taṇhācarita-vipacitaññū. For the example in mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta &quot;sāmissaṃ vā sukkhaṃ vedanaṃ vediyamāno sāmissaṃ sukkhaṃ vedanaṃ &lt;strong&gt;vediyāmīti&lt;/strong&gt; pajānāti&quot;. Or in commentary such as &lt;strong&gt;arūpadhammānaṃ upaṭṭhānākārakathā&lt;/strong&gt; &#xA; and &lt;strong&gt;indriyatikkhakāraṇanavakakathā&lt;/strong&gt; of visuddhimagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;***Doing period is period between after come from the hotter temperature place then sit in the colder place, between the temperature changing is present doing period. Another same vīthi's javanāni are present doing period.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;present by citta&amp;amp;rūpa period  (khaṇa-paccupanna, paccuppannā dhammā)&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;***Khaṇa is  the smallest period in the universe. It is just arising part+lving part+vanishing part (3 anukhaṇa) of citta&amp;amp;rūpa. &lt;strong&gt;There are more than trillion khanā while just snapping fingers.&lt;/strong&gt; Every suffering truth that have own causes to make it's arising, has their own khaṇa period. So 11 group khandha have their own present arising: past khandha arising, future khandha arising, present khandha arising, self khandha arising, others khandha arising, not smooth khandha arising, smooth khandha arising, good khandha arising, and bad khandha khandha arising. &lt;strong&gt;So past and future khandha are reality, that is the object of vipassanā meditation, too.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Arising Present khandha As the Object Of Vipassanā Meditation&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The kammaṭṭhāna teacher, such as buddha, will teach this meaning to the advance practitioner who can clearly comprehend paṭiccasamuppāda. Because practitioner who already understand paṭiccasamuppāda, has already seen anicca/dukkha/anatta-lakkhaṇa of the whole khandha (11 group khandha: past, future, present, self, others, not smooth, smooth, good, and bad khandha). He already has auto clearly comprehended in them, so when he is sitting to do vipassanā meditate, without the other jobs, his object should be the present himself that  comprehending another object. Present himself, arising khandha khaṇa, is the &lt;strong&gt;closest khandha to &#xA; be attached by taṇhā/diṭṭhi/māna.&lt;/strong&gt; The mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta's commentary &lt;strong&gt;very focus in this meaning, because kuru people are uggaṭitaññū.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;P.S. It is very very deep,very hard to explain. Please see every  reference to understand  &quot;present&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T06:38:26.760" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T06:38:26.760" CommentCount="8" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22100" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22084" CreationDate="2017-08-15T10:23:57.977" Score="2" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When we are on top of a very high mountain, we look down on all the&#xA;  lower peaks.This brings&#xA;  us face to face with all kinds of unpleasant and unwanted experiences.&#xA;  To counteract&#xA;  this attitude we train ourselves always to think of them as supremely&#xA;  important by considering their good qualities and by reviewing our own&#xA;  faults and weaknesses.from 'Eight Verses for Training the Mind' by Geshe Sonam Rinchen&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also don't forget:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Associating with the wise,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Honoring those worthy of honor;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is the greatest blessing.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This was said by the Buddha: “It is in accordance with their properties that beings come together &amp;amp; associate with one another. Beings of low dispositions come together &amp;amp; associate with beings of low dispositions. Beings of admirable dispositions come together &amp;amp; associate with beings of admirable dispositions.&#xA;Keep this two in mind while you judge others!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11913" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T10:23:57.977" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22101" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22084" CreationDate="2017-08-15T12:45:49.500" Score="10" Body="&lt;p&gt;About 20 years ago I felt the same. People were talking about something pretty meaningless. It was not interesting. Also, according to the Buddhist precept of Mindful Speech, idle chatter should be avoided. So I stopped to spend much time hanging out with people.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe 10 years later in such situations I was feeling that the talk could be deeper. We could address each other's hearts - contacting on deeper level, sincere and meaningful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It doesn't happen just by changing subject to something more spiritual. It's more by looking deeper, into people's hearts, and opening your own heart to them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another 10 years later I can actually do that. People feel something interesting in me. I say something not for bringing a topic for discussion, but touching something meaningful for them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;People discuss with me their problems with children, health, alcohol, attitudes of others etc. Not in casual manner, but looking for wisdom. And I show how to discover that wisdom in themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I still do not socialize much, and in companies I'm not like talking all the time.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Enjoying every moment, being present, with the mind of openness and wholeness is sufficient.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And then people feel interest in deeper talk with me, about our lives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So I think it's a natural process. One day you leave useless samsaric concerns, later you come back to help others to expand their lives past those concerns too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T13:13:36.337" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T13:13:36.337" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22102" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-15T12:48:44.430" Score="3" ViewCount="292" Body="&lt;p&gt;As per my understanding during his lifetime, Gautama Buddha, had attained Nibbana with residue. And after death he attained &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Parinibbana&lt;/a&gt; (or Nibbana with no residue).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nibbana with residue is defined as following :&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What, bhikkhus, is the Nibbana-element with residue left? Here a&#xA;  bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;  attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely released&#xA;  through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties remain&#xA;  unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate, and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbana-element with residue left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;During &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;his last days&lt;/a&gt; Gautama Buddha felt sharp pain and illness which he suppressed. In other words Gautama Buddha suffered because he was yet to reach his final Nibbana (Nibbana with no residue).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And soon after the Blessed One had eaten the meal provided by Cunda&#xA;  the metalworker, a dire sickness fell upon him, even dysentery, and he&#xA;  suffered sharp and deadly pains. But the Blessed One endured them&#xA;  mindfully, clearly comprehending and unperturbed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We describe all sufferings using dependent co-arising.But dependent co-arising of suffering of Gautama Buddha is only possible if Gautama Buddha had failed to achieve the complete cessation of ignorance. Because if he had completely destroyed the ignorance at the very beginning then suffering would have ceased automatically.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;From the remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation of that very ignorance comes&#xA;  the cessation of fabrications.  From the cessation of fabrications&#xA;  comes the cessation of consciousness.  From the cessation of&#xA;  consciousness comes the cessation of name-&amp;amp;-form.  From the cessation&#xA;  of name-&amp;amp;-form comes the cessation of the six sense media.  From the&#xA;  cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact.  From&#xA;  the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.  From the&#xA;  cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving.  From the&#xA;  cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance.  From&#xA;  the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. &#xA;  From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth.  From the&#xA;  cessation of birth, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  distress, &amp;amp; despair all cease.  Such is the cessation of this entire&#xA;  mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: How did the suffering of Gautama Buddha(no matter how small) arise or co-arise?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My guess is that with incomplete cessation of ignorance came incomplete cessation of fabrications. From incomplete cessation of fabrications came incomplete cessation of consciousness. From incomplete cessation of consciousness came incomplete cessation of name-form. From incomplete cessation of name-form came incomplete cessation of six sense media. From incomplete cessation of six sense media came incomplete cessation of contact. From incomplete cessation of contact came incomplete cessation of feeling. From incomplete cessation of feeling came incomplete craving. From incomplete cessation of craving came incomplete cessation of clinging/sustenance.  From incomplete cessation of clinging/sustenance came incomplete cessation of becoming. From incomplete cessation of becoming came incomplete cessation of birth. From incomplete cessation of birth came incomplete cessation of aging ,death ,sorrow,pain , distress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I am not saying that Buddha was ignorant but that there is a possibility that there are levels of ignorance which one needs to transcend like the levels of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.111.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;jhanas&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T16:44:12.560" Title="How did the suffering of Gautama Buddha arise or co-arise?" Tags="|nirvana|pratityasamutpada|buddha|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22103" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22102" CreationDate="2017-08-15T13:30:08.557" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Karma  action driven by intention which leads to future consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha had already achieved enlightenment what good was to stay any longer?&#xA;It was his time.Many people ask why the enlightenment one,did not see that the food was poisoned,simply that was his time,his karma,and he had no reason to stay.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He already had shown the way to end suffering,he achieved his purpose.Same as the others after him:Milarepa,Padmasambhava ect...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now its up to us weather to follow them or not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11913" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T13:30:08.557" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22104" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22088" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:01:48.777" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question made me think of this - &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/1zdjYmhrA-A&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://youtu.be/1zdjYmhrA-A&lt;/a&gt; .  Frankly, I don't think it would hurt to start by having a sense of humor about your situation.  It will give you some perspective and help you distance yourself from the more oppressive aspects.  As Zen writer Katsuki Sekida says, laughter truly is &quot;the safety valve of the world.&quot;     &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What really stood out in your question, however, was this comment - &quot;I don't feel free in any way.&quot;  Of course you don't.  Because you're not.  Right now, your vision of reality is trapping you between the way you think things ought to be and the way they actually are.  The relief you find on retreat is really only a temporary vacation.  I think you'd be just as well served if you spent a week sipping cocktails in the Bahamas.  It's really a fantasy to believe that there is some place in the world or some potential situation that will afford you some sort of perennial happiness.  After all, retreats end, the girl serving your drinks in a pineapple gets old, and hell, the beach itself will probably be under thirty feet of water in a couple of years.    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Fundamentally, you have to change your mind.  This can't be arrived at through any amount of convincing or revelatory words.  The only way to do that is through the sweat and tears that come with consistent practice.  You need to find a sangha and a teacher.  You need to sit regularly.  You need to have faith in the process.  No matter how low you sink, no matter how hopeless things become, you have to take up the jewels as your refuge and keep going.  Things will get better.       &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user698" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T14:01:48.777" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22105" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="38970" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:31:13.357" Score="1" ViewCount="194" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/digha/dn22.html#4E&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;saccapabba&lt;/a&gt; of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Jāti is &quot;khandhānaṃ patubhāvo&quot; and &quot;āyatanānaṃ paṭilābho&quot;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Khandhānaṃ patubhāvo included viññāṇa-khandha.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Viññāṇa-khandha is viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Rūpa-paṭiccasamuppāda is rūpa-khandha.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Nāma-paṭiccasamuppāda is vedanā-, saññā-, saṇkhāra-khandha (cetana, phassa, manasikāra; see: sammādiṭṭhisuttaṃ).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Those nāma- and rūpa-paṭiccasamuppāda are piyarūpa/sātarūpa.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;60 piyarūpa/sātarūpa: 6 outer āyatana, 6 āyatana-paṭiccasamuppāda, 6 viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda, and 42 nāma-paṭiccasamuppāda &amp;nbsp;(6 vedana-paṭiccasamuppāda, 6 saññā-khandha, 6x5 saṇkhāra-khandha [phassa-paṭiccasamuppāda, cetanā-paṭiccasamuppāda, vitakka, vicāra, taṇhā-paṭiccasamuppāda]).&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So jāti-paṭiccasamuppāda is viññāna-paṭiccasamuppāda.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The difference is: Jāti-paṭiccasamuppāda is 5 khandha. So jāti is a conclusion of viññāna, nāma+rūpa, āyatana, phassa, vedanā, taṇhā, upādāna and bhavā-paṭiccasamuppāda. But viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda is an explanation of jhāti.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So sacca-pabba is the reason that commentary commented &quot;Viññāṇa Is Jāti And Paṭisandhi&quot;, right?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="16635" LastEditDate="2019-12-05T14:50:45.053" LastActivityDate="2020-05-04T12:34:08.817" Title="Sacca-pabba Is the reason that commentary commented &quot;Viññāṇa is Jāti and Paṭisandhi,&quot; right?" Tags="|theravada|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|satipatthana|commentary|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="22106" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21866" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:45:13.970" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;I couldn't find evidence that the Buddha said that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wanted to find a more accurate/modern translation than the one you're using. The Sutta known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/dn5&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;DN 5 - To Kūṭadanta&lt;/a&gt; is the only one I found that mentions Kutdanta ... and it (like the one you referenced) also starts by mentioning &quot;sacrifice&quot; ... but the one you referenced talks about Nibanna and Anatta whereas DN 5 is longer but talks about other things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The text you quoted is from &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gospel_of_Buddha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Gospel of Buddha&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Gospel of Buddha was an 1894 book by Paul Carus. It was modeled on the New Testament and told the story of Buddha through parables. ... The work was assembled from existing English translations of Buddhists texts, with significant amendments and reworkings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe it's good (or was good) as an introduction or overview Buddhism.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It may be reading too much into it, however, to assume that it's &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhavacana&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Buddhavacana&lt;/a&gt;, and to ask questions like, &quot;What did the Buddha mean when he said this sentence?&quot; I think you should treat it as Paul Carus' interpretation (not exactly translation).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a perhaps more-accurate introduction or translation, people on this site have recommended other books such as &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?q=%22in+the+buddha%27s+words%22+pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I could point to other Buddhist sayings which are like but yet unlike the one you quoted. I agree with Simon's answer, that this phrase you quoted seems inspired by the Christian New Testament.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T14:45:13.970" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22107" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22095" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:50:39.460" Score="0" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Are there any other choices (other than realizing the Truth) I will have to make for the cessation of suffering?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As long as we use many fabrications to build our reality, we may benefit from making certain choices, e.g. how to deal with those fabrications.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All these choices can lead to the same goal of realizing the Truth. (E.g. certain choices can help us in cleaning our mind from the processes which recreate illusions).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However it's possible indeed to make no other choices than the choice to realize the Truth, and come to the cessation of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;cessations are happening automatically once I have realized the Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes, that is so. No ignorance (no limited perception) means no fabrications and so on. But we should understand correctly: it means&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;no fabrications as &quot;real&quot;, &quot;solid&quot; things.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No consciousness as &quot;real thing&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;etc. The cessation of ignorance means that the illusory nature of all &quot;real things&quot; is realized.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So they don't limit anything with &quot;walls&quot; of fabrications,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;the consciousness doesn't jump from fruit to fruit, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is said that in awakening six kinds of consciousnesses turn into six kinds of wisdom.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It means that there is no consciousness as something real and existing, but the function of phenomena to be conscious manifest.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;If anyone is conscious then does it mean he has not realized the Truth?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When we say &quot;someone is conscious&quot; we speak in terms of existing human being who is conscious. Buddha may appear to us as such being.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To Buddha, however, it may appear that there are no human beings, and no one is conscious. For example, Buddha may see instead of human beings an immense field of intertwined causes and effects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;PS. See some detailed explanations here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/22117/is-causation-hetu-in-sn-22-82-different-to-conditions-paccaya-in-dependent-o/22120#22120&quot;&gt;Is causation (hetu) in SN 22.82 different to conditions (paccaya) in Dependent Origination?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T22:32:02.727" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T22:32:02.727" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22108" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22102" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:55:12.180" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What, bhikkhus, is the Nibbana-element with residue left? Here a&#xA;  bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life&#xA;  fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden,&#xA;  attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely released&#xA;  through final knowledge. &lt;strong&gt;However, his five sense faculties remain&#xA;  unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and&#xA;  disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain.&lt;/strong&gt; It is the extinction of&#xA;  attachment, hate, and delusion in him that is called the&#xA;  Nibbana-element with residue left.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.042-049x.irel.html#iti-044&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Itivuttaka 44&lt;/a&gt; (above), an Arahant (including the Buddha) can still feel pleasure and pain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And soon after the Blessed One had eaten the meal provided by Cunda&#xA;  the metalworker, a dire sickness fell upon him, even dysentery, and he&#xA;  suffered sharp and deadly pains. &lt;strong&gt;But the Blessed One endured them&#xA;  mindfully, clearly comprehending and unperturbed.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The suffering had indeed ended for the Buddha. That was why he was unperturbed by physical ailments. He feels pain but does not suffer from it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha explains that not everything one feels is due to past karma becoming ripe:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on&#xA;  bile. You yourself should know how some feelings arise based on bile.&#xA;  Even the world is agreed on how some feelings arise based on bile. So&#xA;  any brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that&#xA;  whatever an individual feels — pleasure, pain,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — is entirely caused by what was done before&#xA;  — slip past what they themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by&#xA;  the world. Therefore I say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are&#xA;  wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on phlegm... based on&#xA;  internal winds... based on a combination of bodily humors... from the&#xA;  change of the seasons... from uneven care of the body... from harsh&#xA;  treatment... from the result of kamma. You yourself should know how&#xA;  some feelings arise from the result of kamma. Even the world is agreed&#xA;  on how some feelings arise from the result of kamma. &lt;strong&gt;So any brahmans&#xA;  &amp;amp; contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before — slip past what they&#xA;  themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by the world. Therefore I&#xA;  say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are wrong&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the story of Ven. Chakkhupala in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammapada 1&lt;/a&gt;, we find that it is possible for an Arahant to be blind due to past karma becoming ripe prior to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But since he was already blind, he does not suddenly become cured and starts to have vision because of Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion, Thera Cakkhupala came to pay homage to the Buddha at&#xA;  the Jetavana monastery. One night, while pacing up and down in&#xA;  meditation, the thera accidentally stepped on some insects. In the&#xA;  morning, some bhikkhus visiting the thera found the dead insects. They&#xA;  thought ill of the thera and reported the matter to the Buddha. The&#xA;  Buddha asked them whether they had seen the thera killing the insects.&#xA;  When they answered in the negative, the Buddha said, &quot;Just as you had&#xA;  not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects.&#xA;  Besides, as the thera had already attained arahatship he could have no&#xA;  intention of killing and so was quite innocent.&quot; On being asked &lt;strong&gt;why&#xA;  Cakkhupala was blind although he was an arahat&lt;/strong&gt;, the Buddha told the&#xA;  following story:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cakkhupala was a physician in one of his past existences. Once, he had&#xA;  deliberately made a woman patient blind. That woman had promised him&#xA;  to become his slave, together with her children, if her eyes were&#xA;  completely cured. Fearing that she and her children would have to&#xA;  become slaves, she lied to the physician. She told him that her eyes&#xA;  were getting worse when, in fact, they were perfectly cured. The&#xA;  physician knew she was deceiving him, so in revenge, he gave her&#xA;  another ointment, which made her totally blind. &lt;strong&gt;As a result of this&#xA;  evil deed the physician lost his eyesight many times in his later&#xA;  existences.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, we find that no new karma becomes ripe after Nibbana. But it is possible that the Arahant could feel pain due to other reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, any chronic conditions caused by previous karma becoming ripe prior to Nibbana, do not suddenly disappear due to Nibbana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But in all cases, the Arahant is unperturbed. He feels pain but does not suffer from it. That shows that the Arahant has risen above suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aimwell.org/dependentorigination.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this resource&lt;/a&gt; about dependent origination, Mahasi Sayadaw says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One who watches these present resultant processes effectively does not&#xA;  have craving that is rooted in feeling and so will put an end to the&#xA;  cycle of existence completely. In other words, the meditator watches&#xA;  every mental and physical phenomenon that occurs at the six&#xA;  sense-doors clearly in terms of its three characteristics. Through&#xA;  this effective practice of mindfulness, the meditator gains insight&#xA;  into the nature of the sense-objects and overcomes attachment to them&#xA;  there and then (tadaṅga), that is he or she overcomes it by opposing&#xA;  it with the knowledge that undercuts it. The cessation of attachment&#xA;  rules out the arising of the other phenomena, e.g. clinging, the&#xA;  process of becoming, birth, etc. After the this cessation through&#xA;  insight the meditator overcomes the latent attachment completely&#xA;  through cutting-off (samuccheda) when he or she attains the knowledge&#xA;  of the Noble Path. At this moment the other phenomena, e.g. clinging&#xA;  etc., also become totally extinct. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There is no teaching that says: “With the extinction of feeling, craving ceases to exist.” This is not surprising for even Arahants do&#xA;  not have any control over the feelings that arise from contact with&#xA;  the six senses.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T15:48:33.603" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T15:48:33.603" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22109" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21863" CreationDate="2017-08-15T14:55:38.643" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Metta is practitioner's consciousness that thinking to &lt;strong&gt;make happy consciousness&lt;/strong&gt; arise in &lt;strong&gt;the other lives&lt;/strong&gt;. (sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Rice never have happy &lt;strong&gt;consciousness arising&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Masuro Emoto's rice experiment was just &lt;strong&gt;utuniyāma&lt;/strong&gt;. That experiment was just regular of nature. It doesn't mean rice has consciousness arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T14:55:38.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22111" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22095" CreationDate="2017-08-15T16:12:36.917" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The following image comes from &lt;a href=&quot;https://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Dependent_Origination.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt; depicting the twelve links of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What's also nice is that the twelve links have been marked as &quot;past causes&quot;, &quot;present effects&quot;, &quot;present causes&quot; and &quot;future effects&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the third noble truth laid out in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the&#xA;  remainderless fading &amp;amp; cessation, renunciation, relinquishment,&#xA;  release, &amp;amp; letting go of that very craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So based on the image below, when craving is ceased, the rest of the &quot;present causes&quot; are terminated, resulting in the &quot;future effects&quot; also being terminated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, the &quot;present effects&quot; still persist as long as the Arahant is still alive in the current life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7dtx4.png&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/7dtx4.png&quot; alt=&quot;twelve links of dependent origination&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T17:46:36.960" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T17:46:36.960" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22112" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21866" CreationDate="2017-08-15T16:36:40.233" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The closest message of the Buddha that I can find to this, is &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.01.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Udana 5.1&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the king, descending from the palace, went to the Blessed One&#xA;  and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was&#xA;  sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, &quot;Just now, when I had gone&#xA;  with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace, I said to her, 'Mallikā, is&#xA;  there anyone dearer to you than yourself?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this was said, she said to me, 'No, great king. There is no one&#xA;  dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there&#xA;  anyone dearer to you than yourself?'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When this was said, I said to her, 'No, Mallikā. There is no one&#xA;  dearer to me than myself.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that&#xA;  occasion exclaimed:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Searching all directions with your awareness, you find no one dearer&#xA;  than yourself. In the same way, others are thickly dear to&#xA;  themselves. So you shouldn't hurt others if you love yourself.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T16:36:40.233" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22113" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-15T16:38:48.750" Score="3" ViewCount="570" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensual desire is a hindrance and thus it should be avoided and preferably eliminated (though I'm highly skeptical whether something in the brain can really be &quot;eliminated&quot; regarding emotions - I doubt it.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But we humans have all day long sensual desires. Let it be for food, bodily comfort, music (sound), art (sight), sex, etc.&#xA;So should we remove all of them (ideally)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also what is meant by sense restraint? I cannot really fathom it. I doubt that it means to go out with closed eyes and ears, haha. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Does it simply mean to avoid certain triggers? (which would answer the first question simultaneously)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thanks in advance&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11674" LastEditorUserId="11674" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T16:48:09.360" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T04:29:47.093" Title="Sensual Desire and Guarding the Sense Doors" Tags="|five-hindrances|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22114" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22113" CreationDate="2017-08-15T16:57:27.063" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Your question can be answered by a detailed study of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Four Noble Truths&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good overview can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; and also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1465/471&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the accesstoinsight.org website, you can also read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this&lt;/a&gt; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The first truth is that there is suffering.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The second truth is that suffering is caused by craving.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The third truth is that suffering can be ended by ending craving.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;The fourth truth is that the path to end suffering is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The solution you proposed to end craving, is by extreme asceticism, which the Buddha found did not work. The other extreme end, which is extreme indulgence, also does not work.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, he discovered &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/13137/471&quot;&gt;the Middle Way&lt;/a&gt; of practice between extreme asceticism and extreme indulgence, known as the &lt;a href=&quot;https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Noble Eightfold Path&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The main scriptural source for this, is the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Discourse on the Setting of the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Within the Noble Eightfold Path, there are 4 levels of training - lay follower of the teachings, the anagarika (sort of a pre-monk), the novice monk or nun, and the fully ordained monk or nun. Each of these 4 levels of training are increasing in degree of intensity but are still within the Middle Way and the Noble Eightfold Path. You can find some details in &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11771/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The life of a fully ordained monk or nun is not considered to be one of extreme asceticism, because it does not deny them food, clothing, shelter and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.002.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;companionship&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding guarding the sense doors, the answer comes from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.037.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aparihani Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And how does a monk guard the doors to his sense faculties? There is&#xA;  the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp&#xA;  at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without&#xA;  restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities&#xA;  such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with&#xA;  restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint&#xA;  with regard to the faculty of the eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On hearing a sound with the ear...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On smelling an aroma with the nose...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On tasting a flavor with the tongue...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On feeling a tactile sensation with the body...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he does not grasp at any&#xA;  theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint&#xA;  over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as&#xA;  greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He&#xA;  guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard&#xA;  to the faculty of the intellect. This is how a monk guards the doors&#xA;  to his sense faculties.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T01:27:41.070" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T01:27:41.070" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22115" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22113" CreationDate="2017-08-15T19:39:22.207" Score="5" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensual desire is like feeling &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;thirst&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; for something (Pali &lt;em&gt;tanha&lt;/em&gt;, Sanskrit &lt;em&gt;trishna&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you feel cold and decide to put some clothes on, normally it has nothing to do with sensual desire. It's a normal act of regulating something.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you develop thirst to possess some special clothes, that is developing sensual desire. When you see those clothes, your hands might start to tremble, your breathing might become heavy - because of that thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It shows that sensual desire is developed by our own mental activity - with the attitude of unhealthy longing for something - and it generates vexations.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In that sense we can speak about &lt;strong&gt;guarding the sense doors&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;observing what we perceive,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;observing to stay natural, not developing unwholesome desires,&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;observing to dissolve unwholesome desires if they are already developed.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that discipline relates not to hiding from original stimuli, but to how we react to them. For example, monks don't avoid seeing women, but they avoid looking at them with sexual passion. That's how they guard the sense doors: not allowing the thieves of vexations to steal our natural mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastEditorUserId="11762" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T19:44:47.267" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T19:44:47.267" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22116" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22113" CreationDate="2017-08-15T20:07:20.933" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sensual desire means desire for pleasure. Acting out of desire for pleasure is wrong motivation. The right motivation is to act out of knowledge of  how things work, with clear understanding of the results and the alternatives. That's very different than acting for pleasure, that's informed, functional action.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the example with food, we eat to sustain the body and spirit. In the example with clothes, we put them on to protect from cold, insects, for social reasons etc. See the difference? We act with a purpose, not for pleasure. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's not about eliminating desires, it's about changing your modus operandi from impulse driven, to deliberate. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Regarding sensual restraint, the idea is to protect yourself from influences that stimulate impulses and obsessions (e.g. advertising, erotic, hate-provoking influences etc). This is done by being selective about what you attend to, what you allow to enter into your stream of consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Another problem with obsessive desires (whether sensual or otherwise), is the resulting mismatch between &quot;is&quot; and &quot;should&quot; which generates dukkha, the mind of suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Depending on the goal, this suffering may be a worthwhile price to pay for the motivation to get there, you just have to understand that mental suffering comes as inevitable side-effect. But certainly sensual pleasure is almost never the right goal and is not worth the suffering.  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-08-15T20:16:04.327" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T20:16:04.327" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22117" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22246" CreationDate="2017-08-15T21:27:22.667" Score="-3" ViewCount="290" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 22.82 and MN 109 state:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The four great elements, bhikkhu, are the cause (hetu) and condition (paccayo) for the &lt;strong&gt;manifestation&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;paññāpanāya&lt;/strong&gt;) of the form (rupa) aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Contact is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the formations (sankhara) aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nāmarūpaṃ is the cause and condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paññāpanāya&lt;/strong&gt;: This might have been rendered &quot;for the description of the form aggregate&quot;. Paññāpanā is literally &quot;making known&quot; and something is &quot;made known&quot; either by becoming manifest or by being described. Footnote: Bhikkhu Bodi&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination states:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition (paccaya) come formations (sankhara). From formations as&#xA;  a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a&#xA;  requisite condition comes nāmarūpaṃ. From nāmarūpaṃ as a requisite&#xA;  condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a&#xA;  requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite&#xA;  condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes&#xA;  craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging. From&#xA;  clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a&#xA;  requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition,&#xA;  then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair&#xA;  come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress&#xA;  &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In addition, Dependent Origination defines nāmarūpaṃ as:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Feeling, perception, intention, contact and attention — these are called nāma. The four great elements and the material form derived&#xA;  from the four great elements — these are called rūpa.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Obviously, there appear to many contradictions between SN 22.82 and Dependant Origination, which include:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rupa caused (&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;) by elements vs rupa conditioned (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) by consciousness&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sankhara caused (&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;) by contact vs sankhara conditioned (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) by ignorance. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Feeling, perception &amp;amp; intention caused (&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;) by contact vs contact conditioned (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) by sense media conditioned (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) by feeling, perception &amp;amp; intention (&lt;em&gt;nāma&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consciousness caused (&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;) by namarupa vs namarupa conditioned (&lt;em&gt;paccaya&lt;/em&gt;) by consciousness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is there a contradiction here? Why is this so? How is this resolved? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T06:17:54.150" LastActivityDate="2017-08-21T21:13:25.920" Title="Is causation (hetu) in SN 22.82 different to conditions (paccaya) in Dependent Origination?" Tags="|pali-canon|pratityasamutpada|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22118" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21896" CreationDate="2017-08-15T21:57:44.820" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it possible to be Buddhist and a misanthropist?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yes. It's even &lt;em&gt;expected&lt;/em&gt;, that Buddhists will (at least sometimes) be &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254&quot;&gt;conceited&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's quite a tradition too, of solitary ascetics, who live away from normal society.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Especially people like Trump. He deserves nothing but suffering in my view.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well maybe you're viewing more of him, getting more views of him, than is good for you.&#xA;There are other things, other people to think about.&#xA;Maybe the attitude to aspire to isn't metta but upekkha ... or sense-restraint, i.e. avoid contact with sense-input that reminds you of that view of Trump; or treat him as a model of what not to do, and resolve to do better than you think he has done.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I just don't like most people and I can't tolerate them. I dont have friends because of this and I don't see my family because I can't stand them either. People are just insufferable.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Well, if that's a problem then I hope you find a solution.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism talks about &lt;a href=&quot;http://bodhimonastery.org/spiritual-friendship.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;spiritual friends&lt;/a&gt;. And, about good and bad social friends.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I don't remember a scripture that talks about how to find or make good friends socially; so here's from experience, for what that's worth:&#xA;if there's any activity you like, maybe do that socially. Join a club, or join a class. They'll be doing something (an activity) you approve of. You don't have to (though you might) socialize with them outside the scope/time of that activity. There may be some variety of people participating (young adults, retirees), so you'll meet people who you wouldn't normally.&#xA;If you meet anyone you like, they may have a social life -- friends of theirs, who you might meet through them. Perhaps your music teacher has a group of people who help refugees, or etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leave the animals to live in harmony instead of raping and pillaging the place for money. I'm sick of it.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's some conflict between animals too; even within one species, competition for territory.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T21:57:44.820" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22120" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22117" CreationDate="2017-08-15T22:17:51.063" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's a sublime Dharma, hard to understand, so let's examine some analogies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Modern physics says that there are electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves and visible light. We can imagine them as some surface where waves spread from the center:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/miCk7.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/miCk7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;radio waves&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can understand them by analogy with ocean waves:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ugqo4.jpg&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://i.stack.imgur.com/ugqo4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;ocean waves&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But there is a big difference: waves in the ocean have water beneath and wind above. So the surface is &quot;material&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Electromagnetic waves, however, don't have anything beneath and anything above. It's an imaginary surface.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Now let us examine what is consciousness. We often imagine it as a result of contact of two things:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;an organ of perception&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;and something that influences that organ of perception.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus we can say that consciousness is a result of contact.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It looks like ocean waves: there is something beneath (water, an organ of perception) and something above (wind, perceived object).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We can say that consciousness doesn't exist if there is no contact of organ of perception and object of perception.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Usually we imagine consciousness as some space that exists independently of everything else; when things appear in that space, they become perceived.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But Dharma asks us: are we sure that there is that immutable, metaphysical space called Consciousness?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;We only know directly that consciousness &lt;em&gt;appears&lt;/em&gt; when there is contact of organ and object. Does consciousness really exist apart from that?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If we examine that question, we can conclude that there is no actual reason to claim that consciousness exists constantly and independently; it's just our &lt;em&gt;mental model&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Though we can speak about the reality as Only Consciousness (and sometimes it's useful), that is just our modeling; in direct perception Consciousness doesn't really exist (as something absolute or independent).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That helps to realize emptiness - no self - of all things and objects.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually all objects are our mental models we create from fluid momentary appearances.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Objects do not exist in themselves. They are only our way to associate individual sense data.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then we can make another step and say that &quot;objects of perception&quot; and &quot;organs of perception&quot; are in fact our mental models.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The primary phenomena are momentary appearances. &quot;Waves of consciousness&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's like there are waves, like electromagnetic waves, but we imagine them as ocean waves, with something beneath and something above. In fact, for direct observation &lt;em&gt;something appears&lt;/em&gt;. And then we build some mental models on top of that - adding there dualities, like &quot;object&quot; and &quot;organ&quot;, or &quot;mind&quot; and &quot;matter&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Consider this: looking at sea, we see waves, and we conclude that there is water beneath and wind above.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, from &quot;consciousness&quot; we conclude there are forms and mentations of them (rupa &amp;amp; nama).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So various explanations are possible: that from nama-rupa consciousness appears, and that from consciousness nama-rupa appear.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In both cases we talk about the process of creation of mental models.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Awakening and liberation from delusion means we drop thinking of mental models as real things.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's very sublime Dharma, very hard to understand without direct contemplation.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11762" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T22:17:51.063" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22121" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21952" CreationDate="2017-08-15T23:40:41.807" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Taking the whole passage in context, it says (I summarise):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Wrong view&quot; is &quot;nothing matters, there's no fruit, no virtue&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(which I think means &quot;nihilism&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Right view &lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is &quot;things matter, there is fruit, there are virtuous people&quot;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;(which I think means &quot;the opposite of nihilism&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&quot;Right view &lt;em&gt;anāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is &quot;wisdom and &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamma_vicaya&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;discernment of the states&lt;/a&gt;&quot;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why &quot;right view &lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is &quot;right view&quot; might be obvious: it's the direct opposite of wrong view; it motivates a person on the eightfold path; etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason why &quot;right view &lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is &quot;&lt;em&gt;sāsavā&lt;/em&gt;&quot; is ... perhaps it's because it's to do with &quot;merit&quot; and &quot;acquisition&quot;, so maybe it includes (it doesn't necessarily exclude) identity-view and greed (even if only spiritual greed, some conceit about being good).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-15T23:40:41.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22122" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22124" CreationDate="2017-08-16T01:11:12.580" Score="0" ViewCount="233" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the following on the internet:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thus we can say that consciousness is a result of contact.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It looks like ocean waves: there is something beneath (water, an organ of perception) and something above (wind, perceived object).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;We can say that consciousness doesn't exist if there is no contact of organ of perception and object of perception.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is consciousness a result of contact? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or contact a result of consciousness? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What did the Lord Buddha, the Master, have to say about this? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2019-04-29T14:50:20.310" Title="Is consciousness a result of contact?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="7" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22123" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22122" CreationDate="2017-08-16T02:01:37.873" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Buddha never talked about the beginning of the original consciousness (the first cause).&#xA;Vinnana and Nama-rupa are dependently originated.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T02:01:37.873" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22124" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22122" CreationDate="2017-08-16T02:17:05.250" Score="6" Body="&lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Madhupindika Sutta (MN18)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on eye &amp;amp; forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of&#xA;  the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there is&#xA;  feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind). What one&#xA;  perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one objectifies.&#xA;  Based on what a person objectifies, the perceptions &amp;amp; categories of&#xA;  objectification assail him/her with regard to past, present, &amp;amp; future&#xA;  forms cognizable via the eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on ear &amp;amp; sounds, ear-consciousness arises...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on nose &amp;amp; aromas, nose-consciousness arises...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on tongue &amp;amp; flavors, tongue-consciousness arises...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on body &amp;amp; tactile sensations, body-consciousness arises...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dependent on intellect &amp;amp; ideas, intellect-consciousness arises. The&#xA;  meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite&#xA;  condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in&#xA;  the mind). What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks&#xA;  about, one objectifies. Based on what a person objectifies, the&#xA;  perceptions &amp;amp; categories of objectification assail him/her with regard&#xA;  to past, present, &amp;amp; future ideas cognizable via the intellect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T02:19:21.603" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T02:19:21.603" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22127" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-16T03:40:25.730" Score="1" ViewCount="93" Body="&lt;p&gt;Reference needed.  I remember reading a sutta where Buddha mentioned something like a stream enterer would no longer use words to attack others like weapons.  I would like to read that sutta in its entirety again.  Thanks. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T12:48:58.010" Title="Attacking others with words such as they are weapons" Tags="|reference-request|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22128" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22113" CreationDate="2017-08-16T03:45:11.207" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sense Restraint&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On seeing a form with the eye, he doesn't grasp at &lt;strong&gt;any theme (nimitta) or details&lt;/strong&gt; by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the&#xA;faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or&#xA;distress might assail him. On hearing a sound with the ear... On&#xA;smelling an aroma with the nose... On tasting a flavor with the&#xA;tongue... On touching a tactile sensation with the body... On&#xA;cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn't grasp at any theme or&#xA;details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the&#xA;faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or&#xA;distress might assail him. Endowed with this noble restraint over the&#xA;sense faculties, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being&#xA;blameless.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Avoid the sign (nimitta) of the beautiful connected with passion; by meditating on the foul.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.11.irel.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Snp 2.11&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What is important above is &amp;quot;themes &amp;amp; details&amp;quot;. What this means is if you are man and a voluptuous woman is walking towards you, you, for example:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Do not allow the mind to develop the idea of &amp;quot;beautiful&amp;quot; but instead bring to mind the undesirable qualities of a woman.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;End the idea of &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and instead bring to mind it is only a sense object of five aggregates &amp;amp; six elements.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;or:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;ol start=&quot;3&quot;&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Generate &lt;em&gt;metta-karuna&lt;/em&gt; (loving-kindness &amp;amp; compassion) by thinking the woman is not merely a sex-object but a human being wanting to be loved faithfully with commitment. The suttas say to view women as 'mothers', 'sisters' &amp;amp; 'daughters'.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T04:29:47.093" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22129" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22127" CreationDate="2017-08-16T03:50:36.047" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a phrase like that &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.6.04.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tittha Sutta: Sectarians (Ud 6.4)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And they kept on arguing, quarreling, &amp;amp; disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Dhamma is like this, it's not like that. The Dhamma's not like that, it's like this.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This sutta contains the simile of the elephant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The phrase is also in the next two suttas (Ud 6.5 and 6.6).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T03:50:36.047" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22130" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22127" CreationDate="2017-08-16T04:31:51.207" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The sutta about &quot;verbal daggers&quot;? I can't remember it. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Oh! I found it:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;When the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way through different methods of exposition, it may be expected of those who will not&#xA;  concede, allow and approve of what is well stated and well spoken by&#xA;  others that they will become contentious and quarrelsome and engage in&#xA;  disputes, and that they will dwell &lt;strong&gt;stabbing each other with verbal&#xA;  daggers&lt;/strong&gt;. But when the Dhamma has been taught by me in such a way&#xA;  through different methods of exposition, it may be expected of those&#xA;  who will concede, allow and approve of what is well stated and well&#xA;  spoken by others that they will live in concord, with mutual&#xA;  appreciation, without disputing, &lt;strong&gt;blending like milk and water&lt;/strong&gt;,&#xA;  viewing each other with kindly eyes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/sn36.19&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T04:31:51.207" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22131" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-16T04:52:38.640" Score="-1" ViewCount="88" Body="&lt;p&gt;I read the following on the internet:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;No consciousness as &quot;real thing&quot;. The cessation of ignorance means that the illusory nature of all &quot;real things&quot; is realized.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Yet when the Pali suttas describe liberation of mind (citta), this includes liberated consciousness, as follows: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off, and there&#xA;  is no landing of consciousness. Consciousness, thus not having landed,&#xA;  not increasing, not concocting, is released. Owing to its release, it&#xA;  is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its&#xA;  contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is&#xA;  totally unbound right within. He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the&#xA;  holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this&#xA;  world.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Upaya Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since the Pali suttas describe the destruction of craving or passion as liberation &amp;amp; Nibbana, is it necessary to view consciousness as '&lt;em&gt;no consciousness&lt;/em&gt;' or '&lt;em&gt;not a real thing&lt;/em&gt;' for liberation? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T05:00:13.973" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T08:41:06.750" Title="Does viewing consciousness as &quot;real thing&quot; bring suffering?" Tags="|pali-canon|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22132" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22131" CreationDate="2017-08-16T08:41:06.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas define 'consciousness' as 'cognition', as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'Consciousness, consciousness': Thus is it said. To what extent, friend, is it said to be 'consciousness'?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;'It cognizes, it cognizes': Thus, friend, it is said to be 'consciousness.' And what does it cognize? It cognizes 'pleasant.' It cognizes 'painful.' It cognizes 'neither painful nor pleasant.' 'It cognizes, it cognizes': Thus it is said to be 'consciousness.'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 43&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Further, the Pali suttas state consciousness &amp;amp; wisdom (&lt;em&gt;panna&lt;/em&gt;) are co-joined, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Discernment &amp;amp; consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It's not possible, having separated them one from the other, to&#xA;delineate the difference between them. For what one discerns, that one&#xA;cognizes. What one cognizes, that one discerns. Therefore these&#xA;qualities are conjoined, not disjoined, and it is not possible, having&#xA;separated them one from another, to delineate the difference between&#xA;them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 43&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Pali suttas also state consciousness is impermanent, namely, it arises, functions &amp;amp; ceases when the sense organs arise, function &amp;amp; cease, as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If anyone were to say, 'The eye is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The arising &amp;amp; falling away of the eye are discerned. And when&#xA;its arising &amp;amp; falling away are discerned, it would follow that 'My&#xA;self arises &amp;amp; falls away.' That's why it wouldn't be tenable if anyone&#xA;were to say, 'The eye is the self.' So the eye is not-self. If anyone&#xA;were to say, 'Forms are the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus&#xA;the eye is not-self and forms are not-self. If anyone were to say,&#xA;'Consciousness at the eye is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The&#xA;arising &amp;amp; falling away of eye consciousness is discerned.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;MN 148&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, every time consciousness functions, it is &amp;quot;real consciousness&amp;quot; because it performs the function of 'cognizing'. It does not not-cognize, it does not digest food, it does not walk, it does not speak. Consciousness only cognizes &amp;amp; discerns, which is why it is real consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The fact that the arising, existence &amp;amp; functioning of consciousness is dependent on causes &amp;amp; conditions, such as a mind &amp;amp; body (nama-rupa), sense organs &amp;amp; sense objects does not make consciousness not a real thing. Consciousness is a real thing because its reality is it cognizes and the only thing it does or is is cognising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Importantly, real consciousness is an essential requirement for real wisdom or real insight. Therefore, real consciousness or real cognizing does not bring suffering. Instead, real consciousness brings true enlightenment.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T08:41:06.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22134" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22102" CreationDate="2017-08-16T09:04:59.610" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In the Pali suttas, the word 'dukkha' is used in three contexts, namely:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Painful feelings (&lt;em&gt;dukkha vedana&lt;/em&gt;) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unsatisfactory characteristic (&lt;em&gt;dukkha lakkhana&lt;/em&gt;) of impermanent things&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Suffering of attachment to or taking the five aggregates as one's own (&lt;em&gt;pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Only the suffering of attachment is real dukkha. The suffering of attachment is the only dukkha a Buddha can overcome. Therefore, when the Buddha had the deadly illness with painful feelings, this was not suffering. There is the phrase: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many many suttas explain this, such as MN 37, the end of MN 38, SN 22.1, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.006.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 8.6&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.006.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 36.6&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;On touching a tangible with the body,  he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides&#xA;  with mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind,&#xA;  and he understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and&#xA;  deliverance by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease&#xA;  without remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing,&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;whatever feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or&#xA;  neither-painful-nor-pleasant&lt;/strong&gt;, he does not delight in that feeling,&#xA;  welcome it or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in&#xA;  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes&#xA;  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of&#xA;  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the&#xA;  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,&#xA;  grief and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of&#xA;  suffering. MN 38&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, when mere painful feelings arise from sense contact, it is not really correct to call this 'Dependent Origination' because 'Dependent Origination' is basically used for only the 12-condition formula. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T09:16:51.597" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T09:16:51.597" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22136" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="7258" CreationDate="2017-08-16T09:10:17.737" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;By my experience, Tipitaka is Buddhism; Buddhism is Tipitka.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I develop my life to be happy every way follow to tipitaka. Then I always show my happiness every time to everyone by smile. When someone ask me for the reason of smile, I tell them &quot;because buddhism make me happy&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2018-07-16T06:26:34.397" LastActivityDate="2018-07-16T06:26:34.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 4.0" />
  <row Id="22137" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="17792" CreationDate="2017-08-16T09:49:46.380" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;As simple as possible but not simpler:&#xA;Birth as a human means that you have accumulated good karma in the past!&#xA;However nobody has ever explained the amount of karma,it's measuring unit.The moral code has always been it's meter of measure!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Know that both heaven and hell are labyrinths for the soul.Sooner or later the soul finds its way out!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;After all what you think,you become!Nothing is permanent,even those souls can change,that's why they are reborn as humans,however once a human you pay your karma,your bad luck,being poor,ignorant and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Hope for enlightenment!&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11913" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T09:49:46.380" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22138" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21979" CreationDate="2017-08-16T13:37:27.427" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;According to the Suttas, the Buddha and the Noble disciples used names to refer to or identify the various disciples: they spoke of the various disciples, by name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There's the story of Nagasena and the simile of the chariot (in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut045.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Questions of King Milinda&lt;/a&gt;), who explains that &quot;Nagasena&quot; is just a name.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are problems with society. And there are problems with attaching to form and so on, and identity view. And some people do &quot;leave society&quot; e.g. in order to become monks instead. But perhaps you should practice &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;equanimity&lt;/a&gt; to society and the name 'Dheeraj'.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's true that in the canon, people identify 'Mara' when some thought of self-identification occurs: see the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vajira Sutta (SN 5.10)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Why now do you assume 'a being'?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Mara, have you grasped a view?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  This is a heap of sheer constructions:&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Here no being is found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I wonder though whether identifying society as Mara might be another example of &quot;grasping a view&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T13:37:27.427" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22139" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22011" CreationDate="2017-08-16T14:07:30.620" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's a (non-Buddhist) &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;serenity prayer&lt;/a&gt;&quot; that's famous now in North America:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Courage to change the things I can,&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  And wisdom to know the difference.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I think that Buddhist teaching is slightly different. It says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Make an effort (right effort) -- strive on with diligence&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Be careful/discerning about what you strive for -- for example if you strive for friends then strive for &lt;em&gt;good&lt;/em&gt; friends; if you strive for money, don't be attached to it nor make money your master; or consider simply what you need to live (e.g. food and clothing), rather than money; etc.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T15:11:10.227" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T15:11:10.227" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22140" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22075" CreationDate="2017-08-16T14:38:39.183" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/70themostvaluablethingintheworld.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a story&lt;/a&gt; about &quot;the head of a dead cat&quot; being &quot;the most valuable thing in the world&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T14:38:39.183" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22141" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-16T15:12:12.400" Score="1" ViewCount="25" Body="&lt;p&gt;I've learned that Lord Buddha has put forward 7 rules on Bikkhunies when female were given the permission to enter the shasana as Bikkhunies. Maha Prajapathee devi &amp;amp; the other princesses were given the permission to be Bikkhunies after agreeing to live accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is one rule which I really don't undersatnd why Lord Buddha chanted; &quot;Bikkhunies should worship monks who even became a monk on that very day, even though the Bikkhuni is elder in Bikkuni life&quot;. As a great philosoper who said men to treat women equally, I really wonder why this rule is put forward by Lord Buddha. Monks are always asked to worship another monk based on the time period lived as a monk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One day during a Dhamma deshana I heard a thero chanting that these rules were added later into Buddhism, by Brahmins, to show that Lord Buddha didn't give equal right to women, which was a practice in their community.&#xA;Can someone please clarify this to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May the noble triple gem bless you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9855" LastEditorUserId="9855" LastEditDate="2017-08-16T15:50:47.213" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T15:50:47.213" Title="Why the first of the additional rules, put forward by lord Buddha, on Bikkhunis?" Tags="|monk|vinaya|" AnswerCount="0" CommentCount="0" ClosedDate="2017-08-16T15:51:43.327" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22142" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18945" CreationDate="2017-08-16T16:09:08.953" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;There's interesting information provided in &lt;a href=&quot;http://thubtenchodron.org/2008/05/garudhammas-discrimination/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this website&lt;/a&gt;, which provides some (presumably) anecdotal justification for the rule.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The first story from the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya Suttavibhaṅga is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(Thullananda is a Bhikkhuni)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lay woman went to Thullanandā and said: ‘Are you aware that was&#xA;  the Elder Mahākassapa, the Buddha’s great disciple, who is greatly&#xA;  revered by the deities as a virtuous field of merit? If you were to&#xA;  rise and greet him, what harm would come of that?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thullanandā said: ‘Mahākassapa was originally practicing another&#xA;  religion, [i.e.] Brahmanism. You greatly reverence that, but I do not&#xA;  respect it.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The lay woman was annoyed and scolded: ‘These bhikkhunis say, “If you&#xA;  do what is good you will get merit”, but when they see bhikkhus coming&#xA;  they do not rise, as if they were women from another religion.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;When the bhikkhunis of few wishes, contented, keepers of ascetic&#xA;  practices heard about this they were not pleased. They went to the&#xA;  Buddha and told him everything. For that reason the Buddha summoned&#xA;  the two-fold Sangha together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Knowing, he asked: ‘Is it true that you did that thing, or not?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;She answered: ‘It is true, Blessed One.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha for this reason in many ways scolded: ‘How can this&#xA;  bhikkhuni see a monk coming and not rise?’ Having in many ways scolded&#xA;  for that reason, he said to the bhikkhus: ‘For the sake of ten&#xA;  benefits, I lay down this precept for bhikkhunis. From today onwards&#xA;  that precept should be taught:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;‘Should a bhikkhuni, seeing a bhikkhu coming, not rise, this is an&#xA;  offense of pācittiya.’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The second story from the Vinaya of the Mahīśāsakas:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Now at that time bhikkhunis did not bow to monks, did not greet them,&#xA;  did not receive them, did not invite them to a seat. The bhikkhus were&#xA;  annoyed, and did not return to teach. Then the bhikkhunis were&#xA;  foolish, without knowledge, and not able to train in the precepts. The&#xA;  senior bhikkhunis saw this, looked down on it, and scolded in many&#xA;  ways. The matter was therefore told to the Buddha. For that reason the&#xA;  Buddha summoned together the two-fold Sangha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;He asked the bhikkhunis: ‘Is this true or not?’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;They replied: ‘It is true, Blessed One.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha in many ways scolded them: ‘Did I not already teach the&#xA;  eight garudhammas as suitable etiquette regarding bhikkhus? From today&#xA;  onwards, that precept should be thus recited:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;‘Should a bhikkhuni, seeing a bhikkhu, not rise up, bow down, and&#xA;  invite him to a seat, this is an offense of pācittiya.’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;For trainees and novices, it is an offense of wrong-doing. If sick, if&#xA;  previously there is anger and suspicion, with no shared speech&#xA;  [recitation?], there is no offense.’&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And Pācittiya means:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;‘Pācittiya’ means: burn, boil, smear, obstruct. If not confessed, it&#xA;  will obstruct the path. This is the offense: if a bhikkhuni sees a&#xA;  bhikkhu and does not rise, this is a pācittiya; straightaway seeing&#xA;  and not rising, straightaway at that point there is pācittiya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T16:09:08.953" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22143" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18945" CreationDate="2017-08-16T16:11:31.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/22141/254&quot;&gt;this other question&lt;/a&gt; (which was closed as a duplicate of this one), the OP wrote,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;One day during a Dhamma deshana I heard a thero chanting that these rules were added later into Buddhism, by Brahmins, to show that Lord Buddha didn't give equal right to women, which was a practice in their community. Can someone please clarify this to me?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I note that Wikipedia &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eight_Garudhammas#Effects_on_the_ordination_of_women&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;references papers which claim to show&lt;/a&gt; that the rules were added later:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;However, Bhikkunī Kusuma in her article &quot;Inaccuracies in Buddhist Women's History&quot; has pointed out a number of inaccuracies in the ways the Eight Garudhammas have been recorded in the Pali Canon and its commentaries.[3] And others point out the plethora of textual problems with the position for garudhammas.[15] Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni published evidence that the Eight Garundhammas are non-historical.[5]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I don't know but these references suggest that the Thero isn't the only person with this belief.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See also &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3336/254&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, which gives details of some modern-day scholars' attempts to demonstrate this kind of thing (i.e. to demonstrate that it's a later addition) on a different but similar subject.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T16:11:31.750" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22144" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15268" CreationDate="2017-08-16T20:15:28.547" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are conditions which prevent the body from absorbing vital nutrients from plant sources. One is pernicious anemia, which is likely a condition he has, or something similar. You can understand given his importance why specific details of his health may not have been released to the public. Besides, the Dalai Llama is a person with a right to his own privacy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11947" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T20:15:28.547" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22146" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2017-08-16T23:53:36.683" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;The benefits of celibacy are that you're not expending energy.  The justification for using it is either to 1) create life or 2) to create more love than you're expending.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If you can't or don't do either, for whatever reason, it IS better to remain celibate and save your life force.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11836" LastActivityDate="2017-08-16T23:53:36.683" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22147" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22151" CreationDate="2017-08-17T00:01:31.153" Score="3" ViewCount="90" Body="&lt;p&gt;I want to find the cannon text on learning the jhanas. Is there a pdf or something in english i can download? Any help would be appreciated&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11937" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T02:14:46.643" Title="Where can i find the original text of learning the jhanas" Tags="|books|scripture|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22148" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22147" CreationDate="2017-08-17T01:11:55.443" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;How to reach jhana is explained in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn48/sn48.010.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 48.10&lt;/a&gt;, in the last part about concentration. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since jhana is a state of non-thinking, how can it be reached by reading, thinking, planning &amp;amp; wanting? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to &lt;strong&gt;let go&lt;/strong&gt; (&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/define/vossagga&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;vossagga&lt;/a&gt;), attains concentration, attains&#xA;  singleness of mind.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T01:16:57.807" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T01:16:57.807" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22149" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22147" CreationDate="2017-08-17T01:12:10.113" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;On &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;, you can find quotes from the Pali Canon on jhanas together with their sources.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For further commentary on jhanas, please see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/12/471&quot;&gt;This question&lt;/a&gt; may also help you.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T01:18:49.697" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T01:18:49.697" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22150" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15268" CreationDate="2017-08-17T02:08:30.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why should he? Buddhists in Mongolia eat meat, given that scarcity of other foods than horses milk products. I've seen one break a sheeps neck by cutting the upper part of its neck and then breaking the upper spine - it was the most humane slaughter ever. Lasted a second. In fact, the choice of diet was governed by necessities of existence, not by religious factors. Tying Buddhism with vegeterianism is a Western idea. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11781" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T02:08:30.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22151" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22147" CreationDate="2017-08-17T02:14:46.643" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;In advance, the whole tipitaka is about jhāna, include sīla&amp;amp;vinaya.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For more focusing, see paṭisambhidāmagga.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For the summary, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Path of Purification &amp;#40;Visuddhimagga&amp;#41;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For more focusing, except 1st and 2nd chapter of Visuddhimagga, then all chapters, after that, is about jhāna, ārammaṇūpanijjhāna&amp;amp;lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T02:14:46.643" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22152" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2017-08-17T02:25:28.197" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;This is not necessarily an answer, just adding to the questions, as I seek the answer myself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For a testable hypothesis, we must clearly define what we intend to test for. I tend to find SGI members' explanation of chanting or its powers to be insufficient, superstitious or dissatisfying. To develop a hypothesis on what chanting does, we can source from Nichiren's writings. We could also ask a sample of practitioners what the effects are and perhaps test the 3 most common responses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would also be interested in testing &quot;prayer&quot; and determining where chanting ends and prayer begins. We could possibly need an alternate word for prayer in the Buddhist sense, as prayer to a Buddhist is not necessarily equal to prayer for a theist.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then, we must construct a test. We would test the hypotheses. This is partly where I get hung up and would be interested in actual scientists conducting research. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One thing I think makes testing the realities of chanting difficult is this concept in Buddhism of manifest and latent effects. Say you want to test how fast someone can achieve a goal, by chanting or not chanting. At least if I test this as myself only, there's this problem: If tasked with the same goal, once while chanting and once while not, some things to consider. Either way, the second time would likely be faster, as I would have a previous exposure to the task, although some alteration (like making through a maze with the same distance and number of turns, but different arrangement each time) could reduce the effect of this. Also, there's this chance that the chanting wouldn't manifest in an immediate effect, remaining latent until some other time, possibly during a chant-free test.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, I have this experiential issue. I really wish I could split my life in two, like a multiverse theory (which I don't really believe in), where one instance of me goes through life chanting and another instance goes through life not chanting. Then, examine each life at the end. Which is preferable?  This isn't going to happen, so we have to test some other way, like having some kind of task performed, measuring the quality, speed with which the task is done. There are almost an infinite number of tests that could be performed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One other problem I can see in testing is a &quot;spooky action at a distance&quot; concept. Like my desire to split my life, we could try to use perhaps twins who had been separated at birth (let's try to stay ethical?). However, like a split atom showing responses to stimulation of its distant counterpart, my chanting self or the chanting twin could affect the distant/separate counterpart. Can we account for this kind of effect in the test?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'll outline a few variables that we could test:&#xA;- Short term task&#xA;- Long term task&#xA;- Neuro imaging (before, during, after chanting) [this is one of the more objective angles I'm curious to see actual tests on]&#xA;- Chanting &quot;Nam myoho renge kyo&quot;&#xA;- Chanting other Buddhist chants/mantras&#xA;- Chanting nonsense&#xA;- Chanting &quot;negative&quot; words/phrases&#xA;- Silently chanting any of the above&#xA;- Not chanting at all&#xA;- Chanting in front of a gohonzon&#xA;- Chanting without a gohonzon&#xA;- You could use other &quot;objects of devotion&quot; or focal points as well&#xA;- Frequency of chanting (once, twice, 3x daily, or more?)&#xA;- Duration of chanting (single daimoku? 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1hr, 2hr, as long as possible?)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Not seeming a concept of Nichiren Daishonin; apparently originating with Lynda Johnson, is this idea of &quot;making the impossible possible&quot; (by chanting). So, we could test something seemingly impossible, like putting test subjects into a room, between two rooms. The room on the left has a candle. the room on the right has a matchbook. Both the rooms with objects are locked and generally inaccessible to test subjects. The test subject is tasked with lighting the candle in one room and they are made aware of the matches in the other room. I would consider this rather seemingly impossible. Then, how much time is given any subject? It could take months or years to develop the karmic energy required to achieve such an &quot;impossible&quot; feat, solely through the power of chanting.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My personal hypothesis at this time is along these lines. Buddhists are often said to be &quot;practitioners&quot;. What exactly are they practicing? I would argue that chanting [anything] has the effect of &quot;distraction&quot;. It might also be called &quot;centering&quot;. Typically, the place we set to chant is a place of peace and security. Chanting, somewhat unlike meditation, helps &quot;clear the mind&quot; as you generally are focused on the chant, although chanting can become like second nature and we can chant without thinking about it and our minds may wander. But, I think that that is what the chanting &quot;does&quot;, after some time we will likely realize that our minds are drifting and you can bring it back the centeredness, focusing again on the chant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, what does that translate to, what is being practiced? I think that the chanter practices centeredness or self-distraction morning and night (as recommended by SGI/Nichiren). When you encounter a frustrating situation in your daily life, you can basically stop yourself before reacting, chant in your head or out loud, essentially distracting yourself from the frustration, or simply centering/grounding yourself. It &quot;snaps you back&quot; to your Buddha place, gives you a brief moment to rethink your response, and allows you to approach the frustration from a more rational place.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I theorize that chanting any phrase can achieve this same result. I also theorize the presence of a gohonzon or any other object would not have a noticeable effect on the results (although it could depend slightly on the task at hand and also if objects that cause test subjects anxiety could produce some negative result in the testing as well), but having subjects &quot;focus&quot; on anything will help them to recollect their Buddha place and increase their focus rate.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not exactly sure how to test that.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A few fields of science may be needed to make strong determinations. &#xA;- Physics&#xA;- Neuroscience&#xA;- Psychology&#xA;- Anthropology&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here's hoping a few scientists might actually be able to shed some light on the realities of chanting. It's good to see I'm not alone in these thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Namaste!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Disclaimer: I have had involvement with SGI since 2002.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11949" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T02:25:28.197" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22153" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-17T05:08:33.140" Score="1" ViewCount="97" Body="&lt;p&gt;Is it possible to attain happiness without support, through art, not overt meditation?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I'm not really an &lt;em&gt;expert&lt;/em&gt; on any art, but take the question (somewhat) seriously.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T03:06:55.127" Title="Possible to attain happiness without support, through art?" Tags="|art|life|faith|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22154" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-17T09:38:58.530" Score="3" ViewCount="215" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am a Sri Lankan Buddhist looking for help .. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Our child is very sick and doctors have said any help is difficult to be given at this time for her or operated on. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I would like to ask for information on the best vow/Baare to do for a child's future health and safety and to cure any problems, which deities would be best to ask for protection or some ritual that is undertaken to be continued for her safety and things like that?&#xA;(at the Temple of the Tooth relic preferably as we will be visiting this month)..&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any help is gratefully accepted.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11953" LastEditorUserId="11953" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T10:22:48.497" LastActivityDate="2017-09-02T00:00:53.713" Title="Information on the best vow/Baare to do for a child's health and safety" Tags="|theravada|ethics|traditions|daily-life|buddha|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22155" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="11758" CreationDate="2017-08-17T10:28:07.080" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;It's hard to answer this question directly. You're asking why &quot;advanced practitioners&quot; said what they did, in reply to whatever your question was. Perhaps you should ask them!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From a Theravada perspective, there's a book titled &lt;em&gt;The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity&lt;/em&gt;, which is written by &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wisdompubs.org/author/bhikkhu-basnagoda-rahula&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;a Bhikkhu from Sri Lanka&lt;/a&gt; (at least in part for an American audience).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Its premise is that there are meant to be two societies, i.e. lay society and sangha; that these support each other, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I recommend it. It identifies suttas (there are many) intended for lay people. If nothing else you might find it helpful to read a positive/prescriptive message, e.g., &quot;If celibacy isn't recommended then what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; recommended?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T10:28:07.080" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22156" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-17T11:16:33.783" Score="-4" ViewCount="108" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha died and had attained final Nirvana. His cleaving to existing objects had ceased. His ignorance was destroyed. He had no upadana or karma left. Yet Buddha said that he will take rebirth as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg97.htm&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Metteyya&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And the Blessed One replied: &quot;I am not the first Buddha who came upon&#xA;  earth, nor shall I be the last. In due time another Buddha will arise&#xA;  in the world, a Holy One, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with&#xA;  wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable&#xA;  leader of men, a master of angels and mortals. He will reveal to you&#xA;  the same eternal truths which I have taught you. He will preach his&#xA;  religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax, and glorious&#xA;  at the goal, in the spirit and in the letter. He will proclaim a&#xA;  religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now proclaim.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Ananda said: &quot;How shall we know him?&quot; The Blessed One said: &quot;He will&#xA;  be known as Metteyya, which means 'he whose name is kindness.'&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In above quote it is clear that Buddha says another Buddha will rise. Is it not the rebirth of Buddha ? (I am not saying rebirth of Gautama but Buddha)&#xA;My question is if Nirvana means cessation of birth then how is it possible for Buddha to take rebirth?  &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorUserId="11541" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T11:48:10.357" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T14:09:32.130" Title="How can Buddha take rebirth as Metteyya?" Tags="|rebirth|nirvana|buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22157" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22156" CreationDate="2017-08-17T11:39:44.500" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;He never said that! Buddha Metteya is a different person. There have been many Buddhas in the past and all of them are different persons.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha is a title. Think of it as king of a country. How many kings there have been? Are they all one person?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is another good example for how easily people misinterpret the suttas. Just because one is able to read the Suttas(either Pali or English) one may not be able to grasp the true meaning without a proper teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastEditorUserId="111" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T12:07:58.253" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T12:07:58.253" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22158" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22330" CreationDate="2017-08-17T12:21:29.710" Score="2" ViewCount="259" Body="&lt;p&gt;I like to put things in perspective by using extremes to create high contrast.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Let's imagine a person who has become an enlightened being, let's use the word &quot;arahant&quot;. But imagine that they're put in an inescapable, hostile, deadly environment: a slave labor camp.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What would this arahant experience, and how would it achieve those experiences? What would be this arahant's view on reality (reality as in the combination of objective and subjective reality)?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From what I understand: if you master your mind, than you no longer suffer mentally; you might feel pain, sadness, grief or whatever, but you no longer suffer from the experience. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But imagine that this arahant has a child, or a wife, who are taken away to be killed, never to be seen again.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The reason I am asking this is that I just can't imagine that a person wouldn't fill up with hate and anger, disbelieve in any cause and become completely hopeless. How would an arahant hold itself in such a horrible situation? I can't imagine that it is even remotely possible to focus oneself on the teachings of the Buddha. Bad food, bad sleep, laborious days, bad shelter, bad clothing, bad physical health, etc... I couldn't even focus on where to put my next step! Let alone, keeping up righteous mental activity.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EDIT&lt;/strong&gt;:&#xA;For those who are interested, I summarize what I learned from asking this question. I was lost in thought with some imaginary situation (described in this question). Like trying to prepare myself for any situation that might every arise and compare my current state with a state that would be required and trying to get there. For that part I was no longer present with my actual experience. Instead I created a whole lot of (now I see) unnecessary experience from which I mentally suffered. The answer I accepted is the answer that first answered the question on the matter asked, and then guided my attention back to my self. I experience the answer as: first addressed the wandering mind and get its attention, then give an answer that the mind can chew on. Then provide the answer with the 'real' value. That made the chewing of my mind on the subject decrease immediately. I feel more tuned in to the moment of now after reading it. I feel thankful.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11706" LastEditorUserId="11706" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T12:18:19.013" LastActivityDate="2017-08-29T19:32:24.790" Title="What would an Arahant experience, as a slave in a labor camp?" Tags="|arahant|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22159" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22154" CreationDate="2017-08-17T12:46:58.520" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Try doing a Bodhipuja at Sri Nagavihara temple, Kotte. It seems to help some people. I'm sure there are many other places that work too. Ruwanveli Saya, Sri Maha Bodhiya, Dalada Maligawa are obviously the best places you can try. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As a Buddhist you should make the vow to the Buddha, with virtuous gods(all who supports the Sasana) as witnesses. A good vow would be &quot;if the child lives, we will offer him to the Sasana&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If your child can speak the language, teach him/her the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&quot;iti pi so bhagava araham...&quot;&lt;/a&gt; verses with meanings and tell to chant regularly in his mind while contemplating the meanings. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, if you have money, free some animals in slaughter houses and wish for your child's health.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T12:46:58.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22160" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22158" CreationDate="2017-08-17T12:51:16.370" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I don't want to blame the victims but I suspect that, naturally, part of what's bad about a concentration camp is fear: fear that keeps you awake at night, fear that makes you labour, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You mentioned &quot;disbelieve in any cause&quot; and &quot;become completely hopeless&quot; ... and I wonder whether perhaps an Arahant might have already done something like that: i.e. perhaps see what you call &quot;causes&quot; as &quot;mere constructions&quot;; and &quot;hopes&quot; as (for example) symptomatic of craving.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anyway I think that theory, at least, is fairly clear: defined in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.088.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Punna Sutta (SN 35.88)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note too that an Aharant's life-experience might make for less a culture-shock: perhaps they're used to living with nothing; and to seeing dead bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="254" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T12:51:16.370" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22161" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22158" CreationDate="2017-08-17T13:19:03.717" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;First of all, Arahanths never feel sadness, grief, hate etc. They  don't have wives, but they may have ex-wives.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;if the Arahath has psychic powers he might fly away to spare the people from acquiring extremely bad karma or he might stay if he saw it as an unavoidable consequence of a past Karma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Either way, he will never get upset no matter what happens. He would try to make the people come to their senses, if he sees potential in them to be better humans. Otherwise he'd remain in a meditative state when not attending to the maintenance of the body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="111" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T13:19:03.717" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22162" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22154" CreationDate="2017-08-17T13:25:47.853" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Powerful kind of citta  are called javana citta.  “javana” means an arrow in flight, could be very potent and can lead to both good and bad consequences. You can create such a citta, if you recite a stanza in front of the Bodhi Tree from sunrise to sunset, as a family with your child. There is a special kind of rays that is emitted from the great Bodhi-tree of the Buddha. From wherever in the world we can attract this force, but it is most powerful while in the presence of the Tree. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just the other day Ven. Walasmulle Abaya Thero was telling us as to how a deformity that no doctor could cure was put right, just by spending the day under the JayaSiri Maha Bodhi Tree, and contemplating on this stanza.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ජයෝ මුනින්දස්ස සුබෝධි මූ‍ලේ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;අහෝසි මාරස්ස පරාජයෝ හි&lt;br&gt;&#xA;උග්ඝෝසයුං දේවගණා පසන්නා&lt;br&gt;&#xA;ඒතේන සච්චේන ජයස්සු මය්හං ///   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ජය වේවා! බුදු රජාණන් වහන්සේගේ සම්බෝධි මූලයේ දී මාරයාට පරාජය අත් විය.&lt;br&gt;&#xA;පැහැදුණු දේව සමූහයා සතුටින් ‍ඝෝෂා කළහ. මේ සත්‍ය බලයෙන් මට ජය වේවා!   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Jayo munindassa subodhi mule&lt;br&gt;&#xA;ahosi mārassa parājayohi&lt;br&gt;&#xA;ugghosayuṃ deva gaṇā pasannā&lt;br&gt;&#xA;etena saccena jayassu tuyhaṃ   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;“Victory of the Lord of seers at the root of the wonderful Bodhi (tree)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;It was Māra's (the evil one’s) defeat”&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Exclaimed the groups of devas delighted&lt;br&gt;&#xA;By the power of this truth, may you be victorious too   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The following Kammattana too will help you in this difficult time, to help keep a proper perspective of things. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;සියලු ලෝක, සියලු සත්ත්වයින්ම, මේ සංසර ගමනේදී ඇස, කන, දිව, නාසය, ශරීරය, මන, අස්සදයෙන් පිනවා ගන්න කියල සංඛාර වෘත හයක් කරනවා. වෘත කියන්නේ වැඩපිළිවෙලක්. අප සංඛාර වෘත හයක් කරනවා. එහෙත් මේ සංඛාර වෘත හයම තමන්ගේ කැමැත්ත ඉෂ්ට නොකරනවා. ඒ නිසා ..... අනිච්චා වත සංඛාරා. ඒ සංඛාර වෘත හයම අපගේ කැමැත්ත ඉෂ්ට කරන්නේ නැහැ.... &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;අනිච්චා වත සංඛාරා... උප්පාද වය ධම්මිනෝ... අභිසන්ඛාරයන්ගෙන් උප්පාද වන්නාවූ සියලු අස්සාදයෝ වැය වෙලා යනවා. මේ අස්සාදයන් අපේ තියෙන සියළුම සුද්ධ ගුණ වැය කරලා දානවා. මේ අස්සාදයන් නමැති මර උගුලට හසු වෙච්ච සියලු ලෝක, සියලු සත්වයන්ගේ තියෙන සියලුම සුද්ධ ගුණ වැය වෙනවා. උප්පාද වය ධම්මිනෝ... ඒ උත්පාද කරපු සියලු අස්සාද අපේ සියලුම සුද්ධ ගුණ සියල්ල වැය කරනවා. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;උප්පජ්ජිත්වා නිරුජ්ඣන්ති..... ඒ මෙතෙක් උත්පාද කල සියලු අස්සාදයෝ නිරුද්ධ වෙලා, උදා නොවී ගෙවිල ගිහිල්ල, විපරිණාමයට පත්වෙලා…. තෙසං... මේ සං වීම.... වූප සම කල විට - වූප සම යනු ඉවත් කල විට - එනම් මේ බැඳීමෙන් නිදහස් වූ විට, සම සුඛයට හෙවත් නිවන් සුඛයට යනවා, කිසිම විෂමතාවයක් නැති. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All beings of all worlds, are forever trying to entertain the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. In this desire to satisfy our six senses we do six types of volitional formations in this endless sansaric journey. Yet we can never fully satisfy these six. They are fruitless, conceited, unproductive acts, that are done in vain. We do not realize that no matter what we do, it is not possible to maintain anything to our satisfaction in the long run. Thus… Anicca vata sankhara — &quot;Alas, we can never maintain to our satisfaction, all such formations!”&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Aniccä vatha sankhärä; Uppäda vaya dhamminö… all mind-made pleasures that arise from our ‘abhisankhara’ can never be maintained to our satisfaction, and thus come to pass, eroding our sublime qualities. All pleasures of the mind lead us right into Mara's death trap, eroding the sublime qualities of our hearts…. Uppäda vaya dhamminö… All things that arise, suffer change, and pass away. This is their nature. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Uuppajjitvä nirujjhanti; Te san vüpa samö sukhö…. whatever arises is bound to fade away and thus lead to sorrow. When this “San” or “piling up” is removed or “vüpa sama” or gotten rid of, we can reach the ultimate happiness or “Nibbana”, the Deathless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;අනිච්චා වත සංඛාරා;  උප්පාද වය ධම්මිනෝ&lt;br&gt;&#xA;උප්පජ්ජිත්වා නිරුජ්ඣන්ති;  තෙසං වුපසමො සුඛො   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Aniccä vatha sankhärä;  Uppäda vaya dhamminö&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Uuppajjitvä nirujjhanti;  Te san vüpa samö sukhö   &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;'ඒතං සන්තං ඒතං පණීතං - යදිදං සබ්බ සංඛාර සමථෝ&#xA;සබ්බුපධි පටිනිස්සග්ගෝ - තණ්හක්ඛයෝ විරාගෝ නිරෝධෝ නිබ්බානන්ති.'&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;එයම ශාන්තය එයම ප්‍රණීතය. සියලු සංඛාරයන්ගේ සමථයක් ඇත්ද, සියලු උපධීන්ගේ පිළිනොගැනීමක් ඇත්ද, තණ්හාවන්ට අක්ඛය වීමක් ඇත්ද, විරාග වීමක් ඇත්ද, සසර පැවැත්ම උදා නොකිරීමක් ඇත්ද, සසර බැම්මෙන් නිදහස් වීමක් ඇත්ද, එයම ශාන්තය, එයම ප්‍රණීතය.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Etan santan etan paneetan, yadidan sabba sankhara samato, sabbupati patinissaggo, tanhakkhayo virago, nirodho Nibbananti    &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[“It is the only peace, the only happiness: prevent sankhara from arising by eliminating tanha and excess greed, and thus stopping the arising of defilements, which is Nibbana“.]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-09-02T00:00:53.713" LastActivityDate="2017-09-02T00:00:53.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22163" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22156" CreationDate="2017-08-17T14:02:51.023" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Firstly, &quot;Buddha, the Gospel&quot; is not a canonical text.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, the Buddha is a like a position, just as a King or a President is a position. Usually there can only be one Sammasambuddha at a time, just as there can only be one King or President at a time in a country.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thirdly, the Buddha has the omniscience to look into the past and, to some extent, to the future. So, he is able to tell the stories of the Buddhas of old times and foresee the coming of the next Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For e.g. if your country follows the same political system as the UK where the head of the ruling political party would become the Prime Minister - if you have the same party in power for many decades (just like in Singapore or Malaysia today), then the current Prime Minister would surely know the previous Prime Ministers, and could predict who would become the next Prime Minister (from his party).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lastly, the Buddha is not reborn anymore after the end of his life, in any way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T14:09:32.130" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T14:09:32.130" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22164" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22153" CreationDate="2017-08-17T14:22:37.750" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Working on your hobbies, advancing your career, developing a family, nurturing a child, going on vacations, increasing your wealth, raising your status in the world, attaining fame in society etc. could all make you happy.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, I'm guessing that art could be your hobby or career.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But the point is that these types of happiness would not last forever.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The goal of Buddhism is to find the sort of happiness that would be permanent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;On another note, please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7673/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; on why actors may go to hell and &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/5760/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; which elaborates on the point that music and entertainment is not allowed for those undertaking the training of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;eight precepts&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/dasasila.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;ten precepts&lt;/a&gt; or ordination into &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati-intro.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;monkhood&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T03:06:55.127" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T03:06:55.127" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22165" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-17T15:35:48.027" Score="0" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Gautama Buddha was not the only Buddha. There were many Buddhas in the past and there will be many in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My question is: what characteristic of a person defines Buddha?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My answer is that Buddha is the knowledge of Truth.Anyone who has realized the Truth is the Buddha.Some say Buddha is a title ... just as King is the title. But they forget that King can be stupid i.e position of title King can be occupied by an undeserving candidate. But any person who occupies the title of Buddha must be the one who has realized the Truth.&#xA;All Buddhas of the past, present and future tell the same eternal truths again and again... they feel the same compassion and equanimity for all the beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My second question is : is the past Buddha an ancestor to the future Buddha? In other words can future Buddha recall the past Buddha and say that that was me in my previous manifestation ?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;EDIT: I think my answer to who is Buddha is wrong one. Buddha indeed occupies an office and Brahma appoints the Buddha through a process mentioned in &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/manualofbudhism00hard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Hardy Spence. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Any prospective Buddha needs to possess at least following three qualities:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;1.Should be a Boddhisat.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;2.Should have a wish to become the teacher of the three worlds.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;3.Should hold the wish to release sentient beings from the evils of existence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I quote from p.88 which translates the whole process of electing Buddha by Brahma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The beings who will in due course become Budhas are called Bodhisat.&#xA;  They are numberless ; but the name, in common usage, is almost&#xA;  exclusively confined to those who have become avowed candidates for&#xA;  the high office. When many ages have elapsed without the appearance of&#xA;  a Budha, there arc no beings to supply the continued diminution of the&#xA;  numbers in the brahma-lokas. This excites the attention of some&#xA;  compassionate brahma, who, when he has discovered the cause and the&#xA;  remedy, looks, out to see in what world the Bodhisat exists who will&#xA;  next become an aspirant for the Budhaship ; and when he has discovered&#xA;  the Bodhisat in question, he inspires him with the resolution that&#xA;  enables him to form the wish to become the teacher of the three&#xA;  worlds, that he may release sentient beings from the evils of&#xA;  existence. The ages that succeed this period are divided into three&#xA;  eras; in each of which we have legends of Gotama.&#xA;  1. The era of resolution (1). 2. The era of expres-, sion (2). 3. The era of nomination (3).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastEditorUserId="11541" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T17:47:54.573" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T04:58:44.933" Title="Who do we call Buddha?" Tags="|the-buddha|" AnswerCount="2" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22166" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-17T16:04:27.960" Score="3" ViewCount="138" Body="&lt;p&gt;What is the main difference between paramitha (perfection) and merits (pin/kusal)? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is it the same? Or is a perfection advance? Or are all perfections a merit whereas all merits are not perfections? Which is what?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10105" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T11:09:47.050" Title="Paramitha vs Merits" Tags="|merit|" AnswerCount="3" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22167" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22165" CreationDate="2017-08-17T16:09:26.717" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dona asked this question to the Buddha in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dona Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;When asked, 'Are you a deva?' you answer, 'No, brahman, I am not a&#xA;  deva.' When asked, 'Are you a gandhabba?' you answer, 'No, brahman, I&#xA;  am not a gandhabba.' When asked, 'Are you a yakkha?' you answer, 'No,&#xA;  brahman, I am not a yakkha.' When asked, 'Are you a human being?' you&#xA;  answer, 'No, brahman, I am not a human being.' &lt;strong&gt;Then what sort of being&#xA;  are you?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Brahman, the fermentations by which — if they were not abandoned — I&#xA;  would be a deva: Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made&#xA;  like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not&#xA;  destined for future arising. The fermentations by which — if they were&#xA;  not abandoned — I would be a gandhabba... a yakkha... a human being:&#xA;  Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra&#xA;  stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for&#xA;  future arising.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Just like a red, blue, or white lotus — born in the water, grown in&#xA;  the water, rising up above the water — stands unsmeared by the water,&#xA;  in the same way I — born in the world, grown in the world, having&#xA;  overcome the world — live unsmeared by the world. &lt;strong&gt;Remember me,&#xA;  brahman, as 'awakened.'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is the one who is awake, whereas the other unenlightened people are &quot;asleep&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha is not an ancestor to the future Buddhas. He is able to see into future or past through some degree of omniscience, but he is not recalling them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-17T16:19:36.693" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T16:19:36.693" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22168" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22166" CreationDate="2017-08-17T16:36:49.403" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are two types of ”päramita” . One is the Srawaka Päramita, and the other is the ”päramita” of the Buddhas. The word,”päramita” comes from “pireema“, or to fulfill. &#xA;Specially in Asian countries we give 'Ata-pirikara' (Challenger Material ) with the intention of attaining Nibbana one day. It will come to bear fruit in one of the future existences and not in this very lifetime. This giving will help our “Päramitä” commitment to bear fruit in another lifetime to realize the Noble Eightfold Path. At times it can take many, many lifetimes to fulfil a “Päramitä”. It is really the deeply-ingrained habits of a person that are taken from birth to birth, and become “paramitas”. Such dominant paramitas may manifest as one’s character (“gathi”) in a new birth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The word “paramita” is reserved for those commitments that target Nibbana. You and I are living in a very special time. It is because an aspect of Dhamma that was hidden for over a thousand years, has come to light within the last ten years, and as a result, the next ten years will see many who will realize nibb&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is different to merits that are the result of a good deed. Merits are ‘Punyabhisankhara’. Sharing the merits actually becomes a “visankhara” or “unwinding the power of previous sankhara“. Unlike Päramitä” one can transfer merits. Transfer of merits is efficient when the giver and the receiver are together and each is aware of the other’s intention. For the people in Asia, it is customary to transfer merits to deceased relatives. Alms giving to the Sangha or similar meritorious deed is done and pattidana is offered to the deceased relative.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One always gain merits with punna kriya, but those merits will be much enhanced if one does those with understanding of the anicca nature (here they become true kusala kriya). When one does a  punna kriya with increasing understanding of true nature, it starts becoming a kusala kamma with more merit. As the level of understanding improves the merits of any such act will be higher too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8044" LastEditorUserId="8044" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T07:50:51.177" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T07:50:51.177" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22169" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22102" CreationDate="2017-08-17T16:44:12.560" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I think I have found one answer to the question in &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/manualofbudhism00hard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Hardy Spencer.&#xA;I quote from p.364:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The body of Budha was subject to pain and disease, and it was argued&#xA;  by the king of Sagal that on this account he could not be the&#xA;  all-wise. But Nagasena replied that there are various causes of&#xA;  disease, of which the karma of previous births is only one. All the&#xA;  pain felt by Budha was from some present cause, or from the&#xA;  contrivance of others. Thus the harvest may be poor, from the badness&#xA;  of the seed, without any fault whatever on the part of the husbandman.&#xA;  When a stone is thrown into the air, it falls on the ground, not from&#xA;  any previous karma, but naturally, from a cause then present. The&#xA;  purest vessel may have poison put within it. And when the earth is&#xA;  cleared and ploughed, it is not from any previous karma that it is&#xA;  thus lacerated, nor from any appointment of its own ; but from the&#xA;  will of another. In like manner, the pain felt by Budha was without&#xA;  any cause on his part ; it came naturally from some cause then&#xA;  present, or from the contrivance of some other person. {Milinda&#xA;  Prasna.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nagasena says that the pain felt by Budha was without any cause on his part. It came naturally from some cause then present or from the will of some other person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T16:44:12.560" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22170" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22158" CreationDate="2017-08-17T19:14:59.883" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Being an arahant should not be confused with happiness. The arahant feels physical pain like everyone else. However, he or she has an increased awareness, understanding, and compassion. His awareness would greatly increase his awareness of the suffering of others. His understanding of karma would greatly increase his understanding of the CAUSES of the destructive behavior of Nazis. By understanding karma, it is unreasonable to blame a person for the past circumstances and suffering that causes their present behavior. Part of the increased awareness of the arahant consists of an awareness of the past experiences of another person. Bad people are bad for understandable reasons. By having increased compassion, the arahant would do his or her best to help fellow prisoners. You are mistaken to say, &quot;You might feel pain, sadness, grief or whatever, but you no longer suffer from the experience.&quot; The truth is that, by understanding the causes of suffering, a person becomes more objective about it, thereby avoiding UNNECESSARY suffering. In point of fact, by being profoundly aware of the suffering of others, the arahant has an increased sadness. Your understanding of the mental state of the arahant is far off the mark. You claim that an arahant would have &quot;disbelieve in any cause&quot; in a concentration camp. You seem to think that being an arahant consists in believing in some kind of &quot;cause.&quot; Buddhism is not a cause, it is a psychology. Similarly, you claim that the arahant would &quot;become completely hopeless.&quot; It is not clear to me what kind of hope an arahant would have given that his or her assessment of the situation would be firmly grounded in what would be realistically possible. You seem to think that an arahant would need to &quot;focus oneself on the teachings of the Buddha.&quot; This would not be the case. The arahant can see reality for himself or herself. Finally, being an arahant does not consist of maintaining &quot;righteous mental activity.&quot; This is a Christian concept that finds no place in the psychology of the arahant. I have practiced mindfulness meditation and have studied Buddhism for more than 50 years. I can say from experience that the psychology of suffering and karma is very difficult to understand. You are far better off practicing mindfulness meditation in order to come to a better understanding of your own mind. Forget about speculating about the nature of arahant.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="9861" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T19:14:59.883" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22172" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22127" CreationDate="2017-08-17T23:31:25.053" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;I found it.  From &lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn48&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN48&lt;/a&gt; Discourse at Kosambī&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what, monks, is that view which is ariyan, leading onwards, and which leads him who acts according to it to the complete destruction of anguish? Herein, monks, a monk who is forest-gone or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty place, reflects like this; ‘Now, have I a subjective obsession, not got rid of, owing to which I, if my mind were obsessed by it, could not know, could not see (things) as they really are? &#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;(1)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk is obsessed by addiction to sense-pleasures, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(2)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk is obsessed by malevolence, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(3)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk is obsessed by sloth and torpor, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(4)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk is obsessed by restlessness and worry, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(5)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk is obsessed by doubt, to this extent is his mind obsessed, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(6)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk centres his thought on this world, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(7)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk centres his thought on the world beyond, to this extent is his mind obsessed. &lt;strong&gt;(8)&lt;/strong&gt; If, monks, a monk, disputatious, quarrelsome, contentious, lives wounding with the weapons of his tongue, to this extent is his mind obsessed. He comprehends thus: ‘I have no subjective obsession, not got rid of, owing to which I, if my mind were obsessed by it, could not know, could not see (things) as they really are; my thought is well directed towards awakening as to the truths.’ &lt;strong&gt;This is the first knowledge won by him, ariyan, transcendental, not in common with average men.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;ps. thanks for the answers&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user5056" LastActivityDate="2017-08-17T23:31:25.053" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22173" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22153" CreationDate="2017-08-18T00:59:20.267" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;As &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/22164&quot;&gt;Ruben&lt;/a&gt; already told&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course it is possible to gain happiness trough art but this kind of happiness has underlying suffering, at least because it is constructed and not lasting, is dependend and needs nurishment. The only way to gain freedom of suffering is the noble eigtfold path, and sensuallity is an obstacel to develop it, at least.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How ever, since art is a fine skill, it might be very usefull to have such, since the skill of a craftsman or artist is at it's heat the same like the path to develop the path. Buddha was very skilled in all kinds of arts and that not only gave him a good background in how to develop things, but also a understanding that things are done by deeds. Later he would use his talent to develope something that goes beyound oldage, sickness and death.&#xA;All the means to learn that skills have been brought as samples drawn from craft and art.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/lee/craft_en.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Craft of heart&lt;/a&gt;, by Ajahn Lee might introduce you to the art of the Noble ones.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial means or other wordly gains&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T00:59:20.267" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22174" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22154" CreationDate="2017-08-18T04:02:54.870" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;A story from the Dhammapada that might give inspiration and support, Upasika Sherilli:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.08.bpit_en.html#s-dhp-106&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of Ayuvaddhanakumara&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;While residing in a village monastery near Dighalanghika, the Buddha uttered Verse (109) of this book, with reference to Ayuvaddhanakumara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Once, there were two hermits who fixed together practising religious austerities (tapacaranam) for forty eight years. Later, one of the two left the hermit life and got married. After a son was born, the family visited the old hermit and paid obeisance to him. To the parents the hermit said, &amp;quot;May you live long,&amp;quot; but he said nothing to the child. The parents were puzzled and asked the hermit the reason for his silence. The hermit told them that the child would live only seven more days and that he did not know how to prevent his death, but Gotama Buddha might know how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So the parents took the child to the Buddha; when they paid obeisance to the Buddha, he also said, &amp;quot;May you live long&amp;quot; to the parents only and not to the child. The Buddha also predicted the impending death of the child. To prevent his death, the parents were told to build a pavilion at the entrance to the house, and put the child on a couch in the pavilion. Then some bhikkhus were sent there to recite the parittas [3] for seven days. On the seventh day the Buddha himself came to that pavilion; the devas from all over the universe also came. At that time the ogre Avaruddhaka was at the entrance, waiting for a chance to take the child away. But as more powerful devas arrived the ogre had to step back and make room for them so that he had to stay at a place two yojanas away from the child. That whole night, recitation of parittas continued, thus protecting the child. The next day, the child was taken up from the couch and made to pay obeisance to the Buddha. This time, the Buddha said, &amp;quot;May you live long&amp;quot; to the child. When asked how long the child would live, the Buddha replied that he would live up to one hundred and twenty years. So the child was named Ayuvaddhana.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;When the child grew up, he went about the country with a company of five hundred fellow devotees. One day, they came to the Jetavana monastery, and the bhikkhus, recognizing him, asked the Buddha, &amp;quot;For beings, is there any means of gaining longevity?&amp;quot; To this question the Buddha answered, &amp;quot;By respecting and honouring the elders and those who are wise and virtuous, one would gain not only longevity, but also beauty, happiness and strength.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Verse 109:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;For one who always respects and honours those who are older and more virtuous, four benefits, viz., longevity, beauty, happiness and strength, will increase.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At the end of the discourse, Ayuvaddhana and his five hundred companions attained Sotapatti Fruition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's important to understand, that chants are a kind of protection, only (1) if understood, and (2) if one has the conditions or sets the right deed. It makes no sense to seek after a healer in the Sangha, because they are for the most cheaters, but also use the holy life as means for wrong livelihood. So, much better than to seek for the popular ones is the seek for those really worthy for respect and to pay homage to them, try to encourage your child as well. In that far conditions are laid; and the part that can be treated physically should be made by good doctors.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least do not forget, beings are the owner of their action. So my person will at the end tell a little story: Once dwelled in the near of a small village, there was a wealth-devoted lay woman, who eagerly learned the Dhamma in the good monastery nearby. As the strange foreign Tudong monk spent his time in this monastery she, knowing the Dhamma and Vinaya, was very eager to catch up my person to make high merits, and she used all means to be able to do that. One day, in the morning, my person tried to leave the Village road, having enough: she caught my person in the banana plantation behind her house and begged my person to come and &amp;quot;bless&amp;quot; her son by way of receiving alms, because he was very sick. My person agreed silently to go to the house. As entering the land, the family had prepared the son, about 25 years old, to sit outside and give alms food. After receiving, my person turned to leave, but she was waiting on clearence or something like a blessing.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person told her, knowing, that it is important to look after one self and to care about to do not grasp hold anything in this world, because all conditioned Dhammas are subject to decay. As she had laid the conditions she gained right there the path. In the evening the monks of the monastery had been invited to chant for the sick. In the early morning funeral was perceivable, and a monk reported later that the son of the devoted laywoman had died.&#xA;She herself was absolutely free of burden, and even weeks and the whole Vassa she would have told everybody about her luck and how it happens.&#xA;The possibilities in measures of world (e.g. the body, &lt;em&gt;rupa&lt;/em&gt;) are more limited as in measures of beyond. Beings are bound to their past actions but have possibilities in the present to form their future world or even the gate to release.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is the place Upasika aside of generous support of other being should focus most, becoming and decay, and seek for those who can provide and be a real field for merits since not much is gained by putting one's investments into the flood of Samsara.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What ever is born, is subject to decay, what ever has come into being, will end.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial use or any other gain in the world.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T05:57:45.613" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22175" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22166" CreationDate="2017-08-18T04:34:40.380" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyom Akila,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Actually there is no different at all. One word is merely used in regard of doing (puñña kusala, merits) or in regard of the deeds, while pāramī, perfection, is merely used to object it as the attribute of a person/being, so more often found in parts where there is a seek after the path and more spoken grasping the owner strongly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's the deed of merits that form perfection. Either merits nor perfection can be shared like goods but shared be means of letting other take part on deeds, direct or indirect, with it's heart, rejoice in what is conductive for future benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is merit/perfection needed to gain path and fruits, upanissaya (strong condition cause), but to gain Buddhas ability one needs to gain perfection (more than actually needed for the path and fruits) in all virtures to its highest, so that there are all skills perfect for best possible sharing ones gain in the best way for many in the world, to know all around.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Today are many after becoming a Buddha, yet hardily having the perfection of an &quot;ordinary&quot; disciple, and are not able to perform merits, deeds to gain perfection, that would be enough to even reach the path. That is inasmuch &quot;sad&quot; because we live in a time where the good Dhamma and what counts as skillful and merit, explained by a Buddha, is still avaliable. But this condition (Nissaya) is of cource also a matter of paramis for the individual.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;If one has gained perfection needed for the way of Dhamma, latest then one will walk further under leading the holly life.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T06:19:08.203" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T06:19:08.203" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22176" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22165" CreationDate="2017-08-18T04:58:44.933" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The way I understand the word Buddha has two different meanings. In conventional sense it refer to the present Buddha Gotama.&#xA;In ultimate sense it refer the the quality of the Buddha,Arahant,past and future Buddhas or the Nibbana.&#xA;I have similar question raised in DW.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Who is the Buddha in Three refuges?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&amp;amp;t=21220&amp;amp;hilit=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&amp;amp;t=21220&amp;amp;hilit=&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T04:58:44.933" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22177" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="15268" CreationDate="2017-08-18T05:33:00.813" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;It could be that he understands the use of food (&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Puttamansa Sutta: Eines Sohnes Fleisch&lt;/a&gt;), and that there is nothing wrong in eating meet,ss long an animals is not seen, heard or assumes to have been killed for a monk, which is of course not easy to maintain if not walking for alms but living like a &quot;king&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;One should not knowingly consume meat killed on purpose (for a bhikkhu). Whoever should consume it: an offense of wrong doing. I allow fish and meat that is pure in three respects: One has not seen, heard, or suspected (that it was killed on purpose for a bhikkhu).&quot; — &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch04_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mv.VI.31.14&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;That fact that eating meet it self is nothing wrong, is of course also an excuse for many monks to simply maintain their sensual pleasue with it, agrguing with health if approached about such tendency, accumulating much demerits not only for themselves but for the Sangh and the other gems reputy as well.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;one should not consume meat without having reflected on it (on what it is). Whoever should do so: an offense of wrong doing.&quot; — Mv.VI.23.9&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is clear on the other side that teaching to abstaining from eating meat, is the Dhamma of Devadatta, the opposer of the Buddha, and just a means to win the favor of uninformed for gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;To wish after meat, even for health purpose, has not been allowed by the Buddha, as far as my person knows, since such would open the door for the above mentioned usual situation and involve monks of the Buddha in worlds ways of killing for ones benefit, how ever, one may in certain cases as medicin use &quot;meat broth (which again, the Commentary says, is just the broth without any meat)&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And at least, food is like people, clima... a matter of upanissayapaccayena (strong condition cause), which if we think that a person as he is a country bound reincanation, seems to be the most reasonable, thought that Tibetans are for sure most meat-eater. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are less people having gone beyound desire for certain physical food, at least it would mean that one has gained No-returner and a attribute of first hollyness is to stick to Vinaya and in no cases let it appear as relative and not so importand, meaning confessing and being hardly ashamed about ones incapibility.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So one thing is: Vegan or Vegeterian is talk by the Devadattas, is not a requirement and &lt;em&gt;eating&lt;/em&gt; meat (not taled about the gain) is nothing wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And: There are less monks who stick and have faith into Dhamma-Vinaya and many who for the sake of their belly to householders a favor following popular things get involved in views and take side, even misinterpret the Buddha knowingly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least the Dali Lama is not a person with secure faith in Dhamma- Vinaya, but seek after advices and also for favor, outside the three gems and the Buddhas and Noble ones way. If he could stand doing Vegitarian or even Vegan, he would stand that for winning favor under laypeople and for politic, but even here he has his limits, to weak.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T05:38:37.867" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T05:38:37.867" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22180" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22166" CreationDate="2017-08-18T11:09:47.050" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;General people do some merits for some resultants that they attached. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddhist people do whole merits and develop themselves to take the better merits, that closer more and more, to enlighten nibbāna. The enlightenment is the best merit. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whole of these merits are called &lt;em&gt;pāramī (full merit, ultimate merit)&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt; Pāramī is not just some part of merits. Pāramī is a full course for an enlightenment, only.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T11:09:47.050" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22181" PostTypeId="1" AcceptedAnswerId="22182" CreationDate="2017-08-18T15:06:51.930" Score="4" ViewCount="1310" Body="&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/a-dpfv-G2Fs&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt;, Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu says that the whole of the Buddhist teachings could be summarized as Appamāda (heedfulness), at the risk of oversimplification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN16)&lt;/a&gt;, the Buddha conveyed the last message of his life:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, &quot;Now, then, monks, I exhort&#xA;  you: All fabrications are subject to decay. Bring about completion by&#xA;  being &lt;strong&gt;heedful&lt;/strong&gt;.&quot; Those were the Tathagata's last words.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;According to the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.017.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Appamāda Sutta (SN3.17)&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There is one quality, great king, that keeps both kinds of benefit&#xA;  secure — benefits in this life &amp;amp; benefits in lives to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;But what, lord, is that one quality...?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;Heedfulness&lt;/strong&gt;, great king. Just as the footprints of all living&#xA;  beings with legs can be encompassed by the footprint of the elephant,&#xA;  and the elephant's footprint is declared to be supreme among them in&#xA;  terms of its great size; in the same way, &lt;strong&gt;heedfulness&lt;/strong&gt; is the one&#xA;  quality that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this&#xA;  life &amp;amp; benefits in lives to come.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Questions:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ol&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What really is Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How does one practise Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are the benefits of Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Why is this one of the most important concepts in Buddhism, that the Buddha chose this to be his last message?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is the relationship between Appamāda (heedfulness) and mindfulness? &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1926/471&quot;&gt;This answer&lt;/a&gt; equates the two.&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T04:42:00.227" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T06:54:03.397" Title="Appamāda - What is it? How to practise it? Benefits?" Tags="|personal-practice|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22182" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22181" CreationDate="2017-08-18T15:51:54.813" Score="8" Body="&lt;p&gt;Pamada is a condition of a happily misbehaving child or a drunken person enjoying oneself too much. A type of silly joyful carelessness that assumes no concern or responsibility for results of one's actions. There are many translations of this word - laxity, sloppiness, but the one I find particularly insightful is &quot;indulging&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appamada then is a sober, grownup, calculated attitude to things. A grownup may relax a little, but never loses sight of what results will the actions bring. Hence the usual translation, heedfulness, or my preferrence -  &quot;sobriety&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One metaphor Buddhism uses a lot is that of intoxication. The three basic intoxicants of desire/obsession, negativity, and confusion/delusion cause the state of pamada, when one acts without proper regard for the consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The practice of Appamada is certainly related to mindfulness, remaining aware and remembering the teaching at all times, but here the emphasis is on karma, or action and its expected result. Not only the physical action of course, but mental activity as well, including upadana, or fueling certain thoughts by giving them attention. We can either indulge in harmful thoughts uncontrollably, further fueling our intoxication, or be deliberate about our thinking, which leads to cessation of suffering. This last application of appamada can't be emphasized enough. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appamada means always staying in planned, deliberate, results-oriented frame of reference, as opposed to merely acting out one's emotions and impulses. Every time before we think or say or do something, we ask ourselves, what will this achieve?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So that's one aspect, always being deliberate, and the other aspect is not letting oneself get intoxicated. We get intoxicated every time we get aroused by the scent of an external source of joy, or by a particularly inspiring form of negativity. We get excited off balance by the thought of either reward or righteous anger. If we let ourselves get emotionally intoxicated all the time, we practically never spend time being emotionally sober, which makes us mentally weak. Instead, staying sober and collected requires a certain kind of strength and will power. In a way, you always keep your spine straight, your feet on the ground, your eyes open, your mouth shut. That's appamada, sobriety. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="43" LastEditorUserId="43" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T05:44:23.940" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T05:44:23.940" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22183" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22117" CreationDate="2017-08-18T17:29:13.603" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Each reality has many aspects in self because it is arised by many causes, except nibbāna. Also, those, many aspects of each reality, are the answers that why it, each reality, makes many effects, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha taught just some aspect or some paccaya of an effect, because of the ability of listener. &lt;strong&gt;It doesn't mean an effect has just that paccaya in that sutta.&lt;/strong&gt; Buddha can not teach everything to low ability people. &lt;strong&gt;Buddha choose some part of reality and sammuti,&lt;/strong&gt; that proper for specific listener, then author each sutta to make that listener access to insight 4 noble truths to enlighten. If too much the listener may bored, but if too less the listener may doubt. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But in the full ability such as sāriputta,&lt;/strong&gt; buddha teach him full causes and effects. So commentary said that abhidhamma, that is very advance in detail of realities (causes and effect), was learned by sāriputta. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This topic is the reason that why buddha taught abhidhamma to sāriputta, and why commentaries often said that abhidhamma is vipassanā's object. Also, the answer that why &lt;strong&gt;Mun Bhuridatta often carries abhidhammatthasaṅgaha&lt;/strong&gt; pocket book with himself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Answer&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Rupa caused (hetu) by elements vs rupa conditioned (paccaya) by&#xA;  consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;4 great matters, 24 matters' elements and some consciousnesses are causes for each other in the same time by sahajātapaccaya. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: Palileyyakasuttaṃ, anupadasuttaṃ and mahātaṇhakkhayasutta.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Sankhara caused (hetu) by contact vs sankhara conditioned (paccaya) by&#xA;  ignorance. Feeling, perception &amp;amp; intention caused (hetu) by contact &#xA;  vs contact conditioned (paccaya) by sense media conditioned (paccaya)&#xA;  by feeling, perception &amp;amp; intention (nāma). Consciousness caused (hetu) &#xA;  by namarupa vs namarupa conditioned (paccaya) by consciousness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Vedanā/saññā/&lt;strong&gt;sankhara-khandha&lt;/strong&gt; (akusala[&lt;strong&gt;included avijjā&lt;/strong&gt;], kusala, and āneñja-kusala) caused by contact (phassa), that caused by 18 dhātū (eye-color-eye consciousness,...). 6 āyatana (in 18 dhātu) caused by nāma-rūpa because of  sahajāta-paccaya (see the first answer). Nāma-rūpa caused by consciousness because of mano pubbaṅgamādhammā (indriya-paccaya). Indriya-paccaya is one part of sahajāta-paccaya. Consciousness caused by saṅkhāra because of mano pubbaṅgamādhammā, too.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;VS &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;sankhara-paṭiccasamuppāda&lt;/strong&gt; is apuññā[&lt;strong&gt;included avijjā&lt;/strong&gt;]/puññā/ānañjābhisaṅkhāra that caused by contact (phassa), also. Loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See: use pali, that I gave, to search yourself, such as kusalasaññā, domanassā pāpakā akusalā (for vedanā), etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;hr&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You must recite tipitaka to understand this answers. Also, you must notice the real life, too. This topic is about life, not just alphabet. For the example &quot;can phassa arise without vedanā?&quot;, &quot;Has or not self cakkhu-samphassajāvedanā, without color&amp;amp;consciousness?&quot;,  etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T03:13:33.430" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T03:13:33.430" CommentCount="5" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22184" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22181" CreationDate="2017-08-18T20:13:20.037" Score="4" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The whole of the Buddhist teachings could be summarized as Appamāda (heedfulness), at the risk of oversimplification.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Sounds like oversimplication to me because &lt;em&gt;appamada&lt;/em&gt; in itself can sound like it is a dhamma from the concentration faculty. For example, if I instruct a child: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Be careful&lt;/em&gt;&quot;, the child might reply: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Be careful of what? What exactly do you want me to be watchful of?&lt;/em&gt;&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddha-Dhamma is always lead by wisdom. Right view is the leader (MN 117). For appamāda to be of benefit, it must be co-joined with wisdom or must manifest from wisdom. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What really is Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Without quoting any suttas, appamada is carefulness, namely, guarding the mind to avoid things that cause suffering or hinder development (&lt;em&gt;bhavana&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How does one practise Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appamada cannot be practised without wisdom. 1st, one requires a data base of wisdom (right views). 2nd, one is vigilant, watchful or careful (&lt;em&gt;appamada&lt;/em&gt;) to not transgress that wisdom data base. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here, mindfulness (sati) is required. &lt;strong&gt;Sati&lt;/strong&gt; is required to '&lt;strong&gt;bring to mind&lt;/strong&gt;' whichever of those wisdoms is relevant to whatever situations. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, without quoting the suttas, I would guess appamada refers to the &lt;strong&gt;preventative&lt;/strong&gt; aspect of sati-sampajjana (mindfulness &amp;amp; situational wisdom) that particularly engages in the 1st (preventative) effort of the noble eightfold path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, there is the sutta about the dancing queen and the man walking with the pot of oil balanced on his head. Here, the man is instructed to practise heedfulness to avoid getting his head chopped-off by an executioner in the event he looks at the dancing queen. This sutta highlights 'appamada' as preventative (even though such prevention will naturally provide a foundation for the 'developmental'). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are the benefits of Appamāda (heedfulness)?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avoiding suffering (1st &amp;amp; 2nd Right Efforts of the noble path). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Provide a foundation for the 3rd and 4th developmental Right Efforts of the noble path. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why is this (one of) the most important concepts in Buddhism, that the Buddha chose this to be his last message?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is a word that easily encapsulates or summarises the teachings, namely, be careful to avoid those things that cause suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In fact, preventative heedfulness (appamada) is all that is really required for the &lt;em&gt;development&lt;/em&gt; of samadhi, jhana &amp;amp; vipassana. In other words, the common intentional or positive 'yogic' efforts to focus on the breathing, etc, rarely work because all that is really required is the prevention of hindrances. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the relationship between Appamāda (heedfulness) and mindfulness? This answer equates the two.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfulness &amp;amp; appamada are not synonyms. The idea they are equated is wrong &amp;amp;&#xA; sloppy (even though they are close). If they were synonyms, two different words would not exist. For example, I am sure suttas can be found that used both words in the same sentence. As I already explained, mindfulness is required to practise heedfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For example, a mother says to a child: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Be careful&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. The child asks: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Be careful of what?&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. The mother replies: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Since it is raining, be careful to not slip when you cross the road&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. Therefore, when the child is crossing the road, in order to be heedful or careful, the child is always bringing to mind (using mindfulness) the wisdom of the mother: &quot;&lt;em&gt;Mamma said the road is slippery, be careful; Mamma said the road is slippery, be careful&lt;/em&gt;&quot;. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For heedfulness to manifest like the 'Elephant's Footprint' (as described somewhere in the suttas), many dhammas such as mindfulness, must be included &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;within&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; that Elephant's Footprint. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In short, &lt;em&gt;appamada&lt;/em&gt; requires mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom to make it manifest. There cannot be &lt;em&gt;appamada&lt;/em&gt; without mindfulness &amp;amp; wisdom. Mindfulness is cause or subfactor of &lt;em&gt;appamada&lt;/em&gt;, just as mindfulness is a cause or subfactor of concentration (&lt;em&gt;samadhi&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In turn, appamada will be a foundation for higher development. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I found a sutta, which supports what I wrote, namely, appamada: (i) prevents the fermentations; (ii) leads to higher development; and (iii) is something different to mindfulness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;And what is &lt;strong&gt;heedfulness&lt;/strong&gt;? There is the case where a monk guards his mind with regard to [mental] fermentations and mental qualities&#xA;  accompanied by fermentations. When his mind is guarded with regard to&#xA;  fermentations and mental qualities accompanied by fermentations, the&#xA;  faculty of conviction goes to the culmination of its development. The&#xA;  faculty of persistence... &lt;strong&gt;mindfulness&lt;/strong&gt;... concentration... discernment&#xA;  goes to the culmination of its development.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Patitthita Sutta&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T01:09:00.897" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T01:09:00.897" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22185" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-18T21:53:59.667" Score="2" ViewCount="159" Body="&lt;p&gt;I am reading multiple interpretations of the 2nd noble truth. Most of the sources indicate that it is craving, desires, wanting. Some sources talk about wrong understanding of reality and itself, clouded judgement, not understanding the nature of the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Question: If there is a sick child, suffering and in pain, what is the cause there? Child didn't have a chance to have desires and wrong cravings yet, its just an innocent child. &#xA;Of course, there is karma, child is sick because of previous karma.&#xA;But nowhere I saw the source stating that cause of suffering is karma repaying, especially for a child, just starting new life. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Can someone please refer me to a source explaining that? Mostly we have a very detailed description of the 1st noble truth: life is suffering (sickness, death, old age, the whole life disappointments, departures, not getting what person wants, losing something/someone...etc)&#xA;And a jump to cravings/desires explaining that suffering in the 2nd noble truth. But imho it doesn't explain all the suffering, only some. Can someone please clarify. Thank you!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11564" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T05:53:49.257" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T06:30:25.810" Title="Second Noble Truth" Tags="|reference-request|karma|philosophy|four-noble-truths|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22186" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21482" CreationDate="2017-08-18T23:33:59.980" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha talk just two things, suffering and how to lose suffering. For the most, to understand suffering, see it, the first Noble truth requires to face strong suffering by one self to investigate further and make use of the path that goes beyound it. Its usually called drunken in youth, health and drunken in life called by the Buddha.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Since liberation mean to get free, free of the cause of suffering, losing hunger/thist (taṇha)...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person recently came accross this wonderful talk which might be very useful to read or listen to:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Train Your Hunger (The Sea Squirt)&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  November 11, 2016&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;There’s a little animal called the sea squirt. It’s not very big, and its most complex organs are its brain and its digestive system. After it’s born, it moves around in the ocean and finds a spot that it likes, where it senses that the food will be good. Then it stays there for the rest of its life. And one of the first things it does after it’s found its spot is to digest its brain, so it’s just left with a digestive system, basically to show who’s in charge.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This is true not just for sea squirts... &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8171.0.html#post_en&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;read further&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=get519&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;listen audio&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Practice Dhamma, for the most is like that of a Sea Squirt and easily we forget that Mara is still after us and still capable to get us. We still don't see the backwards and forget the Noble Truth.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gain.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-18T23:48:10.713" LastActivityDate="2017-08-18T23:48:10.713" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22187" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22181" CreationDate="2017-08-19T00:39:16.127" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyom Ruben,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are good answers allready, by Nyom Andre and Dhammadathu.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person guesses the greatest problem with all this and the reason why the Buddha pointed on it as his last gift, is that it is most serious. We might know all the good ways, yet we waste our time in talking and teaching others, or by endless asking, while we for ourself don't listen (doning the talk) and actually stay pamāda, conscienceless, unprincipled, unscrupulous (touse better and more urging translations), meaning, still causing us and others harm, rather to simply walk the way for benefit for all.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Nothing is solved and won by talking and dreaming.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Being conscienceless means to forget or deny the three Governing prinziples, the Self, the world, the Dhamma: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.040.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Adhipateyya Sutta: Governing Principles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person likes to add the story about one of Buddhas &#xA;conscienceless disciple here:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.20.bpit_en.html#s-dhp-282&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Story of Thera Potthila&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (282) of this book, with reference to Thera Potthila.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Potthila was a senior bhikkhu who knew the Pitaka well and was actually teaching the Dhamma to five hundred bhikkhus. Because he knew the Pitaka, he was also very conceited. The Buddha knew his weakness and wanted him to mend his ways and put him on the right path. So, whenever Potthila came to pay obeisance, the Buddha would address him as 'Useless Potthila'. When Potthila heard these remarks, he pondered over those words of the Buddha and came to realize that the Buddha had made those unkind remarks because he, Potthila, had not made any serious effort to practise meditation and had not achieved any of the Maggas or even any level of mental absorption (jhana).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Thus, without telling anyone Thera Potthila left for a monastery at a place twenty yojanas away from the Jetavana monastery. At that monastery there were thirty bhikkhus. First, he went to the most senior bhikkhu and humbly requested him to be his mentor; but the thera, wishing to humble him, asked him to go to the next senior bhikkhu, who in his turn sent him on to the next. In this way, he was sent from one to the other until he came to a seven year old arahat samanera. The young samanera accepted him as a pupil only after ascertaining that Potthila would obediently follow his instructions. As instructed by the samanera, Thera Potthila kept his mind firmly fixed on the true nature of the body; he was very ardent and vigilant in his meditation (&lt;em&gt;yoga: actually work the path, putting on self under the yoke,not just meditation, the whole path&lt;/em&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The Buddha saw Potthila in his vision and through supernormal power made Potthila feel his presence and encouraged him to be steadfast and ardent.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Verse 282: &lt;em&gt;Indeed, wisdom is born of meditation (yoga: work, doing); without meditation (yoga: actually work) wisdom is lost. Knowing this twofold path of gain and loss of wisdom, one should conduct oneself so that wisdom may increase.&lt;/em&gt;&#xA;  At the end of the discourse Potthila attained arahatship.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha didn't wanted his disciples, his followers, his heritage not to become a theater of actually worthless people - just think on the culter of the Brahmans he opposed, a folk of people who just talk and do not change things for them and the world for a better, and that is why his teachings and talks are actually contain more urging to be heedful than to explain the path, because the Dhamma it self is very simple and understood fast, simplier as our strategies to stay conscienceless.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;At least my person leaves a wonderful talk by Bhante Thanissaro behind:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/inaword_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Practice in a Word&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 3pp./8KB)&#xA;  &lt;em&gt;Appamadena sampadetha!&lt;/em&gt; — such was the dying Buddha's parting instruction, which has often been translated as &quot;Practice diligently!&quot; But a wider reading in the suttas reveals that that crucial word appamada has a far more nuanced and significant meaning. According to the author, the Buddha's real message was, &quot;Don't be complacent. Watch out for danger. Protect the mind's good qualities. Don't let your guard down.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;May it lead to conscience and having a sense of urgency!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How to keep urgency upright, practice that it stays on top? The Buddha gave all followers, monastics and lay people one reflection the should do: on death: Here the teachings of a merely unknown serious warrior: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/thai/wanrut/exhortations_en.html#chap7&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maraṇasati – recollection of death&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Urging to conscience is the most compassionate act, at least because the urged often is not happy with it and some would agrue why one uges others. Because he/she knows that forgetting cause end effect or to do not know the effects of deeds lead to much suffering. Many also believe that the Buddha didn't urge unrequested, but he did, and also his monks had often compassion and went to householders and urged them. Here torward the Brahman Tigerprank:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.097.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Dhanañjani Sutta: To Dhanañjani&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with Ven. Sariputta and — after an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;amp; courtesies — sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Sariputta said to him, &quot;I trust, Dhanañjani, that you are heedful?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;From where would we get any heedfulness, master? — when parents are to be supported, wife &amp;amp; children are to be supported, slaves &amp;amp; workers are to be supported, friend-&amp;amp;-companion duties are to be done for friends &amp;amp; companions, kinsmen-&amp;amp;-relative duties for kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives, guest duties for guests, departed-ancestor duties for departed ancestors, devata duties for devatas, king duties for the king, and this body also has to be refreshed &amp;amp; nourished.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of his mother &amp;amp; father, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of my mother &amp;amp; father. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would his mother &amp;amp; father gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for our sake. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of his wife &amp;amp; children ... his slaves &amp;amp; workers ... his friends &amp;amp; companions ... his kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives ... his guests ... his departed ancestors ... the devatas ... the king, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of the king. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would the king gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for our sake. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing my body. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would others gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Now, what do you think, Dhanañjani? Which is the better: one who, for the sake of his mother &amp;amp; father, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant; or one who, for the sake of his mother &amp;amp; father, would do what is righteous, what is concordant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Master Sariputta, the one who, for the sake of his mother &amp;amp; father, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant, is not the better one. The one who, for the sake of his mother &amp;amp; father, would do what is righteous, what is concordant would be the better one there. Righteous behavior, concordant behavior, is better than unrighteous behavior, discordant behavior.[2]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dhanañjani, there are other activities — reasonable, righteous — by which one can support one's mother &amp;amp; father, and at the same time both not do evil and practice the practice of merit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;What do you think, Dhanañjani: Which is the better: one who, for the sake of his wife &amp;amp; children ... his slaves &amp;amp; workers ... his friends &amp;amp; companions ... his kinsmen &amp;amp; relatives ... his guests ... his departed ancestors ... the devatas ... the king ... refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant; or one who, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body, would do what is righteous, what is concordant?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Master Sariputta, the one who, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant, is not the better one. The one who, for the sake of refreshing &amp;amp; nourishing his body, would do what is righteous, what is concordant would be the better one there. Righteous behavior, concordant behavior, is better than unrighteous behavior, discordant behavior.[3]&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Dhanañjani, there are other activities — reasonable, righteous — by which one can refresh &amp;amp; nourish one's body, and at the same time both not do evil and practice the practice of merit.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is no reason for not and all reason for doing merits, but how far behind knowing that and teach that are you? Doing generous deeds, giving food, clothers, shelter, medicin at proper time? No. Keeping Silas serious? No. Make your duties? No. When teaching or learning, you do it for liberation? No, for gain.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But all that knowlegde, you might be able to cite all texts, what value does it have? Non, because it just like matterial wealth and you can lose it even in an hour, lates with death. You waste another live an at the end your merits, you goodeness are gone and nothing archived and no merits made.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;All this learning has only one purpose, to gain enought faith to actually do the talk.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The is a reflection which is usally one of the first when becomming a monk, but good if one is able to reflect it, even if still a housholder, in Sri Lanka it is inkl. in the &quot;House-bible&quot; keep by lay followers usually, not called out of reason &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/piyadassi/protection_en.html#ten&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Book of Protection&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Discourse on the Ten Dhammas (Dasa-dhamma sutta [1])&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Thus have I heard:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at the monastery of Anathapindika.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying: &quot;Monks.&quot; — &quot;Venerable Sir,&quot; they said by way of reply. The Blessed One then spoke as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These ten essentials (dhammas) must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth (to live the holy life). What are these ten?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;ol&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'I am now changed into a different mode of life (from that of a layman).' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'My life depends on others.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'I must now behave in a different manner.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Does my mind upbraid me regarding the state of my virtue (sila)?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Do my discerning fellow-monks having tested me, reproach me regarding the state of my virtue?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'There will be a parting (some day) from all those who are dear and loving to me. Death brings this separation to me.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Of kamma[2] I am constituted. Kamma is my inheritance; kamma is the matrix; kamma is my kinsman; kamma is my refuge. Whatever kamma I perform, be it good or bad, to that I shall be heir.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'How do I spend my nights and days?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Do I take delight in solitude?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;'Have I gained superhuman faculties? Have I gained that higher wisdom so that when I am questioned (on this point) by fellow-monks at the last moment (when death is approaching) I will have no occasion to be depressed and downcast?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/ol&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;These, monks, are the essentials that should be reflected again and again by one who has gone forth (to live the holy life).&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;So spoke the Blessed One. Those monks rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And what is needed to be and stay conscience? Conscience. That is only archived by right View at first place, especialy the 1. Noble Truth and the backwards of all consciencelessness. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And how to put it into action? By being mindfull, remembering and keeping in mind and focus primarily on the frames of reference in all deeds, all times. Knowing the body, knowing the feelings, knowing the mind, knowing the phenomenas, all when arising, being present, decay. One who is mindful, one how practice mindfulness on the four frames of reference is a person that is conscience. Don't think that a person just siting in meditation is conscience. That is not for sure. But a person that does not seek after liberation, after archiving path and fruits, is a person of heedlessness, as well a person who does not know and ask for the way, askes people who have not archived anything aside knowing. Why?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Cunda, it is impossible that one who is himself sunk in the mire[23] should pull out another who is sunk in the mire. But it is possible, Cunda, that one not sunk in the mire himself should pull out another who is sunk in the mire.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&quot;It is not possible, Cunda, that one who is himself not restrained, not disciplined and not quenched [as to his passions],[24] should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the full quenching [of passions].[25] But it is possible, Cunda, that one who is himself restrained, disciplined and fully quenched [as to his passions] should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the full quenching [of passions]. Even so, Cunda...&#xA;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;from &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And that's why you are lost without admirable friends, assosiating with fools or having just words and books. Because there is nobody watching you, taking benefical care and show you you heedless points, urge you to do good and blame you when tending to Mara and unbenefical. So if whe take heedfullness on the point where it starts is looking and assosiating with admirable friends the prerequisite to learn and do the whole path, to awakening. Don't be conscienceless and assosiate with friends in disguise just because they are similar or even more worth than you and your defilment (greed, aversion, notknowing, fear) rejoice with it, or you share the same preference of food and hobby together.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This talk would not find an end and to explain it was all the Buddhas and Noble Ones did since they really knew what they are talking about, so do it, the taught, at least out of gratitude in advanced so that you might say soon: &quot;Awakened. The tasks is done, the heritage of the Buddha fullfilled, nothing further for this world.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Appamadena sampadetha!&lt;/strong&gt; It's urgend also here! Learning is not even the half, but needs to be put in action and you can do it as well when learning, with mind, speech and body.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My Person spoke much about it ;-) mind it!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A maybe extended or edited answer can be found here &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8179.msg12958.html#msg12958&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt; [Q&amp;amp;A]Appamāda - What is it? How to practise it? Benefits?&lt;/a&gt; where you also be able to discuss the topic or answer in addition.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;note: this is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T06:54:03.397" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T06:54:03.397" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22188" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22185" CreationDate="2017-08-19T00:45:06.937" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Sickness is not mentioned in the 2nd noble truth. The 2nd noble truth mentions three types of craving, namely, craving for sensual pleasure, craving to be &amp;amp; craving not-to-be as causes of suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 2nd noble truth explains suffering arises in relation to sickness due to craving not-to-be sick. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Of course, there is karma, child is sick because of previous karma.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Previous karma does not create sickness. Sickness is created by virus, bacteria, etc. For example, a person might get sick because of the negligent kamma of not taking a precaution, such as not wearing a condom when having sex. But the sickness is created by bacteria and not by kamma. For example, modern people who have lots of promiscuous sex do not get sick as often as they used to because of modern medicine. Where as in the past, promiscuous sex resulted in people dying from syphilis, gonorrhea, etc. This shows sickness is not caused by kamma. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A child gets sick because of bacteria or because of the negligent kamma of its parents that results in the child contracting a bacterial infection. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mostly we have a very detailed description of the 1st noble truth: life is suffering (sickness, death, old age, the whole life&#xA;  disappointments, departures, not getting what person wants, losing&#xA;  something/someone...etc)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The 1st noble truth does not say life is suffering. The 1st noble truth summarised all suffering as &lt;strong&gt;attachment&lt;/strong&gt; to the five aggregates. Sickness is include here because it is common for people to suffer about sickness. But it is due attachment to sickness that people suffer, namely, craving not to be sick. Sickness itself is not suffering. The Buddha got sick but did not suffer when the physical body was sick. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In Buddhism, there is physical sickness &amp;amp; mental sickness. The 2nd noble truth is about the arising of mental sickness (&lt;em&gt;dukkha&lt;/em&gt;). Please read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.1&lt;/a&gt;, which states when the body get sick, to not allow the mind to become sick. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;So it is, householder. So it is. The body is afflicted, weak &amp;amp; encumbered. &lt;strong&gt;For who, looking after this body, would claim even a&#xA;  moment of true health, except through sheer foolishness?&lt;/strong&gt; So you&#xA;  should train yourself: 'Even though I may be afflicted in body, my&#xA;  mind will be unafflicted.' That is how you should train yourself. SN&#xA;  22.1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T00:50:46.660" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T00:50:46.660" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22191" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T01:43:07.077" Score="1" ViewCount="57" Body="&lt;p&gt;I have found hard to get stories and teachings of Buddha in the book &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/manualofbudhism00hard&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Manual of Buddhism&lt;/a&gt; by Hardy Spence.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Is Manual of Buddhism by Hardy Spence, a good book to study Buddhism?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11541" LastActivityDate="2017-09-15T01:21:43.697" Title="Is Manual of Buddhism by Hardy Spence ,a good book to study Buddhism?" Tags="|academic-buddhism|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22192" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T02:34:03.777" Score="3" ViewCount="111" Body="&lt;p&gt;Do fully enlightened &quot;persons&quot; still meditate, and why? I get why they keep living, to help sentient beings. But does meditation help in that way?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T09:38:28.843" Title="Do fully enlightened &quot;persons&quot; still meditate, and why?" Tags="|buddhas|arhats|" AnswerCount="1" CommentCount="1" ClosedDate="2017-08-19T09:39:39.487" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22193" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22185" CreationDate="2017-08-19T02:36:14.407" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Noble truth of origination of stress is explained also in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Tittha Sutta:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;And what is the noble truth of the origination of stress?&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-and- &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  form. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From name-and-form as a requisite condition come the six &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sense media. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  becoming. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;From birth as a requisite condition, then old age and death, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair come into play. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress and suffering.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;This is called the noble truth of the origination of stress.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Thus birth is the requisite condition comes pain, distress, despair etc...&lt;br&gt;&#xA;&lt;br&gt;&#xA;Regarding the cases like of children they can be explained as diversity in Kamma and result of diversified kammas. From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Nibbedhika Sutta:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;&amp;apos;Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.&amp;apos; Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said? &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, and intellect. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;&lt;strong&gt;And what is the diversity in kamma?&lt;/strong&gt; There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, &lt;strong&gt;kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world,&lt;/strong&gt; kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;And &lt;strong&gt;what is the result of kamma?&lt;/strong&gt; The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here and now, that &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  which arises later in this lifetime, &lt;strong&gt;and that which arises following that.&lt;/strong&gt; This is called the result of kamma. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  path -- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration -- is &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma. &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  &amp;quot;Now when a disciple of the noble ones discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma comes into play in this way, &lt;br&gt;&#xA;  the diversity of kamma in this way, the result of kamma in this way, the cessation of kamma in this way, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the cessation of kamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8561" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T02:36:14.407" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22194" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22185" CreationDate="2017-08-19T03:18:28.520" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Dependent origination states (paṭiccasamuppāda):&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance &lt;strong&gt;(2nd noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt; as a requisite condition come formations &lt;strong&gt;(kamma, 2nd noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From formations as a requisite condition comes &lt;strong&gt;resultant&lt;/strong&gt;-consciousness &lt;strong&gt;(start here to feeling, all is the 1st noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes nāmarūpaṃ. From nāmarūpaṃ as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving &lt;strong&gt;(2nd noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging &lt;strong&gt;(2nd noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming-cause &lt;strong&gt;(kamma, 2nd noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From becoming-cause as a requisite condition comes birth &lt;strong&gt;(start here to feeling, all is the 1st noble truth)&lt;/strong&gt;. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging &amp;amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &amp;amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress &amp;amp; suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Avijjā and taṇhā are co-arising. See &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.081.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.81&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Well then — knowing in what way, seeing in what way, does one without delay put an end to the effluents? There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form to be the self. That assumption is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that. And that fabrication is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. That craving... That feeling... That contact... That ignorance is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. It is by knowing &amp;amp; seeing in this way that one without delay puts an end to the effluents.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Paticcasamuppāda is loop.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;(past:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;having kilesa&lt;/em&gt; (especially avijja&amp;amp;taṇha) &gt; &lt;em&gt;do kamma&lt;/em&gt; (saṅkhāra/kamma-bhava) &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(present:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;becoming/born&lt;/em&gt; (suffering/uppatti-bhava/jāti) &gt; &lt;em&gt;having kilesa&lt;/em&gt;  &gt; &lt;em&gt;do kamma&lt;/em&gt; &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(future:)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;becoming/born&lt;/em&gt; &gt; &lt;strong&gt;(&lt;em&gt;infinity loop&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T03:18:28.520" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22195" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T04:30:42.290" Score="4" ViewCount="281" Body="&lt;p&gt;Why do Buddhists seem to take such a strong anti-thought bias? All I could find regarding this issue is this blog post:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://whatmeditationreallyis.com/index.php/lang-en/home-blog/item/339-thought-is-bad-enlightenment-means-not-thinking.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Thought is Bad? Enlightenment Means Not Thinking?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;He provides great examples of this anti-thought bias, and has an attitude that is similar to my own towards it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This is something that has disturbed me for a while, and is leading me away from Buddhism. Although direct/pure awareness allows freedom from compulsive thought, why should I not choose to conceptualize? Is there no place for abstraction nor ideas? What about language and cultivation of the intellect? Creativity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11360" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T09:57:25.157" LastActivityDate="2018-03-12T18:35:43.413" Title="Why does Buddhism seem to have an anti-thought bias?" Tags="|thinking|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22196" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22181" CreationDate="2017-08-19T04:55:20.243" Score="1" Body="&lt;h2&gt;Definition of Appamāda&amp;amp;Mindfulness&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Appamāda is sati, so appamāda is &lt;strong&gt;&quot;never forget the object of wholesome consciousness&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;. Appa mean &quot;no&quot;. Māda mean &quot;forget&quot; as alike as when someone drunk (pali: mada).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sāriputta&lt;/em&gt; made summary, in kh.paṭi.,Abhidhamma and commentary, of &lt;strong&gt;sati's definitions&lt;/strong&gt; from &lt;em&gt;various sutta&lt;/em&gt; that sati has &lt;strong&gt;apilāpana-mark&lt;/strong&gt; (always be aware of object of wholesome consciousness in mind), &lt;strong&gt;asammoha-job&lt;/strong&gt; (never forget the object of wholesome consciousness), &lt;strong&gt;ārakkha-appearance&lt;/strong&gt; (always keep object of wholesome consciousness in mind) and &lt;strong&gt;thira saññā-closest cause&lt;/strong&gt; (strong and stable perception is the closest cause).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;To practice&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta-pali, especially dhammānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna, for more information (dhammānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna appear in every pabba as samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;Benefits&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;See mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta-pali's introduction and summary. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;h2&gt;The Last Message&lt;/h2&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Every sutta is 4 noble truths.  In the last night, &lt;strong&gt;everyone around buddha saw buddha's physical suffering&lt;/strong&gt; (=saṅkhāra=khandha=decayed fabrications). So if they pamāda to hurry meditate, next life's body as alike as buddha's body infront of them, still go on and on (=paṭiccasamuppāda=loop).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T04:55:20.243" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22197" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22195" CreationDate="2017-08-19T05:11:26.090" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;What about language and cultivation of the intellect? Creativity?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is two aspect of Buddhism. The art of living and art of crossing.&#xA;When you come to learning Buddhism, intellect, and creativity you should have thoughts. Because it is necessary for living.&#xA;When you come to art of crossing (enlightenment) any perception and feeling including thoughts are considered stressful (Dukkha)&#xA;When you develop your meditation your are inclined to subtle mental states. Perception, feeling, and thoughts are the hindrance to a higher level of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T05:11:26.090" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22198" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22195" CreationDate="2017-08-19T05:11:48.073" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;The Buddha himself did not cease having thoughts, although he was fully enlightened. Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/17897/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/17926/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, there is a quote from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ayacana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, where it says:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Then, while he (the Buddha) was alone and in seclusion, &lt;strong&gt;this line of&#xA;  thinking arose in his awareness&lt;/strong&gt;: &quot;This Dhamma that I have attained&#xA;  is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the&#xA;  scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. .....&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vitakkasanthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, we find that unskillful thoughts &quot;imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion&quot; have to be removed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.205.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Vina Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;Monks, in whatever monk or nun there &lt;strong&gt;arises desire, passion,&#xA;  aversion, delusion, or mental resistance with regard to forms&#xA;  cognizable via the eye, he/she should hold the mind in check.&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  [&lt;strong&gt;Thinking&lt;/strong&gt;,] 'It's dangerous &amp;amp; dubious, that path, thorny &amp;amp; overgrown,&#xA;  a miserable path, a devious path, impenetrable. It's a path followed&#xA;  by people of no integrity, not a path followed by people of integrity.&#xA;  It's not worthy of you,' he/she should hold the mind in check with&#xA;  regard to forms cognizable via the eye.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And the same applies to the other senses.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;You can find a similar discussion in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.037.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Aparihani Sutta&lt;/a&gt; where it talks about removing &quot;evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There is a slightly different message in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.051.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sacitta Sutta&lt;/a&gt;, but also teaching us to remove unskillful thoughts:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;If, on examination, a monk knows, 'I usually remain covetous, with&#xA;  thoughts of ill will, overcome by sloth &amp;amp; drowsiness, restless,&#xA;  uncertain, angry, with soiled thoughts, with my body aroused, lazy, or&#xA;  unconcentrated,' then he should put forth extra desire, effort,&#xA;  diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness, &amp;amp; alertness for the&#xA;  abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hence the recommendation here is to remove unskillful thoughts, but not stop thinking altogether.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Of course, if one is meditating and trying to achieve the state of jhana, then in that situation, he has to concentrate his mind and cease thinking. Even this is only for the second jhana and beyond. In the first jhana, there is still directed thought and evaluation. From the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer&quot;&gt;Maha-satipatthana Sutta&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;And what is right concentration? There is the case where a monk —&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities&lt;/strong&gt; — enters &amp;amp; remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure&#xA;  born from withdrawal, accompanied by &lt;strong&gt;directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation&lt;/strong&gt;.&#xA;  &lt;strong&gt;With the stilling of directed thoughts &amp;amp; evaluations, he enters &amp;amp; remains in the second jhana&lt;/strong&gt;: rapture &amp;amp; pleasure born of composure,&#xA;  unification of awareness free from directed thought &amp;amp; evaluation —&#xA;  internal assurance.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So, it is inaccurate to say that the Buddha taught to stop thinking altogether (when you're not meditating). He only taught to remove unskillful thoughts.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Constantly ensuring that you don't have unskillful thoughts, is considered a practice of heedfulness (or appamada). Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/22181/471&quot;&gt;this question&lt;/a&gt; for details.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T05:35:34.223" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T05:35:34.223" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22199" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22185" CreationDate="2017-08-19T05:48:36.600" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Please see &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/8935/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt; for an in-depth discussion on this topic.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.018.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Ekamsena Sutta&lt;/a&gt; and this &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Kamma: A Study Guide&lt;/a&gt;&quot; article does say that past kamma results in consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;However, we understand from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.021.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Sivaka Sutta&lt;/a&gt; (quoted below), that not everything we feel is due to past kamma. In &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/22108/471&quot;&gt;this answer&lt;/a&gt;, you can find that the Buddha himself felt painful sensations due to dysentery but it's not due to his kamma becoming ripe.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[The Buddha:] &quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on&#xA;  bile. You yourself should know how some feelings arise based on bile.&#xA;  Even the world is agreed on how some feelings arise based on bile. So&#xA;  any brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that&#xA;  whatever an individual feels — pleasure, pain,&#xA;  neither-pleasure-nor-pain — is entirely caused by what was done before&#xA;  — slip past what they themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by&#xA;  the world. Therefore I say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are&#xA;  wrong.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are cases where some feelings arise based on phlegm... based on&#xA;  internal winds... based on a combination of bodily humors... from the&#xA;  change of the seasons... from uneven care of the body... from harsh&#xA;  treatment... from the result of kamma. You yourself should know how&#xA;  some feelings arise from the result of kamma. Even the world is agreed&#xA;  on how some feelings arise from the result of kamma. &lt;strong&gt;So any brahmans&#xA;  &amp;amp; contemplatives who are of the doctrine &amp;amp; view that whatever an&#xA;  individual feels — pleasure, pain, neither pleasure-nor-pain — is&#xA;  entirely caused by what was done before — slip past what they&#xA;  themselves know, slip past what is agreed on by the world. Therefore I&#xA;  say that those brahmans &amp;amp; contemplatives are wrong.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the next part you ask:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OP:&lt;/strong&gt; Mostly we have a very detailed description of the 1st noble truth: life is suffering (sickness, death, old age, the whole life&#xA;  disappointments, departures, not getting what person wants, losing&#xA;  something/someone...etc) And a jump to cravings/desires explaining&#xA;  that suffering in the 2nd noble truth. But imho it doesn't explain all&#xA;  the suffering, only some.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is not suffering. There is suffering. Perhaps you can say that existence is suffering and that would be more accurate, but a detailed study would show that the Buddha taught that &quot;there is suffering&quot; but did not say that it is life that is the suffering or that it is existence that is the suffering. If it were, then you can simply &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/21928/471&quot;&gt;end that suffering by suicide&lt;/a&gt;. This also relates to the question of &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12076/471&quot;&gt;who is suffering and because of whose actions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Life is sometimes happy and sometimes sad. Both the happy and sad times do not last forever. It's not always sad.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Craving is not the direct cause of suffering. How craving is the cause of suffering, can be understood through &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;dependent origination&lt;/a&gt;. Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471&quot;&gt;see here&lt;/a&gt; for details. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="471" LastEditorUserId="471" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T06:30:25.810" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T06:30:25.810" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22200" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22195" CreationDate="2017-08-19T07:29:18.720" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;Nyom Ethan,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Upasaka Rubens allready pointed out well, it totally the opposite as mostly taught, especially by secular tending teacher and uninformed lay teacher, but also by monks who like to do a favor and teach for a lifelyhood and that falls under the group Upasaka Savath created: &quot;Art of living&quot; but in a wrong way, since this developing of what the Buddha called &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.137.than_en.html#fnt-2&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Housholder-Equanimity&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, often presented as &quot;Emtiness&quot; is very dangerous and possible cuts one of of the path for a long, long time or leads one to conduct a lot of unskillfull things.&#xA;There was less the Buddha could not just let it be, but coming across people teaching non-action, he used all his skill and &quot;weapons&quot; because it harm deep and many.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As Upasaka Ruben pointed out in his answer: It's all about entangle thinking and right thinking, the path and any action on it is about.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There are two Gifts my person likes to share to give maybe a good addition to the good answers:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/thinkingcure_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Thinking Cure&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2015; 3pp./6KB) &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/thinkingcure_en.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;PDF&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item520&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;audio&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  Bhante Thanissaro explains not only that the way to peace is not archived by stopping thinging but also gives some useful ways to change ways of it for a good. A eveningtalk given on 18. September 2006 at Wat Metta&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And from the usefull Book:&quot;Beyond All Directions: Essays on the Buddhist Path&quot;:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/beyond_en.html#ch10&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Arrows of Thinking-Papañca &amp;amp; the path to end conflict&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&#xA;  When discussing the sources of conflict—inner and outer—the Buddha pointed to a type of thinking he called papañca. This term is often translated as “conceptual proliferation,” but a survey of how it’s discussed in the Pali Canon shows that it has less to do with the amount of thinking and more with the way thinking is framed. This is an extract from daylong course, given in the IMC of the Mid-Peninsula, California, USA on 28. April 2012 which focus on understanding what papañca is, how it happens, when it has its uses, and how the need for it can eventually be overcome.&#xA;  A audio file of the full talk is avaliable on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.audiodharma.org/series/16/talk/3019/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;audiodhamma.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The secound category that Upasaka Sawath created, e.g. the Dhamma beyound world, and at its cream real emptiness requires the right time, done practice and nessesary achivements. When we look for example on the vows of Boddhisattva in later traditions, they have been so wise to see the danger and it is a strong misdeed to teach somebody emptiness if not ready for it.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's good to listen or readfrom those who actually know the path and to think wisely about it, and &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/index_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cutting New Paths in the Mind&lt;/a&gt;&#xA;  Here the author explains that we mostly think in rut ways and the only protection so, that we do not endanger ourselves constantly and finally stab ourselves in our ways, is to take on new habits of thinking. One means to counteract is Right Effort and this would help us to walk aside of our usual tendencies in objectification.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many also think that thinking stops when meditating. That is also a missbelieve, only if on high Jhanas such might be the case and will be otherwise always there. And it's not the way to gain inside, to ignore thinking, but here on that level to see how in appears and decays to understand on the source, that thoughts are impermanent, therefore dukkha and without sense. Something that can not be just gained by developing thought to ignore it, but in looking at the right place in the right condition, how it actually is. The skill and the way to come there is to be developed and gone by skillfull thought till the end. And even after the highest gain, you'll be one that thinks: total right and wisely.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordily gain&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T07:48:17.690" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T07:48:17.690" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22201" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22127" CreationDate="2017-08-19T08:35:24.467" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;There are already good answers (as for a part of the question, and not thought about the intent of the question), Nyom Dean, but we need to be careful to take this answers not as a weapon against those who deedly compassioned like to cut away our defilements which are claiming the talked in this Suttas by hard when they are attacted as means to let them survive. Many take the Dhamma as weapon against the three juwels and so was it even in the Buddhas time:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya - (On Right Speech)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;...&quot;Come now, prince. Go to Gotama the contemplative and on arrival say this: 'Lord, would the Tathagata say words that are unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others?' If Gotama the contemplative, thus asked, answers, 'The Tathagata would say words that are unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others,' then you should say, 'Then how is there any difference between you, lord, and run-of-the-mill people? For even run-of-the-mill people say words that are unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others.' But if Gotama the contemplative, thus asked, answers, 'The Tathagata would not say words that are unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others,' then you should say, 'Then how, lord, did you say of Devadatta that &quot;Devadatta is headed for destitution, Devadatta is headed for hell, Devadatta will boil for an eon, Devadatta is incurable&quot;? For Devadatta was upset &amp;amp; disgruntled at those words of yours.' When Gotama the contemplative is asked this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down or spit it up. Just as if a two-horned chestnut[1] were stuck in a man's throat: he would not be able to swallow it down or spit it up. In the same way, when Gotama the contemplative is asked this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down or spit it up.&quot;... &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;read the whole about right Speech&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The Buddha, like all other good teacher, are actually very skilled in use there weapon and there are many stories where they &quot;brought&quot; the &quot;opposer&quot; on the floor, &quot;won over him&quot; made his defilements neutal and even dis-manteled him in front of a big group, but not for any gain or to higher themselves, but to bring him in a situation where he can be talked the Dhamma, has no change to escape, or like in cases like in the above sutta, to bring his disciples again on the lain (or speak to them clear that somebody acts wrong).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A good sample in regard of one of the many fights we find in the teachings is: &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.035.than_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Cula-Saccaka Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Saccaka&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many of the Suttas in MN may offer to see that it is not the most skillful to lay down the sword of skilled speech but show like in &lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.100.bodh_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;AN 4.100&lt;/a&gt;, that equanimity is not the highes skill:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&quot;There are, Master Gotama, those four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Of those four, the one that seems to me the most excellent and sublime is the one who speaks dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, and the dispraise is accurate, truthful, and timely; and who also speaks praise of someone who deserves praise, and the praise is accurate, truthful, and timely. For what reason? Because what excels, Master Gotama, is knowledge of the proper time to speak in any particular case.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(proper time is when possible and nessesary, sometimes also &quot;just&quot; for others if the certain doer is not capable to take.)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So to give the answer, &quot;Does a stream-enter still uses the weapon of speech&quot;, the last Sutta and the samples of Buddha, his disciples, till good teachers of today, will show: &quot;Yes (if wishing) he/she will use the weapon of even strong speech (yet still not with word of fools an outcasts), but not for gain, not to harm and simply out of compassion, less are able to receive.&quot;, and if a stream enter would have use it in affect in a wrong way (with akusala mind), maybe as defense (never for intended gain!), as a break of good conduct, he would suddenly confess his wrong doing. So it might aslo happen that a Noble One uses not nice word wrongly.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's good to do not just pick up certain things from the teachings and use it as weapon. Most Dhamma-Dealer (those who make a livelihood in teaching, or gain, claim and sometimes even provide no defilement-cutting of speech, &quot;peaceful, not opposing speech, ever lovely speech&quot;, because the costumers and fans like that, or better their defilements and so they are able to make more gain while simply slander and harm the Dhamma and lead people to fools. Why? Because what counts is the truth and not artifacted peace for nobodies benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Take care to do not use this weapon Dhamma to kill youself off. That goes quick if grasping the head of the snake, walk a way of demand peace and metta (yet on fight and aversive your self), and if not willing to put oneself under good authority, its hard to get the right way.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hope that this - surely at first - unpleasant answer reaches the worriors and warriors at the right time before theiy cut them off with an haft and incomplete weapon and reason to fight.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many think &quot;Oh I Won.&quot; Having make a visible strike. But the cut of the other war's so sharp that they still do not realice that the head has been seperated already and it's just a matter of time that he will fall down.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[1] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing &amp;amp; disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he does not say them.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;[6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing &amp;amp; agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;What do you think? Is this a sample of a Monk you harms you? Heavily harmed your defilements? And/Or sharp words to stay on track and to keep you from serious wrongdoing? Deeply compassioned with some good wisdom, or the act of a fool? Think good and wise about it and its up to the wisdom of the receiver if a gift is taken or rejected. Meaning at least, only a Noble One would recognice another with secure. Just one who had seen will know if a reminder is right. Other need to think, test, observe and bring it to have seen by my self fist or have deep faith.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anumodana!&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;A maybe extended answer and a possibility to ask further or/and discuss the topic can be found &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,8180.msg12959.html#msg12959&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: this is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or any other wordily gain&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T12:48:58.010" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T12:48:58.010" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22202" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22192" CreationDate="2017-08-19T09:16:15.793" Score="3" Body="&lt;p&gt;Yes, Buddha did meditate. This is for the pleasant abiding here and now.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;From the discussion, &lt;a href=&quot;https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;amp;t=20345&amp;amp;hilit=&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;What did Buddha do to pass his time?&lt;/a&gt; --&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;Some relevant info:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;    &lt;p&gt;Then the Blessed One, having emerged from seclusion after the passing of&#xA;    three months, addressed the monks: “Monks, if wanderers of other sects&#xA;    ask you, ‘By means of what dwelling, friends, did Gotama the&#xA;    contemplative mostly dwell during the rains residence?’: You, thus asked,&#xA;    should answer them in this way: ‘It was by means of the concentration of&#xA;    mindfulness of breathing that the Blessed One mostly dwelled.’ …&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;  &lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &#xA;  &lt;p&gt;This means that right mindfulness functions not only as a factor of the path,&#xA;  but also as a pleasant pastime for those who have fully developed the path and&#xA;  tasted its ultimate fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This quote is originally from the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN54_11.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Icchānaṅgala Sutta  (SN 54:11)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T09:38:28.843" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T09:38:28.843" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22203" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="18945" CreationDate="2017-08-19T10:17:52.177" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;How important this rule is, is best shown by the first Bhikkhuni herself, as she asked the Buddha to repeal the rule, because it's hard, and thereby was not only rejected but also rebuked for her respectlessness.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch23_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;Bhikkhunīs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just as a clan in which there are many women and few men is easily plundered by robbers and thieves, in the same way, in whatever doctrine and discipline women get to go forth, the holy life does not last long... Just as a man might make an embankment in advance around a great reservoir to keep the waters from overflowing, in the same way I have set forth in advance the eight rules of respect for bhikkhunīs that they are not to transgress as long as they live.&amp;quot; — Cv.X.1&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;[...] The analogy of the clan predominantly female shows that, in the Buddha's eyes, the survival of the holy life required a Community predominantly male. That was why he delayed granting Acceptance to his aunt, so that she would be willing to accept the eight rules of respect; that was why the requirements for Acceptance in the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha were more difficult and complicated than the requirements for Acceptance in the Bhikkhu Saṅgha; and that was why many of the rules governing relationships between the two Communities favored the bhikkhus over the bhikkhunīs.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The bhikkhunīs did not accept this situation docilely. Soon after vowing to adhere to the eight rules of respect for the rest of her life, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī requested that the bhikkhunīs be relieved of the most onerous one — the first. The fact that she was asking to renege on her word to the Buddha doomed the request to failure.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;My person will not explain in detail, because &amp;quot;political correctness&amp;quot; and doing a favour for personal gain are today much more dominant, and people neither tend to faith and truth, nor to what is required for long term benefit, they generally have actually no respect in regard of the Jewels and put their own developed values above it: do not go for refuge = putting one self under an authority.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;For one who wishes to seriously understand, it will not easy, but will, but one find the answer briefly given to an extent that will satisfy one's last doubts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Others may even see in this very lifetime the reason, but then, if the Savaka Sangha is finally extinguished, it will be just a shock: &amp;quot;oh...&amp;quot; that would left behind.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: you may try to sell this gift of Dhamma or even use it for your personal wordily gain! This will show you the truth of it's content.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="-1" LastEditDate="2020-06-17T09:56:10.877" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T12:29:29.020" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22204" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T10:50:44.103" Score="-1" ViewCount="110" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ven. Members of the Sangha (of Bhikkhus), Ven. fellows, valued Upasaka and Upasika, dear readers and interesed,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;This question is intellectual and theoretical, or literary, but also/merely inviting self-reflection; but of course it can also be answered with words of the Buddha in &quot;should-form&quot; (in the later case, exchange &quot;you&quot; with &quot;a serious follower of the Buddha, a person in general, to find peace&quot;, how ever you wish and feel obligated or loyal to).&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So, about loyalty,&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;In regard of what are you able to claim being loyal?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Whom are you loyal to?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;How far goes your loyalty?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;Where and how does it end?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, finally:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What must one be loyal to, to find, to reach the highest aim all Buddha-following seekers are after?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What are you loyal and/or are you not loyal to, so that you have't found final peace already, or you highest desired goal?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;li&gt;What is an Arahat loyal to? Has loyality, then, an end (no more required)?&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you try to give a loyal answer.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Much joy and inside in giving a benefical answer, at least for youself.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-28T08:45:00.640" LastActivityDate="2017-08-28T09:48:43.697" Title="In regard of what or whom are you loyal?" Tags="|personal-practice|faith|wisdom|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="3" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22205" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22204" CreationDate="2017-08-19T11:11:05.780" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Generally Buddhist take refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.&#xA;In that regard, I would say I support Sangha. Because they protect Dhamma. Which helps to attain Buddhahood. Generally, Sangha means Ariya Sangha. But here I meant any person who can guide me in the right direction.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11009" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T11:11:05.780" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22206" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22204" CreationDate="2017-08-19T11:34:44.257" Score="1" Body="&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;self-reflecting...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Atta-manasikara-self-reflecting&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In regard of what are... able to claim being loyal?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 22.59&lt;/a&gt;). Sunnata (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.085.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 35.85&lt;/a&gt;). Lokuttara dhamma (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 20.7&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whom are... loyal to?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The ignorance-created idea of &quot;who&quot; is properly negated in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;SN 12.12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How far goes... loyalty?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Anatta. Sunnata. Nibbana. Vimutti&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where and how does it end?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suttacentral.net/en/mn29&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 29&lt;/a&gt; &amp;amp; 30 state the holy life has &lt;em&gt;ceto-vimutti&lt;/em&gt; (liberation of mind) as its final end (&lt;em&gt;pariyosāna&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T20:16:44.433" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T20:16:44.433" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22207" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22195" CreationDate="2017-08-19T12:40:32.070" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Conceptualising puts you one remove away from reality. Buddhism is about being in and harmonising with reality, not a private side-show that's going on in your head.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Buddhism is not against thought per se, just thought that increases your sense of separateness from reality.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user10515" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T12:40:32.070" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22208" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="21809" CreationDate="2017-08-19T13:41:48.993" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;Benefit for what? In what way, Nyom Swapnil? To keep many from practicing &lt;strong&gt;right mindfullness&lt;/strong&gt; for a real benefical way, or to make software more desireable for benefit in the world. Software and IT has so much success on the marked, because it gives people the illusion that they can control things so that they will propably never see anicca and lose many, many factors on right view, wordily and beyound. Just look at gratitude, respect... click, click, click...&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Mindfullness and concentration, the path structur in and of it self, is fundamental base for any development. If one follows that, he will have success in any work, but for what benefit, what aim.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One is sure, the EightfoldPath, that gift and generosity was not meant, shouldnot be misused for low aims likewordily gains, althought it is all what the Dhamma is used for in most cases: success in things which are not benefical, for low gains and to pull people into the world.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;But if one realizes, while getting cracy while programming, this is suffering, that is the cause, that the cessation of the cause and this is the right path to cessation of delusion, yes in that case, having right mindfulness and proper attention, it can be of great benefit. So when suffering arises with it, and the path is known and understood, and if real benefit is known: Yes it can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So far, IT in this dimension, had not really helped many since it's appearing and if it would be a real support, the Buddha would had written the final code. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So it's importand to know that Dhamma is not given for one's goal, but &quot;just&quot; one's noble goal.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It's good and not wrong, to use the skills also for the maintaining for ones live of noble benefit, but it's unwise to misuse a generous gift to use it for ones greed.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;And it's good to be mindfull and know: this intent is for Nibbana and this for the world. The world becomes hoter and hoter if mindfulness is wrong used, not to sprak about bound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note also that the IT-world has by far not even the moral and ethic of the notmal world and bussiness and is place of thieving No. One. People living in the IT world seldom having much base for the first training section of the path and really less of them would even investigate their mind because not trained in the basics and mostly not guided by good teacher, taking just where and what they want. Gratitude got lost, good language got lost, respect got lost, moderation got lost... IT did not brought any global benefit at least and the amount of conflicts and skill in war has increased: it's originated to win over others, it did not come into existence out of compassion for one self and others, yet it could and does make the streets where people used to live, more silent and the marked full of beings.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Normal and humble people react like when sitting in cars: in delusion they have now all under their controll become the ugliest people in just a secound.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant to be used for commercial use or other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="11958" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T14:07:50.990" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T14:07:50.990" CommentCount="4" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22209" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="12629" CreationDate="2017-08-19T16:32:21.323" Score="-1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Ihave beeen chanting for a goal over a year now ,hours a day attending meetings and doing activities i sometimes get exhausted hopeing tomorrow will be the day i am tired &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11963" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T16:32:21.323" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22210" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T16:50:08.360" Score="0" ViewCount="367" Body="&lt;p&gt;What does Buddhism say that the laity should do when someone injuries them?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So in Christianity there is &quot;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_the_other_cheek&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;turn the other cheek&lt;/a&gt;&quot;, which seems easy to do, if not understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;The phrase originates from the Sermon on the Mount in the New&#xA;  Testament. In the Gospel of Matthew, an alternative for &quot;an eye for an&#xA;  eye&quot; is given by Jesus: 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An&#xA;  eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That&#xA;  ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,&#xA;  turn to him the other also.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;How should we ordinary beings respond to injury?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user2512" LastActivityDate="2017-08-20T09:47:56.970" Title="What does Buddhism say that the laity should do when someone injuries them?" Tags="|personal-practice|lay-buddhism|christianity|" AnswerCount="4" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22211" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22210" CreationDate="2017-08-19T17:30:48.620" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The message of Buddha is similar, althought he did not give a direct advice how a lay person should react on harm to lay people but indirect in gaving given absolute valide precepts: not harming and destroing life (incl. ALL living beings, also not for food), not to take what is not given, not to speak what is not true and not to misbehave in fleshes lust and not to take indoxicants, which easy cause such.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;As for monks, and people who are intented to liberation, the position is and advice is more direct and clear given, not intended for the world but beyound and most famous is the saw-simily:&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;{patient endurance} &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than_en.html#saw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 21&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.028.than_en.html#saw&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;MN 28&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;There will follow a good collection of other sayings in this regard and this clear approach in many good answers.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Other than Jesus appearing and how he wins people, Buddha does not advice at it is heroic to and on the cross in serving and try to help others, he does not advice to dy for others, but for those who desire real benefit and liberation, even to dy for the training in keeping his discipline and told that his monks would rather like to dy then to break the basic and importand precepts.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So there is no evidence of advices for sacrify one self for the world and its purpose, at least to help others in the best possible way one can.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;One who seeks for revenge will never be at peace, thats of cource the same message in this regard but martyr in this regard has no place and is not praised by the Buddha and his informed followers, also to act for possible display and transport such. Of course people often preach of how many sacrifies the Buddha did, gave his life, to become a Buddha to push on a certain &quot;feel obligated&quot; botton to win followers, but he himself did not.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Just to try to point out the differnces, not so easy to trace and would require much more explaining to understand.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not mean for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T17:30:48.620" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22213" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22210" CreationDate="2017-08-19T17:50:48.340" Score="2" Body="&lt;p&gt;It is up to each situation. Some case running away is proper, but some case negotiating is proper, etc.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The theory is &quot;The buddhist people will try to keep 1)own benefit, 2)other benefits, 3)public benefit, 4)this life benefit, 5)next life benefit, and 6)nibbāna benefit. &lt;strong&gt;They try to keep whole 6 benefits, no bias.&lt;/strong&gt;&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Methods, to keep benefits, are multiple up to consciousness management ability of each person.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastEditorUserId="10100" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T19:11:44.497" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T19:11:44.497" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22214" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T18:29:23.317" Score="3" ViewCount="422" Body="&lt;p&gt;Can people with poor mental health not just benefit from meditation, but realize  its goals?&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-25T08:39:30.200" LastActivityDate="2017-09-10T11:50:22.877" Title="Mental illness: can Dhamma, meditation help?" Tags="|practice|faith|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22215" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22214" CreationDate="2017-08-19T18:30:50.587" Score="0" Body="&lt;p&gt;The question is whether people with mental problems can benefit from the practice of Dhamma? Yes, in all cases.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Note that everyone has mental defects till reaching Arahat-hood.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It is important to take the medicine rightly and completely, since meditation alone also harms those &quot;without&quot; defect.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Here is a good talk about why it seems for some that the practice of Dhamma does not work: &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;blockquote&gt;&#xA;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/precepts_en.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;The Healing Power of the Precepts&lt;/a&gt;, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 4pp./11KB)&lt;br&gt;&#xA;  Many people today have come to the Buddha's teachings in search of emotional and spiritual healing. In this short essay the author reminds us that the single most effective tool for healing a wounded heart may be found.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;It might be that certain mental &quot;real&quot; disabilities (&lt;em&gt;vitalingo&lt;/em&gt; -- persons with congenital defects such as idiocy, one of the few conditions that make the goal impossible for one in this life -- see &lt;a href=&quot;http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,172.msg393.html#msg393&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow noreferrer&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; about conditions) are hindrances to reach any path or fruit in this life time; but even then, in the long term it will help anybody who takes the medicine right and associates with people of secured faith in and of the path.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;So (at the risk of contradicting other answers) I will &lt;strong&gt;always&lt;/strong&gt; encourage people, with whatever kind of mental defect or defective mental state: to turn to Dhamma or try to get the best possible integration; to serve and to make merits around the Gems, and to practice Dhamma as well as possible; rather than to turn to usual ways, which usually just try to make one function in and for society, or to keep the &quot;defect&quot; prevented/protected from functioning and vice versa.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Note: this answer is not meant for any commercial purpose or other wordily gains.&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="11958" LastEditorUserId="254" LastEditDate="2017-08-25T08:49:58.133" LastActivityDate="2017-08-25T08:49:58.133" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22216" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22117" CreationDate="2017-08-19T18:59:30.777" Score="-3" Body="&lt;p&gt;SN 22.82 appears to be about '&lt;em&gt;paññāpanāya&lt;/em&gt;', namely, how the aggregates manifest or come to be known. Therefore it uses the word '&lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt;', which means preceding 'cause'. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 12.2 (dependent origination) is about '&lt;em&gt;samudhaya&lt;/em&gt;', namely, the origination of suffering, which is about how the aggregates found multiples times within the multiple conditions (paccaya) are tainted by ignorance leading to suffering. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, the two teachings (SN 22.82 &amp;amp; SN 12.2) appear completely different &amp;amp; unrelated to each other. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;SN 22.82, in particular, shows how dependent origination (SN 12.2) is not about the reincarnation, come into existence &amp;amp;/or knowing (&lt;em&gt;paññāpanāya&lt;/em&gt;) of the aggregates but about how the aggregates are tainted by ignorance &amp;amp; leading to suffering.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T19:07:59.123" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T19:07:59.123" CommentCount="6" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22217" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22214" CreationDate="2017-08-19T19:48:10.623" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;Some people with a mental health history have actually benefited from meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Such benefit is known to occur on a &lt;strong&gt;case-by-case basis&lt;/strong&gt;, similar to how not every person that lives as a monk benefits from monkhood. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Many meditation centres have experience with mental health and generally require approval from a persons's psychologist or psychiatrist before permitting attendance on meditation retreats.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;I have read many sincere accounts of people reducing mental health issues with meditation. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Also, the atmosphere of genuine metta (loving-kindness) at Dhamma centres is also helpful in reducing anxiety &amp;amp; other self-esteem issues. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;The loving-kindness of a Buddha radiates upon all beings, neglecting none (including fake monks). &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="8157" LastEditorUserId="8157" LastEditDate="2017-08-19T20:11:24.983" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T20:11:24.983" CommentCount="2" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22218" PostTypeId="1" CreationDate="2017-08-19T20:20:49.060" Score="3" ViewCount="92" Body="&lt;p&gt;As I know one says the 5 propositions and then goes about his day. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Or are the precepts also pegs for mindfulness? Keeping them constantly in mind? &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerDisplayName="user4878" LastActivityDate="2017-08-21T17:56:48.970" Title="How observance of the 5 Precepts is done?" Tags="|theravada|five-precepts|sila|" AnswerCount="5" CommentCount="0" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22219" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22204" CreationDate="2017-08-19T20:37:42.637" Score="1" Body="&lt;p&gt;Everyone who can give me the whole 6 benefits: 1)own benefit, 2)other benefits, 3)public benefit, 4)this life benefit, 5)next life benefit, and 6)nibbāna benefit.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Everyone&lt;/strong&gt; mean I try listen everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The whole&lt;/strong&gt; mean I trust in no separate benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Infinity, until I will parinibbāna.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;" OwnerUserId="10100" LastActivityDate="2017-08-19T20:37:42.637" CommentCount="1" ContentLicense="CC BY-SA 3.0" />
  <row Id="22220" PostTypeId="2" ParentId="22117" CreationDate="2017-08-19T20:43:07.667" Score="4" Body="&lt;p&gt;When you have questions of this kind, it is good to refer to the next two levels of Dhamma. One can always find the correct meanings to the key words that come up in reading the Sutta Pitaka in other two levels of Dhamma. They are the Vibhanga (The Book of Divisions) of the Abhidamma Pitaka, and the Pattäna Dhamma.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;In the Suttas what you normally find is the most basic of the given key word, or theme, or concept. It is only in the other two levels that we get to find the deeper meaning. In reading these, one will see that what is meant by &lt;em&gt;hetu&lt;/em&gt; is the root causes, and not just other  superficial causes.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paccaya&lt;/em&gt; means  condition / conditions. There are 24 “paccaya” or “conditions” that can actually cause an effect to materialize; these are called “Pattäna Dhamma&quot;. Three such paccaya, are “hetu paccaya&quot;, “annantara samanantara paccaya”, and “annamanna paccaya”. &lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Hetu, or Root causes, are three if you take it as raga, dosa, and, moha. It is of six type if taken as lobha, dosa, and, moha (for akusala kamma), and alobha, adosa, and amoha (for kusala kamma). Then there are other Conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&#xA;&#xA;&lt;p&gt;Lets take the germination of a seed to understand the role of conditions or paccaya. The root condition to bring into existence a tree is embedded in a seed; this is called annantara paccaya. But suitable conditions for that seed to germinate are in fertile soil with adequate sunlight and water; this is called samanantara paccaya. Therefore, bot